Tag: Fallout

Fallout: Al Iaquinta Battling For More Pay Should Be A Wake Up Call For The UFC

So, another week, another UFC event where fighters put it all on the line for a chance at glory. Cub Swanson and Artem Lobov had a pretty entertaining scrap in which ‘The Russian Hammer’ showed that he’s perhaps more talented than we first gave him credit for. Lobov by no means is a world beater, but the fact that he was competitive with Cub Swanson shows that he does indeed have some talent. With so many different fights on the card it’s hard to pick one out of the bunch to highlight. But for me, one fighter comes to mind more than anyone else and that’s Al Iaquinta.

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So, another week, another UFC event where fighters put it all on the line for a chance at glory. Cub Swanson and Artem Lobov had a pretty entertaining scrap in which ‘The Russian Hammer’ showed that he’s perhaps more talented than we first gave him credit for. Lobov by no means is a world beater, but the fact that he was competitive with Cub Swanson shows that he does indeed have some talent. With so many different fights on the card it’s hard to pick one out of the bunch to highlight. But for me, one fighter comes to mind more than anyone else and that’s Al Iaquinta.

The Strong Island native (that’s right, I said it) proved once again why he should be considered a hot commodity in the UFC. The guy is young, talented, and sharp when it comes to his striking ability. With a two year lay off, people were thinking that Al Iaquinta may not have had that pop anymore, that the sport was leaving him in the rear view. He shut up those critics pretty emphatically with his knockout victory over veteran Diego Sanchez. The interesting part about the win for ‘Raging’ Al however was the fact that he didn’t truly have a chance to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

While I still believe that the UFC is the biggest, brightest, and most talent rich promotion in the world, it’s becoming obvious that fighters are getting more and more disgruntled. When you consider the fact that Iaquinta received $26,000 to show and another $26,000 to win, it’s easy to see why the talented lightweight would consider walking away from the sport. He could easily find himself up there with some of the best of the best in the lightweight division and the fact that he’s getting underpaid to knockout fighters that are getting paid more than him is a major issue that the promotion needs to solve.

Make no mistake, Al Iaquinta could easily become a star in the UFC. He could have New York on his back much in the same vain his stablemate Chris Weidman has been doing for years now. But if the UFC is content to let their high level talent seek other employment because they won’t show them the money, then you can bet your ass that Al Iaquinta will be taking his real estate career pretty damn seriously moving forward.

Do you think the UFC is making a mistake not paying Al Iaquinta the big bucks?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

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Fallout: How Namajunas and Whittaker Set Up Their Finishes At UFC on Fox 24

UFC on Fox 24 showcased once again why Demetrious Johnson has clearly earned the right of being dubbed the greatest pound for pound fighter in the world. His victory over Wilson Reis may not have shocked many in terms of the ultimate result, but the manner in which Johnson got the job done was nothing short of eye opening. Reis, while competitive in the opening frame, was ultimately dominated in the second and third rounds. I’ve got more to say about Johnson in a future article, but for now let’s focus on the other stars of UFC on Fox 24, namely Rose Namajunas and Robert Whittaker.

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UFC on Fox 24 showcased once again why Demetrious Johnson has clearly earned the right of being dubbed the greatest pound for pound fighter in the world. His victory over Wilson Reis may not have shocked many in terms of the ultimate result, but the manner in which Johnson got the job done was nothing short of eye opening. Reis, while competitive in the opening frame, was ultimately dominated in the second and third rounds. I’ve got more to say about Johnson in a future article, but for now let’s focus on the other stars of UFC on Fox 24, namely Rose Namajunas and Robert Whittaker.

What Rose Namajunas was able to pull off in her victory over Michelle Waterson was nothing short of amazing. Both women were competitive in the co-main event, but it was Namajunas that would make the necessary adjustments to pull off the victory. Waterson utilized her side kick brilliantly but found herself in trouble after executed a head and arm throw, the most overused and dangerous technique in women’s MMA, and eventually found herself on the bottom of Namajunas. Rose would win the first frame handily but it’s what happened in the second round that had me most impressed.

Waterson’s side kicks were landing to Namajunas’ knee with continual thudding impact. Understanding this, Rose made a slight adjustment. Waterson was firing her kicks from a southpaw side stance. ‘The Karate Hottie’ made a fatal mistake by faking the kick with a chambered right leg but not resetting quickly. As Waterson lazily placed her right foot down to the mat, Namajunas shifted to her left, obtaining a strong outside angle, and launching a right high kick that floored her foe. From there it was a matter of some strong ground and pound, superior positioning and a deep rear naked choke. You’ve gotta think that Rose Namajunas is most likely going to be the next challenger for the strawweight belt.

Robert Whittaker also made a huge impression with his victory over Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza. What was perhaps most impressive about this one was how patient Robert Whittaker has become. No longer the slugging, overly aggressive striker that he once was, Whittaker has been able to adopt a far more strategic approach to his striking as of late. His karate background showed in this bout as he bounced on his toes, light on his feet, and shifting in and out with punches. But what was most impressive was his ability to feint and keep Jacare guessing with every exchange. Jacare had some success with his right hand and even landed a takedown, but he would eventually succumb to the two things that make Whittaker dangerous.

One, Whittaker feints a ton and every real strike he throws is done so with variety while appearing to seem like the same movement. His punches are tight and his elbows always stay tucked in towards the centerline. That makes it difficult for the opponent to see if he’s going to launch a jab or a hook with his left hand, a straight cross or an uppercut with his right. Whittaker was utilizing his jabs to get a read on what Jacare would counter back with, then, once he was comfortable with the timing, exploded forward with a sharp right cross. From there we saw the young middleweight land a variety of strikes including that rear uppercut and a high right kick that nearly shut off Jacare’s lights. Some follow ground and pound and an oddly timed stoppage later and you’ve got your next big middleweight contender. Since things are so log jammed at the top of the division however, it’s likely that Whittaker will have to wait for a title shot. That means he’ll have the distinct pleasure of facing off with either former champ Luke Rockhold or the terrifying Yoel Romero. That’s like picking your poison where those match ups are concerned.

What should come next for the new contenders at UFC on Fox 24?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

 

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Fallout: After Another Loss, Vitor Belfort Should Fight Anderson Silva For His Swan Song

So I’d be lying if I said “I didn’t see Kelvin Gastelum beating Vitor Belfort like that.” It would be an egregious lie. Yet still, it was pretty rough to watch Vitor go out like that. The days where TRT Vitor, the greatest fighter of all time, annihilate his opponents with vicious combo strings is over. In his place we have a Vitor Belfort who just isn’t quite what he used to be. He’s a shell of his former self and that’s no lie. At 39 years of age and with a ton of mileage on him, Vitor Belfort should be thinking on his exit strategy. With one more fight on his contract, I could think of only one opponent that would be appropriate.

Anderson Silva.

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So I’d be lying if I said “I didn’t see Kelvin Gastelum beating Vitor Belfort like that.” It would be an egregious lie. Yet still, it was pretty rough to watch Vitor go out like that. The days where TRT Vitor, the greatest fighter of all time, annihilate his opponents with vicious combo strings is over. In his place we have a Vitor Belfort who just isn’t quite what he used to be. He’s a shell of his former self and that’s no lie. At 39 years of age and with a ton of mileage on him, Vitor Belfort should be thinking on his exit strategy. With one more fight on his contract, I could think of only one opponent that would be appropriate.

Anderson Silva.

While Vitor Belfort may have seen brighter days, the same could be said for former middleweight God Anderson Silva. Gone are the days where Silva simply shrugged off opposition, knocking them out with general ease. Now we see a Silva who struggles against opposition that he would have surely overcome in his heyday. That’s no disrespect to his past several opponents, but Silva has clearly been off his game since being slept by Chris Weidman.

Now, Kelvin Gastelum called out Silva, and since the UFC likes to pair winners with winners, he’s most likely to get the fight over Belfort. But from a purely nostalgic sense, a battle between the two Brazilians could be a great send off for either fighter. Silva talks about fighting for an extended period but what better way to call it a career fighting one of the most popular Brazilian fighters of all time in Vitor Belfort? For ‘The Phenom’ having a chance to close the book on his career against the greatest to have ever done it is not only a chance at revenge, but a match up that has a tremendous amount of meaning for both fighters as well as their Brazilian fans. Making that fight happen in Rio would generate numbers and great deal of interest.

More than likely we’ll see Vitor battle it out with a lower tiered middleweight for his potential final showdown. Until then, let’s embrace the speculation and sate our appetite with a battle of legends, past their prime, but still thoroughly entertaining nonetheless.

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

 

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Fallout: The Curious Case Of Travis Browne

UFC Fight Night featured a heavyweight main event against the surging Derrick Lewis and hit or miss Travis Browne. Now that description of Browne isn’t to insult the man. He’s still one of the best heavyweight fighters out there. But lately he hasn’t been able to hit the mark. At first everyone and their momma blamed Browne’s downfall on the training he’s been receiving. But with another loss under a different coach, one has to wonder if Browne is simply declining.

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UFC Fight Night featured a heavyweight main event against the surging Derrick Lewis and hit or miss Travis Browne. Now that description of Browne isn’t to insult the man. He’s still one of the best heavyweight fighters out there. But lately he hasn’t been able to hit the mark. At first everyone and their momma blamed Browne’s downfall on the training he’s been receiving. But with another loss under a different coach, one has to wonder if Browne is simply declining.

The fight itself was a pretty interesting affair. In fact, it was a tale of two rounds. The first round showcased exactly why so many people were high on Travis Browne to begin with. He was moving on the outside, controlling the distance with his longer limbs and straight shots. In all honesty, it looked as if the changes made to his coaching staff was beginning to pay off in a big way. Browne hurt Lewis a number of times from distance and his timing was spot on.

Then came round two.

Derrick Lewis proved that not only does he have keen finishing instincts, but that he has heart to go along with it. Lewis was on Browne at the beginning of the second frame and didn’t let up his attack. He swarmed with a barrage of punches that forced Browne along the cage and it seemed to be only a matter of time as Lewis pressed the attack. Eventually we saw Lewis drop Browne, follow him to the ground and eventually finish the fight with devastating ground and pound.

It was an impressive victory for Lewis to say the least, yet I couldn’t help feeling for Browne. After such an impressive first round, appearing to shake off the stigma of training under his former coach at Glendale Fighting Club, Browne looked like his former self. In fact he showed clear signs of improvement despite the knockout loss. It’s a tough and unforgiving sport and while another loss may tarnish Browne’s record, giving up at this point would definitely be the wrong move.

Travis Browne still has potential. The best move for him moving forward is to take some time off, consider his options, and simply look to improve. He’s only one fight removed from switching up his coaching staff. He needs to give himself the time to adjust as well as give his body time to heal.

For Derrick Lewis things have never looked brighter. That over training and over…sexing, could have harmed his performance in the first round. It’s safe to say that he’s not going anywhere but up in the heavyweight division and with a brutal style of fighting and unorthodox style on the mic, it’s safe to say ‘The Black Beast’ is creating a brand all his own.

What do you think should be next for Derrick Lewis and Travis Browne?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

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Fallout: The Real Reasons Ronda Rousey Lost At UFC 207

She got hit in the face. That would probably be the meathead’s quick and easy version of what went wrong for former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey when she faced off against the new champ Amanda Nunes. That certainly isn’t an incorrect statement by any means, but it’s not really telling the full story of proceedings. Ronda Rousey, her coach Edmond Tarverdyan, and the UFC made some pretty big gaffs leading up to UFC 207.

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She got hit in the face. That would probably be the meathead’s quick and easy version of what went wrong for former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey when she faced off against the new champ Amanda Nunes. That certainly isn’t an incorrect statement by any means, but it’s not really telling the full story of proceedings. Ronda Rousey, her coach Edmond Tarverdyan, and the UFC made some pretty big gaffs leading up to UFC 207.

Media Black Out

So, let’s talk about the fact that Ronda Rousey refused to fulfill her media obligations leading up to the last event of 2016. Speaking to a few colleagues about this situation, it seemed that many people didn’t have too much of a problem with Rousey skipping media scrums and interviews. The major problem I had with all this is that Rousey and her camp were choosing to look at the media as a form of distraction, as if skipping out on the interviews before the fight would somehow elevate her fighting skills to a new level. The unfortunate thing is that while less distractions can sometimes help performance, there was no evidence indicating that media obligations is what led to her first loss in the cage.

In a sense, by going through with the media blackout, it gave Ronda and her camp a false sense of security. Media or no, it’s all about the skill and will once you get inside the cage. Everything else is dust. The UFC allowing her to skip all the media didn’t help things either. She certainly helped to revolutionize the sport, but at the same time codling the once dominant champion wasn’t going to help her confidence but damage it in the long run.

Little Improvements

What I saw at the opening bell of the UFC 207 main event wasn’t a Ronda Rousey who had made major improvements since her loss to Holly Holm. In fact, because of how quickly the fight ended, it’s hard to say what, if anything Ronda was able to learn during her time away from the cage. What was evident is her lack of improvement where strategy as well as footwork is concerned. She came straight forward on the same line, offered no feints or fakes, and looked pretty stiff out there. It seemed like Nunes had little issue dismantling Rousey simply because she was there to be hit. The former champion has always been aggressive, but when you don’t evolve your game, add new tools, or keep your opponent guessing then guess what? It’s only a matter of time before you’re figured out.

The Coaching Problem

Now the biggest issue I had with this match up has already been stated above. Ronda Rousey didn’t look like a fighter who took a year off to improve her game. In fact, she seemed even less impressive this time around. Nunes made a statement after her victory suggesting that Ronda’s coach, Edmond Tarverdyan, did her a disservice and I’m inclined to agree. While Ronda Rousey’s ability to hit mitts has improved, her footwork hasn’t seemed to improve all that much. Distance management is the most important dimension of striking and in MMA it’s importance is even more paramount than in boxing or kickboxing. Understand the range in which your opponent can land strikes, enter for takedowns, and have the best chance of winning is overwhelmingly important.

From what we’ve seen so far out of Edmond Tarverdyan as a coach is that he taught Ronda how to throw a decent punch. We haven’t seen feints out of Ronda, no pumping the jab to gauge distance, little to no kicks, and overall little fluidity in her striking combinations. Ronda’s game is all about closing distance, yet we haven’t seen anything to indicate that her abilities to do so with sophistication has improved since her last bout. Either she wasn’t training to learn how to close the gap or she simply had a hard time in doing so against a fighter of Nunes’ caliber.

Total blame can’t be forced on Tarverdyan, but at this point you have to wonder if Ronda had the best preparation possible for this fight with the coaching staff on hand.

Where do you think Ronda Rousey goes from here?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

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Fallout: Hype Train Destruction Of Vanzant, Northcutt, And Perry

Michelle Waterson, Alan Jouban and Mickey Gall all had something in common last Saturday night. Each of them in their own way were responsible for shutting down some major hype trains. Waterson, Jouban, and Gall each had the responsibility of battling fighters who have considerable upside. That’s not to say that Paige Vanzant, Mike Perry, and Sage Northcutt don’t have a future. In fact, if nothing else the losses these three sustained were absolutely necessary for their career advancement.

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Michelle Waterson, Alan Jouban and Mickey Gall all had something in common last Saturday night. Each of them in their own way were responsible for shutting down some major hype trains. Waterson, Jouban, and Gall each had the responsibility of battling fighters who have considerable upside. That’s not to say that Paige Vanzant, Mike Perry, and Sage Northcutt don’t have a future. In fact, if nothing else the losses these three sustained were absolutely necessary for their career advancement.

For Sage Northcutt the message was simple: stay at 155 lbs. Sure, Mickey Gall called out the young talent, but it wasn’t reason enough to fight the New Jersey native. It was a high risk, moderate reward situation that forced Northcutt to fight at a weight class that he hasn’t done very well in this far. Sage Northcutt’s handlers should have looked at the bigger picture and understood that having the twenty year old build slowly in the right division is going to be the key to the young man’s success. That and the fact that his ground game, take down and grappling defense included, needs a ton of work if he’s still hoping to be the UFC’s youngest champion.

In Mike Perry’s case he had to learn the hard way that talking trash does little in the way of winning fights. The reality is that Perry’s aggressive come forward style has the potential to be exciting but will ultimately become a double edged sword. At this point of the game you coming forward, tucking your chin, and throwing bombs does not an elite fighter make. Perry had flashes of success but his inability to adapt and change his game plan proved to be his undoing. Jouban showed that he was willing to make improvements in his own game in between camps and during the fight itself. If Perry hopes to become elite then he’ll have to be willing to change his approach and avoid his usual emotional style in order to elevate his game. If he’s able to reign in his ego, Perry truly can become a force in the UFC.

The third humble pie recipient was Paige Vanzant who has little time to show any improvements in her game outside of her footwork. Vanzant had great movement while the fight lasted on the feet, but it still was done with little purpose with no set ups for potential angles. Waterson herself showed just how dangerous she has become since her last fight inside the octagon. The head and arm throw which so rarely works in MMA was performed with such technique and power it showcased just how advanced Waterson’s game is becoming. While Vanzant will once again be forced to reevaluate, Waterson will see her star rise as her rear naked choke victory sets her up as another potential challenger for the strawweight strap.

What were your takeaways from UFC on Fox 22?

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