Tag: UFC 152

BJ Penn vs. Rory MacDonald: Why Penn Will Be Destroyed and Then Retire

It’s laughable to think that BJ Penn has a chance against Rory MacDonald. Penn will be smashed from pillar to post, and then subsequently retire (again), since he almost always threatens retirement after being beaten decisively.Think I’m dreaming or ju…

It’s laughable to think that BJ Penn has a chance against Rory MacDonald. Penn will be smashed from pillar to post, and then subsequently retire (again), since he almost always threatens retirement after being beaten decisively.

Think I’m dreaming or just trolling? Let’s look at the facts.

Penn is only 2-4-1 at welterweight. Here’s where Penn fans swoop in and say, “But three of those losses were to champions!”

Well, they’re right. Two of those losses were to current welterweight champion Georges St.Pierre and one was to former welterweight champion Matt Hughes—but that’s the point.

St. Pierre and Hughes were big, strong wrestlers who could push Penn around, exploit his small size for a welterweight and push Penn’s notoriously limited conditioning beyond its limits.

What is MacDonald besides an updated version of Hughes and, specifically, St. Pierre?

MacDonald has size, strength and stamina—which is all he’ll need to beat a welterweight Penn who, if a recent picture is any indication, might not be in the best shape of his career for the fight. Even if the fictitious “motivated Penn” shows up, he’ll still be smashed into the canvas so bad that onlookers will think he’s one of the advertisements.

MacDonald is just a terrible matchup for Penn, who is too small to compete with the current generation of welterweights represented by St. Pierre, and even more unfit to compete against the future generation of welterweights, represented by MacDonald.

The Canadian prospect will get a hold of Penn, smother him against the cage, attempt takedowns, ultimately wear Penn down and take him to the mat where the fight will eventually end.

Penn might be able to stave off MacDonald’s offensive in the first round and make deluded fans think that the legendary “motivated Penn” has returned, but Penn will characteristically fade in this welterweight bout, just like in his bouts with Hughes, St. Pierre and even Jon Fitch. 

In fact, Penn’s fight with MacDonald with look like a near-exact replica of his fight with Fitch. The wily Penn will put his skill and experience to good use and start strongly, but will drastically fade as the fight drags on, leading to an epic beatdown, only this time he will be finished. 

Penn simply has no chance. He’s too old, he’s fighting in the wrong weight class and the man he’s fighting is the future of the division. 

Remember the old WWE matches where the Undertaker would wrestle a jobber and then put him in a body bag?

Let’s just say that Penn won’t be the Undertaker at UFC 152, and if Penn is licking anyone’s blood off his gloves, it’ll be his own.

 

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The Casual Fan’s Guide to the UFC’s Flyweight Division

In December 2011, the UFC announced that it was, for the first time ever (for all intents and purposes) adding a brand new weight class. Granted, the UFC “added” the featherweight and bantamweight division when it axed the WEC and absorbed …

In December 2011, the UFC announced that it was, for the first time ever (for all intents and purposes) adding a brand new weight class. Granted, the UFC “added” the featherweight and bantamweight division when it axed the WEC and absorbed all their fighters. But now, the UFC is building a full stable of fighters from the ground up.

This entire endeavor is hard for casual fans to wrap their heads around, and many want to know more about this process. That’s what we are here for.

Welcome to the Bleacher Report Casual Fan’s Guide to the UFC Flyweight Division.

Here, you will learn all you need to know about what the UFC is doing to attract fighters, who they currently have on-staff, the division’s title picture and what is happening in the rest of the world among flyweights.

Get ready to be informed!

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BJ Penn Offers to Pay for UFC 152 VADA Drug Testing, Given a Stipulation

BJ Penn is so adamant about he Voluntary Anti-Doping Association administering drug testing for his UFC 152 headlining bout with Rory MacDonald, he’s willing to foot the bill. That is, with one condition: the drug test results must be kept confide…

BJ Penn is so adamant about he Voluntary Anti-Doping Association administering drug testing for his UFC 152 headlining bout with Rory MacDonald, he’s willing to foot the bill. 

That is, with one condition: the drug test results must be kept confidential until after the fight, Penn told MMA Junkie.

Penn explained that his offer came about when it was apparent that he and VADA officials were not on the same page on when the drug test results should be released.

“This isn’t an amateur sport. What I expressed to VADA was that results need to be released after the fight, but VADA wants to do it before the fight, and I said, ‘I’m not trying to put the UFC’s fight in danger by doing that.’ I said, ‘What’s the problem? Let’s do the results after the fight.” 

While some argue that this condition would all but guarantee VADA services are not utilized, Penn says that it’s not his place to possibly cancel a bout he is not promoting. 

“I’m not trying to put any pressure on Dana White. He has nothing to do with this. When the anti-doping agency can come on friendly terms and be more welcome with a company like the UFC, I think that’s what they should do, and I don’t know why they’re waiting and pushing this to take longer.”

Penn also added that “it doesn’t do any good for [UFC co-owners] Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta to put millions of dollars into marketing a fight that could get canceled.”

Penn said he has been in contact with Victor Conte, the founder of Balco Labs and “heavily involved with Vada” according to “The Prodigy.”

However, according to Conte‘s Twitter, he is less than impressed with Penn’s latest offer. 

“ Seems to be a huge amount of fear regarding somebody testing positive for drugs before your fight with Rory? Yet NO testing?”

VADA has not recently been involved in high-profile MMA fights, but have been responsible for a couple of marquee boxing match ups being cancelled. 

Recently, Lamont Peterson was forced out of a planned May bout with Amir Khan and Andre Berto was pulled from a planned June matchup with Victor Ortiz after they failed VADA screenings.

According to the bylaws established by VADA, athletes who agree to their terms are subject to unannounced drug testing during the eight weeks prior to the fight. 

The fighters also agree to have the drug testing results submitted to the athletic commission overseeing the event.

Is Penn’s suggestion a good one or is he taking a good idea and watering it down to something unfeasible? 

UFC 152 is scheduled for Sept. 22 where the 22-year-old MacDonald will have a home field advantage at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada.

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BJ Penn and Rory MacDonald Lead Fan-Friendly, Stacked Card into Toronto for UFC

There are some upcoming events which I’m looking forward to watching. UFC 150 is one such event, because Edgar and Henderson will have their rematch for the lightweight title. UFC 151 is another, because Jones and Hen…

There are some upcoming events which I’m looking forward to watching. UFC 150 is one such event, because Edgar and Henderson will have their rematch for the lightweight title. UFC 151 is another, because Jones and Hendo will throw down in their title fight.

However, the one event I’m looking forward to above both of these cards is UFC 152, which will take place in my home base of Toronto.

Toronto has had two UFC events thus far, UFC 129 and UFC 140. Both of those cards were stacked, and the events were fantastic.

Simply put, Canadian fans love their mixed martial arts.

UFC 152 will be no different: The atmosphere will be electric, especially because of the matchmaking job Joe Silva and Sean Shelby have done thus far.

Canadian welterweight monster Rory MacDonald will face the recently un-retired BJ Penn. This matchup should be exciting, as both fighters are warriors who compete at the highest level.

In a featherweight scrap, Jimmy Hettes, who many see as the future of the division, will come out to fight hard-hitting  Marcus Brimage, an alum of The Ultimate Fighter ‘s14th season.

Michael Bisping has been calling out every middleweight fighter he can in recent times. He finally got an answer, in the form of Brian Stann: a British fighter against an American fighter on Canadian soil. 

A true multicultural experience.

As for the main event, Toronto plays host to the first-ever flyweight championship fight. Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson will be the two combatants in the cage for that fight.

These are the fights announced for the Toronto card to date, but more are on the way. This card is shaping up to be one of the most exciting, fan-friendly cards in recent memory.

Be prepared for fireworks and dramatic fanfare on September 22!

 

Check me out on Twitter @FuscoNation16.

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Michael Bisping Gets his next Opponent for UFC 152. SPOILER: It’s Someone he Called Out.


ANOTHER SPOILER: It’s not Zeus, Neptune or the Kraken, either.

Okay, so the title of the article gives you no hints at all whatsoever on who Michael Bisping’s next opponent is. Given that Michael Bisping has been calling out seemingly every relevant middleweight, the title can be referring to any fighter that would make sense as an opponent for “The Count,” and even a few that wouldn’t. Big whoop, wanna fight about it?

Well, The Count now has an opponent in place for September 22’s UFC 152 in Toronto. Standing across the cage from Michael Bisping will be none other than Brian Stann.

When we last saw Stann in action, the former Marine made very quick work of Alessio Sakara at April’s UFC on FUEL TV 2, knocking him out two and a half minutes into their bout. Stann was then expected to welcome Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard to the UFC at August’s UFC on Fox 4, but a shoulder injury forced him off of the card. After being called out by none other than Michael Bisping, “The All-American” would accept Bisping’s callout on July 4th, which I’m sure has some kind of significance.


ANOTHER SPOILER: It’s not Zeus, Neptune or the Kraken, either.

Okay, so the title of the article gives you no hints at all whatsoever on who Michael Bisping’s next opponent is. Given that Michael Bisping has been calling out seemingly every relevant middleweight, the title can be referring to any fighter that would make sense as an opponent for “The Count,” and even a few that wouldn’t. Big whoop, wanna fight about it?

Well, The Count now has an opponent in place for September 22′s UFC 152 in Toronto. Standing across the cage from Michael Bisping will be none other than Brian Stann.

When we last saw Stann in action, the former Marine made very quick work of Alessio Sakara at April’s UFC on FUEL TV 2, knocking him out two and a half minutes into their bout. Stann was then expected to welcome Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard to the UFC at August’s UFC on Fox 4, but a shoulder injury forced him off of the card. After being called out by none other than Michael Bisping, “The All-American” would accept Bisping’s callout on July 4th, which I’m sure has some kind of significance.

Likewise, Michael Bisping is coming off of a unanimous decision loss at the hands of Chael Sonnen at UFC on Fox 2 in January. Bisping was expected to face Tim Boetsch at UFC 149, but fell victim to the UFC 149 injury curse.

While a victory for Stann would certainly put him “in the mix” at 185, a loss for Michael Bisping would more than likely keep him out of contention for the foreseeable future.  Losing two straight fights would already be enough to warrant a gatekeeper for his next fight, but seeing how Mayhem Miller is arguably the biggest name he’s defeated since his 2008 victory over Chris Leben, it’s doubtful he’d be getting another top contender any time soon.

In other UFC 152 booking news, the finale of the Flyweight Tournament will also take place at this event. Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez will be fighting for the right to be the first champion in the history of the UFC flyweight division. Barring any kind of mistake that forces a rematch, nothing can possibly go wrong, right?

UFC 152: Bisping vs. Stann, Benavidez vs. Johnson Set for Toronto

Michael Bisping has been a man on a mission as of late. If there’s been a middleweight fight happening, he’s been there to tell anyone with a microphone that he’s more than willing to take on the winner of that fight. He did it after …

Michael Bisping has been a man on a mission as of late. If there’s been a middleweight fight happening, he’s been there to tell anyone with a microphone that he’s more than willing to take on the winner of that fight. He did it after Anderson Silva beat Chael Sonnen, he did it after Chris Weidman beat Mark Munoz, he did it after Alan Belcher defeated Rousimar Palhares and just in case the UFC was thinking of giving Brian Stann a shot at a top contender, he called him out as well.

The middleweight mouth that roared can finally relax; the UFC has given him a fight, and it’s even against one of the fighters he called out—Brian Stann. The fight, which the UFC announced, will take place at UFC 152 in Toronto on September 22.

The Bisping versus Stann fight will have co-main-event status in Toronto. Main-event status that night will go to the flyweights. Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson will headline the fight card, with the winner being crowned the first flyweight champion in the history of the UFC. 

Benavidez and Johnson started on the path toward their upcoming bout back in March when the UFC held the first round of a four-man flyweight tournament. Benavidez earned a TKO win over his opponent, Yasuhiro Urushitani, while a scoring tabulation error saw Johnson’s fight with Ian McCall declared a majority draw long after Johnson had been declared the winner inside the Octagon.

Johnson and McCall would meet again, with Johnson taking home the unanimous decision, punching his ticket to the matchup with Benavidez.

Also appearing on the card will be the recently un-retired BJ Penn, who is set to face Rory MacDonald.

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