Tag: UFC 146

Why the Bid for Mark Hunt Devalues UFC Gold

For the value of a UFC championship belt to remain intact, the organization must consistently use a logical system of merit to determine the most deserving challenger for the opportunity.Since there is no official ranking system that the UFC abides by…

For the value of a UFC championship belt to remain intact, the organization must consistently use a logical system of merit to determine the most deserving challenger for the opportunity.

Since there is no official ranking system that the UFC abides by, it accomplishes this by awarding those with strings of credible wins against former champions and contenders the opportunity to fight the belt holder. While we endure situations, like the current heavyweight mess, where the next contender is unknown or unavailable, decisions on who will contest the champion shouldn’t be made in haste. The significance of this is that the value of UFC gold depends on it.

Only those deserving of it should be awarded the chance to compete against the best fighter in the division. This is what separates the UFC from others.

As throngs of spectators call for Mark Hunt to be granted such a prized opportunity, they ignore the vital virtues required in an elite and professional organization. Hunt being allowed a title shot effectively devalues the very title he would fight for. All the while, more deserving onlookers would wonder why they were overlooked. It would lead them to question their quest for gold, since it wouldn’t necessarily represent the best in the division.

It would also call the champion’s “indisputable” title into question, since he may not have defended his position against the most skilled contenders.

Although I understand the essence of proposals for Hunt to fight heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos, the necessity of strict administration of contentions only to warranted athletes is imperative to the legitimacy of the organization, especially regarding the most popular division.

In other words, the worth of a UFC championship title may be put into question by the ability of mid-range competitors to vie for it.

Another reason that the call for Hunt is silly is that there are multiple fighters at a similar skill level that have been disregarded by the masses. When UFC President Dana White rejected the possibility of the top contenders like Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez as fill-ins, speculation proceeded to include Werdum, Mark Hunt and even Fedor, who isn’t even in the UFC.

While hopefuls made claims for each of the possibilities, calls for Hunt’s chance proliferated despite the fact that slightly more deserving possibilities exist. Travis Browne and Mike Russow exemplify the overlooked an unpopular options.

The common reasons for support of Hunt are that he’s on a three-fight win streak and is an experienced professional kick boxer, which supposedly creates a good match for the elite striker Dos Santos is.

What has been ignored is that Travis Browne, who is undefeated and 4-0 in the UFC, finished nine of his 12 wins by knockout, crediting him as an experienced striker as well. The other possibility is Mike Russow, who is 16-1 and 4-0 in the UFC. While neither is an outright meritorious challenger of the champ, Hunt is arguably less qualified than both. So if Hunt deserves our conversation, so do these two.

Since White plans to wait for Overeem’s hearing on April 24th, speculation is bound to thrive in the uncertain atmosphere. One can only hope that a logical solution will come to fruition.

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Alistair Overeem Gets April 24th NSAC Hearing

By Elias Cepeda

(Come on NSAC, can’t we talk this out?)

Alistair Overeem may have failed his recent surprise drug test, but it appears that he isn’t giving up on challenging heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos at UFC 146 on May 26th. He has requested a hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) and has been given a hearing date of April 24th, little more than a month before he hopes to still vie for the UFC belt.

After testing positive for elevated testosterone levels in late March in Nevada, Overeem had the option of asking the state’s athletic commission to test the second sample they took from him during their test, as well as the option of deciding to apply for a license in the state at a hearing.

More on Overeem’s options and the UFC’s plans after the jump.

By Elias Cepeda

(Come on NSAC, can’t we talk this out?)

Alistair Overeem may have failed his recent surprise drug test, but it appears that he isn’t giving up on challenging heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos at UFC 146 on May 26th. He has requested a hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) and has been given a hearing date of April 24th, little more than a month before he hopes to still vie for the UFC belt.

After testing positive for elevated testosterone levels in late March in Nevada, Overeem had the option of asking the state’s athletic commission to test the second sample they took from him during their test, as well as the option of deciding to apply for a license in the state at a hearing.

After turning in a required urine sample for testing nearly a month late last year to Nevada in the lead up to his UFC 141 main event fight with Brock Lesnar, the state granted Alistair a conditional license that allowed him to fight, but required that he be subjected to two additional surprise drug tests in the future.

Overeem’s conditional license ran out at the end of 2011 and, though he was booked by the UFC to take on Dos Santos in Nevada at UFC 146, Overeem had yet to apply for a new license with the commission at the time he was most recently tested. Because of this, the commission cannot suspend Overeem for his positive test, but they can, and likely will, take it into consideration as he applies for a license.

Neither Overeem nor the NSAC has announced whether the fighter has requested that his B sample also be tested. Should he request that it be done, and that sample comes back negative, he would be in the clear.

The UFC has not announced a replacement for Overeem but President Dana White has said publicly that Dos Santos will defend his belt against someone on May 26th. White has also rejected Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez as possible opponents for Dos Santos, saying that they will fight one another as scheduled at UFC 146.

Dan Henderson has said through his twitter account that he would take the fight with Dos Santos if he were offered it. The forty one year old has been a world champion before at middleweight and light heavyweight but also recently knocked out former heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko in under one round and is coming off of a decision win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in a bout that might be the most exciting single battle in mixed martial arts history.

An online fan campaign to give Mark Hunt a shot at Dos Santos at UFC 146 has also popped up. Hunt’s overall MMA record stands at 8-7, but he is an exciting knockout artist who once was a world kickboxing champion and is currently riding a three-fight win streak in the UFC.

At press time it appears that White and the UFC are hanging on to the chance that, after his April 24th hearing, Overeem will be allowed to fight. It’s unknown what type of accounting Overeem might give for himself to convince the NSAC that they should license him to fight.

Nevada does allow the possibility of Dan Henderson Talks Openly About His TRT Exemption; Says Stricter Testing is Needed of Approved Fighters” href=”http://www.cagepotato.com/dan-henderson-talks-openly-about-his-trt-exemption-says-stricter-testing-is-needed-of-approved-fighters/”>therapeutic use exemptions for certain substances that might have contributed to Overeem’s elevated levels of testosterone. Recently, UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen, who tested for higher levels of testosterone than Overeem after his failed title challenge against Anderson Silva in 2010, testified before the NSAC that he received hormone therapy from doctors because of a deficiency in testosterone.

If the UFC is to stick to its plan to have Dos Santos defend his title in May, and Overeem is not licensed to fight him at the end of this month, they will only have about a month to find a suitable replacement title challenger.

UFC 146: Could Overeem ‘s Failed Drug Test Alter the Strikeforce Grand Prix?

The biggest news in the MMA world this past week was UFC heavyweight No. 1 contender Alistair Overeem failing his pre-fight drug test and likely being pulled from the main event at UFC 146 against UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos.With rumors …

The biggest news in the MMA world this past week was UFC heavyweight No. 1 contender Alistair Overeem failing his pre-fight drug test and likely being pulled from the main event at UFC 146 against UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos.

With rumors of Overeem out, many have speculated who will replace him and receive a title shot at UFC 146.

Many thought the shot would go to Frank Mir, who deserves it the most in my opinion, but Dana White has recently stated on Twitter that the Frank Mir-Cain Velasquez fight will happen. Fans on Twitter and Facebook have been trying to rally for the shot to go to Mark Hunt, as well as some rallying for the shot to go to Fedor Emelianenko. Neither of them seems very likely.

The most likely heavyweight to receive the shot is Fabricio Werdum, who is coming off one of the most impressive performances of his career in his domination of Roy Nelson at UFC 143. Werdum is currently scheduled to fight Mike Russow in Brazil in June, but I’m sure if given the opportunity to fight for the title, Werdum would take it.

The big thing about that happening is current champion dos Santos knocked out Werdum in the first round back in 2008, so fans most likely wouldn’t be very hyped for the matchup.

So, who else is there? Dan Henderson said he’d do it, but that’s highly unlikely to happen.

The only guys left I can think of are the two Strikeforce Grand Prix finalists: Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier. I think White could possibly talk to both guys about the opportunity to come over to the UFC and one get a title shot and one put into a title contention fight. I think it would be nice to see Barnett face dos Santos for the title and Cormier face Shane Carwin in his return, or vice versa.

Either way, it could very well be a possibility and could mark the end of Strikeforce as we know it.

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UFC 146: Fabricio Werdum the Only Legitimate Option to Replace Alistair Overeem

Junior dos Santos’ first title defense as UFC heavyweight champion at UFC 146 is only seven weeks away. However, the Brazilian’s opponent remains very much up in the air after his currently scheduled foe, Alistair Overeem, failed a prefight drug test.U…

Junior dos Santos’ first title defense as UFC heavyweight champion at UFC 146 is only seven weeks away. However, the Brazilian’s opponent remains very much up in the air after his currently scheduled foe, Alistair Overeem, failed a prefight drug test.

Unless Overeem answers to the Nevada State Athletic Commission with a very good reason for his abnormally high testosterone levels, it seems likely the former Strikeforce champion will be removed from his title fight against Overeem.

With UFC president Dana White’s announcement that neither Frank Mir nor Cain Velasquez will be removed from the UFC 146 co-main event, few options remain to replace Overeem against dos Santos in the event’s feature fight.

If the UFC plans on replacing Overeem with a fighter who is coming off of a win, which would probably be the best option for avoiding an uproar from fans, the exclusion of Mir limits the list of potential substitutes to 12 UFC heavyweights. Of course, most of those heavyweights are nowhere near deserving of standing across the Octagon from dos Santos.

There has been a push from MMA fans for the UFC replace Overeem with either Mark Hunt or light heavyweight Dan Henderson. However, Hunt is three fights removed from a six-fight losing streak and a submission defeat against UFC castoff Sean McCorkle. Henderson, meanwhile, is a 41-year-old fighter who was flirting with the idea of competing at middleweight prior to Overeem’s failed drug test.

While a fight between dos Santos and Hunt could turn into an exciting stand-out bout, a smart game plan by the Brazilian would result in a very quick and lopsided fight. Everyone loves an underdog, but Hunt simply isn’t ready for an elite opponent like dos Santos.

Likewise, Henderson has the ability to put any fighter away with his right hand, but he would be much better served waiting for a title shot in the light heavyweight or middleweight divisions.

As an aging fighter who used to compete at 185 pounds, Henderson would have much difficulty dealing with a larger fighter who also possesses the speed that dos Santos does.

While Werdum isn’t on an impressive winning streak and wouldn’t be considered a prototypical title contender, this also isn’t a typical situation for determining a division’s top contender. In this instance, Werdum is the only legitimate option to replace Overeem against dos Santos.

Werdum has won six of his past eight fights, with his only losses during that time coming against none other than dos Santos and Overeem. The Brazilian is also coming off an impressive performance against Roy Nelson in his return to the UFC.

With White’s proclamation that Mir will still fight Velasquez, Werdum is undoubtedly the highest-ranked UFC heavyweight coming off of a win and should replace Overeem if the Dutch fighter is unable to compete at UFC 146.

After three-and-a-half years, a rematch between dos Santos and Werdum would also be intriguing enough to maintain fan interest in this fight card. 

 

Sean Smith is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. For the latest insight and updates on everything MMA,

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UFC 146: 5 Reasons Junior Dos Santos vs. Dan Henderson Makes No Sense

MMA legend Dan Henderson has made it known that he would be willing to step in against UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos at UFC 146.Dos Santos was originally scheduled to face Dutch kickboxing specialist Alistair Overeem, but a failed drug tes…

MMA legend Dan Henderson has made it known that he would be willing to step in against UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos at UFC 146.

Dos Santos was originally scheduled to face Dutch kickboxing specialist Alistair Overeem, but a failed drug test from Overeem has put the fight in serious jeopardy—though it is worth noting that UFC President Dana White has not officially called the fight off.

At first, it seemed likely that either Frank Mir or Cain Velasquez would receive the shot, but Dana White has confirmed that neither of these men will receive the title shot and that their bout at UFC 146 remains intact.

On the surface, Henderson stepping in seems like an excellent solution to a puzzling problem.

After all, Henderson is one of the most accomplished MMA fighters of all time, having held major titles in two separate weight classes, and has even fought at heavyweight before.

It seems to make perfect sense that he jump up to heavyweight, take on Dos Santos, and attempt to become the first man to ever win major titles in three different weight classes.

However, under closer inspection, the fight makes little to no sense at all.

Here are five reasons why Dan Henderson should not fight Junior Dos Santos.

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Hendo to the Rescue: Why Dan Henderson Should Replace Overeem at UFC 146

After a month of nearly no MMA news in March, things heated up quickly in the month of April as UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos now likely sits without an opponent following Alistair Overeem’s failed drug test. Dos Santos was set to m…

After a month of nearly no MMA news in March, things heated up quickly in the month of April as UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos now likely sits without an opponent following Alistair Overeem’s failed drug test.

Dos Santos was set to meet the former Strikeforce heavyweight champion at the event scheduled for May 26th, but the failed drug test will almost certainly lead to the bout being completely cancelled as Overeem will be suspended for a period of time yet to be determined.

Top contenders Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez, who UFC president Dana White confirmed will still meet one another on the same card, have had their names thrown around as potential replacements for Overeem, but that has obviously since fell through.

The depth of the UFC heavyweight division has never been stronger, however, the top-tier talent has thinned out significantly following injuries to and retirements from many of those top stars.

Without a logical opponent for Dos Santos to fight, it is now believed that the title fight will be scrapped entirely, with Dos Santos waiting to meet the winner of the Velasquez vs. Mir bout at a later date.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

In fact, current UFC light heavyweight contender Dan Henderson might have just given the UFC an excellent opportunity. On April 6, Henderson tweeted that he would be interested in potentially moving up in weight to replace Overeem and compete against the heavyweight champion at UFC 146.

To some who are just watching the sport casually, Henderson’s tweet may have come off as being somewhat nonchalant and lacking sincerity, but those who have followed him throughout his career know that if he says it, he means it.

Henderson would absolutely accept the fight with Dos Santos and, quite frankly, the UFC should be jumping at the opportunity to give it to him.

Following victory over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in late 2011, Henderson is perceived to be next in line for a UFC light heavyweight title shot after the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans bout at UFC 145.

However, as we have seen many times in the past, being the one who everyone thinks is going to get the next shot at the title doesn’t always mean that it’s going to happen. Even if White says it’s going to happen, it’s still not a guarantee.

Henderson knows that. If he’s not getting an immediate title fight and he has an opportunity in another division, what’s stopping him from taking off or adding on a few pounds to make money as the headliner of a pay-per-view event?

Some might argue that Henderson’s eyes might be bigger than his appetite, but let’s not forget that this wouldn’t be the first time that he has competed against a top-level heavyweight. His first-round knockout of the great Fedor Emelianenko this past July also took place in the heavyweight division.

Not only that, but with Dos Santos not being one of the larger heavyweights in the division, the weight difference wouldn’t be much more between Henderson and Dos Santos than it was with Henderson and Fedor.

From a business standpoint, this fight makes all the sense in the world. Though it hasn’t always been the UFC’s most important title, the perception still remains that no fan should miss a heavyweight title fight. If there is no replacement and Dos Santos simply goes back to sitting on the shelf, the UFC automatically misses out on that added revenue.

Even if Henderson hasn’t fought his way through the heavyweight division, his track record speaks for itself. He will certainly go down as one of the best of all-time and even at 41 years old, he is still one of the top pound-for-pound fighters on the planet today.

Rather than let Henderson and Dos Santos sit on the shelf for months while they wait for a fight to open up, why not let them get in the cage against one another in a fight that everyone would love to see?

The UFC always claims that one of their biggest goals is to give the fans the fights they want to see. So, fans, let them hear it. Tell them you want to see Henderson move up and fight Dos Santos at UFC 146.

After all, what do they have to lose?

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