Phil Davis, the No. 8 ranked light heavyweight, will meet No. 1 ranked Lyoto Machida at UFC 163 in August. Will a victory in Rio be enough for Davis to potentially challenge for the gold later this year?Yes,it will be. There are several factors at play…
Phil Davis, the No. 8 ranked light heavyweight, will meet No. 1 ranked LyotoMachida at UFC 163 in August.
Will a victory in Rio be enough for Davis to potentially challenge for the gold later this year?
Yes,it will be.
There are several factors at play for Davis to get a title shot, but first and foremost, lets focus on winning.
A win at UFC 163 will mark Davis’ third in a row—the other two victories in the streak are Wagner Prado and Vinny Magalhaes. While not exactly marquee victories, they are still consecutive wins.Only one fighter ranked above Davis would have a longer winning streak than three: Glover Teixeira.
Of the fighters ranked ahead of Davis currently, two are coming off losses and two are previous victims of his.
In a 2011 fight between Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Davis, Davis took home a unanimous decision.
Since that loss, Nogueira has pulled off consecutive victories over Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans. Those two wins are certainly better than Davis’, but in making a case for a title shot Davis still holds a head-to-head win over Nogueira.
Aside from the win streak, Davis will have knocked off the No. 1 contender in Machida. Adding that to his resume will only add to his claim for a title shot.
Davis can even claim being the only current blemish on Alexander Gustafsson‘s record. Gustafsson is next up for Jon Jones at UFC 165.
With a win, there is only one likely fighter to be ahead of Davis, and that is No. 3 ranked Teixeira; he has not lost a single fight since 2005. His win streak and momentum will almost definitely win out over Davis.
One of the biggest things in Davis’ favor is the upcoming title fight itself.
Machida has been promised a title shot, but according to Dana White at the UFC 161 pre-fight press conference Jones doesn’t want to fight Machida because he already defeated him. The champion wants new challenges, but he has already defeated half of the top 10.
And should Gustafsson win, there is little doubt he would want to try and erase the memory of the loss with a rematch against Davis.
No matter who wins at UFC 165, Davis has a legitimate claim for the next title shot.
First things first, a very dangerous fighter awaits him. A victory against Machida would elevate Davis in to the top five, and a win over the top-ranked light heavyweight would give him a leg up on his competition. Looking too far down the road is dangerous, but it is hard to avoid taking a glance at the top of the mountain.
A win in Rio puts Davis near the summit.
In the current landscape of the division, a win over Machida makes Davis’ title aspirations very realistic— he would be in the catbird’s seat.
So, could he be next in line at the light heavyweight crown?
There is little doubt a win over Machida does just that for Davis. He has all the right things going for him to make it happen.
Now just comes that pesky little detail of defeating LyotoMachida.
The first half of 2013 may have been mired in questionable title shots, but it appears—at least for now—the latter part of the year will see some justification in the realm of championship opportunities.While Nick Diaz and Chael Sonnen step…
The first half of 2013 may have been mired in questionable title shots, but it appears—at least for now—the latter part of the year will see some justification in the realm of championship opportunities.
While Nick Diaz and ChaelSonnen stepping into title contention roles had varying angles of debatable validity, the decisions to bump those fighters to the front of their respective lines left many in the MMA world scratching their heads in confusion.
The mercurial Stockton native had been absent due to a suspension handed down after a failed post-fight drug test following his loss to Carlos Condit at UFC 143. Granting Diaz a title shot not only meant he was leapfrogging a red-hot Johny Hendricks, who at the time was riding a four-fight winning streak and has tacked on two more since, but he was also doing so coming off a loss.
UFC President Dana White chalked the decision to put Diaz in the fight up to champion Georges St-Pierre’s adamant demands that the proud Stocktonian was the fighter he wanted to face next.
When the most dominant champion in the history of the welterweight division asks to settle a grudge match, it is easy to see why the promotion heeded to his request. Then again, it’s the fight business and the blurred lines of what is truth and what is promotional hype-machine are never really clear.
Things looked a bit different in the light heavyweight division. Champion Jon Jones was set to defend his title against No. 1 contender Dan Henderson at UFC 151 last summer and the divisional race appeared to be in full swing. That is, until a knee injury forced the former Olympian out of the bout just eight days shy of the fight, leaving a chaotic vacuum in the main event.
With “Hendo” out, ChaelSonnen offered his services, but the young champion refused to accept the change of opponent on such short notice. A venomous Twitter campaign from the former middleweight contender ignited a rivalry which only grew hotter after the entire event was cancelled in light of the mayhem.
The “Gangster from West Linn” would eventually get his title shot at UFC 159, and the results weren’t in his favor as Bones dismantled the sport’s best mouthpiece in the first round.
Following the victory over Sonnen, rumors once again sparked up about a potential superfight between Jones and middleweight king Anderson Silva, which would have pushed the divisional process further out of whack. Without a natural flow up and down the ladder throughout weight classes, prospects cannot rise and would-be contenders cannot become title challengers.
To put it in simple terms: Disrupting a divisional race to make high-dollar matchups stalls things out. Granted, had those weight classes been void of having contenders at the ready, then hand-picking opponents to make championship fights makes sense. But that wasn’t the case in either division, and fortunately it appears things are getting back to normal, for the most part.
A Long-Awaited Welterweight Showdown
Few divisions have faced more turbulence over the past two years than what the welterweight division has endured. The circus that started with UFC 137 in October of 2011 finally came to an end this past March at UFC 158 as St-Pierre and Diaz squared off inside the Octagon and determined who was the superior fighter.
Over the 16-month stretch between the originally scheduled bout and when the two welterweights finally collided in Montreal, a series of substitutions and scrambles took place, with Diaz and Condit eventually squaring off for the interim title at UFC 143 in February of 2012. And while the divisional upper tier was sorting itself out, Hendricks was making his climb up the ladder.
Two months before Diaz and Condit danced in Las Vegas, the former two-time NCAA Div. I wrestling champion scored the biggest win of his career by knocking out perennial contender Jon Fitch at UFC 141. “Bigg Rigg” starched the former No. 1 contender 12 seconds into the fight and unveiled his thunderous left hook on the sport’s biggest stage.
The victory over Fitch marked the third consecutive for Hendricks and put his name on the radar as a fighter to watch in the 170-pound division.
The 29-year-old Texas native would take huge steps forward in his next two outings with wins over Josh Koscheck and Martin Kampmann. In almost a mirror-image of the fight with Fitch, Hendricks salted “The Hitman” with a big left hand that put the Danish striker out on the canvas.
In the aftermath of his victory over Kampmann, Hendricks appeared to be next in line for a title shot. He had strung together five consecutive victories and was the consensus No. 1 contender in the eyes of the MMA community. But then the news of St-Pierre versus Diaz at UFC 158 broke, and Hendricks once again found himself on the outside looking in.
Rather than sit on the sidelines and wallow in frustration, Hendricks decided to keep the dice rolling. Where he was originally slated to face Jake Ellenberger at UFC 158, the surging contender jumped on the opportunity to face former interim champion Carlos Condit when his opponent fell out due to injury. Hendricks edged out the Jackson’s MMA fighter in a gritty three-round war, and in the process, eliminated any chance he would be skipped over once again.
While talk lingered about a St-Pierre vs. Silva “superfight” later this year, it appears those rumors have been put to rest. Earlier this week, the L.A. Times reported GSP would face Hendricks later this year on November 16 (the card is yet to be announced), making the long-awaited showdown a reality.
It is the fight Hendricks has been working for, and now he’ll finally have the opportunity.
A New Challenge Emerges at Light Heavyweight
At 25 years old, Jones is undoubtedly one of the most dominant champions in UFC history. Furthermore, the pound-for-pound phenom is just one win away from surpassing “Hall of Famer” Tito Ortiz as the most prolific light heavyweight champion to ever wear the strap. Jones will have the opportunity to make another entry into the record books when he faces Alex Gustafsson in September at UFC 165.
Dana White confirmed the bout at the post-fight media scrum for UFC 161, and the announcement of the championship tilt between Jones and Gustafsson is a breath of fresh air for the 205-pound fold.
Former title-holder LyotoMachida appeared to be the next in line following his win over Henderson at UFC 156, but with a lack of dominance in the bout, and having already lost to Jones, the UFC decided to give the surging Swede the nod.
While there is no shortage of potential title contenders in the light heavyweight ranks, the reality of this collection posing a legitimate threat to Jones narrows the field considerably. The Jackson’s MMA fighter has defended his belt successfully on five occasions, with each coming in dominant fashion.
The only opponent the champion has failed to finish during his reign was Rashad Evans, but despite “Suga” making it to the judge’s scorecards, the decision was certainly lopsided in Jones’ favor.
On paper, Gustafsson presents several interesting challenges for Jones. “The Mauler” is a tall, rangy striker who has proven the ability to use his length to his advantage. That being said, in the matchup with Jones, Gustafsson will still give up nearly eight inches in the reach department—a tool the young champion has absolutely exploited against the opposition in past showings.
Jones has quickly become one of the all-time greats in mixed martial arts, and whether or not Gustafsson can derail his meteoric rise remains to be seen. Nevertheless, granting the 26-year-old Team Alliance fighter a title shot is a step in the right direction because there is no doubt it is an opportunity Gustafsson has earned.
He has won six consecutive showings, with the most recent coming against former champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC on Fox 5 last December, and the chance to fight Jones is a deserved step for the young contender.
The Featherweight Madness Continues
While title pictures are beginning to make sense once again for most of the divisions under the UFC banner, there are still a few mysteries lingering. Despite having all the necessary tools in place to have a breakout year, the featherweight division is still battling chaos every step of the way.
Champion Jose Aldo is still holding court as the most dominant champion to ever compete at 145 pounds, and a host of hungry contenders are scrapping their way up the ladder to contention. With those pieces to the puzzle in place, the environment is perfect for a heated divisional race, but parts of the machine continue to come loose.
Ricardo Lamas, Chad Mendes and Cub Swanson have all been on tears over the past 18 months, but none have come close to getting a chance to fight Aldo. Granted, both Mendes and Swanson have faced the Brazilian phenom previously, but have done enough impressive work to earn another opportunity.
Lamas, on the other hand, has been fighting upstream the entire time. “The Bully” has notched four consecutive victories since dropping to featherweight, with his most recent coming at the expense of former No. 1 contender Erik Koch at UFC on Fox 6 in January. The Chicagoland native left the Duke Roufus-trained fighter a battered and bloody mess during their tilt and made a solid case for a title shot in the process.
But it was a case that would fall by the wayside as newly minted lightweight contender Anthony Pettis decided he wanted to fight for the featherweight crown, and a matchup with Aldo was set for UFC 163.
Much like Hendricks at welterweight, Lamas decided to keep moving rather than wait for things to play out in the championship picture. He accepted a bout with Chan Sung Jung and the fight was set as the co-main event for UFC 162 in July. While it wasn’t officially announced, Lamas hoped a victory over the “Korean Zombie” would solidify his status as the No. 1 contender, but in another strange turn, those hopes were dashed as well.
After a knee injury forced Pettis out of the bout with Aldo, the UFC announced Jung would fill the void in the main event of UFC 163. This move left Lamas without an opponent and he was eventually removed from the July 6 card entirely.
While Jung is certainly the more recognized fighter where fans are concerned, it’s hard to argue Lamas to be the more deserving option. Jung is coming off a year-long layoff, and while his three consecutive victories notched prior to injury were solid, they fall short of equaling the caliber of the opponents Lamas has defeated during his run.
To make matters more confusing, there is no clear-cut road in the aftermath of Aldo vs. Jung at UFC 163. The pound-for-pound great has talked about jumping up to compete for the lightweight title should he defeat Jung, and there is always the chance of Pettis getting a rescheduled shot at the crown if he chooses to keep a drop to featherweight as an option.
The world of professional athletics is often ruthless and unforgiving—any given sport is riddled with has-beens and also-rans. One poor performance in the heat of the moment can be as devastating as an embarrassing faux paus during a press confer…
The world of professional athletics is often ruthless and unforgiving—any given sport is riddled with has-beens and also-rans. One poor performance in the heat of the moment can be as devastating as an embarrassing fauxpaus during a press conference. Star athletes are forced to walk on eggshells as they tread the fine line separating mediocrity from superstardom.
Mixed martial arts is no different.
Cage fighters must juggle sponsorships, media appearances and their own, public perceptions—all while striving to increase the number of digits in their win column.
An elite few overcome the odds and somehow manage to secure the illustrious title of champion. Then, of course, begins the struggle to keep contenders at bay—giving birth to the expression, “It’s harder to keep the belt than it is to get it in the first place.”
Some UFC champions—both past and present—have managed to handle it admirably. But as I’ve said before, there’s a clear line of demarcation separating a mere champion in a series of many from one who propels the sport of MMA to lofty new heights. We have yet to see the ideal superstar who extols the traits of a champion for the ages.
Which ingredients would we need from some of MMA’s most iconic figures, and more interestingly, what if we were to throw them in a melting pot in a quest to assemble the archetype of an MMA superstar?
Start with a Full Serving of Georges St-Pierre’s Signature Professionalism
The French Canadian sets MMA’s standard for suave and sophistication—he’s practically synonymous with the suit-and-tie look. Always respectful of opponents and attentive to company needs, GSP would represent the core of our dream superstar. All the crucial traits would have to carry over: professionalism, business-oriented attitude, work ethic and even self-promotion.
The ideal MMA athlete would need the right stuff both inside and outside the cage.
Mix in a Good Batch of Sheer Athleticism Courtesy of Jon Jones
Top-tier athletes tend to look the part. This mixture would result in a physically impressive fighter a la Jon Jones. Reach and height would enable nothing short of blinding speed and dexterity. Victories would have to be highlight-reel worthy, with each finish acting as a firm declaration.
Jones knows this to be true—he tends to end his fights in ways that guarantee water cooler talk.
There’s something to be said for a fighter who has the natural it factor.
Movements would have to be so fluid and natural that even the most casual MMA fans could feel like they were witnessing something special. Penn was not only the first American to win the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships, but he was also the first to be simultaneously ranked No. 1 in two separate weight divisions.
Our star would need to replicate the innate talents of “The Prodigy” in order to break such boundaries.
Add a Hint of Ronda Rousey‘s Magnetism
Enormous media coverage, polarizing interviews and a willingness to cull fans from untapped resources would have to be second nature to a superfighter of the next generation. Ronda Rousey managed to introduce UFC fans to a new subset of mixed martial arts—nearly half a million pay-per-view buys isn’t too shabby for her first time at bat.
Season it with a Dash of ChaelSonnen‘s Wit and Intellect
Arguably the most interesting figure—and certainly the most quotable—in MMA, ChaelSonnen has mastered the the art of selling a fight. Fans can squabble over his fight game, but few would be foolish enough to argue his skill at self-promotion. Sonnen knows just how to use his mouth to achieve a desired result—so would our superstar.
When the lights shine bright, the camera gains focus, and all ears are directed at what our fighter might say, nothing is more promising and pivotal than the delivery. Sonnen has proved it time and time again.
The recipe wouldn’t be complete without adding Silva’s preternatural ability to evoke awe from the crowd. He lost interest in mere victory long ago—cementing his legacy is at the forefront of his mind as he inches toward the conclusion of his record-breaking career.
Our dream combatant would need a certain overwhelming characteristic that words fail to describe. Each fight would need to reverberate throughout his or her career—a special place in history would be reserved once the curtain closed.
There’s little to no doubt that we’d be left with a crazy concoction.
But those individual ingredients—if blended together as part of a complete package—amount to the epitome of a superstar. Winning streaks would serve as stepping stones on the path to the title. And even then, the next-generation champion would be unwilling to rest.
Casual fans would associate his or her name with the entire sport of mixed martial arts—akin to Michael Jordan’s effect on basketball or Tiger Woods’ impact on golf. Boundaries would be broken because this fighter would consider no feat too daunting to attempt.
Sounds like crazy, wishful thinking, doesn’t it?
Well, before you toss the recipe aside, just consider that we never saw Jon Jones coming—nor did we see Anderson Silva before him.
The ebb and flow of mixed martial arts is less like a gentle river and more like a violent whitewater rapid. Ordinary fighters are routinely swallowed by the rushing tides, whereas the extraordinary ones manage to stay afloat.
Somewhere, somehow and in some random suburb, a young, hungry fighter is training relentlessly. Posters of MMA greats adorn his or her walls.
That novice could potentially mature into the realization of this ideal recipe—a genuine superstar in the making.
When Forbes released the list of the 100 highest paid athletes worldwide, many sports were represented—football, baseball, basketball, tennis, golf, boxing and even cricket. The payouts for the athletes included their yearly salaries, along with…
When Forbes released the list of the 100 highest paid athletes worldwide, many sports were represented—football, baseball, basketball, tennis, golf, boxing and even cricket.
The payouts for the athletes included their yearly salaries, along with endorsement deals, which in many cases were the figure that drove the numbers into the top 100.
Multi-time tennis champion Roger Federer came in as the No. 2 highest paid athlete in the world, but he earned only $6.5 million from actual winnings on the court.He pulled in a whopping $65 million in endorsement deals, equaling Tiger Woods, who happened to be No. 1 on the list.
While endorsements didn’t drive every athlete’s total pay, several in the top 100 raked in millions upon millions of dollars in lucrative deals, accounting for well over half of their total earnings for the year.
One sport that was not represented on the list in 2013 was mixed martial arts.
Now it’s not disputed that there are several millionaires in MMA.
Champions like Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva both pull in seven figures from the UFC, with bonuses and pay-per-view points paid out to the fighters.Still, despite St-Pierre landing major sponsorship deals with NOS Energy Drink (a subsidiary of Coca-Cola) and past endorsements with Under Armour and Gatorade, he was still unable to crack the top 100.
The same can be said for Silva, who is an icon in his home country of Brazil, and holds down a deal with Nike as well. But he still hasn’t pulled in the kind of cash that would place him amongst his athletic peers on the coveted Forbes list of the richest athletes in the world.
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is another fighter on the roster that’s likely pulling in over seven figures for his payday, every time he steps foot in the cage. However, the 25-year old New York native might just be the first MMA competitor to crack the Forbes’ list, and it may be sooner rather than later.
Jones inked a major endorsement deal with Nike in 2012 that led to the release of his own signature shoe and shirt from the apparel giant earlier this year.
While the financial figures surrounding just how much Jones earns from his Nike endorsement are unknown, the fact that he landed a worldwide deal with the company was a good foot in the door. Jones is now in position to start kicking down other major endorsement deals with highly regarded, blue chip sponsors.
Just after his recent fight against ChaelSonnen at UFC 159 (while still on crutches from a mangled dislocated toe), Jones and his manager MalkiKawa took meetings with companies like Gatorade and Coca-Cola to continue the fighter’s brand expansion.
Also joining Jones’ business dealings is Hollywood powerhouse agent Ari Emanuel of William Morris Endeavor. Emanuel who helped broker the fighter’s deal with Nike, and continues to deal with him on new endorsements today.
As a matter of fact, on Monday, Jones, along with Emanuel and Kawa, met with producers in Hollywood to discuss some possible projects for the fighter that could soon land him in front of the cameras (without his gloves on this time).
To hear Jones’ manager tell the story, the youngest champion in UFC history is expanding his brand on a daily basis. The path to first-of-their-kind in MMA endorsement deals are just the tip of the iceberg for what they hope to accomplish in the next few years.
“It’s thriving.The business of Jon Jones right now is thriving,” Kawa told Bleacher Report recently.
As a manager for all my clients I’m always trying to do more, and one thing about Jon—Jon’s never satisfied with the here and now. He’s always looking like now we’ve got Nike, now I want Gatorade. After Gatorade, I already know the next company he wants to be in line with. When we go with that company, then I know the next thing. There’s just so many things that we still have to accomplish.
Jones is a magnetic personality in the sport of MMA, but that doesn’t mean everyone likes the UFC’s reigning 205-pound champion.As a matter of fact, often times he’s been portrayed as a cocky kid, or perceived as somehow being fake in interviews or appearances.
In some ways, however, this perception might actually benefit Jones in the long run, particularly when it comes to his overall success in the endorsement world.
Rarely are any of the top athletes in sports not met with harsh criticisms for how they carry themselves in their personal or professional lives.When LeBron James bolted his hometown of Cleveland to play on the beach in Miami, he was vilified, considered one of the most disliked athletes in sports.
A year later, James was winning an NBA title, and could be seen in television commercials and magazine ads worldwide.Oh, and by the way, James pulls in $17.8 million a year from the Miami Heat, while most of his money comes in by way of endorsements that totaled $42 million last year.
Now Jones is still a ways off from earning LeBron-James-type money, or maybe even landing endorsement deals like NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon. Gordon pulled in $5.5 million in sponsorship money last year, placing him at No. 85 on the top 100 list with total earnings reaching $18.2 million.
The fact is, however, that with youth on his side, if Jones continues to reach the same level of success inside the Octagon over the next few years, his endorsement deals could be industry changing for promotions like the UFC, and the other fighters who compete there.
“On a business side of things we really haven’t even scratched the surface,” Kawa said about Jones.
We’re trying to break down barriers, we’re trying to break down walls. I really honestly believe the Jon Jones Nike deal is why Reebok is now approaching the UFC the way that they are. I really honestly believe that the goal Jon set out to do, and I set out to do for Jon, was to get through some of these barriers and get these big, big, blue chip companies to come in.
I think more and more fighters are going to get deals. I think this is a great thing for everyone.
Following his quick trip to Hollywood to meet with his agent, Jones will soon travel back home to New Mexico. Once there, he will begin working on his fight camp to prepare for his upcoming bout at UFC 165 against Alexander Gustafsson.
The title fight will give Jones the chance to break the record for consecutive defenses of the 205-pound belt, which has been his goal ever since he won the gold back in 2011.
If Jones is victorious, then it’s potentially onto even bigger bouts with even larger paydays. Jones could move up to heavyweight and challenge for the title there, or set up a huge showdown with perennial UFC king Silva in a superfight for the ages.
In case anyone forgot, Jones will turn 26 on July 19. This young fighter has plenty of time to conquer the goal of being considered the best fighter in UFC history, and maybe even make a few appearances on Forbes’ top paid athletes list as well.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Transcendent athletes are few and far between, sometimes arriving once per generation. By all measures, they’re mere mortals—ostensibly no different than any of us. They, too, are made of flesh and blood.But that doesn’t explain why they’re capab…
Transcendent athletes are few and far between, sometimes arriving once per generation. By all measures, they’re mere mortals—ostensibly no different than any of us. They, too, are made of flesh and blood.
But that doesn’t explain why they’re capable of such feats of athleticism, does it?
They breathe a rarified air. They know there are limitations in effect—they just choose to ignore them and press forward.
MMA has had its fair share of fighters that reached for the stratosphere and nearly punctured its upper limits—Fedor Emelianenko and Anderson Silva are part of an elite few that redefined the potential for a fighter.
But then there’s Jon Jones.
Emelianenko’s unbeaten streak doubles the present length of Jones’ career. Anderson Silva was demoralizing opponents long before the notion of competitive fighting had even entered the young champion’s mind.
Why, then, is this 25-year-old wunderkind constantly discussed in the company of such giants?
Jones is built from a similar mold as that of many MMA greats—physically daunting, unpredictable, and supremely confident. With each consecutive victory, he pays homage to their prior successes. He does, after all, tread upon the foundation they’ve sacrificed blood, sweat, and tears to build.
But “Bones” only shares their mold at this juncture in his championship reign. What’s to come is far more daunting. He morphs and evolves at an unprecedented rate—the fighter he is in 2013 will pale in comparison to the fighter he’ll be the year after.
He’s quickly filling the cracks in that mold—plugging up any holes in a quest for nothing less than invincibility.
When he finds solace and satisfaction in his accomplishments, Jones will have marked his place in history as the most dominant fighter to have ever competed.
Cage fighters tend to experience a bell curve of progression as they work their way through a fighting career—skills are learned in the early years, then utilized in the quest for a title and gradually honed as they peak and move down the other s…
Cage fighters tend to experience a bell curve of progression as they work their way through a fighting career—skills are learned in the early years, then utilized in the quest for a title and gradually honed as they peak and move down the other side of the curve.
Sometimes the process is subtle; other times the slope is slippery and chaotic.
At UFC 161, savvy veterans Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson stepped into the Octagon and ended up demonstrating that they’re neither crashing into retirement nor surging into a second awakening of their respective careers.
When announced, the bout was considered to be evenly matched. After 15 minutes of combat, Evans’ quick-twitch reflexes narrowly awarded him a split-decision victory.
It wasn’t particularly pretty.
It wasn’t even the resounding return-to-form that “Suga” had hoped for. But it got the job done, and after a pair of consecutive losses, that’s what counts most.
After the event came to a close, vital takeaways were revealed—lessons that might resonate outside of the fight itself.
Phil Davis, the No. 8 ranked light heavyweight, will meet No. 1 ranked Lyoto Machida at UFC 163 in August.