UFC newcomer and undefeated Stephen Thompson made big waves in the UFC’s welterweight division when he defeated Dan Stittgen at UFC 143.Near the end of the first round, Thompson charged in with a wild attack, missing his first couple punches but landin…
UFC newcomer and undefeated Stephen Thompson made big waves in the UFC’s welterweight division when he defeated Dan Stittgen at UFC 143.
Near the end of the first round, Thompson charged in with a wild attack, missing his first couple punches but landing a roundhouse kick at the end of the combination. The kick connected flush on Stittgen’s jaw and put him to sleep.
It was a hell of a way to make his debut and an effort that earned him Knockout of the Night honors.
Without a doubt, Thompson will be looking to ride this momentum into his next fight.
Carlos Condit is the UFC’s new interim welterweight champion, after defeating Nick Diaz at UFC 143. It was a close fight, but Condit was ultimately able to enforce his game plan and walk away with a decision victory.As the new interim champ, Condit has…
Carlos Condit is the UFC’s new interim welterweight champion, after defeating Nick Diaz at UFC 143. It was a close fight, but Condit was ultimately able to enforce his game plan and walk away with a decision victory.
As the new interim champ, Condit has earned the right to face the undisputed welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, when GSP returns to action later this year.
It is not set in stone that the two will face each other, though. Condit has said that he would be okay with defending his interim belt before facing St-Pierre, who may not be able to return until November.
However, it seems likely that the two will face each other, as the welterweight division is currently void of a clear contender for Condit’s interim belt.
On paper, Condit vs. GSP has all the makings of a great fight.
Condit is known as the “Natural Born Killer” because of how aggressive he is when he fights, and he’ll be eager to prove that he really is the No. 1 welterweight on the planet. GSP is a proud champion who will have been on the injured list for over a year and will want to return in style.
Unfortunately—and I hate to be the bearer of bad news here—this fight is more likely to be a snoozefest than anything else.
Anyone remotely familiar GSP knows that his style is to bring the fight wherever he has the best chance of winning. Against Condit, his best chance for victory lies on the ground.
Now, a battle on the ground does not necessarily make for a boring fight, but Condit has a crafty guard, which will likely lead to St-Pierre being cautious with his ground and pound.
As far as Condit’s strategy goes, he will want to keep the fight standing, but he won’t be overly aggressive on the feet because he’ll be worried about getting taken down.
Expect to see Condit fight similarly to how he fought Diaz. A lot of moving back and trying to soften his opponent up with kicks. He might be even more tentative, in fact, because he didn’t to worry much about Diaz taking him down.
If you enjoy a good chess match between two great strategists, then this fight might be for you, but don’t go into it expecting a dog fight.
Andrew Barr is a Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com. For updates on what’s happening in the world of MMA, follow him on Twitter @AndrewBarr8
Dana White is a polarizing figure. Some love him, some hate him, and those in the MMA blogosphere that have never even met him, take every opportunity they have to crucify his every move.I read the blogs daily and always read the comments section…
Dana White is a polarizing figure. Some love him, some hate him, and those in the MMA blogosphere that have never even met him, take every opportunity they have to crucify his every move.
I read the blogs daily and always read the comments sections where keyboard warriors can tell you an event sucks before it takes place, why B.J. Penn has no motivation, or how Cain Velasquez could have beaten Junior Dos Santos. The scenarios are endless and the accountability is non-existent.
When a UFC story breaks about a separation or contract talk breakdown, the answer is always the same. “It is Dana White’s fault,” they say, not caring that they know nothing of the details or facts (see: Fedor contract negotiations, Brittany Palmer leaving UFC, and Golden Glory fighters released).
As a lifelong New York Yankees fan, Dana’s “character” reminds me very much of George Steinbrenner (though others might say WWE star Vince McMahon). He takes care of business and makes no apologies for his style, his opinion, or his success.
I am convinced that even if he were to find a cure for cancer, the comments sections would still be overflowing with reasons to hate him.
Although I realize this opinion will not win me any fans, I feel it is time to defend Dana White on a few topics.
Well rather unexpectedly tonight, BJ Penn, who sort of but I guess not really retired after his UFC 137 hard fought defeat against Nick Diaz has taken to Twitter to both insult and call out.
Well rather unexpectedly tonight, BJ Penn, who sort of but I guess not really retired after his UFC 137 hard fought defeat against Nick Diaz has taken to Twitter to both insult and call out Diaz and the fresh off a devastating 12 second knock out loss, Jon Fitch. Penn tweeted:
It’s kind of a cheap shot to a recently wounded Jon Fitch and it’s a far cry from that comradely picture [above] snapped by Cesar Gracie after the battering he took from Nick Diaz. But Penn has always proved to have the true heart of a warrior, and if a few unkind words is what it takes to get him fired up and back in the cage, so be it. This guy puts on a show. Welcome back, BJ.
(Similar to Georges St.Pierre, MMA pundits, and most fans heading into UFC 129, Dana White was looking right past Jake Shields.)
2011 is approaching it’s final hour, Potato Nation, and when we typically take a look back at the year that was, we often lump things in terms of the very best, and more often than not, the very worst. But even though it has been arguably the biggest year in the sport’s History, it hasn’t gone without it’s fair share of snoozefests, sparring matches, and fights that simply didn’t live up to their own hype. For every Rua/Hendo, there was a Torres/Banuelos, so to speak, that kept us from having a full-on Chuck Liddell style freak out. It’s not that these fights made us angry, it’s just that they failed to make us feel anything.
In a way, they were actually a good thing for the sport, as they raised our appreciation for the epic slugfests, the back and forth brawls, and the technical battles to new heights. So it is for these unsung heroes that we bring you The Ten Most Forgettable Fights of 2011, presented in chronological order.
We know what you’re thinking, Potatoites, you’re thinking, “My God, it’s only been a year since this clown (dis)graced the UFC with that performance?” Well the answer is yes, and almost to the exact date. On January 1st at UFC 125, Anthony Mckee made his long awaited debut in the UFC. And when we say “long awaited,” we mean by none other than Mckee himself. You see, Anthony Mckee followed the James Toney method of trolling his way into the UFC through a shitstorm of self absorbed and ridiculous claims, despite only claiming seven finishes in his previous thirty contests. Well, DW took the bait, and threw Mckee humble wrestler and future threat to Homeland Security, Jacob Volkmann, for his big debut.
(Similar to Georges St.Pierre, MMA pundits, and most fans heading into UFC 129, Dana White was looking right past Jake Shields.)
2011 is approaching it’s final hour, Potato Nation, and when we typically take a look back at the year that was, we often lump things in terms of the very best, and more often than not, the very worst. But even though it has been arguably the biggest year in the sport’s History, it hasn’t gone without it’s fair share of snoozefests, sparring matches, and fights that simply didn’t live up to their own hype. For every Rua/Hendo, there was a Torres/Banuelos, so to speak, that kept us from having a full-on Chuck Liddell style freak out. It’s not that these fights made us angry, it’s just that they failed to make us feel anything.
In a way, they were actually a good thing for the sport, as they raised our appreciation for the epic slugfests, the back and forth brawls, and the technical battles to new heights. So it is for these unsung heroes that we bring you The Ten Most Forgettable Fights of 2011, presented in chronological order.
We know what you’re thinking, Potatoites, you’re thinking, “My God, it’s only been a year since this clown (dis)graced the UFC with that performance?” Well the answer is yes, and almost to the exact date. On January 1st at UFC 125, Anthony Mckee made his long awaited debut in the UFC. And when we say “long awaited,” we mean by none other than Mckee himself. You see, Anthony Mckee followed the James Toney method of trolling his way into the UFC through a shitstorm of self absorbed and ridiculous claims, despite only claiming seven finishes in his previous thirty contests. Well, DW took the bait, and threw Mckee humble wrestler and future threat to Homeland Security, Jacob Volkmann, for his big debut.
And after unleashing a verbal assault on Volkmann the likes of which we had yet to experience, “Mandingo” proceeded to stick his foot so far down his mouth that his leg nearly snapped at the knee. The fight was terrible, with neither fighter even attempting to engage over the course of 15 minutes. In fact, Mckee’s most significant offense was captured in the above photo, in which he decided to use his strongest asset as a fighter to attempt a takedown. Volkmann would walk away the victor via split decision, and Mckee would be served his walking papers, which he would then try and pass off as some old school racism by the UFC. Good riddance, d-bag.
#9: Steve Cantwell vs. Cyrille Diabate – UFC Live 3
Best known for his trilogy of wars with top middleweight contender Brian Stann, Steve “The Robot” Cantwell found himself sidelined and on a two fight losing streak in 2009. His losing efforts to Stann and Luiz Cane had been relatively entertaining, and before that Cantwell had scored a SOTN award by breaking Razak Al-Hassan’s arm at UFC: Fight For the Troops. Cyrille Diabate, on the other hand, had scored a TKO victory over Cane in his debut before being submitted by Alexander Gustafsson. The fight was placed on the Facebook prelims, and promised to be a technical kickboxing clinic. To say it was a letdown would be an understatement.
The match was little more than a light sparring session, at one point drawing that exact comparison from Joe Rogan during the third round when neither fighter remotely attempted to pick up the pace. It would be mark the halfway…uh…mark of Cantwell’s current four-fight losing streak, and would be Diabate’s last win as well; he would go on to drop a second round submission to Anthony Perosh at UFC 138.
Phil Davis had a hell of a year in 2010. Not only did he go 4-0 in the UFC, scoring wins over the likes of Alexander Gustafsson and Brian Stann, but the man even invented a submission, a hammerlock/kimura hybrid dubbed “The Mr. Wonderful.” Not bad for someone who had been training MMA for less than two years at the time. With his aforementioned submission win over Tim Boetsch, Davis was almost immediately pegged as the next Jon Jones by MMA critics and fans alike, despite the fact that Jon Jones had barely begun his own rise to success. When Davis was placed against former PRIDE star Antonio Rogerio Nogueria, who had knocked out then undefeated Luiz Cane in under two minutes and scored a razor thin decision over Jason Brilz in his own UFC run, the MMA community was ready a grand display of fireworks, and walked away with sparklers.
After a tense first half that saw little to no significant strikes landed, the first round was mainly comprised of Davis trying unsuccessfully to take Nogueria down. And when he was forced to stand, we saw a different, less wonderful version of Davis, complete with an array of awkward push/teep kicks and one-to-two punch combinations that were all but completely ineffective against Lil Nog. Davis was able to secure his first takedown midway through the second round, and to his credit, was able to control the BJJ black belt down when he did so. “Minotoro” on the other hand, never really looked like he was that concerned about finishing the fight, despite Davis’ increased takedown success over the next round and a half. His punches came slower and slower, and by the end of it many in the silent audience were simply awaiting a decision.
It’s not that there was anything particularly bad in this fight, it’s just that there wasn’t much to write home about, including Phil Davis, who’s momentum train found itself at the bottom of a very large hill afterward. And as it turns out, this would be the first of many lackluster main events to come…
So by now we’ve all heard that Georges St. Pierre has unfortunately blown out his ACL and will be unable to fight for 10 months. Carlos Condit has stepped in to face Nick Diaz at.
So by now we’ve all heard that Georges St. Pierre has unfortunately blown out his ACL and will be unable to fight for 10 months. Carlos Condit has stepped in to face Nick Diaz at UFC 143 for the Interim-Welterweight belt. This would all sound standard and routine in a sport whose athletes face the possibility of injury at every corner when training for their upcoming bout, but the saga that is Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz is anything but typical.
Is Nick Diaz the unluckiest fighter in the UFC or is he correct in his views that Georges St. Pierre is ducking him? The latter sounds like an imaginitive farce and Diaz is hardly someone who isn’t responsible for some of the troubles he’s faced upon his UFC return…
Nick Diaz was of course supposed to meet GSP in the Octagon at the infamous “Expect the Unexpected” UFC 137. But, he wasn’t told about his flight for press duties in Toronto or he decisively missed them, you be the judge. Dana White excused Diaz and was assured he would attend the next presser just a day later in Las Vegas, Nevada. That day we were not surprised by the infamous empty chair conference where the announcement was made that White could no longer trust Diaz to appear in the Octagon come fight night, and Carlos Condit was the far trust worthier (if not perhaps, all around worthier) opponent for Georges St. Pierre.
Meanwhile, Nick Diaz was driving back to Stockton, CA as he vehemently explained, he was on his way to Vegas to attend the conference when he was told he no longer was fighting. However, as luck (if you’d like to call it luck) would have it, Dana White did trust Nick Diaz enough to show up on fight night as a Co-Main Eventer against BJ Penn.
Just one week before the fight, Georges St. Pierre was injured with a blown ACL in his knee and the main event against Carlos Condit was scrapped. BJ Penn vs. Nick Diaz was promoted in its place and Diaz soon began to positively change the minds of media and fans as he stepped up and fulfilled all press obligations. Diaz then put on a main event worthy performance as be battered BJ Penn through three rounds, making the legendary former UFC Lightweight and Welterweight champion consider retirement.
Nick Diaz immediately called out Georges St. Pierre who sat feet away from the Octagon. He said GSP was ducking him and questioned the validity of his ACL injury. This disrespect infuriated GSP and an hour later Carlos Condit lost his title shot as GSP was intent on fighting Nick Diaz over Super Bowl weekend at UFC 143. Diaz believed he was getting the fight mostly because we all wanted to see him get a whuppin’. Yet, Diaz gained far more new fans that night and proved he was a laudable title challenger.
It was just days ago that GSP told the Montreal Gazette he had Nick Diaz’s number:
“I truly believe (Diaz) deserves the fight. He’s a fight that I want and a fight that everybody wants to see. He’s a very good boxer, probably one of the best in mixed martial arts. Also very good jiu-jitsu. But I believe I’m better than him everywhere. He’s fought very well, but I know I have his number. I will beat him.”
Ah, but apparently, the line went dead as today it was announced GSP must hang it up for nearly a year, after his second blow to his ACL. Diaz now faces the challenge of Carlos Condit for an Interim title, which is putting everything on the line for both these guys. No fighter who’s worked as hard as these two wants to fight for a title that isn’t against the true champion. Each of these guys were close to their shot against the untouchable Georges St. Pierre so prepare for the fight of their lives as only one will get the chance and the other will have to go back in that long line of Welterweights and at least get a couple more wins before they get near the mountain top.
As for GSP and Nick Diaz ever meeting in the cage? Diaz is definitely being tested. There is always the most epic of battles at the end of a trilogy, so the next time we hear Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz announced, it may be a death match.
Carlos Condit is the UFC’s new interim welterweight champion, after defeating Nick Diaz at UFC 143. It was a close fight, but Condit was ultimately able to enforce his game plan and walk away with a decision victory.
