Former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver suffered a knockout loss on Friday night at the first Resurrection Fighting Alliance event in Kearney, Nebraska, making it the 10th time Pulver has lost in his last 14 fight…
Former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver suffered a knockout loss on Friday night at the first Resurrection Fighting Alliance event in Kearney, Nebraska, making it the 10th time Pulver has lost in his last 14 fights.
This time it was an opponent named Tim Elliot who beat Pulver, and after the fight Pulver wrote on Twitter that he realized he didn’t look good in the cage on Friday night.
“Sorry to all who support me, I half assed the training and got wrecked deservedly so,” Pulver wrote.
The 37-year-old Pulver looked OK in the first round, but in the second Elliot backed him up with a combination of punches, hit him with a front kick and then finished him with a knee to the chin. Pulver slumped face-first to the canvas after that knee, and referee Big John McCarthy stepped in to stop the fight.
Pulver was cut by the WEC last year after losing five fights in a row, the last four coming by first-round stoppage. After taking a big step down in competition and fighting on regional cards, Pulver managed to win three fights this year, but the knockout loss to Elliot raises questions about whether he should be competing at any level.
The RFA card also featured the light heavyweight debut of former UFC heavyweight Gilbert Yvel, who won by first-round TKO.
On this day 37 years ago, a boy named Jens Johnnie Pulver was born into a tumultuous household in Sunnyside, Washington.
Jens escaped from the violence and psychological abuse he, his sister, two brothers and mother endured daily from his namesake father who was a hard-drinking horse jockey, by dominating on the wrestling mats on weekends. It was there that his family would pretend they didn’t have a monster waiting for them back at their house and where they would escape from the sad reality that was their home life.
11 years ago this winter Pulver picked up and made the trek from California, where he had lived since moving out in his teens, to Davenport, Iowa with only a suitcase and a bag of change. He was put up by his soon-to-be manager Monte Cox when he showed up on his doorstep to ask the powerful agent to represent him. The Cox family took him in and treated him as one of their own children, while he set up shop training out of the fabled Miletich gym alongside some of Cox’s other marquee stable fighters like Matt Hughes, Tim Sylvia and the team’s leader, Pat Miletich.
(Pulver for UFC HOF 2011)
On this day 37 years ago, a boy named Jens Johnnie Pulver was born into a tumultuous household in Sunnyside, Washington.
Jens escaped from the violence and psychological abuse he, his sister, two brothers and mother endured daily from his namesake father who was a hard-drinking horse jockey, by dominating on the wrestling mats on weekends. It was there that his family would pretend they didn’t have a monster waiting for them back at their house and where they would escape from the sad reality that was their home life.
11 years ago this winter Pulver picked up and made the trek from California, where he had lived since moving out in his teens, to Davenport, Iowa with only a suitcase and a bag of change. He was put up by his soon-to-be manager Monte Cox when he showed up on his doorstep to ask the powerful agent to represent him. The Cox family took him in and treated him as one of their own children, while he set up shop training out of the fabled Miletich gym alongside some of Cox’s other marquee stable fighters like Matt Hughes, Tim Sylvia and the team’s leader, Pat Miletich.
The move paid off in spades.
Jens won his next six fights and picked up the UFC lightweight strap two fights after joining Team Miletich. He would only defend the title twice after deciding to walk away from the promotion to pursue more fights since he was only competing twice a year under the then SEG-owned promotion.
His go-for-broke style of fighting was his biggest asset, but also his biggest flaw as a fighter as it sometimes left “Lil’ Evil” susceptible to knockouts and submissions.
(Video courtesy of YouTube/Hel13torm)
During an interview I did with him back in 2008 prior to his WEC title fight against Urijah Faber, Jens had a moment of retrospective reflection about how far the sport had come from when he first made a name for himself.
“I’ve had big fights in my career, and I’ve had a lot of monumental moments and pioneered a lot of things, but this really just plays out to time. It’s crazy,” Pulver said. “You’ve got to remember, I was in the UFC when it was the same five people asking the questions and that was it. I remember when the weigh-ins gradually went from 50 people to 100 people. It’s such a huge difference from the way things used to be. I’m like a proud father. When I started and I made a commitment to this sport, I was making $750 in the UFC, and it was banned in all but three states. There was no future and to see [media attention and interest] like this – it’s perfect.”
Unfortunately, Pulver is one of the legends of the sport who never really cashed in on the spoils that came about as a result of the TUF explosion, even though he was one of the coaches on a subsequent season of the show.
Although his recent career hasn’t been as successful as it once was, Pulver has achieved more in his 12 years in the cage than many ever will. Hopefully a UFC Hall of Fame induction is in his future. Even if it isn’t, as Jens told me three years ago, he’s already achieved what he set out to do when he began in the sport.
“When I first started fighting I wrote down two goals on a piece of paper,” Pulver explained. “I found [that piece of paper] and read it, and it says, ‘Own a house,’ and ‘Win a world championship.’ I’m buying my house and I’ve already won the world title.”
(Don’t worry Bob, it can only get better from here. That has to be true at least once in a while.)
Imagine this scenario; you’re an up and coming fighter in the cut-throat world of MMA who’s finally earned his shot at the big time. The packed stadium, the camera crews, the ring girls, they’re all there. And best of all, your fight is about to be broadcast for the world to see. “I’ve made it,” you think as you bathe in the bright lights shining down on you.
But then, before you know what hit you, you’re looking up at a large, possibly Rastafarian man, who’s asking if you know where you are. And for the rest of your life, you are dubbed “that guy who got destroyed by ______ .” No matter what you accomplish, you will always be known for one bump in the road that just about everyone happened to witness. Well, here at CP, we know this story all too well, so we decided to check up on a few of these poor suckers, VH1 style, and find out what they were up to. Because knowing is half the battle. Enjoy.
What he’s been up to: As it turns out, Dos Caras Jr. has actually had a rather successful career since nearly being decapitated by Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic back at PRIDE – Bushido 1. His real name is Alberto Rodriguez, and he actually wasn’t that bad of a fighter. Honestly, considering he both wore a mask and went by a fake name, he was a pretty damn awesome fighter, and easily the most successful. After dropping a unanimous decision to Kazuhiro Nakamura at Pride 27, “Two Faces” went 6-1, with all wins coming by way of stoppage. He even managed to pull out a head kick KO of his own back in 2010 against 3-8 fighter Arthur Bart.
Where he is now:
(Don’t worry Bob, it can only get better from here. That has to be true at least once in a while.)
Imagine this scenario; you’re an up and coming fighter in the cut-throat world of MMA who’s finally earned his shot at the big time. The packed stadium, the camera crews, the ring girls, they’re all there. And best of all, your fight is about to be broadcast for the world to see. “I’ve made it,” you think as you bathe in the bright lights shining down on you.
But then, before you know what hit you, you’re looking up at a large, possibly Rastafarian man, who’s asking if you know where you are. And for the rest of your life, you are dubbed “that guy who got destroyed by ______ .” No matter what you accomplish, you will always be known for one bump in the road that just about everyone happened to witness. Well, here at CP, we know this story all too well, so we decided to check up on a few of these poor suckers, VH1 style, and find out what they were up to. Because knowing is half the battle. Enjoy.
What he’s been up to: As it turns out, Dos Caras Jr. has actually had a rather successful career since nearly being decapitated by Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic back at PRIDE – Bushido 1. His real name is Alberto Rodriguez, and he actually wasn’t that bad of a fighter. Honestly, considering he both wore a mask and went by a fake name, he was a pretty damn awesome fighter, and easily the most successful. After dropping a unanimous decision to Kazuhiro Nakamura at Pride 27, “Two Faces” went 6-1, with all wins coming by way of stoppage. He even managed to pull out a head kick KO of his own back in 2010 against 3-8 fighter Arthur Bart.
Ryan Roberts What (most of us) know him for: No, that is not Ryan Roberts in the above photo. You want to know why? Well, it’s because “Are You Ready?” was defeated so quickly in his one and only octagon appearance back at UFN 13that few remember he was ever there, instead choosing to remember the beautiful armbar that Marcus Aurelio, the man pictured above, pulled on him in under 20 seconds.
What he’s been up to: Unfortunately, the Gods of fate have not been kind to Ryan Roberts following his crushing UFC defeat. The loss to Aurelio was the first of a 6 fight skid that would see Roberts come up short against names like Joe “The Nose” Wilk, Duane “Bang” Ludwig, and Bellator veteran Eric “The Machine” Marriot. Speaking of Bellator….
Where he is now: After evening the score with Marriot at VFC 32, Roberts would again be upended by “The Machine” in his Bellator debut. After a drop to bantamweight and a 3-0-1 streak, Roberts recently faced off against Bellator bantamweight champ Zach “Fun Size” Machovsky at Bellator 54 in one of their infamous non-title fights. But where Travis Wiuff succeded, Roberts would fall to a first round north-south choke, bringing his big promotion record to 0-3. Sucks bro, but as the great Mastodon say, that’s just the curl of the burl.
Paul Herrera
What (most of us) know him for: The recipient of “Ask” Gary Goodridge’s most brutal knockout and victim of perhaps one of the latest stoppages in UFC history.
What he’s been up to: No, Paul did not die that night; he walked away with only a concussion and a broken cheekbone. In fact, Herrera was interviewed shortly after the loss by People magazine and had the following to say: ”I’m fine, I’ve had my ass stomped worse than that before. I spent the next day drinking Stoli martinis and getting loaded.” These are the words of a true badass, ladies and gentlemen. Herrera has since been making his name as a private wrestling instructor in California and has raised two kids, who are from all reports, pretty damn good fighters in their own right. He even returned to the MMA scene in 2002, scoring a decision victory over Joe Moreira. That name sound familiar? That’s because Joe Moreira holds a submission via terror win over convicted psychopath Joe Son. And beating up someone who scares a serial rapist/killer deserves recognition in its own right.
In this area of each of the instructors I would like to know if they would take a few minutes to write down their philosophy on mixed martial arts and being an instructor.
Truer words have never been spoken.
Estevan Payan
What (most of us) know him for: Wait, you don’t recognize this guy? It’s probably because the last time anyone saw his face it was being planted on the canvas compliments of Yahir Reyes incredible spinning backfist. Payan’s loss at Bellator Fighting Championships 6 would go down as the ESPN’s Knockout of the Year for 2009 and, along with Toby Imada’s Submission of the Year, would open the floodgates for the rise of Bellator into the mainstream.
What he’s been up to: Payan followed up the BFC 6 defeat with a second round TKO loss to WEC veteran Karen Darabedyan at Shark Fights 6. The Arizona Combat Sports fighter has since gone 4-0 with 1 no contest since, compiling a very respectable record of 11-3 overall. Not bad for someone who has been training MMA for only a few years now. Fun Fact, he earned his nickname, “El Terrible” due to his ferocious sparring habit during training sessions that would lead even heavyweights to brawl with him as a result.
Where he is now: After three tours in Iraq and the death of his younger brother, Reyes has been an inspiration to the members of his family that have seen poverty and drug abuse upend them. He is coming off back-to-back knockout victories over Joe Nicholas and Nick Rhoads, respectively.
John Lewis
What (most of us) know him for: Being one of the many early entries in Jens Pulver’s highlight reel.
Where he’s been: In John Lewis’ case, I feel as if I should discuss where he was before the knockout that earned him his fame, as it is just as interesting. For instance, did you know that Lewis was apparently the fourth American in the entire world to receive a black belt in BJJ, or that he competed in the first 2 ADCC trials? Gotta love those Wikifacts. And even more better, did you know Lewis was the very first person to train under “Judo” Gene Lebell all the way from white to black belt? Talk about some qualifications; he trained with the man that kicked Steven Seagal’s ass once resolved a resolution with Steven Seagal without casually getting his ass kicked.
Where he is now: Though the Pulver fight would be his last MMA contest, Lewis has actually become a world renowned trainer in the sport, shaping world class fighters in their prime like Chuck Lidell, Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, Rico Rodriguez, B.J. Penn, and Frank Trigg to name a few. Lewis is perhaps best known for introducing most of those fighters to Dana White and the Fertitta brothers, who he gave private Jiu-Jistu lessons to back in the 90′s, and in fact helped spur their interest in purchasing the UFC in the first place. I all actuality, we all owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Lewis, a debt that is unfortunately overshadowed by one of “Lil’ Evil’s” best knockouts. Here’s to you, John.
Eddy Bengtsson
What (most of us) know him for: Unquestionably the most embarrassing loss on our list, Eddy Bengtsson is the man who became infamous for being “knocked out” via Ghost Punch by Aleksander Emelianenko. Like a scene from The Sixth Man, (yes, I went there) Aleksander seemed to summon the power of the unbeknownst third Emelianenko brother to knock out Bengtsson less than a minute into their fight, despite completely missing the punch that did so.
What he’s been up to: Even before Eddy could see a replay of exactly how pathetic the fight was, he saved himself the embarrassment of ever having to explain himself again by immediately retiring after the fight. Like…in the locker room. Check out his explanation of just what the hell happened. Among other things, Bengtsson states that he believes Aleks will have a great career in the future, proving that the punch must have somehow done massive damage to his brain.
Where he is now: Well apparently his retirement lasted just a few months longer than Jamie Varner’s, as Bengtsson returned to the ring in May of this year to score a 50 second kimura win over Istvan Kalmar.
David Gardner
What (most of us) know him for: Performing a move so dumb in his match against Shinya Aoki that Bas Rutten declared, “He cannot sleep for three days.” It was a rough three days for Gardner.
What he’s been up to: Kids, take note: If you ever embarrass yourself like David Gardner did, which would be equivalent to getting a raise and then shitting your boss’ desk, please don’t try and market yourself on that failure thereafter, like David Gardner did. Yes, as a result of the incident, which became a viral sensation, Gardner changed his nickname to “Hello Japan,” or a move equivalent to reminding every future job interviewer you sit down with that you indeed shat on your last boss’ desk.
Where he is now: Amidst a 4 fight skid with just two wins coming in his last ten, including losses to UFC veteran Matt Grice and TUF 13 winner Tony Ferguson. You see kids, this is what happens when you try to make your name off of a major personal failure…it leads to many, many more. But hey, at least he’s cool with it.
And that takes us to perhaps the biggest victim of all…
Bob Sapp
What (most of us) know him for: It’s tough to imagine in hindsight, but there was actually a time when Bob “The Beast” Sapp made people piss themselves in fear instead of unintentional laughter. We’re talking about a man who managed to defeat the legendary Ernesto Hoost twice in K1 competition, despite lacking the ability to throw a proper punch or kick whatsoever. He even managed to nearly piledrive “Minotauro” through the PRIDE ring for Christ’s sake. But it was Sapp’s face off against Croatian striker Mirko Cro Cop that would truly make him famous, despite his exhausting attempts to do so through other mediums. A little over a minute into the fight, Mirko caught Sapp with a straight left that shattered his zygomatic bone, but it was his reaction to the punch that would forever make his nickname a thing of irony. Rather than falling to the mat like a normal person might, Sapp slowly, limply, laid down on the mat and went into a series of winces and convulsions that would become known thereafter as “crygasming.”
What he’s been up to: The loss to Cro Cop was really the beginning of the end for Sapp. His gong-and-rush tactics quickly became a thing of parody, and aside from a few wins in freak show fights, Sapp would become a punching bag for the likes of Bobby Lashley, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, and famed giant killer Minowaman. But hey, he was in the remake of The Longest Yard that everyone loved. Right? Right? Guys?
Where he is now: Currently on an 0-9 run in kickboxing competition and a 1-5 run in MMA, Sapp was scheduled to fight at K1 Dynamite!! 2010 on New Year’s Eve against Shinichi Suzukawa in a Pancrase style match. But after claiming to be shorted $15,000 by the promotion, Sapp would pull out the day of the event, leading FEG President Sadaharu Tanikawa to label him, “the worst, most lamentable dust man,” and someone who, “should not be considered a normal person.” Sad…but probably true.
Next time, we check up on a few legends of the sport, look down from our high chairs, and laugh at how far they’ve fallen.
Every fan of the sport of mixed martial arts has heard of gyms like Jackson’s MMA, Xtreme Couture and American Top Team.And while those gyms have produced numerous title contenders and top-notch fighters, there are thousands of gyms throughout the the …
Every fan of the sport of mixed martial arts has heard of gyms like Jackson’s MMA, Xtreme Couture and American Top Team.
And while those gyms have produced numerous title contenders and top-notch fighters, there are thousands of gyms throughout the the world that are looking to do the same thing.
Each of the following gyms are producing world class talent and have had or currently have fighters in the UFC, Strikeforce and/or Bellator. So take note and keep track of each of these camps if you’re not doing so already.
UFC 136 is in the books, and just as expected, Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard lived up to the hype. Their third bout nearly played out like a repeat of their second Maynard had Edgar hurt badly in the first round again. Edgar not only fought his way ba…
UFC 136 is in the books, and just as expected, Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard lived up to the hype.
Their third bout nearly played out like a repeat of their second Maynard had Edgar hurt badly in the first round again.
Edgar not only fought his way back in the fight, but won it by tko in the fourth round.
Following the win, UFC president Dana White claimed Edgar was the No. 2 pound for pound fighter in MMA.
Although may will debate Edgar’s ranking, there’s no denying that he is well on his way of becoming the greatest lightweight in MMA history.
For fans of Jens “Lil Evil” Pulver, it should come as no surprise that the former UFC lightweight champ has chosen to blaze his own path when it comes to anything related to the sport of mixed martial arts. Pulver’s latest endeavor is his participation…
For fans of Jens “Lil Evil” Pulver, it should come as no surprise that the former UFC lightweight champ has chosen to blaze his own path when it comes to anything related to the sport of mixed martial arts.
Pulver’s latest endeavor is his participation in the 505 Games/Kung Fu Factory video game Supremacy MMA. The game is a departure from previous fighting games put out by the UFC and EA Sports. The game caters to fans of the arcade style of gaming and can be likened to Tekken or Mortal Kombat in many ways.
One of the game’s features is a story mode that follows each of the fighter’s careers. The story of Pulver starts with his rough childhood. The animated version of Pulver is seen with a gun in his mouth with his fighting proclaiming, “You’re not even worth the bullets.”
Pulver’s life and career have seen their ups and downs, as portrayed in the game. The UFC, Pride, and WEC veteran has made a number of changes following a tough stretch. While demoing the new game, Pulver sat down to talk with Bleacher Report. “Yes, I lost a lot,” Pulver explained. “But there was life after the WEC.”
The rejuvenation of his career is in large part due to a new camp and a drop to the bantamweight division. The veteran fighter is 3-1 over his last four fights, including a recent TKO win over Coty Wheeler in August.
In the fight, Pulver delivered a number of strikes that hurt Wheeler before the referee intervened. “At first, it shocked me. I hadn’t dropped anybody in a while,” proclaimed the 135-pound fighter with a laugh.
After Wheeler hit the canvas, Pulver begged the referee to step in, but had to deliver more punishment to his opponent. Looking back, Pulver regretted his actions, “I shouldn’t have been trying to win a merit badge.”
The recent success has been, in large part, due to a new approach. “The hardest part of training, which no one ever asks me about, is the mental side,” said Pulver. “This was the first time in my career where I truly grasped that concept.”
Fighting out of Chicago and training with Team Curran, Pulver is easily making the weight cut to the bantamweight division. “I walk around at 144 because I’m on a juice diet,” the former champion described. “I’m living that gym life, which I’ve never done before. It’s lonely, but I need it.”
Pulver hopes to fight again in late November or early December. The fighter knows that his time in the sport is limited, but he’s accepted that. “More than just being competitive, I want to quit the right way. I’m living the life of a fighter and I’m going to walk out a better person,” declared Pulver.
Training with Curran has led Pulver to evolve his ground game, something he can relate back to the video game. While Pulver’s character has a boxing pedigree, he knows that in real life he needs more than his boxing to succeed. Each fighter has a base in the game, whether it’s wrestling, judo, Muay Thai, boxing or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Another feature of the game is the ability to play as Muay Thai superstar Malaipet or K-1 veteran Jerome Le Banner, as well as a number of other characters. In Pulver’s words, “It’s like an arcade game.”
Departing from the simulation style of the other games on the market, Supremacy features finishing moves. Something that Pulver thinks adds to the fun of playing the game. “Some people think that gives the sport a bad name, but you don’t give the sport a bad name this far down the road. I was there when it had a bad name, this ain’t it,” stated the fighter.
More than anything, Supremacy MMAis an opportunity for fans to sit down and have some fun; a perfect scenario for someone like Pulver. Watching the legend of the sport play the game, you know he’s having as much fun playing it as he does when he’s inside the cage.
Rob Tatum is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. You can also find Rob’s work at TheMMACorner.com. For anything related to MMA, you can follow Rob on Twitter @RobTatumMMA.
For fans of Jens “Lil Evil” Pulver, it should come as no surprise that the former UFC lightweight champ has chosen to blaze his own path when it comes to anything related to the sport of mixed martial arts.
