(“…he did WHAAAAT to Josh Barnett?!!” Photo via Barry Hartman/MMAFightCorner)
With heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez out nursing another shoulder injury for the foreseeable future, many MMA fans have pondered what’s next for top contender Fabricio Werdum. Currently on a three-fight win streak since returning to the UFC, Werdum is fresh off a second round submission of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC on FUEL 10 (*cries, self-immolates*) and is anxious to stay busy. According to an interview with MMAFighting, Werdum has already agreed to face Hawaiian hitman Travis “Hapa” Browne in March based purely on this fact:
I had a meeting with Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta and told them I wanted to wait, but then I thought about it and saw that I would need to wait too much before my next fight. You don’t remember what you don’t see.
We don’t have a date 100 percent confirmed yet, but I believe it’s going to be in March. I already know that it’s going to be a main event, so it’s a five-round fight. He doesn’t have a good cardio, so that’s good for me. He’s explosive when the fight starts, tries to finish it quickly, with jumping stuff and knockouts, so I see a lot of openings to defeat him.
Apparently Browne’s back-to-back-to-back knockouts of Gabriel Gonzaga, Alistair Overeem (who has split a pair of contests with Werdum) and Josh Barnett in 2013 have done little to impress Werdum, who was equally critical of Browne’s ground game, stating, “We have trained together a few times three years ago, and he knows how the training was. He knows that he doesn’t have a good ground game.”
Of course, one doesn’t exactly need a good ground game when they posses the power to obliterate anyone who dares shoot in on a takedown against them. Luckily, Werdum has a gameplan for that as well. Sort of.
(“…he did WHAAAAT to Josh Barnett?!!” Photo via Barry Hartman/MMAFightCorner)
With heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez out nursing another shoulder injury for the foreseeable future, many MMA fans have pondered what’s next for top contender Fabricio Werdum. Currently on a three-fight win streak since returning to the UFC, Werdum is fresh off a second round submission of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC on FUEL 10 (*cries, self-immolates*) and is anxious to stay busy. According to an interview with MMAFighting, Werdum has already agreed to face Hawaiian hitman Travis “Hapa” Browne in March based purely on this fact:
I had a meeting with Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta and told them I wanted to wait, but then I thought about it and saw that I would need to wait too much before my next fight. You don’t remember what you don’t see.
We don’t have a date 100 percent confirmed yet, but I believe it’s going to be in March. I already know that it’s going to be a main event, so it’s a five-round fight. He doesn’t have a good cardio, so that’s good for me. He’s explosive when the fight starts, tries to finish it quickly, with jumping stuff and knockouts, so I see a lot of openings to defeat him.
Apparently Browne’s back-to-back-to-back knockouts of Gabriel Gonzaga, Alistair Overeem (who has split a pair of contests with Werdum) and Josh Barnett in 2013 have done little to impress Werdum, who was equally critical of Browne’s ground game, stating, ”We have trained together a few times three years ago, and he knows how the training was. He knows that he doesn’t have a good ground game.”
Of course, one doesn’t exactly need a good ground game when they posses the power to obliterate anyone who dares shoot in on a takedown against them. Luckily, Werdum has a gameplan for that as well. Sort of.
I won’t go there like (Gabriel) Gonzaga and Barnett did. Barnett looked desperate, he didn’t look like the veteran that he is. The clinch, the takedown, the body lock will eventually happen. I don’t need to shoot for a double leg. His takedown defense and elbows are really good, so I won’t make this mistake. We will fight on the ground eventually.
There is only one thing preventing Browne vs. Werdum from being made official, however. Browne’s previous victory over Barnett was the last fight on his contract, and the Hawaiian is currently in the process of renegotiating a new one. I would imagine that after the year he’s had, we can expect to see Browne’s 28k/28k pay structure increase significantly. Browne’s manager, John Fosco of VFD Marketing, told MMAJunkie that a deal is closed to being reached on by the two parties:
There’s no deal done between the UFC and Travis Browne right now, but all the talks that have been had up to this point indicate that we will be getting something done in the very near future, and they’ve always been fair with Travis.
We were talking about extending an agreement, and the UFC made it very clear that they like Travis and they think he’s a great fighter. But based on his resume of opponents, he hadn’t proven that he could beat the cream of the crop in that division, and that was something we agreed with. Overeem was a great win, but it’s not like it was the second or third time in a row he beat a top 10, let alone a top 5, opponent.
So we were in agreement, and we were willing to take less money for the Barnett fight to prove and put our money where our mouth is that Travis is that guy, and he is that good. The UFC even said they believe it, but they run a business, and he hasn’t done it yet. Because of that, we decided to [not sign a new deal] because they let us.
So, Nation, who do you like in this tentatively-schedule battle between top heavyweights?
Fabricio Werdum is willing to earn his shot at UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, even if it means taking a risky fight against a hot prospect in Travis Browne.
Werdrum previously told MMAFighting’s Guilherme Cruz that he would wait for Vel…
Fabricio Werdum is willing to earn his shot at UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, even if it means taking a risky fight against a hot prospect in Travis Browne.
Werdrum previously told MMAFighting’s Guilherme Cruz that he would wait for Velasquez to recover from shoulder surgery, but now “Vai Cavalo” changed his tune.
Speaking again with Cruz, Werdum said he is ready to get back into action in early spring, and the UFC has lined up a bout against Browne to determine the next challenger to Velasquez’s crown.
Regarding the matchup, Werdum said:
We don’t have a date 100 percent confirmed yet, but I believe it’s going to be in March. I already know that it’s going to be a main event, so it’s a five-round fight. He doesn’t have a good cardio, so that’s good for me. He’s explosive when the fight starts, tries to finish it quickly, with jumping stuff and knockouts, so I see a lot of openings to defeat him.
Werdum was previously cut by the UFC in October of 2008 after suffering a brutal knockout loss to Junior dos Santos, but he rattled off four solid performances in Strikeforce from 2009 to 2011 that earned him another shot inside the Octagon.
Rejuvenated and motivated, Werdum has gone 3-0 since returning to the UFC, racking up impressive, dominant victories over Mike Russow, Roy Nelson and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in the process.
Meanwhile, his upcoming opponent, Browne, forged an impressive winning streak of his own.
In 2013, Browne went 3-0, with all three victories coming via first-round knockout. This run netted the Hawaiian fighter MMAJunkie.com’s Breakthrough Fighter of the Year award and planted him firmly in the title picture.
Before squaring off with Werdum, however, Browne needs to re-sign a deal with the UFC, but his representatives feel the contract negotiations are all but a done deal (h/t MMAjunkie.com).
Who do you think wins this matchup between Werdum and Browne (and how)?
Is Browne’s recent run of violence a sign of things to come, or will Werdum halt his momentum in dramatic fashion?
(After knocking out Josh Barnett, Travis Browne performed the Warmaster’s trademark throat-slashing victory gesture, which means that legally, he now owns Barnett’s soul for all eternity. / Photo via Getty.)
Featuring an eagerly awaited rematch between the greatest middleweight of all time and the undefeated phenom who took his belt, UFC 168: Weidman vs. Silva 2 was one of the most anticipated UFC cards of 2013. Thankfully, the highly entertaining main card did not disappoint. Showcasing great performances, unsportsmanlike conduct, leg-snapping horror, and a fart heard around the world, UFC 168 left us no shortage of things to talk about. Here’s our clear-eyed look at what went down on Saturday night.
The Good
• With the state of WMMA still burgeoning, the co-main event of Ronda Rousey vs. Meisha Tate was an important fight for solidifying Women’s Bantamweight as a legitimate and financially viable division for the UFC. Thanks to the highly publicized rematch between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman, the UFC’s two biggest female stars had a high-profile PPV stage to showcase their skills. Thankfully, for the UFC and the fans, Rousey and Tate did not disappoint. Rousey put on a dominating performance and capped it off with a third-round submission victory. The best part? Tate made the fight competitive.
“Cupcake” managed to last three rounds and in the process took Rousey down, escaped multiple submission attempts, and threw some good upkicks from the bottom that had Ronda using caution. On the whole, Tate was outclassed by the better fighter but she showed that Rousey is not invincible — and that’s a good thing. Rousey is an incredible athlete but the UFC cannot base their entire WMMA venture on one fighter. They need contenders and they need the fans to believe that those contenders stand a legitimate chance of winning; otherwise, interest will wane quickly. Rousey looked great, but beatable. That’s exactly what needed to happen. With Sara McMann, Cat Zingano, and Alexis Davis all serving as reasonable challenges, the future of the women’s bantamweight division is looking bright.
(After knocking out Josh Barnett, Travis Browne performed the Warmaster’s trademark throat-slashing victory gesture, which means that legally, he now owns Barnett’s soul for all eternity. / Photo via Getty.)
Featuring an eagerly awaited rematch between the greatest middleweight of all time and the undefeated phenom who took his belt, UFC 168: Weidman vs. Silva 2 was one of the most anticipated UFC cards of 2013. Thankfully, the highly entertaining main card did not disappoint. Showcasing great performances, unsportsmanlike conduct, leg-snapping horror, and a fart heard around the world, UFC 168 left us no shortage of things to talk about. Here’s our clear-eyed look at what went down on Saturday night.
The Good
• With the state of WMMA still burgeoning, the co-main event of Ronda Rousey vs. Meisha Tate was an important fight for solidifying Women’s Bantamweight as a legitimate and financially viable division for the UFC. Thanks to the highly publicized rematch between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman, the UFC’s two biggest female stars had a high-profile PPV stage to showcase their skills. Thankfully, for the UFC and the fans, Rousey and Tate did not disappoint. Rousey put on a dominating performance and capped it off with a third-round submission victory. The best part? Tate made the fight competitive.
“Cupcake” managed to last three rounds and in the process took Rousey down, escaped multiple submission attempts, and threw some good upkicks from the bottom that had Ronda using caution. On the whole, Tate was outclassed by the better fighter but she showed that Rousey is not invincible — and that’s a good thing. Rousey is an incredible athlete but the UFC cannot base their entire WMMA venture on one fighter. They need contenders and they need the fans to believe that those contenders stand a legitimate chance of winning; otherwise, interest will wane quickly. Rousey looked great, but beatable. That’s exactly what needed to happen. With Sara McMann, Cat Zingano, and Alexis Davis all serving as reasonable challenges, the future of the women’s bantamweight division is looking bright.
• A lot was on the line for both Travis “Hapa” Browne and Josh Barnett at UFC 168, as the 5th and 6th ranked heavyweights, respectively, were risking their spots on the contender ladder. In August, Josh Barnett re-entered the UFC with an impressive first-round TKO victory over Frank Mir. The former UFC Heavyweight Champion and star in the PRIDE and Strikeforce organizations looked to be on the cusp of title contention with a win over Browne. However, Hapa quickly put those hopes to rest and showed who the true contender is.
With his quick, savage victory on Saturday, Browne secured his third Knockout of the Night bonus in as many fights — his other two KOs were against Alistair Overeem and Gabriel Gonzaga. Three knockouts over three high-quality opponents puts Browne right in the title mix and he seized the opportunity in the post-fight interview by calling out Fabricio Werdum. Champion Cain Velasquez is recovering from surgery and there’s no timeline on his return yet, so a match between Browne and Werdum makes perfect sense right now, and Browne’s ability to deal with Barnett’s wrestling shows that he stands a fighting chance against Velasquez in the future.
The Bad
• Ronda Rousey looked great on Saturday night, Judo-throwing Meisha Tate all over the Octagon before finishing her off with her eight-straight armbar submission victory in professional competition. However, following the finish, Ronda was unable to let bygones be bygones and refused to shake Tate’s hand. This certainly wasn’t the first time Ronda refused to shake Tate’s hand. In fact, Ronda garnered significant press coverage for her poor attitude on The Ultimate Fighter. However, Rousey supporters could at least justify her behavior on TUF as being part of the reality show hype. On Saturday night, Rousey definitively beat Tate for the second time, essentially finishing their rivalry for good. UFC 168 offered Ronda the opportunity to bury the hatchet and show a certain amount of sportsmanship. Of course, nobody expected Ronda to completely forgive and forget whatever anger she harbors towards Tate, but she should have at least shown Tate the respect she deserved as a fellow competitor — and man, did the fans let her know it.
Ronda’s attitude gets people talking, which means more PPV buys and big bucks for the UFC. Nevertheless, Ronda once again came across as petty, unsportsmanlike, and childish. Those aren’t adjectives usually associated with a UFC champion. Don’t expect Ronda’s style to change anytime soon, though. Ronda seems content to ignore the boos and bad press in order to “keep it real.” A rumored “talking to” by the UFC brass likely won’t change that either, although we’ll probably see a classier Ronda in the lead-up to her recently announced fight against Sara McMann since there is no blood between the two former Olympians.
• The first ever TUF Featherweight winner, Diego Brandao, came out of the TUF house with a lot of hype and promise in a stacked division. However, he also entered the Octagon with a reputation for being a loose cannon, following altercations with Steven Siler and Marcus Brimage in the TUF house. A lot of fans were able to overlook his brash attitude because of his exciting style and nasty knockouts. His TUF Finale fight earned him $80,000 in bonuses and he endeared himself to fans by saying he’d use the money to buy his mother a house.
At UFC 168, Brandao reminded everybody of how much of an asshole he really can be. If missing weight by over five pounds weren’t disrespectful enough, Brandao also apparently told opponent Dustin Poirier at the weigh-ins that he was going to stab him in the neck. Stay classy, Brandao. So when Poirier disposed of Brandao quickly with an impressive first-round TKO, it seemed like karma might be catching up to Brandao. Despite missing weight, threatening to kill his opponent and losing in brutal fashion, Brandao won’t be cut from the UFC. He’s a TUF winner, an exciting fighter, and apparently he only missed weight because of a car accident a couple of weeks ago. Also, according to Dana White, he has other personal issues going on. Hopefully, Brandao gets his life sorted out soon. The whole crazy asshole shtick only works when you’re winning.
The Ugly
• Enough press has already been given to Anderson Silva’s gruesome leg break so not much needs to be said here. However, the Corey Hill-esque injury was an ugly incident and not for the faint of heart. It was devastating to see the former champion carried off on a stretcher, screaming in agony. The UFC has released a statement that Silva underwent successful surgery and, astoundingly, that his recovery would only take up to six months. That means we could see Silva back in the Octagon within a year. I hope not. The aging Spider would be riding a two-fight losing streak and it is unlikely he would return as the dominant fighter he once was. I hope he heals quickly and enjoys his retirement. It may be the end of an era, but it was perhaps the greatest era in the young sport’s history and Silva would be smart to end things at the right time.
• On a lighter note, the fight between John Howard and Siyar Bahadurzada featured what was apparently an ugly-sounding fart from one of the fighters. During the second round, the fart, clearly audible on the broadcast, lit up social media and created a lot of speculation about who was responsible. Asked about it after the fight, Howard admitted that there was indeed a fart, but he didn’t want to take any responsibility for it. It’s hard to blame him. There’s a short list of fighters like Tim Sylvia and Kevin Randleman who have lost control of their bodily functions in the Octagon and it’s not a distinction most fighters are chasing.
In a battle of the old guard and the new blood, Josh Barnett and Travis Browne met in a highly anticipated bout. When it was all said and done, Browne came out victorious via a vicious knockout.
Many thought this would be a close bout due to Barnett’s …
In a battle of the old guard and the new blood, Josh Barnett and Travis Browne met in a highly anticipated bout. When it was all said and done, Browne came out victorious via a vicious knockout.
Many thought this would be a close bout due to Barnett’s wrestling chops and Browne’s athleticism. When it was over, Browne had nullified Barnett’s wrestling and put him down with some brutal elbows.
So, what did we learn from this bout? Let’s take a look.
What We’ll Remember About This Fight
The knockout. Browne used the same elbow finish that he used against Gabriel Gonzaga when he knocked him out. Barnett, like Gonzaga, shot for the double leg and was met with a sprawl and a nasty barrage of elbows.
That shows how dangerous Browne is.
What We Learned About Browne
He is a contender. He has knocked out Gabriel Gonzaga. He has knocked out Alistair Overeem. He has knocked out Josh Barnett.
What else does he need to do? He is a top heavyweight right now and only getting better.
What We Learned About Barnett
He is a top guy, but he’s not ready to be the top guy yet. His wrestling and grappling chops are going to make him a competitive fighter in any bout, but the striking weakness that he’s shown against Browne and Daniel Cormier prove he has not evolved to the all-around menace he could have been.
He is still a world-class heavyweight, but he will never regain the championship.
What’s Next for Browne?
He’s likely behind Fabricio Werdum for the title, but if Cain Velasquez is out for the interim, Browne and Werdum should hook up. The fight would give Velasquez a top contender.
If Werdum sits out for his title shot and Browne needs one more fight, he should get a rematch with Antonio Silva or a showdown with Mark Hunt.
What’s Next for Barnett?
He’s in dire need to rebound after this fight. A bout against Antonio Silva or Roy Nelson could be a good one.
Handling our liveblog for the “Weidman vs. Silva 2” pay-per-view broadcast is Aaron Mandel, who will be sticking round-by-round results 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. (We’re @cagepotatomma. Hi there.)
Handling our liveblog for the “Weidman vs. Silva 2″ pay-per-view broadcast is Aaron Mandel, who will be sticking round-by-round results 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. (We’re @cagepotatomma. Hi there.)
Preliminary card results
– Uriah Hall def. Chris Leben via TKO (doctor stoppage*), 5:00 of round 1
– Michael Johnson def. Gleison Tibau via KO, 1:32 of round 2
– Dennis Siver def. Manny Gamburyan via unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)
– John Howard def. Siyar Bahadurzada via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
– William Macario def. Bobby Voelker via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
– Robbie Peralta def. Estevan Payan via KO, 0:12 of round 3
* Or “retirement,” basically. Leben verbally quit the fight after being dominated through the first round.
Hi PotatoHeads and welcome to the last card of 2013. If you were too cheap to throw down the extra $5 for the PPV, fear not, we’ve got all your results here, I’m in the best liveblogging shape of my life, refresh early and often!
Diego Brandao vs. Dustin Poirier
Round 1- Body kick to start from Poirier with a head kick from Brandao that is blocked. Good body punch from Brandao. Wild windmill from Brandao who slips but is landing some early with punches and kicks to the body. Spinning backfist lands from Poirier. Some good wild exchanges early. Overhand right drops Poirier but he’s back up. Brandao tries a clinch throw but Poirier uses an effective whizzer and stands up. Brandao completes a takedown on Poirier, who had been landing. Poirier up and unloads on Brandao with strikes, wobbling him. Brandao goes down and Poirier follows with strikes until the ref jumps in and stops it, good win for Poirier.
Dustin Poirier defeats Diego Brandao via TKO, round 1
Poirier pumped up in the post fight interview and clearly from Louisiana.
Jim Miller vs. Fabricio Camoes
Miller is looking to right the ship after alternating wins and losses lately. Camoes has to be excited to be on the main card of the end of year PPV, he’s definitely the least known fighter outside of hardcore fans but has the no-lose thing going for him here with a win or strong show.
Round 1- Leg kick from Camoes. Clinch on the fence as Camoes tries for a takedown that fails and they separate back to the feet. Two short strikes land from Camoes. Head kick blocked by Miller. Camoes cracks Miller with a left hook. Camoes continues to land, backing Miller up. Head kick caught by Miller who takes him down and lands some ground and pound. Camoes back to the feet and now gets Miller down and lands in full guard. Miller doing a good job of tying up from the bottom and threatening with submissions. Miller tightens up an armbar, Camoes defends patiently but Miller stays on it and works it tighter until Camoes is forced to tap!
Jim Miller defeats Fabricio Camoes via armbar, round 1
Miller references Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in his interview, losing the beer soaked KO crazy crowd, but impressing all the nerds out there (hey o!)
We are now treated to the undercard fight between Gleison Tibau and Michael Johnson.
Josh Barnett vs. Travis Browne
Round 1- Browne lands first with a left hook. Barnett puts Browne against the cage where he wants to work his catch wrestling but Browne moves away and lands a few strong hooks. Barnett shoots for a takedown against the cage and Browne starts unloading elbows just like he did against Gonzaga and Barnett goes limp, he’s out and Lavigne stops the fight! Impressive KO for Browne who is rocketing to the top of the HW division.
Travis Browne defeats Josh Barnett via KO, round 1
And with three quick finishes so far we return to the undercard for Leben-Hall.
Champ Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate
Round 1- Tate comes out swinging furiously but wildly. Rousey clinches up and takes Tate down but she is right back up but eating shots from Rousey as she gets put against the fence and eats more shots. Headkick from Rousey is blocked but Tate is on her back and Rousey is working strikes. Tate gets up and gets Rousey down! Shockingly Rousey throws on an armbar but it’s loose. Rousey locks on a triangle and peppers Tate from the bottom with strikes. The triangle looks tight but Tate gets out and they strike until Rousey clinches again and goes into mount, working on an arm. Tate slips out on top into guard but Rousey pulls out and they get back up. Another huge judo throw from Rousey who is on top again. Tate back to the feet and lands a nice strike. Rousey clinches and works strikes against Tate on the fence. The round ends and this is the first round 2 for Rousey in her career. 10-9 Rousey.
Round 2- Good right from Rousey and trips Tate easily. Tate hits Rousey with some good upkicks and Rousey’s mouth is open and she backs off! Tate gets up but Rousey hits another judo throw but quickly backs off. Tate having some luck with a left hook but Rousey gets her down and works for her back but Tate works back up against the cage with Rousey throwing strikes. Strong clinch works ends in a violent judo throw from Rousey who is in side control. Tate throws her legs up and around and grabs Rousey head but Rousey works out and grabs Tate’s arm. She torques it brutally and Tate’s arm is fully stretched but she doesn’t tap and somehow gets out. Tate is now caught in an inverted triangle but is defending with Rousey all over her. Round ends and saves Tate. 10-9 Rousey.
Round 3- Rousey muscles Tate into the cage and works clinch positioning. Tate lands on top out of a throw but her arm is in danger and this time Rousey cranks it at the right angle and Tate taps.
Tate tries to initiate a hand shake but Rousey is having none of it.
Ronda Rousey defeats Miesha Tate via armbar, round 3.
The crowd roundly boos Rousey who compliments Tate but says she insulted her family and cannot shake her hand. Tate gets a huge ovation from the crowd and admits Rousey was the better fighter.
Champ Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva
Silva on his way into the cage crouches and remains motionless on two separate occasions. It’s a 10 minute walk in. He is a unique legend. Weidman is all business and my girlfriend just referred to him as a “thoroughbred”.
Round 1- Touch of the gloves. Weidman shoots in and finishes on a single leg. Silva works his way up on the cage and they are clinched. Weidman cracks Silva and he staggers back. Weidman landing HUGE bombs on the ground but Silva SOMEHOW survives and ties Weidman up in full guard. Weidman is loading up on some huge shots, some of which are landing. It is hard to tell how hurt Silva is but he is still in the fight. Big elbow from Weidman and he postures up and hits him more as Silva throws upkicks and creates separation. Weidman dives in with a strike and Silva ties him up as round ends. 10-9 Weidman.
Round 2- Good low kick from Silva. Weidman wades in with strikes. Head kick from Weidman blocked. Good body kick from Weidman and Silva snaps a leg kick low on Weidman OH FUCK Silva snapped his leg. He falls back in pain and his leg fractured on the shin right above the foot on the shinbone. Fight is over.
Chris Weidman defeats Anderson Silva via TKO, round 2, doctor/ref stoppage.
Weidman classy in victory giving props to Silva as the greatest of all time. Silva is not in the cage, presumably getting medical treatment or already on the way to the hospital. My own editorializing: It sucks for Silva, of course, this could be career ending. It also sucks for Weidman who dominated the first round for the second time before winning on a crazy, unpredictable moment. He will still have to face questions about if he was for real, which he CLEARLY is. Crazy ending, great night of fights, no judges involved on the main card! Goodnight for now, thanks for reading along.
