If you missed the initial airing of UFC Fight Night Phoenix’s “Countdown” show on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), don’t fret. The official YouTube channel of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has rolled out the…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZmxJOoh8p0
If you missed the initial airing of UFC Fight Night Phoenix’s “Countdown” show on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), don’t fret. The official YouTube channel of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has rolled out the entire replay.
Sunday’s (Jan. 15) UFC Fight Night event will take place inside the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. The main event will feature a featherweight clash between a thriving prospect and a UFC Hall of Famer. Yair Rodriguez will be vying for the biggest win of his career when he goes toe-to-toe with B.J. Penn.
This will be the first time “El Pantera” will do battle with a former world champion. His last opponent was Alex Caceres in a bout that earned both men a “Fight of the Night” bonus. Rodriguez emerged victorious to extend his winning streak to six.
On the other hand, Penn is coming out of retirement. “The Prodigy” chose to hang up his gloves after getting smoked by Frankie Edgar in their third encounter. The retirement lasted less than three years. Penn’s last win was in Nov. 2010. He knocked out Matt Hughes in 21 seconds. Penn has gone 0-3-1 in his last four bouts.
The co-main event will see battle tested veteran Joe Lauzon compete for the 39th time in his career to take on former Bellator mainstay Marcin Held in a lightweight clash. Ben Saunders will return to the UFC to meet The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season 11 winner Court McGee.
Bantamweight Jimmie Rivera pulled out of the card despite initially agreeing to face would-be replacement Marlon Vera. “El Terror” was going to face Bryan Caraway, but “Kid Lightening” went down with a shoulder injury. As of this writing, there has been no word on if the main card slot will be filled.
The prelims begin at 8 p.m. on FS1. The action continues at 10 p.m. ET with the main card.
With an endless roster complete with bona fide champions, budding contenders, eager prospects and veterans on the tail end of their careers, the UFC has promoted a vast mix of fights throughout the years. At times, the promotion has avoided making obvious matchups in favor of more lucrative options. Other times, they’ve scrambled to find
With an endless roster complete with bona fide champions, budding contenders, eager prospects and veterans on the tail end of their careers, the UFC has promoted a vast mix of fights throughout the years.
At times, the promotion has avoided making obvious matchups in favor of more lucrative options. Other times, they’ve scrambled to find replacement fighters on just a few weeks, or days, notice.
The UFC has juggled this sometimes erratic scheduling fairly well, but has experienced a few hiccups along the way. These ill-advised occurrences certainly come with the territory, but they don’t make things easier for a promotion aiming to fuse professional mixed martial arts (MMA) and world-class skill into one beautiful entity.
To understand the ups and down of matchmaking at the highest level, we take a closer look at the mistakes that have been. Here are the top 10 worst fight bookings in UFC history.
(Look at it this way, it’s not like it could end any worse than the first time around.)
Diego Sanchez has kind of become the Oprah of MMA. One minute he’s fat, the next he’s skinny, and in the moments between, he’s using a combination of over-the-top enthusiasm and divine right to help amass a cult following that consists of anyone within shouting distance. Perhaps it is ironic that the only fighter in UFC history to jump between more weight classes than Sanchez is the man he managed to beat for the TUF 1 middleweight plaque, Kenny Florian.
In either case, it looks like Diego’s most recent trip up to welterweight, which saw him go 2-2 (or 1-3 depending on how you viewed the Kampmann fight) will not be where the UFC’s go-to YES!! man will call home for long. In a recent interview with MMAJunkie.com, Sanchez stated that he is considering dropping back down to lightweight, because, you know, B.J. Penn is gone now. Fine, he didn’t state that directly, but we can read between the lines. Anyway, after undergoing surgery to fix a nagging shoulder injury, Sanchez feels 155 might become his new stomping grounds…again:
I really try to lift weights, but the shoulder injury sort of set me back. As I heal up, my body’s going to get a little smaller, so I might just go down to 155.
The last time I was at 155, I was just a wreck. Mentally, I was still young and partying a lot, and I was still smoking weed. I was just a wild child. Now that I’m grounded and have my life together and am married, I’m just focused. So maybe 155 might be a better weight for me.
(Look at it this way, it’s not like it could end any worse than the first time around.)
Diego Sanchez has kind of become the Oprah of MMA. One minute he’s fat, the next he’s skinny, and in the moments between, he’s using a combination of over-the-top enthusiasm and divine right to help amass a cult following that consists of anyone within shouting distance. Perhaps it is ironic that the only fighter in UFC history to jump between more weight classes than Sanchez is the man he managed to beat for the TUF 1 middleweight plaque, Kenny Florian.
In either case, it looks like Diego’s most recent trip up to welterweight, which saw him go 2-2 (or 1-3 depending on how you viewed the Kampmann fight) will not be where the UFC’s go-to YES!! man will call home for long. In a recent interview with MMAJunkie.com, Sanchez stated that he is considering dropping back down to lightweight, because, you know, B.J. Penn is gone now. Fine, he didn’t state that directly, but we can read between the lines. Anyway, after undergoing surgery to fix a nagging shoulder injury, Sanchez feels 155 might become his new stomping grounds…again:
I really try to lift weights, but the shoulder injury sort of set me back. As I heal up, my body’s going to get a little smaller, so I might just go down to 155.
The last time I was at 155, I was just a wreck. Mentally, I was still young and partying a lot, and I was still smoking weed. I was just a wild child. Now that I’m grounded and have my life together and am married, I’m just focused. So maybe 155 might be a better weight for me.
There’s little denying that Diego has looked a little thick around the waist ever since returning to welterweight, so maybe 155 is the best place for him. And according to Sanchez, UFC President Dana White has no problem with his continuously fluctuating weight:
Like Dana White said, maybe I can jump from either weight class as long as I do it professionally. And I will. If I have to go down to 155, it’s only going to make me more strict with health and nutrition and diet. That’s my hardest part (of training). But at 155, there’s no messing around. You’ve got to do it right.
And when the question of a return opponent came up, Sanchez had a couple opponents in mind, starting with Anthony Pettis, who will be coming off the exact same surgery as Sanchez:
I want to fight a guy who’s a fan favorite and who has a lot of fans and is a big draw. It’d make us both better, the sport better. Plus, the guy has a win over the champ, so that’d bump me up right to the top (of the division).
We’ll be recovering about the same time. I think he got the same surgery as me, so it’d be an event playing field. I told Dana I really liked that fight.
Considering that five of Sanchez’s last seven fights have earned Fight of the Night honors, “The Dream” felt that, if Pettis was not available, Nate Diaz would be just as good an option, because the word “boring” does not exist in the Diaz’s vocabulary. Neither does the word “vocabulary,” but you get what we’re saying:
Them Diaz brothers are just scrappers. It’d be a ‘Fight of the Night.’ You’re going to get the ground game, standup. You’re going to get it all. You’re going to get a real fight with a Diaz.
Though this is undoubtedly true, we’re going to have to ask Diego to pump the brakes a little bit. Like we said, he’s gone 2-2 in his last four, and hasn’t fought at lightweight since getting steamrolled by Penn at UFC 107.
To be fair, he lost to whom he considers “the best B.J. Penn ever,” which is pretty dead on in our opinion, but considering he’s also coming off a loss to Jake Ellenberger at the inaugural UFC on FUEL event, do you think he’s really in the position to start calling out top contenders like Diaz and Pettis? I guess we can all have dreams.
(If Dana were to give an actual State of the Union, we imagine it would sound a little something like this.)
Now, I know I am going to take a lot of flack for writing this, but it’s good to see that UFC President Dana White is at least addressing our concerns when it comes to the clusterfuck that is MMA judging and refereeing. No matter what, or should I say, whose, side you took in the whole Diaz/Condit debacle, you probably agree that there need to be some serious changes made when it comes to choosing the winner of a given fight. And don’t even get us started on the Koscheck/Pierce decision.
The simple fact is that although the sport has evolved in leaps and bounds over the years, the matter by which it is judged has refused to change its mindset, like a stubborn old man who still believes that a mythical beast hustled him out of three dollars and fifty cents.
And while reffing will always contain a certain degree of human subjectivity (as with any other sport), MMA judges should be able to adhere to stricter, more definable rules than “aggression” and “octagon control,” which leave a lot of room for interpretation when it comes to deciding a close round. We’ve already put forth several options, and per usual, no one has returned our calls.
Anyway, join us after the jump for a transcription of DW’s inaugural “Presidential Address,” as well a snippet about his plans to bring the UFC to Hawaii.
(If Dana were to give an actual State of the Union, we imagine it would sound a little something like this.)
Now, I know I am going to take a lot of flack for writing this, but it’s good to see that UFC President Dana White is at least addressing our concerns when it comes to the clusterfuck that is MMA judging and refereeing. No matter what, or should I say, whose, side you took in the whole Diaz/Condit debacle, you probably agree that there need to be some serious changes made when it comes to choosing the winner of a given fight. And don’t even get us started on the Koscheck/Pierce decision.
The simple fact is that although the sport has evolved in leaps and bounds over the years, the matter by which it is judged has refused to change its mindset, like a stubborn old man who still believes that a mythical beast hustled him out of three dollars and fifty cents.
And while reffing will always contain a certain degree of human subjectivity (as with any other sport), MMA judges should be able to adhere to stricter, more definable rules than “aggression” and “octagon control,” which leave a lot of room for interpretation when it comes to deciding a close round. We’ve already put forth several options, and per usual, no one has returned our calls.
DW’s Presidential Address
I’ve said it many times. In the evolution of this sport right now, one of the big problems we’re having right now is judging and reffing. It’s one of the things that drives me crazy and attention needs to be paid to scoring and reffing. First of all, it affects guys careers as far as legacies go. Jon Jones? Jon Jones should be undefeated right now but he’s not, he’s got a loss on his record and there’s tons of guys in the UFC that have those. There’s guys who’ve absolutely, clearly won fights and lost on the judges’ scorecards. Nobody’s perfect. There’s always gonna be problems. But the judging and the reffing is so bad in mixed martial arts, it drives me crazy. The fans hate it too and it hurts the sport. These athletic commissions really need to tighten up and start working on educating their refs and judges.
While Dana undoubtedly makes some good points here, the real question is that, aside from further educating judges on certain rules and techniques, what can we do to spruce up, if you will, the current judging system of mixed martial arts? Discuss, Potato Nation. But please, don’t waste our time arguing for a “fight to the finish” rule set. We both know that shit simply ain’t going to happen in this day and age, so spending time arguing for it is as pointless as voting for Ralph Nader.
In a bit of more positive news, White recently spoke with MMA Weekly about the UFC’s future plans for global dominance to put on a show in Hawaii, and guess who he wants to headline it:
We’re still working on that, but we want to do it. I was kind of hoping to go to Hawaii again and do a B.J. (Penn) fight at the Aloha Bowl, but B.J. wants to take some time off. He’s going to relax for a while. We’re coming regardless, but that was the fight I really wanted to do there.
Awwww snap. It looks like we may be seeing the return of “The Prodigy” before we know it. Who would you guys like to see Penn square off against, and at what weight class? Personally, I’d like to throw my vote in for a rematch between Penn and Lyoto Machida held at light heavyweight, but I’m just a dreamer.
Team Cesar Gracie surprisingly pleasantly responded to BJ Penn‘s Twitter insult on Nick Diaz with thought-provoking rationale: here. Um… then BJ Penn threatened Cesar Gracie: here. Hermes Franca sentenced to 42 months in jail for.
Team Cesar Graciesurprisingly pleasantly responded to BJ Penn‘s Twitter insult on Nick Diaz with thought-provoking rationale: here.
Hermes Franca sentenced to 42 months in jail for sexual acts with an underage student: here.
Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine weigh-in video: here.
Strikeforce unsure what to do with Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos who tested positive for steroid use. Dana White says she will be stripped of Womens Featherweight belt: here.
UFC on Fuel 2 in Stockholm, Sweden adds Paulo Thiago vs. Siyar Bahadurzada. Check out how the April 14th card is shaping up, in case you wanna book a ticket to the land of milk and honey: here.
Tito Ortiz makes acting appearance on crime drama, CSI:NY. Watch video: here.
Check out photos [below] of Katy Perry whose divorce was announced this week. Better enjoy these pictures, ’cause you probably have zero chance with her…yep, even though this guy did. Life is unfair.
Filed under: UFC, NewsTrainer Cesar Gracie suggested on Friday that B.J. Penn should direct his anger towards his own camp for his recent troubles instead of Gracie Fighter member Nick Diaz.
“At some point it is up to those around you to protect you f…
Trainer Cesar Gracie suggested on Friday that B.J. Penn should direct his anger towards his own camp for his recent troubles instead of Gracie Fighter member Nick Diaz.
“At some point it is up to those around you to protect you from yourself,” Gracie said on his official website. “To take you aside and let you know you are wrong and help save you from your folly. Unfortunately for Penn he is surrounded by ‘Yes Men’ that are unwilling to do that. The outcome will be predictable, resulting in a fighter that will never push himself to the fullest and will always have excuses for his losses.”
Gracie is responding to Penn’s fierce message Thursday towards Diaz on Twitter, questioning Diaz’s approach in their showdown two months ago at UFC 137.
“@nickdiaz209 Look how much bigger you are in this pic,” Penn wrote on Twitter, referring to this post-fight photo.
“You were gonna scrap from the beginning homie? What was that coward fence holding strategy to tire out the smaller man? Street fighter my ass! I made you fight like glassjaw @jonfitchdotnet poser! I’ll be ready for that weak bs next time we fight!”
At UFC 137, Diaz convincingly outpointed Penn through three rounds to eventually earn himself a shot at the UFC welterweight championship.
According to BJPenn.com Editor-in-chief Pedro Carrasco, the Tweet came out of Penn’s frustration with his recent performances. Penn holds one victory in his last five outings.
“… There is a reason why he posted it,” Carrasco said on The Underground Forum. “He is fired up because now that the holidays are over and a lot of his post-fight distractions are behind him, he has nothing to do but think about things and he is not happy with the way he performed in his last several fights.
“I am not here to make excuses for him, but I am pretty sure people, at least with some sense of intelligence, can identify that the B.J. that fought Edgar, Fitch and Diaz was not the same Penn that fought the Diego’s and Florians of the world,” Carrasco continued. “Things changed, but as it sits right now, he is back. That killer mentality and fire is back and it’s been brewing for a while now and today’s tweet is a result of it just boiling over!”
As of now, there is no official word on Penn’s future in MMA. Following the loss to Diaz, Penn hinted towards retirement from MMA competition. Meanwhile, next for Diaz is a UFC interim title bout against Carlos Condit at UFC 143 on Feb. 4.
Trainer 