UFC 150 is just days away and the fight community is preparing itself for another fight between UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson and the former champ Frankie Edgar. Their first bout was one of the best of the year and showcased all the skills …
UFC 150 is just days away and the fight community is preparing itself for another fight between UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson and the former champ Frankie Edgar. Their first bout was one of the best of the year and showcased all the skills that are needed to be a top fighter. From the groundwork to the standup, both fighters demonstrated why they’re two of the best in the business.
In the co-main event, Donald Cerrone faces Melvin Guillard, who is coming off a victory at UFC 148. Both Cerrone and Guillard have found themselves in title eliminators in the past year and both are trying to work back to a title shot.
Over the UFC on Fox 4 fight week, Bleacher Report caught up with several pro fighters, including Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, to get their picks for the upcoming lightweight fights.
Pros Picking Guillard:
Pros Picking Cerrone: Gilbert Melendez, Danny Castillo, Nam Phan, Ed Soares, Jamie Varner, Ryan Bader, Joe Lauzon, Travis Browne
Undecided: Brandon Vera
Pros Picking Henderson: Mike Swick, Jamie Varner, Ryan Bader, Travis Browne, Gilbert Melendez, Danny Castillo, DaMarques Johnson
Pros Picking Edgar: Joe Lauzon, Nam Phan
Undecided: Ed Soares, Brandon Vera
Leave your picks in the comments. And if you’re feeling up to it, tell us how the fights end.
To the average working person $59.99 is a lot of money, and with the UFC offering two, sometimes three pay-per-view events in a single calendar month, that’s a lot of strain to put on the bank account.For myself and others of legal drinking age, the so…
To the average working person $59.99 is a lot of money, and with the UFC offering two, sometimes three pay-per-view events in a single calendar month, that’s a lot of strain to put on the bank account.
For myself and others of legal drinking age, the solution is the local bar where—if you can ignore the guy in the Ed Hardy shirt screaming “headbutt!” every time the fight hits the mat—you can enjoy some drinks and watch the card with a small cover charge at most.
In the interest of sparking the conversation between you and your increasingly inebriated pals, I’ve put together a handy cheat sheet of five topics that you can argue over while you wait for the server to refill your mug. Enjoy the fights, enjoy the beverages, and of course, get home safe on Saturday night!
1. If Frankie Edgar wins the lightweight title, doesn’t Ben Henderson deserve an immediate rematch?
Let’s say that Frankie Edgar earns a close unanimous decision win over Ben Henderson which, given how their first fight went, is a distinct possibility. That leaves both fighters locked in a 1-1 tie and, given that Edgar was awarded an immediate rematch after their first match, shouldn’t Henderson be given the same opportunity?
In a vacuum, that would be the fair thing to do, but a vacuum doesn’t have Nate Diaz waiting in the wings, or Donald Cerrone, Anthony Pettis or even Paul Sass potentially in the mix. UFC president Dana White has already said that Diaz will get the next shot at the title, but you couldn’t blame Henderson for feeling a little swindled if the fighter he already beat walks away with the title and he is thrown back into the ever-growing pool of contenders.
This is the reason that I hate immediate title rematches. Not only do they stagnate the division for up to six months at a time, but they add a level of complexity to the title picture that just isn’t needed. Contenders get their shot, and if they come up short—regardless of circumstance—send them back to the pack and bring on the next one.
2. Will we get a Fight of the Year candidate on back-to-back weekends?
Given that Donald Cerrone and Melvin Guillard is the co-main event at UFC 150, it’s a distinct possibility.
Once former training partners, Cerrone and Guillard have built their reputations on being two of the most exciting fighters in the lightweight division, and on paper, these two should combine for a fantastic scrap. Guillard brings wicked speed and knockout power, while Cerrone relies on his technical kickboxing, dangerous submission game, and unparalleled mean streak. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where this isn’t an all-out war, especially when you consider that it’s being fought in Cerrone‘s home state of Colorado.
After the out-of-nowhere fireworks display that was Joe Lauzon vs. Jamie Varner last weekend, these could be the best back-to-back Fight of the Nights that we’ve ever seen.
3. Is a return to middleweight what Jake Shields needs to rejuvenate his career?
The last time we saw Jake Shields look like a world-class fighter, he was suffocating Dan Henderson en route to a unanimous decision title defense of his Strikeforce middleweight title.
Welterweight was supposed to be Shields’ optimal weight class, but after an uninspired 2-2 UFC run that included two razor-thin wins, a lopsided decision loss and a 53-second knockout, Shields is back up to 185 lbs to try his luck against Ed Herman.
Herman is a tough draw for someone looking to re-energize their career, and his wrestling abilities should make it hard for Shields to get the fight to the ground and work his Jiu-Jitsu game. Switching weight classes is hit and miss in terms of success rate, but a win over Herman would get Shields back in the right direction and help him to regain a little of the hype he enjoyed when he first entered the Octagon. But a loss would be a pretty significant nail in the coffin for the former top 10 fighter.
4. How high is Justin Lawrence’s career ceiling?
Josh Koscheck and Gray Maynard have proven that you don’t need to win the six-figure contract to become a UFC star and challenge for a title. When he makes his featherweight debut against Max Holloway in the first fight of Saturday’s main card, 22-year-old Justin Lawrence will hope to follow in their footsteps.
Despite just having four professional MMA fights, Lawrence’s striking experience and credentials—a six-time kickboxing national champion and two-time Golden Gloves boxing champion to name a few—have already earned him a Knockout of the Night in his one UFC fight, and his fighting style could quickly turn him into a fan favorite.
But most importantly for his career trajectory, Lawrence is moving to a featherweight division that is still without a laundry list of established stars. Given two years to progress and improve on his wrestling defense, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lawrence challenging for the belt in 2014.
5. Does MMA belong in the Olympics?
I know it doesn’t pertain directly to UFC 150, but the Olympic discussion has permeated every other aspect of our lives during the last two weeks, and figuring out how our beloved sport could exist on a global stage is a fun discussion to have in between bouts.
For one thing, would the tournament be comprised of amateur or professional fighters? Seeing all of the best fighters in the world compete in a month-long tournament for their countries would be a spectacle that would rival the PRIDE-era Grand Prix, but that would also mean that basically every top-tier UFC fighter would be unavailable to fight from about April (factoring in training camps) until mid-August at the earliest. If you think UFC cards are stretched thin now, imagine if they had no top 10 talent to pull from for a four-month stretch. Amateur fighters are probably the way to go, but amateur MMA is still a developing and unorganized mishmash of promotions and gyms. A national MMA governing body would need to be established in this country to determine which fighters to send, and I have a hard time seeing that moving swiftly when we can’t even get the sport legalized in New York.
My feeling is that most fans want MMA in the Olympics because it would add another level of credibility to a sport that is constantly under attack and fighting for mainstream acceptance. But football isn’t in the Olympics, and baseball was just voted out, and both of those sports are doing fine. As for myself, I think Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lends itself better to the Olympic format, and the 2016 Summer Olympics just happen to be in Rio deJaneiro. Is that perfect, or is that perfect?
A good number of fight fans are familiar with the work of Nick the Face by now, as he is consistently able to produce intriguing homemade trailers for big fights. UFC 150 is no exception. The trailer details the first meeting between Frankie …
A good number of fight fans are familiar with the work of Nick the Face by now, as he is consistently able to produce intriguing homemade trailers for big fights. UFC 150 is no exception.
The trailer details the first meeting between Frankie Edgar and Benson Henderson at UFC 144, where Edgar won a unanimous decision, capturing the UFC lightweight title.
Both fighters also give a brief analysis of how they thought the fight went. Not surprisingly, both men felt they did enough to win.
UFC 150 marks “The Answer’s” third rematch in a row, after BJ Penn and Gray Maynard occupied his 2010 and 2011 schedules respectively.
Meanwhile, “Smooth” is on a four-fight win steak, impressively earning victories in 14 of his past 15 battles inside the cage.
The only man to defeat Henderson during that stretch is Anthony Pettis, who won the WEC lightweight title from “Bendo” at WEC 53 in Dec. 2010. The bout is infamous for Pettis landing his flashy “Showtime Kick,” where Pettis catapulted himself off the cage before delivering a brutal kick to Henderson’s face.
Recent history aside, Edgar and Henderson are two guys the fans can count on to always bring a great fight, and Saturday at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, they will do just that.
After a thrilling UFC on Fox 4 card last weekend, Dana White and Co. are wasting no time in bringing another slate of exciting fights to the Octagon. UFC 150 is set to take place in Denver, Colorado, on Saturday night, and it’s headlined by one o…
After a thrilling UFC on Fox 4 card last weekend, Dana White and Co. are wasting no time in bringing another slate of exciting fights to the Octagon.
UFC 150 is set to take place in Denver, Colorado, on Saturday night, and it’s headlined by one of the most anticipated rematches of the year in Benson Henderson’s first lightweight title defense against former champion Frankie Edgar.
“Smooth” won the belt off of Edgar with a close decision win over “The Answer” in Japan during February’s UFC 144 main event.
Now looking to earn his belt back, Edgar will face just his third opponent in his last six fights and look to extend his winning streak in immediate rematches to three.
In the co-main event, former teammates Donald Cerrone and Melvin Guillard will look to claw their way back into the lightweight title picture after recent setbacks.
Cerrone was riding a six-fight winning streak over a high quality group of opponents heading into his UFC 141 fight against Nate Diaz, but unfortunately for “Cowboy”, he had no answer for Diaz’s potent boxing. He’s since gotten back on track with a win in May, but he’s still a big name away from entering the title picture again.
That big name that Cerrone is looking for could very well be Melvin Guillard.
Guillard was also on a long winning streak heading into the second half of 2011, but consecutive submission losses to Joe Lauzon and Jim Miller sent “The Young Assassin” out of the title scene as well.
With two bouts that are pivotal to the UFC’s near future and a card full of tough matchups, UFC 150 has the potential to deliver some of the most entertaining action of the year so far.
Whether you just have a short downtime during work, or don’t want a lengthy breakdown, these “Quick Breaks” are for you. “Quick Breaks” are short breakdowns of upcoming fights. In a summed-up focus of strengths, weaknesses and variables; th…
Whether you just have a short downtime during work, or don’t want a lengthy breakdown, these “Quick Breaks” are for you. “Quick Breaks” are short breakdowns of upcoming fights. In a summed-up focus of strengths, weaknesses and variables; this will analyze what could happen in the fight, and end with this writer’s prediction.
The UFC will return to the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado to put on UFC 150. Headlining the night will be a highly-anticipated rematch between the former UFC lightweight champion, and the man that took the belt away from him. Prelims will air on Facebook at 7:30 PM EST, followed by FX prelims at 8:00 PM EST that will lead into the normal 10:00 PM EST PPV.
In the blue corner you have the former champ, Frankie Edgar. “The Answer”, come Saturday night, will have participated in the last six championship fights at lightweight, and hopes to get his belt back. After losing a decision and his title, Edgar feels he was dealt an injustice, and hopes to definitively put away his opponent. Edgar’s speed, movement and heart are what have brought the kid from New Jersey such success, and he will need it if he hopes on reclaiming the throne.
In the red corner you have the current champ, Benson Henderson. “Smooth” has been on a tear since arriving in the UFC, and his four-fight winning streak has rewarded him with UFC gold. His Taekwondo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu have served him well, and made even his decision-won fights exciting. He is determined to show that the first fight wasn’t a fluke, and that the up-kick from the first match wasn’t the only thing he had going for him.
If one thing can be said about both fighters, it is that they are both hard men to put away. Frankie Edgar has shown perseverance through taking beatings and being on the edge of defeat. Like Edgar, Benson Henderson has shown that he is a hard man to finish, and shows resilience to submissions and strikes.
This fight should be a war. Both men will likely respect the other’s skills and start off testing some waters. Once the second round comes, we will see who has learned the most from their last meeting. Because of the striking advantage of Henderson and the consistent damage Edgar seems to always fall victim to, the current champ may very well walk away with his first title defense.
Prediction: Benson Henderson wins via TKO in the second or third round.
On August 11, the lightweight title is on the line at UFC 150 between Benson “Smooth” Henderson and Frankie “The Answer” Edgar.These two lightweights have met once before—at UFC 144—where it was Edgar looking to defend the belt against Hend…
On August 11, the lightweight title is on the line at UFC 150 between Benson “Smooth” Henderson and Frankie “The Answer” Edgar.
These two lightweights have met once before—at UFC 144—where it was Edgar looking to defend the belt against Henderson. In a back-and-forth fight, after five rounds, Henderson was declared the winner by unanimous decision.
After the fight, Dana White was trying to get Edgar to move down to featherweight, while Edgar wanted a rematch against Henderson, as he felt he had won the fight.
After a few weeks of speculation, it was announced that Edgar would get the rematch and have a chance to reclaim his lightweight title.
In the co-main event, Donald Cerrone faces off against Melvin Guillard—although that fight was only recently announced and is not featured in the video.
Those two lightweights are both coming off wins, and they’re looking to get a win over a top competitor to vault themselves back into title contention.
The second fight featured in the video is a middleweight fight between the former Strikeforce middleweight champion, Jake Shields, and Ed “Short Fuse” Herman.
Shields is making his UFC middleweight debut and is fighting there for the first time since beating Dan Henderson at Strikeforce: Nashville.
Herman comes into the fight on a three-fight win streak, with three finishes. He TKO’d Tim Credur, then submitted both Kyle Noke and Clifford Starks.
A win over Shields proves that Herman can be a threat, and for Shields, a win over Herman means that Shields can compete at middleweight in the UFC.
UFC 150 goes down on August 11 from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo.
Tim McTiernan is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. For the latest news on everything MMA, follow him on Twitter @TimMcTiernan.
To the average working person $59.99 is a lot of money, and with the UFC offering two, sometimes three pay-per-view events in a single calendar month, that’s a lot of strain to put on the bank account.