Tag: UFC on Fox 5

Dennis Siver vs. Nam Phan: What’s Next for Siver

Dennis Siver put together one of the most most impressive performances of his career at UFC on Fox 5, absolutely dominating Nam Phan for the entire length of their 15 minute contest. The match was so one-sided that the judges’ scorecards…

Dennis Siver put together one of the most most impressive performances of his career at UFC on Fox 5, absolutely dominating Nam Phan for the entire length of their 15 minute contest. 

The match was so one-sided that the judges’ scorecards read 30-24, 30-25 and 30-26, all in favor of Siver. 

The win moved the German to 2-0 at 145-pounds and was convincing enough to suggest he’s capable of impacting the UFC’s featherweight division at the highest level. Just how high he is able to reach remains to be seen, but what is for sure is that Siver is ready for the opportunity to fight his way into the weight class’ top tier.

The opportunity to penetrate the nest level was earned, not just because Siver looked good against Phan, but because he looked good, period.

Siver is massive at featherweight yet demonstrated spectacular cardio for all of 15 minutes against Phan. Granted, he didn’t take any of the damage that saps a fighter’s endurance, but he did set and maintain a blistering pace the entire match. He also executed his strikes with both precision and speed.

These are all attributes that are not opponent-specific in the slightest.

Siver also showcased improved wrestling and strong grappling, as well as his usual strong standup.

In the case of these latter performance elements, the argument could be made that his UFC on Fox 5 opponent doesn’t represent anything near the best that the division has to offer. But it’s not like Phan is a pushover, and it’s not like we’ve never seen Siver impress before.

Still, it’s time to get confirmation of just how well Siver‘s skills will translate against the upper echelon of the 145-pound weight class, rather than the just adequate. 

When we look at the current landscape of the division, many of the top fighters already have impending obligations. Jose Aldo, Frankie Edgar, Erik Koch, Ricardo Lamas and Dustin Poirier all have matches scheduled for the near future.

That means immediate options are sparse, but there are a few viable candidates remaining for Siver‘s next bout.

One option is Cub Swanson, who has strung together three straight knockout wins. The winner of Siver vs. Swanson would produce a possible title contender and the bout would most certainly have some real potential for fireworks.

Alternatively, Charles Oliveira or the winner of Poirier vs. Jonathan Brookins all embody appropriate opponents, though the latter options would keep Siver on the sidelines a little longer.

Chan Sung Jung is another possibility, though his place on the featherweight ladder might be a bit lofty just yet.

Of the scenarios available, I’d like to see Siver get Swanson. If not, at least someone approaching Swanson’s level. He earned an opportunity of that magnitude with his performance on Saturday night.

Siver looks poised to make waves at 145 and there’s certainly no cause to make him take the long road to the top. That’s not to say he should get an easy road, but rather that he’s ready for the hard one, and should begin that journey in earnest as soon as possible.

Watch for the German to continue his ascent in 2013.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Rory MacDonald: Will He Ever Be Champion If He Doesn’t Face GSP?

It was bound to get awkward eventually. As soon as Rory MacDonald stepped into the UFC’s famed Octagon for the first time almost three years ago, it was obvious that the young Canadian possessed a tremendous amount of potential. As his UFC career…

It was bound to get awkward eventually.

As soon as Rory MacDonald stepped into the UFC’s famed Octagon for the first time almost three years ago, it was obvious that the young Canadian possessed a tremendous amount of potential. As his UFC career progressed, it became apparent that “Ares” was going to find himself in the welterweight title picture before he hit his 24th birthday.

Whether it was his impressive showing in a loss to Carlos Condit in just his second Octagon appearance or his absolute destruction of Mike Pyle barely a year later, every fight fan has had that moment where they’ve realized “Wow, this Rory MacDonald kid is really, really good.”

After watching MacDonald annihilate MMA legend and future UFC hall of famer BJ Penn at UFC on Fox 5 Saturday, it became obvious just how good the Tri-Star-based fighter can really become.

For three full rounds, MacDonald completely had his way with “The Prodigy.” Throwing sharp jabs, connecting on a few beautiful elbows from inside the clinch and even “Ali-shuffling” his way around the cage, MacDonald essentially put on a clinic against one of the most popular and well respected fighters in the history of the sport.

Simply put, MacDonald proved that he’s for real during his beat down of Penn.

The problem is, he may have arrived a bit too soon.

While we all knew that “Ares” was going to be good, but it’s hard to imagine that anyone thought he was going to be this good, this quickly. While it’s never a bad thing to add a new contender to one of the UFC’s toughest divisions, it does become a problem when said contender has no intention of fighting the current champion.

MacDonald’s relationship with Georges St-Pierre has been well-documented. The fighters both fight out of the Tri-Star gym in Montreal under the tutelage of Frias Zahabi, they’ve trained together for most of the last few years and St-Pierre has publicly gone out and said that he believes that MacDonald is a future champion.

They’re friends and they have no intention of ever fighting each other inside the Octagon.

However, we’ve seen training partners swear they’ve wanted no part of each other in the past, only to see the relationship go up in flames when UFC gold gets thrown into the equation. Jon Jones and Rashad Evans seemingly went from best friends to bitter rivals once that elusive belt got between them. But while the situation between Jones and Evans seemed inevitable, it appears that St-Pierre and MacDonald share more of a Josh Koscheck-Jon Fitch (longtime teammates that have refused to fight) type of loyalty.

Unless they decide to split custody of Mike Ricci and part ways, there isn’t going to be a Canadian super fight for the belt any time soon.

This leaves Rory in a tough spot. He’s a championship-caliber fighter at just 23 years old, but St-Pierre is only 31 and is still sitting in the prime of his career.

MacDonald could just stay active and wait for St-Pierre to either get beaten or walk away, but when you look at the success that Anderson Silva is still having at 37 years old, it becomes harder to justify taking that chance.

Any way you look at it, MacDonald has one option if he absolutely refuses to fight GSP: middleweight. Since MacDonald clearly believes he is better suited to fight at 170, that’s not exactly an enticing option.

Right now, MacDonald is still a fight or two away from getting a serious look as a possible title contender, but it’s only a matter of time.

Eventually, he’s going to get the call from the UFC asking him to fight GSP for the title, and when that happens, he may have to make the tough choice.

Like every other fighter, MacDonald’s main goal is to become the best in the world. He may never get there if he refuses to fight St-Pierre.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC on Fox 5 Results: Henderson Is a Great Round Fighter, but Not a Great Champ

Oh, hello, plate of crow, nice to see you again.Often, in the world of sports journalism, writers like myself are forced to take back prior assertions and face reality. Sometimes we suck, and I’m not above admitting that. Enter Benson Henderson.Pr…

Oh, hello, plate of crow, nice to see you again.

Often, in the world of sports journalism, writers like myself are forced to take back prior assertions and face reality. Sometimes we suck, and I’m not above admitting that. 

Enter Benson Henderson.

Prior to his fight against Nate Diaz at UFC on Fox 5, I gave him the worst odds of any current or interim champ at making the UFC Hall of Fame.

In addition, any time Nate Diaz popped up in a slideshow of mine, I labelled him “future lightweight champion Nathan Diaz.”

I did not see Henderson as a legitimate champion; I thought Frankie Edgar soundly defeated him in their second encounter at UFC 150, and I thought his skill set as champion was only good enough for that singular controversial defense.

Nate Diaz was a better boxer, he had a better ground game, and his constant pressure would throw Bendo off his game and force him into rookie mistakes.

No, no and no.

Henderson masterfully controlled the pace of this fight, and he got the better of Diaz in all areas of the game. Diaz looked flustered and confused, and Bendo‘s riddle proved unsolvable for 209’s finest (and he is 209’s finest).

The champ was utterly dominant, and he proved to me that he belongs atop the lightweight-division rankings after dismantling the dangerous Diaz.

This being said, I’m still not quite sold on Bendo as a great champion.

Like Georges St-Pierre, Henderson controls the pace of his fights and overwhelms his opponents with excellent control and a calculated approach. He is a mathematician, and his opponents can’t solve the formula he dishes out.

You see, Henderson is an excellent rounds fighter. He knows what it takes to win, and he does just that. He never blitzes for a finish, and he’s never looking to completely dismantle his foe. He wins, and he wins convincingly.

That’s good. In fact, that’s sensational. In such a stacked division, earning a title shot—let alone capturing the belt and defending it—is impressive.

The fact remains that Bendo does not strike me as some indestructible force of nature. He does what GSP does, but not quite as good as GSP does it.

His opponents do not seem to fear him, and he does not have any remarkable qualities that are impossible to overcome.

When I look at guys like Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo, Jon Jones, Junior dos Santos and even Renan Barao, I see guys who instill fear in their opponents. They can end fights in an instant, and they can make their opponents look downright silly while doing so.

Benson Henderson, to this point, has not shown me he can do this at the highest level. He has zero finishes in his six UFC contests, and he is never doing something that truly amazes and makes you spill your beer.

He is a monster, and he is an absolute tactician inside the Octagon, but he does not strike me as an indestructible force like other champions.

Maybe I’m ordering a dish of crow’s feet for dessert, but I think Benson Henderson still has plenty of work to do to achieve the status of his champion counterparts.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC on Fox 5: What’s Next for the Winners and Losers?

UFC on Fox 5 was billed as the best card on network TV in MMA history, and for the most part it delivered in every way possible.Many of the undercard fights were either fun to watch or fun to see how they ended. The opening fight that took a whopping 2…

UFC on Fox 5 was billed as the best card on network TV in MMA history, and for the most part it delivered in every way possible.

Many of the undercard fights were either fun to watch or fun to see how they ended. The opening fight that took a whopping 20 minutes to build up to ended with a huge KO from Matt Brown, which is always a great way to start off a card.

The BJ Penn-Rory MacDonald fight was tough to watch, but I still couldn’t help but watch just to see Penn truly revert to being nothing more than a punching bag for the Canadian. Alexander Gustafsson and Mauricio Rua had a very entertaining first round, but then the rest of the fight went much of the way everyone had predicted.

In the main event Benson Henderson proved why he’s the best in the world at 155 pounds. It’s always a dangerous situation for a title fight to go all five rounds on network TV, but Nate Diaz did enough to warrant fans’ continued interest as he showcased his BJJ skills despite being dominated.

The event was very entertaining to watch and discuss while on Twitter, but where do the fighters go from here? Let’s look into the MMA crystal ball to see what’s next for the winners and losers from the UFC on Fox 5 card.

Begin Slideshow

UFC on Fox 5 Results: Benson Henderson and the 10 Best Lightweights in History

Well, that was convincing.At UFC on Fox 5 Saturday night, Benson Henderson thoroughly and enthusiastically defended his lightweight belt against a nasty and streaking challenger in Nathan Diaz. Henderson smothered Diaz’s potent boxing attack, took him …

Well, that was convincing.

At UFC on Fox 5 Saturday night, Benson Henderson thoroughly and enthusiastically defended his lightweight belt against a nasty and streaking challenger in Nathan Diaz. Henderson smothered Diaz‘s potent boxing attack, took him down at regular intervals and tenderized him with ground strikes. It was a horn-to-horn trucking, and a true unanimous decision win. 

Only a true elite at the top of his game can produce that kind of masterwork. Plenty of fans were reluctant to buy many shares in Bendo after two rather uncompelling wins over the beloved Frankie Edgar (one to win the belt and one to defend it). But after Saturday night, the time to get in on the ground floor is officially over.

So yeah, no question Bendo‘s a champion. But where does he rank among the top 10 lightweights of all time? Does he even crack the list? Let’s take a look, why don’t we.  

Begin Slideshow

Henderson vs. Diaz: Bendo Should Fight Gilbert Melendez after UFC on Fox 5 UD

Nate Diaz couldn’t even give Benson Henderson a challenge.After abusing Diaz and defeating Frankie Edgar twice, the number of lightweight UFC fighters who are talented enough to compete with Henderson is thinning. That’s why Dana White shou…

Nate Diaz couldn’t even give Benson Henderson a challenge.

After abusing Diaz and defeating Frankie Edgar twice, the number of lightweight UFC fighters who are talented enough to compete with Henderson is thinning. That’s why Dana White should reach out to Strikeforce fighter Gilbert Melendez to be Henderson’s next opponent.

Nate Diaz’s trainer Cesar Gracie approved a Henderson vs. Melendez showdown and said after Saturday night’s fight when asked about the potential matchup (via MMA Fighting):

I think that’s the fight they should make. Obviously it’s not up to me … Gilbert’s the champ over there, he’s been in Strikeforce forever, and that would be a great fight. He’s beaten the guys: he’s beaten the Clay Guidas and all these other guys and he’s a tough guy. I’ll tell you: that would be a scrap. He’s kind of like a Ben Henderson with that scrappy, fighter style … I think it would be a really good fight.

Melendez definitely has the resume to warrant a title shot.

He’s won seven straight fights, his last loss coming in 2008 against Josh Thompson, who he’s beaten twice since then—one by unanimous decision.

ESPN’s latest MMA lightweight power rankings had Melendez slotted at No. 3, only behind Henderson and Edgar.

Josh Gross of ESPN said that Melendez would give Henderson a much more competitive fight than Diaz, writing “Melendez is physical. He wrestles hard. Punches hard. Clinches hard. Everything about Melendez is intense.”

When discussing the potential of a Henderson vs. Melendez bout, it isn’t a matter of if the two mixed martial artists should fight, but when. They are the two best lightweight fighters alive and it’d be a shame if they didn’t go toe-to-toe next year.

 

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com