This post is ostensibly about the fighters who weighed in yesterday for tonight’s big TUF 17 Finale event. We will not, however, judge you if you skip right to the twenty five minute mark to watch Miesha Tate and Cat Zingano, who for some reason, both decided to weigh in wearing bikinis (do you, ladies. No complaints here at the CP office.).
If you didn’t get enough Zingano from her open media workout which was ostensibly about giving a taste of her workouts but was really about stretching… Oh, the stretching….anyway, she’s in this video along with Meisha and some other guys who we guess are fighting, too. I don’t know.
We heard something about a couple guys named Urijah (what are the chances of that, huh?) fighting, a Brazilian Sasquatch with a black belt on a come-back tear and a do-or-die featherweight match up on facebook between some straight bangers named Cole and Bart. Who knows?
If you watch the above video, you’ll probably end up learning more than we know. So, go for it.
This post is ostensibly about the fighters who weighed in yesterday for tonight’s big TUF 17 Finale event. We will not, however, judge you if you skip right to the twenty five minute mark to watch Miesha Tate and Cat Zingano, who for some reason, both decided to weigh in wearing bikinis (do you, ladies. No complaints here at the CP office.).
If you didn’t get enough Zingano from her open media workout which was ostensibly about giving a taste of her workouts but was really about stretching… Oh, the stretching….anyway, she’s in this video along with Meisha and some other guys who we guess are fighting, too. I don’t know.
We heard something about a couple guys named Urijah (what are the chances of that, huh?) fighting, a Brazilian Sasquatch with a black belt on a come-back tear and a do-or-die featherweight match up on facebook between some straight bangers named Cole and Bart. Who knows?
If you watch the above video, you’ll probably end up learning more than we know. So, go for it.
(This “20 Staredowns That Got Physical” video conveniently cuts off before Ricardo Mayorga flash-KO’s Din Thomas with a karate chop to the neck. Props: MMADigest)
(This “20 Staredowns That Got Physical” video conveniently cuts off before Ricardo Mayorga flash-KO’s Din Thomas with a karate chop to the neck. Props: MMADigest)
On paper, this Saturday’s TUF 17 Finale card is dominated by wide mismatches. But which fights will actually be blowouts, and which ones will end in profitable upsets? Check out the betting lines below (via bestfightodds.com) and let’s see if we can win some cash off this thing.
MAIN CARD (FX, 9 p.m. ET)
Urijah Faber (-435) vs. Scott Jorgensen (+375)
Uriah Hall (-309) vs. Kelvin Gastelum (+325)
Cat Zingano (-115) vs. Miesha Tate (+106)
Travis Browne (-250) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (+240)
Robert McDaniel (-166) vs. Gilbert Smith (+155)
PRELIMINARY CARD (FUEL TV, 7 p.m. ET)
Josh Samman (-445) vs. Kevin Casey (+370)
Luke Barnatt (-124) vs. Collin Hart (+115)
Jimmy Quinlan (+100) vs. Dylan Andrews (+105)
Clint Hester (-160) vs. Bristol Marunde (+150)
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 5:30 p.m. ET)
Bart Palaszewski (-160) vs. Cole Miller (+155)
Daniel Pineda (-120) vs. Justin Lawrence (+109)
Maximo Blanco (-200) vs. Sam Sicilia (+195)
If you’re confused about what the numbers mean, read this. Otherwise, let’s proceed…
On paper, this Saturday’s TUF 17 Finale card is dominated by wide mismatches. But which fights will actually be blowouts, and which ones will end in profitable upsets? Check out the betting lines below (via bestfightodds.com) and let’s see if we can win some cash off this thing.
MAIN CARD (FX, 9 p.m. ET)
Urijah Faber (-435) vs. Scott Jorgensen (+375)
Uriah Hall (-309) vs. Kelvin Gastelum (+325)
Cat Zingano (-115) vs. Miesha Tate (+106)
Travis Browne (-250) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (+240)
Robert McDaniel (-166) vs. Gilbert Smith (+155)
PRELIMINARY CARD (FUEL TV, 7 p.m. ET)
Josh Samman (-445) vs. Kevin Casey (+370)
Luke Barnatt (-124) vs. Collin Hart (+115)
Jimmy Quinlan (+100) vs. Dylan Andrews (+105)
Clint Hester (-160) vs. Bristol Marunde (+150)
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 5:30 p.m. ET)
Bart Palaszewski (-160) vs. Cole Miller (+155)
Daniel Pineda (-120) vs. Justin Lawrence (+109)
Maximo Blanco (-200) vs. Sam Sicilia (+195)
If you’re confused about what the numbers mean, read this. Otherwise, let’s proceed…
The Main Event: Without disrespecting the man too much, let’s just say that Scott Jorgensen is only in the main event because Urijah Faber needed somebody to fight. A win for Faber is the most likely scenario here…but man, are those odds bloated or what? Keep in mind that Faber has been relatively inconsistent since his WEC heyday, and has been alternating neatly between wins and losses during his UFC career. (Both Faber and Jorgensen are coming off of submission victories, by the way.) At -435, putting money on the California Kid is definitely not worth the risk. On the other hand, a small bet on Jorgensen (+375) might be. Consider it.
The Co-Main Event: I have to admit, the Uriah Hall hype train has swept me off my feet and I like it, baby. I think Hall is a lock against Kelvin Gastelum, and it’s not just because of his explosive power or flashy Tekken-kicks — it’s also his maturity, his confidence, and his experience edge. Of the five opponents on Gastelum’s professional record, only one had a winning record when they fought. Meanwhile, Hall has already been in the cage with UFC-level talents like Chris Weidman and Costa Philippou, and learned valuable lessons from those fights. Gastelum is an incredible raw talent, but he needs seasoning; Hall already has it. Betting on Uriah won’t be profitable, but it’s a fairly safe investment.
The Ladies: It’s somewhat surprising that Cat Zingano — who isn’t a familiar Strikeforce crossover — is a slight favorite over a known quantity like Miesha Tate. Zingano certainly looks the part, and Rose Namajunas told us that she’s a stud wrestler and rapidly improving striker, in addition to her BJJ base. But until Cat experiences her first fight on a big stage against a top talent like Tate, I wouldn’t suggest betting on her. Small money on Miesha is probably the way to go.
Another Good ‘Dog: If Cole Miller (+155) can bring the fight to the ground, Bart Palaszewski is in deep shit. That is all.
Proceed With Caution: Six months ago, Browne vs. Gonzaga would have been a no-brainer. Travis Browne was the nasty up-and-comer, and Gabriel Gonzaga was the irrelevant can-crusher. Then, Browne blew a hammy while firing some ridiculously unnecessary jumping front kicks against Bigfoot Silva, and Gonzaga went and choked out Ben Rothwell — his greatest UFC victory since his infamous head kick knockout of Mirko Cro Cop. So is Napao back? And will Browne keep it simple this time, for God’s sake? My gut tells me that Browne has this in the bag, but my mind tells me to skip it, just in case.
The Official CagePotato “Safe” Parlay: $5 on Faber+Hall+Tate+Barnatt returns a $22.77 profit on BetUS.
The Unofficial CagePotato “So Crazy It Just Might Work?” Parlay: $5 on Jorgensen+Gonzaga+Casey+Marunde+Miller+Sicilia returns a $5,431.40 profit.
(Her training methods may be unusual, but dammit, the woman GETS RESULTS.)
Just a heads up for any of you members of the Potato Nation who fancy themselves the next Forrest Griffin (or more than likely, the next Julian Lane); it has recently been announced that the UFC will be holding auditions starting at 8 a.m. PT on Monday, April 15th to kick off the highly anticipated upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter: Rashes*. Auditions for both male and female bantamweight competitors will be held at the Grand Ballroom of the Palace Station Hotel, located on 2411 West Sahara Avenue in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In order to apply for TUF 18, one must first download the application here. The restrictions are as one would expect: You must be above 21, a legal US citizen, and have at least three verifiable pro MMA fights. Also, no fat chicks,”ugos,” skipskops, skallywags, trick-ass marks, or mark-ass tricks. I’m just reading the release, people.
Featuring female coaches and participants for the first time in the show’s history, TUF 18 will see bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey face off against the winner of the upcoming Miesha Tate vs. Cat Zingano fight scheduled for the TUF 17 Finale in April. For her sake, let’s hope Ronda is able to communicate better with her team than she did with the dudes from TUF 15, or it is going to be one quiet, awkward season.
(Her training methods may be unusual, but dammit, the woman GETS RESULTS.)
Just a heads up for any of you members of the Potato Nation who fancy themselves the next Forrest Griffin (or more than likely, the next Julian Lane); it has recently been announced that the UFC will be holding auditions starting at 8 a.m. PT on Monday, April 15th to kick off the highly anticipated upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter: Rashes*. Auditions for both male and female bantamweight competitors will be held at the Grand Ballroom of the Palace Station Hotel, located on 2411 West Sahara Avenue in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In order to apply for TUF 18, one must first download the application here. The restrictions are as one would expect: You must be above 21, a legal US citizen, and have at least three verifiable pro MMA fights. Also, no fat chicks,”ugos,” skipskops, skallywags, trick-ass marks, or mark-ass tricks. I’m just reading the release, people.
Featuring female coaches and participants for the first time in the show’s history, TUF 18 will see bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey face off against the winner of the upcoming Miesha Tate vs. Cat Zingano fight scheduled for the TUF 17 Finale in April. For her sake, let’s hope Ronda is able to communicate better with her team than she did with the dudes from TUF 15, or it is going to be one quiet, awkward season.
(According to the press release, the season will feature 15 talented female MMA prospects, and “one drunken asshole who’s basically like a chick-version of Junie Browning.” / Ronda photo via Getty Images)
When Dana White tweeted that a big announcement will be made at the end of the UFC 158 FX prelims, fans started buzzing with theories ranging from New York MMA legalization to Nick Diaz no-showing the event (although based on his performance, he might as well have). Instead, looking to continue riding the Ronda Rousey Women’s MMA Train, White announced that the two head coaches for the 18th season of The Ultimate Fighter will be Ronda Rousey and the winner of the Meisha Tate/Cat Zingano fight on April 13. TUF 18 will debut sometime this fall, and to add to the intrigue, the season will feature both male and female fighters in the 135 weight class competing for contracts in their respective divisions.
While ratings for this season have seen a slight uptick on FX, the series has failed to match the previous numbers it once enjoyed while on Spike. Now with the rival network preparing to launch two new reality shows featuring a now ousted UFC Hall-of-Famer, the UFC has the added pressure to step up their game in order to keep their MMA/Reality TV market share in point. While to some die-hard MMA fans, this may not seem like a big deal, for the UFC and Bellator, the ratings for their reality TV programs do have a significant impact on how the networks will present their brands to potential television partners in the future.
This current season of TUF has seen a change of direction in terms of how the competition has been portrayed. There is significantly less drunken buffonary, bodily fluid pranks, and even a limited instances of a-holes being a-holes (*Cough*Bubba*Cough*). Hell, even Chael Sonnen has been on his best behavior! (Which I’m kind of disappointed with, but you can’t win them all.) Instead, as Joe Rogan pointed out during last night’s Mike Ricci/Colin Fletcher fight, TUF 17 highlights the challenges faced by contestants being a struggling MMA fighter as well as the added pressure of being on a reality show. Throw in some exciting finishes and we have MMA at its purest with no gimmicks needed. But a fundamental problem remains: Do we really feel that any contestant on this show could have a significant career in the UFC?
(According to the press release, the season will feature 15 talented female MMA prospects, and “one drunken asshole who’s basically like a chick-version of Junie Browning.” / Ronda photo via Getty Images)
When Dana White tweeted that a big announcement will be made at the end of the UFC 158 FX prelims, fans started buzzing with theories ranging from New York MMA legalization to Nick Diaz no-showing the event (although based on his performance, he might as well have). Instead, looking to continue riding the Ronda Rousey Women’s MMA Train, White announced that the two head coaches for the 18th season of The Ultimate Fighter will be Ronda Rousey and the winner of the Meisha Tate/Cat Zingano fight on April 13. TUF 18 will debut sometime this fall, and to add to the intrigue, the season will feature both male and female fighters in the 135 weight class competing for contracts in their respective divisions.
While ratings for this season have seen a slight uptick on FX, the series has failed to match the previous numbers it once enjoyed while on Spike. Now with the rival network preparing to launch two new reality shows featuring a now ousted UFC Hall-of-Famer, the UFC has the added pressure to step up their game in order to keep their MMA/Reality TV market share in point. While to some die-hard MMA fans, this may not seem like a big deal, for the UFC and Bellator, the ratings for their reality TV programs do have a significant impact on how the networks will present their brands to potential television partners in the future.
This current season of TUF has seen a change of direction in terms of how the competition has been portrayed. There is significantly less drunken buffonary, bodily fluid pranks, and even a limited instances of a-holes being a-holes (*Cough*Bubba*Cough*). Hell, even Chael Sonnen has been on his best behavior! (Which I’m kind of disappointed with, but you can’t win them all.) Instead, as Joe Rogan pointed out during last night’s Mike Ricci/Colin Fletcher fight, TUF 17 highlights the challenges faced by contestants being a struggling MMA fighter as well as the added pressure of being on a reality show. Throw in some exciting finishes and we have MMA at its purest with no gimmicks needed. But a fundamental problem remains: Do we really feel that any contestant on this show could have a significant career in the UFC?
The only UFC title holders to come out of the TUF franchise have been Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans (and no disrespect to Matt Serra, but his season featured current UFC talent). Since then, the majority of TUF alumni have failed to make an impact on the organization. Think about this: Rory MacDonald didn’t go through the TUF ranks. Gunnar Nelson didn’t go through the TUF ranks. Jon Jones didn’t go through the TUF ranks; as he recently claimed, he wanted to be on the show but was too young to apply. Hell, Benson Henderson had his audition tape rejected for TUF. Most of the TUF success stories came from season 1, and those fighters are currently either retired or in gatekeeper hell.
This new season will potentially have a larger impact on the UFC for one reason: It will feature fighters in two divisions that are still (relatively) new to the UFC, both of which are desperate for new talent. What made the first season great was that not only was MMA relatively unknown to mainstream audiences, but the fighters themselves were unknown as well. Season one produced one title holder and a slew of other fighters who at one point fought for the belt during their UFC career. Especially in the case of the women’s bantamweight division, we could see some serious contenders coming out of this season regardless of who wins in the finale.
You can’t ignore the possibility of TUF going back to its old ways. With guys and gals hanging out in the same house with no TV, no internet, but plenty of booze, I’m sure we will see some shall we say, “naughty” shenanigans? Will there be issues with the plumbing? Will the cast be attacked by bears?
Some MMA fans might roll their eyes and wonder if this is the direction they want their beloved sport to be heading towards. However, this season will do to the female bantamweight division what the first season of TUF did for the sport in general — introduce it to a brand new audience.
Poor Miesha Tate. It’s bad enough that she nearly had her arm ripped from her torso when she first fought Ronda Rousey, but the fact that she is forced to relive it each and every time a microphone is shoved in front of her face has to leave her feeling somewhat bitter about the whole experience, and perhaps rightfully so.
Take last Saturday for instance, when Tate and her upcoming opponent Cat Zingano — both of whom appeared to be sponsored by either Lucky Charms or Zubaz Pants — were interviewed by Ariel Helwani following Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche’s historic battle at UFC 157. While one would think that Tate would put her personal differences with Ronda aside for a moment and simply congratulate her for the achievement, Tate opted rather to declare that she will “rip [Rousey’s] face off in the rematch.” Um, Miesha, your next opponent is actually the woman who was standing right next to you when you all but wrote her off. Awkward.
In fact, Tate was spilling haterade so vigorously that even Zingano jumped in line for a glass, declaring that Rousey had “a lot of holes in [her] game” after first saying how proud she was of the first WMMA fight in UFC History and blah blah blah. On the opposite end of the spectrum, both Tate and Zingano were impressed by Carmouche’s performance despite the fact that she lost and that they would have totally finished Rousey if put in the same situation.
And fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) for Tate or Zingano, it’s looking like the winner of their upcoming fight will be given the opportunity to put her money where her mouth is. During the UFC 157 post-fight show on FUEL TV, Rousey mentioned that she “is interested” in the outcome of the matchup and will be in attendance when Tate and Zingano face off in Vegas on April 13th. So make sure to tune in for the chance to witness the first ever 209 gang-stomping in WMMA History.
In other WMMA news…
Poor Miesha Tate. It’s bad enough that she nearly had her arm ripped from her torso when she first fought Ronda Rousey, but the fact that she is forced to relive it each and every time a microphone is shoved in front of her face has to leave her feeling somewhat bitter about the whole experience, and perhaps rightfully so.
Take last Saturday for instance, when Tate and her upcoming opponent Cat Zingano — both of whom appeared to be sponsored by either Lucky Charms or Zubaz Pants — were interviewed by Ariel Helwani following Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche’s historic battle at UFC 157. While one would think that Tate would put her personal differences with Ronda aside for a moment and simply congratulate her for the achievement, Tate opted rather to declare that she will “rip [Rousey’s] face off in the rematch.” Um, Miesha, your next opponent is actually the woman who was standing right next to you when you all but wrote her off. Awkward.
In fact, Tate was spilling haterade so vigorously that even Zingano jumped in line for a glass, declaring that Rousey had “a lot of holes in [her] game” after first saying how proud she was of the first WMMA fight in UFC History and blah blah blah. On the opposite end of the spectrum, both Tate and Zingano were impressed by Carmouche’s performance despite the fact that she lost and that they would have totally finished Rousey if put in the same situation.
And fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) for Tate or Zingano, it’s looking like the winner of their upcoming fight will be given the opportunity to put her money where her mouth is. During the UFC 157 post-fight show on FUEL TV, Rousey mentioned that she “is interested” in the outcome of the matchup and will be in attendance when Tate and Zingano face off in Vegas on April 13th. So make sure to tune in for the chance to witness the first ever 209 gang-stomping in WMMA History.
In other WMMA news…
According to MMAFighting’s Ariel Helwani, the UFC has recently signed four other fighters to the bereft women’s bantamweight division, and they are…
Sarah Kaufman: 15-2 as a pro, including multiple appearances under the Strikeforce banner and notable victories over Alexis Davis and Liz Carmouche. Last suffered a 54 second armbar defeat at the hands of (shockingly) Ronda Rousey in August of 2012, but is best known for stealing BG’s heart with this photo.
Julie Kedzie: Despite dropping her past two contests to Alexis Davis (via decision) and Miesha Tate (via armbar), “Fireball” will be heading to the UFC as well. Known for her bubbly personality and commentating gig over at Invicta FC, this Jackson’s MMA product is currently 16-11 in professional competition.
Germaine de Randamie: 3-2, holds a notable victory over former Dominatrix/featherweight title challenger Hiroko Yamanka. Scored a brutal first round KO via knee over Stephanie Webber in her Strikeforce debut back in January of 2011.
The signings of Kaufman and Nunes might seem a little odd considering that they are both scheduled to compete for Invicta in April, but according to Kaufman, being allowed to fight in multiple organizations is a privilege that extends to just the women’s division. TAKE THAT, EQUALITY. Next you’re gonna tell me that they get their own locker rooms.
