Tag: Hatsu Hioki

TUF Live Finale: 5 Fights for Charles Oliveira to Take Next

When Charles Oliveira burst onto the scene, he was the talk of the lightweight division after snagging back-to-back submission victories over tough opponents in Darren Elkins and Efrain Escudero.Oliveira was such a threat that he was the betting favori…

When Charles Oliveira burst onto the scene, he was the talk of the lightweight division after snagging back-to-back submission victories over tough opponents in Darren Elkins and Efrain Escudero.

Oliveira was such a threat that he was the betting favorite in a bout with grizzled contender Jim Miller.

Now that Oliveira has dropped down to his natural weight class, he has been able to better display his skills. “Do Bronx” has recorded submission finishes in each of his featherweight contests, which includes an impressive guillotine choke last night against Ultimate Fighter winner Jonathan Brookins.

With the well-rounded skills of Oliveira, he matches up well against most fighters in the division. Here is a look at five fights that Charles Oliveira should take next.

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UFC: Why Hatsu Hioki Should Have Taken a Title Fight with Jose Aldo

UFC gold. That’s the dream of every fighter, right? Well, maybe not Japanese featherweight Hatsu Hioki. At least, not yet, that is. The former Sengoku champion and consensus No. 2-ranked 145-pound fighter has reeled off two straight UFC wins and …

UFC gold. That’s the dream of every fighter, right?

Well, maybe not Japanese featherweight Hatsu Hioki.

At least, not yet, that is.

The former Sengoku champion and consensus No. 2-ranked 145-pound fighter has reeled off two straight UFC wins and is 14-1-1 in his last 16 fights.  That was enough for the UFC brass to offer the 28-year-old a crack at featherweight champion Jose Aldo.

The problem?

Hioki said no.

Rather than face the dangerous Brazilian for a chance to become champion, Hioki instead took a fight against Ricardo Lamas at UFC on FX 4 on June 22. Not to underestimate Lamas, but Hioki’s decision is perplexing to the say the least.

Now, it’s easy to say that without facing the daunting task of trying to dethrone Aldo. After all, the Brazilian does possess a 14-fight winning streak, a 21-1 record and has never tasted defeat while under contract with the Zuffa promotions—WEC and the UFC.

However, what makes the situation puzzling is that Hioki has quite the resume of his own. At 26-4-2, three of his defeats have come by split decision and he’s never been finished. Of the men to defeat him, two are in the UFC—Michihiro Omigawa and Antonio Carvalho—and another is the current Dream champion, Hiroyuki Takaya. Couple that with the fact the he has defeated current UFC fighters Mark Hominick (twice) and Jeff Curran outside of the promotion, Hioki’s decision doesn’t add up.

Certainly facing Aldo is no small order, but Hioki has faced a similar fighter in the past—Aldo’s teammate, Marlon Sandro. Hioki neutralized Sandro’s heavy hands by taking the fight to the ground and out-grappling the Nova Uniao black belt. Does that mean Hioki could do the same to Aldo? Of course not, but why not try?

There’s likely a multitude of reasons for Hioki to pass on the title shot—beyond having to fight Aldo. Maybe he’s not comfortable with the cage, having spent the vast majority of his career fighting in a ring. Or it could be the travel. Of his 32 career fights, only two have been outside of his native Japan—including his UFC debut against George Roop where he looked lethargic.

Again, not to take anything away from his scheduled opponent Lamas, but for Hioki to pass on headlining a pay-per-view card in a title fight is one of the most bizarre events in recent memory. Whatever the reason behind Hioki’s decision, the bottom line is that it is his choice.

On paper, his decision appears to be the wrong one, but hopefully for the Japanese fighter, it won’t be.

 

Rob Tatum is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. You can also find Rob’s work at The MMA Corner. For anything related to MMA, follow him on Twitter.

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Yeah, So Hatsu Hioki Actually Turned Down a Title Shot Against Jose Aldo

In case you missed the update to yesterday’s rumor, top-five featherweight Hatsu Hioki will be facing Ricardo Lamas at UFC on FX: Maynard vs. Guida (June 22nd, Atlantic City), and Erik Koch is indeed the leading candidate to be the next challenger to Jose Aldo‘s belt.

If it seems that Koch is being pushed to a title shot a little too soon — especially coming off of a lengthy injury layoff — well, it’s not his fault. As UFC president Dana White explained to FOX Sports, Hioki was next in line, but insisted on getting “one more test before going for the belt.”

Let us now dissect the wisdom of Hioki’s decision…

In case you missed the update to yesterday’s rumor, top-five featherweight Hatsu Hioki will be facing Ricardo Lamas at UFC on FX: Maynard vs. Guida (June 22nd, Atlantic City), and Erik Koch is indeed the leading candidate to be the next challenger to Jose Aldo‘s belt.

If it seems that Koch is being pushed to a title shot a little too soon — especially coming off of a lengthy injury layoff — well, it’s not his fault. As UFC president Dana White explained to FOX Sports, Hioki was next in line, but insisted on getting “one more test before going for the belt.”

Let us now dissect the wisdom of Hioki’s decision…

From a competitive standpoint, Hioki made the right call. Though he was widely considered Japan’s top featherweight during his stint in Sengoku, his UFC debut saw him barely squeak by George Roop. In February, he turned in a much more impressive performance, dominating (but not finishing) Bart Palaszewski at UFC 144 in his home country. One more lap through the Octagon on U.S. soil would make him a comfortable UFC veteran, better prepared for the unique pressure and atmosphere of the promotion. And let’s be honest, one does not simply walk into Jose Aldo.

But from a career perspective, Hioki might have screwed himself here. Ricardo Lamas has looked outstanding since dropping to featherweight, earning a first-round TKO against Matt Grice last June, then picking up a Submission of the Night bonus for his arm-triangle choke of Cub Swanson at UFC on FOX 1. If Lamas scores an upset (which is entirely possible), Hioki will plummet down the 145-pound contender’s ladder, and it could take years to claw his way back. Even if Hioki wins, his place in line isn’t guaranteed. In general, the UFC doesn’t hold guys who turn down big opportunities in high regard. When Joe Silva calls, you say “yes” even before he has the chance to say “sup, bro.”

What do you think? Will Hioki’s decision come back to bite him in the ass?

Reminder: Watch the UFC 149 Press Conference from Calgary, Alberta, Canada Live Right Here at 2:00 p.m. ET


(“We may even have Justin Bieber at the show as a special guest.”)

Just a friendly reminder that the UFC is holding an impromptu press conference today in Calgary, Alberta to announce its next Canadian show and that we’ll have the live stream starting at 2:00 p.m. ET. On hand for the open event will be UFC president Dana White, director of Canadian operations Tom Wright and Alberta-based fighters Mitch Clarke, Jason MacDonald and Nick Ring.

It’s expected that the main event for the July 21 show, which will be announced as UFC 149, will be a featherweight championship bout between 145-pound kingpin Jose Aldo (21-1) and former TKO, Shooto and Sengoku champ Hatsu Hioki (26-4-2), however an announcement will likely not happen at today’s presser.

In related news, a Canadian senator introduced a bill into Parliament yesterday that would see MMA legalized nationwide. Section 83 of the Canadian Criminal Code as it currently stands deems prizefighting illegal, which is why some provinces and territories have been reluctant to allow events in their jurisdiction in spite of the fact that others have amended the rules due to different interpretations of the archaic law.

Check out the UFC web player after the jump.


(“We may even have Justin Bieber at the show as a special guest.”)

Just a friendly reminder that the UFC is holding an impromptu press conference today in Calgary, Alberta to announce its next Canadian show and that we’ll have the live stream starting at 2:00 p.m. ET. On hand for the open event will be UFC president Dana White, director of Canadian operations Tom Wright and Alberta-based fighters Mitch Clarke, Jason MacDonald and Nick Ring.

It’s expected that the main event for the July 21 show, which will be announced as UFC 149, will be a featherweight championship bout between 145-pound kingpin Jose Aldo (21-1) and former TKO, Shooto and Sengoku champ Hatsu Hioki (26-4-2), however an announcement will likely not happen at today’s presser.

In related news, a Canadian senator introduced a bill into Parliament yesterday that would see MMA legalized nationwide. Section 83 of the Canadian Criminal Code as it currently stands deems prizefighting illegal, which is why some provinces and territories have been reluctant to allow events in their jurisdiction in spite of the fact that others have amended the rules due to different interpretations of the archaic law.

Check out the UFC web player after the jump.


(Stream courtesy of YouTube/UFC)

UFC 144 Results: Breaking Down Hatsu Hioki vs. Jose Aldo

With a dominating performance against Bart Palaszewski at UFC 144, Hatsu Hioki added fuel to the debate as to when the Japanese star should receive a title shot. Widely regarded as the second-best featherweight in the world, Hioki could very well be ne…

With a dominating performance against Bart Palaszewski at UFC 144, Hatsu Hioki added fuel to the debate as to when the Japanese star should receive a title shot.

Widely regarded as the second-best featherweight in the world, Hioki could very well be next in line for champion Jose Aldo.

That is the exact reason the UFC brought Hioki in—to challenge for Aldo’s title. Does Hikoi have the skills to take the title to Japan? Or would Aldo keep the belt in Brazil?

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UFC 144 Aftermath Part Two: Barbarians in Beast Mode


(Props: Getty Images/UFC.com)

Admit it: When Mark Hunt first caught Cheick Kongo with a counter left, you were excited. When Hunt chased Kongo down and dropped him with a series of fight-ending straight rights, you cheered. No matter how much money you bet on Kongo to win, you couldn’t help but buy into the feel-good story that has been Mark Hunt’s UFC run. To see the same Mark Hunt who only earned a shot in the UFC due to the PRIDE buyout- the guy who Dana White offered to pay to just walk away from the UFC before being submitted by Sean McCorkle- thoroughly outclass one of the heavyweight division’s best kickboxers is a testament to his newfound dedication to the sport. The fact that he’s thirty seven years old only makes it all the more remarkable.

Mark Hunt improves to 8-7, marking the first time he’s had a winning record in the sport since his record was 5-4 in 2008. Although his hopes for either a title shot or a fight on next week’s Australia card are both pretty optimistic (to put it mildly), Hunt clearly demonstrated that he’s ready for stiffer competition. As for Cheick Kongo, this loss shouldn’t hurt his standing with the UFC- he was already a gatekeeper to begin with. We already knew that he wasn’t a serious contender for the heavyweight championship- the way he was outclassed by Mark Hunt’s striking and his inability to get Hunt on the ground proved it.


(Props: Getty Images/UFC.com)

Admit it: When Mark Hunt first caught Cheick Kongo with a counter left, you were excited. When Hunt chased Kongo down and dropped him with a series of fight-ending straight rights, you cheered. No matter how much money you bet on Kongo to win, you couldn’t help but buy into the feel-good story that has been Mark Hunt’s UFC run. To see the same Mark Hunt who only earned a shot in the UFC due to the PRIDE buyout- the guy who Dana White offered to pay to just walk away from the UFC before being submitted by Sean McCorkle- thoroughly outclass one of the heavyweight division’s best kickboxers is a testament to his newfound dedication to the sport. The fact that he’s thirty seven years old only makes it all the more remarkable.

Mark Hunt improves to 8-7, marking the first time he’s had a winning record in the sport since his record was 5-4 in 2008. Although his hopes for either a title shot or a fight on next week’s Australia card are both pretty optimistic (to put it mildly), Hunt clearly demonstrated that he’s ready for stiffer competition. As for Cheick Kongo, this loss shouldn’t hurt his standing with the UFC- he was already a gatekeeper to begin with. We already knew that he wasn’t a serious contender for the heavyweight championship- the way he was outclassed by Mark Hunt’s striking and his inability to get Hunt on the ground proved it.

It’s disappointing to say this, but I think we can all agree that the “Sexyama in the UFC” experiment is officially a bust. Jake Shields, with his subpar striking and inclination to grapple, was about as handpicked of an opponent as Yoshihiro Akiyama could get for his welterweight debut. Yet for three rounds last night, Shields outpointed Akiyama on his way to a unanimous decision victory. While Akiyama did manage to stuff Shields’ takedown attempts throughout the fight, he offered nothing in return. Save for a beautiful throw in the second round, Akiyama never had Jake Shields out of his element in this fight- let alone actually in danger. And even though Jake Shields didn’t come close to finishing Akiyama until the final minute of the fight, he was clearly in control throughout the bout. Yoshihiro Akiyama has now lost four straight fights (or five, depending on how you feel about the Alan Belcher decision), and although he has shown flashes of greatness, the thirty six year old’s UFC run has been overwhelmingly unremarkable.

There may not have been a bigger surprise from last night than Tim Boetsch’s victory over Yushin Okami. Not only because Boetsch was such a heavy underdog, but also because of how he won. “The Barbarian” failed to live up to his nickname for most of their fight, being outgunned by Yushin Okami’s jab heavy offense in the first round and nearly punched out by Okami’s ground and pound after a failed guillotine in the second. When Tim Boetsch realized that nothing short of a finish would get him a victory, he threw caution to the wind and put everything behind his strikes. And it actually worked, as Okami found himself out cold fifty four seconds into the third round. While Okami seemed to be back to normal throughout the fight, once he got caught by “The Barbarian” he resorted to the same gunshy ”Thunder” we watched get picked apart by Anderson Silva. Okami needs to shake his fear of getting caught- something much easier said than done after back-to-back knockout losses. 

As for the evening’s end of the night bonuses, which were all worth $65k, Submission of the Night went to Vaughan Lee for his armbar against Kid Yamamoto. Lee survived Yamamoto’s early onslaught and transitioned to the armbar after a failed triangle choke during the prelims on FX. Knockout of the Night went to Anthony Pettis for his brutal head kick against Joe Lauzon. It’s being rumored that Pettis has earned a rematch with Benson Henderson for the title. Don’t ask me how knocking out a gatekeeper like Lauzon earns a guy a title shot, but we’ll keep you posted if the rumor turns out to be true. As we mentioned earlier, Fight of the Night went to Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson for their five round main event title fight.

Also of note, the UFC has decided to give Takeya Mizugaki his win bonus, even though he lost a unanimous decision to Chris Cariaso. Mizugaki earned takedowns and stayed on top of Cariaso for the entire fight, but Cariaso’s submission attempts, elbows from the bottom and sweeps earned him the victory in the eyes of the judges. Admittedly, I thought Mizugaki was going to be the victor while watching the fight, but only because top control usually wins, regardless of whether the guy on top is actually attacking or not.  

Full Results:

MAIN CARD (PPV)

Ben Henderson def. Frankie Edgar via unanimous decision- UFC Lightweight Championship
Ryan Bader def. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson via unanimous decision
Mark Hunt def. Cheick Kongo via TKO (strikes) at 2:11 of Round One
Jake Shields defeats Yoshihiro Akiyama via unanimous decision
Tim Boetsch def. Yushin Okami via TKO (strikes) at :54 of Round Three
Hatsu Hioki defeats Bart Palaszewski via unanimous decision
Anthony Pettis def. Joe Lauzon via KO (head kick) at 1:21 of Round One

PRELIMINARY CARD

Takanori Gomi def. Eiji Mitsuoka via TKO (strikes) at 2:21 of Round Two
Vaughn Lee def. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto via submission (armbar) at 4:29 of Round One
Riki Fukuda def. Steve Cantwell via unanimous decision
Chris Cariaso def. Takeya Mizugaki via unanimous decision
Issei Tamura def. Tiequan Zhang via KO (punch) at 0:32 of Round Two

– Seth Falvo