Tag: Todd Duffee

UFC Fight Night 71: Mir vs. Duffee Fight Card, TV Info, Predictions and More

After the show the Utimate Fighting Championship put on for UFC 189 and in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter Season 21 Finale on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, Frank Mir and Todd Duffee have tough acts to follow. The two heavyweights will…

After the show the Utimate Fighting Championship put on for UFC 189 and in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter Season 21 Finale on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, Frank Mir and Todd Duffee have tough acts to follow. The two heavyweights will clash in the main event of UFC Fight Night 71 in San Diego, California, on Wednesday night.

Mir is a legend and future Hall of Famer who likely saved his career with a knockout win over Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in February. He had lost his previous four fights before coming up with the win over Silva. Mir will be hoping to make it two wins in a row against Duffee.

The latter is among the most devastating strikers in the heavyweight division. None of Duffee’s professional MMA bouts have ever gone the distance. Every one of them has ended in a KO, and only two have made it out of the first round. Duffee famously stopped Tim Hague in just seven seconds back in 2009.

Duffee has been stopped twice in his career: once by Alistair Overeem in K1 and the other time by Mike Russow in Duffee’s second UFC fight. When this guy steps into the Octagon, it’s safe to assume somebody is going to get knocked out.

Mir is a wily veteran and one of the most prolific submissions fighters in MMA history. To win this fight, he has to take Duffee down. That’s easier said than done. In addition to the brutal strikes Duffee launches at opponents, the 29-year-old from Evansville, Indiana, also has a 90 percent takedown defense rating in his UFC career, per FightMetric.com.

Damon Martin of UFC.com believes Duffee will finish Mir if he takes his time. Martin writes:

“If Duffee doesn’t go out like a ball of fire and just try to torch Mir and instead allows the fight to come to him, he should be able to put together a combination to put the former heavyweight champion on the ground once and for all.”

This is shaping up to be another first-round KO in favor of Duffee. As usual, he won’t waste time pushing the action. Duffee’s explosiveness will overwhelm Mir and lead to a KO victory. 

Here’s a look at viewing information as well as the entire card and predictions for each bout.

 

El Cucuy Will Nip the Punk

Josh “The Punk” Thomson’s last three losses have come by split decision. That number might grow to four after Wednesday. Thomson takes on the streaking Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson. The latter has won five fights in a row and ascended to No. 11 in the lightweight rankings.

His submission game has been excellent, and his striking vastly improved from earlier in his career. Thomson is usually an effective striker, as evidenced by his 48 percent striking accuracy, per FightMetric.com. However, it might be difficult finding the range against Ferguson.

El Cucuy will enjoy a five-inch reach advantage. As the longer fighter, Ferguson will control the distance and neutralize Thomson’s attempts to score during standing exchanges.

Once the fight goes to the ground, Thomson is very tough to finish, but Ferguson is good enough to keep his opponent on the defensive. Based on Octagon control, Ferguson will win a decision.

 

The Bruiser Will Derail the Holm Hype Train

Holly Holm has excellent tools to develop into a solid mixed martial artist, but she lacks confidence and refinement in her grappling. Marion “The Belizean Bruiser” Reneau has a surplus supply of both qualities, and she’s going to beat Holm.

Reneau is a cerebral but aggressive fighter. She’ll come forward using angles and back Holm up against the cage. Her best quality is her versatility, which is something Holm lacks at this point in her career. At some point, the fight will go to the ground, and Reneau will have the opportunity to show off more of the submission skills she displayed in her victory over Jessica Andrade in February.

Reneau is 6-1 overall and has won five fights in a row. At 38 years old, she has a sense of urgency that helps to provide a spark. Per Jordan Newmark of UFC.com, Reneau said:

“I’m loving this ride. I have nothing to complain about. I’m really just enjoying the ride and trying to take it as far as I can and for as long as I can.”

With a win, Reneau could be one of the next in line to challenge for the women’s bantamweight title—although Jessica Eye might have something to say about that when she takes on Miesha Tate on July 25 in Chicago.

Nonetheless, look for Reneau to send Holm back to the drawing board as her rise to stardom will hit a detour.

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UFC FN 71: A Todd Duffee Win over Mir Would Cement His Status as a HW Player

When Todd Duffee made his UFC debut in 2007, he stormed through the heavyweight division, racking up his first six wins by knockout. He was a force to be reckoned with, and he looked ready to dominate the 265-pound division.

However, at UFC 114, …

When Todd Duffee made his UFC debut in 2007, he stormed through the heavyweight division, racking up his first six wins by knockout. He was a force to be reckoned with, and he looked ready to dominate the 265-pound division.

However, at UFC 114, in a fight that he was winning, Duffee was suddenly knocked out by Mike Russow. Subsequently, Duffee was released from the organization. He then fought in lesser-known organizations until making his way back to the UFC in 2012.

Upon his return to the world’s largest mixed martial arts brand, Duffee (9-2) has demonstrated his potential for success by knocking out his last three opponents. In fact, aside from the two losses at the end of his first stint, the 29-year-old has knocked out every one of his foes.

He is in the process of working his way back up the division’s totem pole, and now he has the opportunity to face former world champion Frank Mir at UFC Fight Night 71.

All roads lead through Mir, as he is the heavyweight division’s No. 10 contender. Without a doubt, Mir represents the greatest challenge Duffee has faced in the UFC. Mir has conquered legends and world champions, such as Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (twice), Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic, Brock Lesnar and Tim Sylvia.

However, at 36 years old, Mir is 1-4 in his last five fights, and he considered leaving the sport for good after his decision loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 169. According to Damon Martin of Fox Sports, Mir stated, “After the Alistair Overeem fight, I actually even had a meeting with Lorenzo (Fertitta) and told him I’m done. Let me look at doing broadcasting or what not.”

However, with his most recent knockout victory against Antonio Silva at UFC Fight Night 61, Mir has reinvigorated his career to a degree.

At the same time, on July 15, he’ll face a man who is coming off a three-fight winning streak and sports tremendous knockout power. Per Damon Martin of Fox Sports, Duffee stated:

It’s clear as day. I’m very dangerous. Everybody knows it, it’s no secret. It’s a dangerous fight for Frank Mir. I’m young, athletic, I finish people and he knows that. We’ve trained together, he knows that.

Toppling Mir will present Duffee with the opportunity to break into the division’s top 10 for the first time and cement himself among the UFC’s most prominent heavyweights.

______________________

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UFC FN 71: A Todd Duffee Win over Mir Would Cement His Status as a HW Player

When Todd Duffee made his UFC debut in 2007, he stormed through the heavyweight division, racking up his first six wins by knockout. He was a force to be reckoned with, and he looked ready to dominate the 265-pound division.

However, at UFC 114, …

When Todd Duffee made his UFC debut in 2007, he stormed through the heavyweight division, racking up his first six wins by knockout. He was a force to be reckoned with, and he looked ready to dominate the 265-pound division.

However, at UFC 114, in a fight that he was winning, Duffee was suddenly knocked out by Mike Russow. Subsequently, Duffee was released from the organization. He then fought in lesser-known organizations until making his way back to the UFC in 2012.

Upon his return to the world’s largest mixed martial arts brand, Duffee (9-2) has demonstrated his potential for success by knocking out his last three opponents. In fact, aside from the two losses at the end of his first stint, the 29-year-old has knocked out every one of his foes.

He is in the process of working his way back up the division’s totem pole, and now he has the opportunity to face former world champion Frank Mir at UFC Fight Night 71.

All roads lead through Mir, as he is the heavyweight division’s No. 10 contender. Without a doubt, Mir represents the greatest challenge Duffee has faced in the UFC. Mir has conquered legends and world champions, such as Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (twice), Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic, Brock Lesnar and Tim Sylvia.

However, at 36 years old, Mir is 1-4 in his last five fights, and he considered leaving the sport for good after his decision loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 169. According to Damon Martin of Fox Sports, Mir stated, “After the Alistair Overeem fight, I actually even had a meeting with Lorenzo (Fertitta) and told him I’m done. Let me look at doing broadcasting or what not.”

However, with his most recent knockout victory against Antonio Silva at UFC Fight Night 61, Mir has reinvigorated his career to a degree.

At the same time, on July 15, he’ll face a man who is coming off a three-fight winning streak and sports tremendous knockout power. Per Damon Martin of Fox Sports, Duffee stated:

It’s clear as day. I’m very dangerous. Everybody knows it, it’s no secret. It’s a dangerous fight for Frank Mir. I’m young, athletic, I finish people and he knows that. We’ve trained together, he knows that.

Toppling Mir will present Duffee with the opportunity to break into the division’s top 10 for the first time and cement himself among the UFC’s most prominent heavyweights.

______________________

Follow this contributor @clintonbullock

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Frank Mir vs. Todd Duffee Set for Main Event at Fight Night 71

Todd Duffee has been pursuing a fight with Frank Mir for weeks, and it looks like he finally got his wish.
The resurgent powerhouse will step into the Octagon with the former two-time heavyweight champion in the main event when the UFC returns to San D…

Todd Duffee has been pursuing a fight with Frank Mir for weeks, and it looks like he finally got his wish.

The resurgent powerhouse will step into the Octagon with the former two-time heavyweight champion in the main event when the UFC returns to San Diego for Fight Night 71. The news was broke by Ariel Helwani during the most recent installment of UFC Tonight on Wednesday, where it was officially confirmed the two heavyweights had agreed to the bout.

After a two-year absence from the sport’s biggest stage, the American Top Team product returned to pick up a quick knockout over Phil De Fries at UFC 155 in December 2012. Following his victory in Las Vegas, Duffee was diagnosed with Parsonage-Turner Syndrome, and the affliction kept him on the sidelines for another lengthy stint. The 29-year-old Indiana native battled his way through rehabilitation to make a triumphant comeback against Anthony Hamilton at UFC 181 this past December, where he knocked out the Washington native in the first round.

With back-to-back victories inside the Octagon, Duffee was determined to draw one of the biggest names in the division for his next fight and set about on a social-media campaign to court Mir for that role. The heavyweight divisional staple was coming off a first-round knockout of his own as the Las Vegas native drubbed Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in quick fashion in their main event tilt at Fight Night 61 in Brazil.

Mir’s win over Silva was his first victory since submitting rival Antonio “Big Nog” Nogueira in brutal fashion at UFC 140 in December 2011 and brought his four-fight losing streak to an end. While Mir—who is considered to be a perennial contender in the heavyweight ranks—may have been seeking an opponent with a higher profile for his next outing, the current divisional picture has the majority of top names currently booked in upcoming matches.

He was rumored to be in line for a trilogy bout with Brock Lesnar, but when the former champion re-signed with the WWE and officially retired from MMA that bout went up in smoke. 

This situation left few options for either fighter, and the UFC saw it best to put the fight together. Mir vs. Duffee will be a crucial matchup for both men, as the Coconut Creek, Florida, transplant will be looking to obtain the biggest victory of his career, while the jiu-jitsu ace will be out to gain more traction on his run toward another shot at the heavyweight title. They are slated to square off on July 15 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California.

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Which MMA Fighter Will Test Positive For Steroids Next? A Completely Speculative Investigation


(via Getty)

The past few weeks have been a trying time to be an MMA fan, with random drug tests nailing Anderson Silva (smh), Hector Lombard (could have seen it coming), and Jon Fitch (wah?!) for various types of performance enhancers. MMA has always had something of a drug problem, but 2015 has brought that issue to the forefront with a resounding injection to the buttocks. Worse yet, the UFC’s decision to recently abandon their out-of-competition drug testing program indicates that the sport’s steroid epidemic will only get worse before it gets better.

The question now becomes: Where do we go from here? Well, I’ve talked it over with my highly-dedicated blogging team of less than two people, and the best thing we could think of was to lob a bunch of biased and completely ungrounded accusations at the select group of MMA fighters who’ve yet to test positive for anabolic steroids. F*ck yeah, internet writing!

So without further adieu, join us as we take a look ahead at the hulked-out future of mixed martial arts, and more specifically, which of its fighters will most likely be popped for PED’s.


(via Getty)

The past few weeks have been a trying time to be an MMA fan, with random drug tests nailing Anderson Silva (smh), Hector Lombard (could have seen it coming), and Jon Fitch (wah?!) for various types of performance enhancers. MMA has always had something of a drug problem, but 2015 has brought that issue to the forefront with a resounding injection to the buttocks. Worse yet, the UFC’s decision to recently abandon their out-of-competition drug testing program indicates that the sport’s steroid epidemic will only get worse before it gets better.

The question now becomes: Where do we go from here? Well, I’ve talked it over with my highly-dedicated blogging team of less than two people, and the best thing we could think of was to lob a bunch of biased and completely ungrounded accusations at the select group of MMA fighters who’ve yet to test positive for anabolic steroids. F*ck yeah, internet writing!

So without further adieu, join us as we take a look ahead at the hulked-out future of mixed martial arts, and more specifically, which of its fighters will most likely be popped for PED’s.

The Usual Suspects

Vitor Belfort

Remember how I just said that we would only focus on fighters who *hadn’t* tested positive for steroids before? I lied.

The fact is, Belfort has pissed hot in the past — for 4-hydroxytestosterone following his fight with Dan Henderson at Pride 32 — and experienced a highly suspect career resurgence after jumping on the TRT train back in 2013. Although Belfort has vehemently denied abusing TRT and stated that he only used it to maintain normal testosterone levels, he  also managed to transition off the therapy almost seamlessly in the time since. With his title shot against Chris Weidman having been pushed off half a dozen times now, #TheTimeIsRunningOut on Belfort’s vitality as a top-level fighter. If he’s resorted to the juice in the past, our guess is that he’d be willing to do it again.

Rafael Cavalcante

Like Belfort, “Feijao” has also tested positive for steroids in the past. In his final Strikeforce appearance, Cavalcante tested positive for stanozolol following his first rounds submission win over Mike Kyle. He was punished for this by being signed by the UFC. Cavalcante has also dropped two out of his past three UFC fights, meaning that he is in dire need of a win if he is to continue fighting for the Ultimate Roided Fucking Killers League. So what’s he supposed to do? *Not* take steroids, lose his next fight, and receive his pink slip, or take steroids, win the fight, and apologize afterward as a still-current UFC employee? The solution is obvious.

You Know What, Every Black House Fighter

Here’s what we know: Three Black House fighters have tested positive for steroids in the past seven months. The man pictured above is their strength and conditioning coach. He is 57 years old.

The Questionable Physiques

Phil Davis

Just look at that cartoonishly shaped torso. Phil Davis is sculpted like a Greek statue, and we don’t buy for a second that he achieved it naturally. “Mr. Wonderful?” More like “Mr. ROID-derful.” #NailedIt

Todd Duffee

No further comment required.

Thiago Alves

Not only is Thiago Alves the buffest welterweight of all time, but in his most recent fight, he dispatched Jordan Mein — a kickboxer since age 11 — with ONE KICK. How’d he do it? Roids. The answer is clearly roids.

Mirko Cro Cop

According to our diligent research, this photo of Mirko Cro Cop was taken last week and has not been altered in any way, shape, or form. Expect to hear word of his positive test shortly after he dispatches Gabe Gonzaga via nuclear holocaust in April.

Cheick Kongo

Cheick Kongo has pectorals the size of dinner plates and a history of using dirty tactics to win fights. By that logic, why *wouldn’t* he resort to the dirtiest tactic of all to win a few more? Daddy needs all those Bellator dollars to support his crippling addiction to Rocky Mountain oysters.

On the “next page” we take aim at some of the sport’s champions, as well as some of the less obvious (but totally obvious to us) roid heads currently slipping under the radar…

UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler II — Main Card Results & Commentary


(Props: Gian Galang. Click for full-size images.)

Kwanzaa — which is traditionally observed from December 26th to January 1st — has come early, my friends. Tonight’s UFC 181 pay-per-view card is headlined by Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler, in a rematch of one of the greatest fights of 2014. Plus: Anthony Pettis‘s first lightweight title defense after winning the belt over 15 months ago, a heavyweight scrap between Travis Browne vs. Brendan Schaub, and the first appearance of the Duffman in two years. Should be pretty okay.

Our old friend Aaron Mandel will be sticking live “Hendricks vs. Lawler” results after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest updates, and let us know how you feel in the comments section or on twitter @cagepotatomma. Let’s do this…


(Props: Gian Galang. Click for full-size images.)

Kwanzaa — which is traditionally observed from December 26th to January 1st — has come early, my friends. Tonight’s UFC 181 pay-per-view card is headlined by Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler, in a rematch of one of the greatest fights of 2014. Plus: Anthony Pettis‘s first lightweight title defense after winning the belt over 15 months ago, a heavyweight scrap between Travis Browne vs. Brendan Schaub, and the first appearance of the Duffman in two years. Should be pretty okay.

Our old friend Aaron Mandel will be sticking live “Hendricks vs. Lawler” results after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest updates, and let us know how you feel in the comments section or on twitter @cagepotatomma. Let’s do this…

UFC 181 Preliminary Card Results
– Urijah Faber def. Francisco Rivera via submission (rear naked choke), 1:34 of round 2
– Josh Samman def. Eddie Gordon via KO (head kick), 3:08 of round 2 — BAH GAWD HE KILLED HIM.
– Corey Anderson def. Justin Jones via unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 30-26)
– Raquel Pennington def. Ashlee Evans-Smith via technical submission (bulldog choke), 4:59 of round 1 — BAH GAWD SHE KILLED HER.
– Sergio Pettis def. Matt Hobar via unanimous decision (29-28 x 2, 30-27)
– Clay Collard def. Alex White via unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)

Hello PotatoHeads, we’ve got a great card for UFC 181 tonight, welterweight and lightweight titles on the line and some fun heavyweight fights, stay tuned right here and refresh frequently for live round-by-round updates.