The usual names have generated the most interest leading up to UFC 203 Saturday night, including a fighter who has yet to compete in an actual MMA match.
But slightly buried on the pay-…
The usual names have generated the most interest leading up to UFC 203 Saturday night, including a fighter who has yet to compete in an actual MMA match.
But slightly buried on the pay-per-view main card is a 27-year-old nicknamed “El Terror” that could have his defining moment.
Jimmie Rivera gets to face multi-time UFC title contender and former WEC champion Urijah Faber in a bantamweight bout that will be second on the PPV lineup right before CM Punk takes on Mickey Gall and the two heavyweight battles close out the show.
If you don’t know who Rivera is yet, search UFC Fight Pass for any of his three previous wins. That includes a finish of Marcus Brimage in just over a minute and a pair of decision victories vs. Pedro Munhoz and Iuri Alcantara.
The former Cage Fury Fighting Championships bantamweight champion and former King of the Cage flyweight titleholder has competed previously for Bellator and was cast on the 14th season of The Ultimate Fighter. His run on TUF ended at the hands of Dennis Bermudez, but he won all four of his fights with Bellator.
In fact, Rivera hasn’t tasted defeat since a 2008 split decision loss in his second MMA fight. He’s reeled off wins in his last 18, with six being finishes.
Demian Maia-Carlos Condit could be a ridiculous five-round battle between two of the very best in the welterweight division.
And seeing how Anthony Pettis fares for the first time at featherweight is an exciting prospect.
But the fight that could…
Demian Maia-Carlos Condit could be a ridiculous five-round battle between two of the very best in the welterweight division.
And seeing how Anthony Pettis fares for the first time at featherweight is an exciting prospect.
But the fight that could generate the most feedback is the “People’s Main Event” between Paige VanZant and Bec Rawlings this Saturday night at UFC on FOX 21.
Needless to say, the females have made it a point to go above and beyond when it comes to exchanging inside the Octagon. Card after card, fight after fight, the “ladies” have really delivered some exceptional battles.
For VanZant, this marks her first appearance back fighting since competing on “Dancing with the Stars.” The 22-year-old Team Alpha Male prospect lost to Rose Namajunas last December in her first UFC main event, falling for the first time in four Octagon fights.
Still, many believe she is a future champion in this sport.
Rawlings is the “veteran” of this fight, as the 27-year-old has competed 11 times, including her last three with the UFC. That includes back-to-back wins over Seo Hee Ham and Lisa Ellis.
The Aussie has also shared the cage with the likes of former UFC champion Carla Esparza, Mizuki Inoue and Heather Jo Clark.
Will these two touch gloves to start? Doubtful, but they will most definitely exchange leather until one of them wilts or the final bell sounds.
I saw somewhere that we were provided almost 12 full hours of UFC action in July.
And that’s not including commercials, features, promos and other “in-between” filler.
Just in terms of total fight, in-Octagon time.
Almost 12 full hours.
Inc…
I saw somewhere that we were provided almost 12 full hours of UFC action in July.
And that’s not including commercials, features, promos and other “in-between” filler.
Just in terms of total fight, in-Octagon time.
Almost 12 full hours.
Incredible.
But with all that, there was plenty of boring, slow-moving action that we had to sit through.
Let’s not relive those bouts and instead focus on the more memorable ones. Feel free to sound off on what you feel like were the “Fight,” “Knockout” and “Submission of the Month” from July in the UFC.
FIGHT OF THE MONTH
For me, this came down to the strawweight division.
Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Rose Namajunas earned “Fight of the Night” honors at UFC 201 for their three-round decision that ultimately went to the unbeaten Polish fighter, but they fell just short in this category for the month.
That honor belongs to champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Claudia Gadelha who battled for 25 minutes over the belt. Jedrzejczyk was the winner on that night, as the two also claimed “Fight of the Night” status.
Next up we just might get to see the two winners square off – and maybe even in Poland to boot.
KNOCKOUT OF THE MONTH
There were some mighty fine choices for this award, as well, but the one finish that still sticks with me came from Eddie Alvarez.
The former Bellator champion was viewed as an underdog against Rafael dos Anjos when they met for the UFC lightweight strap, but somebody forgot to tell Alvarez that.
He came out guns-blazing vs. RDA and finished him with an incredible flurry of shots. It was hard not to get emotional listening to Alvarez discuss his delayed move to the UFC and how he almost gave up on fighting because of it.
Tyron Woodley’s knockout of Robbie Lawler and John Lineker’s finish of Michael McDonald were also right there.
SUBMISSION OF THE MONTH
This was the easiest of the three.
Amanda Nunes pulled a Holly Holm against Miesha Tate, stunning the masses and submitting the female bantamweight champion in the main event of UFC 200.
For Nunes, it was an incredible moment that thrust her into the spotlight of the sport.
The Brazilian dominated Tate, who struggled to make weight the day before, leaving her a bloody mess with a broken nose and no title to take home.
But the reigning UFC welterweight champion is well known and all of that is expected of him when he headlines UFC 201 this Saturday night vs. Tyron Wo…
Robbie Lawler is always in a war.
And interesting.
And a near-lock for “Fight of the Night.”
But the reigning UFC welterweight champion is well known and all of that is expected of him when he headlines UFC 201 this Saturday night vs. Tyron Woodley.
The fight I think could be the “show-stealer” is the co-main event between strawweight contenders Rose Namajunas and Karolina Kowalkiewicz.
Namajunas (5-2) has won each of her last three, including two via submission, since falling to Carla Esparza in the finals of The Ultimate Fighter. The 24-year-old’s only other defeat came to Tecia Torres three years ago in Invicta FC, and that came via decision and she avenged that this past April.
Four of her five wins have been submission victories, including a 2013 flying armbar in 12 seconds vs. Kathina Catron that earned her all sorts of recognition.
After submitting Angela Hill last year, Namajunas took care of Paige VanZant by putting a beating on the “golden girl.” She rattled and rocked her for the better part of four rounds before subbing her in the fifth.
Kowalkiewicz, six years the elder of Namajunas, actually started training in Krav Maga before switching over to Muay Thai. Krav Maga is described as “a self-defense system developed for the Israel Defense Forces that consists of a wide combination of techniques from aikido, judo, boxing and wrestling.”
She is a perfect 9-0 in her MMA career and 2-0 with the UFC, scoring back-to-back decisions over Heather Jo Clark and Randa Markos. Kowalkiewicz also holds a 2014 win vs. Mizuki Inoue.
And heck, they should likely earn some extra publicity for having 21 letters in their combined last names.
Paul Daley, Douglas Lima and Michael Page all likely feel they are next in line for a shot at the Bellator welterweight championship.
Daley and Lima meet this Saturday night in the main event of Bellator 158 from London, while Page takes on veteran …
Paul Daley, Douglas Lima and Michael Page all likely feel they are next in line for a shot at the Bellator welterweight championship.
Daley and Lima meet this Saturday night in the main event of Bellator 158 from London, while Page takes on veteran Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos. Both bouts will be part of the Spike main card.
For Daley, this contest presents another opportunity to shine in front of his English fans. “Semtex” is on a five-fight win streak that includes three straight wins inside the Bellator cage – with the two most recent being finishes.
Back in January, he knocked out Andy Uhrich, adding to a 2015 finish of Dennis Olson.
However, Lima will be his stiffest challenge since he met Tyron Woodley and Nick Diaz back in 2011 while competing for Strikeforce.
Lima is a former Bellator titleholder who has gone 5-2 over his last seven, with both defeats being via decision over five rounds to current titleholder Andrey Koreshkov and former champion Ben Askren. He finished Rick Hawn, Ben Saunders, Bryan Baker, Michail Tsarev and Jacob Ortiz between 2012-14.
Page is kind of the wild card in this whole situation.
Bellator has been grooming the Brit slowly, pairing him with over-matched opponents so far. Since going the distance two years ago vs. Nah-Shon Burrell, the 10-0 “Venom” has finished Jeremie Holloway, Charlie Ontiveros and Rudy Bear in just over five total minutes of action.
Is now the time for Page to cash-in on his “MVP” moniker and become the next contender to Koreshkov? Or will Daley or Lima make a statement and do that?
Taking out a former champion and an unbeaten prospect on short notice.
There is no denying that Tony Ferguson is the top contender to new UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez …
Eight consecutive wins.
Six finishes, including five submissions.
Taking out a former champion and an unbeaten prospect on short notice.
There is no denying that Tony Ferguson is the top contender to new UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez anymore.
Ferguson remained on the UFC Fight Night 91 card Wednesday night, taking everything that the unbeaten Lando Vannata threw at him through five minutes. Once Ferguson, a former Ultimate Fighter winner, was settled in, he turned it to another level.
Having not fought since late in 2015, “El Cucuy” admitted after that he “needed to get punched in the face” to get back in the rhythm of fighting. Vannata did just that, sparking an uprising when he floored Ferguson.
After sitting in his corner for a brief moment, the third-ranked lightweight came out and locked up a D’arce choke on Vannata in just over two minutes, forcing the youngster to tap out. He has also submitted Edson Barboza, Gleison Tibau, Abel Trujillo and Mike Rio since a 2012 decision loss to Michael Johnson.
Since making his Octagon debut in 2011 with a first round knockout of Ramsey Nijem that gave him the TUF title, the Johnson setback remains the lone blemish on Ferguson’s career.
Following his win, he called out Alvarez for a shot at the belt, mentioning an “easier” fight for the champion being Conor McGregor – which is what Alvarez said after his finish of Rafael dos Anjos last week.
And while that is the “money” fight to make for Alvarez, McGregor is tied up. Put him vs. Ferguson and give the fans another “Fight of the Year” to debate over.
