Dan Henderson’s UFC 173 fight looked exactly like what it really was; a middleweight fighting a heavyweight.
The only problem was that it was being contested at light heavyweight, a weight class where Henderson shouldn’t be fighting.
It’d be one thing …
Dan Henderson‘s UFC 173 fight looked exactly like what it really was; a middleweight fighting a heavyweight.
The only problem was that it was being contested at light heavyweight, a weight class where Henderson shouldn’t be fighting.
It’d be one thing to be competitive in his fights, but two ugly decision losses to LyotoMachida and Rashad Evans combined with a disastrous night against VitorBelfort have left some nasty stains on Henderson’s recent UFC run.
Even in his win against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Henderson was getting thrashed until he landed a Hail Mary punch to drop the Brazilian.
Henderson’s gripes about weight cutting are well known, but he has seemingly been more open to a return to the middleweight division. After losses in four of his last five fights (that one win easily could’ve been a loss), there’s no time like the present for “Hendo” to drop back down to the weight division where he should be competing.
Remember the days when Jake Ellenberger was one of the more feared fighters at 170 pounds? It appears Mr. Ellenberger himself has forgotten that as well.
The Nebraska native was thoroughly outclassed by his UFC 173 opponent, Robbie Lawler. There was ne…
Remember the days when Jake Ellenberger was one of the more feared fighters at 170 pounds? It appears Mr. Ellenberger himself has forgotten that as well.
The Nebraska native was thoroughly outclassed by his UFC 173 opponent, Robbie Lawler. There was never a moment when MMA fans could picture Ellenberger finding a way to have his hand raised after witnessing Lawler pick him apart.
The fight was similar to Ellenberger‘s last bout with Rory MacDonald. Both fights had quite a bit of build behind them, but in the end, Ellenberger simply froze.
It happened against MacDonald, and it happened again at UFC 173.
MacDonald also came in with a conservative game plan so Ellenberger didn’t look as bad as his strategy was that night. But at UFC 173, faced with the cool, calculating destruction machine Lawler, Ellenberger couldn’t make it to the final bell.
It was just a few short years ago that Ellenberger was everyone’s favorite dark-horse title contender. He blasted through Jake Shields to end 2011 and went 2-1 over the course of 2012. He also dropped Nate Marquardt inside the first round at UFC 158 which effectively put him “in the mix.”
For everything good Ellenberger did in the lead up to becoming a top-tier talent, he’s completely ruined that with his performances in big-time fights.
Against both MacDonald and Lawler, Ellenberger landed virtually no offense in the early goings. The seconds ticked by, then minutes went by without Ellenberger landing even a significant strike.
Maybe we’re seeing another Kenny Florian-like situation play out? Ellenberger is clearly game enough to feast on the mid-range welterweights, but he falters mightily when the bright lights of expectation turn on.
It’s one thing to be an elite fighter and simply have an off night, but Ellenberger isn’t an elite fighter right now. I’m not sure what the issue is, either. If he had been injured with a broken hand or rib that’s one thing, but it looks like Ellenberger has hit a mental wall with no way to get past it.
He’s not a young fighter anymore, so he should have the mental tools to work past that. Unfortunately for Ellenberger, those opportunities are coming against some of the best welterweights in the world.
Hopefully the UFC helps him out by giving him someone on the lower end of the welterweight spectrum to help get his confidence back. It’s been two bad nights at the office for Ellenberger, hopefully he doesn’t have a third or we may be talking about one of the biggest wastes of potential in recent UFC history.
Several top stars thrived on Saturday’s UFC 173 card, but two of the mainstream names faltered under the pressure of the pay-per-view main card.
Not only did mixed martial arts legend Dan Henderson get utterly dismantled by Daniel Cormier at the …
Several top stars thrived on Saturday’s UFC 173 card, but two of the mainstream names faltered under the pressure of the pay-per-view main card.
Not only did mixed martial arts legend Dan Henderson get utterly dismantled by Daniel Cormier at the PPV, but former bantamweight champion RenanBarao was also destroyed by underdog T.J. Dillashaw.
While Cormier and Dillashaw looked incredible, Henderson and Barao were thoroughly outclassed. Here are the fighters who struggled the most Saturday night.
RenanBarao
In one of the most shocking moments in a long time, relative unknown T.J. Dillashaw dominated the main event and beat RenanBarao via TKO to walk out of the Octagon with the UFC Bantamweight Championship.
While losing the championship was a serious blow, Barao also lost his incredible winning streak that encompassed 32 victories dating back to May 2005. The loss would have been easier to swallow if he was winning at times in the fight, but Dillashaw dominated from bell to bell.
As Stuart Scott of ESPN shared on Twitter, no one saw this coming:
After the fight, Barao kept his comments short and sweet, telling Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com that “It was a really tough fight. I have to congratulate him. I’m coming back.”
It looks like Barao has revenge on his mind already.
Whether he gets an immediate rematch or has to beat another bantamweight to earn his way back into the title scene—a 32-fight winning streak should earn him an instant rematch—this could be the wakeup call the fighter needed.
Complacency is something that affects many fighters, and Barao has now been given another reason to work even harder. If he wants to regain his title, he will have to earn it against one of the toughest fighters in the sport.
Dan Henderson
Few fighters have made the impact on the sport that Dan Henderson has over his career, but at 43 years old (he’ll be 44 by his next bout), there is no doubt that the end of the road is near.
Daniel Cormier is one of the most promising talents in MMA, but Henderson used to be known as one of the best wrestlers in the sport. After being manhandled by Cormier on the ground, Henderson’s one biggest strength besides his toughness was nullified.
As WWE legend “Stone Cold” Steve Austin shared on Twitter, Cormier was able to beat a bona fide legend on Saturday night:
When Henderson can’t outwrestle someone, the fighter must take a long look at his time in the Octagon and make the decision on whether or not he wants to risk absorbing more long-term damage by continuing to fight.
Besides the knockout victory over Mauricio Rua in March (Rua looked like a shell of himself), Henderson has now lost four of his last five fights. While he may still be a PPV draw for Dana White and the UFC, the company must do what’s best for the fighter and encourage retirement.
Cormier proved that he was worthy of fighting for the light heavyweight championship, but he also proved that Henderson’s long and storied MMA career should come to an end sooner rather than later.
Saturday night’s UFC 173 pay-per-view was a wild showcase of the unpredictability of mixed martial arts, and several fighters such as new bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw stole the show.
Not only did he TKO former champion Rena…
Saturday night’s UFC 173 pay-per-view was a wild showcase of the unpredictability of mixed martial arts, and several fighters such as new bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw stole the show.
Not only did he TKO former champion RenanBarao, but both Daniel Cormier and Robbie Lawler also managed to take home monumental victories on their respective paths to a championship.
Here are the fighters who shined brightest on Saturday night.
T.J. Dillashaw
Bantamweight fighter Dillashaw was not supposed to be in the position he was in Saturday night. With Raphael Assuncao originally scheduled to fight RenanBarao for the divisional title, Dillashaw was an afterthought until Assuncao turned the fight down with a rib injury.
Dillashaw did not waste his opportunity and hit Barao with a huge head kick that clearly hurt the former champion. There was blood in the water, and Dillashaw followed it up with a barrage of punches that forced the referee to stop the fight.
After winning the UFC Bantamweight Championship, Dillashaw told Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com about the respect he has for Barao after such an entertaining fight:
That’s who I am. I want to finish every fight. I’m at my best when I’m coming at you. Barao is the best in the world in my eyes. I’ve been looking up to him. I felt respect in the cage with him. He’s the best in the world, and that’s what brought it out in me. I had to bring my ‘A’ game to beat the best in the world.
Any Dillashaw doubters remaining were forced to eat crow.
The fight wasn’t even close. Dillashaw looked like the stronger fighter right out of the gate and was in control for almost the entire fight. While Barao landed a few shots, he never could find any consistency.
As great as the victory was, the most important fight of Dillashaw’s life will be his next one. A rematch against Barao would be a main event that MMA fans would have no problem getting behind now.
Daniel Cormier
As one of the most promising fighters in the UFC today, light heavyweight championship contender Daniel Cormier proved once again that he deserves a title shot after dismantling a legend like Dan Henderson.
For only the fourth time in his career, Henderson was forced to submit. The only other men to make him tap out were Anderson Silva and the Nogueira brothers, and the submission victory makes Cormier’s incredible dominance even more impressive.
Cormier took to Instagram to share a picture of him and Henderson after the fight:
While Cormier was nothing but respectful to Henderson and has showed great class throughout his career, he called out light heavyweight champion Jon Jones after the fight, according to UFC’s Twitter account:
Many fans and experts heaped praise on Cormier after his victory. One of the biggest votes of confidence came from WWE legend Steve Austin:
Not only was Cormier one of the most decorated amateur wrestlers in the world, but he has carried that dominance into MMA by winning his first 15 fights in the sport. With an impressive list of opponents, there is no doubt he deserves a shot at the light heavyweight title.
Where it’s Jones or Alexander Gustafsson, it will be hard for whomever is the champion at the time to successfully defend his title against Cormier when he finally gets his title shot.
Robbie Lawler
There is no questioning the skills of Robbie Lawler, but he struggled to find consistency in his career over the last several years. A loss to Johny Hendricks derailed much of the momentum he had built, but a huge TKO victory against Jake Ellenberger proved he still has what it takes.
Lawler was a late replacement for TarecSaffiedine, but instead of taking the chance to mail in his effort, he attacked Ellenberger with heavy strikes and dominated the majority of the fight.
Add in the ability to finish the bout, and Lawler is on the right path to another shot at the title.
The UFC would have an instant attraction if reigning champion Hendricks were to take on Lawler in a rematch of their previous fight. Win or lose, Lawler proved Saturday that he deserves the opportunity.
We have a new champion.
Heavy underdog T.J. Dillashaw battered and upended Brazilian dynamo Renan Barao at UFC 173 Saturday night to capture the UFC bantamweight belt.
The official result was a TKO victory at 2:22 of the fifth and final round.
“I…
We have a new champion.
Heavy underdog T.J. Dillashaw battered and upended Brazilian dynamo RenanBarao at UFC 173 Saturday night to capture the UFC bantamweight belt.
The official result was a TKO victory at 2:22 of the fifth and final round.
“I’ve dreamed this for so long,” Dillashaw said in his post-fight comments. “Barao’s the best in the world in my eyes…that’s what brought it out in me.”
Dillashaw served notice early on that this would not be a normal fight for Barao. The challenger charged forward often and toward the end of the first round cracked and floored Barao with a heavy right hand. Though Dillashaw was unable to finish the fight at that moment despite a swarm of follow-up strikes, the blow appeared to put a fog on Barao that never fully lifted.
Nevertheless, the Brazilian fought gamely as the rounds wore on, landing leg kicks and stifling several takedown attempts from the former Cal State Fullerton wrestler. Through it all, though, Dillashaw remained light on his feet, staying clear of Barao‘s attack and stalking down the champion when the openings arose.
Barao finally succumbed in the fifth frame, but there was no fluke about this one. Dillashaw was the better and more aggressive fighter from horn to horn. And now he’s the new UFC bantamweight champion.
According to official UFC statistics provider FightMetric, Dillashaw landed 140 of 309 significant strikes, for a 45 percent clip. Barao, by contrast, connected on just 64 of 273 significant strike attempts, for a 23 percent success rate.
It was the first professional loss for Barao since his professional debut, all the way back in 2005.
The 28-year-old Dillashaw, who first gained notoriety as a cast member on the 14th season of The Ultimate Fighter, is now 10-2 as a pro. Barao, 27, is now 32-2 (1).
The Ultimate Fighter has never been 100 percent embraced by MMA fans. You can’t downplay its importance, of course, because The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 and the bout between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar was the turning point for the sport in Ame…
The Ultimate Fighter has never been 100 percent embraced by MMA fans. You can’t downplay its importance, of course, because The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 and the bout between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar was the turning point for the sport in America.
But how good were any of the fighters, really?
How can it be pitched as a starting place for future champions when…well…no champions have come from it since Season 2? When Rashad Evans is the last guy to have won a belt? When Jon Jones, Frankie Edgar, Johny Hendricks, Chris Weidman, on and on, never came from The Ultimate Fighter?
How can it be billed as sports when there is all of this nonsense? Shouting “let me bang, bro” and peeing on beds…these are the guys that the UFC puts forward as faces of the sport?
How can it be pitched as a legitimate source of talent when even its winners, guys such as Efrain Escudero and Kendall Grove, wash out of the promotion?
Well, times have changed, ladies and gentlemen. While you wouldn’t expect it to come from one single event, The Ultimate Fighter has been re-legitimized as a source of talent.
TUF 18 winner Chris Holdsworth was the first season winner to kick the night off. The lanky bantamweight utterly dominated Chico Camus with his crafty groundwork, taking a handy 30-27 unanimous-decision win. The win arguably vaults him right into the bantamweight top 10, and at the very least, it makes him somebody to watch in the division.
TUF 13 winner Tony Ferguson followed that up with an even more impressive win. Against wild Japanese striker Katsunori Kikuno, he adjusted to his Wushu stance and started freely landing hard punches. Like Holdsworth, he suddenly finds himself as a major player in the upper half of the lightweight division.
TUF 15 winner Michael Chiesa? No big deal…just a dominant win over Francisco Trinaldo that advances his UFC record to 4-1.
Last but not least? It wasn’t a TUF winner who took top prize…but TUF 14 bantamweight runner-up TJ Dillashaw.
The Team Alpha Male product absolutely dominated Renan Barao, making the fighter who was comically labeled as the top pound-for-pound fighter in MMA look downright amateurish as he delivered unanswered strikes for, essentially, the entire fight.
Naturally, that is causing many to take a second look at the recent seasons of The Ultimate Fighter. While Seasons 6 through 11 provided the UFC with just a handful of middling fighters (the toast of those years would likely be heavyweight gatekeeper Roy Nelson), more recent seasons are providing many legitimately interesting talents.
Following UFC 173, it’s hard not to be reminded that ranked fighters such as John Dodson, Myles Jury and Michael Johnson all came in from TUF. It’s also hard not to suddenly be very bullish on the future outlook for fighters such as Julianna Pena, Dennis Bermudez and Luke Barnatt.
It’s a fast but very welcome change that has me thinking “Hey…maybe I actually should start watching The Ultimate Fighter again…”
Remember the days when Jake