Right as Vitor Belfort vs. Kelvin Gastelum was announced as the main event of the UFC’s March 11th return to Fortaleza, Brazil, Combate reported another major bout for the card. In a battle of top 10 lightweights. Edson Barboza, the #5 contender, will take on #9 contender Beneil Dariush in what’s likely to be one of the top main card fights, if not the co-main event. The card is the UFC’s first in Fortaleza since 2013, when Fabricio Werdum vs. Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera headlined The Ultimate Fighter Brazil’s second season finale.
Barboza is coming off arguably the two biggest wins of his career, decision victories over former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez and former UFC champion Anthony Pettis. The Pettis fight was notable for being the first time an opponent had shut Pettis down in a fight with purely range striking-based game plan. Barboza had previously lost to Tony Ferguson a year ago in one of the best fights of 2015.
Dariush lost by submission to Michael Chiesa in a big upset on the prelims of the April Fox network card, only to return quickly to knock out James Vick in his next fight. The world class Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt returned in November to take a tepid decision win over divisional dark horse Rashid Magomedov.
The way their styles match up, this one has the makings of a Fight of the Night candidate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXWv06DhVvU
Right as Vitor Belfort vs. Kelvin Gastelum was announced as the main event of the UFC’s March 11th return to Fortaleza, Brazil, Combate reported another major bout for the card. In a battle of top 10 lightweights. Edson Barboza, the #5 contender, will take on #9 contender Beneil Dariush in what’s likely to be one of the top main card fights, if not the co-main event. The card is the UFC’s first in Fortaleza since 2013, when Fabricio Werdum vs. Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera headlined The Ultimate Fighter Brazil’s second season finale.
Barboza is coming off arguably the two biggest wins of his career, decision victories over former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez and former UFC champion Anthony Pettis. The Pettis fight was notable for being the first time an opponent had shut Pettis down in a fight with purely range striking-based game plan. Barboza had previously lost to Tony Ferguson a year ago in one of the best fights of 2015.
Dariush lost by submission to Michael Chiesa in a big upset on the prelims of the April Fox network card, only to return quickly to knock out James Vick in his next fight. The world class Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt returned in November to take a tepid decision win over divisional dark horse Rashid Magomedov.
The way their styles match up, this one has the makings of a Fight of the Night candidate.
In addition to the Vitor Belfort vs. Kelvin Gastelum headliner that was officially announced by the UfC on Wednesday, an intriguing lightweight contest is now also being reported.
According to Guillherme Cruz of MMAFighting.com (via Combate Sports),…
In addition to the Vitor Belfort vs. Kelvin Gastelum headliner that was officially announced by the UfC on Wednesday, an intriguing lightweight contest is now also being reported.
According to Guillherme Cruz of MMAFighting.com (via Combate Sports), a bout pitting Edson Barboza against Beneil Dariush is also expected for the event that will take place from Fortaleza, Brazil.
UFC Fight Night 107: Belfort vs. Gastelum takes place live from the Olympic Training Center in Fortaleza, Brazil on March 11, 2017.
No. 5-ranked surging lightweight contender Edson Barboza hasn’t competed since scoring an impressive victory over former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez last July, but the Brazilian is apparently looking to get back into the cage sometime soon, and it appears as if he has his eyes set on a big name. “(Nate Diaz) is a big
No. 5-ranked surging lightweight contender Edson Barboza hasn’t competed since scoring an impressive victory over former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez last July, but the Brazilian is apparently looking to get back into the cage sometime soon, and it appears as if he has his eyes set on a big name.
“(Nate Diaz) is a big name, he’s been in the UFC for a long time, he’s a great fighter. A couple guys are available in my division right now. Diaz is available. (Michael) Chiesa is available. I hope the UFC calls me really soon cause I keep training hard and I hope they call me soon,” Barboza told FOX Sports on Friday.
“These two guys are really good. Michael Chiesa is coming off some really good wins. Nate Diaz is very, very tough. It’s a war. I always step into the Octagon and I train for war and if I fight these two guys, it will be a war.”
While the No. 7-ranked Chiesa has indeed been on a roll as of late, Diaz undoubtedly possesses the bigger name. The Stockton native is currently ranked No. 4 in the 155-pound division and is coming off of a majority decision loss to Conor McGregor in their welterweight rematch at August’s UFC 202. Prior to that, he had scored a shocking submission victory over the Irishman last March.
Continuing on, Barboza once again reiterated that he’d like a ‘big’ fight, and given his place in the rankings, he feels as if he’s dangerously close to a shot at lightweight gold:
“I’m in a good position in the rankings. I need a big fight,” Barboza said. “Eddie (Alvarez) is a good example. He beat two good guys and he got the title shot. I think I’m really close to the title shot. I need one more big fight and then I’d definitely be close to the title shot.
“I’ve been in the UFC for a long time. I think I deserve a big fight to put me close to the title shot.”
Alvarez is set to defend his strap against McGregor at November 12’s UFC 205. Perhaps a bout between Barboza and Diaz would make sense, as it would likely produce a future title contender.
Ahead of the upcoming UFC Fight Night 98 event in Mexico City, Mexico, UFC has released another awesome full fight for free.
Featured above is the complete Tony Ferguson vs. Edson Barboza bout from the TUF 22 Finale e…
https://youtu.be/9YXuYfTa340
Ahead of the upcoming UFC Fight Night 98 event in Mexico City, Mexico, UFC has released another awesome full fight for free.
Featured above is the complete Tony Ferguson vs. Edson Barboza bout from the TUF 22 Finale event, which saw Ferguson defeat the dangerous striker by way of submission.
Ferguson headlines the upcoming UFC Fight Night 98 event in Mexico City against another dangerous striker, former division champion Rafael dos Anjos.
UFC Fight Night 98 takes place on November 5, 2016 from Mexico City, Mexico.
With Dan Henderson’s retirement fight at UFC 204 now in the rear-view mirror, fight fans will never again see an H-Bomb detonated in the cage. ‘Hendo’ had two more left in him at 46 years of age, and they nearly nabbed him a UFC belt in the final fight of his storied career. Thinking about that
With Dan Henderson’s retirement fight at UFC 204 now in the rear-view mirror, fight fans will never again see an H-Bomb detonated in the cage. ‘Hendo’ had two more left in him at 46 years of age, and they nearly nabbed him a UFC belt in the final fight of his storied career.
Thinking about that legendary right hand, LowKickMMA decided to chronicle the ten most devastating weapons in MMA history. From concussive strikes to venomous grappling to unstoppable techniques, this list includes some of the most successful – and most feared – men and women in the sport.
Read on for our top 10 most destructive weapons in MMA history.
Jayna Kamin-Oncea for USA TODAY Sports
10. Jon Jones’ Oblique Kicks
The troubled former UFC light heavyweight champion has never suffered a true loss in MMA competition. Boasting one of the longest reaches in the UFC, his success can be attributed in large part to the magnificent way in which he uses it. While other long and tall fighters like Stefan Struve have had trouble establishing the jab and maintaining distance, Jones is a master of both. The list of powerful strikers Jones has neutralized is a long one, including Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, ‘Suga’ Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, and Glover Teixeira.
Along with his jab, the trademark tool Jones uses to keep heavy-handed foes at bay is the oblique kick. A devastating attack to the lead leg of the opponent, either right at the knee or just above it, the oblique kick does several things for Jones. First, it makes foes extremely tentative to close the distance. And second, it is a devastating strike in its own right. Joe Rogan has repeatedly commented during broadcasts that many feel it is a dirty technique that should be banned. Unlike a leg lock, which a fighter can tap to, the man standing across the cage from Jones cannot tap before serious damage is done to his extremity. ‘Bones’ hasn’t finished a fight with the technique, but after his fight with Jones at UFC 135, ‘Rampage’ said his knee was never the same.
Joe Rogan has repeatedly commented during broadcasts that many in MMA feel it is a dirty technique that should be banned. Unlike a leg lock, which a fighter can tap to, the man standing across the cage from Jones cannot tap before serious damage is done to his extremity. ‘Bones’ hasn’t finished a fight with the technique, but after his fight with Jones at UFC 135, ‘Rampage’ has said his knee was never the same.
Jones self-destructive behavior outside the Octagon has been as damaging to his career as his trademark kick is to his opponents. He is currently awaiting a hearing on the results of a positive test for estrogen blockers that saw him pulled from headlining UFC 200.
Edson Barboza has no problem trading blows with former Bellator lightweight champion Will Brooks.
He just has his sights set on someone else.
Barboza, who scored a victory over Gilbert Melendez at UFC on FOX 20 recently, was “called-out” by Brooks for a fight this October in Oregon. However, the Brazilian could have trouble getting clearance to fight at that time and put in a full training camp due to an ankle injury.
“I want fights that put me close to the No. 1 contender (spot),” Barboza told MMAjunkie Radio. “If the UFC says you have to fight (Brooks) to get close to the title shot, why not? But like I said, I prefer to fight somebody above me in the rankings.
“If I have a choice, I’d prefer to fight somebody ahead of me. There are five guys ahead of me, and I hope the UFC gives me these guys. If you see the rankings, it’s better for my career. I have to fight the best.”
The 30-year-old Barboza (18-4) is on a two-fight win streak that also features a decision win vs. former UFC champion Anthony Pettis. He is 5-2 over his last seven since a loss to Donald Cerrone in early 2014.
Edson Barboza has no problem trading blows with former Bellator lightweight champion Will Brooks.
He just has his sights set on someone else.
Barboza, who scored a victory over Gilbert Melendez at UFC on FOX 20 recently, was “called-out” by Brooks for a fight this October in Oregon. However, the Brazilian could have trouble getting clearance to fight at that time and put in a full training camp due to an ankle injury.
“I want fights that put me close to the No. 1 contender (spot),” Barboza told MMAjunkie Radio. “If the UFC says you have to fight (Brooks) to get close to the title shot, why not? But like I said, I prefer to fight somebody above me in the rankings.
“If I have a choice, I’d prefer to fight somebody ahead of me. There are five guys ahead of me, and I hope the UFC gives me these guys. If you see the rankings, it’s better for my career. I have to fight the best.”
The 30-year-old Barboza (18-4) is on a two-fight win streak that also features a decision win vs. former UFC champion Anthony Pettis. He is 5-2 over his last seven since a loss to Donald Cerrone in early 2014.
