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UFC 181: Anthony Pettis Can Solidify Himself as One of Lightweight’s Greats

When Anthony Pettis steps into the cage for the first time in 15 long months on Saturday at UFC 181, he’ll be facing down more than just opponent Gilbert Melendez, the former Strikeforce champion who is looking to write his own name in the UFC’s record book. In Melendez’s shadow, another man lurks—his spirit and reputation still engulfing the entire lightweight division.

Pettis fights not just to secure his UFC Lightweight Championship but against the legend of future Hall of Famer B.J. Penn.

Slow down, I can hear you thinking. Pettis, after all, hasn’t even defended his UFC title a single time. All-time great? Really?

The stakes, surprisingly, are just that high.

With just a handful of solid wins, Pettis could write his name next to Penn’s, staking his claim as the best 155-pound fighter in MMA history. That says plenty—both about Penn’s overwhelming presence in the division for years and just how good Pettis can be.

But, despite his obvious and at times mesmerizing skill, doubt has attached itself to Pettis like a shroud. His ability just to make it to the fight has been called into question—and perhaps rightfully so. Since his famous “Showtime kick” helped him beat Benson Henderson for the WEC championship in 2010, Pettis has only stepped into the Octagon five times.

“I’ve been through a lot in my life, and I believe I’m mentally very strong,” Pettis told Bleacher Report’s Duane Finley. “There isn’t much that can faze me mentally. But it’s hard, man. Seeing all of these people advancing their careers and winning these fights and I’m stuck on the sidelines. It’s just one of those things you just have to get through, and I had to get through it. Once you do that, the great things come.”

While it’s hard to carve out a place in fans’ hearts and atop the pound-for-pound list—where Pettis currently sits in the sixth position on the UFC’s official rankings—without, you know, fighting, Pettis’ skills are so overwhelmingly obvious he’s managed to do so anyway.

His physical tools are plain—speed, quickness and a long, lanky build. Less obvious, Bloody Elbow striking expert Connor Ruebusch explains, is that Pettis’ success is predicated on his smarts every bit as much as his athletic prowess: “Cagecraft, generalship, Octagon control—whatever you call it, Pettis understands it. Much like highly hyped UFC neophyte Conor McGregor, Pettis is equally adept at playing the counter fighter and the aggressor. When he is on the prowl, his understanding of the cage is unrivaled.”

Physical skill alone won’t be enough to stop Melendez, one of the division’s toughest outs for more than a decade. A classic wrestler-boxer, the Cesar Gracie product is capable of taking a slick finesse fighter and grinding him into the mat for 25 long minutes.

There’s some fear of that, surely, in the back of Pettis’ mind. After all, Clay Guida, a kind of lesser Melendez, did something similar to the champion in his first UFC fight.

That loss, however, was more than three-and-a-half years in the past. In the meantime, Pettis has spent plenty of time on the mat with Olympian Ben Askren, improving his wrestling defense and ground game by leaps and bounds.

That much was obvious in his title win over Henderson. The former champ was thought to be the better grappler going in, but Pettis was able to consistently stymie Henderson’s wrestling attacks against the fence. When Henderson did manage to leap on top of his challenger after a slip, Pettis exacted the ultimate revenge—an armbar submission from the bottom.

Pettis believes he can fend off Melendez’s takedowns as well. And, if he does, the fight will be contested in his wheelhouse, where he expects his more multifaceted approach to pay serious dividends against a fighter who has focused almost entirely on his hands.

“I think he’s very basic when it comes to stand-up,” Pettis told Damon Martin of Fox Sports. “He’s got decent boxing, and he’s tough. That’s most Mexican fighters; they are the most exciting fighters, they are tough and have good boxing. Unfortunately for him, that’s my zone. If he wants to stand in there and trade, he’s not going to see me having a Diego Sanchez fight, I’ll tell you that. I think I outclass him in the striking like he’s a beginner.”

If Pettis can back up that boast, it would be the kind of resume item that would help him make a strong case historically in the lightweight division. In a career spanning 12 years, much of it spent competing against top competition, Melendez has never been stopped.

If Pettis can pull it off, in that trademark spectacular Pettis fashion, it’s time to start talking about more than just a run-of-the-mill title defense. It’s time to, once again, dust off the superfight with featherweight champion Jose Aldo and let Pettis, finally, make his case for immortality.

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UFC 181 Preliminary Card Predictions

The UFC is back on Saturday with a return to pay-per-view. Headlined by two title fights, UFC 181 promises to be one of the biggest cards of the year. The main attraction will be a welterweight title rematch between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler, who fought in a classic bout earlier this year. It will […]

UFC/Reebok Uniform Deal Reportedly Worth $70 Million Over Six Years

(From L-R: Reebok president Matt O’Toole, UFC chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, UFC social media intern Dana White. / Photo via Business Wire)

Yesterday, the UFC and Reebok laid out the broad strokes of a new partnership that would make Reebok the official uniform provider and commercial apparel producer for the world’s leading MMA promotion. In short: It’s a six-year agreement that will kick off on July 6th of next year, “every dime” of the revenue goes to the fighters — or at least “the vast majority” of it — and payouts will be based on a tier-system determined by a fighter rankings, which are themselves determined by a random and often unqualified assortment of approved media members.

There are a lot of questions about the deal that still need to be answered. But if a new report on The Telegraph is accurate, we now know how much Reebok is paying the UFC, in total. According to Gareth A. Davies, the partnership is “is understood to be worth $70 million over a six-year period.” So let’s break this thing down…

– $70 million over six years is about $11.67 million per year.

– There are approximately 550 fighters currently under contract with the UFC. That figure comes from UFC president Dana White, who said this yesterday: “I couldn’t call all 550 fighters, but I’ve been calling fighters over the last few days and pretty much all the men and women that I talked to are pretty excited about it.” Pretty much! Pretty excited! Nate Diaz was one of the dissenting votes, I guess.

– $11.67 million divided by 550 fighters = an average of $21,212 per fighter per year. Keep in mind that we still don’t exactly know how the tiered payout system will operate. But $21,212 is the number we’re starting with.

(From L-R: Reebok president Matt O’Toole, UFC chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, UFC social media intern Dana White. / Photo via Business Wire)

– $70 million over six years is about $11.67 million per year.

– Let’s assume that the UFC continues to run about 45 events a year, with 11 or 12 fights per event. That’s 22-24 available spots per event. Multiply that by 45, and you get a range of 990-1,080 — the total number of fights available to UFC fighters in a calendar year. We’ll just take the midway point and say 1,035.

– 1,035 available fights divided by 550 fighters = 1.88. Huh. So on average, each contracted UFC fighter is only fighting about twice a year.

– $21,212 divided by two = $10,606 per fight in sponsorship revenue for each fighter, on average. Of course, that’s if the fighters are literally getting “every dime” of this deal, which again, might not be completely accurate.

Okay, I understand that the vast majority (there’s that phrase again) of the UFC’s unranked masses will be getting a small slice of the sponsorship pie compared to the ranked contenders and champions — and if Johnny Fight Pass gets three grand in Reebok money every fight without having to hustle sponsors for it, that doesn’t sound like a terrible arrangement for him, does it?

But after looking at these numbers, I’m not as concerned with the up-and-comers taking a big hit. Now, I’m wondering if the Reebok revenue can possibly match what big stars like Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey, and Anderson Silva used to make from all of their sponsors on fight night. Because $11.67 million per year, for everybody? The pie itself is not that big, relatively speaking. Of course, none of this takes into account the 20% cut of merchandising sales that UFC fighters will also receive. But then again, only the big stars will see real money from that incentive — because who would buy a Sultan Aliev x Reebok-branded hoodie?

Damn it, we really need details about how this tier system will work. And speaking of which — are we really supposed to believe that payouts will only be based on media ranking, without any consideration of star power? I mean, I respect the egalitarian, meritocractic nature of that concept, but dude:

No disrespect to Sarah Kaufman intended. We were just using her and Anderson’s shared top 5 status to illustrate a point about how the entire world has gone insane. We’ll keep you posted on the UFC/Reebok deal as more interesting stuff comes to light.

Related: Nate Quarry gave his own constructive criticism about the Reebok deal on Reddit, and it ain’t pretty…

Yep. The UFC further continuing their stranglehold over the fighters. Why? They don’t have enough money to actually pay their athletes above welfare wages? Will the money trickle down? Has it so far? How many checks have the random fighters gotten from “official” UFC sponsors? None? No Harley Davidson checks? No checks from the supplement sponsors? “But Nate, NBA players don’t get to put random sponsors on their team jerseys.” Good point. But it’s that of a child. Please shut up and be quiet. NBA players CAN and DO make shoe deals The NBA tried to squash that, fining Michael Jordan every time he wore his Nikes. Nike paid the fines. Why didn’t Jordan get cut from the Bulls? Because he’d go to the Lakers and make just as much money. Hard to do when you’re working for a monopoly. (Fortunately some organizations are flourishing off UFC’s bad business ideals.) But here’s a better point: “Cool. You want to treat UFC athletes like NBA players? Nice. So when will the players union be put into place? I assume the minimum wage for a fighter, whether he actually competes or not, will be that of an NBA benchwarmer? Around half a million dollars? OH you just want to pick and choose dumb ass arguments that you think make your point without really thinking things through. You should run for office.”

What is really hilariously sad is they are stomping ALL OVER dollars in an attempt to get a few more nickels. Imagine a UFC with profit sharing. Where EVERY athlete’s paycheck is directly tied to the number of PPV buys. Where fighters are COMFORTABLE in the work place, not given the speech before EVERY fight that if they have a bad night they will be CUT. Where fighters have a chance to grow and build a fan base. And for you fans…. seeing a PPV where you KNOW all the fighters! Remember those days? The days of packed cards top to bottom? Now you’re lucky if you know the main event. Why is that? First off, the UFC will cut anyone at any time. Fitch, Gerald Dwayne Harris, many others. Now you have GREAT fighters that after a few years of fighting and the blinders are off their eyes they realize, I’m fighting for what? How much? With NO future at all? Let me clarify, sports are an opportunity, NOT a career. Average NFL career? Around 3 years. So about 1.5 million dollars. Not a bad opportunity. And well worth putting your body in harms way. How about the UFC? I’ve known main event fighters that fought for the UFC for many, many years, who don’t make enough money to even own their own house, put their kids through college, build anything you can in a job you know you’ll have for decades. So these athletes retire from fighting. Why? When they love it so much? Because at some point the love wanes and reality sets in. “I’m always in pain, I’m not appreciated, there’s no future in this and what I’m being paid right now isn’t allowing me to build a future.” I just read that the UFC is down in profits substantially for the year. So they do what every company does, blame the workers. Blame the customers. Even Dana is quoted as saying if you don’t like what we’re doing, don’t buy the PPVs. Wish granted.

Chris Weidman Set Up for a Potentially Huge 2015…If He Can Stay Healthy

Chris Weidman is on the cusp of mixed martial arts stardom. Since the start of his run in the UFC, Weidman’s maturity in competition has been something worth watching. As 2015 approaches, the current middleweight champion finds himself in a posit…

The UFC has set up an interesting start to next year. The middleweight division is filled with a number of contenders. Vitor Belfort, Yoel Romero, Ronaldo Souza and Luke Rockhold are the four names that leap to recognition as potential challengers for the current champion. Belfort has his shot at the belt in two months at UFC 184. Romero and Souza are set to fight that same evening, with the winner presumably getting the next shot at the belt, per a report by Adam Guillen Jr. of MMA Mania.

If Weidman can defeat any three of those competitors next year, it would be hard to deny him a nomination for “Fighter of the Year” in 2015. Defending his title multiple times in 12 months would help him put together one of the most difficult runs in recent MMA history. However, Weidman has one factor working against him at times—his physical health.

As with many other fighters, Weidman has been forced to back out of multiple fights due to injury. His proposed bout against Tim Boetsch at UFC 155 was pushed back due to a shoulder injury (via MMA Fighting). Weidman’s next complication would come before facing Lyoto Machida in which a knee injury pushed that fight from UFC 173 to UFC 175 (via UFC.com). His title defense against Belfort was originally scheduled for this weekend’s UFC 181, but a broken hand suffered by Weidman caused this fight to be postponed to UFC 184 (via Newsday).

These are just the injuries that are known to the public. As with every other mixed martial artist who competes, chances are that Weidman has and will continue to compete while dealing with other physical issues. This is a serious precaution when predicting how great of a fighter he may become.

At 30 years old, Weidman has nearly six years of professional experience. That combination may allow him to stay around in the sport longer, but his potential for greatness and bout with injuries can draw a comparison to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Rua is just 33 years old, but numerous dealings with knee injuries have stifled his ability to remain at the top of the light heavyweight division (via Sports on Earth).

Weidman has already broken through some of the barriers that have stopped other MMA athletes. Appearances in major magazines and on networks such as ESPN will only fuel his rise within the sport. If he can stay healthy and victorious throughout 2015, Chris Weidman may finally reach the point of super stardom that has been projected for his career.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Champion vs. UFC Champion: 8-Man Fantasy Tournament

There is only one way to determine the best fighter in the world, and it doesn’t involve a top-10 list voted on by nerds like me.
The sacred pound-for-pound list in MMA has long persevered as a work of fiction, dividing fans and torturing writers…

There is only one way to determine the best fighter in the world, and it doesn’t involve a top-10 list voted on by nerds like me.

The sacred pound-for-pound list in MMA has long persevered as a work of fiction, dividing fans and torturing writers. You think you’re having a bad day? Try compiling a rankings list of hypotheticals and personal opinion and putting it out there for the rest of the world’s viewing displeasure.

For many, it can be a displeasure at times simply because we all don’t think the same. Pound-for-pound rankings are ultimately works of fiction created by any and everybody.

UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez is never going to fight UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo. Jon Jones is never going to fight Demetrious Johnson. But we still bicker endlessly about the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

That ends today.

This is a shoutout to every MMA fan inhabiting this beautiful, spherical planet. It is time to shun the old ways and let your voices be heard. Bleacher Report has compiled an 8-man fantasy tournament featuring every male champion on the UFC’s roster.

Who would win a fight between Jones and T.J. Dillashaw? What about Johnson and Anthony Pettis? It’s time to find out.

Of course, UFC women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey has been excluded from this list since we don’t condone a man fighting a woman and vice versa. Seeing as weight won’t be taken into consideration, we’ll just smile and pretend like serious size discrepancies don’t exist in these matchups. The seeding was created by random drawing.

Be sure to sound off in the comment section below with your seeding and your ultimate winner in this fantasy tournament pitting UFC champion against UFC champion.

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‘Karate Hottie’ nickname will stay, but Michelle Waterson is ‘a different person now’

Michelle Waterson was a 19-year-old Hooters waitress when she first started fighting. That’s when she was given her “Karate Hottie” nickname.
Nine years later, Waterson is the 28-year-old mother of a 3-year-old daughter and doesn’t necessari…

Michelle Waterson was a 19-year-old Hooters waitress when she first started fighting. That’s when she was given her “Karate Hottie” nickname.

Nine years later, Waterson is the 28-year-old mother of a 3-year-old daughter and doesn’t necessarily still relate to the moniker. But she has long since embraced it as part of her brand.

“The name is still there, because it stuck,” Waterson told MMA Fighting. “But I’m a different person now.”

A person who happens to be the budding face of an entire organization. Waterson will headline her second Invicta FC event in three months Friday when she defends her women’s atomweight title against Herica Tiburcio at Invicta FC 10 in Houston. The card will air live at 9 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass.

Waterson (12-3) headlined the first Fight Pass event, against Yasuko Tamada back in September. UFC commercials for the bout included the line: “Have a date with the Karate Hottie.'” The marketing slant drew criticism for its focus on looks. But Waterson said she wasn’t offended by the way she was advertised.

“No,” Waterson said. “It is what it is. If it makes me uncomfortable, I don’t think I should be having the nickname ‘The Karate Hottie.’ I have no problem being the face of that. That’s what people want to see. They want to see attractive women go in there and show that their skills match their looks. If I can accomplish both, I’m happy.”

Waterson did not expect to be competing at this event. The main event was supposed to feature Cris “Cyborg” Justino’s debut at 135 pounds. But Justino injured her ankle and Waterson was asked to fill in on somewhat short notice. The Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA fighter has become a safety net for the organization and perhaps the face of it after most top fighters in the 135- and 115-pound divisions have moved on to the UFC.

That’s a role Waterson is very happy to embrace. She does admit there is some pressure that comes with it, however.

“First of all, there’s just pressure as a fighter,” Waterson said. “In the cage, putting your heart on the line, add in having that belt, add in having people saying you’re the face of the organization. Oh, there’s pressure. But it’s good pressure.”

In Tiburcio (8-2), she’ll face a top 22-year-old prospect who has won three straight bouts. The Brazilian is known for her ground game — six of her eight career victories have come by submission.

Waterson’s biggest strength is her athletic, technical striking style. But she’s also quick to point out that she’s pretty darn good on the mat, too. Jessica Penne was supposed to have the advantage over her in that department in April 2013, but Waterson submitted her by armbar to win the Invicta women’s atomweight title.

Penne is now competing on the UFC’s Ultimate Fighter reality program in the 115-pound division. Waterson has fought at that weight class before and would not rule out a move up sometime in the future.

Right now, though, she has a growing organization to help elevate. And if you’re not a big fan of her “Karate Hottie” nickname, she has a message for you.

“I think it’s catchy,” Waterson said. “I think it fits me. If you don’t know by now how serious I am as a fighter, then watch me this weekend.”

Spoken like a true face of a promotion.

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