Lee McGregor

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Tags: Luke Rockhold, UFC on FX 8, Vitor Belfort

Four Rule Changes the UFC and MMA Need to Consider

May 13, 2013 By: Lee McGregor Category: Sports, UFC | Mixed Martial Arts

There has been a fair amount of controversy throughout the last few UFC cards, eye pokes, low blows, controversial referee calls and somewhat poor referee decision-making have all influenced fights in ways that they should not have in the past month. The UFC is in a somewhat unique position for an organization as large as it is. The UFC is basically at the will of government regulations and are nearly unable to make decisions about their own organization.

If the NFL wanted to change first downs from being ten yards to fifteen yards they would be able to make that decision themselves, internally. There might be some push back from players, fans, coaches or owners, but it is the league’s decision to make. If the MLB wanted to make Home Runs worth two runs to encourage more homers, then they could do it. If the UFC wants to change the ruling of what constitutes an illegal blow, they are unable to do it without appealing for change to the athletic commissions and government bodies that regulate and enforce the Unified Rules of MMA.

Despite this red tape that holds the UFC back, they have promised to urge athletic commissions to consider some changes to the rules that need to be made. In support of the UFC here are four rule changes that these athletic commissions need to at least consider.

1) Eye Pokes

Close fight in the third round? Getting tired and think your opponent might start an epic comeback? Poke him in the eye. Under the current rules, there is really no punishment for poking your opponent in the eyes, so long as you make it look like an unintentional foul. At UFC 159 Gian Villante was poked in the eye, and the referee immediately asked him if he could see, when he responded no, the bout was immediately stopped. It awarded his opponent Ovince St. Preux a technical decision victory in a very close bout that Villante could easily have stolen in the third round.

I cringe almost every time I hear Joe Rogan talk about the need for new gloves in MMA and blah blah, although recent reports are that the UFC is in the early development stages of bringing in a newly designed glove to prevent eye pokes. Whether or not these gloves ever make it into the octagon remains to be seen, in the meantime there are however some changes that need to be made immediately.

First of all, there needs to be a better enforcement and a stiffer punishment for eye pokes. Oftentimes the poke is the result of carelessness from fighters, either stepping in or stepping backwards with open hands. Fighters need to be automatically deducted a point for eye pokes, initially this will cause many fighters to lose points, but a stiff punishment will teach fighters that they can’t be careless. I will guarantee that the first time a fighter loses a win bonus because of an eye poke, many others will ensure that they keep their hands closed.
The other problem with eye pokes is the treatment of the foul from referees. With low blows fighters who are fouled are given five minutes of recovery time. With eye pokes, referees can either stop the fight or allow a recovery period based on their discretion. The absurdity of this is hilarious, firstly referees aren’t doctors and they shouldn’t be making decisions about whether or not fighters can continue fighting after an eye poke. The fighter should be given a five minute rest period similar to other unintentional fouls, however, due to the severity of a possible eye poke they should be inspected by the cage side doctor before being allowed to continue. Doctors should be the ones stopping bouts for medical reasons and there needs to be a proper amount of time given for fighters to gather themselves.

2) Definition of a Downed Opponent

The current rules enforce that a ‘three-point stance’ constitutes a downed opponent. As long as the fighter has three points of contact with the mat, he is considered a downed opponent. Since this means their opponents are unable to deliver knees or kicks, this rule is being downright abused by fighters and is used as a stall tactic when a fighter is in a precarious position.

I agree with the rules of being unable to knee or kick the head of a downed opponent, as those strikes specifically soccer kicks or head stomps can cause serious damage to fighters. However, the definition of a downed opponent needs some tweaks. This rule should be used to protect fighters who are in a dangerous position, it should not be used by fighters who are trying to draw their opponents into accidental fouls or as a stall tactic.

My proposition for this is to use the knees or back as definitions of a grounded opponent. If a fighter has a knee on the mat, he is most certainly downed, similarly if the fighter’s back is making contact with the mat, he is also downed. By enforcing these guidelines to define a downed opponent it will increase clarity for the attacking fighter and will reduce the number of fighters who try to use this rule as a stall tactic, since dropping to their back or their knees would open them up to significant danger.

3) Marijuana Metabolites as a Performance Enhancing Drug

A number of fighters have recently failed their post-fight drug tests due to ‘marijuana metabolites.’ However many current fighters, including the recently released Matt Riddle and the always controversial Diaz brothers are medical marijuana users, who are registered in their state to use marijuana legally. In addition to that some states have legalized marijuana and it appears as though many more may join in with legalizing or de-criminalizing the use of marijuana.

Despite what your personal opinion is on weed, it’s hard to argue that it’s a performance-enhancing drug. Especially when the only thing that is found in a test is the metabolites. Despite what many people think about Nick Diaz, his recent case against the Nevada State Athletic Commission after his failed drug test brings up a number of interesting points. First of all, his lawyer points out that marijuana is the only substance that is prohibited according to the NSAC, not marijuana metabolites. There is a significant difference between testing positive for marijuana as opposed to marijuana metabolites (which is basically an inactive ingredient as Diaz’s lawyer called it.) According to the World Anti-Doping Agency marijuana metabolites are not prohibited as a performance-enhancing drug.

The only case made for marijuana being performance enhancing is that it’s effects can dull pain, which would obviously be advantageous in a fist fight, however, the metabolites can remain in the system for weeks or months, which is certainly not affecting that fighters performance on fight night. In cases where fighters can be using marijuana legally they should not be punished unless they pop for marijuana on the test.

4) Definition of the Back of the Head and Blows to the Back of the Head

The Association of Boxing Commissions has clearly laid out the ‘illegal striking zone’ at several times and has a visual definition in their files. The basic gist of the rule is that a strike that touches the ear or forward is legal, while anything behind the ear or towards the neck area is illegal. This definition is fairly widely accepted among all athletic commissions, but the enforcement of the rule about illegal blows needs to be more defined.

Throughout the past year in the UFC alone some fighters have been deducted points for striking the back of the head, some fighters have been disqualified for rendering their opponents unable to continue due to illegal strikes, some fighters have received no punishment at all for striking the back of the head and some fighters have received warnings for it. That’s a very wide gap in enforcement of this rule. Many referees abide by the generalization that if the blows come as the result of trying to land legal blows, they receive warning.

Let’s look at a recent fight between Gabriel Gonzaga and Travis Browne. Browne won the bout via TKO in the first round, due to standing elbow strikes, several of which landed illegally to the back of the head. In this bout he wasn’t even warned about the strikes, and the referee stated that he landed legal blows before and was trying to land legal blows, thus he let the illegal blows end the fight. This ruling in my opinion is pretty terrible.

First of all, that rule is there for a reason as rabbit punches and shots to the back of the head can do serious damage to fighters. Secondly, the onus needs to be on the fighter delivering the strikes. In other sports similar rules are enforce with the onus being on the attacker. It’s not easy for 300-pound lineman to not hit a quarterback after he throws the ball, but it’s expected of him and if he doesn’t do it, he’s punished. The same needs to be said for fighters. There needs to be immediate point deductions for strikes to the back of the head. Like my opinion on eye pokes, fighters who realize that they will be punished severely for these strikes will learn to adapt quickly.

The other side of that coin is fighters turtling up and trying to expose the back of their heads in a chance to earn a brief timeout or get a point deducted from their opponent. By the same token offer a stiff penalty for fighters who act in an unsportsmanlike manner and open themselves up to these shots. Tell fighters that if they turn the back of their heads when covering up, the fight will be stopped immediately. Again, I guarantee that fighters will not be exposing the back of their heads if it means they’ll lose immediately.

GSP – The Way of the Fight Book

Anderson Silva – MMA Instruction Manual: The Muay Thai Clinch, Takedowns, Takedown Defense, and Ground Fighting

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Tags: dana white

Mayweather vs. Guerrero Predictions and Preview

May 04, 2013 By: Lee McGregor Category: Boxing, Sports

With the UFC taking a break from the television airwaves for a few weeks, it’s primetime for the sweet science to return to the limelight. What better way for boxing to return to forefront than with arguably it’s biggest star and top pound-for-pound fighter Floyd Mayweather Jr. After a brief stint in jail, Mayweather is stepping back into the squared circle to make a mandatory defense of his WBC Welterweight Championship against WBC Interim Champion Robert Guerrero. Also of note in this contest is that it is Mayweather’s first bout on the Showtime network after spending the entirety of his career on HBO PPV.

When: Saturday May 4, 2013

Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada

TV: Showtime Pay Per View

The Fight: Welterweight Bout for the WBC and The Ring Welterweight Championship Titles

Current Available Betting Lines (from BODOG):

Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. (-700) / Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (+450)

Total Rounds – Over 11 ½ Rounds (-280) / Under 11 ½ Rounds (+190)

The Fight:

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has long been considered one of the top pound-for-pound boxers in the world and with the recent loss of Manny Pacquiao it would appear that he is the sole possessor of boxing’s P4P title. After his most recent bout against Miguel Cotto he was forced to report to Clark County in Las Vegas to serve a 3-month jail sentence for domestic abuse. He has since been released and is making his first return to the ring since his jail sentence. It’s been almost a year exactly since Mayweather’s last bout against Cotto and that has many critics wondering if he can shake off a year’s worth of ring rust against one of his toughest challengers ever.

There hasn’t been a whole lot of hype leading into this bout until very recently. At one of the most recent press conferences the father’s of both fighters nearly came to blows when Guerrero’s father made a comment about Mayweather’s domestic abuse charges. Other than that has been the standard 24-7 treatment that Mayweather gets for nearly all of his fights. Still, this bout features an interesting undercard and all the theatrics that go along with a Mayweather fight.

Fighter Analysis: Floyd “Money” Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a five-division world champion boxer who has won over ten world titles throughout an illustrious career. Mayweather has won a number Fighter of the Year awards and is widely considered the world’s top pound-for-pound boxer. Mayweather is undefeated as a professional boxer, with a perfect record of 43-0 including 26 wins by way of knockout. Floyd is an orthodox fighter, standing just over five feet, eight inches tall and has an official reach of 72-inches.

Mayweather was born into a family of fighters in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He began training in the sweet science at the age of seven and immediately shined as a top talent in his youth boxing days. Mayweather’s father was a former Welterweight title contender. His uncles Roger and Jeff were also former professional fighters and Roger won two world championships. This fighting family makes up a large portion of Mayweather’s training team.

Mayweather was a top amateur boxer, compiling an amateur record of 84-6. He won the national Golden Gloves tournaments in 1993, 1994 and 1996 at different weight classes every year. It was during this time as an amateur that Mayweather developed his trademark defensive style. To this day he is one of the best defensive fighters of the modern era. He is an expert at using the “shoulder-roll” and top-notch footwork to slip away from damage. During his amateur career Mayweather won a Bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Fighter Analysis: Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero

Robert Guerrero has caught a lot of flack coming into this fight for being somewhat less recognizable than some of Mayweather’s previous foils. Guerrero is a 30-year-old Southpaw fighter from Gilroy, California. Guerrero is a former four-division boxing world champion who recently moved up to the Welterweight division after spending several years at Lightweight and earlier Featherweight.

Guerrero is coached by Ruben Guerrero and Bob Santos. He was named the Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year for the year 2012 after jumping in weight to win the WBC Interim Welterweight title with impressive victories over Selcuk Aydin and Andre Berto. Originally Guerrero was known more of a puncher than a true technical boxer. Guerrero is now known as a brawler with a strong chin and a fighter who isn’t afraid to bend the rules at times.

Guerrero is a brawler and a bully inside the ring, plain and simple. His ability to crowd opponents and force them into uncomfortable exchanges is the exact opposite of opponent Mayweather. To be successful Guerrero is going to need to apply a never-ending stream of pressure on ‘Money.’ Guerrero has a decent jab although he sometimes gets lazy and paws it instead of snapping it with authority. He also has decent power, but his footwork is flat by comparison of that of Mayweather. He’ll definitely be looking to fight this bout in the trenches, keeping him against the ropes and restricting his ability to move at will.

Match-Up Advantages:
Punching Power: Mayweather Jr. has a Knockout percentage of just over 60%, while Guerrero is a shade under that at 58%. Guerrero has scored knockdowns against the majority of his contender, but his style is more plodding and grinding which doesn’t lend itself well to big one-punch knockouts. Mayweather on the other hand is a tough and accurate counter puncher with big power. The edge goes to FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.

Hand and Foot Speed: It’s not even close, Floyd Mayweather is one of the best counter punchers in the sport and a lot of that has to do with hand and foot speed. Guerrero’s game relies a lot on foot speed, but he uses his skills to cut the ring off and push his opponents into bad spots, not necessarily dance and float around like Mayweather. Edge to FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.

Defense: I’ll call this one very close to even, although the methods of defense are very different between these two fighters. Mayweather’s Philly-shell defensive style and shoulder roll are top-notch and he’s one of the greatest counter-punchers and defensive technicians of all time. Guerrero on the other hand relies on grit and toughness as his sole line of defense, willing to take shots as he plods in. Despite both men being strong defensively, FLOYD MAYWEATHER has to have the edge here.

Heart and Chin: This is one of the biggest edges that Guerrero has heading into this fight. He’s never been knocked out in his career and he’s taken plenty of shots on the chin to put it to the test. Mayweather has never been known for his strong chin, but rather relies on his defensive strengths to avoid taking blows directly. Edge to ROBERT GUERRERO

Fight IQ: Simply put this is one area where Mayweather has excelled throughout his career. He and his trainers are excellent at making adjustments in midfight if things aren’t going as planned. Despite getting off to slow starts in past fights including against Zab Judah and Oscar de la Hoya, he has come back to win in dominant fashion. Edge to FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.

Fight Prediction:

This fight will come down to two things in my estimation. The first is how Floyd Mayweather handles the yearlong layoff that he’s had since his last bout. He’s 36-years-old, exiting his athletic prime, coming off a significant layoff and has spent recent time in jail. There are significant questions about how Mayweather is going to handle his return to the ring. It will also be interesting to see how the return to the ring affects Mayweather’s cardio and usually razor sharp reflexes.

The other point of interest in this fight is how well Mayweather deals with the dirty boxing style of Guerrero. Guerrero has shown the ability and willingness to take a few punches in order to get in close with his opponents where he can work his opponents over with body punches and the occasional elbow. That type of in-close brawl is the only kind of fight that favors Guerrero, any boxing contest that involves traditional boxing from a distance is surely going to favor the champion.

In the end I think this fight edges to Mayweather. He’s an amazing tactician and his coaches are excellent at providing feedback mid-fight to help him make adjustments. If Guerrero begins to have success I expect Mayweather to find a way out of it. In the end, Mayweather overcomes a slow start and boxes Guerrero up over the course of the second half of the contest and takes a dominant decision.

EA Sports Fight Night Champion Video Game

An Unforgiving Sport: An Inside Look at Another Year in Boxing

Boxing Is . . .: Reflections on the Sweet Science

Tags: Floyd Mayweather Jr., Robert Guerrero, WBC

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UFC 159: Jones Vs. Sonnen Results and Wrap Up

April 29, 2013 By: Lee McGregor Category: Sports, UFC | Mixed Martial Arts

The fight has come and gone, and at the end of the day it appears as though the Light Heavyweight title fight between Chael Sonnen and Jon Jones was indeed the mismatch that so many people thought it would be. The rest of the card was a mixed bag, including some highly entertaining bouts, some thoroughly lackluster bouts and a few controversial stoppages mixed with borderline terrible officiating in some cases. Let’s take a look back at the card that was UFC 159 and see what’s next for the main card fighters involved.

Lightweight Bout: Pat Healy defeated Jim Miller via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:02 of Round Three

The opening round of this bout went almost exactly as most people (including the bookies) expected it to. Miller dominated much of the action both standing and on the ground, in fact he came close to stopping the fight at one point. Then in the second round, the tide began to turn. Healy continued to grind against Miller, not abandoning his wrestling for a second, using takedowns and top control to steal back a round and make it even heading into the third. In the final round, Healy continued to keep up the pressure while Miller began to fade slightly. Healy took advantage on the ground of a Miller mistake and was able to sink in a Rear Naked Choke and coax a tap with less than a minute remaining in the fight.

What’s next for Healy? He knocked off a top-ranked contender and the Strikeforce Lightweights are proving that they are every bit as talented as their UFC counterparts. There are a couple of big Lightweight contest coming up most notably Evan Dunham taking on Rafael dos Anjos, the winner of that fight would be a logical match up. As would recent Strikeforce import Josh Thomson who recently knocked off top Lightweight Nate Diaz.

What’s next for Miller? He’s doing nothing to shake his status as Lightweight gatekeeper. He’s a tough, well-rounded fighter but he struggled against Healy who seemed to dwarf him come fight time. This has some people speculating that a drop to Featherweight could be in Miller’s future. For now, we’ll assume he’s staying at Lightweight. He should take a fair step down in competition now that he’s lost 2 of his last 3. Brazilian Thiago Tavares could be a good match up for Miller when he’s done his suspension, or possibly former TUF winner Tony Ferguson.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Phil Davis defeated Vinny Magalhaes via Unanimous Decision after Three Rounds

Phil Davis continued to win in mostly unimpressive fashion this weekend. Despite the trash talk leading up to this fight, Davis never let it bother him and never showed a lot of emotion during the fight. In some ways, that has to be considered a good sign, but in other ways, one really wonders why Davis was so uninspired to go after a finish. Despite dominating the first two rounds and well on his way in the third, Davis never looked to get overly aggressive or search out a finish, instead he was content to cruise the final minutes of the fight and lock up a decision. While it is another win for Davis, many fans are left complaining about Davis and his fights, which isn’t going to earn him a shot against Jon Jones any faster.

What’s next for Davis? Even though he didn’t show us any killer instinct or finishing ability, he still showed that he’s a dominant wrestler who can absolutely smother anyone underneath him. He has one career loss and that was to top contender Rashad Evans, so Davis should be working his way back to the top of the Light Heavyweight pecking order. Ryan Bader is a wrestling standout with big power and has a top ten ranking, he’s the fighter that probably makes the most sense for Davis right now.

What’s next for Magalhaes? Back to the unaired preliminary card is my guess. He did his best to sell and hype this fight on social media by engaging in a war of words with Davis, but he wasn’t able to do much inside the octagon where it counts. If Ilir Latifi is getting another fight in the UFC for doing them a solid in Sweden, match him against Magalhaes and get rid of the loser. Put that fight in Europe or Brazil and it seems like a fine fit to me.

Heavyweight Bout: Roy Nelson defeated Cheick Kongo via KO (Punch) at 2:03 of Round One

Cheick Kongo had a massive reach advantage heading into this fight and that was what some people believed would be the difference. Instead, Nelson did what he does best. Relied on his iron chin to close the distance and crowd Kongo up on the inside. He landed a couple of big right hands on a referee break from against the cage and Kongo was down for the count.

What’s next for Nelson? He’s fought a lot of the top names in the Heavyweight division and seems to be quite good at separating the upper-tier fighters from the lower-level fighters. At the post-fight press conference Dana said he’d like to match Nelson up with Strikeforce import Daniel Cormier should he stay at Heavyweight. That fight makes a whole lot of sense. The other potential fighter for Nelson is Travis Browne.

What’s next for Kongo? Kongo showed low fight IQ and despite his past as a professional kick boxer he often chooses to wrestle instead of striking, which makes for sometimes boring fights. I think the UFC could match him up with Stefan Struve. They’re both European, so a spot on the next International show makes sense and the match up will prove which one of them deserves to stay in the UFC and which the UFC could part with.

Middleweight Bout: Michael Bisping defeated Alan Belcher via Unanimous Technical Decision at 4:29 of Round Three

This bout was marred by a bit of an ugly ending as an accidental eye-poke from Bisping cut open Belcher’s eye lid and caused a stream of blood to come from the eye in the third round. Since it was ruled an accidental foul the bout went to the scorecards and Bisping won a Technical decision. With all of the trash talking these two men did leading up to their fight, many thought that they would come out guns blazing, but instead the opposite was true as neither man wanted to make a mistake in the opening minutes which led to an action light striking battle in the first round. In the second, Bisping became more aggressive and the Brit was landing in combinations. Belcher returned fire on several occasions, but often missed as Bisping did an excellent job of getting his shots off before shuffling away from the counter punches of Belcher. The third round featured more of the same, for the four minutes that it lasted as Bisping continued to land better combinations and get the better of Belcher in the striking.

What’s next for Bisping? Well, he’s still a top contender at Middleweight and seems incredibly popular with the fans, (who either despise him or really love him.) The UFC would love to have him work his way to a title shot, but he always seems to falter on the way. If the UFC wants to get him to a Middleweight title shot, they need to give him a couple of match ups that benefit him while gaining name recognition on his resume. The winner of the upcoming bout between Mark Munoz and Tim Boetsch would be a good candidate. Some fans are calling for a bout against Yushin Okami, but I think that’s a bad match up for Bisping and one the UFC will likely avoid, despite it making a lot of sense.

What’s next for Belcher? With his history of eye injuries (he was nearly blinded by a detached retina from an eye poke in a previous bout) one has to hope that this injury won’t be too damaging to his career. Still he proved that he’s at best a mid-tier fighter that can’t hang with the top fighters of the Middleweight division. Still he has exciting fights when they pair him against strikers so possible match ups include Nick Ring or Brian Stann.

Light Heavyweight Championship Bout: Jon Jones defeated Chael Sonnen via TKO (Elbows and Punches) at 4:33 of Round One

Jon Jones shocked several fans when he went right after Chael Sonnen. Many people predicted that he would use his huge reach and kick boxing ability to fight at a distance and pick Sonnen apart from relative safety. Nonsense said coach Greg Jackson and Jon Jones who likely surprised Sonnen when he rushed him from the opening bell. He clinched with Sonnen and battled in close quarters for most part of the opening round. It was close for the first minute or so, but Jones used his size and strength advantage and began to overpower Sonnen. From there he got a takedown and swarmed with ground and pound. Delivering some big elbows that opened a cut on Sonnen’s face and then following it up with more punches and elbows until the referee stopped the fight. Although some people felt the stoppage was a bit premature it was unlikely that Sonnen would survive another 30 seconds and despite looking initially upset with the referee, when interviewed by Joe Rogan, Chael said that he had no problem with the stoppage. After the fight it was revealed that Jones had suffered a nasty toe injury, a likely dislocation at some point and needed doctor’s assistance as he completed his post-fight interview with Rogan.

What’s next for Jones? Likely some time off after that toe injury. It’s hard to pin point where the injury occurred, but it’s scary to think that if he didn’t finish Sonnen in the first, he likely would have lost the belt in between rounds, since no referee would let him fight with that gruesome toe. So people who hated the match to begin with, must certainly be happy that they’re not getting a rematch with Sonnen as champion right away. After the fight Jones called for Alexander Gustafsson which makes sense since the Swede is at the top of the division. Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva is apparently also a possible contender as is former Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida.

What’s next for Sonnen? He seemed to tease retirement after the bout, but didn’t say much. If he does decide to hang it up, no one can blame him. He’s made a ton of money in his last few fights and surely has a job as a commentator on Fox for the foreseeable future. But if he does decide to fight and stay at Light Heavyweight, he should fight anyone who is Brazilian. Especially Wanderlei Silva or Lyoto Machida.

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Tags: Chael Sonnen, Cheick Kongo, Jim Miller, Jon Jones, Michael Bisping, Pat Healy, Phil Davis, Roy Nelson, UFC 159, Vinny Magalhaes

UFC 159: Jones Vs. Sonnen Predictions and Analysis

April 26, 2013 By: Lee McGregor Category: Sports, UFC | Mixed Martial Arts

It’s been an exciting couple of weeks with loads of free fights for fans to sink their teeth into. But all of those free shows come with the knowledge that eventually it’s back to the land of Pay Per View where the UFC saves the really big marquee matches. Things are no different this week as the UFC returns to the PPV airwaves with UFC 159 from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. After spending a season coaching opposite one another on the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter, supposed rivals, but sometimes frenemies Chael Sonnen and Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will battle for the title in the main event.

The co-main event of the evening is a Middleweight slugfest between two fighters who really don’t like each other. There have been a number of proposed car and tattoo bets between Alan Belcher and Michael Bisping, as well as several hilarious videos on YouTube leading up to this fight. In Heavyweight action Roy Nelson battles Cheick Kongo. A Light Heavyweight fight between wrestling standout Phil Davis and grappling specialist Vinny Magalhaes is on the main card. Opening the main card is a Lightweight tilt between top Strikeforce Lightweight contender Pat Healy and one of the top UFC Lightweights over the past two years Jim Miller.

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Featherweight Bout: Steven Siler vs. Kurt Holobaugh

“Super” Steven Siler is a 26-year-old fighter from Anaheim, California. He is a former The Ultimate Fighter cast member from the final season on Spike TV. He trains with the Pit Elevated Team in Orem, Utah. Siler holds a career record of 21-10. Kurt Holobaugh is a 26-year-old fighter from Independence, Louisiana. He is an import from Strikeforce who will be making his UFC debut. He trains with the Gracie Barra Northshore Gym in Louisiana and holds a professional MMA record of 9-1.

Quick Pick: Kurt Holobaugh via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Welterweight Bout: Nick Catone vs. James Head

Nick “The Jersey Devil” Catone is a 31-year-old fighter from Brick Township, New Jersey. He is a former Middleweight fighter, who has recently made the drop to 170 pounds. Catone is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler for Rutgers University. He trains at his own gym, the Nick Catone MMA Academy in New Jersey. His professional record stands at 9-4. James Head is a 29-year-old fighter from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Head is a grappler who trains at Lovaito’s School of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Oklahoma City. He holds a professional MMA record of 9-3.

Quick Pick: James Head via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Featherweight Bout: Leonard Garcia vs. Cody McKenzie

Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia is a 33-year-old fighter from Plainview, Texas. Best known for being a wild brawler with a strong chin, he has become a fan favorite for his style, more so than his Win-Loss record. He trains with Greg Jackson’s camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico and holds a pro MMA record of 15-10. Cody “The AK Kid” McKenzie is a 25-year-old fighter from Cordova, Alaska. He is a former cast member of the twelfth season of The Ultimate Fighter. Best known for his string of wins with his ‘McKenzietine’ Choke, he trains at the Glendale Fighting Club in Spokane, Washington. He holds a professional record of 13-3.

Quick Pick: Leonard Garcia via TKO in Round Three
Preliminary Card (FX): Bantamweight Bout: Bryan Caraway vs. Johnny Bedford

Bryan “Kid Lightning” Caraway is a 28-year-old fighter from Yakima, Washington. He was a cast member on the final season of The Ultimate Fighter to air on Spike TV but has also fought for a number of MMA promotions including Strikeforce, Elite XC and the WEC. He is a member of the Team Alpha Male Gym in Sacramento, California holding a professional record of 17-6. “Brutal” Johnny Bedford is a 30-year-old fighter from Woodville, Ohio. Bedford was a cast member of the same season of The Ultimate Fighter as his opponent Caraway. He trains with the Fitness Fight Factory Gym in Fort Worth Texas and is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler. He holds a pro record of 19-9-1.

Quick Pick: Bryan Caraway via Submission in Round Three
Preliminary Card (FX): Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Sara McMann vs. Sheila Gaff

Sara McMann is a 32-year-old fighter from Takoma Park, Maryland. She is a former Olympic Wrestler and was the first American woman to win a Silver medal in Olympic Wrestling. McMann trains at the Revolution MMA Gym in Gaffney, South Carolina. McMann holds a perfect professional MMA record of 6-0. Sheila “The German Tank” Gaff is a 23-year-old fighter from Eschwege, Germany. She trains with the Energy Gym Fight Team in her hometown. This fight will be Gaff’s UFC debut but will also be her first fight in the USA. She holds a professional record of 10-4-1.

Quick Pick: Sara McMann via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (FX): Light Heavyweight Bout: Gian Villante vs. Ovince St. Preux

Gian Villante is a 27-year-old fighter from Wantagh, New York. Villante is a former NCAA football player and was once considered a top defensive prospect before leaving football to pursue MMA. Villante trains at the Bellmore Kickboxing Academy in Bellmore, New York but also spends time at Long Island MMA. He holds a professional record of 10-3. Ovince St. Preux is a 30-year-old fighter from Miami, Florida who is of Haitian descent. St. Preux was also a standout football player at the University of Tennessee but made the switch to MMA after failing to make the NFL. He trains with the Knoxville MMA Gym in Knoxville, Tennessee. He holds a professional record of 12-5.

Quick Pick: Gian Villante via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (FX): Lightweight Bout: Rustam Khabilov vs. Yancy Medeiros

Rustam “Tiger” Khabilov is a 26-year-old Russian fighter from Makhachkala, Russia. Khabilov is a former Combat Sambo world champion and is an International Master of Sports in Sambo. Before making his UFC debut in his last fight he made the switch to Greg Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He holds record of 15-1, with the lone loss coming in the form of a controversial split decision. Yancy “Frisson” Medeiros is a 25-year-old fighter from Wai’Anae, Hawaii. He is a former state champion wrestler from Hawaii who will be making his UFC debut. Medeiros is a member of the Team Hakuilua Gym and has a perfect professional record currently standing at 9-0.

Quick Pick: Rustam Khabilov via Submission in Round Three

Main Card (Pay Per View): Lightweight Bout: Jim Miller vs. Pat Healy

Jim Miller is a 29-year-old fighter from Sparta Township, New Jersey. He is the younger brother of UFC Welterweight fighter, Dan Miller. Miller is one of the most talented grinders in the Lightweight division, with decent striking skills and a smothering top control game. Miller trains at the AMA Fight Club under head trainer Mike Constantino. Miller is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from Virginia Tech and he also holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Miller is quite possibly the very definition of Lightweight gatekeeper as every fighter that has ever defeated him has gone on to challenge for or hold the UFC Lightweight title. Miller’s professional record is 22-4, and he’s coming off of a Fight of the Year victory over Joe Lauzon at UFC 155 in December.

Pat “Bam Bam” Healy is a 29-year-old fighter from Salem, Oregon. Healy was one of the top Lightweight contenders in Strikeforce and will be making his return to the UFC after a 7 year absence in this bout. Before joining Strikeforce, he was the MFC Welterweight Champion, one of the top MMA titles in Canada. Healy trains with the Sports Lab in St. Louis, Missouri. Healy will be returning to the UFC on the strength of a six-fight winning streak in Strikeforce, leading up to a Lightweight title shot that he was never able to cash in on. Healy fights a very similar style to that of Miller, so it will be interesting to see how his wrestling and close range striking match up against a similarly talented grinder. Healy holds a professional MMA record of 29-16.

Analysis and Prediction: Healy had a successful run in Strikeforce, but that’s not gaining him any favors from the UFC. To put it bluntly this is a pretty bad stylistic match up for Healy. Both of these guys fight similar styles, but Miller is a bit better at everything. He’s a more accomplished amateur wrestler, his striking is more technical and solid than that of Healy and he’s got a BJJ black belt and is more adept at finding submissions and sweeps from bad positions or during scrambles. Healy is tough as hell and Miller isn’t exactly known as a finisher, but I expect this one could be somewhat one-sided. Miller busts up Healy on the feet across three rounds, sprinkled with some late takedowns and top control to seal a decision victory. Jim Miller via Unanimous Decision

Main Card (Pay Per View): Light Heavyweight Bout: Phil Davis vs. Vinny Magalhaes

Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis is a 28-year-old fighter from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Davis is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from Penn State University where he won an NCAA title in 2008. Davis trains as a member of Alliance MMA in San Diego, California. Davis has an excellent top control and is a tall and lanky fighter, although he is still developing his striking from a distance. He has however added a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Lloyd Irvin and has shown a strong awareness of potential submission opportunities during his fights. Davis holds a nearly perfect professional record of 10-1 with 1 No Contest, and the lone loss coming against Rashad Evans in a title eliminator bout.

Vinny “Pezao” Magalhaes is a 28-year-old fighter from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Magalhaes was a cast member and the runner up on the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter. Magalhaes started his career in the UFC poorly and was subsequently released, which allowed him to reset his career and he has experienced a resurgence by winning the M-1 Global Light Heavyweight Championship. Magalhaes is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt and one of the top Light Heavyweight grapplers in MMA. He is a member of the Xtreme Couture Gym in Las Vegas and also works as a BKJJ coach with Team Quest. Magalhaes has competed in and medalled in a number of major grappling and Jiu Jitsu competitions including the Abu Dhabi Combat Club and World Jiu Jitsu Championships. His professional MMA record is 10-5 with 1 No Contest.

Analysis and Prediction: Magalhaes asked for this fight by calling out Davis, so he must see something that he can take advantage of. With that said, if there is one thing we’ve learned in the modern era of mixed martial arts, it’s that the wrestler usually beats the Jiu Jitsu guy. I think that trend continues here. Neither man is an extremely talented striker, in fact they’re probably both subpar for their division, but Davis should be able to control the action on the ground. He’ll usually be the one on top, since his wrestling should be strong enough to fend off any of the Brazilian’s takedowns. If he’s smart, he should be avoiding the ground at all costs, since that’s the one area where Magalhaes can capitalize on his mistake. He should use a strong jab and work from range to bust Magalhaes up on the feet over three rounds. Phil Davis via TKO in Round Three

Main Card (Pay Per View): Heavyweight Bout: Roy Nelson vs. Cheick Kongo

Roy “Big Country” Nelson is a 36-year-old fighter from Las Vegas, Nevada. Nelson was a contestant on the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter that featured only Heavyweights and was the eventual winner of the show. Nelson is also notable as being the final International Fight League Heavyweight Champion. Nelson holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, training under Renzo Gracie. Nelson trains with the Country Club Gym in Las Vegas. In addition to his strong grappling credentials Nelson is also known for his iron chin, his ability to absorb punishment, big time knockout power and one of the least impressive physiques in MMA. Nelson holds a professional record of 18-7, including 16 wins via stoppage.

Cheick Kongo is a 37-year-old fighter from Paris, France. Kongo is a member of the Wolfslair MMA Academy in England. Kongo is a former professional Savate Kick boxer and has also competed in Muay Thai in the past, all before making the switch to MMA. In addition to his technical stand up skills, Kongo has recently been improving his grappling skills. His takedowns and top control are much improved, so much so that he often resorts to taking his opponents down and using ground and pound to control them on the mat, rather than risk brawls on the feet. Kongo holds a professional record of 18-7 with 2 Draws.

Analysis and Prediction: Despite being a professional kick boxer in the past, Kongo has been blitzed by a number of strikers in the Heavyweight division. This is probably the reason for the improvement in his wrestling skills. Still, Nelson is a very talented grappler and is not easily taken down. Nelson is also relentlessly moving forward, even when he’s taking a beating, because of his iron chin. Kongo doesn’t do well against heavy handed strikers who crowd him up if he can’t take them down. Kongo should be using a lot of kicks and a strong jab to keep Nelson at bay, but I think Nelson will simply walk right through those shots and land a big overhand right of his own. Kongo’s chin can’t handle the fire power than Nelson has in his hands, and I expect a knockout for Big Country. Roy Nelson via KO in Round Two

Main Card (Pay Per View): Middleweight Bout: Michael Bisping vs. Alan Belcher

Michael “The Count” Bisping is a 34-year-old fighter from Manchester, England although he was originally born on a British military base in Cyprus. Bisping was a cast member and the eventual winner of the Light Heavyweight portion of The Ultimate Fighter 3. Bisping is also a former Cage Rage Light Heavyweight Champion, one of the top titles in the UK. Bisping is a member of the HB Ultimate Training Center in Manchester, England. Bisping is a solid technical boxer with strong takedown defense. Bisping has solid footwork, which he usually uses to his advantage (the lone exception being his knockout loss to Dan Henderson where he continuously circled into the overhand right.) Although not known as a knockout artist, Bisping has respectable power having won 14 bouts via KO or TKO during his career. He holds a professional record of 23-5.

Alan “The Talent” Belcher is a 28-year-old fighter from Jonesboro, Arkansas. Belcher is a tough, well-rounded fighter who holds black belts in a number of martial arts disciplines, including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Tae Kwan Do and Judo. Belcher is a member of the Roufusport Gym in Biloxi, Mississippi training under famed kick boxer and MMA coach Duke Roufus. Belcher is a talented Muay Thai kick boxer with underrated grappling abilities. Belcher is going to be facing one of the best technical strikers that he’s ever faced so using leg kicks and body kicks to establish range is going to be extremely important for him in this bout. One of Belcher’s biggest weaknesses is his Fight IQ, which often leads to mistakes, especially in his last bout against Yushin Okami where he constantly put himself into bad positions, searching for a Guillotine Choke that was never really there. Belcher holds a professional record of 18-7.

Analysis and Prediction: Belcher has the ability to hang with Bisping, but he’s going to need to fight a perfect fight for him to win, and given his low Fight IQ and propensity to brawl, I just don’t think he has it in him. He’d be best off trying to emulate Vitor Belfort’s win over Bisping, but I doubt he’ll go that route. I expect Belcher to get out-boxed in the pocket, but he might be able to score effectively with kicks from the outside. Bisping’s wrestling is also somewhat underrated and I expect he might shoot for a takedown if things get hairy on the feet, or simply to steal a close round. The ability to steal those close rounds might be important, as this one is headed for the scorecards I think. Michael Bisping via Unanimous Decision

Main Card (Pay Per View): UFC Light Heavyweight Championship Bout: Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen

Jon “Bones” Jones is a 25-year-old fighter from Rochester, New York. He is the reigning and defending UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and is one of the most dominant fighters of all time. At 6’4” and with an 84.5 inch reach, he is one of the most physically and athletically gifted fighters in the UFC. Jones is a member of Greg Jackson’s camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is definitely Coach Jackson and Coach Winkeljohn’s prized pupil. Jones is the youngest fighter to ever win and to ever defend a UFC title. Jones is a former JUCO national champion wrestler from Iowa Central Community College and uses his wrestling well during his bouts. Jones also holds the distinction of being the first fighter to be marketed globally by major clothing brand Nike. Jones holds a nearly perfect pro record of 16-1, with the lone loss coming via DQ for illegal elbows in a fight that he was well on his way to winning anyways.

Chael “The American Gangster” Sonnen is a 36-year-old fighter from Milwaukie, Oregon. Sonnen is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from the University of Oregon where he earned All-American honors. Sonnen has also served as an Alternate to the US Olympic Greco-Roman Wrestling team. Sonnen is one of the UFC’s most controversial fighters but is also one of the best at promoting fights, which is likely why he earned this bout, despite coming off of two losses at the Middleweight division to champion Anderson Silva. Sonnen knows what he is good at and isn’t ashamed to use his wrestling to smother opponents, it’s definitely his best asset. His willingness to blanket fighters nearly earned him a win over Anderson Silva in their first contest. Sonnen holds a professional record of 27-12-1.

Analysis and Prediction: Despite the number of complaints and criticisms this fight has endured, it could prove to be an entertaining and intriguing bout. Or it could also turn out to be the complete mismatch that everyone expects it to be. Sonnen really has only one chance to win this and it’s to smother Jon Jones for five rounds or at least three of five rounds and survive the other two. This is going to be tough for him for a number of reasons. Jones is a huge fighter, very lanky, very hard to get close to and is very athletic, I’m sure Jones is drilling takedown defense. The other issue is, Jones is a fairly capable grappler and Sonnen’s weakness is definitely submission defense.

For Jones the path to victory seems relatively simple. Pick Sonnen apart from the outside, use that ridiculously long reach to smash him up with jabs and leg kicks. Basically, avoid being taken down by Sonnen at all costs. Jackson is a smart coach and he’ll have Jones well prepared to fend off takedowns. I expect to see a measured pace from the champion, looking to time a big counter shot or knee as Sonnen rushes in for a takedown. The other possibility I could see is forcing a clinch with Sonnen and trying to earn a takedown himself. From there he should easily be able to ground and pound his way either to a stoppage or at least enough to create an opportunity to latch onto a submission.

We’ll probably be able to tell if this fight will be exciting or lopsided within the first minute. If Sonnen comes out and spams takedowns relentlessly he’s got a shot. If he tries to box, or goes for some spinning back fist like he did against Anderson he’s going to get pummeled. In fact, he might even get beat up anyways. I just hope that he makes it exciting either way and calls out Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez next, because hey why not take another title shot? Jon Jones via Submission in Round Two

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UFC On FOX 7 Results and Wrap Up

April 22, 2013 By: Lee McGregor Category: Sports, UFC | Mixed Martial Arts

Benson Henderson defended his UFC Lightweight title on the Fox network against a member of the Cesar Gracie Fight Team once again this weekend, but it was hardly like his dominant victory against Nate Diaz months earlier. In front of a hostile San Jose crowd, the reigning UFC Lightweight Champion took home a somewhat controversial Split Decision victory to retain his title. I hate to label the decision as highly controversial, since the entire bout was close and the scorecards of the MMA Media members are widely varied, anywhere from 49-46 for Henderson all the way to 49-46 scores for Melendez. Either way, it was a close fight and one that both fighters should be proud of.

In the co-main event of the evening Frank Mir welcomed Daniel Cormier; the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner to the UFC, unfortunately it was relatively smooth sailing for the debuting Cormier. He used his hand speed advantage and a grinding clinch game to completely stifle the offense of Frank Mir. Mir who switched camps to Greg Jackson’s for this fight looked to be in great shape before the fight and his cardio seemed much improved during the actual fight, but none of that translated to a lot of success as he was defeated by Unanimous Decision with scores of 30-27 across the board. In other main card action Matt Brown continued his impressive career resurgence at 170 pounds with an exciting back and forth scrap against Jordan Mein and in Lightweight action Strikeforce import Josh Thomson became the first man to stop a Diaz brother with strikes inside the UFC.

Welterweight Bout: Matt Brown defeated Jordan Mein via TKO (Punches and Elbows) at 1:00 of Round Two

Matt Brown continued his impressive streak in the UFC’s Welterweight division and continues to rise from a veteran mid-tier fighter to a fringe contender in the division. This was an exciting back and forth bout. Brown knowing Mein’s striking talent refused to give him space to open up, he continued to swarm the young fighter and never gave Mein enough room to get comfortable with his striking. After landing some big shots in the opening round, Brown got caught with a huge hook to the body that sent him to the mat and nearly finished him. He managed to compose himself and even sunk in a triangle choke from his back. In the second round, he continued to pressure the young fighter and landed some solid knees and elbows in the clinch, one that opened a massive cut that immediately began to leak blood. It seemed to panic Mein who shelled up on the ground and Brown was relentless with ground and pound to earn the stoppage victory.

What’s next for Brown? He’s now won five straight in the Welterweight division and deserves a step up in competition. Patrick Cote recently made his Welterweight debut in his return to the UFC and was successful. He’s a striker which makes this an intriguing stylistic match up due to the high probability that they just slug it out on the feet. Cote is also a former UFC title challenger, so he presents a step up in competition for Brown. Put it on a card in Canada and you’re golden.
What’s next for Mein? He did the UFC a favor by taking this fight on late notice and likely won’t be punished for losing here. Mein is still young and can be rebuilt from this, give him a winnable fight against a striker and let him get his footing back. A bout against fellow Canadian Chris Clements on the undercard of a Canadian fight card would make a lot of sense. So would a potential bout with Mike Swick, who was the last man to lose to Brown.

Lightweight Bout: Josh Thomson defeat Nate Diaz via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) at 3:44 of Round Two

Josh Thomson showed that he could follow a game plan and that he may have solved the riddle of Nate Diaz’s boxing. Benson Henderson used wrestling to nullify Diaz’s striking, Thomson used a game plan similar to that of Carlos Condit against big brother Nick Diaz. Thomson used his speed advantage and constantly moved so as to never stand in front of Diaz for a long period of time. He threw a sizeable number of kicks, many more than is normal for him. He attacked the lead leg of Diaz several times, before switching it up and going for head kicks and then body kicks. In the second round, he tagged Diaz with a huge head kick that stunned him. Thomson swarmed Diaz and was putting a beating on Diaz that had his corner throwing in the towel just as the referee stopped the fight.

I also want to note one thing about this from Diaz`s corner. Although many people may give the corner men, including Nate`s brother Nick flack for throwing in the towel here, I have to commend them for the move. Diaz is known for his iron chin and even seeing he was severely rocked, he was still aware enough to be fighting back, some referees would have considered it intelligent defense. Thomson was landing huge shots and after the head kick he is definitely piling on unnecessary punishment, good for Diaz`s corner to protect their fighter from himself and his own toughness by throwing in the towel.

What`s next for Thomson? He’s a former Strikeforce Lightweight Champion and he was the number one contender in that promotion for a long time. He just beat a former UFC Lightweight title challenger, so he’s definitely established himself as a top contender in the division. He’ll need an opponent to match. Diego Sanchez is a big name near the top of the pack at Lightweight, so that fight makes sense. As does the winner of the upcoming bout between Jim Miller and Pat Healy.

Heavyweight Bout: Daniel Cormier defeated Frank Mir via Unanimous Decision at 5:00 of Round Three

Frank Mir looked impressive at the weigh-ins and said all the right things about switching camps during the lead up to this fight. Unfortunately none of it mattered once he got in there with Cormier. It wasn’t an impressive knockout performance for Cormier, who admitted to being extremely nervous heading into his UFC debut after the fight. Mir didn’t get much offense off, as Cormier used a dominant clinch game to stifle Mir against the cage and grind away at him. Cormier won most of the exchanges on the feet, by using his superior hand speed, but it was far from the dominant performance many people were expecting from him. In the end though, he took a clear cut, Unanimous Decision over a former UFC title challenger, not bad for his debut.

What’s next for Cormier? That depends on a lot of things, mostly relating to Cormier and his training camp. He tried to cut weight for wrestling in the past and nearly died from a kidney complication, but has said he’s much lighter now and has expressed interest in dropping to 205 pounds to challenge Jon Jones. He’s training partners and close friends with UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez and is a small Heavyweight so that makes sense for him. If he’s able to make the cut to 205 he should have one tune-up fight before his shot against Jon Jones. At UFC 161 in Winnipeg he’ll see four possible opponents as Mauricio Rua battles Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Rashad Evans battles Dan Henderson. The winners of those bouts are top contenders just under Lyoto Machida and Alexander Gustafsson, he should fight the winner of one of those fights.

What’s next for Mir? He’s never getting back to title contention, but he’ll remain a big name fighter who is popular and can serve as a great gatekeeper for the Heavyweight division. Knowing that the UFC likes to match up fighters coming off losses, I think there is one big name that makes a lot of sense, Alistair Overeem. I’m sure the UFC wants to rebuild Overeem and a bout against Mir can do a lot for rebuilding the Overeem brand.

Lightweight Championship Bout: Benson Henderson defeated Gilbert Melendez via Split Decision at 5:00 of Round Five

It was a close decision once again as Melendez pushed Benson Henderson to his limit. Early on in the fight Henderson did not look at all like his nickname ‘Smooth’ as he struggled to get comfortable against the awkward style of Melendez. For his part Melendez had definitely watched a lot of fights of Henderson as he incorporated a lot of things that other fighters have had success with against the champion. He caught a number of kicks and used a few to earn takedowns against Henderson, and he used an interesting step in low inside kick followed by a haymaker combination that was finding a home early.

In the later rounds, Henderson became more fluid and began to take back some momentum. His kicks started landing and he was able to pressure Melendez and for the first time had the California native moving backwards instead of forwards. Entering the final frame most people had it even at 2 rounds each and thought the final round would decide the fight. It was an excellent round for Melendez, who I actually scored the fight for, giving him rounds 1, 2 and 5. In the end though the judges disagreed and Henderson took the belt with a close Split Decision.

What’s next for Henderson? This one is easy, at the post fight press conference UFC President Dana White announced that the winner of the upcoming Lightweight bout between former title challenger Gray Maynard and surging contender TJ Grant would be granted a shot at Henderson.

What’s next for Melendez? This is the more tricky matchmaking problem. Many people felt that Melendez won the fight and even if he didn’t, they have to admit it was razor close. He’s being passed over for an immediate rematch which is somewhat interesting given the history of Lightweight title defenses. So where does he go from here? He demands a fight against a top contender but outside his lone UFC fight, which is a loss not many fight fans know who the hell he is, if they didn’t follow Strikeforce. There are two major UFC Lightweight title eliminator fights coming up, the aforementioned Maynard vs. Grant, as well as Jim Miller vs. Pat Healy. Melendez should probably be fighting the loser of one of those two fights to try and re-establish himself in the Lightweight pecking order.

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Tags: Ben Henderson, Daniel Cormier, Frank Mir, Gilbert Melendez, Jordan Mein, Josh Thomson, Matt Brown, Nate Diaz

UFC On FOX 7 Predictions and Analysis

April 19, 2013 By: Lee McGregor Category: Sports, UFC | Mixed Martial Arts

The UFC delivered an exciting finale, to one of the most exciting seasons of The Ultimate Fighter in recent memory last weekend. They’re not giving that event much time to simmer in our memories, as they move forward with another free event, this time on network television as the 7^th UFC on Fox event goes off this weekend. The UFC returns to California, more specifically to San Jose, California, the home base of their former sister promotion Strikeforce.

It’s fitting that the UFC is hosting this event in San Jose and at the HP Pavilion the home of a number of Strikeforce shows in the past, since this card features a number of fighters that were prominent in Strikeforce’s success. In main card action former Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Josh “The Punk” Thomson battles former Lightweight title challenger Nate Diaz. Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner and emerging star Daniel Cormier battles former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir in the co-main event. And in the main event of the evening UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson makes yet another appearance on the Fox Network as he battles the final Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez in a battle of two champions.

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Middleweight Bout: Clifford Starks vs. Yoel Romero

Clifford Starks is a 31-year-old fighter from Pomona, California. Starks is a member of the Arizona Combat Sports Gym training in Tempe, Arizona. Starks is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from Arizona State University. He holds a professional MMA record of 8-1. Yoel “Soldado de Dios” Romero is a 35-year-old fighter from Pinar del Rio, Cuba. He is a former member of the Cuban Olympic wrestling team. He now trains with the Kampfsport Althof Gym in Palmdale, California. He holds a professional MMA record of 4-1.

Quick Pick: Yoel Romero via TKO in Round Two

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Lightweight Bout: Anthony Njokuani vs. Roger Bowling

Anthony “The Assassin” Njokuani is a 33-year-oldfighter from Lagos, Nigeria. Njokuani is a talented striker who is a member of the Janjira Muay Thai Gym in Las Vegas, Nevada. Njokuani holds a professional MMA record of 15-7 with 1 No Contest. Roger “Relentless” Bowling is a 30-year-old fighter from Neville, Ohio. Bowling is making his UFC debut after his Strikeforce career. Bowling is a member of Team Vision training out of Cincinnati, Ohio. He holds a professional record of 11-3.

Quick Pick: Anthony Njokuani via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (FX): Bantamweight Bout: TJ Dillashaw vs. Hugo Viana

TJ “The Viper” Dillashaw is a 27-year-old fighter from Sonora, California. Dillashaw is a former cast member of The Ultimate Fighter and is also a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from Cal State Fullerton. Dillashaw trains with Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California. He holds a career record of 7-1. Hugo “Wolverine” Viana is a 30-year-old Brazilian fighter from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Viana is a member of the Champion Fight Team in his hometown. Viana is a black belt in Tae Kwan Do and a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He holds a perfect professional record of 7-0.

Quick Pick: TJ Dillashaw via Submission in Round Two

Preliminary Card (FX): Lightweight Bout: Tim Means vs. Jorge Masvidal

Tim “The Dirty Bird” Means is a 29-year-old fighter from Wilburton, Oklahoma. Means is a former King of the Cage Lightweight Champion. Means is a member of the Power MMA Gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He holds a professional record of 18-3-1. Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal is a 28-year-old fighter from Miami, Florida. Masvidal is a member of the American Top Team training out of Miami. He is a former professional boxer, who will be making his UFC debut in this fight. He holds a professional record of 23-7.

Quick Pick: Tim Means via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (FX): Flyweight Bout: Joseph Benavidez vs. Darren Uyenoyama

Joseph “Beefcake” Benavidez is a 28-year-old fighter from San Antonio, Texas. Benavidez was a State Wrestling Champion during his high-school wrestling career. Benavidez is a member of the Team Alpha Male Gym training in Sacramento, California. He holds a professional record of 17-3 with the losses coming against only current UFC Champions Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson. Darren “BC” Uyenoyama is a 33-year-old fighter from San Francisco, California. Uyenoyama has fought for a number of major MMA promotions including Strikeforce, Dream, Shooto and DEEP. He holds a professional MMA record of 8-3.

Quick Pick: Joseph Benavidez via TKO in Round One

Preliminary Card (FX): Lightweight Bout: Ramsey Nijem vs. Myles Jury

Ramsey Nijem is a 25-year-old fighter from Concord, California. He is a former cast member of The Ultimate Fighter, where he made it to the finals of the show’s tournament. Nijem is a member of the Pit Elevated Gym, training in Orem, Utah with the likes of Court McGee and Steven Siler. Nijem holds a professional record of 7-2. Myles “The Fury” Jury is a 24-year-old fighter from Hazel Park, Michigan. Jury is a member of the Alliance MMA Gym in San Diego, California. Jury is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu who holds a perfect professional record of 11-0.

Quick Pick: Myles Jury via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (FX): Middleweight Bout: Francis Carmont vs. Lorenz Larkin

Francis “Limitless” Carmont is a 31-year-old fighter from Sant-Tropez, France. Carmont is now a member of the Tristar Gym training out of Montreal, Quebec alongside fighters like Georges St. Pierre and Rory MacDonald. Carmont holds a professional MMA record of 20-7. Lorenz “The Monsoon” Larkin is a 26-year-old fighter from Riverside, California. Larkin is a member of his own gym Team Monsoon in his hometown of Riverside. Larkin will be making his UFC debut after spending his recent career in Strikeforce. He holds a career record of 13-0 with 1 No Contest.

Quick Pick: Lorenz Larkin via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (FX): Featherweight Bout: Chad Mendes vs. Darren Elkins

Chad “Money” Mendes is a 27-year-old fighter from Hanford, California. Mendes is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from California Polytechnic State University. Mendes is a member of Team Alpha Male and is one of the top ranked Featherweight fighters in the UFC. He holds a professional record of 13-1, with the lone loss coming to UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo. Darren “The Damage” Elkins is a 28-year-old fighter from Hobart, Indiana. Elkins is a member of the Duneland Vale Tudo Gym in his hometown of Hobart. Elkins is taking this bout as a late injury replacement for Clay Guida. Elkins holds a professional MMA record of 16-2.

Quick Pick: Chad Mendes via TKO in Round Two

Main Card (Fox): Welterweight Bout: Matt Brown vs. Jordan Mein

Matt “The Immortal” Brown is a 32-year-old fighter from Xenia, Ohio. Brown was a cast member of the seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter. Brown is a member of Jorge Gurgel’s Gym in Cincinnati, Ohio. He holds a brown belt in Judo and a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Brown is known for his fan friendly style and his iron chin, having never been stopped via strikes in nearly 30 career bouts. He holds a professional MMA record of 16-11, but is currently on a bit of a career resurgence having won his last 4 bouts, 3 via stoppage.
Jordan “Young Gun” Mein is a 23-year-old Canadian fighter from Lethbridge, Alberta. Despite being only 23-years-old he has already accumulated 35 professional MMA bouts. Mein is a talented striker with amateur kickboxing experience, beginning his training very early in his childhood. Mein is taking this bout as an injury replacement for Dan Hardy, and recently made his UFC debut with an impressive first round stoppage of Dan Miller. Mein trains at the Canadian Martial Arts Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta. He holds a professional MMA record of 27-8.

Analysis and Prediction: Brown is a grinder with an iron chin, so he’s definitely not going to be overly scared of Mein’s striking credentials. We all saw what Brown did to heavily hyped striking prospect Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, as he basically put on a clinic on how to impose your will on a striker. That said, Mein is a far more talented mixed martial artist than Thompson. Although young he has been in the fight game for a long time, has a lot of cage experience and knows a lot of tricks. I expect Mein to come in with an intelligent game plan, he’ll use his strikes to work on a trip or a takedown from the clinch. From there his grappling is strong enough to control Brown or search for a submission in the scramble. Brown has the ability to make this fight interesting, but I think Mein is too talented as an all-around fighter. Jordan Mein via Submission in Round Two

Main Card (Fox): Lightweight Bout: Nate Diaz vs. Josh Thomson

Nate Diaz is a 27-year-old fighter from Stockton, California. He is best known as a competitor and the eventual winner of the 5^th season of The Ultimate Fighter. This will be Diaz’s first bout since losing his shot at the UFC Lightweight Championship against Benson Henderson. Diaz is a talented boxer, who employs a high-volume based boxing approach. Diaz is also a talented grappler with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Diaz trains with the Cesar Gracie Fight Team in Stockton, California, but has also been splitting his time with the Team Alpha Male Gym in Sacramento, California. He holds a professional MMA record of 16-8.

Josh “The Punk” Thomson is a 34-year-old fighter from San Jose, California. Thomson is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Thomson has fought for a number of major MMA promotions throughout his career, including a previous stint in the UFC, Pride FC in Japan and most recently Strikeforce. Thomson is a former Strikeforce Lightweight Champion who trains with the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose. Thomson holds a professional MMA record of 19-5 with 1 No Contest.

Analysis and Prediction: Diaz should be well prepared for this fight, he is a training partner with Gilbert Melendez and Gilbert has spent 75 minutes in the cage with Thomson. The question will likely come down to Thomson and his well being entering the fight. He has had nagging injuries for the past few years of his career and they have often hindered his ability to compete. If he follows a smart, wrestling based game plan he has the ability to stifle Diaz. That said, if he tries to strike with Diaz, he’s probably going to get overwhelmed on the feet by Diaz’s high-volume, high-octane striking. In the end I’ll take a slight upset and think Thomson can pull it off, but it’ll be close. Josh Thomson via Unanimous Decision

Main Card (Fox): Heavyweight Bout: Frank Mir vs. Daniel Cormier

Frank Mir is a 33-year-old fighter from Las Vegas, Nevada. Mir is a former two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion. Mir holds a black belt in Kenpo Karate and a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Mir is one of the most talented grapplers in the Heavyweight division and has won 9 bouts via Submission. Mir is a member of Greg Jackson’s camp training in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mir holds a professional MMA record of 16-6, including being the only man to hold a submission victory over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

Daniel “DC” Cormier is a 34-year-old fighter from Lafayette, Louisiana. Cormier is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler who wrestled at Oklahoma State University. Cormier is best known as the winner of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, after entering the event as a tournament alternate. Cormier is also a former member of the United States Freestyle Wrestling team. Cormier’s striking has been rapidly improving to compliment his wrestling ability. Cormier trains with the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California where he is a regular training partner of UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez. Cormier has a perfect professional record of 11-0.

Analysis and Prediction: Frank Mir made the move to Greg Jackson’s camp for this fight and he said it has changed him as a fighter. Unfortunately, we’ve heard those words come from Mir a number of times, and it usually doesn’t end well for him. He’s one of the most talented grapplers in the Heavyweight division, but against Cormier, I don’t like the match up. Cormier is a technically sound striker with solid hand speed for a Heavyweight, he also moves well for a big man. Add to that Cormier’s rock-solid wrestling base and you know the fight isn’t hitting the ground unless Cormier wants it to. Cormier batters Mir on the feet and eventually pounds him out on the ground as Mir fades in the third. Daniel Cormier via TKO in Round Three

Main Card (Fox): UFC Lightweight Championship Bout: Benson Henderson vs. Gilbert Melendez

Benson “Smooth” Henderson is a 29-year-old fighter from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Henderson is the reigning and defending UFC Lightweight Champion. Henderson is a former NAIA All-American Wrestler from Dana College in Blair, Nebraska. Henderson is now a member of the MMA Lab training in Glendale, Arizona. Henderson has a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and a black belt in Tae Kwan Do. Henderson is also a former WEC Lightweight Champion. Like many collegiate wrestlers, Henderson has been improving his striking during his MMA training and is a formidable kick boxer. He holds a career record of 18-2.

Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez is a 31-year-old fighter from Santa Ana, California. Melendez was the final Strikeforce Lightweight Champion. Melendez is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu who trains with the Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu Team in California. Melendez has fought for a number of major MMA promotions across the world including WEC, Rumble on the Rock, Shooto, Pride and Strikeforce. Melendez is a talented wrestler who uses top control and ground and pound to wear out his opponents and open them up for submission opportunities. Melendez holds a professional MMA record of 21-2 but has avenged both of his career losses.

Analysis and Prediction: I like Melendez a lot, but he’s had a long layoff, having not fought in nearly a year. Injuries and backstage drama with Strikeforce have kept him out of the cage since a less than impressive showing against Josh Thomson. After that fight Melendez said he found it hard to get motivated for a third fight with Thomson, but that sounds like a weak excuse for coming into a title fight against a dangerous opponent unprepared. Henderson on the other hand is coming off of a dominant performance against Melendez’s teammate Nate Diaz.

Melendez can definitely learn a few things from watching Diaz’s fight against Henderson, unfortunately he and Nate are fairly different fighters. I would expect to see a somewhat familiar game plan from the champion. I’d expect to see a heavy dose of thudding leg kicks from both the orthodox and southpaw stances, which should significantly slow down the shots of Melendez. Henderson is a technically sound striker and his stellar jab should be able to fend off the awkward striking advances of Melendez.
On the ground it’s likely a wash, with both men being excellent grapplers. However, the key will be which fighter is in top control and for that I give the edge to the champion, Henderson, who I believe has a more refined wrestling base than Melendez. In the end, top control and a solid jab carry the day for Henderson who I expect to retain the title via decision. Benson Henderson via Unanimous Decision