(“Don’t worry, Leonard, if this doesn’t fix your aching back, it will probably just break it.” Photo courtesy of Getty Images.)
Two featherweights who have long since punched their tickets to a title shot are set to face off at UFC 162. Of course, now that Jose Aldo is fighting #1 lightweight contender Anthony Pettis and receiving a lightweight title shot if he is successful, we should probably assume that both the winner and loser of this fight will be sitting in title shot purgatory for at least a few months. So hooray for that.
That being the case, we should still prepare for one epic clash when top featherweight contenders Chan Sung Jung and Ricardo Lamas meet at UFC 162, which transpires at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on July 6th.
We haven’t seen Jung in action since he submitted fellow top contender Dustin Poirier in a Fight of the Night, Submission of the Night, and Fight of the Year-earning performance back at UFC on FUEL 3 last May, as he was forced to undergo shoulder surgery shortly thereafter. Lamas, on the other hand, has been picking off contenders ever since entering the UFC. With victories over Cub Swanson, Hatsu Hioki, and most recently one-time title hopeful Erik Koch at UFC on Fox 6, it would be almost impossible to claim that Lamas hasn’t earned his shot should he best the South Korean.
Who do you like for this one, Potato Nation?
After the jump: Some highlights from Jung and Poirier’s FOTY scrap, as well as Lamas’ destruction of Koch.
(“Don’t worry, Leonard, if this doesn’t fix your aching back, it will probably just break it.” Photo courtesy of Getty Images.)
Two featherweights who have long since punched their tickets to a title shot are set to face off at UFC 162. Of course, now that Jose Aldo is fighting #1 lightweight contender Anthony Pettis and receiving a lightweight title shot if he is successful, we should probably assume that both the winner and loser of this fight will be sitting in title shot purgatory for at least a few months. So hooray for that.
That being the case, we should still prepare for one epic clash when top featherweight contenders Chan Sung Jung and Ricardo Lamas meet at UFC 162, which transpires at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on July 6th.
We haven’t seen Jung in action since he submitted fellow top contender Dustin Poirier in a Fight of the Night, Submission of the Night, and Fight of the Year-earning performance back at UFC on FUEL 3 last May, as he was forced to undergo shoulder surgery shortly thereafter. Lamas, on the other hand, has been picking off contenders ever since entering the UFC. With victories over Cub Swanson, Hatsu Hioki, and most recently one-time title hopeful Erik Koch at UFC on Fox 6, it would be almost impossible to claim that Lamas hasn’t earned his shot should he best the South Korean.
Who do you like for this one, Potato Nation?
After the jump: Some highlights from Jung and Poirier’s FOTY scrap, as well as Lamas’ destruction of Koch.
Australian publication The Age is passing along the news that TUF 8 winner Ryan Bader has been forced to withdraw from his upcoming UFC 160 bout with Brazilian phenom Glover Teixeira due to injury. Luckily, his replacement opponent makes for an arguably more exciting potential fight, as it is being reported that streaking light heavyweight slugger James Te Huna has been brought into the fold in Bader’s absence. Early reports are also predicting that the fight will be a slugfest of epic proportions that winds up on every pundit’s “Top Ten Fights of the Year” list by the end of 2013, converting hoards of new fans to the sport and simultaneously blowing their minds in the process. Thank God we’re not setting ourselves up for disappointment.
Currently 5-1 in the UFC and on a four fight win streak, Te Huna is on the heels of a come from behind victory over Ryan Jimmo at UFC on FUEL 7. After getting rocked by a head kick in the first round, Te Huna showcased his resiliency (and a much improved grappling game) in the latter two rounds, controlling Jimmo en route to a unanimous decision victory. The victory followed up a record setting performance by the Aussie against Joey Beltran at UFC on FUEL 4 in which Te Huna anded 71 significant strikes in the first round.
Speaking of win streaks, Te Huna will be facing a guy with one of the longest active win streaks in the sport when he fights Teixeira, who is fresh off a unanimous decision victory of his own over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC on FOX 6, his eighteenth in a row.
A win for either man will (probably) establish them as the next, next challenger to the light heavyweight title, so who do you think will come out of this one on top, Potato Nation?
Australian publication The Age is passing along the news that TUF 8 winner Ryan Bader has been forced to withdraw from his upcoming UFC 160 bout with Brazilian phenom Glover Teixeira due to injury. Luckily, his replacement opponent makes for an arguably more exciting potential fight, as it is being reported that streaking light heavyweight slugger James Te Huna has been brought into the fold in Bader’s absence. Early reports are also predicting that the fight will be a slugfest of epic proportions that winds up on every pundit’s “Top Ten Fights of the Year” list by the end of 2013, converting hoards of new fans to the sport and simultaneously blowing their minds in the process. Thank God we’re not setting ourselves up for disappointment.
Currently 5-1 in the UFC and on a four fight win streak, Te Huna is on the heels of a come from behind victory over Ryan Jimmo at UFC on FUEL 7. After getting rocked by a head kick in the first round, Te Huna showcased his resiliency (and a much improved grappling game) in the latter two rounds, controlling Jimmo en route to a unanimous decision victory. The victory followed up a record setting performance by the Aussie against Joey Beltran at UFC on FUEL 4 in which Te Huna anded 71 significant strikes in the first round.
Speaking of win streaks, Te Huna will be facing a guy with one of the longest active win streaks in the sport when he fights Teixeira, who is fresh off a unanimous decision victory of his own over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC on FOX 6, his eighteenth in a row.
A win for either man will (probably) establish them as the next, next challenger to the light heavyweight title, so who do you think will come out of this one on top, Potato Nation?
We double-checked the list of fired fighters, then we triple checked it. We even created a flowchart to try and make sense of things, but it appears that as long as Garcia continues to treat strategy like Lloyd Irvin treats consent, he will always have a place in the UFC. It’s a luxury that his upcoming opponent, TUF 12 alum Cody McKenzie, cannot afford.
McKenzie and Garcia have in fact been rebooked for UFC 159 in what has to be a do-or-die fight for at least McKenzie, who has dropped three of his past four UFC contests including a 40 second KO via body punch loss to Chad Mendes in his last outing. Again, according to our chart, McKenzie’s current place on the “100 heavy” UFC roster makes about as much sense as Garcia’s, so expect these two to put on a show come April 27th. One of their UFC careers could depend on it.
So who takes this one, Potato Nation, the one-trick pony or the one-track mind?
The full lineup for UFC 159 is after the jump.
(“No, Leonard, I don’t know how they make Dippin’ Dots either.”)
We double-checked the list of fired fighters, then we triple checked it. We even created a flowchart to try and make sense of things, but it appears that as long as Garcia continues to treat strategy like Lloyd Irvin treats consent, he will always have a place in the UFC. It’s a luxury that his upcoming opponent, TUF 12 alum Cody McKenzie, cannot afford.
McKenzie and Garcia have in fact been rebooked for UFC 159 in what has to be a do-or-die fight for at least McKenzie, who has dropped three of his past four UFC contests including a 40 second KO via body punch loss to Chad Mendes in his last outing. Again, according to our chart, McKenzie’s current place on the “100 heavy” UFC roster makes about as much sense as Garcia’s, so expect these two to put on a show come April 27th. One of their UFC careers could depend on it.
So who takes this one, Potato Nation, the one-trick pony or the one-track mind?
The full lineup for UFC 159 is after the jump.
-Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen
-Alan Belcher vs. Michael Bisping
-Phil Davis vs. Vinny Magalhaes
-Pat Healy vs. Jim Miller
-Cheick Kongo vs. Roy Nelson
-Sheila Gaff vs. Sara McMann
-Nick Catone vs. James Head
-Jimy Hettes vs. Steven Siler
-Leonard Garcia vs. Cody McKenzie
-Al Iaquinta vs. Joe Proctor
-Ovince St. Preux vs. Gian Villante
-Rustam Khabilov vs. Yancy Medeiros
In the past year, Mike Pyle has put together a three fight (T)KO streak over the likes of Josh Neer and most recently James Head. A veteran of the UFC since 2009, Pyle will be looking to improve to 7-1 in his past 8 with a win over the undefeated Nelson, who showcased a rather versatile stand up game in his recent victory over Jorge Santiago at UFC on FUEL 7.
As it stands, UFC 160 is a card that we will gladly chase around 3 channels, Facebook, and a couple illegal stream sites to watch. Disagree? Then check out the full lineup after the jump and become a believer.
(“Gunnar, talk us through the end of the fight…………………………………………Gunnar Nelson everybody!” Photo via MMAViking.)
In the past year, Mike Pyle has put together a three fight (T)KO streak over the likes of Josh Neer and most recently James Head. A veteran of the UFC since 2009, Pyle will be looking to improve to 7-1 in his past 8 with a win over the undefeated Nelson, who showcased a rather versatile stand up game in his recent victory over Jorge Santiago at UFC on FUEL 7.
As it stands, UFC 160 is a card that we will gladly chase around 3 channels, Facebook, and a couple illegal stream sites to watch. Disagree? Then check out the full lineup after the jump and become a believer.
-Cain Velasquez (11-1) vs. Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva (18-4)
-Junior Dos Santos (15-2) vs. Alistair Overeem (36-12)
-Ryan Bader (15-3) vs. Glover Teixeira (20-2)
-TJ Grant (20-5) vs. Gray Maynard (11-1-1)
-Pat Barry (8-5) vs. Shawn Jordan (14-4)
-Donald Cerrone (19-5) vs. KJ Noons (11-6)
-Gunnar Nelson (11-0-1) vs. Mike Pyle (24-8-1)
-Khabib Nurmagomedov (19-0) vs. Abel Trujillo (10-4)
-Amir Sadollah (6-4) vs. Stephen Thompson (6-1)
-Estevan Payan (14-3) vs. Jeremy Stephens (20-9)
Be that as it may, UFC on FX 8 will now feature a pair of middleweight showdowns that should have title implications written all over them, as the pairing of Souza and Philippou was just made official a few hours ago. Since losing his Strikeforce middleweight title to Rockhold in September of 2011, “Jacare” has collected three straight stoppage victories, including a first round kimura submission of Ed Herman at Strikeforce’s final event last month.
(“OH GOD, OH GOD. I CAN’T FIND A PULSE, YOSEMITE!”)
Be that as it may, UFC on FX 8 will now feature a pair of middleweight showdowns that should have title implications written all over them, as the pairing of Souza and Philippou was just made official a few hours ago. Since losing his Strikeforce middleweight title to Rockhold in September of 2011, “Jacare” has collected three straight stoppage victories, including a first round kimura submission of Ed Herman at Strikeforce’s final event last month.
Philippou, on the other hand, has been quietly stringing together increasingly impressive wins since entering the UFC’s middleweight division back in March of 2011. After compiling a 4-1 record in the promotion, Philippou stepped in on short notice for injured teammate Chris Weidman against Tim Boetsch at UFC 155 and battered the top contender (and eye-poked him, and headbutted him) en route to a third round TKO victory.
Who do you like for this fight, Potato Nation, and more importantly, should we even fool ourselves into thinking the winner will pop up on Silva’s radar?
Although the matchup was hinted at a few weeks ago, both Vitor Belfort and Luke Rockhold vehemently denied that a bout between them was anywhere near a done deal. In fact, the final Strikeforce middleweight champ even went as far as to call out Costa Philippou for his promotional debut, a move that seems like a classic bait and switch in hindsight. In either case, it has been announced that Belfort and Rockhold will indeed be facing off next at a yet-to-be-named event in Brazil, go figure.
Belfort is fresh off a second round destruction of Michael Bisping at UFC on FX 7 that was first attributed to an omniscient higher power but later revealed to be at least partially influenced by the highest power of them all (other than bath salts, of course): testosterone. Rockhold, on the other hand, was scheduled to face Lorenz Larkin at Strikeforce’s once-named Champions event last month, but was forced to pull out from the fight with a wrist injury. Or as Lorenz would call it, a “wrist injury.”
Although the matchup was hinted at a few weeks ago, both Vitor Belfort and Luke Rockhold vehemently denied that a bout between them was anywhere near a done deal. In fact, the final Strikeforce middleweight champ even went as far as to call out Costa Philippou for his promotional debut, a move that seems like a classic bait and switch in hindsight. In either case, it has been announced that Belfort and Rockhold will indeed be facing off next at a yet-to-be-named event in Brazil, go figure.
Belfort is fresh off a second round destruction of Michael Bisping at UFC on FX 7 that was first attributed to an omniscient higher power but later revealed to be at least partially influenced by the highest power of them all (other than bath salts, of course): testosterone. Rockhold, on the other hand, was scheduled to face Lorenz Larkin at Strikeforce’s once-named Champions event last month, but was forced to pull out from the fight with a wrist injury. Or as Lorenz would call it, a “wrist injury.”
And while it meant one less paycheck for Rockhold at the time, it would be hard to argue that sitting out wasn’t a better move for the Strikeforce champ in the end. Like Gilbert Melendez before him, Rockhold essentially moved from a lose-lose situation in fighting an obscure Strikeforce fighter to fighting a big name in the UFC that will surely boost both his name power and stock within the promotion should he emerge victorious. We guess the injury curse of 2012 wasn’t all bad.
So, Potato Nation, will Rockhold be taught a lesson in hespect for his UFC debut or will he put one final nail in Belfort’s coffin?
[UPDATE] – 2/14
An official date, event, and venue have been named for Belfort and Rockhold’s upcoming clash and they are: May 18th, UFC on FX 8, Arena Jaragua in Jaragua do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Begin counting down the days until Dana White tells us that “a win for either guy = the next light heavyweight title shot” now.
