Nick Diaz tested positive for marijuana at UFC 143, Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer said in a statement:

"The following athletes were tested: Nick Diaz, Carlos Condit, Fabricio Werdum, Josh Koscheck, Renan Barao, Ed Herman, Dustin Poirier, Max Hollaway, Matt Riddle, Henry Martinez, Edwin Figueroa, Alex Caceres, Matt Brown, Chris Cope, Rafael Natal, Michael Kuiper, Stephen Thompson and Dan Stittgen. All results received thus far have been negative, except Mr. Diaz tested positive for marijuana metabolites. A complaint for disciplinary action against Mr. Diaz has been filed."

This is Diaz's second positive test. He first tested positive in 2007 for marijuana when he fought Takanori Gomi at Pride 33, also in Las Vegas. Diaz's submission win over Gomi was overturned because of the positive test.

Had Diaz won his interim welterweight title fight against Carlos Condit at UFC 143 this past weekend, that victory would have been overturned as well.

Diaz might have suspected the test would come back positive, and that might have been his reason for not accepting a rematch with Condit.

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 6:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

In the main event at UFC 143 in Las Vegas last night, former WEC champion Carlos “Natural Born Killer“ Condit (28-5-0, 5-1 UFC) won by unanimous decision over former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz (26-8-0, 7-5 UFC) for the UFC interim welterweight championship.

Condit hadn’t lost in Las Vegas in five fights and Diaz has won 11 fights in a row, with his last loss coming in 2007.

Like most of Diaz’s fights, the stare-down before the opening bell is an event in and of itself.

As referee Steve Mazzagatti gave the final instructions for the fight, both fighters began butting foreheads and had to be separated by security in the cage.

Starting out, Diaz was the aggressor, but it was Condit who landed the effective leg kicks. Diaz, at 6 feet, had never fought a fighter who was taller than the 6-foot-2 Condit with equivalent reach (76 inches).

Diaz didn't punch as hard as Condit, but the accumulation of punches often won his fights. In his last match against BJ Penn, Diaz broke the record for the most punches in a fight: more than 200 significant punches that landed on his opponent.

In Rounds 1 through 4, Condit used leg kicks, quick punches and an even temperament to frustrate Diaz. By his own admission, Diaz has said he is low on patience. So Condit's corner knew that the fighter needed to be patient and to frustrate Diaz to get the win.

In between rounds, Diaz’s corner never instructed him to change his game plan, believing that Diaz’s cardio would eventually wear out his opponent. Condit was winning the rounds by striking and landing the most kicks throughout the fight. The one area on the score card that Diaz held was for octagon aggression -- he kept coming forward throughout the fight.

By the fifth round, Diaz realizes that he had someone who could finally match him in cardio, strength and movement.

It wasn’t until the final minute that Diaz decided to take Condit down and end the fight. Condit was able to hold on to the end and win by unanimous decision (48–47, 49–46, 49–46) to become the new UFC interim welterweight champion.

 “It’s pretty surreal," Condit said after the win. "I couldn’t have done it without my coaches and teammates. They prepared me for this fight and now I walk away with the victory.”

The biggest loser of the night may be the UFC, because it would have benefited from a larger pay-per-view if Nick Diaz had won. His next opponent would have been UFC champion Georges St. Pierre, with whom he has exchanged words. Diaz called out St. Pierre after one of his fights, and the champion has let it be known that he was rooting for Diaz in this fight so that he could destroy him in the cage.

After the fight, Diaz -- much like his last opponent, BJ Penn -- announced after the fight that he was retiring.

“I think that I’m done with this MMA. It’s been great out here, I had a good career,” Diaz said. “You guys pay me way too much [money], but I don’t think I’m going to get enough to keep on in this.”

I think the one thing that would get Diaz back in the cage is if St. Pierre calls out Diaz after he beats Condit for the belt. That would make for good drama and a big payday for all.

Below are the full undercard results:
 

Continue reading "UFC 143: Condit wins title over Diaz" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 8:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)
        

( Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune / January 28, 2012 )

The Ultimate Fighting Championship blew into Chicago for UFC on Fox and it was Rashad Evans facing Phil Davis in a light-heavyweight bout at the United Center. The last time the UFC had held an event in Illinois was UFC 90 in 2008.

In the main event, Evans (22-1-1, 12-1-1 UFC) won a unanimous decision over Davis (9-1, 5-1 UFC). The five-round bout was scored 50-45. The loss was the first for Davis in his 10-fight career, but more surprisingly was the way in which he lost the fight, by being outwrestled.  

Davis was a four-time NCAA Division I All-American at Penn State, so being outwrestled had to be a blow to his game plan.

Evans also believes it was his experience in the cage that helped him win the decision. "I believe that he (Davis) needs a couple of more years before his stand up is better than mine," Evans said.

This is a battle of former training partners under Greg Jackson's Submission Fighting. Evans left Jackson’s gym after it became apparent that the two would eventually have to fight for the title.

On MMAjunkies.com, Evans said, "I want to put the rivalry to bed and more importantly get the chance to get my belt back," he said. "I think I can beat Jon Jones, and I see areas where I can capitalize."

Sonnen knew he had take the fight to the canvas and score takedowns to win the bout. But to his dismay the Brit Bisping found his way back on his feet throughout the fight. Often using the cage to get back on his feet and in the standing position throughout the first and second rounds.

In the third round, Sonnen tried to keep the bout in the center of the cage, so that Bisping couldn’t use the cage to stand back up. With the win, Sonnen secures a rematch with the middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

Never a loss for words, Sonnen believes Silva is a myth created by the media. “The myth the media has created, has created nothing short of jealousy for me. You’re finding out why jealousy is one of the 'Seven Deadly Sins,' ” he said. “I’m jealous of him and it has created an anger and I’m going to bring him down and I make no apology.”

Sonnen delivered a message to the fans, “He’s the champion, but I’m the best.”

An earlier version of this article had the name of Submission Fighting's Greg Jackson incorrect.

The full undercard results:    

Continue reading "UFC on Fox: Next up for Evans is Jon Jones" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 8:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Bisping was already scheduled for fight on the card that night against Demian Maia. Bisping's biggest concern now will be his fighting strategy. He was preparing to fight a jiu-jitsu fighter and now will be taking on a world-class wrestler in Sonnen.

"UFC on FOX 2: Rashad Evans versus Phil Davis" takes place at the United Center in Chicago.

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 6:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo (21-1, 3-0 UFC) has solidified himself as one of the top three, pound-for-pound fighters in the world, with his impressive knockout victory over American Chad Mendes (11-1, 2-1 UFC).

Aldo’s win came in front of his fans at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday at UFC 142.

Going into the fight Mendes knew he had to take Aldo down to have a chance at winning the title. For the first four minutes of the fight, both guys exchanged leg kicks. Mendes, a member of Team Alpha Male gym, tried a double-leg takedown and was able to get the champion down but for only a moment.  Mendes was able to transition to a rear waistlock on Aldo and tried to pick the champion up to slam him, but Aldo grabbed the cage and was warned by referee Mario Yamasaki.  

As the round was coming to an end, Mendes remained at Aldo’s back. With only seconds left in the round Aldo spun around and threw a knee that landed on the jaw of Mendes, knock him to the canvas. Aldo then connected with two hard right-handed punches before Yamasaki could stop the damage. The fight officially ended with just one second left in the opening round.

After a bout, most fighters parade around the cage and receive congratulations from their corner. But not Aldo, he bolted into the crowd and for a moment was lost in the sea of Brazilian fans that came to cheer him.

“My fans give me so much love and so much good energy so there’s nothing better than celebrating with them,” Aldo said. 

In the co-main event, UFC veteran Vitor Belfort stopped American Anthony “Rumble” Johnson with a choke submission at 4:49 of the first round. The Brazilian Belfort first fought in the octagon at UFC 12 in 1997.  His opponent at UFC 142, Johnson was just 12 years old in 1997.  Belfort was better known as “The Phenom” at that time, a black belt in jiu-jitsu under his adopted father, the legendary Carlson Gracie.

Despite having a jiu-jitsu background, this was the first submission win for Belfort in 11 years. He took down Bobby Southworth by rear-naked choke back in 2001.

Belfort's plan for the fight was to have Johnson quit.

"Anthony is a very strong guy, he kept shooting on me (trying to take me down) I (just) block(ed) him. The plan was to make him quit or knock him out,” Belfort said.

Belfort questioned Johnson's professionalism, “The guy was not even professional he didn’t make weight, not even close," Belfort said.

Next for Belfort is fellow Brazilian Wanderlei Silva. He first fought Silva at UFC 17.5 Ultimate Brazil in 1998 and won in spectacular fashion in 44 seconds.  This time they will both be coaches on the UFC reality series “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil.” 

The full undercard results:   

Continue reading "UFC 142: Featherweight champion Jose Aldo was awesome" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 8:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Fighting for only the second time in the UFC, Pennsylvania native Jimy “The Kid” Hettes (10 wins, 0 losses) put on a ground-and-pound clinic for the MMA world to see at UFC 141. It was the first time he went the distance in a three-round fight, but he clearly dominated every minute.

Hettes outfought veteran fighter Nam Phan (17-10) so badly that he earned a score of 30-25 on two of the judges' scorecards.

The person that was most impressed with Hettes was UFC president Dana White.

White was asked at the post-fight news conference about Hettes' performance against Phan. “You guys heard me talk a lot about the new breed [of fighter] that's coming up and how they train differently. There’s one of them right there," White said pointing towards Hettes.

“That kid is nasty," White continued. "Tonight, it was fun watching him perform. Once he gets more comfortable here and starts to feel like this is really his home and this is his place, that kid is going to be putting on some shows."

The first time I saw Hettes fight live was at Shogun Fights I in 2009 in Baltimore. It was Hettes' third professional fight and the first professional MMA match in Maryland. Hettes won in 1:25 of the first round over Steven Baker.

But it wasn’t until I saw him fight five months later at Shogun Fights II that I thought this guy could be special. He fought a veteran fighter in James “Binky” Jones in Jones' hometown and beat him in 28 seconds. After that fight, the rumors spread that the UFC was looking to add him to the roster.

Hettes showed that he was a man of his word. He was offered a contract to fight in the UFC, with the first bout scheduled to take place at The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck Finale, but he turned the offer down due to prior engagements with another promotion. That took some guts and maturity.

In July 2011, Hettes officially signed with the UFC and made his debut on Aug. 14, 2011 against Alex “Bruce Leroy” Caceres. He won via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:12 of round 2.

Before the fight, UFC color commentator Joe Rogan said, “This is a spectacular opportunity and the door is open. Let’s see if Jimy Hettes can storm through the gates”

I wrote back then, “He not only stormed the gates, he has the keys to a bright future in the UFC.”

And after hearing the praise that Dana White heaped on him after UFC 141, Hettes not only has a bright future in the UFC, but he could be a future superstar.

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 1:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Standing in the center of the cage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. “Tonight is the last time you will see me in the Octagon," Lesnar said. “I'm here to say that Brock Lesnar has officially retired. I promised my wife, my kids. If I won this fight I'd fight one more time for the title. If I lost, I'd retire.” 

It was probably the right decision because during the fight Lesnar once again looked liked a fish out of water in the Octagon. Despite being a two-time NCAA All-American wrestler, Lesnar decided to stand and fight Overeem instead of using he superior wrestling skills.

At the post-fight press conference Overeem said, “I’m not a guy that believes in superstition stuff, but yesterday I said I would do a liver kick.”

Lesnar told UFC president Dana White after the fight that he believe he has a broken rib.

In the co-main event, “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (17-4, 4-1 UFC) lost a unanimous decision to Nate Diaz (15-7, 10-5 UFC) in a lightweight bout. It looked to me like Cerrone wasn't fighting to win the bout, but was fighting to win the “Fight of the Night” $75,000 bonus. He seemed to follow the exact game plan of his training partner Leonard Garcia -- standing toe-to-toe and exchanging punches with your opponent. Even though you may be losing the fight, your chance of winning a bonus is greater.  

Cerrone talked to mmafighting.com earlier in the week about being broke despite fighting four times this year. He pocketed more than $200,000 in post-fight bonuses alone.

"And it's gone," Cerrone told reporters with a Dennis the Menace grin earlier this week, explaining, "I now own everything I ever wanted." 

For three straight rounds, both fighters would do the same thing. Cerrone would land several leg sweeps and Diaz would land many punches to the mouth of Cerrone.

The “Knockout of the Night” went to Johny Hendricks (12-1, 7-1 UFC) in a bout before Diaz vs. Cerrone. Only one punch was thrown, a left jab to the jaw of UFC No. 2 welterweight contender Jon Fitch (23-4-1, 16-2-1 UFC). The big overhand left land directly on Fitch’s jaw, knocking him out instantly at 12 seconds of the first round.

Pennsylvania's own Jimy “The Kid” Hettes (10-0 2-0 UFC) but on a ground and pound clinic and won by a lopsided unanimous decision against welterweight Nam Phan.

Below are the full undercard results.

Continue reading "UFC 141: Brock Lesnar loses, retires and it's probably for the best" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 3:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

What else can be written about UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones and the legacy he is creating in the sport of mixed martial arts?

Many considered Jones the future of MMA. With such a heavy title thrown upon him, he needs only one thing – a new nickname.

That’s right, a new nickname – one that reflects his fighting spirit and the person he has become inside and outside the cage.

Jones – the brother of Ravens defensive lineman Arthur Jones – got the nickname “Bones” in high school while playing football.

“I was a football player that couldn’t catch," he said. "I couldn’t throw but I was really tall and skinny. They put me on the defensive line with these huge shoulder pads and really big helmet. When you look at my upper body I looked like a really big guy, but I had these little chicken legs coming out of the uniform. So everyone start calling me ‘Bones’ and my brother ‘Beefy’ so I kept the name."

When you look at other nicknames of fighters in the UFC, they seem to reflect something about the fighters.

• BJ Penn is the “Prodigy” – Most people need a decade or more to achieve a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but Penn received his after only three years. And weeks later he became the first non-Brazilian to win the black-belt division at the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship. Now that’s a Prodigy.

• Vitor  Belfort is the “Phenom” ­– He was 19 years old when he became the youngest fighter in the UFC to ever win inside the cage. He beat two fighters in his debut event in the UFC, winning the UFC 12 Heavyweight Tournament.

• Stefan Struve is the “Skyscraper” – At 6’11” tall, Struve is currently the tallest man fighting in the UFC.

• Chan Sung Jung is “The Korean Zombie” – When you see his ability to take punches and keep coming forward like a zombie.

Demetrious Johnson is “Mighty Mouse”– Johnson is the smallest fighter in the UFC at 5-foot-3 and 135 pounds. He also looks like Mighty Mouse.

• Donald Cerrone is “Cowboy” – Cerrone not only lives on a 10-acre ranch but he is a cowboy. He was a bull rider before he started fighting.

Before I unveil the nickname I think best describe Jon Jones, let’s look at his background and the person he has become inside and outside the octagon.

I asked Jones two-months ago about his career, and what would people say about him after his fighting career is over.

“I want to be remembered as a person who was a hard worker, who had fun and changed the game and dared to be himself and dared to be different and exceeded all odds,” he said.

Talking about his legacy, Jones told Sport Illustrated, "I don't want people to say, I want to fight like Jon Jones. I want them to say, I want to be Jon Jones. I want to transcend the sport, to inspire people.”

Jones dad is a minister and he grew up a Pentecostal Christian, he describes himself as a “hardcore Christian.”

So I believe the nickname that best fits Jon Jones is “The Chosen One.”

“I don’t think he would like it,“ Arthur Jones said when asked about the suggestion.

What nickname would you suggest for Jon Jones, or do you like "Bones"?

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 1:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones (15-1, 9-1 UFC) successfully defended his title for the second time this year. He won by executing a standing guillotine choke on former champion Lyoto Machida (17-3, 9-3 UFC) in the main event at UFC 140 on Saturday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

The first round started in typical Jon Jones fashion. The champion crawled to the center of the Octagon just like he did against his last opponent, Quinton Jackson. Asked after the Jackson fight why he starting the fight with such an unorthodox stance. Jones said, “I had a little epiphany before the fight that I would try a single-leg from a low wrestling crouch.” It didn’t work then and it didn’t work this time.

The 24-year-old champion was the aggressive fighter throughout the first round, but it was the southpaw Machida that landed the biggest punch of the opening round. The Brazilian landed a hard left that stumbled the champion, who looked to be off-balance as well.

“He didn’t have me hurt, but he did punch me pretty good and wobbled me a bit,”Jones said during the UFC post-fight news conference.

The knock on Jon Jones the past several years by his critics has been that he hasn’t taken a big punch from any of his opponents. Taking the left to the jaw by Machida, Jones has silenced his critics once again.

“I just got this feeling that I will never be the same after this fight. I feel as if I’m going to grow from this fight,” Jones said.

I had Machida winning the first round 10-9. Of the four fights Jones has had this year, this is the only round I have scored for his opponent.

In the second round, the champion attempted to cut off the ring from his counter-punching opponent.  Machida would hit-and-run but Jones remained patience and landed a solid right hand. Jones scored a big takedown and threw an elbow that cut Machida instantly on his forehead.

Referee John McCarthy stopped the bout to call in the ringside doctor, who gave the OK for the fight to continue. Once the fight resumed, Jones connected on a short left to the Brazilian and followed with a knee to the gut. Machida was then pressed against the cage and Jones executed a standing guillotine choke. Machida's body went limp and he fell to the canvas unconscious as the referee stopped the bout at 4:26 of the second round. It is the first time Machida had ever been submitted.

Jones said afterward, “I got hit a lot, but I learned a lot from it, so I would rank it as good as any other fight.”

For their efforts, the fight was voted “Fight of the Night” and both took home an additional $75,000.

In the co-main event, former heavyweight champion Frank Mir submitted Brazilian Antonio “Big Nog” Nogueira with a kimura at 3:38 into the opening round.

Nogueira looked to have the fight won after landing a hard right hand behind the ear of Mir, wobbling the legs of the two-time world champion. The fight went to the canvas and Nogueira tried an anaconda choke, but Mir reversed to top position. Mir was able to get a kimura, but the Brazilian was able to roll free. Then a determined Mir maintained the hold. Nogueira tapped out at 3:38 of the first round after suffering a broken arm.

“I kept flat, chest heavy and was able to break it. That’s what I trained for,” said a candid Mir.

Watching the UFC play the video of Nogueira’s arm being broken over and over again, the organization can only wish something like this isn’t on the UFC Fox network fights. It would receive a lot of negative reaction from first-time viewers. It’s not like pro wrestling where you could determine the outcome.

Below are the full card results. Click here to see a photo gallery of the event.

Continue reading "UFC 140: Jon Jones chokes out the competition" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 9:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

After the fight, ringside color commentator Joe Rogan said to the winner Bisping, “This moves you in a position now to possibly take on Anderson Silva.”

Miller displayed some of the worst boxing I have ever seen in a UFC main event. “Mayhem is wildly striking, a little bit sloppy. ... it’s very awkward and it’s not very fast,“ Rogan said during the broadcast."

Play-by-play man Mike Goldberg was much friendlier with his assessment, calling Miller “unorthodox with his striking.”

Miller's attempt at boxing made even Brock Lesnar look good on his feet. UFC President Dana White tweeted, “The most one-sided fight I might have ever seen in the UFC!”

Really? 

We may have seen Miller's last fight in the UFC. The one bright spot in Miller’s performance is that he can take a punch. It took an out-of-shape Bisping three rounds to win by TKO (knees to the body and punches) and send Miller to the hospital.

At the start of TUF 14, Bisping picked featherweight Diego Brandao (14-7) number one for his team. The well-rounded Brazilian Brandao dominated his competition.  

He reminds me of Chris Leben, but with a ground game. Every punch he throws is attended to knock his opponent out. The 24-year-old Brandao is a born fighter, with something you can’t teach in the gym. He has that “killer instinct,” the drive that separates the best from the rest. Brandao is fighting not just for himself, put he see it as a means to help his family back in Brazil.

Bermudez stood over Brandao and tried to ground and pound the Brazilian into submission. But Brandao, a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, grabbed Bermudez's left arm and executed a textbook straight armbar for the win by submission at 4:51 of the first round. 

“That kid is something special,” Goldberg said about Brandao after the fight.

In the first bantamweight TUF finale fight between Dodson and T.J. Dillashaw (4-1), it took less than two minutes for Dodson to win the six-figure contract and become this season’s winner. Dodson showed why he was one of the favorites to win this season's TUF 14.

Dodson, an Albuquerque, N.M., native, has been fighting since 2004, and has a professional record of 12-5. Dodson and Diego Brandao have a close friendship like two other Greg Jackson fighters, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia. Dodson made quick work of Dillashaw after both fighters spent a minute checking each other out. Dodson landed a devastating left hook to the side of Dillashaw's head. He quickly followed his opponent to the canvas and landed several more hammer fists before referee Herb Dean stopped the bout at 1:54 of round one.

Below are the full-card results:  

Continue reading "TUF 14 finale: Mayhem Miller is bullied by Bisping" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 8:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

With the success of UFC of Fox and the heavyweight matchup between Cain Velasquez and the new champion Junior dos Santos, we should see even more top contenders battling in the octagon in 2012.

Here’s my list of fights I would love to see in 2012:

Anderson “The Spider” Silva against Chael Sonnen

If I could only see one fight next year, this would be it. One scenario that would work is if the UFC could have both guys as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter reality TV series. Silva could coach a Brazilian team and Sonnen a America team, with all of the fighters living in a beach home in Brazil.

Clay “The Carpenter” Guida against Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard

This would be an awesome main event on Fox. Both guys have excellent cardio, and they enjoy to stand and bang. The winner could get a shot at the lightweight title.

Cheick Kongo against Cain Velasquez

This would be a rematch of their fight from 2009. Among the differences this time is a much more improved Kongo, who has more confident in his standup, a sharper jab and better takedown defense. This could be a main event or co-main event on any card. It might go just 25 seconds or five rounds, but it would be exciting.

Matt “Meathead” Mitrione against Roy “Big Country” Nelson

Two fighters that would keep the action going for 3 to 5 rounds, and both are headhunters. I could see this as a “Fight of the night” and co-main event.

Dominick “The Dominator” Cruz against Jose “Scarface” Aldo

Cruz is tall enough to carry the extra pounds to fight at featherweight. Both guys have fought and beaten Urijah Faber, and both have only one loss on their records. This could be the first Superfight “Champion vs. Champion” in the UFC.

Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez against Anthony “Showtime” Pettis

Welcome Melendez to the UFC with a bout against the human highlight reel, Anthony Pettis. Pettis would need to stay away from Melendez's overhand right and take him down a couple of times per round to win. This would be a great five-round fight and an excellent bout for FOX.

Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone against Jorge Masvidal

These are two of my favorite fighters in all of mixed martial arts. They are both good on their feet, and they both put on action-packed fights whenever they’re in the octagon. Masvidal would have to be signed by the UFC for this fight to happen.

Junior dos Santos against Alistair Overeem

Overeem has fought 47 fights (35-11-1) and is one of the most well-rounded heavyweight fighters in all of MMA. He is a kickboxing and Muay Thai specialist that has fought some of the biggest names in MMA. Junior dos Santos is the best boxing heavyweight in the UFC and he also has great take down defense. I don’t see this fight going to the ground, but I see this as a stand up war with both fighters swinging for a knockout.  

Jon “Bones” Jones against Cheick Kongo

If and when Jones decides to move up in weight, this would be a good first match. Kongo happens to be 12 years older, but as UFC play-by-play announcer Mike Goldberg would say, “everything else is virtually identical.”  Both guys are 6-foot-4 and both have some of the longest arms in MMA (Jones' reach is 84 ½ inches & Kongo is 82 inches).  It would be good to see if Jones could stand and fight with someone that has the reach and strength of Kongo.

What are some of the fights you would like to see in 2012?

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 4:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Ultimate Fighting Championship held its first live event on network television from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday night. The main event was a heavyweight title match between champion Cain Velasquez and No.1 contender Junior dos Santos.

Before the fight UFC president Dana White said about Velasquez “I believe he is the best heavyweight world.” And former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, working as a color commentator, said he believed Velasquez would win the fight.  

But fights aren’t won or lost with words. They are settled in the cage. And in the cage it took dos Santos (14-1) just 64 seconds to become the new UFC heavyweight champion.  

Ringside announcer Bruce Buffer took longer to introduce the fighters before the fight, than the entire fight itself.

After Velasquez fell to the canvas, dos Santos stood over the former champion and pounded out a TKO (punches) win at 1:04 of the first round. "It's amazing, my life. I have a lot of good people around me," dos Santos said. “Cain Velasquez was for sure my toughest opponent. I was scared to fight him because he is tough.”

In the end it was a bad game plan by Velasquez, who decided to box with a boxer. Velasquez's strength is his wresting and his incredible stamina and he didn’t get a chance to display either.

Getting strong now

Won't be long now

Getting strong now

It was announced that 60 million people watched the fight in his native Brazil.

Below are the full undercard results.  

Continue reading "In a minute, Dos Santos is new UFC heavyweight champ" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 12:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White wrote this editorial for The Baltimore Sun to express the significance of the UFC showing a live sporting event on network television and how this would elevate mixed martial arts like never before.

One of the great things about being a sports fan is remembering exactly where you where when a moment in history was created. For baseball fans, that day might be Oct. 15, 1988, when an injured Kirk Gibson hit a stunning walk-off home run off Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the World Series.
 
For football fans, maybe you recall where you were on Jan. 3, 1993, when the Buffalo Bills pulled off “The Comeback” against the Houston Oilers, erasing a 32-point deficit to win the now legendary playoff game. And for boxing fans, maybe it was Feb. 11, 1990, when heavyweight champion Mike Tyson suffered a dramatic upset at the hands of Buster Douglas in Tokyo, Japan.
 
Regardless of the year, the teams or the outcome, sports give us an outlet and an opportunity to be a part of history. It’s something we can tell our kids about decades later, something we relive with our buddies over beers as we recount where we were and how our lives have changed since.
 
In just a few days, we at the Ultimate Fighting Championship are presenting fans across the world with another opportunity to be a part of sports history. This Saturday, live and free on FOX from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., the UFC heavyweight championship of the world will be decided when undefeated Cain Velasquez defends his crown against knockout artist and number one contender Junior dos Santos.
 
Not only does this mark our first event on FOX since we announced a multi-year broadcast agreement with the network this past summer, but it marks a return to the glory days for many sports fans. It signals a return to the days when sports’ biggest prize – the world heavyweight title – is decided live and free on network television.
 
If you’re interested in watching an epic heavyweight title fight, we hope you’ll tune in this Saturday at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. You don’t have to choose between UFC and the Pacquiao fight, either. We’re on before the Filipino sensation even hits the ring, so feel free to check out both events. It will be a great night for sports fans.
 
We’re bringing live sporting events on network television to the next level. We wouldn’t want you to miss out.

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 9:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz put on a dominating performance at UFC 137 Saturday night.

He won a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-28) over former UFC champion BJ "The Prodigy" Penn (16-8-2, 12-7-2UFC). Diaz (26-7, 7-4 UFC) pressured Penn throughout the fight with an arsenal of combinations in the main event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

The fighters stood toe-to-toe with Diaz pressing the action and using his 6-inch reach advantage. Both fighters had good exchanges in the opening round. Penn was able to take Diaz down and briefly take Diaz's back, but he scrambled back to his feet. After the first round ended, Diaz shoved his shoulder into Penn’s face while heading back to his corner.

In the second round Diaz started to test Penn's cardio by applying pressure throughout the round. He used the “Stockton Slap,” a half jab that is used to keep a fist in your opponent's face. Diaz also mixed in body shots and combinations that started to swell the left eye of Penn. 

In the third round, Diaz and Penn turned the fight into an old-fashioned brawl. Both fighters landed punches throughout the round. But at the end of the third round Diaz raised his hands and Penn walked to his corner looking rejected.

When ring announcer Bruce Buffer announced Diaz the winner, the Stockton, Calif., native raised his hands in victory. He stared into the camera and screamed at the top of his lungs, “Where you at George, where you at (expletive)?”

At the postfight press conference, Dana White announced that middleweight champion George St. Pierre has agreed to fight Diaz on the Super Bowl weekend fight card.

Diaz talked about getting the title shot at the postfight press conference. “I have to come off like that just to get a fight,” Diaz said. “You going to point the finger, make me the bad guy. I’m the bad guy now, I get to fight.” 

The biggest surprise of the night had to be the announcement by Penn after the fight. Talking to UFC commentator Joe Rogan in the cage. "Hats off to Nick Diaz," he said to Joe Rogan. "He's the man. Joe, this is probably the last time you see me in here. I want to perform at the top level. That’s it Joe, I’ll shake your hand right now. I've got a daughter. I've got another daughter on the way. I don't want to go home looking like this."

Continue reading "UFC 137: Diaz beats Penn convincingly" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 8:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

With this Twitter message from UFC president Dana White to his 1.6 million followers, the main event at UFC 137 has now become BJ Penn vs. Nick Diaz. It's being reported that welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has suffered a knee injury and his fight against Carlos Condit was pulled from the card at UFC 137 in Las Vegas.

"We will sit Carlos to wait for GSP," White wrote. "It's looking so far like he could be ready in a couple months." 

Josh Koscheck has offered to fight Condit on one week's notice, but Condit has decided to wait for GSP to recover.

This is the second time the main event has changed for UFC 137, the first was when Nick Diaz was missing in action and didn't show up for numerous scheduled press events to help promote the card. White made the decision to change St. Pierre opponent from Diaz to Condit for the main event and Diaz later become BJ Penn's opponent.

Injuries to fighters are a problem that plagues mixed martial arts. It’s something that’s unavoidable, but must be improved upon.

A huge case in point is the UFC on Fox bout between heavyweights Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos. I’m sure the UFC is crossing its fingers and toes hoping that no injuries occur during practice. That would be a major blow to the sports if it wants to attract more mainstream fans.

How does the change in the main event affect you buying UFC 137?

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 8:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen is the talk of the MMA world. Just moments after dominating Brian Stann at UFC 136, Sonnen seems to have transformed from an MMA fighter into a pro wrestler.

UFC color commentator Joe Rogan asked Sonnen, “How happy were you with your performance tonight?"

Sonnen ignored the question and looked toward UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in the audience and bellowed out a line as if he was auditioning for The Wrestler. “Anderson Silva, you absolutely suck,”  Sonnen said. He then waited a few moments for the cheers to get louder and followed with an old-fashion pro wrestling loser-leave-town challenge.

“Super Bowl weekend, the biggest rematch in the history of the business. I’m calling you out Silva, but we’re upping the stakes.” Sonnen took another dramatic pause for the cheers to reach a feverish pitch. “I beat you, you leave the (185 lbs.) Division. You beat me, I will leave the UFC forever.”

Sonnen was later interviewed backstage by mmafighting.com reporter Ariel Helwani. Sonnen started the interview doing his best Hulk Hogan pose and flexing his bicep and tricep. He said, “Ariel, is that camera big enough to take in the largest arm in West Linn, Oregon that has found its way to Houston, Texas? Because that thing looks a little bit small."

Helwani asked him how he felt since it’s been a long time since he has been in the ring.

“I’m not here to be just one of the guys, I have plenty of money and plenty of fame,” Sonnen said. “I’m after 12 pounds of gold (UFC championship belt) and that’s it.”

Sonnen continued to stare into the camera as if he was waiting on “Mean” Gene Okerlund to yell out – "It’s going down Super Bowl weekend, so don’t you dare miss it" – but this isn’t the WWE; it’s the UFC.

If this fight happens on Super Bowl weekend, Sonnen will be one of the first fighters to announce his next fight four months out. UFC president Dana White -- not the fighters -- usually do that.

Helwani suggested to Sonnen that he could fight Silva in Brazil for the rematch. Sonnen then took a line from pro wrestler The Rock. He said, “If they sell 100,000 tickets (in Brazil), I hope they collect them all and put them in a nice ball and turn them sideways and shove them straight up their (expletive).”

It’s seems to me that Chael Sonnen is auditioning for the WWE, since he will be “leaving town” Super Bowl weekend.

What are your thoughts?

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)
        

Shogun Fights V is coming to 1st Mariner Arena on Saturday at 7 p.m. To preview the event, Baltimore Sun sports intern Chris Eckard caught up with Dave Daniecki, a Baltimore native who will fight Donald Crawford Jr. 

He's a two-time state champion wrestler, a two-time All-America lacrosse defender and a former professional lacrosse player, but Dave Daniecki doesn't get his biggest adrenaline rush on the wrestling mat or the lacrosse field.

That feeling, Daniecki says, is reserved for whenever he steps into a cage as a mixed martial arts fighter.

The 36-year-old from Baltimore always savored the hard hits that came with wrestling takedowns or protecting his turf as a defender in lacrosse. His mentality, in any sport or venue, has always been to use his 6-foot, 195-pound frame to leave a mark on his opponent.

But ever since he picked up MMA five years ago at Ground Control Academy in Baltimore, Daniecki has found his ultimate satisfaction.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Continue reading "Baltimore's Dave Daniecki gets his kicks" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

UFC middleweight fighter Chael Sonnen was quite honest and forthright with me recently on a conference call for UFC 136.

MMA fans have heard Sonnen's opinion about the night he fought UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and how he beat him for four rounds, yet Silva walked out the cage with the belt.

I was straight to the point with Sonnen and we had the following exchange:

MMA Stomping Grounds: Do you really believe that Anderson Silva isn’t the best 185 lbs. fighter in the world?

Chael Sonnen: "It's getting harder and harder to deny that he should be shown that appreciation. He ducked Okami for years but he did finally get in there and he made it look easy. So, I think you've got to look at that. If you're asking if I would ever concede that Anderson's better than me? No. I would simply refer you to the tape. I think [our] skills are vastly different. I think I could come down a lot and still be ahead of him. I also think he ducks and dodges opponents constantly - but listen, his wins and losses speak for themselves and the fact of the matter, whether I'd like to admit it or not, is he's done a better job than anybody, he's done a better job than me and he is the champion. That doesn't mean that I'm gonna quit poking my finger in his chest but at some point I think fairness needs to kick in, too, and I think you need to look at what he's done and tip your hat to him a little bit."

MMA Stomping Grounds: Chael thanks for your honesty and good luck man.

Chael Sonnen: I appreciate that.

Let's review Sonnen's statement: "If you're asking if I would ever concede that Anderson's better than me? No. I would simply refer you to the tape."

What Chael Sonnen has failed to take ownership of or mention at media events is the fact that he cheated. If he would have won the UFC middleweight title that night, it would have been one of the sports biggest black eyes. The UFC's newly crowned champion would have had his belt stripped eventually because he was found to have an elevated testosterone level.

In layman’s terms, he got caught cheating.

Continue reading "UFC: Chael Sonnen comes clean about Anderson Silva" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 2:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

The UFC held its first live event in the nation’s capital at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., and a bantamweight title fight was the headliner for its UFC Live 6 card on Versus.

In the main event, champion Dominick Cruz (19-1) and challenger Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson (14-2) squared off. Cruz had a huge reach and height advantage, but what the speedy Johnson lacked in size, he more than made up in heart and determination. But tonight, Cruz was not to be denied, he used his boxing and several belly-to-back suplexes to retain his bantamweight title and win a unanimous decision.

“I’m really excited about this win,” Cruz said. “But tonight I proved why I’m the best in the world in my weight class. I’m willing to take on anyone the UFC puts in front of me and continue to show why I am the best.”

The UFC is planning to start a 125-pound flyweight division, but until they do Johnson is looking to remain one of the top bantamweights in the world.

"I’m not worried about the 125-pound weight class right now,” Johnson said. “I’m focused on getting better as a 135 [pounder] and everyone will continue to see how much I improve when I come back.”

In the co-main event, heavyweights Pat Barry (6-4) and Stefan Struve (22-5) went the first two minutes of the opening round before punches were exchanged. The huge size difference (Barry at 5-foot-11 and Struve at 6-11) had both guys puzzled.
Barry said, “He was trying to bait me in and I just wasn’t going to go in and give him what he wanted.”

A head kick by Barry on the taller Struve fell short and the tall Dutchman just smiled at his opponent. The round ended with Barry trying a flying knee on Struve. Barry won the opening round on two of the judge’s scorecards 10-9, 9-10 and 9-10.

In the second round, Barry tried to chop down Struve with leg kicks. Struve attempted a guillotine and Barry picked him up and slammed him into the canvas – reminding many of the Quinton “Rampage” Jackson slam of Ricardo Arona in Pride – but Barry found himself in a triangle choke. Struve won by submission at 3:22 of the second round.

"I was eventually able to get him in the guillotine and once I locked it in I wasn’t letting it go,” Struve said. “When he slammed me, I was able to put my arm down to catch myself and sink the submission in deeper.”

As welterweight Charlie Brenneman (14-3) made his way to the octagon, he could hear the large cheering section of fans that made there way to the nation’s capital to support him.

His opponent Anthony Johnson (10-3) looked strong from the start. Brennenman tried to shoot on Johnson after the opening bell. But Johnson met him with a sprawl and stayed on top. Johnson began delivering knees to the side of Brennenman. Johnson ended the fight with a highlight-reel kick to the head of Brenneman while he had his hand down. Referee Mario Yamasaki stopped the fight at 2:49 of the second round.

“I hit him hard quite a few times in a row and he didn’t look like he was all there," Johnson said. “I landed that head kick and put him on the canvas. He looked done to me, but if that kick hadn’t done it, the punches that would have come afterwards would have.”

The most-anticipated fight of the night was between Byron Bloodworth (6-2) and DC’s own Mike “The Hulk” Easton (11-1). Bloodworth started out landing some leg kicks in the first round, but overall the round was a slow start for both fighters.

In the second round, Easton came out on fire, walking his opponent down and landing devastating leg kicks. The bout was momentarily stopped after an accidental kick to the groin by Easton. After the fight was resumed, Bloodworth had Easton against the cage and Easton landed a couple of high knees. He followed with two knees to the body and Bloodworth fell to the ground and Easton connected with two jabs before referee Kevin Mulhall stopped the bout at 4:52 of the second round.

"It feels absolutely unbelievable to finally be in the UFC…to debut here and get my first win here,” Easton said. “I’ve been dreaming about this since I was 17 and it finally happened. This is absolutely a dream come true and the fans are in store for fights like that as long as I’m here.”

Below are the full undercard results:

Continue reading "UFC Live 6: Cruz retains title" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Many consider Cruz to be one of the top five pound-for-pound fighters in the world. He recently avenged his only career loss by defeating Urijah Faber at UFC 132 in July.

A quote from Mark Twain best describes his next opponent, Johnson, “It's not the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog.” Johnson is the smallest fighter in the UFC at 5 feet 3 and 135 pounds. But don’t let his size fool you: He has dominated taller fighters his entire career. He is best known for his body slams and relentless energy in the cage.

"I’m a smaller guy, so I train at a high pace," Johnson said. “I’m really a hype person, so after training for three months for a UFC fight, I’m ready to go.”

Johnson was scheduled to face Renan Barão at UFC 130, but Johnson's opponent was changed to top contender Miguel Torres after Torres' originally scheduled opponent, Brad Pickett, was forced off the card because of an injury. Torres was a huge step up in competition for Johnson, but he used his superior wrestling ability to win a 29-28 unanimous decision. Johnson broke his fibula in the second round from a checked leg kick but continued to fight.

After beating Torres, the former WEC bantamweight champion, Johnson was given a UFC title shot against Cruz.

"Dominick Cruz has been beating everybody in the weight class, and I have been beating the majority of the guys, too," Johnson said. "I just been climbing the ladder, and it’s awesome that the UFC has gave me the opportunity to fight for a title."

To have a shot at taking the title from Cruz, he must sustain a feverish pace for all five rounds. With his cardio training, he’s capable of doing so.

"I do a lot of swimming, weightlifting, cross-fit and Muay Thai," Johnson said. "I do a lot of things that make me a better athlete. So when I step into the octagon, my speed is through the roof, my cardio is good, my heart is really strong and my lungs have gone through hell."

Johnson finished by saying, "I’m going to go out there and solve the puzzle and see what happens."

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 5:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones defended his title Saturday for the first time against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135 in Denver. Jones outfought Jackson for three rounds before he submitted him at 1:14 of the fourth round. 

Jackson didn’t make any excuses for the loss. “I’m in the best shape of my life,” he said. “I thought he was all hype, but the kid is good. My hat is off to him. I did my best. This is the best Rampage ever, and he had me memorized.”

How can you get within punching range when your opponent has an 11-inch reach advantage? 

From the start of the fight Jones used his legs, hands and elbows to dominate Jackson.

Jones came out in the first round in a low wrestling crouch, hoping to take Jackson down. “I had a little epiphany last night,” Jones said. “I have a really good misdirection single-leg takedown, where you fake to the right leg and shoot to the left leg, but it didn’t workout the way I planned. 

Jones was able to get Jackson against the cage in the first round and throw elbows and knees. Jackson complained to referee Josh Rosenthal that he was hit in the groin, but the ref took no action. Jones ended the round with a wheel kick that didn’t connect, but it showed Jackson his arsenal of kicks. 

In the second, Jones continued to land outside leg kicks and straight jabs on Jackson. In the round, Jones landed a sidekick to the midsection of Rampage. Just before the end of the round, Jones tried to land a triangle choke, but Jackson is saved by the end of the round.

Jackson team's didn’t adjust its game plan when it was obvious that he couldn’t win trying to get within punching range to connect a big punch. This was the difference in the fight.

In the third, Jones once again dominated the round with kicks and takedowns. Jackson was able to land some leg kicks, but Jones had an answered by taking him down and mounting him. Jones landed an elbow on Jackson, creating a large cut of his right eye. Jones missed a flying knee attempt but landed a fast left.  

“I was very confident and a couple of times I was getting desperate cause I wasn’t sticking to my game plan like I was trained to do,” Jackson said. “It was frustrating me. Jon’s presence and his reach is really hard to deal with.”

In the fourth round, Jones drove Jackson down against the base of the cage. Jackson tried to turn so that Jones wouldn’t reopen the cut over his eye, but Jones took his back. He sunk in his hooks to flatten Jackson out and executed a rear-naked choke. Jackson tapped at 1:14 of the fourth round. It’s was the first time Jackson had been submitted since Kazushi Sakuraba submitted him in 2001. 

After the fight ring commentator Joe Rogan had Jon Jones and his next opponent, Rashad Evans, in the ring to talk about their bout.

“I’m not gonna say much leading up to this fight, I’m just gonna prove it,” Jones said. “He (Evans) has ruined my special night twice in a row now.”   

Continue reading "UFC champion Jon Jones dominates Rampage" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 9:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

                                                                                                 Getty Images

Long before UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones had dreams of winning a title belt or goals of becoming a mixed martial artist, his religion and his older brother Arthur Jones motivated him to strive to be the best. When he was in high school competing for a New York state wrestling championship, it was Arthur -- a defensive lineman on the Ravens -- who gave him words of encouragement and motivation.

So, when Jon set out to win the light heavyweight championship, it was only fitting that Arthur was once again in his corner.

“It was great to have my brother to motivate me to win my first world title, because it was him that motivated me to win my first state championship,” Jon said.

As a professional football player, Arthur would normally spend his off-season at the Ravens' training facility in Owings Mills. But because of the lockout he had to workout on his own and prepare himself for the upcoming season. 

Arthur had also set goals for himself this year, and it was his little brother Jon who kept him motivated.

Jon is an avid reader of motivational books and quotes. You can often find him quoting verses from the Bible to quotes from Bruce Lee. So when Arthur was aiming to rekindle the dominance he had shown at Syracuse, it was no surprise who he talked to.

“Basically knowing where I came from when I was at Syracuse, I've always been that guy that the coach could depend on to be out there to dominate," Arthur said. "Last year I was playing and healing up from injuries from college. Learning a new system, it was like being in college all over again as a freshman. Watching our last game against Pittsburgh from the sideline, knowing that I felt that I could help. So, I didn’t take anytime off and went straight into training and hopefully it pays off this year."

Jon had just won the biggest fight of his MMA career, defeating Ryan Bader, who at the time was 12-0. Jon won the fight in exciting fashion, taking home the “Submission of the Night” bonus by landing a guillotine choke in the second round. After the fight, Jon was given opportunity to fight for the World Light-Heavyweight Championship against Mauricio Rua. But, he would have only 41 days to train for the fight.

Around the same time the Ravens football season had just wrapped up and Arthur was told what the team was expecting from him during the NFL lockout.

“He knew what he had to do in the off-season when he left here," Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano said. " Especially with the lockout, [defensive line] coach [Clarence] Brooks made it perfectly clear, here is what we expect you."

Arthur joined Jon in Albuquerque, N.M., in the high attitudes of the desert, to cross train at Greg Jackson’s mixed martial arts gym. Arthur intended to get in better shape, but still try and take it as a vacation.

“But [Jon] didn’t let me do that," Arthur said. "After missing a workout one day, Jon told me that, ‘laziness is contagious’. Our daily routine was boxing in the morning, wrestling in the afternoon, followed by weightlifting. On Fridays, we ran the sand dunes for cardio, which was a mountain full of sand. We did that about 4-5 times, and it was rough. We did so many different things that my body feels so alive now. I was able to drop around 9 percent body fat.”

Along with that, Jon shared with Arthur a lesson he learned from Jackson, an MMA guru.

“Greg Jackson taught me how to dig deep and embrace pain and suffering, and the warrior spirit," Jon said. "So that’s something I got to show [Arthur]. That’s something he would not have gotten at a college football practice. I gave him a little bit of what Ray Lewis has.

"Ray Lewis doesn’t look at football as a football game or running sprints and lifting heavy weights. Ray Lewis looks at it as warfare. It’s surprising that he has that mentality because he’s never been a martial artist. With Arthur being around Greg Jackson’s and this high altitude training and this desert, it taught him how to look at football as more than a game but as warfare.”

Continue reading "Jon Jones: Brotherly love" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

UFC middleweight champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva fought in front of his countrymen for the first time since coming to the UFC on Saturday night, and he was greeted by a standing ovation from Brazilian fans at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro.

Silva's (31-4-0) opponent at UFC 134, Yushin Okami (26-6-0), was the last fighter to beat him more than 5 1/2 years ago by disqualification from a illegal kick.

As Silva walked to the cage it brought back memories of watching Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson fights. It’s an indescribable feeling you get when the best fighter in the world is about to display his skills.

Silva is unequivocally the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world and the most dominating MMA fighter ever, which he proved again Saturday with a second-round TKO to retain his UFC middleweight title for the ninth time.

Continue reading "At UFC 134, Silva proved he’s the best ever" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 12:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Making his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut, Pennsylvania's own Jimy “The Kid” Hettes (9 wins, 0 losses) walked out to the octagon doing his familiar bounce side-to-side, as his signature song from Ini Kamoze's “Out in the Street They Call it Murder” blasted in the background

His opponent was The Ultimate Fighter alum Alex "Bruce Leroy” Caceres (5 wins, 4 losses) at UFC on Versus 5 at Milwaukee's Bradley Center. Caceres danced to the octagon to James Brown's “Super Bad”, with a pick sticking out of his Afro.

Caceres was originally scheduled to fight Leonard Garcia, but Garcia sustained an injury and Hettes was called to replace him.

The first round got started with Caceres throwing Hettes down after a brief exchange. Both fighters then went to the ground and Hettes attempted several leg locks and heel hooks, but Caceres was able to escape each time.

The fight then took on a no-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament, with both fighters attempting submissions after submissions. It was clear that Hettes was dictating the pace of the fight.

Hettes was in the guard when Caceres tried a gogoplata and Hettes escaped by spinning into a reverse triangle.

UFC color commentator Joe Rogan said, “This is hard to commentate because these guys don’t stop for a second.”

The round ended with Hettes helping Caceres to his feet.

TUF alum Kris McCray was working in the corner of Hettes. He told him to, “Stop going for that heel hook, it’s not going to finish it and stay off your back.”

Continue reading "Jimy 'The Kid' Hettes showed he is the man" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 8:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

(Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Former light heavyweight champion Rashad “Suga” Evans was all business when he walked to the cage at UFC 133 “Evans vs. Ortiz 2” at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

Evans (16-1-1, 11-1-1 UFC) entered the cage on all fours, similar to what his former training partner Jon Jones does when he enters. Evans seemed to be truly focused for this fight from the opening bell. His opponent, Tito Ortiz (16-9-1, 15-9-1 UFC), paced back-and-forth, as if he was a caged animal.

Both fighters had good exchanges in the opening round. The first round ended with Ortiz on his back taking several punches from Evans.

Ortiz was able to get up, but was pinned against the fence. Evans kneed Ortiz in the chest and followed with several punches before the referee stopped the bout at 4:48 of the second round. This was the dominant performance Evans needed after a boring fight with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 114.

After the fight Evans let Jones and Jackson know, “I got my first performance in, and I want to get at Jon Jones,” he said. “I want my belt back. Whether he has it or Rampage has it, I’m getting my belt back.”

By taking this non-championship fight, Evans had a lot more to lose than Ortiz. Winning this fight ensures him that he would be taking on the winner of the Jones vs. Jackson fight. But as we have seen, nothing is guaranteed in UFC.

In the co-main event, middleweight Vitor Belfort (20-9, 9-5 UFC) had a devastating knockout of Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-4, 2 NC, 1-3 UFC) at 1:52 of the first round. The former light heavyweight champion, Belfort is now fighting at 185-pounds. He overpowered his Japanese opponent. Akiyama tried to do a front kick similar to Anderson Silva when he knocked out Belfort. The kick fell short and Belfort knocked him to the canvas with several punches and a hammer fist. Referee Mario Yamasaki stopped the bout as Akiyama was on the canvas motionless.

Full undercard results:

Continue reading "Rashad Evans dominated Tito Ortiz at UFC 133" »

Posted by Kevin Richardson at 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)