Tag: UFC 187

Weidman vs. Belfort: Results, Highlights and Post-Fight Comments from UFC 187

It wasn’t always pretty for Chris Weidman in his TKO of Vitor Belfort on Saturday night, especially in the early going, as the Brazilian dished out a ton of punishment to the champ. But Weidman was able to withstand the flurry and take Belfor…

It wasn’t always pretty for Chris Weidman in his TKO of Vitor Belfort on Saturday night, especially in the early going, as the Brazilian dished out a ton of punishment to the champ. But Weidman was able to withstand the flurry and take Belfort to the mat and, well, the rest is history. 

Below, we’ll take a look at the highlights and some of the post-match commentary from the fight.

 

Highlights

 

Post-Match Reaction

While Weidman and Belfort were more cordial after the match than they were before it, Weidman had a message specific for those fans who perhaps haven’t believed in the champion.

“Stop doubting me,” he said in the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. “You better join the team now, it’s my last invitation.”

You can see the full interview below. 

He also spoke with Megan Olivi after the fight. 

While Weidman doesn’t know where he wants to fight next, he certainly knows where he wants to fight, per Damon Martin of Fox Sports:

“Everybody’s asking me about ‘Jacare’ (Souza) or (Luke) Rockhold, honestly it doesn’t matter. I want to fight either one of them in Madison Square Garden.  As long as I’m in that venue, I’m a happy man. That’s a dream,” Weidman said.

“That’s really the focus. I’m going to talk to the UFC and find out what the deal is with that and we’ll probably go from there.”

He added, “Jacare would be amazing competition. I know Rockhold‘s here. I’m not the matchmaker, but I feel like Rockhold put on a better last performance than Jacare just because of the guys he fought. I’m not the matchmaker. All I want is a huge fight, preferably in Madison Square Garden.”

Weidman would be a logical choice to be added to the card in December, as he hails from New York and has really impressed in consecutive wins over Anderson Silva (twice), Lyoto Machida and now Belfort. 

Of course, Belfort didn’t make it easy, using his strong striking game to make Weidman look like a punching bag at points during the fight. Punching bags don’t have the ground-and-pound game of Weidman, however, a fact Belfort found out for himself the hard way. 

It’s a lesson either Souza or Rockhold would be wise to heed if they face the champion next. Weidman has proven to be one of the UFC’s brightest stars and has taken down one legend after the next in his ascent in the sport, even if those fighters were perhaps a bit past their primes at the time.

Against Belfort, he showed the resiliency to take a beating until the momentum turned his way, and once he was able to get Belfort to the ground, the result seemed inevitable. Indeed, it was. 

And you have to think the New York crowd in Madison Square Garden would love to see Weidman go for a 14-0 mark just as much as he would love to get there for them in the famous arena. 

 

Follow TRappaRT on Twitter

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

5 Rounds with Jonathan Snowden: Best and Worst from UFC 187

UFC 187, on paper, was one of the very best combat sports cards of the year. With two title fights on top and exciting fighters sprinkled throughout, I had every hope that this event would deliver a solid night’s entertainment.
Best card of the year, i…

UFC 187, on paper, was one of the very best combat sports cards of the year. With two title fights on top and exciting fighters sprinkled throughout, I had every hope that this event would deliver a solid night’s entertainment.

Best card of the year, it turns out, was faint praise. 

By the time Anthony Johnson tapped the mat and Daniel Cormier sent a succinct message to deposed UFC champion Jon Jones, we were no longer looking at one of the best cards of 2015—we were looking at one of the most entertaining UFC events of the decade.

While no card is ever perfect, this one was pretty close, at least during the pay-per-view portion of the evening. In a new post-fight series, we’ll look at the card as a whole and choose the five best and worst moments—the handful of things worth talking about in the event’s aftermath. 

Want to extend the bout from five rounds into forever? Enter the comments, if you dare, and make your voice heard.

Begin Slideshow

UFC 187 Results: 5 Fights for Andrei Arlovski

Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne put on an exciting heavyweight showcase at UFC 187 on Saturday night. Arlovski had Browne hurt early and pressured him in the cage until Browne landed a massive shot of his own to drop the former champion.
The Pit…

Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne put on an exciting heavyweight showcase at UFC 187 on Saturday night. Arlovski had Browne hurt early and pressured him in the cage until Browne landed a massive shot of his own to drop the former champion.

The Pit Bull was able to pull himself together and gain the stoppage before the end of the first round. Now, the veteran of the Octagon can continue the rebirth of his career with these fight suggestions.

Begin Slideshow

UFC 187 Results: Winners Who Put on Most Impressive Performances

Dana White had a bevy of options when choosing who would receive performance bonuses at UFC 187. In all, there were six finishes including four in the five-fight pay-per-view card on Saturday. 
The event was the perfect blend of fights that had me…

Dana White had a bevy of options when choosing who would receive performance bonuses at UFC 187. In all, there were six finishes including four in the five-fight pay-per-view card on Saturday. 

The event was the perfect blend of fights that had meaning in the overall landscape of the organization and provided excitement. One title changed hands, one title was defended, and more than one fighter showed they belong in the title hunt in their respective divisions. 

UFC on Fox tweeted out the recipients of the performance bonuses:

Here’s a look at the complete results followed by a breakdown of some of the best performances from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. 

UFC 187 Main Card

  • Daniel Cormier def. Anthony Johnson, submission (Round 3, 2:39)
  • Chris Weidman def. Vitor Belfort, TKO (Round 1, 2:53)
  • Donald Cerrone def. John Makdessi, TKO (Round 2, 4:44)
  • Andrei Arlovski def. Travis Browne, TKO (Round 1, 4:41)
  • Joseph Benavidez def. John Moraga, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Prelims on Fox Sports 1

  • John Dodson def. Zach Makovsky, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 
  • Dong Hyun Kim def. Josh Burkman, submission (Round 3, 2:13)
  • Rafael Natal def. Uriah Hall, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Rose Namajunas vs. Nina Ansaroff—cancelled

Prelims on UFC Fight Pass

  • Colby Covington def. Mike Pyle, unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Islam Makhachev def. Leo Kuntz, submission (Round 2, 2:38)
  • Justin Scoggins def. Josh Sampo, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

 

Andrei Arlovski Turns Back the Clock

With both Vitor Belfort and Andrei Arlovski fighting on the card, there was a certain retro feel to the event. The Pit Bull was the only one who actually looked like his old self, though. He showcased the power that made him a UFC heavyweight champion a decade ago. 

Perhaps more important than Arlovski’s power was his chin in this bout, though. For a fighter who has been dismissed for having a weak chin in the past, he absorbed plenty of punishment from Browne and even rallied from a knockdown. 

MMAFighting.com noted the perception of the 36-year-old’s chin versus the reality:

With a win over Browne, Arlovski has taken a step toward being a contender. In the thin heavyweight division, a win over the No. 3 heavyweight (at the time of the fight) should launch him up the rankings.

A matchup against someone like Stipe Miocic might be all that stands in the way between him and another title shot. 

 

Chris Weidman Conquers Another Challenge

Those who don’t want to consider Chris Weidman as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world are running out of reasons. The middleweight champion took care of another legend in his weight class and made it look easy in the process. 

Well, not completely easy. There was the matter of Belfort’s early onslaught. The challenger came out aggressive and unleashed a furious combination that cut open Weidman’s eye. That’s where the highlights ended for The Phenom, though. 

Weidman showed the wherewithal of a champion as he persevered and took the fight to the ground. From there he went about demolishing the Brazilian and claiming yet another impressive victory. 

After the bout, Weidman pleaded with fans to stop doubting him, per The MMA Hour’s Ariel Helwani:

The champion has a point. With wins over three former champions, there’s a valid argument that he’s the top pound-for-pound fighter in a post-Jon Jones UFC landscape. Marc Raimondi of MMA Fighting sees Weidman only going up from here:

Challenges still exist for him, though. Luke Rockhold stands out as a true test for Weidman because his ability to finish fights via submissions is an interesting answer to the All-American’s formidable wrestling. 

 

Daniel Cormier Takes 205-Pound Title

The UFC sold the light heavyweight title fight between Daniel Cormier and Anthony “Rumble” Johnson as Cormier’s wrestling against Johnson’s jaw-dropping power. 

It turned out to be just that. Rumble showed off that power in the first 20 seconds of the fight, dropping Cormier with an overhand right. DC answered by showing his wrestling chops and intense desire to win the championship. 

The former heavyweight proceeded to wear down Johnson in the clinch and on the mat. He even responded to a 10-9 round for Johnson with a 10-8 round of his own on two cards, according to Nancy Gay of UFC.com:

DC finished off his masterful performance by showcasing one of his underrated skills: submissions. He seized the opportunity to take Johnson’s back and finished the night with a rear-naked choke. 

Looking ahead, Cormier made it clear who he would like to see next, per UFC on Fox:

The only problem with that is there’s no way to tell when Jones will return to the Octagon. For now, Cormier is the champion. Other contenders are on the horizon for the newly crowned titleholder, but at UFC 187, he proved that he’s the current man to beat at light heavyweight. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 187: 5 Fights for Dong Hyun Kim

Many of the UFC’s divisions are filled with multiple contenders. The welterweight group is no different as it is strongly considered one of the deepest weight classes in the sport.
A number of fighters in the official UFC rankings are a threat to the t…

Many of the UFC’s divisions are filled with multiple contenders. The welterweight group is no different as it is strongly considered one of the deepest weight classes in the sport.

A number of fighters in the official UFC rankings are a threat to the title. Dong Hyun Kim currently sits in the No. 8 position, but after his winning performance against Josh Burkman at UFC 187, that position should change. Looking forward, these are fight suggestions for the Korean competitor.

Begin Slideshow

Video: Daniel Cormier and Ryan Bader Exchange Expletives at Press Conference

Daniel Cormier has some interesting press conferences.
In his first press conference as champion there was unexpected drama. Cormier started discussing Ryan Bader, who he was originally slated to fight in New Orleans, and Bader was in the room. Bader s…

Daniel Cormier has some interesting press conferences.

In his first press conference as champion there was unexpected drama. Cormier started discussing Ryan Bader, who he was originally slated to fight in New Orleans, and Bader was in the room. Bader started to respond to DC, and made his way to the table. Shenanigans ensued.

UFC officials stepped in between the two top-five ranked fighters, but Cormier was vocal with some choice words for the title hopeful.

The two had a Twitter exchange prior to UFC 187 where Bader accused Cormier of getting out of their proposed matchup. Cormier of course responded in tow. Cormier reaffirmed his position at the press conference, stating he asked for Bader because he wanted “the easiest fight in the division, I want Ryan Bader.”

There has been very little buzz about this potential matchup, but this post-fight press conference exchange could add a little spice to the potential title tilt. Bader is the only contender coming off a victory, and that would make him the next logical choice should Cormier defend the belt prior to Jones returning to action.

Will Cormier wait? Not according to the man himself.

At the press conference, Cormier said he is 36 years old and will not wait on Jones. As the champion, he has a point. Jones was stripped of the title. There is no logical reason that Cormier should wait on Jones to be reinstated off of an indefinite suspension. That should not be a concern of his.

Bader poses an interesting matchup for Cormier. On paper, he looks to be outmatched. Cormier is the better wrestler and has the better boxing. However, Bader has improved dramatically over the past two years. He has big power in his hands, and Cormier has been taken down inside the Octagon. He was taken down at UFC 187.

Cormier jokingly blamed the post-fight press conference shenanigans on UFC Vice President of Public Relations Dave Sholler. Sholler was the man in between him and Jones in their scuffle last year. Cormier suggested none of this would have happened if White were present.

Bader and Cormier seem to be on a collision course, and the UFC may bite while Jones is on the shelf. Cormier came out of the event without serious injury, and Bader is completely free. The heated exchanges will make for an interesting build for the fight.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com