“Bones Knows” that Rory MacDonald will finish B.J. Penn at UFC on Fox 5.That would be quite a feat for MacDonald, especially considering that Penn is notorious for being one of the hardiest fighters in the UFC.In 26 professional fights at various weigh…
“Bones Knows” that Rory MacDonald will finish B.J. Penn at UFC on Fox 5.
That would be quite a feat for MacDonald, especially considering that Penn is notorious for being one of the hardiest fighters in the UFC.
In 26 professional fights at various weight classes, “The Prodigy” has only been finished in the Octagon once—by UFC legend Matt Hughes. Georges St-Pierre technically stopped Penn in their January 2009 superfight at UFC 94 as well, but not by his own hands—Penn’s corner threw in the towel after four grueling rounds of punishment.
UFC president Dana White visited Jon Jones on the set of The Ultimate Fighter during filming for the UFC on Fox 5 video blog (segment at 5:40), where Jones made some bold predictions for the upcoming Fox event:
I got Rory MacDonald on that fight. I think he’s going to finish [Penn]. I respect B.J. a lot, but B.J.’s a guy who’s gotten a little comfortable, I think. [With] Rory, it’s another one of those things—experience versus ambition. I give ambition the edge every time, being a young guy.
Bones also picked Ben Henderson to win his second title defense this weekend, stating that while challenger Nate Diaz was good at many aspects of MMA, Henderson was plain “better” in every area where “Diaz” is simply “good” at them.
Although opposing TUF coach Chael Sonnen picked Diaz and Penn to win their respective fights, Jones agreed with his rival on the two other main card bouts featuring Mauricio Rua vs. Alexander Gustafsson and Mike Swick vs. Matt Brown.
“Bones” stated that youth and ambition would push the rangy Gustafsson to defeat Rua, while he also favored Swick to beat gritty veteran Brown.
Jones and Sonnen will be featured Tuesday nights on Season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter in January—a move predicated by poor Friday night ratings for TUF: Live and TUF 16. Once filming for TUF 17 is over, Sonnen is expected to challenge Jones for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, making that his third title bout in five fights.
“Sonnen Says” we’ll have a new UFC champion this weekend.More specifically, UFC middleweight star Chael Sonnen knows that Nate Diaz, Alexander Gustafsson and B.J. Penn will win their respective main-card fights at UFC on Fox 5 this Saturday.UFC preside…
“Sonnen Says” we’ll have a new UFC champion this weekend.
More specifically, UFC middleweight star ChaelSonnen knows that Nate Diaz, Alexander Gustafsson and B.J. Penn will win their respective main-card fights at UFC on Fox 5 this Saturday.
UFC president Dana White caught up with Sonnen during the filming of his semi-regular fight week video blog series, this time covering the last month circulating around UFC 154.
The brash title challenger had this to say about the UFC on Fox 5 main event and co-main event:
First off, I love both guys. We’re going to have a new champion in Nate Diaz. But for me, I can’t wait for Gustafsson versus Shogun. Shogun’s a legend and Gustafsson‘s on the rise. I think Gustafsson‘s gonna have some significant reach, and after his win over Thiago Silva he sure looked good. I’m going to go with Gustafsson in an upset.
When asked about Penn vs. Rory MacDonald, however, Sonnen sided with the underdog instead of the skyrocketing prospect:
I think [for] B.J. Penn, people need to believe the hype. He’s as good as everybody says he is. When a guy retires and comes back to take on a young guy from a new generation, it shows nothing but courage. I’m going with B.J. Penn.
Sonnen also picked Mike Swick for his upcoming fight against Matt Brown, citing his impressive win over DaMarques Johnson despite an extremely long layoff after strings of bad injuries. Sonnen noted that he would normally pick Brown, but the fight was way too close to call for sure.
For all intents and purposes, lightweight contender Nate Diaz doesn’t have the conventional look of a possible UFC champion.He doesn’t wear a cleanly cut suit to press conferences nor does he hide his true thoughts about his opponents through the stand…
For all intents and purposes, lightweight contender Nate Diaz doesn’t have the conventional look of a possible UFC champion.
He doesn’t wear a cleanly cut suit to press conferences nor does he hide his true thoughts about his opponents through the standard set of cliches. While not as outspoken as his older brother Nick, the younger Diaz brother shares similar characteristics that have transformed the pair into mixed martial arts’ most notorious bad boys.
They are confrontational, aggressive and definitely a bit cocky.
While fans have grown to love the eccentric Stockton boys over the years, Nick and Nate’s actions both inside and outside of the Octagon haven’t really gained them any favors within the powerful inner circles of the MMA community, despite their immense talent and skill. Saturday’s title bout against champ Benson Henderson is an opportunity for Nate to not only take home a belt, but to also legitimize the Diaz brothers’ spot among the sport’s upper echelon of fighters.
Rewind the lightweight championship picture back to 2011, and you’ll find that Nate wasn’t even on the radar.
Around this time last year, Henderson had just claimed his spot as the division’s top contender after beating Clay Guida at UFC on FOX 1 and was just starting to prepare for his UFC 144 battle with the now-former-champ Frankie Edgar.
Other names like Donald Cerrone, Jim Miller and Anthony Pettis were all vying for the next shot after “Smooth,” while Nate was just getting acclimated to 155 again, returning to the lightweight division after two straight losses at 170 with an armbar victory over TakanoriGomi at UFC 135.
While an impressive win, nobody thought that it would be the catalyst for Nate’s current title run.
The younger Diaz emphatically clawed his way up the contender ladder with back-to-back demolitions of both Cerrone and Miller, virtually ripping out the top contender spot from his opponents’ hands. It wasn’t enough for Nate to just win, but these victories also had to be impressive, as no amount of trash talk from the Stockton-bred brawler could hype his way into a title fight.
Unlike, say, ChaelSonnen, the Diaz brothers’ call-outs and out of the cage antics have actually hindered their chances at fighting for a UFC belt. Nick was infamously the cause of his own demise, losing out on a planned UFC 137 bout with welterweight king Georges St-Pierre after failing to make numerous media appearances.
Add in the 2010 Strikeforce: Nashville brawl, Nick’s various failed drug tests and both brothers’ tendencies to showboat inside the cage, and the pair becomes a mainstream marketing nightmare for the UFC. It must’ve taken UFC President Dana White hours to convince the FOX brass to let Nate, a man who once flipped double birdies while locking in a triangle choke and head-butted “the Cowboy” at a press conference, on a nationally televised card—twice.
To his credit, Nate has started to play the political game that Nick just refuses to participate in. That, coupled with the younger Diaz‘s string of impressive wins, have finally earned one of the brothers a UFC title shot.
Winning the lightweight belt isn’t only imperative to solidify Nate’s status as a top 155er, but it would also legitimize both brothers’ claims as two of the sport’s most feared, top fighters.
With Nick’s erratic behavior and the overall negative stigma attached to the Diaz boys, Saturday night might be the last chance for either of them to become a UFC champion.
Controversy and chaos typically follow wherever Nick and Nate Diaz go.Their outlandish antics have landed them in the doghouse several times, but they have also brought an edge to a sport constantly walking on eggshells to avoid upsetting outsiders.Peo…
Controversy and chaos typically follow wherever Nick and Nate Diaz go.
Their outlandish antics have landed them in the doghouse several times, but they have also brought an edge to a sport constantly walking on eggshells to avoid upsetting outsiders.
People are either fans, or they love to hate them.
The Diaz brothers shed all of the superfluous banter about loving and respecting your opponent. They are fighters stripped down to the rawest form.
Instead of hugging and shaking hands, opponents are subjected to taunts, middle fingers and trash talking during the actual fight.
Whether inside or outside the Octagon, the nonsensical stunts the Diaz brothers have pulled have angered and entertained fans for years.
Today, we look back on the top-five most outrageous moments in the careers of Nick and Nate Diaz.
This Saturday will mark the single biggest main card that the UFC has ever broadcast on national television.From B.J. Penn making his long-awaited return to Nate Diaz getting a chance to dethrone the lightweight king Benson Henderson, UFC on FOX 5 has …
This Saturday will mark the single biggest main card that the UFC has ever broadcast on national television.
From B.J. Penn making his long-awaited return to Nate Diaz getting a chance to dethrone the lightweight king Benson Henderson, UFC on FOX 5 has the potential to produce some of the most memorable fights of 2012.
Each and every one of the eight fighters set to compete in front of millions of people are prying for their own shot at greatness.
With that said, it’s going to be interesting to see how various game plans are executed and which fighters will be carrying a win into the new year.
Here’s what each main carder needs to do in order to secure a December victory.
The UFC returns to FOX with a four-fight main card highlighted by lightweight champion Benson Henderson and Nate Diaz.Henderson will make his first defense against someone not named Frankie Edgar after granting the former champion an immediate rematch …
The UFC returns to FOX with a four-fight main card highlighted by lightweight champion Benson Henderson and Nate Diaz.
Henderson will make his first defense against someone not named Frankie Edgar after granting the former champion an immediate rematch in his first defense.
Diaz will look to claim his first ever UFC championship. He’s won three straight fights to earn his shot at the title after an unsuccessful run in the promotion’s welterweight division.
Outside of the night’s main event, there are plenty of fights for fans to get excited about as big names like B.J. Penn and Shogun Rua will be in action as well.
Where: Key Arena in Seattle, WA
When: Saturday, December 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET
Watch: Facebook undercard fights at 4:20 p.m. ET, preliminary fights on FX at 5 p.m. ET, main card fights on FOX at 8 p.m. ET
Fight Card
Main Card (FOX)
Lightweight Championship: Benson Henderson (c) vs. Nate Diaz
Light Heavyweight Bout: Alexander Gustafsson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
Welterweight Bout: Rory MacDonald vs. B.J. Penn
Welterweight Bout: Matt Brown vs. Mike Swick
Preliminary Card (FX)
Lightweight Bout: Yves Edwards vs. Jeremy Stephens
Bantamweight Bout: Raphael Assuncao vs. Mike Easton
Lightweight Bout: Ramsey Nijem vs. Joe Proctor
Lightweight Bout: Daron Cruikshank vs. Henry Martinez
Lightweight Bout: Tim Means vs. Abel Trujillo
Featherweight Bout: Nam Phan vs. Dennis Siver
Preliminary Card (Facebook)
Bantamweight Bout: John Albert vs. Scott Jorgensen
Henderson Keys to Victory
Henderson will need to utilize his size and wrestling against Diaz.
Bendo is an explosive striker that can do some damage standing, but his best bet is to turn this into a grappling match and establish dominance in the clinch and on the mat.
Henderson is a tremendous wrestler and has the submission defense to weather Diaz‘s elite jiu-jitsu on the ground.
If Henderson is able to consistently drag Diaz to the ground, it’s his fight to lose.
Diaz Keys to Victory
Diaz will need to put his demons against larger opponents behind him—Henderson is a massive lightweight.
That means keeping Henderson at bay with his technical boxing. Nate isn’t known for his boxing quite like older brother Nick, but he showed against Donald Cerrone that he’s got the goods when it comes to striking.
Whether on the ground or standing, Diaz will need to remain aggressive. He’ll need to be in the Henderson’s face from bell to bell if he wants to keep the champion from using his size to grind out the smaller Diaz
Diaz will need to turn this into a brawl and win exchanges with his speed on the outside.
What They Are Saying
The Diaz bothers are no strangers to doing a little pre-fight talk and Nate hasn’t avoided discussing Henderson leading up to this one. He told Inside MMA that he’ll be looking to finish this fight because he won’t win a decision.
I don’t think I’ve got a chance of winning any type of decision. So I gotta go out there and do what I can do to try and finish my opponent, try to be the better fighter and win the fight… Either way, if it goes to a decision, I’m going to try to be the one outscoring, outpointing and outdoing him.
Henderson has remained relatively quiet leading up to this bout and acknowledged that he must keep his emotions in check when taking on Diaz (h/t Inside MMA).
Undercard Fight to Watch: Rory MacDonald vs. B.J. Penn
Before Henderson and Diaz fight for the lightweight strap and Shogun and Gustafsson fight for position in the light heavyweight division, Rory MacDonald takes on B.J. Penn in a classic upstart vs. legend matchup.
MacDonald has been tagged as the next big thing in the welterweight division and rightfully so. The 23-year-old is 13-1 with his only loss coming to recent title challenger Carlos Condit. He even holds a unanimous decision victory over lightweight title challenger Nate Diaz.
Penn is coming out of retirement for this fight hungry to prove that he is still one of the sport’s best. We’ve heard the whole “focused B.J. Penn” narrative before, but Penn has been documenting his preparation and appears to be in the best shape we’ve seen him in—especially at 170.
We’ll either see a star emerge or a legend reborn, so this fight is sure to have fans buzzing.
Main Event Prediction
Diaz has been on a tear since returning to the lightweight division. He has earned his right to be in this fight with three straight impressive wins against the likes of Jim Miller and Donald Cerrone.
However, Henderson’s excellent submission defense, strength and size will ultimately be too much for Diaz. This could be a war when the two exchange on the feet but Henderson should out-muscle Diaz in the clinch and on the ground to win a decision.
“Bones Knows” that Rory MacDonald will finish B.J. Penn at UFC on Fox 5.