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Weidman: ‘I Want to Fight Anderson Silva on 4th of July Weekend’

The race to grab the next shot at Anderson Silva’s middleweight title has been a heated one. From promised title shots and failed opportunities to “The Spider’s” camp commenting on the most unlikely of match-ups—the story continues to take some c…

The race to grab the next shot at Anderson Silva‘s middleweight title has been a heated one. From promised title shots and failed opportunities to “The Spider’s” camp commenting on the most unlikely of match-ups—the story continues to take some curious turns.

One fighter who believes he has been downright overlooked in the process is undefeated rising star Chris Weidman.

The Long Island-native has been tearing his way through the ranks of the 185-pound weight class since entering the UFC fold less than two years ago. During that time, the 28-year-old has collected five-consecutive victories with his most recent coming in brutal fashion as he knocked out fellow contender Mark Munoz with a standing elbow strike at UFC on Fuel TV 4 in July.

Weidman appeared to be on the doorstep of a title shot against the UFC’s most dominant champion, until a shoulder injury forced him to the sidelines during his bout with Tim Boetsch at UFC 155. Nevertheless, in Weidman‘s absence a true No. 1 contender has failed to emerge and the position opposite the middleweight king is absent for the time being.

As the Ray Longo-product sets about his road back to the Octagon, his focus is not only set on dethroning Silva, but Weidman also has a specific date in mind.

“I want to make my return against Anderson Silva on 4th of July weekend,” Weidman told Bleacher Report. “The UFC always holds an event that weekend and what better fight to headline the card?”

While calling out Silva is nothing new to the fighters in the upper tier of the middleweight division, Weidman is confident in his approach. There is no hesitation in the way he talks about fighting the pound-for-pound great and believes he has the necessary skill set to do what no one in the past seven years has been able to accomplish.

“I think I match up very well with him,” Weidman said. “I think I match up with Silva better than other guys I’ve faced like Mark Munoz. I think I’d be too much for him once I got my hands on him. I feel like I am the best fighter in the world at my weight and all I want is the chance to prove it.

“I feel good where I am right now but I also know there is a lot of improvement ahead and I want to continue to develop in every part of my game. There is so much to work on. This sport is evolving, guys are getting better, and there are more athletes coming into MMA. You can’t just sit back and think you are good enough. It’s a personal challenge I put on myself to continue to get better.”

Over the past two years, the trend of fighters talking their way into big fights has become a hot topic throughout the sport. The process has created several scenarios where fighters who have battled their way to the top of the ranks are pushed aside for the more marketable name for a high profile bout. While Weidman doesn’t agree with how things have gone down in certain situations, he also understands the need to vocalize what you want in the increasingly competitive fight game.

“I wish it was an ‘old school’ system where No. 1 fights No. 2 and the process guaranteed a title shot,” Weidman said. “But it’s not that way anymore. This is an entertainment business and you have to be a little vocal. I couldn’t pull a Chael Sonnen even if I wanted to. But you have to be vocal about what you want and I don’t mind talking a little trash here and there. You have to have a voice. You can’t just fight and depend on that to make yourself relevant.”

As Weidman continues to campaign for the biggest fight of his career, his ambition is to make 2013 one for the history books. It is not only his intention to be the first man to defeat Silva under the UFC banner, but to then do it again in front of a crowd in his home state of New York. The battle to make MMA legal in “The Empire State” has been a well-documented process and Weidman is hoping to make it a reality before the year closes out.

“The ideal year for me would be a fight on the 4th of July against the best fighter of all-time Anderson Silva with a first or second round finish,” Weidman said. “Then the immediate rematch in November in Madison Square Garden. It would be a monumental event with the first UFC card held in New York and I main event against Anderson Silva. That would be a great year and I would carry that momentum into 2014.”

“MMA is illegal in my state and that is just the dumbest thing ever. It pisses me off to be honest. All of my fights before the UFC were in New Jersey and that basically became my home for fighting. I don’t like that. New York is my home and where I should be fighting. It doesn’t make sense to me that MMA isn’t there yet.”

Until his next bout is made official, Weidman will continue to hone his craft and ready himself for the next challenge that comes his way. Being on the sidelines hasn’t been easy, but Weidman‘s belief that the best is yet to come continues to motivate him on the road back to the Octagon.

“I think everything happens for a reason,” Weidman said. “After all this I’m still the number one contender. All I want to is to get back in there and fight and it has been tough being on the sidelines. I want to be in there as much as possible and that is why I’ve taken so many short notice fights in the past. I want to keep fighting and fighting and when I got put on the shelf it sucked. But I believe everything happens for a reason and I’m not crying over it. It will be a good thing.

“I’ve been having fun with my career and the best is yet to come,” he added. “I know we are only going to live once and if I don’t enjoy this moment the opportunities are going to fly by. I’m having fun with the entire process and trying to enjoy it all and soak it up because I know I’ll be 45 someday and looking back and I don’t want to have any regrets. I don’t want there to be anything I didn’t take advantage of.”

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Gray Maynard: ‘Whether Now or Later, Pettis and I Are on a Collision Course’

Gray Maynard is set on making 2013 the year he climbs back to title contention.After a knee injury forced him out of a scheduled bout with Joe Lauzon at UFC 155, “The Bully” is ready to get his run to the top of the lightweight division back on track. …

Gray Maynard is set on making 2013 the year he climbs back to title contention.

After a knee injury forced him out of a scheduled bout with Joe Lauzon at UFC 155, “The Bully” is ready to get his run to the top of the lightweight division back on track. The 155-pound weight class is arguably the most competitive under the UFC banner and the former Michigan State wrestling standout is looking to face the best the division has to offer.

With that in mind, Maynard has his sights set on an early summer return and would love nothing more than to mix it up with newly-minted No. 1 contender Anthony Pettis.

Maynard was in attendance this past weekend in Chicago when the former WEC lightweight champion steamrolled Donald Cerrone in their showdown at UFC on Fox 6. The first-round TKO win over “Cowboy” put Pettis in the position to wait for the winner of Henderson versus Melendez at UFC on Fox 7 in April.

While Maynard doesn’t discount the importance of having a title shot hanging in the future, he also knows firsthand how much can go wrong in the process. Fighters get injured, rematches happen and if Pettis‘ shot at the crown is pushed back, Maynard extended the invitation to punch his dance ticket.

“Pettis is the fight I would love to have,” Maynard told Bleacher Report. “At the same time, I understand why he would wait for a title shot. That is what we are all working towards and if that is on his plate then I get sitting out. But things rarely go as planned in this game and if something happens as a result of the Henderson vs. Melendez fight and Pettis decides he’s tired of waiting then I’d be happy to oblige him. The way I see it, whether it happens now or later, Pettis and I are on a collision course.

“He does some exciting things inside the cage and I think it would be a great challenge trying to solve that puzzle. I watched him beat Cerrone this weekend, but “Cowboy’s” style was the perfect matchup for Pettis to do what he does best. Cerrone comes forward with a straight up and down Muay Thai-style and Pettis was able to dictate space and get off on him. That’s not the way I fight and I think I would present some difficult challenges for him.”

Coming off a win over Clay Guida last June in Atlantic City, Maynard appeared ready to regain his footing in the lightweight division. But following a knee injury suffered during training along with a lengthy recovery time, the 33-year-old once again found himself waiting as the divisional race continued.

Rather than focus on the negatives, Maynard has used the opportunity to heal up additional nagging injuries which have lingered for some time. The TUF alum is now prepared to begin his journey back to the sport’s biggest stage and is fully aware of the shark tank he will return to.

“The lightweight division is crazy right now,” Maynard said. “You take the top guys and put them in a fight and it’s anyone’s game on any given day. There is no rankings when it comes to title contention. It is who is winning big fights and making the most noise. Right now that guy is Anthony Pettis and why wouldn’t I want to fight him? Check my resume. I’ve only fought the top guys. I have wins over Frankie Edgar, Nate Diaz, Jim Miller, all who are or have been top-level guys in this weight class.

“I’m kind of in Purgatory right now,” Maynard added. “I’m not in Heaven and I’m not in Hell. I’m not on the doorstep of a title shot but I’m not out of the picture either. Having to drop out of the Lauzon fight and the time off has been difficult, but I’m choosing to only focus on the positives. I’ve had a lot of nagging injuries that have lingered over the past and this time away has allowed me to heal them up and become totally healthy for the first time in years. I’m going to come back stronger and better than ever and the I guarantee I’m making a run at that lightweight title.”

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UFC 156: “Super Fight” with Aldo Just the Next Big Fight for Frankie Edgar

In the promo for this weekend’s UFC 156, Joe Rogan’s voice can be heard describing the greatness of Jose Aldo, as action clips of the featherweight champion brutalizing past opponents play in a stylized montage.Shortly after Rogan poses a question as t…

In the promo for this weekend’s UFC 156, Joe Rogan‘s voice can be heard describing the greatness of Jose Aldo, as action clips of the featherweight champion brutalizing past opponents play in a stylized montage.

Shortly after Rogan poses a question as to who can possibly challenge the Brazilian star in his weight class, Frankie Edgar appears with the response, “I’ve heard this story before.”

And it’s true.

All promotional selling points aside, the challenge of toppling a dominant champion is one the Toms River-native has faced in the past. Coming into his first opportunity to compete for the lightweight title at UFC 112, Edgar squared off with B.J. Penn, a man who had appeared damn-near invincible at 155 pounds.

Defeating “The Prodigy” sent a shock wave throughout the MMA world. So much in fact, Edgar had to turn around and do it again several months later at UFC 118. In the second go-around with the former two-division champion, the 31-year-old left no questions on the table, as he walked away with his first title defense in a one-sided victory over Penn.

It’s been nearly three years since “The Answer” turned the sport on its ear. During that time, the former wrestling standout from Clarion University forged a championship legacy of his own, showing a level of grit and determination to represent the very fabric upon which the sport of mixed martial arts was built.

An undersized frame and an outsized will to win made for an amazing storyline, as the perpetual underdog continued to prove himself as one of the best fighters in the world.

But after two close decision losses to Benson Henderson, and the title he once coveted now gone, Edgar prepares to begin the next chapter of his career as a featherweight.

In proper Edgar fashion, his first challenge will be to dethrone another man who has dominated the weight class he champions. The matchup is being billed as a “super fight”, and while Edgar acknowledges the attention surrounding the tilt, he is simply ready to handle business.

“This is just another big fight for me,” Edgar told Bleacher Report. “You don’t want to put too much emphasis on any one fight and you just want to go in there and do what you have to do. There has never been a fight where I haven’t shown up and brought my best. That is what I’m going to do in this fight. I’m bringing my best into the cage and I’m going to bring that featherweight title home with me.”

The talk of Edgar making the drop down to featherweight has swirled for years. In a division where some of the top competition cuts upwards of 25 pounds to make the weight, Edgar was always the smaller competitor and historically cut very little weight to come in under the set limit.

UFC President Dana White commented on numerous occasions that he would like to see Edgar drop down a weight class, and now that this has become reality, the former lightweight champion has found a new sense of motivation in the process.

“It’s really been all positive,” Edgar described about his weight cut. “It just forced me to put better stuff into my body and it has kind of made me a better athlete. I’m more disciplined and it gave me more purpose. To be honest it has been refreshing, because it gave me something different to do. I would never go as far to say cutting weight is pleasurable, but there hasn’t been a situation where I’m feeling it or fatigued. It’s been all good.”

In a career spent scrapping it out on the sport’s biggest stage, perhaps the biggest challenge of Edgar’s career will come this Saturday night against Jose Aldo at UFC 156. “Junior” is considered one of MMA’s pound-for-pound best and presents a unique set of problems for any opposition he faces.

The young Brazilian phenom brings a powerful striking game into the cage and has made highlight-reel material out of those who have challenged his spot atop the division.

In past cases, speed has made the biggest difference. While Aldo has stated in past interviews that he believes the transition to featherweight will affect Edgar’s speed, the New Jersey native believes otherwise.

“I think my speed is going to transition well,” Edgar said. “[Aldo] keeps talking about how I’m not going to be as quick as I was, but really, he is the bigger guy. I’m going to be the smaller guy in this fight, and I think I’m going to be the quicker one as well. I’m not too worried about that aspect of the fight.

“I think he’s fought some good guys in the past, but I’m probably the biggest name he’s fought to date. The guys he has fought, Aldo has pretty much just ran through them. That won’t be the case on Saturday night.”

This weekend in Las Vegas, Edgar will once again find himself in a position to show and prove. For a fighter who has come out on top, against all odds, time and time again, it becomes believable when Edgar addresses his upcoming battle as just the next big thing on his path.

While the bout with the Brazilian wunderkind is about to arrive front and center, there is still much more to come before the book is closed on Edgar’s career.

Whether that story includes a trip back up to chase his former crown or a championship run at 145 pounds remains to be seen, but nevertheless, Edgar lives for the big fight moment and is excited for what the future holds.

“I’m at the point in my career where I have a lot of options, and I like to fight in the biggest fights,” Edgar said. “If those come at 145 pounds or 155 pounds it doesn’t matter to me. If it is something Dana [White] and Lorenzo [Fertitta] want and the fans are behind it, then I’m game.

“I absolutely think the best is ahead of me,” Edgar added. “I’m 31 but it doesn’t feel like I’m in my 30s at all. This past camp I felt tremendous, and there are plenty of years of fight left in me. I just want to put on big fights for the fans and finish this career off strong.”

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Lamas Believes He’s Earned the Opportunity to Fight for UFC Featherweight Title

If Ricardo Lamas wasn’t on your radar coming into UFC on Fox 6, he certainly is now.With an injury forcing Erik Koch out of his previous title shot against Jose Aldo at UFC 153, many figured the featherweight tilt in Chicago to be Koch’s platform to re…

If Ricardo Lamas wasn’t on your radar coming into UFC on Fox 6, he certainly is now.

With an injury forcing Erik Koch out of his previous title shot against Jose Aldo at UFC 153, many figured the featherweight tilt in Chicago to be Koch’s platform to regain his former status in the division. Unfortunately for the 24-year-old, Lamas had an agenda of his own.

The 30-year-old Chicago native dismantled the former No. 1 contender in brutal fashion as he pounded out a second-round TKO victory. The win over Koch makes it four in a row for “The Bully,” who now finds himself within striking distance of a long-awaited title opportunity.

When asked if Lamas would get the winner of next weekend’s championship showdown between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar in Las Vegas, UFC President Dana White wasn’t ready to make the commitment.

Nevertheless, Lamas believes he’s earned the right to compete for the featherweight crown and feels the victory over Koch strengthened his case.

“I definitely feel I made a statement in this fight,” Lamas told Bleacher Report. “Erik Koch is a top contender in the 145-pound division and was supposed to fight for the title. This is the second guy in a row I’ve beaten who was supposed to have a title shot, and I believe this was another big win for me.

“I think at this point, I’ve earned a title shot more than anyone else in the division. I’ve defeated two top guys in a row and I don’t know what else I have to do. As I said earlier, both Koch and Hioki were supposed to fight for the title and I beat them.”

Leading up to the fight, the biggest question surrounding the match-up was how Koch would deal with the wrestle-heavy attack Lamas brings to the cage. It is an area the Duke Roufus-trained fighter has struggled with in the past and was the dominant factor in his loss to Chad Mendes at WEC 47.

Despite Koch fending off his initial attempts in the opening minutes of the fight, Lamas was able to score a takedown late in the first round.

When the action hit the canvas again in the second frame, Lamas turned up the intensity. After softening Koch up with a steady dose of ground and pound, the former NCAA Division lll wrestling standout began to rain down a series of brutal elbows that opened a gash on Koch’s face and brought an end to the fight.

“After the first elbow I saw the blood start to gush out,” Lamas said. “Koch is the type of opponent where you don’t want to let him back up and give him another chance because he’s dangerous at all times. As soon as I saw the chance to finish the fight, I knew I had to turn it up and do it.

“I kind of went back to the old way I used to fight. I came from a wrestling background and in this fight I wanted to use what got me here. I have very good control when I get on top of someone and you are not getting up without getting hurt.”

Getting a win over a top-level competitor at a high-profile event was the perfect scenario for Lamas’s campaign for title contention. That being said, the thrill of victory was amplified by the fact it took place in front of his hometown crowd.

Saturday night was the first time Lamas had competed in Chicago since 2008, and the lively crowd made a great night in the cage all the more memorable.

“It was awesome, man,” Lamas said. “The energy the crowd was giving off was amazing…especially when Bruce Buffer was introducing us. They went crazy when Buffer said my name and that pumped me up.

“I couldn’t be more grateful to be from Chicago. I couldn’t be more grateful for the fans and my friends and family who were there to support me. It was an awesome feeling to fight in front of my hometown crowd.”

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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UFC on Fox 6: Erik Koch Looking to Regain Title Shot with Victory over Lamas

It has been a long road back to the Octagon for Erik Koch. When the 24-year-old steps into cage this Saturday night in Chicago, 16 months will have passed since the last time he mixed it up with an opponent on the sport’s stage.During that time, the Du…

During that time, the Duke Roufus-trained fighter has suffered multiple injuries and watched title opportunities against featherweight champion Jose Aldo come and go on two occasions. With Koch on the sidelines, the UFC tapped former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar to fill the No. 1 contender position opposite of Aldo. Rather than hang his head over opportunities lost, Koch used the experience to motivate his climb back to title contention.

On Saturday night at UFC on Fox 6, “New Breed” will square off with Ricardo Lamas. It will be a battle of surging contenders, with the winner likely to earn the next opportunity to compete for the 145-pound strap. The journey back has come with hardships and lessons, but Koch is looking forward to reclaiming his spot.

“This is so long overdue,” Koch told Bleacher Report about his return. “A lot of people have asked how I felt when the title shot was taken away. Obviously, it sucked, but I’m to the point now where I’m just happy to be back fighting. I’m a fighter and I have been doing this all my life. I’ve never held a normal job and I’ve been competing since I was 10 years old. Fighting and competing is all I’ve done.

“To be out for a year, at a time when I had a roll going, was the most frustrating thing in the world. The featherweight title is very important and it is a goal I’ve wanted for a long time. But more than anything, I just want to fight.

“I’m in a good mood and have a great mindset. I honestly don’t feel a lot of pressure coming into this fight. People talk about me being out for over a year and cage rust, but I’m ready to get out there and have fun. I’m ready to go.”

On paper, the matchup between Koch and Lamas appears to be a classic “striking vs. grappling” affair. The Milwaukee-based fighter possesses nasty knockout power in his stand-up and working behind an aggressive attack has paid dividends throughout his young career.

Lamas, on the other hand, is a wrestler through and through. “The Bully” likes to push the pace and has found success using his wrestling in transitions and scrambles. Koch is looking forward to the challenge and believes his skill set will prove too much for the Chicago native to handle.

“I think I match up great with Lamas,” Koch said. “A lot of people think since I lost to Chad Mendes my wrestling is not good. I was a young kid and my wrestling wasn’t even the problem—it was my striking. I was over-commiting on my punches. I was trying to knock him out and fighting like a young wild kid. I was being dumb. Now, I’m much more collected with my thought process and more methodical.

“I don’t think Lamas is going to be able to take me down. I’ve always had good takedown defense; seven of my wins have come by submission. I’m no slouch on the ground. It is going to be a tough fight for him because he is going to realize wherever the fight goes—he doesn’t have the advantage.

“I wanted this matchup with Lamas because it is going to be a good fight and it puts me right there for a title shot. It gives me a chance to reclaim the shot I had and I definitely feel there is unfinished business in that department. I spent nine months training for Aldo. I want that fight bad. But I’m not looking past Ricardo and all my focus is on him. It shouldn’t be a sleeper fight by any means and I’m looking at it as the fight to become the No. 1 contender.”

The race for contention in the featherweight division is heating up. With former lightweight champions and contenders dropping down, the competitiveness of the 145-pound weight class is only going to increase, and Koch understands the urgency of the moment.

“I’m definitely excited about these guys dropping down from 155 pounds,” Koch said. “It adds more to the depth chart and brings more danger into the division. There is nothing better than being the champion of a bunch of bad-asses. I’m not here to fight in the weakest division. You give me a strong division and that’s awesome because when I’m champion, then I will be the strongest champion around.”

On Saturday night, Koch will have the unique opportunity to pick up exactly where he left off. If he is able to solve the challenges Lamas brings to the table, there is a good chance Koch will once again become the No. 1 contender. He wants to make a loud statement against Lamas and leave no question as to who the next contender should be.

“I’m coming back and it is long overdue,” Koch said. “I’m back in action and I’m looking to get the victory in impressive fashion. I don’t want to go to the judges’ cards. I want to knock Lamas out. I want to put a stamp on it and make it dominant. I let everyone know Erik Koch is here and there is a reason why I was the No. 1 contender. That is my goal and that is what I’m going to do.”

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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Vladimir Matyushenko Still Learning at 42 and Looking to Shed Gatekeeper Role

When you’re 42 years old and in the fight business, you usually are at the point of where you’re retired and either training fighters or out of the sport. Exceptions are out there like Randy Couture, Dan Henderson and Dan Severn. They are few and far b…

We can add another name to this list of fighters still continuing their careers. Vladimir Matyushenko, the former IFL light heavyweight champion, started fighting in 1997 and will continue his journey as he faces Ryan Bader at UFC on Fox 6.

As you get older, times change in the sport. The way you diet and cut weight is a big factor, as it is harder to lose weight when you get older. For Matyushenko, it is all about balance.

“I try to balance eating right and training hard,” Matyushenko told Bleacher Report. “I used to train two or three times a day. Sometimes you just don’t have the energy, so your forced to eat small portions of food.”

You hear stories from fighters who say they train up to four times a day. As you get older, though, that slows down due to the natural wear and tear of fighting. The native of Belarus feels when you are starting in the sport, you have to train more, but when you keep advancing in your career it does change.

“You have to train not necessarily harder, but smarter,” Matyushenko stated. “For up and comers, you have to train a lot. You have to spar a lot just to find your style and find who you are. With my age, I can just improve the style I have and sharpen them up. When I have to train as hard, you still have to be in shape. Recovery time is important. You have to train smarter, not harder.”

After being in the sport for 15 years, you would think there is nothing else to learn. For “The Janitor,” you have to keep learning to keep up with the new age of fighters.

“You have too (keep learning),” Matyushenko stated. “If you don’t then you are pretty much done. A few years ago, I didn’t have that material to work from. Now there’s so much material to learn from because there’s so many good fighters.”

At the age of 42, being an active fighter isn’t likely for a lot of fighters. For Matyushenko, retirement was supposed to happen a long time ago, but he feels MMA is cool and better now than it was 15 years ago.

“I thought about retirement ten years ago (laughing),” Matyushenko stated. “With the circumstances today, MMA is cool to do, especially where the UFC is right now. You don’t have to worry now about fighting for a paycheck and making sure the check doesn’t bounce from the bank. Now we have health insurance and stuff like that. I think all these things extend our life spans of being a fighter.”

His opponent, Ryan Bader, lost his last fight to Lyoto Machida by knockout at UFC on Fox 4 in August. Matyushenko feels they are similar fighters, but feels Bader is now in the prospect category due to losing big fights against Jon Jones and Machida.

“It depends on what he (Bader) thinks of himself,” Matyushenko stated. “He’s a prospect. He’s done being a contender. He had some good matches and in those matches, he lost. He did good in the beginning (of his career). I think a lack of experience, not just his overall, but his experience with Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida. Those are top guys.

“We are pretty similar fighters. I’m a wrestler, he’s a wrestler. He’s been working on his striking and has gotten a few knockouts in his career and so have I. It is a good matchup.”

Dana White has said in the past that if you get by Matyushenko, you are a serious contender in the light heavyweight division.

Jon Jones beat Matyushenko in August 2010, and Jones is currently the UFC light heavyweight champion. Alexander Gustafsson beat Matyushenko at UFC 141 in December 2011, and Gustafsson has main-evented a card, with a co-main event slot at UFC on Fox 5. That defines what a gatekeeper is in MMA. Matyushenko is looking to shed that title and make a run at the belt.

“What you want and what you got are two different things (laughing),” Matyushenko stated. “I want to be the champion. Some people think I’m god, but some people call me a gatekeeper and some call me the janitor. The only way I can change that is to improve my performance and become a champion. If I would have beaten Jon Jones, maybe I would be viewed differently.

“I have to shape myself up and show what I got. It is tougher to fight there (205 pound division) especially right now. A few guys from Strikeforce are coming over like (Gegard) Mousasi. It is going to to be interesting.”

Unless otherwise stated, all quotes were obtained firsthand.

You can follow me on Twitter @fightclubchi.

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