The UFC is set to make its debut on Long Island this upcoming weekend, as UFC on FOX 25 is slated to take place on Saturday night (July 22, 2017) live from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The UFC has stacked the deck with Long Island fighters, and the event will be headlined by former […]
The UFC is set to make its debut on Long Island this upcoming weekend, as UFC on FOX 25 is slated to take place on Saturday night (July 22, 2017) live from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The UFC has stacked the deck with Long Island fighters, and the event will be headlined by former middleweight champion Chris Weidman taking on rising contender Kelvin Gastelum in a five round bout.
In the co-main event, featherweight stand out Dennis Bermudez will meet streaking veteran Darren Elkins. In addition, Gian Villante will clash with Patrick Cummins in a battle of light heavyweight contenders on the main card.
With that being said, let’s go ahead and take a deeper look at the card’s top three fights:
Chris Weidman vs. Kelvin Gastelum
This is a pivotal bout for both men.
In Weidman’s case, the ex-champion’s back is against the wall. The 33-year-old Long Island native has lost three consecutive fights, with all three losses coming by way of TKO at the hands of Luke Rockhold, Yoel Romero and Gegard Mousasi.
For Gastelum, this fight is about establishing himself as a legitimate contender in the middleweight division. The 25-year-old has scored back-to-back victories since moving back up to 185 pounds, although his latest victory over Vitor Belfort was changed to a no-contest after Gastelum tested positive for Marijuana.
Despite his recent losing skid, Weidman remains one of the best middleweights in the world. He tends to use a pressure-heavy, wrestling-based style backed by an underrated submission game, and a serviceable striking game. He certainly has knockout power, but the grappling department is where Weidman’s greatest strengths lie.
Gastelum, on the other hand, is a very well-rounded fighter, and possesses the pure striking advantage in this bout. He throws crisp combinations, and has showcased legitimate knockout power in recent memory.
If Gastelum can land big shots on the feet, it may end up being another rough night for Weidman. However, I feel as if Weidman will be fueled by the home field advantage. I expect the ex-champion to put the pressure on Gastelum and use his grappling to get back into the win column.
Prediction: Chris Weidman def. Kelvin Gastelum via unanimous decision
Yesterday (Mon., July 10, 2017), highly touted UFC middleweight contender and former Strikeforce champion Gegard Mousasi announced on The MMA Hour that he had signed a six-fight deal with Bellator MMA. Although big name UFC fighters continue to test the free agency market, Mousasi’s jump to Bellator comes as a bit of a surprising one, […]
Yesterday (Mon., July 10, 2017), highly touted UFC middleweight contender and former Strikeforce champion Gegard Mousasi announced on The MMA Hour that he had signed a six-fight deal with Bellator MMA.
Although big name UFC fighters continue to test the free agency market, Mousasi’s jump to Bellator comes as a bit of a surprising one, as the 31-year-old is riding a five-fight winning streak, while still being in the prime of his career. He most recently defeated former champion Chris Weidman at UFC 210, and he was likely just a win or two away from a UFC title shot.
Nevertheless, Mousasi will reunite with Scott Coker and continue his career under the Bellator banner where a plethora of intriguing fights will await him.
With that being said, let’s go ahead and take a look at seven of the most exciting fights Mousasi can take in his new promotion:
A Middleweight Title Fight Against Rafael Carvalho
Starting out in Mousasi’s natural division, a middleweight title fight against reigning Bellator champion Rafael Carvlhao would be an interesting option for Mousasi, and in my opinion, a logical option for “The Dreamcatcher’s” debut.
Mousasi is without question one of the very best middleweights in the world, and likely the most accomplished fighter in Bellator’s growing middleweight division, which is why he’s deserving of a shot at gold.
Carvalho has won 14 consecutive bouts since losing his professional debut, while running through Bellator’s middleweight division with five straight victories inside the Bellator cage. He most recently scored a knockout victory over veteran Melvin Manhoef, which marked the 11th KO victory of his career, and would represent a solid challenge to welcome Mousasi to Bellator.
UFC 212 took place last night (June 3, 2017) live on pay-per-view from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and although it was being highly overlooked, it ended up producing some exciting finishes and some thrilling outcomes. The main event featured an intriguing featherweight title unification bout between Jose Aldo and Max Holloway, while the co-main event […]
UFC 212 took place last night (June 3, 2017) live on pay-per-view from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and although it was being highly overlooked, it ended up producing some exciting finishes and some thrilling outcomes.
The main event featured an intriguing featherweight title unification bout between Jose Aldo and Max Holloway, while the co-main event featured a pivotal strawweight clash between top contenders and former title challengers Claudia Gadelha and Karolina Kowalkiewicz. Legendary Brazilian slugger Vitor Belfort also took on Nate Marquardt on the main card.
As many UFC events do, UFC 212 left us with quite a bit to digest and quite a bit to discuss.
With that being said, let’s take a look at five fights that the UFC should book after UFC 212:
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Max Holloway vs. Frankie Edgar
In the main event of UFC 212, 25-year-old phenom Max “Blessed” Holloway reached the pinnacle of the sport. After compiling a super impressive 10 fight win streak that included wins over Charles Oliveira, Jeremy Stephens, Ricardo Lamas, Cub Swanson and Anthony Pettis, Holloway finally received his chance to fight Jose Aldo, a man many consider to be the very best featherweight of all-time.
In the end, Holloway seized the opportunity, picking Aldo apart before scoring a triumphant TKO finish in the third round. Given the decisive nature of the victory, a rematch is unnecessary, which means Holloway should be paired up with a top contender in his first title defense.
The fight that comes to mind here is a bout between Holloway and former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar.
Edgar has won seven of his last nine bouts, with the only two losses in that stretch coming at the hands of Aldo. If Aldo had beaten Holloway last night, Edgar likely wouldn’t receive another title shot, but a bout between “Blessed” and “The Answer” represents a fresh and highly intriguing matchup.
As far as timing, it also seems as if a bout between Holloway and Edgar would be the perfect fit for the UFC’s return to Madison Square Garden in New York City, which will take place next November.
First things first. I am in no way saying that Conor McGregor would beat Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match, nor am I saying that the UFC lightweight champion would or should be a favorite over “Money” if the fight actually comes to fruition. Many pundits have refused to give McGregor a chance against Mayweather […]
I am in no way saying that Conor McGregor would beat Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match, nor am I saying that the UFC lightweight champion would or should be a favorite over “Money” if the fight actually comes to fruition.
Many pundits have refused to give McGregor a chance against Mayweather in a boxing match and for good reason, as the brash and outspoken Irishman has never competed in a professional boxing match. Mayweather, on the other hand, is undefeated as a professional, boasting an incredible 49-0 record.
The fight of course is not official yet, but McGregor recently announced that he had signed a contract with the UFC in order to make the fight a reality. UFC President Dana White also confirmed the news, adding in that he expects to meet with Team Mayweather in the near future.
The fight would sure be a spectacle and millions will tune in with the expectation to see McGregor get outclassed. Anything can happen in a fight, however, and it’s interesting to take a look at the contest from McGregor’s perspective.
Let’s analyze five advantages the “Notorious” one could have over Mayweather:
Height
Throughout his destruction of the UFC’s featherweight division, which was capped off with an emphatic 13 second knockout over all-time great Jose Aldo at UFC 194, McGregor used his height to his advantage.
In a boxing match with Mayweather, the Irishman would enjoy this same advantage, as he stands at 5’9” tall as opposed to “Money”, who comes in at 5’8”.
Although this advantage, only one single inch, seems minute, McGregor will need every advantage he can get against the polished and experienced Mayweather. Also, the “Notorious” one is simply the bigger man, which he has been in the majority of his UFC fights. Being the bigger, longer man could potentially help McGregor avoid some of Mayweather’s shots, while aiding him in landing some big shots of his own.
This height advantage also translates into McGregor’s next advantage…
With the UFC currently dealing with a lack of available stars, one would have to assume that the promotion is doing everything it can to lure former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz back to the Octagon – and that may indeed be the case. After all, we all know how difficult it is to negotiate with
With the UFC currently dealing with a lack of available stars, one would have to assume that the promotion is doing everything it can to lure former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz back to the Octagon – and that may indeed be the case. After all, we all know how difficult it is to negotiate with a Diaz brother.
Diaz hasn’t competed since a 2015 decision loss to former longtime middleweight champion Anderson Silva. After the fight, however, it was made clear that both men had failed drug tests, leading the result of the bout to be changed to a no contest. Diaz was originally handed a ludicrous five -year suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), but that was later changed to an 18-month suspension that expired last August.
With that being said, Diaz has essentially been eligible to compete for nearly 10 months now, but there has been little said in regards to his potential return.
When fantasizing about what it might take to get one of the UFC’s most outspoken stars back in the Octagon, it’s difficult to formulate a clear answer. If you think a title fight is the answer, you’re probably wrong. Diaz has never been focused on titles, but he’s instead shown interest in only big fights and big money.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at five fights that could realistically draw Nick Diaz back to the Octagon:
Rematch with Georges St. Pierre
It’s not uncommon for Diaz to engage in a battle of verbal warfare with his opponent, and his most popular rivalry came against former longtime welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre.
The two clearly had ill will towards each other, and it showed in the lead-up to their UFC 158 bout, which took place on March 16, 2013.
Despite the exciting promotion, however, the bout didn’t deliver on fight night. St. Pierre ended up scoring a dominant one-sided decision victory, as Diaz simply had little to offer the stifling Canadian.
St. Pierre only fought once more after defeating Diaz, going into a self-imposed “retirement” after his highly controversial split-decision victory over Johny Hendricks seven months later. “Rush” hasn’t fought since, but he has announced that he will be making his return to action in the near future. In fact, UFC President Dana White announced earlier this year that St. Pierre would be returning in a middleweight title fight against Michael Bisping, but that doesn’t seem to be the plan anymore.
St. Pierre is now in need of an opponent for his return bout, and both Diaz and himself still represent big names in the sport. Perhaps renewing an old rivalry would be enough to bring Diaz back to the fight game.
Rematch with Anderson Silva
Like his bout with St. Pierre, Diaz’s bout with Anderson Silva at UFC 183 in Jan. 2015 didn’t turn out as many had hoped it would, although it was still a big fight between two marquee names that sold somewhat well on pay-per-view.
Since that fight, Diaz has not competed. Silva, on the other hand, has lost two of his three bouts since then, dropping back-to-back decision losses to middleweight champion Bisping and light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier. His most recent fight, however, resulted in a victory, as he outpointed Derek Brunson this past February at UFC 208.
At age 41, Silva’s skills and physical attributes have clearly began to decline, but like St. Pierre, he still represents a well-known name in the sport. “The Spider” has also expressed interest in a rematch with Diaz.
This fight would likely provide the Stockton native with a solid payday and it may be enough to draw him back to his old stomping grounds.
Title fight with Tyron Woodley
While it has seemed that titles don’t necessarily matter the most to Diaz, a title fight would certainly be a far more lucrative option than other fights. As a natural welterweight, a fight with reigning 170-pound champion Tyron Woodley could be an intriguing option for Diaz.
After winning the title last July with a brutal knockout victory over Robbie Lawler, Woodley quickly expressed interest in a bout with Diaz. Since then, he has put his title on the line twice, fighting to a majority draw with Stephen Thompson last November before scoring a decision victory over Thompson in their rematch this past March. He is expected to take on grappling wizard Demian Maia next, but a bout with Diaz would undoubtedly provide him with a far more lucrative option.
Money has proven to rule in today’s UFC landscape and a bout between Woodley and Diaz would represent one of the most enticing options at 170 pounds, at least from a financial aspect, which is why it may interest Diaz.
Title fight with Michael Bisping
Diaz has also competed at 185 pounds, and similarly to why a bout with Woodley may interest him, a bout with middleweight champion Bisping may get his blood flowing as well.
“The Count” has taken quite a roundabout way towards becoming champion of the middleweight division, and his title run has been just as strange. Stepping in on short notice at UFC 199 last year, Bisping stunned the world by knocking out Luke Rockhold to steal the title. He then defended the title with a decision victory over Dan Henderson last October in a bout that drew quite a bit of criticism due to the fact that “Hendo,” although a legend, was ranked No. 14 at the time.
Most recently, he was booked against St. Pierre in another bout that drew some criticism, although that fight has seemed to have fallen through. If the UFC were to book Bisping against Diaz, backlash may follow, but once again, it would sell.
Bisping and Diaz are two of the most polarizing trash talkers in the history of mixed martial arts. The promotion for a bout between the two of them would likely produce fireworks. Also, the two are polished volume punchers with bottomless gas tanks.
Perhaps this would be the fight to revive Diaz’s career.
Fight with Conor McGregor
I was hesitant to put this option on the list due to Conor McGregor’s history with Diaz’s younger brother Nate.
Nate shocked the MMA world at UFC 196 last year when he submitted the Irishman on less than two weeks’ notice. McGregor then scored a majority decision victory in the rematch between the two last August at UFC 202. A trilogy should possibly be an option down the road.
While Nick has indeed said that McGregor is Nate’s rival, the “Notorious” one represents the biggest money opponent in MMA, and Diaz loves money. The backstory behind a fight between McGregor and the elder Diaz brother would also be unparalleled.
Although it may be the least likely option on this list, I’d have to assume, if made possible, this fight would draw Diaz back to the cage.
Who would you like to see Nick Diaz fight if he were to make a return to MMA?
UFC 211, which went down last night (May 13, 2017) live on pay-per-view (PPV) from Dallas, Texas, was being billed as the biggest and baddest event of the year and it certainly lived up to the expectations that had been set for it, as it produced a plethora of exciting fights and finishes. The main
UFC 211, which went down last night (May 13, 2017) live on pay-per-view (PPV) from Dallas, Texas, was being billed as the biggest and baddest event of the year and it certainly lived up to the expectations that had been set for it, as it produced a plethora of exciting fights and finishes.
The main attraction featured a heavyweight title rematch between champion Stipe Miocic and ex-titleholder Junior Dos Santos. The co-main event played host to a strawweight title fight between 115-pound queen Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Jessica Andrade.
The rest of the card featured pivotal fights as well, as top contenders faced off with major implications on the line.
Let’s take a look at six fights to make after UFC 211:
Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Eddie Alvarez vs. Dustin Poirier Rematch:
A highly anticipated lightweight fight between exciting contenders Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier headlined the preliminary portion of UFC 211, although it didn’t end without controversy.
Alvarez, a former champion who hasn’t competed since losing his title in brutal fashion to Conor McGregor last November, was looking to bounce back against Poirier, who had won four of his last five up until that point. The two went back-and-forth throughout the first round, but things went south when Alvarez landed an illegal knee in the second round that forced referee Herb Dean to stop the bout and rule it a no contest.
Being that this bout had such high expectations surrounding it, it only seems right to run back and both fighters appeared to be interested in doing so.
Photo by Jerome Miron for USA TODAY Sports
Frankie Edgar vs. Ricardo Lamas:
At UFC 211, former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar reminded everyone that he is still an elite level featherweight, dominating red hot rising contender Yair Rodriguez over the course of two rounds before the bout was stopped between the second and third frames.
The win made it two straight for “The Answer” and he could campaign for another 145-pound title shot, although it’s unlikely he’ll receive one at this moment, especially if Jose Aldo beats Max Holloway next month. Edgar has already lost twice to Aldo.
With that being said, a bout between Edgar and No. 3-ranked Ricardo Lamas makes the most sense.
Lamas has won two of his last three bouts and he even called out Edgar on Twitter prior to “The Answer” being booked against Rodriguez. Edgar seemed interested in a fight with “The Bully” then and now it lands as the fight to make.
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada USA Today Sports
Jorge Masvidal vs. Stephen Thompson:
Jorge Masvidal came up short in a title eliminator with Demian Maia on UFC 211’s main card, but he still put on a solid showing, picking Maia apart on the feet and avoiding the Brazilian’s submissions, albeit losing a split decision.
In his next fight, “Gamebred” should take on top contender and two-time title challenger Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson.
Thompson is coming off of back-to-back fights with champion Tyron Woodley, battling “The Chosen One” to a majority draw last November before suffering a decision loss to the champion in their rematch this past March. “Wonderboy”, however, still represents a big name in the sport and exciting fighter to watch at 170 pounds.
Masvidal and Thompson should do battle in a bout that could propel the victor back towards title contention.
Photo by Jerome Miron for USA TODAY Sports
Demian Maia vs. Tyron Woodley:
With his win over Masvidal, Maia extended his winning to streak to seven straight and he can no longer be denied a title shot. In fact, he kneeled before UFC President Dana White and asked for the shot after his win over Masvidal. White appeared to have granted him his wish.
A bout between Woodley and Maia not only makes sense from a rankings standpoint, but it is also an intriguing bout stylistically.
Woodley is an explosive and powerful fighter with brutal knockout power and a division one wrestling background. Maia, on the other hand, is arguably the very best submission artist to have ever competed inside of the Octagon, and although opponents know what’s coming, few have been able to stop it in recent memory.
It’ll be interesting to see which man can implement his game plan first when these two inevitably meet.
Photo by Jerome Miron for USA TODAY Sports
Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Rose Namajunas:
Strawweight queen Joanna Jedrzejczyk defended her 115-pound title for the fifth consecutive time last night, winning every round in a one-sided decision victory over the tough but overmatched Jessica Andrade. “Joanna Champion” is now one win away from tying Ronda Rousey’s record of most consecutive title defenses made by a female fighter.
In her sixth defense, Jedrzejczyk should meet surging contender Rose Namajunas. The 24-year-old “Thug” Rose has won four of her last five bouts and is coming off of an impressive submission win over former Invicta champion Michelle Waterson. Namajunas has improved each and every time out and she may be able to supply “Joanna Champion” with a legitimate test.
Photo by Jerome Miron for USA TODAY Sports
Stipe Miocic vs. Cain Velasquez:
Stipe Miocic continued to establish himself as an all-time heavyweight great, scoring yet another first round knockout victory over Junior Dos Santos in the second defense of his heavyweight title.
In my opinion, there’s only one opponent who makes sense for Miocic next: ex-champion Cain Velasquez.
Velasquez was scheduled to compete against Fabricio Werdum in a title eliminator last December, but he was forced to withdraw with a back injury. He hasn’t competed since.
Werdum, on the other hand, will take on Alistair Overeem in July in a bout that could potentially produce the next title challenger, although Miocic has already scored first round stoppages over both Werdum and Overeem.
With that being said, Velasquez should be the next title challenger. A bout between him and Miocic would pit two well-rounded, elite level, athletic heavyweights against each other with a title on the line.
