With one of the strongests undercards (on paper) in what feels like an eternity, UFC 160 is primed to become, at the very least, a night chock full of wild finishes and entertaining scraps that will leave *no fan* unsatisfied. I really hope I’m not overselling it. Anyway, join us now as we try to underline the right favorites and highlight some possible underdogs in the hopes of finding that ever-elusive payout for UFC 160. The gambling lines, as always, come courtesy of BestFightOdds.
Having only lost twice, to Urijah Faber and injuryweight world champion Dominick Cruz, Bowles comes in as a healthy -280 favorite (and rightfully so) against the woefully inconsistent George Roop. Roop is coming off a less than convincing win over Reuben Duran in his return to bantamweight, whereas his opponent is looking to get back on the short list of top contenders in the division. Bowles should be able to close the distance on Roop and get this fight to the mat, where we may see a submission victory for the former WEC champion. Bowles makes the parlay at -140 and the prop bet that he is able to end things before the final bell.
(Looks like this year’s harvest will be even better. Sanguis Bibimus! Corpus Edimus! Photo via Getty Images.)
With one of the strongests undercards (on paper) in what feels like an eternity, UFC 160 is primed to become, at the very least, a night chock full of wild finishes and entertaining scraps that will leave *no fan* unsatisfied. I really hope I’m not overselling it. Anyway, join us now as we try to underline the right favorites and highlight some possible underdogs in the hopes of finding that ever-elusive payout for UFC 160. The gambling lines, as always, come courtesy of BestFightOdds.
Having only lost twice, to Urijah Faber and injuryweight world champion Dominick Cruz, Bowles comes in as a healthy -280 favorite (and rightfully so) against the woefully inconsistent George Roop. Roop is coming off a less than convincing win over Reuben Duran in his return to bantamweight, whereas his opponent is looking to get back on the short list of top contenders in the division. Bowles should be able to close the distance on Roop and get this fight to the mat, where we may see a submission victory for the former WEC champion. Bowles makes the parlay at -140 and the prop bet that he is able to end things before the final bell.
With the exception of one bout on the main card (we’ll get to that later), all signs point to a Fight of the Night-earning war when these two talented strikers mix it up on Saturday. Holloway at +215 or better is quite the enticing underdog pick, as he has the potential to avoid the blitzkrieg attack of Bermudez by using his height and reach advantage to counter the ultra-aggressive TUF 14 runner up. Bermudez may very well catch Holloway early, but at -280 to win, the prop that Bermudez wins inside the distance at +200 may be the best option for a lone bet here.
K.J. Noons is coming off a controversial loss to Ryan Couture in his last Strikeforce outing and will be looking to right the ship in his Octagon debut against the -300 territory Donald Cerrone. K.J. has power in his hands for sure, but Cerrone has a more complete stand up game and will not make the same mistake he did against Diaz (trying to simply outbox his opponent). Cowboy will most likely attack K.J.’s lead leg and use his reach to keep Noons frustrated and swinging for the fences from the outside. Cerrone is parlay bound and the prop that Cerrone wins by decision at +175 is a solid option, as Noons is notoriously hard to finish.
Along with the Holloway/Bermudez tilt, this fight has the potential to find itself as a candidate for FOTN. Undefeated at lightweight in the UFC, Grant has put together 4 straight wins in increasingly brilliant fashion. With Gray potentially fighting off ring rust, the makings for an upset are very real. Grant has not been stopped in over 4 years and this includes a bout with Johny Hendricks, where T.J. was simply overpowered in a competitive fight. Maynard is undoubtedly one of the strongest lightweights in the division, but Grant looked ultra impressive against Matt Wiman (another powerful lightweight) and while he may not finish Gray, this fight will surely be close right until the end. Prop that fight goes the distance is around -205 and may be the safest option.
Glover Teixeira comes in as a sizable favorite to score his 19th win in a row (!) against the hard-hitting and harder to take down Te Huna. While Glover beat Rampage convincingly in his last outing, it is hard to determine how serious Jackson took their bout; this may be the first true test for Glover in the UFC. All signs point to Glover winning this fight, but he probably won’t want to turn this into a potentially lethal slugfest and may be content to show off his BJJ prowess. Just sit back and enjoy this one, folks.
JDS was a -350 favorite going into his fight with Roy Nelson, this time Junior is a -450 favorite going into his fight with Mark Hunt, who is comparable to Roy in the sense that they posses heavy hands and enjoy separating their opponents from consciousness. Most likely though, much like Roy Nelson, Hunt may find JDS to be too quick and too technical with his stand up, which may leave Hunt on the wrong end of a boxing clinic. JDS will be looking to finish this fight and get back to the top of the HW division, whether or not he gets caught by Hunt in the process is yet to be determined, but -170 that this fight does not go the distance is alluring. JDS for the win makes the parlay.
(Ed. Note: Sorry, I gotta step in here. Mark Hunt because PRIDE. – Danga)
Considering their first encounter, it would be hard to imagine that “Bigfoot” could do any worse this time around against Cain. However, as a +550 underdog, the people have spoken once again and have given very little consideration to Silva pulling off the upset here. A line like -750 does not impact a small parlay, so much like with the UFC 159 main event, the prop section offers some interesting proposals that could pay off nicely. “Fight Does Not Start Round 4″ is at -285 and pays roughly the same as many favorites to win. For the true gambler, placing money on Cain to win in the 2nd or 3rd rounds pays +300 and +500 respectively, so splitting your money on those props (i.e. a $10 bet on each) might pay off nicely if Cain is able to avoid disaster. Cain most likely wins and Bigfoot most likely bleeds…..again.
Props
-Velasquez/Silva does not start rd.4
-Cerrone wins by decision
-Bowles wins inside the distance
-FOTN Holloway/Bermudez
Feel free to share your thoughts and concerns on this weekend’s card in the comments section. But mainly, enjoy the fights and may the winners be yours!
If you think Gilbert Melendez deserves an immediate rematch, don’t bother reading the article. Just stare at this GIF for five seconds and go directly to the comments section.
If you watched UFC on Fox 7’s main event between UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson and former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez, you saw an extremely close fight. In the end, Henderson walked away with a split decision victory that many fans felt should have went to Melendez. While the debate over who won the fight continues to rage on [Author Note: For what it’s worth, Fight Metric stats seem to confirm that Henderson won.], the talks of an immediate rematch have already been squashed.
By the end of the post-event press conference, Dana White confirmed that the winner of the upcoming bout between Gray Maynard and TJ Grant at UFC 160 – which takes place on May 25 – is next in line for a shot at the lightweight title. At this time, there is no target date for Henderson’s next title defense. In White’s own words:
“Gray Maynard is ranked number three. TJ Grant is ranked number seven. Those guys are gonna fight at UFC 160 on May 25. The winner of that fight is gonna fight Ben Henderson next.”
If you think Gilbert Melendez deserves an immediate rematch, don’t bother reading the article. Just stare at this GIF for five seconds and go directly to the comments section.
If you watched UFC on Fox 7′s main event between UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson and former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez, you saw an extremely close fight. In the end, Henderson walked away with a split decision victory that many fans felt should have went to Melendez. While the debate over who won the fight continues to rage on [Author Note: For what it’s worth, Fight Metric stats seem to confirm that Henderson won.], the talks of an immediate rematch have already been squashed.
By the end of the post-event press conference, Dana White confirmed that the winner of the upcoming bout between Gray Maynard and TJ Grant at UFC 160 – which takes place on May 25 – is next in line for a shot at the lightweight title. At this time, there is no target date for Henderson’s next title defense. In White’s own words:
“Gray Maynard is ranked number three. TJ Grant is ranked number seven. Those guys are gonna fight at UFC 160 on May 25. The winner of that fight is gonna fight Ben Henderson next.”
As for Melendez? He lost a close fight and won’t be getting an immediate rematch. I’d love to play “Offended guy on the Internet” here, but considering he was offered a title shot in his UFC debut, I have no problem with asking him to win a fight in the promotion before being granted another shot at the title. What do you think?
Thomson hasn’t competed in the UFC since his 2-1 stint for the promotion in 2003-2004, which ended in an unfortunate/incredible highlight-reel knockout against Yves Edwards. Since then, “The Punk” has spent most of his career fighting for Strikeforce, where he built an entertaining rivalry against Diaz’s training partner (and UFC on FOX 7 title challenger) Gilbert Melendez. Thomson briefly held Strikeforce’s lightweight title after winning a decision against Melendez in June 2008, and has picked up wins over Pat Healy, Gesias Cavalcante, and KJ Noons since then. His most recent appearance resulted in a split-decision loss to Melendez during their rubber-match last May.
Of course, the other thing Thomson is known for is his frequent injuries, and there’s a lot that can go wrong between now and 4/20. Let’s hope this one sticks together. In related news, the UFC has added three big matchups to their UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen card, which takes place the following weekend (April 27th) in Newark, NJ…
Thomson hasn’t competed in the UFC since his 2-1 stint for the promotion in 2003-2004, which ended in an unfortunate/incredible highlight-reel knockout against Yves Edwards. Since then, “The Punk” has spent most of his career fighting for Strikeforce, where he built an entertaining rivalry against Diaz’s training partner (and UFC on FOX 7 title challenger) Gilbert Melendez. Thomson briefly held Strikeforce’s lightweight title after winning a decision against Melendez in June 2008, and has picked up wins over Pat Healy, Gesias Cavalcante, and KJ Noons since then. His most recent appearance resulted in a split-decision loss to Melendez during their rubber-match last May.
Of course, the other thing Thomson is known for is his frequent injuries, and there’s a lot that can go wrong between now and 4/20. Let’s hope this one sticks together. In related news, the UFC has added three big matchups to their UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen card, which takes place the following weekend (April 27th) in Newark, NJ…
– Riding back-to-back knockout wins over Dave Herman and Matt Mitrione, Roy Nelson will be bringing his powerful fists and ratty-ass gray beard to UFC 159 against Cheick Kongo, who’s coming off his award-winning decision win over Shawn Jordan at UFC 149. [source]
– Speaking of bearded white guys: Fresh off his epic battle with Joe Lauzon at UFC 155, Jim Miller will look to make it two in a row against former Strikeforce lightweight contender (and long-lost twin) Pat Healy, who has won his last six fights. Winner gets TJ Grant, I guess? [source]
– And finally, top light-heavyweight contender Phil Davis and BJJ ace Vinny Magalhaes will also face off at UFC 159, settling their ongoing twitter beef. (More on that here.) Davis last competed in October when he submitted Wagner Prado at UFC 153, while Magalhaes made a successful return to the UFC in September, tapping Igor Pokrajac at UFC 152. [source]
So which fight are you most looking forward to, and how do you think they’ll turn out?
When the UFC first began its relationship with Fox, the results were mixed. The first show had only a 64 second fight, and the next two shows – while solid – didn’t do so well in the ratings. Even as the cards themselves picked up on UFC on Fox 4 and 5, the production of the show was excessively drawn out and was tedious to watch at times. But UFC on Fox 6 showed just how good these cards can be. Packed with excellent, violent fights, and backed with the full might of the Fox marketing machine, this card was the first that fulfilled the potential of MMA on network television.
But let’s talk fights, shall we? I know the flyweights aren’t nearly as respected as they should be in some parts of the fight community, but if you’re still in those parts after last night’s performance, do us all a favor, stop reading and get the fuck out. Because what you just witnessed was one of the best, if not the best 5-round title fights in the promotion’s history. In an extraordinarily competitive fight, John Dodson took an early lead off the strength of his…well, strength. He landed a number of monster lefts that were able to knock Demetrious Johnson down, and showed how he is arguably the most exciting fighter in the entire division.
But it was for naught, because what Dodson has in excitement, Johnson has in sheer stamina, will and technique. He roared back in the latter rounds, particularly the championship rounds, delivering innumerable knees to the head, body and legs, mixing in takedowns, and consistently pushing forward. Dodson was unable to keep Johnson’s pace, and in the final round, Johnson unleashed vicious flurries as Dodson backed up. Though he never wilted, Dodson was defeated. Demetrious Johnson remained champion, and was able to deliver one of the better post-fight shout outs you’ll hear. While Benson Henderson may believe all things are possible through Christ (excuse me, “through CHRIST!!!”), Johnson appears to have sided with a more contemporary deity – the Xbox 360.
When the UFC first began its relationship with Fox, the results were mixed. The first show had only a 64 second fight, and the next two shows – while solid – didn’t do so well in the ratings. Even as the cards themselves picked up on UFC on Fox 4 and 5, the production of the show was excessively drawn out and was tedious to watch at times. But UFC on Fox 6 showed just how good these cards can be. Packed with excellent, violent fights, and backed with the full might of the Fox marketing machine, this card was the first that fulfilled the potential of MMA on network television.
But let’s talk fights, shall we? I know the flyweights aren’t nearly as respected as they should be in some parts of the fight community, but if you’re still in those parts after last night’s performance, do us all a favor, stop reading and get the fuck out. Because what you just witnessed was one of the best, if not the best 5-round title fights in the promotion’s history.
In an extraordinarily competitive fight, John Dodson took an early lead off the strength of his…well, strength. He landed a number of monster lefts that were able to knock Demetrious Johnson down, and showed how he is arguably the most exciting fighter in the entire division. But it was for naught, because what Dodson has in excitement, Johnson has in sheer stamina, will and technique. He roared back in the latter rounds, particularly the championship rounds, delivering innumerable knees to the head, body and legs, mixing in takedowns, and consistently pushing forward.
Dodson was unable to keep Johnson’s pace, and in the final round, Johnson unleashed vicious flurries as Dodson backed up. Though he never wilted, Dodson was defeated. Demetrious Johnson remained champion, and was able to deliver one of the better post-fight shout outs you’ll hear. While Benson Henderson may believe all things are possible through Christ (excuse me, “through CHRIST!!!”), Johnson appears to have sided with a more contemporary deity – the Xbox 360.
In the co-main event, Glover Teixeira showed why the hype behind him isn’t a joke. “Rampage” Jackson came out motivated, and despite the snark put forth his way of late, he put up a fight. He mixed in hooks, low kicks, jabs, and had excellent head movement and defense throughout. Was he in the best shape of his life, as he claimed? No. But he presented a serious challenge to Teixeira, who throws mostly hooks, which Jackson excels in defending. And through the first few minutes of the first round, you could make the argument Jackson was winning the fight.
Then Glover decided it was time to use some world class grappling. Jackson’s takedown defense isn’t what it was, but then again, the wrestling in MMA isn’t what it was either. Teixeira transitioned beautifully between single legs, double legs and body locks during his takedowns, and that’s how he was able to drag Quentin down. And when he had him down, that’s where “Rampage” was helpless. He was able to return to his feet each time, save the last, but not before suffering ground and pound and fending off submission attempts.
On the feet, the fight remained competitive, though Glover was able to hurt Jackson at least twice. The best moment of the fight came in the second round, where Jackson and Teixeira engaged in a type of call-and-response boxing exchange, each man trading combinations and daring the other to fell him. It was a surreal test of skill and display of braggadocio from both men, and when Teixeira came on top after landing a serious body shot, you knew that the fight was over.
Jackson’s career in the UFC might be done now, but even in defeat he helped build a challenger – who realized he had to develop a jab against a an opponent with excellent boxing defense – in a division that he helped define for the better part of the past decade. Hopefully, he won’t end up as the next Gary Goodridge, but only time will tell.
I have mixed feelings about the bout between Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone. On one hand, I thought this was going to be the most exciting, competitive, back-and-forth fight of the night. (In other words, I thought it was going to be Fight of the Night.) That did not happen. But what did happen… what did happen was Pettis made Cerrone – who possesses arguably the best Muay Thai in the division – look like a nobody. He utterly annihilated him with superior boxing, footwork, a spinning wheel kick (that missed), a knee off the wall and finally a brutal liver kick that probably gave Bas Rutten a spontaneous erection, even if he wasn’t watching the fights. There’s not much to say here – Anthony Pettis deserves, and is getting, the next lightweight title shot after Melendez. He’s also the most exciting striker not named Anderson Silva.
On the first fight of the main card, Ricardo Lamas continued his tear in the featherweight division by brutally dispatching Erik Koch in the second round. After Koch attempted to capitalize on a Lamas slip, only to be taken down, Lamas rained devastation from above, smashing Kock with elbows and punches that opened up a brutal cut, squirting blood of its own accord. Koch, someone who was supposed to challenge Jose Aldo for the featherweight crown, was left with nothing but shattered dreams and blood. Lots and lots of blood. Lamas, on the other hand, might take his place as the next man in line for a shot.
Two notes from the undercard; one, Clay Guida did not deserve to win that fight. Hatsu Hioki, although he was on the bottom for most of the fight, controlled the entire fight with his guard and through submission attempts. He even did more damage than Guida on the feet. Judges continue to overrate takedowns that accomplish little to nothing for the fighter in top position. If it was Minotauro Nogueira on bottom, he’d have won. Because he’s Asian and relatively unknown, he lost. It’s unacceptable. On the bright side, T.J. Grant brought the pain to Matt Wiman. Grant dominated with brilliant Muay Thai before putting Wiman out of his misery with two beautiful standing elbows. Sadly, he didn’t manage to get KO of the Night because of Pettis’ liver kick, but he should get a fight with Jim Miller to find out who truly has the best ginger beard in the division.
Main Card Results
Demetrious Johnson def. John Dodson via UD (48-47 x2, 49-46)
Glover Teixeira def. Quentin “Rampage” Jackson via UD (30-27 x2, 29-28)
Anthony Pettis def. Donald Cerrone via TKO (2:35, Round 1)
Ricardo Lamas def. Erik Koch via TKO (2:32, Round 2)
Preliminary Card Results
T.J. Grant def. Matt Wiman via KO (4:51, Round 1)
Clay Guida def. Hatsu Hioki via SD (29-28, 30-27, 28-29)
Pascal Krauss def. Mike Stumpf via UD (30-27 x3)
Ryan Bader def. Vladimir Matyushenko via SUB (0:50, Round 1)
Shawn Jordan def. Mike Russow via TKO (3:48, Round 2)
Rafael Natal def. Shane Spencer via SUB (2:13, Round 3)
David Mitchell def. Simeon Thoreson via UD (30-27 x3)
(“Alright folks, we’re about to get these weigh-ins started in a few minutes, but first, please direct your attention to the main stage to see a schizophrenic homeless person doing the robot.” / Photo via CombatLifestyle. To see more pics from this set, click here.)
Leading us through the UFC on FOX 6 prelims is liveblog first-timer Alex Giardini, who will be stacking round-by-round results after the jump beginning at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT. (Be gentle with him, okay?) Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest results, and feel free to dump your own thoughts into the comments section.
(“Alright folks, we’re about to get these weigh-ins started in a few minutes, but first, please direct your attention to the main stage to see a schizophrenic homeless person doing the robot.” / Photo via CombatLifestyle. To see more pics from this set, click here.)
Leading us through the UFC on FOX 6 prelims is liveblog first-timer Alex Giardini, who will be stacking round-by-round results after the jump beginning at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT. (Be gentle with him, okay?) Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest results, and feel free to dump your own thoughts into the comments section.
Hello, ‘Taters….I’m popping my live blog cherry right now, so I’m all like, nervous and confident at the same time…anyways, as I tuned into the Facebook portion I was glad to hear that familiar voice once again. Yep, Goldie is back! (umm, should I be this excited though….or you don’t know what you got ’til its gone?!) In all seriousness, I’m glad he’s back; maybe he got some words of wisdom from the singer of Crazy Town or something. The lone fight on Facebook was Simeon Thoresen against David Mitchell and I wish I could tell you what happened in the last three minutes but the stream cut. Hopefully they will rebroadcast the fight at the beginning of the show or at least the conclusion.
Now I’m hearing Anik’s voice so I’m all confused but Goldie and Rogan are yelling at me on my screen and HERE WE GO (yeah, yeah, I know…). BG Tha God just informed me Mitchell defeated Thorensen by unanimous decision. Alright, on to the middleweights…
Rafael Natal vs. Sean Spencer
Round 1: Arianny gets the usual up and down and Spencer comes out blazing….goes for some punches but cannot connect. Natal with a low kick. Natal working the low kick and pokes Spencer in the eye. He takes a few seconds. Both try to work their jabs and Spencer catches a low kick. Natal moving around well in a southpaw stance. Natal switches his stance. Spencer going for it, mixing it up with punches and kikcs but isn’t landing many strikes. Spencer trying to work a jab-jab-hook but to no avail yet. Natal working his way back and forth with southpaw, switching it up. Natal tries a spinning-back fist and follows up with a landed kick. Superman punch by spencer but misses. Left hook drops Natal but he’s back up and does the Shogun “clear the air” thing. Natal throwing some big ones but doesn’t land. Both trying to find their groove. Spencer hits Natal with a good jab. Natal lands a nice combo, including a right hand. Natal shoots, stuffed by Spencer and Spencer has got him against the fence. He breaks off abd they are in the middle again. Spencer lands a nice right hand. Spencer has got a little cut, nothing too serious for now. Natal lands a spinning-back fist, followed by a right that drops Spencer. Natal mounts him and works but Spencer is fidgeting and survives. 10-9 Spencer.
Round 2: Spencer is pushing the pace, forcing Natal back. Both still working the jab. Spencer lands a nice right. Spencer lands a nice jab but Natal is working well with low leg-kicks. Spencer is landing a few strikes but Natal is working those kicks, with a nice side-kick that leads to a takedown. Spencer has his back up against the cage and Natal tries to mount. They are on their feet as Spencer avoids a choke but Natal is working him against the fence. A bit of stalling here.. Double-under-hooks by Natal and he gets another takedown. Natal in the guard now, and Spencer is giving him the bear-hug. Spencer doing well to avoid damage. Natal punching the ribs a bit. Nice hammerfist by Natal and he is looking to get his opponent’s back. Natal has his back and his punching away at the body. He’s got him flattened out and is working the choke. Spencer is literally saved by the bell. 10-9 Natal
Round 3: Spencer takes a few deep breaths and looks slightly slower. Natal is working backwards with everything Spencer throws at him. Natal gets another takedown and is in side control from the top. Natal’s side-mount is at ninety degrees and Natal is looking for a crucifix. He gets Spencer’s right arm and starts landing a few elbows. Natal now locks up the left arm with his legs. Natal goes for the Americana, doesn’t get it…almost though. Spencer is cut open on the forehead. Natal goes for the arm triangle and after a few seconds, Spencer taps. Natal gets his first submission win in the UFC.
Rafael Natal def. Sean Spencer by Submission (Arm Triangle), Round 3, 2:13.
Natal looks into the camera and says he’s got the best coach in the world, a beautiful body and a great girlfriend. Man, me too bro…me too.
Chicago’s own Mike Russow up next…
Mike Russow vs. Shawn Jordan
Round 1: Glove touch and things are underway. Russow grapples early but Jordan breaks away. Russow leads in with some strikes and puts Jordan up against the cage. Jordan shifts over and escapes. Russow tags Jordan with a huge right. Russow tags him with a knee and bloodies Russow. Jordan is cut under his right away. Russow working a single and eventually pits Jordan up against the cage again. Jordan tries to escape but Russow keeps pushing him back against the fence. They finally break away and Jordan looks tired. Russow tags him with a right hand. He follows with a few uppercuts and gets a takedown. Russow has double-underhooks from the back but Jordan is keeping his feet grounded. Russow keeps landing the right hand. He goes for a single leg and Jordan rolls out of it. Crowd yells for a knee but Jordan’s hand is down. Now Jordan tags Russow with a good one but Russow is still working the fence game. Jordan throws a couple of strikes in the final seconds but it is all Russow so far. 10-9 Russow
Round 2: Jordan is a little busted up. They touch gloves again and Jordan goes in with an uppercut and right hand. Russow lands a right hand of his own. Jordan goes for a strike and eyepoke, once again. Russow recovers fast. Russow going in with a combo but Jordan gets the better of him with his own combination. Russow is looking very tired. Jordan lands a nice right and goes for the takedown. Jordan mounts Russow and is working with punches and elbows. Jordan switches to back-mount. Jordan keeps Russow down and keeps his weight on Russow’s back. Russow goes for a foot-lock, uses it to sweep and gets up. Russow goes for a front-choke, doesn’t get it. Russow lands a nice knee after Jordan takes his hand off the ground. Jordan gets another takedown and lands a nice short elbow. Jordan works the short elbows as a part of his ground and pound. Russow trying to scramble but Jordan gets full mount and starts to hammerfist. Russow gives him his back and Jordan is landing some big shots. Russow covers up and Herb Dean stops the fight.
Shawn Jordan def. Mike Russow by TKO, Round 2, 3:48.
That was quite the reverse from Round 1…let’s see if Matyushenko can pull off the upset here.
Ryan Bader vs. Vladimir Matyushenko
Round 1: I’m going to pull one from the BG liveblog rulebook and abbreviate Matyushenko to Maty. I wonder if his friends call him that. Anyhow Bader looks in phenomenal shape, maybe the best we’ve seen him look. Big John starts things off and both fighters a little hesitant to engage. Maty goes for a jab, misses. Bader lands a big left hook and drops Maty. Bader follows and gets Maty in an arm-choke from the bottom. Maty looks like he’s in mid-summersault. Bader switches to half-guard and chokes out Maty. It’s all over. Poor Maty. Fastest submission in light heavyweight history.
Ryan Bader def. Vladimir Matyushenko by Submission (Guillotine), Round 1, 0:50.
Did Bader just say he was working with Andrei Markov? Sorry, I’m a Habs fan…Stumpf vs. Krauss up next. Before our next fight, there will be an interview with Jones and Sonnen promoting TUF…this should be quite good.
Rogan asks Sonnen what he would call himself…Jones says Chael is “not too bad”. Sonnen looks hella sharp. Sonnen avoids the question about him deserving the fight and promotes the tournament and the next episode. Sonnen 2016, or whenever you guys elect the leader of the world. Chael does the whole “John Holmes” bit and Rogan reminds him that John Holmes is a dead junkie and does not know who Puff Daddy is. Sonnen promoting this tournament like a boss. Nice scripted staredown…. Ok, enough of this then…
Mike Stumpf vs. Pascal Krauss
Round 1: Askren in Krauss’ corner…feel like he should get the shout-out for his eyebrow-raising finish this week. They touch gloves and Krauss starts working the jab but doesn’t land any. They are standing toe-to-toe and Krauss nails a nice low-kick. Stumpf gets in a nice and loud leg-kick and Krauss return the favor. Stumpf tries to land some short strikes and wobbles Krauss with a short leg-kick. Stumpf really going in with kicks and Krauss lands one out of three thrown. Stumpf gets the takedown and is in Krauss’ full-guard. Stumpf trying to gain advantage but couldn’t. They are back to their feet. Nice superman punch/lead uppercut by Krauss. Both are throwing leg kicks and Krauss goes for a takedown but cannot secure. He’s got Krauss clinched up against the cage. They breakaway and Krauss lands another kick. Krauss’ uppercut misses but his leg-kicks are doing well thus far. Big front-kick by Krauss, reminiscent of Anderson. Stumpf misses an uppercut. Krauss hits Stumpf with a big uppercut and drops him but Stumpf regains composure. Stumpf goes for a takedown but nice defense by Krauss. Krauss goes for a standing guillotine but cannot lock it in. The horn sounds. 10-9 Krauss
Round 2: Krauss lands another good kick. Both land nice jabs. Krauss again with the high-kick but not as effective. Krauss lands a nice combination, including an uppercut. Krauss leads in with a leg-kick but misses the uppercut. Stumpf is throwing but missing a lot. Krauss tags him with another right. Nice low-kick by Stumpf. Krauss keep landing the jab. Nice uppercut again by Krauss. Krauss secures the takedown and Stumpf switches, gets his back on the feet and now takes down Krauss. Krauss is sitting up and Stumpf is trying to flatten him out. Stumpf steps over but cannot tie up the legs. Stumpf going for the choke but Krauss is back to his feet. Krauss shifts Stumpf against the fest and starts dirty boxing. Krauss has opened a little cut under Stumpf’s left eye. Another uppercut by Krauss. Stumpf lands an uppercut of his own. Krauss tries the takedown but eventually gets the front head-lock. Krauss has Stumpf clinched and is landing some nice shots. Krauss is landing some uppercuts against the fence. Nice short elbow by Krauss. The round ends with the two breaking away and Stumpf sneaking in a leg-kick. 10-9 Krauss.
Round 3: Krauss starts to jab, works effectively. Krauss is working that right uppercut as Stumpf pushes forward. Krauss lands a good right while Stumpf backs into the fence. Stumpf’s mouthpiece drops but it delays the fight only a second. Krauss lands that superman uppercut again. Krauss pushes Stumpf against the fence with fast combinations including some great right hands. Big swing and miss by Stumpf. Krauss grapples Stumpf against the fence and lands a good knee. Krauss is backing off and landing his shots accurately. Nice knee by Krauss again. Nice right hand by Stumpf. Nice body shot landed by Krauss with the left leg. Krauss starts to turn it up with a big right hand. Krauss is landing those leg-kicks over and over again. Krauss locks up for a takedown but good sprawl by Krauss. Both fighters trade uppercuts but Krauss gets a few more right hands in. Stumpf now trying for a takedown and has Krauss against the cage. Krauss pivots and takes Stumpf down. Krauss in Stumpf’s guard and is trying to sweep. Krauss landing some body shots and some strikes to the head. Krauss is laying on top and Dean asking Krauss to work. Krauss mounts to his feet to land some more shots before the horn sounds.
Pascal Krauss def. Mike Stumpf by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Everyone’s favorite Lebowski is up next, looking like Burt Reynolds if he played in Poison.
Goldie flirts with Rogan a bit and tells him he’s the best comedian ever. Rogan says Goldie is funny too, sometimes unintentionally (!). They share a laugh and potentially an affair. I’m happy for these guys.
Clay Guida vs. Hatsu Hioki
Round 1: Guida is seen running around as Buffer introduces. Madrigal summons them and Guida refuses to touch gloves. Guida opens with the usual frantic pace and lands a right hand. Guida leading in with some leg-kicks. Guida gets in a nice body shot. Hioki not yet falling into Guida’s pace but he is switching stances. Hioki counters with a nice uppercut. Guida shuffling left to right, reminiscent of the Maynard fight but he’s working a lot more. Hioki keeps catching Guida with the counter. Hioki goes for a low kick and misses. Guida goes for the takedown and it gets stuffed. Hioki tags him with a right hand. Both men clinch together briefly and they separate. Hioki lands a nice jab. Guida lands a nice leg-kick. Inside leg-kick by Hioki. Guida is bouncing around but hasn’t landed anything significant. Guida takes him down and Hioki locks up a wrist. Guida breaks free and full-guard for Hioki. Guida hooks a leg and good roll by Hioki. Hioki is sitting up postured against the fence but Guida isn’t letting go. Hioki gets his back and Guida is doing well by stepping over and scrambling. Both men on their feet and Hioki has Guida’s head locked up. Both men break free and start to exchange wild punches, none land. Round 1 ends as both men shuffle back and forth. Very close, but I’ll say 10-9 Hioki.
Round 2: Guida’s getting tighter on the inside and lands a nice leg-kick. Guida picks up Hioki and nice fireman’s carry as he slams him down. Guida is trying to control Hioki’s hips but Hioki has got a leg. Kimura attempt by Hioki. Cannot get it but he is still controlling Guida’s arm. Hioki goes for the triangle. Hioki goes for the armbar but Guida lightly slams him on the ground. Guida in Hioki’s guard and is working well with his strikes. Guida is keeping active on the ground, trying to step over. Good butterfly guard by Hioki. Guida keeps on grounding and pounding. Guida cannot pass guard yet. He keeps working with fists and elbows. Fans are cheering Guida on. Hioki is holding position but cannot really more. Guida briefly goes for the arm-triangle but lets go. Hioki trying to control Guida’s hips. Referee breaks them apart and stands them up (not a great call). Guida throwing some wild combos but nothing landing. Big head-kick by Hioki. Hioki follows up with some more kicks. 10-9 Guida.
Round 3: Both fighters exchanges jabs, nothing really landing. Nice uppercut by Hioki as they both trade. Hioki leading in with some low and high kicks. Guida gets another takedown and again Hioki controls the wrist. Hioki tries to slap on the triangle. Hioki has his legs wrapped up around Guida who has his feet grounded. Guida pushed Hioki back down and is trying to get his right leg free. Guida on top, pushing Hioki towards the fence. Hioki is trying to break free as Guida keeps working. Guida trying to work as Hioki tries to get back to his feet. Guida gives a “yes, sir” as referee warns him to keep working. Guida is trying to secure Hioki’s hips around his waist and the ref stands them up. Hioki lands a head-kick again. Hioki keeping Guida at bay with kicks. Hioki with another kick. Hioki stuffs Guida’s last takedown attempt as the fight ends. This could be a weird one, as both fighters had good moments throughout the fight. 10-9 Guida.
Guida wins in his featherweight debut. Hey, It’s Jason Guida!
TJ Grant vs. Matt Wiman
Round 1: Grant with a swing and a miss. Wiman throws a flurry of punches, all miss. Wiman with a nice kick. Wiman working with low kicks. Wiman technical with striking. Good right hand by Grant. Wiman’s short elbow misses. Wiman keeps throwing some uppercuts but none land. Grant with some nice punches to the body and both men throwing wild punches. Grant is landing some nice punches on the inside. Both men very technical, very tight. Wiman misses with the headkick. Grant clinches Wiman and a knee in. Grant rocks Wiman with a strike and follows up with a knee but doesn’t land it. Wiman gets the takedown, saving himself from potential trouble. Grant loosens up and gets on top of Wiman. Grant starts to land some clean shots from the top. Grant backs off and lets Wiman up. Wiman’s face is bloodied. Nice knee to the body by Grant. Wiman is pushed up against the fence and Grant lands a gnarly elbow as Wiman is up against the fence. Wiman drops and Grant follows up before Big John steps in.
TJ Grant def. Matt Wiman by Knockout (Strikes), Round 1, 4:51.
Alright, ‘Taters (never forgive me for that one, ever)…the main card is next which means that is it for me. It was a real pleasure and I loved the Italian jabs as I was eating my chicken parm’. Honestly, I expected worse from you guys. Thanks for letting me share these fights with you. See you soon, Potato Nation…
(We know, Clay, we had a hard time watching your last fight too.)
It’s looking like the crippling power of this year’s injury curse is going to be tested early come 2013, because the UFC’s first major network event of the year is currently stacked with more budding talent than a Miss Teen USA pageant. Aside from the Cerrone/Pettis, Jackson/Teixeira, and Dodson/Johnson fights that were announced earlier this week, the UFC has recently announced that Clay Guida will be making his featherweight debut again Hatsu Hioki at the same event as well.
Guida’s last performance saw him channel Steve Prefontaine for the majority of five rounds against Gray Maynard at UFC on FX 4, earning him his second straight loss at lightweight following his much more exciting loss to current champion Benson Henderson at the inaugural UFC on FOX event.
Despite the fact that he is coming off a close decision loss to Ricardo Lamas at the same event, there’s no denying that Hioki is still considered to be one of the top contenders at 145, so a win over Hatsu is not only essential for Guida — he has never dropped three straight in his MMA career — but would easily launch him up the list of potential contenders to boot. Let’s just hope he brings a more aggressive strategy against Hioki or we could be in for a long three rounds.
Also booked for UFC on FOX 6…
(We know, Clay, we had a hard time watching your last fight too.)
It’s looking like the crippling power of this year’s injury curse is going to be tested early come 2013, because the UFC’s first major network event of the year is currently stacked with more budding talent than a Miss Teen USA pageant. Aside from the Cerrone/Pettis, Jackson/Teixeira, and Dodson/Johnson fights that were announced earlier this week, the UFC has recently announced that Clay Guida will be making his featherweight debut again Hatsu Hioki at the same event as well.
Guida’s last performance saw him channel Steve Prefontaine for the majority of five rounds against Gray Maynard at UFC on FX 4, earning him his second straight loss at lightweight following his much more exciting loss to current champion Benson Henderson at the inaugural UFC on FOX event.
Despite the fact that he is coming off a close decision loss to Ricardo Lamas at the same event, there’s no denying that Hioki is still considered to be one of the top contenders at 145, so a win over Hatsu is not only essential for Guida — he has never dropped three straight in his MMA career — but would easily launch him up the list of potential contenders to boot. Let’s just hope he brings a more aggressive strategy against Hioki or we could be in for a long three rounds.
Elsewhere on the card…
A matchup between surging lightweights T.J. Grant and Matt Wiman is also in the works for the UFC’s return to Fox. Despite fighting in the UFC for over three years, one could argue that Grant finally had his coming out party in his last fight against Evan Dunham at UFC 152. The submission specialist actually managed to outstrike the striker for the majority of the fight, mutilating Dunham’s face worse than Mark Dacascos does a Japanese accent en route to a unanimous decision victory. It was Grant’s third straight victory since dropping to lightweight and sixth overall under the Zuffa banner. Wiman is also coming off the biggest win of his career, having submitted undefeated submission whiz Paul Sass via first round armbar at UFC on FUEL 5 in his last octagon appearance. The TUF 5 alum has now won 5 of his last 6 fights.
And finally, the featherweight pairing of two top contenders in Erik Koch and Ricardo Lamas — which was originally reported to be transpiring at UFC 155 — has also been added to the January 26th Fox card. No word yet on whether or not the UFC will bring the winner of the Guida/Hikoi fight into the octagon afterward to engage in a good old fashioned staged confrontation, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed.
