Japanese promotion Dream’s next event is called Dream 17 “Fight for Japan”, an appropriate title, given the massive earthquakes that decimated much of the Japan’s Tōhoku region earlier this year.
Dream event producer, Keiichi Sasahara put together the card in hopes of reuniting Japan, and giving them a motivating force from which to rebuild. The earthquakes, which have been seen as the worst crisis in Japan since the end of World War II, only added to the problems of the ailing promotion. Dream has recently fallen behind on paying fighters, as well as marketing shows. Dream hasn’t yet held an event in 2011, and their last show, Dream 16 only pulled in a rating of 11.9%. Things are looking grim for the promotion to say the least.
Even with all these troubles, Sasahara is hopeful for Dream 17. A card filled with 4 bantamweight tournament fights, and non-tournament action featuring Caol Uno, Katsunori Kikuno, Shinya Aoki and Rich Clementi, comes filled with a lot of excitement and hope for Dream.
Yoshiro Maeda and Hideo Tokoro kick off the action in the bantamweight tournament with a fight that is sure to showcase the technicality of Dream fighters. Maeda, who is a calm, patient striker, will look to dictate the pace and pick his spots. Tokoro, against a fighter with such standup prowess will look to get the fight on the ground as he has 17 of his 27 wins by way of submission. Maeda is no slouch on the ground though; he has been submitted only 3 times in his eight-year professional career. The more rounded fighter, Maeda will walk away with a TKO victory.
Next up is Yusako Nakamura versus Atsushi Yamamoto. Not much is known about Nakamura. he is 3-0 with all first round knockout victories, other than that, all that is known is that he took the fight on short notice. His opponent, Yamamoto, an accomplished striker will look to stand and trade with the young knockout artist. Expect to see a lot of leather flying, as Nakamura pulls the upset over the savvy vet.
In the most boring fight of the night, Kenji Osawa squares off against Takafumi Otsuka. This fight won’t be boring at all; it’s just the most boring out of a stacked card. It’s the dumbest rocket scientist, if you will. Two of the most well rounded fighters in the tournament go toe-to-toe in this one. That being said, it’s almost a pick ‘em kind of fight, but it will have been a full year to the day since Osawa stepped into the ring last when he faces Otsuka on May 29. Ring rust will prove a factor as Otsuka claws his way to a hard-fought decision.
The final fight of the tournament features the winner of the tournament in either Keisuke Fujiwara or Masakazu Imanari. Fujiwara has never been submitted in his 17 professional fights, and that’s all Imanari has. Imanari is reminiscent of Shinya Aoki in the way that he is as unorthodox a grappler as any, want his fists would do little against a small child. At least Aoki has solid kicking strikes, where Imanari has none. Fujiwara, while he doesn’t have many skills that stand out above others, he is a really strong bantamweight, like Urijah Faber. Fujiwara will use his godlike submission defense and negate the only thing Imanari has going. Don’t blink on this one, Fujiwara will end it with a wild knockout as Imanari gets frustrated and goes for a wild takedown. Look for Fujiwara to move on and take the bantamweight tournament crown.
The first of five non-tournament bouts features fan favorite, Caol Uno against Akiyo Nishiura. Uno, whose best days are behind him, is looking to end his career on a high note. Win or loss, this could be his last fight. If he wins, he realizes it may be his last win to go out on, and if he loses, it will be his fifth in his last six fights, the sole bright spot being a draw versus Fabricio Camoes. Uno needn’t worry about that grim fate, because Nishiura is a perfect style matchup for him. Nishiura, who fought a similar fighter to Uno in Mitsuhiro Ishida, was unable to come away victorious. In a fight that could easily be tipped the other way, Caol Uno will get the win by decision if everything goes his way.
Former Akiyo Nishiura foe, Mitsuhiro Ishida squares off with former featherweight, Joachim Hansen in his return to lightweight. This fight is a clash between two lightweights past their prime, struggling to find their current identity in MMA. The safe pick, Mitsuhiro wins by out wrestling “Hellboy” to a decision.
Katsunori Kikuno versus Daisuke Nakamura should be a one-sided affair in which Kikuno walks away as the victor. Kikuno is one of Dream’s elite fighters, and has put up tough competition against names like Eddie Alvarez and JZ Cavalcante. Kikuno will cruise past Nakamura en route to a TKO finish.
The final fight before the highly anticipated, Aoki-Clementi bout is Takeshi Inoue-Koichiro Matsumoto. The much better striker Inoue should prevail here, but Matsumoto is a talented enough game planner that he could pull the upset. That having been said, he won’t, Inoue wins this one by KO.
The main event, Shinya Aoki versus Rich Clementi is the promotional debut for Clementi, and the thirteenth time Aoki will enter the ring for Dream. It is only fitting that Japan’s best fighter, Aoki, represent the country on what may be its biggest and most meaningful event to date. After a revolving door of potential opponents, first Antonio McKee, next Shane Nelson and then Jamie Varner and Williamy Freire, Dream finally tracked down Clementi. Aoki is on a four-fight tear including a first round submission of Lyle Beerbohm with a neck crank.
Clementi has had an up and down run since his release from the UFC in 2009 after back-to-back losses to Gray Maynard and Gleison Tibau. Clementi is known for having over 50 professional fights to his credit, and having over half of his 40 wins by submission.
In a true main event, this should be a very exciting one. Aoki, who many consider to be the best submission grappler in the game at any weight, might find some trouble breaking Rich Clementi down as he has to so many opponents over his young career. Clementi will try and keep the fight standing for as long as he can until he is forced to shoot in for a takedown. Then he will look to use his ground and pound against the smaller Aoki. He dare not try busting any of Aoki’s rubber-like limbs, lest he find himself on the wrong end of one of Aoki’s tricky subs. Aoki will do all he can short of laying down (and he may even do just that) do force the fight to the ground. Look for Aoki to utilize a few kicks before taking the fight to the mat, and winning by a submission off of his back. At a guess, maybe his signature gogoplata, but with Aoki, (Shin)ya never know.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
TUF- No Cinderellas
The Ultimate Fighter (said in a deep, gruff voice) is the UFC’s way in for unknown MMA fighters across the globe. Is it really? Let me throw a few names out there: Shamar Bailey, Len Bentley, Jonathan Brookins and Wes Sims. What do all of these Ultimate Fighter contestants have in common? They all fought in major promotions before their stint on TUF.
Two contestants from this season of TUF, Bailey and Bentley both fought in Strikeforce, considered to be the second biggest MMA promotion, behind the UFC. Season 12 winner, Brookins fought José Aldo in the UFC’s sister promotion, WEC prior to his victory on TUF. The most confusing name on this list is Wes Sims. Many older UFC fans will see this name and think: “Why was he on TUF after he had already been in the UFC and cut by the promotion?” Your guess is as good as mine, MMA fans.
As I read the e-mail my editor sent to me about the idea for this column, my true feelings were realized, and they were much the same as his. The Ultimate Fighter, while entertaining, is a sham! It is supposed to be the ultimate showcase of the underdog fighting (literally) against all odds to become the one fighter out of over a dozen who gets a six-figure contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championships.
Another flaw is evident here. The Ultimate Fighter implies one fighter rising above all the rest. That hardly ever happens anymore, and it hasn’t really ever since the first season of the show. When Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar battled out a three-round bloodbath at The Ultimate Fighter season 1 finale, both were awarded a contract for their stellar performances. Out of the fighters in that season, 11 of the 16 fighters fought at least one fight under contract with the UFC, and half of the fighters on the show still fight in the UFC today.
Many will argue that TUF was the first season of the show and it was absolutely stacked with talent, a statement with which I wholly agree. However, TUF: United States vs. United Kingdom was one of the least talent-laden seasons and 5 of the fighters still fight in the UFC today.
So basically, TUF isn’t a show for the underdogs, it’s a show for professional mixed martial artists to make the switch from one major promotion to the biggest one. The fighters are not to blame here, they see an opportunity and they take advantage of it.
The fracture is in the system itself. The requirements to be on the show are as follows, and taken straight from The Ultimate Fighter website. All applicants must: be 21 years of age, have at least three professional MMA fights, complete and sign the application and attend the open tryouts.
I understand all of the requirements except for one. The applicants must have three professional MMA fights? Wait, I thought this show was billed as a bunch of starry-eyed hopefuls looking for their chance to break onto the MMA scene? You’re telling me they’ve already been professional athletes for some time?
Look, I get that the higher-ups in the UFC don’t want every guy who thinks he can swing his fists trying out for TUF, they have enough guys to sort through as it is. Roughly 250 fighters try out for every show, and the evaluations are as imperfect a system there is, but adding more fighters to it would only make it worse.
I set out writing this to say, “Here’s how we should fix The Ultimate Fighter,” but the answer is that there is no good answer. Either the UFC stops billing the show as a bunch of nobodies trying to make their dream and admits that these guys are all pros, or they let a bunch of amateur fighters onto the show and give a six-figure contract to a guy who isn’t ready to fight in the big leagues. Honestly, if the show were actually what it was billed as, there would be no Ultimate Fighter left in the UFC. What amateur fighter could fight his very first professional fight in the UFC and it not be a borderline assault with a deadly weapon on a civilian?
So, at the end of a long Wednesday when you finish work, and tune into the next episode of The Ultimate Fighter, just know that sometimes even these great stories where the little guy prevails have to be fabricated. Sorry to crush your dreams folks, but many of you have a long road ahead before even applying for The Ultimate Fighter.
Two contestants from this season of TUF, Bailey and Bentley both fought in Strikeforce, considered to be the second biggest MMA promotion, behind the UFC. Season 12 winner, Brookins fought José Aldo in the UFC’s sister promotion, WEC prior to his victory on TUF. The most confusing name on this list is Wes Sims. Many older UFC fans will see this name and think: “Why was he on TUF after he had already been in the UFC and cut by the promotion?” Your guess is as good as mine, MMA fans.
As I read the e-mail my editor sent to me about the idea for this column, my true feelings were realized, and they were much the same as his. The Ultimate Fighter, while entertaining, is a sham! It is supposed to be the ultimate showcase of the underdog fighting (literally) against all odds to become the one fighter out of over a dozen who gets a six-figure contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championships.
Another flaw is evident here. The Ultimate Fighter implies one fighter rising above all the rest. That hardly ever happens anymore, and it hasn’t really ever since the first season of the show. When Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar battled out a three-round bloodbath at The Ultimate Fighter season 1 finale, both were awarded a contract for their stellar performances. Out of the fighters in that season, 11 of the 16 fighters fought at least one fight under contract with the UFC, and half of the fighters on the show still fight in the UFC today.
Many will argue that TUF was the first season of the show and it was absolutely stacked with talent, a statement with which I wholly agree. However, TUF: United States vs. United Kingdom was one of the least talent-laden seasons and 5 of the fighters still fight in the UFC today.
So basically, TUF isn’t a show for the underdogs, it’s a show for professional mixed martial artists to make the switch from one major promotion to the biggest one. The fighters are not to blame here, they see an opportunity and they take advantage of it.
The fracture is in the system itself. The requirements to be on the show are as follows, and taken straight from The Ultimate Fighter website. All applicants must: be 21 years of age, have at least three professional MMA fights, complete and sign the application and attend the open tryouts.
I understand all of the requirements except for one. The applicants must have three professional MMA fights? Wait, I thought this show was billed as a bunch of starry-eyed hopefuls looking for their chance to break onto the MMA scene? You’re telling me they’ve already been professional athletes for some time?
Look, I get that the higher-ups in the UFC don’t want every guy who thinks he can swing his fists trying out for TUF, they have enough guys to sort through as it is. Roughly 250 fighters try out for every show, and the evaluations are as imperfect a system there is, but adding more fighters to it would only make it worse.
I set out writing this to say, “Here’s how we should fix The Ultimate Fighter,” but the answer is that there is no good answer. Either the UFC stops billing the show as a bunch of nobodies trying to make their dream and admits that these guys are all pros, or they let a bunch of amateur fighters onto the show and give a six-figure contract to a guy who isn’t ready to fight in the big leagues. Honestly, if the show were actually what it was billed as, there would be no Ultimate Fighter left in the UFC. What amateur fighter could fight his very first professional fight in the UFC and it not be a borderline assault with a deadly weapon on a civilian?
So, at the end of a long Wednesday when you finish work, and tune into the next episode of The Ultimate Fighter, just know that sometimes even these great stories where the little guy prevails have to be fabricated. Sorry to crush your dreams folks, but many of you have a long road ahead before even applying for The Ultimate Fighter.
Georges St-Pierre, knockout artist or snooze specialist?
Georges “Rush” St-Pierre hasn’t been living up to his nickname as of late. He earned the nickname by finishing his opponents in spectacular fashion in his bloodthirsty quest for the Ultimate Fighting Championships Welterweight Title. In The Octagon, Rush looks like a 65-year old man who can’t find his Cialis. He simply cannot finish anymore.
St-Pierre, since winning the belt has gone on to win five, five-round decisions in his six title defenses. Currently riding a long, nine-fight win streak, St-Pierre is considered the top fighter in the world at any weight. Sherdog.com ranks him as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world, ahead of fan favorite, behemoth Anderson “The Spider” Silva.
With his most recent title defense against Jake Shields, there is a lot of curious talk about what is next for the champ. The most highly anticipated matchup is the superfight that has long been in talks between The Spider and St-Pierre. I have to question at this point whether that would even be an interesting fight anymore, or if St-Pierre would even walk out of the cage alive.
I can admit that when I first began watching the sport in 2009, I hopped on the bandwagon, and rooted for the champ. St-Pierre, who is more commonly referred to as GSP rather than his original nickname, was a very interesting fighter going into the historic UFC 100 in January 2009. That bandwagon seems to have crashed, and I am pretty certain it is because the driver watched one of GSP’s recent fights and fell asleep at the wheel.
The champ’s most recent title defense, against +300 underdog, Jake Shields. The only way he could win the title was if he got hold of a submission and could end the fight. Shields looked lackadaisical in his takedown attempts, all of which got stuffed by the champ. After about four lazy takedown attempts, Shields abandoned the ground game and attempted to stand with GSP. This, I thought, was the time for the bandwagon to be pulled out of the ditch. This would be an epic knockout finish, after all St-Pierre did say, for the first time in a while, that he would finish his opponent.
In a struggle to keep my eyes on the screen as I watched from Buffalo Wild Wings, I found myself more and more interested in the Parmesan garlic wings sitting in front of me as the fight dragged on. Jab after jab, GSP showed no signs of even wanting, much less trying to end the fight. Shields, who has some of the weakest standup in all of MMA, managed to bloody the champ and even damage his nose. GSP barely managed to cut Shields.
Whether it be boring or not, the man wins, but I don’t know how much longer that can go on. It seems his game is actually getting worse with time. The scariest thing of all, is that he put up a pitiful performance in his defense at 129, but he still won. There is only one welterweight left in the world that can dethrone GSP. All I ask at this point of UFC President Dana White is this: Bring Nick Diaz to the UFC.
St-Pierre, since winning the belt has gone on to win five, five-round decisions in his six title defenses. Currently riding a long, nine-fight win streak, St-Pierre is considered the top fighter in the world at any weight. Sherdog.com ranks him as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world, ahead of fan favorite, behemoth Anderson “The Spider” Silva.
With his most recent title defense against Jake Shields, there is a lot of curious talk about what is next for the champ. The most highly anticipated matchup is the superfight that has long been in talks between The Spider and St-Pierre. I have to question at this point whether that would even be an interesting fight anymore, or if St-Pierre would even walk out of the cage alive.
I can admit that when I first began watching the sport in 2009, I hopped on the bandwagon, and rooted for the champ. St-Pierre, who is more commonly referred to as GSP rather than his original nickname, was a very interesting fighter going into the historic UFC 100 in January 2009. That bandwagon seems to have crashed, and I am pretty certain it is because the driver watched one of GSP’s recent fights and fell asleep at the wheel.
The champ’s most recent title defense, against +300 underdog, Jake Shields. The only way he could win the title was if he got hold of a submission and could end the fight. Shields looked lackadaisical in his takedown attempts, all of which got stuffed by the champ. After about four lazy takedown attempts, Shields abandoned the ground game and attempted to stand with GSP. This, I thought, was the time for the bandwagon to be pulled out of the ditch. This would be an epic knockout finish, after all St-Pierre did say, for the first time in a while, that he would finish his opponent.
In a struggle to keep my eyes on the screen as I watched from Buffalo Wild Wings, I found myself more and more interested in the Parmesan garlic wings sitting in front of me as the fight dragged on. Jab after jab, GSP showed no signs of even wanting, much less trying to end the fight. Shields, who has some of the weakest standup in all of MMA, managed to bloody the champ and even damage his nose. GSP barely managed to cut Shields.
Whether it be boring or not, the man wins, but I don’t know how much longer that can go on. It seems his game is actually getting worse with time. The scariest thing of all, is that he put up a pitiful performance in his defense at 129, but he still won. There is only one welterweight left in the world that can dethrone GSP. All I ask at this point of UFC President Dana White is this: Bring Nick Diaz to the UFC.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Dana White- Act Like a President!
Dana White, it’s a name synonymous with Mixed Martial Arts just like Couture and Gracie. It’s also a name surrounded by progress, money, unprofessionalism and controversy.
White, the current President of the UFC, has brought the UFC from its barbaric beginnings when there were essentially no rules in 1993 to its current state as the biggest promotion of one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and of the preferred combat sport of the United States.
White has done so much for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, but fans are growing tired of his antics. His official title is “President of the UFC,” but lately it seems that he is more of a dictator than president. White will not allow his fighters to fight in any other promotion like M1 Global, Strikeforce, Dream, Deep and K1 kickboxing. This makes some of the best matchups in the sport impossible. Fighters like Alistair Overeem, Fedor Emelianenko, Nick Diaz, Gilbert Melendez and Eddie Alvarez will not see many of what is considered to be the sport’s best because they fight outside the UFC. These fighters could sign with the UFC, I have no doubt that White would sign these incredible talents, but they don’t want to be trapped inside his web once they do.
All of the afore mentioned fighters could unseat the champions in their respective weight classes, with the only uncertainty being Emelianenko’s age. Overeem, Diaz and Melendez all fight under Strikeforce’s banner, the latest acquisition in the Mixed Martial Arts monopoly that the UFC is becoming. I have no doubt, despite what Dana White says, that the UFC will merge Strikeforce much as it did with the PRIDE Fighting Championships in 2007. When that does happen, fans may finally see Overeem sweep through the UFC’s heavyweight ranks without much opposition, and Melendez and Diaz may take the lightweight and welterweight crowns.
Eddie Alvarez, Bellator’s 155-pound king, has been very critical of the UFC, and White in particular. In a post fight interview with ESPN’s Josh Gross at Bellator 36 after successfully defending his title, he said that he saw a number of problems with the way fighters in the UFC were treated.
“I think they're running their business the way they are supposed to. But my issue with it is the way fighters lose one or two fights and they're fired and, not only that, there is no like (pay scale)”
White has been criticized by many fighters for his pay scale, one that seems to be a pick-and-choose system. At UFC 106, Forrest Griffin was paid a $150,000 win bonus, and still wound up receiving the same $250,000 pay that his opponent Tito Ortiz got. At that same event, former UFC welterweight Ben Saunders, received a $10,000 win bonus, and still made less than his opponent Marcus Davis. Fast forward to UFC 126 when Anderson Silva defended his middleweight title for a record eighth time against Vitor Belfort. Guess who got paid more? The loser by knockout, Vitor Belfort made $75,000 more than the champion, Silva.
On top of his obvious payout problems, Dana White has a trigger-happy finger. He always is ready to cut a fighter, even after a close loss. My most recent problem with White was how he handled former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Lyoto Machida.
Machida who has one of the most impressive records in all of MMA, went 16-0 to start his career, capturing the UFC’s Light Heavyweight title in the process with a knockout win over the then undefeated Rashad Evans. Machida went on to defend his title with a highly controversial decision win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and subsequently lost the title in their rematch just over five months later. In his next bout, Machida faced a top contender in Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and ended up on the wrong side of an again controversial decision. With back to back losses over the division’s finest fighters, White claimed that Machida was on the “hot seat” and in a “must win situation” when he faced MMA legend Randy Couture at UFC 129 this past April. Machida took care of the problem by sending Couture packing at 1:05 of the second round with a spectacular front kick knockout.
So the problem was avoided, but it doesn’t change the fact that White was going to cut a guy after losing three straight bouts to a current UFC Hall-of-Famer, a future UFC Hall-of-Famer and a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion still in his prime. Add to that the fact that those losses would have been his only losses, and he would still have a stellar record.
So White monopolizes MMA, picks who gets paid the most for no apparent reason and cuts guys unmerited. There couldn’t be more could there?
If you were to ask Dana White tomorrow what his system for deciding who gets a title shot he would probably tell you something along the lines of, “Hell, I don’t know.”
Actually if you were to ask White any question in a press conference you would be lucky to get any answer not laced with cusswords. I am not someone offended by use of such language, it is actually a common part of my vernacular, but you’ll notice I don’t pepper my stories with its use. White is the President of a major company, and represents MMA as a whole in North America; he is essentially the commissioner of MMA. Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL doesn’t get up on stage at the draft and announce the number one pick with a few good ol’ f-bombs thrown in now does he? Dana White may have taken the sport leaps and bounds ahead of where it was, but his obvious lack of professionalism brings the sport back to its barbaric roots and puts it in a monstrous light, part of the reason why New York, among other states still does not sanction MMA bouts.
Back to the mention of the system for deciding who fights the champion. I can’t say I disagree with who gets a shot at the title too often, but sometimes I sit back and scratch my head. The latest head scratcher for me was when Josh Koscheck was chosen to coach The Ultimate Fighter season 12. Sure, the rivalry between Koscheck and UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre made for good TV, but Koscheck leapfrogged Thiago Alves, and teammate Jon Fitch for the shot.
White wanted to have a title eliminator bout between Fitch and Koscheck, but as teammates, they did not wish to fight one another. White, who has never gotten along with Fitch due to his inability to finish fights, picked Koscheck to fight for the title, even though Fitch was rightfully the next in line.
Why did he do this? His disdain for Fitch, combined with the fact that he knew a rivalry between Koscheck and St-Pierre would draw in viewers, decided who fought for the welterweight title.
Another choice that I didn’t understand was when former UFC Lightweight champ, B.J. Penn was awarded an immediate title rematch with Frank Edgar at UFC 118. Penn was completely outmatched and dominated in their first fight at UFC 112, but he was awarded a title shot rematch. B.J. is a legend, and was champion of the lightweight division for a long time, but with as poor a showing as he put on at UFC 112 to lose the belt he should have had a few fights to work his way back to the title. It would have been better for him, and the integrity of the UFC.
On the subject of integrity, Dana White seems to be a man without much. He is all about the dollar, and not the sport. Every UFC fan remembers Kimbo Slice, the UFC poster child. He lost fair and square on The Ultimate Fighter, but still received a contract with the UFC. His inaugural fight against Houston Alexander seemed to be fixed. The UFC and Dana White did everything in their power to ensure his success in the UFC because he was such a moneymaker.
White has and still does incredible things for the sport, but it is time to examine a few of his practices and make some major changes for the betterment of the sport.
White, the current President of the UFC, has brought the UFC from its barbaric beginnings when there were essentially no rules in 1993 to its current state as the biggest promotion of one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and of the preferred combat sport of the United States.
White has done so much for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, but fans are growing tired of his antics. His official title is “President of the UFC,” but lately it seems that he is more of a dictator than president. White will not allow his fighters to fight in any other promotion like M1 Global, Strikeforce, Dream, Deep and K1 kickboxing. This makes some of the best matchups in the sport impossible. Fighters like Alistair Overeem, Fedor Emelianenko, Nick Diaz, Gilbert Melendez and Eddie Alvarez will not see many of what is considered to be the sport’s best because they fight outside the UFC. These fighters could sign with the UFC, I have no doubt that White would sign these incredible talents, but they don’t want to be trapped inside his web once they do.
All of the afore mentioned fighters could unseat the champions in their respective weight classes, with the only uncertainty being Emelianenko’s age. Overeem, Diaz and Melendez all fight under Strikeforce’s banner, the latest acquisition in the Mixed Martial Arts monopoly that the UFC is becoming. I have no doubt, despite what Dana White says, that the UFC will merge Strikeforce much as it did with the PRIDE Fighting Championships in 2007. When that does happen, fans may finally see Overeem sweep through the UFC’s heavyweight ranks without much opposition, and Melendez and Diaz may take the lightweight and welterweight crowns.
Eddie Alvarez, Bellator’s 155-pound king, has been very critical of the UFC, and White in particular. In a post fight interview with ESPN’s Josh Gross at Bellator 36 after successfully defending his title, he said that he saw a number of problems with the way fighters in the UFC were treated.
“I think they're running their business the way they are supposed to. But my issue with it is the way fighters lose one or two fights and they're fired and, not only that, there is no like (pay scale)”
White has been criticized by many fighters for his pay scale, one that seems to be a pick-and-choose system. At UFC 106, Forrest Griffin was paid a $150,000 win bonus, and still wound up receiving the same $250,000 pay that his opponent Tito Ortiz got. At that same event, former UFC welterweight Ben Saunders, received a $10,000 win bonus, and still made less than his opponent Marcus Davis. Fast forward to UFC 126 when Anderson Silva defended his middleweight title for a record eighth time against Vitor Belfort. Guess who got paid more? The loser by knockout, Vitor Belfort made $75,000 more than the champion, Silva.
On top of his obvious payout problems, Dana White has a trigger-happy finger. He always is ready to cut a fighter, even after a close loss. My most recent problem with White was how he handled former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Lyoto Machida.
Machida who has one of the most impressive records in all of MMA, went 16-0 to start his career, capturing the UFC’s Light Heavyweight title in the process with a knockout win over the then undefeated Rashad Evans. Machida went on to defend his title with a highly controversial decision win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and subsequently lost the title in their rematch just over five months later. In his next bout, Machida faced a top contender in Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and ended up on the wrong side of an again controversial decision. With back to back losses over the division’s finest fighters, White claimed that Machida was on the “hot seat” and in a “must win situation” when he faced MMA legend Randy Couture at UFC 129 this past April. Machida took care of the problem by sending Couture packing at 1:05 of the second round with a spectacular front kick knockout.
So the problem was avoided, but it doesn’t change the fact that White was going to cut a guy after losing three straight bouts to a current UFC Hall-of-Famer, a future UFC Hall-of-Famer and a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion still in his prime. Add to that the fact that those losses would have been his only losses, and he would still have a stellar record.
So White monopolizes MMA, picks who gets paid the most for no apparent reason and cuts guys unmerited. There couldn’t be more could there?
If you were to ask Dana White tomorrow what his system for deciding who gets a title shot he would probably tell you something along the lines of, “Hell, I don’t know.”
Actually if you were to ask White any question in a press conference you would be lucky to get any answer not laced with cusswords. I am not someone offended by use of such language, it is actually a common part of my vernacular, but you’ll notice I don’t pepper my stories with its use. White is the President of a major company, and represents MMA as a whole in North America; he is essentially the commissioner of MMA. Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL doesn’t get up on stage at the draft and announce the number one pick with a few good ol’ f-bombs thrown in now does he? Dana White may have taken the sport leaps and bounds ahead of where it was, but his obvious lack of professionalism brings the sport back to its barbaric roots and puts it in a monstrous light, part of the reason why New York, among other states still does not sanction MMA bouts.
Back to the mention of the system for deciding who fights the champion. I can’t say I disagree with who gets a shot at the title too often, but sometimes I sit back and scratch my head. The latest head scratcher for me was when Josh Koscheck was chosen to coach The Ultimate Fighter season 12. Sure, the rivalry between Koscheck and UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre made for good TV, but Koscheck leapfrogged Thiago Alves, and teammate Jon Fitch for the shot.
White wanted to have a title eliminator bout between Fitch and Koscheck, but as teammates, they did not wish to fight one another. White, who has never gotten along with Fitch due to his inability to finish fights, picked Koscheck to fight for the title, even though Fitch was rightfully the next in line.
Why did he do this? His disdain for Fitch, combined with the fact that he knew a rivalry between Koscheck and St-Pierre would draw in viewers, decided who fought for the welterweight title.
Another choice that I didn’t understand was when former UFC Lightweight champ, B.J. Penn was awarded an immediate title rematch with Frank Edgar at UFC 118. Penn was completely outmatched and dominated in their first fight at UFC 112, but he was awarded a title shot rematch. B.J. is a legend, and was champion of the lightweight division for a long time, but with as poor a showing as he put on at UFC 112 to lose the belt he should have had a few fights to work his way back to the title. It would have been better for him, and the integrity of the UFC.
On the subject of integrity, Dana White seems to be a man without much. He is all about the dollar, and not the sport. Every UFC fan remembers Kimbo Slice, the UFC poster child. He lost fair and square on The Ultimate Fighter, but still received a contract with the UFC. His inaugural fight against Houston Alexander seemed to be fixed. The UFC and Dana White did everything in their power to ensure his success in the UFC because he was such a moneymaker.
White has and still does incredible things for the sport, but it is time to examine a few of his practices and make some major changes for the betterment of the sport.
UFC 131: Lesnar out- Carwin In
Brock Lesnar has officially pulled out of his UFC 131 title contender bout with Junior dos Santos. The news came after Lesnar had another violent flare from his ongoing battle with diverticulitis.
Lesnar had surgery in November 2009 to recover from a flare from the intestinal disease that hospitalized him and left him near death. The surgery was a temporary fix. Lesnar opted for the fix over the treatment because treatment requires detaching a portion of his colon and reattaching it.
The former heavyweight champ assured fans that this would not be the end of his fighting career.
In for Lesnar is former UFC Interim-Heavyweight Champion, Shane Carwin. Carwin’s last fight was a loss to Lesnar at UFC 116 in Lesnar’s comeback from his first battle with diverticulitis. The fight began exciting, with Lesnar fans on the edge of their seats, worried no doubt. Carwin unleashed barrage after barrage of his toaster-sized hands. Lesnar managed to hang on, and an exciting first round came to a close. Carwin, clearly gassed, and not ready for a five-round fight (rightfully so, he had finished everyone of his opponents prior) was outmatched in the second round and succumbed to an arm triangle choke from the champion.
Even with the loss, Carwin’s supporters were encouraged. The conditioning problems were obvious for the 36-year-old engineer, but he showed intense power in the first round. Raw power cannot be taught, but a fighter can run miles and miles every day.
The matchup between dos Santos, better known as JDS, and Carwin isn’t as intriguing as many think. What it seems is that here are two impressive knockout artists, and there is going to be a war on the feet in the Octagon.
Maybe not completely untrue, as they are both excellent at finishing fights, but there will be no war on June 11. The best possible matchup for Carwin has already happened, Lesnar. Two wrestlers, both with the ability to end the fight with a (T)KO, and both possessing the biggest hands in the UFC, that’s as good as its going to get for Carwin.
Throwing Carwin into the cage on two weeks notice after preparing for some guy whose name resembles Elmo? This is a terrible idea for Carwin. He wants to get back into the title picture, but he is rushing into it too soon. One loss removed from the title race, and with one loss total, the former interim-heavyweight champ has plenty of time to get his name back into the pot.
As for JDS, he could not be a happier man. The trash talk and flying hatred that is supposed to exist on The Ultimate Fighter has been non-existent between he and Lesnar. The most flak on the show has been thrown between dos Santos and his own trainer, Lew Polley. It is nice to see Lesnar not trash-talking the foreigner who has broken English, and improves his image to most, but it hasn’t seemed like the fight between the two has been on for a while now. This is no conspiracy theory; it’s just that it wouldn’t have been a very interesting fight, much as dos Santos-Carwin won’t be.
Junior dos Santos is one of the better strikers in the UFC. He doesn’t quite have the insane knockout power of Carwin or Velasquez, but he is as technical as Lyoto Machida. A scary thought, a heavyweight that can counterstrike like the shadow that is Lyoto Machida. This fight will be quickly decided, as the taller, better fighter, dos Santos will slowly pick apart his opponent.
The fight will be as artistic as any, and one of the best of the year for those who appreciate the technicality of the sport. For the many bloodthirsty UFC fans looking for a scrap fest, they might have to look elsewhere. The operative word here is might. This could be a barnburner, where we could see either guy rip the other’s head off (maybe take an ear too ala Tyson) and throw it into the crowd. That would certainly please Mr. White. Look for this fight to end early as dos Santos cruises to a second round knockout. Even JDS said so.
Lesnar had surgery in November 2009 to recover from a flare from the intestinal disease that hospitalized him and left him near death. The surgery was a temporary fix. Lesnar opted for the fix over the treatment because treatment requires detaching a portion of his colon and reattaching it.
The former heavyweight champ assured fans that this would not be the end of his fighting career.
In for Lesnar is former UFC Interim-Heavyweight Champion, Shane Carwin. Carwin’s last fight was a loss to Lesnar at UFC 116 in Lesnar’s comeback from his first battle with diverticulitis. The fight began exciting, with Lesnar fans on the edge of their seats, worried no doubt. Carwin unleashed barrage after barrage of his toaster-sized hands. Lesnar managed to hang on, and an exciting first round came to a close. Carwin, clearly gassed, and not ready for a five-round fight (rightfully so, he had finished everyone of his opponents prior) was outmatched in the second round and succumbed to an arm triangle choke from the champion.
Even with the loss, Carwin’s supporters were encouraged. The conditioning problems were obvious for the 36-year-old engineer, but he showed intense power in the first round. Raw power cannot be taught, but a fighter can run miles and miles every day.
The matchup between dos Santos, better known as JDS, and Carwin isn’t as intriguing as many think. What it seems is that here are two impressive knockout artists, and there is going to be a war on the feet in the Octagon.
Maybe not completely untrue, as they are both excellent at finishing fights, but there will be no war on June 11. The best possible matchup for Carwin has already happened, Lesnar. Two wrestlers, both with the ability to end the fight with a (T)KO, and both possessing the biggest hands in the UFC, that’s as good as its going to get for Carwin.
Throwing Carwin into the cage on two weeks notice after preparing for some guy whose name resembles Elmo? This is a terrible idea for Carwin. He wants to get back into the title picture, but he is rushing into it too soon. One loss removed from the title race, and with one loss total, the former interim-heavyweight champ has plenty of time to get his name back into the pot.
As for JDS, he could not be a happier man. The trash talk and flying hatred that is supposed to exist on The Ultimate Fighter has been non-existent between he and Lesnar. The most flak on the show has been thrown between dos Santos and his own trainer, Lew Polley. It is nice to see Lesnar not trash-talking the foreigner who has broken English, and improves his image to most, but it hasn’t seemed like the fight between the two has been on for a while now. This is no conspiracy theory; it’s just that it wouldn’t have been a very interesting fight, much as dos Santos-Carwin won’t be.
Junior dos Santos is one of the better strikers in the UFC. He doesn’t quite have the insane knockout power of Carwin or Velasquez, but he is as technical as Lyoto Machida. A scary thought, a heavyweight that can counterstrike like the shadow that is Lyoto Machida. This fight will be quickly decided, as the taller, better fighter, dos Santos will slowly pick apart his opponent.
The fight will be as artistic as any, and one of the best of the year for those who appreciate the technicality of the sport. For the many bloodthirsty UFC fans looking for a scrap fest, they might have to look elsewhere. The operative word here is might. This could be a barnburner, where we could see either guy rip the other’s head off (maybe take an ear too ala Tyson) and throw it into the crowd. That would certainly please Mr. White. Look for this fight to end early as dos Santos cruises to a second round knockout. Even JDS said so.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Pablo Garza- Impressive at UFC 129
For UFC featherweight Pablo Garza, the list of firsts just keeps on growing. Garza was in the first UFC featherweight fight, was the first winner of a UFC featherweight fight, earned the first Knockout of the Night as a featherweight in the UFC and now stands as the first UFC featherweight to win submission of the night.
If all that isn’t enough, the flying triangle choke and submission of the night he used to secure his victory over Yves Jabouin at UFC 129 was the first of its kind in the UFC. The man is after UFC record books, and will stop at nothing less than being the first to defeat champion José Aldo inside the UFC and take his belt. He is rather modest and would not say such things, but it is clear he is on his way up.
“I just want to stay in the UFC right now,” he said. “A lot of people think it is getting to the UFC that is the toughest, but it is staying here that’s tough. You’re constantly surrounded by top competition and there is a lot of pressure to constantly perform.”
The fight between Garza and Jabouin began with Garza on the short end of striking. It became clear early on that his UFC debut knockout of Fredson Paixão with a flying knee might not be an indicator of a strong standup game. The two fighters eventually clinched up and both seemed to be catching their breath, then it happened.
“I was prepared to do the submission if (Jabouin) went in for a single-leg,” Garza said. “The game plan was if he has one leg, shoot for the triangle. It just worked out that we were in the clinch and I was like ‘Okay I’ll do it from the clinch.’”
Garza grabbed hold of Jabouin’s right arm with his right, grabbed Jabouin by the back of the head with his left and gracefully launched himself into the air. In the process of sailing through the air, the MMA savvy crowd erupted as they saw him tuck both legs around the back of his neck and sink in the triangle choke before lightly hitting the mat.
After a brief struggle in which Garza shifted to the mount while maintaining the triangle hold, he rolled over to his back and Jabouin tapped at 4:31 of the first round.
“For a while there I was worried he was going to slip out of it,” Garza said. “That’s why I switched over to the mount, I loosened up the hold and started to focus on using elbows and my hands to end the fight. I started to feel him trying to push me off so I used us momentum to roll over and sink in the choke.”
Garza had quite a comical post-fight interview with UFC commentator Joe Rogan that culminated with him yelling, “Give me my money Dana!” referring to the Submission of the Night bonus he was all but certain he would receive. He also thanked his new sponsor Revgear, who also sponsored Mark Bocek at UFC 129.
“They have benefitted me in so many ways,” he said. “Just the fact that I know they believe in me, that someone believes in me, motivates me to get out there and perform. It’s also nice to not have to buy any of my own equipment anymore.”
As for what’s next for the newcomer, he said he has no plans to focus on fighting for the next few weeks.
“I just want to relax for a while,” he said. “I had Taco Bell for the first time in months yesterday. I got halfway through a soft taco and I almost threw it up, so I guess I’ll have to recondition my body to handle that stuff again.”
As for where he fits in the featherweight division in the UFC, Garza said he isn’t sure.
“I’ve raised some eyebrows,” he said. “But I’m not like a dominant force in the division or anything right now. I’ve got so much work to do and so much to improve on. I’m going to go back and look at this last fight in a few weeks and its going to go from being a highlight right now to a really bad fight that I have to dissect and get better from.”
If all that isn’t enough, the flying triangle choke and submission of the night he used to secure his victory over Yves Jabouin at UFC 129 was the first of its kind in the UFC. The man is after UFC record books, and will stop at nothing less than being the first to defeat champion José Aldo inside the UFC and take his belt. He is rather modest and would not say such things, but it is clear he is on his way up.
“I just want to stay in the UFC right now,” he said. “A lot of people think it is getting to the UFC that is the toughest, but it is staying here that’s tough. You’re constantly surrounded by top competition and there is a lot of pressure to constantly perform.”
The fight between Garza and Jabouin began with Garza on the short end of striking. It became clear early on that his UFC debut knockout of Fredson Paixão with a flying knee might not be an indicator of a strong standup game. The two fighters eventually clinched up and both seemed to be catching their breath, then it happened.
“I was prepared to do the submission if (Jabouin) went in for a single-leg,” Garza said. “The game plan was if he has one leg, shoot for the triangle. It just worked out that we were in the clinch and I was like ‘Okay I’ll do it from the clinch.’”
Garza grabbed hold of Jabouin’s right arm with his right, grabbed Jabouin by the back of the head with his left and gracefully launched himself into the air. In the process of sailing through the air, the MMA savvy crowd erupted as they saw him tuck both legs around the back of his neck and sink in the triangle choke before lightly hitting the mat.
After a brief struggle in which Garza shifted to the mount while maintaining the triangle hold, he rolled over to his back and Jabouin tapped at 4:31 of the first round.
“For a while there I was worried he was going to slip out of it,” Garza said. “That’s why I switched over to the mount, I loosened up the hold and started to focus on using elbows and my hands to end the fight. I started to feel him trying to push me off so I used us momentum to roll over and sink in the choke.”
Garza had quite a comical post-fight interview with UFC commentator Joe Rogan that culminated with him yelling, “Give me my money Dana!” referring to the Submission of the Night bonus he was all but certain he would receive. He also thanked his new sponsor Revgear, who also sponsored Mark Bocek at UFC 129.
“They have benefitted me in so many ways,” he said. “Just the fact that I know they believe in me, that someone believes in me, motivates me to get out there and perform. It’s also nice to not have to buy any of my own equipment anymore.”
As for what’s next for the newcomer, he said he has no plans to focus on fighting for the next few weeks.
“I just want to relax for a while,” he said. “I had Taco Bell for the first time in months yesterday. I got halfway through a soft taco and I almost threw it up, so I guess I’ll have to recondition my body to handle that stuff again.”
As for where he fits in the featherweight division in the UFC, Garza said he isn’t sure.
“I’ve raised some eyebrows,” he said. “But I’m not like a dominant force in the division or anything right now. I’ve got so much work to do and so much to improve on. I’m going to go back and look at this last fight in a few weeks and its going to go from being a highlight right now to a really bad fight that I have to dissect and get better from.”
The Natural Looks to Slay the Dragon
A 47 year old getting punched in the face, sounds like a crime doesn’t it? Its not, its just MMA legend and Hall of Famer Randy Couture’s way of life, and has been for a very long time.
For Lyoto Machida, while 15 years Couture’s junior, this has actually been his way of life much longer. Beginning at age three, Machida already had his karate black belt by the age of 13, a feat many fighters don’t achieve until their mid-twenties.
Couture did not start fighting out of the womb, but he does have a relatively impressive background. He isn’t called “The Natural” for no reason, after all. Couture began wrestling while in high school, and dabbled in boxing and wrestling while he served in the Army from 1982 until 1988 when his six-year service ended. He then attended Oklahoma State, which bolsters an incredible wrestling program. After earning three All-American awards, he moved on to the UFC and made his debut at UFC 13, winning the four-man tournament. This tournament was the first show of Couture’s incredible heart, as both of his opponents outweighed him by over 100 pounds.
While Couture was in the US winning UFC tournaments, and multiple heavyweight championships, Machida was in Brazil competing in karate as an amateur. In 2001, one year after Couture had captured his second UFC Heavyweight title, he won the 2001 Pan American Karate tournament. Machida finally put all of his many martial arts together and began competing in MMA in 2003 in Japan’s New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Both Machida and Couture have some of the most impressive records in all of MMA. Between them, they have 18 title fights, 15 of them being Couture’s, and each holds several notable victories.
Machida has beaten the likes of Stephan Bonnar, Rich Franklin, B.J. Penn, Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans to only name a few. Couture has compiled an impressive record, beating Vitor Belfort, Jeremy Horn, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell and Mark Coleman. Each fighter has beaten too many impressive opponents to list, and these are two of the most impressive records in the UFC. Machida as he currently stands is 16-2 and Couture holds a record of 19-10.
Couture is riding a three-fight win streak, including Coleman, but his other two opponents in that span can be seen as cans. Brandon Vera, who has flirted with expulsion from the UFC several times, and only remains signed because of a technicality, and former boxer James Toney round out the streak.
Machida, according to UFC President Dana White, is on the hot seat and in a “must win” situation. Machida was on a 16 fight undefeated streak, until he lost his rematch with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in May of 2010. He rattled off eight wins in a row under the UFC banner and is now slumping with back-to-back losses.
His split decision loss to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was highly controversial, as not much action happened in the fight, until the third round where it was almost universally agreed that Machida had won. The judges saw different, and handed Machida his second consecutive loss, and second of his career. Rampage saw the fight much as everyone else did, very close. He offered an immediate rematch to Machida as he felt their fight did not constitute a clear winner. White saw different as well, and agreeing whole-heartedly with the decision, denied the rematch.
It was then decided that Machida would face six-time UFC titleholder Randy Couture in hopes of ending his slide. While this may be a matchup Couture wanted, it is a nightmare for The Natural.
Couture will want to utilize his wrestling and ground and pound, maybe even a choke to end the fight. Machida is the absolute most elusive striker in the UFC so to even get him to the ground will be tough. The Octagon is only so big so it will go to the ground eventually, but Couture will have to be careful. Machida has one of the best submission games in the UFC, and is very dangerous out of his guard.
Machida’s style may seem boring, but it is actually the most artistic and fluid style in MMA today. Each attack is carefully planned out, and while he may be a “boring fighter” because he grinds out a lot of decision victories, they are just that, victories. Machida has also shown the ability to finish a fight when he gets the opportunity as he did to win the UFC Light Heavyweight title over undefeated challenger Rashad Evans.
Machida is the most veteran in a certain breed of fighters in the UFC today. He, along with welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre and Jon Fitch have all been labeled as some of the most boring fighters in the UFC. They may appear boring, but they are some of the most technical and best fighters in the UFC. Look for this fight to be another long one in Machida’s career, and look for him to do everything in his power to avoid the wrestling of Couture, even if that means straight backpedaling. Machida wins by decision.
For Lyoto Machida, while 15 years Couture’s junior, this has actually been his way of life much longer. Beginning at age three, Machida already had his karate black belt by the age of 13, a feat many fighters don’t achieve until their mid-twenties.
Couture did not start fighting out of the womb, but he does have a relatively impressive background. He isn’t called “The Natural” for no reason, after all. Couture began wrestling while in high school, and dabbled in boxing and wrestling while he served in the Army from 1982 until 1988 when his six-year service ended. He then attended Oklahoma State, which bolsters an incredible wrestling program. After earning three All-American awards, he moved on to the UFC and made his debut at UFC 13, winning the four-man tournament. This tournament was the first show of Couture’s incredible heart, as both of his opponents outweighed him by over 100 pounds.
While Couture was in the US winning UFC tournaments, and multiple heavyweight championships, Machida was in Brazil competing in karate as an amateur. In 2001, one year after Couture had captured his second UFC Heavyweight title, he won the 2001 Pan American Karate tournament. Machida finally put all of his many martial arts together and began competing in MMA in 2003 in Japan’s New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Both Machida and Couture have some of the most impressive records in all of MMA. Between them, they have 18 title fights, 15 of them being Couture’s, and each holds several notable victories.
Machida has beaten the likes of Stephan Bonnar, Rich Franklin, B.J. Penn, Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans to only name a few. Couture has compiled an impressive record, beating Vitor Belfort, Jeremy Horn, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell and Mark Coleman. Each fighter has beaten too many impressive opponents to list, and these are two of the most impressive records in the UFC. Machida as he currently stands is 16-2 and Couture holds a record of 19-10.
Couture is riding a three-fight win streak, including Coleman, but his other two opponents in that span can be seen as cans. Brandon Vera, who has flirted with expulsion from the UFC several times, and only remains signed because of a technicality, and former boxer James Toney round out the streak.
Machida, according to UFC President Dana White, is on the hot seat and in a “must win” situation. Machida was on a 16 fight undefeated streak, until he lost his rematch with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in May of 2010. He rattled off eight wins in a row under the UFC banner and is now slumping with back-to-back losses.
His split decision loss to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was highly controversial, as not much action happened in the fight, until the third round where it was almost universally agreed that Machida had won. The judges saw different, and handed Machida his second consecutive loss, and second of his career. Rampage saw the fight much as everyone else did, very close. He offered an immediate rematch to Machida as he felt their fight did not constitute a clear winner. White saw different as well, and agreeing whole-heartedly with the decision, denied the rematch.
It was then decided that Machida would face six-time UFC titleholder Randy Couture in hopes of ending his slide. While this may be a matchup Couture wanted, it is a nightmare for The Natural.
Couture will want to utilize his wrestling and ground and pound, maybe even a choke to end the fight. Machida is the absolute most elusive striker in the UFC so to even get him to the ground will be tough. The Octagon is only so big so it will go to the ground eventually, but Couture will have to be careful. Machida has one of the best submission games in the UFC, and is very dangerous out of his guard.
Machida’s style may seem boring, but it is actually the most artistic and fluid style in MMA today. Each attack is carefully planned out, and while he may be a “boring fighter” because he grinds out a lot of decision victories, they are just that, victories. Machida has also shown the ability to finish a fight when he gets the opportunity as he did to win the UFC Light Heavyweight title over undefeated challenger Rashad Evans.
Machida is the most veteran in a certain breed of fighters in the UFC today. He, along with welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre and Jon Fitch have all been labeled as some of the most boring fighters in the UFC. They may appear boring, but they are some of the most technical and best fighters in the UFC. Look for this fight to be another long one in Machida’s career, and look for him to do everything in his power to avoid the wrestling of Couture, even if that means straight backpedaling. Machida wins by decision.
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