Editorials | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

How Far Can Jamahal Hill Go In The Light Heavyweight Division?

Dressed to the nines in a white tux, red tie, and shades, Jamahal Hill rocked up to the UFC Vegas 48 post-fight press conference in style to deliver a message. Having just achieved the biggest win of his career over Johnny Walker, Hill, with his similarly attired son sitting next to him, wanted the assembled…

Continue Reading How Far Can Jamahal Hill Go In The Light Heavyweight Division? at MMA News.

“It’s time to start having a different kind of conversation, because you all are asking the wrong questions about me,” Hill told press. “‘Where’s he going next? How good am I for real?’ Stop doubting. Start believing, ‘cause it’s for real.”

Despite knocking out almost every opponent placed before him in his young career, Hill feels that he’s underappreciated—by the UFC and the press. The 30-year-old believes he’s been denied the fanfare lavished upon the UFC’s other top prospects.

Jamahal Hill, and his son, at the the UFC Vegas 48 post-fight press conference. PHOTO: MMA JUNKIE

“The spotlight isn’t shining on me like it is on other people,” Hill said in 2021. “Which is cool. You know what I mean? ‘Cause at the end of the day, what I can do, my abilities, you can’t ignore it.”

And ignore them you can’t. By knocking Johnny Walker out on his feet with an early frontrunner for KO of the year, Jamahal showed why he should be touted as a future title contender. Now in the light heavyweight top ten, he plans on doing the same to the division’s best.

“I feel like the division is a little tired,” Hill told the press after his victory over Walker. “Some guys need some naps.”

A Future champion or Another ‘Johnny Walker?’

Hill, the self-proclaimed “best boxer in the UFC”, isn’t short on confidence. But the Michigan native, who only made his professional MMA debut just over four years ago, has so far backed it up. Entering the UFC via the Contender Series in early 2020, Hill has earned five KOs in six fights (one, however, was later ruled a no-contest after he tested positive for marijuana).

Hill’s only loss, and perhaps the biggest asterisk against his future potential, was that to jiu-jitsu specialist Paul Craig, who submitted him within two minutes, dislocating his arm in the process. Humbled, Hill admitted to learning a powerful lesson, attributing the loss to his “flat-out arrogance” heading into the fight.

Clearly, much like Johnny Walker early in his UFC career, Hill has relied on his spectacular KO power to end fights early. But will ‘Sweet Dreams’ similarly stumble against the division’s best? Or can he become champ?

According to former UFC lightweight Kenny Florian, it all depends on whether Hill can shore up his ground game.

“I absolutely believe he can be champion,” said Florian on a recent episode of the Anik & Florian Podcast (h/t Sporskeeda). “You know with that Paul Craig loss, I think that’s the kind of loss that’s going to drive someone like Jamahal Hill. That’s the kind of thing that’s going to motivate him and get him to shore up those weaknesses that perhaps was exposed in that fight. So, does he need to improve his grappling based on what we saw? Yes. But I do think he has absolutely all the makings of the champion based on what I have seen, based on how he handles himself, based on how he has climbed back in that division with the adversity that he has experienced… I would not be surprised in the least to see him as a 205-pound champion at some point.”

What’s Next For Jamahal Hill?

Relentlessly ambitious, Hill said after his victory over Walker that he wanted #2 ranked Ji?í Procházka next. But after Volkan Oezdemir tweeted that he’s “still doubting” Hill, it appears ‘Sweet Dreams’ now has his sights set on the Swiss.

“I’ve already said it, bro, as long as I got the say-so, he’s next,” Hill told TMZ. “Just for the simple fact that what I’m here to do, I can’t have people speaking out. If you gonna speak my name, you better be sure. You better be sure. And he spoke it, and I’m going to go out and make an example of him.”

Even without the beef between the duo, a matchup between newly-ranked #10 Hill and #8 Oezdemir makes a lot of sense. Oezdemir has lost five of his last seven fights, including his most recent to Procházka and Magomed Ankalaev. Derailing a surging prospect like Hill could give his UFC career the life-saving defibrillation it needs.

For Hill, facing a fellow knockout artist with little ground game like Oezdemir—and a seemingly faded one at that—will likely be easy work and propel him further up the top ten, where a true test of his skills may await.

However, many may no doubt be wondering: Would Hill’s one-punch knockout power, like Walker and Oezdemir before him, only carry him so far? Possibly. But if there’s one thing that drives ‘Sweet Dreams,’ it’s proving his doubters wrong.

What do you think? Does Jamahal Hill have the potential to be light heavyweight champ?

Continue Reading How Far Can Jamahal Hill Go In The Light Heavyweight Division? at MMA News.

5 Epic Boxing Uppercut Knockouts?

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts. It has the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, Evolve MMA is the top rated boxing gym in Singapore. The boxing uppercut is one of the most devastating punches in […]

The boxing uppercut is one of the most devastating punches in the sport of boxing. It carries insane momentum from the waist, and drives upward, exploding through its intended target like a hand grenade.

Uppercuts, when executed at the right time and with the correct technique, can effectively incapacitate any opponent. As the punch makes contact, any man can get his lights turned out or the wind sucked out of his sails.

However, uppercuts are notoriously difficult to land. They are easily telegraphed and are susceptible to blocks and parries. So whenever an uppercut knockout happens, it’s a truly special moment.

Throughout the history of boxing, a plethora of uppercut knockouts have wowed audiences. They’ve produced adrenaline-inducing sequences with jaw-dropping results. Fans love them when they happen.

Luckily for us, the best uppercut knockouts live on the internet. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and analyze a few of them. Today, Evolve Daily shares five epic boxing uppercut knockouts.

1) Rocky Marciano TKO8 Joe Louis (26 October 1951)

Heavyweight legends Rocky Marciano and Joe Louis met each other in an intense battle in 1951, which left fans in a thunderous chorus of applause at its incredible conclusion.

Marciano and Louis are two of the best heavyweights in the history of boxing. “The Brockton Blockbuster” is the only heavyweight champion to have completed his career without a loss. Meanwhile, “The Brown Bomber” was one of the winningest fighters ever, with the longest reign as a boxing champion in history.

After an intense back-and-forth battle, Marciano ended matters against Louis in the eighth round, with a combination that sent the latter through the ropes. Although the fight-ending punch was indeed a right straight, it was a pair of hard, left uppercuts that ultimately set up the finish.

Marciano actually came into this fight as an underdog who upset the betting favorite. The fight was Louis’ last as a professional boxer.

2) George Foreman TKO2 Joe Frazier (22 January 1973)

The first meeting between “Big” George Foreman and “Smokin’” Joe Frazier was nothing short of an epic encounter. The fight took place at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica, and was for the WBC and WBA World Heavyweight Titles.

This bout featured two heavyweight beasts in their physical primes. Foreman came into the fight with a perfect 37-0 record with 34 KO’s, and Frazier came in at an unblemished 29-0 with 25 KO’s. Needless to say, it was a fight for the ages.

It was, however, a one-sided beating in favor of “Big” George. Frazier suffered six knockdowns within two rounds, eventually succumbing to Foreman’s ungodly power. What made this knockout special was that Frazier was lifted off his feet by the sheer force of a single right uppercut.

To his credit, Frazier survived all six knockdowns to make it back up to his feet. But that last one had him on unsteady footing and the referee deemed he had enough.

3) Juan Manuel Marquez TKO9 Juan Diaz (28 February 2009)

Already an established elite fighter at the time, Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez took on young gun Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas with the WBA, IBO, and vacant WBO World Lightweight Titles at stake. It was a showdown between a wily veteran and a rising star.

At this point, Marquez had just finished two fights with Manny Pacquiao, the last one at super featherweight. After Pacquiao moved up, Marquez chased him through the divisions, taking on Joel Casamayor first before Diaz.

Known for his counterpunching wizardry, Marquez peppered a game but overmatched Diaz with pinpoint accurate combination punching. In fact, Marquez was so accurate, especially with his uppercuts, that Diaz simply had no answer for them and eventually fell.

Diaz was aggressive, for sure, and he kept coming forward. But Marquez left him in a wreck when it was all said and done. The end came swiftly after a vicious right uppercut decked Diaz for good in the ninth round.

4) Roy Jones Jr. TKO6 Vinny Pazienza (24 June 1995)

Multiple-division boxing world champion, American legend Roy Jones Jr. had a penchant for showmanship. He brought an unrivaled flair and flamboyance to his fights that have, quite frankly, never been duplicated to this day.

Jones was known to rap his way to the ring, knock out his opponents, and rap his way back to the dressing room. Against Vinny Pazienza in 1995, the former pound-for-pound king put on an absolute show for his fans at the iconic Convention Center in Atlantic City.

Then the IBF Super Middleweight World Champion, Jones took care of business against the two-time former world champion Pazienza, knocking his opponent down three times in the sixth round. There was no three knockdown rule in effect, but it didn’t matter. After a competitive fight, Jones ended matters with a sick six-punch combination punctuated by a pair of lightning-quick uppercuts.

5) Manny Pacquiao TKO4 Narongrit Pirang Fahsan 3K Battery (December 2004)

Filipino megastar and boxing’s only eight-division world champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao made a name for himself early in his career by knocking guys out with ease in the lighter weight divisions.

In December 2004, Pacquiao returned from a stint in the United States to fight in his home country of the Philippines, taking on Narongrit Pirang, also known as Fahsan 3K Battery, at the MC Home Depot Open Air Arena in Taguig City.

In true Pacquiao fashion, the Filipino firebrand made quick work of Narongrit, dropping the Thai fighter once in rounds two and three, and twice in round four. The final knockdown showcased Pacquiao’s awesome one-punch knockout power.

Feinting with a right, Pacquiao came right up the middle with a stealthy left uppercut that literally sent Narongrit into the air and onto the canvas. Needless to say, the partisan Filipino crowd that chanted “Manny! Manny!” all night erupted in rapturous applause.

You may also like:

Top 7 Dutch Kickboxers Of All Time

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts. It has the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, Evolve MMA is the top rated Muay Thai gym in Singapore. Dutch kickboxers occupy a collective seat of honor in the […]

Dutch kickboxers occupy a collective seat of honor in the world of martial arts. There was a 20-year period where 15 of the 19 top K-1 Grand Prix champions were Dutch. What makes the Netherlands particularly good at kickboxing?

It could have something to do with the fact that Dutch fighters developed a kickboxing style that is distinctly Dutch. Brazil has a similar pedigree, with the creation of BJJ putting Brazilian competitors on the world MMA map. The same applies to Japan and Thailand, the home of Muay Thai.

Let’s get into a super-brief history lesson before we look at the top Dutch kickboxers.

A Brief History Of Dutch Kickboxing

The story starts where many MMA stories start: Japan. Kenji Kurosaki was a co-creator of the full-contact Karate variant that goes by the name Kyokushin. Kurosaki then added to his skill by moving to Thailand to learn Muay Thai. He thoughtfully incorporated Muay Thai techniques into Kyokushin Karate, moving to Tokyo to teach this Muay Thai and Karate fusion.

Enter the Dutch. In the ’70s, Dutch fighters like the world-famous Jan Plas traveled to Tokyo to train at Kurosaki’s gym. They used the techniques from Kurosaki’s Mejiro gym as a basis and inspiration for the Dutch style of kickboxing. This is a good place to start listing the top Dutch kickboxers. The list sheds light on the Dutch kickboxing scene, from its inception to the present day.

1) Jan Plas

Plas is the founder of the Amsterdam branch of the Mejiro gym. He is also the founder of the Dutch kickboxing association. All this is over and above his kickboxing and coaching career.

Jan Plas holds the title of ‘The father of Dutch kickboxing,’ thanks to his success as a trainer and organizer. He trained famous fighters like Rob Kaman and Peter Aerts.

Sadly, Plas died in 2010 at the age of 55. He committed suicide while serving time for drug trafficking.

2) Rob Kaman

Kaman boasts an impressive 21-year career that includes 97 wins and 21 losses. He is a middleweight fighter who holds a collection of Muay Thai and kickboxing titles. His fighting style featured devastating low kicks that often ended in knockout victories.

Young Kaman took up martial arts at 16 when he swapped football for Muay Thai and kickboxing. Kaman would go on to train and participate in MMA competitions around the world. In 1983 he won the world kickboxing championship. He continued to collect titles through to 1995. The later years of his career would feature fewer wins, coaching jobs, and an acting career.

3) Peter Aerts

Aerts is a heavyweight fighter with three K-1 Grand Prix titles to his name. His 20-year fighting career was punctuated by high kicks that would often deliver knockout victories. This distinctive fighting style earned him the nickname “The Dutch Lumberjack”.

In 2013, Aerts faced off against Rico Verhoeven; a fight that was as much a passing of the baton as it was the bookend to a brilliant career.

4) Semmy Schilt

Schilt is a giant, both in stature and accomplishment in the field of martial arts. He is just under 7 feet tall, with four K-1 Grand Prix championships under his belt. Semmy is also a former GLORY heavyweight champion. His kickboxing record boasts 38 wins against 6 losses.

It is easy to come to the (wrong) conclusion that Semmy’s secret weapon is his seven-foot frame. In reality, Semmy’s size is backed by precision and technique, to devastating effect. This combination is the recipe behind three back-to-back K-1 titles.

Schilt is arguably the most accomplished Dutch kickboxer of his time. It may have something to do with his Karate background. In 1991, an 18-year-old Semmy earned his first black belt. He proceeded to spend years competing in different MMA circuits, up until his foray into professional kickboxing.

Semmy started his winning streak with a quarter-final win in the 2005 K1 championship. What followed was a series of wins and the odd loss. Unfortunately, Schilt had to retire in 2013 due to heart issues.

5) Ramon Dekkers

It bears mentioning that the late Ramon Dekkers is an eight-time Muay Thai champion. He is also an accomplished Dutch kickboxer with a combined 186 wins under his belt, 95 of those wins were knockouts. Dekkers only suffered 36 defeats in his career.

Dekkers took up Judo at age 12 but quickly switched to boxing. After a few years, he made the switch to Muay Thai and the larger MMA scene. Ramon’s fighting style is a high-energy flurry of kicks and blows. His ability to mount a blitz attack is responsible for his success in both Muay Thai and kickboxing.

Sadly, Dekkers died suddenly of a heart attack while exercising. Ramon was 43 at the time of his death in 2013.

6) Ernesto Hoost

Ernesto Hoost is a heavyweight fighter and a four-time K-1 World Champion. He is a veritable kickboxing legend with a level of accomplishment that’s comparable to that of Ramon Dekkers.

Hoost’s 1993 career debut is the definition of a meteoric rise. On his very first attempt, Ernesto came one win short of clinching the championship title. The rest of his career is just as impressive as his first major appearance.

At age 15, Hoost made the change from amateur football to kickboxing. He proved to be a fast learner and would soon try his hand at competitive MMA. From 1983 to 1993, Hoost put in the work that would ultimately propel him to the big leagues. He would go on to win the 2000, 2001, and 2002 K-1 world championships. He has 99 wins under his belt, with 62 of them being knockouts. This compares well to 21 losses and a draw.

7) Rico Verhoeven

Verhoeven is the reigning GLORY Heavyweight Champion. His impressive career boasts 58 wins and 10 losses. Verhoeven delivers more knockouts than he absorbs, which puts him right up there with the kickboxing greats. This 32-year-old kickboxer is also an accurate striker who will often land devastating blows that can deliver a KO within minutes of the starting bell.

Verhoeven started his fighting career at age 5, and the time he’s put in is evident in his collection of wins. In 2012, young Rico lost to Semmy Schilt, another Dutch kickboxing great. A year later, Verhoeven won a match against Peter Aerts at an event that was both a passing of the guard and a brilliant fight.

Martial Arts: A Creative Force

Martial arts lend themselves to the creation of new art forms and the improvement of existing ones. Every now and then, a martial artist comes along to innovate, create a new community, and craft a distinct fighting style.

The Dutch kickboxing scene is one such creation story. Jan Plas trained Aerts and Kaman, and he guided them to their full potential. In turn, Kaman and Aerts form a link between the older generations of Dutch kickboxers and younger fighters like Verhoeven. They provided mentorship and brilliant matches to usher in a new generation of fighters.

The Top 5 UK Muay Thai Fighters

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts. It has the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, Evolve MMA is the top rated Muay Thai gym in Singapore. Few places outside Thailand produce Muay Thai talent like the UK. The […]

Few places outside Thailand produce Muay Thai talent like the UK.

The art of eight limbs has been growing in popularity across the British Isles since the late 1970s, and as a result, some world-class athletes have emerged.

These nak muays have become fan-favorites at home and abroad, and have the skills to take on the toughest competitors on the planet. What also sets them apart from the rest of the pack is their collections of championship belts.

These are five of the best and most influential Muay Thai athletes ever to emerge from the UK.

Liam Harrison

Ask anyone to name a Muay Thai fighter from the UK, and the first name that will probably spring to mind is Liam “The Hitman” Harrison.

The Yorkshireman is widely regarded as the best and most exciting nak muay ever to emerge from his homeland.

His fighting style is an all-out attack. His highlight reel is littered with thudding leg kicks, power punching, and some of the most spectacular sweeps and dumps you’ll ever see.

Plus, Harrison is a KO artist. It is not as common to see a stoppage in a Muay Thai match compared to boxing or MMA, and few of “The Hitman’s” contemporaries can match his 40% knockout rate.

But Harrison would not be regarded so highly without a record of winning major honors, and his collection of belts eclipses almost everyone else.

He beat Dzhabar Askerov for the Patong Stadium belt, knocked out Numphon PK Sterio for the WMC World Title, and defeated Mehdi Zatout for the WBC Muay Thai World Championship – to name but a few of his greatest triumphs.

A mark of Harrison’s skill is how well-respected he is in Thailand. Fighting out of Jitti Gym, he lived there for two years, competed in the most prestigious stadiums, and faced some of the greatest Thai fighters of his generation.

Those exploits helped him to win Muay Siam magazine’s award for best foreign fighter of 2007.

His biggest win is arguably his defeat of Anuwat Kaewsamrit. “The Iron Hands of Siam” stopped the Englishman in their first bout, but Harrison came back, stronger, faster, and smarter to even the score the following year.

Even in defeat, “The Hitman” has enhanced his reputation. Saenchai – arguably the best Muay Thai fighter of them all – described him as the toughest foreign opponent in his long and decorated career.

Iman Barlow

The UK is one of the hotbeds for women’s Muay Thai.

While the sport’s homeland took its time embracing female fighters, England produced hall-of-famers like Julie Kitchen and Ruth Ashdown in the past few decades.

This generation’s leading lady is on track to eclipse even their accomplishments. Iman “Pretty Killer” Barlow is considered to be one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world,

She is also closing in on 100 career wins and has collected more belts than most martial artists would ever dream of.

Barlow started learning to fight when she was a toddler and won her first title in Thailand when she was a teenager. She went on to win Lion Fight, WBC, WPMF, and MTGP belts, as well as a record-breaking collection of kickboxing championships.

Few opponents can handle her aggression in the ring, and she is deadly at every range.

If her rivals are not being hammered with round kicks and lanced by teeps, their heads are being rocked back by punches, or they’re crumbling under the force of her relentless elbows and knees.

Ronnie Green

When Ronnie Green started training under “Master Toddy” Thohsaphol Sitiwatjana in 1978, few Brits had even heard of Muay Thai.

The “Machine Gun” had to settle for representing the art of eight limbs in UK full-contact karate competition at first.

When he finally got the chance to spread his wings and compete in the sport he trained for, he built a resumé that solidified him as a pioneering icon.

He was the first British fighter to compete and win in Thailand, and the first to become a Muay Thai World Champion.

Green was competitive with many of the Thai greats of the era including Sagat Petchyindee and Sombat Sor. Thanikul, thanks to a hybrid style that combined traditional Thai techniques with fast and powerful punching combinations.

He became so successful that top Thai names came to Europe to fight him. His fight with Sombat was broadcast from London, live on Thai TV.

Steve Wakeling

Mark Wakeling was a British Muay Thai trailblazer who competed in the famous King’s Cup in Thailand, but his son and protegé Steve eclipsed his old man by winning some of the sport’s biggest titles.

Just listing some of his crowning achievements would be enough to show what an incredible fighter “The Surgeon” was, and why he was one of the first athletes to be inducted into the WBC Muay Thai Hall of Fame in 2020.

In 2003, Wakeling beat Thailand’s Yingyai Jaothaleethong to become WMC Muay Thai World Champion.

A few years later, in 2006, he won the first WBC Muay Thai World Middleweight Championship by beating Australian Muay Thai legend John Wayne Parr over five rounds.

Then, in 2011, following a two-year hiatus, he returned to the ring to face Jaowchalam Chatkranokgym in Thailand, and beat him to claim the WBC Super-Middleweight World Champion.

Add in his S-1 tournament title, WMC MAD World Title, and multiple kickboxing World Championship belts, and it’s impossible to argue Wakeling’s status as one of his nation’s top martial arts exports.

Plus, “The Surgeon” was never in a dull fight when he stepped over the ropes. He kicked like a mule, swarmed on opponents with powerful punches, and was lethal with elbows.

Jordan Watson

The Bad Company gym in Leeds has produced some of Britain’s best, including Liam Harrison and his cousin, multiple-time World Champion Andy Howson.

It is also home to ISKA Muay Thai World Champion Jordan Watson. In terms of raw talent, few of his countrymen can match him.

He earned the nickname “Quadzilla” for his impressive thigh muscles, so it’s no surprise he’s best known for his supreme kicking ability. His head-kick KO of multiple-time Lumpinee Stadium champion Pongsiri P.K.Saenchaimuaythaigym proved just how dangerous he can be.

Watson may not be as decorated as his teammates, but a closer look at the caliber of fighters he has beaten proves just how good he is.

Combat aficionados would argue that a fighter’s greatness is not just about the shiny belts you collect, but who you face in the ring.

Along with Pongsiri, his list of victims includes Rajadamnern Stadium champion Hino Kiatti, multiple-time Lumpinee Stadium champion Sorgraw Petchyindee, and iconic WMC World Champion Tum Mardsua.

When you view Watson’s biggest wins alongside the way he fought against the likes of Buakaw, Yodsanklai, and Sitthichai, it’s easy to see why he’s so highly regarded.

EXCLUSIVE: Joel Alvarez Eager To Win Friends Money At UFC Vegas 49

UFC lightweight Joel Alvarez is certainly living up to his nickname ‘El Fenomeno’ in the UFC, and he now aims to enter the rankings with a win over Arman Tsarukyan at UFC Vegas 49. The 28-year-old is on a four-fight win streak inside the organization with all of his victories coming inside the bell. His…

Continue Reading EXCLUSIVE: Joel Alvarez Eager To Win Friends Money At UFC Vegas 49 at MMA News.

UFC lightweight Joel Alvarez is certainly living up to his nickname ‘El Fenomeno’ in the UFC, and he now aims to enter the rankings with a win over Arman Tsarukya n at UFC Vegas 49.

The 28-year-old is on a four-fight win streak inside the organization with all of his victories coming inside the bell. His last win over a ranked opponent in Thiago Moises was his best yet, as he bulldozed his way through the Brazilian.

Criticism has been thrown at Alvarez for not making weight in his last two fights, with claims that the Spaniard is holding an unfair advantage over his opponents. Yet on the biggest occasion of his career, this time, Alvarez made weight.

Speaking exclusively to MMA News, Alvarez revealed what went differently this camp that allowed him to make weight.

“This Time It Was Easy” Joel Alvarez On Making Weight

Being 6’3 in the 155lbs division is sure to have its drawbacks with the weight cut. Alvarez has had to deal with that draining him in every training camp to ensure his significant height advantage stands on fight night.

However, as he has gotten older, the tougher the weight cut has become. Many doubted that Alvarez would make weight ahead of UFC Vegas 49. Yet with the help of nutritionists, he was able to overcome the obstacle for the first time in two fights.

“Always it’s hard, but this time the change was I put my attention in the hands of a professional nutritionist. They are all the time paying attention to me by phone, by video call. So this time it was easy, but always it’s really hard,” said Alvarez.

Now, the focus will turn from the weight cut to his opponent as he looks to take down Tsarukyan to enter the lightweight rankings and make a statement at the Apex.

‘El Fenomeno’ Aims To Be In The Top Five At 155lbs

Joel Alvarez — Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

‘El Fenomeno’ has had his fair share of naysayers in the UFC. This fight is no different, as Alvarez enters as a +180 underdog. Although the Spaniard is now accustomed to being an underdog at this point, in fact, he thrives off of it.

“I love being the underdog,” said Alvarez. “Because I like to make a surprise for everybody and make money for my friends.”

His task as the underdog to take down a fellow prospect of the lightweight division appears his toughest yet. Tsarukyan is carrying a lot of hype and momentum entering UFC Vegas 49 with many claiming he has a significant advantage on his opponent in the wrestling department. Alvarez thinks otherwise.

“We have enough weapons to fight Arman in that comfort zone we can say. It’s not important for me as we have enough weapons,” said Alvarez.

Tsarukyan who sits at #13 in the UFC lightweight rankings has predicted he will submit the Spaniard via submission in the 2nd round. While Alvarez is so confident in his arsenal that he believes he can finish his opponent wherever the fight goes.

“My prediction is we are here to fight and win. So if we win it is going to be a submission or a knockout,” emphasized Alvarez.

It’s likely that Alvarez would replace Tsarukyan in the rankings with a victory, but the sky is the limit as he aims for the top five.

“As always we are here to fight, we are here to do several things step by step, I’m not in a hurry. We are here to go up in the rankings and very soon with the possibility to be in the top five,” said Alvarez.

Do you see Joel Alvarez extending his winning streak and entering the rankings?

Continue Reading EXCLUSIVE: Joel Alvarez Eager To Win Friends Money At UFC Vegas 49 at MMA News.

Tai Tuivasa: The UFC’s Joker, Or A Serious Title Contender?

It wasn’t long ago, on the night of 6 October 2019, that Tai Tuivasa looked to be on his way out of the UFC. Stretched out flat on the canvas, with his face bloodied to a pulp and the arm-triangle of Sergey Spivac pressing into his neck, ‘Bam Bam’ was at a low point of…

Continue Reading Tai Tuivasa: The UFC’s Joker, Or A Serious Title Contender? at MMA News.

Losing consciousness seconds later, it was the third straight loss for the Australian and a glaring example of what happens when a self-styled street brawler like Tuivasa enters the cage with a submission specialist like Spivac. Repeatedly taken down to the canvas with ease, and once there, not knowing what to do, Tai looked gravely out of his depth. Making it all the worse, the drubbing came in front of a home crowd in Melbourne, Australia.

Fast forward to 2022, and Tai Tuivasa is a different, revitalized fighter. At UFC 271 earlier this month, the Australian’s head displayed an otherworldly ability to absorb Derrick Lewis’ best shots, before his elbow sent the American slumping face-first to the canvas. ‘Bam Bam’ is now not only a potential future title contender, but thanks to his larger-than-life personality, fast becoming one of the UFC’s most popular stars.

Tuivasa Spivac — The night it all went wrong for Tai Tuivasa against Sergey Spivac at UFC 243 in Melbourne, Australia. PHOTO: USA TODAY Sports

“I’m A Banger From Western Sydney”

A Tai Tuivasa fight reliably delivers all those ingredients that make for an entertaining spectacle; a blistering KO, quickly followed by the swilling of beer from shoe and a post-fight interview that evokes plenty of chuckles, typically punctuated by his catch cry of “Eshay” resounding through the arena.

Pig Latin for “sesh,” the phrase is a nod to Australian-lad subculture to which Tuivasa proudly belongs. And that along with his social housing upbringing in the gritty, working-class suburbs of Western Sydney, Australia, are partly what makes ‘Bam Bam’ the uncouth-yet-highly likable personality we see in the UFC.

“I said it before and I say it again, I’m a banger from Western Sydney,” declared Tuivasa after his victory over Lewis. “I’ll bang on with anyone and will bang on till the day I die.”

“I don’t mind being the guy who drinks piss out of shoes and this and that. I suppose everyone focuses on all that, but at the end of the day, I’m knocking the best in the world out.”

Tai Tuivasa dressed in the traditional ‘Eshay’ uniform of Nautica shirt, Nike sneakers, and a fanny pack. PHOTO: Instagram/bambamtuivasa

Evolving His Game in the United States

But behind Tuivasa’s larrikin persona lies a serious athlete who’s been putting in the work to evolve as a mixed martial artist.

Disillusioned with the sport following his loss to Spivac, Tai spent a soul-searching year on the sidelines, during which time he uprooted from Australia and joined the ranks of American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) in San Jose, California. There, under the tutelage of Daniel Cormier and Javier Mendez, Tuivasa says he made significant improvements to his game, particularly with regard to wrestling.

“The wrestling side of things I haven’t stopped working on since I’ve been to America,” Tuivasa told 7News in Australia last year. “I feel I’m getting a lot better at wrestling and I haven’t even got to spend a lot of time in America.”

All that work seemed to have paid off, when in October 2020, Tai returned to the Octagon with a first-round KO of Stefan Struve. That win kicked off what is now a five-fight win-streak—all knockouts—culminating with that of Derrick Lewis earlier this month, which saw Tai’s heavyweight ranking catapult from #11 to #3.

Tuivasa now faces the prospect of fighting the division’s elite. But is he ready for it?

Tuivasa American Kickboxing Academy — Tai Tuivasa with Daniel Cormier and UFC middleweight Deron Winn at AKA. PHOTO: Instagram/bambamtuivasa

Tai Tuivasa’s Title Prospects

According to Daniel Cormier, who mentored Tuivasa during his stint at AKA, there are plenty of questions to be answered in ‘Bam Bam’s’ next fight.

“So the question now becomes, is Tai Tuivasa ready for the level of competition that he’s going to fight?” said Cormier on ESPN. “Because Sergey Spivac wrestled him to death, but when you get into the top five, getting wrestled to death is not just getting taken down—it’s getting pummelled into the ground by a guy like Curtis Blaydes. It’s him standing in front of a former champion like Stipe Miocic. Now the competition level skyrockets.”

Cormier further points out that, of those five KO’s Tuivasa has amassed in his last five fights, none came against a wrestler.

“One of the things that Tai has had the luck of having over the course of his win-streak is; Stefan Struve’s a striker. Greg Hardy’s a striker. Augusto Sakai is a striker. Derek Lewis is a striker. So he’s had strikers. Ultimately, he’s going to have to prove that he can stand in front of these wrestlers and defend takedowns enough to make them fight his fight. It’s a daunting task for a guy that, when you look back to the Spivac fight, had a massive hole in his game, and no one’s been able to fight him and exploit that to this point. But trust me, the next guy will have that ability,” said Cormier.

So, has Tai sufficiently plastered up the holes in his ground game to take on the likes of Blaydes and Miocic? Given their wrestling nous and that a title fight against Ngannou is unlikely, perhaps the bout that makes the most sense from Tuivasa’s perspective is Ciryl Gane. Not only for the relatively lesser threat he poses on the ground, but for the spectacle it promises: that of a clean-cut, technically sound Frenchman with an Adonis-like physique against a beer-from-shoe-swilling, love-handled Australian brawler.

But for Tuivasa, it doesn’t seem like he even cares who comes next. He just wants to punch on.

“Brah, to be honest I don’t even know who the fuck’s in the top five,” he told press after his victory over Lewis. “I don’t even watch fighting, brah. Like I said, I heard there’s the Stipe’s, the Cyril Gane’s and all of that and everyone up there. But this is my job. I rock up, I prepare with my team, and we fuckin’ punch on.”

How do you think Tai Tuivasa will fare against the heavyweight elite?

Continue Reading Tai Tuivasa: The UFC’s Joker, Or A Serious Title Contender? at MMA News.