Luke Rockhold may have been dealt a setback in his Octagon debut, but he’s looking to fire back strong.The former Strikeforce middleweight champion came out on the business end of his bout against Vitor Belfort at UFC on FX 8 back in May. And while the…
Luke Rockhold may have been dealt a setback in his Octagon debut, but he’s looking to fire back strong.
The former Strikeforce middleweight champion came out on the business end of his bout against VitorBelfort at UFC on FX 8 back in May. And while the knockout loss in his first showing under the UFC banner was far from what the Santa Cruz native wanted to display on the sport’s biggest stage, Rockhold is adamant the loss to “The Phenom” is far from defining who he is as a fighter.
That being said, the 28-year-old Californian is eager to get back into the Octagon and has already set his sights on the next target. During a recent appearance on Fuel TV’s UFC Tonight, the NorCal representative called out fellow middleweight Alan Belcher. Rockhold believes the fight makes perfect sense in the divisional picture and is angling for a matchup with the Duke Roufus-trained fighter.
“I think that fight makes some sense and makes for an exciting fight,” Rockhold told Bleacher Report. “Belcher is an exciting guy and I think we are going to get after it and I like that. I like the matchup. I want to fight a top guy. I don’t believe my last fight really represented who I was and who I am as a fighter. I want to fight a top guy and get right back in the mix. I want to get that belt. This is a minor setback in life, and these things only make you stronger.”
While Rockhold is looking to line up a fight with Belcher for later this year, there is still another name in the middleweight division he’d like to get his hands on. The AKA-trained fighter has a bit of history with perennial contender Michael Bisping and would like to step into the cage with “The Count” in the near future as well.
The tension arose after the two middleweights sparred together during a training session and Bisping proceeded to tell MMA Uncensored Live what transpired in the gym. The Brash Brit claimed to be the real Strikeforce champion and the comments got under Rockhold‘s skin. While he understands an immediate matchup with the TUF winner is unlikely, it’s still a fight he wants badly.
“I want to fight Bisping because he talked sh**,” Rockhold said. “We trained together and he talked sh**. Who talks about practice? It’s practice. Like Allen Iverson said, ‘Are we talking about practice? Who talks about practice?’ I’d definitely love to fight that guy.
“I’d love to set the record straight with that one, but I think the Belcher fight makes sense and it’s a good fight. I want to fight a top guy and he’s a good opponent at this point. I want to get back into the mix, and having to face another fighter coming off a loss, I think Belcher is a great match.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Josh Thomson is back in the UFC, and he’s on the quest for a title shot.After nine years of competing outside the Octagon, “The Punk” made a triumphant return to the sport’s biggest stage at UFC on Fox 7 in April. The AKA staple scored a second-round k…
Josh Thomson is back in the UFC, and he’s on the quest for a title shot.
After nine years of competing outside the Octagon, “The Punk” made a triumphant return to the sport’s biggest stage at UFC on Fox 7 in April. The AKA staple scored a second-round knockout over former title challenger Nate Diaz in San Jose, and the victory immediately launched the former Strikeforce champion into the upper tier of the ultra-competitive lightweight division.
Nevertheless, at the current time, the 155-pound weight class is going through a bit of a chaotic period. Outside of the upcoming title tilt between champion Benson Henderson and T.J. Grant, the road to contention is wide open for the taking, and Thomson is looking to get on the fastest track possible.
On Wednesday afternoon in Las Vegas at UFC’s Community Day event, the 34-year-old Californian made it absolutely clear who he wants to fight next.
“I’ve asked the UFC for the quickest possible path to the title,” Thomson told Bleacher Report. “I beat Nate [Diaz] and now the only logical fight would be Anthony Pettis. He made the drop to 145 and now he’s apparently injured. I won’t be ready until late September or early October. Benson and T.J. fight in August. The timelines add up, and it just makes for a great fight.
“The way I see, Pettis passed on the chance to fight for the lightweight title to take a shot at featherweight. That didn’t happen, and now he has to get in line. I’m standing between him and the title shot, and there is nobody else. I’m right here waiting for him. I think it’s time the UFC steps up and tells Pettis if he wants to fight for that title, he needs to go through Josh Thomson.
“I’m standing here in Las Vegas right now for the Fan Expo and I’m saying one thing,” Thomson added. “‘Pettis…let’s fight, man.”
Duane Finley is a featured contributor to Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
With surprisingly little reaction from the MMA blogosphere, martial arts pioneer Jim Kelly passed away over the weekend at the age of sixty-seven years old. Odds are pretty good that you recognize Kelly as Williams from Enter The Dragon, but his legacy is far greater than just that one role. Armed with his signature afro, one-liners and arsenal of kicks, Kelly broke the color-barrier for black actors in martial arts films at a time when the genre was almost exclusively reserved for Asian martial artists.
Aside from being one of the most instantly recognizable martial artists on the planet, Kelly also found the time to become a professional tennis player, an enthusiastic MMA fan, and a popular draw at conventions such as San Diego Comic-Con International. So in memory of Kelly, we’ve compiled videos of some of his greatest fights, interviews, and even some footage of him playing tennis. Enjoy.
Kelly and Lee working on fight scenes for Enter the Dragon.
With surprisingly little reaction from the MMA blogosphere, martial arts pioneer Jim Kelly passed away over the weekend at the age of sixty-seven years old. Odds are pretty good that you recognize Kelly as Williams from Enter The Dragon, but his legacy is far greater than just that one role. Armed with his signature afro, one-liners and arsenal of kicks, Kelly broke the color-barrier for black actors in martial arts films at a time when the genre was almost exclusively reserved for Asian martial artists.
Aside from being one of the most instantly recognizable martial artists on the planet, Kelly also found the time to become a professional tennis player, an enthusiastic MMA fan, and a popular draw at conventions such as San Diego Comic-Con International. So in memory of Kelly, we’ve compiled videos of some of his greatest fights, interviews, and even some footage of him playing tennis. Enjoy.
Kelly and Lee working on fight scenes for Enter the Dragon.
“Please understand, if I missed anyone, it’s been a big day. I’m a little tired.”
Arguably the most famous line of his career. Don’t even dream about pulling this line off as effortlessly as Kelly.
Highlights from Black Belt Jones, a blaxploitation staple.
Since we’re still on Black Belt Jones, we might as well include this scene.
If we ever do a “Greatest Fight Scene” Roundtable, this gem from Three the Hard Way already has my vote locked up.
The Tattoo Connection, in its entirety.
Same thing for One Down, Two To Go.
Included for scenes and facts about his tennis career.
Kelly makes a special contribution to a Lebron James Nike commercial in 2004.
Kelly on Fedor and Strikeforce back in 2010. For more of Kelly talking about the Gracies and the UFC in 2010, check out this and this.
Three years ago I traveled deep into the desert of Lordsburg, New Mexico. Once there, I traveled to the wrong side of the tracks to catch a humble amateur MMA event known as the XCFC.I saw many great scraps that night, but the one that stood out in my…
Three years ago I traveled deep into the desert of Lordsburg, New Mexico. Once there, I traveled to the wrong side of the tracks to catch a humble amateur MMA event known as the XCFC.
I saw many great scraps that night, but the one that stood out in my mind was an all-out war between two of my now favorite rising female fighters. I had the absolute pleasure of seeing Brenna Larkin and Cortney Casey do battle and mix it up in a memorable matchup that made me a fan of both for life.
Years later Larkin (5-0) is now competing for a not-so-humble amateur organization and she is not fighting on the wrong side of the tracks in some dusty desert town. She is now a champion of the single greatest amateur MMA promotion in the world, Tuff-N-Uff. She now displays her talents in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Larkin’s first title defense under the Tuff-N-Uff banner comes during what is simply known as fight week. Fight week is the biggest MMA event of the year in Sin City. Both Tuff-N-Uff and the UFC are putting on shows in Vegas this week, and fight fans are out in masses to take in both events. Larkin will gather her camp and head north from Tucson with intentions of returning home a champion.
I had a chance to chat with the champ recently and pick her brain about fighting, graduating law school with honors and her future.
First Larkin spoke about her training and preparation for her first title defense on July 5th at The South Point Hotel and Casino in Vegas.
Larkin sounded very confident stating, “Training is going terrific for this title defense. I don’t know if I have ever had a better training camp or better preparation for a fight than I have so far for this one. I am really excited to be able to go in there and be able to defend my title.”
She trains out of Tucson’s Apex MMA, which is home to many current and former MMA stars. Guys like TUF Alumni Joey Rivera, George Roop of the UFC and Larkin’s fiancé Ed West of Bellator, among many others, call Apex home. She is managed by Luta Elite MMA as well.
Larkin talked about the benefits of training with such high level fighters. She said, “It can be a blessing and a curse sometimes, but mostly a blessing. It’s terrific just to get that level of training. I know that I am doing all the things that professionals at the very top of the game are doing. So it gives me a lot of confidence in my preparation. I know going into every single fight that I am ready and have done everything I could possibly do to prepare.”
With such high expectations of herself, she laughed and added, “The curse part is that I find myself comparing myself to guys who are pro in the UFC and Bellator.” To hear West tell it around the water cooler, Larkin tends to hold her own and send the fellas home with plenty of lumps of their own, though.
The champ also was sure to recognize another benefit, saying, “The best thing is I work with a lot of people who are very knowledgeable about the sport and have been around it for a long time. They have made many mistakes and are making sure I don’t make those same mistakes.”
For athletes aspiring to the levels of Bellator or the UFC, there is no better place to cut one’s teeth than Tuff-N-Uff. All the top camps in the world would agree. Larkin was quick to share her thoughts, explaining, “I have had my eye on Tuff-N-Uff for a long time, because of the reputation that they have and the fighters that come out of there. I knew I was ready for it a long time before I actually did get to fight for them. They have really lived up to the reputation, and I have nothing but good things to say about competing for them.”
A long-time alumni of Tuff-N-Uff is the Xtreme Couture family, whom require no introduction among fight fans. Larkin’s number one contender, Keri Lichtenwalner (4-4) calls the mats at Xtreme Couture home and enters this fight with an edge on experience. Still, Larkin is extremely confident heading into fight night.
She has done her homework and is prepared for what lies ahead. Larkin explained, “I do my research on every opponent and try to look at what video they have. I also know that the fighter that I may encounter when I actually go in the cage is going to be different from the one I see in the video. After checking out her camp and her fights, she is obviously going to be a tough chick. I always get tough chicks and have never had an easy fight. So I am used to tough chicks.”
She went on to say, “I think this is a really good fight for me. I think stylistically we match up really well. I obviously think I am going to go in there and win and I am planning on winning, but I am also ready for her to come out and be tough.”
While she may be one of the scrappiest young ladies you may have the pleasure of seeing compete inside a cage, she is also highly educated and accomplished. Larkin was proud to announce that she recently graduated from law school at the University of Arizona magna cum laude.
For all you mouth-breathers out there, that’s kind of a big deal.
Point is, she’s as brilliant academically as she is athletically and that makes her a double threat both in and out of the cage. She likes keeping her options open and explained the contrast between attorney and warrior as she sees it.
Larkin said, “I think it is really helpful for me to have something else going for me. I fight just because I want to. I don’t do it because I have to, to make money, or to be famous. Fighting, even when I go pro, is never going to be my job. It will be something I do because I love to do it and am passionate about it. I’m never going to depend on it.”
The champ went on to say, “I think that is really important, because once you begin to depend on something like fighting you are just asking to go down hard. That will make me free to make the right decision, like going pro when I am ready, and with which organization I think is best for my career. When I have that freedom as a competitor, I do my best since I am only there because I want to be.”
Having prepared herself well for all paths before her, she talked about where she expects those paths to lead, saying, “My future could entail fighting, lawyering, and having kids and making a family. None of those things really balance with one another and something will have to give. I can be a lawyer for the rest of my life and I do want to be a good lawyer. But I also realize fighting is a very narrow window for me. Especially as a chick who wants to have kids at some point too.”
She added, “It is almost up to fate in a way. Although I am focusing on fighting right now, because it is the thing that is in front of me right now and I have to do it to be happy with my life. I am really passionate about it at this moment and I am going after that right now. As my life changes, my family will come first.”
For anyone who has trained with or seen Larkin fight, they know it is only a matter of time before she catches the eye of a matchmaker in a top organization. Maybe you have heard of a little lady by the name of Ronda Rousey who just so happened to get her start in Tuff-N-Uff not that long ago. So Larkin is clearly on the right path if success serves her as it has thus far.
That being said, the idea that this passion of hers could take on a life of its own is not overwhelming for her more so than she is just taking it all in stride. Talking about the possibilities of the future, she said, “It is incredible to look forward and even consider the UFC as an option. That is something women in the sport never even thought about. It is amazing all the changes that have occurred in the past several months even in light of the past couple years.”
She added, “I don’t do this to get famous or to get money, though, because I just assume that those things will never happen and I don’t want to be disappointed. There is a chance, though, that those things could happen and that gives me more pause than anything. Those are things at this time in the sport which could happen and that really is something.”
In the end, none of that serves as motivation to Larkin. What really drives her is her passion to compete and overcome obstacles which she feels have proved too much for many in life. When asked what she most wanted fight fans to know about her, she had this to say, “The one thing that forms my philosophy about life, which also helps me get into fighting, is that it is OK to be afraid as long as you don’t let your fear dictate what you do.”
She explained, “I am terrified every single time I even contemplate getting into the cage. I have learned how to be able to deal with that fear, put it aside, and be able to just experience it. I have been terrified and been able to have the courage in this moment and do this one thing that I really want to do. I think people want to do things in life and don’t because fear holds them back. Even great champions have fear. The difference is how they react and respond to it.”
Her responses have been concise, acute and effective time and time again. All the while, she has been cutting her teeth as an amateur fighter who may or may not be on her way to much greater heights. Whichever way the paths she has before her branch out and provide the options she has worked so hard for, she will be more than prepared to succeed and flourish.
Be it as an athlete, an attorney, a mother or a champion.
The road to title contention has been an uphill battle for Tim Boetsch.In a division filled with high profile names like Anderson Silva, Vitor Belfort, and Michael Bisping, it would be easy for the 32-year-old Maine native to get lost in the shuffle. F…
The road to title contention has been an uphill battle for Tim Boetsch.
In a division filled with high profile names like Anderson Silva, VitorBelfort, and Michael Bisping, it would be easy for the 32-year-old Maine native to get lost in the shuffle. Fortunately for “The Barbarian,” his work inside of the cage has kept him above the fray and positioned in the crowded upper tier of the middleweight division.
Since making his debut at UFC 130 in May of 2011, the 185-pound Boetsch has won four out of his five showings in the middleweight division, which has included victories over the likes of YushinOkami and Hector Lombard. The only setback during this run came in his most recent showing at UFC where he was defeated by fellow surging contender Costa Philippou via second round stoppage.
Despite an impressive four-fight winning streak coming into the tilt with Philippou in Las Vegas, the loss threatened to push Boetsch out of the title picture for the foreseeable future. In addition to the title race in the 185-pound division becoming highly competitive, the veteran’s lack of name recognition in comparison to his peers in the weight class certainly played a factor in that materializing situation.
That being said, the current scenario in the 185-pound weight class has Boetsch fully aware of where he stands in the divisional picture. He knows his future as a contender is on the line this weekend in Las Vegas and will be looking to make a definitive return to the title picture when he faces Mark Munoz at UFC 162.
“We are both very game fighters,” Boetsch told Bleacher Report. “I think everybody recognizes that we are both elite level guys and the winner of this fight will be very close to the top of the ladder in the division. It establishes the winner as one of the guys to beat. Munoz is coming off a loss but it was against the guy who is now challenging for a title shot. I’m not sure why Munoz’s rankings or his stock has gone down as much as it has but I feel we are both right there still in the mix.
“You really can’t afford to take a step back no matter who you are. If your goal is to ultimately become champion, then you need to keep moving in the right direction. For me, that is up and that is what I intend on doing.
“That is really what I thought when I got this fight,” Boetsch added in regard to staying in the title hunt. “I was coming off a loss. I was bummed out and wasn’t sure who I would get next. When I got the call saying it was Mark, I was really excited because this fight will send a statement if I do what I’m planning on doing. It will really send a message that I’m for real and I’m here to stay. I’ve got one thing in mind and that is becoming champion.”
Stylistically speaking, the matchup between Boetsch and Munoz will feature two fighters with similar approaches to the fight game. Both bring heavy-handed power into the cage and have built their respective skill sets from strong wrestling pedigrees.
Munoz and Boetsch each have decorated wrestling backgrounds, and despite the 35-year-old Californian having the more accomplished resume, Boetsch believes the wrestling exchanges inside the Octagon could play out in his favor on Saturday night.
“Obviously, his wrestling pedigree is higher than mine,” Boetsch said. “He was a national champion and a very decorated wrestler, but it doesn’t always translate well to mixed martial arts. You have to figure out how to mix the striking in with the takedowns, and for some wrestlers it is not an easy transition. I feel confident in my ability to take him down if I need to and my stand up ability against him. I feel very comfortable wherever this fight goes.
“For me it’s a very exciting fight. I know Munoz moves forward and looks to finish fights. He throws big, heavy hands and he’s put them to good use in the past. At the same time, I see a lot of openings I can take advantage of and certainly plan on doing that come fight night. It’s going to be an exciting fight and one the fans are definitely going to enjoy.”
In addition to the race to stay in title contention, one of the larger story lines surrounding the bout is the journey Munoz has endured on his return to the cage. “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” has been on the sidelines for a year since his last bout with Chris Weidman, which was his only bout in a 19-month stretch.
While the opinion on “ring rust” differs from fighter to fighter, Boetsch certainly believes it is real and knows it is something Munoz will have to deal with at UFC 162.
“For me, ring rust is a very real thing and anyone who tells you differently is crazy,” Boetsch said. “It doesn’t matter what training you are doing or training as hard as you can, nothing simulates walking out to the Octagon and fighting in front of 20,000 people. You just can’t copy that. If you only do that once a year, then yes there is going to be some extra added pressure on you and some added things you have to deal with. So ring rust to me is very real. That being said, I know Munoz has been around competition his entire life and I expect him to deal with it very well. But it will be there. I know it will be there.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
For the past five years, Gilbert Melendez has been on a mission to prove he is the best 155-pound fighter on the planet.Over this stretch, the 31-year-old Californian put together an impressive run where he not only claimed the Strikeforce lightweight …
For the past five years, Gilbert Melendez has been on a mission to prove he is the best 155-pound fighter on the planet.
Over this stretch, the 31-year-old Californian put together an impressive run where he not only claimed the Strikeforce lightweight championship, but defended the strap on six consecutive occasions. That level of success and consistency made “El Nino” a staple in the race for the top spot in the lightweight ranks, but competing outside of the UFC made respect on a larger scale difficult to come by for the Skrap Pack leader.
Nevertheless, the San Jose-based promotion folded in January of this year, and Melendez was given a title shot against reigning UFC title holder Benson Henderson at UFC on Fox 7. It was the opportunity Melendez had been working towards and he stepped in to make his official Octagon debut with high stakes on the line.
Not only was there a coveted UFC title hanging in the balance, but the chance to prove once and for all who was the king of the lightweight division was at his finger tips. But after a gritty five-round battle between the two champions, Melendez came out on the short end of a split-decision in San Jose, and for the first time in seven fights, the Team Cesar Gracie fighter exited the cage without a title intact.
Yet, despite how the cageside judges scored the bout, the former No. 1 contender believes he proved a point at UFC on Fox 7 and he has used the experience to motivate his return to the grind.
“I think I am the best lightweight fighter in the world,” Melendez told Bleacher Report. “I think that I made that goal and I think I’ve done that. I believe I showed that in my last fight. I think I proved that I am a better fighter than Benson. He’s a tough matchup to fight and I feel like I did beat him that night. Maybe I lost on the judge’s cards, but I know I won the fight. I held my ground and was ready to fight to the death right there and I don’t think he was.”
“That said, I’m revamping the goal now. I’m going after that lightweight title and I am going to continue to prove I’m the best lightweight fighter in the world. My goal now is to get that UFC strap. I don’t care who has it. I’m coming for that UFC title.”
While the loss and being pushed down the divisional ladder were difficult turns for Melendez to face, the former champion refused to hang his head in the aftermath. The outcome may not have been in his favor against Henderson, but Melendez has taken plenty of positives out of the tilt.
“I took a ton of positives away from that fight,” Melendez said. “Yeah, not getting the win was tough. But you get over it and immediately regroup to start on the comeback trail. You look at what you have to do differently and you start thinking about the positives. And there were a bunch of positives. With that fight my brand went up. I won my last seven fights, had been undefeated for a solid streak, but then I have my first fight in the UFC and my brand still goes up 10 times more even with a loss.
“Competing in the UFC you also have to adapt to the size of the cage. Fighting inside the Strikeforce cage was completely different than the Octagon. The next time out, I’m going to have made those adjustments and my performance is only going to be that much stronger. People said it looked like I didn’t have any nerves during that fight with Benson, but I’ll be a lot more comfortable in my next fight for sure.”
The first step for Melendez to get back on track will come later this year against former lightweight title challenger Diego Sanchez. While there is yet to be an official date set for the showdown, the UFC has targeted the bout for one of their upcoming events in October.
Following his victory over TakanoriGomi at UFC on Fuel TV 8, “The Dream” gave matchmaker Joe Silva a “wish list“ of potential opponents for his next fight. Melendez was one of the names on that list and in short fashion, the lightweight scrap was put together.
“Be careful what you wish for as they always say,” Melendez offered. “I think Diego is a warrior. He likes to go to war inside the cage, and whether he wins or loses, he loves to get in there and battle. His last fight wasn’t quite that, but a war brings the best out of him, and I’m the kind of guy who loves a war as well. A good fight brings the best out of me. It’s cool getting called out by Diego. I take it as a compliment and I’m happy to be on this level, but Diego is Diego.”
With the battle with Sanchez set for later this year, Melendez can now begin the preparation for his next go inside the cage. Having a large amount of lead-in time is a welcome change for the El Nino Training Center owner and he believes the situation is a direct reflection of how the UFC operates their business.
While Melendez represented the Strikeforce banner proudly for many years, the manner in which business was conducted from fight to fight left much to be desired in the eyes of the former champion.
“It feels great to know I’m getting a great fight right away,” Melendez said. “That wasn’t always the case in the past, and with Diego, I get a big name and great fight. He was a pioneer in this MMA game and it’s neat that the UFC is on top of it. They are a real business. I love Strikeforce, but these guys do their business so well.
“I’m getting proper notice for a fight and there is no juggling opponents. I feel like the UFC is giving me a lot of respect by doing things this way. I know not every fighter gets that kind of notice, but I appreciate they are letting me know what is coming ahead of time. It’s great to feel that kind of respect from them.
“I have four months notice to prep for Diego. I’ve never had that before. I would get an eight-week notice and a switch of opponents. Or I would get a switch in venues or switch of dates. It’s nice to have that kind of lead in. He’s on my mind and now I can put all of my focus, both mental and physical, into preparing for that fight.
“I’m looking to get back to that title,” Melendez added. “I believe if I make a statement in this fight, that opportunity is right there.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
