Tag: TUF

UFC Booking Alert: Pat Healy vs. Jamie Varner Slated for UFC on Fox 9


(UFC lightweight Pat Healy, daring us to make a HHNNNGGGG reference in two consecutive posts. Nice try, buddy. / Photo via Getty)

UFC on Fox 9 is shaping up to be a straight-up excellent card. The latest solid matchup was just announced as Pat Healy and Jamie Varner square up opposite one another in a lightweight contest. Both men are coming off losses but, on paper, this looks like yet another exciting and evenly-matched bout for the December 14th event in Sacramento.

Varner lost his last outing against Gleison Tibau via split decision. Before that, Varner bested Melvin Guillard and before that, he lost a thrilling bout to Joe Lauzon via submission, which won Fight of the Night honors at UFC on FOX 4. Healy recently returned after a marijuana-metabolite suspension that turned his incredible UFC-debut win over Jim Miller into a no-contest, and recently lost a decision to fellow Strikeforce vet Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 165. (Yes, I had to copy and paste Khabib’s name. No, I will never remember how to spell or pronounce it.)

Joining Healy and Varner on the December 14th UFC on Fox 9 card are new lightweight champion Anthony Pettis defending his strap against Josh Thomson, and Carlos Condit and Matt Brown trying to tear each other’s hearts out in a welterweight contender showdown. Also, Court McGee and Kelvin Gastelum do battle in one of those, TUF vs. TUF type contests. Your predictions, please.

– Elias Cepeda


(UFC lightweight Pat Healy, daring us to make a HHNNNGGGG reference in two consecutive posts. Nice try, buddy. / Photo via Getty)

UFC on Fox 9 is shaping up to be a straight-up excellent card. The latest solid matchup was just announced as Pat Healy and Jamie Varner square up opposite one another in a lightweight contest. Both men are coming off losses but, on paper, this looks like yet another exciting and evenly-matched bout for the December 14th event in Sacramento.

Varner lost his last outing against Gleison Tibau via split decision. Before that, Varner bested Melvin Guillard and before that, he lost a thrilling bout to Joe Lauzon via submission, which won Fight of the Night honors at UFC on FOX 4. Healy recently returned after a marijuana-metabolite suspension that turned his incredible UFC-debut win over Jim Miller into a no-contest, and recently lost a decision to fellow Strikeforce vet Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 165. (Yes, I had to copy and paste Khabib’s name. No, I will never remember how to spell or pronounce it.)

Joining Healy and Varner on the December 14th UFC on Fox 9 card are new lightweight champion Anthony Pettis defending his strap against Josh Thomson, and Carlos Condit and Matt Brown trying to tear each other’s hearts out in a welterweight contender showdown. Also, Court McGee and Kelvin Gastelum do battle in one of those, TUF vs. TUF type contests. Your predictions, please.

– Elias Cepeda

‘TUF’ Finalist Mike Ricci Cut After UFC 165 Loss

UFC lightweight Mike Ricci has been cut by the promotion after going 1-2 in his UFC career. The 27-year-old Canadian, who appeared on season 16 of The Ultimate Fighter, recently dropped a split decision to Myles Jury at UFC 165. The news of his dismissal was announced by Yahoo! Sports, which also reported that long-time […]

UFC lightweight Mike Ricci has been cut by the promotion after going 1-2 in his UFC career. The 27-year-old Canadian, who appeared on season 16 of The Ultimate Fighter, recently dropped a split decision to Myles Jury at UFC 165. The news of his dismissal was announced by Yahoo! Sports, which also reported that long-time […]

Related Posts:

Nick Newell Draws Keon Caldwell for August 10th WSOF Debut


(From left to right: Newell, and a Google Image Search result for “Black Assassin.” See, now *that* would be a competitive fight. / Nick photo courtesy of WSOF via MMAWeekly)

Looks like the World Series of Fighting (WSOF) is serious about grooming and spotlighting recent signee Nick Newell. The lightweight prospect has been matched up with former Ultimate Fighter Season 13 competitor Keon “The Black Assassin” Caldwell at WSOF 4: Spong vs. DeAnda, August 10th at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California.

If you remember Keon Caldwell at all, it’s probably not in a good way. He’s the guy who voluntarily left TUF 13 shortly after arriving, a decision we thought was career suicide at the time. Caldwell has only competed once since then, scoring a TKO win over Jonathan Baldree, in July 2011. Caldwell has a 9-1 record overall, but most of his wins have come over fighters with losing records, and again, he hasn’t fought in nearly two years. Yikes. Our condolences go out to Caldwell’s family.

The undefeated Newell has yet to fight in 2013 but is coming off two straight first round finish wins, which brought his pro record to 9-0. The former XFC lightweight champion signed with the World Series of Fighting in hopes that he would get tougher fights against top lightweight free-agents, and eventually get signed by the UFC. This booking doesn’t exactly accomplish that.


(From left to right: Newell, and a Google Image Search result for “Black Assassin.” See, now *that* would be a competitive fight. / Nick photo courtesy of WSOF via MMAWeekly)

Looks like the World Series of Fighting (WSOF) is serious about grooming and spotlighting recent signee Nick Newell. The lightweight prospect has been matched up with former Ultimate Fighter Season 13 competitor Keon “The Black Assassin” Caldwell at WSOF 4: Spong vs. DeAnda, August 10th at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California.

If you remember Keon Caldwell at all, it’s probably not in a good way. He’s the guy who voluntarily left TUF 13 shortly after arriving, a decision we thought was career suicide at the time. Caldwell has only competed once since then, scoring a TKO win over Jonathan Baldree, in July 2011. Caldwell has a 9-1 record overall, but most of his wins have come over fighters with losing records, and again, he hasn’t fought in nearly two years. Yikes. Our condolences go out to Caldwell’s family.

The undefeated Newell has yet to fight in 2013 but is coming off two straight first round finish wins, which brought his pro record to 9-0. The former XFC lightweight champion signed with the World Series of Fighting in hopes that he would get tougher fights against top lightweight free-agents, and eventually get signed by the UFC. This booking doesn’t exactly accomplish that.

WSOF has to be expecting that they’ll be able to showcase Newell kicking somebody’s ass in his debut fight for them, by pairing him against Caldwell. Newell’s overcoming of his disability — he was born with only one fully-developed arm — as well as his dynamic fighting style and penchant for winning violently make him a potential star for the burgeoning organization.

WSOF 4 will also feature President Ray Sefo’s stunt-fight against Dave Huckaba, Tyson Griffin vs. Gesias Cavalcante, and Gerald Harris vs. Jorge Santiago.

What do you say, Nation? Will Newell continue to shine at WSOF and will he eventually get a shot at the UFC?

– Elias Cepeda

UFC’s Cat Zingano On Miesha Tate Replacing Her As The TUF 18 Coach

Injured #1 women’s bantamweight contender Cat Zingano was on hand at this past weekends Metamoris II event in Las Angeles. The fighter, who is recovering from knee surgery, talked about her TUF 18 coaching replacement Miesha Tate, how Tate vs. Rousey II may go down, the Metamoris II event and more.

Video courtesy of ProMMANow.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

Injured #1 women’s bantamweight contender Cat Zingano was on hand at this past weekends Metamoris II event in Las Angeles. The fighter, who is recovering from knee surgery, talked about her TUF 18 coaching replacement Miesha Tate, how Tate vs. Rousey II may go down, the Metamoris II event and more.

Video courtesy of ProMMANow.com

TUF Brazil 2 Winner Leo Santos – “I’m So Happy, I Feel Like I’m Hallucinating”

Leo Santos achieved his dream of reaching the UFC, winning the TUF Brazil Season 2 title by defeating William Macario. Santos basked in the glory that he and close friend, UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, earned at UFC On FUEL TV 10.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Leo Santos achieved his dream of reaching the UFC, winning the TUF Brazil Season 2 title by defeating William Macario. Santos basked in the glory that he and close friend, UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, earned at UFC On FUEL TV 10.

UFC on FUEL TV 10 ‘Fight Night’ Bonuses Go To Erick Silva, Thiago Silva & Rafael Cavalcante

With ten finishes on the night, UFC on FUEL TV 10 tied the record for the most finishes in one night for an Ultimate Fighting Championship event. That ties them with UFC Fight Night 13 which took place back in April 2008. Despite all of those finishes the promotion awarded just three fighters a ‘Fight […]

UFC on FUEL TV 10 iiWith ten finishes on the night, UFC on FUEL TV 10 tied the record for the most finishes in one night for an Ultimate Fighting Championship event. That ties them with UFC Fight Night 13 which took place back in April 2008.

Despite all of those finishes the promotion awarded just three fighters a ‘Fight Night’ bonus.

Earning $50,000 for “Submission of the Night” was welterweight Erick Silva, while light heavyweight Thiago Silva earned “Knockout of the Night” as well as “Fight of the Night” for his bout with Rafael Cavalcante, who also picked up $50K for the “FON” bonus.

Bonuses for The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 2 were also handed out to Luiz Dutra Jr., Santiago Ponzinibbio, and Leonardo Santos who all earned $25,000. Dutra Jr. won for “Submission of the Season,” while Ponzinibbio won two bonuses won for “Knockout of the Season” and for “Fight of the Season” leaving his opponent Santos with the other portion of the “FotS” bonus for the loss.

UFC on FUEL TV: Nogueira vs. Werdum took place at the Ginasio Paulo Sarasate in Fortaleza, Brazil with the main card airing on live television while the prelim card streamed live on the web.

The event drew an attendance of 6,286 fans into the Ginasio Paulo Sarasate.

Erick Silva won the “SOTN” for his quick win against vet Jason High, needing 71-seconds to end things with an armbar. High shot in for a takedown but Silva quickly turned things around securing a modified triangle choke and swapping to the arm for the tap.

Thiago Silva looked to be in trouble early against ‘Feijao’ who peppered the Blackzilian fighter with kicks and punches. Waiting for the right moment, Silva launched his own attack finding an opening for an uppercut dropping Cavalcante to the mat. The win was Silva’s first official victory since August 2009.