Mike Swick finally stepped back into the Octagon after two-plus years of being on the shelf. Injuries and medical conditions prevented the AKA product from making a return to the UFC, but Swick was finally able to fight once more.Swick stepped into the…
Mike Swick finally stepped back into the Octagon after two-plus years of being on the shelf. Injuries and medical conditions prevented the AKA product from making a return to the UFC, but Swick was finally able to fight once more.
Swick stepped into the cage to face off against DaMarques Johnson, who himself is a tough opponent. Johnson had a few moments of success and looked to be close to obtaining a victory but Swick persevered through the rough times.
In the end Swick would end the fight with a huge right hand on the ground and turn the lights out for Johnson.
The performance was a sort of mixed bag for Swick, as he did achieve victory but was clearly rocked on a few occasions. The victory for Swick marked the culmination of nearly two years of hard work, but the question now is, where does Swick go from here?
Shogun was as brutal and entertaining as Machida, but not as impressive in Dana White’s eyes. Props: @raiseyourhorns
After watching the UFC’s first two lackluster efforts on Fox, as well as the organization’s entertaining third effort fail to draw decent ratings, it was no secret that the UFC needed to deliver with last night’s UFC on Fox 4. With “the most impressive fighter” earning the next title shot at light-heavyweight, fighters returning to the spotlight after time in the indie leagues and fighters returning from extended layoffs – not to mention the usual
mix of fighters attempting to make a name for themselves and guys literally fighting for their jobs- it was obvious that the UFC was hoping for something special from everybody involved. Factor in the fact that the UFC was already struggling with ratings before the abysmal UFC 149 just two weeks ago, and it would seem like a night full of stoppages was in order to keep the fans interested in future fights on Fox.
Simply put, this card delivered all that was expected of it and then some. Last night’s fights were exactly what I was hoping to get when the UFC first announced that they had inked a deal with Fox. It was exactly what I want to show the first time viewer who asks what this “MMA stuff” is that I write about. After a roughstart with these free cards on Fox, the UFC now stands at an even 2-2.
It wouldn’t be fair to say that the main event bout between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Brandon “The Truth” Vera lived up to its expectations because, let’s face it, there weren’t any. Before the fight, no one could make sense of the potential title implications behind a seemingly blatant squash fight, pitting an aging legend of our sport against a fighter who had been coasting on the brink of irrelevance. Whether we were given a quick, brutal knockout or five rounds of stalling and wheezing, few of us would have been surprised either way.
Rather, it’s fair to say that Shogun Rua vs. Brandon Vera ended up being one of the best fights that the UFC has put on Fox, and easily the most entertaining main event on the network. For four rounds, Shogun outpointed a focused, game Vera on his way to a fourth round TKO. While Vera certainly had his moments – don’t act like your jaw didn’t drop when he locked in that guillotine in the first round – in the end Shogun’s aggressive striking and takedowns were just too much for The Truth.
Shogun was as brutal and entertaining as Machida, but not as impressive in Dana White’s eyes. Props: @raiseyourhorns
After watching the UFC’s first two lackluster efforts on Fox, as well as the organization’s entertaining third effort fail to draw decent ratings, it was no secret that the UFC needed to deliver with last night’s UFC on Fox 4. With “the most impressive fighter” earning the next title shot at light-heavyweight, fighters returning to the spotlight after time in the indie leagues and fighters returning from extended layoffs – not to mention the usual
mix of fighters attempting to make a name for themselves and guys literally fighting for their jobs- it was obvious that the UFC was hoping for something special from everybody involved. Factor in the fact that the UFC was already struggling with ratings before the abysmal UFC 149 just two weeks ago, and it would seem like a night full of stoppages was in order to keep the fans interested in future fights on Fox.
Simply put, this card delivered all that was expected of it and then some. Last night’s fights were exactly what I was hoping to get when the UFC first announced that they had inked a deal with Fox. It was exactly what I want to show the first time viewer who asks what this “MMA stuff” is that I write about. After a roughstart with these free cards on Fox, the UFC now stands at an even 2-2.
It wouldn’t be fair to say that the main event bout between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Brandon “The Truth” Vera lived up to its expectations because, let’s face it, there weren’t any. Before the fight, no one could make sense of the potential title implications behind a seemingly blatant squash fight, pitting an aging legend of our sport against a fighter who had been coasting on the brink of irrelevance. Whether we were given a quick, brutal knockout or five rounds of stalling and wheezing, few of us would have been surprised either way.
Rather, it’s fair to say that Shogun Rua vs. Brandon Vera ended up being one of the best fights that the UFC has put on Fox, and easily the most entertaining main event on the network. For four rounds, Shogun outpointed a focused, game Vera on his way to a fourth round TKO. While Vera certainly had his moments – don’t act like your jaw didn’t drop when he locked in that guillotine in the first round – in the end Shogun’s aggressive striking and takedowns were just too much for The Truth.
This isn’t to say the fight was perfect by any means. For one, Shogun continued to struggle with his cardio, much like he did against Dan Henderson. Perhaps his conditioning woes are what convinced Dana White not to reward him with a title shot with his performance. Likewise, while Vera deserves credit for the gutsy performance he put in last night, being a punching bag for the deep end of the division will only get you so far. I’m not saying that I want Vera off of the main cards, and I’m certainly not saying that he deserves to be fired for the performance that he put in, but I am saying that I don’t want to pay to watch a Brandon Vera fight any time soon.
As for the co-main event between Lyoto Machida and Ryan Bader, there really isn’t much left to say: It delivered everything that I assumed it would. Machida knew that a knockout would give him a title shot, and he earned it with a well timed counter right hook. He may not be the most qualified challenger in recent memory, but as long as Jon Jones gets past Dan Henderson, he makes for easily the most interesting rematch (I say rematch because, like everyone else, I’d rather see Jones fight Gustafsson or Teixeira).
Submission of the Night honors went to Joe Lauzon for his triangle choke over Jamie Varner. With Varner returning to a Zuffa main card for the first time since 2010 and Lauzon coming off of a quick, vicious knockout loss to Anthony Pettis, both men made the most of their time in the spotlight with a highly entertaining three round battle. While Varner had Lauzon in trouble early on with his superior striking, J-Lau hung on to turn the fight into a nonstop, back-and-forth brawl. Lauzon begin to pull away with the contest once Jamie Varner broke his hand in the second round, and eventually earned the submission in the third. It would have been interesting to see how this one would have ended had Varner not broken his hand, but at least he has the $50k Fight of the Night bonus to show for his performance.
Knockout of the Night honors went to “Quick” Mike Swick, who made the most of his return to the cage by putting away DeMarques Johnson in the second round. Being 0-2 in your last two fights is enough pressure for a fighter in the UFC, yet alone coming off of a layoff spanning over two years. While Swick looked shaky at times – as expected from a fighter who has been out of action for so long – he rocked Johnson throughout the fight with hard rights before taking him down after catching a kick and landing a huge right hand. It’s hard to see this victory pushing Swick too far up the ladder, but it was an excellent, well deserved victory for Quick.
Full Results:
Main Card:
Mauricio Rua def. Brandon Vera via TKO, 4:09 of Round Four
Lyoto Machida def. Ryan Bader via KO, 1:32 of Round Two
Joe Lauzon def. Jamie Varner via submission (triangle choke), 2:44 of Round Three
Mike Swick def. DaMarques Johnson via KO, 1:20 of Round Two
Preliminary Card:
Nam Phan def. Cole Miller via split decision
Phil Davis vs. Wagner Prado declared a no contest (doctor’s stoppage due to unintentional
eyepoke)
Rani Yahya def. Josh Grispi via submission (North-south choke), 3:15 of Round One
Phil De Fries def. Oli Thompson via submission (rear naked choke), 4:16 of Round Two
Manny Gamburyan def. Michihiro Omigawa via unanimous decision
John Moraga def. Ulysses Gomez via KO, 3:46 of Round One
Mauricio Rua vs. Brandon Vera Mauricio Rua is better than Brandon Vera. We knew that coming into the fight. But even in a loss, Vera showed the heart of a champion. He brought the fight.
Mauricio Rua vs. Brandon Vera
Mauricio Rua is better than Brandon Vera. We knew that coming into the fight. But even in a loss, Vera showed the heart of a champion. He brought the fight to Rua and refused to quit. He could have been finished at several points in the fight. Instead, he continued to throw back at Rua and put every ounce of his being into the fight. He fought until his body shut itself off against his will.
The first round opened with a quick kick from Vera. But Rua set the tempo for the fight almost immediately by landing a surprise takedown. He passed to side control but didn’t do much damage. Vera got back to his feet and attacked with a guillotine but Rua defended fairly easily and landed ground strikes before taking Vera’s back. Rua dominated the round and the outcome of the fight seemed inevitable at that point. Rua opened the second round with a big leg kick followed by a punch combination that pushed Vera back to the cage. Rua pounced for the finish and the fight seemed over. Vera briefly dropped but popped back up. And not only did he pop up, he popped up throwing. For the rest of the round, both fighters took turn landing huge shots. Vera landed big elbows and Rua responded with big punches and knees. Both fighters seemed to be tiring more from the damage they were absorbing than a lack of conditioning. Vera scored a takedown late in the round and rode out the remaining time in top position. The third round saw both fighters continue to tire. But that didn’t stop them from continuing to exchange big shots. Both fighters were hurt but neither was dropped at any point in the round. Rua landed two takedowns including one at the end of the round. The fourth round was similar to the third until Rua landed a combo that hurt Vera. He followed him to the cage and landed another big right hand. Vera’s body finally gave out on him and he crumpled to the mat.
For Shogun, his performance may have earned him a title shot. That will be up to the UFC. Lyoto Machida’s victory over Ryan Bader was impressive and I’m not sure exactly how they will determine whose performance was more impressive. But the more important outcome of this fight was what it means for Brandon Vera. He went toe to toe with one of the best light heavyweights in the history of the sport. Hopefully, he can bring the work ethic and mental approach he discovered for this fight into his future fights. If he does, he will be a threat. He won’t fulfill the title potential he showed early in his career, but his performance was enough to earn him the right to continue fighting at the higher levels of the division.
Lyoto Machida vs. Ryan Bader
Lyoto Machida put on a clinic against Ryan Bader on his way to a devastating second round knockout. Early in his UFC career, Machida was considered a boring fighter because he stayed on the outside and avoided danger forcing his opponents to attack and take all the risks. After several flashy finishes, he seemed to lose track of that strategy and became the aggressor. After suffering losses for the first time in his career, he returned to his roots and used his movement to beat Ryan Bader. Bader spent the entire first round trying to find a way to close the distance. He was not successful. Machida stayed on the outside and landed counter kicks and knees whenever an opportunity arose. The second round was playing out exactly the same way and the fans began to get restless just as they did in Machida’s early UFC fights. As soon as the fans started booing, Bader bull rushed Machida and lost the fight as the former champion obliterated him with a counter right. Only Bader knows if he rushed because he heard the fans booing but the timing certainly begs the question.
The win obviously puts Machida in the discussion for the next title shot. The only question will be whether the UFC determines his or Mauricio Rua’s victory to be more impressive. The loss is a setback for Bader as he continues to struggle with the top tier of the light heavyweight division. He made no attempt to use his wrestling to keep Machida off balance and will need to utilize his full game if he hopes to be a title contender. Power boxing will not be enough against the elite of the division and that seems to be all he brings to the cage recently.
Jamie Varner vs. Joe Lauzon
Taking this fight as a replacement and not having the time to go through a full training camp came back to bite Jamie Varner in the second fight of the night. He hurt Lauzon several times in the first round with big right hands but was unable to finish. By the middle of the round, he was already breathing through his mouth and trying to buy time between combinations. Lauzon brought the same aggression and explosiveness he brings to every fight firing back at Varner and landing a big knee in the middle of the round. The second round saw the momentum begin to shift definitively in favor of Lauzon as Varner continued to tire. Lauzon managed to take Varner’s back twice in the round and landed the bigger punches in the exchanges. The fighters engaged in several brawling flurries and were both lucky to escape without being hit cleanly. By the beginning of the third round, Varner looked exhausted and Lauzon had an obvious cardio advantage. Varner came out and immediately used his explosive takedowns to try to control the round. He took Lauzon down almost immediately but Lauzon got up quickly. Varner again landed a takedown but Lauzon used the momentum to sweep. Varner countered and reversed position but in the transition, Lauzon locked up a triangle and Varner was unable to escape.
This was arguably the fight of the night but it could have been even better if Varner had been able to perform at his peak but he took the fight and has no excuses. If he could have continued to land takedowns and navigate his way through the final round, he probably would have won a decision. Instead, Lauzon gets the victory and muddies the picture at lightweight even further. The division is so deep that it will be difficult for any one fighter to string together enough victories to get into the title picture. Fortunately for the UFC, Anthony Pettis is already in line for the next shot so the division has some time to sort itself out. Lauzon will likely see another one of the top contenders in the division and try to put together back to back victories. For Varner, he will likely have to step back and once again begin climbing perhaps the toughest ladder in the UFC.
Mike Swick vs. Demarques Johnson
Mike Swick opened UFC on Fox 4 by earning a knockout victory over Demarques Johnson in a triumphant return to the octagon after more than two years away due to injuries and illness. The opening round saw both fighters land big strikes and engage in dangerous brawling exchanges. Both fighters were hurt at various points but neither landed clean enough to end the fight. After landing a right hand, Johnson pressed forward and ended up on top of Swick. From there, he progressed to the full mount and landed heavy shots. Swick escaped the mount but quickly found himself in a perfect D’Arce position. But luckily for him, Johnson seemed to lack the technical ability to finish the choke and allowed Swick to escape the position and the round. Swick came out in the second round looking to change the momentum. He landed a left hand early in the round. Johnson threw a kick, which Swick caught and used to score a takedown. As Johnson’s back was hitting the mat and before Swick had even landed on top of him, Swick landed a huge right hand in the transition and knocked Johnson out cold. Swick landed two more shots before referee Herb Dean was able to step in to stop the fight.
Overall, Swick couldn’t have hoped for a much better outcome. He showed some rustiness and he never seemed to get fully comfortable in the fight. He left openings for Johnson and a better fighter might have been able to take advantage of those openings. But Swick did enough to earn the victory and even managed to do so in a way that reminded fans of his reputation for quick finishes earlier in his career. Swick will obviously earn a step up in competition and only time will tell how far this comeback will go. For Johnson, this puts him on the verge of leaving the UFC. Because he provided an entertaining fight, he likely earned some leeway but he needs to put together a couple wins in a row if he wants to move forward in his career.
The welterweight division better take notice—Mike Swick is finally back.Swick fought for the first time in more than two years and didn’t disappoint in his long-awaited comeback fight, knocking out DaMarques Johnson at the 1:20 mark of the second…
The welterweight division better take notice—Mike Swick is finally back.
Swick fought for the first time in more than two years and didn’t disappoint in his long-awaited comeback fight, knocking out DaMarques Johnson at the 1:20 mark of the second round. Swick, who had lost his last two fights before his two-year hiatus, looked better than ever in his knockout victory.
Many thought that Swick would never return to the Octagon, let alone look as good as he did when he did come back. Swick had been out of the Octagon for over two years, first because of his bout with esophageal spasms, and then, with a left knee injury that derailed his first comeback attempt in 2011.
Any questions about ring rust were quickly put to rest as he immediately went to work on Johnson with his signature boxing combinations.
Swick is a fighter who has always lived up to his nickname “Quick,” and he went right back to what he does best in his fight with Johnson—consistently beating Johnson to the punch in their exchanges and ultimately landing an overhand right that put Johnson away.
The win marked the eighth career-knockout victory and his ninth career victory in the UFC.
After a two-year layoff and two-fight losing streak, Swick was in dire need of a win in his return, and that’s exactly what he got, now, he will need to build on his momentum to see how far his career can go.
The welterweight division is consistently one of the deepest in the organization so Swick has a lot to prove as he continues to work his way up the ranks, but with his elite hand speed as dangerous as ever, Swick is once again a must-see fighter.
Mike “Quick” Swick was out of the Octagon for over two years until he returned successfully this Saturday night on UFC on Fox 4 against DeMarques Johnson.Johnson gave Swick a scare in the opening round as he mounted The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 v…
Mike “Quick” Swick was out of the Octagon for over two years until he returned successfully this Saturday night on UFC on Fox 4 against DeMarques Johnson.
Johnson gave Swick a scare in the opening round as he mounted The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 veteran and began to try to assert his ground-and-pound game.
Swick covered up and defended as best he could while on his back. Johnson tried to lock Swift into a chokehold, but Swick wouldn’t allow his foe the leverage necessary to finish the job.
Swick sustained some hard blows and suffered a lot of facial damage going into the second round.
Swick’s determination to do something impressive could be sensed as he walked out for the next round.
In a matter of moments, Swick knocked Johnson onto his back and delivered a perfectly timed right hand after dropping to the mat to capitalize on the situation.
The first right hand brought the full weight of Swick’s body from standing position down to the ground, wobbling Johnson’s face against the canvas.
Johnson was out cold.
The following two rights pounded Johnson’s head against the mat before the referee stepped in to call this welterweight contest to a halt.
Swick improved to 15-4 with eight wins coming by way of knockout as Johnson fell to 16-11 with four of those losses coming within the distance.
For more sports news and analysis, follow me on Twitter @justindavidtate
(“You know the deal, guys. Whoever puts on the most impressive performance tonight gets the title shot.” [*unzips*] / Photo courtesy of CombatLifestyle.com. For more photos from this set, click here.)
By Ryan Sarr
Who is going to win the “Jon Jones Sweepstakes?” That is the big question heading into the UFC’s fourth venture onto network television tonight. Dana White was so pissed about the boring, lackluster abomination that was the UFC 149 main card, that he decided to award a light-heavyweight title shot to the man who wins the “most impressively” among the four main and co-main event participants. (Yes, even Brandon Vera) The only problem with this scenario is that all four men — Shogun, Vera, Machida, and Bader — have each been decisively destroyed by Jon Jones in previous fights.
Nonetheless, this fight card is still very intriguing and offers many reasons to tune in. First of all: It’s free on Fox. Second, all four main card bouts are likely to be exciting, fast-paced battles. It also marks the return of the very talented Mike Swick to the Octagon, who hasn’t fought in over two years. Finally, we have a chance to see a true Cinderella story play out once again as Jamie Varner gets a chance to take another huge step up in his comeback by fighting on a main card on network television. So, join me as I break down the main card for UFC on Fox 4 and offer my predictions as to who will emerge victorious.
DaMarques Johnson said in the fight promo, “There’s a 50% chance I’m gonna win this fight, there’s a 100% chance that somebody’s taking a nap,” and Johnson has the track record to back it up: None of his fights in the UFC have gone the distance. The Jeremy Horn protégé has slick submission skills to go along with his heavy hands. We know Johnson will bring a fast-paced, exciting style into the Octagon, and his opponent Mike Swick will almost certainly do the same.
(“You know the deal, guys. Whoever puts on the most impressive performance tonight gets the title shot.” [*unzips*] / Photo courtesy of CombatLifestyle.com. For more photos from this set, click here.)
By Ryan Sarr
Who is going to win the “Jon Jones Sweepstakes?” That is the big question heading into the UFC’s fourth venture onto network television tonight. Dana White was so pissed about the boring, lackluster abomination that was the UFC 149 main card, that he decided to award a light-heavyweight title shot to the man who wins the “most impressively“ among the four main and co-main event participants. (Yes, even Brandon Vera) The only problem with this scenario is that all four men — Shogun, Vera, Machida, and Bader — have each been decisively destroyed by Jon Jones in previous fights.
Nonetheless, this fight card is still very intriguing and offers many reasons to tune in. First of all: It’s free on Fox. Second, all four main card bouts are likely to be exciting, fast-paced battles. It also marks the return of the very talented Mike Swick to the Octagon, who hasn’t fought in over two years. Finally, we have a chance to see a true Cinderella story play out once again as Jamie Varner gets a chance to take another huge step up in his comeback by fighting on a main card on network television. So, join me as I break down the main card for UFC on Fox 4 and offer my predictions as to who will emerge victorious.
DaMarques Johnson said in the fight promo, “There’s a 50% chance I’m gonna win this fight, there’s a 100% chance that somebody’s taking a nap,” and Johnson has the track record to back it up: None of his fights in the UFC have gone the distance. The Jeremy Horn protégé has slick submission skills to go along with his heavy hands. We know Johnson will bring a fast-paced, exciting style into the Octagon, and his opponent Mike Swick will almost certainly do the same.
Swick hasn’t fought in over two years due to esophageal spasms, a condition which his doctors told him would never allow him to fight again. Well, he proved them wrong and now his comeback fight will be in front of a national television audience. Swick is a UFC veteran, with over 10 fights in the Octagon, but his last two outings have been losses. Like Johnson, Swick loves to stand and trade, and possesses knockout power in both hands. Look for this fight to stay on the feet, with each man exchanging heavy blows in the pocket. The question is: How much ring rust will Swick have? Johnson hasn’t beat anyone of Swick’s stature, but Johnson has fought six times since Swick last fought.
Prediction: The chances of this fight making it out of the first round are slim. Johnson will definitely come with the thunder, but Swick will be too much on the feet. Swick wins by counter-punching his way to a first round TKO.
Jamie Varner (20-6-1, 2-1 UFC) vs. Joe Lauzon (21-7, 8-4 UFC)
10 months ago, Jamie Varner had just lost to our favorite gay for pay Ultimate Fighter Dakota Cochrane, and it was looking like he would never fight under the Zuffa banner again. But, after winning two fights in smaller shows, the UFC called in May and gave Varner a short-notice fight against the undefeated Edson Barboza at UFC 146. Barboza was coming off his Sportscenter-worthy spinning wheel kick KO of Terry Etim, and it seemed Varner was being fed to the beast. Varner had other plans however, and knocked out Barboza in the first round. So, now Varner gets another huge opportunity in Joe Lauzon, who is a consistent contender in the lightweight division.
The jiu-jitsu specialist Lauzon has 21 victories, with 17 coming by way of submission. This does not bode well for Varner, who has never been knocked out, but has proven susceptible to submissions in the past, losing in this manner to Shane Roller, Hermes Franca, and Ben Henderson. Lauzon is coming off a first round KO loss to Anthony Pettis, and will no doubt be looking to avoid Varner’s heavy hands and drag this fight to the ground. If Lauzon can take Varner down, a choke or armbar will be soon to follow, but if Varner can keep this fight standing, he could pull the upset and put himself “in the mix” in the UFC’s 155lb division.
Prediction: While the Cinderella story of Jamie Varner is enticing, look for that story to have a sour ending Saturday night. Lauzon will not give Varner the chance to knock him out, and Lauzon will win by first-round armbar.
Of all the men to fight Jon Jones, Lyoto Machida seemed to have to most success, frustrating Jones in the first round of their fight with his unorthodox striking and exceptional defensive skills. But, that success was short-lived as Jones choked Machida unconscious and dropped his lifeless body on the mat in the second round. Now Machida gets a chance to rematch Jones if he can impressively defeat Ryan Bader. Bader, on the other hand, is riding a two-fight win streak following his shocking loss to Tito Ortiz last summer. In his last fight, Bader defeated perennial contender Rampage Jackson, though Jackson came in overweight and undermotivated.
In this fight with Machida, Bader needs to use his excellent wrestling skills to put Machida on his back where he is more vulnerable to attack, but as many fighters have found out, that can be very difficult to do. Machida’s unorthodox striking and karate skills are difficult to defend standing up, and with Sensei Seagal in your corner, you never know when a front kick might be unleashed. Bader does have an outside chance of landing a big punch ala Shogun Rua, but the longer the fight stays on the feet, the more it favors the Dragon. The wrinkle in this fight, though, is the fact that both men are vying for that title shot, so we may see Machida be much more aggressive than usual, which could play into Bader’s favor if Machida was to open himself up to counter-strikes. Either way, this should be a very exciting fight between two contrasting styles.
Prediction: Bader will quickly realize he is unable to take Machida down, and will be looking to end it with big punches. This will leave Machida many openings to counter, which he will not miss. Machida floors Bader with punches and finishes the job with a second round choke.
If you find it quite odd that Brandon Vera is headlining a network television UFC card with a chance for a title shot if he wins, you are not alone. Once considered the future of the UFC heavyweight division, Vera’s career has been consistently mediocre since 2007. After stunning Frank Mir at UFC 65 in 2006, Vera lost his next two fights, dropped to light heavyweight, and then lost to Keith Jardine. Vera got his chance against Jones two years ago, but Jon Jones broke his face (literally) with a devastating elbow that was tough to even watch. Now after being released and subsequently re-signed by the UFC, Vera gets to face Mauricio Rua, who many consider the number three light-heavyweight in the world.
Shogun, who is coming off his fight of the year loss to Dan Henderson, is itching for another crack at Jon Jones. Shogun claims he wasn’t 100% in the Jones fight, and wants another shot at the champ. But first, he has to deal with Vera. Even though Vera’s record is pretty terrible as of late, he does possess the skills of an elite fighter. Unfortunately, the things Vera does well, like leg kicks and clinch striking, Shogun seems to do a little better. Also, Shogun has proven very difficult to finish when 100%, and his penchant for violence can lead to an early night for his opponents. Look for Shogun to be very aggressive early in this fight, doing all he can to punish Vera with leg kicks and big punches. If Vera can survive the early onslaught, his chances of winning improve significantly, as Shogun’s cardio has been suspect in the past, and you never know how conditioned he will be for a fight. Nonetheless, this should be an exciting stand-up war as both men want that title shot and rematch with Jon Jones.
Prediction: Shogun has proven he’s an elite light-heavyweight, Vera has not. Shogun will simply out-class Vera early, leaving “The Truth” scrambling and searching for answers. Shogun wins by second round TKO, leaving Vera’s face a bloody mess.
Extra prediction: With Machida and Shogun both winning “impressively,” Dana decides to have these two fight to determine who will face Jonny Bones for the title.
The welterweight division better take notice—
