If you haven’t been paying attention to the South Korean happenings of the sport then you’ve likely forgotten about Chan Sung Jung, better known by Western fans as “The Korean Zombie.”
If you haven’t been paying attention to the South Korean happenings of the sport then you’ve likely forgotten about Chan Sung Jung, better known by Western fans as “The Korean Zombie.” Three years back he challenged Jose Aldo for the Featherweight title and was able to put up a decent fight until dislocating his shoulder in the fourth round. Since then Jung has been sidelined, but not by injury. No, The Korean Zombie had to fulfill his duties as a South Korean citizen and join the armed forces for two years. Sure, it was a bummer for many fans of Jung, but when duty calls you have to answer.
Now that his service has come to an end, it’s time to get excited by the return of the Korean Zombie. He has a difficult test in the form of Dennis Bermudez this Saturday night, but nevertheless you can be sure that we’ll be in for some fireworks. Take a look at the highlight reel below to get a taste of what’s to come.
Are you excited for the return of The Korean Zombie Chan Sung Jung?
So with my dedication to writing Fallout articles, the chance to speak on Conor McGregor and his quest to become the first major MMA star to cross over and dominate in another combat sport, *cough* Alistair Overeem *cough*, has been a bit out of reach. It’s a strange day to see a UFC champion grow to such heights to be capable of calling out another sport’s pound for pound king. Floyd Mayweather is boxing’s most polarizing figure and the man is retired. Nevertheless, Mayweather still has a target on his back. A fight with Mayweather means money in the bank for both him and his potential opponent. But Conor McGregor is no slouch in producing big bucks in a major pay-per-view event. Both Mayweather and McGregor hold something special that makes even the most casual of combat fans want to tune into one of their fights.
So with my dedication to writing Fallout articles, the chance to speak on Conor McGregor and his quest to become the first major MMA star to cross over and dominate in another combat sport, *cough* Alistair Overeem *cough*, has been a bit out of reach. It’s a strange day to see a UFC champion grow to such heights to be capable of calling out another sport’s pound for pound king. Floyd Mayweather is boxing’s most polarizing figure and the man is retired. Nevertheless, Mayweather still has a target on his back. A fight with Mayweather means money in the bank for both him and his potential opponent. But Conor McGregor is no slouch in producing big bucks in a major pay-per-view event. Both Mayweather and McGregor hold something special that makes even the most casual of combat fans want to tune into one of their fights.
Size Difference
The first thing to consider, with this hypothetical fight which most likely won’t happen, is the fact that Conor McGregor is a much larger man compared to Floyd Mayweather. Why that won’t make a difference is purely the realm in which they’ll be having this contest. Mayweather has faced bigger fighters and fighters who are just as fast as McGregor. The size disadvantage may not play too much of a factor in the match, but if McGregor chooses to get the fight into the clinch, things could get interesting.
Embrace The Style Clash
Something else to consider is the differences in their styles. Yes, McGregor started training primarily in boxing in the beginning of his career. Over time he’s become a more complete fighter who implements traditional martial arts into his style. That alone makes him an interesting puzzle for Mayweather to solve. Mayweather has fought against many different styles of BOXING. What he hasn’t faced off against is a person who uses different movement, different distancing, and different timing more comparable to traditional martial arts.
Let’s face it, Conor McGregor’s chances of beating Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match is slim. But the approach he takes for the match would paramount. Conor McGregor would have to look at this match up differently than a boxing match. If he was smart he’d look at things not as a war of punches but a war of styles. The old adage styles make fights always rings true in any combat sport. McGregor is obviously going to have to train his boxing, but he shouldn’t abandon his traditional martial arts training either. If he wants to contend with Mayweather then he’s going to have to offer a different look. While his chances would still be slim at least it would offer up a strategy that could cause some complications. After all, stranger things have happened.
What the hell could Conor McGregor offer Floyd Mayweather?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
We know everyone is on the Valentina Shevchenko hype train after the win. She dispensed of top contender Juliana Pena in less than two rounds – by armbar nonetheless. However Amanda Nunes is a different animal, and unfortunately for Shevchenko her power and confidence is on the rise.
We know everyone is on the Valentina Shevchenko (14-2) hype train after the win. She dispensed of top contender Juliana Pena (8-3) in less than two rounds – by armbar nonetheless. However Amanda Nunes (14-4) is a different animal, and unfortunately for Shevchenko, her power and confidence is on the rise.
Though we used the term “hype train”, Shevchenko is anything but. A solid striker whose technical skills are trumped only by her toughness, fighting for her seems like a religion. Her obsessive personality means she’s always in the gym, always training, and always getting better; the buddhist monk of the bantamweight division. Although most people think of Shevchenko as a striker, after her crafty performance against Pena last saturday I think it’s clear her skillset is complete.
The reason I’m giving Nunes the nod is more of the intangibles than anything pen and paper. Sure she’s the bigger fighter with the longer reach but so was Holly Holm. Sure she won the first matchup but just ask Urijah Faber, fighters evolve. No, the real reason Nunes will win this matchup is because she has come into her own. She’s like the Bruce Leroy of WMMA, after she got the title shot against Miesha Tate it was like her head was dunked in the water, and she came out a different fighter. She turned from a humble Brazilian to a brash, outspoken, almost heel type figure. She’s got a quiet confidence that you could see in the Ronda Rousey fight when she knew she was going to destroy her. No posing, just focus. Arm in arm with girlfriend and fellow fighter Nina Ansaroff , Amanda Nunes is letting the world know that her power is real, and she’s not apologizing for it.
If you look at her boxing it borders on the line of reckless. An aggressive style with little regard for the counter punch, relying mainly on power and volume. But much like a Conor McGregor, because there is no hesitation the punches come out like heat seeking missiles, devastating her opponents. The way she picked apart Miesha Tate with her power, the way she made short work of Ronda Rousey, these are not things to scoff at, these are very good fighters. This girl’s hands are a problem and I don’t think Shevchenko will be able to solve it.
The real question here is about cardio. Nunes tends to slow down in the later rounds and Shevchenko sets a constant pace that can drag her opponents into deep water. Besides that it seems Shevchenko is also good at reading her opponents and making adjustments on the fly, so if Nunes gets sloppy in the championship rounds things could get interesting. The issue with that logic is what if Nunes doesn’t get tired? One would imagine her coaches are well aware of her past issues and will implement a game plan to get her ready on fight night.
Besides the aforementioned I believe Nunes is the more dynamic striker (as seen in the first matchup) and she can hang with Valentina on the ground (also seen in the first matchup). Either way it will be a good scrap.
What do you guys think of the upcoming bout between Amanda “The Lioness” Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko, who takes the strap?
Lionel Harris-Spence is a writer, filmmaker, and functioning alcoholic. You can catch him screaming obscenities at flat screens on fight night.
Conor McGregor talked a metric ton of trash over the weekend which is pretty interesting stuff to dissect. But while all his talk may be interesting there are still some interesting topics to tackle as far as this past weekend’s fights are concerned. The main and co-main event of UFC Denver saw a pretty dominating victory and an unforeseen upset cap off a night of fairly entertaining fights. Valentina Shevchenko and Jorge Masvidal left the event in considerably higher standings than when they first arrived in Colorado.
Conor McGregor talked a metric ton of trash over the weekend which is pretty interesting stuff to dissect. But while all his talk may be interesting there are still some interesting topics to tackle as far as this past weekend’s fights are concerned. The main and co-main event of UFC Denver saw a pretty dominating victory and an unforeseen upset cap off a night of fairly entertaining fights. Valentina Shevchenko and Jorge Masvidal left the event in considerably higher standings than when they first arrived in Colorado.
For Shevchenko’s part she proved that she’s a slow starter no longer. Her judo black belt came in handy when she took Julianna Pena to the ground in the first round with relative ease. She dominated top position of a majority of the opening five minutes until a Pena armbar submission threatened to put all that hard work to waste. Even though it appeared tight, by the closing seconds it was obvious that Shevchenko had escaped danger even before the bell rang to end the round. Where it seemed like Shevchenko was playing a dangerous game by remaining in the clinch with Julianna Pena, the reality is that the “Venezuelan Vixen” was in fact biting off more than she could chew. Even after getting the fight to the ground where she wanted it, Pena couldn’t land any significant offense while Shevchenko remained patient in hunting for the fight ending armbar she slapped on her opponent seemingly out of nowhere. While many agreed that Shevchenko needed to win the fight on the feet in order to secure victory, the truth of the matter is that Valentina has been hiding some tricks up her sleeves and proved that even a risky situation can indeed pay dividends.
For Donald Cerrone that proved to be less than true.
After an impressive finish of Matt Brown at December’s UFC 206, there appeared to be nothing but upside for “Cowboy” Cerrone. But it appeared that his propensity to fight anyone at any place at any time got the better of him as he faced off with Jorge Masvidal. Cerrone won most of the first round which shouldn’t be ignored. But winning most of a round means nothing if you’re almost flatlined by the end of it. Masvidal executed a flawless game plan. The kicks of Cerrone have always been a dangerous weapon, but going to the well too often can leave it dry. Cerrone threw one too many kicks and Masvidal exploded forward with well timed right hand counters over the top. Cerrone has never been the best boxer in the game and Masvidal has always shown a propensity to light guys up with his hands. Kicking was definitely the best option for Cerrone, but the lack of variety gave Masvidal some easy reads as the fight wore on.
The knock out in the second round was a bit disheartening to watch simply because of the fact that Cerrone lost in front of his hometown fans. But this is the hurt business as they say and no matter how you look at it the game is always risk versus reward. Cerrone fighting so often may have been to his detriment. Though he performs better when he’s on a roll, the fact of the matter is that there are always diminishing returns as far as this game goes and taking a sabbatical from time to time can evolve a person’s game, even a man Cerrone. For now he has to go back to the drawing board while Jorge Masvidal announces himself as a person of interest in the welterweight division.
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
The main event of UFC on Fox 23 features two of the most ferocious women in the bantamweight division as Valentina Shevchenko squares off against Julianna Pena. Both women have built up quite the resume with Shevchenko having defeated former bantam weight champion Holly Holm and Pena out dueling Cat Zingano. These two women are both extremely talented with their own specific roads to victory. Who gets the job done at UFC Denver?
The main event of UFC on Fox 23 features two of the most ferocious women in the bantamweight division as Valentina Shevchenko squares off against Julianna Pena. Both women have built up quite the resume with Shevchenko having defeated former bantam weight champion Holly Holm and Pena out dueling Cat Zingano. These two women are both extremely talented with their own specific roads to victory. Who gets the job done at UFC Denver?
Key Factors:
Striking
For many who tuned into her bout against Holly Holm, it became evident that Valentina Shevchenko operates on a level far beyond that of the average striker in the women’s bantamweight division. Her combinations were slick, her movement balanced, and the spinning attacks she threw gave a level of unpredictability that froze Holm at times. Shevchenko has been criticized by Pena for being more of a point fighter which is an unfair assessment. The reality of the situation is that Shevchenko is a controlled striker who looks for opportunities rather than wading into the fire, which just happens to be Pena’s preferred style.
Where Shevchenko is controlled and nuanced in her approach, playing the outside and countering effectively, Julianna Pena is a ball of fire who looks to explode forward with shots, get into the clinch, then do her best work by getting the fight to the ground. The biggest problem with her approach is that she usually enters the fray with little head movement leaving her susceptible to punishment when she makes her way in. While it may be an exciting style, it’s not very conduscive when facing off with a striker at the level of Shevchenko.
Shevchenko is a patient striker who will pivot on the outside, play matador, and chew up her opponents with a variety of attacks from all heights. The problem is that in the early rounds she can be a bit passive. Pena’s striking is alarming, but would be most effective if used at the initial bell in hopes of catching Shevchenko off balance. Something tells me that’s unlikely to happen.
Clinch/Grappling
Where Pena will likely have the advantage is in the grappling exchanges. She’s strong and pushes a ferocious pace once she gets the fight to the ground. She looks to punish her opponents with heavy leather and vicious elbows. The problem about all that is, she actually needs to get Shevchenko down to the ground for all that to happen. In order to do that, Pena will most likely choose to enter the clinch and try for a trip takedown which is her preferred method of getting her opponents grounded. There in lies another issue for the “Venezuelan Vixen.” Valentina Shevchenko is a judo black belt and is proficient with performing and avoiding trip takedowns.
Shevchenko was able to ground the champion Amanda Nunes in their match with a well timed counter Osoto Gari outside reap. The trip utilized in that match showcased Shevchenko’s ability to not only defend against trips, but counter effectively to end up on top. If Pena is hoping to get Shevchenko to ground then she’ll have to be aware of that fact and utilize a combination of takedowns in order to get the job done. Pure aggression alone will do her no good in this match up. Pulling guard could be an option, but Shevchenko has proven to have a strong top game of her own so the proposition is a bit of a gamble.
No matter how you slice it, this match is competitive as hell and the winner will likely be the one with the better game plan. When both fighters have heart for days, technical ability will always be the deciding factor.
Who do you think wins the main event at UFC Denver?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
Heading into the twenty-fourth season of The Ultimate Fighter, I wasn’t all that excited about the premise. A sixteen man tournament to determine who would challenge the nigh unbeatable human tornado also referred to as Demetrious Johnson? Suffice it to say, I wasn’t particularly convinced the season would be worthwhile. Johnson as flyweight champion has looked nearly perfect in almost all of his outings. The thought process was that none of these flyweights had what it takes to actually challenge Johnson and ultimate it’s a notion that proved to be true.
Heading into the twenty-fourth season of The Ultimate Fighter, I wasn’t all that excited about the premise. A sixteen man tournament to determine who would challenge the nigh unbeatable human tornado also referred to as Demetrious Johnson? Suffice it to say, I wasn’t particularly convinced the season would be worthwhile. Johnson as flyweight champion has looked nearly perfect in almost all of his outings. The thought process was that none of these flyweights had what it takes to actually challenge Johnson and ultimate it’s a notion that proved to be true.
But then these sixteen men had to prove me dead wrong.
Every match during the season was filled with some sort of drama, each one of them exciting in their own way. By the end, although not every fighter seemed to have the skill set to beat Johnson, the fans of the long running show were likely thoroughly entertained. Tim Elliott was the man that everyone was talking about by the TUF Finale, which was bound to happen seeing as he was the man who fought Johnson for the flyweight strap. That said, the show also offered us a glimpse at the future of the division.
Though Tim Elliott received the title shot there were a large contingent of people who believed that Eric Shelton deserved to be the man who fought Hiromasa Ogikubo in the final round of the tournament. Hell, even Elliott himself said that Shelton probably deserved the nod when the two fought to a close decision in the semifinals. In that match we saw a glimpse of what Shelton brings to the table. It was enough to lead me to believe that the young flyweight could be a major threat to Demetrious Johnson.
Intelligence Far Beyond His Years
The three fights had during the tournament showcased Eric Shelton’s ability to do a number of things. His striking is controlled and calculated though he could use a few more tools in his kit. Nevertheless, he understands the basics and when and how to use them. Shelton understands distance very well, fighting on the outside when he’s facing wrestlers and grapplers, while keeping a balanced approached when facing opponents with a more complete game. He also knows when to play counter fighter and when to be the aggressor. It’s the kind of savvy you’d expect from a well seasoned fighter.
He’s Stubborn As Hell
What we also saw during the show is just how stubborn Shelton can be. That doesn’t mean he won’t pass the ketchup when sitting down for dinner, but what he certainly won’t do is concede a position without giving up a hell of a fight. The Tim Elliott fight in the semifinals of the tournament demonstrated Shelton’s ability to create scrambles and never lay down flat once he’s on his back. He’s always looking to get to his feet or improve his defensive position or get a dominant position. Shelton is stubborn once he’s put in a disadvantageous position. He’s constantly moving his hips and looking to get himself back into the fight. That kind of stubborness will serve him well as he climbs the latter of the flyweight division.
One To Watch
With Eric Shelton’s next bout against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC on Fox 23, we’ll have the opportunity to see what the young flyweight has been working on. I for one will be looking forward to his bout as it could mark the beginnings of a truly interesting journey for a man who could one day challenge one of the sport’s pound for pound greats.
Do you think Eric Shelton can defeat Demetrious Johnson?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
