Although his combat career didn’t begin in MMA, Cung Le’s diverse athletic background has helped him find instant success in a sport that demands a well-rounded attack.With Zuffa’s recent acquisition of Strikeforce, Le’s near-perfect MMA and kickboxing…
Although his combat career didn’t begin in MMA, Cung Le‘s diverse athletic background has helped him find instant success in a sport that demands a well-rounded attack.
With Zuffa’s recent acquisition of Strikeforce, Le’s near-perfect MMA and kickboxing records have earned him a spot in the co-main event of UFC 139. Most known for his striking prowess, Le’s UFC debut promises to provide fireworks, as he is set to meet the ultra-aggressive Wanderlei Silva.
Despite his short time in the sport, Le has already amounted a number of highlight-reel knockouts and garnered the support of a large fan following.
Now, less than one week away from Le’s first fight inside the Octagon, it is a great time to take a look at how Le has gone from touted MMA newcomer to UFC headliner.
This Saturday’s UFC 139 in San Jose, Calif., is filled with exciting bouts throughout the entire card.Seven former world champions will be fighting, with six of them capping off the main event.Headlining the event will be a light heavyweight bout betwe…
This Saturday’s UFC 139 in San Jose, Calif., is filled with exciting bouts throughout the entire card.
Seven former world champions will be fighting, with six of them capping off the main event.
Headlining the event will be a light heavyweight bout between former Pride champions Dan Henderson and Shogun Rua. This will surprisingly be the first time these two legends will have faced each other.
Also on the main card will be a middleweight bout between veterans Wanderlei Silva and Cung Le.
Former WEC champions Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles will face each other in a bantamweight bout with major title implications. The winner is likely to receive a rematch with current UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz.
Here are all the predictions and some of the betting lines for this stacked event.
Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting ExclusiveGrowing up in Baldwin, N.Y., Chris Weidman dreamed of being a professional athlete, but what he had in mind was far from his current job as a UFC middleweight. Weidman hoped to lace up skates and glide around the…
Growing up in Baldwin, N.Y., Chris Weidman dreamed of being a professional athlete, but what he had in mind was far from his current job as a UFC middleweight. Weidman hoped to lace up skates and glide around the rinks of the NHL, and not as an enforcer, but as a goal-scorer. Even after a series of issues and injuries led to a move to wrestling and football, and he had been off the ice for over a decade, he still had the itch.
After Weidman had graduated from college at Hofstra, where he was a two-time Division I wrestling All-American, and before he considered mixed martial arts as a real future, he still couldn’t shake that dream. Convinced it was still a possibility, he went out and bought hundreds of dollars worth of equipment, believing that with his athleticism he could wrangle a tryout from his hometown team, the New York Islanders.
“My wife thought I was nuts,” said Weidman, who says he held the goal-scoring record in his PAL youth league. “Well, I pretty much was. I played for like a week-and-a-half and never used the equipment again.”
It’s hard to believe that hockey dreams could spawn an MMA champion, but if Weidman has his way, that’s just the storyline that will eventually play out. Because even though he wasn’t a hockey natural, he has certainly taken to MMA in a hurry.
Turning pro in 2009, Weidman (6-0) would be signed by the UFC within two years of his debut. To date, he’s won both of his starts in MMA‘s top circuit, defeating Alessio Sakara on short notice his first time in the octagon before earning a guillotine submission win over Jesse Bongfeldt in his follow-up. At UFC 139, he faces Tom Lawlor.
Among the UFC weight divisions, the middleweight class might feature the most upward mobility. Current champion Anderson Silva has held the belt so long (61 months and counting) that several of the division’s best (Demian Maia, Chael Sonnen, Vitor Belfort, Yushin Okami and Chris Leben) have already tasted defeat at his hands. There are also hardly any young fighters breaking through. New contender candidate Mark Munoz, while fairly new to the MMA game, is 33 years old. Michael Bisping is 32. Brian Stann is 31.
That makes Weidman and Alan Belcher (both 27) the only UFC middleweights under the age of 30 that are ranked among the division’s top 20. And Weidman says he’s about ready to join the conversation among its very best.
“I definitely think I’m ready to break through,” he said. “I’m ready to do it. There are definitely a lot of tough guys in our division. If you look at 205, there are a lot of big names. We have a lot of underrated talent that people don’t know about because they don’t have the exposure. But I’m ready to be that face that comes up and gets that belt.
“I just have to keep winning,” he continued. “I only have two fights in the UFC, and even though I won them both, I have to keep winning. I can’t be happy where I’m at. My goal has to be to get to the top. If I settle for anything less, I won’t ever break through. To get to that elite level, I have to believe myself and set my goals that high.”
Weidman has every reason to believe in himself. His record speaks itself, but that number is just the sum of his considerable skills, which begin with his deep wrestling background, but are nicely complemented by a rapidly improving ground game. Though Weidman is a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, that’s only because he hasn’t trained in a gi in two years. He regularly trains with black belts and has the reputation as a natural in the art form.
His striking is the last piece to the puzzle, and while Weidman feels he hasn’t flashed it in his UFC fights, he showed it in the past, notably knocking out two of his last three opponents before signing with the UFC.
He’s looked to add to his arsenal with coach Ray Longo, who helped guide Matt Serra to his memorable UFC welterweight championship win over Georges St-Pierre, and he’s spent extensive time training with professional kickboxers. Recently, he flew out to San Diego and spent a week training with rising UFC light-heavyweight star Alexander Gustafsson as well.
It’s a formula which he feels may pay dividends on Saturday.
“My standup has come along big time,” he said. “I don’t know if he’ll underestimate my striking but if he does, I’ll be there to make him pay for that.”
Weidman is generally complimentary of Lawlor’s all-around skills, mentioning that he is well-rounded with power, aggression and the fearlessness to go for the finish. He expects it to be an exciting matchup. And Lawlor is generally complimentary of Lawlor as well. But on a Monday edition of The MMA Hour, Lawlor said he hoped to exploit his perceived advantage in experience level. That is a characterization that Weidman disagreed with, citing his collegiate and international experience in wrestling.
“Every fight I’ve had so far, the person who I’m fighting said that,” he said. “It’s nothing new to me. That’s fine, he can think that. I know for a fact that won’t be problem. I think Alessio Sakara was more experienced than Tom Lawlor and I didn’t let that get to me, so it’s nothing that’s going to bother me.”
Weidman’s confidence is boosted by his lengthy camp. After being notified of the fight back in July, he had plenty of time to prepare and improve. Now the hard work is done, and he hopes to impress and make a statement on Saturday. Unlike his past hockey dreams, this goal seems a lot more realistic.
“I’m winning but I’m far from satisfied,” he said. “I just want to keep going. A lot of people think I made it. I’m not even close to where I want to be. I’m not anywhere near where I want to be yet. I’ve just got to keep on winning, and I’m very, very self-motivated to do that.”
The UFC is the toughest organization in the world, and it’s been said numerous times there is no such thing as an easy fight. But some opponents are more difficult to face than others, and it seems certain fighters have ended up on Joe Silva’s ba…
The UFC is the toughest organization in the world, and it’s been said numerous times there is no such thing as an easy fight.
But some opponents are more difficult to face than others, and it seems certain fighters have ended up on Joe Silva’s bad side, as every fight they get is against a legitimate, top opponent.
Some of these fighters have thrived and gone on some incredible win streaks, while others have floundered and are barely holding on to their jobs at the moment. Is it really their fault, or have they just gotten one too many bad matchups?
Hit me up in the comments section with your opinions.
Dan Henderson’s career credentials have unquestionably earned him a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame. Much like legendary fighters Matt Hughes and Chuck Liddell, Henderson was one of the pioneers of mixed martial arts and helped revolutionize the spor…
Dan Henderson‘s career credentials have unquestionably earned him a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame.
Much like legendary fighters Matt Hughes and Chuck Liddell, Henderson was one of the pioneers of mixed martial arts and helped revolutionize the sport as it entered into the early part of the decade.
With a career spanning over 14 years, Henderson is one of the few fighters who has remained consistent throughout his entire career and has had one of the most successful stints in MMA history.
After earning arguably the biggest victory of his career over Fedor Emelianenko earlier this year, the 41-year-old will make his return to the UFC this weekend to face Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. The former PRIDE FC stars will headline UFC 139.
Henderson’s upcoming bout with the Brazilian is one of the most anticipated bouts of this year and it is expected the winner will position themselves for a potential title shot in the future.
Although he is nearing the end his career, a win or a loss to Rua shouldn’t define his overall skills as a fighter, but rather a testament to the quality of competition he has faced.
Should he get a victory over Rua, it will just be another legendary name added to his impressive resume, while a loss will prevent him from earning a title shot, which he been vocal of receiving upon his return to the company.
Regardless, Henderson will get an induction into the UFC Hall of Fame shortly after he hangs up his four ounce gloves.
He is one of the greatest fighters of all-time and his accomplishments and accolades grant him the opportunity to be included in the prestigious Hall of Fame with other legendary fighters.
It’s being billed as the collision of two legends who should have met years before. A gross PRIDE oversight that is finally being rectified. It is all that and more. It may be a final shot at staying in the upper stratosphere of the Light Heavyweight D…
It’s being billed as the collision of two legends who should have met years before. A gross PRIDE oversight that is finally being rectified. It is all that and more.
It may be a final shot at staying in the upper stratosphere of the Light Heavyweight Division. One last swing at staying elite. Staying Relevant.
And they are pitted against each other as nearly polar opposites.
Berserker style behind a precise, technical Muay Thai offense, bolstered by a black belt in Jiu Jitsu.
A methodical, measured approach that sets up a thermonuclear right hand, brilliant rough-nosed clinch game and top notch positional control to set up ground and pound.
Without engaging in too much hyperbole, these two are practically created to counter the other’s weaknesses.
Power:
Rua seems to be written off in the power department, which is odd, as he is the first person to put hands on Machida consistently. He even lamped the previously unbeaten enigma, on top of Chuck Liddell, Mark Coleman, Forrest Griffin, and pre-Uber-Overeem.
Shogun Rua has legitimate knockout power.
…but not like Dan Henderson. Hendo’s made a career out of a “One-Shot” ability of which opponents are always aware, but never fully understand until they are counting the lights in the arena.
One does not glance/slip Dan’s punches. One does not arm block them. If they connect, the opponent won’t remember the previous five minutes.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a right hook, overhand right, under-the-armpit right uppercut or a right cross. If there’s a punch coming, and it has “right” anywhere in its description, opponents need to avoid it or enjoy a quick nap.
Edge: Hendo.
Speed:
Despite his age, Hendo is surprisingly fast on his feet. He keeps a wide stance and strives to cut off his opponents to set them up for either a clinch and dirty boxing or unload the fore mentioned right hand.
When he knocks an opponent down, he swarms and begins hammering away until they go limp. For an old man, Hendo can move.
That being said, his combinations are short, relying on power rather than speed to connect. His footwork ends when he can get two underhooks and then he uses raw power to get you to the ground.
Rua, on the other hand, lays out crisp and precise combinations that are never less than three strikes. They happen in the blink of an eye and he can easily use his combos to throw an opponent off balance and hit a finishing blow.
He uses precises footwork to circle around and set up his attacks and also has the ability to swarm from any distance.
His transitions inside the clinch, going from hooks to Thai plum to boxer’s single arm clinch are brilliant. He can rattle off strikes and return to a neutral defending position before opponents realize what happened.
Edge: Shogun.
Cardio:
Rather self-evident here. Shogun’s entire career has been shadowed by a dark cloud called cardio.
In his defense, knee injuries have sidelined the former champion time and again, but he appears to be healthy coming into the match with Hendo.
Speaking of the Olympian, he comes in fresh and ready to fight a full three (or five) rounds every time he enters the cage. His wrestling doesn’t waiver and by having a low output striking offense, he’s able to maintain the same level throughout the match.
His only blemish on a career otherwise marked by great shape was a match against Jake Shields. Hendo came out strong but faded after being unable to finish the standout wrestler. This has later been attributed to a bad infection and strong anti-biotics hampering a weight cut, but it is still worth noting.
Edge: Hendo.
Striking:
It’s a game of technique versus power. Shogun’s brilliant Muay Thai offense against Hendo’s devastating right hand and proficient boxing to back it up.
Hendo’s wide stance leaves his legs open for Shogun’s patented leg kicks and his cocked right hand opens him for jabs and left hooks. Should Shogun use a reserved approach, he may be able to do damage and circle away before the Right Hand of Doom swings.
But if he tries to arm block a punch from Hendo or take one to give two, he’s going to find himself staring at the lights.
Still, I’ll take technique over power.
Edge: Shogun.
Clinch:
Pick your poison. Fluid, technically perfect and heavily muscled wrestling versus vicious and blitzing strikes.
Shogun’s offense was nullified over the clinch wrestling of Jon Jones and made him tentative to lock up. Hendo, while not possessing the physical attributes of Jones, has more than enough weaponry when locked up to stifle the strikes and work for a takedown.
He has shown disregard for the clinch striking of Feijao, Wanderlei Silva, and even Rampage Jackson, but took special note of Anderson Silva‘s. This isn’t to say that he could easily walk through Shogun’s attacks, but he could hug close and stifle them long enough to put Rua on his back.
Edge: Hendo.
Ground:
Again, pick your poison. Near perfect positional control versus black belt BJJ.
Henderson has been stopped before via Armbars but has learned from his mistakes over the years and prevented leaving his limbs open to be stretched. He maintains a very strong base while paying close attention to his opponent’s hips and matching their movements. He used these improvements to stifle elite grappler Rousimar Palhares and force the fight to the feet, where his chances were much greater.
Add to this the fact that reaching for his arm means preventing an extra line of defense from devastating ground and pound.
Hendo has proven to be a rare combination of wrestling and striking to be a definite finisher on the ground. One shot, from guard, half guard or side mount can drop the curtains on anyone.
That said, Shogun has an effective guard when he’s not overly focused on diving for legs. This tactic failed him against Jon Jones and left him wide open for further GnP. He can’t afford to be so myopic against Henderson, who has greater one punch power than the current Light Heavyweight Champion.
When he isn’t overly focused on legs, Shogun adroitly uses his hips and positional control to minimize damage while setting up various attacks and sweeps, if only to get back to his feet.
Look for Shogun to use hip movement to create distance get away from Hendo and get back to his feet where the stakes match him more favorably.
Edge: Hendo.
Intangibles:
Both men have loads of experience, so it would normally be a wash here. But Hendo has been against Muay Thai strikers and been successful more recently than Shogun has been successful against Greco Roman wrestlers.
Shogun, since entering the UFC, has had major issues with anyone who can push the pace and force him out of his comfort zone. Clinching in close and making the fight dirty is a surefire way to attack Shogun’s suspect gas tank.
To gloss over Hendo’s incredible chin would be a massive oversight. In 36 fights, Hendo has never been knocked out or TKO’d. Rampage, following their match, even mentioned that he never wanted to fight Hendo again because his head hurt Jackson’s hands.
Finally, if Hendo is slow to start and headhunting, he could easily lose this match on points. Rua moving in and out and picking him apart will look much better to the judges than looping wide punches that miss the much more nimble Shogun.
This humble writer’s prediction:
Hendo bullies Rua throughout the first and second rounds with clinch work and dirty boxing and follows suit in the third before breaking a clinch with a sharp right hand that dazes the fading Rua and allows Hendo to swarm for a TKO.
Growing up in Baldwin, N.Y., 