It didn’t take long after the judges announced Chris Weidman had retained his belt for Vitor Belfort to call out the champion.
Following his unanimous decision win over Lyoto Machida, Weidman was the target of a Belfort Twitter call out for a title sh…
It didn’t take long after the judges announced Chris Weidman had retained his belt for VitorBelfort to call out the champion.
Following his unanimous decision win over LyotoMachida, Weidman was the target of a Belfort Twitter call out for a title shot. If you remember, Belfort was supposed to be in the UFC 175 main event opposite Weidman, but he was flagged for high testosterone levels in a pre-fight screening and subsequently removed from the main event.
Belfort, who has challenged for the title in the past, has been on a tear as of late and has been disposing of fighters left and right. He is riding a three-fight win streak over the likes of Luke Rockhold, Michael Bisping and Dan Henderson. All of those wins are via knockout.
While Belfort‘s stake at a title shot is somewhat justifiable, his performance enhancement issues will always hold him back. It will be tough for him to get licensed, especially in Las Vegas where the UFC does a good portion of its pay-per-views.
Now that TRT has been outlawed in many places, Belfort cannot use the controversial treatments in his fights. He will have to fly alone without it, which we haven’t seen him do in a while.
However, Belfort is marketable. He is a former UFC champion and multiple-time headliner with great notoriety in the MMA community. He also puts on exciting, violent shows, something fans love to see.
So, what will happen? Will Belfort‘s call out lead to a title shot, or will his past demons come back to haunt him, holding him out of the big fight?
Sixteen seconds.
That’s all it took for Ronda Rousey to completely dismantle Alexis Davis at UFC 175. Rousey, of course, is known for her prowess in the octagon, but 16 seconds? That’s just absurd.
USA Today’s Twitter account provided its follower…
Sixteen seconds.
That’s all it took for Ronda Rousey to completely dismantle Alexis Davis at UFC 175. Rousey, of course, is known for her prowess in the octagon, but 16 seconds? That’s just absurd.
USA Today’s Twitter account provided its followers with the entire fight in one .GIF:
Mandalay Bay Events Center played host to one of the most dominant displays of mixed martial arts in recent memory, and it all happened so fast it was almost impossible to describe with words. Mike Chiappetta of Fox Sports did a good job of doing so, however:
“The fight was a blur,” he wrote. “Rousey wobbled Davis with a right hand behind the ear, landed a knee, used a judo throw to put Davis on the mat, and landed a series of undefended punches until Davis was unconscious.”
That said, Fox Sports’ UFC Twitter account couldn’t come up with words on the spot:
The armbar is usually Rousey‘s finisher of choice, but this marks the second-straight fight Rousey knocked out her opponent. The last one came in February against Sara McMann.
Nobody could have seen this coming. While a victory from Rousey was pretty much expected, analysts familiar with the two competitors were assured that this would be a competitive bout. Davis, a seven-year pro, is widely recognized as one of the tougher fighters in women’s MMA.
Her black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu was used as reasoning for her potential to stay in the fight, but it didn’t aid her performance on Saturday night.
Given all the pre-fight buzz thrown Davis’ way, this fight has to be the one that proves that Rousey is absolutely unstoppable.
Even against the fighter who was supposed to be one of her toughest opponents, the 27-year-old prevailed. She showed that she can be a striker and proved to her doubters that she’s just as competent on her feet as she is on the ground.
Her complete arsenal has allowed her to dominate many fighters in previous fights, as evidenced by ESPN Stats & Info:
The future is a bit unclear for Rousey, however. There’s an opening for a main event on August 2 at UFC 176, but the champion is scheduled for knee surgery in the near future, reports MMA Weekly, via Yahoo Sports.
That said, it seems like she might want to fight in a month:
Even a semi-hobbled Rousey has to be considered a favorite over potential competitors, especially after the beatdown she put on Davis on Saturday night.
Rousey didn’t even break a sweat, and there will be more fights like this one in her future. She’s simply head and shoulders above every single other fighter.
Since she wows the crowd every time she graces the Octagon, it’d be inaccurate to say that Ronda Rousey made a statement with her swift disposal of Alexis Davis in the co-main event of UFC 175 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
If anything, the unbeaten Rousey,…
Since she wows the crowd every time she graces the Octagon, it’d be inaccurate to say that Ronda Rousey made a statement with her swift disposal of Alexis Davis in the co-main event of UFC 175 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
If anything, the unbeaten Rousey, who’s only gone out of the first round once in 10 fights, just continued to solidify her legacy as the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time.
Rousey KO’d the second-ranked Davis with a picturesque sequence of strikes topped off with a hip toss early in the first round to defend her women’s bantamweight strap for the fourth time since early 2013.
But regardless of her pristine track record, Rousey has only bested five of the UFC’s top 15 ranked bantamweights, which means she still has plenty of viable challengers lurking in the shadows.
UFC 175 is in the books, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship should be pleased with their latest offering. Two champions further solidified their claims on the pound-for-pound list, while a number of other competitors had strong showings of their ow…
UFC 175 is in the books, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship should be pleased with their latest offering. Two champions further solidified their claims on the pound-for-pound list, while a number of other competitors had strong showings of their own. Now that the event is over, these are some interesting story lines that should follow the fighters and promotion going forward.
Chris Weidman as the Face of the Promotion
Chris Weidman and LyotoMachida put on a stellar showcase for the middleweight title. Weidman walked away from the contest with the belt in tow and the opportunity to establish himself as the face of the UFC.
Weidman has already become the darling of the MMA community as he’s been featured on a number of different media outlets. Platforms such as ESPN, Fox Sports and other organizations have become Weidman‘s new playground as he promoted UFC 175. His potential to become the next big star of this sport is widely recognized at this point.
“He has the potential to be the next star,” Jay Glazer told MMA Junkie‘s Mike Bohn. “He’s a good-looking guy, and he’s as down to Earth as you’re every going to get. … He’s the future, and he’s legitimately one of the sweetest human beings you’ll ever meet in your life.”
Stars such as Chuck Liddell and Georges St. Pierre helped push mixed martial arts to its current level of popularity. Weidman‘s victory proved he has the skill to be the next man to carry that baton. The challengers that await him at middleweight are just what he needs to build his name. Timing could not be any more perfect as the UFC is in need of stars to build upon.
Ronda Rousey‘s Dominance
Sixteen seconds was all Ronda Rousey needed to dismantle the newest challenger to her bantamweight title. Alexis Davis was a true underdog coming into this fight, but this quick finish outcome wasn’t expected by most. That leaves the UFC in a tough predicament with what to do with the fighter that is presented as their biggest star on the roster.
Rousey has already defeated six of the women ranked in the top 10 of this weight class. Cat Zingano was forced to the sideline due to her knee injury, but placing her in an immediate bout against Rousey would leave her at a disadvantage.
Rousey has shown interest in facing Bethe Correia, who has seemed to make it a point to take out the champion’s training partners. That potential fight is still a long ways off before the UFC can justify that booking. The same goes with a rematch against Sara McMann. The options are truly limited with what the company can do with the “Rowdy” one.
Holly Holm and Cristiane Justino sit on the outside looking in as the UFC has struggled to get either of them signed to the promotion. While both of these competitors could be booked as potential threats to Ronda’s reign, the MMA community is still far away from seeing either contest.
The UFC is at a point where it needs Rousey more than ever. Unfortunately, a lack of compelling matchups will make it difficult to properly book their champion.
How the UFC will follow up
UFC 175 was set to be a major test for the promotion. 2014 had been less than stellar when it came to pay-per-view buys for the company. This card was stacked with two title bouts in hopes that their defenses would catch the eyes of the viewing public. General response to the event has been widely positive. Now the question turns to how the UFC can follow up for the fans.
UFC 176 was set to go on Aug. 2 and feature the rematch between Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes. Unfortunately the injury bug has hit Aldo once again and puts that card in serious jeopardy. Outside of Jon Jones, the company has struggled to garner much attention for their champions.
The current model of flooding the market with fights haven’t had the best results at this time. Yet the leaders of the UFC seem undaunted in changing their model.
It will be interesting to see how the promotion follows up to such a strong event. Momentum is vital in the sports promotion industry, so the UFC will best benefit by creating cards that immediately capture the attention of mainstream fans. That has already been difficult for much of 2014, but the organization has to find a way to answer the call.
UFC 175 was a very bright spot for a 2014 that has been filled with challenges for the organization. These are just three of the story lines that now follow key fighters and the organization as a whole.
Saturday night, Chris Weidman continued to stake his claim as one of the best fighters in the world. In an exciting five-round war, Weidman was able to hold off Lyoto Machida, via unanimous decision.
It was Weidman’s second title defense, with his firs…
Saturday night, Chris Weidman continued to stake his claim as one of the best fighters in the world. In an exciting five-round war, Weidman was able to hold off LyotoMachida, via unanimous decision.
It was Weidman‘s second title defense, with his first being a rematch win over Anderson Silva. It has established Weidman as a star in the UFC and a guy who could potentially become the pound-for-pound king at some point.
So, who is next for the middleweight champ, whenever he returns? Let’s take a look at three matchups he should face next.
VitorBelfort
VitorBelfort is the obvious candidate to face Weidman next. He has been crushing the competition lately and is probably the highest ranked guy behind Anderson Silva, who Weidman has already beaten twice.
The big thing with Belfort is if he can stay clean and off performance enhancers. He is a risk if they announce him in a title bout and he fails a pre-fight drug test or gets flagged for elevated testosterone.
If he can stay away from that controversy, he is a great challenge for Weidman. He is a killer on the feet, a physical brute and a good ground fighter.
He could be the most marketable title fight for Weidman.
Ronaldo Souza-Gegard Mousasi winner
There is a huge middleweight showdown at UFC 176 between Ronaldo Souza and GegardMousasi. That fight could provide the winner to contend for Weidman‘s title.
Mousasi is a great striker with an underrated submission game. His weakness is wrestling, so his style may be rough to match up against Weidman with.
As for Souza, he has stuck out as one of the best middleweights in the world. His striking has vastly improved, and he still possesses one of the best submission grappling games around.
Either guy is a solid candidate to contend against Weidman, though Souza is the preferable choice.
Luke Rockhold
Luke Rockhold is really the dark horse candidate to get the next title shot. However, with his recent performances, it really would not be an outrage to give him a shot at Weidman.
It would be a marketable fight. The former Strikeforce champ versus the current UFC champion could be a platform to attract pay-per-view buys from casual fans.
He is also a tough matchup. He has good wrestling and is a great kickboxer, something that would make Weidman earn his pay.
He may be a fight off, but the fight game is all about timing.
UFC 175 has come and gone, and it was a great pay-per-view. With such an important show, it was important that each and every fighter made a good showing for themselves, even if it came in defeat.
Most fans are focusing on the co-main events, in which …
UFC 175 has come and gone, and it was a great pay-per-view. With such an important show, it was important that each and every fighter made a good showing for themselves, even if it came in defeat.
Most fans are focusing on the co-main events, in which Chris Weidman and Ronda Rousey defended their titles against Lyoto Machida and Alexis Davis, respectively. For Rousey, it was merely another in a line of imperious victories, while Weidman fought back much more resistance from his challenger, arguably looking more impressive as a result.
The middleweight king was one of the bigger winners on the night. Joining him in that regard were the three other stars below.
Chris Weidman
Anybody with eyes could see that Weidman was a good fighter even before last night. What he needed to do was completely silence the doubters who questioned the legitimacy of his two wins against Anderson Silva.
That line of inquiry is no longer valid. Weidman rendered it moot with a convincing all-around performance against the former light heavyweight champion, earning the nod from all three judges, 49-45, 48-47, 49-46.
He shut down Machida’s elusive, counterstrike-oriented offense with a game plan that looked similar to the ones he used against Silva. Weidman quashed the 36-year-old karate master’s unorthodox style with straight-ahead pressure, beating Machida to the punch more often than not and mixing in the occasional takedowns against the fence.
The middleweight champion wasn’t dominant in victory. Machida made a late run that nearly turned the fight on its head.
What Weidman did so well was neutralize Machida early in the fight, withstand the onslaught in the fourth round and then recover to take the fifth and ensure that the bout remained his.
Lesser champions would’ve crumbled where Weidman thrived.
Lyoto Machida
The main event of UFC 175 was like a classic Ric Flair NWA title match. The champion retains, but the challenger still ends up looking stronger in the process.
Machida was ultimately undone by his sluggish start. Some fighters might have figuratively thrown in the towel at that point—Weidman either ends the fight early or dominates the later rounds and cruises to victory.
That didn’t happen with Machida, who saved his strongest stuff for the fourth and fifth rounds. Most fight fans can appreciate a loser who goes down swinging until the end:
Machida may have lost a shot at the title, but his reputation was enhanced by Saturday night’s defeat.
Uriah Hall
There’s toughness, which Machida demonstrated, and then there’s toughness bordering on madness, which is what Uriah Hall demonstrated.
I’m no doctor, but that toe looks broken, per Bleacher Report MMA (Warning: Images are graphic and NSFW):
Hall tweeted out a picture of himself in surgery early Sunday morning getting the toe repaired:
The word incredible often gets overused, but the fact that he continued fighting—kicking Thiago Santos with the injured toe—and then went on to win the fight was incredible. That’s the kind of stuff that gets a fighter remembered forever.
As Sherdog noted, Hall was often been dogged by criticism early in his career about his mental make-up:
Nobody can ever question Hall’s toughness ever again.
Rob Font
You can’t have a much more impactful debut than Rob Font’s during UFC 175. He needed just two minutes and 19 seconds to knock out George Roop with a devastating overhand right:
Every fighter in UFC needs to start somewhere. Saturday night was a chance for Font to make a great first impression on Dana White and the higher-ups of the company, and that’s exactly what he did.
Font is already eyeing up a fight with Sergio Pettis, per UFC on Fox:
That probably wouldn’t get the 27-year-old on to the main card of a big show, but it would be another stepping stone in his UFC career.
It didn’t take long after the judges announced Chris Weidman had retained his belt for Vitor Belfort to call out the champion.