Filed under: UFCFor Jim Miller, Friday night was another impressive performance against an opponent on the fringe of the division’s top 10. The next thing he needs is a breakthrough win against a truly elite opponent. Overall, Miller’s resume is outsta…
For Jim Miller, Friday night was another impressive performance against an opponent on the fringe of the division’s top 10. The next thing he needs is a breakthrough win against a truly elite opponent. Overall, Miller’s resume is outstanding. He’s a finisher, with 15 stoppage victories in 21 career wins. His only three losses have come to Frank Edgar, Gray Maynard and Ben Henderson — a UFC champ, and two No. 1 contenders, respectively.
Now, it’s time for Miller to get over the hump. At least mentally, he’s there. After beating Melvin Guillard at last Friday night’s UFC on FX 1, he said that he believes he’s the “most dangerous lightweight in the world.”
His aggressive, hard-charging attitude is proof of that self-confidence, even if he’s struggled at times against the best 155 has to offer. The same can’t be said for Guillard, who has now lost two in a row and seems to panic whenever he hits the ground against a submission threat.
All six of Guillard’s UFC losses have come by way of choke submission — three rear naked chokes, two guillotines and one triangle, if you’re scoring at home. After recently moving his training camp to Florida, he has a new jiu-jitsu coach. Guillard is now 28 years. He’s not so young anymore, so he’d be wise to take some time off and work intensively on his ground game. If he doesn’t shore up that problem, he’s destined to be what he’s always been, a million-dollar standup fighter with a 50-dollar ground game. That might sound a bit harsh, but Guillard’s tapped out nine times in 42 career fights, an unacceptable ratio for a top-level fighter.
Jim Miller
Realistically, there aren’t many names in front of Miller on the UFC depth chart. The two most notable — Edgar and Henderson — are locked into a fight, and Miller’s not quite in position to challenge for the belt just yet anyway. That leaves only a few likely matchups. We only have to go back a few weeks ago to find a fellow lightweight that has worked his way into the title picture. He’s on a similar timeline so the duo should be ready to fight around the same time, and the fight makes sense when you look at where they stand within the division. Prediction: Miller faces Nate Diaz
Melvin Guillard
The best thing Guillard could do is take time to work on his shortcomings. Work in a gi. Go to Brazil. Treat it like an illness in need of a cure, and go wherever the remedy is. Guillard has been an incredibly active fighter during his recent UFC career. Since December 2007, he’s fought 12 times — once every four months or so. While that’s been great for his bank account, perhaps it would have benefited him to take longer stretches between fights to address overall development. It’s hard to criticize Guillard so much when he rattled off wins in eight of nine prior to his recent skid, but it would be a bigger shame to fail to capitalize on all of his potential. Prediction: The UFC puts him in a fight with another striker, say, Sam Stout
Josh Neer
Did you know that Neer is younger than the “Young Assassin,” Guillard? Perhaps it’s because Neer has been around for almost nine years, but the veteran strikes me as someone who’s a bit older. Neer showed that poise in his win over Duane Ludwig, weathering an early storm to take the fight into his world and winning by submission. That makes it five straight wins for Neer, who voiced an interest in a fight with Brian Ebersole afterward. That’s a good matchup, but I have another idea. Prediction: Neer faces Mike Pyle
Mike Easton
Easton certainly brings with him a palpable energy and a strong presence. Now 2-0 in the UFC octagon after a spirited fight with Jared Papazian that should have earned the Fight of the Night award, he hasn’t yet faced anyone that fans find recognizable, so it may be time to throw a bigger name at the “Hulk.” Prediction: He faces Yves Jabouin
Pat Barry
Beating Christian Morecraft may not be a signature win for Barry, but it was important in that it showed he could survive a sustained ground attack. Similar to Guillard, Barry has shown brilliant standup but folded when the fight went to the mat. That came to an end on Saturday, when he withstood a choke and an arm bar to return to his feet and KO Morecraft. While we can’t write him into the heavyweight title picture, at least it’s a positive sign of evolution. Working with the DeathClutch grapplers, he should continue to improve. That’s a good thing, because it won’t get any easier for him. Prediction: He faces Gabriel Gonzaga
Khabib Nurmagomedov
The 23-year-old Russian moved to a perfect 17-0 with a third-round submission win over Kamal Shalorus. Most impressive was the fact that Nurmagomedov outwrestled an excellent wrestler. His striking can best be characterized as unconventional. Against Shalorus it was effective, as he out-landed his opponent 59-18. Given his age, Nurmagomedov has time to improve. His next fight should come against someone of similar UFC experience. Prediction: He faces John Cholish
Charlie Brenneman
Brenneman scored another grinding victory, keeping the fight on the mat for most of the contest and working Daniel Roberts over throughout the duration. Brenneman’s next bout should come against another strong wrestler, perhaps forcing him into a fight that will see how far his striking has come along. Prediction: He faces Dong Hyun Kim
Guillard choking, in every sense of the word. (Photo: UFC.com)
While the ‘UFC on FX’ debut may have lacked the big names of UFC 142, the fights themselves packed just as much fire-power. For the second straight week, six fighters were able to put away their opponent and double their earnings in less than a round. Punches, chokes, and a torrent of brutal hellbows were all used to send grown men into la-la land, and we’ve got the GIF’s to prove it.
Guillard choking, in every sense of the word. (Photo: UFC.com)
While the ‘UFC on FX’ debut may have lacked the big names of UFC 142, the fights themselves packed just as much fire-power. For the second straight week, six fighters were able to put away their opponent and double their earnings in less than a round. Punches, chokes, and a torrent of brutal hellbows were all used to send grown men into la-la land, and we’ve got the GIF’s to prove it.
This is the UFC on FX live blog for all the preliminary bouts televised on FUEL in support of tonight’s FX card from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
Round 1: Denis throwing a series of combos early. Sandoval getting tagged. Fighting in close and Denis lands a series of elbows from a Thai clinch that put Sandoval’s lights out. A quick ending to start the night.
Winner: Nick Denis via KO, Rd. 1 (0:22)
Daniel Pineda vs. Pat Schilling
Round 1: Both fighters are making their UFC debuts. The duo exchange kicks to the lead leg to start the action. Pineda takes Schilling down from a body lock and moves right into mount. After some ground and pound, Schilling gives his back. Schilling gets to his feet with Pineda on his back, but Pineda sinks in a rear naked choke and digs in his hips, pulling Schilling backwards and down. The choke is sunk, and it’s a wrap.
Winner: Daniel Pineda via rear naked choke, Rd. 1 (1:37)
Fabricio Camoes vs. Tommy Hayden
Round 1: Hayden staggers Camoes briefly with a stiff jab. Camoes shoots in but Hayden sidesteps him and gets free. In a scramble, Hayden takes Camoes back and drags him down. Camoes hunts a kimura, but Hayden works free. Back to their feet. Camoes initiates a clinch and they end up back on the ground, Hayden on top in half-guard. Camoes tries an oma plata. Hayden works free but sweeps Hayden down. Camoes lands punches from the top. Hayden gives up his back. Camoes digs in for the rear naked choke. Hayden looked like he was tapping but the ref let the action go on. Camoes regripped it and then got the tap.
Winner: Fabricio Camoes via rear naked choke, Rd. 1 (4:03)
Charlie Brenneman vs. Daniel Roberts
Round 1: After a long stretch between fights, we’re finally back to action. Roberts drills Brenneman with a left hand but gets taken down for his troubles. Brenneman moves to side mount but only briefly as Roberts stays active on the bottom. Brenneman with short strikes from the top, and back into side mount. He traps Roberts’ left arm in a crucifix and starts laying the leather. Roberts works his arm free but Brenneman retains the position. Brenneman with some knees to the body and peppering Roberts with punches. Nothing big enough to threaten a stoppage, but enough to keep the position. Roberts gets back to his feet with 10 seconds left but Brenneman slams him down. It’s Brenneman’s round 10-9.
Round 2: Roberts comes out with a left high kick early. It doesn’t land flush. Brenneman tries a takedown, Roberts attempts a guillotine, well defended. Brenneman on top again, and works into side control, and into the crucifix again. Roberts works back to a neutral position and ties Brenneman up, leading to a standup. Brenneman wastes no time going low again. Roberts goes for a kimura, then tries to get to his opponent’s back. Then he slickly transitions to an inverted triangle. There are just seconds left and he can’t tighten it up enough for the tap before the horn. It’s still Brenneman’s round, 10-9.
Round 3: Roberts is on his back again within the opening 20 seconds. Brenneman is mostly having his way with Roberts on the ground. His strikes aren’t shaking the cage, but it’s enough to score points and keep Roberts from throwing up sub attempts. Midway through the round, ref Herb Dean stands them up. On the restart, Roberts goes for the takedown but Brenneman defends and ends up on top. It’s an effective smothering by him. Roberts hunts a kimura as time runs low. He pulls Brenneman’s arm out but can’t torque it enough to force the tap. It’s Brenneman with the shutout, 10-9.
Winner: Charlie Brenneman via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Kamal Shalorus
Round 1: Nurmagomedov is an undefeated 23-year-old who has never fought in a cage before. Nurmagomedov looks a bit uncomfortable early, circling against the fence keeping a distance. Shalorus takes the center of the cage. Out of nowhere, Nurmagomedov lands a right hand that floors Shalorus. Nurmagomedov pours it on as Shalorus tries to keep moving and out of trouble. Ref Mario Yamasaki looks them over but Shalorus is defending well enough to allow the fight to continue. Nurmagomedov’s strikes come from unorthodox angles but land. They’re back to their feet with 45 seconds left. Both men throwing haymakers but it’s Nurmagomedov landing the bigger blows. It’s his round 10-9.
Round 2: Shalorus looks a takedown, Nurmagomedov defends and instead puts him on his back against the cage. Nurmagomedov moves to half-guard with his ground and pound. The ref stands them up with three minutes left. Nurmagomedov shoots low for a takedown and puts Shalorus down again. Shalorus keeps his hips active, not allowing Nurmagomedov to land anything significant, but he can’t escape from being underneath. The ref restarts them again. Nurmagomedov lands a left uppercut as the round ends. It’s his round again, 10-9.
Round 3: Shalorus is trying to measure an overhand right to end things, probably knowing he’s down on the scorecards. Nurmagomedov went for a single leg and Shalorus countered with a guillotine that was never close. Nurmagomedov mounts with 3:00 left and sinks in a choke. Shalorus taps with a quickness.
Winner: Khabib Nurmagomedov via rear naked choke, Rd. 3 (2:08)
Jorge Rivera vs. Eric Schafer
Rivera has announced that win or lose, this will be the last fight of his decade-long career.
Round 1: Rivera tries to let his hands go early but Schafer ducks under a right hand and puts Rivera on his back. No surprise as Schafer wants to be on the ground at all times, and even more so against a big puncher. Schafer to half-guard as he throws elbows from the top. Rivera uses a whizzer to get to his feet. They’re engaged against the fence with Schafer trying to go low, and he successfully scores another takedown. Schafer with a big right from the top as Rivera tried to escape. Schafer worked to get the mount but Rivera wouldn’t allow it and ended up on top. Schafer had an oma plata and was throwing elbows from the bottom as the round ended. Schafer, 10-9.
Round 2: Schafer is tenacious in trying to get the fight to the ground. Rivera sprawls and lands a hard right hand that cuts Schafer. Rivera swarms from the top with right hands. Schafer tries to cover up but Rivera continues unloading with right hands to the head and ref Herb Dean has no choice but to stop it.
Rivera drops down and kisses the mat as the fans chant “Jorge.” A nice ending to his career. He retires with a 20-9 overall record, and 8-7 in the UFC.
Winner: Jorge Rivera via TKO, Rd. 2(1:31)
“I’m grateful,” Rivera said afterward. “I’m grateful that I fought here in front of a lot of people. I met a lot of great people. It’s been a real nice trip. It’s been real good to me. I’m extremely grateful. Thank you.”
This is the UFC on FX live blog for all the preliminary bouts televised on FUEL in support of tonight’s FX card from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
Round 1: Denis throwing a series of combos early. Sandoval getting tagged. Fighting in close and Denis lands a series of elbows from a Thai clinch that put Sandoval’s lights out. A quick ending to start the night.
Winner: Nick Denis via KO, Rd. 1 (0:22)
Daniel Pineda vs. Pat Schilling
Round 1: Both fighters are making their UFC debuts. The duo exchange kicks to the lead leg to start the action. Pineda takes Schilling down from a body lock and moves right into mount. After some ground and pound, Schilling gives his back. Schilling gets to his feet with Pineda on his back, but Pineda sinks in a rear naked choke and digs in his hips, pulling Schilling backwards and down. The choke is sunk, and it’s a wrap.
Winner: Daniel Pineda via rear naked choke, Rd. 1 (1:37)
Fabricio Camoes vs. Tommy Hayden
Round 1: Hayden staggers Camoes briefly with a stiff jab. Camoes shoots in but Hayden sidesteps him and gets free. In a scramble, Hayden takes Camoes back and drags him down. Camoes hunts a kimura, but Hayden works free. Back to their feet. Camoes initiates a clinch and they end up back on the ground, Hayden on top in half-guard. Camoes tries an oma plata. Hayden works free but sweeps Hayden down. Camoes lands punches from the top. Hayden gives up his back. Camoes digs in for the rear naked choke. Hayden looked like he was tapping but the ref let the action go on. Camoes regripped it and then got the tap.
Winner: Fabricio Camoes via rear naked choke, Rd. 1 (4:03)
Charlie Brenneman vs. Daniel Roberts
Round 1: After a long stretch between fights, we’re finally back to action. Roberts drills Brenneman with a left hand but gets taken down for his troubles. Brenneman moves to side mount but only briefly as Roberts stays active on the bottom. Brenneman with short strikes from the top, and back into side mount. He traps Roberts’ left arm in a crucifix and starts laying the leather. Roberts works his arm free but Brenneman retains the position. Brenneman with some knees to the body and peppering Roberts with punches. Nothing big enough to threaten a stoppage, but enough to keep the position. Roberts gets back to his feet with 10 seconds left but Brenneman slams him down. It’s Brenneman’s round 10-9.
Round 2: Roberts comes out with a left high kick early. It doesn’t land flush. Brenneman tries a takedown, Roberts attempts a guillotine, well defended. Brenneman on top again, and works into side control, and into the crucifix again. Roberts works back to a neutral position and ties Brenneman up, leading to a standup. Brenneman wastes no time going low again. Roberts goes for a kimura, then tries to get to his opponent’s back. Then he slickly transitions to an inverted triangle. There are just seconds left and he can’t tighten it up enough for the tap before the horn. It’s still Brenneman’s round, 10-9.
Round 3: Roberts is on his back again within the opening 20 seconds. Brenneman is mostly having his way with Roberts on the ground. His strikes aren’t shaking the cage, but it’s enough to score points and keep Roberts from throwing up sub attempts. Midway through the round, ref Herb Dean stands them up. On the restart, Roberts goes for the takedown but Brenneman defends and ends up on top. It’s an effective smothering by him. Roberts hunts a kimura as time runs low. He pulls Brenneman’s arm out but can’t torque it enough to force the tap. It’s Brenneman with the shutout, 10-9.
Winner: Charlie Brenneman via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Kamal Shalorus
Round 1: Nurmagomedov is an undefeated 23-year-old who has never fought in a cage before. Nurmagomedov looks a bit uncomfortable early, circling against the fence keeping a distance. Shalorus takes the center of the cage. Out of nowhere, Nurmagomedov lands a right hand that floors Shalorus. Nurmagomedov pours it on as Shalorus tries to keep moving and out of trouble. Ref Mario Yamasaki looks them over but Shalorus is defending well enough to allow the fight to continue. Nurmagomedov’s strikes come from unorthodox angles but land. They’re back to their feet with 45 seconds left. Both men throwing haymakers but it’s Nurmagomedov landing the bigger blows. It’s his round 10-9.
Round 2: Shalorus looks a takedown, Nurmagomedov defends and instead puts him on his back against the cage. Nurmagomedov moves to half-guard with his ground and pound. The ref stands them up with three minutes left. Nurmagomedov shoots low for a takedown and puts Shalorus down again. Shalorus keeps his hips active, not allowing Nurmagomedov to land anything significant, but he can’t escape from being underneath. The ref restarts them again. Nurmagomedov lands a left uppercut as the round ends. It’s his round again, 10-9.
Round 3: Shalorus is trying to measure an overhand right to end things, probably knowing he’s down on the scorecards. Nurmagomedov went for a single leg and Shalorus countered with a guillotine that was never close. Nurmagomedov mounts with 3:00 left and sinks in a choke. Shalorus taps with a quickness.
Winner: Khabib Nurmagomedov via rear naked choke, Rd. 3 (2:08)
Jorge Rivera vs. Eric Schafer
Rivera has announced that win or lose, this will be the last fight of his decade-long career.
Round 1: Rivera tries to let his hands go early but Schafer ducks under a right hand and puts Rivera on his back. No surprise as Schafer wants to be on the ground at all times, and even more so against a big puncher. Schafer to half-guard as he throws elbows from the top. Rivera uses a whizzer to get to his feet. They’re engaged against the fence with Schafer trying to go low, and he successfully scores another takedown. Schafer with a big right from the top as Rivera tried to escape. Schafer worked to get the mount but Rivera wouldn’t allow it and ended up on top. Schafer had an oma plata and was throwing elbows from the bottom as the round ended. Schafer, 10-9.
Round 2: Schafer is tenacious in trying to get the fight to the ground. Rivera sprawls and lands a hard right hand that cuts Schafer. Rivera swarms from the top with right hands. Schafer tries to cover up but Rivera continues unloading with right hands to the head and ref Herb Dean has no choice but to stop it.
Rivera drops down and kisses the mat as the fans chant “Jorge.” A nice ending to his career. He retires with a 20-9 overall record, and 8-7 in the UFC.
Winner: Jorge Rivera via TKO, Rd. 2(1:31)
“I’m grateful,” Rivera said afterward. “I’m grateful that I fought here in front of a lot of people. I met a lot of great people. It’s been a real nice trip. It’s been real good to me. I’m extremely grateful. Thank you.”
(Roop: seen here enforcing the theory that a straight shot to the head will kill any zombie.)
Looking to rebound from his controversial decision loss to Hatsu Hioki at UFC 137, featherweight contender and TUF 8 alum George Roop has recently agreed to face Cub Swanson at UFC on Fox 2. Prior to the Hikoi loss, Roop scored a brilliant thrid round TKO over Josh Grispi at the TUF 13 Finale in June. Swanson, on the other hand, is coming off a less-than-controversial second round submission via arm triangle choke to Ricardo Lamas in his UFC debut at UFC on Fox 1. The Team Jackson product has dropped three of his last five and should need a win here if he wants to continue fighting under the Zuffa banner.
Fun fact: Roop hasn’t put together a win streak since 2007 and has gone loss-win in his past 9 bouts (excluding a draw with Leonard Garcia), so pure logic dictates that he will emerge victorious from this one. You can’t argue with that science, Potato Nation.
(Roop: seen here enforcing the theory that a straight shot to the head will kill any zombie.)
Looking to rebound from his controversial decision loss to Hatsu Hioki at UFC 137, featherweight contender and TUF 8 alum George Roop has recently agreed to face Cub Swanson at UFC on Fox 2. Prior to the Hikoi loss, Roop scored a brilliant thrid round TKO over Josh Grispi at the TUF 13 Finale in June. Swanson, on the other hand, is coming off a less-than-controversial second round submission via arm triangle choke to Ricardo Lamas in his UFC debut at UFC on Fox 1. The Team Jackson product has dropped three of his last five and should need a win here if he wants to continue fighting under the Zuffa banner.
Fun fact: Roop hasn’t put together a win streak since 2007 and has gone loss-win in his past 9 bouts (excluding a draw with Leonard Garcia), so pure logic dictates that he will emerge victorious from this one. You can’t argue with that science, Potato Nation.
In other booking news, Daniel “Ninja” Roberts announced on his Twitter yesterday that he will be facing inaugural Pros vs. Joes winner (whaa?)Charlie Brenneman in a welterweight tilt set for the UFC’s debut on FX, which features a headlining bout between Melvin Guillard and Jim Miller. Roberts has dropped two straight bouts to Claude Patrick and Rich Attonio at UFC 129 and UFC Live 4, respectively; a loss here will surely secure him a spot in the unemployment line alongside his past three UFC victims.
Brenneman recently saw a two-fight win streak, including a decision upset over Rick Story, snapped at the hands (and feet) of Anthony “Rumble” Johnson at UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson in October. Unfortunately for Brenneman, his only wins inside the octagon other than Story have similarly come over now released fighters in Jason High and Amilcar Alves, so this match-up could likely be Zuffa’s way of trimming some fat from its welterweight division.
UFC on FOX 2 goes down January 28th from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. UFC on FX transpires just eight days prior at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
( The Millers and the toughest fighter in the family, Danny Jr.)
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting Dan Miller, you’d know that he is one of the nicest and most accommodating fighters on the UFC roster. What many of you may not know is that Dan and his wife Kristin have been on a rollercoaster the past two years, having lost their daughter Alexis shortly after she was born and learning soon after that their infant son, Danny Jr. has a rare, and often fatal disorder known as autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease.
Danny is on daily dialysis and is awaiting a kidney transplant from his aunt as his are more than triple the size that they should be and are filled with cysts. The surgery will allow Danny to live a much more normal life, but the procedure and aftercare are not cheap. His medication after the operation, the Millers were told by Danny’s specialist, will cost upwards of $10,000 per month, and will only be partially covered by their insurance provider. To top it all off, only part of his operation will be covered by their HMO.
( The Millers and the toughest fighter in the family, Danny Jr.)
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting Dan Miller, you’d know that he is one of the nicest and most accommodating fighters on the UFC roster. What many of you may not know is that Dan and his wife Kristin have been on a rollercoaster the past two years, having lost their daughter Alexis shortly after she was born and learning soon after that their infant son, Danny Jr. has a rare, and often fatal disorder known as autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease.
Danny is on daily dialysis and is awaiting a kidney transplant from his aunt as his are more than triple the size that they should be and are filled with cysts. The surgery will allow Danny to live a much more normal life, but the procedure and aftercare are not cheap. His medication after the operation, the Millers were told by Danny’s specialist, will cost upwards of $10,000 per month, and will only be partially covered by their insurance provider. To top it all off, only part of his operation will be covered by their HMO.
I had a chance to talk to Dan last year at the MMA Expo in Toronto about the struggles his family has endured and how difficult it is to keep his mind on training and fighting when he knows that his son is fighting a much tougher and important fight in a children’s hospital miles away. The story is a heart wrenching one, and as a parent I don’t know how they cope as well as they do with the situation while maintaining their everyday responsibilities.
Miller’s coaches and teammates at AMA Fight Club in East Whippany, NJ have set up a site to collect donations for the Millers to help offset the medical costs that keep piling up.
They are also holding a seminar on December 3 to raise money for the Daniel James Miller Foundation. The four-hour seminar will feature a BJJ/wrestling seminar led by Dan and Jim Miller and their teammate Charlie Brenneman, and will also include a Muay Thai seminar. There will also be autographed UFC and Strikeforce memorabilia giveaways and free AMA FC membership draws at the event.
For more info on Danny’s disease or the Daniel James Miller Foundation, click HERE.
Information on the seminar can be found here on the DJMF Facebook page HERE.
Lets help one of the good guys in the sport enjoy the holidays without the stress of wondering if he will be able to provide the necessities of life for his little boy.
After weeks of height-related gags, Struve still wasn’t done rubbing his length advantage in Barry’s face. (Photo: Tracy Lee via Yahoo Sports!)
Sandwiched between two marquee UFC cards, last night’s UFC Live flew under the promotional radar. It’s understandable that Zuffa would focus more on two stacked pay per view cards than a Versus broadcast, but in a time when fights are hyped for months only to fall short when the bell rings, it’s rare to see a card that delivers so much action from Facebook to the main event. Add to the mix that there was gold on the line and the lack of promotion for this event is borderline criminal. Only two fights on the card were decided by the judges—though just as many were decided by the referees—and either of them could have earned FOTN honors. We’ve got a lot to cover, so hunker down.
First off, I’d like to welcome back an old friend. Elbows, we’d nearly forgotten about you, but last night you were ushered back into society like the queen of a violent debutant ball. Bored with simply working on teeth, “The Dentist” performed a full-facial extraction via elbow on Keith Wisniewski during the Facebook broadcast. Cut stoppages aren’t my favorite, but these ‘bows we’re seeing from the clinch are brutal, damage inflicting blows that you’ve got to stop before they stop you, and I like them. Speaking of which…
After weeks of height-related gags, Struve still wasn’t done rubbing his length advantage in Barry’s face. (Photo: Tracy Lee via Yahoo Sports!)
Sandwiched between two marquee UFC cards, last night’s UFC Live flew under the promotional radar. It’s understandable that Zuffa would focus more on two stacked pay per view cards than a Versus broadcast, but in a time when fights are hyped for months only to fall short when the bell rings, it’s rare to see a card that delivers so much action from Facebook to the main event. Add to the mix that there was gold on the line and the lack of promotion for this event is borderline criminal. Only two fights on the card were decided by the judges—though just as many were decided by the referees—and either of them could have earned FOTN honors. We’ve got a lot to cover, so hunker down.
First off, I’d like to welcome back an old friend. Elbows, we’d nearly forgotten about you, but last night you were ushered back into society like the queen of a violent debutant ball. Bored with simply working on teeth, “The Dentist” performed a full-facial extraction via elbow on Keith Wisniewski during the Facebook broadcast. Cut stoppages aren’t my favorite, but these ‘bows we’re seeing from the clinch are brutal, damage inflicting blows that you’ve got to stop before they stop you, and I like them. Speaking of which…
Mac Danzig and Matt Wiman opened the broadcast with an outstanding rematch that saw both men fighting for the finish. Much of the bout was spent in the clinch with Wiman throwing heavy elbows with bad intent. Danzig answered with combinations and body shots, but Wiman got better of the exchanges. The action didn’t lull when the fighters hit the mat, and though Wiman attempted a few close submissions in the second round it was Danzig who nearly ended the fight with a guillotine as the final bell rang. Wiman got his hand raised, but both men earned the $65k “Fight of the Night” bonus.
For most of his 2:49 second bout, Charlie Brenneman got his face grated against the canvas and bombed on from all angles, and that was the high point for “The Spaniard”. Johnson bullied Brenneman around like his kid brother, securing a dominant position off of a stuffed takedown and landing shots at his leisure. When he scrambled back to his feet, Brenneman was greeted with a head kick that sent him scrambling back to the mat. Once back on wobbly legs, another head kick sent him tumbling backwards. It was a forceful, undefended blow to an already-rocked opponent, but Mario Yamasaki made the decision to stop the fight while Brenneman was in mid-air. Had he waited a second longer, he may have seen that “The Spaniard” braced himself on impact with the mat and was prepared to defend himself. A tough call to make in the moment? I’m sure it is, but that’s what we expect of high-level officials, and where was his concern for fighter safety earlier in the evening? It certainly wasn’t a knockout, but it was the “Knock Out of the Night”.
Freakshow bouts are a roll of the dice, and outside of its wild finish the Barry-Struve bout did not deliver. Both fought a cautious first round, with “HD” trying to work his way inside and Struve largely content to keep him at bay with front kicks. When the two finally clinched up in round two, Struve nicely transitioned from standing darce attempt to a guillotine to a deep triangle. Barry’s Rampagesque counter was exciting, but the power bomb only served to tighten up the choke. Struve earned his fourteenth submission win and “Submission of the Night” honors. This was Barry’s second consecutive stoppage defeat.
After being put into a heavyweight-induced coma last week, Cruz and Johnson gave us a clear reminder that the lighter weight classes are where the action is. This was billed as a fight between MMA’s fastest fighters, and as predicted it looked a lot like one of those cartoon fights that takes place in a cloud of smoke with only the occasional limb popping out. For a full twenty five minutes their bout exhibited the sort of wild transitions and blazing speed that only my exes can fully appreciate. Johnson’s hustle and pressure forced Cruz to abandon his herky-jerky footwork, but the champion adapted and put on an incredible display of grappling superiority, landing two picturesque German suplexes and ten total takedowns throughout the bout. This marks Cruz’s fourth consecutive title defense, all the more impressive considering he broke his hand in the first round.
Bantamweight Championship bout: Dominick Cruz def. Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 50-45)
Heavyweight bout: Stefan Struve def. Pat Barry via Submission (Triangle choke) – R2 @ 3:22
Welterweight bout: Anthony Johnson def. Charlie Brenneman via TKO (Head Kick) – R1 @ 2:49
Lightweight bout: Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Preliminary Card (Facebook.com/UFC)
Lightweight bout: Yves Edwards def. Rafaello Oliveira via TKO (Punches) – R2 @ 2:44
Lightweight bout: Paul Sass def. Michael Johnson via Submission (Heel hook) – R1 @ 3:00
Catchweight (138 lbs) bout: Mike Easton def. Byron Bloodworth via TKO (Knee-Punches) – R2 @ 4:52
Lightweight bout: T.J. Grant def. Shane Roller via Submission (Verbal Submission) – R3 @ 2:12
Welterweight bout: Josh Neer def. Keith Wisniewski via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) – R2 @ 5:00
Bantamweight bout: Walel Watson def. Joseph Sandoval via TKO (Kick/Punches) – R1 @ 1:17
For Jim Miller, Friday night was another impressive performance against an opponent on the fringe of the division’s top 10. The next thing he needs is a breakthrough win against a truly elite opponent. Overall, Miller’s resume is outstanding. He’s a finisher, with 15 stoppage victories in 21 career wins. His only three losses have come to Frank Edgar, Gray Maynard and Ben Henderson — a UFC champ, and two No. 1 contenders, respectively.
This is the 
