How many times have we heard the phrase “wrestling is the best base to have before entering MMA?” While the grinding style of some wrestlers is not always entertaining (cough, Jon Fitch, cough), it is hard to argue that it is effective. Wel…
How many times have we heard the phrase “wrestling is the best base to have before entering MMA?”
While the grinding style of some wrestlers is not always entertaining (cough, Jon Fitch, cough), it is hard to argue that it is effective.
Welterweight prospect Rick Story is one of many strong wrestlers looking to stake their claim as an upper echelon talent at 170 pounds.
After his upset win over Thiago Alves at UFC 129, “The Horror” Story is well on his way to that point.
Let’s take a look at a dozen of the most successful wrestlers in MMA right now; this list is in no particular order.
Zuffa will continue a huge month of June with its fourth MMA event this Sunday night, UFC on Versus 4 from the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, PA. As always, Bleacher Report will be your home for the latest news, predictions and results of the even…
Zuffa will continue a huge month of June with its fourth MMA event this Sunday night, UFC on Versus 4 from the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, PA. As always, Bleacher Report will be your home for the latest news, predictions and results of the event.
The main event will feature the welterweight debut of former middleweight contender Nate “The Great” Marquardt as he fights up-and-comer Rick Story in what will likely be a very important bout when it comes to future title aspirations for both men.
That fight will replace the original main event which was scheduled to be Marquardt against Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, who recently thoroughly beat Dan Hardy at UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs. Davis in late-March. Johnson was forced out of the bout, though, with a rotator cuff injury.
The event will air on Versus in the U.S. and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada, with the preliminary fights being available on Facebook. The following is the official finalized fight card.
Preliminary Card (on Facebook):
Michael Johnson vs. Edward Faaloloto (lightweight bout) Ricardo Lamas vs. Matt Grice (featherweight bout) Nik Lentz vs. Charles Oliveira (lightweight bout) Charlie Brenneman vs. TJ Grant (welterweight bout) Daniel Roberts vs. Rich Attonito (welterweight bout) Joe Lauzon vs. Curt Warburton (lightweight bout) Joe Stevenson vs. Javier Vasquez (featherweight bout) Tyson Griffin vs. Manny Gamburyan (featherweight bout)
Main Card (on Versus):
Matt Mitrione vs. Christian Morecraft (heavyweight bout) Matt Brown vs. John Howard (welterweight bout) Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry (heavyweight bout) Nate Marquardt vs. Rick Story (welterweight bout)
If you’re looking for a more in-depth look at each fight with some predictions, read on!
Nate Marquardt has had a very successful MMA career. He is a three-time Pancrase Middleweight Champion, which included a total of four title defenses. After only four fights in the UFC, he challenged Anderson Silva for the UFC Middleweight Championship…
Nate Marquardt has had a very successful MMA career. He is a three-time Pancrase Middleweight Champion, which included a total of four title defenses. After only four fights in the UFC, he challenged Anderson Silva for the UFC Middleweight Championship, losing via TKO in the first round. Since that fight, he has worked his way into two No. 1 contender fights, losing both by decision.
He has now dropped down to the welterweight division and was slated to face Anthony Johnson, but due to injury Johnson withdrew and in stepped Rick Story.
This will be a battle of the wrestlers. Story is coming off of a huge win against title challenger ThiagoAlves. Story is on the rise, but it is now Nate’s job to derail Story off of his route towards a shot for the welterweight championship.
Throughout Nate’s career, big fights have been his kryptonite. He held titles in Pancrase, and yes that is a great accomplishment but when put in the big show is where he couldn’t succeed. He has now opened up a new door by dropping to welterweight. This is his last chance at a title run in a realistic aspect, and odds are his drop is a sign that GSP will be moving up in weight or be retiring by the time he gets to a title shot (not a guarantee, just an assumption).
What must Nate hope for in order to obtain a title shot?
Odds are Nate will need to win between two and three fights to be granted a shot at the champion. Beating Story automatically places him top seven, but after that who would they put him against? Jake Shields, Jon Fitch, or BJ Penn come to mind.
Nate needs an easy path, and sadly for him the division is stacked with wrestlers which have always been his achilles heel in MMA.
Can Nate become champion at welterweight? It’s MMA anything is possible, but fighting guys like Fitch, Koscheck, Penn, Shields, etc. is not an easy task. He is going to have to get his mind right in order to be able to obtain his goal.
The odds in him being able to retire and have the claim as a UFC champion are literally slim to none. He has tons of talent, but wrestlers and elite guys are his weakness. He could prove people wrong and run the table, but if he doesn’t get his mind right then count him out.
Rick Story is the first test. Story has the momentum on his side and he will have to throw everything except the kitchen sink at him to win this fight. Expect a war and an overall great card Sunday night live on Versus.
UFC middleweight and welterweight contender Nate “The Great” Marquardt defended his Pancrase Middleweight Championship against Ricardo “Big Dog” Almeida in 2003. He had won the title when he defeated Kiuma Kunioku in 2002. Gracie-Jiu Jitsu trained…
UFC middleweight and welterweight contender Nate “The Great” Marquardt defended his Pancrase Middleweight Championship against Ricardo “Big Dog” Almeida in 2003. He had won the title when he defeated Kiuma Kunioku in 2002.
Gracie-Jiu Jitsu trained and dangerous on the ground, Almeida caught the former middleweight contender in a tight guillotine choke late in the first round. Marquardt was forced to tap out, but Almeida didn’t let go for several seconds afterwards.
After finally releasing the choke, an angry Marquardt delivered an extra right hand to the chin of Almeida for the unsportsmanlike conduct. Almeida’s trainer, Renzo Gracie, entered the ring and kicked Marquardt in the face, knocking him backwards and onto the canvas.
The two fighters quickly realized they had both made mistakes and shook each other’s hands when the result was announced.
Marquardt (31-10-2) will be making his UFC welterweight debut this Saturday when he takes on the very tough and durable fighter Rick “The Horror” Story (13-3), who is currently on a six-fight win streak.
Almeida retired from MMA in 2011 with an overall record of 13-5 and a 6-5 record in the UFC.
Check out Sal DeRose’s “knockout of the day” article, here!
Spike TV announced today a 10-hour marathon on Sunday, June 26th, featuring fight cards with UFC middleweight turned welterweight Nate Marquardt. However, the event runs directly parallel to the Marquardt-headlined live event on Versus, UFC on Versus 4…The event culminates with a re-broadcast of UFC Fight Night 22, which was headlined by Nate Marquardt vs. Rousimar Palhares…
Coincidentally, this marathon directly overlaps with a live Marquardt-headlined UFC event on the Versus channel, UFC on Versus 4 from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET. Marquardt faces Rick Story in the main event as part of his welterweight debut…
Spike TV announced today a 10-hour marathon on Sunday, June 26th, featuring fight cards with UFC middleweight turned welterweight Nate Marquardt. However, the event runs directly parallel to the Marquardt-headlined live event on Versus, UFC on Versus 4…The event culminates with a re-broadcast of UFC Fight Night 22, which was headlined by Nate Marquardt vs. Rousimar Palhares…
Coincidentally, this marathon directly overlaps with a live Marquardt-headlined UFC event on the Versus channel, UFC on Versus 4 from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET. Marquardt faces Rick Story in the main event as part of his welterweight debut…
SB Nation reached out to Spike TV officials for further comment. Specifically, we asked why they would run this marathon to overlap with the UFC’s live show on Versus and why these particular fights of all Marquardt’s UFC fights were selected. “We picked a 10 hour marathon of exciting, hard-hitting , action-packed fights showcasing not only Nate ‘The Great’ – but some of the sport’s biggest names including Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen,” said David Schwarz, Vice President of Communications at Spike TV.
The ‘UFC Live’ shows on Versus — headlined twice by Jon Jones, and once by Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann — have seen a steady decline in ratings since their debut. Marquardt vs. Story probably isn’t going to bring viewers out in droves on a Sunday night, and Spike’s upcoming Marquardt-athon could cause just enough confusion to push the Versus audience even lower.
It’s not exactly a move you pull when negotiations are still ongoing; Dana White may have told Spike to go fuck themselves one too many times. The weird part is, there’s little incentive for Spike here except the joy in knowing they screwed with somebody they don’t like. That’s how bad things have gotten, I guess. As they say: Live by the counter-programming, die by the counter-programming.
Nate “The Great” Marquardt makes his debut in the welterweight division at UFC on Versus 4 event Sunday in Pittsburgh.But Marquardt’s success has been made in the middleweight division, where he ranks among the top five UFC fighters all-time in takedow…
Nate “The Great” Marquardt makes his debut in the welterweight division at UFC on Versus 4 event Sunday in Pittsburgh.
But Marquardt’s success has been made in the middleweight division, where he ranks among the top five UFC fighters all-time in takedown accuracy.
Making the list with Marquardt are two current champions and one fighter who also is scheduled to compete at UFC on Versus 4.
