It looks like the changes are already starting to happen to the landmark UFC 200 card scheduled for next month.
According to MMAFighting.com, Thiago Santos is currently without an opponent, but apparently not for long.
Derek Brunson has reportedl…
It looks like the changes are already starting to happen to the landmark UFC 200 card scheduled for next month.
According to MMAFighting.com, Thiago Santos is currently without an opponent, but apparently not for long.
Derek Brunson has reportedly pulled out of the UFC 200 pay-per-view, where he was scheduled to fight Santos, and now it looks as though Gegard Mousasi will be stepping in.
The Mousasi-Santos bout has yet to be officially announced by the UFC.
UFC 200 is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 9, 2016 from the brand new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Over the course of the sport’s short history, Thailand’s revered Muay Thai kickboxing has become one of the most common and successful bases from which to transfer to MMA. While we’ve learned that having skills in only one discipline is not a recipe for success in the modern version of MMA, many fighters with a focus on “the
Over the course of the sport’s short history, Thailand’s revered Muay Thai kickboxing has become one of the most common and successful bases from which to transfer to MMA.
While we’ve learned that having skills in only one discipline is not a recipe for success in the modern version of MMA, many fighters with a focus on “the art of eight limbs” have found incredible success in the Octagon.
Originating in Thailand, where a booming professional scene still flourishes, Muay Thai is now used by combatants from all over the world.
This piece aims to rank the ten best fighters employing the striking style today. Devastating clinch work, slashing elbows, whipping kicks, and crushing knees all could gain a fighter entry to this list, as well as a traditional Muay Thai background. Those that use them to the most damaging effect, rely on them as fundamental to their games, and utilize a combination of these characteristic techniques set themselves apart and climb the ranks.
This is not an all-time list. That may come later. This one looks at the fighters on the current UFC roster most likely to finish a fight from the thai plum, break someone’s nose with a standing elbow, or send an opponent crashing to the canvas with a knee to the solar plexus.
Continue for the list of the best Muay Thai kickboxers in the UFC.
Lyoto Machida may have been the slight favorite heading into Saturday’s fight against Yoel Romero, but “The Soldier of God” nearly sent him to Jesus with a series of (as Thomas Myers best described them) “murderous” elbows in the third round of their Fight Night 70 headliner.
Video highlights and a complete list of results are after the jump.
Lyoto Machida may have been the slight favorite heading into Saturday’s fight against Yoel Romero, but “The Soldier of God” nearly sent him to Jesus with a series of (as Thomas Myers best described them) “murderous” elbows in the third round of their Fight Night 70 headliner.
Video highlights and a complete list of results are after the jump.
Despite some success on the feet early, “The Dragon” just wasn’t sitting down on enough of his punches and kicks to really put Romero in any danger as the fight progressed, and as the Cuban Olympian (Cubolympian?) began to find his range late in the second, a familiar, foreboding vibe settled in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino — the kind of vibe most of us felt in Machida’s last bout against Luke Rockhold. Something bad was going to happen to one of the nicest guys in the sport, and soon.
Granted, most of us who had that feeling probably didn’t assume”soon” meant “within 5 seconds of being taken down”, but that’s exactly what happened. Romero torpedoed Machida with ground-n-pound — exposing perhaps the biggest hole in Machida’s game in the process — then proceeded to nearly torpedo his own career with some ill-timed remarks during his post-fight interview (remarks which he would backtrack on later that evening). Being neither a Spanish speaker nor someone who witnessed the comments live, I’m not prepared to take Romero to task at the moment — though I wouldn’t exactly be shocked if a guy nicknamed “Soldier of God” had some less than favorable opinions on marriage equality.
Elsewhere on the card, some exciting finishes happened in some mostly inconsequential fights. Fight Night 70 may have held one of the most destitute main card lineups in recent history (Lorenz Larkin? In a co-main?), but thankfully, these garbage-ass matchups led to moments like this:
Yep, that’s former hockey enforcer Steve Bosse returning from a two-year retirement to eat one of the cleanest (and therefore nastiest) head kicks you will ever see courtesy of Thiago Santos. How many Thiago Santos’ are there in the UFC, anyway? Like 10 Thiagos Santoses? That question aside, I think any MMA fighter currently on a 2+ year hiatus from the sport should take note of the performances of Bosse — and to a lesser extent: Cain Velasquez — when considering a comeback. That note being: DON’T COME BACK OR YOU WILL LIKELY DIE.
Speaking of dying, Fight Night 70′s aforementioned co-main between Larkin and Santiago Ponzinibbio ended with the former beating the latter into the living death. I don’t know if Herb Dean fell asleep at the wheel or if the 30-some punches Larkin landed on Ponzinibbio was just Karma’s way of paying back Larkin for the unnecessary beating King Mo put on him, but in either case, it was almost enough to mar what was a fun, back-and-forth fight beforehand.
Is is safe to slap a “Worst TUF Winner Ever” label on Eddie Gordon yet, or is that an honor that Colton Smith is destined to hold? James Wilks maybe? Anyway, Gordon ate his third consecutive defeat since winning that season of TUF that we all agreed to never talk about again via a third round submission to someone named Antonio Carlos Jr. When you’re losing to Brazilians with as names as forgettable as that (see also: Santos, Thiago), it’s safe to say that you are not on your way to becoming a household name yourself, which is a shame, because the UFC needs more Matt Serra in their lives (as do we) and they’re only just starting to realize it.
The full results for Fight Night 70 are below.
Main card
Yoel Romero def. Lyoto Machida via TKO at 1:38 of round three.
Lorenz Larkin def. Santiago Ponzinibbio via TKO at 3:07 of round two.
Antonio Carlos Junior def. Eddie Gordon via submission (rear naked choke) at 4:33 of round three.
Thiago Santos def. Steve Bosse via KO at 0:29 of round one.
Hacran Dias def. Levan Makashvili via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
Undercard
Alex Oliveira def. Joe Merritt via unaimous decision (30-27 x3)
Leandro Silva def. Lewis Gonzalez via unanimous decision (30-27 X2, 29-28)
Tony Sims def. Steve Montgomery via TKO at 2:47 of round one.
Sirwan Kakai def. Danny Martinez via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
(This 4th of July weekend, let’s declare our independence from “Machida drinks pee-pee” jokes. #cagepotatoban / Photo by Esther Lin for MMAFighting.com)
When UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman knocked out Anderson Silva last July, fans called it a fluke. When Weidman snapped Silva’s leg by checking a kick in their rematch, fans called it a fluke again. Tonight at UFC 175 in Las Vegas, Weidman has the opportunity to prove that his title reign is the real deal when he takes on Lyoto Machida, who could become just the third fighter in UFC history to win a belt in two different weight classes.
Fresh off his liveblog of the last UFC PPV (sorry about that, dude), our friend Barry “Bear” Siragusa is BACK in the saddle agaaaain, and will be posting round-by-round results from the “Weidman vs. Machida” pay-per-view broadcast after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and shoot us your own thoughts in the comments section or on twitter @cagepotatomma. Thanks for coming.
(This 4th of July weekend, let’s declare our independence from “Machida drinks pee-pee” jokes. #cagepotatoban / Photo by Esther Lin for MMAFighting.com)
When UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman knocked out Anderson Silva last July, fans called it a fluke. When Weidman snapped Silva’s leg by checking a kick in their rematch, fans called it a fluke again. Tonight at UFC 175 in Las Vegas, Weidman has the opportunity to prove that his title reign is the real deal when he takes on Lyoto Machida, who could become just the third fighter in UFC history to win a belt in two different weight classes.
Fresh off his liveblog of the last UFC PPV (sorry about that, dude), our friend Barry “Bear” Siragusa is BACK in the saddle agaaaain, and will be posting round-by-round results from the “Weidman vs. Machida” pay-per-view broadcast after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and shoot us your own thoughts in the comments section or on twitter @cagepotatomma. Thanks for coming.
UFC 175 preliminary card results
– Kenny Robertson def. Ildemar Alcantara via unanimous decisions (30-26 x 3)
– Bruno Santos def. Chris Camozzi via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
– Rob Font def. George Roop via KO (Punch) at 2:19 of round one.
– Luke Zachrich def. Guilherme Vasconcelos via unanimous decision (30-27×2 29-28).
– Kevin Casey Def. William “Bubba” Bush via KO (elbows) at 1:01 of round one.
Please stand by…
Hi again folks. “Back in the saddle” is right and boy was I Saddle Sore after that last one. I haven’t seen that many decisions since… well… ever. As much fun as UFC 174 was, let’s move on and try and forget the soul crushing decision-i-ness of that card and look forward to UFC 175. Weidman vs. Machida just may be the best fight this year (We’ll see what Hunt vs. Nelson and Brown vs. Lawler look like). Rousey vs. Davis will either be the biggest upset since the beginning of time if Davis wins, or a “makes you uncomfortable but you can’t look away” mauling. The sort that Rousey fans have come to love. I’m banking on the latter.
P.S. I know the Urijah Faber vs. Alex Caceres fight is part of the prelims but, I don’t care. It’s a main card caliber fight.
Let’s do this.
First up:
Urijah Faber vs. Alex Caceres
Alex Caceres (10-5-1 MMA) Was a contestant on season 12 of TUF. He is currently the #13 ranked Bantamweight. His most recent fight was a win, FOTN, and Submission of the Night against Sergio Pettis. Faber will be the first top 10 opponent Caceres has faced.
Urijah Faber (30-7 MMA) is currently the #2 Bantamweight fighter in the world and founder of Team Alfa Male (home of current Bantamweight champ. T.J. Dillashaw). Former WEC featherweight Champ and KOTC Bantamweight Champ. Faber lost to Renan Barao at UFC 169 in a fight for the UFC Bantamweight Championship in what many consider a early stoppage by referee Herb Dean.
Round 1:
Caceres looking confident during the walkout. Goldie agrees, says “confident” 5 times. Faber looks relaxed and pumped up. T.J. Dillashaw in the background looking on. Caceres has a huge reach advantage.
Faber gets a takedown almost immediately. Caceres back up instantly. They grapple and spin around the octagon before coming to rest against the fence with Faber on the outside. A nice right hand by Caceres, Faber goes after him and Caceres shoulder rolls away. Faber chases and gets the takedown. Faber with some brutal rights to the body. Faber dropping elbows into Caceres ribs. A nice elbow to Caceres’s face. Big right over the top from inside the guard by Faber. Caceres is defending but eating some nasty elbows. Caceres gets his feet against the fence. Faber picks him up and slams him down. Faber still on top. Caceres is not panicing but doesn’t seem to have an answer, Faber is just putting on a G&P demo. Careres connects with an ax kick from his back and gets his feet as the buzzer sounds.
Round 2:
Faber connects with a big overhand right to start the round and follows up with a takedown in the middle of the cage. Careres has control of Fabers hand and gets to his feet. Caceres attacks and pushes Faber against the fence. Caceres backs off and connects with a solid punch that rocks Faber. Faber rushes him and takes him down but Caceres is quickly back up on his feet. They clinch against the fence and Caceres gets the reversal still against the fence. They rest briefly and Faber takes Caceres down, Caceres pops right back up. Amazing resilience… High kick attempt by Careres. Faber throws a sloppy overhand right. Caceres attempts a spinning round kick and Faber pins him against the fence. They stall there. Faber explodes and hip throws Caceres who pops right back up again. They stalk each other in the center of the octagon. They clinch and Faber pushers Caceres against the fence. Careres connects with a knee but can’t push him off.
Round 3:
Faber fakes a shot. Caceres misses with a super-man punch attempt. They clinch and whip each other around. They clinch against the fence and break apart. They clinch, flurry, and Faber gets the takedown. Faber gets Caceres’s back and gets sinks in the RNC. Caceres taps! It’s over.
Urijah Faber def. Alex Caceres via Submission (RNC) at 1:09 of round 3.
Next up:
Marcus Brimage vs. Russell Doane
Marcus Brimage was a competitor on Season 14 of TUF. Brimage has gone 3-1 in the UFC with his sole loss coming at the hands of Conor McGregor.
Hawaiian fighter Russell Doane (13-3 MMA) will enter the octagon for only the second time tonight. His previous fight was a win via Triangle Choke against Leandro Issa at UFC Fight Night Saffiedine vs. Lim.
Round 1:
Doane is looking angry and ready. Brimage is looking pretty relaxed.
Brimage immediately starts jabbing to find his range. Hard inside leg kick from Brimage, answered by a head-kick attempt by Doane. Doane goes for the double leg and gets the takedown. Doane quickly gets side control. Doane gets Brimage’s back. Brimage shifts and is on the bottom but now on his side. Doane is pounding him, Doane only has one hook in, he still needs to get the left in. Doane gets both hooks in. Doane flattens Brimage out, Brimage is defending the RNC attempt from Doane. Doane has both hooks in DEEP. Brimage is defending well but is using a ton of energy. Brimage explodes and breaks free. Brimage is on his feet and starts throwing leg kicks and big punches to keep Doane at a distance. Doane with a straight kick. Brimage answers with a leg kick and a right hand.
Round 2:
Brimages corner tells him he is down a round. Doane with a front kick to start things off in the second. NASTY inside leg kicks from Brimage. Brimage connects with a big right hook and knocks Doane down. Brimage goes for the guard but Doane shifts and sprawls. Brimage connects with another inside leg kick and Doane’s leg gives out. He is limping now. Doane switches stances but quickly switches back. Another inside leg kick from Brimage. Doane goes for the takedown and gets it. Doane quickly gets Brimages back. He has neither of the hooks. Brimage shrugs him off and is on his feet. Doane is much more cautious of Brimage now. They flurry and clinch. Doane connects with a knee to the body from the clinch. Doane pushes Brimage up against the fence. Doane gets Brimages back while they were standing but Brimage rolls over when Doane attempts a takedown. Brimage is on his feet. Doane is looking like he is hurting after all the leg kicks. Brimage ends the round with an outside leg kick.
Round 3
Last round. Brimage still jabbing. Doane attempts a high kick and Brimage grabs it and throws Doane to the ground. Doane goes for the amaplata but doesn’t get it. Brimage disengages and they are on their feet. Doane has slowed way down. He is hurting. Brimage connects with another inside leg kick and Doane goes down but quickly gets up. Brimage connects again with the outside leg kick on that injured leg. Doane tries for a high kick which is blocked by Brimage who answers with another inside leg kick. Doane attempts to drag Brimage down and goes for a guillotine but loses it. Brimage gets back up. Brimage connects with an outside looping right. Doane working hard to protect that leg. Brimage kicks that leg again. Doane goes for the double, but Brimage sprawls and avoids the takedown. Doane connects with a right hand. Brimage eats a high-kick. Doane is really trying to put the pressure on in these final seconds. There is the buzzer.
Russell Doane def. Marcus Brimage via Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Breaking news: Stefan Struve vs. Matt Mitrione is cancelled due to health concerns for Stefan Struve. According to the UFC doctor Struve experience heart palpitations and felt as if he would faint. Based on Struve’s pre-existing heart condition the decision was made to cancel the fight in the name of fighter safety.
Next up:
Uriah Hall vs. Thiago Santos
Uriah Hall (8-4 MMA) was the runner-up during season 17 of TUF. Despite showing a well rounded game with excellent striking skills during TUF, Hall has met with mixed results since signing with the UFC, loosing his first two fights in the promotion. His last fight was a TKO win over Chris Leben, saving his career and ending Leben’s.
Thiago Santos (11-2 MMA) was a contestant on TUF Brazil 2. Santos trained in Capoeira before starting his MMA career. This will be Santos’s third fight in the UFC.
Round 1:
Santos is looking hungry. He is pacing like a caged lion. Hall is looking focused.
Hall with a jab and spinning back fist attempts to start things off. Santos attempts a spinning back kick. Some HARD leg kicks from Santos. Santos with another spinning kick. Solid jab from Hall. Another solid jab by Hall, answered by two consecutive leg kick by Santos. Santos attempts a head kick. Santos connects with another inside leg kick but eats a straight right from Hall. Hall with a low kick and a straight kick. Another huge leg kick from Santos. He attempts a head kick and Hall catches it and throws Santos down. Santos is quickly on his feet again. Another spinning kick and leg kick from Santos. Hall is starting to limp. A solid left hook from Hall. Hall is moving forward really pushing forward, he has his hands down and is taunting Santos. Santos is not taking the bait. Hall attempts a spinning heel kick to end the round. Hall has clearly broken his foot.
Round 2:
Hall starts this round with some intense energy. Trying to end it quickly. Hall is still dancing in front of Santos with his hands down. Santos is not taking the bait. Hall with a nice jab. Big overhand right from Santos. A quick leg kick/left hook combo from Santos that connects hard. Some front kicks from Santos. Hall throws a spinning body kick with his injured foot. Hall throws a big hand over the top. Santos attempts a high kick and Hall throws him down again. Santos gets back on his feet and connects with a inside leg kick. Hall with some big swings and misses. A BIG spinning back kick from Hall that misses and knocks him off balance. Santos connects with another inside leg, followed by a body kick. Both men seem afraid to clash. Hall attempts a spinning head kick but misses and falls. Santos doesn’t rush him. Santos with a spinning round house kick. Hall with a rolling kick to end.
Round 3:
Wow, the bone is sticking out of Halls toe.
Hall still wants to fight. The doctors will allow it. Hall and Santos meet in the middle of the octagon but neither man willing to close the distance and get in close. Santos with some straight kicks. Hall blocks a body kick and connects with a left. Hall is really going for the kill. Santos pushes him back and connects with a solid body kick. Inside leg kick from Santos. Hall connects with a overhand right. Now it’s Hall with the inside leg kick. Hall checks a leg kick. Hall connects with a solid right hand. Santos almost connects with a high kick. Hall hits Santos in the body with a spinning kick. Ouch! Santos jump kicks Hall in the groin. Hall is working it out. He takes a minute and signals that he is ready to roll. Santons gets the single and almost gets the takedown. Santos pushes Hall against the cage and starts smashing Halls legs and thighs with knees. Hall goes for the Kimura but looses it. Santos knocks him down and rains down elbows from the top. The buzzer sounds with Santos on top of Hall. That was a brawl. I have no feeling for who will get the decision.
Uriah Hall def. Thiago Santos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
A replay of the Rob Font vs. George Roop fight from earlier tonight will fill in for Struve vs. Mitrione fight as Ronda Rousey and Alexis Davis prepare for their title fight next.
Rob Font def. George Roop via KO (Punch) at 2:19 of round one.
Next up:
Ronda Rousey vs. Alexis Davis for the Women’s Bantamweight Championship
Former Olympic Bronze medalist in Judo, Ronda Rousey (9-0 MMA) is the current and first UFC Bantamweight Women’s Champ. Rousey has won all of her fights except one via armbar.
Alexis Davis (16-5 MMA) is on a 5 fight win streak. Having gone undefeated in the last two organizations she has fought in (Invicta and UFC). She is a jiu-jitsu fighter with a mean stand-up game.
Round 1:
Remember we are looking at a possible 5 rounds. Alexis Davis is looking like she is shopping for bread… So relaxed. Rousey looks angry as usual. Ronda with the jabs to open it up. Davis with a solid jab and the clash, Rousey catches Davis with knee to the face, hip throws Davis and starts to punch Davis in the face. IT’S OVER! WOW! Rousey with the KO. Unbelievable. Davis is still fighting the ref. She has no clue what is happening. That is the second fastest KO in a Championship match in UFC history (according to Joe Rogan).
Ronda Rousey defeats Alexis Davis via KO (punches) at 00:16 of the first round.
Next up:
Weidman vs. Machida for the Middleweight Championship
These two need no introduction but, I will do a quick one anyway.
Weidman (11-0 MMA) is the current UFC Middleweight Champ and the only man in UFC to ever defeat Anderson Silva (Weidman has done it twice).
Machida (21-4 MMA) is the former Light Heavyweight champ. Has gone undefeated since moving down to middleweight with wins over Gegard Mousasi and Mark Munoz.
Round 1:
This is it! For the Middleweight Belt. Weidman with a kick to start us off. Weidman is going for leg kicks. Something I am sure no one expected. Straight kick from Weidman. Nothing so far from Machida. Front kick from Weidman. Machida kicks and Weidman catches the leg and goes for the takedown. Machida defends and gets back up. Weidman clips the chin of Machida. Follows up with a quick flurry. Constant pressure from Weidman. Lyoto has not answered in any way yet. Machida absorbs a kick but hits Weidman with a straight right. Machida is starting to move. Weidman continuing with the kicks. Machida throws a body kick, Weidman catches it and attempts a takedown. Machida spins away and avoids the takedown. Machida has no answer for Weidmans pressure yet. There is the bell.
Round 2:
Machida kicks first with an inside leg. Weidman fires back. Weidman still pouring on the pressure. Machida just can’t set up for anything. Weidman is forcing Machida to fight reactively. Weidman lands some left jabs. Weidman connects with a solid inside leg kick. Weidman is completely controlling where this fight is happening. Machida connects with a kick to the body. Weidman with a front kick. Machida with an inside leg kick. Weidman is just pressuring Machida. He has a hand in Machida’s face all day. Weidman with a jumping front kick. Machida can’t get his back away from the cage. Some jabs from Weidman followed by a big high kick attempt from Machida. Machida connects with a left. Weidman gets Machida’s legs and takes Machida down. Machida defends, but Weidman is grounding and pounding Machida. Machida has no answer. Weidman lifts him up and connects with some good knees to the head to end the round.
Round 3:
Machida looking nervous headed into the 3rd. Weidman still has a hand constantly in Machida’s face. Machida kicks high, Weidman blocks and goes for the takedown. Machida spins away. A big head kick attempt from Machida. Machida more active this round. Weidman goes for the legs and Machida sprawls. Weidman lets him up and gets both his legs. Weidman lifts Machida up and slams him down. Weidman is in Machida’s guard, punishing Machida’s face with elbows. Machida scrambles almost to his feet. Weidman attempts to take Machida’s back. Weidman connects with some big punches. Machida is bleeding. Weidman connects with an overhand right. Machida is hurt. Machida kicks Weidman in the body, and Weidman gets the takedown. Weidman has Machida’s back and is just punishing him with punches and hammer strikes. Weidman lifts him up and slams him down. Weidman says to Herb Dean that Machida has his fingers in Weidmans gloves. Machida gains his feet and attempts a kick just at the horn. I have this three rounds to nothing for Weidman
Round 4:
Machida opens with a leg kick. Weidman blocks the kick and instantly pours on the pressure. Nice body kick by Machida. Weidman still dictating the pace. Weidman connects with a knee to the body. Weidman connects with a left hand jab. Machida attempts a knee to the body, Weidman catches the knee and gets the take down. Machida fights out of it and gains his feet. Machida connects with a left hook that rocks Weidman. Machida connects again with a left hook. Weidman is hurt. Machida smells blood. Weidman pushes back into the center of the octagon. Weidman is starting to back up. Machida is landing some hard kicks to the body. Now Machida is pouring on the pressure. Weidman is looking a little tired. He has never been out of the second round before. Weidman goes for the takedown and eats a punch for his troubles. Weidman still connecting with the jab. Weidman gaining his momentum again. Machida has more momentum than he has before. Machida taunts Weidman, Weidman attacks and Weidman eats a punch to end the round.
Round 5:
Machida starts again with the inside leg kick. Weidman is just in survival mode right now. Still moving forward, but Machida is avoiding his kicks and jabs now. Machida connects with another left hand overhand. Weidman wants another takedown. Machida defends and is all over him. Weidman defends with an elbow. Weidman connects with an overhand right. Machida is hurt. Both men are tired now. Weidman connects with a kick. Mahcida moves forward and tries for a clinch. Weidman throws a knee. Weidman connects with a leg kick. Weidman connects with a knee and an elbow. He connects again with a left hand. Machida is not giving up. Wiedman goes for the double and gets the takedown. Machida is on his back eating elbows to the face and shoulder punches. Nothing seems to be hurting Machida too much. Weidman has Machida’s back. Weidman has both hooks in and flattens Machida out! Machida somehow escapes and gets to his feet and Weidman lets go of his back. Machida tries to finish with a flurry. He has Weidman rocked! Weidman pushes Machida away, takes a step out towards the middle of the octagon and motions Machida forward. There is the buzzer! What a brawl! Weidman looks satisfied.
Chris Weidman defeats Lyoto Machida via Unanimous Decision (49-45, 48-47, 49- 46) and remains the Middleweight Champion
(Shogun vs. Henderson 2 highlights via Fox Sports)
Dan Henderson and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua fought for the second time last night in Natal, Brazil, and though we weren’t treated to another five-round dogfight, the rematch turned out to be nearly as incredible as their first meeting. This time, it was Henderson who was getting beaten up in the early rounds, as an energized Shogun Rua came close to finishing the American legend on more than one occasion. It seemed like Henderson’s heart, experience, and still-solid chin were the only things keeping him alive going into round three. And then…boo-yah.
All it took was one right hand directly across the chin to snap Shogun’s head back and send him into a backwards somersault across the mat. Arguably, referee Herb Dean could have stopped the fight as soon as Shogun went ass-over-teakettle, but he allowed Hendo to follow up the knockdown with some controversial blows to the back of the head, as Shogun groggily clung to Henderson’s leg. To those of you who expected Herb Dean to penalize Henderson during the finishing sequence: You haven’t been watching MMA for very long, have you?
The Pepey/Lahat KO was just one of five matches at UFC Fight Night 38 that ended in the first round. Notably, middleweight vet CB Dollaway TKO’d TUF Brazil 1 winner Cezar “Mutante” Ferreira in just 39 seconds with an impressive display of counter-punching, which you can watch below…
(Shogun vs. Henderson 2 highlights via Fox Sports)
Dan Henderson and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua fought for the second time last night in Natal, Brazil, and though we weren’t treated to another five-round dogfight, the rematch turned out to be nearly as incredible as their first meeting. This time, it was Henderson who was getting beaten up in the early rounds, as an energized Shogun Rua came close to finishing the American legend on more than one occasion. It seemed like Henderson’s heart, experience, and still-solid chin were the only things keeping him alive going into round three. And then…boo-yah.
All it took was one right hand directly across the chin to snap Shogun’s head back and send him into a backwards somersault across the mat. Arguably, referee Herb Dean could have stopped the fight as soon as Shogun went ass-over-teakettle, but he allowed Hendo to follow up the knockdown with some controversial blows to the back of the head, as Shogun groggily clung to Henderson’s leg. To those of you who expected Herb Dean to penalize Henderson during the finishing sequence: You haven’t been watching MMA for very long, have you?
The Pepey/Lahat KO was just one of five matches at UFC Fight Night 38 that ended in the first round. Notably, middleweight vet CB Dollaway TKO’d TUF Brazil 1 winner Cezar “Mutante” Ferreira in just 39 seconds with an impressive display of counter-punching, which you can watch below…
Speaking of fights that lasted less than a minute, Thiago Santos TKO’d Ronny Markes in 53 seconds during the prelims, thanks to a well-placed body-kick. Considering that Markes missed weight by five pounds for the match, and he was already coming off a loss to Yoel Romero, his days in the promotion might be numbered.
“Possibly Early Stoppage of the Night” goes to the Steven Siler vs. Rony “Jason” Bezerra main card fight, which Jason won by first-round TKO after knocking Siler down with punches. The ref jumped in as soon as Siler hit the mat, drawing an immediate protest from the American featherweight. Not that Siler wasn’t hurt — but clearly there was some inconsistency in the officiating last night, when you consider how many opportunities Dan Henderson was given to recover after being rocked.
As for fights that went the distance, Norman Parke cost himself a victory against Leonardo Santos by getting a point deducted for shorts grabbing during their main card fight. Instead, the match ended in a majority draw. And in other point-deduction news, prelim fighter Mairbek Taisumov became just the second UFC fighter to have two separate point-deductions in a fight that went to the judges. (Taisumov was docked points for an illegal head-kick in round one and fence-grabbing in round two.) As a result, he lost a unanimous decision with scores of 30-25 across the board.
Once again, here are the complete results from UFC Fight Night 38: Shogun vs. Henderson 2…
Main Card
– Dan Henderson def. Shogun Rua via TKO (punches), 1:31 of round 3
– C.B. Dolloway def. Cezar Ferreira via TKO (punches), 0:39 of round 1
– Leonardo Santos vs. Norman Parke ends in majority Draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28)
– Fabio Maldonado def. Gian Villante via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)
– Michel Prazeres def. Mairbek Taisumov via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-35)
– Rony Jason def. Steven Siler via TKO (punches), 1:17 of round 1
Preliminary Card
– Thiago Santos def. Ronny Markes via TKO (body kick and punches), 0:53 of round 1
– Jussier Formiga def. Scott Jorgensen via submission (rear naked choke), 3:07 of round 1
– Kenny Roberston def. Thiago Perpetuo via submission (rear naked choke), 1:45 of round 1
– Hans Stringer def. Francimar Barroso via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
– Godofredo Castro def. Noad Lahat via KO (flying knee), 2:39 of round 1
It’s been awhile since we’ve familiarized you guys (and ourselves) with the hard-working underlings of an upcoming UFC card, but with so many foreign faces throwing down at UFC 163 this weekend, we decided to dust off an old feature for the sake of education. Don’t worry, this article will contain more knockout videos and fart jokes than it will actual information, as per the CagePotato decree.
Amanda “Lioness” Nunes Experience: 7-3, with notable victories over Julia Budd (see above), Vanessa Porto, and Ediane Gomes. Despite her somewhat modest record, Nunes carries a wealth of experience fighting in top-level promotions such as Strikeforce and Invicta, where she went 2-2. We also hear that her farts smell like Febreeze. Specifically Mediterranean Lavender, which is odd considering she’s Brazilian and all. Will be facing: Sheila “The German Tank” Gaff (10-5, 0-1 UFC) Lowdown: Even having dropped two of her last three, the hard-hitting Nunes is arguably in a better position than her opponent, who is facing a quick turnaround after being dominated by Sara McMann in her own UFC debut at UFC 159. In a perfect world, we will see these two strikers throw caution to the wind and go all Merrill Hess on each another until one of them falls down. Actually, that’s the most likely scenario — three cheers for insanely high expectations based on preconceived notions of inequality!
It’s been awhile since we’ve familiarized you guys (and ourselves) with the hard-working underlings of an upcoming UFC card, but with so many foreign faces throwing down at UFC 163 this weekend, we decided to dust off an old feature for the sake of education. Don’t worry, this article will contain more knockout videos and fart jokes than it will actual information, as per the CagePotato decree.
Amanda “Lioness” Nunes Experience: 7-3, with notable victories over Julia Budd (see above), Vanessa Porto, and Ediane Gomes. Despite her somewhat modest record, Nunes carries a wealth of experience fighting in top-level promotions such as Strikeforce and Invicta, where she went 2-2. We also hear that her farts smell like Febreeze. Specifically Mediterranean Lavender, which is odd considering she’s Brazilian and all. Will be facing: Sheila “The German Tank” Gaff (10-5, 0-1 UFC) Lowdown: Even having dropped two of her last three, the hard-hitting Nunes is arguably in a better position than her opponent, who is facing a quick turnaround after being dominated by Sara McMann in her own UFC debut at UFC 159. In a perfect world, we will see these two strikers throw caution to the wind and go all Merrill Hess on each another until one of them falls down. Actually, that’s the most likely scenario — three cheers for insanely high expectations based on preconceived notions of inequality!
(Barroso scores a five-second, head kick KO over Abhijeet Petkar at Desert Force 1.)
Francimar “Bodao” Barroso Experience: 15-3, with appearances under the Shooto, Bitetti and Desert Force promotions. Will be facing: Ednaldo “Lula Molusco” Oliveira (13-1-1, 0-1 UFC) Lowdown: Filling in for Robert Drysdale, who was forced to withdraw from his UFC debut due to a staph infection, “Bodao” will be bringing 14 stoppage victories including 12 first round finishes into his octagon debut. Problem is, all three of his losses have come via (T)KO, which could spell trouble for him against the similarly heavy handed Oliveira, who we last saw choked out by Gabriel Gonzaga way back at UFC 142.
(Andrade beats up a child in a basement. Yep, these count as legit MMA fights in Brazil.)
Experience: 14-5 (4 KO, 4 Sub 6 Dec), with the only notable names on his record being defeats to Iuri Alcantara, Leandro Silva and Charles Oliveira. Will be facing: Bristol Marunde (12-8, 0-1 UFC) Lowdown: If the above video is any indication, it’s safe to say that Andrade might suffer a few UFC jitters come Saturday night. I mean, just look at that pathetic excuse for an octagon. Can you even complete a double leg without taking out the ref in that thing? Anyway, the TUF Brazil 2 alum has some killer instinct so we’re not completely writing him off, especially against the woefully inconsistent Marunde.
Experience: 8-1, with multiple appearances under the Spartan MMA and WOCS banners. 4 knockouts, 1 sub, 3 decisions. Will be facing: Cezar “Mutante” Ferreira (5-2, 1-0 UFC) Lowdown: We can’t find much visual evidence on Santos, probably because he is one of approximately 436 Brazilians named Thiago Santos currently competing in MMA. He made it to the TUF Brazil 2 quarterfinals, so there’s that, and he’s filling in for Clint Hester on short notice. And he’s fighting up a weight class. Brave men all, those lost sons of Rio.
(Tome submits Jerry Tolentino at Limo Fight 9….really? The fuck, Brazil?)
Experience: 33-3 (15 TKO, 13 Sub). Again, the only notable opponent on his record is Jussier da Silva, whom he lost to via first round submission back in March of 2008. Will be facing: John Lineker (21-6, 2-1 UFC) Lowdown: Folks, I am going to be blunt. Without even looking at the odds, I am going to ensure you with 100% certainty that Tome will not be walking away from UFC 163 with a victory under his belt. You might say that he has “No Chance.”
How am I so confident? Because this guy is Brazil’s answer to Jason Reindhart (minus the crabs, hopefully), that’s why. Perusing over his record, you will find fake names (Maluinha Maluinha and Everton Everton? Please), more than a handful of 0-1 opponents and less than a handful of winning records. I know you can’t always pick and choose your fights, but fighting a 2-3 guy named “Bulldog” less than a year ago is just pathetic when you boast that kind of record. At least Kramer fought children at his own belt level for Christ’s sake.
