UFC on FOX 6 Recap
UFC on FOX 6 Recap:
By Dustin Perie.
Odd start to the show, first with the panel not realizing the camera was on, then slight audio issues, commentary was in and out, and when it did come back it was Goldberg speaking to presumably his producers, asking if he needs to apologize for the audio issues, great stuff that boarder lined awkward. But enough about technical issues, let’s get to the violence.
Featherweight Division:
Ricardo Lamas 12-2 (+160) vs. Erik Koch 13-1 (-175)
Hats off to Koch for the bad ass entrance music: Scooter – Fire, it’s very dated, but if you are interested in a trip back to the mid 90s, it’s a funky way to do it.
Round 1:
First round started off slow, both men showing off their great head kicks with not much being landed clean. Lamas went for a single leg mid-way through the round, but somehow Koch found a way to stay vertical. Lamas received a warning from John McCarthy about open hand strikes to the face. Right near the end of the round Lamas scored a sloppy takedown which will likely score him the round.
According to me: 10-9 Lamas.
Royler Gracie
We recently had the opportunity to interview Royler Gracie while he was in Ontario teaching seminars. We caught up with Royler at Robinson’s Karate School located in Bolton, Ontario Canada. Royler reflects on his thoughts about whether his father should be in the UFC Hall Of Fame for his contributions to the sport, the importance of being skilled in more then one of the martial arts and why he chose to make the move to America from Brazil.
UFC 153 Predictions
Predictions by MMAxposed’s Farrell Tremblay
After losing UFC 151 and Strikeforce: Melendez vs Healy, we almost lost UFC 153 as well. Although the card doesn’t have the same relevant fights as it did a month ago, we now have some very exciting matchups that can really be best described as “fun”, even if they have no impact on any division. Let’s break down the insanity of an already broken down card.
Anderson Silva vs Stephan Bonnar
This fight has a lot of people really excited. Rightfully so, these two fighters have a history of exciting fights with spectacular outcomes, but before I cloud the matter with such misleading facts, let’s be clear about something: People aren’t excited about this fight in the same way they were excited for GSP vs Nick Diaz. The excitement people feel for this fight is really more akin to giddy sadism or the strange fascination we have watching wildebeest cross crocodile infested rivers on the Discovery Channel. Stephan Bonnar is one tough S.O.B. but is he ever out of his league. I believe his ability to absorb unnatural amounts of punishment will take this fight into later rounds but I will be shocked if Anderson Silva finds himself in any sort of danger at any point in this fight. Yes, this is MMA and anything can happen (just ask Matt Serra) but this is also the greatest man to ever fight in the sport and he will deliver that greatness by the fistful
Prediction: Silva by TKO
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs Dave Herman
You have to respect a guy like Nogueira. He is a legend of the sport, and if he retired tomorrow would have nothing but fond farewells from the MMA community. He’s a former champion in the two most prestigious promotions this sport has produced. Coming off a devastating loss to Frank Mir and nearly a year of inactivity, the last thing Big Nog needed to do was take a fight on short notice against a lower tier heavyweight on a two-fight losing streak but he stepped up when the UFC needed him the most. Dave Herman probably isn’t the caliber of fighter we would have seen Nogueira fight had he been matched up on more organic terms, but he is still a tough, durable fighter with heavy hands who may have the spryness of a young fighter to put them on the aging Brazilian. The more likely scenario is that Nogueira boxes his way inside Herman’s sloppy standup, takes him down and takes home a limb.
Prediction: Nogueira by submission
UFC 152 Post-Fight Matchmaking
UFC 152 was an ever-pleasing mix of favorites and underdogs claiming victories in their respective bouts and even those who were supposed to run through their opponents had to work hard for their victory, dig deep and really find what it was meant for them to be a fighter. With the dust from the weekend starting to settle, let’s see where our victors and more notable losers will wind up in the coming months.
Jon Jones:
Jon Bones showed us again why he is the man with the belt as he persevered through a dangerous armbar early in the fight to find his rhythm and put Vitor through the works. With Dan Henderson tentatively slated to fight Lyoto Machida later this year and a potential injury to Jones’s arm that could leave him out of action for a few weeks or months (yet to be determined), it is most likely that we will see the winner of this bout take on the champion at a mid-2013 event.
Jones will fight the winner of Dan Henderson vs Lyoto Machida
Vitor Belfort:
Jones’ brilliance and unpredictability as allowed him, similarly to Anderson Silva, create such doubt in the mind of his opponent that in some ways, he’s already won before he even walks out to the cage. Despite looking largely outmatched on Saturday, Vitor also offered moments of aggressiveness that made Jones look almost human. Many of his contemporaries are finding themselves at the end of their careers and moving on to different chapters in their lives. Vitor has proven over the last couple years that he is still very capable of pulling the trigger and inflicting massive damage. On top of the fact that his foray into the light heavyweight division was solely for a title shot and came about as a courtesy to the UFC, I don’t think he will lose much ground in the middleweight division.
Belfort will fight Brian Stann
UFC 152 Predictions
UFC 152 is soon upon us and I can’t help but feel a wealth of emotions in my attempt to predict the action. The reason I say this is because it seems that predicting MMA fights are no longer as simple as “fighter A over fighter B” but instead a much more complex and anxious process that could be better described as “provided the physical well-being of fighters A and B is at acceptable competition level, it is likely X will be the outcome.” However if one or more parties are unable to participate and the suitable replacement(s) is/are willing and able to perform on Saturday, I predict Jon Jones won’t walk away from two cards in two weeks if he knows what’s good for him”. The caveat “Both Must Fight For Action” has taken on a whole new meaning, as the possibility that there may be no action has become as real as any other. With Saturday’s outcome hinging on all of these conditions I’ll do my best to predict the winners of UFC 152’s currently billed card.
Jon Jones vs Vitor Belfort
Jon Jones is a very clear favorite to win this fight, and rightfully so. Given his accomplishments over the last year and a half against strikers, wrestlers and muggers, it’s hard to imagine there are any stylistic matchups left to threaten the champ. This is doubly so when considering his opponent is 10 years his senior. However, when you consider Jones’s toughest test to date has come at the lightning quick hands of Lyoto Machida, it is reasonable to think that Vitor, a boxer with a conceivably greater speed advantage, may have more of a chance than odds-makers are letting on. In addition to a certain striking advantage, Vitor Belfort probably has the best jiu-jitsu of any fighter Jones has faced since entering the UFC. That being said, I don’t think Belfort has the advantage in the grappling department and despite still being a very dangerous fighter, his chin isn’t what it used to be and he will be giving up a foot of reach and considerable mass on fight night. Despite having made a case for Vitor’s chances of success, I simply can’t envision him taking control of the fight before Jones takes his confidence away.
Prediction: Jon Jones by TKO in round 3
Joseph Benavidez vs Demetrious Johnson
Joseph Benavidez has long been touted as the uncrowned flyweight kingpin and on Saturday he’ll finally get his opportunity to live up to such accolades. This won’t be easy though and “Mighty Mouse” is no walk in the park for anyone and his ability to outwork opponents often leaves him with his hand raised, despite his original underdog status. Benavidez comes into this fight with real stopping power for flyweight, as demonstrated in his fight with Yasuhiro Urushitani and Johnson may find his chin tested in the early rounds of this fight. Ultimately, I think Johnson’s speed will keep him out of harm’s way for the first couple rounds and as the fight wears on, he will begin to pull away as he continues an unrivaled work rate.
Prediction: Demetrious Johnson by unanimous decision
Michael Bisping vs Brian Stann
Michael Bisping may very well be at the end of his rope with this fight, should he lose. He has a great record against a number of very tough opponents regardless of the outcome, he will undoubtedly fight on for years to come… but should he lose, at what cost? Bisping may find himself at the bottom of the pile if he loses to Brian Stann on Saturday and what makes this so interesting is the outcome really depends on which game plan he chooses to employ. Bisping actually has very underrated grappling skills, despite hailing from a nation that has, traditionally, poor grappling skills. Given that Brian Stann is certainly no pushover on the ground (unless your name is Chael Sonnen), it is far and away, the weakest aspect of his game. If Bisping employs the same technical boxing game plan he has used against most of his recent opponents, I feel that he is gambling with his future. Brian Stann has proven an ability to put away both brawlers and technicians in absolutely brutal fashion. Stann will fearlessly go toe-to-toe with “The Count” and employ the counter punching that has made him so successful since coming down to middleweight.
Prediction: Brian Stann by TKO in round 2
Matt Hamill vs Roger Hollett
Matt “The Hammer” Hamill makes his return after a brief 17-month retirement and it will be interesting to see what shape he returns in to the octagon. If Matt aims to head-hunt as he has done in the past he may find himself getting beaten to the punch (no pun intended). Hamill, after re-evaluating his career will likely come back using the game plan that brought him success in his early days, take them down and pound them out.
Prediction: Matt Hamill by TKO in round 3
Cub Swanson vs Charles Oliveira
Cub Swanson has been a modest tear, cutting down George Roop and bringing the fight to a much larger Ross Pearson. Swanson may be small but he is scrappy and when he hits his stride he packs a hell of a wallop. I feel though he may find it harder to impose his game on Oliveira as Do Bronx has a rangy style that can be just as sporadic and unpredictable as Swanson’s. Furthermore, Cub’s commendable bottom game that served him so well against Pearson will likely count for nothing if he finds himself under Oliveira. With that in mind, I don’t foresee many areas that Oliveira will not be comfortable taking the fight.
Prediction: Oliveira by submission in round 2
Predictions by Farrell Tremblay
Chris Clements: Cloud Nine
Chris Clements has had a dream since he was in high school to get into the UFC. This past year after beating UFC veteran Rich Clementi at The Score Fighting Series, his dream finally came true. At the age of 34 he made his UFC debut and faced Keith Wisniewski, taking home yet another win. It has been a great year for Chris; he got married to the love of his life, they had their first child, and his UFC debut was just five weeks later. This is Chris’ story about his dream, his family, and his life.
UFC 150: Henderson Vs Edgar
Written By Jordan Maskell
The UFC lightweight title saga continues this weekend with the second fight between Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson. Henderson (15-2-0) defeated Edgar (14-2-1) for the title at UFC 144 in Japan by unanimous decision. After much debate about who would face Henderson in his first title defense, Edgar was granted the opportunity. This is after Edgar had a series of rematches with both B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard. However, UFC President Dana White has made it clear the loser of this title fight will not be granted a rematch. He confirmed that Nate Diaz would be next in line to face the winner of Saturday’s bout. Diaz (16-7-0) earned the number one contender spot after submitting Jim Miller at a UFC on Fox event in May.
Another lightweight bout will see Donald Cerrone (18-4-0, 1NC) take on Melvin Guillard (47-11-3, 1NC). Cerrone recently earned a unanimous decision victory over Jeremy Stephens at a UFC on FUEL TV event earlier this year. He has only lost once in his six UFC fights since joining the promotion from the WEC. Guillard won a unanimous decision over Fabricio Camoes at UFC 148, after having back-to-back submission losses.
UFC on Fox 4 Recap: Shogun wins but Machida impresses
By: Matt Marcone
The UFC finally delivered to the network audience by putting on four excellent fights and an all around great show. The judges were not needed on the main card and a future light heavyweight title shot was awarded.
UFC President Dana White said that whoever put on the most impressive performance in the two main event fights would earn a shot at the light heavyweight championship.
Both Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Lyoto Machida were victorious, earning fourth and second round finishes respectively.
“The answer is I think Lyoto Machida was the most impressive tonight,” says White. The boss has spoken, enough said.
Machida proved once again that he only needs his opponent to make one mistake to finish a fight. After frustrating Ryan Bader on the feet in the first round, he waited for him to charge in and landed a straight right hand. That was all it took at 1:32 of round two.
The main event saw Brandon Vera nearly pull off a huge upset with a tight guillotine in the opening round, but Shogun defended it perfectly.
UFC on Fox 4: Shogun Vs Vera
Written by Jordan Maskell
This Saturday nights UFC on FOX 4 may very well determine the next challenger for the UFC Light Heavyweight championship according to Dana White. The UFC President had originally indicated the winner of the main event between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Brandon Vera would decide who would get the shot. However, after a large opposition by fans it was announced the co-main event between Lyoto Machida and Ryan Bader would also be taken into consideration.
White stated the fighter who wins in the most impressive fashion and makes the biggest impact would be granted the title shot. Current champion Jon “Bones” Jones has finished all four men in previous bouts. The champ will face Dan Henderson at UFC 151 on September 1st in Las Vegas.
Shogun (20-6-0) has not fought since losing a five round war to Henderson at UFC 139, which many named 2011 Fight of the Year. Vera (12-5-0, 1NC) has one win, two losses and one no contest in the last three years in the UFC. Meanwhile, Machida (17-3-0) will be competing in his first fight since losing to Jones at UFC 140 in Toronto, Ontario. Bader (15-2-0) on the other hand recently defeated Quinton “Rampage” Jackson by unanimous decision, and Jason Brilz by a first round knockout.
Lightweights Joe Lauzon (20-7-0) and Jamie Varner (20-6-1, 2NC) will also compete on the main card. Lauzon is coming off a KO loss to Anthony Pettis at UFC 144, while having two consecutive Submission of the Night wins before that. Varner is currently riding a three-fight win streak. He has two knockouts and one submission victory in his last three fights.
A bout between Heavyweights Ben Rothwell and Travis Browne was scheduled for this card, although Rothwell was forced to withdraw due to injury. Browne was later pulled from the event all together, while the Welterweight matchup between Mike Swick and DaMarques Johnson was promoted to the main card. This has set up a Heavyweight fight between Browne and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva for a UFC on FX event later this year.
How many more UFC-Strikeforce bouts will we see in the future?
Written By Jordan Maskell
With the news that Frank Mir will enter the Strikeforce cage to face David Cormier, the question is how many more UFC-Strikeforce bouts will we see in the future? The most recent cross promotion bout announced looks to be the first within Strikeforce. However, this is following a string of Strikeforce crossovers with former champions including Nick Diaz, Jake Shields, Dan Henderson, and Allistar Overeem making the transition to the Octagon.
It has been revealed that the Strikeforce Heavyweight division will eventually be dissolved, as after this fight both Mir and Cormier will compete solely in the UFC. This will be done to focus on developing the depth of other weight classes, including a women’s division within the company. Many former Strikeforce Heavyweights have already entered the UFC including Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, Shane del Rosario, Shawn Jordan, and of course Overeem.
Until now, both rosters have been considered exclusive to its respected promotion, although there have been exceptions to this rule. UFC President Dana White has said in the past that fighters from Strikeforce will not crossover to the UFC while there is a deal between Showtime and Strikeforce. The company was bought by the UFC’s parent company Zuffa in March 2011. He has said before he would not sign Strikeforce fighters while they were contracted with Strikeforce due to the deal with Showtime.
Dan Hardy talks comics and his career
MMAxposed reporter Matt Marcone caught up with Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy at the “Heroes” comic book store in Woodbridge, Ontario. It was an awesome event that had everything from real transformers cars to memorabilia to exotic animals in the petting zoo. Not too often do an MMA fighter, batman, iron man, bumblebee, two camels and a lemur all get to hang out in one place!
He was one of the nicest guys we’ve had the pleasure of interviewing and bluntly spoke about having to rediscover his passion for mixed martial arts.
Hardy stormed onto the UFC welterweight scene in 2008, winning four in a row and earning a title shot against Georges St. Pierre. After losing a decision to the reigning champ, Hardy consecutively dropped three more fights to Carlos Condit, Anthony Johnson and Chris Lytle.
Due to his fast paced style and willingness to push the action, the UFC opted not to cut him and gave him another fight against Duane Ludwig. Their decision proved to be justified as he knocked him out with a devastating hook in the first round.
In the interview, Hardy opens up about star wars, his upcoming fight with TUF 7 winner Amir Sadollah, and finding his spirituality. He also gives his prediction for the upcoming title fight between St. Pierre and Condit, two guys he’s very familiar with.
Hardy’s bout with Sadollah is scheduled for September 29, 2012 in his hometown of Nottingham, England at the UFC on FUEL TV 5.
UFC’s Chris Clements welcomes you to his home
Pro Fighter Chris Clements gives us a behind the scenes look into his home. Stay tuned for our upcoming video “Chris Clements on Cloud 9″ which will take you further in depth into his life getting married, becoming a dad and making his UFC debut.
Chris Clements will be fighting Matt Riddle at UFC 149 on Saturday July 21, 2012 in Calgary, Alberta.
Follow Chris on Twitter @menaceclements
UFC 148 Recap: Silva Retains, Tito Retires
By: Matt Marcone
The greatest MMA fighter of all time has done it again.
After getting controlled by Chael Sonnen in the first round, Anderson Silva came back with a flurry in the second to earn knockout of the night. Sonnen missed a spinning back fist and ended up losing his balance, allowing the champion to take advantage.
The two rivals embraced each other during the post fight interviews, with Silva even offering to cook him some Brazilian barbeque.
“You always shake hands and you always leave it in the octagon,” says Sonnen, who relentlessly attacked Silva in the months leading up to the fight. “Those are the rules and I stick to them.”
Silva extends his UFC record to an unprecedented 15-0, while Sonnen says he does not take comfort knowing he almost beat the champ… twice.
“It’s pass or fail, that’s it,” says Sonnen. “He’s just a regular guy, we weigh the same thing and he finds a way to win. I admire it.”
The Pride of El Salvador is all about having fun at UFC 148
This veteran fighter doesn’t necessarily need a Bruce Buffer introduction, but ‘The Pride of El Salvador’ Ivan Menjivar (24-8) will get it this weekend at UFC 148. Ivan will be going for his fourth straight victory in the UFC. His opponent will be Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt Mike Easton (12-1) from Alliance MMA under Lloyd Irvin. Mike is currently on a seven fight win streak. Ivan believes that Mike has great hands to go along with his prolific ground skills and has been forced to train smart for this match up. His fight camp has once again been under the tutelage of one of the best in the business Firas Zahabi from Tri Star Gym in Montreal, Canada. These Bantamweights will square off this Saturday, in the under card, of the highly anticipated re match between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen. Menjivar rarely disappoints when it comes to putting on crowd pleasing performances. The Menjivar/Easton combination lends itself to have all the makings of a fight of the night honour. Menjivar already holds a submission of the night honour in the UFC. Ivan says he just appreciates the opportunity that the UFC is giving him and he just wants to face-off Saturday night and put on a great show for the fans!
UFC 152: Media day with Rory MacDonald
Summer has just begun but fall is right around the corner and so is UFC 152 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. Today we were at the ACC for the UFC 152 Media day with Rory MacDonald. By the sounds of things MacDonald Vs. Penn may be replacing the Dos Santos Vs. Velasquez rematch and become the headliner on this card, which could be a bittersweet main event for UFC fans.
With Rory still in the early stages of his career in comparison to BJ Penn the former UFC Lightweight Champion and UFC Welterweight Champion, this is going to be just the challenge MacDonald needs to face in order to catapult his UFC career to a new high.
Only time will tell who will be bringing home the win on September 22nd at UFC 152 but needless to say this match will be a true test for the young prodigy and will unfold his destiny as a fighter.
UFC 152: Toronto, Canada
Tickets will go on sale July 27th 2012 to the general public
Photo and Article by Randi Lotsberg
Correspondant for MM-eh.ca
Jonathan Chaimberg- Adrenaline Performance Center
We were invited to Montreal this past weekend to meet up with Jonathan Chaimberg strength coach/owner of Adrenaline Performance Center in Montreal, Quebec Canada one of the top training centers in the world.
Jonathan is a world renowned coach and has coached top MMA athletes such as George St-Pierre, Rashad Evans, Miguel Torres, and David Loiseau just to name a few. Jonathan is also the strength and conditioning editor of Inside Fitness magazine.
Construction is currently under way for Jonathan’s new 9000 sq/ft facility opening soon in July 2012 and by the look of things it’s gonna be bigger and badder then ever. Check back in July for a look at the new Adrenaline Performance Center.
“Suffer in training, not in fight” ~ Jonathan Chaimberg
Follow Jonathan on Twitter @JonChaimberg
Sam Stout at Show Your Strength charity event
UFC lightweight Sam Stout attending the Show Your Strength Charity event this past weekend with fellow training team mates Mark Hominick and Chris Clements. Sam reflects on Jens Pulvers documentary DRIVEN, bullying, Stanley Cup Finals and his upcoming fight at UFC on FX 4
UFC on FX June 8th 2012 Predictions
Predictions by Donny Oliveira
The UFC has put together a potentially action packed card with this latest installment on FX. The main event promises to be a back and forth tilt between two of the best flyweights on the planet and I personally am excited to see Neer vs. Pyle and Jorgensen vs. Wineland. With that being said, here are my predictions for Friday Night!
MAIN CARD (FX)
- Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall – McCall by decision
- Charlie Brenneman vs. Erick Silva – Brenneman by decision
- Josh Neer vs. Mike Pyle – Neer 2nd round KO
- Scott Jorgensen vs. Eddie Wineland – Wineland by decision
Mark Hominick at Show Your Strength charity event
MMAxposed reporter Matt Marcone was at the “Show Your Strength” charity event held at the Toronto Underground Cinema. The event had a free screening of the documentary “Jens Pulver – Driven,” and was in support of programs to promote athletics for youth at risk.
He spoke with Canadian MMA fighter Mark Hominick about the documentary, Jens Pulver’s legacy, Sam Stout vs. Spencer Fisher three, Kenny Florian’s retirement, and the Stanley Cup finals.








