Ryan Bader’s Climb Back to Contention Begins with Matyushenko

In a sport like mixed martial arts, the education process is unique. When the moving parts are all firing in sync and victory is achieved, a fighter experiences the thrill of success and validation of sacrifices made. On the other hand, the learning cu…

In a sport like mixed martial arts, the education process is unique. When the moving parts are all firing in sync and victory is achieved, a fighter experiences the thrill of success and validation of sacrifices made. On the other hand, the learning curve can be a painful experience. A fighter battling through the ranks will ultimately meet a challenge he’s not quite ready for, and the race for potential to match progress suffers a setback for the time being.

It is in these moments where a fighter discovers if he has what it takes to gather himself and head back into the fray. UFC light heavyweight Ryan Bader is no stranger to the highs and lows of the education process, and once again finds himself preparing to climb back up the divisional mountain.

The former TUF winner has battled his way to the doorstep of title contention on two occasions in his young career, and both times has been turned back in disappointing fashion. Undeterred, the former Arizona State wrestling standout is prepared to jump back into the fire, to prove once and for all that he is one of the sport’s best fighters in the UFC’s “crown jewel” light heavyweight division.

That journey begins with Vladimir Matyushenko at UFC on Fox 6 in Chicago.

“I had a great camp and I’ve learned a lot in the process,” Bader told Bleacher Report. “I’ve worked a lot of my boxing and jiu-jitsu and put it all together. Vlad is a tough opponent. He is a strong wrestler that hits hard. He’s not as mobile as some of my past opponents, but he’s been in there with a lot of great fighters and has come out on top most of the time. I’m looking forward to this fight. I feel this a fight where I need to put everything together and I believe that I can.

“I think speed is going to be a factor. I feel I’m more mobile and quicker. We’ve been working on a lot of things I can really use in this fight. It is a good fight for me and I want to go in there, get the win, but I also want to look good doing it. I’ve said it in past interviews, but I haven’t really had a fight where I’ve looked back and was able to say, ‘that is who I am as a fighter.’ In every fight there has always been something that I didn’t really live up to in there as far as what I know I can do. I want this fight with Matyushenko to be something I can look back on and know that I finally put it all together. I want it to be a fight where I show the type of fighter I really am.”

“I’m going to be a new fighter,” Bader added. “I want to be better every time I go out there. I want my opponents looking at past film and being surprised when they see I’m not the same fighter since the last time I competed. That is my goal. I want to go out there, be a better fighter and put it all together. I’m coming into this fight with Vlad looking for the finish. I want to knock him out. I’m coming into this fight in great shape and definitely have the conditioning to push the action hard and finish Vladimir.”

Bader blitzed his way into the UFC fold by winning Season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter. The 29-year-old continued to build solid momentum as he collected victories in his next four outings, all coming against proven veterans of the sport. His success earned the PowerMMA co-owner a bout with another rising star Jon Jones, but after two rounds, Bader was handed the first loss of his professional career.

Looking to quickly regain his position in the division, Bader squared-off with MMA legend Tito Ortiz at UFC 132. In a shocking upset, the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” stunned the Arizona native with a short punch, followed by a fight-ending guillotine choke.

Back-to-back losses sent Bader back to the drawing board and forced him to take a hard look at the things he was doing to prepare. It was a decision which paid off as “Darth” bounced back strong and claimed two consecutive victories over the likes of Jason Brilz and former light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Defeating Jackson once again put Bader in the upper tier of the 205-pound weight class. He appeared to be one victory away from a title shot, but another setback in his next outing against Lyoto Machida pushed Bader to the back of the line. While losses along the way have been difficult, Bader has found a silver lining in the experiences and turned the negatives into positives.

“I’m young in this sport and have only been training for five years,” Bader said. “Four of my last five fights have been against champions or former champions. I’m fighting the best. I’m facing guys who have won world titles, defended them many times and are arguably some of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

“Getting in there with those guys is an experience. Granted, taking the losses aren’t fun, but it gives me so much more that I know I need to work on. It is a learning experience. Being in there with those guys, doing all the media, all the hype that comes with big fights, is a learning experience. Rampage, Machida and Tito Ortiz are all guys I watched coming up through high school and college. Facing those guys and being in those situations definitely helps for future fights.

“When I fought Jon Jones, he was somebody nobody else wanted to fight. Nobody really wants to fight Machida, but we always step up and take those fights. The UFC calls us and we step up and take those matchups. I took a couple of losses, but I know it will help in the long run. As I said earlier, it helps me progress…it really does. Going in there with tough guys who have looked unbeatable at times and scrapping it out boosts your confidence. It shows that you can go in there with anybody.

“In this sport you have an opportunity in a short amount of time to get right back up there. I’ve done it before. I came out and lost to Jon Jones. He is Jon Jones and he is a great fighter, but then I lost to Tito in a fight I wasn’t supposed to lose. I was definitely down about it but I came back and beat Jason Brilz and Rampage. Then I was fighting Machida for a No. 1 contender’s spot.

“Things happen fast in MMA. I’m not worried about getting back up there right now. I’m focused on winning the fight in front of me.”

As a physically-gifted athlete, certain aspects of mixed martial arts have come easily for Bader. His wrestling pedigree provided a great foundation for his transition into the sport, and the natural power he possesses made him a knockout threat.

That being said, the finer aspects of the fight game come with time, and Bader has shown tremendous improvement in his boxing skills, with his foot work and head movement coming along with marked progress. Often times in mixed martial arts, a wrestler will fall in love with his ability to land a one-shot knockout, but Bader is approaching his progress in the striking department with realistic expectations.

“It really started with the Jason Brilz fight,” Bader said about his progression in the stand-up game. “I really didn’t know what I was doing all the way up through Tito. I went out there with the mentality I was just going to try to punch this guy in the face. I had never really had a boxing coach. We thought we did, but didn’t know any better. We had guys who were holding mitts but that isn’t a boxing coach. After the Tito fight we made changes. We made changes as a team and brought in some real boxing coaches. In that short period of time between the Ortiz and Brilz fights, I improved more in that span than I had in the previous two years in my boxing. I went out there, looked good and got the knockout.

“Against Rampage, I felt my hands were a lot faster and I put some good combinations together. Obviously, the game plan wasn’t to go in there and box with him, but I felt a lot more comfortable in the exchanges. Going forward I feel I’m getting better and better with my hands. That being said, I’m not going to fall into a situation where I think I can box with everybody. It’s a new skill and I’m getting better at it, but I need to mix things up and make it fit with my strength, which is wrestling. They will complement one another and make things that much stronger.”

Potential and expectation can be a difficult weight for a fighter to carry. Bader has already proven his ability to dust himself off and get right back to handling business. While a victory over Matyushenko will not put him back in the heated race for title contention, it will be another opportunity to prove the progress continues.

At this point in his career, that is the only thing that matters.

 

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

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Ricardo Lamas Coming Home for UFC on Fox 6

Things in the UFC featherweight division are about to get downright nasty. Despite being one of the organization’s newest weight classes, the battle for contender status at 145 pounds has become intense. Over the next five weeks, nearly every fighter r…

Things in the UFC featherweight division are about to get downright nasty.

Despite being one of the organization’s newest weight classes, the battle for contender status at 145 pounds has become intense. Over the next five weeks, nearly every fighter ranked in the divisional Top 10 will step into the Octagon looking to take a step forward.

The bulk of this action will take place next Saturday night at UFC on Fox 6 in Chicago, where a collection of top featherweights will battle it out to determine who stays in the race and who goes to the back of the line.

Of the 145-pound matchups on the card, the fight carrying the most stock comes between Ricardo Lamas and Erik Koch. The bout has the potential to determine the next contender to the featherweight crown, and “The Bully” is looking to make the most of the opportunity.

If a high-profile fight on Fox with possible title implication were not enough to fire Lamas up, the bout taking place in his hometown certainly does the trick. The 30-year-old has Chicago roots, and the chance to throw down with Koch in front of a Windy City crowd has Lamas ready to get after it.

 “I’m definitely excited about fighting in Chicago,” Lamas told Bleacher Report. “I haven’t fought in front of a hometown crowd since 2008, before I got into the WEC. Being able to come back and fight in front of my hometown crowd in Chicago is an honor. I’m really happy they are letting me do it.

I think the way we match-up will make for a very exciting fight. He alone is an exciting fighter and I believe I am as well. When you put two fighters like that together you are going to get a very high-paced, high-action fight. Most likely there is going to be some blood. I would suggest that fans keep their eyes open and not to look away from this one.”

During his time in the WEC, Lamas had a successful campaign competing as a lightweight. But when he transitioned into the UFC, Lamas began his new chapter as a featherweight. The decision paid dividends as he has collected three consecutive victories at 145 pounds, with his most recent coming over Hatsu Hioki this past June.

The Japanese fighter was considered by most to be the No. 2-ranked featherweight in the world going into the fight, but after an impressive performance by Lamas, the former Division Three All-American exited the Octagon with a new burst of momentum.

That being said, the featherweight division has been slow to pick up steam with the UFC fanbase, and Lamas is admittedly one of featherweight’s lesser-known commodities. Undeterred, he understands that while he may not be a household name with the fans, the biggest organization in the sport certainly give him his due.

“I don’t think I’m being overlooked,” Lamas said. “I believe I’m getting some of the credit I deserve because they are matching me up with some high-level competition. That says something. That says the UFC believes in me and that I deserve to be in there with the top guys.

As far as the regular fan knowing me; that isn’t so important to me right now. I’m here to fight and be the best that I can. Being well known comes second to that.”

A victory over Koch would make a strong case for Lamas to earn a title shot. The Duke Roufus-trained fighter was originally slated to face champion Jose Aldo at UFC 153 before he was forced to withdraw due to injury. Following Koch’s withdraw, Lamas was offered the position opposite Aldo—which he accepted.

Ultimately the UFC decided to change directions and tapped former lightweight champion Edgar to take Koch’s place. The bout was scrapped entirely when Aldo suffered an injury, but the “super fight” drew enough heat with the fanbase for the organization to put the fight on a later card at UFC 156.

Much like Lamas, the 24-year-old Koch is riding a win streak of his own. “New Breed” has collected four consecutive victories but has not competed inside the Octagon for over 17 months. Lamas getting a win over the Milwaukee native will put him high on the list of potential contenders, but he also understands, much like the previous incident, it is a decision entirely beyond his control.

“I’m at the point in my career where I want to make a run at the title,” Lamas said. “I feel I’m at that stage where I can make a serious run at this thing, give it my best, and see what happens. But a [title shot]is something the UFC will decide and it is not really up to me. One thing I’ve learned a long time ago from my old college coach in wrestling is to never look past the match you have right in front of you. Right now I’m not even thinking about a title shot or anything like that. I’m 100% focused on Erik Koch.”

The bout between Lamas and Koch will put the spotlight on the featherweight division and kick off a fantastic run of matchups that will keep the eyes of the MMA world locked on the weight class. It is a defining time for the young division, and with fighters who were elite-level lightweights choosing to drop down, Lamas feels it is only going to make the competition at 145 pounds that much stronger.

“There are a lot of guys dropping down from 155-pounds like [Clay] Guida and Frankie Edgar,” Lamas said. “With these guys coming down I think it is going to be a very challenging weight class and there are a lot of great guys already competing at 145-pounds. It is going to make for some exciting match-ups and there are going to be a lot of great fights for fans to watch. “

 

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

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Chris Lytle Looks Back at Career, Moves Forward with New Endeavor

It is a rare occurrence in mixed martial arts to see a fighter walk away on his own terms. Far too many times in the past, things have gone in the complete opposite direction. Competitors who were once iron-chinned warriors, left crumpled on the canvas…

It is a rare occurrence in mixed martial arts to see a fighter walk away on his own terms. Far too many times in the past, things have gone in the complete opposite direction. Competitors who were once iron-chinned warriors, left crumpled on the canvas, caught in a strange paradox where the spirit still lives for the fight but the body can no longer hold up.

Just like that, a fighter people couldn’t wait to see step into the cage is the person the same people hope to never see compete again.

Chris Lytle refused to travel that route.

After making a career out of trading leather at all costs and becoming one of the most exciting fighters in the sport, the Indianapolis native knew it was time to call it quits. It wasn’t an easy decision to make by any means, but when the 38-year-old weighed his career in the sport against the life he had beyond the lights, Lytle knew without question where his full attention belonged.

Once that decision was made, the full-time fireman poured every ounce of his attention and energy into one final curtain call. The fight came against British slugger Dan Hardy in the main event of UFC on Versus 5 in Milwaukee, Wisc.

Leading up to the fight, both men showed a tremendous amount of respect and agreed to settle business on the feet. For three rounds that is exactly how the action played out until Lytle caught Hardy in a guillotine choke to end the fight late in the third round.

To cap it all off in proper fashion, Lytle was also awarded “Submission of the Night” and “Fight of the Night” honors, which brought his fight night bonus total to 10, and became the perfect platform for Lytle to make his exit.

“It was hard to get away, but for me, the last fight against Hardy was about as good as it gets,” Lytle told Bleacher Report. “It never was a factor of me wanting to quit the sport. But I started to realize more and more that I was neglecting a lot of my family duties.

“Being out with surgeries and spending more time at home, these became clear to me. I wasn’t around my kids like I wanted to be and I felt guilty about it.

“I started training for the Dan Hardy fight and I just couldn’t shake the feeling that I should not be training and should be spending my time with my family. You can’t fight in this sport like that. I sat down with my wife and we talked.

“I decided it was going to be my last fight and after that decision I allowed myself to dedicate every second of my life to that fight because I knew it was going to be my last. After I that fight and the way it ended, it couldn’t have been better. I got to go out there and bang it out for three rounds and submit him at the end. It was a perfect ending to my career.

“I knew going in that I had put everything I possibly could into the sport. I was never going to move my family and me staying here, working a full-time job while I was training, I did everything I could to be successful. I knew I was going to be satisfied when I left the sport but the way it ended was just perfect.

“I definitely look back at my time in the sport and I’m satisfied. If I had gotten knocked out in my last four or five fights I’m sure it would have been different. If those things happen I’m sure you think the way it ended sucks and you won’t have good memories of it coming to a close. That’s not what I have here and I’m very happy how it all played out.

“Now I’m looking to start the next thing. Too many keep fighting, thinking it is a good thing for them and that is when things get bad. They hang around too long and that wasn’t going to happen with me. I wanted to go out on my terms, not when the UFC told me to leave.”

The Future of Indy MMA

For the majority of his career, Lytle was one of a handful of fighters competing out of Indianapolis. While other areas around the country were experiencing the MMA boom and gyms began popping up out of nowhere, Indiana’s capital city remained quietly in the shadows.

Lytle saw great potential in his training partners and other fighters from the area. He knew his name would help put the city on the map in mixed martial arts, but the next wave of fighters coming up like UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione and TUF alum Shamar Bailey, have what it takes to push Indianapolis MMA to the next level.

“It’s fantastic,” Lytle said. “I never wanted to be a big fish in a small pond. You get better when you have better people around you. The more people trained together, every one got better, and more of our people started making it to the UFC level. It’s definitely good to see how much it is progressing and rewarding to see something you helped start take off like it has.

“I was just the first fighter to get out there and put our name on the map and then it blossomed from there. When you get people training together who all want the same things, you are going to see some success. I’m glad for what for what everybody is doing. Even though I’m not out there doing it as much any more, it still makes me very happy.”

The Next Chapter

On the night of this interview, I came out to support Lytle‘s latest endeavor as the head of an upstart promotion called Midwest Fighting Series. With his time competing in the sport behind him, Lytle has turned his efforts towards further helping the mixed martial arts scene in Indianapolis blossom.

When I walk through the doors I catch a glimpse of Lytle in full-on promoter mode. It’s a great crowd and the man himself is looking presidential: shaking hands, taking pictures, and operating with the general politeness and ease Lytle has always carried himself with.

As a long-time Indiana resident, it makes me proud to see fans turn out and great to know Lytle did his part to help bring the show to them.

Many promoters get into the sport looking for the cash grab, but this just isn’t the way Lytle does business. For him, what matters most is presenting young fighters with an opportunity to develop the right way and he believes it is something that has been missing for years.

“Even though I retired, I have still been involved in the sport,” Lytle said. “I’ve still been training people. The guys who helped me get ready for my fights, I like to help them get ready for theirs. One thing I learned in the boxing realm, if you don’t have a place to put on fights, to help take care of you and develop you as a fighter, you are going to be going into other people’s backyards.

“You are going to have to go into other people’s promotions where you are the guy who is not supposed to win. You might be able to eke out a few wins, but it is much easier to develop a good fighter if you have somewhere to develop your skills in the right way.

“I don’t want the guys from Indianapolis being brought over to Cincinnati to get beat up on. I want them to fight right here and be brought along the right way. Then when they are ready to take the next step they can get out there and get after it.

“This promotion is more or less me trying to do my part for the next generation of fighters coming out of Indianapolis. We have a great venue here and I’m not giving these guys easy fights. I’m giving them fights that make sense. We may have guys who will be 5-5 but it will be because they fought 10 tough guys.

“Being brought along the right way makes a world of difference in this sport now. I want to put guys in there who have the same amount of experience and that is all we are trying to do.”

Over the course of my career covering MMA, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Lytle on numerous occasions. Anyone who has ever done so understands it is never much of an actual interview as it is sitting and talking to a man who loves being a part of the sport.

At one point in our conversation, we talked about a recent interview I had done with middleweight prospect Chris Camozzi. In the interview, the Colorado native described Lytle‘s style and love for the scrap, as something he greatly admired.

For the surging 185-pound fighter, wins and losses didn’t matter. Only showing up to fight your heart out and it is the only thing Lytle ever knew how to do.

“That is the biggest compliment I can get,” he said. “I want more people to fight like that because I believe that is the way the sport should be. What is going to destroy the sport is point fighting. It happens all the time in boxing where guys land a few jabs and go on the defensive. I don’t want to watch that.

“I want to see two guys go in there and try to take each other out. That was my mentality and the way I believe the sport should be. When people recognize, appreciate, and model that, there isn’t a bigger compliment in the world.”

While Lytle insisted our interview could carry on a bit longer, it wasn’t difficult to see how much the night’s event required him elsewhere. The crowd wanted to see him. The fans wanted pictures and the fighter/politician/promoter is never one to disappoint. That being said, I knew I had to launch one final “Hail Mary” towards the end zone, simply hoping he’d go up and get it.

Since his retirement in August 2011, Lytle has been asked countless times if he would ever be willing to return to the UFC. He’s always left the door slightly ajar, because even if it’s only open a crack, it is still technically open. Knowing the space was there to get something through, I played fantasy matchmaker.

With Lytle having 10 fight night bonuses and lightweight Joe Lauzon recently claiming his 12th, I put together a hypothetical catch weight match-up between the two ruckus-loving veterans, with the winner having the fight night bonus named in their honor. I wanted to see if this would be enough to get his interest, but in proper Lytle fashion, he went about it on his terms.

“I like it,” Lytle laughed. “You’re an ideas guy and that is a good one. Here is the only thing: I’m not willing to train very much. I’ve always told people who have asked me if I’d come back, it would only happen if somebody like Nick Diaz, B.J. Penn or Carlos Condit, guys I’d love to fight, if their opponents got hurt last minute, I’d step in.

“But it couldn’t be three weeks out from the fight. It would have to be the last week where there was no training. Oh no training? I’m in. Then Dana can call me up. Hey can you fight tomorrow? I’m there.

“If those circumstances were there in a fight against Lauzon, then I’d do it. I’d be like ‘C’mon Joe, let’s do it and it would be fun’. I like Joe a lot. I’ll be the guy who only fights when they need something tomorrow. If that were the case I’d have to change my nickname from Lights Out to Last Minute Lytle. You need something last minute? I’m your man.”

 

 

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

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Andrew Craig Looking to Make a Statement Against Markes in Brazil

Taking a fight in hostile territory has proven to shake even the most experienced fighters, but it is becoming routine for Andrew Craig. The middleweight upstart made his UFC debut defeating Australian Kyle Noke in front of the TUF alum’s countrymen, a…

Taking a fight in hostile territory has proven to shake even the most experienced fighters, but it is becoming routine for Andrew Craig. The middleweight upstart made his UFC debut defeating Australian Kyle Noke in front of the TUF alum’s countrymen, and this weekend at UFC on FX 7, the Houston native will travel to Sao Paulo to face Brazilian Ronny Markes.

The bout will be the biggest of his young career. While facing the Nova Uniao-trained grappler presents an interesting challenge, fighting in front of a passionate Brazilian crowd will only serve to up the intensity of the moment. That being said, victory is the only thing that matters to Craig, and he intends to get the job done by any means necessary.

“Winning is what matters,” Craig told Bleacher Report. “I don’t care what it looks like. It can be a clean win, slow win, fast or ugly; winning is what matters the most. I don’t care. I’m just out there to win fights. I know it’s going to be a little wild going down there, but it doesn’t change anything. He’s still just a man and all we are doing is fighting in a cage.

“I think this fight is like a lot of other matchups I’ve had, but Markes is just a little bit better in all areas. I’ve fought against big, strong grapplers in the past, the only difference is this guy is a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger of a grappler. But I’m confident going into this fight. I’ve been training with Tim Kennedy since October, helping him get ready for his fight, and there aren’t many guys in the 185-pound division as good as he is. I’m feeling confident man. I don’t think this guy is going to bring much to the table I’m not used to.”

Success on the regional MMA scene in Texas earned the 26-year-old the opportunity to fight inside the Octagon, and he’s made the most of every step. Following his victory over Noke, Craig squared off with Rafael Natal at UFC on Fuel TV 4. Despite a rough start where Craig found himself on the business end of exchanges with Natal, he landed a stunning head-kick knockout to claim the come-from-behind victory in the second frame.

While back-to-back wins and an unblemished record have the Texan continuing to build momentum in the UFC ranks, Craig acknowledges there is still much work to be done. Fighting on the sport’s biggest stage can be an overwhelming experience, but Craig is starting to settle in and is looking to put himself on the divisional map by getting the win this weekend in Brazil.

“I absolutely believe I can make a statement with a victory over Markes,” Craig said. “I think my two wins in the UFC have kind of gone under the radar. My first was against Kyle Noke, an Australian in Australia. It was on a Fuel undercard and the one against Natal was on Facebook. There are a lot of people who aren’t familiar with me and my fighting style. I think beating a guy like Ronny will make a big statement for me.

“I’m coming off a win but I still got my ass beat during the fight. Even though I won, I was still a little down about my performance. It’s obviously a little bit louder in the Octagon and there is more pressure, but I’m learning to take those things in stride. This next fight should be the biggest one yet. It will be against a Brazilian in Brazil, but I’m feeling more and more comfortable in there. I’m getting to the point where I’m more excited than I am nervous. I’m getting there man.”

A victory over Markes this weekend, will put Craig among the next wave of fighters looking to make an impact in the middleweight division. While the weight class is ruled by the most dominant champion in UFC history in Anderson Silva, the climb to the top of the 185-pound weight class has proven to be a slippery slope.

Potential contenders continue to rise and fall in high frequency, and with the Strikeforce middleweights set to enter the picture, Craig believes the weight class is about to heat up.

“I think this division is wide open,” Craig said. “There are so many tough guys in this division and guys like Tim Kennedy, Jacare and Rockhold coming in from Strikeforce are only going to make it that much more competitive. A lot of people used to scoff at the 185-pound division, but now I think it is the best it has ever been.”

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Jose Aldo: ‘This Fight Is a Chance to Prove What I Can Do’

The term “superfight” has been thrown around the MMA scene a lot over the past several months.Potential bouts between the sport’s pound-for-pound best have certainly created a buzz, but with the majority of the matchups never material…

The term “superfight” has been thrown around the MMA scene a lot over the past several months.

Potential bouts between the sport’s pound-for-pound best have certainly created a buzz, but with the majority of the matchups never materializing past the rumor stage, it appears fans will have to put those hopes on hold.

While the collection of Anderson Silva, Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre have yet to work out a timeline for their eventual showdowns, two UFC champions, one current/one former, are set to handle business in a matter of weeks when featherweight title holder Jose Aldo squares off with Frankie Edgar at UFC 156 on Feb. 2 in Las Vegas.

During his title reign in the lightweight division, the Toms River, N.J., native showed an unbreakable resolve as he collected victories over two of the sport’s best 155-pound fighters in BJ Penn and Gray Maynard.

But after his win over “The Bully” at UFC 136, Edgar dropped back-to-back close decision losses to Benson Henderson. The final setback came at UFC 150 in Denver, and shortly after, “The Answer” decided to test the waters in the featherweight division.

Edgar was rumored to make his 145-pound debut against Ricardo Lamas, but after No. 1 contender Erik Koch dropped out of his bout with Aldo at UFC 153, the UFC tapped the former lightweight champion to step in against the Brazilian phenom.

Unfortunately, the fight would ultimately be scrapped due to Aldo suffering a foot injury. But with the buzz over the long-awaited superfight between Aldo and Edgar still high, the UFC decided to reschedule the bout for UFC 156 on Super Bowl weekend.

“Frankie Edgar is a great athlete,” Aldo told Bleacher Report through a translator. “It will be an honor to have the chance to fight against him. He is a great fighter, and if the victory comes, it will be a big achievement. As always, I’m going to keep the fight moving and trying to do my best. This fight is a chance to prove what I can do.”

In past matchups, Edgar had a definitive speed advantage. The 31-year-old has made a career out of using elusive footwork to set up both his striking and wrestling attacks.

Facing Aldo will present a unique set of challenges. The Nova Uniao product is undoubtedly one of the sport’s quickest fighters, and his diverse striking game is as dangerous as they come.

Aldo has worked to prepare for every threat Edgar brings to the table, including having friend and Edgar rival Maynard come to Brazil to train with his team at Nova Uniao on multiple occasions. While “Junior” isn’t overlooking the skills his opponent possesses, he is hoping to showcase a few new tools in this fight.

“Maynard is a great guy,” Aldo said. “It was an honor to train by his side. I also train with the Brazilian wrestling team doing a specific job for a long time. I will do my best to surprise everybody. I am training very hard. Anything can happen in a fight, and I can’t underestimate my opponent.”

Aldo is commonly referred to as one of the sport’s pound-for-pound best, and it is a status that comes with merit. The 26-year-old is in the midst of a 14-fight win streak which includes victories over top competition such as Urijah Faber, Kenny Florian, Cub Swanson and Chad Mendes.

During his title reign, the division has started to take shape. With former lightweight champions and contenders like Edgar and Clay Guida dropping down to 145 pounds, the weight class is only going to become more competitive.

It is a challenge Aldo is looking forward to, and he welcomes the lightweight fighter coming down to the featherweight division.

“Yes, for sure,” Aldo replied when asked if he was excited to see big names come down to featherweight. “I love fighting, and with the division growing, more challenges are going to appear.”

 

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

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Michael Chandler Ready for Hawn, Excited for Next Chapter on Spike TV

The wait is almost over for Michael Chandler.After blitzing his way through the Bellator lightweight tournament and toppling one of the world’s best at 155 pounds in 2011, the following year was at the opposite end of the spectrum. The former Missouri …

The wait is almost over for Michael Chandler.

After blitzing his way through the Bellator lightweight tournament and toppling one of the world’s best at 155 pounds in 2011, the following year was at the opposite end of the spectrum. The former Missouri wrestling standout had only one showing in 2012, a non-title bout against Akihiro Gono, where it only took Chandler 54 seconds of work to get the job done.

It was no doubt an impressive performance against a seasoned veteran, but Chandler was eager to keep his progress rolling. When Olympic judoka Rick Hawn emerged as the winner of Bellator’s sixth lightweight tournament, the 26-year-old champion finally had his next assignment. But with the promotion’s preparing to roll out a new format with Spike TV in 2013, the organization’s two top lightweights were put on the shelf until the new year.

The young champion will finally get the opportunity to defend his title when he mixes it up with Hawn this Thursday night at Bellator 85.

“I had a great camp and I’ve made a lot of improvements,” Chandler told Bleacher Report. “I haven’t really taken any time off since my last fight and I’ve spent a lot of time in the gym. I’m still healthy, happy, and young. I’m feeling better than ever and believe I’m going to be the best fighter I’ve ever been.”

While both men have progressed to become well-rounded mixed martial artists, the matchup will potentially boil down to their respective pedigrees. Chandler is a former All-American wrestler who has transitioned his mat skills to become an aggressive takedown artist inside the cage. When you add in his continued progression in the striking and submission aspects of the game, it is easy to see why there is so much buzz surrounding the Missouri-native. 

The same can be said for Hawn. The 36-year-old has added a powerful striking game to his world-class judo skills, and has proven to be dangerous wherever the fight takes place. That being said, Chandler believes his overall skill set will be too much for the Oregon-native to handle, and is looking forward to locking up with the Team Tri-Star fighter.

“Not to discredit Rick, but I feel like I’m more talented in every aspect of fighting,” Chandler said. “He’s a great competitor, and a tough guy, but I feel like I’ve progressed and my stand up and wrestling skills are just a little bit better. I’m in great shape and prepared to push the pace for 25 minutes if I have to. I’ll be looking for the finish and I don’t see why I won’t be able to beat him up pretty bad, wear him down, and hopefully get the finish later on in the fight. That is kind of the plan. Again, not to discredit him at all. He does have Olympic level judo, but that is something I believe my wrestling is going to be able to counteract very well. Obviously he has a good right hand he’s been able to knock a couple of guys out with. I need to stay away from that, stick and move, get in and out, and win the fight.

“I was never an upper body wrestler. I am a shooter. I get in on your legs and take you down. I think overall body awareness and knowing exactly where I need to be makes a big difference. Knowing how much weight to put on each foot or where I need to put my hands are things I’m very good at. Obviously with the wrestling background those are things that come naturally.

“His judo is great but I don’t see him using it a ton against me,” Chandler added. “It’s not like he’s throwing everybody on their heads. Granted it happens, but he isn’t out there dumping people on their heads every single fight. He does get some good take downs with trips, but I just don’t see those things happening to me with the amount of wrestling I’ve had. I’m excited to see. I could talk to you in two weeks and say, ‘how bout that time he threw me on my head.’ Who knows what is going to happen?”

Since winning the Bellator lightweight title, Chandler has made the transition of switching his training from Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas to Alliance MMA in San Diego. In a sport of constant evolution like mixed martial arts, it is crucial for a fighter to continue to progress his talents. Often times, that requires getting new looks and insights and Chandler felt the move was necessary to keep his growth as a fighter rolling in the right direction.

“It’s been a great experience,” Chandler said. “Training in Las Vegas at Xtreme Couture was awesome and I was there for almost two years. But now I’m training at Alliance and there are new coaches and training partners I have to work with. There are always a ton of different people to learn from and people that are pushing me to get better. No one takes it easy on me at all. It’s been a great fit for me and I feel like it was a great decision to come down here. I haven’t looked back since and I definitely feel like it was the right decision. I’ve gotten a ton better and I can’t complain one bit.”

When Chandler and Hawn step into the cage this Thursday night in California, it will be the premier showcase of Bellator’s debut on Spike TV. Both the promotion and the network have big plans for the coming year, and are looking to make a major impact on the MMA landscape in 2013. For a surging fighter like Chandler, the partnership presents many interesting opportunities and he’s excited to reach a the new audience Spike TV presents.

“It is a great opportunity to fight on a big stage,” Chandler said. “It’s the biggest stage I’ve ever been on and it’s exciting. I’m ready to go out there and perform. It’s exciting to go out there and fight for the fans who have been with me since the start, the fans I’ve picked up along the way, and the new ones who haven’t really watched a ton of Bellator because it has been on ESPN Deportes, Fox Sports, and MTV2. Now it is on Spike. When you talk about being able to reach a ton of people, Spike TV makes that possible. I’m pretty excited about the situation.”

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