Long gone are the days of Ben Rothwell running over the IFL heavyweight roster. Rothwell’s current career trajectory appears murky; the man has alternated wins and losses in his last seven bouts.Tonight, he came up short against Gabriel Gonzaga, …
Long gone are the days of Ben Rothwell running over the IFL heavyweight roster. Rothwell’s current career trajectory appears murky; the man has alternated wins and losses in his last seven bouts.
Tonight, he came up short against Gabriel Gonzaga, again preventing the rugged veteran from piecing together two consecutive victories.
With a promotional record of 2-3 Rothwell’s future with the UFC is certainly up in the air. If the man hopes to remain employed by the world’s largest MMA promotion, he’s got to prove he can consistently win fights.
It’s time for Rothwell to rediscover his confidence. These are a few men who might aid him in his cause.
UFC on FX 7 is over and done with. Vitor Belfort shut the mouth of Michael Bisping with a titanic head kick and the C.B. Dollaway defeated Daniel Sarafian in a close split decision. However, there were other unheralded happenings throughout the ni…
UFC on FX 7 is over and done with. VitorBelfort shut the mouth of Michael Bisping with a titanic head kick and the C.B. Dollaway defeated Daniel Sarafian in a close split decision.
However, there were other unheralded happenings throughout the night that were also important. They taught the MMA world important lessons and answered lingering questions that stuck in the craws of MMA fans.
What were these questions answered and lessons learned? Read and find out!
After obliterating Michael Bisping with a vicious head-kick at UFC on FX 7, Vitor Belfort pleaded with the UFC brass to scrap Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen so that he might once again challenge for the promotion’s light heavyweight strap.There’s two probl…
After obliterating Michael Bisping with a vicious head-kick at UFC on FX 7, VitorBelfort pleaded with the UFC brass to scrap Jon Jones vs. ChaelSonnen so that he might once again challenge for the promotion’s light heavyweight strap.
There’s two problems with Belfort‘s wish.
First, his victory came at middleweight, not light heavyweight. And while that didn’t stop him (or Sonnen) from gaining the opportunity to fight for the title at 205, it’s not going to happen again. Not with a promising bout already locked in place.
Second, there is no way the UFC passes on a chance to promote Jones vs. Sonnen. The reason they made that bout in the first place was because they wanted it, not because Sonnen forced their hand by winning his way into it. Heck, they even built an Ultimate Fighter season out of the rivalry.
So Belfort vs. Jones II just isn’t realistic. Even if Sonnen is injured and forced to withdraw, it’s more likely Alexander Gustafsson is pulled from his April contest against GegardMousasi to act as a replacement than it is that Belfort once again gets the call.
So what is realistic for the Brazilian? The obvious answer is a middleweight title eliminator fight.
The logical opponent? Chris Weidman.
Weidman has been out with an injury since July, but became the defacto No.1 middleweight contender when Bisping was removed from the equation.
He’s who the road to Silva should now run through—he and Belfort—so pairing them off makes sense.
Though YushinOkami and Hector Lombard will fight this March, their match just won’t cut it as a title eliminator. Not when Lombard is 1-1 in the promotion and Okami was destroyed by Silva less than two years ago.
The UFC needs Weidman vs. Belfort to decide the most deserving contender to Silva’s throne.
Of course, deserving is not always what decides such things. But in this case, the stars have aligned, and what should happen looks to be the same thing as what is easiest to make happen, as well as what is best for the UFC.
Weidman should be ready for a late spring or early summer contest, so it’s not like Belfort would have to wait around for him.
If, however, the UFC wants badly enough for Silva to fight by early summer, then that changes everything. Then Belfort has to get his shot straightaway.
I mean, who else would fight Silva? Sonnen?
In any case, it isn’t likely the UFC pushes the champ to fight before a viable contender is established, and the best way to establish a viable contender is to book Weidman vs. Belfort.
The phrase “grinding” isn’t always viewed with the most respect from casual MMA fans who simply look for the highlight-reel knockouts in every fight, but for those who truly enjoy the sport of mixed martial arts, sometimes, there can …
The phrase “grinding” isn’t always viewed with the most respect from casual MMA fans who simply look for the highlight-reel knockouts in every fight, but for those who truly enjoy the sport of mixed martial arts, sometimes, there can be nothing more impressive than a great, dominating performance where one guy simply imposes his will on his opponent.
That’s what happened on Saturday night when Minnesota-native Nik Lentz took it to Diego Nunes on the Fuel TV portion of the UFC on FX 7 fight card. Like he has done so many times in the past, Lentz made use of his non-stop motor to bully Nunes around the cage on his way to a unanimous-decision victory.
Lentz has become known for his grinding style, but he’s not the only guy who’s making a living by being a gritty grappler.
Middleweight contenders Michael Bisping and Vitor Belfort will share the Octagon for UFC on FX 7’s main event, an affair that will thin out the clutter in a very competitive 185-pound division. With a victory, Bisping can vault himself into a titl…
Middleweight contenders Michael Bisping and VitorBelfort will share the Octagon for UFC on FX 7‘s main event, an affair that will thin out the clutter in a very competitive 185-pound division.
With a victory, Bisping can vault himself into a title match with divisional deity Anderson Silva. A win for Belfort takes him one step closer to redemption.
Check in right here as the action breaks for live round-by-round recap and analysis of the action.
The last time that Vitor Belfort fought in Sao Paulo, this happened. Fourteen years later, those still-lethal fists are the only thing separating Michael Bisping from the middleweight title shot that has stayed maddeningly out of his reach. So will Belfort triumph in front of his countrymen tonight at the Ibirapuera Arena, or will Bisping defy the haters and take what belongs to him?
Round-by-round updates from the “Belfort vs. Bisping” main card broadcast will be available after the jump beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and make the world a little less lonely by tossing your thoughts into the comments section.
The last time that Vitor Belfort fought in Sao Paulo, this happened. Fourteen years later, those still-lethal fists are the only thing separating Michael Bisping from the middleweight title shot that has stayed maddeningly out of his reach. So will Belfort triumph in front of his countrymen tonight at the Ibirapuera Arena, or will Bisping defy the haters and take what belongs to him?
Round-by-round updates from the “Belfort vs. Bisping” main card broadcast will be available after the jump beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and make the world a little less lonely by tossing your thoughts into the comments section.
Preliminary card results:
– Godofredo Castro def. Milton Vieira via split-decision (28-27 x 2, 27-28)
– Ronny Markes def. Andrew Craig via unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)
– Nik Lentz def. Diego Nunes via unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 30-26)
– Edson Barboza def. Lucas Martins via submission (punches), 2:38 of round 1
– Yuri Alcantara vs. Pedro Nobre resulted in a no contest (Nobre was knocked out by strikes to the back of the head), 2:11 of round 1
– Ildemar Alcantara def. Wagner Prado via submission (kneebar), 2:39 of round 2
– Francisco Trinaldo def. C.J. Keith via submission (arm triangle choke), 1:50 of round 2
And now the main card…
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Thiago Tavares As I once wrote, “God help the CagePotato writers who have to type [Nurmagomedov’s] name during liveblogs. (Not it, guys.)” Well, shit. Due to a last-minute withdrawal, I (BG) have to soldier up and make it happen. I’ll be shortening his name to “Nurma,” and I don’t even think Khabib himself would judge me for that.
Round 1: Tavares trying to back Nurma down to the fence, and Nurma brushes him away with a high kick and overhand right. Nurma throws another big wild punch but misses. Tavares lands a straight, but Nurma connects moments later with a sneaky left uppercut that drops Tavares to the canvas. He follows it up with a carpet-bombing of elbows from the top that puts Tavares’s lights out. Aaaaaaand still undefeated…Nurmagomedov def. Tavares via KO, 1:55 of round 1. The UFC production crew realizes that a translated English-to-Russian-to-English post-fight interview wouldn’t be very well-received by the Brazilian crowd, and they wisely skip it.
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Ben Rothwell
Round 1: Rothwell snaps out a pair of punches, and Gonzaga responds by shooting for a takedown. He gets Rothwell down, but Rothwell makes his way to his feet. Gonzaga sticks onto Rothwell, dragging Big Ben to the mat again despite a very blatant fence grab that Rothwell is warned for. Rothwell’s up again, and down again. Gonzaga with some wall-n-stall. They’re separated. Rothwell misses a jab and Gonzaga clinches up with him, landing a punch as Rothwell shakes out. Rothwell lands a punch. He puts Gonzaga against the fence, and is warned for a knee to the ball-area. They separate and Gonzaga starts finding his range with punches, making Rothwell’s legs go shaky at one point. Rothwell answers. A little jockeying against the fence and the horn sounds. Rothwell goes back to his corner with a cut under his eye. 10-9 Gonzaga.
Round 2: Right straight from Gonzaga lands. They clinch and trade knees. Gonzaga staggers Rothwell with two more rights, looks for a takedown, and grabs an arm-in guillotine when Rothwell tries to sprawl. Gonzaga pulls guard and bears down on the choke. Rothwell taps once, and looks pretty pissed off at himself as the ref ends the fight. Rothwell def. Gonzaga via submission (guillotine choke), 1:01 of round 2.
“Speaking of nice guys, the *infectious* Junior Dos Santos…” Jon Anik says, pointing out Cigano in the crowd, and making subtle reference to the herpes outbreak that ruined his marriage.
Daniel Sarafian vs. CB Dollaway
Round 1: Dollaway dashes in with some awkward looking jabs and Sarafian counters him with ease. Dollaway lands a leg kick. They land hooks simultaneously. Sarafian makes good contact with a charging punch combo. Sarafian lands an overhand right as Dollawya lands a kick to the body. Sarafian lands a straight to the body. Sarafian drops Dollaway, but Dollaway grabs onto Sarafian’s leg and makes his way back to his feet. Sarafian throwing with serious power, and lands a cross/hook combo. Dollaway jabbing. Sarafian again with the overhand right. Dollaway sticks the jab, Sarafian gives one back. He pushes forward with punches. Sarafian goes to the body. Dollaway taunting Sarafian, God knows why. Sarafian attacks at the horn but doesn’t catch Dollaway with anything. 10-9 Sarafian.
Round 2: Sarafian getting loose in the cage, shuckin’ and duckin’. Dollaway lands a long jab. Sarafian throws a spinning kick and misses. They briefly clinch against the fence. Dollaway lands his jab. He scores with a leg kick. Sarafian staggers Dollaway again with his big overhand right. Dollaway with a solid kick to the body. He throws another one, Sarafian catches it and trips Dollaway down, but Dollaway pops back up. Dollaway sticking with those kicks even though Sarafian is onto them by now. Both guys trading punches, Dollaway continuing to work the jab, and Sarafian throwing more big rights. Dollaway catches Sarafian with a big punch coming in, and Sarafian drops to his knees on the mat. Dollaway fires down some shots in an attempt to end the fight before the round ends, but Sarafian is saved by the horn.
Round 3: Dollaway throws a high-kick. Big hook from Sarafian lands, Dollaway swings back to counter and lands. Dollaway reaching forward with that jab. Dollaway lands a kick to the gut, then a short hook. Sarafian lands a big overhand right, Dollaway answers with a big right of his own. Dollway lands again and Sarafian is on his heels. Dollaway takes Sarafian down. Sarafian works to his feet but Dollaway is hugging him around the middle, and converts the takedown. Dollaway on Sarafian’s back. Sarafian rolls, and sweeps a fatigued Dollaway off of him. Now Sarafian is on top. He’s got 90 seconds to steal this round. Dollaway rolls, Sarafian seizes his back and tries to set up a RNC. Dollaway escapes and gets in Sarafian’s guard. Sarafian escapes. Dollaway shoots for a leg and takes a knee to the face. He continues to pursue Sarafian as the round ends. Could be a close decision coming up… Dollaway def. Sarafian via split-decision (29-28 x 2, 28-29). Even the translator sounds pissed off. The crowd tries to drown out CB’s interview response with boos. Something about landing his takedowns. Oh man. This is kind of brutal. Honestly, if Bisping takes out Belfort next, there could be actual rioting in this building.
Unrelated: I wonder what these bros are up to tonight.
Vitor Belfort vs. Michael Bisping
Round 1: Bisping takes the center of the Octagon. He feels Belfort out with jabs. Belfort throws a front kick. Inside leg kick from Bisping. Belfort throws a left head kick that’s blocked. Belfort long-jumps into Bisping and almost gets punches out of mid-air. Bisping starting to committ with his punches. Belfort misses a reverse kick. Bisping whiffs on a right straight. He comes in again and eats on uppercut. Bisping lands the inside leg kick again. Swing and a miss from Belfort. Belfort lands a body kick. Bisping tapping Belfort with the jab. Bisping tries to call time-out for an eye poke, but changes his mind and goes right back in. Bisping moves in with a punch and spinning kick but doesn’t have the right range. Belfort lands a punch that staggers Bisping, and chases him with punches as the round ends. That might be enough to give Belfort the edge.
Round 2: Low leg kick from Bisping. Belfort scares Bisping off with a fast straight. 1-2 from Belfort. Bisping jabs. A massive left-head kick from Belfort drops Bisping! Belfort lays on some finishing punches from the top and it’s all over. Belfort def. Bisping via TKO, 1:27 of round 2. Belfort says he’s only there because of God. He thanks his wife, camp, and Brazil, and gives all the glory to Jesus. Then he loses his mind about Chael Sonnen, ordering Dana and Lorenzo to get that clown out of the title fight with Jon Jones. Hey, from your mouth to God’s ears, buddy.
Michael Bisping has no sour grapes in his post-fight interview. “He was the better man…you win some, you lose some, I’m not going away.”
So now what? Weidman vs. Lombard for the next middleweight title shot? I doubt Belfort will be getting another chance any time soon, despite his post-fight pleas.
And now we get a look at Edson Barboza’s execution of Lucas Martins from the prelims. Martins gets kicked in the balls about 30 seconds into the fight, and pops a squat against the cage to recover. Ugh. He’s going back in after about a minute and a half, but you can tell he’s not completely ready. Martins is a game opponent, active with his attacks even if they’re not doing much. He gets a little too wild, though, swinging his punches during a striking blitz and leaving his chin out. Barboza finds it with a left hand, and Martins’s legs go all noodly. Barboza slams down punches as Martins’s head is wedged against the fence, and Martins eventually taps to the onslaught. The fight is stopped at 2:38 of the first frame.
That’s it, folks. If you’re on the East Coast and you have no taste in comedy, enjoy the new episode of Anger Management.
