Tag: UFC

The Examination of UFC on Fox 5

ufconfox5

Seattle played host to the best MMA card of the year, UFC on Fox 5, which was seen by over 4.4 million people. Some key developments emerged from Saturday night’s event, as fans witnessed the rise and fall of MMA’s past.

Raphael Assuncao over Mike Easton by Unanimous Decision: These are two of the most talented fighters in the Bantamweight division. Easton has a huge upside and could be a star in the future. Assuncao controlled the tempo of the fight and dictated where the fight took place. He might have done enough to earn the next title shot against the winner of Renan Barao vs. Michael McDonald in February.

Yves Edwards defeats Jeremy Stephens via TKO @ 1:55 of the 1st Round: From 2004-2005, Yves Edwards was arguably the best lightweight in the world. Dana White considered Edwards his champion when the division’s championship was absent from the promotion. It was great to see signs of the old Edwards as he dropped Jeremy Stephens with a well-timed left hook and finished him with elbows on the ground. Also, an extra $65,000 for Knockout of the Night is a nice Christmas bonus.

Continue reading “The Examination of UFC on Fox 5” →

Champion vs. Champion: Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit Preview

Georges St. Pierre’s seventeen month journey back to the Octagon culminates on Saturday night in Montréal. Once the cage door opens, Carlos Condit will be waiting with anything but open arms and a firm desire to remove the interim status from his championship reign. This is a fascinating fight for a variety of reasons despite the resounding opinion of a GSP victory.

Continue reading “Champion vs. Champion: Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit Preview” →

Cung Le: Fact or Fable?

Cung Le’s spectacular first-round knockout of Rich Franklin proved he is the real deal even though it won’t silence the critics. Le gained notoriety before he entered MMA with his Sanshou Kick Boxing bouts on ESPN. He never looked back once he transitioned to the sport and has garnered a professional record of 11-2. Despite his success in the cage, his resume does have some issues to dissect.

Continue reading “Cung Le: Fact or Fable?” →

Is Jon Jones vs Chael Sonnen A Bad Thing?

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: Jones vs. Belfort

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” →

Remembering Evan Tanner Four Years Later

(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” →

Jones vs. UFC

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” →

UFC 150: Henderson vs. Edgar II Preview & Predictions

Photo from MMAWeeky.com

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” →

The Truth Will Set Brandon Vera Free

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” →

Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy Preview & Predictions

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” →