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UFC 194: A Complete A-to-Z Preview

(Oh, just f*ck and get it over with already. via Getty.)

The MMA gods have, for the most part, safely guided one of the most stacked cards in UFC history to fruition. Amidst those ever-prevalent claims of oversaturation, the UFC have mustered up an ubercard for the ages. Featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo will finally defend his title against interim champion Conor McGregor. Middleweight champion Chris Weidman takes on No.1 contender Luke Rockhold in the co-main event. Then you’ve got Romero vs. Souza, Maia vs. Nelson…the list goes on and on.

Nation, it’s been an emotional journey. An unprecedented world media tour. Fractured ribs. Interim titles. More heated staredowns. These have all led to this mammoth main-event. I don’t know about you, but I’m giddy with excitement as months of trash-talking all culminate this weekend. To honour this epic event, I’ve compiled an A-to-Z list previewing each and every aspect of UFC 194. Join me?

The post UFC 194: A Complete A-to-Z Preview appeared first on Cagepotato.

(Oh, just f*ck and get it over with already. via Getty.)

By Nasir Jabbar

A is for Anderson Aldo…Er, Afraid

Chael Sonnen believes both main-eventers are afraid of losing heading into their unification clash. Does the American gangster have a point or is it just a bunch of BS?

B is for Butter

Rockhold’s stand-up skills pave the way for his buttery smooth ground game. Weidman will have to be wary of the former Strikeforce champions efficiency on the mat.

C is for Coaches

As well as the primed fighters, the two title-bouts also pit masterful coaches against one another in Pederneiras vs. Kavanagh and Longo/Serra vs. Cook/Mendez.

D is for Division I

The middleweight challenger does indeed own a fierce, aggressive jiu-jitsu game, but Weidman brings his Division I wrestling credentials to the table pitting the two noble disciplines.

E is for EA Sports Cover

Bragging rights and UFC gold isn’t the only carrot dangling for the unification winner, as the victor will also be the second fighter on the cover of EA Sports UFC 2 alongside Ronda Rousey. Game on.

F is for Flying Under The Radar

The main-card will open in style with Max Holloway vs. Jeremy Stephens, a fight that is largely flying under the radar when compared to the simply epic fights that come after it. Come to think of it, the whole card other than Aldo-McGregor is flying under the radar.

G is for Game of Thrones

Because MMA training is so injury-free and safe (!!), McGregor recently decided to spar with 6’9, 418lbs Hafthor Julius Bjornsson a.k.a ‘The Mountain’ from Game of Thrones.

H is for Hollywood

Don’t be surprised to see ‘The Notorious’ in movie theatres near you in the future. McGregor claims Hollywood is screaming for him, so let’s hope it doesn’t get to his head like certain other fighters.

I is for Interim

Interim champion McGregor doesn’t want to be labelled as interim champion, which, okayyyyy.

J is for Jiu-Jitsu

Ice-cool Gunnar Nelson will take on the equally stoic Demian Maia. Two of the finest jiu-jitsu practitioners on the planet going head-to-head, which can only mean that a sloppy stand-up war is what will ensue.

K is for Kicks

Rockhold’s kicks > Aldo’s kicks. Yeah, I said it.

L is for Lightweight

Win or lose, is McGregor planning his exit from the featherweight division? He’s stated on numerous occasions about his intentions of challenging for the 155lbs title, and has already talked his way into a fight with the Donald Cerrone-Rafael Dos Anjos lightweight title winner.

M is for Movement

Being a so-called “student of movement” with an obsession over the mechanics of the human anatomy, McGregor linked up with martial art guru Ido Portal recently, as seen in the UFC 194 embedded vlog series, where he polished and further enhanced his range of movements.

N is for Newcomer

Newcomer Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger would make a huge statement in the women’s strawweight division if she could take out the No.5 ranked Tecia Torres.

O is for “Overaggressive”

According to Rockhold, the undefeated champion is “overaggressive” and “clumsy.” Does anyone agree with the challenger’s statement?

P is for Pay

In case you were worried that MMA referees are overpaid, they’re not. ‘Big’ John McCarthy will make a measly $1,900 for reffing Aldo-McGregor. Stay classy, NSAC.

Q is for Quality

The quality of the top three fights goes without saying, but the combined record of those 6 fighters, in case you were wondering? 102-9. Ridiculous.

R is for Retirement

Is Aldo retiring after UFC 194? One of his primary sparring partners Andy Souwer suggested that this could be his final bout. (Oh, Dana’s face if Aldo murders his golden goose and then pulls a “GSP”.) The champ’s since denied such talk, but with his icy relationship among some of UFC’s brass and his head coach pondering his own future, I wouldn’t rule out retirement.

S is for Sneaky

Aldo’s sneaky-good wrestling, as displayed against Mark Hominick and Chan Sung Jung, coupled with his jiu-jitsu black belt could be his way to victory against McGregor, whose only losses have come on the ground.

T is for Tyson Fury

Newly minted boxing heavyweight champion of the world has some choice words about McGregor. Fury insists that the brash Dubliner has copied everything he does – you know, minus the awful singing and the homophobic/sexist remarks. Despite this the controversial boxing figure is a fan of his.

U is for Urijah Faber

Urijah Faber is the pound-for-pound king of headlining prelims. At UFC 194, he’ll be taking on huge underdog Frankie Saenz in the coveted “featured prelim” slot once again.

V is for Vocal

Come fight night, The MGM Grand Garden Arena is going to be a melting pot of vocal Irish and Brazilian fans. Event security is going to have their hands full.

W is for Weapons

It seems fans and critics alike are heavily obsessing over the possible inefficacy of Aldo’s leg-kicks due to McGregor’s southpaw stance. Newsflash: the Brazilian has many other potent weapons in his arsenal like the power in his hands as well as his stellar ground game.

X is for X-Rated

Middleweight champion Chris Weidman recently recalled his worst injury on Huffington Post Live. FYI: It’s penis-related.

Y is for Yawn

The constant comparison between McGregor and Ali is just becoming boring, to the point that even McGregor thinks they’re a bit outlandish.

Z is for Zero

The amount of times Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza and Yoel Romero have fought, despite being booked to fight some three times already.

The post UFC 194: A Complete A-to-Z Preview appeared first on Cagepotato.

UFC 189: A Complete A-to-Z Preview

By Nasir Jabbar

So Nation, as expected the most lavishly-promoted fight in UFC history has gone up in smoke. God. Dammit. What could of caused such wrath from the MMA gods? Oh, yeah. Thanks #UFCFightKit.

Anyways, the UFC did secure a back-up plan for the “Notorious” one in Team Alpha Male stud Chad Mendes. The two-time title challenger had been brought into Las Vegas as stand-by, as luck would of have it, was drafted in the 11th hour. Mendes is still a solid replacement against McGregor considering their heated arguments and arguably a tougher stylistic match-up, even if it’s not the fight we were all hoping for. But before I spiral into a deep depression, let’s get into the A-to-Z preview of this weekend’s still pretty epic event, shall we?

The post UFC 189: A Complete A-to-Z Preview appeared first on Cagepotato.

By Nasir Jabbar

So Nation, as expected the most lavishly-promoted fight in UFC history has gone up in smoke. God. Dammit. What could of caused such wrath from the MMA gods? Oh, yeah. Thanks #UFCFightKit.

A is for Attention
Considering it’s one of the most coveted titles in the promotion’s history, Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald is getting next to no attention. Sure, neither Lawler nor MacDonald are as skilled as McGregor when it comes to the art of self-promoting, but Lawler’s rise from wasted talent to UFC champion is nothing short of remarkable, while MacDonald has been heralded for years as “the future of the sport.” I guess this what happens when you put all your eggs into the Aldo-McGregor basket.

B is for Beef
The new main-event can keep it’s feud narrative, if you ask me, but was Mendes’ beef with McGregor the overriding factor which got Mendes the nod over Frankie Edgar? The answer: UH-DUH!!

C is for Canada
Ever since GSP semi-retired, the Canadian market has sort of dwindled. That could all change come Saturday night if British Columbia native Rory MacDonald can become the new UFC welterweight champion. The promotion could do with a Canadian attraction, not only would it fill GSP’s void but they could also stop relying on Demetrious Johnson to headline cards over there. I’m sure the Canadian fans would be thankful.

D is for Deja-vu
Once upon a time, long before Renan Barao was a proverbial monster and/or beast, he took on Brad Pickett in what turned out to be his coming out party. It almost seems like deja-vu for poor Pickett, who is seemingly once again being set up as the sacrificial lamb to an up-and-coming Brazilian prospect, this time in the shape of the undefeated Thomas Almeida.

E is for Europe
Joanna ‘Champion’ became the first UFC European champion since Andrei Arlovski. Man, that was some time ago. Before the Polish phenom, Alexander Gustafsson came close in a valiant effort against Jon Jones, and Khabib Nurmagomedov has likewise emerged as a hot commodity before a knee injury stalled his progress. Will McGregor fever secure a second UFC title for Europe on American soil, and just a week after Independence Day?

F is for Fest
Besides the title fight between Lawler and MacDonald, there are four other bouts scheduled at 170lbs. And as a result of Jordan Mein going down with injury, there was a shuffle of welterweights with the most hated fighter in the UFC (for some reason), Cathal Pendred, entering the frame against John Howard. UFC 189 is a regular welterweight-fest.

G is for Gate
Despite losing the most eagerly anticipated fight of the year, UFC 189 will still do a record $7 million gate, which eclipse’s the grudge rematch between Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen. This will be a promotional record in the U.S.

H is for Hunger
MacDonald finally lands his long-awaited UFC title shot against a familiar opponent. When the two of them squared of at UFC 167, Lawler eked out a razor-thin split decision, but MacDonald, who is now riding a three-fight win streak, believes that he didn’t have the hunger in their first meeting. The Tristar student now feels mentally and physically prepared as he enters the most important fight of his career.

I is for Ireland
There will be a strong Irish contingent present in Las Vegas come fight night, with over 20% of ticket sales coming from Ireland.

J is for Jose
The first and only UFC featherweight champion will have to sit out UFC 189 through the much publicised rib injury. In fact, Aldo has now pulled out of six title fights, yet the 145lbs strap has been defended more than a few of the other divisions.

K is for Key
When is the next UFC stadium show? This is a question which gets repeatedly linked with McGregor, who states that he is the only fighter on the roster who holds the key to what could be the promotion’s biggest gate ever. Both Aviva Stadium and Croke Park have been identified as possible hosts.

L is for Level
During the UFC 189 conference call, McGregor labelled replacement Mendes as a “substitute” and a “B-Level fighter”.

M is for Mayweather
Chat show host Conon O’Brien opened a can of worms when he asked whether McGregor would be prepared to take on human-garbage Floyd Mayweather. Typically, the brash Irishman was confident he would defeat the undefeated boxer.

N is for No Love
– After a brilliant performance outpointing the dynamic Chris Beal, Neil Seery still finds himself stuck on Fight Pass.
– ‘No Love’ also returns on the televised prelims, as Cody Garbrandt is set to take on Henry Briones (we don’t know who that is either). Garbrandt look to build off his impressive debut back in January, where he beat up Marcus Brimage.

O is for October
Aldo could eventually return to the octagon in October, and wouldn’t you know it, the UFC recently announced their return to Ireland in, you guessed it, October. The Fight Night event is slated to air on Fight Pass, so any possible title fight would be unlikely, but a potential in-ring confrontation between Aldo and the new interim champ (whoever that may be)? Much more likely.

P is for Predictions
“I predict dese tings.” — the wise words of one Mystic Mac. The Dubliner likes a prediction or two, and he’s saying that the contest wont last longer than four minutes. As for Mendes, he believes the fight will be over within three rounds.

Q is for Quick
Mike “Quick” Swick finally returns to the octagon after the second two-and-a-half year layoff of his career. Swick has now relocated to Thailand, where he’s set up an affiliate AKA gym, and takes on Alex Garcia in something of a grudge match.

R is for Random
According to “Red King” or whatever Rory’s nickname is nowadays, he has been subject to two random drug test during his preparation. Stay clean y’all.

S is for Sinead O’Connor
Irish singer Sinead O’Connor will be performing Foggy Dews live as she walks McGregor into the cage at UFC 189. This is an unprecedented move for the UFC, but then again, unprecedented is good way of describing McGregor’s rise to popularity.

T is for Toy
Aldo released a statement shorty after having to withdraw, where he called the interim title a “toy” and something for McGregor to show off to his “drunk friends”. A little presumptuous, Jose.

U is for Under The Bus
Company president Dana White (along with McGregor) broke the news about Aldo withdrawing live on Sportscenter, where he pretty much threw his champion under the bus by stating the amount of times he’s had to pull out and claiming that other fighters have fought with the same injury. This is something we’ve come to expect from The Baldfather.

V is for Van Damme
As Steven Seagal’s MMA tenure is slowly evaportating, fellow action star Jean-Claude Van Damme wants in on the action too, claiming he could help fix the mistakes in McGregor’s striking. You know what they say, behind every GOAT there is a B-movie action star.

W is for Wrestler
The wrestler question. For so long, McGregor haters have wanted to see the Irishmen tested against a true wrestler. His original path to gold saw him face tough competition, albeit against favourable match-ups, so has his success owed to the UFC overprotecting their golden child or clever matchmaking? I personally say the latter, but its up for debate. In either case, McGregor will answer a lot of these questions when he faces the featherweight division’s best wrestler on two weeks notice. Will he succumb to Mendes’ superior wrestling offense or will he be able to stuff the takedowns and keep the fight standing?

X is for X-Ray
First it was a fracture and the fight was off, then it was only bruised and the fight was on, then the fight was hanging in the balance…until x-rays determined Aldo’s ribs were in fact fractured. This ultimately forced the Brazilian to withdraw from the most anticipated fight of the year. Sigh.

Y is for Yard
If ‘The Notorious’ is victorious on Saturday, could the unification bout be held in a stadium in his backyard? Methinks so.

Z is for Zillions
UFC 189′s gate will stay intact even with Aldo’s withdrawal, but the PPV will take a hit. According to White, the pay-per-view was tracking to hit the 1 million mark while McGregor was predicting, as usual, a zillion buys and for it to break UFC 100 numbers. The event should still do a healthy number, though it most likely won’t compensate for the zillions that were spent promoting this thing.

The post UFC 189: A Complete A-to-Z Preview appeared first on Cagepotato.

UFC 188: A Complete A-to-Z Preview

(Think this is some brilliant guerilla marketing? Just wait until you try the Pollos Locos Velasquezamos Gorditas, hitting a Taco Bell near you!)

By Nasir Jabbar

Some of UFC’s marquee Hispanic fighters are graced to appear on the promotion’s second trip to Mexico at UFC 188 this weekend, none more prominent than heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez. The injury prone Velasquez (well, calling him “injury prone” might be an understatement. The man’s spent more time in the ER than Tim “The Toolman” Taylor) returns to the octagon to take on interim-champion Fabricio Werdum for the unified heavyweight title, and in the night’s co-main event, Mexican-American Strikeforce vet Gilbert Melendez faces former Bellator champ Eddie Alvarez.

The main-card is rounded off with a important women’s strawweight bout and a couple of intriguing match-ups below, so by now you should know how it works — I’ve compiled an comprehensive A-to-Z list previewing the heck out of UFC 188. Join me?

The post UFC 188: A Complete A-to-Z Preview appeared first on Cagepotato.

(Think this is some brilliant guerilla marketing? Just wait until you try the Pollos Locos Velasquezamos Gorditas, hitting a Taco Bell near you!)

By Nasir Jabbar

The main-card is rounded off with a important women’s strawweight bout and a couple of intriguing match-ups below, so by now you should know how it works – I’ve compiled an comprehensive A-to-Z list previewing the heck out of UFC 188. Join me?

A is for AKA
Following Daniel Cormier‘s title triumph, can teammate and good friend Velasquez hold onto his strap, and make it two UFC belts for the San Jose team, AKA? Not bad for a “stone age” gym.

B is for “Bust His Ass Up”
Gilbert Melendez recently delivered some riveting pre-fight verbal’s aimed at Eddie Alvarez at the UFC 188 presser, claiming he will “bust his ass up.” Well, riveting for Gil, anyway.

C is for Cain
The heavyweight champ has been on the shelf for fifteen months while rehabbing his injuries, but finally makes his return. Velasquez was supposed to be the promotions main vehicle venturing into Mexico the first time around, but injuries postponed that. Can Cain stay healthy for the rest of the week? Recent history says “Probably not!”

D is for Do Yourself A Favour
Do yourself a favour and re-watch this:

E is for Ears
Remember when Leslie Smith’s exploded at the UFC’s debut event in Mexico? Yeah, that was gnarly.

F is for Fighting Irish
It’s not long now until the eagerly anticipated dust-up between Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor, but in the meantime, UFC 188 will feature another Irishman in the shape of McGregor teammate (and r/MMA P4P king) Cathal Pendred. “The Punisher” is currently riding a 3-fight win streak since entering the promotion, even if the last victory was the result of a horrible hometown decision.

G is for Going Down
After suffering his long-awaited UFC debut to Donald Cerrone, Dana White encouraged Alvarez to switch divisions by going down to featherweight, a move Alvarez said could only be achieved by cutting off a limb.

H is for Hot Potatoes
New territories mean local ring girls, which mean these hot potatoes will once again strut their stuff. CagePotato, bless you. (Ed note: You’re welcome.)

I is for It’s Been A While
It’s been a long, long time since Velasquez has entered the cage, as his AKA buddy Daniel Cormier’s career shows. In the time since the heavyweight champ’s last fight, “DC” has beaten up a barista on short-notice, ragged dolled ‘Hendo’, had a brawl in the MGM lobby, lost to Jon Jones and then captured the light-heavyweight title. *And breath*.

J is for Jealously
The rise of Paige Van Zant has been something, after one UFC bout she was signed up to a exclusive Reebok deal, and was then thrust into the limelight with a fight featured on big FOX. This has been pretty much the talk of the town in the women’s strawweight division with most having a say on it. UFC 188 competitor Tecia Torres even admitted that she was jealous of the meteoric rise of the budding prospect. Torres looks to mount a challenge for the title as she takes on fellow TUF 20 alum Angela Hill.

K is for Knee
Velasquez is returning after suffering a torn meniscus and MCL in his knee, yet feels confident that ring rust will not play a factor on Saturday night.

L is for Latin America
The Zuffa promotion is continuing its global expansion, with Latin America one of their main focuses. With the introduction of TUF: Latin America and the popularity of the sport in this continent, countries are now clamouring for live events with many untapped markets in the region.

M is for Mexican War
Melendez and Sanchez engaged in what was being dubbed as a Mexican war, and when Melendez and Alvarez meet in the octagon, I can only imagine something very similar going down. Call it the Mexi-Puerto Rican Missile Crisis, maybe?

N is for Native
Even though all but one bout on UFC 188 features an Hispanic fighter, only five of them are native Mexicans. If the UFC are trying to convert boxing fans, the promotion really needs homegrown fighters to really capture the Mexicans hearts.

O is for Olympian
After campaigning to get on the card, the former Olympic gold-medallist, Henry Cejudo, gets to fight in Mexico. The unbeaten flyweight has the potential to be a big hit in Mexico with his rags-to-riches story and fluency in Spanish. A victory over Chico Camus could see him leapfrog the other flyweight contenders and land him that title shot.

P is for Partisan
The last visit to Mexico was a huge success at the gate with a complete sell-out, expect the same for UFC 188 with a strong partisan crowd.

Q is for Quirky
The interim-champion is one quirky individual.

R is for Rumblings
Sponsorship rumblings and grumblings from discontented fighters continue ahead of UFC 188 with Gil Melendez, who recently stated that he would of had to “get a real job” if it wasn’t for his sponsors.

S is for Superfight
Even with his legal woes, Velasquez still thinks a super fight with former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is a possibility. And honestly, Jones might just have his sh*t together by the time Cain comes back from his whatever injury he acquires this weekend.

T is for There Can Only Be One
“There can only be one champion” is the motto for this event as the heavyweight champion and interim champion look to unify the belts. Carrying on…

U is for Unification
The main-event is the first UFC unification bout since UFC 154, where GSP and ‘NBK’ fought for the unified welterweight title.

V is for ‘Vai Cavalo’
Due to the withdrawal of Velaquez at UFC 180, ‘Vai Cavalo’ took it upon himself to embrace the adoring Mexicans, and the Brazillian did a pretty swell job by giving renditions of famous Latin songs and seemingly getting the home support.

W is for Welterweight
Kelvin Gastelum, who was forced to move up after failing to make the welterweight limit, is hoping a good performance will allow him return to the welterweight division.

X is for ‘Xtra
Will there have to any ‘xtra lbs dropped after the scheduled weigh-ins with notably weight-cutting failures in Cejudo and Gastelum stepping on the scales?

Y is for Yair Rodriguez
After winning TUF: Latin America, Rodriguez now takes on Charles Rosa. Considering his previous foes have been Hispanic fighters on local regional shows, fighting the Boston native is a big step-up.

Z is for names ending in Z
Six fighters name end with the letter Z. Mind = blown.

The post UFC 188: A Complete A-to-Z Preview appeared first on Cagepotato.

UFC 187: A Complete A-to-Z Preview

(This seems like a good a time as any to remind you that this is a thing that exists.)

By Nasir Jabbar

Nation, UFC 187 is approaching us, and what was once being touted as one of the greatest cards in Zuffa history is now simply “a very good one.” The card took some bumps and bruises — quite literally when original UFC 187 headliner Jon Jones broke a pregnant lady’s arm during his now infamous hit-and-run (too soon?) — but nonetheless, there’s still two title fights and a few important match-ups to determine the next line of challengers to look forward too.

So you know the drill, instead of the same ol’ recycled text recapping each fighter’s recent matches and predicting how they will win this weekend, I’ve compiled an A-to-Z list previewing each and every aspect of UFC 187. Join me?

The post UFC 187: A Complete A-to-Z Preview appeared first on Cagepotato.

(This seems like a good a time as any to remind you that this is a thing that exists.)

By Nasir Jabbar

A is for Animal
Once the new title fight was arranged, Daniel Cormier didn’t waste time heating things up by belittling Anthony Johnson‘s past performances in particular his defeat to former-teammate Josh Koscheck. “Rumble” refutes his claims insisting he’s a different kind of animal now.

B is for Blackzillians
After much scrutinised criticism aimed at the team, the Florida-based camp are now flourishing, having picked up their first major MMA title (Eddie Alvarez capturing the Bellator lightweight strap) and sitting on the brink of two coveted UFC titles, with Johnson and Vitor Belfort.

C is for Clinch
Johnson has had problems stuffing takedowns from the clinch, an area where his opponent specialises in landing effective blows and takedowns. Johnson displayed his improved takedown defence in the victory over Phil Davis, but faces a more difficult challenge in the former-Olympian.

D is for Dagestan
Islam Makhachev is the latest product to come out of Dagestan, the region has served as a conveyor belt feeding some of the best talent to the sport. The undefeated-lightweight will make his UFC debut as he takes on Leo Kuntz.

E is for Ex-Champion
If/When Jones returns, he’ll be known as the ex-champion. I really don’t have much to add to that, other than that I’m still having trouble processing it.

F is for Flyweights
The 125lbs division will be heavily featured at UFC 187, with the returning John Dodson, Joseph Benavidez, John Moraga, Zach Makovsky, Justin Scoggins and Josh Sampo all in action. So suck on that, Bisping!

G is for Greed/Garbage
For the UFC 187 competitors, this will be their final fight until the Reebok deal kicks in. The pay structure was revealed last week, and let’s just say that the only thing uglier than the figures have been how many fighters have reacted. Like the majority of Reebok’s gear, it don’t look pretty.

H is for Hit-and-Run
A reference to the mishap which ultimately cost Jones his UFC title and many lucrative sponsors, or a comment on the fighting style of John Dodson? YOU DECIDE.

I is for Inactivity
Chris Weidman and Belfort share a combined 27-months of inactivity. Donald Cerrone has fought seven times in that span. Seven.

J is for Jon Jones
Seriously, god damn it, Jon.

K is for Khabib Nurmagomedov
The Russian phenom has once again got himself injured and subsequently pulled from another scheduled fight with ‘Cowboy’.

L is for Las Vegas
UFC 187 will be the first combat sports event in Las Vegas since the financial behemoth that was Mayweather vs. Pacquaio. Is the city still reeling from a hangover, and just how bad will this effect UFC’s business in Sin City?

M is for MMA Math
Travis Browne was knocked out by “Bigfoot”, who himself got knocked out by Andrei Arlovski. MMA Math would suggest Arlovski knock out Browne. Will this come to fruition?

N is for Narrative
If Cormier emerges victorious, a possible mega-fight with Jones could be in the offing. Their first fight was successful on pay-per-view, was competitive enough to warrant a rematch, and they’ve still got beef to boot. Of course, Johnson provides a stern test, and more importantly, Jones faces an uphill struggle just to get back into the MMA bubble. Still, what a storyline it might entail.

O is for Obstacles
Jones’ manager indicated that we may have seen the last of him, but the New York native is still fairly young and has time to rebuild his professional career. I guess you could say that there are many legal *obstacles* in the way for the former champ. (*winks to camera*)

P is for “Punk”
The winner of the light-heavyweight title bout is a “Punk.” Well, according to Chael Sonnen.

Q is for Question
Some questioned the UFC’s decision to insert Cormier into the title picture on the heels of a title defeat. However, the man he was originally expected to face, Ryan Bader, has yet to fight for a world title and is currently riding a four-fight win streak. Just sayin’, the TUF winner *could* have been a worthy challenger.

R is for Risky
With Khabib having gone down with an injury yet again, Cerrone is now set to take on John Makdessi, the unranked Canadian is a dangerous opponent and a risky proposition giving his status in the division.

S is for Sparring
Cormier has alluded to the fact that not having Cain Velasquez around during preparation for Jon Jones was ultimately the deciding factor in his loss. The heavyweight champion has now recovered from his ongoing injuries (for now), which allowed him to help Comrier train for Johnson.

T is for Take Four
Weidman vs. Belfort has been scratched from the following shows: UFC 173, 181 and 184. Pray with us Nation. Pray that neither Weidman or Belfort slip in the sauna tomorrow night.

U is for “Unfair”
Vitor Belfort spoke about his frustration of the extensive drug-testing, even stating that it was, wait for it, “unfair”. This guy. Belfort is synonymous with a few things; fast hands, animal/Jesus metaphors, and a chequered drug past. Having been busted for PED’s and violated the limits of the pesky TRT, such claim seems ridiculous.

V is for Vacant
As a result of Jones’ tribulation, Johnson and Cormier will fight for the vacant UFC light-heavyweight championship. (Not all of these are mind-blowers.)

W is for What Could of Been
Us MMA fans just can’t have nice things.

X is for X-Factor
Has anyone else ever gotten stuck in a Youtube hole that began with an Anthony Johnson highlight reel and ended with a “Top 20 X-Factor Auditions of All Time” compilation?

Y is Youth
Despite suffering defeats, both Scoggins and Rose Namajunas are still green and have youth on their side as they try to re emerge as potential challengers.

Z is for Zzz
MMA Math to aside, either Browne or Arlovski is getting put to sleep.

The post UFC 187: A Complete A-to-Z Preview appeared first on Cagepotato.

UFC 184: A Complete A-to-Z Preview

By Nasir Jabbar

The original lineup of UFC 184 had fans and media members alike spewing the usual hype terminology (“incredible”, “awesome”, “more stacked than your mom”, and so on) until a plethora of injuries left the card in tatters. Still, UFC 184 features a pretty solid main event and a handful of at least watchable fights, so what are you complaining about, you buncha nerds? IF THE UFC THROWS YOU A BONE, THEY DON’T WANT TO KNOW IF IT TASTES GOOD OR NOT.

Sorry about that; I guess those Dana White negotiating tapes are really starting to pay off. The point is, an event this…lukewarm doesn’t really require one to write huge blocks of tedious text recapping each fighter’s recent matches and predicting how they will win this weekend. So instead, I’ve decided to try out something new and compile an A-to-Z list previewing each and every aspect of UFC 184. Join me?

By Nasir Jabbar

A is for Anti-Doping
It isn’t all doom and gloom. Both main-eventers passed their random out-of-competition drug tests, which is a cause for celebration in an of itself these days. Hallelujah.

B is for Business
The bulk of the business will be severely hampered due to the injury-hit card, from a PPV hit to refunded tickets. Most critics are expecting UFC 184 to do in the sub-250k buys range, which leads to the next point.

C is for “Card Subject To Change”
Yeah, you can say that again.

In addition to their legal woes, the UFC has had something of a weight cutting issue this year, with TJ Waldburger being the most recent fighter to pass out just a day prior to his scheduled bout. With UFC 184 as weak as it already is, the UFC better pray that it doesn’t lose another fight in such a fashion.

D is for Declined
After the withdrawal of middleweight champion Chris Weidman from the event, UFC offered both Lyoto Machida and Gegard Mousasi to #1 contender, Vitor Belfort, but the Brazilian declined them. The Weidman-Belfort title fight has since been rescheduled for UFC 187, which looks magnificent.

E is for Ellenberger
Once a budding prospect in the welterweight division, Jake Ellenberger is now riding a three fight losing skid into his bout with the similarly struggling veteran Josh Koscheck. The Nebraska-native has shipped up to Los Angeles to team up with Edmond Tarverdyan, though with little luck thus far. Will he finally get back on the win column on Saturday night?

F is for Ferguson
Since suffering his first UFC loss back in 2012 to Michael Johnson, TUF 14 winner Tony Ferguson has won four on the bounce heading into his bout with Gleison Tibau, who has notched three straight wins since getting torched by, you guessed it, Michael Johnson in 2013.

G is for Good Thing Rousey Was Co-Main
The promotion could of had another UFC 176 on their hands if they hadn’t had Ronda as co-feature. Good thing she was on the card, otherwise we’d have another “postponement.”

H is for Holly Holm
The “greatest female boxer in history” (– Dana White or Joe Rogan, probably) makes her hotly-anticipated octagon debut this weekend against TUF 18 competitor Raquel Pennington. “H” might as well stand for “hype” in Holm’s case, as she is already being hailed as the next/final challenger to Rousey’s throne.

I is for Injuries
The god-damn injury bug of 2012 has reared its ugly head taking out a myriad of delightful matchmaking. A brief list of fighters once attached to this event: Neil Magny, Frank Mir, Ronaldo Souza, Yoel Romero, and Yancy Medeiros. (Ed note: YAAAANCYYYYY!!!)

J is for Jitters
On a scale of Rolles Gracie to Junior Dos Santos, how will the debuting Holly Holm react to the notorious octagon jitters?

K is for Kazakhstan
Some of the more hyperbolic MMA media members have compared Rousey to Mike Tyson, although, if we’re going to compare her to a male boxer (!!) lets at least keep the comparisons contemporary. Rousey is the Gennady Golovkin of MMA.

L is for Ladies
Not only will the PPV main-card feature two women’s bouts, but they are the featured attractions: The main event and co-main.

M is for Mother
Cat Zingano was the first mother to compete inside the octagon, and you best believe that she runs her local PTA meetings with an iron fist.

N is for Needle-Mover
Dana White has stated on numerous occasions that Rousey is “the biggest star [the UFC] has ever had.” This weekend should truly serve as a barometer for that audacious statement, as Rousey has been tasked with carrying this lackluster card on her own. UFC 184′s buy-rate will really show how much of a ‘needle-mover’ the women’s bantamweight champion is.

O is for Outrage
James Krause expressed his outrage on Twitter about his positioning on the card. Does he have a point? (Answer: Of course he does. Some of the fights above him are garbage.)

P is for Philippines
Filipino-American Mark Munoz fights this weekend, having dropped two in a row and three of his past four overall. With the “super-fight” main event in place for the promotion’s first venture into Philippines, will “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” get a slot on the card regardless of how he performs against the returning Roan Carneiro?

Q is for Quick Turnaround
Just a little over a month out from his last win, Gleison Tibau makes a quick turnaround when he takes surging lightweight Tony Ferguson.

R is for Retirement
If defeated, is retirement looming for Josh Koscheck?

S is for Staples Centre
UFC returns to the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, CA for the first time since August 2012, after their initial return was “postponed.”

T is for Turbulent
Zingano has had a turbulent spell in her MMA career and personal life; first the knee-injury which forced her off TUF and a fight against Rousey and then the passing of her husband. Finally, there is light at the end of the tunnel with this title shot.

U is for Unconscious
I’m almost certain that Derrick Lewis will leave Ruan Potts unconscious inside of 5 minutes.

V is for Vitor Belfort
Let’s all take a moment to laugh at the serious proposition Vitor Belfort made about fighting Mark Munoz for an interim title. Moving on…

W is for Who Will Test Positive?
The last three PPV shows have featured high-profile positive drug tests. With the MMA ongoing drug epidemic and CSAC sussing fighters out, it begs the question: Who’s gonna flunk their test?

X is for X-rated
It may not be as X-rated as past Rousey photoshoots, yet her recent Sports Illustrated pictorial edition was quite flattering to say the very least. In Rousey’s own words, however, “If they can’t see your cash & prizes, then I’m fine with it.”

Y is for Yamamoto
Having gone 1-5 in his last six MMA appearances, the Japanese legend finds himself in a do or die situation.

Z is for Zingano
After brutalising Miesha Tate and doing the same to Amanda Nunes after a long layoff, the undefeated-challenger has the opportunity to do the unthinkable and beat UFC’s poster-girl.