(Goyito and Kim Winslow: One sword-swallower short of a freak-show. / Photo via Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
Seems like it’s been a while since we’ve had a good-old-fashioned staph outbreak in the world of MMA. The latest victim of the nasty bacterial infection is Erik “Goyito” Perez, the bantamweight up-and-comer who was slated to face TUF 14 vet Johnny Bedford on the UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen prelims this Saturday in Newark. Perez, who holds a 3-0 UFC record with all wins by first-round stoppage, was hospitalized over the weekend with a severe staph infection in his leg. No word yet on a timetable for Perez’s return; let’s just hope his infection hasn’t reached Randleman or McFedries levels of grossness.
Replacing Perez on less than a week’s notice is Team Alpha Male’s Bryan Caraway, who’s coming off a split-decision loss to Takeya Mizugaki at UFC on FUEL 8 in March. Miesha’s boyfriend will need to come correct against Bedford, who’s officially 2-0 in the UFC with both wins by KO/TKO. So will Caraway follow in the footsteps of his teammates’ recent success, thanks to the addition of striking coach Duane Ludwig? And will you care enough to watch it?
(Goyito and Kim Winslow: One sword-swallower short of a freak-show. / Photo via Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
Seems like it’s been a while since we’ve had a good-old-fashioned staph outbreak in the world of MMA. The latest victim of the nasty bacterial infection is Erik “Goyito” Perez, the bantamweight up-and-comer who was slated to face TUF 14 vet Johnny Bedford on the UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen prelims this Saturday in Newark. Perez, who holds a 3-0 UFC record with all wins by first-round stoppage, was hospitalized over the weekend with a severe staph infection in his leg. No word yet on a timetable for Perez’s return; let’s just hope his infection hasn’t reached Randleman or McFedries levels of grossness.
Replacing Perez on less than a week’s notice is Team Alpha Male’s Bryan Caraway, who’s coming off a split-decision loss to Takeya Mizugaki at UFC on FUEL 8 in March. Miesha’s boyfriend will need to come correct against Bedford, who’s officially 2-0 in the UFC with both wins by KO/TKO. So will Caraway follow in the footsteps of his teammates’ recent success, thanks to the addition of striking coach Duane Ludwig? And will you care enough to watch it?
Going head-to-head against UFC promo king Chael Sonnen would be a tall order for anybody — but you’d think that Jon Jones would at least try to make it competitive. In case you missed it, here’s Jon and Chael’s interview segment from the TUF 17 Finale broadcast, in which Jones acts like a 15-year-old whose weed stash was just discovered by his stepdad. The first words out of Jones’s mouth are a slurred jumble of Ortizian proportions. He can’t stop swinging his arms. He won’t make direct eye contact. He refuses to address Sonnen — who continues his carnival-barking, undeterred — even though this segment was specifically arranged to generate interest in their UFC 159 fight in two weeks. As David Letterman might say, “Jon, I’m sorry you couldn’t be here tonight.”
This clip unfortunately leaves off the very end, in which Jones sulks off stage left at his first opportunity, while Sonnen remains standing next to Jon Anik; Jones may still be the light-heavyweight ruler of the Octagon, but Sonnen has rightfully claimed his territory in front of the camera. We’ll give Jon the benefit of the doubt and say he was trying to come off as intensely focused, instead of bored, or pissed off, or half-drunk. Either way, it was a missed opportunity to spark some more fan-interest in a fight that is completely uninteresting from a competitive standpoint. That’s no way to get some fans, bro.
Going head-to-head against UFC promo king Chael Sonnen would be a tall order for anybody — but you’d think that Jon Jones would at least try to make it competitive. In case you missed it, here’s Jon and Chael’s interview segment from the TUF 17 Finale broadcast, in which Jones acts like a 15-year-old whose weed stash was just discovered by his stepdad. The first words out of Jones’s mouth are a slurred jumble of Ortizian proportions. He can’t stop swinging his arms. He won’t make direct eye contact. He refuses to address Sonnen — who continues his carnival-barking, undeterred — even though this segment was specifically arranged to generate interest in their UFC 159 fight in two weeks. As David Letterman might say, “Jon, I’m sorry you couldn’t be here tonight.”
This clip unfortunately leaves off the very end, in which Jones sulks off stage left at his first opportunity, while Sonnen remains standing next to Jon Anik; Jones may still be the light-heavyweight ruler of the Octagon, but Sonnen has rightfully claimed his territory in front of the camera. We’ll give Jon the benefit of the doubt and say he was trying to come off as intensely focused, instead of bored, or pissed off, or half-drunk. Either way, it was a missed opportunity to spark some more fan-interest in a fight that is completely uninteresting from a competitive standpoint. That’s no way to get some fans, bro.
(“Are you not entertained?” Rest assured, Mike, we most certainly are. / Photo via Getty Images)
Jack Brown has been turning out consistently interesting question and answer sessions for our friends over at MixedMartialArts.com recently and his latest, with Michael Bisping, is definitely worth a read. Brown has the British superstar discuss everything from past opponents and performances, to his childhood and his own young family.
For the most part, Bisping seems to open himself up, remove himself from his usual shtick, ie. the finest in British dickishness, and reveal himself as interesting. There is one particular moment in the conversation that Bisping becomes the Mike we’ve all grown to love, ie. the finest in British dickishness.
No, we’re not talking about when Bisping continues to bash the man – Vitor Belfort – who just crushed him with ease, as a “boring bastard.” That’s funny, Michael, because your head kick KO loss to Belfort was pretty exciting to watch for everyone else…
In any case, the part of Brown’s excellent interview with Bisping that stands out the most is when the middleweight discusses his next opponent, Alan Belcher. Apparently not aware that Belcher has a better record at middleweight than he, and that Bisping himself has lost two out of his last three while Belcher has won four out of his last five fights, the Brit does not think his American foe is any good.
Belcher is so horrible, in fact, that Bisping already knows who he will blame should he lose to him. No, he won’t blame himself – that would be too easy and make too much sense.
“If I lose, there is something seriously wrong. I’ve told my coaches that if I don’t win, you’re all f__ing fired because you’re doing something wrong,” Bisping said.
(“Are you not entertained?” Rest assured, Mike, we most certainly are. / Photo via Getty Images)
Jack Brown has been turning out consistently interesting question and answer sessions for our friends over at MixedMartialArts.com recently and his latest, with Michael Bisping, is definitely worth a read. Brown has the British superstar discuss everything from past opponents and performances, to his childhood and his own young family.
For the most part, Bisping seems to open himself up, remove himself from his usual shtick, ie. the finest in British dickishness, and reveal himself as interesting. There is one particular moment in the conversation that Bisping becomes the Mike we’ve all grown to love, ie. the finest in British dickishness.
No, we’re not talking about when Bisping continues to bash the man – Vitor Belfort – who just crushed him with ease, as a “boring bastard.” That’s funny, Michael, because your head kick KO loss to Belfort was pretty exciting to watch for everyone else…
In any case, the part of Brown’s excellent interview with Bisping that stands out the most is when the middleweight discusses his next opponent, Alan Belcher. Apparently not aware that Belcher has a better record at middleweight than he, and that Bisping himself has lost two out of his last three while Belcher has won four out of his last five fights, the Brit does not think his American foe is any good.
Belcher is so horrible, in fact, that Bisping already knows who he will blame should he lose to him. No, he won’t blame himself – that would be too easy and make too much sense.
“If I lose, there is something seriously wrong. I’ve told my coaches that if I don’t win, you’re all f__ing fired because you’re doing something wrong,” Bisping said.
That must have lit a motivating fire under the collective ass of Bisping’s miserable coaches. Talk to a hundred MMA fighters, and you’ll probably get 85-90 of them saying one of the reasons they love participating in this particular sport is because winning or losing is all on you. You’re success and failure doesn’t depend on a teammate botching a pass from you or committing a foul or going off sides, this writer has been told countless times.
If you win, you can enjoy the fruit of your hard work, and if you lose, you have no one to blame but yourself. Bisping’s attitude is an interesting inversion of that healthy attitude.
Mike would remind those fighters that, sure, it is all up to you, except for, you know, TRT, science, judges, the moon’s position in the sky, etc.
Point is, there is always someone to blame when you’re not good enough to beat the guy in front of you, according to Bisping. For his sake, we hope that Bisping’s advance excuse-making and underestimating of Belcher isn’t getting in the way of his training for the fight. Can’t imagine how it could be.
MMA is widely regarded as the toughest professional sport on the planet, testing fighters to their physical and mental limits. Of course, you need to train hard and practice your skills to be the best, but like any finely-tuned machine, the fuel which you put inside yourself makes a huge difference. Here are some useful tips to ensure you get a taste of victory.
SUPER FOODS
Whenever you hear healthy eating or dieting discussed, supposedly “super” foods are often suggested to help to get you in tip-top shape. In fact, these foods can have a significantly positive affect on you, and they all have a specific healthy benefit. Our favorites are:
Green tea — rich in powerful antioxidants and has been proven to kill cancer cells. It also boosts your levels of good cholesterol and decreases the bad ones in the process. This one’s great for fighters, as it helps to keep the heart in good shape.
Apples — also loaded with antioxidants, but these ones help to repair damaged muscles and cells, making them perfect for fighters, especially when they’ve picked up an injury.
MMA is widely regarded as the toughest professional sport on the planet, testing fighters to their physical and mental limits. Of course, you need to train hard and practice your skills to be the best, but like any finely-tuned machine, the fuel which you put inside yourself makes a huge difference. Here are some useful tips to ensure you get a taste of victory.
SUPER FOODS
Whenever you hear healthy eating or dieting discussed, supposedly “super” foods are often suggested to help to get you in tip-top shape. In fact, these foods can have a significantly positive affect on you, and they all have a specific healthy benefit. Our favorites are:
Green tea — rich in powerful antioxidants and has been proven to kill cancer cells. It also boosts your levels of good cholesterol and decreases the bad ones in the process. This one’s great for fighters, as it helps to keep the heart in good shape.
Apples — also loaded with antioxidants, but these ones help to repair damaged muscles and cells, making them perfect for fighters, especially when they’ve picked up an injury.
Blueberries – these are awesome, and not just in pancakes or muffins. Filled with Vitamin C and D, iron and zinc, these little beauties are great at giving your immune system a boost and prevent infection. The last thing you want to do is get sick before a bout.
Fish – our water-dwelling friends cut the risk of cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and diabetes to name a few. Fish that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, like mackerel, tuna and trout, reduce blood clotting and inflammation. Perfect for stripping fat from the body.
PROTEIN
This is the most important ingredient within a fighter’s diet, as it is necessary for growing muscle and allowing you to train intensely. Foods like chicken, tuna, anchovies, and almonds are rich in protein and should be incorporated into your daily diet plan.
Like any diet, if you stick to the same things over and over again, it can tend to get a little bland and boring. So make sure you keep it fresh and creative to ensure you enjoy your meals.
WATER
Your average MMA fighter will consume around four liters of water per day. This will keep them hydrated, which is essential for training. Muscles are controlled by the nerves in our bodies, and when an MMA fighter engages in weight training, the body is deprived of electrolytes. The most common way to get these back into your body is by drinking water, plain and simple.
The last thing you need in a fight is to be feeling dehydrated. The amount of sweat that you will be producing during training means that you need to restock your body of much-needed water.
Your diet is an essential part of your training regimen, so make sure you don’t let your standards slip, even when some chocolate cake or the occasional hamburger stuffed-crust pizza becomes really tempting. For those of you who train and compete in MMA — which foods do you swear by during your training camps?
This article was provided by Fightshop.com, the home of specialist boxing, MMA and Muay Thai equipment.
We double-checked the list of fired fighters, then we triple checked it. We even created a flowchart to try and make sense of things, but it appears that as long as Garcia continues to treat strategy like Lloyd Irvin treats consent, he will always have a place in the UFC. It’s a luxury that his upcoming opponent, TUF 12 alum Cody McKenzie, cannot afford.
McKenzie and Garcia have in fact been rebooked for UFC 159 in what has to be a do-or-die fight for at least McKenzie, who has dropped three of his past four UFC contests including a 40 second KO via body punch loss to Chad Mendes in his last outing. Again, according to our chart, McKenzie’s current place on the “100 heavy” UFC roster makes about as much sense as Garcia’s, so expect these two to put on a show come April 27th. One of their UFC careers could depend on it.
So who takes this one, Potato Nation, the one-trick pony or the one-track mind?
The full lineup for UFC 159 is after the jump.
(“No, Leonard, I don’t know how they make Dippin’ Dots either.”)
We double-checked the list of fired fighters, then we triple checked it. We even created a flowchart to try and make sense of things, but it appears that as long as Garcia continues to treat strategy like Lloyd Irvin treats consent, he will always have a place in the UFC. It’s a luxury that his upcoming opponent, TUF 12 alum Cody McKenzie, cannot afford.
McKenzie and Garcia have in fact been rebooked for UFC 159 in what has to be a do-or-die fight for at least McKenzie, who has dropped three of his past four UFC contests including a 40 second KO via body punch loss to Chad Mendes in his last outing. Again, according to our chart, McKenzie’s current place on the “100 heavy” UFC roster makes about as much sense as Garcia’s, so expect these two to put on a show come April 27th. One of their UFC careers could depend on it.
So who takes this one, Potato Nation, the one-trick pony or the one-track mind?
The full lineup for UFC 159 is after the jump.
-Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen
-Alan Belcher vs. Michael Bisping
-Phil Davis vs. Vinny Magalhaes
-Pat Healy vs. Jim Miller
-Cheick Kongo vs. Roy Nelson
-Sheila Gaff vs. Sara McMann
-Nick Catone vs. James Head
-Jimy Hettes vs. Steven Siler
-Leonard Garcia vs. Cody McKenzie
-Al Iaquinta vs. Joe Proctor
-Ovince St. Preux vs. Gian Villante
-Rustam Khabilov vs. Yancy Medeiros
Let’s get one thing straight: Last night’s co-main event was by no means a legacy-cementing fight. The legacies of both fighters had been cemented well before last night, with both Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz being very influential in the UFC’s push towards the mainstream, being involved in unforgettable fights and holding the light-heavyweight championship. While winning the trilogy would be a nice way to cap off an otherwise lackluster rivalry, it would be nothing more than another “W” in the grand scheme of things. Especially for Tito – while Forrest is arguably worthy of a Hall of Fame induction, Tito already has been inducted.
Which perhaps explained why Tito Ortiz seemed more aggressive throughout the fight: Forrest had little to lose, Tito had nothing to lose. While the aggression of “The People’s Champion” seemed to have Forrest Griffin on the verge of defeat a few times during the fight, in the end it wasn’t enough. For the majority of the fight, Griffin managed to outstrike Ortiz en route to the unanimous decision victory.
Really, there is little more to be said for the actual fight. Two aging veterans entered the cage and performed like aging veterans. Both men looked slow, both men gassed out early, and if it weren’t for the names involved, this fight would have had zero chance of taking home the $75k Fight of the Night honors. If you want to watch the fight again, watch the fight again – if you missed it, you didn’t miss much.
Let’s get one thing straight: Last night’s co-main event was by no means a legacy-cementing fight. The legacies of both fighters had been cemented well before last night, with both Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz being very influential in the UFC’s push towards the mainstream, being involved in unforgettable fights and holding the light-heavyweight championship. While winning the trilogy would be a nice way to cap off an otherwise lackluster rivalry, it would be nothing more than another “W” in the grand scheme of things. Especially for Tito – while Forrest is arguably worthy of a Hall of Fame induction, Tito already has been inducted.
Which perhaps explained why Tito Ortiz seemed more aggressive throughout the fight: Forrest had little to lose, Tito had nothing to lose. While the aggression of “The People’s Champion” seemed to have Forrest Griffin on the verge of defeat a few times during the fight, in the end it wasn’t enough. For the majority of the fight, Griffin managed to outstrike Ortiz en route to the unanimous decision victory.
Really, there is little more to be said for the actual fight. Two aging veterans entered the cage and performed like aging veterans. Both men looked slow, both men gassed out early, and if it weren’t for the names involved, this fight would have had zero chance of taking home the $75k Fight of the Night honors. If you want to watch the fight again, watch the fight again – if you missed it, you didn’t miss much.
As for the implications of the bout: Does the victory for Forrest Griffin keep him relevant in the light-heavyweight division? Don’t be crazy – Griffin looked unmotivated and admitted to letting himself be lazy throughout the fight. Does the victory improve his chances of getting into the UFC Hall of Fame? Ask Frank Shamrock to comment on whether admission into the UFC Hall of Fame relies strictly on your record. Forrest Griffin’s Hall of Fame credentials begin with his legendary bout against Stephan Bonnar and end with his victory over Rampage Jackson for the light-heavyweight title. The fact that he jabbed and wheezed his way through three rounds against a fellow aging veteran should be treated for what it is: A footnote in his career. Even if he lost last night, I’d still be convinced that he’ll one day be in the UFC Hall of Fame.
As for his bizarre post-fight decision to walk out of the cage and head towards the locker room? I’ll leave that for you all to debate. To me, what was supposed to be a time for Tito to receive one last ovation from the fans became a collective “WTF” moment for everyone involved. Rather than continuing to focus on Griffin’s antics, let’s put the spotlight back where it belongs. Thank you for the memories, Tito. It’s a shame you went out winning only one of your last nine fights, but your legacy as one of our sport’s greatest light heavyweights had been cemented well before this.
Speaking of legacies, Cung Le certainly improved his with a hard-fought victory over the returning Patrick Cote. The decorated forty year kickboxer and former Strikeforce champion picked up his first victory in the UFC over arguably his toughest test to date. Le used his dynamic striking to outpoint Cote and pull off the upset; although when Cote was able to get inside against Le, he was able to do some damage.
While a victory in the UFC is a feather in the cap of any martial artist, it’s doubtful that Le has too much further to go from here. Aside from being forty years old, he’s also a somewhat one dimensional fighter attempting to make his way through a division with wrestlers like Jake Shields, Chael Sonnen, Chris Weidman and Mark Munoz, just to name a few. Even guys like Michael Bisping, Brian Stann and Alan Belcher are balanced enough to keep Le from the deep end of the division. This isn’t meant to take away anything from Le – it’s a reminder rather that he’s not an answer to the stalemate that has become the UFC middleweight division.
As for the rest of the fights on the main card, they happened. I wish I could say more for them than that, but honestly, there’s nothing that even can be said for them. Sorry, Maia fans, but I’m not going to act like a forty-seven second freak injury tells us anything about Demian Maia‘s attempt to rejuvenate his career by dropping to welterweight. Likewise, we’ve literally said since the booking of the fight that Mendes vs. McKenzie was a ridiculous mismatch. The fact that it ended the way it did, a thirty-second body shot KO, proved it. Also, Easton vs. Menjivar provided fans exactly what they expected: A fast paced unanimous decision that has become par for the course whenever the bantamweights are in the cage. Easton came out on top, looking good, but not great. Expect at least one more victory from Easton before he’s trusted with a title shot. Meanwhile, Menjivar drops to 24-9 in his career, and will be back to the drawing board after winning three straight in the UFC before last night.
