Tag: MMA

UFC 145: Jon Jones May Be Overlooking Rashad Evans

Jon Jones’ rise to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings steadily continues with every challenger he emphatically beats.His next challenger is Rashad Evans, an opponent who seemingly knows the champion and shares a closer past with him than any other…

Jon Jones’ rise to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings steadily continues with every challenger he emphatically beats.

His next challenger is Rashad Evans, an opponent who seemingly knows the champion and shares a closer past with him than any other fighter in the light heavyweight division.

The war of words has gone on for several months, with Evans opening up about Jones in ways unimaginable, and criticizing his former training partner and camp. Jones has remained tight-lipped throughout the year, hoping to achieve redemption against the former UFC light heavyweight champion. 

Although he has looked uncomfortable at times during interviews discussing his past experiences with Evans, there were glimpses where Jones showed over-confidence when comparing his skills to his opponent’s.

Evans has gone on record saying the 24-year-old is arrogant and cocky outside of the spotlight, and that seems more believable each time Jones opens his mouth. 

Evans continues to discredit Jones’ hype and says he is capable of beating him due to his past experience with him, but Jones denies that he will lose on April 21.

This title bout is the most intriguing fight because of the two fighters’ history together. 

Jones is already focused on his next challenger, as he is annoyed with Evans and hopes to beat him in devastating fashion as early and quickly as he can. 

The problem is that Evans is one of the best wrestlers in mixed martial arts and is technically brilliant at mixing up his strikes with his takedowns. 

Some may not want to believe it, but Jones is overlooking Evans’ skill-set, regardless of how much he has improved in the last year. And if there is one fighter who holds advantages over Jones, it’s Evans, and he intends on pulling off an upset at UFC 145. 

So if Jones is as prepared as he claims he is, he better not overlook Evans.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

5 Biggest Myths About MMA

Since mixed martial arts burst onto the American scene nearly two decades ago, the sport has had to face an uphill battle in order to gain mainstream acceptance. For years, critics and naysayers have accused MMA of being a brutal and violent spectacle,…

Subscribe on YouTube

Since mixed martial arts burst onto the American scene nearly two decades ago, the sport has had to face an uphill battle in order to gain mainstream acceptance.

For years, critics and naysayers have accused MMA of being a brutal and violent spectacle, likening it to brawling or human cockfighting. As fans and onlookers have come to see in recent years, these claims couldn’t be further from the truth.

With a unified set of rules in place and studies showing that MMA is much safer than boxing and even football, many of these myths are starting to be dispelled. Unfortunately, the sport retains a few detractors who ignorantly cling to these fictitious claims.

In the video above, Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Matt Juul breaks down a few of the biggest myths still surrounding the sport today.

 

Be sure to Like Matt on Facebook or Follow Matt on Twitter @MattJuulMMA and, as always, if you like this video, click here to check out more from Bleacher Report Productions.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Junior Dos Santos Says He Aims to Knock Out Alistair Overeem

According to Fightersonlymag, undisputed UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos intends to KO Alistair Overeem when the pair lock horns at UFC 146.
“The preparation has already begun. I have been training har…

According to Fightersonlymag, undisputed UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos intends to KO Alistair Overeem when the pair lock horns at UFC 146.

“The preparation has already begun. I have been training hard for the fight and feeling very well. Now it is the moment to become strong to stand the heavy workout and get 100 per cent ready to the fight,” he said.

“I think is the biggest test for my striking. It was not by chance that he [Overeem] was the champion in K-1, that is the greatest striking event in the world. He is a very strong guy but I rely on myself and I look for the knockout in all the fights; I come in to perform. Regardless of if he is good on the feet or not, I will go to knock him out.

“Jiu-jitsu is Plan B. I am a mixed martial artist, I train everything and I am well prepared to fight standing or on the ground. If I think it is necessary to take the bout to the mat, this is going to happen.”

“Cigano” Dos Santos (14-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) won the heavyweight crown in November of 2011 by dispatching Cain Velasquez in the opening stanza of their main event clash at the inaugural UFC on FOX show.

However, Cigano also sustained a knee injury during that fight.

Following successful surgery, it looks like the heavy-hitting Brazilian native Brazil is nearly back to his fighting best.

Meanwhile, Overeem (36-11-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), a former Strikeforce and Dream heavyweight champion and fellow behemoth, rose to the rank of No. 1 contender after brutally dismantling former MMA fighter Brock Lesnar in a title elimination bout at UFC 141—a contest which was also his debut for the Zuffa-based promotional outfit.

When these two giants of mixed martial arts collide at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas on May 26, Dos Santos will attempt to make a first successful defense of his title, while Overeem will be looking to capture UFC gold in only his second outing for the company.

 

For additional information, follow Nedu Obi on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC: Are Children Now the Most Important Demographic for the UFC to Focus On?

The males ages 18-34 demographic will always be at the core of the UFC’s viewership, but there’s a second graphic that’s also crucial to focus on: children.While some might scoff and be perplexed at directing the sport of fighting towards children, the…

The males ages 18-34 demographic will always be at the core of the UFC’s viewership, but there’s a second graphic that’s also crucial to focus on: children.

While some might scoff and be perplexed at directing the sport of fighting towards children, the shift in the UFC’s audience will happen organically over time. 

Think about the majority of UFC fans. They are males ages 18-34. The UFC started to explode in popularity with the debut of The Ultimate Fighter in 2005.

The fans who were 18 when TUF debuted are now 25 years of age. As the passage of time continues, the MMA fans of yesterday will not only still watch the sport, but will also create the MMA fans of tomorrow by having children. 

Having children be avid MMA fans might seem like an abhorrent thought to some, but sentiments like that will fade in time.

To the older generation(s) of Americans during the rise of the UFC, MMA was something weird, alien, “savage” and scary. They preferred boxing. 

The current generation of youth will not have such ideological baggage when they are the next generation of oldsters. They will have grown up as MMA fans or at least exposed to MMA in some capacity. The sport will therefore have a baseline level of acceptance in society and having kids watch it won’t be seen as a grievous parenting error.

Thus, as time goes on and MMA fans plant their seed (or spread their legs), the number of kids who will see MMA by virtue of their parents being fans will increase. As this happens, the child demographic will become of greater and greater importance until it can no longer be ignored. 

And the change is already beginning to happen. Kids are fighting in (pseudo) MMA bouts and are asking questions at press conferences. 

Given enough time and enough MMA fans having babies, the child portion of the UFC audience will increase, and the UFC champions of the day will become akin to what famous professional wrestlers were: cultural icons and heroes to children in every sense of the word.

 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC’s Jake Shields Says He’ll Eventually Be Able to Strike with the Best in MMA

Jake Shields is one of the best grapplers in mixed martial arts, and yet he seems to be focused on the idea that he can eventually compete with other great strikers in the welterweight division.As Shields told HeavyMMA.com Duane Finley: 
Working b…

Jake Shields is one of the best grapplers in mixed martial arts, and yet he seems to be focused on the idea that he can eventually compete with other great strikers in the welterweight division.

As Shields told HeavyMMA.com Duane Finley: 

Working behind top-notch grappling and his “American Jiu-Jitsu,” Shields has made the canvas the last place his opponents want to find themselves. But in order to claim championship gold in the UFC, he knows it is going to take solid striking and the ability to use his standup for transitions. While that portion of his game may not be exactly where he wants it, Shields is confident everything will come together and he will become the UFC welterweight champion.

My striking still has holes, but it has gotten a lot better, Shields said. I am going to continue to work and develop my skills and I believe in the next year I’ll be able to stand with the best strikers out there. I still have a little ways to go, but we have definitely made big improvements.

I came so close to the title and fell short. Now I feel like I’m close again. I’ve beaten the current (interim) champion, Carlos Condit, and Martin Kampmann, who is a top contender right now. I know I can beat these guys, and it all depends on me working my way back up and getting my shot. I’m not sure what’s next, but hopefully the UFC will give me a contender so I can get back up where I want to be.

Much like Demian Maia, Shields is a fighter who seems willing to vacate the powerful skill that got him to the top of the welterweight heap—his world-class grappling—in favor of standing and trading punches with guys who are much better at that aspect of the game.

It’s one thing if Shields wants to shore up his striking game so that he can rely on it as a fail-safe if his takedowns aren’t working.

That’s an admirable thing. 

But I’m hoping Shields doesn’t completely abandon his grappling game like Maia has in recent years. Shields’ striking should never be his go-to in a fight—that honor should always be reserved for his attempts to get the fight to the ground, where he’s as deadly as anyone in the sport. 

Still, I give Shields kudos for wanting to become a more well-rounded fighter. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Brian Stann Details the Iraq Mission That Made Him a War Hero

UFC middleweight Brian Stann is a really good fighter, but he’s so much more than that.Stann is a bona fide American war hero. This is a man who, if he were involved in any other mainstream sport, would be a gigantic superstar simply because of his bac…

UFC middleweight Brian Stann is a really good fighter, but he’s so much more than that.

Stann is a bona fide American war hero. This is a man who, if he were involved in any other mainstream sport, would be a gigantic superstar simply because of his background as a Marine officer.

I’m sure you’ve heard the story by now, so there’s no need to rehash the whole thing. But the basics: Stann was a lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and commanded the 2nd Mobile Assault Platoon of the 2nd Marines division. During Operation Matador outside of Karabilah, Iraq, Stann’s platoon came under fire by insurgents. 

The Marines, under Stann’s direction, held out behind enemy lines for six days before being relieved. Stann coordinated air and tank attacks and was awarded the Silver Star for valor in combat.

Stann will detail the entire incident on Tuesday night’s episode of UFC Ultimate Insider, which airs at 10:30 p.m. ET on Fuel TV. It’s a harrowing look at the past of one of the UFC’s brightest stars.

Stann may not ever reach the championship pinnacle in the UFC, but it doesn’t matter. This is a man who is well spoken, highly intelligent and versed in just about any subject you can throw at him. I’ve long considered him the most marketable star on the UFC’s roster, and his recent appearance as a color commentator proved that he can excel in any area. 

This is a fighter who could someday run for President. That’s not a joke, either. Stann will succeed in anything life throws at him, and he’ll do so admirably. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com