(Allow us to introduce you to Nelson Roy III, the brilliant hedge fund manager who has absolutely no relation to that fighting hillbilly you saw on Saturday. / Photo via MMAJunkie.)
If you decided to play the new CagePotato drinking game this weekend, you’re probably way too hung over to think about your financial future right now. But now that the dust has settled from UFC 137, you owe it to yourself to study our insightful and highly opinionated rundown of where to direct your hypothetical MMA investments. It’s “Buy, Sell, Hold” time once again, Potato Nation…
Even if Baby Jay is pulling a Jamie Varner (man I hope that’s not a euphemism) as Mr. Falvo so eloquently put it, the writing on the wall has been there for a while now even if the majority of fans didn’t bother to read it. BJ announcing his retirement Saturday night may have been a moment of weakness when his emotions got the best of him which led to a rash decision, but let me remind you (just like every other single story you read today about “The Prodigy”) that Penn has went 1-3-1 in his last five fights. The Hawaiian may fight again to collect another paycheck but there is no more money to be made as a shareholder.
(Allow us to introduce you to Nelson Roy III, the brilliant hedge fund manager who has absolutely no relation to that fighting hillbilly you saw on Saturday. / Photo via MMAJunkie.)
If you decided to play the new CagePotato drinking game this weekend, you’re probably way too hung over to think about your financial future right now. But now that the dust has settled from UFC 137, you owe it to yourself to study our insightful and highly opinionated rundown of where to direct your hypothetical MMA investments. It’s “Buy, Sell, Hold” time once again, Potato Nation…
Even if Baby Jay is pulling a Jamie Varner (man I hope that’s not a euphemism) as Mr. Falvo so eloquently put it, the writing on the wall has been there for a while now even if the majority of fans didn’t bother to read it. BJ announcing his retirement Saturday night may have been a moment of weakness when his emotions got the best of him which led to a rash decision, but let me remind you (just like every other single story you read today about “The Prodigy”) that Penn has went 1-3-1 in his last five fights. The Hawaiian may fight again to collect another paycheck but there is no more money to be made as a shareholder.
Nick Diaz – Buy it like they’re giving it away for free!
The twenty-eight year old Stockton, California native showed everyone that effective boxing, stellar jiu-jitsu, and cardiovascular stamina that makes the Energizer Bunny look like Roy Nelson at UFC 130, is a tasty recipe for success, even in the UFC. Inside the cage, Nick Diaz can scrap with the best of them. Although slightly awkward on the mic, Diaz evokes emotion and gets heat from everyone in earshot. You should overlook his professional shortcomings as long as Dana White continues to do the same; do that and you’ll be in the money once February comes when Diaz takes on the welterweight champion, Georges St. Pierre.
“Les plus sales du monde combattant” Cheick Kongo – Sell, Sell, Sell!
Mr. Kongo, if that is even his real last name, (Note: It’s not. I checked.) did what no other man in the UFC has been able to do – beat Matt Mitrione . Wait, what?! Those fights in the TUF house don’t count. Anyway, back to what I was saying, where was I? Oh yeah, Cheick Kongo finally realized he was in a fight and even managed to win. His stock is relatively high and the extra cash really comes in handy this close to Christmas. Not only did his performance leave a bad taste in the fan’s mouth, it clearly proved that Congo would never be a world-beater. Dirty fighter he is, ‘in the mix’ he is not.
During the co-main event of UFC 137, Matt Mitrione showed that big moments still get the best of him, despite his having played in the National Football League. The former TUF 10 contestant is what he says he is, “a baby in mixed martial arts.” I was neither impressed nor unimpressed with his showing on Saturday night against a seasoned veteran in Kongo. We’re still in a fragile market. It would be foolish to write this guy off or jump on his bandwagon.
As a common shareholder, you have little recourse when it comes to a company declaring bankruptcy. In a nut shell, the company sells all of its assets in order to pay the government, financial institutions, other creditors (i.e. suppliers and utility companies), bondholders, preferred shareholders and, finally, you. If you’re lucky, you might get back enough money to buy UFC replica belt… just don’t ask Jon Jones to sign it.
In his post TKO loss interview with Joe Rogan, Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ declared that we wouldn’t be seeing him fight again. “I was treated like a king from the beginning. It’s in my best interest that this is my farewell fight, thanks everybody.” No, “Thank you, Mr. Filipovic.”
Although he debuted a “more buff” body, Roy Nelson is still the same fighter who’s dropped two of his last three fights with his only win coming at the hands of the aging Mirko ‘Cro Cop’. Watch Dana White give him the winner of Lesnar vs. Overeem and you’ll see “Big Country” go belly up.
In late 2010, Scott Jorgensen lost a unanimous decision to Dominic Cruz at WEC 53 for both the WEC and UFC Bantamweight title. Since then, he’s rattled off a pair of wins in hopes to get back in the mix. Jorgensen needs to face and defeat stiffer competition before you should move your money in either direction.
Let’s examine for a moment the stats of “Cowboy” Cerrone in 2011: 4-0 record, 2 submissions, 1 TKO, 1 Unanimous decision, 1 each: Submission, Knockout, and Fight of the Night. — And he wants to fight again before the year is over. If your pockets are deep enough, I suggest you pick up some DCC to hedge your portfolio.
Filed under: UFC, News, salariesLAS VEGAS – The Nevada State Athletic Commission on Monday released the salary figures for UFC 137, which took place Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS – The Nevada State Athletic Commission on Monday released the salary figures for UFC 137, which took place Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz, who vacated his belt in that promotion to rejoin the UFC to challenge for Georges St-Pierre‘s 170-pound title, led all fighters with a $200,000 payday. His opponent in the main event, former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion BJ Penn, earned $150,000 in the loss.
Following the fight, which Diaz won by unanimous decision, Penn told Joe Rogan his intention is to retire from the sport. Diaz, though, was given an immediate title shot against St-Pierre – a title shot he was scheduled to have at UFC 137 before UFC president Dana White pulled him from that fight after he missed two press conferences to promote the event.
Additionally, Diaz and Penn each earned another $75,000 for winning the Fight of the Night bonus award.
Co-main event heavyweight Cheick Kongo was the third highest paid fighter on the card. After his $70,000 win bonus, he made $140,000. And Brandon Vera, fighting for the first time since a January loss to Thiago Silva that was overturned to a no contest when Silva tested positive for banned substances, made $120,000 for his win over Eliot Marshall.
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic alluded all week that his fight against Roy Nelson may be his last one. And after his third-round TKO loss, Cro Cop told Rogan that would be his last fight. He earned $75,000 in the loss.
The complete purses (show money/win bonus) are listed below. They do not include post-fight bonus totals, non-disclosed “locker room” bonuses or any sponsorship monies.
Nick Diaz: $200,000 (no win bonus) def. BJ Penn: $150,000
Cheick Kongo: $70,000 ($70,000 win bonus) def. Matt Mitrione: $10,000
Roy Nelson: $20,000 ($20,000 win bonus) def. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic: $75,000
Scott Jorgensen: $16,500 ($16,500 win bonus) def. Jeff Curran: $8,000
Hatsu Hioki: $15,000 ($15,000 win bonus) def. George Roop: $8,000
Donald Cerrone: $27,000 ($27,000 win bonus) def. Dennis Siver: $27,000
Bart Palaszewski: $18,500 ($10,000 win bonus) def. Tyson Griffin: $25,500*
Brandon Vera: $60,000 ($60,000 win bonus) def. Eliot Marshall: $15,000
Ramsey Nijem: $10,000 ($10,000 win bonus) def. Danny Downes: $4,000
Francis Carmont: $6,000 ($6,000 win bonus) def. Chris Carmozzi: $8,000
Clifford Starks: $6,000 ($6,000 win bonus) def. Dustin Jacoby: $6,000
* Griffin was scheduled to earn $34,000 for his fight against Palaszewski; Palaszewski was scheduled to make $10,000. Griffin missed weight, however, and was penalized 25 percent ($8,500) of his show money, which was added to Palaszewski’s show money total.
With UFC 137 in the books and the spookiest day of the year now upon us, let’s all grab a mini-Snickers and sort through the biggest winners, losers, and everything in between from Saturday night’s action in Las Vegas.
Biggest Winner: Nick Diaz
I remember around this time last year, before Diaz fought KJ Noons, watching him put on the boxing gloves and headgear in his gym in Lodi, Calif., and walk down one sparring partner after another. In the beginning, most of them did pretty well against him. They landed some punches, circled away, and you could see their confidence growing. But Diaz never slowed down, never stopped coming, and eventually he’d end up backing every single one of them against the fence and digging into their ribs with hooks that you could hear over the constant stream of Tupac songs that blared from the stereo. One by one, he wore them down with sheer pace and pressure until they quit, both mentally and physically.
Diaz performed the exact same act of will against Penn on Saturday night, and it was just as effective. He started slowly and gradually cranked up the volume, confident that his opponent would wilt before he would. He took it and he dished it out, and by the end of three rounds there was no doubt that he was the better fighter. Of course, as soon as the fight was over, he went back to being the bizarre, mercurial person we’ve gotten to know (and yet not know) over the last several years. Even when things had gone well for him, he remained unhappy. Even when he was offered the title shot he’d recently squandered, he remained utterly convinced of his own status as the permanent victim. What can you do with a guy like that? Put him up against the champ, I suppose. Let him do what he does best, which is fight, and hope the rest of us can tolerate what he does worst, which is just about everything else.
Biggest Loser: B.J. Penn
The nicest thing you can say about Penn’s performance is that he didn’t quit. Even though he didn’t look thrilled about it, he got up off the stool for round three and took his medicine for five more minutes. Other than that, the bright spots were few and they dimmed in a hurry. I can understand why Penn, a nearly 33-year-old former champ, thinks it would be better to hang it up than continue on as some novelty act or gatekeeper, but beware of any retirement announcement that comes in the emotional moments just after a bad beating. This is the same Penn who licked blood off his gloves and promised death to future opponents while jacked up on post-fight adrenaline. If those were the highs, this could simply be the low. Calling it quits in the cage immediately after a loss is a little like breaking up during an argument. The chances of it sticking are inversely proportional to how long you’ve been together. Six months? Sure, one bad argument might do it. But Penn and MMA have had a lengthy, sometimes rocky relationship. Seems unlikely that they won’t try to patch things up at least once or twice.
Hardest Working Man in the Fight Biz: Donald Cerrone
His submission of Dennis Siver was his sixth straight win and his fourth of 2011. Apparently he’s not content with that, because he immediately turned around and lobbied for another fight before the end of the year, which it now looks like he’ll get against Nate Diaz at UFC 141 in December. I’m not sure if Cerrone is putting title shots and other typical concerns out of his mind because he’s savvy enough to see the situation for what it is in the crowded lightweight division, or if he’s driven only by the reckless pursuit of a paycheck. Either way, he’s at his best when he’s busiest, and 2011 is turning out to be a banner year for his career and his bank account. After all the paper he’s stacked via purses and bonuses, this is one year when you really want to be on “Cowboy’s” Christmas list.
Most Impressive in Defeat: Eliot Marshall Brandon Vera came into the fight with Marshall as a 5-1 favorite, then nearly got his head knocked off and his arm snapped in half, but still somehow emerged with the decision victory. It goes down as a loss for Marshall at a time when he can’t afford it, but will the UFC brass see the process rather than the result? It might not have been a spectacular fight, but for Marshall it was clearly a step in the right direction. It would be a shame for the UFC to cut him after a third round like that, which just might have been the single best round of his UFC career. If he sticks to his promise to retire after another UFC release, that’s the kind of finish that could keep a man up at night for years to come. If only he’d had just a few more seconds. If only he’d landed one or two more punches. You can play that game for a long time, particularly if it cost you your career.
Least Impressive in Victory: Hatsu Hioki
He did just enough to get the decision over George Roop, but not much more. At least Hioki started off his stay in the UFC with a win, which is more than you can say for a lot of his compatriots. Though if that’s the best you can do against a mid-level featherweight like Roop, how far can you really go in this organization? Maybe Hioki struggled with nerves, and maybe Roop’s size and strength gave him more problems than he expected. I don’t know. What I do know is that the Hioki we saw on Saturday looked like just another fighter, not some big name acquisition. You hate to judge a guy too harshly on the basis of one performance, so let’s just say that Hioki still has plenty of work to do to make a name for himself on this side of the Pacific.
Let’s Hope We’ve Seen the Last Of: Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic
He acquitted himself well in what he’d have us believe was the final fight of his career. He took some of Roy Nelson’s best shots and even fired off a few of his own (though with that beard he probably had to guess at the location of Nelson’s chin). Even if he didn’t have enough to pull out the win, he still did better than most of us expected and ended on a classy, dignified note in his post-fight remarks. Unlike Penn, his retirement declaration didn’t seem driven by emotion. It was clearly something he’d given a lot of thought to before the fight, and he did what he said he’d do if he came up short. The question is, will he disappear from the fight game entirely, or just the UFC? Cro Cop wouldn’t be the first man to have a hard time turning down an easy buck from some small-time promoter looking to sell what’s left of his name. You couldn’t exactly blame him if he gave in to a tempting offer from M-1 Global or ProElite somewhere down the line, and he clearly still has at least a little bit of gas left in the tank. Still, no matter how many times you see that particular drama playing out with an aging fighter, it never gets any easier to watch. For the sake of his legacy and his health, let’s hope Cro Cop really does know when it’s time.
Most Disappointing: Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione
In retrospect, it seems silly. This was the co-main event? The UFC seemed to be banking on some heavyweight fireworks to help out a flagging fight card after the injury to GSP, but what it got instead resembled a staring match more than a slugfest. If you could knock a man out just with crazy eyes and feints, Mitrione would be the heavyweight champ by now. But once Kongo finally realized that the “Meathead” blitz wasn’t coming, he settled down and managed to wrestle his way to a decision win. It was a fight both men might rather forget, albeit for different reasons. Kongo looked tentative and overly defensive in his first fight since the comeback win over Pat Barry. Mitrione never got started at all, and showed his inexperience on the mat in the final frame. In the end, it was a bummer of a fight that likely reminded the UFC why these two aren’t quite ready for the top of a pay-per-view card just yet. Meanwhile, Donald Cerrone will just be over here, kicking people in the head on Spike TV for free.
Begging for His Walking Papers: Tyson Griffin
He missed weight (by a lot), looked flat and uninspired from the opening bell, and got himself knocked out in a little under three minutes for his fourth loss in five fights. I know he said he was under the weather coming into this fight, but I don’t see how Griffin doesn’t get cut after this terrible weekend. After he missed weight, he was on Twitter basically shrugging his virtual shoulders and explaining that he had “no excuses.” Okay, so he’s taking responsibility for his mistakes. That’s a good sign, right? Then he gets knocked out and he’s back on there telling his followers about his after-party at the Luxor. I’m not saying he needs to post pictures of himself crying into an appletini at Cathouse, but if he’s not feeling a sense of desperation about his career now, what’s it going to take?
Best Quick Change: Roy Nelson
He showed up to fight looking like a roadie for Foghat, then showed up to the post-fight press conference looking like a henchman from a James Bond movie. That’s versatility, right there. Okay, so maybe that, plus his current one-fight win streak, isn’t enough to get him that title shot he asked for, but at least it keeps him in the conversation at heavyweight. The guy’s a character, and he can fight a little bit. Now his physique is even moving in the right direction, though there’s still work to be done in that department before he appears in an Under Armour ad alongside GSP.
With UFC 137 in the books and the spookiest day of the year now upon us, let’s all grab a mini-Snickers and sort through the biggest winners, losers, and everything in between from Saturday night’s action in Las Vegas.
Biggest Winner: Nick Diaz
I remember around this time last year, before Diaz fought KJ Noons, watching him put on the boxing gloves and headgear in his gym in Lodi, Calif., and walk down one sparring partner after another. In the beginning, most of them did pretty well against him. They landed some punches, circled away, and you could see their confidence growing. But Diaz never slowed down, never stopped coming, and eventually he’d end up backing every single one of them against the fence and digging into their ribs with hooks that you could hear over the constant stream of Tupac songs that blared from the stereo. One by one, he wore them down with sheer pace and pressure until they quit, both mentally and physically.
Diaz performed the exact same act of will against Penn on Saturday night, and it was just as effective. He started slowly and gradually cranked up the volume, confident that his opponent would wilt before he would. He took it and he dished it out, and by the end of three rounds there was no doubt that he was the better fighter. Of course, as soon as the fight was over, he went back to being the bizarre, mercurial person we’ve gotten to know (and yet not know) over the last several years. Even when things had gone well for him, he remained unhappy. Even when he was offered the title shot he’d recently squandered, he remained utterly convinced of his own status as the permanent victim. What can you do with a guy like that? Put him up against the champ, I suppose. Let him do what he does best, which is fight, and hope the rest of us can tolerate what he does worst, which is just about everything else.
Biggest Loser: B.J. Penn
The nicest thing you can say about Penn’s performance is that he didn’t quit. Even though he didn’t look thrilled about it, he got up off the stool for round three and took his medicine for five more minutes. Other than that, the bright spots were few and they dimmed in a hurry. I can understand why Penn, a nearly 33-year-old former champ, thinks it would be better to hang it up than continue on as some novelty act or gatekeeper, but beware of any retirement announcement that comes in the emotional moments just after a bad beating. This is the same Penn who licked blood off his gloves and promised death to future opponents while jacked up on post-fight adrenaline. If those were the highs, this could simply be the low. Calling it quits in the cage immediately after a loss is a little like breaking up during an argument. The chances of it sticking are inversely proportional to how long you’ve been together. Six months? Sure, one bad argument might do it. But Penn and MMA have had a lengthy, sometimes rocky relationship. Seems unlikely that they won’t try to patch things up at least once or twice.
Hardest Working Man in the Fight Biz: Donald Cerrone
His submission of Dennis Siver was his sixth straight win and his fourth of 2011. Apparently he’s not content with that, because he immediately turned around and lobbied for another fight before the end of the year, which it now looks like he’ll get against Nate Diaz at UFC 141 in December. I’m not sure if Cerrone is putting title shots and other typical concerns out of his mind because he’s savvy enough to see the situation for what it is in the crowded lightweight division, or if he’s driven only by the reckless pursuit of a paycheck. Either way, he’s at his best when he’s busiest, and 2011 is turning out to be a banner year for his career and his bank account. After all the paper he’s stacked via purses and bonuses, this is one year when you really want to be on “Cowboy’s” Christmas list.
Most Impressive in Defeat: Eliot Marshall Brandon Vera came into the fight with Marshall as a 5-1 favorite, then nearly got his head knocked off and his arm snapped in half, but still somehow emerged with the decision victory. It goes down as a loss for Marshall at a time when he can’t afford it, but will the UFC brass see the process rather than the result? It might not have been a spectacular fight, but for Marshall it was clearly a step in the right direction. It would be a shame for the UFC to cut him after a third round like that, which just might have been the single best round of his UFC career. If he sticks to his promise to retire after another UFC release, that’s the kind of finish that could keep a man up at night for years to come. If only he’d had just a few more seconds. If only he’d landed one or two more punches. You can play that game for a long time, particularly if it cost you your career.
Least Impressive in Victory: Hatsu Hioki
He did just enough to get the decision over George Roop, but not much more. At least Hioki started off his stay in the UFC with a win, which is more than you can say for a lot of his compatriots. Though if that’s the best you can do against a mid-level featherweight like Roop, how far can you really go in this organization? Maybe Hioki struggled with nerves, and maybe Roop’s size and strength gave him more problems than he expected. I don’t know. What I do know is that the Hioki we saw on Saturday looked like just another fighter, not some big name acquisition. You hate to judge a guy too harshly on the basis of one performance, so let’s just say that Hioki still has plenty of work to do to make a name for himself on this side of the Pacific.
Let’s Hope We’ve Seen the Last Of: Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic
He acquitted himself well in what he’d have us believe was the final fight of his career. He took some of Roy Nelson’s best shots and even fired off a few of his own (though with that beard he probably had to guess at the location of Nelson’s chin). Even if he didn’t have enough to pull out the win, he still did better than most of us expected and ended on a classy, dignified note in his post-fight remarks. Unlike Penn, his retirement declaration didn’t seem driven by emotion. It was clearly something he’d given a lot of thought to before the fight, and he did what he said he’d do if he came up short. The question is, will he disappear from the fight game entirely, or just the UFC? Cro Cop wouldn’t be the first man to have a hard time turning down an easy buck from some small-time promoter looking to sell what’s left of his name. You couldn’t exactly blame him if he gave in to a tempting offer from M-1 Global or ProElite somewhere down the line, and he clearly still has at least a little bit of gas left in the tank. Still, no matter how many times you see that particular drama playing out with an aging fighter, it never gets any easier to watch. For the sake of his legacy and his health, let’s hope Cro Cop really does know when it’s time.
Most Disappointing: Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione
In retrospect, it seems silly. This was the co-main event? The UFC seemed to be banking on some heavyweight fireworks to help out a flagging fight card after the injury to GSP, but what it got instead resembled a staring match more than a slugfest. If you could knock a man out just with crazy eyes and feints, Mitrione would be the heavyweight champ by now. But once Kongo finally realized that the “Meathead” blitz wasn’t coming, he settled down and managed to wrestle his way to a decision win. It was a fight both men might rather forget, albeit for different reasons. Kongo looked tentative and overly defensive in his first fight since the comeback win over Pat Barry. Mitrione never got started at all, and showed his inexperience on the mat in the final frame. In the end, it was a bummer of a fight that likely reminded the UFC why these two aren’t quite ready for the top of a pay-per-view card just yet. Meanwhile, Donald Cerrone will just be over here, kicking people in the head on Spike TV for free.
Begging for His Walking Papers: Tyson Griffin
He missed weight (by a lot), looked flat and uninspired from the opening bell, and got himself knocked out in a little under three minutes for his fourth loss in five fights. I know he said he was under the weather coming into this fight, but I don’t see how Griffin doesn’t get cut after this terrible weekend. After he missed weight, he was on Twitter basically shrugging his virtual shoulders and explaining that he had “no excuses.” Okay, so he’s taking responsibility for his mistakes. That’s a good sign, right? Then he gets knocked out and he’s back on there telling his followers about his after-party at the Luxor. I’m not saying he needs to post pictures of himself crying into an appletini at Cathouse, but if he’s not feeling a sense of desperation about his career now, what’s it going to take?
Best Quick Change: Roy Nelson
He showed up to fight looking like a roadie for Foghat, then showed up to the post-fight press conference looking like a henchman from a James Bond movie. That’s versatility, right there. Okay, so maybe that, plus his current one-fight win streak, isn’t enough to get him that title shot he asked for, but at least it keeps him in the conversation at heavyweight. The guy’s a character, and he can fight a little bit. Now his physique is even moving in the right direction, though there’s still work to be done in that department before he appears in an Under Armour ad alongside GSP.
Let’s get the obvious out of the way as soon as possible: Last night’s UFC 137 was nothing that it was supposed to be. The odds of things playing out as they were supposed to with this card were slim from the beginning, with Nick Diaz compromising the initial main event with his decision to no-show press week and GSP having to withdraw from his match with Carlos Condit. But at least we could rest assured that BJ Penn would deliver some karma to Nick Diaz in the form of a quick beating, right?
Throughout the first round of last night’s main event, it looked that way. BJ Penn’s counter striking proved too much for Diaz early on, as Penn outworked the Strikeforce champion, managing a takedown as well. But by the second round, Nick Diaz came back to take complete control of the fight. His better conditioning allowed him to keep Penn against the cage and unleash strikes at will. By the third round, BJ Penn’s defense was completely ineffective, as Nick Diaz continued to batter Penn. With his eleventh straight victory, Nick Diaz looks as ready for Georges St. Pierre as anyone has in a while. The bout also earned both men the 75k Fight of the Night honors.
Perhaps BJ Penn was just pulling a Jamie Varner last night, and announcing his retirement out of frustration. But if he wasn’t, it’s hard to argue against his decision. BJ Penn is 1-3-1 in his last five fights, with his sole victory coming over the recently retired Matt Hughes. If it wasn’t clear from his draw against Jon Fitch that he would never be a champion in the UFC again, it became pretty obvious after watching him gas out and get picked apart last night. Penn’s legacy can’t improve at this point, but it can certainly diminish with more losses to contenders in the UFC. He’s making the right move by retiring; let’s just see if he actually sticks to it.
Let’s get the obvious out of the way as soon as possible: Last night’s UFC 137 was nothing that it was supposed to be. The odds of things playing out as they were supposed to with this card were slim from the beginning, with Nick Diaz compromising the initial main event with his decision to no-show press week and GSP having to withdraw from his match with Carlos Condit. But at least we could rest assured that BJ Penn would deliver some karma to Nick Diaz in the form of a quick beating, right?
Throughout the first round of last night’s main event, it looked that way. BJ Penn’s counter striking proved too much for Diaz early on, as Penn outworked the Strikeforce champion, managing a takedown as well. But by the second round, Nick Diaz came back to take complete control of the fight. His better conditioning allowed him to keep Penn against the cage and unleash strikes at will. By the third round, BJ Penn’s defense was completely ineffective, as Nick Diaz continued to batter Penn. With his eleventh straight victory, Nick Diaz looks as ready for Georges St. Pierre as anyone has in a while. The bout also earned both men the 75k Fight of the Night honors.
Perhaps BJ Penn was just pulling a Jamie Varner last night, and announcing his retirement out of frustration. But if he wasn’t, it’s hard to argue against his decision. BJ Penn is 1-3-1 in his last five fights, with his sole victory coming over the recently retired Matt Hughes. If it wasn’t clear from his draw against Jon Fitch that he would never be a champion in the UFC again, it became pretty obvious after watching him gas out and get picked apart last night. Penn’s legacy can’t improve at this point, but it can certainly diminish with more losses to contenders in the UFC. He’s making the right move by retiring; let’s just see if he actually sticks to it.
It’s never fun when a fight that is supposed to deliver fireworks comes up short. What else is there to really say about Matt Mitrione vs. Cheick Kongo? The fight that was supposed to deliver a quick, exciting finish was decided by Cheick’s efforts to secure takedowns in the third round after two rounds of lackluster action. Excuse us if we sound cynical, but where exactly does Cheick Kongo go from here? He hasn’t lost since his first round submission to Frank Mir at UFC 107, but to imply that he should be given a contender at heavyweight seems a bit ridiculous. Likewise, Matt Mitrione is now 5-1, and returns to the lower end of the middle of the pack at heavyweight.
Roy Nelson’s physique may not have improved as drastically as some expected, but he seemed to be taking his career much more seriously in his fight with Mirko Filipovic. In a sentence we never thought we’d type, Nelson used his conditioning (?!) to outlast the PRIDE legend en route to a third round TKO. It’s a welcome change of pace from the Roy Nelson we were accustomed to seeing. It’s hard to imagine that Cro Cop isn’t retiring for real this time after watching him lose last night. We would write more about this, but Cro Cop has been talking about retirement for so long that it’s hard to say more than “Thanks for the memories” at this point.
In other action, Scott Jorgensen earned a unanimous decision over Jeff Curran, while Hatsu Hioki picked up a controversial split decision over George Roop. Perhaps it was Octagon jitters, perhaps it was jet lag, perhaps it was Japanese fighters being overrated to begin with or perhaps it was a combination of the three, but Hatsu Hioki’s UFC debut left a lot to be desired from him. Also of note, Submission of the Night honors went to Donald Cerrone for his first round rear naked choke over Dennis Siver. Regardless of what you think of Cerrone outside of the cage, the guy is on an absolute tear in the lightweight division, easily handling Siver on his way to the early stoppage. Also, Bart Palaszewski picked up Knockout of the Night honors with his KO over Tyson Griffin. Griffin entered the fight losing three of his last four, showed up three pounds overweight, and got knocked out in the first round. Excuse us for pointing out the obvious, but his walking papers are more than likely on the way.
Main card
Nick Diaz def. BJ Penn via unanimous decision
Cheick Kongo def. Matt Mitrione via unanimous decision
Roy Nelson def. Mirko Cro Cop via third-round TKO
Scott Jorgensen def. Jeff Curran via unanimous decision
Hatsu Hioki def. George Roop via split decision
Preliminary card
Donald Cerrone def. Dennis Siver via submission (rear-naked choke)
Bart Palaszewski def. Tyson Griffin via first-round KO
Brandon Vera def. Eliot Marshall via unanimous decision
Ramsey Nijem def. Danny Downes via unanimous decision
Francis Carmont def. Chris Camozzi via unanimous decision
Clifford Starks def. Dustin Jacoby via unanimous decision
Matt Mitrione came into UFC 137 needing to pass an important test against Cheick Kongo to prove that he belonged among a loaded Heavyweight Division.And while “Meathead” came up short against “The Darkness”, there remains no shortage of hopeful light a…
Matt Mitrione came into UFC 137 needing to pass an important test against Cheick Kongo to prove that he belonged among a loaded Heavyweight Division.
And while “Meathead” came up short against “The Darkness”, there remains no shortage of hopeful light at the end of what is still a long and promising tunnel of a mixed martial arts career for the former NFL football player.
The key for Mitrione, now 5-1 after just six fights, is to learn from his first defeat and to improve those aspects of his game that he likely already knew were weaknesses coming in. To be fair, Mitrione didn’t necessarily do any one thing all that poorly, at least in relation to Kongo. The fight was close throughout, as reflected by the judges’ scorecards.
Mitrione’s only glaring folly was the slow, deliberate pace at which he fought, one that suited Kongo’s slow-footed style all too well. Coming into the bout, Mitrione’s best chance to win lay in his latent athleticism, which he’d put to superb use in making the transition from the gridiron to the Octagon.
Instead, Mitrione was a bit too plodding and perhaps too careful from the get-go, taking his time sizing up Kongo rather than trying to dictate terms with his superior speed and strength. Mitrione seemed to play right into the hands of his more experienced competitor, thereby showing his own lack in that very same department.
With that being said, Mitrione’s performance, while certainly disappointing, can hardly be characterized as a failure, particularly in the big picture. Though his age (33) would suggest otherwise, Mitrione’s MMA career is just getting started. He only figures to get better from here on out, now that he’s had the opportunity to face a quality opponent.
They may call Mitrione “Meathead”, but he certainly seems smart enough to realize that he has a great deal of work left to do, and driven enough to do what needs to be done to become a contender in the Heavyweight Division.
In the co-main event of the evening, heavy-hitting Cheick Kongo entered the Octagon to take on the up-and-coming heavyweight Matt Mitrione.Mitrione, who appeared to be off the wall in his entrance to the Octagon, didn’t show the same energy when the fi…
In the co-main event of the evening, heavy-hitting Cheick Kongo entered the Octagon to take on the up-and-coming heavyweight Matt Mitrione.
Mitrione, who appeared to be off the wall in his entrance to the Octagon, didn’t show the same energy when the fight began.
Both Kongo and Mitrione circled around for the first three minutes without either fighter engaging in on the other.
Fans in the Mandalay Bay Event Center let out a loud cry of “boo’s” until Mitrione finally threw a strike.
But, the meritocracy continued as neither fighter made it a point to attack the other.
The energy picked up in the second frame when “Meathead” Mitrione thew a combo that appeared to hurt Kongo.
But, the strike proved to be ineffective as Kongo pushed forward.
When the second round was coming to an end, Mitrione landed a huge strike but it was a tad too late.
Kongo bounced back in the third round proving he was in much better condition than his opponent.
When Mitrione was covered up, Kongo connected on a massive body shot followed by a right hook and eventually had Mitrione on his back.
While many felt Mitrione captured the first two rounds, Kongo continued to push through and landed fatal blows to every part of Mitrione’s body.
When arguably the worst fight of the night came to an end, Kongo’s hand was raised via unanimous decision.
In the loss, we learned Mitrione had no sense of urgency in finishing the fight as he saw Kongo steal the fight away in the third and final round.
For Kongo, despite a slow start, proved to be the better striker and connected on the only takedown of the evening.
With the win, Kongo continues to establish himself as a legitimate heavyweight contender.
LAS VEGAS – The Nevada State Athletic Commission on Monday released the salary figures for 
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Matt Mitrione came into UFC 137 needing to pass an important test against 
