Two former Ultimate Fighter winners are set to clash at UFC 124 in Montreal on March 24.
Mac Danzig, who won Season Six of The Ultimate Fighter, and Efrain Escudero, who won Season Eight of the UFC’s reality show, are set to square off in a lightweight bout, the UFC announced on Thursday.
Danzig will be fighting for the first time since losing to Matt Wiman on Oct. 1. That loss was Danzig’s fifth in his last seven fights, and there was some talk that Danzig would be released from the promotion. But he’ll get at least one more shot to prove he belongs in the Octagon against Escudero, who’s also on thin ice with the UFC: Escudero was released by the UFC in 2010 before getting another chance at UFC 141, where he lost to Jacob Volkmann. The loser of Danzig-Escudero is probably done in the UFC.
The Danzig vs. Escudero fight is one of several the UFC announced on Thursday.
Others include:
— UFC 145 will also feature Matt Wiman vs. Mark Bocek in a lightweight fight.
— Shane Roller will take on Michael Johnson as part of the UFC on Fox 2 undercard. Johnson had been slated to face Cody McKenzie, but McKenzie dropped out with an injury and Roller has taken his place.
— T.J. Dillashaw will return to the Octagon for the first time since losing to John Dodson at the Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale when he squares off with Walel Watson at the UFC on Fuel event on February 15. The same card will feature a featherweight fight between Jonathan Brookins and Vagner Rocha.
— Dustin Poirier has a new opponent for UFC 143 after both Erik Koch and Ricardo Lamas dropped out with injuries. Poirier will now face UFC newcomer Max Holloway.
— Jake Hecht will face T.J. Waldburger at UFC on FX 2 in Australia.
Where I come from, if a fight ends with you trapping your helpless opponent’s face between your sweaty butt cheeks, you’ve done enough to win.If you’d spent the preceding minute choking him dizzy before finally giving him your descending co…
Where I come from, if a fight ends with you trapping your helpless opponent’s face between your sweaty butt cheeks, you’ve done enough to win.
If you’d spent the preceding minute choking him dizzy before finally giving him your descending colon as a breathing tube through which to gasp oxygen, you’ve got a rock solid case for being the victor—especially if you emerge without a scratch.
Unfortunately for Efrain Escudero, Nevada State Athletic Commission judges are not trained to honor these criteria when rendering judgement. The season eight Ultimate Fighter winner may have lost on every judge’s scorecard, but he finished the fight with honor. And that’s the most a true warrior could hope for.
Escudero was the only one who came close to finishing the fight—Volkmann later told MMA Fighting that he was starting to black out.
For a fight he took on late notice and finished so impressively, Escudero should feel proud. And UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, in his emanating brilliance, should keep him around.
Lucky for Escudero, there’s a good chance he’ll get another shot. The UFC is immensely popular among Mexicans, but the Mexican contingent on the organization’s roster is on shaky legs at the moment.
Cain Velasquez was recently humiliated by Junior dos Santos on network television. Miguel Torres barely survived RapevanGate with his cojones attached and Tito Ortiz is surfing off into the Huntington Beach sunset after losing his last two by TKO. If you compare any of those situations to the way Escudero handled the closing moments of his fight with Volkmann, he’s got the most momentum and dignity of them all.
Let’s not forget it was Volkmann who had called Escudero “cocky,” and then showed up at the weigh-ins with a first aid kit for Escudero. As a publicity stunt, this has to be one of the most cocky, and least original, jokes of its kind.
Escudero was already a winner in the hearts of some after Volkmann failed to give him any reason to even open that first aid kit. Though he lost the first to rounds via yawn-worthy top control, he took no damage before taking over the fight late in the third.
A hero’s job is to restore order to the universe. Escudero’s 11th-hour push may have come up short, but it was nonetheless an act of heroism. Escudero had the last word. We can only hope, for Escudero and for Mexico, that his pre-fight meal had included plenty of refried beans.
The MGM Grand Garden Arena hosted the weigh-ins for UFC 141, which takes place Dec. 30 at the same venue. The event will feature 11 bouts, headlined by a heavyweight fight between former UFC champ Brock Lesnar and former Strikeforce, Dream and K-1 kin…
The MGM Grand Garden Arena hosted the weigh-ins for UFC 141, which takes place Dec. 30 at the same venue.
The event will feature 11 bouts, headlined by a heavyweight fight between former UFC champ Brock Lesnar and former Strikeforce, Dream and K-1 kingpin Alistair Overeem. The winner of the bout will be next in line to challenge current champion, Junior Dos Santos.
All 22 fighters made weight for their fights. Check out the slideshow to view results and photos of each matchup.
All photos by Rob Tatum/Bleacher Report
Rob Tatum is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. You can also find Rob’s work at TheMMACorner.com. For anything related to MMA, Follow @RobTatumMMA.
The old saying, “you never know what you have till it’s gone,” rings very true for Efrain Escudero. After a weight cutting issue and a subsequent loss to Charles Oliveira, The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 winner was released from the organization.It took …
The old saying, “you never know what you have till it’s gone,” rings very true for Efrain Escudero. After a weight cutting issue and a subsequent loss to Charles Oliveira, The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 winner was released from the organization.
It took six fights and TJ Grant to have to bow out due to injury, but Escudero (18-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC), is back in the UFC as he will face Jacob Volkman (13-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC), this Friday night at UFC 141 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The fight will be a part of the bouts airing on Facebook.
Escudero is glad to be back in the UFC and the ordeal last year changed his perspective not only on fighting, but also his all-around thinking in life.
It changed my perspective of everything, Escudero told me. Not just personal, kinda like personal life as well. Not just inside the octagon. You live and learn. Some people are really good at it just right off there back.
It took me a little speed bump and stuff. I got carried away. Now, I’m a gym junkie. I’m back to being the same old me that was before I went into The Ultimate Fighter. The one that had nothing to lose and everything to gain and just do it and love the sport, love the adrenaline rush, love everything.
A lot of people say, “Why be in there if your gonna be nervous or scared or doing it for the paycheck?” I have a college degree. If I want a paycheck, I’ll do my normal job. I do this because I love it.
When you get released for whatever reason, you would think they would learn from the mistake on why they got released and help you refocus. Escudero says family issues were the reason for him missing weight and it was a fluke.
No, actually the Oliveira fight was a fluke. I had a lot of family issues, my weight. I was dealing with a lot. I let these family issues and everything get in the way of me and my performance and everything. You know, I let my arm be broken by Evan Dunham. You think I’m gonna tap to a choke? There’s no way. I’ll go unconscious before I tap. I was just having a bad day and just the weight cut. I was thinking about that. My body shut down.
Me wrestling for 11 years has taught me, you make weight no matter what. That’s your priority, to make weight. That’s actually the first time ever in my entire career of not making weight like even in the wrestling match and everything.
A lot of people were stunned to see Escudero get released after the Oliveira fight and didn’t think it was just. Escudero says he learned from his mistakes and won’t complain if it was just or not.
I’m not gunna sit here and brag like I told everybody that said I was released. If I sit here and complain and whine, things aren’t gonna change. I gotta learn from my mistakes. Gotta get back in there and I gotta fight. I have to prove to them I can make weight and I can maintain weight down. I’m here for real, I’m here to stay and my release coulda been too soon. Prolly give me a one more shot deal, but I’ll take it and I learned from it. I got nobody to blame but myself.
When you get released from the biggest organization in the world, taking fights in other organizations could be seen as a step down.
Not for Escudero.
He fought six times outside the UFC All he wanted to do was fight and didn’t care what type of fight it was or where it was.
My feeling was, I have to go back and earn it again. Regardless of UFC or no UFC, I gotta go out there and win. There’s not like a basketball team. They don’t look at the Phoenix Suns, “like oh there not a threat in the playoffs I shouldn’t really go in there and beat them.”
Basketball, you have to beat everybody regardless of where it is. Doesn’t matter which organization. You go out there to win. That’s what I was missing. I had to go back and relearn myself, he strategy and reteach myself that. We’re out there to win regardless. UFC, no UFC, bum fight, bar fight, which I don’t recommend anybody doing. Bar fight, anywhere, you’re there to win.
Every fighter’s dream is to fight in the UFC. In Escudero’s case, he was already there before and knew it was a matter of time before he returned.
My reaction was really good. I knew this was going to happen. I knew I was going to have to come in as a replacement. The weight class is stacked right now. A lot of talent is stuffed at 155. I knew something like this was going to happen.
His opponent at UFC 141—Jacob Volkman—has won four straight after losing his first two bouts in the UFC. Escudero respects Volkman and his background. He knows Volkman is coming out to win and will do whatever is necessary to win the fight.
I actually know quite a bit (about Volkman). He comes from a wrestling background back in the day in college and high school. I was a big wrestling fan. I know he’s a big wrestler, a three-time All American. Other than that, I know he’s going to come out there and fight. I have seen what he’s been doing. I saw his fights and stuff. A lot of people might call him boring because he goes out there and holds people. I think that’s his game plan: He goes out there to win fights. He does whatever he needs to do to win fights.
Escudero knows it’s been a long road and winding back to the UFC and plans to show that to Volkman on Friday night. “I know he’s hungry. I don’t know if he looks at me as a late replacement, kind of like ‘ok we’re gonna get by him.'”
I see like an exciting fight from my eyes. All I have to say is Volkman, I respect you as a person, but once we step into that octagon, you better be ready to scrap because these last 13-14 months have been hell and I’m ready to come back.
You can listen to the two part interview with Efrain Escudero here.
Filed under: UFCUFC 141 promises a big bang to close out an eventful year for the UFC and its parent company Zuffa. Everywhere you look on the main card there are major draws and serious contenders. Take a look a little lower down the lineup, however, …
UFC 141 promises a big bang to close out an eventful year for the UFC and its parent company Zuffa. Everywhere you look on the main card there are major draws and serious contenders. Take a look a little lower down the lineup, however, and you’ll see no shortage of fighters who are facing the possibility of a very bleak 2012 if they can’t notch a victory before the calendar turns its final page.
Who are they, and what are their prospects on Friday night in Vegas? For answers, we turn to the Cut List.
Ross Pearson (12-5, 4-2 UFC) Who he’s facing: Junior Assuncao Why he’s in danger: Okay, so maybe danger isn’t the word. Pearson is an Ultimate Fighter winner and a nice guy to have on the roster for future U.K. events, so he’s probably not going anywhere no matter what happens on Friday night. At the same time, he’s lost two of his last three. Maybe his back isn’t all the way against the wall yet, but it’s getting there. The good news is, he has a couple things going for him here. His last loss came via a very close decision, and it was a Fight of the Night recipient, so obviously the UFC likes what it sees from him. He’s also facing a much easier test this time around, at least according to the oddsmakers who have pegged him a 3-1 favorite over Assuncao. Of course, the downside to fighting a guy who you’re supposed to beat is that you’re supposed to beat him. A loss to Assuncao looks worse on the resume than a split decision against Edson Barboza. If Pearson wants to turn his career trajectory around, he might not get a better opportunity than this. Outlook: Good. Barring any huge screw-ups, Pearson should get back in the win column here. Even if he doesn’t, he’d have to look pretty awful to risk the axe right away.
Matt Riddle (5-3, 5-3 UFC) Who he’s facing: Luis Ramos Why he’s in danger: It’s the same old story. Two losses in a row leaves him one bad night away from the dreaded three-fight skid. But how did it get to this point? Things were going so well for a time. He won his first three fights in the UFC — which also happened to be his first three fights as a professional — and after six he was a very respectable (and somewhat surprising) 5-1. And then the current tumble began. Riddle lost a decision to Sean Pierson at UFC 124, then another to Lance Benoist nine months later, and here we are. Is this a must-win scenario for Riddle? Probably, but the same might be true of Ramos. He’s only lost one fight in the UFC, but then, he’s only had one fight in the UFC. When two guys scrap with that sort of desperation hanging over them, things often get ugly. Or else one guy decides it’s worth playing it safe and dull, if it nets him a job-saving win in the end. Outlook: Cautiously optimistic. Riddle may be giving up a lot of experience against Ramos, but you don’t stick around in the UFC this long if you don’t have some skills.
Manny Gamburyan (11-6, 2-4 UFC) Who he’s facing: Diego Nunes Why he’s in danger: If you go back to his recent WEC stint (and it’s all in the Zuffa family, so why not?), he’s on a two-fight losing streak. You know what that means. Then again, his last loss in the WEC was to Jose Aldo, so he deserves a little slack. And his most recent UFC loss was a majority decision to Tyson Griffin, which, okay, doesn’t look great in light of Griffin’s recent stretch. The worst part is, against Nunes it would seem as though Gamburyan is really going to have his hands full. The Brazilian can be outwrestled, as we’ve seen, but is Gamburyan the guy to do it? Better yet, if he isn’t, what will the UFC have to gain by keeping him around? Outlook: Neutral. Gamburyan has the chops to make a fight out of it against just about any featherweight in the game, but opponents seem to be figuring him out more and more lately. If he can’t beat Nunes — who’s a tough draw, no matter who you are — he’s in real trouble.
Efrain Escudero (18-3, 3-2 UFC) Who he’s facing: Jacob Volkmann Why he’s in danger: The former TUF winner is back in the big show, and he’s got his work cut out for him. After being cut following a disastrous Fight Night appearance in which he failed to make weight and then got submitted by Charles Oliveira, he knocked around in the small shows and did well enough to merit a phone call when the UFC found itself in need of a quality lightweight. And Escudero is a quality lightweight. His record tells us that much. But is he an elite lightweight, and can he prove it before the UFC again loses its patience with him? Volkmann is exactly the kind of guy you don’t want to face on short notice in your return to the UFC. He’s methodical, patient (sometimes to the point of being boring), and can absolutely suffocate you if you don’t shut him down early. In other words, he can make you look very, very bad in defeat, which is the last thing Escudero can afford right now. Outlook: Mildly pessimistic. It’ll be a significant upset if he can find a way to beat Volkmann, and I don’t see it happening. He’ll probably get one more chance to prove himself with due notice and a full camp, but then it’ll be make-or-break time for sure.
It was a rough week for the world of mixed martial arts as a number of fighters suffered injuries and were forced out of upcoming bouts.Most notably, UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre fell victim to a knee injury and is out of the UFC 137 main e…
It was a rough week for the world of mixed martial arts as a number of fighters suffered injuries and were forced out of upcoming bouts.
Most notably, UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre fell victim to a knee injury and is out of the UFC 137 main event against Carlos Condit.
Former UFC interim heavyweight champ Shane Carwin revealed that will be out until 2012 due to lower back surgery.
Additionally, a former winner of the The Ultimate Fighter has found a new promotion and a number of upcoming cards have undergone changes.
Two former Ultimate Fighter winners are set to clash at UFC 124 in Montreal on March 24.
Where I come from, if a fight ends with you trapping your helpless opponent’s face between your sweaty butt cheeks, you’ve done enough to win.