Tag: TUF 13 Finale

TUF 13 Champ Tony Ferguson Back to Lightweight, Fights Aaron Riley at UFC 135 in Denver

Filed under: UFCTony Ferguson, who won Season 13 of “The Ultimate Fighter” earlier this month, already has his next fight.

Ferguson, who beat Ramsey Nijem at the TUF 13 Finale in Las Vegas on June 4 with a first-round knockout, will face Aaron Riley …

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Tony Ferguson, who won Season 13 of “The Ultimate Fighter” earlier this month, already has his next fight.

Ferguson, who beat Ramsey Nijem at the TUF 13 Finale in Las Vegas on June 4 with a first-round knockout, will face Aaron Riley in a lightweight bout at UFC 135 on Sept. 24 in Denver. The UFC announced the fight booking on Twitter on Monday night.

Ferguson (11-2, 1-0 UFC) has won four straight fights, including his UFC debut victory over Nijem, which also netted him a $40,000 Knockout of the Night bonus to go along with his guaranteed UFC contract. That fight was at welterweight. Against Riley (30-12-1, 3-4 UFC), Ferguson will return to the lightweight division.

On Season 13 of TUF, Ferguson fought for coach Brock Lesnar’s team. The three wins Ferguson had in the TUF house to reach the live finale were all knockouts or TKOs. Those those three fights are not official, if counted he has seven straight TKO or KO victories. After taping for the season finished, Ferguson trained at Lesnar’s Death Clutch camp in Minnesota to prepare for his fight with Nijem.

Riley has been out of action for more than a year, since a unanimous decision win over Joe Brammer at UFC 114 in May 2010. Riley, an Indiana native, was expected to return at UFC 119 in Indianapolis last September, but pulled out of his fight with Pat Audinwood with an injury. When he returns in September, it will be after a 16-month layoff.

Riley, whose primary training home is with Greg Jackson’s camp in Albuquerque, N.M., is in his third stint with the UFC. He was one-and-done with losses to Robbie Lawler at UFC 37 and Spencer Fisher at Fight Night 3. Since returning at UFC 91, Riley has gone 3-2, but hasn’t put together consecutive wins. His three wins have all been by unanimous decision.

UFC 135 will take place at the Pepsi Center in Denver. It will be the promotion’s first trip to Colorado since the first UFC on Versus event in March 2010, which took place in the north Denver suburb of Broomfield. The UFC hasn’t been to Denver proper since UFC: The Ultimate Ultimate in December 1995. UFC 1 and UFC 2 also took place in Denver.

UFC 135 is expected to be headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between champion Jon Jones, making his first defense, and former champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Also on the card, Hall of Famer and former welterweight champion Matt Hughes will face former lightweight title challenger Diego Sanchez.

 

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The Potato Index: UFC 131, TUF 13 Finale, and UFC 130 Edition

Clay Guida pool party MMA photos girls bikini
(Clay Guida’s party-animal status: Unchanged. Photo courtesy of CombatLifestyle.com)

Now that we’re halfway through a six-week stretch featuring a UFC or Strikeforce event every weekend, it might be time to take a deep breath, drag out a semi-retired recurring feature, and assign some totally meaningless scores to some of the notable trends and fighters we’ve seen lately. Who’s up, who’s down, and by how much? Well…

The UFC heavyweight division +113
Some have already labeled Shane Carwin’s loss at UFC 131 the “end of an era” for gargantuan heavyweights. (Didn’t last long, did it?) At the top of the division, we’re left with two guys who are smaller, faster, and better-conditioned than their predecessors; Velasquez vs. Dos Santos could be an all-time classic. Meanwhile, prospects like Travis Browne and Dave Herman continue to add depth at 265.

Cageside monitors -98
Nope, the judging in this sport still sucks, and the problem doesn’t appear to be technological. When you have shit for brains, every angle is a bad angle.

Clay Guida pool party MMA photos girls bikini
(Clay Guida’s party-animal status: Unchanged. Photo courtesy of CombatLifestyle.com)

Now that we’re halfway through a six-week stretch featuring a UFC or Strikeforce event every weekend, it might be time to take a deep breath, drag out a semi-retired recurring feature, and assign some totally meaningless scores to some of the notable trends and fighters we’ve seen lately. Who’s up, who’s down, and by how much? Well…

The UFC heavyweight division +113
Some have already labeled Shane Carwin’s loss at UFC 131 the “end of an era” for gargantuan heavyweights. (Didn’t last long, did it?) At the top of the division, we’re left with two guys who are smaller, faster, and better-conditioned than their predecessors; Velasquez vs. Dos Santos could be an all-time classic. Meanwhile, prospects like Travis Browne and Dave Herman continue to add depth at 265.

Cageside monitors -98
Nope, the judging in this sport still sucks, and the problem doesn’t appear to be technological. When you have shit for brains, every angle is a bad angle.

Demian Maia -184
Ugh. Bro, nobody wants to see you kickbox your way to another decision. Submitting people used to be Demian’s gimmick — and it was a great one. But he hasn’t been able to do that since UFC events were still numbered in the double-digits. Maia is officially a stepping stone in the middleweight division, and it’s a shame to see it.

Sam Stout +250
Meanwhile, Hands of Stone scored the first stoppage victory of his five-year, 11-fight UFC career at “Dos Santos vs. Carwin,” snapped a seven-fight decision streak in the process, and gobbled up his sixth performance bonus, like a boss.

Meaningless rumors -322
That’s the last time you fool us, Internet. THE LAST TIME.

Michihiro Omigawa -62
Yeah, he got his win bonus, but officially he’s 0-4 in the Octagon now. You know who else went 0-4 in the Octagon? Tiki Ghosn. You’re in good company, Michi.

The Ultimate Fighter +138
Season 13 might have been a drag, but with the booking of Bisping vs. Mayhem in the coaching slots and the debut of bantamweights and featherweights on the show, we’ll actually have a reason to watch this thing again.

Trying to win a fight off your back -241
Miguel Torres couldn’t do it against Demetrious Johnson, and Anthony Pettis couldn’t do it against Clay Guida. Top-game rules in this sport. Resistance is futile.

Joe Rogan +300/-300
…depending on your feelings about the word “cunty.”

Quinton Jackson +276
Beats up Matt Hamill, earns a title shot, and mock-motorboats Karyn Bryant without getting pepper-sprayed. Alpha.

Brian Stann +437
An American hero who’s now a legit threat at middleweight. Stann TKO’d former Top-10 fighter Jorge Santiago on Memorial Day, picking up his second Fight of the Night bonus in his last three fights.

Guys who get ranked in the Top 10 by dominating local talent in Japan, then get squashed the first time they fight in (or return to) the Octagon -602
See above.

(BG)

Wednesday Morning MMA Link Club

(Legal Disclaimer: Actual Bud Light contest winners will not be nearly as attractive as the people featured in this commercial. Props: officialbudlight)

Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail [email protected] for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…

– Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza to Defend Strikeforce Title Against Luke Rockhold (5thRound)

– UFC 131 Tickets ‘Cannibalized’ by Vancouver Canucks NHL Finals Run and More (MMA Mania)

– Shane Carwin on Dos Santos: I’m Going to Knock Him Out or Tap Him Out and Feel No Remorse For It (LowKick)

– UFC 131 ‘Dos Santos vs. Carwin’ Pre-Fight Interview: Kenny Florian (MMA Convert)

– The 13 Strangest Fighting Styles to Ever Grace UFC’s Octagon (BleacherReport.com/MMA)

– Five Lessons: ‘TUF 13’ (NBC Sports MMA)

– Downes, Cope, and Kingsbury Top TUF 13 Finale Medical Suspensions (Five Ounces of Pain)

– Fight Journal: ‘Mayhem’ Miller Edition (MMA Fighting)

– Now You Can Watch Hector Lombard Give Joe Doerksen a Harry Potter Scar (MiddleEasy)

– “Combate Extremo” CEO Michael Shoffner talks about MMA in Mexico (TheFightNerd)


(Legal Disclaimer: Actual Bud Light contest winners will not be nearly as attractive as the people featured in this commercial. Props: officialbudlight)

Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail [email protected] for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…

– Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza to Defend Strikeforce Title Against Luke Rockhold (5thRound)

– UFC 131 Tickets ‘Cannibalized’ by Vancouver Canucks NHL Finals Run and More (MMA Mania)

– Shane Carwin on Dos Santos: I’m Going to Knock Him Out or Tap Him Out and Feel No Remorse For It (LowKick)

– UFC 131 ‘Dos Santos vs. Carwin’ Pre-Fight Interview: Kenny Florian (MMA Convert)

– The 13 Strangest Fighting Styles to Ever Grace UFC’s Octagon (BleacherReport.com/MMA)

– Five Lessons: ‘TUF 13′ (NBC Sports MMA)

– Downes, Cope, and Kingsbury Top TUF 13 Finale Medical Suspensions (Five Ounces of Pain)

– Fight Journal: ‘Mayhem’ Miller Edition (MMA Fighting)

– Now You Can Watch Hector Lombard Give Joe Doerksen a Harry Potter Scar (MiddleEasy)

– “Combate Extremo” CEO Michael Shoffner talks about MMA in Mexico (TheFightNerd)

TUF 13 Medical Suspensions: Kingsbury, Cope and Downes With Most Serious Injuries

Filed under: NewsTen fighters from Saturday’s UFC Season 13 Finale of “The Ultimate Fighter” handed down medical suspensions following their fights by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

The most serious potential layoffs are for main card winners K…

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Ten fighters from Saturday’s UFC Season 13 Finale of “The Ultimate Fighter” handed down medical suspensions following their fights by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

The most serious potential layoffs are for main card winners Kyle Kingsbury (pictured) and Chris Cope, and preliminary card loser Danny Downes, all of whom could be out until early December.

The TUF 13 Finale took place at The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas and featured a main event win by Tony Ferguson, who became the latest “Ultimate Fighter” winner with a knockout of Ramsey Nijem; and a co-main upset win by Clay Guida over Anthony Pettis. None of those three were given medical suspensions.

Kingsbury must have a fractured left orbital bone cleared by doctors, or he will be unable to fight until Dec. 2. His unanimous decision win over Fabio Maldonado was given the Fight of the Night bonus by UFC president Dana White.

Cope, a TUF 13 semifinalist, dominated housemate Chuck O’Neil for a unanimous decision. But he will need both his thumbs x-rayed and given clearance before coming back or he, too, will be out until Dec. 2.

And Downes, who lost to Jeremy Stephens on the prelims, will need a right hand x-ray, plus that hand and his left shoulder cleared before returning. Otherwise, he’ll be on the shelf until Dec. 2. In the fight, Stephens bent Downes’ left arm behind his back in a kimura, but Downes was able to withstand tapping.

The full list of medical suspensions is below.

Ramsey Nijem: Suspended until July 5 with no contact until June 26.

Tim Credeur: Suspended until July 20 with no contact until July 5.

Kyle Kingsbury: Suspended until July 20 with no contact until July 5. Must have left orbital fracture cleared by an ENT or ophthalmologist, or no contest until Dec. 2.

Fabio Maldonado: Suspended until July 20 with no contact until July 5.

Chris Cope: Must have both thumbs x-rayed; if positive, must be cleared by an orthopedic doctor, or no contest until Dec. 2.

Danny Downes: Suspended until July 20 with no contact until July 5. Must have right hand x-rayed, and right hand and left shoulder must be cleared by an orthopedic doctor, or no contest until Dec. 2.

Josh Grispi: Suspended until June 26 with no contact until June 19.

Shamar Bailey: Suspended until July 5 with no contact until June 26.

Justin Edwards: Suspended until July 5 with no contact until June 26.

Ken Stone: Suspended until Aug. 4 with no contact until July 20.

 

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TUF 13 Finale Draws 1.8 Million Viewers

Filed under: UFC, NewsThe live finale for The Ultimate Fighter 13 finished slightly below last season’s Spike TV broadcast, registering a 1.32 household rating and an average audience of 1.8 million viewers.

In its most valued demographics, the finale…

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The live finale for The Ultimate Fighter 13 finished slightly below last season’s Spike TV broadcast, registering a 1.32 household rating and an average audience of 1.8 million viewers.

In its most valued demographics, the finale drew a 1.74 rating among men 18-49 and 1.95 in men 18-34.

For comparison purposes, The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale last December drew a household rating of 1.4 and an average audience of two million viewers. The TUF 11 Finale drew 2.4 million viewers and TUF 10 Finale (the Kimbo Slice year) had 3.7 million viewers.

The three-hour TUF 13 Finale broadcast featured a total of five fights: Chris Cope over Chuck O’Neil, Kyle Kingsbury over Fabio Maldonado, Ed Herman over Tim Credeur, co-headliner Clay Guida over Anthony Pettis and main event Tony Ferguson over Ramsey Nijem.

The Ultimate Fighter 13:

Ep. 1: 1.5 million viewers
Ep. 2: 1.2 million viewers
Ep. 3: 1.3 million viewers
Ep. 4: 1.3 million viewers
Ep. 5: 1.5 million viewers
Ep. 6: 1.2 million viewers
Ep. 7: 1.0 million viewers
Ep. 8: 1.2 million viewers
Ep. 9: 1.0 million viewers
Ep. 10: 1.2 million viewers
Live Finale: 1.8 million viewers

 

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Duke Roufus Riding Emotional Roller Coaster of MMA

Filed under: UFCDuke Roufus has had better days. The coach and head of Roufusport in Milwaukee is feeling the effects of watching his students Anthony Pettis and Danny Downes fall short this past Saturday at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale.

“I’m still …

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Duke Roufus has had better days. The coach and head of Roufusport in Milwaukee is feeling the effects of watching his students Anthony Pettis and Danny Downes fall short this past Saturday at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale.

“I’m still emotionally drained about it,” Roufus said Monday on The MMA Hour. “They’re great guys, great people. The emotional roller coaster in this sport is so tough sometimes.”

Just last December, Roufus was enjoying the highs of the sport. At WEC 53, Roufus oversaw Downes earning his first WEC win over Zuffa prospect Zhang Tie Quan and Pettis pulling off an amazing “Showtime” kick en route to capturing the WEC lightweight belt.

Roufus said Pettis wasn’t himself that night even while warming up and one of the things they will work on is for Pettis to perform effectively regardless of whether or not he’s on an “on” or “off” day.

“We have not see the last of Anthony Pettis,” Roufus said. “There’s so much unlimited potential with Anthony. We just gotta get it together. Now he’s human again and sometimes that’s better. The spotlight is constantly on. It’s almost too hard. Too much, too fast sometimes.”

Although his takedown defense was his downfall, Pettis fought an exciting fight against Clay Guida and even debuted the “Showtime Two,” a spinning back kick off the cage.

“That’s the one you can say with Anthony Pettis,” Roufus said. “He’ll never be guilty of being boring in the UFC Octagon. He was throwing up submission after submission. I’m not upset at him. I’m only upset for him.”

Pettis was promised a UFC title shot after winning the WEC title, but chose to stay active rather than possibly sitting out a year waiting to see how the Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard rivalry unfolds. Still, even in loss, Roufus believes it was the right decision to accept the fight against Guida.

“Who knows when the title shot is going to happen?” Roufus said. “It’s one of those things … And as well, obviously consistency, there’s some things we’re going to work on with Anthony. I rather know now than later.”

 

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