UFC 155 centers around the heavyweight rematch between UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez, but there is plenty of action left to be had on the 12-fight card.There will be fights in six different divisions at UFC 155, and near…
UFC 155 centers around the heavyweight rematch between UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez, but there is plenty of action left to be had on the 12-fight card.
There will be fights in six different divisions at UFC 155, and nearly all have some sort of implication on the top ten rankings.
The card features a host of heavy hitters and submission finishers.
The co-main event features a lightweight clash between Jim Miller and Joe Lauzon. Also on the card, Chris Leben makes his UFC return against debuting Derek Brunson, Tim Boetsch looks to make a case for being a middleweight contender against Costa Philippou, and Alan Belcher will try the same vs. Yushin Okami.
This is how each fight stacks up to one another for UFC 155.
Something almost every fighter will tell you is that they fight in the UFC to entertain the fans. Joe Lauzon knows all about it.Although he hasn’t climbed to within title conversations as of yet, Lauzon puts on a show whenever he enters the Octag…
Something almost every fighter will tell you is that they fight in the UFC to entertain the fans. Joe Lauzon knows all about it.
Although he hasn’t climbed to within title conversations as of yet, Lauzon puts on a show whenever he enters the Octagon.
The UFC rewards efforts such as this with their “Fight Night” bonuses. Lauzon is only second for number of bonuses received, that have been given out since UFC Ultimate Fight Night 3 in January 2006. That night, Melvin Guillard and Josh Neer received $20,000 for “Fight of the Night.”
Lauzon is set to face Jim Miller at UFC 155, where he will look to move into a tie (or break) the UFC record for most fight night bonuses.
For now, here are some guys that, like Lauzon, have won over fans, media and colleagues alike with excellent performances and amazing finishes.
Even though the UFC 155 title fight this weekend features Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez, the winner still won’t have escaped the shadow of Alistair Overeem.Sure, tomorrow’s winner gets a shiny championship belt.And yes, the victor will rise to t…
Even though the UFC 155 title fight this weekend features Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez, the winner still won’t have escaped the shadow of Alistair Overeem.
Sure, tomorrow’s winner gets a shiny championship belt.
And yes, the victor will rise to the top of several consensus heavyweight rankings in the eyes of many MMA publications across the globe.
But no matter who wins, Overeem can still continue to sell himself as “the man to beat” within the UFC’s heavyweight division.
Despite suspensions, speculation over his cartoonish physique and his somewhat questionable strength of competition, “The Demolition Man” actually holds a claim as the uncrowned king of the giants. But with only one fight in the UFC so far, exactly how is that possible?
Although the issue’s been briefly addressed before, let’s break down a few things about the Dutchman that sets him apart from everyone else in the promotion’s heaviest division.
Overeem is the MMA Heavyweight (Lineal) Champion
“To be ‘The Man’, you have to beat ‘The Man’.”
That’s been the core rule behind the idea of lineal championships, a concept in combat sports that doesn’t always follow a title belt or where it’s defended.
In the case of the heavyweight division, the original lineage is a bit difficult to pin down (Fight Matrix starts it with Ken Shamrock at Pancrase’s second MMA event).
However the succession pans out, though, it generally comes down to Fedor Emelianenko, who had the lineal title ripped from his grasp by Fabricio Werdum. But ever since Werdum lost to Overeem in his very next bout, the MMA heavyweight lineal title has rested with the Dutch fighter.
But does it matter?
That might ultimately depend on how much we value intangible status symbols within the sport—do pound-for-pound MMA rankings matter?
Few Fighters Can Match Overeem’s Record
Fact: No active heavyweight fighter in the UFC has as gaudy a career as Overeem does.
Although hardcore fans know better than to judge a fighter on numbers alone, his 36-11-0-1 MMA record alone is something that’s relatively easy to sell to potential viewers.
Overeem hasn’t faced the toughest competition since permanently moving to heavyweight five years ago, but it’s all about how the UFC summarizes his history.
Heck, the broadcast highlights practically write themselves:
• 36 Wins, 11-Fight Undefeated Streak • Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion • Dream Heavyweight Champion • K-1 2010 World Grand Prix Champion
Even if you can argue the relative worth (or worthlessness) of his various titles, Overeem fans can still boast that he has more career MMA wins and total fights than every other UFC heavyweight.
Shane Carwin exposed Lesnar’s chin and Velasquez handed the former WWE superstar his second humiliating defeat in MMA.
But Overeem will hold the notable distinction of being the one who sent the UFC’s best pay-per-view draw back to professional wrestling.
Yes, Lesnar did say after the fact that he intended to retire from MMA no matter what. That still doesn’t change the fact that “The Reem” left him little choice, as the mountainous kickboxer obliterated the still-larger former heavyweight champion in less than three minutes.
True, getting suspended for high testosterone levels right afterward didn’t help Overeem’s UFC debut, but he still seems to carry that enigmatic air that’s surrounded him since his impressive 2010 run. Fans still want to see Overeem fight, and the UFC still seems to value him as a potential star in the making.
So, let’s recap.
Alistair Overeem is an MMA legend with 48 professional fights, two major MMA world titles, a world kickboxing championship and a legitimate claim as history’s “real” MMA heavyweight champion.
Maybe all of that comes with an asterisk or two, but handing “The Demolition Man” his first defeat in five years should be a major incentive for the JDS vs. Velasquez winner—provided that Overeem doesn’t lose to Antonio Silva at UFC 156 this coming February.
McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist and FightFans Radio writer. His work has appeared in GamePro, Macworld and PC World. Talk with him on Twitter.
UFC 155 has nearly arrived, and in anticipation of the UFC’s traditional end-of-the-year event Saturday night, we take a glance at five interesting storylines to watch for as the event unfolds.From a grudge match, to meaningful title implications, to a…
UFC 155 has nearly arrived, and in anticipation of the UFC’s traditional end-of-the-year event Saturday night, we take a glance at five interesting storylines to watch for as the event unfolds.
From a grudge match, to meaningful title implications, to an uncanny streak on the line, the event lacks nothing in the way of intrigue and promises to end 2012 with a bang.
The rematch between Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez takes place Saturday, Dec. 29 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. I’m so excited to see two top-notch, healthy heavyweights clash, I couldn’t wait until Saturday night. As I&r…
The rematch between Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez takes place Saturday, Dec. 29 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
I’m so excited to see two top-notch, healthy heavyweights clash, I couldn’t wait until Saturday night. As I’ve done with several other major sporting events, I simulated the matchup as a bit of a preview on my YouTube channel.
Hopefully, the real thing lives up to the simulation.
I used the latest licensed UFC game available for a gaming console as the platform, UFC Undisputed 3. In case you haven’t heard, the UFC license now belongs to EA Sports, per EA Sports, so this title is the last UFC game that will be published by THQ.
The simulated match was a mixture of exciting stand-up fighting and some grappling. In the end, Junior Dos Santos came out on top again.
He used some excellent takedown defense to thwart Velasquez’s attempts to shoot his legs. The two behemoths traded top position when they did go to the ground. Dos Santos more than held his own there.
He actually opened up a nasty gash over Velasquez’s eye with an elbow from top position.
That spelled bad news for Velasquez in the simulation, and I believe it would equate to doom for him in the real-life clash. Dos Santos’ reach and boxing ability is too advanced for Velasquez in the stand-up game.
If Cain can’t control him on the ground, he’s going to be in major trouble.
Such was the case in the simulation. After two-and-a-half spirited rounds, Dos Santos stopped Velasquez in the third round.
I didn’t alter any of the abilities as each man has only competed once since their initial meeting. I cranked the difficulty to the max to ensure that each virtual fighter was at his best.
It was a cool simulation to watch.
We’ll have to wait and see if the real thing is as exciting. If it is, MMA fans will get their money’s worth with this pay-per-view.
Follow Brian Mazique and Franchiseplay on YouTube and Twitter for reactions, analysis and news from the world of sports and sports video games
2012 was a rough year for the UFC. With all the injuries, it seems as if the only possible means to escape the curse is for the clocks to strike midnight and 2013 to begin. UFC 155 is the UFC’s annual end-of-year event. In past years, they’ve…
2012 was a rough year for the UFC. With all the injuries, it seems as if the only possible means to escape the curse is for the clocks to strike midnight and 2013 to begin.
UFC 155 is the UFC’s annual end-of-year event. In past years, they’ve stacked the card from top to bottom, essentially making them the can’t-miss event of the year. This year’s event has retained that status despite suffering from that aforementioned injury curse.
Headlined by a heavyweight title fight between Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez, it’s an event that should have long-term implications for the division.
The night also marks the return of Chris “The Crippler” Leben, who is coming off a year-long suspension for banned substances.
It’s a card not to miss, so make sure you are here Saturday night for a live discussion and play-by-play of UFC 155.
And if you’re going out for the fights, stay safe. Let’s all have a great New Year.
