Urijah Faber bounced back from his crushing UFC 169 loss to Renan Barao in a big way Saturday as he defeated Alex Caceres in a UFC 175 bantamweight bout via submission in the third round.
MMA Junkie tweeted the result:
Faber went right to work in the …
Urijah Faber bounced back from his crushing UFC 169 loss to Renan Barao in a big way Saturday as he defeated Alex Caceres in a UFC 175 bantamweight bout via submission in the third round.
MMA Junkie tweeted the result:
Faber went right to work in the first round. The Team Alpha Male fighter wasted no time in dragging Caceres to the ground and holding him there for the duration of the round, setting the tone for a one-sided affair.
The second round saw Caceres experience a little more success but nothing to write home about. He worked his way up to the feet after a pair of takedowns, but the moments in which he tagged his veteran opponent were few and far between.
By the third round, the young Caceres had played with fire too long. As many opponents have found out, you can’t grapple too long with Faber without being caught. A careless scramble from Bruce Leeroy led to his demise.
The California Kid improved his record to 31-7 with the victory, while Caceres suffered his first loss since UFC 143 in 2012. Caceres entered the fight as a massive underdog against the more seasoned and successful Faber, and things held true to form.
Although this certainly wasn’t one of Faber’s highest-profile fights, many were shocked by its placement on the card. Faber and Caceres headlined the preliminary slate on Fox Sports 1, which is almost unheard of for someone with Faber’s popularity.
He is such a high-caliber fighter that the decision to put him on the prelims took Sportsnet’s Joe Ferraro by surprise:
As much as Faber seemed out of place that early on the card, Dann Stupp of USA Today was able to see the logic behind it:
One might think that Faber was put in that position against his will, but that wasn’t the case. According to Submission Radio via BloodyElbow.com, Faber actually preferred the guaranteed exposure of being on free television:
You know, for me it actually makes a little more sense. It’s the main event on the free card, the Fox Sports 1 card, so you know I think as far as exposure goes, I’ll probably get a wider view for more viewers that don’t have to pay. I think the PPV numbers haven’t necessarily been as high as they used to be, so for me it makes more sense.
I’m the featured fight on the free card right before the PPV, and I don’t get piece of that PPV anyway, so I’d rather more people watched the fights.
The fans who tuned in early got to see Faber put on a clinic against a hungry opponent. Most probably figured that Caceres was overmatched heading in, since his resume didn’t quite measure up to Faber’s.
In fact, Caceres even getting a shot at Faber was somewhat unexpected. It speaks to Caceres’ persistence, though, as he petitioned UFC President Dana White to put him up against one of the better all-around fighters in UFC.
According to Ryan Yamamoto of KXTV, however, White offered Caceres fair warning.
“Alex wanted that fight, he begged for the fight, he begged to fight Urijah Faber,” White said. “I’m weird like that if somebody wants something that bad, I’ll give it to them, but be careful what you ask for.”
Caceres’ ambition is impressive, but he may have bitten off more than he could chew. Caceres never faced someone at Faber’s level before, so it didn’t come as a particularly big surprise when Faber took control.
Perhaps the attention that Caceres received by earning this fight will help him get more high-profile opponents in the future, but it is clear that he isn’t quite ready for prime time.
Faber, on the other hand, did well to get back on a winning track. He has now won five of his past six fights and is working his way back toward title contention. He likely would have had to wait awhile for another title shot had Barao kept the strap, but the Brazilian dropped it to TJ Dillashaw.
Faber has yet to face Dillashaw, and there is no question that UFC fans would love to see that fight. White is all about drawing money and attention, so there is little doubt that he will do everything possible to set up Faber vs. Dillashaw at some point in the near future.
(This 4th of July weekend, let’s declare our independence from “Machida drinks pee-pee” jokes. #cagepotatoban / Photo by Esther Lin for MMAFighting.com)
When UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman knocked out Anderson Silva last July, fans called it a fluke. When Weidman snapped Silva’s leg by checking a kick in their rematch, fans called it a fluke again. Tonight at UFC 175 in Las Vegas, Weidman has the opportunity to prove that his title reign is the real deal when he takes on Lyoto Machida, who could become just the third fighter in UFC history to win a belt in two different weight classes.
Fresh off his liveblog of the last UFC PPV (sorry about that, dude), our friend Barry “Bear” Siragusa is BACK in the saddle agaaaain, and will be posting round-by-round results from the “Weidman vs. Machida” pay-per-view broadcast after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and shoot us your own thoughts in the comments section or on twitter @cagepotatomma. Thanks for coming.
(This 4th of July weekend, let’s declare our independence from “Machida drinks pee-pee” jokes. #cagepotatoban / Photo by Esther Lin for MMAFighting.com)
When UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman knocked out Anderson Silva last July, fans called it a fluke. When Weidman snapped Silva’s leg by checking a kick in their rematch, fans called it a fluke again. Tonight at UFC 175 in Las Vegas, Weidman has the opportunity to prove that his title reign is the real deal when he takes on Lyoto Machida, who could become just the third fighter in UFC history to win a belt in two different weight classes.
Fresh off his liveblog of the last UFC PPV (sorry about that, dude), our friend Barry “Bear” Siragusa is BACK in the saddle agaaaain, and will be posting round-by-round results from the “Weidman vs. Machida” pay-per-view broadcast after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and shoot us your own thoughts in the comments section or on twitter @cagepotatomma. Thanks for coming.
UFC 175 preliminary card results
– Kenny Robertson def. Ildemar Alcantara via unanimous decisions (30-26 x 3)
– Bruno Santos def. Chris Camozzi via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
– Rob Font def. George Roop via KO (Punch) at 2:19 of round one.
– Luke Zachrich def. Guilherme Vasconcelos via unanimous decision (30-27×2 29-28).
– Kevin Casey Def. William “Bubba” Bush via KO (elbows) at 1:01 of round one.
Please stand by…
Hi again folks. “Back in the saddle” is right and boy was I Saddle Sore after that last one. I haven’t seen that many decisions since… well… ever. As much fun as UFC 174 was, let’s move on and try and forget the soul crushing decision-i-ness of that card and look forward to UFC 175. Weidman vs. Machida just may be the best fight this year (We’ll see what Hunt vs. Nelson and Brown vs. Lawler look like). Rousey vs. Davis will either be the biggest upset since the beginning of time if Davis wins, or a “makes you uncomfortable but you can’t look away” mauling. The sort that Rousey fans have come to love. I’m banking on the latter.
P.S. I know the Urijah Faber vs. Alex Caceres fight is part of the prelims but, I don’t care. It’s a main card caliber fight.
Let’s do this.
First up:
Urijah Faber vs. Alex Caceres
Alex Caceres (10-5-1 MMA) Was a contestant on season 12 of TUF. He is currently the #13 ranked Bantamweight. His most recent fight was a win, FOTN, and Submission of the Night against Sergio Pettis. Faber will be the first top 10 opponent Caceres has faced.
Urijah Faber (30-7 MMA) is currently the #2 Bantamweight fighter in the world and founder of Team Alfa Male (home of current Bantamweight champ. T.J. Dillashaw). Former WEC featherweight Champ and KOTC Bantamweight Champ. Faber lost to Renan Barao at UFC 169 in a fight for the UFC Bantamweight Championship in what many consider a early stoppage by referee Herb Dean.
Round 1:
Caceres looking confident during the walkout. Goldie agrees, says “confident” 5 times. Faber looks relaxed and pumped up. T.J. Dillashaw in the background looking on. Caceres has a huge reach advantage.
Faber gets a takedown almost immediately. Caceres back up instantly. They grapple and spin around the octagon before coming to rest against the fence with Faber on the outside. A nice right hand by Caceres, Faber goes after him and Caceres shoulder rolls away. Faber chases and gets the takedown. Faber with some brutal rights to the body. Faber dropping elbows into Caceres ribs. A nice elbow to Caceres’s face. Big right over the top from inside the guard by Faber. Caceres is defending but eating some nasty elbows. Caceres gets his feet against the fence. Faber picks him up and slams him down. Faber still on top. Caceres is not panicing but doesn’t seem to have an answer, Faber is just putting on a G&P demo. Careres connects with an ax kick from his back and gets his feet as the buzzer sounds.
Round 2:
Faber connects with a big overhand right to start the round and follows up with a takedown in the middle of the cage. Careres has control of Fabers hand and gets to his feet. Caceres attacks and pushes Faber against the fence. Caceres backs off and connects with a solid punch that rocks Faber. Faber rushes him and takes him down but Caceres is quickly back up on his feet. They clinch against the fence and Caceres gets the reversal still against the fence. They rest briefly and Faber takes Caceres down, Caceres pops right back up. Amazing resilience… High kick attempt by Careres. Faber throws a sloppy overhand right. Caceres attempts a spinning round kick and Faber pins him against the fence. They stall there. Faber explodes and hip throws Caceres who pops right back up again. They stalk each other in the center of the octagon. They clinch and Faber pushers Caceres against the fence. Careres connects with a knee but can’t push him off.
Round 3:
Faber fakes a shot. Caceres misses with a super-man punch attempt. They clinch and whip each other around. They clinch against the fence and break apart. They clinch, flurry, and Faber gets the takedown. Faber gets Caceres’s back and gets sinks in the RNC. Caceres taps! It’s over.
Urijah Faber def. Alex Caceres via Submission (RNC) at 1:09 of round 3.
Next up:
Marcus Brimage vs. Russell Doane
Marcus Brimage was a competitor on Season 14 of TUF. Brimage has gone 3-1 in the UFC with his sole loss coming at the hands of Conor McGregor.
Hawaiian fighter Russell Doane (13-3 MMA) will enter the octagon for only the second time tonight. His previous fight was a win via Triangle Choke against Leandro Issa at UFC Fight Night Saffiedine vs. Lim.
Round 1:
Doane is looking angry and ready. Brimage is looking pretty relaxed.
Brimage immediately starts jabbing to find his range. Hard inside leg kick from Brimage, answered by a head-kick attempt by Doane. Doane goes for the double leg and gets the takedown. Doane quickly gets side control. Doane gets Brimage’s back. Brimage shifts and is on the bottom but now on his side. Doane is pounding him, Doane only has one hook in, he still needs to get the left in. Doane gets both hooks in. Doane flattens Brimage out, Brimage is defending the RNC attempt from Doane. Doane has both hooks in DEEP. Brimage is defending well but is using a ton of energy. Brimage explodes and breaks free. Brimage is on his feet and starts throwing leg kicks and big punches to keep Doane at a distance. Doane with a straight kick. Brimage answers with a leg kick and a right hand.
Round 2:
Brimages corner tells him he is down a round. Doane with a front kick to start things off in the second. NASTY inside leg kicks from Brimage. Brimage connects with a big right hook and knocks Doane down. Brimage goes for the guard but Doane shifts and sprawls. Brimage connects with another inside leg kick and Doane’s leg gives out. He is limping now. Doane switches stances but quickly switches back. Another inside leg kick from Brimage. Doane goes for the takedown and gets it. Doane quickly gets Brimages back. He has neither of the hooks. Brimage shrugs him off and is on his feet. Doane is much more cautious of Brimage now. They flurry and clinch. Doane connects with a knee to the body from the clinch. Doane pushes Brimage up against the fence. Doane gets Brimages back while they were standing but Brimage rolls over when Doane attempts a takedown. Brimage is on his feet. Doane is looking like he is hurting after all the leg kicks. Brimage ends the round with an outside leg kick.
Round 3
Last round. Brimage still jabbing. Doane attempts a high kick and Brimage grabs it and throws Doane to the ground. Doane goes for the amaplata but doesn’t get it. Brimage disengages and they are on their feet. Doane has slowed way down. He is hurting. Brimage connects with another inside leg kick and Doane goes down but quickly gets up. Brimage connects again with the outside leg kick on that injured leg. Doane tries for a high kick which is blocked by Brimage who answers with another inside leg kick. Doane attempts to drag Brimage down and goes for a guillotine but loses it. Brimage gets back up. Brimage connects with an outside looping right. Doane working hard to protect that leg. Brimage kicks that leg again. Doane goes for the double, but Brimage sprawls and avoids the takedown. Doane connects with a right hand. Brimage eats a high-kick. Doane is really trying to put the pressure on in these final seconds. There is the buzzer.
Russell Doane def. Marcus Brimage via Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Breaking news: Stefan Struve vs. Matt Mitrione is cancelled due to health concerns for Stefan Struve. According to the UFC doctor Struve experience heart palpitations and felt as if he would faint. Based on Struve’s pre-existing heart condition the decision was made to cancel the fight in the name of fighter safety.
Next up:
Uriah Hall vs. Thiago Santos
Uriah Hall (8-4 MMA) was the runner-up during season 17 of TUF. Despite showing a well rounded game with excellent striking skills during TUF, Hall has met with mixed results since signing with the UFC, loosing his first two fights in the promotion. His last fight was a TKO win over Chris Leben, saving his career and ending Leben’s.
Thiago Santos (11-2 MMA) was a contestant on TUF Brazil 2. Santos trained in Capoeira before starting his MMA career. This will be Santos’s third fight in the UFC.
Round 1:
Santos is looking hungry. He is pacing like a caged lion. Hall is looking focused.
Hall with a jab and spinning back fist attempts to start things off. Santos attempts a spinning back kick. Some HARD leg kicks from Santos. Santos with another spinning kick. Solid jab from Hall. Another solid jab by Hall, answered by two consecutive leg kick by Santos. Santos attempts a head kick. Santos connects with another inside leg kick but eats a straight right from Hall. Hall with a low kick and a straight kick. Another huge leg kick from Santos. He attempts a head kick and Hall catches it and throws Santos down. Santos is quickly on his feet again. Another spinning kick and leg kick from Santos. Hall is starting to limp. A solid left hook from Hall. Hall is moving forward really pushing forward, he has his hands down and is taunting Santos. Santos is not taking the bait. Hall attempts a spinning heel kick to end the round. Hall has clearly broken his foot.
Round 2:
Hall starts this round with some intense energy. Trying to end it quickly. Hall is still dancing in front of Santos with his hands down. Santos is not taking the bait. Hall with a nice jab. Big overhand right from Santos. A quick leg kick/left hook combo from Santos that connects hard. Some front kicks from Santos. Hall throws a spinning body kick with his injured foot. Hall throws a big hand over the top. Santos attempts a high kick and Hall throws him down again. Santos gets back on his feet and connects with a inside leg kick. Hall with some big swings and misses. A BIG spinning back kick from Hall that misses and knocks him off balance. Santos connects with another inside leg, followed by a body kick. Both men seem afraid to clash. Hall attempts a spinning head kick but misses and falls. Santos doesn’t rush him. Santos with a spinning round house kick. Hall with a rolling kick to end.
Round 3:
Wow, the bone is sticking out of Halls toe.
Hall still wants to fight. The doctors will allow it. Hall and Santos meet in the middle of the octagon but neither man willing to close the distance and get in close. Santos with some straight kicks. Hall blocks a body kick and connects with a left. Hall is really going for the kill. Santos pushes him back and connects with a solid body kick. Inside leg kick from Santos. Hall connects with a overhand right. Now it’s Hall with the inside leg kick. Hall checks a leg kick. Hall connects with a solid right hand. Santos almost connects with a high kick. Hall hits Santos in the body with a spinning kick. Ouch! Santos jump kicks Hall in the groin. Hall is working it out. He takes a minute and signals that he is ready to roll. Santons gets the single and almost gets the takedown. Santos pushes Hall against the cage and starts smashing Halls legs and thighs with knees. Hall goes for the Kimura but looses it. Santos knocks him down and rains down elbows from the top. The buzzer sounds with Santos on top of Hall. That was a brawl. I have no feeling for who will get the decision.
Uriah Hall def. Thiago Santos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
A replay of the Rob Font vs. George Roop fight from earlier tonight will fill in for Struve vs. Mitrione fight as Ronda Rousey and Alexis Davis prepare for their title fight next.
Rob Font def. George Roop via KO (Punch) at 2:19 of round one.
Next up:
Ronda Rousey vs. Alexis Davis for the Women’s Bantamweight Championship
Former Olympic Bronze medalist in Judo, Ronda Rousey (9-0 MMA) is the current and first UFC Bantamweight Women’s Champ. Rousey has won all of her fights except one via armbar.
Alexis Davis (16-5 MMA) is on a 5 fight win streak. Having gone undefeated in the last two organizations she has fought in (Invicta and UFC). She is a jiu-jitsu fighter with a mean stand-up game.
Round 1:
Remember we are looking at a possible 5 rounds. Alexis Davis is looking like she is shopping for bread… So relaxed. Rousey looks angry as usual. Ronda with the jabs to open it up. Davis with a solid jab and the clash, Rousey catches Davis with knee to the face, hip throws Davis and starts to punch Davis in the face. IT’S OVER! WOW! Rousey with the KO. Unbelievable. Davis is still fighting the ref. She has no clue what is happening. That is the second fastest KO in a Championship match in UFC history (according to Joe Rogan).
Ronda Rousey defeats Alexis Davis via KO (punches) at 00:16 of the first round.
Next up:
Weidman vs. Machida for the Middleweight Championship
These two need no introduction but, I will do a quick one anyway.
Weidman (11-0 MMA) is the current UFC Middleweight Champ and the only man in UFC to ever defeat Anderson Silva (Weidman has done it twice).
Machida (21-4 MMA) is the former Light Heavyweight champ. Has gone undefeated since moving down to middleweight with wins over Gegard Mousasi and Mark Munoz.
Round 1:
This is it! For the Middleweight Belt. Weidman with a kick to start us off. Weidman is going for leg kicks. Something I am sure no one expected. Straight kick from Weidman. Nothing so far from Machida. Front kick from Weidman. Machida kicks and Weidman catches the leg and goes for the takedown. Machida defends and gets back up. Weidman clips the chin of Machida. Follows up with a quick flurry. Constant pressure from Weidman. Lyoto has not answered in any way yet. Machida absorbs a kick but hits Weidman with a straight right. Machida is starting to move. Weidman continuing with the kicks. Machida throws a body kick, Weidman catches it and attempts a takedown. Machida spins away and avoids the takedown. Machida has no answer for Weidmans pressure yet. There is the bell.
Round 2:
Machida kicks first with an inside leg. Weidman fires back. Weidman still pouring on the pressure. Machida just can’t set up for anything. Weidman is forcing Machida to fight reactively. Weidman lands some left jabs. Weidman connects with a solid inside leg kick. Weidman is completely controlling where this fight is happening. Machida connects with a kick to the body. Weidman with a front kick. Machida with an inside leg kick. Weidman is just pressuring Machida. He has a hand in Machida’s face all day. Weidman with a jumping front kick. Machida can’t get his back away from the cage. Some jabs from Weidman followed by a big high kick attempt from Machida. Machida connects with a left. Weidman gets Machida’s legs and takes Machida down. Machida defends, but Weidman is grounding and pounding Machida. Machida has no answer. Weidman lifts him up and connects with some good knees to the head to end the round.
Round 3:
Machida looking nervous headed into the 3rd. Weidman still has a hand constantly in Machida’s face. Machida kicks high, Weidman blocks and goes for the takedown. Machida spins away. A big head kick attempt from Machida. Machida more active this round. Weidman goes for the legs and Machida sprawls. Weidman lets him up and gets both his legs. Weidman lifts Machida up and slams him down. Weidman is in Machida’s guard, punishing Machida’s face with elbows. Machida scrambles almost to his feet. Weidman attempts to take Machida’s back. Weidman connects with some big punches. Machida is bleeding. Weidman connects with an overhand right. Machida is hurt. Machida kicks Weidman in the body, and Weidman gets the takedown. Weidman has Machida’s back and is just punishing him with punches and hammer strikes. Weidman lifts him up and slams him down. Weidman says to Herb Dean that Machida has his fingers in Weidmans gloves. Machida gains his feet and attempts a kick just at the horn. I have this three rounds to nothing for Weidman
Round 4:
Machida opens with a leg kick. Weidman blocks the kick and instantly pours on the pressure. Nice body kick by Machida. Weidman still dictating the pace. Weidman connects with a knee to the body. Weidman connects with a left hand jab. Machida attempts a knee to the body, Weidman catches the knee and gets the take down. Machida fights out of it and gains his feet. Machida connects with a left hook that rocks Weidman. Machida connects again with a left hook. Weidman is hurt. Machida smells blood. Weidman pushes back into the center of the octagon. Weidman is starting to back up. Machida is landing some hard kicks to the body. Now Machida is pouring on the pressure. Weidman is looking a little tired. He has never been out of the second round before. Weidman goes for the takedown and eats a punch for his troubles. Weidman still connecting with the jab. Weidman gaining his momentum again. Machida has more momentum than he has before. Machida taunts Weidman, Weidman attacks and Weidman eats a punch to end the round.
Round 5:
Machida starts again with the inside leg kick. Weidman is just in survival mode right now. Still moving forward, but Machida is avoiding his kicks and jabs now. Machida connects with another left hand overhand. Weidman wants another takedown. Machida defends and is all over him. Weidman defends with an elbow. Weidman connects with an overhand right. Machida is hurt. Both men are tired now. Weidman connects with a kick. Mahcida moves forward and tries for a clinch. Weidman throws a knee. Weidman connects with a leg kick. Weidman connects with a knee and an elbow. He connects again with a left hand. Machida is not giving up. Wiedman goes for the double and gets the takedown. Machida is on his back eating elbows to the face and shoulder punches. Nothing seems to be hurting Machida too much. Weidman has Machida’s back. Weidman has both hooks in and flattens Machida out! Machida somehow escapes and gets to his feet and Weidman lets go of his back. Machida tries to finish with a flurry. He has Weidman rocked! Weidman pushes Machida away, takes a step out towards the middle of the octagon and motions Machida forward. There is the buzzer! What a brawl! Weidman looks satisfied.
Chris Weidman defeats Lyoto Machida via Unanimous Decision (49-45, 48-47, 49- 46) and remains the Middleweight Champion
Chris Weidman defended his UFC middleweight title for the second time at UFC 175, and did so against Lyoto Machida.
Machida entered as the No. 3-ranked contender at middleweight, and he was undefeated since dropping from light heavyweight. He held a kn…
Chris Weidman defended his UFC middleweight title for the second time at UFC 175, and did so against Lyoto Machida.
Machida entered as the No. 3-ranked contender at middleweight, and he was undefeated since dropping from light heavyweight. He held a knockout win over Mark Munoz and a decision victory over Gegard Mousasi.
Weidman and Machida battled for 25 minutes, but it was the champion who was able to come away with the unanimous decision. A very competitive and fun bout that should garner both men more fans moving forward.
The champion will finally get the respect he deserves.
Chris Weidman vaulted into the UFC champions club by twice squashing The Spider. At UFC 175, we will see if he’s up for slaying The Dragon.
For the first time since July 2012, The All-American will be fighting someone not named Anderson Silva. And with…
Chris Weidman vaulted into the UFC champions club by twice squashing The Spider. At UFC 175, we will see if he’s up for slaying The Dragon.
For the first time since July 2012, The All-American will be fighting someone not named Anderson Silva. And with that comes the opportunity to expand his legacy beyond “the guy that dethroned the king.”
Of course, the game plan for Weidman isn’t going to change to much. When he looks across the cage on Saturday night, he’ll be seeing Lyoto Machida—the closest thing MMA has to an Anderson Silva clone.
A win against the former light heavyweight champion would certainly silence any critics clinging to the notion that Weidman’s last two wins were flukes. Since moving down to middleweight, Machida has looked like the man that once wore UFC gold around his waist.
Here’s a look last-minute look at the odds for the fight, via OddsShark, followed by a brief breakdown and prediction for the bout.
Preview
The most obvious point from a stylistic aspect regarding this fight is the fact that Weidman is a wrestler by trade, and Machida is among the most dangerous strikers in the UFC.
But that alone doesn’t tell the whole story.
Yes, if Weidman has his druthers this fight will wind up on the mat. That’s exactly where he took Silva in the first round in both of his fights against the legend. However, what people often forget when looking back on the second bout is that Weidman also got to the fight on the ground by knocking The Spider down in the clinch.
As Jack Slack of Fightland noted at the time, the punch was well-defended by Silva. But Weidman’s power is an underrated part of his game:
So while it’s easy to say that Weidman needs to get the fight to the ground, the real key will be closing the distance.
For Machida, he’s going to look to do the exact opposite. As much power as Weidman has, his striking is still fairly rudimentary. That isn’t to say he isn’t dangerous, just that Machida’s striking is much more refined.
It may not be the most fan-friendly style of fighting, but Machida’s best route of victory is going to maintaining as much distance as possible and using his sniper like accuracy to outpoint Weidman on the feet.
With 54 percent striking accuracy over the course of his career, The Dragon is the much more efficient fighter in the stand-up department.
The final key to this bout could be cardio. While Weidman has earned the championship. We’ve never seen him fight in championship rounds. However, his most lackluster performance was a three-round affair with Demian Maia.
Machida—on the other hand—has gone five rounds twice in his career. Both resulted in victories as he outpointed Shogun Rua and Gegard Mousasi in main events.
Prediction
All things considered, this figures to be an excellent bout. Weidman has proved that he won’t be intimidated against any opponent, so Machida is really going to have to earn it if he wants to take Weidman’s belt.
Many will point out that Machida’s speed advantage could be the X-factor. There’s no denying his blitzkrieg style makes him a tough out for anyone.
However, it’s hard to imagine that Machida is going to be able to keep up a cat-and-mouse game with the champion for five rounds. Eventually, Weidman is going to be able to take the fight to the mat or trap Machida against the cage.
Once Weidman gets the fight where he wants it to go, he’s a proven finisher. Be it submissions or with his strikes, he’s the kind of aggressive fighter that knows how to capitalize on opportunities.
Weidman via 3rd-Round TKO.
All statistics via FightMetric unless otherwise noted.
UFC 175’s co-main event featured a UFC women’s bantamweight championship match.
Champion Ronda Rousey retained her gold and her undefeated record against No. 2-ranked contender Alexis Davis.
It was quick and effortless. Rousey rocked Davis on the feet,…
UFC 175‘s co-main event featured a UFC women’s bantamweight championship match.
Champion Ronda Rousey retained her gold and her undefeated record against No. 2-ranked contender Alexis Davis.
It was quick and effortless. Rousey rocked Davis on the feet, and finished on the ground after a huge toss. The referee was forced to stop it at just 0:16 of the first round.
Another amazing performance by the most dominant champion in the sport. There is not much to say about the fight as it didn’t last long. Rousey is phenomenal, and her striking is always improving. She is the total package.
While most of the country is grilling out, watching fireworks and eating hot dogs over Independence Day weekend, some of the best fighters in the world will display their skills at UFC 175 in Las Vegas.
The dominant Chris Weidman will likely stir up so…
While most of the country is grilling out, watching fireworks and eating hot dogs over Independence Day weekend, some of the best fighters in the world will display their skills at UFC 175 in Las Vegas.
The dominant Chris Weidman will likely stir up some patriotism from those in attendance when he goes up against LyotoMachida in the marquee event of the night. Here is a look at the entire card and the pay-per-view schedule:
Date: Saturday, July 5
Time: 10 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. PT
Available: Pay-Per-View (check local listings) and UFC.tv
Main Card: Chris Weidman vs. LyotoMachida, Ronda Rousey vs. Alexis Davis, Stefan Struve vs. Matt Mitrione, Uriah Hall vs. Thiago Santos and Marcus Brimage vs. Russell Doane
Now that we know what the schedule looks like, here is a glance at the top fights to watch during the much-anticipated event. Stats are courtesy of UFC.com.
Chris Weidman vs. LyotoMachida
Weidman will put his middleweight championship belt and his perfect 11-0-0 record on the line against the 21-4-0 LyotoMachida. Machida, who is a former light heavyweight champion himself, should not be overlooked.
Still, Weidman has looked completely dominant almost every time he steps foot in the Octagon, and there is no reason to think that will change Saturday. He lands a formidable 3.15 significant strikes per minute and is an impressive wrestler, as evidenced by his fourth-highest takedown accuracy in UFC history.
In fact, he puts opponents on the mat four times per 15 minutes and does just about anything you can imagine effectively.
He even looks ready, via Joe Ferraro of Sportsnet’s UFC Central:
However, Machida has the fourth-most knockdowns in UFC history and brings a 56 percent striking accuracy to the table. What’s more, he stops nearly 82 percent of opponents’ attempts at a takedown, which will be critical Saturday.
Even though Machida matches up nicely with Weidman, the middleweight champion will prevail with a typical fast start.
Weidman will use his overall power and wrestling ability to set the tone from the beginning. Look for him to gradually wear Machida out as the bout progresses, which will ultimately lead to an impressive victory.
Ronda Rousey vs. Alexis Davis
It is a testament to Ronda Rousey’s overall ability, popularity and marketing power that she could very well be the main attraction at UFC 175 despite the Weidman and Machida match.
Rousey will put her 9-0-0 record and women’s bantamweight title to the test against the 16-5-0 Alexis Davis in what could be a rather straightforward victory.
Rousey is unbeatable once the fight goes to the ground and has the second-most submissions via the armbar in UFC/PRIDE/WEC/Strikeforce history. Throw in her improvement in the striking department, and there seems to be little hope for Davis on paper.
Still, Davis is known as a grappler and will test Rousey’s stamina if the fight goes into the third, fourth and fifth rounds. It’s not impossible to envision a situation where Davis seizes on an opportunity for a ground attack and submission and puts the fight in doubt.
Rousey discussed her opponent on The Jim Rome Show: “She’s definitely a much different kind of a puzzle. Her coaching staff is amazing. I know all the tools she has are going to be used as intelligently as possible and definitely a very interesting puzzle in itself.”
Davis may be a difficult puzzle, but Rousey will solve it like she always does.
Urijah Faber bounced back from his crushing UFC 169 loss to Renan Barao in a big way Saturday as he defeated Alex Caceres in a UFC 175 bantamweight bout via submission in the third round.