Tag: UFC Welterweight

Gilbert Burns Clarifies Sean Brady’s BJJ Black Belt Credentials

Gilbert Burns recently shared his thoughts on whether Sean Brady poses a legitimate threat on the ground, given his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Burns is gearing up to face Brady in a crucial welterweight showdown, set to headline this weekend’s Fight Night event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. “Durinho” has been […]

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Gilbert Burns recently shared his thoughts on whether Sean Brady poses a legitimate threat on the ground, given his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Burns is gearing up to face Brady in a crucial welterweight showdown, set to headline this weekend’s Fight Night event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Durinho” has been absent from the Octagon since suffering a third-round knockout at the hands of Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 299 this past March. That setback came just two months after another tough loss, when the 38-year-old Brazilian veteran was defeated by newly crowned welterweight champion Belal Muhammad at UFC 288 in May 2023.

Meanwhile, Brady is stepping into uncharted territory with his first-ever five-round bout under the UFC banner. The 31-year-old American has only gone past the third round once in his career. In his last appearance, he secured an impressive submission victory over seasoned veteran Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Fight Night Austin last December, bouncing back from the first setback of his career against Muhammad at UFC 280 in October 2022.

Burns is a formidable force on the mat, a dangerous grappler who has dominated since his return to the welterweight division in 2019, racking up the second-highest number of takedowns in the division. On the other hand, Brady is no slouch on the ground either, bringing his own savage submission game to the table, potentially making their matchup a fascinating chess contest of technical prowess and ground control…

Burns Holds Brady’s Grappling Skills In High Regard

During a recent interview with MMA journalist Kevin Iole, Burns was asked to weigh in on just how dangerous he believes Brady’s grappling game truly is. As a decorated BJJ black belt world champion himself, ‘Durinho’ acknowledged that his opponent is far from an ordinary grappler, noting that Brady trains under the tutelage of BJJ legend Daniel Gracie.

“He’s legit. His coach is Daniel Gracie, you know. Daniel Gracie grew up with Renzo [Gracie], so he’s very, very good,” Burns said. “Daniel Gracie saw Brady since he was a kid, so he’s a legit black belt.”

Burns went on to highlight Brady’s impressive grappling credentials, pointing out that Brady managed to defeat ADCC submission champion Craig Jones—an accomplishment that Burns himself couldn’t achieve.

“He beat Craig Jones even when [the bout] was set with no leg locks. When I lost to Craig Jones, it was with leg locks—he went quick on my leg. So, Sean Brady beat him under no leg lock rules. Yeah, he’s a great fighter.”

“Durinho” is currently navigating the first back-to-back losses of his career, and he’s well aware that the outcome on Saturday night carries critical weight if he hopes to climb back into title contention.

Continue Reading Gilbert Burns Clarifies Sean Brady’s BJJ Black Belt Credentials at MMA News.

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach ‘Very, Very Impressed’ With UFC 305 Fighter: ‘Unbelievable, Calm, Relaxed…’

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach, Javier Mendez, lavished Carlos Prates with accolades for his standout performance against Li Jingliang at UFC 305. Prates added another show-stopping finish to his resume last weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia, where he made history by becoming the first to knock out Chinese veteran Jingliang. “The Nightmare” wielded […]

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Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach, Javier Mendez, lavished Carlos Prates with accolades for his standout performance against Li Jingliang at UFC 305.

Prates added another show-stopping finish to his resume last weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia, where he made history by becoming the first to knock out Chinese veteran Jingliang.

“The Nightmare” wielded his straight left like a guided missile, landing it repeatedly throughout the night and forcing Jingliang to retreat towards the fence. Once “The Leech” was cornered in the second round, the Brazilian unleashed a devastating right hook, immediately followed by a thunderous left hook that shattered Jingliang’s defenses and sent him collapsing to the canvas.

With three fights and three spectacular finishes in the UFC, coupled with an impressive performance on Dana White’s Contender Series that secured his contract, Prates has swiftly become a fan favorite, even earning the admiration of Mendez, thanks to his lethal striking artistry…

Mendez Hails Prates’ Striking As ‘Something To Behold’

During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Mendez shared his admiration for Prates’ performance at UFC 305. The head coach at American Kickboxing Academy praised ‘The Nightmare’ for his elite striking skills, which he noted are seamlessly combined with an impressive fight IQ. Mendez also expressed his eagerness to see more of Prates, especially his ground game, in future bouts.

“You remember I told you I never seen Carlos Prates?” Mendez said. “And what an unbelievable, calm, relaxed sniper that guy is. When he hurt Li, he didn’t even go for the kill; he kept his distance and kept picking him apart. I was so, so impressed with him, and now I understand why he was the favorite and why they’re so high on him. This guy, his striking—man, he’s something to behold. Let’s see what he does with the ground game, because there was no ground game with Li Jingliang.”

“He didn’t even try to take him down, and he’s never been stopped either, so this guy just kept picking him apart, you know, with sniper shots. I mean, God, it was unbelievable. I was very, very impressed with his fight IQ—very impressive fighter. Looking forward to seeing him again. Next time I see something with him on it, I’ll definitely tune in because he’s impressive to watch.”

“The Nightmare” has now demolished nine consecutive opponents by knockout, including every one of his Octagon appearances, with no opponent surviving beyond the second round. With such explosive knockout prowess, Prates is positioning himself as a formidable force in the UFC, with a bright future as a serious title contender on the horizon.

Continue Reading Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach ‘Very, Very Impressed’ With UFC 305 Fighter: ‘Unbelievable, Calm, Relaxed…’ at MMA News.

Belal Muhammad Trashes ‘So-Called Experts’ Demetrious Johnson & Kamaru Usman After UFC 304 Win: ‘They Don’t Know What They’re Talking About!’

Belal Muhammad recently hit back at Demetrious Johnson and Kamaru Usman for their dismissive assessments of him following his commanding victory over Leon Edwards at UFC 304. Muhammad clinched a unanimous decision victory against the reigning UFC welterweight champion in their rematch last weekend at the Co-Op Live arena in Manchester, United Kingdom. “Remember the […]

Continue Reading Belal Muhammad Trashes ‘So-Called Experts’ Demetrious Johnson & Kamaru Usman After UFC 304 Win: ‘They Don’t Know What They’re Talking About!’ at MMA News.

Belal Muhammad recently hit back at Demetrious Johnson and Kamaru Usman for their dismissive assessments of him following his commanding victory over Leon Edwards at UFC 304.

Muhammad clinched a unanimous decision victory against the reigning UFC welterweight champion in their rematch last weekend at the Co-Op Live arena in Manchester, United Kingdom.

“Remember the Name” started the fight with a slick takedown, showcasing his wrestling mastery. His effective mix of seamless takedowns and sharp boxing against a formidable opponent like Edwards was unexpected for many. As the fight progressed, Muhammad intensified his aggression, slamming “Rocky” head-on into the canvas with thunderous impact.

Although the Chicago native faced resistance in the later rounds as Edwards launched a determined rally in the fourth with some potent strikes of his own, Muhammad maintained control for most of the round. In the final frame, the Jamaican-born Englishman managed to reverse the position, delivering a relentless storm of elbows that caused a gash on Muhammad’s nose.

Despite this, “Remember the Name” stayed resolute, having already impressed the judges enough to clinch the win. Now, Muhammad has a wealth of words for those who questioned his abilities…

Muhammad Triumphs Over Edwards with Bold Mentality Amidst Doubts

During a recent appearance on the Anik & Florian Podcast, Muhammad looked back on his triumphant moment against Edwards at UFC 304. Entering the bout, the newly crowned welterweight champion was met with skepticism, particularly from former UFC champions Usman and Johnson, who doubted his chances against the striking-focused “Rocky.”

Now that Muhammad has emerged victorious over Edwards, he hasn’t held back in addressing his critics.

“I just want to be like, ‘I told you so,’ to all the people out there who sit there and act like they’re so-called experts,” Muhammad said. “Even these fighters—like Demetrious Johnson, who thinks he’s a great analyst; he sucks. Usman sucks at analyzing stuff. All these guys, they don’t know what they’re talking about. When you get into the cage with me, it’s different.

You think it’s slow, then you get punched in the face, and you realize it’s fast. You think I don’t hit hard, then you get hit in the mouth and back down. ‘Yeah, if Leon Edwards wasn’t getting hurt, he would have stepped forward the whole time and planted his feet. But he was getting punched in the mouth, he was getting hurt, and he was backing up to the cage like a coward.”

Muhammad is expected to return to the Octagon for his first title defense against the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov, who made his intentions clear by calling for a championship opportunity right after UFC 304.

Continue Reading Belal Muhammad Trashes ‘So-Called Experts’ Demetrious Johnson & Kamaru Usman After UFC 304 Win: ‘They Don’t Know What They’re Talking About!’ at MMA News.

Former UFC Veteran Accused Of Battery After Punching A Security Guard

Anthony Martin was arrested in Las Vegas where police say the fighter is alleged to have urinated on a casino floor and punched a security guard in the throat.

Police were called to the Caesars Palace at roughly 1:30 a.m on Nov. 20. A security guar…

Former UFC welterweight Anthony Martin

Anthony Martin was arrested in Las Vegas where police say the fighter is alleged to have urinated on a casino floor and punched a security guard in the throat.

Police were called to the Caesars Palace at roughly 1:30 a.m on Nov. 20. A security guard witnessed Martin’s acts and reported the disturbance to a security surveillance team. When officers arrived at the scene, they spoke with the security guard who saw Martin urinate in the hallway on the casino floor.

Upon review, detectives suspect that Martin was under the influence of alcohol. Martin, a Las Vegas resident, told the officers who arrived at the scene that he was being racially profiled.

The police report indicates that after security asked Martin for identification, the former UFC welterweight became irate. While the two were interacting, police statements show that Martin began issuing threats to the security officer. When the guard read Martin a trespass warning, the former fighter continued to threaten him.

According to police, when the security guard raised his hand to confront Martin about his behavior, the MMA fighter responded by punching the guard in the throat.

Following the incident, law enforcement revealed that the urination and the punch to the security officer’s throat were both caught on camera. Anthony Rocco Martin is now facing misdemeanor charges of battery and engaging in lewd or dissolute conduct in a public place.

While in custody, Martin denied any wrongdoing. The former UFC welterweight is expected to appear in court for the above charges on Jan. 19.

What do you make of Anthony Martin allegedly punching a security guard?

Continue Reading Former UFC Veteran Accused Of Battery After Punching A Security Guard at MMA News.

Kampmann vs. Alves in the Works for Unannounced UFC Event in March

According to multiple reports and independent confirmation we received this afternoon from a source close to the negotiations, a welterweight match-up between Martin Kampmann and Thiago Alves has been verbally agreed to for an unnannounced UFC event in March.

MMAWeekly was first to report the news.

Both fighters rebounded from disappointing losses in impressive fashion in their last outings.

According to multiple reports and independent confirmation we received this afternoon from a source close to the negotiations, a welterweight match-up between Martin Kampmann and Thiago Alves has been verbally agreed to for an unnannounced UFC event in March.

MMAWeekly was first to report the news.

Both fighters rebounded from disappointing losses in impressive fashion in their last outings.

Alves, who is 2-3 in his last three fights submitted UFC newcomer Papi Abedi at UFC 138 earlier this month. In his previous outing, “Pitbull” lost to Rick Story at UFC 130 by unanimous decision.

Kampmann breathed a sigh of relief when Bruce Buffer announced he had claimed a split-decision victory over Story after debatable back-to-back decision losses to Jake Shields and Diego Sanchez at UFC 121 and UFC Live: Kampmann vs. Sanchez. Compounding “Hitman’s” bad luck was a knee injury he sustained while training for a planned UFC on Versus 4 bout with John Howard in June that kept him out of action for the past eight months.

Fun fight.

10 QUESTIONS WITH JAKE ELLENBERGER

By Joyce Lynda Valdes

As news leaks that UFC Welterweight, Jake Ellenberger will be getting a crack at the #2 ranked Welterweight in the world, MMAFix decided to ask Ellenberger 10 burning questions. Jake Ellenberger took some time out from training in Hawaii to sit down at his computer and explain to us why he […]

By Joyce Lynda Valdes

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As news leaks that UFC Welterweight, Jake Ellenberger will be getting a crack at the #2 ranked Welterweight in the world, MMAFix decided to ask Ellenberger 10 burning questions. Jake Ellenberger took some time out from training in Hawaii to sit down at his computer and explain to us why he calls Jake Shields, “Miss Piggy” and why he thinks he’s been asked to fight Jon Fitch at UFC 126.

1. Okay, I’ve seen your Twitter talk to Jake Shields. Why did you dub him “Miss Piggy”? And are you not a fan of McDonald’s dollar menu?

JE: Miss Piggy is fitting for Shields for his softness when he fights. Also his feminine charm reminds me of Miss Piggy from the Muppet Show.

2. I’ve read that Jake Shields ducked a fight with you some time ago. Can you explain that?

JE: Easy, I signed a contract to fight him, his dad pulled him out. Weak move.

3. So is it safe to say you were unimpressed with Shield’s Decision win against Martin Kampmann? What did you think of Kampmann’s performance? He told us he put in a shitty performance and wasn’t happy with himself.

JE: Jake Shields always seems to have an excuse. News Flash, everyone cuts weight in the upper echelon of the UFC, I cut 20 pounds to make welterweight, and I walk around at 205. When you are a professional athlete, you have the right people are in place around you, and decisions can be made about situations like this. If it’s too hard to make 170, either compete at middleweight or cut the weight and don’t complain.

4. How much can you confirm that there will be a bout between you and Jon Fitch at UFC 126?

JE: That is the rumor…

5. Jon Fitch is the number 2 ranked Welterweight in the world but is often criticized for not putting on the most exciting performances. How do you feel about Fitch?

JE: Jon Fitch is a great fighter and no one but GSP has beaten him in a long time. He has solid wrestling, good hands, smothering top game, and a good guard. Like any other guy, he has holes in his game though in which I will try to exploit.

6. We know you put on exciting fights. What you did to John Howard’s face was very impressive at UFC on Versus 2. What do yousay to people who are a little surprised though at your rapid flight up the ranks to get an opportunity at Jon Fitch?

JE: Joe and Dana are the best in the business for a reason and they make matchups for exciting fights. I will always have an exciting fight!

7. Do you agree as some MMA analysts have said, that Fitch has far more to lose than you do if he takes a loss to you?

JE: Sure, I agree. Everyone in a fight has something to lose.

8. It may be fair to say the UFC Welterweight division is the most stacked division they have with all four of the top ranked MMA Welterweights in the world fighting in the promotion. Other top 10 fighters, for instance in the UFC Light Heavyweight division like Jon Jones and Matt Hamill have yet to receive a top 5 fighter, why do you think you are getting this outstanding opportunity?

JE: My job is to fight, that’s it. I am grateful for the opportunity to fight a top 5 guy, and any other professional fighter would take advantage of this opportunity as well.

9. If you can beat Jon Fitch and have the chance to pick your next opponent, Title shot not a factor, who would you choose to fight? GSP or Jake Shields? Shields has said that he would prefer Georges St. Pierre over Josh Koscheck because beating St. Pierre would be more prestigious. How do you feel?

JE: Shields, he will not beat me. EVER.

10. What do you want MMA fans to expect from you going into your next fight? …that you can finish Fitch?…that you will put on an exciting show?…that you can smack talk better than Chael Sonnen?

JE: I always have exciting fights, and look forward to becoming a world champion.