(“No, I’d rather not fight Ronda Rousey at UFC 176. Why would you ask me that, Joe?” Photo via Getty.)
Maybe it’s just me, but people seem to be riding pretty high on this Conor McGregor character following his first round destruction of Diego Brandao at what Kevin Iole referred to as “the greatest UFC event of all time” with 100% sincerity. Great job, Kevin. I hope Dana gave you the week off for partaking in such blatant shillery.
Right, back to McGregor. Following his win over Brandao, the Irish phenom was called out by Dustin Poirier on Twitter, who had a late September matchup in mind. McGregor quickly agreed at the Fight Night 46 press conference, and as luck would have it, they are now set to meet at UFC 178: Jones vs. Gustafsson II on September 27th.
“The fights were good and the crowd loved the show.” — Kevin Iole, describing UFC 75 to his fullest capabilities before declaring Fight Night 46 as the greatest UFC event of all time. If you ever thought this MMA writing stuff was easy, you’re right.
I’m sorry, I keep getting off track. Anyway, here’s what Poirier had to say about McGregor and how he carries himself on The MMA Hour yesterday. Spoiler: It is not exactly a ringing endorsement…
(“No, I’d rather not fight Ronda Rousey at UFC 176. Why would you ask me that, Joe?” Photo via Getty.)
Maybe it’s just me, but people seem to be riding pretty high on this Conor McGregor character following his first round destruction of Diego Brandao at what Kevin Iole referred to as “the greatest UFC event of all time” with 100% sincerity. Great job, Kevin. I hope Dana gave you the week off for partaking in such blatant shillery.
Right, back to McGregor. Following his win over Brandao, the Irish phenom was called out by Dustin Poirier on Twitter, who had a late September matchup in mind. McGregor quickly agreed at the Fight Night 46 press conference, and as luck would have it, they are now set to meet at UFC 178: Jones vs. Gustafsson II on September 27th.
“The fights were good and the crowd loved the show.” — Kevin Iole, describing UFC 75 to his fullest capabilities before declaring Fight Night 46 as the greatest UFC event of all time. If you ever thought this MMA writing stuff was easy, you’re right.
I’m sorry, I keep getting off track. Anyway, here’s what Poirier had to say about McGregor and how he carries himself on The MMA Hour yesterday. Spoiler: It is not exactly a ringing endorsement.
I mean, come on man. The guy runs his mouth too much. Right off the bat I’m fired up about this guy. I’ve been in this division since the WEC merged (with UFC), I’ve paid my dues and I’ve stayed quiet and busted my ass day in and day out. I’ve won the fights that I’ve needed to win, I’ve had some tough fights. I feel like I need to be up there. I need to be up there where people are talking about me. His name in the same sentence as featherweight title should never come out of anybody’s mouth.
I can’t believe the hype this guy is getting man. I think he is over-hyped, no doubt about it, 100 percent. And to tell you the honest truth, I feel like I should be fighting Frankie Edgar, Chad Mendes and Cub Swanson again. I should be fighting the top guys. But, I’ve asked for those fights and I haven’t got them. What should I do?
The answer is simple, Dustin: Find yourself a big audience and then just start spewing nonsense until you become a commodity. It’s worked for all of the UFC’s heavy hitters: Rousey, Jones, Sonnen, Iole, and so on.
Look, I know everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, but calling Fight Night 46 the greatest UFC event of all time is just poppycock. Pure, unadulterated, poppycock. What has the UFC done with your soul, Iole? What are you going to tell me next, that the Phantom Menace is your favorite Star Wars movie? When you finished the final sentence of that article, did a single tear roll down your eye? Or have the years spent transforming from a legitimate reporter into a UFC PR robot eradicated your ability to emote? I DEMAND AN EXPLANATION, DAMN YOU.
(Yes Tim…good…let the trollface flow through you. Photo via Getty.)
Sheldon Westcott vs. Elias Theodorou. Chad Laprise vs. Olivier Aubin-Mercier. Richard Walsh vs. Chris Indich. These are just a few of the fights going down on today’s TUF Nations Finale: Bisping vs. Kennedy card that we will not be covering thanks to a combination of apathy, laziness, and bitterness over the current state of the UFC’s product (but mainly apathy and laziness). We will, however, be bringing you live, round-by-round results for the fights you’re actually interested in: Dustin Poirier vs. Akira Corassani, Patrick Cote vs. Kyle Noke, and Tim Kennedy vs. Michael Bisping, so let’s get this international battle underway! YEAH! MURICA!!
Quick results…
FIGHT PASS PRELIMS
-Mitch Gagnon def. Tim Gorman via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
-Richard Walsh def. Chris Indich via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
-Nordine Taleb def. Vic Grujic by unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
-Mark Bocek def. Mike de la Torre via split decision (29-28, 30-27, 28-29)
(Yes Tim…good…let the trollface flow through you. Photo via Getty.)
Sheldon Westcott vs. Elias Theodorou. Chad Laprise vs. Olivier Aubin-Mercier. Richard Walsh vs. Chris Indich. These are just a few of the fights going down on today’s TUF Nations Finale: Bisping vs. Kennedy card that we will not be covering thanks to a combination of apathy, laziness, and bitterness over the current state of the UFC’s product (but mainly apathy and laziness). We will, however, be bringing you live, round-by-round results for the fights you’re actually interested in: Dustin Poirier vs. Akira Corassani, Patrick Cote vs. Kyle Noke, and Tim Kennedy vs. Michael Bisping, so let’s get this international battle underway! YEAH! ‘MURICA!!!
Quick results…
FIGHT PASS PRELIMS
-Mitch Gagnon def. Tim Gorman via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
-Richard Walsh def. Chris Indich via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
-Nordine Taleb def. Vic Grujic by unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
-Mark Bocek def. Mike de la Torre via split decision (29-28, 30-27, 28-29)
Uh oh, looks like it’s gonna be one of them nights. And without even seeing the Bocek/Torre fight, I feel totally fine saying that someone needs to get the fuck out with those scores.
FOX SPORTS 1 PRELIMS
-George Roop def. Dustin Kimura via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-26)
-Ryan Jimmo def. Sean O’Connell via KO(!), 4:27 of round 1
-Sarah Kaufman def. Leslie Smith via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
-KJ Noons def. Sam Stout via KO, 0:30 of round 1
Not that anyone cares, but my mega-super-buster parlay is one fight away from coming to fruition. Probably just jinxed it, but I don’t care. My status as a gambling savant has already been validated.
Round 1: Right hand Akira to start things off. Both men are landing, but Poirier clips Akira and the two battle for position along the fence. They separate and Poirier lands a jab. Then another. Poirier is leaping into his punches and gets dropped! Corassani has Poirier on the rebound but appears to be recovering, so Akira fires off some spinning shit that mostly misses. Akira goes body then head, then lands another right. Poirier with a stiff jab, and Akira wings a wild uppercut. Both men are trading and Corassani lands another big right. Akira attemps a takedown and Poirier immediately starts working a D’arce choke. Akira tries to work his way out but Poirier switches to a Peruvian necktie. Corassani is cut badly as both men get back to their feet, but lands another right. Great round.
Round 2: Akira again goes body-head, but Poirier responds with a beautiful combo ending with an uppercut. Corassani is hurt and Poirier swarms for the finish. Dunzo.
Poirier def. Corassani via TKO, 0:42 of round 2
Poirier really needs to work on his defensive boxing — he gets consistently rocked and has a tendency to leap into his punches — but I’ll be damned if he doesn’t always entertain. Another great fight in the books for “The Diamond” and a nice finish to boot.
Poirier tells Anik that he broke Corassani’s nose with that uppercut, according to Corassani. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer-MIKE BROWN SPOTTING!
Just one fight in and we’ve already come to our first break. I’ll see you guys after this TUF Nations rubbish unless something awesome happens…
Chad Laprise def. Olivier Aubin-Mercier via split decision (29-28, 30-27, 28-29)
Elias Theodorou def. Sheldon Westcott via TKO, 4:41 of round 2
Aaaaand we’re back!
Patrick Cote vs. Kyle Noke
This is a great fight for livebloggers. Both guys are finishers with four letter last names.
Round 1: Cote starts things off with a low shot. Noke lands a teep kick to the face. Leg kick Noke. Cote with a nice right over the top. They clinch along the fence. Noke lands a body kick after the break, but he appears to be cut above the left eye. Cote dives on a takedown and Noke tries for a guillotine but is denied. Cote landing some elbows and punches from full guard. Crowd cheering for Cote as he continues to work from guard and land hammerfists. Noke throws up a triangle that is also denied and Cote lands elbows until the bell sounds. Easy 10-9 Cote.
Round 2: Noke utilizing the front kicks early. Cote rushes in and gets dropped with a knee! Cote fails on a takedown and Noke is teeing off. Cote separates and despite being cut looks recovered. Hell of chin on this Canuck, as we’ve come to learn. Noke lands another left hook, then a front kick to the body. Cote rushes forward, grabs a single, and manages to get Noke down. Cote with some pitter-patter form the guard, as Noke’s sub attempts again come up short. Big elbow Cote, then another. Nice knee to the body from Cote as they separate. Both guys throw feints that mostly miss as the round ends. Another 10-9 for Cote.
Round 3: Noke still using his kicks to keep Cote at bay, but the Canadian lands a nice right. Cote rushes in for a takedown but gets stuffed. They break and Noke lands a left to the body. Left hand upstairs for Noke, then a kick to the body. Cote catches a kick and gets Noke to the mat. Cote moves to side mount for a moment but Noke regains guard. Elbow Cote. Then another that opens a cut on Noke’s hairline. Not looking good for the Aussie as the final 20 seconds expire with Cote controlling him against the fence. 10-9 Cote.
Patrick Cote def. Kyle Noke via unanimous decision (29-28 x 2, 30-27)
Michael Bisping vs. Tim Kennedy
Again I am conflicted. I want Tim Kennedy to win because ‘Murica, but a Bisping win will net me close to $40 on $5 alone. Ah fuck it. USA! USA!!!
Round 1: Kennedy almost immediately shoots on a single and gets Bisping down. Wow. Bisping trying to get to his knees but Kennedy gets to half guard. Nice right hand from Kennedy. Kennedy is surprisingly controlling Bisping here. Bisping tries to get to his feet again but Kennedy sucks them out from under him. Bisping finally to his feet and working a kimura, but gets taken down again. Left hand Kennedy from the top. Kennedy gets mount! Bisping trying to buck him but Kennedy is in control. Bisping gives up his back and Kennedy tries for a rear-naked. A scramble ensues and Kennedy winds up back in full guard throwing elbows until the round ends. 10-9 Kennedy.
Round 2: Bisping with a kick to the body. Kennedy wings an overhand right that misses. Bisping with a jab, but he’s coming up short on the majority of his punches. Kennedy with an uppercut in the scramble, then a body kick. Bisping finding his range with a few punches and Kennedy dives on a single. Bisping breaks a body lock and tries a flying knee. Bisping starting to counter Kennedy, who appears to be slowing a bit maybe? Left hand Bisping. Overhand right from Kennedy. Bisping is steadily outboxing Kennedy as the round ends. 10-9 Bisping.
Round 3: Bisping lands a right to start, but Kennedy takes him down. Kennedy working from half guard. Bisping trying to escape, but Kennedy is like a goddamn constrictor. Kennedy to side control now and landing a few lefts. Bisping latches onto a kimura but Kennedy ain’t having it. Body shots from Kennedy now. Kennedy from side control into mount, nice move there. Elbow Kennedy, and a nice pair of left hands to follow. Bisping wall walks and escapes, only to end up with Kennedy back in side control. 10-9 Kennedy as the tiny crowd showers (sprinkles) them in boos.
Round 4: Not much action to start. Kennedy attempts a takedown and has Bisping against the fence. Bisping escapes and the crowd goes mild (BA-DUM-TSH). Both men land right hands. Bisping is clearly the fresher fight, but he seems hesistant to pull the trigger. GO FIGURE, RIGHT?! Kennedy lands a right then grabs another body lock but is denied. Left hook lands for Kennedy. Bisping with a combo. Nice right hand from Kennedy and Bisping is wobbled. Left hand lands for Kennedy, who is cut on the bridge of his nose. Bisping with a right hand. Right Kennedy. Bisping with a right over the top. Close round, but I’d probably give it to Kennedy.
Round 5: Kennedy lands another hard right/teep. Kind of looked like the punch that Petruzelli dropped Kimbo with. Bisping with some pillow fist-I mean jabs. Takedown Kennedy. Bisping gets to his feet but is immediately tripped. Kennedy to mount. Bisping is running out of options here. Kennedy back to mount, then half guard. Lavigne stand ‘em up and Kennedy lands a body kick. Bisping ends a combo with a head kick that partially lands. Jab Bisping. Left Kennedy. One minute left and Bisping isn’t going for it. GO FIGURE RIGHT?!! Bisping with literally the worst spinning backfist I’ve ever seen. 10-9 Kennedy
Tim Kennedy def. Michael Bisping via unanimous decision (49-46 x 2, 50-45)
Some post-fight ass kissing from both guys, and so ends the lamest grudge match in UFC history.
That’s it for me, folks. It’s nights like these that really, really make me wish I could charge overtime.
(“Yeah, I’d like to see you do that three more ti-THWOMP!” Photo via Getty.)
It’s such a shame that TUF 14 winner Diego Brandao is going to be forced into retirement at just 26 years of age on account of his mental illness. What’s that? You hadn’t heard that Diego Brandao is suffering from a multitude of mental illnesses? Well maybe you should check out his recent interview with MMAFighting, in which he not only confirms that he threatened to “stab Dustin Poirier with a pen” (you hear a little girl, Ace?) backstage at the UFC 168 weigh-ins, but believes that Poirier was “scared” and “got lucky” in their fight the following night:
He was there, bouncing at the weigh-ins, staring at me. I told him backstage ‘if you ever do that again, I’ll stab you with a pen.’ That’s what happened.
Every time he saw me at the hotel he kept staring at me, and I responded asked what was the problem, if he looking like that because he was hungry or what. When he got inside the cage I saw he was scared. He got lucky (to win).
“Quite honestly,” Brandao added, “I’ve never seen a fighter get lucky so many times in a 30-second period. You’d think that at least some of the punches he threw at me would have missed, but nooooooo.”
I’m kidding, of course. There’s no way that Brandao has ever started a sentence with “quite honestly.”
(“Yeah, I’d like to see you do that three more ti-THWOMP!” Photo via Getty.)
It’s such a shame that TUF 14 winner Diego Brandao is going to be forced into retirement at just 26 years of age on account of his mental illness. What’s that? You hadn’t heard that Diego Brandao is suffering from a multitude of mental illnesses? Well maybe you should check out his recent interview with MMAFighting, in which he not only confirms that he threatened to “stab Dustin Poirier with a pen” (you hear a little girl, Ace?) backstage at the UFC 168 weigh-ins, but believes that Poirier was “scared” and “got lucky” in their fight the following night:
He was there, bouncing at the weigh-ins, staring at me. I told him backstage ‘if you ever do that again, I’ll stab you with a pen.’ That’s what happened.
Every time he saw me at the hotel he kept staring at me, and I responded asked what was the problem, if he looking like that because he was hungry or what. When he got inside the cage I saw he was scared. He got lucky (to win).
“Quite honestly,” Brandao added, “I’ve never seen a fighter get lucky so many times in a 30-second period. You’d think that at least some of the punches he threw at me would have missed, but nooooooo.”
I’m kidding, of course. There’s no way that Brandao has ever started a sentence with “quite honestly.” But I do find it funny that Brandao would attribute Poirier’s pre-fight ‘tude to hunger, when Brandao himself was clearly the angrier andfatter of the two.
Of course, there’s a chance that Brandao isn’t full-on Bynesing here. He could simply be suffering the aftereffects of not only his KO loss at UFC 168, but the car accident he was allegedly involved in just two weeks before the fight:
A drunk man hit my car, and I ended up crashing in another car. I had to go to my lawyer. (The other driver) didn’t want to pay the costs to fix my car. I did my best, I was a warrior just to step inside that cage. Any other fighter would just run away, but I needed that.
I couldn’t run, I couldn’t cut weight to fight. I had injuries in my back and ribs, but I went there and fought. I don’t think I trained more than five times for this fight and I knocked him down twice in the first round.
Something tells me that Brandao has to “go to his lawyer” a lot, with all the pen-stabbings he is probably involved in and all. If he takes offense to a guy he’s about to fight staring at him for too long, Lord knows how he treats some bum who eyeballs his girlfriend at the gas station.
Handling our liveblog for the “Weidman vs. Silva 2” pay-per-view broadcast is Aaron Mandel, who will be sticking round-by-round 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 shoot us your own thoughts in the comments section or on twitter. (We’re @cagepotatomma. Hi there.)
Handling our liveblog for the “Weidman vs. Silva 2″ pay-per-view broadcast is Aaron Mandel, who will be sticking round-by-round 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 shoot us your own thoughts in the comments section or on twitter. (We’re @cagepotatomma. Hi there.)
Preliminary card results
– Uriah Hall def. Chris Leben via TKO (doctor stoppage*), 5:00 of round 1
– Michael Johnson def. Gleison Tibau via KO, 1:32 of round 2
– Dennis Siver def. Manny Gamburyan via unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)
– John Howard def. Siyar Bahadurzada via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
– William Macario def. Bobby Voelker via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
– Robbie Peralta def. Estevan Payan via KO, 0:12 of round 3
* Or “retirement,” basically. Leben verbally quit the fight after being dominated through the first round.
Hi PotatoHeads and welcome to the last card of 2013. If you were too cheap to throw down the extra $5 for the PPV, fear not, we’ve got all your results here, I’m in the best liveblogging shape of my life, refresh early and often!
Diego Brandao vs. Dustin Poirier
Round 1- Body kick to start from Poirier with a head kick from Brandao that is blocked. Good body punch from Brandao. Wild windmill from Brandao who slips but is landing some early with punches and kicks to the body. Spinning backfist lands from Poirier. Some good wild exchanges early. Overhand right drops Poirier but he’s back up. Brandao tries a clinch throw but Poirier uses an effective whizzer and stands up. Brandao completes a takedown on Poirier, who had been landing. Poirier up and unloads on Brandao with strikes, wobbling him. Brandao goes down and Poirier follows with strikes until the ref jumps in and stops it, good win for Poirier.
Dustin Poirier defeats Diego Brandao via TKO, round 1
Poirier pumped up in the post fight interview and clearly from Louisiana.
Jim Miller vs. Fabricio Camoes
Miller is looking to right the ship after alternating wins and losses lately. Camoes has to be excited to be on the main card of the end of year PPV, he’s definitely the least known fighter outside of hardcore fans but has the no-lose thing going for him here with a win or strong show.
Round 1- Leg kick from Camoes. Clinch on the fence as Camoes tries for a takedown that fails and they separate back to the feet. Two short strikes land from Camoes. Head kick blocked by Miller. Camoes cracks Miller with a left hook. Camoes continues to land, backing Miller up. Head kick caught by Miller who takes him down and lands some ground and pound. Camoes back to the feet and now gets Miller down and lands in full guard. Miller doing a good job of tying up from the bottom and threatening with submissions. Miller tightens up an armbar, Camoes defends patiently but Miller stays on it and works it tighter until Camoes is forced to tap!
Jim Miller defeats Fabricio Camoes via armbar, round 1
Miller references Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in his interview, losing the beer soaked KO crazy crowd, but impressing all the nerds out there (hey o!)
We are now treated to the undercard fight between Gleison Tibau and Michael Johnson.
Josh Barnett vs. Travis Browne
Round 1- Browne lands first with a left hook. Barnett puts Browne against the cage where he wants to work his catch wrestling but Browne moves away and lands a few strong hooks. Barnett shoots for a takedown against the cage and Browne starts unloading elbows just like he did against Gonzaga and Barnett goes limp, he’s out and Lavigne stops the fight! Impressive KO for Browne who is rocketing to the top of the HW division.
Travis Browne defeats Josh Barnett via KO, round 1
And with three quick finishes so far we return to the undercard for Leben-Hall.
Champ Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate
Round 1- Tate comes out swinging furiously but wildly. Rousey clinches up and takes Tate down but she is right back up but eating shots from Rousey as she gets put against the fence and eats more shots. Headkick from Rousey is blocked but Tate is on her back and Rousey is working strikes. Tate gets up and gets Rousey down! Shockingly Rousey throws on an armbar but it’s loose. Rousey locks on a triangle and peppers Tate from the bottom with strikes. The triangle looks tight but Tate gets out and they strike until Rousey clinches again and goes into mount, working on an arm. Tate slips out on top into guard but Rousey pulls out and they get back up. Another huge judo throw from Rousey who is on top again. Tate back to the feet and lands a nice strike. Rousey clinches and works strikes against Tate on the fence. The round ends and this is the first round 2 for Rousey in her career. 10-9 Rousey.
Round 2- Good right from Rousey and trips Tate easily. Tate hits Rousey with some good upkicks and Rousey’s mouth is open and she backs off! Tate gets up but Rousey hits another judo throw but quickly backs off. Tate having some luck with a left hook but Rousey gets her down and works for her back but Tate works back up against the cage with Rousey throwing strikes. Strong clinch works ends in a violent judo throw from Rousey who is in side control. Tate throws her legs up and around and grabs Rousey head but Rousey works out and grabs Tate’s arm. She torques it brutally and Tate’s arm is fully stretched but she doesn’t tap and somehow gets out. Tate is now caught in an inverted triangle but is defending with Rousey all over her. Round ends and saves Tate. 10-9 Rousey.
Round 3- Rousey muscles Tate into the cage and works clinch positioning. Tate lands on top out of a throw but her arm is in danger and this time Rousey cranks it at the right angle and Tate taps.
Tate tries to initiate a hand shake but Rousey is having none of it.
Ronda Rousey defeats Miesha Tate via armbar, round 3.
The crowd roundly boos Rousey who compliments Tate but says she insulted her family and cannot shake her hand. Tate gets a huge ovation from the crowd and admits Rousey was the better fighter.
Champ Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva
Silva on his way into the cage crouches and remains motionless on two separate occasions. It’s a 10 minute walk in. He is a unique legend. Weidman is all business and my girlfriend just referred to him as a “thoroughbred”.
Round 1- Touch of the gloves. Weidman shoots in and finishes on a single leg. Silva works his way up on the cage and they are clinched. Weidman cracks Silva and he staggers back. Weidman landing HUGE bombs on the ground but Silva SOMEHOW survives and ties Weidman up in full guard. Weidman is loading up on some huge shots, some of which are landing. It is hard to tell how hurt Silva is but he is still in the fight. Big elbow from Weidman and he postures up and hits him more as Silva throws upkicks and creates separation. Weidman dives in with a strike and Silva ties him up as round ends. 10-9 Weidman.
Round 2- Good low kick from Silva. Weidman wades in with strikes. Head kick from Weidman blocked. Good body kick from Weidman and Silva snaps a leg kick low on Weidman OH FUCK Silva snapped his leg. He falls back in pain and his leg fractured on the shin right above the foot on the shinbone. Fight is over.
Chris Weidman defeats Anderson Silva via TKO, round 2, doctor/ref stoppage.
Weidman classy in victory giving props to Silva as the greatest of all time. Silva is not in the cage, presumably getting medical treatment or already on the way to the hospital. My own editorializing: It sucks for Silva, of course, this could be career ending. It also sucks for Weidman who dominated the first round for the second time before winning on a crazy, unpredictable moment. He will still have to face questions about if he was for real, which he CLEARLY is. Crazy ending, great night of fights, no judges involved on the main card! Goodnight for now, thanks for reading along.
You know what the craziest thing about the UFC 168 pay-per-view price hike is? I’m actually going to pay it. That’s how badly I want to Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman II, because as amazing a troll as Chael Sonnen was, he never came close to a burning ol’ Andy as bad as Weidman just did in the above gif. There’s just something magical about those two, and the power of the gif for that matter, so we figured, “Why not combine them both into an article?”
No offense to Fabricio Camoes, but who the fuck is Fabricio Camoes and why is he fighting on the biggest main card of the year? Jim Miller may always bring it (and should finish the Brazilian inside three rounds if the bookies are to be believed), but this is a “Fight Night” main card matchup at best. Ranking:
You know what the craziest thing about the UFC 168 pay-per-view price hike is? I’m actually going to pay it. That’s how badly I want to Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman II, because as amazing a troll as Chael Sonnen was, he never came close to a burning ol’ Andy as bad as Weidman just did in the above gif. There’s just something magical about those two, and the power of the gif for that matter, so we figured, “Why not combine them both into an article?”
No offense to Fabricio Camoes, but who the fuck is Fabricio Camoes and why is he fighting on the biggest main card of the year? Jim Miller may always bring it (and should finish the Brazilian inside three rounds if the bookies are to be believed), but this is a “Fight Night” main card matchup at best. Ranking:
Now this is what I’m talking about — an intriguing matchup between two exciting featherweights with solid hands and sound submission games. Poirier looked great in his unanimous decision victory over Erik Koch at UFC 164, and Brandao once entered into a staring contest with a Largemouth bass and won, so this fight should be a real banger.
…what’s that, you say it was Bill Brasky who won the aforementioned staring contest? Well whatever the case, Brandao is a beast who will be riding a three fight UFC win streak (4-1 overall) into this weekend and looking to set himself up with a top 5 opponent. Let’s just hope his questionable cardio holds up against a guy like Poirier, who has shown that he can at least make it into the fourth round in his 2012 Fight of the Year with Chan Sung Jung. Ranking:
Call me crazy, but aside from proving herself to be the more laid back fighter of the two, Miesha Tate did not do a thing on TUF 18 that led me to believe she stands any better of a chance against Rousey the second time around. Tate looks to be in the best shape of her life, sure, but have you even seen Ronda Rousey (or deez odds) lately? The champ’s got a look in her eyes that would give Dr. Sam Loomis a stress-induced seizure for Christ’s sake. Combine that with her infinitely superior grappling prowess and ever-improving striking and you’ve got yourself a classic mismatch, Taters.
I would rank this rematch higher on the outside possibility that Rousey physically dismembers Tate in the octagon or beats her into retirement, but as long as Steve Mazzagatti isn’t the assigned ref, we’re likely in for another first round armbar for Rousey (not that there’s anything wrong with that). And maybe some blood-licking. Then Rousey can hopefully move onto the *actual* #1 contender she was supposed to fight in the first place. Ranking:
Without using too much hyperbole, it’s safe to say that you’d have to be in a persistent vegetative state to not be excited for this fight. It’s a battle between two of the most exciting heavyweights out there today, and a matchup that is all but guaranteed to end inside the distance and/or feature Josh Barnett saying something psychotic on the microphone.
After finally making his return to the UFC in August, Barnett made quick work of Frank Mir at UFC 164, KO’ing the former champ with a beautifully placed knee to the cranium in just under two minutes. Browne, on the other hand, is fresh off a come-from-behind KO via front kick of Alistair Overeem at Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen in just over four minutes. While some are predicting that Barnett will look for the takedown early and often, I think these two are going to Rock ‘Em-Sock ‘Em until one of them tips over midway through the second. “The Warmaster” doesn’t seem to think the fight will last long either, and I’m not prepared to call this man a liar. Ranking:
Oh, like it was going to be something else? WHAT KIND OF TROLL DO YOU TAKE ME FOR?!
On the real though, Chris Weidman is going to officially end the Anderson Silva era tomorrow night. There, I said it. He will make good on Ray Longo’s promise to “punch a fucking hole” in Silva’s chest, and he will silence the cries of “fluke” once and for all. Unfortunately, his legendary victory will come at the cost of his mentor, as Matt Serra will choke to death on a chilidog ringside while shouting him advice/making fun of Longo’s hair. His last word will be “Fahgeddah.” Silva will then announce his retirement from MMA, destroy Roy Jones Jr. in a boxing match in Brazil, and reemerge in 2024 as the world’s preeminent R&B lip-syncher. These are facts. Ranking:
I don’t know what is happening in this gif, but it makes me sad.
(Silva and Weidman talk us through their first fight. The words “lucky” and “bullshit” are thrown around rather liberally.)
By Dan George
I trust you all had a Merry Christmas, Nation, but now it’s time to get back to business. This Saturday, quite possibly the biggest card in the history of the UFC is going down in Vegas when middleweight champion Chris Weidman (still crazy to type) attempts to become the first man to ever go 2-0 against Anderson Silva at UFC 168.
OK, so maybe it’s not the biggest (or best) card in UFC History, but the fact that those of us who plan on purchasing the card will start off an additional five dollars in the hole means that I’ve got my word cut out for me. Join me below for the pound-for-pound best gambling advice in all the Interwebz and maybe, just maybe, we will all kick off the New Year with a little extra cash in our pocket. All gambling lines courtesy of BestFightOdds.
While not as heavy a favorite as in the past, Uriah Hall has simply not shown the brilliance we saw from him while in the TUF house to warrant laying -300ish on this fight. On the other side of the spectrum you have Chris Leben, who will be looking to avoid a fourth straight loss inside the octagon and the inevitable pink slip that comes along with it. This fight feels like a loser-leaves-town match and Uriah should be able to use his angles and speed to pick Leben apart on the feet, but if he cannot finish Leben early, this fight may get ugly and this is where Leben generally shines. If you cannot resist, the -120 prop that this fight does not go past 2.5 rounds may be worth a look.
(Silva and Weidman talk us through their first fight. The words “lucky” and “bullshit” are thrown around rather liberally.)
By Dan George
I trust you all had a Merry Christmas, Nation, but now it’s time to get back to business. This Saturday, quite possibly the biggest card in the history of the UFC is going down in Vegas when middleweight champion Chris Weidman (still crazy to type) attempts to become the first man to ever go 2-0 against Anderson Silva at UFC 168.
OK, so maybe it’s not the biggest (or best) card in UFC History, but the fact that those of us who plan on purchasing the card will start off an additional five dollars in the hole means that I’ve got my word cut out for me. Join me below for the pound-for-pound best gambling advice in all the Interwebz and maybe, just maybe, we will all kick off the New Year with a little extra cash in our pocket. All gambling lines courtesy of BestFightOdds.
While not as heavy a favorite as in the past, Uriah Hall has simply not shown the brilliance we saw from him while in the TUF house to warrant laying -300ish on this fight. On the other side of the spectrum you have Chris Leben, who will be looking to avoid a fourth straight loss inside the octagon and the inevitable pink slip that comes along with it. This fight feels like a loser-leaves-town match and Uriah should be able to use his angles and speed to pick Leben apart on the feet, but if he cannot finish Leben early, this fight may get ugly and this is where Leben generally shines. If you cannot resist, the -120 prop that this fight does not go past 2.5 rounds may be worth a look.
At +130, John Howard is a solid underdog pick in a fight that will most likely be won by the stronger grappler. Siyar is most likely the better striker, but Howard is well versed enough in the stand up game to avoid anything catastrophic like Paulo Thiago experienced at UFC on FUEL 2 and should be able to find a way to get Bahadurzada against the cage early and often in this fight. Siyar has 6 finishes in his last 8 fights, 5 of which came in the first round, while Howard has not been stopped in the first round of a fight since 2007. If Howard is able to get this fight into the 2nd and 3rd rounds, he most likely will do so by nullifying Siyar’s offense by mixing up striking with takedowns which may give him the nod from the judges. Howard to win.
Currently 0-2 in the octagon, Voelker has shown an ability to take punishment more than deliver punishment as of late. If he does not get off to a good start against Macario, he may very well be looking at a third consecutive loss in the UFC. The major caveat is that Macario seemed to gas in his last fight with Leonardo Santos and Voelker’s ability to take a beating and keep ticking may offer some dramatic moments if this fight gets into the 3rd round. That said, I like Macario to win here via a violent flurry early in the first round.
At -350 or higher, Jim Miller is the heavy favorite to beat Fabricio Camoes, but it is in the prop category that we find +110 for Miller to win inside the distance, which is truly the best “good dog” pick in this fight. Miller rarely plays the cautious fighter in his bouts and should look to close out this fight before the judges can get involved. Camoes is not a pushover, but has only beat Tommy Hayden inside the Octagon while Miller has consistently faced high level competition and should be able to outclass Camoes anywhere this fight takes place. +110 Miller to win inside the distance.
A veritable potpourri of plus money options are offered in this fight, but the two that are most appealing would be that a) This has FOTN written all over it and b) Poirier should win by decision. Without an official line available, the return for a FOTN should be in the neighborhood of between 5 to 7 times the wager, while +165 is the current line for Poirier to take this one on the judges’ cards. Poirier will have the height and reach advantage here while Brandao has yet to be finished in the UFC, which all points towards an exciting fight that may very well go the entire 15 minutes. Diego is also training with the last man to beat Poirier (Cub Swanson) at Jackson’s MMA and he will surely have “The Diamond” scouted heading into this tilt. Poirier +165 by decision and FOTN prop.
Barnett is currently hovering around -200 in a fight that will be determined by whether or not Barnett can get things to the mat. Browne has not been threatened with a takedown-centric approach by any of his opponents in the UFC, which should make this the toughest test of his career. Without having seen Browne face this challenge consistently throughout a fight, it is difficult to gauge whether or not he will be able to stop one of the best grapplers the HW division has to offer. Barnett should be able to put Browne on his back in this fight and find a way to either win by submission or on the scorecards. Barnett to win.
Miesha has gone on record stating that she will shoot herself in the face if she is sarmbarred by Rousey again. Rousey is between -700 to -900 at the various sports books and although she has finished all of her MMA fights inside the first round, there may be an opportunity to play the prop that this fight starts round 2 at -130. Tate surely learned something from the first fight and hopefully will be able to avoid the ground game for the first five minutes. Rousey showed in her fight with Liz Carmouche that (despite giving up her back) once engaged in a grappling contest, the armbar is all but a formality. While Tate is a solid striker, her grappling, much like any woman in the UFC, is not on Rousey’s level and Ronda will surely find a way to exploit this fact to retain her title. I pray that she does not intend to actually follow through on this. Rousey to win. UH-DUH.
The line has not moved very much since this rematch was announced. Weidman showed that “The Spider’s” antics had no effect on him and that he can outduel Silva on the ground and on the feet at less than 100% coming off a one year layoff. Why then is Silva considered the favorite after losing the first contest? Who believes that Silva has an advantage on the ground in this fight? Both questions should tip the scales in Weidman’s favor, but clearly the odds are being generated on the very same thing that cost Silva his title. The odds here suggest that Silva will be able to regain his title by out striking Weidman, and despite being KO’d in the second round at UFC 162, it seemed rather obvious that Silva had begun to connect with Weidman’s lead leg, take away the takedown threat, and take over control of the contest on the feet. Until he got too cocky, that is.
However, Weidman not only won the first fight clearly, he also won the first round very convincingly by exposing Silva’s struggles with strong grapplers. Weidman also noted that he saw Silva’s eyes roll back in his head in the first round while he delivered ground and pound to the former champ. Weidman has the tools to create this type of environment again for Silva and may be able to connect enough times to stop Silva on the ground, which is perceived to be the most probable avenue to victory for Chris in this bout. Weidman clearly can win this fight in more areas than Silva, but again, the oddsmakers have Silva pinned as the favorite for the brief moments in the second round where Silva showed how dominant he can be with his striking. Weidman has had many knee surgeries and it seemed that he began laboring in the second round when Silva began connecting. To his credit, Weidman was able to push through this and become the new champion, but his win was at least partially due to an opponent who took his foot off the gas pedal.
This time around, Silva will most likely stay focused on keeping the fight standing and attacking Weidman’s lead leg with punishing kicks, which may limit the champ’s ability to score the takedown. If Silva is able to avoid the takedown consistently and cut out the shenanigans, he should create the type of fight that will result in him regaining his title. If Weidman can take Silva down early and punish him enough, he may finish the former champ inside the first round. The fight should be a pick’em as both fighters have shown, however briefly, the ability to control their opponent in the first bout. Silva to win inside the distance, possibly 3rd round TKO stoppage.
Parlay 1
Siver-Barnett
Parlay 2
Poirier-Miller
Parlay 3
Barnett-Macario
Happy Holidays and all the best in 2014, CP Nation.
