Silva was absolutely dominated in his last two cage appearances, suffering a first-round TKO against Daniel Cormier in Strikeforce before being torn to shreds by Cain Velasquez in his Octagon debut at UFC 146. The Brazilian will certainly be a sizable underdog coming into the bout, but anything could happen right? (Answer: LOL, no.)
Not trying to bust balls here, but if the main event of this card features a guy on a two-fight losing streak, we’re probably not going to be looking at a massively stacked card; at least Struve and Miocic have both won their last three fights in the UFC. Currently, the only other fight booked for UFC on FX 5 is a featherweight tilt between Bart Palaszewski and Diego Nunes.
(“NOOOOOOOOOO! What part of ‘rebound opponent’ do you morons not understand?”)
Silva was absolutely dominated in his last two cage appearances, suffering a first-round TKO against Daniel Cormier in Strikeforce before being torn to shreds by Cain Velasquez in his Octagon debut at UFC 146. The Brazilian will certainly be a sizable underdog coming into the bout, but anything could happen right? (Answer: LOL, no.)
Not trying to bust balls here, but if the main event of this card features a guy on a two-fight losing streak, we’re probably not going to be looking at a massively stacked card; at least Struve and Miocic have both won their last three fights in the UFC. Currently, the only other fight booked for UFC on FX 5 is a featherweight tilt between Bart Palaszewski and Diego Nunes.
While both men are heading into their rematch with a ton of momentum, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva does not see Cain Velasquez regaining the UFC heavyweight title from Junior dos Santos.Silva, who was previously defeated by Velasquez at UFC 146, spoke with …
While both men are heading into their rematch with a ton of momentum, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva does not see Cain Velasquez regaining the UFC heavyweight title from Junior dos Santos.
Silva, who was previously defeated by Velasquez at UFC 146, spoke with TATAME.com and is confident that “Cigano” can pick up the win over the former champion. Dos Santos knocked out Velasquez in just 64 seconds to win the UFC heavyweight crown at UFC on FOX 1 last November.
“If he didn’t want to stand-up with me he’s not going to do it with Cigano. I guess Cigano will also be very alert to Velasquez’s takedowns. From where I’m standing, I see Cigano winning again”.
Later that night, dos Santos showed off his punching prowess against Frank Mir and dropped the former two-time titleholder before signaling the end of the bout. The Brazilian’s performance was flawless and he proved why he is undoubtedly the best heavyweight fighter on the planet.
The second encounter between Velasquez and dos Santos is likely to be more competitive than their last meeting. Dos Santos’ win was overshadowed by Velasquez’s performance, as he came into the bout from a long layoff after tearing his rotator cuff. Dos Santos was also not in full form either; the 27-year-old had torn his meniscus a few weeks before the fight and was walking on crutches.
Regardless, it is expected that both competitors will enter at 100 percent and put on a much better performance.
Although the champion made his first title defense with little difficulty, some critics are leaning toward the challenger to finally give dos Santos his first loss in the UFC and win back the belt.
Now that is easier said than done, but if dos Santos is able to make short work of his opponent and beat him in similar fashion, there might not be a heavyweight who can dethrone him anytime soon.
UFC 146’s all-heavyweight lineup promised to deliver the violence, and sweet baby Jesus did it ever. We were treated to five finishes in five fights on the main card alone, including what was initially labeled as a broken arm on Lavar Johnson’s part, as well as the above mutilation of Antonio Silva, which more closely resembles a scene from Saw movie (specifically, the pig soup sequence from the third installment) than anything else. But perhaps the most surprising of suspensions to come as a result of Saturday’s action were that of Cain Velasquez and Jamie Varner, whom, despite earning quick and violent finishes against Silva and Edson Barboza, respectively, could be looking at up to six months out of action pending x-rays of their hands. That’s some shit luck for Velasquez, who Dana White pegged as the probable number one contender (in Ubereem’s absence, of course) following his victory.
Though it appears that “Big” Johnson’s arm was not actually broken in the first round of his PPV lead-off scrap with Stefan Struve, he will need to have his elbow cleared by an orthopedist before he can return to action, and is looking at a minimum suspension of just over a month regardless.
Check out the full list of suspensions after the jump.
UFC 146′s all-heavyweight lineup promised to deliver the violence, and sweet baby Jesus did it ever. We were treated to five finishes in five fights on the main card alone, including what was initially labeled as a broken arm on Lavar Johnson’s part, as well as the above mutilation of Antonio Silva, which more closely resembles a scene from Saw movie (specifically, the pig soup sequence from the third installment) than anything else. But perhaps the most surprising of suspensions to come as a result of Saturday’s action were that of Cain Velasquez and Jamie Varner, whom, despite earning quick and violent finishes against Silva and Edson Barboza, respectively, could be looking at up to six months out of action pending x-rays of their hands. That’s some shit luck for Velasquez, who Dana White pegged as the probable number one contender (in Ubereem’s absence, of course) following his victory.
Though it appears that “Big” Johnson’s arm was not actually broken in the first round of his PPV lead-off scrap with Stefan Struve, he will need to have his elbow cleared by an orthopedist before he can return to action, and is looking at a minimum suspension of just over a month regardless.
Cain Velasquez: Needs X-ray of left hand. If broken, he is suspended until November 20 unless cleared by doctor. Suspended at minimum until June 26 with no contact until June 17
Antonio Silva: Needs X-ray of nose. If broken, he is suspended until November 20 unless cleared by an ear, nose and throat doctor. Suspended at minimum until July 23 with no contact until July 11 for lacerations
Jamie Varner: Needs X-ray of right hand. If broken, he is suspended until November 20 unless cleared by doctor. Suspended at minimum until June 26 with no contact until June 17
Jason Miller: Needs clearance of right thumb and left knee by orthopedist or sports doctor or suspended until November 20. Suspended at minimum until July 11 with no contact until June 26 for tough fight
C.B. Dollaway: Needs X-ray of left thumb. If broken, he is suspended until November 20 unless cleared by doctor. Suspended at minimum until June 26 with no contact until June 17
Jacob Volkmann: Needs clearance of left elbow clearance of right thumb and left knee by orthopedist or suspended until November 20
Frank Mir: Suspended until July 23 with no contact until July 11 for TKO loss
Dave Herman: Suspended until July 23 with no contact until July 11 for TKO loss
Shane Del Rosario: Suspended until July 23 with no contact until July 11 for TKO loss
Duane Ludwig: Suspended until July 23 with no contact until July 11 for TKO loss
Lavar Johnson: Needs evaluation of left elbow by orthopedist. Suspended at minimum until July 11 with no contact until June 26
Edson Barboza: Suspended until July 11 with no contact until June 26 for TKO loss
Stipe Miocic: Suspended until June 26 with no contact until June 17
Darren Elkins: Suspended until June 26 with no contact until June 17 for left ear hematoma
Diego Brandao: Suspended until June 26 with no contact until June 17 for tough fight
Mike Brown: Suspended until June 26 with no contact until June 17 for left forehead laceration
Daniel Pineda: Suspended until June 26 with no contact until June 17 for tough fight
One other interesting thing of note from the aftermath of UFC 146 is that, aside from Mayhem Miller announcing his temporary retirement from the sport, Mike Brown also announced his decision to retire, although he later told Joe Rogan over Twitter that “I’m not 100 percent.” Whether Brown is truly hanging up the gloves or not, he will always hold a place in history as the man to end Urijah Faber’s dominant run as WEC featherweight champion, and defend the belt twice thereafter. Although he never seemed like quite the same fighter after losing his belt to Jose Aldo, Brown currently holds an impressive 26-8 record to his credit should he decide to call it a career, and deserves a great deal of respect for his accomplishments, so make sure to wish him your best on Twitter.
(That awkward moment when fireballs fail to shoot out of your hands.)
The UFC paid out $1,513,000 in disclosed salaries and performance bonuses for last Saturday’s UFC 146: Dos Santos vs. Mir card, with Junior Dos Santos, Frank Mir, and Cain Velasquez‘s matching $200,000 checks eating up about 40% of the total. The full salary list is below via MMAJunkie. Keep in mind that these figures don’t include additional revenue from sponsorships, undisclosed “locker room bonuses,” or percentages of the pay-per-view revenue that are in some fighters’ contracts.
Junior Dos Santos: $200,000 (no win bonus)
def. Frank Mir: $200,000
(That awkward moment when fireballs fail to shoot out of your hands.)
The UFC paid out $1,513,000 in disclosed salaries and performance bonuses for last Saturday’s UFC 146: Dos Santos vs. Mir card, with Junior Dos Santos, Frank Mir, and Cain Velasquez‘s matching $200,000 checks eating up about 40% of the total. The full salary list is below via MMAJunkie. Keep in mind that these figures don’t include additional revenue from sponsorships, undisclosed “locker room bonuses,” or percentages of the pay-per-view revenue that are in some fighters’ contracts.
Junior Dos Santos: $200,000 (no win bonus)
def. Frank Mir: $200,000
Mike Brown: $52,000 (includes $26,000 win bonus)
def. Daniel Pineda: $10,000
Underpaid:Jamie Varner, mostly for the fact that his thrilling and completely unexpected K.O. of Edson Barboza was passed over for a knockout bonus. Also, his $10,000 show money was noticeably less than what he used to make in the WEC. You’d think he’d at least get his old salary to step in on short notice against an undefeated killer. Luckily, Varner made the most of his opportunity and will hopefully be able to re-negotiate after another win.
Overpaid:Antonio Silva. Including his last loss to Daniel Cormier in Strikeforce, that’s two fights in a row where Bigfoot has done little more than offer target practice to AKA’s heavyweight roster. What’s the point of being a terrifying behemoth if you can’t use your freakish size to your advantage? And why should Silva’s to-show money be that much higher than UFC veterans like Roy Nelson and Stefan Struve in the first place?
The sport of mixed martial arts has come a long way since the early “bare-knuckle” days of UFC 1. Through the hard work and patience of many countless pioneers, the vast majority of the population now considers MMA a legitimate sport.Unf…
The sport of mixed martial arts has come a long way since the early “bare-knuckle” days of UFC 1. Through the hard work and patience of many countless pioneers, the vast majority of the population now considers MMA a legitimate sport.
Unfortunately, “haters” still exist.
One of the most widely repeated reasons for that hatred is that, despite regulation in almost every U.S. state, some believe that the sport is just too gruesome.
At UFC 146, the gruesome outcome of the heavyweight bout between Cain Velasquez and Antonio “Big Foot” Silva only served to help make the case for those who would prefer that MMA stay a niche sport.
Early in that contest, Velasquez used his elbow to strike and open up a gash on Silva’s forehead. The wound immediately began pouring blood in what looked more like a horror movie scene than a sporting contest.
The fight was momentarily stopped while the cageside doctor inspected the laceration. After a close examination, the bout was allowed to continue.
Unfortunately for Silva, with blood puddling up in his eye sockets, he was a sitting duck as Velasquez teed off on him with fists of fury. The referee eventually stepped in and called a stop to the violence.
Imagine the controversy that would be circulating the sports universe right now if that fight had taken place on FOX rather than pay-per-view.
Silva’s face and the stained mat surrounding his body were evidence of the cold, hard fact that this is still a fight.
It was also a reminder of why so many international mixed martial arts organizations, such as Pride, had banned elbows in the past.
While Velasquez’s dominance at UFC 146 was undeniable, there have been many instances in the past where a cut from an elbow has caused a frustrating, early stop to a fight.
UFC 146 isn’t likely to change anything, but the outcome certainly begs the question—should elbows be banned in mixed martial arts?
Arguments can and will be made for both sides of this argument, so I’d like to hear from you, the reader and the avid fan of the sport.
What do you think? Do elbows take away from the legitimacy of the sport? Do they end fights too quickly when fans want the fights to continue?
Or are those who are complaining about it simply being too “PG?”
Let me know what you think in the comments section below.
–Let’s make this all-heavyweight card a one time experience. I enjoy watching the big guys go at it but for fifty bucks, I’d like to see more than 22 minutes of fights out of the.
–Let’s make this all-heavyweight card a one time experience. I enjoy watching the big guys go at it but for fifty bucks, I’d like to see more than 22 minutes of fights out of the main card. And with all the prelims airing on Facebook and FX, the old fix of just plugging in the earlier fights to fill the gaps in the broadcast isn’t as reliable because most fans have already seen them. The entirety of the five fights on the main card didn’t even add up to one full five round fight. So while the heavyweights are usually good for some fireworks, let’s make sure we mix in some lower weight classes to balance out the first round knockouts with some hard fought scraps that go the distance.
–Give us a rematch between Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez. I know the result will probably be similar to the first fight but after feeling the champion’s power, maybe Velasquez will be more aggressive in getting the fight to the ground and be able to put up a better fight. And more importantly, does anyone want to see Alistair Overeem anywhere near the UFC belt? He has long been considered one of the most egregious PED abusers in the sport based on circumstantial evidence and now that he’s been popped by the commission, can’t we just move on from the idea of him as a legitimate MMA contender? His body has changed more over the course of his career than Barry Bonds. I’ve been watching him since he was a young fighter with good striking, a weak chin, no cardio and no ground game fighting in Pride in Japan. Now, he looks like a completely different human being and having grown up in the era of PED use in all sports, I refuse to be naive and believe him when he says he’s clean.
–The entire MMA community is showering Cain Velasquez with praise after his win over Antonio Silva. Everything I’ve heard and read refers to the performance as dominant. To my eyes, that was not a dominant performance. Early in the first round, Silva threw a kick and Velasquez used it to score a takedown. Silva was defending well on the ground and keeping Velasquez from landing anything cleanly. The former champion managed to slip an elbow through Silva’s guard and even though it wasn’t a powerful strike, it opened a gushing gash on the bridge of Silva’s nose. From there, the cut blinded Silva and Velasquez was able to take advantage and land punches to finish the fight. I guess I just don’t consider landing a glancing elbow and then beating up a blind opponent to be as impressive as most other people in the MMA community, which leads to the next point.
–I suspect that if the situation on Saturday night was reversed and Silva had landed a glancing elbow that turned Velasquez’s face into a blood fountain, people would be calling the outcome a fluke and arguing for the UFC to ban elbows to the head of a grounded opponent. But because Velasquez was perceived to be the superior fighter going into the fight, his performance is viewed as justification of his status in the heavyweight division. So, should the UFC remove elbow strikes to the head of a grounded opponent from its fights? No. The only things that should be removed from the sport are techniques that can either cause life-altering injuries or require absolutely no technical skill. The classic example of that is groin strikes. Groin strikes are not allowed because anyone can kick someone in the groin and if they were allowed, the entire sport would be based on around developing a stance that protected the groin while setting up a myriad of groin attacks. And no one wants to see that. Obviously, elbows on the ground don’t fall into that category so they should remain a part of the sport. And while I’m on the subject, the UFC needs to bring back twelve to six elbows and knees to the head of a grounded opponent. I know they’re more focused on getting licensed in every state and in reality, they should be. But I’m tired of watching guys put one hand on the ground so they can’t be kneed. That goes against the spirit of the sport and it looks cheap. The more techniques remain in the sport, the faster and more fluid the fights will be.
The sport of mixed martial arts has come a long way since the early “bare-knuckle” days of UFC 1. Through the hard work and patience of many countless pioneers, the vast majority of the population now considers 
