Tag: mike perry

UFC on FOX 26 Preview, Breakdown & Analysis

The UFC is set to close out an otherwise questionable 2017 on a high note, and that will begin tomorrow night (Dec. 16, 2017), when UFC on FOX 26 happens live on FOX from Winnipeg, Canada. The main card is without question one of the best in recent memory, boasting an incredible lineup of fights. […]

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The UFC is set to close out an otherwise questionable 2017 on a high note, and that will begin tomorrow night (Dec. 16, 2017), when UFC on FOX 26 happens live on FOX from Winnipeg, Canada. The main card is without question one of the best in recent memory, boasting an incredible lineup of fights.

In the main event, former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler will take on former lightweight titleholder Rafael dos Anjos in a five-round bout, with the winner possibly earning a shot at 170-pound kingpin Tyron Woodley.

In the evening’s co-main event, former featherweight title challenger Ricardo Lamas will meet Josh Emmett. Also on the main card, surging welterweights Santiago Ponzinibbio and Mike Perry will clash.

Without further ado, let’s take a deeper look into UFC on FOX 26’s top fights:

Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Robbie Lawler vs. Rafael dos Anjos

In a bout between two of the most aggressive southpaws in the welterweight division, UFC on FOX 26’s main event is expected to produce fireworks.

After losing his title via first-round knockout to Tyron Woodley in July 2016, Lawler took some time off before returning to the Octagon at UFC 214 this past July, where he scored a decision victory over Donald Cerrone.

At 35 years old, the “Ruthless” one has been through his fair share of wars, but he still remains the No. 1-ranked fighter in the division.

On the feet, Lawler prefers to use his hands, but he has rounded out his striking game over the years. I’d argue that the ex-champion is faster than most give him credit for, and he packs serious fight-ending power in both of his hands. These traits, in addition to the relentless pressure that Lawler likes to put on his opponents, makes him a threat on the feet at all times.

On the contrary, the “Ruthless” one isn’t known much for his submission game, but he does have a wrestling background and often displays strong takedown defense. If the fight does end up hitting the canvas, however, Lawler may be in trouble.

Dos Anjos, a third-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, is one of the very best grapplers in MMA now. The Brazilian possesses a strong offensive wrestling game as well, and may be able to drag Lawler to the ground.

In the striking arena, dos Anjos is also dangerous. Like Lawler, he likes to move forward at an aggressive pace and put pressure on his opponents. He’s fast, powerful, and mixes up his punches, kicks, and knees well.

It’s also key to note that RDA has looked rejuvenated since moving up to welterweight, winning two straight over Neil Magny and Tarec Saffiedine.

Ultimately, I can see this fight going either way. If it goes to the ground, dos Anjos certainly has the advantage, and both men are skilled on the feet.

I’m going to go with my gut though, and side with Lawler. I expect him to come out firing as he often does, but I’m not sure we’ll see an early finish. I think Lawler’s size and experience in five-round fights will steer him towards a late victory.

Prediction: Robbie Lawler def. Rafael dos Anjos via fourth round TKO

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Mike Perry Says He Might ‘Bite Santiago Ponzinibbio’s Finger Off’

On the strength of a two-fight win streak, rising UFC welterweight Mike “Platinum” Perry will attempt to bulldoze his way onto the official UFC rankings by defeating No. 10-ranked Santiago Ponzinibbio on the main card of this Saturday’s (December 16, 2017) UFC on FOX 26 from the Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Canada. One of the […]

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On the strength of a two-fight win streak, rising UFC welterweight Mike “Platinum” Perry will attempt to bulldoze his way onto the official UFC rankings by defeating No. 10-ranked Santiago Ponzinibbio on the main card of this Saturday’s (December 16, 2017) UFC on FOX 26 from the Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Canada.

One of the most colorful personalities in MMA throughout 2017, “Platinum” will face by far his biggest test in the Brazilian “Gente Boa,” but that didn’t stop Perry from predicting a vicious first-round knockout while speaking to MMA Junkie in Winnipeg today:

“I’m going to stand in the middle of the octagon, and he’s going to bounce around and move and try to find that range,” Perry said. “I’m going to time that range, and he’s going to come in, and I’m not going to move. I’m going to slip out of the way and catch him with the counter, and I’m going to knock him out, unconscious, in the first round – guaranteed.

Perry continued to blast his upcoming foe by berating Ponzinibbio’s fighting style, fixating on Gunnar Nelson’s suggestion that he had poked him in the eye during their recent match-up. “Platinum” had little respect for Ponzinibbio’s punches, adding that if he tried to poke him in the eye and errantly put his finger in his mouth instead, he may bite it off:

“He likes to throw punches like a middle school girl,” Perry said. “He likes to open his fingers. I don’t know if he’s trying to palm at the hands. I’ve seen some videos where he was literally trying to stick his fingers in people’s eye. He also does this one, too, where he sticks the knuckle if he can land it in your eye.

“I like that. Come with it. If your finger goes in my mouth, it might get bit off.”

Perry even went as far as to have his teammates poke him in the eye to get a feel for potential actions while training for the fight:

“I was like, ‘No, keep going, that’s good. It didn’t stop me or phase me for one second. This is what I do. I live for the pain.”

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UFC on Fox 26 Preview: 3 Can’t-Miss Fights from Lawler vs Dos Anjos Fight Card

For a select class of MMA fighters, their name is enough to make fans come running. The opponent doesn’t matter. Undercard doesn’t matter. If this guy or gal is in the building, everything else is gravy.
Robbie Lawler is one of these fighters.
The snar…

For a select class of MMA fighters, their name is enough to make fans come running. The opponent doesn’t matter. Undercard doesn’t matter. If this guy or gal is in the building, everything else is gravy.

Robbie Lawler is one of these fighters.

The snarling violence savant returns to action for his second fight of 2017. He’s taking on a difficult opponent in Rafael dos Anjos, who has dominated both his opponents since moving up to welterweight.

This is must-see TV for anyone with an interest in MMA. Nevertheless, UFC brass decided to build a full card for its 26th Fox special. Following the recent trend, this big TV card is fairly spicy. Let’s find the gems of UFC on Fox 26, going down Saturday in frosty Winnipeg, Manitoba.

              

Welterweight

Robbie Lawler (28-11) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (27-9)

Odds (according to OddsShark): Lawler -105, Dos Anjos -115

Airs on: Fox

It’s a bit of a no-brainer, but it would be remiss to not include the main event. This is the only bout you have to watch Saturday. And you have to watch it. 

The former welterweight champ is welcoming the former lightweight champ to the top ring of contenders at 170 pounds. Dos Anjos brings incredible pressure against any opponent, and it’s hard to take. It may not work Saturday, but Lawler isn’t going to go into a defensive stasis. He’s a pressure fighter too, and he will hit back with some of the most fearsome power punching in MMA history.

Yet Lawler tends to rely on his chin as a first and last line of defense under most circumstances. Tyron Woodley reminded everyone with his knockout of Lawler that this is not a an open-ended strategy. Dos Anjos doesn’t have Woodley’s crushing power but still could serve up another reminder.

With striking coach Henri Hooft in the fold, Lawler looked rejuvenated in his most recent fight, a bruising but convincing decision win over Donald Cerrone. But dos Anjos has a weapon Cerrone doesn’t: a ground game. According to stat keeper FightMetric, Lawler’s takedown defense is a respectable, but not impregnable, 69 percent.

Dos Anjos isn’t an Arizona State wrestler, but he has a nice double-leg that he blends well with his standup, not to mention the elite jiu-jitsu that would pose a clear threat to Lawler if the match should go horizontal.

This is a close fight and should be a doozy. Lawler is 35 and has been through a lot of wars. He won’t be able to bully dos Anjos and will be at an open disadvantage if the fight hits the ground. The Brazilian strengthens his case for a welterweight title shot, notching one or two near-finishes on Lawler before earning the decision.

Dos Anjos, unanimous decision.

          

Welterweight

Santiago Ponzinibbio (25-3) vs. Mike Perry (11-1)

Odds: Ponzinibbio -190, Perry +165

Airs on: Fox 

Mike Perry has earned a following among hardcore fans for his aggression inside the fight and relentless brodogging outside of it. He’s also garnered attention for some racially insensitive remarks. 

But results are results, and he’s 4-1 since joining the UFC in 2016, winning his two most recent fights. The guy is a banger, pure and simple, looking to swing from the center of the cage or inflict damage from the clinch.

Perry’s the underdog here, but who knows? If he wins, he may get the matchup he’s previously requested—a booking with one Mr. Lawler.

Santiago Ponzinibbio is not nearly as renowned, but he deserves to be. All he did in his most recent fight was knock out Gunnar Nelson in 82 seconds. Like the main event, this matchup is iron versus iron. The Argentine will trade with Perry but has better footwork and a better arsenal of strikes, particularly kicks. He’ll want to work from the outside a little more than Perry, who will want to get in close, decipher movement and launch a massive torpedo down the chute.

The longer this goes, the more it could favor Perry, whose game has fewer moving parts. Here’s guessing Ponzinibbio defuses that as an issue, using Perry’s aggression against him.

Ponzinibbio, TKO, Rd. 1

                   

Welterweight

Danny Roberts (14-2) vs. Nordine Taleb (13-4)

Odds: Taleb -150, Roberts +130

Airs on: UFC Fight Pass

Frankly, most of the intrigue is on the Fox portion of the card. But let’s reach down the undercard for a Fight Pass deep cut.

There are a lot of connections between this fight and another one mentioned. Nordine Taleb put on a good show before losing to Ponzinibbio in February, while Danny Roberts’ lone loss in six years came via a 20-second knockout from Perry in 2016.

So call this a consolation fight of sorts. They may not be at that level, but both are competitive and entertaining. Taleb can do a bit of everything, even if his base is kickboxing. Roberts is known as a knockout artist but can pull off submissions too. This fight could go anywhere, and while Taleb probably has a skill edge, Roberts’ power striking wins the day and notches a mild upset.

Roberts, TKO, Rd. 2

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC on Fox 26 Preview: 3 Can’t-Miss Fights from Lawler vs Dos Anjos Fight Card

For a select class of MMA fighters, their name is enough to make fans come running. The opponent doesn’t matter. Undercard doesn’t matter. If this guy or gal is in the building, everything else is gravy.
Robbie Lawler is one of these fighters.
The snar…

For a select class of MMA fighters, their name is enough to make fans come running. The opponent doesn’t matter. Undercard doesn’t matter. If this guy or gal is in the building, everything else is gravy.

Robbie Lawler is one of these fighters.

The snarling violence savant returns to action for his second fight of 2017. He’s taking on a difficult opponent in Rafael dos Anjos, who has dominated both his opponents since moving up to welterweight.

This is must-see TV for anyone with an interest in MMA. Nevertheless, UFC brass decided to build a full card for its 26th Fox special. Following the recent trend, this big TV card is fairly spicy. Let’s find the gems of UFC on Fox 26, going down Saturday in frosty Winnipeg, Manitoba.

              

Welterweight

Robbie Lawler (28-11) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (27-9)

Odds (according to OddsShark): Lawler -105, Dos Anjos -115

Airs on: Fox

It’s a bit of a no-brainer, but it would be remiss to not include the main event. This is the only bout you have to watch Saturday. And you have to watch it. 

The former welterweight champ is welcoming the former lightweight champ to the top ring of contenders at 170 pounds. Dos Anjos brings incredible pressure against any opponent, and it’s hard to take. It may not work Saturday, but Lawler isn’t going to go into a defensive stasis. He’s a pressure fighter too, and he will hit back with some of the most fearsome power punching in MMA history.

Yet Lawler tends to rely on his chin as a first and last line of defense under most circumstances. Tyron Woodley reminded everyone with his knockout of Lawler that this is not a an open-ended strategy. Dos Anjos doesn’t have Woodley’s crushing power but still could serve up another reminder.

With striking coach Henri Hooft in the fold, Lawler looked rejuvenated in his most recent fight, a bruising but convincing decision win over Donald Cerrone. But dos Anjos has a weapon Cerrone doesn’t: a ground game. According to stat keeper FightMetric, Lawler’s takedown defense is a respectable, but not impregnable, 69 percent.

Dos Anjos isn’t an Arizona State wrestler, but he has a nice double-leg that he blends well with his standup, not to mention the elite jiu-jitsu that would pose a clear threat to Lawler if the match should go horizontal.

This is a close fight and should be a doozy. Lawler is 35 and has been through a lot of wars. He won’t be able to bully dos Anjos and will be at an open disadvantage if the fight hits the ground. The Brazilian strengthens his case for a welterweight title shot, notching one or two near-finishes on Lawler before earning the decision.

Dos Anjos, unanimous decision.

          

Welterweight

Santiago Ponzinibbio (25-3) vs. Mike Perry (11-1)

Odds: Ponzinibbio -190, Perry +165

Airs on: Fox 

Mike Perry has earned a following among hardcore fans for his aggression inside the fight and relentless brodogging outside of it. He’s also garnered attention for some racially insensitive remarks. 

But results are results, and he’s 4-1 since joining the UFC in 2016, winning his two most recent fights. The guy is a banger, pure and simple, looking to swing from the center of the cage or inflict damage from the clinch.

Perry’s the underdog here, but who knows? If he wins, he may get the matchup he’s previously requested—a booking with one Mr. Lawler.

Santiago Ponzinibbio is not nearly as renowned, but he deserves to be. All he did in his most recent fight was knock out Gunnar Nelson in 82 seconds. Like the main event, this matchup is iron versus iron. The Argentine will trade with Perry but has better footwork and a better arsenal of strikes, particularly kicks. He’ll want to work from the outside a little more than Perry, who will want to get in close, decipher movement and launch a massive torpedo down the chute.

The longer this goes, the more it could favor Perry, whose game has fewer moving parts. Here’s guessing Ponzinibbio defuses that as an issue, using Perry’s aggression against him.

Ponzinibbio, TKO, Rd. 1

                   

Welterweight

Danny Roberts (14-2) vs. Nordine Taleb (13-4)

Odds: Taleb -150, Roberts +130

Airs on: UFC Fight Pass

Frankly, most of the intrigue is on the Fox portion of the card. But let’s reach down the undercard for a Fight Pass deep cut.

There are a lot of connections between this fight and another one mentioned. Nordine Taleb put on a good show before losing to Ponzinibbio in February, while Danny Roberts’ lone loss in six years came via a 20-second knockout from Perry in 2016.

So call this a consolation fight of sorts. They may not be at that level, but both are competitive and entertaining. Taleb can do a bit of everything, even if his base is kickboxing. Roberts is known as a knockout artist but can pull off submissions too. This fight could go anywhere, and while Taleb probably has a skill edge, Roberts’ power striking wins the day and notches a mild upset.

Roberts, TKO, Rd. 2

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC on FOX 26: Lawler vs. Dos Anjos ‘Road to the Octagon’ Replay

As they typically do for the FOX-based card, the UFC production team posted another edition of “Road to the Octagon,” spotlighting three of the main card bouts set for this Saturday. The event features a No. 1 contender match in the welterw…

As they typically do for the FOX-based card, the UFC production team posted another edition of “Road to the Octagon,” spotlighting three of the main card bouts set for this Saturday. The event features a No. 1 contender match in the welterweight division between former 170-pound champion Robbie Lawler and ex-lightweight titleholder Rafael dos Anjos […]

Six Changes The UFC Needs To Bounce Back From A Disastrous 2017

The UFC has undergone some serious changes ever since ZUFFA sold the company to WME-IMG. While the new owners have had sporadic success like Mayweather vs. McGregor and UFC 217, it’s safe to say that 2017 had more low points than high ones for the promotion, and MMA as a result. Failed drug tests, arrests, […]

The post Six Changes The UFC Needs To Bounce Back From A Disastrous 2017 appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

The UFC has undergone some serious changes ever since ZUFFA sold the company to WME-IMG. While the new owners have had sporadic success like Mayweather vs. McGregor and UFC 217, it’s safe to say that 2017 had more low points than high ones for the promotion, and MMA as a result.

Failed drug tests, arrests, and a multitude of injuries have ravished the promotion all year, so what can the UFC do to ensure a better 2018?

These six directives are an absolute must if the promotion plans on rebounding from this past year:

6. Less Events Per Year

Remember back when every UFC card seemed to be stacked from top to bottom? Remember when watching a UFC event was a special occasion? Sometimes less is more, and with the UFC at the height of its popularity, oversaturation has watered down the product.

Smaller cards often go unnoticed due to lack of big-name fighters, which begs the question; do we need a UFC event four times a month?

Less cards mean more meaningful cards, like back in the mid-to-late aughts when every name was recognizable and each event was loaded top to bottom. UFC 84, 92, 100… The golden age of the UFC.

With the UFC’s partnership with FOX coming to a potential end (their deal ends in 2018), the thought of less but far more significant cards could be a reality in the not-too-distant future, and it would potentially help the company’s numbers next year.

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