MMA Fighting has TUF 14 results of Michael Bisping vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller and the rest of the season finale event from the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
In the main event, Bisping welcomes Miller back into the UFC in an effort to move closer towards a middleweight title shot. The winner will also hold the final word when it comes to bragging rights after coaching opposing teams this past season.
Spike TV Bouts
Michael Bisping vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller (live blog)
Featherweight Final: Diego Brandao vs. Dennis Bermudez (live blog)
Bantamweight Final: John Dodson vs. T.J. Dillashaw (live blog)
Tony Ferguson vs. Yves Edwards (live blog)
Johnny Bedford vs. Louis Gaudinot (live blog)
Preliminary Bouts
Stephen Bass vs. Marcus Brimage (live blog) John Albert def. Dustin Pague via first-round TKO (live blog) Roland Delorme def. Josh Ferguson via third-round submission (RNC) (live blog) Steven Siler def. Josh Clopton via unanimous decision (live blog) Bryan Caraway def. Dustin Neace via submission (rear-naked choke) (live blog)
MMA Fighting has TUF 14 results of Michael Bisping vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller and the rest of the season finale event from the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
In the main event, Bisping welcomes Miller back into the UFC in an effort to move closer towards a middleweight title shot. The winner will also hold the final word when it comes to bragging rights after coaching opposing teams this past season.
Spike TV Bouts
Michael Bisping vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller (live blog)
Featherweight Final: Diego Brandao vs. Dennis Bermudez (live blog)
Bantamweight Final: John Dodson vs. T.J. Dillashaw (live blog)
Tony Ferguson vs. Yves Edwards (live blog)
Johnny Bedford vs. Louis Gaudinot (live blog)
Preliminary Bouts
Stephen Bass vs. Marcus Brimage (live blog) John Albert def. Dustin Pague via first-round TKO (live blog) Roland Delorme def. Josh Ferguson via third-round submission (RNC) (live blog) Steven Siler def. Josh Clopton via unanimous decision (live blog) Bryan Caraway def. Dustin Neace via submission (rear-naked choke) (live blog)
I’m not going to lie: Like a few other people, I am damn excited for Michael Bisping vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller.I remember what a big deal it was to watch the BJ Penn/Jens Pulver fight on free TV, way back in that forgotten time known …
I’m not going to lie: Like a few other people, I am damn excited for Michael Bisping vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller.
I remember what a big deal it was to watch the BJ Penn/Jens Pulver fight on free TV, way back in that forgotten time known as 2007. Even if the once-hyped rematch had lost some of its lustre, it still felt like a “big fight” we were getting on free TV. It was also very fitting to have the season finale end with the battle of the coaches rather than having to pay for the fight a month later.
In short, having the coaches fight on the finale is like drinking beer in the shower: It might not happen very often, but it just feels right.
And it’s even more fitting when you consider that this is the swan song of “The Ultimate Fighter” on Spike TV. If you want to go out “with a bang,” then there may be no better way than having a fight like this drop the curtain. Mayhem vs. Bisping is a PPV caliber fight—hell, in today’s PPV climate, it could very well headline a card with Sean McCorkle vs. Mike Russow as co-main.
So be thankful and all that. TUF finales on Spike are old hat at this point, comfortable and familiar, like a pair of well-worn sweatpants with the crotch worn out. Once they move onto FX, well, who knows what we’ll be getting?
What we’re getting tonight—in addition to the bantam and featherweight finals—is an interesting middleweight clash with a lot of question marks.
Jason “Mayhem” Miller hasn’t fought in the UFC since April of 2005. He lost that night, against some guy named “Georges” something. He hasn’t fought, period, in over a year. His last win of any note was over Tim Kennedy in 2007, unless you count submitting Sakuraba’s ghost as a “win of note.”
He may be more known today as the host of “Bully Beatdown” than for any of his fighting accolades.And Bisping? He’s riding an impressive three-fight winning streak. Unfortunately, when you ask the average schmuck walking the street, the name “Bisping” is likely most associated with spitting on Jorge, getting robbed against Hamill and, oh yeah, getting Hendo’d.
Who’s got the edge? Let’s break it down category by category, starting with…
Wrestling
This is a tricky concept when applied to MMA, and it’s even trickier when applied to these two gents. Jason Miller comes from a Team Quest background but has always been more of a BJJ man. And Bisping? He’s British—nuff’ said.
And yet both men possess what I would consider to be solid wrestling skills. Bisping can look foolish in the wrestling department sometimes—like when he lunged for takedowns against Hendo or got footswept against Wanderlei.
Yet he also has turned in some solid wrestling, managing to (mostly) stifle Rashad Evans, and control solid grapplers Denis Kang and Dan Miller. As a wrestler, Bisping is a bit like a coffee from McDonald’s—you never know if you’re getting a nice beverage or a cup of p*ss.
Funnily enough, Mayhem is in kind of a similar boat. He’s a guy not known for his wrestling skills, yet he has turned in some very good performances in the wrestling department. Remember when he picked up Jake Shields and slammed him like a ragdoll? Even GSP himself couldn’t take down Jake as authoritatively as Miller did.
So who takes this one? Well, like so many categories , it’s pretty damn close.
Though many out there may disagree, I give the edge in the wrestling department to Mayhem. He’s shown solid work in the clinch, solid takedown defense and a good shot when he chooses to use it. Bisping has many of those tools as well, but not as many, and not quite as polished. Mayhem’s Team Quest background gives him the edge over the Brit.Advantage: Miller
BJJ/Grappling/Submissions
Yet another arbitrary distinction in MMA, forced upon me, if I’m honest, by you damn casual fans. Most people who watch (and write about) MMA break down grappling into “wrestling”—that is, offensive and defensive takedowns—and “BJJ/Grappling”, namely mat acumen and submission skills.
Really, it’s pretty hard to separate wrestling from BJJ in the context of modern MMA, but what the hell? You guys want it, you guys got it.
And again, we have a real close horse race here. The initial inclination is to pick Mayhem, a BJJ black belt with a majority of his wins via submission. But Bisping is no slouch on the mat, even if he doesn’t have a highlight reel of submission victories to his credit.
But effective grappling is more than slick subs, and Bisping has well-rounded skills to his credit. He’s underrated off his back, able to shut down even top-level grapplers like Denis Kang. He’s got good submission defense and has survived close calls against Charles McCarthy and Wanderlei Silva (fun fact: Both those guys have BJJ blackbelts. Weird, I know).
He’s never actually submitted anyone in the UFC, but then again, neither has Miller.
Mayhem may be one of the most underrated BJJ players in the game today. Yeah, that’s the kind of broad, sweeping statement that usually sends up the “I’m a tool” flag for readers, but hear me out. Who else has gone the distance with both “Jacare” Souza and Jake Shields almost entirely on the mat and not only survived, but held their own?
Sure, “Jacare” turned him into six different kinds of human pretzel, but he couldn’t tap him, which speaks volumes about Miller’s submission skills. And Miller had Shields in a full-on, sunk in rear naked choke before Jake was saved by the bell. Those are two impressive accolades you won’t get just by reading Jason Miller’s Wikipedia page.Who takes this one? Once again, I’m going to (possibly) rile some feathers and say Miller. He’s the more credentialed BJJ player, has the better defensive skills and has proven submission finishing ability.
Advantage: Miller
Standup
For all you angry Brits out there, don’t worry—“The Count”, down by two in my arbitrary, irrelevant comparison, comes roaring back in this category.
Hey, don’t get me wrong, Mayhem isn’t chopped liver on the feet. He has functional standup skills, mixes it up well and has a solid chin that can eat a few punches. He’s not the most economical mover on the feet, but he doesn’t have to be. Usually, Miller is looking to take his opponent to the floor.
Bisping, on the other hand, is a top-level striker in the middleweight division. Yes, I said “top-level striker” and “Mike Bisping” in the same sentence. Yes, I fully realize this is the chap who got “H-Bombed” in the single greatest KO in the history of ever.
Still, consider this: It took Hendo five times as long to knock out Michael Bisping as it did to knock out Fedor Emelianenko. Keep that in mind next time you harangue Bisping for getting Falcon Punched out of his boots at UFC 100.
That aberration aside, Bisping has looked solid on the feet, especially as of late. People complain about him “being on his bike” and having “pillow fists”, but the facts just don’t match that premise. Bisping has an 80 percent finishing rate over his career, and since he doesn’t have many submissions, well, those “pillow fists” must be good for something.Punches in bunches is the name of the game for Bisping, and it’s a style that’s served him very well.
In his last seven fights, Bisping has faced someone who could be considered a good striker (Ok, maybe not Dan Miller. But he’s an all-round badass, so he makes the list). With the exception of Hendo, he wasn’t outstruck by any of them.
Ok, he got outstruck by Wandy. And Denis Kang.
Still, my point remains: in a heads-up comparison with Jason Miller, Bisping has the better hands on paper. Rule Britannia!
It’s simple. Both men are highly confident. Both men are accomplished showmen. Both men have experience fighting all over the world. Both men have won fights they should have lost, and given away fights they should have had. In the “mental game” department, it’s a stalemate.
As far as game planning, it’s Team Wolfslair vs…wherever Miller trains now (Kings MMA, according to the internets). Again, as far as I’m concerned, it’s a toss-up.
Which leaves cardio as the only deciding marker. Both guys have good cardio, but the edge here has to go to Bisping. Love him or hate him, he shows up ready to go each and every time…except this time, where Bisping initially missed weight on his first attempt and could have kneecapped his cardio as a result.
It’s no secret by now that Michael Bisping doesn’t exactly bode over well with most fans of mixed martial arts.The brash Brit first made his presence known when he won the third season of The Ultimate Fighter as a light heavyweight, eventually moving 4…
It’s no secret by now that Michael Bisping doesn’t exactly bode over well with most fans of mixed martial arts.
The brash Brit first made his presence known when he won the third season of The Ultimate Fighter as a light heavyweight, eventually moving 4-0 in his first four outings inside the Octagon.
Though he was knocking at the door towards contender status at 205 pounds, Bisping would later move onto more lighter pastures as a middleweight.
Already, Bisping was a commodity for the organization, making him a staple for the UFC’s invasion of the United Kingdom, where the abrasive fighter became one of the more recognizable faces in the promotion.
However, things took a turn for the worse when Bisping was pegged as a coach on the ninth season of TUF, where he served opposite of the legendary Dan Henderson.
The season was promoted as “Team U.S.A vs. Team U.K.” and with their inevitable showdown taking place on U.S. soil, everyone suddenly turned into a patriot once Bisping hit center stage at UFC 100, vehemently booing the TUF alumni without just cause.
Well, maybe it was one-sided banter that Bisping threw Henderson’s way, who just let the comments slide, later settling the score once and for all.
In July of 2009, “The Count” suffered the most devastating loss of his career when he was savagely knocked out by Henderson, making Bisping a victim of the American’s most talked about highlight reel finish of his long and illustrious run as a mixed martial artist.
The 32-year-old native of Cyprus eventually ventured on, compiling a three-fight win streak with victories over Dan Miller, Yoshihiro Akiyama and Jorge Rivera—who Bisping traded barbs back-and-forth in the media, eventually culminating in a second round TKO finish which was marred by a blatant illegal knee and unsportsmanlike spitting in the corner of “El Conquistador.”
Now, Bisping has wrapped up the 14th season of TUF opposite fan favorite Jason “Mayhem” Miller, where the enigmatic fighter has continued to make headlines with his antics on the show, stemming from several confrontations which caused several funny and foreboding altercations.
The two will now meet later tonight in the main event for The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale, where the winner will likely move on to become a top contender in the 185-pound class.
Expect to see more booing from the sell-out crowd at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, which should be no surprise to Bisping who flipped off the attending crowd yesterday at the weigh-in ceremony.
Is Bisping the most hated fighter in MMA today? Guys like Nick Diaz, Josh Koscheck and Chael Sonnen may give him a run for his money, but Bisping can take solace in that he is firmly positioned in first place. If there was some kind of arbitrary voting poll, the Brit would take gold.
Filed under: UFCThe final season of The Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV is in the books, and only Saturday night’s TUF 14 Finale stands between us and the end of an era. Don’t get misty on me just yet, though. Blink away those tears and enjoy some thought…
The final season of The Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV is in the books, and only Saturday night’s TUF 14 Finale stands between us and the end of an era. Don’t get misty on me just yet, though. Blink away those tears and enjoy some thoughts, questions, predictions and observations before it all comes crashing down.
I. The UFC and Spike TV are going to kick each other in the balls all the way to the bitter end. That’s how White characterized Spike’s decision to counter-program one of the UFC’s events on Versus, and he hinted that he might find a way to land a groin strike of his own before it was all over. This week, with a live TUF Finale set to air on the network, he has. No open workouts. No media events at all to promote the show. If UFC.com was your only source of information, you probably wouldn’t even know Spike TV was still a network, let alone one that’s airing tonight’s UFC event. I realize that it’s strictly business, but it still feels a little sad. These two were so young and so in love once. There was a time when the UFC and Spike needed and appreciated one another. Now, with the relationship coming to an end, it feels like the fighters on this card are children caught in the crossfire of a bitter divorce.
II. And how are the fighters holding up during this nasty split? Depends who you ask.“Mayhem” Miller is so used to the old Strikeforce way of doing things, he didn’t even notice what an unusual fight week this was (until we told him). Michael Bisping, on the other hand, definitely notices. He also seems not totally thrilled about fighting on a Spike TV card in the cramped Pearl at the Palms rather than on a pay-per-view in a big arena, but he’s too much of a company man to complain publicly. The TUF finalists? They’re just happy to be here; they don’t know any better. In the grand scheme of things, this probably won’t change anyone’s life. One way or another, the fights that are worth seeing will get seen, and the UFC and Spike will both move on. As Miller said when I talked to him for this SI.com story, “They have their own battles. My battle is in a pair of tight shorts.”
III. Speaking of “Mayhem,” the man is so oddly calm heading into this fight that I fear he might have to change his nickname. Granted, Jason “Mild Disorder” Miller doesn’t sound anywhere near as cool, but the wildman we used to know seems to have given way to a mature, responsible individual. It’s weird, and even he thinks so. This is the same guy who used to dive on tables full of drinks at L.A. nightclubs. Now he almost seems like someone you’d trust to watch your kids, or at least your dog. Maybe it’s a consequence of age. Maybe the trials and tribulations of his last year with Strikeforce matured him a little. If Miller can shed some of the mercurial behavior that’s cost him in his career, yet keep the same fire in the cage, he might really go places in the UFC.
IV. Bisping, on the other hand, is about as calm as a hurricane. But then, anybody who attended Friday’s weigh-ins already knew that. He looked like he was about to explode when he stepped out on the stage, and the incessant boos didn’t do much to settle his spirits. Bisping’s an emotional guy, so maybe it will help him to go out there with a little extra fury in his fists. Then again, this is a five-rounder. If it goes into the late rounds with Miller grinding away at him, you have to wonder whether he might expend all that emotional energy too soon.
V. If you’re betting against Diego Brandao’s takedown defense, you might want to think twice. He’s been at Greg Jackson’s gym working with some excellent wrestlers of late, and the guys in that camp feel that his takedown defense has come a long way even in the short time since the show. That makes it seem unlikely that Dennis Bermudez will get by on wrestling alone in this fight. Even if he does manage to put the terrifying Brazilian on his back, it’s hard to see Bermudez finishing him there. That means he’ll have to ride it out for three rounds, which is a risky prospect against a guy with Brandao’s aggression and power. If you ask Bisping, he’ll tell you that this is a mismatch in Brandao’s favor. Unfortunately for Bermudez, he might be right.
VI. At least T.J. Dillashaw and John Dodson agree on one thing: they need to entertain rather than win at all costs. That’s what both were saying earlier this week, anyway. They have a good point, when you really think about it. The 135-pound division is still thin enough that the loser of this fight won’t get cast out into the darkness. Dodson is probably biding his time until the 125-pound class starts up in the UFC, and Dillashaw is a good-looking kid who the UFC will want to keep around for at least one more go, especially since bantamweights with any name recognition are in short supply these days. All they really have to do is put on a show. That said, it’s better to win than to lose, and don’t think for a second that either of them has forgotten that.
VII. The real victims of the UFC-Spike TV cold war? Yves Edwards and Tony Ferguson. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but that’s a hell of a good fight for free TV. It’s just a shame that it’s getting completely ignored. What really shocked me was when I went and looked at the betting odds and saw that Ferguson is a 3-1 favorite. Don’t get me wrong, he’s looked good in his last two fights, while Edwards is probably on the downslope of a prolific career. At the same time, you can’t count out a guy with that much experience in the art of Thug-jitsu.
Jason “Mayhem” Miller will be making his UFC return on Sat. December 3rd against the much despised, Michael Bisping.Bisping is the betting favorite and is considered the higher ranked fighter given his body of work.He’s coming off three-straight wins w…
Jason “Mayhem” Miller will be making his UFC return on Sat. December 3rd against the much despised, Michael Bisping.
Bisping is the betting favorite and is considered the higher ranked fighter given his body of work.
He’s coming off three-straight wins with his last loss coming by way of decision in which fans could make a case that it should’ve gone to the Brit’s way.
“Mayhem,” meanwhile, has won two in a row, but his wins were against some questionable competition and occurred over a year ago.
The last time we saw Miller against an elite-level fighter was his bout against Jake Shields and although he lost the decision, he won over a lot of fans with his toughness and even managed to nearly submit Shields.
Although Bisping should be and is the odds-makers favorite, he certainly isn’t the fan favorite.
In this weigh-in video provided by MMAfighting.com, Bisping expresses his content for the fans by simply saying he “doesn’t give a **** about getting love.”
As loud as the boos for Bisping were, the cheers may have been even louder for “Mayhem” when he made his way out.
“Mayhem” has always been in the MMA spotlight even though he hasn’t always been a top-level fighter. He has a very outgoing personality and is always willing to crack a joke to lighten the mood.
Regardless if he has any fan backing, Bisping is still as confident as ever for his bout and about the final outcome, predicting he will “put Mayhem in a hospital.”
Given Bisping’s little “pitter-pat” punching style, I really don’t believe “Mayhem” will be needing to check out of a hospital after their bout for anything other than the routine checkup.
“Mayhem” has always had fans behind him and more so in this fight given his opponent. Now is the time to not only ascend to the top of the 185-pound division, but squash everyone’s hated villain.
We are hours away from seeing another great season of The Ultimate Fighter close out. While this season had many memorable fights, many fans are anticipating the matchup between Michael Bisping and Jason “Mayhem” Miller. Miller and Bisping ha…
We are hours away from seeing another great season of The Ultimate Fighter close out.
Miller and Bisping have talked a lot of trash about each other from the moment it was announced that they would face each other.
Bisping has been in this position once before.
While coaching opposite of Dan Henderson during season nine of TUF, Bisping antagonized both Henderson and fighters on the opposing team.
When Bisping and Henderson met at UFC 100, Bisping found himself on the opposing end of Henderson’s signature right hand.
Bisping has been 4-1 since the Henderson fight, and is currently on a three-fight win streak. If Bisping defeats Miller, it could put him in a good position to make a serious title run. He is one of the few well-known middleweights that has not challenged Anderson Silva for his UFC title.
If Bisping loses, though, he can kiss his title hopes goodbye.
Although he has only lost to former champions, losing to Miller would prove that Bisping can’t win against big-name fighters.
Bisping is one of the UFC’s most marketable fighters thanks to his international appeal. He is also one of the company’s most hated fighters because of his antics both in and out of the Octagon.
Many fighters in MMA talk trash. But Bisping has gone beyond that, being disrespectful to fans and fighters alike.
It’s easy for Bisping to talk trash. But if he really wants to shut up his doubters, he will have to get wins over big-name opponents.
If he loses against Miller, it will show that he may never be a top contender.
MMA Fighting has TUF 14 results of Michael Bisping vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller and the rest of the season finale event from the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
I’m not going to lie: Like a few other people, I am damn excited for Michael Bisping vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller.
The final season of The Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV is in the books, and only Saturday night’s