Tag: benson henderson

‘UFC on FOX’ Aftermath: Thank God for Facebook

The shorts don’t lie. (Pic: UFC.com)

In the weeks leading up to last night’s Heavyweight Championship bout, Dana White trumpeted that “whether this fight goes 30 seconds or 30 minutes, this is going to be a fight right here.” It was a fight, and it was slightly longer than 30 seconds, but in the post fight analysis Dana appeared frustrated and was searching for a reason that his champion went down so quickly. With all of the buildup and hype, I can’t help but think that first time viewers were equally confused and found the whole affair to be anticlimactic. Were that all the action we got to see last night, we’d probably be disappointed as well, but thank god for Facebook.

With regards to the main event, there’s not a lot to say, really. Junior Dos Santos hits hard. Cain’s game plan has been under attack, but it’s not like he got butchered on his feet for two rounds while doggedly refusing to shoot for a single. Velasquez got nailed with a huge overhand right just 55 seconds into the bout after already trying unsuccessfully for a takedown. Obviously, getting Dos Santos off of his feet quickly would have been Cain’s best option, but for a versatile heavyweight fighting under the brightest lights ever shone on a UFC fighter, shooting in for a Couture-Toney ankle pick with the opening bell still ringing wouldn’t do. Props to Dos Santos for getting it done quickly and violently in the Knock Out of the Night. It wasn’t the most epic fight that the UFC and FOX could have hoped for, but it was a memorable one. That Dos Santos did it with a torn meniscus is all the more impressive.

The shorts don’t lie. (Pic: UFC.com)

In the weeks leading up to last night’s Heavyweight Championship bout, Dana White trumpeted that “whether this fight goes 30 seconds or 30 minutes, this is going to be a fight right here.”  It was a fight, and it was slightly longer than 30 seconds, but in the post fight analysis Dana appeared frustrated and was searching for a reason that his champion went down so quickly. With all of the buildup and hype, I can’t help but think that first time viewers were equally confused and found the whole affair to be anticlimactic. Were that all the action we got to see last night, we’d probably be disappointed as well, but thank god for Facebook.

With regards to the main event, there’s not a lot to say, really. Junior Dos Santos hits hard. Cain’s game plan has been under attack, but it’s not like he got butchered on his feet for two rounds while doggedly refusing to shoot for a single. Velasquez got nailed with a huge overhand right just 55 seconds into the bout after already trying unsuccessfully for a takedown. Obviously, getting Dos Santos off of his feet quickly would have been Cain’s best option, but for a versatile heavyweight fighting under the brightest lights ever shone on a UFC fighter, shooting in for a Couture-Toney ankle pick with the opening bell still ringing wouldn’t do. Props to Dos Santos for getting it done quickly and violently in the Knock Out of the Night. It wasn’t the most epic fight that the UFC and FOX could have hoped for, but it was a memorable one. That Dos Santos did it with a torn meniscus is all the more impressive.

It’s easy to say that the Henderson-Guida bout should have been broadcast in hindsight, but it was pretty obvious ahead of time as well. There was no doubt that their fight would be balls to the wall, and it may have been the organization’s best chance of finally securing the Prell sponsorship that’s eluded them for all these years. Guida’s style relies on a relentless pace and a controlling top game, but he met a superior wrestler and a cardio-equal in Bendo. His take down defense gave him control of the fight and his crisp striking allowed him to counter Guida’s wild barrages. It’s a shame that only a small fraction of those who caught the FOX broadcast are even aware of their Fight of the Night performance, but I’m sure the extra $65k makes up for it a little.

Cub Swanson headed into his bout with Ricardo Lamas with an abundance of confidence and some of the ugliest tattoos I’ve seen since “Katie’s Revenge”. After getting the better of Lamas in the striking department, Swanson nearly ended the fight with a deep guillotine in the first. He seemed indifferent as Lamas took him down and worked his way behind him, but that apathy was nowhere to be seen as he struggled to break free from an arm triangle. Lamas secured the tapout, and the Submission of the Night bonus, at 2:26 of R2.

Alex Caceres put on an absolute clinic against Cole Escovedo in his debut at 135 lbs. “Bruce Leroy” came after the former WEC champ from every possible angle with every strike in the book from the opening bell. On the ground Caceres was too much as well, coming close to sinking in a triangle and an armbar as he transitioned from one sub to the next. He picked up the unanimous decision—his first win in the Octagon–in his bantamweight debut.

Quick Notes:

Tough break for Mackens Semerzier. No one wants to get knocked out, but when it comes from an illegal (albeit accidental) headbutt it’s a lot harder to swallow. Hopefully he can get the “L” overturned.

It was judge Gene Lebell that scored Rosa-Lucas 28-28!

Darren Uyenoyama knows a thing or two about grappling. Kid Yamamoto is now 0-2 in the UFC with only one win in his past five fights, and once again JMMA looks to be on life support. I’m sure Kid will be kept on board for Zuffa’s upcoming visit to Japan. His slide started just after divorcing this. We’d be depressed too, Kid.

This was Clay Harvison’s second straight loss, and it came via knock out at the hands of a mid-pack fighter just 1:34 into the bout. It was a nice recovery for DaMarques Johnson, but I don’t think Clay’s up to snuff.

Full Results: (via: MMAWeekly.com)

Main Event (On Fox):
-Junior dos Santos def. Cain Velasquez by KO at 1:04, R1

Undercard (On Facebook and FoxSports.com):
-Benson Henderson def. Clay Guida by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
-Dustin Poirier def. Pablo Garza by submission (d’arce choke) at 1:32, R2
-Ricardo Lamas def. Cub Swanson by submission (arm triangle choke) at 2:16, R2
-DaMarques Johnson def. Clay Harvison by TKO at 1:34, R1
-Darren Uyenoyama def. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
-Robert Peralta def. Mackens Semerzier by TKO at 1:54, R3
-Alex Caceres def. Cole Escovedo by unanious decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
-Mike Pierce def. Paul Bradley by split decision (28-29, 30-37, 29-28)
-Aaron Rosa def. Matt Lucas by majority decision (28-28, 30-26, 30-26)

 

UFC on FOX Post-Fight Press Conference Highlights

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ANAHEIM, Calif. — UFC president Dana White, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, Clay Guida and Benson Henderson addressed the media following Saturday night’s UFC on FOX event. Below are the press conference highlights.

 

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ANAHEIM, Calif. — UFC president Dana White, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, Clay Guida and Benson Henderson addressed the media following Saturday night’s UFC on FOX event. Below are the press conference highlights.

 

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UFC on FOX 1 Predictions: How Ben Henderson Will Defeat Clay Guida

Benson Henderson is one of the true examples of what it means to be a challenge or a “threat” to a fighter in the UFC Lightweight Division.The man is an enduring sort of guy who often seems very difficult to submit, even when everyone can see that his …

Benson Henderson is one of the true examples of what it means to be a challenge or a “threat” to a fighter in the UFC Lightweight Division.

The man is an enduring sort of guy who often seems very difficult to submit, even when everyone can see that his opponent has his submission hold locked in deep on Henderson, and he hasn’t looked terrible (he hasn’t been bruised much) since the first time he fought Donald Cerrone.

He last lost to Anthony Pettis at WEC 53 in a bout that saw fans find difficulty in backing one fighter without disrespecting or downgrading the other, but of course, we all know how that went.

Since WEC 53, however, Henderson’s toughness, grit, and ability to handle good fighters on the ground have made him something of a fan favorite, and his UFC on Versus 5 win over Jim Miller cemented that fact in what was a classic encounter.

In Clay “The Carpenter” Guida, Henderson combats a durable wrestler with relentless top control and the ability to finish fights by way of submission or ground-and-pound, but Guida is a wild sort that has posted up memorable wins only to get a bit crazy and cost himself the fight somehow.

Of course, Guida is still an exciting fighter, but if he has a chance to get Henderson down and control him, he will do so even if it means lulling crowds to sleep.

Henderson’s will to win comes in his ability to stay calm in tough situations and work past difficult scenarios in which his opponent seems to have control. It is due in part to his takedown defense and his ability to adapt to his opponent’s game plan in order to combat it.

Guida’s best chance might be to hope that he can wear out Henderson the way he was able to wear Pettis out, but even when it seems like a man is wearing Henderson out, it winds up being Henderson that wears his opponents out.

The key for Henderson is to keep his composure, create mistakes for Guida to make through his own striking, if possible, and get Guida to the ground, or wear him out enough to catch Guida in a submission and make him tap out.

It’s not going to be easy, but none of Henderson’s past outings were easy, and the last anyone checked, that was just the way Henderson liked it.

Going Team Guida? If you’ve got to back Guida, you can click here to find out why you’re making a good decision.

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UFC on FOX 1 Predictions: How Clay Guida Will Defeat Ben Henderson

You don’t have to like Clay Guida, nor do you have to appreciate the fact that he grounded-and-pounded his way past a tough-guarding Anthony Pettis en route to a unanimous decision, but when a man fights like Guida does, it’s hard to not like the guy.S…

You don’t have to like Clay Guida, nor do you have to appreciate the fact that he grounded-and-pounded his way past a tough-guarding Anthony Pettis en route to a unanimous decision, but when a man fights like Guida does, it’s hard to not like the guy.

Save for the Pettis fight, in which he seemed to slow down a touch after a first round that started off how everyone predicted, Guida is one of the few wrestlers that will bring it and bring it hard with little to no sign of relenting.

Guida has the wrestling needed to put a good fighter in great danger, but he faces a problem in former WEC lightweight champion Benson “Smooth” Henderson.

What’s the problem, exactly, in fighting Ben Henderson?

“Bendo” has the crushing submission power that has famously put Guida down in the past, the jabs and striking that might force Guida to resort to frantic takedown attempts (thereby possibly affeting his gas tank), and he has the warrior’s spirit that Guida has not seen in a fighter since the TUF 9 classic versus Diego Sanchez’s.

Guida could lock Henderson in the same exact choke that put Takanori Gomi away, but to no avail—that is not as much an under-estimation of Guida’s own submission game as much as it is a testament to Henderson’s heart.

At the end of the day, though, strong wrestlers can do work and do work dominantly if they pace themselves correctly, and in a nutshell, that’s what Guida will do to Henderson, or at least hope to do to Henderson at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Guida’s head and body movements, as well as his footwork, are going to get a brief mention in this thesis because we’ve come to expect this in his defense, and he uses his footwork to attack from angles some foes find difficulty in effectively countering.

Leg kicks, jabs, and anything to keep Henderson at bay—that is what Guida has to use in order to put himself closer to winning the fight, as it will help break down any defense Henderson has and help Guida effectively mount his signature offense en route to what could be a submission victory. Guida should choose to attack the neck of Henderson and anyone who is familiar with “The Carpenter” and his submission offense knows that he does well at attacking the neck.

It will be a miracle if any man at 155 right now can make Henderson tap out, but if anyone could do so at this level of active lightweight competition, it would be Guida, and if he can do it on Saturday, there would be little question as to whether Guida should get Frankie Edgar next or not.

 

Going Team Bendo? Henderson supporters can click here for an opposing view.

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Gambling Addiction Enabler: ‘UFC on Fox’ Edition

It’s been a long road, ladies and gentlemen, but it seems the time of network television MMA not involving Kimbo Slice and a screaming Gus Johnson is finally upon us. UFC on Fox kicks off at 9 o’clock tomorrow night, and for those of you who are looking to get some last minute gambling in, well, allow us to help you scratch that itch. Check out the betting lines, courtesy of BestFightOdds, along with our Morgan Freeman-eqsue advice on what to do below.

Main Card/Event:
Cain Velasquez (-175) vs. Junior Dos Santos (+155)

Preliminary Card
Benson Henderson (-260) vs. Clay Guida (+220)
Dustin Poirier (-300) vs. Pablo Garza (+250)
Aaron Rosa (-140) vs. Matt Lucas (+120)
Mike Pierce (-340) vs. Paul Bradley (+280)
Mackens Sermizer (-115) vs. Robert Peralta (-105)
DaMarques Johnson (-270) vs. Clay Harvison (+230)
Norifumi Yamamoto (-360) vs. Darren Uyenoyama (+300)
Ricardo Lamas (-145) vs. Cub Swanson (+125)
Cole Escovedo (-260) vs. Alex Caceres (+220)

It’s been a long road, ladies and gentlemen, but it seems the time of network television MMA not involving Kimbo Slice and a screaming Gus Johnson is finally upon us. UFC on Fox kicks off at 9 o’clock tomorrow night, and for those of you who are looking to get some last minute gambling in, well, allow us to help you scratch that itch. Check out the betting lines, courtesy of BestFightOdds, along with our Morgan Freeman-eqsue advice on what to do below.

Main Card/Event:
Cain Velasquez (-175) vs. Junior Dos Santos (+155)

Preliminary Card
Benson Henderson (-260) vs. Clay Guida (+220)
Dustin Poirier (-300) vs. Pablo Garza (+250)
Aaron Rosa (-140) vs. Matt Lucas (+120)
Mike Pierce (-340) vs. Paul Bradley (+280)
Mackens Sermizer (-115) vs. Robert Peralta (-105)
DaMarques Johnson (-270) vs. Clay Harvison (+230)
Norifumi Yamamoto (-360) vs. Darren Uyenoyama (+300)
Ricardo Lamas (-145) vs. Cub Swanson (+125)
Cole Escovedo (-260) vs. Alex Caceres (+220)

The Main Event: With his granite chin, KO power, and stellar wrestling base, Velasquez deserves to be the favorite here, but then again, it’s been just under a year since we’ve seen him compete. Dos Santos hasn’t been much more active, aside from his dismantling of Shane Carwin back at UFC 131, which along with his fight against Roy Nelson, has shown that “Cigano” tends to coast in the later rounds when unable to finish in the first.

But there is one outside factor that seems to have been overlooked here, and that is the Fox deal itself. Now, we’re not saying that Cain is being offered some kind of “stand up” bonus, but you have to imagine that the UFC would not want their first major network fight to be a 25 minute wrestlefuckfest. Will Cain try to stand with Dos Santos, even though he clearly has an advantage in the grappling game? Our guess is no, and if Dos Santos couldn’t knock out Nelson or Carwin, then he ain’t knocking out the champ, who should take this one.

The Good Dogs: Honestly, there aren’t many on this card. Pablo Garza has looked great in his last two outings, but Dustin Poirier’s pressure and superior striking game should earn him the victory there. Both Alex Caceres and Cole Escovedo have looked equally unimpressive in their last two performances, but “Apache Kid” should be able to handle “Bruce Leroy” with ease. And let’s hope he does, because we’re getting pretty tired of watching Caceres disgrace the great Bruce Lee with a smile on his face each time he steps into the octagon. The rest of the pack isn’t really worth wasting your time over, unless you have a thing for ridiculous, California-themed tattoos.

So that leaves us with Clay Guida. Say what you want about the (cave)man, but Guida knows how to follow a gameplan if nothing else. And lord knows he’s played the role of underdog before and come away victorious. But he’s facing a man who’s better than him in virtually every aspect, save cardio, in Ben Henderson. You think Guida can shoulder strike his way to the next lightweight title shot? Then a bet on him seems fine, just don’t get pissed at us when you don’t see any return on it.

The Easy Bets: DaMarques Johnson, for starters. He’s never been one for consistency, but he is way too seasoned, and has more ways to win than Clay Harvison, who got absolutely dominated by Seth Baczynski in his last outing. Also, “Kid” Yamamoto is going to go apeshit on Darren Uyenoyama, who we’re not sure is ready for UFC level competition to begin with.

Official CagePoato Parlay: Velasquez +Henderson + Johnson + Rosa

50 bucks nets you $205. 32, or enough to get that replica belt ironically signed by Jon Jones and Mauricio Rua. Not bad considering there are no underdogs in that parlay.

-Danga 

UFC on FOX Fight Card: Ben Henderson Deserves Title Shot With a Win

It was Nov. 18, 2006, when Ben Henderson entered the sport of mixed martial arts to take on Dan Gregary in North Platte, Neb.Henderson would go on to defeat Gregary by way of submission via punches in the very first round of action.”Bendo” would go on …

It was Nov. 18, 2006, when Ben Henderson entered the sport of mixed martial arts to take on Dan Gregary in North Platte, Neb.

Henderson would go on to defeat Gregary by way of submission via punches in the very first round of action.

“Bendo” would go on to win six of his next seven fights on route to making his WEC debut against Anthony Njokuani at WEC 38 in 2009.

Not only would Henderson be victorious but he went on to be declared the new WEC lightweight champion.

But Henderson would lose his title against Anthony Pettis as he was defeated via unanimous decision.

Things would take a turn for the better as Henderson would eventually sign with the Ultimate Fighting Championship following his defeat.

Henderson would win the first two fights of his UFC career by defeating Mark Bocek and Jim Miller by unanimous decisions.

Henderson will now take on his toughest opponent to date when he squares off with Clay Guida at UFC on FOX on Nov. 12.

If Henderson were to defeat Guida, it would undoubtedly be the biggest win of his mixed martial arts career.

Since entering the UFC, Guida has been recognized as a fan favorite across the globe for the entertainment and excitement he provides to fans.

And, with Melvin Guillard losing to Joe Lauzon at UFC 136, the door is wide open for Henderson to earn a lightweight title shot against current champion, Frankie Edgar.

If Ben Henderson can be declared victorious at UFC on FOX, he will have done more than enough to have earned himself a title fight.

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