If there’s anything positive for Alan Belcher to take away from his loss to Michael Bisping in the co-main event of last night’s UFC 159, it’s that he was right about Bisping being unable to knock him out. Bisping had plenty of opportunities to do so throughout the fight, yet Belcher was too resilient of an opponent. Unfortunately, that’s right about where the positive notes end. Bisping not only outstruck Belcher by a considerable margin throughout their fight, but also avoided all of Belcher’s takedowns. Simply put, Belcher didn’t have any answers for Bisping’s jab-n-jog offense.
Perhaps the strangest thing about the eye poke is that this fight wasn’t the only bout on the card to end in technical decision due to an eye poke. Earlier in the evening, the light heavyweight bout between Ovince St. Preux and Gian Villante also ended when St. Preux inadvertently poked Villante in the eye. St. Preaux walked away with a technical majority decision victory. Kind of makes a case for changing the design of MMA gloves.
Elsewhere on the card…
(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)
If there’s anything positive for Alan Belcher to take away from his loss to Michael Bisping in the co-main event of last night’s UFC 159, it’s that he was right about Bisping being unable to knock him out. Bisping had plenty of opportunities to do so throughout the fight, yet Belcher was too resilient of an opponent. Unfortunately, that’s right about where the positive notes end. Bisping not only outstruck Belcher by a considerable margin throughout their fight, but also avoided all of Belcher’s takedowns. Simply put, Belcher didn’t have any answers for Bisping’s jab-n-jog offense.
Perhaps the strangest thing about the eye poke is that this fight wasn’t the only bout on the card to end in technical decision due to an eye poke. Earlier in the evening, the light heavyweight bout between Ovince St. Preux and Gian Villante also ended when St. Preux inadvertently poked Villante in the eye. St. Preaux walked away with a technical majority decision victory. Kind of makes a case for changing the design of MMA gloves.
Elsewhere on the card…
– Roy Nelson picked up his third straight first round knockout last night – as well as the $65,000 Knockout of the Night honors – by dropping Cheick Kongo with a huge overhand right just two minutes into the fight. While the end result isn’t particularly surprising, it is a bit odd to hear Dana White say that Nelson earned a fight against either Mark Hunt or Daniel Cormier for his next outing. Not only are both fighters gigantic steps up in competition from Kongo, but also Roy Nelson is a step backwards for each of them. Strange times.
– For all that we heard about the improved striking of Vinny Magalhaes, he certainly didn’t let it show last night. He looked lost on his feet against Phil Davis – who isn’t exactly a world-class striker himself – even though Davis threw the same combination for pretty much the entire fight. “Mr Wonderful” was able to avoid Vinny’s leg kicks for most of the fight and utilize his superior reach on his way to a unanimous decision victory. While his striking appears to have improved, the lack of aggression that Davis displayed after hurting Magalhaes with an attempted head kick early in the first round seems to suggest that he isn’t quite ready for the deep end of the division just yet.
– Don’t let his unimposing MMA record fool you: Pat Healy is tough draw for anyone right now, and he proved it last night by taking out the always game Jim Miller. Healy survived an early onslaught from Miller that saw his right eye swell up. He went on to control the second and third rounds before locking up the fight ending rear-naked choke. If anyone is still questioning the legitimacy of the Strikeforce lightweights, you can kindly stop doing so now.
– Not only did both Jim Miller and Pat Healy take home $65,000 for Fight of the Night, but Pat Healy also took home the $65,000 Submission of the Night honors. Taking home $130,000 in bonus money alone for a victory is about as successful of a return to the big leagues as one can possibly hope to make.
– Leonard Garcia lost to Cody McKenzie, making it five straight losses in a row in the UFC. He now joins Steve Cantwell as the only two fighters to lose five consecutive fights that have all been in the UFC (in other words, five straight fights, five straight losses, no time in the minor leagues between any of them). His future is officially “not looking good.”
– One last note, Sheila Gaff immediately answered our questions as to whether or not she can stop Sara McMann’s takedowns by running directly into one. I can’t remember the last time I saw a fight end up on the ground that quickly, but at least McMann wasn’t content to just coast to an easy victory. McMann earned a first round TKO in the third WMMA fight in UFC history.
Full Results:
Main Card:
Jon Jones def. Chael Sonnen via TKO, 4:33 of Round One
Michael Bisping def. Alan Belcher via Technical Decision (unanimous), 4:29 of Round Three
Roy Nelson def. Cheick Kongo via KO, 2:03 of Round One
Phil Davis def. Vinny Magalhaes via Unanimous Decision
Pat Healy def. Jim Miller via Submission (rear naked choke), 4:03 of Round Three
Preliminary Card:
Rustam Khabilov def. Yancy Medeiros via TKO (injury), 2:32 of Round One
Ovince St. Preux def. Gian Villante via Technical Decision (majority) 0:33 of Round Three
Sara McMann def. Sheila Gaff via TKO (punches), 4:06 of Round One
Bryan Caraway def. Johnny Bedford via Submission (guillotine choke), 4:44 of Round Three
Cody McKenzie def. Leonard Garcia via Unanimous Decision
Steven Siler def. Kurt Holobaugh via Unanimous Decision
Handling liveblog duties for this evening is Alex Giardini, who will be delivering round-by-round results from the “Jones vs. Sonnen” main card after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and let us know what’s on your mind in the comments section.
(Good. Now that Chael knows what it feels like to make contact with Jon Jones, let’s get this execution over with. / Photo via MMAJunkie)
Handling liveblog duties for this evening is Alex Giardini, who will be delivering round-by-round results from the “Jones vs. Sonnen” main card after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and let us know what’s on your mind in the comments section.
Alright, Potato Nation…we are set for a main event less relevant than any season of Survivor past the year 2002. Since everyone is counting out the possibility of a competitive fight tonight, what will the post-fight interviews sound like? Will Jones gain or make most fans nauseous with the holier-than-though approach? Will Sonnen take his ball and go home or call out Evander Holyfield and Lorenzo Fertitta at the same time?
The co-main event features the fan-favorite Michael Bisping takes on possible Union Jack recipient Alan Belcher. After the Brit insulted Belcher’s skills as well as his Kim Jong-il tattoo, we’re pretty much looking forward to a first-round finish for either man.
Also on the card is Weight Watchers’ own Roy Nelson against the Mortal Kombat-built Cheick Kongo as well as a grudge match between Phil Davis and Vinny Magalhaes. Opening our evening in a fun-little-lightweight-scrap is Jim Miller and Pat Healy. We will, we will rock you, guys.
Intro-hype videos – Bisping and Belcher do a nice job of building the feud. Chael says he’s not old and slow, rather the king of the middleweight division and presumably the light heavyweight one too because who else fights there honestly. Jones vows to teach Tha Gansta some respect.
I swear to Christ I’m going to buy those shitty 20th Century Masters greatest hits of CCR and cruise down these streets thinking I’m Jim Miller.
Jim Miller vs. Pat Healy
Round 1: Miller sporting the shaved head tonight. The Herbster gets them going. No touch. Healy comes forward…both feeling out thus far. Miller with a body shot. Inside leg followed by a left by Miller. Miller with a good straight left. Healy misses a combo. Miller clinches and lets go. Miller with a low legkick. Crowd getting behind Miller. Nice slam by Miller and he finds himself on top. Miller with an elbow to the body, trying to work. Healy controlling Miller’s left arm. Healy looking for an armbar but he is unsuccessful. Healy goes for an omoplata but to no avail. Miller has a double-wrist lock, looking for an armbar. Miller successfully transitioning to get good positioning but Healy breaks free and they are on their feet. Healy with a good punch and knee to the body. Healy goes for a takedown and ends up on top of Miller. Healy postures up and gets Miller’s back. Healy has a hook in but Miller is back on his feet. Big takedown from Healy. Miller spins and winds up on top. The round closes as Healy goes for an armbar but Miller punches Healy a few times in the eye which looks pretty damaged. Miller 10-9.
Round 2: Mad swelling in Healy’s right eye. Healy with a nice left but Miller responds with a left hook. Healy initiates the clinch and trips Miller. Both are quick to get up and Miller clinches him against the fence. Healy with a big swing and a miss. Miller clinches Healy against the fence once more. Miller with a solid elbow but Healy ducks under afterwards and gets the takedown. Healy on top in half-guard position. Miller going for an armbar. Miller loses it and Healy trying to work ground and pound. Healy with some nice shots from the top. Miller keeps looking for a submission but allows Healy in side control. Miller trying to stand up and Healy takes his back. Healy continues by punching and is looking to better his position. Healy has a choke in and Miller looks to be in trouble. Miller escapes but Healy mounts him. Miller escapes and elbows Healy. Miller crouching but Healy grabs on to his ankle. Miller gets up but is taken down again. Both men stand up against the fence and Healy follows up with some shots. Miller looks hurt from a knee thrown by Healy. 10-9 Healy.
Round 3: It’s one a piece. Swelling under both men’s eyes. Healy with some uppercuts as they both clinch. Big right hook by Miller. Miller going for a takedown, scramble and they’re back up. Miller with a hook to the body. Miller has got Healy clinched against the fence and lets go. Healy tags him with a right. Healy throws a knee that lands low and Miller grimaces as it goes unnoticed. Healy relentlessly going for a takedown and ends up on top. Healy looking for an arm-triangle but switches his positioning. Miller trying to utilize the rubber-guard but it isn’t working. Healy takes his back and starts punching. Healy now looking for a choke. Rogan insinuating the last round should follow Pride rules. Healy on top with a full-rear naked choke and Miller is stopped. My goodness, talk about irony.
Miller was out for a split second and wakes back up angrily. Gosh, this Pat Healy.
Pat Healy def. Jim Miller by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), Round 3, 4:02.
Big LOL. Buffer screws up and declares Miller the winner…excuses himself and decalares Healy the winner. Hey, it was inevitable.
Dudes who aren’t supposed to win, 1-0.
Pretty excited about this fight, definitely could be the darkhorse of the card. It could also be worse than meeting your girlfriend’s parents for the first time as her father shows you how good he is on the stock market.
Phil Davis vs. Vinny Magalhaes
Round 1: No touch, obviously. Headkick misses by Vinny. Vinny goes for a frontkick and misses that too. Vinny throwing some wild kicks. Davis gets a right hand in. Both men clinched up against the fence. Vinny breaks through and they’re back in the center. Vinny throws a low leg-kick. Davis with a big high-kick and rocks Vinny. He tags Vinny with a big left hand. Davis not pursuing just yet – Vinny was hurt. Left jab by Davis but Vinny gets him down and takes his back. Davis escapes and Vinny stands back up too. Davis throws a one-two combo that misses. Vinny rushes in and misses with a left hook. Nice uppercut by Vinny and Davis gets a right-hand in as well. Davis with a nice combination and Vinny gets poked. Big Dan tells him to keep going and Vinny protests. They keep going and Vinny misses a big kick to the body. Davis with a right hand and the round closes. Hard to judge but I’ll go with 10-9 Davis.
Round 2: Rogan tells Mirgliotta to pay attention but Big Dan probably doesn’t hear it. Big right hand by Vinny. Frontkick by Davis but it doesn’t connect. Both men in a technical striking battle thus far. Davis reaches for his back and goes for the takedown. Davis decides not to enter the guard and lets Vinny back up. Nice right hand by Davis followed by a left that connects. Left hook by Davis hits Vinny right in the chin. Vinny with a high-kick that just misses. Vinny missing most of his kicks as Davis continues to throw his one-two’s. Jab connects for Davis. Vinny looking tired as Davis fakes the takedown and follows up with a big right hand. Davis secures the takedown but lets Vinny up immediately, staying away from his guard. Jab by Davis rocks Vinny’s head back. Highkick and another stiff jab by Davis. Body shot by Davis. Vinny looking rather zombified. Both men exchange jabs as the round closes. 10-9 Davis.
Round 3: Vinny looking a little busier. He’s trying to take Davis down (as his corner wanted him to) but it’s just not working. He connects with good left but Davis is doing a good job of defending. Davis checks a legkick. Nice left jab by Vinny. Davis goes for a takedown and lets Vinny back up again – which is clearly frustrating the hell out of Vinny. Davis with a big right hand that connects. Davis carefully picking his shots. The crowd is getting a bit restless. Headkick by Vinny but it does not trouble Phil who blocks it. Davis is doing a great job of setting up the jab and getting the shots he wants. Neither man really looking to finish the fight. Vinny tries to clinch with him but it’s not working. Vinny throws himself on the ground after a failed takedown attempt and is told to get back up. Davis a few solid jabs and the fight comes to a close. Slow third round but a good striking display from Davis. 10-9 Davis.
Both men hug after talking a whole lot about each other, good to see.
Phil Davis def. Vinny Magalhaes by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
Davis salutes Vinny and throws out a “Save Olympic Wrestling”.
This shitstorm of a card sort of needs a knockout right now so….OMG WAKA! Anyhow, Arianny promotes the UFC Magazine and obviously puts it right in front of her breasts, promoting what she feels really matters. Nice PR move there.
Like I was saying, we sort of need what my paysans would call an “espresso fight”…time for Big Country vs. Napoleon.
Kongo comes out to an atrocious version on what sounds like that Run DMC vs. Jason Nevins track but I have no freaking clue.
Nelson out to “Born In The USA”, by Jersey’s own homeboy and the only man who makes me cry at night.
Roy Nelson vs. Cheick Kongo
Round 1: Mulhall gets them going. Kongo throws a kick but Nelson catches it and initiates the clinch. We certainly don’t need a wall and stall fight right now but that’s what’s up thus far. Ref warns them to work. Kongo tries to escape but Nelson pits him back against the cage. Nelson goes for the suplex but Mulhall breaks them, to the dismay of let-them-work enthusiast Rogain. Roy clocks him with a humungous right hand as Kongo goes backwards and he is out. Okay.
That is exactly what this crowd and MMA media all over the world needed. A big, overhead right.
Roy Nelson def. Cheick Kongo by Knockout, Round 1, 2:03.
Nelson wants the gold. Calls out UFC 160. Third-straight, first-round knockout for Roy, who is making a serious case for a title fight right now.
Rogan looking over the middleweight rankings and declares the division “a murderous row”, instead of declaring the rankings “a murderous row”.
Now if someone goes out in the first and we don’t get a tattoo, how will you feel about Sonnen then?
Belcher out to “Little Wing”. I’ll be assembling a UFC 159: Walkout Songs from The American Fighters OST on iTunes later on, hit me up for a copy.
Kevin Mulhall checks Belcher’s wrap before Belcher gets in the cage. Easily the worst night of this referee’s life. Bisping comes out to the most obnoxious, 2:30am drunk white-girl singalong in the history of DJ failures, Blur’s “Song 2″.
Michael Bisping vs. Alan Belcher
Round 1: Solid staredown and Bisping bumps Belcher’s chest. Belcher’s wraps get cut off because they’re signed. Belcher comes out southpaw. Good movement from Belcher so far. Bisping with a low legkick but it gets checked. Bisping misses a right hand. Dean temporarily stops the fight for a low-blow but Bisping shrugs it off. Belcher’s hands fairly low. A lot of movement from both men while the “USA” chants start. Inside legkick by Bisping. Bisping with a kick to the body. Both men circling and missing most of their strikes. Bisping certainly pressing the action. Nice right hand by Bisping. Big right hand by Belcher, Bisping shrugs it off. Legkick checked by Belcher. Bisping gets a left jab in. Bisping catches Belcher with a right hand. Nothing seriously damaging both fighters right now. Eyepoke by Belcher and they stop the fight temporarily. Both men circling in the center and Belcher slips. Not much going on here. Big right hand by Bisping as the horn sounds. 10-9 Bisping.
Round 2: Belcher comes out swinging right away.Belcher throws a combination but misses it. Bisping looks to strike on the inside but Belcher pushes him away. Highkick by Bisping just misses. Nice uppercut by Bisping. Bisping tags him again with a left and then a solid right hand. Big left hand by Bisping gets through in an exchange. Belcher misses a low legkick. Belcher not respecting Bisping’s hands. Bisping connects with the right hand again. Bisping tags him with a jab followed by a right hand and Belcher isn’t blocking anything. Bisping leading with his left hand and is successful with another combination. Both men exchange right hands. Huge left hand by Bisping. Bisping goes for a highkick but misses. Left hand by Belcher followed by a right. Belcher connects with another right but Bisping connects with a nice combination. 10-9 Bisping.
Round 3: Bisping opens up with a big right hand. Belcher starts working his combinations better. Belcher throws and Bisping laughs at Belcher and says, “What was that?” Hilarious. Bisping with a solid overhead right. Bisping successfully circling around his opponent and getting some jabs in. Belcher is slowing down and his hands are staying besides his hips. Another solid right hand by Bisping. Headkick connects by Bisping, doesn’t trouble Belcher though. Bisping with an inside legkick. Bisping really finding a home for that right hand and Belcher does not look like he’s being that urgent right now. Bisping with another right hand, followed by another (not too powerful, though). Bisping picks up the pace and tags Belcher with a left hook. Belcher shoots for the takedown but it is easily stuffed. Action is a little slow in the final minute. Major eyepoke and Belcher crumbles. Keep those surgeries in mind. Belcher has blood coming out of his eye, unless his eyebrow is bleeding. Nope, it’s the eye. The fight is over and Belcher cannot continue. Both men congratulate each other. Nasty, nasty night. Bisping apologizes and both men seem cool.
Michael Bisping def. Alan Belcher by Technical Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Ok, so the bet was off? Rogan makes the case for the changing of gloves once more, which has more merit than it ever has. Bisping congratulates Belcher and apologizes for the unintentional blow. Main event time and to be honest, let’s get this shitshow over with.
Goldie says this is a highly-anticipated matchup and no, it’s not…but at this point I’ll take whatever I can after spending fifty Canadian bones on this thing instead of spending the rent money on The Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream reissue.
Sonnen comes out in a blue Paulie Malignaggi boxing robe. Might as well go out like a gangster. And the boos reign down for God’s son, although he comes out to 50 which is cool but immediately switches to Jammin’ by Bob. I mean, ok cool, pick one though. This isn’t sponsored by David Guetta.
Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen
Round 1: Sonnen takes the center quickly and Jones gets the takedown (!). Sonnen is back up landing some punches from the clinch. Jones goes for another takedown and clinches Sonnen against the fence. Hmm, interesting. Sonnen gets a big takedown again. Big elbow from the top from Jones. Sonnen back up but Jones is still hanging on. Sonnen has his back against the cage and is trying to fight the champion off. Jones is basically using Sonnen’s strategy. Jones is working a single-leg and lands a big uppercut. Spinning elbow by Jones, followed by uppercuts to the body as Sonnen hasn’t moved with his back against the cage. Massive takedown by Jones. The champ is in top position as Chael doesn’t have an answer yet. Nice elbow by Jones from top position. Jones grabs Sonnen’s arms and Jones swarms on Sonnen with some massive elbows. Jones relentless and the referee steps in. Chael protests the stoppage, bloodied.
Jones hit him with a knee to the body and swarmed him with elbows. Early stoppage? Not sure, I think Sonnen would have melted in there.
Jon Jones def. Chael Sonnen by TKO (Strikes), Round 1, 4:33.
Jones has a broken foot that looks utterly gross. Blood spewing from the toes. Rogan gives us the first post-fight stool interview. Jones says he was supposed to go to Jamaica but can’t now. I want to turn this off now. This fight felt like waiting in line for that rollercoaster that you know is going to suck and a soccer mom pukes on the back of your neck twelve seconds in. Sonnen confirms it was a justified stoppage. Sonnen is disappointed (duh) and says he will think it through. Sonnen unofficially retires in the cage, I’m guessing.
Man, that fight felt forced down our throats and it totally was. Glad this card is over; it wasn’t a memorable one to say the least. Y’all think the eyepoke could have been on purpose but I’m not surprised with the Bisping hate. It’s hard to say – like 22% of Kongo’s nut shots. That’s it for me tonight. Thankfully I’ve got the luxury of a PVR in front of me and since I’ve got an on-again, off-again hatred for Canadian nightlife, I’ll be watching the handful of boxing fights from earlier tonight (sin to the moronic MMA fan, I know). Also, these Killer Mike and Motorhead tapes aren’t going to download themselves. Goodnight.
(“How ’bout we say ‘triangle choke, round 2.’ I’ve got a t-shirt riding on this.” / Photo via MMAFighting.com)
With UFC 159 slated for tomorrow night, CagePotato founding editor Ben Goldstein and beloved CP staff writer Jared Jones have teamed up to argue about all the important themes surrounding the event. So how will the absurd light-heavyweight title fight end, exactly? What will happen if Alan Belcher actually lets Michael Bisping take a free shot to his face? Can the third women’s UFC fight possibly live up to the first two? How many more fights can Leonard Garcia lose before the UFC gives him the ol’ heave-ho? Read on, and throw down your own opinions in the comments section.
Will Jon Jones immediately demolish Chael Sonnen, or will he play around with Chael a little before demolishing him? And will Chael retire after the loss?
BG: I rarely make sweeping statements about who will win an MMA fight because 1) anything can happen in this crazy sport, and 2) the things you write on the Internet often come back to haunt you. But yes, Jon Jones will win this fight. I absolutely guarantee it. Sonnen’s best weapon — his relentless wrestling attack — will dash apart against Jones’s own wrestling, which is precision-tuned for the sport of MMA. Quickly out of options, Chael will throw his patented “I give up” spinning backfist, fall down against the cage, and will whisper a quick prayer to his God before Jones literally eats him and shits him out. And I do mean literally, okay? Literally.
I’m leaning towards a quick beat-down in this fight rather than an extended clowning, because Jones takes his job too seriously to “play around” with an opponent. (He’s not exactly Mr. Fun, we’ve noticed.) And once Chael feels the power of a large light-heavyweight, he’ll realize what a bad idea this whole thing was in the first place. To exit the sport directly after another humiliation wouldn’t fit in with Sonnen’s blustery self-image, so I think he’ll take at least one more fight — maybe at middleweight, maybe at light-heavyweight — before calling it quits. Once he starts losing to non-champions, he’ll wisely make the switch to full-time UFC talking head and occasional hair-texture tester.
JJ: Mark my words, this fight will be Jon Jones’s UFC 97 (or UFC 112, depending on which fight you thought was worse). Jones may not be a fun-loving guy, as you stated, but it also appears that the tryptophan-induced honeymoon between these two TUF coaches has passed, leaving behind only apathy in its wake. If you’ve noticed in the past, the foes “Bones knows” on a personal level seem to last the longest in the cage with him (Rampage, Rashad) — perhaps out of respect, perhaps because they are both tough as hell — so I think we should start preparing ourselves for a tepid, five-round affair highlighted by Bones’s jab and Sonnen’s desperate attempts to convert a single leg.
And when all is said and done, Sonnen will snatch the mic out of Joe Rogan’s hand, and in an attempt to mimic [enter professional wrestler name here]’s infamous retirement speech, will announce that, and I quote:
(“How ’bout we say ‘triangle choke, round 2.’ I’ve got a t-shirt riding on this.” / Photo via MMAFighting.com)
With UFC 159 slated for tomorrow night, CagePotato founding editor Ben Goldstein and beloved CP staff writer Jared Jones have teamed up to argue about all the important themes surrounding the event. So how will the absurd light-heavyweight title fight end, exactly? What will happen if Alan Belcher actually lets Michael Bisping take a free shot to his face? Can the third women’s UFC fight possibly live up to the first two? How many more fights can Leonard Garcia lose before the UFC gives him the ol’ heave-ho? Read on, and throw down your own opinions in the comments section.
Will Jon Jones immediately demolish Chael Sonnen, or will he play around with Chael a little before demolishing him? And will Chael retire after the loss?
BG: I rarely make sweeping statements about who will win an MMA fight because 1) anything can happen in this crazy sport, and 2) the things you write on the Internet often come back to haunt you. But yes, Jon Jones will win this fight. I absolutely guarantee it. Sonnen’s best weapon — his relentless wrestling attack — will dash apart against Jones’s own wrestling, which is precision-tuned for the sport of MMA. Quickly out of options, Chael will throw his patented “I give up” spinning backfist, fall down against the cage, and will whisper a quick prayer to his God before Jones literally eats him and shits him out. And I do mean literally, okay? Literally.
I’m leaning towards a quick beat-down in this fight rather than an extended clowning, because Jones takes his job too seriously to “play around” with an opponent. (He’s not exactly Mr. Fun, we’ve noticed.) And once Chael feels the power of a large light-heavyweight, he’ll realize what a bad idea this whole thing was in the first place. To exit the sport directly after another humiliation wouldn’t fit in with Sonnen’s blustery self-image, so I think he’ll take at least one more fight — maybe at middleweight, maybe at light-heavyweight — before calling it quits. Once he starts losing to non-champions, he’ll wisely make the switch to full-time UFC talking head and occasional hair-texture tester.
JJ: Mark my words, this fight will be Jon Jones’s UFC 97 (or UFC 112, depending on which fight you thought was worse). Jones may not be a fun-loving guy, as you stated, but it also appears that the tryptophan-induced honeymoon between these two TUF coaches has passed, leaving behind only apathy in its wake. If you’ve noticed in the past, the foes “Bones knows” on a personal level seem to last the longest in the cage with him (Rampage, Rashad) — perhaps out of respect, perhaps because they are both tough as hell — so I think we should start preparing ourselves for a tepid, five-round affair highlighted by Bones’s jab and Sonnen’s desperate attempts to convert a single leg.
And when all is said and done, Sonnen will snatch the mic out of Joe Rogan’s hand, and in an attempt to mimic [enter professional wrestler name here]’s infamous retirement speech, will announce that, and I quote:
I just got a call from Dana, he said ‘Chael, I think it’s time to hang ‘em up.’ ‘You see, You’re overpaid, and at light-heavy, you kind of suck.’ ‘You’ve been losing fights, without much brain or brawn And your WWE-shtick is starting to make fans yawn’ ‘I mean, no one’s coming to see you in living rooms or bars, Maybe you should stick to MMA Tonight, or become a pro-wrasslin superstar.’ He handed me a pink slip, a FOTN-bonus, his ATM card and pin. He said, ‘Chael, take it all, then get the fuck back to West Linn.’ I thought for a moment and I said, ‘I’ll tell ya’ what, Uncle D.’
‘You need not worry, for these arms and these charms, you will not again see.’
If Leonard Garcia vs. Cody McKenzie ends in anything but a Fight of the Year-earning draw, someone is getting fired, right? Right?! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, SOMEONE TELL ME I’M RIGHT.
JJ: You’re right, so take a step away from the ledge, brosef. If Cody McKenzie loses, he’s getting axed (or should I say, GUILLOTINED…*crickets*…damn, play me off, Johnny!) for sure. Common logic dictates it. McKenzie’s three losses in his past four contests dictate it. The almighty chart even dictates it. As a big fan of the TUF 12 alum/thorn in Josh Koscheck’s ass, it saddens me to realize that McKenzie could possibly receive his walking papers on account of a guy whose continued employment undermines the newly-established firing policy of the organization he is fighting for. Then again, if McKenzie can’t beat Garcia – and the oddsmakers seem to think he won’t — perhaps he doesn’t really belong in the UFC anyway.
As for Garcia, well, I’m convinced by now that he could walk out in a banana hammock puffing a blunt on Saturday, get choked out in the first 30 seconds, and test positive for bath salts in the aftermath of his vehicular rampage across southern California and still not get fired. I’ve got nothing against the guy – he’s consistently entertaining to his own detriment (a common trait among my favorite fighters) and I honestly think Max Holloway was “blessed” *crickets, tumbleweeds* with the decision in their fight at UFC 155. At this point, we should just start asking ourselves which will come first: Garcia’s firing or the legalization of MMA in New York? Honestly, I’m picking the latter.
BG: I’ll just argue on the side of logic then. Nobody in UFC history has lost five consecutive fights and kept their contract, and Garcia won’t be the one to break that trend. And it doesn’t matter if the fight is a barnburner — even if it wins Fight of the Night, the UFC will finally realize that Garcia is a guy who can’t even beat the Cody McKenzies of the world, and cut him loose. To do otherwise would be goddamned unseemly. Even Garcia seems to be preparing for the inevitable. (I feel it’s my duty to point out that Garcia would currently be on a seven-fight losing streak if he wasn’t gifted those ill-gotten wins over Chan Sung Jung and Nam Phan in 2010.)
McKenzie has a little more wiggle room because he’s not carrying the same kind of lengthy losing streak into this fight; at least he can say he’s won a match in the last 12 months. Cody is goofy and likable, and most importantly, cheap. If he loses in a hard-fought battle — especially if he gets screwed by the judges, which is always a possibility when you’re fighting Leonard Garcia — I say he keeps his job.
Alan Belcher recently released a video where he said, “Michael Bisping couldn’t hurt me with his best punch solid to my chin…There will be at least one time in the fight where I’m just going to drop my hands and say ‘come on man, give it your best shot’.” We already know that this sort of thing is a bad idea. How bad of an idea is it against Bisping specifically, and will you cheer if Bisping knocks Belcher the fuck out for trying it?
BG: Bisping may not be known for his one-punch knockout power, and maybe Belcher could get away with giving the Count a free one. (If you’ll recall, Chris Leben tried the exact same thing against Bisping and avoided a KO, although he was on PCP at the time or something.) But let’s be honest: This is a straight-up asshole move, and it puts Belcher in danger for absolutely no reason. Dismissing your opponent’s power is one of the surest ways to get dicknailed by karma. Personally, I’ll be laughing my ass off if it actually happens. But considering that Bisping has been his usual charming self in the leadup to this fight, I’ll be pretty satisfied if the Count gets knocked out instead. For the record, I don’t think anybody’s going to sleep in this one: Bisping by decision.
JJ: I’d like to think that Belcher possesses the kind of standup skills to put Bisping in all sorts of trouble, but methinks Belcher might be a little out of his league, like Jorge Rivera and Jason Miller before him. His biggest victory in his UFC career was arguably his trouncing of Rousimar Palhares, who isn’t exactly as feared by his middleweight counterparts as he once was. While Bisping has lost most of his fights against elite-level competition, he’s also faced a hell of a lot more elite competition than Belcher.
Will Belcher make good on his promise? Perhaps in the early going, but Bisping will probably be too content with his jab-n-jog strategy to even take him up on the offer. Will Bisping eventually knock him out? It’s hard to tell — the only guy to ever TKO Belcher in the UFC was Jason Day, who was also the last person Bisping was able to finish in the first round. MMA Math determines that Bisping will run through Belcher, but I think we should expect to see Bisping exploit Belcher’s subpar wrestling en route to a dominant but ultimately unsatisfying decision victory. In either case, the day I find myself cheering for Bisping will be the day that Nick Diaz gets his real estate license.
Is it possible for the UFC’s third WMMA fight to exceed our expectations given how amazing the first two were? Or has the bar been set at an unreachable level for Sara McMann and Sheila Gaff to achieve?
JJ: I’m of two minds about how the UFC has decided to introduce WMMA into their brand. On one hand, sprinkling female fights on various cards here and there is an idea that I am coming around to more and more each day. By simply introducing the fight as another fight, it makes the gender issue a non-issue and puts a lot of pressure on the ladies to perform, which has resulted in two amazing fights thus far. On the other hand, it does set the bar so high that you just know some fans out there are waiting for the slightest slip up — a slightly boring fight, perhaps — to write off the sport entirely.
That being said, how exciting this fight ends up being depends heavily on which fighter is able to keep the fight in their realm. If Sara McMann is able to use her Olympic wrestling pedigree to take Sheila Gaff down at will (which, again, she is heavily favored to do), this fight might not wind up being the most exciting thing in the world. But if Gaff is able to keep things standing and unleash her Tazmanian Devil offense, we could witness the first “Knockout of the Night” in UFC-WMMA history. If that doesn’t silence some haters, I don’t know what will.
BG: As much as I like Sara McMann as a human being — I don’t know her personally, but she just seems like a super lady — I agree that a quick, vicious knockout from Sheila Gaff is probably the best-case scenario here, if the goal is to convince skeptical UFC fans that anything is possible in a women’s fight. And Gaff can certainly make that happen, as she possesses a level of punching power that’s downright Rothenhauslerian.
But look, there’s a reason this fight is on the FX prelims instead of the main card. As you hinted at above, a measured, wrestling-based gameplan from McMann will likely be the story of this fight, and the UFC is hedging a little just in case it’s a dull affair. It’s overly dramatic to suggest that the marketability of women in the UFC will be affected much by this bout, but it’s kind of up to Sara McMann to make this a memorable fight. If she takes Gaff down and TKOs or submits her, it’ll be a good one. If she stands and bangs, it’ll be a good one. If she just lays on top of Gaff for three rounds or executes some Cormier-style wall-and-stall, it won’t be good — not for the viewers at home, and not for McMann’s immediate title prospects.
BG: Get the fuck out of here. Whether Magalhaes has more “skills” than Davis (as he claims) is debatable. What isn’t is that Davis has so much more relevant experience in the Octagon. I like how Magalhaes rags on Davis for not fighting anybody who was really good at grappling or striking — conveniently forgetting Davis’s wins over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Alexander Gustafsson, it seems. Meanwhile, we’re supposed to give Vinny respect because of one UFC victory against Igor Pokrajac and a few wins over some Russian talent in M-1 Challenge? This is a huge step up in competition for Magalhaes. I really hope he’s taking it seriously, because he’s got his work cut out for him.
JJ: How can you talk about the 1X DEFENDING M-1 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT G.O.A.T like that, bro? Vinny Magalhaes hangs out with Chael “The World’s Most Dangerous Man Fuck You Ken Shamrock” Sonnen and beats up Russians in his spare time. Russians, you guys. They’re like 5/6ths human, 1/3rd cyborg, and two-parts archangel on average, and you think Magalhaes can’t handle some pink tights-sporting pair of clownshoes who looks like Starvin Marvin and packs even less punching power?
We might detest him for it, but Vinny Magalhaes is about to single-handedly shatter the myth that things like “fighter rankings” or “octagon experience” or “notable wins” matter in a UFC fight. And it all begins with his first round, SOTY-earning gogoplata victory over Davis on Saturday.
Rustam Khabilov (a.k.a SLAM duh duuh duuh) is fighting a guy named Yancy.Yancy. Discuss.
JJ: Looks like I’ll have to revamp my “Worst Draws for a UFC Debut” article.It probably sucked anyway. But yeah, Yancy.
Khabilov by Khalibomb (Khalima-bomb?) at three seconds into the first.
BG: Yancy. It’s like “Nancy,” but with a Y. Personally, I’m more interested that Yancy Medeiros hasn’t competed in three years, and he’s dropping two weight classes for this fight, and his nickname is “Frisson.” But yeah, Yancy’s screwed here. Khabilov will throw him. How Yancy lands is his business.
BG: Nelson will win by KO, setting up a fight against Mark Hunt for the UFC’s inaugural HeavyDWeight Championship.
JJ: Trick question: Nelson by DQ after his testicles are literally kneed out of his scrotum by Kongo. Joe Rogan will then enter the octagon, scoop up Nelson’s testicles, and force Arianny and Brittney to eat them while the audience cheers them on.
The extended trailer to UFC 159 is an interesting case study. On one hand, it reminds us that at the very least, watching Jon Jones defend his belt against Chael Sonnen will be an entertaining experience. And that’s important, considering the match was seemingly made only with entertainment value in mind. As a light-heavyweight title contender, Sonnen is about as undeserving as it gets, but according to UFC president Dana White (as quoted in the video by Jones), the fans really want this fight. Now, we all know that’s bullshit; I don’t think anybody reacted to the Jones/Sonnen booking with anything other than utter bafflement. Still, it’s a fun fight, right? Right?
Here’s the problem: The UFC 159 video preview does nothing to suggest that the fight will actually be competitive. In fact, it gives more credence to the theory that Jones vs. Sonnen will be a total blowout. Did you know that Jon Jones has never been taken down in his UFC career? (Meaning, Sonnen will have a very tough time executing his only real pathway to victory, even if he is the self-proclaimed “best MMA wrestler in the world.”) Another fun fact: Jon Jones owns the most submission victories in the history of the UFC light-heavyweight division, while Sonnen has already been submitted four times in the Octagon. I mean, besides his takedowns and his trash-talk, tapping out is one of the main things that Chael is known for. As Bones puts it:
The extended trailer to UFC 159 is an interesting case study. On one hand, it reminds us that at the very least, watching Jon Jones defend his belt against Chael Sonnen will be an entertaining experience. And that’s important, considering the match was seemingly made only with entertainment value in mind. As a light-heavyweight title contender, Sonnen is about as undeserving as it gets, but according to UFC president Dana White (as quoted in the video by Jones), the fans really want this fight. Now, we all know that’s bullshit; I don’t think anybody reacted to the Jones/Sonnen booking with anything other than utter bafflement. Still, it’s a fun fight, right? Right?
Here’s the problem: The UFC 159 video preview does nothing to suggest that the fight will actually be competitive. In fact, it gives more credence to the theory that Jones vs. Sonnen will be a total blowout. Did you know that Jon Jones has never been taken down in his UFC career? (Meaning, Sonnen will have a very tough time executing his only real pathway to victory, even if he is the self-proclaimed “best MMA wrestler in the world.”) Another fun fact: Jon Jones owns the most submission victories in the history of the UFC light-heavyweight division, while Sonnen has already been submitted four times in the Octagon. I mean, besides his takedowns and his trash-talk, tapping out is one of the main things that Chael is known for. As Bones puts it:
“No matter how much [Sonnen] tries to convince himself that he’s going to win this fight, or that he’s the champion without the belt, he just doesn’t believe. And that’s why he comes up short in every opportunity he gets to be a champion. Because he doesn’t have a championship soul, heart, work ethic, nothin’.”
Later in the show, we see Michael Bisping and Alan Belcher having a dispute over what’s really at stake in their middleweight co-main event. (Tattoos? Cars? Nothing at all?) The preview ends with a commercial for the pay-per-view featuring a butt-rock version of “We Will Rock You,” which is honestly the worst cover of a classic rock song since Everclear’s dickless pop-punk take on “The Boys Are Back in Town.” Sorry guys, I know it was for a movie and all, but that shit was terrible.
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.
Love him or hate him, Chael Sonnen did what few other men in the sport have been able to accomplish: he made you believe he could take out Anderson Silva. Whether it was his pre-fight promises to dump the champion on his ‘prissy little ass’ or the ease with which he did so in the opening round, for the first time in a long time you doubted Silva’s invincibility. In a time when injuries and injunctions have quashed the UFC’s most emotionally-charged and meaningful fights, ‘The American Gangster’ would not shut his mouth until you were convinced that his fight mattered. To be fair, he never shut his mouth; it was shut for him.
For those who think he’s bad for the sport, you should have checked your pulse when he worked his way to mount. It raced. You should check the ticket sales for this event. It’s a new US record. You should think back to so many of Anderson’s other battles marred by inaction in the cage and indifference in the champ. They sucked. You don’t have to root for the bad guy, but someone has to lose these fights, and it may as well be a loud-mouthed son of a bitch who refers to himself in the third person.
Anderson may not be flying home with the pocket full of Sonnen’s teeth that he desired, but he will be toting an extra twelve pounds of gold. Though he may be slightly disappointed, he’ll have a much easier time getting through airport security.
Love him or hate him, Chael Sonnen did what few other men in the sport have been able to accomplish: he made you believe he could take out Anderson Silva. Whether it was his pre-fight promises to dump the champion on his ‘prissy little ass’ or the ease with which he did so in the opening round, for the first time in a long time you doubted Silva’s invincibility. In a time when injuries and injunctions have quashed the UFC’s most emotionally-charged and meaningful fights, ‘The American Gangster’ would not shut his mouth until you were convinced that his fight mattered. To be fair, he never shut his mouth; it was shut for him.
For those who think he’s bad for the sport, you should have checked your pulse when he worked his way to mount. It raced. You should check the ticket sales for this event. It’s a new US record. You should think back to so many of Anderson’s other battles marred by inaction in the cage and indifference in the champ. They sucked. You don’t have to root for the bad guy, but someone has to lose these fights, and it may as well be a loud-mouthed son of a bitch who refers to himself in the third person.
Anderson may not be flying home with the pocket full of Sonnen’s teeth that he desired, but he will be toting an extra twelve pounds of gold. Though he may be slightly disappointed, he’ll have a much easier time getting through airport security.
Seconds into his rematch with Chael, “The Spider” found himself in a familiar spot. The champ spent much of his first fight with Sonnen on his back getting walloped, and the first round last night was no different. A survivor of war-torn West Linn, Sonnen showed no fear as he brought the fight to Silva right from the opening bell, but as he learned in their first encounter it’s how you finish that matters most, and once again Chael came in second place in an ass-kicking contest.
You can point to vaseline or shorts-grabbing or ‘illegal’ knees–and you will–but right now Silva is the best in the world. He has been for a long time, and he will continue to be so until someone takes him out. Who could possibly do it? I have no clue. Silva is so far ahead of the rest of the pack that none of his potential opponents seem credible, and it’s tough to get excited for a title fight when you don’t believe that the challenger can do the unthinkable. I was excited for this fight. Thanks again, Chael.
Silva’s victory sets two UFC records—most consecutive title defenses (10) and most consecutive wins (15). His $75k “Knockout of the Night” check puts him one bonus shy of tying Chris Lytle‘s record 10 UFC Performance Bonuses.
