UFC on Fuel 7 will be live from London, England tomorrow morning. Featured in tomorrow’s main event will be two of the world’s best bantamweights as Renan Barao defends his interim UFC title against Michael McDonald. Many fighters have plenty…
UFC on Fuel 7 will be live from London, England tomorrow morning.
Featured in tomorrow’s main event will be two of the world’s best bantamweights as RenanBarao defends his interim UFC title against Michael McDonald.
Many fighters have plenty to gain with a win. Dustin Poirier and Cub Swanson could be fighting for a future featherweight title shot.
Other fighters like Che Mills and Jorge Santiago are fighting to prove that they belong in the UFC.
But the man with the most to gain will be Michael McDonald.
At just age 22, McDonald has already done more than many fighters will do their whole careers.
Currently he is on an eight-fight winning streak (15-1 overall). That includes knockout victories over former WEC champs Cole Escovedo and Miguel Torres.
McDonald would not only become a UFC champion with a win, he would become the youngest fighter to ever capture a UFC title.
Light heavyweight champ Jon Jones currently holds the record for youngest champion.
He was just a few months shy of 24 when he captured the light heavyweight title back in 2011.
What may make McDonald even more dangerous is his knockout power. He has four wins by submission, but is known more for his brutal KO’s.
Although he is only fighting for an interim title thanks to Dominic Cruz still being on the shelf, McDonald could actually be facing a tougher task in Barao.
Barao comes into this bout on a 30-fight unbeaten streak. The only blemishes in his career are a loss in his debut and a no contest.
He’s a great all around fighter who has defeated some of the best in the division, including Urijah Faber.
If McDonald can find a way to crack the Barao code, he will be the youngest fighter to gain a UFC title and just the second man to defeat Barao.
The UFC is currently in London, England, in preparation for Saturday’s card, which is headlined by an interim title fight between bantamweights, Renan Barao and Michael McDonald.Bleacher Report MMA will be bringing you live play-by-play for every fight…
The UFC is currently in London, England, in preparation for Saturday’s card, which is headlined by an interim title fight between bantamweights, RenanBarao and Michael McDonald.
Bleacher Report MMA will be bringing you live play-by-play for every fight on the card, beginning with the Facebook prelims. Bookmark this page and come back for up-to-the-minute action.
Due to the time difference, this event will begin at 12:15 p.m. EST, and the main card kicks off at 3 p.m. EST.
The weigh-ins took place on Friday morning, and all fighters made weight for the event. The full results are below.
MAIN CARD
Champ RenanBarao (134) vs. Michael McDonald (134) – for interim bantamweight title
All 24 fighters on the surprisingly-awesomeUFC on FUEL 7 card will be hitting the scales shortly in London. You can watch the weigh-ins live in the player above starting at 11 a.m. ET/ 8 a.m. PT; results will be updated after the jump. And be sure to come back tomorrow afternoon beginning at 3 p.m. ET for our liveblog of the FUEL TV main card, alright?
All 24 fighters on the surprisingly-awesomeUFC on FUEL 7 card will be hitting the scales shortly in London. You can watch the weigh-ins live in the player above starting at 11 a.m. ET/ 8 a.m. PT; results will be updated after the jump. And be sure to come back tomorrow afternoon beginning at 3 p.m. ET for our liveblog of the FUEL TV main card, alright?
MAIN CARD (FUEL TV, 3 p.m. ET)
Renan Barao (134) vs. Michael McDonald (134)
Dustin Poirier (145) vs. Cub Swanson (146)
Cyrille Diabate (205) vs. Jimi Manuwa (204)
Gunnar Nelson (169) vs. Jorge Santiago (170)
Ryan Jimmo (205) vs. James Te Huna (205)
Che Mills (170) vs. Matthew Riddle (170)
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 12:15 p.m. ET)
Terry Etim (155) vs. Renee Forte (156)
Danny Castillo (156) vs. Paul Sass (156)
Josh Grispi (144) vs. Andy Ogle (145)
Stanislav Nedkov (185) vs. Tom Watson (185)
Vaughan Lee (134) vs. Motonobu Tezuka (135)
Ulysses Gomez (126) vs. Phil Harris (125)
UFC bantamweight title contender Michael McDonald is not your average, every day fighter. It’s not to say he doesn’t wake up every morning and put his pants on one leg at a time and tie his shoes like everybody else in the world, but he approaches figh…
UFC bantamweight title contender Michael McDonald is not your average, every day fighter.
It’s not to say he doesn’t wake up every morning and put his pants on one leg at a time and tie his shoes like everybody else in the world, but he approaches fighting with a much different mindset than almost any other competitor currently signed to the UFC. He certainly has a different approach that any title challenger currently up for a shot at the gold.
Despite the fact that McDonald at 22 years of age is about to battle for the UFC bantamweight title on Saturday and he’s headlining his first ever show for the promotion, it’s just another fight to him.
Now some fighters will say they are approaching a title fight like any other challenge, but in reality when it’s over they all speak to just how special that moment can be.
Not Michael McDonald.
His fight against RenanBarao for the UFC interim bantamweight title is really just another trip to the Octagon and even if he got the call today saying the belt wasn’t up for grabs and he was facing a late notice replacement, McDonald’s pulse wouldn’t raise one beat per second.
“It doesn’t matter to me whether it’s for the title or whether it’s just another fight. Even today two days away the fight I would be perfectly fine if they changed my opponent today,” McDonald told Bleacher Report on Thursday from England. “It’s not about who I’m fighting or for what, this is my job and it’s my mission from God, and that’s why I’m here.”
The words “mission from God” will rattle some people because McDonald is so outspoken about his faith, but it’s not a belief he only celebrates on Sundays or holidays. McDonald truly follows the passion for his religion every minute of everyday, and he believes that’s what separates him from so many other fighters on the UFC roster.
He’s not in this sport for accolades or gold belts. McDonald believes it’s his mission from God to do what he’s doing, and fighting is just a profession that pays the bills. It’s not what defines him as a person.
“I think a lot of people they define that in themselves, they take this whole fighter image and they think that’s who they are. It makes up who they are with what they do. It’s like those people when it’s time to stop fighting, they’re too old to put it down, but they’ve done it for so long they don’t know what else to do. That’s who they are, they don’t know anything else. That’s their identity,” said McDonald
“It’s a lot of the same for the title. They strive for that title, they live for that title. It’s just so they can put that stamp on themselves at the end of the day and say I’m accomplished. I’m not a loser, and I don’t need that. I don’t care about it.
“I know what my identity is with my God and it has nothing to do with the title. It has nothing to do with me being a UFC fighter.”
So what drives Michael McDonald as he heads into Saturday night?
McDonald wants to be happy in everything he does whether it’s fighting, the carpentry he does at home in his spare time, loving his girlfriend or whatever else crosses his path. If McDonald wakes up happy and goes to bed with a smile on his face, nothing else matters and that is lost in translation for a lot of fighters according to the young Californian.
“In general you need motivations, and for a lot of people that’s the only motivation they have,” McDonald said when speaking about fighters and their obsession with the title. “They can’t even imagine losing that motivation because that’s what drives them. You do need motivation, but I think some people are motivated by the wrong thing.
“This sport causes a lot of broken families, it can cause a lot of problems in life and it’s so easy to get things mixed up. At the end of the day, if you’re a happy person you’re going to be a dangerous fighter. If you enjoy what you do and you’re stepping in everyday and being happy, that’s when you’re the most dangerous fighter in the world. I think it’s a horrible mistake for people to have it the other way around.”
The job that McDonald has won’t define him because he truly believes his mission in life comes from a higher power.
“My job is not my provider, my God is my provider,” said McDonald. “I’ve had to go without income for a year and he’s provided everyday. He’s provided my happiness and my living, everything that’s happened, he’s provided for me.”
One thing you’ll rarely hear McDonald talk about leading up to his fight on Saturday is his opponent RenanBarao. It’s not that McDonald is unaware of Barao or the dangers he possesses, but he’s just another fighter standing across the cage from him.
McDonald even admits that in the lead up during fight week he’s had arguments with UFC producers that have tried their hardest to get him to say something inflammatory to help promote the matchup with Barao.
“I’ve actually had a lot of complications with promotions. When you come out with the initial phrases that you say to lead up to that fight, to promote the fight, those little clips where you push about the fight and catch people’s attention right before the show starts, right before they start the UFC. I’ve even had a lot of complications with that like ‘hey pump it up, say something about Renan [Barao]‘ and I’m like that’s not how I think, that’s not how my brain works,” said McDonald. “It’s almost anti-climactic and it’s not exciting, and I’ve almost had meet on middle ground with producers of that trying to find a way to say something about my opponent to pump up the fight and it’s not about that.”
The issue has come to a head more than once, but McDonald refuses to compromise his moral ground for the sake of promoting any fight. He’s going to be true to himself and to everyone he reaches that watches on TV, in the arena, or anywhere else.
“I’m proud that I have not let this change me and the way that I think,” McDonald said. “I’ve had producers of the UFC looking down my back saying ‘dude, you need to say this, if not we’re going to have some problems’. It’s like I’m sorry, I’m going to have to take some time and talk to my manager about it and find some middle ground for what we can say.
“At the end of the day it always makes me feel good that I stayed true to myself.”
Damon Martin is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.
It’s almost time for the interim bantamweight championship fight between Renan Barao and Michael McDonald. But first, let’s examine the whole UFC bantamweight division in several key striking metrics. As one of the youngest divisions with quite a few newcomers, there were several chart busters who have performed either really well in a certain metric, or in Mike Easton’s case, really poorly, so those outliers are noted. Usually those fighters will regress towards the mean, but they’re worth keeping an eye on. A full explanation of the chart and variables is included at the end of this post.
As a group, the 135’ers are the hardest to hit, as illustrated by their lowest power head striking accuracy of any UFC division. But they manage to maintain a high pace of action, with the second-highest significant strike attempts per minute average. (Flyweights have the highest.) So which fighters get the awards in this frenzied group?
The Winners
Sniper Award: Rangy southpaw Alex Caceres leads the division with 48% power head striking accuracy. Though he has yet to score a knockdown in the UFC, the Bruce Lee superfan has definitely put on entertaining fights including sharp striking, rapid pace, and some very retro body suits.
Energizer Bunny Award: Johnny Bedford has been outstriking his UFC opponents more than 2:1 on his way to two finishes. Bedford’s size has been an advantage for him in one of the smallest weight classes, and we’ll see if he can continue his streak.
Biggest Ball(s) Award: In addition to outworking his opponents, double award winner Johnny Bedford is 2-0 in the UFC with two knockout finishes. But an honorable mention also goes to knockout machine Michael “Mayday” McDonald, who has landed four knockdowns during his 5-0 streak with Zuffa. McDonald gets his biggest test yet against higher volume striker and interim champ Renan Barao, in an interesting contrast of power and finesse.
The Losers
(Click chart for full-size version. For previous Databombs, click here.)
It’s almost time for the interim bantamweight championship fight between Renan Barao and Michael McDonald. But first, let’s examine the whole UFC bantamweight division in several key striking metrics. As one of the youngest divisions with quite a few newcomers, there were several chart busters who have performed either really well in a certain metric, or in Mike Easton’s case, really poorly, so those outliers are noted. Usually those fighters will regress towards the mean, but they’re worth keeping an eye on. A full explanation of the chart and variables is included at the end of this post.
As a group, the 135’ers are the hardest to hit, as illustrated by their lowest power head striking accuracy of any UFC division. But they manage to maintain a high pace of action, with the second-highest significant strike attempts per minute average. (Flyweights have the highest.) So which fighters get the awards in this frenzied group?
The Winners
Sniper Award: Rangy southpaw Alex Caceres leads the division with 48% power head striking accuracy. Though he has yet to score a knockdown in the UFC, the Bruce Lee superfan has definitely put on entertaining fights including sharp striking, rapid pace, and some very retro body suits.
Energizer Bunny Award: Johnny Bedford has been outstriking his UFC opponents more than 2:1 on his way to two finishes. Bedford’s size has been an advantage for him in one of the smallest weight classes, and we’ll see if he can continue his streak.
Biggest Ball(s) Award: In addition to outworking his opponents, double award winner Johnny Bedford is 2-0 in the UFC with two knockout finishes. But an honorable mention also goes to knockout machine Michael “Mayday” McDonald, who has landed four knockdowns during his 5-0 streak with Zuffa. McDonald gets his biggest test yet against higher volume striker and interim champ Renan Barao, in an interesting contrast of power and finesse.
The Losers
Swing and a Miss Award: Mike Easton has only landed 9% of his power head strikes, and would appear as the lowest on the graph…if we went that far down. However, (dis)honorable mention also goes to newcomer Motonobu Tezuka who missed all 20 of his power head strike attempts in his UFC debut against Alex Caceres. Tezuka faces Vaughan Lee next.
Smallest Ball(s): Eight of the 27 bantamweight fighters graphed have yet to score a knockdown in their Zuffa appearances, not an unusual number for a lower weight division. But sidelined champion Dominick Cruz has not yet done so despite 170 minutes of fight time in the WEC and UFC.
Starnes Award for Inaction: Vaughan Lee has been getting outpaced through his first three UFC appearances, despite solid accuracy and power. He’ll have a chance to turn things around on his home turf in England against the inaccurate Tezuka.
Also Noteworthy
Champions Dominick Cruz and Renan Barao have similar performance profiles, suggesting that in smaller weight classes keeping a high pace is more important than landing bombs. Barao matches up favorably with Cruz, which should give the incumbent champ some problems when he returns from his injury hiatus.
Two accurate strikers, Urijah Faber and Ivan Menjivar, will face off at UFC 157. Faber will be more likely to counter, but also has the heavier hands.
How the Analysis Works:
In order to understand standup striking performance, which is more multifaceted in MMA than it is in boxing, I need to boil down a few of the most important variables that determine success as a striker. These are fairly uncomplicated variables in isolation, but together they can summarize a fighter’s overall capabilities. Here, I’ve focused on three fundamental, offensive metrics:
Accuracy: I’ve used power head striking accuracy (as opposed to body or leg strikes, or jabs to the head), where the average for UFC Bantamweights is about 20%. Certainly, great strikers can attack the body and legs, but the most likely way to end a fight by strikes is by aiming at the head. And in order to keep this comparison apples-to-apples, we can’t have a guy that throws a lot of high accuracy leg kicks skewing his accuracy stat. The accuracy of the power head strike is a great indicator of a fighter’s striking prowess, and there’s a wide range within a single division as we’ll see. This is the vertical axis, so more accurate fighters are higher in the graph.
Standup Striking Pace: Prior analysis reveals that outpacing your opponent is a key predictor of success, and certainly correlates with winning decisions as it reflects which fighter is dictating the pace of the fight. Here, I’ve used the total number of standup strikes thrown as a ratio to the same output from a fighter’s opponents. All strikes attempted from a standup position are counted, including body shots and leg kicks. This is the horizontal axis in the graph, and the average for the whole division must be 1, so fighters with superior pace appear further to the right.
Knockdown Rate: The objective of every strike thrown is to hurt your opponent, and knockdowns reflect a fighter that has connected with a powerful strike. I’ve used the total number of knockdowns a fighter landed divided by the number of landed power head strikes to see who does the most damage per strike landed. The size of the bubble for a fighter indicates their relative knockdown rate; the bigger the bubble, the higher their knockdown rate. The very small bubbles indicate fighters who have yet to score a knockdown in their Zuffa fights.
The data includes all UFC, WEC, and Strikeforce fights through 2012, including UFC 155. Some of these fighters competed in other weight classes or at catchweight, but for the purposes of this analysis, that data was still included and analyzed. Fighters with only one fight were not included in the graph.
UFC on Fuel 7: Barao vs. McDonald is going to be a fun card. The 12-fight card will deliver action from the first fight all the way to the main event.The main event of the evening features a spectacular bantamweight clash. UFC Interim Bantamweight Cham…
UFC on Fuel 7: Barao vs. McDonald is going to be a fun card. The 12-fight card will deliver action from the first fight all the way to the main event.
The main event of the evening features a spectacular bantamweight clash. UFC Interim Bantamweight Champion Renan Barao defends the gold against Michael McDonald. The winner will likely get to welcome champion Dominick Cruz back to the Octagon later this year.
There will be fights in seven different divisions. From flyweights to light heavyweights. Prospects and veterans alike stack this card.
This is how each fight stacks up to one another heading into Saturday’s exciting card.
UFC bantamweight title contender Michael McDonald is not your average, every day fighter.
