I hope you’re ready—UFC 171 has the potential to blast the roof straight off the American Airlines Center in Dallas this Saturday night.
Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre may have left a sizeable void, but make no mistake about…
I hope you’re ready—UFC 171 has the potential to blast the roof straight off the American Airlines Center in Dallas this Saturday night.
Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre may have left a sizeable void, but make no mistake about it—Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler is the fight to remind MMA fans that the UFC’s 170-pound division is alive and thriving.
Gutted by what most consider to be an unjustifiable loss in his attempt to formally dethrone St-Pierre this past November, Hendricks is coming with a vengeance—vowing to formally take a belt that he’s “already earned,”(via UFC) no matter the cost.
Well, the task won’t be easy.
UFC brass have pitted him against an adversary with 31 professional fights to his name, nearly twice as many as Hendricks has even competed in. In Lawler, we’re presented with a fighter so seasoned that he isn’t rattled anywhere near as easily as he tends to rattle others.
Hendricks hasn’t yet stood across from a fighter with the type of knockout arsenal he often demonstrates—that will all change on Saturday night.
Oh, and let’s not forget the other welterweight showdown that’ll preface the explosive championship main event.
Perennial fan favorite Carlos Condit possesses the consummate MMA arsenal: diverse muaythai striking, slick submissions, endless cardio and the ability to string it all together in one lethal package.
He’ll need it on Saturday night when he stands across the Octagon from TyronWoodley, a contender working to make a name for himself by nearly decapitating fighters with power punches.
Two extraordinary welterweight fights, back to back.
Let’s take a look at what the rest of the evening has in store.
Earlier in the main card, a newly reinvigorated Diego Sanchez will look to mow down the undefeated Myles Jury—does he have enough left in the tank to exact his savagery over such a young, fresh fighter?
And before that, grappling ace Jake Shields will look to bring down and control the juggernaut in Hector Lombard, a fighter who stuffs takedowns three out of four times they’re attempted. If the fight stays on the feet, can Shields handle Lombard’s power?
All of these riveting questions are bound to be answered at UFC 171—I’m venturing to guess that the answers will be coming fast and hard.
Zuffa is setting the stage for an undeniably exciting fight card, one that culminates in a chaotic championship fight.
A belt will be put around a welterweight who, for the first time in ages, won’t be a French Canadian. And just prior to that, fans will likely be alerted to the new No. 1 contender when either Condit or Woodley gets his hand raised.
Don’t forget to check back with Bleacher Report before and after the action begins—we’ll have you covered with tons of exciting content to prepare you for the mayhem of UFC 171.
Carlos Condit’s UFC 171 bout against Tyron Woodley is full of heavy implications.
If he is able to beat his fellow First Round Management stablemate, he’ll earn a shot at the welterweight championship that will be decided in the main event between John…
Carlos Condit‘s UFC 171 bout against TyronWoodley is full of heavy implications.
If he is able to beat his fellow First Round Management stablemate, he’ll earn a shot at the welterweight championship that will be decided in the main event between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler. Condit is a former WEC champion and UFC interim champion, but he fell short in his shot at unifying the belts against Georges St-Pierre.
But with St-Pierre on hiatus from the sport, the top of the division is wide open. Condit told Bleacher Report last week that it is an opportunity for others, including him, to make a statement. The brass ring is available for the taking, and Condit is one of many top welterweights who are hoping to grab it.
Over the course of the last few years, he has vaulted from virtual unknown to one of the more recognizable fighters in the division. He is also one of the most exciting fighters in the sport, thrilling fans with few exceptions.
How did he get here? Today, we take a look at the five biggest moments from the career of “The Natural Born Killer.”
Someone is getting put to sleep at UFC 171: Hendricks vs. Lawler this weekend. It’s a fact. With 26 knockouts between the main eventers alone, I will reiterate: Peoples is getting put to sleep at UFC 171. And for the first time since UFC 168, those peoples won’t be the audience (*swishes three-pointer*)
Aside from providing some prime opportunities for fans to witness a highlight reel knockout, UFC 171 is also a gambler’s paradise, so join us after the jump for a look at all the UFC 171 betting lines (courtesy of BestFightOdds) and our time-tested advice.
Stay the Hell Away From:
Raquel Pennington (+220) vs. Jessica Andrade (-280)
Andrade as a -280 with a loss to Liz Carmouche and a decision win against 36 year old veteran Rosi Sexton inside the Octagon is rather steep. Jessica may be the better fighter on paper, but it is hard to gauge the improvements made by Raquel since her decision victory over Roxanne Modafferi. Dana had implored Raquel to “let your hands go” during the TUF 18 season, seemingly underlining unrealised potential in the 25 year old Colorado Springs native. Will Raquel come out striking and use her size advantage to control Jessica, or will Andrade find a way to push the ground attack and control the fight on the mat? Too hard to tell from here, best to pass over and simply enjoy.
By Dan George
Someone is getting put to sleep at UFC 171: Hendricks vs. Lawler this weekend. It’s a fact. With 26 knockouts between the main eventers alone, I will reiterate: Peoples is getting put to sleep at UFC 171. And for the first time since UFC 168, those peoples won’t be the audience (*swishes three-pointer*)
Aside from providing some prime opportunities for fans to witness a highlight reel knockout, UFC 171 is also a gambler’s paradise, so join us after the jump for a look at all the UFC 171 betting lines (courtesy of BestFightOdds) and our time-tested advice.
Stay the Hell Away From:
Raquel Pennington (+220) vs. Jessica Andrade (-280)
Andrade as a -280 favorite with a loss to Liz Carmouche and a decision win against 36 year old veteran Rosi Sexton inside the Octagon is rather steep. Jessica may be the better fighter on paper, but it is hard to gauge the improvements made by Raquel since her decision victory over Roxanne Modafferi. Dana had implored Raquel to “let your hands go” during the TUF 18 season, seemingly underlining unrealised potential in the 25 year old Colorado Springs native. Will Raquel come out striking and use her size advantage to control Jessica, or will Andrade find a way to push the ground attack and control the fight on the mat? Too hard to tell from here, best to pass over and simply enjoy.
In his last three outings, Bermudez has won via back-to-back split decisions and a unanimous decision, respectively, yet still comes in as a better than 2 to 1 favorite to walk away with a win against grappling ace Jimy Hettes. Looking at the three straight first round losses via submission on Bermudez’s record, coupled with Jimy’s 10 submission victories in 12 career fights, the scales begin to lead towards an upset victory for Hettes. Bermudez holds a decided striking advantage and most likely will try to keep this fight standing, but as seen in the past, Bermudez may over commit and follow the fight to the ground where he falls into Jimy’s wheelhouse.
On the side of Hettes, if he can emulate his fight with Nam Phan and stick to Bermudez, there is a great chance that as the fight goes on Hettes finds a way to either submit Dennis or steal enough rounds to pull off a decision victory here.
This will be Jake’s third consecutive outing as the underdog and for the third straight time he will look to reward those who believe he can pull off the upset win. Lombard is most likely being looked at through the Jake Ellenberger lens, meaning he is favored to stop Shields takedowns early and use his decided striking advantage to put the former Strikeforce champion away. While Lombard has returned to welterweight and still has plenty of punching power, what is less clear is whether or not he still has sufficient strength in the grappling department to deal with a guy like Shields if the fight does go to the ground.
Demian Maia found out the hard way that Shields has an incredible ground game and in the event this fight does go to the ground, this is where Jake can cash big.
Too hard to pass over Sanchez as an underdog against a rising undefeated prospect who has had Michael Johnson as his toughest test thus far inside the Octagon. Diego is notoriously hard to finish and tends to catch the eye of the judges more often than not with his unique style of fighting, which is something Jury has yet to experience inside the Octagon. Jury may very well find his range and keep Diego at bay, but the high probability this fight goes to decision will give Diego the time to perhaps get inside and pressure Jury in a way that could force the usual wild brawl Sanchez tends to thrive in.
Johny is the right favorite but is way overpriced when looking into this fight and where the potential advantages are for Robbie Lawler. Both men are southpaws and it is Lawler who is 2” taller and will have a 3” reach advantage, possibly gaining a small edge in the stand up department. This seemingly small edge is only amplified when underlining how heavy both fighter’s hands are coupled with their willingness to keep the fight standing. Johny will most likely be the one to initiate the takedown, but Lawler showed in his bout with Koscheck that he can effectively use his butterfly guard to get back up and fight where he is strongest.
Robbie’s record at Welterweight is 11-2, with one loss coming via injury (hip dislocation) to Pete Spratt and of course the only KO loss of his career to Nick Diaz, not once has he been a victim of being out grappled like he was at 185lbs. With this in mind, if the fight stays standing, taking Robbie at 3 times your bet could be the best good dog pick of 2014.
Krylov certainly looked night and day from his debut against Soa Palelei with a stunning KO victory over Walt Harris in his last outing in the Octagon. Krylov will be making his Light Heavyweight debut this time around and it will be as a replacement for Thiago Silva (who’s kind of a shitty person and is no longer welcome in the UFC) on short notice. OSP has the benefit of a full camp and should be able to use some GnP to fend off the submission specialist Nikita while maintaining control on top either pulling off the decision victory or even stopping Krylov due to strikes.
Tyron Woodley is looking to jump into the Welterweight top ten rankings in a big way by taking on the UFC #2 ranked Welterweight Carlos Condit. Many like Woodley to use his wrestling pedigree to exploit Condit in this fight and grind out a win, as we have seen both Condit become a victim of this as well as Woodley often come out the victor while employing this style of attack against his opponents. Condit has shown some improvements in his ground game, notably being able to stand up after being taken down by Johny Hendricks several times in their razor close affair back at UFC 158. Condit’s advantage in the stand for this fight could be the difference if he is able to use leg kicks to keep Woodley off balance and unable to drive forward for takedowns.
Condit is yet to be KO’d and Woodley is not the best striker he has faced, not by a long shot — Woodley will most likely have to stick to a one dimensional approach of going for the takedown, something Condit may be more than ready for considering his losses to GSP and Hendricks previously. Carlos is coming off an ultra impressive FOTN KO of Martin Kampmann and seems to have enough tools in his belt to ensure he is next in line for a title shot at 170lbs.
Carlos Condit is a mixed martial artist for the fans.
He finishes fights, and even when he loses, he does so while looking for the knockout or submission at every opportunity. He faced a great deal of criticism for fighting smart against Nick Diaz, and…
Carlos Condit is a mixed martial artist for the fans.
He finishes fights, and even when he loses, he does so while looking for the knockout or submission at every opportunity. He faced a great deal of criticism for fighting smart against Nick Diaz, and he has not had a single slow match since.
Perhaps Condit is the best example of the kind of fighter who can pull in fans for the UFC, but more than that he is an example, to every martial artist, of the importance of opportunism.
Take, for instance, his bout with Dong Hyun Kim. Each time Kim stepped in with strikes in order to get to the clinch, Condit nailed him with a counterpunch. On the occasion that Kim took Condit down, “The Natural Born Killer” immediately started working from the bottom and found an opportunity to turn the Korean over.
Condit is known as a striker, but when the fight hits the ground and he’s on the bottom, he never looks to hold and get the stand up. He wastes no time getting to work and making stuff happen. Even if he’s taken down at every turn on the feet, he is almost always up again in the next 30 seconds.
The moment that Kim displayed a flaw, whether on the feet or the ground, Condit was taking a mile for every inch given to him.
Nowhere was this more obvious than when, for the briefest of moments, Kim’s back came near the fence. Condit had thrown a combination and backed Kim up, finishing it with a lazy front kick at head height.
Suddenly he realized that Kim was on the fence, and his pace changed in an instant. From the lazy kick he planted his feet and leapt in with a flying knee. He caught Kim with nowhere to go and starched the Korean.
That is not to say that Condit will alwaysknock an opponent out for his errors. You know as well as I do that the only absolute in sports is that there are no absolute rules. Condit’s bout with Johny Hendricks was close, but Condit often threw away his advantages by pressing them too hard.
What do I mean? Well, Hendricks’ strategy throughout the bout was to throw combinations, get Condit to the fence and finish takedowns. He did this several times in the first round, and Condit worked his way up each time.
When Condit finally had Hendricks with his back to the fence, he immediately jumped in with a knee (which fell short), ending up trading with Hendricks and being turned onto the fence. This was a great example of grasping an opportunity perhaps too eagerly. Not only did the knee fall short, but Condit gave up the superior cage position and ultimately another takedown attempt.
Even in this example of rushing and throwing away a good opportunity, however, Condit showed his ability to roll with the punches (figuratively) and look for further opportunities. Hendricks turned him onto the fence and went for the high crotch, while Condit immediately locked in a kimura and fell to his back on his own terms. Through trying to finish the hold, he ended up on Hendricks’ back and in position to finish the fight.
Condit attempted the same knee along the fence in the second round and sacrificed a takedown immediately.
One of the things that really showed in Condit’s most recent bout, a rematch with Martin Kampmann, was his employment of a more rational, pressuring style when he had his man along the fence—not leaping in with the knee and hoping to finish.
Kampmann had been attempting to use his underrated wrestling to get the better of Condit throughout the fight, and he’d been having success in taking down his opponent. In the fourth round, however, Condit managed to manoeuvre Kampmann toward the fence. From there, he applied the pressure without jumping onto a takedown.
Throwing off combinations and making sure to exit with the left hook or that fall-away left high kick that he loves, Condit was able to land hard blows as Kampmann—always the counterpuncher—was attempting to fire back.
Notice that instead of the initial combination, it was almost always the last punch as Condit was retreating back into his guard that wobbled Kampmann.
Kampmann has made a career out of punching second and coming out on top (just as Hendricks did against Condit), but Condit’s retreating left hook and left high kick served to punish the Dane for pursuing the counter.
Condit, despite being considered a veteran of the sport and the division, is still learning, growing and looking for ways to improve his exciting, opportunistic but somewhat reckless style.
He meets Tyron Woodley at UFC 171 on Saturday, and we will see how he deals with yet another opponent who will be looking to get him to the fence and put him on his back over and over again.
Pick up Jack’s eBooksAdvanced Striking and Elementary Striking from his blog, Fights Gone By. Jack can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
After a razor-thin split decision and monumental announcement, Georges St-Pierre—the long-reigning king of the UFC’s welterweight division—vacated his throne atop the 170-pound mountain.
After barely slipping past heavy-handed title challen…
After a razor-thin split decision and monumental announcement, Georges St-Pierre—the long-reigning king of the UFC’s welterweight division—vacated his throne atop the 170-pound mountain.
After barely slipping past heavy-handed title challenger Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 in November, the pound-for-pound great decided to step away from the rigors and stresses of being champion and removed himself from the picture. For six years, GSP dominated the talent-rich fold, and 2013 came to a close just as that historic chapter in welterweight history did the same.
While the French-Canadian’s absence would shorten the already thin list of proven pay-per-view draws, it also opened the doors for what could prove to be a dynamic race to re-establish dominance on the 170-pound divisional hierarchy in 2014.
A pair of top-ranked welterweights in Rory MacDonald and Dong Hyun Kim have already made bids for future title opportunities to kick off the year, but the action will ramp up this weekend at UFC 171 in Dallas, where a barrage of elite welterweights will step into the Octagon and jockey for position.
In addition to the main event showdown between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler to determine the new champion, two more tilts carry heavy implications as to how the title picture will develop going forward.
Former WEC and UFC interim champion Carlos Condit will look to make good on the promise of him getting the next shot when he squares off with surging upstart Tyron Woodley in the co-main event. Meanwhile, Jake Shields and Hector Lombard will meet to see which of them will remain a major player in the title race.
Yet, while the action on Saturday night in Texas will put the spotlight on the upper tier of the division, plenty of recent and future action will play a part in how the division takes shape in a post-St-Pierre world.
Let’s take a look at the current state of the welterweight division and the interesting turns that may arise as 2014 plays out.
Things Are About to Get Rowdy in Dallas
While a few notable welterweights won’t compete at UFC 171, a collection of heavy hitters will be in Dallas on Saturday to settle the major issues at 170 pounds.
Recent title challenger Johny Hendricks will look to capitalize on his second attempt at championship gold against Robbie Lawler—a savvy veteran who is in the midst of a red-hot resurgence.
Whereas “Bigg Rigg” is excited to get the opportunity in his adopted backyard of Texas, the former two-time NCAA Division I national champion will be coming into the fight with a chip on his shoulder. The Team Takedown fighter—and many in the MMA community—believes he did enough to dethrone St-Pierre back in November, but the scorecards ultimately favored the standing champion.
Hendricks has vowed not to let UFC gold slip through his fingers again.
The only thing standing in his way is one of the most feared knockout artists in MMA. While the former Oklahoma State University wrestling standout has one-shot power of his own, Lawler has been settling opponents in brutal fashion for more than a decade.
The American Top Team fighter has looked reinvigorated since returning to the UFC. He ripped through Josh Koscheck and Bobby Voelker and then battered Rory MacDonald to earn a shot at the title.
When the cage door closes on Saturday, the odds will be strong of someone going to sleep on the canvas and the winner going to sleep with the belt in his room. And before MMA fans find out which fighter will fill which role in that equation, they might already know who the new champion will face in his first title defense.
The co-main event between Carlos Condit and Tyron Woodley will be a heavy-stakes affair, as “The Natural Born Killer” will be looking to validate the lingering promise of the next title shot.
The Albuquerque native has been one of the most prolific finishers in the welterweight ranks for the better part of the past decade. After being edged out by Martin Kampmann in his promotional debut in 2009, Condit has since won win six of his eight showings, with his only two losses in that stretch coming against St-Pierre and Hendricks, respectively.
He found redemption in brutal fashion in his most recent outing, starching Kampmann in the fourth round of their rematch at UFC Fight Night 27 in August.
UFC president Dana White has declared Condit will get the next title shot with a victory over Woodley, and with Condit’s killer instinct, that’s exactly what he’ll be hunting for on Saturday night.
Things look a bit different on Woodley’s side of the table.
While a victory over Condit would boost his stock, he hasn’t been promised a title shot with a win. “The Chosen One” has picked up a couple of solid victories since coming over from Strikeforce, but he’s yet to compile a list of top-ranked victims.
Condit will be his first elite UFC opponent, and if Woodley passes that test, the former Missouri University wrestling standout will find himself on a short list of future contenders. That is the reward dangling at the end of this fight and one he is hungry to claim.
With both the main and co-main events carrying heavy action, it’s hard to imagine another fight could impact the title picture, but the bout between Jake Shields and Hector Lombard meets the criteria.
The former Strikeforce champion and welterweight title contender has been picking up steam since he’s returned to 170 pounds, edging out Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia in recent bouts. Both fights were closely contested affairs with the Cesar Gracie representative pulling out back-to-back split-decision victories.
While those close decisions haven’t made Shields a front-runner for title contention, a victory over the Cuban knockout artist on Saturday would put some serious heat to that particular cause.
While Shields’ style of fighting is often criticized, there is no denying the veteran’s effectiveness inside the cage. The 35-year-old has only lost two fights in eight years and has claimed victory over a cast of high-profile fighters.
Despite the unique challenge that Lombard will present, Shields has a great record against power punchers, as he’s defeated Dan Henderson, Robbie Lawler and Paul Daley over the course of his career. If he adds Lombard to that list, he would be within striking distance of a title shot.
Although Lombard is relatively new to the division, he has already achieved top-shelf status. The former Bellator middleweight champion had a rocky start to his UFC run at 185 pounds, managing only one win in three showings. The former Olympian heeded the call from UFC brass and decided to drop down to welterweight. The decision immediately proved fruitful, as he destroyed Nate Marquardt in the first round of their tilt at UFC 166 last October.
The American Top Team product made short work out of the former Strikeforce champion and will now face another former titleholder on Saturday night. Shields has proved to be one of the toughest outs in the game, and if Lombard can do what he is known to do once the cage door closes, it could send a shock wave through the welterweight title picture.
A Batch of Potential Contenders in Waiting
In order for the title race to remain exciting, there needs to be an extended line of potential contenders who are working to make a run at the gold. At this time, the welterweight throne room is crowded, but there is no shortage of would-be challengers.
Sitting just beyond the gates is talented upstart Rory MacDonald. Since his emergence on the UFC scene four years ago, the British Columbia native has been pegged as the heir apparent to his friend and training partner St-Pierre.
“Ares” provided a solid amount of validation to that notion by winning six of his first seven showings inside the Octagon. Over this run, he put on the types of performances that raised his status from prospect to contender and placed him in position to make some major moves in the division.
Nevertheless, something changed in the young fighter in 2013, as he had back-to-back lackluster showings in major fights. While he was able to get a unanimous-decision victory over Jake Ellenberger despite a listless performance, he wasn’t as fortunate in his next outing. He took the second loss of his career via split decision against Robbie Lawler four months later.
In the aftermath of his loss in Las Vegas, MacDonald cited a lack of fire and motivation over his recent run but ensured the setback had reignited those flames of competition. And he backed up his words against Demian Maia in his most recent outing. While the Brazilian submission ace was able to control the action on the canvas in the opening round, MacDonald raged back and hammered the former middleweight title challenger for the final two rounds.
Following the victory over Maia, he made a play for a title shot, but it looks like he’ll need at least another win or two before that happens.
Another fighter who recently made a play of his own is Dong Hyun Kim. The “Stun Gun” is experiencing one of the most prolific turnarounds of any fighter in recent memory where style is concerned.
Whereas the South Korean had always been an effective grappler who used his top pressure to control the opposition, the 32-year-old has shifted gears and started knocking people out. His stoppage of surging prospect Erick Silva was impressive, but his spinning back elbow obliteration of John Hathaway in Macao turned the MMA world sideways for days following the bout.
While landing a Knockout of the Year-worthy finish is great for Kim’s stock, it isn’t enough to warrant him leapfrogging some of the bigger names in the division. That said, he does have a four-fight winning streak and is on one of the strongest runs in the weight class. Yet, he will need at least one more impressive victory over a top-ranked opponent to enter serious title consideration.
Two fighters who not only share similar air space in the division but an upcoming dance card as well are Jake Ellenberger and Tarec Saffiedine.
“The Juggernaut” and the Belgian striker were originally slated to tangle earlier in the year, but an injury forced Ellenberger out of the fight. Saffiedine—the last man to hold the Strikeforce welterweight title—went on to defeat his replacement Hyun Gyu Lim, and the matchup between the two has been rescheduled for UFC 172 on April 26.
While “Sponge” has a five-fight winning streak and Ellenberger is coming off a loss, their spots in the division make their pairing worthwhile. Although the former Marine lost to MacDonald in his most recent outing, he has claimed victory in eight of his last 10 outings, and that is an impressive feat in such a talent-rich division.
When the two fighters collide in Baltimore next month, the winner will remain in the hunt, while the loser will get reshuffled into the deck.
The final fighter who is hovering in this realm of contention is Ohio native Matt Brown. “The Immortal” has proved to be one of the most resilient fighters, bouncing back from a rough patch where he dropped four out of five showings and rebounding with six consecutive victories. The strength of that run brought him to the doorstep of the top tier of the division, but an injury forced him out of a scheduled bout with Condit at UFC on Fox 9 in December.
Despite Brown’s recent run of success, the biggest knock on the hard-nosed veteran is the lack of a marquee win over an elite welterweight. Although he’s bounced some talented fighters, without a victory over a high-profile opponent, he won’t be considered for title contention.
He is set to make his return to action against Erick Silva when the UFC returns to Cincinnati in May. A victory would ensure that his next opponent will come from the divisional elite.
Nick Diaz could also be a factor, but that depends on Nick Diaz, and when it comes to Nick Diaz, there is no way to tell what is going to happen.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report.
