Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsThe injury bug has hit Nick Catone once again.
“The Jersey Devil” has been forced to withdraw from his UFC 136 fight against Aaron Simpson due to an undisclosed injury, sources close to the fighter confir…
“The Jersey Devil” has been forced to withdraw from his UFC 136 fight against Aaron Simpson due to an undisclosed injury, sources close to the fighter confirmed with MMAFighting.com.
The 30-year-old, who has only fought once since January 2010 due to several different injuries, including a serious back injury, most recently defeated Costantinos Philippou at UFC 128 in March. No word on the severity of his most recent ailment or who will replace him against Simpson.
Catone (9-2) is 3-2 in the UFC. He also holds wins over Jesse Forbes and Derek Downey.
Simpson (9-2) has won his last two fights in a row against Brad Tavares and Mario Miranda.
UFC 136, headlined by Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard, airs live on pay-per-view from the Toyota Center in Houston on Oct. 8.
Update: Catone tweeted he tore his achilles tendon Tuesday night.
At least one career was salvaged at UFC 132, while another may have come to an end. Both contributed greatly to a memorable night in Las Vegas, where two little guys showed just how badly they wanted to go home with a hunk of leather and metal.
Now that it’s all over and we’ve got the obligatory 4th of July hot dogs sizzling on the grill, let’s take a minute to sort through this weekend’s biggest winners, losers, and everything in between.
Biggest Winner: Tito Ortiz
If you’d asked me on Friday, I would have told you the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” would be retired by now. No matter what he says, you know he must have considered that possibility as well in some of his darker moments. But not only did he come out on top in his must-win fight, he looked dominant in his submission win over Ryan Bader. The last person Ortiz submitted was Yuki Kondo. He did it back in 2000 and he did it with a neck crank, both of which tell you a little something about how long Ortiz has been in the game. Thanks to the win, Ortiz gets to stick around a little while longer. Whether it’s the beginning of a genuine comeback or just a temporary stay of execution, only time will tell.
Biggest Loser: Wanderlei Silva
Another attempt to brawl results in another frightening knockout. Silva has taken too many of these sorts of beatings lately, and each one is harder to watch than the last. Some people will point to last year’s win over Michael Bisping as proof that he doesn’t need to retire, and sure, it does seem unfair to point to one knockout loss to Leben as proof that the man is done. At the same time, Silva’s losses aren’t like Ortiz’s string of fairly close decisions. He’s getting knocked all the way out, and his fighting style isn’t evolving to protect his increasingly suspect chin. After 15 years in the sport, Silva can walk away with his head up whenever he feels like it. Let’s just hope he feels like before something happens to him that can’t be undone.
Best Removal of a Monkey from One’s Own Back: Dominick Cruz
He said he was ready for questions about his submission loss to Faber to stop for good, and with this win he’ll finally get his wish. You can argue the scoring, but I don’t think you can argue the outcome. Cruz simply did more than Faber, even if he did get dropped a time or two. His speed and his well-rounded attack is going to be a problem for anybody in the division, and now that he’s vanquished Faber he can move on to other challenges. At least until Faber wins a couple and starts asking for a rubber match. Then we can do this all over again.
Most Vicious: (tie) Carlos Condit and Melvin Guillard
Remember back when the one thing we all knew about Greg Jackson’s fighters was that they played it too safe and never finished fights? No, not ringing any bells? Maybe it’s because that bit of conventional wisdom just got kneed in its face until it was utterly unrecognizable. These two Jackson camp fighters dispatched their respective opponents with terrifying ferocity and efficiency on Saturday night. I’m not sure what you do with either right now, since both are probably worthy of title shots, and yet neither is next in line in his division at the moment. Neither Condit or Guillard seem like the type to wait around until things sort themselves out, which is bad news for every other contender. Chances are, the path to a title shot at both lightweight and welterweight will run through these two.
Most Impressive in Defeat: Urijah Faber
Personally, I scored it for Cruz (though I didn’t give him every round, as one judge did), but Faber made it damn close. He came up with a better answer to Cruz’s difficult style than anyone else the UFC bantamweight champ has ever fought, and even if he came up short in the end he still put on a fantastic show. It’s the fourth consecutive title fight that Faber has lost, which puts him in a tough spot. As we saw on Saturday, he’s still one of the best fighters in the world at 135 pounds, but what can you do with him at this point? The UFC can’t just keep booking Cruz-Faber over and over, and yet Faber is still far above gatekeeper level. That’s going to be a tough one for matchmaker Joe Silva to figure out, but you know he’ll come up with something. He always does.
Least Impressive in Victory: Aaron Simpson
He spent fifteen minutes trying to force Brad Tavares to mate with a section of chain-link fencing, and while he got his hand raised at the end, he didn’t make many new fans. If there’s anything the UFC likes less than lay-and-pray, it’s wall-and-stall. At least get the guy to the mat before you suffocate any hope for action out of the fight. Simpson didn’t even do that. He clung to Tavares as if he knew that victory would be his as long as he could make sure nothing actually happened between the bells. The real bummer is, he was right.
Best Display of Angry, Shirtless Speed-Walking: Matt Wiman
I get it, he was upset. He thought he deserved the decision win over Dennis Siver, and when he didn’t get it his disappointment/rage got the better of him. Maybe it was best for him to go find a quiet place to be alone with his anger right then. But at the same time, it’s not like he was robbed by the judges. It was an incredibly close fight and it could have easily gone either way. When you’re standing there waiting for the scores to be announced after a fight like that, you have to know there’s at least a chance that you’re not going to like what you hear. Not that I necessarily blame him for taking off like a man who just remembered that he left the stove on at home. Everyone hates losing. And wearing shirts.
Most Likely to Win More Bar Fights Than Championships: Chris Leben
He’s never been the most technical of strikers, but more often than not he gets the job done. Against Silva he proved that his left hand is still as dangerous as ever, though that’s true of most fighters when their opponents zombie-walk right into it. At this point in his career, Leben’s appeal is pretty well solidified. He won’t win ’em all, but he will do his best to make sure that somebody loses consciousness by the end of the night. There’s definitely a place for that on UFC cards, even if that place is probably not in the main event most of the time. You’re not going to become a UFC champion throwing haymakers and eschewing defense the way Leben does, but you can collect enough paychecks to keep you in gummi bears for years to come. And really, what else do you need in life?
The referee checks on Wanderlei Silva after his knockout loss to Chris Leben at UFC 132 on Saturday, July 2, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
UFC 132 Photos
Urijah Faber knees Dominick Cruz in their UFC bantamweight championship bout at UFC 132 on Saturday, July 2, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
At least one career was salvaged at UFC 132, while another may have come to an end. Both contributed greatly to a memorable night in Las Vegas, where two little guys showed just how badly they wanted to go home with a hunk of leather and metal.
Now that it’s all over and we’ve got the obligatory 4th of July hot dogs sizzling on the grill, let’s take a minute to sort through this weekend’s biggest winners, losers, and everything in between.
Biggest Winner: Tito Ortiz
If you’d asked me on Friday, I would have told you the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” would be retired by now. No matter what he says, you know he must have considered that possibility as well in some of his darker moments. But not only did he come out on top in his must-win fight, he looked dominant in his submission win over Ryan Bader. The last person Ortiz submitted was Yuki Kondo. He did it back in 2000 and he did it with a neck crank, both of which tell you a little something about how long Ortiz has been in the game. Thanks to the win, Ortiz gets to stick around a little while longer. Whether it’s the beginning of a genuine comeback or just a temporary stay of execution, only time will tell.
Biggest Loser: Wanderlei Silva
Another attempt to brawl results in another frightening knockout. Silva has taken too many of these sorts of beatings lately, and each one is harder to watch than the last. Some people will point to last year’s win over Michael Bisping as proof that he doesn’t need to retire, and sure, it does seem unfair to point to one knockout loss to Leben as proof that the man is done. At the same time, Silva’s losses aren’t like Ortiz’s string of fairly close decisions. He’s getting knocked all the way out, and his fighting style isn’t evolving to protect his increasingly suspect chin. After 15 years in the sport, Silva can walk away with his head up whenever he feels like it. Let’s just hope he feels like before something happens to him that can’t be undone.
Best Removal of a Monkey from One’s Own Back: Dominick Cruz
He said he was ready for questions about his submission loss to Faber to stop for good, and with this win he’ll finally get his wish. You can argue the scoring, but I don’t think you can argue the outcome. Cruz simply did more than Faber, even if he did get dropped a time or two. His speed and his well-rounded attack is going to be a problem for anybody in the division, and now that he’s vanquished Faber he can move on to other challenges. At least until Faber wins a couple and starts asking for a rubber match. Then we can do this all over again.
Most Vicious: (tie) Carlos Condit and Melvin Guillard
Remember back when the one thing we all knew about Greg Jackson’s fighters was that they played it too safe and never finished fights? No, not ringing any bells? Maybe it’s because that bit of conventional wisdom just got kneed in its face until it was utterly unrecognizable. These two Jackson camp fighters dispatched their respective opponents with terrifying ferocity and efficiency on Saturday night. I’m not sure what you do with either right now, since both are probably worthy of title shots, and yet neither is next in line in his division at the moment. Neither Condit or Guillard seem like the type to wait around until things sort themselves out, which is bad news for every other contender. Chances are, the path to a title shot at both lightweight and welterweight will run through these two.
Most Impressive in Defeat: Urijah Faber
Personally, I scored it for Cruz (though I didn’t give him every round, as one judge did), but Faber made it damn close. He came up with a better answer to Cruz’s difficult style than anyone else the UFC bantamweight champ has ever fought, and even if he came up short in the end he still put on a fantastic show. It’s the fourth consecutive title fight that Faber has lost, which puts him in a tough spot. As we saw on Saturday, he’s still one of the best fighters in the world at 135 pounds, but what can you do with him at this point? The UFC can’t just keep booking Cruz-Faber over and over, and yet Faber is still far above gatekeeper level. That’s going to be a tough one for matchmaker Joe Silva to figure out, but you know he’ll come up with something. He always does.
Least Impressive in Victory: Aaron Simpson
He spent fifteen minutes trying to force Brad Tavares to mate with a section of chain-link fencing, and while he got his hand raised at the end, he didn’t make many new fans. If there’s anything the UFC likes less than lay-and-pray, it’s wall-and-stall. At least get the guy to the mat before you suffocate any hope for action out of the fight. Simpson didn’t even do that. He clung to Tavares as if he knew that victory would be his as long as he could make sure nothing actually happened between the bells. The real bummer is, he was right.
Best Display of Angry, Shirtless Speed-Walking: Matt Wiman
I get it, he was upset. He thought he deserved the decision win over Dennis Siver, and when he didn’t get it his disappointment/rage got the better of him. Maybe it was best for him to go find a quiet place to be alone with his anger right then. But at the same time, it’s not like he was robbed by the judges. It was an incredibly close fight and it could have easily gone either way. When you’re standing there waiting for the scores to be announced after a fight like that, you have to know there’s at least a chance that you’re not going to like what you hear. Not that I necessarily blame him for taking off like a man who just remembered that he left the stove on at home. Everyone hates losing. And wearing shirts.
Most Likely to Win More Bar Fights Than Championships: Chris Leben
He’s never been the most technical of strikers, but more often than not he gets the job done. Against Silva he proved that his left hand is still as dangerous as ever, though that’s true of most fighters when their opponents zombie-walk right into it. At this point in his career, Leben’s appeal is pretty well solidified. He won’t win ’em all, but he will do his best to make sure that somebody loses consciousness by the end of the night. There’s definitely a place for that on UFC cards, even if that place is probably not in the main event most of the time. You’re not going to become a UFC champion throwing haymakers and eschewing defense the way Leben does, but you can collect enough paychecks to keep you in gummi bears for years to come. And really, what else do you need in life?
The referee checks on Wanderlei Silva after his knockout loss to Chris Leben at UFC 132 on Saturday, July 2, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
UFC 132 Photos
Urijah Faber knees Dominick Cruz in their UFC bantamweight championship bout at UFC 132 on Saturday, July 2, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS — This is the UFC 132 undercard live blog for the four non-televised preliminary bouts in support of tonight’s UFC pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The bouts are Brian Bowles vs. Takeya Mizugaki, Aaron Simpson vs. Brad Tavares, Anthony Njokuani vs. Andre Winner and Jeff Hougland vs. Donny Walker.
The first bout is scheduled to begin at 6:15p.m. ET.
Both men working their punches from a safe, yet not terribly effective distance early on. A sharp right hook from Njokuani catches Winner flush on the jaw. In Winner’s corner, Paul Daley encourages him to get his counters working. Njokuani tries a spinning back elbow that gets jammed up, but then ducks under a Winner punch and lands a nice right hook counter. Njokuani is just a little sharper with his punches right now. Good right uppercut stings Winner. Njokuani slips a jab and fires a right. Daley tells Winner not to jab at his head anymore. Must be nice for Njokuani to know that. Njokuani nails Winner with a hard shot and Winner wobbles back. Njokuani goes in full attack mode now, hammering him with right hands and brutal knees. Winner is reeling, but still on his feet. Njokuani just brutalizing Winner now. Referee Yves Lavigne taking a hard look at it, but somehow Winner survives the round, though he’s not looking so pretty. MMA Fighting scores it 10-8 for Njokuani.
Round 2:
Amazingly, Winner seems to have recovered well in the 60 seconds between rounds. His face still shows signs of the beating, but he’s moving well and his punches still have snap. Njokuani stings him with a hard shot that staggers him, and Winner eats another dose of knees against the cage before managing to turn Njokuani. Back to work in the center of the cage after a referee restart, Winner’s corner implores him to feint and move, but it’s all he can do not to get brutalized by Njokuani at the moment. They end the round with Njokuani looking perhaps a little fatigued from his efforts to finish. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Njokuani.
Jeff Hougland vs. Donny Walker
Round 1:
Houghland starts us off with some inside leg kicks. Walker comes in with a right hand and Houghland drops under for a takedown. Walker trying to work the high guard, but Houghland stands up out of it and goes to work with punches from the top. Walker tries to tie him up from the bottom, but Houghland smashes him with a hard elbow in close. Houghland stacks Walker against the cage and sinks an arm-in guillotine. He falls back with it, but Walker doesn’t see too concerned. He holds on and Houghland is eventually forced to relinquish it, with Walker now working from the top. Walker forces Houghland’s ankles up over his head, drawing a titter from the crowd, then works for an anaconda choke, but can’t complete it. Houghland does a nice job of scrambling up off the bottom and puts Walker on his back again. Walker tries for a toe hold in the final seconds, but he’s not even close. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Houghland.
Round 2:
It’s back to a kicking contest to start the second round. Houghland is the busier fighter on the feet, which counts for a lot in the judges’ eyes. Nice right hand by Houghland, followed by one from Walker. They’re both opening up with punches now, and Houghland is cut above his eye, near the bridge of his nose. Walker’s trying to come forward behind his left hook, but his punches seem to have lost a lot of their snap. Houghland tries a front kick and Walker seems to think it caught him in the groin. I’ll take his word for it. After the restart Walker attacks Houghland’s legs with kicks, but Houghland hurts him with a punch and knee and then drops immediately into another guillotine. He must think it’s his ace in the hole, but Walker is hanging out in there just fine. Houghland adjusts and squeezes with everything he’s got in the final ten seconds, but Walker lasts until the horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Houghland.
Round 3:
Walker seems to have a sense of desperation to start the final round. He comes after Houghland hard right off the bat and then stops a Houghland takedown attempt by faceplanting him into the mat. Walker moves for the anaconda again and Houghland goes to his back before locking up an armbar. Walker is in trouble, so he lifts Houghland up and slams his way out. Houghland transitions for a triangle choke, but it’s not there. Walker seems content to survive on top for now, and that prompts a restart by Yamasaki. Houghland goes for another takedown and gets stopped and but on bottom again, but works for the sweep and eventually manages to put Walker on his back. They finish the fight with both men frantically throwing punches and elbows — Houghland from the top and Walker from the bottom — but it’s more light than heat. MMA Fighting scores 10-9 for Walker.
Jeff Houghland def. Donny Walker via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
LAS VEGAS — This is the UFC 132 undercard live blog for the four non-televised preliminary bouts in support of tonight’s UFC pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The bouts are Brian Bowles vs. Takeya Mizugaki, Aaron Simpson vs. Brad Tavares, Anthony Njokuani vs. Andre Winner and Jeff Hougland vs. Donny Walker.
The first bout is scheduled to begin at 6:15p.m. ET.
Both men working their punches from a safe, yet not terribly effective distance early on. A sharp right hook from Njokuani catches Winner flush on the jaw. In Winner’s corner, Paul Daley encourages him to get his counters working. Njokuani tries a spinning back elbow that gets jammed up, but then ducks under a Winner punch and lands a nice right hook counter. Njokuani is just a little sharper with his punches right now. Good right uppercut stings Winner. Njokuani slips a jab and fires a right. Daley tells Winner not to jab at his head anymore. Must be nice for Njokuani to know that. Njokuani nails Winner with a hard shot and Winner wobbles back. Njokuani goes in full attack mode now, hammering him with right hands and brutal knees. Winner is reeling, but still on his feet. Njokuani just brutalizing Winner now. Referee Yves Lavigne taking a hard look at it, but somehow Winner survives the round, though he’s not looking so pretty. MMA Fighting scores it 10-8 for Njokuani.
Round 2:
Amazingly, Winner seems to have recovered well in the 60 seconds between rounds. His face still shows signs of the beating, but he’s moving well and his punches still have snap. Njokuani stings him with a hard shot that staggers him, and Winner eats another dose of knees against the cage before managing to turn Njokuani. Back to work in the center of the cage after a referee restart, Winner’s corner implores him to feint and move, but it’s all he can do not to get brutalized by Njokuani at the moment. They end the round with Njokuani looking perhaps a little fatigued from his efforts to finish. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Njokuani.
Jeff Hougland vs. Donny Walker
Round 1:
Houghland starts us off with some inside leg kicks. Walker comes in with a right hand and Houghland drops under for a takedown. Walker trying to work the high guard, but Houghland stands up out of it and goes to work with punches from the top. Walker tries to tie him up from the bottom, but Houghland smashes him with a hard elbow in close. Houghland stacks Walker against the cage and sinks an arm-in guillotine. He falls back with it, but Walker doesn’t see too concerned. He holds on and Houghland is eventually forced to relinquish it, with Walker now working from the top. Walker forces Houghland’s ankles up over his head, drawing a titter from the crowd, then works for an anaconda choke, but can’t complete it. Houghland does a nice job of scrambling up off the bottom and puts Walker on his back again. Walker tries for a toe hold in the final seconds, but he’s not even close. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Houghland.
Round 2:
It’s back to a kicking contest to start the second round. Houghland is the busier fighter on the feet, which counts for a lot in the judges’ eyes. Nice right hand by Houghland, followed by one from Walker. They’re both opening up with punches now, and Houghland is cut above his eye, near the bridge of his nose. Walker’s trying to come forward behind his left hook, but his punches seem to have lost a lot of their snap. Houghland tries a front kick and Walker seems to think it caught him in the groin. I’ll take his word for it. After the restart Walker attacks Houghland’s legs with kicks, but Houghland hurts him with a punch and knee and then drops immediately into another guillotine. He must think it’s his ace in the hole, but Walker is hanging out in there just fine. Houghland adjusts and squeezes with everything he’s got in the final ten seconds, but Walker lasts until the horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Houghland.
Round 3:
Walker seems to have a sense of desperation to start the final round. He comes after Houghland hard right off the bat and then stops a Houghland takedown attempt by faceplanting him into the mat. Walker moves for the anaconda again and Houghland goes to his back before locking up an armbar. Walker is in trouble, so he lifts Houghland up and slams his way out. Houghland transitions for a triangle choke, but it’s not there. Walker seems content to survive on top for now, and that prompts a restart by Yamasaki. Houghland goes for another takedown and gets stopped and but on bottom again, but works for the sweep and eventually manages to put Walker on his back. They finish the fight with both men frantically throwing punches and elbows — Houghland from the top and Walker from the bottom — but it’s more light than heat. MMA Fighting scores 10-9 for Walker.
Jeff Houghland def. Donny Walker via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
It’s no big secret: no one needs win at UFC 132 worse than Tito Ortiz. Then again, we said the same thing at UFC 121. He lost a decision there and managed to hold on to his job by the follicles of his bleached blonde hair, so we already know that the normal rules don’t quite apply to him.
But this time, Dana White swears, this time he’s really on the chopping block. Do we believe him? Well, after the tired look on his face when discussing his most recent Tito headache with Ariel Helwani yesterday, it’s kind of hard not to.
Ortiz isn’t the only one who can’t afford to post another L on his record this Saturday night, however. For a look at the fighters who really need to win to stay employed, follow me below.
Tito Ortiz (15-8-1, 14-8-1 UFC) Who he’s fighting:Ryan Bader Why he’s in danger: Come on, you know why. As Dana White pointed out on Thursday, Ortiz doesn’t have a win since 2006. As White put it: “Dude, it’s 2011. He’s got to win.” Really, the fact that he has made it this long is a miracle, or at least a testament to the power of charisma and name recognition. Ortiz is 0-4-1 in his last five fights. The last man he beat? Ken freaking Shamrock. If Ortiz were anybody else, he’d be long gone from the UFC by now. The irony is that, while it’s his Tito-ness that’s helped him stick around, it’s also his Tito-ness that has made him White’s least favorite employee. They could find a way to work together when Ortiz was still a money-maker, but the more he loses, the less people want to see him. Now he finds himself in a must-win against Bader, who is, honestly, a pretty tough style match-up for him at this point. It’s almost as if the UFC is trying to hasten his exit — and maybe it’s finally time for him to go. Odds of getting cut: even. Let’s face it, Ortiz is probably going to lose this fight. And if he does, he’s certainly getting fired, or so says White. Do the math yourself. Remember to show your work.
Aaron Simpson (8-2, 4-2 UFC) Who he’s fighting:Brad Tavares Why he’s in danger: For Simpson, the problem is not so much a parade of losses as it is a couple defeats matched with a few less than inspiring wins. He has a couple of exciting fights on his record — a split decision win over Tom Lawlor, a TKO loss to Chris Leben — but when he has it his way, he typically prefers to put his wrestling skills to work and grind one out. We all know how the UFC feels about that approach, so the question is, if he loses to the undefeated Tavares, will that be reason enough to send him on his merry way? Odds of getting cut: 4-1. Don’t get me wrong, Simpson needs this win. Another loss and he’ll drop to 1-3 in his last four. But unless he looks absolutely awful, he should be able to pull the old ‘Please baby, give me one more chance’ and keep his job.
Andre Winner (11-5-1, 2-3 UFC) Who he’s fighting:Anthony Njokuani Why he’s in danger: One more loss and Winner will have the dreaded three-fight losing streak on his hands. I know, the last one was in a bizarre way kind of, sort of not his fault in many people’s eyes, since he got trapped against the fence by Nik Lentz for three boring rounds. Still, if you can stop a guy from doing that to you, how much of a future do you really have in the UFC? It’s sad, too, because Winner once had so much promise. He was a real blue-chipper on TUF, then lost the finale and has been up and down ever since. If he’s going to make his case as a legitimate UFC lightweight, he’s got to do it now. The question is, can he? Odds of getting cut: 2-1. This is a winnable fight, but by no means an easy one. At least Winner knows Njokuani won’t try to stall him in a clinch, which is a start.
Anthony Njokuani (13-5-1, 0-1 UFC) Who he’s fighting: Andre Winner Why he’s in danger: Njokuani ended his WEC run with a 1-2 stint, then rolled right into the UFC with a decision loss. Fortunately for him, that loss came in a thrilling effort that earned him a Fight of the Night bonus. If you have to lose in the UFC, that’s definitely the way you want to do it. Then again, a loss is still a loss, and you don’t want to make a habit out of it. Njokuani has earned himself some leeway because of his exciting fighting style, but he’s still after that elusive first UFC win. Even if he doesn’t get it against Winner, he’ll probably get one more chance to shine. Still, with a loss here the situation goes from troubling to desperate. Odds of getting cut: 5-1. His fight with Barboza earned him some goodwill with the UFC brass, so chances are he’s not going anywhere, win or lose. Probably still a good idea to win, though. Just saying.
It’s no big secret: no one needs win at UFC 132 worse than Tito Ortiz. Then again, we said the same thing at UFC 121. He lost a decision there and managed to hold on to his job by the follicles of his bleached blonde hair, so we already know that the normal rules don’t quite apply to him.
But this time, Dana White swears, this time he’s really on the chopping block. Do we believe him? Well, after the tired look on his face when discussing his most recent Tito headache with Ariel Helwani yesterday, it’s kind of hard not to.
Ortiz isn’t the only one who can’t afford to post another L on his record this Saturday night, however. For a look at the fighters who really need to win to stay employed, follow me below.
Tito Ortiz (15-8-1, 14-8-1 UFC) Who he’s fighting:Ryan Bader Why he’s in danger: Come on, you know why. As Dana White pointed out on Thursday, Ortiz doesn’t have a win since 2006. As White put it: “Dude, it’s 2011. He’s got to win.” Really, the fact that he has made it this long is a miracle, or at least a testament to the power of charisma and name recognition. Ortiz is 0-4-1 in his last five fights. The last man he beat? Ken freaking Shamrock. If Ortiz were anybody else, he’d be long gone from the UFC by now. The irony is that, while it’s his Tito-ness that’s helped him stick around, it’s also his Tito-ness that has made him White’s least favorite employee. They could find a way to work together when Ortiz was still a money-maker, but the more he loses, the less people want to see him. Now he finds himself in a must-win against Bader, who is, honestly, a pretty tough style match-up for him at this point. It’s almost as if the UFC is trying to hasten his exit — and maybe it’s finally time for him to go. Odds of getting cut: even. Let’s face it, Ortiz is probably going to lose this fight. And if he does, he’s certainly getting fired, or so says White. Do the math yourself. Remember to show your work.
Aaron Simpson (8-2, 4-2 UFC) Who he’s fighting:Brad Tavares Why he’s in danger: For Simpson, the problem is not so much a parade of losses as it is a couple defeats matched with a few less than inspiring wins. He has a couple of exciting fights on his record — a split decision win over Tom Lawlor, a TKO loss to Chris Leben — but when he has it his way, he typically prefers to put his wrestling skills to work and grind one out. We all know how the UFC feels about that approach, so the question is, if he loses to the undefeated Tavares, will that be reason enough to send him on his merry way? Odds of getting cut: 4-1. Don’t get me wrong, Simpson needs this win. Another loss and he’ll drop to 1-3 in his last four. But unless he looks absolutely awful, he should be able to pull the old ‘Please baby, give me one more chance’ and keep his job.
Andre Winner (11-5-1, 2-3 UFC) Who he’s fighting:Anthony Njokuani Why he’s in danger: One more loss and Winner will have the dreaded three-fight losing streak on his hands. I know, the last one was in a bizarre way kind of, sort of not his fault in many people’s eyes, since he got trapped against the fence by Nik Lentz for three boring rounds. Still, if you can stop a guy from doing that to you, how much of a future do you really have in the UFC? It’s sad, too, because Winner once had so much promise. He was a real blue-chipper on TUF, then lost the finale and has been up and down ever since. If he’s going to make his case as a legitimate UFC lightweight, he’s got to do it now. The question is, can he? Odds of getting cut: 2-1. This is a winnable fight, but by no means an easy one. At least Winner knows Njokuani won’t try to stall him in a clinch, which is a start.
Anthony Njokuani (13-5-1, 0-1 UFC) Who he’s fighting: Andre Winner Why he’s in danger: Njokuani ended his WEC run with a 1-2 stint, then rolled right into the UFC with a decision loss. Fortunately for him, that loss came in a thrilling effort that earned him a Fight of the Night bonus. If you have to lose in the UFC, that’s definitely the way you want to do it. Then again, a loss is still a loss, and you don’t want to make a habit out of it. Njokuani has earned himself some leeway because of his exciting fighting style, but he’s still after that elusive first UFC win. Even if he doesn’t get it against Winner, he’ll probably get one more chance to shine. Still, with a loss here the situation goes from troubling to desperate. Odds of getting cut: 5-1. His fight with Barboza earned him some goodwill with the UFC brass, so chances are he’s not going anywhere, win or lose. Probably still a good idea to win, though. Just saying.
Few fighters have a more fan-friendly style than Chris Leben and Wanderlei Silva. The kill-or-be-killed strikers will go toe-to-toe in the center of the Octagon at UFC 132 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. this Saturday night.For Leben, …
Few fighters have a more fan-friendly style than Chris Leben and Wanderlei Silva.
The kill-or-be-killed strikers will go toe-to-toe in the center of the Octagon at UFC 132 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. this Saturday night.
For Leben, reverence for the former PRIDE 205-pound titleholder who reigned over Japan for five years as champion results in a Fight of the Night, Fight of the Year, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“I always wanted to fight Wanderlei Silva. I’ve been kind of jokingly talking about it with friends for years. It’d be great if he came down. I know he fought Rich Franklin at ’95 and da, da, da, maybe I can go up to fight him—whatever,” The Ultimate Fighter alumni told Bleacher Report. “When I stepped in and fought [Yoshihiro] Akiyama for him, I felt that that earned me the shot.”
The dramatic third-round submission win against Akiyama was Leben’s second victory in two weeks—the rarest of accomplishments in the UFC. Silva has been without a belt since 2007, but his legendary stature in the sport causes even the most grizzled veteran like Leben to speak of earning a shot simply to face him as if he still held a belt.
With a fight anyone, anywhere, anytime attitude, Leben admitted, “It’s one of the few fights I’ve really, really wanted. I’m excited about it.”
The flu bit Leben before a New Year’s Day 2011 defeat where Brian Stann became the first fighter to (T)KO him since Anderson Silva five years earlier. Despite the stunning first-round loss, the Hawaii-based fighter is optimistic the setback hasn’t hurt his stride going into a fight with “The Axe Murderer.”
“I think the timing and the way everything is working out is absolutely perfect for me,” he said. “This is the best Chris Leben 100 percent. This is the best I’ve ever been. I can’t wait to show that come Saturday night.”
Leben credits his family, friends and training partners with helping him stick to his diet more so than any other bout in his career. Never missing a chance to pay respect to his opponent for this contest, Leben extended his gratitude toward the Brazilian for a stellar training camp.
“Also, I got to thank Wanderlei for that because there’s nothing more motivating than the fear of a coma.,” said the nine-year veteran. “The thought of me fighting Wanderlei is really giving me the power to do everything I do for my diet, everything I need to do in the training room.”
“The Crippler” battling “The Axe Murderer” sets lofty expectations for violence. Leben color-coordinated his favorite pre-fight ritual—painting his hair—accordingly.
“I went with the classic blood red, the whole deal because I need as much power as I can get. For me, it changes things,” he said of dyeing his hair. “I look in the mirror, I see my hair is on. I know that’s my game face. I know its time to go to work.”
Nineteen fights into his UFC career, Leben longs for the defining moments a slugfest brings forth. Win or lose, he can count on Silva to contribute memorable exchanges to a career built on starching opponent’s brain cells.
A title is nice and sure it’s the goal, but fans remember two fighter’s fearlessly throwing down like they do belts. What Leben lacks in gold he guarantees he makes up for in entertainment value.
“I just want to have epic fights where people can go back and say, ‘Your career is like a highlight reel,’” concluded Leben.
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Kind of a downgrade for Simpson in terms of name value, but Tavares (7-0) is one of the best prospects in the middleweight division, and is coming off a first-round knockout of Phil Baroni in January. During his stint on The Ultimate Fighter, he won three consecutive fights before being choked out by Court McGee in the semis, then outpointed Seth Baczynski at the Finale show.
Kind of a downgrade for Simpson in terms of name value, but Tavares (7-0) is one of the best prospects in the middleweight division, and is coming off a first-round knockout of Phil Baroni in January. During his stint on The Ultimate Fighter, he won three consecutive fights before being choked out by Court McGee in the semis, then outpointed Seth Baczynski at the Finale show.
As for Jason Miller, he and Michael Bisping will reportedly meet at the TUF 14 Finale on December 3rd — a shift from the usual tradition of rival TUF coaches fighting (or not fighting) at a subsequent pay-per-view card. Not a bad way to boost their Spike ratings, considering Mayhem’s basic-cable cred. No other bouts have been booked for the event.
The injury bug has hit Nick Catone once again.
At least one career was salvaged at 
It’s no big secret: no one needs win at 
