UFC 205: Why Tyron Woodley Deserves Everyone’s Respect

If you caught the UFC 205 event that took place, you’re probably talking about Conor McGregor. The featherweight AND now lightweight champion put on a masterful performance, systematically breaking down the tough wrestler in Eddie Alvarez for a second round K.O. However, fight of the night went to the co-main event as two warriors went toe to toe for 5 rounds. In the end it was a majority draw, with Tyron Woodley retaining his title, but he was suppose to be knocked out. His one punch clunky style was suppose to be picked apart by Wonderboys movement and counter striking. But to no avail, we got ourselves a great fight and one of the best performances by Woodley we’ve ever seen.

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Props where props is due

If you caught the UFC 205 event that took place, you’re probably talking about Conor McGregor. The featherweight AND now lightweight champion put on a masterful performance, systematically breaking down the tough wrestler in Eddie Alvarez for a second round K.O. However, fight of the night went to the co-main event as two warriors went toe to toe for 5 rounds. In the end it was a majority draw, with Tyron Woodley retaining his title, but he was suppose to be knocked out. His one punch clunky style was suppose to be picked apart by Wonderboys movement and counter striking. But to no avail, we got ourselves a great fight and one of the best performances by Woodley we’ve ever seen.

I’m not going to lie, I picked Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson to win that fight, hands down. Though Woodley is a tough competitor I just couldn’t see him getting away from Josh Thompson’s arsenal of striking as well as high fight IQ, and pinpoint accuracy. If you want to see what he did to the last power puncher he fought, just check out the video of him fighting Johnny Hendricks below.

But it didn’t happen that way. Tyron Woodley essentially found a way to out counter a counter puncher. He stood against the cage and waited for Wonderboy to engage first essentially freezing the karate practitioner, taking him out of his comfort zone. When Woodley did rush, he made it count, seconds away from ending it in round 4. His fight before this? He ended the damn near impossible to finish Robbie Lawler 3.0 in round 1 – like lights out ended.

But despite his octagon heroics what was most impressive Woodley’s personality change. We saw a different side of Tyron Woodley closing in on the 205 event. He started to get a little angry, he stopped trying to be nice, and he started to be real. I noticed this when asked about his war of words with Conor McGregor. His previously cringe worthy tough talk seemed legit, he wasn’t going to let anyone call him out and not respond. He finally stepped into the Alpha male role that his physique displayed but timid personality wouldn’t allow.

I’m not sure if he was reading self help books throughout his 18 month layoff, but this is a new and improved Tyron Woodley that cannot be denied. Like all growing pains, it took a little time for Woodley to find his groove, but besides the awkward “big money fight” call out, Woodley is starting to hit his stride. Let’s face it, you can win all the fights you want, but if the crowd isn’t behind you’re in for a lot of turmoil.

Oh, and as for who won the fight? While technically it was a draw, you’ve got to give it to the champion. A firm believer in “you’ve got to beat the champ to become the champion”, I don’t think Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson did enough to earn the strap. Either way, Tyron Woodley proved most of us wrong, so can we start embracing him as the true champion?

What do you guys think of the welterweight champ, does he deserve respect or is he still not on your radar?

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UFC 205 Fallout: Conor’s Historic Win, Welterweight Slugfest, and The Heart Of Poland

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After a long night of fights and the explosive rivalry between Eddie Alvarez and Conor McGregor, the lightweight championship was finally decided at UFC 205 in the Big Apple. Conor McGregor has made history to be the first fighter to hold two belts in two different weight classes at the same damn time to boot. Where many were expecting an insanely close battle between Alvarez and McGregor, the featherweight champion absolutely destroyed the former lightweight champion with such ease it truly boggles the mind.

At this point if you’re still hating on Conor McGregor, the only way I understand that is if you’re talking about his personality since it certainly isn’t for everyone. But to deny his skill in the Octagon is truly a huge mistake. The front kicks made a return and so did the insanely accurate counter punching that made McGregor champion at featherweight. Alvarez is a durable fighter who always manages to come back for more. It wasn’t until after that second knock down that you got the idea that the lightweight championship would soon be changing hands. It was a credit to Eddie’s conditioning and toughness that had him answer the bell for the second frame and though he was performing a bit better a counter left, right uppercut, straight left, right uppercut combination took the wind from his sails. Some follow up ground and pound and Conor McGregor cemented his name in UFC history. Now the biggest question is what’s next for the two division champion?

Khabib Nurmagomedov has earned a crack at that belt. Let’s see if the UFC is willing to put their cash cow on the line in what would be one of Conor’s toughest match ups ever.

The Tyron Woodley versus Stephen Thompson match also impressed. In what turned into a dog fight, each men had their moments of glory, but it was Tyron Woodley who came closest to closing the show. Thompson did show his heart and resilience however and after losing the fourth round big came back to win the fifth. With the fight ruled a majority draw you have to think that a rematch will definitely be on the horizon.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Karolina Kowalkiewicz both showed it means to be a Polish fighter. Though Jedrzejczyk may have dominated most of the fight with her slick striking, leg kicks and clinch game, Kowalkiewicz showed the heart of a champion when she came back in the fourth cracking the champ with a hard right hand that had her in all sorts of trouble. It wasn’t enough to secure victory, but it was certainly enough to gain Joanna’s respect as well as the respect of the fans in attendance and watching around the globe. Jedrzejczyk’ next step is unclear as it appears that she’s cleared out much of the straw weight division. Kowalkiewicz on the other hand would be smart to get a booking with another high level competitor like Claudia Gadelha in order to secure a potential rematch with Jedrzejczyk. Until then we should take a moment to appreciate the carnage that we saw on Saturday night and rejoice that there are individuals out there willing to put themselves on the line in order to bring this level of entertainment into our lives.

What did you think of 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.

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Conor McGregor Grabs Two World Titles Inside of Two Rounds: UFC 205 (Catch The Whole Fight Card Here!)

Well fight fans UFC 205 has come and went and there were definitely some barn burners, and 1st round K.O.’s that tickled our fancy throughout the event. But in case for some reason you couldn’t catch the first MMA event in MSG, this is what you missed…

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The Recap

The Prelims

Vicente Luque vs. Belal Muhammad

There’s a short feeling out process as both fighters engage. Vicente lands a head strike that ends the fight.

Winner: Vicente Rd1 KO/TKO

Natal vs. Boesch

Tim Boetsch is the aggressor, taking the middle of the octagon and applying the pressure. Boetsch pressures Natal, landing a right hand early that has opened up a cut over Natal’s left eye. Natal swings wildly with a big right hand that can’t seem to find the mark. Boetsch continues to pressure until he lands a right hand up against the cage that drops Natal. Boetsch continues to club him, landing clean to the almost unconscious Natal, the ref calls the fight.

Winner: Tim Boetsch Rd1:TKO 3:22

Johnson vs. Nurmagomedov

In the opening round Johnson appears to be the livelier man, landing shots and apparently hurting Nurmagomedov with a right…then reality hit. Nurmagomedov gets the takedown in the middle of the first round and it was all over but the tears. He then went on a 2 round smothering of Johnson that would eventually ended in a 3rd round stoppage. Nurmagomedov landed hard shots and put Johnson in impossible positions. Nothing but heart kept Johnson in the fight until the final round, but heart can only do but so much as the end was inevitable.

Winner: Khabib Nurmagomedov Rd 3 Stoppage

Jeremy Stephens vs. Frankie Edgar

Good exchanges but Frankie lands two takedowns which might have given him the round. In the second round Jeremy lands the head kick heard round the world momentarily dropping Frankie. Somehow Frankie survives and ends the round on top with a failed attempted at guillotine choke. The third round was pretty much more of the same as Frankie landed some key takedowns and avoided the heavy strikes of Stephens.

Winner: Frankie Edgar unanimous decision

Main Card

Miesha Tate vs. Raquel Pennington

Pennington is winning on the feet, keeping Miesha at bay with stiff jabs that are landing on the former champion. Meisha stays in the game with a couple of takedowns but Pennington is landing more shots and seems to be wining the fight. In the beginning of the third round, Miesha pulls guard which is the beginning of the end as Pennington gains position and ends the round on top dishing out strikes. Pennington gets the win and in a surprising but not so surprising move, Meisha announces her retirement from the sport.

Winner: Raquel Pennington – Decision *Miesha Tate retires*

Weidman vs. Romero

The first round is a feeling out process, a couple of scrambles but nothing serious, Weidman may have edged it out but it’s close. The second round is not much better as Weidman lands leg kicks but Romero takes him down multiple times. They exchange in the beginning of the round and Romero lands a flying knee that connects to the left side of Weidman’s head. Romero follows it up with a flurry of punches and the fight is called. Romero by TKO.

Winner: Yoel Romero – Rd3 TKO

Winner: Yoel Romero – TKO Rd.3

Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Karolina takes the center of the octagon, both fighters get out there and strike, Joanna has the edge in open space but Karolina gets the edge against the fence, close round. 2nd and 3rd round were pretty much death by leg kicks as Joanna outpoints her opponent, causing her to switch stance multiple times. Championship rounds, Karolina seems to have hurt Joanna with a strike as she’s on wobbly legs but she answers with a flurry of strikes of her own as well as a clinch that takes her into the 5th round. It’s a striking affair with Joanna winning more of the exchanges, she’s simply throwing more while Karolina is trying to walk her down. Both physically fatigued but Joanna is landing more out of the two fighters

Winner: Joanna Jedrzejczyk – Decision

Steven “Wonderboy” Thompson vs. Tyron Woodley

After feeling each other out, Tyron Woodley ends up on top, laying some ground and pound on the elusive wonderboy and cutting him up in the first round. In the second round round Thompson takes the center of the octagon and tries to pressure Woodley which with success as Woodley’s aggression is tamed, it’s a close round. The third round is interesting, though Wonderboy pressured and landed a couple shots, Tyron seemed to roll with them unaffected. Close round but I’d have to give the edge to Wonderboy. Woodley lands a right hand that sends Wonderboy to the canvas and it seems all but over as Woodley applies the guillotine choke. But to no avail, Wonderboy somehow survives and ends the round on top with some ground and pound. In the fifth round the champion plays it safe and is on the defensive. Thompson lands some shots but it’s nothing effective. The fight goes to a decision.

Winner: Majority Draw 47-47, Woodley retains title

Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez

Rd 1: Truly a match of serpents, any false move could end this fight. Conor lands a couple of left hands that sends Eddie to the canvas a couple of times but eddie survives and lands a couple of shots of his own.

Rd2: There’s a couple of exchanges in which McGregor seems to be getting the better. Alvarez lands a hard right and presses McGregor against the cage. He presses tries for the takedown but to no avail. They’re in open space, McGregor lands two left hands that sends Alvarez to the Canvas, his eyes roll around in his head and it’s over. The ref calls the match

Winner: Conor McGregor Rd2 by TKO

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Fighting Words For UFC 205: Eddie Alvarez vs Conor McGregor

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Verbal Warfare

UFC 205 coverage is sponsored by MetroPCS

Fighting Words pits two of our Cage Potato writers against each other in a heated debate on big fight predictions.

Jonathan Salmon: It’s been a long time coming, but the UFC is finally in NYC. The biggest promotion in mixed martial arts is coming to Madison Square Garden and they’re bringing their biggest star in tow, the brash Conor McGregor. He’s set to face off against newly minted lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez in a battle that could be one of the best we’ve ever seen. As it stands, I’m thinking the Irishman gets the job done, but Lionel, you seem to have your own opinions on the match. Sounds like you’re ready to back the Philly kid in this one.

Lionel Harris-Spence: Philly all day! While this really is a pick’em fight, I’ve got a funny feeling Eddie Alvarez might be able to pull this one out. While Conor is definitely the more clean and pinpoint striker, I can’t help the feeling that if Eddie can just weather the storm he’ll end up grinding him out in victory. What do you think?

JS: Well while I think Eddie can certainly grind out a win here, Conor usually does extremely well with fighters of a similar height and build like Alvarez. Conor is the taller man with the longer reach and won’t have to work too hard to find Eddie’s chin. Couple that with some good body work and Conor has a great chance at picking up a victory here.

One thing I do want to touch on though is the cardio issue. Everyone is saying that Conor doesn’t have the cardio to go five hard rounds based on his performances against Nate Diaz. I think the fact that Conor was fighting a bigger opponent meant he was launching himself into a great deal of his strikes which means he was burning himself out. Diaz was also defensively slick causing Conor’s blows to either glance off of Diaz’s head or fall short completely. All of that is tiring. Couple that in with the fact that he didn’t have to do much road work to get his body weight down and you have a recipe for potentially suspect cardio. Because Alvarez is so easily hit, McGregor may not face the same cardio issues he had against Diaz.

LHS: Those are very good points but you have to remember that Eddie smothers you a lot more than Nate Diaz will. If Eddie gets Conor against the cage or on the ground then those cardio issues may start to show. Besides that you have to remember that Eddie hits hard. When he does clip Conor (which he will as Conor is hittable) or when he ground and pounds him, it won’t be like Chad Mendes, it will be worse.

You also have to remember that he just came off of fighting at 170 lbs. While 155 will definitely be a much more natural weight class for him, his body has been yo-yoing in weight and that could be a factor.

JS: Conor’s walk around weight is around 170 anyhow so it’s not like he packed on a tremendous amount of muscle anyhow. I see Conor playing things smart and fighting very long in this fight. The low line side kick to the knee, front snap kicks to the body, and long range punching will have Eddie reaching. Where Anthony Pettis and Gilbert Melendez fell pray to Alvarez by either being too passive or overly aggressive, I see Conor using a more balanced game in this bout. One well placed left to the chin and we’ll likely see a new champion.

-The Pick: It won’t be easy, but expect Conor McGregor to shock Eddie Alvarez with his movement and power for a TKO victory in the second round.

LHS: Measured is fine but its harder in real life than theory. Alvarez is a gritty wrestler who’s tough as nails and use to fighting at the 155lb weight class. He seems look better and better since training back in philly, and with Mark Henry at the head, you’re going to see the best Eddie Alvarez yet.

-The pick: Eddie Alvarez by TKO: RD 3

What do you guys think? Who takes the lightweight title?

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UFC 205 Picks: Tyron Woodley vs Stephen Thompson

Perhaps the most anticipated match on the UFC 205 fight card, besides the main event itself, is the showdown between welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and striking phenom Stephen Thompson. Both men are incredibly skilled with a number different methods of winning this fight. The style clash alone is worth the price of admission and it’s a fight that’s sure to be filled with a ton of strategy. Can Woodley impose his will on Thompson or will the karate expert utilize his slick striking to get the job done? Well, let’s dive in and look at the roads to victory for each man.

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After seizing the welterweight title in emphatic fashion against former champ Robbie Lawler, Tyron Woodley hasn’t exactly been given a warm reception. Whether that was due to the fact that Lawler was like the people’s champion or some of the comments made after his victory, Woodley is a man who deserves respect. His fight with Thompson is the first step to winning the fans over. In order to do that he’ll have to abandon an all out striking match. As of late Woodley has opted to contend most of his matches on the feet. While resorting to the heavy wrestling game he used in the past could seem a bit predictable, no one would argue about who the better wrestler is. Woodley has devastating striking to say the least but when his set ups and strikes aren’t landing he tends to go into a bit of a shell and only then resorts to wrestling. Rather than the calm explosive game that he’s used to, Woodley would be far better off getting right into Thompson’s face, punished the lead leg with kicks and always remain in a range where single and double leg takedowns are within reach. He’ll have to stalk Thompson and constantly threaten with quick strikes, feints, and level changes in order to corner the challenger.

Stephen Thompson should employ a game similar to that of his teammate Chris Weidman who faces a very similar opponent at UFC 205. Thompson should be judicious with his kicking game to begin with, utilizing his long jab in the outset. With the height advantage, Thompson can actually keep the champion on the end of his jab and utilize his counters and angle changes as needed. The cage could play both friend and foe to Thompson in this matchup. If Woodley decides to make this a grinding, grueling kind of match, a real possibility and smart game plan, Thompson could find himself up against the cage fending off takedowns and clinch strikes all night. Thompson could also use the fence to get back to his feet, but it’s better off that he remains in space and in the center of the cage. Thompson is going to want to apply pressure at range during this fight. Thompson has always been adept at throwing off his opponents rhythm with strikes made to irritate more than cause serious damage. If the champ decides to explode forward it’s a matter of Thompson conceding space and immediately moving back in to land a crushing counter. Keeping Woodley busy is key to winning this bout. If Thompson gives the champ time to think you can bet that Woodley will uncork a powerful right hand. Countering is Thompson’s bread and butter but it’s better for the challenger to provoke his prey, get him moving forward, then lunge in like a cobra.

There are so many ways this fight could play out. It’s in Woodley’s best interest to make this a slow and grinding kind of fight. Thompson will need to be in constant motion to better control range and stuff takedowns. Look for the challenger to use his striking acumen to keep Woodley guessing before landing fight ending punches in a thrilling match up. Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson by second round TKO.

Who will leave the welterweight champion 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.

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UFC 205: Kevin Gastelum Misses Weight…Again.

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Kevin (miss weight) Gastelum has struck again. The Welterweight (arguably) didn’t even weigh in as he knew he wouldn’t make weight – this has left everyone’s favorite cowboy (Donald Cerrone) without a dance partner and most likely off the card. This is the third time Gastelum has missed weight since 2014.

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C’mon Man!

In similar news Thiago Alves also missed weight for his lightweight debut against Jim Miller but that bout will go on. According to NY State rules, opponents need to be within 5 lbs of each other in order for the fight to go through. Although Alves weighed in at 162.6, (6.6 lbs over the limit) Jim Miller rehydrated to 156 essentially making this a catchweight bout. Miller will not be fined but Alvarez cannot come in more than 173 lbs before the bout.

We’ll keep you posted on the latest UFC 205 news, right here!

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