Skip to the 1:45 mark for Dana’s appearance. Props to reader Alan K for the video.
While the rest of you were watching football today (the American version, aka the one worth watching *chugs beer, initiates U-S-A! chant*), you may have noticed a familiar face in this week’s edition of Riggle’s Picks. No, it wasn’t one of us. It was UFC President Dana White, satirizing “Exclusive Access” sports websites alongside Rob Riggle.
Riggle hits all the standard punchlines about these types: Improbable rumors, Rex Ryan is a fat mess, that these sites are only in it for the money, Richard Simmons, the webmasters live with their mothers, Jewish guilt- you know the drill by now. But Dana White steals the show with his masterful performance as a homeless drunk, who serves as an incarnation of “Guy who can’t possibly have inside information spreading outlandish rumors that only internet trolls are dumb enough to believe.”
Skip to the 1:45 mark for Dana’s appearance. Props to reader Alan K for the video.
While the rest of you were watching football today (the American version, aka the one worth watching *chugs beer, initiates U-S-A! chant*), you may have noticed a familiar face in this week’s edition of Riggle’s Picks. No, it wasn’t one of us. It was UFC President Dana White, satirizing “Exclusive Access” sports websites alongside Rob Riggle.
Riggle hits all the standard punchlines about these types: Improbable rumors, Rex Ryan is a fat mess, that these sites are only in it for the money, Richard Simmons, the webmasters live with their mothers, Jewish guilt- you know the drill by now. But Dana White steals the show with his masterful performance as a homeless drunk, who serves as an incarnation of “Guy who can’t possibly have inside information spreading outlandish rumors that only internet trolls are dumb enough to believe.”
Dana White is perfect for this role, and not just because it helps promote the upcoming UFC on Fox card. The Baldfather has certainly made his frustrations known about the way that many media outlets cover his sport, so one has to imagine he really enjoyed the opportunity to portray them as money-hungry attention whores who listen to homeless drunks for advice.
Mixed martial arts is a sport filled with interesting paradoxes. Many consider MMA to be a young man’s game, but at the same time, experience inside the cage is regarded as one of the most valuable assets a fighter can possess. It is an ever-evolving c…
Mixed martial arts is a sport filled with interesting paradoxes. Many consider MMA to be a young man’s game, but at the same time, experience inside the cage is regarded as one of the most valuable assets a fighter can possess. It is an ever-evolving craft where the the expansion of skill is crucial, and while fighters must progress in order to keep pace, they must also stay true to the core discipline which set their career motion.
A decade ago, fighters who were able to branch off from their original strengths quickly rose to the top of the sport. Things are much different in today’s game, as a well-rounded skill set is a necessity for fighters looking to be competitive. The changing tides have opened the doors for a new breed of fighter to emerge, and surging welterweight Rory MacDonald is leading the charge.
The 23-year-old British Columbia native has used a unique blend of wrestling and brutal ground and pound to become one of the UFC’s most touted prospects. With victories in four of his five Octagon showings and impressive performances against Nate Diaz, Mike Pyle and Che Mills, “Ares” has positioned himself on the doorstep of the welterweight division’s upper tier.
In order for the Tri-Star product to cross over from prospect to contender, he will need a definitive win against a high-profile opponent. It is a step MacDonald has been longing to take, and that opportunity will come front and center next Saturday night when he faces former two-divisional champion B.J. Penn at UFC on Fox 5 in Seattle WA,.
“The Prodigy” represents the young Canadian’s biggest challenge to date. Should he find success against the MMA legend, MacDonald will firmly plant himself amongst the best in the weight class.
Early Success and Lessons Learned
After earning nine consecutive victories on the regional scene, complete with a King of the Cage title, MacDonald made his UFC debut in January of 2010. In his initial showing inside the Octagon, he squared off with veteran Mike Guymon. After getting dropped in the early goings of the bout, MacDonald was able to regain his footing and submitted “Joker” with an armbar late in the first round.
Earning a victory on the sport’s biggest stage provided a boost of confidence as MacDonald made a proper introduction to the UFC fanbase.
The next challenge would take place on his home turf of Vancouver, British Columbia, as he stepped in against former WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit at UFC 115. From the opening bell MacDonald jumped out to an impressive start as he imposed his will on “The Natural Born Killer,” using his wrestling advantage to put Condit on the canvas.
After two rounds MacDonald found himself in control of the fight, but the Albuquerque native cranked up the intensity in the final frame. Condit‘s attack eventually overwhelmed a fading MacDonald as he pounded out the stoppage victory in the final seconds of the bout.
Despite both men earning “Fight of the Night” honors and the battle being one of the year’s best, the loss was a tough pill for the Canadian to swallow. It was the first setback of MacDonald’s career, and it provided added motivation for him to get back on track in his next outing. That opportunity would come against Stockton “badboy” Nate Diaz at UFC 129, and MacDonald was eager to find redemption.
The Waterboy No More; Enter the God of War
While there was a buzz building around MacDonald for his performance in the Condit fight, the loss ultimately left a bad taste in his mouth. In order to get things back on track, he would need a strong showing against Diaz in Toronto, and MacDonald wasted no time getting down to business.
Over three rounds he out-worked, out-muscled, and simply out-classed the Season 5 The Ultimate Fighter winner in route to a lopsided decision victory. It wasn’t the first time the younger Diaz had been defeated inside the Octagon, but the fashion in which the Caesar Gracie-trained fighter was dominated, cemented MacDonald as a fighter to watch in the welterweight ranks.
His performance created a sense that change was coming to the 170-pound weight class. For his next bout with veteran Mike Pyle, MacDonald instituted some change of his own.
Up until that point of his mixed martial arts career, MacDonald had carried a nickname he wasn’t all too fond of. With his game rapidly developing and his career switching gears, he decided to drop “The Waterboy” tag and took up a moniker he felt was better suited for his fighting style.
When MacDonald stepped in against Pyle at UFC 133, he did so as “Ares,” and the performance which followed bolstered the decision. MacDonald landed a huge shot with Pyle on the canvas and proceeded to pound out the Xtreme Couture fighter in route to a TKO victory.
Following his win over Pyle, MacDonald suffered an injury that would put him on the shelf for the next eight months. When he was cleared to return, he did so against Che Mills in the co-main event of UFC 145 in Atlanta, and it didn’t take long for MacDonald to return to form.
After taking a handful of shots in the opening exchanges, MacDonald was able to put Mills on his back and wasted no time getting to work. With a brutal form of ground and pound that has become his signature, MacDonald thrashed Mills from top position as he bloodied the British striker for the rest of the opening round.
When the second frame got underway, it was more of the same as MacDonald once again put Mills on the deck and dropped hammers from the top. With each shot doing heavy damage, Mills eventually folded in the middle of the round, and MacDonald earned his third consecutive victory.
Creating His Own Path
Over the past two years, MacDonald’s stock has steadily risen in the UFC. With each victory comes more acclaim, and the manner in which he’s handled the increase in popularity has been an interesting study.
The current trend of endless self-promotion and constant trash-talking blazing through mixed martial arts appears to be something MacDonald chooses to avoid at every turn. Even when he does get involved in the occasional Twitter feud, he does so in a minimalist fashion that leads you to believe he could truly care less.
When asked about the rankings and things of that nature, MacDonald speaks in a tone that reveals his annoyance with the idea a fighter would have to verbally sell you on his skills rather than prove his talents inside of the cage. It is a refreshing perspective from a fighter who could easily be singing his own praises any time a mic or recorder is placed before him.
Fighting is what matters to MacDonald and everything outside of that subject is simple “everything else.”
This is also a category where he places all the talk about Tri-Star teammate and welterweight king Georges St. Pierre. If MacDonald is not being asked about a potential show down with GSP further down the road, he is being asked about St. Pierre’s influence on his training for the upcoming Penn fight. When the questions arise, MacDonald’s already stoic demeanor hardens, and he passes through the inquiry without providing any specific details.
If there is anything obvious about MacDonald outside of his talent, it is desire to create his own path through the sport. There has never been a lack of respect or appreciation on his behalf towards his team at Tri-Star, but MacDonald is intent on forging ahead on his own unique journey.
While his performance against Penn will undoubtedly be compared to St. Pierre’s two dust-ups with the Hawaiian, the fight next Saturday night is a necessary step in the right direction.
MacDonald is still working his way through the rankings and defining who he is as a fighter. It is his goal to become the best welterweight in the world. While that destination may rest further out on the horizon, defeating Penn brings him that much closer to everything he wants to be.
It’s no secret that B.J. Penn might have bitten off a lot more than he can chew by taking this upcoming fight with Rory MacDonald. A lot of people don’t think he can win because Rory is stronger, more athletic, and, oh yeah, a welterweight. Imagine if …
It’s no secret that B.J. Penn might have bitten off a lot more than he can chew by taking this upcoming fight with Rory MacDonald. A lot of people don’t think he can win because Rory is stronger, more athletic, and, oh yeah, a welterweight. Imagine if B.J.’s big comeback was a lightweight fight. There would be nowhere near as much criticism regarding him not being able to measure up to the physical ability and overall skill of his competition.
B.J. Penn competes at welterweight for two reasons.
First, the guy is lazier than the average top contender. He has a hard time keeping his weight down, and, judging by his newly toned physique, enjoys putting on muscle a hell of a lot more than strenuous conditioning.
The second reason lies within one of the biggest upsets in UFC history when he beat Matt Hughes in his welterweight debut to become the new champion. To this day, Matt Hughes still does not understand how he let B.J. overwhelm him on the ground like he did that night.
To those who can’t vividly remember how B.J. was able to take Hughes’ back and slip in a rear naked choke, watch this fight again to see a master wrestler make some of the most rookie mistakes in the world of grappling starting from the first time the two tie up in round one.
In other words, this fight was one of many freak accidents in MMA. Why is this win such a mystery? Because the only other big win B.J. has earned at welterweight was over a washed-up version of the same guy he beat to first win the title back in 2004!
That’s right, aside from his knockout of Matt Hughes at UFC 123, the last time B.J. Penn looked truly impressive at welterweight was about eight years ago. Since he entered the 170 lb. division with his win over Hughes, Penn’s most notable matches at this weight feature him being dominated by Georges St-Pierre, Nick Diaz, Jon Fitch and, funny enough, Matt Hughes.
Yet somehow, Penn still believes he is a force to be reckoned with in the welterweight division. A little odd, right?
Now, let’s look at his record as a lightweight. He defended the championship more times than anyone else to hold the belt (finishing all three opponents) and has only lost to two people, one of which he avenged while in his prime in 2007.
Many saw his losses to Frankie Edgar as a sign that Penn could no longer keep up with the speed and cardio of the new era of lightweights. However, it’s safe to say that Edgar can be looked at as an exception to this theory, considering he had no problem moving down a weight class to compete with people more like him in terms of size and power.
Penn’s losses to Edgar do not mean that he can’t compete at lightweight anymore. This is the division where he has unquestionably found the most success, as many have referred to him as the greatest lightweight champion of all time.
B.J. has recently expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that he isn’t being mentioned in the same light as Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre. If he wants to achieve the same legendary status as these two fighters, he should get back to lightweight and remind people why he IS one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters ever to set foot inside the octagon.
Penn is a lightweight. Yes, he somehow was able to submit Matt Hughes at welterweight and knock him out again right before retirement, but nobody has ever reigned with the same supremacy over the lightweight division as B.J. Penn.
Quit this welterweight nonsense and get that lightweight title back.
Rising to the top of mixed martial arts is a daunting task by all measures. With every step, a fighter pushes himself through the rigors of training in the hopes he will emerge with a better version of himself and will be more prepared to face the next…
Rising to the top of mixed martial arts is a daunting task by all measures. With every step, a fighter pushes himself through the rigors of training in the hopes he will emerge with a better version of himself and will be more prepared to face the next challenge. All of this is done because he knows that the countless hours of hard work will be put to the ultimate test inside the Octagon.
If the formula is correct, the sacrifices made will yield incredible results.
Benson Henderson knows what it takes to become a champion. Over the past three years, the former WEC and current UFC lightweight title holder has been on a tear to the top of the ladder. In that stretch, the 29-year-old has claimed victory in 10 of his last 11 outings and has earned the position as the No. 1 ranked 155-pound fighter in the world. Acclaim garnered and recognition as the world’s top lightweight fighter are certainly aspects “Smooth” appreciates, but ambition and a pursuit of greatness continue to push him further.
Henderson’s ultimate goal is to be known as the greatest fighter of all-time, and the next step of his journey comes on December 8th, when he squares off with No. 1 contender Nate Diaz at UFC on Fox 5 in Seattle WA,.
“Awhile ago, I reached a point in my career where every fight I have is the biggest fight of my life and a career defining moment for me,” Henderson told Bleacher Report. “Right now, I’m at that next moment of my career, with Nate Diaz standing in front of me. I’m in the gym everyday working out and busting my butt. This is a lifestyle for me. I don’t just go to the gym for an hour, then go home. I live the gym and live training. It will show in my fight against Nate and all my fights after. Hopefully, it ends with my hand being raised. Then it goes to the next step on that ladder to being the best ever. That is my ultimate goal. I want to be the best ever; no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I don’t want to be one of the best or a Top 10 in the world fighter; I want to be the best.
“When Michael Jordan stepped on the court, it didn’t matter who else was on the court with him—everyone knew he was the best. Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, and Scottie Pippen were all great players, but when Michael Jordan stepped on the court, they all acknowledged he was the best. They all knew. Larry Bird could be there and he would say, ‘that guy wearing the number 23 jersey over there, he is the best.’ That is amazing. To have guys of that high caliber and that talent level give him that recognition is astounding. To consider the egos those other guys have and were still able to admit that is amazing. I want to be that guy for MMA.”
Following 10 rounds of battle and two close victories over Frankie Edgar, Henderson is looking to take his title reign to the next step. Standing in his way will be the scrappy Stockton native, who has been on a tear of his own since returning to the 155-pound division.
While Diaz has shredded through a collection of top lightweights on the strength of his improved boxing skills, Henderson believes the keys to defeating the Season 5 TUF winner have already been shown inside the Octagon. That being said, he will still need to execute the plan to claim victory, and Henderson is looking forward to the challenge.
“Anytime there is a blueprint or a gameplan to beat an opponent, you have to pay attention to it,” Henderson said. “There are times when someone gets knocked out by a big overhand right seven seconds into the fight. While that is a good win and one I’ll take, it’s something of a fluke. Someone gets caught by a flying triangle in the first round it is like, ‘wow – there you have it.’ But anytime someone loses by decisions or repeatedly in the same manner; that tends to lend itself to a blueprint or game plan. Anytime there is a blueprint or a game plan on how to beat that fighter it is just a matter of having enough skills or being good enough to implement that game plan. Hopefully, I’m good enough to do that against Nate.”
The days of single discipline fighters are a thing of the past, and both Henderson and Diaz are strong examples of the multi-faceted skills required to compete at the sport’s highest level. Both men possess diverse skill sets with the ability to take the action to every inch of the Octagon. Diaz brings a slick submission game, backed by a high-output and extremely accurate striking attack, where Henderson has relied on his wrestling pedigree and unlimited cardio to find success.
Constant progression is a necessity, and the MMA Lab product takes great pride in his continued development. Through hard work and a dedication to improve, Henderson has become one of the most difficult fighters to categorize in the skills department.
“I started out as a wrestler,” Henderson said. “That was my base. I went from wrestling to my ground game and I worked a lot on my jiu-jitsu for the first few years of my career. From there, I branched out; I worked on my boxing, Muay Thai, and more traditional martial arts for a bit. It’s all about being well balanced and being good at everything. You hear people talk about fighters like, ‘oh he’s a wrestler with a little bit of hands’ or ‘he’s a boxer with a little bit of wrestling.’ I think the best guys are the ones who are good at a little bit of everything.
“The new breed of MMA fighters, in my opinion, are the guys who started doing MMA for the sake of MMA. They didn’t start out doing wrestling like I did. The new breed of guys are kids who are 14 or 15 who started out doing everything. Those are the guys who are going to have the belts for a long, long time. I’d like to be on the forefront of that wave and be known for being great in all areas and aspects of MMA.”
Less than a year ago, Henderson was looking at the throne from Diaz‘s perspective. While an opportunity to fight for the title may provide fuel for his opposition, defending the gold against all comers provides its own motivation.
When Henderson steps into the Octagon against Diaz next Saturday night, the champion will lay it all on the line. He will come out full-throttle to mix it up with a surging contender, and when the battle comes to an end, Henderson will be looking to have his hand raised in victory once again.
“I’m bringing the same as always,” Henderson said. “I’m giving 100% and coming in well prepared. I open up my heart out there. Most fighters have a hard time opening up their hearts and letting people see who they truly are in their soul and in their heart of hearts. When I go out there I open my heart to the fans in that cage. I let them see deep down who I am, how hard I’ve been training, and the lifestyle I live. I live MMA in all aspects. This isn’t a hobby to me and I let people see how committed I am. I let them experience it. I try to do that in all my fights. I don’t hold anything back and I’m going to do the same thing on Dec. 8th.”
Even without looking at the raw numbers, it’s pretty clear that Benson Henderson and Nate Diaz are two of the UFC’s most amazing fighters.Both of these lightweight warriors have played parts in some of the most entertaining fights in modern mixed marti…
Even without looking at the raw numbers, it’s pretty clear that Benson Henderson and Nate Diaz are two of the UFC’s most amazing fighters.
Both of these lightweight warriors have played parts in some of the most entertaining fights in modern mixed martial arts history, and next Saturday, they’ll get the opportunity to amaze millions of MMA fans during UFC on Fox 5.
But what separates these two from the rest of their division?
Well, that’s why the raw numbers are important. Here’s five key facts that hardcore and casual fight fans alike should know about these two headliners—and what those statistics actually mean.
The disciples of Cesar Gracie are some of the most loyal in all of MMA. If you’ve seen a fight involving Gilbert Melendez or one of the Diaz brothers, you have no doubt heard a post-fight shout out to “Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu” an…
The disciples of Cesar Gracie are some of the most loyal in all of MMA. If you’ve seen a fight involving Gilbert Melendez or one of the Diaz brothers, you have no doubt heard a post-fight shout out to “Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu” and rightly so, the camp builds champions.
Nick Diaz and Jake Shields are both former Strikeforce champs, while Melendez is the reigning Strikeforce champ. On December 8, the youngest of the core group of Gracie fighters, Nate Diaz, will look to become the next champion to rep Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
In order to capture that title, Diaz (16-7) will have to upset the odds-on favorite and current UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson (17-2) in the main event of UFC on FOX 5.
The task won’t be an easy one for the Stockton, CA native, but Diaz feels that the time is right for him to join the ranks of the champions from his camp, opining during a recent media call, “My whole team’s been champions, maybe it’s my turn.”
Diaz has had an up and down career since joining the UFC as the winner of the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter. He ran off four straight wins after earning his contract, but then hit a bit of a wall, dropping decisions to Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson before recovering to submit Melvin Guillard.
Impressively Diaz earned “Fight Night” bonus dollars in six consecutive bouts during that stretch. After the win over Guillard, Diaz decided he had had enough of lightweight and tried his hand at welterweight. He found mixed results at 170, defeating Rory Markham and Marcus Davis, but losing to the higher-level welterweights, Kim Dong-Hyun and Rory MacDonald.
The experiment ended after those losses and Diaz returned to lightweight, where he ran off three straight victories and earned three consecutive “Fight Night” bonuses, as well as the right to challenge for Henderson’s title.
Diaz has some advantages to work with in his first UFC title fight, the first of which is attitude. Diaz’s trash talk and taunts put Donald Cerrone off his game during their UFC 141 bout. If he can do the same with the mild-mannered Henderson, he will gain the psychological edge.
Diaz also has is a six-inch advantage in reach. If he can keep Henderson at bay and utilize his busy striking, he has a good chance of out-pointing the champion if the fight remains standing.
Diaz‘s final advantage is his slick submission game. Yes, we have seen Henderson’s strong submission defense, but those submission defenses came against fighters that lacked Diaz‘s credentials. If Henderson thinks he can take Diaz to the mat and put him on his back without fear, he may find himself in a tough spot.
Diaz has the tools to defeat Henderson. The biggest key is keeping the shorter and more physically imposing fighter out of range and avoiding his powerful strikes.
In one week we will see if it is indeed Nate Diaz’s turn to be the next champion for the Cesar Grace Jiu-Jitsu camp.
Mixed martial arts is a sport filled with interesting paradoxes. Many consider 