UFC 179: “Aldo vs. Mendes 2” proved to be exactly what we expected it to be, and that was a one-fight boxing card with a scintillating main event for the ages. The “greatest featherweight fight in history” was nothing short of amazing, with Jose Aldo defeating Chad Mendes for the second time after knocking out “Money” at UFC 142 almost three years ago. The battle was full of wild punches, eye pokes, a lot of heavy breathing, and at times, flying shit that didn’t land.
With a certain “joker” sitting cageside, let’s examine UFC 179, and why it was great and equally pathetic…
UFC 179: “Aldo vs. Mendes 2” proved to be exactly what we expected it to be, and that was a one-fight boxing card with a scintillating main event for the ages. The “greatest featherweight fight in history” was nothing short of amazing, with Jose Aldo defeating Chad Mendes for the second time after knocking out “Money” at UFC 142 almost three years ago. The battle was full of wild punches, eye pokes, a lot of heavy breathing, and at times, flying shit that didn’t land.
With a certain “joker” sitting cageside, let’s examine UFC 179, and why it was great and equally pathetic:
Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes Was The Business
Aldo’s presence alone is like waiting to unwrap that PS4 your significant other bought you for Christmas. You’ve got to wait a while for it to happen, but when it does, you can bet your ass it was worth it. “Scarface” was met with a lot of criticism before this fight, seeing how he didn’t really sell the contest, and truth to be told, he’s not really one to generate great interest in the media when he fights. Say what you will about his output winding down, since it’s almost as if his battle against Ricardo Lamas at UFC 169 never happened, yet he’s the UFC’s most dominant champion right now.
You’ve got your Jon Jones and your Cain Velasquez, however, keep in mind the gold has been around Aldo’s waist since 2009, stemming from his WEC years. Last night, he was dragged into a dogfight and he delivered, with the whole of Brazil on his back to preserve the country’s identity in the fight world, since he’s the only champion left from a place that dominated the MMA landscape for so long. He’s pretty great, too.
As for Mendes, he certainly rocked the champion on multiple occasions and did the most damage anyone has done to his main event foe. The Team Alpha Male product’s striking has gotten much better, and it’s really depressing to say this, but he really cemented his status as the division’s number two guy. When he dropped Aldo in the first round after connecting with clean shots, it summoned the spirit of T.J. Dillashaw, yet things didn’t really go the Californian’s way. When he was hit with two shots after the horn in round one, it’s tough to say how much damage was done, and if Aldo truly had any bad intentions since he claimed he didn’t hear the buzzer.
This fight reminded us why MMA is truly awesome, much like the Dillashaw upset, and when Lyoto Machida took Chris Weidman to the deep waters at UFC 175. This featherweight tussle holds the pole position for “Fight of The Year,” and we can’t help but get that fuzzy feeling inside just thinking about it. At the same time, it’s not like we don’t have to put up our fair share of bullshit just to get to the center of the Tootsie Roll.
As for Conor McGregor, you might think UFC really missed an opportunity to have him enter the cage and do the dirty work to sell a fight against a champion that doesn’t care much about that stuff. After all, both the winner and the loser called him out. But maybe UFC isn’t jumping the gun after all, now that the Irishman is tied up with Dennis Siver, and that if you really had to look at it from a fair standpoint, the winner of Frankie Edgar vs. Cub Swanson deserves the next crack at the belt. It’s not really the wisest option, based on McGregor’s hype train riding from coast to coast across the globe, yet one has to think UFC wants us to believe Siver has a chance to win.
“A Light Heavyweight Matchup With True Title Implications”
UFC broadcaster supreme Mike Goldberg says a lot of drunk-white-girl things, but this takes the freaking cake. Once Phil Davis vs. Glover Teixeira concluded, he spat out this gem, which is borderline scary. Davis was coming off a crushing loss to Anthony Johnson at UFC 172, while “Bones” dominated Teixeira in a 205-pound title fight on the same exact card.
As for the fight, all you need to know is that the wrestler did what wrestlers do, neutralizing the power-puncher’s offense, and bringing him down to the mat over and over again. Maybe we should give a bit more credit to “Mr. Wonderful,” because it was arguably his best performance in the Octagon thus far. The Brazilian had trouble finding his range with Davis on his bicycle, and that’s pretty much how the three-round scrap went.
Look, the light heavyweight division is pretty bad these days, and if you want proof of that, just listen to the Penn State alumnus calling out Anderson Silva in his post-fight interview. With Anthony Johnson’s uncertain future, along with the plans to have Alexander Gustafsson fight Rashad Evans, Davis kind of is “in the mix.” One more win, and the guy is inching closer to a title shot, as odd as that sounds. The promotion will most likely book Davis to fight Ryan Bader next, because frankly, nothing else really makes much sense.
Main Card Woes And The Need For Change
Credit the fighters on the prelims for bringing it, since five out of six fights were over before the final horn. With that said, the three other main card contests almost put everyone to sleep, with takedown-heavy game plans and fighters that just don’t cut the mustard on the big stage.
Fabio Maldonado’s comeback win over Hans Stringer seemed like a shot in the dark, but more so for the event in general. It was like a Hail Mary thrown to save the interest of the main card, after witnessing Darren Elkins vs. Lucas Martins and Beneil Dariush vs. Carlos Diego Ferreira stink up the joint. Maybe every fighter deserves his or her chance to shine on the big stage, but we’re also in the entertainment business, or even better, the $50 to $60 price-tag business.
Before you accuse us of hating the UFC and being these snotty historians that wish it was 2006 all over again, please understand what is happening. More MMA isn’t a bad thing at all. Hell, I’d watch live MMA every night if I had to, or at least be content with the fact that it’s available in those circumstances. On the flip side, the quality just isn’t there anymore, and there’s a reason why you don’t want to watch the Jacksonville Jaguars against the New York Jets every single weekend. This card is a perfect example of what Dana White criticized for so long, and that’s a boxing event with one high-profile fight on it. The UFC needs to change its PPV and television model fast.
Nobody is forcing you to watch the prelims, or the fights outside the main and co-main events on the main card. We get that. Although how exactly is this sport supposed to grow, and shouldn’t we at least be concerned with the lack of thereof? You’ll have an event like UFC Fight Night 46, followed by UFC on FOX 12, and observers will come out in full force and trash the oversaturation bit. But in terms of consistency, UFC just doesn’t have it anymore. Injuries are one thing, but it can’t be the basis of an argument, either.
If a tree falls a forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Maybe. If a main event is described as one of the best fights of the year, but only 200,000 people saw it because nobody really gave it the time of day, was it still as great as it was? Yes, but we’ll definitely need to put time aside to convince those that didn’t watch. One of the best fights of the year was on one of the worst PPV’s of the year, period. If you need to any further convincing, please refer to this.
At the end of the day, it’s no skin off our backs. That title fight was a prime example of why we need to put up with some dry stuff to have a good time. But UFC needs to think of something to get the casual fan’s interest back, because The Ultimate Fighter and celebrity tweets aren’t doing it anymore. If not, the “bubble” is going to get smaller and smaller, with limited selling points.
(“Alright guys, kick some ass tomorrow night and give all these fans a great fuc-HOLY CRAP LOOK AT CONOR‘S CUFFLINKS.” / Photo via Getty)
Two years and nine months after their controversial first meeting, Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes are once again throwing down for the UFC featherweight title in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this time at the Maracanãzinho. But that’s only the main attraction at UFC 179 — tonight’s card will also feature Phil Davis vs. Glover Teixiera, and…well, not a whole lot else. It isn’t exactly a must-buy PPV, but that’s why you have us, right?
CagePotato liveblogger Alex Giardini will be posting live round-by-round results from the main card after the jump starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page for all the latest UFC 179 results, and hit us with your own thoughts in the comments section or on twitter @cagepotatomma. Thanks for stopping by.
(“Alright guys, kick some ass tomorrow night and give all these fans a great fuc-HOLY CRAP LOOK AT CONOR‘S CUFFLINKS.” / Photo via Getty)
Two years and nine months after their controversial first meeting, Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes are once again throwing down for the UFC featherweight title in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this time at the Maracanãzinho. But that’s only the main attraction at UFC 179 — tonight’s card will also feature Phil Davis vs. Glover Teixiera, and…well, not a whole lot else. It isn’t exactly a must-buy PPV, but that’s why you have us, right?
CagePotato liveblogger Alex Giardini will be posting live round-by-round results from the main card after the jump starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page for all the latest UFC 179 results, and hit us with your own thoughts in the comments section or on twitter @cagepotatomma. Thanks for stopping by.
UFC 179 PRELIMINARY CARD RESULTS
– Neil Magny def. William Macario via TKO (punches) at 2:40 of round 3.
– Yan Cabral def. Naoyuki Kotani via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:06 of round 2.
– Wilson Reis def. Scott Jorgensen via submission (arm triangle choke) at 3:28 of round 1.
– Andre Fili def. Felipe Arantes via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
– Gilbert Burns def. Christos Giagos via submission (armbar) at 4:57 of round 1.
– Tony Martin def. Fabricio Camoes via submission (kimura) at 4:16 of round 1.
Finishes galore on the under card … let’s hope the trend continues. Here we go, people.
Carlos Diego Ferreira vs. Beneil Dariush
Round 1: Mario Yamasaki is our referee. Dariush backs the Brazilian up near the cage right from the get-go. Dariush sneaks in an uppercut and walks off. Dariush misses a head kick, but lands a right hand followed by a jab. Ferreira attacking with low kicks. Head kick lands from Dariush, while Ferreira tries to return the favor but fails. Ferreira pushes forward but can’t land clean. Powerful leg kick from Dariush. Ferreira tries landing a string of punches, followed by a head kick attempt. The Brazilian ties his foe up against the fence, battling for the takedown. Both fighters jostling up against the cage for position, and Dariush breaks off. Superkick attempt from Ferreira (yes, really), as he switches stances. Ferreira storms forward, landing some nice punches, yet his opponent landed a good counter, too. Takedown from Dariush, trying to pass. Dariush postures up, looking for some ground and pound, and Ferreira grabs a hold of his leg for the heel hook. He gives it up, and eats a punch at the end of the round.
Round 2: Spinning kick misses for Ferreira. Dariush pressuring, and goes for the takedown. Dariush scores, as he tries to take the back. Ferreira back on his feet, as his foe relentless on his back. Punches from Dariush, but Ferreira storms out with an uppercut. Switching stances, Ferreira gets hit with a hard kick to the right leg. Dariush gets a solid shot in on the body, and lands a heavy kick to the ribcage. Darisuh shoots and scores the takedown, working from half guard. Dariush lets go, circling around his downed opponent and lands in full guard after a punch. Dariush somewhat active with ground and pound, eventually making his way back up to his feet.
Round 3: Ferreira storming forward and lands his best punches of the fight. Dariush staying composed, as he clinches the Brazilian against the fence. Ferreira breaks the clinch, and gets back up from a quick takedown. Dariush locks up Ferreira’s legs, taking him down right next to the cage. Dariush looking for a dominant position, not really doing much damage. Dariush throws a few elbows, as his foe as no answer for him. Dariush posturing up, eventually finding himself in half guard. All Dariush on the mat, looking to take the back as well. Dariush controls Ferreira’s body against the fence until the final horn.
Beneil Dariush def. Carlos Diego Ferreira via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
Darren Elkins vs. Lucas Martins
Round 1: Elkins working his jab, and shoots for the takedown early. Martins succumbs to the trip, and Elkins moves him to the fence. Martins is up, but Elkins going for the takedown again. Elkins lands a right hand, and moves away. Martins with a body kick. Leg kicks from Martins, while Elkins gets a takedown stuffed. Martins trying to find his range, while Elkins is the more active fighter. Elkins shoots for another takedown, softening up Martins with knees against the fence. Elkins changing levels often, going for a takedown every 20 seconds. Martins eats a big left hand, while he lands a knee to the body. Push kick from Elkins, who nails Martins with a combination. They tie up together before the horn.
Round 2: Elkins brings Martins towards the fence, and it’s basically looking like one of those fights now. Elkins seems like the better grappler at this point, exploiting his adversary’s weaknesses. Elkins goes to the body with punches, with his face busted up. Martins throwing kicks to the body, but he can’t put together a combination for the life of him. Another attempt from Elkins against the fence. Elkins breaks the clinch to throw, and goes back into it. The crowd is getting restless, and frankly, this pay-per-view sucks so far. Martins lands an uppercut off the break. Martines lands a head kick, coming back into this fight. He has Elkins against the fence, as the American shoots for the takedown as they break. Clinch work until the horn.
Round 3: Knee lands from Martins as his foe goes for the takedown. He clips him with another, but Elkins isn’t in trouble. Elkins shoots for another takedown against the fence. This fight stinks like hell, but you can’t blame the American. Martins escapes, and they’re back in the center. Elkins working the takedown again. You have to credit Martins’ defense, but he hasn’t been able to do anything apart from defend. They get broken up, and Elkins pushes him right back to the fence. Another break, and Elkins lands a left, followed by a right. Push kick from Martins, yet Elkins pits him back against the cage, and that’s basically the story of this fight. Dominant performance from Elkins.
Darren Elkins def. Lucas Martins via split decision (27-30, 30-27×2)
That split decision call is laughable at best. Anyhow, those two terrible fights are out of the way. Up next, someone’s face is going through a meat grinder, followed by the headlining fights.
Fabio Maldonado vs. Hans Stringer
Round 1: Stringer gets the takedown right away, and I’m pretty sure everyone in the audience just put their head down. Stringer staying busy in side control, softening up the Brazilian. Elbows from Stringer, while Maldonado isn’t really moving around much. Stringer’s size is prohibiting Maldonado from getting up. Stringer keeps ahold of Maldonado as the latter gets up, and they go right back down. Stringer dominates the whole round, basically in the same position.
Round 2: Stringer has Maldonado against the fence, but the Brazilian breaks free. Stringer lacing Maldonado with takedowns, and actively throwing an abundance of kicks. Takedown from Stringer, and the “birthplace of jiu-jitsu” lets out a comical sigh. Faldonado shrugs Stringer off, and starts to lace his opponent with some ground and pound. Maldonado in half guard, pounding him with some punches and that’s it. Maldonado gets the win, and jumps onto the fence. Anderson Silva joins him on top of the cage. Cute. Ok, PPV has started.
Fabio Maldonado def. Hans Stringer via TKO (punches) at 4:06 of round 2.
Glover Teixeira vs. Phil Davis
Round 1: The co-main event is underway. Davis circling, and shoots for the takedown (OMG). Teixeira stuffs it, and looks to land bombs. Overhead right misses for the Brazilian. Davis has him up against the fence, and they break free. Head kick just misses for Davis. Teixeira follows him around, but can’t land clean. Right hand misses from Teixeira. Davis staying in the pocket and lands a combo. Davis circles away from Glover’s punches, looking for the takedown. Knees to the gut from Glover. Front kick and jabs land for Davis. The American shoots for a single leg, with Teixeira against the fence. Glover gets taken down, and Davis is driving through. Strikes landing for Davis, keeping Teixeira down. Uppercuts landing for Davis. Teixeira back on his feet. Knees to the belly for Davis. He stays heavy in side control, and Teixeira’s been warned a few times about grabbing the fence.
Round 2: Left hook connects for Teixeira in the middle. Davis lands another takedown, but Teixeira reverses and grabs a hold of the American’s neck. Glover working a front choke, but lets it go. Another takedown from Davis, after Glover tried to go for a guillotine. Davis looking to take Glover’s back, but he’s content to ride Teixeira from the side and land some uppercuts. Teixeira trying to break free, yet Davis’ grip is pretty strong. Davis brings Glover against the fence. Cut on the right eye of Glover, and Davis’ striking is looking on point. Left hook misses for Glover. An eye poke to Glover halts the action momentarily. Davis with a stiff jab. Glover misses with the left, and can’t quite find his range. Uppercut misses for Glover, and Davis’ striking is looking pretty efficient. Davis scores another takedown, and goes for a rear naked choke. He can’t lock it up properly as time elapses.
Round 3: Left hook lands from Teixeira, as he fights off another takedown from Davis. The American breaks off his foe, back in the center. Davis looks tried now, and Glover gets taken down clean. Davis is smothering him now on the mat, as he movies into mount. Davis has his back, and locks in a cradle. Knees to the body from Davis, and Teixeira gets taken down after making his way back to his feet. Davis controlling Teixeira from his back, and Glover is running out of options here. Belly-to-back suplex attempt fails for Davis, but he’s still working another takedown. They’re back on their feet, and Glover is starting to go for broke. Still, Davis relentlessly searches for another takedown, and drags the Brazilian to the ground. Oh man. Davis completely dominated Glover, with arguably the best performance in the Octagon thus far.
Phil Davis def. Glover Teixeira via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
This is your classic WWE Attitude Era pay-per-view. It’s time for the main event, and thankfully, I can take this shotgun out of my pants.
Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes for the Featherweight Championship
Round 1: Mendes rushes forward, and lands an early leg kick. Pressure from Mendes. Aldo lands a combo, followed by a body shit. Mendes catches Aldo with a right, followed by a leg kick. They’re trading in the center, and Aldo gets dropped from a left hook. Aldo back up, and Mendes pressuring him. This is a fight, holy Jesus. Both are calculating their shots now. Mendes has Aldo back peddling a bit. Aldo goes to the body with a punch, followed by a hard body kick. They trade jabs with Mendes staying right in front of Aldo. Left hook from the Brazilian. Aldo gets countered with a left, followed by another. Big combo from Aldo, and he stings Mendes. Leg kick for Aldo. Left hook lands for Mendes as Aldo goes to the body. Mendes lands another serious punch. Uppercut misses for Aldo. Jab from Aldo, and the Brazilian gets eye poked by accident. We’re back from the break, and they both come out strong. Aldo laces Mendes with a huge knee, and gets taken down. Aldo back up in a second, and drops Mendes with a humongous left hook. Aldo in full mount, blasing Mendes with some punches and elbows. The American is back up, and he gets dropped by a punch thrown after the buzzer. Yikes. Holy mother of shit.
Round 2: Replay shows Aldo threw two punches after the horn, but it’s hard to say if it was purposely done. No point deduction or anything, and we’re back on. Mendes with a low kick, and tries to go to the body. Mendes goes for a takedown, and Aldo stuffs it. Accidental groin shot from Mendes. Switching stances from Mendes, and Aldo throws to the body. Aldo unable to throw a lot of leg kicks so far. Mendes gets tripped, and gets back up. Mendes with a kick to the thigh. Jab from Aldo, while Mendes trying to find openings. Aldo goes to the body, while Mendes kicks him on the body. Aldo counters a jab from Mendes with a right hook. Jab from Aldo, and he eats one, too. Stiff jab from Aldo, and he takes a kick to the body. Huge combo from Mendes, who gets a good right hand in. Big hook to the body from Aldo. Kicks from both, and Aldo surprises Mendes with a head kick. Left hands land for both at the buzzer.
Round 3: Mendes storms out of the gate, and Aldo comes out swinging. Anther eye poke from Mendes. Mendes comes out swinging on the break, and these dudes are throwing down. Mendes gets caught, and Aldo misses with another left hook. Mendes catches him with a right hand. Mendes with an overhead right. Big hook from Aldo. Aldo pressuring, landing some left hands. A jab from Aldo snaps Mendes’ head back, but the latter gets an uppercut in. Uppercut lands from Mendes, and he’s got Aldo hurt. Aldo then blasts Mendes with a bomb of a right followed by a knee. Both are rocked. Aldo nails Mendes with another hit, and stuffs a takedown. Mendes going for a single leg, and a massive takedown from Mendes after a left hook from the champ. This fight is unreal. Mendes has Aldo against the fence, with a bit of stalling here. Big left hook lands for Mendes on the break. With judges being a thing, this one is too close to call.
Round 4: Mendes storms out again, landing a kick to the body. Mendes looking for a way in on the inside. Front kick misses for Mendes, while Aldo a bit slower in this round. Uppercut lands for Mendes. Head kick misses for Mendes, and he’s got Aldo on his bike. Aldo a bit swollen around the eyes. Uppercut lands for Mendes, but Aldo is there with some straight punches. Aldo’s left eye pouring blood. Mendes the more active fighter here. Aldo gets a right hand in. Wild uppercut just misses for Mendes. Aldo with some right hands. Mendes winning the round, and he gets a big right hand in. Jab from Aldo, who isn’t really throwing much here. Mendes circling well, and the pace has been turned down a notch. Aldo with a stiff left hand, and just misses a flying double knee.
Round 5: Five minutes of doom right here, folks. Mendes catches Aldo with the left, and again. Aldo then lands a good right hand. Body kick for Mendes, who scores a takedown. Aldo looks up to the clock, and Mendes has him against the fence. Mendes has a hold of the champ’s legs, and gets a warning from Marc Goddard. Aldo with his back against the cage, and uses it to wall-walk. Aldo pushing forward, and stings Mendes with a combination, followed by a knee. Takedown stuffed from Aldo, and he hops on Mendes whose on all fours. Aldo now stalling as Mendes makes his way back up. Great punches from Aldo on the inside, and they’re trading punches now. Aldo turns the corner from a few punches, and both guys are pretty tired. Mendes gets a takedown, but gets back up and pushes Mendes away, complaining about a groin shot. They’re in front of each other in the center, and Aldo a little more active and ahead. Uppercut misses from Mendes, and Aldo being cautious now. Leg kick from Mendes, who eats a left hook. They swing, and Mendes lands a nice right hand. Aldo with some flying strikes that miss. That’s it, the buzzer sounds. Oh man, fight of the year.
Jose Aldo def. Chad Mendes via unanimous decision (49-46×3)
So, that’s that. Aldo deserves the win for sure, but the scorecards could be debatable. Stann asks Aldo who he wants next, and the champion says he’ll face anyone, but says he’s the king, Mendes the prince, and now, they have a “joker.” Unreal answer. Speaking about that joker, he’s nowhere to be seen. Wise move. Mendes says he’s still looking forward to whipping Conor McGregor’s ass. Man, that was fun.
It’s been a slice. Keep it locked to the Potato for some recapping tomorrow. Cheers, brothers and sisters.
It’s the halfway-ish point of the year, which means that we are a mere six or so months away from handing out our annual Potato Awards in categories such as “MMA Fail of the Year”, “Media Shill of the Year”, and the always coveted “Krazy Horse Bennett Arrest of the Year.” But because you Taters have been good this year, we’re going to allow you to open one present early: Our definitive ranking of the best UFC brawls of the year, so far.
It’s been a rocky year for the UFC, to say the absolute least. Pay-per-view numbers are tanking, fan interest is waning due to market oversaturation, and even the promotion’s new video game has been plagued by (albeit hilarious) technical issues. But the great thing about the UFC/MMA in general is that all can be forgiven with a few great fights, and these 10 brawls are undoubtedly the kernels of corn hidden amongst the soggy floor-turds that the UFC has been shitting out this year.
To repeat: This list is only dedicated to the best *brawls* of the year, which implies a fight in which both participants take their fare share of licks. TJ Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao was a one-sided beatdown, albeit a brilliant one-sided beatdown, and therefore bears no mention here. Except that I just mentioned it. God damn it.
Let’s just get to the top 10 brawls of the year, nearly all of which contain links to full fight videos for your viewing pleasure…
#10 — Kevin Souza vs Mark Eddiva: TUF Brazil 3 Finale (Check out Souza vs. Eddiva in its entirety here.)
A classic example of two guys with more heart than brains (or defensive capabilities) leaving it all in the octagon, Kevin Souza vs. Mark Eddiva opened up the FS1 prelims for the TUF Brazil Finale in a huge way.
Watching Souza vs. Eddiva was kind of like watching two women play Tekken for the very first time, in that both fighters only seemed to understand how one button on their controllers worked — for Eddiva it was leg kicks, for Souza it was the overhand right. These two techniques were traded with absolutely zero setup for two highly entertaining rounds, earning both men a $50,000 “Fight of the Night’ bonus in an evening of otherwise unmemorable decisions and memorable-for-all-the-wrong-ways squash matches. It was Souza, however, who walked away from the fight victorious via an always rare standing TKO.
It’s the halfway-ish point of the year, which means that we are a mere six or so months away from handing out our annual Potato Awards in categories such as “MMA Fail of the Year”, “Media Shill of the Year”, and the always coveted “Krazy Horse Bennett Arrest of the Year.” But because you Taters have been good this year, we’re going to allow you to open one present early: Our definitive ranking of the best UFC brawls of the year, so far.
It’s been a rocky year for the UFC, to say the absolute least. Pay-per-view numbers are tanking, fan interest is waning due to market oversaturation, and even the promotion’s new video game has been plagued by (albeit hilarious) technical issues. But the great thing about the UFC/MMA in general is that all can be forgiven with a few great fights, and these 10 brawls are undoubtedly the kernels of corn hidden amongst the soggy floor-turds that the UFC has been shitting out this year.
To repeat: This list is only dedicated to the best *brawls* of the year, which implies a fight in which both participants take their fare share of licks. TJ Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao was a one-sided beatdown, albeit a brilliant one-sided beatdown, and therefore bears no mention here. Except that I just mentioned it. God damn it.
Let’s just get to the top 10 brawls of the year, nearly all of which contain links to full fight videos for your viewing pleasure…
#10 – Kevin Souza vs Mark Eddiva: TUF Brazil 3 Finale (Check out Souza vs. Eddiva in its entirety here.)
A classic example of two guys with more heart than brains (or defensive capabilities) leaving it all in the octagon, Kevin Souza vs. Mark Eddiva opened up the FS1 prelims for the TUF Brazil Finale in a huge way.
Watching Souza vs. Eddiva was kind of like watching two women play Tekken for the very first time, in that both fighters only seemed to understand how one button on their controllers worked — for Eddiva it was leg kicks, for Souza it was the overhand right. These two techniques were traded with absolutely zero setup for two highly entertaining rounds, earning both men a $50,000 “Fight of the Night’ bonus in an evening of otherwise unmemorable decisions and memorable-for-all-the-wrong-ways squash matches. It was Souza, however, who walked away from the fight victorious via an always rare standing TKO.
#9 — Yui Chul Nam vs. Kazuki Tokudome: Fight Night 37
The utter ass-whooping that Kazuki Tokudome suffered in the first round of his fight with Yui Chul Nam at Fight Night 37 was comparable only to Maynard-Edgar 1 in terms of its lopsidedness. From the opening bell, Nam blitzkrieged Tokudome with big right hands both in the clinch and on the break, wobbling his Japanese counterpart multiple times in the process. Had Tokudome been that one French guy from TUF 11, he would have surely quit on his stool between rounds.
But as was the case in Maynard-Edgar 1, the second round told a different story entirely. Tokudome scored a huge double leg takedown in the opening stanza, then utilized some heavy top control to peck away at the South Korean with short shots from above. While not able to inflict nearly as much damage on his opponent as he received in the first round, Tokudome arguably earned a 10-8 of his own in the second thanks to his complete positional dominance. “Askrening”, I believe it’s called.
The first half of the third round was much of the same for Tokudome, who despite having both his eyes nearly swollen shut by the strikes of Nam, continued to dominate with top control. But you can never keep a good Nam down, as they say. “The Korean Bulldozer” (awesome nickname, BTW) was eventually able to reverse the position and secure a takedown of his own, which was apparently all he needed to earn a split decision win.
But today, we look forward. While Jon Jones‘ victory over Glover Teixeira can only mean that a highly-anticipated rematch with Alexander Gustafsson is surely on the horizon (a rare instance of the MMA Gods actually granting us a wish with no strings attached *fingers crossed*), there are still several potential matchups worth discussing, so let’s see what the future holds for UFC 172’s biggest winners and losers…
Anthony Johnson: What can you say about “Rumble” that hasn’t already been said? He looked damn-near perfect against Phil Davis, shutting down the four-time NCAA Division I All-American’s takedown attempts with ease and making him look like even more of an amateur on the feet. After two rounds had passed, we were all left wondering how Davis was ever considered the favorite heading into this matchup, and when/if Johnson’s gas tank would expire. It never did, and in his first fight back in the UFC since 2012, Johnson firmly established himself as a top contender at 205 lbs.
Personally, I think “Rumble” should use this opportunity to finally call out GSP, but a match against the Ryan Bader-Rafael Cavalcante winner probably makes more sense from a logistical standpoint. Bader has become a weigh-station for future contenders over the years (and I say that with all due respect), so should he get past “Feijao” at UFC 174, he would make for a fine addition to Johnson’s highlight reel (again, with all due respect). And if Cavalcante emerges with the W, you’ve got yourself a slugfest for the ages right there.
But today, we look forward. While Jon Jones‘ victory over Glover Teixeira can only mean that a highly-anticipated rematch with Alexander Gustafsson is surely on the horizon (a rare instance of the MMA Gods actually granting us a wish with no strings attached *fingers crossed*), there are still several potential matchups worth discussing, so let’s see what the future holds for UFC 172′s biggest winners and losers…
Anthony Johnson: What can you say about “Rumble” that hasn’t already been said? He looked damn-near perfect against Phil Davis, shutting down the four-time NCAA Division I All-American’s takedown attempts with ease and making him look like even more of an amateur on the feet. After two rounds had passed, we were all left wondering how Davis was ever considered the favorite heading into this matchup, and when/if Johnson’s gas tank would expire. It never did, and in his first fight back in the UFC since 2012, Johnson firmly established himself as a top contender at 205 lbs.
Personally, I think “Rumble” should use this opportunity to finally call out GSP, but a match against the Ryan Bader-Rafael Cavalcante winner probably makes more sense from a logistical standpoint. Bader has become a weigh-station for future contenders over the years (and I say that with all due respect), so should he get past “Feijao” at UFC 174, he would make for a fine addition to Johnson’s highlight reel (again, with all due respect). And if Cavalcante emerges with the W, you’ve got yourself a slugfest for the ages right there.
Phil Davis: If there was one basic lesson that Davis should have taken away from his one-sided loss to Rashad Evans back at UFC on FOX 2, it’s that the first M in MMA stands for “mixed.” Some two years later, Davis’ striking remains underwhelming at best — a means to the end that is his wrestling — and simply won’t cut it against the well-rounded elites of the division moving forward. From the moment Johnson cut him open in the first round, Davis looked tentative, scared even, and pulled nearly every punch he threw out of the fear of a “Rumble” counterstrike. A harsh critique, maybe, but for a guy who completely overlooked Johnson and said he would “break Jon Jones like a cookie” when/if they ever met, Davis looked straight-up neutered last Saturday.
So where should he go from here? To Thailand for six-months minimum of Muay Thai training, for starters, and then a fight with Glover Teixeira. Davis may talk a good game, but a controversial win over Lyoto Machida and no one else has not exactly sold him as a top contender in our eyes. And what better way to prove that he can actually hang with the big dogs than by facing the guy who just took Jon Jones’ best shots for five rounds?
It’s sink or swim time for Davis as an MMA fighter, and if he wants to actually prove that he has more in his repertoire than some solid takedowns and a the occasional submission, a win over a power-puncher with exceptional takedown defense (a.k.a “an Anthony Johnson-type”) is the only way he can do so.
I know, how about Yoel Romero? “The Soldier of God” just dominated Brad Tavares at UFC on FOX 11, is 4-0 in the UFC, and couples a ridiculous grappling pedigree with some scary punching power. Any takers?
Jim Miller: Aside from being an endlessly entertaining fighter who’s damn near impossible to finish, Jim Miller is the kind of perennial top contender who absolutely clowns anyone ranked below him while lacking the ability to truly break into the upper-echelon of the division. In his past two fights, however, Miller has proven more than ever before that he is an aggressive opportunist who will look for the quick finish if he feels that he has his opponent hurt. Sound familiar?
There’s a reason Miller called out Donald Cerrone (and most of the lightweight division, but whatevs) in his post-fight interview, and it’s not just because they’re remarkably similar fighters. The fight is guaranteed to net either man at least one “Performance of the Night” bonus, and from a fan’s perspective, it would be an absolute thrill to watch.
Max Hollaway: After suffering a couple of tough defeats to Conor McGregor and Dennis Bermudez back in 2013, “Blessed” has bounced back with a pair of impressive, technical wins over Will Chope and Andre Fili in 2014. I was shocked to see Hollaway as the underdog heading into his fight with Fili last weekend, but moving forward, a fight with Cole Miller, who’s also riding a two-fight streak, sounds good to me. Simple.
Joseph Benavidez: In a division as small as flyweight, it pains me to say that Joseph Benavidez could find himself in Yushin Okami/Jon Fitch territory before too long. That is not to say that Benavidez is a quote unquote boring fighter (because he’s anything but), but with two losses to champion Demetrious Johnson including a quick KO defeat in their last meeting, there’s nowhere to really place Benavidez at 125 lbs. That he costs 40ish thousand to show (which is a lot in the UFC’s eyes) and currently serves the purpose of crushing potential contenders makes him a bit of a liability, to be honest, and if the UFC plans to continue cutting the Jake Shields’ of each division simply because they’ll never be at championship level again, Benavidez better pray for an interim-title opportunity to be thrown his way in the near future.
In the meantime, I dunno, a fight with John Lineker, maybe? “Hands of Ham Stone” is coming off a decision loss to current title challenger Ali Bagautinov that, go figure, he struggled to make weight for. It doesn’t make a ton of sense to pair up a guy coming off a win with another coming off a loss, but them are slim pickens in the flyweight division.
Do any of these matchups tickle your fancy, Potato Nation? Let us know in the comments section.
(Photo by Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY SPORTS via MMAJunkie)
Jon Jones‘s performance against Glover Teixeira at UFC 172 — particularly during their clinch exchanges against the fence — redefined the limits of how one human being can hurt another human being without the use of a pair of pliers and a blowtorch. It wasn’t just the way Jones battered Teixeira in close with punches, kicks, and even flying chin-checks. “Bones” took away the Brazilian’s primary weapon in the very beginning of the fight with a brilliant standing arm-lock that wrecked Teixeira’s right shoulder. (Watch the GIF here, via Zombie Prophet.)
“I’ve never seen Glover lose a fight like this. I’ve never seen Glover bleeding. I’ve never seen Glover hurt so bad. Glover hurt his right shoulder really bad the first round. The first round! That’s not an excuse, because Jon Jones hurt his shoulder. Jon Jones hurt Glover’s shoulder in the tie up on the clinch against the cage, tweaked his shoulder and he hurt it. So Glover couldn’t use his right hand very well. You see me in the corner trying to get him to throw that right hand harder. He told me, ‘Hey, can you get some ice on it?’
…[During the fight] he never said he had an actual torn ligament or torn tendon so we found that out after. It was obvious. It was actually disfigured and swollen. You could tell something was seriously wrong with it. He’s going to have an MRI Wednesday.”
(Photo by Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY SPORTS via MMAJunkie)
Jon Jones‘s performance against Glover Teixeira at UFC 172 — particularly during their clinch exchanges against the fence — redefined the limits of how one human being can hurt another human being without the use of a pair of pliers and a blowtorch. It wasn’t just the way Jones battered Teixeira in close with punches, kicks, and even flying chin-checks. “Bones” took away the Brazilian’s primary weapon in the very beginning of the fight with a brilliant standing arm-lock that wrecked Teixeira’s right shoulder. (Watch the GIF here, via Zombie Prophet.)
“I’ve never seen Glover lose a fight like this. I’ve never seen Glover bleeding. I’ve never seen Glover hurt so bad. Glover hurt his right shoulder really bad the first round. The first round! That’s not an excuse, because Jon Jones hurt his shoulder. Jon Jones hurt Glover’s shoulder in the tie up on the clinch against the cage, tweaked his shoulder and he hurt it. So Glover couldn’t use his right hand very well. You see me in the corner trying to get him to throw that right hand harder. He told me, ‘Hey, can you get some ice on it?’
…[During the fight] he never said he had an actual torn ligament or torn tendon so we found that out after. It was obvious. It was actually disfigured and swollen. You could tell something was seriously wrong with it. He’s going to have an MRI Wednesday.”
“That’s a move that I’ve been doing since [I was] a little boy in wrestling. It was [something] you could never do on your wrestling partners and it’s dirty in wrestling, but it’s always there when someone has an underhook on you and you have an overhook, and you can just crank their arm…I always wanted to do it during those wrestling matches and finally got to hit it on somebody. I felt his elbow pop two times — a consecutive ‘pop pop’ — and I was just like, ‘Aw, nice.’”
