UFC On Fox 22: Can The “Karate Hottie” Hold Off The “12 Gauge” That Is Paige Vanzant?

The main event of UFC on Fox 22 features two young ladies who could have easily chosen the life of being models. Instead they’ve chosen the road of the modern day warrior and have acquitted themselves more than well in that endeavor. Paige Vanzant and Michelle Waterson are two fighters who bring a high pace and a great deal of excitement to the strawweight division. Now they’re set to throw down in a fight that could be equal parts technical and chaotic.

The post UFC On Fox 22: Can The “Karate Hottie” Hold Off The “12 Gauge” That Is Paige Vanzant? appeared first on Cagepotato.

Paige Vanzant was being written off as a flavor of the month when she lost to Rose Namajunas and went on to compete on Dancing With The Stars. Unfortunately for her detractors, Vanzant came back to action and turned heads with her jumping kick knock out of Bec Rawlings. Paige Vanzant has some decent footwork, but still seems to be relying on her athletic gifts rather than setting up her attacks. Not to suggest her KO over Rawlings was a fluke, but at times Vanzant finds herself out of position hitting only air and leaving herself exposed to counters. Her best weapon is her forward pressure, cardio, and aggression. If she hopes to win she’ll want to push Waterson back from the opening bell, use her size advantage and push the former atomweight champion against the fence. There she should work in the clinch and wear her down eventually push for the takedown and maintain top position.

As said before Michelle Waterson is a former champion who knows how to win. Coming from a traditional martial arts background, Waterson has a knack for fighting at her own range. Like Vanzant, Waterson is better when she’s pushing forward, but will want to use a different approach for this fight. If she’s too aggressive she’s likely to fall into the clinch with the bigger Vanzant. Instead, Waterson should aim to fight right outside her opponent’s range, get in with her strikes and get out without taking damage. Waterson has the speed and technical advantage. If she plays it smart she can use low kicks to slow down Vanzant, hard punches to the body then shock her opponent with high kicks as the fight moves into the later rounds.

Paige Vanzant has a knack for turning fights into a brawl and could do the same in this fight. But Michelle Waterson has the talent and ability to shut down Vanzant’s game and land some clean hard strikes. Look for Michelle Waterson to win by decision.

Who do you think wins the main event of UFC on Fox 22?

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 post UFC On Fox 22: Can The “Karate Hottie” Hold Off The “12 Gauge” That Is Paige Vanzant? appeared first on Cagepotato.

Is Mike Perry Legit Or Will He Get Knocked Out By A Former Male Model?

UFC on Fox 22 features some pretty intriguing matchups one of which features a bonafide slugger versus a more disciplined, if not raw, striker. Mike Perry versus Alan Jouban is sure to be a wild fight filled with the chills and thrills only two hungry prospects can deliver upon. The title may sound dismissive of Alan Jouban, but the kickboxing enthusiast truly has the recipe to give a guy like Mike Perry problems. At its best the fight will be an awesome display of different striking styles. At its worst it will be pure chaos with either man digging deep to survive. Both scenarios are incredibly enticing and should be a thrill to witness.

The post Is Mike Perry Legit Or Will He Get Knocked Out By A Former Male Model? appeared first on Cagepotato.

With only two fights in the UFC Mike Perry has gained a great deal of fans and detractors alike. His out spoken nature is becoming pretty common after the emergence of Conor McGregor, but it doesn’t seem to be a put on. Mike Perry has a ton of pride and ego and with fairly good reason too. He’s undefeated for a reason. Perry isn’t the most polished striker but he’s willing to take what his opponents throw at him and dish it out with devastating results. He tends to throw a series of hooks as well as some hard leg kicks. You’ll occasionally see some straight punches from Perry but for the most part he wants to come forward and test you chin and isn’t afraid to see if his own will hold up under pressure as well. He’s tough and is wants to see who the tougher man is. If that means trading blows with his opponent then so be it.

Alan Jouban is on the other end of the spectrum as far as personality goes. He’s your jovial laid back former male model type, if that’s even a thing. Style-wise he does have many of the same quirks as Perry however. He tends to have a hook heavy approach to his striking but does through more straight punches as well as kicks. In the clinch he isn’t afraid to get creative and through spinning elbows. When he’s more conservative his clinch work can be clean and devastating. The biggest advantage for Jouban in this match is his height and reach advantage. With Perry having the tendency to match forward with his chin exposed, Jouban should take advantage and catch him coming in with left straights. If he does get his man hurt he should be calm and careful as to not engage in a brawl which would favor Perry who tucks his chin well while inside the pocket.

This should be a pretty wild fight while it lasts and though Mike Perry has been looking dangerous in his first two UFC fights I suspect that Alan Jouban’s cleaner work can get the job done. The pick is Alan Jouban by second round TKO.

Who do you think wins this slug fest?

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 post Is Mike Perry Legit Or Will He Get Knocked Out By A Former Male Model? appeared first on Cagepotato.

UFC On Fox 22: Has Mickey Gall Bitten Off More Than He Can Chew Or Will He Run Through Sage Northcutt?

And the hits just keep on coming as the UFC sets up for yet another event this Saturday night as Paige Vanzant clashes with former Invicta atomweight champion Michelle Waterson. But before these two women meet head to head we’ll get to see Mickey Gall get his wish to face off against the natural lightweight Sage Northcutt in a welterweight match up. It’s a fight that has generated enough interest for it to be genuinely appealing, especially considering how early each of these young men are in their career. Will Gall’s callout prove to be the wise move or has he bit off more than he can chew against Northcutt?

The post UFC On Fox 22: Has Mickey Gall Bitten Off More Than He Can Chew Or Will He Run Through Sage Northcutt? appeared first on Cagepotato.

From what I’ve gathered from Mickey Gall so far in his career is that he has solid striking with an affinity for grappling. As far as his stand up goes we only have a handful of examples both in which featured the young upstart battling men with little experience. We got to see his grappling game as he faced off against the inexperienced CM Punk back at UFC 203. The fight may have done more to answer questions about the former WWE wrestler than it did to measure Gall’s potential in the UFC. Being the longer, bigger man, Gall will most likely aim to get this fight to the ground as soon as possible rather than play around on the feet. Expect him to follow a similar game plan to what we saw in the CM Punk fight. Gall will throw some strikes and feints on the feet in order for Northcutt to counter and over compensate. Once that happens expect for Gall to shoot for a double leg takedown.

From what we’ve seen from Sage Northcutt this far in his MMA career, there’s a lot to like. He can wrestle, he can grapple, but he does much of his best work on the feet. What he’s missing is technical savvy. At times he finds himself too far forward against opponents who are obliged to take the karate expert down once he’s in their range. Gall is likely to employ a wrestling based game so it’s going to be important for Northcutt to keep his distance in this fight. He will likely have a speed advantage which he should consistently exploit with jabs or lunge punches then shuffle out before Gall can counter with strikes or a takedown attempt. Fighting in a broken rhythm will be key to throwing Gall off of his game and maintaining a gulf in between them will only enhance Northcutt’s chances of landing devastating power punches when he feels so inclined.

Both of these young men are still prospects with a ton of upside. While Northcutt has falter d against wrestlers in the past, working with welterweight champion Tyron Woodley has likely given him the preparation he needs to counter Gall effectively. Look for Sage Northcutt to pull out the victory with a second round TKO.

Will it be Sage Northcutt or Mickey Gall at UFC on Fox 22?

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 post UFC On Fox 22: Has Mickey Gall Bitten Off More Than He Can Chew Or Will He Run Through Sage Northcutt? appeared first on Cagepotato.

Cris Cyborg Weighs In On Getting Passed Over For The Featherweight Title

In case you haven’t heard, as of Tuesday night the UFC has added a Women’s featherweight division (145lbs), and the first fight for the championship belt will include two fighters not named Cris “Cyborg”.

The post Cris Cyborg Weighs In On Getting Passed Over For The Featherweight Title appeared first on Cagepotato.

Snubbed

While we’ve known Cristiane Justino “Cyborg” as the uncrowned women’s 145lb juggernaut for a while now, it will actually be Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie that will be the first schedule bout for the strap.

According to MMA fighting, Cris Cyborg was offered the opportunity to fight but told the UFC that she wouldn’t be able to fight until March, so as in typical UFC fashion, they moved on.

“I’m happy the UFC created my division. It’s been 11 years I’m fighting for women to have same rights as men with several divisions.”

Although the Brazilian native and Invicta champion is happy the UFC finally created a 145lb division for WMMA, she questions the legitimacy of the matchup as both opponents have less than stellar records. Holm coming off a two fight losing streak and Randamie 2-1 under UFC promotion.

“Everyone knows I’m the featherweight champion.” Cyborg says. “I’m undefeated for 10 years in my division. They put this belt only to sell fight for the new MMA fans. For an example, Holly is coming off of two consecutive losses and will fight for the belt. The real fight fans know what’s real.”

When asked if she believed she was next in line for a title shot, Cyborg gave a very truthful answer.

“I have no idea, there are no rules in the MMA,” Cyborg said. “The last fight in the men’s 145lb division, a 10-0 fighter fought a guy who was 1-5 in his last fights. Other fighters like me have to wait for a title fight. I’m fighting for my division for 10 years and until yesterday Dana said there were no women. This is our reality.”

Cold hard facts from the people’s champ. While the show must go on, it’s kind of strange the UFC couldn’t wait for the woman that essentially sparked the featherweight conversation. It’s been 5 years in the making, what’s another month? But if Justino Cyborg really is who we all think she is, it should only be a matter of time.

What do you guys think of the first women’s featherweight championship matchup? Should they have waited for cyborg or did she miss her chance?

In case you haven’t heard, as of Tuesday night the UFC has instated a Women’s featherweight division (145lbs), and Cyborg will not be part of the first championship fight.While we’ve known Cristiane Justino “Cyborg” as the uncrowned women’s 145lb juggernaut for a while now, it will actually be Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie that will be the first schedule bout for the strap.

According to MMA fighting, Cris Cyborg was offered the opportunity to fight but told the UFC that she wouldn’t be able to fight until March, so as in typical UFC fashion, they moved on.

“I’m happy the UFC created my division. It’s been 11 years I’m fighting for women to have same rights as men with several divisions.”

Although the Brazilian native and Invicta FC champion is happy the UFC finally created a 145lb division for WMMA, she questions the legitimacy of the matchup as both opponents have less than stellar records. Holm coming off a two fight losing streak and Randamie 2-1 under UFC promotion.

“Everyone knows I’m the featherweight champion.” Cyborg says. “I’m undefeated for 10 years in my division. They put this belt only to sell fight for the new MMA fans. For an example, Holly is coming off of two consecutive losses and will fight for the belt. The real fight fans know what’s real.”

When asked if she believed she was next in line for a title shot, Cyborg gave a very truthful answer.

“I have no idea, there are no rules in the MMA,” Cyborg said. “The last fight in the men’s 145lb division, a 10-0 fighter fought a guy who was 1-5 in his last fights. Other fighters like me have to wait for a title fight. I’m fighting for my division for 10 years and until yesterday Dana said there were no women. This is our reality.”

What do you guys think of the first women’s featherweight championship matchup? Should they have waited for cyborg or did she miss her chance?

The post Cris Cyborg Weighs In On Getting Passed Over For The Featherweight Title appeared first on Cagepotato.

Fallout: Let’s Talk About This Weight Cutting Thing

So after all the chaos that threatened to turn UFC 206 in to one of the more unfortunate cards of the year, things ended up working out pretty well. The main event was exciting, the two bouts before it packed with action and all in all the event ended up being truly memorable. But despite that there was a shadow looming over this event. It was far from perfect in terms of “professionalism” as a number of fighters missed weight. Though it’s something to be scrutinized, you have to wonder how this weight cutting issue is going to be fixed.

The post Fallout: Let’s Talk About This Weight Cutting Thing appeared first on Cagepotato.

While it may have been an exciting match up while it lasted, Max Holloway’s bout with Anthoiny Pettis was somewhat frustrating simply for the fact that the former lightweight champion missed weight and therefore lowered the stakes of the match up by half. But thought we can point the finger at Pettis, as well as Rustam Khabilov and Valerie Letourneau, the truth of the matter is that the sport forced their hands.

The idea that individuals don’t fight at their walk around weight is somewhat ludicrous. While boxing may have too many weight classes it does mitigate things to an extent. You get to see match ups with individuals who are far closer to their natural weight because of that fact. A guy like Pettis who probably walks around at about 165-170 lbs shouldn’t have to be forced to cut weight to 145 lbs just to avoid the monsters in the lightweight division who sometimes cut from upwards of 185 lbs.

It’s a crazy dance that their forced to participate in, but it’s a path they’ve chosen. Professionalism does matter most no matter what endeavor you choose, but it’s hard to criticize a person who is willing to throw their bones at another human being for the entertainment of others. Here’s hoping all the fighters who missed weight either find the best way to make cut or the right division to accommodate their frames.

What was your thoughts on the weight blunders at UFC 206?

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 post Fallout: Let’s Talk About This Weight Cutting Thing appeared first on Cagepotato.

Fallout: UFC 206 Delivers On Battles For The Ages

UFC 206 was in some real trouble. The loss of the Daniel Cormier/Anthony Johnson main event made it seem like the event would be less than stellar. When Anthony Pettis and a number of other fighters missed weight the day before the event it seemed like UFC 206 was doomed (more on that later). But after all was said and done the show ended up being one of the more exciting events of the year, namely for some featherweight action at the top of the card.

The post Fallout: UFC 206 Delivers On Battles For The Ages appeared first on Cagepotato.

The battle between Donald Cerrone and Matt Brown was one of grit, heart, and skill. Both men traded blows, both men hurt the other, and yet both men still came back for more. It was a display of what two elite level martial artists can accomplish in the cage if they just keep pushing forward. The bout was punctuated by a thrilling head kick knock out suffered by Brown and brilliantly set up by Cerrone. It was emphatic and announced to all the elite welterweights in the division that Cerrone is here to stay at 170 lbs.

The main event was also a great display of technical ability as Max Holloway and Anthony Pettis stood toe to toe trying to figure out riddle of each others styles. It made for a pretty intriguing striking battle in which both men utilized their full range of skills. It’s just unfortunate that Pettis hurt his right hand in the beginning of the fight because things were shaping up to be pretty exciting. If Pettis can find a way to make the weight at featherweight then a rematch between the two is a fight that no one would be arguing against seeing. If not, then at least we were able to see the two clash in a technical main event.

But the main and co-main event aren’t the fights that everyone has been talking about. The real show stealer at UFC 206 was clearly Cub Swanson versus Doo Ho Choi. While Choi looked strong early it was Swanson who would eventually take over and land some hellacious shots on the “Korean Superboy” nearly ending the fight on several occasions. But Choi landed some heavy leather of his own and showed that he wasn’t deterred to having a good old fashioned slugfest. The biggest take away for me in this fight was the chin and the heart of Doo Ho Choi. Like Max Holloway before him, Choi lost and lost emphatically. But this experience is likely to make him an even better fighter. Going through a war like that can sometimes show you what you’re made of and if it didn’t break Choi, it’s likely that it’s sparked a fire within him instead. In the coming years look for Doo Ho Choi to become a real monster in the featherweight division.

What was your favorite fight at UFC 206?

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 post Fallout: UFC 206 Delivers On Battles For The Ages appeared first on Cagepotato.