Tag: Yves Edwards

TUF 14 Finale Live Blog: Yves Edwards vs. Tony Ferguson Updates

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Yves Edwards throws a head kick at TUF 14 Finale.LAS VEGAS — This is the TUF 14 live blog for Yves Edwards vs. Tony Ferguson, a lightweight bout on tonight’s UFC on Spike TV event at the Pearl at the Palms.

Edwards (41-17-1) won in October with a head kick followed by punches against Rafaello Oliveira. Ferguson (12-2) won the season 13 title in June and went on to beat Aaron Riley at UFC 135.

The live blog is below.


Round 1: Ferguson pumps out the jab as each man tries to gauge the distance. Edwards bounces around on the outside, but makes absolutely no effort to check Ferguson’s leg kicks. Ferguson sees this, and tosses out a couple more in rapid succession. Nice head kick by Edwards fools Ferguson and lands flush, but he takes it well. Edwards digs to the body and then chops at the leg. Ferguson goes to work with a nasty uppercut that just misses its mark. More stinging leg kicks by Ferguson. There’s that uppercut again, and this time it may have clipped Edwards. Ferguson flips out a straight right and Edwards is on wobbly legs. Ferguson goes on the attack and Edwards is barely staying upright. He recovers another to smack Ferguson with another head kick that stops the assault. Edwards goes for a takedown and Ferguson rolls into a nifty oma plata before the round ends. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Ferguson.

Round 2: Round 2: Edwards punches his way in and takes a right hand behind the ear. Moments later Edwards catches Ferguson coming in and cracks him with a brutal right, followed by a head kick. Somehow Ferguson maintains his poker face, but Edwards looks positively menacing as he presses the attack. Ferguson weathers it well and blows a mix of blood and snot out his nose once the onslaught subsides. That might not have been a great idea if his nose is broken, which it may well be. Ferguson lands that right uppercut again and Edwards may have gone cross-eyed for just a moment. A looping left hand from Edwards smacks of Ferguson’s jaw. Seconds later, there’s that head kick again. Ferguson’s corner screams for him to get his hands up. He’s getting caught with that entirely too much. Edwards tries for a takedown in the final 30 seconds, but Ferguson defends and then gets one of his own before the horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Edwards.

Round 3: Round 3: Brutal, close fight so far, and neither man looks too tired as they start the final round. Ferguson does a nice job of staying in the pocket and landing some sharp counterpunches, but Edwards comes back with that head kick yet again. They trade kicks, and Edwards seems a tad reluctant to trade in close. “Get ready to drop that hammer,” says Ferguson’s corner. Another Edwards head kick sends sweat flying off Ferguson’s head. He tries to respond, but it’s blocked. Edwards is touching Ferguson to the body, but getting out of there in a hurry. Stiff right pops Edwards’ head back. Both men feeling a sense of urgency in the final minute, and Edwards gets the blood flowing from Ferguson’s nose again with a looping right. Good left hand from Edwards before the horn, and they two men exchange smiles, confident in the performance they put on. As for how this decision will go, neither can feel terribly confident right now. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Edwards, but the consensus opinion on press row is that the last round is almost a toss-up.

Tony Ferguson def. Yves Edwards via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Edwards looks stunned, and there’s a lot of eye-rolling on press row at the two 30-27s.

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Yves Edwards throws a head kick at TUF 14 Finale.LAS VEGAS — This is the TUF 14 live blog for Yves Edwards vs. Tony Ferguson, a lightweight bout on tonight’s UFC on Spike TV event at the Pearl at the Palms.

Edwards (41-17-1) won in October with a head kick followed by punches against Rafaello Oliveira. Ferguson (12-2) won the season 13 title in June and went on to beat Aaron Riley at UFC 135.

The live blog is below.


Round 1: Ferguson pumps out the jab as each man tries to gauge the distance. Edwards bounces around on the outside, but makes absolutely no effort to check Ferguson’s leg kicks. Ferguson sees this, and tosses out a couple more in rapid succession. Nice head kick by Edwards fools Ferguson and lands flush, but he takes it well. Edwards digs to the body and then chops at the leg. Ferguson goes to work with a nasty uppercut that just misses its mark. More stinging leg kicks by Ferguson. There’s that uppercut again, and this time it may have clipped Edwards. Ferguson flips out a straight right and Edwards is on wobbly legs. Ferguson goes on the attack and Edwards is barely staying upright. He recovers another to smack Ferguson with another head kick that stops the assault. Edwards goes for a takedown and Ferguson rolls into a nifty oma plata before the round ends. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Ferguson.

Round 2: Round 2: Edwards punches his way in and takes a right hand behind the ear. Moments later Edwards catches Ferguson coming in and cracks him with a brutal right, followed by a head kick. Somehow Ferguson maintains his poker face, but Edwards looks positively menacing as he presses the attack. Ferguson weathers it well and blows a mix of blood and snot out his nose once the onslaught subsides. That might not have been a great idea if his nose is broken, which it may well be. Ferguson lands that right uppercut again and Edwards may have gone cross-eyed for just a moment. A looping left hand from Edwards smacks of Ferguson’s jaw. Seconds later, there’s that head kick again. Ferguson’s corner screams for him to get his hands up. He’s getting caught with that entirely too much. Edwards tries for a takedown in the final 30 seconds, but Ferguson defends and then gets one of his own before the horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Edwards.

Round 3: Round 3: Brutal, close fight so far, and neither man looks too tired as they start the final round. Ferguson does a nice job of staying in the pocket and landing some sharp counterpunches, but Edwards comes back with that head kick yet again. They trade kicks, and Edwards seems a tad reluctant to trade in close. “Get ready to drop that hammer,” says Ferguson’s corner. Another Edwards head kick sends sweat flying off Ferguson’s head. He tries to respond, but it’s blocked. Edwards is touching Ferguson to the body, but getting out of there in a hurry. Stiff right pops Edwards’ head back. Both men feeling a sense of urgency in the final minute, and Edwards gets the blood flowing from Ferguson’s nose again with a looping right. Good left hand from Edwards before the horn, and they two men exchange smiles, confident in the performance they put on. As for how this decision will go, neither can feel terribly confident right now. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Edwards, but the consensus opinion on press row is that the last round is almost a toss-up.

Tony Ferguson def. Yves Edwards via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Edwards looks stunned, and there’s a lot of eye-rolling on press row at the two 30-27s.

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Gambling Addiction Enabler: TUF 14 Finale Edition

The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale is just two days away, and though the bookies haven’t given us much to work with, we decided to throw y’all some last minute betting advice come fight night in case you plan on bluffing the piss out of Johnny Chan in the Palms Casino afterward. Check out the betting lines, courtesy of BestFightOdds, along with the almighty wisdom of the Great Potato, below.

Main Card (Spike TV)
Michael Bisping (-185) vs. Jason Miller (+160)
T.J. Dillashaw (-205) vs. John Dodson (+165)
Diego Brandao (-320) vs. Dennis Bermudez (+250)
Tony Ferguson (-255) vs. Yves Edwards (+205)

The Main Event: Let’s get right to it. Bisping has a lot of advantages going into this fight: he’s never been submitted, which is Miller’s bread and butter, he’s fought more in the past year, and he has considerably less pressure on him than Mayhem, who is out to prove to casual and hardcore fans alike that he is more than just a goofball TV personality. And we all know that Bisping will do anything, and I mean anything, to destroy those who slander him publicly, so Miller will most definitely be facing at a steep hill to climb for his first appearance in the octagon since 2005. But there are a couple crucial outside factors here. As Miller has stated, he is one hard headed son of a bitch, and despite what Bisping’s record says, have we ever seen him truly overwhelm an opponent as tough as Mayhem on the feet? You could argue Denis Kang, but I would respond to that argument with a pat on your head and a condescending chuckle.

The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale is just two days away, and though the bookies haven’t given us much to work with, we decided to throw y’all some last minute betting advice come fight night in case you plan on bluffing the piss out of Johnny Chan in the Palms Casino afterward. Check out the betting lines, courtesy of BestFightOdds, along with the almighty wisdom of the Great Potato, below.

Main Card (Spike TV)
Michael Bisping (-185) vs. Jason Miller (+160)
T.J. Dillashaw (-205) vs. John Dodson (+165)
Diego Brandao (-320) vs. Dennis Bermudez (+250)
Tony Ferguson (-255) vs. Yves Edwards (+205)

The Main Event: Let’s get right to it. Bisping has a lot of advantages going into this fight: he’s never been submitted, which is Miller’s bread and butter, he’s fought more in the past year, and he has considerably less pressure on him than Mayhem, who is out to prove to casual and hardcore fans alike that he is more than just a goofball TV personality. And we all know that Bisping will do anything, and I mean anything, to destroy those who slander him publicly, so Miller will most definitely be facing at a steep hill to climb for his first appearance in the octagon since 2005. But there are a couple crucial outside factors here. As Miller has stated, he is one hard headed son of a bitch, and despite what Bisping’s record says, have we ever seen him truly overwhelm an opponent as tough as Mayhem on the feet? You could argue Denis Kang, but I would respond to that argument with a pat on your head and a condescending chuckle.

Now let’s talk about grappling, shall we? Miller showed that he could roll with the best in his five rounder against Jake Shields, at one point even managing to catch the Cesar Gracie black belt in a rear naked choke late in the second round. Granted he would go on to lose that fight, but it’s not crazy to think that if Miller can take this fight to the ground, then he could hold a distinct advantage. But Miller has said that he plans to keep it standing, so it really comes down to whether you think Bisping can finish Miller on the feet (or at least jab and jog a decision over him) and whether or not Mayhem will allow that to happen.

The TUF Finals: Since we’ve recently been made aware of the fact that Dodson has the ability to KO you back to your hometown, he’s looking pretty good as a modest underdog. He’s easily the quicker of the two, and probably more athletic. But if Dillashaw can do anything, it’s take you to the mat and unleash a clinic of ground-and-pound. And though Dodson has been able to spring to his feet quickly after being taken down in his time on the show, he has still shown the ability to be taken down, and to far inferior grapplers than Dillashaw, nonetheless. The wrestling game is going to determine the winner of this one, and I think Dillashaw will come out on top.

I’m not totally counting out Dennis Bermudez, but I’m pretty damn close to. Diego Brandao is a killer, ladies and gentlemen, and if Akira Corissani was able to tag Bermudez as much as he did, then someone with Brandao’s power will surely put him away. Plus, can any of you remember the last TUF contestant to run through all three of his opponents on the show via first round TKO? I’ll give you a hint; he’s also fighting Saturday, and he won last season’s The Ultimate Fighter. Brandao has got this one.

The Other Fight: Yves Edwards is a tough, well rounded veteran who has the tools to put just about anyone in trouble, and given Ferguson’s lack of octagon experience, we’ve yet to see both his chin and ground game tested. But Ferguson is a precise striker that has an ability to punish your jaw worse than a Now & Later, and since Sam Stout already showed him the road to Edwards’ off button, expect Ferguson to sprinkle that road with the teeth of the “Thugjitsu Master” en route to a second or third round TKO.

Official CagePotato Parlay: We’re going balls out for this one and parlaying the entire main card. Since the fate of mankind lies in his hands (and we’ve always loved a good underdog) it’s going something like this:

Miller + Dillashaw + Brandao + Ferguson

50 bucks gets you just under a 300 dollar payout.

-The Great Potato 

Tony Ferguson Gives Important Advice to Future TUF Winners

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LAS VEGAS — Watch below as Tony Ferguson talks about his upcoming fight against Yves Edwards, how this weight cut compares to his first cut to 155, why he decided to stay closer to home for this fight camp, and his advice for the future TUF winners.

 

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LAS VEGAS — Watch below as Tony Ferguson talks about his upcoming fight against Yves Edwards, how this weight cut compares to his first cut to 155, why he decided to stay closer to home for this fight camp, and his advice for the future TUF winners.

 

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Yves Edwards Credits Sam Stout Knockout for Changing Mindset

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LAS VEGAS — MMA Fighting caught up with Yves Edwards on Thursday to discuss Saturday night’s fight against Tony Ferguson, his mindset going into this fight as opposed to his last fight, his thoughts on Ferguson, the evolution of MMA, not getting to enjoy Thanksgiving, and much more.

 

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LAS VEGAS — MMA Fighting caught up with Yves Edwards on Thursday to discuss Saturday night’s fight against Tony Ferguson, his mindset going into this fight as opposed to his last fight, his thoughts on Ferguson, the evolution of MMA, not getting to enjoy Thanksgiving, and much more.

 

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Dodson-Dillashaw, Brandao-Bermudez Lead Completed TUF 14 Finale Pairings

Filed under: UFC, NewsThe Ultimate Fighter season 14 finale is set after Wednesday night’s episode determined the divisional championship pairings to take place at The Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas on Saturday.

In the bantamweight class, John Dodson…

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The Ultimate Fighter season 14 finale is set after Wednesday night’s episode determined the divisional championship pairings to take place at The Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas on Saturday.

In the bantamweight class, John Dodson advanced to the final and will face TJ Dillashaw, while Diego Brandao navigated his way through the featherweight brackets to meet Dennis Bermudez.

Those were two of the eight pairings announced by the UFC following completion of the series.

Dodson faced heat from his Team Miller group all season long for leaking inside information to the opposition, and fellow semifinalist Johnny Bedford vowed revenge, but Dodson had the last laugh with a spectacular second-round KO.

He’ll face Dillashaw in the finals. Dillashaw had previously defeated Dustin Pague to advance.

Brandao notched his third straight first-round knockout victory in advancing to the final, where he’ll be matched up against Dennis Bermudez. Interestingly, Bermudez also finished all three of his TUF fights thus far, two by TKO and one by submission.

Also taking place on the main card, televised on Spike, is a bantamweight bout pitting the colorful Louis Gaudinot and Johnny Bedford. All three of those bouts, along with a lightweight fight with veteran Yves Edwards against season 13 winner Tony Ferguson will support the main event bout between coaches Michael Bisping and Jason “Mayhem” Miller. The full card is below.

Main Card
Michael Bisping vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller
Diego Brandao vs. Dennis Bermudez
John Dodson vs. T.J. Dillashaw
Yves Edwards vs. Tony Ferguson
Louis Gaudinot vs. Johnny Bedford

Preliminary Card
Stephan Bass vs. Marcus Brimage
John Albert vs. Dustin Pague
Roland Delorme vs. Josh Ferguson
Steven Siler vs. Josh Clopton
Bryan Caraway vs. Dustin Neace

 

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Ultimate Fighter Finale Predictions

Filed under: UFCWill Jason “Mayhem” Miller earn his first UFC victory, or will Michael Bisping give Mayhem the beating he’s been promising? Will Diego Brandao continue to look like a wrecking machine, or will Dennis Bermudez win the featherweight final…

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Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale predictionsWill Jason “Mayhem” Miller earn his first UFC victory, or will Michael Bisping give Mayhem the beating he’s been promising? Will Diego Brandao continue to look like a wrecking machine, or will Dennis Bermudez win the featherweight final? And who takes the Ultimate Fighter bantamweight tournament, T.J. Dillashaw or John Dodson? We try to answer those questions as we look at the Ultimate Fighter Finale below.

What: The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale

When: Saturday, the Spike televised card begins at 8 PM ET.

Where: Palms Resort Casino, Las Vegas

Predictions on the four televised fights below.

Michael Bisping vs. Jason Miller
 Miller, the Bully Beatdown host and former Strikeforce and Dream fighter, finally returns to the cage after more than a year away following his victory over Kazushi Sakuraba at Dream 16. A big question facing Miller is whether he’ll come in sharp and in shape, or whether ring rust is an issue.

A victory would put Bisping on a four-fight winning streak, and he has said he thinks he’s in the hunt for a middleweight title shot if he gets that fourth win in a row. Realistically, that’s not going to happen: Even if he beats Mayhem, he’d need at least one more win before the UFC would give him a shot at Anderson Silva.

But a win would solidify Bisping’s place in the middleweight Top 10, and I think this is Bisping’s fight. I don’t see him finishing Mayhem, but I do think his wrestling and his boxing are good enough that he should control the fight standing or on the ground, and he’ll win a decision.
Pick: Bisping
Dennis Bermudez vs. Diego Brandao
 If there’s anyone from this season of The Ultimate Fighter who has the potential to become a breakout star it’s Brandao, who has looked absolutely terrorizing in winning all of his fights this season. Brandao has said Wanderlei Silva is his favorite fighter, and he looks a lot like a young Axe Murderer: Brandao doesn’t waste any time in going on the attack and looking for a knockout.

Can Bermudez avoid being Brandao’s latest victim? I don’t think so. It’s true that Bermudez has a background as a college wrestler, and if Brandao has a weakness it’s his wrestling. But I don’t think Bermudez is going to be able to withstand the barrage of strikes that Brandao is sure to go after him with. I like Brandao to win by TKO.
Pick: Brandao
T.J. Dillashaw vs. John Dodson
 In the bantamweight final, we have a couple of good wrestlers who train with a couple of good camps: Dillashaw is part of Team Alpha Male, and Dodson is part of Team Greg Jackson. I think both of these guys have more sophisticated, complete games than we usually see from Ultimate Fighter contestants.

The advantage Dillashaw has is his height, reach, size and strength: He’s a good-sized bantamweight, while Dodson is a small 135-pounder and would be fighting at 125 pounds if the UFC had a flyweight class. If Dillashaw can exploit his reach advantage standing up and out-muscle Dodson from the top position if the fight goes to the ground, Dillashaw can win.

But I think Dodson’s experience edge is big here: He’s been fighting professionally since 2004 and has an 11-5 record. Dillashaw only started fighting in 2010 and has a 4-0 record. Dodson is going to be a lot more confident and at ease in the biggest fight of both their careers, and I think Dodson will execute his game plan well and win a decision.
Pick: Dodson

Tony Ferguson vs. Yves Edwards
 Ferguson won the last season of The Ultimate Fighter and then looked outstanding in his first fight after that, brutalizing Aaron Riley at UFC 135. The 35-year-old Edwards, who has fought all over the place in a 15-year career, is 41-17-1 and is a step up in competition for Ferguson. This is not an easy fight for Ferguson at all.

But it’s a fight that I think Ferguson should win, because his punching power will test the somewhat suspect chin of Edwards. In fact, I like Ferguson to win this fight in spectacular fashion and add a highlight reel knockout to his growing resume.
Pick: Ferguson

 

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