Tag: Rankings/List

The 10 Greatest Moments of Nick Diaz’s MMA Career

If you fixate on one particular corner of the MMA fan sphere, it can seem like the sky is always falling. Some terrible injustice or indignity is constantly gripping and stifling the sport, harming and embarrassing all of its affiliates.
That outrage n…

If you fixate on one particular corner of the MMA fan sphere, it can seem like the sky is always falling. Some terrible injustice or indignity is constantly gripping and stifling the sport, harming and embarrassing all of its affiliates.

That outrage niche spread into the full community Monday, though, when the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Nick Diaz for five years because he failed multiple drug tests for smoking marijuana.

Without using this space to delve too deeply into the rightness or wrongness of the action, we can point to two inalienable facts. First, if Diaz, 32, serves the full suspension, it will effectively end his career. Second, the visceral reaction to the suspension demonstrated Diaz’s continued popularity.

With those two things in mind, it seems like the right time to look back on Diaz’s career to this point. Let us now take a look at the greatest moments in the MMA career of the inimitable Mr. Diaz. Video clips included!

They are ranked based on the nature of the fight, the result and the caliber of opponent.

 

 

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The Beaten Path: 5 Top MMA Prospects to Watch in September

If you like MMA prospects, you’ve come to the right month.
The sport is snapping out of the summer doldrums in a big way, and the result is a glut of events—regional, international and otherwise. That makes for a good problem as far as we see it:…

If you like MMA prospects, you’ve come to the right month.

The sport is snapping out of the summer doldrums in a big way, and the result is a glut of events—regional, international and otherwise. That makes for a good problem as far as we see it: How do we narrow the prospect field to just five?

Luckily, we have the chops to make the cuts. We do it with surgical precision. We are The Beaten Path, your home for prospect interviews and lists and stuff. We’re always on the lookout—always seeking the next big thing for you, the discriminating mixed martial arts consumer.

So gangway, everybody. The doors are opening. Keep your shoes off the mink and don’t let the cane catch your toes. Stand aside, enjoy the ride, be The Dude and just abide. These are the five best up-and-coming fighters in action in the month of September. Video clips and event viewing coordinates included.

If you’ve been here before, you know the rules. No UFC fighters allowed. Bellator and WSOF are only allowed under extenuating circumstances. We try not to repeat fighters we’ve mentioned before. With that, here they are, ranked based on record, level of competition and estimated future potential.

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Did the UFC Get These 7 Title Shots Right?

For the UFC, picking title contenders has never been especially scientific. With the right blend of winning streaks, scheduling, hype and luck, all on the roster could find themselves contending for UFC gold.
So naturally, when the UFC pulls the trigge…

For the UFC, picking title contenders has never been especially scientific. With the right blend of winning streaks, scheduling, hype and luck, all on the roster could find themselves contending for UFC gold.

So naturally, when the UFC pulls the trigger on a fight like Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm or Daniel Cormier vs. Alexander Gustafsson, the second-guessing will be frequent and intense. 

With a slew of title fights coming up over the next few months, it’s worth taking a look at them and asking one simple question: Did they get these title fights right? Here are the answers.

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5 Female MMA Fighters the UFC Needs Now

The world of women’s mixed martial arts is growing rapidly. We have Ronda Rousey and others to thank for that, as more women are entering the sport and becoming more successful.
Not long ago, UFC President Dana White would have told you that …

The world of women’s mixed martial arts is growing rapidly. We have Ronda Rousey and others to thank for that, as more women are entering the sport and becoming more successful.

Not long ago, UFC President Dana White would have told you that women would never step foot in the Octagon. Now they are headlining pay-per-views and becoming stars in their own right, exceeding all expectations before them.

The UFC has a bantamweight and strawweight division that still need expanding. So, here are five fighters that they should ink as soon as possible.

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Fedor Emelianenko vs. the UFC’s Top 10 Heavyweights: How Would He Fare?

For the better part of a decade, the baddest man on the planet wasn’t an angry ex-street fighter with a grudge against the world, or a collegiate wrestling star groomed for athletic glory. He was an ice cream eating, sweater wearing, duck-loving savage…

For the better part of a decade, the baddest man on the planet wasn’t an angry ex-street fighter with a grudge against the world, or a collegiate wrestling star groomed for athletic glory. He was an ice cream eating, sweater wearing, duck-loving savage from tiny Stary Oskol in Russia. 

Though he never once stepped inside the UFC’s Octagon, among serious fans there was no real doubt—Fedor Emelianenko (34-4-1) was the best heavyweight MMA had ever seen.

The lists, both of Fedor’s victims and his must-see exploits, are legend. Five former UFC heavyweight champions fell at his hands, as did kickboxing stalwarts Mirko Cro Cop, Mark Hunt and Semmy Schilt. He survived a Kevin Randleman suplex, caught Andrei Arlovski in midair with a knockout blow and exuded awesomeness at every turn.

In 2010, his 34th birthday looming as he entered his 34th professional prizefight, Emelianenko showed the first chinks in his formidable armor. One loss, the first legitimate failure of his career, became three in a row in what felt like the blink of an eye. The king was toppled from his throne and Emelianenko faded into memory.

Now, three years after he last entered the ring, Emelianenko is considering a return to action. With Bellator all but bowing out of the bidding, the UFC has emerged as his likely destination. 

How would the “Last Emperor,” now 38, fare against today’s best big men? Has Father Time been kind, healing old wounds and providing new-found vigor? Or will the once-great warrior simply be older, slower and punchier than ever before?

Bleacher Report’s crack team came together to provide our best guesses. Have some thoughts of your own? Share them in the comments.

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The 7 Most Anticipated UFC Rematches

UFC matchmaker Joe Silva has been a very busy man of late, especially when it comes to booking rematches.
In just the past week, Rafael dos Anjos vs. Donald Cerrone II and Fabricio Werdum vs. Cain Velasquez II were added to the promotional docket.
Now …

UFC matchmaker Joe Silva has been a very busy man of late, especially when it comes to booking rematches.

In just the past week, Rafael dos Anjos vs. Donald Cerrone II and Fabricio Werdum vs. Cain Velasquez II were added to the promotional docket.

Now while both contests serve as championship fights, there are plenty of reboots at the promotion’s disposal that don’t necessarily incorporate divisional gold.

But in an organization as deep and revolving as the UFC, which Octagon repeats stand out above the rest?

Look no further. Here are the most anticipated rematches available to the promotion at this time, some of which have already been scheduled.

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