Event Previews – Page 46

Fight Matrix Program: UFC Fight Night – Edgar vs. Faber (05-16-2015)

Posted on May 10, 2015 by Jason

Featherweight (145)
[#2/#6DD] Frankie Edgar (18-4-1) vs. [#3BW] Urijah Faber (32-7-0)
Frankie Edgar is the All-Time #21 ranked Featherweight and #12 ranked Absolute fighter.
Urijah Faber is the All-Time #2 ranked Featherweight and #11 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Frankie Edgar (3-0-0)
2014-11-22: W vs. [#10FW] Cub Swanson (21-7-0) via Submission (Neck Crank) in 4:56 of round 5
2014-07-06: W vs. [*] B.J. Penn (16-10-2) via TKO (Punches) in 4:16 of round 3
2013-07-06: W vs. [#12FW] Charles Oliveira (19-4-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Last 3 Fights: Urijah Faber (2-1-0)
2014-12-06: W vs. [#38BW] Francisco Rivera (10-4-0) via Submission (Bulldog Choke) in 1:34 of round 2
2014-07-05: W vs. [#46BW] Alex Caceres (10-7-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:09 of round 3
2014-02-01: L vs. [#2BW] Renan Barao (33-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:42 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Frankie Edgar 175, Urijah Faber 161
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Frankie Edgar leads 1-0
.

Middleweight (185)
[#5] Gegard Mousasi (36-5-2) vs. [#14] Costas Philippou (13-4-0)
Gegard Mousasi is the All-Time #16 ranked Middleweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Gegard Mousasi (2-1-0)
2015-01-24: W vs. [#15MW] Dan Henderson (30-13-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:10 of round 1
2014-09-05: L vs. [#3MW] Ronaldo Souza (22-3-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 4:30 of round 3
2014-05-31: W vs. [#24MW] Mark Munoz (13-6-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:57 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Costas Philippou (1-2-0)
2014-05-10: W vs. [#27WW] Lorenz Larkin (15-4-0) via KO (Punches) in 3:47 of round 1
2014-01-15: L vs. [#2MW/#9DD] Luke Rockhold (14-2-0) via KO (Kick to the Body) in 2:31 of round 1
2013-09-21: L vs. [#19LHW] Francis Carmont (23-10-0) via UD (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Gegard Mousasi 112, Costas Philippou 371
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.

Middleweight (185)
[#24] Mark Munoz (13-6-0) vs. [#64] Luke Barnatt (8-2-0)

Last 3 Fights: Mark Munoz (0-3-0)
2015-02-28: L vs. [#16MW] Roan Carneiro (20-9-0) via Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:40 of round 1
2014-05-31: L vs. [#5MW] Gegard Mousasi (36-5-2) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:57 of round 1
2013-10-26: L vs. [#4MW] Lyoto Machida (22-6-0) via KO (Head Kick) in 3:10 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Luke Barnatt (1-2-0)
2014-11-22: L vs. [#63MW] Roger Narvaez (7-2-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2014-05-31: L vs. [#93WW] Sean Strickland (15-1-0) via SD (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)
2014-03-08: W vs. [*] Mats Nilsson (11-4-1) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 3:24 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Mark Munoz 77, Luke Barnatt 175
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.
Keep Reading

Fight Matrix Program: UFC Fight Night: Miocic / Hunt (05-07-2015)

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Jason

Heavyweight (265)
[#5] Mark Hunt (10-9-1) vs. [#9] Stipe Miocic (12-2-0)
Mark Hunt is the All-Time #19 ranked Heavyweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Mark Hunt (1-1-1)
2014-11-15: L vs. [#1HW+/#10DD/#6P4P] Fabricio Werdum (19-5-1) via TKO (Knee and Punches) in 2:27 of round 2
2014-09-20: W vs. [#14HW+] Roy Nelson (20-11-0) via KO (Punch) in 3:00 of round 2
2013-12-07: D vs. [#10HW+] Antonio Silva (18-7-1) via Draw (Majority) in 5:00 of round 5

Last 3 Fights: Stipe Miocic (2-1-0)
2014-12-13: L vs. [#2HW+] Junior dos Santos (17-3-0) via UD (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)
2014-05-31: W vs. [#29LHW] Fabio Maldonado (22-8-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:35 of round 1
2014-01-25: W vs. [#32HW+] Gabriel Gonzaga (16-10-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Mark Hunt 175, Stipe Miocic 147
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Mark Hunt leads 2-1
.

Middleweight (185)
[#19] Brad Tavares (13-3-0) vs. [#34] Robert Whittaker (13-4-0)

Last 3 Fights: Brad Tavares (1-2-0)
2015-01-03: W vs. [#32MW] Nate Marquardt (33-14-2) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-08-16: L vs. [#17MW] Tim Boetsch (18-8-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:18 of round 2
2014-04-19: L vs. [#8MW] Yoel Romero (9-1-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Last 3 Fights: Robert Whittaker (2-1-0)
2014-11-07: W vs. [#50MW] Clint Hester (11-4-0) via TKO (Knee and Punches) in 2:43 of round 2
2014-06-28: W vs. [#210WW] Mike Rhodes (5-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-02-22: L vs. [#28WW] Stephen Thompson (10-1-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:43 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Brad Tavares 126, Robert Whittaker 183
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.

Light Heavyweight (205)
[#32] Anthony Perosh (15-8-0) vs. [#40] Sean OConnell (16-6-0)

Last 3 Fights: Anthony Perosh (2-1-0)
2014-11-07: W vs. [#261LHW] Carlos Augusto Inocente F (6-4-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:46 of round 1
2013-12-07: L vs. [#4LHW] Ryan Bader (19-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
2013-08-03: W vs. [#26LHW] Vinny Magalhaes (12-7-0) via KO (Punches) in 0:14 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Sean OConnell (1-2-0)
2015-01-18: W vs. [#94LHW] Matt Van Buren (6-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:11 of round 3
2014-06-28: L vs. [#33LHW] Gian Villante (13-5-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2014-04-16: L vs. [#24LHW] Ryan Jimmo (19-4-0) via KO (Punches) in 4:27 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Anthony Perosh 183, Sean OConnell 111
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.
Keep Reading

Bang for Your Buck: UFC Fight Night 65

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Oleg

After a weekend without any major MMA events (likely due to all the brouhaha surrounding Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao), we are back to our regular scheduling, with the second UFC Fight Pass exclusive card of the year. Fight Night 65: Hunt vs Miocic will be broadcast from Adelaide, Australia and is headlined by an awesome heavyweight matchup. Despite as weak an undercard as one might expect from a Fight Pass event, the main event alone is enough to bring the net value of Fight Pass subscription into the green for the year. And with the main card start time of 11 PM (US Eastern Time) – which is not far from the usual start time of UFC events, you don’t even have to stay up till wee hours to watch the fights, as is often the case with live events broadcast from abroad. Between all of this, I am actually enticed to sign up for Fight Pass to watch this card. Or at least start with a free trial subscription…

Main Event: [#5 HW] Mark Hunt vs [#9 HW] Stipe Miocic

Worth: $20.00

Why: As mentioned above, this is an awesome fight. The late career resurrection of Mark Hunt has been very fun to watch, culminating in a shot at the interim title against Fabricio Werdum, where Hunt gave Werdum all he could handle before being knocked out by a vicious knee. He now has to take on Stipe Miocic – an opponent who is almost 10 years younger, and is one of the few bright prospects on the shallow and shop-worn heavyweight roster. The winner of this fight may be in line for the next title shot, especially if Cain Velasquez successfully defends his title against interim champion Werdum. Should Werdum retain the title, then the next shot probably belongs to Junior Dos Santos – UFC’s perennial #2, who already holds wins over Hunt, Werdum, and Miocic (first two by knockout, the latter by a somewhat controversial decision). Either way, this fight might show that Mark Hunt still has plenty of fight left in him at 41, or it could be a career-defining performance for Stipe Miocic which will solidify him as a contender. And no matter what happens, it’s virtually guaranteed to be an exciting slugfest.

Keep Reading

Bang for Your Buck: UFC 186

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Oleg

UFC 186… what can I say about it? Well, this card has it all. And I don’t mean that in a good way. A main event cancelled due to an injury, a mismatch of a title bout, a fighter pulled out of a scheduled bout due to a legal injunction, a couple of fights with that are virtually guaranteed to go to a dull decision, a matchup that looks like it came from a time machine tuned to 2005, and a handful of fighters you’ve never heard of. Oh, and don’t forget the ~~long-awaited UFC return of Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson~~… oops, strike that. Bellator filed a lawsuit to dispute Jackson’s contractual status, and an injunction was granted to stop Rampage from fighting on this card. Instead, we get the ~~long awaited UFC debut of retired Canadian minor-league hockey enforcer and MMA fighter Steve Bosse~~… oops, strike that again. The injunction has been lifted by an appellate court, and now Rampage is back on the line-up. Le sigh… this is why I try to publish these blogs at the last minute, and even that doesn’t always guarantee that all the fights will actually take place as scheduled. Yeah, this card pretty much has it all.

Main Card (Pay-Per-View)

Main Event: (C) [#1 FLW] Demetrious Johnson vs [#8 FLW] Kyoji Horiguchi for the UFC Flyweight Title

Worth: $10

Why: This PPV was originally planned with two title bouts, but an injury prevented the bantamweight champ TJ Dillashaw from defending his title against Renan Barao, marking the second time that a scheduled rematch between the two fell apart and bumping the flyweight title fight to the main event slot. I’ve grown to enjoy watching ‘Mighty Mouse’ fight over the years; while some champions stagnate and fight not to lose after they’ve held the title for a while (Georges St.Pierre and Tim Sylvia come to mind), DJ has been improving ever since dropping down to 125 lbs and winning the inauguaral title. So I now look forward to his fights… I just wish UFC could find him a good challenger. Kyoji Horiguchi is not it. The 24-year old is 4-0 in the UFC, but his competition so far has been nowhere near championship level. Like several other recent flyweight challengers, he is only getting the title shot because Johnson has to fight someone… preferably someone he hasn’t already beaten. So when Ian McCall lost to John Lineker, who in turn failed to make weight for the fight and was banished to bantamweight, that left us with Horiguchi as the only viable Top-10 opponent. I just don’t see the guy who went the distance with Luis Gaudinot in his last fight as presenting much of a threat or challenge to Johnson. Barring a huge upset, this fight’s purpose is to keep DJ warm until a rematch with John Dodson, or until Henry Cejudo can be built up as a contender.

Keep Reading

Fight Matrix Program: UFC 186 (04-25-2015)

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Jason

Flyweight Championship (125)
[#1/#5DD/#4P4P] Demetrious Johnson (21-2-1) vs. [#8] Kyoji Horiguchi (15-1-0)
Demetrious Johnson is the All-Time #4 ranked Flyweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Demetrious Johnson (3-0-0)
2014-09-27: W vs. [#21FLY] Chris Cariaso (17-8-0) via Submission (Kimura) in 2:29 of round 2
2014-06-14: W vs. [#11FLY] Ali Bagautinov (13-3-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
2013-12-14: W vs. [#2FLY] Joseph Benavidez (21-4-0) via KO (Punches) in 2:08 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Kyoji Horiguchi (3-0-0)
2015-01-03: W vs. [#81FLY] Louis Gaudinot (6-4-0) via UD (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
2014-09-20: W vs. [#270FLY] Jon delos Reyes (7-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:48 of round 1
2014-05-10: W vs. [#75FLY] Darrell Montague (13-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Demetrious Johnson 210, Kyoji Horiguchi 112
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.

Middleweight (185)
[#11] C.B. Dollaway (15-6-0) vs. [#12] Michael Bisping (25-7-0)
Michael Bisping is the All-Time #23 ranked Middleweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: C.B. Dollaway (2-1-0)
2014-12-20: L vs. [#4MW] Lyoto Machida (22-6-0) via TKO (Kick to the Body and Punches) in 1:02 of round 1
2014-05-31: W vs. [#19LHW] Francis Carmont (23-10-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
2014-03-23: W vs. [#67MW] Cezar Ferreira (8-4-0) via KO (Punches) in 0:39 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Michael Bisping (1-2-0)
2014-11-07: L vs. [#2MW/#8DD] Luke Rockhold (14-2-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 0:57 of round 2
2014-08-23: W vs. [*] Cung Le (9-3-0) via TKO (Knee and Punches) in 0:57 of round 4
2014-04-16: L vs. [#9MW] Tim Kennedy (18-5-0) via UD (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: C.B. Dollaway 126, Michael Bisping 169
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
.

Heavyweight (215)
[#9LHW] Quinton Jackson (35-11-0) vs. [#29LHW] Fabio Maldonado (22-7-0)
Quinton Jackson is the All-Time #19 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Quinton Jackson (3-0-0)
2014-05-17: W vs. [#15LHW] Muhammed Lawal (15-4-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2014-02-28: W vs. [#199MW] Christian MPumbu (18-7-1) via KO (Punches) in 4:34 of round 1
2013-11-15: W vs. [#39MW] Joey Beltran (16-11-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:59 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Fabio Maldonado (2-1-0)
2014-10-25: W vs. [#76LHW] Hans Stringer (22-6-3) via TKO (Punches) in 4:06 of round 2
2014-05-31: L vs. [#9HW+] Stipe Miocic (12-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:35 of round 1
2014-03-23: W vs. [#33LHW] Gian Villante (13-5-0) via UD (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Quinton Jackson 343, Fabio Maldonado 182
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
.
Keep Reading

Bang for Your Buck: UFC on Fox 15

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Oleg

The second UFC on Fox event of 2015 promises to be a great show. Headlined by a #1 contender bout for the middleweight title, the card also features many other relevant and interesting matchups, with several up-and-comers facing seasoned veterans and looking to break through to the next level. Of course even this card was not spared by the injury curse: the scheduled co-main event fight between Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza and Yoel Romero was the fight I was looking forward to the most on this line-up, and just last week Romero pulled out of the bout with an injury. This is the second time this match up has been scrapped; it was initially slated for UFC 184 but that time Souza came down with a bout of pneumonia. Maybe this fight was just not meant to be… or maybe the third time will be a charm? Anyhow, I am not too mad about losing this fight, considering how stacked the rest of the card is. In fact it’s so good that even the prelims will be broadcast on Fox instead of the usual Fox Sports 1 (save for the three fights relegated to Fight Pass).

Main Event: [#2 MW] Lyoto Machida vs [#6 MW] Luke Rockhold

Worth: $20

Why: While fans might be upset about Souza-Romero dropping off the card, Rockhold and especially Machida are probably elated about it. After all, any of these four could have been the next contender, depending on which winner of the two fights was more impressive in his performance. Machida has faced the champion Chris Weidman in Weidman’s first title defense, and if Lyoto were to beat Rockhold and Weidman retains his title against Vitor Belfort, the winner of Souza-Romero would likely jump the line to avoid having Weidman-Machida II so soon. Now, the winner of this fight is virtually guaranteed the next shot, no matter who the champion is at the time and even if this fight ends up a total snoozer. I’m a bit surprised by Rockhold being a slight betting favorite against Machida. Either way, it’s a very solid main event to cap off a night of free fights.

Keep Reading

Fight Matrix Program: UFC on FOX 15 (04-18-2015)

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Jason

Middleweight (185)
[#2/#7DD/#8P4P] Lyoto Machida (22-5-0, +115) vs. [#6] Luke Rockhold (13-2-0, -139)
Lyoto Machida is the All-Time #12 ranked Absolute fighter.
Luke Rockhold is the All-Time #13 ranked Middleweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Lyoto Machida (2-1-0)
2014-12-20: W vs. [#11MW] C.B. Dollaway (15-6-0) via TKO (Kick to the Body and Punches) in 1:02 of round 1
2014-07-05: L vs. [#1MW/#1DD/#3P4P] Chris Weidman (12-0-0) via UD (49-45, 48-47, 49-46)
2014-02-15: W vs. [#4MW] Gegard Mousasi (36-5-2) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)

Last 3 Fights: Luke Rockhold (3-0-0)
2014-11-07: W vs. [#12MW] Michael Bisping (25-7-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 0:57 of round 2
2014-04-26: W vs. [#17MW] Tim Boetsch (18-8-0) via Submission (Inverted Triangle Kimura) in 2:08 of round 1
2014-01-15: W vs. [#13MW] Costas Philippou (13-4-0) via KO (Kick to the Body) in 2:31 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Lyoto Machida 119, Luke Rockhold 162
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.

Middleweight (185)
[#3] Ronaldo Souza (21-3-0, -1113) vs. [#36] Chris Camozzi (21-9-0, +731)
Ronaldo Souza is the All-Time #8 ranked Middleweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Ronaldo Souza (3-0-0)
2014-09-05: W vs. [#4MW] Gegard Mousasi (36-5-2) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 4:30 of round 3
2014-02-15: W vs. [#19LHW] Francis Carmont (23-10-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
2013-09-04: W vs. [#21MW] Yushin Okami (30-9-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:47 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Chris Camozzi (2-1-0)
2015-03-06: W vs. [#112MW] Wes Swofford (10-6-0) via in of round 1
2014-11-21: W vs. [#141MW] Jeremy Kimball (9-5-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:33 of round 1
2014-09-05: L vs. [#29MW] Rafael Natal (19-6-1) via SD (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Ronaldo Souza 225, Chris Camozzi 43
Previous Match-up Record: Ronaldo Souza leads 1-0-0
Wins Against Common Opposition: Ronaldo Souza leads 2-1
.

Featherweight (145)
[#6] Cub Swanson (21-6-0, -148) vs. [#13] Max Holloway (12-3-0, +129)
Cub Swanson is the All-Time #12 ranked Featherweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Cub Swanson (2-1-0)
2014-11-22: L vs. [#2FW/#6DD] Frankie Edgar (18-4-1) via Submission (Neck Crank) in 4:56 of round 5
2014-06-28: W vs. [#17FW] Jeremy Stephens (23-11-0) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
2013-07-06: W vs. [#25FW] Dennis Siver (22-10-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:24 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Max Holloway (3-0-0)
2015-02-14: W vs. [#39FW] Cole Miller (21-9-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
2014-10-04: W vs. [#71FW] Akira Corassani (12-6-0) via KO (Punches) in 3:11 of round 1
2014-08-23: W vs. [#38FW] Clay Collard (14-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:47 of round 3

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Cub Swanson 147, Max Holloway 63
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Cub Swanson leads 1-0
.
Keep Reading

Bang for Your Buck: UFC Fight Night 64

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Oleg

Ah, Fight Pass. The red-headed stepchild of the UFC broadcasting family. At this point it’s pretty clear that since I am only considering live UFC fights and not the additional content that Fight Pass has to offer, the value will not be worth the subscription price. Especially with Fox Sports 1 gobbling up Fight Pass-worthy cards such as Maia-LaFlare, and sometimes even showing the lowest of the prelims, e.g. Fight Night 63.

This leads us into the first Fight Pass-exclusive event of the year: UFC Fight Night 64, live from Krakow, Poland. As these cards usually tend to be, it has very few recognizable names or highly ranked fighters, and is mainly designed to appeal to the local crowd. There are usually one or two interesting fights at the top of the card, but in this case UFC decided to cap it off with one of the most pointless rematches in the history of the organization.

Main Event: [#23 HW] Gabriel Gonzaga vs [#27 HW] Mirko Filipovic

Worth: $1

Why: For some odd reason, the UFC match makers really love rematches. After all, if the first fight between the two fighters was great, why not do it again, right? While sometimes a rematch makes all the sense in the world, unfortunately this is not one of those instances, because in 2015 this fight makes no sense at all.

When these two first met at UFC 70 back in 2007, Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic was near the very top of the heavyweight heap. Fresh off winning the Pride 2006 open-weight Gran Prix, capped off by a knockout win over Wanderlei Silva and a TKO stoppage of Josh Barnett, Cro Cop was ranked #2 in the division, and predicted by most fans to run over the UFC heavyweights when he joined the promotion. Despite scoring a first-round TKO against a deer-in-the-headlights Eddie Sanchez, Mirko looked a bit tentative in his UFC debut. This was attributed to the infamous ‘Octagon jitters’ and he was still on a collision course with then champion Randy Couture – until Gabriel Gonzaga spoiled his plans with a bit of ground-and-pound followed up by the kick heard around the world.

Defeating Cro Cop with his own biggest weapon marked one of the most memorable, jaw dropping finishes in history of the sport. The win secured a title shot for Gonzaga, and marked the begging of Mirko’s decline: though he went 8-6 with 1 NC since then, he has never again beaten an elite opponent. Gabriel Gonzaga hasn’t fared much better, amassing an 8-8 record with his biggest win coming over Ben Rothwell in 2013, after a very brief retirement. It’s very unlikely to expect a Mark Hunt-like late career resurrection from the 40-year-old Mirko, and just as unlikely that Gonzaga will ever be more than a gatekeeper for the elite: though at 35 he might have a few more good years left in his career, his lack of conditioning, porous striking defense, questionable chin, and non-existent game planning cancel out his world class grappling and immense striking power. Cro Cop, on the other hand, is still essentially a one-dimensional striker who complains about his dislike for elbow strikes in MMA and thinks that the ground game should be limited in the UFC.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Gonzaga takes it based on age advantage, psychological advantage from the first fight, and besides that simply having more ways to win. But really no matter how this fight goes, anything short of a flying gogoplata will be a disappointment compared to the outcome of their first bout. I understand that Mirko wants to end his career in the UFC and avenge the most brutal loss he has suffered, but would much prefer both fighters to face someone else. Sometimes it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie, and let old fight results stand. There was no need for a do-over in this one, and I have very little interest in seeing it.

Keep Reading

Fight Matrix Program: UFC Fight Night – Gonzaga vs. Cro Cop 2 (04-11-2015)

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Jason

Heavyweight (265)
[#23] Gabriel Gonzaga (16-9-0, -167) vs. [#27] Mirko Filipovic (30-11-2, +139)
Mirko Filipovic is the All-Time #8 ranked Heavyweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Gabriel Gonzaga (1-2-0)
2014-12-13: L vs. [#13HW+] Matt Mitrione (9-3-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:59 of round 1
2014-01-25: L vs. [#9HW+] Stipe Miocic (12-2-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-10-19: W vs. [#33HW+] Shawn Jordan (17-6-0) via KO (Punches) in 1:33 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Mirko Filipovic (2-1-0)
2014-12-31: W vs. [#73HW+] Satoshi Ishii (12-4-1) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 5:00 of round 2
2014-08-23: W vs. [#73HW+] Satoshi Ishii (12-4-1) via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) in 2:37 of round 2
2013-11-08: L vs. [#15HW+] Alexey Oleinik (55-9-1) via Submission (Neck Crank) in 4:42 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Gabriel Gonzaga 119, Mirko Filipovic 101
Previous Match-up Record: Gabriel Gonzaga leads 1-0-0
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.

Light Heavyweight (205)
[#17] Jan Blachowicz (18-3-0, +136) vs. [#18] Jimi Manuwa (14-1-0, -165)

Last 3 Fights: Jan Blachowicz (3-0-0)
2014-10-04: W vs. [#30LHW] Ilir Latifi (9-4-0) via TKO (Kick to the Body and Punches) in 1:58 of round 1
2013-03-16: W vs. [#39LHW] Goran Reljic (14-4-0) via UD ()
2012-09-15: W vs. [#82LHW] Houston Alexander (16-11-1) via UD ()

Last 3 Fights: Jimi Manuwa (2-1-0)
2014-03-08: L vs. [#6LHW] Alexander Gustafsson (16-3-0) via TKO (Knee and Punches) in 1:18 of round 2
2013-10-26: W vs. [#24LHW] Ryan Jimmo (19-4-0) via TKO (Leg Injury) in 4:41 of round 2
2013-02-16: W vs. [*] Cyrille Diabate (19-10-1) via TKO (Retirement) in 5:00 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Jan Blachowicz 189, Jimi Manuwa 399
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.

Middleweight (185)
[#103] Garreth McLellan (12-2-0, +113) vs. [#165WW] Bartosz Fabinski (11-2-0, -147)

Last 3 Fights: Garreth McLellan (3-0-0)
2014-08-30: W vs. [#327MW] Dricus Du Plessis (5-1-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in ? of round 3
2014-03-27: W vs. [#354MW] J.P. Kruger (6-2-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in ? of round 1
2013-10-10: W vs. [#664WW] Jeremy Smith (8-3-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 0:00 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Bartosz Fabinski (3-0-0)
2014-10-18: W vs. [#457WW] Alik Tseiko (7-4-0) via SD ()
2014-06-08: W vs. [#821MW] Alexey Repalov (6-6-0) via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) in 1:54 of round 1
2014-05-09: W vs. [#366MW] Gregor Herb (14-8-0) via UD ()

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Garreth McLellan 224, Bartosz Fabinski 175
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.
Keep Reading

Bang for Your Buck: UFC Fight Night 63

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Oleg

Another Saturday, another Fight Night. A few things about this one are unusual. For one, the broadcast begins at 11 AM (ET), with the main card starting at 1 PM – making it more of a ‘Fight Late Morning/Early Afternoon’. Besides the unusual start time for a US event, there are no Fight Pass prelims: the entire event will be shown on Fox Sports 1. Most importantly, this card is nicely stacked for a Fight Night, especially compared to the last few FS1 events. All of the match-ups are also extremely competitive, at least judging by our rankings.

Main Event: [#4 FW] Chad Mendes vs [#5 FW] Ricardo Lamas

Worth: $15

Why: This is an important fight as the winner is going to be up there with Frankie Edgar as the next contender for the featherweight title after Jose Aldo defends against Conor McGregor. Considering the timing of upcoming featherweight fights, and assuming that Edgar beats Uriah Faber in his next outing, it’s likely that there will be another elimination bout between the winners of these two fights. Which means that if Aldo retains his title, he will have to start on the rematch circuit, and this makes a McGregor win a far more interesting scenario for the featherweight division.

Why am I talking about Aldo – McGregor instead of the fight at hand? Because this fight, and the rest of the division, are overshadowed by the McGregor hype. And all the hype aside, I am not as excited about this matchup as I probably should be, considering how much sense it makes from the ranking and title picture standpoint and that both guys have been on fire save for their losses to the champion. For me this fight just has the feel of a bronze medal contest in the Olympics. Good, but not great.

Keep Reading

Fight Matrix Program: UFC Fight Night – Mendes vs. Lamas (04-04-2015)

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Jason

Featherweight (145)
[#4] Chad Mendes (16-2-0) vs. [#5] Ricardo Lamas (15-3-0)
Chad Mendes is the All-Time #6 ranked Featherweight fighter.
Ricardo Lamas is the All-Time #11 ranked Featherweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Chad Mendes (2-1-0)
2014-10-25: L vs. [#1FW/#3DD/#2P4P] Jose Aldo (25-1-0) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
2013-12-14: W vs. [#9FW] Nik Lentz (25-6-2) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-08-31: W vs. [#15FW] Clay Guida (31-15-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:30 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Ricardo Lamas (2-1-0)
2014-11-15: W vs. [#14FW] Dennis Bermudez (14-4-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 3:18 of round 1
2014-06-28: W vs. [#19FW] Hacran Dias (22-3-1) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
2014-02-01: L vs. [#1FW/#3DD/#2P4P] Jose Aldo (25-1-0) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Chad Mendes 161, Ricardo Lamas 140
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 2 win(s) against common opposition.
.

Lightweight (155)
[#8] Al Iaquinta (12-3-1) vs. [#13] Jorge Masvidal (28-8-0)

Last 3 Fights: Al Iaquinta (3-0-0)
2015-01-31: W vs. [#26LW] Joe Lauzon (24-10-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:34 of round 2
2014-11-07: W vs. [#27LW] Ross Pearson (17-8-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:39 of round 2
2014-09-05: W vs. [#101LW] Rodrigo Damm (12-9-0) via TKO (Punches and Elbows) in 2:41 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Jorge Masvidal (3-0-0)
2014-09-27: W vs. [#69LW] James Krause (21-7-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-07-26: W vs. [#55LW] Daron Cruickshank (16-6-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)
2014-04-19: W vs. [#52LW] Pat Healy (28-20-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Al Iaquinta 63, Jorge Masvidal 189
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 2 win(s) against common opposition.
.

Lightweight (155)
[#41] Michael Chiesa (11-2-0) vs. [#43] Mitch Clarke (11-2-0)

Last 3 Fights: Michael Chiesa (2-1-0)
2014-09-05: L vs. [#26LW] Joe Lauzon (24-10-0) via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) in 2:14 of round 2
2014-05-24: W vs. [#48LW] Francisco Trinaldo (16-4-0) via UD (30-26, 30-27, 30-26)
2013-11-06: W vs. [#165WW] Colton Smith (4-4-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:41 of round 2

Last 3 Fights: Mitch Clarke (2-1-0)
2014-05-24: W vs. [#8LW] Al Iaquinta (12-3-1) via Technical Submission (Brabo Choke) in 0:57 of round 2
2013-06-15: W vs. [#418LW] John Maguire (19-8-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2012-07-21: L vs. [#92LW] Anton Kuivanen (21-8-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Michael Chiesa 211, Mitch Clarke 315
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Michael Chiesa leads 2-1
.
Keep Reading

UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. LaFlaire (03-21-2013)

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Jason

Welterweight (170)
[#10] Demian Maia (19-6-0) vs. [#20] Ryan LaFlare (11-0-0)

Last 3 Fights: Demian Maia (1-2-0)
2014-05-31: W vs. [#66WW] Alexander Yakovlev (21-6-1) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-02-22: L vs. [#3WW] Rory MacDonald (18-2-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2013-10-09: L vs. [#8WW] Jake Shields (31-7-1) via SD (47-48, 48-47, 47-48)

Last 3 Fights: Ryan LaFlare (3-0-0)
2014-04-11: W vs. [#55WW] John Howard (22-11-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2013-12-14: W vs. [*] Court McGee (16-4-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2013-11-09: W vs. [#36WW] Santiago Ponzinibbio (20-2-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Demian Maia 294, Ryan LaFlare 344
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.

Welterweight (170)
[#25] Erick Silva (17-5-0) vs. [#93] Josh Koscheck (17-9-0)
Josh Koscheck is the All-Time #15 ranked Welterweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Erick Silva (2-1-0)
2014-12-20: W vs. [#207WW] Mike Rhodes (5-4-0) via Technical Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 1:15 of round 1
2014-05-10: L vs. [#11WW] Matt Brown (19-13-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:11 of round 3
2014-02-15: W vs. [#223WW] Takenori Sato (17-10-7) via KO (Punches) in 0:52 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Josh Koscheck (0-3-0)
2015-02-28: L vs. [#17WW] Jake Ellenberger (30-9-0) via Submission (North South Choke) in 4:20 of round 2
2013-11-16: L vs. [#4WW] Tyron Woodley (15-3-0) via KO (Punches) in 4:38 of round 1
2013-02-23: L vs. [#1WW/#7DD/#8P4P] Robbie Lawler (25-10-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:57 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Erick Silva 91, Josh Koscheck 21
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.

Lightweight (155)
[#45] Leonardo Santos (13-3-1) vs. [#107] Tony Martin (9-2-0)

Last 3 Fights: Leonardo Santos (2-0-1)
2014-09-13: W vs. [#83LW] Efrain Escudero (23-9-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2014-03-23: D vs. [#53LW] Norman Parke (20-3-1) via Draw (Majority) in 5:00 of round 3
2013-06-08: W vs. [#189WW] William Macario (7-3-0) via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 4:43 of round 2

Last 3 Fights: Tony Martin (1-2-0)
2014-10-25: W vs. [#413LW] Fabricio Camoes (14-9-1) via Submission (Kimura) in 4:16 of round 1
2014-08-23: L vs. [#20LW] Beneil Dariush (10-1-0) via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 3:38 of round 2
2014-02-01: L vs. [#18LW] Rashid Magomedov (18-1-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Leonardo Santos 189, Tony Martin 147
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.
Keep Reading

Bang for Your Buck: UFC 185

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Oleg

With two title fights topping the Pay-Per-View card, UFC 185 is off to a strong start. Add a fairly solid undercard, and you get an event that might actually be worth the asking price. This is what all PPV cards should look like. Unfortunately, I have very little interest in the women’s strawweight title bout – in fact it may be the least interest I have in a UFC title fight since Andrei Arlovski vs late Justin Eilers back at UFC 53. Nonetheless, this is a very good card, at least on paper.

Main Event: (C) [#1 LW] Anthony Pettis vs [#3 LW] Rafael dos Anjos for the UFC Lightweight Title

Worth: $22.50

Why: After submitting Ben Henderson to win the LW title, Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis suffered an injury and was forced to take a long layoff. Meanwhile, the division came to a rolling boil, with no shortage of contenders lined up for a crack at the champion. Pettis made a triumphant return and defended his title with another submission win against Gilbert Melendez. His next defense should have been against the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov, however Khabib’s own injuries and inactivity allowed a man he defeated – Rafael dos Anjos – to jump in front of the line.

For a guy with 17 fights in UFC, dos Anjos has flew under the radar for a while, stuck in the middle of the pack and losing fights to gatekeepers like Clay Guida and Gleison Tibau. In the past few years, Rafael evolved into an elite fighter. He is 8-1 since 2011, his sole loss a decision to Nurmagomedov. And in his last two fights, dos Anjos has shown just how dangerous he has become, stopping former champ Henderson and brutally dominating Nate Diaz. He is not as flashy as ‘Showtime’, but probably just as well rounded. With two top fighters in their prime, who both have all the tools of MMA in their arsenal, this should be a great fight. It’s not quite a Jon Jones vs Daniel Cormier, long awaited #1 vs #2 type of fight, but this is almost as good as it gets.

Keep Reading

Fight Matrix Program: UFC 185 (03-14-2015)

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Jason

Lightweight Championship (155)
[#1/#5DD/#5P4P] Anthony Pettis (18-2-0, -433) vs. [#3] Rafael dos Anjos (23-7-0, +331)
Anthony Pettis is the All-Time #6 ranked Lightweight fighter.
Rafael dos Anjos is the All-Time #20 ranked Lightweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Anthony Pettis (3-0-0)
2014-12-06: W vs. [#6LW] Gilbert Melendez (22-4-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 1:53 of round 2
2013-08-31: W vs. [#7WW] Ben Henderson (22-5-0) via Submission (Armbar) in 4:31 of round 1
2013-01-26: W vs. [#2LW/#9DD/#9P4P] Donald Cerrone (27-6-0) via KO (Kick to the Body) in 2:35 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Rafael dos Anjos (3-0-0)
2014-12-13: W vs. [#13LW] Nate Diaz (17-10-0) via UD (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
2014-08-23: W vs. [#7WW] Ben Henderson (22-5-0) via KO (Punch) in 2:31 of round 1
2014-06-07: W vs. [#79LW] Jason High (18-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:36 of round 2

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Anthony Pettis 98, Rafael dos Anjos 91
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Anthony Pettis leads 4-2
.

Women Strawweight Championship (115)
[#2/#9DD/#5P4P] Carla Esparza (10-2-0, -163) vs. [#3] Joanna Jedrzejczyk (8-0-0, +136)

Last 3 Fights: Carla Esparza (3-0-0)
2014-12-12: W vs. [#12SW] Rose Namajunas (2-2-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:26 of round 3
2013-01-05: W vs. [#94SW] Bec Rawlings (5-4-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
2012-10-06: W vs. [#34SW] Lynn Alvarez (6-3-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:53 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (3-0-0)
2014-12-13: W vs. [#5SW] Claudia Gadelha (12-1-0) via SD (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
2014-07-26: W vs. [#25SW] Juliana de Lima Carneiro (7-2-0) via UD (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
2014-06-07: W vs. [*] Rosi Sexton (13-5-0) via KO (Punch) in 2:36 of round 2

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Carla Esparza 92, Joanna Jedrzejczyk 91
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.

Welterweight (170)
[#3] Johny Hendricks (16-3-0, -345) vs. [#11] Matt Brown (19-12-0, +267)
Johny Hendricks is the All-Time #3 ranked Welterweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Johny Hendricks (1-2-0)
2014-12-06: L vs. [#1WW/#7DD/#8P4P] Robbie Lawler (25-10-0) via SD (47-48, 48-47, 49-46)
2014-03-15: W vs. [#1WW/#7DD/#8P4P] Robbie Lawler (25-10-0) via UD (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
2013-11-16: L vs. [*] Georges St. Pierre (25-2-0) via SD (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)

Last 3 Fights: Matt Brown (2-1-0)
2014-07-26: L vs. [#1WW/#7DD/#8P4P] Robbie Lawler (25-10-0) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
2014-05-10: W vs. [#25WW] Erick Silva (17-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:11 of round 3
2013-08-17: W vs. [#33WW] Mike Pyle (26-10-1) via KO (Punches) in 0:29 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Johny Hendricks 98, Matt Brown 231
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Johny Hendricks leads 1-0
.
Keep Reading

Bang for Your Buck: UFC 184

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Oleg

I’ll start off this blog by stating a brutally honest though likely unpopular opinion: I am still not totally sold on WMMA. I’ll admit that it is starting to slowly grow on me, and perhaps a day will come when I can value women in the UFC as much I appreciate as their male colleagues. That day is not likely to come soon – not until there is much more depth to the talent pool, and certainly not for as long as ‘UFC`s Womens Divisions’ is synonymous with ‘The Ronda Rousey Show’.

Needless to say, when the middleweight title fight between Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort which was slated to headline UFC 184 was cancelled for an umpteenth time, my interest in this event plummeted faster than ‘Bigfoot’ Silva hitting the canvas after eating a hook from Frank Mir. A PPV headlined by two women’s bouts is the start of a very weak card in my opinion, and it’s further weakened by the fact that in both of those fights one of the opponents is around a 10-1 favorite. It doesn’t help that the rest of the card is mostly filled with fighters way past their competitive primes, guys on losing streaks, and various nondescript non-contenders. All in all, this event just might receive the lowest valuation of any UFC PPV in 2015 (and I really hope I didn’t just jinx myself with that statement). Anyway, let’s get on with it:

Main Event: (C) [#1 W135] Ronda Rousey vs [#4 W135] Cat Zingano for UFC Women’s Bantamweight title

Worth: $10

Why: You have to give credit where it’s due. Not only is Ronda Rousey by far the best fighter in her division (and likely the best female MMA fighter in any weight class), her combination of skill, charisma, and looks single-handedly convinced Dana White to change his mind on women fighting in the UFC. Rousey’s performances in the Octagon are a work of art. Unfortunately she is an artist who only has a very small canvas to work with. Of course I am not talking about the literal canvas covering the cage floor, but rather the limited pool of competition available to challenge her.

On paper, this is a fairly close match-up. Both women are undefeated in professional bouts, and while Rousey has a perfect 100% finish rate in her 10 victories, Zingano stopped 8 out of 9 opponents. However there is a reason that Cat is a 10-to-1 underdog in this fight: she just hasn’t shown her athleticism or skillset to be on Ronda’s level. And while both women are finishers, the main difference is that all but one of Rousey’s fights were finished in the first round, while most of Zingano’s finishes came in the latter rounds. In this instance, I don’t think she will make it past round one. I love upsets and hope to be pleasantly surprised, but realistically it seems unlikely that Zingano will be able to pose a serious challenge, let alone dethrone Rousey.

Keep Reading