Brandon “The Truth” Vera, the No. 1 contender to Jon “Bones” Jones’ light heavyweight title. Sound odd? It may become reality next weekend, if Vera is able to overcome his lengthy career slump and defeat Mauricio “Sh…
Brandon “The Truth” Vera, the No. 1 contender to Jon “Bones” Jones’ light heavyweight title. Sound odd? It may become reality next weekend, if Vera is able to overcome his lengthy career slump and defeat Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
One can, at least to some extent, understand it in the case of Rua. The Brazilian has had a patchy UFC career, but he has looked impressive in his last couple of fights, even in his loss to Dan Henderson late last year.
Brandon Vera, on the other hand, has only one win in his last four fights, with that win coming via an unimpressive decision against the journeyman Eliot Marshall.
How does one justify calling this a No. 1 contender bout, given the facts briefly outlined above?
Well, lack of options could be one reason. Should Jones run over Hendo, as is expected by most, who do you match the 25-year-old up with next? It is slim pickings at the top of the light heavyweight division, but does Vera deserve to be anywhere near the 205-pound title?
The second reason is perhaps more plausible.
The UFC on Fox 4 card has come in for a great deal of criticism from all corners of the MMA universe. Dana White’s announcement seems, at least to this writer, to be an attempt to lend some credibility to the main event.
When people watch a fight, they want to see something at stake. The UFC is giving it to them, no matter how absurd that stipulation is.
Should “The Truth” somehow manage to pull off a win on Saturday night, expect his credentials to play a major part in the storyline of any potential title fight.
In a shocking turn of events, UFC president Dana White revealed that the winner of the UFC on FOX 4 main event this Saturday will face light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones for the second time. White confirmed the news with MMA Junkie this …
In a shocking turn of events, UFC president Dana White revealed that the winner of the UFC on FOX 4 main event this Saturday will face light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones for the second time.
Rua, the man Jones defeated for the title back at UFC 128, received high praise from his boss despite being just 2-2 in his past four fights.
“‘Shogun’ Rua just came off a ‘Fight of the Year’ last year,” White said regarding Rua’s unanimous decision loss against Dan Henderson at UFC 139.
“He’s probably one of the best fighters of the last decade. Think about it. This guy knocked out ‘Rampage’ (Jackson), knocked out Chuck Liddell, knocked out Mark Coleman, knocked out Lyoto Machida, knocked out Forrest Griffin, knocked out Alistair Overeem twice, submitted Kevin Randleman. A win vs. [Vera] puts him right back in position, and then he’s probably the No. 2 guy in the world.”
Meanwhile, “The Truth” hasn’t won consecutive fights since 2009 and is 1-2-1 in his past four fights, most recently narrowly defeating Elliot Marshall at UFC 137.
Vera, who once claimed he would be the first fighter to hold the UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight titles simultaneously, was excited to hear that his upcoming bout would be a title eliminator.
“Like I said before, this is already a blessing in disguise, and by Dana throwing [the title shot] out there, it’s like winning the lottery twice,” he said.
Vera was finished in the first round of his March 2010 encounter with Jones, suffering a broken cheek bone as the result of some vicious elbows from the then-rising star.
Given that both Vera and Shogun were soundly defeated by Jones already, the decision to give either fighter a crack at the champion again after winning two fights in a row seems like a curious one.
Despite White recently saying that the winner of Ryan Bader and Lyoto Machida could earn a title shot as well, it looks like the co-main eventers will be on the outside looking in regardless of the outcome of their fight.
The champion has also finished both Bader and Machida inside the Octagon as well, both with a variation of the guillotine choke.
Jones next defends his title against Henderson at UFC 151, which is scheduled for Sept. 1.
One hundred forty-five-pounder Nam Phan has hit back at recent comments made by Steven Seagal. In the nicest possible way, the UFC resident called the aging martial arts actor a “douche”. In a recent interview with MMAFighting’s Ariel Helwani, Se…
One hundred forty-five-pounder Nam Phan has hit back at recent comments made by Steven Seagal. In the nicest possible way, the UFC resident called the aging martial arts actor a “douche”.
In a recent interview with MMAFighting’s Ariel Helwani, Seagal had this to say about Phan:
“Never heard of him. Nam Fran? Is he an American guy? I don’t know who this guy is and I don’t really care.”
Phan, who is slated to face off against Cole Miller at UFC on FOX 4 this weekend, retorted with this gem:
“You know what, I’m not the most famous fighter,” Phan said. “But, whatever, I still think he’s a douche,” (via MMAFighting.com).
Whether it’s a way of resurrecting his floundering acting career or earning more respect in the mixed martial arts community, the star of such films as “Above the Law” and “Under Siege” has courted controversy ever since acquiring MMA notoriety courtesy of his affiliations with Black House members Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida.
Seagal, who has a 7th degree black-belt in Aikido, has lambasted Chael Sonnen for his TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) use leading up to his first encounter with Silva. In addition, he took potshots at current 205-pound titlist Jon Jones regarding his striking executions.
With regards to Silva and Machida, the 60-year-old reserve deputy sheriff credits himself with shoring up their fight game.
Under Seagal’s tutelage, “The Spider” decimated Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort via front kick whilst “The Dragon” sent Randy “The Natural” Couture into retirement by way of jumping front kick.
Apropos Phan (17-10 MM), the 29-year-old Vietnamese-American is 1-3 in his four outings thus far for the Zuffa-based promotion. He’ll be intent on getting back to winning ways or else the hot seat beckons.
That said—if Phan catches sight of Seagal at a UFC event, he said he’ll do one of two things:
“I wouldn’t say anything to him,” Phan said. “I’d just walk right past him, or maybe just snicker at him.”
UFC on Fox: Shogun vs. Vera is scheduled to take place on August 4, 2012 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Last time you saw (saw being the operative term) Brandon Vera, he was getting emasculated by Thiago Silva at UFC 125. Not only did the Brazilian beat him for three solid rounds, but he taunted Vera, slapping him in the face with an open hand …
Last time you saw (saw being the operative term) Brandon Vera, he was getting emasculated by Thiago Silva at UFC 125. Not only did the Brazilian beat him for three solid rounds, but he taunted Vera, slapping him in the face with an open hand and playing an extended drum solo on his opponent’s back.
For the proud Vera, it was mortifying. How had a man, a man who once, in a fit of hubris, claimed he would hold the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles simultaneously, come to this? For the UFC brass, it was the last straw. Vera, after years of being the promotion’s most promising prospect, was finally shown the door. He was out.
A lot has changed since those dark days. Vera was saved by a Thiago Silva urine sample that was less than human. His loss was changed to a “no contest.” Vera was given yet another chance, buried on the preliminary card at UFC 137, a chance he took advantage of with a win over Elliot Marshall.
Vera had survived to fight another day. But in a title eliminator? On national television? For a shot at the mighty light-heavyweight champion, Jon Jones?
Not even in his wildest dreams. Not even in an opium fueled delusion. It’s such a ludicrous proposition that the writers of HBO’s True Blood would have rejected it outright—and they don’t reject anything featuring two participants who are only half-dressed rolling around.
Before a tepid win over Marshall, Vera hadn’t won a fight since 2009. He hadn’t beaten anyone of consequence since beating Frank Mir all the way back in 2006. And yet here he sits, one win away from a title shot against arguably the best fighter in the business.
Make no mistake, though. Vera is being put in the cage this Saturday on Fox to lose. He’s a speed bump for former champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. But a banged-up fighter like Rua losing to a fighter he’s supposed to beat isn’t outside the realm of the believable.
There’s a reason Brandon Vera was once considered such a hot prospect. He has the tools to beat anyone, but especially Rua. Vera has the solid standup to survive Shogun’s standing attack and the Greco Roman pedigree to possibly beat him in the clinch.
Of all the top contenders at 205 pounds, Rua is the fighter Vera has the best chance of besting. Rua is unlikely to take Vera to the ground, which seems to be his Kryptonite.
Standing, or in the top position, is where Vera makes his money. He’ll be there all night against Rua. And that could make things very interesting for the UFC when it comes time to promote their next light heavyweight title fight.
Brandon Vera: title contender. I suppose stranger things have happened. Just not very many.
“They brought me into this fight as a fish for Shogun to eat.”
So said Brandon Vera during yesterday’s hour-long “UFC’s Road to the Octagon” special on FOX, which previewed next weekend’s UFC on FOX: Shogun vs. Vera card in Los Angeles. Vera is well aware that few people are giving him a chance in the night’s headliner — especially considering that he hasn’t had an impressive victory in over three years — but the opportunity to fight Shogun and return to elite-fighter status has given him new motivation for training.
“They brought me into this fight as a fish for Shogun to eat.”
So said Brandon Vera during yesterday’s hour-long “UFC’s Road to the Octagon” special on FOX, which previewed next weekend’s UFC on FOX: Shogun vs. Vera card in Los Angeles. Vera is well aware that few people are giving him a chance in the night’s headliner — especially considering that he hasn’t had an impressive victory in over three years — but the opportunity to fight Shogun and return to elite-fighter status has given him new motivation for training.
The “Road to the Octagon” special also previews the Ryan Bader vs. Lyoto Machida co-main event. Coming off his grisly loss to Jon Jones — his third loss in his last four fights — Machida may have more to lose if he doesn’t turn in a good performance on Saturday. As for Bader, the TUF 8 winner has momentum again coming off a pair of wins over Jason Brilz and Quinton Jackson, so this fight will determine where he stands in the division. A win sets him up as a title contender. A loss could give him a reputation as a guy who collapses when it counts.
We’ll leave you with one last fish analogy. Here’s Machida discussing his tendency to drop his left hand while throwing his flurries of straight punches: “Some people see it as a mistake. When you go fishing, it’s better to have a nice piece of bait. That way you can catch a bigger fish.”
Though Maurico “Shogun” Rua and Brandon “The Truth” Vera take center stage this Saturday at UFC on Fox 4, it is Jamie Varner and Joe Lauzon that will keep the MMA world talking after Saturday night is said and done.Lauzon, the submission specialist fro…
Though Maurico “Shogun” Rua and Brandon “The Truth” Vera take center stage this Saturday at UFC on Fox 4, it is Jamie Varner and Joe Lauzon that will keep the MMA world talking after Saturday night is said and done.
Lauzon, the submission specialist from East Bridgewater, Mass., is regarded as one of the lightweight division’s most notable finishers, having gone the distance only once in his whole career. His style has earned him respect in some MMA circles, as he has always fought with a “get a finish or get finished” attitude, and it has gotten him seven UFC fight bonuses thus far, including four “Submission of the Night” bonuses.
In addition to this attitude, “J-Lau” is also known for an aggressive Jiu-Jitsu game that has spelled doom for the likes of Melvin Guillard and Jeremy Stephens. Despite his submission prowess, however, Lauzon also possesses some underrated knockout power, which led the Bridgewater native to a victory against the legendary former UFC lightweight champion “Lil’ Evil” Jens Pulver.
Varner, on the other hand, is a former WEC lightweight champion who’s made a comeback of sorts. After losing to Dakota Cochrane and flirting with retirement, Varner would go on to defeat Nate Jolly and Drew Fickett before scoring an “Upset of 2012” candidate in the form of his first-round TKO victory over previously-undefeated Edson Barboza.
After applying the right amount of pressure on Barboza and securing the TKO finish, Varner, now 4-1 in his last five fights, fills in for an injured Terry Etim to face Lauzon.
Say whatever you wish about Varner and Lauzon, the latter of whom suffered a knockout defeat to Anthony Pettis in Saitama, Japan at UFC 144, but let’s not ignore the stylistic bout that makes this a lock for “Fight of The Night.”
Lauzon is the type of fighter that fans like seeing on cards because of what he can do with his grappling, which he couples in with his takedowns in order to provide a difficult fight for any opponent he faces inside the Octagon. Against the right opponents, his striking can also present an issue for his foes, which in turn causes many to label his striking and knockout powers as underrated.
However, for all Lauzon can do on the ground, Varner presents a well-rounded skill-set, as well as an iron chin and a lion’s heart.
What this means is that Varner has the type of aggressive offense needed to expose Lauzon’s susceptibility to a well-timed onslaught of strikes, and he also presents the takedown defense needed to neutralize Lauzon’s ground game and force Lauzon to fight in ways he wouldn’t normally fight, but above all else, he will not go down without a fight, regardless of whom he faces.
The only question for Varner is whether he’d have an answer for Lauzon’s grappling in the event that Lauzon attempted a standing hold or a flying submission, a la Benson Henderson or Shinya Aoki, but Lauzon does not possess the high-level grappling or strength needed to pull either off.
It sparks an interest, however, to witness the events that unfold in this lightweight affair, as the 155-pound division remains one of the UFC’s most stacked and most unpredictable, meaning that anyone could prove their case towards title contention at any time with few disagreements to the contrary.
Not only is the division stacked, but this bout is also a true case of a perennial top lightweight and fan-favorite going up against a former world champion and a fighter on something of the comeback trail after nearly retiring about one year ago. That both men know how to turn in a bout with serious fireworks only adds to the intrigue that all but locks this bout in for a fight bonus before it goes live.
The best part about it? Neither man is on the marquee as the event’s headliner, and it’s perhaps that irony that will make it that much sweeter when these two become the talk of the town after what promises (and needs) to be a scintillating night of fights this Saturday in LA’s Staples Center at UFC on Fox 4: Shogun vs. Vera.
Brandon “The Truth” Vera, the No. 1 contender to Jon “Bones” Jones’ light heavyweight title. Sound odd? It may become reality next weekend, if Vera is able to overcome his lengthy career slump and defeat Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.