The UFC doesn’t necessarily need to buffer a Jon Jones title defense with anything spectacular, but on Saturday, September 21, UFC 165 will feature not only Jones looking to keep his light heavyweight championship out of Alexander Gustafsson’s reach, b…
The UFC doesn’t necessarily need to buffer a Jon Jones title defense with anything spectacular, but on Saturday, September 21, UFC 165 will feature not only Jones looking to keep his light heavyweight championship out of Alexander Gustafsson’s reach, but also a co-main event championship bout between 135-pound interim champion Renan Barao and top contender Eddie Wineland.
Though there are a few other noteworthy fighters sprinkled throughout the main card, it’s important to note that not all of the scheduled fights are worthy of the same recognition and anticipation.
Let’s take a moment to delve into the details behind the five main contests scheduled to go down in Toronto on Saturday night—perhaps a good power ranking is exactly what’s needed to jump-start the combat festivities.
Things have been a veritable mess in the UFC’s bantamweight division.
With champion Dominick Cruz being on the sidelines due to injury for the past two years, and interim strap holder Renan Barao recovering from a setback as well, the bantamweight divi…
Things have been a veritable mess in the UFC’s bantamweight division.
With champion Dominick Cruz being on the sidelines due to injury for the past two years, and interim strap holder RenanBarao recovering from a setback as well, the bantamweight division has looked like a busy stretch of interstate under construction.
That being said, the Brazilian wrecking machine is set to return to action this Saturday night against Eddie Wineland at UFC 165, and the state of disrepair the division has been locked in for the past year, will finally fade away.
And in truth, it couldn’t come at a better time.
Outside of Barao and Cruz, there is another wave of potential contenders looking to make their runs toward a future title opportunity. Top-level fighters like Urijah Faber and Michael McDonald have been storming through the competition, but with the championship tier in shambles, there was no way to travel up the ladder.
Both have remained busy by wrecking shop in the bantamweight ranks, but with Barao‘s interim title returning to play this weekend, the action will begin to ramp up at 135-pounds.
While depth of talent is ultimately what matters most in a weight class, a heated divisional title race is crucial to keeping fighters motivated and generating fan interest. With the bantamweight division being one of the more recent additions to the UFC roster and fans being slow to grab on, the 135-pound collection needs all the excitement they can bring to the table.
The division has all the key elements to become one of the most exciting weight classes under the UFC banner, but those moving parts need to start firing on all cylinders. Barao versus Wineland will kick things off on Saturday night in Toronto, but they are going to need some help from their peers to ensure the division gets back on track.
A 135-Pound Firefight in Toronto
Bantamweights are known for being scrappy fighters who get right down to business and RenanBarao and Eddie Wineland are perfect examples.
Barao is the most well-rounded fighter in the 135-pound fold and has the ability to finish a fight at any moment, from any position inside the cage. The 26-year-old has one of the longest and most impressive winning streaks rolling to date, as the Nova Uniao product has collected 30 consecutive victories.
While Barao‘s versatile stand up has made him one of the most dangerous strikers in the bantamweight division, his skill set when the action hits the canvas has been equally formidable. Of the seven victories he’s earned while competing under the Zuffa banner, four have come by way of a finish, all of which have been submissions.
With so many tools to chose from, Barao is a threat at every moment of the fight.
Yet, what is perhaps the most impressive element to his game is the measured aggression and patience he’s shown during recent outings.
Where the Andre Pederneiras-trained fighter has blitzed and overwhelmed opponents in the past, his most recent outing against Michael McDonald at UFC on Fuel TV 7 in February showed he has the ability to bait his opposition into making crucial mistakes.
When he steps into the Octagon this Saturday night, his opponent will be looking to bring the fight directly to him. If Barao can continue to show the skills that have made him a champion, there is a good chance he’ll exit the Octagon at UFC 165 that way as well.
Things look much different on Wineland‘s side of the table. The 29-year-old former WEC bantamweight champion’s recent success has been dependent on his ability to turn fights into gritty affairs. The Indiana native has solid boxing skills and solid takedown defense which has allowed him to keep the action exactly where he wants it to be.
In recent showings against Scott Jorgensen and Brad Pickett, the Chesterton-based fighter used his technique and power to pick apart the opposition. Wineland scored a knockout victory over Jorgensen UFC on FX 3 in June of 2012, then defeated “One Punch” on the judge’s score cards at UFC 155 in December.
While Wineland‘s striking made the difference in those fights, he’ll face a much different challenge against Barao.
Jorgensen and Pickett both brought a hard-charging, straight forward approach into their fights with Wineland. And while Barao has no issue keeping a fight standing, his movement and Muay Thai skills are on a different level.
Whether the matchup between Barao and Wineland will be guaranteed excitement, the most important element to the bout will be the divisional “restart” their co-main event tilt in Toronto will provide. They were originally set to collide at UFC 161 in June, but a foot injury put Barao on the sidelines and bumped the fight back to September 21.
The two fighters will scrap it out on Saturday night, and for the first time in six months, there will be movement in the championship tier at 135-pounds.
Here Come the Contenders
With the interim title on the line this weekend at UFC 165, traffic will resume in the rest of the bantamweight division, and there will be several potential contenders gunning for a title opportunity.
Easily the most notable of this group will be Urijah Faber. “The California Kid” has been on a tear since dropping his previous title bid to Barao at UFC 149 in July of 2012, as the Team Alpha Male leader has racked up three consecutive victories—all of which have come in impressive fashion.
The 34-year-old has looked reinvigorated of late as he’s steamrolled top competition the likes of Ivan Menjivar, Scott Jorgensen and Yuri Alcantara. His most recent victory over Alcantara at Fight Night 26 in August was his toughest of the bunch as he overcame early adversity to secure the unanimous decision victory.
Following his win in Boston, a title shot would have been in line had the opportunity been available. Nevertheless, there was no title opportunity available, and the only option for Faber was to keep rolling. He’s expected to face Michael McDonald at UFC on Fox 9 on Dec. 14, and the winner of that bout will have a strong case for a championship bid.
While the former WEC poster boy will certainly have more momentum coming into the bout, McDonald will have just as much on the line in Sacramento. “Mayday” also fell short in his quest to dethrone Barao, but he bounced back strong when he snuffed Brad Pickett in the second round of their bout at Fight Night 26 in August.
His performance against the heavy-handed Brit showed just how much the 22-year-old has in the resilience department.
With Barao snapping his eight-fight winning streak and handing him his first loss in four years, McDonald proved he can return with fire as he drubbed Pickett from pillar to post during their tilt in Boston. And he will certainly have his hands full with Faber in December.
Since losing his WEC featherweight title to Mike Brown in 2008, the only fights Faber has come up short in have been when there is a title on the line. Throughout his decade-long career he’s never lost a non-title fight. McDonald will be looking to end that impressive run and earn himself another shot at Bantamweight gold in the process.
While the winner of Faber vs. McDonald should be considered as the next title contender, the long-awaited return of Dominick Cruz could throw a wrench in those plans.
The Clock is Ticking for Dominick Cruz
When October 1 rolls around, it will mark two years since Dominick Cruz last stepped foot inside the Octagon. The bantamweight champion has been plagued by a torn ACL which was suffered while preparing for his third showdown with Urijah Faber.
While his recovery time was originally figured to be a six to nine month stint, Cruz’s body rejected the cadaver ligament used to repair the knee. He was force to undergo the surgery again which pushed his projected return date into limbo.
However, that status has changed in recent weeks.
UFC President Dana White told the media earlier this month that the bantamweight champion is set to return in early 2014 with a title unification bout figured to be the first action he sees upon resuming his championship reign.
Where Cruz was dominant as the bantamweight king prior to his injury, the lengthy layoff has created some doubt where his top status in the division is concerned. In his absence, RenanBarao has collected four consecutive victories which includes winning and successfully defending the interim bantamweight title.
If Barao is successful on Saturday against Wineland, he will only pick up that much more momentum heading into a potential unification bout with Cruz. While “The Dominator” undoubtedly deserves to return high in the divisional hierarchy, facing an opponent on a red-hot tear like Barao is a steep order for even the most talented of fighters.
On the other hand, should Cruz suffer another setback in his attempt to return to action, the UFC would absolutely be forced to make a decision on his title status. Where the organization has implemented interim titles on multiple occasions, White and Co. have been slow to strip away titles their champions have earned.
This has certainly been the case where Cruz is concerned, as White has dismissed the matter for the past two years. Nevertheless, the UFC head honcho has stretched the matter out about as far as it can be taken. And if Cruz can’t return early next year as projected, making the interim champion the official title holder would be a move White needs to make.
That being said, Cruz is confident his comeback is right on schedule.
While his return to the bantamweight throne would slow things up for a short stretch, having the best 135-pound fighter in the world back in the mix would only serve to crank up the intensity on the divisional title race in the long run.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report.
I like Eddie Wineland. Watching him fight is a study in style and grace in MMA as he glides and bounces around the cage. Too many fighters are happy to simply wade in and lock horns.
At UFC 165 Eddie Wineland will meet Renan Barao for the interim …
I like Eddie Wineland. Watching him fight is a study in style and grace in MMA as he glides and bounces around the cage. Too many fighters are happy to simply wade in and lock horns.
At UFC 165 Eddie Wineland will meet Renan Barao for the interim (but in reality the actual) Bantamweight title in a match which is being largely overlooked because of the Jones vs Gustafsson main event.
Today we will take a brief look at Wineland’s tendencies and skills.
The first thing to note is that Wineland loves to move. Normally the taller of the two combatants at bantamweight, he will stay on the outside and look for long punches when he can bait an opponent to step in to meet him.
With Wineland and Gustafsson fighting in one night this weekend we could well be set to see a thoroughly worn out octagon mat by the end of the night. Wineland, as with any other movement-based fighter (e.g. Frankie Edgar, Alexander Gustafsson, Dominick Cruz) can be a little stifled by low kicks as he either ends up taking them while in no position to brace, or has to pick up his lead leg to deal with them.
Wineland’s last two opponents, Scott Jorgensen and Brad Pickett have hardly been the kind of fighters to take advantage of that, but it showed up briefly in the Pickett bout as Pickett buckled Wineland’s stance with a couple of kicks.
W. C. Heinz described Sugar Ray Robinson as a master of firm prose, reluctant to waste a word. He contrasted this with Willie Pep who was more “a poet, often implying, with his feints and with his footwork, more than he said.” Obviously Eddie Wineland is nowhere near Willie Pep or Ray Robinson but I enjoyed this contrast of styles and the different methods used to get the job done.
Renan Barao is not dissimilar to that description of Robinson. When he wants to kick he kicks. When he wants to jab he jabs. He is fast, and has tight, crisp technique, but he makes nowhere near the effort to lie to his opponent that Wineland does.
Wineland is more in line with that description of Willie Pep’s methodology. He is one of the few fighters who uses feints effectively because he is one of the few fighters who doesn’t feint once and wait to see if it works. Wineland’s feints are constant and embedded into his bouncing and his rhythm. He will feint with his shoulders, with his hands and with his feet.
Wineland doesn’t change his game around whether they are working or not, they just serve as an extra layer to make life a good deal more complex for his opponent.
In his most recent bout, against Brad Pickett, Eddie Wineland also displayed a neat trick from the repetoire of the great Archie Moore. If you have followed my articles for a while you will know how highly I, and most others in the boxing community, regard “The Old Mongoose.” The strategy which Wineland imitated (though he probably came to it through his own experimentation of course) was Archie Moore’s famed “left cross.”
In an interview with Sports Illustrated before his challenge for Rocky Marciano’s title, “Ageless Archie” remarked:
The left cross, it’s a different punch. Not many of them throw it. They don’t know it exists. Anybody tell you they no such thing as a left cross, you tell them they’re a liar. Why isn’t there such a thing as a left cross? There’s a right cross, and you got two hands. Anything you do with your right hand you can do with your left hand.
By squaring the hips, one can throw a left straight with a full hip twist as one would throw a right straight. This is the technique which Wineland used time and time again against Pickett. Squaring his hips to fake a right, Wineland would shoot his left straight through Pickett’s head when Pickett came to close in on him.
Against Scott Jorgensen, Wineland showed no need to wind up on his jab. Each time Scotty came at him, Wineland jacked the smaller man’s head back with a stiff jab straight out of his stance, normally slipping the incoming strike at the same time. Slipping the jab and landing one’s own is boxing 101.
Wineland is also excellent at convincing his opponent to close in on him before nailing them with a hard right straight. It is doubtlessly his money punch. Brad Pickett ate right after right as he chased Wineland. It really was the story of that fight.
If I had to pick a flaw in Wineland from that bout I would say that he suffers from the same fault which I pointed out in Gilbert Melendez to a friend a while back—he doesn’t “close the door”. Because Melendez and Wineland both consider their right hand a fight finisher (and evidence very much suggests they both can be) they both consequently consider it a combination finisher, which it rarely should be.
Both men will throw a flurry of punches culminating with a right hand, then just drop it and slowly move back into stance, wide open to counters.
Regular readers will be used to me saying this by now but the defensive genius of men like Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather and Roberto Duran was made much easier for them because they put themselves in a position where they rarely had to react.
Reacting is tiring and requires a fighter to be on a hair trigger all fight. If you throw a punch and immediately take what Mike Tyson’s team called “defensive moves” afterward, you massively reduce your chances of being hit with a counter and remove the need to react to one. Just watch Mayweather versus Juan Manuel Marquez—after every good combination he is either behind his lead shoulder or ducking out of the way.
Of course it doesn’t matter nearly so much when you are out of range or your opponent is moving away, but Melendez and Wineland regularly finish with their right hand within punching range.
If you finish a combination with a right hand—in most instances a mid-range punch—you are still in punching range, you are not behind your lead shoulder or moving out to the side, and your head is waiting on a platter. Eddie Wineland outclassed Brad Pickett so thoroughly for the most part that it was very noticeable when Eddie threw a right hand, stood still and got hit with a left hook which never should have troubled him.
Will Eddie Wineland beat Renan Barao at the weekend? I have no idea. I’m not even sure that he has done all that much to warrant a title shot, but too few fans are familiar with Wineland or appreciate that brilliance which he routinely shows in the cage.
Watch the fight and appreciate two very different, technical and clever strikers going at it.
Pick up Jack’s eBooks Advanced Striking and Elementary Striking from his blog, Fights Gone By.
Renan “Barao” Pegado might be the most quietly impressive champion in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. By that I mean, if there’s another champion with the kind of stellar record Barao (which we’ll call him from this point forward; I …
Renan “Barao” Pegado might be the most quietly impressive champion in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. By that I mean, if there’s another champion with the kind of stellar record Barao (which we’ll call him from this point forward; I won’t pretend to understand the subtleties of Brazilian nicknames, so I am opting to use the nickname that the UFC has co-opted into his real name for my own sanity) has amassed in the UFC, well, I have no idea who it might be.
Before he signed with the UFC-owned World Extreme Cagefighting back in 2010, Barao had amassed a 23-1-1 record, with the lone no-contest coming due to an illegal soccer kick. As someone who finds it absolutely impossible to keep up with the sheer wealth and breadth of talent in Brazil, I had no idea who Barao was before he was slated to make his WEC debut against Anthony Leone at WEC 49.
My good friend Jordan Breen over at Sherdog.com is an expert in all things mixed martial arts, and he was quite familiar with Barao. I was not. And I remember looking at his MMA record and thinking that I did not recognize a single opponent on his entire ledger, and so it must mean that he hadn’t fought anyone worth a single damn. He’d quickly realize that running up that kind of record was impossible when he was facing the best talent the rest of the world had to offer.
I told this to myself, and then I moved on to analyze the WEC 49 main card, headlined by a fight between KamalShalorus and Jamie Varner. Barao was in the first bout of the prelims, an afterthought, and I didn’t pay him any more attention.
It has been three years since I made this inner proclamation. A quick look at the WEC 49 main card tells me that, of all of the fighters who appeared on that main card ahead of Barao, just three are with the UFC: Eddie Wineland (who fights Barao for the interim bantamweight title at UFC 165 on Saturday night), Yves Jabouin and Varner.
Barao submitted Leone that night at WEC 49, then submitted Chris Cariaso half a year later, then beat Urijah Faber and Scott Jorgensen and Michael McDonald and everyone else he’s faced. He faces Wineland on Saturday night in a curious title defense; it’s one where nobody in their right mind believes Wineland has much of a chance to win, and so we all look past Wineland and down into the murky future where Dominick Cruz may or may not be lurking.
Such is Barao‘s dominance; we are no longer concerned with who he is fighting now, and we think only of the time when the “real” champion returns from one of the longest layoffs I can remember, and certainly one of the longest periods of time an active UFC champion has been on the shelf due to injury and not idiocy or fear of Chuck Liddell’s combined right and left hands.
What of Cruz? We look forward to the day he can return, and yet we do not know if he’ll actually return. He’s had multiple knee injuries since going on the shelf two years ago. And goodness, just look at that span of time—two years. Cruz is an active UFC champion that has not competed in two years. Two years from his prime. Right in the middle of his prime, if you want to be technical, and Cruz has missed it rehabbing his faulty knees.
That’s a shame. But would it be a bigger shame if Cruz never returns? Or what if Cruz returns but is a shadow of his former self, without the speed and footwork that made him so difficult to defeat?
Do we even want to see that version of Cruz? Do we want a slowed-down and less frenetic version of the bantamweight champion in the cage against Barao? Of course not. We want the best against the best.
But that’s the thing. No matter which version of Cruz returns against Barao, there’s simply no chance we’re getting the most optimal matchup. Whether it’s because Cruz has spent Rip Van Winkle levels of time on the shelf, or because his very real injuries are slowing him down, the champion we see return to the cage against Barao (whenever it happens) just isn’t going to be the same as the one who defended his title against Demetrious Johnson two years ago. It just isn’t possible.
That’s terrible news for us, as fans of fighting, but it’s also terrible news for Barao.
After having defended himself against people like me, people who gave him no respect because he hadn’t faced a single person I’d ever heard of, Barao went on to capture the UFC bantamweight title. Only it wasn’t a real title; it was an interim championship, and Barao was still a fighter who mostly flew under the radar.
That’s still the case, and I’d wager that if you ask 20 casual fans who was fighting in UFC 165’s secondary title fight, roughly four or less would be able to give you Barao‘s name.
That’s terrible for Barao.
He deserves the chance to face Cruz without compromise or injury or excuse, because the truth is that there’s a very good chance Barao would beat Cruz no matter when or where they fought. He built the majority of his record in Brazil against lesser fighters, but he cemented himself as one of the very best in the world in America and Canada against the best these and other countries have to offer.
And yet, despite affirming the inevitable comparisons to featherweight champion and teammate Jose Aldo, Barao will never be afforded the same opportunities. If he beats Cruz when the champ returns, well, you know that Dom’s knee injuries are the reason why. If Cruz never returns, well, Barao never beat the real champion, did he?
It’s unfortunate. The man could very well be the best bantamweight fighter in the history of MMA, and yet he won’t be recognized as such in, say, the same way Jon Jones is recognized as the best light heavyweight or Floyd Mayweather is recognized as the best boxer of his generation.
It’s a shame, too, because greatness deserves to be recognized, and I doubt Barao truly ever receives what he’s due.
The team of analysts for the UFC on Fox Sports 1 and Fox broadcasts have been providing the most in-depth coverage mixed martial has seen in its 20 years of existence.
With a collection of seasoned fight veterans and a handful of well-versed hosts at t…
The team of analysts for the UFC on Fox Sports 1 and Fox broadcasts have been providing the most in-depth coverage mixed martial has seen in its 20 years of existence.
With a collection of seasoned fight veterans and a handful of well-versed hosts at the helm, the people working the pre- and post-fight shows for the UFC have consistently raised the bar.
For the next installment of “Dropping Knowledge,” former multi-divisional contender Kenny Florian sits in to give his thoughts on the upcoming card for UFC 165.
“Ken Flo” has traded leather with some of the best fighters to have ever stepped inside the Octagon, and while he is recently retired from scrapping it out on the sport’s biggest stage, Florian brings a unique angle to his fight analysis.
The Massachusetts native competed in four divisions throughout his UFC career, making title runs in two of them before hanging up the gloves for good in 2012. While Florian may not be competing inside the cage, he certainly stays busy outside of the action as he co-hosts UFC Tonight with Chael Sonnen and works the commentator table for Fight Night events alongside Jon Anik.
This is what Florian told Bleacher Report about Saturday night’s UFC 165 event in Toronto.
Let’s start with the main event. Jon Jones is facing Alexander Gustafsson for the light heavyweight title and so much has been made about the reach each fighter brings into this fight. How much stock are you putting into that particular aspect of this tilt?
It becomes extremely pertinent if the person knows how to control the range, and Jon Jones certainly knows how to do that. As does Alexander Gustafsson to a certain extent. However, having the kind of strength Jon Jones has with his wrestling as well makes things even more interesting. That range is going to be a difficult thing for anyone that faces Jon Jones. Not only is he a master of range, he has the range advantage and can keep you on the outside, but when either they or Jones decides to close that gap, it brings it into his realm. He really creates a dilemma for a lot of fighters.
It’s so strange to say these days with a fighter we’ve seen compete so many times, but I still don’t think we’ve seen the best Jon Jones. Is that something you would agree or disagree with?
I absolutely agree. He’s a guy who is still very young and still has time to fill in those tiny little holes and improve. Take his power for example. He’s not a knockout power guy. He’s a fighter who throws beautiful combinations and is very dynamic. He’s very diverse with his attacks but certainly has things in his game he can improve.
Another example is his ground game. He’s submitted great guys already, but I think what makes Jon Jones so great right now is his mind. He believes in his technique, but I think when he gets those other skills to that place, he’s going to be even scarier. It’s unbelievable when you think about what kind of potential he has.
So many people are writing off Gustafsson before he ever steps into the Octagon and that could be a big mistake if Jones is of that collective. In your opinion, what does Gustafsson have to do to beat Jones on Saturday?
First and foremost, I think he needs to have a good first round. I think it’s very important that he take away any momentum from Jon Jones early. If Jon Jones has momentum, he’s going to run away with it. Gustafsson isn’t going to have a prayer. Gustafsson has to find a way to hurt Jones or make him respect his striking early.
Whether it is stopping a few of his takedown attempts early and get into Jones’ head that way, he needs to get off to a great start early. He also has to stop the wrestling. If he can stop the wrestling of Jon Jones, he gives himself a chance. He’s still not safe, because Jones is such a great striker, but it gives him a chance. Gustafsson hits harder than Jones, and I’m not sure if he’s faster, but he’s right there with him as far as speed goes. I also think Gustafsson has a tiny advantage in the footwork department.
If Jones wins at UFC 165, he will break Tito Ortiz’s long-standing record for title defenses in the light heavyweight division. Other than the history books, how does this fight with Gustafsson affect Jones’ legacy?
It’s an interesting question to the point where some people are questioning whether or not Jon Jones is motivated going into this fight. I know some people who are close to him that are kind of a little nervous about whether or not he’s actually motivated for this fight. Then of course there is the UFC record on the line in this fight.
Jon Jones has the opportunity to take this sport to the next level with as great as he is. He is the full package. Here is a guy who good looking, charismatic and exciting to watch. These are the guys as former fighters, we have to root for because they can take the UFC and mixed martial arts to that next level. Much like GSP has done, Jon Jones could take it even further.
He can bring a whole new legion of fans into this sport. He can bring the same kind of attention Muhammad Ali brought to boxing. He has all that potential. For me, that’s truly what’s on the line. It goes beyond Jon Jones. It matters for the sport. I’m not sure that’s fair to put on a guy like Jon Jones who is only 26 years old, but that’s the reality.
Moving on to the co-main event where interim champion Renan Barao puts his title on the line against Eddie Wineland. What are the keys to victory for both fighters in this matchup?
The more Eddie Wineland can fight at a boxing range, the better off he will be. I think he puts together some of the most beautiful combinations we’ve seen in mixed martial arts. He has good head movement and the kid can counter-wrestle. He also has a lot of experience, and he needs to fight Barao in that boxing range and hurt Barao.
On the other hand, Barao doesn’t have any real weaknesses anywhere. Barao is going to have a big advantage if he’s able to get on top of Wineland and if he can make it a kickboxing match. If he can keep Wineland on the outside, that is really going to work to his benefit. Barao is going to have to mix things up, his takedowns and his strikes, and really show a mixed bag of MMA in there. Wineland is going to have to make it a scrappy fight because the more technical the fight is, the more it favors Barao.
Renan Barao is a product of the Nova Uniao camp in Rio de Janiero where he trains alongside featherweight phenom Jose Aldo. You have personal experience from being in the cage with Aldo, and in your opinion, what makes these guys so dangerous?
They are so well-rounded. Brazilian fighters used to get a lot of slack for not having the best wrestling pedigree, and that’s true when you compare them to the Americans and Russians. But they have done such a great job of using their athleticism and strategy to avoid the takedowns of very good wrestlers. Whether it’s using the cage, or their speed and footwork, it’s really making them such complete fighters. They don’t have any glaring weaknesses anywhere.
Of course, they come from Brazilian jiu-jitsu backgrounds and are always going to be strong there, but we are seeing some of the best Muay Thai in mixed martial arts come from that camp now. Andre Pederneiras is doing such a great job, they almost all look the same when you are talking about the guys under 155 pounds. They are all so similar and so good. They have a solid game and don’t make a lot of mistakes. That is what makes them so difficult to face.
The heavyweight matchup between Matt Mitrione and Brendan Schaub presents some interesting story lines. Both had momentum to begin their UFC runs, but after suffering losses, their profiles cooled off considerably. Do you believe the winner of this bout goes up to the next tier while the loser takes a step toward irrelevancy?
It’s tough because the heavyweight division has become so competitive, and this is an extremely important fight for both. They have the opportunity to break out of that middle of the pack section of the division, and it’s definitely an important fight. Especially in the way the fight is won. If the winner does so impressively, it can turn some heads and draw some attention their way.
In the middleweight division, Costa Philippou has been quietly climbing the ladder. I know it’s cliche to say that every fight is important, but when a fighter lacks a certain amount of name recognition, does that make every outing that much more crucial?
It absolutely does. It comes down to the fighter being exciting, getting those exciting wins and getting the fans behind them. By that I mean, you can’t do it only with your performances. You have to be able to market yourself. You have to be able to make a name for yourself and get attention. It’s frustrating for me when I watch it from the commentator’s booth and these guys have the opportunity when they get the mic in their hands and they do nothing with it.
They have the opportunity to reach out to millions of people and say what they want to say. Chael Sonnen is a perfect example of this. Get some attention, call out somebody and get people talking. When they ask you what you want next, don’t say it’s up to the UFC. We already know that. Of course it’s up to the UFC. Call out the fighter you want next. If you want a shot at the title, then make it known. That’s what is going to get people behind you. Whether they want to see you win or lose, that is what is going to draw attention to yourself as a fighter.
There is a great lightweight matchup at UFC 165 between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Pat Healy. In the four outings he’s had thus far under the UFC banner, Nurmagomedov has been able to manhandle the opposition. Healy, on the other hand, is a huge fighter for the 155-pound weight class. Does “The Eagle” have his way with Healy or does the gritty veteran find a way to win this fight?
This is an exciting fight. Khabib Nurmagomedov has been extremely impressive with his performances thus far. He’s showing that he may have some of the best wrestling in the 155-pound division, period. Not only that, but he also has tremendous knockout power, as well, which has been a nice wrinkle to his game. But we haven’t really seen him tested.
Pat Healy looked great in his return to the UFC against Jim Miller, and he’s a tough guy. Whoever wins this fight, and if they do so in impressive fashion, they could be contending for the belt in the near future. I don’t think this win will do it, but I could definitely see the winner of this fight being two fights away and knocking on the door.
Outside of the main card, are there any other fights that you are excited to see and think fans need to keep an eye on?
I really like the Myles Jury versus Mike Ricci fight. I think these are two guys with a tremendous amount of potential. I’ve trained with Mike Ricci in Montreal, and this kid is a specimen. Physically, he’s very impressive with a lot of athletic potential. I think he’s starting to mature as a human being as well and starting to take his training more seriously.
Myles Jury is someone I’ve been looking at since day one. I’ve been talking about him for a long time and a lot of people thought I was crazy saying this kid hasn’t done anything and whatnot. For me, it’s just the way that he fights. He’s very technical, smart and takes his training very seriously. He’s been nothing but impressive. Also, his wins have come in a variety of fashions. He’s not just winning by one thing. He’s winning with his ground game. He’s winning with his wrestling. In his last fight, he won by knockout. He’s been very impressive, and one of these kids are going to make a big name for themselves. I think they are going to do big things.
Actually, I think both of them have bright futures. I don’t think this is a one and done kind of fight, but I think the winner of this fight moves up significantly, and we are going to see great things from them.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Ah the little guys. The sub-135-pound scrappy dudes. They’ve come a long way since they gotten into the UFC.
But in those three years, they’ve become a mainstay of the promotion and have had two champions— Dominick Cruz and Renan Bara…
Ah the little guys. The sub-135-pound scrappy dudes. They’ve come a long way since they gotten into the UFC.
But in those three years, they’ve become a mainstay of the promotion and have had two champions— Dominick Cruz and Renan Barao.
At the same time, they’ve thrown up some classic matches—such as future flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson’s failed attempt to capture Cruz’s belt or Barao’s wars against Urijah Faber and Michael McDonald.
There’s no doubt that this is a rich division, but it only came to be in 2010 after the UFC’s purchase of the WEC.
That’s where the story of the UFC’s bantamweight title starts.
World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) was born in 2001, just after Zuffa’s purchase of the UFC for $2 million.
Even at that point, the UFC was the de facto brand for the sport that would soon come to be known as mixed martial arts (MMA). But the UFC at that time didn’t even have a lightweight division, let alone anyone below 145 pounds.
And, while it did create a lightweight division in Feb. 2001, it still didn’t have anyone below that on its roster for the next decade.
The WEC, on the other hand, invested heavily in its lower weight classes, where men like Jose Aldo, Gilbert Melendez, Ben Henderson and Anthony Pettis made their name. All these fighters had made enough money that they’d seek out a car reg check.
It also had a thriving bantamweight division since 2006, when Eddie Wineland became its inaugural champion.
By the time the UFC had bought the promotion, Cruz and Faber had emerged as its dominant 135-pound fighters.
Cruz was a former WEC featherweight champion, but had lost the title to Faber in 2007. Later, after dropping down to 135 pounds, he won the WEC bantamweight title from Brian Bowles in 2010 and defended it twice. When the UFC dissolved the WEC and absorbed the bantamweights in its own new 135-pound division, Cruz automatically became champion.
And he continued to defend the title, once against his old nemesis, Faber, and the second time against Johnson.
However, the division remained shallow, and it wasn’t long before Faber, after just one win, was back challenging for the belt.
As a means of boosting the lower weight classes, the UFC decided to feature the bantamweights in its flagship reality TV show—The Ultimate Fighter.
In 2011, Cruz was selected to coach a special live version of The Ultimate Fighter, alongside Faber, with the pair ultimately expected to fight to complete their trilogy.
However, sometime during filming, Cruz suffered a knee injury, which has kept him out of the sport for two years.
In his place, Barao, who’d only lost one match in his 29-fight career, stepped up to challenge Faber for the interim belt. Barao had competed in the WEC twice before taking out Brad Pickett and Scott Jorgensen in the UFC to get his title shot.
He won a unanimous decision and defended his belt again earlier this year against Michael McDonald. That stretched him to a phenomenal 29-fight unbeaten run, including fight straight wins in the UFC.
In Cruz’s absence, Barao has become the face of the 135-pound division. And the UFC has made it clear that if the injured champ doesn’t return by early next year, the incumbent interim bantamweight title holder could be elevated to the official title.
Who that is could be decided on Sept. 21, when Barao defends his belt for the third time against Wineland at UFC 165.
Wineland hasn’t reached anywhere near the heights of his WEC heyday, going 2-2 in his four UFC fights. But he’s still emerged No. 1 contender in the continued absence of real depth in the lower weight divisions.
The interim championship fight, however, will be on the undercard of a light heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson.
The bantamweights haven’t headlined a pay-per-view event since the Cruz/Faber rematch in 2011, perhaps underlining how far this division still has to go.
Things have been a veritable mess in the UFC’s bantamweight division.