MMA on Tap! 02.06.12: A Review and Preview of the World of MMA
Posted by Jon Butterfield on 02.06.2012
This week on MMA on Tap we talk through the future for Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping, what's in store (if anything!) for Nick Diaz, and where Carlos Condit goes from here. All that and more with 411's Jon Butterfield!
MMA on Tap!
In the last column I asked for you to reach out and get in touch with us on MMA on Tap! and, thankfully, we got some highly educated responses from you guys! Thank you to the following commenters, and if you want to be part of the next column just leave me a message with your views!
From Jimjoebob: I like all your possible match-ups for the guys who just fought. I think I would switch the two featherweight matches though. Aldo vs Jung for the title and Mendes vs Hioki, depending on how Hioki does in his next fight. Jung is a big fan favorite and that fight could sell well I think. Give Hioki an extra match to get more well known to UFC fans and with two more victories he'll definitely be a serious contender then.
Really looking forward to the Fox show and not just cause I'll be there :). I'm looking forward to a lot of the prelims. The heavyweight bouts should be exciting, and I'm looking forward to Dunham vs Lentz as well. Dunham was the supposed next big thing not that long ago and I think he can get back on track here, if not Lentz can move up the ladder. Should be great fights all the way through.
Butterfield says:
I particularly like the idea of a Chad Mendes-Hatsu Hioki bout, that fight looks particularly well-pitched. I must say, however, I'm not so keen on the idea of Chan Sung Jung receiving a title shot just yet. Jung is an exciting fighter who will likely receive a lot of focus as the UFC continue to build him up as a legitimate contender, but beating Leonard Garcia and Mark Hominick back-to-back just doesn't quite do it for me. I understand the irony in suggesting that Hioki deserves the shot after overcoming George Roop and (potentially) Bart Palaszewski, who are hardly the greatest fighters at 145, but I feel Hioki has the reputation behind him to make the shot more credible – and by that I refer to his ranking as the #2 featherweight in the world, and the fact Zuffa fans haven't seen him bested yet. Sadly, losses to Roop and Garcia still weight Jung down somewhat, and the fact is he's only 3-3 from his past 6. Another exciting victory or two, however, and the ‘Korean Zombie' will be an extremely marketable top contender!
Also, good call on Dunham-Lentz, the fight was spectacular! Let me know what you think of my new suggestions for both of those talents!
From rodeo:
Jim Miller vs Nate Diaz
_____
I was thinking the same thing. Miller takes a ton of punishment over three rounds and Diaz has the cardio and striking to supply it. Fingers crossed!
Butterfield says:
Apparently Miller vs Diaz is a strong rumour for UFX on Fox 3, so it looks like we'll get our way, rodeo! You're absolutely right about Diaz's cardio and striking, but I think I'll have to lean towards Miller in that bout, whose relentless jiu-jitsu assaults are so difficult to resist (unless, of course, your name is Benson Henderson!). Then again, if Guillard hadn't made the mistake of throwing 5-6 flying knees, maybe he could have kept the fight on the feet? Certainly Diaz won't make the mistake of throwing too many high-risk strikes… and besides, even if he's taken down, he's not so bad on the floor anyway, is he?
From Jordan: Loved all of your possible match-ups. Gabriel Gonzaga vs Matt Mitrione is a really good idea; there's no way that fight could go to decision.
While I see your logic in having Miller fight Diaz, I'd rather see Miller fight Maynard. Your thoughts?
Butterfield says:
Agree with Gonzaga-Mitrione not going to a decision, unless the UFC decide to put the fight on in Colorado or something crazy! Perhaps that could give us a strong finish in the heavyweight division for once!
I like the idea of Miller-Maynard a lot, but since the Diaz-Miller fight is all about official, how about Maynard vs Guida? That wouldn't be a bad option either!
Rewind! Review!
UFC on Fox 2 may have received some criticism for producing less-than-stellar fights on the main card, but there were still plenty of talking points – chief among them, Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen locking down title shots in their respective weight classes. For Evans, the previously unbeaten prospect Phil Davis lacked the ability to counteract ‘Sugar's' boxing and wrestling-based offence, looking gun shy in the biggest fight of his MMA career. Rashad was able to control Davis from bell-to-bell, taking all five rounds in a disappointingly uncompetitive bout. For Davis, this was a learning experience, and there's no doubt he'll take a huge amount from his first career defeat – and, ultimately he can be thankful he won't now have to go against UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon ‘Bones' Jones, a fight that would clearly be beyond his reach. The question now is, is it beyond Rashad Evans' reach as well?
Evans, whose only career defeat came against Lyoto Machida by Knock Out, will find himself with a near ten-inch reach disadvantage against the Champion, something that could seriously hinder his ability to use his tried-and-tested boxing attack. Factor in Jones' incredibly varied long-range striking style, and it will be clear Evans will have to get inside as much as possible - though emulating Machida's recent striking successes against Jones will not be easy. One thing Evans has that Machida does not, however, is offensive wrestling. Where many expected Davis to match, or even best Evans in the wrestling department, Rashad showed his game had evolved to suit MMA that little bit more – will we be saying the same in the aftermath of the long-awaited title fight with Bones? Only time will tell…
As for Davis, a fight with an accomplished veteran like Stephan Bonnar would ensure both an exciting fight, as well as a well-pitched test of his ever-improving skillset. Bonnar, who possesses strong striking skills as well as underrated grappling, has beaten Soszynski, Pokrajac, and Kingsbury back-to-back.
For Chael Sonnen, his evening was not nearly as comfortable as that of Rashad's, with Michael Bisping putting in one of the best performances of his career to date. Able to prevent Sonnen gaining any semblance of control for the first two rounds, Bisping's ability to stand up when taken down and pepper the newly crowned number one contender had many thinking he had a chance when the verdicts were read out – but, ultimately, all three favoured the colourful Chael, giving him the chance to rattle off another pro wrestling-style promo and prepare for the opportunity to fight Anderson Silva once again. Will Sonnen be able to do what he came so close to doing last time, dethroning the ultra-dominant UFC Middleweight Champion? Or will Silva step it up a gear, dispatching the self-proclaimed ‘Real Champion' in more convincing fashion? Certainly Silva would do well to emulate Bisping's outstanding counter-wrestling, and if he can, the chances are he'll pick Sonnen apart on the feet – but then, who expected Sonnen to catch Silva so early in their previous encounter?
Chris Weidman came off much the better in a dour decision win over BJJ master Demian Maia, the talented prospect excused for his part for taking the fight on short notice and cutting a huge amount of weight in just ten days. Amazingly, though, it was Maia who looked the more drained of the fatigued pair at the end of a sloppy stand up affair, looking inexplicably exhausted. With Weidman scoring the only takedowns of the bout and Maia content to rely on his largely ineffective striking there wasn't much in it – but Weidman did slightly better work throughout, and earned the decision win. It wasn't great, but this was easily Weidman's toughest test to date on paper, even if the reality saw Maia score with very little. It's hard to say if Zuffa will continue to push Weidman against other top ten middleweights, or if they'll give him a break. Certainly a fight with Michael Bisping would be a massive test of Weidman's mettle, but the UFC may yet opt to throw him someone a little further down the food chain. Alan Belcher, who has posted three straight wins in the UFC since a controversial loss to Yoshihiro Akiyama, would be another serious challenge.
In the UFC on Fuel undercard portion of the show, Evan Dunham reminded everyone of his huge potential. Stopping the scrappy, durable, and ever-improving Nik Lentz by doctor's decision, Dunham showcased his grappling and striking skills in a particularly strong second round. Surviving the sheer pace of Lentz' relentless attacks in round one, Dunham's quality finally told when he opened an extremely nasty gash under ‘The Carnie's' right eye, which promptly swelled shut. Dunham will now look to prove himself as a top lightweight fighter once again, and what better test could there be for Evan than a rested Donald Cerrone? As for Lentz, Danny Castillo, a fighter who would also benefit from a rest, would test his well-roundedness to the fore.
Mike Russow won in his hometown, though the manner of his victory wasn't the most enthralling. Sitting comfortably in Jon Olav Einemo's modified guard for much of the duration of this 15 minute fight, Russow showed he had solid top control and quality submission defence, but little else. With his skills still lacking on the feet, a fight with UFC newcomer Lavar Johnson, who KO'd Joey Beltran in his debut, could provide an interesting styles clash. As for Einemo, he must be very close to losing his spot on the UFC roster. A win against an up-and-coming talent is likely his sole hope of retaining employment.
UPDATE: It has since been confirmed that Lavar Johnson will face Pat Barry, who recently scored a brutal KO of Christian Morecraft.
Cub Swanson negated George Roop's huge reach advantage, getting inside and roughing up the 6'1 featherweight en route to a second round TKO. With Swanson's conquerors a who's who of fighters at 145 lbs, a bout with fellow winner Charles Oliveira would give a good indication of who was ready to step up to the next level. Oliveira outclassed opponent Eric Wisely, submitting him with the rarely seen Calf Crusher submission.
Elsewhere, Michael Johnson scored defeated Shane Roller by Unanimous Decision, his dynamic stand up getting the best of Roller for the first two rounds, with Roller recuperating much too late and putting in a dominant third. Johnson will need to continue to gain experience and would benefit from a few low-level fights. On the only non-televised bout of the evening, Chris Camozzi scored a third round guillotine submission of Dustin Jacoby, and the 6'3 middleweight will need to build on that as he likely plays gatekeeper once more.
Butterfield's Suggested Match Ups:
So what do you think of these bouts? Drop me a comment, and I'll get back to you.
UFC 143 also courted a degree of controversy and yet another retirement as Nick Diaz crashed to defeat against Carlos Condit. With Condit unwilling to engage Diaz in the kind of toe-to-toe slugfest both Nick and his corner so obviously wanted, the fight saw ‘The Natural Born Killer' playing the role of counter-striker, finding the mark with nearly 70 leg kicks through five rounds of action. Repeatedly circling away from Diaz as part of a masterful strategy, Condit neutralized Diaz's debilitating jab and draining head-and-body combinations in all but the second round. Condit was even able to open up with his vaunted kickboxing skills in two highly dominant stanzas (the third and fourth respectively). The fifth round arguably belonged to Diaz, but not by way of striking – instead, Diaz dominated the closing minute and a half of the fight after taking Condit's back and dragging him to the mat. Here, Diaz tested Carlos' defences, but was unable to score a fight-saving submission.
The scores rendered by the judges unanimously favoured Condit, though there was dissention regarding the degree of perceived dominance. Two judges saw Condit take four rounds, while the other had Diaz winning two (49-46, 49-46, 48-47). Either way, the Interim UFC Welterweight Champion had been declared, with Condit's agent Malki Kawa indicating that he will push for another fight for Carlos prior to a unification fight with kingpin Georges St Pierre. It will be interesting to see who (if anyone) Carlos fights in the meantime, and what strategies he will implement. Could Johny Hendricks have earned a shot at Carlos' title following his win over Jon Fitch? Considering Condit has already fought one of the other natural choices in Jake Ellenberger, while GSP has previously bested Josh Koscheck twice, the UFC may opt to go with that bout first. Either way, GSP would end up with a new rival.
As for Diaz, if he remains true to his word then the curtain has already fallen on a highly respectable (and at times controversial) career. A truly unique character, Diaz's love-hate affair with MMA is highly documented, and there is a chance his protestations could merely be borne from frustration given his highly-strung nature. Either way, and out of respect for Diaz's decision, there will be no suggested next match up for the elder Diaz.
The co-main event saw Fabricio Werdum return to the UFC Heavyweight division with a dominant victory over a hapless Roy Nelson. Despite both men posting identical weights (246 lbs) following Nelson's recent slimming sessions, this fight looked a mismatch from the start. With Werdum towering a full four inches over ‘Big Country', the two looked like they could have been competing in completely different weight classes, and Werdum capitalised from the beginning. Using his size and reach to bully Nelson in the Muay Thai clinch, ‘Vai Cavalo' scored with a series of crushing knees, busting Nelson open in the first stanza and continuing the punishment for a full fifteen minutes. With no answer to Werdum's vastly improved striking, Nelson's unwillingness to go to the ground left him with one sole hope – his heavy right hand. Swing as he might, however, Nelson never looked like scoring the KO he badly needed, with Werdum's chin able to stand up to what little was thrown at it. For Werdum, beating a top ten UFC Heavyweight looked easy, and a more serious test is in order. For me, a bout with the equally well-rounded Frank Mir would make for an excellent fight. With Mir also able to comprehensively out-strike Nelson (amongst others) recently, we could get a perfect opportunity to see which of this BJJ masters has fortified their skillset the most – while the prospect of an extended grappling session will have MMA fans salivating for weeks and months in anticipation. As for Nelson, one win in four puts his spot in the UFC in serious jeopardy. If he is to receive another fight in the company, I would personally suggest ‘Big Country' takes some time off and makes the cut to 205 lbs on this evidence. Without his infamous girth, Nelson will likely find himself outgunned time and time again at 265.
The other welterweight fight on the main card turned out to be a dour affair, as the fans booed winner Josh Koscheck mercilessly after a limp performance against Mike Pierce. Pierce, who was able to control Koscheck against the fence for long periods, succumbed to Koscheck's takedowns which seemingly swayed two of the three judges – but as far as striking and all-round action went, this bout was tame at best. Unfortunately for Pierce, he has now endured three split decision verdicts in a row, dropping two of them. His reputation for matching other talented wrestlers is growing stronger, though so is the knowledge of his inability to truly dominate fights (let alone finish them), and that will be a concern for UFC matchmaker Joe Silva as he seeks out a fresh challenge for the Team Quest stand out. A fight with Rick Story made a lot of sense prior to this fight, particularly with the level of animosity between the two, but will fans really want another Pierce-vs-wrestler bout? As for Koscheck, this win did little to elevate the long-term top 5 welterweight, though he did successfully defend his standing. Now, a fight with the recently deposed Jon Fitch makes a lot of sense.
One man looking for a title shot of his own is Renan Barao, who lived up to the hype with a convincing win over Scott Jorgenson in the Bantamweight division. Able to stuff Jorgenson's takedown attempts early, Barao made his opponent looked distinctly average as he out-struck him on the feet for the vast majority of the fight's 15 minute duration. It's a win that puts Barao within touching distance of a shot at Dominick Cruz, but with the Champion already engaged in a TUF season coaching against Urijah Faber, Barao is likely to get one more fight in the meantime. A bout with the winner of the upcoming Miguel Torres-Michael McDonald would be the stiffest test for the ultra-talented Brazilian. Jorgenson, meanwhile, would likely put on a barn-burner against Brit slugger Brad Pickett.
Ed Herman made it three wins in a row since a near two year-long layoff, besting heavy-hitting powerhouse Clifford Starks with a second round Rear Naked Choke. The story of the fight, surprisingly, saw Starks getting the better of many of the stand-up exchanges, scoring with some big right hands, before Herman took the NCAA Division I wrestler down. Once on his back, Starks looked like the proverbial fish out of water, the previously unbeaten middleweight outworked and out-skilled by ‘Short Fuse'. Now Herman will look to move onwards and upwards, and Jason ‘Mayhem Miller would make for a challenge in almost all areas. Starks, meanwhile, would be a tough opponent for seasoned veteran Dan Miller, who always comes to fight.
After breezing past game newcomer Max Holloway, Dustin Poirier finds himself in need of more challenging opposition – and the fight that fell through against Erik Koch continues to appeal. Matt ‘The Immortal' Brown, who TKO'd Chris Cope in Round Two of their fight, would be, in my opinion, the perfect foil for incredibly impressive newcomer Stephen ‘Wonderboy' Thompson, whose striking clinic against Dan Stittgen culminated in a breath-taking first round head kick KO. A Karate and Kickboxing Champion, Thompson lived up to his billing on the night, but how would he look against more capable and more experienced strikers? As for Alex Caceres and Edwin Figueroa, their bout was rendered a farce following two HEAVY low blows from ‘Bruce Leroy' which saw him deducted two points en route to a controversial decision defeat. Matt Riddle picked up an equally hotly contested split decision win over lightweight Henry Martinez, who impressed through rounds one and two despite a somewhat predictable attack. Still, fighting at a higher weight class at one week's notice and ALMOST WINNING will hardly hurt Martinez's stock. In the only other bout of the night, Michael Kuiper impressed, but lost, to veteran Rafael Natal.
Canadian promotion Maximum Fighting Championship held MFC 32: Bitter Rivals on January 27, with the show featured a host of name fighters. Headlined by Wilson Gouveia (13-8), who lost his MFC debut to UFC newcomer Ryan Jimmo months earlier, against heavy-hitting Alberta native Dwayne Lewis (12-8), this was a show riddled with decisions – but the main event delivered, as Gouveia put on a leg kick clinic to chop down Lewis before finishing with strikes from back mount.
Wilson Gouveia vs Dwayne Lewis
It was a good win for Gouveia, and much needed after being axed from the UFC following losses to Nate Marquardt and Alan Belcher – and he wasn't the only one who had to deliver. After missing weight for his MFC Lightweight Title defence against Brian Cobb (19-7) and promptly being stripped of the title, one-time UFC veteran Antonio McKee (27-4-2) found himself under a lot of pressure to deliver. In untypically aggressive fashion, the overweight McKee took Cobb apart, however, answering much of the criticism levelled at him – but he still could find the finish. After three rounds of action, McKee was declared the winner by unanimous decision. Canadian TUF contestant Ryan McGallivray (12-5-1) also had his hand raised as he took out previously unbeaten Diego Bautista (7-1) via third round armbar, while Team Quest wrestler Nathan Coy (10-4), who holds wins over UFC contenders Mike Pierce and Rick Story, also snapped Dhiego Lima's (6-1) unbeaten streak. Coy comprehensively out-grappled the 22 year old from Georgia to make it back-to-back wins as the Strikeforce veteran looks to gain some much-needed momentum.
Another former UFC fighter squeaked out a win, as TJ O'Brien (17-5) took home a narrow split decision victory against Allen Hernandez (7-7). The victory actually avenged a defeat to Hernandez dating back to 2007, and took place at Midwest Cage Championships at MCC 38.
At The Warrior's Cage 13 from Porterville, California, two Golden State combatants met as Joe Soto (10-2) halted a two-fight skid with a second round submission of Chris David (13-10-2). Soto, best known as the first ever Bellator Featherweight Champion before dropping the strap to Joe Warren, secured the win by Rear Naked Choke.
At a Pancrase event, Ryo Kawamura (14-6-4) won a four-man tournament to become the Middleweight King of Pancrase. The achievement marks the second time Kawamura has been crowned King of Pancrase having won gold in a previous effort at Light Heavyweight. 35 year old Ikkei Nagamu (7-4-2) found himself KO'd by a knee in the final, while Yuji Hisamatsu (15-20-6) found himself out-pointed in the previous round. Shoko Sato (15-9-2) also won, scoring a rare finish at the event with a 64-second demolition of Masaomi Saito (5-8) in a featherweight tilt.
Heavyweight loudmouth Sean McCorkle (14-2) is back to winning ways having won four-straight since leaving the UFC in early 2011. McCorkle, who is already booked to fight twice more in the near future, decimated super heavyweight Mike Gordon (4-1) at NAAFS 16. He needed just 2:14 to lock in an arm triangle for the W.
Coming Up On Tap!
In two weeks' time, UFC on Fuel TV: Sanchez vs Ellenberger will bring us more free-to-TV action as two top-ranking welterweights clash when Diego Sanchez (23-4) takes on Jake Ellenberger (26-5). With Sanchez scoring back-to-back wins over Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann in his last two outings, ‘The Dream' will be confident he can solve the riddle of miniature powerhouse ‘The Juggernaut' Jake Ellenberger. Ellenberger, who has been nothing if not impressive since making his UFC debut, is riding high after five straight wins. Can Sanchez do what Mike Pyle, John Howard, Carlos Eduardo Rocha, Sean Pierson and Jake Shields could not do and halt Ellenberger's high-pressure, heavy-hitting attacks? Or will the ‘Juggernaut' continue to steamroll the opposition? One thing IS for sure, with two warriors like these in the cage at the same time, there WILL be fireworks!
Also in action, 6'11 Dutch ‘Skyscraper' Stefan Struve (22-5) will take on Dave Herman (21-2) in a battle between two outstanding heavyweight prospects. With both fighters bearing only ONE decision each on their records, the chances are these two exciting fighters will deliver yet another finish. The question is, will it be Struve once again submitting or out-striking another hapless opponent, or will Herman prove himself a cut above and fell the giant with the questionable jaw? A win for either could propel them into the top 15 at 265, a list both have flirted with in the past.
A fight of real interest at middleweight could be Ronny Markes (12-1) vs Aaron Simpson (11-2). Again, this is a battle between two real prospects as the American wrestler ‘A-Train' Simpson looks to derail impressive Brazilian Markes – but he may not have things all his own way, after Markes impressed greatly, taking a fight at short-notice for his UFC debut and defeating the dangerous Karlos Vemola at 205 lbs. Showing some serious wrestling ability himself, can Markes match Simpson? Or will Aaron make it four in a row?
The other heavyweight fight with future rankings implications will see two undefeated fighters collide when Stipe Miocic (7-0) and Phil de Fries (8-0-1) meet. Croatian-American Miocic looked extremely impressive when he delivered a kickboxing clinic to recently-cut veteran Joey Beltran, while de Fries ground out a win over fellow Brit Rob Broughton at UFC 138. Whoever wins is likely to be the man who best imposes his gameplan, as this looks to be a classic striker-vs-grappler bout.
Finally, bantamweights Walel Watson (9-3) and TJ Dillashaw (4-1) will meet as former TUF competitor Dillashaw looks to score his first UFC win. Can he do it against the awkward ‘Gazelle'? Or are we looking at another decisive win for Watson, who bested Joseph Sandoval in his promotional debut?
Elsewhere, rolling bantamweight Ivan Menjivar (23-8) will take on Canadian prospect John Albert (7-1), who made short work of Dustin Pague last time out. Menjivar, impressive since his return to MMA, won two from two in 2011 and is likely to be a strong favourite. Jonathan Brookins (12-4), the winner of TUF 12, will face talented Brazilian Vagner Rocha (7-2) in a featherweight bout, while two debutants clash as Buddy Roberts (11-2) takes on Sean Loeffler (25-5) at 205. Roberts, fighting out of Jackson's MMA, recently posted a win over tough veteran Tony Lopez, while Loeffler has finished 24 of his opponents. European lightweight stand out Anton Kuivanen (16-4) will represent his homeland of Finland against Colorado native Justin Salas (9-3), who recently ended Joe Ellenberger's 12 fight unbeaten streak. Finally, Bernardo Magalhaes (11-1) has a new opponent in KOTC Lightweight Champion Tim Means (16-3-1) after Yoislandy Izquierdo pulled out due to contractual reasons.
Tap That!
Well, that's most of February lined up, and I'll be back with more previews, reviews, videos and match-making suggestions in two weeks-time. Remember, if you want to be part of MMA on Tap next time then all you have to do is drop me a comment on anything you fancy, give me some fantasy match making suggestions or whatever else you can think of and we'll talk them through! We hope you've enjoyed the column this week, and with that, we're out!
A suggestion for the column: expand and focus on the indie fights more. You do a really good job of talking about fights and fighters outside of the big promotions and it is something that no one else on the site is doing. It's hard to keep track of and find good information about the best of what's happening outside the UFC and other major promotions. You're providing a valuable service for us hardcore fans. You do good work. Keep it up.
Posted By: Alan (Guest) on February 06, 2012 at 01:50 PM
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