Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, M-1 Global, Rankings, Heavyweights
The UFC heavyweight champion is now the undisputed heavyweight champion of mixed martial arts.
Zuffa’s belt already signified the best fighter in every weight class from bantamweight th…
The UFC heavyweight champion is now the undisputed heavyweight champion of mixed martial arts.
Zuffa’s belt already signified the best fighter in every weight class from bantamweight through light heavyweight, and now the two big heavyweight fights of the last two weekends — Fabricio Werdum’s shocking upset over Fedor Emelianenko and Brock Lesnar’s comeback win over Shane Carwin — have resulted in a changing of the guard in the heavyweight division as well.
Lesnar is undeniably the sport’s No. 1 heavyweight, but how does the rest of the top 10 shake out? Find out below.
(VidProps: MMA Fighting)
Heavyweight contender Cain Velasquez brings a lot of excitement to his fights from bell to bell. In an interview setting? Not so much. Velasquez is a great guy but let’s face it, it’s almost impossible to get him to say …
Heavyweight contender Cain Velasquez brings a lot of excitement to his fights from bell to bell. In an interview setting? Not so much. Velasquez is a great guy but let’s face it, it’s almost impossible to get him to say anything interesting. Just ask Ariel Helwani, who does about all he can to pry something, anything good out of Velasquez in this video.
In the wake of UFC President Dana White reconfirming this week that Velasquez has got dibs on the winner of Shane Carwin vs. Brock Lesnar, Helwani asks Velasquez who he’d rather fight. Either guy, Velasquez says. Who does he think will win on Saturday, Helwani asks. Depends, Velasquez says. Would the businessman in him rather chase the bigger payday of a fight with Lesnar than Carwin? No, he just wants to fight the best, Velasquez contends. What will we see from him in his next fight? He just wants to get better in all aspects of MMA.
LAS VEGAS — MMA Fighting spoke to Cain Velasquez just 24 hours before Saturday’s UFC 116 card.
Velasquez, who Dana White recently named the next one in line to face the winner of the Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin title unification bout, discussed the matchup, who he expects to win, his eventual title shot and what he is working on to improve his game.
LAS VEGAS — The first thing that came out of Dana White‘s mouth was an admission.
“Our heavyweight division used to suck,” the UFC president said. “But now, it’s stacked with incredible talent, and all these guys are lined up, waiting to fight.”
Indeed, gridlock is forming on the road to the division’s championship. On Saturday night at UFC 116, current champion Brock Lesnar returns from illness to defend his belt against top contender and interim champ Shane Carwin with the world’s No. 1 heavyweight ranking on the line, but both guys don’t have to look too far in their rearview mirrors to see rival war wagons speeding up behind them.
Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, NewsLAS VEGAS — For a time, Russian MMA heavyweight star Fedor Emelianenko was UFC President Dana White’s obsession. Negotiations ensued, wild money figures were thrown about, and the flirtation ended short of consummati…
LAS VEGAS — For a time, Russian MMA heavyweight star Fedor Emelianenko was UFC President Dana White‘s obsession. Negotiations ensued, wild money figures were thrown about, and the flirtation ended short of consummation.
But the love story that never was will forever remain unrequited, it seems. White says that after Emelianenko lost to Fabricio Werdum last Saturday night in a Strikeforce show, any interest in him is gone for good.
“I’m not interested,” White said after a UFC 116 press conference. “Listen, how many times have you seen us sign a guy when he just loses in another promotion, you know? Oh, the guy just lost in Strikeforce, let’s sign him!”
Unless your name is Phillip Miller, you can’t expect to go through a career in cage-fighting without losing at least once. So in honor of Fedor Emelianenko’s first legitimate defeat, we decided to take a look at the best MMA fighters who st…
Unless your name is Phillip Miller, you can’t expect to go through a career in cage-fighting without losing at least once. So in honor of Fedor Emelianenko’s first legitimate defeat, we decided to take a look at the best MMA fighters who still have flawless records. Whose “0” will be the next to go? And whose win streak is just getting started? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section…
#1: SHANE CARWIN (12-0, all wins by first-round stoppage) Notable victories: Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 96 (TKO R1), Frank Mir at UFC 111 (TKO R1, won UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship) Next fight:Brock Lesnar at UFC 116, 7/3/10
He may very well take his first loss this Saturday, but right now, Shane Carwin is the most dangerous undefeated fighter in MMA — as evidenced by the fact that no opponent has made it to the second round against him, and only two have lasted past the second minute. As he immediately showed in his UFC debut against Christian Wellisch at UFC 84, Carwin has a near-supernatural ability to generate power with his 4XL fists. Though he’s backed by impressive wrestling credentials, he’s only needed those hands to achieve victory in the UFC, knocking out top contenders Gabriel Gonzaga and Frank Mir in his last two fights. Brock, get ready to have your chin tested.
#2: MEGUMI FUJII (20-0, 16 wins by submission) Notable victories: Lisa Ward at Bodog Fight: Vancouver (SUB R1), Mika Nagano at Smackgirl: Starting Over (SUB R1)
One of the most effective submission artists in the history of MMA, “Mega Megu” owns the longest active win streak in the sport, but suffers from the same problem that Cris Cyborg is facing in the States — a scarcity of legitimate challengers. Now that she’s signed on for Bellator’s 115-pound tourney later this year, she can prove her reputation as a living legend who can do more than armbar pint-sized scrubettes in Japan.
LAS VEGAS — MMA Fighting spoke to 
LAS VEGAS — The first thing that came out of 
LAS VEGAS — For a time, Russian MMA heavyweight star 
