Tag: UFC 168

UFC 168: Interesting Stat for Every Main Card Bout

On Saturday night, a few major questions will be answered in the UFC as the new year approaches. When the dust has settled at UFC 168 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, we’ll likely know whether Chris Weidman’s win over Anderson Silva was indeed a fluke.&n…

On Saturday night, a few major questions will be answered in the UFC as the new year approaches. When the dust has settled at UFC 168 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, we’ll likely know whether Chris Weidman‘s win over Anderson Silva was indeed a fluke. 

Silva won’t be clowning around in this one. If he loses, there will be no excuse.

We’ll also find out which heavyweight is ready to challenge for Cain Velasquez’s heavyweight title when he returns from surgery late in 2014. Josh “Warmaster” Barnett and Travis “Hapa” Browne will go head-to-head in an epic heavyweight battle.

Likewise, we’ll know if Miesha Tate deserves to be considered Ronda Rousey‘s rival. After all, disliking someone and being their rival are two different things. The term rival should require a degree of competitiveness between the two fighters.

In their first fight, Rousey dispatched Tate in the first round with an arm bar. It was the same fate Rousey‘s other six opponents have suffered. On Saturday, Tate gets a chance to show the world what makes her different from the rest of Rousey‘s victims/opponents.

If you’ve read my stuff in the past, you know I love the numbers. Here’s a quick statistical tidbit on every main card bout that could serve as a hint to the outcome of the fight.

 

Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier vs. Diego Brandao

Reach is a funny statistic in MMA. In boxing where there is just one type of strike, the measurement from arm pit to knuckle is huge. In MMA, the reach only tells part of the story. Fighters can obviously punch, kick, knee and elbow their way to victory.

That said, it is hard to ignore a nine-inch advantage in this area.

Though Poirier is only two inches taller than Brandao, his reach is 73″ compared to 64″ for his opponent. With such a length deficit, Brandao would have a nearly insurmountable task ahead of him if he tries to stand and strike with Poirier.

It’s a good thing Brandao‘s game is usually heavily based in grappling. He goes for 3.38 takedowns per fight and lands 80 percent of his attempts. If for some reason, Poirier is able to stuff Brandao‘s attempts to take him down, The Diamond will be shining brightly in the MGM Grand.

 

Jim Miller vs. Fabricio Camoes

Bonus money is always a good thing. In the UFC, stacking bonus checks doesn’t just represent extra cash, it also helps to build a reputation as a dynamic and entertaining fighter. 

Miller has done this almost as well as anyone who has ever fought in the UFC. In his career, he’s collected six fight night bonuses. Only nine fighters have earned more.

His bout with Camoes could lead to another check for both men. This scrap has real potential to become the Fight of the Night. Miller’s sense of urgency and toughness brings out the same qualities in his opponents.

 

Josh ‘The Warmaster‘ Barnett vs. Travis ‘Hapa’ Browne

Something has to give in this big-time heavyweight bout. Barnett is a massive force of grappling, submissions and ground-and-pound techniques, but Browne has never been taken down in his UFC career. He has a 100 percent takedown defense rating.

If this holds true against Barnett, this fight could very well be decided with strikes.

With over 500 pounds of mass in the Octagon, that could make for an explosive and exciting conclusion. 

 

‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha ‘Cupcake’ Tate

Rousey likes to get it over quickly. Her average fight time is just two minutes and 15 seconds. Tate’s best strategy against her rival could be to extend her to the second round and beyond. Employing leg kicks and varying up her attack is the best approach.

This is easier said than done because Rousey pursues the takedown so aggressively. Up to this point, she hasn’t run into an opponent skilled enough in takedown defense to keep the fight standing, or strong enough as a striker to stop her in her tracks.

In their first fight, Tate tried, but she didn’t have the power to hurt Rousey. Chances are, she still doesn’t. However, if she can wear Rousey down, she may have a better chance late in the fight.

 

Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva vs. Chris Weidman

The Spider will be looking for redemption in the main event in Vegas, and I’m willing to bet that if he finds it, it will come via TKO/KO.

If that happens, Silva will have a chance to add to his record total for Knockout of the Night honors in the UFC. Heading into Saturday’s event, he has won KO of the Night seven times. Most recently, he won it at UFC 148 when he stopped Chael Sonnen in the second round.

Could Weidman become his eighth victim?

 

All stats per FightMetric.com.

 

Follow me for news, results and updates on UFC action.

 

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Rousey vs. Tate 2: Biggest Storylines Heading into Epic UFC 168 Rematch

Christmas cheer won’t resonate for Ronda “Rowdy” Rousey and Miesha “Cupcake” Tate long past the holiday, with no shortage of compelling storylines heading into the UFC 168 co-main event and Women’s Bantamweight Championship on Saturday, Dec. 28. 
…

Christmas cheer won’t resonate for Ronda “Rowdy” Rousey and Miesha “Cupcake” Tate long past the holiday, with no shortage of compelling storylines heading into the UFC 168 co-main event and Women’s Bantamweight Championship on Saturday, Dec. 28. 

While the main event of Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman will be the final match of the card, the anticipation has mounted for this epic women’s clash that will carry huge implications as to who will be more of a female face of the sport moving forward. 

There’s an enticing past between these two fighters, and it’s safe to say that both Rousey and Tate are licking their chops at the opportunities available on Saturday, Dec. 28.

Let’s take a look at the biggest storylines surrounding Rousey vs. Tate heading into the rematch.

 

Why Can’t We Be Friends?

A one-sided match in their first fight. A season of a television show centered around their rivalry. A bar fight surrounding one fighter hitting on the other’s boyfriend on said TV show. Spiteful, personal jabs flying back and forth.

Could this get any juicier?

After their first bout—a Rousey submission in the first round—the two agreed to do Season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter to promote this very fight. And as you can see in this Fox Sports video, Rousey got a little too touchy with Tate’s guy at the bar one night before things got physical.

Tate has thrown plenty of words around, including her own blog post on Yahoo! Sports where she rips her arch-rival for the bar incident.

Rousey, notoriously feisty and headline-prone in her own right, wasn’t done talking in the days before Saturday’s fight as you can see below.

On nearly every occasion possible, these two fighters have made their displeasure with the other quite obvious. And to say that it’s only gotten more personal and fierce since their first bout would be a vast understatement.

Big words and animosity for the opponent is nothing new in boxing and martial arts. But it’s apparent that the Rousey-Tate rivalry goes well beyond simply fighting. 

 

Will Tate Make it to Round 2?

Tate’s nickname of “Cupcake” isn’t supposed to represent her as an easy win for her opponent, but that’s just what she was in her first bout with Rousey.

Tate made it 4:27 into the opening round of the fight before succumbing to Rousey, who landed her unavoidable arm bar that has taken so many victims, effectively ending the fight with a first-round submission.

It’s not a coincidence that Rousey took care of Tate in the first round. In fact, it’s the only victory Rousey knows—each of her seven career victories were first-round submissions.

Cupcake nearly made it to the second round in their first affair, something that Rousey has never seen her opponent do. If she can make it to her corner after the first five minutes, it will be a huge statement.

We’ve never seen Rousey fight in the second round before. If she exerts too much energy going for the early submission and fails to land it, Tate’s chances of winning go from minuscule to very possible. 

 

How Much Will Fight Help Women’s UFC Popularity?

There may have been bigger fights for women’s martial arts in recent history, but it’s undeniable that the Saturday, Dec. 28 showdown could have a huge effect on the popularity of the sport among females.

Women’s MMA fighting is usually saved for Strikeforce and Invicta FC, but it’s gained a large amount of popularity since Rousey appeared in the first women’s UFC fight ever earlier in 2013. That has only set the stage for this fight, which should continue to increase popularity.

Dana White and company wasted little time cashing in even more on the women’s side of the sport. According to USA Today‘s MMA Junkie, UFC added a “strawweight” after signing 11 fighters from Invicta in a marquee move for the state of women’s martial arts. 

Strawweight is now the second women’s division after bantamweight, the title that Rousey will hope to defend from Tate on Saturday, Dec. 28. 

Rousey has been the face of women’s MMA, and there’s no shortage of excitement heading into a bout that is co-main event with perhaps the men’s fiercest division. It’s set up to be a huge moment for the future of women’s UFC. 

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UFC 168: Preliminary Card Predictions

The UFC plans to close 2013 with a bang, as UFC 168 comes to you live on pay-per-view. Headlined by two title fights, the card is deep from the very bottom all the way to the top.
Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman are the stars, vying for the UFC M…

The UFC plans to close 2013 with a bang, as UFC 168 comes to you live on pay-per-view. Headlined by two title fights, the card is deep from the very bottom all the way to the top.

Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman are the stars, vying for the UFC Middleweight Championship, which the American took after knocking out Silva at UFC 162. Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate co-headline, battling for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship, which “Rowdy” earned after finishing as the Strikeforce champion.

Before those great fights and several other PPV bouts, we start with the Facebook and Fox Sports 1 portions of the card. Here are the predictions for those fights.

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UFC 168: 3 Questions We Have About Ronda Rousey

In a matter of days, Ronda Rousey will once again attempt to live up to the hype.
For what has been a relatively short professional career sparked by unparalleled Judo skills, Rousey has been exceeding in-cage expectations and public responsibilities e…

In a matter of days, Ronda Rousey will once again attempt to live up to the hype.

For what has been a relatively short professional career sparked by unparalleled Judo skills, Rousey has been exceeding in-cage expectations and public responsibilities every step of the way.

Blessed with world-class talent and ungodly public moxie, “Rowdy” has been every bit of the UFC’s women’s bantamweight champion.

Come Saturday, she’ll be forced to fend off yet another hungry contender. This time, it will be a familiar face.

As one of the biggest stars gears up for one of the biggest rematches of the past few years, she’ll be forced to out-smart and out-hustle top contender Miesha Tate to the absolute bitter end.

Here are three trying questions that Rousey must answer to remain a mixed martial arts queen:

 

Can she stand with Tate?

As good as Rousey is on the ground—and boy is she sensational—she’s the type of fighter that works on absolutely everything.

From wrestling to boxing, the 26-year-old phenom tries to improve on all levels. Therefore, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if she opts to test Tate’s striking early in the fight.

It’s not like Rousey isn’t skilled enough to swarm an enemy on the feet—even a bruiser like “Cupcake”—it’s just that she’s never really done it.

The fact that Tate is the type of fighter to come out guns blazing makes it that much more interesting. She’s been ready to punch Rousey straight in the face since she was left with no belt and a broken arm back in 2012.

 

Will her grappling play a role early?

Seven straight first-round armbars speaks for itself, but the fact that Rousey has pulled them off against some the best fighters in the world makes you wonder if superpowers are actually possible.

In reality, they aren’t. However, if Rousey once again gets it done by her patented submission, the MMA world may come crashing down.

That’s why it’s going to be key for Tate to keep this fight standing until she’s able to pressure the champ into making a mistake. After all, if Rousey is given time to execute, she’ll snap limbs at will.

I’m sure Tate is going to do everything to ruin Rousey‘s streak, so this is a question worth keeping an eye on.

 

Is she capable of a war?

First-round finishes have been Rousey‘s staple in the sport. She’s demolished opponent after opponent by the same move before the first five minutes of the fight tick down.

While that’s enormously impressive, it’s also very alarming. As a sport built on high motors and overcoming adversity, Rousey hasn’t had to display either one through her first seven bouts.

She’s essentially the ultimate athlete, but nobody really knows for sure what she’s capable of doing if confronted with a situation unsolvable by armbar. Nobody knows what she’ll do if Tate drags her into deep waters and forces her to exude all effort.

Until we see it, we won’t know. In any case, Saturday should serve as a nice cherry on top of the UFC’s scintillating 2013 campaign.

 

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UFC 168 Bold Predictions: Can Chris Weidman Slay ‘The Spider’ Again?

The waiting is almost over.
By this time on Sunday, we’ll know the future of the UFC middleweight division. We’ll know whether Chris Weidman’s initial win over Anderson Silva was more luck than destiny. We’ll know whether the 38-year-old former champio…

The waiting is almost over.

By this time on Sunday, we’ll know the future of the UFC middleweight division. We’ll know whether Chris Weidman’s initial win over Anderson Silva was more luck than destiny. We’ll know whether the 38-year-old former champion was able to reassert his storied dominance.

We’ll know if Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate squashed the beef.

These and other truths will be revealed. Until then, though, we’re just going to have to guess.

In the name of semi-educated conjecture, MMA lead writers Jonathan Snowden and Chad Dundas (that’s me) are here to offer their bold predictions for UFC 168.

Begin the slideshow (if you dare) to read Sunday’s headlines today… 

Begin Slideshow

Ronda Rousey Is in No-Win Situation at UFC 168

No matter what happens at UFC 168 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday, Ronda Rousey can only break even in the court of public opinion. Her reputation has taken a hit because of the way she came off during The Ultimate Fighter 18. Because of this…

No matter what happens at UFC 168 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday, Ronda Rousey can only break even in the court of public opinion. Her reputation has taken a hit because of the way she came off during The Ultimate Fighter 18. Because of this, some are rooting for Miesha “Cupcake” Tate to hand the UFC women’s bantamweight champion her first loss.

For what it’s worth, Tate beat Rousey in the first round of the EA Sports UFC video game cover vote.

Rousey already beat Tate where it matters most—in the Octagon—in 2012 when the two were still in Strikeforce.

Odds are, Rousey will wrap Tate up again and force her to tap via the armbar on Saturday. Tate’s takedown defense has never been very good. Per FightMetric.com, she’s only defended 20 percent of the takedowns attempted against her. If you can’t defend the takedown, you’re probably not going to beat Rousey.

If Rousey does indeed defeat Tate again, no one will be surprised, or impressed. This is a fight she is expected to win. If she loses, critics will say Rousey is buckling under the pressure of carrying the mantle for women’s MMA. That could very well be true.

Rousey’s personality isn’t one that is best suited for the type of attention she gets. She’s moody, abrasive and politically incorrect. She’s always a slip of the tongue away from being in hot water with the UFC or sponsors. The more she wins, the more intense the pressure and scrutiny will be.

It seems that Rousey may be tiring of the spotlight—at least the negative aspects of it—but she feels she has an obligation to carry the sport for her gender through its formative years. According to Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie, she has said she won’t quit and leave the sport hanging like Gina Carano did.

Funny thing is, it seems like she has an inclination to do just that. When you’re used to saying what you want, when you want, it’s difficult when you have to watch your mouth.

Beating Tate only extends this existence and increases the haters’ desire to see her fall. 

If Tate somehow finds a way to beat her, then things really get rough for Rousey. As popular as she’s become, she still hasn’t carried women’s MMA to a safe place in America’s consciousness. If Rousey fades now, there is no other woman—Tate included—capable of being the transcendent star the sport still needs.

Rousey would then be a flash in the pan to some. Her confidence and pride could be shaken to its core. Losing is hard enough, but losing to someone you detest is another thing altogether.

I honestly don’t think Rousey would care about losing in general. In a way, it would create a sense of relief for her. That said, I’m almost positive she doesn’t want it to be at the hands of Tate. 

Guess she’ll just have to chase the lesser of two evils and make Cupcake tap out again.

 

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