UFC on Fox 10 hits Chicago on Saturday, but first the fighters will step on the scale at the Chicago Theatre.
The main event of the card will be a lightweight showcase between former UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson and former Strikeforce Ligh…
UFC on Fox 10 hits Chicago on Saturday, but first the fighters will step on the scale at the Chicago Theatre.
The main event of the card will be a lightweight showcase between former UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson and former Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Josh Thomson.
The co-main event will be a key heavyweight contest between Gabriel Gonzaga and Stipe Miocic.
For a long time, the UFC lightweight division was beyond reproach.
Just as light heavyweight was once regarded as the fight company’s glamour division, the 155-pound class was for years universally heralded as the Octagon’s most competitive…
For a long time, the UFC lightweight division was beyond reproach.
Just as light heavyweight was once regarded as the fight company’s glamour division, the 155-pound class was for years universally heralded as the Octagon’s most competitive. In a sport where chaos was often the default setting, lightweight was so dependably great for so long, perhaps its supremacy was something we all started to take for granted.
Note the past tense in that paragraph.
As Benson Henderson and Josh Thomson prepare to fight over fairly inexplicable stakes on Saturday night, the 155-pound division finds itself in a precarious position. Not to play Chicken Little here, but it’s starting to feel as though MMA’s best weight class just ain’t what it used to be.
The champion is injured, the erstwhile No. 1 contender is injured, and—depending on what happens between “Bendo” and “The Punk” at UFC on Fox 10—matchmakers could have a dilemma on their hands as they attempt to pave the way forward.
If you’re a fan of the lightweight division—or maybe if you just like your fighting to come equipped with coherent storylines—your best bet may be to root for Thomson this weekend.
Henderson is close to a 3-to-1 favorite, but a win by the former champion might do nothing but cast the weight class into even more prolonged stasis. He has already lost twice to champion Anthony Pettis, and after their lopsided UFC 164 bout, company president Dana White said Bendo is not likely to get a third chance.
Pettis said this week he’s targeting a July return (and that he’s picking Henderson over Thomson), but UFC-affiliated orthopedic surgeon Robert Klapper poured cold water on that notion during Wednesday’s episode of UFC Tonight.
“I would pray for him,” Klapper said. “Coming back in July? That’s really optimistic.”
Meanwhile, TJ Grant—the man with the best claim to top contender status—remains sidelined after suffering a concussion last summer. He has no timetable for a comeback, and at this point we’re all just hoping his medically mandated vacation isn’t permanent.
So, yeah, complete and utter gridlock.
If Henderson beats Thomson and Pettis recovers from his injury before doctors can clear Grant, maybe we should just start drawing names out of a hat.
Assuming Henderson holds serve, it’s possible the next title shot could default to Gilbert Melendez, who is officially ranked as the UFC’s No. 2 lightweight. But “El Nino” is just one fight removed from his own loss to Henderson (No. 1) nine months ago, and in a perfect world, he’d need at least one more victory over a ranked opponent to solidify his status.
To that end, a fight between Melendez and the fast-rising Khabib Nurmagomedov (No. 7) that was targeted for UFC 170 was recently scrapped for undisclosed reasons. Nate Diaz (No. 5) also reportedly refused the organization’s terms for a fight against Nurmagomedov, and the whole mess only added to the feeling that nobody at lightweight is going anywhere fast.
It’s frustrating. You’re not supposed to have these problems at this weight class.
But maybe after years of being the UFC’s most treacherous shark tank, the 155-pound class is just plain worn out. Perhaps its long tenure as the sport’s most notorious meat grinder has finally taken a toll.
Many of the division’s perennial stalwarts—Gray Maynard, Jim Miller, Melvin Guillard—have fallen off the pace of late.
Fan favorites Frankie Edgar and Clay Guida are now featherweights, as are lesser-known commodities like Dennis Siver, Jeremy Stephens, Charles Oliveira and Nik Lentz.
We’re still waiting to see if former contenders such as Evan Dunham and Gleison Tibau can right the ship before it’s too late, and longtime title threats like Diaz and Donald Cerrone don’t have unlimited windows, either.
At the same time, the division’s young guns—far and away the best reason to hope for its quick return to prominence—still aren’t quite ready for prime time. Men like Nurmagomedov, Bobby Green, Edson Barboza, Rafael dos Anjos and Michael Johnson could all be stars by the end of 2014, but as of right now they all need to incubate a bit longer.
As lightweight has slumped, suddenly juicy plot twists at welterweight and middleweight have stolen some of its thunder. A vacant title and a wealth of contenders at 170 pounds will arguably make that division the UFC’s most interesting during this calendar year, and the swirling controversy around Vitor Belfort’s upcoming 185-pound title shot should garner a good deal of spotlight as well.
If lightweight wants to go on being the UFC’s most respected division—heck, if it just wants to keep up—it better find a way to break out of its current funk, and fast.
The injury bug loves the taste of UFC lightweights.
First, it took a bite out of T.J. Grant last August, waylaying him with a concussion prior to a scheduled title fight with Benson Henderson. In his stead, Anthony Pettis won the 155-pound championship…
The injury bug loves the taste of UFC lightweights.
First, it took a bite out of T.J. Grant last August, waylaying him with a concussion prior to a scheduled title fight with Benson Henderson. In his stead, Anthony Pettis won the 155-pound championship, only to suffer a knee injury before his first defense against Josh Thomson.
Both Grant and Pettis are still on the mend, and so it has fallen to this: Henderson and Thomson meet on Saturday at UFC on Fox 10 in what might as well be billed as a sort of bizarre last-man-standing match.
The stakes are uncertain, as Henderson just lost to Pettis at UFC 164 and Thomson’s claim to No. 1 contender status likely depends on the future health of Grant. Honestly, it might be enough if this bout can deliver a clear-cut winner who doesn’t need some sort of surgery and months of rehab.
Small victories.
In any case, there will be winners and losers. If you feel like you can’t wait until the weekend to find out the results, MMA lead writers Chad Dundas (that’s me) and Jonathan Snowden are here to give you Sunday’s headlines right now.
Read on, although know in advance that we can’t guarantee your health…
The UFC’s lightweight division has long been considered the most talent-rich weight class in all of mixed martial arts.
Simply put, there are no easy fights at 155 pounds. Everyone, from the lowest-ranked lightweight to the highest, is an absolu…
The UFC’s lightweight division has long been considered the most talent-rich weight class in all of mixed martial arts.
Simply put, there are no easy fights at 155 pounds. Everyone, from the lowest-ranked lightweight to the highest, is an absolute savage that can beat any man on any given night. Conversely, given how deep the talent pool is, it takes a special breed of fighter to rise up and reign over the division as champion.
Benson Henderson was well on his way to becoming the greatest lightweight champion of all time. Tied with B.J Penn for the most consecutive lightweight title defenses at three, Henderson was aiming for No. 4 when he stepped into the Octagon with Anthony Pettis at UFC 164 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Unfortunately for Henderson, it wasn’t his night. Pettis dethroned the MMA Lab product with a first-round submission victory and, once again, took a belt away from his nemesis.
He wants it back. Henderson wants the belt back badly and he’s determined to annihilate any foe placed in front of him to get there.
Henderson’s road back to the title begins this Saturday night against top contender Josh Thomson in the main event of UFC on FOX 10.
A former Strikeforce lightweight champion, Thomson is fresh off a thunderous knockout victory over Nate Diaz at UFC on FOX 7 last April. “The Punk” is hell-bent and determined to add the UFC title on his mantle.
To help me analyze this fight card, I reached out to television personality and international fitness model, Roni Taylor-Parsons.
Taylor is the most-followed female Vegas personality and an absolute sports nut!
If you read my fantasy MMA Super Bowl card, I listed Taylor as my fictional backstage interviewer. You’re about to find out why.
Ciccarelli: We’ve got a fantastic lightweight fight, between No. 1 contender Josh Thomson and former champ Benson Henderson headlining UFC on FOX 10 this Saturday night. Originally, Thomson was supposed to challenge champion Anthony Pettis for the belt but once again injuries have thrown us a curveball. Do you think that, stylistically, Henderson is actually a tougher matchup for “The Punk?”
Taylor: I absolutely think Thomson is in for a rough ride on Saturday night. The Henderson that we saw lose the belt to Pettis will not be the same one that steps into the cage with Thomson this weekend. One thing we know about Ben is that he has a tenacious work ethic to grow and improve fight after fight.
The armbar submission loss to Pettis will only add fuel to the fire. It is no mystery that “Showtime” Pettis has incredible outside striking and a nasty ground game, but I think Henderson’s wrestling and overall athleticism will be the difference makers in this fight. Remember, Josh only averages a coin flip with his takedown defense and that is where I see Benson controlling the fight.
A few years ago, back when Henderson was the reigning WEC lightweight champion, Thomson wasn‘t impressed with him. In fact, the former Strikeforce champ was quoted as saying that “Henderson doesn‘t belong in the top 10.”
Henderson would eventually go on to prove him wrong and become UFC champion, but do you think that, mentally, Henderson is motivated to make Thomson eat his words all these years later?
I don’t know that Henderson will necessarily be looking to shove “The Punk”’s words back into his own mouth. Ben will be coming into this fight determined to get a shot at the title belt again right away. Henderson’s nickname “Smooth” can be best seen as he maintains a calm demeanor competing at the highest levels. I honestly don’t think Henderson will allow Josh to get under his skin enough to allow emotion to be a factor in this fight.
Thomson is hot right now. He’s coming off a win at UFC on FOX 7, where he became the first man to stop Nate Diaz with strikes. However, this will be Henderson’s first fight since dropping the strap to Pettis. Who do you think will have their hand raised in the end?
I’ll call out Thomson’s suspect wrestling defense as his main weakness. I truly think that is where Benson will take control and dominate in the ground and pound. Have you seen the legs on the former UFC champ? Watch for the power double followed by some brutal striking from the top. I’m calling it right now: Henderson wins by TKO in the second round.
Regardless of who wins, do you see either Thomson or Henderson being able to stop Pettis? Henderson already lost to him twice. The first fight was razor close but Pettis put a stamp on him in the rematch. Would a third fight really be all that different?
I have all the respect in the world for “Showtime” Pettis and I personally love his flashy kicks and confident demeanor. I do however think that three out of five times, Henderson wins that fight. Pettis got his two wins out of the way up front, and now it’s time for Benson to put a W on the board over the current champ.
Closing the distance to nullify the laser-guided kicks of Pettis was what Jeremy Stephens did when he gave Pettis a run for his money, split decision back in 2011. Strong wrestling used to close the distance, coupled with a little bit tighter ground game will be the keys to victory when “Smooth” gets his rematch later this year.
Who else do you think has the best chance of beating Pettis in the lightweight division right now?
Well, you’ve now heard me go on about how I think Benson takes the re-rematch, but let’s also not forget some of the other monsters at 155 lbs. Gilbert Melendez is only one or two good fights away from another title shot. He would pose a huge threat to Pettis due to his great wrestling, KO power and overall durability.
Or how about KhabibNurmagomedov? This undefeated sambo champion has been wrecking people in the UFC and right now nobody even wants to fight him! You know you’re a badass when Nate Diazdoesn’t want to tangle with you.
Maybe we will get to see the winner of a possible Melendez/Nurmagomedov matchup gunning for the title next and I honestly think they both would have a great shot at dethroning the king.
The rest of the main card rounds out pretty nicely. In the co-main event, we have a heavyweight battle between Gabriel Gonzaga and StipeMiocic. Who do you like in that one?
I think this will be Stipe’s toughest fight yet in the UFC and Gonzaga is not someone you want to take lightly. Just ask Mirko “Cro Cop.” Stipe has shown very good footwork and is surprisingly fast for a man weighing 240 lbs. If he can avoid the random high kick from Gonzaga and control position with his wrestling, I think Stipe can eek out another decision victory or maybe even pull off a ground-and-pound TKO late in the fight.
Which fight are you most looking forward to on this card, besides the main event?
I can’t wait to watch “Cowboy” Cerrone dismantle Adriano Martins with his superior Muay Thai. I think Cowboy is going to use his bullwhip leg kicks to pick apart Martins, long enough for Adriano to drop his hands leaving the opening for a spectacular high-kick finish.
I am also excited to watch the undercard matchup between Eddie Wineland and Yves Jabouin. These two guys are super exciting to watch and I’m looking forward to an explosive battle. I think Eddie has something to prove after his loss to RenanBarao and I don’t see this fight making it out of the first round.
For more of Roni Taylor’s MMA insight, follow her on Twitter @RoniTaylor
Mitch Ciccarelli is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report and co-host of Alchemist Radio. He is also a United States Airman. Follow him on Twitter @MitchCiccarelli and follow @AlchemistRadio.
I kind of like these “Full Blast” videos that the UFC has been putting out lately. Usually when I’m watching UFC fights at home, I’m surrounded by my half-wit friends who say things like, “Why doesn’t that guy on the bottom just get up and kick the other dude in the head. Game over.” And I’m like, uggggggggh. So it’s cool to see what people with actual first-hand insight on the sport have to say.
Of course, not every fighter’s approach to a Full Blast segment is the same. As you can see above, heel-superstar Michael Bisping prefers the snarky approach, making sure to remind us how boring Mark Munoz is, and how he could whoop Munoz and Lyoto Machida at the same time. On the other hand, he gives legitimate respect to Machida for his perfectly executed head-kick knockout, and for the gentlemanly way that the Dragon stopped his follow-up punch in mid-flight. Also, Bisping and Conor McGregor are the Scut Farkus and Grover Dill of MMA. Please spread awareness.
After the jump, UFC on FOX 10 headliner Josh Thomson starts out doing color-commentary for the Gilbert Melendez vs. Diego Sanchez slugfest at UFC 166, then switches directly into enthusiastic fan mode. (Can you blame him? That fight was bananas.) Skip to the 2:43 mark to see Thomson absolutely losing his mind.
I kind of like these “Full Blast” videos that the UFC has been putting out lately. Usually when I’m watching UFC fights at home, I’m surrounded by my half-wit friends who say things like, “Why doesn’t that guy on the bottom just get up and kick the other dude in the head. Game over.” And I’m like, uggggggggh. So it’s cool to see what people with actual first-hand insight on the sport have to say.
Of course, not every fighter’s approach to a Full Blast segment is the same. As you can see above, heel-superstar Michael Bisping prefers the snarky approach, making sure to remind us how boring Mark Munoz is, and how he could whoop Munoz and Lyoto Machida at the same time. On the other hand, he gives legitimate respect to Machida for his perfectly executed head-kick knockout, and for the gentlemanly way that the Dragon stopped his follow-up punch in mid-flight. Also, Bisping and Conor McGregor are the Scut Farkus and Grover Dill of MMA. Please spread awareness.
After the jump, UFC on FOX 10 headliner Josh Thomson starts out doing color-commentary for the Gilbert Melendez vs. Diego Sanchez slugfest at UFC 166, then switches directly into enthusiastic fan mode. (Can you blame him? That fight was bananas.) Skip to the 2:43 mark to see Thomson absolutely losing his mind.
If you’ve read almost anything about Josh Thomson leading up to Saturday’s bout against Benson Henderson at UFC on Fox 10, you already know he doesn’t have time for games.
Maybe he feels like he’s too old for that stuff. Th…
If you’ve read almost anything about Josh Thomson leading up to Saturday’s bout against Benson Henderson at UFC on Fox 10, you already know he doesn’t have time for games.
Maybe he feels like he’s too old for that stuff. Though he still carries the moniker of a much younger man—”The Punk”—he’s 35 years old now and more than a decade into a 31-fight MMA career.
At this stage, he’s more elder statesman than defiant kid, so you’ll have to forgive him if he refuses to blow smoke about how great he feels or how amazing his training camp has been.
Even if that stuff has become the industry standard, Thomson says he’d rather stick with the truth.
“Fighters are liars,” he says. “We are liars. It’s hilarious, man. The funny part is that after the fight it’ll be, ‘Oh no, actually, I pulled my groin’ or ‘My foot was messed up. I broke my hand in camp.’ Whatever. You might as well just talk about it.”
Thomson says these things this week as he completes his mandatory pre-fight media obligations—a full slate of 10-minute interviews, where everybody asks him pretty much the same questions. The system is designed to perpetuate cliches; it’s a method that makes it nearly impossible for anyone to say or do anything particularly meaningful.
Maybe without even knowing it, Thomson’s honesty about how this camp has been difficult for him turns that process on its head. The speed-date-style interview is designed for fighters who give short, rehearsed answers to largely by-the-book questions, but Thomson doesn’t communicate that way.
To fill 10 minutes with him, you only need to bring about four questions. The most pleasant surprise of getting reacquainted with Thomson after the nine years he spent marooned in Strikeforce is not only that he won’t lie but also that he’s so chatty.
In almost painstaking detail, he recounts the plot twists that spoiled his scheduled lightweight title shot against Anthony Pettis last December. He recites it in a rapid-fire staccato, sounding like he’s explained it all about a million times in the last few days, because he probably has.
Thomson had gotten about five weeks into training for the opportunity of a lifetime when word came down that the fight was off. Pettis had injured his knee and would need surgery and several months of recovery.
Thomson was understandably pretty bummed.
“It was just kind of the feeling of cloud nine—I’m going to fight for the title, I’m going to fight for the title—and then the fight fell through and it was like, ah crap,” he says. “I think that’s just natural. Any time your title fight falls through I think anyone would feel that way.”
Thomson shut down his training camp and, in an effort to blow off some steam, traveled to Las Vegas to watch Georges St-Pierre fight Johny Hendricks at UFC 167. Friday night before the event, he got a phone call from matchmaker Joe Silva, who offered him a bout with Henderson instead.
The following week, still fired up from seeing Hendricks nearly wrench the title away from St-Pierre, Thomson went home to San Jose and dived back into training. In retrospect, he says he should have done the math first and realized he was still 11 weeks out from fighting Henderson on national TV.
“I probably should’ve taken another week or two off after that,” Thomson says, “but I’m just the kind of person that always thinks there’s not enough time. I just went home on Monday and started training again. The reality of it is that the last three to four weeks of my camp, I’ve just been kind of going through the motions. It was really just a miscalculation on my part.”
When he fights Henderson on Saturday night, Thomson will get his second chance to throw convention on its ear. He comes into the contest as a bit more than a 2-to-1 underdog to the guy who ruled over the lightweight division for 18 months, prior to his own loss to Pettis at UFC 164.
A victory over Henderson would amount to a big statement from Thomson—leaps and bounds bigger even than his TKO win over Nate Diaz last April. It would keep him in the driver’s seat for the next shot at Pettis, pending the long-delayed return of erstwhile No. 1 contender T.J. Grant.
At least on that front, Thomson is saying all the right things. Despite his tough training camp, he says Henderson better be ready to handle his best effort. He points out that previously the worst camp of his life came before his June, 2008 bout with Gilbert Melendez, when Thomson won the Strikeforce lightweight title.
Still, he says he considers Henderson the best fighter in the 155-pound ranks, quipping: “If you can’t get motivated to fight the former champion, the guy who’s been champion for the last couple of years, man, something’s wrong with you.”
“Pettis has got his number,” Thomson adds of Henderson. “He’s had his number for their two fights, but my personal opinion is that (Henderson) is stylistically probably the hardest fight for anybody in the UFC in our lightweight division.”
As for what happens after that, he is trying to take a realistic and—surprise!—honest approach. Even though he was scheduled to fight for the title late last year, a victory this week doesn’t necessarily secure another championship opportunity.
Much will likely be determined by how quickly Grant is able to return from the concussion that has kept him out since last July.
“It’s not really my call, you know that,” Thomson says. “Everybody knows the fighters don’t make the calls in the UFC. If T.J. is ready to fight and Pettis isn’t ready to fight, then probably T.J. and I are going to fight. Let’s just be honest about it. If Pettis is ready, then I hope I get the nod.”
Chad Dundas is a lead writer for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
For a long time, the UFC lightweight division was beyond reproach.