Tag: DeMarques Johnson

UFC on Fox 4 Aftermath

After an over hyped UFC 149 that did not deliver to fan’s expectations, the UFC got right back on track with a heavily action packed card on Fox. UFC on Fox 4: Shogun vs. Vera.

After an over hyped UFC 149 that did not deliver to fan’s expectations, the UFC got right back on track with a heavily action packed card on Fox. UFC on Fox 4: Shogun vs. Vera was one of the most exciting events of the year, an event that saw four knockouts and three submissions. The question now, where does this put Saturday’s competitors now that every fight has come to its conclusion?

After being absent for over two years, Mike Swick returned to the octagon to knockout DaMarques Johnson in the second round. Although Johnson was knocked out in devastating fashion, he most likely won the first round, and made it an extremely competitive fight. As for his next fight, Matt “The Immortal” Brown would be ideal for a competitive fight for Johnson. Having such an impressive knockout after being absent for so long, is proof that Swick is still a force to be reckoned with at welterweight and he should fight another dangerous opponent such as Yoshihiro Akiyama or Siyar Bahadurzada.

Fight of the night award winners, Joe Lauzon and Jamie Varner, not only put on the performance of the entire event, but are being considered for fight of the year. Going into the third round, it was still either man’s fight to take. Lauzon didn’t take any chances and refused to let the fight go to a decision when he slapped a triangle on Varner that forced him to tap. Just like DaMarques Johnson with his loss to Mike Swick, Jamie Varner won the first round and made the fight extremely competitive. Varner should draw a quality opponent in his next fight, perhaps Khabib Nurmagomedov or Rafael dos Anjos. Lauzon is ready for another big name, and should fight his original opponent, Terry Etim.

Lyoto Machida not only scored what was arguably the most impressive knockout of the night, but did so without so much as being touched by his opponent, Ryan Bader. There is no shame in getting knocked out by the dragon, and Bader is still among the elite in the light heavyweight division, but after Brandon Vera’s performance against Shogun, it would be interesting to see Bader vs. Vera. As for Machida, he should no doubt get the next shot at the light heavyweight title, whether it’s against Jon Jones or Dan Henderson.

Brandon Vera shocked everyone when he gave Shogun a run for his money in the main event. Though he was on the loosing end of the fight, he arguably gained more fans than any other fighter that night. Dana White said it best about Vera by saying “You can’t Rank a fighter’s heart. Heavily favored Shogun did pull off the victory, but with much more difficulty than anticipated. Nonetheless, a win is a win and now is the perfect time for the UFC to match Shogun against Rashad Evans, a fight that was supposed to happen a year and a half ago.

The list of possible match ups after this event is endless. Regardless of what future fights the UFC puts together, bottom line, UFC on Fox 4 was a great event and raised the bar to events to come.

Written by : Ryan “Fight Freek” Poli
@fightfreek

UFC on FOX 4: Shogun vs. Vera Aftermath: Breaking Even


Shogun was as brutal and entertaining as Machida, but not as impressive in Dana White’s eyes. Props: @raiseyourhorns

After watching the UFC’s first two lackluster efforts on Fox, as well as the organization’s entertaining third effort fail to draw decent ratings, it was no secret that the UFC needed to deliver with last night’s UFC on Fox 4. With “the most impressive fighter” earning the next title shot at light-heavyweight, fighters returning to the spotlight after time in the indie leagues and fighters returning from extended layoffs – not to mention the usual
mix of fighters attempting to make a name for themselves and guys literally fighting for their jobs- it was obvious that the UFC was hoping for something special from everybody involved. Factor in the fact that the UFC was already struggling with ratings before the abysmal UFC 149 just two weeks ago, and it would seem like a night full of stoppages was in order to keep the fans interested in future fights on Fox.

Simply put, this card delivered all that was expected of it and then some. Last night’s fights were exactly what I was hoping to get when the UFC first announced that they had inked a deal with Fox. It was exactly what I want to show the first time viewer who asks what this “MMA stuff” is that I write about. After a rough start with these free cards on Fox, the UFC now stands at an even 2-2.

It wouldn’t be fair to say that the main event bout between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Brandon “The Truth” Vera lived up to its expectations because, let’s face it, there weren’t any. Before the fight, no one could make sense of the potential title implications behind a seemingly blatant squash fight, pitting an aging legend of our sport against a fighter who had been coasting on the brink of irrelevance. Whether we were given a quick, brutal knockout or five rounds of stalling and wheezing, few of us would have been surprised either way.

Rather, it’s fair to say that Shogun Rua vs. Brandon Vera ended up being one of the best fights that the UFC has put on Fox, and easily the most entertaining main event on the network. For four rounds, Shogun outpointed a focused, game Vera on his way to a fourth round TKO. While Vera certainly had his moments – don’t act like your jaw didn’t drop when he locked in that guillotine in the first round – in the end Shogun’s aggressive striking and takedowns were just too much for The Truth.


Shogun was as brutal and entertaining as Machida, but not as impressive in Dana White’s eyes. Props: @raiseyourhorns

After watching the UFC’s first two lackluster efforts on Fox, as well as the organization’s entertaining third effort fail to draw decent ratings, it was no secret that the UFC needed to deliver with last night’s UFC on Fox 4. With “the most impressive fighter” earning the next title shot at light-heavyweight, fighters returning to the spotlight after time in the indie leagues and fighters returning from extended layoffs – not to mention the usual
mix of fighters attempting to make a name for themselves and guys literally fighting for their jobs- it was obvious that the UFC was hoping for something special from everybody involved. Factor in the fact that the UFC was already struggling with ratings before the abysmal UFC 149 just two weeks ago, and it would seem like a night full of stoppages was in order to keep the fans interested in future fights on Fox.

Simply put, this card delivered all that was expected of it and then some. Last night’s fights were exactly what I was hoping to get when the UFC first announced that they had inked a deal with Fox. It was exactly what I want to show the first time viewer who asks what this “MMA stuff” is that I write about. After a rough start with these free cards on Fox, the UFC now stands at an even 2-2.

It wouldn’t be fair to say that the main event bout between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Brandon “The Truth” Vera lived up to its expectations because, let’s face it, there weren’t any. Before the fight, no one could make sense of the potential title implications behind a seemingly blatant squash fight, pitting an aging legend of our sport against a fighter who had been coasting on the brink of irrelevance. Whether we were given a quick, brutal knockout or five rounds of stalling and wheezing, few of us would have been surprised either way.

Rather, it’s fair to say that Shogun Rua vs. Brandon Vera ended up being one of the best fights that the UFC has put on Fox, and easily the most entertaining main event on the network. For four rounds, Shogun outpointed a focused, game Vera on his way to a fourth round TKO. While Vera certainly had his moments – don’t act like your jaw didn’t drop when he locked in that guillotine in the first round – in the end Shogun’s aggressive striking and takedowns were just too much for The Truth.

This isn’t to say the fight was perfect by any means. For one, Shogun continued to struggle with his cardio, much like he did against Dan Henderson. Perhaps his conditioning woes are what convinced Dana White not to reward him with a title shot with his performance. Likewise, while Vera deserves credit for the gutsy performance he put in last night, being a punching bag for the deep end of the division will only get you so far. I’m not saying that I want Vera off of the main cards, and I’m certainly not saying that he deserves to be fired for the performance that he put in, but I am saying that I don’t want to pay to watch a Brandon Vera fight any time soon.

As for the co-main event between Lyoto Machida and Ryan Bader, there really isn’t much left to say: It delivered everything that I assumed it would. Machida knew that a knockout would give him a title shot, and he earned it with a well timed counter right hook. He may not be the most qualified challenger in recent memory, but as long as Jon Jones gets past Dan Henderson, he makes for easily the most interesting rematch (I say rematch because, like everyone else, I’d rather see Jones fight Gustafsson or Teixeira).

Submission of the Night honors went to Joe Lauzon for his triangle choke over Jamie Varner. With Varner returning to a Zuffa main card for the first time since 2010 and Lauzon coming off of a quick, vicious knockout loss to Anthony Pettis, both men made the most of their time in the spotlight with a highly entertaining three round battle. While Varner had Lauzon in trouble early on with his superior striking, J-Lau hung on to turn the fight into a nonstop, back-and-forth brawl. Lauzon begin to pull away with the contest once Jamie Varner broke his hand in the second round, and eventually earned the submission in the third. It would have been interesting to see how this one would have ended had Varner not broken his hand, but at least he has the $50k Fight of the Night bonus to show for his performance.

Knockout of the Night honors went to “Quick” Mike Swick, who made the most of his return to the cage by putting away DeMarques Johnson in the second round. Being 0-2 in your last two fights is enough pressure for a fighter in the UFC, yet alone coming off of a layoff spanning over two years. While Swick looked shaky at times – as expected from a fighter who has been out of action for so long – he rocked Johnson throughout the fight with hard rights before taking him down after catching a kick and landing a huge right hand. It’s hard to see this victory pushing Swick too far up the ladder, but it was an excellent, well deserved victory for Quick.

Full Results:

Main Card:

Mauricio Rua def. Brandon Vera via TKO, 4:09 of Round Four
Lyoto Machida def. Ryan Bader via KO, 1:32 of Round Two
Joe Lauzon def. Jamie Varner via submission (triangle choke), 2:44 of Round Three
Mike Swick def. DaMarques Johnson via KO, 1:20 of Round Two

Preliminary Card:

Nam Phan def. Cole Miller via split decision
Phil Davis vs. Wagner Prado declared a no contest (doctor’s stoppage due to unintentional
eyepoke)
Rani Yahya def. Josh Grispi via submission (North-south choke), 3:15 of Round One
Phil De Fries def. Oli Thompson via submission (rear naked choke), 4:16 of Round Two
Manny Gamburyan def. Michihiro Omigawa via unanimous decision
John Moraga def. Ulysses Gomez via KO, 3:46 of Round One

@SethFalvo

UFC on Fox 4: Post Fight Breakdown

Mauricio Rua vs. Brandon Vera Mauricio Rua is better than Brandon Vera. We knew that coming into the fight. But even in a loss, Vera showed the heart of a champion. He brought the fight.

Mauricio Rua vs. Brandon Vera

Mauricio Rua is better than Brandon Vera. We knew that coming into the fight. But even in a loss, Vera showed the heart of a champion. He brought the fight to Rua and refused to quit. He could have been finished at several points in the fight. Instead, he continued to throw back at Rua and put every ounce of his being into the fight. He fought until his body shut itself off against his will.

The first round opened with a quick kick from Vera. But Rua set the tempo for the fight almost immediately by landing a surprise takedown. He passed to side control but didn’t do much damage. Vera got back to his feet and attacked with a guillotine but Rua defended fairly easily and landed ground strikes before taking Vera’s back. Rua dominated the round and the outcome of the fight seemed inevitable at that point. Rua opened the second round with a big leg kick followed by a punch combination that pushed Vera back to the cage. Rua pounced for the finish and the fight seemed over. Vera briefly dropped but popped back up. And not only did he pop up, he popped up throwing. For the rest of the round, both fighters took turn landing huge shots. Vera landed big elbows and Rua responded with big punches and knees. Both fighters seemed to be tiring more from the damage they were absorbing than a lack of conditioning. Vera scored a takedown late in the round and rode out the remaining time in top position. The third round saw both fighters continue to tire. But that didn’t stop them from continuing to exchange big shots. Both fighters were hurt but neither was dropped at any point in the round. Rua landed two takedowns including one at the end of the round. The fourth round was similar to the third until Rua landed a combo that hurt Vera. He followed him to the cage and landed another big right hand. Vera’s body finally gave out on him and he crumpled to the mat.

For Shogun, his performance may have earned him a title shot. That will be up to the UFC. Lyoto Machida’s victory over Ryan Bader was impressive and I’m not sure exactly how they will determine whose performance was more impressive. But the more important outcome of this fight was what it means for Brandon Vera. He went toe to toe with one of the best light heavyweights in the history of the sport. Hopefully, he can bring the work ethic and mental approach he discovered for this fight into his future fights. If he does, he will be a threat. He won’t fulfill the title potential he showed early in his career, but his performance was enough to earn him the right to continue fighting at the higher levels of the division.

Lyoto Machida vs. Ryan Bader

Lyoto Machida put on a clinic against Ryan Bader on his way to a devastating second round knockout. Early in his UFC career, Machida was considered a boring fighter because he stayed on the outside and avoided danger forcing his opponents to attack and take all the risks. After several flashy finishes, he seemed to lose track of that strategy and became the aggressor. After suffering losses for the first time in his career, he returned to his roots and used his movement to beat Ryan Bader. Bader spent the entire first round trying to find a way to close the distance. He was not successful. Machida stayed on the outside and landed counter kicks and knees whenever an opportunity arose. The second round was playing out exactly the same way and the fans began to get restless just as they did in Machida’s early UFC fights. As soon as the fans started booing, Bader bull rushed Machida and lost the fight as the former champion obliterated him with a counter right. Only Bader knows if he rushed because he heard the fans booing but the timing certainly begs the question.

The win obviously puts Machida in the discussion for the next title shot. The only question will be whether the UFC determines his or Mauricio Rua’s victory to be more impressive. The loss is a setback for Bader as he continues to struggle with the top tier of the light heavyweight division. He made no attempt to use his wrestling to keep Machida off balance and will need to utilize his full game if he hopes to be a title contender. Power boxing will not be enough against the elite of the division and that seems to be all he brings to the cage recently.

Jamie Varner vs. Joe Lauzon

Taking this fight as a replacement and not having the time to go through a full training camp came back to bite Jamie Varner in the second fight of the night. He hurt Lauzon several times in the first round with big right hands but was unable to finish. By the middle of the round, he was already breathing through his mouth and trying to buy time between combinations. Lauzon brought the same aggression and explosiveness he brings to every fight firing back at Varner and landing a big knee in the middle of the round. The second round saw the momentum begin to shift definitively in favor of Lauzon as Varner continued to tire. Lauzon managed to take Varner’s back twice in the round and landed the bigger punches in the exchanges. The fighters engaged in several brawling flurries and were both lucky to escape without being hit cleanly. By the beginning of the third round, Varner looked exhausted and Lauzon had an obvious cardio advantage. Varner came out and immediately used his explosive takedowns to try to control the round. He took Lauzon down almost immediately but Lauzon got up quickly. Varner again landed a takedown but Lauzon used the momentum to sweep. Varner countered and reversed position but in the transition, Lauzon locked up a triangle and Varner was unable to escape.

This was arguably the fight of the night but it could have been even better if Varner had been able to perform at his peak but he took the fight and has no excuses. If he could have continued to land takedowns and navigate his way through the final round, he probably would have won a decision. Instead, Lauzon gets the victory and muddies the picture at lightweight even further. The division is so deep that it will be difficult for any one fighter to string together enough victories to get into the title picture. Fortunately for the UFC, Anthony Pettis is already in line for the next shot so the division has some time to sort itself out. Lauzon will likely see another one of the top contenders in the division and try to put together back to back victories. For Varner, he will likely have to step back and once again begin climbing perhaps the toughest ladder in the UFC.

Mike Swick vs. Demarques Johnson

Mike Swick opened UFC on Fox 4 by earning a knockout victory over Demarques Johnson in a triumphant return to the octagon after more than two years away due to injuries and illness. The opening round saw both fighters land big strikes and engage in dangerous brawling exchanges. Both fighters were hurt at various points but neither landed clean enough to end the fight. After landing a right hand, Johnson pressed forward and ended up on top of Swick. From there, he progressed to the full mount and landed heavy shots. Swick escaped the mount but quickly found himself in a perfect D’Arce position. But luckily for him, Johnson seemed to lack the technical ability to finish the choke and allowed Swick to escape the position and the round. Swick came out in the second round looking to change the momentum. He landed a left hand early in the round. Johnson threw a kick, which Swick caught and used to score a takedown. As Johnson’s back was hitting the mat and before Swick had even landed on top of him, Swick landed a huge right hand in the transition and knocked Johnson out cold. Swick landed two more shots before referee Herb Dean was able to step in to stop the fight.

Overall, Swick couldn’t have hoped for a much better outcome. He showed some rustiness and he never seemed to get fully comfortable in the fight. He left openings for Johnson and a better fighter might have been able to take advantage of those openings. But Swick did enough to earn the victory and even managed to do so in a way that reminded fans of his reputation for quick finishes earlier in his career. Swick will obviously earn a step up in competition and only time will tell how far this comeback will go. For Johnson, this puts him on the verge of leaving the UFC. Because he provided an entertaining fight, he likely earned some leeway but he needs to put together a couple wins in a row if he wants to move forward in his career.

UFC on FOX Predictions

Filed under: UFC, UFC on FOXWill Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos deliver a classic fight in the first-ever UFC broadcast on network television? Will they put on the kind of performance that has the first-time UFC viewers clamoring for more? Will t…

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Junior dos Santos, right, will face Cain Velasquez in the main event on the UFC on FOX card.Will Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos deliver a classic fight in the first-ever UFC broadcast on network television? Will they put on the kind of performance that has the first-time UFC viewers clamoring for more? Will the winner emerge as an American sports star? And ultimately, who will get his hand raised and the UFC heavyweight belt put around his waist on Saturday night?

I’ll attempt to answer those questions and more below.

What: UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos

When: Saturday, the Facebook undercard stream begins at 4:45 p.m. ET and the Fox broadcast begins at 9.

Where: Honda Center, Anaheim

Predictions on all the fights below.

Cain Velasquez vs. Junior Dos Santos
 From a business perspective, the big question is whether this fight is going to turn new viewers who watch on Fox for the first time into UFC fans. That’s what the UFC is really hoping for with the decision to put the heavyweight title on the line for free on network television.

It’s probably too much to ask that we could get a classic battle along the lines of Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar at the first Ultimate Fighter Finale — the gold standard for fights that brought the UFC new fans. But I do believe this is going to be a highly entertaining fight: Velasquez and Dos Santos are both compelling figures who rarely look dull in the cage, and unlike so many heavyweights, they both have the gas tank to keep this fight explosive even if it goes into the fifth round.

So who wins it? If I were certain that Velasquez is completely healthy, I’d probably give him a slight edge, thanks to his wrestling: We haven’t yet seen Dos Santos tested on the ground, and Velasquez might be the man to put him on his back and put him in trouble. However, I have nagging questions about whether Velasquez’s rotator cuff surgery could affect him in this fight. Will he have the same strength and movement that he had when he beat Brock Lesnar a year ago?

And because of those questions about Velasquez’s shoulder, I’m going to give a slight edge to Dos Santos, who I think will be able to keep the fight standing most of the way and get the better of the striking exchanges with Velasquez. Heavyweight fights that go the full five rounds don’t come along very often, but I think we’re going to see one here: Dos Santos wins by decision and becomes the new UFC heavyweight champion.
Pick: Dos Santos


Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson
The most disappointing part of the UFC on Fox card is that this fight — which may determine the next contender for the UFC lightweight title — has been relegated to being shown on an online stream on Facebook and FoxSports.com, and won’t make it to TV. This is a great fight that shouldn’t be overlooked. Guida’s path to victory would be to take Henderson down, control him from the top and grind out a decision, but I think Henderson is going to be too strong for him and should take this one.
Pick: Henderson
Dustin Poirier vs. Pablo Garza
 At age 22, Poirier is one of the most promising young fighters in the featherweight division, and a likely future title contender. I like him to win by submission over Garza in what looks to me like the Fight of the Night favorite.
Pick: Poirier
Cub Swanson vs. Ricardo Lamas
 In what should be another very exciting featherweight fight, Swanson will have too much for Lamas and win a technical knockout.
Pick: Swanson
DaMarques Johnson vs. Clay Harvison
 In a battle of former Ultimate Fighter contestants, look for Harvison to take control early and finish Johnson off by TKO.
Pick: Harvison
Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Darren Uyenoyama
 There are a whole bunch of American fans these days who have no idea that Kid Yamamoto was once considered among the To 10 pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Yamamoto has only won one fight since New Year’s Eve 2007, and the Japanese MMA scene has fallen apart, and so Yamamoto feels like an ancient relic to a lot of newer fans. But even if Yamamoto isn’t what he once was, he should still be good enough to beat Uyenoyama, a UFC newcomer. Look for Yamamoto to pick up his first win inside the Octagon.
Pick: Yamamoto
Mackens Semerzier vs. Robert Peralta
 Peralta is on an eight-fight winning streak which included a victory over Dream featherweight champion Hiroyuki Takaya, a victory for Peralta that opened a lot of eyes and got him his shot in the UFC. I think he’ll make it nine in a row against Semerzier.
Pick: Peralta
Alex Caceres vs. Cole Escovedo
 Cacares, the former Ultimate Fighter bad boy, is moving down to bantamweight in what looks like a final attempt to stay on the UFC roster. I like Escovedo to put a beating on “Bruce Leroy” and knock him out of the UFC.
Pick: Escovedo
Mike Pierce vs. Paul Bradley
 Pierce, who’s 4-2 in the UFC, has already beaten Bradley once before and should do it again in Bradley’s second fight in the Octagon. Look for a one-sided unanimous decision in Pierce’s favor.
Pick: Pierce
Aaron Rosa vs. Matt Lucas
Lucas is getting his first shot in the UFC after fighting for most of his career in Rage in the Cage. I like him to win his debut and likely get Rosa sent packing from the UFC.
Pick: Lucas

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Following Father’s Death, Jake Shields Will Still Compete at ‘UFC Fight Night 25?

Just a quick follow-up to yesterday’s news of Jack Shields’s passing: MMAFighting has confirmed that Jake Shields will still face Jake Ellenberger in the main event of UFC Fight Night 25 (aka “Battle on the Bayou”), which takes place September 17th in New Orleans.

However, the event’s preliminary card has suffered a setback, as DaMarques Johnson and Mackens Semerzier have both withdrawn due to injuries. Johnson has already been replaced by returning TUF 11 vet Seth Baczynski. UFC Fight Night 25’s current lineup is after the jump…

Just a quick follow-up to yesterday’s news of Jack Shields’s passing: MMAFighting has confirmed that Jake Shields will still face Jake Ellenberger in the main event of UFC Fight Night 25 (aka “Battle on the Bayou”), which takes place September 17th in New Orleans.

However, the event’s preliminary card has suffered a setback, as DaMarques Johnson and Mackens Semerzier have both withdrawn due to injuries. Johnson has already been replaced by returning TUF 11 vet Seth Baczynski. UFC Fight Night 25′s current lineup is after the jump…

Main Card
Jake Shields vs. Jake Ellenberger
Court McGee vs. Dongi Yang
Jonathan Brookins vs. Erik Koch
Alan Belcher vs. Jason MacDonald

Preliminary Card
Cody McKenzie vs. Vagner Rocha
Evan Dunham vs. Shamar Bailey
Matt Riddle vs. Lance Benoist
Ken Stone vs. Donny Walker
Seth Baczynski vs. Clay Harvison
Daniel Roberts vs. TJ Waldburger
Justin Edwards vs. Jorge Lopez

UFC Will Stream Fights on Facebook

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, UFC, NewsThe UFC has announced that two fights on the non-televised portion of Saturday night’s Fight for the Troops event will be streamed live on the promotion’s official Facebook page.

“I’m always looking for ways to g…

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The UFC has announced that two fights on the non-televised portion of Saturday night’s Fight for the Troops event will be streamed live on the promotion’s official Facebook page.

“I’m always looking for ways to give fans fights for free and this is just another example of that,” UFC President Dana White said in a statement. “Facebook is such a great tool for people to stay connected and we’re excited to put two live fights on our UFC page for free.”

The UFC, more than any other sports league, has used social networking to connect to fans. So from that perspective, it’s easy to see why they’d do this Facebook deal. But the deal still seems a little weird.