Mar 032013
Mar 022013
(Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
—MAIN CARD (on Fuel TV @ 10:00pm ET)—
Wanderlei Silva vs. Brian Stann: Silva via KO (Punches), Round 2, 4:08
Mark Hunt vs. Stefan Struve: Hunt via TKO (Punches), Round 3, 1:44
Takanori Gomi vs. Diego Sanchez: Sanchez via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28), Round 3, 5:00
Yushin Okami vs. Hector Lombard: Okami via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28), Round 3, 5:00
Mizuto Hirota vs. Rani Yahya: Yahya via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), Round 3, 5:00
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Siyar Bahadurzada: Kim via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), Round 3, 5:00 Continue reading »
Feb 282013
Takanori Gomi (black trunks) has the power in his punches to score an upset win in his Japanese homecoming. (Photo courtesy of Yahoo!)
The first females of the UFC have already made history and now just one week later, the UFC returns to Saitama, Japan with UFC on Fuel TV 8. Opening duties are bestowed upon the welterweights as “Stun Gun” Dong Hyun Kim (16-2-1) locks up with “The Great” Siyar Bahadurzada (21-4-1). Brazilian Rani Yahya (17-7) will look to prove homefield advantage means nothing when he takes on Japan’s own “Pugnus” Mizuto Hirota (14-5-1). A move up into middleweight contention could be in order for the victor between fourth-ranked “Thunder” Yushin Okami (28-7) and eighth-ranked “Lightning” Hector Lombard (32-3-1). “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (34-8) will greet “The Dream” Diego Sanchez (23-5) when he makes his return to the lightweight division. In the co-main event, one heavyweight’s rise to glory will come to a screeching halt as “Skyscraper” Stefan Struve (25-5) takes on K-1 veteran “Super Samoan” Mark Hunt (8-7). Closing the night off is a light heavyweight battle between “The All-American” Brian Stann (12-5) and the always popular “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (34-12-1). The first half of the main card was given a look in UFC on Fuel TV 8 Main Card Pre-Fight Breakdown: Part I. MMA Gospel will round the card off here with Part II, providing what to look for in each match-up leading up to the main event. Continue reading »
Feb 272013
War hero Brian Stann (white trunks) returns to action to headline UFC on Fuel TV 8 against brutal PRIDE superstar Wanderlei Silva. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
The UFC hits the land of the rising sun again just a week after the historic UFC 157 card to offer fight fans another great night of mixed martial arts action, this time for free on Fuel TV. The eighth installment of the UFC on Fuel TV series is headlined by “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (34-12-1) and “All-American” Brian Stann (12-5), while co-main duties fall on heavyweights “Skyscraper” Stefan Struve (25-5) and K-1 star Mark Hunt (8-7). ”The Dream” Diego Sanchez (23-5) and “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (34-8) will anchor the card in a lightweight contest. The opening fight of the night will see dangerous welterweights “The Great” Siyar Bahadurzada (21-4-1) and “Stun Gun” Dong Hyun Kim (16-2-1). In middleweight action, eighth-ranked ”Shango” Hector Lombard (23-3-1) and current number 4 “Thunder” Yushin Okami (28-7) will continue their quest for 185lbs. gold. Rounding out the bottom half of the card, filling the second slot and filling the second slot is Rani Yahya (17-7) in a featherweight clash with “Pugnus” Mizuto Hirota (14-5-1). Here in Part I of the UFC on Fuel TV 8 pre-fight breakdown, MMA Gospel will delve into the first half of the six-fight card.
Dec 082012
(Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
—MAIN CARD (on FOX @ 8:00pm ET)—
Benson Henderson vs. Nate Diaz: Henderson via Unanimous Decision (50-43, 50-45, 50-45), Round 5, 5:00
Mauricio Rua vs. Alexander Gustafsson: Gustafsson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26), Round 3, 5:00
BJ Penn vs. Rory MacDonald: MacDonald via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27), Round 3, 5:00
Mike Swick vs. Matt Brown: Brown via KO (Punches), Round 2, 2:31 Continue reading »
Dec 052012
Former two-division champion BJ Penn (black shorts) hones top-notch submission skills, which, when paired with his utter determination to once again be a dominant force in the UFC, could spell big trouble for the young Rory MacDonald. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
Seattle, Washington’s Key Arena plays hosts to mixed martial arts action as the UFC returns to deliver its latest installment: UFC on FOX 5. The night’s main card kicks off with welterweight action as “Quick” Mike Swick (15-4) and “The Immortal” Matt Brown (15-11) face off. In the co-main event a fighter of the Old Guard, “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (21-6) is pitted against an up-and-coming light heavyweight in “The Mauler” Alexander Gustafsson (14-1). Lightweight champion “Smooth” Ben Henderson (17-2) and Nate Diaz (16-7) get five rounds in the night’s main even to stake their claim to the lightweight title. The card’s anchor is worthy of the headliner as well as “Ares” Rory MacDonald (13-1) meets veteran of the sport “The Prodigy” BJ Penn (16-8-2). MacDonald has become a force to be reckoned with at 170lbs. and has yet to hit his prime, but Penn has fought the best the sport can offer from lightweight, welterweight, and even light heavyweight. Now with two fighters of two different times colliding, will it be youth that prevails or will experience prove to trump all? Continue reading »
Apr 162012
Fight-finishing MMA veteran John Alessio (blue gloves) returns to the UFC Saturday night to face top lightweight prospect and submission specialist Mark Bocek. (Photo courtesy of Sherdog)
The UFC returns to Atlanta, Georgia this Saturday with perhaps the most hyped title fight of the year featuring training-partners-turned-bitter-rivals, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Bones” Jon Jones (15-1) and “Suga” Rashad Evans (17-1-1). Young prospect “Ares” Rory MacDonald (12-1) takes on English striker “Beautiful” Che Mills (14-4) in the UFC 145 co-main event. Returning to the Octagon searching for victory is IFL veteran “Big” Ben Rothwell (31-8) versus confident knockout artist “The Hybrid” Brendan Schaub (8-2) in a heavyweight scrap. Former UFC featherweight title challenger “The Machine” Mark Hominick (20-10) steps into the cage against “The Filipino Phenom” Eddie Yagin (15-5) with both men in a must-win situation. Starting up the Pay-Per-View action is Canadian submission expert Mark Bocek (10-5) welcoming fellow countryman and WEC, UFC, and MFC veteran “The Natural” John Alessio (34-14) back to the Octagon. Alessio, a long-time welterweight, has found a new home at lightweight and will look to show the fans, Dana White, and all of the 155lbs. division that he is here to stay, while Bocek looks to prove that his name belongs in the mix of top lightweight contenders. With both men having a lot to gain and a lot to lose from this fight, the main card opener is sure to entertain. Continue reading »
Mar 062012
UFC welterweight Thiago Alves, though always one to bring the fight, has won just two of his last five bouts and now may be forced to make a shift in his career to again attain title contention. (Photo courtesy of Sherdog)
“Pitbull” Thiago Alves (19-9) has had mixed success inside the Octagon over the past two years, going 2-2 in his last four bouts. His March 2 pairing at UFC on FX 2 in Sydney, Australia against “The Hitman” Martin Kampmann (19-5) went from being a certain victory to an embarrassing failure with one poor decision. With only 48 seconds left in the third round of a bout Alves was dominating, Kampmann took advantage of a takedown and locked on a Guillotine Choke just moments after being rocked on the feet. Now Alves has only two wins in his past five fights, though in those losses he remained aggressive and competitive. The questions surrounding the former title challenger to the welterweight title do not involve his fire to compete or his personal life. They focus on his abilities to control his impulses and the decisions he must now make in his career. The answers to those questions may be hard pills to swallow. Continue reading »
Feb 162012
Jake Ellenberger (left) and Diego Sanchez (right) engaged in a 15-minute back-and-forth battle that ultimately gave Ellenberger the victory but granted both welterweights a $50,000 FOTN bonus. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
The following fight bonuses were awarded for UFC on Fuel TV: Sanchez vs. Ellenberger
Submission of the Night:
Ivan Menjivar (over John Albert) receives $50,000
Knockout of the Night:
Stipe Miocic (over Philip De Fries) receives $50,000
Fight of the Night:
Diego Sanchez and Jake Ellenberger each receive $50,000
Feb 152012
- (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
—MAIN CARD (on Fuel TV)—
Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger: Ellenberger via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), Round 3, 5:00
Stefan Struve vs. Dave Herman: Struve via TKO (Punches), Round 2, 3:52
Aaron Simpson vs. Ronny Markes: Markes via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29), Round 3, 5:00
Stipe Miocic vs. Philip De Fries: Miocic via KO (Punches), Round 1, 0:43
TJ Dillashaw vs. Walel Watson: Dillashaw via Unanimous Decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26), Round 3, 5:00
Ivan Menjivar vs. John Albert: Menjivar via Submission (Rear Naked Choke), Round 1, 3:45 Continue reading »
Feb 132012
Stipe Miocic (left) may represent the stand-up fighter in his striker vs. grappler match-up against Walel Watson, but his Div. I level wrestling tilts the odds of winning decidedly in his favor. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
The UFC will lock “The Dream” Diego Sanchez (23-4) in the cage with Jake Ellenberger (25-5) after a night of solid fights this Wednesday as UFC on Fuel TV: Sanchez vs. Ellenberger hits the airwaves. The card will follow what so far has been the status quo with the UFC/FOX deal: big names headlined by title bouts on FOX, mid-tier and up-and-coming fighters headlined by big names on FX, and journeymen and new faces headlined by mid-tier fighters on Fuel TV. Opening the night, TUF alum TJ Dillashaw (4-1) will face the hardened young slugger fromSan Diego, Walel Watson (8-3). Strong Style MMA knockout machine Stipe Miocic (7-0) will trade leather with fellow undefeated journeyman Philip DeFries (5-0). “A-Train” Aaron Simpson (10-2) will look to keep his recovery from back-to-back losses in 2010 going strong with a win over dangerous Brazilian Ronny Markes (1-0) who sits 12-1 when fights contested outside the Unified Rules of MMA are considered. Shoring up the main event is a bout between two men poised to make a name for themselves in UFC heavyweight division, “Pee Wee” Dave Herman (20-2) and “Skyscraper” Stefan Struve (20-5). The fights are a glimpse at some of tomorrow’s top contenders and, more importantly from a spectator’s perspective, an evening of fights between fighters who are undeniably hungry to impress the fans and their bosses. Continue reading »
Dec 012011
- (Photo courtesy of Fighters Only)
Last night some of the most prominent names in mixed martial arts convened at The Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada to honor nominees in 22 categories at the 2011 World MMA Awards. The categories, which are selected by a nominations panel then voted on by fans, honor all things MMA, from fighters, to referees, to equipment, apparel, ring girls, and much more. The annual awards show, now in its fourth year, once again saw the UFC taking the majority of the honors. And the winners are… Continue reading »
Oct 072011
- Kenny Florian’s (top) considerable size to featherweight champion Jose Aldo should assist his overall game plan but turning to his Jiu-Jitsu to at least maintain control could make his title dreams finally come to fruition. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
Houston, Texas plays host to one of the biggest cards the UFC has presented to date when the Toyota Center houses the Octagon this Saturday for UFC 136. The featherweights kick off the main card off Ultimate Fighter veteran Nam Phan (18-10) faces “Bad Boy” Leonard Garcia (15-7-1) in a long awaited rematch. A knockout artist takes on a submission specialist when “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard (27-8-2) battles fellow lightweight “J-Lau” Joe Lauzon (20-6). In the middleweight division, trash-talk extraordinaire Chael Sonnen (24-11-1) returns to action when he faces “All-American” Brian Stann (11-3). In the main event, the lightweight title is up for grabs as the champion “The Answer” Frankie Edgar (13-1-1) battles “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-0-1) in a follow-up of their highly entertaining fight in January where the match was ultimately ruled a Draw. The co-main event though has another title up for grabs with “Ken-Flo” Kenny Florian (14-5) challenging one freight train of a featherweight in “Junior” Jose Aldo (18-1) for his featherweight title. Both men are coming off impressive performances. Aldo has been successful keeping his place on top of the 145lb. division ranks but with Florian dropping down a weight class to come after him, he has bigger challenges than what he had fought before. Continue reading »
Sep 212011
Hawaiian-born "Hapa" Travis Browne (left) will bring massive power and reach to the Octagon at UFC 135, ensuring that he has the advantage in the stand-up over his opponent Rob Broughton. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
The Pepsi Center in the Mile-High City of Denver, Colorado will play host to another star studded MMA card this Saturday with UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage. The event serves as the battleground for UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Bones” Jon Jones (13-1) to make his first title defense against former UFC champion and PRIDE superstar “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (30-8). “Rampage” has been vocal about his mission to get his belt back, and come Saturday, all the smack talk will come to a head as Jones and Jackson prove who is the king of the 205lbs. division mountain. UFC Hall of Famer and two-time welterweight champion Matt Hughes (43-8) returns to the Octagon to face late replacement and American Kickboxing Academy fighter “Kos” Josh Koscheck (15-5), who steps in for the injured “The Dream” Diego Sanchez (23-4). PRIDE and K-1 veteran ”Super Samoan” Mark Hunt (6-7) will trade punches with seasoned heavyweight “Big” Ben Rothwell (27-7) in a battle of mammoth proportions. The only man to hold PRIDE silver,”The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-8), and Nate Diaz (12-8) of Cesar Gracie tutelage will look to get back to the winner’s circle in a lightweight showdown that is likely a must-win situation in terms of relevancy in the UFC’s 155lbs. division. Opening up the main card, Hawaiian-born ”Hapa” Travis Browne (8-0), fresh on the heels of his bone chilling knockout over “Skyscraper” Stefan Struve (18-5), will meet Cage Rage veteran “The Bear” Rob Broughton (13-4). With the UFC’s heavyweight division deepening at an unprecedented rate, both Browne and Broughton undoubtedly will do all in their massive power to make an impression on the Zuffa brass and work their way to the top of the ranks. Continue reading »
Sep 052011