The winner of a UFC 171 bout between Carlos Condit and Tyron Woodley is most likely to produce the next welterweight title challenger.
Still, a Saturday matchup between Jake Shields and Hector Lombard will also be important in sorting out the lan…
The winner of a UFC 171 bout between Carlos Condit and TyronWoodley is most likely to produce the next welterweight title challenger.
Still, a Saturday matchup between Jake Shields and Hector Lombard will also be important in sorting out the landscape of a Georges St-Pierre-less 170-pound class.
With wins over Woodley and Demian Maia since returning to the division, Shields is the No. 6-ranked contender. Because his fight with the NCAA All-American wrestler was so closely contested and due to his lack of finishes, Shields appears to have fallen behind Woodley in the race for a shot at UFC gold.
At UFC 166, Lombard made a successful move to the 170-pound class. Following a disappointing loss to middleweight YushinOkami, Lombard rebounded by stopping Nate Marquardt with strikes in the first round.
Will the former Strikeforce champion or former BellatorMMA champion take a step closer to the UFC Welterweight Championship? Here is a closer look at how Shields and Lombard match up in all areas.
Many believe Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks should already be the UFC welterweight champion. He appeared to beat the living daylights out of Georges St-Pierre in Nov. 2013 but lost the bout by split decision.
With GSP in some level of retirement and the t…
Many believe Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks should already be the UFC welterweight champion. He appeared to beat the living daylights out of Georges St-Pierre in Nov. 2013 but lost the bout by split decision.
With GSP in some level of retirement and the title vacated, Bigg Rigg will battle “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler in a potentially epic main event at UFC 171 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
As cards and compelling bouts go, this one goes about seven fights deep. On my unofficial UFC pay-per-view ratings scale, that’s enough strong matches to warrant a buy.
“The Natural Born Killer” Carlos Condit takes on “The Chosen One” Tyron Woodley. Diego “Dream” Sanchez returns against Myles “Fury” Jury and more.
This event will feature a wealth of young, up-and-coming fighters. It could ultimately become one of the most important events for the promotion’s next superstars. Adam Martin of Parting Shot MMA breaks down the ages of some of the top fighters in action:
This should be good. Here’s the viewing information, the card, as well as predictions (in parentheses) for each bout. Just below the match list is a closer look at three of the most intriguing bouts on this stacked card.
Date: March 15, 2014 at 6 p.m. ET
Venue: American Airlines Center
Location: Dallas, Texas
Preliminary Bouts at 6 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass
Lightweight: Renee Forte vs. Francisco Trevino (Trevino by KO)
Flyweight: Will Campuzano vs. Justin Scoggins (Scoggins by KO)
Middleweight: Bubba McDaniel vs. Sean Strickland (Strickland by KO)
Featherweight: Daniel Pineda vs. Robert Whiteford (Whiteford by decision)
Preliminary Bouts at 8 p.m. on FOX Sports 1
Welterweight: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Rick Story (Gastelum by decision)
Women’s Bantamweight: Raquel Pennington vs. Jessica Andrade (Andrade by KO)
Featherweight: Dennis Bermudez vs. Jimy Hettes (Hettes by submission)
Welterweight: Sean Spencer vs. Alex Garcia (Garcia by KO)
Main Card Bouts at 10 p.m. ET on Pay-Per-View
UFC Welterweight Championship: Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler (Lawler by KO)
Welterweight: Carlos Condit vs. Tyron Woodley (Condit by decision)
Lightweight: Diego Sanchez vs. Myles Jury (Jury by decision)
Welterweight: Jake Shields vs. Hector Lombard (Shields by decision)
Light Heavyweight: Ovince St. Preux vs. Nikita “Al Capone” Krylov (Krylov by submission)
Al Capone Will Neutralize St. Preux’s Power
St. Preux is a gifted athlete and dangerous striker, but when he faces Krylov on Saturday, his takedown defense better be in order.
Krylov is a fairly balanced fighter, but the 21-year-old Russian has an advanced submissions game. Of his 16 wins, 10 of them have come by submission. He’s a little inexperienced and doesn’t always adopt the best strategy (see his fight with Soa Palelei), but he could make this an easy fight on the ground.
Since he arrived in the UFC, it seems he’s been trying to prove he’s an elite striker. While it’s good to be diverse—and he did flatten Walt Harris in his last bout—it’s still good to fight to one’s strengths.
He has a shot if he keeps the bout standing, but not a good one. St. Preux is quick and explosive. Look for Krylov to take it to the mat and win by submission.
Condit Will Be Too Long, Tough and Skilled for Woodley
The Chosen One’s ferocious striking and dynamic wrestling makes him one of the most dangerous welterweights in the UFC. However, he’ll have trouble penetrating Condit’s reach—and even if he does, The Natural Born Killer is great on his back.
Woodley will have to be wary of submission attempts. Condit has submitted 13 of his opponents and knocked out 14.
There’s no question Woodley is the stronger, quicker fighter. That said, Condit is five inches taller and he has a more diverse attack and set of defenses. Condit will win by decision.
Lawler Will Win a Thriller by Decision
Both of these men can bang with the best of them. Because they are both blessed with explosive power, it would seem as if a knockout finish is inevitable.
Hendricks could try to take Lawler down. Bigg Rigg is a former NCAA Division I wrestling champion. That said, Lawler has worked on every aspect of his game. He’s no longer the one-dimensional masher he was when he first arrived in the UFC in 2002.
He talked about his skill advancement with Steven Marrocco and John Morgan of MMA Junkie. Lawler said: “everything’s kind of clicking at the right time. My skills are getting better, and I’m getting stronger and training with a great team. It’s awesome to be a part of.”
There’s no question Hendricks could turn Lawler’s lights out with a heavy right or left hand, but Lawler is quicker and taller. In a race to see who lands the big shot first, Lawler has the tools to arrive before Hendricks.
UFC 171 marks the return to pay-per-view for the world’s largest MMA promotion on Saturday. Headlined by a welterweight title bout, the card boasts a deep lineup from the main event to the bottom of the card.
Johny Hendricks will meet Robbie Lawler for…
UFC 171 marks the return to pay-per-view for the world’s largest MMA promotion on Saturday. Headlined by a welterweight title bout, the card boasts a deep lineup from the main event to the bottom of the card.
Johny Hendricks will meet Robbie Lawler for the vacant 170-pound title. It marks the first time in more than five years that we will have an undisputed welterweight champion not named Georges St-Pierre.
As for the prelims, I bring you another edition of picks. The average-at-best picks have continued, as not going with my gut on Louis Gaudinot and IlirLatifi cost me. I still sit above .500 though, looking to break out with eight prelim picks here.
Without further ado, let’s make some predictions on UFC 171’s prelims.
UFC 171 is fast approaching, and the fans eagerly await fight night on Saturday. That is because one of the most stacked cards in recent memory could provide a clearer vision of certain weight classes, especially the welterweight division.
The card is …
UFC 171 is fast approaching, and the fans eagerly await fight night on Saturday. That is because one of the most stacked cards in recent memory could provide a clearer vision of certain weight classes, especially the welterweight division.
The card is headlined by Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler, who will fight for the vacant welterweight title. The co-feature will see Carlos Condit face Tyron Woodley, which could provide the first contender to the winner of Lawler vs. Hendricks.
Before we think of all that, let’s take a look at who might be walking home with some extra change in their pocket. As usual, the performance bonuses will be based on the best knockout and submission that may come from the event.
Performance of the Night No. 1: Carlos Condit
Many people think that Tyron Woodley is going to grind out Carlos Condit. I have a hunch that Condit can outgrapple and submit Woodley.
“The Natural Born Killer” has a very tricky, slick guard. He throws up triangle chokes and armbars like they’re nothing, in addition to having good sweeps and the ability to get back on his feet.
There is also a chance he could catch Woodley late with a striking stoppage. Either way, Condit will walk away with a bonus check in his pocket.
Also in the running: Daniel Pineda, Jessica Andrade
Performance of the Night No. 2: Alex Garcia
Alex Garcia is a powerful man. Like really powerful.
He has dynamite in his hands and can end a fight with one punch. He takes on a boxer in Sean Spencer who will stay on the feet and try to out-technique Garcia.
However, as mentioned, the Dominican-Canadian just needs one shot. At some point, he will land on Spencer in a way that makes men concussed and disoriented.
Did I mention that Garcia is really powerful? Oh, I did? Well that will lead to a knockout and a nice bonus.
Also in the running: Sean Strickland, Ovince St. Preux
Fight of the Night: Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler
Unless the main event is a lay-and-pray fest or a quick knockout, it is going to be a fun fight. That is because both Hendricks and Lawler are power-punching maniacs with a knack for making things interesting.
Lawler is as tough as nails, which may force Hendricks to have to land more than one of his patented bombs. “Ruthless” can knock anybody out as well, which will show us if Hendricks can take a punch.
Whatever happens, you can bet these two men are leaving Dallas with an extra $50,000 apiece. What needs to be decided is who will exit the cage with the belt made of gold and leather.
Also in the running: Carlos Condit vs. Tyron Woodley, Diego Sanchez vs. Myles Jury, Raquel Pennington vs. Jessica Andrade, Dennis Bermudez vs. Jimy Hettes
Being consistent in mixed martial arts is one of the most difficult tasks a fighter can accomplish, and Jake Shields has been as consistent as they come.
Over the course of his 14-year career the San Francisco-based fighter has claimed a multitude of c…
Being consistent in mixed martial arts is one of the most difficult tasks a fighter can accomplish, and Jake Shields has been as consistent as they come.
Over the course of his 14-year career the San Francisco-based fighter has claimed a multitude of championships from organizations around the sport and lined his resume with wins over a collection of elite-level competition. Furthermore, throughout the last 10 years, the Team Cesar Gracie fighter has only come out on the losing end of two bouts, one of which came at the hands of former welterweight king Georges St-Pierre.
With a track record as impressive as the one Shields owns, praise and accolades would seem to come in abundance, but this just isn’t the case. Where he once defeated Carlos Condit and YushinOkami in the same night and proceeded to rattle off eight consecutive victories by way of finish, his time of under the UFC banner has failed to provide the type of spark his previous efforts once generated.
While fans fall in love with highlight reel finishes, the simple truth of the matter is that Shields is ultimately getting the job done in whatever fashion he has to. That said, he understands that styles and dynamic finishes boost a fighter’s profile in the MMA game, but winning is what matters. One-punch knockouts and slick submissions will certainly earn the favor of an action-hungry fanbase, but winning every step of the way is what makes a fighter a champion. And once again…that is what Shields is chasing.
“I think the fact I’ve lost two fights over a long stretch of time definitely gets lost on people,” Shields told Bleacher Report. “I’m not an easy guy to beat and a tough guy to deal with. I’ve beaten some very tough guys and I plan on going out and doing it again on Saturday night.
“A win over Lombard definitely puts me right there for a title shot, especially if I can go out and finish him. That should definitely put me in line for the title or at least the No. 1 contender.”
The 35-year-old has his sights set on earning UFC gold—one of the few major titles that has eluded him—and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get there. The next major step on his quest for the throne will come on Saturday night when he faces off with Cuban powerhouse Hector Lombard at UFC 171 in Dallas.
The former Olympic judoka has a vicious style and has the potential to end a fight in abrupt and violent fashion. While Shields is aware of the dangers the former Bellator champion will bring into the cage, he’s had great success against some of the heaviest hitters to ever step inside the cage.
In addition to Lombard’s striking, the American Top Team fighter also has world-class judo credentials. With Shields bringing his personal brand of American jiu-jitsu into the Octagon, the tussle between the two highly ranked welterweights could get interesting on several levels.
“Judo traditionally is all big throws and tosses, which Lombard is great at,” Shields explained. “He’s been fighting so long his wrestling has come around as well. He has a good double leg and a good sprawl so he’s not just a pure judo guy anymore. AJJ is my mix of American wrestling style and Brazilian jiu-jitsu that is a hybrid for MMA. It’s definitely going to be an interesting clash of styles, but as far as the ground goes, I’m a lot better than Lombard.
“He definitely has a lot of power and his power is legit,” he added. “But I’ve fought guys in the past like [Dan] Henderson and [Robbie] Lawler so it’s not the first time I’ve done this. But again, he’s a dangerous guy and I had to watch some tapes and make some small changes. But I’ve fought guys like him before and I’ll be ready.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Diego Sanchez is perhaps the UFC’s pound-for-pound most likable fighter.
At least in interview settings, the first-ever The Ultimate Fighter winner comes across as one of MMA’s true nice guys. He’s thoughtful and honest—forthcom…
Diego Sanchez is perhaps the UFC’s pound-for-pound most likable fighter.
At least in interview settings, the first-ever The Ultimate Fighter winner comes across as one of MMA’s true nice guys. He’s thoughtful and honest—forthcoming to a fault—with a gentle demeanor that belies the ferocious, swing-from-the-heels style that has made him one of the company’s most popular and dependably exciting attractions.
When he takes on undefeated up-and-comer Myles Jury on Saturday at UFC 171, it’ll be his 20th appearance in the Octagon and fight No. 31 of his career overall.
He’ll do it as one of just three members of that original TUF cast who remain active. Even as fellow TUF 1 alumnus Chris Leben hung up his gloves in January and TUF 6 winner Mac Danzig called it quits last week, Sanchez appears to have no intention of slowing down.
Maybe that’s what worries us a little bit.
“I’m going in there headstrong,” Sanchez said on Tuesday of his fight with Jury, via MMA Junkie’s Ben Fowlkes. “I believe I’m better than I’ve ever been in my career.”
That he is one of the last men standing from TUF 1 should surprise no one. Since winning the show’s inaugural season a bit less than nine years ago, his life has been an open book to fight fans.
We’ve witnessed his triumphs and his heartbreaks both in and out of the cage as he grew from 23-year-old prospect to steady veteran. Though he’s been through some personal calamity and has been slowed by injury in recent years, he’s remained the consummate fighter.
Six times during his last nine appearances, he’s won Fight of the Night bonuses. Two of those were eventually honored as the best fights of the year, and in his last bout—a slobberknocker loss against Gilbert Melendez—he reaffirmed that he can still throw down with the UFC’s top lightweights.
His never-say-die attitude has made him a thrilling talent to watch in the Octagon, earned him a lot of money and won him a vast legion of fans. It’s also subjected him to large amounts of damage, raising more and more concerns about his future health the longer he carries on.
If you read his recent comments about the Melendez fight and don’t feel a little concerned for him, you may want to drive directly to the ER and undergo some tests to confirm you have a heart.
“Hell no,” Sanchez said, when Fowlkes asked him if he thinks fights like the Melendez brawl take a toll on him. “Hell no, that s–t don’t take no toll on me, that just makes me better. That’s just experience, that’s being under the bright lights. That’s learning to find who you are as a true warrior, learning to find that true warrior spirit within.”
It’s exactly that attitude that we love about Sanchez, but it also spikes our fears.
This is a natural consequence of using a reality show as a marketing tool for professional fighters: We become attached to them on a personal level. Especially concerning the star-studded cast of the first The Ultimate Fighter, UFC fans have built strong emotional connections to the personalities they saw on the show.
Frankly, we feel like we know these guys—even though we really don’t. We like and respect them and don’t want to see anything bad happen to them.
That’s one of the reasons why it’s painful to see a proud fighter like Leben struggle during the early days of his retirement. That’s why it stings to see Mike Swick hampered by injuries or Josh Koscheck saddled with an uncertain future after three consecutive losses.
And it’s why the prospect of Sanchez fighting Jury this weekend tugs at our heartstrings. He’ll come in as a slight underdog, according to BestFightOdds.com, but this seems like a winnable fight for him against a comparatively inexperienced opponent who has never fought someone of Sanchez’s caliber.
With losses in two of his last three, this is a must-win. At the same time, it’s unclear where a victory over Jury leaves Sanchez, except right back in the mix fighting the world’s toughest guys for a future shot at the UFC lightweight title.
That’s what he wants, and we will support him in it, because we like Sanchez and want the best for him. We want him to capture his dreams.
Many believe Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks should already be the UFC welterweight champion. He appeared to beat the living daylights out of Georges St-Pierre in Nov. 2013 but lost the bout by split decision.