Tag: Kelvin Gastelum

Johny Hendricks Says Sparring Session With Kelvin Gastelum ‘Didn’t Go Well’

Former UFC welterweight champion Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks has fallen on some rocky times as of late. After losing his title to reigning champion Robbie Lawler at UFC 181 in December 2014, Hendricks bounced back with a decision victory over Matt Brown in March 2015, but it was then that things began to fall downhill.

The post Johny Hendricks Says Sparring Session With Kelvin Gastelum ‘Didn’t Go Well’ appeared first on LowKick MMA.

Former UFC welterweight champion Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks has fallen on some rocky times as of late. After losing his title to reigning champion Robbie Lawler at UFC 181 in December 2014, Hendricks bounced back with a decision victory over Matt Brown in March 2015, but it was then that things began to fall downhill.

Hendricks was forced to withdraw from a scheduled bout with Tyron Woodley just a day before last October’s UFC 192, leaving a bad taste in the mouth of the UFC brass. He was then matched up with rising talent Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson last February, but “Bigg Rigg” ended up getting steamrolled and knocked out in the first round by the karate expert.

Now, the Texas native will get his chance to get back to his winning ways when he meets former The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) winner Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 200 on July 9, 2016 from Las Vegas, Nevada. Gastelum has actually lost two of his last three, and Hendricks feels as if he has the keys to victory locked up. In fact, “Bigg Rigg” recently detailed a past sparring session between the two that he says ‘didn’t go well’ for Gastelum:

“He likes to move forward. That’s something that I can definitely use against him. And the way that he throws punches – I’m not gonna get into too much of the details because some of it is my gameplan – but the way that he does certain things, I have figured out, I’ve watched the footage and I think I’ve figured out how to use that against him. And I really, really hope that he is gonna fight that way, but I’ve also prepared for a guy who knows that I can hit hard, that knows that he’s sparred me before and it didn’t go well. So what I’m thinking is that he might do a little bit of both, where he’s going to try to come out and see if he can set up himself to be a forward fighter and come forward. And once I do what I’m supposed to do and once I do all that, then he will turn into a guy that might try to throw a couple of punches and run.” Hendricks told Submission Radio.

Do you feel as if the former champion will come prepared and get back to his winning ways, or will his downward spiral continue in ‘Sin City’?

The post Johny Hendricks Says Sparring Session With Kelvin Gastelum ‘Didn’t Go Well’ appeared first on LowKick MMA.

The Heavy Issue With Cutting Weight


(Weight cutting is a very serious issue in MMA, so here’s a picture of John Lineker as a fat baby. via Ian McCall’s Instagram)

By CP reader Jessie Lorenty

Before the first fight even started, UFC 183: Diaz vs Silva was already filled with controversy. Not one but two of the night’s fighters missed weight, and both who did were notorious for taking the weight limit as a suggestion instead of maybe the actual amount of weight that they’re allowed to be at. The first was John Lineker, who showed up heavy for a record fourth time in his UFC career — the first was against Louis Gaudinot (127lbs), then against Jose Maria (129lbs) and the third time against Phil Harris (127lbs). The second fighter was none other then the lesser half of the night’s co-main event, Kelvin Gastelum, who previously missed weight in his fight against Nico Musoke.

Missing the weight limit is sadly not an unusual thing in MMA, but could not have occurred at a worse time for either fighter…


(Weight cutting is a very serious issue in MMA, so here’s a picture of John Lineker as a fat baby. via Ian McCall’s Instagram)

By CP reader Jessie Lorenty

Before the first fight even started, UFC 183: Diaz vs Silva was already filled with controversy. Not one but two of the night’s fighters missed weight, and both who did were notorious for taking the weight limit as a suggestion instead of maybe the actual amount of weight that they’re allowed to be at. The first was John Lineker, who showed up heavy for a record fourth time in his UFC career — the first was against Louis Gaudinot (127lbs), then against Jose Maria (129lbs) and the third time against Phil Harris (127lbs). The second fighter was none other then the lesser half of the night’s co-main event, Kelvin Gastelum, who previously missed weight in his fight against Nico Musoke.

Missing the weight limit is sadly not an unusual thing in MMA, but could not have occurred at a worse time for either fighter. With a shallow division at flyweight, the next shot at current champion Demetrious Johnson could always be just one great performance away. Against Ian McCall, Lineker had the potential to prove himself a title contender (and did with his UD victory), but sabotaged his chances of that happening right from the get-go. On the other side of the (tipped over) scale is Kelvin Gastelum, who was undefeated as a pro and currently on a five fight winning streak in the UFC. In his last fight Gastelum ran through the always tough Jake Ellenberger and was hoping on continuing his momentum against his toughest test to date in Tyron Woodley.

Both fighters were coming into one of their most important fights of their career. A win for either of them could have placed them in the category of next title challenger, but instead, the focus point was shifted to their weight. Dana White has since ordered both men to move up a weight class, shattering their respective chances at a flyweight and welterweight title shot.

Luckily for Lineker, he won the fight, as a loss could have seen him cut from the UFC. Anthony “Rumble” Johnson was originally released from the promotion for missing weight time and time again, and after his loss to Vitor Belfort, Uncle Dana had had enough. As for Gastelum, his offense was more egregious than Lineker’s but only the second time it has occurred. With a substantial amount of steam behind him, Gastelum was on the verge of breaking out of the middle of the pack and cementing himself as a potential title challenger. But he nearly killed himself trying to make weight and it showed in his eventual loss to Woodley on Saturday.

Weight is one of the biggest issues in MMA but just like most of the other issues there is no clear cut solution to it (other than same day weigh-ins, of course). Aside from heavyweights and Frankie Edgar, you would be hard pressed to find someone fighting close to their natural weight. Fighters see the weight cut as gaining a potential advantage over their competition but if they damage themselves trying to make the weight they’re doing the exact opposite and giving the advantage to their opponent. Instances like these bring more attention to the issue, as they should, but after it is all said and done nothing will have changed and the MMA community will eventually stop talking about it until it occurs again. (You know, kind of like drug testing.)

Fighters are called disrespectful and lazy for not making weight, but the main focus should be on just how dangerous it is. Prizefighters in general are a special group of people that will put themselves through anything in order to compete. So we can only imagine what their bodies are going through where they finally just give up because they physically can’t go on any longer. Only after pushing themselves to the very end do they finally call it. They need to realize that the damage they are doing to themselves sometimes just isn’t worth it. Instead, they are fined and they still get to compete in most cases, completely forgetting the fact that not 24 hours before they step in that cage their bodies were almost completely shutting down on them.

At the end of the day these men have to pay the bills, the UFC has to sell tickets, and the fans needs to be entertained. But we also have to look further into the issue and understand what these guys are doing to themselves and decide when enough is enough. When that time will come is unclear or maybe even non-existent. It may be that these two men go out there and put on the performance of their lives and somehow the weight thing is overshadowed. But one thing that should never be overshadowed is fighter safety.

UFC 183 Video Highlights/Results: Silva Decisions Diaz in Bizarre Battle, Miesha Tate’s Comeback + More

It might not have been as flashy and/or violent as most of us predicted, but Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz‘s UFC 183 headliner was every bit the circus act that it promised to be by virtue of being booked in the first place. While not without its lulls in action, Silva vs. Diaz saw the former/current(?) GOAT return to form against Stockton’s finest, picking him apart over five rounds en route to a unanimous decision victory. And speaking of a return to form, you best believe that Diaz still thought he won that sh*t.

For now, the future seems uncertain for Silva, whose family has grown increasingly vocal about his need to retire. But for the time being, let’s all just relish in his performance at UFC 183, which capped off one of the most improbable comebacks in the “modern era” of MMA, as the Zuffa heads would likely call it.

Check out the full highlights from Silva vs. Diaz above, courtesy of UFC on FOX, then head after the jump for video highlights of Woodley vs. Gastelum, Lauzon vs. Iaquinta, Tate vs. McMann, + more

It might not have been as flashy and/or violent as most of us predicted, but Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz‘s UFC 183 headliner was every bit the circus act that it promised to be by virtue of being booked in the first place. While not without its lulls in action, Silva vs. Diaz saw the former/current(?) GOAT return to form against Stockton’s finest, picking him apart over five rounds en route to a unanimous decision victory. And speaking of a return to form, you best believe that Diaz still thought he won that sh*t.

For now, the future seems uncertain for Silva, whose family has grown increasingly vocal about his need to retire. But for the time being, let’s all just relish in his performance at UFC 183, which capped off one of the most improbable comebacks in the “modern era” of MMA, as the Zuffa heads would likely call it.

Check out the full highlights from Silva vs. Diaz above, courtesy of UFC on FOX, then head after the jump for video highlights of Woodley vs. Gastelum, Lauzon vs. Iaquinta, Tate vs. McMann, + more

Woodley vs. Gastelum

Lauzon vs. Iaquinta

Mein vs. Alves

Tate vs. McMann

Full results for UFC 183 are below:

Main card

Anderson Silva def. Nick Diaz via unanimous decision
Tyron Woodley def. Kelvin Gastelum via split decision
Al Iaquinta def. Joe Lauzon via second-round TKO (3:34)
Thales Leites def. Tim Boetsch via submission (arm triangle)
Thiago Alves def. Jordan Mein via second-round TKO (0:39)

Undercard

Miesha Tate def. Sara McMann via majority decision
Derek Brunson def. Ed Herman via first-round TKO (:36)
John Lineker def. Ian McCall via unanimous decision
Rafael Natal def. Tom Watson via unanimous decision
Diego Brandao vs. Jimy Hettes – fight canceled (medical issue)
Ildemar Alcantara def. Richardson Moreira via split decision
Thiago Santos def. Andy Enz via first-round TKO (1:56)

Gambling Addiction Enabler: UFC 183 Edition

(Silva hilariously reacts to the news that Diaz has missed his open workouts, via ZombieProphet.)

Can we level with you for a second, Nation? Last week, we dropped a ridiculous amount of money on a Krylov + Sicilia + Bader + Lusty Gusty parlay. Three quarters of the way through it, we felt like the precogs in Minority Report, and were already buying up rounds at the bar for complete strangers. “As soon as Gustafsson levels Rumble, free Patron for everyone!” we shouted to a chorus of cheers and back pats. The air of confidence surging through us was addictive, to the point that we even asked our high school crush, Jenny Bracegirdle, out on a date. Just coffee, but still, we were feeling it.

And then, the rug was swept out from under us, as it so often is. We mean literally. We couldn’t pay our tab, and the bouncers wrapped us in a rug and heaved us into a dumpster. Needless to say, Jenny Bracegirdle has yet to return our calls.

The point is, we could use a little extra cash this weekend, and we’re sure you could as well. Which is why we brought back our gambling expert, Dan George, to break out an old favorite and potentially save us from yet another weekend spent nursing our fractured egos (also, wrists). So join us after the jump for the return of the Gambling Addiction Enabler: UFC 183 Edition.


(Silva hilariously reacts to the news that Diaz has missed his open workouts, via ZombieProphet.)

Can we level with you for a second, Nation? Last week, we dropped a ridiculous amount of money on a Krylov + Sicilia + Bader + Lusty Gusty parlay. Three quarters of the way through it, we felt like the precogs in Minority Report, and were already buying up rounds at the bar for complete strangers. “As soon as Gustafsson levels Rumble, free Patron for everyone!” we shouted to a chorus of cheers and back pats. The air of confidence surging through us was addictive, to the point that we even asked our high school crush, Jenny Bracegirdle, out on a date. Just coffee, but still, we were feeling it.

And then, the rug was swept out from under us, as it so often is. We mean literally. We couldn’t pay our tab, and the bouncers wrapped us in a rug and heaved us into a dumpster. Needless to say, Jenny Bracegirdle has yet to return our calls.

The point is, we could use a little extra cash this weekend, and we’re sure you could as well. Which is why we brought back our gambling expert, Dan George, to break out an old favorite and potentially save us from yet another weekend spent nursing our fractured egos (also, wrists). So join us after the jump for the return of the Gambling Addiction Enabler: UFC 183 Edition.

Stay the Hell Away From

Tom Watson (+155) vs. Rafael Natal (-175)

Both fighters here are sporting a 1-2 record over their past three contests, and both have a propensity to go the distance inside the octagon. Watson and Natal also seem to share a similar fighting style, preferring (somewhat unpolished) striking to the grappling game, which could sabotage the alluring -130 prop bet that this fight goes the distance. Save the stress and cash for later on in the evening.

Tyron Woodley (even) vs. Kelvin Gastelum (-120)

The odds alone make a strong case to simply sit back and enjoy what is sure to be a very close fight. Gastelum is most likely the razor thin favorite due to his impressive submission win over Jake Ellenberger just 2 months ago, coupled with his perfect 10-0 record. Woodley, however, will possess the experience advantage in this fight and will really be the one answering the questions as to whether or not he “chokes in big fights” — Dana White, ever the honest abe-hole.

If Woodley has not learned how to stay off the fence since his fights with Jake Shields and Nate Marquardt or how to close the distance since his bout with Rory MacDonald, than we may see Woodley once again be relegated to bridesmaid status on Saturday night. Both men have KO power, strong wrestling backgrounds, and are accustomed to imposing their will on their opponents, which makes this one simply too close to call.

The Good Dogs

Jim Hettes (+150) vs. Diego Brandao (-170)

Diego Brandao is coming off back to back losses to Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor, which may not necessarily mean that he is fighting for his job, but surely will be looking to right the ship at 145lbs to avoid going 0-3. With his grappling background and solid ground game, Hettes has a good chance to re-create the similar environment that Darren Elkins was able to thrive in against Brandao — one which chewed up the clock and limited Diego’s ability to create space and earn points on the cards. Look for the Sworysville, Pennsylvania native to use his slight size advantage in this fight to blanket Diego en route to a decision victory. It might not be pretty, but all those extra bills in your wallet sure will be.

Thiago Alves (+120) vs Jordan Mein (-140)

It may be going on 6 years now since Alves was a title contender, but he has to be the most alluring underdog on the main card here, based solely on the likelihood that this fight stays on the feet. Jordan Mein will not be looking for takedowns and may gain a false sense of security in his striking game against the ultra technical Alves, who likely holds an advantage in the counter striking department. Look for Alves to establish his patented (not to mention, vicious) leg kicks early on and mix in straight punches behind them to potentially catch Mein and pull off the upset.

Meisha Tate (+175) vs. Sarah McMann (-210)

Perhaps the sexiest underdog pick on the card and not only for obvious reasons, Meisha is a fine option when looking at the probability that McMann will be looking to get this fight to the ground early. Meisha is ever-improving, and look no further than the cerebral striking clinic she put on against Rin Nakai in the early rounds of their fight at Fight Night 52. Tate has fought consistently strong competition and only lost to the very best over the past 5 years, while McMann seems to be dominant over the lower-tiered ladies at 135lbs. This will be McMann’s second toughest test next to Rousey and may highlight McMann’s less evolved overall MMA skills if Meisha is able to avoid being taken down and keep McMann at a distance.

Joe Lauzon (+165) vs. Al Iaquinta (-190)

If you like Joe Lauzon here, chances are you are banking on his potential to submit Iaquinta, much like Mitch Clarke was able to do when he scored a massive upset over the heavy handed Serra Longo standout. Lauzon has a shot to pull off the upset here if he is able to avoid getting clipped by Iaquinta during his trademark blitz to begin the fight. Iaquinta may have looked outstanding against Pearson in his last outing, but Pearson never really threatened the takedown and left Al free to bear down and throw power shots. If Joe can mix it up and keep Al guessing, he should be able to land a takedown or two, wear Iaqunita out, and possibly catch him in a late submission.

(Ed note: In my completely unbiased opinion, my boy Joey Lauz is going to MURK THE SHIT OUT OF YOU, IAQUINTA. WOOO!!!!)

Other Main Card Bouts

Thales Leites (-475) vs Tim Boetsch (+380)

The only reason “The Barbarian” does not make the “good dogs” section is because Leites seems to have improved his striking to the point that he may be able to close the distance on Boetsch and get the fight on the ground before Tim has a chance to counter. Boetsch excels when he is able to brawl with his opponents, and while Leites is coming off back-to-back KO victories, he will surely not be looking to exchange with Boetsch if he can get this fight to the ground. This is supported by the inflated -475 line in favor of Thales.

Anderson Silva (-470) vs. Nick Diaz (+375)

We have all read about the props for the upcoming superbowl, but just imagine the fun the bookies could have had with props on Nick Diaz leading up to and during Saturday’s fight. Will Nick miss his flight to Las Vegas? Will Nick miss the open workouts? Will Nick land a Stockton slap during the fight? The possibilities are endless and probably more interesting than picking a winner between Silva and Diaz.

It is undeniable that this fight is interesting and worthy of being a main event, but the prospect that Nick most likely won’t “survive this shit” is slowly starting to become more prevalent as you read the headlines in advance of the weigh-ins. Whether or not Diaz is just showing up to collect a big payday or not, he is a proud fighter who has never been stopped inside the Octagon and will probably do better than most believe. He might just have an edge on the ground as well, but the open stance and looping punches he often resorts to simply offer too many openings for the Spider. Silva should be able to use this fight for what many believe it was made for, a tune up/showcase to prove he can still be a viable contender for a title shot in the immediate future.
A -150 prop bet that Anderson wins inside the distance is your best bet, as Nick is hittable and that’s really all it takes. While he probably won’t get knocked out cold, Diaz may have to cover up until the referee steps in to call the fight off.

Parlay 1

McCall+Hettes

Parlay 2

Silva+Tate

Props

-Silva inside the distance

-Tate vs McMann goes the distance

Enjoy the fights and may the winners be yours!

UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz Extended Preview — “A Fighter With No Fear Meets a Legend With No Limits”

(Props: UFC on YouTube)

For a UFC non-title fight, Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz is as big as it gets. This UFC 183 extended trailer doesn’t contain much in the way of trash-talk or snappy soundbites, but it’s a nice reminder that, holy crap, this fight is actually happening at the end of the month. The video also does a good job of giving importance to the UFC 183 co-main event of Kelvin Gastelum vs. Tyron Woodley — the young rookie with a heart of iron vs. the dynamic veteran who’s truly scary when he’s firing on all cylinders.

Speaking of Gastelum and Woodley, the UFC has released videos of their most recent dominant wins, which you can watch after the jump. Enjoy…


(Props: UFC on YouTube)

For a UFC non-title fight, Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz is as big as it gets. This UFC 183 extended trailer doesn’t contain much in the way of trash-talk or snappy soundbites, but it’s a nice reminder that, holy crap, this fight is actually happening at the end of the month. The video also does a good job of giving importance to the UFC 183 co-main event of Kelvin Gastelum vs. Tyron Woodley — the young rookie with a heart of iron vs. the dynamic veteran who’s truly scary when he’s firing on all cylinders.

Speaking of Gastelum and Woodley, the UFC has released videos of their most recent dominant wins, which you can watch after the jump. Enjoy…

Kelvin Gastelum Gets Quick Turnaround, Faces Tyron Woodley in UFC 183 Co-Main Event


(Photo via Getty.)

After coming out of his UFC 180 win over Jake Ellenberger no worse for the wear, TUF 17 winner Kelvin Gastelum will be given next to no time off before receiving a(nother) huge step up in competition.

UFC officials announced earlier this evening that Gastelum has been booked to take on top welterweight contender Tyron Woodley at UFC 183: Diaz vs. Silva. As was the case with his bout against Elenberger, the fight will receive co-main event status.

Gatelum’s first round submission over Ellenberger last weekend improved his professional record to a perfect 10-0, while the 14-3 Woodley recently rebounded from a one-sided beatdown at the hands of Rory MacDonald with a first round starching of Dong Hyun Kim at Fight Night 48.

Gastelum is easily the greatest prospect to come out of The Ultimate Fighter since the early seasons, but does anyone think he can handle a legitimate top 3 opponent like Woodley? Give us a shout in the comments section.

–J. Jones


(Photo via Getty.)

After coming out of his UFC 180 win over Jake Ellenberger no worse for the wear, TUF 17 winner Kelvin Gastelum will be given next to no time off before receiving a(nother) huge step up in competition.

UFC officials announced earlier this evening that Gastelum has been booked to take on top welterweight contender Tyron Woodley at UFC 183: Diaz vs. Silva. As was the case with his bout against Elenberger, the fight will receive co-main event status.

Gatelum’s first round submission over Ellenberger last weekend improved his professional record to a perfect 10-0, while the 14-3 Woodley recently rebounded from a one-sided beatdown at the hands of Rory MacDonald with a first round starching of Dong Hyun Kim at Fight Night 48.

Gastelum is easily the greatest prospect to come out of The Ultimate Fighter since the early seasons, but does anyone think he can handle a legitimate top 3 opponent like Woodley? Give us a shout in the comments section.

–J. Jones