UFC 141 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Nate Diaz vs. Donald Cerrone

 Posted by at 8:57 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Dec 292011
 

Nate Diaz's (bottom) Jiu-Jitsu game is well beyond that of most of the lightweight division and will be one of his greatest weapons against Donald Cerrone come Friday night. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

The world’s premiere MMA organization finishes off the year with a bang this Friday night with UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem. Undefeated featherweight prospect “The Kid” Jimy Hettes (9-0) takes on Nam Phan (19-10) in the main card’s opening bout. “The Janitor” Vladimir Matyushenko (26-5) collides with the fast rising “The Mauler” Alexander Gustafsson (12-1) to see whose stock gets a lift in the light heavyweight division. Johny Hendricks (11-1) is looking to get into the higher echelon of the welterweight class but will first have to grind it out against former title challenger Jon Fitch (22-3). The main event is seen as the classic “grappler versus striker” formula as former UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar (5-2) and current K-1, DREAM, and Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion “The Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (34-11) fill the roles, respectively.  The co-main event is receiving just as much acclaim as the marquee feature as Nate Diaz (13-8) and “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (16-4) butt heads in a lightweight match-up.  Diaz and Cerrone are two of the sport’s most enigmatic personalities but once the cage door seals, this clash of personalities will turn into a battle truly worthy of remembering. Continue reading »

Share

UFC Fight for the Troops 2 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Cole Miller vs. Matt Wiman

 Posted by at 7:46 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Jan 192011
 

Matt Wiman (white/blue trunks) faces American Top Team stand-out Cole Miller this Saturday at UFC Fight for the Troops 2. The lightweights will be fighting to earn a coveted spot at the top of the 155lbs. division. (Photo courtesy of Dave Mandel and Sherdog)

This Saturday night the UFC presents their second edition of Fight for the Troops out of Fort Hood, Texas. The card may lack the typical plethora of mainstream contenders, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking that just because names such as “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (29-8) or “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (21-2) are not on the card that this is a lackluster event. UFC Fight for the Troops 2 presents a who’s who of fighters ready to take their game to the next level.  In the main event the Greg Jackson protege “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard  (25-8-2) takes on the rising star of Evan Dunham (10-1). Former NFL star and The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 stand-out Matt Mitrione (3-0) will encounter King of the Cage veteran “The Thrashing Machine” Tim Hague (10-4) and the newly acquired WEC featherweights will make their UFC debut with Mark Hominick (18-7), currently riding a four fight win streak, against another TUF alum in George Roop (11-5) who is returning to the Octagon after a second round head kick knockout of “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung (10-3). Two of the UFC’s heavyweight colossuses will encounter in a fan-friendly stand-up war when “Hype or Die” Pat Barry (4-3) meets with “The Mexicutioner” Joey Beltran (10-3), but the honors of kicking the main card go to three-time Submission of the Night winner “Magrinho” Cole Miller (17-4) and three-time Fight of the Night winner “Handsome” Matt Wiman (12-5). These two not only will be given the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of America’s servicemen and women at Fort Hood, Texas, they will set the bar for the night to follow. Continue reading »

Share

Looking for the Underdog: Gray Maynard

 Posted by at 8:12 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Jan 012011
 

Using his world class wrestling skills and keeping the fight on the ground affords Gray Maynard the best chance of dethroning lightweight champ Frankie Edgar. (Photo courtesy of Dave Mandel and Sherdog)

Today marks the first day of the new year. While most will be celebrating a fresh start and making a valiant attempt at what probably will result in another failed resolution, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will be continuing its own New Year’s tradition by ushering in another top notch fight card with UFC 125: Resolution. The UFC Lightweight Champion “The Answer” Frank Edgar (13-1) will face off against the only man to ever defeat him, “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-0).  The storyline leading up to this fight is quite exciting in that Edgar will have the opportunity to defend his belt a second time and avenge the lone loss on his record in the same fight. However, this is where the excitement ends, because neither of these fighters are known for finishing fights.

Continue reading »

Share

UFC 125 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim

 Posted by at 7:12 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Dec 302010
 

Southpaw Nate Diaz (white trunks) uses his heavy-handed striking and dangerous ground game to pick apart and finish his opponents. (Photo courtesy of Dave Mandel and Sherdog)

The MGM Grand Garden will host the UFC’s annual New Year’s card, UFC 125: Resolution. The marquis bout between “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-0) and “The Answer” Frankie Edgar (13-1) is the fight perhaps most prominent on the fans’ minds but there are several rather notable matches on the card as well. Thiago Silva (15-2), “The Truth” Brandon Vera (11-5), “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-7), “The Carpenter” Clay Guida (27-11), “The Crippler” Chris Leben (21-7), and Brian Stann (9-3) help round out the card, but one of the more interesting Pay-Per-View bouts features welterweight warriors Nate Diaz (12-6) and “Stun Gun” Dong Hyun Kim (10-4). The Stockton, California native and brother of Strikeforce champion “El Diablo” Nick Diaz (23-7) takes on the tough and well rounded Korean-born Hyun Kim, who is unbeaten in the UFC, in a race for a chance at welterweight king “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (21-2). Both men are dynamic ground fighters with contrasting clinch fighting styles that will make for a very interesting battle to the mat. Continue reading »

Share

“Razor” Rob McCullough to Compete in Bellator Season Four Lightweight Tournament

 Posted by at 9:33 PM  MMA News  No Responses »
Oct 152010
 

"Razor" Rob McCullough has signed on with Bellator for the Season Four Lightweight Tournament. (Photo courtesy of Sherdog)

Bellator Fighting Championships just got another name added to its stacked lightweight division roster.  Former WEC Lightweight Champion “Razor” Rob McCullough (19-6) has joined Bellator and will compete in the promotion’s Season Four Lightweight Tournament in early 2011 for a title shot at Champion Eddie Alvarez (20-2).

A 7-4 run in World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) saw him with the lightweight title belt wrapped around his waist and successfully defending his title before losing the belt to Jamie Varner (16-4) in February 2008. Since then he has had mixed success, alternating wins and losses in his bouts until  a lackluster fight against Karen Darabedyan (9-4) led to “Razor” finally being cut from the promotion. Continue reading »

Share