All in all, UFC 183 was an entertaining show. Aside from Kelvin Gastelum vs. Tyron Woodley, the show delivered the requisite amount of violence and then some. Several performances were worthy of post-fight bonuses, as the event featured five impressive…
All in all, UFC 183 was an entertaining show. Aside from Kelvin Gastelum vs. TyronWoodley, the show delivered the requisite amount of violence and then some. Several performances were worthy of post-fight bonuses, as the event featured five impressive finishes and more than one fight worthy of “Fight of the Night” honors.
The “Fight of the Night” at UFC 183 was Thales Leites vs. Tim Boetsch. Leites has been on a tear since his original departure from the UFC, and Boetsch was looking to halt the Brazilian’s ascent back to title contention.
Leites ate some hard punches from Boetsch that nearly finished the fight in the first round, but he endured the punishment and made it out of the round. The Brazilian was able to get the fight to the ground in Round 2, and after Boetsch slipped the first attempt, Leites put him to sleep with an arm-triangle choke at 3:45 of the second round.
Leites also took home a separate “Performance of the Night” bonus for the finish, and it was well worth it after what he endured in the previous round only to come back and render his opponent unconscious.
The other performance bonus went to ThiagoAlves, who decimated Jordan Mein with a body kick and a swarm of strikes that earned him a second-round TKO in the UFC 183 main card opener. People had questioned whether Alves could still perform at a high level, but against a young and dangerous opponent like Mein, he showed the killer instinct that had brought him to welterweight title contention in the past.
The body kick that Alves landed instantly floored Mein and had him crumpled on the mat frozen and grimacing in pain. The Pitbull aggressively pursued the finish and came in with a flying knee to the body of a grounded Mein. After a few more hard shots from Alves, referee Herb Dean waved it off.
Mein had Alves busted up in the first round, and for Alves to come back and emphatically finish him proved he can still overcome adversity inside the cage. Whether he can still contend at the very top of the welterweight division remains to be seen, but that is certainly where he is headed.
The road to UFC 183 on Saturday was well-lit, smoothly paved, flat as a board and straight as an arrow. The lane markings were crisp and clean. The exit signs sparkled like emeralds in the headlights.
Or at least they would have, had there been any. Bu…
The road to UFC 183 on Saturday was well-lit, smoothly paved, flat as a board and straight as an arrow. The lane markings were crisp and clean. The exit signs sparkled like emeralds in the headlights.
Or at least they would have, had there been any. But there was no getting away from the main event Saturday night, not for MMA fans.
Anderson Silva is, in an absolute worst-case scenario, the third-best fighter in the history of MMA. He’s arguably No. 1. And before the longtime middleweight champ lost twice to Chris Weidman—the second time suffering a grisly broken leg in the cage that sidelined him for 14 months—there was no arguing.
Now he’s back. His leg is healed, but what about that space between his ears? At 39 years of age, does he have the skills and the sand to regain the high ground in the division he once ruled from on high like a despot?
His return fight came against a guy named Nick Diaz. The iconoclastic welterweight moved up a division to realize a bit of a personal dream and face Silva. But this also was a return for Diaz, following a 22-month, semi-self-imposed semi-retirement of his own.
Both men are wildly popular, especially in hardcore fan circles. Both men are known for striking and taunting people during said striking. Both men were returning to the cage after facing various obstacles outside of it. Both men were facing questions upon their returns.
Who could rekindle a career? Who was destined for the novelty circuit? Would they just taunt each other for 25 minutes?
And this was just the main event. What happened elsewhere on the 11-fight slate? What really happened, and what do you need to know? As always, the final stat lines only reveal so much. Here are the real winners and losers from UFC 183.
After more than a year away due to injury, Anderson Silva will make his highly anticipated return to the Octagon when he faces Nick Diaz at UFC 183 Saturday night, but MMA fans have plenty more to be excited about as well.
In addition to Silva and Diaz…
After more than a year away due to injury, Anderson Silva will make his highly anticipated return to the Octagon when he faces Nick Diaz at UFC 183 Saturday night, but MMA fans have plenty more to be excited about as well.
In addition to Silva and Diaz locking horns, 11 additional undercard bouts will take place on pay-per-view, Fox Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass. Although there will be no titles on the line, every UFC 183 fight will be hugely important in terms of sorting out the contendership picture across multiple divisions.
Ahead of Saturday’s action-packed event, here is a full rundown of predictions for the biggest contests on the UFC 183 slate.
Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz
There is no doubt that Saturday night’s headliner is the middleweight clash between Silva and Diaz. With 59 career wins between them, they are two of the most accomplished fighters in recent memory. With both combatants riding two-fight losing streaks, though, some are questioning if they are on the decline.
Silva is 39 years of age and is coming off of a broken leg suffered against Chris Weidman. Nobody is certain how well he will rebound, but he is so confident that he is healed that he no longer desires to discuss the injury, according to Damon Martin of FoxSports.com.
“So, this is part of my life I won’t talk to any more because my leg’s good now,” Silva said. “I train hard now and everything is newer. I don’t talk any more on this because this is the past. Sorry.”
As for Diaz, he is only 31, but consecutive defeats at the hands of Carlos Condit and Georges St-Pierre have left him in flux. In addition to that, his erratic behavior leading up to Saturday’s fight could be a sign that he isn’t 100 percent up for the fight from a mental standpoint.
In addition to initially missing his flight to Las Vegas, Diaz decided against taking part in open workouts, per UFC on Twitter:
His behavior has been so flaky, in fact, that fellow UFC middleweight Tim Kennedy somewhat jokingly suggested that he would step up if Diaz doesn’t show up for the fight:
That shouldn’t be an issue since Diaz has been accounted for, but there is reason to wonder about his mental preparation for the fight.
Both fighters have question marks that they must overcome, and that is part of what makes this bout so intriguing. Picking a winner is extremely difficult, but there is something to be said about The Spider’s desire to bounce back from what could have been a career-ending injury.
Silva and Diaz will empty the tank and push each other to the limit; however, the Brazilian veteran will emerge victorious by decision in the end.
TyronWoodley vs. Kelvin Gastelum
While Silva and Diaz will main event the UFC 183 card, a catchweight contest between TyronWoodley and Kelvin Gastelum has a chance to steal the show.
The 23-year-old Gastelum is a perfect 10-0, but there is no question that Woodley represents his toughest competition to date. The 32-year-old T-Wood boasts a 14-3 record, with victories over big-name fighters such as Josh Koscheck and Condit.
Some extra intrigue has been added to the tilt as well since Gastelum didn’t make weight. In fact, he wasn’t even close, as he weighed in an incredible nine pounds over the agreed-upon limit, according to Mike Bohn of USA Today:
The bout will proceed as a catchweight fight, but it can be argued that Gastelum has a big advantage in terms of size and power. That may be true, but Woodley should have the edge in terms of quickness, especially with Gastelum ailing.
Per Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com, Gastelum became ill and was rushed to the hospital due to dehydration Friday:
According to Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports, everything appeared to be in order concerning Gastelum‘s health after getting checked out:
With that said, the hospitalization had to take its toll on him to some degree. It may very well be something that Woodley can take advantage of, and he likely won’t hesitate to do precisely that.
Gastelum can’t possibly be 100 percent, and Woodley will prey on that by knocking his younger opponent out in the second round.
Miesha Tate vs. Sara McMann
In the preliminary card main event on Fox Sports 1, Miesha Tate and Sara McMann will go head to head in a women’s bantamweight fight as they both look to position themselves for another shot at Ronda Rousey.
Tate is the more experienced mixed martial artist, with a career record of 15-5, but McMann is a fighter on the rise at 8-1. As expected, Tate has been the much more vocal fighter during the lead-up to their meeting.
According to Martin, Tate has used her experience advantage to downplay McMann‘s ability to beat her in multiple ways.
When I see her fight, I see a lot of myself when I was less developed. Now I’m a little bit more well rounded, a little more seasoned to take a punch, to give a punch, I’m comfortable in the striking game now. I have a pretty well versed ground game.
It’s interesting when I watch some of her footage and tapes and I’m like “I remember when I used to not be so comfortable on the feet.” When somebody would hit me, I would be like “I have to wrestle, I better wrestle because I don’t think I can out strike them” and I see that in her a little bit.
While Tate acknowledged McMann‘s wrestling prowess, she may be underestimating it a bit too much. McMann was a freestyle wrestling silver medalist at the 2004 Olympic Games, and her excellence in that area has led her to a great deal of success.
Tate is riding a two-fight winning streak after losing three out of four, so she appears to be back on track. She hasn’t encountered anyone with the grappling excellence of McMann, though, which is why the 34-year-old former Olympian will persevere and win via decision.
Call UFC 183 the “It’s About Time” card.
It’s about time the greatest MMA fighter in history jumps back into the Octagon. It’s about time the erratic, unpredictable personality of Nick Diaz does the same.
There are no straps on the line Saturday night….
It’s about time the greatest MMA fighter in history jumps back into the Octagon. It’s about time the erratic, unpredictable personality of Nick Diaz does the same.
There are no straps on the line Saturday night. There doesn’t need to be, either—The Spider sells a card on his own. It doesn’t hurt that the co-main event features Tyron Woodley and Kelvin Gastelum or that Al Iaquinta and Joe Lauzon will get down to business in brutal fashion.
The card feels like a long time coming. Top to bottom, relevant fights that will rearrange the ladder in most divisions as well as end or jump-start career trajectories litter the card.
It makes for one unforgettable night as UFC goes head to head with football and other events.
UFC 183 Full Card and Predictions
Top Storylines to Watch
Bantamweight Showdown
Ronda Rousey awaits.
While a preliminary bout, few showdowns exude more importance than the encounter between Miesha Tate and Sara McMann.
McMann is hot on the comeback trail after a loss about a year ago to Rousey, thanks to a triumph over Lauren Murphy. Tate rests in front of her on the totem pole for the time being, thanks to her stringing consecutive wins together.
Try not to forget that these two have traded verbal spars since Tate notched a win last September:
While the call-out oozes respect, McMann surely understands it is now or never.
At 34 years old, the Gaffney, South Carolina, native still does not meet expectations. Thanks to a silver medal from the 2004 Olympics, most figured McMann would take UFC by storm with her wrestling prowess, but so far, no dice.
If McMann is going to flip the switch, it needs to be now, especially against Tate, who at times is very susceptible to takedowns.
Rousey defends her title again at UFC 184. After that, who knows? There is no promise Tate or McMann will be next in line, but a dominant performance from either might just do the trick.
It’s About Time
The clock is ticking.
Both Silva and Diaz do not have all that long left
It is only natural, then, that legacy chatter rules the day when it comes to their showdown. Diaz is a loser of two in a row. After an extensive break, a win over Silva would do wonders as he fades from the spotlight.
Everyone knows Silva’s story at this juncture. He danced his way to a loss against Chris Weidman and then shattered his leg off a check in the rematch.
“I’m faster, stronger and happier. And UFC is giving me one more chance to show my job and what I can do inside the Octagon. I go to work. [I’m going] to show you, for my fans … my talent.”
Diaz is the definition of a wild card, though. The controversial fighter who was suspended then dropped by Georges St-Pierre must make a swift adaptation Saturday night as he jumps weight classes to dance with Silva.
The implications are obvious. Diaz is a win-by-flurry kind of fighter who will stand in and take it on the chin if it means he lands shots too. He’s predictable, and the chance he loses speed after weight gain is very real, although the last thing anyone should do is count him out.
For Silva, his usual approach should do the trick. It always has when he’s not showboating or suffering freak injuries. If the legend has one more shot at a title and subsequent run in him, he needs his hand raised Saturday.
UFC 183 is set for Saturday, January 31.
The pay-per-view event features a middleweight contest between mixed martial arts icons Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz. For Silva, the match is his first since suffering an ugly leg injury back in December 2…
The pay-per-view event features a middleweight contest between mixed martial arts icons Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz. For Silva, the match is his first since suffering an ugly leg injury back in December 2013. Diaz has been out of the Octagon even longer, having last competed in March 2013.
The UFC 183 co-main event is a welterweight tussle between contender TyronWoodley and rising star Kelvin Gastelum. Though the outcome remains meaningful, Gastelum‘s failure to even approach the 171-pound weight limit may stunt the momentum he can garner with a win.
The entire UFC 183 fight card consists of 12 total bouts.
UFC 183 Main Card
Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz
TyronWoodley vs. Kelvin Gastelum
Joe Lauzon vs. Al Iaquinta
Thales Leites vs. Tim Boetsch
Jordan Mein vs. ThiagoAlves
Prelims on Fox Sports 1
Miesha Tate vs. Sara McMann
Ed Herman vs. Derek Brunson
Ian McCall vs. John Lineker
Rafael Natal vs. Tom Watson
Fight Pass Prelims
Diego Brandao vs. JimyHettes
Richardson Moreira vs. IldemarAlcantara
Thiago Santos vs. Andy Enz
Join us here once the action begins (6:30 p.m. ET) for Bleacher Report’s live play-by-play coverage of the entire UFC 183 fight card.
When Nick Diaz decided he was willing to get back in the Octagon after a hiatus from the sport, he made it clear he would only do so for the biggest of fights.
The Stockton, California, native hasn’t fought since March 2013—an extended layoff Dia…
When Nick Diaz decided he was willing to get back in the Octagon after a hiatus from the sport, he made it clear he would only do so for the biggest of fights.
The Stockton, California, native hasn’t fought since March 2013—an extended layoff Diaz attributes partially to waiting on the right opportunity.
“[The UFC] were offering me fights and I wasn’t really interested in the fights they were talking about for pretty much the whole year, so I pretty much just dealt with different aspects of life.” Diaz said, via Paul Quigley ofFighters Only Magazine. “Now we’ve been able to sit down and talk about it a little bit, and I think I was looking for pretty much the biggest fight that I could get myself into, just like always.”
As the old adage goes, be careful what you wish for.
Diaz‘s patience has awarded him the UFC’s biggest star also looking to successfully come back from an extended layoff—Anderson Silva.
The former middleweight titlist will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon, where he is still undefeated against guys not named Chris Weidman.
Still, with both high-profile fighters looking to show they’re back, there’s a lot of intrigue involved in the main event. Here’s a look at the latest odds for the bout along with some predictions as to how it’s going to go down.
Odds via Odds Shark as of Jan. 30, 2014, at 11:00 a.m. ET
Diaz Does Not Outstrike Silva in Any Round
Much has been made of the blistering pace set by Diaz. It’s the welterweight’s calling card as a fighter and the reason for much of his success in his career. The theory goes that his overwhelming pressure could be too much for Silva, who, in his advanced age, might have a deteriorating chin.
Here’s the problem: Great footwork has proven to be Diaz‘s kryptonite. The blueprint for Silva to handle Diaz was laid out by Carlos Condit nearly three years ago. Circle away from the pressure, force him to reset with leg kicks and wait for an increasingly frustrated Diaz to open up opportunities to counter.
That’s a game plan that “Spider” has been perfecting throughout his career. It also led to ConditoutstrikingDiaz in four out of five rounds, per FightMetric.
Diaz might try to bring the fight to Silva, but it isn’t something that Silva hasn’t seen before. Thanks to his footwork and counterstriking, he’ll land more significant strikes in each round.
Silva Will Show He Trusts His Leg Kicks Early
Ironically, one of Silva’s greatest keys to victory doubles as his biggest question mark: After a leg kick led to a gruesome knee injury, will he trust his instincts and continue to throw them?
Silva admitted back in November to Marc Raimondi of Fox Sports that he’s had to work on recovering mentally as well as physically. “I’ve worked with a psychologist so I can get rid of the ghosts of those horrible moments of that fight, when I had that accident,” Silva said. “I’m a little apprehensive in training. I know I can execute the movement, but I end up not doing it for fear.”
As previously mentioned, fighters who have employed leg kicks against Diaz have been rewarded. His plodding, straightforward style is most easily counteracted by attacking the lead leg with kicks and circling away.
As long as Silva is able to throw those kicks at will, he will be well on his way to a successful game plan. The only unknown is just how confident he’ll be throwing them with the small risk that Diaz may actually check one and cause a freak injury once again.
Silva Will Score the Finish
Nick Diaz has only been stopped twice in his career—once in 2002 and again via doctor’s stoppage in 2007.
There’s no denying his durability. However, the idea that he’s impervious to being finished is a bit flawed.
Even in one of Diaz‘s most memorable performances, a first-round finish of Paul Daley in his final fight with Strikeforce, he was floored twice. Semtex ultimately got knocked out at the end of the round, but the British welterweight is a much more careless striker than Silva.
He also doesn’t have the record of finishing big fights that Silva does. Daley has been a knockout artist in smaller promotions for the vast majority of his career. The Spider is one of the greatest fighters of all time.
That’s a fact he’ll remind everyone of at UFC 183.
All in all, UFC 183 was an entertaining show. Aside from Kelvin Gastelum vs. Tyron Woodley, the show delivered the requisite amount of violence and then some. Several performances were worthy of post-fight bonuses, as the event featured five impressive finishes and more than one fight worthy of “Fight of the Night” honors.