As fans of the fight game, we are always ready—at least in the back of our minds—for a moment in the fight that could make time stand still or make our jaws drop in shock, awe or revulsion (or perhaps all three). When two men (or women) ent…
As fans of the fight game, we are always ready—at least in the back of our minds—for a moment in the fight that could make time stand still or make our jaws drop in shock, awe or revulsion (or perhaps all three).
When two men (or women) enter into a physical contest, often times the predictable is shockingly unpredictable; we fully accept that a limb could be snapped by a submission, but we don’t know what it is going to look like when it happens until it happens.
Sure, some of us are screaming “Break it!” at the top of our lungs, but most are arrested by the moment unfolding before our eyes. We are witnesses to the harsh taskmaster those fighters serve, wondering just how deep their commitment to the fight and personal honor really is.
These are highly trained men and women, and still there are times when a situation or circumstance—perhaps unseen until that very moment—brings a horrible possibility to our attention.
And during those times, we cringe.
So, in that spirit, here are 20 of some of (but not all) the most cringe worthy moments in MMA history, and a tip of the hat to those who shrugged it off and went back into training as soon as they could.
We were already plenty excited for former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar‘s challenge of featherweight king Jose Aldo — which will finally take place February 2nd at UFC 156 — but it turns out the stakes are larger than we thought. Aldo says that if he beats Edgar he will know he’s ready to move up to 155 pounds and challenge for that belt.
Edgar is trying to see if his speed will translate at featherweight and bring him more gold. Aldo is similarly using the fight as a litmus test for his readiness to take on the lightweights of the world. MMA Fighting’s Dave Doyle has the report.
“I’ve considered going to lightweight,” said Aldo. “As soon as my trainer decides that I can go up, then I will. This fight with Edgar will be a turning point. If I can win [against] him well, then I can prove that I can go [to 155 pounds].”
We were already plenty excited for former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar‘s challenge of featherweight king Jose Aldo — which will finally take place February 2nd at UFC 156 — but it turns out the stakes are larger than we thought. Aldo says that if he beats Edgar he will know he’s ready to move up to 155 pounds and challenge for that belt.
Edgar is trying to see if his speed will translate at featherweight and bring him more gold. Aldo is similarly using the fight as a litmus test for his readiness to take on the lightweights of the world. MMA Fighting’s Dave Doyle has the report.
“I’ve considered going to lightweight,” said Aldo. “As soon as my trainer decides that I can go up, then I will. This fight with Edgar will be a turning point. If I can win [against] him well, then I can prove that I can go [to 155 pounds].”
Aldo, who is one of only four Zuffa champions to have held a world title for three consecutive years (Tito Ortiz, Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva being the other three), has said for some time that it is difficult for him to make the 145-pound featherweight limit. He’s already cleaned out his division and says that Edgar might just be his final challenge at that weight class.
“He has a very strong reputation thanks to destroying several opponents,” Aldo credited Edgar. “That’s the motivation for me to face him and that will be probably my last biggest challenge [at 145 pounds].”
Do you think Aldo can take out Edgar, who lost his title in a close bout to Benson Henderson, followed by an equally close rematch loss? If so, do you think Aldo would have a good shot at taking out the Hendersons of the lightweight division?
Jose Aldo suffers one of the harshest weight cuts in the roster of featherweight fighters.In fact, that’s likely a key reason the UFC pulled an infamous video (from a UFC Brazil preview) that chronicled the champion’s brutal preparation…
Jose Aldo suffers one of the harshest weight cuts in the roster of featherweight fighters.
In fact, that’s likely a key reason the UFC pulled an infamous video (from a UFC Brazil preview) that chronicled the champion’s brutal preparation for the scales. It could’ve been a bit too graphic for the company’s public image.
Footage showed a desperate Aldo practically destroying his body to shed extra weight on the day of the UFC 129 weigh-ins, mentally breaking under the pressure in the process.
That’s why a move to lightweight could be an attractive prospect for the Brazilian, whose bad weight cut nearly resulted in him losing his UFC title to Canada’s Mark Hominick. As Aldo explained to Los Angeles-area reporters during a media session (via MMA Fighting), his next title defense at 145 pounds could be his last one.
“I’ve considered going to lightweight,” said Aldo. “As soon as my trainer decides that I can go up, then I will. This fight with Edgar will be a turning point. If I can win [against] him well, then I can prove that I can go [to lightweight].”
“He has a very strong reputation thanks to destroying several opponents,” Aldo continued. “That’s the motivation for me to face him and that will be probably my last biggest challenge [at featherweight].”
Ironically, many pundits and fans have stated that former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar is really little more than a blown-up featherweight, as the New Jersey native typically gives up a lot of size and mass against other 155-pounders.
However, that didn’t stop “The Answer” from stamping a 9-3-1 record in the lightweight division, capping it off with victories over BJ Penn (twice) and Gray Maynard, along with close-decision losses against current champion Ben Henderson. Aldo and Edgar will face-off in Las Vegas at UFC 156 this February, the promotion’s first pay-per-view event in 2013.
Brian Stann may very well be the most humble guy competing in mixed martial arts today. This is a man who’s been there, done that and saved a few lives along the way. As a fighter, he’s already accomplished some impressive feats like winnin…
Brian Stann may very well be the most humble guy competing in mixed martial arts today. This is a man who’s been there, done that and saved a few lives along the way. As a fighter, he’s already accomplished some impressive feats like winning a WEC title and handily disposing of Chris Leben, Jorge Santiago and AlessioSakara.
The man even owns a Silver Star for heaven’s sake. For those that don’t know, that’s the nation’s third-highest award for valor in combat.
This is a guy who has, by all accounts, earned the right to behave anyway he feels. If he wanted to walk around with his nose in the air and his mind far from the insignificant civilians, he could, and no one would say a thing about it.
But Brian Stanndoesn’t walk around with his nose in the air, and he doesn’t think he’s any better than the next man. He’s a compassionate fighter who competes to be the best, not to intentionally inflict an absurd amount of punishment on his opponents, not to showboat and not to throw his accomplishments in anyone’s face.
A couple of days ago, the UFC broke the news that the next challenger to Jose Aldo’s UFC Featherweight crown will be Frankie Edgar. The fight is one fans have been dreaming about for the past two years—when Edgar was the lightweight champion and …
A couple of days ago, the UFC broke the news that the next challenger to Jose Aldo’s UFC Featherweight crown will be Frankie Edgar. The fight is one fans have been dreaming about for the past two years—when Edgar was the lightweight champion and Aldo wrecking any title challenger put in his path.
Now this fight will likely be a very entertaining fight, and there will be loads of breakdowns of technique in preparation for their Feb. 2013 clash.
But where is all the negative backlash from MMA fans and fighters?
When it was announced ChaelSonnen would be facing Jon Jones for the UFC Light Heavyweight strap, fans went into a near riot on the computers. This despite the same community shunning Jones only weeks earlier for not facing Sonnen on eight days notice.
Now Edgar gets a title shot in a division he’s never competed in and coming off two straight losses. His last two fights with Gray Maynard could also very easily be losses, as Maynard did everything but hit Edgar with an RPG to try and finish the fight.
I can already hear all the Edgar fans out there: “But his first fight with Benson Henderson was close and he won the second fight.” It doesn’t matter if you think he won or didn’t, the fact remains his official record says he lost both at UFC 144 and UFC 150.
That’s two losses to go along with one win and a draw in his last four fights. Not exactly what one would call a solid resume for a title challenger. Especially given that Edgar has never stepped onto the scales to weigh in or faced a single fighter at 145 pounds.
At least Sonnen was at .500, with his two losses coming to possibly the best fighter in the history of MMA. Sandwiched between the two losses were victories over top contenders like Michael Bisping and Brian Stann.
People are ready to excommunicate Sonnen from the MMA community due to him “talking his way into a title shot” but there’s not one whimper about a guy with back-to-back losses getting an automatic title shot? Even Sonnen‘s own teammate had harsh words for the situation at 205 pounds.
That was Sonnen‘s teammate Dan Henderson describing how he felt about Sonnen receiving the next title shot. I wonder what a guy coming off two losses and entering a new weight division for the first time ever does to the sport of MMA?
(Hey Frankie, you should invite Sanchez and Tebow to the fight. I’m pretty sure they’ll be free that weekend.)
The UFC’s traditional Super Bowl weekend blowout will feature at least one title belt up for grabs, as the featherweight championship match between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar has been officially confirmed for UFC 156. Though the event was previously rumored to take place in Brazil in January, UFC 156 will actually be held February 2nd in Las Vegas, at a venue to be named later.
When the two fighters meet, it’ll be Aldo’s first Octagon appearance in more than year, as a pair of injuries have kept him out of the cage since his last title defense against Chad Mendes at UFC 142. It’ll also be Edgar’s first-ever UFC fight at featherweight. Will the former lightweight champ look stronger against an opponent closer to his own size, or will he be sacrificing the speed advantage that served him so well during his long stint at 155 pounds?
(Hey Frankie, you should invite Sanchez and Tebow to the fight. I’m pretty sure they’ll be free that weekend.)
The UFC’s traditional Super Bowl weekend blowout will feature at least one title belt up for grabs, as the featherweight championship match between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar has been officially confirmed for UFC 156. Though the event was previously rumored to take place in Brazil in January, UFC 156 will actually be held February 2nd in Las Vegas, at a venue to be named later.
When the two fighters meet, it’ll be Aldo’s first Octagon appearance in more than year, as a pair of injuries have kept him out of the cage since his last title defense against Chad Mendes at UFC 142. It’ll also be Edgar’s first-ever UFC fight at featherweight. Will the former lightweight champ look stronger against an opponent closer to his own size, or will he be sacrificing the speed advantage that served him so well during his long stint at 155 pounds?
