Summer is almost here.Sure, it already feels like it is 147 degrees outside with humidity at 100 percent but summer does not officially begin until June 20th.And from June 20th until September 21st, the last day of summer, fans will be treated to a lot…
Summer is almost here.
Sure, it already feels like it is 147 degrees outside with humidity at 100 percent but summer does not officially begin until June 20th.
And from June 20th until September 21st, the last day of summer, fans will be treated to a lot of fantastic MMA action from around the globe.
The UFC will hold nine events all by themselves during the summer schedule. Strikeforce will hold one event in July and a second in August. And of course, Bellator and other promotions will chip in during the three month period.
Even with the slew of injuries that have been sustained there are an incredible amount of fun fights coming your way. Yes, even at UFC 147.
Let’s take a peak at what is to come and try to keep you indoors in the comfort of your air conditioning and chilled beverages.
Wanderlei Silva may still be holding a grudge against Chael Sonnen after sharing a van with him in 2010. During that van ride, Wanderlei had some choice words for Sonnen, who he felt had disrespected every Brazilian fighter in the UFC.It was assumed th…
Wanderlei Silva may still be holding a grudge against Chael Sonnen after sharing a van with him in 2010. During that van ride, Wanderlei had some choice words for Sonnen, who he felt had disrespected every Brazilian fighter in the UFC.
It was assumed that the beef between the two was squashed, as they never seemed to have crossed paths since. Apparently, that’s not the case.
Wanderlei Silva appeared on The MMA Show with Mauro Ranallo on Wednesday afternoon and went on the offensive against Sonnen.
He fights with his mouth. He’s not a top guy. He creates that style and looks for guys to give attention to him. But face to face, he’s like a kid. He’ll cry like a baby, man. I don’t know what kind of man can say something bad about you then say, “Hey Wanderlei, let’s shake hands.” F** you man. You talked some bad things. I’m old school. You’re talking some bulls*** about me, don’t shake my hand. This guy lost respect from me. Not one fighter respects him. I don’t like his style and I hope Anderson Silva kicks his ass. I think Anderson will be knock out Chael in the third round.
Based on career trajectory in the UFC, it is unlikely that these two will ever meet in the Octagon. Wanderlei has been incredibly inconsistent and appears to have been relegated to the “old-timers” circuit, fighting the likes of Cung Le and Rich Franklin.
Sonnen, on the other hand, will be challenging for the UFC middleweight belt on July 7 at UFC 148 against Anderson Silva. He has faced the top fighters in the middleweight division in his tenure and continues to dominate opponents.
There is a part of me that wishes that a fight between Wanderlei and Sonnen did happen. But those days are long passed. Silva is a shell of his former self, a veteran of many wars in the Pride ring. Those fights have caught up to him and he just cannot hang with the best of the division.
At this point in their respective careers, Sonnen is just too strong and powerful of a wrestler for Wanderlei to handle. He does not have the same wear and tear, and his chin is still granite-like.
Hopefully this rivalry remains in the press, if only for Silva’s sake. A fight with Sonnen would be a very poor career decision.
With all the sudden changes going on with UFC cards lately, one fight that appears to be intact is the trilogy between Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin at UFC 148. It might not add any relevance toward the light-heavyweight division, but Ortiz and G…
With all the sudden changes going on with UFC cards lately, one fight that appears to be intact is the trilogy between Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin at UFC 148.
It might not add any relevance toward the light-heavyweight division, but Ortiz and Griffin remain fan favorites within the company.
Griffin spoke to UFC.com about his third meeting with “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy.”
“We’re 1-1, we’ve had good fights. There’s going to be some things that are tough to deal with. A good wrestler that comes down low, that comes with pressure, he’s a tough guy to fight. He’s still got a good overhand right, good shovel hook, he’s got good punches, good knees, he’s got a good Thai clinch. If you can stop him from coming forward, he’s not so hard to fight. But when he’s coming forward in that good stance, you can’t tell if he’s gonna throw a big bomb or shoot…that’s tough to deal with.”
“A lot of people ask me. They say ‘Forrest, it’s Tito’s retirement fight. If you lose to Tito, are you going to retire?’ If I lose to Tito, I’m going to retire from life…seriously.”
Both fights have been memorable in their own right, but a third bout won’t mean much for either competitor except for a victory on their professional record. Neither man is in their prime anymore, and a final fight between them will finally bring closure to one of the most exciting rivalries in recent memory.
It is possible that Griffin could retire with a win, seeing as how he doesn’t stand a chance at receiving another title shot at this stage of his career.
Ortiz is set to retire following his match with Griffin, ending one of the most storied careers in UFC history.
Tito Ortiz has stated that he plans for his UFC 148 bout against Forrest Griffin to be his last in the promotion.After a long and storied career which saw him defend his light heavyweight title five times, there is nothing left for Ortiz to prove in th…
After a long and storied career which saw him defend his light heavyweight title five times, there is nothing left for Ortiz to prove in the UFC cage.
However, before he steps foot in the octagon on July 7th, he’ll be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame as confirmed by UFC President Dana White after the UFC 150 press conference in Denver, Colorado.
Ortiz will be the ninth person inducted into the hall of fame, which includes long-time rival Chuck Liddell.
Dana White told MMAWeekly.com, “He pound for pound was doing some of the most damage at a time when we were hurting…but it’s part of our history the way the storylines played out between me, Chuck and Tito. He’s definitely a part of the history of the sport.”
Fellow Bleacher Report writer Levi Nile took it upon himself to break down Tito’s greatest hits in the UFC. Besides capturing and defending the UFC light heavyweight title, Ortiz also had some phenomenal moments that included a rematch with Guy Mezger and coaching opposite of his arch nemesis Ken Shamrock on The Ultimate Fighter.
White and Ortiz had a tumultuous relationship based around fighter pay. Ortiz was once the most marketable fighter in the sport and wanted to be compensated as such. White, as the promoter of the UFC, was always at odds with Ortiz about how much he was worth to the UFC.
Though his career will come to a close with Ortiz on a bit of a skid, fans should remember him for his contributions to the sport. He was responsible for some of the biggest box office draws in history, and his second fight with Liddell was the first in UFC history to break one million pay-per-view buys.
According to MMAWeekly.com, the plan is for Ortiz to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the UFC Fan Expo that week.
Hopefully, Ortiz will continue to train and work with younger fighters after he retires. He is a heck of a coach, and by all accounts one of the most fan-friendly fighters in the sport.
Anderson Silva is the most accomplished fighter in UFC history—that’s a well-known fact. However, Chael Sonnen is one of the few human beings on this planet with the tools and wherewithal to beat the reigning middleweight champion.On August 7, 20…
Anderson Silva is the most accomplished fighter in UFC history—that’s a well-known fact. However, Chael Sonnen is one of the few human beings on this planet with the tools and wherewithal to beat the reigning middleweight champion.
On August 7, 2010 at UFC 117, Sonnen did what no one thought was possible—he made Silva look marginal. For four-and-a-half rounds, Sonnen gave Silva the greatest challenge that he has ever seen inside the octagon. Of course, Silva reminded us why he’s considered the best fighter in the world by finding a way to win the fight in the final round with a triangle/armbar submission.
If you’re a fan of Sonnen, you probably feel Silva got “lucky” with his submission attempt in the waning moments of the fight. If you’re a fan of Silva, you probably feel Sonnen’s performance was a fluke, fueled by excessive testosterone. The truth probably lies somewhere between.
On July 7, we finally get to settle the score once and for all. If Sonnen wants to finish what he started in the first fight, he’s going to need a to have a great game plan and execute it with near perfection. Here are the keys to victory for Sonnen if he wants to become the new middleweight champion.
UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva is on a collision course with his nemesis Chael Sonnen, and the two will finally settle their differences at UFC 148 in July. We all saw what happened the first time Silva and Sonnen squared off at UFC 117 nearl…
UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva is on a collision course with his nemesis Chael Sonnen, and the two will finally settle their differences at UFC 148 in July.
We all saw what happened the first time Silva and Sonnen squared off at UFC 117 nearly two years ago. And much has happened since that day in Oakland, with Sonnen facing a difficult time due to a failed drug test after the bout and Silva moving on to defend his championship against Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami.
In this B/R exclusive video, lead UFC blogger Jeremy Botter takes a look at the rematch between two of the brightest — and most controversial — stars in the sport of mixed martial arts. Botter also tells you who he thinks will come out victorious come July 7.
Do you agree with the pick? Disagree, perhaps? Leave your comment below and tell Jeremy why you agree with him, or why he’s wrong. And leave a prediction of your own, while you’re at it.
Be sure to sound off and let us know what you think in the comments below. If you like what you see, click here for more from Bleacher Report Productions.
Wanderlei Silva may still be holding a grudge against Chael Sonnen after