It appears the rumors are true strawweights Claudia Gadelha and Karolina Kowalkiewicz will do battle on June 3rd in San Paulo, Brazil.
Claudia (16-2), who’s only two losses have come by way of arch nemesis and strawweight champion Joannajedrzejczyk, is a hard charging brazilian with knockout power and a ground game to boot. She’s looking to make short work of Karolina in hopes that the 3rd time’s a charm with JJ.
Karolina (16-1) is a precise striker with great movement and a granite chin. She’s one of those sick puppies that like getting hit. She stood toe to to with Joanna for 5 rounds and it looked like she might pull off an upset in the fourth. Unfortunately for her it was to no avail but you can bet she’s itching to get back in there and earn herself another title shot.
While this is a pick’em fight, I’m going to have to give the advantage to Karolina simply because I think she has the better gas tank. Other than that this match is in a dead heat and I’m sure they’ll be fireworks come June 3rd.
We’ll keep you posted on the newest information in the next couple of weeks.
So lately we’ve been seeing a whole bunch of changes as far as the UFC is considered. Fighters are retiring and leaving the organization at a rate that seems pretty unusual considering the companies reputation as housing the greatest fighters in the world. The old saying is that if you’re not in the UFC you’re not fighting the best in the world. But with the company’s recent sale for billions of dollars, the fighters under the UFC banner are beginning to undergo a shift in thought process. The endeavor is called prize fighting for a reason and fighters are figuring that if they aren’t going to be paid what they’re worth then they’re going to explore their options.
So lately we’ve been seeing a whole bunch of changes as far as the UFC is considered. Fighters are retiring and leaving the organization at a rate that seems pretty unusual considering the companies reputation as housing the greatest fighters in the world. The old saying is that if you’re not in the UFC you’re not fighting the best in the world. But with the company’s recent sale for billions of dollars, the fighters under the UFC banner are beginning to undergo a shift in thought process. The endeavor is called prize fighting for a reason and fighters are figuring that if they aren’t going to be paid what they’re worth then they’re going to explore their options.
Rick Story is apparently prepping to become a firefighter, something that most fans are finding to be at once alarming and fitting. He fought out his contract and ended up suffering a KO loss at the hands of Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone. The loss likely harmed his chances at negotiating a better deal for himself. So instead of rush back to the cage, Story is thinking about the second phase of his life outside of fighting. Not everyone can be Conor McGregor after all.
So what exactly does this mean for the promotion that touts having the best fighters in the world?
It means that in order to keep their high level talent happy and coming back for more, they have to design contracts that are going to help them keep food on the table and build an adequate enough nest egg so they can ride off into sunset with confidence that their future is secure. In reality that’s a lot to ask. But these days, now that the fighters know what the brand is worth, they’re not willing to get brain damage for pennies.
This issue is also why I believe Kyoji Horiguchi decided to leave the organization for Rizin.
A post shared by RIZIN FF STAFF (@rizin_staff) onFeb 22, 2017 at 5:06am PST
While you can argue the fact that Horiguchi may have wanted to compete in a promotion that was closer to home, the evidence is pretty clear that before Zuffa was sold all the Japanese standout cared about was becoming the best in the world. Of course there can be other issues at play, but that doesn’t change the fact that one of the promotion’s top flyweights has found himself signing up with another organization. It’s all speculation for now, but you have to wonder if Rizin gave Kyoji Horiguchi an offer he couldn’t refuse. If they were willing to bring him the money he requested then why not take the offer.
So what exactly is my point?
Phillipe Nover retires, Valerie Letourneau is cut, and now Kyoji Horiguchi is with Rizin. If you can’t see that there’s a pattern here then you’re clearly blind. The UFC is facing a bit of a conundrum. They were able to resign Georges St-Pierre which is definitely a big win for them. That means potential pay-per-view events that will bring in higher buy-in rates. But while the company may be able to show Georges St-Pierre the money, fighters like Rick Story and Kyoji Horiguchi are going to feel inclined to look at their options outside of the promotion. While it’s up to the fighters to build their own brand in order to generate more money for themselves, you have to think that if a competitor feels like he isn’t being given what their worth that they’ll seek employment elsewhere. For the promotion that claims to have the best fighters on the planet under their roof, the more we see departures of solid high level talent like Story and Horiguchi, the less that claim seems true. The UFC has trouble brewing on the horizon and if they don’t stop the bleeding now then things are only going to get worse.
What do you think about the current landscape of the UFC?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
UFC Fight Night featured a heavyweight main event against the surging Derrick Lewis and hit or miss Travis Browne. Now that description of Browne isn’t to insult the man. He’s still one of the best heavyweight fighters out there. But lately he hasn’t been able to hit the mark. At first everyone and their momma blamed Browne’s downfall on the training he’s been receiving. But with another loss under a different coach, one has to wonder if Browne is simply declining.
UFC Fight Night featured a heavyweight main event against the surging Derrick Lewis and hit or miss Travis Browne. Now that description of Browne isn’t to insult the man. He’s still one of the best heavyweight fighters out there. But lately he hasn’t been able to hit the mark. At first everyone and their momma blamed Browne’s downfall on the training he’s been receiving. But with another loss under a different coach, one has to wonder if Browne is simply declining.
The fight itself was a pretty interesting affair. In fact, it was a tale of two rounds. The first round showcased exactly why so many people were high on Travis Browne to begin with. He was moving on the outside, controlling the distance with his longer limbs and straight shots. In all honesty, it looked as if the changes made to his coaching staff was beginning to pay off in a big way. Browne hurt Lewis a number of times from distance and his timing was spot on.
Then came round two.
Derrick Lewis proved that not only does he have keen finishing instincts, but that he has heart to go along with it. Lewis was on Browne at the beginning of the second frame and didn’t let up his attack. He swarmed with a barrage of punches that forced Browne along the cage and it seemed to be only a matter of time as Lewis pressed the attack. Eventually we saw Lewis drop Browne, follow him to the ground and eventually finish the fight with devastating ground and pound.
It was an impressive victory for Lewis to say the least, yet I couldn’t help feeling for Browne. After such an impressive first round, appearing to shake off the stigma of training under his former coach at Glendale Fighting Club, Browne looked like his former self. In fact he showed clear signs of improvement despite the knockout loss. It’s a tough and unforgiving sport and while another loss may tarnish Browne’s record, giving up at this point would definitely be the wrong move.
Travis Browne still has potential. The best move for him moving forward is to take some time off, consider his options, and simply look to improve. He’s only one fight removed from switching up his coaching staff. He needs to give himself the time to adjust as well as give his body time to heal.
For Derrick Lewis things have never looked brighter. That over training and over…sexing, could have harmed his performance in the first round. It’s safe to say that he’s not going anywhere but up in the heavyweight division and with a brutal style of fighting and unorthodox style on the mic, it’s safe to say ‘The Black Beast’ is creating a brand all his own.
What do you think should be next for Derrick Lewis and Travis Browne?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
Another great UFC card has come and gone, and as usual I will be the killjoy to send you crashing back to reality from the high heights of last weekend’s events. Today’s candidate will be Derek “The Black Beast” Lewis after his heroic performance against Travis Browne at UFC Halifax
Another great UFC card has come and gone, and as usual I will be the killjoy to send you crashing back to reality from the high heights of last weekend’s events. Today’s candidate will be Derek “The Black Beast” Lewis after his heroic performance against Travis Browne at UFC Halifax.
Although Lewis displayed heart as well as KO power to end Travis Browne in the second round, he didn’t exactly look great up to that point. Don’t get me wrong, Travis Browne is a world class athlete and uses that athleticism to separate him from his large bellied counterparts, but his achilles heel is getting backed up against the cage and clipped, to a certain degree there’s a formula with this guy. With that being said he was still seconds away from potentially ending that fight. A situation I’m not sure Lewis would’ve survived against an opponent with a not so hot button chin.
The problem with Lewis is that he looks like a basic one dimensional fighter. I get it, his ground game is underrated and he moves deceptively well for a big fella, but you can say the same about Roy Nelson. His body is left wide open and he has an aggressive move forward style that i believe only works when you get to a certain level of competition. He relies on his strength and size but that will only get you so far when you’re going against the best of the best. Do Santos, Miocic, Werdum, Ben Rothwell, Alistair Overeem, these guys are skilled to the tits. I just don’t see Lewis getting to the top in his current form. Speaking of form, he may also have to drop a few pounds to keep his questionable cardio up. This is a catch 22 because he uses a lot of that weight to pressure his opponents. According to Joe Rogan he can balloon up to 280 lbs after weight-ins, but that information is unconfirmed.
As contrary as it sounds, I really do like Derrick Lewis and hope he can be heavyweight champion one day. But if you’re asking for an honest opinion, I see him as a bridesmaid.
What do you guys think of the “Black Beast”, is he just getting started?
Lionel Harris-Spence is a writer, filmmaker, and functioning alcoholic. You can catch him screaming obscenities at flat screens.
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?
This saturday’s loss at UFC 208 was particularly bitter for Holly Holm. Not because it was her third loss in as many fights, not because she missed an opportunity to win the first ever women’s featherweight title, and not because she took a lot of damage. No, what made this fight particularly bitter were the shots landed after the bell and the points that weren’t taken for it.
This saturday’s loss at UFC 208 was particularly bitter for Holly Holm. Not because it was her third loss in as many fights, not because she missed an opportunity to win the first ever women’s featherweight title, and not because of all the damage she took. No, what made this fight particularly bitter were the shots landed after the bell and the points that weren’t taken for it.
In the main event of last saturday night’s card in the Barclay’s center, Germaine de Randamie landed 2 shots after the bell in round 2 and a couple more in round 3; in both cases no points were deducted. To be honest with you I couldn’t believe my ears when after the second incident in round 3 the referee (Rob Anderson) said “Ok, that’s a warning”. I thought to myself, well then what was the first one?
In my opinion points should’ve been taken off BOTH times as the shots landed after the bell were brutal. Well it seems the preacher’s daughter shares the same sentiment as she and her law team ( Paul Bardacke and Breanna Houghton) are filing a grievance with the New York State Athletic Commission.
“We respectfully request the commission review referee Anderson’s failure to assess a foul and render a decision regarding a point deduction following Round 2, and failure to assess a foul and a point deduction following Round 3, and determine an appropriate result,” – The complaint stated
“It was blatant,” Holm’s agent Lenny Fresquez said. “Very blatant.”
It’s rumored that Randamie has already agreed to the rematch via twitter page, but we can’t seem to find evidence of that on her page.
At the end of the day a referee’s job is to control the action, this means putting himself in position to stop the action at the end of the round. The question is did Anderson do that as well as appropriately responding to the actions that occurred as a result.
In my opinion Anderson’s reffing was abysmal. Besides the points there was multiple times he stopped the action against the cage when both fighters were still working. There’s a difference between stalling the action and a tactical chess match. As a ref you should know this.
