Tag: UFC 174

Johnson vs. Bagautinov: Start Time, Viewing Info and Preview for UFC 174 Bout

Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson looks to defend his title for the fourth consecutive time on Saturday night in Vancouver, Canada’s UFC 174 main event, but this one won’t come easy against Ali Bagautinov.
The Russian fighter has only three UFC showing…

Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson looks to defend his title for the fourth consecutive time on Saturday night in Vancouver, Canada’s UFC 174 main event, but this one won’t come easy against Ali Bagautinov.

The Russian fighter has only three UFC showings to his name but won all of them convincingly. The 29-year-old hasn’t lost a fight since 2011 and has been turning heads ever since his UFC debut in 2013.

Meanwhile, the 27-year-old Johnson has been dominating his opponents as of late. He knocked out Joseph Benavidez in December 2013 just two minutes into the first round. 

Let’s break down the upcoming flyweight championship bout between Johnson and Bagautinov. 

 

When: Saturday, June 14

Where: Rogers Arena; Vancouver, Canada

Start Time: 8 p.m. ET (preliminaries), 10 p.m. ET (main card)

TV: FX (preliminaries), pay-per-view (main card)

 

Johnson vs. Bagautinov Preview

It’s not all smiles for both fighters heading into Saturday’s title fight, as UFC captures:

Sure, Johnson enters the weekend as a massive favorite over Bagautinov, as told by a line as high as minus-600, per OddsShark.com. The champion is getting better and better each time he enters the Octagon, and that’s unlikely to change Saturday night.

But with few challenges left in the flyweight division, Johnson’s next task could be the toughest one he faces before he explores another division or rematches an opponent he’s already beaten.

Bagautinov is somewhat of a mystery man, as he’s only fought in three bouts in the UFC and two in North America. But every appearance has been captivating. From a technical knockout of Marcos Vinicius to a recent unanimous-decision win over John Lineker, he has put his talents on display plenty of times.

But when in doubt, Johnson has no problem relying on his elite speed and ability to outhustle opponents, per Fightline.com’s Dana Becker, via UFC Tonight: “He looks like a very durable guy. If I need to beat him up for 25 minutes, I will. The speed advantage, that’s what I’m known for.”

Bagautinov makes his opponents pay by sitting back and attacking on the counter, but that likely won’t be an option against Johnson, who is undoubtedly the fastest fighter in the flyweight division. That will force the Russian out of his comfort zone, and Johnson will be keen on taking advantage.

Plus, the champ has a big advantage in title-fight experience. Bagautinov has only seen four of his fights go to three rounds and has never competed in a five-round affair. Meanwhile, Johnson has seen four fights go the full five rounds.

For Bagautinov to pull off the shocker and come away with the title belt, it will take something we haven’t seen from the Russian. It will also take something we haven’t seen happen against Johnson in years—an opponent truly proving to be a serious test.

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UFC 174: Ryan Bader vs. Rafael Cavalcante Full Head-to-Toe Breakdown

On Saturday night at UFC 174, a key fight takes place in the light heavyweight division between The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 winner Ryan Bader and former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante.
Both fight…

On Saturday night at UFC 174, a key fight takes place in the light heavyweight division between The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 winner Ryan Bader and former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante.

Both fighters will be looking to win two straight and rise in the official rankings. Bader is currently No. 9, while Cavalcante is No. 11. A win could be big for both men.

Both are solid wherever the fight may go, but let’s find out who will have the edge on Saturday night.

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Demetrious Johnson vs. Ali Bagautinov: Keys to Victory for Each Fighter

UFC 174 is coming up soon, and the flyweight title fight between Demetrious Johnson and Ali Bagautinov is nothing if not interesting. 
The fast rise of Mighty Mouse from an undersized bantamweight to one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in MMA…

UFC 174 is coming up soon, and the flyweight title fight between Demetrious Johnson and Ali Bagautinov is nothing if not interesting. 

The fast rise of Mighty Mouse from an undersized bantamweight to one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in MMA has been remarkable. Meanwhile, Bagautinov has led a Dagestani invasion of MMA’s elite, and he has the chance to be the first Russian champion in UFC history.

So what does each fighter need to do to win? What is the biggest key to victory?

Find out here:

 

Demetrious Johnson: Control Space

Bagautinov is a prototypical Sambo fighter. Everything he does is built around his clinch game.

His strikes are designed to either set up the clinch, or punish an opponent when breaking away. His takedowns aren’t necessarily hard, turn-the-corner singles, but Greco-Roman trips and throws. When he has an opponent tangled up, he can press them against the cage and eat up minutes on end.

That’s the one aspect of the fight that Bagautinov owns a clear advantage in, and it’s one area that Johnson has historically been weak in. Dominick Cruz was able to downright smother him when Johnson made a play for the bantamweight title, and Ian McCall pushed him to the brink of defeat with his wrestling.

Bagautinov’s most likely avenue to victory is to hug Johnson, press him to the cage, drag him down and take rounds. Johnson will need to rely on his slippery footwork to post one of his signature dominant wins.

 

Ali Bagautinov: Timing

Johnson’s head movement and footwork are enough to fluster any fighter. He is easily the most elusive man or woman in the sport (outside of the UFC brass when asked about Vitor Belfort’s TRT use).

To get through that defense, Bagautinov is going to need to quickly get a feel for Johnson’s timing.

The challenger’s teammate, John Dodson, was able to time Johnson’s movements, land punches and score two critical knockdowns that nearly won him the belt. By comparison, John Moraga never found an answer to Johnson’s footwork, and the result was like a matchup between a killer whale and baby seal. Johnson toyed with Moraga before finishing him in the fifth round.

While Bagautinov lacks the one-punch knockout power of Dodson, if he can get double underhooks on Johnson, he could take rounds off the champ. 

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UFC 174 Snapchat Contest: Send Us Your Post-Fight Reactions, Win a Pack of UFC Knockout 2014 Trading Cards From Topps!

As you might be aware, CagePotato recently started an official Snapchat account — cagepotatomma — where our loyal fans have been spamming us with weird drawings and photos of their televisions. And yes, the occasional blurry photo of male genitalia, but whaddya gonna do.

So here’s what I propose: During UFC 174: Johnson vs. Bagautinov this Saturday, I’d like all you Snapchatters out there to send us your immediate photo-reactions to any of the fights that take place. (Not videos, because we can’t share those.) We will re-post the best ones early next week, and award the top three entries a mini-box of UFC Knockout 2014 Trading Cards from Topps, which all contain an autographed card or a piece of memorabilia, and don’t even hit stores until June 25th.

Keep in mind that any photos you send us via Snapchat may be posted on our website/Facebook page/whatever, so please don’t send us anything you’ll regret later. Any other questions, let us know in the comments section or shoot ’em to us on twitter. To help spur your imagination, we leave you with a random sampling of photos that our fans have already sent us, which continue after the jump. Come back to CagePotato tomorrow night for our liveblog of UFC 174, and happy snapping!

As you might be aware, CagePotato recently started an official Snapchat account — cagepotatomma — where our loyal fans have been spamming us with weird drawings and photos of their televisions. And yes, the occasional blurry photo of male genitalia, but whaddya gonna do.

So here’s what I propose: During UFC 174: Johnson vs. Bagautinov this Saturday, I’d like all you Snapchatters out there to send us your immediate photo-reactions to any of the fights that take place. (Not videos, because we can’t share those.) We will re-post the best ones early next week, and award the top three entries a mini-box of UFC Knockout 2014 Trading Cards from Topps, which all contain an autographed card or a piece of memorabilia, and don’t even hit stores until June 25th.

Keep in mind that any photos you send us via Snapchat may be posted on our website/Facebook page/whatever, so please don’t send us anything you’ll regret later. Any other questions, let us know in the comments section or shoot ‘em to us on twitter. To help spur your imagination, we leave you with a random sampling of photos that our fans have already sent us, which continue after the jump. Come back to CagePotato tomorrow night for our liveblog of UFC 174, and happy snapping!

UFC 174: Predictions for Fight Night Bonuses in Vancouver

UFC flyweight champion, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson will defend his title against Ali Bagautinov in the main event of UFC 174 in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday. But don’t count on him receiving one of the Fight Night bonuses.
Johnson will win, a…

UFC flyweight champion, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson will defend his title against Ali Bagautinov in the main event of UFC 174 in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday. But don’t count on him receiving one of the Fight Night bonuses.

Johnson will win, and it’ll be impressive, but as it pertains to additional paychecks, Mighty Mouse’s unanimous decision win will be overshadowed by a pair of knockouts and an epic co-feature.

 

Fight of the Night: MacDonald vs. Woodley

So much is at stake for both Rory MacDonald and Tyron Woodley on Saturday night. Because both men might need a finish to out-perform Robbie Lawler and Matt Brown and earn a shot at Johny Hendricks’ title, the mission will be to please the crowd and the decision-makers in the UFC.

Jesse Holland of MMA Mania expounds on the concept:

I think the title shot will come down to who has the more impressive performance, but again, the finish is key. Especially for Woodley, who may have a tougher hill to climb. Dumping and humping MacDonald may get him the “W,” but riding off into the scorecards would be a tough sell if Lawler kicks Brown’s head into the fourth row.

Because this dynamic exists, we’re more likely to see MacDonald take more chances and abandon his robotic—but effective—style. The result will be a hard-fought battle with a potentially explosive ending.

Watch for a eye-opening performance from Woodley.

 

Performance of the Night 1: Ovince Saint Preux

OSP battles Ryan Jimmo in a light-heavyweight clash featuring two strong and destructive strikers. 

We’ve seen glimpses of how dangerous Saint Preux can be. There’s reason to believe that his performance on Saturday will be the best yet.

Over the last four years, his only loss came at the hands of Gegard Mousasi while the two were still in Strikeforce. In the UFC, OSP has shown his striking prowess by stopping Cody Donovan and T.J. Cook, and his submission skills by choking out Nikita Krylov.

He seems to get better with each outing.

Against Jimmo, the battle figures to stay standing, and OSP‘s explosiveness will overcome Jimmo in a major way.

Though he won’t gain many local fans, as Jimmo hails from Halifax, Nova Scotia, the world will see how dangerous OSP can be as a striker.

 

Performance of the Night 2: Brendan Schaub

In case you were unaware, Schaub has dropped the “Hybrid” moniker and picked up a new one.

He’s referred to as “Big Brown” on his podcast The Fighter and the Kid with Bryan Callen. Schaub’s huge fanbase pushed for him to adopt the nickname in the Octagon, and he officially sent word to Bruce Buffer to introduce him as such.

When he faces MMA legend Andrei Arlovski on Saturday, Big Brown is going to prove he deserves the right to be called whatever he wants.

Schaub’s speed and ever-developing skill set will be too much for the UFC veteran upon his return to the promotion.

Expect Schaub to win the initial stand-up encounter, and to turn that into a purely dominating ground-and-pound exhibition. 

Big Brown for the win and a performance bonus.

 

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@BMaziqueFPBR

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Rory MacDonald vs. Tyron Woodley: Keys to Victory for Each Fighter

UFC 174 this Saturday will feature a tremendous matchup at the top of the welterweight hill.
Longtime top contender Rory MacDonald will once again get his chance to showcase his well-rounded MMA facet against worthy knockout specialist and power wrestl…

UFC 174 this Saturday will feature a tremendous matchup at the top of the welterweight hill.

Longtime top contender Rory MacDonald will once again get his chance to showcase his well-rounded MMA facet against worthy knockout specialist and power wrestler Tyron Woodley.

Both Octagon warriors have shown recent success en route to claiming their rightful positions in line for champion Johny Hendricks’ next set of title threats.

But when the two imposing athletes lock horns this weekend, one rising dynamo will fizzle out before our very eyes.

Until then, we’re able to dissect the bout through a very fine lens, distinguishing what each fighter must do in order to capture ultimate victory.

Here are those keys to success:

 

MacDonald

Establish an early range

MacDonald is at his best when he’s able to keep his distance, pick his shots and utilize his natural athleticism.

By doing this, the youngster commands the center of the cage through perfected jabs, timely kicks and a beautiful defense.

But in a fight opposite one of the best power punchers in the division, MacDonald is going to have to find his range early in order to avoid Woodley’s best shots.

If he can do this, he’ll enter the third round up on the scorecards.

 

Utilize his grappling

Despite Woodley’s unparalleled wrestling abilities, specifically when it comes to overpowering an opponent, MacDonald needs to establish his grappling at some point during the fight to win.

Whether it’s in the clinch against the cage, off his back or in Woodley’s guard, “Ares” must remain aggressive and smart to harness his ground-and-pound game to its full potential.

That’s easier said than done when it comes to a guy as strong and wily as Woodley is, but MacDonald is no slouch. He’s athletic enough and balanced enough to keep “The Chosen One” on the ground if and when he gets him there.

 

Woodley

Land a big punch early

It’s no secret that Woodley has become one of the more devastating power punchers in the welterweight division.

His production may come as a bit of a surprise considering he had only one TKO victory under his belt before his UFC stint began, but he’s been downright explosive nonetheless.

That said, his best opportunity to hurt his opponent is always going to lie with the dynamite power in his hands, especially against a fighter like MacDonald who has struggled to eat big shots in the past.

If Woodley can land something big early into the first round, then he will be able to knock MacDonald off his game plan, thus commanding the in-cage pace and momentum.

 

Be the better wrestler

If MacDonald is at the top of his game this Saturday, there will come a time when Woodley’s striking just isn’t cutting it.

For the sake of argument, let’s say it isn’t cutting it. At that point, the power puncher is going to have to go back to his bread and butter and look to secure the takedown.

As one of the best wrestlers at 170 pounds, Woodley is one tough cookie when it comes to securing takedowns and preventing them.

Of course, MacDonald is also one of the better wrestlers in the division, suggesting Woodley is going to have to be more physical and technically sound than he’s ever been before to get the best of the 24-year-old.

 

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