Tag: UFC on Fuel 8

Wanderlei Silva vs. Brian Stann: What Went Right for Silva

It was a vintage performance from Wanderlei Silva, which harked back to his glory days in Pride.What better place to pull out that sort of performance—resulting in a KO of Brian Stann—than Saitama Super Arena in Japan, home to so many of hi…

It was a vintage performance from Wanderlei Silva, which harked back to his glory days in Pride.

What better place to pull out that sort of performance—resulting in a KO of Brian Stann—than Saitama Super Arena in Japan, home to so many of his past triumphs?

On Saturday, at UFC on Fuel 8, Silva only needed two of the five allotted rounds to finish his opponent in a frantic match which earned him both the Fight of the Night and Knockout of the Night bonuses.

It was also his first fight at 205 pounds since his defeat at the hands of Quinton Jackson in 2008.

What a successful return it was.

To defeat the dangerous Stann, another man returning to light heavyweight after years as a middleweight, in the style that he did is testament to how much fight the 36-year-old veteran still has left in him.

From the opening bell, after a moment spent allowing each to feel their opponent out, the two started throwing bombs.

In the first round, Silva was first to get clipped and fall to his knees, grabbing Stann‘s legs in the process. With the takedown unsuccessful, it wasn’t long before the two were back in the middle of the cage, throwing wild shots with reckless abandon.

Both men had come to fight.

Within minutes of the opening round, the showdown was already shaping up to be a Japanese classic. Silva got clipped again, but was determined to stay in the pocket where Stann was more than happy to fight.

After Stann got knocked down late in the first round—and he, too, went for Silva’s legs as a way of regaining his composure—you knew a devastating knockout was coming.

It was a reckless strategy for both men, and one that has left Silva on the wrong end of a KO more than once in his career.

These two have some of the heaviest hands in MMA, and they were back in the middle throwing bombs as the second round got underway.

After suffering near misses in the first round, Silva’s hand speed and head movement was somehow just that fraction sharper than Stann, and it was the Brazilian who landed the finishing blow at around four minutes into the second round.

The tactic to induce Stann into an all-out war could easily have backfired. The last time he fought like this was when he was knocked out by Chris Leben in less than 30 seconds two years ago. However, this time, fortune was in his favour, and Silva finished one of the most exhilarating matches we’ve seen in a long time.

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Dear Wanderlei Silva: My Public Apology to the UFC Legend

Sorry, Wanderlei. I really am.It was never you, it was me. I let doubt creep into my heart, to blind me.An insidious thing, doubt. You never allowed it to take root. Even after brutal knockout losses to Quinton Jackson and Chris Leben (Chris Leben!), y…

Sorry, Wanderlei. I really am.

It was never you, it was me. I let doubt creep into my heart, to blind me.

An insidious thing, doubt. You never allowed it to take root. Even after brutal knockout losses to Quinton Jackson and Chris Leben (Chris Leben!), you never faltered.

I did—we all did. Your so-called fans.

Before the fight I couldn’t help but express the sickness I had roiling in my gut:

What’s so sad about Silva is that he doesn’t seem to realize he isn’t “The Axe Murderer” anymore. And so he returns, again and again, to the cage. Each time it’s to diminishing returns.

His body, and no doubt his brain, have been battered. Hopefully not beyond repair, but we’ve all seen what happens to aging fighters who have been through the gauntlet. It isn’t pretty.

It was my weakness. Feelings—I caught them. I couldn’t help it. I wanted to see you as an immortal wrecking ball, a “guerreiro.” But I wasn’t strong enough.

I saw the damage you took, even in victory, and I didn’t want to watch you suffer anymore. Selfishly, it wasn’t just your physical health I worried about, it was your legacy, Pride’s legacy. Isn’t that sick?

I saw the way you’d slowed down, the way fighters you once would have flicked away with casual disdain now gave you fits.

In 2002, a man like Cung Le would have been no more than a finger in the dike, a momentary inconvenience before the tidal storm that was Wanderlei Silva washed over him. Those days were gone. Despite the amazing win over Brian Stann, they still are.

What we learned against Stann, what we should have known all along, is that Wanderlei Silva isn’t meant to go meekly into the darkness. While some fear diminishing physical and mental acuity, you never have. It’s a price you, and too many other fighters, are willing to pay for greatness, trading tomorrow for today.

It wasn’t right for me to expect a man like you to see the world the way I do. The truth is that Wanderlei Silva isn’t a man like other men. You are a peerless warrior.

My colleague Jack Slack wondered if you weren’t too old to change. The truth is that you wouldn’t if you could. Standing and trading leather, testing your willpower against another man’s is how you feel alive.

I don’t understand it. I’m glad I don’t. I’m just as glad you do.

Go forth, my friend, and conquer. May all your foes be as tactically unsound as Stann. May all your fights be in Japan, where the ghosts of Pride are still there to gird your loins and haunt your foes.

Until that last winging hook goes thud, until that last opponent says to himself, in a final, fleeting second of consciousness, “I’ve made a horrible mistake,” I’m in. The world needs Wanderlei Silva. I need Wanderlei Silva. I’ll never leave your side again.

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Silva vs. Stann: Wanderlei Silva Silences Retirement Rumors with Impressive Win

Wanderlei Silva has fielded the retirement rumors and heard suggestions that he should give up the sport many times during his career.And the veteran delivered the most emphatic answer to them all in his impressive performance against Brian Stann in UF…

Wanderlei Silva has fielded the retirement rumors and heard suggestions that he should give up the sport many times during his career.

And the veteran delivered the most emphatic answer to them all in his impressive performance against Brian Stann in UFC on Fuel 8—knocking out the 32-year-old American in the second round and sending the crowd at the Saitama Super Arena near Tokyo into delirium.

The man known as “The Axe Murderer” delivered his answer to the retirement rumors and the doubts that he didn’t have what it took to be a successful fighter anymore.

Both Silva and Stann would now suggest otherwise.

Data from FightMetric showed that the American Stann had been the more dominant fighter in the first round—landing 53 strikes to just 30 from Silva. The veteran had been knocked down on more than one occasion and had the wobbles at times throughout the fight.

But at 4:08 in the second round, Silva connected on a right hook to the ear of his opponent, sending him to the ground. He would then wrap up the fight with four hard strikes that would knock both Stann and the retirement rumors straight out of the building.

Silva commented after the fight on the likelihood that he will retire from the sport following the win—telling MMA Junkie that he’s not planning on quitting just yet:

I feel really happy. I don’t know what happens in Japan, but it makes me feel young. I’m happy to fight in Japan again.

I have the best moments in my life here, and today is one more. I feel the energy here, the energy of the Brazilian fans, the Japanese fans. I feel really happy to fight over here.

I’m fighting one fight at a time right now. I feel healthy. A couple of injuries are normal, you know? I know sooner or later I’m going to need to stop this job, but I’m happy for this feeling and this energy from my fans.

I’m so happy to make a show for the fans. I’m so glad to make my fans happy around the world. I had a dream before I retired to fight in Brazil and fight here. I’m so glad the UFC gave me the opportunity to fight one last time in Brazil and fight here.

I hope the UFC will give me a chance to come back here…

And with that, it seems that the calls for retirement have ended, for now.

Silva has a professional record of 35 wins, 12 losses a draw and a no contest, but like Kevin Iole from Yahoo! Sports says, the veteran is a “guy who cares more about bringing the fans from their seats than having his arm raised” at the end of a fight.

He did both in Tokyo this weekend, and as long as he continues to turn up to professional events, he’ll continue to draw a huge following from around the world.

Silva proved that he still has the ability and talent to remain competitive in the UFC, and given he still loves the sport, he will surely not retire now. He’s simply got too much left to give to the fans and to the sport as a whole to call it a career just yet.

Perhaps it’s not time to say goodbye after all.

 

Should Wanderlei Silva retire after his win at UFC on Fuel 8?

Comment below or hit me up on Twitter:  


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UFC’s Miesha Tate Tweets Dana White, Wants Boyfriend Bryan Caraway’s Bonus Money

Despite losing a razor-thin split decision at UFC on Fuel 8 against Takeya Mizugaki, bantamweight Bryan Caraway isn’t letting his win bonus go so easily.At least, not if his more famous girlfriend has anything to say about it.That would be none other t…

Despite losing a razor-thin split decision at UFC on Fuel 8 against Takeya Mizugaki, bantamweight Bryan Caraway isn’t letting his win bonus go so easily.

At least, not if his more famous girlfriend has anything to say about it.

That would be none other than former Strikeforce champion Miesha Tate, who cornered Caraway in a losing effort during last Saturday’s card at the Saitama Super Arena.

In a recent Twitter message to Dana White, Tate asked the UFC president to award Caraway his bonus money, calling the judges’ decision a “BS” move:

Out of the three judges who evaluated the bout, Junichiro Kamijo and Chris Watts gave Mizugaki a 29-28 scorecard, deciding that the Japanese fighter had won both the first and third rounds (via MMA Decisions).

Tate’s corner advice also drew some online heat from fans, as she reportedly told Caraway to “coast” for a decision during the third round.

That tactic evidently didn’t work as planned, because Mizugaki managed to land a major flurry of strikes to seal a close victory.

Despite three UFC appearances, Caraway is most famous for a March 2012 incident where he threatened Ronda Rousey on Twitter, claiming a desire to “knock her teeth down her throat” and “break her arm” (via Bloody Elbow).

That altercation started off with Caraway calling Rousey an “unintelligent bimbo” in the lead-up to her challenge for Tate’s then-Strikeforce championship.

But an aggressive Rousey gave as good as she got.

Shortly after the initial trash talk, “Rowdy” told MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani (via The MMA Hour) that she could certainly beat the infamous Caraway in an MMA fight.

Of course I can, dude. Who is [Caraway]? You never heard of him if it wasn’t for Miesha. He’s just some dude. He’s not even like a legit fighter. He’s just some random guy that likes fighting.

Overall, Caraway apparently hasn’t had the best luck enhancing his own name value.

Moreover, his loss to Mizugaki also ended a three-fight winning streak, knocking the Team Alpha Male bantamweight down the 135-pound rankings. However, the competitive bout was a definite crowd-pleaser, so Caraway will likely avoid the cut list and eventually be signed for another UFC event.

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UFC on Fuel 8 Results: Dana White Asks ‘How the F*** Did Diego Win That Fight?’

After getting a controversial split-decision win over Takanori Gomi at UFC on Fuel 8 on Saturday, Diego Sanchez isn’t getting any positive feedback from his boss.UFC president Dana White took to Twitter early Sunday morning to express his opinion that …

After getting a controversial split-decision win over Takanori Gomi at UFC on Fuel 8 on Saturday, Diego Sanchez isn’t getting any positive feedback from his boss.

UFC president Dana White took to Twitter early Sunday morning to express his opinion that “The Fireball Kid” clearly should’ve won the bout on the judges’ scorecards. 

The always aggressive Greg Jackson’s MMA fighter seemed uncharacteristically tentative in the bout and lost quite a few stand-up exchanges, though Fight Metric indicates both Gomi and Sanchez landed 45 percent of their strikes. 

Taking a closer look at the statistics from the fight shows that there is a solid argument in Sanchez winning the first round, landing 25 of his 45 total strikes, to Gomi’s slightly higher landing percentage of 28 out of 50. 

However, the difference-maker was that Sanchez scored two takedowns in the opening frame. He also had a submission attempt in the form of a kneebar. 

Without going into each and every detail, the second and third frames appeared much tighter to score.

Sanchez outlanded Gomi by a small percentage (55 percent to 48 percent) in the second round, while Gomi had a slight edge in the striking department in the third and final frame (34 percent to 29 percent).

Sanchez also went 0-3 in the takedown department after the first round, while Gomi did not attempt to bring the fight to the mat once. 

Whether the decision was a poor one or not, it was certainly not a great performance by “The Dream,” and the fact that he missed weight for the fight isn’t earning him any sympathy either. 

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UFC on Fuel 8 Results: Is Hector Lombard a Huge Waste of Money for the UFC?

Almost every time Hector Lombard steps into the Octagon, it’s harder and harder to justify the high price that the UFC paid to sign him from Bellator MMA.In fact, Lombard arguably halved his value in his first UFC bout.Before the former Bellator champi…

Almost every time Hector Lombard steps into the Octagon, it’s harder and harder to justify the high price that the UFC paid to sign him from Bellator MMA.

In fact, Lombard arguably halved his value in his first UFC bout.

Before the former Bellator champion stepped into the co-main event of the horrendous UFC 149 card, “Lightning” was riding a ridiculous 24-0-1 unbeaten streak with only two career losses to established names in Gegard Mousasi and Akihiro Gono.

Had Lombard continued his winning ways, it was feasible to think that a title fight against Anderson Silva would’ve been in the cards.

But losses to both Tim Boetsch and Yushin Okami have essentially ruined any talk of contendership for Lombard.

Heck, he might even lose his job.

Lombard himself may have acutely predicted his own career path, as even he previously told MMA Junkie before Saturday’s card that he feared getting cut from the UFC with a “boring” fight against Okami:

Lombard wants to knock out Bisping, and a clinch-fest with Okami could not only delay that opportunity, but leave him out of a job. He’s fully aware of recent cuts that have trimmed the UFC’s talent roster.

Should Okami smother him against the cage, he’s concerned he might ‘become boring, and then get cut because you’re boring.’ ‘I don’t want to do that,’ Lombard said. ‘I want to go out there and punch him and be exciting.

As it stands, it would suit Dana White and the UFC’s new modus operandi to cut Lombard at the first chance they get.

According to Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney (via MMA Fighting), Lombard’s UFC contract apparently netted him $400,000 just to sign with the promotion.

That alone was even more than the tidy “$300,000 starting purse per fight and pay-per-view participation points” that Lombard currently earns—more than several UFC veterans and even certain champions.

In short, if the plan was to cash-in on Lombard’s appeal with hardcore fans and hype his winning streak in a title fight with Silva, the UFC lost out on the deal.

Now, instead of a feared title contender with an improbable 27-0-1 unbeaten streak, the UFC is stuck with an expensive 35-year-old welterweight who’s dropped two of his last three fights.

If someone “super f—ing expensive” like Jon Fitch was too pricey to keep—and he made a reported $66,000 to show in his last bout—the UFC has to be wasting their money every single second Hector Lombard is part of their roster.

 

McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist and tech writer. His work has appeared in GamePro, Macworld, PC World, 1UP, NVision, The Los Angeles Times, FightFans Radio, MMA Mania and Bleacher Report. Talk with him on Twitter.

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