Filed under: UFC, NewsBrazilian lightweight Edson Barboza outdid himself Saturday at UFC 142 in Brazil, not only claiming his third straight Fight of the Night, but also the Knockout of the Night honor as well.
Brazilian lightweight Edson Barboza outdid himself Saturday at UFC 142 in Brazil, not only claiming his third straight Fight of the Night, but also the Knockout of the Night honor as well.
With each UFC 142 post-fight bonus worth $65,000, Barboza pocketed $130,000 in addition to his fight purse.
Barboza and Terry Etim shared the Fight of the Night honor for their pay-per-view opener, the only fight on the main card to go past the first round. And Barboza’s spectacular finish set the tone for what turned out to be a wild night of fights.
After controlling most of the fight with leg kicks, Barboza landed a wheel kick to knock Etim out cold at two minutes and two seconds of the third round. In executing the first wheel kick knockout in the UFC, Barboza won his fourth straight UFC fight and advanced his MMA record to 10-0 overall.
For Submission of the Night, Rousimar Palhares made another bid towards becoming the most dangerous leglock specialist in the UFC, needing just 63 seconds to force Mike Massenzio to submit. The heel hook was Palhares’ third in the UFC and his fourth leglock finish in the UFC.
The UFC 142 bonuses set at $65,000 is just $10,000 short of the performance bonuses handed out at UFC 141 in Las Vegas.
Filed under: UFCThe UFC 142 post-fight press conference is the last piece of business to take care of after the action is over in the Octagon, and we have the live video below at MMAFighting.com.
UFC President Dana White will announce the winners of t…
The UFC 142 post-fight press conference is the last piece of business to take care of after the action is over in the Octagon, and we have the live video below at MMAFighting.com.
UFC President Dana White will announce the winners of the Fight of the Night, Knockout of the Night and Submission of the Night bonuses, and the winning fighters will meet the media to talk about their fights.
The post-fight press conference will begin about half an hour after the main event ends and the video is below.
(Editor’s note: Just have to fast forward using gray bar to get to the beginning of presser.)
Heading into UFC 142, many were looking forward to the middleweight debut of dynamic striker and standout wrestler Anthony Johnson (11-3), who will be facing former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort (20-9) in the co-main event.At the we…
Heading into UFC 142, many were looking forward to the middleweight debut of dynamic striker and standout wrestler Anthony Johnson (11-3), who will be facing former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort (20-9) in the co-main event.
At the weigh-ins, Johnson came in 11 pounds over the middleweight limit of 186. Belfort accepted the fight at a catchweight of 197 pounds, and Johnson was forced to give 20 percent of his purse to the Brazilian. On top of that, Johnson had to weigh in earlier today and not be over 205. He weighed in at 204, making the fight official.
There is a lot of pressure on Belfort fighting in front of his home-country at the HSBC Arena in Brazil. For Johnson, there was little to no pressure for him to perform until the weigh in. Now, he has the added pressure of missing weight, which didn’t go over well with UFC president Dana White, who has come out afterwards and said Johnson’s UFC career is on the line, win or lose.
Whatever gameplan Johnson had beforehand may have been changed due to White’s comments, and if the pre-fight press-conference was of any indication, he had full intentions of taking his opponent down and working from in guard for however long it takes or until the final bell rings. That is what he needs to do to win here, but it can’t secure him a position at a later date in the UFC if it’s not a fan-friendly fight.
Many fans are expecting both to put on a stand-up battle, and that might be what they get if Johnson makes a last-minute decision to let it all go and hope he does enough to keep his job, even if it comes at the expense of losing a fight he can win in less exciting fashion.
If Johnson decides to stand and trade with his opponent, it could work against him, especially early on when Belfort is at his best. The 27-year-old has shown he can be flashy with his kicks and strikes, but he hasn’t tested them against any other quality strikers like Belfort. If he does test it out here, expect it to come later in the fight when Belfort won’t be as dangerous.
Most, if not all, danger can be avoided if Johnson shoots early and tries to wear down Belfort on the ground. “The Phenom” can be dangerous with his submissions, but there isn’t too much for Johnson to worry about outside of an occasional armbar attempt.
A decision victory could be in the works if Johnson does this, but to call it a “victory” when his job in the UFC may be over won’t leave him too happy.
UFC 142 in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil is sure to be excellent, as featherweight champion Jose Aldo looks to defend his title against rising star, Chad Mendes. This is a very intriguing matchup, and these two fighters have different styles. Aldo is typ…
UFC 142 in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil is sure to be excellent, as featherweight champion Jose Aldo looks to defend his title against rising star, Chad Mendes.
This is a very intriguing matchup, and these two fighters have different styles. Aldo is typically viewed as a lock to win every fight, but Mendes does pose some problems for him.
A fairly new addition to the UFC, the featherweight division is entering its second year of existence. UFC needs this fight to be grand, not only because it’s the main even, but also because it’s in such a great location.
With that said, here’s a breakdown of what it will take for each fighter to win, as well as who I think will win.
Chad Mendes
At 11-0, Mendes is on the rise, aiming to prove he can be a legitimate star in UFC. It won’t be easy to beat Aldo, but it’s definitely possible.
If Mendes is going to win this fight, though, he’s going to get it done on the ground. Takedowns are his game, and he has to get Aldo to the ground early and often.
Aldo is fast and also has a good ground defense, but Mendes is a superb wrestler. He’s beaten strikers before, but none as good as Aldo.
Dominating on the ground is a must for Mendes, simply because this is where he has the advantage. It will be interesting to see how Mendes does in front of the major crowd in Brasil.
Mendes has to play to his strengths, or else he could get burned. Staying on his feet too long will not end well.
Jose Aldo
An exceptional fighter, Aldo has been a great featherweight champion to watch. He has the flashy style that definitely excites the fan base.
At 20-1, Aldo has had some very impressive wins in his career. In order to retain his title, Aldo must avoid Mendes’ takedowns.
Remaining upright is Aldo’s best bet because he is a dominant striker. His quickness gives him a big edge in this fight, but if he’s taken to the ground it won’t matter.
His experience also helps him in this fight, as he has been tested much more than Mendes and against stiffer competition.
Fighting in front of the big crowd isn’t a worry for Aldo, as he is a true showman that lives for these moments.
Prediction
I don’t expect Aldo to win in under a minute, which is something he’s done more than once in his career.
This is going to be a good fight, but, in the end, Aldo’s powerful strikes will be the difference maker.
Mendes puts in a good effort, but Aldo will get the job done, winning by unanimous decision.
Filed under: UFC, NewsJose Aldo is still the featherweight champion of the UFC.
Aldo, fighting back home in Brazil for the first time since signing with Zuffa, defeated Chad Mendes by first-round knockout at UFC 142, defending his featherweight title …
Jose Aldo is still the featherweight champion of the UFC.
Aldo, fighting back home in Brazil for the first time since signing with Zuffa, defeated Chad Mendes by first-round knockout at UFC 142, defending his featherweight title and showing once again that he’s among the most lethal strikers in mixed martial arts, in any weight class.
It was a huge left knee to Mendes’ face that knocked Mendes flat on his back, and Aldo then pounced with a couple of punches on the ground before referee Mario Yamasaki stopped the fight at the 4 minute, 59 second mark of the first round — just one second remained in the round.
“I want to thank the home crowd, all my friends who came out,” Aldo said afterward. “I’m so happy fighting at home.”
Aldo showed that happiness to be fighting at home by running into the crowd after the fight, where he was mobbed by fans. It could have caused a crowd control problem, as large numbers of fans swarmed around Aldo, but there were no incidents and Aldo eventually made his way back into the Octagon for his post-fight interview.
The story of the fight before that brutal knee was Mendes’ inability to take Aldo down: Mendes tried for takedowns and Aldo had little trouble shaking him off. In the final minute of the fight Mendes did grab hold of Aldo and clinch with him against the fence, and at one point Aldo had to hold the fence to prevent from being taken down. But Aldo bided his time against the fence, saw that opening, and finished things with that knee.
The win improves Aldo’s professional MMA record to 21-1, while Mendes lost for the first time in his career and drops to 11-1.
“Jose’s a great champion. He’s a tough dude. That’s the best I’ve felt for any fight, I was very prepared, and he got me,” Mendes said afterward. “He was the better man.”
For Mendes, there’s no shame in losing to Aldo. Aldo is among the greatest fighters in the sport.
This is the UFC 142 live blog for Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes, the main event of tonight’s UFC pay-per-view from the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Aldo (20-1) aims to make his third successful UFC featherweight title defense, having already defeated Mark Hominick and Kenny Florian last year via decisions. Mendes (11-0) is a wrestler out of Urijah Faber‘s team Alpha Male who holds UFC wins over Michihiro Omigawa and Rani Yahya.
Mendes is all smiles as he makes his way to the cage to “Paradise City” by Guns N’ Roses. A focused Aldo walks out to what has become his entrance song “Run This Town” by Jay-Z.
Mario Yamasaki will referee this UFC featherweight title fight.
Round 1: Mendes initiates with several inside leg kicks. Mendes lands a leg kick that throws Aldo off. Aldo returns fire with a powerful leg kick. Mendes attempts his first takedown at 3:51 and Aldo stuffs it. Aldo walks forward and lands a jab. Aldo scores on a crushing leg kick. Mendes shoots again and Aldo stops it. Mendes has always overwhelmed his opponents with takedowns but so far his attempts have not been close whatsoever. Mendes misses on his third takedown attempt. Mendes catches Aldo coming in and controls Aldo’s back. Mendes tries to dump Aldo, and would have gotten the take down, but Aldo grabs the fence. Mendes tries again and Aldo is able to stay on his feet. Aldo spins out and follows with a knee that drops Mendes. Aldo adds three more right punches and knocks out Mendes. Aldo then runs into the crowd and it’s quite the scene. A fitting scene to cap off a wild UFC in Brazil.
Aldo wins via KO – Round 1, 4:59
This is the UFC 142 live blog for Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes, the main event of tonight’s UFC pay-per-view from the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Aldo (20-1) aims to make his third successful UFC featherweight title defense, having already defeated Mark Hominick and Kenny Florian last year via decisions. Mendes (11-0) is a wrestler out of Urijah Faber‘s team Alpha Male who holds UFC wins over Michihiro Omigawa and Rani Yahya.
Mendes is all smiles as he makes his way to the cage to “Paradise City” by Guns N’ Roses. A focused Aldo walks out to what has become his entrance song “Run This Town” by Jay-Z.
Mario Yamasaki will referee this UFC featherweight title fight.
Round 1: Mendes initiates with several inside leg kicks. Mendes lands a leg kick that throws Aldo off. Aldo returns fire with a powerful leg kick. Mendes attempts his first takedown at 3:51 and Aldo stuffs it. Aldo walks forward and lands a jab. Aldo scores on a crushing leg kick. Mendes shoots again and Aldo stops it. Mendes has always overwhelmed his opponents with takedowns but so far his attempts have not been close whatsoever. Mendes misses on his third takedown attempt. Mendes catches Aldo coming in and controls Aldo’s back. Mendes tries to dump Aldo, and would have gotten the take down, but Aldo grabs the fence. Mendes tries again and Aldo is able to stay on his feet. Aldo spins out and follows with a knee that drops Mendes. Aldo adds three more right punches and knocks out Mendes. Aldo then runs into the crowd and it’s quite the scene. A fitting scene to cap off a wild UFC in Brazil.
Aldo wins via KO – Round 1, 4:59
Brazilian lightweight Edson Barboza outdid himself Saturday at UFC 142 in Brazil, not only claiming his third straight Fight of the Night, but also the Knockout of the Night honor as well.
The 
Heading into 
Jose Aldo
This is the