It may not have been the most hyped mixed martial arts (MMA) event of 2016, but last night’s (Sunday, February 21, 2016) UFC Fight Night 83 from the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, delivered a heavy-hitting mix of great fights and finishes that earned it a deserving recognition as a very solid under-the-radar event.
It may not have been the most hyped mixed martial arts (MMA) event of 2016, but last night’s (Sunday, February 21, 2016) UFC Fight Night 83 from the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, delivered a heavy-hitting mix of great fights and finishes that earned it a deserving recognition as a very solid under-the-radar event.
There was a great women’s bout between Lauren Murphy and Kelly Faszholz that earned ‘Fight of the Night’ on the Fight Pass prelims, while the fight right after it between Ashlee Evans-Smith and Marion Reneau resulted in yet another MMA scoring controversy that only furthered the backlash towards the scoring system in place and the judges present in Pittsburgh that made some head-scratching errors.
There was also the continued rises of a few strong up-and-coming stars, and another return of sorts as recent lightweight title challenger Donald Cerrone returned to winning ways with an impressive first round submission of late replacement Alex Oliveira. All in all, it was a strong card that continued the UFC’s strong recent efforts and will continue promotional momentum into the absolutely blockbuster events scheduled for two weeks to come.
Let’s take a look back at the five biggest takeaways from UFC Fight Night 83.
Aljamain Sterling announced on Monday that he has re-signed with the UFC. The undefeated bantamweight fighter confirmed the signing on The MMA Hour, but said he wasn’t sure who his next opponent to be “strangled” would be.
“I’m 100 percent happy with my decision,” Sterling said. “I think I got a better deal for myself than I would have had.
“I was a little bit uneasy about it at first. I just wasn’t sure exactly what was gonna happen, because you never know where you’re going to end up.”
Starling has an 11-0 MMA record and a 3-0 record in the UFC.
Aljamain Sterling announced on Monday that he has re-signed with the UFC. The undefeated bantamweight fighter confirmed the signing on The MMA Hour, but said he wasn’t sure who his next opponent to be “strangled” would be.
“I’m 100 percent happy with my decision,” Sterling said. “I think I got a better deal for myself than I would have had.
“I was a little bit uneasy about it at first. I just wasn’t sure exactly what was gonna happen, because you never know where you’re going to end up.”
Starling has an 11-0 MMA record and a 3-0 record in the UFC.
Well, the free agency saga regarding No. 5-ranked bantamweight Aljamain “The Funk Master” Sterling has now come to an end. Appearing on today’s (February 15, 2016) edition of the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Sterling announced that he had indeed resigned with the UFC, the world’s largest MMA promotion, after tons of speculation that he
Well, the free agency saga regarding No. 5-ranked bantamweight Aljamain “The Funk Master” Sterling has now come to an end.
Appearing on today’s (February 15, 2016) edition of the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Sterling announced that he had indeed resigned with the UFC, the world’s largest MMA promotion, after tons of speculation that he would be heading to Bellator or even World Series of Fighting (WSOF).
At 26 years old, Sterling is undoubtedly one of the bantamweight division’s brightest prospects, but apparently he had felt as if he wasn’t offered a fair deal ahead of his most recent fight, a submission victory over Johnny Eduardo last December in Las Vegas.
That being said, he fought out his contract and tested the waters.
After nearly two months of dealing with free agency, Sterling appears to have received what he wanted from the UFC, and the Serra-Longo product will now be spending the foreseeable future inside of the Octagon.
“I’m 100 percent happy with my decision,” Sterling said. “I think I got a better deal for myself than I would have had.”
“The Funk Master” is currently undefeated at 12-0 in his professional career, and has won all four of his Octagon bouts including three by way of finish.
Possibly one fight away from a shot at gold in the contender scarce bantamweight division, Sterling’s next fight will be pivotal to his title hopes.
Who would you like to see “The Funk Master” meet next?
A few years ago, when it was time for free agency in the NBA, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all decided to each take a little less money and play together for the Miami Heat. How did that turn out? Oh, not too bad. While they failed to live up to the expectations placed upon them, they still managed to win back-to-back championships and made the NBA Finals four years in a row.
What does this have to do with mixed martial arts?
Much like James, Wade and Bosh are considered three of the very best players in the NBA, there are currently three MMA fighters on the free agent market that have the opportunity to introduce a sea change to the sport.
A few years ago, when it was time for free agency in the NBA, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all decided to each take a little less money and play together for the Miami Heat. How did that turn out? Oh, not too bad. While they failed to live up to the expectations placed upon them, they still managed to win back-to-back championships and made the NBA Finals four years in a row.
What does this have to do with mixed martial arts?
Much like James, Wade and Bosh are considered three of the very best players in the NBA, there are currently three MMA fighters on the free agent market that have the opportunity to introduce a sea change to the sport.
Before his victory over Junior Dos Santos in Dec. 15, Overeem stated his intent to test the free agent market when his UFC contract was up. Henderson announced just this morning that he had signed with a multi-fight deal with Bellator, while Sterling, who is represented by the same firm as Henderson, continues to mull over his options as a free agent.
The signing of Henderson to Bellator is a landmark deal for the sport, less so for the figures the former lightweight champion will making under the new promotion, but rather for what it represents in regards to the UFC’s lock on the sport’s top talent. Ever since the Fertitta brothers and The Baldfather took over the joint, the UFC has prided itself on housing “the world’s best fighters” while quickly eliminating any other promotion claiming the do the same. Following the dissolvement of Strikeforce back in 2013, the UFC’s status as the biggest game in town seemed more secure than ever, more or less forcing prospects and veteran fighters alike to sign with the promotion or start picking out their spot in the soup line.
But just as pride is the downfall of man, the UFC might have overplayed its hand (or underestimated Scott Coker) when it decided to get into business with Reebok.
From the moment the now landmark deal was signed, speculation began to arise from the UFC’s formerly contented roster. How would this affect my sponsors? Will I be making less money per fight? What the f*ck is a Fight Kit and do I have to wear it? And when the figures were released, allhellbrokeloose.
As it turns out, the only thing that motivates fighters more than championship gold is cold hard cash, so when it was revealed that they would be losing boatloads of it — all in the name of “legitimizing the sport,” mind you — well, it didn’t exactly sit well with them. Champions with exclusive sponsorship deals suddenly found themselves left out in the cold. Prominent figures in the sport suddenly found themselves making pennies to headline pay-per-views and FOX cards. Hell, even tentatively-connected MMA celebrities were taking to social media to trash Reebok, and not simply because the uniforms themselves are pieces of sh*t.
How did they do this? By not being the UFC, more or less.
The UFC might be the biggest game in town, but it’s not the ONLY game in town, and while you can debate the merits of the product that Bellator puts out vs. that of the UFC, it’s not an issue that fighters really seem to care about when money is on the line. Does Bellator continue to book ridiculous main events like Ken Shamrock vs. Kimbo Slice? They sure do, yet more and more of the world’s best fighters are preferring to call Bellator home for one simple reason: freedom.
And this is only the start. In an interview on yesterday’s MMA Hour, Coker unveiled his plans to start buying free agents “from the top down” in an effort to continue building Bellator’s brand.
“I think this is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Coker. “Fighters are fighting out their contracts. They want to negotiate. They really want to see what their value is. We’re going to help them to define what their value is. It’s always good for the industry to have more than one bidder.”
With the UFC moving closer and closer to a totalitarian state by a day, guys like Henderson, Sterling and Overeem have a real opportunity here. They have the right to make whatever choice they feel is best for their careers, and for once, that might not necessarily mean the UFC. Can you imagine if all three decided to pull a “Big Three” like James, Wade and Bosh in the NBA and sign with Bellator? The organization’s profile instantly rises 10-fold and at least enters the same neighborhood as the UFC, while the latter’s lock on “the best fighters in the world” continues to slip as a result of their own stubborn frivolousness.
Imagine Henderson facing the likes of Michael Chandler, Will Brooks or Michael “Venom” Page in Bellator. Imagine Sterling squaring off with Marcos Galvao, or WSOF bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes, for that matter. Talk about fireworks. With Bellator and WSOF’s heavyweight divisions in the state they are, Overeem would have a golden opportunity to have a division, or even an organization, revolve around him in a way in never truly has in the UFC.
While it’s likely that Sterling and Overeem will re-sign with the UFC, it is interesting to play fantasy booking and imagine the possibilities if they decide to “take their talents” elsewhere, to quote King James. I mean, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m absolutely dying to see Scott Coker announce the next Bellator “tent pole” card will feature Overeem facing Kimbo Slice in the main event. Imagine the ratings!
The dust has now settled on UFC Fight Night 81 which went down last Sunday (January 17, 2016) night from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts presented live on FOX Sports 1. The main event featured a long awaited and highly anticipated bantamweight title fight between TJ Dillashaw and Dominick Cruz. In a very close
The dust has now settled on UFC Fight Night 81 which went down last Sunday (January 17, 2016) night from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts presented live on FOX Sports 1.
The main event featured a long awaited and highly anticipated bantamweight title fight between TJ Dillashaw and Dominick Cruz. In a very close fought split-decision, “The Dominator” was able to reclaim the title he had never technically lost.
With Cruz now back at the helm, one of mixed martial arts’ (MMA) previously most lacking divisions has all of a sudden become resurgent with intriguing and exciting possibilities.
With the possibility of trilogy bouts, rematches, and the emergence of multiple rising contenders, let’s take a look at five potential fights for the new and improved 135-pound division:
UFC bantamweight prospect Aljamain Sterling has an MMA record of 11-0, with a UFC record of 3-0, and he wants to start getting paid. Sterling cited Sage Northcutt as a fighter who he would like to be in the same earnings bracket as. Northcutt earned over $80,000 at UFN 80. Sterling explained his current position in an interview with MMA Junkie:
“This was before the Sage Northcutt salary came out. And then after it came out, then I really got going. If he can get that, then I should be able to get that, too. I could beat those guys. I’m a (bantamweight). I could bump up two weight classes and take those guys out – and finish them. So it was like, what?
“They’re trying to scapegoat me as the guinea pig for a fighters union, but that’s not what I’m trying to do. I’m just trying to get paid, just like anybody else is.
“I honestly think I can fight for the belt this year if things play out and maybe if Faber or somebody gets hurt. I hate to wish injury on anybody, but if that were to happen, I think I’m the guy to step up and get the job done. Bring some real flavor to this division.”
Sterling’s last fight completed his UFC contract, and he is a free agent as of press time.
UFC bantamweight prospect Aljamain Sterling has an MMA record of 11-0, with a UFC record of 3-0, and he wants to start getting paid. Sterling cited Sage Northcutt as a fighter who he would like to be in the same earnings bracket as. Northcutt earned over $80,000 at UFN 80. Sterling explained his current position in an interview with MMA Junkie:
“This was before the Sage Northcutt salary came out. And then after it came out, then I really got going. If he can get that, then I should be able to get that, too. I could beat those guys. I’m a (bantamweight). I could bump up two weight classes and take those guys out – and finish them. So it was like, what?
“They’re trying to scapegoat me as the guinea pig for a fighters union, but that’s not what I’m trying to do. I’m just trying to get paid, just like anybody else is.
“I honestly think I can fight for the belt this year if things play out and maybe if Faber or somebody gets hurt. I hate to wish injury on anybody, but if that were to happen, I think I’m the guy to step up and get the job done. Bring some real flavor to this division.”
Sterling’s last fight completed his UFC contract, and he is a free agent as of press time.
