The UFC Middleweight division is one of the most overlooked weight classes in mixed martial arts today.And, while the weight class consists of the world’s greatest fighter in Anderson Silva and 45 other 185 lb. fighters, it has still been criticized fo…
The UFC Middleweight division is one of the most overlooked weight classes in mixed martial arts today.
And, while the weight class consists of the world’s greatest fighter in Anderson Silva and 45 other 185 lb. fighters, it has still been criticized for it’s lack of competition.
While the Middleweight division may not have some of the “bigger names” like the Light Heavyweight division, it does produce some of the UFC’s hardest hitters.
The following slides display the 5 hardest hitting Middleweights in the UFC today.
While it was obvious that Chael Sonnen was back with bad intentions after beating down Brian Stann and eventually choking him out, his words after the fight spoke volumes about his intentions. Sonnen said immediately after the fight with Stann about a …
While it was obvious that Chael Sonnen was back with bad intentions after beating down Brian Stann and eventually choking him out, his words after the fight spoke volumes about his intentions.
Anderson Silva, you absolutely suck. Super Bowl weekend, the biggest rematch in the history of the business. I’m calling you out Silva, but we’re upping the stakes. I beat you, you leave the (185 lbs.) Division. You beat me, I will leave the UFC forever.
Sonnen has never been one to mince words, but his newfound swagger after all of the turmoil he faced in the UFC and in his personal life are greater than anyone could’ve expected.
For those who don’t remember, Sonnen fought Anderson Silva and dominated for most of the fight before falling into a choke and eventually tapping out.
While all of the turmoil has drummed up more hype for a possible second fight between Sonnen and Silva, Sonnen has made it abundantly clear that he is back in the UFC for one reason.
Is that camera big enough to take in the largest arm in Westland, Oregon that has found its way to Houston, Texas? Because that thing looks a little bit small. I’m not here to be just one of the guys, I have plenty of money and plenty of fame. I’m after 12 pounds of gold and that’s it.
Silva has never been a man that backed down from a fight, and if Sonnen wants this fight bad enough, Dana White and the people of the UFC will make it happen.
With the hype that Sonnen created by calling out the champion after the fight, this fight could draw in the kind of numbers that make the UFC’s pockets that much fatter.
Going into his fight with Chael Sonnen on Saturday night, Brian Stann was being heralded as the next great thing at middleweight.He was riding a 5-1 record in his previous six fights, had proven his ability to reduce men to rubble in the cage and had g…
Going into his fight with Chael Sonnen on Saturday night, Brian Stann was being heralded as the next great thing at middleweight.
He was riding a 5-1 record in his previous six fights, had proven his ability to reduce men to rubble in the cage and had great marketing appeal as a former Marine who happens to be as affable and well-spoken as any pro athlete in the world today.
Unfortunately for him, the Sonnen fight served to completely undo a lot of what he’d accomplished. The American hero, that the UFC has so obviously been behind, was left battered and bruised after being outwrestled and choked out in a little over a round.
Not exactly what the company was hoping for. Probably even less so what Stann was hoping for.
However it really begs the question: was Brian Stann fool’s gold all along?
If you look at his UFC matchups since dropping to middleweight, most of them have been favourable. That’s not an attack or designed to be abrasive, it’s reality. Look at the list:
Mike Massenzio, a guy who has been hanging on like grim death just to stay on the roster. Stann finished him via triangle, establishing his ground game against a guy who likely only knew of triangles from math and music before being caught in one.
Chris Leben, the come-forward-no-matter-what slugger that Stann politely called out in an earlier effort to fight a name guy and get on the map. Mission accomplished, as he stopped Leben early in the first round. Still, it’s a guy you knew wouldn’t test anything other than his standup, and it made him look good in a big way.
Jorge Santiago, a fresh face with decent standup but without the durability to take Stann’s considerable punching power. Also enough hubris to try and fight fire with fire instead of fighting smart, which is what led to him being steamrolled by the former Marine.
So really, when you put him in there against Sonnen it was no wonder that he’d catch a beating. He seems like a good guy, and is unquestionably a great ambassador for the sport, but his accomplishments on the battlefield perhaps accounted for him being rushed along a little, just as much as those in the octagon did.
Everyone likes a good story, and Brian Stann is that. He’s the type of guy who is seemingly good at everything he does, and people respect his abilities no matter what they’re being applied to. In this case, he still has respect in his ongoing pursuit of success in MMA, but he’s further away than people realize.
Brian Stann was fool’s gold going into UFC 136. It was proven when he was so thoroughly outclassed by a man many consider to be nipping at Anderson Silva’s heels as best middleweight in the world. People—the UFC included—thought Stann was better than he was, and that injustice cost him a sound beating and a big loss.
He needs to get back in the gym and work on his wrestling and ground game, and then get matched up with a guy who can test it without the relentlessness and ferocity of Sonnen. Demian Maia comes to mind as a guy who makes a lot of sense, but there are others as well.
It was too far, too fast for Stann in the past year, and Saturday night officially marked the stopping point of that journey. Like most, I look forward to the reset that will follow, and the evolution he’ll go through to become better.
His story also needs to be remembered the next time a prospect on the rise looks invincible, because chances are he’s not.
With Chael Sonnen’s destruction of Brian Stann at UFC 136, it was obvious a rematch with Anderson Silva was the only option for the next championship fight. Aside from perhaps Mark Munoz and Michael Bisping, Anderson Silva has completely cleaned out th…
With ChaelSonnen‘s destruction of Brian Stann at UFC 136, it was obvious a rematch with Anderson Silva was the only option for the next championship fight. Aside from perhaps Mark Munoz and Michael Bisping, Anderson Silva has completely cleaned out the division, and a fight with Sonnen is one of the few remaining compelling matchups the UFC can make.
With a successful show in Texas, MMA Junkie reports that UFC President Dana White has been in talks with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in regards to putting on an event at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The 80,000 seat stadium would easily surpass the 55,724 record at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, but the UFC hasn’t exactly proven to have that kind of drawing power—at least not in Texas.
It would also make sense to host another event in Brazil, given the demand for seats at UFC 134 and the hatred for ChaelSonnen. The last event in Rio deJaneiro was in an arena that held a mere 14,000 seats, although there are several stadiums in Brazil that hold well over 60,000.
Finally, if the UFC wanted to truly make an impact in Japan, it certainly could go for Nissan Stadium in Yokohama. The stadium has hosted several FIFA World Cup games and has a total of 72,327 seats. The Saitama Super Arena is set to hold the UFC’s next trip to Japan on February 26, 2012, and has a reported capacity of 37,000.
Either way, Silva vs. Sonnen II is certainly going to be a major event. Particularly with Sonnen‘s post-fight hype at UFC 136, the pay-per-view buy rate is likely to be in the top 10 for the organization.
After taking the submission victory over Brian Stann at this weekend’s UFC 136, Chael Sonnen has his sights clearly set on UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva’s belt.Out over a year since his UFC 117 bout with the champion, Sonnen came back better…
After taking the submission victory over Brian Stann at this weekend’s UFC 136, Chael Sonnen has his sights clearly set on UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva‘s belt.
Out over a year since his UFC 117 bout with the champion, Sonnen came back better than ever. Controlling Stann with his superior wrestling, Sonnen dominated from the top as he rained down blows before ending the fight with an arm triangle choke.
After the fight, Sonnen told commentator Joe Rogan that he wants Silva—badly—and vows to leave the UFC if he loses in a rematch.
If Sonnen wants to make his self-proclaimed championship tangible, he will have to improve certain aspects of his game that cost him the title last year.
The biggest hole in Sonnen’s game has always been his submission defense.
Almost all of his losses have come against better Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners that effectively use their guard to attack from the bottom. Sonnen’s top control is exploited as his wrestling background actually hurts him in the top guard.
In his fight with Silva at UFC 117, the last ditch triangle-armbar sank in because Sonnen’s smothering style does not create the space needed to escape a position like that.
In his bout with Demian Maia at UFC 95, Sonnen’s inability to defend against submissions is what allowed Maia to obtain a triangle choke in the first round.
If Sonnen can sure up this aspect of his grappling game, then it will be very hard for Silva to work on the ground, as Sonnen’s wrestling will probably keep him on top if the fight goes to the canvas.
It is imperative that Sonnen smothers Silva with his strength and wrestling if he wants to take the title.
Grinding away at the champion was a perfect strategy in the first fight, coming within seconds of taking the belt. As long as Sonnen stays on top, throws some ground-and-pound, and smothers Silva, then winning the title this time around should be possible.
Standing up, Sonnen showed that he can hang with Silva in their first bout, although Silva was suffering from an injury to his ribcage.
In a second meeting, Sonnen would be wise to not try and strike with the champion too much. Using combinations to set-up his takedowns is the smartest option for the challenger.
Sonnen has never been knocked out, but Silva’s amazing kicks and powerful punches should make the challenger weary to stand and trade.
Out of all the middleweights in MMA, Sonnen has the best shot at dethroning the champion. If he can implement his game plan and avoid the submissions, then the UFC might have a new top dog at middleweight.
According to UFC President Dana White, the organization could finally host an event at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The UFC boss has been obsessed over the thought of hosting in the venue since attending a boxing match featuring Manny Pacquia…
According to UFC President Dana White, the organization could finally host an event at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas.
The UFC boss has been obsessed over the thought of hosting in the venue since attending a boxing match featuring Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito last year.
“We’ve been talking to (Cowboys owner) Jerry Jones for a while about doing a fight there,” White told reporters during a UFC 136 post-fight press conference. “It’s just got to be the right fight,” he added.
And the right fight could possibly be an anticipated rematch between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen. Sonnen was awarded the opportunity to face Silva following his decisive victory over Brian Stann this past weekend. After the bout, Sonnen challenged the Brazilian, much to the pleasure of the crowd, and even offered to put his career on the line.
When asked about the possibility of setting up a title bout to headline Cowboys Stadium, White was optimistic about the idea.
“I think it could,” he said. “I think we could do a big, big venue for that one.”
The UFC is no stranger to breaking records, as they set a new attendance record for UFC 129, headlined by Georges St-Pierre and Jake Shields, holding over 55,000 fans at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
Cowboys Stadium holds approximately 110,000 seats, and after failing to attract a bigger venue on the company’s recent trip to Brazil for UFC 134, White said they won’t make the same mistake.
“We didn’t nail that one, but we won’t make that mistake twice,” he said.
While it was obvious that Chael Sonnen was back with bad intentions after beating down Brian Stann and eventually choking him out, his words after the fight spoke volumes about his intentions.