On Saturday afternoon at WSOF 11, undefeated Justin Gaethje looked to defend his lightweight title against the also undefeated Nick Newell.
The fight started off very competitive, with Newell throwing, and landing, combinations and even threatening wit…
On Saturday afternoon at WSOF 11, undefeated Justin Gaethje looked to defend his lightweight title against the also undefeated Nick Newell.
The fight started off very competitive, with Newell throwing, and landing, combinations and even threatening with a submission at one point. As the round wore on, Gaethje began to land major power shots that slowed Newell down.
By the end of the first round, Newell was clearly exhausted, and the next round consisted of Gaethje stalking Newell around the cage, finally scoring the knockout victory at 3:09 of the second round.
What We’ll Remember About This Fight
The power shots landed by Gaethje, and eventually the knockout, were the most memorable part of the bout. Gaethje was scoring some major shots to the head and body, which slowed Newell down. Most of the second round consisted of Gaethje loading up to throw one big strike at a time. He finally landed a huge right hook and ended Newell’s night.
What We Learned About Newell
His striking was good, just not good enough. He was able to hang with Gaethje in the early going, even possibly rocking him at one point, but Gaethje was able to recover and hurt Newell badly with strikes.
His cardio also gave out pretty quickly. Maybe it was the body shots from Gaethje, or an adrenaline dump, but either way, Newell was exhausted by the end of the first round.
What We Learned About Gaethje
Gaethje is a serious striker in the lightweight division. With the win, his record moves to 12-0, including 10 wins by (T)KO, and seven in a row. At only 25 years old, Gaethje could be a force in the lightweight division moving forward.
What’s Next for Newell
Newell has a number of options for his next fight. Dan Lauzon is 1-1 in the WSOF, having also lost to Gaethje by second-round TKO in his last fight.
If a fight with Lauzon doesn’t happen, there are any number of UFC and Strikeforce veterans for Newell to face, including Jacob Volkmann, Gesias Cavalcante, Tyson Griffin or Antonio McKee.
What’s Next for Gaethje
A fight with Melvin Guillard, who also scored a second-round TKO at WSOF 11, is a possibility. Guillard faced Cavalcante, and it was Guillard’s first fight with the WSOF.
If not Guillard, then Gaethje may face Luiz Firmino. Firmino is 2-0 in the WSOF and has scored decision victories over UFC veterans Volkmann and Griffin.
World Series of Fighting produced its 11th event on Saturday afternoon, and it aired live and free on network television.
The four-fight main card was on NBC for the first time, and the action was headlined by a lightweight title bout between Just…
World Series of Fighting produced its 11th event on Saturday afternoon, and it aired live and free on network television.
The four-fight main card was on NBC for the first time, and the action was headlined by a lightweight title bout between Justin Gaethje and Nick Newell.
It was a successful card for the promotion and a quality primer for the upcoming night of MMA action for fans. It was a fun appetizer before UFC 175 kicked off. Let’s have a quick recap of the event from Daytona.
Melvin Guillard vs. GesiasCavalcante
Guillard and Cavalcante used to be training partners, and both dynamic lightweights love to scrap. It was almost assured to be a fun bout, and it delivered.
Guillard was active early, and Cavalcante tried to respond. Both men landed several big strikes in the first round, but it was Guillard who had the edge. He continued that in the second frame before staggering JZ on the feet.
Guillard was measuring Cavalcante with punches and elbows when the referee stepped in. Cavalcante was still on his feet when the stoppage occurred. While Guillard was in control, it would have been nice to see the referee give Cavalcante more of a chance.
Regardless, Guillard picks up the victory and could be placed in a WSOF title tilt sooner rather than later.
Cody Bollinger vs. Pablo Alfonso
Bollinger missed weight, but he looked fantastic in the catchweight bout.
Bollinger out-grappled Alfonso. There were several nice transitions on the mat, but Bollinger was the one who got into better position time and again. He went for a guillotine, but he didn’t have it. Shortly after that submission attempt, he got Alfonso’s back to choke him out with the rear-naked choke.
He will be moving up to 145 pounds for his next bout, and if he continues to perform like this, he should be able to compete against the featherweights under the WSOF banner.
Fitch took Hallman down and controlled him. The former UFC title contender would stay active on the mat with strikes but not do too much damage. Hallman tried his same old techniques, and they were never close to catching Fitch.
It was a runaway. Fitch continues to grind out fights wherever he is fighting. There was nothing surprising about the bout.
Justin Gaethje vs. Nick Newell
The main event was for the WSOF lightweight championship. The champion, Gaethje, was a strong favorite heading into the bout against one of the feel-good stories in MMA, Newell.
The feel-good story would stop at WSOF 11.
Gaethje had no problems handling Newell and finished by TKO in the second round.
Newell was game early on, but it was quickly evident that he was out of his depth against Gaethje. The champion was able to do what he wanted on the feet. He had the space to work. When Newell was on his back, Gaethje was on top delivering big ground-and-pound.
Newell was a bloody mess by the end of the fight, and it proved he is not a top-tier fighter. He is a good story and a tough guy, but he cannot compete against the lethal lightweights of the world. He will get brutalized each and every time.
Gaethje‘s performance showed that he may be one of the best lightweights who is not in the UFC. It will be interesting to see where he goes next.
That was what happened at WSOF 11, but the bigger story may be yet to come. How did the general public catching this on NBC view the main event with Newell? It may not have been the best look for WSOF or the sport at large.
WSOF will return to Las Vegas for their next fight card on Aug. 2.
Strip away the inspirational narratives and the championship storylines and take a look at World Series of Fighting (WSOF) 11 headliners Justin Gaethje and Nick Newell.
They’re not so different.
Each man boasts an impressive 11-0 record, an…
Strip away the inspirational narratives and the championship storylines and take a look at World Series of Fighting (WSOF) 11 headliners Justin Gaethje and Nick Newell.
They’re not so different.
Each man boasts an impressive 11-0 record, and each has gone to a decision just once in his career.
The WSOF lightweight champion, Gaethje, is three years younger (25) than Newell. Each man comes from a successful amateur wrestling background, and each has mastered the art of the first-round finish.
So when they step into the cage Saturday afternoon in the WSOF 11 main event in Daytona Beach, Florida, fans can expect to see two of the sport’s finest 155-pound fighters standing toe-to-toe in search of the finish.
Just one day after the Fourth of July, there will be plenty of fireworks left over for our enjoyment with this matchup on deck.
“Me and Nick are going to put on a show for you guys,” Gaethje told Bleacher Report. “Whether it ends in the first round, 10 seconds, 24 minutes—it doesn’t matter. We’re going to be trying to finish each other.”
We’ve heard that before though, right? We’re too wise to fall for these hollow statements.
We heard about the grudge between Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, and we know all about the serious beef between Jake Ellenberger and Rory MacDonald. Those fights were absolute duds, and we’ve received similar promises with no payoff throughout MMA‘s history.
But something separates Gaethje and Newell. When you hear each man talk about losing rather than winning, you hear just how unafraid he is to step up and look for the finishing blow or submission.
“Fighting is not scary to me,” Newell told Bleacher Report. “There’s much worse things in this world than getting knocked out in a fight. It’s happened to people before, and they’ve been fine.”
Gaethje echoed his opponent’s sentiments.
“I like to take chances,” Gaethje said. “I know that the only way I’m going to advance in this sport is to be exciting and to finish fights, and I’m fine with that.”
While the calm exhibited by these two fighters before their Saturday night battle is impressive, there was a time when each combatant was unsure of himself. The two WSOF lightweights come from stellar wrestling backgrounds, sure, but there’s something different about getting punched, kicked, kneed and elbowed in the face.
“I had no idea if I could fight when I first started. My first four amateur fights, I had never even been punched in the face or trained of any kind,” Gaethje said. “I’ve never been in a street fight before, like one-on-one. In college, there were a couple brawls where I had to help some friends out, and then, yeah, I punched like two guys in college, and I knew I had knockout power because of that. Other than that, I had no idea.”
Inexperience? No matter for Mr. Gaethje.
The former Northern Colorado University wrestling standout went 7-0 in his amateur career, earning four knockouts along the way.
Newell, on the other hand, was not so fortunate in his amateur debut. He went 2-1 as an amateur fighter, but that lone loss occurred in his first bout, and Newell remembers the circumstances well. He jumped up from lightweight to welterweight after his initial opponent fell off the card and another slot needed filled at 170.
Making no excuses, Newell ate the loss and vowed to never let it happen again.
“Here’s the thing: That was my first fight…ever. I don’t come from a rough neighborhood. I was never a kid that got into a lot of fights. I was just somebody who was always intrigued by action movies and martial arts and pro wrestling,” Newell said. “I did put a lot of pressure on myself in that one, and I didn’t win, and I learned from it, and it actually helped me relax every fight after that. I was very calm, because the worst thing that could happen happened. I lost. All my friends still liked me, you know?”
As much as we can focus on the mirror images of Gaethje and Newell, marveling at their eerily similar career trajectories, the differences persist.
Gaethje, a Division I All-American wrestler training at one of the nation’s top camps at Grudge Training Center in Denver, is supposed to be here.
He’s a stud, an athletic specimen equal parts natural gifts and hard work.
Newell, due to a condition known as congenital amputation, was counted out from day one, but he defied the odds.
He racked up over 300 wins throughout his high school and college wrestling careers, but the kid with only one hand couldn’t become a legitimate mixed martial artist, could he? He’ll get demolished!
Only he didn’t.
To this point in his career, Newell has done the demolishing, and he attributes his success to a tried-and-true method of self-improvement.
“I appreciate the value of hard work,” Newell said. “Having one hand has never been a big deal to me. I know that sounds crazy to some people. I think people make a bigger deal out of it than I ever had. I learned that’s the way things are, and I’ve accepted it a long time ago. Nothing I do astonishes me.”
After traversing a road that’s seen him overcome obstacle after obstacle, Newell has arrived on the big stage on network television to fight for a world title under the WSOF banner.
And when the cage door closes, he knows just what will make the difference in the fight.
“I wouldn’t put him (Gaethje) down in a textbook on how to strike, you know, but he gets away with it because of his physical gifts and his relentlessness,” Newell said. “I feel like technique is going to be the difference-maker in this fight, and I’m going to be the more technical fighter.”
To his credit, Gaethje is well aware of his opponent’s strengths and skills, and he’s prepared to slog through the deep waters to secure his first title defense.
“I feel that you guys are going to see that I’m going to be able to go for 25 minutes of straight time trying to knock him out,” Gaethje said. “The quicker I can get it over with, the quicker my family doesn’t have to worry and I can get out of there. I love it, man. I’m going to keep trying to finish at all costs.”
On a weekend defined by back-to-back UFC fight nights, World Series of Fighting 11 quietly makes the bold leap to network TV, debuting this Saturday on NBC.
Headlined by the sure-to-be-exciting lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Nick Ne…
On a weekend defined by back-to-back UFC fight nights, World Series of Fighting 11 quietly makes the bold leap to network TV, debuting this Saturday on NBC.
Headlined by the sure-to-be-exciting lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Nick Newell, the promotion is putting its best foot forward for its biggest card to date. The main event isn’t the only fight to look forward to, though, as it is backed up by not one, not two, but three likely top-contender bouts.
Pablo Alfonso and Cody Bollinger kick off the card to determine the next opponent for WSOF’s top male talent, Marlon Moraes. UFC fan favorite Melvin Guillard faces off with Strikeforce veteran Gesias Cavalcante with a shot at the main event’s winner on the line. Finally, in the co-main event, Jon Fitch takes on Dennis Hallman, with welterweight champ Rousimar Palhares waiting in the wings.
The fights go down Saturday at 4 p.m. ET on NBC, but in the meantime, keep on reading Bleacher Report’s guide to the WSOF 11 main card!
Nick Newell is a story within mixed martial arts that is being missed by the mainstream sports world. This Saturday at World Series of Fighting 11 two undefeated lightweights will enter the cage to compete for the WSOF lightweight title. Justin Gaethje…
Nick Newell is a story within mixed martial arts that is being missed by the mainstream sports world. This Saturday at World Series of Fighting 11 two undefeated lightweights will enter the cage to compete for the WSOF lightweight title. Justin Gaethje will defend his title against Newell but that isn’t what makes this story stand out among others in the sport. Newell is a congenital amputee that hasn’t allowed his condition to stop his meteoric rise to this point.
Newell was born with a left arm that stopped just past his elbow. In a sport that demands the ability to punch, grab and wrestle, Newell has proven naysayers wrong since he first stepped into the cage to compete. Five years after his professional debut, the man known as “Notorious” has done nothing but win. His abilities allow him to stay undefeated but can’t take the attention away from his condition that most would deem a disadvantage. Newell has come to terms with his condition as an athlete but doesn’t let it hold him back from performing at a high level.
“I have never been like ‘check me out,’ I have one arm and I’m out here fighting, is that unique?” Newell told MMA Mania’s C.J. Tuttle in 2013. “All I have ever done is put on exciting fights and win. If it helps market me and helps me stand out and make a living, that’s cool. Whatever gets you to watch.”
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like Newell‘s story has captured the attention of the mainstream sports industry. A few days out from the event, major sports mediums such as ESPN haven’t touched the story. The main MMA page on ESPN still lists headlines that are weeks old rather than any mention of the event planned for Saturday.
There are a number of reasons that may have attributed to this situation. Newell fights in the World Series of Fighting promotion which many consider the second or third dog in the MMA promotion game. Even though the WSOF has steadily grown since their first show back in 2012, they haven’t garnered much attention outside the vessels that normally cover mixed martial arts.
Another factor that may pull attention away from Newell‘s story is the continued increase of MMA news and action available to the industry. The Ultimate Fighting Championship just featured two shows in one day this past Saturday. This weekend features not only WSOF 11 on Saturday, but UFC 175 later that evening and UFC The Ultimate Fighter 19 Finale on Sunday. Now, with the newest developments of the ChaelSonnen story,Dana White and co will be the talk of the town; taking attention away from Newell and the WSOF.
Still, Newell and Gaethje both deserve to be covered for what they will do on Saturday. The fact that a major promotion is hosting a card that will be headlined by a fighter with such a disability is a story that makes sports so enjoyable. Athletes such as Jim Abbott and Anthony Robles have inspired multitudes of people by overcoming similar challenges. Newell could be a similar story that benefits not only his career, but the promotion of the WSOF as a whole. While there is the question as to whether or not his disadvantage will “catch up with him,” Newell deserves the opportunity that he has coming on Saturday. The rest of the sports world should be aware to cheer him on.
Nick Newell will bring an 11-0 record with him into his main event confrontation on Saturday. With that he’ll bring a story that’s worth telling to the whole sports world. Sadly, the mainstream sports community is missing out on the opportunity to show yet another example of what makes the industry so enjoyable.
Jessica Aguilar competed for the second time in 2014 earlier in June, and she showcased why she is the No. 1-ranked strawweight fighter in the world.
Not only is she the best 115-pound female on the planet, she may be the best fighter—regardless …
Not only is she the best 115-pound female on the planet, she may be the best fighter—regardless of weight or gender—on the World Series of Fighting roster.
The WSOF roster is not a treasure trove of talent, but that is to be expected. The UFC is the premier mixed martial arts organization on earth, and they hold the vast majority of talent. WSOF does not hold too many elite fighters outside of Aguilar.
That is not to discredit everyone on the roster.
WSOF houses some quality fighters such as Jon Fitch, Josh Burkman, Yushin Okami and JZ Cavalcante. It also plays home to several up-and-coming fighters like Marlon Moraes, Justin Gaethje, Nick Newell and Tyrone Spong.
What they lack are fighters who could conceivably compete at the highest levels of their respective divisions right away. That is not the case with Aguilar who has already proved her ability to defeat the elite.
Aguilar has won nine straight fights including two over former No. 1 Megumi Fujii and one over the Invicta FC strawweight champion Carla Esparza (a cast member of the upcoming 20th season of The Ultimate Fighter).
WSOF created a women’s strawweight title after signing Aguilar, and she easily defeated Alida Gray to capture the gold. She defended it against Emi Fujino on June 21.
Aguilar is a strong grappler with good submission skills. She is able to submit her opposition (eight career submissions), and is good at defending against top-level submission artists. Recently, Aguilar has shown a propensity for striking.
In her most recent bout, against Fujino, she defeated a striker at striking. It shows that Aguilar is constantly improving in spite of being at the top of the mountain.
It is unclear how WSOF will continue to find legitimate competition for Aguilar, but she will need to continue to hone her skills against quality fighters in order to remain at the top of the heap. The UFC’s newly minted strawweight division will do just that right out of the gate on The Ultimate Fighter.
As women’s MMA continues to garner more interest, it would be a shame if Aguilar went under the radar. Her accomplishments and skills should come to light as more casual fans take note, and the WSOF’s television partnership with NBC will also assist in highlighting her profile.
Aguilar is an elite fighter and brings it in the cage. She deserves greater notoriety. Whenever she steps back into the cage to compete, everyone should take notice at the current best in the deepest division of women’s MMA.
On Saturday afternoon at WSOF 11, undefeated Justin Gaethje looked to defend his lightweight title against the also undefeated Nick Newell.