Tag: Lightweight

Khabib Nurmagomedov: If I don’t Get My Title Shot Next I Have Different Plan I Won’t Be Fighting In UFC

Well it seems like Khabib Nurmagomedov is finally taking a hard stance on his UFC future. After putting in a dominant performance against Michael Johnson at UFC 205, the Russian wrecking machine made it very evident what he wants next.

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Well it seems like Khabib Nurmagomedov is finally taking a hard stance on his UFC future. After putting in a dominant performance against Michael Johnson at UFC 205, the Russian wrecking machine made it very evident what he wants next. Besides screaming at Dana White during his match, demanding for a title shot, he went on the microphone after his win and once again staked his claim to the UFC lightweight title. But it seems like he’s taking his case to Twitter and letting everyone know exactly how he feels about his future in MMA.

When you sit back and think about it, Khabib has a pretty strong claim for the lightweight title shot. He’s undefeated in the UFC and has put on some pretty impressive and dominant performances. No one is denying his ability. However, in terms of selling tickets, casual fan notoriety, and his place in the division, no one should be surprised if the UFC decides to go another way. It wouldn’t necessarily be fair, but since the sale of the company this past company to WME-IMG, choosing business over what the rankings dictate should come as no surprise to anyone.

There’s also the fact that new UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor has decided to take a bit of time off from the sport. Upon his return there will be a ton of options awaiting him. He could have a rematch with Interim featherweight champion Jose Aldo, could complete his trilogy with Nate Diaz for the lightweight belt, or could even see himself facing off against Tony Ferguson.

Whatever the case may be, the odds do seem stacked against Khabib heading into the future. With this announcement from the proud Russian fighter, don’t be surprised if UFC 205 is the last time we see Khabib Nurmagomedov inside the octagon.

Do you think the UFC will give Khabib Nurmagomedov his title shot?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

 

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Fighting Words For UFC 205: Eddie Alvarez vs Conor McGregor

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Verbal Warfare

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Fighting Words pits two of our Cage Potato writers against each other in a heated debate on big fight predictions.

Jonathan Salmon: It’s been a long time coming, but the UFC is finally in NYC. The biggest promotion in mixed martial arts is coming to Madison Square Garden and they’re bringing their biggest star in tow, the brash Conor McGregor. He’s set to face off against newly minted lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez in a battle that could be one of the best we’ve ever seen. As it stands, I’m thinking the Irishman gets the job done, but Lionel, you seem to have your own opinions on the match. Sounds like you’re ready to back the Philly kid in this one.

Lionel Harris-Spence: Philly all day! While this really is a pick’em fight, I’ve got a funny feeling Eddie Alvarez might be able to pull this one out. While Conor is definitely the more clean and pinpoint striker, I can’t help the feeling that if Eddie can just weather the storm he’ll end up grinding him out in victory. What do you think?

JS: Well while I think Eddie can certainly grind out a win here, Conor usually does extremely well with fighters of a similar height and build like Alvarez. Conor is the taller man with the longer reach and won’t have to work too hard to find Eddie’s chin. Couple that with some good body work and Conor has a great chance at picking up a victory here.

One thing I do want to touch on though is the cardio issue. Everyone is saying that Conor doesn’t have the cardio to go five hard rounds based on his performances against Nate Diaz. I think the fact that Conor was fighting a bigger opponent meant he was launching himself into a great deal of his strikes which means he was burning himself out. Diaz was also defensively slick causing Conor’s blows to either glance off of Diaz’s head or fall short completely. All of that is tiring. Couple that in with the fact that he didn’t have to do much road work to get his body weight down and you have a recipe for potentially suspect cardio. Because Alvarez is so easily hit, McGregor may not face the same cardio issues he had against Diaz.

 

LHS: Those are very good points but you have to remember that Eddie smothers you a lot more than Nate Diaz will. If Eddie gets Conor against the cage or on the ground then those cardio issues may start to show. Besides that you have to remember that Eddie hits hard. When he does clip Conor (which he will as Conor is hittable) or when he ground and pounds him, it won’t be like Chad Mendes, it will be worse.

You also have to remember that he just came off of fighting at 170 lbs. While 155 will definitely be a much more natural weight class for him, his body has been yo-yoing in weight and that could be a factor.

JS: Conor’s walk around weight is around 170 anyhow so it’s not like he packed on a tremendous amount of muscle anyhow. I see Conor playing things smart and fighting very long in this fight. The low line side kick to the knee, front snap kicks to the body, and long range punching will have Eddie reaching. Where Anthony Pettis and Gilbert Melendez fell pray to Alvarez by either being too passive or overly aggressive, I see Conor using a more balanced game in this bout. One well placed left to the chin and we’ll likely see a new champion.

-The Pick: It won’t be easy, but expect Conor McGregor to shock Eddie Alvarez with his movement and power for a TKO victory in the second round.

LHS: Measured is fine but its harder in real life than theory. Alvarez is a gritty wrestler who’s tough as nails and use to fighting at the 155lb weight class. He seems look better and better since training back in philly, and with Mark Henry at the head, you’re going to see the best Eddie Alvarez yet.

-The pick: Eddie Alvarez by TKO: RD 3

What do you guys think? Who takes the lightweight title?

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What A Conor McGregor Win At UFC 205 Really Means

UFC 205 coverage is sponsored by MetroPCS

The time has finally come. The UFC makes its debut in the Big Apple and from the feel of things the atmosphere is absolutely palpable. Any and everyone who is an MMA fan in NYC seems poised for historic turn of events come Saturday night. Things won’t ever be the same again, particularly for fans and fighters in New York. But besides the event itself, the fact that Conor McGregor has the chance to make history at UFC 205 feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The post What A Conor McGregor Win At UFC 205 Really Means appeared first on Cagepotato.

UFC 205 coverage is sponsored by MetroPCS

The time has finally come. The UFC makes its debut in the Big Apple and from the feel of things the atmosphere is absolutely palpable. Any and everyone who is an MMA fan in NYC seems poised for historic turn of events come Saturday night. Things won’t ever be the same again, particularly for fans and fighters in New York. But besides the event itself, the fact that Conor McGregor has the chance to make history at UFC 205 feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Just a few years back I saw my first Conor McGregor fight. It was before he was in the UFC and was already the Cage Rage featherweight champion looking to add the lightweight belt to his collection. With some piston like left hands and a well timed cross counter, McGregor found himself with two championship belts to his name. It was a display that made me believe that the man could one day challenge the best of the best in the UFC.

Flash forward to 2015 and McGregor found himself opposite the great Jose Aldo, reigning UFC featherweight champion. Conor was the pick once again as he had in his several previous bouts but no one could have anticipated that McGregor would dethrone the dominant champ in thirteen seconds time. It made the anticipation for Conor McGregor’s next performance all the more exciting.

Could he truly replicate his performance in Cage Rage? Well, Nate Diaz was there to put doubts in everyone’s minds.

UFC 196 put the breaks on the Conor McGregor hype train but it wasn’t able to derail it. McGregor became obsessed with redemption simply because he knew that the only way to make his dream a reality, was to prove that he was still worthy of the accolades he received before his crushing defeat at the hands of Diaz. But though McGregor lost at UFC 196, his comeback win made you believe that the man truly had the heart and the skill to make his dream a reality.

Now as we close in on UFC 205 you can’t help but feel that we’re in tune for something very special come Saturday night. While Eddie Alvarez is no easy task to overcome, can you really imagine if McGregor gets the job done? As much as some people hate the guy, the one thing we all have to admit is that the man has sand, that grit that some individuals are just lacking. He sees the impossible as a challenge, one that should be faced and conquered rather than shied away from.

If Conor McGregor wins the lightweight belt on Saturday night it will be just one more example of why you a person should test their limits. It will be a blueprint to challenging the impossible, the unachievable. You’ll get up on Sunday morning and wonder “just what the hell am I doing with my life?” If you’re not challenging yourself then you just existing. A Conor McGregor win on Saturday could very well be the spark someone needs to fuel their own journey towards greatness. If the result has that kind of positive effect, then, with all due respect to Alvarez, it’s something I’m looking forward to seeing.

Does Conor McGregor get the job done at UFC 205?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

 

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Tony Ferguson Turning Into Ip Man For Fight Against Rafael dos Anjos

When most individuals think about mixed martial arts as a sport no doubt they sum the style up as a mixture of muay thai, wrestling, and Brazilian jiu jitsu. Now that isn’t entirely too far off as most people who enter the sport come from one of those particular backgrounds. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t merit in other combat arts. To think that there’s only one formula to getting things done in MMA would be pretty foolhardy.

The post Tony Ferguson Turning Into Ip Man For Fight Against Rafael dos Anjos appeared first on Cagepotato.

When most individuals think about mixed martial arts as a sport no doubt they sum the style up as a mixture of muay thai, wrestling, and Brazilian jiu jitsu. Now that isn’t entirely too far off as most people who enter the sport come from one of those particular backgrounds. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t merit in other combat arts. To think that there’s only one formula to getting things done in MMA would be pretty foolhardy. No one thought that karate had a place in serious combat, but it’s a notion that doesn’t hold much water. It’s a lesson that many people have learned at the hands of traditional martial artists Lyoto Machida and Stephen Thompson. Now it seems that ahead of his battle against former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, Tony Ferguson is utilizing a traditional martial art to help bolster his game.

If you’re a martial arts movie enthusiast then there’s no way that you haven’t at least heard about Ip Man. The movie stars Donnie Yen portraying the real life figure who trained Bruce Lee in the art Wing Chun. The movie highlighted just how graceful and dangerous the martial art could be. Donnie Yen’s portrayal help to shine a light on martial art once more and has sparked renewed interest in Wing Chun.

Now it seems that Tony Ferguson is utilizing this same martial art in preparation for his November 5 showdown. Take a look at the training video as the UFC lightweight does his thing on the traditional training tool for the Wing Chun specialist, the wooden dummy.

 

What do you think of Tony Ferguson and his new approach to training?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

 

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McGregor: ‘Let Me Enjoy Dual Titles’ Before Taking One Away

On Nov. 12, Conor McGregor will try to make history and become the first man to hold two UFC titles in different weight classes at the same time when he meets 155-pound champion Eddie Alvarez in the main event of UFC 205. The one main problem with McGregor aiming to achieve history is that the

The post McGregor: ‘Let Me Enjoy Dual Titles’ Before Taking One Away appeared first on LowKick MMA.

On Nov. 12, Conor McGregor will try to make history and become the first man to hold two UFC titles in different weight classes at the same time when he meets 155-pound champion Eddie Alvarez in the main event of UFC 205.

The one main problem with McGregor aiming to achieve history is that the Irishman has never defend the featherweight title he won in December 2015. ‘The Notorious’ secured the title from Jose Aldo with a devastating 13-second knockout at UFC 194 last year, but has since failed to even fight in the weight class.

When his lightweight title fight versus Alvarez at Madison Square Garden was announced last month, UFC President Dana White made a note of saying that should McGregor win, he would give up one of the title belts, as he could not hold up a division by not defending one of the two titles.

McGregor brushed the remarks off at the UFC 205 press conference:

“I’m going to wrap one (belt) on one shoulder and I’m going to wrap the other (belt) on the other shoulder and they’re going to need a (expletive) army to come take them belts off me.”

Now, however, McGregor admits that he will give up one of the two titles under one condition.

“Let me see the pictures on publications with a belt on each shoulder first,” he recently told Sports Illustrated by phone. “Let me go onto the side of that Octagon and raise two world titles, what’s never been done before, before talking about stripping me. Let me get the f—— things, let me do it.

“I’ll always listen to the correct business move and I’ll always do what is the correct move,” he added, “but let me do it and let me go back and look at some pictures of me with two belts and let me embrace it for half-a-day.”

White and McGregor seemed to be at odds regarding the relinquishing of one of the belts, but the Irishman believes the media have played their part in the debacle.

“It’s the media that’s making this,” he said. “Let me look at the historic images we’re going to get on this night, me with these two belts. That’s what everyone should be excited about, this is history.”

McGregor is aware that he would be holding up two divisions should he not give up a belt, but says he wants to accomplish the feat and then enjoy the moment first.

“Everyone wants to see you do good, but not better than them,” he said. “That’s what’s happening here. I’m just looking forward to raising the belts, and doing what has not been done before.

“Don’t be trying to take away the historic moment before I’ve even experienced it.”

The post McGregor: ‘Let Me Enjoy Dual Titles’ Before Taking One Away appeared first on LowKick MMA.

Conor McGregor Faces Eddie Alvarez For The Lightweight Title. Is This a Slap In The Face To The Lighweight Division?

Can the nutty Irishman make history?

So last week I was speaking on the fact that UFC 205 was missing some marquee bouts. Since then the announcements of Chris Weidman vs Yoel Romero, Donald Cerrone vs Kelvin Gastelum, Tyron Woodley vs Stephen Thompson, and numerous others has instantly made this card stellar even by the UFC standard. Overnight it seems that UFC 205, if no one gets injured that is, is likely going to be the fight card of the year. But the icing on the cake for this event is the announcement of Eddie Alvarez vs Conor McGregor lightweight title match.

The post Conor McGregor Faces Eddie Alvarez For The Lightweight Title. Is This a Slap In The Face To The Lighweight Division? appeared first on Cagepotato.

Can the nutty Irishman make history?

So last week I was speaking on the fact that UFC 205 was missing some marquee bouts. Since then the announcements of Chris Weidman vs Yoel Romero, Donald Cerrone vs Kelvin Gastelum, Tyron Woodley vs Stephen Thompson, and numerous others has instantly made this card stellar even by the UFC standard. Overnight it seems that UFC 205, if no one gets injured that is, is likely going to be the fight card of the year. But the icing on the cake for this event is the announcement of Eddie Alvarez vs Conor McGregor lightweight title match.

Now, granted Conor McGregor is certainly jumping the line in terms of getting the title shot at lightweight, but let’s look at this from a business perspective. UFC 205 is going to be held at the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. The event being held at such a venue is historic in itself. Combine that with the UFC’s biggest earner and draw, then you have some pretty groundbreaking stuff going down here.

The issues that everyone seems to be talking about is where do we draw the line?

With Conor McGregor fighting for the lightweight title, the featherweight division will be tied up once again. McGregor will remain the featherweight champion and a win over Eddie Alvarez will mean that he would be the first fighter in UFC history to hold two belts at the same time. It would forever cement Conor McGregor’s legacy as one of the all time greats in the sport. But should the match up even being occurring in the first place?

You have to concede the fact that Khabib Nurmagomedov is getting a raw deal on this one as he’s more than earned his title shot. To give the opportunity to McGregor could be considered a slap in the face to many of the lightweights who have been campaigning for a chance to get a crack at the title. McGregor should be defending his featherweight belt as opposed to tying up that division as well. But money talks in the sports world and if the UFC sees an opportunity to make bookoo bucks, then it’s no surprise which side of the equation they’re going to fall on.

Do you think booking Eddie Alvarez vs Conor McGregor was the right move?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

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