Tag: UFC on Fox 8

Carmouche vs. Andrade Doesn’t Fly as Main Card Attraction

Ronda Rousey, and even Cat Zingano’s showings in the UFC, have been major successes for women’s MMA and the UFC, but the Liz Carmouche vs. Jessica Andrade bout at UFC on Fox 8 will likely produce a significant downgrade in quality.
A decline is expecte…

Ronda Rousey, and even Cat Zingano’s showings in the UFC, have been major successes for women’s MMA and the UFC, but the Liz Carmouche vs. Jessica Andrade bout at UFC on Fox 8 will likely produce a significant downgrade in quality.

A decline is expected when lesser fighters are compared to the best in the sport, but because of the placement of the Carmouche-Andrade bout, expectations will be set at a level that the fighters aren’t likely to meet.

This bout is scheduled to open the main-card action, but is much better suited as a FX or even Facebook preliminary fight.

 

Yes, UFC on Fox 8 is free, but a higher precedence has been set with the previous seven versions of UFC on Fox. The cards have been pay-per-view level, and the fighters who opened the show have had to prove their worth throughout their career for the exposure.

In the first UFC on Fox, only the heavyweight title fight between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos was televised on Fox, so it isn’t a comparable event. 

The other UFC on Fox shows have featured far more successful and well-known fighters in the opening bout of the main card. Take a look at the fights that have opened the main card in UFC on Fox 2-7:

This list of matchups features bruising heavyweights who had won KO of the night in bouts prior to their appearance on the main card mentioned. Former Ultimate Fighter participants, elite middleweights who had won submission and/or KO of the night earlier in their careers, dynamic featherweights who had also made their mark with noteworthy fight night bonus performances.

In short, we know these fighters The notoriety is based upon their accomplishments in the Octagon. They attained some level of fierceness that made them worthy of appearing on the main card.

What is Carmouche and Andrade’s claim to fame in the Octagon? Who are these fighters?

Carmouche’s most notable fighting accomplishment is becoming Rousey’s seventh armbar victim. Prior to the loss to Rousey, Carmouche lost a decision to Sarah Kaufman—whom Rousey also beat—in 2011. Carmouche is 8-3, but she’s lost to both of the more recognizable fighters she’s faced in her career.

Her opponent is, for all intent and purposes, an unknown to most MMA fans. Andrade is 9-2, and she just began her MMA career in 2011. She hasn’t faced the caliber of fighters Carmouche has.

In no way does this match sound like a clash of elite fighters in their division. If Carmouche and Andrade do represent the upper echelon of talent in the women’s bantamweight class, it is clear there isn’t much parity in the group.

Instead of trying to max out exposure on the newest ingredient in his MMA pot, UFC head man Dana White would be better off letting the ladies earn their spots in the consciousness of MMA fans.

This is clearly an attempt to capitalize on anything that resembles the next big thing. Rousey and Zingano have proven themselves stars—to a degree—but that doesn’t mean that every moderately relevant female UFC matchup land on the main card.

There is another bout from the women’s bantamweight division on the card, but it is part of the Facebook preliminaries and features Julie Kedzie and Germain de Randamie.

While the Carmouche-Andrade bout is certainly more appealing than the Kedzie-de Randamie clash, it is still grossly misplaced on the main card. Women’s MMA has a future, but it needs to be a process.

Placing fights in slots on the card where they don’t belong is an attempt to skip steps. That almost always backfires. The worst thing that could happen to women’s MMA would be for fans to only care about Rousey, Zingano, and possibly, Miesha Tate.

If Carmouche and Andrade produce a snoozer, it’ll only increase the possibility that happens.

 

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UFC on Fox 8: Masvidal Fears ‘Mat Herpes’ from Chiesa’s Beard

In an interview with MMAFighting.com’s Ariel Helwani, Jorge Masvidal voiced his apparent concern about contracting something from Michael Chiesa’s beard during their UFC on Fox 8 bout on Saturday.
“I’m going to tell the commission to wrap that thing up…

In an interview with MMAFighting.com’s Ariel Helwani, Jorge Masvidal voiced his apparent concern about contracting something from Michael Chiesa’s beard during their UFC on Fox 8 bout on Saturday.

“I’m going to tell the commission to wrap that thing up,” Masvidal said. “I don’t want to get no mat herpes or nothing on my face. I’ve been in this game a long time, and I ain’t got nothing on my face. I ain’t about catch some syphilis or whatever he’s got going on in that beard, you know?”

It is pretty clear that Masvidal is attempting to bully Chiesa leading into their bout. What is not clear is whether he is doing so to “Sonnen-up” his persona or if he is actually unaware that he would just as easily catch syphilis and herpes from an opponent who had the diseases and did not have a beard.

The unsportsmanlike implications by Masvidal are not the first prodding attempt the Miami native has taken against Chiesa. In an early interview with Sherdog.com, Masvidal stated that he approached this fight as “an easy paycheck. That’s the whole theme of this training camp. An easy paycheck.”

The whole situation is gearing up to be the MMA‘s version of a 1990s ABC after-school special. The 24-7 Masvidal has taken the role of the mean kid with his sideways hat, thuggish mush-mouth speak and self-assuredness. In contrast, the 9-0 Chiesa appears to have taken on the role of the soft-spoken kid who is simply working hard to strive past the obstacles in his path.

Chiesa’s only response to all the talk regarding Masvidal’s comments came via his Twitter account:

Jeremiah Johnson would be proud of such a response.

 

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UFC on Fox 8: Will the Flyweights Ever Draw in the Big Man’s World of the UFC?

In the landscape of mixed martial arts, there is no secret strategy on how to turn a fighter into a star or attract viewers to a particular weight class.
Traditionally, MMA fans have flocked to the bigger weight classes from heavyweight down to welterw…

In the landscape of mixed martial arts, there is no secret strategy on how to turn a fighter into a star or attract viewers to a particular weight class.

Traditionally, MMA fans have flocked to the bigger weight classes from heavyweight down to welterweight, except for a flash in time when B.J. Penn ruled the lightweight division with an iron fist.

Outside of that, the fights that have typically pulled the biggest numbers in terms of ratings, attendance and attraction involve fighters who weigh 170 pounds or more.

The featherweight division, for instance, boasts a champion in Jose Aldo who is universally ranked in the top five in the mythical pound-for-pound rankings, but still hasn’t been able to break 350,000 buys for any pay-per-view he’s headlined.

The same can be said for the bantamweights whose biggest showing on pay-per-view was in 2011 when Dominick Cruz beat Urijah Faber in the main event of UFC 132 that drew approximately 320,000 buys.

So it’s going to be a daunting task for the newest division to catch hold with fans when the fighters involved come in at 125 pounds, and typically fall shorter than the referee, the ring announcer and the UFC commentator sent in to interview them when the fight is over.

UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson has been a part of the division since day one of its inception, and he’s keeping a positive attitude about the growth of the weight class despite some obvious pessimism from critics on whether or not the 125-pound division can ever draw a big crowd.

“I think the flyweights are doing pretty well so far. I mean yeah a lot of people still don’t know about us, but it’s just going to take time,” Johnson told MMA’s Great Debate Radio. “It’s only been since March of this year that it’s been one year since introducing the flyweight division. I think the roster’s still growing. I think we’re still getting known to the public.”

The current roster of flyweights stands at 16 with a total of 18 bouts taking place thus far at 125 pounds. The flyweights have barely had any high profile fights thrust upon fans, and while Johnson is moving into his second main event for a UFC on Fox card they have yet to be featured in the main event on a major pay-per-view.

The division is still quite shallow when comparing it to other more established weight classes like the welterweights, where the UFC currently has 77 fighters under contract (according to UFC.com).

Even the contenders are starting to run a little thin even though the division is only a year old.

Johnson’s next opponent, while certainly worthy in terms of performance, has opened the show in both of his UFC fights that appeared only on Facebook. John Moraga might be the best flyweight in the world after Saturday night, but the truth is some people could be hearing his name for the very first time when they tune into UFC on Fox 8.

“A lot of guys don’t even know who John Moraga is,” Johnson stated. “People who even work in the UFC ask me, ‘Demetrious who are you fighting next dog?’ and I’m like John Moraga and they’re like ‘who the hell is that?’. I tell them he’s a tough guy, he’s fought twice in the UFC on the undercard the very first fight.

“They’re like ‘oh I’ve never heard of him’. There are so many guys on the UFC roster and they have to get all those guys fights. Sean Shelby and Joe Silva (UFC matchmakers) do a fantastic job of putting those guys where they need to be on the lineup on the card.”

Johnson’s positive spin could be the attitude the entire division needs to tread water while they try to find a place in the UFC hierarchy. Then again, an angry, outspoken division all clamoring for respect seems to be the way that women not only got a chance to compete in the UFC, but are now regularly featured in main card bouts and at least co-headlining major shows.

Johnson says everybody has to start somewhere, just like he did when he came to the UFC.

“I started out fighting on the Facebook prelims against Kid Yamamoto UFC 126, so you’ve got to start somewhere,” Johson stated. “We’re slowly moving up.”

Will the flyweight division ever attract a major audience like a fight featuring Georges St-Pierre or Jon Jones? If judging by the current criteria of the lighter weight classes, the answer is an emphatic no, but sometimes it just takes the right moment or the right fight to help turn the corner with fans.

Johnson and Moraga have a chance to do that on Saturday night, and they’d both do well with performances that leave everyone asking for more when the fight is finally over.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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[VIDEO] CagePotato Asks: Does Bourbon Street Care About Little Flyweights?

If Michael Bisping or the UFC’s marketing department would have their way, none of us MMA fans would dare speak a word of the UFC’s tiniest and most criticized division from this day forth. We’re talking, of course, about those little flyweights.

Yes, despite putting on consistently entertaining performances, the UFC’s flyweight division has come under fire since the day of its inception for being “unmarketable” and lacking a distinctive amount of banging, bro. And with the all but completely overlooked title fight between Demetrious Johnson and John Moraga going down on FOX this weekend, we decided to send staff writer and NOLA resident Seth Falvo into the fiery bowels of the infamous Bourbon Street to get some predictions and also ask: Does anyone really care about flyweights? 

As you would expect, the only people Seth was able to wrangle in were either street performers, gypsies, guys in chicken suits, or sign holders for gay strip clubs. As you would also expect, most of them were forced to drunkenly yell over the sounds of carnival music in order to be heard, hence the need for subtitles. Tis a silly place, New Orleans.

Check out the mostly inaudible video above, then make sure to tune in to UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga tomorrow to see if these flyweights can *finally* live up to all that hype they’re getting.

–J. Jones

If Michael Bisping or the UFC’s marketing department would have their way, none of us MMA fans would dare speak a word of the UFC’s tiniest and most criticized division from this day forth. We’re talking, of course, about those little flyweights.

Yes, despite putting on consistently entertaining performances, the UFC’s flyweight division has come under fire since the day of its inception for being “unmarketable” and lacking a distinctive amount of banging, bro. And with the all but completely overlooked title fight between Demetrious Johnson and John Moraga going down on FOX this weekend, we decided to send staff writer and NOLA resident Seth Falvo into the fiery bowels of the infamous Bourbon Street to get some predictions and also ask: Does anyone really care about flyweights? 

As you would expect, the only people Seth was able to wrangle in were either street performers, gypsies, guys in chicken suits, or sign holders for gay strip clubs. As you would also expect, most of them were forced to drunkenly yell over the sounds of carnival music in order to be heard, hence the need for subtitles. Tis a silly place, New Orleans.

Check out the mostly inaudible video above, then make sure to tune in to UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga tomorrow to see if these flyweights can *finally* live up to all that hype they’re getting.

–J. Jones

UFC on Fox 8: Which Fighter Has the Most to Lose?

The UFC heads back to Seattle on Saturday night for UFC on Fox 8: Johnson vs. Moraga. The card is filled with recognizable names from top to bottom, but many of the fighters participating on Saturday appear to be on the proverbial hot seat.
When it com…

The UFC heads back to Seattle on Saturday night for UFC on Fox 8: Johnson vs. Moraga. The card is filled with recognizable names from top to bottom, but many of the fighters participating on Saturday appear to be on the proverbial hot seat.

When it comes down to figuring out who has the most to lose, it’s never as plain and simple as just picking someone who is defending their belt. In this case Demetrious Johnson, should he lose to John Moraga, would still be fine. He’d either get an immediate rematch, or he’d be one win away from fighting for the belt again.

There are also scenarios like Bobby Voelker, who is taking the fight on late notice due to an injury. Voelker was one of the few Strikeforce fighters who lost their UFC debut and was not released by the organization. One would have to believe that, win or lose, Voelker will still have a job with the UFC since he’s doing the company a favor by filling a hole in their card.

For this event on Saturday my attention will be on Melvin Guillard, as I believe he has the most to lose.

It was only two years ago that Guillard knocked out Shane Roller en route to his fifth consecutive UFC win and we were touting him as the next great thing in MMA. Not only was he successful, but he did it with a flare and excitement that the fans of the sport crave.

At the time Guillard was 28-years-old and looked to be on the cusp of something special. Then came UFC 136, where he was submitted by Joe Lauzon in just 47 seconds. Three months after that he was submitted by Jim Miller in only two minutes.

Somewhere along the line Guillard lost his focus.

Perhaps the buzz from the media fed his ego a bit too much and he got comfortable in his training camps. Perhaps the competition he was beating was far below the caliber of the guys he has faced over the last couple of years. Whatever the reason, Guillard now finds himself clinging to a spot on the UFC roster.

Should “The Young Assassin” lose to Mac Danzig, it would be his fifth loss in his last six fights. Unless he gets robbed of a decision after an exciting fight, I’d have to believe Guillard would be cut shortly after the event.

Danzig hasn’t been faring much better lately, and he needs a win to keep himself far above the chopping block.

The ones who have the most to lose typically have their jobs on the line. The fact that Guillard had such a bright future just a couple of years ago and now finds himself one loss away from being out of the organization puts him at the forefront of this list for the UFC on Fox 8.

Guillard has his back up against the wall. If we don’t see the true “Young Assassin” on Saturday night, we may never see him again.

 

Joe Chacon is a contributor to Bleacher Report, The MMA Corner and Operation Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @JoeChacon.

 

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Six Things You Should Know About Jessica Andrade, UFC on FOX 8?s New Girl

(Jessica Andrade vs. Milana Dudieva, ProFC 47: Russia vs. Europe, 4/14/13)

Of the four women competing at tomorrow night’s UFC on FOX 8 card in Seattle, only Jessica Andrade has never competed before in a Zuffa-owned promotion. The 21-year-old Brazilian bantamweight was brought in as a replacement opponent to fight Liz Carmouche on the main card, after Miesha Tate was drafted to fill in for Cat Zingano on TUF 18. So who is this person, anyway? Well…

– Andrade has a record of 9-2 (all wins by stoppage), competing mostly in Brazil. She won both of her fights this year, submitting Milana Dudieva and Luciana dos Passos Pereira. Andrade’s last loss came against Invicta FC vet Jennifer Maia at a Samurai FC event in December.

– Her nickname “Bate Estaca” means “pile-driver.” Andrade got the nickname after illegally pile-driving some poor girl to get out of a submission during a jiu-jitsu match. She got disqualified for it, but her teammates thought it was hilarious.

– Yes, she is a lesbian — which makes her match against Liz Carmouche the first UFC fight between two openly gay fighters. Andrade has been in a relationship with the same woman for two years.


(Jessica Andrade vs. Milana Dudieva, ProFC 47: Russia vs. Europe, 4/14/13)

Of the four women competing at tomorrow night’s UFC on FOX 8 card in Seattle, only Jessica Andrade has never competed before in a Zuffa-owned promotion. The 21-year-old Brazilian bantamweight was brought in as a replacement opponent to fight Liz Carmouche on the main card, after Miesha Tate was drafted to fill in for Cat Zingano on TUF 18. So who is this person, anyway? Well…

– Andrade has a record of 9-2 (all wins by stoppage), competing mostly in Brazil. She won both of her fights this year, submitting Milana Dudieva and Luciana dos Passos Pereira. Andrade’s last loss came against Invicta FC vet Jennifer Maia at a Samurai FC event in December.

– Her nickname “Bate Estaca” means “pile-driver.” Andrade got the nickname after illegally pile-driving some poor girl to get out of a submission during a jiu-jitsu match. She got disqualified for it, but her teammates thought it was hilarious.

– Yes, she is a lesbian — which makes her match against Liz Carmouche the first UFC fight between two openly gay fighters. Andrade has been in a relationship with the same woman for two years.

– Andrade is currently the fourth-youngest fighter under contract with the UFC. She’s been fighting professionally since just before her 20th birthday.

– Andrade takes pride in the fact that she’s an exciting fighter: “My style is quite frenetic. I hate stalling, and I’m pretty sure the audience doesn’t like to see it either. I love action and to show the fans what I’m there for — to fight. I work a lot on my stamina so I can keep up the fast pace for the entire fight. My base was more on jiu-jitsu, but I have been working a lot on my standup lately to put on an entertaining fight for the crowd.” As she continued on UFC.com, “Action…you guys can expect that for sure. I will not give up easily, I’m Brazilian, I’m PRVT (Parana Vale Tudo) and I will not give Liz time to breathe in the cage. I will leave my heart inside the Octagon.”

– Due to her obscurity, the Pile-Driver is currently sitting around +450 in the betting odds. The only other fighter who is that big of an underdog on the UFC on FOX 8 card is flyweight title challenger John Moraga. A $20 parlay bet on both fighters would net you $430 from BetUS.com. Just saying.


(Jessica Andrade profile via YouTube.com/UFC)