UFC 128 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Mauricio Rua vs. Jon Jones

 Posted by at 6:54 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Mar 182011
 

Top 205lbs. prospect Jon Jones (black shorts) will have to use his seemingly effortless takedowns to prevent "Shogun" from collapsing the pocket on the feet. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones will take place this Saturday in Newark, New Jersey as the world’s premier MMA promotion returns to the Garden State. The card brings together some of the best names from the UFC’s acquisition and prospect building efforts over the last several years as WEC, PRIDE, and TUF stars all enter the cage alongside some of the UFC’s best homegrown contenders. The night opens with “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (27-9-2) against “The Hybrid” Brendan Schaub (6-1) and Dan Miller (13-4) vs. “The Great” Nate Marquardt (30-10-2) in bouts that showcase the two major elements of MMA, one being a stand-up war and the other a ground fighter’s affair. Next on the slate are two bouts from the lighter side of the UFC as WEC standouts “The California Kid” Urijah Faber (24-4) and Eddie Wineland (17-6-1) follow the lightweight contest between “The Prince of Persia” Kamal Shalorus (7-0-2) and ”The Mongoose” Jim Miller (19-2) to the cage. However, the headline light heavyweight title fight between “Bones” Jon Jones (12-1) and incumbent champion “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (19-4) is the bout that has the MMA world buzzing. It is a match of raw athletic skill against experience with as many outside factors thrown in to influence the fighters as one could want. Continue reading »

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UFC 128 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland

 Posted by at 12:57 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Mar 172011
 

Urijah Faber's (blue gloves) striking is more athletic than technical, and he will need to use his powerful takedowns to control Wineland rather than rely on his hands. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

Newark, New Jersey will play host to the Ultimate Fighting Championship this Saturday night as UFC 128 roars into the Garden State with a Light Heavyweight Championship match between “Bones” Jon Jones (12-1) and the reigning 205lbs. champ “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (19-4) headlining a card packed with talent from all walks of MMA life. The old guard of PRIDE faces the new breed from The Ultimate Fighter to kick things off as “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (27-9-2) takes on the well rounded blue chip fighter “The Hybrid” Brendan Schaub (6-1). The always dangerous Dan Miller (13-4) then replaces “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-4), who pulled out of his UFC 128 match due to the massive earthquake hitting his native Japan last week, as he puts his submission skills to the test against the former King of Pancrase “The Great” Nate Marquardt (30-10-2) and “The Prince of Persia” Kamal Shalorus (7-0-2) pits his WEC built undefeated record against the man who some say should be at the top of the contenders list in the lightweight division, “The Mongoose” Jim Miller (19-2). Serving in the capacity of co-main event for the card is a battle of WEC ground-and-pounders as the former featherweight king “The California Kid” Urijah Faber (24-4) continues his bantamweight crusade against the inaugural WEC 135lbs. champion Eddie Wineland (17-6-1). Continue reading »

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UFC 128 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus

 Posted by at 7:37 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Mar 172011
 

Submission specialist Jim Miller (bottom) hopes to take a step closer to UFC lightweight title contention by defeating former WEC stand-out Kamal Shalorus. (Photo courtesy of David Baron and Sherdog)

This Saturday, March 19, in Newark, New Jersey, the UFC presents a Cinderella story as “Bones” Jon Jones (12-1) steps into the Octagon to face UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (19-4) at UFC 128. The headliner is one that has most MMA fan on the edge of their seats as the old PRIDE hero faces the UFC up-and-comer and reflects the rest of the card perfectly. UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones is stacked with matches that pit standouts of the non-UFC MMA world against the cream of the crop of the UFC’s middle tier including “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (27-9-2) against The Ultimate Fighter 10 finalist “The Hybrid” Brendan Schaub (6-1), “The Great” Nate Marquardt (30-10-2) vs. a very game late replacement in Dan Miller (13-4), and WEC featherweight star “The California Kid” Urijah Faber (24-4), the longtime poster child of why the UFC should merge with the WEC, opposite fellow WEC stand-out Edward Wineland (17-6-1). Also slated for action are WEC warrior “The Prince of Persia” Kamal Shalorus (7-0-2) and UFC submission ace “The Mongoose” Jim Miller (19-2). The bout is a meeting of classic foes as Shalorus will pit his fast paced wrestling game against the slick submissions of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt from Sparta, New Jersey. Continue reading »

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