Fight University Breakdown: ‘UFC Fight Night 72 — Leites vs. Bisping’


(Still a cleaner strike than anything thrown in this fight.)

Former UFC fighter Santino DeFranco is back with Fight University! In this exclusive preview, DeFranco gives us a breakdown this Saturday’s Fight Night 72 main event matchup between Michael Bisping and Thales Leites. The keys to victory for the Brit? Closing the distance, mixing up his combinations, and staying off the cage. For the Brazilian? Knees, more knees, and the occasional double leg.

Check out DeFranco’s breakdown after the jump, then let us know what else you’d like to see future installments of Fight University!

The post Fight University Breakdown: ‘UFC Fight Night 72 — Leites vs. Bisping’ appeared first on Cagepotato.


(Still a cleaner strike than anything thrown in this fight.)

Former UFC fighter Santino DeFranco is back with Fight University! In this exclusive preview, DeFranco gives us a breakdown this Saturday’s Fight Night 72 main event matchup between Michael Bisping and Thales Leites. The keys to victory for the Brit? Closing the distance, mixing up his combinations, and staying off the cage. For the Brazilian? Knees, more knees, and the occasional double leg.

Check out DeFranco’s breakdown after the jump, then let us know what else you’d like to see future installments of Fight University!

The post Fight University Breakdown: ‘UFC Fight Night 72 — Leites vs. Bisping’ appeared first on Cagepotato.

UFC Fight Night 72: Bisping vs. Leites Fight Card, TV Info, Predictions and More

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has been on a roll as of late. Can Michael Bisping and Thales Leites keep it going in the main event of UFC Fight Night 72 from Glasgow, Scotland, on Saturday?
The table below also includes the entire card and pr…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has been on a roll as of late. Can Michael Bisping and Thales Leites keep it going in the main event of UFC Fight Night 72 from Glasgow, Scotland, on Saturday?

The table below also includes the entire card and predictions for each fight.

UFC 189 was one of the best shows in the promotion’s history. Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson announced his legitimacy on the welterweight title scene with a spectacular spinning hook kick to KO Jake Ellenberger at The Ultimate Fighter 21 Finale. Kamaru Usman also shined in clinching the final for the Blackzilians team.

Last but not least, heavyweight legend Frank Mir showed he still has tread left on his tires by scoring his second straight KO victory. He flattened Todd Duffee with a destructive left hand to cap off UFC Fight Night 71 in San Diego on Wednesday night.

There could very well be another memorable scrap set to take place on Saturday.

 

Main Event and Fight of the Night Candidate

Bisping and Leites certainly have the potential to put on a Fight of the Night scrap. Bisping generally keeps a torrid pace and prefers to keep the fight standing. Bisping proved his takedown defense was up to par when he stopped all but two of C.B. Dollaway’s right attempts to take him down when the two met in April 2015.

Leites is a skilled submissions fighter. If he could take Bisping down, he’d have the advantage, but it will be a tougher task. It’s more likely that the two men engage in an epic stand-up battle that goes into the later rounds.

While Bisping is tough as nails, Leites is the more explosive. I see him landing a body or head kick that stuns Bisping. Leites will take advantage and finish off the Brit to the dismay of the fans. Adam Martin of the Toronto Star considers himself a bit of an expert on Bisping.

He shares the opinion. He writes:

 

Real Deal with KO Appeal

In the video below from MMACrazyTV, Evan Dunham calls Ross Pearson a one-dimensional fighter. The last time I heard that, Chad Mendes was saying it about Conor McGregor, and we all know how that turned out.

Pearson’s boxing skills are among the best of any fighter in the UFC. His hands will carry him to victory over Dunham. The latter definitely has the edge when it comes to wrestling, but he has traditionally struggled against explosive strikers like Edson Barboza and Donald Cerrone.

Pearson isn’t on that level as an overall fighter, but when it comes to pure striking, he can hang with anyone.

He’ll crank a combination that puts Dunham down, and Pearson will finish the job with strikes to his downed opponent. Neither of these guys figure to be serious contenders, but it should still be a fun fight while it lasts.

 

There’s Another Irish KO Artist in the UFC

No, we’re not talking about McGregor.

“Irish” Joe Duffy needed just 1:47 to stop Jake Delaney in his UFC debut at UFC 185 in March.

He’ll need just a little bit longer to stop Ivan Jorge, but look for Duffy to still get it done. Jorge is purely a submission fighter. He has 26 career wins, but only three of them have come by TKO or KO. 

Duffy will have the clear edge in striking. As long as he avoids the takedown, or doesn’t spend much time on the ground if he is taken down, he should pick Jorge apart.

Look for the hard right hand to hurt the Brazilian at some point and lead to a TKO victory for Duffy.


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Michael Bisping vs. Thales Leites: A Full Head-to-Toe Breakdown

The next UFC Fight Night hits Glasgow, Scotland, on Saturday with a top-10 middleweight main event.
No. 9-ranked contender Michael Bisping takes on No. 10-ranked Thales Leites as the veterans seek a final run up the middleweight ladder toward a potenti…

The next UFC Fight Night hits Glasgow, Scotland, on Saturday with a top-10 middleweight main event.

No. 9-ranked contender Michael Bisping takes on No. 10-ranked Thales Leites as the veterans seek a final run up the middleweight ladder toward a potential title shot.

Bisping has exchanged wins and losses in his last nine fights. He is coming off a solid performance against CB Dollaway at UFC 186. Will he finally be able to win back-to-back fights for the first time since 2011?

Opposite Bisping will be Leites. Leites is on an eight-fight win streak with five straight wins since returning to the UFC. He has added excellent striking to his game, and it has him performing better than ever. A ninth straight win would have to make him a serious title contender at 185 pounds.

So, who holds the edge for UFC Fight Night 72?

That is what we will break down. Let’s take a look at the middleweight matchup coming your way this weekend.

Begin Slideshow

Michael Bisping vs. Thales Leites Set to Headline UFC Fight Night: Glasgow

The main event for the UFC’s first foray into Scotland is set. According to the Sun, a British newspaper, top-10 stalwart Michael Bisping will take on resurgent veteran Thales Leites. The news was released in their Monday, May 25 edition, which was pro…

The main event for the UFC’s first foray into Scotland is set. According to the Sun, a British newspaper, top-10 stalwart Michael Bisping will take on resurgent veteran Thales Leites. The news was released in their Monday, May 25 edition, which was promptly snapped and posted on Twitter:

The announcement comes as little surprise. Leites has been calling out Bisping for a solid six months and, in a thoroughly booked middleweight division, neither man had a great many options outside the other. 

The bout also makes a great deal of sense. Bisping has been alternating wins and losses since 2011 and finds himself securely locked outside the title picture for, essentially, the first time in his UFC career. That said, he is currently coming off a razor-thin decision win over CB Dollaway and remains a desirable opponent for up-and-comers and veterans looking for a bout with some visibility.

Leites, meanwhile, has been on fire since returning to the UFC in 2013. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist was cut in 2009, just months after challenging Anderson Silva for the middleweight strap at UFC 97, but returned to the Octagon at UFC 163 after a 6-1 run as a journeyman. He has broken off five straight wins in the Octagon since, most recently submitting Tim Boetsch at UFC 183.

In addition to Bisping vs. Leites, the Sun also announced a lightweight bout between The Ultimate Fighter Season 9 winner Ross Pearson and Evan Dunham. Not only that, but the card will feature Joanne Calderwood vs. Bec Rawlings and Ilir Latifi vs. Hans Stringer.

The event is scheduled for July 18, so make sure to circle back to Bleacher Report for more updates on the card as it approaches.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Here Comes a New Challenger: Matches to Make — UFC 186


(We’re really, really, *really* missing that Xbox sponsorship right now. via Getty.)

By Sam Stilson

Aside from escaping a fire, it’s never a good thing when the audience starts leaving halfway through the main event of a card. It’s an even worse thing when you’ve already had to close off half the arena just to fill the building. No, UFC  186 was not a successful PPV for the world’s premier MMA organization, but despite its many, many failings, it wasn’t a half-bad display of mixed martial arts…for Bellator, or WSOF, of even a Fight Pass show.

Still the fights went on, winners were crowned and with this trainwreck behind us, we must now wonder where do they go from here?

The post Here Comes a New Challenger: Matches to Make — UFC 186 appeared first on Cagepotato.


(We’re really, really, *really* missing that Xbox sponsorship right now. via Getty.)

By Sam Stilson

Aside from escaping a fire, it’s never a good thing when the audience starts leaving halfway through the main event of a card. It’s an even worse thing when you’ve already had to close off half the arena just to fill the building. No, UFC  186 was not a successful PPV for the world’s premier MMA organization, but despite its many, many failings, it wasn’t a half-bad display of mixed martial arts…for Bellator, or WSOF, of even a Fight Pass show.

Still the fights went on, winners were crowned and with this trainwreck behind us, we must now wonder where do they go from here?

Demetrious Johnson – Should fight: Dodson/Makovsky winner

DJ…blah blah…greatest fighter alive…blah…shut-out performance…flyweights don’t sell…history won’t boo him…blah blah.

Johnson is unfortunately so good that until age catches up to him, this is how every one of his fights is going to go. He has maybe two matches left in the division before the inevitable move back to bantamweight. Dodson is the only flyweight to really give him a challenge and Makovsky is fresh meat, the winner of that  bout in May should be DJ’s next opponent.

Kyoji Horiguchi – Should fight: Chris Cariaso

Horiguchi should take solace in that fact that he’s young and has plenty of time to build his way back up into contention. The first place he should start is with former title challenger and fellow also-ran Chris Cariaso. It’s a good rebound fight for Horiguchi that adds a solid name to his resume, and if Cariaso could pull off the upset it’d solidify his spot in the top 10.

Quinton Jackson – Should fight: Rua/Nogueira winner

A lot of people seem to be unfairly criticizing Rampage’s performance at UFC 186. No, he didn’t get the knockout, but who does against Maldonaldo? Jackson looked fit and focused and unleashed a varied Muay Thai attack we haven’t seen from him in years. He stated post-fight that he’s on a revenge/legends tour and what better place to start than with the winner of Shogun and Lil Nog? Pride never die.

Fabio Maldonaldo – Should fight: Jan Blachowicz

This is a winnable fight for both men, likely a stand-up affair and would fill up a prelims spot nicely.

Michael Bisping – Should fight: Thales Leites

Love him or hate him you have to admire Bisping’s tenacity. At 36 and barely clinging to a top 10 ranking he still believes he can be champ. Why dash his dreams again so quickly Joe Silva? Pair him up with a ranked grappler like Thales Leites and see if he can build up another win streak.

C.B. Dollaway – Should fight: Tavares/Whittaker loser

I don’t think anyone truly believed C.B. was a top 10 fighter but at least he got his chance to fight the cream of the crop. A step back to the TUF alumni circle would do him well and the loser of Tavares/Whittaker would fit the bill nicely.

John Makdessi – Should fight: At featherweight

‘The Bull’ has always been an undersized lightweight, but he looked tiny against Shane Campbell . Sure he won, but against the behemoths that populate the upper ranks of lightweight, the size disparity will eventually become insurmountable.  Featherweight is wide open and a win against someone like Diego Brandao or Darren Elkins would instantly make him a ranked fighter, something unlikely to ever happen at 155.

Shane Campbell – Should fight: Tony Martin

A vaunted kickboxer, Campbell looked good for the first few minutes of his bout against Makdessi, but eventually succumbed to his power. A good rebound fight would be against Tony Martin who also recently lost a main card bout. It’d be a fun grappler vs. striker battle and would give both men a chance to redeem their high-profile failures.

Thomas Almeida – Should fight: Frankie Saenz

The hype is strong in this one. At just 23, Almeida is now 19-0 and a top 15 UFC bantamweight. While he looked incredible knocking out a solid veteran in Yves Jabouin, he shouldn’t be rushed too far up the ladder. Frankie Saenz who just upset Iuri Alcantara would make a great next dance partner. He’s ranked 13th, and his smothering, wrestling-based attack would either expose Almeida or allow him show another facet to his game.

 Yves Jabouin – Should fight: Marcus Brimage

Now 35 and with a 2-3 record in his past five fights, Jabouin’s chances at the top 15 appear to have come and gone.  Rather than feed him to another young buck, he should face another fighter on a downward trend. Marcus Brimage has a bit of name value left, and this bout would make for an entertaining striking battle.

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UFC 186 Highlights/Results: Johnson Subs Horiguchi at the Bell, Rampage Underwhelms in Return, + More

(All clips via UFC on FOX.)

Not that you care right now, what with Jon Jones’ hit-and-run currently capturing your attention, but there was a UFC event over the weekend that on paper looked pretty crappy but in reality turned out to be pretty fun affair (and not just because I went 10-2 on my fight picks for the second time in the past three events).

UFC 186: Johnson vs. Horiguchi, it was called, and true to form, it was a card absolutely ravaged by injuries. Dillashaw, Barao, Rory Mac, Lombard, Trujillo — all were expected to fight on Saturday, but the MMA Gods had other plans. Instead, we were treated to the (underwhelming) return of Rampage Jackson thanks to a last-minute appeal of the injunction that originally forced him off the card, the arrival of Thomas Almeida, and the continued dominance of Mighty Mouse.

In the main event of the evening, Demetrious Johnson had his way with #7 ranked (and +1000 underdog) Kyoji Horiguchi for five straight rounds. It was very much a typical Johnson performance in many regards, in that it was damn near flawless, capped off by a late submission (the latest ever, actually), and all but ignored by the fans in the Belle Center. Little guys just don’t get no respect, nawmsayin?

Check out the highlights from the entire UFC 186 main card and a full list of results after the jump. 

The post UFC 186 Highlights/Results: Johnson Subs Horiguchi at the Bell, Rampage Underwhelms in Return, + More appeared first on Cagepotato.


(All clips via UFC on FOX.)

Not that you care right now, what with Jon Jones’ hit-and-run currently capturing your attention, but there was a UFC event over the weekend that on paper looked pretty crappy but in reality turned out to be pretty fun affair (and not just because I went 10-2 on my fight picks for the second time in the past three events).

UFC 186: Johnson vs. Horiguchi, it was called, and true to form, it was a card absolutely ravaged by injuries. Dillashaw, Barao, Rory Mac, Lombard, Trujillo — all were expected to fight on Saturday, but the MMA Gods had other plans. Instead, we were treated to the (underwhelming) return of Rampage Jackson thanks to a last-minute appeal of the injunction that originally forced him off the card, the arrival of Thomas Almeida, and the continued dominance of Mighty Mouse.

In the main event of the evening, Demetrious Johnson had his way with #7 ranked (and +1000 underdog) Kyoji Horiguchi for five straight rounds. It was very much a typical Johnson performance in many regards, in that it was damn near flawless, capped off by a late submission (the latest ever, actually), and all but ignored by the fans in the Belle Center. Little guys just don’t get no respect, nawmsayin?

Check out the highlights from the entire UFC 186 main card and a full list of results after the jump. 

Jackson vs. Maldonado

In the co-main event of the evening, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson took on Fabio Maldonado in what was an equally parts surprising and routine scrap. I say surprising because it may have been the first fight in Jackson’s history that was highlighted by the former champions use of kicks and knees from the Thai clinch. Say what you want about Jackson, but his performance showcased that even an old dog can learn some new tricks.

Of course, the latter rounds were punctuated by Jackson’s trademark lack of killer instinct, as well as Maldonado’s lack of anything resembling urgency, which left the crowd restless heading into the main event. Why Maldonado did not once attempt to mix things up on the feet beyond plodding forward remains a mystery. Kind of like the current whereabouts of Jon Jones. HI-OH!!

Bisping vs. Dollaway

Speaking of raised expectations, the middleweight “meh”fest between Michael Bisping and CB Dollaway turned out to be one of the more thrilling fights of the night. Who woulda thunk? Those expecting a typical jab-and-jog performance from “The Count” (ie. most of us) were instead treated to a back-and-forth banger that saw Bisping dropped early before rallying in the latter rounds thanks to his world-renowned cardio. Dollaway was able to land with his check left hook seemingly at will, but simply couldn’t keep up with Bisping nor take him down long enough to secure the judge’s nod.

I’ll tell you a guy who knows a lot about raised expectations, and that’s Jon Jones. His last DUI-induced car wreck left fans and critics alike wondering how he could ever outshine himself behind the wheel of a two-ton death machine, so what’s he do? Hits *two* cars and while high as a kite, then flees the scene carrying handfuls of cash. Ever the innovator, that Bones.

Makdessi vs. Campbell

Shane Campbell may have been the more seasoned striker heading into his short notice fight with Makdessi on Saturday, but it was the Canadian “Bull” who put a beating on him early and often. After blistering Campbell with a right hand early, Makdessi chose his spots and continued to haul off on the UFC rookie until referee Philippe Chatrier was forced to wave the fight off with just 7 seconds left in the first round. The win marked Makdessi fourth in his past five fights and proved that he’s still got a ton of gas in the tank and is never to be taken lightly — come to think of it, he’s essentially the “Jon Jones behind the wheel” of the UFC’s lightweight division.

Jabouin vs. Almeida

WEC vet Yves Jabouin wasn’t being given much of a chance against the undefeated prospect, and to his credit, managed not to get overwhelmed right out of the gate. Almeida’s relentless pressure and diverse striking attack proved to be too much in time, however, resulting in a clean and decisive first round TKO that this absolutely horrible highlight managed to capture none of.

Check out the full results for UFC 186 below.

Main Card 
Demetrious Johnson def. Kyoji Horiguchi by way of Submission (Armbar) 4:59 of Round 5
Quinton Jackson def. Fabio Maldonado by way of Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
Michael Bisping def. CB Dollaway by way of Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
John Makdessi def. Shane Campbell by way of TKO (Strikes) 4:53 of Round 1
Thomas Almeida def. Yves Jabouin by way of TKO (Strikes) 4:18 of Round 1

Preliminary Card
Patrick Cote def. Joe Riggs by way of Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Alexis Davis def. Sarah Kaufman by way of Submission (Armbar) 1:52 of Round 2
Chad Laprise def. Bryan Barberena by way of Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. David Michaud by way of Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 3:24 of Round 3

Preliminary Card 
Nordine Taleb def. Chris Clements by way of Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Valerie Letourneau def. Jessica Rakoczy by way of Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Randa Markos def. Aisling Daly by way of Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

The post UFC 186 Highlights/Results: Johnson Subs Horiguchi at the Bell, Rampage Underwhelms in Return, + More appeared first on Cagepotato.