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UFC on FX 7 Results: UFC’s First Card of 2013 Underwhelms

I don’t want to suggest deja vu taking place, especially considering UFC 142 opened 2012 and really did not underwhelm, but look back at UFC on FX 7 and try to sell it to even the most uneducated MMA fan as the perfect way to open 2013.I guar…

I guarantee that no one will successfully sell the event as the most fitting start to 2013, despite the fun it presented on paper. Then again, this card did remind the majority of the masses of just why fights rarely play out the same live as they do on paper.

With finishes from Francisco Trinaldo, Ildemar Alcantara, Edson Barboza, Gabriel Gonzaga, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Vitor Belfort, fans should’ve gotten more than their fill from the card. However, controversies and lackluster decisions made the card incredibly difficult to enjoy for some of the fans who watched the event.

Mind you, they did get treated to exciting tilts, such as the Godofredo Castro-Milton Vieira preliminary contest, as well as the co-headliner of C.B. Dollaway vs. Daniel Sarafian.

However, while Dollaway-Sarafian proved a close encounter that only went as it did due to Dollaway‘s late-round efforts in the last two rounds, controversy struck in the Castro-Viera fight when Castro took the win despite many scoring the bout as either a draw or a Vieira victory.

Yuri Alcantara‘s bout with Pedro Nobre going to a no-contest despite Alcantara landing what appeared like clean blows did not help matters, nor did the somewhat late stoppage in Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s knockout win over Thiago Tavares. Even Gonzaga’s win over Ben Rothwell turned in a decent-at-best first round, though some would rightfully question how decent a first round that bout turned in.

And please, do not start on Andrew Craig vs. Ronny Markes.

Though most won’t mind which way the decision went, the bout itself inspired a pessimistic, albeit still mercurial view of Markes‘ long-term upside. If anything, it should help us to get excited about Craig’s emergence as one of the shining stars on the rise from the state of Texas, despite this fight bringing his first pro loss.

Remember, the MMA world has seen situations like Craig’s before. Undefeated fighters lost their “0” only to break out after losing their aura and become “the future” of the sport. Craig can do it as well, as long as he stays with what he currently does and shores up the holes he showed against Markes.

Also remember that cards like UFC on FX 7 should not give us the immediate forecast for UFC events of 2013. Given the standard to which the UFC holds itself, this event will go down as an arguable mulligan, with UFC on Fox 6 and UFC 156 bringing forth a better array of expectations for 2013 in mixed martial arts.

So with that said, will 2013 bring forth a year fans will want to remember, as opposed to a year that fans will not wait to forget?

Ask me this question after UFC on Fox 6 next week, and hopefully, I’ll assure you that it will.

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UFC on FX 7 Results: What’s Next for C.B. Dollaway?

On Saturday night, C.B. Dollaway went into hostile territory by taking on hometown fighter Daniel Sarafian at UFC on FX 7. After 15 minutes of action, the pair earned $50,000 apiece and Fight of the Night honors, although it was Dollaway who emerged vi…

Regardless of what the hometown crowd would have you believe with their merciless post-fight booing, there is nothing wrong with “The Doberman” taking home the decision victory in last Saturday’s co-main event. After two rounds, the scores appeared to be tied up at 19-19, with the final frame determining who would have their arm raised.

In a back-and-forth frame, Dollaway would score a pair of takedowns, while Sarafian would earn an equal number of sweeps from the bottom. Nearly all offense was neutralized, and the round honestly could have been scored 10-10.

Ultimately, two judges leaned in favor of the American, much to the chagrin of the native Sao Paulo crowd.

With the victory, it is time to look ahead and see what’s next for C.B. Dollaway.

Currently holding a two-fight winning streak, as well as a co-main event victory, Dollaway sees his star rise with the UFC. This should allow the Ultimate Fighter finalist an opportunity to square off against a divisional notable.

Dollaway has a sloppy standup attack and is best when he can utilize his wrestling to grind out a decision victory. However, that isn’t a style that bodes well for him with a fresh batch of jiu-jitsu masters moving into the division.

There are a few options for Dollaway in his next contest, but I’ve settled on a pair of grapplers who have ties to the Strikeforce brand: Jake Shields and Roger Gracie.

Were his decision victory over Ed Herman not overturned due to a failed drug test, former Strikeforce champion Jake Shields would also be riding the momentum of consecutive wins. Like Dollaway, his standup leaves much to be desired, although his ground work can give opponents fits.

Although Shields has name recognition, his performances since joining the UFC have been fairly lackluster. Both of his official wins have been fairly controversial, with a UFC 144 victory over Yoshihiro Akiyama being name d one of the biggest robberies of 2012.

The other opponent, Roger Gracie, is a grappling wizard who earned submission wins in five of his six career victories. Like the aforementioned middleweights, Gracie needs to continue working on his striking prowess, as he tends to run into trouble against those who can thwart his takedown attempts.

Gracie holds a two-win streak of his own after picking up victories over Keith Jardine and Anthony Smith while fighting for Strikeforce.

The second-degree black belt would be a major challenge for Dollaway, who would be a fool to utilize his wrestling in that matchup. This would serve as a solid organizational debut for Gracie, who enters the UFC after the demise of Strikeforce earlier this month.

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[VIDEO] Chael Sonnen “Will Gladly Arrange” for Vitor Belfort to Meet Jesus

Let’s make two things clear from the beginning: Vitor Belfort is an amazing fighter, and an equally terrible trash talker. He demonstrated both of these things on Saturday night, with both his brilliant finish of Michael Bisping and his callout of Jon Jones immediately afterwards.

Of course, Jon Jones is a little busy at the moment, getting ready for Chael Sonnen and all. Belfort addresses this by asking Dana White to “Take that clown away” so he could have his rematch with Jones instead of having Bones fight Sonnen in the spring.

No one is here to say that Belfort can’t beat Sonnen in the cage – especially at light-heavyweight – but “The Phenom” doesn’t exactly live up to his nickname when it comes to trash talking. Even though I wouldn’t count Belfort’s post-fight interview as a callout of Chael Sonnen, the clown comment definitely left a sour taste in his mouth. Sonnen wasted no time responding to Belfort’s comments, using his commentary gig on the post-event FUEL TV broadcast to issue the following statements:

“Well listen, let me be really clear and speak directly to you, Vitor. You’ve been telling the world that you want to meet Jesus, and I will gladly arrange that travel. But first I’m going to get rid of Jon Jones, but you are next,” said Sonnen. He acknowledged that he was impressed with Vitor’s performance in the cage, but made it clear that Vitor “is next.”

I hate to spoil the fun, but I highly doubt Belfort is next for Sonnen if he actually defeats Jon Jones (the winner of Gustafsson vs. Mousasi comes to mind). In reality, this fight makes much more sense if Sonnen were to lose.

When it comes to Belfort vs. Sonnen and Belfort vs. Jones II, both matchups seem unlikely to occur in the near future, but who are we to not play make-believe? Which fight would you look forward to more, and who wins it?

@SethFalvo

UFC on FX 7 Results: What’s Next for Daniel Sarafian?

If you ask any of the Brazilians in attendance at Saturday’s UFC on FX 7 event, Daniel Sarafian was absolutely swindled out of a decision victory in the evening’s co-main event. In reality, the fight between Sarafian and The Ultimate Fighter&nbsp…

If you ask any of the Brazilians in attendance at Saturday’s UFC on FX 7 event, Daniel Sarafian was absolutely swindled out of a decision victory in the evening’s co-main event.

In reality, the fight between Sarafian and The Ultimate Fighter runner-up C.B. Dollaway was dead even heading into the final round, which was a back-and-forth round that could have been scored in either man’s favor.

After the hard-fought loss in the evening’s Fight of the Night, Sarafian unfortunately joins the long list of Ultimate Fighter alumni who came up short in their Octagon debut. After the razor-thin decision, it’s time to take a look at what’s next for TUF: Brasil fighter Daniel Sarafian.

Sarafian is a short and stocky powerhouse who utilizes looping punches and wild haymakers while standing, but also has a dangerous submission game at his disposal in the event that the fight hits the canvas.

Choosing an opponent for the Brazilian is fairly simple. Considering his lower-tier placement on the roster, as long as he faces someone also on the bottom rung of the division, it’s an acceptable pairing.

However, considering the excitement put forth by Sarafian against an 11-fight UFC veteran like Dollaway, there is no problem with giving the Sao Paulo native another UFC notable who happens to be down on his luck.

The signs point to a fellow slugger who prefers to bang but doesn’t mind submitting foes if absolutely necessary: Chris “The Crippler” Leben.

Chris Leben is one of the most popular stars to ever step foot into the Octagon. Part of that has to do with his memorable appearance on the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter, but primarily, it is because he is a game fighter with an iron chin and a desire to end contests in violent fashion.

At the pinnacle of his career, Leben won his first five contests inside the Octagon. However, his biggest wins came years later when he finished highly regarded Yoshihiro Akiyama and Wanderlei Silva.

Currently, Leben is on a career-worst 1-3 stretch in his most recent bouts. His most recent loss came against wrestler Derek Brunson at UFC 155, although he was previously scheduled to meet unranked Karlos Vemola on the card.

A fight between Sarafian and Leben is perfect for any Brazilian card, as the hometown star will be beloved by the audience, while Leben has the name-value to support main-card placement on any event.

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UFC on FX 7 Results: What’s Next for Ben Rothwell?

Not even the newfound fitness of Ben Rothwell was able to save him from the dangerous assault of Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC on FX 7. Succumbing to an arm-in guillotine choke in the second round, Rothwell came up short in putting together his first winning …

Turn back the clock eight months and you would find Rothwell coming off a monumental knockout win over Brendan Schaub at UFC 145. The impressive performance showed us that the kickboxer from Wisconsin has what it takes to compete on the world’s biggest stage.

After his third loss in five UFC appearances, it’s time that we look ahead to see what’s next for “Big” Ben Rothwell.

With Rothwell’s skills rooted in kickboxing, the UFC would be smart to pair him off against a fellow striker in hopes of generating a major knockout. Those sort of highlights are a great addition to any free event. Think about the historical significance of Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry or Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Mirko Cro Cop, which were aired on Versus and SPIKE TV, respectively.

Unfortunately, most of the strikers in the UFC are coming off wins, and UFC matchmaker Joe Silva rarely books fighters coming off victories against those coming off defeats.

By that logic, Mark Hunt, Pat Barry and Cheick Kongo are all off of the table. However, there is one impressive knockout artist who is technically on heels of a defeat: Travis Browne.

Carrying only one loss in his 15-fight career, Travis Browne has made a name for himself with highlight-reel finishes against Stefan Struve and Chad Griggs. Heading into the final quarter of 2012, Browne was considered to be the future of the heavyweight division.

At UFC on FX 5, Browne headlined the card by taking on Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in a fight that was expected to springboard the Hawaiian into the upper echelon of the division.

Unfortunately, after a few minutes of aggressive attack, Browne tore his hamstring and was forced to continue with severely limited movement. Unable to move out of the way of Silva’s monstrous 82-inch reach, Browne lost via TKO for his first professional loss.

Rothwell and Browne were originally scheduled to meet on the main card of UFC on Fox 4 back in August, but Rothwell was forced from the contest due to injury.

At the time of their original booking, both heavyweights were looking to keep building momentum after signature victories. If rebooked for 2013, this fight would allow one man to redeem himself with a win over a notable opponent.

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UFC on FX 7 Video: Belfort Calls out Jones and Sonnen, Sonnen Offers a Response

When UFC on FX 7’s main event entered the second round it appeared that the advantage had clearly moved to Michael Bisping’s side of the Octagon. After all, Vitor Belfort’s UFC record in fights that had gone past the first five minute…

There’s a first for everything, and at the 1:27 mark of Round 2 Belfort moved that record to 1-5 when he stopped Bisping with a high kick that was followed with a ground-and-pound assault.

After the fight Belfort unleashed quite a tirade during his post-fight interview. Somewhat oddly, considering he had just defeated the No. 1 contender in the middleweight division, Belfort called for a shot at the man who had defeated him at UFC 154, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

He also ranted against Chael Sonnen, calling the man who is scheduled to face Jones at UFC 159 a “clown” and specifically calling UFC president Dana White and UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta to remove Sonnen from the fight card.

Luckily for all, Sonnen was working the desk on the UFC on Fuel and was ready for a response, telling Belfort he would be happy to arrange Belfort’s travel to meet Jesus. He then made it clear that he would accept the challenge.

Some interesting times lie ahead for the UFC’s light heavyweight division.

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