Tag: Matt Brown

UFC on Fox 12: Is Matt Brown in over His Head Against Robbie Lawler?

Matt Brown once authored a 12-11 record as a professional mixed martial artist, leaving many questioning whether or not The Immortal had a place among the sport’s elite. 
He’s since capped off a seven-fight winning streak and thrust hi…

Matt Brown once authored a 12-11 record as a professional mixed martial artist, leaving many questioning whether or not The Immortal had a place among the sport’s elite. 

He’s since capped off a seven-fight winning streak and thrust himself into the title conversation, silencing most of his doubters. 

“Cincinnati, Ohio, who do you want to see fight for the title next?” Brown asked the fans in attendance after his comeback performance against Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night in May. 

Though few men inside the Octagon’s welterweight division can attest to the same type of streak Brown’s held since 2012, The Immortal’s got one last task before he can get to the champ—his name is Robbie Lawler. 

Lawler’s victory streak is nowhere near as impressive as Brown’s currently is, but that hasn’t stopped many from wondering if the latter fighter is in over his head as he prepares for the UFC’s No. 1-ranked welterweight. 

Yes, Brown’s been victorious in his past seven—with six of those wins coming by way of knockout or TKO—but those numbers alone shouldn’t grant Brown an automatic nod against the former welterweight title contender. 

Dust off your magnifying glass, inspect Brown’s last five fights a little closer and see for yourself why his winning streak hasn’t already catapulted him into any title fights. 

It’s not his fault, though—the UFC just hasn’t given many opportunities against the division’s elite. He had his chance against the promotion’s No. 3-ranked contender, Carlos Condit, back in December before falling victim to two herniated discs in his back before the bout. 

He’ll get just what he needs to validate his winning streak this Saturday: a bout with a top-10 opponent. 

That top-10 opponent, while not undefeated in his last five bouts, has faced much, much stronger competition. 

Brown’s most recent victory was a few strikes away from being a loss, while Lawler’s most recent loss was a late takedown away from being a win. 

It’s worth noting that Brown’s near-loss stemmed from a body kick from an orthodox fighter that all but folded him like a lawn chair. Silva couldn’t capitalize and let a recovered Brown put a shiny bow on what Jon Anik called “one of the greatest performances in UFC history.” 

He’ll naturally be at greater risk of facing that same type of strike against a southpaw Lawler on Saturday, and you can bet Ruthless will be ruthless if he sees Brown in any sort of visible distress during their No. 1 contender bout at UFC on Fox 12.

Ruthless and The Immortal have their eyes set on getting inside the Octagon with Johny Hendricks. A win against a resurgent Brown is all Lawler needs before he’s able to punch his ticket back to the dance. A win against a proven Lawler is the last piece of the puzzle before Brown can effectively silence all of the critics.

Whether or not you think Brown is in over his head is irrelevant—few excuses should prevent you from tuning in to this guaranteed barnburner.

 

Kristian Ibarra is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report. He also serves as the sports editor at San Diego State University’s student-run newspaper, The Daily Aztec. Follow him on Twitter at @Kristian_Ibarra for all things MMA.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

CagePotato Presents: The 10 Best UFC Brawls of the Year (So Far)


(This photo and all photos after it via Getty)

By Jared Jones

It’s the halfway-ish point of the year, which means that we are a mere six or so months away from handing out our annual Potato Awards in categories such as “MMA Fail of the Year”, “Media Shill of the Year”, and the always coveted “Krazy Horse Bennett Arrest of the Year.” But because you Taters have been good this year, we’re going to allow you to open one present early: Our definitive ranking of the best UFC brawls of the year, so far.

It’s been a rocky year for the UFC, to say the absolute least. Pay-per-view numbers are tanking, fan interest is waning due to market oversaturation, and even the promotion’s new video game has been plagued by (albeit hilarious) technical issues. But the great thing about the UFC/MMA in general is that all can be forgiven with a few great fights, and these 10 brawls are undoubtedly the kernels of corn hidden amongst the soggy floor-turds that the UFC has been shitting out this year.

To repeat: This list is only dedicated to the best *brawls* of the year, which implies a fight in which both participants take their fare share of licks. TJ Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao was a one-sided beatdown, albeit a brilliant one-sided beatdown, and therefore bears no mention here. Except that I just mentioned it. God damn it.

Let’s just get to the top 10 brawls of the year, nearly all of which contain links to full fight videos for your viewing pleasure…

#10 — Kevin Souza vs Mark Eddiva: TUF Brazil 3 Finale

(Check out Souza vs. Eddiva in its entirety here.)

A classic example of two guys with more heart than brains (or defensive capabilities) leaving it all in the octagon, Kevin Souza vs. Mark Eddiva opened up the FS1 prelims for the TUF Brazil Finale in a huge way.

Watching Souza vs. Eddiva was kind of like watching two women play Tekken for the very first time, in that both fighters only seemed to understand how one button on their controllers worked — for Eddiva it was leg kicks, for Souza it was the overhand right. These two techniques were traded with absolutely zero setup for two highly entertaining rounds, earning both men a $50,000 “Fight of the Night’ bonus in an evening of otherwise unmemorable decisions and memorable-for-all-the-wrong-ways squash matches. It was Souza, however, who walked away from the fight victorious via an always rare standing TKO.


(This photo and all photos after it via Getty)

By Jared Jones

It’s the halfway-ish point of the year, which means that we are a mere six or so months away from handing out our annual Potato Awards in categories such as “MMA Fail of the Year”, “Media Shill of the Year”, and the always coveted “Krazy Horse Bennett Arrest of the Year.” But because you Taters have been good this year, we’re going to allow you to open one present early: Our definitive ranking of the best UFC brawls of the year, so far.

It’s been a rocky year for the UFC, to say the absolute least. Pay-per-view numbers are tanking, fan interest is waning due to market oversaturation, and even the promotion’s new video game has been plagued by (albeit hilarious) technical issues. But the great thing about the UFC/MMA in general is that all can be forgiven with a few great fights, and these 10 brawls are undoubtedly the kernels of corn hidden amongst the soggy floor-turds that the UFC has been shitting out this year.

To repeat: This list is only dedicated to the best *brawls* of the year, which implies a fight in which both participants take their fare share of licks. TJ Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao was a one-sided beatdown, albeit a brilliant one-sided beatdown, and therefore bears no mention here. Except that I just mentioned it. God damn it.

Let’s just get to the top 10 brawls of the year, nearly all of which contain links to full fight videos for your viewing pleasure…

#10 – Kevin Souza vs Mark Eddiva: TUF Brazil 3 Finale

(Check out Souza vs. Eddiva in its entirety here.)

A classic example of two guys with more heart than brains (or defensive capabilities) leaving it all in the octagon, Kevin Souza vs. Mark Eddiva opened up the FS1 prelims for the TUF Brazil Finale in a huge way.

Watching Souza vs. Eddiva was kind of like watching two women play Tekken for the very first time, in that both fighters only seemed to understand how one button on their controllers worked — for Eddiva it was leg kicks, for Souza it was the overhand right. These two techniques were traded with absolutely zero setup for two highly entertaining rounds, earning both men a $50,000 “Fight of the Night’ bonus in an evening of otherwise unmemorable decisions and memorable-for-all-the-wrong-ways squash matches. It was Souza, however, who walked away from the fight victorious via an always rare standing TKO.

#9 — Yui Chul Nam vs. Kazuki Tokudome: Fight Night 37

The utter ass-whooping that Kazuki Tokudome suffered in the first round of his fight with Yui Chul Nam at Fight Night 37 was comparable only to Maynard-Edgar 1 in terms of its lopsidedness. From the opening bell, Nam blitzkrieged Tokudome with big right hands both in the clinch and on the break, wobbling his Japanese counterpart multiple times in the process. Had Tokudome been that one French guy from TUF 11, he would have surely quit on his stool between rounds.

But as was the case in Maynard-Edgar 1, the second round told a different story entirely. Tokudome scored a huge double leg takedown in the opening stanza, then utilized some heavy top control to peck away at the South Korean with short shots from above. While not able to inflict nearly as much damage on his opponent as he received in the first round, Tokudome arguably earned a 10-8 of his own in the second thanks to his complete positional dominance. “Askrening”, I believe it’s called.

The first half of the third round was much of the same for Tokudome, who despite having both his eyes nearly swollen shut by the strikes of Nam, continued to dominate with top control. But you can never keep a good Nam down, as they say. “The Korean Bulldozer” (awesome nickname, BTW) was eventually able to reverse the position and secure a takedown of his own, which was apparently all he needed to earn a split decision win.

23 Things That Should Be Broadcast on UFC Fight Pass


(We’d include “The Dana White 24/7 feed — all Dana White, all the time,” but that’s kind of what the UFC is already. / Photo via Getty.)

If the UFC expects us to shell out $10 every month to watch local talent and foreign-language reality shows on the Internet, they’ve got another thing coming. Here are some suggestions for new Fight Pass content that would actually make the digital streaming service worth our time and money…

1. Live footage of fighter weight cuts (i.e., “sauna-cam”/”salt bath-cam”). Who wouldn’t want to see how brutal these things can get?

2. The complete library of TUF audition tapes.

3. Dana White bench pressing and doing pull ups.

4. Any existing video of Dana’s old boxercise classes.

5. Nicco Fertitta’s football highlights.

6. Random drug tests.

7. The first season of Keeping Up With the Koschecks.


(We’d include “The Dana White 24/7 feed — all Dana White, all the time,” but that’s kind of what the UFC is already. / Photo via Getty.)

If the UFC expects us to shell out $10 every month to watch local talent and foreign-language reality shows on the Internet, they’ve got another thing coming. Here are some suggestions for new Fight Pass content that would actually make the digital streaming service worth our time and money…

1. Live footage of fighter weight cuts (i.e., “sauna-cam”/”salt bath-cam”). Who wouldn’t want to see how brutal these things can get?

2. The complete library of TUF audition tapes.

3. Dana White bench pressing and doing pull ups.

4. Any existing video of Dana’s old boxercise classes.

5. Nicco Fertitta’s football highlights.

6. Random drug tests.

7. The first season of Keeping Up With the Koschecks.

8. All of the “Ultimate Knockouts” DVDs.

9. Weekly installments of Don Frye’s “Predator’s Predictions.”

10. “The World of Elliot”: A new video blog series starring that Elliot guy who shoots Dana White’s video blogs. (You know, the dude who’s always lurking in the background of staredowns? Yeah, that guy.)

11. Live-stream of the janitors cleaning up the arena after each event.

12. Live-stream of the media buffet.

13. Matt Brown’s Legit Man Shit, but as a TV show.

14. All the fighter interview footage that was left on the cutting room floor while creating the PPV intro packages, extended event trailers, UFC Primetime, and the rest of the UFC’s promotional offerings.

15. All Strikeforce: Challengers events.

16. All PRIDE events.

17. All Best of Pride episodes.

18. NSAC licensing hearings.

19. Contract negotiations.

20. Bout agreement signings.

21. Live-stream of the UFC fighter summit.

22. Live-stream of Dana White gambling at whatever casinos haven’t banned him yet.

23. Live-stream of all church services attended by Vitor Belfort.

Got any other suggestions? Throw ‘em in the comments section or tweet ‘em to us @CagePotatoMMA.

Robbie Lawler Opens as a -260 Favorite Against Matt Brown for UFC on FOX 12 Headliner


(That’s how you’re gonna beat ’em, Butch. They keep underestimating you. / Photo via Getty)

Once again, welterweight contender Matt Brown is heading into battle as an underdog. According to BestFightOdds, the betting line for the July 26th UFC on FOX 12 main event between Brown and Robbie Lawler opened with Lawler as a strong -260 favorite and Brown as a +180 ‘dog. “The Immortal” is currently on a seven-fight win streak, and was the betting underdog in four of those fights, including his last match against Erick Silva, God knows why.

Of course, Lawler represents the toughest test of Brown’s career by far, and it’s not surprising that the oddsmakers are favoring him here. On the other hand, Brown keeps knocking people off in brilliant performances, showing no regard for these silly, arbitrary betting lines with their pluses and minuses that half of you still don’t understand. Anybody feel like dropping some cash on him?


(That’s how you’re gonna beat ‘em, Butch. They keep underestimating you. / Photo via Getty)

Once again, welterweight contender Matt Brown is heading into battle as an underdog. According to BestFightOdds, the betting line for the July 26th UFC on FOX 12 main event between Brown and Robbie Lawler opened with Lawler as a strong -260 favorite and Brown as a +180 ‘dog. “The Immortal” is currently on a seven-fight win streak, and was the betting underdog in four of those fights, including his last match against Erick Silva, God knows why.

Of course, Lawler represents the toughest test of Brown’s career by far, and it’s not surprising that the oddsmakers are favoring him here. On the other hand, Brown keeps knocking people off in brilliant performances, showing no regard for these silly, arbitrary betting lines with their pluses and minuses that half of you still don’t understand. Anybody feel like dropping some cash on him?

Robbie Lawler vs. Matt Brown #1 Contender Fight Booked for UFC on FOX 12 in July [F*CK YES]


(First Condom Depot and now Ultra Lube. This sport is turning into one big game of grab-ass, I tell ya. Photo via Getty.)

Fresh off third round TKO’s of Erick Silva and Jake Ellenberger at Fight Night 40 and UFC 173, respectively, Matt Brown and Robbie Lawler are set to do battle in what will surely go down as “The greatest brawl since Frye vs. Takayama” at UFC on FOX 12 on July 26th. The announcement was made by Dana White via Twitter earlier today, who also confirmed that the winner of Brown vs. Lawler will earn the next shot at Johny Hendricks when he returns from bicep surgery.

Suffice it to say, any MMA fan whose isn’t verging on a Scanners-esque mindsplosion trying to comprehend the awesomeness of this fight is either dead or dying. Lawler and Brown are essentially mirror images of each other — uber-violent, no-nonsense brawlers who have experienced improbable career comebacks in recent years — and their upcoming clash is all but guaranteed to deliver a “Fight of the Year” nominee and a clear cut #1 contender at 170 lbs.

Is it just me, or does the booking of Lawler vs. Brown signify the culmination of what has been an amazing couple of months for MMA?


(First Condom Depot and now Ultra Lube. This sport is turning into one big game of grab-ass, I tell ya. Photo via Getty.)

Fresh off third round TKO’s of Erick Silva and Jake Ellenberger at Fight Night 40 and UFC 173, respectively, Matt Brown and Robbie Lawler are set to do battle in what will surely go down as “The greatest brawl since Frye vs. Takayama” at UFC on FOX 12 on July 26th. The announcement was made by Dana White via Twitter earlier today, who also confirmed that the winner of Brown vs. Lawler will earn the next shot at Johny Hendricks when he returns from bicep surgery.

Suffice it to say, any MMA fan whose isn’t verging on a Scanners-esque mindsplosion trying to comprehend the awesomeness of this fight is either dead or dying. Lawler and Brown are essentially mirror images of each other — uber-violent, no-nonsense brawlers who have experienced improbable career comebacks in recent years — and their upcoming clash is all but guaranteed to deliver a “Fight of the Year” nominee and a clear cut #1 contender at 170 lbs.

Is it just me, or does the booking of Lawler vs. Brown signify the culmination of what has been an amazing couple of months for MMA? The past few UFC events have all delivered in terms of excitement, Bellator 120 was great in its own strange way, and despite being booked less than an hour ago, Brown vs. Lawler has already has already resulted in the NASDAQ going up 45 points, SKOAL’s lifetime sales tripling, and the subject of the Third Eye Blind song “Jumper” finally deciding to step back from that ledge, my friend.

MMA comes in ebbs and flows, Nation, and right now, we are in a flow. Or an ebb, maybe. I never really understood that expression. Regardless, let’s all just hold hands and pray that the injury Gods don’t f*ck this one up for us. Kumbaya, my lord, Kumbaya…

–J. Jones

Hector Lombard vs. Dong Hyun Kim Booked for UFC Macau Show on August 23rd


(We’d like to formally retract that “Caribbean Jerk” comment. / Photo via @hectorlombard)

As reported on yesterday’s edition of UFC Tonight, a high-profile welterweight bout between Hector Lombard and Dong Hyun Kim is expected for an August 23rd UFC Fight Night show at the Cotai Arena in Macau, China.

Lombard is coming off a dominant decision win against Jake Shields at UFC 171 in March, which followed his first-round knockout of Nate Marquardt last October. Kim is riding a four-fight win streak, and most recently knocked out John Hathaway with a spinning back elbow at the TUF China Finale, which also took place at Macau’s Cotai Arena.

Though Lombard had been trying to build heat for a fight against Matt Brown, it seems that the UFC has other plans for “The Immortal” right now. What those plans are remain to be seen, although UFC president Dana White stated last night that he’d happily set up Brown vs. Nick Diaz if Diaz wanted it.

The 8/23 Fight Night show in Macau will likely be broadcast on UFC Fight Pass, and will take place the same day as a FOX Sports 1 card in Tulsa, Oklahoma, God help us.


(We’d like to formally retract that “Caribbean Jerk” comment. / Photo via @hectorlombard)

As reported on yesterday’s edition of UFC Tonight, a high-profile welterweight bout between Hector Lombard and Dong Hyun Kim is expected for an August 23rd UFC Fight Night show at the Cotai Arena in Macau, China.

Lombard is coming off a dominant decision win against Jake Shields at UFC 171 in March, which followed his first-round knockout of Nate Marquardt last October. Kim is riding a four-fight win streak, and most recently knocked out John Hathaway with a spinning back elbow at the TUF China Finale, which also took place at Macau’s Cotai Arena.

Though Lombard had been trying to build heat for a fight against Matt Brown, it seems that the UFC has other plans for “The Immortal” right now. What those plans are remain to be seen, although UFC president Dana White stated last night that he’d happily set up Brown vs. Nick Diaz if Diaz wanted it.

The 8/23 Fight Night show in Macau will likely be broadcast on UFC Fight Pass, and will take place the same day as a FOX Sports 1 card in Tulsa, Oklahoma, God help us.