Category: MMA

Sara McMann Moves To Team Alpha Male Ahead Of UFC 215

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Sara McMann, 2004 USA Olympic silver medalist in freestyle wrestling, has been getting a lot of attention the past couple of weeks, and rightfully so. Some of it has to do with the excellence she displays inside the cage, some of it with the perseverance and strength she shows outside of it. In terms of Sara McMann the person, there was this piece in the Washington Post detailing McMann’s perpetual uphill battle against a litany of painful personal traumas, a new one seeming to spring up around every corner. I read something like this and as a mere mortal cannot conceive going about my normal, every day, cubicle dwelling (I actually have an office now NBD) life with these kinds of experiences weighing me down, let alone perpetually grinding to be a championship-level athlete. In discussing McMann the fighter, she is just that – championship caliber – and at almost 37 is making one last push to secure herself a UFC championship, something she failed once to do against the then-dominant Ronda Rousey. This time around, she is making a very strategic, drastic change to her preparation to ensure she attains gold.

For her UFC 215 fight against Ketlen Vieira, a bout that feels like it has received a new date 500 times, McMann has picked up her life, including her young daughter, and moved her camp to Team Alpha Male. This is a PERFECT situation for her. The Northern California gym has long taken high level wrestlers, names among which Sara McMann indeed still stands out, and integrates a style of striking and phase-changing that compliments that wrestling without hurting its effectiveness. Not only will McMann’s always-improving striking continue to get sharper, but certain aspects of her game that the folks at Alpha Male specialize in, such as scrambles, will make huge leaps as well. My only slight concern is the lack of sparring partners in her weight class, who are female at least. Alpha Male has some excellent female talent but they seem to be concentrated at the 115ish level. That isn’t to say McMann can’t hang with the boys at 135, but there are always injury risks, etc. associated with that sort of thing not to mention simple personal discomfort a male fighter might have at going 100% at a female. I don’t see this being a huge issue however as Alpha Male has always been an insanely competitive gym without becoming susceptible to the injury bug as some gyms have. More to the point, despite this lack of training maladies that are associated with a good, hard camp, their fighters are always some of the most well-prepared.

I’m biased because I love Sara McMann – her attitude, her fighting style, and ya, her resilience – but I think this is an excellent move. I thought she’d be the one to dethrone Rousey and although I’m a fan of Amanda Nunes, I think McMann has the strength and agility to beat her as well. If any updates come out regarding her time in the sunshine state I’ll certainly provide them but if not, here’s to THE Sara McMann getting it done at UFC 215.

Tyron Woodley Threatens To “Leak Some Shit” If He Doesn’t Get A Personal Apology From Dana White

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So after UFC 214 Dana White slammed Tyron Woodley’s performance for being boring. I saw it as more of an excuse to re-greenlight the GSP-Bisping fight but it was still some harsh criticism of a guy who just stuffed 21 takedowns. While White is not totally wrong, thus is the nature of a multi-disciplined combat sport. Weary of the one thing Maia could beat him with, putting him on his back and either submitting him or grinding him too a pulp, Woodley fought intelligently, defending takedowns and working the body and sometimes head as necessary. Watching from 300s HQ, I understood why people were pissed, but also understood Woodley’s game. That’s why the strap is still around his waist, after all.

As for his threats, they are interesting to say the least. First off this is NOT how you come to an understanding with Dana White. He has much too much pride and unbridled bravado to bow down to a fighter he is unhappy with, let alone one he believes may have cost him future dollars. Secondly, it is fun to wonder what this information”The Chosen One” has is. Allow me to take a few guesses….

1.)The McGregor Knockout Footage

I did a quick skim of a couple keyboard warrior message boards and this came up a few times – that maybe Tyron Woodley would leak video of Conor McGregor getting knocked out. I’m not sold on this though as it seems a stretch as to how Woodley would have come into possession of it.

2.)Some Shady USADA Shit

Given some interesting anomalies with how CyRoid and Brock Lesnar were treated recently, I wouldn’t be shocked if Woodley had some sensitive info pertaining to a few folks who popped positive for something but were given a pass. You see folks, a lot of people assume that since USADA has “United States” in the title that is either/or an official Government or another kind of organization of the utmost repute. Well surprise! It’s not. It’s a completely private company that has done sketchy shit in the past, including the infamous Floyd Mayweather IV scandal. Hmm, come to think of it, isn’t Floyd fighting a friend of Dana White’s soon?

Quick note on Lesnar – I could even see Brock, before UFC 200, straight up telling the UFC he was on a cycle and them kind of shrugging, putting Mark Hunt at risk.

3.)Gym Deals Or Otherwise Sketchy Promotional Tactics

I’ve said in the past the simplest answer is usually the right one, and this could be the case here. If fighter X from gym/management company Y fights on this date against this opponent, The UFC will do 1,2, and 3 for another fighter from that gym/management company. Something like that.

5.)Ignoring Concussions/Injuries

Another simple answer. Dana White and/or other members of UFC Management knew certain fighters were hurt and either…

-Made them/pressured them to fight
-Allowed them to fight when they shouldn’t have
-kept the knowledge secret longer then they should have in terms of the fighters opponent and the event, maybe for monetary purposes. Dillashaw vs. Garbrandt comes to mind.

4.)In-Fight Rigging

More and more recently certain fights, in and outside the UFC, have been accused of being works. Sonnen vs. Ortiz, for example. I want to go on the record as saying I don’t believe it but if Woodley could prove this, it would be explosive. Game-changing even. However, this would hurt Woodley as well as it would negatively effect the entity, and sport, that cuts his checks. That said, it’d be mighty interesting to find out that Correia Vs. Rousey wasn’t all it was cracked up to be or there was a reason CyRoid didn’t jump on Evinger when she first knocked her down on Saturday (WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THAT?!).

All in all it is going to be a VERY interesting to see how this all plays out. After a long period of frustration with how he is treated, Tyron Woodley seems to finally have snapped. With that said he is waging a war against a man with a ton of experience fighting his battles publicly, which is never an edge you want to give.

FloCombat Just Posted This Video Of A UFC 178 Pre-Fight Press Engagement….Listen To The End

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…Just really spooky. Jones probably has had that in his back pocket ever since. Insane how cerebral some of these guys are on top of their immense physical talents.

The 300s UFC 214 Preview

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Image result for jones cormier 214 staredown

Hoooo baby here we go. The best card of the year featuring possibly the most storied grudge match of our time. Coming live from Anaheim, UFC 214 boasts 3 title fights, 2 additional fights pitting two top-10 fighters from a division against each other, and as I mentioned earlier this week, a slew of opportunities for nearly-there contenders to make their presence felt. Let’s do it!

 

The Main Event

The UFC 214 Main Event puts two fighters against each other who have the utmost contempt for each other. In this Light-Heavyweight Championship clash between champion Daniel Cormier and former champion Jon Jones, the loathing between the two fighters hangs in the air as heavy as the summer’s humidity. It’s not even an explosive hatred as it once was – sending Dave Sholler through a fake photo op wall. It’s a hardened unpleasantness, like a molten lava-based resentment slowly cascading toward Saturday night.

In one corner you have “DC”, the former Olympic hopeful and dominant heavyweight, even winning and defending that belt in Strikeforce. When he arrived in  the UFC he decided to downshift, painstakingly, to 205lbs as his teammate Cain Velasquez was the Heavyweight Champion at the time. The late-in-life (first pro fight at age 30) MMA ace has only lost once, to Jon Jones in his first attempt to win the 205lb title. Back when the hate was still fresh.

Jones’ story is the opposite of Cormier’s. He’s a true prodigy. He is the youngest champion the UFC has ever seen, winning the UFC 205lb belt at 23. He defended it 8 times, capped by the aforementioned win over Cormier, only to throw it all away. There was a positive test for Cocaine. There was a planned rematch with “DC” on the “biggest card ever”, UFC 200, that was scrapped 72 hours prior when Jones tested positive for what at the time appeared to be PEDs. There was a hit and run (on foot) involving a pregnant woman, after which he was stripped of the belt. It seemed like Jon Jones would lose it all forever, and it seemed like he didn’t care.

Now they meet again. Cormier out to prove he has what it takes to beat Jones. Jones out to prove he is not only on the straight and narrow, but is still the dominant fighter he once was. The hate may not be as fresh, but it is still palpable.

There really is only one major issue in getting hype for this fight: the first one was a snoozer. Jones was largely dominant from beginning to end and there never was a ton of action, at least not the frenetic kind we’re used to inside the octagon. “DC” seemed burnt out by then, physically and mentally. He was hesitant to engage to an extent and quick to back off when he did. We can only hope now for a more exciting rematch. Jones says he is clean and Cormier, now having the belt himself, appears confident; not as concerned with the drama surrounding them. It’s confounding indeed though, this rematch taking place with “DC” now the champ – having beat Anthony Johnson after Jones was stripped – and Jones the challenger without ever having lost.

In terms of what happens when he actually gets to it, “DC”, a Former Olympic wrestler and American Kickboxing Academy standout is, to put it in simple terms, a load. He seeks to wear out his opponent in whichever phase they find themselves in, although he favors two of these phases the most. In terms of what he is credentialed in, Olympic-wise, his wrestling is set up using sound boxing and forward movement, snatching, when in position, what is normally a high crotch or a body-lock, the latter of which he will use to make his opponent wear his weight from a standing position until he finds a trip or a throw. On the ground Cormier makes for a most heavy and uncomfortable blanket, suffocating his opponents while unleashing brutal ground and bound and keeping his eyes open for his patented rear-naked choke. The champion is also a beast in the clinch, the other phase he absolutely loves. Shorter men tend to thrive in the clinch, especially ones as strong as Cormier, as they can simply reach up and use the organic leverage they find to pull their opponent’s head down and control them. From this position, Cormier will use elbows, punches, and knees – whichever and whatever is available – to punish his foe. He will also hit trips and/or the previously mentioned high-crotch from this position to bring the fight to the ground. I’m not jealous of anyone who has to be in close quarters with a 5’11 former heavyweight. His stature is Cormier’s only weakness, really, with rangier opponents such as Jones and Alexander Gustaffson able to hit him from a distance.

Across from Cormier is an unenviable riddle to solve. Really what is there to say about Jon Jones? He out-wrestles wrestlers and out-strikes strikers. In terms of the former, Jones employs primarily body locks, from which he’ll hit anything ranging from hip tosses to lateral drops, and double legs, mostly of the turn-the corner variety. There has also been occasions where he’ll casually score a knee-pick turned unto a knee-tap double. In terms of striking, “Bones” is very well-known for his oblique kick, a move that is always an injury risk for his opponent (due to where it lands, just above the knee) and he is therefore criticized for. It is legal all the same. He throws this kick from the side or as a forward facing Thai-style teep, using either his front or rear leg, while at range or leaping forward. Fun. Jones Also employs probing jabs to keep his opponents at range, waiting for an opportunity to smash them with one of his signature elbows, of either the spinning or straight-on variety. When his opponents hit the ground, via either his wrestling or strikes, he lays in with truly vicious elbows and constant submission attempts, just as apt to get the stoppage via strikes as a choke. Jones weaknesses are hard to pinpoint. I suppose he takes his dominance for granted sometimes and gets tagged due to complacency. To this end he is also susceptible to offense when his opponent is not as overwhelmed as he thinks they are and they are able to land.

Summary: I’m not going to keep blathering on. While the champion is without a doubt one of the better fighters of our time, Jones is again in his head and is just a bad match-up, as long and fight-saavy as he is. Jones by UD.

Fan/MMA Nerd Fight of the Night

The welterweight bout between Robbie Lawler and Donald Cerrone might be the most interesting, high-stakes fight between two guys coming off a loss I can remember. Lawler returns a year after losing his title in a fight he perhaps should have waited to take. Cerrone also may have been a victim of activity and looks to jump back into contention under the bright lights he seems to loathe. Despite both losing their last fight the winner of this one could very well either be given a title shot or earn their way to one through a live mic, and they surely would not be more than one more win away. Though both combatants have a ground game (Cerrone’s is the better of the two) this one is going to be contested on the feet.

Lawler – In interviews and outside the cage, Lawler is placid – he is quiet, chill, relaxed. Then the cage door locks and he goes from surfer bro to savage. Stylistically the southpaw Lawler has a heavy reliance on his hands, particularly that anvil of a piston-like left. Although known for when it lands as a straight, Lawler will also throw his power hand as an uppercut, particularly in close quarters. He likes to set it up with a right hook – either a fairly standard one or a sort of looping, overhand technique – although it could comes from anywhere. The left hand is not Lawler’s only weapon, though. The lower body of Robbie Lawler is also something you have to watch out for. He likes to and will throw knees, as Jake Ellenberger, among others, learned the hard way. He also has developed a left high kick, which both serves to earn the finish (Bobby Voelker fight) or as simply another atomic weapon his opponent has to worry about defending while Lawler looks to land something else. “Ruthless” also has a decent turn-the-corner double should the opportunity arise and seem worth it. Lastly, and something that is not always discussed, Lawler can and will go aerial with his attacks. He has employed flying knees and superman punches throughout his career to further keep his opponents guessing, or end their night. Now in his 30’s however, it might be fair to expect Lawler to stay grounded, moving forward and looking for that left hand. In terms of weaknesses, Lawler is a bit of a plodder and not an exceptional athlete. This combines with the fact that he is a bit binary, either on offense or defense, and over-aggressive at times to cause him to be vulnerable when you think he is otherwise winning.

Donald Cerrone is the UFC’s Cowboy – he may not be the only fighter with that nickname but he lives, sleeps, eats and breathes the life behind it. He is not only a high octane, but also a highly technical kickboxer, which he doesn’t get enough credit for. How many other guys are there in the sport, period, with punch/kick combos both elegant and lethal enough to be turned into “DragonBall Z” parodies. To summarize what he does in the cage, Cerrone is indeed looking for a head kick. 5 of his last 11 wins dating back to 2014 were finishes based off of shin hitting skull. Although a slow starter, “Cowboy” knows how to use his footwork to get out of range when in trouble and his boxing in close quarters to do the same. Although he employs a sort of typical kickboxer bounce – I would say it is of the Thai style but the fuck do I know – it is also awkward and unique enough that I don’t think it gets enough credit for keeping opponents off balance and unsure of his next move. It must also be said that should his UFC 214 opponent hit one of those double leg takedowns, “Cowboy” is an absolute bastard off his back, either using his long legs to lock in a body triangle and hit elbows from the bottom or maneuver into a triangle choke, which he has won by 8 times. Cerrone’s weakness are twofold and well publicized. The slow starts are one part of it. He just seems to need to get clipped a couple of times before his on switch is flipped, which you really can’t afford to do against Robbie Lawler. The other part, as also discussed, is he tends to crumble at the biggest moments. This is a big moment.

Summary: This is certainly a tough one. My heart says what is on paper, which is that Cerrone is too dynamic for Lawler and that he’ll get the KO. My head however, remembers the Coloradoan’s fights against Rafael dos Anjos (x2), Benson Henderson, and Nate Diaz and just doesn’t know if Cerrone can do it on the biggest stage. Lawler has never had that problem. Lawler by 2nd RD TKO/KO.

Intriguing Fighter To Watch

I’m breaking the one fighter rule and picking two, Jason Knight and Brian Ortega. They are two of the best young prospects in the featherweight division and both bring a lot of their own flair and style to the table, with some key similarities. Both guys were street scrappers growing up, Ortega on the streets of Torrance, Knight on the back roads of D’Iberville, Mississippi. They both love to tap people out, although “T-City” Ortega is the black belt, under Rener Gracie of all people. Those youthful brawls have paid off as well as they both have a handful of knockouts to their credit. Here Knight may have the edge as he has one more knockout and overall seems to have a bit more of a knack for the big shot, if not more pop in his hands altogether. So the questions are many. Will they both win? Will they both lose? Will one fail while one prevails? If they both win who will impress more? Fuck it, no matter what have them fight each other after this.

Another Fighter To Watch

I’m taking Volkan Oezdemir here. He was a completely unknown quantity who, on 3 weeks notice, was basically fed to OSP as a safe replacement opponent to pump the former Tennessee Volunteer back up. It was not to be. The UFC’s first Swiss fighter won via split decision, although I think he was the clear victor. #judges. From there Oezdemir just kept being an asshole, going and knocking out top 205lb prospect Misha Circunov. He now faces Jimi Manuwa, who is openly, in Dana White’s own words, on this card in case “DC” or Jones don’t make it to the fight. A win against Manuwa would probably earn Oezdemir a fight against Alexander Gustaffson in a #1 Contender’s bout. He is mainly a striker – a kickboxer who has spent time training in the famed Golden Glory gym in the Netherlands. He employs smart combos which land with quite a bit of power. It’ll be interesting to see what he looks like against some top competition of his ilk.

Notes

-Although he is the underdog I am taking Demian Maia over Tyron Woodley. Maia has only been truly KO’d once, by Nate Marquardt almost 8 years ago, so I’m not confident such a careful fighter is going to be caught by one of Woodley’s right hands. I think the careful, deliberate Maia survives the first couple rounds and grinds out a decision, maybe even snatching a late submission.

-Yes, I’ve completely ignored another title fight on the card because I think one of the fighters is an abomination to professional sports in general. Do not @ me.

– As I mentioned in a previous blog , Boston-area fighter Calvin Kattar makes his UFC debut against Team Alpha Male’s “Touchy” Fili. That’s a brutal first task but we like those around these parts, don’t we?

-Debuting flyweight Jarred Brooks is undefeated and is nicknamed “the Monkey God”. I’m tuning in just to see what the fuck this kid is about.

-As I mentioned Ortega and Knight, I should also give some attention to Renato Carneiro and the previously mentioned Andre “Touchy” Fili who are also excellent featherweight prospects.

-Here’s to Aljimain Sterling getting that big win he so sorely craves and breaking out into the big time against Renan Barao. As Burt Watson said Aljo, “Don’t leave it to the judges, they’ll break your heart everytime.”

Enjoy this card as ones like this don’t come around often, I’ll be tweeting from @JoeyB300s.

-Slainte

Jon Jones Does Not Like Luke Thomas, And Therefore Refuses To Answer His Question

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And that’s about it folks, not too much to add. Jon Jones does not like Luke Thomas so he will in fact not be answering his question. Minutes after confirming he in fact does “not give a fuck,” Jon Jones supplies us with a tangible example of the lack of fucks he gives.

In all seriousness though, with my resentment towards how entitled sports media can be this was pure gold and made my week.

The 300s UFC 214 Fight Week Primers – A Tale Of Two Strikers

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As I mentioned before this card is fuckin staaAAAAaaaAAcked so I’m going to write a little about it each day (nerdgasms everywhere) and then do the usual preview Friday. Today I’m going to cover the Main Card tilt between two, IMO, future Hall of Famers.

There was once a gym in Bettendorf, Iowa that produced some of the most prominent early-Zuffa era UFC names. Miletich Fighting Systems, established by the first-ever UFC Welterweight Champion, Pat Miletich, forged such fighters as long-time Welterweight Champion and UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes, former Lightweight Champion Jens “Lil’ Evil” Pulver, and former Heavyweight Champion Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia. In May of 2002, the vaunted Midwestern gym presented to the Octagon 20 year old welterweight Robbie Lawler, who although now has established a solid overall MMA game, is still known for exactly what he was known for then: a fucking grenade of a left hand.

Lawler’s first stint with the UFC lasted 7 fights, with a 4-3 record – including a legendary back-and-forth loss to a then 20 year old Nick Diaz – to show for it. His last fight in the first go-round was contested up a weight class up at 185 pounds, where he stayed for the next act of his career. Lawler turned into a bit of a domestic nomad, plying his trade to whomever in the United States wanted to pay him his asking price and gathering such accolades as the ICON Sport, SuperBrawl, and EliteXC Middleweight Championships. He then found his way to Strikeforce, the only promotion to give the UFC a run for its money the past decade or so, and found mixed results in a pool of, if not top flight, just below it middleweights. Strikeforce, as the story goes, was purchased by Zuffa and its roster, at least the portion that was found to be up to snuff, was absorbed into the UFC. Having gone 11-6 in the span of about 8 years, Robbie Lawler was, in a way, coming home. And a funny thing happened. Now re-stablilized at American Top Team after being a bit of a gym jumper for a spell, “Ruthless” returned to his old stomping ground of 170lbs, won 3 in a row, lost a close decision to Johny Hendricks, won 2 more, and then won the UFC Welterweight Championship. The frag-fisted lefty from Bettendorf was now the 170lb king of the world. And no one was happier for him then two previously mentioned former champs:

Image result for robbie lawler wins ufc title

Lawler would defend the belt twice before surrendering it to Tyron Woodley via 1st round KO almost a year ago to the date of UFC 214. Some say it was just his time, he was 34 then, 35 now, he had his reign. I would argue that maybe Woodley, a hyper-explosive athlete, was just Lawler’s kryptonite at that moment in time, given, yes, Lawler’s advanced age, but also his combined high level of activity (still averaging three fights per year since 2012 at that point) and ever mounting level of competition.  He also left ATT between then and now, so his training camp very well could not of been 100% perfect. When it all shakes out, there is a saying that the simplest answer is usually the right one. Nearing 34 (then) with 38 fights in the bag, maybe Robbie Lawler just needed a break.

With a year to rehab and refresh now behind him, Lawler looks to return Saturday and make one last run, his left hand in tow.

***

Across the cage from Robbie Lawler will be none other than the UFC’s resident wild child, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. The longtime fan favorite was actually a decorated kickboxer before debuting in MMA in 2006. To that end, although Cerrone is now also an absolute handful on the ground, particularly off his back, his is still mostly known for some of the prettiest and deadly punch/kick combinations you’ll see in the sport.

As a diehard fan of the late, lighter-weights promotion, I would be doing myself a personal disservice if I didn’t mention Cerrone came to the UFC via the WEC and is a true legend of the WEC canvas, where he thrice tried uncsuccessfully to win the WEC Lightweight crown. More on that in a second. More recently, by happenstance due to a late replacement opponent, “Cowboy” has moved up to 170lbs. He has benefited greatly, it would seem, from no longer having to cut down to 155 and finished the first 4 welterweights he faced. But more on that in a second.

Aside from his success between bells, Cerrone is also known for being an absolute maniac both in terms of how he approaches his career and his exploits outside the cage. He fights at a ridiculous, unheard of clip, entering the octagon 4 times a year from 2013 through 2016. He will take any and all comers at seemingly any weight-class. Indeed it was Cerrone clamoring for the fight Nate Diaz eventually got against Conor McGregor at UFC 196. Outside the cage, Cerrone seeks as much adrenaline as he finds inside of it, participating in any extreme sport he can, regardless of whether or not he has a fight on the horizon.

Now I address the elephant in the room. “Cowboy” has now for awhile leveraged the use of a sports psychologist for his career. The reason for this is he starts slow and often gets in his own head, sometimes seeming unsure and tepid, a complete juxtaposition to the way he acts, thinks, talks, and succeeds the other 99% of the time. This is the main reason he fights so often – it doesn’t give him time to think. Grip it and rip it. He also, as alluded to, seems to falter at the highest pressure and biggest moments, losing all 4 major title fights he has been in as well as his most recent bout, a borderline #1 contender’s contest against Jorge Masvidal. When the lights shine the brightest, Cerrone’s flame burns the lowest. This can’t happen Saturday, as he enters the cage against another returning Welterweight in a fight with, whether the native Coloradoan likes it or not, major implications.

Both Cerrone and Lawler enter the cage Saturday coming off losses. However both of those losses came off the backs of win streaks against top-notch opponents and both men remain in the Top-10 of the welterweight rankings. With Stephen Thompson hurt and the aforementioned “Gambred” Masvidal coming off a loss to Woodley’s UFC 214 title challenger Demian Maia, it would not be a stretch to see the victor of this fight get a title shot, if not a #1 Contenders bout. Either way, two of the best “hitters”, as Nick Diaz so aptly refers to them, in the division and the sport enter the cage Saturday to see who really wants one last shot at the belt. Only one can leave with their hand, or maybe more accurately, their fist, raised.

The 300s UFC 214 Fight Week Primers – A Champion And A Gentleman

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As I mentioned before this card is fuckin staaAAAAaaaAAcked so I’m going to write a little about it each day (nerdgasms everywhere) and then do the usual preview Friday. Today I’m going to cover the subtleties behind the Welterweight Championship fight between Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia.

You can’t blame Tyron Woodley.

He didn’t make his pro MMA debut until he was just shy of his 27th birthday and he did not get his first major title shot until he was 30, a loss in Strikeforce to Nate Marquardt.

He made his way to the UFC after that fight, beating a couple big-name welterweights such as Carlos Condit but losing to Jake Shields and Rory MacDonald. “The Chosen One” then put together his current undefeated streak(4-0, 1 draw). His delayed ascension wasn’t over though, as he was expected to face Johnny Hendricks in a #1 Contender’s fight at UFC 192 but Hendricks was pulled from the night the day before due to what became a string of bad weight cuts. Woodley defiantly showed up to weigh ins and made weight anyway, angrily promulgating the professionalism that is making wait.

Woodley finally got his shot 7 months later at UFC 201, his patience and frustration leaving his body in the form of an explosive right hand to the face of Robbie Lawler. Woodley was now the champ, and would put on two classics against Stephen Thompson next, a draw then a win, both via razor sharp decisions.

During and after his trilogy with Thompson, now in his mid-30’s, Tyron Woodley began seeking out the “money fights” that have come to define this era in the UFC. He wants PPV fights against big names that will earn him the most money on the back end and through merch sales as possible. With his delayed stardom and thus delayed top-tier paychecks, I ask again – who can really blame him? He’s sought fights with Michael Bisping, on camera and on Twitter. Nick Diaz is a name you’ve heard come out of his mouth multiple times. He has mentioned Georges St. Pierre a couple of times as well, the Québécois seemingly having no interest in a fight with Woodley, whose name is still not considered by many as deserving a top billing. The one man Woodley has sort of avoided, not out of fear or strategy, but due to what it WON’T do for his bank account is Demian Maia.

Maia, arguably among the top 3 (I’d go Jacare, him, Werdum) BJJ players competing succesfully at this high of a level in MMA, has put together a borderline inaudible 7-fight win streak and has not lost in over 3 years. His fighting style is, to say the least, not exactly aesthetically pleasing. He uses solid boxing and movement, as well as some underrated wrestling, to get in range to grab his opponent – and then he doesn’t let go. If he doesn’t execute one of his patented, slicing guard passes to get in position for a submission, he will grind, flatten, and knead his opponent for the duration of a fight. He’s a Brazilian Jon Fitch incarnate, except he’s only 3 months older than the Boilermaker. In short, people, especially those without specially educated eyes, don’t shell out to see Demian Maia fight, which is a shame.

Before dropping to welterweight in 2012, Maia actually was a very successful 185er, going 15-4. He even earned a shot at Anderson Silva for the Middleweight title in what is considered one of the WORST title fights in UFC history. That last note probably did not help his case in pursuing the 170lb title, to say the least. Maia, in the minds of many,  should have received his shot from the UFC after his 1st round submission of Carlos Condit at UFC On Fox 21 last August, but they made him pass one more test still, seemingly in hopes, for their sake and Woodley’s, that the measured, cerebral, fan-unfriendly way Maia fights would not have to be brought to the big time – again. Alas, Jorge Masvidal also to stop his momentum in May.

It is important to note that Demian Maia is widely, if not unanimously, regarded as one of the nicest and most polite fighters in all of the sport. He is a true professional, a gentleman who publicly stated he was a bit frustrated about his delay in getting a title shot, but refused to go beyond that, quietly going about his business and grappling Masvidal into oblivion for 3 rounds. He is the personification of the sport he came from, the gentle art.

5 weeks before UFC 214, Demian Maia was hesitantly given his title shot. 5 weeks. A short notice camp for a big-time fight. Not that Woodley was any more prepared, but this is the 39 year old Maia’s last chance to climb through the tiniest opening in what has been a rapidly closing window. More than likely the UFC tried like hell to find Woodley another opponent, or considered leaving him off the card altogether. In the end, they decided this was the perfect time to give Maia his opportunity. They probably are hoping he’ll fail, that they won’t have to survive a title reign of a fighter that many fans consider to be boring. However, whether you like their fighting styles or not, the top two welterweights currently in the UFC (it’s true) are going to do battle Saturday to see who is truly the best. That’s exciting enough.

The 300s UFC 214 Primers: The Legend of Hick Diaz

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As I mentioned before this card is fuckin staaAAAAaaaAAcked so I’m going to write a little about it each day (nerdgasms everywhere) and then do the usual preview Friday. Today I’m going to cover up and coming featherweight Jason Knight, and the future of the 145lb division.

At the tail end of 2015, a young, little known featherweight from the backwoods of Mississippi debuted in the UFC, dropping a unanimous decision to Tatsuya “Crusher” Kawajiri. Since then that same fighter has gone 4-0 with 2 finishes, over arguably the 2 toughest of those 4 opponents, and 3 post-fight bonuses. That fighter is Jason Knight.

Jason Knight’s official nickname is “The Kid”. However, a growing number of endeared UFC fans refer to him as “Hick Diaz”. Knight is long and lean, and quite tall for his division as well standing at 5’10. At age 14 he took up martial arts to divert himself from the street fights and general mischief he was getting into. He likes to stand, trade, and talk some shit. Knight is also accomplished on the mat, a brown belt under retired UFC middleweight contender Alan Belcher with 13 submission victories on his resume, the last of which was over Alex Caceres and earned him one of those aforementioned bonuses. Any of this sound familiar? Maybe a little like a couple of fiercely independent, supremely talented brothers from Stockton? I thought so.

Overall, Knight has an 80% finishing rate over his 20 wins, 15 of them coming before the start of Round 3. He is a brash, talented upstart with a ton of potential who, at UFC 214, is going into the biggest fight of his career against Ricardo Lamas, the top-15 opponent he demanded after knocking out respected veteran Chas Kelly in the 1st round in May. Should he impress against Lamas, Hick Diaz’s brand of “Mississippi Mean” might be ready for the big time.

As a quick prologue to all this, Knight is a part of a growing list of young, promising featherweights, such as Doo Ho Choi, Brian Ortega, Mirsad Bektic (all 26), Yair Rodriguez (25), and Andre Fili (27) that should make 145 division one of the more exciting for years to come, especially when you factor in the champ, 25 year old Max Holloway. Ortega will actually be fighting on the 214 card as well against another prospect, 28 year old Renato Carneiro.

So tune in Saturday to see if Jason Knight makes the leap. Don’t be scared, homie.

Quick Update – MMA Legend Matt Hughes Said To Be Out Of Coma

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Some uplifting news came out yesterday regarding UFC/MMA legend Matt Hughes. As you might remember, a little over a month ago Hughes was driving his truck when it was struck by a train in Illinois. He suffered a massive brain injury and things were hairy for couple days. As you can imagine he still has a long, long road ahead of him but as longtime friend and coach Pat Miletich said in the article, he is now out of a coma and surprising the hell out of doctors, which is really no surprise at all for fans of the country strong 170lb legend. Here’s to Hughes making a full recovery. Fight on.

The 300s UFC 214 Fight Week Primers – The Curious Case of Barao vs. Sterling

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You ok my man?

 

As I mentioned before this card is fuckin staaAAAAaaaAAcked so I’m going to write a little about it each day (nerdgasms everywhere) and then do the usual preview Friday. Today I’m going to cover why in the 7 kingdoms two guys from the same weight class are fighting at a catch-weight.

UFC 214 in now upon us and one fight on the FXX prelims is particularly intriguing not just for the fight or fighters, although those two things are quite firestarters themselves, but for the regulations surrounding the bout.

In the second to last fight of the prelims, Aljamain Sterling faces Renan Barao in a – I hate using this word but it fits here – pivotal fight at…..not 135 pounds. We’ll get to that in a second. First our fighters.

Sterling is coming off a win over Augusto Mendes (UD) after dropping two in a row to Bryan Caraway and Rafael Assuncao, both by decision, and split decision at that. Sterling thought he won both fights, which he has a case for, particularly in the Assuncao fight. To play devil’s advocate, Sterling maybe should see this as a sign he needs to go for the finish more and not play it so safe, but either way it got bad enough that at 27 and as one of the better prospects in the division, he said he was prepared to walk away from MMA had he not got the nod over Mendes. Now that he did, he looks to take a giant leap back to contendership by besting the former champion, and, sort of, returning Barao.

As I just alluded to, Barao, almost, returns to the bantamweight division after a two fight stint at featherweight. Having gone 1-2 in his last 3 bantamweight fights, losing twice to the then-champion T.J Dillashaw, Barao decided to stop wreaking havoc on his body cutting to “35” and try 145 on for size. He saw mixed results, getting outpointed by former 155er Jeremy Stephens before taking a unanimous decision from Phillipe Nover, albeit in lackluster fashion. Not seeing the returns he was hoping, Barao decided to take his talents back to the division he did not lose in for almost a decade. There was one small hiccup awaiting him, as you may have picked up on me ominously hinting at.

UFC 214 takes place at the Honda center in Anaheim, a city located in California. California has an athletic commission, like most if not all states do (you know my opinion on research. I just know not every last area they hold fights in has one). An athletic commission is a state’s governing body over, mainly, combat sports and it’s participating competitors. Basically, they make sure every fighter follows its rules and follows them the same way. In May, California’s decided to put its money where every other state’s athletic commission’s mouth was and pass very strict regulations pertaining to weight classes and more importantly weight cutting. As I detailed in my write up on Chris Weidman (I was pretty fuckin wrong about him huh?) severely dehydrating yourself to make weight can have a very negative effect on performance. What I left out (to not distract from the story, #writing) is that it is also dangerous as all holy hell. Just check out this article on former welterweight Brian Melancon who had to retire from MMA because weight cuts basically almost shut down his kidneys. So California said no mas. Beginning, June 15th fighters had to, among other things, weigh in 30 days out from their fight to make sure they were in reasonable cutting distance from their scheduled fight weight. They also added that if you gained more than 10% of your weigh-in weight back between weigh-ins and the fight, you’d be asked very politely to move up in weight. Basically, California is no longer fucking around.

Here is we arrive at our Barao-Sterling curveball. Renan Barao has to basically kill himself to make 135. It’s well documented. He even had to pull out of his first rematch attempt with Dillashaw because he passed out standing up or something. It’s sickening to think about. Guess where that failed weight cut occurred? That’s right, the Sunshine State. So with all this documented in front of them California straight up told him they would not license or allow him to fight at 135lbs and the fight was moved to a 140lb catch-weight, with Barao’s 135lb future, at least in California, to be reviewed at a later date depending on how 140 goes.  The whole situation puts Barao’s career in a weird place as if he is never allowed to fight at 135lbs in California again he may be forced to go back to 145 for financial and promotional reasons. It also sort of puts the UFC in a pickle in terms of being at minor odds with an athletic commission, which they do not like to be as AC’s tend to band together and could make the UFC’s life harder than it needs to be.

All in all, it has made a very interesting fight matter a slight bit less as it isn’t being fought in an actual division. However that is a shitty way to look at what might be my MMA Nerd Fight of the Night come Friday. The perennial “almost” there vs. the prodigal son. It’s gonna be a fun one, as long as Barao wins his fight against the scale to get there.