From his time on The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes to now, show winner Norman Parke has learned a lot, especially since uprooting his life to train exclusively in the United States.Parke has now spent two full fight camps at Alliance Training Center wh…
From his time on The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes to now, show winner Norman Parke has learned a lot, especially since uprooting his life to train exclusively in the United States.
Parke has now spent two full fight camps at Alliance Training Center where he works alongside fighters like UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, Phil Davis and other top MMA competitors to better his own game.
The young Irishman has his next test in the Octagon coming up at UFC 162 against KazukiTokudome, but this is just the first step to what he hopes is a long, prosperous career.
Despite his relative novice status as a UFC fighter, Parke believes he’s going to quickly make an impact in the lightweight division, starting with his fight on July 6.
From there it’s only onwards and upwards to face the best of the best in the division. Even though he’s not ranked yet, he knows it will happen sooner or later.
“I’m not top 10 already, I’m training here with animals everyday and it’s just a matter of time,” Parke said. “I know you’ve got to work your way up the ladder and stuff like that, but I know if I was to fight anyone in the top ten straight away I would give them a run for their money no problem.”
Check out this exclusive one-on-one interview with Parke ahead of his fight at UFC 162 where he talks training in America, his fight with Tokudome and much more.
While a lot of fighters and MMA personalities are jumping on the Chris Weidman bandwagon leading up to his fight with UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva next weekend, don’t count on Demian Maia to be one of them.The Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace, who…
The Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace, who’s been lucky enough to face both men inside the Octagon and live to tell the tale, believes that “The Spider” has the edge in next weekend’s UFC 162 headlining title bout.
“He is a great fighter, he is a guy who has no big gaps in his game. But Anderson is Anderson so its tough you know? It’s a tough fight for Chris,” Maia said in a recent interview with Fighters Only magazine.
“If he can take Anderson down I would say he has a chance but still, Anderson has a good guard. So I don’t know. If I had to bet $100? I would bet it on Anderson.”
That’s a pretty bold statement by the grappling standout, considering that he was prompted to move down to the welterweight division following his unanimous decision loss to Weidman at UFC on Fox 2 last year.
But as the only person to have taken on both Silva and Weidman, Maia has a unique insight into each fighter’s style, so he should have a pretty good gauge on how they will match up.
Maia infamously fell short during his sole title challenge at UFC 112 in 2010, dropping a lopsided unanimous decision to the middleweight king. Silva drew a lot of ire from fans and UFC officials for this fight because of his constant mocking and refusal to finish Maia.
However, I doubt we’ll see this type of performance from “The Spider” next weekend.
Do you agree with Maia’s prediction? Let us know in the comments below.
Anthony Pettis successfully cut the featherweight line earlier this year, receiving a title shot in the 145-pound division without ever having actually fought there. Pettis suffered a knee injury during training, however, so he decided to return home t…
Anthony Pettis successfully cut the featherweight line earlier this year, receiving a title shot in the 145-pound division without ever having actually fought there. Pettis suffered a knee injury during training, however, so hedecided to return home to 155 and see if he couldn’t just go straight to the front once again.
After being forced out of his UFC 163 bout with Jose Aldo, Pettis pleaded his case to face lightweight champ Benson Henderson at UFC 164 in statement issued to Fuel TV’s post-UFC 161 show (h/t MMA Junkie).
“With all due respect to T.J. Grant, Milwaukee is my town, and the fight with Ben is the fight everyone has wanted for years,” Pettis said.
When it then came out that Pettis wouldn’t be ready for UFC 164 either, he explained his position to Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting:
TJ Grant earned his shot. I’m not going to say I should be fighting and TJ Grant didn’t earn his shot. TJ Grant earned his shot, and he’s there for a reason, I don’t want the fans to think I’m trying to take his position or anything like that, but at the same time, you can’t knock me for trying. I want a title shot so bad.
The whole “Grant deserves it, but I want it anyway” game apparently didn’t sit too well with Grant, who recently expressed his disdain to Gareth A. Davies during an ESPN UFC podcast (h/tThe Daily Telegraph):
I wish it was handled a little differently; him of all people, I think it was disrespectful, to do that against someone who has earned the right to fight is not right. Unfortunately he got hurt but it was low class, I thought. I didn’t want to get into the whole talking thing. I got here legitimately and earned it. Ultimately, what he was saying was that he wanted my title shot which was incredibly disrespectful. It was pretty dirty.
Grant is currently riding a five-fight win streak that began when he dropped from welterweight to lightweight. Most recently he cemented his No. 1 contender status by knocking out perennial contender Gray Maynard in just two minutes and seven seconds during their UFC 160 bout.
It’s hard too make a case against Grant as the division’s most deserving challenger, and that position of strength gives the Canadian confidence.
“He’s [Pettis is] out, I’m in,” Grant said. “It’s going to be a series of little battles in a big battle against Benson Henderson. He’s the man, and I want to beat the man and be champion. It’s what I’ve always wanted.”
Now that Grant’s well-earned position is no longer threatened to be usurped by the more popular Pettis, his title shot is assured, barring injury.
After that, however, a future tussle with Pettis himself might be in the cards. Should Grant capture the strap at UFC 164, Pettis may very well force his first defense. Should Grant lose at UFC 164, he’d make a fine opponent for Pettis to earn a title shot against.
The back-and-forth will only make such a match more appealing to the UFC, a promotion that gets giddy any time a fight can be classed as a “grudge match.”
Back in May 2012, Alistair Overeem and Junior dos Santos were supposed to fight for the UFC heavyweight title. Dos Santos held the belt at that time, having cut down everyone the promotion put in front of him. For his part, Overeem was on an 11-fi…
Back in May 2012, Alistair Overeem and Junior dos Santos were supposed to fight for the UFC heavyweight title.
Dos Santos held the belt at that time, having cut down everyone the promotion put in front of him. For his part, Overeem was on an 11-fight win streak and had just made a successful UFC debut by knocking out Brock Lesnar in the first round of their UFC 141 bout.
The UFC 146 was to be a true clash of the titans featuring two of the most highly regarded strikers in the heavyweight division. It was also one of the most highly anticipated bouts of 2012.
Unfortunately, Overeem failed a pre-fight drug test and incurred a suspension that forced him off the card. Former champion Frank Mir stepped in to take his place, but ever since, people have still remained intrigued by a possible dos Santos vs. Overeem showdown.
Don’t count dos Santos as one of those people, however, as the Brazilian has made it quite clear he has no interest in settling the score.
“Bigfoot [Silva] put him in his place,” dos Santos told Terra (via Fighters Only). “I no longer feel the wish to face him, but I fight whomever the UFC puts in front of me.”
Last year, dos Santos expressed his disdain for fighters who are “made at the laboratory,” not so subtly referencing Overeem, and it appears from his more recent statements that nothing has changed. Only now, dos Santos is calling Overeem to task for his mouth.
“The limited fighters, guys who don’t believe in themselves, who don’t dedicate to the training and don’t take it seriously are the ones who make it to call for attention,” he says, once again in reference to Overeem.
So there there you have it. Dos Santos wants no part of Overeem. Of course, that doesn’t mean a future tussle is impossible. In fact, his comments might just force the UFC’s hand since the promotion loves a grudge match and the dos Santos-Overeem rivalry looks to be headed that way.
So, if you’re clinging to the dream of that heavyweight slugfest, don’t give up hope just yet.
Back in May 2012, Alistair Overeem and Junior dos Santos were supposed to fight for the UFC heavyweight title. Dos Santos held the belt at that time, having cut down everyone the promotion put in front of him. For his part, Overeem was on an 11-fi…
Back in May 2012, Alistair Overeem and Junior dos Santos were supposed to fight for the UFC heavyweight title.
Dos Santos held the belt at that time, having cut down everyone the promotion put in front of him. For his part, Overeem was on an 11-fight win streak and had just made a successful UFC debut by knocking out Brock Lesnar in the first round of their UFC 141 bout.
The UFC 146 was to be a true clash of the titans featuring two of the most highly regarded strikers in the heavyweight division. It was also one of the most highly anticipated bouts of 2012.
Unfortunately, Overeem failed a pre-fight drug test and incurred a suspension that forced him off the card. Former champion Frank Mir stepped in to take his place, but ever since, people have still remained intrigued by a possible dos Santos vs. Overeem showdown.
Don’t count dos Santos as one of those people, however, as the Brazilian has made it quite clear he has no interest in settling the score.
“Bigfoot [Silva] put him in his place,” dos Santos told Terra (via Fighters Only). “I no longer feel the wish to face him, but I fight whomever the UFC puts in front of me.”
Last year, dos Santos expressed his disdain for fighters who are “made at the laboratory,” not so subtly referencing Overeem, and it appears from his more recent statements that nothing has changed. Only now, dos Santos is calling Overeem to task for his mouth.
“The limited fighters, guys who don’t believe in themselves, who don’t dedicate to the training and don’t take it seriously are the ones who make it to call for attention,” he says, once again in reference to Overeem.
So there there you have it. Dos Santos wants no part of Overeem. Of course, that doesn’t mean a future tussle is impossible. In fact, his comments might just force the UFC’s hand since the promotion loves a grudge match and the dos Santos-Overeem rivalry looks to be headed that way.
So, if you’re clinging to the dream of that heavyweight slugfest, don’t give up hope just yet.
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is right in the middle of her first stint as Ultimate Fighter coach for season 18 of the reality show opposite longtime rival Miesha Tate. The show debuts on September 4 and will be the first time in histo…
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is right in the middle of her first stint as Ultimate Fighter coach for season 18 of the reality show opposite longtime rival Miesha Tate.
The show debuts on September 4 and will be the first time in history that both men and women will be featured on The Ultimate Fighter.Bantamweight fighters from both divisions will square off, with Rousey and Tate as coaches, leading into a finale tentatively scheduled for December.
Just a few weeks ago, UFC president Dana White commented how the show has been quite taxing with Rousey and Tate going at each other every day in the gym to the point where he was reminded of another famous Ultimate Fighter coaching feud (via Jeff Cain of MMAWeekly):
It’s going exactly the way you’d expect it to be going—bad.Miesha and Ronda hate each other.It’s like literally crazy drama every day.It’s Ken (Shamrock) and Tito (Ortiz) type stuff.I don’t even know if some of that stuff will make TV. It’s bad.Those two do not like each other and their camps do not like each other.It is pure f—king mayhem every day.
For her part, Rousey didn’t quite unleash that much vitriol for Tate and her time on TUF so far, but it’s been a painstaking process that has taken its toll on her.
“So far it’s tiring.It’s every day, and it’s been a very exciting season, but it’s also been very taxing on everybody,” Rousey said during a Metro PCS chat on Wednesday night.“I think we’re all going to be very happy to get home.I’m sure all the fans will be happy with the result.”
Her coaching battle with Tate will certainly be one of the most interesting pieces of this season.The two fighters have been connected with each other for the better part of the last couple of years while competing in Strikeforce before moving over to the UFC in 2013.
Rousey rarely holds her tongue when it comes to Tate, but on Wednesday sarcasm seemed to be her best friend when talking about her fellow Ultimate Fighter coach.
“We’re fantastic,” Rousey said about her working relationship with Tate.“We cooked cupcakes together last night, had a sleeping party and braided each other’s hair.”
It also appears there is no love lost when it comes to Rousey and her dealings with Tate’s team of coaches, most notably her boyfriend and fellow UFC bantamweight Bryan Caraway.Rousey has never been much of a fan of Caraway, and she still harbors more than a little ill will towards him, probably only magnified after being forced to deal with him daily on the reality show.
Rousey pulled no punches when asked whom would she face if she could do one crossover superfight, because there is only one name on her list.
“People ask me this question all the time and it’s the same answer all the time—I would love to beat the s—t out of Bryan Caraway, but apparently it’s not legal,” Rousey said.“And he seems like the kind of b—tch that would sue me. Big time.”
If those comments are the tip of the iceberg, TUF 18 certainly appears to be a powder keg just waiting to explode. The producers will probably be working overtime to bleep out what will likely be a lot of four-letter words peppered throughout the broadcast.
Stepping away from her rivalry with Tate, Rousey did answer a question everyone has been curious about since the show was announced—how is the dynamic with men and women living in the TUFhouse together for the first time?
“Surprisingly it’s much more professional than I would have thought,” Rousey revealed.“I wouldn’t say it’s an overly sexual season, but I think it’s a much more emotional one.”
The filming on the show will continue for the next few weeks until it wraps and finally airs on the new Fox Sports 1 network starting on Wednesday night, September 4 at 10 p.m. EDT.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
UFC women’s bantamweight champion