Tag: UFC 146

Cain Velasquez: ‘Even the Best Guys Lose’

It’s been four months since fans last saw Cain Velasquez inside the Octagon.The former UFC heavyweight champion was last seen against Junior dos Santos at UFC on FOX 1 last November, where he suffered the first loss of his career and was forced to surr…

It’s been four months since fans last saw Cain Velasquez inside the Octagon.

The former UFC heavyweight champion was last seen against Junior dos Santos at UFC on FOX 1 last November, where he suffered the first loss of his career and was forced to surrender the UFC heavyweight title.

It was a surreal moment for Velasquez, who isn’t likely to forget the fateful night anytime soon. But he felt more disappointed in his performance than the loss itself. 

“I especially wanted to go out there and give the fans a great fight,”  Velasquez told Yahoo! Sports following a UFC press conference earlier this week. “For it to go the way it did, that definitely sucked.”

Although it was a devastating loss for the Mexican-American, Velasquez took it in stride and understood that victory and defeat come along with the territory of being in the sport. 

Despite all the hype declaring him as an unbeatable champion and the media proclaiming him as the next dominant force in the UFC heavyweight division, Velasquez wasn’t buying into the attention.

“I’m a realist. I knew I wasn’t going to go through my career undefeated,” he said. “People lose. Even the best guys lose. I knew as soon as it was over, I had to pick myself back up and keep going forward.”

And Velasquez will move forward and head towards a bout with fellow former UFC champion Frank Mir at UFC 146. 

It is expected that the winner will meet the winner of the card’s main event between Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem to challenge for the heavyweight crown. 

For Velasquez, the past is irrelevant now as he looks to redeem himself for what happened against the Brazilian and begin his quest for another chance at a UFC championship.

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Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller Vows to Retire if He Loses to CB Dollaway


(“Did I at least win the grappling round?“)

Could Jason Miller‘s 10-plus-year fighting career come to an end on May 26th? Mayhem appeared on last night’s episode of Spike TV’s “MMA Uncensored Live,” and raised the stakes for his UFC 146 battle with CB Dollaway:

“I’m on my own chopping block. If I lose to him, I’m quitting! I don’t even deserve to be in there! There’s not an easy fight. In the UFC, there’s no easy fight. He doesn’t deserve to be in there with me, and I’ll prove it. I’ll prove it in under a round, because, we see…I tend to get tired in the second round. [laughs] We’re both in a similar spot in our career I guess. We’re both on the chopping block. That’s fine. I’m really happy with that.”


(“Did I at least win the grappling round?“)

Could Jason Miller‘s 10-plus-year fighting career come to an end on May 26th? Mayhem appeared on last night’s episode of Spike TV’s “MMA Uncensored Live,” and raised the stakes for his UFC 146 battle with CB Dollaway:

“I’m on my own chopping block. If I lose to him, I’m quitting! I don’t even deserve to be in there! There’s not an easy fight. In the UFC, there’s no easy fight. He doesn’t deserve to be in there with me, and I’ll prove it. I’ll prove it in under a round, because, we see…I tend to get tired in the second round. [laughs] We’re both in a similar spot in our career I guess. We’re both on the chopping block. That’s fine. I’m really happy with that.”

As we’ve seen recently in MMA, threats of retirement aren’t always written in stone (see: Pellegrino, Gonzaga), and sometimes it’s just a matter of being super-pissed-off at the time. The only guarantee is that if Mayhem gets his ass kicked at UFC 146, he’s going to get fired from the UFC, and at that point, he may as well be retired.

CB Dollaway has been knocked out in his last two fights by Mark Munoz and Jared Hamman, and carries an overall UFC record of 5-4; another bad loss would likely cost him his contract. But despite CB’s rough patch, is it fair for Mayhem to say that “he doesn’t deserve to be in there with me,” in light of the notoriously terrible performance that Miller turned in against Michael Bisping at the TUF 14 Finale? “Pride goeth before the fall,” homey.

Alistair Overeem: My Striking is Superior to Junior dos Santos’ Boxing

Renowned for his world-class striking ability, Alistair Overeem has the chance to test his skills against heavy-handed Brazilian and current UFC heavyweight champion, Junior dos Santos, in the main event at UFC 146.Overeem earned the opportunity to cha…

Renowned for his world-class striking ability, Alistair Overeem has the chance to test his skills against heavy-handed Brazilian and current UFC heavyweight champion, Junior dos Santos, in the main event at UFC 146.

Overeem earned the opportunity to challenge for the UFC heavyweight title after walking through Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 in his UFC debut. 

The Dutchman anticipates a competitive bout once the two heavyweights meet face-to-face in the Octagon, and believes his superior striking will overcome dos Santos’ boxing on May 26th.

“I think he’s a tremendous athlete, I think his boxing is incredible,” Overeem told Heavy.com. “I truly believe that I am the one to beat him. I truly believe I have superior striking, so I can’t wait to get it on.”

Overeem has held multiple world titles in several organizations all over the world, including K-1 and Strikeforce. And “The Demolition Man” hopes to add another championship to his mantle and become the new UFC heavyweight champion.

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UFC 146: If Cain Velasquez Defeats Frank Mir, Does He Deserve a Title Shot?

Former UFC heavyweight titlist Cain Velasquez is slated to face off against another former champ in the guise of Frank Mir at UFC 146. However, if Velasquez defeats the latter come fight night, then he does deserve to be next in line for a title shot. …

Former UFC heavyweight titlist Cain Velasquez is slated to face off against another former champ in the guise of Frank Mir at UFC 146. However, if Velasquez defeats the latter come fight night, then he does deserve to be next in line for a title shot.

In October of 2010, Velasquez brutally wrestled the heavyweight championship belt from Brock Lesnar’s grasp—nevertheless, a torn rotator cuff sustained in the bout prevented him from immediately defending the belt and thus kept him on the sidelines for almost a year.

By the time he was ready to come back to the fold, Velasquez had to contend not only with an injury that could reoccur at any time, but also with cage rust, the latter of which I believe was a catalyst in Junior dos Santos decimating him in the opening stanza of their UFC on FOX 1 main-event clash.

Velasquez is currently ranked No. 3 in the MMA heavyweight class, while Mir is No. 4. If Mir is victorious, it should warrant his installment as the No. 1 contender to the UFC heavyweight crown.

Furthermore, with the status quo of the division, there isn’t any one heavyweight who is deserved of a tilt at the title right now.

No. 5-ranked Shane Carwin, whose last two defeats came at the hands of Lesnar and Santos, is out of action until mid-2012.

Former Strikeforce resident Fabricio Werdum, who recently defeated Roy Nelson in his second stint for the Zuffa-based organization, would make a great candidate. However, he hasn’t done enough yet to merit a shot at UFC gold—two more victories and then he’s back in the mix.

The likes of Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira and Antonio “Big Foot” Silva don’t even justify a mention.

At present, Velasquez (9-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) is the only fighter on the UFC roster who deserves a title shot if he upends Mir on May 26 at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nev.

 

For additional information, follow Nedu Obi on Twitter.

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Out with the New and in with the Old: Alistair Makes Waves in a Young Division

In a few months, two of the most skilled strikers in the heavyweight division will face each other in the octagon. Junior Dos Santos will defend his title against the Dutch kick-boxer, Alistair Overeem.  Junior won his title in November of 2011 on…

In a few months, two of the most skilled strikers in the heavyweight division will face each other in the octagon. Junior Dos Santos will defend his title against the Dutch kick-boxer, Alistair Overeem. 

Junior won his title in November of 2011 on the UFC’s first event on FOX. It was the first UFC event on network television, and Junior showed the world how quickly a competition can end if the right punch is landed. Within the first minute of the fight, Junior landed a huge right hook to Cain’s left temple that left him stunned on the ground until Junior lunged in for the finish. That fight was ripe with anticipation of elite striking and a good chance that Cain would take it to the ground if he needed to. Junior made sure that neither took place.

A very similar outlook is anticipated for Junior’s next bout. An exhibit of high level striking should take place this time since he will be facing the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 Champion, Alistair Overeem. This will be the ultimate challenge between the youth and the veteran. Alistair is one of the most experienced athletes in the UFC. Throughout his career he’s won multiple championships from across the world, and now he will attempt to win the greatest of them all. 

In Alistair’s first fight in the UFC, he overwhelmed Brock Lesnar on the feet and took him out with a leg kick to the abdomen. The pain was visible in Lesnar’s face as he crumbled to the ground. Although Brock’s striking looked better than it has in a few years, Alistair outclassed him. Overeem’s striking was very natural. His knees seemed to land effortlessly in Brock’s gut. I believe this is key for Alistair in his future bouts. If he gets close enough he most definitely can hurt Junior with his knees.  

I think Overeem’s most advantageous position against Dos Santos is in the clinch with Junior against the fence. Alistair can cause major damage in close quarters but he has to be wary of Junior’s counter when exiting the clinch. Junior has the tendency to throw huge hooking shots that usually finalize the match. Pressing Dos Santos against the fence will negate these deadly attacks and will provide Alistair opportunities for strong knees and powerful uppercuts. Although Alistair may be the most skilled ‘stand up’ specialist in the heavyweight division, it would be foolish for him to box with Junior. I think Junior’s speed and reflexive athleticism gives him the ability to knock out almost anyone with one of his deadly counters.

Another area where Overeem may have an advantage is on the ground. Junior is trained by the Nogueira brothers in Jiu-Jitsu but has yet to display his abilities in the octagon. Despite the fact that Alistair is known for his striking and is a kick-boxing champion, the majority of his wins are by submission. Junior might not be able to compete with the strength of Alistair on the ground, which is why I think he’ll try to strike with him.

This will be a close one, but I’d put my money on Alistair. He has fought 48 times as a mixed martial artist and 14 times as a kick-boxer. His experience greatly exceeds Junior’s 15 fights. Overeem has faced many opponents similar to Junior. The same cannot be said about Cigano. This is a great match up for the UFC that precedes a bright future for the heavyweight division.

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UFC 146: If Roy Nelson Loses to Antonio Silva, Should UFC Cut Him?

At UFC 146, the UFC will have it’s first ever all heavyweight Pay Per View card.The main event features the heavyweight title fight between Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem.The co-main event is a No. 1 contender match between former champion Cain…

At UFC 146, the UFC will have it’s first ever all heavyweight Pay Per View card.

The main event features the heavyweight title fight between Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem.

The co-main event is a No. 1 contender match between former champion Cain Velasquez and another former champion, Frank Mir.

Then, just before that fight, Roy Nelson will face off against one of four men to ever defeat Fedor Emelianenko—Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.

Roy Nelson won season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter when he knocked out Brendan Schaub at the finale.

Since that time, Nelson has gone 2-3, earning knockouts over Stefan Struve and Mirko Cro Cop, and dropping decisions to Junior dos Santos, Frank Mir and Fabricio Werdum.

Nelson lost his most recent fight, against Werdum, at UFC 143, and some are questioning whether or not a loss to Antonio Silva would be the end of Roy Nelson’s UFC road.

However, even if Nelson loses to Silva, he does not deserve to be cut from the UFC.

With a loss, Nelson would be 3-4 in the UFC, and would, in essence, become the gatekeeper of the heavyweight division.

He has lost to the top fighters, and has beaten the lower tier fighters. And Nelson has shown he has one of the toughest chins in all of MMA.

He took huge shots from Junior dos Santos and was the first person to go the distance with him. He took huge shots from Frank Mir and Fabricio Werdum as well.

If Nelson loses to Antonio Silva, there is no way that he should be cut from the UFC.

The fans still want to see him, and he could realistically drop to light heavyweight if he were given no other option.

Then again, he could win the fight, and all of this talk could be moot.

 

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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