A young fighter looking to establish himself in the UFC is a difficult task unto itself. But when the path to do so involves battling through one of the deepest and most competitive divisions under the UFC banner, the challenges are going to come fast …
A young fighter looking to establish himself in the UFC is a difficult task unto itself. But when the path to do so involves battling through one of the deepest and most competitive divisions under the UFC banner, the challenges are going to come fast and furious.
The pace and constant pressure to progress can be a nightmare for up-and-coming talent, but thus far in his journey, 25-year-old Ramsey Nijem has taken each step in stride.
As a finalist in the 13th season of The Ultimate Fighter, the John Hackleman-trained fighter came up short in his bid to earn the coveted six-figure contract. Despite the setback in his Octagon debut, Nijem charged back with vigor and has claimed victory in his last three outings.
The California native’s impressive run of performances and unorthodox style have put him on the map as a developing prospect in the UFC’s ultra-competitive lightweight division, and he has no intention of letting his foot off the gas as he looks to continue making his way up the divisional ladder.
Nijem will square off with another rising prospect this weekend in San Jose when he mixes it up with fellow TUF alum Myles Jury at UFC on Fox 7. The bout will feature two fighters looking to lead the next wave in the 155-pound weight class, and Nijem is looking forward to the scrap on Saturday night.
The Pit Elevated fighter recently spoke with Bleacher Report’s The Ultimate Show, where he discussed his upcoming tilt with Jury and much more.
There is not a fighter currently in the UFC that doesn’t aspire to be featured on the main card of any televised event whether it’s pay-per-view, Fox, FX or otherwise. The main card signifies recognition from the UFC in a number of ways for a fighter.&…
There is not a fighter currently in the UFC that doesn’t aspire to be featured on the main card of any televised event whether it’s pay-per-view, Fox, FX or otherwise.
The main card signifies recognition from the UFC in a number of ways for a fighter.It means a fighter is climbing up the ranks and should be seen by a wider audience.It means the fighter is somebody fans want to watch or should take notice of when they compete.
For the fighter, beyond recognition from the UFC, it also means larger paydays and bigger sponsorships because the more eyeballs on a fight translates into better opportunities.
Several high-profile managers confirmed when speaking to Bleacher Report that the difference for a fighter competing on the main card versus the preliminary show can mean huge sums of money.Some fighters can draw rates up to 600 percent higher when showcased on a pay-per-view or a Fox card.
There are also situations where a fighter can benefit from being featured on an FX card depending on the selling power of a pay-per-view, but typically across the board every manager agrees it’s better for a fighter’s career to be on the main card versus any other slot on a show’s lineup.
This weekend, like most UFC events, a mix of fighters will be showcased on either FX or Facebook as the preliminary bouts that essentially serve as a warm-up to the main card.The preliminary fights are kind of like the opening band at a big concert.They are there to get the crowd ready for the big act that’s about to hit the stage.
It’s not a bad spot to have by any means because millions of fans still have access to watch the fights worldwide, and on a network like FX, as previously mentioned, it could mean potentially bigger numbers than even a pay-per-view might draw.The goal, however, is to make it to the main card, and there are several competitors this weekend fighting at UFC on Fox 7 who are battling for wins and a little bit of recognition.
Former Ultimate Fighter finalist Ramsey Nijem will be looking for his fourth win in a row this weekend since dropping down to 155 pounds. Nijem doesn’t mind the slow and easy approach to his career when it comes to fighting on the preliminary portion of the show.
He’s also realistic about where he fits into the pay scale of the UFC as he still serves out his original contract from being on the reality show. Typically, fighters coming off of the Ultimate Fighter are set at a certain level, and once they complete that deal then they can renegotiate for a different contract.
“Taking it one fight at a time, and they keep matching me up with similar guys as me in the lightweight division right now.I’m okay with that because I don’t want to go fight a guy that’s making ten times the money I’m making while I’m still under the Ultimate Fighter contract,” Nijem told Bleacher Report recently.“I want to just build my name and reputation and then when I’m out of it I can start taking bigger fights.I’m still developing as a fighter, I don’t want to rush into anything yet.
“I’m in like an entry way job.I’m still making entry wage pay.So it’s not like I’m going to fight a guy making $200 grand and pay-per-view cuts and I’m making $10,000 or $14,000 whatever I’m making this next fight.”
Nijem‘s opponent Myles Jury finds himself in a similar situation after competing on the 15thseason of the reality show.Jury is 2-0 since exiting the show but also understands that he has to earn his way to the main card.
While there’s no set of rules the UFC sets forth on how a fighter can make the main card, sometimes it’s about the matchup, and other times it’s about they style of fighter and how exciting they can make a bout.A little personality goes a long way as well when a fighter is willing to talk and promote a card.
Jury plans on being himself and not portraying some over-the-top character just to get featured on television.He figures getting there the old fashioned way with hard work is a better approach.
“I’m not like ChaelSonnen or some of these other guys that like to talk their way up to big fights. I just do me.I stay true to myself, I stay original to myself.I’m my own unique person.I’m not going to change no matter what.I’m just going to keep being me and as long as I keep winning, people will respect that,” said Jury.“Sometimes I’ll just be zoning out and I’ll think it would just be cool to fight on the main card of a pay-per-view or what not.
“On the main card you get more sponsors and more opportunity, more exposure, all that stuff. At the end of the day, I feel like fighting in the UFC’s a gift. Honestly I could really care less.I don’t know if that’s bad to say.”
Being employed by the UFC is another thing just about every professional fighter desires, so Jury is correct in that regard. But that doesn’t mean advancement isn’t possible.It’s no different than landing a dream job with a company and then climbing up the ranks.
UFC featherweight Darren Elkins is another preliminary fighter with main card dreams, but he’s also gunning for a title shot this weekend.
A winner of five fights in a row at 145 pounds, Elkins seized the opportunity to face No. 1 ranked Chad Mendes this weekend at UFC on Fox 7 on short notice when his original opponent, Clay Guida, dropped out due to injury.Like any fighter, Elkins wants to be recognized for his victories on the way to the top, but his goals take him to the height of the sport with a gold belt wrapped around his waist in the near future.
“I look at this as a situation to put me where I want to be at,” Elkins said in an interview with Bleacher Report.“It’s a guy that’s going to put me in a title shot position. In everyone’s rankings he’s either one behind Jose Aldo or one behind that, he’s No. 2 or 3 in all the rankings.His only loss is to the champion.There’s no doubt this is a great opportunity to shoot up the rankings.
“If I put on a great performance I think that’s going to be the key. We have to go out there and show who deserves a title shot.”
A title shot in the featherweight division would also guarantee Elkins his first trip to the main card of a UFC show.Through seven fights, Elkins has never tasted what it’s like to be featured on the main card, but he hopes to change all that with a win over Mendes this weekend.
Of course every fighter is going to approach the opportunity to fight in the UFC differently, whether it’s on the main card or the preliminary portion of the show.
Nijem is just showing patience, and he knows that if he keeps winning there’s no denying him a spot in a big fight down the road.He looks at this fight and however many more he has to take while competing on the prelims as a chance to get better and improve.
When the time is right, Nijem knows he’ll get the call up to the big show and then he’ll have his chance to shine.
“Once I’m on a good streak and can renegotiate and everything like that, I feel like I’m fighting guys at the same tier as me right now,” said Nijem.“I want to keep building my name as a top lightweight.”
His opponent tries to ignore all the talk about main cards and prelims because he has no control over where he’s placed.Sure, there are times Jury wonders why one fight or fighter is on a main card, but ultimately he trusts UFC matchmakers Joe Silva and Sean Shelby to make the right calls.
“What really helps me to not even think about that stuff is I really have no control of it,” said Jury.“I see some guys get on the main card and I’m like they definitely deserve that. Then I see other people and I’m like how did they get there?You’ve just got to go out there and be yourself.I really have no control over there.”
All three fighters will try to stake a claim this weekend on the UFC on Fox 7 prelims.Depending on the outcome, it could mean a trip to the main card the next time they step foot in the Octagon.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.
LAS VEGAS – MMA Fighting caught up with Ramsey Nijem after his first UFC win at UFC 137. Nijem says why he’s disappointed with Bruce Buffer for not using his “stripper” nickname, what Danny Downes handed him at weigh-ins and why he wasn’t able to finish him.
LAS VEGAS – MMA Fighting caught up with Ramsey Nijem after his first UFC win at UFC 137. Nijem says why he’s disappointed with Bruce Buffer for not using his “stripper” nickname, what Danny Downes handed him at weigh-ins and why he wasn’t able to finish him.
LAS VEGAS — This is the UFC 137 live blog for the four non-televised bouts in support of tonight’s UFC pay-per-view card at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Round 1: Lots of circling early as Jacoby circles the outside of the cage. Starks lands a right cross but Jacoby takes it well. Tight right by Jacoby moments later. Starks answers back. Action is slow-paced but most of the strikes thrown have been power shots. Both men working hard with their footwork to cut off angles. Starks counters a hook with a right hand that scores. Starks goes to the body. One minute left. Starks chases Jacoby across the cage but doesn’t land much. Starks scores a takedown with :30 left. Jacoby hunts a kimura but Starks defends as the round closes. It’s Starks, 10-9.
Round 2: Hard right hand early by Jacoby, his best strike of the fight so far. Starks circles away, and looks fine. Jacoby uses a spinning heel kick that only partially connects. Left hook from Jacoby. Starks times a right that scores as Jacoby leans in. Starks takes Jacoby down with two minutes left. Jacoby does a good job keeping a tight guard but Starks occasionally sneaks in a right hand to the body or head. The late second is all Starks’, and he steals it away 10-9.
Round 3: The straight right is Starks’ money punch, and he lands it again early. The two exchange. Jacoby lands a knee from the clinch. Moments later, Starks shoots and takes him down. Jacoby keeps a tight guard but he’s behind and probably needs to be more aggressive. Starks passes to half-guard. Jacoby again looks for the kimura. Starks finally works his arm out of danger with 30 seconds left and lands some punches from the top. He’s going to take the round 10-9.
Winner: Clifford Starks via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Francis Carmont vs. Chris Camozzi
Round 1: Carmont walks out with welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre in his corner to make his UFC debut. Carmont takes Camozzi down inside the first minute, but Camozzi uses the wall to get back to his feet. Camozzi pushes Carmont against the cage. Carmont punches his way out of the position. Camozzi tries to bully him again, pushing him into the corner. Carmont lands a few knees to the body. Carmont pulls Camozzi down but Camozzi pops right back up. Carmont throws a knee, then a pair of elbows. He’s showing some diverse offense. Relatively close round but Carmont takes it 10-9.
Round 2: Carmont lands a right hand and Camozzi moves inside to initiate the clinch against the fence. Carmont likes knees from in tight, and he’s landed a few any time he has the space. Camozzi is trying hard to crowd him. Carmont lands a right hand, backing Camozzi up. A nice exchange and Carmont gets the better of it. Carmont goes for the takedown, picks up Camozzi and slams him down on his back. Carmont on top with strikes and over a minute to work. Carmont looked up at the clock, Camozzi tried to take the opportunity to get up, and Carmont dropped him with a left hook. Carmont tried to finish but Camozzi covered up. Big round for Carmont 10-9.
Round 3: Carmont lands a series of strikes early. He backed up and Camozzi audibly swore, giving the crowd a laugh. Carmont is taking over the fight with his standup. Camozzi’s face has been bloodied since the second round and Carmont looks pretty much unmarked. Another Carmont takedown with two minutes left. Hammer strikes from the top until he pulls Carmont into his guard. Carmont lets him up and Camozzi comes up with a flying knee into a clinch. Time’s running short. Camozzi nearly had a kimura as time ran out. Carmont 10-9.
Winner: Francis Carmont via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Danny Downes vs. Ramsey Nijem,
Round 1: Left hook by Nijem to open things. Nijem flurries in with a combination, the moves in for the takedown. Downes gets back up but Nijem tags him again with right hands. Nijem scores another takedown. Downes works free for a moment before Nijem drags him down. We’re up and down like musical chairs. Nijem finally takes Downes’ back and looks for the rear naked choke. Downes defends that but Nijem throws strikes to free up his neck. He looks for the choke again. Downes gets free with over a minute left. He has little time to accomplish anything. Nijem takes him down again and gets right to his back. It’s a very one-sided round, and it’s Nijem’s 10-9.
Round 2: Much better start to round two for Downes, who briefly had Nijem in an inverted triangle. Nijem got free though, and took Downes to the ground again. He immediately mounted Downes, who gave up his back. Nijem went for the rear naked choke again. Downes fought it off. Nijem looked for an Americana, Downes scrambled free. Nijem’s basically having his way with him, even if he can’t get the finish. He’s been riding Downes’ back for most of the round. Downes is surviving, but it’s one-sided, 10-9.
Round 3: Nijem faked a takedown and fired off some offense that landed. Downes circled away but Nijem followed him for another takedown. The round then settles into the same thing that’s come before it. Nijem in top position looking for a finish but Downes resisting. Another rear naked choke try from Nijem. With this one, he had the body triangle in and still couldn’t finish. It’s going the distance, and it’s going to be Nijem’s 10-9. Could easily be a 10-8 as well.
Winner: Ramsey Nijem via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-27)
Brandon Vera vs. Eliot Marshall
Round 1: Vera attacking the legs and body early with kicks. Vera then jumps into a flying knee. They clinch against the cage until Vera pushes off and they re-set in the middle. Marshall flurries with a combo, and Vera answers with a right cross before another clinch. It’s a stalemate and the ref breaks them up with a minute left. Vera still attacking the legs with low kicks. Marshall tries a high kick near the final horn that misses. Vera takes a slow round 10-9.
Round 2: Pace picks up to start the second. Vera just misses on a head kick and Marshall goes low, looking for the takedown. Marshall grinds him into the fence. The two jockey for position until Vera takes him down with three minutes left. Vera to half-guard, and drops elbows from the position. Marshall gets back to his feet and Vera fires off a hard knee from the clinch. They move back to the center with 20 seconds left. Marshall connects with a left hook near the close. It’s Vera’s 10-9.
Round 3: Marshall staggers Vera early with a right hand. Marshall then drops him with a right. Vera is in trouble as Marshall throws blows from the top. Vera covers up and gets to his feet. Marshall lands another hard left hand before Vera can initiate a clinch and give himself recovery time.
LAS VEGAS — This is the UFC 137 live blog for the four non-televised bouts in support of tonight’s UFC pay-per-view card at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Round 1: Lots of circling early as Jacoby circles the outside of the cage. Starks lands a right cross but Jacoby takes it well. Tight right by Jacoby moments later. Starks answers back. Action is slow-paced but most of the strikes thrown have been power shots. Both men working hard with their footwork to cut off angles. Starks counters a hook with a right hand that scores. Starks goes to the body. One minute left. Starks chases Jacoby across the cage but doesn’t land much. Starks scores a takedown with :30 left. Jacoby hunts a kimura but Starks defends as the round closes. It’s Starks, 10-9.
Round 2: Hard right hand early by Jacoby, his best strike of the fight so far. Starks circles away, and looks fine. Jacoby uses a spinning heel kick that only partially connects. Left hook from Jacoby. Starks times a right that scores as Jacoby leans in. Starks takes Jacoby down with two minutes left. Jacoby does a good job keeping a tight guard but Starks occasionally sneaks in a right hand to the body or head. The late second is all Starks’, and he steals it away 10-9.
Round 3: The straight right is Starks’ money punch, and he lands it again early. The two exchange. Jacoby lands a knee from the clinch. Moments later, Starks shoots and takes him down. Jacoby keeps a tight guard but he’s behind and probably needs to be more aggressive. Starks passes to half-guard. Jacoby again looks for the kimura. Starks finally works his arm out of danger with 30 seconds left and lands some punches from the top. He’s going to take the round 10-9.
Winner: Clifford Starks via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Francis Carmont vs. Chris Camozzi
Round 1: Carmont walks out with welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre in his corner to make his UFC debut. Carmont takes Camozzi down inside the first minute, but Camozzi uses the wall to get back to his feet. Camozzi pushes Carmont against the cage. Carmont punches his way out of the position. Camozzi tries to bully him again, pushing him into the corner. Carmont lands a few knees to the body. Carmont pulls Camozzi down but Camozzi pops right back up. Carmont throws a knee, then a pair of elbows. He’s showing some diverse offense. Relatively close round but Carmont takes it 10-9.
Round 2: Carmont lands a right hand and Camozzi moves inside to initiate the clinch against the fence. Carmont likes knees from in tight, and he’s landed a few any time he has the space. Camozzi is trying hard to crowd him. Carmont lands a right hand, backing Camozzi up. A nice exchange and Carmont gets the better of it. Carmont goes for the takedown, picks up Camozzi and slams him down on his back. Carmont on top with strikes and over a minute to work. Carmont looked up at the clock, Camozzi tried to take the opportunity to get up, and Carmont dropped him with a left hook. Carmont tried to finish but Camozzi covered up. Big round for Carmont 10-9.
Round 3: Carmont lands a series of strikes early. He backed up and Camozzi audibly swore, giving the crowd a laugh. Carmont is taking over the fight with his standup. Camozzi’s face has been bloodied since the second round and Carmont looks pretty much unmarked. Another Carmont takedown with two minutes left. Hammer strikes from the top until he pulls Carmont into his guard. Carmont lets him up and Camozzi comes up with a flying knee into a clinch. Time’s running short. Camozzi nearly had a kimura as time ran out. Carmont 10-9.
Winner: Francis Carmont via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Danny Downes vs. Ramsey Nijem,
Round 1: Left hook by Nijem to open things. Nijem flurries in with a combination, the moves in for the takedown. Downes gets back up but Nijem tags him again with right hands. Nijem scores another takedown. Downes works free for a moment before Nijem drags him down. We’re up and down like musical chairs. Nijem finally takes Downes’ back and looks for the rear naked choke. Downes defends that but Nijem throws strikes to free up his neck. He looks for the choke again. Downes gets free with over a minute left. He has little time to accomplish anything. Nijem takes him down again and gets right to his back. It’s a very one-sided round, and it’s Nijem’s 10-9.
Round 2: Much better start to round two for Downes, who briefly had Nijem in an inverted triangle. Nijem got free though, and took Downes to the ground again. He immediately mounted Downes, who gave up his back. Nijem went for the rear naked choke again. Downes fought it off. Nijem looked for an Americana, Downes scrambled free. Nijem’s basically having his way with him, even if he can’t get the finish. He’s been riding Downes’ back for most of the round. Downes is surviving, but it’s one-sided, 10-9.
Round 3: Nijem faked a takedown and fired off some offense that landed. Downes circled away but Nijem followed him for another takedown. The round then settles into the same thing that’s come before it. Nijem in top position looking for a finish but Downes resisting. Another rear naked choke try from Nijem. With this one, he had the body triangle in and still couldn’t finish. It’s going the distance, and it’s going to be Nijem’s 10-9. Could easily be a 10-8 as well.
Winner: Ramsey Nijem via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-27)
Brandon Vera vs. Eliot Marshall
Round 1: Vera attacking the legs and body early with kicks. Vera then jumps into a flying knee. They clinch against the cage until Vera pushes off and they re-set in the middle. Marshall flurries with a combo, and Vera answers with a right cross before another clinch. It’s a stalemate and the ref breaks them up with a minute left. Vera still attacking the legs with low kicks. Marshall tries a high kick near the final horn that misses. Vera takes a slow round 10-9.
Round 2: Pace picks up to start the second. Vera just misses on a head kick and Marshall goes low, looking for the takedown. Marshall grinds him into the fence. The two jockey for position until Vera takes him down with three minutes left. Vera to half-guard, and drops elbows from the position. Marshall gets back to his feet and Vera fires off a hard knee from the clinch. They move back to the center with 20 seconds left. Marshall connects with a left hook near the close. It’s Vera’s 10-9.
Round 3: Marshall staggers Vera early with a right hand. Marshall then drops him with a right. Vera is in trouble as Marshall throws blows from the top. Vera covers up and gets to his feet. Marshall lands another hard left hand before Vera can initiate a clinch and give himself recovery time.
Nijem told host Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of “The MMA Hour” that it was his pride that got in the way, and that, along with a Ferguson left, saw his dream of being a TUF champion go out the window.
“It wasn’t nerves as much as my pride got to me a little bit,” Nijem said of his knockout loss to Ferguson. “Tony’s a really good striker, hits hard and has good head movement. People said, ‘You’ll get knocked out if you stand with him,’ and the critics were right on that. I just learned from that to play to my strengths and not play to their strengths.”
Nijem (4-2, 0-1 UFC), who trains at The Pit Elevated camp in Utah along with TUF 11 champ Court McGee, made his reputation in the TUF house as a fun-loving competitor who would go to just about any length for a laugh – including disrobing, leading to his “Stripper Ramsey” nickname catching on. He said bringing a relaxed attitude to his fight game should help him get back in the win column – but if it doesn’t, he can live with it.
“I’m a much better fighter when I’m just out there having fun,” Nijem said. “As long as I’m just out there for the right reasons, I’ll be successful and won’t have any regrets after the fight. If I execute my game plan and still lose and have fun, that’s all I can expect out of myself.”
Nijem fought at welterweight on Season 13 of TUF, but for his UFC 137 fight Saturday against Danny Downes (8-2, 0-1 UFC), he drops back to lightweight. It’s a weight he believes will be beneficial to him because of his size.
The Palestinian-American fighter, who wrestled collegiately at Utah Valley University, said 155 will be a tough cut for him, but one he thinks will pay off. He fought at lightweight once before moving to welterweight for a shot at the UFC in the spring during his TUF season.
“I was fighting at ’55 before I went on the show, kind of bouncing around between (lightweight and welterweight),” Nijem said. “I just feel my size can make up for my lack of experience in the ring. ’55’s a pretty big cut for me. If I was on the show at ’55 the season before, I don’t think I would’ve performed as well. ’70 was a good opportunity for the show, and be able to drop back down to ’55 after.”
Against Downes, Nijem faces an opponent also in search of his first UFC win. The Duke Roufus-trained fighter lost a unanimous decision to Jeremy Stephens at the TUF 13 Finale in June after going 1-1 in the WEC before the merger.
Nijem said he knew from seeing Downes’ fight against Stephens that he might be hard to finish, but believes his skill set can top Downes’.
“Danny is a tough opponent – he’s the kind of person you can never count out,” Nijem said “He’s in shape, he hits hard and he’s there to fight. He’s not easy to finish. But I feel I’m a better fighter, more explosive, more athletic and I’ll be bigger the day of the fight. I’m obviously the better wrestler and grappler. This is a winnable fight for me, but Danny’s tough and I’m … getting ready for a three-round grind.”
Nijem and Downes fight on the preliminary card of UFC 137 on Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Their lightweight fight will be one of four prelims that will stream live on the UFC’s Facebook fan page.
UFC 137 is headlined by a welterweight contenders bout between former lightweight and welterweight champion BJ Penn and former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz. That fight became the main event when welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre had to pull out of his title fight against Carlos Condit with an injury last week.
Nijem told host Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of “The MMA Hour” that it was his pride that got in the way, and that, along with a Ferguson left, saw his dream of being a TUF champion go out the window.
“It wasn’t nerves as much as my pride got to me a little bit,” Nijem said of his knockout loss to Ferguson. “Tony’s a really good striker, hits hard and has good head movement. People said, ‘You’ll get knocked out if you stand with him,’ and the critics were right on that. I just learned from that to play to my strengths and not play to their strengths.”
Nijem (4-2, 0-1 UFC), who trains at The Pit Elevated camp in Utah along with TUF 11 champ Court McGee, made his reputation in the TUF house as a fun-loving competitor who would go to just about any length for a laugh – including disrobing, leading to his “Stripper Ramsey” nickname catching on. He said bringing a relaxed attitude to his fight game should help him get back in the win column – but if it doesn’t, he can live with it.
“I’m a much better fighter when I’m just out there having fun,” Nijem said. “As long as I’m just out there for the right reasons, I’ll be successful and won’t have any regrets after the fight. If I execute my game plan and still lose and have fun, that’s all I can expect out of myself.”
Nijem fought at welterweight on Season 13 of TUF, but for his UFC 137 fight Saturday against Danny Downes (8-2, 0-1 UFC), he drops back to lightweight. It’s a weight he believes will be beneficial to him because of his size.
The Palestinian-American fighter, who wrestled collegiately at Utah Valley University, said 155 will be a tough cut for him, but one he thinks will pay off. He fought at lightweight once before moving to welterweight for a shot at the UFC in the spring during his TUF season.
“I was fighting at ’55 before I went on the show, kind of bouncing around between (lightweight and welterweight),” Nijem said. “I just feel my size can make up for my lack of experience in the ring. ’55’s a pretty big cut for me. If I was on the show at ’55 the season before, I don’t think I would’ve performed as well. ’70 was a good opportunity for the show, and be able to drop back down to ’55 after.”
Against Downes, Nijem faces an opponent also in search of his first UFC win. The Duke Roufus-trained fighter lost a unanimous decision to Jeremy Stephens at the TUF 13 Finale in June after going 1-1 in the WEC before the merger.
Nijem said he knew from seeing Downes’ fight against Stephens that he might be hard to finish, but believes his skill set can top Downes’.
“Danny is a tough opponent – he’s the kind of person you can never count out,” Nijem said “He’s in shape, he hits hard and he’s there to fight. He’s not easy to finish. But I feel I’m a better fighter, more explosive, more athletic and I’ll be bigger the day of the fight. I’m obviously the better wrestler and grappler. This is a winnable fight for me, but Danny’s tough and I’m … getting ready for a three-round grind.”
Nijem and Downes fight on the preliminary card of UFC 137 on Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Their lightweight fight will be one of four prelims that will stream live on the UFC’s Facebook fan page.
UFC 137 is headlined by a welterweight contenders bout between former lightweight and welterweight champion BJ Penn and former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz. That fight became the main event when welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre had to pull out of his title fight against Carlos Condit with an injury last week.
The MMA Hour is back in your life on Monday. Here’s who will be stopping by for our 105th show.
* Thomas Gerbasi, the author of “UFC Encyclopedia” and the editorial director for Zuffa, will be in studio to talk about his new book and his work on UFC.com and Strikeforce.com.
* Ramsey Nijem will talk about his UFC 137 bout against Danny Downes on Saturday night.
* Featherweight Bart Palaszewski will discuss his move to 145 pounds and his fight against Tyson Griffin at UFC 137.
* “King” Muhammed Lawal will discuss what’s next for him and will help us preview Saturday night’s UFC pay-per-view.
Of course, we’ll be taking your calls. Give us a shout at: 212-254-0193, 212-254-0237 or 212-254-0714.
*** You can also stream the show live on your iPhone or iPad by clicking here.
Watch the replay below. Subscribe to The MMA Hour on iTunes: audio feed here; video feed here. Download previous episodes here. Listen to the show via Stitcher here.
The MMA Hour is back in your life on Monday. Here’s who will be stopping by for our 105th show.
* Thomas Gerbasi, the author of “UFC Encyclopedia” and the editorial director for Zuffa, will be in studio to talk about his new book and his work on UFC.com and Strikeforce.com.
* Ramsey Nijem will talk about his UFC 137 bout against Danny Downes on Saturday night.
* Featherweight Bart Palaszewski will discuss his move to 145 pounds and his fight against Tyson Griffin at UFC 137.
* “King” Muhammed Lawal will discuss what’s next for him and will help us preview Saturday night’s UFC pay-per-view.
Of course, we’ll be taking your calls. Give us a shout at: 212-254-0193, 212-254-0237 or 212-254-0714.
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LAS VEGAS — This is the 
For young fighters trying to make their names through the 