Tag: UFC 141

UFC 141 Results: Is Alistair Overeem Receiving Too Much Credit?

After years and years of discussions, rumors and talks, Alistair Overeem finally made the transition to the Ultimate Fighting Championship after signing earlier this year.Overeem brought with him some of the most prestigious boxing skills the UFC has e…

After years and years of discussions, rumors and talks, Alistair Overeem finally made the transition to the Ultimate Fighting Championship after signing earlier this year.

Overeem brought with him some of the most prestigious boxing skills the UFC has ever seen along with an enormous 6’5”, 263-pound frame.

However, that wasn’t all the Dutch “Demolition Man” brought with him as he carried arguably the most hype of any heavyweight in UFC history alongside of his opponent, Brock Lesnar.

Overeem lived up to that hype as he plowed through Lesnar just two minutes and 20-plus seconds into the very first round.

It was Overeem’s vicious and gruesome knees that not only finished off Lesnar, but forced him into retirement.

Following the bout, Overeem’s hype skyrocketed through the MGM Grand Garden Arena’s roof as he was quickly considered to be the “the next best thing” or “the future UFC heavyweight champion.”

While Overeem certainly deserves a substantial amount of credit for his performance in his UFC debut, he still has a long way to go in order to prove he’s worthy of wearing UFC gold.

To Overeem’s discredit, he defeated an opponent in Lesnar who hadn’t stepped foot inside the Octagon for over a year.

In addition, Lesnar battled out a disease known as diverticulitis which is also believed to have played a role in the deciding outcome of their bout.

It’s likely the Overeem hype is coming too fast and too soon as he’ll need to prove he can defeat the likes of Junior dos Santos who shares similar boxing skills.

Overeem will also need to prove he can compete against the Cain Velasquezes of the heavyweight division who have the tendency to overpower their opponents in both the stand-up and the ground.

While Overeem certainly deserves a great deal of credit, he may be receiving too much which leads fans to one major question:

Can Alistair Overeem live up to all the hype?

 

For additional information, follow Garrett Derr on Twitter.

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UFC 141 Results: 7 Reasons Why Alexander Gustafsson Could Challenge Jon Jones

Following his fourth straight impressive stoppage victory with this one coming against MMA veteran Vladimir Matyushenko, fast-rising light heavyweight Alexander Gustafsson is starting to catch some serious title attention.After crushing Matyushenko muc…

Following his fourth straight impressive stoppage victory with this one coming against MMA veteran Vladimir Matyushenko, fast-rising light heavyweight Alexander Gustafsson is starting to catch some serious title attention.

After crushing Matyushenko much like another former prospect, some are wondering if Gustafsson possesses the skills to handle the title-holder: current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

For all the amazing skills that Jones has, in his last fight against former UFC champion Lyoto Machida showed there are some flaws and weaknesses to his game, no matter show small.  With a record of 13-1 including 5-1 in the UFC, at the tender age of 24 Alex Gustafsson has the skills to challenge Jones and take the UFC belt from him.

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UFC 141 Results: No One Slept Through That Jon Fitch Fight

Picking Johny “Big Rig” Hendricks to beat Jon Fitch at UFC 141 last night is one thing, but did anyone throw their balls to the wall and predict it happening in the first 12 seconds of the fight?No?Well, I didn’t either.Truthfully, as much as I wanted …

Picking Johny “Big Rig” Hendricks to beat Jon Fitch at UFC 141 last night is one thing, but did anyone throw their balls to the wall and predict it happening in the first 12 seconds of the fight?

No?

Well, I didn’t either.

Truthfully, as much as I wanted Hendricks to somehow win, I actually had Fitch winning the bout in the same fashion that he always wins fights.

Also, Fitch had the reach and the height on Hendricks, so the question before the fight was whether or not Hendricks would even be able to land anything on Fitch from up close before Fitch shot in for a takedown.

Not only did Hendricks land a clean left hand on Fitch, but also of note is that Fitch never was able to shoot for a takedown once before the fight ended.

Hendricks had the left hand ready to unload at a moment’s notice, but the wide expectation was in favor of Fitch’s smothering top control to be the contributing factor towards the second loss of Hendrick’s career.

What does the stunning 12-second upset win and Knockout of the Night recipient mean for Hendricks and especially Fitch, the latter of whom is now 13-2-1 under the UFC banner?

For Hendricks, it might mean the chance of a lifetime to prove that he is still every bit of the prospect that we all thought he was back in 2009, but talks of a title shot anytime soon are premature until the Georges St-Pierre-Nick Diaz-Carlos Condit saga is settled, pending any unforeseen injuries.

As for Fitch, his loss means a trip back to the drawing board as well as a bit of a liberation for the division, as Fitch was seen as the best welterweight in the world besides GSP, and most publications felt he was pound-for-pound one of the top fighters in the world despite Condit’s and Diaz’s respective accomplishments recently.

Only time will tell what the future holds for Fitch and Hendricks, but if things were not looking up for Hendricks before, they are definitely looking up for him right now.

One thing is a definite, though: nobody got any shot to sleep during that Fitch fight, and anyone that did missed the first bout since 2007 in which a finish finally happened in a Fitch fight.

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UFC 141: Why Alexander Gustafsson Is the Future of 205

It took all but two minutes and 13 seconds for Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson to once again prove he is no man to mess with in the UFC’s light heavyweight division.In stylish fashion, Gustafsson finished off the 40-year-old Vladimir Matyushenko by a…

It took all but two minutes and 13 seconds for Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson to once again prove he is no man to mess with in the UFC’s light heavyweight division.

In stylish fashion, Gustafsson finished off the 40-year-old Vladimir Matyushenko by a series of strikes as the fight stopped allowing the 24-year-old superstar to capture his fourth consecutive win inside the Octagon.

Leading up to his main card bout with Matyushenko, many discussed how relevant of a contender Gustafsson truly was in the 205-pound weight division.

All doubts are now aside as Gustafsson is beginning to look a lot like the 2010 version of Jon “Bones” Jones.

To his advantage, Gustafsson stands 6’5” and demonstrates no trouble at all making the light heavyweight requirements as he weighed in at a lighter 203 pounds.

Minus a defeat to Phil Davis at UFC 112, Gustafsson has been nearly untouchable and is quickly being recognized as one of the more exciting fighters in the UFC today.

In fact, Gustafsson has gone to the judge’s scorecards just once in his career, finishing nine opponents by knockout and three more by submission.

The product of Sweden has also established himself as top 10 artist in the heavyweight division and is quickly climbing up the ranks.

It will be interesting to see who Gustafsson squares off with next as he’s a dangerous matchup to any fellow light heavyweight due to his lengthiness, quickness and well-rounded skill set.

It’s very likely Gustafsson could find himself squaring off with a top five opponent in Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in his up-and-coming bout as he’s lacking competition in his most recent bouts.

If Gustafsson continues to evolve as the force he’s becoming, he’s destined to be the future of the UFC light heavyweight division.

 

For additional information, follow Garrett Derr on Twitter.

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UFC 141 Results: Is Johny Hendricks a Contender or Pretender?

After winning three consecutive fights inside the Octagon, Johny Hendricks earned the right to face Jon Fitch at UFC 141.Or, did Fitch earn the right to face Hendricks?In a matter of 12 seconds, Hendricks’ career was turned upside down as he landed one…

After winning three consecutive fights inside the Octagon, Johny Hendricks earned the right to face Jon Fitch at UFC 141.

Or, did Fitch earn the right to face Hendricks?

In a matter of 12 seconds, Hendricks’ career was turned upside down as he landed one of the best knockout blows of the year.

When action began, Hendricks approached Fitch and soon after threw an enormous left that caught Fitch and sent him to the ground.

Fitch was hurt badly as the fight was stopped, and Hendricks’ corner exploded in excitement as they witnessed their man capture the biggest win of his MMA career.

Hendricks’ knockout leaves many fans thrilled while others are still in question.

Was Hendricks’ connecting left a fluke, or is he a serious contender in the welterweight division?

After examining his track record we learn this isn’t the first time Hendricks’ knockout power has come into play as he scored “Knockout of the Night” honors over TJ Waldburger at UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs. Davis.

Hendricks also knocked out Charlie Brenneman in 40 seconds in their UFC 117 bout a little over a year ago.

Not only that but Hendricks has been nearly flawless up until this point in his career, posting an impressive 13-1 record including seven wins since joining the UFC in 2009.

Hendricks has also displayed an ability to remain conditioned throughout his fights allowing him to become an even more well-rounded artist.

While many are not yet satisfied with Hendricks as a legitimate contender in the 170-pound weight division, he’s proven time and time again that he’s the real deal.

For additional information, follow Garrett Derr on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 141 Results: 4 Reasons We’re Not Sold on Alistair Overeem Just Yet

After competing in 47 MMA fights, winning titles in multiple organizations and going through some pre-fight mishaps, Alistair Overeem finally made his UFC debut last night at UFC 141.  Overeem defeated Brock Lesnar with seemingly little effor…

After competing in 47 MMA fights, winning titles in multiple organizations and going through some pre-fight mishaps, Alistair Overeem finally made his UFC debut last night at UFC 141.  

Overeem defeated Brock Lesnar with seemingly little effort and sent the former UFC champion into retirement. 

With the win, Overeem is now the No. 1 contender for Junior dos Santos’ heavyweight title. 

Over the years Overeem has had many critics.

Even after last night’s fight, he may not have shut everyone up. 

Let’s take a look at why some are still not sold on Overeem. 

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