Some critics believe UFC welterweight contender Matt Brown needs at least one more win before he gets a shot at divisional champion Johny Hendricks, but Brown says he wouldn’t disappoint in a title fight.
Speaking on the “Great MMA Debate” podcas…
Some critics believe UFC welterweight contender Matt Brown needs at least one more win before he gets a shot at divisional champion Johny Hendricks, but Brown says he wouldn’t disappoint in a title fight.
Speaking on the “Great MMA Debate” podcast, “The Immortal” expressed his confidence in being able to be the first fighter to put Hendricks out cold inside the Octagon, per Damon Martin of Fox Sports:
I definitely don’t think it would go to decision. Like I’ve said 100 times, I’m not going to hit him that many times and not knock him out. He’s not going to stay on his feet if I hit him as many times as Robbie Lawler did. I’m a really accurate striker. …
I hate to eat my own words because I hit Erick Silva a lot of times and he didn’t go down and it went three rounds, but I’ve got to get my groove back. I can knock him out, I guarantee it.
Brown improved his win streak to seven with his spectacular come-from-behind knockout of Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night 40 last week, his fifth straight finish via strikes.
At one time an afterthought on the UFC roster, losing three straight bouts via submission in 2010, the Ohio native has improbably worked his way up to the No. 6 170-pound fighter in the UFC’s official rankings.
While it’s impossible to deny that Brown’s on a roll, boasting one of the fastest-paced, violent styles in the division, he joins a crowded list of title contenders who are anxiously awaiting Hendricks’ return from bicep surgery.
One fellow contender wasn’t shy in stating that he wants a piece of Brown before he gets a crack at UFC gold:
@danawhite people want to see Hector Lombard vs Matt brown what about you?? @ufc
Hendricks, who captured the vacant title with a win over Robbie Lawler in March, is victorious in seven of his last eight fights, his sole loss a controversial split-decision defeat to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 167 in November.
Given the current landscape of the UFC’s welterweight division, which fight makes more sense: Brown vs. Hendricks or Brown vs. Lombard?
JohnHeinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA editor for eDraft.com.
(Erick Silva trots out everyone’s favorite cat meme prior to his main event scrap with Matt Brown. Photo via Getty)
Last weekend’s Fight Night 40 card “brought the ruckus,” to put it in scientific terms. With 7 (T)KO finishes, 8 underdog victories, and a main event brawl for the ages, the event continued to carry the momentum provided by UFC 172 and ease the worries of MMA fans who might have grown complacent with the UFC’s somewhat underwhelming product in 2014 thus far.
The figures for Fight Night 40, however, are what we’ve come to expect of a Fight Night event; only five guys cleared more than $40,000 (in disclosed salary, at least), and three poor bastards walked away with less than 10k for their troubles. I guess my cries for a $20,000 minimum payout per fight are still going unheard, despite my neighbors incessant noise complaints and threats to cut out my tongue if I don’t stop shouting off my porch.
The full list of salaries, along with our thoughtless and borderline incomprehensible analysis, is after the jump.
(Erick Silva trots out everyone’s favorite cat meme prior to his main event scrap with Matt Brown. Photo via Getty)
Last weekend’s Fight Night 40 card “brought the ruckus,” to put it in scientific terms. With 7 (T)KO finishes, 8 underdog victories, and a main event brawl for the ages, the event continued to carry the momentum provided by UFC 172 and ease the worries of MMA fans who might have grown complacent with the UFC’s somewhat underwhelming product in 2014 thus far.
The figures for Fight Night 40, however, are what we’ve come to expect of a Fight Night event; only five guys cleared more than $40,000 (in disclosed salary, at least), and three poor bastards walked away with less than 10k for their troubles. I guess my cries for a $20,000 minimum payout per fight are still going unheard, despite my neighbors incessant noise complaints and threats to cut out my tongue if I don’t stop shouting off my porch.
The full list of salaries, along with our thoughtless and borderline incomprehensible analysis, is after the jump.
Matt Brown: $182,000 (includes $41,000 win bonus, $50,000 FOTN bonus, and $50,000 POTN bonus) def. Erick Silva: $72,000 (includes $50,000 FOTN bonus) Costas Philippou: $46,000 (includes $23,000 win bonus) def. Lorenz Larkin: $28,000 Daron Cruickshank: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. Erik Koch: $18,000 Neil Magny: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Tim Means: $10,000 Soa Palelei: $32,000 (includes $16,000 win bonus) def. Ruan Potts: $10,000 Chris Cariaso: $42,000 (includes $21,000 win bonus) def. Louis Smolka: $10,000 Ed Herman: $80,000 (includes $40,000 win bonus) def. Rafael Natal: $26,000 Kyoji Horoguchi: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Darrel Montague: $8,000 Zak Cummings: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Yan Cabral: $10,000 Johnny Eduardo: $66,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus, $50,000 POTN bonus) def. Eddie Wineland: $21,000 Nik Lentz: $58,000 (includes $29,000 win bonus) def. Manvel Gamburyan: $25,000 Justin Salas: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. Ben Wall: $8,000 Albert Tumenov: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Anthony Lapsley: $8,000
Overpaid: I’m not saying he’s overpaid, I’m just surprised that Ed Herman is making 40k to show at 2-2 1 NC in his past 5 fights. Then again, the man’s been fighting in the UFC since 2006 and was sacrificed to Ronaldo Souza at the final Strikeforce event, so it’d be hard to say he hasn’t earned his payrate.
Underpaid: Daron Cruickshank has quickly become one of the most reliable fighters in the UFC from an excitement perspective, yet he’s gone almost completely uncompensated for it. He’s scored three victories via brutal head kicks and just smoked former #1 contender Erik Koch in the first round, yet a quick gander over his Wiki page reveals not one performance bonus to be found. At just $12,000 to show, let’s pray that “The Detroit Superstar” is earning some sweet locker room bonuses to justify that abysmal payday. Then again, considering a house costs about as much as Casio wrist watch in his hometown, maybe he make that $24,000 stretch a long way.
Related: Johnny Eduardo was suspended 30 days for “unsportsmanlike conduct” following his upset victory over Eddie Wineland, which makes one wonder what the hell a 30 day suspension is even suppose to accomplish in a sport where fighters regularly go 4 months between fights.
In case you missed the incredible (and somewhat unsettling) three-round smash-up between Matt Brown and Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night 40 on Saturday night, watch this quick recap of the action. Two quick takeaways: 1) Brown might be the toughest sumbitch in UFC history. 2) At the 0:47 mark, you will see the closest that MMA has ever come to a double-KO via body shots. I’m glad the fight turned out with a triumphant victory for the very deserving Immortal, but damn, that would have been awesome.
After the jump: Matt Brown’s post-fight interview, and highlights from Costa Philippou and Lorenz Larkin’s one-round slugfest.
In case you missed the incredible (and somewhat unsettling) three-round smash-up between Matt Brown and Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night 40 on Saturday night, watch this quick recap of the action. Two quick takeaways: 1) Brown might be the toughest sumbitch in UFC history. 2) At the 0:47 mark, you will see the closest that MMA has ever come to a double-KO via body shots. I’m glad the fight turned out with a triumphant victory for the very deserving Immortal, but damn, that would have been awesome.
After the jump: Matt Brown’s post-fight interview, and highlights from Costa Philippou and Lorenz Larkin’s one-round slugfest.
Watching MMA comes at a cost. Not $60 for a PPV. Not $10 every month for Fight Pass. Not even the hours you spend watching low-level fighters on prelims learn their craft so you can watch the main card. No, being a fan of this sport comes at a human cost. Real people are putting their permanent health on the line for…money? A pittance? For our entertainment? For the tired notion of glory?
Each fighter has their own motivation for stepping into the cage, but most fans generally watch MMA for the entertainment value; if something about MMA didn’t entertain or excite them, they wouldn’t watch.
And how can MMA fans be blamed? The kernel of Dana White‘s blowhard persuasions about fighting being “in our blood” is true. The highest level of MMA transcends “sport” as we’re used to it. There are no overweight outfielders scratching their balls between innings. There are no fines for wearing your socks the wrong height or for excessive celebration. MMA, at its best, is a phantasmagoric display of violence juxtaposed with art. It’s raw. It’s visceral. It’s a grotesque, screeching cacophony of carnage that unfolds into a single, unparalleled and strangely soothing melody. There is nothing on earth like (good) MMA. Nothing.
Watching MMA comes at a cost. Not $60 for a PPV. Not $10 every month for Fight Pass. Not even the hours you spend watching low-level fighters on prelims learn their craft so you can watch the main card. No, being a fan of this sport comes at a human cost. Real people are putting their permanent health on the line for…money? A pittance? For our entertainment? For the tired notion of glory?
Each fighter has their own motivation for stepping into the cage, but most fans generally watch MMA for the entertainment value; if something about MMA didn’t entertain or excite them, they wouldn’t watch.
And how can MMA fans be blamed? The kernel of Dana White‘s blowhard persuasions about fighting being “in our blood” is true. The highest level of MMA transcends “sport” as we’re used to it. There are no overweight outfielders scratching their balls between innings. There are no fines for wearing your socks the wrong height or for excessive celebration. MMA, at its best, is a phantasmagoric display of violence juxtaposed with art. It’s raw. It’s visceral. It’s a grotesque, screeching cacophony of carnage that unfolds into a single, unparalleled and strangely soothing melody. There is nothing on earth like (good) MMA. Nothing.
But Sunday mornings are always sober; the high has worn off. The consequences of combat are the violence junkie’s hangover. The realities of what transpired in the cage are stark and unflinching.
That’s Erick Silva immediately after the fight was stopped. He’s beaten, bloody, and broken to the point where he was removed on a stretcher. We cheered while Matt Brown was turning Silva into a concussed, sanguine mass. The process enthralled us, and I’m just as guilty. I was among the thousands screaming “HOLY SHIT” every time Silva managed to weather one of Brown’s combinations. But we shouldn’t feel guilty for enjoying it. After all, Erick Silva walked away with “a clean bill of health.” So we can go back to writing “JUST BLEED” on our chests remorse-free, right?
There’s no such thing as a clean bill of health in MMA, especially after a fight like that. Erick Silva took a beating, but he was OK or at least as OK as a person can be under the circumstances. But fighters aren’t always OK afterwards. MMA is dangerous. MMA can be lethal. It’s easy for us to shrug off MMA’s darkest days. “The fights were either unsanctioned or shouldn’t have happened to begin with; Something like this could never happen in the UFC,” we tell ourselves, always finding an excuse that lets us believe MMA is safe and carries no grave risks. But fighters don’t spring back to health once the TV is turned off. One day a fighter in a big organization might not be OK afterwards. How will we justify watching this sport then?
In an age when athletes are shooting themselves in the chest to preserve their battered brains for study, we have to ask ourselves what combat sports (and even contact sports in general) are worth. If Brown vs. Silva was a reminder as to why we watch this sport, perhaps it should also serve as a reminder as to why we shouldn’t.
(Matt Brown about to do the Captain Morgan pose on Erick Silva. / Photo via Getty)
Matt. F*cking. Brown.
No, really. Matt Brown. If you didn’t see his main-event fight against Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night 40, you have to. You owe it to yourself. Our words can’t really do it justice suffice it to say it was pure violence. The first round saw Silva nearly score a liver-shot KO over Brown and then submit him with a rear naked choke. But after Brown escaped the choke, he managed to reverse his fortunes. He landed some combinations that would put down a horse, but somehow Silva survived the beating throughout the latter half of the first round and the entirety of the second. Finally, in the third frame, Silva succumbed to the force of nature that was Brown. This fight was a breath of fresh, bloody air when MMA needed one.
In the co-main event, Constantinos Philippou defeated Lorenz Larkin via knockout, but not just any kind of knockout. It was a faceplant KO. Here’s the GIF. The end result of the fight doesn’t convey how competitive it was though. Both fighters had one another in danger until Larkin’s lights went off.
After the jump: Something worse than Beatus the Robot and the fight card’s complete results.
(Matt Brown about to do the Captain Morgan pose on Erick Silva. / Photo via Getty)
Matt. F*cking. Brown.
No, really. Matt Brown. If you didn’t see his main-event fight against Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night 40, you have to. You owe it to yourself. Our words can’t really do it justice suffice it to say it was pure violence. The first round saw Silva nearly score a liver-shot KO over Brown and then submit him with a rear naked choke. But after Brown escaped the choke, he managed to reverse his fortunes. He landed some combinations that would put down a horse, but somehow Silva survived the beating throughout the latter half of the first round and the entirety of the second. Finally, in the third frame, Silva succumbed to the force of nature that was Brown. This fight was a breath of fresh, bloody air when MMA needed one.
In the co-main event, Constantinos Philippou defeated Lorenz Larkin via knockout, but not just any kind of knockout. It was a faceplant KO. Here’s the GIF. The end result of the fight doesn’t convey how competitive it was though. Both fighters had one another in danger until Larkin’s lights went off.
Also of note: Daron Cruickshank knocked out Erik Koch with a sweet head kick (and then landed like 200 more strikes because the ref stopped the fight too late).
Another thing: There was a guy in a Chuck Liddell suit, kinda like one of those weird furry costumes…except it was Chuck Liddell. No joke.
If you’d like a more in-depth recap, read our extensively detailed live-blog. If not, see the complete results below.
MAIN CARD RESULTS
– Matt Brown def. Erick Silva via TKO (punches), 2:11 of round 3
– Constantinos Philippou def. Lorenz Larkin via KO (punch), 3:47 of round 1
– Daron Cruickshank def. Erik Koch via TKO (head kick and punches), 3:21 of round 1
– Neil Magny def. Tim Means via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
– Soa Palelei def. Ruan Potts via KO (punch), 2:20 of round 1
– Chris Cariaso def. Louis Smolka via unanimous decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
PRELIMINARY CARD RESULTS
– Ed Herman def. Rafael Natal via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
– Kyoji Horiguchi def. Darrell Montague via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
– Zak Cummings def. Yan Cabral via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
– Johnny Eduardo def. Eddie Wineland via TKO (punches), 4:37 of round 1
– Nik Lentz def. Manny Gamburyan via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
– Justin Salas def. Ben Wall via KO (punches), 2:41 of round 1
– Albert Tumenov def. Anthony Lapsley via KO (punch), 3:56 of round 1
In this installment of “Liveblogging the Fights You Actually Care About,” CP weekend editor Matt Saccaro will be giving you live results for the Matt Brown vs. Erick Silva main event, as well as Erik Koch vs. Daron Cruickshank — barnburner alert! — and whatever else he feels like covering. Plus, quick results from the rest of the event, and our usual analysis of video game commercials and frozen pizza.
The FOX Sports 1 main card begins at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, and we’ll start throwing down results after the jump shortly thereafter. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest.
In this installment of “Liveblogging the Fights You Actually Care About,” CP weekend editor and social media kosmonaut Matt Saccaro will be giving you live results for the Matt Brown vs. Erick Silva main event, as well as Erik Koch vs. Daron Cruickshank — barnburner alert! — and whatever else he feels like covering. Plus, quick results from the rest of the event, and our usual analysis of video game commercials and frozen pizza.
The FOX Sports 1 main card begins at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, and we’ll start throwing down results after the jump shortly thereafter. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest.
MAIN CARD RESULTS
– Matt Brown def. Erick Silva via TKO (punches), 2:11 of round 3
– Constantinos Philippou def. Lorenz Larkin via KO (punch), 3:47 of round 1
– Daron Cruickshank def. Erik Koch via TKO (head kick and punches), 3:21 of round 1
– Neil Magny def. Tim Means via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
– Soa Palelei def. Ruan Potts via KO (punch), 2:20 of round 1
– Chris Cariaso def. Louis Smolka via unanimous decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
PRELIMINARY CARD RESULTS
– Ed Herman def. Rafael Natal via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
– Kyoji Horiguchi def. Darrell Montague via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
– Zak Cummings def. Yan Cabral via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
– Johnny Eduardo def. Eddie Wineland via TKO (punches), 4:37 of round 1
– Nik Lentz def. Manny Gamburyan via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
– Justin Salas def. Ben Wall via KO (punches), 2:41 of round 1
– Albert Tumenov def. Anthony Lapsley via KO (punch), 3:56 of round 1
Daron Cruickshank vs. Erik Koch
Round 1: Koch comes in with a jab and Cruickshank counters with a right hand. Cruickshank misses a head kick. Koch eats an overhand right after attempting a leg kick. Koch backs Cruickshank against the cage with a flurry, and Cruickshank stops Koch’s aggressiveness with a side kick. Cruickshank chases Koch and lands a body kick after some sloppy punches. Not loads of contact made on anyone’s punches, to be honest. The two exchange leg kicks. Koch lands a stiff jab that sends Cruickshank’s head back. Koch hits a great leg kick on Cruickshank’s lead leg. Cruickshank lands a nasty body kick shortly after, but then Koch lands one of his own. Cruickshank lands a head kick that Koch blocks but then lands another INSANE head kick that floors Koch. He pours on the ground and pound while Koch’s head bounces off the mat (where the fuck is the ref?) before the fight is finally stopped after like 200 punches too many.
Lorenz Larkin vs. Constantinos Philippou
Round 1: Both fighters paw jabs. Larkin hits a front kick then wobbles Philippou with a hook. Philippou returns the favor. Larkin lands a leg kick and misses a left hand. Philippou comes forwards and presses Larkin against the cage. He lands some knees to Larkin’s thighs and does about a million foot stomps. They separate. Philippou hits two jabs, but then Larkin nails him with a crisp combination. Larkin lands a head kick but Philippou shrugs it off. Philippou lands a right hand and then another as Larkin tries a leg kick. These wobbled him, but then Larkin hurts Philippou with a counter hook. It was basically a back-and-forth striking scuffle. Philippou has Larkin against the cage, but Larkin separates and lands a big elbow. Costas lands a killer right hand and floors Larkin. He’s out cold. This fight is over.
Matt Brown vs. Erick Silva
Round 1: They get in each other’s faced at the stare down. They were literally nose to nose. Silva goes for an oblique kick. Brown lands a head kick and some punches. Silva does a body lock takedown. Brown reverses and winds up on top. Silva gets to his feet. Silva lands a tremendous body kcika and then another. Brown buckles to the mat and Silva lands ground and pound. He takes Brown’s back and attempts a rear naked choke. He can’t sink it in on the first attempt so he lands some strikes from the back. He goes for the choke again, but it’s more of a neck crank and Brown escapes. With about two minutes left Brown escapes. They’re back to their feet. Brown lands a vicious combo with some knees uppercuts, and elbows. Silva is out on his feet. More knees. More elbows. Holy shit. Brown misses a big head kick but lands and uppercut and then a throw. Brown keeps landing huge elbows and knees. He threw Silva to the ground like a rogdoll and he’s barely resisting now. This should be stopped. More uppercuts and visious hooks and elbows. Brown lands a takedown as the round ends. Jesus christ this was amazing.
Round 2: Knee to the head from Brown and he has Silva in the same spot as the end of last round, but Silva is starting to come back, actually. Silva lands a spinning back fist. But then Brown starts unloading elbows. They’re clinched now. They separate. Brown lands a hook to the body. Brown is teeing off on Silva; I have no idea what’s keeping him up. More elbows. My god. Brown lands a sick head kick and then some follow-up elbows. How the hell is Silva standing? Brown just keeps landing punches. A million right hands from Brown. Wow. A body shot from Silva hurts Brown badly. This is insane. Brown takes down Silva and gets side control. He lands some ground and pound. He’s got him in a mounted triangle, it looks like, but Silva escapes. Now he starts working a choke. Instead Brown moves to mount and starts landing loads of punches. He goes for the arm but misses and immediately transitions to a triangle. Looks like it’s over here, especially now that he’s going for the arm too, BUT SILVA ESCAPES. This is fucking insanity. Silva briefly passes to half guard but gets put back into guard. This fight.
Round 3: Silva lands a straight left and Brown lands a body kick. Brown lands a right hand, a knee, another knee, elbows, loads of uppercuts, more knees. Oh my god. They sort of flop onto the floor after an exchange, with Brown in Silva’s guard. Brown lands some ground and pound. Some elbows from guard. Silva is cut open bad. Brown landing some more ground and pound. Silva turtles up and the ref calls the fight. Amazing contest.
