UFC 205 Picks: Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs Karolina Kowalkiewicz Will Be An Absolute War

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Another fight on the undercard with main event potential, the battle between strawweight champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk and challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz is one that features a pretty interesting story line: who is the best strawweight in Poland? According to UFC president Dana White, Jedrzejczyk specifically requested for Kowalkiewicz to be invited to the promotion to prove who is the better Polish fighter. If true it’s a great premise for a movie, but even without the intrigue the fight would be interesting enough to tune in for. Will Jedrzejczyk’s polished striking and camp switch make her look even more unbeatable or will Kowalkiewicz prove she’s the best in the world with her pressure and clinch game.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk is a competitor. She’s not one to shy away from a challenge, an attitude that has led her to UFC gold. But it wasn’t only her mental strength and will that got her to the top, but her sharp striking skills on the feet. Joanna doesn’t simply play counter striker or pressure fighter but a balanced game that works off her jab. She likes to enter with her jabs to understand and judge distance, but to also set up her combinations. Depending on how her opponent reacts she’ll either wait for a counter or pressure her opponent with a string of blistering strikes. Once her opponent is pressed up on the look for Joanna to continue to pressure while at the same time controlling her adversary’s movement with her own slick footwork.

But the champ has her hands full with challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz. While many may look at Joanna Jedrzejczyk as an unbeatable force, Karolina Kowalkiewicz has proven that she’s adept at creating chaos in her fights before choosing to enter the clinch and crush opponents with her inside game. Elbows, uppercuts, and knees come flying with no end in sight. Unlike some of the champ’s prior opponents, Kowalkiewicz has an insane gas tank and doesn’t appear to get discouraged if things aren’t going her way. In fact, she does seem to get stronger the longer the fight carries on. If she is able to put some doubt in the champ’s head and continues to work at a high pace in the championship rounds then we could be seeing the belt change hands.

This is a fun and closely contested match up featuring the best Polish MMA has to offer. While Karolina Kowalkiewcz may be a true threat to the champ, Jedrzejczyk’s use of footwork and angles may prove to be too much for Karolina to overcome. Look for Joanna Jedrzejczyk to win by decision.

Who will be strawweight champ after 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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What A Conor McGregor Win At UFC 205 Really Means

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The time has finally come. The UFC makes its debut in the Big Apple and from the feel of things the atmosphere is absolutely palpable. Any and everyone who is an MMA fan in NYC seems poised for historic turn of events come Saturday night. Things won’t ever be the same again, particularly for fans and fighters in New York. But besides the event itself, the fact that Conor McGregor has the chance to make history at UFC 205 feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity.

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UFC 205 coverage is sponsored by MetroPCS

Just a few years back I saw my first Conor McGregor fight. It was before he was in the UFC and was already the Cage Rage featherweight champion looking to add the lightweight belt to his collection. With some piston like left hands and a well timed cross counter, McGregor found himself with two championship belts to his name. It was a display that made me believe that the man could one day challenge the best of the best in the UFC.

Flash forward to 2015 and McGregor found himself opposite the great Jose Aldo, reigning UFC featherweight champion. Conor was the pick once again as he had in his several previous bouts but no one could have anticipated that McGregor would dethrone the dominant champ in thirteen seconds time. It made the anticipation for Conor McGregor’s next performance all the more exciting.

Could he truly replicate his performance in Cage Rage? Well, Nate Diaz was there to put doubts in everyone’s minds.

UFC 196 put the breaks on the Conor McGregor hype train but it wasn’t able to derail it. McGregor became obsessed with redemption simply because he knew that the only way to make his dream a reality, was to prove that he was still worthy of the accolades he received before his crushing defeat at the hands of Diaz. But though McGregor lost at UFC 196, his comeback win made you believe that the man truly had the heart and the skill to make his dream a reality.

Now as we close in on UFC 205 you can’t help but feel that we’re in tune for something very special come Saturday night. While Eddie Alvarez is no easy task to overcome, can you really imagine if McGregor gets the job done? As much as some people hate the guy, the one thing we all have to admit is that the man has sand, that grit that some individuals are just lacking. He sees the impossible as a challenge, one that should be faced and conquered rather than shied away from.

If Conor McGregor wins the lightweight belt on Saturday night it will be just one more example of why you a person should test their limits. It will be a blueprint to challenging the impossible, the unachievable. You’ll get up on Sunday morning and wonder “just what the hell am I doing with my life?” If you’re not challenging yourself then you just existing. A Conor McGregor win on Saturday could very well be the spark someone needs to fuel their own journey towards greatness. If the result has that kind of positive effect, then, with all due respect to Alvarez, it’s something I’m looking forward to seeing.

Does Conor McGregor get the job done 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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3 Reasons You Should Watch ‘The Hurt Business’ This Weekend

Not too long ago, a documentary diving deep into MMA hit theaters. Titled The Hurt Business – the doc went beyond the cage and featured some of the biggest names in MMA fighting. Athletes such as Ronda Rousey, Jon Jones, Rashad Evans, and Georges St-Pierre. Now it’s on on VOD. Here’s why you should watch it this weekend.

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Welcome to The Hurt Business.

Not too long ago, a documentary diving deep into MMA hit theaters. Titled The Hurt Business – the doc went beyond the cage and featured some of the biggest names in MMA fighting. Athletes such as Ronda Rousey, Jon Jones, Rashad Evans, and Georges St-Pierre. Here’s the bad news: it was only in theaters for one night only. So if you weren’t free that night, you missed your chance to get a cinematic look into the sport you hold most dear.

But now it’s time for the good news: The Hurt Business has finally been released on iTunes. So now you have a second chance to see this ever growing sport finally get the big budget movie it deserves. So before the big holidays kick in and force you to deal with family, food, and gift giving – here are three reasons why you should watch The Hurt Business this weekend.

1. It Shows The Violence Front And Center… But Doesn’t Villainize It.

If you have any fears that this documentary would pull it’s punches when it comes to the violence to reach a wider audience… have no fear. The blood, sweat, and tears are front and center showcasing some of the most brutal examples of injury (even the talking heads describe injuries with such intense detail that it’s hard not to squirm). But on the other hand, they don’t villainize the sport because of the violence either. It takes a cold hard neutral look at all the carnage. So no fears, you’re not going to be preached at for 120 minutes.

2. The Doc Covers Every Aspect Of The Sport.

While it might be to a fault in some respects, The Hurt Business makes sure to cover all elements of the sport. It goes in depth with personal storylines such as Sara McMann, Joker, Jon Jones, and Rashad Evans. But it also digs deep into the long term effects from the sport (Gary Goodridge), the way the sport pays its athletes, the legalization of the sport, the history of the sport, and women’s place in the sport as it grows. Nothing is left out. It’s all things MMA and while it might make the narrative a bit scattered at certain moments, it’s a blessing for MMA fans like us who want to live, breath, and eat Mixed Martial Arts.

3. While Independent, MMA Gets The Cinematic Treatment It Deserves.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched an “independent” straight to DVD or VOD documentary about an underground sport only to groan. Why? Because it feels like I’m watching a bootleg movie on a shoestring budget. It makes the sport seem less credible. Maybe that’s not the right word. It makes the sport seem even SMALLER than it already is. Now, to call MMA underground is a bit much. It’s grown so large over the years that it’s well on its way to becoming a top tier mainstream sport. But when it comes to media and theatrical entertainment we haven’t gotten our fair share of high quality TV shows, films, what have you. So it feels good to see The Hurt Business go the distance in terms of visual and narrative quality. It doesn’t feel like a college thesis project or bootleg internet video. It feels like it belongs in theaters. It feels like an epic event on par with the best of MMA PPVs. And in that sense, it respects the MMA fan just as much as it tries to show the world just how exciting the sport can be.

So do yourself a favor and check out The Hurt Business this weekend. It’s out right now on iTunes and can be purchased right here. Hopefully this is just the beginning of a long line of high quality MMA content enveloping the mainstream. As always, we’ll be following it every step of the way.

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Jon Jones Gets Stripped of Light Heavyweight Interim Title

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From Bad To Worst

It was previously reported that Jon Jones was suspended for one year by USADA after testing positive for estrogen blockers. It is now being reported that Dana White has officially declared Jon Jones stripped of his interim title.

“Jon Jones has blown it in every way shape and form a guy with that much talent can blow it,” said UFC president Dana White to ESPN. “Greatest talent ever and the biggest screw-up ever.”

Jon Jones has had his fair share of run-ins, and it seemed he was turning his life around, but this last “dick pill” incident could’ve been the last straw. Jones attributed his positive testing to a sexual enhancement pill he took from a teammate in which he didn’t know the contents. Although the USADA commision believed this wasn’t done purposely, they also believed Jones was negligent in his choices.

Dana White told ESPN he didn’t believe it made sense for Jon Jones to keep the light heavyweight interim title with all of this “stuff” going on.

“It doesn’t make sense,” White said. “He was the interim champion because he should have been fighting for the title [in April]. We gave him this, ‘You were supposed to fight for the title, here it is.’

“It doesn’t make sense with all the stuff that is going on for him to still be the interim champion.

What does this mean for Jones? Since he can’t fight until July 2017 he has a lot of time to reflect on what he’s done. But if the Nevada State Athletic Commision hands down a further suspension, should Jon Jones think of retirement? He’d be 30+ by the time he returned to the octagon, which isn’t old by any stretch of the imagination, but is definitely enough time to lose motivation.

Only time will tell on the future of Jon Jones in the UFC but do you think Dana White was justified in his actions or does he have it out for the G.O.A.T.?

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UFC 205 Picks: Chris Weidman vs Yoel Romero

And the breakdowns just keep on coming. One of the most anticipated bouts on the card pits former middleweight champion Chris Weidman against the returning Yoel Romero in a bout that has major title implications. As one of the only native New Yorkers on the card, Chris Weidman has a ton of pressure on his shoulders but also has a lot to prove to both himself and the masses. Will Yoel Romero give the former champ the opportunity to seize redemption or will the Cuban native be too powerful and explosive for Weidman?

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Chris Weidman was looking to be the next streaking middleweight champion after dethroning Anderson Silva at UFC 162. Despite talks of those victories over Silva being a fluke, Weidman has since proved himself with victories over Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort. Losing the belt to Luke Rockhold at UFC 194, this bout is Weidman’s return to the octagon after an extended hiatus due to injury. The first thing that Weidman should look to do in this bout is push Romero back. He’ll have to do so cautiously utilizing a high guard and consistent feints to keep Romero guessing. Even if done well there will constantly be the threat of an explosive strike coming Weidman’s way. Hand fighting, leg kicks, front kicks, and crosses to the body will be effective against Romero who fights in an opposite southpaw stance. The crosses to the body can work as a fake takedown attempt which could throw Romero off. When Weidman decides to commit, Romero may be so confused as to what’s coming that a double or single leg can be secured. Failing that, Weidman could always choose to engage in clinch warfare as a means of tiring out Romero who tends to fade down the stretch.

On the other side of the equation, if Yoel Romero wants to be victorious at UFC 205, he’ll have add variety to his arsenal as well. While he’s enjoyed a tremendous amount of success during his UFC tenure due to his explosive striking style and terrifying wrestling, he should look to combine all of his tools together in order to put the well rounded Chris Weidman into a defensive shell. Romero’s striking is so sudden and powerful that most fighters are likely to either back all the out of the way of his strikes or flinch and be hit for their troubles. He can utilize his explosive movement in different ways in order to get Weidman to react at the wrong times. Feinting will be Romero’s best friend in this bout, particularly in the wrestling realm. A fake shot to an uppercut is sure to pay dividends in the long run. It’s hard to say who the better wrestler is though Romero has superior credentials. Threatening with wrestling can’t hurt and will open Weidman up to strikes from angles where he won’t see things coming.

This fight, like all others, is as much mental as it is physical. Yoel Romero is a physical beast with a ton of gifts. If he couples the mental warfare with his natural physicality, then victory is assured. The thing is we’ve seen moments where he relies too heavily on his natural talent rather than strategy. Other than a few blunders here and there, Chris Weidman has always been a man who sticks to a plan and forces others to fight his fight. Look for the former champion to get back to his winning ways by netting a hard fought decision victory at UFC 205.

Who ya got at UFC 205, Chris Weidman or Yoel Romero?

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Evans Medically Pulled From Fight Against Tim Kennedy at UFC 205

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Rashad Evans was planning to snap a 2 fight losing streak as well as make a welterweight debut at UFC 205. Going against fellow veteran Tim Kennedy in New York, this was suppose to his second coming out party after his first were rained on by Ryan Bader and then abruptly by Glover Teixeira. But alas, the hits just keep on coming, the former light heavyweight champion will have his dreams halted once again with recent news of his medical issues pulling him from the card.

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When it rains, it pours.

According to Evans he received news from the Nevada State Athletic Commision on October 19th saying an MRI revealed “irregular findings”. After that he was said to undergo further testing which Evans says he passed. He thought he was in the clear, and then he received an email earlier today.

“I’m disappointed,” Evans told MMAFighting.com. “I’m healthy. I don’t want anyone worrying about me. I’m fine, physically speaking. Never felt better. It’s just the commission and their rules. I guess they have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to this.”

Evans however is not letting this get him down, he says this makes him even more determined to fight, and will not be deterred by the set back.

“This doesn’t change the fact that I want to fight. This doesn’t change anything for me as far as fighting.”

“In life, if it ain’t one thing it’s another,” he said. “I won’t get beat down by this.”

So what does this do to the 205 picture? While definitely not one of the top fights, most mma fans were emotionally invested. This leaves two middleweight in Jacare Souza and now Tim Kennedy without a dance partner, does it make sense to match these two up? Training wise yes, both these men were preparing for a middleweight bout on the same card, though their opponents were vastly different. If they still want to go for the pay day and the chance to fight on the first NYC card, I for one will not stop them. However, from a ranking standpoint it doesn’t make any sense, at least not for Jacare. Beating Tim Kennedy means nothing as he could potentially be one fight away from a title shot. But you know how it is in the UFC, if Dana White calls, it’s probably best to answer.

What do you guys think of the recent news? Would you care for Kennedy vs. Souza matchup or is it water under the bridge at this point?

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