Tag: UFC on Fox 9

UFC on FOX 9: A Win Should Net Chad Mendes a Title Shot

Chad Mendes, ranked No. 1 in the featherweight division, is set to take on No. 8-ranked Nik Lentz at UFC on FOX 9. A win in Sacramento, California should be enough to earn Mendes another shot at the UFC Featherweight Championship.
Mendes has challenged…

Chad Mendes, ranked No. 1 in the featherweight division, is set to take on No. 8-ranked Nik Lentz at UFC on FOX 9. A win in Sacramento, California should be enough to earn Mendes another shot at the UFC Featherweight Championship.

Mendes has challenged for the title once before. In his third UFC bout he was knocked out right before the round-ending horn. Champion Jose Aldo broke Mendes‘ grip, and turned with a vicious knee that connected flush. This coming after Mendes failed on a takedown attempt thanks to Aldo grabbing the fence.

That small action was very meaningful.

Since the title fight, Mendes has gone 4-0 in the division. The combination of a more focused Mendes, Duane Ludwig’s coaching and a couple of less-than-stellar opponents has made Mendes look phenomenal.

The first two opponents were not top 10 caliber. Cody McKenzie and late replacement Yaotzin Meza were in over their heads, and it showed. McKenzie was put down via TKO with a big body shot just 31 seconds in to the fight. Meza went down with a straight KO at 1:55 of the first round.

Mendes got his third win over Darren Elkins, who was riding a five-fight win streak into the bout. Mendes ended the streak in just 1:08 for his third straight knockout. He could have very well been granted a title shot after that impressive win.

Instead, he got top-10 ranked Clay Guida, who lasted until the third round, when Mendes finally got the stoppage. 30 seconds into the final frame, the referee pulled Mendes away. Once again, that could have been enough to earn Mendes the title shot. Once again, he was passed over.

Five straight wins should put anyone in contention for a title shot. Mendes, more that most, deserves that honor. He has been the No. 1-ranked contender for quite some time and has put together stoppage after stoppage.

It will be difficult to deny Mendes if he gets past Lentz.

Lentz is 3-0 in the featherweight division. He is working his way up the ladder, and he has a habit of making his opponents look bad. Mendes shouldn’t need an impressive showing, but if he has one against Lentz it will only highlight his improvement since the first Aldo fight. Emphasizing that he is the top contender in the division.

Only one other featherweight has a similar résumé to Mendes. Cub Swanson, No. 4-ranked in the division, has five straight wins in the division. He also has four knockout performances. However, Mendes is the No. 1-ranked fighter. That should hold some weight.

If Mendes can match his win streak, then it is Mendes‘ title shot. He will have done all that he needs for a second try at UFC gold.

December 14th will be the date when Mendes can make his case as the next contender for the strap. A win, emphatic or not, should be enough to put Mendes in line.

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The Curse is On: Kelvin Gastelum *and* Jamie Varner Pull Out of UFC on FOX 9 With Injuries [UPDATED]


(“You think that was impressive? I once beat a guy whose hype train was THIS BIG!” Photo via Getty.) 

Not this shit again.

UFC on FOX 9: Pettis vs. Thomson Johnson vs. Benavidez II may not go down until December 14th, but if the injuries keep piling up at their current pace, THERE’S NOT EVEN GOING TO *BE* A DECEMBER. (*cue dramatic gopher*)

First, we informed you that newly-crowned lightweight champion Anthony Pettis was forced out of the evening’s main event with a(nother) knee injury. Then, we broke the sad news that everyone’s favorite homeless-bashing creepster, Ian McCall, was pulled from the card due to a hand injury. And now, MMAJunkie passes along word that both TUF 17 winner Kelvin Gastelum *and* former WEC champ Jamie Varner have been bitten by the injury bug as well, leaving Court McGee and Pat Healy, respectively, without opponents for the event.

As of this write-up, neither fighter’s camp has disclosed an official injury or a timetable for Gastelum or Varner’s return. Our theory: Gastelum and Varner, besties for lyfe, snuck off to London to see the Catching Fire premiere and attend a scrapbooking workshop. Unicorn stickers will abound.

We are currently reaching out to Nate Diaz for a comment on why the UFC continues to “pay these pussys,” but for now, we can only suggest that any current UFC on FOX 9 ticket holder starts burning sage to cleanse the card of evil spirits.

[UPDATE]


(“You think that was impressive? I once beat a guy whose hype train was THIS BIG!” Photo via Getty.) 

Not this shit again.

UFC on FOX 9: Pettis vs. Thomson Johnson vs. Benavidez II may not go down until December 14th, but if the injuries keep piling up at their current pace, THERE’S NOT EVEN GOING TO *BE* A DECEMBER. (*cue dramatic gopher*)

First, we informed you that newly-crowned lightweight champion Anthony Pettis was forced out of the evening’s main event with a(nother) knee injury. Then, we broke the sad news that everyone’s favorite homeless-bashing creepster, Ian McCall, was pulled from the card due to a hand injury. And now, MMAJunkie passes along word that both TUF 17 winner Kelvin Gastelum *and* former WEC champ Jamie Varner have been bitten by the injury bug as well, leaving Court McGee and Pat Healy, respectively, without opponents for the event.

As of this write-up, neither fighter’s camp has disclosed an official injury or a timetable for Gastelum or Varner’s return. Our theory: Gastelum and Varner, besties for lyfe, snuck off to London to see the Catching Fire premiere and attend a scrapbooking workshop. Unicorn stickers will abound.

We are currently reaching out to Nate Diaz for a comment on why the UFC continues to “pay these pussys,” but for now, we can only suggest that any current UFC on FOX 9 ticket holder starts burning sage to cleanse the card of evil spirits.

[UPDATE]

Gastelum updates us on the extent of his injury via Twitter. Still no word on Varner.

[UP-UPDATE] 

Following in line with Gastelum, Varner just broke the news that he tore his rotator cuff training via Twitter, but has “already started rehab” and will undergo another MRI in six weeks. Stepping in for Varner against Healy will be Bobby Green, who is fresh off a TKO (low, low kicks) over James Krause at Fight for the Troops 3. Just as intriguing a fight as the original, in my opinion, if not more intriguing.

–J. Jones

Kelvin Gastelum Injured, out of UFC on Fox 9 Matchup with Court McGee

It’s happening. 
UFC on Fox 9, one of the most stacked fight cards in recent memory, is deteriorating at a rapid pace. 
First, the originally scheduled main event between lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and challenger Josh Thomson was scr…

It’s happening. 

UFC on Fox 9, one of the most stacked fight cards in recent memory, is deteriorating at a rapid pace. 

First, the originally scheduled main event between lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and challenger Josh Thomson was scratched after Pettis suffered a knee injury in training. 

OK, that wasn’t cool, but the UFC quickly replaced that bout with a flyweight title fight between Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez, so all was not lost. 

But then another injury, this time to Jamie Varner, forced a fighter off the card. Varner was scheduled to face Pat Healy in one of the night’s preliminary bouts. 

Well, that fight probably would have been fun, but the card is still good, right?

Yes, it is, but as the hours pass, it becomes weaker and weaker. 

Kelvin Gastelum, the winner of Season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter, recently published the following tweet, adding his name to the list of UFC on Fox 9 participants bitten by the injury bug: 

The good news here is that Gastelum says he will not need surgery and will only be out four to six weeks. 

Still, he is out of UFC on Fox 9, weakening what was once thought to be a potential Card of the Year candidate. 

According to MMAJunkie.com, the UFC is searching for a replacement fighter to take on Court McGee. With much of the division tied up in current matchups, the pickings are slim, but one name immediately comes to mind. 

Adlan Amagov, who recently obliterated TJ Waldburger at UFC 166 in October, could make a quick turnaround and fill in for Gastelum on short notice. 

He received no damage in that bout, and, with Greg Jackson in his corner, he would be well prepared for the mental and physical rigors of a late-replacement bout. 

Until then, fans can rest easy in knowing that matchups like Carlos Condit vs. Matt Brown and Urijah Faber vs. Michael McDonald have not been scrapped…yet. 

Stay tuned for more information regarding McGee’s situation as it develops. 

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Jamie Varner Injured, out of UFC on Fox 9 Matchup with Pat Healy

The UFC on Fox 9 card is falling apart. 
Word circulated earlier in the week that lightweight champion Anthony Pettis suffered an injury and withdrew from the night’s main event, and now another 155-pound fighter has dropped off the evening’s…

The UFC on Fox 9 card is falling apart. 

Word circulated earlier in the week that lightweight champion Anthony Pettis suffered an injury and withdrew from the night’s main event, and now another 155-pound fighter has dropped off the evening’s lineup. 

MMAJunkie reported that, like Pettis, Jamie Varner received an injury while training and will be unable to compete in his scheduled matchup with Pat Healy. 

Fortunately, the UFC has not yet cancelled Healy‘s inclusion on the card. Instead, they are actively seeking a replacement fighter to fill in for Varner, according to MMAJunkie. 

The UFC’s lightweight roster is loaded with talent, so there are plenty of options for the UFC brass to consider.

Making their decision-making process even easier, this bout does not represent a title-eliminator fight (or even a top-10 fight), so almost any lightweight can be justified as a reasonable late-notice pick against Healy. 

With well over 40 fights on his resume, Healy offers something for rising contenders and established veterans alike, so names from Michael Chiesa to Anthony Njokuani make sense as fill-in matchups.

Personally, I like the idea of throwing a rising contender to Healy.

As he showed in his win (which was later overturned to a no-contest due to a failed post-fight drug test) against Jim Miller, Healy is solid everywhere a fight goes, and he is dangerous even in the late stages of a closely contested, fast-paced contest.

This is exactly the kind of fighter an up-and-comer needs to beat to prove his worth on the sport’s biggest stage.

Because of that, I like names like Myles Jury or, as previously mentioned, Michael Chiesa to step up and fight Healy on short notice at UFC on Fox 9.

Who do you think will take Varner‘s place? Channel Joe Silva, and toss some possible opponents at me. I look forward to hearing them. 

 

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Anthony Pettis Out of UFC on FOX 9 Main Event With Knee Injury; Johnson vs. Benavidez 2 Named as New Headliner


(Pettis perfectly executes an off-the-cage “Showtime Gloat.” / Photo via Getty)

Over the weekend, UFC president Dana White revealed that lightweight champion Anthony Pettis had suffered a knee injury in training, but was still expected to defend his belt against Josh Thomson in the main event of UFC on FOX 9 (December 14th, Sacramento). “He’s going to fight,” White said. “For sure.”

Well, not really. UFC officials announced last night that Pettis has pulled out of the match. We have no details on the nature or severity of Showtime’s injury at this time, or if it’s related to the knee injury that pushed Pettis out of UFC 163 back in June. We’ll keep you posted.

The UFC plans to re-book Pettis vs. Thomson when the champ is recovered, but you never know with these things. Thomson was already the second choice for Pettis’s UFC on FOX 9 opponent after TJ Grant had to stay sidelined due to concussion. If Grant is healthy by the time Pettis is, the UFC might just do Pettis vs. Grant like they had originally planned. Meanwhile, Josh Thomson’s immediate future is in limbo, and the famously cursed fighter just saw the biggest opportunity of his career go up in smoke. [Ed. note: We’ll start working on his illustrated timeline.]

Pettis’s injury has led to new main events for two upcoming cards…


(Pettis perfectly executes an off-the-cage “Showtime Gloat.” / Photo via Getty)

Over the weekend, UFC president Dana White revealed that lightweight champion Anthony Pettis had suffered a knee injury in training, but was still expected to defend his belt against Josh Thomson in the main event of UFC on FOX 9 (December 14th, Sacramento). “He’s going to fight,” White said. “For sure.”

Well, not really. UFC officials announced last night that Pettis has pulled out of the match. We have no details on the nature or severity of Showtime’s injury at this time, or if it’s related to the knee injury that pushed Pettis out of UFC 163 back in June. We’ll keep you posted.

The UFC plans to re-book Pettis vs. Thomson when the champ is recovered, but you never know with these things. Thomson was already the second choice for Pettis’s UFC on FOX 9 opponent after TJ Grant had to stay sidelined due to concussion. If Grant is healthy by the time Pettis is, the UFC might just do Pettis vs. Grant like they had originally planned. Meanwhile, Josh Thomson’s immediate future is in limbo, and the famously cursed fighter just saw the biggest opportunity of his career go up in smoke. [Ed. note: We’ll start working on his illustrated timeline.]

Pettis’s injury has led to new main events for two upcoming cards…

— UFC on FOX 9 will now be headlined by the flyweight title fight rematch between Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez, which was originally scheduled to headline the TUF 18 Finale on November 30th.

— The TUF 18 Finale rubber-match between Nate Diaz and Gray Maynard will now serve as that event’s headliner. Due to the relative short-notice of the switch, the match will remain scheduled for three rounds.

Anthony Pettis Withdraws from UFC on Fox 9, Johnson vs. Benavidez New Main Event

Anthony Pettis has withdrawn from his scheduled title defense opposite Josh Thomson at UFC on Fox 9, resulting in a major shakeup over the next two UFC cards, according to Fox Sports.
Word came out over the last few days that the newly-minted UFC light…

Anthony Pettis has withdrawn from his scheduled title defense opposite Josh Thomson at UFC on Fox 9, resulting in a major shakeup over the next two UFC cards, according to Fox Sports.

Word came out over the last few days that the newly-minted UFC lightweight champion suffered a knee injury, but UFC President Dana White, as he so often does, insisted the bout was still going to go down. Pettis was supposed to fight Thomson, the former Strikeforce lightweight champion who recently knocked out Nate Diaz, in the main event of the December 14 card. 

With the lightweight title fight nixed, the UFC has moved the flyweight title fight between Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez from The Ultimate Fighter season 18’s Finale to UFC on Fox 9’s top billing. Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard will be elevated to the main event of the November 30 card, replacing Johnson vs. Benavidez.

There is no word yet on the severity of Pettis’ knee injury, and how long he is expected to be out. As of Saturday, Pettis was in Las Vegas visiting the UFC’s preferred doctor for knee injuries, Dr. Steven Sanders. Pettis lives and trains in Wisconsin.

Additionally, it is unknown whether the UFC is committed to keeping Thomson as Pettis’ next opponent. Thomson was originally an injury fill-in for heavy-handed Canadian TJ Grant, and if the injury keeps him out of the cage for an extended period of time, it could put Thomson into the thick of a crowded upper tier of the division that also sees Gilbert Melendez, Rafael dos Anjos and Khabib Nurmagomedov all clawing towards a title shot.

Dominick Cruz is slated to finally make his return to the Octagon after two years out of action due to knee injuries. Here’s hoping Pettis doesn’t end up holding up a far-more-stacked lightweight division with a serious knee injury of his own.

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