Tag: UFC 171

Nick Diaz: ‘Amateur’ Johny Hendricks Got His ‘A** Whooped’ by Robbie Lawler

Now that “amateur” hour is over, Nick Diaz is ready to cut in line once more to hand welterweight champ Johny Hendricks a worse beating than he took from Robbie Lawler at UFC 171.  
The retired MMA star attended the UFC event on Saturd…

Now that “amateur” hour is over, Nick Diaz is ready to cut in line once more to hand welterweight champ Johny Hendricks a worse beating than he took from Robbie Lawler at UFC 171.  

The retired MMA star attended the UFC event on Saturday night to witness the crowning of Georges St-Pierre’s successor. Hendricks emerged as the victor after surviving a 25-minute slugfest with Lawler.

Many thought the fight highlighted every overused cliche of combat sports. Blood, sweat, tears—Hendricks and Lawler left it all in the cage for a chance to etch their names in the eternal pages of history.

Then there are those like Diaz, a back-to-back retiree looking to hop back on the horse for his third consecutive crack at UFC gold. After watching UFC President Dana White ceremoniously wrapping the belt around Hendricks’ waist, the former Strikeforce welterweight champ couldn’t help but walk away feeling annoyed.

During an interview with Sportsnet Canada’s Joe Ferraro, Diaz categorized Hendricks’ performance as “amateur” level at best:

For once, [the UFC] bought me an actual ticket, and said, ‘Hey, we’d love to have you out.’ So I was like, ‘That’s new.’ I’m here and they start interviewing me, they actually want to hear me talk. Maybe they want me to fight Johny Hendricks. Take an ass-whooping, right to your face, bro, worse than tonight because you got your ass whooped all four rounds. I seen it, I seen the little amateur style…

Despite coming off back-to-back losses to St-Pierre and Carlos Condit, Diaz makes his case as the only bona fide superstar on the UFC’s welterweight roster available to pair with Hendricks. But the UFC would have to prioritize a big-money fight over a deserving list of contenders to get a deal done.

While Diaz plans on at least one fight this year, he isn’t looking to mix it up with other contenders in the division.

“I’m going to try to get a fight this year, talked to Dana, hardly, but he knows where my mind is at,” Diaz said. “That’s what’s up. I need a title fight, I need a real fight. They need to let the fans have what they want to see. That’s why I’m here, to get something going. No [Rory MacDonald, Hector Lombard, etc.].”

Diaz gets the golden-carpet treatment from the UFC at an event featuring the vacant welterweight title. Even the simplest of minds can see a possible coup coming a mile away.

 

Jordy McElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA writer for Rocktagon. 

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UFC 171: Matches to Make for the Entire Fight Card

At UFC 171, Johny Hendricks claimed the title that many thought should have been his months ago.
In November, “Bigg Rigg” fought to a close decision with Georges St-Pierre, who had reigned over the 170-pound division for years. After GSP walked away wi…

At UFC 171, Johny Hendricks claimed the title that many thought should have been his months ago.

In November, “Bigg Rigg” fought to a close decision with Georges St-Pierre, who had reigned over the 170-pound division for years. After GSP walked away with the controversial victory, he decided to vacate his belt for personal reasons.

That left Hendricks to fight Robbie Lawler to determine the new welterweight champion. Despite having a significant wrestling advantage over Lawler, Hendricks chose to stand and trade with one of the more dangerous strikers in his weight class.

Hendricks’ game plan ultimately paid dividends, as he claimed the 170-pound belt in another close decision.

Now, he will wait to find out who will be first to challenge him for his strap. Here are the matchups that should be next for the new welterweight champion and the rest of the UFC 171 competitors.

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UFC Welterweight Division Picture Much Clearer After UFC 171

Like Optimus Prime or Starscream, the UFC welterweight division has began its intricate transformation.
But like any significant alteration, the 170-pound weight class needed a new beginning.  UFC 171 ultimately served as that AllSpark.
Without fo…

Like Optimus Prime or Starscream, the UFC welterweight division has began its intricate transformation.

But like any significant alteration, the 170-pound weight class needed a new beginning.  UFC 171 ultimately served as that AllSpark.

Without former champion Georges St-Pierre at the helm in the cage and out of it, the promotion was in need of a new titleholder.  One who could make sense of this whole mess and finally shed some light on the future of a division dictated under one man for nearly six straight years.

Well, it has finally happened.  The transformation has commenced.  Johny Hendricks has earned what he arguably deserved to have back at UFC 167 by outlasting and outscoring Robbie Lawler in a five-round bloodbath this past Saturday in Dallas.

The blistering main event not only produced one of the most entertaining fights in recent divisional memory, but it offered fight fans from all corners of the globe immediate insight into the world of UFC welterweights.

Now even though Hendricks vs. Lawler stole the show with a barbaric back-and-forth that even Diego Sanchez himself would think twice about, the division’s eagerly anticipated transformation would not have gotten underway if not for other main card welterweights looking to impress.

Carlos Condit blew his knee out in heartbreaking fashion, allowing Tyron Woodley to capture his third finish in just four fights and create the sort of divisional buzz that Daniel Cormier would die for.

Hector Lombard tossed Jake Shields around like one of those wrestling dolls you used to drop elbows on from the top bunk, suggesting his power and judo skills have what it takes to sustain a run at the title.

But let’s not forget the world-class chin and destructive ability that Lawler displayed in a losing effort.  He looked every part of a UFC champion as he withstood the aggressive and calculated dynamo that is the bearded man.

So what does this all mean to a division still churning after the sudden departure of one of the greatest champions of all time?

It’s simple.  The division now has an identity.  It now has a name to hang its hat on.  A champion for hungry contenders to set their sights on.  One who will welcome each and every one of them with closed fists and wide eyes.

With that said, there isn’t exactly a clear-cut favorite to get the next shot at the title and put Hendricks’ first defense into motion.  Not that there aren’t any good candidates, it’s just that there are simply too many names capable of earning that right.

But hey, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, right?

In any case, the UFC has a lot of sifting and deciding to do.  It could easily construct a list of potential title contenders, but only one guy is going to get a chance at the newly instated champion.

So you have to ask yourself, who deserves it?

On one hand, you have Woodley, a guy who has gone 3-1 in the division since losing a Strikeforce welterweight title fight to Nate Marquardt back in 2012.  He seems to possess the athleticism, natural strength and explosiveness to push Hendricks to the absolute brink.

On the other hand, you have Lombard, an accomplished journeyman who the UFC has been eager to cash in on.  But while his controlling power and ability to finish fights fuels his candidacy, it’s his repeating disappearance late in fights that suggests he may not be ready.

And on the other other hand, somewhere buried deep under a rock you have Nick Diaz, a mixed martial arts veteran who often beats his opponents down before they ever step inside a cage.  A guy who will have to do a whole lot of talking to leapfrog other rising candidates like Rory MacDonald, Tarec Saffiedine, Jake Ellenberger and Matt Brown.

But to have all of these options means that the UFC welterweight division should be able to flourish and transform from within despite GSP’s mysterious absence.

The divisional picture seems to be much clearer now and has fallen into the worthwhile hands of a champion who deserves every bit of praise he may get.

As for Condit, let’s hope he makes a quick recovery in order to preserve a potentially masterful rematch with “Bigg Rigg.”

 

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UFC 171: Examining the Future of Diego Sanchez and the Issue of Fighter Safety

Having lost comfortably to Myles Jury at UFC 171, the question facing Diego Sanchez is where should he go next?
Stick around in any sport for long enough and the competition will eventually surpass you. This fact is so well established that one might a…

Having lost comfortably to Myles Jury at UFC 171, the question facing Diego Sanchez is where should he go next?

Stick around in any sport for long enough and the competition will eventually surpass you. This fact is so well established that one might as well categorize it as law.

Has Sanchez really reached that point in his career? It’s difficult to say.

Unlike many fighters who compete past their primes, the original winner of The Ultimate Fighter remains somewhat competitive. His chin appears no less robust, his passion remains undiminished and his body continues to serve him relatively well.

However, it would be delusional to think that Sanchez can still challenge the sport’s elite. Should he be content to function as a gatekeeper for the younger generation?

The fan in me would love nothing more than to watch the former “Nightmare” compete in a series of barnburners for the next several years, yet my conscience leads me elsewhere. I have no desire to see any fighter reduced to a figurative punching bag for my entertainment.

I have no doubt some will argue that Sanchez is still good enough to hang around just outside of the lightweight division’s top 10, and I’m inclined to agree with them.

But how long do we expect that to last? One or two more years? It’s impossible to say, but I’m not entirely sure that it actually matters.

Must a fighter’s decline become glaringly obvious before our thoughts turn towards retirement? It has always struck me as odd that the cumulative effects of repeated concussions must manifest as an unconscious heap in the middle of the cage before health becomes our primary concern.

We know enough about brain injury to realise that its deficits may go unseen for years, remaining latent while damage continues to accumulate. If you haven’t already, I would recommend setting aside half an hour to read Scott Harris’ piece on the subject.

Even as I write this, it’s hard not to experience a certain amount of discomfort when speculating about the health of a fighter who isn’t in the midst of a serious career decline. That’s part of the problem, though.

It is taboo to even hint at retirement unless the fighter in question has been knocked out repeatedly in recent fights. Preventing the fighter from actually deteriorating to that point should be our priority.

In the case of Diego Sanchez, we must also consider his style of fighting. Throughout his career, the 32-year-old has habitually engaged in precisely the kind of career-shortening contests that lead to serious conditions like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

It would be easy to brush off such concerns, particularly with Sanchez blaming a bout of food poisoning for his performance at UFC 171.

However, I saw no real indication that he was struggling physically against Jury. What I saw was a fighter past his prime being outclassed by a talented young prospect.

Ultimately, the question of when to retire lies with the fighter. We can respect that while discussing the issue of fighter safety honestly.

Sanchez may very well be able to compete safely and justify his spot on the roster, but that shouldn’t prevent us from questioning the wisdom of that choice.

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Diego Sanchez Blames UFC 171 Loss to Myles Jury on Raw Quail Egg


(Sanchez grimaces as the raw meat works its intestinal magic. / Photo via Getty)

You read the headline right. Diego Sanchez took to twitter earlier today to explain why he lost to Miles Jury at UFC 171. It wasn’t due to age, strategy, or simply fighting from a previous era. No, the culprit was steak tartare with a side of raw quail egg:


(Sanchez grimaces as the raw meat works its intestinal magic. / Photo via Getty)

You read the headline right. Diego Sanchez took to twitter earlier today to explain why he lost to Myles Jury at UFC 171. It wasn’t due to age, strategy, or simply fighting from a previous era. No, the culprit was steak tar tar with a side of raw quail egg:

As hilarious as it sounds, Sanchez wasn’t trying to be funny. He even tweeted out the menu of the restaurant he attended, SER Steakhouse—”an exciting new breed of Dallas steakhouse” that promises to offer “a sophisticated and urban dining experience unlike any other.” They delivered on that promise, but not in the way they intended; Sanchez spent the day of the fight vomiting, which we’d say is an experience unlike any other.

After losing to Jury, Sanchez is now 1-3 in the last two years of competition. We suggest less high brow dining and more KFC.

Diego Sanchez Says Food Poisoning Contributed to UFC 171 Loss to Myles Jury

One of the winners on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, Diego Sanchez, believes a bad dinner choice after the UFC 171 weigh-ins cost him against surging prospect Myles Jury. 
The Greg Jackson’s MMA fighter took to Twitter this afternoon to…

One of the winners on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, Diego Sanchez, believes a bad dinner choice after the UFC 171 weigh-ins cost him against surging prospect Myles Jury. 

The Greg Jackson’s MMA fighter took to Twitter this afternoon to explain to his fans why Saturday night didn’t go according to plan.

I wasn’t my self last night I sustained Food poisoning from eating a beef tar tar with raw quail egg as a appetizer at dinner

— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) March 16, 2014

This was my own mistake I ordered it thinking I need red meat but raw was the wrong choice, I threw up first at at 2am & all day fight day.

— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) March 16, 2014

This was not part of @TheDolceDiet I screwed my self! I thought because I had done everything do perfect I could sway a little & it cost me.

— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) March 16, 2014

In a subsequent tweet, Sanchez posted this link to ensure no one could accuse him of fabricating the meal in question.

Jury, who improved to 14-0 with the decision win, used precision striking from the outside—as well as a well-timed double-leg takedown—to outwork Sanchez for the better part of 15 minutes at their UFC 171 encounter.

Sanchez, a former title challenger at lightweight, is now just 1-2 since dropping down from welterweight one year ago. 

The 32-year-old, who was 17-0 before suffering a loss to Josh Koscheck at UFC 69, is 3-5 overall in his past eight bouts and hasn’t scored a decisive win since he defeated Paulo Thiago at UFC 121 in October 2010. 

While Sanchez recorded a victory over Martin Kampmann in March 2011, as well as a decision win over Takanori Gomi in March 2013, fans almost unanimously panned the outcomes as very poor scoring by the judges in both instances.

Despite the tough stretch, the fan-friendly brawler seems like he has every intention to fight on. 

I’m heart broken and very very motivated it hurts so bad. I’ll be back better than ever!

— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) March 16, 2014

 

John Heinis is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA editor for eDraft.com.

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