Demetrious Johnson has now cemented his spot atop the UFC’s flyweight mountain. The man has toppled the former No. 1 ranked 125 pounder on the planet, Ian McCall, battered Team Alpha Male standout Joseph Benavidez and crushed title hopes for the …
Demetrious Johnson has now cemented his spot atop the UFC’s flyweight mountain. The man has toppled the former No. 1 ranked 125 pounder on the planet, Ian McCall, battered Team Alpha Male standout Joseph Benavidez and crushed title hopes for the highly touted John Dodson.
Amazingly, he’s managed this feat in his last three consecutive outings. While that’s very impressive to say the least, it also leaves him in a bit of a pickle; where does Mighty Mouse go from here?
According to UFC.com’s rankings, Benavidez, Dodson and McCall make up the top three contenders for the champion’s title. Having turned each away recently, it’s not incredibly likely that fans are clamoring for any of these rematches. In fact, McCall already earned a rematch (after a questionable decision was rendered and later altered in the wake of their first encounter at UFC on FX 2) at UFC on FX 3, only to be denied by the lightning fast belt owner.
Dodson had his chance last month. Benavidez was out-dueled by a slim margin at UFC 152, the event in which the promotion’s first flyweight champion was crowned. There aren’t too many options remaining for Johnson.
Once believed to be the best flyweight not named Ian McCall, JussierDa Silva had a nice five-fight win streak brought to a violent halt when he met John Dodson at UFC on FX 5. He’s got some work to do before a shot at gold can be justified.
John Moraga is a promising talent with a wealth of momentum driving him forward. But the question must be asked: has he done enough inside the cage, having toppled un-ranked Ulysses Gomez and Chris Cariaso?
Tim Elliott appears to be a man with a very high ceiling, but he’s racked up just a single win for the promotion. Louis Gaudinot—while gaining momentum—has some serious work to do before he emerges a genuine threat. The talented YasuhiroUrushitani has seen the wind distance itself from his sails, as he’s dropped two consecutive bouts in recent memory.
There aren’t many options for Johnson at this point. He can take some time off and hope that a contender emerges in the immediate future, but Johnson doesn’t strike me as the type to favor waiting on the sidelines while the UFC’s flyweight division works through the confusion.
My bet is that we see another rematch occur inside of the octagon. With a win over McCall at UFC 156, Benavidez likely paints himself as the most appealing contender in the eyes of Dana White and matchmaker Sean Shelby. While fans may not be keen on a second meeting between these two, options are limited and there’s no sense in keeping a talented guy like Johnson shelved longer than need be.
Look for this rematch to unfold within the next four to five months. I’m no relative to Miss Cleo, but expect an outcome quite similar to their first encounter. I don’t see a wealth of improvement in Benavidez, who is a stellar competitor regardless, and Mighty Mouse is still as fast and elusive as ever.
That said, it’s tough to argue that Benavidez has rightfully earned a No. 2 ranking in the 125 pound division.
The flyweights are the thinnest division in the UFC, and in the last two weeks we’ve seen all the top four fighters in action. Joseph Benavidez’s win and Ian McCall’s loss don’t change much in that pecking order, however, with b…
The flyweights are the thinnest division in the UFC, and in the last two weeks we’ve seen all the top four fighters in action. Joseph Benavidez’s win and Ian McCall’s loss don’t change much in that pecking order, however, with both of the top potential contenders being men that champion Demetrious Johnson has already defeated.
Benavidez came out strong in the first round. He hit hard and repeatedly, chasing McCall around the cage and landing in the pocket.
No takedowns were attempted by either fighter in the first round, and the second started pretty much the same way. Benavidez continued to throw loaded shots, earning respect from McCall, who had little in return.
Halfway into the second round, Benavidez went for the clinch, and even dominated against the cage. He was out-muscling McCall, but what he lacked in technical profession he made up for in raw aggression. Then in the final minute of the round, Benavidez went for an absurd move—seemingly hitting the mat as a way of ducking a McCall punch, which gave up his back to his opponent.
McCall went to work and even got back-mount at one point, but Benavidez was able to shake him off and took little damage as he got back to his feet and clinched up against the cage. The round ended and McCall felt confident he had stolen it.
But it was to be Benavidez’s night.
In the final round he quickly took up the centre of the cage and began throwing bombs. Much of the round was spent running for McCall who just simply couldn’t find a way through Benavidez’s striking assault.
McCall’s patience was eventually rewarded when halfway into the final, he grabbed a double-leg takedown, but Benavdiez quickly got back to his feet and resumed punishing McCall. From then on it was all Benavidez, who gradually wore his opponent down in an extremely close final round.
On the judge’s score card it was 29-28, 29-28, 29-28. Benavidez threw more shots and landed more shots, and in the end, that’s what made the difference.
That was the text I received this morning from a friend who is very much a casual MMA fan regarding last night’s UFC 156. Even though I assumed that my friend was talking about the end result of Bigfoot vs. Overeem, that statement could just as easily apply to almost any other fight on the card. We’re all familiar with the cliché that any fighter can beat anyone else on any night at this level, but we rarely see the underdogs win as frequently – and as convincingly – as they did last night. Simply put, it was an awful night for the guys who were supposed to win.
So let’s start off with the fight that went exactly as we all assumed it would: Jose Aldo defeated Frankie Edgar by a close, yet unanimous decision. Naturally, Edgar grew stronger as the fight went on. And naturally, the fight was close enough to justify an immediate rematch if one were to be booked (it probably won’t but who knows), because that’s just how Frankie Edgar fights work.
It’s impossible to be disappointed with Frankie Edgar’s effort in any given fight, and last night was no exception. Edgar provided Aldo with his stiffest challenge to date – after the champion returned from the longest layoff in his career, mind you – but Aldo was simply the better fighter.
Photo via Getty Images
“I don’t think that was supposed to happen.”
That was the text I received this morning from a friend who is very much a casual MMA fan regarding last night’s UFC 156. Even though I assumed that my friend was talking about the end result of Bigfoot vs. Overeem, that statement could just as easily apply to almost any other fight on the card. We’re all familiar with the cliché that any fighter can beat anyone else on any night at this level, but we rarely see the underdogs win as frequently – and as convincingly – as they did last night. Simply put, it was an awful night for the guys who were supposed to win.
So let’s start off with the fight that went exactly as we all assumed it would: Jose Aldo defeated Frankie Edgar by a close, yet unanimous decision. Naturally, Edgar grew stronger as the fight went on. And naturally, the fight was close enough to justify an immediate rematch if one were to be booked (it probably won’t but who knows), because that’s just how Frankie Edgar fights work.
It’s impossible to be disappointed with Frankie Edgar’s effort in any given fight, and last night was no exception. Edgar provided Aldo with his stiffest challenge to date – after the champion returned from the longest layoff in his career, mind you – but Aldo was simply the better fighter.
Aldo used his leg kicks, a stiff jab and great takedown defense to control the bout during the first two rounds. Despite Aldo winning the third round, Edgar began to build momentum that he would have on his side for the rest of the bout. The crowd came alive in the fourth round after a magnificent slam from the challenger, and Edgar took the fifth round with his combinations. In the end, it was too little too late, as the judges all saw the fight in favor of Jose Aldo.
As for what happens next? That’s just about anyone’s guess. Frankie Edgar isn’t sure if he wants to stay at featherweight or move back up to lightweight for his next fight (although his boss has made it pretty clear where he feels Edgar should be). Dana White mentioned in the post-event press conference that Anthony Pettis texted him asking for Jose Aldo, and I don’t think anyone would complain about that fight being booked. Well, anyone except for Ricardo Lamas and Chan Sung-Jung, who would like to remind everyone that they exist and fight at featherweight. We’ll keep you up to date as this sorts itself out.
Elsewhere on the card…
– Lil’ Nog upset Rashad Evans, taking home a unanimous decision victory. Jon Jones may have very well beaten the aggression out of Rashad, as he seemed content with letting Nogueira occasionally jab his way to the victory. Okay, maybe it wasn’t that bad, but it was certainly enough to squash the ongoing Rashad Evans vs. Anderson Silva discussions for the time being. The less we say about this fight, the better.
– Dead serious question: Are we keeping that awesome Manto t-shirt we were trying to give away, or did one of you degenerate gamblers play the odds and predict that Bigfoot would knock out Overeem in the third round simply because no one else predicted that?
On paper, Antonio Silva defeating Alistair Overeem may very well be the most underrated upset of all time. I write this because the gambling lines had Silva at +315 – which actually made him less of an underdog than Jamie Varner was when he deflated Edson Barboza’s hype – even though I can’t think of a single reason that anyone thought Antonio Silva might win this fight. At least Jamie Varner was fighting a promising, yet unproven prospect. Silva, meanwhile, was taking on a proven destroyer who was going to issue a Cormeir/Velasquez-esque beating on his way to a title shot.
I can’t think of one advantage anyone was giving Silva before the fight, except for the token “Well, he IS pretty big, I guess.” And for the first two rounds, that’s exactly how the fight went down. Overeem didn’t look like he was ever close to finishing Silva, but it was convincing enough to justify the hype he’s been riding. And then round three happened. Holy shit, did round three happen. You’d swear Silva’s plan all along was “Let Overeem think he an defeat you, then humiliate him.” It was equal parts this and this, basically.
So the big question now is, where exactly do we go from here? It sounds like Overeem will be fighting Junior Dos Santos, and Bigfoot Silva will be doing anything but fighting Velasquez for his next fight. I like both of these ideas. Although JDS is a big name in the division, he is also coming off of a rather humbling loss and needs a victory to stay at the top of the division. Expect fireworks from that one. Also, after the beating that Cain Velasquez put on Bigfoot Silva – and even the beating that Overeem put on him during the first two rounds – I’d like to see a little more out of Silva before talking about him as a title contender.
– It’s almost like Demian Maia read all that mean stuff we published about him as a middleweight, because he has been on an absolute tear since dropping to welterweight. Maia took Jon Fitch down at will last night, and had Fitch defending against ground and pound and submission attempts the entire fight. There’s no other way to say it: Maia managed to out-Fitch Jon Fitch and actually be entertaining while doing so. Let that sink in.
– Ian McCall is officially a bust signing. McCall was considered the top flyweight on Earth before the UFC implemented the weight class, and signed to be an immediate contender in the new division. McCall quickly found that it’s a lot easier to be number one when anyone who can beat you is in the UFC fighting at bantamweight, and once he was matched up against stiff competition, he’s proven to be a tough, yet very beatable opponent.
– If you bet $100 on a Bobby Green, Demian Maia, Antonio Silva and Lil’ Nog parlay, you would have been put in a mental institution before the fights last night. You would have been released just in time for the main event, $33,663 richer.
– Fight of the Night went to Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar, Knockout of the Night went to Bigfoot Silva and Submission of the Night went to Bobby Green. All bonuses were worth $50k.
Full Results:
Main Card:
Jose Aldo defeats Frankie Edgar via Unanimous Decision
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira defeats Rashad Evans via Unanimous Decision
Antonio Silva defeats Alistair Overeem via TKO (Strikes), 0:25 Round Three
Demian Maia defeats Jon Fitch via Unanimous Decision
Joseph Benavidez defeats Ian McCall via Unanimous Decision
Preliminary Card:
Evan Dunham defeats Gleison Tibau via Split Decision
Tyron Woodley defeats Jay Hieron via KO (Strikes), 0:36 in Round One
Bobby Green defeats Jacob Volkmann via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), 4:35 Round Three
Isaac Vallie-Flagg defeats Yves Edwards via Split Decision
Dustin Kimura defeats Chico Camus via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), 1:50 Round Three
Francisco Rivera defeats Edwin Figueroa via TKO (Strikes), 4:20 Round Two
(“The name’s Frankie. I fight dudes twice.” Photo via MMAFighting)
Tonight at UFC 156 in Las Vegas, Jose Aldo goes for his fourth-consecutive UFC featherweight title defense, while former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar attempts to become the third fighter in UFC history to pick up a belt in two different weight classes. And that’s just the cherry on top of a stacked Super Bowl Eve card, which is loaded with big names and high stakes from start to finish.
Round-by-round results from the Aldo vs. Edgar pay-per-view card will be stacking up after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, courtesy of George “Bigfoot” Shunick. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and please toss your own thoughts into the comments section.
(“The name’s Frankie. I fight dudes twice.” Photo via MMAFighting)
Tonight at UFC 156 in Las Vegas, Jose Aldo goes for his fourth-consecutive UFC featherweight title defense, while former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar attempts to become the third fighter in UFC history to pick up a belt in two different weight classes. And that’s just the cherry on top of a stacked Super Bowl Eve card, which is loaded with big names and high stakes from start to finish.
Round-by-round results from the Aldo vs. Edgar pay-per-view card will be stacking up after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, courtesy of George “Bigfoot” Shunick. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and please toss your own thoughts into the comments section.
OK, Potato Nation, welcome to the live chat. I’m not sure who came up with my nickname, but rest assured, I am more eloquent than cro-magnum Brazilians with gigantism. We’ve seen some impressive action thus far, but it should pale for what is about to come. (Side note: have we seen impressive fights so far? I’ve been on a road trip to North Carolina for most of the day, so I haven’t actually seen any of the fights. I’ll just assume they went well.) Fitch-Maia. Silva-’Reem. Evans-Lil Nog. Edgar-Aldo. Let me repeat that one. Edgar-Aldo. This is a legitimate super fight, folks. Hopefully my shitty Hilton internet service holds up so I can deliver to you, dear reader, a play by play worthy of the magnitude tonight holds.
OK, checked the results. The fights seem like they’ve been pretty good. I feel better about my baseless assumption now. Also, some predictions: Benavidez over McCall by decision, Fitch over Maia by decision or (gasp) late TKO, Overeem over Bigfoot by TKO, Evans by decision over Nogueira, and… Edgar over Aldo by decision. I think Jose will wear down over the course of the fight, and Edgar will take the last three rounds. Of course, being a Frankie Edgar fight with historically poor officials, there’s no guarantee the decision rendered will be just. We’ll see.
RIPPING IT INTO PIECES. UFC 156 has begun. Also, I hate Stemm. It comes with the territory, I guess. And by “it,” I mean shitty nu metal.
Ian McCall vs. Joseph Benavidez
If facial hair had any impact on the outcome of the fight, not only would Ian McCall absolutely destroy Joe Benavidez tonight but he would sit atop any pound-for-pound list this sport has. (Tiki Ghosn would be ranked dead last.) Unfortunately for him, that’s not how things work. Still, he’s an excellent fighter. I think Benavidez is better, but this – like all the flyweight fights – should be a barn-burner.
Round 1
Mazzagatti reffing this. Gets booed. Fighters touch gloves… aaaaaaaand my (PAID FOR) stream craps out. Well, this sucks. The action picks up with 3:30 left in the fight. McCall lands a hard combo, but Benavidez hurts him with a counter! High kick from Joe blocked. McCall getting his feet under him. Accidental low blow by Benavidez. Fight resumes, Benavidez still in control. Nice left right hook by McCall, who is slowly finding his range. Low kick Benavidez. McCall tags Benavidez with a right. Benavidez is cut. Lands a strong body kick. Round ends, 10-9 Benavidez, as far as I can tell.
Round 2
Apparently a headbutt was what caused Beanvidez’ cut. Second round begins, Benavidez takes the center. McCall tries to catch a kick but doesn’t get it. Jab by Benavidez, then a body shot. High kick from McCall blocked. They exchange with nothing of significance landing. Benavidez missing overhand rights. Body kick by McCall. Benavidez really looking for the overhand right, but so far hasn’t hit anything with it. Ducks under a big hook from McCall, takes the center of the Octagon. Uppercut by Benavidez, now working against the fence. They break. Beanvidez is throwing hard punches but not really landing anything. McCall, however, hasn’t landed much either. Benavidez counters a low kick. Nice right jab by McCall. Benavidez goes to the body. Benavidez slips, McCall tries to take his back, but Benavidez gets half-guard. Now McCall has his back! Benavidez scrambles, but McCall still maintains control, working ground and pound now. Benavidez stands, McCall lands a knee from a body clinch. Round ends, 10-9 McCall.
Round 3
McCall’s corner tells him that Benavidez has nothing off his back. They touch gloves. Big right hand by Benavidez! Doesn’t knock McCall down, but he felt it. Benavidez stuffs McCall’s shot, and lands an elbow. They separate. Body kick from Benavidez. Leg kick drops McCall, who was going for a kick of his own. McCall back up, Benavidez looks for a superman punch and misses. Nice right hook from McCall. Benavidez getting sloppy again, but lands a short right. Nice body kick by Benavidez, followed by a left. McCall perfectly times a takedown and almost passes to side control, but Benavidez stands up. Big body kick from Benavidez. They exchange low kicks. McCall lands another kick, but Benavidez returns fire with a combination. Low kick from Benavidez, followed by a combination. McCall lands a right, but misses a takedown. They exchange in the center of the octagon. Another body kick from Benavidez, who stuffs another takedown. The round ends, 10-9 Benavidez. Time to go to the judges…
Aaaaaand, it’s unanimous. 29-28 on all three scorecards for Benavidez. The right call. McCall collapses in despair, and Benavidez reaffirms his title intentions to the crowd. Goldberg mentions that the “stars” are in attendance tonight, and then proceeds to mention the tight end of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Most people in Jacksonville don’t know who the Jaguars tight end is. Just saying.
Jon Fitch vs. Demian Maia
Stoked for this fight. Hoping for a ground war. Better not get a stand up farce. Either’s in the cards. Speaking emphatically. Deal. I like Demian Maia, but coming out to Linkin Park? -100, sir. Conversely, Jon Fitch coming out to Johnny Cash? +100. Also, Fitch’s walkout shirt of a man fighting a bear? +100. Jon Fitch is winning the points game, people. Dominating it. Time to step your games up.
Round 1
Maia immediately shoots. He gets it. Transitions to the back. Fitch stands, and Maia is playing the role of backpack. Maia punching, now going for an RNC. Works the body, goes back for a choke. Fitch defending, elbows Maia’s thigh. Maia going for the choke, but Fitch slowly but surely defends himself. Maia leaves the back, tries to drag Fitch to the ground. He does, but Fitch stands again. They’re clinching against the fence, and Fitch grabs the fence to stop a takedown. He goes down, and Maia throws knees to Fitch’s thigh. Maia throwing strikes from the back as Fitch is kneeling. Maia works the body as the round ends. 10-9, arguably 10-8, Maia.
Round 2
Fitch lands a kick. Then a low kick. Then another. Maia with a right. Fitch returns fire. Maia gets a single, and tries to pass to side control. Fitch stands, however. Counter right by Fitch, but Maia clinches and takes Fitch down. He has one hook on Fitch’s back. Maia gets the other hook in. Maia working for a choke, but Fitch is still defending. Maia working ground and pound. Maia’s got the choke! Fitch somehow survives. Maia still working ground and pound. Dominant performance on the ground from Maia thus far. He’s been utilizing the body triangle to remain on Fitch’s back since he took him down. Fitch continues to defend, but he has no answer for Maia’s positional control. Round ends, again, 10-9 or 10-8 Maia.
Round 3
Crazy Bob Cook tells Fitch, in no uncertain terms, he needs to finish Maia on the feet. Fitch throws a kick, Maia clinches and pushes Fitch into the fence. Fitch defending the takedown as best he can. Now they’re clinched against the fence. Fitch goes down to one knee, and Maia takes his back almost instantly. Fitch finally gets out, but Maia immediately shoots. Fitch can’t get Maia off him, but Fitch goes for a guillotine. Maia drops to half guard, Fitch with a big elbow. Fitch works the body, but Maia stands and pushes Fitch into the fence. Fitch escapes, but Maia is relentless. He gets another takedown. This is exceptional. Maia ends the round in mount. His round and a clean sweep. Did not see this one coming. Maia looks absolutely dominant at 170.
Maia wins 30-27 on all scorecards. Some people in the crowd boo, because some people in the crowd are xenophobic douchebags.
Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva
Two things can happen here; Overeem will knockout Bigfoot, or Bigfoot will drag The Reem down and batter him into oblivion. The former is much more likely, but let’s not forget that Overeem is historically a bit of a front-runner. Still, much of that was before “horse meat” entered his life. Should be violent.
Round 1
Props to Joe Rogan to mentioning Overeem’s physique change has “[raised] a lot of eyebrows.” Goldberg immediately changes the subject. Overeem looks pretty confident standing across the ring. Fight starts, no glove touch. (Duh.) Silva misses a low kick. Jab by Overeem. Left to the body, and they clinch against the cage. They break. Jab by Overeem. Left to the body by Overeem and they clinch again. Overeem measuring Bigfoot for a knee. Another right hand from Overeem followed by a knee. Bigfoot works some short body punches from the fence. Silva misses a kick, tries to clinch, but Overeem turns him around effortlessly. Overeem working some knees, but none are seriously hurting Bigfoot. Big knee from Overeem following a right. Overeem’s hands are at his waist. Big low kick from Overeem. Silva returns fire. Overeem tosses Silva around in the clinch. Now working knees to the thighs. Knee to the body from Overeem. Overeem slips and counters with an uppercut. Round ends, 10-9 Reem.
Round 2
Bigfoot’s coaches sound way too optimistic heading into the second. Nice leg kick from Silva, but good counter jab from Overeem. They trade rights and Overeem tosses Silva to the ground. Herb Dean implores them to work 10 seconds after Overeem lands a takedown. Patience, Herb. Bigfoot lands serious elbows from the bottom in side control. Overeem now in Bigfoot’s open guard. Overeem punishing Silva now. Serious shots from the top that echo throughout the octagon. Bigfoot’s guard fails to threaten Overeem, who continues to land big shots to the body. More big shots, now Overeem passes to half guard. Back to full, Overeem stands. Herb Dean stands them up. Overeem misses an overhand. Big right by Silva! Overeem is undeterred. They trade hard jabs at the end. 10-9 Overeem.
Round 3
Big knee from Overeem. Bigfoot LANDS! He’s swarming him!!! Overeem is HURT! HE’S OUT!!!! OVEREEM IS OUT!! WOW!!!!!!!
Bigfoot ran up to a downed Overeem and shouted something at him. It all started from a right hand when Overeem tried to slip. Bigfoot followed with a head kick, then a big uppercut, then unloaded with a monster combination. Wow. Frontrunner for comeback of the year. Wow.
Wow. So, if we’ve learned anything, I guess it’s this; you can put on all the muscle you want, but if you’ve got the chin of a light-heavyweight, well, you’re stuck with that. Wonder what’s going to happen to the heavyweight title picture if Daniel Cormier gets past Frank Mir and refuses to fight Cain.
Rashad Evans vs. Antonio Rogerio “Minotoro” Nogueira
Um, yeah, so this fight is happening. Not really a lot to say about this; it’s designed to put Evans over for either another shot at Jones or a shot at Anderson Silva. He’ll probably look pretty good, because he’s better in all facets of MMA – save jiu-jitsu – than Nogueira. And, frankly, Lil Nog isn’t as good on the ground as his big brother. Unless he manages to hurt Evans and quickly follow up on the ground, I don’t see him taking this.
Round 1
Evans with a very wide stance. Lands a body kick. Staying just out of range of Nogueira. Faking shots. There’s little action and the croud is getting impatient. Evans throws a high kick that’s blocked. Nog lands a jab. Another jab. Then a straight left. Nogueira seems to be the superior boxer thus far. Another strong jab from Nog. Now a left. Rashad lands a big right hand. Staggers Nogueira, but nothing more. Evans lands a takedown, and punches Nogueira as the latter stands. They break. They exchange glancing crosses. Rashad lands a right. Goes for a head kick, to no avail. Close round. 10-9 Rashad, but I wouldn’t complain about a 10-10.
Round 2
Jab from Nogueira. A left misses. Rashad lands a solid inside leg kick. Lands a right after a level change. Nogueira rushes in and lands a couple shots. Then a left. Rashad lands a right. Now an inside leg kick. Nogueira lands a straight left and avoids Evans’ rush. Denies Evans a takedown. Nogueira lands another combination. Now a left to the body. Another. Nogueira is beginning to take control, although it’s not overt. He’s clearly the aggressor though. Lands another left. Rashad lands a combination, punctuated by a strong right. Nogueira lands a body kick, and then a jab. Another jab, but Evans almost takes Nogueira down. Nog escapes and lands a combination. Rashad lands a big uppercut. Body kick from Nog, followed by a combination as Evans circles. Evans misses a cross. Evans goes for a high kick, but it’s blocked. Round ends, 10-9 Nogueira.
Round 3
Right to body by Evans. Nogueira throws a combination. Evans returns. Neither lands much. Jab from Nog. Lunging right from Evans lands. But thus far, not a terribly eventful fight. Jab from Nogueira again. It seems to be the only consistent offense in this fight. Nogueira accidentally takes a finger to the eye and the fight is halted. Yves Lavigne calls for the doctor. The doctor asks him if he can continue, Nog obviously says yes. Great job, doc. Fight resumes, Nog lands a solid left. Rashad just seems bewildered right now. He shoots for a takedown, but it’s telegraphed. Nogueira lands another jab. Nogueira lands more lefts. Rashad lands a jab, but Nogueira responds. Evans can’t land a takedown because he can’t get close enough to Nogueira before he shoots. Nogueira still landing more than Rashad. Evans lands a solid right, and they trade from the clinch until the bell. 10-9 Nogueira, but really, no one won this one.
29-28 across the board for Nogueira. The right call, which at least makes this fight slightly less unbearable. OK, let’s get to Edgar-Aldo already…
Frankie Edgar vs. Jose Aldo
This fight is actually happening, Potato Nation. I’m not going to say anything else. Just enjoy the moment.
Round 1
Jose Aldo is 26. That never ceases to astound me. FIGHT TIME. They touch gloves. Edgar with a low kick. Edgar moving well. Aldo lands a body kick, but Edgar was circling away. Edgar circling towards Aldo’s right leg though. Edgar lands an inside leg kick. Aldo having trouble finding Edgar, but his defense is solid as well. Uppercut from Aldo, but Edgar returns fire. Nice jab from Aldo. Another one. Very strong. Aldo is beginning to find his timing. He coutners a low kick with a cross. Another one. Aldo is taking charge. Jab glances Edgar. Edgar misses a low kick. Another jab from Aldo. Nice right from Edgar. Another jab from Aldo. Edgar having trouble closing the distance. Edgar lands a right backing up. They exchange jabs. Edgar’s nose is bloodied. Another jab from Aldo. More punches as he moves backwards. BIG leg kick from Aldo. Edgar lands a cross. Another leg kick. Jesus those sound painful. Round ends, 10-9 Aldo.
Round 2
Edgar lands, but his leg is already swollen. Nice right from Aldo, thena jab. Frankie returns fire with a right. Jab from Aldo misses. Edgar is beginning to adjust to Aldo’s jab. Frankie lands a leg kick. Shoots for a half hearted single. Body kick Edgar. They exchange in the center. Nice jab from Aldo, who stuffs another takedown. BIG leg kick staggers Edgar. Edgar fires back with a right. Another leg kick, which takes out Edgar’s leg. Both fighters land. Another leg kick. Aldo has figured out a weakness and he’s exploiting it. Nice right from Edgar. Edgar lands a combination and avoids a flying knee, pushing Aldo into the fence. They separate. Aldo lands a kick, but Edgar catches it, lands a right and takes him down. Aldo stands up though. Edgar lands a jab. Aldo is beginning to tire. Frankie keeps up the pressure and lands a right. Two jabs from Aldo. Aldo misses a spinning kick and Edgar lands a hook. Round ends, 10-9 Aldo, but Edgar has the momentum.
Round 3
Edgar eats a kick, takes Aldo down, but Aldo pops right back up. Edgar with a low kick. Nice right by Aldo. Edgar backing Aldo up though. Misses an overhand right. A right from Aldo is blocked. They exchange. Front kick from Aldo barely misses knocking Edgar out. Edgar’s nose may be broken, though. Aldo lands a counter hook. They size each other up, and Edgar lands a kick to the body. Aldo with a jab. Aldo using his circling to avoid Edgar’s rushes. Leg kick from Edgar. Another. Another. Left hook from Aldo. Nice combo from Edgar, who catches a kick and answers with his own. Nice uppercut from Edgar. Big right hand from Edgar. Leg kick from Aldo misses. Aldo tosses Edgar’s takedown attempt off. Nice right hand from Frankie. Inside leg kick from Edgar. Nice kick from Edgar. Round ends… 10-9 Edgar?
Round 4
Can Edgar maintain this momentum? Nice right from Edgar. Inside leg kick from Edgar. Nice right. Another leg kick from Edgar. Inside leg kick from Edgar. Spinning back kick from Aldo lands. Aldo lands a leg kick, but eats a couple punches. High kick from Edgar is blocked. Edgar backing Aldo down. Edgar misses a spinning back kick of his own. Edgar’s movemnt is flustering Aldo. Goes for a takedown, fails, but lands punches on the separation. Edgar lands an uppercut. Aldo lands a jab. Left hook from both fighters. Leg kick from Edgar. Combination from Edgar. Edgar SLAMS Aldo down, but Aldo stands. Now they clinch against the fence, Edgar kneeing Aldo, who is trying to break Edgar’s grip. They break. Leg kick Edgar. Combination from Edgar. Fakes a takedown and throw s a combination. Lands a cross. Round ends, 10-9 Edgar.
Round 5
Round starts. Both circle. Edgar backs him up with jabs, but none land. Low kick Edgar. Both land as Edgar jumps in. Aldo barely misses a flying knee. Lands a jab though. Another nice jab. Nice right hand from Edgar. Spinning back kick is blocked by Aldo. Nice jab from Edgar, but Aldo lands a counter left. Edgar doesn’t get a takedown, but lands a knee. Both men miss. Left hook from Edgar. Low kick Edgar. Another one. Nice right from Aldo. Frankie pressuring now, lands a nice knee. Lands a good combination. A jab. Throws a high kick. Another inside leg kick. They exchange crosses. Left hook Edgar. Good combo from Edgar. Edgar with ANOTHER combo. Nice hook. Almost lands a headkick. Both men exchange crosses. Aldo lands a crazy superman punch off the fence, but it’s too little too late for the round. 10-9 Edgar.
Oh great, another Frankie Edgar title fight, another close decision. I had Aldo winning the first two, Edgar winning the last two, and the third round is… close. I gave it to Frankie, but I don’t feel confident in it. Anyway, we go to the judges…
49-46, 49-46, 48-47, all for Aldo. I can see the 48-47. But 49-46? God, I hate MMA judges. Anyway, Jose Aldo says stuff, including that he’s not moving to lightweight just yet. Edgar says other stuff, and congratulates Aldo. Alright, that’s the end of things. Overall, a good, and surprising, night of fights. Thanks for joining, Potato Nation.
Preliminary card results:
– Evan Dunham def. Gleison Tibau via split-decision (29-28 x 2, 28-29)
– Tyron Woodley def. Jay Hieron via KO, 0:36 of round 1
– Bobby Green def. Jacob Volkmann via submission (rear-naked choke), 4:25 of round 3
– Isaac Vallie-Flagg def. Yves Edwards via split-decision (29-28 x 2, 28-29)
– Dustin Kimura def. Chico Camus via submission (rear-naked choke), 1:50 of round 3
– Francisco Rivera def. Edwin Figueroa via TKO, 4:20 of round 2
The UFC made headlines in late 2011 when it announced the addition of a flyweight division. To kick off the action in the 125-pound weight class, the organization set up a four-man tournament with the winner being crowned the first-ever UFC flyweight c…
The UFC made headlines in late 2011 when it announced the addition of a flyweight division. To kick off the action in the 125-pound weight class, the organization set up a four-man tournament with the winner being crowned the first-ever UFC flyweight champion.
The buzz surrounding the announcement grew when the list of entries included the No. 1-ranked flyweight in the world, Ian McCall.
While it can be difficult for a fighter to generate buzz competing outside the UFC banner, McCall’s run at Tachi Palace made him the top 125-pound fighter in the world. Alongside “Uncle Creepy,” former No. 1 contenders in the bantamweight division Joseph Benavidez, YasuhiroUrushitani and Demetrius Johnson were set to make a historic run at the flyweight crown.
Unfortunately for McCall, the transition to the sport’s biggest stage wasn’t a smooth one.
After a draw with Johnson in their opening-round tilt, “Mighty Mouse” bounced back in the rematch to earn the unanimous-decision nod. Johnson would go on to win the title after defeating Benavidez in the finals, and McCall was pushed to the side for the time being.
It certainly wasn’t the end result the Southern California native was hoping for, but this Saturday night at UFC 156 against Benavidez, he will have the opportunity to begin his charge back to the top.
“I feel like I have failed at this point in my UFC career,” McCall told Bleacher Report. “I want to fix that. I want to be where I should be and that is the champion. But before I can go down that road the most important thing for me right now is just to get a win. I need my first UFC win. That is my main goal. I want to get out of there with the ‘W’ then I can worry about the other stuff later.”
The matchup between McCall and Benavidez is figured to be nonstop action from bell to bell. Both men bring exciting styles to the cage and have built reputations for their high-output offensive attacks. The bout is set to kick off the pay-per-view portion of the mega-card, and McCall promises the flyweight scrap will deliver.
“There is going to be excitement in this fight,” McCall said. “We are going to beat the crap out of each other with smiles on our faces. We are friends and I think he’s in the same place I’m in because we beat up our friends everyday. I basically live at the gym and I have no problems punching my friend in the face. We are going to put on a good show. It is going to be 15 minutes of all-out fighting. Of course I’d like it to be shorter than that but fans are going to get to see some good technique and all around MMA.”
“Stylistically I think this match-up is perfect for me. He comes to fight and I like that. I have a lot of training partners who are like that and my style is good against opponents who fight that way. You have to be careful with his punching power but we worked diligently on defense. It is going to be interesting.”
Stepping into the cage on Saturday night in Las Vegas, McCall will have the opportunity to breathe life back into his UFC championship hopes. The 28-year-old came into the most successful promotion in mixed martial arts with great expectations, and a win over Benavidez is the first step on his journey back to the top.
Overcoming adversity and circumstance is familiar territory for McCall—and when you’ve been through the hardest of times, redemption is the perfect motivator.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained first-hand unless noted otherwise.
Two of the UFC’s top flyweights will be looking to get back into title contention early next year as Joseph Benavidez and Ian McCall are set to face off at UFC 156 in February.Both men are coming into this bout following recent losses to champ Demetrio…
Two of the UFC’s top flyweights will be looking to get back into title contention early next year as Joseph Benavidez and Ian McCall are set to face off at UFC 156 in February.
Both men are coming into this bout following recent losses to champ Demetrious Johnson who won the inaugural 125 lb crown during the exciting four-man flyweight tournament earlier this year. A win for either fighter may earn them another crack at “Mighty Mouse,” provided he defends his belt against John Dodson in January.
I am very interested in this fight as Benavidez and McCall have widely been regarded as top-three 125ers over the past few years and should provide an amazing show at UFC 156.
Let’s take a look at the head-to-toe breakdown of this exciting flyweight matchup.
Demetrious Johnson has now cemented his spot atop the UFC’s flyweight mountain. The man has toppled the former No. 1 ranked 125 pounder on the planet, Ian McCall, battered Team Alpha Male standout Joseph Benavidez and crushed title hopes for the highly touted John Dodson. 
