UFC lightweight Jamie Varner is looking at four men in the division he thinks can get him closer to the title, and prime among them is Brazilian Rafael Dos Anjos. Varner recently defeated Melvin Guillard at UFC 155 in Las Vegas and has put his UFC care…
UFC lightweight Jamie Varner is looking at four men in the division he thinks can get him closer to the title, and prime among them is Brazilian Rafael Dos Anjos.
Varner recently defeated Melvin Guillard at UFC 155 in Las Vegas and has put his UFC career back on track following a submission loss to Joe Lauzon in August.
The former WEC champ spoke to MMAJunkie.com Radio, saying, “I think Dos Anjos is on a streak, so he may be on my radar more so than anyone else.”
Varner, 28, has been fighting professionally since 2003, but he only made his UFC debut last year when he upset the odds and beat top contender EdsonBarboza via TKO in the first round. Barboza was undefeated in his 10 fight career until he was stopped by Varner—an outcome that catapulted the latter into the upper echelons of the stacked 155-pound division.
Just how stacked and unpredictable that division truly is came into sharp view when Varner failed to get passed Joe Lauzon in his next match. Varner, however, isn’t dwelling on the past and has his eyes firmly set on a future title shot.
“I’m not going to try to mess with the UFC and tell them that I want a certain matchup,” he said. “I definitely want that [Lauzon] fight back. But I want to fight every guy that I lost to, and I’m hoping that I get a shot at all of them.”
He told MMAJunkie.com Radio that in his next fight, he’s looking for an opponent who will get him one step closer to the No. 1 contender’s spot. That could be Dos Anjos, who recently defeated Mark Bocek to cap three wins in a row; or TJ Grant, who recently beat Evan Dunham at UFC 152; or handsome Matt Wiman, who is coming off a win against Paul Sass in September; or even British lightweight Ross Pearson, who defeated George Sotiropoulos at the final of the TUF: Smashes TV series.
For now, however, Varner will have to wait as he nurses a thumb injury he picked up during the Guillard fight. He isn’t expected to return to the Octagon until April.
If there was anyone your typical MMA follower was predisposed to write off in 2012, it was Jamie Varner. The man who once ruled the roost of the WEC, Varner had endured the worst two years of his near-decade long career in 2010 and 2011. In the aforeme…
If there was anyone your typical MMA follower was predisposed to write off in 2012, it was Jamie Varner. The man who once ruled the roost of the WEC, Varner had endured the worst two years of his near-decade long career in 2010 and 2011.
In the aforementioned 24-month stretch, Varner notched two victories. He also dropped four bouts and walked away with a rare draw on his ledger after tangling with KamalShalorus at WEC 49. The slide marked a clear career-low for the MMA Lab standout and seemed to signal—if not give birth to many an internet rumor—an early exit from the sport.
But last year something changed in Varner’s life. The man transitioned from a visibly shaky competitor with an obvious lack of confidence to a matured, stable dude willing to engage in supreme physical warfare. Gone are the self-signaled timeouts and exaggeration of perceived illegal blows (Varner’s bout with Donald Cerrone at WEC 38 comes to mind). Having arrived in place is a man who’s displayed a respectable measure of gall and determination.
I’d bet even former rival Donald Cerrone would praise Varner’s ability to turn the corner as he managed last year. I’m not confident many felt such a feat possible for the polarizing Arizonian.
Varner’s become a man who looks more intent on working to be the best that he can possibly be than being the “superstar” that his public persona once suggested he aspired to be. That’s a commendable shift in personality. It’s a sign of maturation, and as effective as Varner’s has sometimes been in the past, mental development has always seemed his most glaring fault.
Well, faults be cast aside. We’re eyeing a new “C-4,” version 2.0 if you will. This kid comes to swing hard, work hard and push himself to the brink of disaster, and he does so for the victory as well as the fans. Jamie’s always yearned for positive reception, but that old brash demeanor had previously held him back, hampering the embrace of the crowd.
Jamie has battled to win the crowd over, and he’s done a fantastic job of it.
Varner logged three victories against a lone defeat in 2012. That single defeat was dealt by the fists of Joe Lauzon in what was, in my personal opinion, the greatest fight of 2012. Varner was stopped midway through the third round when Lauzon managed to secure a tight triangle choke, but he was competitive and gutsy up until the final moment. Rocked on numerous occasions, offensively effective on numerous occasions, Varner was in that fight—one he took on short notice—until the end. It was in no way a loss to incite shame.
As for the three victories “C-4” snagged in 2012, those too were relatively impressive.
Varner kicked off the year by disposing of the inconsistent but highly experienced Drew Fickett at Xtreme Fighting Championships 16. He put the veteran away in 40 seconds and earned another chance with the UFC. It was a second lease on career life that he refused to mismanage.
Highly touted knockout artist EdsonBarboza welcomed Varner back into the UFC (he’d been distanced from the promotion since UFC 68) fold at UFC 146. Fans, pundits and likely even UFC brass viewed Varner as little more than a lamb led to slaughter, but Varner believed in his abilities, and if anyone wasn’t counting the man out (other than bold betters) of the fight, it was he himself.
Varner rendered Barboza helpless, teetering on the brink of consciousness in just over three minutes.
The fight marked the rebirth of a fighter with an affluence of potential.
Since UFC 146, Jamie’s looked like a man fit to fill a slot on any Pay-Per-View the promotion can assemble. The fight with Lauzon far exceeded any simple gratification; it was absolutely enthralling. His subsequent showdown with Melvin Guillard at UFC 155 offered plenty of scintillating moments, and reminded fans that Varner’s a legitimately well-rounded fighter.
Again, Jamie defied odds as he outworked and outmuscled the dangerous Guillard en route to a clear unanimous verdict. There was one judge, Adalaide Byrd, who mysteriously scored the bout in Melvin’s favor, three rounds to nill.
I’ve never been a huge fan of Varner’s, but as he himself told Bleacher Report months ago, “I’m not trying to live my life looking in the rearview mirror.” Varner’s okay in my book and his newfound willingness to dump every ounce of his being into the combat that transpires in the cage is enough to keep me excited to see him fight.
If Varner showcased an ability to lose fans, he utilized 2012 to his greatest abilities and proved that the best way to regain some of those departed fans in the world of MMA is to fight your ass off.
The TUF 16 finale card is probably the best FX or Fuel TV card we’ve had all year. Five fights, several fan favorites and lots of bouts that, on paper, are sure to excite. I loved having this assignment. Really, there are plenty of options. I could hav…
The TUF 16 finale card is probably the best FX or Fuel TV card we’ve had all year. Five fights, several fan favorites and lots of bouts that, on paper, are sure to excite.
I loved having this assignment. Really, there are plenty of options.
I could have gone with Johnny Bedford vs. Marcos Vinicius. That fight has two guys that have a combined 38 wins, only four of them coming by decision. Both scored knockout victories in their UFC debuts, and in the bantamweight division, you know it’s going to be fast-paced.
I could have gone with the TUF 16 finals between Mike Ricci and Colton Smith. Ricci is generally regarded as the favorite and, as a product of TriStar, is going to come into the fight incredibly well-trained and well-coached. Seeing how he handles a strong wrestler in Colton Smith, and if he can become the next big welterweight from the Montreal gym, should be quite enjoyable.
I could have picked Nick Catone vs. TJ Waldburger. Those are two little-known, but incredibly skilled welterweights. Catone arguably beat Mark Munoz and absolutely wrecked Costa Philippou at middleweight, and could quickly make a big impact at 170 lbs. Waldburger, meanwhile, is 3-2 in the UFC, but actually beat Strikeforce’s Pat Healy in 2009 and has a very strong submission game.
All great fights, but as you probably noticed from that image up there, I opted for Melvin Guillard vs. Jamie Varner. Why, you ask?
Well, we already know that Melvin Guillard is a great striker. He owns a load of knockout victories over his many years fighting in the UFC, many of which are sure to find their way to the screen during the coverage of the event.
We also already know (but many have forgotten) that Jamie Varner is no stranger to striking. While he’s been trying very hard over the last few years to be a wrestler, Varner is a very solid pure boxer. Since returning to Zuffa after being cut from the WEC, he is 1-1, with his win coming via TKO over the much-hyped spin-kicker EdsonBarboza, and his loss coming after a strong effort against Joe Lauzon.
Both fighters have very strong chins. Guillard‘s latest fight against Donald Cerrone is his lone knockout loss in an 11-year career. Jamie Varner has never been knocked out, in spite of fighting against some very strong strikers such as Barboza, Cerrone (twice), Ben Henderson and Marcus Hicks.
While Varner has wrestling chops, and grappling has always been a huge weakness in Guillard‘s game, as somebody training with a team with as many strong grapplers as the Blackzilians, I’d wager that he is going to be very capable of keeping the fight standing. Varner may or may not come into the fight planning to strike, but his wrestling game is probably not good enough for him to realistically expect to lay-and-pray Guillard.
Even if Varner demonstrates better wrestling than I’m giving him credit for, the way he has been fighting and the manner in which he is tackling his career right now is not just to win. Varner is fighting to excite, and if things go to the ground, expect him to look for the finish.
Long story short, these are two fighters with exciting styles that are both going to be looking for finishes. I see very few ways this bout could pan out poorly, and so many ways it could end up being just as good as, if not better than, Varner‘s fight with Lauzon.
There are two men that have made triumphant returns to the UFC this year and have made for the feel-good stories of 2012. Those two men are Mike Swick and Jamie Varner.Varner, a former WEC champion, had to earn his way into the UFC despite being on the…
There are two men that have made triumphant returns to the UFC this year and have made for the feel-good stories of 2012. Those two men are Mike Swick and Jamie Varner.
Varner, a former WEC champion, had to earn his way into the UFC despite being on the WEC roster when it was absorbed.
He found himself in a stall at the end of the WEC, going winless in his final four bouts. In addition to drawing with KamalShalorus, he dropped the title before that fight to Benson Henderson and lost back-to-back against Donald Cerrone and Shane Roller.
The loss to Roller was at WEC 53, the final event in the company’s history. With that, he was not brought over to the UFC and was forced to find work in the regional scene.
He would win his first fight since the cut, submitting Tyler Combs quickly. That small amount of momentum was halted when he was decisioned against eventual The Ultimate Fighter contestant Dakota Cochrane in the Titan Fighting Championship promotion.
Varner then took work with the XFC, another top regional promotion in the United States. In a combined one minute and 49 seconds of action, Varner submitted Drew Fickett with punches and knocked out Nate Jolly.
Then, the biggest call he could receive came. Evan Dunham was injured, and the UFC wanted Varner to replace him against top lightweight prospect EdsonBarboza.
With limited time to prepare and many people not giving him a chance, Varner still said yes and got to work.
With 25 days to prepare, in comparison to the multiple months Barboza spent getting in fighting shape, Varner came into UFC 146 and knocked out the powerful Brazilian striker in less than one round.
It was a shocking ending, one that hoisted Varner back into the spotlight. A once-forgotten lightweight star had reintroduced himself to the fight world.
Although he lost in his latest outing against Joe Lauzon, a fight that was also fought on short notice, Varner‘s story is one of the best of the year. He went from down in the dumps to gaining big-time fights in no time.
Mike Swick‘s story is maybe even more feel good than that of Varner. Swick was viewed as a top contender a few years ago and then was halted by medical problems.
A stomach disease kept Swick out of action for a very long time, draining his muscle mass and restricting his diet.
A year later, in 2011, it seemed it was time for Swick to return against David Mitchell. Although Mitchell would get injured, Swick would pull out of the fight, as well, due to his stomach ailment not being fully healed.
Back on the mend, Swick would attempt to return again in late 2011 at UFC 134 against Erick Silva. While it seemed that he had left the stomach disease behind, Swick then suffered a knee injury which kept him out of action again.
It seemed as if Swick were never again going to fight. Between the stomach ailment and numerous injuries, the man could not catch a break.
Finally, a year after dropping out of UFC 134, Swick returned to the UFC, with a highlight-reel knockout of DaMarques Johnson. The fight was his first in two-and-a-half years.
The win was monumental. The welterweight striker showed that he still had talent despite the huge layoff.
For Swick and Varner, 2012 has been a blessed year. That is why they have the two most feel-good stories of the year.
Recent UFC Fight of the Night bonus winner Jamie Varner fell short in his bout against Joe Lauzon at UFC on Fox 4, but his wallet is now $50,000 thicker following the highly entertaining contest. Varner, who had only recently made his return to the U…
Recent UFC Fight of the Night bonus winner Jamie Varner fell short in his bout against Joe Lauzon at UFC on Fox 4, but his wallet is now $50,000 thicker following the highly entertaining contest.
Varner, who had only recently made his return to the UFC after nearly five years out of the promotion, has seemingly resurrected his dwindling career, which included losses in three of his final four fights with the WEC.
Dominant victories since that point earned Varner another shot in the Octagon, which he took advantage of in May when he knocked out Edson Barboza at UFC 146.
Varner’s style has always made him highly entertaining, and a matchup with Joe Lauzon proved that he still has it. However, Varner believes that he likely could have won the fight at UFC on Fox 4 if it wasn’t for his all-or-nothing fighting style.
“I fight with reckless abandon, and I think that’s what got me fight of night,” Varner told Bas Rutten. “Because I fight so hard and I scramble, I put myself in bad positions, and I do get caught, and it sucks.”
The loss is obviously an unfortunate outcome for Varner, but he’s not losing much sleep over it. He believes that he’s making the right decision as a fighter by going for broke.
“I’d rather fight hard and have people enjoy watching me fight than just always go out there and fight not to lose,” he said. “I could have beat Joe Lauzon with the jab. I could have ran, thrown jabs, thrown kicks, kept him away and won a boring decision. But no, I wanted to put pressure on him. I wanted to be exciting; I wanted to go for the finish.”
We haven’t seen the last of Jamie Varner in the UFC, and despite the loss, which—at least partially,—was due to his style, he doesn’t seem to be planning on fighting more conservatively in the future.
If, in the future, we see the same Jamie Varner that we saw against Joe Lauzon, he could be raking in quite a few more Fight of the Night bonuses before his career is over.
Though Maurico “Shogun” Rua and Brandon “The Truth” Vera take center stage this Saturday at UFC on Fox 4, it is Jamie Varner and Joe Lauzon that will keep the MMA world talking after Saturday night is said and done.Lauzon, the submission specialist fro…
Though Maurico “Shogun” Rua and Brandon “The Truth” Vera take center stage this Saturday at UFC on Fox 4, it is Jamie Varner and Joe Lauzon that will keep the MMA world talking after Saturday night is said and done.
Lauzon, the submission specialist from East Bridgewater, Mass., is regarded as one of the lightweight division’s most notable finishers, having gone the distance only once in his whole career. His style has earned him respect in some MMA circles, as he has always fought with a “get a finish or get finished” attitude, and it has gotten him seven UFC fight bonuses thus far, including four “Submission of the Night” bonuses.
In addition to this attitude, “J-Lau” is also known for an aggressive Jiu-Jitsu game that has spelled doom for the likes of Melvin Guillard and Jeremy Stephens. Despite his submission prowess, however, Lauzon also possesses some underrated knockout power, which led the Bridgewater native to a victory against the legendary former UFC lightweight champion “Lil’ Evil” Jens Pulver.
Varner, on the other hand, is a former WEC lightweight champion who’s made a comeback of sorts. After losing to Dakota Cochrane and flirting with retirement, Varner would go on to defeat Nate Jolly and Drew Fickett before scoring an “Upset of 2012” candidate in the form of his first-round TKO victory over previously-undefeated Edson Barboza.
After applying the right amount of pressure on Barboza and securing the TKO finish, Varner, now 4-1 in his last five fights, fills in for an injured Terry Etim to face Lauzon.
Say whatever you wish about Varner and Lauzon, the latter of whom suffered a knockout defeat to Anthony Pettis in Saitama, Japan at UFC 144, but let’s not ignore the stylistic bout that makes this a lock for “Fight of The Night.”
Lauzon is the type of fighter that fans like seeing on cards because of what he can do with his grappling, which he couples in with his takedowns in order to provide a difficult fight for any opponent he faces inside the Octagon. Against the right opponents, his striking can also present an issue for his foes, which in turn causes many to label his striking and knockout powers as underrated.
However, for all Lauzon can do on the ground, Varner presents a well-rounded skill-set, as well as an iron chin and a lion’s heart.
What this means is that Varner has the type of aggressive offense needed to expose Lauzon’s susceptibility to a well-timed onslaught of strikes, and he also presents the takedown defense needed to neutralize Lauzon’s ground game and force Lauzon to fight in ways he wouldn’t normally fight, but above all else, he will not go down without a fight, regardless of whom he faces.
The only question for Varner is whether he’d have an answer for Lauzon’s grappling in the event that Lauzon attempted a standing hold or a flying submission, a la Benson Henderson or Shinya Aoki, but Lauzon does not possess the high-level grappling or strength needed to pull either off.
It sparks an interest, however, to witness the events that unfold in this lightweight affair, as the 155-pound division remains one of the UFC’s most stacked and most unpredictable, meaning that anyone could prove their case towards title contention at any time with few disagreements to the contrary.
Not only is the division stacked, but this bout is also a true case of a perennial top lightweight and fan-favorite going up against a former world champion and a fighter on something of the comeback trail after nearly retiring about one year ago. That both men know how to turn in a bout with serious fireworks only adds to the intrigue that all but locks this bout in for a fight bonus before it goes live.
The best part about it? Neither man is on the marquee as the event’s headliner, and it’s perhaps that irony that will make it that much sweeter when these two become the talk of the town after what promises (and needs) to be a scintillating night of fights this Saturday in LA’s Staples Center at UFC on Fox 4: Shogun vs. Vera.
If there was anyone your typical