Following a terribly one-sided loss to Chris Weidman at UFC on FUEL TV 4 last week, it was obvious Mark Munoz’s face suffered some serious damage.In a brief interview with SporTV.com, Munoz revealed some photos of what his face looks like six days afte…
Following a terribly one-sided loss to Chris Weidman at UFC on FUEL TV 4 last week, it was obvious Mark Munoz’s face suffered some serious damage.
In a brief interview with SporTV.com, Munoz revealed some photos of what his face looks like six days after the fight…and it’s not pretty.
“Thanks to the doctor who sewed me. I’m looking a little like Frankenstein,” SporTV wrote in Portuguese.
Munoz is sporting a nasty black eye and a seriously stitched up forehead that was opened up by a well-timed elbow on the feet by “The All-American.”
Weidman unleashed some brutal ground-and-pound once “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” hit the canvas, with the finish receiving heavy criticism for referee Josh Rosenthal not calling the fight earlier.
Whether or not the fight happens is up to “The Spider,” who successfully defended his belt for the 10th time in a rematch Chael Sonnen at UFC 148 earlier this month.
The loss brings Munoz’s UFC middleweight record to 6-2 and snaps a four-fight winning streak, while Weidman remains perfect at 9-0.
Matchmaker Joe Silva and the UFC’s top brass are all in favor of Chris Weidman vying for Anderson Silva’s 185-pound crown. However, the ultimate decision to get this fight off the ground lies with “The Spider”: “My manager…
Matchmaker Joe Silva and the UFC’s top brass are all in favor of Chris Weidman vying for Anderson Silva’s 185-pound crown. However, the ultimate decision to get this fight off the ground lies with “The Spider”:
“My manager has talked to Joe Silva and all of them. And supposedly they actually really want me to fight Anderson. The question is, will Anderson fight me? I think that’s what it’s coming down to. When is Anderson going to be ready to fight again? That whole thing. You know, Anderson Silva’s making so much money in Brazil right now, he’s chilling. He’s making so much money outside the ring, I don’t know if he’s so jumpy to jump in there with a guy who’s young, hungry, who’s a bad match-up for him on paper like me, and whose name is not (as lucrative as) a Chael Sonnen at this point,” Weidman told “The MMA Hour” (h/t MMAMania.com).
At UFC 148, in an outstanding performance, Silva defended his title for a 10th successive time after stopping Chael Sonnen in the second-round of their eagerly awaited rematch.
Conversely, Weidman catapulted himself into top five contendership following his decimation of Mark Munoz at UFC on FUEL TV 4.
Whilst Silva has traipsed back to Brazil for some much needed rest and relaxation, Weidman has been staking his claim as the most worthy 185-pounder to throw hands with as well as end the reign of the perennial champion.
“The All-American” has been on a tear since he ventured into the Zuffa-based promotion, and thus far, he’s recorded five straight victories in as many outings—two by way of unanimous decision, two via submission and the TKO he inflicted on “The Filipino Wrecking Machine.”
Furthermore, he was awarded Knockout of the Night and Submission of the Night honors for two of the above-mentioned wins.
From what has been witnessed of the Baldwin, New Yorker, it seems he possesses the pedigree to contest with the best that the current middleweight division has to offer.
The two-time All-American possesses the requisite skill set—proficient grappling and an ever-improving standup game.
And to add to the equation, he’s in the zone—his confidence and self-belief are at an all time high, hence the reason he truly believes that he’ll not only beat Silva, but comprehensively finish him in the process.
Every single time I’ve had a full training camp, I’ve finished the fight. This is the first one that got out of the first round. I’ve beaten two top-five guys in a row. And I think I’m a stylistic nightmare for Anderson Silva. A lot of these guys, I see them go on record basically saying ‘I’d just love a shot at Anderson Silva to see how I’d do.’ I’m not in here to just to able to share the cage with Anderson Silva. That’s not my goal at all, I’d be far from content with that. I’m going in there to beat Anderson Silva. And to finish Anderson Silva. Im not just saying that out of the side of my mouth. I’m being completely truthful. If I get a fight with Anderson Silva, I am going in there to finish him, and if I were just to win against Anderson Silva, I wouldn’t even be satisfied, I need to go in there and finish him. That’s the truth. I might be out of my mind, but, I really believe that.
Stylistic-wise, akin to Sonnen, Weidman would make things difficult for Silva.
However, nous will have to prevail here—Silva (32-4 MMA, 15-0 UFC) is the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet for a reason—a 15-fight win streak spanning six-years, a record number of title defenses and he’s also arguably the best precision striker in all of MMA.
Moreover, the Sao Paulo denizen has overcome adversity, something which Weidman (9-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) has yet to encounter.
In the tangled web of The Spider, many have come, many have seen, but all have been conquered.
With regards to Weidman, the idiom “Be careful what you wish for” comes to mind.
For almost six years, Anderson Silva has held strong to his UFC middleweight belt, having cleared the division more than once. For the last two years, it seems the entire middleweight division sat suspended until Chael Sonnen had his much-hyped rematch…
For almost six years, Anderson Silva has held strong to his UFC middleweight belt, having cleared the division more than once.
For the last two years, it seems the entire middleweight division sat suspended until Chael Sonnen had his much-hyped rematch against the champ. Now, that match is concluded, and Silva’s emphatic victory answered every question that was asked of him.
Silva’s next fight will have to be against a new guy—someone earning the shot for the first time, to inject some fresh blood into the path of the Brazilian.
A few names have emerged in the weeks following UFC 148. This slideshow will attempt to break down the strengths and weaknesses of all the top middleweights in the UFC.
We’re taking a quick return trip to the Octagon for my latest review, as we take a look at the UFC’s latest show on Fuel TV. The show aired in the early hours of this past Thursday morning on ESPN here in Britain. The broadcast began in the…
We’re taking a quick return trip to the Octagon for my latest review, as we take a look at the UFC’s latest show on Fuel TV. The show aired in the early hours of this past Thursday morning on ESPN here in Britain.
The broadcast began in the lightweight division, as Rafael Dos Anjos went up against Anthony Njokuani.
This proved to be an interesting three-rounder. They began with some nice exchanges, but when Dos Anjos connected with a big left that put Njokuani on his backside, he soon took control.
Dos Anjos was relentless with his takedown attempts, scoring with them more often than not, although Njokuani showing some great defensive skills. He managed to get back to his feet on more than one occasion.
Despite this, Dos Anjos looked like the better fighter, especially in the third round when he took the fight to the ground and finally managed to keep his man there with a sustained period of ground and pound.
With neither man able to get the finish, the judges were called into action and Dos Anjos took the unanimous decision.
It was down to bantamweight for the next fight, as T.J. Dillashaw took on Vaughn Lee.
We saw a brief feeling-out period at the beginning of this one as both fighters tried to find their range, although it wasn’t long before they were both connecting.
Dillashaw soon scored with the big takedown, and although Lee managed to get back up, Dillashaw took his back. He then jumped up and went for a rear-naked choke, and even though he didn’t quite have it in place, Lee soon tapped to give Dillashaw the impressive submission win.
Then it was up to the middleweight division, as Karlos Vemola faced Francis Carmont.
This one featured some great grappling exchanges. Both fighters put on a nice display as they went for various submissions, Vemola for a couple of guillotines and Carmont for an Americana.
The second round began with Vemola eating a front kick before the fight went back to the ground. From there, Carmont controlled the action, and after a few moments he took Vemola’s back and synched in a rear-naked choke for the submission win.
Welterweight action followed, as Aaron Simpson took on Kenny Robertson.
Despite the fact that these two cut each other open with their striking, the majority of the fight featured some great grappling action, particularly from Simpson.
Robertson did okay early on, but as the fight progressed Simpson took control, especially from the second round onwards. As Robertson began to visibly tire, Simpson looked like he was getting stronger and stronger, showing that his drop down from middleweight had no effect on his conditioning.
Despite all his good work on the ground, Simpson couldn’t get the finish, but that didn’t stop him from getting the unanimous decision.
The penultimate fight featured light heavyweight action, as James Te Huna went up against Joey Beltran.
As the fight began, Kenny Florian predicted from his cage-side seat that this fight wouldn’t make it to the third round. He couldn’t have been more wrong.
For three rounds, these two engaged in an enthralling battle. They began trading blows early on, and it wasn’t long before Te Huna took control.
Te Huna was clearly the better striker, although Beltran could probably be described as being very game as he rolled off some great jabs.
There were brief forays to the ground, but nothing of any real significance, as the fight ended with both men swinging for the fences again.
This meant more work for the judges. Te Huna took the unanimous decision.
The main event featured more action from the middleweight division, with Mark Munoz taking on Chris Weidman.
Weidman put in a dominating performance in this one. After some brief opening exchanges, the fight went to the ground as Weidman’s dominance began. Munoz just didn’t seem to have any answer to his opponent’s offence, as Weidman targeted Munoz’s neck and arm with his submission attempts.
It was the same in the second round, and although Munoz got in a couple of good shots, Weidman dominated again. It wasn’t the ground game that saw him through, though.
Munoz went down to the mat after Weidman connected with a right elbow. He followed him down for a brief moment of ground and pound as the referee stepped in to give Weidman the knockout win.
In conclusion, the UFC’s foray into the world of normal television proved to be a very enjoyable show.
From the opening encounter between Dos Anjos and Njokuani, right up to Chris Weidman’s dominance in the main event, this show certainly delivered. Even though it didn’t have the mega-bucks names of their recent shows, that didn’t make this less enjoyable.
As for my fight of the night award, I’ve got two possibilities, with the no-prize going to the Munoz/Weidman main event.
So with that being said, it’s time to close this thing out by giving the UFC’s latest Fuel TV show the thumbs up.
Don’t forget to check out my website at twoshedsreview.blogspot.com. It’s been online in one form or another for over 12 years now!
Josh Rosenthal is proving to be a man that owns up to his mistakes.The MMA referee has come under massive heat following a late stoppage in the UFC on Fuel 4 main event bout between Mark Munoz and Chris Weidman.Fighters depend on referees to do their j…
Josh Rosenthal is proving to be a man that owns up to his mistakes.
The MMA referee has come under massive heat following a late stoppage in the UFC on Fuel 4 main event bout between Mark Munoz and Chris Weidman.
Fighters depend on referees to do their jobs and protect them from unnecessary injury or harm.
Rosenthal let his job get away from him on Wednesday night, as he allowed Munoz to take a multitude of unanswered strikes before finally stepping in to stop the fight.
“I came home and I watched it, and I was kind of like you know, if I was sitting here, watching this on the couch, I probably would’ve been talking smack about myself,” Rosenthal said on SiriusXM’s Tapout Radio Show.
Weidman, who dropped Munoz with an elbow in the second round, landed 17 unanswered punches before Rosenthal called a halt to the action.
At times, it can be tough for a ref to make a call when their vision is obscured by the awkward positions fighters typically end up in.
This certainly wasn’t the case for Rosenthal, who was angled perfectly to see every punch landed and Munoz’s reaction.
Rosenthal continues:
“I always say accountability is a huge part of the sport, and you are accountable for your actions. I feel like I was just a little slow on the trigger [Wednesday]. I don’t want to see guys take unnecessary punishment. It’s a rough sport.
“Everyone knows what they sign in for, but it’s a millisecond-basis game. You’re making choices right there on the spot, and in the heat of the moment, I felt like I was seeing some stuff. In hindsight, I have to step my game up and make sure I’m on point for the next guys.”
Thankfully, Munoz wasn’t seriously injured, and he’ll live to fight another day. Rosenthal should be commended for realizing his error in judgment, and hopefully, this incident will make him an even better referee in the future.
People may pay hundreds of dollars to come and see their favorite fighters, but at the end of the day, the referee has the most important job of all.
(A replay of the Munoz/Weidman ending in all its gory glory for those of you who missed it.)
Right before he kinda sorta announced his pending retirement from the sport during the UFC on FOUEL TV post-fight show, Stephan Bonnar made the audacious claim that referee Josh Rosenthal should be fined and/or suspended for his late stoppage during the Mark Munoz/Chris Weidman fight. After Weidman landed some 12 or 13 unanswered shots on a helpless Munoz, I briefly thought that we were witnessing the first death in the promotion’s history, and my immediate reaction was almost that of agreement. Almost.
Because, although it is hard to deny that Rosenthal dropped the ball Wednesday night, the stoppage was likely considered even worse because it was a revered official like Rosenthal who made it. This wasn’t Steve Mazzagati calling an eye poke a TKO or Kim Winslow letting Jan Finney return from the dead only to be killed once more. This was Josh freakin’ Rosenthal, a man who had not only made our top five referees list a couple years ago, but had easily climbed up it a few spots in the time since. This was a man who had, as GritandMettle’s Darren Jensen put it, “reffed Shogun vs Hendo perfectly” — the same goes for his excellent job in the first round of Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin’s UFC 116 heavyweight title fight. What we’re saying is, this isn’t an everyday occurrence for the guy. Hell, can anyone even remember an instance in recent memory that Rosenthal has even come close to screwing up (Faber/Mizugaki maybe)?
In retrospect, Bonnar’s assessment was a little harsh, but Rosenthal was still willing to admit that he shit the bed, so to speak, when he appeared on SiriusXM’s “Tapout Radio Show”.
Check out a few snippets from the interview after the jump.
(A replay of the Munoz/Weidman ending in all its gory glory for those of you who missed it.)
Right before he kinda sorta announced his pending retirement from the sport during the UFC on FOUEL TV post-fight show, Stephan Bonnar made the audacious claim that referee Josh Rosenthal should be fined and/or suspended for his late stoppage during the Mark Munoz/Chris Weidman fight. After Weidman landed some 12 or 13 unanswered shots on a helpless Munoz, I briefly thought that we were witnessing the first death in the promotion’s history, and my immediate reaction was almost that of agreement. Almost.
Because, although it is hard to deny that Rosenthal dropped the ball Wednesday night, the stoppage was likely considered even worse because it was a revered official like Rosenthal who made it. This wasn’t Steve Mazzagati calling an eye poke a TKO or Kim Winslow letting Jan Finney return from the dead only to be killed once more. This was Josh freakin’ Rosenthal, a man who had not only made our top five referees list a couple years ago, but had easily climbed up it a few spots in the time since. This was a man who had, as GritandMettle’s Darren Jensen put it, “reffed Shogun vs Hendo perfectly” — the same goes for his excellent job in the first round of Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin’s UFC 116 heavyweight title fight. What we’re saying is, this isn’t an everyday occurrence for the guy. Hell, can anyone even remember an instance in recent memory that Rosenthal has even come close to screwing up (Faber/Mizugaki maybe)?
In retrospect, Bonnar’s assessment was a little harsh, but Rosenthal was still willing to admit that he shit the bed, so to speak, when he appeared on SiriusXM’s “Tapout Radio Show”:
I came home and I watched it, and I was kind of like you know, if I was sitting here, watching this on the couch, I probably would have been talking smack about myself. I always say accountability is a huge part of the sport, and you are accountable for your actions.
As for the stoppage in question, Rosenthal understands that it was a bit on the late side, but is just trying to make sure it never happens again:
I feel like I was just a little slow on the trigger. I don’t want to see guys take unnecessary punishment. It’s a rough sport. Everyone knows what they sign in for, but it’s a millisecond-basis game. You’re making choices right there on the spot, and in the heat of the moment, I felt like I was seeing some stuff. In hindsight, I have to step my game up and make sure I’m on point for the next guys.
So what do you guys and gals think? Should Rosenthal be punished for failing to save Munoz when he was clearly out? Or does his one misstep pale in comparison to the blunders made by far lesser referees?
Matchmaker Joe Silva and the UFC’s top brass are all in favor of Chris Weidman vying for