Tag: UFC 163

UFC 163: Highlighting Bouts with Fight Night Bonus Potential

Flyweight isn’t yet a glamour division in the UFC. As skilled as champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and others such as John “The Magician” Dodson and John Moraga are, their fights are too technical for some casual fans.
For the MMA fans who pre…

Flyweight isn’t yet a glamour division in the UFC. As skilled as champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and others such as John “The Magician” Dodson and John Moraga are, their fights are too technical for some casual fans.

For the MMA fans who prefer more in-your-face action, the John “Hands of Stone” Lineker vs. Jose “No Chance” Maria bout may be more to their liking. This clash is scheduled to open the main card of UFC 163 on Saturday at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro.

While Lineker and Maria aren’t slow pokes, their primary talents are based on speed and elusiveness. Both fighters want to launch bombs and are more comfortable attacking. Of the two, Maria looks to be the more well-rounded fighter.

The 31-year-old Brazilian has amassed an impressive 33-3 record with 15 wins by KO and 13 by submission. He’s confident and keeps coming forward to apply pressure. 

Lineker isn’t the type of fighter who will back down, though. He’s 21-6 with nine of his wins coming via KO. Most recently, he stopped Azamat Gashimov in the second round at UFC on FX 8 in May.

These two men could be set for one of the most exciting flyweight bouts in the division’s history. Because it’s placed on the main card in such a great city for MMA like Rio, the impact of a classic fight could be huge.

This one has clear “Fight of the Night” potential and could help endear the flyweight division to casual fans. 

 

The Women’s Bout Could Produce the KO of the Night

While Lineker vs. Maria has some “Knockout of the Night” potential as well, the lone women’s bout on the card stands out as a possibility for the bonus too.

Amanda “Lioness” Nunes is a strong striker with a noticeable four-inch reach advantage over Sheila “The German Tank” Gaff. The latter was knocked out in her last bout with Sara McMann. She didn’t show much in the way of defense in that fight and dealing with a much bigger fighter like Nunes could spell more trouble.

Nunes had six straight TKO wins from 2008-2011. Take a look at her stopping Julia Budd in Strikeforce.

The Lioness is a major striker matched against a shorter opponent coming off a nasty KO loss. That could get lead to a fat bonus on Saturday night for Nunes.

 

Which Fight Is a Better Bet for Submission of the Night?

Rani Yahya vs. Josh Clopton

Both Yahya and Clopton are submission specialists, but Yahya is one of the best in the sport. Of his 18 wins, 15 have come by submission. Clopton has far less experience, but he has won two of six fights by tapout.

Attempting to outgrapple Yahya would seem to be a losing proposition for Clopton, but he has yet to display the striking prowess to suggest he can gain an advantage in the stand-up.

This fight seems destined to go to the mat, and Yahya may come up with a submission win that garners him a bonus. He won “Submission of the Night” twice during his days in the WEC (WEC 40 and 42), but Saturday could mark his first time gaining the honor in the UFC.

 

Thailes Leites vs. Tom Watson

This bout has both “KO of the Night” and “Submission of the Night” potential. Watson is the more powerful and effective striker, but the question is whether he’ll be able to impose his will on Leites.

The 32-year-old Brazilian is returning to the UFC for the first time since 2009 as an accomplished submission artist. He’s finished 13 of his 20 wins with a submission, and he chains and transitions ground attacks well.

Watching him work on the ground can be a thing of beauty. If Watson is overzealous in his pursuit, Leites could lure him into a nasty trap.

If Leites gets Watson to the mat, he’ll make him tap out, but will it be enough to earn the bonus?

Stay tuned.

 

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Phil Davis vs. Lyoto Machida Has Big-Time Snoozer Potential

Two big names don’t always equate to an epic fight. We learned that at UFC on Fox 8 when Rory MacDonald and Jake Ellenberger bored us into submission.
We could be headed for a similar feeling when Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida takes on “Mr. Wonderful” Phi…

Two big names don’t always equate to an epic fight. We learned that at UFC on Fox 8 when Rory MacDonald and Jake Ellenberger bored us into submission.

We could be headed for a similar feeling when Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida takes on “Mr. Wonderful” Phil Davis at UFC 163 in Rio de Janeiro. There is no disputing the resumes of both of these light heavyweights, but the fighting prowess of both men could be the reason we’re put to sleep by another co-feature bout.

Machida and Davis have different styles, but both men are very cerebral. Machida will rarely put himself in harm’s way and genuinely sticks to his game plan meticulously. This tendency has increased since suffering stoppage/submission defeats to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Jon “Bones” Jones.

Against Dan Henderson, Machida wisely took Hendo to the ground and kept him there to easily take a unanimous decision win. It was the right game plan, but it wasn’t exciting to watch.

Davis is not an exceptionally strong striker, despite his 79″ reach and bodybuilder-like frame. He’s only had two KO wins in his career and those came in 2009 before he joined the UFC.

To beat Machida, he needs to take him to the mat. While the Dragon is no amateur on the ground, he’s no match for Davis, a former All-American wrestler at Penn State University.

So the question is, does Machida strike from the outside exclusively because he is wary of any takedown attempt from Mr. Wonderful? He could possibly win a rather uneventful decision with this strategy.

It is more likely than Davis gaining top position at multiple points during the fight which would send Machida into the guard and on the defensive.

His defensive ground game is probably good enough to survive for stretches, but Davis will likely rack up rounds based on takedowns and top control.

Still, this potential sequence of events doesn’t lend itself to a ton of excitement either.

There is the possibility that Machida catches Davis with something dynamic as Davis attempts to close the distance. But considering Davis is the second-toughest man to hit in UFC history with a strikes absorbed per minute average of 1.08, per FightMetric.com, the odds are slim on that happening.

This fight has lackluster written all over it, but I’d love to be wrong.

Sometimes the most exciting fights are made with two less-calculated fighters who are overly confident. Then again, who am I to pick. I’m not the one getting hit or choked out.

 

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UFC 163 Predictions: Picking Winners for Biggest Fights in Brazil

UFC 163 marks the promotion’s return to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the first time since Anderson Silva finished Stephan Bonnar at UFC 153 in Oct. 2012. 
Headlined by a featherweight title fight between Jose Aldo and Chan Sung Jung, the card showca…

UFC 163 marks the promotion’s return to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the first time since Anderson Silva finished Stephan Bonnar at UFC 153 in Oct. 2012. 

Headlined by a featherweight title fight between Jose Aldo and Chan Sung Jung, the card showcases plenty of Brazilian talent including the evening’s co-main event, which will see Lyoto Machida take on Phil Davis in light heavyweight action. 

The return of one-time middleweight title challenger Thales Leites against British up-and-comer Tom Watson also highlights the card, as both fighters will look to show that they deserve a step up in competition. 

Here’s a look at the full card for the Aug. 3 card and a closer look at the biggest fights of the night. 

All statistics via FightMetric unless otherwise noted.

 

Thales Leites vs. Tom Watson

Leites wins if…

He can get Watson to the ground. 

The jiu-jitsu black belt is a submission ace and owns a clear advantage on the ground if he can drag his opponent to the mat. He owns 13 submission victories in his career, while two of Watson’s three career losses have come by way of submission. 

Watson defends just 44 percent of takedowns, so Leites isn’t fighting a wrestling savant. 

 

Watson wins if…

He turns it into a striking battle. 

This is obvious given Leites’ ability on the ground, but sprawl-and-brawl is Watson’s best game plan. He lands 53 percent of his strikes and averages nearly five strikes landed per minute. Meanwhile, Leites is just a 34 percent striker. 

Watson has knocked out eight opponents while never tasting the canvas, so he has to like his odds when these two exchange leather. 

 

Verdict

Leites by decision. He’s the same guy who once beat Nate Marquardt by decision, and Watson is the same guy who was taken down by Stanislav Nedkov and Brad Tavares five times apiece. 

 

Lyoto Machida vs. Phil Davis

Machida wins if…

He finds Davis’ chin and maintains a safe distance.

Machida is a masterful striker and one of the best at moving in and out of exchanges without getting hit. However, the stats say that Davis is a difficult target to hit as well. The former Penn State wrestler avoids 74 percent of the strikes thrown his way and only absorbs 1.08 strikes per minute.

Davis is a good athlete who will make Machida work to stay out of range.

 

Davis wins if…

He can control position.

Machida’s game relies on spacing and avoiding takedowns. “The Dragon” has a takedown defense percentage of 79 percent, so expecting “Mr. Wonderful” to take the former champion down is unrealistic. If he can drag the fight’s pace to a standstill by forcing the clinch, he can wear Machida down, though.

If Davis can manage to dominate position in the clinch and score a few takedowns, he’s going to give the judges a tough fight to call.

 

Verdict

Davis pulls off the upset with a decision victory. Machida is a massive favorite because he’s a proven contender, while Davis fell flat in his only marquee test against Rashad Evans, but this is a much different fight.

Machida won a split decision against Dan Henderson after landing just 27 strikes though three rounds. This one could be just as ugly, but Davis’ game plan should include enough grappling to see him outpoint The Dragon.

 

Jose Aldo vs. Chan Sung Jung

Jose Aldo wins if…

He leg kicks Chan Sung Jung to oblivion.

No one has better leg kicks than Aldo, and they are the perfect weapon against a fighter like Jung. “The Korean Zombie” is all forward all the time and loves to put on the pressure. A few of Aldo’s swift yet powerful kicks to the legs should slow that pursuit down rather quickly.

 

Chan Sung Jung wins if…

He has the best fight of his life and overwhelms Aldo.

Jung is a huge underdog despite having three finishes in three UFC fights. That’s more of a testament to Aldo’s dominance as champion than Jung’s skills as a fighter. He’s an exciting guy to watch and brings the pressure to every opponent he faces.

The problem with his pressure is that he doesn’t have the best defense. He walks through a ton of strikes to land a staggering 4.61 strikes per minute. However, that strategy is not advisable against Aldo.

The Brazilian kingpin has 13 knockout victories in his career.

 

Verdict

Aldo by TKO in the fourth round. The champion continues his reign, but not before the Zombie gives us an exciting moment or two. Few fighters have approached the champion as fearlessly as Jung will on Saturday night.  

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UFC 163 Fight Card: Heavy Favorites Who Can’t Afford Upset Loss

If the odds for the UFC 163 fight card are to be believed, the UFC has produced some serious mismatches on the Brazilian card. 
Reigning UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, Lyoto Machida and Rani Yahya will all enter their respective fights on S…

If the odds for the UFC 163 fight card are to be believed, the UFC has produced some serious mismatches on the Brazilian card. 

Reigning UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, Lyoto Machida and Rani Yahya will all enter their respective fights on Saturday night as massive favorites. While being heavily favored is generally a positive thing, there are some drawbacks. 

Both obviously have favorable matchups and will be expected to win, but losing with those kind of expectations can be devastating for their title aspirations (or title reign in the case of Aldo). 

Here’s a look at the full fight card, along with a closer look at the biggest favorites on the card who can’t afford to be upset. All odds via OddsShark.com.

 

Lyoto Machida vs. Phil Davis

Odds: Machida -370, Davis +310

It’s easy to see why Machida is a favorite here. He’s a former champion coming off of back-to-back wins over Ryan Bader and Dan Henderson and will be fighting in front of a Brazilian crowd for the first time since joining the UFC. 

He also has the most on the line heading into Saturday’s card. At 35 years old with just two consecutive wins, “The Dragon” is going to start finding it more and more difficult to climb the ladder once again after losses. 

Davis may be the sizable underdog, but he’s a dangerous opponent. The once highly hyped light heavyweight still has just one loss on his record after dropping a decision to Rashad Evans at UFC on Fox 2. He’s won two fights since then and is looking to make a title run of his own. 

A loss for Machida would most likely force him to either give up on fighting for titles or head down to the middleweight division. 

 

Rani Yahya vs. Josh Clopton

Odds: Yahya -1100, Clopton +700

No one is a bigger favorite on Saturday night’s card than Rani Yahya. On a card that features Machida and Aldo, that’s saying a lot. 

After finishing out his WEC career with back-to-back losses against Joseph Benavidez and Takeya Mizugaki, the 28-year-old Brazilian has gone 3-1 in the UFC. His lone loss came against Chad Mendes, who is currently ranked as the top featherweight contender in the UFC’s media rankings. 

Clopton is just 6-1 in his career with an 0-1 record in the UFC after losing his promotional debut to Steven Siler. With another win, Yahya will have a good case to get a top-10 featherweight in his next bout. 

A loss to an unknownn commodity like Clopton would send him right back to the end of the line. 

 

Vinny Magalhaes vs. Anthony Perosh

Odds: Magalhaes -400, Perosh +325

Vinny Magalhaes’ bout with Anthony Perosh is a crucial one for the 29-year-old. He sits at an even 1-1 in his current run with the UFC after scoring a second-round submission over Igor Pokrajac and dropping a decision to Phil Davis in his last bout. 

Taking on the 13-7 Perosh, the expectation is that he’ll have a winning record by the end of the night on Saturday. 

Magalhaes can put his loss to Davis behind him if he’s able to take care of business against Perosh, but a loss in his home country would make his future with the organization look fairly bleak. 

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Aldo vs. Jung: Breaking Down Headline Bout at UFC 163

I was a little bummed when UFC president Dana White announced that Anthony “Showtime” Pettis wouldn’t be facing UFC featherweight champion, Jose “Scarface” Aldo as planned at UFC 163 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.
But “The Korean…

I was a little bummed when UFC president Dana White announced that Anthony “Showtime” Pettis wouldn’t be facing UFC featherweight champion, Jose “Scarface” Aldo as planned at UFC 163 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.

But “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung presents a different set of challenges for Aldo, and the bout could still be entertaining.

While Jung is less dynamic than Pettis, his ability to take shots, recover and continue is part of what makes him dangerous. 

 

They Don’t Call Him the Korean Zombie for Nothing

Jung garnered his catchy moniker for his ability to absorb punishment and come-forward style. Don’t take that description to mean he is a battering ram with a lack of sophistication to his attack.

He is one of the more well-rounded offensive fighters in the sport. Highlight reels only show so much, but take a look at some of the best moments of Jung’s MMA career to get a taste of his versatility.

Pettis would have been a tough fight, but Jung will be no picnic for Scarface.

 

The World’s Best Featherweight Will Aim to Please the Brazilian Crowd

Aldo would be a handful in the Octagon anywhere in the world, but he’s especially tough when he’s charged by fans from his native Brazil.

In Jan. 2012, Aldo scored a huge KO win over Chad Mendes in the same arena where he’ll meet Jung. After Mendes was left unconscious from a precise knee, the champion rushed into the adoring Brazilian crowd.

The win and the aftermath created one of the more memorable scenes in recent MMA history. Aldo will be looking to make a scene again on Saturday night.

 

The Striking

Jung has had his moments as a striker. Check out his seven-second KO of Mark Hominick at UFC 140.

But Aldo is possibly the most dynamic striker in the UFC. His array of knees, kicks and punches and his use of the cage are unpredictable and dangerous. His leg kicks are among the best in the sport, often setting the tempo of his bouts.

In addition to his varied techniques, he is the superior athlete as well. Not only is he a great striker, he’s hard to hit. Per FightMetric.com, Aldo only absorbs 1.91 strikes per minute.

His quickness on offense and defense could be the difference in this matchup.

 

Grappling and Submissions

Aldo almost always wants to keep the fight standing. Because of his quickness and excellent takedown defense (92 percent per FightMetric.com), he’s usually able to avoid going to the ground.

He’ll need to do that against Jung on Saturday.

The Korean Zombie’s transitions and arsenal of submission maneuvers are impressive. He can seemingly turn just about any position into a submission opportunity, but he’s especially deadly when he has his opponent’s back.

If Jung can keep this fight on the ground or counter Aldo’s strikes with a takedown-submission combination, he has a chance to pull off the upset.

 

Weaknesses

Are Tempo and Pace Issues for Aldo?

Aldo’s bout with Frankie Edgar in February caused some to doubt the Brazilian’s conditioning and ability to maintain a frenetic pace. Although Aldo won the fight, Edgar appeared to be the stronger and fresher fighter in the final two rounds.

This could be partially attributed to the fact that Edgar is a machine. However, it is also worth noting—as I’m sure Jung has—that Edgar kept constant pressure on Aldo and wouldn’t allow him to take breaks during the fight.

Because Aldo usually sets the pace with his leg kicks and quickness, he’s able to conserve energy and push the action when he likes. Against Edgar, he was forced to go all out for most of the bout.

Does Jung have the speed to emulate and improve upon Edgar’s strategy? Also, will Jung’s two-inch height advantage allow him to reach Aldo more often than the shorter Edgar could?

 

Carelessness During Exchanges Could Cost Jung

The Korean Zombie can get carried away during close exchanges with his opponents. He can depend on his long reach, strong chin and good punching power a little too much. When he does, this can happen:

This KO loss came courtesy of George Roop at WEC 51 in 2010. It was the last time Jung lost but not the last time he’s shown a vulnerability to strikes.

Even in some of his signature wins, he threw wide, winging punches with his head straight up. If there is any featherweight in the world capable of making Jung pay for this tendency, it is Aldo.

Jung must be careful on the inside, or Aldo will punish him for his mistakes.

 

Prediction

This is an intriguing bout for many reasons. The styles could create an exciting fight, and it’ll be interesting to see what Aldo has done to address what could be considered a weakness.

Likewise, we’ll get to see if Jung tries to build on what Edgar accomplished.

Aldo is my pick based on his ability to strike accurately and with flair. His style impresses judges, and his ability to avoid takedowns and strikes bodes well for him.

He’ll win a competitive but clear unanimous decision over The Korean Zombie.

 

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Phil Davis: ‘Like Liam Neeson, I’m a Man with a Very Particular Set of Skills’

UFC 163 fighter Phil Davis is well aware of his upcoming opponent Lyoto Machida’s record against wrestlers inside the Octagon.
The former light heavyweight champion has a resume filled with wrestlers and he’s beaten most of them. It’s actually gotten t…

UFC 163 fighter Phil Davis is well aware of his upcoming opponent Lyoto Machida‘s record against wrestlers inside the Octagon.

The former light heavyweight champion has a resume filled with wrestlers and he’s beaten most of them. It’s actually gotten to the point with Machida where most fighters don’t even attempt to take him down much more these days because of his lightning-quick reflexes and fast footwork.

Davis has watched plenty of film on Machida leading up to their fight on Saturday night, Aug. 3, in Brazil. While he respects the Brazilian’s ability to stop a takedown, he’s not sure that he’s ever been truly challenged by a high-level wrestler.

While Machida has faced a Who’s Who list of wrestlers either currently in the UFC or famed fighters from the past, Davis believes that he’s never taken on a wrestler like him. He’ll find out real quick what that feels like on Saturday night.

Davis told MMA‘s Great Debate Radio that Machida will have to adjust his strategy when they meet.

He hasn’t really fought any wrestlers that wrestle. Rashad (Evans) will take some people down, I don’t know what he does with his strategy, but sometimes he takes cats down and sometimes he chooses not to. He’s a former champion so obviously it works for him. Lyoto Machida has never faced a national champion, I mean Dan Henderson doesn’t even take people down. So it’s kind of one of those things.

To get to this level of competition in the UFC, Davis has had to stretch his skills and work far beyond his wrestling background, but he never forgets his roots.

Davis compared his wrestling to the 2008 film Taken. In the movie, a former CIA operative’s daughter is kidnapped. He warns the kidnappers that he has no intention of paying them a ransom, but he has the kind of background that will give them nightmares once he tracks them down.

Davis sees himself in the lead role:

I’m like Liam Neeson, he and I have a lot in common. I’m a man with a very particular set of skills,” Davis said. “You just don’t want to mess with that very particular set of skills. I don’t think he’s faced anyone quite like me, and I don’t think I’ve faced anyone quite like him. That’s for sure. I’m telling you, styles make matchups and it’s going to be a fan favorite.

Ever since he debuted in the UFC, Davis was already being touted as a top prospect. A former NCAA champion wrestler from Penn State, Davis was undefeated as a fighter and had the kind of raw athleticism rarely seen in MMA. It was almost odd that just a couple of fights into his UFC career, Davis was already fielding questions about title shots and an eventual showdown with another young gun named Jon Jones.

Like almost every fighter, Davis eventually hit a bump in the road with a 2012 loss to Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC on Fox 2. Since that time, Davis has almost become an afterthought to the title picture despite being ranked consistently in the top-10.

Maybe it was the matchups Davis was getting from UFC matchmaker Joe Silva. He fought relative unknown Wagner Prado on two occasions, with the first fight ending after an accidental eye poke, and then beat unranked light heavyweight Vinny Magalhaes at UFC 159 in April.

Now after fighting in obscurity for the past three fights, Davis once again stands on the precipice of title contention if he can get past Machida. He stumbled the first time around when this opportunity came up, but Davis said he doesn’t plan on falling again:

In order to get to the elite level, you always have to fight those guys like Lyoto Machida. He’s the perfect guy to fight. He’s the No. 1 contender, Rashad (Evans) was the No. 1 contender before I fought him. I’m happy about this.

This will show exactly where I’m at. This will decide whether I’m ready to move into that top contendership position.

The UFC hasn’t announced whether the winner of this fight will be granted a title shot or even be considered for that distinction, but Davis is approaching his bout with Machida with that kind of intensity.

He knows a win puts him right in the crosshairs for the title picture, so he says that he’s treating it like this is his chance to go for the gold:

That gets me excited about this fight, and I feel like I’m in the semis of a traditional bracket, and I just need to perform the way I’m used to performing and I’ll be right in there for the championship.

If he can beat Machida, Davis will certainly make a strong case that he’s deserving of a top-five ranking and get back in the conversation about who would win a fight of Davis vs. Jones.

 

Damon Martin is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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