At UFC 147 in Las Vegas on July 7th, Tito Ortiz will enter the UFC octagon for the last time against longtime rival Forrest Griffin. Ortiz is the longest reigning light heavyweight champion in the promotion’s history, and one of the sport’s…
At UFC 147 in Las Vegas on July 7th, Tito Ortiz will enter the UFC octagon for the last time against longtime rival Forrest Griffin. Ortiz is the longest reigning light heavyweight champion in the promotion’s history, and one of the sport’s first breakout stars. Ortiz has been competing in the UFC for 15 years, […]
We are in for a classic fight and upset tonight, my friends. Live from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, welterweight standouts Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann and Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger are set to square off in a main event …
We are in for a classic fight and upset tonight, my friends.
Live from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, welterweight standouts Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann and Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger are set to square off in a main event that promises to be an action-packed, high-intensity affair.
Both fighters enter this matchup looking to improve their stock in the UFC’s deep welterweight division and claw their way further up the ladder that leads to longtime champion Georges St. Pierre.
Ellenberger has earned the respect of fans and fellow fighters alike over the course of his UFC career, which saw him tackle tough opponents like current interim champion Carlos Condit, ground wizard Jake Shields and perennial contender Diego Sanchez.
After losing his debut via razor-thin decision to Condit, Ellenberger impressively defeated his next six opponents and is now potentially one fight away from a title shot.
Here’s a spoiler for you:
He will “Jugger-naut” be getting this chance anytime soon, because Kampmann is primed to derail the hype train that is Jake Ellenberger.
Kampann is, and always has been, one of the most underrated fighters in the welterweight division, and I really do not understand why fans and critics are not higher on him.
For fun, let’s take a look at “The Hitman‘s” hit list inside the Octagon:
Carlos Condit, Alexandre Barros, Jacob Volkmann, Paulo Thiago, Rick Story and ThiagoAlves.
His other three fights at welterweight were against Paul Daley, Diego Sanchez and Jake Shields, and only one of those is truly a loss in the view of many (that being the Daley TKO loss).
His fights against Shields and Sanchez were incredibly narrow decision losses, and I personally feel he won both of those fights.
Adding to this, his loss to Paul Daley was impressive as well.
Before you ask, “how can a TKO loss be impressive?,” let me explain.
When Paul Daley hits you in the chin, you go down. Usually, you go down in one shot (isn’t that right, Mr. Hazelett, Mr. Ludwig and Mr. Smith?).
Apparently Martin Kampmann‘s chin didn’t get this memo, because in their bout, “The Hitman” took blow after agonizingly vicious blow to the chin and refused to go down.
A rarity in MMA, the referee actually stopped the fight while Kampmann was still standing because the punishment looked so bad.
Put plainly, Kampmannweeble-wobbled, but he didn’t fall down, proving that his chin is truly one of the best in the business.
Against Ellenberger, this will be a huge asset, because “The Juggernaut” packs some serious heat.
Ellenberger may catch Kampmann early, but I think Kampmann will take it, stay composed and recover time and time again.
In Muhammad Ali “rope-a-dope” fashion, this ability to take a punch will give Kampmann the opportunity to pounce.
Ellenberger performs exponentially less impressively as a fight goes on, and in a five-round main event, he will almost certainly have some cardio issues.
If Kampmann can withstand Ellenberger‘s best shot early (which I think he will), he will set himself up for a dramatic come-from-behind finish that will become an instant classic in the minds of fans nationwide.
“The Hitman” is as dangerous a fighter as one will find in the UFC, and he has the tools to end the fight anywhere, at any time and by any method.
For a tired opponent, this spells disaster, and Ellenberger is in for a rude awakening when he steps across the cage from the Danish phenom.
Diego Sanchez came close to finishing a gassed Ellenberger in his last trip inside the Octagon—now it is Kampmann‘s time to finish the job.
Spoiler alert part two:
He will do so and do so impressively.
In a back-and-forth throwdown, look for Kampmann to roll with the punches and fire back when the time is right, earning a late-round stoppage and a potential shot at the man with the golden belt.
There was a time when the biggest concern in MMA was that a fighter would test positive for steroids. There’d be shock and a little bit of outrage, but people would move on and accept that it is a part of the sport. Well, those times are well behi…
There was a time when the biggest concern in MMA was that a fighter would test positive for steroids. There’d be shock and a little bit of outrage, but people would move on and accept that it is a part of the sport.
Well, those times are well behind us.
Because of a loop hole in the ABC’s drug testing guidelines, more and more fighters are using Testosterone Replacement Therapy to counter low testosterone levels. In the past, we’ve heard of Chael Sonnen, Nate Marquardt and Dan Henderson all requiring TRT to raise their low levels of testosterone.
This sport is getting more and more ridiculous every day.
The Nevada commission awarded Chael Sonnen a Therapeutic Use Exception for UFC 147 and an advisory role for dealing with TRT. On that same day, Nick Diaz received a very harsh penalty for smoking marijuana before his UFC 143 fight against Carlos Condit.
If this is the direction that the sport is going, I’ll be honest and say that I really don’t want to be a part of it. If fighters are able to “game” the system by getting an endocrinologist to sign off on them having low T levels, it changes how the sport is perceived.
The UFC does have a problem with testing; it’s just not the one they think.
Marijuana and steroids are old news. The focus now must be shifted to how many fighters in their employ actually require TRT and how many of them are just using it as an excuse to boost their testosterone prior to fights.
(Photographic proof that Mayhem Miller stole his idea to give C.B. Dollaway a noogie just moments before doing so.)
Call it “The Curse of the 140’s,” because it appears that yet another big fight in what has been a goat rope of a month in MMA matchmaking has been scratched from the books. Those of you expecting a sure-to-be-slugfest between former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and noted brawler Thiago Silva at UFC 149 are going to be more disappointed than a CagePotato contest winner, because word broke this morning that Thiago Silva has been forced to withdraw from his co-main event matchup due to a back injury. Go fucking figure. At this point, it seems the only thing that can save Silva’s spine from shattering into a million pieces would be the back brace that Sweet Dee Reynolds wore to her high school reunion. Or perhaps he just needs to find the David Dunn to his Mr. Glass.
But fret not, Potato Nation, for every shit-filled tunnel has a light at the end of it. In Silva’s absence, the UFC has called upon fellow Brazilian slugger Glover Teixeira to step up and fill the void. Here’s where things get a little muddy, so to speak. It was initially reported, by none other than Dana White, that Shogun had apparently turned down the fight. Here’s what he told MMAJunkie:
With Thiago hurt, we turned to Glover and asked him to go right back in to fight ‘Shogun’ at UFC 149. But ‘Shogun’s’ people are adamantly refusing to take the fight. They want nothing to do with Glover.
Shogun’ wants nothing to do with Glover. But that’s the fight Lorenzo and I are trying to put together.
According to members of Shogun’s camp, however, White’s claims are just a bunch of profanity-ridden malarkey, as they had not even been made aware of the fact that Silva was injured, let alone of a potential replacement.
(Photographic proof that Mayhem Miller stole his idea to give C.B. Dollaway a noogie just moments before doing so.)
Call it “The Curse of the 140′s,” because it appears that yet another big fight in what has been a goat rope of a month in MMA matchmaking has been scratched from the books. Those of you expecting a sure-to-be-slugfest between former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and noted brawler Thiago Silva at UFC 149 are going to be more disappointed than a CagePotato contest winner, because word broke this morning that Thiago Silva has been forced to withdraw from his co-main event matchup due to a back injury. Go fucking figure. At this point, it seems the only thing that can save Silva’s spine from shattering into a million pieces would be the back brace that Sweet Dee Reynolds wore to her high school reunion. Or perhaps he just needs to find the David Dunn to his Mr. Glass.
But fret not, Potato Nation, for every shit-filled tunnel has a light at the end of it. In Silva’s absence, the UFC has called upon fellow Brazilian slugger Glover Teixeira to step up and fill the void. Here’s where things get a little muddy, so to speak. It was initially reported, by none other than Dana White, that Shogun had apparently turned down the fight. Here’s what he told MMAJunkie:
With Thiago hurt, we turned to Glover and asked him to go right back in to fight ‘Shogun’ at UFC 149. But ‘Shogun’s’ people are adamantly refusing to take the fight. They want nothing to do with Glover.
Shogun’ wants nothing to do with Glover. But that’s the fight Lorenzo and I are trying to put together.
According to members of Shogun’s camp, however, White’s claims are just a bunch of profanity-ridden malarkey, as they had not even been made aware of the fact that Silva was injured, let alone of a potential replacement.
Rua’s manager, Julio Heller, spoke with Brazilian publication Tatame.com:
TATAME called Rua’s manager, Julio Heller, who guaranteed they never turned down a fight with Teixeira. In fact, Silva’s injury is not official to them yet.
“I just sent a message to the UFC. I’m waiting for their call”, Heller said. “(Turning down a fight with Glover) it’s not true at all.”
Julio said they’ll wait for the UFC before making further comments, and the decision to fight Glover, or any other opponent, is in Shogun and his coach Andre Dida’s hands.
While it’s understandable that Shogun would be hesitant to accept the fight, given he has much more to lose than a relatively unknown (not to mention dangerous) guy like Teixeira has to gain, he has also gone 2-3 in his past five fights, and isn’t exactly in the position to be turning down fights that don’t suit him. Plus, it’s not like a win over Teixeira would lower his stock or anything. Then again, all of his UFC losses have come to either current or former champions (be it PRIDE or UFC), and his loss to Machida at UFC 104 is disputed to this day, so maybe he can do whatever the fuck he wants.
Teixeira is fresh off a first round arm-triangle submission win over TUF 8 veteran Kyle Kingsbury at UFC 146, his sixteenth victory in as many contests, whereas Shogun is on the heels of a unanimous decision loss to Dan Henderson at UFC 139.
As for Silva’s umpteenth injury to his back, his manager, Dan Lambert, told MMAFighting that they are hopeful that he will not be sidelined for too long, but he will surely not be back in enough time to prepare for a guy like Shogun. If you recall, Silva’s ever-aching back was the main factor behind his positive test for steroids following his UFC 125 UD win over Brandon Vera.
As of this writing, there have been no updates on the situation, but we will keep you updated as things transpire.
Would you like to see Rua/Teixeira at UFC 149, Potato Nation? And if not, who would make for a fitting replacement?
The premise behind “The Ultimate Fighter: Live” is, of course, live fights.
But the buildup to each episode’s live fight is still pre-taped, and with that, viewers see what editors find interesting.
Ahead of tonight’s tournament final at The Ultima…
The premise behind “The Ultimate Fighter: Live” is, of course, live fights.
But the buildup to each episode’s live fight is still pre-taped, and with that, viewers see what editors find interesting.
Ahead of tonight’s tournament final at The Ultimate Fighter Live Finale, Mike Chiesa repeated to MMAjunkie.com an oft-told observation that what’s seen on the show is often made out to be more than it is.
At UFC 147 in Las Vegas on July 7th, Tito Ortiz will enter the UFC octagon for the last time against longtime rival Forrest Griffin. Ortiz is the longest reigning light heavyweight champion in the promotion’s history, and one of the sport’s first break…
At UFC 147 in Las Vegas on July 7th, Tito Ortiz will enter the UFC octagon for the last time against longtime rival Forrest Griffin. Ortiz is the longest reigning light heavyweight champion in the promotion’s history, and one of the sport’s first breakout stars.
Ortiz has been competing in the UFC for 15 years, and took his first fight for free as he didn’t want to lose his amateur status while in college. In those 15 years, Ortiz faced the best the sport had to offer and walked away victorious against the likes of Evan Tanner, Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort.
He was a longtime rival of Chuck Liddell, and the two were responsible for some of the biggest pay-per-view buyrates in history. The UFC tried to capture lightning in a bottle a third time when they placed Ortiz and Liddell opposite one another on The Ultimate Fighter. The fight fell apart when Ortiz suffered an injury and was replaced with Rich Franklin. Ironically, that would be Liddell’s last time fighting in the octagon.
Ortiz has had a contentious relationship with UFC President Dana White, and at one point, the two were even scheduled to settle their differences in a boxing exhibition. After weeks of build, including a special on Spike TV, the match never came to fruition.
Ortiz is a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer, and one of the first fighters to really show how devastating ground and pound could be. He also showed that a fighter has the ability to build his own brand.
Let’s go and pour one out for the Huntington Beach Bad Boy.
We are in for a classic fight and upset tonight, my friends. 
The premise behind “The Ultimate Fighter: Live” is, of course, live fights.