Tag: MMA

UFC on FOX 3 Reality Check: Nate Diaz Is Good, but He’s Not Beating Jim Miller

Mixed martial arts will take center stage in the sports universe once again on Saturday night for UFC on FOX 3: Diaz vs. Miller. There are quite a few interesting bouts on this free fight card, but perhaps none has been more debated than the main …

Mixed martial arts will take center stage in the sports universe once again on Saturday night for UFC on FOX 3: Diaz vs. Miller. 

There are quite a few interesting bouts on this free fight card, but perhaps none has been more debated than the main event between lightweights Nate Diaz and Jim Miller. For one reason or another, the MMA community seems to be split on who is going to come out on top in this one.

While MMA is a sport where anything can happen, I think it’s time for a little reality check going into this fight.

Nate Diaz is a very, very good fighter. He has come a long way since his days on The Ultimate Fighter. He has wins over high-level opponents and is a definite top-10 lightweight…but to honestly believe that he should be the favorite in this fight against Jim Miller is absurd.

Just because he has the last name “Diaz” does not mean that Nate is as good as Nick. And quite frankly, Jim Miller is a fighter who is practically tailor-made to beat him in a five-round fight.

Miller is the owner of a ridiculous 21-3 professional mixed martial arts record with 10 of the wins coming in the UFC. He has beaten some very notable opponents, with his only losses coming against the very best that UFC has to offer—Gray Maynard, Frankie Edgar and current 155-pound champion Benson Henderson.

What’s even crazier? Despite being the best in the world, neither Maynard nor Edgar nor Henderson could finish Jim Miller.

So where does that put Nate Diaz?

Well, let’s just say his chances aren’t very good.

Don’t get me wrong—Diaz is a beast. He has victories over Melvin Guillard and even outclassed Donald Cerrone in his most recent fight…but the skeptic in me also points to the fact that he has lost to the likes of Joe Stevenson and Dong Hyun Kim.

Sure, the loss to Kim took place in the 170-pound division which he has since moved down from, but the point remains—Nate Diaz struggles with fighters who can take him down. This was also proven in the one-sided beatdown he took from Rory MacDonald.

Jim Miller can and by all accounts should be able to take Nate Diaz down numerous times throughout this bout. Not only that, but his striking is good enough that he won’t get completely embarrassed on the feet should he struggle to get the fight to the ground.

Many will point to Diaz’s jiu-jitsu skills as a rebuttal for my argument that he will get controlled by Miller on the ground; however the the reality is that, barring some cataclysmic mistake from Miller on the ground, there is no way that Nate Diaz is submitting him from the bottom. It hasn’t happened to Miller in 24 pro fights. It’s not going to happen on Saturday night either.

Though I’m not expecting a repeat of the one-sided ass-whooping that Michael Chandler put on Akihiro Gono on Bellator on Friday night, I do see Jim Miller winning this fight fairly decisively, very likely by a judges’ decision. 

I’m sure that I’m going to get backlash on this article for telling it like it is and I’m OK with that. Sometimes these things need to be said.

Don’t call me a “hater” because I do believe that Nate Diaz is a good fighter…he’s just not on Jim Miller’s level.

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UFC Fighter Summit on Behavior: The Big Issues That Need Fixing

Recently it’s been reported that the UFC is in the midst of organizing a fighter summit that will address the recent problems revolving around the behaviors of several prominent fighters.  While I think that the raw honesty of its athletes i…

Recently it’s been reported that the UFC is in the midst of organizing a fighter summit that will address the recent problems revolving around the behaviors of several prominent fighters.

 

While I think that the raw honesty of its athletes is one of the main reasons that MMA is such an interesting sport to follow, sometimes if you can’t say anything nice, you shouldn’t say anything at all.

 

Aside from “behavior” being a blanket topic, it’s not known what will be particularly addressed at this summit. So here’s what I think the UFC should cover for this summit on fighter behavior.


 

You are what you tweet.

 

Whoever knew that so much damage could be done in so few characters? Dana White himself raised a very valid point when it comes to Twitter: you don’t have enough characters to get your intentions across.

 

Subtlety and sarcasm are already hard to translate across the Internet, but when you have to whittle down your words to 140 characters, it becomes near-impossible.

 

But not only does this apply to Twitter, this applies to most forms of social media in general.

 

So, what to do? First, you need to realize that as a professional athlete, people will view your social media accounts as their all-access pass into your life. The more raw and honest you get, the more people will come to associate your online accounts with “the real you.”

 

So when you do something that offends your followers, the reaction will be much more negative than normal since they feel like they’ve been betrayed.

 

Is it weird? Yes. But we live in a weird age. We live in an age where what we do in the digital world has become almost as important as what we do in the real world. Some would say it’s already as important, and a few would even say that it’s more important.

 

You’ve heard of “do unto others as you would wish them to do unto you.”

 

Perhaps a more fitting term in this digital age is “don’t post it online if you wouldn’t shout it in public.”

 

 

Dark humor needs to stay in the dark.

 

I could sum this up relatively easy with one sentence.

 

No rape jokes.

 

But the more I think about it, the more I realize that that’s just an example of the problem, and not the problem itself. These types of “dark humor” jokes have a time and place, and that place isn’t in public.

 

Another way to think about it: leave the controversial jokes to the comedians.

 

It doesn’t matter if you’re simply quoting a dark humor joke, or a line from a show that has dark humor in it, or even just a dark humor joke you heard or read.

 

Don’t do it.

 

Most of the time, dark humor jokes are so funny because they’re so offensive and controversial. But “so offensive it’s funny” to you just could be plain old “very offensive” to somebody else. And when you’re a professional athlete that’s supposed to be representing a sport, you can’t take that kind of risk.

 

If anything, feel proud that so many people are paying attention to you that you can literally not say anything without at least one person getting offended. But the more blatantly offensive you get, the more people will get offended.

 

As your popularity snowballs, so does the amount of people that could get offended if you say something generally perceived as offensive or controversial.

 

And when that snowballs, the end result comes in the form of what we’ve recently seen: major sponsors issuing public demands to get fighters in line.


 

Understand that this is a “do as I say, not as I do” situation.

 

What I mean by this is simple: it’s awfully hypocritical of the UFC to organize a fighter summit on behavior when the public face of your promotion spends more time talking with four-letter words than without them.

 

But the reality of the situation is this: Dana White can get away with it and you can’t. This isn’t something the UFC can just come out and say, but it’s the truth. If you’re looking to leadership for a positive example of who to emulate, Lorenzo Fertitta is far better of a role model than Dana White.

 

I’m not saying that UFC fighters should start censoring themselves. I’m just saying that maybe something you think is awesome doesn’t have to be described as “****ing awesome”, or if you had a bad day you don’t have to describe your day as “****ty”.

 

If you try hard enough, you can get your point across without curse words. Just don’t think that Dana White is going to be held to the same standard. Again: it’s not fair, but it’s the truth. 

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MIA in MMA: 5 Fighters Who Seemingly Disappeared

If there’s one thing fans of MMA can count on, it’s the fact that things happen fast.One day you’re witnessing the birth of “The Machida Era,” and the next day you’re seeing it end before it really began.With so many fighters out there, sometimes it’s …

If there’s one thing fans of MMA can count on, it’s the fact that things happen fast.

One day you’re witnessing the birth of “The Machida Era,” and the next day you’re seeing it end before it really began.

With so many fighters out there, sometimes it’s easy to forget a name or a face, even if it’s just for a little while.

Then, when you go back through your fight library and pop in a classic, a face comes on the screen and then you remember why you liked them.

And if they’ve seemingly disappeared from the sport, you wonder where they are now, and what they’re doing.

Here are five fighters you may or may not know who seemed to go MIA from MMA.

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Bellator 67 Chandler vs Gono: Live Results

Bleacher Report is set up cage side at Bellator 67 at Casino Rama in Ontario to bring you live results as they happen.Live Results:Preliminary Card 7:00pmRead more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Bleacher Report is set up cage side at Bellator 67 at Casino Rama in Ontario to bring you live results as they happen.

Live Results:

Preliminary Card 7:00pm

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UFC on Fox 3: Why the UFC Needs Pat Barry Now More Than Ever

For certain fighters, a majority of their popularity comes from something I like to call the “How Can You Not” argument. As in: How can you not like them?The primary example of this type of fighter is Wanderlei Silva, but heading into UFC o…

For certain fighters, a majority of their popularity comes from something I like to call the “How Can You Not” argument. As in: How can you not like them?

The primary example of this type of fighter is Wanderlei Silva, but heading into UFC on FOX 3, I think this argument defines Pat Barry, as well. And with the recent and varied shakeups of the heavyweight division, I think the UFC needs him now more than ever.

But before we go into the specifics, I’d like to point out that the UFC needs someone like Barry even if their heavyweight division wasn’t in a state of general upheaval. Outside of the ring, Barry has shown himself to be a very sincere, very honest, very appreciative MMA fighter. He’s often pretty hilarious as well.

And unlike some fighters that have to be humbled by a knockout, Barry was always a humble fighter. And in this modern era of “super-athletes with super-egos,” that’s very rare to see.

In general, he’s a very entertaining fighter. But the UFC needs Barry in particular right now due to several interesting developments in recent months.

The obvious example is the nine-month suspension of Alistair Overeem, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I’d honestly say that most of the UFC’s top heavyweights are currently in a state of flux.

Junior dos Santos, the current heavyweight champion, has to prove that he has the ability to transform his incredible run to get to the top into an incredible run to stay at the top.

Overeem, as previously mentioned, stormed into the UFC and became the No. 2 guy overnight, and just as quickly he’s on the sideline for nine months.

Former champion Cain Velasquez now has to rebuild his image almost from the ground-up after getting knocked out in just over a minute.

Former champion Frank Mir’s position in the division always seems to be in flux no matter what the situation is, and that’s definitely true right now as Mir is set to challenge for a championship despite the fact that the last time he faced a striker the caliber of Dos Santos (Shane Carwin) he was knocked out in under four minutes.

Mark Hunt certainly benefited from the “Rally for Mark Hunt” movement, and as a big Hunt fan myself I’m very excited to see where he goes from here. But he’s still living under the shadow of his epic losing streak—and now that he’s back to just being another contender—he’s probably at least two, maybe even three fights away from everyone willing to accept him as a championship challenger.

Roy Nelson always seems to bounce between a big win and a humbling loss. Fabricio Werdum is knocking on the door, but a lot of people still remember his bizarre performance against Overeem. Antonio Silva is coming into the UFC and maybe he’ll be a contender too.

And in Strikeforce, the winner of Strikeforce’s Heavyweight Grand Prix will almost certainly be going to the UFC and entering as an instant contender. Even the loser of the Grand Prix will more than likely enter the Octagon, and with the skills Daniel Cormier and Josh Barnett have shown in Strikeforce, both of them could be title contenders in only one or two fights!

I could go on, but my point is this: Throughout this sea of competitors that all seem to fluctuate in the rankings, you’ve got a fighter that comes to either get the knockout or get knocked out.

If Barry loses at UFC on Fox 3, he’ll have won only one out of his last four fights. With most UFC fighters, that’s usually a good sign that they’ll soon be out of the promotion. But in cases like Yoshihiro Akiyama and Dan Hardy, the UFC seems unable to let go of either fighter no matter how many they lose.

I think the same exemption should be made for Barry.

Not only that—I think it will be made for Barry. The UFC, as a promotion, has never had a problem seeing what’s directly in front of its face. Barry is a charismatic striker that can, will and has given UFC fans amazing moments that have us talking for weeks.

This is an “ends justify the means” situation. Until he goes on a losing streak that lasts for more than two fights (Akiyama and Hardy are both currently on four-fight losing streaks and still employed by the UFC) and/or until he starts being a boring fighter, Barry deserves to remain in the Octagon no matter who he’s fighting or where he ranks in the division.

When it comes to Barry, I don’t think his place in the division is as important as his role. He’s the guy that will make you feel like you got more than your money’s worth. So long as that doesn’t change, the UFC needs Barry now more than ever.

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UFC on FOX 3 Fight Card: Who Has the Most to Lose?

Tomorrow night, the UFC on Fox 3 brings us some big matchups. There are two title-shots on the line as well as intriguing battles in the middleweight and heavyweight divisions. Let’s take a look at the fighters who can’t afford to lose.Alan Belcher is …

Tomorrow night, the UFC on Fox 3 brings us some big matchups. There are two title-shots on the line as well as intriguing battles in the middleweight and heavyweight divisions. Let’s take a look at the fighters who can’t afford to lose.

Alan Belcher is a battle-tested middleweight who should currently be riding a six fight winning streak, were it not for an incorrect decision against Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 100. Belcher has an inspiring tale of courage, as a detached retina nearly cost him his vision and his career back in August 2010. His bout with Rousimar Palhares is his second Octagon trip since returning from the injury. A loss will blow him off of the comeback trail. 

Belcher may lose more than the fight if his opponent secures one of his signature leg locks. Palhares has failed to release a submission in the past, and if he repeats the offense tomorrow night, Belcher could lose the use of his leg.

And how about former title contender Josh Koscheck? Kos was thoroughly dominated by champion Georges St. Pierre in such a way, that he likely won’t get another shot at the title without an incredible string of wins. At 34 years old, a loss for Koscheck will send him plummeting out of the rankings and cause him to start from scratch. If winning a championship is his career goal, failure tomorrow could signify the end of his chase.

Another fighter who has a lot to lose is Ultimate Fighter winner Nate Diaz. After last year’s back-to-back wins over legendary Takanori Gomi and the white-hot Donald Cerrone, tomorrow night’s contest against Jim Miller is an important test against a dangerous submission specialist. 

Dana White stated that a win for Diaz will secure him a shot at the UFC lightweight championship. When you consider that Jim Miller and George Sotiropoulos secured seven consecutive wins without getting their shot at gold, the fact that Diaz can earn a “cut the line” pass with only three consecutive wins is an amazing opportunity. If he comes up short tomorrow night, his last two impressive performances will have been for naught. 

The fighter with the most to lose, though, has got to be Johny Hendricks. Coming off of a 12 second KO win over perennial contender Jon Fitch, Hendricks is fighting for two things tomorrow night: a title shot, and to prove that he is not a fluke.

A loss tomorrow to former title-contender Josh Koscheck will send Hendricks out of contention, and likely convince fans of revisionist history that he was never a threat in the first place. With tremendous wrestling credentials and one-punch KO power, that certainly isn’t the case, but it’s not a mentality that he can afford for fight fans to adopt.

All of these fighters are featured on the main card of UFC on FOX 3, which airs tomorrow night at 8pm.

Don’t forget to check out this story’s companion article:

UFC on FOX 3: Who has the Most to Gain?

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