Last weekend Phillipe Nover dropped a decision to Rick Glenn on the undercard of UFC 208. The fight loss must’ve been bitter sweet because even though he didn’t get the W, he got to fight in front of his home crowd in Brooklyn, NY. This wednesday Nover decided it was one loss too many and decided to retire from the sport via instagram.
Last weekend Phillipe Nover dropped another close decision to Rick Glenn on the undercard of UFC 208. The loss was however was bittersweet, even though Nover didn’t get the W, he did get to realize a lifelong dream of fighting in front of his home crowd of Brooklyn, NY. This wednesday Nover decided it was one loss too many and gracefully bowed out from the sport via instagram.
Nover was one of those guys that had all the potential but for some reason things just never came together. A superstar in the TUF house, Nover won all three fights by submission only losing to Efrain Escudero in the TUF 8 finale.
A post shared by #PhillipeNover (@phillipenover) onFeb 15, 2017 at 12:53pm PST
The 33 year old Filipino grappler was originally cut from the UFC back in 2010, but fought his way back by winning five out of six fights in Bellator and smaller circuits. He began his second stint in 2015 only to go 1-3 with all his losses coming via decision. Although a durable fighter, many say his achilles heel was his inability to finish fights. Either way, Nover came to fight every time he stepped into the octagon and no one could deny that he was a true warrior. We wish him the best of luck in all future endeavours.
Do you guys think this was the right move or did Nover sell himself short?
Well that was interesting to say the least. UFC 208 wasn’t the most action packed event of the new year and it’s definitely left us with more questions than answers at its conclusion. Holly Holm failed to be the first woman to win belts in multiple divisions as she dropped a razor close decision to Germaine de Randamie or the post bell puncher as she’s begun to be labeled. The fight was competitive with a few slow spots here and there. But the drama surrounding the main event more than made up for any lulls in the action. So what’s the takeaway from UFC 208?
Well that was interesting to say the least. UFC 208 wasn’t the most action packed event of the new year and it’s definitely left us with more questions than answers at its conclusion. Holly Holm failed to be the first woman to win belts in multiple divisions as she dropped a razor close decision to Germaine de Randamie or the post bell puncher as she’s begun to be labeled. The fight was competitive with a few slow spots here and there. But the drama surrounding the main event more than made up for any lulls in the action. So what’s the takeaway from UFC 208?
Holly Holm Has Nothing To Be Sorry About
A lot of people want to rag on Holly Holm because she missed some key opportunities to take advantage of a rocked de Randamie. But the perhaps the biggest critic of Holm was herself. At the post fight press conference she seemed to be beating up on herself almost as harshly as Germaine did during the bout. While Holm does need to work on the technique in her takedowns, thinking that she was being stupid isn’t going to solve things. Many believed that she won and while that may be scant consolation, it’s something she should hold onto as she takes the next step in her career. She does have a bloodthirsty streak, but she can no longer hesitate when she has her opponent on the ropes.
Germaine de Randamie Isn’t A Cheater
Germaine de Randamie is the new women’s featherweight champ and already people are disrespecting her reign. While she won the decision, many believe that Holm deserved the nod. But perhaps the biggest impression de Randamie made on the fans was the fact that she continually landed punches to Holm’s chin after the bell. Many believe points should have been taken, which isn’t too outrageous a call. What is pretty dumb are people believing de Randamie is a cheater. If anything, Germaine exhibited her hotblooded nature more than proving that she’s a cheat. The heat of the moment affects fighters in different ways. I’ve thrown a punch or kick a bit late, but not to take advantage. When your mind is in fight mode sometimes slip ups really can occur. But really it’s a situation for the ref. Germaine will have her chance to prove she’s the legit champion in time. Until then all the fans and haters will have to accept the judges decision.
Referees Suck
Yeah…they really do. Next time the UFC has a belt on the line they better call in “Big” John McCarthy and Herb Dean every time. Doesn’t mean there won’t be any chance at controversy, but at least you’d have some tried and true refs with plenty of experience on hand.
What are your takeaways from UFC 208?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
Boxing. For western martial artists it’s been the go striking art for what feels like an eternity. In the realm of mixed martial arts it was once the preferred striking option for the dominant wrestler. Matt Hughes, Frank Trigg, Randy Couture, and Sean Sherk were just a few fighters from the old school era of the sport that utilized a hybrid boxing and wrestling game. When BJ Penn came onto the scene he utilized a similar approach albeit with more knees and a suffocating jiu jitsu top game. Penn was a man to fear based on his solid boxing skill and ability to dominate on the ground if in top position. But what we saw yesterday showcased the fact that having a terrifying boxing game isn’t going to cut it in the current landscape of mixed martial arts.
Boxing. For western martial artists it’s been the go striking art for what feels like an eternity. In the realm of mixed martial arts it was once the preferred striking option for the dominant wrestler. Matt Hughes, Frank Trigg, Randy Couture, and Sean Sherk were just a few fighters from the old school era of the sport that utilized a hybrid boxing and wrestling game. When BJ Penn came onto the scene he utilized a similar approach albeit with more knees and a suffocating jiu jitsu top game. Penn was a man to fear based on his solid boxing skill and ability to dominate on the ground if in top position. But what we saw yesterday showcased the fact that having a terrifying boxing game isn’t going to cut it in the current landscape of mixed martial arts.
Many will undoubtedly point to the fact that BJ Penn had seen better days. It’s true that Penn has looked sharper and more dangerous in the past. It’s also true that at this point the Hawaiian native is past his prime and likely had no business being in the cage with Yair Rodriguez. While those arguments may be valid, I’m finding it hard to see how an even in his prime BJ Penn gets the victory over Rodriguez. Why? Because of Penn’s limited boxing attack.
Yes, I’m a huge fan of traditional martial arts and I’m even of the idea that it may be the best striking art in the MMA today. A lot of you may think I’m biased because of that fact, but let’s just take a moment to look at the facts.
Boxing is a tool that is undoubtedly needed in every fighter’s arsenal. When you’re in the pocket you have little options to utilize. You’re either going to look for the clinch, throw elbows or knees, or look to throw punches. Most every fighter falls in the latter category and with good reason. Punching in the pocket allows for power, precision, and quicker reactions than say trying to throw a kick from the same position. But once out of the close range, once there’s some distance between you and your opponent, a punching game is going to be harder to employ.
In the main event of UFC Fight Night 103, what we saw was a Penn who was looking to utilize a punching based attack where Rodriguez looked to work from the outside where his longer limbs and strikes would serve him best. Throwing jabs and feints is an effective method of closing the distance and it’s exactly what Penn was likely planning. Too bad for the Hall of Famer that Rodriguez had no intentions of letting remaining in boxing range. Rodriguez utilized some slick movement to ensure that Penn would always be at kicking distance. Rodriguez’s own boxing leaves much to be desired, but thus far he’s been able to use his taekwondo effectively enough that striking in the pocket hasn’t been an option.
So why does it seem like I’m trashing boxing? Well, first off I’m not. Boxing is fundamental in a good striking game. But the problem is when boxing is a fighters only means of attack. The distancing of boxing isn’t enough to contend against a style that utilizes kicks. Rodriguez could comfortably land strikes from a distance while Penn was left to figure out how to close distance and land his own meaningful offense. Barring some unique genetics, a fighter’s legs are usually going to be longer than their arms. Their legs will more than likely be longer than their opponents arms. Putting two and two together easily reveals that a fighter with a good kicking game holds an advantage over a striker who only utilizes punches.
Yes, there are ways to countering against kicks with punches. We’ve seen enough accounts of a counter punch landed before, during, or after a kick is launched end a bout with devastating results. The X-Factor in all this is the distancing game. Styles like taekwondo and karate are based on hitting from a distance and not being hit in return. When striking from a long distance, the chances for being countered with a punch drops drastically. It doesn’t mean a competent puncher couldn’t land his own blows, but it does mean that how they close the distance will be paramount to their success.
So while BJ Penn may not be quite his old self, the reality is that even if he was in his prime he likely would have had trouble closing distance on a striker with a versatile striking game like Rodriguez. Boxing may have it’s merit, but at this stage of the game distancing is key. Whoever can adapt the superior distancing game whether that be through footwork or a sharp kicking game, is likely going to be the victor in modern MMA.
What’s your thoughts on traditional boxing in MMA?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
Remember the days of the WEC? The simpler times when damn near every fight was exciting, save for Chad Mendes and his earlier grinding wrestling style. It was a time that turned Urijah Faber, Jose Aldo, Dominick Cruz, Miguel Torres, Takeya Mizugaki, Joseph Benavidez, Demetrious Johnson, and countless others into major MMA stars. It highlighted the greatness of the lighter weight divisions and how exciting the match ups could be. It was also the time when Mike Brown had his time to shine above all the other featherweights in the world.
Remember the days of the WEC? The simpler times when damn near every fight was exciting, save for Chad Mendes and his earlier grinding wrestling style. It was a time that turned Urijah Faber, Jose Aldo, Dominick Cruz, Miguel Torres, Takeya Mizugaki, Joseph Benavidez, Demetrious Johnson, and countless others into major MMA stars. It highlighted the greatness of the lighter weight divisions and how exciting the match ups could be. It was also the time when Mike Brown had his time to shine above all the other featherweights in the world.
It’s strange once a fighter wishes to retire. Mike Brown was once the most feared featherweight on the planet after crushing Urijah Faber in their first meeting, destroying the then highly touted Leonard Garcia inside one round, and dominated Faber in their rematch. Mike Brown was a dominant wrestler with a ton of power in his hands and knew how to use it. Then came Jose Aldo and it seemed that everyone had forgotten how great Mike Brown truly was.
These days you can find Mike Brown at almost every event featuring an American Top Team fighter. His abilities as a high level fighter have transferred over well to his aptitude as an MMA coach. He’s been in the big show, a veteran of the UFC and WEC, and clearly has a passion for watching his teammates succeed in their own MMA careers.
While he may not have the spotlight shinning on him these days, Mike Brown is a man who is worthy of respect. While many may have forgotten his exploits, the former featherweight world champion is proving that life after retiring from the sport doesn’t have to be lived in obscurity. Rather, his dedication to his fighters showcases the kind of man that he is and perhaps has always been. Mike Brown is still a fighter, albeit in a different realm these days. With Amanda Nunes set to battle Ronda Rousey at UFC 207, it’s has to be a nice reminder and confidence booster that Brown will be in her corner for the toughest fight of her career.
What are your thoughts and remembrances of Mike Brown?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
So after all the chaos that threatened to turn UFC 206 in to one of the more unfortunate cards of the year, things ended up working out pretty well. The main event was exciting, the two bouts before it packed with action and all in all the event ended up being truly memorable. But despite that there was a shadow looming over this event. It was far from perfect in terms of “professionalism” as a number of fighters missed weight. Though it’s something to be scrutinized, you have to wonder how this weight cutting issue is going to be fixed.
So after all the chaos that threatened to turn UFC 206 in to one of the more unfortunate cards of the year, things ended up working out pretty well. The main event was exciting, the two bouts before it packed with action and all in all the event ended up being truly memorable. But despite that there was a shadow looming over this event. It was far from perfect in terms of “professionalism” as a number of fighters missed weight. Though it’s something to be scrutinized, you have to wonder how this weight cutting issue is going to be fixed.
While it may have been an exciting match up while it lasted, Max Holloway’s bout with Anthoiny Pettis was somewhat frustrating simply for the fact that the former lightweight champion missed weight and therefore lowered the stakes of the match up by half. But thought we can point the finger at Pettis, as well as Rustam Khabilov and Valerie Letourneau, the truth of the matter is that the sport forced their hands.
The idea that individuals don’t fight at their walk around weight is somewhat ludicrous. While boxing may have too many weight classes it does mitigate things to an extent. You get to see match ups with individuals who are far closer to their natural weight because of that fact. A guy like Pettis who probably walks around at about 165-170 lbs shouldn’t have to be forced to cut weight to 145 lbs just to avoid the monsters in the lightweight division who sometimes cut from upwards of 185 lbs.
It’s a crazy dance that their forced to participate in, but it’s a path they’ve chosen. Professionalism does matter most no matter what endeavor you choose, but it’s hard to criticize a person who is willing to throw their bones at another human being for the entertainment of others. Here’s hoping all the fighters who missed weight either find the best way to make cut or the right division to accommodate their frames.
What was your thoughts on the weight blunders at UFC 206?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
So for any of you paying attention this weekend, there’s been a major shake up in the featherweight division. The UFC has decided to strip Conor McGregor of the featherweight title and upgrade the interim champion Jose Aldo to full fledged undisputed champ. It wasn’t that the move by the UFC was the wrong one, but the way it was done certainly left people scratching their heads. But that’s not all that happened this weekend.
So for any of you paying attention this weekend, there’s been a major shake up in the featherweight division. The UFC has decided to strip Conor McGregor of the featherweight title and upgrade the interim champion Jose Aldo to full fledged undisputed champ. It wasn’t that the move by the UFC was the wrong one, but the way it was done certainly left people scratching their heads. But that’s not all that happened this weekend.
So before we get into the main topic of the article, there’s no way I can simply gloss over the UFC Fight Night 100 main event clash between Robert Whitaker and Derek Brunson. It was a battle between two highly touted prospects who have a bright future ahead of them at middleweight, but as of now only one man is moving forward while the other has to return to the drawing board. The latter in this equation is mister Brunson who had a peculiar performance to say the least.
Brunson has been on a high as of late, finishing many of his opponents by knock out in the first round. He tried to continue that trend against a more polished counter striker in Whitaker who remained patient, survived a barrage of punches, then clipped Brunson with a well timed left hook. There’s no way to excuse it. Brunson was sloppy. His head was far forward past his front knee, a big no no in high level striking, and eventually was reaching for Whitaker with every punch. Brunson’s display of sloppy striking makes you wonder how he was able to get this far in the rankings. Brunson certainly has the skills to go far in the UFC, but at this level of the game you have to be patient and controlled with a game plan in order to reap success.
Switching gears, the UFC stripping Conor McGregor unceremoniously on a Fight Night card was pretty peculiar. Sure, the event may have had a good number of eyes on it, but it just seems so strange to randomly say “hey, by the way, Conor McGregor is no longer the champion at featherweight, Jose Aldo is now” will only have the effect of throwing people off. Yes, UFC 206 needed a big fight to replace Daniel Cormier versus Anthony Johnson. Yes, upping the stakes with a championship level match does make things more enticing. But even a small press conference or press release would have been more professional.
Now, we can argue whether or not McGregor should have been stripped of the 145 lbs belt, but at this point it’s fair to say that the masses expect a certain level of professionalism from the biggest mixed martial arts promotion in the world. It’s shoddy work to say the least and we expect more.
Do you think the UFC handled the Conor McGregor situation well?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
