Just over eight years ago, the course of the UFC took a dramatic turn for the better when the finale of the first-ever The Ultimate Fighter took place in Las Vegas. The reality show that aired on Spike TV in 2005 was almost a last shot for the promotio…
Just over eight years ago, the course of the UFC took a dramatic turn for the better when the finale of the first-ever The Ultimate Fighter took place in Las Vegas.
The reality show that aired on Spike TV in 2005 was almost a last shot for the promotion. The UFC had hemorrhaged money for months following its purchase by the Fertitta brothers along with family friend and business partner Dana White.
Then, in one of the last fights of the night, something magical happened.
The two finalists from The Ultimate Fighter’s inaugural light heavyweight tournament battled it out for 15 minutes in one of the most historic bouts in fight history.
Forrest Griffin and Stephen Bonnar didn’t have the most technical fight the MMA world had ever seen—far from it, actually.
They did, however, manage to slug it out in a back-and-forth war for three rounds that was so enthralling that the viewership for the fight grew as each minute passed.
On Saturday, UFC president Dana White officially inducted both Griffin and Bonnar into the UFC Hall of Fame for their fight that helped keep the company alive.
“As far as this company goes for sure, but as far as this sport goes—this was the most important fight in the history of this company,” White said on Saturday.“At the time when this fight happened, you know where we were back then, and what was happening with the sport.We were $44 million dollars in the hole in this business.
“During six minutes of that fight, 12 million people tuned in.You know how crazy that is? You know what insane numbers those are? There has never been a more important fight in the history of the UFC.There has never been a more important fight than maybe UFC 1 in the history of mixed martial arts.”
Griffin and Bonnar‘s fight is still regarded as one of the greatest in MMA history, and in terms of importance to the sport’s survival, it may sit alone as the biggest ever.
Following that fight, their careers took different trajectories.
Griffin went on to win the UFC light heavyweight title in 2008 from Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, and while he never successfully defended the belt, it was still a crowning achievement for the former TUF 1 winner.
Bonnar never achieved that level of success in the UFC. While he was by no means a bad fighter, he never got close to a title shot or even contention.It’s also impossible to overlook that he was busted twice for steroid use during his UFC career.
Still, White believes that the two gladiators who stepped into the Octagon that night in 2005 deserve a special place in the UFC Hall of Fame.
Both Griffin and Bonnar are now retired from active competition.
“It’s not like a hero profession even though sometimes it’s treated as one.It’s not being a soldier on foreign soil or being a paramedic or a firefighter, but sometimes on special moments it feels like that,” Griffin said during the induction when looking back as his career as a fighter.“It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever been a part of.”
Bonnar hasn’t been in White’s good graces since testing positive for banned substances following his fight against UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 153 last year.White didn’t even speak to Bonnar much, if at all, leading up to the induction ceremony on Saturday.
Still, Bonnar was an integral part of UFC history, and so his place is now cemented as a Hall of Famer.
“As painful as it was to lose that fight, I was so happy for him.He’s a great guy,” Bonnar said about Griffin.“I just want to end with a quote, this one from Calvin Coolidge—nothing in the world could take the place of persistence.Talent will not, nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not, unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.Education will not, the world is full with educated derelicts.Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan press on has solved and will always solve the problems of the human race.”
Griffin and Bonnar are the 10th and 11th fighters inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
At UFC 162, Chris Leben and Andrew Craig squared off in a battle of two heavy-striking middleweights. Even at 32 years old, Leben used his still-intact and legendary chin and toughness to avoid a third-round stoppage. Nevertheless, the younger, st…
At UFC 162, Chris Leben and Andrew Craig squared off in a battle of two heavy-striking middleweights. Even at 32 years old, Leben used his still-intact and legendary chin and toughness to avoid a third-round stoppage. Nevertheless, the younger, stronger, faster Craig got the better of his opponent in a split-decision victory in Saturday night’s final free TV fight.
Leben (22-10) was the more aggressive of the two at the outset, but Craig (9-1) landed more strikes overall and used the clinch to control the action. Craig blended hard counter shots, big combinations, knees from the Thai plumm and even some late takedowns to wear away Leben’s will and cruise to the win, which was more one-sided than the split decision might suggest.
What we’ll remember about this fight
Along the fence in the third round, Craig landed a monstrous punch combination to put Leben on the mat. Craig stiffly but resolutely followed up but could not finish his stone-headed opponent. That sequence summed it all up.
What we learned about Chris Leben
His toughness, for better or worse, might extend his career a few more years, if Leben so desires. But he wasn’t able to mount much offense beyond looking for a home for his vaunted left fist. The performance was not encouraging for a guy who recently switched camps and claimed to be in the best shape of his life coming into Saturday night.
What we learned about Andrew Craig
This doesn’t establish 27-year-old Craig as a middleweight contender. He has some tools, but he’s also a bit awkward. Before the fight, Craig essentially labeled himself Chris Leben 2.0. This fight, if nothing else, cemented that as the truth.
What’s next for Leben
Despite the fact that he suffered his third straight loss, I’d be surprised if the UFC were to release Leben. Although, now that I think about it, he may be ripe for the plucking. He’s 32 years old, seemingly running in place despite switching camps and perhaps aging in dog years.
At this age and level, a fighter needs more than a strong chin and a potent left hand.
At UFC 155—where Leben dropped a snoozer decision to Derek Brunson—only Junior dos Santos earned more among the losing fighters. Leben also made more than nine winning fighters, including Brunson, who took home $21,000 less than Leben. You don’t think the UFC might want to jettison that ballast?
I love me some Leben. But the UFC, as it loves to remind people, is a business. If Dana White and company decide to part ways with Leben, another promotion would snap him up.
What’s next for Craig
I’d love to see him test his skills against fast-rising young buck Antonio Braga Neto, who submitted Anthony Smith via first-round kneebar in June.
They’ve smushed chins. They’ve mushed lips. But tonight at UFC 162 in Las Vegas, Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman will let their fists do the love-making, and the only bodily fluids being exchanged will be BLOOD. [Ed. note: Look, I’m doing my best here.] Whether the Brazilian G.O.A.T. makes his 11th middleweight title defense, or the “All-American” lives up to his Rocky-esque underdog hype, I think we’re in for a hell of a battle.
Handling our liveblog for the “Silva vs. Weidman” main card is Alex Giardini, who will be slingin’ live results after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for the latest updates, and feel free to mouth off in the comments section.
They’ve smushed chins. They’ve mushed lips. But tonight at UFC 162 in Las Vegas, Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman will let their fists do the love-making, and the only bodily fluids being exchanged will be BLOOD. [Ed. note: Look, I’m doing my best here.] Whether the Brazilian G.O.A.T. makes his 11th middleweight title defense, or the “All-American” lives up to his Rocky-esque underdog hype, I think we’re in for a hell of a battle.
Handling our liveblog for the “Silva vs. Weidman” main card is Alex Giardini, who will be slingin’ live results after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for the latest updates, and feel free to mouth off in the comments section.
Good evening gentlemen (let’s be honest, your girlfriends are out cheating on you)…the Potato’s resident spaghetti-bender here, guiding you through UFC 162:Silva vs. Weidman. After yesterday’s attempt to dethrone Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling’s moment of the century, both Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman will battle for the middleweight title in a main event we actually give a shit about (it’s rough in the bubble these days, my patates). After a hectic week full of fighter pay controversies, Ken Shamrock sleazebaggary and a video that surfaced where Chael Sonnen looks severely out of place, the focus should be on Silva’s legacy and if the time has finally come for us to witness his first Octagon loss. Despite over a dozen fighters siding with Weidman, Silva will never be an underdog in a middleweight fight (for you Jon Jones fanny’s out there). He has been a gift for us to watch and you’ll agree with me when I say I never want this dude to go away. Weidman, a 9-0 Serra-Longo fight team product, really caught everyone’s eye when he submitted Tom Lawlor in just over two minutes back at UFC 139. I don’t have to remind you of what he did to Mark Munoz in his last fight to bring you up to speed on where we’re at today. He is also making $24,000 to show, which is less than the average Cage Potato reader’s annual salary.
The co-main event features Frankie “Lil’ Balboa” Edgar against Brazilian submission ace Charles Oliveira. Edgar is on a three-fight losing streak and despite still being viewed as one of the best fighters in the world; he desperately needs to win tonight…which is why this slight mismatch was made in the first place.
Also on the card is everyone’s favorite complainer Tim Kennedy, as he squares off against fellow Strikeforce vet Roger Gracie. Mark Munoz takes on Tim Boetsch and Cub Swanson meets Dennis Siver in what should be the fight of the night. Sit tight, refresh and don’t stream this one illegally, you vile combat sports enthusiast – scam your parents into thinking you’re visiting them tonight and order it on their satellite provider, because that’s exactly what I’m doing.
Intro video has Anderson Silva declaring the fans will like what they see tonight. Weidman says he will look to submit him and take his belt. And of course, cue the “Bring the pain, it’s insane, make em’ step to this” song that has never left us.
Cub Swanson vs. Dennis Siver
Round 1: Dennis Siver comes out to fucking Papa Roach and Swanson to something that kids who take molly’s listen to. Herb Dean summons them both and they touch gloves. Siver misses with a low legkick. Both men exchange low legkicks, as Siver bounces up and down repeatedly. Swanson gets a nice jab in as Siver misses with a big overhead right. Siver throws a headkick but it doesn’t connect. Nice right hand by Swanson. Siver catches a kick by Swanson and throws him to the ground. Siver trying to work as Swanson has his right leg stuck in his half-guard. Siver trying to clinches Swanson’s head and arm, and then ends up in side control. Siver attempting a crucifix and throws a few punches. Siver now has Swanson’s hips and Swanson attempts a guillotine. Both men are back on their feet, Swanson now in a southpaw stance. Siver lands another kick and a flurry before the bell sounds. 10-9 Siver.
Round 2: Siver working with those low legkicks as a part of his gameplan. Nice left hook by Swanson forces Siver to reshuffle his positioning. Patented spinning heel kick by Siver lands but doesn’t do too much damage. Swanson checks another headkick from Siver. Swanson goes for a left hook and Siver ducks under, working for a takedown but its stuffed. Solid kick by Swanson and Siver is slightly bloodied in the nose. Both men circling more and more, looking for openings. Another headkick blocked by Swanson and he throws one of his own that also gets blocked. Siver pushed forward with the jab and Swanson gets a good kick in to the body. A solid left jab rocks Swanson back a few steps. Big uppercut by Swanson and Siver tries to go for a takedown and Swanson judo flips the living hell out of Siver. Swanson in full mount and defends positioning well as Siver tries to get up. Sloppy display by Swanson has Siver reverse positioning but he doesn’t have any time to work. 10-9 Swanson.
Round 3: Siver lands a decent left hook and Swanson returns the favor with a solid headkick. Siver looking slightly tired as Swanson jukes back and forth. Nice right hand by Swanson; he’s getting into the groove now with his combinations. Siver misses with a spinning heel kick. Jab by Siver but it doesn’t faze Swanson. Another right hand by Swanson and another – Swanson drops Siver and continues to pummel him on the ground with hammerfists. Herb Dean steps in and that’s it for Siver.
Cub Swanson def. Dennis Siver by TKO (Strikes), Round 3, 2:23.
Notable celebs in attendance include Mike Tyson and according to Mike Goldberg, “one of the greatest in the world”, Usher. A shot backstage sees Anderson Silva looking like a badass Bruno Mars in a fitted, while Weidman gets booed by the home crowd.
Mark Munoz vs. Tim Boetsch
Round 1: Munoz looking hella in shape. Mazzagatti gets booed and the fighters touch gloves. Frontkick by Boetsch and gets a takedown but Munoz flips him over. That doesn’t last for long as both men are back up but Boetsch gets a big takedown. Both men back up and Boetsch clinching Munoz against the fence. They break apart to the center of the Octagon. Boetsch pushes forward and clinches Munoz against the fence. Nice knee to the body by Boetsch but Munoz takes him down. Boetsch gets back up and eats a punch on the way. Munoz gets another takedown but Boetsch rolls and ends up on top. Boetsch works a guillotine while Munoz takes him down but Boetsch hangs on. Boetsch rolls but loses it. Back on their feet, Munoz catches him with a solid right hand. Munoz has Boetsch clinched up against the fence. Munoz with a knee to the body as Boetsch tries to work for something. Combination by Munoz includes an uppercut but Boetsch looks alright. Tough round to score. 10-9 Boetsch.
Round 2: Nice kick to the body by Boetsch. Munoz returns the favor and adds a solid hook in the process. Munoz has Boetsch clinched against the fence but Boetsch reverses the positioning. Right hand by Boetsch but he cannot capitalize as Munoz scores a takedown. Munoz on top, looking for those Donkey Kong punches. Boetsch is controlling Munoz’s left wrist. Hammerfist by Munoz followed by huge shots to the body (specifically the ribcage). Boetsch gets up but he cannot stop Munoz’s wrestling, as the “Filipino Wrecking Machine” scores another takedown. Munoz is now controlling this fight. More shots to the body by Munoz, as he is playing seesaw with Boetsch’s head and ribcage. Knee to the body by Munoz as he stands over Boetsch. The horn sounds and Boetsch has got to be hurting. 10-9 Munoz.
Round 3: Munoz backing up towards the fence and sets up a big right hand as he lunges forward. Munoz goes for another takedown but Boetsch goes for a guillotine. He cannot secure the choke and goes for a Japanese necktie but he can’t get that either. Boetsch now going for Munoz’s arm but Munoz explodes out of the position and takes his back, raining down hammerfists. Munoz continues his assault with hammerfists to the head, thigh and ribs. Boetsch covering up and Munoz continues with relentless ground and pound. Kimura attempt by Munoz in half-guard, stretching Boetsch’s arm back. Munoz loses it but continues to ground and pound. Munoz sneaks an arm behind Boetsch’s neck for a rear-naked choke but Boetsch isn’t having any of it. Munoz now continues with his ground strikes as Boetsch tries a kneebar. Munoz tries a jumping donkey punch but misses as the round ends. 10-9 Munoz.
Mark Munoz def. Tim Boetsch by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-28)
Man, Tim Boetsch is a tricky name to write over and over. It’s no Nurmagomedov…but it’s still tough. Finally, they show Roy Jones in the crowd…and then Ronda, of course.
Tim Kennedy vs. Roger Gracie
Round 1: Both men touch gloves and Kennedy immediately crouches coming forward. Gracie looking quite huge next to Kennedy. Gracie clinches and grabs control of Kennedy’s waist, as plenty of morons in attendance commence to boo. Kennedy is back up and goes for double-underhooks. Both men exchange jabs as the fight gets back to the center. Gracie catches Kennedy’s legkick but cannot capitalize. Gracie clinches Kennedy against the cage and ends up on top of him on the way down. Gracie now takes his back but Kennedy is doing a good job of controlling Gracie’s wrists. Brazilian fans chant for Gracie in Portugese. Kennedy spins out of the position and ends up on top but does not have any time to do something significant. 10-9 Gracie.
Round 2:Kennedy throws a kick to Gracie’s knee, followed by another legkick. Kennedy gets a takedown and ends up taking Gracie’s back. He starts to ground and pound and Gracie is covering up. Gracie rolls out and both fighters are back to their feet. Both men grappling against the cage and Kennedy has superior position over the Brazilian. Gracie reverses and now has Kennedy against the cage, who looks at the clock. Takedown by Kennedy and is now in half-guard. Kennedy is doing a good job of staying clear from submissions but he isn’t working and Kim Winslow stands them back up. Frontkick misses by Kennedy and pits Gracie against the fence once more. 10-9 Kennedy.
Round 3: Another frontkick that misses by Kennedy opens the round. Kennedy throws a big left but misses. Gracie has his hands down and isn’t throwing many punches except for a jab here and there. Not much going on with both fighters throwing a strike every few seconds. Gracie works for a takedown and eventually gets it but Kennedy gets right back up. Gracie is pushed against the fence and looks exhausted. This round is so lackluster than a wave has started in the crowd and Kim Winslow seems to acknowledge it by breaking up the fighters. Left hook by Kennedy lands right on the chin. Gracie’s hands are still down, looking quite Frankensteinesque at this point. Kennedy lands a knee with Gracie against the fence as the fight ends. 10-9 Kennedy.
Tim Kennedy def. Roger Gracie by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
No post-fight interview for Kennedy. Time constraints or conspiracy, you decide. GSP in attendance, as Goldberg says Dana White has a special announcement for us regarding the welterweight champ. Co-main event time…here comes Lil’ Balboa.
Frankie Edgar vs. Charles Oliveira
Round 1: Both men looking pumped at the staredown. Yves Lavigne brings them together. Both men start out with a furious pace. Edgar with a right hand and Oliveira immediately goes for a takedown. Edgar lands on top and gets a harsh warning for hanging on to the cage. Edgar looking faster on the feet but Oliveira is keeping up so far. Edgar is landing the jab over and over again. Oliveira tries to climb the Edgar tree but Edgar slams him down. Edgar is now in Oliveira’s guard and escapes to his feet before Oliveira can get a hold of his ankle. Edgar lands a legkick as Oliveira misses a flying scissor-kick. Frankie lands a left hook but Oliveira answers with a solid right hand. Big left hook by Edgar slightly rocks Oliveira. Edgar goes for a takedown but cannot get it. Edgar has a little bit of blood trickling out of his nose. Oliveira is thrown down again but is staying active with elbows from the bottom. 10-9 Edgar.
Round 2: Edgar keeps on landed his left hook by faking with his right. Frankie’s footwork looks great but Oliveira is keeping up like no other so far. Edgar trying to get a takedown but Oliveira is doing a good job defending. Nice legkick by Edgar followed by a big right hand. Nice jab lands by Oliveira, looking sharp with knees to the body in the clinch as well. Edgar takes him down but Oliveira wraps his long legs around Edgar, forcing him to find answers in the guard. Oliveira is keeping busy with elbows from the bottom but Edgar landing some solid shots. Back on their feet, Oliveira lands a solid combination. Edgar with a left hook but Oliveira answers with a sharp elbow. Oliveira with another jab and Edgar is bloody now. Edgar catches Oliveira’s kick but cannot make him pay as Oliveira moves backwards. Edgar clinches Oliveira back against the fence and scores a big takedown. Edgar finds himself in a guillotine but survives as the horn sounds. 10-9 Edgar.
Round 3: Edgar opens up with two left hooks. Oliveira picks up the pace with a nice combination but Edgar tags him with a big right. Edgar catches Oliveira’s leg and throws him to the ground. Lavigne stands up Oliveira who has done a remarkable job by keeping up with Edgar. Oliveira rocks Edgar with a right to the temple that forces Edgar to step back. Oliveira follows up with a knee that connects. Edgar goes for a takedown but it ends sloppily and Oliveira is back up. Oliveira lands another big right hand, followed by a left hook. Oliveira’s striking looks very impressive in this fight – a big improvement in his game. Another big right hand stuns Edgar. Edgar fights back with one of his own. Flying knee by Edgar but it doesn’t do damage. Oliveira sort of throws himself on the ground and Edgar jumps on top of him with some ground and pound. With Edgar in the guard, he tries to throw some big shots from the top. That’s got to be the Fight Of The Night. 10-9 Edgar.
Frankie Edgar def. Charles Oliveira by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
I think Oliveira surprised a lot of people, myself included. Definitely not the same dude that got rocked by Cub Swanson. How could you not love Frankie Edgar? How?
Steven Segal in attendance sporting a ridiculous goatee, which goes well with his ridiculous yellow shades. This will be a good time to tell you I actually love his movies…have I purchased any? Don’t be silly.
Main event time…holy shit, this is going to be something.
Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman
Round 1: Weidman extends his hand but Silva simply bows. Yikes. Dean summons them to the center and Silva starts to shuffle left to right. Silva with some nice footwork and Weidman goes for a takedown. Silva is on his back and Weidman ends up in his guard. Weidman pouring some ground and pound with some solid left shots. Silva is deflecting the shots and Weidman tries to pass. Weidman is back on his feet and keeps on punching Silva. Weidman goes for a heel hook while Silva spins out of it and they are back on their feet. Both fighters have their hands down and are trying to find openings. Both fighters are clinched together and break apart. Nice knee by Silva. Silva throws a vicious legkick. Weidman throws a jab and Silva returns the favor in nonchalant fashion. Silva continues with some legkicks and starts to taunt Weidman, asking him to bring it on. Both men embrace at the sound of the horn and Silva kisses him. A very tough round to score. 10-9 Weidman.
Round 2: Silva says “Come on, man!” in the corner. Weidman with a nice jab and Silva starts to dance. Silva now jogging while throwing kicks. Silva taunting his opponent as Weidman lands a jab. Silva doesn’t cover up and Weidman rocks him. Silva taunts him, gets hit with a left hook, falls and Weidman follows up with some big shots. Weidman has just knocked out Silva. Oh my god. New middleweight champion.
Chris Weidman def. Anderson Silva by Knockout (Round 2, 2:12), wins the UFC Middleweight Championship.
“It pisses me off when someone does that to me”, Weidman tells Rogan. Well, that’s how you win over the crowd. That’s quite the reversal, as the crowd relentlessly boos Silva. When asked if he wants a rematch, Silva declines and says he won’t fight for the belt. He has 10 fights left and what he is saying is that he is superfight bound at this point. When is the last time a fighter paid that high a price for slacking off? “Hello Japan”?!
Writing that last paragraph, I was five espressos deep and quite frankly I couldn’t feel my face as I watched that knockout. I think this is the biggest moment in MMA history and I can’t believe I was able to share it with Potato Nation. There is nothing else I can say. Let it simmer, I guess. Goodnight. Holy shit, man. Goodnight.
UFC lightweight Edson Barboza put on quite the show at UFC 162, earning a technical-knockout stoppage after less than two rounds of action. And he did it all with leg kicks.Rafaello Oliveira, Barboza’s opponent/victim, took brutal shot after brutal sho…
UFC lightweight Edson Barboza put on quite the show at UFC 162, earning a technical-knockout stoppage after less than two rounds of action. And he did it all with leg kicks.
Rafaello Oliveira, Barboza’s opponent/victim, took brutal shot after brutal shot to his left leg, and, by the second round, he was struggling to stand. A few more leg kicks and the fight was over.
That’s another technical-knockout win for Barboza, who has won thanks to his vicious leg kicks before. It wasn’t a highlight-reel knockout like his spinning wheel kick against Terry Etim was, but it was very impressive nevertheless.
Here is what we learned:
What We Learned about Edson Barboza
Barboza was stunned by Jamie Varner at UFC 146, losing for the first time in his UFC career. Other than that loss, he is undefeated as a professional. And his striking prowess is why.
But we already knew that.
At UFC 162, Barboza didn’t show us anything new—his striking was as good as it’s ever been. He did, however, prove that he is going to be a problem in the lightweight division, and he’s ready for the next step.
That step involves fighting a top-10 guy.
The Brazilian is a frightening striker who could challenge just about anyone at 155 pounds if that person can’t get the fight to the ground. He’s probably not a top-10 guy just yet, but he could get there by the end of 2013.
After all, victories as dominant as this one allow for a reasonably quick return to the cage.
What We Learned about Rafaello Oliveira
The 31-year-old Oliveira is now 1-3 in his second stint in the UFC, meaning he is on the way out.
Against Barboza, we learned that he doesn’t (and probably never will) be able to truly compete in the UFC. He has struggled against unranked guys, and his two wins came against guys no longer with the promotion.
And it’s his second go-around under the Zuffa banner—he’s 2-5 with the promotion overall. We’ve probably seen the last of him at this level.
What’s Next for Edson Barboza
Barboza’s striking is as good as anyone’s in the lightweight division, and at 6-1 in the UFC, he deserves a top-10 guy.
A possibility is a fight against fellow kickboxer Donald Cerrone (No. 6 lightweight contender), but “Cowboy” is expected to meet Rafael dos Anjos (No. 10 lightweight contender) this August. The winner of that fight would be a good match.
If the UFC goes a different direction, Nate Diaz is a fine option.
What’s Next For Oliveira
Oliveira is 0-of-2 as far as successful runs in the UFC go. He almost certainly will find himself off the UFC roster as soon as the next cuts come around.
The Brazilian will have to pick up a couple wins in smaller promotions if he wants a third shot in the elite promotion.
Before the UFC 162 pay-per-view card kicks off, how ’bout we warm up with some fights on free TV? Tonight’s FX Prelims broadcast features a crowd-pleasing lineup of sluggers, including Chris Leben, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Edson Barboza, and the first post-TUF Smashes appearance of Norman Parke.
Handling liveblog duties for this leg of the “Silva vs. Weidman” fight card is none other than Matt Saccaro, who will be stacking round-by-round results after the jump beginning at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and please toss your own analysis and witticisms into the comments section. Thanks for being here.
Before the UFC 162 pay-per-view card kicks off, how ’bout we warm up with some fights on free TV? Tonight’s FX Prelims broadcast features a crowd-pleasing lineup of sluggers, including Chris Leben, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Edson Barboza, and the first post-TUF Smashes appearance of Norman Parke.
Handling liveblog duties for this leg of the “Silva vs. Weidman” fight card is none other than Matt Saccaro, who will be stacking round-by-round results after the jump beginning at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and please toss your own analysis and witticisms into the comments section. Thanks for being here.
The UFC always tries to make the “4th of July” card worth the $60 fans have to pay for it. This time, they succeeded. The main card is studded with talent. The FX preliminaries have some gems too. Fighters like Chris Leben, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Edson Barboza will be trying to rekindle their flames on FX. Hopefully, they’ll also be providing us with fights so exciting that we forget about all the shitty commercials we have to endure throughout the broadcast. Seriously though, if I have to hear Kid Rock talk about the sound of his freedom one more time…
Anyway, the violent festivities are about to start soon, so let’s quickly recap what happened on the Facebook prelims:
Mike Pierce defeated David Mitchell via TKO. The first round was so boring that all 11 people in the audience were booing.
Brian Melancon defeated Seth Baczynski via TKO. This TKO was an interesting one as it came quite literally at the bell. The bell sounded and then viewers saw a starched, lifeless Baczynski that was clearly going to be unable to answer the bell for the second round.
Now, the commercials are finally over and the first pairing of fighters is now entering the cage for the FX portion of the fight card. We have Edson Barboza vs. Rafaello Oliveira—Brazilian Muay Thai stud and former Next Big Thing™ vs. Generic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with a 1-2 record in the UFC who’s coming off a year-long absence from the cage.
This is Barboza’s biggest test since getting upset by Jamie Varner back in 2012. Since then, Barboza has only fought once, defeating the unheralded, unheard of Lucas Martins in under three minutes.
Oliveira is coming off his only UFC win, a unanimous decision over the fighter with the toughest name to spell in the history of the UFC, Yoislandy Izquierdo. Prior to that win, Oliveira lost via TKO to Yves Edwards and via Submission to Gleison Tibau.
Call me a conspiracy theorist, but it seems like Barboza is “supposed” to win this fight. He’s younger, more talented, and his spectacular highlight reel and skillset makes him more marketable. The fight is about to start now so I’ll put away my tinfoil hat…
Round 1: They touch gloves to start the fight. Barboza lands a leg kick. Oliveira lands a left hook. Oliveira tries a body shot and misses. Barboza hits two more hard leg kicks in succession. Then he lands a huge body kick. The thud echoed throughout the arena. Barboza lands a left to the body and Oliveira shoots in pathetically. Barboza lands two more vicious leg kicks. Oliveiria is a deer in the headlights and Barboza is a mack truck. Oliveira attempts a single leg and fails, only to eat another kick to the body. Oliveira lands a right hand, then shoots and again fails. Barboza hits a spinning back kick. After a period of inactivity, Barboza hits yet another leg kick. Maybe we’ll see a Paul Varelans vs. Marco Ruas? Oliveira fails to takedown Barboza AGAIN. Barboza lands a millionth hard leg-kick, Oliveira fails his millionth takedown attempt in response. A minute left in the round now. A mouse is forming on Oliveira’s right cheek. Oliveira is limping now too, from all the leg kicks. He’s going to be in trouble in the second round. The bell sounds the end of round one. We score it 10-9, Barboza.
Round 2: An ineffective flurry from both fighters starts the round. Barboza hits a nice sweep when he catches a kick from Oliveira. Oliveira manages to take Barboza down off a leg kick but Barboza gets back to his feet very quickly. Another leg kick buckles Oliveira, and then another right after. Oliveira is moving like a wounded animal. A leg kick floors Oliveira this time. He’s limping really badly. This is brutal. Barboza hits another leg kick and Oliveira falls to the mat. Herb Dean mercifully stops the fight. Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg are having an orgasm over the fact that Barboza is the first guy to win two fights with a TKO via leg kicks.
Result: Edson Barboza def. Rafaello Oliveira via TKO (leg kicks) at 1:44 of round 2.
Next up is a scrap between disgraced heavyweights Gabriel Gonzaga and Dave Herman.
For a brief time, the MMA world thought that Gonzaga was “back.” He ran through one of Junior Dos Santos’ training partners and then submitted Ben Rothwell (remember when people thought Rothwell was HW champ material back in the IFL days? Good times). But after that, Travis Browne smashed Gonzaga’s head in with a brutal series of elbows. The fight lasted only a minute.
Dave Herman has lost three in a row. How he still has a job is a bit of a mystery. Maybe the heavyweight division is just really thin and Joe Silva doesn’t want to part with a warm body that can fill a card? Maybe Herman is friends with somebody important? Maybe he has nude pics of Dana? We’re not sure.
Herman is 1-3 in the UFC going into this fight and is on a three-fight losing streak. He lost to Stefan Struve, Roy Nelson, and Big Nog. The last loss to Big Nog was the most embarrassing of them all since Herman had infamously proclaimed that BJJ didn’t work…only to be submitted via arm bar.
Will Herman have better luck this time? Or will Gonzaga unmask the power animal in him and RADICALIZE his fighting skills? Let’s watch and find out.
Round 1: They touch gloves. Herman lands two front kicks. Gonzaga counters a leg kick with a massive overhand right that floors Herman. He follows up with a few punches and referee Kim Winslow stops the fight. Herman looks pretty pissed. Stoppage MIGHT have been a bit early, actually. Regardless, the fight is over.
Gabriel Gonzaga def. Dave Herman via TKO (punches) at 0:17 of round 1.
Now that that fight is over, we have our first (and only) piss-break match of the FX prelims: Norman Parke vs. Kazuki Tokudome:
This is a win-win fight for the UFC. They have an Irish guy on a winning streak taking on a Japanese guy on a winning streak. No matter who wins, they get a guy they can market overseas that has a healthy winning streak (even if the streak might not be over the best competition but hey, the MMA media won’t question it).
Now, I called this a piss-break match and that really isn’t fair, I guess. Both of these fighters are talented and, at age 26, could have a bright future. It’s just that, compared to some of the other names on the prelims, these guys aren’t as known—which means that casuals and even some hardcores might tune out during this match.
Well, CagePotato will never tune out. So feel free to smoke or take a piss and then read the liveblog for the results, which are…
Round 1: They touch gloves. Parke lands a nice left hand. Parke misses a head kick. Tokudome lands a weak leg kick. Parke swings big with a right hand and misses by a mile. Parke lands two stiff jabs and Tokudome just eats them. Parke follows up with a big left over the top. Parke misses an Anderson Silva-front kick. Tokudome eats another big left. Tokudome has no footwork and no head movement. He continues to stand in front of Parke. Tokudome throws some ineffective punches and eats some counters. Tokudome comes forward and lands a left, and then eats a counter left. They clinch and Tokudome winds up pinned against the cage. Parke grabs a leg and drags Tokudome to the mat. Tokudome gets up but Parke takes his back during the transition. Park attempts a takedown and is reversed, he’s now on his back with Tokudome in his guard. There’s not much action save for some soft punches from both fighters. Parke tries a Kimura and gives up on it shortly after. Tokudome still can’t pass Parke’s guard. Parke gets up to his feet from guard and simply pushes Tokudome over. He passes Tokudome’s guard and the round ends. Pretty close round but I give it to Parke, 10-9.
Round 2: Tokudome lands a weak leg kick, countered by a right hand. The two fighters exchange half-strength flurries that both miss. Tokudome lands a combo of light punches. Parke lands a big left hand, Tokudome flees, and then Parke lands another. Parke is landing some big punches now. They both slow down. Parke backs off and takes a deep breath. Parke keeps spamming big lefts. The two men clinch briefly and then break up. Parke throws more haymakers, but this time Tokudome counters a few. Parke lands another straight left. Tokudome misses a massive hook. Parke ducks under it and lands a single-leg. He has Tokudome sitting against the fence. There isn’t much action now. Tokudome manages to get back to his feet. Parke still has an underhook but can’t do anything with it. Tokudome separates and lands a sweet flying knee, but it’s all for naught since Parke takes him down off of it and then gets mount. Tokudome powers his way out of mount and then attempts his own takedown, which fails. The two men get back to their feet and exchange strikes until the round ends. 10-9 Parke.
Round 3: A series of strikes from both fighters doesn’t go anywhere. Tokudome takes the center of the cage and has Parke scurrying away. Parke attempts a single which backs Tokudome into the cage. Tokudome gets a takedown, which is reversed. Parke has Tokudome in a front headlock now. Tokudome gets Parke against the cage, who quickly spins around and reverses the position. Tokudome lands some short, strong elbows but Parke is unfazed. Parke takes Tokudome’s back and attempts a takedown, which is successful but Tokudome reverses. He winds on top of Parke, in Parke’s guard. Parke rises to his feet very quickly. Both fighters are breathing with their mouths wide open now. Tokudome lands a head kick which momentarily stuns Parke. Tokudome capitalizes on this, scoring a takedown on Parke, who is only on the ground for a few seconds before rising to his feet. They’re both clinched against the cage now. They separate. There’s a minute left now. Parke lands some more punches on Tokudome’s stationary head. Tokudome lands an uppercut. Parke goes for a single leg which he can’t complete. They’re both against the cage now and it looks like the round is going to end there. It does, but not before Parke gets Tokudome down for a split second. This was the toughest round to score. I say 10-9, Tokudome.
Result: Norman Parke def. Kazuki Tokudome via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
And now, the preliminary bout we’ve all been waiting for—even if you weren’t anticipating it more than the others, you have been waiting for it so technically the statement is accurate—Chris Leben vs. Andrew Craig.
Leben is arguably in the darkest part of his career. He’s 1-3 in his last four and is coming off two losses, most recently to Derek Brunson back in December. But before that, he lost to Mark Munoz and then tested positive for oxycontin. This offense earned him a yearlong suspension.
Leben’s only win in the last two years is over a decrepit Wanderlei Silva. A loss tonight could be damning for Leben.
Craig is 8-1. He’s coming off a loss to Ronny Markes.
Was this fight made to get Leben back on track? After all, Leben has over three times as many fights as Craig. I guess we’ll have to watch.
Round 1: No touch of gloves to star the fight. Leben rushes in sloppily and goes for a single leg. Weird. He hits some foot stomps and keeps Craig against the fence. He hasn’t given up on the takedown yet. He has an underhook and keeps working the foot stomps. Craig gets a Thai plumb and lands a nice knee. Leben gets Craig against the cage again and this time gets Craig onto the mat but only briefly. Craig attempts a knee but it’s blocked. Leben throws a really ugly, lazy leg kick and then almost falls down. Leben throws a body kick and lands a left hook. He rushes in and Craig lands a knee to the body. That doesn’t stop Leben though, who again pushes Craig against the cage. They separate and Craig lands a right hand to Leben’s face. Leben lands a knee to the body and they separate. Craig lands an inside leg kick and then attempts a leg kick. A left-right combo fazes Leben for a bit who attempts a clinch but is shrugged off. Leben looks tired. He tries an off-balance leg kick which misses badly. He goes for a single leg again and fails. He grabs a body lock on Craig and gets him to one knee but then Craig rises. They’re clinched and then they separate. On the separation, both men throw like they’re in a bar fight but nothing comes of it. They reset in the center of the cage. Craig tries a double leg but Leben stuffs it. The round ends shortly after. That one was close but I give it to Leben 10-9.
Round 2: Goldy shills for Fox Sports 1 before the round starts. Both fighters start the round with big punches that miss. Leben, again, presses Craig against the cage and keeps attempting takedowns that go nowhere. Leben tries some more foot stomps but nothing. He grabs a leg again, but still nothing. Craig gets a Thai plumb and hits a big knee to the face but Leben isn’t hurt. Leben continues to press forward and Craig can’t get away; he’s stuck against the cage again. This time though, he manages to reverse the position and push Leben against the fence. He transitions to a Thai clinch and lands another knee before Leben escapes. They reset and Craig lands an elbow. Leben continues his wall-and-stall strategy. He lands a knee to Craig’s body and then Craig escapes off the fence. Leben throws a leg kick. Craig lands a left hook. Leben misses another leg kick and Craig lands a leg kick. Craig initiates a clinch this time and gets Leben against the fence, who reverses Craig. This is like the 20th time we’ve been in this position during this fight. Rogan is commenting about how Leben is the more aggressive fighter but Craig is landing more. Leben clinches again and lands some body shots. Leben throws some big shots which are blocked. The round ends. Tough round to score, as Rogan said. 10-9, Craig.
Round 3: Craig seems much fresher but that doesn’t stop him from letting Leben come forwards and try to bully him. Both fighters throw a flurry of messy strikes. Craig lands a few which floor Leben. Craig keeps landing follow-up strikes but Yves Lavigne doesn’t stop the fight. Leben gets back to his fight and is now pressed up against the cage. His face is red and he looks exhausted. They separate and Craig lands two uppercuts. Leben clinches and, for the 100th time, pushes Craig against the fence and does nothing there save for some light strikes. Leben stalks Craig, who shoves Leben to the floor when Leben attempts to clinch. Craig is in Leben’s guard now. He passes to half guard. Leben gets to his feet after thinking about a Kimura. Craig takes a deep breath. Despite this though, Craig is still visibly the fresher fighter. Craig successfully attempts a double leg. He’s in Leben’s guard now. Both fighters are throwing light punches. Craig passes into half guard. Thirty seconds left. Leben wall-walks his way up and both fighters separate but not for long. Craig takes Leben down again and time expires. I give it to Craig, 10-9.
Result: Andrew Craig def. Chris Leben via split decision (29-28 Craig, 29-28, Leben, 30-27 Craig).
That does it for the UFC 162 FX prelims. Be sure to continue following the action at our main card live blog!
Chris Weidman doesn’t know what he signed up for.On Saturday night when he enters the Octagon to face Anderson Silva, easily the top mixed martial arts fighter ever, for the UFC middleweight belt, he will be in for a world of hurt. Silva is much …
Chris Weidmandoesn’t know what he signed up for.
On Saturday night when he enters the Octagon to face Anderson Silva, easily the top mixed martial arts fighter ever, for the UFC middleweight belt, he will be in for a world of hurt. Silva is much too experienced and too successful to fall against Weidman, who only has a limited number of MMA matches on his resume.
Silva is 16-0 in his career in the Octagon, and don’t expect him to fail to successfully defend his title for the 11th consecutive time. While Silva has come close to losing the middleweight belt in the past, ChaelSonnen giving him the biggest bang for his buck, if he’s going to eventually lose it, it won’t be to Weidman.
Weidman’s grappling tactics are his key to victory, as he’s going to do everything in his power to get Silva to submit. If the judges are going to decide the winner of the fight, though, it’s definitely not going to be the challenger. Silva will either end up knocking Weidman out, or will win via the judge’s decision.
Five of B/R’s UFC experts predicted the match and of the three that chose Weidman to win, two said that it’d be via a submission. Both writers know that Silva is capable of pulling off the victory, but are still sitting in Weidman’s corner. James MacDonald said “his wrestling in particular is likely to give Silva absolute fits.”
Silva isn’t going to fall to Weidman via submission. The Spider hasn’t been the victim of a submission since 2004 when he lost to RyoChonan. You can count all of Silva’s losses on one hand and only two have come via submission. While Weidman’s moves are good, Silva is going to be great at playing a defense game against them.
Keep in mind that Weidmanhasn’t even fought for almost a full year. His last fight came on July 11, 2012 against Mark Munoz. It takes more than just skills to enter the Octagon and take out the best MMA fighter of all time. Weidman’s large gap between fights is bound to be a factor on Saturday.
Silva hasn’t fought much in the last year either, but at least he’s fought. He took down Stephan Bonnar last October via a TKO. Since, he’s been focused on his title matchup against Weidman. Here’s what Silva told Ben Fowlkes of USA Todayabout fighting and what he loves about it:
What motivates me is to be able to do what I love to do, which is to fight. I love to fight. I love the preparation. I love to learn new things, always overcoming myself.
On Saturday, Silva will show how hard he’s worked for this fight and how prepared he is for this fight. He’s going to connect with plenty of blows to the head and midsection of the challenger. He’ll connect with one hard punch to the side of the head of Weidman in the third round, knocking him to the ground and forcing the referee to end the match.
Weidman told Franklin McNeil of ESPN “[Saturday night] history is being made.” While Weidman is correct in saying that we’ll be the witnesses of history, it won’t be the type of history he’s hoping for. Instead of Silva losing the title for the first time ever, he’ll defend it successfully for the 11th time, extending his record to 17-0.
Prediction: Silva over Weidman via Third Round TKO
