What happens when only 624,000 viewers watch last week’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter? Dana White works his magic, and Jon Jones changes his tune from not fighting Chael Sonnen to coaching the next season of TUF against Sonnen and fighting him on April 27, 2013.
Continue reading “Is Jon Jones vs Chael Sonnen A Bad Thing?”
Calling The Shots of UFC 152
All eyes will be on Jon Jones in the wake of the debacle that canceled last month’s UFC 151. The event that never was will serve as a lesson to the MMA faithful that a new precedent has been set. Fans inside the Air Canada Centre will reap the benefits and witness the genesis of one division while another division could be knocked into complete disarray.
-Light Heavyweight Championship: Jon Jones (16-1) vs. Vitor Belfort (21-9): A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, Vitor Belfort was the most dominant fighter in Mixed Martial Arts. The Gracie Jiu Jitsu black belt is gifted with incredible hand speed and excellent boxing. To the dismay of some and the adulation of others, Jon Jones currently wears that mantel of most dominant fighter. The scary thing about Jones is that he’s still improving. He has a reach like no other and uses it to maximum efficiency with uncanny athleticism.
I think it is important to note the only reason Vitor Belfort is getting a light heavyweight title shot is because he’s the most marketable person they could get to take the fight on four weeks’ notice. The Brazilian has spent the last five years competing in the middleweight division. He had a cup a coffee as light heavyweight champion in 2004 but his win over Randy Couture was the fluke of all flukes and he lost the belt seven months later in a shutout. When Belfort is on his game, there is no one who is more dangerous. Make no mistake about, if he catches Jones on the chin, that’s a wrap folks.
Continue reading “Calling The Shots of UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort”
(Column I wrote for gerweck.net on 9/10/08)
The MMA community received sad news as it was reported that 39-year-old Evan Tanner was found dead in the desert area of Palo Verde, California. Hearing this news, I thought back to the time I met Evan Tanner at UFC 45 in 2003. This was a time when only the sports biggest stars had a shred of mainstream popularity. I was in the Mohegan Sun lobby watching legions of fans looking to meet UFC legends such as Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock. As I was at the merchandise table, I noticed Evan Tanner walking about as he took in the atmosphere. No one was talking to him or asking for his autograph. At first, I was not going to talk to him; I figured the big, bad ultimate fighter would not want to be bothered. Then I remembered hearing MMA fans talk about how approachable the fighters are, so I decided to talk to him. Evan Tanner was very personable and down-to-earth. Continue reading “Remembering Evan Tanner Four Years Later”
If you have been living under a rock, you are unaware of the story that has engulfed the MMA landscape. For the first time in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a pay-per-view event has been canceled. This unprecedented move has caused a firestorm of controversy, with venom being spewed in several directions.
Everyone has their own opinion on the subject, but the big question underneath all the chaos is: who’s to blame? Do we blame Jon Jones for refusing to fight with Chael Sonnen, who accepted the bout on eight days’ notice? Does the blame belong to Dan Henderson, who suffered the injury in the first place? Or, perhaps, the blame falls on some other element that is hiding in plain sight. Continue reading “Jones vs. UFC”
The card is getting very little attention but those particular events tend to produce the best bell-to-bell action. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am for this fight. The lightweight title rematch between Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar could be fight of the year. UFC President Dana White was originally against giving Edgar a rematch and called for him to move down to 145 lbs. The former champion publicly sited his willingness to give back to back rematches. Dana agreed and here we are today.
Benson Henderson (16-2) vs. Frankie Edgar (14-2-1): The story of this fight is size, talent, skill and will. Frankie Edgar convincingly defeated the more talented BJ Penn and knocked out the bigger and stronger Gray Maynard in a pair of championship rematches. The New Jersey native used his matchless skill and will to conquer two different opponents who each brought a different problem to the cage. Continue reading “UFC 150: Henderson vs. Edgar II Preview & Predictions”
Brandon ‘The Truth” Vera has been talking a big game for his entire MMA career. How big do you say? He proclaimed he would be the first person to hold the UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight titles simultaneously after winning his UFC debut against Fabiano Scherner. Vera knocked out Justin Eilers and choked out Assuerio Silva en route to his one-minute decimation over former heavyweight champion Frank Mir.
Continue reading “The Truth Will Set Brandon Vera Free”
There has been little to zero attention on tomorrow night’s Strikeforce event from the Rose Garden in Portland, OR. Sure, it’s not the sexiest lineup of fights, but it should provide some exciting action and answer some intriguing questions both in and outside of the cage. Showtime is really to blame for the lack of promotion, and it’s a shame because these fights are just wasting their time putting their bodies through a grueling training camp for little pay and even smaller recognition.
Robbie Lawler (19-8) vs. Lorenz Larkin (12-0): Lawler has difficulty with technical fighters. Larkin often deviates from his technical prowess, and Lawler, the veteran, will find his opening to catch Larkin on the jaw.
Prediction: Robbie Lawler via 3rd Round TKO
Continue reading “Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy Preview & Predictions”
The atmosphere of tonight’s big fight is unlike any other in professional sports. Casual spectators and avid followers know with absolute certainty that two veteran warriors will do battle in an encounter that’s not to be missed. This is the type of occasion that only combat sports can produce.
The MGM Grand Garden Arena will host the biggest fight in MMA history as the UFC tries to replicate the success of its Pay-Per-View predecessor, the WWE. The promotion kicked off its inaugural International Fight Week extravaganza on Thursday, leading up tonight’s championship bout. Make no mistake about it, this event is the UFC’s equivalent to the first WrestleMania.
Continue reading “UFC 148 Silva vs. Sonnen II Preview and Predictions”
The apples and oranges argument of MMA vs. Boxing makes me roll my eyes sometimes. Some feel caged combat is overrated and deprived of any athletic craftsmanship. In contrast, others say clashes of the pugilistic variety are too one-dimensional and archaic to be considered real fighting. It’s easy to understand how MMA can sometimes look like an uneducated brawl, but you have to remember the sport is currently in its golden years.
Boxing’s organizational roots can be traced back to 1743, and the Marquess of Queensberry rules, drafted in 1867, have governed It ever since.
The first organized Mixed Martial Arts bout took place in 1989 in Japan for the Shooto promotion, while the Ultimate Fighting Championship held its inaugural event in 1993.
Continue reading “MMA’s Evolution Can Be Found In The UFC’s Welterweight Division”
Gray Maynard (10-1-1) vs. Clay Guida (29-12)
Just like Nucky Thompson did many years earlier, Clay Guida and Gray Maynard will try their luck on the Atlantic city boardwalk in pursuit of UFC glory. While both fighters are coming off losses, they fall under a different set of circumstances. Guida’s loss to Benson Henderson cost him a title shot while Maynard’s knockout defeat to Frankie Edgar denied him the lightweight title and gave him the first loss of his career. Pre-fight drama has uncharacteristically in their case, reared its ugly head as Maynard’s camp filed a protest with the New Jersey Athletic Control Board complaining about Clay Guida’s hair. To avoid any commission entanglements to focus on the fight, Guida will braid his hair. Maynard told MMAJunkie.com “I never filed a complaint” and “This was the first I’ve ever heard about it.”
Continue reading “UFC on FX 4: Maynard vs. Guida Preview & Predictions”
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