Tag: UFC on Fox 5

UFC on FOX 5: TUF Live Winner Michael Chiesa off Card Due to Illness

It seems as though Michael Chiesa’s long awaited Ultimate Fighter encore is going to have to wait until 2013.That’s because the former TUF star has contracted a sickness, which will prevent him from battling Marcus LeVesseur at UFC on FOX 5 Dec. 8, as …

It seems as though Michael Chiesa‘s long awaited Ultimate Fighter encore is going to have to wait until 2013.

That’s because the former TUF star has contracted a sickness, which will prevent him from battling Marcus LeVesseur at UFC on FOX 5 Dec. 8, as he had been scheduled to do.

The disappointing news broke from the UFC’s Twitter account:

TUF Live winner Michael Chiesa forced of Saturday’s Seattle card due to illness—get well soon, @mikemav22

Chiesa‘s first and last UFC action came this June, when he defeated Team Faber colleague Al Iaquinta to assert himself as the The Ultimate Fighter Live champion. “Maverick” impressed in that bout, scoring a first round submission win over the highly regarded Iaquinta, garnering Submission of the Night honors for his effort.

Unfortunately, Chiesa has been unable to get back into action since the spring. The TUF champ was originally slated to face Rafaello Oliveira at UFC on FOX 5 opponent, but “The Tractor” was forced to withdraw after breaking his hand in training.  

Oliveira‘s place was taken by LaVesseur, who is now high-and-dry, looking for an opponent of his own to replace the ailing Chiesa.

UFC on FOX 5 will be headlined by a lightweight title fight between Ben Henderson and Nate Diaz. The card will also feature matches between Mauricio Rua and Alexander Gustafsson and Rory MacDonald and B.J. Penn.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

BJ Penn: The 10 Most Memorable Moments from the Career of the UFC ‘Prodigy’

BJ Penn’s story, in many ways, is the story of modern MMA. His debut back in 2001 was on the undercard of the first UFC event completely masterminded by Zuffa and UFC president Dana White. His fall, such as it was, came when the company, too, face…

BJ Penn‘s story, in many ways, is the story of modern MMA. His debut back in 2001 was on the undercard of the first UFC event completely masterminded by Zuffa and UFC president Dana White. 

His fall, such as it was, came when the company, too, faced dark days. His phoenix-like rise also coincided with the MMA boom, with Penn dominating the lightweight division just as the sport exploded in popularity.

But man, alas, is mortal. While the UFC can last until the end of time, Penn’s career cannot. As the end nears—and this Saturday’s showdown with Rory MacDonald may end up being the final significant fight of his illustrious career—it’s time to take a look back at the moments that made the “Prodigy” one of the most memorable fighters in MMA history.

The following snapshots of a fighting life, in chronological order, are the moments we’ll always remember. Click with me for the best of BJ Penn.

Begin Slideshow

Brendan Schaub Leaning on Jets QB Tim Tebow for MMA Turnaround

In the fight business, Brendan Schaub is learning that friends like Tim Tebow can be invaluable.The New York Jets quarterback faces hordes of criticism from media and fans on a daily basis, but he is never fazed by the negativity and always makes a con…

In the fight business, Brendan Schaub is learning that friends like Tim Tebow can be invaluable.

The New York Jets quarterback faces hordes of criticism from media and fans on a daily basis, but he is never fazed by the negativity and always makes a conscience effort to put forth 100 percent.

An MMA career can be compared to roller coaster. Whether in training or competition, there are a multitude of highs and lows in the sport.

Schaub is currently experiencing the latter after suffering back-to-back losses to Ben Rothwell and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

In an interview with MMAWeekly, Schaub talked about his need for a change:

I was born and raised in Denver, went to school there, went to college there, and I’ve been on the same team for seven years, and I kind of found myself going through the motions a little bit. My dad noticed it the most, and he was like, ‘I think you need a change,’ and I was coming out to California all the time anyways. I would fly back and forth, and decided to go out there and make the move and try to grow as a fighter.

I’m near the beach and I’m definitely a beach bum, for me, going to training and then going to the beach is kind of an escape for me to get away from everything and relax. It’s really done wonders for me.

Schaub has been eager to get back into the Octagon and prove himself to still be a viable heavyweight contender.

He was slated to fight Lavar Johnson at UFC on Fox 5 on Saturday, but an injury forced Johnson to withdraw from the bout. Unfortunately for Schaub, a replacement opponent was never named, and the heavyweight preliminary bout was scrapped entirely.

Schaub was disappointed when hearing the news initially, but a positive mindset and great friends have helped him see the best in every difficult situation.

He continues in his interview with MMAWeekly:

I surround myself with guys who are pretty successful, good people, and I think the two biggest influences in my life lately have been Tim Tebow and Ryron Gracie. Ryron‘s a positive guy, and Tim’s super positive. For me being around that, it just shows me I’m on the right track.

Gracie, a fifth-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, is a walking encyclopedia of grappling, which is exactly the kind of friend every aspiring MMA fighter would love to have.

Tebow, who trains Jiu-Jitsu from time to time, has been another great influence in Schaub’s life. Who better to lean on for advice than the most scrutinized athlete in sports?

Schaub weighs in:

[Tim Tebow’s] a very good friend, been a good friend for a couple of years now, and me and him work out a lot together and text and call each other all the time. He’s a very positive guy, very similar to me. You are who you surround yourself with, and me and Tim are kind of the same in terms of work ethic and the way we go about life.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Gallery: 14 GIFs of Nate Diaz Being Awesome

After five and a half years in the UFC, Nate Diaz gets his first shot at a belt this Saturday at UFC on FOX 5 in Seattle, where he’ll challenge Ben Henderson for the UFC lightweight title. It’ll be Diaz’s fifth UFC headlining appearance — and possibly the first time that the Stockton Heybuddy will be thrown on live network television. In honor of the occasion, we’ve collected some of our favorite Nate-related animated GIFs in the pages below. Enjoy, and if you’d like to watch some of these fights in their complete form, click here.

After five and a half years in the UFC, Nate Diaz gets his first shot at a belt this Saturday at UFC on FOX 5 in Seattle, where he’ll challenge Ben Henderson for the UFC lightweight title. It’ll be Diaz’s fifth UFC headlining appearance — and possibly the first time that the Stockton Heybuddy will be thrown on live network television. In honor of the occasion, we’ve collected some of our favorite Nate-related animated GIFs in the pages below. Enjoy, and if you’d like to watch some of these fights in their complete form, click here.

UFC on FOX 5: Benson Henderson vs. Nate Diaz Head-to-Toe Breakdown

Benson Henderson has removed Frankie Edgar as a threat to his lightweight belt and can now focus on building his championship legacy by putting controversial wins over his predecessor behind him.The second title defense in Henderson’s reign as champion…

Benson Henderson has removed Frankie Edgar as a threat to his lightweight belt and can now focus on building his championship legacy by putting controversial wins over his predecessor behind him.

The second title defense in Henderson’s reign as champion will come against Nate Diaz at UFC on Fox 5, which will take place at Key Arena in Seattle on Saturday. The lightweight championship bout will serve as the main event for the fight card.

With a win over Henderson, Diaz would join Matt Serra, Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans as the only The Ultimate Fighter competitors to become UFC champions. Let’s take a look at Diaz’s chances of winning in his first title fight inside the Octagon.

Begin Slideshow

UFC on Fox 5: Predictions You Can Take to the Bank

Finally, the UFC returns to Fox with a title fight as their main event this Saturday.Millions of TV viewers will be watching as UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson makes his second title defense against veteran competitor Nate Diaz, but the rest of …

Finally, the UFC returns to Fox with a title fight as their main event this Saturday.

Millions of TV viewers will be watching as UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson makes his second title defense against veteran competitor Nate Diaz, but the rest of the night will be equally stacked with several intriguing fights.

Aside from aging legend Mauricio “Shogun” Rua facing Swedish powerhouse Alexander Gustafsson, former two-division champion BJ Penn will attempt to slow down the quick rise of young Canadian star Rory MacDonald.

But how will things end for the other fighters on the card?

Anything can happen in a UFC bout, but we’ve got some clear-cut calls for everything from the preliminary fights to the final bout.

From career retirements to brutal knockouts to one-sided beatdowns, here are 10 predictions that you and your friends can take to the bank this weekend.

Begin Slideshow