Tag: UFC 149

Urijah Faber vs. Renan Barao Results: Keys to Victory for Barao

It looks like the rubber match between Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber will have to wait.That’s because 25-year-old Renan Barao was able to defeat Faber in the main event of UFC 149, wrestling a shot at Cruz away from the California Kid.Though Faber was…

It looks like the rubber match between Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber will have to wait.

That’s because 25-year-old Renan Barao was able to defeat Faber in the main event of UFC 149, wrestling a shot at Cruz away from the California Kid.

Though Faber was able to stay in the fight from start to finish, the end result of the contest was a one-sided and clear-cut decision for Barao, who utilized a superior striking arsenal to foil Faber’s designs to hold UFC gold.

Here, we will take a look at the four key elements of Barao‘s attack, which collectively led to his championship victory Saturday night in Calgary.

Begin Slideshow

UFC 149 Results: What Happened to the Old Hector Lombard?

What happened to the old Hector Lombard?Nothing.The Hector Lombard that entered the Octagon at UFC 149 was the same that had entered the cage in Bellator and various other promotions—except this time he wasn’t fighting a can.You see, the “old” He…

What happened to the old Hector Lombard?

Nothing.

The Hector Lombard that entered the Octagon at UFC 149 was the same that had entered the cage in Bellator and various other promotions—except this time he wasn’t fighting a can.

You see, the “old” Hector Lombard disposed of opponents in devastatingly brutal fashion. His forte was smashing guys like Herbert “Whisper” Goodman, Kalib Starnes and Joe Doerksen, and then calling out UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

Of course, the anti-UFC/anti-Zuffa crowd bought into this whole shtick, as they do every time a fighter has some success in an organization outside of the UFC or outside of the Zuffa umbrella. 

In that respect, Lombard is just another disappointment in a long line of would-be supermen such as Denis Kang, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto, Takanori Gomi and more.

Lombard and these men, touted as world-beaters for their wins in lesser organizations, were brought to the UFC and subsequently proven to be the product of Internet hype—and that’s all Lombard was, hype. 

Look at the numbers. Lombard is now 31-3-1 (1 NC). His biggest wins were over impressive Bellator middleweight Alexander Shlemenko and grizzled journeyman Trevor Prangley, and his losses are to the only three above-average fighters he’s faced in his career, Akihiro Gono, Gegard Mousasi, and Tim Boetsch.

Where was the old Hector Lombard? He was there, he just wasn’t matched up against a can so he didn’t look anywhere near as talented as usual.

 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 149: Is Hector Lombard Overrated or an Underperformer?

What happened? UFC 149 in Calgary was supposed to be Hector Lombard’s coming-out party; it was supposed to be an announcement of his intention to take Anderson Silva’s middleweight crown. Instead, his performance against Tim Boetsch was an …

What happened? UFC 149 in Calgary was supposed to be Hector Lombard’s coming-out party; it was supposed to be an announcement of his intention to take Anderson Silva’s middleweight crown. Instead, his performance against Tim Boetsch was an inexplicable display of passivity from one of MMA’s most recklessly aggressive fighters.

How best to explain the bizarrely apathetic approach of the Cuban? Much has been made of so-called “Octagon jitters,” the strange disease that so often ails Japan-based fighters. But Hector Lombard is a vastly experienced competitor, having competed on the lofty Olympic stage.

It seems strange that so well-travelled a fighter would freeze up. Then again, perhaps the performance of Tim Boetsch isn’t getting the credit it deserves.

In my preview of the fight earlier this week, I suggested that “The Barbarian” may have to bank on a little technique in order to get the job done. I certainly didn’t expect the stocky wrestler to get on the balls of his feet and counter the flat-footed Lombard for the entirety of the fight, but that is largely what happened.

That’s not to say that Boetsch looked like Juan Manuel Marquez out there, but he effectively shut down the plodding former Bellator champ, without ever really landing anything big.

It was suggested by Joe Rogan that Lombard may have experienced an “adrenaline dump,” in much the same way Jason “Mayhem” Miller did against Michael Bisping. There may be something to that hypothesis, given the hype surrounding the former Olympic judoka this week.

One could argue that Lombard exerted too much energy during the pre-fight pageantry. He looked listless and short of ideas, slowly shuffling forward with all the energy of a heavyweight in the final moments of a 25-minute slugfest.

I feel all of the above may be clutching at straws, however. A much simpler explanation is that Hector Lombard is not nearly as good as we thought. Sure, he looked spectacular in Bellator, but is it a coincidence that he failed to deliver as soon as he faced stiffer opposition?

One wonders whether Dana White and Joe Silva already regret their expensive acquisition of the former Bellator middleweight king, not to mention their decision to decorate him in all sorts of UFC apparel. They certainly won’t be rushing to give him Anderson Silva. Heck, he may not even get Mark Munoz after last night’s display.

But look on the bright side, Hector. At least your fight was better than Shawn Jordan vs. Cheick Kongo. Well, marginally better.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 149: What We Learned from Urijah Faber vs. Renan Barao

In his first title fight for any promotion, Brazilian Renan Barao executed a controlled but effective game plan to confound former champion Urijah Faber and capture the UFC interim bantamweight belt at UFC 149 Saturday night in Calgary, Canada. Th…

In his first title fight for any promotion, Brazilian Renan Barao executed a controlled but effective game plan to confound former champion Urijah Faber and capture the UFC interim bantamweight belt at UFC 149 Saturday night in Calgary, Canada. 

The UFC, and the world of MMA, has a new champion.

Barao (29-1-1) still has not lost since his professional debut in 2005. Barao celebrated the interim title by jumping across the cage and exulting with teammates and coaches. It might have been the most exciting part of the main event.

“I came well prepared for everything,” Barao told broadcaster Joe Rogan after the fight through a translator. “I knew Urijah Faber was a great athlete. I prepared well and got a good result.”

Like training partner Jose Aldo before him, Barao relied heavily on leg kicks to stymie Faber’s attack. By and large, however, the fight was surprisingly short on action, particularly given the frenetic reputations both fighters enjoy.

Regardless of the reason, Faber (26-6) was not able to get to Barao, and the outcome was never deeply in doubt. 

 

What We’ll Remember about this Fight

There was no huge kick, no defining exchange. Renan Barao had a plan, and Faber couldn’t do anything to stop it. What was memorable was the 25-year-old Barao plucking the torch from the 32-year-old Faber. Dominick Cruz is the champion, but Faber was still the face of the lower weight classes. He can’t credibly hold that role anymore. 

 

What We Learned about Urijah Faber

Faber is no longer able to compete with the very highest levels. Whether it’s Barao or Cruz or Jose Aldo, Faber simply can no longer get his fastball over the plate. In the later rounds, when it was clear Faber would need a finish, “The California Kid” still did not have the capacity or the willingness to go for broke. He wasn’t as good as Renan Barao Saturday night, and he knew it.

Oh, and he also still doesn’t have an answer for leg kicks. Dear fighters: If you want to beat Faber, try the leg kick.

 

What We Learned about Renan Barao

We learned that he won’t throw the baby out with the bath water. It wasn’t exciting, but Barao’s performance was more than enough to win. He was conscientious about keeping range and landing low and high kicks that Faber could not counter. And his takedown defense was as advertised. 

 

What’s Next for Faber

Despite the setback, he’ll remain at the top of the division and, more importantly, will stay extremely marketable. How about a matchup with Eddie Wineland? Wineland lost to Faber in the UFC debut for both men back in 2011. I don’t think Wineland would mind a chance to run it back. 

 

What’s Next for Barao:

If UFC President Dana White sticks to his word, the interim champ will not fight again until champ Dominick Cruz returns from his torn ACL, probably in early 2013. If that’s the case, it’s unfortunate, as I’d like to see Barao defend the belt at least once. If the belt were to be defended, young up-and-comer Michael McDonald would seem to sit in the challenger’s seat.

 

Scott Harris is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. Follow him on Twitter @ScottHarrisMMA.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 149 Results: The Real Winners and Losers from Faber vs. Barao

One of the most injury-riddled cards in UFC history has come and gone, as UFC 149 raided Alberta, Canada and left with a new interim bantamweight champion to show for it. The card provided an abundance of opportunities and a chance for one 135-lb. figh…

One of the most injury-riddled cards in UFC history has come and gone, as UFC 149 raided Alberta, Canada and left with a new interim bantamweight champion to show for it.

The card provided an abundance of opportunities and a chance for one 135-lb. fighter to stake his claim for Dominick Cruz’s championship belt.

Who rose to the occasion, seized the moment and emerged victorious?

Who shrunk away and shriveled under the bright lights?

Start the slideshow to see the real winners and losers from UFC 149: Faber vs. Barao.

Begin Slideshow

UFC 149: What We Learned from Hector Lombard vs. Tim Boetsch

The co-main event of UFC 149 featured newly acquired Hector Lombard take on stalwart middleweight contender Tim Boetsch.Billed as a sure-fire barn-burner, this fight did nothing but disappoint on every level. Boetsch walked away victorious, though, it’…

The co-main event of UFC 149 featured newly acquired Hector Lombard take on stalwart middleweight contender Tim Boetsch.

Billed as a sure-fire barn-burner, this fight did nothing but disappoint on every level. Boetsch walked away victorious, though, it’s difficult to say anyone actually won this fight.

 

What we’ll remember about this fight:

Hector Lombard makes his UFC not with a bang, but a whimper. 

 

What we learned about Hector Lombard:

That the hype surrounding his UFC arrival is gone—all of it.

The performance Lombard turned in at UFC 149 was atypical for him, but it cannot be excused. Whether he was suffering from an undisclosed injury, the fabled “Octagon jitters” or it just wasn’t his night, Lombard exhibited none of the aggression and power we have come to expect from him.

It wouldn’t be fair to say that we learned Hector Lombard is overrated just yet, but it would certainly be fair to say that his road to the title is not going to be as luxurious as some of his supporters seemed to believe.

 

What we learned about Tim Boetsch:

Though Boetsch pulled out a split-decision win, the performance he put on was far from convincing. Like Lombard, Boetsch was angling for a title shot heading into UFC 149, but it’s almost certain he will not so much as gain consideration for that honor.

A more optimistic person would say that we learned Tim Boetsch can hang with the middleweight elite, but I just can’t accept that the Lombard we saw at UFC 149 was anywhere near the elite level.

 

What’s next for Hector Lombard:

A fight with Mark Munoz could help declutter the middleweight division.

 

What’s next for Tim Boetsch:

The next fighter to contest Anderson Silva will likely be one of Michael Bisping or Chris Weidman. Boetsch should get the other one.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com