Climbing to the top of the mountain and becoming a champion in mixed martial arts is an extremely challenging prospect.Few fighters ascend to the throne in their respective weight classes and sit atop of their division as champion.MMA requires a unique…
Climbing to the top of the mountain and becoming a champion in mixed martial arts is an extremely challenging prospect.
Few fighters ascend to the throne in their respective weight classes and sit atop of their division as champion.
MMA requires a unique blend of strength, endurance, flexibility, power, innate skill and the heart of a warrior to become the best.
Many competitors have shined brightly labeled No. 1 contenders and have challenged for titles, only to be decimated in their attempt for the crown.
Most recently, “The Phenom” Vitor Belfort had his championship hopes crushed by a well-placed and devastating front kick by the greatest striker in this sport, Anderson “The Spider” Silva.
Even though Belfort was defeated, he is still a truly remarkable fighter with talent and skills unequaled by many within the UFC and no one outside of the sport.
Possessing amazing fighting skills keeps this list of competitors relevant within their divisions.
However, none of the following fighters will once again challenge for a title or furthermore, sit atop their respective weight classes as champions again.
Even though they may never again be labeled as the No. 1 contender or win an additional title, these fighters have all earned their due respect and can hold their heads high with pride for their accomplishments inside the Octagon.
Please follow along as I provide you with 10 fighters who have fallen from greatness.
What an absolutely amazing night of fights. UFC Live on Versus 5 did not disappoint with the tremendous matchups. Nor did the fighters disappoint in their performances leaving the fans at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the millions vie…
What an absolutely amazing night of fights. UFC Live on Versus 5 did not disappoint with the tremendous matchups. Nor did the fighters disappoint in their performances leaving the fans at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the millions viewing on Versus worldwide, wanting more action.
Highlighting the evening’s card was the final fight for the welterweight journeyman, Chris “Lights Out” Lytle.
In customary style, this Indianapolis, Indiana native took to the center of the Octagon and delivered an overhand right with bad intentions on “The Outlaw” Dan Hardy within seconds of the opening bell.
This mixed martial arts contest became more of a quintessential boxing matchup as both welterweight competitors battered each other through three grueling rounds.
As the back-and-forth affair was coming to a close in Round 3, Lytle capitalized on a mistake by Hardy and sunk in a deep guillotine choke securing a submission victory in his last UFC fight.
Lytle’s performance was not to be undone, as five other mixed martial artists secured upset victories in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
A truly epic night of fights. Please follow along as I recap the biggest upsets from UFC Live on Versus 5.
Thank you again Chris Lytle for all that you have provided us inside the Octagon and everything you have done as a role model and ambassador for the UFC outside of the cage. Your legacy will not be forgotten.
I welcome your comments.
You can “Like” Todd Seyler on Facebook and/or Follow me on Twitter
With 29 professional kick-boxing bouts and 19 professional mixed martial arts contests, the seasoned veteran “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone enters the Octagon at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to face-off in his biggest matchup to date.Charles “d…
With 29 professional kick-boxing bouts and 19 professional mixed martial arts contests, the seasoned veteran “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone enters the Octagon at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to face-off in his biggest matchup to date.
Charles “do Bronx” Oliveira is a tremendously gifted challenger. A black belt in jiu-jitsu, Oliveira’s ground game is second to none, and his transitions in the grappling department are awe-inspiring.
Ever-improving on his stand-up striking skills, “do Bronx” has added a lethal clinch game to his solid arsenal of attack including crisp boxing and complementary Muay-thai skills.
Not to be outdone, Cerrone is a truly gifted fighter.
Methodical, tactically precise, patient and very cerebral, “Cowboy” is an outstanding Muay-thai specialist.
Standing and trading with some of the best lightweights in the industry including Ben Henderson, Rob McCullough, and Jamie Varner, Cerrone’s stand-up skills are equal to any challenge within the UFC lightweight division.
Previously utilizing his stand-up dominance to open up submission attempts in the jiu-jitsu game, Cerrone has compiled 12 tapout victories in his young career.
But this game plan will not work against Oliveira.
Outside of Jim Miller’s submission victory over “do Bronx” at UFC 124 via kneebar, Oliveira has not tapped, or even been close to losing by a submission in his remaining 14 fights.
Cerrone’s key to success in this matchup with Oliveira will be to keep the fight standing and execute a solid striking fight strategy.
“Cowboy” possesses the ability to keep fighters at bay by throwing a wide variety of striking combinations and by utilizing all of his weapons.
Incorporating leg kicks, straight punches, and fluid motion will keep “do Bronx” off-balance and incapable of securing a Muay-thai clinch and delivering damage on the inside.
If this matchup does go to the ground, Cerrone’s best asset will be his ability to utilize his brilliant jiu-jitsu skills to re-establish the fight on their feet and continue to damage Oliveira in the stand-up department.
Fighting out of Jackson Submission Fighting in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I am sure that this top-notch fight school has prepared Cerrone for a three round battle with Oliveira.
As I stated in my predictions piece for this card, I believe that this matchup may earn Fight of the Year honors.
Stay tuned to Versus this Sunday to witness a battle between two rising prospects within the UFC lightweight division.
I welcome your comments.
You can “Like” Todd Seyler on Facebook and/or Follow him on Twitter.
UFC Live: Hardy vs. Lytle will be held on August 14 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and broadcast live on Versus.Highlighting the night’s action will be a sure-fire throwdown between Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy and Chris “Lights Out” Lytle in …
UFC Live: Hardy vs. Lytle will be held on August 14 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and broadcast live on Versus.
Highlighting the night’s action will be a sure-fire throwdown between Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy and Chris “Lights Out” Lytle in the UFC welterweight division.
The other co-main event on the evening’s card is a tremendous lightweight matchup between Jim Miller and former WEC champion Ben Henderson.
Potentially stealing the marquee limelight away from the co-main event, an excellent stylistic matchup features jiu-jitsu wizard Charles Oliveira and the Muay Thai specialist Donald Cerrone as they grace the UFC lightweight division.
Additional blockbuster duels include Amir Sodallah and Duane Ludwig, as well as former Ultimate Fighter winner CB Dollaway versus the hard-hitting, up-and-coming middleweight competitor Jared Hamman.
To say that this writer is excited for this free venue is an understatement. Excellent matchups fill the card from start to finish.
Please follow along as I dissect each of the night’s fights and provide analysis, insights and predictions.
Enjoy this amazing fight card.
I welcome your comments.
You can “Like” Todd Seyler on Facebook and/or Follow him on Twitter.
Mixed martial arts is the most dynamic sport on the planet. Physical tools necessary to excel as an ultimate fighter include strength, endurance, speed, eye-hand coordination and power.In layman’s terms, power is referred to as explosiveness. Physiolog…
Mixed martial arts is the most dynamic sport on the planet. Physical tools necessary to excel as an ultimate fighter include strength, endurance, speed, eye-hand coordination and power.
In layman’s terms, power is referred to as explosiveness. Physiologically, explosiveness is the ability to deliver force quickly.
In short, possessing explosiveness means that a fighter can transfer his strength and speed through his strikes quicker than his opponent.
With the evolution of athletes in this world, each subsequent generation is becoming faster, stronger, quicker and more explosive.
The UFC has benefited tremendously from this evolutionary tract of Darwinian theory.
The explosive abilities of Bas Rutten and Frank Shamrock were a rarity inside the famed Octagon. Nowadays, that explosiveness is the standard of which most mixed martial artists possess.
Even though more fighters possess all the necessary traits needed to be successful inside the cage, a select few practitioners stand above the rest with respect to their explosiveness inside the Octagon.
Just a side note, this slideshow pertains to currently signed UFC competitors who are on the active duty list. Sorry, Brock Lesnar, even though you are an explosive dynamo, I did not add you to this list.
Additionally, “The Phenom” Vitor Belfort possesses the most explosive hands in the UFC, historically. His return to the famed Octagon has been short lived since his recent re-signing.
Therefore, because Belfort does not have a recent body of work illustrating his explosiveness, I have kept him off of this list as well.
Please follow along as I provide the most explosive UFC fighters competing today.
Ryan “Darth” Bader made a tidal-wave size impact on the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter. Winning the light heavyweight crown by defeating Vinny Magalhaes on TUF, the sky was the limit for Bader.Riding a tremendous wave of momentum, “Darth” r…
Ryan “Darth” Bader made a tidal-wave size impact on the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter. Winning the light heavyweight crown by defeating Vinny Magalhaes on TUF, the sky was the limit for Bader.
Riding a tremendous wave of momentum, “Darth” rattled off four straight victories inside the famed Octagon including impressive wins over UFC veterans Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Keith Jardine.
Ultimately, suffering his first defeat as a professional at UFC 126 by the current light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, Bader was quickly brought down to Earth and forced to re-establish himself within the UFC light heavyweight division.
The first step in climbing back up the title contention ladder will take place this Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada as Bader takes on “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz.
Ortiz, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, has not had his hand raised in victory since defeating a fledgling Ken Shamrock back in 2006.
Overcoming personal issues and various injuries, Ortiz will be entering the Octagon for the first time since being defeated by Matt Hamill at UFC 121 in October of 2010.
A former three-time Pac-10 amateur wrestling champion, Bader was teammates with current UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, as well as CB Dollaway and Aaron Simpson.
Ryan Bader’s grappling pedigree is second to none. He is a tremendous wrestler with excellent take-down defense and is successful on 42 percent of his take-down attempts.
Possessing tremendous power and strength, this 6’2″ 205-pound mixed martial artist has excellent physical tools necessary to dominate within the grappling department.
Additionally, Bader’s stand-up skills are ever-improving. Landing 36 percent of his total strikes thrown, “Darth” is evolving into an all-around striker from his feet.
Defensively, he is much more solid, avoiding 76 percent of the total strikes attempted on him.
Tito Ortiz is not a flashy fighter. He will stand and trade in the pocket and look for take-down attempts throughout the entire fight. Ortiz is a skilled counter-striker and will capitalize on any openings provided by Bader.
For Bader to defeat Ortiz, he must manhandle “The Hungtington Beach Bad Boy” by clinching with Ortiz and delivering solid short punches from the inside.
Wearing down Ortiz will minimize his movement providing Bader the opportunity to land that destructive right hand.
Additionally, Bader needs to remain active in the stand-up game by varying his combinations and adjusting his striking angles.
Lastly, even though Ortiz is an excellent wrestler himself, he is not in the same class as Bader. If “Darth” chooses to take this fight to the mat, he will need to set up the take-down attempts with crisp, tactical combinations from his feet.
To make a run at Jon Jones’s title, Ryan “Darth” Bader needs to thoroughly destroy Tito Ortiz and send “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” packing for retirement.
If Bader can execute his game plan, he will once again be amongst the top 10 within the UFC light heavyweight divison.
With 29 professional kick-boxing bouts and 19 professional mixed martial arts contests, the seasoned veteran “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone enters the Octagon at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to face-off in his biggest matchup to date.