Tag: UFC 148

UFC 148: Selling the Non-MMA Fan on Silva vs Sonnen II

UFC 148 is just a day away, and big events like this draw an interest from outside of the normal fanbase. It is the perfect time to bring in other sports fans and show them why they should start watching MMA. The UFC holding a large event early in July…

UFC 148 is just a day away, and big events like this draw an interest from outside of the normal fanbase. It is the perfect time to bring in other sports fans and show them why they should start watching MMA.

The UFC holding a large event early in July is a great decision. No other major sport is going on. They own the calendar. What other major sporting event will draw their interest away to avoid going to your UFC 148 watch party?

When they begin to ask about the card and who is fighting, the lead is obvious.

The biggest rematch in UFC, and arguably MMA, history; Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen.

The most dominant champion in MMA history goes up against the only man to challenge him inside the Octagon. If this non-MMA fan has watched any boxing fight in the past they can easily identify with that storyline.

And if they are still on the fence for that fight, just show them a few Chael Sonnen clips.

But unlike boxing, as we all know, MMA is built around an entire card of fights. The non-MMA fan can be sold on knowing what other fights await them on this night of incredible action.

UFC 148’s main card features five more fights outside of the highly anticipated main event.

In the night’s co-main event, one of the most important figures of the sport will enter the cage for the last time. The non-MMA fan will get to see one of the sport’s biggest stars in his retirement fight. And standing across from him will be one of the two men responsible for the MMA explosion that The Ultimate Fighter brought.

Also featured is an intriguing welterweight clash between Dong Hyun Kim and Demian Maia. Sell this fight by mentioning how both men were top contenders in their respective divisions and that Maia is dropping down to 170. The winner gets put in to the upper echelon of the weight class.

Opening the PPV portion of the fight card is the potential fight of the night. Ivan Menjivar squares off against Mike Easton. Most certainly these names will not make an impression on the non-MMA fan, but their abilities and fast-paced action inside the cage will.

And as you sell this card, you still have failed to mention Chad Mendes vs. Cody McKenzie and Cung Le vs. Patrick Cote.

So, the potential fan still sits on the fence. Trying to decide if he or she should listen to you about MMA.

Then turn on the television and put the channel to FX. Explain to them that the UFC gives away the preliminary card for free, and if you like what you see, then purchase UFC 148 and see the big stars under the bright lights.

Gleison Tibau vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov, Melvin Guillard vs. Fabricio Camoes, Constantinos Philippou vs. Riki Fukuda and John Alessio vs. Shane Roller come to their television set free of charge. They get to experience a small part of what is to come later on pay-per-view.

UFC 148 has a great mixture of talent, matchups and storylines. Any fan of sports should, at the very least, be intrigued by what is happening in Las Vegas this weekend. As you sell them on UFC 148, it should be apparent that it is a can’t miss event of the summer.

And if they ignore you… mention that Steven Seagal taught you how to front kick them in the face.

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UFC 148 Fight Card: Which Fighter Has the Most to Gain?

It goes without saying that one Chael P. Sonnen has the most to gain in the entirety of the UFC 148 fight card. Every other combatant in the mix is a No. 2 contender with regards to most to gain. Anderson wants to make a statement of intent, Tito Ortiz…

It goes without saying that one Chael P. Sonnen has the most to gain in the entirety of the UFC 148 fight card.

Every other combatant in the mix is a No. 2 contender with regards to most to gain.

Anderson wants to make a statement of intent, Tito Ortiz will attempt to end his career on a high note and Demian Maia needs to impress on his welterweight debut.

Chad Mendes is looking for redemption and Melvin Guillard sits precariously close to the hot seat following back-to-back defeats.

With that said, the self-proclaimed “American Gangster” heads into the main event knowing a loss will automatically confine him to the list of MMA’s also-rans, but a victory will thrust him into the media’s spotlight like never before.

Furthermore, a resounding win—or a win nonetheless—against the pound-for-pound linchpin will place him on a pedestal of MMA godliness.

Prior to garnering the notoriety he now has the pleasure of basking in, Sonnen was nothing more than an afterthought apropos skill set and accomplishments (he still hasn’t achieve anything yet).

All that changed when he almost untangled “The Spider’s” web back at UFC 117. From thenceforth, he became a force to be reckoned with.

However, the West Linn, Oregon, native now has the opportunity to feast with the MMA giants and to boot, mentioned in the same breath, if he can end the 14-fight winning streak of Silva and in the process capture UFC gold.

For the 35-year-old Sonnen (27-11- MMA, 6-4 UFC) greatness awaits—he without a doubt has the most to gain at UFC 148.

As the man said himself:

 “One night, one moment, 12 pounds of gold. This will all be a colossal failure if I don’t have that one night.”

UFC 148 is scheduled for July 7, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.

 

For additional information, follow Nedu Obi on Twitter.

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UFC 148 Weigh-In Results for Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen 2 Fight Card

On Saturday night Anderson Silva will put his UFC middleweight crown on the line for the 10th time. His opponent will be the same man he faced at UFC 117, the same man who was close to defeating him on that night in August 2010—Chael Sonnen. As w…

On Saturday night Anderson Silva will put his UFC middleweight crown on the line for the 10th time. His opponent will be the same man he faced at UFC 117, the same man who was close to defeating him on that night in August 2010—Chael Sonnen.

As we all know, close is never good enough. So, while Sonnen gets points for being Silva’s toughest test in the UFC, he still sits empty handed while Silva wears the UFC crown. Will that change on Saturday night in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena?

The first step toward answering that question will come on Friday evening, when the two main-event fighters along with the 20 other combatants that will fight at UFC 148 hit the scales for the official weigh-ins. Weigh-ins are slated to begin at 7 p.m. ET.

Two former light heavyweight champions are among that group of 20, and they will meet in the evening’s co-main event. That fight will feature Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin and will be the final bout of Ortiz’s career, as he has announced that he will retire upon completion of the contest.

The full UFC 148 fight card is listed below:

Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen

Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz

Patrick Cote vs. Cung Le

Dong Hyun Kim vs. Demian Maia

Chad Mendes vs. Cody McKenzie

Mike Easton vs. Ivan Menjivar

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Gleison Tibau

Fabricio Camoes vs. Melvin Guillard

Riki Fukuda vs. Constantinos Philippou

John Alessio vs. Shane Roller

Yoislandy Izquierdo vs. Rafaello Oliveira

Bleacher Report will provide the UFC 148 weigh-in results below as they happen, so be sure to check back after 7 p.m. ET for full coverage.

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UFC 148 Exclusive: An Emotional Tito Ortiz Ready to Leave It All in the Cage

The Lake Charles Civic Center is not the first building you think of when pondering world class sporting events. Yes, it is home to the Louisiana Swashbucklers—but who outside the few hardcore Indoor Football League fans know that?More likely you…

The Lake Charles Civic Center is not the first building you think of when pondering world class sporting events. Yes, it is home to the Louisiana Swashbucklers—but who outside the few hardcore Indoor Football League fans know that?

More likely you’re going to find a gun show on any given weekend—and not the Alistair Overeem variety. In short, it’s not the kind of place you’re likely to see a UFC title fight.

But as Tito Ortiz prepares to fight his final bout at the glamorous MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, he can recall a time (1999) when he fought in Lake Charles, Louisiana; when that city, with its few thousand fans, hosted Ortiz and the best fighter in the world, middleweight champion Frank Shamrock; when the UFC was happy to be there.

At least, the thinking was, it wasn’t Birmingham, Alabama.

Tito Ortiz is a bridge to the UFC’s past—a bridge to the days Semaphore Entertainment Group, and not Zuffa, called the shots; the ugly days when the sport was banned in many states and not allowed on most cable pay-per-view providers.

Ortiz has seen it all in this sport. Soon he will step in the cage for a final time, settling the score with Forrest Griffin. And like most about to move on to new challenges in life, Ortiz is feeling reflective about the past.

“It’s emotional man. From the first fight I had at UFC 13 until the last fight I had in Toronto, it’s emotional every time I walk out… Fifteen years I’ve fought and I don’t remember one time I walked out of the cage without crying or throwing up. Of course there are emotions,” Ortiz told Bleacher Report at the UFC 148 open workouts.

“People don’t understand the emotions us as fighters have when they walk out to the cage. There’s nothing you can explain. A lot of fans ask me ‘what does it feel like to walk into the Octagon with the fans screaming?’ It’s kind of like you’re skydiving at a rock concert.”

While he will be remembered for his famous feuds with UFC promoter Dana White and UFC pioneer Ken Shamrock, Ortiz believes his trilogy with Griffin belongs in the same conversation. Their two previous fights were both decided by split decision—close fights that saw Griffin attempt to match his striking and leg kicks against Tito’s powerhouse wrestling game.

The two are as evenly matched as they come. That’s why when Ortiz had the chance to make the call on his final opponent, he insisted on Griffin. He had to know, for himself and his fans, who was the better man.

“God has blessed me with great things. I think he’s blessed me in this fight, this training camp,” Ortiz said. “…when you’re confident, you’re in shape, weights on target—I haven’t had no hiccups since I’ve been here. Everything’s been on target, been perfect. I’m excited, because I’m very, very confident in this one.”

Win or lose, Ortiz’s legacy is assured. He’ll be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame just hours before the fight. And while he hopes to go out a winner, he’s content if he’s been able to help young people realize that no matter where they start in life, they can finish on top.

“I want people to remember me as being an inspiration. Knowing you can get through anything in life and succeed no matter what,” Ortiz said. “No matter what God gives you, what God challenges you with, no matter what people try to sidetrack you on, you’re able to find the target and continue on. Do what you dreamed of. And I’ve dreamed of being the best UFC fighter ever to grace the Octagon. And I think I achieved that in my 15-year career.”

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UFC 148: Chael Sonnen Will Not Be Hurt by 20-Pound Weight Cut in 24 Hours

Following the UFC 148 open workouts, Chael Sonnen dropped what seemed like a bomb to many average observers, telling Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com that he will have to cut 20 pounds within the 24-hour time frame prior to the events weigh-ins on…

Following the UFC 148 open workouts, Chael Sonnen dropped what seemed like a bomb to many average observers, telling Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com that he will have to cut 20 pounds within the 24-hour time frame prior to the events weigh-ins on Friday.

For many readers of this article, that would seem like an impossibility. However, under the watchful eye of MMA nutritionist Mike Dolce, the inconceivable becomes believable for his fighters. Sonnen admitted he does not normally have to cut such a significant amount of weight, but he also put his faith in Dolce and doesn’t appear to be at all worried about hitting the 185-pound mark when he steps on the scale. 

“I got Mike Dolce with me,” Sonnen said. “He says we got it under control, and I believe him.”

While Sonnen appears confident he’ll make weight, many might still have questions about the impact the weight cut could have on him during a potential five-round title fight against middleweight champion Anderson Silva on Saturday. In explaining his methods, Dolce used a lot of weight management lingo that this writer is too out of shape to comprehend, but it is impossible to argue with the man’s results.

“For me, it seems like common sense now,” Dolce said. “For everybody else, it seems like magic, but I think it’s very simple.”

Dolce has helped the likes of Quinton Jackson, Gray Maynard and Johnny Hendricks reach their full potential inside the cage. However, the former UFC fighter worked some of his best magic with welterweights Mike Pyle and Thiago Alves. 

In an interview with Fighters.com, Dolce gave an explanation on how he helped Pyle cut 24 pounds prior to a UFC 128 bout against Ricardo Almeida. That is four more pounds than a heavier Sonnen will have to cut before UFC 148. Also, not only did Pyle make weight, but he went on to pick up one of the bigger wins of his UFC career by picking up a decision victory over Almeida.

The accomplishments he had with Pyle were impressive, but the success Dolce has had with Alves is what has made him the sport’s most respected nutritionist. Prior to working with Dolce, Alves had missed weight twice in his career and was quite frankly in danger of angering the UFC brass to the point that they would release the former top welterweight contender.

After coming in overweight and losing to Jon Fitch, Alves decided to remain at 170 pounds and seek out the help of Dolce, who has ensured the Brazilian’s ability to hit his mark on the scale in his past four fights. Additionally, Alves has appeared to be in even better condition under the guidance of Dolce and came 48 seconds away from defeating elite welterweight Martin Kampmann in his most recent bout.

Make no mistake. Losing 20 pounds in 24 hours will not be a fun chore for Sonnen, but it will not hurt the title challenger on fight night. Dolce will make sure of that, as the results have showed. If anything, fans can expect an even bigger, badder version of Sonnen than they saw in his first fight against Silva at UFC 117.

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UFC 148 Video Interview: Forrest Griffin on Tito Ortiz, Retirement and More

Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter caught up with Forrest Griffin just two days before he faces Tito Ortiz in the co-main event of UFC 148 in Las Vegas.On this installment of The Ultimate Show, Griffin discusses the recent rumors surrounding his retiremen…

Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter caught up with Forrest Griffin just two days before he faces Tito Ortiz in the co-main event of UFC 148 in Las Vegas.

On this installment of The Ultimate Show, Griffin discusses the recent rumors surrounding his retirement, his trilogy with Ortiz, his thoughts on Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen and more. 

Check out the interview above.

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