Tag: Brendan Schaub

Joe Rogan Tears Apart Brendan Schaub on Podcast: ‘You Are Not an Elite Fighter’

In a live, face-to-face interview, UFC broadcaster Joe Rogan verbally skewered heavyweight Brendan Schaub, claiming Schaub was not a high-level fighter and suggesting he was risking major brain damage by continuing with his UFC career.
Fresh off his TK…

In a live, face-to-face interview, UFC broadcaster Joe Rogan verbally skewered heavyweight Brendan Schaub, claiming Schaub was not a high-level fighter and suggesting he was risking major brain damage by continuing with his UFC career.

Fresh off his TKO loss to Travis Browne—his second straight defeat and third knockout loss in three years—Saturday at UFC 181, Schaub, a frequent guest on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, didn’t seem to expect the confrontation and was left in stunned silence for much of the extended exchange.

That portion of Monday’s edition of The Joe Rogan Experience is apparently no longer publicly available, but Twitter user @Fight_Ghost captured some of Rogan‘s choicest quotes, which were collected and curated by Mookie Alexander of Bloody Elbow.

“You are a smart dude. You know about concussions you have had. The reality is, I don’t see you beating elite guys. You have no fluidity,” Rogan was quoted as telling Schaub. “When I look at the performances, you are not an elite fighter. I know what I am seeing. You are not recognizing.”

 

 

Eventually, Schaub rallied, half-heartedly defending himself from the broadside and also reiterating a previous point that he believed the referee’s stoppage at UFC 181 was premature.

 

 

 

But by then, the damage had been done. 

It is uncertain whether Schaub will continue to appear on Rogan‘s podcast or to what extent the confrontation might affect Schaub’s thinking as far as his future in professional MMA is concerned.

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UFC 181 Video Highlights: Josh Samman’s Devastating KO of Eddie Gordon, Urijah Faber’s Eye-Poke Submission of Francisco Rivera…Oh, And the Title Fights Too

FOX Sports released some highlight videos from Saturday’s UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler 2 event, and as usual, the clips from the main card fights are woefully incomplete, showing everything but the actual finishes. So eff ’em — we’ve buried those after the jump. Luckily, the highlight clips from the FOX Sports 1 prelim fights actually showed the money shots.

The video above shows Josh Samman‘s devastating second-round head-kick knockout of TUF 19 winner Eddie Gordon. It was an incredibly cathartic moment for Samman — coming after an extended injury layoff and the car accident death of his girlfriend — and also earned him a $50,000 Performance of the Night check.

Below, Urijah Faber picks up yet another submission victory in a non-title fight, though this one came with some controversy. In the slow-motion replay at the 0:30 mark, you can see Faber basically fish-hook Francisco Rivera’s eye-socket. (Two fouls in one!) Rivera goes down in agony, and Faber bulldog chokes him. But referee Mario Yamasaki didn’t see the foul, and it goes down as a legitimate win for Faber. Rivera plans to appeal the result.

After the jump: Highlights from four UFC 181 main card fights. They left out Todd Duffee‘s KO of Anthony Hamilton because the fight was so short they’d pretty much have to show the finish, and God knows we can’t have that.

FOX Sports released some highlight videos from Saturday’s UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler 2 event, and as usual, the clips from the main card fights are woefully incomplete, showing everything but the actual finishes. So eff ‘em — we’ve buried those after the jump. Luckily, the highlight clips from the FOX Sports 1 prelim fights actually showed the money shots.

The video above shows Josh Samman‘s devastating second-round head-kick knockout of TUF 19 winner Eddie Gordon. It was an incredibly cathartic moment for Samman — coming after an extended injury layoff and the car accident death of his girlfriend — and also earned him a $50,000 Performance of the Night check.

Below, Urijah Faber picks up yet another submission victory in a non-title fight, though this one came with some controversy. In the slow-motion replay at the 0:30 mark, you can see Faber basically fish-hook Francisco Rivera’s eye-socket. (Two fouls in one!) Rivera goes down in agony, and Faber bulldog chokes him. But referee Mario Yamasaki didn’t see the foul, and it goes down as a legitimate win for Faber. Rivera plans to appeal the result.

After the jump: Highlights from four UFC 181 main card fights. They left out Todd Duffee‘s KO of Anthony Hamilton because the fight was so short they’d pretty much have to show the finish, and God knows we can’t have that.


(Robbie Lawler vs. Johny Hendricks video highlights)


(Anthony Pettis vs. Gilbert Melendez video highlights)


(Travis Browne vs. Brendan Schaub video highlights)


(Tony Ferguson vs. Abel Trujillo video highlights)

Browne vs. Schaub: What We Learned from the UFC 181 Heavyweight Tilt

Travis “Hapa” Browne took care of Brendan “Big Brown” Schaub at UFC 181 Saturday evening, and it didn’t even look difficult for him. 
After a feeling-out process early, Browne uncorked a right uppercut as Schaub lunged forward, catching his foe on…

Travis “Hapa” Browne took care of Brendan “Big Brown” Schaub at UFC 181 Saturday evening, and it didn’t even look difficult for him. 

After a feeling-out process early, Browne uncorked a right uppercut as Schaub lunged forward, catching his foe on the chin and sending the fighter hurtling to the canvas. 

From there, Browne continued to land shots, scoring with heavy ground-and-pound before eventually securing mount and, later, back mount. Once in that position, Schaub had no answers, and referee Mario Yamasaki mercifully called the fight off with just seconds left in Round 1. 

Browne’s ground-and-pound was too much, and Schaub could not escape or intelligently defend himself. 

 

What We’ll Remember About This Fight

Browne’s uppercut was the most significant strike of the fight, but his control of Schaub on the ground was more impressive. 

Schaub could not move or prevent Browne from doing exactly what he wanted on the canvas, and Browne easily advanced positions one by one until he had Schaub flattened out on his face. 

Never thought to be a ground expert by any stretch, Browne showcased his developing skill set at UFC 181, and the results were impressive. 

 

What We Learned About Browne

Browne is a student of the game, and he’s still getting better. 

His ground game looked solid, and he tooled the Ryron Gracie-trained Schaub in this fight. After a big shot (something we’ve seen plenty of from Browne in the past), Browne relied on steady positional advancements and vicious ground-and-pound to seal the deal. 

It didn’t even look difficult for him, and I’m still not sure it was. This was a blowout. 

 

What We Learned About Schaub

Coming into this fight, Schaub was unranked in the UFC’s heavyweight division, yet he earned a fight with the No. 3 Browne. 

Why? 

Potential. 

Schaub’s ground game is ever-evolving (or so we thought), his hands are powerful, and his athleticism is bonkers for a man of his size. He looked and talked the part of a UFC heavyweight superstar, yet we just never really saw it.

Nothing changed at UFC 181. Schaub is gonna Schaub, and he got clipped early and put away in short order.

Unfortunately, his potential remains unfulfilled, and at this point, I think it’s time to question whether the hype was ever warranted at all.

At 6-5 as a UFC heavyweight, it’s becoming clear that the numbers don’t lie: Schaub is just average.

 

What’s Next for Browne? 

Browne was already ranked third in the division, so there’s not much higher he can climb before he reaches gold. 

However, No. 2-ranked Junior dos Santos fights No. 4-ranked Stipe Miocic Dec. 13 at UFC on Fox 13, and the winner of that bout would make a fine opponent for Hapa in a No. 1 contender’s bout. 

The UFC is currently targeting a June 2015 showdown between heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and interim champion Fabricio Werdum, so the winner of Browne vs. Dos Santos/Miocic could realistically take on the winner of Velasquez vs. Werdum later in 2015. 

That sounds good to me. 

 

What’s Next for Schaub? 

Schaub needs to head home, think about his career and decide where he wants to go from here. 

Is the goal to claim UFC gold? Is the goal to continue fighting for a few years, make some money and retire peacefully? 

Does he want to spend more time on his podcast, The Fighter and the Kid? 

Whichever he decides, Schaub first needs to focus and dedicate himself and then make his return to the Octagon. 

When he does, Jared Rosholt or Walt Harris would make a nice opponent. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler II — Main Card Results & Commentary


(Props: Gian Galang. Click for full-size images.)

Kwanzaa — which is traditionally observed from December 26th to January 1st — has come early, my friends. Tonight’s UFC 181 pay-per-view card is headlined by Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler, in a rematch of one of the greatest fights of 2014. Plus: Anthony Pettis‘s first lightweight title defense after winning the belt over 15 months ago, a heavyweight scrap between Travis Browne vs. Brendan Schaub, and the first appearance of the Duffman in two years. Should be pretty okay.

Our old friend Aaron Mandel will be sticking live “Hendricks vs. Lawler” results after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest updates, and let us know how you feel in the comments section or on twitter @cagepotatomma. Let’s do this…


(Props: Gian Galang. Click for full-size images.)

Kwanzaa — which is traditionally observed from December 26th to January 1st — has come early, my friends. Tonight’s UFC 181 pay-per-view card is headlined by Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler, in a rematch of one of the greatest fights of 2014. Plus: Anthony Pettis‘s first lightweight title defense after winning the belt over 15 months ago, a heavyweight scrap between Travis Browne vs. Brendan Schaub, and the first appearance of the Duffman in two years. Should be pretty okay.

Our old friend Aaron Mandel will be sticking live “Hendricks vs. Lawler” results after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest updates, and let us know how you feel in the comments section or on twitter @cagepotatomma. Let’s do this…

UFC 181 Preliminary Card Results
– Urijah Faber def. Francisco Rivera via submission (rear naked choke), 1:34 of round 2
– Josh Samman def. Eddie Gordon via KO (head kick), 3:08 of round 2 — BAH GAWD HE KILLED HIM.
– Corey Anderson def. Justin Jones via unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 30-26)
– Raquel Pennington def. Ashlee Evans-Smith via technical submission (bulldog choke), 4:59 of round 1 — BAH GAWD SHE KILLED HER.
– Sergio Pettis def. Matt Hobar via unanimous decision (29-28 x 2, 30-27)
– Clay Collard def. Alex White via unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)

Hello PotatoHeads, we’ve got a great card for UFC 181 tonight, welterweight and lightweight titles on the line and some fun heavyweight fights, stay tuned right here and refresh frequently for live round-by-round updates.

Catch the ‘UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler II’ Weigh-Ins LIVE Right Here Starting at 7 p.m. EST

Johny Hendricks, Anthony Pettis, and the rest of the 22 fighters scheduled to compete on tomorrow’s UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler II card are set to hit the scales any minute now, so join us after the jump for live updates, results, and a depressing look into the mind of the average UFC fan via #UFCYoutubeComments.

Johny Hendricks, Anthony Pettis, and the rest of the 22 fighters scheduled to compete on tomorrow’s UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler II card are set to hit the scales any minute now, so join us after the jump for live updates, results, and a depressing look into the mind of the average UFC fan via #UFCYoutubeComments.

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
-Johny Hendricks (170) vs. Robbie Lawler (170)
-Anthony Pettis (154.5) vs. Gilbert Melendez (155)
-Travis Browne (243) vs. Brendan Schaub (244)
-Todd Duffee (256) vs. Anthony Hamilton (236.5)
-Tony Ferguson (156) vs. Abel Trujillo (156)

PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX Sports 1, 8 p.m. ET)
-Urijah Faber (135) vs. Francisco Rivera (135.5)
-Eddie Gordon (185.5) vs. Josh Samman (185.5)
-Corey Anderson (204.5) vs. Justin Jones (204.5)
-Ashlee Evans-Smith (135.5) vs. Raquel Pennington (136)

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 7 p.m. ET)
-Matt Hobar (136) vs. Sergio Pettis (135)
-Clay Collard (146) vs. Alex White (145.5)

–J.Jones

UFC 181: Who’s on the Hot Seat This Saturday in Vegas?

One of the biggest cards of the UFC calendar is coming up fast, with UFC 181 providing a rematch of March’s epic Robbie Lawler-Johny Hendricks tilt. The co-main event is also a title fight, one that pits Gilbert Melendez against Anthony Pettis for the …

One of the biggest cards of the UFC calendar is coming up fast, with UFC 181 providing a rematch of March’s epic Robbie Lawler-Johny Hendricks tilt. The co-main event is also a title fight, one that pits Gilbert Melendez against Anthony Pettis for the lightweight strap.

The card is full of quality bouts, and in such an event it’s inevitable that a few folks will go in sitting on the hot seat.

Here’s a look at who those guys might be going into Saturday night.

Clay Collard

Collard made a name for himself by showing up and getting into a surprising war with Max Holloway, succumbing to a late barrage of punches for a TKO loss. He impressed with his grit, but with so many athletes chomping at the bit to take his place he can’t afford to start off his UFC career with consecutive losses.

He could be saved by the fact that he competes in a traditionally thin division, but even that isn’t as true as it once was. Featherweight is no joke these days, and if you can’t prove you belong in a hurry, you might be on your way back to the regional shows to sharpen your craft.

That could happen to Collard with a loss at UFC 181.

Raquel Pennington

Despite being a favorite of both fans and UFC president Dana White thanks to her brawling style, there aren’t many people who hang around in the UFC with a sub-.500 record.

Initially slated to face Holly Holm, Pennington will now battle Ashlee Evans-Smith after Holm suffered an injury. Though Evans-Smith is undefeated, she’s still something of a prospect and Pennington has an edge in experience.

It isn’t wildly likely, but losing here to a short-notice opponent that she’s advantaged over on paper might see her on the outside looking in.

Brendan Schaub

Schaub is in a tough spot, a winner of two of his last three but his wins have been unspectacular and his losses have been devastating. Lose to Travis Browne at UFC 181—particularly via stoppage—and it’s four losses in six outings and there’s reason to think the UFC might be done with him.

The saving grace for Schaub is that he’s well-known from his run on The Ultimate Fighter a few years back, and he competes in the thinnest division in the sport. He’s probably UFC caliber on merit, but when you lose more regularly and more memorably than you win, there’s always a risk you’ll show up on the cuts list after an event.

Follow me on Twitter @matthewjryder!

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com