Tag: 8317

Can Will Brooks Regain His Momentum?

It wasn’t too long ago that the acquisition of Will Brooks by the UFC was viewed as a pretty big deal. Two fights and one loss later, it seems that fans have quieted down a bit where the former Bellator lightweight champion is concerned. As he sets his sights on victory once more ahead of UFC 210, the question remains: can Will Brooks regain his status as a prospect to watch?

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It wasn’t too long ago that the acquisition of Will Brooks by the UFC was viewed as a pretty big deal. Two fights and one loss later, it seems that fans have quieted down a bit where the former Bellator lightweight champion is concerned. As he sets his sights on victory once more ahead of UFC 210, the question remains: can Will Brooks regain his status as a prospect to watch?

I’ve been pretty high on Will Brooks for some time now simply because of the way he’s blended different arts into his game. Karate fanatic that I am, it’s been pleasing to see Brooks implement a bit of the footwork of the traditional arts and look impressive doing it. The footwork made him hard to hit and also made his entries during takedowns buttery smooth. It’s the kind of thing you want to see from an athlete the likes of Brooks who has such dangerous wrestling and striking.

After his fight with an overweight Alex ‘Cowboy’ Oliveira, we learned a few things about Will Brooks. While many will simply choose to focus on the outcome of the match up, the reality is that Brooks acquitted himself well during the bout, especially when you consider that his ribs were busted up pretty good after the opening frame. The second round was probably even more impressive for that fact. But those kind of injuries wear on a fighter and it would prove to be Will Brooks’ undoing.

Despite the loss, Will Brooks still has a ton of upside and has the natural ability and technique to make a fierce comeback.

This weekend will see Will Brooks return to action against another Oliveira, Charles Oliveira to be exact. Oliveira makes a return back to lightweight after a stint at featherweight and is likely to be the smaller man when he enters the cage against Brooks this Saturday. While it isn’t a sure thing, Brooks should have some advantages in this match up, specificlally his wrestling ability. But I have a sixth sense that we’re going to see Brooks out strike Oliveira and once again announce himself as one of the top lightweight prospects in the world.

Oliveira is a submission threat and does have some good Muay Thai skills. But with so much riding on this fight, with the opportunities to potentially secure another belt in the biggest organization in MMA, this Saturday we’re likely to see the best version of Will Brooks to date. Until then, take a glimpse at some of the highlights that has made so many people jump on the Will Brooks hype train.

Do you think Will Brooks gets the win at UFC 210?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

 

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UFC Fight Night 107: Will Gunnar Nelson Be Able To Strangle Alan Jouban?

UFC Fight Night 107 is a card that seems to be flying under the radar. I knew there were fights again this weekend but I have to admit even I had no clue who was fighting until I did a bit of investigation. To my surprise, it turns out that this card features some key nit events including the potential swan song of the always entertaining Brad Pickett as well as the main event which features Jimi Manuwa versus Corey Anderson. But if you’ve been following any of my articles closely then you know that I’m a bit of a traditional martial arts fanatic. That means a great deal of my focus has shifted to the co-main event featuring Muay Thai specialist Alan Jouban and karate and Brazilian jiujitsu master Gunnar Nelson.

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UFC Fight Night 107 is a card that seems to be flying under the radar. I knew there were fights again this weekend but I have to admit even I had no clue who was fighting until I did a bit of investigation. To my surprise, it turns out that this card features some key nit events including the potential swan song of the always entertaining Brad Pickett as well as the main event which features Jimi Manuwa versus Corey Anderson. But if you’ve been following any of my articles closely then you know that I’m a bit of a traditional martial arts fanatic. That means a great deal of my focus has shifted to the co-main event featuring Muay Thai specialist Alan Jouban and karate and Brazilian jiujitsu master Gunnar Nelson.

Alan Jouban opened a lot of eyes with his disciplined win over the slugging Mike Perry. He utilized some slick movement, hard left body kicks, sharp left straights, and an overall disciplined boxing game to shut down Perry even hurting the durable welterweight a number of times throughout the encounter. He faces a far more difficult challenge in this match as he faces off with the puzzle that is Nelson. What Jouban will need to do in order to be successful against Nelson is control the middle and short range. While at middle distance Jouban will need to keep busy, immediately firing with jabs as well as that left leg and body kick he’s fond of. Considering that Nelson likes to strike at long range and look for takedowns at short range, whoever establishes dominance at middle distance will likely win this match. If he is taken down, Jouban can’t be content to regain guard or patiently wait for opportunities. Nelson is calculated when he gets things to the ground. Scrambles will be important to getting back to his feet, but Jouban will have to be careful when doing so as Nelson is keen at getting back control and holding the position.

Gunnar Nelson on the other hand faces a similar problem in this matchup as he did when he faced Brandon Thatch. Controlling the middle distance is paramount for the karate and Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert. He’ll have to bounce in and out of range and either force Jouban to throw and miss or move forward with too much aggression. It’s when Jouban decides to push forward that a blitzing counter should be awaiting him. Gunnar Nelson has a clear boxing deficiency and does struggle at times when facing opposition with superior hands at middle distance. That’s why it’s important that he turns this into a karate match on the feet. After a short combo burst he should get out of dodge ASAP. When he full commits and transition to his takedown game, he should look to mix things up, disengage to throw off Jouban then re-enter with another strike before pushing for a legit trip or double leg.

With two talented welterweights the sky’s the limit on how entertaining (or boring) this match can be. Who do you think gets the win?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

 

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UFC 209: Can Tony Ferguson Figure Out The Puzzle That Is Khabib Nurmagomedov?

A ton of people have been speaking their mind on the fact that the co-main event of UFC 209, Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Tony Ferguson, should be the main attraction of the show. Whether or not you agree with that point, the truth of the matter is that this fight is certainly one for the ages as both men have looked nigh invincible during their UFC tenure. What’s more, one of these men will have to experience the bitter taste of defeat as they head for a collision course that could be one of the greatest lightweight scraps in the sport’s history.

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A ton of people have been speaking their mind on the fact that the co-main event of UFC 209, Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Tony Ferguson, should be the main attraction of the show. Whether or not you agree with that point, the truth of the matter is that this fight is certainly one for the ages as both men have looked nigh invincible during their UFC tenure. What’s more, one of these men will have to experience the bitter taste of defeat as they head for a collision course that could be one of the greatest lightweight scraps in the sport’s history.

Khabib Nurmagomedov is an absolute savage. To neglect to mention the fact would be remiss on my part. Since entering the UFC he’s looked pretty damn impressive. He capped off his twenty-fourth straight win with a domination of Michael Johnson. What makes Khabib so dangerous? His indomitable will that sees the Dagestan native push the pace, push towards his opponents with strikes, then wrap his arms around his prey where the thrashing begins. While his striking may not be polished, Khabib has found a way to make it effective. He’ll throw a standard one-two, then instantly explode forward with a hook in order to enter into the clinch and secure a takedown by any means.

Whether it’s a judo throw, double or single leg, once Khabib is in that clinch position you either need to spin off and push away the head or find yourself with your back to the mat.

On the other side of the equation we have Tony Ferguson who brings a much more balanced skill set to the table. He has striking, he has wrestling, and great submission abilities. His gas tank seems to be endless and he pushes the pace with consistent striking combinations from lead uppercuts to sharp low leg kicks. Ferguson also enjoys switching stances in the middle of combo strings to find the inside and outside angles in hopes exploiting openings. He’ll throw a cross from orthodox stance, switch to south paw where he’ll through a rear uppercut, back to orthodox for a rear leg kick to a spinning back fist. His striking is at once technical and chaotic and always packs a punch. But his he’s more controlled than his foe in that he uses fundamentals.

His jab is sharp and long and he uses it as a legit weapon as well as a range finder which adds variety to his striking arsenal. Ferguson will do well to keep Khabib on the end of his punches and if the Sambo specialist does try to shoot for the takedown, a traditional needs to be at the ready and if he can’t manage that, his nifty forward roll needs to be on hand to create a scramble.

via GIPHY

I’ve always said that Ferguson would be a tougher match up for Conor McGregor if the legit lightweight champ ever decides to come back and defend his title. That’s not to say that Khabib wouldn’t give McGregor trouble, but the pace that Ferguson can put on people, coupled with his size, striking, chin, and submission game, makes him a terrible match up for the lightweight champ. That’s not to say Khabib can’t grind McGregor into the cage, land a takedown and smash him on the ground. Either way, we still have to see Ferguson and Khabib do the damn thing at UFC 209. I’ll be sure to watching with a whiskey in hand and a smile plastered across my face.

Who do you think wins the interim lightweight title: Khabib Nurmagomedov or Tony Ferguson?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

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He’s Baccckkkk!!! GSP Officially Re-signs With The UFC.

It’s official, George “Rush” St. Pierre has officially re-signed with the UFC and is aiming for his octagon return some time in the third part of 2017.

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Long time coming

It’s official, George “Rush” St. Pierre has officially re-signed with the UFC and is aiming for his octagon return some time in the third part of 2017.

GSP walked away from the sport in late 2013 after a controversial win against then #1 contender Johny Hendricks which put him on a 12 fight win streak. Being very careful never to call it “retirement” the karate king always hinted at coming back but didn’t make his request official until early 2016. Since then there has been a myriad of contractual legal tape tying up the welterweight and preventing his return. It appears all hatchets have been buried and kinks hammered out as GSP is officially back under the UFC promotion.

No further contract details have been divulged but we’ll keep you posted on any breaking news.

What do you guys think of GSP’s comeback, will he continue his reign or tarnish his legacy? Hit us up in the comments section below.

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