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Bellator 180: Douglas Lima vs Lorenz Larkin Will Be A Striker’s Delight

Perhaps my most anticipated fight on this card, Douglas Lima versus Lorenz Larkin is a truly wonderful match up between two strikers with very different styles. We have the bare bones approach of Douglas Lima against the flashier yet effective strikes of Lorenz Larkin. While there are many other intriguing fights on this card, this could easily be the main event.

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In Douglas Lima’s most recent outing he scored a come from behind victory against former Bellator welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov. After a competitive first frame, Lima found himself on his back in the second round, yet he obviously never lost hope. Against Koreshkov we saw improvement in his ground game in order to get back to his feet in the first round, but seemed content to lay on his back in the second. Nevertheless, it was Lima’s game changing weapon that ultimately won him the belt, the left hook.

But like every season striker should understand, setting up your Sunday punch should be done in strategic fashion. First off, Lima should want to focus on utilizing his jab to both track the faster Larkin as well as set a pattern to fire off hard shots once he closes the distance. Lima should also look to use his second favorite weapon, the leg kick. His rear leg kick works wonders to punish the legs of an opponent and should do well here as Larkin is a fighter who tends to constantly be on his bicycle. To slow down Larkin’s movement this should be Lima’s main weapon. Once he slows down Larkin with kicks he should look to fire his left hook which could ruin Larkin’s debut in spectacular fashion. But the jab to the leg kick should be key.

In his first fight since leaving the UFC, Lorenz Larkin finds himself in an immediate title fight. It could be alarming to some, but when you consider the fact that Larkin was on a hot streak in the UFC, coupled with the fact that he’s an exciting striker, it’s easy to see why the Bellator execs pushed for this fight. Larkin fights in an extremely interesting and unexpected manner. You wouldn’t call his striking Muay Thai nor could you call it karate or kickboxing. He strikes with a flair all his own.

While already mapping out that Lima should use his jab and leg kick to win the day, Lorenz Larkin should be taking a somewhat similar approach. The only difference is that he has more tools to work with. He should utilize his low calf kick to the legs to set up his left hook right straight combination. But before unloading, he should use his well polish oblique kick and mix it in with his leg kick. The chamber he uses for both kicks are fairly similar and if utilized correctly will keep Lima guessing on what shot is coming next.

This will undoubtedly be one of the more exciting match ups of the night and will be an absolute strikers delight.

Who do you think walks away the Bellator welterweight champion?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

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Floyd Mayweather Calls Conor McGregor ‘Hell of a Competitor’

For the first time since Floyd Mayweather Jr. confirmed the Aug. 26 superfight versus Conor McGregor, Money commented on the highly anticipated bout.
As seen in the following video courtesy of Black Sports Online, on the red carpet at W…

For the first time since Floyd Mayweather Jr. confirmed the Aug. 26 superfight versus Conor McGregor, Money commented on the highly anticipated bout.

As seen in the following video courtesy of Black Sports Online, on the red carpet at Wednesday’s All Eyez on Me premiere, Mayweather expressed excitement for the upcoming fight:

“People all around the world demanded this fight, so I had to give the people what they wanted to see,” Mayweather said. “They asked for this fight. I was retired, but they wanted me back, and I’m back.”

Per ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael, UFC President Dana White told SportsCenter the fight will take place in Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena and air on Showtime pay-per-view.

When asked about the negotiations, Mayweather would only say that both sides were pleased with the way things went down: “Both parties are very happy. He’s very happy, I’m very happy, and I can’t wait.”

Mayweather opted not to talk any trash to McGregor despite the fact that he largely built his career with verbal sparring, and he closed by calling McGregor a “hell of a competitor.”

It didn’t take McGregor long to prod Mayweather, though, as he tweeted a photo of himself and Floyd Mayweather Sr. after the fight was announced:

The 40-year-old Mayweather has been retired since beating Andre Berto in September 2015 and improving his career record to 49-0.

Despite that, he still has a significant upper hand since McGregor has never had a professional boxing match.

According to OddsShark, Mayweather is a -600 (17-100) favorite, while McGregor is a +400 (4-1) underdog.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Twitter Reacts to Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor Fight Announcement

After months of anticipation, a fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor is finally happening.
The bout will take place Aug. 26 in Las Vegas, according to Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports.
Mayweather confirmed the news…

After months of anticipation, a fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor is finally happening.

The bout will take place Aug. 26 in Las Vegas, according to Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports.

Mayweather confirmed the news on Instagram on Wednesday:

McGregor announced the fight on his Instagram account as well, although he added a jab with a picture of Floyd Mayweather Sr. instead:

While details about the pay-per-view are still to come, Darren Rovell of ESPN noted how much fans would be willing to pay for such a match:

Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting noted the importance of the date itself:

Predictions for the fight have started pouring in, with the debate likely to only grow as we get closer to the actual date:

Justin Hartling of OddsShark broke it down from a betting perspective:

Even those not expecting a good battle will probably tune in:

Of course, many were excited about the lead-up to the fight alone:

While Nate Diaz poked fun at his familiar nemesis in McGregor:

McGregor has only competed in UFC professionally, and while a lot of his talent comes from his punching ability, the transition to boxing will be a tough one. Taking on one of the best ever to compete in the sport only makes it more difficult, as Mayweather comes in with a 49-0 career record.

In any case, it’s been an impressive journey for the Irish star, as noted by Michael Stets of MMA on SiriusXM:

The fight will be difficult to predict, but at the least, it should be entertaining.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Bellator 179: Paul Daley Looks To Validate Himself With A Win Over Rory MacDonald

Let’s be honest with ourselves here. When the this bout was first announced the initial reaction was that of pure excitement. While the modern day UFC execs want you to believe that there isn’t a possibility of exciting fights outside of the promotion. Paul Daley versus Rory MacDonald is example of just how crazy that thought process truly is. Each of these men bring something to the table to make this an immensely intriguing bout.

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The style clash in this match is pretty intriguing. Where Rory MacDonald may have a more well rounded game, Paul Daley is the slugger that can put anyone out with a couple of well placed shots. Daley has always done well playing the aggressive counter striker, specifically when you consider the fact that he has dynamite in his fist. His kicks and knees are also incredibly destructive as many a victim as discovered. His most recent victim Brennan Ward had to learn the hard way that you either create distance and separate from Daley or face the crushing consequences.

Daley has the tools to win this fight, but it’s a matter of staying disciplined throughout. He can’t stay on the center line and expect to do work against MacDonald. Instead, he’s going to have to offer a moving target for the former UFC title challenger as to avoid being taken to the ground. His left hook to the head followed up with another to the body will help to keep MacDonald’s hands at home. A well placed cross or over hand right will also deter the Canadian from throwing out his jab recklessly. Leg kicks should also help, but he’ll need to set things up with either a jab or left hook as standing right in front of MacDonald is simply a recipe for disaster.

On the other hand you have Rory MacDonald who is much more of an all around technician. Rather than come into fights with go to weapons that makes him feared by the opposition, what really makes him such a danger fighter is his ability to game plan, search for weaknesses in his opponent’s game and attack it with calculated precision. MacDonald is the type of fighter that will find out exactly what you want to do, file it away for further study, then exploit that weakness as the bout carries on. Coming from TriStar you can expect nothing less. They tailor their game to their opponents. But you can always expect to see one element that remains constant. The jab.

Rory MacDonald is proficient at throwing the jab and should really am to use it against a striker the caliber of Daley. But rather than just use the jab as a range finder or set up, MacDonald needs to vary the way he utilizes the strike. Daley will likely look to counter off of the jab so full commitment in the first round should be saved for when MacDonald becomes used to the distance. He should use the jab as a range finder first, then as a set up, then as an actual snappy hurting punch. Rory should also utilize his kicking game as much as possible. MacDonald is more than likely going to be the man to initiate the wrestling game so he should be aiming to use kicks as much as possible, particularly the front snap kick that will both wind Daley and keep the slugger at bay.

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This will be one of the highest profile Bellator fights ever, particularly when you consider how highly touted Rory MacDonald is. This is a shining opportunity for Paul Daley to play spoiler and build his and Bellator’s brand. That alone makes this fight one to watch.

Who do you got?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

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UFC 211: Demian Maia Is Going To Manhandle Jorge Masvidal…Or Receive A Massive Beatdown

Another major bout on the main card, besides the monumental title fights that top the card of course, Demian Maia versus Jorge Masvidal is an absolute monster of a fight. It’s crazy to think that Demian Maia isn’t fighting for the title next, but with the Tyron Woodley-Stephen Thompson draw and subsequent rematch, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizard probably thought it was best that he kept his blade sharpened. Too bad he has to contend with Jorge Masvidal who is a live dog in this fight. So how exactly do these two match up?

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Demian Maia is a man who has gone through a number of interesting transitions as a mixed martial artist. When he first came onto the scene, Maia was clearly just a jiu-jitsu player whose sole mode of combat was taking his opponents done and strangling them. Then we saw the version of Maia who fell in love with striking a bit too much and became a somewhat ineffective fighter. Now what we’ve seen is a man returning to his roots and understanding the means in which to implement that game while staying competent on the feet. But as far as his wrestling is concerned, he attacks the front leg well with single leg takedowns, but he’d do well to vary his attack.

In this bout, Maia is likely to implement a similar game plan to all of his most recent fight. Maia will look to push forward and be the bull against the former lightweight and likely this is the best approach. What he’ll want to do however is mix in his striking. Since he wants the fight on the ground, attacking with kicks should be apart of the game plan, albeit not heavily. If he can use a lead low round kick to the legs, it will go a long way to soften up Masvidal up. Maia should be watching for counters and should even invite them. Pressuring Masvidal will force him to counter back, especially considering that he’s a counter striker. Once Masvidal looks to counter back, the takedown should follow for Maia immediately afterward. Even a failed attempt will do great deal to put doubt in Masvidal’s head and that’s exactly what Demian Maia needs in this fight. Once Masvidal is down, bypassing the hips is priority number one. From there, Maia’s options are infinite.

Jorge Masvidal on the other hand is a man who is a born and bred striker who has rounded out his game over the years. While ‘Gamebred’ may have started out as a striker, he has combined a slick wrestling game and strong submission defense to his arsenal. Now what we see from Masvidal is not only a man willing to throw hands, but a fighter who can reverse takedowns and go for his own. But make no mistake, head and shoulder control as well as his boxing and movement are the keys to victory in this fight.

What Masvidal is going to want to do primarily in this fight is keep his feet moving. What Demian Maia usually does well is pressure his opponents and keep them guessing just when he’ll shoot in for the takedown. Masvidal being on his bicycle is paramount in this fight, but he can’t afford to be too passive either. A stiff jab coupled with movement will win the day for him. When Maia overextends and looks for a takedown off of the jab, Masvidal should move his feet, whether that means a hard pivot or shifting backwards, then look to land a cross. Front kicks should be a primary weapon as far as leg techniques go, but going to the well too many time could lead to an easy takedown. Jorge Masvidal is truly a great boxer with a strong gauge of distance, but he can’t afford to start slow in this fight. In the event that he ties up with Maia, Masvidal needs to be savvy with the jiu-jitsu masters movement in the clinch and willingness to give up position to go for a sweep and look for top control. Landing that right cross will be absolutely necessary for Masvidal as well as moving directly after a shot is landed. Most of all, Masvidal must make Maia pay for every failed takedown attempt to deter Maia from reshooting.

It’s a throwback fight if I’ve ever seen one and a damned good one at that. Who wins the chance to face the beast Tyron Woodley?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

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UFC 210: Which Veteran Will Get The Pink Slip, Thiago Alves or Patrick Cote?

So UFC 210 is just days away and despite a card filled with many unfamiliar faces, there are two veterans of the game smack in the middle of the main card as former middleweight title challenger Patrick Cote faces off against former welterweight title challenger Thiago Alves. Both men have seen brighter days during their mixed martial arts careers and despite some tough losses in their recent outings, are still two dangerous welterweights.

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Patrick Cote has had a reputation for two things: being extremely durable and hitting like a mack truck. Both qualities can be supremely beneficial for a fighter, but when mixed together in one package can spell doom. Why do I say that? Well, if you consider the fact that you know you have a durable chin and bricks for hands, the likelihood that you’re willing to wade through the fire to land one good shot rises exponentially. It’s not a proven science, but all you need to do is to watch the fall of Chuck Liddell and understand how dangerous the combination can be. That said, Patrick Cote has chosen to round out his game as he’s gotten older. Rather than relying on power punches to win fights, Cote now utilizes his jab more often as a range finder as well as with some pop. He also uses his wrestling pretty effectively and will do well to use that tool in this fight. Sure, he could possibly win in a striking battle against Alves if he’s on his game, but why risk that when you can at least make the Brazilian striker hesitant on the feet. If a clean takedown isn’t available then Cote is better off pushing the smaller Alves against the fence and smothering his offense.

On the flip side, Thiago Alves may not be starching opponents as he once did, but he’s managed to keep the dream alive with some competitive performances against Jim Miller and Carlos Condit. Alves isn’t using his kicking game as much as he used to, but when he does, his opponents would do well to get out of dodge at all costs (just ask Jordan Mein). Alves’ game is no longer as aggressive as it once was, choosing rather to wait on counter opportunities more often. The days of flying knees and blindingly fast low kicks seem to be in the past. That said, Alves should be using his longest weapons in this fight. He’s the smaller man in this fight in general size and height. To get inside and rattle off striking combinations he’ll want to blast low kicks into his opponent’s thighs to land damage, take away power from Cote’s punches, and get the bigger man slowing down where Alves can use his superior speed to his advantage. His takedown defense has always been sharp, but if he isn’t mindful he could fall prey to Cote who could use a takedown attempt to push Alves against the cage.

This fight should be a pretty exciting one. I wonder if this is a win or go home kind of match, which is unfortunate as both fighters are still pretty highly skilled.

Who do you think wins at UFC 210?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

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