Following the UFC 204 pay-per-view on Saturday night, the UFC On FOX crew began their look ahead to the next event on the UFC fight calendar — UFC Fight Night 98.
Featured above is a segment from the official UFC 204…
https://youtu.be/LM73cWwg40U
Following the UFC 204 pay-per-view on Saturday night, the UFC On FOX crew began their look ahead to the next event on the UFC fight calendar — UFC Fight Night 98.
Featured above is a segment from the official UFC 204 Post-Fight Show on FOX Sports 1 on Saturday evening, which features the FS1 crew looking ahead to the event, which features former UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos taking on highly-regarded challenger Tony Ferguson in the main event.
UFC Fight Night 98 goes down live from Mexico City, Mexico on Saturday, November 5, 2016.
You have to have a thick skin to choose to pursue a career in mixed martial arts, an unforgiving sport where the difference between success and failure can narrow down to split-second decisions made in the heat of combat. Never is that more apparent than in a fighters professional debut, where deciding to bob when
You have to have a thick skin to choose to pursue a career in mixed martial arts, an unforgiving sport where the difference between success and failure can narrow down to split-second decisions made in the heat of combat.
Never is that more apparent than in a fighters professional debut, where deciding to bob when they should have weaved, or to attack when they should have defended, can result in a knockout or submission that leaves them questioning whether they have chosen the right path in life.
There’s a seemingly endless list of up and coming fighters who have called it quits at this formative stage of their career, hanging up their gloves for good with an 0-1 record, and in many cases they may have made the right call and spared themselves from further punishment.
However, there’s also been examples over the years of fighters who have had the courage to continue their mixed martial arts journey, either due to their unflappable self-belief, their passion for the sport, their desire to prove the doubters wrong, or simply because they had nothing else to fall back on.
In this article we’ll look at 12 inspirational examples of fighters who came up short in their MMA debuts, but overcame that early adversity and eventually fought their way onto the sport’s biggest stage to become UFC stars, and in some cases even world champions.
Andrei Arlovski
At M-1 MFC: World Championship in 1999, a 22 year-old fresh-faced, clean-shaven Andrei Arlovski made his MMA debut against one of the sports most infamous villains, Viacheslav Datsik who was also competing for the first time.
The fight turned out to be an exceptionally sloppy affair, with commentators Bas Rutten and Stephen Quadros giggling in bemusement at what they jokingly dubbed as ‘The Lunch Money School Brawl’ that was playing out in front of them.
Datsik wacky, unpredictable striking paid off midway through the first round though, as he launched his body weight behind a right hand that flattened Arlovski.
”If Arlovski gets up from this it’ll be shades of Dracula rising from the coffin,” Quadros declared as the fight was waved off, handing Datsik an unexpected highlight-reel KO finish.
Despite the brutal loss, if there’s one thing we’ve learned about ‘The Pitbull’ over the years it’s that there’s no quit in him, and he’d go on to become a UFC heavyweight champion, and is still ranked in the top 10 today, some 17 years after his debut.
As for Datsik, he’d go on to produce a losing record in the sport, but became notorious for his crazy antics, which would eventually lead to him being put in prison as well as spending time in a mental institution.
Immediately after Michael Johnson knocked out Dustin Poirier with a devastating two-punch combo in the main event of last night’s (Sat., September 17, 2016) UFC Fight Night 94 (highlights here) from Hidalgo, Texas, “The Menace” already has another potential high-profile dance partner lined up. Following his own impressive win over Charles Oliveira in his featherweight debut
Following his own impressive win over Charles Oliveira in his featherweight debut at August’s UFC on FOX 21, former lightweight champion somewhat surprisingly took to Twitter to call out “Menace,” who obviously fights at his old home. If he can’t get that bout, however, he’ll take on interim featherweight champion Jose Aldo:
“The Menace” was quick to answer the callout when asked about it by FOX Sports’ UFC’s Karyn Bryant:
Johnson noted that Pettis just cut down to featherweight after three losses in a row at lightweight, so the callout did confuse him a bit. While he noted he had called out “Showtime” years ago, he was obviously willing to take him on in an effort to sign on for the biggest fight possible:
“If Anthony Pettis fights ’55, I’m pretty sure he dropped to ’45, didn’t he? I’m pretty sure I called him out. Yeah, I called him out a long time ago and he went to ’45. But hey, if he wants to fight, Anthony, I’m your man. I’m all for it. He’s a great ex-champ and he’s a great guy and I would love to fight him.”
There’s no doubt a bout between knockout strikers like Pettis and Johnson would be a great addition to any event. It may also be the right time for such a fight, as it appears lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez will face featherweight champion Conor McGregor while No. 2 Rafael dos Anjos meets No. 3 Tony Ferguson in the main event of November 5’s UFC Fight Night 98 from Mexico City, Mexico. Unless “Menace” faces No. 1 Khabib Nurmagomedov, a fight with “Showtime” is possible.
If that doesn’t work out, Aldo has already expressed interest in a fight with Pettis, believing it to be a ‘money fight’ like Johnson that he would have an easier chance of winning than he would against surging 145-pounder Max Holloway. “Showtime” stormed onto the featherweight rankings at No. 6, and it appears the future is bright for him there.
If he returns to lightweight to face Johnson, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Coming off of a disappointing title loss to newly-crowned UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez this past July, former 155-pound champ Rafael dos Anjos recently joined The MMA Hour (courtesy of Bloody Elbow) to discuss a hard truth he learned after losing the lightweight throne. ‘RDA’ stated that it was a huge blow for him and
Coming off of a disappointing title loss to newly-crowned UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez this past July, former 155-pound champ Rafael dos Anjos recently joined The MMA Hour (courtesy of Bloody Elbow) to discuss a hard truth he learned after losing the lightweight throne.
‘RDA’ stated that it was a huge blow for him and his family after dropping the title to Alvarez, but it was nice to know who would truly stick by your side when you are no longer on the top of the mountain:
“I learned a lot of things,” dos Anjos said. “For instance, the way people treat you. I learned from each person in my family. My wife and kids were really sad, it was a big loss for us, especially due to the way it was. At the gym, too.
People treat you one way when you’re the champion and another when you’re not.”
The former lightweight champion then revealed that he would be trimming the fat off some of his so called ‘friends’ circle, and that thankfully some of them will no longer be with him once he is hoisting the 155-pound title above his head once again:
“It was good to know what people really think,” dos Anjos said. “We can’t stop adjusting and we will let some people go in order to be champion again.
Fortunately, some people will not be with me anymore.”
Dos Anjos will attempt to regroup when he takes on Tony ‘El Cucuy’ Ferguson in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter Latin America Season 3 Finale (TUF Latin America 3 Finale), from the Arena Ciudad de Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico on November 5, 2016.
UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor is the most popular mixed martial artist (MMA) in the world today, and a fight against ‘The Notorious’ Irishman is sure to do wonders for your bank account. McGregor is known around the organization as the ‘money fight’, however, 170-pound and 155-pound champions Tyron Woodley and Eddie Alvarez are eyeing
UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor is the most popular mixed martial artist (MMA) in the world today, and a fight against ‘The Notorious’ Irishman is sure to do wonders for your bank account.
McGregor is known around the organization as the ‘money fight’, however, 170-pound and 155-pound champions Tyron Woodley and Eddie Alvarez are eyeing a big payday themselves.
Following his first round knockout of ‘The Ruthless One’ Robbie Lawler to win the title at UFC 201, Woodley immediately began to campaign for a big payday with potential bouts against Nick Diaz and Georges St-Pierre.
Alvarez, who defeated the now-former lightweight king Rafael Dos Anjos via round one knockout in the main event of UFC Fight Night 90, is calling to take on the winner of McGregor and Nate Diaz at UFC 202.
Jul 7, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Eddie Alvarez lands a hit against Rafael Dos Anjos during UFC Fight Night at MGM Grand Graden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Dahl-USA TODAY Sports
When asked about the two new champions immediately campaigning for the big money fights shortly after winning their titles, courtesy of FOX Sports, McGregor feels that the two new additions to the UFC’s champions corner are in over they’re heads:
“You can’t fight on Fight Pass and you can’t fight on these shows that generate zip. (Shows) that generate zero and then start demanding these things.
I came in and I brought it all. I broke every record and then began demanding everything. I just feel they’re bums. 95-percent of the game is bums,” McGregor said.
In the end the 145-pound champ isn’t too focused on the actions of Woodley or Alvarez, but rather getting back the win Diaz took over him just five months ago:
“I’ll leave them to it. I don’t even pay attention to it,” McGregor said.
“Right now, here I am, couple days out from a big one. I’ll talk about what’s next and who’s next and all those other guys talking after the fight.”
McGregor will meet Diaz in the main event of UFC 202 live on pay-per-view (PPV), from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 20, 2016.
UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor is the most popular mixed martial artist (MMA) in the world today, and a fight against ‘The Notorious’ Irishman is sure to do wonders for your bank account. McGregor is known around the organization as the ‘money fight’, however, 170-pound and 155-pound champions Tyron Woodley and Eddie Alvarez are eyeing
UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor is the most popular mixed martial artist (MMA) in the world today, and a fight against ‘The Notorious’ Irishman is sure to do wonders for your bank account.
McGregor is known around the organization as the ‘money fight’, however, 170-pound and 155-pound champions Tyron Woodley and Eddie Alvarez are eyeing a big payday themselves.
Following his first round knockout of ‘The Ruthless One’ Robbie Lawler to win the title at UFC 201, Woodley immediately began to campaign for a big payday with potential bouts against Nick Diaz and Georges St-Pierre.
Alvarez, who defeated the now-former lightweight king Rafael Dos Anjos via round one knockout in the main event of UFC Fight Night 90, is calling to take on the winner of McGregor and Nate Diaz at UFC 202.
Jul 7, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Eddie Alvarez lands a hit against Rafael Dos Anjos during UFC Fight Night at MGM Grand Graden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Dahl-USA TODAY Sports
When asked about the two new champions immediately campaigning for the big money fights shortly after winning their titles, courtesy of FOX Sports, McGregor feels that the two new additions to the UFC’s champions corner are in over they’re heads:
“You can’t fight on Fight Pass and you can’t fight on these shows that generate zip. (Shows) that generate zero and then start demanding these things.
I came in and I brought it all. I broke every record and then began demanding everything. I just feel they’re bums. 95-percent of the game is bums,” McGregor said.
In the end the 145-pound champ isn’t too focused on the actions of Woodley or Alvarez, but rather getting back the win Diaz took over him just five months ago:
“I’ll leave them to it. I don’t even pay attention to it,” McGregor said.
“Right now, here I am, couple days out from a big one. I’ll talk about what’s next and who’s next and all those other guys talking after the fight.”
McGregor will meet Diaz in the main event of UFC 202 live on pay-per-view (PPV), from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 20, 2016.
‘RDA’ stated that it was a huge blow for him and his family after dropping the title to Alvarez, but it was nice to know who would truly stick by your side when you are no longer on the top of the mountain: