Filed under: UFC, NewsHOUSTON — With a lineup full of impactful fights, UFC 136 could end up as the card of the year. Of course, the athletes have to deliver on Saturday night, but on Friday, the 22 fighters made their bouts official, as everyone made…
HOUSTON — With a lineup full of impactful fights, UFC 136 could end up as the card of the year. Of course, the athletes have to deliver on Saturday night, but on Friday, the 22 fighters made their bouts official, as everyone made weight in the last obligation before stepping into the cage.
The energy around the event is palpable, with two titles being defended as well as the return of Chael Sonnen and Brian Stann‘s rising star. In fact, it’s hard to tell what the fans are most excited about.
Clearly though, the fight with the most lead-up is the last fight of the epic rivalry between Frank “the Answer” Edgar and Gray “the Bully” Maynard. Both champion and challenger comfortably made the lightweight title fight limit, checking in at 154.5 and 155, respectively.
“I’m ready to do it,” Edgar said. “It’s been too long thinking about this kid. I’m all about the anti-bully movement. Let’s do it.”
“All the pre-fight is done,” Maynard said. “Let’s have some fun. October 8, baby. Tomorrow, I’m going to get that title.”
The featherweight showdown is nearly as anticipated, with longtime crowd favorite Kenny Florian possibly getting his last chance to capture gold. Florian has failed to deliver on two previous tries, and he is considered the underdog against Jose Aldo again on Saturday.
“It’s going to be a great fight,” he said. “It’s the fight I wanted for a long time, the fight that brought me to 145. I’ve trained too hard and suffered too much to not go home with the title tomorrow night.”
Aldo, who went through an excruciating weight cut at his last fight in April, seemed practically joyous this time around, bouncing around and smiling. Both Aldo and Florian weighed 145.
“He’s an excellent athlete but I’m very well prepared,” Aldo said through an intepreter. “Whatever he presents, I’m going to be twice as good.”
In his return to action, Chael Sonnen received a mixed reaction from the crowd, which booed him as he walked to the stage, but cheered him after he checked in at 185.5. He shared a respectful handshake with surging Brian Stann, who made 186 pounds on his second try after ditching his underwear and weighing in behind a towel.
Preliminary Card Demian Maia (185) vs. Jorge Santiago (185) Anthony Pettis (154.5) vs. Jeremy Stephens (156) Joey Beltran (245) vs. Stipe Miocic (236)
Darren Elkins (145) vs. Tiequan Zhang (146)
Eric Schafer (185.5) vs. Aaron Simpson (186)
Steve Cantwell (186) vs. Mike Massenzio (185)
HOUSTON — With a lineup full of impactful fights, UFC 136 could end up as the card of the year. Of course, the athletes have to deliver on Saturday night, but on Friday, the 22 fighters made their bouts official, as everyone made weight in the last obligation before stepping into the cage.
The energy around the event is palpable, with two titles being defended as well as the return of Chael Sonnen and Brian Stann‘s rising star. In fact, it’s hard to tell what the fans are most excited about.
Clearly though, the fight with the most lead-up is the last fight of the epic rivalry between Frank “the Answer” Edgar and Gray “the Bully” Maynard. Both champion and challenger comfortably made the lightweight title fight limit, checking in at 154.5 and 155, respectively.
“I’m ready to do it,” Edgar said. “It’s been too long thinking about this kid. I’m all about the anti-bully movement. Let’s do it.”
“All the pre-fight is done,” Maynard said. “Let’s have some fun. October 8, baby. Tomorrow, I’m going to get that title.”
The featherweight showdown is nearly as anticipated, with longtime crowd favorite Kenny Florian possibly getting his last chance to capture gold. Florian has failed to deliver on two previous tries, and he is considered the underdog against Jose Aldo again on Saturday.
“It’s going to be a great fight,” he said. “It’s the fight I wanted for a long time, the fight that brought me to 145. I’ve trained too hard and suffered too much to not go home with the title tomorrow night.”
Aldo, who went through an excruciating weight cut at his last fight in April, seemed practically joyous this time around, bouncing around and smiling. Both Aldo and Florian weighed 145.
“He’s an excellent athlete but I’m very well prepared,” Aldo said through an intepreter. “Whatever he presents, I’m going to be twice as good.”
In his return to action, Chael Sonnen received a mixed reaction from the crowd, which booed him as he walked to the stage, but cheered him after he checked in at 185.5. He shared a respectful handshake with surging Brian Stann, who made 186 pounds on his second try after ditching his underwear and weighing in behind a towel.
Preliminary Card Demian Maia (185) vs. Jorge Santiago (185) Anthony Pettis (154.5) vs. Jeremy Stephens (156) Joey Beltran (245) vs. Stipe Miocic (236)
Darren Elkins (145) vs. Tiequan Zhang (146)
Eric Schafer (185.5) vs. Aaron Simpson (186)
Steve Cantwell (186) vs. Mike Massenzio (185)
HOUSTON — With a lineup full of impactful fights, UFC 136 could end up as the card of the year. Of course, the athletes have to deliver on Saturday night, but on Friday, the 22 fighters made their bouts official, as everyone made weight in the last obligation before stepping into the cage.
The energy around the event is palpable, with two titles being defended as well as the return of Chael Sonnen and Brian Stann‘s rising star. In fact, it’s hard to tell what the fans are most excited about.
Clearly though, the fight with the most lead-up is the last fight of the epic rivalry between Frank “the Answer” Edgar and Gray “the Bully” Maynard. Both champion and challenger comfortably made the lightweight title fight limit, checking in at 154.5 and 155, respectively.
“I’m ready to do it,” Edgar said. “It’s been too long thinking about this kid. I’m all about the anti-bully movement. Let’s do it.”
“All the pre-fight is done,” Maynard said. “Let’s have some fun. October 8, baby. Tomorrow, I’m going to get that title.”
The featherweight showdown is nearly as anticipated, with longtime crowd favorite Kenny Florian possibly getting his last chance to capture gold. Florian has failed to deliver on two previous tries, and he is considered the underdog against Jose Aldo again on Saturday.
“It’s going to be a great fight,” he said. “It’s the fight I wanted for a long time, the fight that brought me to 145. I’ve trained too hard and suffered too much to not go home with the title tomorrow night.”
Aldo, who went through an excruciating weight cut at his last fight in April, seemed practically joyous this time around, bouncing around and smiling. Both Aldo and Florian weighed 145.
“He’s an excellent athlete but I’m very well prepared,” Aldo said through an intepreter. “Whatever he presents, I’m going to be twice as good.”
In his return to action, Chael Sonnen received a mixed reaction from the crowd, which booed him as he walked to the stage, but cheered him after he checked in at 185.5. He shared a respectful handshake with surging Brian Stann, who made 186 pounds on his second try after ditching his underwear and weighing in behind a towel.
Preliminary Card Demian Maia (185) vs. Jorge Santiago (185) Anthony Pettis (154.5) vs. Jeremy Stephens (156) Joey Beltran (245) vs. Stipe Miocic (236)
Darren Elkins (145) vs. Tiequan Zhang (146)
Eric Schafer (185.5) vs. Aaron Simpson (186)
Steve Cantwell (186) vs. Mike Massenzio (185)
All 22 fighters at UFC 136 will step onto the scale at the UFC 136 weigh-ins Friday afternoon, and we’ll carry the live video right here at MMAFighting.com.
UFC 136 features two title fights, with lightweights Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard needing to weigh in at the 155-pound limit, and featherweights Jose Aldo and Kenny Florian needing to make 145 pounds.
The UFC 136 weigh-in begins at 5 PM ET and the video is below.
All 22 fighters at UFC 136 will step onto the scale at the UFC 136 weigh-ins Friday afternoon, and we’ll carry the live video right here at MMAFighting.com.
UFC 136 features two title fights, with lightweights Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard needing to weigh in at the 155-pound limit, and featherweights Jose Aldo and Kenny Florian needing to make 145 pounds.
The UFC 136 weigh-in begins at 5 PM ET and the video is below.
For me, The Ultimate Fighter season five was the best season the show ever put out.It was stacked with legitimate prospects, entertaining personalities, two very entertaining coaches—Jens Pulver and B.J. Penn, who actually fought at the season fi…
For me, The Ultimate Fighter season five was the best season the show ever put out.
It was stacked with legitimate prospects, entertaining personalities, two very entertaining coaches—Jens Pulver and B.J. Penn, who actually fought at the season finale—and it took place right after the UFC brought back the 155-pound division.
Penn would go on to become the division’s champion after besting Pulver.
A testament to how good the season was is the contestants’ success after the show. And with two of them fighting this Saturday at UFC 136, it seems like a good time to take a look at the best of the bunch from season five.
On Saturday night at UFC 136, Gray Maynard, a man who has yet to lose to Frankie Edgar, will do everything in his power to walk away with what he believes to be his belt.The entire card for UFC 136 is stacked and will culminate with what could very wel…
On Saturday night at UFC 136, Gray Maynard, a man who has yet to lose to Frankie Edgar, will do everything in his power to walk away with what he believes to be his belt.
The entire card for UFC 136 is stacked and will culminate with what could very well be the best fight of the year.
Any hardcore UFC fan already knows they don’t want to miss this fight, but for some newcomers it may seem underwhelming. It won’t be.
Read further to see how Edgar and Maynard stack up.
Filed under: UFCWith UFC 136 just a day away, oddsmakers have made their picks and more or less dared you to disagree with them. You going to stand for that? I didn’t think so.
Let’s poke around and see where they might be wrong, this time with a litt…
With UFC 136 just a day away, oddsmakers have made their picks and more or less dared you to disagree with them. You going to stand for that? I didn’t think so.
Let’s poke around and see where they might be wrong, this time with a little special help on the parlay from one of my MMA Fighting colleagues.
At last, a title defense where Edgar is the favorite, however slight. The last time these two met, the champ was a +115 dog. I know, because I went back and looked at my own betting odds picks for UFC 125, which means I am now sufficiently humbled. Let’s just say I didn’t exactly knock that one out of the park, though I did pick Edgar when many thought he’d simply get held down for five rounds. Now that he’s proven not only his mutant healing abilities between rounds, but also his wrestling prowess, I’m not surprised that oddsmakers are giving him the slight edge.
Still, the line is so close that you aren’t going to profit all that much from taking the underdog flyer on Maynard. For those of you struggling to understand what +110 means, imagine yourself putting down $100 on Maynard and then making $110 if he wins. Also imagine yourself being very, very sad if he doesn’t. Then at least you’ll understand what you’re letting yourself in for if he can’t shove Edgar around for five rounds to become the new champ. My pick: Edgar. He’s proven he can stay off his back against Maynard. If he can only stay out of the way of those power punches, he’ll be in business.
Florian is the kind of guy you want to root for, and by ‘you’ I mean me. He’s a diligent worker, a borderline obsessive student of the game, and a real thinking man’s fighter. One thing he’s not, at least so far, is championship material. Oddsmakers don’t seem to think that will change against Aldo, and I have to admit that I agree. Florian isn’t going to stand there and out-strike Aldo. Not without getting his legs turned to hamburger. He’ll have to put him down, but can he reliably do that, especially in the early rounds? I’m not so sure, at least not unless Aldo suffers through another brutal weight cut like the one he had before the Hominick fight. Florian’s best chance might come in the later rounds, but only if he can make it that long. Even then, he’ll probably be so behind on the scorecards that he’ll absolutely need to start finishing fights at 145 pounds. Easier said than done against the champ. My pick: Aldo. Honestly, it’s not even worth a parlay pick at these odds, but neither is Florian worth the underdog risk.
If you know me, you know I have to have at least one big/somewhat reckless underdog pick per event. If I don’t, I go crazy and try to bait strangers at the gas station into giving me 3-1 odds on whether I can jump over a moving car (turns out I can’t; lesson learned). This time around, I had to take a hard look at Stann, who needs only to keep from getting out-wrestled in order to have a very good chance in this one. Normally, I wouldn’t like his chances to do even that, but Sonnen has been off for a very, very long time. Much of that time was spent trying to convince the California State Athletic Commission that he doesn’t mean what he says, except for when he does, and distractions like that are rarely helpful. Cage rust affects different fighters in different ways, but if I had to bet (and it’s kind of the purpose of this whole feature) I’d wager that Sonnen will be not quite as sharp as usual, and it’ll cost him. My pick: Stann. I wouldn’t bet the house, or even the condo, but I will throw some small action on the real American hero this time around.
Back when he was an immature, though talented fighter who would beat himself more often than not when given a chance, Guillard was still a scary opponent. Now that he’s got his act together, dude is positively terrifying. Lauzon’s best chance is to get it to the mat and submit him, but the last time Guillard tapped out was in 2009, when he was foolish enough to shoot a takedown on Nate Diaz and get himself guillotined in the process. He’s a much smarter fighter than that now, so Lauzon better have a plan B. Matter of fact, he better have plans C-N, too, because I don’t see him shooting a double-leg and putting/keeping Guillard down long enough to submit him. My pick: Guillard. Again, it’s not even juicy as a parlay addition, but what are you going to do?
Quick question: do we have different judges for the rematch? If so, then you have to give Phan the edge. If it’s the same people who think haymakers, whether they connect or not, are enough to win a fight, then take your chances with Garcia. Garcia’s problem isn’t just that he likes to brawl — it’s that he doesn’t like to do anything else, such as defend his face. He’s a great guy — one of the nicest and most down-to-earth in this business, really — and when he finds a willing dance partner, his style is fun to watch. It’s also predictable, and when opponents can keep from getting sucked into it he runs into problems. My pick: Phan. This one might be more suitable as parlay material, but then you never know what those wacky judges will do.
Quick picks:
– Mike Massenzio (+125) over Steve Cantwell (-145). Massenzio will try to out-wrestle Cantwell, and Cantwell is susceptible to that. With these odds, Massenzio’s worth a small risk.
– Anthony Pettis (-285) over Jeremy Stephens (+225). You won’t get rich off of it, but this one is money in the bank.
The ‘For Entertainment Purposes Only’ Parlay: Just because he’s a wild riverboat gambler with dollar signs in his eyes, and because I respect that sort of self-destructive impulse, I’ll let my colleague Matt Erickson call it this time. Take it away, Matt.
“A 4-leg parlay of ‘dogs on Saturday that pays $473 on a $10 bet:
Maynard +125
Stann +200
Santiago +225
Elkins +120
I’ve already spent my winnings. That’s how sure of that mofo I am.”
You heard the man. And if it doesn’t work out, you can let him know about it on Twitter: @MattErickson23
HOUSTON — With a lineup full of impactful fights, UFC 136 could end up as the card of the year. Of course, the athletes have to deliver on Saturday night, but on Friday, the 22 fighters made their bouts official, as everyone made weight in the last obligation before stepping into the cage.
All 22 fighters at 
With