Tag: UFC on Fox 2

Michael Bisping Flipping off UFC Fans Is Actually Good for the Sport

Michael Bisping is a controversial man who does controversial things.  Because of this, he’s grown to become one of the UFC’s largest stars.From coaching multiple seasons of “The Ultimate Fighter” to being in the main event…

Michael Bisping is a controversial man who does controversial things.  Because of this, he’s grown to become one of the UFC’s largest stars.

From coaching multiple seasons of “The Ultimate Fighter” to being in the main event of multiple “Fight Night Live” events and overseas pay-per-views, Bisping is fantastic at mixing fame with infamy.

Just yesterday, Bisping responded to a negative fan reaction at the “UFC on Fox 2” weigh-ins by flipping-off the crowd, which nearly cost him a sponsor. 

Should this have even been an issue in the first place? 

I think Bisping deserves to flip-off as many fans as he wants.

According to 5th Round, immediately after Bisping greeted the booing fans at the weigh-ins with a pair of middle fingers, Alden Halpern, the CEO of clothing company MMA ELITE, took to Twitter to voice his disapproval by permanently banning Bisping from being sponsored by MMA Elite. 

But it turned out to be much ado about nothing; a short while later, Halpern retracted his statement, admitting that he had “jumped the gun.”

To be honest, I have a few conflicting feelings about this issue. 

First off, I honestly think it’s a bit funny that a CEO of a major company took to Twitter to make a major announcement that was nothing more than a snap judgment that was later retracted.

You would think the CEO of one of the most popular MMA clothing brands currently on the market would have a little patience.

That said, I didn’t think much of Bisping flipping-off the fans.  Should we really expect any different?  At this point, all I do is shrug and say, “That’s Michael Bisping for you.”

I also think it’s important to note that Bisping’s antics have nothing to do with the MMA fanbase as a whole. 

Whenever we see a controversial fighter do something controversial that focuses on the audience, we tend to make the same snap judgment that Halpern made: He hates the fans, and that’s bad for the sport and bad for business.

But I don’t think that’s true.  Bisping doesn’t hate the fans; Bisping hates his haters.

When was the last time Bisping flipped-off a crowd that was cheering him?  When was the last time Bisping snatched the mic away from Joe Rogan and told off a pro-Bisping crowd?

Some fighters take a negative fan reaction in stride.  Bisping is not one of those fighters.  Should he be criticized for that?  Occasionally.

Should that garner even more hate for him from the anti-Bisping crowd?  Absolutely. 

But should that cost the man his livelihood?  Absolutely not.

We all know what Bisping is: He’s a bad boy.  And all sports have their bad boys.  I’d go one further: all sports need bad boys. 

If all we had were squeaky-clean do-gooders, you and I know that it’d get very boring very quickly.

So give Bisping a little leeway, and just like Halpern, come to your senses the next time you think he should be seriously punished just for being himself.

 

Oliver Saenz, also known as PdW2kX, is a freelance journalist, opinion columnist, hardcore MMA fan, and lifelong video game nerd. For more news, views, previews, and reviews on all things Mixed Martial Arts as well as video games, be sure to visit FightGamesBlog.net.

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UFC on FOX 2 Fight Card: What Rashad Evans Needs to Do to Win

Rashad Evans has remained among one of the more consistent fighters in the light heavyweight division for the past few years.Despite being on the losing end of one of the most vicious knockouts in UFC history, Evans has worked his way back up to regain…

Rashad Evans has remained among one of the more consistent fighters in the light heavyweight division for the past few years.

Despite being on the losing end of one of the most vicious knockouts in UFC history, Evans has worked his way back up to regain a light heavyweight title shot, and his chance couldn’t have come at a better time.

Slated to face Phil Davis, Evans was originally supposed to meet the 27-year-old prospect last summer before a knee injury postponed the bout, keeping a future title shot all but in reach for the 32-year-old.

But with both competitors seemingly healthy, the time to settle their difference is fitting for a television network debut when they headline UFC on FOX 2.

While he was praised for his speed and wrestling ability earlier on in his career, Evans has continued to evolve and adapt in the sport, while continuously finding ways to beat his opponents. “Suga” might have found his match in Davis, based on pure wrestling ability, but that won’t prevent the former light heavyweight champion from finding a way to earn the victory.

Davis’ striking is not fully developed, as he prefers to utilize his wresting to gain an advantage over his opponents, so look for Evans to try to expose Davis’ lack of strike defense. 

“Suga” will want to keep his distance as often as he can so he can find his range and use his speed to get inside of Davis and land clean shots. It is unknown how Davis will react to getting hit. Evans will want to use his speed and boxing skills to put pressure on his opponent and test his heart. 

Evans will want to beat Davis to the punch as much as possible. Being the faster, more aggressive fighter, Evans will put “Mr.Wonderful” in uncomfortable situations he’s not used to being in, neutralizing his wrestling and keeping him on the defense for a majority of the bout.

Should Evans capitalize on Davis’ striking inability and inexperience, he will have the necessary tools to carry out the win via unanimous decision, setting up a highly anticipated grudge match between him and Jones. 

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UFC on FOX 2 Predictions: Mike Russow vs. John-Olav Einemo

Before the main card is underway, fans will be able to catch the preliminary card on FUEL TV. One of the bouts featured on the undercard is a heavyweight matchup featuring Mike Russow and John-Olav Einemo.Einemo will make his return to the UFC after un…

Before the main card is underway, fans will be able to catch the preliminary card on FUEL TV. One of the bouts featured on the undercard is a heavyweight matchup featuring Mike Russow and John-Olav Einemo.

Einemo will make his return to the UFC after undergoing a contract dispute with his former management, Golden Glory, that saw “The Viking” released from the company.

Now set to make his return, Einemo will meet Russow in a heavyweight bout that is sure to keep fans entertained. Holding a black belt in Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu, Einemo has earned the last five of his six wins via submission, so should the bout hit the ground, it is more than likely he’ll be comfortable off of his back.

Russow isn’t afraid to test his striking against anyone in the heavyweight division. Russow is perhaps best known for his knockout victory over Todd Duffee at UFC 114 that saw the Chicago native on the losing end of the fight until he scored the knockout with just a few minutes before the end of the bout.

Currently riding a three-fight winning streak, Russow will look to continue his ascension up the heavyweight division by getting the win over a veteran like Einemo.

Although Russow is heading into his bout with a lot of momentum, Einemo holds a lot of experience, and he’ll also enjoy a eight-inch reach advantage. 

Russow has shown to battle through adversity. However, Einemo’s size and striking is not something Russow will want to endure for a majority of the bout. He will look to take the fight to the ground, where he holds the advantage in submissions and grappling.

Einemo might want to approach his opponent with more caution than his last bout with Dave Herman, which saw him on the receiving end of a knockout at UFC 131.

While it is possible Russow can weather the storm early on, it isn’t likely he can absorb punishment on the feet against a caliber fighter like Einemo.

Prediction: Jon Olav Einemo via third round TKO.

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UFC on Fox 2: Final Analysis for Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis

We are less than 12 hours away from the UFC’s second foray into network television as Fox hosts UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis.In the main event, “Suga” Rashad Evans will be facing off against undefeated prospect Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis. Rashad E…

We are less than 12 hours away from the UFC’s second foray into network television as Fox hosts UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis.

In the main event, “Suga” Rashad Evans will be facing off against undefeated prospect Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis. Rashad Evans, the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, is looking to secure a long-awaited title shot against former Jackson’s MMA teammate and current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones.

Phil Davis will be looking for his first win over a top-five ranked light heavyweight and a chance to put himself on UFC President Dana White’s radar for a title fight in the future. 

Both fighters bring a strong NCAA Division I wrestling pedigree into the Octagon, although Evans—16-1-1 with his last two wins over former champions—is clearly the more experienced and more complete mixed martial artist.  Can Phil Davis utilize his outstanding wrestling and vastly improved striking to disrupt Rashad’s title hopes? 

Let’s look at the breakdown of each fighter.

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UFC on FOX 2 Predictions: What a Phil Davis Win Means for the LHW Division

More than 10 months removed from his last Octagon appearance, Phil Davis will be competing in the biggest fight of his MMA career against Rashad Evans on Saturday.With an impressive victory over Evans at UFC on Fox 2, Davis could earn himself a shot at…

More than 10 months removed from his last Octagon appearance, Phil Davis will be competing in the biggest fight of his MMA career against Rashad Evans on Saturday.

With an impressive victory over Evans at UFC on Fox 2, Davis could earn himself a shot at the light heavyweight title. While Dan Henderson could jump ahead of him in line for a championship fight, Davis has said he is willing to wait for a fight with the winner of a fight between “Hendo” and champion Jon Jones.

First, however, Davis will have to defeat a former champion in Evans, who has been in line for his own shot at the belt for more than 18 months. If Davis is able to steal Evans’ shot at the 205-pound title, the light heavyweight division would be shaken up quite a bit.  

A former NCAA champion wrestler, Davis would present one of the most intriguing stylistic matchups against Jones. In his MMA career, Jones has never been forced to fight off his back. If any light heavyweight is able to take Jones out of his comfort zone, it will most likely be Davis.

By winning at UFC on Fox 2, Davis would also throw a fork in the road of Evans’ career. Having competed at 174 pounds during his college wrestling career, many have wondered if Evans is capable of a drop to the middleweight division.

A loss to Davis could finally prompt the 32-year-old to move to 185 pounds in hopes of one final run at a title, leaving the light heavyweight division with one less contender for up-and-coming fighters to worry about.

 

Sean Smith is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. For the latest insight and updates on everything MMA, you can follow Sean on Twitter @SeanSmithMMA.

 

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UFC on FOX 2 Fight Card: How High Is Phil Davis’s Upside?

At UFC on FOX 2, no other fighter has a bigger opportunity to shine than Phil Davis.The 205-pound prospect not only has the chance to defeat one of the sport’s elite fighters in Rashad Evans, but he has the chance to do it in front of a large audience …

At UFC on FOX 2, no other fighter has a bigger opportunity to shine than Phil Davis.

The 205-pound prospect not only has the chance to defeat one of the sport’s elite fighters in Rashad Evans, but he has the chance to do it in front of a large audience when the event makes its official debut on FOX Sports.

The winner of the bout is expected to be next in line to challenge Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title but that doesn’t seem to be the case regarding Davis and his status in the division. 

Although the 27-year-old has embarked on an impressive run so far in the UFC, boasting a 9-0 record in the Octagon, his skills are still progressing and he is still improving at a gradual rate, which leaves some critics skeptical of his ability against top competition.

While he has the potential to hold onto the light heavyweight crown in the future, it would seem that the UFC isn’t in any hurry to fast-track him to a title shot anytime soon.

So if Davis is to walk away with a decisive victory over Evans, it might enter him into the top five of the division, but it won’t thwart the UFC’s plans of hosting a title bout, as Dan Henderson is likely to receive the next shot.

Davis’s victory over Evans will be a moral one, however, and while it might not be the one that leads him to an immediate title shot, it is a step in the right direction.

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