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Strikeforce: Is Brett Rogers in over His Head Against Josh Barnett?

When the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament was announced, many fans and experts thought that one fighter stood out like a sore thumb—and not in a good way. That fighter was Minnesota native Brett Rogers. Despite an 11-2 mixed martia…

Despite an 11-2 mixed martial arts record, Rogers came into the event as the biggest underdog among the eight original contestants.

Not only was he the least experienced fighter in the field, but he was facing one of the most experienced and skilled men in the tournament in the first round, in Josh Barnett.

Rogers started off his career on an impressive nine-fight win streak, ending every fight by knockout. Then a surprising victory over Andrei Arlovski in June 2009 earned him a shot at the world’s number one heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, later that year.

Like any fighter in the world would have been at that time, Rogers came into the bout as a major underdog. But his performance shocked even the most skeptical of anti-Fedor fans.

Rogers avoided the early submissions, but took it to Emelianenko on the feet before landing some big shots on the ground.

Though he ended up getting knocked out in the fight, many would argue that Rogers was actually getting the better of Emelianenko in the fight up until that point.

The next fight was easily the most damaging of Rogers’ career, as he took a violent beating from Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion and favorite to win the Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament, Alistair Overeem.

In a fight where Rogers landed just one punch according to CompuStrike, he was overwhelmed by a flurry of punches just 3:40 into the first round.

While Rogers bounced back, winning the first decision of his career against Ruben Villareal, many are still viewing him as a huge underdog in this first-round contest against perennial top heavyweight, Josh Barnett.

As a fourteen year professional, Barnett absolutely has the experience to defeat a relatively inexperienced fighter like Brett Rogers. But there’s a lot more that goes into winning a mixed martial arts contest than just knowledge of the sport.

One of Rogers’ advantages in this fight will be his natural size. At 6’4” with a 81.5 in reach, “Da Grim” is one of the larger heavyweights in the division.

While there are certainly smaller fighters in the division than Josh Barnett, he stands a considerably smaller-than-Rogers at 6’3” with a 76” reach. He will also likely be conceding around 20-25 pounds at fight time.

Reach advantages have been known to be some of the biggest difference makers in fights over time and a five-inch difference is nothing to sneeze at. Barnett will need to get inside on Rogers or risk the possibility of eating punches from a distance all night long.

In addition, the ground game may actually be an overrated difference in this fight. Barnett is absolutely more experienced in fights that go to the ground, but Brett Rogers showed us a surprising amount of composure and ability to break loose when he fought Fedor Emelianenko.

It should come as no surprise to viewers, but it will anyway, if the fight goes to the canvas and Rogers is able to neutralize Barnett’s normally very effective ground game. He did it against Fedor, so why not Barnett?

But as most would guess, Rogers’ punching power is likely to be the most important factor should he be able to defy the odds and move on to Round 2 in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

Brett Rogers has some of the heaviest hands of any fighter in all of mixed martial arts. This is where “Da Grim” has to be considered most dangerous to any opponent.

Barnett has been solid on his feet throughout his career, but he has also shown that he can be knocked out and picked apart with punches in the past.

If “The Babyfaced Assassin” isn’t careful, he could find himself eating some serious leather before he wakes up staring at the lights.

Mike Reilly and the coaches at Ambition MMA will have their man ready. There’s a reason that Brett Rogers made this tournament, and it’s not just because he has an awesome mohawk.

Rogers has defied the critics before and will be ready to do it again on June 18 at Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum.

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Cage vs. Cons: LA Sports Arena Live Play-by-Play Analysis, Reaction

Live from the Los Angeles Sports Arena, I will be sitting cage-side providing the night’s mixed martial arts action.Cage vs. Cons is Los Angeles’s largest live, professional mixed martial arts, hip-hop, and tattoo expo event. Today’s activities starte…

Live from the Los Angeles Sports Arena, I will be sitting cage-side providing the night’s mixed martial arts action.

Cage vs. Cons is Los Angeles’s largest live, professional mixed martial arts, hip-hop, and tattoo expo event. Today’s activities started at 11:00 a.m. with musical performances by Too $hort, the Dogg Pound, E-40, and much more.

Hosts for tonight’s event include Tommy “Tiny” Lister, Deebo from Friday, and long-time movie star, Danny Trejo. For those who are not familiar with this unique event, Cage vs. Cons features high octane professional fights that pits cops, firefighters, and former military against ex-cons in ten professional bouts.

Below the gimmicky surface, the real message of this unique promotion is a vision created by the founder Michael Lynch. Lynch wanted to provide the children of Los Angeles County the opportunity to escape the gang-riddled lifestyles of their neighborhoods.

He has utilized mixed martial arts as that avenue for escape instilling discipline, respect, and an understanding that gangs are not the only option. Follow along as I provide up-to-the minute play-by-play of tonight’s fights. Enjoy the fights. Todd Seyler

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Rashad Evans Has Earned His UFC Title Shot Versus Jon Jones

Just about a year ago, at UFC 114, former UFC light-heavyweight champion Rashad “Suga” Evans defeated his arch nemesis Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, also a former titleholder, in a fight that would determine the No. 1 contender to the 205-pound belt, held…

After earning his title shot, Evans chose not to take another fight and risk his contender status while waiting for Rua to heal, even fully well knowing the Brazilian-bred champion would be out for an extended period of time.

When Rua was finally ready to compete after a 10-month layoff, Evans injured himself in training, and in his place to fight for the belt was his teammate at Greg Jackson’s Submission Academy, the budding superstar Jon (Bones) Jones, who took the fight on only six weeks’ notice.

Jones ended up defeating Rua in devastating fashion at UFC 128, and since teammates have not traditionally fought each other in the UFC, Evans was forced to leave Jackson’s camp to cash in on his title shot—even though he was a pioneer of the club and Jones had only been there for a few years.

The bout between Jones and Evans was set to take place this August at UFC 133 in Philadelphia, but Jones pulled out, citing the need to get surgery on his injured hand. Since Evans had been without a fight for over a year, he decided to take a fight against undefeated, fast-rising contender Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis instead of waiting yet again for an injured champion to return.

But after further consideration, Jones decided to elect not for surgery, instead saying he would be ready to return to the cage this fall.

However, the UFC decided not to pull Evans from his fight with Davis, and now Evans will have to beat a tough fighter in order to retain his contender status. With Jones scheduled for a September-October return, it is up in the air now who he will make his first title defence against, since the UFC announces title fights months in advance in order to promote them.

One suggestion has been to match Jones up with the flamboyant Jackson if he defeats the surging Matt Hamill at UFC 130. But how do you give Jackson a title shot before Evans, considering Evans already defeated him in a fight that was supposed to determine the No. 1 contender? It just doesn’t make sense.

Another idea has been to match up Jones with Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida, the former champion who is fresh off knocking 48-year old MMA legend Randy “The Natural” Couture into retirement with a brutal flying front kick at the UFC’s biggest event ever, UFC 129. This doesn’t make sense either since before the knockout Machida was on the bubble, having been decisioned by Jackson at UFC 123 last November and before that being knocked out by Rua and losing the light-heavyweight title at UFC 113.

Although Machida’s drubbing of Couture was an exciting and memorable moment in the annals of MMA history, it is not enough to overshadow the fact that he lost consecutive fights in the calendar year before it. Evans, on the other hand, has only lost one fight—in his whole career.

If this all seems complicated, that’s because it is, even though it doesn’t really have to be. The solution to this mess is obvious: Pull Evans from his fight with Davis. Although this is the main event of UFC 133, the UFC can replace it with a featherweight title fight between Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes, a fight that has been rumored to take place on the card as the co-main event but hasn’t yet been made official.

The dilemma with is that it doesn’t make sense to have a title fight on the undercard to a non-title fight headliner, even if it is featuring a more recognizable star in Evans. The UFC can solve this problem by scrapping the Davis-Evans fight altogether and having Evans wait another month or two extra to make his return to the Octagon against Jones.

The backfire to this plan is that it would mean Evans would have been out 16 or 17 months since his last fight, and he would likely suffer from ring rust when he finally does fight Jones. But the upside for Evans is tremendous, since he would have his title shot and not have had to unnecessarily risk losing it to Davis, who himself could use time off after having had five UFC fights in the past 13 months.

The fans win too by getting the fight they desperately want to see, since the feud between Evans and Jones has risen to a boiling point lately through their nightclub run-ins and online Twitter feuding. It makes sense for the UFC as well since the fight between Jones and Evans will surely be a financial boon to the company if the current hype level is any indication.

Evans has earned his title shot against Jon Jones. Dana White, make it happen.

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Nick and Nate Diaz and the Top Five Brother Duos Ever

Since MMA’s inception, the general concept of family has been an integral part of a sport that is often billed as individualistic. Now more than ever the sport has seen family competition, with fathers training sons, brothers fighting on the same cards…

Since MMA‘s inception, the general concept of family has been an integral part of a sport that is often billed as individualistic.

Now more than ever the sport has seen family competition, with fathers training sons, brothers fighting on the same cards, and overall family camaraderie on high display.

The Gracie family popularized the idea of one style being better than another, with numerous fighters and families have tried to disprove the Gracie theory, with not very many proving successful.

Take Royce Gracie for example at UFC 1. After his impressive wins over Art Jimmerson, Ken Shamrock, and Gerard Gordeau, Gracie realized his family’s true purpose: proving his family’s style was the best in the world. Surely a better feeling than any belt or dollar can give a fighter.

Flash forward to UFC 128 in New Jersey. Dan and Jim Miller of Sparta, N.J., fight in front of their hometown crowd at the Prudential Center. Though Dan lost and Jim won, nothing will take away the experience the brothers had that night.

And so, brotherly love has been redefined in and outside of the octagon. However, one question remaining is which brotherly duo is the best MMA has to offer?

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10 of the Funniest MMA Videos on YouTube

The main events of UFC 130 and 131 have left many people feeling a little bummed.Instead of seeing the third war between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, we are now treated to Quinton Jackson vs Matt Hamill as the main event of UFC 130.With no disrespec…

The main events of UFC 130 and 131 have left many people feeling a little bummed.

Instead of seeing the third war between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, we are now treated to Quinton Jackson vs Matt Hamill as the main event of UFC 130.

With no disrespect directed towards either of those fighters, Jackson vs Hamill just doesn’t have the pizazz of Edgar vs Maynard.

Instead of seeing if Brock Lesnar can claw his way back to the top of the UFC’s heavyweight division, we now have Shane Carwin and Junior dos Santos fighting for the chance to take on current champion Cain Velasquez.

Zuffa can’t be happy with this, because it is a guarantee that 131’s pay-per-view buy rates will drop by more than half.

During these trying times MMA fans are dealing with, what is better than a little humor to cheer everyone up?

After much searching, here are a few videos that should put a smile on your face.

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UFC 130 Fight Card: Roy "Big Country" Nelson Putting Family First

As the feud between former teammates Jon Jones and Rashad Evans continues to escalate in drama, another pair of training partners are quietly going about their business before they face off next Saturday at UFC 130.Next weekend’s bouts features a co-ma…

Next weekend’s bouts features a co-main event battle between former UFC Heavyweight champion Frank Mir and the Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights winner Roy “Big Country” Nelson. Both fighters, born and raised in Las Vegas, are good friends and teammates who are putting aside their friendship to square off in their hometown at the MGM Grand.

“We get paid to win,” Roy Nelson told the press during Thursday’s media conference call. “You put your family before all your other friends,” he said.

Avoiding the back and forth trash talking that the Jones-Evans situation has sparked, Nelson has nothing but the utmost respect for his opponent.

“You always got to be a scared of Frank,” Nelson said. “He’s a true mixed martial artist.”

Asked to compare Mir with his last opponent, Junior Dos Santos, Nelson said that Mir is “bigger” and should “hit harder”.

This respectful gesture means a lot considering Nelson is the only person to not be finished by top contender Dos Santos.

Earning his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Renzo Gracie, a man Nelson considers a “living legend” and “one of the best (in) MMA“, “Big Country” has faced Mir in competition before, defeating him in a grappling match in 2003.

Commenting on the match, Nelson doubts that he has an advantage over Mir on the ground, joking that he is “a bigger and fatter guy now.”

With a win possibly pushing the victor into title contention, both fighters will undoubtedly come out looking to put on a show. Regardless of the winner, Mir and Nelson have shown the MMA world that teammates can fight each other while remaining friends.

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