It’s no secret that Jon Jones has fallen from grace in the world of MMA. A drink and drive car crash and later testing positive for PEDs – getting him into some trouble with the UFC.
Jon Jones has been relatively quiet after that – but now he’s finally opened up about the whole series of events. In this recent interview Jon Jones finally reveals on why and how he tested positive for PEDs. This may shock you. Do you believe him?
So not too far back you probably came across an article that stated how traditional martial arts is the future of mixed martial arts. It’s an opinion that I still stand by wholeheartedly. The distance management, the selection of strikes, the variety and movement, traditional martial arts striking has all the factors needed to bring a fighter’s game to the next level. Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizard Ryan Hall is one fighter who has embraced the idea of traditional martial arts bolstering his game.
So not too far back you probably came across an article that stated how traditional martial arts is the future of mixed martial arts. It’s an opinion that I still stand by wholeheartedly. The distance management, the selection of strikes, the variety and movement, traditional martial arts striking has all the factors needed to bring a fighter’s game to the next level. Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizard Ryan Hall is one fighter who has embraced the idea of traditional martial arts bolstering his game.
At The Ultimate Fighter finale Ryan Hall showed new wrinkles in his game against the veteran Gray Maynard in a match that ended up feeling decidedly disjointed. When the fight was contested on the feet, Hall demonstrated exactly what he’d been working on since teaming up with karate masters Ray and Stephen Thompson.
You could see the similarities in their styles from the way Stephen Thompson and now Ryan Hall bounced in the southpaw stance, circling and cutting angles and utilizing long range kicks of different variety to keep their opponent guessing. The biggest difference in their approach: where Thompson looks to knock out his opponent, Ryan Hall is looking to use his strikes to set up his grappling game.
That’s what the fight with Maynard so frustrating.
Hall consistently threw kicks that landed flush, particularly the hook kick that smashed into Maynard’s grill almost at will. The problem is right when Maynard chose to counter back with strikes of his own Hall was diving for the legs in hopes of catching the veteran in a submission. While it may be a smart and effective approach, the fact that it slowed down the action was more than irritating to observe. The crowd at the Palms didn’t appreciate the tactical approach to Hall’s game, and even when it was quite obvious that his strategy was working, it took the whole fight out of fighting. Yes, not all fights are going to be barnburner slug fests, but the point of fighting is to prove you are the superior combatant. Hall proved that his striking is effective, but when he faces someone who has equal parts striking and grappling, he’ll have to learn to bite down on his mouthpiece and endeavor to trade blows.
What did you think of Ryan Hall’s performance?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
A couple of weeks ago we put out the pound for pound rankings for the end of 2016. Though flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson was at the top, it was surprising how many names were thrown into the hat. We saw request for Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and of course the one and only Conor McGregor. While a valid argument can be made for all three, with Conor leading the pack due to his masterful performance at UFC 205, we thought we’d give you guys a little reminder of why Demetrious Johnson is at the top – better yet, why he deserves it.
A couple of weeks ago we put out the pound for pound rankings for the end of 2016. Though flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson was at the top, it was surprising how many names were thrown into the hat. We saw request for Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and of course the one and only Conor McGregor. While a valid argument can be made for all three, with Conor leading the pack due to his masterful performance at UFC 205, we thought we’d give you guys a little reminder of why Demetrious Johnson is at the top – better yet, why he deserves it.
Besides being the only fighter to ever win via Kimura choke in a title fight against Chris Cariaso at UFC 187, here’s are a short list of his in cage accomplishments.
He’s never been knocked out or submitted in MMA competition.
His average fight time of 17:23 in UFC flyweight competition is the longest in divisional history.
His 1,164 total strikes landed in UFC flyweight competition are the most in divisional history.
He lands 55.9 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC flyweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.
His 43 takedowns landed in UFC flyweight competition are most in divisional history.
His 59 takedowns landed overall in UFC competition are tied for fifth most in company history behind St-Pierre (87), Gleison Tibau (84), Frankie Edgar (66) and Clay Guida (61).
He is the only fighter in UFC history to record 10 or more takedowns in three separate bouts.
His submission of Kyoji Horiguchi at the 4:59 mark of Round 5 at UFC 186 stands as the latest stoppage in a UFC fight.
He is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn two fifth-round stoppage victories. T.J. Dillashaw also accomplished the feat.
But lets face it, statistics can only go but so far. You can read all the stats you want but how does the champion look in the ring? Even with a magnifying glass you’d be hard pressed to find any mistakes on this flyweight, with flawless footwork and the rare ability to look better in each and every fight, at his division he’s damn near unstoppable.
Now we know Johnson has an upcoming bout with TUF 24 winner Tim Elliott this saturday. So we thought we’d give Elliot a little pep talk for what he had in store on Saturday night.
Fighting Demetrious Johnson is literally like fighting a spider monkey. He’s so fast and accurate, and his TRANSITIONS are second to none. You think he’s going to take you down, nope, he changes levels again and hits you with a left cross, right straight, and two leg kicks for your troubles. If you do stop the takedown then you’re in the clinch with a Tazmanian devil that will knee you to death against the cage and then add a head kick for good measure. At 5’3 he somehow manages to throw head kicks like jabs. Oh so now you’ve got a gameplan, you’re going to take him down are ya? His explosiveness makes it damn near impossible to keep him down, and even if you do, he’s just as dangerous from the bottom as anyone else in the UFC. Whatever you do, don’t let him get on top because it’s armbar city. His transitions are lightening fast and, you won’t even know it’s coming.
…Oh and did we mention he’s tough as nails, doesn’t get tired, relentless, and has no concept of the word quit? When Bruce Lee said “be like water” , he meant be like Demetrious Johnson.
Let us know what you think of Demetrious Johnson in his upcoming bout with TUF 24 winner Tim Elliott? Does Elliot have a chance or nah?
Well it seems like Khabib Nurmagomedov is finally taking a hard stance on his UFC future. After putting in a dominant performance against Michael Johnson at UFC 205, the Russian wrecking machine made it very evident what he wants next.
Well it seems like Khabib Nurmagomedov is finally taking a hard stance on his UFC future. After putting in a dominant performance against Michael Johnson at UFC 205, the Russian wrecking machine made it very evident what he wants next. Besides screaming at Dana White during his match, demanding for a title shot, he went on the microphone after his win and once again staked his claim to the UFC lightweight title. But it seems like he’s taking his case to Twitter and letting everyone know exactly how he feels about his future in MMA.
I want to fight for @ufc title for respect but if I don't get my title shot next I have different plan I won't be fighting in UFC @danawhite
When you sit back and think about it, Khabib has a pretty strong claim for the lightweight title shot. He’s undefeated in the UFC and has put on some pretty impressive and dominant performances. No one is denying his ability. However, in terms of selling tickets, casual fan notoriety, and his place in the division, no one should be surprised if the UFC decides to go another way. It wouldn’t necessarily be fair, but since the sale of the company this past company to WME-IMG, choosing business over what the rankings dictate should come as no surprise to anyone.
There’s also the fact that new UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor has decided to take a bit of time off from the sport. Upon his return there will be a ton of options awaiting him. He could have a rematch with Interim featherweight champion Jose Aldo, could complete his trilogy with Nate Diaz for the lightweight belt, or could even see himself facing off against Tony Ferguson.
Whatever the case may be, the odds do seem stacked against Khabib heading into the future. With this announcement from the proud Russian fighter, don’t be surprised if UFC 205 is the last time we see Khabib Nurmagomedov inside the octagon.
Do you think the UFC will give Khabib Nurmagomedov his title shot?
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 time has finally come. The UFC makes its debut in the Big Apple and from the feel of things the atmosphere is absolutely palpable. Any and everyone who is an MMA fan in NYC seems poised for historic turn of events come Saturday night. Things won’t ever be the same again, particularly for fans and fighters in New York. But besides the event itself, the fact that Conor McGregor has the chance to make history at UFC 205 feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity.
The time has finally come. The UFC makes its debut in the Big Apple and from the feel of things the atmosphere is absolutely palpable. Any and everyone who is an MMA fan in NYC seems poised for historic turn of events come Saturday night. Things won’t ever be the same again, particularly for fans and fighters in New York. But besides the event itself, the fact that Conor McGregor has the chance to make history at UFC 205 feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Just a few years back I saw my first Conor McGregor fight. It was before he was in the UFC and was already the Cage Rage featherweight champion looking to add the lightweight belt to his collection. With some piston like left hands and a well timed cross counter, McGregor found himself with two championship belts to his name. It was a display that made me believe that the man could one day challenge the best of the best in the UFC.
Flash forward to 2015 and McGregor found himself opposite the great Jose Aldo, reigning UFC featherweight champion. Conor was the pick once again as he had in his several previous bouts but no one could have anticipated that McGregor would dethrone the dominant champ in thirteen seconds time. It made the anticipation for Conor McGregor’s next performance all the more exciting.
Could he truly replicate his performance in Cage Rage? Well, Nate Diaz was there to put doubts in everyone’s minds.
UFC 196 put the breaks on the Conor McGregor hype train but it wasn’t able to derail it. McGregor became obsessed with redemption simply because he knew that the only way to make his dream a reality, was to prove that he was still worthy of the accolades he received before his crushing defeat at the hands of Diaz. But though McGregor lost at UFC 196, his comeback win made you believe that the man truly had the heart and the skill to make his dream a reality.
Now as we close in on UFC 205 you can’t help but feel that we’re in tune for something very special come Saturday night. While Eddie Alvarez is no easy task to overcome, can you really imagine if McGregor gets the job done? As much as some people hate the guy, the one thing we all have to admit is that the man has sand, that grit that some individuals are just lacking. He sees the impossible as a challenge, one that should be faced and conquered rather than shied away from.
If Conor McGregor wins the lightweight belt on Saturday night it will be just one more example of why you a person should test their limits. It will be a blueprint to challenging the impossible, the unachievable. You’ll get up on Sunday morning and wonder “just what the hell am I doing with my life?” If you’re not challenging yourself then you just existing. A Conor McGregor win on Saturday could very well be the spark someone needs to fuel their own journey towards greatness. If the result has that kind of positive effect, then, with all due respect to Alvarez, it’s something I’m looking forward to seeing.
Does Conor McGregor get the job done at UFC 205?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
When most individuals think about mixed martial arts as a sport no doubt they sum the style up as a mixture of muay thai, wrestling, and Brazilian jiu jitsu. Now that isn’t entirely too far off as most people who enter the sport come from one of those particular backgrounds. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t merit in other combat arts. To think that there’s only one formula to getting things done in MMA would be pretty foolhardy.
When most individuals think about mixed martial arts as a sport no doubt they sum the style up as a mixture of muay thai, wrestling, and Brazilian jiu jitsu. Now that isn’t entirely too far off as most people who enter the sport come from one of those particular backgrounds. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t merit in other combat arts. To think that there’s only one formula to getting things done in MMA would be pretty foolhardy. No one thought that karate had a place in serious combat, but it’s a notion that doesn’t hold much water. It’s a lesson that many people have learned at the hands of traditional martial artists Lyoto Machida and Stephen Thompson. Now it seems that ahead of his battle against former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, Tony Ferguson is utilizing a traditional martial art to help bolster his game.
If you’re a martial arts movie enthusiast then there’s no way that you haven’t at least heard about Ip Man. The movie stars Donnie Yen portraying the real life figure who trained Bruce Lee in the art Wing Chun. The movie highlighted just how graceful and dangerous the martial art could be. Donnie Yen’s portrayal help to shine a light on martial art once more and has sparked renewed interest in Wing Chun.
Now it seems that Tony Ferguson is utilizing this same martial art in preparation for his November 5 showdown. Take a look at the training video as the UFC lightweight does his thing on the traditional training tool for the Wing Chun specialist, the wooden dummy.
