Another weekend has come and gone, and with it, the UFC has had its first successful show in yet another new market. This past Saturday night, the UFC held their first ever event in the Canadian province of Manitoba, holding UFC 161 on Pay Per View live from the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Although some fans complained about a lack of big name value, or high-profile fights on the card (both very legitimate complaints after the cancellation of the planned main event; an Interim Bantamweight Championship bout between Eddie Wineland and Renan Barao) the event did deliver some fireworks and it also helped to raise the stock of a few fighters, while it sent the stock of some other fighters plummeting. Let’s recap the card and take a look at what’s next for the main carders.

Heavyweight Bout: Shawn Jordan defeated Pat Barry via TKO (Punches) at 0:59 of Round One

At just under a minute, this bout didn’t last too long. Everyone figured these two bangers would put on an exciting show and they definitely got the night started on the right foot. After feeling each other out quickly, Jordan landed a right uppercut that immediately had Barry wobbled. Jordan blitzed his opponent and earned a swift TKO moments later with follow up punches on the mat.

What’s next for Jordan? He’s got a couple wins in a row now and he deserves to take a step up in competition after this win. A bout against Todd Duffee makes a lot of sense. They’re both big, tough, hard-hitting sluggers in the Heavyweight division, so it’s a good fight to make from a rankings and entertainment standpoint.

What’s next for Barry? It’s hard to say. He hasn’t looked overly impressive lately, but he always comes to fight and he’s got a pretty big and loyal fan following. My guess is the UFC keeps him around simply to plug him in places where they need a good entertaining Heavyweight slugfest on a card. The loser of the upcoming Brandon Vera and Ben Rothwell fight probably makes the most sense for Barry but he doesn’t have a whole lot of options right now.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Alexis Davis defeated Rosi Sexton via Unanimous Decision after Three Rounds

It wasn’t the most exciting victory in the world, but Alexis Davis did what she had to do to get the win. In the opening round things were pretty even as both ladies lobbed a lot of leather at each other before the ending exchange where Sexton went after a takedown and Davis went after a triangle choke from her back. Over the next two rounds Davis used her superior grappling skills to control the action on the mat. Despite being taken down by Sexton at times, she was able to sweep and reverse the positions to take top control for the majority of the time. In the end she took a unanimous verdict even though she wasn’t able to earn herself a finish.

What’s next for Davis? It wasn’t a world-beating performance, but she still got the victory which is very important in a division as shallow as the Women’s Bantamweight division is. At the top of the division you have Rousey and Tate and then Cat Zingano when that ends, after that the door seems wide open. There seems to be one upcoming bout that makes the most sense for Davis, Liz Carmouche and UFC newcomer Jessica Andrade will battle at UFC on Fox 8. The winner of that bout is probably in the same position in the pecking order as Davis.

What’s next for Sexton? The UFC isn’t going to build a division around her, so she’s going to have to leave the UFC or keep fighting ten pounds heavier than she should be. If she chooses to stay in the UFC she should welcome a newcomer or she should face Sheila Gaff who recently lost to Sara McMann in the UFC.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Ryan Jimmo defeated Igor Pokrajac via Unanimous Decision after Three Rounds

Before making his UFC debut, Jimmo was hated on by a number of fans and media members for being a “boring fighter.” A couple of slugfests in his first two UFC bouts and everyone seemed to forget that. On Saturday night, he gave everyone a reminder of why he was so hated heading into his UFC debut. The crowd booed through most portions of this action light contest and I would recommend you avoid watching this on replay unless you enjoy clinch-heavy, action-light bouts. At the end of the day, Jimmo earned a pretty decisive victory, but impressed very few people by doing so.

What’s next for Jimmo? It’s hard to say, since he’s in a weird position rankings wise. His two UFC victories are over weaker competition and he got blasted the first time he took a step up in competition. I think the UFC should simply put him to the test to see what he can do against an upper-tier fighter. The two names I’ve heard tossed around I think both make excellent since. Thiago Silva could make an exciting fight if he can pressure Jimmo into a striking battle, or Robert Drysdale, the BJJ expert set to make his UFC debut soon who would force Jimmo to avoid a close-quarters grapple-fest.

What’s next for Pokrajac? Likely some fights in Europe or some organization not named the UFC. He hasn’t looked good and he really doesn’t have a lot of name value. If the UFC keeps him around it will simply be for a bout in Europe during the next foreign card, but I think he’s probably getting the axe.

Heavyweight Bout: Stipe Miocic defeated Roy Nelson via Unanimous Decision after Three Rounds

Heading into this fight, Roy Nelson was on the last fight of his UFC contract and was hoping to add another stoppage victory to his resume to beef up his bargaining price. Stipe Miocic had other plans. Miocic shored up some of his defensive striking liabilities and used excellent footwork and a strong boxing game to outwork Nelson over three full rounds. Miocic would have finished most Heavyweight fighters, as his onslaught was relentless and actually made Nelson set a UFC record for Significant Strikes absorbed, but Nelson is tough as nails and lasted the entire fifteen minutes, although he wasn’t close to winning at any point.

What’s next for Miocic? Miocic’s stock was sure to rise with an upset victory, but his stock has skyrocketed with the dominating performance he turned in. He reminded everyone why he was such a hot prospect when he entered the UFC. He’ll get a big match up in his next bout for certain, as the Heavyweight division is thin on contenders. Brendan Schaub and Matt Mitrione have an upcoming bout at UFC on Fox 8, and the winner of that bout has the kind of name value that the UFC will be looking to pit Miocic against.

What’s next for Nelson? He gambled big and it didn’t pay off. He doesn’t have a UFC contract anymore, and he’s going to have a hard time asking for a ton more money from the UFC after getting dominated. Still, he’s a fan favorite who is good to knock someone out, or get beat up standing for fifteen exciting minutes, so I doubt the UFC will let him walk away. There’s not a lot of great match ups for Nelson, but let him face off against Mark Hunt. It’ll probably be an exciting brawl, so why not give the fans something they actually want to see?

Light Heavyweight Bout: Rashad Evans defeated Dan Henderson via Split Decision after Three Rounds

Evans battled back from a tough first round to edge a Split Decision in front of a very hostile crowd. In the first round Henderson landed a jab and a follow up punch sent Evans to the ground and Henderson swarmed. Still Evans was able to survive the first. In the second and third, Evans crowded up against Henderson and made him fight from the clinch, not giving Henderson any room to roll off the big overhand right. Evans was the quicker fighter from outside, landing good combinations, in a solid winning effort. It was a split decision, but most people myself included had a pretty reasonable 2 rounds to 1 victory for Evans.

What’s next for Evans? With the win, he shook off the notion he wanted to head to Middleweight, which I think is a mistake. Evans is simply not a very big Light Heavyweight (although he looked a little bit bulked up for this bout.) He would have a decided size advantage over many Middleweights, and he’s got the name recognition to get a title shot after only a couple of wins. I really think his management and coaches should advise him to try the cut anyways even with the victory. If he goes to Middleweight he has a number of potential matches. If he stays at 205-pounds, there is only one that makes sense; Glover Teixeira.

What’s next for Henderson? With his age and this loss, his chances of vying for a UFC title are probably long gone. Still, he’s probably not retiring and is more of a stand-up fighter than anything else nowadays, so the UFC will keep him around. The UFC should really just be using Henderson in dynasty fights from now on, since he’s willing to scrap just about anyone, any time and he’s still a good litmus test for where a fighter stands in the division. He’s had two memorable bouts against Wanderlei Silva in Japan, why not let them have a rubber match in the UFC? Makes good sense to me.

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It has been a long time since we as UFC fans have had to complain about the curse of the injury bug affecting UFC cards. It appears as though that may be changing as the UFC kicks it into high gear for the summer. The original main event of this card was scrapped when UFC Interim Bantamweight Champion Renan Barao was forced to withdraw from his title defense against Eddie Wineland. Next up was co-main eventer Antonio Rogerio Nogueira was forced out of his bout with Mauricio Rua. Chael Sonnen stepped up and volunteered for the bout, but was unable to secure a visa in time. That bout was then removed and rescheduled as the main event for the UFC’s debut on Fox Sports 1. Still, the UFC will be making its debut in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada at the MTS Centre for UFC 161 on Pay Per View.

What we have left is a main event between top Light Heavyweight fighters Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson, unfortunately both are entering the bout on the heels of somewhat lackluster losses. Roy Nelson was a last minute addition to the card, expected to bolster the card after the removal of the original main event, instead he’s shifted his way into the co-main event when he takes on Stipe Miocic. A women’s bantamweight bout between Rosi Sexton and Alexis Davis is slated for the main card. Canadian Light Heavyweight Ryan Jimmo faces Igor Pokrajac on the main card. And a bout between Heavyweight sluggers Pat Barry and Shawn Jordan opens the Pay Per View portion of the card.

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Bantamweight Bout: Yves Jabouin vs. Dustin Pague

Yves “Tiger” Jabouin is a 34-year-old fighter from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He now resides and trains in Montreal, Quebec, Canada where he is a member of the Tristar Gym. Jabouin is a talented striker who holds a career record of 18-8, and has won 12 via stoppage. Dustin “The Disciple” Pague is a 25-year-old fighter from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He is a member of the TapouT Ranch in New Mexico and also leads his own team in Virginia. He is a former cast member of The Ultimate Fighter who holds a career record of 11-7.

Quick Pick: Yves Jabouin via TKO in Round Three

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Lightweight Bout: Mitch Clarke vs. John Maguire

Mitch “Danger Zone” Clarke is a 27-year-old fighter from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. He is a member of the Hayabusa Training Center in his hometown. Clarke holds a career record of 9-2, with most of his wins coming via Submission. John “The One” Maguire is a 30-year-old British fighter from Peterborough, England. He is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and trains at the Tsunami Gym in Cambridge, England. Maguire holds a career record of 18-5.

Quick Pick: John Maguire via Submission in Round One

Preliminary Card (FX): Bantamweight Bout: Roland Delorme vs. Edwin Figueroa

“Stunning” Roland Delorme is a 29-year-old fighter from Winnipeg, Manitoba and will be fighting in front of his hometown crowd on Saturday night. He is a member of the Winnipeg Academy of MMA who holds a career record of 8-1. Edwin “El Feroz” Figueroa is a 28-year-old fighter from McKinney, Texas. He is a member of the Mohler MMA Gym in Texas. He holds a career record of 9-2, with 8 wins via stoppage.

Quick Pick: Roland Delorme via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (FX): Welterweight Bout: Sean Pierson vs. Kenny Robertson

Sean “The Punisher” Pierson is a 37-year-old fighter from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is a former Toronto police officer, who has since left the police force to fight full time. He is a member of the Grant Brothers MMA Gym in Toronto. He holds a professional MMA record of 13-6. Kenny Robertson is a 29-year-old from East Peoria, Illinois. Robertson is a former NCAA wrestler who now trains with the Central Illinois Combat Club in Spring Bay, Illinois. He holds a career record of 12-2, with both losses coming against UFC standouts Aaron Simpson and Mike Pierce.

Quick Pick: Kenny Robertson via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (FX): Lightweight Bout: Sam Stout vs. James Krause

Sam “Hands of Stone” Stout is a 29-year-old fighter from London, Ontario, Canada. Trained under the late Shawn Tompkins, he is a member of Team Tompkins, training in his hometown of London, Ontario. He is a UFC veteran who made his UFC debut in 2006 and has had 15 bouts in the promotion. He holds a professional MMA record of 20-8-1. James “The James Krause” Krause is a 27-year-old fighter from Newport, Virginia. In addition to having possibly the worst nickname in the UFC, he has fought for a number of other large MMA promotions including Resurrection Fighting Alliance, Titan Fighting Championships, Shark Fights and Bellator. He is a member of the Grindhouse MMA Gym in Blue Springs, Missouri. His professional record stands at 19-4.

Quick Pick: Sam Stout via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (FX): Welterweight Bout: Jake Shields vs. Tyron Woodley

Jake Shields is a 34-year-old fighter from Summertown, Tennessee. Before joining the UFC, Shields was a prominent member of many other large fight promotions and held a number of titles including Rumble on the Rock Champion, Elite XC Welterweight Champion, Shooto Welterweight Champion and Strikeforce Middleweight Champion. Shields is a member of Cesar Gracie’s Fight Team in California, training daily with the Diaz brothers and Gilbert Melendez. He holds a professional record of 27-6-1 with 1 No Contest. Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley is a 31-year-old fighter from Ferguson, Missouri. He is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from the University of Missouri. He is a member of the American Top Team training out of Coconut Creek Florida. He holds a professional MMA record of 11-1, with the lone loss coming against Nate Marquardt.

Quick Pick: Tyron Woodley via TKO in Round Two

Main Card (Pay Per View): Heavyweight Bout: Pat Barry vs. Shawn Jordan

Pat “Hype or Die” Barry is a 33-year-old fighter from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a talented striker who has competed in the past as a professional kick boxer before making the switch to MMA full time. He has competed in K-1 kickboxing as well as the World Combat League before making his UFC debut. Barry may not enjoy the best record in the UFC, but his striking heavy offense and his willingness to trade on the feet, means he will likely be employed by the UFC for as long as he wishes. Barry currently trains with the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He holds a professional record of 8-5.

Shawn “The Savage” Jordan is a 28-year-old fighter from El Paso, Texas. Jordan like his opponent is more known for his brawling style of fighting rather than being a technical precision striker. Jordan trains with Greg Jackson’s Submission Fighting Camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Jordan has fought for many major MMA promotions in the USA including Bellator and Strikeforce, before making his way to the UFC. Despite his somewhat unimpressive physique, Jordan is a strong athlete and can actually execute a standing backflip, which is an impressive feat for anybody let alone a Heavyweight fighter who tips the scales around 250 pounds. He holds a professional MMA record of 14-4 with most wins via knockout.

Analysis and Prediction: This is an extremely close fight that may come down to game planning. Jordan has never really been one to back down from a slugfest, but Greg Jackson will certainly want him to avoid one here. Barry is one of the most dangerous strikers in the Heavyweight division and is also one of the worst grapplers. A wrestling based approach would likely allow Jordan to coast. I think however he comes to trade like he did against Mike Russow. After seeing him get tagged against a slow and plodding striker like Russow, I can’t imagine he fares well against a striker of Barry’s caliber. Pat Barry via TKO in Round Two

Main Card (Pay Per View): Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Alexis Davis vs. Rosi Sexton

Alexis “Ally-gator” Davis is a 28-year-old fighter from Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada. She is a top-notch grappler who holds black belts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as well as Japanese Jujutsu. Davis is trained by Cesar Gracie and often trains with his team of fighters, although she splits her time between California and her hometown. Davis has fought for a number of big promotions including both Strikeforce and Invicta. Despite her immense grappling skills, her striking has not evolved to the point where she will be knocking ladies out any time soon. Still she remains one of the division’s toughest tests on the mat. Her professional MMA record stands at 13-5.

Rosi “The Surgeon” Sexton is a 35-year-old fighter who was born in Versaille, France. She is a talented fighter who trains with the Next Generation Gym in Manchester, England. In addition to fighting she is also a sports therapist and an osteopath. Sexton has been fighting as a professional since 2002, however she regularly fights as a Flyweight at 125-pounds and is moving up in weight for this bout at 135-pounds. Sexton holds a career record of 13-2.

Analysis and Prediction: Size will be the key to this bout. Davis has looked impressive against all but the top fighters in the Women’s Bantamweight division. Sexton while talented and experienced, is undersized for the division and is probably just happy to be in a UFC bout. Davis uses her excellent grappling as well as her size and strength advantage to grapple her way to a decision victory. Alexis Davis via Unanimous Decision

Main Card (Pay Per View): Light Heavyweight Bout: Ryan Jimmo vs. Igor Pokrajac

Ryan “Big Deal” Jimmo is a 31-year-old fighter from Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Jimmo is a former MFC Light Heavyweight Champion and was also a cast member on The Ultimate Fighter, but did not enter the house after being eliminated in a qualification bout. Jimmo trains with the Blackzillians in Boca Raton, Florida but also spends some of his team with the Hayabusa Team in Edmonton, Alberta. Jimmo is a 2nd degree black belt in Chito-Ryu karate. Jimmo holds a career record of 17-2, with the first loss coming in his pro debut and the second in his last bout against James Te-Huna.

Igor “The Duke” Pokrajac is a 34-year-old fighter from Zagreb, Croatia. He is a member of the Croatian Top Team and is also a training partner of Mirko Cro Cop as a member of Team CroCop. Pokrajac is known for his entertaining brawling style and being able to withstand a lot of punishment. Pokrajac has a decent wrestling base, but his striking is somewhat sloppy. Still, he will constantly move forward and isn’t afraid to take a punch in order to give a couple of his own. Pokrajac holds a career record of 25-9.

Analysis and Prediction: Pokrajac can take a beating, that much we’ve seen, but he’s struggled lately and would probably be unemployed if Joey Beltran didn’t fail his post fight drug test after their last bout. Pokrajac was dominated in the striking department, specifically in the clinch by Beltran. Jimmo has an excellent Thai Plume and it’s hard to imagine he hasn’t seen the clips of Beltran battering Pokrajac from in close. I think Jimmo works to close the distance and brings an onslaught of knees and elbows from the clinch that crumple the Croatian near the end of the first round. Ryan Jimmo via TKO in Round One

Main Card (Pay Per View): Heavyweight Bout: Roy Nelson vs. Stipe Miocic

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 19-7, including 17 wins via stoppage.

Stipe Miocic is a 30-year-old fighter from Willowick, Ohio. He was a standout athlete in college, training wrestling and baseball during his time at Cleveland State University. Miocic is a member of the Strong Style Fight Team in Euclid, Ohio. In addition to his excellent wrestling, Miocic is also a former Golden Gloves champion boxer. He was originally scheduled to face Soa Palelei in this bout, but the card was shuffled after it originally lost its main event and he now faces Nelson. Miocic in addition to being a full time fighter, Miocic also works as a firefighter and EMT in Ohio. Miocic holds a career record of 9-1, with the lone loss coming in his last bout against Stefan Struve.

Analysis and Prediction: Strangely Nelson is returning to action after very little rest, having competed just over a month ago at UFC 159. The UFC has made it seem like they’re doing their best to get rid of Nelson, although I don’t understand why. He’s extremely popular with the fans and he loves to brawl, he should be Dana’s favorite fighter. Miocic will need to execute a flawless game plan if he wants to succeed against Nelson here. He has the footwork to move in and out, and he’ll need to rely on a strong jab both offensively and defensively to keep him away from the big overhand right of Nelson. Miocic looked flat during his grappling exchanges against Struve, so I think Nelson also has a path to victory on the ground. As it is, I think he tags Miocic in the first round with that big overhand punch and knocks another Heavyweight cold. Roy Nelson via KO in Round One

Main Card (Pay Per View): Light Heavyweight Bout: Rashad Evans vs. Dan Henderson

“Suga” Rashad Evans is a 33-year-old fighter from Niagara Falls, New York. He is best known as the heavyweight winner of the second season of The Ultimate Fighter and is also a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Evans is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from Michigan State University. Evans holds black belts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and also Gaidojutsu. He is a former member of Greg Jackson’s camp but left after a very public falling out with the camp before his bout with Jon Jones. Evans now trains with the Blackzillians in Boca Raton, Florida. He holds a career record of 17-3-1.

Dan “Hollywood” Henderson is a 42-year-old fighter from Downey, California. He is a veteran MMA fighter who has been competing professionally since 1997. He has fought for a number of major MMA promotions all over the world including the UFC, King of Kings, Pride and Strikeforce. He has held championships in a number of those promotions, most notably as a dual-weight class champion in Pride (being the first man to simultaneously hold two championships in two different weight classes) as well as being a former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. Henderson is a talented Greco-Roman wrestler and was actually an Olympic representative in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics. He is a member of Team Quest, training out of Temecula, California. He holds a professional MMA record of 29-9.

Analysis and Prediction: Evans has the tools to take this fight, the question here is whether he’ll use them. He looked absolutely awful in his last fight against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, implementing a strange and action-light game plan against a slow and plodding fighter, he seemed content to simply hold hands for much of the fight. In the end he dropped a decision where one takedown or two, was probably all he needed to win. He has promised the media a return to his wrestling for this bout.

I’ve never hidden my love for Henderson on this blog. He strikes me as a down to earth guy with a concrete head who loves to scrap and make cash doing it. By this point everyone knows you have to avoid the H-Bomb right hand of Henderson’s, but still people seem to fall for it every time. The smart money is probably on Rashad trying to jab away at Henderson and he might. But Henderson is still one of the toughest wrestlers in the division to handle, so I don’t think Evans will have a ton of success in that area. Evans also doesn’t have the strongest chin, so even a glancing blow from Henderson might be enough to stagger him.

Straight up, I’m biased. I dislike Evans and love Henderson, so there’s nothing I’d like to see here more than Evans crumpled body in a heap on the mat at the end of this fight, basically the exact same as Lyoto Machida did to him in their title bout at UFC 98. H-BOMB! Dan Henderson via Knockout in Round Two

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UFC 151 is the story that just won’t seem to go away. The infamous show fell through when Jon Jones refused to fight Chael Sonnen on short notice. Most criticized Jones but a new revelation by the American Gangster may change some opinions.

The beauty of Chael getting a weekly slot on UFC Tonight is that you just never know what he is going to say. Likely by design, Chael has been kind enough to offer up a juicy quote at least once a week on the Fuel TV UFC magazine show. His newest though is likely to open up some old wounds.

Jon Jones is still having a hard time winning fans months after refusing to defend the UFC light heavyweight title with short notice against Sonnen. Critics, including UFC president Dana White felt that Jones would have been had a massive advantage over Sonnen since Sonnen had not even been in camp. Jones’ team felt otherwise and accused Sonnen and Henderson of a conspiracy. Greg Jackson felt that Sonen had indeed been in camp and had been working with Hendo secretly to prepare for the fight well before Henderson officially withdrew. A new revelation from Sonnen supports that theory.

“You know, it really got put together through Little Nog’s cowardice,” Sonnen said. “I’ve been training for Shogun for a while. I knew this was going to happen. This kind of reminds me of the time me and Dan Henderson set up Jon Jones on eight days’ notice.”

Sonnen then turned to the camera and said, “he finally admitted it.”

The one thing you have to always keep in mind with Chael is whether he is toying around with the media or if he is really telling the truth. If he is telling the truth, that would make his manager Mike Roberts a liar. Roberts was adamant back in September that Chael had not been in camp and would be coming into the fight with only one-week of training.

“Everybody’s saying that Chael knew about Dan being hurt, that’s why he was talking about Jon (Jones). No, Chael was talking about Jon because Jon is the 205-pound champion and that is where Chael is shooting for; that’s who he wants to fight.”

Does it make you feel any different about Jones refusing the fight? I am going to guess that it does nothing to change the opinion of Dana White. I have always felt that Jones was getting much more blame about the show falling apart than he deserved. Knowing that he was being set up is just more reason to leave it alone and bury the incident once and for all.

If and this is a big if Chael is telling the truth, it is disappointing that nobody in the media ever picked up on this story. The same media that were brutalizing Jones for refusing the fight either didn’t do enough investigative work or were sworn to secrecy by Sonnen’s camp. Either way I wonder what the questions at that infamous conference call would have sounded like if someone in the media were able to corroborate the accusations from Jones’ camp.

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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The war of words between former between Jon Fitch and his former employer UFC president Dana White continue. After debating the merits of money Fitch now accuses the promotion of being more entertainment than sport.

I have to admit that I am enjoying the back and forth between Fitch and White. Both have made valid points while at the same time both have said some things that make them look quite silly to the casual eye. Most of their debate has been about money but now Fitch has taken an even deeper shot, Fitch is questioning the UFC’s integrity.

Fitch, who was fired in February after losing to Demian Maia, believes that the UFC are only putting guys in position to win who are marketable. Fitch points to Maia himself as evidence that the UFC are more interested in promoting the entertainment over competition in regards to Maia’s next fight against Josh Koscheck.

“That’s a fight that doesn’t do anything for Demian Maia,” Fitch said. “They don’t want to put him in a situation where he can climb the ladder, because they don’t feel like he can make them money.”

Quite frankly he’s right. I know there are a lot of fans out there who despise Fitch, more for his style of fighting than his personality. However, like him or not Fitch is now piggybacking on a popular topic as of late in the MMA world of social media. Especially when the UFC is booking more challengers in championship fights coming off losses than at any other time in UFC history.

Back to Maia. He is dead right and the fight really doesn’t make a lot of sense. It is fairly uncommon for the UFC to promote a fight between two fighters coming off losses. It certainly happens but there really is something odd about promoting a fight between a fighter coming off of two losses against a fighter on a three-fight winning streak.

I think you can make a case that the UFC are holding Maia back from progressing to a championship fight. Fitch was in that same boat in the UFC although he never closed the deal when he had a chance. Johny Hendricks is another guy that comes to mind who should have had a title fight by now. It is obvious that the UFC are scared to death of promoting another championship fight with Maia. Now some of that blame has to be put on Maia who fought an embarrassing fight when he was given a title shot against Anderson Silva. However, that was also three years ago and a lot has changed. Maia isn’t the same fighter and while he is never going to erase those UFC 112 memories away from fans who saw the fight, he certainly deserves better than Josh Koscheck.

Fitch compared it to pro wrestling and remarked how tough it is to be the best in the world when you aren’t given those opportunities. Again Fitch did have his opportunities as Dana White pointed out so a lot of this comes off as sour grapes. Yet if you take the name out of the statement, it would read like something that is tweeted often by MMA fans upset at recent UFC match making.

I can’t imagine that Dana White would have anything to say about this.

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Although there isn’t really much of a formula these days for deciding who gets title shots in the UFC, the promotion is in a somewhat strange place where there is a clear-cut number one contender in almost every division. With many of these matches prepared to go down in the coming months, let’s take a look at the challengers who have the best chance of upsetting the respective champions in their division.

Women’s Bantamweight Championship – Challenger: Miesha Tate vs. Champion: Ronda Rousey

Upset Odds: +500

Despite the fact that everyone is laughing at the excuse that Tate won the first two rounds of her fight against Cat Zingano as reason enough to have her getting a title shot, it remains true. It’s probably also true that she’ll be a tougher test for champion Rousey come fight time. In the end, that’s likely going to mean very little as neither one stands a great chance. Tate has been in the cage with Rousey before, so she knows what to expect, unfortunately she knew what to expect the first time but still got arm barred for her troubles. At the end of the day, I think Rousey needs to stop trying to arm bar people at every opportunity. As we saw against Liz Carmouche, the ladies are figuring out how to escape and take advantage of it. Rousey needs to do the same and start throwing some new wrinkles at her opponents, expect it to start against Tate. Takedowns and top control en-route to a punishing stoppage in the second round, then we can all congratulate Tate on being the first woman to make it to the second round.

Flyweight Championship – Challenger: John Moraga vs. Champion: Demetrious Johnson

Upset Odds: +450

Moraga has been openly campaigning in the media and calling the champion “boring.” This isn’t really a bad strategy for him, since getting in the champ’s head is never a bad idea. Unfortunately, I don’t think he’s going to get a fighter as well coached as Demetrious Johnson riled up too much. Moraga is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler and is a highly capable grappler, his striking is decent and he’s fast. The champion? He was a standout wrestler in high school, although he never translated that to NCAA success, however his striking is excellent and his hand and foot speed is second to none in the Flyweight division. Add to the fact Moraga has never competed in a five round fight before and Johnson excels in them and it’s going to be a long night for Moraga. Johnson is somewhat deserving of his reputation as a points fighter, but he moves in and out so quickly it’s hard to fault him for the strategy. I expect his output to actual increase as the fight goes on and as Moraga begins to fade late, I expect Johnson to really poor on the offense. Still, this one is probably headed for judge’s scorecards either way.

Interim Bantamweight Championship – Challenger: Eddie Wineland vs. Interim Champion: Renan Barao

Upset Odds: +450

Despite Wineland having a height advantage heading into this fight, he actually doesn’t have a reach advantage as both men possess a 70-inch reach. Wineland got this opportunity more as being the only one available who hadn’t faced Barao yet and is on a winning streak. The most important fights on Wineland’s ledger are his two recent losses to Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez. In both of those fights Wineland enjoyed some initial success in the striking department, but he was quickly figured out by the two of them. Against Urijah Faber, Barao was completely dominant. Wineland has proven somewhat susceptible to leg kicks in past bouts and in that fight Barao blasted Faber with kicks. I expect a similar game plan against Wineland. Hobbled and stiff, I expect that Wineland’s offense slows down and Barao starts picking up the pace. Barao wins with an impressive flurry somewhere around round four or so.

Featherweight Championship – Challenger: Anthony Pettis vs. Champion: Jose Aldo

Upset Odds: EVEN

This bout actually has a line on it already and Pettis is currently slated as a +130 underdog. However, I think this bout is close to a true pick ‘em. Against Frankie Edgar, Jose Aldo began to tire and slow down as the fight went on and some people felt that Edgar may have done enough to win that fight. I’d consider Pettis a very competent striker, even more well rounded than Edgar. Pettis also has underrated grappling skills and has fought and excelled in five round bouts in the past. In addition, this will be the first time that the champion Aldo has faced a fighter who may be quicker and more accurate than anyone he has faced before. I actually like Pettis in this fight. He’s aggressive, he won’t be intimidated, he’ll likely have a size advantage and he’s shown an ability to control opponents on the mat before. It’s still a close and dangerous fight for both guys. But I’ll take Pettis via decision.

Lightweight Championship – Challenger: TJ Grant vs. Champion: Benson Henderson

Upset Odds: +250

Grant doesn’t seem to possess any amazing skills or freak athleticism, but he has completely run through the Lightweight division since making the drop. Add to that, no one has really looked at all impressive against him and you have to at least consider the chance that he upsets Benson Henderson in this fight. Henderson is a talented wrestler who employs strong game plans in his fights, however it’s going to be hard to game plan against a fighter who hasn’t looked weak in any of his Lightweight fights. At Welterweight Grant was dominated by smothering wrestlers like Johny Hendricks and Dong Hyun Kim.  Despite his stellar wrestling credentials, Henderson isn’t likely going to be able to smother him like those Welterweights, he simply doesn’t have the size to do it. Still Henderson is probably the more technical striker, although Grant hits like a truck, but Henderson’s speed is excellent and he’s going to be very tough to hit. I honestly don’t have a prediction yet, but I’m leaning towards the champion.

Welterweight Championship – Challenger: Johny Hendricks vs. Champion: Georges St. Pierre

Upset Odds: +225

Knockout power, that’s probably the one reason that most people think that this fight is so close. Hendricks has knocked out a high number of the Welterweight contenders and many people think that he’s going to be able to do that to GSP. Still St. Pierre is one of the most dominant champions of all time in the UFC and is a master tactician who will certainly have a plan to avoid the big power punches of Hendricks. It’s also important to note that Hendricks himself is an accomplished wrestler, who GSP may have a hard time wrangling to the ground. The other thing going for the champion is that in his most recent bout against Carlos Condit is that Hendricks faded in the third round and looked incredibly hittable, if he fades like that against GSP it’s going to be tough for him to win. I usually root against GSP, as I might be the one Canadian guy who isn’t a fan of the champion, so I’ll definitely be doing so again. But I’m not so sure Hendricks has it in him to take this one.

Middleweight Championship – Challenger: Chris Weidman vs. Champion: Anderson Silva

Upset Odds: +200

I think this might be one of the closest title fights of the summer. Anderson Silva has looked like an unbeatable champion for most of his UFC career, save for the couple of bouts against Chael Sonnen. The good news for Weidman, is that he’s a highly capable wrestler and grappler who is capable of pulling off a similar game plan. Anderson is capable from his back and has pulled off a number of submissions from his guard, but Weidman is much more submission savvy than Chael Sonnen and won’t be easily caught in a triangle. Anderson Silva is still one of the best technical strikers in the world bar none, and with every round starting on the feet, the onus will be on Weidman to drag the champion to the mat at least once a round. If he can avoid the punishing clinch game of Silva, he has a shot, but he’s still facing Anderson Silva and you can’t consider him to be an underdog.

Light Heavyweight Championship – Challenger: Alexander Gustafsson vs. Champion: Jon Jones

Upset Odds: +400

This bout isn’t yet confirmed, but the young and talented Swede is looking like the most likely challenger to Jon Jones’ title. Gustafsson has only one loss in the UFC and in his entire career and it came against Phil Davis, who himself is a highly talented wrestler. Gustafsson is a talented striker, one of the best in the division, but one of his greatest strengths is his height and reach, which he uses to excellent effect. Against champion Jones, he will actually be at a significant reach disadvantage, likely for the first time in his career. Against a striker as talented and as unorthodox as Jones is, I could see this being a problem for Gustafsson. One of his other strengths has been his improving wrestling and grappling skills, which he has been working on since switching his training to Alliance MMA with Phil Davis and company. However, against a dominant wrestler like Jones, his improvements aren’t likely to be enough to win the ground battle. It could be an exciting bout, but I think another dominant win for the champion is in store.

Heavyweight Championship – Challenger: Junior dos Santos vs. Champion: Cain Velasquez

Upset Odds: +175

Out of all of the Heavyweights in the world, Junior dos Santos probably has the best chance of dethroning Cain Velasquez, in fact he’s done it once already. However, in the rematch he was soundly beaten by Cain and was dominated over five full rounds. I am of the belief that the second fight is more closely linked to both fighters full potential than their first encounter and I envision the rubber match going in similar fashion to the second. Cain’s wrestling is top notch and he’s one of the most athletic fighters in the Heavyweight division, with the ability to physically control and impose his will on many fighters who are significantly larger than him. His striking has also made vast improvements, to the point where he is definitely one of the top strikers in the division as well. Dos Santos still holds the edge in a pure kick boxing bout, but the threat of takedowns and clinch games, swings the advantage back to Cain. The one lingering issue is that Cain’s chin hasn’t looked overly impressive throughout his career and he’s been rocked in some of his past fights, dos Santos is a big time heavy hitter, who can knock out even the toughest of fighters, as he recently proved against Mark Hunt. So you always have to consider dos Santos live in the fight if he’s standing, I just don’t think Velasquez will give him much room to operate. I think he crowds and controls dos Santos en-route to another dominant performance.

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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The Ronda Rousey train keeps on moving forward and there appears to be no end in sight. The UFC champion stars in a brand new Insureon Protector Tech Store trailer as America’s protector of small businesses everywhere.

This is a really fun ad and one that has the potential of going viral. The rise of Rousey in 2013 is one of the greatest stories of MMA success in history. I can’t recall anyone becoming this big of a star in the sport as quickly as she has. With commercials like this it wouldn’t surprise me to see Rousey take a bigger role on screen in the near future.

There is also a small connection to this story which is interesting. Rousey is portrayed as the protector to the small business owner. The twist here is that Rousey’s mom put three kids through college running a small consulting business during the day. This is a campaign that you’d expect to hit home to someone like Rousey.

Insureon also posted a behind the scenes video which is also pretty cool. What I really like about this is that Rousey seems like a genuinely humble person. It is very easy for someone like Rousey to get carried away with her newfound fame so seeing her so down to earth and humble make it even that much easier to get behind her.

GSP – The Way of the Fight Book

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

UFC shirts and videos on Amazon.com

Another Brazilian card is in the books and this one despite a lack of fanfare and intriguing match ups beforehand will go down in this history books. UFC on Fuel TV 10 went down from Fortaleza, Brazil this weekend and the event set a UFC record of the highest number of submission finishes in a single event. Of the twelve bouts on the card, a whopping eight ended with someone tapping out, the other four featured two decisions and two knockouts.

In the main event of the evening it was a battle of two TUF: Brazil coaches meeting in a rematch from their bout in PRIDE in 2006. In this contest Fabricio Werdum got a little bit of revenge on Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, as he dominated Big Nog on the mat, en-route to an impressive submission victory. The co-main event of the night featured the finals of the TUF: Brazil 2 Welterweight tournament, where Leonardo Santos made the most of his second chance and captured the tournament crown. Let’s take a look at what’s next for all of the main card fighters.

Featherweight Bout: Rony Mariano Bezerra defeated Mike Wilkinson via Technical Submission (Triangle Choke) at 1:24 of Round One

Like most of the fights on the main card, this bout didn’t last very long. Many people complained that this card featured a number of showcase fights for Brazilian fighters, against less than optimal competition. Rony Jason proved them right in this opening bout. Wilkinson immediately shot for a takedown, but Jason immediately threw his legs up and locked in a triangle choke and earned a quick technical submission when Wilkinson lost consciousness.

What’s next for Bezerra? He’s been brought along slowly thus far, but it’s likely that he gets a pretty serious step up in competition for his next fight. I don’t expect they throw him in with a top contender yet, but a top fifteen fighter is surely in the cards. Nik Lentz would be an exciting styles clash for Bezerra, so would Dennis Bermudez

What’s next for Wilkinson? He was previously undefeated in professional competition heading into this fight, but he was soundly dispatched by Jason. He’s going to take a step backwards after this loss, but the UFC probably will keep him around for their next trip to England or Europe for an undercard bout. Godofredo Castro got stopped on the undercard and is in a similar funk after his time on TUF, that fight probably makes sense.

Middleweight Bout: Daniel Sarafian defeated Eddie Mendez via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) at 2:20 of Round One

After a fairly uneventful first thirty seconds or so, Sarafian immediately found a way to take this bout to the ground. After landing a trip takedown he rushed Mendez on the ground and quickly reversed Mendez’s half-guard into an arm triangle choke. It was impressive to watch Sarafian work as he immediately sunk the choke in deep and forced a tap out relatively quickly.

What’s next for Sarafian? Many people have been calling for this fight for a while, but Sarafian should be fighting Cezar ‘Mutante’ Ferreira. An injury forced Sarafian to withdraw from the finals of the first season of TUF and allowed Ferreira to win, provided he wins his next bout, these two should definitely be in a featured match on a Brazilian card.

What’s next for Mendez? Anthony Smith lost a preliminary card bout to Antonio Braga Neto on this same card. They are both equally unproved in the UFC and could easily fight in a loser leaves the UFC type of match up.

Welterweight Bout: Erick Silva defeated Jason High via Submission (Triangle/Arm Bar) at 1:11 of Round One

Erick Silva apparently learned his lesson after his fight with Jon Fitch, the easiest way to beat a wrestler is definitely to submit him within the first minute or so. Silva showed very impressive grappling as he stopped a takedown, swung onto High’s back before transitioning to the triangle/arm bar combination. Just an impressive showing of Jiu Jitsu from Silva.

What’s next for Silva? He’s lost a bit of the luster as an elite prospect, but he’s still very young and very talented, which means his ceiling potential is incredibly high. The UFC should continue to build him slowly, but he needs a step up in completion. Silva was originally scheduled to fight British prospect John ‘Hitman’ Hathaway on this card, before an injury forced Hathaway to pull out. That fight still makes plenty of sense, so the UFC should pursue it.

What’s next for High? He’s well traveled but he didn’t impress during his second chance in the UFC. Still, he took the fight on late notice in hostile territory, so the UFC will give him another shot. Recent Strikeforce import Bobby Voelker could be a suitable dance partner for High. So too could Nah-Shon Burrell another recent Strikeforce import.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Thiago Silva defeated Rafael Cavalcante via KO (Punches) at 4:29 of Round One

This was one was just four and a half minutes packed with violence and flying fists. I often tell you guys when a fight is worth watching and not just reading about, this one is one of those fights. It won the Fight of the Night and Knockout of the Night bonuses all in one for a reason. Check it out.

What’s next for Silva? Provided his piss test comes back clean, this is definitely going to push him back up the Light Heavyweight rankings slightly. There are two paths the UFC could go with here. They could throw Silva back against a tough match up against a wrestler, who he has struggled against to see how he does, that opens Ryan Bader as a suitable opponent. The other option is to keep putting him against sluggers to produce fun, exciting fights. If that’s the case, Jimi Manuwa or Wanderlei Silva would make sense.

What’s next for Cavalcante? He’s going to take a pretty bad drop after this loss, especially coming off the heels of a positive drug test in his last bout. He’s still a top slugger who is willing to brawl and will produce exciting fights, which means he’s probably safe. James Te Huna needs a rebound opponent, might as well be Cavalcante.

TUF: Brazil 2 Welterweight Finale Bout: Leonardo Santos defeated William Macario via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) at 4:43 of Round Two

Santos started a bit slowly in this one, as he was unable to work the fight to the floor during the early part of the match. Once he finally got to the ground, it was his opponent who held the advantage, delivering strong ground and pound. In the second however, Santos enjoyed far more success. Santos scored a nice trip in the later half of the second and transitioned beautifully into a full mount. From there it was a textbook Arm-Triangle choke that sealed the deal.

What’s next for Santos? He’s talked about dropping to 155 pounds, but I think the UFC will likely match him up with the man he replaced in the finals of the tournament; Santiago Ponzinibbio. If they let him drop to 155 pounds before that fight there are a number of American TUF veterans for him to face. Fighters like Mike Ricci or Michael Chiesa would be good choices.

What’s next for Macario? The UFC will probably keep him around as filler for their many return trips to Brazil. He’ll be brought along slowly and is probably going to be given a favorable match up in his next fight. Quinn Mulhern from Strikeforce or Brad Scott from TUF: The Smashes would be decent candidates.

Heavyweight Bout: Fabricio Werdum defeated Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira via Submission (Armbar) at 2:41 of Round Two

Many people thought that Werdum’s improvements in the stand up would help lead him to victory, myself included. It turned out that Werdum had other plans. He dominated almost the entirety of the fight, whether the action was on the feet or on the mat. In the second round Werdum scrambled excellently working to free himself from a guillotine he snatched an armbar and forced Nogueira to submit.

What’s next for Werdum? He now owns submission victories over Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, which is a major feather in any fighter’s career. He may be in line for a title shot, but that would take a long layoff, unfortunately there’s not a lot of top talent available at Heavyweight for him to fight. If I was the UFC I’d let him fight Junior dos Santos for the chance to fight Cain, but the UFC seems intent on JDS-Velasquez 3. So the other option is Daniel Cormier, but that ruins one of them for a potential title shot. The UFC is certainly going to be in a bit of a bind with Werdum.

What’s next for Nogueira? Retirement is certainly going to be tossed around, and why not? His performance wasn’t exactly awe-inspiring. But even heading into the fight he said he had no desire to call it quits yet. Strangely there are a number of more intriguing bouts for Nogueira coming off of a loss than Werdum who won. He could fight Mark Hunt, Stefan Struve, Antonio Silva or even Matt Mitrione.

GSP – The Way of the Fight Book

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

UFC shirts and videos on Amazon.com