John Hackleman, the head trainer of UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell—as well as upcoming light heavyweight title challenger Glover Teixeira—has a bone to pick with current champ Jon Jones.
Speaking on Saturday’s edition of Submission Radio, …
John Hackleman, the head trainer of UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell—as well as upcoming light heavyweight title challenger Glover Teixeira—has a bone to pick with current champ Jon Jones.
I don’t really pay attention to who’s overlooking who, but if he’s doing that, that’s kind of rude and kind of a slap in the face to Glover and it’s pretty disrespectful and if he is really doing that. If the fans are doing that then whatever, that’s fans, but if Jon Jones is really doing that which I don’t think he really is, then to me that’s just disrespectful and rude and that’s maybe why, you know, people don’t love him like they did Chuck.
Chuck would never have done that. Chuck always looked at his next opponent as the biggest opponent he has. He was never, ‘Well, I’ll get past this guy, I’ll worry about this guy. He never would do that.”
Hackleman also commended Liddell and Teixeira for their love of training and respect for the fans, characteristics he is unsure if Jones possesses.
Liddell retired at the end of 2010 after losing five of his last six bouts, but he is still regarded as one of the greatest light heavyweights of all time.
Between April 2004 and December 2006, “The Iceman” recorded a UFC record of seven straight victories via knockout.
On the other hand, Teixeira enters his UFC 172 title tilt with “Bones” on the strength of a 20-fight win streak, including a 5-0 mark inside the Octagon.
Meanwhile, Jones heads into his seventh title defense after winning 10 consecutive bouts, recording eight stoppages during that roughly four-year time span.
The entire landscape of the welterweight division is in the midst of a shift, and Jake Ellenberger is ready to clear a path to the top.
The heavy-handed Omaha, Neb., native has been a staple in the upper tier of the 170-pound collective for the past th…
The entire landscape of the welterweight division is in the midst of a shift, and Jake Ellenberger is ready to clear a path to the top.
The heavy-handed Omaha, Neb., native has been a staple in the upper tier of the 170-pound collective for the past three years. Over that stretch, “The Juggernaut” blazed through the welterweight ranks as he claimed victory in eight out of 10 showings, including an impressive run where he notched six consecutive wins.
That said, a pair of setbacks in his past four showings—including a loss to Rory MacDonald in his most recent outing at UFC on Fox 8 last July—have kept him from breaking into title contention.
While the 28-year-old has been within striking distance of a title shot in the past, the circumstances of the divisional race at 170 pounds have drastically changed.
Former welterweight king Georges St-Pierre’s six-year reign over the weight class was undoubtedly one of the most dominant in UFC history, but the pound-for-pound great’s injury in 2011 and subsequent return in 2012 served to stall an otherwise thriving title hunt—one where Ellenberger was a major player in.
Nevertheless, timing is everything in MMA, and “GSP” would return, and Ellenberger would eventually stumble. But even with two losses threatening to push him out of the title picture, the Team Reign fighter’s championship ambitions have never faltered.
With the French-Canadian’s recent retirement and Johny Hendricks earning the title by defeating Robbie Lawler at UFC 171, the race for title contention at 170 pounds has never been hotter.
There are a host of top welterweights jockeying for position, and with several having competed on the Dallas card, the road ahead has started to take form.
This scenario will ensure the upcoming tilts on the schedule featuring top-ranked welterweights will take place under the proverbial microscope, and Ellenberger is certainly on the list. He was on hand for the welterweight showcase and had a cage-side seat to see the action unfold.
“The UFC brought me in for the fights, and I was glad I went to the show,” Ellenberger told Bleacher Report. “It was a good card with some big fights in my division. But as far as how things look in my weight class right now, things are a mess. It’s a big mess. I was paying close attention to all of the fights that were going to have an impact on the picture at 170, and the guys like [Hector] Lombard and [Tyron] Woodley, because they are guys I could potentially be matched up against in the future. Obviously, the same applies to Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler as well, but even after all of the big welterweight fights on that card, the division is totally wide open right now.
“It’s very unpredictable. I honestly don’t think Johny is still going to be the champ in six months and we haven’t had that type of situation at welterweight for a very long time. It’s crazy right now. The way things were set up for the card, a clear contender was supposed to emerge, but that just didn’t happen. And that makes things exciting. I guarantee every fighter in the top 10 right now is just as stoked and as pumped up as I am.”
The southern California transplant will jump into the mix when he squares off with TarecSaffiedine next month at UFC 172 when the Octagon makes its inaugural stop in Baltimore on April 26.
The matchup between the savvy veteran and the former Strikeforce champion will carry an added element of pressure as the winner will remain in the title hunt, while the loser will undoubtedly be shuffled back into a stacked divisional deck.
“I’ve been watching and studying him for a few months now, and he’s strong everywhere,” Ellenberger said. “We were originally supposed to fight in January, so I’ve had a good amount of time to prepare for him. I’m fortunate enough to have a few training partners that mimic his style and what he does very well. I have one guy who trains with me at Kings MMA that is pretty much the exact same guy and fights the same way Tarec does. This guy fights great as a southpaw and orthodox as well and does an amazing job breaking down why Saffiedine has been so successful with his kicks. He’s really helped me prepare for this fight, and I truly believe everything is in the right place heading into this fight.
“I’ve also started working with a new boxing coach, and he’s really put emphasis on the ending and having a concrete strategy as far as where you want to go and why you go there. I’m always trying to evolve, and my coaches are all focusing on fighting a mistake-free fight. I’d love to go out there and knock this guy out in eight seconds, but that probably isn’t going to happen.
“I’m going to be ready for whatever he brings to the cage,” he added. “Tarec is a great fighter, and he can prepare and put in all the work he possibly can before the fight, but you have to be ready to go when it’s time. I know I’ll be ready on fight night, and that is all that matters.”
Where those hovering circumstances can create distraction and force missteps, Ellenberger finds motivation in the challenges ahead. He knows the Belgian striker is a formidable opponent and believes an impressive victory over “Sponge” will put him right where he wants to be in the race for a future title opportunity.
But in order for Ellenberger to properly lock in on the tasks ahead of him, he’s embraced a new mindset to harness his potential.
“There is a lot going on right now with what potentially could happen down the road, but the only fight that matters to me right now is the one coming up with Saffiedine at UFC 172,” Ellenberger said. “My motivation has never been higher. I’ve learned to put all my intent, energy and fire where they need to be, and I’ve never felt better. There are plenty of things for me to be excited about right now and those things are all directly tied to how well my training has been going.
“It’s comforting for me to know that if I do absolutely everything I need to do in order to reach my full potential, then I will be a world champion. There isn’t one thing I do from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed that is not beneficial to me reaching my goals in my career. One of my coaches, Ryon Gracie, says something that has always stuck out to me.
“He asked me ‘What are you willing not to do?’ He talks about putting yourself in these bad positions and worst case scenarios, and not a lot of people do that because it’s uncomfortable and it’s hard work. Why am I going to let everyone start out from the mount on me because that is going to suck and it is going to be awful. That’s the worst position ever, but you do that to prove you can fight yourself out of it.
“Those are the things preparation wise you go through to prove you are willing to fight through it all time and time again no matter how bad of a situation you are in,” he added. “It’s worth it, and I’m willing to do it. So much of my day sucks and is uncomfortable, but I’m willing to fight through it all to reach my goals. It’s all worth it in the end. When I reach my lifetime goal of becoming a world champion, all the pain, discomfort and every minute of work is going to be worth it.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
UFC light heavyweight title challenger Glover Teixeira oozes confidence, and why not?
Teixeira is 22-2 in his professional career, and his last loss came nine years ago in March 2005 against current UFC middleweight Ed “Short Fuse” Herman.
Since …
UFC light heavyweight title challenger Glover Teixeira oozes confidence, and why not?
Teixeira is 22-2 in his professional career, and his last loss came nine years ago in March 2005 against current UFC middleweight Ed “Short Fuse” Herman.
Since that time, Teixeira has unleashed a 20-fight winning streak, including a five-fight run against the sport’s finest inside the UFC Octagon. In those five UFC fights, Teixeira earned four finishes: two via knockout and two via submission.
The man can do it all, and he can do it all with an expert’s touch.
Appearing on AXS TV’s Inside MMA, Teixeira talked about his upcoming showdown with the 205-pound champion Jon “Bones” Jones at UFC 172, and the Brazilian powerhouse minced precisely zero words as he explained how the bout would go down.
He said:
I have the power to beat him, I have these skills… People always tell me, ‘Oh, are you bringing this guy or that guy to simulate Jon Jones?’ But I don’t really worry about him. In my mind, man, he has to worry about what I’m going to do with him.
Nothing Teixeira said is false, exactly.
He boasts 13 knockouts on his resume, and he’s shown tremendous power inside the Octagon in destroying Ryan Bader and Fabio Maldonado.
Jones, on the other hand, works best from the top position on the ground or from a safe range on the feet. The champion is a technical striker who utilizes his reach perfectly inside the cage, but he is not known for his one-shot knockout power like Teixeira.
While Bones has never been seriously rocked by a strike inside the cage, Teixeira’s hands are certainly capable of doing the job. Jones’ chin has never really been tested, and his unparalleled success is a product of smart, effective striking defense, not an impenetrable chin (although he may have that too; we really don’t know yet).
Where this is concerned, Teixeira continued:
“He’s the champion, but I believe in my skills,” he said. “I believe that April 26 I’m going to go over there and knock this guy out.”
It all comes to a head April 26 inside the Baltimore Arena in the UFC 172 main event.
Can Teixeira become the first man to flatten Jones inside the cage and end his lengthy reign atop the light heavyweight throne, or is this just your typical pre-fight buildup?
“The Fireball Kid” is coming back, ladies and gentlemen.
After more than a year away from the cage, Japanese star Takanori Gomi will face Isaac Vallie-Flagg in his return at UFC 172 in Baltimore. The former Pride champion will be looking to shake off t…
“The Fireball Kid” is coming back, ladies and gentlemen.
After more than a year away from the cage, Japanese star Takanori Gomi will face Isaac Vallie-Flagg in his return at UFC 172 in Baltimore. The former Pride champion will be looking to shake off the controversial split-decision loss he took against Diego Sanchez back in March of last year when he steps in against the Jackson’s MMA fighter on April 26.
News of the matchup was first reported by UFC.com, and Bleacher Report confirmed the bout with Vallie-Flagg on Tuesday night.
While Gomi’s arrival to the UFC back in 2010 was highly touted, the 35-year-old hasn’t quite lived up to expectations as he’s managed three wins from his seven showings inside the Octagon.
After suffering back-to-back losses in 2011, Gomi rebounded in a solid fashion by defeating Eiji Mitsuoka and Mac Danzig, respectively. Yet any momentum the heavy-handed lightweight had built was brought to a halt when he was edged out by Sanchez in Japan last March.
He will be looking to get things back on track, and his opponent Vallie-Flagg will be looking to do the same.
The Albuquerque transplant was recently handed his first loss since 2007 when he was defeated by Elias Silverio at Fight Night 35 in Atlanta. Nevertheless, Vallie-Flagg has built an impressive record as he’s gone 11-1 with one no-contest over that span.
The 35-year-old was originally slated to face Danny Castillo at UFC 172 but was tapped by the promotion to face Gomi on the card instead. The Team Alpha Male fighter will remain on the card with a new opponent to be named later, per UFC.com.
When asked about the change of opponent, Vallie-Flagg was in high spirits and grateful for the opportunity to face a fighter of Gomi’s renown.
“It’s a different matchup for me stylistically, but the opportunity to fight a legend like Gomi is awesome,” Vallie-Flagg told Bleacher Report. “I jumped at the opportunity, and I couldn’t be more excited for it. Gomi is a hard-hitting left-hander who likes to stand and bang. We both like to fight and it really could make for something exciting and kick things off right for the main card or wherever they place us. We are going to get after it and I think this has Fight of the Night written all over it.
“I wasn’t happy with how I performed in my last fight, and I immediately went to work on fixing up the things I needed to. I added some new strength and conditioning and have all those issues worked out, so the fans are going to see a new and improved version of me in this next fight.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
(“Well if I can’t get this guy to wake up and fight, YOU TRY!! Photo via Getty.)
Blah blah blah standard introductory paragraph that you don’t read blah blah blah UFC returns to Cincinnati with Fight Night 40 blah blah May 10th. Fights booked:
Soa Palelei vs. Ruan Potts – Just over a week after signing with the UFC, EFC Heavyweight champion Ruan Potts will face the streaking Australian Soa Palelei in his promotional debut. Since returning to the UFC (after going 10-1 in various promotions following his one-off stint at UFC 79), Palelei has scored back to back (T)KO’s over Nikita Krylov and Pat Barry. Expect a stand up war between these two that ends inside the distance, Nation.
Justin Salas vs. Ben Wall: A potential “Loser Leaves Town” match pits Salas, who has dropped 2 out of his past 3 including a most recent submission loss to Thiago Tavares in under three minutes, against the 7-1-1 TUF Smashes alum who was starched by Alex Garcia in under a minute at Fight Night 33.
Blah blah blah who do you like blah blah this gif of Genki Sudo:
(“Well if I can’t get this guy to wake up and fight, YOU TRY!! Photo via Getty.)
Blah blah blah standard introductory paragraph that you don’t read blah blah blah UFC returns to Cincinnati with Fight Night 40 blah blah May 10th. Fights booked:
Soa Palelei vs. Ruan Potts – Just over a week after signing with the UFC, EFC Heavyweight champion Ruan Potts will face the streaking Australian Soa Palelei in his promotional debut. Since returning to the UFC (after going 10-1 in various promotions following his one-off stint at UFC 79), Palelei has scored back to back (T)KO’s over Nikita Krylov and Pat Barry. Expect a stand up war between these two that ends inside the distance, Nation.
Justin Salas vs. Ben Wall: A potential “Loser Leaves Town” match pits Salas, who has dropped 2 out of his past 3 including a most recent submission loss to Thiago Tavares in under three minutes, against the 7-1-1 TUF Smashes alum who was starched by Alex Garcia in under a minute at Fight Night 33.
Blah blah blah who do you like blah blah this gif of Genki Sudo:
Dana White made the announcement via Twitter that Anthony Johnson would be returning to the UFC. He is scheduled to take on No. 4 ranked Phil Davis at UFC 172 in Baltimore.
Riding a six fight win streak, Anthony Johnson will make his UFC return agains…
Dana White made the announcement via Twitter that Anthony Johnson would be returning to the UFC. He is scheduled to take on No. 4 ranked Phil Davis at UFC 172 in Baltimore.
Riding a six fight win streak, Anthony Johnson will make his UFC return against #4 ranked light heavyweight Phil Davis at UFC 172
Johnson returns to the UFC for the first time since January 2012 when he missed weight for a middleweight scrap against VitorBelfort. After losing the fight via submission, he was cut from the roster. Since that time, he has gone 6-0 outside of the UFC to earn his way back into the organization.
Johnson made the move to light heavyweight and is 4-0 in the division. He is also 1-0 in the heavyweight division with a decision win over former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski.
Davis will return to the cage for the first time since a contentious decision win over LyotoMachida at UFC 163. The contender will try to improve his stock in the division and prove himself to be a potential title challenger on the same card that the UFC light heavyweight championship will be defended.
This is an interesting light heavyweight tilt that could generate a lot of excitement. Here is an early breakdown of the Johnson-Davis fight before the two tangle in Baltimore.
The entire landscape of the welterweight division is in the midst of a shift, and Jake 
