Tag: MMA

UFC Quick Break: Benson Henderson vs. Gilbert Melendez

These “Quick Breaks” are short breakdowns of upcoming fights. In a summed-up focus of strengths, weaknesses and variables, we’ll analyze what could happen in the fight and end with a prediction. The UFC puts on another free event here in Ap…

These “Quick Breaks” are short breakdowns of upcoming fights. In a summed-up focus of strengths, weaknesses and variables, we’ll analyze what could happen in the fight and end with a prediction.

The UFC puts on another free event here in April and brings the action back to FOX Saturday. Two of the world’s greatest lightweight fighters will meet inside the Octagon and one will bring home the belt. This is a showdown between a former WEC champion and a former Strikeforce champion, with the two coming together in the UFC to throw down for the seat on the throne.

In the blue corner, you have Gilbert Melendez. “El Nino” had been on a tear in Strikeforce, attaining and defending his title for years. Ultimately, he remains as the final champion for the Strikeforce lightweight division before the promotion was nixed.

Melendez is riding a seven-fight winning streak and now will try his luck against UFC talent. It has always been a curiosity to see how the champ of Strikeforce would fare against the UFC lightweights, and this will be his opportunity to show he truly is the best in the division, no matter the banner it is under.

In the red corner, you have Benson Henderson. “Smooth” has been extremely impressive since the WEC merger, racking up a six-fight winning streak of his own and winning the UFC title as well. He has defended it twice and now looks to solidify his presence on top with a decisive win over Melendez.

Henderson was a former champion himself in WEC, but he lost his final match before the promotion was stopped. While others have buckled under the pressure of UFC debut jitters, Bendo has lit a fire under himself and has looked better than ever since arriving in the UFC.

This is a fight that should be an excellent striking display, but it’s more than likely that it will end on the ground.

Melendez is great with takedowns and ground-and-pound, but Bendo poses a significant submission forte that could put “El Nino” in some danger. The kicks from Bendo will give him a distance range on the feet, and his overall size helps him regardless of the virtually identical height and reach.

Bendo is a very tough man to finish, and Melendez has been on decision streaks recently, too.

This is an opportunity to see one of these strikers get a TKO/KO finish, and if it does end that way, Bendo takes the technical-striking edge. If this fight goes to the ground, it could be a dominant, grinding decision for Melendez or a fantastic submission victory for the champ.

Prediction: Benson Henderson wins via submission in the first or second round. 

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Shayna Baszler, Kim Couture, Tara LaRosa, Among Notable TUF 18 Tryouts

The Ultimate Fighter tryouts generally draw an interesting set of crowds. With the addition of women to this upcoming season of TUF, it appears as if the crowd will have some notable names as well.According to a report from MMA Mania, a number of notab…

The Ultimate Fighter tryouts generally draw an interesting set of crowds. With the addition of women to this upcoming season of TUF, it appears as if the crowd will have some notable names as well.

According to a report from MMA Mania, a number of notable names like Shayna Baszler, Kim Couture and Tara LaRosa showed up for the TUF 18 tryouts.

Other notable fighters who’ve appeared on Invicta FC cards like Sarah Moras, Jessamyn Duke, Raquel Pennington and Jocelyn Lybarger all showed up looking for a chance to step inside the Octagon as well.

Baszler is a very dangerous submission artist and is the grappling product of Jason Barnett. All but one of her victories can be attributed to submission, a couple of which can be attributed to the rare “twister” submission that Chan Sung-Jung captivated audiences with.

Couture may have the name recognition but sports just a 3-6 professional record and hasn’t competed since Oct. 2011.

LaRosa is considered by many to be a pioneer in WMMA and has been competing since 2002. LaRosa recently lost at Invicta FC 3 but prior to that was on a three-fight winning streak and holds victories over fighters like Baszler, Alexis Davis and Julie Kedzie.

This is just a small sample size of the competitors who attended, but it looks as if the first season of TUF with women could be very competitive.

All competitors were put through the regular audition process of grappling and sparring to see which could make the cut.

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UFC on Fox 7: Gilbert Melendez Says You’ll See a New UFC Champion

Bleacher Report caught up with former Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez as he made final preparations for his UFC debut on Saturday night in San Jose.Melendez faces Benson Henderson for the UFC lightweight title in the main event of UFC…

Bleacher Report caught up with former Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez as he made final preparations for his UFC debut on Saturday night in San Jose.

Melendez faces Benson Henderson for the UFC lightweight title in the main event of UFC on Fox 7. 

In this exclusive interview, Melendez discusses the pressures that come with making his debut in the main event of a network-televised UFC card, how lucky he feels to be fighting to close to his hometown of San Francisco and much more. 

Check out the video interview above.

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Is Rashad Evans’ UFC Job as Safe as He Seems to Think It Is?

Coming off of a disappointing loss to Jon Jones in 2012, Rashad Evans seemed to shoot himself in the foot at UFC 156, dropping a lackluster decision to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.With back-to-back losses, and given the recent rash of fighters released …

Coming off of a disappointing loss to Jon Jones in 2012, Rashad Evans seemed to shoot himself in the foot at UFC 156, dropping a lackluster decision to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

With back-to-back losses, and given the recent rash of fighters released from the UFC, one would think Evans would be fully aware that the pressure to perform in his next bout is actually critical.

In an interview with UFC Tonight on Fuel TV, Evans conceded that there was some pressure, alluding to the recent releases of some notable fighters, but just as quickly he seemed to wave it off.

“I’m not worried about losing my job,” Evans said. “I’ve put in a lot of good fights in the UFC and I’m confident that I’m not going to lose my next fight, but there is a bit of pressure as an athlete. You need to perform.”

Considering who his next opponent is, it seems there should be more than “a bit” of pressure.

Evans is facing the heavy-handed, ultra-competitive and incredibly experienced Dan Henderson—a man who no doubt is looking to get right back into the title hunt and knows a highlight reel-worthy stoppage of Evans would probably do the trick.

Of course, some of Evans’ attitude can rightly be attributed to staying positive. Worrying isn’t going to help a fighter while in camp. The best fighters in the world have managed to deal with worry and anxiety by keeping those things at arm’s length and letting their fighting decide their future.

But it would also seem that for a fighter who has suffered back-to-back losses, Evans should be proceeding with more than a bit of caution in assuming any footing he currently enjoys in the UFC is solid enough to withstand a third loss in a row.

Perhaps it is just the face and the dialogue he is giving the media, and behind closed doors he is working like a madman to make sure he defeats Henderson at UFC 161.

On paper, this is a very winnable fight for him. Evans defeated a similar fighter in Quinton “Rampage” Jackson—a heavy-handed fighter who relies mainly on his fists and little else.

But Henderson is incredibly hungry and has fought most of the bouts in the later years of his career like a man who hears the clock ticking, making him a terribly dangerous opponent for anyone in the division.

Perhaps it would be best for Evans if he fights like he is hearing the same clock because if he turns in another subpar performance like he did at UFC 156, there is a very good chance that he will lose.

Given how the UFC seems to be of the mind of sending strong messages to its fighters, releasing a 0-3 Evans would be akin to carving it in stone.

“Perform or else.”

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UFC on Fox 7: Info and Predictions for Henderson vs. Melendez

Benson Henderson will put his lightweight title on the line once again at UFC on Fox 7, where he will appear in the main event against former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez.Melendez will be fighting for the first time since beating Josh Thomson …

Benson Henderson will put his lightweight title on the line once again at UFC on Fox 7, where he will appear in the main event against former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez.

Melendez will be fighting for the first time since beating Josh Thomson in his final Strikeforce title defense nearly 11 months ago. Long considered one of the best lightweights competing outside of the Octagon, there will be a lot of pressure on Melendez to perform on Saturday.

UFC on Fox 7 will also feature the Octagon debut of Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier. Undefeated in 11 MMA fights, Cormier will be tested right away with a bout against former UFC heavyweight titleholder Frank Mir.

A number of other important matchups will be shown on Saturday’s fight card, so here’s a look at how to see each of them and prediction on which fighters fans should expect to win.

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10 Fighters Most Likely to Have a Breakout 2013

Breaking out often defines the sport of mixed martial arts.  It’s what makes the action inside the cage so unpredictable and the dedication outside of it completely and utterly essential for success.In the past, dedicated and focused fighters have…

Breaking out often defines the sport of mixed martial arts.  It’s what makes the action inside the cage so unpredictable and the dedication outside of it completely and utterly essential for success.

In the past, dedicated and focused fighters have found their niche in becoming the next big thing in their respective divisions. 

But what makes these breakout candidates even more noticeable is the fact that they come from all walks of life.  Whether it’s a young prospect trying to catch his break in the big show or an on-the-fence veteran facing a mid-career crisis, the epitome of a breakout star is not encapsulated by a sole definition.

By understanding this, we’re able to distinguish who has what it takes to outshine their competition and take the MMA world by storm in 2013.  Here’s a brief list consisting of these notable names ready to take the next step toward a rewarding breakout.

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