Before I get into my fantasy matchmaking (that sounds oddly kinky, doesn’t it?) I want to talk about a few things I’m thankful for coming off last week’s “UFC on Fuel”, since my original post-event article got destroyed by…
Before I get into my fantasy matchmaking (that sounds oddly kinky, doesn’t it?) I want to talk about a few things I’m thankful for coming off last week’s “UFC on Fuel”, since my original post-event article got destroyed by some intervention of the spiteful internet gods. In brief, and in no particular order:
1) I’m thankful no one seems to be getting too bent out of shape about the Sanchez/Ellenberger decision, and adopting a “both guys came off as winners” type of mentality. This is a refreshing change of pace, and hopefully an indicator of things to come. Basically, I’m thankful Diego Sanchez doesn’t have Nick Diaz’s fans. OH NO HE DIDN’T. Seriously though, good job everyone.
2) I’m thankful for Greg Jackson, who coached yet another fighter to a boring, points oriented gameplan that resulted in a dreadful fight that you’d NEVER want to see go all five. Oh wait, what I actually mean is the exact opposite of that.
3) And speaking of going all five, I’m thankful we finally got a firm commitment from the UFC that ALL main events will be five-rounders from here on out. This is great news for all future events on Fuel TV and elsewhere, and comes just late enough to avoid Jake Ellenberger’s cardio getting exposed by Diego Sanchez. OH NO HE DOES IT AGAIN! Yes I realize it’s lame to shout out your own trash talk, but I wasn’t working with much to begin with.
So with that out of the way, it’s time to look forward—to the future, the undiscovered country, the last, great, frontier of…oops, you caught me Shatner-ing. OK, enough with the preamble—let’s talk about what fights I would make if I were Joe Silva, matchmaker extraordinaire.
UFC 144 will indeed be a dynamic event and the first time the UFC has ventured into Japan since December of 2000. The Lightweight Title fight main event will showcase the challenger, Benson Henderson, squaring off with the current&n…
UFC 144 will indeed be a dynamic event and the first time the UFC has ventured into Japan since December of 2000. The Lightweight Title fight main event will showcase the challenger, Benson Henderson, squaring off with the current defending champion, Frankie Edgar, in what is sure to be a crowd pleasing affair.
Benson “Smooth” Henderson has been on an absolute tear since joining the UFC ranks after dropping his WEC Lightweight championship by decision to Anthony Pettis in the WEC’s final event. Henderson has since defeated Mark Bocek and Jim Miller, and earned his lightweight title fight by edging out Clay Guida in a fight of the year candidate.
Henderson brings to the table a wealth of mixed martial arts knowledge. He is well-versed in wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and taekwondo. Most amazing though is Henderson’s ability to live up to his nickname—he is very smooth in his movements and doesn’t ever seem to find himself in bad positions.
Henderson can utilize a 3″ height advantage, a 2″ reach advantage, and an overall size advantage to dethrone the current champ. Henderson also has tree trunks for legs that will make it very difficult for Frankie Edgar to complete takedowns against him, as was the case with Henderson’s fight with Clay Guida.
Frankie “The Answer” Edgar though has been an absolute upset machine in the UFC—though now its hard to say he is upsetting anyone. Edgar has earned a spot on the top pound-for-pound fighter list by fighting with the larger weight-class at Lightweight instead of dropping down.
Edgar has used very solid boxing and a never ending quickness to wear down and punish his opponents. Not only has he dished it out but has proven he has a pretty decent chin and a heart that allows him to come back from the brink of defeat.
So what is the answer for Benson Henderson in defeating Frankie Edgar?
Henderson isn’t the same kind of fighter that Edgar is used to. No disrespect to Edgar, but he has mostly fought one dimensional opponents to this point.
Furthermore, most have been plain type wrestlers, including Gray Maynard, Sean Sherk, and Matt Veach. They’ve combined for 14 knockouts, which seems impressive until you realize that only two occurred in the UFC. BJ Penn, a opponent that wasn’t one-dimensional, was at the end of his career and couldn’t match Edgar’s pace or endurance.
This is the problem that Henderson presents for Edgar. Not only can Henderson match Edgar’s pace and endurance, he’s also just as quick and stronger than the champion himself is.
Henderson has excellent wrestling and sprawling techniques which he demonstrated against Clay Guida. Also on display against Guida was his scrambling ability which more often than not allowed Henderson to gain the better position.
Add to the fact that Benson isn’t just a plain wrestler or one-dimensional fighter and that spells disaster for Edgar. Benson is adept at striking and he will use all types of stand-up attacks including kicks, knees, punches, and spinning attacks, all while using fantastic movement to counter punches.
This leaves Frankie Edgar searching for an answer. Edgar will have problems striking with Henderson. Edgar will have problems taking down Henderson. Edgar will have problems out-working Henderson. How will Frankie Edgar stop Henderson’s momentum? He might not have an answer.
Though the fight will no doubt be action packed, the advantages that Henderson owns over Edgar leads me to believe that Benson Henderson will walk away from the UFC 144 main event as the new UFC Lightweight Champion.
Additionally, I fully expect this to the first time in Frankie Edgar’s career that he is finished.
UFC 144 QB: Part 2Whether you just have a short downtime during work, or don’t want a lengthy breakdown, these “Quick Breaks” are for you. “Quick Breaks” are short breakdowns of upcoming fights. In a summed up focus of strengths, weaknesses…
UFC 144 QB: Part 2
Whether you just have a short downtime during work, or don’t want a lengthy breakdown, these “Quick Breaks” are for you. “Quick Breaks” are short breakdowns of upcoming fights. In a summed up focus of strengths, weaknesses and variables, this will analyze what could happen in the fight, and end with a prediction.
UFC 144 (Japan) is coming to us on Saturday, and promises a night of exciting matchups. The lightweight title is on the line, but is just the icing on the cake for this layered card. The co-main event of the evening, though, is one that Japanese fans are certainly looking forward to.
In the blue corner, you have Ryan Bader. A strong wrestler and overall well-rounded fighter, Bader is looking to get a win streak going again since losing two in a row. He is currently 13-2, and is coming off a knockout win. His confidence is up from that win, and he was humbled by his loss to Tito Ortiz before that.
While not having a history of them, his only blemishes on his record are from submission chokes. For the two chokes he has lost to, his only submission wins were from two chokes as well. However, the man he is slated to face is one to put his opponents to sleep in another fashion.
In the red corner you have Quinton Jackson. “Rampage,” as he is more commonly called, is a lethal striker and has vicious counter punches. His recent years have seen more decision wins, but that may be due to the fact none of these guys want to stand in close quarters with him.
Rampage is a legend in Pride, the premiere organization back in the day, which was held in the same arena as the UFC returns to this Saturday. Rampage might be popular in America, but he is truly a superstar in Japan.
Bader will want to take this fight to Jackson. Submissions are a little removed from Jackson’s game these days, with his last one in 2001; but since both Bader and himself are strong wrestlers, it may keep the fight standing.
Both men have raw power in their hands, and it will be interesting to see if one can score a knockout. Bader has never been knocked out, or TKO’d in his career, and Rampage hasn’t lost via KO/TKO since his Pride days.
A factor that might have a big effect on the fight is how motivated Rampage will be, since he will be in front of a big crowd who supports him. A full Saitama Arena of fans all cheering for Rampage might be enough push for him to really look for a highlight reel finish. Also, having the crowd rooting for Jackson might add more pressure to Bader, so how he handles it is also up for question.
This fight should be a great one to watch, and seeing Rampage fight on the Japanese stage is an exciting aspect already. Both men will be looking to put on a show, and fans will not want to miss this bout.
Prediction: Rampage Jackson wins via KO/TKO late in the first round.
Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to the latest edition of “Crash Course.” “Crash Course” is a series of articles designed to give readers a quick rundown on all the relevant information they need to know heading into…
Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to the latest edition of “Crash Course.” “Crash Course” is a series of articles designed to give readers a quick rundown on all the relevant information they need to know heading into an upcoming major MMA event. Everything from why you should watch, what you should expect in the co-main and main event, and even where and when you can find it on TV is all covered in detail. So let’s get right to it with today’s edition, featuring UFC 144 “Edgar vs. Henderson.”
The Event: UFC 144 “Edgar vs. Henderson,” currently scheduled for Sunday, February 26, 2012 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. One preliminary fight will be shown on the UFC’s Facebook page, and four preliminary fights will be shown on the FX network starting at 8:00 PM ET. The seven-fight main card will be shown live on Pay-Per-View starting at 10:00 PM ET.
Why You Should Care: For one, it’s the UFC’s return to Japan for the first time in over 100 (100!) events. The main card is seven fights compared to the usual five, and you’ve got a certified “Fight of the Year” contender in Benson Henderson vs. Frank Edgar. You’ve also got Quinton Jackson, and further down the card, you’ve got notables like Mark Hunt, Cheick Kongo, Jake Shields and more.
What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: This is the most excited I’ve been for a lighter-weight fight in quite some time. I just don’t see how this fight doesn’t live up to its potential. Frank Edgar is a fantastic Lightweight champion; the way he keeps finding ways to win seemingly against all odds is a story right out of a movie. Benson Henderson, meanwhile, has been tearing through the UFC’s Lightweight division. All signs point to this being an amazing fight.
What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Quinton Jackson has been campaigning to fight in Japan for a long time, and now he finally gets his wish. Hopefully that brings out the best in him, because Jackson could use an old-school PRIDE-era monster KO to rebound from his loss to Jon Jones. Ryan Bader, meanwhile, will do everything in his power to prove that he wasn’t just a flash in the pan and that he can still compete with the elite of the division. It’s not the best fight for either man, to be honest, but it should be very fun to watch.
Why You Should Watch This Card: The atmosphere alone is one of the biggest reasons I’ll be watching this show: it’s the UFC in Japan, and we haven’t seen that in a long, long, long time. In addition to that, you’ve got a whole host of stars competing in several smartly-booked matches. Once thought of as little more than a throwaway event, the amount of effort the UFC has put into making this a good card is downright commendable.
Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: Aside from the main event and Quinton Jackson, this card lacks true top-division star power. All things considered, this is a safe bet for the UFC; they’re not risking any of their absolute best, and the Lightweight Championship isn’t the most prestigious belt in the UFC. That’s not said to discredit anyone or anything in particular, that’s simply the reality of the situation.
Closing Thoughts: I think you have to watch this card, all things considered. It’s well-constructed, and the story behind the event is pretty interesting as well. I don’t know what surprises the UFC will have for us in Japan, but I’d really like to find out. Getting a good event filled with good fighters, along with a fantastic can’t-miss main event, only sweetens the pot.
Another fantastic UFC PPV is upon us.Within the next week we will witness one of the most historic events in MMA history. With names like Frankie Edgar, Rampage Jackson, Jake Shields, Ryan Bader, Cheick Kongo, Yoshihiro Akiyama and Benson Henders…
Another fantastic UFC PPV is upon us.
Within the next week we will witness one of the most historic events in MMA history. With names like Frankie Edgar, Rampage Jackson, Jake Shields, Ryan Bader, Cheick Kongo, Yoshihiro Akiyama and Benson Henderson on the main card, UFC 144 in Japan can’t disappoint.
How can it?
Edgar is one of the most well-rounded fighters in the world today, Rampage is one of the most popular fighters in MMA history, and the UFC is finally bringing its top talent overseas in order to market MMA where other sports fail to do so.
Come Saturday, there are a few things that are bound to happen. Quick KO’s, impressive submissions and upset victories are only part of the pie.
Here are 10 predictions for UFC 144 that you can take to the bank.
You know the deal by now, Potato Nation. Dana White’s first video blog for UFC 144 takes a look back at the aftermath of UFC 143, as has become the norm. So we’re going to skip the fancy introduction and get right into it.
(1:43) – Matt Riddle has to be one of the nicest guys in the UFC, bar none. Talk about a guy that loves his job. And a metaphorical fist bump is due to Henry Martinez for putting on a hell of a fight on such short notice. DW states that he originally thought this match-up was “the worst mismatch in UFC History.” How quickly we all forgot Silva/Leites.
(2:44) – Apparently Bruce Leroy kicked Figueroa so hard in the balls that he forgot how many times he kicked Figueroa in the balls. Irony? Either way, we agree that a two point deduction seemed a little harsh. Then again, Caceres likely destroyed any of Figueroa’s future plans to have children, so we’ll call it even.
You know the deal by now, Potato Nation. Dana White’s first video blog for UFC 144 takes a look back at the aftermath of UFC 143, as has become the norm. So we’re going to skip the fancy introduction and get right into it.
(1:43) – Matt Riddle has to be one of the nicest guys in the UFC, bar none. Talk about a guy that loves his job. And a metaphorical fist bump is due to Henry Martinez for putting on a hell of a fight on such short notice. DW states that he originally thought this match-up was “the worst mismatch in UFC History.” How quickly we all forgot Silva/Leites.
(2:44) – Apparently Bruce Leroy kicked Figueroa so hard in the balls that he forgot how many times he kicked Figueroa in the balls. Irony? Either way, we agree that a two point deduction seemed a little harsh. Then again, Caceres likely destroyed any of Figueroa’s future plans to have children, so we’ll call it even.
(4:26) – The doctors felt the wound on Mike Pierce‘s head was bad enough to warrant staples. Pierce, on the other hand, simply doesn’t have time to bleed. Little did they know who would be next in line…
(5:30) – It appears that temporary amnesia ran rampant at UFC 143, because Nelson must have blacked out during his entrance to believe he won two rounds against Fabricio Werdum. He did share a locker room with Nick Diaz, so perhaps something was in the air.
(6:00) – Has anyone read the transcript of Nick Diaz’s corner during UFC 143? It is without a doubt the most incoherent collection of boisterous claims wrapped in obscenities you will ever read. It’s also the funniest thing you’ll ever read at BloodyElbow.
(7:00) – Diaz thinks that he lost the fourth round. Maybe.
(7:49) – Nelson’s cut, all stitched up.
(9:00) – Nelson, pleading his case to Lorenzo Fertitta, who can only smile at the notion that Nelson won two rounds. I feel you, Big Country. You totally got robbed in the Junior Dos Santos fight as well.
