Tag: UFC 146

UFC 146 Fight Card: Would Cain Velasquez Deserve a Title Shot with a Victory?

Cain Velasquez is widely considered the No. 2 heavyweight fighter, and although a victory over Antonio Silva will put him back into title contention, it won’t necessarily guarantee him a title shot.Velasquez has fought credible competition and has ceme…

Cain Velasquez is widely considered the No. 2 heavyweight fighter, and although a victory over Antonio Silva will put him back into title contention, it won’t necessarily guarantee him a title shot.

Velasquez has fought credible competition and has cemented his status as one of the best heavyweights in the sport, but he also needs to rebuild and evolve as a fighter. One win will not convince a lot of people he is worthy of stepping in to face Junior dos Santos again, especially when the Brazilian finished him in devastating fashion.

If he is able to dominate and defeat Silva convincingly, then it might increase his chances, but one more victory against another formidable opponent should earn Velasquez a title opportunity.

With Alistair Overeem serving a suspension for the rest of this year and his teammate Daniel Cormier still competing in Strikeforce, there a few options available.

But a bout that makes sense is pairing Velasquez up with Fabricio Werdum.

The Brazilian is expected to face Mike Russow at UFC 147 in July and if he is able to pick up a second straight win, he will be in the same position as the former UFC heavyweight champion.

If they were to face-off it would determine the next challenger for the UFC heavyweight title.

The UFC heavyweight division has become one of the more competitive weight classes in recent memory and it would be a waste if the division became stagnant because of rematches occurring.

Velasquez will get his chance to try and regain the UFC heavyweight crown in the near future, but it won’t happen in his next fight. 

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UFC 146 Predictions: Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva

In a few hours, the former UFC heavyweight champion, Cain Velasquez, will square off against one of four men to defeat Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.Originally, Cain was going to fight Frank Mir, and Silva was going to fight Roy Nelson, bu…

In a few hours, the former UFC heavyweight champion, Cain Velasquez, will square off against one of four men to defeat Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.

Originally, Cain was going to fight Frank Mir, and Silva was going to fight Roy Nelson, but after the Alistair Overeem debacle, the fights were switched and ended up as what they are now.

Cain comes into the fight needing to make a statement after suffering a knockout loss to Junior dos Santos in just 64 seconds.

Prior that that, Cain had been 9-0 with eight finishes, all by some form of knockout.

His fight with Silva is likely a No. 1 contender match for him.

Bigfoot is in a similar situation, one where he needs a win to stick around in the top of the division.

Silva is 16-3 in his career, and was being pegged as a dark horse of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix after his defeat of Fedor.

However, Silva became the first victim in Daniel Cormier’s path to declaring himself a threat in the heavyweight division, as Cormier knocked out Silva in just under four minutes.

Prior to that loss, Silva was on a three-fight winning streak having defeated Fedor, Mike Kyle and Andrei Arlovski.

Many expect this to be a quick knockout victory for Cain Velasquez, as Cain’s training partner is Daniel Cormier, and therefore has insight into how to knock out Antonio Silva.

With that in mind, expect Cain to pull out an early knockout victory in the first round, and get set up for a potential rematch against Junior dos Santos.

 

Tim McTiernan is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. For the latest news on everything MMA, follow him on Twitter @TimMcTiernan.

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UFC 146: Can It Save the Heavyweight Division in the World of Combat Sports?

UFC 146 is set to begin in a matter of hours, and the event is set to shake up the heavyweight rankings across the MMA world. The card features current champion Junior dos Santos and former champs Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez as well.A former Ultimate …

UFC 146 is set to begin in a matter of hours, and the event is set to shake up the heavyweight rankings across the MMA world. The card features current champion Junior dos Santos and former champs Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez as well.

A former Ultimate Fighter winner and the tallest competitor in the promotion will also take the stage when Roy Nelson and Stefan Struve step into the Octagon.

It’s a star-studded affair that will likely garner a lot of eyes due to the nature of heavyweight fights. It’s no secret that fans love to watch two guys who seem bigger than life go at it. If you were to ask your grandfather or even your dad, they would likely tell you stories of heavyweight legends who made them sit in awe as they performed in the ring.

It’s clear the days of the heavyweights dominating the scene in boxing are next to dead due to a number of factors. Whether you attribute it to a lack of character or a boring “jab and grab” style that’s ruled the division for years, the fact remains that now more than ever, America needs the heavyweight division.

Can UFC 146 be that event to finally get back fans that haven’t been seen since Mike Tyson captivated audiences in past decades?

With more eyes than ever watching the UFC due to the deal with Fox, it certainly is an opportune time to help resurrect the prestigious heavyweight division in combat sports.

In an effort to get “the other side’s” perspective, I spoke to B/R MMA and Boxing writer Nedu Obi about his feelings on what UFC 146 can achieve.

“I would say the future of the heavyweight division rests on a Tyson/Mayweather persona coming through the ranks, both in and outside the ring,” Obi said.

That may be an issue with dos Santos’ good guy personality, and Mir seems to have toned it down a bit on his signature trash talking. A lack of star power is something Obi believes one man can solve.

”If Jon Jones makes the jump to heavyweight, things could look bright. Until then, it’s going to look much the same way as boxing,” Obi said.

UFC 146 promises to be an action-packed card as very few heavyweight fights make it through the scheduled rounds, a fact Obi believes could help bring back the glory days of the heavyweight division.

“Bottom line is, fireworks are needed,” Obi said.

Dos Santos and Mir should provide plenty of those, as the fight could literally be over at any moment due to a JDS punch or a Mir submission attempt.

Even through all the shakeups en route to getting to this point, the card is still shaping up to be one of the most explosive in UFC history.

And regardless of your opinion on boxing vs. MMA, it’s definitely nice to see the big boys take center stage and begin to turn the tide of negativity in the heavyweight division in combat sports.

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UFC 146 Predictions: Stipe Miocic vs. Shane del Rosario

In just a few hours, the PPV for UFC 146 starts and we will get to see 10 of the best heavyweights on the planet go at it, culminating in a heavyweight title fight.The second fight on the PPV card features a matchup of up-and-coming stars Stipe Miocic …

In just a few hours, the PPV for UFC 146 starts and we will get to see 10 of the best heavyweights on the planet go at it, culminating in a heavyweight title fight.

The second fight on the PPV card features a matchup of up-and-coming stars Stipe Miocic and Shane del Rosario.

Both Miocic and del Rosario are undefeated in their MMA careers at 8-0 and 11-0, respectively. In addition, they have a combined 18 finishes between them.

del Rosario is coming into the fight after a long layoff, as he hasn’t fought in more than a year due to a car accident, which put his career in jeopardy.

His last fight was a first-round submission victory over Lavar Johnson, who, coincidentally, also fights on the same card.

del Rosario has finished all 11 of his opponents, eight by (T)KO and three by submission.

Miocic comes into the fight off a 43-second Knockout of the Night performance over Phil de Fries at UFC on Fuel 1.

Miocic was one of the most accomplished athletes to come to the UFC, as he was a nationally-ranked D1 wrestler, a Golden Gloves boxing champion and a college baseball player.

He is 8-0 in his career with seven finishes, six by (T)KO and a submission due to leg kicks. The only person to last 15 minutes with Miocic has been Joey Beltran.

In this fight, Miocic’s wrestling should be able to dictate where the fight takes place, and due to del Rosario’s extended layoff, he may not be able to keep up with Miocic.

That being said, expect Stipe Miocic to earn a knockout victory over del Rosario, but don’t be shocked if del Rosario is able to submit Miocic.

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UFC 146 Live Streaming: How to Watch Dos Santos vs. Mir on Your Computer

If you’re looking to watch UFC 146: Dos Santos vs. Mir live tonight on your computer, look no further.  With the preliminary fights on Facebook and Fuel TV, UFC 146 gives fans one of the most intriguing fight cards of the yea…

If you’re looking to watch UFC 146: Dos Santos vs. Mir live tonight on your computer, look no further. 

With the preliminary fights on Facebook and Fuel TV, UFC 146 gives fans one of the most intriguing fight cards of the year.

But if it’s the pay-per-view card featuring Dos Santos-Mir and Velasquez-Silva that you’re wanting to watch on your computer, then you should strongly consider checking out the UFC’s various live streaming partners. 

Yes, there may be some horrible-quality free streams elsewhere, but they can often be unreliable and there is always a strong chance of viruses and malware with any illegal stream. 

So why not put all of that concern to rest and invest in an online stream that will actually work, won’t mess up your computer and won’t leave you wondering if the cops are going to come knocking on your door?

For $44.99, you can watch the UFC 146 pay-per-view from three different locations:

UFC.tv, the organization’s own online streaming service.

Yahoo! Sports, one of the world’s largest sports websites.

Or perhaps the most viewed online streaming service, UStream.tv.

Whichever option you choose, however, will provide you an excellent-quality live stream of tonight’s UFC 146 pay-per-view, which starts at 9 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. PT. 

Don’t be fooled by other websites that say they are offering a free live streaming of the event.

Support the sport you love and order the event in high quality. You won’t regret it.

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UFC 146 Predictions: Stefan Struve vs. Lavar Johnson

After knocking out Pat Barry earlier this month, Lavar Johnson steps in to replace an injured Mark Hunt on a few weeks’ notice to face Stefan Struve on the main card.Johnson will be carrying some momentum into this bout following his win over Barry at …

After knocking out Pat Barry earlier this month, Lavar Johnson steps in to replace an injured Mark Hunt on a few weeks’ notice to face Stefan Struve on the main card.

Johnson will be carrying some momentum into this bout following his win over Barry at UFC on FOX 3 and could raise his stock significantly if he is able to pick up back-to-back wins in a span of 21 days. 

Johnson boasts a lot of power in his strikes, especially in his uppercut, and he will look to turn this bout into a brawl and try to rough up the 6’11” Danish heavyweight. Acquired from Strikeforce earlier this year, Johnson has recorded 15 of 17 of his victories via KO/TKO and has only spent a total fight time of 4:42 throughout his career. Johnson is a powerhouse and will attempt to land early and finish the fight as soon as possible.

Struve has quietly been making a name for himself throughout the heavyweight rankings, as he owns 28 career victories at just 24. Seven of those wins have come inside the UFC and three of them via submission, tallying his submission total to 15.

In addition to being a submission specialist, Struve is also a effective kickboxer. He tends to throw a lot kicks from the outside and maintaining distance from his opponents, utilizing as much of his 81″ reach as he can.

However, Struve has yet to effectively use his height and reach to his advantage and he does not understand how to judge distance very well. His long limbs might help him on the ground, but this does not bode well against a high-volume striker like Johnson. 

Look for Johnson to test Struve early and cut off the distance to get inside and land on his opponent to force a first-round stoppage.

Prediction: Lavar Johnson via technical knockout in the first round.

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