UFC on Fox 4 | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

UFC on FOX 4: Early Predictions

The UFC and FOX have improved their combined product since the debacle that was the UFC on FOX 1. Not that it wasn’t an historic night for the sport and Junior dos Santos, but spectators unfamiliar with MMA were only treated to a couple minutes of action. Not to mention, FOX didn’t even televise the possible fight of the year between Clay Guida and Ben Henderson.

MMA fans know that isn’t what a night of UFC fights is all about.

MMA has separated itself from boxing in that a night of fights truly is that. A night of the plural word fights. Part of what makes a UFC night so exciting is predicting which fighters will receive awards for Fight of the Night, Submission of the Night and KO of the Night.

UFC on FOX 3 more closely resembled what traditional MMA fans are used to. We had some impressive TKO victories by Lavar Johnson and Alan Belcher, a competitive fight that went the distance between Josh Koscheck and Johny Hendricks and saw Nate Diaz establish himself as probably the No. 1 contender in the UFC Lightweight division.

Despite all that, television ratings were down for UFC on FOX 3. Several factors could have contributed to that. One reason could be that it was going up against Mayweather vs. Cotto. Another could be that it was Cinco de Mayo and the younger UFC fans were out partying.

Either way, UFC on FOX 4 has some intriguing matchups and it is never too early to make some predictions.

Begin Slideshow

Matt Mitrione to Make Octagon Return at UFC on FOX 4 in Los Angeles

(The key to defeating Marcus Jones? A few drops of barbecue sauce on your glove, believe it or not.)

Ever since dropping a unanimous decision in a snorefest to Cheick Kongo at UFC 137, a loss that snapped a five fight win streak that included vicious (T)KO victories over Christian Morecraft, Tim Hague, and Kimbo Slice, TUF 10 veteran Matt Mitrione has been M.I.A. He hasn’t returned any of our phone calls, and he damn sure hasn’t left us any messages, so we just assumed he was taking a really long vacation on a mysterious, remote island that had yet to develop cell phone technology…like Australia. Because surely no one would willingly ignore us, right? RIGHT?!

…

Ahem. Well, most of you will be happy to know that “Meathead” will be returning to action at UFC on FOX 4 against Rob Broughton. Who is Rob Broughton, you ask? He would be the British gentlemen with the, let’s call it “Fedorian” physique, who is currently 1-2 in the octagon. After scoring a debut victory (via third round rear-naked choke) over a juiced up Vinicius Quieroz, “The Bear” has dropped a pair of unanimous decision victories to Travis Browne and Philip De Fries at UFC 135 and UFC 138, respectively. He also holds notable victories over Neil Grove (via decision), Robert Berry (via TKO), and James Thompson (via WTFdoyouthink).

Contain your excitement. CONTAIN IT.

UFC on FOX 4 goes down from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on August 4th.

Since we kind of have to ask this, who you got?

–J. Jones

(The key to defeating Marcus Jones? A few drops of barbecue sauce on your glove, believe it or not.)

…

Contain your excitement. CONTAIN IT.

UFC on FOX 4 goes down from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on August 4th.

Since we kind of have to ask this, who you got?

–J. Jones

UFC: Who Has More to Lose, Brian Stann or Hector Lombard?

On August 4, former Bellator middleweight champion Hector Lombard will make his long-awaited UFC debut at UFC on Fox 4.Welcoming Lombard and his 25-fight undefeated streak to the Octagon will be Brian Stann. The matchup between the two sluggers is not …

On August 4, former Bellator middleweight champion Hector Lombard will make his long-awaited UFC debut at UFC on Fox 4.

Welcoming Lombard and his 25-fight undefeated streak to the Octagon will be Brian Stann. The matchup between the two sluggers is not only expected to produce fireworks but could also help determine the next contender at 185 pounds.

Without a doubt, the pressure is on Stann heading into this fight.

The former Marine and WEC light heavyweight champion has put together a run of 4-1 since dropping to middleweight in late 2010, with his only loss coming to current No. 1 contender Chael Sonnen. A loss to Lombard would send Stann tumbling back to the middle of the pack in the division.

For Lombard, the fight is a win-win situation.

If he can best Stann, he not only makes a statement to the UFC and its fans, but he proves that his unblemished run over the past five years was no joke. And even if he falls to Stann, he will have lost to a heavy-handed, top-10 opponent in his promotional debut—which is nothing to be ashamed of.

What may make the task of spoiling Lombard’s debut more daunting for Stann is the fact that the Cuban juggernaut has never been finished in his 35 career fights. Combine that with the fact that he has finished his opponent in 24 of his 31 victories and defeating Lombard becomes quite the tall order, even for a veteran like Stann.

Despite the odds being stacked against him, Stann has the skill set to play spoiler.

After all, nine of his 12 wins have come by way of strikes. The power in his hands has been the difference against other experienced strikers like Chris Leben and Alessio Sakara. Also in Stann’s favor is the fact that the only time he was finished via strikes was in 2008 to Steve Cantwell—a man that he also defeated twice.

A win for either fighter may mean a title shot, and depending on who comes out victorious between current divisional kingpin Anderson Silva and the aforementioned Chael Sonnen on July 7, there may be extra stakes at risk for Stann against Lombard. If Sonnen were to come out on top, a win for Stann may earn him a chance to exact revenge on the only man to defeat him at 185 pounds.

Certainly both Lombard and Stann will be swinging for the fences once the cage door shuts, but the man known as “All American” has much more to risk than his debuting foe.

On Aug. 4, we’ll find out if the former Marine is up for the challenge.

Rob Tatum is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. You can also find Rob’s work at The MMA Corner. For anything related to MMA, follow him on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Can Lyoto Machida Get Back into Title Contention With a Win over Ryan Bader?

Lyoto Machida will return to the Octagon this summer in a pivotal bout against rising 205-pound contender Ryan Bader.”The Dragon” is to be featured on the upcoming card of UFC on FOX 4 later this summer on August 4. It will be his first bout since his …

Lyoto Machida will return to the Octagon this summer in a pivotal bout against rising 205-pound contender Ryan Bader.

“The Dragon” is to be featured on the upcoming card of UFC on FOX 4 later this summer on August 4. It will be his first bout since his loss to Jon Jones at UFC 140 last December.

Despite failing to recapture the UFC light-heavyweight title, and dropping three of his last four bouts, Machida is still considered a valuable addition to the 205-pound division and remains among one of the elite competitors in the sport.

Being matched up against Bader is the kind of fight that the elusive Brazilian needs to regain his confidence and secure his position in the divisional rankings.

Bader will be entering the bout with a lot of momentum since rebounding after a disappointing loss to Tito Ortiz at UFC 132 last year, picking up wins over Jason Brilz and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

However, Machida has shown in the past that he can perform well under pressure.

It was no more evident than in his matchup with Randy Couture at UFC 129. Machida had previously lost two consecutive fights, but he looked to be the superior fighter against the 47-year-old as he evaded strikes and utilized excellent footwork to move in and out of the pocket and counter his opponent’s attack.

Machida would finish Couture in the second round after landing one of the most spectacular knockouts in UFC history and became a relevant fixture in the division again.

Against Bader, he has the opportunity to reenter the title picture at 205 pounds.

Arguably the most technical and accurate striker today, Machida still possesses the skills to remain a competitor for a few years.

Should he be victorious over Bader, Machida will reposition himself in line for a title shot once again.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC on FOX 4 in Los Angeles: Lyoto Machida to Fight Ryan Bader

UFC on Fox 4 is beginning to take shape with an intriguing light heavyweight match between Lyoto Machida and Ryan Bader on the main card. Both fighters had illustrious starts to their UFC careers but have since stuttered in the division. After recordin…

UFC on Fox 4 is beginning to take shape with an intriguing light heavyweight match between Lyoto Machida and Ryan Bader on the main card.

Both fighters had illustrious starts to their UFC careers but have since stuttered in the division.

After recording an undefeated 16-0 record as a pro, Machida lost his championship title to Mauricio Rua in 2010 and then was defeated again by Quinton Jackson in a closely fought split decision. After finding winning form again with a front-kick knockout victory over Randy Couture, Machida was submitted for the first time in his career by Jon Jones in a title fight.

This has left Machida in limbo, unsure of his place in the division. With three losses in his last four matches, he will need to secure several victories before he earns another title shot.

He could do worse than a victory over Bader, who put in two solid performances against Jason Brilz and Jackson in his last two outings. Still, he had two back-to-back losses to Jones and Tito Ortiz before that, which means that Bader himself is some way off title contention. But the momentum is with him, and a win over Machida could catapult him into the top tier of the light heavyweight division.

Both fighters are circling outside championship contention at the moment, but victories for either one of them could set off a solid title run.

UFC on Fox 4 is to take place on 4 August at Los Angeles’ Staples Center.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

‘UFC on FOX 4? Picks Up Lyoto Machida vs. Ryan Bader, Travis Browne vs. Ben Rothwell

(Don’t roll your eyes, Bader is a fine opponent.)

Fresh off his decision win over Quinton Jackson, light-heavyweight contender Ryan Bader will be returning to action at UFC on FOX 4 (August 4th, Los Angeles) against another former champion, Lyoto Machida. UFC.com confirmed the news yesterday evening. Machida most recently got choked to sleep by Jon Jones in December, which was his third loss in his last four appearances. With Bader riding another hot streak, could the Dragon be in trouble here?

Also on the card, heavyweights Travis Browne and Ben Rothwell — who won UFC 145’s Submission of the Night and Knockout of the Night bonuses, respectively — will be facing off in a guaranteed slugfest. (You’re welcome, Joe Silva.) Browne is still undefeated in his MMA career, with his last three victories coming against Chad Griggs, Rob Broughton, and Stefan Struve. Meanwhile, Rothwell’s first-round knockout of Brendan Schaub finally established him as a legitimate threat in the UFC.

UFC on FOX 4 will also feature Hector Lombard’s Octagon debut against Brian Stann, and Joe Lauzon vs. Terry Etim.

(Don’t roll your eyes, Bader is a fine opponent.)

Also on the card, heavyweights Travis Browne and Ben Rothwell — who won UFC 145′s Submission of the Night and Knockout of the Night bonuses, respectively — will be facing off in a guaranteed slugfest. (You’re welcome, Joe Silva.) Browne is still undefeated in his MMA career, with his last three victories coming against Chad Griggs, Rob Broughton, and Stefan Struve. Meanwhile, Rothwell’s first-round knockout of Brendan Schaub finally established him as a legitimate threat in the UFC.

UFC on FOX 4 will also feature Hector Lombard’s Octagon debut against Brian Stann, and Joe Lauzon vs. Terry Etim.