Tag: Travis Browne

The Unsupportable Opinion: UFC 168 Is Kind of a Garbage-Ass Card


(Yeah, and…?)

As some promoters would have you believe, UFC 168: Silva vs. Weidman 2 is the biggest event in UFC history. It’s so stacked, in fact, that some unnamed executives at Zuffa decided to raise the price of the card $5, in a one-time-only mini-gouge. (Dana White’s explanation for this? “Cuz.” Ladies and gentlemen, your UFC president.)

The price bump carries the implication that UFC 168 is not just a great pay-per-view event, it’s more valuable than every single UFC show that came before it. But is it? Let’s take a quick look at the pay-per-view lineup — i.e., the five fights they’re asking you to pay for:

Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva (for UFC middleweight title)
Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate (for women’s bantamweight title)
Josh Barnett vs. Travis Browne (HW)
Jim Miller vs. Fabricio Camoes (LW)
Dustin Poirier vs. Diego Brandao (FW)

To me, we’re talking about three big fights. The shocking ending of Silva vs. Weidman 1 gives their rematch a great narrative (horrible marketing aside), and it’s safe to say that most UFC fans are curious to see how the sequel will turn out. Rousey vs. Tate is compelling simply because all Ronda Rousey appearances are compelling, but there’s nothing to suggest that her second meeting with Miesha won’t end in another first-round armbar. And Barnett vs. Browne? Yep, I’m on board for that.

Beyond that, we have two solid contender fights that you could find on any other UFC main card. This kind of arrangement would place UFC 168 in line with past mega-shows like UFC 92 and UFC 100, which also followed the “two huge fights, one really good fight, two pretty decent fights” format. The difference is, the UFC never tried to jack up the prices of those shows, and there’s a reason for that. In 2008-2009, a UFC card with two big-name title fights was a special occasion. These days, it’s a ultra-rare fluke — and this might be the last time you see it.


(Yeah, and…?)

As some promoters would have you believe, UFC 168: Silva vs. Weidman 2 is the biggest event in UFC history. It’s so stacked, in fact, that some unnamed executives at Zuffa decided to raise the price of the card $5, in a one-time-only mini-gouge. (Dana White’s explanation for this? “Cuz.” Ladies and gentlemen, your UFC president.)

The price bump carries the implication that UFC 168 is not just a great pay-per-view event, it’s more valuable than every single UFC show that came before it. But is it? Let’s take a quick look at the pay-per-view lineup — i.e., the five fights they’re asking you to pay for:

Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva (for UFC middleweight title)
Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate (for women’s bantamweight title)
Josh Barnett vs. Travis Browne (HW)
Jim Miller vs. Fabricio Camoes (LW)
Dustin Poirier vs. Diego Brandao (FW)

To me, we’re talking about three big fights. The shocking ending of Silva vs. Weidman 1 gives their rematch a great narrative (horrible marketing aside), and it’s safe to say that most UFC fans are curious to see how the sequel will turn out. Rousey vs. Tate is compelling simply because all Ronda Rousey appearances are compelling, but there’s nothing to suggest that her second meeting with Miesha won’t end in another first-round armbar. And Barnett vs. Browne? Yep, I’m on board for that.

Beyond that, we have two solid contender fights that you could find on any other UFC main card. This kind of arrangement would place UFC 168 in line with past mega-shows like UFC 92 and UFC 100, which also followed the “two huge fights, one really good fight, two pretty decent fights” format. The difference is, the UFC never tried to jack up the prices of those shows, and there’s a reason for that. In 2008-2009, a UFC card with two big-name title fights was a special occasion. These days, it’s a ultra-rare fluke — and this might be the last time you see it.

My interpretation of UFC 168′s five-dollar price-bump is simple: The UFC has no idea when it will be able to put on another blockbuster event, and the promotion is trying to cash in while it can. Next year will be marked by the absences of former PPV king Georges St. Pierre as well as currently-injured champions Cain Velasquez and Anthony Pettis. But despite the reduced star power on its roster, the UFC will have even more main event spots to fill on its ever-growing broadcast schedule. The idea of stacking two title fights on one card is a luxury that Zuffa can no longer afford.

When the UFC announced Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler for UFC 171, Dana White originally stated that the welterweight title fight would be on the same card as Jon Jones vs. Glover Teixeira. But plans changed (again!), and the date and venue of Jones/Teixeira are TBA once more. Clearly, the UFC realized that putting on two PPV events that do 300k buys each is better than one that does 500k — especially as the promotion struggles to find strong headliners for its pay-per-view shows, which will be a bigger challenge than ever in 2014.

(Semi-related rant: On this week’s episode of the CME, Ben Fowlkes floated the idea of having the UFC’s vacant welterweight title be decided by a four-man single-night tournament. Would any UFC fan in the world argue with that idea? The UFC may have buried multi-fight tournaments in the interest of turning MMA into a modern sport, but if it wants to regain some of the fading interest among its fans, the promotion should start giving people more of what hooked them on MMA in the first place. Namely, crazy shit.)

So, is UFC 168 a great lineup? Sure it is. (I guess now I can break kayfabe and admit that I was half-trolling with this article’s headline.) Is UFC 168 the greatest lineup in UFC history? Of course it isn’t — and if you were a UFC fan five years ago, it’s nothing you haven’t seen before. But hey, you might as well enjoy it while you still can.

– Ben Goldstein

UFC 168: If You’re Junior Dos Santos, You’re Hoping for a Josh Barnett Win

Not that long ago, Junior dos Santos was getting knocked around a cage in Texas on his way to losing a world title fight.
The champion, Cain Velasquez, defended his title in spectacular fashion, smashing Dos Santos violently and leaving people to debat…

Not that long ago, Junior dos Santos was getting knocked around a cage in Texas on his way to losing a world title fight.

The champion, Cain Velasquez, defended his title in spectacular fashion, smashing Dos Santos violently and leaving people to debate how much punishment is too much in the world of prizefighting.

That wasn’t quite two months ago, and most people who take a sustained beating from the most dangerous man on Earth wouldn’t be too quick to make plans to head back to the scene of the crime.

Not Junior dos Santos though. He can’t wait to do it again, and he’s already got his list narrowed down to two guys he wants to get in there with: Josh Barnett and Travis Browne.

The two heavyweights will meet at next weekend’s UFC 168, and Dos Santos wants one of them. Chances are, given his ugly loss last time out, it will be the loser. So he should be a serious Josh Barnett fan that night, as his goal is obviously to get himself back on track as soon as possible.

Barnett is a gritty veteran who has long been among the elite of the sport and is finally getting to prove it again in the world’s biggest promotion. If Dos Santos ends up with him, it will be a test of his will and general fortitude in the same way the Velasquez fight was, with perhaps more concern for Barnett’s strength as opposed to Velasquez’s stamina.

Browne is the most underappreciated heavyweight on the roster, a bruiser with a diverse striking attack and capable grappling. He’s a monster of a man and has proven that his spirit is equally sizable, overcoming long odds at a few points in his UFC run to secure highlight-reel stoppages.

The reason Dos Santos should be cheering on Barnett next weekend in Las Vegas is simple optics. He’d be a justified favorite against either man and stands a very good chance of beating either one, but beating Browne is far more likely to come in exciting fashion than beating Barnett.

Barnett is going to make you work like a dog to beat him. He’s going to bully you, wrestle you and clinch you. You’re going to eat a thousand short punches and elbows and spend the entire night carrying his 260 pounds on you against the cage. Even if you beat him, no one is going to tell you how good you looked doing it.

Browne, on the other hand, is far more likely to engage in a firefight. After stopping all-world striker Alistair Overeem once he survived everything the Dutchman could throw at him, he’s—quite reasonably—as confident as ever in his standup. It’s where he excels anyway, and the way he’s going to approach the fight is a recipe for excitement that will certainly end with one very large man staring up at the lights.

It all boils down to the fact that, even though Dos Santos isn’t going to get another title shot any time soon, he needs to win fights and win them in remarkable fashion if he’s going to remain relevant. He can beat either one of Barnett or Browne, but he’s far more likely to do it remarkably against Browne.

So at UFC 168, Dos Santos needs to be a big fan of Josh Barnett. It’s sure to pay off for him down the line.

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MMA Drug-Roundup: Drysdale Goes Unpunished, Belfort Goes on the Defensive, Browne Undergoes WADA


(Pictured: Robert Drysdale’s father, left, and Robert Drysdale’s grandfather, right.) 

Testosterone and MMA go hand-in-hand like whiskey and breakfast (except they don’t hold hands, of course, because that’s what queers do). Unfortunately for many of today’s aging MMA stars, naturally produced testosterone dries up faster than a crick in a west Texas drought once they turn 30, forcing many of these dinosaurs to resort to the synthetic stuff in order to compete with the whipper-snappers who are trying to shamelessly take their jobs. And so, TRT was born.

While fighters like Vitor Belfort have utilized TRT to (literally) inject new life into their MMA careers, fighters like Robert Drysdale have damn near killed theirs before they even got started by abusing the stuff to a comical degree. Fortunately for Drysdale, it looks like the UFC will be letting him off easy for essentially pissing pure HGH last week and being subsequently pulled from UFC 167. A UFC rep recently spoke with MMAJunkie about Drysdale’s future in the organization following his botched drug test. In short, it’s still a go!

Obviously, Robert needs to establish that he is medically fit to participate and apply for the appropriate licensure,” the rep wrote in a prepared statement. “Assuming he is able to do this, he will fight for the organization at some point in the future.”

NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer said commissioners for the regulatory body will decide whether to place Drysdale on a future agenda to address the failed test. As of today, the commission also hasn’t levied any disciplinary action.

While we can’t imagine that this is the first impression the BJJ legend was hoping to make with the UFC, at least we will be able to see whether or not he was worth all the trouble he has given them so far. Hooray?

Speaking of TRT, Belfort recently attempted to clarify his previous statements that he would “stop doing TRT” if a title shot was on the line with FOX Sports. Those comments are after the jump.


(Pictured: Robert Drysdale’s father, left, and Robert Drysdale’s great grandfather, right.) 

Testosterone and MMA go hand-in-hand like whiskey and breakfast (except they don’t hold hands, of course, because that’s what queers do). Unfortunately for many of today’s aging MMA stars, naturally produced testosterone dries up faster than a crick in a west Texas drought once they turn 30, forcing many of these dinosaurs to resort to the synthetic stuff in order to compete with the whipper-snappers who are trying to shamelessly take their jobs. And so, the TRT TUE was born.

While fighters like Vitor Belfort have utilized TRT to (literally) inject new life into their MMA careers, fighters like Robert Drysdale have damn near killed theirs before they even got started by abusing the stuff to a comical degree. Fortunately for Drysdale, it looks like the UFC will be letting him off easy for essentially pissing pure HGH last week and being subsequently pulled from UFC 167. A UFC rep recently spoke with MMAJunkie about Drysdale’s future in the organization following his botched drug test. In short, it’s still a go!

Obviously, Robert needs to establish that he is medically fit to participate and apply for the appropriate licensure,” the rep wrote in a prepared statement. “Assuming he is able to do this, he will fight for the organization at some point in the future.”

NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer said commissioners for the regulatory body will decide whether to place Drysdale on a future agenda to address the failed test. As of today, the commission also hasn’t levied any disciplinary action.

While we can’t imagine that this is the first impression the BJJ legend was hoping to make with the UFC, at least we will be able to see whether or not he was worth all the trouble he has given them so far. Hooray?

Speaking of TRT, Belfort recently attempted to clarify his previous statements that he would “stop doing TRT” if a title shot was on the line with FOX Sports:

I was just trying to say how committed I am to achieving something. Why would I want to do something that’s going to hurt me? Just to make people feel good? Haters are always going to be there. People are always going to talk about you because you are somebody. Like I’ve said, this [TRT] can’t teach people to knock people out with kicks and perform.

 I was just kind of showing how motivated I am. Of course, they won’t allow that to happen. It’s unhealthy for me. It would be unfair. If you’re doing something right, everything goes good.

At this point, I can’t even muster the energy to comment on Belfort’s continuous flip-flopping. He is to TRT what Oprah is to dieting, and being that anyone who questions a former steroid user’s insistence or need to be on TRT is immediately dubbed a “hater” by fighters and fans alike, I’ll just leave this most recent blurb up to you Taters for analysis.

But amidst all the chicanery regarding TRT in MMA, it’s good to know that there are still guys like Travis Browne, who recently agreed to join UFC 168 opponent Josh Barnett (we know, we know) in UFC-sponsored, WADA-certified drug testing ahead of the December 28th event. Said “Hapa”:

I think it’s a great idea, and I’m a big supporter of it. I think our sport and the commission taking actions like this is putting us ahead of the game compared to other sports. We’re not putting out a fire. We’re attacking the problem before it becomes an epidemic.

Oh, Travis, you beautiful, ignorant slut. Haven’t you heard? It already *is* an epidemic.

–J. Jones

UFC 168: Travis Browne Will Join Josh Barnett for Additional WADA Drug Testing

UFC heavyweight Travis Browne has volunteered to subject himself to the same enhanced drug testing his opponent Josh Barnett will have to undergo in the run-up to their fight at UFC 168.
The tests were ordered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (N…

UFC heavyweight Travis Browne has volunteered to subject himself to the same enhanced drug testing his opponent Josh Barnett will have to undergo in the run-up to their fight at UFC 168.

The tests were ordered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) as a condition for granting Barnett his first license to fight in the state since 2006.

Browne confirmed his decision to undergo the same WADA-certified drug testing as Barnett in a statement released through his manager John Fosco (H/T MMA Junkie).

I think it’s a great idea, and I’m a big supporter of it. I think our sport and the commission taking actions like this is putting us ahead of the game compared to other sports. We’re not putting out a fire. We’re attacking the problem before it becomes an epidemic.

As with Barnett, the UFC has agreed to foot the bill for all of the tests involved. However, Browne will undergo testing only in the month and a half leading up to their Dec. 28 clash, as well as immediately after the match as per standard commission practice. Barnett, meanwhile, will continue to be tested for all of 2014.

Barnett has been subjected to such extensive scrutiny after having failed three separate drug tests in his career. He failed twice in 2001 and 2002, in two consecutive matches fighting for the UFC in the state of Nevada; the latter of which cost him his UFC heavyweight title. Then, in 2009, he failed a third drug test in the lead-up to a much anticipated fight between him and Fedor Emelianenko in the state of California.

During his hearing with the NSAC last week, Barnett explained that his previous failures were due to the consumption of supplements that were later reclassified as anabolic steroids or were contaminated. He also said that he would never apply for a therapeutic-use exemption for testosterone—a controversial practice many would argue disguises cheating.

Browne, meanwhile, has never failed a drug test in his career.

Both fighters have shot up the UFC rankings after scoring first-round KOs against their opponents in their last outings. Indeed, the winner of their match at UFC 168 could determine who gets the next shot at heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, who is set to face Fabricio Werdum sometime next year.

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Josh Barnett Faces Random WADA Drug Testing Until the End of 2014

The Nevada State Athletic Commission did not take UFC heavyweight contender Josh Barnett’s past failed drug tests lightly, imposing strict stipulations in order for him to be granted his fighter’s license for UFC 168. 
“The Warmaster” was granted …

The Nevada State Athletic Commission did not take UFC heavyweight contender Josh Barnett‘s past failed drug tests lightly, imposing strict stipulations in order for him to be granted his fighter’s license for UFC 168. 

“The Warmaster” was granted his license to fight Travis Browne in Las Vegas, Nevada, on December 28; however, he must make himself available to random World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) drug testing between now and December 31, 2014, MMA Junkie reported earlier this afternoon. 

Barnett has failed drug tests for performance-enhancing drugs in 2001, 2002 and 2009, though the nearly 16-year fight veteran attributes each aberration to taking tainted over-the-counter nutritional supplements.

According to the report, which was written based on the transactions that occurred at the live NSAC hearing today, a motion was introduced and approved unanimously to license the submission specialist. 

Barnett will be “subjected to enhanced, intensive, weekly testing by the WADA lab at the expense of Mr. Barnett or UFC” and will “also be subjected to random testing by the Nevada State Athletic Commission through Dec. 31, 2014 to be paid by him or the UFC,” an excerpt of the motion reads. 

The former UFC heavyweight champ, who was present with attorneys, is also quoted as saying: “I understand the prohibited list, and that’s what’s necessary. I have to put it in my mouth, in my body. … No one’s giving me anything under the table and putting things in my system. This is my responsibility.”

Additionally, UFC executive Marc Ratner, who also attended the hearing, indicated that the UFC would cover any costs associated with additional drug testing for Barnett.

The report also makes mention that Barnett is off to a good start, as he was tested on October 15 and the results came back clean.

After a 3-1 run in Strikeforce, Barnett returned to the Octagon at UFC 164 in August, taking out another ex-titleholder in Frank Mir, though many called the stoppage in the bout premature. 

Barnett is currently the sixth heavyweight in the world in the UFC’s official rankings, so a victory over Browne (No. 5) could be enough to earn the Seattle native another crack at UFC gold. 

 

UPDATE: 3:39 P.M. Eastern Time

Shortly after this story was published, Barnett tweeted his feelings about how the NSAC hearing went down. 

 

John Heinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com.

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UFC 166: 3 Fights for Cain Velasquez to Take Next

After an excellent night of fights at UFC 166, Cain Velasquez dominated his closest rival, Junior dos Santos, much the same way he did in their last fight.
But this time he finished him.
Yes, many will say dos Santos was finished because of the way his…

After an excellent night of fights at UFC 166, Cain Velasquez dominated his closest rival, Junior dos Santos, much the same way he did in their last fight.

But this time he finished him.

Yes, many will say dos Santos was finished because of the way his head hit the canvas, but none of that can take away the work Velasquez did up to that point. Much like last time, Velasquez applied a great deal of pressure, crowded dos Santos and scored with numerous punches over all five rounds.

In the end, he was just too much for dos Santos, who looked as if he had made little to no adjustments since their last meeting. Once again, the challenger looked every inch a beaten fighter; his face was a bloody and swollen mess, but worst of all, he looked lost on more than one occasion during the bout.

Now that their trilogy has ended, it’s time to see what is next for Velasquez, who has defended his title two times now.

The top 10 in the heavyweight division is not exactly what you would call “deep,” especially when it is limited to fighters on the UFC roster. Men like Roy Nelson and Mark Hunt must be dismissed for obvious reasons—chief among them they lost their last fights.

Frank Mir is on a three-fight skid himself, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva has already been creamed by Velasquez twice and Alistair Overeem is one toe from being released from the organization after dropping two fights in a row.

Then, you have the perplexing situation of Daniel Cormier, who looked very good in his victory over Roy Nelson, and who is perhaps the only fighter in the division with the grappling needed to give Velasquez problems. Sadly, the teammate vs. teammate problem rears its ugly head and Cormier will not fight his friend in Velasquez and vice versa.

So, who is left?

Josh Barnett

Although not as dangerous a striker as dos Santos, Josh Barnett is probably the next in line as “the biggest threat” to Velasquez’s title. Of course, he must defeat Travis Browne in order to keep wearing those boots, but it will be hard for Browne to deal with Barnett’s overall game.

He’s easily one of the most well-rounded fighters in the division. He’s incredibly experienced and a proven finisher with the ability to end a fight at any time.

But perhaps one of his greatest strengths is his experience and adaptability. Dos Santos looked lost on many occasions during their rubber match, as if he didn’t expect the pressure-heavy strategy that Velasquez used. Barnett, on the other hand, wouldn’t be lost in such situations; he’s as crafty as they come and he knows how to survive bad situations.

Most people known Barnett as a kind of catch wrestler who has a knack for taking the fight to the floor and landing on top. But he’s much more than that; he’s a technician who knows the importance of movement and angles.

Should Velasquez take him down, Barnett knows how to keep things tight in order to minimize potential damage; this kind of close-quarter grappling from the bottom also allows him to mask his sweep or escape attempts.

Barnett would have his hands full against a high-level wrestler like Velasquez, but he’s not going to wilt under that pressure, and given his knowledge of the game as a whole, he needs just one small opening to turn the tables.

Should Velasquez defeat Barnett, it would be a serious feather in his cap, not to mention a learning experience.

Fabricio Werdum

There are not a lot of fighters in the heavyweight division that can exist inside the guard of Fabricio Werdum for an extended period of time; his submission skills are just that good.

His striking has improved greatly over the years, but in the end, it’s his ground game that is his most dangerous advantage. He’s one of the few submission artists at heavyweight who has the kind of overall grappling awareness to be a threat to Velasquez from his back.

Many fighters get chewed up by Velasquez because they are afraid of being taken down. Werdum figures to be one of the rare few so comfortable from their backs that they are able to commit to the striking exchanges without fear of being put on their backs.

He’s also much bigger than Velasquez and knows how to use his body very well in the area where most of this fight would take place: on the ground.

Obviously, Velasquez enjoys a cardio advantage over Werdum, but would that be enough to allow him to use his ground game consistently without being submitted? Or would his inexperience against such high-level submission artists see him rebuffed and forced to fight standing for most of the night?

Travis Browne

Should Travis Browne defeat Josh Barnett at UFC 168, setting him up for a title shot seems like a logical choice in a division that is thin on top-10 fighters.

Browne is a very big fighter with KO power to burn and he’s only had one loss on his record; sadly, that loss comes at the hands of a man Velasquez demolished (with ease) on two occasions: Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.

Still, a fighter is not the sum total of his losses, especially when he only has one “L” on his record. Given his spirited upset victory over Alistair Overeem, a fight between Browne and Velasquez would see him justly rewarded as a fighter who has won six fights in the UFC, five by way of stoppage.

Yet in spite of what Browne brings to the table—heart, power and desire—he looks like he’d be on the wrong side of a bad matchup against the champ. Everything Browne does dos Santos does better, and we’ve seen just how that style of fighting works against Velasquez.

But should he best Barnett, he should get that title shot, no question about it.

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