You do not always get what you want in life. That was the case for Quinton “Rampage” Jackson as he was proclaiming a victory in his fight with Glover Teixeira this evening. Indeed, things didn’t go the way the former light heavyweight champion had expe…
You do not always get what you want in life. That was the case for Quinton “Rampage” Jackson as he was proclaiming a victory in his fight with Glover Teixeira this evening. Indeed, things didn’t go the way the former light heavyweight champion had expected, as Teixeira defeated Jackson by unanimous decision.
This fight was the final fight on Jackson’s UFC contract. Rampage has been loudly speaking that this was his final fight in the UFC, and that he wants to go to a place where he feels respected.
The loss tonight was the third in a row for Jackson. Even though Jackson has a lot of star power, it will be difficult for Jackson to find the right contract and place to fight.
Could we see Rampage back in the UFC?
Let’s take a look at reasons why Quinton Jackson will be back in the UFC.
Tonight marks the second year that the UFC will be on Fox. The first year had mixed results. The second Fox show averaged 4.7 million viewers, the third 2.4 million, the fourth 2.4 million and the fifth 4.4 million.The sixth installment takes plac…
Tonight marks the second year that the UFC will be on Fox. The first year had mixed results. The second Fox show averaged 4.7 million viewers, the third 2.4 million, the fourth 2.4 million and the fifth 4.4 million.
The sixth installment takes place tonight at the United Center in Chicago. Like UFC on Fox 5, we have a title fight in the main event, as Demetrious Johnson defends the flyweight title against John Dodson. In the co-feature, we have what could be the final UFC fight for Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, as he faces off with Glover Teixeira.
There are a lot of great fights and story lines coming into the first Fox show of 2013. Let’s take a look and see why you can’t miss the show tonight.
When you’re 42 years old and in the fight business, you usually are at the point of where you’re retired and either training fighters or out of the sport. Exceptions are out there like Randy Couture, Dan Henderson and Dan Severn. They are few and far b…
When you’re 42 years old and in the fight business, you usually are at the point of where you’re retired and either training fighters or out of the sport. Exceptions are out there like Randy Couture, Dan Henderson and Dan Severn. They are few and far between. It is like that because of the nature of the sport and the punishment that the fighters receive.
We can add another name to this list of fighters still continuing their careers. Vladimir Matyushenko, the former IFL light heavyweight champion, started fighting in 1997 and will continue his journey as he faces Ryan Bader at UFC on Fox 6.
As you get older, times change in the sport. The way you diet and cut weight is a big factor, as it is harder to lose weight when you get older. For Matyushenko, it is all about balance.
“I try to balance eating right and training hard,” Matyushenko told Bleacher Report. “I used to train two or three times a day. Sometimes you just don’t have the energy, so your forced to eat small portions of food.”
You hear stories from fighters who say they train up to four times a day. As you get older, though, that slows down due to the natural wear and tear of fighting. The native of Belarus feels when you are starting in the sport, you have to train more, but when you keep advancing in your career it does change.
“You have to train not necessarily harder, but smarter,” Matyushenko stated. “For up and comers, you have to train a lot. You have to spar a lot just to find your style and find who you are. With my age, I can just improve the style I have and sharpen them up. When I have to train as hard, you still have to be in shape. Recovery time is important. You have to train smarter, not harder.”
After being in the sport for 15 years, you would think there is nothing else to learn. For “The Janitor,” you have to keep learning to keep up with the new age of fighters.
“You have too (keep learning),” Matyushenko stated. “If you don’t then you are pretty much done. A few years ago, I didn’t have that material to work from. Now there’s so much material to learn from because there’s so many good fighters.”
At the age of 42, being an active fighter isn’t likely for a lot of fighters. For Matyushenko, retirement was supposed to happen a long time ago, but he feels MMA is cool and better now than it was 15 years ago.
“I thought about retirement ten years ago (laughing),” Matyushenko stated. “With the circumstances today, MMA is cool to do, especially where the UFC is right now. You don’t have to worry now about fighting for a paycheck and making sure the check doesn’t bounce from the bank. Now we have health insurance and stuff like that. I think all these things extend our life spans of being a fighter.”
His opponent, Ryan Bader, lost his last fight to Lyoto Machida by knockout at UFC on Fox 4 in August. Matyushenko feels they are similar fighters, but feels Bader is now in the prospect category due to losing big fights against Jon Jones and Machida.
“It depends on what he (Bader) thinks of himself,” Matyushenko stated. “He’s a prospect. He’s done being a contender. He had some good matches and in those matches, he lost. He did good in the beginning (of his career). I think a lack of experience, not just his overall, but his experience with Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida. Those are top guys.
“We are pretty similar fighters. I’m a wrestler, he’s a wrestler. He’s been working on his striking and has gotten a few knockouts in his career and so have I. It is a good matchup.”
Dana White has said in the past that if you get by Matyushenko, you are a serious contender in the light heavyweight division.
Jon Jones beat Matyushenko in August 2010, and Jones is currently the UFC light heavyweight champion. Alexander Gustafsson beat Matyushenko at UFC 141 in December 2011, and Gustafsson has main-evented a card, with a co-main event slot at UFC on Fox 5. That defines what a gatekeeper is in MMA. Matyushenko is looking to shed that title and make a run at the belt.
“What you want and what you got are two different things (laughing),” Matyushenko stated. “I want to be the champion. Some people think I’m god, but some people call me a gatekeeper and some call me the janitor. The only way I can change that is to improve my performance and become a champion. If I would have beaten Jon Jones, maybe I would be viewed differently.
“I have to shape myself up and show what I got. It is tougher to fight there (205 pound division) especially right now. A few guys from Strikeforce are coming over like (Gegard) Mousasi. It is going to to be interesting.”
Unless otherwise stated, all quotes were obtained firsthand.
Some fighters have a style of fighting that fans appreciate. You have fighters like Wanderlei Silva, Junior Dos Santos and Anderson Silva who don’t get paid by the hour and go to finish the fight. Then you have fighters who have a style that the fans d…
Some fighters have a style of fighting that fans appreciate. You have fighters like Wanderlei Silva, Junior Dos Santos and Anderson Silva who don’t get paid by the hour and go to finish the fight.
Then you have fighters who have a style that the fans don’t appreciate. That style is when fighters always win by decision and the fans feel like they got cheated.
Bellator welterweight fighter Karl Amoussou feels that way about Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren as they square off tonight in the main event of Bellator 86. The event takes place in Thackerville, Oklahoma, and you can catch the main card on Spike TV beginning at 10 p.m. EST.
Amoussou went through the Bellator welterweight tournament last year and defeated Bryan Baker at Bellator 72 last July to get the shot at Askren. The Bellator tournaments require a fighter to win three fights in three months to get a title shot. If you fight all those fights in such a short amount of time and you would think it would be hard to readjust your body to prepare a fight that’s six months away. For Amoussou though, it was a little difficult, but he was glad to get the break.
I didn’t really have to readjust, Amoussou told Bleacher Report. I took a short timeout to relax a little bit because the tournament was a little tough. In five months, I fought three times. I was really tired after that. I took two weeks off and then started training again to get ready for (Ben) Askren. It wasn’t difficult to get back in action when you know you have a fight for the belt.
Some people have criticized the tournament concept Bellator currently has.
You fight three times in three months to get a title shot and $100,000.
Fighters haven’t signed with the promotion because of the tournament concept. Amoussou likes the tournament format and feels he will be sending Askren back to the tournament.
I think the tournament is a great thing because you really earn your title shot, Amoussou stated. The only thing I think isn’t so good is that the challenger and the titleholder, whoever loses would have to start from the bottom again. I think that’s a bit hard. Askren is going to have to start the tournament from the beginning. He was the champion for three fights. That sucks he will have to start from the quarterfinals to be able to face me again.
A lot has been said of the style of Ben Askren. People feel that his style his boring and that he fights cautiously to win and keep the belt. Amoussou, in the tournament, finished two of his three opponents. The challenger has stated in past interviews that Askren has a lay and pray style of fighting. Amoussou doesn’t back away from those statements regarding the champion.
I actually don’t think I lied (statements regarding Askren), Amoussou stated. Just watch his fights. I literally fell asleep watching one of his fights. I was trying to get ready for my fight and study for him. I fell asleep. He’s definitely a lay and pray fighter. He’s good at what he does. He’s extremely boring. When your a fighter, you have to be a bit exciting.
People have said that Askren‘s style is boring and not good for the sport. Amoussou feels that style is good for MMA, but not for the fans. “Psycho” respects the champion, but says Askren isn’t coming out of the fight tonight with the belt.
His (Askren‘s) style is good for MMA, Amoussou stated. He is good at what he does and he wins. But his style is boring and I think fans are tired of watching his fights. Fans shouldn’t be bothered too much because next week he won’t fight for the belt after this fight. He’s a good fighter, a good wrestler, but he’s not an exciting fighter.
Unless otherwise stated, all quotes were obtained firsthand.
In the world of MMA, you find fighters who have different skill sets. Fighters can be dominant in striking, wrestling and jiu-jitsu. However, we have never seen a fighter who has fought with one arm.
Nick Newell defeated Eric Reynolds to become the XFC…
In the world of MMA, you find fighters who have different skill sets. Fighters can be dominant in striking, wrestling and jiu-jitsu. However, we have never seen a fighter who has fought with one arm.
Nick Newell defeated Eric Reynolds to become the XFC World Champion last month. A lot has been made of whether Newell will be in the UFC. At the pre-fight press for UFC 155, Dana White, when asked about the chances of Newell entering the UFC said, “Never, no.”
“It’s hard to fight here with two arms. It’s tough. There’s guys that we bring in that are considered top guys on The Ultimate Fighter that don’t ever really pan out and make it. Will the state of Nevada let him fight? Will the state of California let him fight? Would some of these bigger athletic commissions let him fight? Maybe he can get away with that in some of these other states. I don’t know, fighting with one arm is just craziness to me.”
Newell was on the MMA Hour two weeks ago, explaining his case of why he should be in the UFC. After an outpouring of support, Newell put out messages on Twitter, stating his case to be in the UFC. Does Newell deserve a chance in the UFC? Let’s take a look and see why Newell deserves the opportunity.
@danawhite Many great things have been accomplished by taking risks. Alot of miracles have happened bc somebody gave the underdog a chance.
Michael Bisping is one of the most dynamic figures in MMA. A lot of people hate him, but we’re starting to see a trend lately of people starting to like him, too. Bisping competes tomorrow night in the main event of UFC on FX 7 agai…
Michael Bisping is one of the most dynamic figures in MMA. A lot of people hate him, but we’re starting to see a trend lately of people starting to like him, too.
Bisping competes tomorrow night in the main event of UFC on FX 7 against former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort. Dana White has stated that if Bisping gets by “The Phenom,” he will get a shot at UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
Can Bisping finally get over the hump tomorrow night and get that elusive title shot? Here are some reasons you should root for him to do exactly that.
When you’re 42 years old and in the fight business, you usually are at the point of where you’re retired and either training fighters or out of the sport. Exceptions are out there like Randy Couture, Dan Henderson and Dan Severn. They are few and far between. It is like that because of the nature of the sport and the punishment that the fighters receive.