Undefeated Russian fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center on Thursday evening due to weight cutting issues and was deemed medically ineligible to fight.
Undefeated Russian fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center on Thursday evening due to weight cutting issues and was deemed medically ineligible to fight.
According to the UFC, Khabib was treated and released from the hospital but the bout had to be cancelled due to doctor’s orders.
This is a stunning blow to the Las Vegas card as some were calling this fight the “real” main event. Ferguson was set to face khabib In April of last year when “El Cucuy” had to pull out with an injury of his own; this time it’s Khabib who leaves his opponent waiting at the alter.
The bigger question is, what does this mean for Khabib going forward? Will he find a safe way to cut weight or will he inevitably have to move up to the welterweight division? He’s a big 155 pounder who really struggles to make weight, could the winner of Woodley vs. Thompson be looking to Khabib as an unlikely opponent?
For now we wish Khabib a speedy recovery and hold out hope this comes to fruition some time in the near future. We’ll keep you posted on any further news.
What do you guys think of the recent news, will Khabib be forced to move up?
They’ve already done the dance before, now as they set up to lock horns again, Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson both appear to have a chip on their shoulder. UFC 209 will be the stage for one of these men to prove that they are the best in the world. While the first battle may not have been an exciting “Dragon Ball Z” brawl, Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson had five rounds to figure each other out and will need five more to cement who will be the king of welterweights.
They’ve already done the dance before, now as they set up to lock horns again, Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson both appear to have a chip on their shoulder. UFC 209 will be the stage for one of these men to prove that they are the best in the world. While the first battle may not have been an exciting “Dragon Ball Z” brawl, Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson had five rounds to figure each other out and will need five more to cement who will be the king of welterweights.
Let’s face it, whether you’re a fan of Tyron Woodley or not, you have to admit that he did the most damage during his championship fight at UFC 205. The big moments were owned by Woodley as he dominated top position in the opening round then had severely damaged Thompson in the fourth frame. But in between those two occasions, Woodley was on the losing end of a competitive kickboxing match with his foe. What Woodley will have to do different in this match is throw a bit more volume in spurts and avoid relying on his big right hand as he’s want to do. Leg kicks will serve him well in this match and going for double legs, successful or not, will be paramount to put doubt in Thompson’s head.
The absence of a wrestling game in the first match up allowed for ‘Wonderboy’ to land some steady offense in the second, third, and fifth round. Even the fourth round looked to be owned by Thompson until Woodley unleashed his devastating right hand. If Woodley wants to play off the cage as he did the last time, he should shoot for a double when Thompson gets too far forward, turn him towards the fence, then unleash offense when his foe is cornered.
On the other side of the equation, Stephen Thompson is going to want to change up a few things. First off, where he was unsuccessful in the last bout was his lack of volume. While Woodley is known for having a lower striking volume, Thompson usually throws punches and kicks in bunches. He failed to do so in his bout with Woodley at UFC 205, which led to moments of Woodley feeling comfortable with his back to the fence. If Thompson wants to take the belt he’ll have to play the aggressive counter striker role, preferably from the southpaw stance where he’ll likely see more success. He’ll need to pot shot Woodley constantly to get the champ to move forward into a counter.
If he lays back and throws one shot at a time he may be able to get things done, but he’ll want to use his side kick to keep Woodley honest. Having his leg caught in the first round of their first fight had Thompson gun shy as far as his kicking game was concerned. He needs to channel that inner Hwoarang (Tekken reference and if you don’t get it then look that up ASAP) and unleash his kicks masking them with punches before hand. This is basic knowledge, but these are the kind of attacks he’ll need to keep in mind in order to get Woodley frustrated enough to dart forward. Once that happens, a side step into a counter left straight could seal the deal. But he’ll need those kicks to really give Woodley a different look.
Ultimately this fight will be about who has the more effective aggression as both men laid back far too often in their first battle. Look for Stephen Thompson to bait Tyron Woodley into another kickboxing match while the champion looks to throw more strikes and add his wrestling even more into the equation.
Who do you think leaves the cage champion, Tyron Woodley or Stephen Thompson?
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 ton of people have been speaking their mind on the fact that the co-main event of UFC 209, Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Tony Ferguson, should be the main attraction of the show. Whether or not you agree with that point, the truth of the matter is that this fight is certainly one for the ages as both men have looked nigh invincible during their UFC tenure. What’s more, one of these men will have to experience the bitter taste of defeat as they head for a collision course that could be one of the greatest lightweight scraps in the sport’s history.
A ton of people have been speaking their mind on the fact that the co-main event of UFC 209, Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Tony Ferguson, should be the main attraction of the show. Whether or not you agree with that point, the truth of the matter is that this fight is certainly one for the ages as both men have looked nigh invincible during their UFC tenure. What’s more, one of these men will have to experience the bitter taste of defeat as they head for a collision course that could be one of the greatest lightweight scraps in the sport’s history.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is an absolute savage. To neglect to mention the fact would be remiss on my part. Since entering the UFC he’s looked pretty damn impressive. He capped off his twenty-fourth straight win with a domination of Michael Johnson. What makes Khabib so dangerous? His indomitable will that sees the Dagestan native push the pace, push towards his opponents with strikes, then wrap his arms around his prey where the thrashing begins. While his striking may not be polished, Khabib has found a way to make it effective. He’ll throw a standard one-two, then instantly explode forward with a hook in order to enter into the clinch and secure a takedown by any means.
Whether it’s a judo throw, double or single leg, once Khabib is in that clinch position you either need to spin off and push away the head or find yourself with your back to the mat.
On the other side of the equation we have Tony Ferguson who brings a much more balanced skill set to the table. He has striking, he has wrestling, and great submission abilities. His gas tank seems to be endless and he pushes the pace with consistent striking combinations from lead uppercuts to sharp low leg kicks. Ferguson also enjoys switching stances in the middle of combo strings to find the inside and outside angles in hopes exploiting openings. He’ll throw a cross from orthodox stance, switch to south paw where he’ll through a rear uppercut, back to orthodox for a rear leg kick to a spinning back fist. His striking is at once technical and chaotic and always packs a punch. But his he’s more controlled than his foe in that he uses fundamentals.
His jab is sharp and long and he uses it as a legit weapon as well as a range finder which adds variety to his striking arsenal. Ferguson will do well to keep Khabib on the end of his punches and if the Sambo specialist does try to shoot for the takedown, a traditional needs to be at the ready and if he can’t manage that, his nifty forward roll needs to be on hand to create a scramble.
I’ve always said that Ferguson would be a tougher match up for Conor McGregor if the legit lightweight champ ever decides to come back and defend his title. That’s not to say that Khabib wouldn’t give McGregor trouble, but the pace that Ferguson can put on people, coupled with his size, striking, chin, and submission game, makes him a terrible match up for the lightweight champ. That’s not to say Khabib can’t grind McGregor into the cage, land a takedown and smash him on the ground. Either way, we still have to see Ferguson and Khabib do the damn thing at UFC 209. I’ll be sure to watching with a whiskey in hand and a smile plastered across my face.
Who do you think wins the interim lightweight title: Khabib Nurmagomedov or Tony Ferguson?
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 fight breakdowns just keep on coming as Lando Vannata faces off against fellow young prospect David Teymur which should be a display of some fine striking skills. Where David Teymur comes largely from a more traditional muay thai striking background, Lando Vannata has cultivated a skillset that mixes boxing, karate, and muay thai into one unique package. A win from either prospect will get fans and pundits alike to open their eyes to the possibilities of these fighters one day reaching the top of the division.
The fight breakdowns just keep on coming as Lando Vannata faces off against fellow young prospect David Teymur which should be a display of some fine striking skills. Where David Teymur comes largely from a more traditional muay thai striking background, Lando Vannata has cultivated a skillset that mixes boxing, karate, and muay thai into one unique package. A win from either prospect will get fans and pundits alike to open their eyes to the possibilities of these fighters one day reaching the top of the division.
The Swedish native David Teymur showcased his all around skills in his first two Octagon appearances. As far as his offensive game, Teymur operates out of the southpaw stance and usually prefers to open up his attacks with leg kicks. He throws jabs and left hands with near perfect technique and is adept at countering on the back foot. He also has a good sense of when to land reactive takedowns when his opponents push too far forward. In his bout against the unpredictable Lando, Teymur will want to utilize the one common factor we’ve seen from the ‘Groovy’ one in his first two octagon appearances. Lando has a tendency to use weaving head movement to dodge attacks. If Teymur is patient enough, he can time Lando as he dips his head and land one of those powerful uppercuts to floor his opponent.
As far as Lando Vannata attributes go, there’s no way you can’t love the slick footwork and head movement he’s brought with him to the cage. I hold Brandon Gibson in pretty high regard as a striking coach, somewhat of a blue print for some of my own coaching work. What I’ve seen ‘Six Gun’ infused into Lando’s style is the ability to move in and out of the danger zone while always having the ability to land a strike whether moving forward or backing up. As the orthodox fighter against a southpaw opponent, Lando will want to continue to utilize that low line sidekick to keep Teymur where he wants him. It’s a nice trick to either stop your opponents forward motion or to force them to move into the direction of a follow up strike. Lando also has some strong wrestling skills he can rely on as well as some well timed spinning techniques. He’ll want to stay on the move a bit more in this fight as he has a tendency to get flat footed and get caught with jabs. His weaving head movement should also be mixed in with slips and some good old fashioned footwork in order to get out of harms way. Rather than rely solely on head movement, foot movement is a great first line of defense.
Will David Teymur announce himself to the world with a win over Lando Vannata or will ‘Groovy’ prove that he’s all that and then some with another spectacular showing?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
It’s official, George “Rush” St-Pierre will be fighting Michael Bisping for the middleweight title. Dana White confirmed the news Wednesday on sports center.
It’s official, George “Rush” St-Pierre will be fighting Michael Bisping for the middleweight title. Dana White confirmed the news Wednesday on sports center.
I can honestly say I didn’t see this coming. Sure, there’s been rumors, but there’s been rumors with GSP and damn near everybody. With a middleweight division that stacked and clear number one contender, I’m just not sure this fight makes sense.
Obviously they’re planning on a big PPV buy with comeback of one of the greatest fighters of all time as well as a mixed weight class title fight. From that point of view, it makes sense. But the comeback of GSP was going to be big regardless and they really don’t need to keep giving Yoel Romero the shaft. People say this is a cop out for Michael Bisping but really who wouldn’t take the comeback fight of GSP?…Exactly.
Conor McGregor probably would’ve been the first choice in this spot as it would’ve been a casual fan’s wet dream, but with him not playing ball with the UFC it probably pushed this fight further into fruition. If GSP does win, will he vacate the title and leave us in some sort of tournament situation? Either way, the plot has just thickened as the new owners take us further into unknown territory.
GSP will have to undergo a four month enrollment with USADA so the fight will probably go down in the later part of this year. St-Pierre (25-2) and Bisping (30-7) are expected to appear in Las Vegas on Friday for a joint press conference to discuss the news.
What do you guys think of the decision, are the new owners doing the UFC justice?
If I were to say that UFC 209 was just another fight card then I would give you the permission to feel free to punch me directly in the nose for lying. If anything, UFC 209 is proving to be one of the stronger cards of 2017 so far and that’s in big part due to the main and co-main event. But though the main attractions are very much the selling point for this fight card, there a ton of other great matches to enjoy this weekend. Namely the heavyweight showdown between Alistair Overeem and Mark Hunt.
If I were to say that UFC 209 was just another fight card then I would give you the permission to feel free to punch me directly in the nose for lying. If anything, UFC 209 is proving to be one of the stronger cards of 2017 so far and that’s in big part due to the main and co-main event. But though the main attractions are very much the selling point for this fight card, there a ton of other great matches to enjoy this weekend. Namely the heavyweight showdown between Alistair Overeem and Mark Hunt.
Both men have lost their last bouts. Alistair Overeem was brutally knocked out by champ Stipe Miocic while Mark Hunt lost a controversial decision to former champion Brock Lesnar. Where Mark Hunt was competitive and essentially fighting a suped up version of Lesnar, Overeem faced off against a game and talented champion in form of Miocic. Overeem proved himself to be a match for the champ, but once again allowed his technical holes to shine through.
Overeem had his moments in the fight, mainly from the southpaw stance where he threw his back leg round kick and left cross with power and accuracy. But as the fight carried on and Overeem got clipped, we saw him take bigger chances with wilder shots that hit air. Not only that, he found himself with his back against the fence far too many times which opened him up to strikes. Ultimately a poorly executed low line sidekick would be his undoing as Miocic secured a takedown and proceeded to bounce punches off of Overeem’s chin.
Mark Hunt’s last battle was against a juiced up Brock Lesnar who looked to take the fight to the ground early and often. Hunt won’t have to worry about that when he enters the cage against Overeem. Hunt will be at a height disadvantage, but that shouldn’t be much of a concern for him considering that he’s always on the wrong end of the reach/height equation. The leaping left hook and counter right hand will be his best friends in this fight as Overeem has a tendency to drop his hands as he gets comfortable in the fight.
Overeem will want to keep Hunt at bay with front kicks and the left cross. Another great idea would be for him to execute the low line sidekick against Hunt. While he didn’t have too much success with it against Miocic, it’s a safe bet that Hunt won’t be looking to take the fight to the ground. The sidekick will destabilize Hunt’s movements and prevent him from just leaping forward as he tends to do.
Usually I’d make my prediction and just carry on, but instead I wanted to take the opportunity to discuss something that’s been on my mind in regards to Alistair Overeem.
When will he decide to hang it up?
I know, I know, after a veteran fighter loses a match by knock out there’s a tendency for everyone to kick a person while they’re down, call for their retirement. But in the case of Alsitair Overeem we’re looking at an individual who has lost by knock out ten times in his career, and that’s just in regards to his MMA match ups. He’s been knocked out in kickboxing bouts as well and you also have to consider all the training camps he’s been through in his career. If he suffers another devastating this Saturday night it’s certainly grounds for him to consider hanging it up. Either Overeem sees this as a chance to once again prove he’s the cream of the crop or this may be the modern example of going out on your shield in battle. Either way, when the bill comes due one can only hope that Overeem makes it through the other side no worse for ware.
Who do you think wins at UFC 209?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
