Tag: Jose Aldo

Frankie Edgar vs. Jose Aldo: Where Is All the Negativity?

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 Chael Sonnen 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.

“… Giving him that fight [right] now degrades the sport of MMA.”

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?

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Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar Confirmed for UFC 156, Super Bowl Weekend in Las Vegas


(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?

No other matchups have been formally announced for the UFC 156 card yet, though Rashad Evans vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira has been reported, while Josh Koscheck and Nick Diaz are apparently jockeying for a spot on the lineup as well.


(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?

No other matchups have been formally announced for the UFC 156 card yet, though Rashad Evans vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira has been reported, while Josh Koscheck and Nick Diaz are apparently jockeying for a spot on the lineup as well.

UFC 156: Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar to Fight in February at Las Vegas

The UFC has delivered a legitimate super fight for Super Bowl weekend. Featherweight champion Jose Aldo will attempt to defend his title for the fourth time under the UFC banner, and he’s guaranteed his toughest test to date against Frankie Edgar…

The UFC has delivered a legitimate super fight for Super Bowl weekend.

Featherweight champion Jose Aldo will attempt to defend his title for the fourth time under the UFC banner, and he’s guaranteed his toughest test to date against Frankie Edgar.

Edgar is a former UFC lightweight champion in his own right, and is making the cut down to 145 for the first time in his career to attempt to strap a UFC belt back around his waist.

UFC 156: Aldo vs. Edgar will take place in Las Vegas on February 2nd, as announced Tuesday on UFC Tonight. 

This fight was originally set to take place at UFC 153 earlier this month, but an injury to Aldo forced the bout to be postponed.

Aldo has dominated each of the fighters the Zuffa brass have put in front of him, and the reigning featherweight champion has gone undefeated during his time in the WEC and UFC with an 11-0 record. 

After dispatching Mark Hominick and Kenny Florian in back to back grueling decision wins, Aldo earned the highlight moment of his career in his last bout when he knocked out Chad Mendes with a huge knee as time expired in the first round.

The ensuing celebration that saw Aldo race out of the cage and into his hometown crowd was one of the most memorable moments of the year.

Edgar’s featherweight debut comes on the heels of back to back decision losses to Benson Henderson in February and August of this year. The first loss to Henderson ended Edgar’s lightweight title reign—which featured two straight wins over future Hall of Famer BJ Penn and a couple of barn burners with Gray Maynard (the first of which earned Fight of the Years honors from the World MMA Awards). 

UFC 156 will serve as the first numbered PPV event of 2013, and it looks like the UFC is kicking things off in a big way.

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Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar Rumored for UFC 156 Featherweight Title Fight in Brazil


(Edgar might not have a gold belt anymore, but the black eye and bonus-check will always be part of his ensemble.)

FightLine passes along a report from No Mundo Das Lutas claiming that UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo is set to face former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 156 in Brazil (January 19th, city/venue TBA). Edgar had planned to drop down in weight to replace the injured Erik Koch against Aldo in a featherweight title fight in Rio at UFC 153 but then Aldo himself had to pull out due to injury.

Right now this is still a rumor, but it’s clearly a fight that both Aldo and Edgar still want, and we figured it was only a matter of time before their title bout was rescheduled. Aldo has not lost in nearly seven years and has a fourteen fight win streak. Most recently he knocked Chad Mendes out with one second left in the first round of their UFC 142 main event.

Edgar has lost two fights in a row, both close decisions to current lightweight champ Benson Henderson. It has been reported that Edgar walked around at around 160 pounds for years as he fought at 155 pounds, whereas opponents like Henderson and Gray Maynard were upwards of 180 pounds. Given his frame and walking weight, it isn’t inconceivable that Edgar could fight at 135 pounds but Dana White and fans have clamored for years for Edgar to at least give featherweight a shot.

Edgar was loathe to drop down in weight but the opportunity to fight for another world title despite being on a two-fight losing streak was too good for him to pass up. Is this the fight you want to see, taters? And if it happens, who do you have in it?

“Scarface” and “Answer” highlight videos await you after the jump.


(Edgar might not have a gold belt anymore, but the black eye and bonus-check will always be part of his ensemble.)

FightLine passes along a report from No Mundo Das Lutas claiming that UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo is set to face former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 156 in Brazil (January 19th, city/venue TBA). Edgar had planned to drop down in weight to replace the injured Erik Koch against Aldo in a featherweight title fight in Rio at UFC 153 but then Aldo himself had to pull out due to injury.

Right now this is still a rumor, but it’s clearly a fight that both Aldo and Edgar still want, and we figured it was only a matter of time before their title bout was rescheduled. Aldo has not lost in nearly seven years and has a fourteen fight win streak. Most recently he knocked Chad Mendes out with one second left in the first round of their UFC 142 main event.

Edgar has lost two fights in a row, both close decisions to current lightweight champ Benson Henderson. It has been reported that Edgar walked around at around 160 pounds for years as he fought at 155 pounds, whereas opponents like Henderson and Gray Maynard were upwards of 180 pounds. Given his frame and walking weight, it isn’t inconceivable that Edgar could fight at 135 pounds but Dana White and fans have clamored for years for Edgar to at least give featherweight a shot.

Edgar was loathe to drop down in weight but the opportunity to fight for another world title despite being on a two-fight losing streak was too good for him to pass up. Is this the fight you want to see, taters? And if it happens, who do you have in it?

“Scarface” and “Answer” highlight videos await you after the jump.

Jose Aldo Highlight:

Frankie Edgar Highlight:

– Elias Cepeda

Jose Aldo vs. Cub Swanson: Is It Really Time for a Rematch?

Not long after he took Knockout of the Night honors for his win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 152, Cub Swanson said something that caused message board vigilantes everywhere to grab for their six guns. Someone was wrong on the Internet! The teapot …

Not long after he took Knockout of the Night honors for his win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 152, Cub Swanson said something that caused message board vigilantes everywhere to grab for their six guns. Someone was wrong on the Internet! 

The teapot thunder started when Swanson told the Sherdog Radio Network that he would “win that fight 10 out of 10 times if we did it again.” “That fight” here apparently meaning a rematch with featherweight champion Jose Aldo. In an even bolder move, Swanson added that his own little brother would be “more of a fair fight” for Aldo. Good God.

See, what made this statement so hilarious and unconscionable were the events of their first fight, an eight-second burst of blood and fury that turned Swanson into a Google Images mainstay thanks to a gash over his eye that looked like it came from an ill-used circular saw.

But wait. Hold the phone a second. Turns out Swanson thought they were talking about Jens Pulver, not Aldo. Oh, OK. And so the Internet vigilantes melted back into the shadows, probably in many cases without even bothering to ask the post-premature-shooting questions that the legends foretold.

And that’s a shame. Because even as he back-pedaled, Swanson said a return engagement between he and Aldo would be “a hell of a fight,” and the first result wouldn’t happen again. He has not been shy about his desire to try and avenge that infamous carnage. 

That leads me to want to engage in one of my very favorite activities: wild speculation. As mother’s milk to the suckling babe or sunlight to the mighty Redwood, baseless opinion-mongering is the very lifeblood of the mixed martial arts discourse. Don’t let nobody tell you different!

There is no question Swanson has looked good of late. He is hungry; his devastation of Oliveira—his third straight UFC victory—demonstrated as much. But is it enough to put him back “in the mix” with Aldo?

Not yet. There are quite a few fighters between them. Luckily for us fans, all those fighters also would make good fights.  

All of this, of course, rests on the assumption that Jose Aldo gets healthy some time in the foreseeable future. He injured himself a while back after colliding with a motorist while riding his motorcycle. Aldo went on to swear off motorcycles, which is good, though it doesn’t un-injure him. In any event, the goal for now is that he’ll be back by “January at the latest.” This has happened to Aldo before, so you’ll pardon me if I didn’t start tallying up the chickens the moment I heard the news. 

Aldo’s first fight upon returning should be Frankie Edgar, his originally scheduled opponent. Camp Aldo already said it still wants Edgar. But it doesn’t end there. A young man named Chan Sung Jung waits in the wings. There may not be a more exciting beltless featherweight than “The Korean Zombie.” And he’s earned his way there.

As for Swanson, he still needs to defeat a unqualified contender. It’s not something the 28-year-old has yet done in his career. How about Dustin Poirier? Dennis Siver? Diego Nunes? I’d definitely clear my schedule to watch Swanson go at it with Nunes.

That gap between being and becoming is not bridged with rainbows and radio interview misunderstandings. Cub Swanson knows this. So let him do it. Let him set to work earning this shot at redemption he so desperately wants. Who knows? Maybe by the time Aldo rides back into town, Swanson will be a member of the welcome party.

 

For more wild speculation, which is the lifeblood of the Internet, follow Scott Harris on Twitter. 

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Kenny Florian: Why a Return to Fighting Would Be a Mistake

When Kenny Florian retired earlier this year, many fans were sad to see the UFC vet leave. Although Florian made the decision to leave the sport just a few days after his 36th birthday, the main cause of his retirement were injuries. No one l…

When Kenny Florian retired earlier this year, many fans were sad to see the UFC vet leave. 

Although Florian made the decision to leave the sport just a few days after his 36th birthday, the main cause of his retirement were injuries. 

No one likes to see someone go out against their will. Especially someone with as much talent as Florian. 

Recently, Florian told MMAJunkie radio that he was recovering very well and was hoping to get back to training. 

When asked if he would be open to return to fighting, Florian said he remained undecided on if he would come back but never say never. 

Although many fans may love to see him come back so he can go out on his own terms, it may be a better idea to stay retired. 

For one, Florian’s recurring injuries could lead to something more permanent if he continues to fight.

Florian could not even train properly because of his back injury, and not training properly could lead to hurting himself even more. 

Florian also has nothing else to prove in the sport. 

In Florian’s nine-year MMA career, he has defeated many fighters in multiple weight classes including Clay Guida, Diego Nunes, and Takanori Gomi. 

Although Florian has finished many good fighters in his career, he may be known more for his losses than his wins. 

While some fighters hope to just reach one title fight, Florian fought in three, losing to Sean Sherk, BJ Penn, and, most recently, Jose Aldo at featherweight. 

Although a UFC title has eluded Florian, considering he is 36 and has a great career as a commentator ahead of him, Florian should stick to enjoying the retired life. 

If he can get healthy and back in shape, the temptation to come back will be there. 

But it may be best if he plays it safe and stays away from competing in the sport. 

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