Tag: Fighting

After UFC 144, It’s Clear BJ Penn Should Return to the Lightweight Division

Once upon a time, BJ Penn was so good that he was thinking about retiring from the sport out of simple boredom.Then, he lost the first fight of his career against Jens Pulver at UFC 35. That loss motivated him to become one of the best of his generatio…

Once upon a time, BJ Penn was so good that he was thinking about retiring from the sport out of simple boredom.

Then, he lost the first fight of his career against Jens Pulver at UFC 35. That loss motivated him to become one of the best of his generation.

Now, so many years later, Penn is once again sitting on the sidelines, but for different reasons.

Unaccustomed to being physically beat up, Penn was not ready for the aftermath of his bout with Nick Diaz at welterweight and announced his retirement from the sport.

But there are some simple truths that are available for all to see.

One is that Penn is a fighter, pure and simple. Very few have the tools and skills he possesses, and even fewer can implement them with such ease.

The second; Penn should not be fighting at welterweight.

If Penn were to accept his place in the sport—that of being one of the best lightweights on the planet—his return to the division could be just the thing his spirit needs.

And god knows it would certainly help the sport.

Right now, the lightweight division is the deepest division in the sport. With fighters like Nate Diaz, Gray Maynard, new champion Benson Henderson, Frankie Edgar, Donald Cerrone, Melvin Guillard, Joe Lauzon, Clay Guida, Jim Miller, Anthony Pettis and others, BJ Penn would be one of many great fighters.Also, Penn would no longer be trying to “get up” for fighting, one opponent at a time; the division is just too stacked for that kind of thinking. He would be knee-deep in opposition, and fighters as gifted as Penn need more than just one enemy at a time; they need legions of them in order to take the next step in their evolution.

Make no mistake about it, BJ Penn is still one of the most gifted and capable fighters in the sport today. He could easily become the lightweight champion again, should he decide to rededicate himself and add a few small elements to his game; elements which all mixed martial artists should have in their tool box.

He still has the best BJJ/submission game in the division, bar none. He still has among the heaviest hands in the weight class as well, save perhaps for Melvin Guillard.

And he is still one of the toughest men at 155 there is.

Imagine BJ Penn returning to the cage with just a few new tools to his already daunting arsenal: the endurance to throw over 100 punches a round, and the threat of greatly improved takedown skills.

Suddenly, it’s a whole new ballgame.

Near the end of his latest run, Penn seemed content to fight a certain way; stuff takedowns and bang away on the feet. Sure, he used some takedowns against Jon Fitch, but they seemed more a way to just score points; a defensive measure to keep Fitch from taking him down and racking up points from the top position.Penn needn’t be so one-dimensional.

Years ago, he decided to spend time with Randy Couture in order to improve his overall game. He trained hard, absorbed the knowledge and philosophy that Couture freely shares, and in turn he pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the time, defeating Matt Hughes and taking the title.

Another trip to Couture’s classroom would be a great step in the right direction to seeing Penn reclaim the title.

Penn belongs in the fray. The fight game needs him as much as he needs it.

The belt may just be an accessory, but the fights would be epic.

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UFC 144 Results: Benson Henderson Is the Future of the UFC Lightweight Division

Just over a year ago, Benson Henderson was on the wrong side of a unanimous decision that saw Anthony Pettis crowned as WEC lightweight champion, having fans singing his praises and leaving Henderson to begin his climb back to a title shot.And at UFC 1…

Just over a year ago, Benson Henderson was on the wrong side of a unanimous decision that saw Anthony Pettis crowned as WEC lightweight champion, having fans singing his praises and leaving Henderson to begin his climb back to a title shot.

And at UFC 144, Henderson had reclaimed his position at the top of the 155-pound division, defeating Frankie Edgar in a classic five-round bout to become UFC lightweight champion.

Henderson was very dependent on utilizing his superior size and strength on Edgar, out-striking his opponent at certain points and landing the more damaging shots. Near the end of the second round, Henderson landed a devastating up-kick that floored the champion and was nearly finished before the bell sounded.

At the end of the bout, fans were undecided as to who won, as either competitor had a legitimate case to be declared the winner. But in the end, Henderson stood alone as the best 155-pound fighter on the planet.

Henderson now finds himself as public enemy in a talent-rich pool of contenders, but he is determined and willing to face all challengers.

Blessed with freakish athleticism and charisma, Henderson has all the tools to remain champion for a while. Since his loss to Pettis, the 28-year-old has obliterated the competition. He has now defeated three of the division’s top contenders in impressive fashion and he appears to be only getting better with each fight. 

Displaying such a tenacious and reckless style, Henderson also poses such a calm demeanor in the fight, showing a mental toughness that is seemingly unbreakable.

Now, with the lightweight title firmly around his waist, Henderson will begin his reign as champion and prepare to put together a string of title defenses reminiscent of his tenure in the WEC. And if history tells us anything, Henderson might hold onto that title for the foreseeable future.

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UFC 144 Results: Tim Boetsch Defeats Yushin Okami by Round 3 TKO

In one of the most anticipated bouts of the evening at UFC 144, Japan’s own Yushin Okami entered the Octagon coming off his most recent defeat to Anderson Silva in a championship bout at UFC 134.Okami stood across the Octagon from former light heavywei…

In one of the most anticipated bouts of the evening at UFC 144, Japan’s own Yushin Okami entered the Octagon coming off his most recent defeat to Anderson Silva in a championship bout at UFC 134.

Okami stood across the Octagon from former light heavyweight Tim Boetsch, who was yet to be defeated in the middleweight division.

Boetsch’s winning streak was in jeopardy early, as he was picked apart by the well-rounded Okami.

“The Barbarian” endured cuts under both eyes from straight jabs, but continued to plunge away.

Despite Boetsch landing several leg kicks in the opening frame, Okami stole Round 1 on the judge’s scorecards and picked up steam heading into the second round.

Okami eventually put Boetsch on his back and began to tee off through a series of strikes and elbows.

However, Boetsch would continue to remain in the fight and was saved by the bell as action was headed to the third and final round.

Boetsch gained life during the one-minute break as he appeared to be a man on a mission, attacking Okami with an overhand right to begin Round 3.

Okami was pushed up against the cage as Boetsch began to unload with a variety of kicks and strikes.

After three uppercuts, Okami fell to the Octagon floor as his opponent began to tee off en route to one of the greatest comebacks in UFC history.

The bout was stopped just 54 seconds into the third round, declaring Boetsch the victor via technical knockout.

Boetsch has now won three consecutive bouts at the middleweight division, while Okami has been felled in his last two fights.

 

For additional information, follow Garrett Derr on Twitter.

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UFC 144 Results: 5 Fights for Riki Fukada to Take Next

Riki Fukuda, now sporting an 18-5 MMA record after winning a unanimous decision by decimating Steve Cantwell in UFC 144 in Japan, is ready to ascend to higher ground. Any winning fighter in the UFC can possibly trail-blaze towards the ultimate goal of …

Riki Fukuda, now sporting an 18-5 MMA record after winning a unanimous decision by decimating Steve Cantwell in UFC 144 in Japan, is ready to ascend to higher ground.

Any winning fighter in the UFC can possibly trail-blaze towards the ultimate goal of winning the title, and Fukuda will definitely grab his chances if they present themselves.

But let’s not get too excited. It’s safer to make a conservative projection; after all, Fukuda’s is just one very recent win over a fighter suffering a slump (now with five straight losses).

If the fates will be kind, the following would be a reasonably sound career trajectory for the Japanese middleweight scrapper.

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UFC 144 Results: Did Joe Rogan Disrespect Frankie Edgar?

Since being declared the UFC lightweight champion over BJ Penn at UFC 112, Frankie Edgar has always been questioned and considered the underdog due to his size.However, Edgar has proven his size to be just another number as his heart often outweighs an…

Since being declared the UFC lightweight champion over BJ Penn at UFC 112, Frankie Edgar has always been questioned and considered the underdog due to his size.

However, Edgar has proven his size to be just another number as his heart often outweighs any type of advantage his opponent may have.

In fact, Edgar’s heart as allowed many fans to fall in love with his tough-minded, never give-up attitude over the years.

Even in the lowest of lows, Edgar has found a way to win.

After two impressive performances over Penn, “The Answer” moved on to fellow lightweight Gray Maynard, who gave him the test of his life.

But Edgar continued to come out on top as he found a way to win.

After getting revenge on the only loss of his mixed martial arts career, it was announced that Edgar would be taking on No. 1 contender Benson Henderson at UFC 144.

When action began, it was Edgar who scored points on the judge’s scorecards through his aggressive and upbeat style of pace.

But, Henderson would eventually take control of the fight, landing several grueling body kicks.

The never-quit heart of Edgar’s was present once again as he continue to battle through a swollen left eye en route to out-striking Henderson 124-114 and winning the takedown battle 7-2.

However, Henderson was able to land more significant strikes, ultimately allowing him to escape Saitama, Japan, as the new 155-pound champion.

Following his first loss in nearly four years, Edgar joined UFC color commentator Joe Rogan for his post-fight interview.

Instead of focusing on the fight at hand, Rogan chose to discuss Edgar’s future in the lightweight division.

Rogan presented the option of dropping to the featherweight division after Edgar has spent his entire career fighting at 155 pounds.

Not only has Edgar spent his days at the lightweight division but he’s done it well, winning nine of his 12 career bouts inside the Octagon.

If Edgar chooses to make the move to the 145-pound weight division, that will be his own decision.

But until then, no one, including Joe Rogan, should question the former champion, as he’s accomplished more than most could ever dream of.

 

For additional information, follow Garrett Derr on Twitter.

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UFC 144: Tim Boetsch Continues Strong Route to UFC Glory

The Americans took Japan by storm at UFC 144, and one American who looked incredibly good was Tim Boetsch as he took down Yushin Okami in a third-round knockout.This was Boetsch’s fifth fight with the UFC since his return, as well as his first defeat b…

The Americans took Japan by storm at UFC 144, and one American who looked incredibly good was Tim Boetsch as he took down Yushin Okami in a third-round knockout.

This was Boetsch’s fifth fight with the UFC since his return, as well as his first defeat by knockout. He is looking better and better with each fight he has gone into.

This was a convincing statement for Boetsch with the UFC, and he is becoming quite an exciting fighter to watch.

It will remain to be seen how he will fair against better competition, but the former light heavyweight definitely packs a punch that can take these middleweight fighters out early.

Boetsch looks much better than he did his first time around in the UFC, but he was fighting in the light heavyweight division. He did win two of his four fights, but was later released after he fell to Jason Brilz at UFC 96.

Now, he is looking much better fighting at this lower weight class, and he could perhaps take it by storm rather soon.

He is on the older side at 31 years of age, but with three consecutive wins under his belt, Boetsch is definitely in line to get a big-time fight rather soon.

With his three-round victory over the UFC veteran, it is becoming quite clear that Boetsch deserves his shot at a better ranked fighter in the middleweight division.

If he can get that opportunity, expect him to take advantage of the opportunity and make some serious noise in his new weight class.

 

Jeff Chase is a Featured Columnist for the Chicago Cubs and Arizona State football.
Follow @Real_Jeff_Chase

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