Tag: daniel cormier

UFC 166: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos 3 — Main Card Results & Commentary


(It’s a classic battle of “BROWN PRIDE” vs. “KIND OF SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT MY RECEDING HAIRLINE” / Photo via CombatLifestyle.com. Check out more UFC 166 weigh-in photos here.)

Appropriately, the UFC’s latest visit to the fattest city in America is loaded with heavyweight talent. In addition to the highly anticipated trilogy match between current champion Cain Velasquez and former champ Junior Dos Santos, UFC 166‘s main card will also feature Daniel Cormier‘s allegedly final appearance at HW against Roy Nelson, as well as Gabriel Gonzaga‘s punch-out with Shawn Jordan. On the lighter end of the scale, lightweight Gilbert Melendez looks for his first UFC win against Octagon veteran Diego Sanchez, and former flyweight title challenger John Dodson welcomes Darrell Montague to the promotion.

Handling play-by-play for the “Velasquez vs. Dos Santos 3” PPV broadcast is our buddy Anthony Gannon, who will be stacking live results after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and say whatever you feel like saying in our lawless cesspool of a comments section. Thanks for being here.


(It’s a classic battle of “BROWN PRIDE” vs. “KIND OF SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT MY RECEDING HAIRLINE” / Photo via CombatLifestyle.com. Check out more UFC 166 weigh-in photos here.)

Appropriately, the UFC’s latest visit to the fattest city in America is loaded with heavyweight talent. In addition to the highly anticipated trilogy match between current champion Cain Velasquez and former champ Junior Dos Santos, UFC 166‘s main card will also feature Daniel Cormier‘s allegedly final appearance at HW against Roy Nelson, as well as Gabriel Gonzaga‘s punch-out with Shawn Jordan. On the lighter end of the scale, lightweight Gilbert Melendez looks for his first UFC win against Octagon veteran Diego Sanchez, and former flyweight title challenger John Dodson welcomes Darrell Montague to the promotion.

Handling play-by-play for the “Velasquez vs. Dos Santos 3″ PPV broadcast is our buddy Anthony Gannon, who will be stacking live results after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and say whatever you feel like saying in our lawless cesspool of a comments section. Thanks for being here.

UFC 166 preliminary card results:

FOX Sports 1 Prelims
Tim Boetsch  def. C.B. Dollaway via split decision (30-26, 27-29, 30-26).
Hector Lombard def. Nate Marquardt via KO, 1:48 round 1.
Jessica Eye def. Sarah Kaufman via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).
K.J. Noons def. George Sotiropoulos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).

Facebook Prelims
Adlan Amagov def. T.J. Waldburger via KO, 3:00 round 1.
Tony Ferguson def. Mike Rio via submission (d’arce choke), 1:52 round 1.
Andre Fili def. Jeremy Larsen via TKO, 0:53 round 2.
Kyogi Horiguchi def. Dustin Pague via TKO, 3:51 round 2.

Sup, bitches. It’s about that time again. For those of you too cheap or too furloughed to buy this event, we’re here, Potato Nation. For you. Because we give a shit. Hell, there’s a party going on up in my crib, free-loading sons-a-bitches are eating up all my food, drinking up all my booze, feeling up my filthy whore of a girlfriend, and I’m hiding in the cellar like a rat, just for you.

The heavyweights are showcased tonight and that’s a good thing, because both Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos stoke about as much pre-fight excitement as the nasty lip cancer does for the prospect of hooking up with the chick you met standing outside the methadone clinic. They don’t need to sell this bitch though. The heavyweight championship sells itself.

In the first outing, JDS knocked Cain’s ass out in about a minute. In the second, Cain laid a 25 minute, systematic ass-whoopin’ on JDS that was universally condemned at the Geneva Convention. We could argue the merits of each guy’s win until our nuts explode. The bottom line is that Cain is the rightful favorite here for good reason: he got knocked out – big guys, little gloves, that shit happens. But he dominated every second of the rematch. The dude is just a friggin’ winner. And he’s not a winner cause he wants to be. He’s a winner cause he’s got strength and speed, and because back in high school he taped Larry Lester’s buns together. Bet ya didn’t know that.

We open as usual, with Rogan and Goldberg breaking down the event, and Goldy’s bottom teeth are whiter than Sarah Kaufman’s legs.

Getting things started is Jon Dodson vs. Darrell Montague

Ok, let’s just talk real quick about how dicked up it is to throw a guy to a Top 3 flyweight in his UFC debut. That’s the boat Darrell Montague finds himself in. Sure, at 13-2 he’s a highly touted prospect, but damn man, how about a tune up fight or some such shit. And I’d be remiss if I failed to mention that the great majority of his wins came against dudes with no Wikipedia pages. Mock that barometer at your peril, bitch. Although in fairness, Montague was both the Gladiator Challenge and TPF flyweight champion, so there’s that. And dammit, if Ben Rothwell can still claim validation for being the IFL champ then it’s only fair that Montague get some street cred for meaningless titles as well.

Dodson is making his return after getting outworked by Demetrious Johnson in his quest for the title, although he did perform quite well until the tank ran low. He’s a rare commodity at 125 – a guy with some nasty punching power. But for Christ’s sake, he needs a new nickname. “The Magician” is downright silly. Or, and here’s a novel concept, how about no nickname? It passes understanding how guys don’t grasp the fact that no nickname is far better than a stupid one. Matt Hughes didn’t have a nickname, and aside from being an insufferable prick, he’s one of the all-time greats.

Darrell is “The Mongoose.” Ugh. Uuuuggggghhhhhhh!

Round 1: Dodson starts with a big overhand that misses. Montague with an inside leg kick. Oof, Dodson just landed a big left. Montague jabbing, not really landing any of them, but sticks a leg kick. Dodson answers with one of his own. Dodson lands a nice right. Dodson punches Montague’s thigh. The Houston fans are getting restless with the quickness. Dodson drops Montague with a left, then descends on him. Montague hanging onto a leg for dear life, manages to survive. And he gets rocked again. Dodson goes hard to the body. Montague looks shaky. Body, then head, Dodson continues to land shots at will. Another one to the body. Montague has a very solid chin and seems to be recovered. Jesus, Dodson drops him again, and gets the KO. That was a vicious beating.

Jon Dodson does a few celebratory flips, then starts laughing for no apparent reason. God this dude is weird.

It’s official, at 4:13 of round 1 Jon Dodson gets the KO.

Gabe Gonzaga and Shawn Jordan are up next.

Gonzaga was looking mean and focused at the weigh-ins, although the hair on his back has reached a point of unruliness rivaled only by Ron Jeremy’s pubic region. Gabe, dog, that’s a problem with a cheap, highly efficient solution. Clippers, baby, clippers. They’re about $15 at Walgreens.

Jordan has quietly amassed a 3-1 resume in the Octagon, with all wins coming via violent stoppage. His last fight, an awesome knockout over Pat Barry in just under a minute, earned him Knockout of the Night honors. Gonzaga may not carry the rep he did back when he damn near decapitated CroCop, but it’s still a nice notch to have in your headboard. Let’s see if Jordan can make Gonzaga that notch, horrifying as that mental image is.

Damn, Gonzaga comes out to “Mother” by Danzig. Respect.

Round 1: Gonzaga opens up with a leg kick, lands a decent straight right. Jordan, jabs, Gonzaga goes to the body. Hard inside leg kick by Gonzaga. Jordan with a left. Charges in and Gonzaga drops him, jumps on him with some hammer fists, and ends it.

The official decision is in, and it’s a TKO at 1:33 of round 1.

Next up is Diego Sanchez vs. Gilbert Melendez

In Gil’s last outing the only thing that prevented him from getting the belt was that he basically stopped fighting in the final round. Maybe he was tired, or maybe he bought into the bizarre cornering philosophy of the Cesar Gracie camp, which dictates they tell their guy he absolutely won every single round even when the rounds are razor thin. Then when the decision comes back against them, all they have to do is call shenanigans and in some alternate universe they declare total victory. After all, there is a well known judging conspiracy when it comes to the Diaz brothers and anyone who associates with them.

Diego seems to be one of those guys stuck in-between weight classes, spending the last four years bouncing from welterweight to lightweight, then back again, to both. Now 1-0 since returning to 155 – a tepid win again Takanori Gomi where Diego missed weight by three pounds – “The Dream” has a wonderful opportunity to catapult himself into the conversation against Top 3 lightweight, Gilbert Melendez. Only problem: Diego is probably going to be outclassed in every single area of the fight – except, perhaps, in heart and the ability to endure a savage beating and keep coming like a Zen Terminator. After squandering his past earnings on hookers and booze, as well as shitty friends, Diego is looking to get back on track here. The question is: Has the top level of the sport passed him by?

Diego busts out a cartwheel and then does his now famous “YUS!” routine.

Round 1: Diego charges out like an animal. Gil starts off with a leg kick. Gil missed a head kick, Diego takes his down. Gil is up, but Diego is on his back. Gil gets Diego off, then goes hard to the body. Nice start. Gil goes to the body again. Diego with a leg kick, east a punch to the chops for it. Diego misses a hook. Then misses a head kick. Diego shoots, Gil stuffs. Gil lands a nice shot to the face. Diego shoots again, stuffed. Diego charges in, gets punched in the face. Diego lands a jab, Gil responds with a big right. Body kick is caught by Gil, goes for a takedown, cannot get it. Gil with another good right. Diego with a hook, misses by a mile. Diego is cut above his left eye. Shoots again, Gil defends it. Gil lands a jab, then sticks a body shot. Diego lands a nice kick to the body. They trade punches, and Diego goes for another body kick, misses. Now they’re going toe to toe busting each other up. Gil drops Diego, but he gets right back up and into the slugfest. The round ends that way. Good round, close, but 10-9 Melendez

Round 2:Gil opens with a straight right. Diego with a leg kick. Gil doing a good job keeping his jab in Diego’s face. They trade shots center cage again, both land good shots. Gil with a leg kick. The ref stops the action to check out Diego’s cut. It’s a real nasty one but it’s not bleeding that badly. They start it up again. Gil with a right that sneaks through. Diego goes for a flying knee, misses. Diego lands a nice one to the beard, Gil responds with a head shot and a body shot. Good jab by Gil, Diego charges in wildly, lands a couple glancing shots. Diego misses a hook, Gil sticks a good right. Big body kick by Diego. Gil goes head body. Diego shoots, gets the takedown, but Gil pops right back up. Now that cut is starting to flow. Diego lands a right, Gil with an uppercut and a hook. Diego shoots, Gil sprawls and delivers a knee on the break. Diego charges in yet again, eats a shot for it. Another good round, 10-9 Melendez

Round 3: Front kick misses by Gil, as well as a body shot. Diego sticks an uppercut. Gil lands a left hook. They trade hard again, both land but Gil looks to have gotten the better of it. Damn, they’re going toe to toe, this is fucking great! They both landed a bunch of solid shots there. And man, Diego is busted up. Diego charges in again, Gil smacks him a couple good ones. They stop it again to look at that cut. It’s bleeding like a sumbitch, but it’s flowing around the side of the eye. They start it up again. Diego’s a mess, but he’s ready to roll man, very intense. Gil with a body shot, Diego with a good leg kick. Toe to toe again, Gil lands three to Diego’s two. Oh a couple real good shots landed by Diego, rocks Gil and drops him, now he’s on his back. Gil switches, takes Diego down, Diego going for a guillotine, Gil escapes, this is insanity. Gil lands a knee, and an elbow off the break. Diego with a body kick. Gil takes Diego down, now he’s up, and Diego hits a switch. They seterape, and Diego goes with a couple more body kicks. They end it up toe to toe kicking the shit out of each other. Awesome!!!!!! 10-9 Diego

The official decision is in and it’s Gil Melendez via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28) .

Definite Fight of the Night, could be Fight of the Year.

Diego gets a standing ovation from the Houston fans. His face is a wreck, looks like someone hit him in the face with a hatchet.

They’re going to the undercard to fill some time.

Roy Nelson and Daniel Cormier are next

Speaking with the media this week Dana White said of his favorite employee, “Roy’s just stupid and says stupid things, and I gotta deal with the stupid shit that he says.” That pretty much sums up Roy’s UFC career. Well that and showing up for fights looking a hot mess. But that’s just Roy, man. He’s misunderstood, kind of like the heal on a loaf of white bread. It’s stigmatized to the point where people either discard it immediately or just keep pushing it aside in favor of the choice slices.

It’s the story of Big Country’s life. Mocked by assholes like us, constantly insulted by his employer, Roy Nelson perseveres the only way he can – by appealing to the fans through his attempted common man persona. But like many a desperate plea for acceptance, he takes it too far. With his cumbersome hair, seemingly lice-infested beard, and greasy floppers, Roy would probably be in violation of even SAMCRO’s lenient grooming standards. One can even picture a teenage Roy, marginalized by his merciless classmates, spending evenings in his bedroom, housing cheese balls and sobbing into his loving dog’s non-judgmental mane,” They just don’t understand, Biscuit. No one understands!”

Like Nelson, Cormier dropped a few as well. He weighed in at 224 pounds, 11 less than his last fight against Frank Mur. He said he was on his way to 205, so this is a good start. Cormier at any weight is awesome, but at 205, with the strong possibility of a fight against Jon Jones somewhere in the near future, hopefully, it’s downright boner inducing.

Round 1: Here we go. Roy opens up with a lazy left, goes nowhere with it. Cormier grabs a leg, dumps Roy on his back. Roy with butterfly guard, Cormier is having none of it, puts Roy in a cradle, now working some body shots from top position. Roy gives up his back to stand up, Cormier drags him back down. Roy desperately tries to latch onto a leg. Cormier delivers a knee. Roy working a Kimura. Lets it go. Another single leg takedown by Cormier, Roy stands back up. Now Cormier has Roy pressed against the cage, administers a knee to the gut. Uppercut to the body by Cormier. Oh damn, huge knee to the body, then another that may have caught Roy in the sack. Big Country is taking a minute. Back to the action. High kick misses by Cormier. Roy goes for an overhand right, skims it. Cormier answers with a big right. Nice left lands by Cormier. Roy ends it with a huge miss. 10-9 Cormier

Round 2: Roy opens the round by missing about eight punches in a row. Cormier fakes a takedown, misses a shot of his own. Front kick to the body lands by Cormier. Cormier charges in, lands a good hook, pushes Roy into the cage. Knee to the body, grabs a leg and plants Roy yet again. Big Country doing a very good job of bouncing right back up though. Cormier has him against the cage again. He delivers a couple decent punches from the clinch. Roy escapes. The statisticians have it 40-9 significant strikes for Cormier. Cormier misses a huge overhand right, Roy sticks a jab. Switch kick by Cormier, blocked, then unloads a few shots to Roy’s head. 10-9 Cormier

Round 3: Cormier opens with a front kick, blocked by Roy. Good right hand landed by Cormier. Cormier with a jab, and they trade overhand rights. Inside leg kick by Cormier. Cormier fakes a takedown, misses a spinning kick, then lands a high kick. Roy eats it like it aint no thang. Three kicks in succession by Cormier, the body kick was the only one that landed. Left hook lands by Cormier. Roy skims a left. Cormier sticks a big straight right, then takes Roy down. And he’s up again. High kick by Cormier, blocked by Roy. Roy is calling his in, has his hands down. Cormier isn’t biting. Roy lands a left, Cormier responds with a right. They end the round with Roy missing a whole mess of punches, Cormier landing a few, and Roy almost dropping Cormier with a leg kick. That’s that, 10-9 Cormier, and should be an easy unanimous decision.

The decision is in and it’s a unanimous decision (30-27 x 3) for Daniel Cormier.

Main event time, Cain Velasquez vs Junior Dos Santos

Some mock Cain as a man of zero personality few words. But these people are ignant sons-a-bitches who lack the mental capacity to comprehend the true meaning behind “Brown Pride.” It’s not about being loud and obnoxious, despite the loud and obnoxious mariachi music Cain walks out to. It’s about hard work, honor, and the fact that the other carnales used to tease Cain for being so light-skinned – kind of like Miklo – so he did what any level-minded individual would do, he got a big-ass tat across his chest proclaiming his brownness. Hey, beats becoming the one-legged leader of a vicious prison gang.

Junior is fired up that nobody is taking seriously his argument that he over-trained and peaked early leading up to his loss to Cain at UFC 155. To Dos Santos, that loss was the likely result of a scientific training error, not the 25 minute, systematic ass-whooping by the night’s better man that the rest of the world witnessed. But what do we know about the nuances of high level training? Shit, many of us claim to understand the ground game because of that half season of JV wrestling all those years ago. Maybe Junior’s got a point, despite it sounding about as ridiculous as Shane Carwin’s loss to Brock Lesnar being caused by an “adrenaline dump.” We just don’t know.

JDS rolls out to the Rocky theme. Goldy says it’s a true Rocky story even though it’s really nothing like that.

A’ight, let’s do this shit!

Round 1: Right off the bat JDS lands a good shot and staggers Cain. Then Cain sticks a takedown, JDS up, catches Cain again. Furious pace to start off. Cain is pushing JDS against the cage, landing short shots and working for a takedown. JDS free. Cain pressing the action, pushes JDS to the cage again, looking to wear JDS down. And they separate. Cain shoots, JDS stuffs. Cain pushes it back against the cage, and Cain lands a takedown, ends up in half guard. Elbow from the bottom from JDS. Cain delivers an elbow, ad another. Cain takes the back, now side, JDS is up again, but Cain is on his again, pushing him against the cage and landing short shots, trying for a trip. Cain lands a good left, and a couple more short ones. He’s just not giving JDS an inch. He’s all over him. A left from Cain, then a knee to the thigh from the clinch. They separate and JDS misses a spinning kick. 10-9 Cain

Round 2: They trade jabs to open things up. Left hook by JDS, Cain grabs a leg and takes JDS down, but he pops right back up. Cain pushing it to the cage again, working some knees to the thighs that look real sucky. Cain lands a couple shots on the separation, Cain clinches again. JDS pushes Cain away. Cain charges back in with a hook that misses ,but he manages to clinch it up again. Good knee to the thigh, and they separate again. Cain shoots, JDS defends, but he’s got his back against the cage again with Cain working those legs. JDS goes for a trip, Cain up, lands a good right. Clinches again. Cain is pushing a brutal fight, clearly looking to wear JDS out. Huge knee to the thigh, followed by a short hook to the grill. They separate and JDS lands a good right, Cain aint having it and clinches again. Cain with a few left hooks, then JDS lands a nice right. Good shot but it’s still all Cain 10-9

Round 3: Overhand right lands by JDS. Cain shoots, stuffed, pushes it to the cage instead. Cain lands a big right, clinches up again, and working those knees to the thigh. Cain with a few short shots, then an uppercut. JDS sticks a nice elbow, Cain still pressing the action. Knee to the body of Cain, while Cain continues to work the legs. Jab by Cain lands. JDS lifts a knee, Cain catches it and goes for a takedown, stuffed. Cain drops JDS with a huge right and is pounding on him. Herb Dean damn near stopped it, but allows it to go on. JDS is rocked, and Cain is so relentless. Lands a couple more. And another. Now Cain pushes him into the fence again, working some dirty boxing. Cain backs off, look to land again and does. Uppercut to the body, and Cain catches him again with an overhand right. And again. JDS is taking a beating here, but he’s staying upright. Incredible heart. 10-9 Cain

Round 3: JDS is looking rough. Cain looks like he just went for a walk. Cain opens things up by landing another big right. Cain clinches up again, backs off and is landing more big shots. JDS still standing. Cain working for a takedown, cannot get it. Elbow off the break by JDS, and Cain answers with two good shots. Cain has JDS against the cage, looking for a trip. They separate briefly and Cain lands a hook. JDS lands a good elbow. JDS lands a good right, Cain with a body kick. Oh, nice uppercut by JDS, and as banged up as he is he’s still got some sting on those shots. Herb Dean stops the action to check JDS’s cuts. His face is jacked and he has a cut over his right eye. Here we go again. JDS swings wildly, misses. Cain charges in, JDS sticks a real good elbow, and Cain responds with a good right. Another elbow, and a left hook by JDS. Cain clinches and lands an elbow of his own. Cain sticks a straight right to end the round. 10-9 Cain

Round 5: JDS’s left eye is swollen completely shut and he still comes out firing. Cain lands a takedown in the middle of the cage. JDS gets to his back, now working to get back up to his feet. Cain is all over him, but he manages to get up. Cain clinches him into the cage. Lands two nasty punches to the neck. Cain working that dirty boxing, lands about seven shots to the neck and body. JDS tries to push off, lands an elbow, but Cain punches him in the face then clinches him again. More knees to the thighs. They separate and Cain hits another right, clinches it again. JDS falls down, Cain bashes him and the fight is stopped. Wow, dominating performance.

The official decision is in, and it’s a TKO at 3:09 of round 5 for Cain Velasquez.

Another amazing performance by Cain. Awesome card top to bottom. I got to roll. Thanks for hanging with us. We’ll analyze this shit tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Velasquez vs. Dos Santos Fight Card: Power Ranking the 7 Most Compelling Fights

UFC 166 goes live tonight from the Toyota Center in Houston, featuring a main event between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos. 
While the heavyweight championship is the most highly anticipated fight on the card, there are plenty of other conte…

UFC 166 goes live tonight from the Toyota Center in Houston, featuring a main event between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos. 

While the heavyweight championship is the most highly anticipated fight on the card, there are plenty of other contests that have caught our eyes. These fights make up our most compelling fights on the card, based on fighter status/rank, pre-fight hype and potential to excite.

Begin Slideshow

UFC’s Million-Dollar Friendship: Heavyweights Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez

The trash talk flows easily when two of the best mixed martial artists on the planet square off. Punches will soon be flying too, but first the words come at a frenetic pace.
One man blatantly mispronounces his opponent’s name, a huge insult to his pro…

The trash talk flows easily when two of the best mixed martial artists on the planet square off. Punches will soon be flying too, but first the words come at a frenetic pace.

One man blatantly mispronounces his opponent’s name, a huge insult to his proud Mexican-American heritage. The other responds with a taunt about his rival’s receding hairline. With that, the two clash, a collision of superheroes that wouldn’t be out of place in a summer blockbuster.

The catch?

Only a handful of people are watching this fight between UFC heavyweights Cain Velasquez and Daniel Cormier. And not a single one paid a dime for a fight that would conservatively draw hundreds of thousands of viewers and millions of dollars on pay-per-view. When it’s all over, the two men will smile, hug it out and go out for barbecue.

Welcome to the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif.

“Monday, Wednesday and Friday I’ve got ringside seats for the best fight there is in the heavyweight division,” head coach Javier Mendez said. “I get to see it with my own eyes.”

Velasquez and Cormier are amazing friends. Like brothers, they say. But that doesn’t mean they intend to make things easy on one another.

When the two spar, whether it’s wrestling or MMA, action in the gym tends to stop or at least slow to a trickle as other fighters and trainers sneak looks. It’s not often, after all, that you see the greatest big men in the world duke it out for nothing, going hard for 15 minutes at a time three days a week.

“There’s definitely those days the whole gym wants to come over and watch sparring,” manager and trainer Bob Cook admits. “These two guys have been competing for so long they don’t know anything else.”

Velasquez, the UFC heavyweight champion, will defend his title against former champion Junior dos Santos Saturday in Houston, Texas, at UFC 166. Right before his teammate comes to the cage, Cormier will take on perennial contender Roy Nelson in another high-level heavyweight scrap.

Both men expect the contest in the Octagon to be the easy part of their journey.

“The hardest fights I’ve had have been in the gym, not in the cage,” Velasquez told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview. “It keeps you motivated. One day you’ll go in and feel like you can beat anybody in the world. The next day you kind of get humbled. That’s what keeps us coming back to train more and more. I’m not at the top every day. Some days he’ll get the better of me. That makes you the best you can be.”

For Cormier, Velasquez’s mere presence at the gym is a daily wake-up call, a walking and breathing example of how hard you have to work to stay at the top and a reminder of how good his opponents in the Octagon are going to be.

“It’s kind of a priceless thing. Not many people have that,” Cormier said. “It’s good to have someone you can relate to. You’re doing the same things, you know? Just being in the gym every day with someone with goals in common is special. That’s what really ties us together: the fact that we both want to be the best in the world. When you find someone, and they see that in you and you recognize it in them, it’s easy to jell with that person.”

 

The beginning

In many ways, the friendship between the two men defied the odds. After all, in the talent-thin heavyweight division, it seemed obvious that the two would be pegged to compete against each other someday. For most fighters, having a potential opponent in the gym leads to reticence, to giving less than your all. To withholding information and assistance.

Cain Velasquez is not most fighters.

“Right off the bat they began sharing. Cain started showing Daniel stuff right away. And Daniel started, right away, to help Cain improve his wrestling,” Mendez said. “They were open with each other despite knowing full well that they might fight somewhere down the line. It meant a lot to Daniel that Cain opened up his arms to him and showed him everything.”

As Velasquez explained, however, there was an element of self-interest to his selflessness.

“You always try to make your teammates better,” Velasquez said. “You help out your teammates, and they help you out in return. As they get better and better, they can help you more and more. At least I’ve always seen it that way.”

The bond between the two was immediate and fierce. Manager DeWayne Zinkin attributes it to an understanding forged in common experience. Both were All-American wrestlers. Each knew what the other had put in to earn those credentials, making it a relationship built on a foundation of mutual respect.

“There was such a great camaraderie right away,” Zinkin said. “They were both aware of each other and their accomplishments in the wrestling world. And they took to each other right away and helped each other out tremendously. So much of their success has come from being in the gym together everyday.

“They immediately became each other’s coaches. Cain helped Daniel get up to speed in terms of the striking. And Cain got not just a great sparring partner but also a great coach. Because Daniel was used to competing at such a high level of wrestling.”

For Cormier, that speed was of the essence. Less than a month after entering the gym for the first time, he had a fight on the docket. Already 30 after two Olympic cycles, he didn’t have much time left in his athletic prime to get up to snuff. He needed to run with the wolves immediately.

Velasquez’s support made that possible.

“I would have never gotten to this place without him,” Cormier said. “When I came into the gym, I wasn’t just some guy. I was a two-time Olympian. There was a decent chance that I’d be okay at this sport. But he never viewed me as a potential opponent down the line. He just tried to help me.

“I remember at the old gym when it was just me, him, his wife and Javier Mendez. And we would just wrestle. Trying to get better. When someone does something like that for me, it stays with me.”

It helped, of course, that Cormier was a gifted natural fighter and an athlete with an uncanny ability to quickly pick up, process and utilize any technique he came in contact with. Almost immediately he shattered the wrestler stereotype, incorporating fluid punches and even kicks into his arsenal.

“Daniel would pick up a technique and use it in sparring later that same day. Which is unheard of,” Mendez said. “More than that, Daniel would watch somebody do something and then go use it in sparring effectively. Normally it takes weeks to incorporate things like that. He’s a pupil I just kind of let go to learn on his own. Then I would help him perfect what he was learning. That’s how easy it was to train Daniel.”

“Wrestlers may make great fighters. But that doesn’t mean all wrestlers are fighters,” Cook said. “Both these guys were natural fighters. As soon as they started, you could immediately see the potential that they had to be special. From the very beginning, without really knowing anything, they had the ability to compete at a very high level. Just basically walking out of wrestling.”

 

On the mat

Velasquez also saw an almost immediate return on his investment in Cormier.

The Olympian became a coach as well as a sparring dummy, helping take Velasquez’s already superb wrestling to the next level. It’s the little things, he says, that separate Cormier from other wrestling coaches he’s had—including his ability to get on the mat and demonstrate the practices he preaches.

“He makes sure your hands are in the right place. That your head and body are in the right place,” Velasquez said, revealing there’s no such thing as an easy takedown when working with Cormier. “He makes sure you’re doing things the right way, not just sitting there holding the leg. He wants me in there driving, trying to get a takedown.”

The battles between the two on the wrestling mat, most often on Saturdays, have become almost as legendary as their MMA sparring. Egged on by Mendez, the two men compete with an intensity that borders on the supernatural—but never crosses the line toward unfriendly or angry.

“It started when I said to Daniel, ‘Cain’s going to take you down.’ He said, ‘No he’s not, Jav.’ And he didn’t. Not that day,” Mendez said. “They love challenges. It’s all friendly. There’s never any rivalry between them, but they are both so competitive. It’s in their nature. If one gets the takedown, the other has to get him back. They aren’t going to let it slide.”

Velasquez admits that Cormier has pushed him harder than anyone else, often getting the better of their wrestling exchanges. But it’s a positive frustration, one that has only made him improve his own game to compete. Today, he says, it’s much more even than it was a few years ago when they first started sparring.

“It’s hard for both of us. We know each other so well that it’s very hard to get one over on the other,” Velasquez said. “We’ll both get takedowns here or there, but it’s tough. My technique has to be on, and my game plan has to be on to take Daniel down. You have to set up the right technique to get that takedown. It can’t just be any shot. You have to really set it up.”

 

Brother vs. brother

On May 19, 2012, less than three years after taking up the sport, Cormier beat former UFC champion Josh Barnett to become the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix champion. Fellow Strikeforce champions Gilbert Melendez and Nick Diaz parlayed similar success and title accolades on Showtime into UFC title shots.

For Cormier, however, it was never an option, even if it meant leaving a fortune on the table. The champion in his division, after all, was Velasquez.

“Daniel had it in his mind that he would never fight Cain,” Mendez said. “He’s never forgotten what Cain did for him and has been planning for this move to the 205-pound division for a while. These two great warriors will never fight each other because they don’t have to. One of them can make the light heavyweight division.”

To Cormier, it’s not really much of a sacrifice. If things go perfectly, both men, and the entire team, will benefit.

“I still have a chance to be UFC champion. Just in another weight division. So I’m not giving up much, not really. I’m just not fighting my buddy,” he said.

Even the dreaded weight cut won’t be as bad as he feared. He’s already started preparing his body for a 20-pound drop, and it hasn’t been nearly as dreadful as anticipated.

“Food doesn’t necessarily have to suck in order to be healthy,” Cormier said. “It doesn’t have to be terrible to be healthy anymore.”

He’s also already laid the ground work for a future fight with light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. To Cook, it’s a move that makes sense.

“He is only 5’10”,” he said with a laugh, pointing out that Cormier‘s natural size makes him better suited for the light heavyweight division anyway. “I think Daniel is definitely one of those guys in the Randy Couture mold who is capable of fighting the best guys in both weight classes.”

 

Iron sharpens iron

For now, at least, both are still heavyweights, preparing side by side for fights that are among the biggest of their respective careers. For their coaches, it’s a relationship that has turned into a godsend. Rather than desperately search for someone who can keep up with them during the daily eight-week grind en route to the cage, the two can rely on each other.

“It’s fantastic. I don’t have to look for many sparring partners; I’ve already got two great ones,” Mendez said. “It’s not just having someone to fill three rounds; it’s the level. Daniel is one of the best. It would be like having Jon Jones and (UFC welterweight legend) GSP at the same weight and them sparring three times a week. That’s what I equate it to.”

“They’re sparring, grappling, wrestling, doing jiu-jitsu,” Cook said. “They’re doing it all. There’s no higher level of competition for either than each other.”

“Then they go back in the gym in the evening to do cardio together,” Zinkin added.

Cormier says it’s a partnership that pays dividends in the short and long term.

“When you have high-level guys around you, you can get good fast,” he said. “We’re here every day, even when we aren’t in fight camp. Trying to get better. Trying to learn.”

On the surface, the friends are the consummate odd couple. Cormier is outgoing and never at a loss for words. Velasquez is all business, his intensity and workouts legendary even in a sport that seems to attract people with an unhealthy drive and work ethic.

“Daniel is constantly the prankster. He’s the one always talking and joking around,” Cook said. “But, secretly, Cain has a little of that too.”

Lately, the conversation, and the ball-busting, has revolved around motorcycles, or, more specifically, what counts as a legitimate bike and what doesn’t.

“Daniel wants to be part of the motorcycle club,” Cook said. “But he wants to ride one of those three-wheelers from Eastbound & Down. Cain doesn’t think that counts.”

“My wife wanted to get one of those too,” Velasquez joked. “That shows you that they aren’t really motorcycles. I said, ‘If you get that, you’ve got to ride in the back.’ Not in the front. Not in the middle. All the way in the back. That’s not a bike. You can be in the carpool lane with that thing.”

As the fights loom, the joking is now at a minimum. The two men, connected at the hip for months, will enter their own fight-week bubbles. It’s time, now, for action. And, coaches say, when the lights are brightest, both are at their best.

“There are so many guys who are great in the workout room but can’t pull the trigger when it counts,” Zinkin said. “These are guys who both perform very well and have for years in wrestling. All of that experience, doing it when it counts, translates over to MMA. When it’s time to perform, these guys are performers. You can always count on them showing up on fight night.”

 

Cormier and Velasquez headline UFC 166 this Saturday on pay-per-view. Jonathan Snowden is Bleacher Report’s Lead Combat Sports Writer. All quotes were gathered firsthand.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Four Hidden Storylines For ‘UFC 166: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos 3?


(Cain Velasquez shoots in on teammate Daniel Cormier at yesterday’s open workouts in Houston. / Photo via MMAFighting)

By Adam Martin

With UFC 166 being a 13-fight card, it wouldn’t be hard for some of this weekend’s storylines to fly under the radar. In fact, this card is so deep that I honestly think I could find 20 hidden storylines in it if I really wanted to. But instead I’ll just run down what I think are the top four hidden storylines to be aware of while watching the fights. Let me know what you think in the comments section, and be sure to come back to CagePotato on Saturday night for our liveblog of the pay-per-view broadcast.

1) Will Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos Fight More Than Just a Trilogy?

There has never been a four- or five-fight series in UFC history, but it’s entirely possible that Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos will meet once or twice more after this weekend’s rubber-match at UFC 166, particularly if dos Santos wins the title back.

Let’s face it, the heavyweight talent pool in MMA is very shallow, and Velasquez and dos Santos are the cream of the crop. They are truly the only two heavyweights in the UFC without any discernable weaknesses, and with their ability to consistently produce exciting matches (particularly against one another), the UFC would have no problem having these guys fight again in the future. The fact that both fighters have broad appeal in two huge markets (Velasquez in Mexico, dos Santos in Brazil) certainly helps as well. A four-fight series would make history, and you’d better believe the UFC would hammer home that point in promoting it.

But it really comes down to how the third fight goes. If it’s a blowout for either guy, a fourth fight won’t be as intriguing, and would be unlikely to happen. But if it’s a competitive war that makes the fans go nuts, we can all look forward to Velasquez vs. Dos Santos IV. And soon.

2) Did Daniel Cormier Make a Mistake by Prematurely Announcing a Drop to 205?


(Cain Velasquez shoots in on teammate Daniel Cormier at yesterday’s open workouts in Houston. / Photo via MMAFighting)

By Adam Martin

With UFC 166 being a 13-fight card, it wouldn’t be hard for some of this weekend’s storylines to fly under the radar. In fact, this card is so deep that I honestly think I could find 20 hidden storylines in it if I really wanted to. But instead I’ll just run down what I think are the top four hidden storylines to be aware of while watching the fights. Let me know what you think in the comments section, and be sure to come back to CagePotato on Saturday night for our liveblog of the pay-per-view broadcast.

1) Will Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos Fight More Than Just a Trilogy?

There has never been a four- or five-fight series in UFC history, but it’s entirely possible that Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos will meet once or twice more after this weekend’s rubber-match at UFC 166, particularly if dos Santos wins the title back.

Let’s face it, the heavyweight talent pool in MMA is very shallow, and Velasquez and dos Santos are the cream of the crop. They are truly the only two heavyweights in the UFC without any discernable weaknesses, and with their ability to consistently produce exciting matches (particularly against one another), the UFC would have no problem having these guys fight again in the future. The fact that both fighters have broad appeal in two huge markets (Velasquez in Mexico, dos Santos in Brazil) certainly helps as well. A four-fight series would make history, and you’d better believe the UFC would hammer home that point in promoting it.

But it really comes down to how the third fight goes. If it’s a blowout for either guy, a fourth fight won’t be as intriguing, and would be unlikely to happen. But if it’s a competitive war that makes the fans go nuts, we can all look forward to Velasquez vs. Dos Santos IV. And soon.

2) Did Daniel Cormier Make a Mistake by Prematurely Announcing a Drop to 205?

Despite being 34 years old, Daniel Cormier is considered the top heavyweight prospect on the planet and this weekend puts his undefeated 12-0 record on the line against veteran Roy Nelson in the co-main event of UFC 166.

Although Nelson is coming off a loss to Stipe Miocic, he’s still regarded as one of the top-10 heavyweights in the world by many, and a win over the popular “Big Country” — especially a knockout — would be huge for Cormier in the eyes of the fans, giving him the big win he needs to get a UFC title shot.

However, despite the fact Cormier would be the de facto No. 1 heavyweight contender with a decisive win over Nelson, he’s already announced that win, lose, or draw, he will be making the move to light heavyweight for his next matchup, and gun for an immediate crack at Jon Jones’s belt.

The problem is, there are two fighters blocking Cormier’s path to an immediate light heavyweight title shot against Jones: Glover Teixeira and Alexander Gustafsson. Teixeira has already been confirmed as Jones’ next challenger – the two will fight in early 2014 – while Gustafsson has been told he will get a rematch with Jones next summer if he wins his next fight.

That means that Cormier would have to wait at least a year to get a crack at the 205-pound belt, and it means he would have to fight other top fighters like Phil Davis and Rashad Evans in the meantime; a loss, of course, would eliminate him from title contention.

I understand that Cormier is Cain Velasquez’s friend and main training partner, but there’s no guarantee that Velasquez will defend the UFC heavyweight championship against Junior dos Santos. If Velasquez loses and dos Santos becomes the champ, then a fight between JDS and Cormier would be the most marketable option, and there would be no one potentially blocking Cormier’s path to an immediate heavyweight title shot (other than Fabricio Werdum, who dos Santos has already KO’d).

At the very least, Cormier should have waited until UFC 166 was over before announcing his move down to 205.

3) Are Nate Marquardt and Hector Lombard on the Chopping Block?

One of the top preliminary fights on the UFC 166 card is a welterweight matchup between former top-10 middleweights Nate Marquardt and Hector Lombard. Yes, that’s right, this is a preliminary fight despite the fact both of these fighters were champions of other organizations in the last two years — Marquardt with Strikeforce and Lombard with Bellator — which says a lot to me about where both these guys stand in the eyes of Dana White, Joe Silva & Co.

In fact, I think both guys have been matched up against one another because the UFC wants to cut their losses with the loser. After all, both guys might be awesome fighters but they cost a lot — Marquardt at over 40k to show/40k to win, and Lombard gobbling up a 300k base salary. And, despite both being exciting fighters, let’s be honest, neither is a huge draw at the gate.

Therefore the return on investment isn’t there, and that’s why I think the UFC will part ways with whoever loses this match. And the fact that neither have been winning much as of late — with Marquardt on a two-fight losing streak and Lombard 1-2 in his last three — certainly doesn’t help the loser’s chances of sticking around.

4) Will Andre Fili Be the Next Great Team Alpha Male Fighter in the UFC?

In one of the Facebook prelims, featherweight prospect Andre Fili makes his UFC debut when he takes on Jeremy Larsen. Fili took the fight on only 12 days’ notice after Charles Oliveira pulled out of the Larsen matchup with an injury, but knowing the conditioning that the Team Alpha Male fighters put themselves through, I think he’ll be in good shape for this fight.

I mention his camp because one of the storylines the UFC has been selling as of late has been the recent success of the Sacramento-based Team Alpha Male. With fighters like Urijah Faber, Joseph Benavidez, Chad Mendes, and TJ Dillashaw having tremendous success in the Octagon — especially ever since Duane Ludwig took over as head coach — I’m super excited any time of their better prospects is put in the spotlight, and Fili is a guy who has been highly touted for a long time.

Only 23 and already carrying a 12-1 pro MMA record under his belt (the only loss coming via injury TKO), not to mention having one of the best nicknames in the sport (“Touchy”), Fili has a very bright future in this sport and it says a lot to me about how matchmaker Sean Shelby views him that the UFC signed him before they did his more famous and decorated teammate Lance Palmer. So definitely check this fight out if you get a chance to watch the Facebook prelims.

Gambling Addiction Enabler: ‘UFC 166: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos’ Edition

By Dan “Get Off Me” George and Jared Jones

This weekend, the be all end all title fight between Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez is going down at UFC 166, so to ring in this special occasion, we’ve decided to switch things up for this edition of the Gambling Addiction Enabler. Not only will you be receiving the trusted, well-researched advice of Dan “Get Off Me” George, but additionally, CagePotato staff writer (and former GAE master-picker) Jared Jones will be jumping in to deliver the onslaught of gifs and contradictory advice that you all know and love.

Without further ado, let’s get to the fights in question…

Stay the Hell Away From:

Hector Lombard (-185) vs. Nate Marquardt (+155)

DG: This fight should be at pick’em odds — proposing either fighter as a clear favorite is simply reckless and ignorant of the fact that both fighters have been prone to shockingly inconsistent performances as of late. On any given night, these guys can end a fight in spectacular fashion. Does Nate “The Great” show up and fight the Lombard we saw against Okami and Boetsch, or does he meet the man they call Shango and fight like he did against Saffiedine and Ellenberger? I’ll tentatively pick Marquardt here.

JJ: Well, if it’s “reckless and ignorant” that you want, you’ve come to the right source. (*sets fully-loaded revolver on table and spins it*)

I’m surprised you neglected to mention that Lombard will be fighting at welterweight for the first time in his UFC career, in what is one of the most transparent “Dropping a weight class to save your career” bouts in MMA History. Also, Lombard’s weight cut is going so poorly that he’s already talking about moving back up to middleweight. He’s assuming, of course, that the UFC won’t sever their ties with someone as overpaid as him following this weekend, which is wishful thinking in my opinion. Lombard is basically Rousimar Palhares + striking and since Marquardt already beat Palhares, MMAMath predicts a dominant victory for Marquardt 9.9 times out of 10. Reckless? Yes. Ignorant? Yes.

By Dan “Get Off Me” George and Jared Jones

This weekend, the be all end all title fight between Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez is going down at UFC 166, so to ring in this special occasion, we’ve decided to switch things up for this edition of the Gambling Addiction Enabler. Not only will you be receiving the trusted, well-researched advice of Dan “Get Off Me” George, but additionally, CagePotato staff writer (and former GAE master-picker) Jared Jones will be jumping in to deliver the onslaught of gifs and contradictory advice that you all know and love.

Without further ado, let’s get to the fights in question…

Stay the Hell Away From:

Hector Lombard (-185) vs. Nate Marquardt (+155)

DG: This fight should be at pick’em odds — proposing either fighter as a clear favorite is simply reckless and ignorant of the fact that both fighters have been prone to shockingly inconsistent performances as of late. On any given night, these guys can end a fight in spectacular fashion. Does Nate “The Great” show up and fight the Lombard we saw against Okami and Boetsch, or does he meet the man they call Shango and fight like he did against Saffiedine and Ellenberger? I’ll tentatively pick Marquardt here.

JJ: Well, if it’s “reckless and ignorant” that you want, you’ve come to the right source. (*sets fully-loaded revolver on table and spins it*)

I’m surprised you neglected to mention that Lombard will be fighting at welterweight for the first time in his UFC career, in what is one of the most transparent “Dropping a weight class to save your career” bouts in MMA History. Also, Lombard’s weight cut is going so poorly that he’s already talking about moving back up to middleweight. He’s assuming, of course, that the UFC won’t sever their ties with someone as overpaid as him following this weekend, which is wishful thinking in my opinion. Lombard is basically Rousimar Palhares + striking and since Marquardt already beat Palhares, MMAMath predicts a dominant victory for Marquardt 9.9 times out of 10. Reckless? Yes. Ignorant? Yes.

Daniel Cormier (-600) vs. Roy Nelson (+450)

JJ: Roy Nelson is coming off one of the worst beatdowns of his career and the self-admitted “crappiest camp of his career.” The latter statement might just be “Big Country’s” way of lamenting his recently instilled Whopper-free diet, but in any case, you’d have to be a fool to place an outright bet on either of these guys.

DG: -165 that this fight goes to decision is the only action this fight merits. Cormier should be able to keep Roy guessing, and when Roy’s guessing he’s losing fights. When Roy loses fights, he loses by decision, as weapons are still not allowed inside the cage. Cormier is the heavy favorite but Roy has only lost by decision in the UFC so far and should keep that stat alive this weekend.

The Good Dogs:

T.J. Waldburger (+130) vs. Adlan Amagov (-160)

DG: Amagov is coming off a successful UFC debut as the favorite here, but T.J. Waldburger is a live dog as many believe Adlan will look to take this fight to the ground. Waldburger has managed to receive a SOTN bonus in 2011 and 2012….2013 is almost over and T.J. may be able to keep his streak alive by finding a way to catch Amagov from his guard. Waldburger will not go away easily in his own backyard and if the fight goes to decision, those who took the plus money option may be pleasantly surprised.

JJ: Who in their right mind thinks Adlan Amagov is going to take this fight to the ground? Against a grappling wizard like Waldburger?! With two SOTN bonuses in his past four fights?!!

Amagov by spinning shit, round 1. Moving on…

Gabriel Gonzaga (+175) vs Shawn Jordan (-210)

DG: Pop quiz time: Who is the only fighter (other than Vitor Belfort) to have all of their UFC wins come inside the distance? It’s none other than +300 to win inside the distance on Saturday night, Gabriel Gonzaga. The prospective profit almost doubles simply picking Gonzaga to win inside the distance vs. simply winning the fight, risk reward makes this a good dog pick by default.

JJ: Wait, so all of Gonzaga’s wins have come inside the distance, yet he’s facing 3-to-1 odds to beat Shawn Jordan inside the distance? Prop bets are for the weak: All my monies on Gonzaga by Grape Ape Rape inside the first. Joke, you are a bad.

Gilbert Melendez (-800) vs. Diego Sanchez (+550)

JJ: Dan is going to suggest that you place your money on Sanchez or some weird-ass prop bet that most of our bookies don’t even offer. Just watch. My reaction to this advice is as follows:

DG: This bout is far more competitive than the line suggests (Ed note: TOLD YOU SO). That line is Jones vs. Sonnen territory and while Melendez is the right favorite, he pays next to nothing as an outright pick (even to win by decision at -175 is a worthwhile pick but still not a plus money option). So where can you find the opportunity to make over 4-to-1 on your investment in this fight without predicting a winner or loser? Melendez vs. Sanchez for FOTN. Looking at the fights on paper, this fight stands out above the rest and should be selected at the end of the night by Dana for the honors.

Cain Velasquez (-200) vs. Junior dos Santos (+170)

DG: Cain put on a clinic during his second bout with Dos Santos to take back the HW title, surprisingly out-striking the man who KO’d him only five months prior. The belief that the real Cain was not available for Zuffa’s FOX debut was supported with every jab and overhand right that the champ landed against JDS the second time around. Regardless of what the Brazilian will tell you, overtraining was most likely not the culprit for Dos Santos losing the rematch — it is far more likely that Velasquez is simply better in the long run. That said, JDS is a live dog because he is fighting an opponent he has beaten before and his price tag is paying out the highest return in his career. The prop that JDS wins via KO/TKO at +255 is the good dog pick, as it is rather clear Junior will not win any cardio races with Cain or steal any rounds along the way to a decision win. It’s all or nothing and it’s 2.5x your money if Cain gets caught again.

JJ: How quickly you forget UFC 90, Dan. Had any of us predicted that Dos Santos would treat Fabricio Werdum‘s face like a door on the TUF set at that event, we would have made 8 times our wager back. But you’re right about one thing, Dos Santos needs to catch Velasquez in the opening rounds if he hopes to hear a Brazilian mariachi version of “Gonna Fly Now” upon his return trip home. His takedown defense, however, is going to have to be impeccable for this to happen. I see this fight going down a lot like the second incarnation, with Velasquez wearing JDS down and potentially finishing him with GnP sometime in the championship rounds. But hey, there’s always the Klitschko’s, right Junior?

Dan’s Parlay Picks
Parlay 1: Dodson-Boetsch
Parlay 2: Jordan-K.J. Noons-Ferguson
Parlay 3: Waldburger-Fili-Kaufman

Jared’s Parlay Pick:
Parlay 1: $20 on Velasquez-Dodson-Boetsch returns $41.66

Roy Nelson Will Not Have to Shave His Beard for Fight with Daniel Cormier

It appears Roy Nelson has already defeated Daniel Cormier in one aspect of their upcoming grudge match at UFC 166, as his signature beard will be in full effect this Saturday night in Houston.
“Big Country’s” facial hair became a target of the undefeat…

It appears Roy Nelson has already defeated Daniel Cormier in one aspect of their upcoming grudge match at UFC 166, as his signature beard will be in full effect this Saturday night in Houston.

“Big Country’s” facial hair became a target of the undefeated former-Olympian-turned-mixed martial artist, Cormier, who filed a complaint with the Texas Athletic Commission requesting the former TUF winner be forced to shave or trim his beard before their co-main event tilt this weekend.

The 34-year-old Louisiana native cited a bit of gamesmanship in his attempt to throw Nelson off in the pregame buildup, but those efforts have been stamped out.

On Wednesday night’s edition of UFC Tonight on Fox Sports 1, Ariel Helwani reported Nelson will not be forced to shave or trim his beard due to the athletic commission not regulating such matters. Cormier had filed an official complaint, but with the issue not falling under a category the governing body covers, the commission has no grounds to impose action on Nelson.

Bleacher Report reached out to the bearded heavyweight to get his thoughts on the matter. To no great surprise, the scrappy veteran was indifferent to the entire situation as he refused to feed into the distraction and put his focus on more important matters, such as the hospitalization of his trainer Jeff Mayweather.

“Some times there are situations where people have to listen, but I had more important things on my mind,” Nelson said. “I had the worst camp of my career for this fight. I was more worried about Jeff Mayweather’s health and him being in the hospital than Daniel and his bull crap. I’m a people person.”

Nelson and Cormier have been trading barbs for the past several months, with each fighter landing jabs via interviews and social media.

The 37-year-old knockout artist publicly poked the former Oklahoma State wrestling standout for apparently turning down a potential matchup back in June—a charge Cormier deemed out of context, and the bout passed him by due to an injury he was dealing with at the time.

While Cormier couldn’t sign on the dotted line to face Nelson back in the summer and was eyeing a drop down to light heavyweight, the situation provided the motivation for “D.C.” to stick around the heavyweight ranks for one more go.

Nelson and Cormier will settle their differences on Saturday night at UFC 166 in a highly anticipated heavyweight showdown. 

 

****Story updated with Roy Nelson’s reaction to the Texas Athletic Commission’s decision not to intervene.

 Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com