Tag: Sean Sherk

Sean Sherk Planning a 2012 Return; Thinks He Can Beat Frankie Edgar the Second Time Around


(Sherk’s hoping to get off the sidelines next year)

Sean Sherk has been noticeably absent from competition the past year since his UFC 119 split decision win over Evan Dunham, but it hasn’t been by choice.

The 38-year-old former UFC lightweight champ, who has only fought twice since 2009, has had a rocky road the past three years with injuries forcing him out of fights with Gleison Tibau, Josh Neer and Jim Miller.

MMAHQ caught up with Sherk (36-4-1) during a recent seminar tour in the UK and “The Muscle Shark” said that he is planning on getting back in the Octagon next year and that he would like to take one final run at the lightweight strap before hanging up his four ounce gloves for good.

“It’s a goal definitely and I’ve still got the skills and abilities to get back there up at the top. I’ve got to get back in there and get back to action as soon as I can. I know that next year will be very important to my career and to how I’m remembered in the sport and I’m ready to get back in there and start making a big difference in that division,” Sherk says. “I need to get in the Octagon once or twice in the next year, get some wins and work my way back up to the lightweight title.”


(Sherk’s hoping to get off the sidelines next year)

Sean Sherk has been noticeably absent from competition the past year since his UFC 119 split decision win over Evan Dunham, but it hasn’t been by choice.

The 38-year-old former UFC lightweight champ, who has only fought twice since 2009, has had a rocky road the past three years with injuries forcing him out of fights with Gleison Tibau, Josh Neer and Jim Miller.

MMAHQ caught up with Sherk (36-4-1) during a recent seminar tour in the UK and “The Muscle Shark” said that he is planning on getting back in the Octagon next year and that he would like to take one final run at the lightweight strap before hanging up his four ounce gloves for good.

“It’s a goal definitely and I’ve still got the skills and abilities to get back there up at the top. I’ve got to get back in there and get back to action as soon as I can. I know that next year will be very important to my career and to how I’m remembered in the sport and I’m ready to get back in there and start making a big difference in that division,” Sherk says. “I need to get in the Octagon once or twice in the next year, get some wins and work my way back up to the lightweight title.”

Standing in his way, besides the current crop of contenders will be the current champ, Frankie Edgar — the last man to beat Sherk at UFC 98 in 2009. This time around, though, he says he feels like he has “the answer” to beating Edgar.

“I’ve progressed a huge amount since then but so has he so there’s definitely another great, exciting fight in there. As a fighter you have to be confident about your skills but also objective and I honestly think that I’ve got the tools to beat Edgar but that’s my opinion,” he explains. “The last fight was great though and I know that, whatever happened, the fans would get an exciting fight.”

Whether or not he’s paying his respects or setting the stage for an eventual fight if Bendo beats Edgar when the two meet in Japan, Sherk points to Ben Henderson as being one of the divisions top young prospects and says that UFC’s 155-pound class is one of the most stacked in the industry.

“The UFC lightweight division is the toughest in the world to be honest with you and it keeps getting tougher. The UFC bought over those WEC guys and I mean Ben Henderson’s looking like a total stud at the moment,” Sherk points out. “He’s just beaten two of the toughest guys in the division. He came out of nowhere and nobody expected that so he’s a perfect illustration of just how tough this division is and it gets tougher day by day.”

Anderson Silva, Forrest Griffin and the UFC’s Biggest Weight Cutters

Today’s MMA fighters are better than they’ve ever been, which means competitors are continually looking to gain an edge over their opponents. For many, that edge is gained during the weight cut.The idea behind cutting weight is simple: A fighter loses …

Today’s MMA fighters are better than they’ve ever been, which means competitors are continually looking to gain an edge over their opponents. For many, that edge is gained during the weight cut.

The idea behind cutting weight is simple: A fighter loses anywhere from five to 30 pounds (mostly water weight) leading up to a fight in order to compete in a lower weight class. Once the fighter weighs-in for an event, he re-hydrates and gains back most, if not all, of the weight he has lost, thus gaining a size advantage during the fight.

As you would suspect, there are risks to this practice. Besides taking an incredible toll on an one’s body, studies have shown that weight cuts can effect a fighter’s mental state as well. 

In a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, it was found that athletes who lost more than four percent of their body mass before a match showed “significantly higher levels of confusion on the day of the competition.”

There’s also the risk of “gassing” during the fight after a significantly tough weight cut. How many times have we seen a fighter enter the cage with a huge size advantage, only to be noticeably fatigued by the third round?

Still, despite these risks, some fighters continue to take on enormous weight cuts in order to gain a slight edge in their fights.

Here are six of the UFC’s biggest weight cutters.

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UFC 136 Fight Card: Does Kenny Florian Have the Tools to Beat Jose Aldo?

UFC 136 will mark the third attempt at UFC gold for Kenny “KenFlo” Florian as he meets dynamic Brazilian José Aldo.  The former finalist on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter is now competing in his fourth weight class wit…

UFC 136 will mark the third attempt at UFC gold for Kenny “KenFlo” Florian as he meets dynamic Brazilian José Aldo.  The former finalist on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter is now competing in his fourth weight class within the promotion. 

Florian failed in both of his attempts at the lightweight belt, first to Sean Sherk at UFC 64 and then to BJ Penn at UFC 101.  Additionally, he dropped a title eliminator to Gray Maynard at UFC 118, which would have earned him a third try at the 155-pound strap.  With a strong grappling base and dangerous Muay Thai striking, Florian had managed to finish eight of his nine other foes within the division, but in each of the aforementioned bouts, Florian’s largest deficiency, wrestling, was exploited by his opponents. 

As a result, Florian made the decision to drop down to featherweight.  With a victory over Diego Nunes in his 145-pound debut at UFC 131, Florian was rewarded the title shot against Aldo.  Since Aldo is not known for his wrestling, the casual observer might believe this is Florian’s best chance to finally gain his long-desired championship.

The problem for Florian is that Aldo’s strengths are not only identical to his own, but he’s better at them. 

Florian is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Roberto Maia in his native Boston, while Aldo is a black belt under the Nova União camp in Rio de Janeiro.  Black belts are not created equal, and Aldo’s camp is one of the best in the world.  The biggest difference between the two fighters in regards to their ground game is that Florian has relied on his submission skills in 10 of his 15 wins, while Aldo has only utilized his in one of his 20 bouts.

So, does Florian have the advantage?  Not likely.  The reason that Aldo has not relied on his ground skills is due to his lethal striking.  Florian’s striking game has evolved tremendously throughout his UFC career, training with the likes of Mark Dellagrotte at Sityodtong and Firas Zahabi at TriStar, but he’s nowhere near the level of the Brazilian.  Aldo has finished 12 of his 20 fights by way of knockout, while Florian has managed only three.

It’s not only in power that Florian will face a problem.  Aldo’s speed is remarkable and he uses it to fire off brutal combinations.  In his arsenal is something that was made famous by Ernesto Hoost in the kickboxing world—a jab, cross, hook to the body, leg kick assault—that he used to batter wrestling stalwart Urijah Faber and striking specialist Mark Hominick for five rounds each.  Luckily for Florian, he is a southpaw, which will prevent some of the combination’s effectiveness.

All in all, Florian is going to be overmatched when he enters the Octagon on Oct. 8 in Houston.  He’s battling one of the most dangerous fighters on the planet, and unfortunately for the Boston native, he does not possess the tools to defeat the Brazilian.  Aldo is riding a 12-fight win streak going into the bout, and against Florian he’ll keep his belt by finishing the fight before the championship rounds.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

The 10 Best Physical Specimens in MMA Today

Participating in the most rigorous and physically demanding sport in the world, its obvious as to why mixed martial artists’ bodies would be in peak physical condition.As some of the most well-trained athletes to ever compete, fighters’ bodies are ofte…

Participating in the most rigorous and physically demanding sport in the world, its obvious as to why mixed martial artists’ bodies would be in peak physical condition.

As some of the most well-trained athletes to ever compete, fighters’ bodies are often the prime example of a finely tuned machine.

In some cases, the body may not be entirely reflective of a fighter’s skill, like Fedor Emelianenko for example, or their physical appearance may give insight into just how dangerous they truly are, as is the case with Georges St. Pierre.

Often times, though, when the thought of a mixed martial artist comes to mind, we often picture a flawless figure of perfect muscular proportion, carved from granite and built to destroy.

However, not every fighter is ripped like Rambo or a muscle bound colossus like the Incredible Hulk.

Many fighters may look good, but these chosen few—who border on a statuesque appearance— look even rarer an anomaly in the athletic spectrum; damn near perfect physical specimens.

Here are the ten best physical specimens in MMA today.

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UFC 132 Results: 4 Fights Melvin Guillard Could Take Next

At UFC 132, Melvin Guillard handled another opponent with ease when he knocked out Shane Roller. Guillard has now won his fifth straight fight, and is hoping to face better competition. At last night’s post-fight press conference, Guillard c…

At UFC 132, Melvin Guillard handled another opponent with ease when he knocked out Shane Roller.

Guillard has now won his fifth straight fight, and is hoping to face better competition.

At last night’s post-fight press conference, Guillard called out Jim Miller.

Is Guillard ready for a step up in competition? Here are four fights that could test him.

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Georges St. Pierre and the Top 5 Takedown Fighters in UFC History

There’s a reason why UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre hasn’t been defeated since UFC 69 in April, 2007 and it’s his wrestling.While St-Pierre never competed at a high level like some of the all-time greats, the French-Canadian’s takedowns ha…

There’s a reason why UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre hasn’t been defeated since UFC 69 in April, 2007 and it’s his wrestling.

While St-Pierre never competed at a high level like some of the all-time greats, the French-Canadian’s takedowns have been second to none.

In addition to the welterweight champion, four world class fighters hold down the top-five spots for the most takedowns landed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

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