Junior Dos Santos Zuffa e1321238229466 Did MMA Fans Pessimism Overshadow Success of UFC on FOX?

Both the UFC and Junior Dos Santos came out as clear victors in the wake of the first ever UFC on FOX, so why aren't MMA fans satisfied with the results? (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

The UFC made its triumphant and long awaited debut on network TV Saturday with a single fight to offer FOX viewers a taste of what the organization has to offer prior to the launch of their long term broadcasting deal beginning next year. The UFC put its most prestigious title on the line between two of its most dominant and exciting fighters as “Cigano” Junior Dos Santos (14-1) took on Cain Velasquez (9-1) for the UFC Heavyweight Championship of the World and in just 64 short seconds the bout was over. UFC President Dana White had said before the event that this was the greatest moment in MMA history and he was very correct in calling it that, a moment. JDS landed a brutal right hook behind the ear of the now former champion and pounced, finishing the undefeated heavyweight in short order with a stunning first-round KO. Despite FOX Sports CEO David Hill reporting that “It delivered everything I hoped it would”, the fight, or to be more accurate, its brevity, has drawn mixed responses from the MMA community as a whole. The ratings fell short of what fans had expected and despite managing to pull 5.7 million viewers, more than any previous UFC bout, losing out in the 18-49 year old ratings war only to a major NCAA football game between top ten ranked teams Stanford and Oregon, it left many fans complaining that it was the wrong bout to introduce the UFC to the massive casual fan base hidden within the tens of millions that watch sports on FOX every week. While it certainly is easy to give critique through the rose colored lenses of 20/20 hindsight, the fact of the matter is that the resounding success of the event has been totally eclipsed by the “what ifs”  “how wills” and “Should’ve could’ve would’ves” of the perennially pessimistic MMA fan base. Continue reading »

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Paulao Filho vs Melvin Manhoef Dream e1319504739651 Paulo Filho: Against Himself

Long considered one of the most talented middleweights in the world, "Eli" Paulo Filho (top) has been his own worst enemy throughout his career. (Photo courtesy of DREAM)

“Eli” Paulo Filho (22-4) was at one time considered the number two middleweight in the world, directly under countryman and UFC middleweight ruler “The Spider” Anderson Silva (29-4). But that was in 2008 – before his first professional loss to the Kryptonite of the MMA kings, Chael Sonnen (25-11). Prior to that loss he was in the midst of one of the longest dominating streaks in the world with 16 consecutive victories, eight by stoppage. Many believed he was the only man to prove a true challenge to “The Spider”, but as he stepped on the scale for his WEC 36 weigh-in for what would be the final middleweight fight before the promotion dropped the larger weight classes, “Eli” began losing his footing at the top of the middleweight mountain, and rumors regarding his descent swirled overhead.

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Frankie Edgar celebrates Zuffa 614x950 Question No More: The Answer is Clearly, Frankie Edgar

Frankie Edgar (top) proved himself to be the undisputed UFC Lightweight Champion after defeating top contender Gray Maynard via TKO in the fourth round. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

Undersized, underpowered, outclassed. These adjectives have dogged UFC Lightweight Champion “The Answer” Frankie Edgar (14-1-1) since he entered the fabled “mix” in the UFC lightweight division. Many dismissed Edgar long before he entered title contention. After a rousing start to his career in the UFC, Frankie hit a wall in “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-1-1), dropping a one-sided decision to the bigger, stronger wrestler. But after that loss Edgar regrouped. His next few wins didn’t just show a refocused fighter, they showed a man with a plan. He was going to win the title whether anyone cared or not. And seemingly out of nowhere Frankie Edgar was the UFC champ. But just when the shrimpy kid from Toms River, New Jersey thought he was prom king, “The Bully” was back in his face, ready to take his lunch money. Frankie had to win at UFC 136, he had to show he wasn’t just a lucky scrapper. He had to show he was “The Answer” to the question: Who is the UFC’s toughest lightweight?

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Stipe Miocic knees Bobby Brents Keith MIlls Sherdog MMA Gospel Exclusive: NAAFS Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic Talks Joey Beltran, UFC Debut

Team Strong Style fighter Stipe Miocic's (right) devastating striking has stopped every one of his six opponents. Saturday night he will test the waters of the UFC's heavyweight division, making his debut against brawler and veteran fighter Joey Beltran. (Photo courtesy of Sherdog)

MMA’s heavyweight ranks in the days of old were largely dominated by a slew of sluggish, unathletic, haymaker-throwing brutes who quite literally used their weight to push opponents around the cage and often couldn’t last much longer in a fight than it would have taken to drop his opponent – or be dropped – like a fallen redwood tree. The past several years have seen tremendous growth in the heavyweight division and have given way to a new breed of competitors who aren’t just physically imposing, but also very fast, well-rounded, and technical, with the likes of Cain Velasquez (9-0), “Cigano” Junior Dos Santos (13-1), “The Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (32-12), “Meathead” Matt Mitrione (5-0), Cheick Kongo (16-6-2), Daniel Cormier (8-0), “The Skyscraper” Stefan Struve (18-5), and “The Hybrid” Brendan Schaub (7-2) leading the way.

Enter: Stipe Miocic (6-0). The undefeated Ohio native has been fighting professionally only since February 2010 but has already managed to cause a few ripples in the pool of talented new heavyweights. Miocic, of Team Strong Style in Independence, Ohio, has employed his brutal brand of striking to finish each one of his half-dozen opponents, just half of whom made it to the second round before suffering the same fate as those before them. On June 4 Stipe captured the first championship title of his career after defeating Bobby Brents (10-2) by second-round submission via leg kicks at NAAFS: Fight Night in the Flats 7. It wasn’t long after that the UFC came calling. Tomorrow night in a preliminary card match-up at UFC 136, Miocic will make his UFC debut against respected veteran “The Mexicutioner” Joey Beltran (11-4) in what promises to be an unabashed slug fest. Just days before the biggest fight of his career thus far, MMA Gospel Editor-in-Chief Mallory Mejia had the opportunity to speak with Stipe on his transition to the big leagues and what he expects come Saturday night. Continue reading »

share save 171 16 MMA Gospel Exclusive: NAAFS Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic Talks Joey Beltran, UFC Debut
 
Mike Brown Zuffa e1314931409237 MTB Mike Brown: Climbing His Way Back to the Top

"MTB" Mike Brown (red trunks) built his name on hard work ethics and two destructions of Urijah Faber (black trunks) in the WEC, gaining a reputation as a blue collar hero. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

Mike Thomas Brown (21-8), also known as “MTB”, is the former WEC Featherweight Champion. He is the man who soundly defeated former featherweight champ and UFC bantamweight title contender ”The California Kid” Urijah Faber (25-5) not once but twice, steamrolled and bloodied “Bad Boy” Leonard Garcia (15-7), and was on top of the world at 145lbs. and looked to be staying there for a long time. However, his glory was short lived after he crashed back down to Earth following his defeat at the hands of current champion “Junior” Jose Aldo (18-1). Since losing his WEC belt, Brown has gone 3-3 in his last six bouts and just recently returned to the winning side of the fighting game after earning a much needed and hard fought decision over Nam Phan (18-10). Now with his legs back under him, Brown is looking to take on the rest of the UFC featherweight division but in a wise and well planned out onslaught. However, many fans still don’t understand what was causing the feared American Top Team stand-out to seem human. The issue, in Brown’s words, was a case of “bad luck and tough luck”. Continue reading »

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Warrior Poster MMA Gospel Movie Review: Warrior

(Promotional material courtesy of Lionsgate)

When I drove to Chicago to answer the invitation MMA Gospel received to attend a three week advanced screening of Lionsgate Entertainment’s new mixed martial arts drama Warrior staring Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, I didn’t expect much. The few short trailers that had come out prior had piqued my interest though and seemed to imply that the film would offer more than the poor acting of several UFC champions and excessive nudity that previous MMA films had given us, but knowing the mainstream media’s still jaded opinion of the sport, I didn’t expect Warrior to be much more than a basic rehash of every old boxing movie re-skinned to appeal to niche market MMA fans. I was pleasantly surprised. Director/screenwriter Gavin O’Connor put together a movie that appeals to fans of all walks of life and manages to weave a story that is both deeply ensconced in the subculture of mixed martial arts and completely independent of the action in the cage at the same time. The story could have centered around any sport and still had a serious impact on the viewer, but MMA was certainly the best fit. Continue reading »

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Cris Cyborg vs Jan Finney Zuffa e1310012026452 Cristiane Cyborg Santos No Longer Signed to Strikeforce; Is This a Loss for Zuffa or for WMMA?

Cristiane Santos (black shorts) is without a doubt the biggest thing in WMMA, and now she is a free agent after being released by the biggest WMMA promotion in the world. (Photo courtesy of Esther Lin and Zuffa, LLC.)

June 26, the contract between WMMA’s most prominent champion, 145lbs. queen “Cyborg” Cristiane Santos (10-1) and the Zuffa-owned promotion Strikeforce expired. In the days since, many rumors have surfaced regarding her future and the reasons behind the promotion’s decision to waive their rights outlined in her championship clause. These rumors range from extremely likely, (Santos asking $150,000 a fight to continue with the promotion) to the believable if unlikely, (Zuffa wanting to focus on the more talent rich 135lbs. weight class), to the outright absurd, (Zuffa is run by sexist pigs bent on the destruction of WMMA). While these debates will continue until an official statement is released, and indeed, will likely continue after such a statement in the case of the Zuffa-hating conspiracy theorists, the real question is who really comes out as the biggest loser in this situation: Strikeforce for losing a huge draw and exciting fighter, or WMMA itself for seeing its undisputed queen expelled from the biggest stage in the sport?  Continue reading »

share save 171 16 Cristiane Cyborg Santos No Longer Signed to Strikeforce; Is This a Loss for Zuffa or for WMMA?
 
Clay Guida takes down Anthony Pettis Zuffa 900x665 Wrestling with the Truth: Clay Guida Takes Heat From MMA Fans

"The Carpenter" Clay Guida's (white trunks) headlining bout opposite "Showtime" Anthony Pettis (black trunks) at "The Ultimate Fighter 13" Finale left much to be desired, according to many in the MMA community, as much of the bout was spent with Guida controlling his opponent on the mat. Are the pundits justified in their claims? (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

This past weekend’s The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale was a night to remember. TUF crowned a controversial, yet capable champ in “El Cucuy” Tony Ferguson (11-2). Fans were also fortunate enough to witness up-and-comers like “Kingsbu” Kyle Kingsbury (11-2), Fabio Maldonado (18-4), “C-Murder” Chris Cope (5-1), and others who will likely entertain for years to come. But the night was unfairly lambasted by fans when the co-main event fight between “The Carpenter” Clay Guida (29-11) and final WEC champ “Showtime” Anthony Pettis (13-2) went to the judges’ decision. The fight was derided as boring, “lay-and-pray”, and even incorrectly judged – and all this criticism came down on the winner, Clay Guida. Whether or not the fight was enjoyable is subjective and it is a moot point to try and argue. You either enjoyed it or you didn’t; there is not right or wrong there. However, fans’ displeasure with Guida’s winning tactics are unfounded. “The Carpenter” indeed displays varying skills in a sport that caters to those who know when and how to use their strengths, even if it means using one skill at a time. But it is the bias against wrestling that has misguided so much of the post-fight fallout. Continue reading »

share save 171 16 Wrestling with the Truth: Clay Guida Takes Heat From MMA Fans
 
Frankie Edgar with his belt Zuffa Is Frankie Edgar...the Answer?

UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar has long been the subject of many a fan's chagrin, but do their arguments hold water? (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

After an exciting night of fights at UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill, my friends and I quipped about how the originally intended title fight between  ”The Answer” Frankie Edgar (13-1-1) and “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-0-1) would have been icing on the cake. Their second fight was one for the ages. Maynard showed exactly why he should be considered a serious contender and Edgar rallied back from the brink of defeat to show the heart of a champion. I assumed that a fight like that would gain the respect of MMA fans everywhere. What struck me absolutely dumb however, was the fact that the educated and respectful MMA fans in the room with me were completely unimpressed with Frankie Edgar. Are they talking about the same Frankie Edgar who defeated “The Prodigy” BJ Penn (16-7-2) twice? My friends simply said he was “not that good” and “lucky” and explained away his key victories. As Many MMA fans have echoed these very sentiments on internet forums across the globe so I felt compelled to present their arguments and offer the counter-points as well. Interestingly enough, it has been his title fights that have caused the most controversy in his career and the most often-used arguments against his legitimacy as top dog in UFC lightweight division. Perhaps Frankie is not the champ I thought he was? We’ll break down Frankie Edgar through the many factors that have dogged him since taking the belt. Continue reading »

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Karl Amoussou drops Sam Alvey Keith Mills Sherdog One on One with M 1 Veteran Psycho Karl Amoussou

North American MMA fans got their second glimpse of the power behind M-1 veteran "Psycho" Karl Amoussou's (right) striking when he took on "Smilng" Sam Alvey (left) at Bellator 45 last weekend for a spot in the Season 5 Middleweight Tournament. (Photo courtesy Keith Mills and Sherdog)

“Psycho” Karl Amoussou (12-3-2) entered the lion’s den of European MMA with three first-round submission wins that earned him the honor of cutting his teeth in the ranks of the world famous M-1 Global promotion. Toting an 8-2 record within the organization, of which only two bouts saw the judges, Amoussou’s explosive style and finishing power established him as a fan favorite and a powerhouse amongst European fighters. In August 2009 the Frenchman made his US debut also under the M-1 banner in the promotion’s first ever live televised event in the United States, M-1 Global: Breakthrough. Despite disposing of his opponent John Doyle (9-16) in impressive fashion via first-round Rear Naked Choke, the Judo black belt Amoussou still went relatively unnoticed in the landscape of US MMA.

Six months later in February 2010, Amoussou entered the Strikeforce cage against South African fighter Trevor Prangley (23-7) in a bout that many believed the more experienced Prangley would dominate. Against Prangley, Amoussou showed that he’s no pushover. He got the better exchanges and was picking Prangley apart until he received an accidental eye poke and consequently was unable to see or continue the fight. The match was ruled a Draw and despite his commanding performance, the memory of all but the outcome faded in many fans’ minds.

Amoussou would not compete again on American soil until May 21 at Bellator 45. The main card feature fight pitted the 25-year-old M-1 veteran and undercover police officer against King of the Cage veteran “Smiling” Sam Alvey (13-2) for a spot in the Bellator Season 5 Middleweight Tournament. After a three-round battle in which “Psycho” arguably dominated at least 10 of the 15 minutes, two out of the bout’s three judges gave the nod to Alvey and sent Amoussou back to France without a spot in Bellator’s upcoming 185lbs. tournament.

MMA Gospel staff writer Cole Moorman recently interviewed the “Psycho” in hopes of turning the American eye to the bright future of Karl Amoussou. Continue reading »

share save 171 16 One on One with M 1 Veteran Psycho Karl Amoussou
 
Hector Lombard KOs Falaniko Vitale Keith Mills Sherdog Another KO, Another Question for Hector Lombard

With "Niko" Falaniko Vitale (black trunks) being added to Hector Lombard's (white trunks) lengthy list of KO victories, many can't help but wonder where the Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion is to go from here. (Photo courtesy of Keith Mills and Sherdog)

Though the fight lasted the better part of its scheduled three rounds, it took only one well-placed punch for Bellator Middleweight Champion “Shango” Hector Lombard (27-2) to add “Niko” Falaniko Vitale (27-9) to his long list of knockout victims.

Vitale used his reach and jab to keep his distance from the powerful hands of “Shango” but the Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Lombard still got the edge on the judges’ score cards in rounds one and two by keeping on the pressure and landing solid strikes against the Hawaiian born “Niko”. After ten minutes of a slow paced fight, Vitale came forward with an uppercut to the body but unwisely hung his left arm low. Lombard came forward and slammed a right hook into the jaw of the former Superbrawl champ. Just under a minute into the final stanza, Lombard connected with that fight-ending right hook that left his opponent on the canvas and left fans singing a mixed tune, as the earlier frames were met with boos from the crowd. Continue reading »

share save 171 16 Another KO, Another Question for Hector Lombard
 
Lew Polleys post fight interview Rebecca Lee 120 Minutes with TUF 13 Wrestling Coach Lew Polley, Part II

Despite his time on "The Ultimate Fighter 13" being cut short, Team JDS wrestling coach Lew Polley came out on the other side with many new detractors but even more new supporters. (Photo courtesy of Rebecca Lee)

In Part I of MMA Gospel’s in-depth interview with The Ultimate Fighter 13 Team Dos Santos wrestling coach Lew Polley (10-4), “The Titan” delved into his background in mixed martial arts, his perception of the TUF program as a whole, what he brought to the table as a coach, his training style, and who he thought would go the distance on the show. Now, in the second installment of his two-part interview, Lew gets into the nitty gritty of how – and why – his run on TUF 13 unraveled and came to an abrupt end. Here is Lew’s side of the story: no cameras, and no selective editing. Continue reading »

share save 171 16 120 Minutes with TUF 13 Wrestling Coach Lew Polley, Part II
 
Lew Polley poses solo Rebecca Lee 120 Minutes with TUF 13 Wrestling Coach Lew Polley, Part I

"The Titan" Lew Polley talks to MMA Gospel about his stint on "The Ultimate Fighter" as Team Dos Santos' wrestling coach, which has caused quite a stir in the MMA community. (Photo courtesy of Rebecca Lee)

“The Titan” Lew Polley (10-4) is a name that, up until just a couple of months ago, may not have been particularly well known among many MMA fans. The ability to fly under the radar certainly changed for Polley once he accepted the role as wrestling coach for Team Dos Santos on the most recent installment of Spike TV and Zuffa’s hit reality show, The Ultimate Fighter. An otherwise relatively mellow season has been a roller coaster ride of highs and lows for “The Titan”, whose own experience on TUF 13 left much to be desired; ultimately, after several weeks of back-and-forth conflict and escalating tension levels between Polley and “Cigano” Junior Dos Santos (12-1), Polley was asked by the Black House fighter to leave the show. It was a first for The Ultimate Fighter.

Following the controversial dismissal, MMA Gospel Editor-in-Chief Mallory Mejia spent 120 minutes talking to Lew and getting his take on The Ultimate Fighter 13. This two-part interview explores Polley’s own credentials in respect to MMA, his favorite previous seasons and coaches of The Ultimate Fighter, changes he would make to the TUF program, who he found to be the most viable contenders among the Season 13 fighters, his response to both the shit talkers and the supporters, and of course, a whole lot about the highly publicized feud between himself and his friend,  TUF 13 head coach opposite Brock Lesnar (5-2), Junior Dos Santos. Continue reading »

share save 171 16 120 Minutes with TUF 13 Wrestling Coach Lew Polley, Part I
 
Elite XC WMMA e1303188416273 Womens MMA: The Dangers That Loom With Zuffas Acquisition of Strikeforce

The future of WMMA has been called into question by recent trends within the Strikeforce organization leading to protests and petitions from its supporters and questions about how viable WMMA is at the UFC level. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

Women’s MMA, or WMMA, is a topic of much discussion in the MMA world. In fact, it has been a rather hot topic in recent weeks since Zuffa, LLC., the parent company of the UFC, purchased the undisputed number one promotion in terms of WMMA: Strikeforce. Zuffa and the UFC also happen to be run by one of the most anti-WMMA figures in the sport, Dana White, and while the UFC President has assured fans that Strikeforce will operate independently and that it will be “business as usual” for the California-based promotion little has happened to allay the fears of hardcore WMMA fans. By design or simply by the driving force of public misconception, it appears that things in Strikeforce are moving in a manner that screams “merger”. Furthermore, even the concept of adopting the UFC’s business model suggests that any division, regardless of gender, that lacks an extensively deep talent pool may find itself on the cutting room floor. Continue reading »

share save 171 16 Womens MMA: The Dangers That Loom With Zuffas Acquisition of Strikeforce
 
ThiagoSilvaUFC125weigh insZuffa Thiago Silva Admits to Using Urine Adulterant on UFC 125 Drug Test: I Made A Bad Decision

Today UFC light heavyweight fighter Thiago Silva admitted to taking a "urine adulterant" to pass his post-UFC 125 drug screenings. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

Yesterday afternoon, MMA fans across the globe were given an answer to the question they had been lamenting since the news broke of Thiago Silva’s (16-2) questionable UFC 125 drug screening: Yes, he – for lack of a better word – cheated.

Silva’s co-main event bout against “The Truth” Brandon Vera (11-6) on New Year’s Day showed one of the most brutal performances by the Brazilian to date, as he pummeled the Muay Thai practitioner for three full rounds, even taking the time to play a mini-drum solo on the back of Vera in the third stanza, before taking the very unanimous decision. Onlookers were both impressed and flabbergasted by the seemingly inhuman Silva – especially considering he also was battling nearly a year’s worth of ring rust after rehabilitating a back injury that required surgery. As a result of the beating he took, “The Truth” was cut from the UFC. Continue reading »

share save 171 16 Thiago Silva Admits to Using Urine Adulterant on UFC 125 Drug Test: I Made A Bad Decision
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