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Rousey vs. Davis: Complete Overview and Prediction for UFC 175 Title Fight

Will Ronda Rousey finally meet her match when she steps into the Octagon on Saturday night at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas to fight Alexis Davis?
Well, it’s certainly a possibility. It’s also difficult to bet against an undefeated bantamweight champion wh…

Will Ronda Rousey finally meet her match when she steps into the Octagon on Saturday night at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas to fight Alexis Davis?

Well, it’s certainly a possibility. It’s also difficult to bet against an undefeated bantamweight champion who has forced eight of her nine opponents to submit via a devastating armbar.

Here’s a look back at the success of Rousey’s finishing move:

Rousey has simply dominated her division, having beaten five previous opponents within the first minute of the fight. However, Davis looks ready to avoid adding to that statistic.

A black belt in jiu-jitsu, Davis is extremely well-rounded, both on her feet and on the ground. She’s a gritty fighter who is capable of going the distance due to some impressive defense.

Davis also knows her standing heading into Saturday’s fight, and she’s not bothered, whatsoever, according to a tweet from UFC:

One more thing: Rousey has never fought a jiu-jitsu black belt before.

However, Rousey has been training in that style of fighting, and she’s obviously built up quite a bit of confidence, according to an interview with Damon Martin of The Great MMA Debate, via David St. Martin of MMA Fighting:

It’s definitely an interesting new challenge [fighting BJJ black belt Alexis Davis at UFC 175]. One thing that I couldn’t stand when I was just watching MMA and coming from Judo was all these people talking about how the Jiu Jitsu people would beat any Judo player. It was such a stereotype that I thought, and still think, that I could beat any girl in the world, any weight division, gi or no-gi, black belt and in any ruleset they want, in just pure Jiu Jitsu.

Some may view Rousey’s comments as pure trash talk; however, her words exude confidence and give her the mental edge prior to the fight.

While Davis is very capable of holding her own on her feet, she may not be able to escape Rousey’s impressive takedown ratio of 7.73 every 15 minutes.

Marc Raimondi of Fox Sports relayed a recent incident proving exactly how strong Rousey is:

Sure, Davis could stand on the defensive to avoid a potential early takedown, but Rousey’s athleticism and Olympic pedigree give her an advantage in mobility over her opponent.

Davis’ best chance is to use her reach advantage—68″ to Rousey’s 66″—to keep the champion at bay and stand for as long as possible. A brawling-style match would certainly play into Davis’ favor.

Although, if these fighters choose to grapple excessively, and Davis can’t produce countermoves to get back on her feet, she’ll just be another statistic in Rousey’s win category.

Prediction: Rousey via submission

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Weidman vs. Machida: Preview and Betting Advice for UFC 175 Main Event

Arguably UFC’s best main event of 2014—Chris Weidman vs. Lyoto Machida—is perhaps the one fans will most likely skip over.
But this is what happens when Dana White and his establishment go all out to make sure the Fourth of July weekend car…

Arguably UFC’s best main event of 2014—Chris Weidman vs. Lyoto Machida—is perhaps the one fans will most likely skip over.

But this is what happens when Dana White and his establishment go all out to make sure the Fourth of July weekend card is a memorable one.

Call it mission accomplished.

Stefan Struve is on the comeback trail after a heart condition nearly ended his career. Uriah Hall is in a controversial slot and on the hunt to prove he isn’t a bust. Marcus Brimage is back to slugging away on his feet after a scary Achilles tendon injury. There’s even Ronda Rousey in the co-main event.

So no, the promotional aspect of the title bout has done little to garner hype. But Weidman and Machida are two elite fighters set to put on a show, and fans should be there every step of the way—and get a little cash out of it, too.

The Situation

Outside of the stellar card, the two men actually partaking in the main event are certainly part of the issue.

Machida is now 36 years old. He remains one of the best strikers on the planet, but there is a certain aura about his age, far removed from the days where he was considered the best in the world. His dropping a weight class to make this fight doesn’t help, either.

Then there is Weidman, he of overcoming Anderson Silva twice fame—once by knockout with the champ in full-on taunt mode and a second time by a fluky kick check that shattered the challenger’s leg.

Based on their track records, albeit Weidman‘s is much shorter and pristine, the champ will need to close the gap and get Machida on the mat to win. One too many direct shots from a striker like the experienced Brazilian, and his title reign will prove a short one indeed.

For Machida, the approach will probably be one that irritates the casual crowd as he avoids confrontation, instead opting to pick and choose his spots in order to not get taken to the mat.

As the promotion surely wanted, it’s a fight that can go all five rounds, or end in quick fashion.

The Odds

As the lines have continued to show, UFC has done well with its war-of-contrasting-styles main event, with oddsmakers not feeling relatively safe with either fighter.

Jon Anik of Fox Sports 1 provided a look at the updated, day-of odds:

There are simply too many unknowns for bettors to sway the line in either way by a drastic manner. We know plenty about Machida, but at the same time, we don’t know how his body is aging or how it will necessarily react to the new class.

Weidman is preparing like it will be the same old Machida, regardless. Per Fox Sports’ Damon Martin, Weidman said:

Stylistically, (Machida) is going to be the same as he was at 205. Going down might make him feel a little quicker, a little stronger and maybe give him more confidence. I’m expecting a very confident Lyoto Machida, but I’m going to break his will.

It’s a smart approach for a relatively new champ, who brings plenty of questions himself to the betting equation. It has yet to be revealed just how great his chin is, even if he has never been knocked out. The sample size is too small, his reliance on takedowns and submissions too great and his victories over Silva not exactly reassuring.

The Verdict

Let’s talk about where it matters the most—the wallet (or any other money-carrying apparatus).

With coin in mind, the safest option is to roll with the champ, even if the payout is rather low for such a marquee event.

For all that is unknown about Weidman, he is the guy who has spent the time leading up to his last two fights preparing for Silva. He clearly performs well against patient southpaws, so the war of attrition on Saturday night will eventually lead to his getting things on the mat.

From there, it’s all over. Plus, Weidman has shown vast improvements in his strikes and kickboxing early on in his career, meaning he isn’t just some slouch on his feet if forced to stay there. As journalist Josh Gross details, his noticeable size advantage will come into play in all facets, too:

As an added bonus, Weidman is younger and quicker. Pinning Machida into a corner of the Octagon at some point is a given, and he has the cage IQ to understand that violent counters are coming his way when that happens.

Taking it all into account, the only smart play is Weidman. Fresher, quietly ring-savvy and desperate to prove doubters wrong and begin his era in full, the American will wind up on top Saturday night one way or another.

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Chris Weidman vs. Lyoto Machida: Last-Minute Preview for UFC 175 Main Event

Rarely do you see a fighter beat one of the best middleweights in UFC history yet have unanswered questions. Such is the life of Chris Weidman.
UFC 175 is his first fight in the Octagon since his knockout of Anderson Silva and subsequent technical knoc…

Rarely do you see a fighter beat one of the best middleweights in UFC history yet have unanswered questions. Such is the life of Chris Weidman.

UFC 175 is his first fight in the Octagon since his knockout of Anderson Silva and subsequent technical knockout in the rematch. With both fights, some critics argued that Weidman got lucky. In the first one, Silva really didn’t care and was more interested in trolling the crowd. In the rematch, his leg basically exploded.

Both of those critiques might have a kernel of truth, but you don’t beat a guy as talented as Silva on accident. Weidman is a deserving middleweight champion, and his bout with Lyoto Machida is a great chance for him to demonstrate why.

When: Saturday, July 5; card begins at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas

Watch: Pay-per-view

Live Stream: UFC.TV

The thing with Weidman is, does anybody really know how good he is? MMA Fighting’s Luke Thomas posited that question on Twitter:

It was thought that a rematch with Silva would prove once and for all whether the 30-year-old was what you’d consider a star-level UFC fighter. That didn’t happen, of course, and many are still left pondering his ceiling in the Octagon.

Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter wrote about how he feels that UFC 175 isn’t getting the attention he deserves, and he wondered if that was because Weidman remains such an enigma:

Is it because fans don’t take Weidman seriously? Are we discounting his wins over Silva because of the bizarre circumstances surrounding both finishes? Hasn’t he done enough to calm the critics who say he didn’t actually beat Silva?

“I think everybody always going to have critics out there. And it’s not really one of my motivating factors to silence those critics because they’re always going to be there,” Weidman said. “So that’s not really one of the big things in my mind.”

If this PPV is suffering from a lack of buzz, then it’s a shame. UFC has come under criticism—quite rightly in some respects—for saturating the market with too many events. As a result, the quality of PPV shows has dwindled, causing many fans to turn away from the product.

With Weidman vs. Machida, UFC has a fantastic main event between two supremely gifted fighters. Each guy specializes in certain facets, but neither owns a discernible advantage over the other. This fight is unlikely to feature a memorable knockout, but it has the potential to go the distance and be one of the best battles of the year.

Weidman will look to score early takedowns since he has the advantage on the ground. The champ could end this fight early with strikes or a submission.

Machida, however, is a great defensive fighter. He’s not going to stand there with his face wide open, begging Weidman to hit it, and he’ll know to watch out for Weidman‘s takedowns. All of the tactical guile in world only goes so far, though, when your opponent is in much better physical condition.

What Weidman will probably do is use the first round or two to feel Machida out. He’ll make the challenger show his best stuff so that later in the fight, he can exploit some of the holes he’s found in Machida‘s game.

On one side, you’ve got a champion still looking for a signature victory. On the other, an experienced veteran who’s hoping for one last moment in the sun.

You can’t ask for more from a PPV headliner.

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UFC 175 Live Stream: Online Viewing Info for Weidman vs. Machida Undercard

The best card of the year has arrived.
While Chris Weidman, the two-time conqueror of one Anderson Silva, is worthy of the main attraction along with Lyoto Machida, the real meat of UFC 175 on Saturday in Las Vegas that makes it 2014’s best slate is th…

The best card of the year has arrived.

While Chris Weidman, the two-time conqueror of one Anderson Silva, is worthy of the main attraction along with Lyoto Machida, the real meat of UFC 175 on Saturday in Las Vegas that makes it 2014’s best slate is the jaw-dropping set of matches on the undercard.

Machida‘s quest to become just the third fighter in history to win a title in more than one weight class is the perfect finale to a stunning card that has not been given nearly enough attention.

The full card is as follows, with a closer look at two of the undercard‘s better offerings after the jump.

What: UFC 175

When: Saturday, July 5, 2014 at 7 p.m. ET (Fox Sports 1 prelims begin at 8 p.m. ET, main card at 10 p.m. ET)

Online: UFC TV

Stefan Struve vs Matt Mitrione

Part of what makes this card particularly great is not only UFC’s ability to match up similar competitors but mix in plenty of human interest stories, too.

Take Stefan Struve, for example.

Struve, a giant among men at 7’0″ and 260 pounds, was last seen eating the canvas after a hook from Mark Hunt. One trip to the hospital later, and Struve was given jaw-dropping news—he suffered from athletic heart syndrome and may never enter the Octagon again.

He shared the experience with Damon Martin of Fox Sports:

I was born with this but they just found it at a real late age. Normally they find this when you’re really young. But even now when a doctor listens to my heart, because normally hear a slight murmur, but even now when a doctor listens you really, really need to pay attention (to hear it). The thing is back when they found it, my heart was enlarged. The chamber which is connected to the aorta, in between the aortic valve, and that’s the entire problem the aortic valve is different than a normal one.

But Struve is now cleared to resume his passion, and it’s bad news for his opponent, Matt Mitrione. Not only is Struve a better fighter on paper, he has a year’s worth of pent-up aggression after a life-altering diagnosis. The Skyscraper sounds more than ready:

Add in some bad blood over Mitrione allegedly asking to fight Struve, who at that point in time had not been medically cleared, and things may get ugly Saturday night.

Mitrione is known for his knockout power, which actually makes the fight intriguing with Struve‘s main issue being an ability to manage distance and take shots to the chin. Then again, we don’t know how many of his brutal losses via knockout were because of his condition, and whether or not things have changed.

Regardless, it will be thrilling just to see Struve back at it, and one of these two men ascending the heavyweight ladder.

Ronda Rousey vs. Alexis Davis (Women’s Bantamweight Championship)

It is so easy to forget that Alexis Davis ranks No. 2 overall in the face of the unflappable, 9-0 Ronda Rousey.

Rousey‘s ninth victory was a 66-second, should-have-been-eligible-for-criminal-charges beatdown of Sara McMann at UFC 170, and the general consensus seems to be that Davis is in for the same fate in Las Vegas on Saturday.

But not so fast. Davis is ranked highly for a reason, and her strikes are some of the best in the business. She enters riding five straight victories, and the jiu-jitsu specialist can certainly win via submission if things get taken to the mat.

Davis has more in the way of experience, but as MMA Infographics helps to illustrate, Rousey has been more dominant during the course of her brief career:

Rousey is explosive, so much so that she is an Olympic athlete in comparison to the slower Davis. While her opponent has an experience edge and may have what it takes to win the battle standing up, Rousey‘s athleticism and grapples should be enough to see her make it 10-0.

If not, the sport simply gets that much more interesting. Either way, fans win.

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UFC 175 Fight Card: Start Time and Predictions for Saturday’s Event in Las Vegas

Saturday marks the 20th time a UFC event will feature two championship bouts.
In other words, Dana White and Co. have once more pulled out all the stops to ensure the Fourth of July weekend is yet again a resounding success.
With headliners like Chris …

Saturday marks the 20th time a UFC event will feature two championship bouts.

In other words, Dana White and Co. have once more pulled out all the stops to ensure the Fourth of July weekend is yet again a resounding success.

With headliners like Chris Weidman and Ronda Rousey—the former a two-time slayer of Anderson Silva and the latter a champion furthering the women’s side of the sport—what could go wrong?

Beneath the surface of the main events, the rest of the card completes what is the sport’s best offering of the year. Here is a look at the full card and a taste of two of the underrated events residing below the main spectacles of the night.

What: UFC 175

When: Saturday, July 5, 2014 at 7 p.m. ET (main card begins at 10 p.m. ET)

Online: UFC TV

Underrated Bouts to Watch

Uriah Hall vs. Thiago Santos

A middleweight bout of epic proportions has been a bit swept under the rug in the wake of the superb main events Saturday night.

For Uriah Hall, the proceedings in Las Vegas represent a chance for him to shed the “bust” label and realize his full potential after being a star on The Ultimate Fighter quite some time ago. He managed to halt a two-fight skid with a triumph over Chris Leben last December.

Perhaps Dana White has the answer to Hall’s issues, as he told the media after UFC Fight Night 26:

It’s a mental thing. He was this killer that everybody was afraid of on TUF and then he comes into the big show where it all really matters and where you’re going to make, you know, this is going to make your livelihood and everything else and he turns into this different person. This super nice guy.

If that’s the case, Hall better get mean in a hurry to dance with Santos.

While he only touts a 1-1 record since joining the promotion, Santos is a deadly striker who has finished two of his last three bouts with kicks. His wrestling has left something to be desired at this point, but putting his head down and matching Hall blow-for-blow may very well be enough for him to pull off the victory.

Hall can hang if both men remain upright, but one has to take into account his habit of fading down the stretch on major stages, as he did in recent losses to Kelvin Gastelum and John Howard.

Two men with everything to lose enter a grand stage Saturday night, and the one who remains focused on the task at hand by any means necessary will get a major career boost with the promotion. Unless Hall can suddenly live up to his potential, that man will be Santos.

Prediction: Santos via split decision

Marcus Brimage vs. Russell Doane

A late addition to the card, Marcus Brimage and Russell Doane‘s duel will quietly be one of the highlights Saturday night given the offensive skill of both men.

Both men love to stay on their feet, which means more action for fans.

Brimage won over fans on The Ultimate Fighter 14 and went on to win three fights in a row, but he got destroyed in April of 2013. That’s no exaggeration—he was dominated by Conor McGregor in just 67 seconds.

It has indeed been quite some time since fans have seen the strike-happy ways of Brimage, who since that crippling loss has been rehabbing an Achilles tendon injury.

Meanwhile, Doane has been a treat to watch after making his promotional debut in January, using elite speed and great striking to leave an impression. He matches up well with Brimage in a clash of similar styles.

Pair concentration issues and lesser speed, and there is a recipe for Brimage to take another ugly loss. Doane is red hot and can use a diverse array of strikes to eventually get the win, especially if his opponent falls back to his flat-footed ways.

Prediction: Doane by TKO

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Weidman vs. Machida: How UFC Champion Will Silence Critics with Victory

Just one day before the one-year anniversary of Chris Weidman becoming the UFC middleweight champion, he is set for another middleweight bout with Lyoto Machida on Saturday night at UFC 175.
Despite earning the win outright and defeating Anderson …

Just one day before the one-year anniversary of Chris Weidman becoming the UFC middleweight champion, he is set for another middleweight bout with Lyoto Machida on Saturday night at UFC 175.

Despite earning the win outright and defeating Anderson Silva yet again just months later—albeit after an unfortunate injury for The Spider—Weidman has unfairly drawn tremendous criticism. Even fellow fighter Junior dos Santos chimed in with his two cents on the matter, per MMAFighting.com’s Guilherme Cruz:

Then there was Weidman getting bashed by Vitor Belfort, of all people. The Brazilian attempted to lessen the Fighter of the Year award that Weidman received, per Jared Jones of Fox Sports.

“Not that it should be me, but he wins because of just one fight? It was shameful,” Belfort said. “He won one fight. The other he haven’t won, it was an accident. The ceremony in Las Vegas was pretty cool, but the votes are from the fans, not always they are right.”

Standing at 11-0 and fighting his way up the ladder, Weidman more than deserves to be seen as the champion he is at this point. As for Machida, this will be his first attempt at challenging for a UFC title since losing to Jon “Bones” Jones after trying to regain the light heavyweight title in December 2011

While this may be Weidman’s first true title defense after Silva’s injury during the December bout, he has a chance to prove why he’s the champion on Saturday night.

But does he see an end to the criticism? He answered that question on CBS Radio’s The Morning Show.

“One thing I’ve kind of realized is no matter how many times I win, stay undefeated or who I beat, I’m always going to have critics and doubters out there,” Weidman said. “So my ultimate motivating factor can’t be to prove those guys wrong because they’ll never end.”

That brings us to Weidman’s fight at UFC 175 against Machida. Going against yet another strong Brazilian fighter, Weidman will have to use all the tricks in the bag yet again.

Machida’s strong defensive style will make it difficult for Weidman to earn a takedown, but he likely won’t be able to do the same to Weidman. Though he carries a 21-4 record into the match, Machida has gone 5-4 in his last nine bouts.

With his strength and attacking style, Weidman will find ways around Machida’s tactics to impose his will. As for the weaknesses of Machida, Weidman’s trainer Ray Longo provides his thoughts, via Dave Doyle of MMAFighting.com:

I think he’s got a real weak chin, I think that’s his biggest hole. Weidman hits his guy, he’ll hurt him bad. [Machida] likes to control the pace of the fight, I don’t think he likes to be pushed.

… He’s going to get in that ring, he’s going to go forward, and he’s going to impose his will on Machida and he’s going to make Machida fight his game, and he’s probably just going to end up crushing the guy.

The 36-year-old has been much more susceptible recently to being worn down and losing a decision, which happened against Phil Davis last August. But with a deadly kicking arsenal that earned him Knockout of the Night against Mark Munoz, the former UFC light heavyweight champion is still deadly in the Octagon.

Weidman might not be as exciting as the former champion or quite as dominant—at this point—as Silva, but Saturday night can change all of that. A win against Machida might not take away all of the murmurs about a fluke title defense, but a decisive victory would certainly help.

Though fans are reluctant to celebrate Weidman’s success thus far, another clear-cut win against a fighter like Machida would silence some of those critics. Weidman might never reach the same level of stardom as Silva, but his rise is legit, and he’ll prove it on Saturday night.

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