Even without pay-per-view penchants Anderson Silva or Georges St-Pierre, the greatest MMA promotion on the face of the planet found a way to give its fans several memorable title bouts through the first half of 2014.
Whether it was TJ Dillashaw’s…
Even without pay-per-view penchants Anderson Silva or Georges St-Pierre, the greatest MMA promotion on the face of the planet found a way to give its fans several memorable title bouts through the first half of 2014.
Whether it was TJ Dillashaw’s dismantling of reigning bantamweight champion Renan Barao at UFC 173, the back and forth battle between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler for the vacant welterweight strap at UFC 171, or Demetrious Johnson’s dominant, but routinely underappreciated, performance against Ali Bagautinov at UFC 174, the UFC has put on its fair share of jaw-dropping moments.
With six months left in the calendar year, Dana White and friends are looking to expand upon their already relatively successful year without either of the promotion’s biggest pay-per-view draws.
All of these fights garner the world’s attention, but only some of them will likely quench the thirst they’ve created within the MMA community.
Read on to see how the remaining 2014 UFC title fights stack up against each other.
Gray Maynard will be looking to get things back on track, and his mission to do so will start with Fabricio Camoes at UFC 176.
The former two-time lightweight title challenger will face the Brazilian veteran when the UFC hits Staples Center in Lo…
Gray Maynard will be looking to get things back on track, and his mission to do so will start with Fabricio Camoes at UFC 176.
The former two-time lightweight title challenger will face the Brazilian veteran when the UFC hits Staples Center in Los Angeles on August 2. The tilt between Maynard and Camoes will be a featured bout on a card that will be headlined by the highly anticipated rematch between featherweight champion Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes.
Whereas the former three-time All-American wrestling standout kicked off his run under the UFC banner in 2007 on an eight-fight winning streak that earned him two shots at the 155-pound title, Maynard’s path through the lightweight ranks has been a rough road as of late.
The 35-year-old returned from a lengthy stint on the sidelines in June 2012 to defeat Clay Guida, but he then suffered back-to-back losses to TJ Grant and Nate Diaz.
The former contender will need a win over Camoes in the worst way in order to remain relevant in a lightweight division that has grown more competitive over the past three years.
There are also heavy implications on the line where Camoes is concerned as well. The 35-year-old Rio de Janeiro native has amassed a 1-3-1 record during his time inside the Octagon. He is currently in the midst of a two-fight slump, with his most recent setback coming when Jim Miller defeated him via submission at UFC 168 last December.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Bethe Correia defeated Jessamyn Duke at UFC 172 in April, but she got more attention for her post-interview actions.
As the camera was focused on her, she put up four fingers and placed one of them down. Why was this significant?
For the fans that stay…
Bethe Correia defeated Jessamyn Duke at UFC 172 in April, but she got more attention for her post-interview actions.
As the camera was focused on her, she put up four fingers and placed one of them down. Why was this significant?
For the fans that stay away from social media, Duke has begun training full-time with Ronda Rousey and crew. Also joining her was The Ultimate Fighter teammate Shayna Baszler. Baszler brought a love of professional wrestling to the group, and they bonded over that.
Since then, those three, plus Marina Shafir, have called themselves the Four Horsewomen as a play on the gamed professional wrestling group the Four Horsemen.
The playful moniker has grabbed the group some attention, and Correia is using it to her advantage.
The women’s bantamweight division is shallow, and Rousey has a short list of potential contenders. Correia is using the popularity of the Four Horsewomen in order to put her closer to a title shot, and by placing one of her fingers down post-fight, she signaled to the world that it was one down, three to go.
Factually, it is one down, two to go. Marina Shafir is a 145-pound fighter who recently made her pro debut. Her weight class is not offered by the UFC, and Correia has no way of fighting her at this time. Which only leaves Baszler and Rousey.
Was her gesture effective? Yes.
It got the world of social media talking, and it got her a quick turnaround in the UFC. The powers that be signed a match between Correia and Baszler for UFC 176.
It is hard to tell how this will effect her chances of being the next contender should she get past Baszler, but it has placed her as one of the more marketable fights for Rousey.
Correia took advantage of an available storyline. Sure, it may make it a bit more professional wrestling for some fans’ taste, but this is the promotion business. Correia is promoting an angle to get herself noticed. It is working.
We have heard fighters again and again talk on the microphone that they’ll fight anyone the UFC puts them against, and they don’t want to call out fighters. That is great for the UFC but a disservice to their own careers. Had Correia done just that after beating Duke, we would not be talking about her now.
We are.
That is why it was brilliant. She gave fans and the media a talking point. Correia has kept her name relevant post-fight. She has created an angle for her fights. It was a great personal business move and one the UFC can benefit from as well.
Promoters can more easily sell fights when there is a backstory, and now, Correia has one with Baszler and Rousey.
The August 2 date against Baszler will not be highly anticipated by everyone, including Rousey.
The Pitbull is an undefeated fighter who is now putting herself at the top of the list for a potential title shot, proving that it is smart to take advantage of the spectacle when the opportunity presents itself.
Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes will have their rematch. Lance Pugmire of the LA Times first reported that the top two featherweights in the world would meet at the Staples Center August 2 at UFC 176 earlier this month.
Their first meeting happened at UFC 14…
Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes will have their rematch. Lance Pugmire of the LA Times first reported that the top two featherweights in the world would meet at the Staples Center August 2 at UFC 176 earlier this month.
Their first meeting happened at UFC 142 in Brazil. Aldo retained his world championship with a brilliant turnaround knee knockout in the closing seconds of the first round.
Since that time, Mendes has reeled off five consecutive wins with four KO/TKO performances.
This is truly a matchup of the elites. They are without question the top two 145-pound fighters in the world today, and we will see how things shake out from LA this summer.
Here is your early look at how the rematch breaks down from head-to-toe.
Bethe Correia wanted it and she got it. In Los Angeles at UFC 176, Correia will fight one of the dubbed “Four Horsewomen” of WMMA when she takes on Shayna Baszler in the women’s bantamweight division, according to the UFC’s official Twitter account.
C…
Bethe Correia wanted it and she got it. In Los Angeles at UFC 176, Correia will fight one of the dubbed “Four Horsewomen” of WMMA when she takes on Shayna Baszler in the women’s bantamweight division, according to the UFC’s official Twitter account.
Correia gets this fight on the heels of a win against Jessamyn Duke at UFC 172 last month. After securing the unanimous decision win over Duke, Correia held up four fingers, representing the four horsewomen, and confidently dropped one. This signified one down, three to go.
She now has her chance to take out the second of the four ladies of the famed group. That means that Ronda Rousey and Marina Shafir are the only other two for Correia to fight after Baszler, if she in fact wins.
Obviously, it will be tough for her to take out all four, as Shafir is not only unsigned by the UFC, but she resides in the 145-pound featherweight division.
Nevertheless, this fight brings some good intrigue.
Correia thus far has opted to strike in both UFC outings she has had. She narrowly defeated Julie Kedzie in her debut fight in Australia before clearly beating a much larger fighter in Duke at UFC 172. Both wins were via decision.
As for Baszler, she has not fought officially with the UFC yet. Her last pro bout was a submission loss to Alexis Davis in Invicta, a bout in which saw an amazing back-and-forth bout that earned both ladies Fight of the Night honors.
She then moved onto The Ultimate Fighter 18, where she defeated Colleen Schneider to get into the house. However, in the quarterfinals, she was upset by Julianna Pena in a tough fight that saw her come in overconfident.
This bout represents a real clash of styles. While Correia is a striker, Baszler is a catch wrestler who runs with the likes of Josh Barnett and obviously the Rousey crew.
A win for Correia would definitely create a great amount of hype for a potential title fight. Sure, she probably wouldn’t be the actual top contender, but two wins over Rousey teammates would be enough of a backstory to warrant a shot, especially in Rousey‘s eyes.
It is not clear where this fight will be on the card in regard to the main portion or on the prelims. However, given the storyline and implications it holds, it would be a solid addition to the main card, possibly the opener or second bout.
Stay tuned for more UFC 176 news as it becomes available.
UFC 176 Confirmed Fight Card
Featherweight Championship: Jose Aldo (c) vs. Chad Mendes
Women’s Bantamweight: Shayna Baszler vs. Bethe Correia
When it comes down to it, Chad Mendes was the right choice as the next challenger to Jose Aldo’s UFC featherweight championship. Mendes will get his rematch with Aldo this summer at UFC 176, as Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday.
A …
When it comes down to it, Chad Mendes was the right choice as the next challenger to Jose Aldo‘s UFC featherweight championship. Mendes will get his rematch with Aldo this summer at UFC 176, as Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday.
A quick look at the official UFC rankings leaves a somewhat sour taste in the mouth.
Frankie Edgar is sitting there, and as a former UFC champion, he has the resume to back his credibility. But he’s locked in to face BJ Penn while the current season of The Ultimate Fighter airs.
Ricardo Lamas is next, but he was given his shot earlier this year and came up empty. Cub Swanson could solidify his status with a win over Jeremy Stephens in a few months.
Dustin Poirier has a bout scheduled, Chan Sung Jung is injured, and Dennis Siver is suspended. Clay Guida, NikLentz and Stephens round out the rest of the rankings, but none of them are ready to face Scarface, either.
That leaves Mendes as the one to seek redemption.
Let’s take a quick trip back in time to 2012. Coming off back-to-back decision victories in his first two UFC fights, Money was poised to remain unbeaten and take the strap from Aldo. He even ventured to Brazil, the native home of the champion, to challenge him.
Moments into the fight, Mendes seemed cool, calm and confident. The Team Alpha Male fighter and former NCAA wrestler shot in and had a good takedown attempt on Aldo. However, a quick grab of the cage kept Aldo from hitting the canvas.
In just a matter of seconds, Aldo landed a knee that floored Mendes, knocking him out with one second remaining in the first round and subsequently setting off a wild celebration.
Mendes didn’t sulk in his home or gym, taking a fight a few months later against Cody McKenzie. Thirty-one seconds after the bell sounded, Mendes had finished McKenzie with a body shot. He did the same to YaotzinMeza in under two minutes to close out the year and added a third straight first-round victory when he stopped Darren Elkins to start 2013.
Last August, Mendes became the first fighter to score a knockout win over Guida when he finished the veteran in the third with a series of strikes. A decision win over Lentz to complete the year set him up for Aldo.
Having just turned 29 years old, Mendes remains in the prime of his career. He’s getting better, improving his striking, wrestling and fundamentals each day. While Aldo is also doing the same, with his skills and talent, Mendes is the right man to challenge him for the gold belt right now.
He still has several more months and a full training camp to go through, and by the time we reach August and the Staples Center in Los Angeles, we could be looking at the new UFC champion and man to end Team Alpha Male’s long drought in title matches.
