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UFC 187: High Stakes for Flyweight Division with Dodson, Benavidez in Action

UFC 187 is an important night for the flyweights, as two key matchups will take place Saturday and could provide us with the next flyweight title contender. John “The Magician” Dodson will make his return to action against Zach Makovsky on the preliminary card, and Joseph Benavidez will battle John Moraga in the pay-per-view main card opener.

We haven’t seen Dodson in the Octagon since his June 2014 TKO victory over Moraga because he was sidelined with a torn ACL that required surgery last July. At the time, he was thought to be the next challenger for Demetrious Johnson. However, the injury took him out of the immediate conversation, and a win over Makovsky would put him right back in.

Dodson’s 2013 championship fight against Johnson has served as his only defeat inside the Octagon and one of Johnson’s closest fights at flyweight. He holds a first-round TKO win over current bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw and is considered one of the few remaining interesting matchups for Johnson at flyweight.

Benavidez has already had his first and second chances against Mighty Mouse and came up short both times. The two fought in the first ever UFC flyweight championship fight, and Benavidez dropped the decision to Johnson. He worked his way back up the ladder but suffered a devastating knockout loss in one of Johnson’s most impressive performances to date in their rematch in late 2013.

Benavidez has been utterly dominant against everyone other than Johnson lately, and he might be the best flyweight in the division not named Mighty Mouse. But he’ll only be given so many opportunities to climb back to the top, and each climb gets longer and more arduous.

He might be able to best Moraga on Saturday, but will three straight victories be enough to get a third crack at Johnson?

If Dodson goes and does what he does to put Makovsky away impressively, he’ll most likely be the next challenger for the title. Although we haven’t seen much in the weakness department from the champion, Dodson’s hands are hard to deny, and people will still want to see that rematch.

For Moraga and Makovsky, UFC 187 is a chance to take someone’s spot at the top.

Dodson and Benavidez are ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, and have been in those spots for quite some time. If Makovsky can derail the comeback of Dodson, he’d be hard to argue for the shot himself. He’s a former Bellator bantamweight champion and has won five of his last six fights.

It hasn’t been decided by the UFC who will fight for the flyweight title next, but we will probably have a clear idea come Sunday morning. We may end up with an emphatic victory in both fights that requires a title eliminator, or we have our next flyweight title challenger. We could be looking at the first round of another flyweight tournament.

UFC 187 is a big night for the little guys. For Dodson and Benavidez, it is about holding onto their top spots and reminding fans why they belong at the very top of the division.

The stakes are high for the flyweights at UFC 187, and we should be in for some very high-level, fast-paced fights.

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Is Jose Aldo Really the Pound-for-Pound Best Fighter in Mixed Martial Arts?

Jon Jones’ most recent transgression was the talk of the town, and it landed him in serious hot water with the UFC brass. The leader in mixed martial arts indefinitely suspended the now-former light heavyweight champion, and as such pulled him fr…

With Jones out—is Jose Aldo the pound-for-pound best fighter on planet Earth? I will make the case that voters should reevaluate their stance and move another above him for their next go around.

But first, off the top let’s just admit that the pound-for-pound rankings mean nothing. They are simply a talking point and highlight some of the best fighters in the world today. Where divisional rankings have some basis on performance, the pound-for-pound rankings are highly subjective.

When looking at the new rankings only four names leap off the page that should be in contention for this polarizing honor: Aldo, Demetrious Johnson, Chris Weidman and Ronda Rousey.

All four are phenomenal champions. And dominant. The question becomes how to differentiate between them.

Is pound-for-pound simply who is the most dominant? If so, then this is Rousey’s honor. Women’s bantamweight is not as deep as the featherweight or lightweight divisions, but ousting back-to-back top-five-ranked contenders in a combined 30 seconds is astounding. No matter how you slice it.

Or is pound-for-pound a distinction that belongs to someone who has run through a list of credible challengers? That would put Aldo just barely ahead of Weidman. Both of them have faced top-tier competition time and again while winning impressively.

However, if you want the best fighter in the world regardless of physical attributes & based on skill alone you have to side with Johnson.

The flyweight division is shallow. No one disputes this. Regardless, the competition Johnson has faced has been solid. Ian McCall, Joseph Benavidez and John Dodson are all great talents. They have better skill sets than many others who have challenged for gold in other divisions. And he has outclassed them all since becoming champion. The improvements he has made have been outstanding.

Johnson’s technique is peerless.

His last-second stoppage of Kyoji Horiguchi at UFC 186 was very impressive. He did not need to seek out a finish. He dominated the fight. Yet, it wasn’t good enough. Mighty Mouse stopped another challenger. He set himself apart.

Aldo is a fantastic striker, a very good grappler and even has solid wrestling. Rousey is a world-class judoka with ever-developing striking that is underrated at best. Weidman also chimes in with a stellar grappling attack in both wrestling and jiu-jitsu, and the middleweight champion has shown off his striking against the best to ever do it in MMA—Anderson Silva.

But none of them blend together all their pieces like Johnson. It is not even really close. The way Johnson is able to switch things up on the fly is remarkable, and it is what sets him apart from the field.

Pound-for-pound is subjective, but Johnson should earn his slot as the No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. He has fought more often than any other champion against very good fighters, he has dominated those fights and he blends his elite skills better than anyone else in this sport.

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Making the Case for Ronda Rousey as the Pound-for-Pound Best in MMA

Over the past few years, only Jon Jones and Jose Aldo have been nearly as dominant over their divisions in the UFC as Ronda Rousey has.
Despite recent off-the-Octagon issues, Jones is still undeniably the best mixed martial artist in the organization. …

Over the past few years, only Jon Jones and Jose Aldo have been nearly as dominant over their divisions in the UFC as Ronda Rousey has.

Despite recent off-the-Octagon issues, Jones is still undeniably the best mixed martial artist in the organization. While Aldo is just a monster when he steps into that cage.

Before Jones’ car accident, those two were, respectively, No. 1 and No. 2 in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings. Rousey, on the other hand, was stuck in sixth place, behind Demetrious Johnson, Chris Weidman and Cain Velasquez.

Now, why should Rousey be ranked above all these champions?

The answer is simple: Because none of them takes care of business like she does.

It takes only a glimpse at her fighting record to understand how dominant Rousey is.

Since touching ground with the UFC in Feb. 2013, the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist relentlessly took out every obstacle Dana White sent her way.

In UFC 157, the first women’s title bout the organization ever hosted, it took less than one round for Rousey to defeat Liz Carmouche with an armbar submission. It was the same fate for all of her six previous opponents (and Jimmy Fallon) she faced.

In Carmouche’s defense, she was the first fighter not named Miesha Tate to survive more than a minute against the champ.

After claiming the belt, Rousey defended it four times.

Her first title defense was a rematch against Tate, who proved to be as close to a test as Rousey would ever get. They went three rounds, but in the end Tate’s fate was the same as all those who preceded her. An armbar submission.

After that Rousey seemed to dislike the idea of staying in the octagon for more than a round. So she made quick work of those who came after Tate.

Sara McMann went down in a minute. Alexis Davis in 16 seconds. And Rousey’s latest hit, Cat Zingano, fell to an armbar in 14 seconds.

How can anybody deny Rousey’s greatness?

Now here is where some would question and say that because she fights in a women’s division, Rousey shouldn’t be featured in a pound-for-pound ranking with the men’s divisions.

For those who have that mentality, reading at least the beginning of this Jeff Wagenheim SI.com article might do some good.

With that out of the way, time to analyze the other contenders.

Aldo has moved up to No. 1 since Jones was taken out of the rankings.

The Brazilian’s greatness, like Rousey’s, is undeniable. His 25-1 record speaks for itself.

However, he had to go all five rounds over his last couple fights. And this upcoming July 11 bout against the notorious Conor McGregor is raising many eyebrows.

Mighty Mouse Johnson has been on the rise as of late. The flyweight champ showed UFC fans how speed kills.

Since earning the belt in a split decision against Joseph Benavidez in 2012, Johnson defended his title six times. Four of those fights reached the fifth round.

Even though his eye-opening Round 1 knockout of Benavidez in their rematch was entertaining, Johnson’s dominance is still not as undisputed as Rousey’s.

Chris Weidman did take Anderson Silva out twice. But after going five rounds with Lyoto Machida, it might be better to wait and see how he does against Vitor Belfort on May 23 before throwing him in a pound-for-pound No. 1 conversation.

Same goes for Cain Velasquez. The last time the heavyweight champ stepped inside the Octagon was October 2013.

Velasquez has an upcoming bout against red-hot interim champion Fabricio Werdum June 13. The result of that matchup will make or break the champ’s pound-for-pound stock.

Taking all of that in account, it might be time to recognize who, in the absence of Jones, is really the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC.

“Rowdy” Ronda Rousey.

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Here Comes a New Challenger: Matches to Make — UFC 186

(We’re really, really, *really* missing that Xbox sponsorship right now. via Getty.)

By Sam Stilson

Aside from escaping a fire, it’s never a good thing when the audience starts leaving halfway through the main event of a card. It’s an even worse thing when you’ve already had to close off half the arena just to fill the building. No, UFC 186 was not a successful PPV for the world’s premier MMA organization, but despite its many, many failings, it wasn’t a half-bad display of mixed martial arts…for Bellator, or WSOF, of even a Fight Pass show.

Still the fights went on, winners were crowned and with this trainwreck behind us, we must now wonder where do they go from here?

The post Here Comes a New Challenger: Matches to Make — UFC 186 appeared first on Cagepotato.

(We’re really, really, *really* missing that Xbox sponsorship right now. via Getty.)

By Sam Stilson

Still the fights went on, winners were crowned and with this trainwreck behind us, we must now wonder where do they go from here?

Demetrious Johnson – Should fight: Dodson/Makovsky winner

DJ…blah blah…greatest fighter alive…blah…shut-out performance…flyweights don’t sell…history won’t boo him…blah blah.

Johnson is unfortunately so good that until age catches up to him, this is how every one of his fights is going to go. He has maybe two matches left in the division before the inevitable move back to bantamweight. Dodson is the only flyweight to really give him a challenge and Makovsky is fresh meat, the winner of that bout in May should be DJ’s next opponent.

Kyoji Horiguchi – Should fight: Chris Cariaso

Horiguchi should take solace in that fact that he’s young and has plenty of time to build his way back up into contention. The first place he should start is with former title challenger and fellow also-ran Chris Cariaso. It’s a good rebound fight for Horiguchi that adds a solid name to his resume, and if Cariaso could pull off the upset it’d solidify his spot in the top 10.

Quinton Jackson – Should fight: Rua/Nogueira winner

A lot of people seem to be unfairly criticizing Rampage’s performance at UFC 186. No, he didn’t get the knockout, but who does against Maldonaldo? Jackson looked fit and focused and unleashed a varied Muay Thai attack we haven’t seen from him in years. He stated post-fight that he’s on a revenge/legends tour and what better place to start than with the winner of Shogun and Lil Nog? Pride never die.

Fabio Maldonaldo – Should fight: Jan Blachowicz

This is a winnable fight for both men, likely a stand-up affair and would fill up a prelims spot nicely.

Michael Bisping – Should fight: Thales Leites

Love him or hate him you have to admire Bisping’s tenacity. At 36 and barely clinging to a top 10 ranking he still believes he can be champ. Why dash his dreams again so quickly Joe Silva? Pair him up with a ranked grappler like Thales Leites and see if he can build up another win streak.

C.B. Dollaway – Should fight: Tavares/Whittaker loser

I don’t think anyone truly believed C.B. was a top 10 fighter but at least he got his chance to fight the cream of the crop. A step back to the TUF alumni circle would do him well and the loser of Tavares/Whittaker would fit the bill nicely.

John Makdessi – Should fight: At featherweight

‘The Bull’ has always been an undersized lightweight, but he looked tiny against Shane Campbell . Sure he won, but against the behemoths that populate the upper ranks of lightweight, the size disparity will eventually become insurmountable. Featherweight is wide open and a win against someone like Diego Brandao or Darren Elkins would instantly make him a ranked fighter, something unlikely to ever happen at 155.

Shane Campbell – Should fight: Tony Martin

A vaunted kickboxer, Campbell looked good for the first few minutes of his bout against Makdessi, but eventually succumbed to his power. A good rebound fight would be against Tony Martin who also recently lost a main card bout. It’d be a fun grappler vs. striker battle and would give both men a chance to redeem their high-profile failures.

Thomas Almeida – Should fight: Frankie Saenz

The hype is strong in this one. At just 23, Almeida is now 19-0 and a top 15 UFC bantamweight. While he looked incredible knocking out a solid veteran in Yves Jabouin, he shouldn’t be rushed too far up the ladder. Frankie Saenz who just upset Iuri Alcantara would make a great next dance partner. He’s ranked 13th, and his smothering, wrestling-based attack would either expose Almeida or allow him show another facet to his game.

Yves Jabouin – Should fight: Marcus Brimage

Now 35 and with a 2-3 record in his past five fights, Jabouin’s chances at the top 15 appear to have come and gone. Rather than feed him to another young buck, he should face another fighter on a downward trend. Marcus Brimage has a bit of name value left, and this bout would make for an entertaining striking battle.

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UFC 186 Highlights/Results: Johnson Subs Horiguchi at the Bell, Rampage Underwhelms in Return, + More

(All clips via UFC on FOX.)

Not that you care right now, what with Jon Jones’ hit-and-run currently capturing your attention, but there was a UFC event over the weekend that on paper looked pretty crappy but in reality turned out to be pretty fun affair (and not just because I went 10-2 on my fight picks for the second time in the past three events).

UFC 186: Johnson vs. Horiguchi, it was called, and true to form, it was a card absolutely ravaged by injuries. Dillashaw, Barao, Rory Mac, Lombard, Trujillo — all were expected to fight on Saturday, but the MMA Gods had other plans. Instead, we were treated to the (underwhelming) return of Rampage Jackson thanks to a last-minute appeal of the injunction that originally forced him off the card, the arrival of Thomas Almeida, and the continued dominance of Mighty Mouse.

In the main event of the evening, Demetrious Johnson had his way with #7 ranked (and +1000 underdog) Kyoji Horiguchi for five straight rounds. It was very much a typical Johnson performance in many regards, in that it was damn near flawless, capped off by a late submission (the latest ever, actually), and all but ignored by the fans in the Belle Center. Little guys just don’t get no respect, nawmsayin?

Check out the highlights from the entire UFC 186 main card and a full list of results after the jump.

The post UFC 186 Highlights/Results: Johnson Subs Horiguchi at the Bell, Rampage Underwhelms in Return, + More appeared first on Cagepotato.

(All clips via UFC on FOX.)

Check out the highlights from the entire UFC 186 main card and a full list of results after the jump.

Jackson vs. Maldonado

In the co-main event of the evening, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson took on Fabio Maldonado in what was an equally parts surprising and routine scrap. I say surprising because it may have been the first fight in Jackson’s history that was highlighted by the former champions use of kicks and knees from the Thai clinch. Say what you want about Jackson, but his performance showcased that even an old dog can learn some new tricks.

Of course, the latter rounds were punctuated by Jackson’s trademark lack of killer instinct, as well as Maldonado’s lack of anything resembling urgency, which left the crowd restless heading into the main event. Why Maldonado did not once attempt to mix things up on the feet beyond plodding forward remains a mystery. Kind of like the current whereabouts of Jon Jones. HI-OH!!

Bisping vs. Dollaway

Speaking of raised expectations, the middleweight “meh”fest between Michael Bisping and CB Dollaway turned out to be one of the more thrilling fights of the night. Who woulda thunk? Those expecting a typical jab-and-jog performance from “The Count” (ie. most of us) were instead treated to a back-and-forth banger that saw Bisping dropped early before rallying in the latter rounds thanks to his world-renowned cardio. Dollaway was able to land with his check left hook seemingly at will, but simply couldn’t keep up with Bisping nor take him down long enough to secure the judge’s nod.

I’ll tell you a guy who knows a lot about raised expectations, and that’s Jon Jones. His last DUI-induced car wreck left fans and critics alike wondering how he could ever outshine himself behind the wheel of a two-ton death machine, so what’s he do? Hits *two* cars and while high as a kite, then flees the scene carrying handfuls of cash. Ever the innovator, that Bones.

Makdessi vs. Campbell

Shane Campbell may have been the more seasoned striker heading into his short notice fight with Makdessi on Saturday, but it was the Canadian “Bull” who put a beating on him early and often. After blistering Campbell with a right hand early, Makdessi chose his spots and continued to haul off on the UFC rookie until referee Philippe Chatrier was forced to wave the fight off with just 7 seconds left in the first round. The win marked Makdessi fourth in his past five fights and proved that he’s still got a ton of gas in the tank and is never to be taken lightly — come to think of it, he’s essentially the “Jon Jones behind the wheel” of the UFC’s lightweight division.

Jabouin vs. Almeida

WEC vet Yves Jabouin wasn’t being given much of a chance against the undefeated prospect, and to his credit, managed not to get overwhelmed right out of the gate. Almeida’s relentless pressure and diverse striking attack proved to be too much in time, however, resulting in a clean and decisive first round TKO that this absolutely horrible highlight managed to capture none of.

Check out the full results for UFC 186 below.

Main Card
Demetrious Johnson def. Kyoji Horiguchi by way of Submission (Armbar) 4:59 of Round 5
Quinton Jackson def. Fabio Maldonado by way of Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
Michael Bisping def. CB Dollaway by way of Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
John Makdessi def. Shane Campbell by way of TKO (Strikes) 4:53 of Round 1
Thomas Almeida def. Yves Jabouin by way of TKO (Strikes) 4:18 of Round 1

Preliminary Card
Patrick Cote def. Joe Riggs by way of Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Alexis Davis def. Sarah Kaufman by way of Submission (Armbar) 1:52 of Round 2
Chad Laprise def. Bryan Barberena by way of Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. David Michaud by way of Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 3:24 of Round 3

Preliminary Card
Nordine Taleb def. Chris Clements by way of Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Valerie Letourneau def. Jessica Rakoczy by way of Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Randa Markos def. Aisling Daly by way of Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

The post UFC 186 Highlights/Results: Johnson Subs Horiguchi at the Bell, Rampage Underwhelms in Return, + More appeared first on Cagepotato.

Johnson vs. Horiguchi Results: Most Impressive Fight Card Winners

If you set a record during a UFC fight card, it’s a pretty safe bet your performance will be considered one of the most impressive of the event. That’s what UFC flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson did in the main event at UFC 186 in Mo…

After thoroughly dominating his bout against Kyoji Horiguchi, Johnson could have simply settled for ending his bout in top control and walked away with the unanimous-decision win. Instead, the pound-for-pound great went for the finish in the final 10 seconds of the bout.

Like a machine, he transitioned from the mounted crucifix, to full mount, to an armbar in all of seven seconds to force Horiguchi to tap out with just one second left in the fifth and final round.

MMA fans who truly understand the nuances of the sport can appreciate just how brilliant of a performance that was by the champion. Per Fox Sports UFC, Johnson had a witty response to a question about his record-setting performance during the post-fight press conference:

Size bias, a non-stereotypical fighter persona and a lack of main-event level push from the promotion don’t allow Johnson to receive the attention he deserves. However, something tells me Mighty Mouse might be OK soaring, while still flying under the radar.

Here’s a look at the complete results table for the event.

Michael Bisping Keeps Alternating Wins and Losses

Michael “The Count” Bisping hasn’t won or lost consecutive fights in eight straight outings. On Saturday, he showed great resolve, excellent stamina and awesome takedown defense against C.B. Dollaway. Bisping took a hard left hook that dropped him in the first round. It looked for a moment like he might be stopped, but the 36-year-old veteran quickly regained his wherewithal and survived the round.

Dollaway is a former All-American wrestler from Arizona State University, but he couldn’t consistently take Bisping down. Dollaway seemed to tire himself out in the process.

Despite being five years older than his opponent, Bisping had the clear edge in cardio as he outworked Dollaway in the last two rounds to earn the victory.

It was an entertaining scrap, and one that Fox Sports’ Damon Martin believed deserved to be named Fight of the Night:

The prelim battle between Chad Laprise and Bryan Barberena was recognized, and it was a good fight, but Martin might be on to something with his assessment of the Bisping-Dollaway bout.

Thomas Almeida Is One to Watch

With a diverse striking attack and a nose to finish, the 23-year-old Thomas Almeida has the look of a future star. On Saturday, he ran his record to 19-0 with 18 wins by stoppage when he scored a first-round TKO win over veteran Yves Jabouin.

Almeida‘s ability to change levels with his strikes and do damage with his punches and kicks is noteworthy. If he can continue to develop his takedown defense and sharpen his above-average jiu-jitsu skills, he could be in position to challenge for a title in the next two to three years.

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