Your unintentional comedy of the day comes from UFC middleweight Alan Belcher, who told CouchFighter that he may have a unique game plan heading into his UFC on FOX 3 fight with Rousimar Palhares:I feel honored the UFC family wanted me to be on [the FO…
I feel honored the UFC family wanted me to be on [the FOX] card and believed in my abilities and show the fans that I’m gonna be a champ. I’m one of the top contenders and I’m ready to prove it. I’d be stupid to try and force a grappling match. I’m gonna use my strength, my strategy, not that I can’t grapple, but he can’t really strike that good. It’s a huge advantage for me just by keeping it on the feet. He’s gonna have to get me in one of those situations and I’m not gonna let that happen. Best of luck to him, I don’t think he’s gonna get a hold of me and do anything. I’m a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Some people might be surprised but I’ll give him a nice little run on the ground and may submit him.
I don’t want to slander Belcher’s ground skills. He’s a very good ground fighter and has the submission chops to give just about anyone in the middleweight division a run for their money.
But Palhares, obviously, is not a run-of-the-mill ground fighter. Put simply, he’s one of the very best in mixed martial arts, a wizard with leglocks and the kind of grip strength that allows him to grab onto you and never let go until he’s ready to do so.
He’s also one of the most vicious submission artists in the game. Look at the heel hook he applied to Tomasz Drwal back in 2010 for a perfect example. Not only did Palhares injure Drwal, but he refused to let go of the submission once Drwal tapped out. For that little transgression, Palhares was suspended for 90 days.
Let’s hope, for his sake, that Belcher is kidding about giving Palhares a run for his money on the ground. If he insists on using that game plan, he’s going to find himself in a world of hurt.
If Alan Belcher wants to win his fight against Rousimar Palhares, he needs to avoid the fight going to the ground.If Rousimar Palhares wants to win the fight, he needs to make sure the fight gets there.In the end, it’s as simple as that, but what are t…
If Alan Belcher wants to win his fight against Rousimar Palhares, he needs to avoid the fight going to the ground.
If Rousimar Palhares wants to win the fight, he needs to make sure the fight gets there.
In the end, it’s as simple as that, but what are the chances of each man getting what they want?
Belcher has proven to be competent on the ground and at striking, but Palhares is on another level when it comes to submissions. Indeed, Palhares is considered one of the best in the world when it comes to leg locks and heel hooks.
He has submitted three opponents in the UFC by heel hook and one by kneebar. That isn’t including the other opponent he took out with an armbar.
Belcher has won submission of the night on two occasions himself, but playing to his opponent’s strength would be a mistake. Belcher has the skills to keep the fight from going to the ground and the striking game to win the match.
He has been in a fight of the night twice, and while he is 1-1 in those bouts, his one loss was a close one. He must turn this match into a scrapper if he is intent on getting his hand raised.
Palhares has only one win by knockout. What’s more, in a fight with Dan Henderson, he showed how limited he was when it came to being a complete MMA fighter. Palhares is already 32 and there is little chance of him changing his ways now.
Belcher has to be careful of Palhares changing levels and transitioning to his patented leg submissions or trying to goad him to the ground. If he can be patient, and be willing to hear more then a few boos in the process, he will come out victorious.
Belcher has shown an evolution in his mindset and in his skills inside the cage. While the Arkansas native will have some cage rust, having last fought in September 2011, he should have enough to beat his opponent and move on to the next one.
UFC welterweight Josh Koscheck’s split from Javier Mendez and the American Kickboxing Academy has been acrimonious, to say the least.Koscheck, who trained at the gym for nearly the entirety of his UFC career, announced his departure from the gym in a t…
UFC welterweight Josh Koscheck‘s split from Javier Mendez and the American Kickboxing Academy has been acrimonious, to say the least.
Koscheck, who trained at the gym for nearly the entirety of his UFC career, announced his departure from the gym in a tirade after his win over Mike Pierce at UFC 143. He didn’t mince words then and he’s not mincing words now, as you’ll see in this transcript from an interview Ariel Helwani conducted with Koscheck after the UFC on FOX 3 press conference in New York City yesterday:
For the record, he was never my coach. He tagged along here and there. I think that I’m in a better place now, and my Dethrone Base Camp Fresno gyms, they’re rocking right now. We’re rolling. I think that Bob Cook will always be the man over there. Bob Cook comes and trains with me a couple of times a week in Fresno, whenever he can. It’s good to be around real coaches that care, real coaches that put time in. Real coaches that will put the effort in to make your fighter the best they can possibly be. And I have that now. And I think that May 5th, you guys are going to get to see that.
Koscheck previously owned a pair of AKA-affiliated gyms, but has changed the name to Dethrone Base Camp Fresno.
Helwani asked Koscheck if Mendez ever served as his coach, even back in the early days of his career.
Of course he worked with me. Did I learn anything? Eh. It is what it is. I’m done with that chapter of my life and I prefer not to talk about it. I prefer to talk about Dethrone Base Camp Fresno. That’s where it’s at right now. I have a lot of good guys training over there right now. I have a lot of guys coming in and out who come in for a couple of weeks and then they roll out. It’s a good time to be on your own and be doing what you gotta do.
Koscheck then dropped another bomb, saying that he believes AKA would have produced more champions over the years if they had “real coaching”:
I think that the reason why everyone is so successful at that gym over there in San Jose is because of the training partners. I really, truly believe that it’s why guys have fought for world titles and why guys have fought for UFC titles, like Cain. Because of the training partners. I think that’s the number one reason. I think if you added coaching, real coaching, you would have seen a lot more champions out of that gym. I think in my career we’re going to see big improvements really quick.
Koscheck has maintained his long relationship with Jon Fitch, even saying he would retire if the UFC tried to force him to fight Fitch. Will Fitch or any of Koscheck’s former training partners help him out in his new venture in Fresno?
If they’re smart, they’ll come and get real coaching. I think they should. That’s up to them. The door is always open to those guys. I prefer to never set foot in the city of San Jose ever again.
Fitch and Koscheck might be able to maintain their friendship, but other former training partners at AKA aren’t being quite so nice. As Strikeforce heavyweight Daniel Cormier told MMAjunkie’s Steven Marrocco:
“Sometimes people grow apart, and it was just Josh’s time,” Cormier said.
“It’s just Josh – Josh being Josh,” Rockhold told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “We’ve always been a family. Josh has always been on the outside; he’s always been an outcast.”
With many fighters, it’s hard to separate what you see on the screen from the person away from the camera. That’s not the case with Koscheck.
Love him or hate him—and a vast majority of MMA fans and people involved in the industry do, in fact, hate him—Koscheck is what he is, and he’s not changing for Javier Mendez, you or anybody else.
(One of these guys will likely get the winner of Showtime-Bendo II)
The UFC held a press conference in New York City today for the May 5 UFC on Fox 3 show, which we would have covered live, had they not rejected our credential application AGAIN. Thankfully we still have access to these things via YouTube.
Probably the most interesting tidbit to come out of the event was Dana White’s assertion that the winner of the Jim Miller-Nate Diaz bout would likely be the next in line for a title shot after Anthony Pettis.
It makes sense, even though Nate is only 2-0 in his current run as a lightweight and Jim lost his last bout against Ben Henderson. When you look at the fact that Diaz beat Melvin Guillard and Donald Cerrone as a lightweight, has only lost to Gray Maynard, Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson in the Octagon at 155 and he has never been finished and that prior to losing to the current champ, Miller had only ever been defeated by Frankie Edgar and Maynard, it makes sense.
Really, besides giving Edgar another shot — which he really should have to earn, considering he lost fair and square to Henderson — who else deserves a crack at the belt?
Tickets for the May 5 event, that takes place in New Jersey at the Izod Center, go on sale tomorrow.
Check out the full vid of the presser after the jump.
(One of these guys will likely get the winner of Showtime-Bendo II)
The UFC held a press conference in New York City today for the May 5 UFC on Fox 3 show, which we would have covered live, had they not rejected our credential application AGAIN. Thankfully we still have access to these things via YouTube.
Probably the most interesting tidbit to come out of the event was Dana White’s assertion that the winner of the Jim Miller-Nate Diaz bout would likely be the next in line for a title shot after Anthony Pettis.
It makes sense, even though Nate is only 2-0 in his current run as a lightweight and Jim lost his last bout against Ben Henderson. When you look at the fact that Diaz beat Melvin Guillard and Donald Cerrone as a lightweight, has only lost to Gray Maynard, Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson in the Octagon at 155 and he has never been finished and that prior to losing to the current champ, Miller had only ever been defeated by Frankie Edgar and Maynard, it makes sense.
Really, besides giving Edgar another shot — which he really should have to earn, considering he lost fair and square to Henderson — who else deserves a crack at the belt?
Tickets for the May 5 event, that takes place in New Jersey at the Izod Center, go on sale tomorrow.
The main-card fighters participating in the big UFC on FOX 3 card on May 5th gathered in New York City today for a pre-fight press conference.Dana White, Nate Diaz, Jim Miller, Johny Koscheck, Johny Hendricks, Pat Barry, Lavar Johnson and Alan Belcher …
The main-card fighters participating in the big UFC on FOX 3 card on May 5th gathered in New York City today for a pre-fight press conference.
Dana White, Nate Diaz, Jim Miller, Johny Koscheck, Johny Hendricks, Pat Barry, Lavar Johnson and Alan Belcher took questions from the fans and media in attendance.
Let’s check out a few quotes from the personalities involved.
Dana White on whether the winner of Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller or Anthony Pettis will get the next shot at Benson Henderson’s lightweight title:
“We said that the winner of this fight (Diaz vs. Miller) would get the next shot.”
Koscheck on the feeling that he may be a gatekeeper for the welterweight division:
“I’m not a stepping stone, kid. Johny Hendricks is not winning this fight.”
Dana comments on getting mixed martial arts legalized in New York City:
“I’ve been saying that for four years. We’re going to keep grinding and grinding until we get it done. We should be in New York and it’s ridiculous that we’re not.”
Koscheck on Johny Hendricks’ win over Jon Fitch:
“The fight didn’t last very long. I really couldn’t judge how good he is. I watched the fight and it looked like he threw a bunch of punches without looking.”
Hendricks responds:
“If you looked at that punch and watch where my eyes were, you could see that it was a pretty good punch. I’ll take it any day.”
Hendricks’ feelings after beating Jon Fitch:
“I just couldn’t wait to be on the card. I got to fight Jon Fitch, the number two guy in the entire world. And now I’ve got Josh Koscheck, another great fighter. It’s exciting for me. I can’t wait to put on a good show.”
Miller on fighting in his home state:
“It’s an honor to be on such a big card on FOX right here in my area. I’m excited about it. I’m excited to fight in front of my home state fans and put on a show. Nate and I match up very well together and it should be an exciting fight. I’m pretty amped up already, so I need to calm down. I’ve got another two months.”
Does Diaz think he’s deserving of main event status:
“I don’t know. I think it comes and goes depending on how your fights go. I’m glad to be on the card. It’s cool to be headlining and stuff.”
Dana’s thoughts on Ronda Rousey’s win over Miesha Tate:
“I’ve been saying for a long time about the women’s division. There aren’t enough women to create a division. But every once in awhile you’re going to have the fighters to create these one-off fights. That happened last Saturday night. Ronda Rousey is going to be a big star.”
Pat’s thoughts on Lavar Johnson’s punching power:
“You and I are no longer friends. Lavar Johnson has beyond heavy hands. I say that because he was able to knock out Joey Beltran.
I kicked Joey in the head five times and he shook it off. I’ve never wondered, in my entire career, whether or not I hit hard. So I guarantee you that he hits hard. I was there in Chicago, and he had the fight as soon as he walked out.
I looked at him and said ‘that looks like somebody they’re going to put me with.’ Everyone turned and looked at me. His fists are the size of my head. We’re going to punch each other a lot of times on May 5th. I hope not, but we probably are.”
Will Barry submit Lavar Johnson?
“I’m going to submit somebody, someday. Lavar? No. We’re both allergic to jiu-jitsu. We’re also both allergic to rounds two and three. You’re not going to see beginner-level grappling with the two of us.”
Did Dana put this card together to try and make exciting fights after the criticism of the first two shows?
“So the first fight went too quick and the second fight went too long? Oh well. We always try to put the best fighters in the world together. There’s nothing I can say if you think one was too short and one was too long.
These guys always deliver every time they go in there. I don’t know what to expect with this card. Hopefully, we get the right mixture of quick and long so that everybody is happy. I don’t know what else to say to that.”
We have all heard the legend of Rousimar Palhares. Born in a radioactive swamp deep in the Brazilian jungle, “Toquinho” was raised in captivity, locked in a dark, damp cellar that only received 15 minutes of sunlight a day. It was a cruel, traumatizing upbringing, but the townspeople agreed that it was the only way to maintain the utopia they had built. Living off bread crumbs and rage for the first 20 years of his life, Palhares vowed to seek revenge on those who had enslaved him. Unfortunately for the world, he could only see the ankles of his overlords through a crack beneath the bolted steel door that held him, so his curse did not have the luxury of extending to only those who entered Camp Crystal Lake, or she who read from the Necronomicon. If you were born with a pair of ankles, then Palhares is coming for you.
Thankfully, “Toquinho” celebrated his 32nd birthday last Sunday, so the appendages of mankind have been granted a reprieve for a couple more days. Why, you ask? Well as it turns out, this past Sunday went down as a particularly special birthday for the middleweight mangling machine, as it was the first one in which he was given a cake. Unfortunately, his friends and family decided to throw a surprise party for this glorious celebration. There were no survivors.
Check out Rousimar’s reaction to the surprise after the jump.
(What do you mean marrow is not a flavor?!!)
We have all heard the legend of Rousimar Palhares. Born in a radioactive swamp deep in the Brazilian jungle, “Toquinho” was raised in captivity, locked in a dark, damp cellar that only received 15 minutes of sunlight a day. It was a cruel, traumatizing upbringing, but the townspeople agreed that it was the only way to maintain the utopia they had built. Living off bread crumbs and rage for the first 20 years of his life, Palhares vowed to seek revenge on those who had enslaved him. Unfortunately for the world, he could only see the ankles of his overlords through a crack beneath the bolted steel door that held him, so his curse did not have the luxury of extending to only those who entered Camp Crystal Lake, or she who read from the Necronomicon. If you were born with a pair of ankles, then Palhares is coming for you.
Thankfully, “Toquinho” celebrated his 32nd birthday last Sunday, so the appendages of mankind have been granted a reprieve for a couple more days. Why, you ask? Well as it turns out, this past Sunday went down as a particularly special birthday for the middleweight mangling machine, as it was the first one in which he was given a cake. Unfortunately, his friends and family decided to throw a surprise party for this glorious celebration. There were no survivors.
Scheduled to face Alan Belcher at UFC on Fox 3 in May, Palhares said the celebration was short lived, as he had to get back to training, but he was thankful all the same:
That was really a big surprise for me. I became a child again because this was the first time in my whole life I celebrated my birthday with a cake. Everybody knows my family always had a very humble life. I thank my BTT partners to have given me this happiness. I hope this is going to be a year of much work and that God can continue giving me the opportunities to represent Brazil and show my talent inside the Octagon.
And believe it or not, Palhares was so touched by the gesture that he decided to pay it forward, offering to sign a few of the t-shirts purchased at his website, www.toquinhomma.com.br. So head over there if you want the chance to win the autograph of a man with a scarier reputation than Bill Brasky.
Your unintentional comedy of the day comes from UFC middleweight Alan Belcher, who told CouchFighter that he may have a unique game plan heading into his UFC on FOX 3 fight with Rousimar Palhares:
