At UFC 144, former WEC lightweight titlist Benson Henderson will attempt to achieve what B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard could not—upend Frankie “The Answer” Edgar and, in the process, capture (or recapture) UFC gold.
When t…
At UFC 144, former WEC lightweight titlist Benson Henderson will attempt to achieve what B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard could not—upend Frankie “The Answer” Edgar and, in the process, capture (or recapture) UFC gold.
When the UFC purchased World Extreme Cagefighting back in 2006, it also acquired the services of the organization’s combatants. Some of those fighters went on to scale the heights of the Zuffa-based company. Others have either not fared that well or just simply fallen by the wayside.
Here’s a look at the best that the WEC has had to offer the UFC.
As far as talk of UFC history is concerned, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) was the spark that started it all, with the unassuming and normal-sized Royce Gracie neutralizing his opponents on the ground en route to the titles in UFC I, II and IV. Since then, …
As far as talk of UFC history is concerned, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) was the spark that started it all, with the unassuming and normal-sized Royce Gracie neutralizing his opponents on the ground en route to the titles in UFC I, II and IV.
Since then, BJJ has been an integral weapon in the fighting arsenal of each and every serious MMA athlete—though some have had it longer and sharper than others.
But when Rickson Gracie talks and seemingly sounds the death knell of his very own family’s martial art in its role in MMA, lesser mortals can’t help but listen. With all due respect to BJJ’s most feared grappler and legendary MMA warrior, we try to perceive the “truths” in his gospel.
Sherdog.com: Do you believe jiu-jitsu fighters are having trouble getting the fight on the ground in today’s MMA?
Gracie: I see it as a new race of fighter developing, something that’s been invented. There are no more style matchups. Now, everyone knows everything. It’s about the strengths of the individual. The time of fights was shortened, the weights were equalized and technology was incorporated into training. There is no more romanticism in seeing a smaller guy fight a bigger guy for two hours. Thinking of that, I believe jiu-jitsu has lost the capacity to be put into practice in today’s MMA, because it’s an art you have to wait for the right moment with. Now, MMA is a sport for the better-prepared fighter, the guy who can absorb more punches and still win. There’s still an admiration for the art by those who practice it, but there’s a decline in how it’s working in MMA.
The gist of Gracie’s statement is this: “The time of fights was shortened…I believe [Brazilian] jiu-jitsu has lost the capacity…in today’s MMA, because you have to wait for the right moment with.”
What he expresses is part truth, and part nostalgia for an era not so long ago.
It’s true, gone are the days when a BJJ-based fighter had the luxury of an eternity to set up and finally sink in a fight-winning submission. Currently, in the UFC, a fighter only has three or five, five minute rounds to hopefully finish an opponent, by submission hold or otherwise.
Still, victories via submission hold still happen inside the Octagon in spite of the five-minute-per-round restriction, albeit with a lesser frequency.
Let’s now take a look at the last 10 fights of each of our seven current UFC champions to see when and where the ultimate goal of BJJ, which is none other than a tap out by submission hold, determined the final outcome.
(“Why do you keep following me to these things? I told you you’re fired.”)
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua announced last night via Twitter that he had split from his longtime manager Marcelo Alonso and today went on to explain the reason for his decision
According to Mauricio, he and Alonso had differing opinions of how Rua’s career should be handled. Marcelo apparently felt that he should be in charge of securing sponsorships, co-ordinating fight camps and handling press for the former UFC light heavyweight champion, while his client believed that the tasks should handled by three people.
“What happened was that Eduardo believed in a line of working and I trust another one,” Rua told Tatame. “He believed my career should be managed by one guy, I don’t agree with that.”
(“Why do you keep following me to these things? I told you you’re fired.”)
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua announced last night via Twitter that he had split from his longtime manager Marcelo Alonso and today went on to explain the reason for his decision
According to Mauricio, he and Alonso had differing opinions of how Rua’s career should be handled. Marcelo apparently felt that he should be in charge of securing sponsorships, co-ordinating fight camps and handling press for the former UFC light heavyweight champion, while his client believed that the tasks should handled by three people.
“What happened was that Eduardo believed in a line of working and I trust another one,” Rua told Tatame. “He believed my career should be managed by one guy, I don’t agree with that.”
“To me, some guys has to be leading my training, and it is Andre Dida,” Shogun says.” [I also need] a marketing team to accessorize me and a manager. He didn’t agree with that and said he already knew it could happen.”
It sounds like Alonso didn’t want to share any of the pie and now he’s left with an empty plate. Regardless, Rua says the split was an amicable one and that he’s shopping around for new representation. Alonso has been with Shogun since his UFC 76 loss to Forrest Griffin back in 2007.
Alonso isn’t the only manager to be dropped by a Brazilian fighter in recent weeks. You may recall that Jose Aldo eighty-sixed Black House Management a week or two ago in favor of his longtime coach, Andre Pederneiras, who managed him prior to his WEC title win.
After an impressive first round win at UFC 143, rising star Dustin Poirier seems poised to make a title run in the near future.Defeating Max Holloway with a mounted triangle armbar, Poirier took home Submission of the Night as well as his fifth straigh…
After an impressive first round win at UFC 143, rising star Dustin Poirier seems poised to make a title run in the near future.
Defeating Max Holloway with a mounted triangle armbar, Poirier took home Submission of the Night as well as his fifth straight victory. The win keeps intact Poirier’s undefeated streak within the UFC and has catapulted him into the upper tier of the division.
With such a scattered contender line up in the wake of UFC champion Jose Aldo‘s utter dominance over the division, a matchup between Poirier and the champ may come sooner than expected.
Here is the full breakdown of this possible future bout.
Earlier today, TATAME reported that Jose Aldo had cut ties with Ed Soares and the Black House team. It was a decision made between Aldo and his coach, Andre Pederneiras. Pederneiras explained the situation regarding Aldo and Soares: “I’m his only…
Earlier today, TATAME reported that Jose Aldo had cut ties with Ed Soares and the Black House team. It was a decision made between Aldo and his coach, Andre Pederneiras.
Pederneiras explained the situation regarding Aldo and Soares:
“I’m his only manager now. We’ve sat down, talked and found it was the best way to go. Since things are happening in Brazil now, we thought it was the best call.” (TATAME.com)
A fighter leaving his manager isn’t unheard of, but this move is particularly interesting given the fact that UFC heavyweight champion, Junior dos Santos, cut ties with Soares six months ago.
Pederneiras also spoke about the other Nova Uniao fighters that Soares currently manages like Diego Nunes, Johnny Eduardo, and Luis Ramos. He said Soares will still manage them.
“They helped us to get these guys there [in the UFC], I wasn’t fair firing them.” (TATAME.com)
FightersOnly caught up with Soares to discuss the situation. Soares explained that the break up didn’t occur on bad terms.
“I wouldn’t say anything went wrong as such, other than Andre feels he doesn’t need our services as management any more. And that’s fine, it wasn’t like we were together since the beginning, we managed him once he became champion.” (FightersOnly.com)
Soares also said he doesn’t feel he did anything wrong and did his job as a manager.
“We were there to try and enhance his life, I believe that we did. Maybe we weren’t able to enhance his life the way that they would have liked us to, I don’t know, but if they can do a better job then be my guest, go for it.” (FightersOnly.com)
With dos Santos and now Aldo leaving, it certainly hurts Soares’ credibility a little. The public disagreement with his most high-profile client, Anderson Silva, also doesn’t help the situation.
But Soares doesn’t seem to think there’s a problem. When asked about whether or not there’s any issues in the Black House family, he responded in typical Soares fashion.
Sometimes a drop in weight class can do wonders for a fighter. Charles Oliveira showed last night for himself that was the case as Oliveira (15-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) defeated Eric Wisely via submission (calf slicer) at 1:43 of Round 1 at UFC on Fox 2. It was…
Sometimes a drop in weight class can do wonders for a fighter. Charles Oliveira showed last night for himself that was the case as Oliveira (15-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) defeated Eric Wisely via submission (calf slicer) at 1:43 of Round 1 at UFC on Fox 2.
It was Oliveira’s debut at featherweight and his first victory in the octagon since September 2010 when he defeated Efrain Escudero.
Watch above as I talk to Oliveira about his victory over Wisely, how he came up with the calf slicer, if he felt this was a must-win fight, how many victories he feels he needs to get a title opportunity at UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo and much more.
Oliveira on how he came up with the calf slicer, which was the first time it was used as a finishing move in the UFC: “First of all, thank you God. God give me the victory, show me the position. I train this too much, I train hard this position, a lot of secrets in my camp. When I come into the octagon, I try to set the reach that nobody see and I did.”
Oliveira on if he felt this was a must win fight considering he was dropping down to 145: “I can’t feel the difference much because my fight was so fast, first round. I know this division, a lot of fast guys fight in this division. Different than 155, much stronger guys. I feel also I know this is my division and I still fight this division.”
Earlier today, TATAME reported that