UFC Fight Night 36: Deciding Who's Next

Chris Weidman won his title from a Brazilian, his first defense will be against a Brazilian and UFN 36 will likely present him with his next challenger - and you guessed it, it'll probably be a Brazilian.

Behind Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort in the UFC middleweight rankings sit Jacare Souza (#3) and Lyoto Machida (#4). All four are from the nation famed for big butts, beaches and football (soccer for you Americans). 

At UFN 36, Souza will fight Francis Carmont in the co-main event and Machida will take top billing against Gegard Mousasi. It could, essentially, be described as a four-man tournament to determine the next challenger for the middleweight belt.

It isn't technically a tournament but, if it was, it would be obvious who the UFC wants in the final. Souza and Machida are the clear favourites in their respective bouts, no surprise considering the location of the fights. It is practically UFC policy to all but ensure a hometown win when in Brazil. The baying crowd almost demands it.

The UFC have implemented the tactic of a themed card before - creating a main card that focuses on a specific division. UFC 146 and UFC 158 being obvious examples.

Personally, I like it when they do this. It gives the event an added dimension and provides some extra narrative for the viewer. At UFC 158, for example, a champion defended his belt moments after a number one contender for that very same belt was decided. Questions are answered instead of raised. We don't have to wait for the outcome of fights taking place weeks or maybe months apart to discover the immediate future of a division. Everything gets tied up in a nice little bow.

Whilst there are only two middleweight fights on the main card of UFN 36, they both have direct title implications.

As previously mentioned, Souza and Machida are next in line. Both are former champions - we all remember the Machida era - who have looked spectacular so far at middleweight in the UFC. 

Three fights, three wins and three first round finishes. Amongst there victims are Mark Munoz and Yushin Okami. The boys from Brazil have made their point, they are serious contenders at 185.

Whether by grand design or pure chance, the timelines of these fighters, at the top of the middleweight division, seem to mesh rather nicely.

Weidman vs. Belfort has been scheduled to main event UFC 173 on May 24, a little over 3 months after UFN 36. Should Souza and Machida come through their bouts victorious, as expected, a number one contender bout could take place around a similar time. The winners would then be able to meet later in the year.

It is also a possibility that a number one contender fight won't be necessary. A particularly emphatic win in Jaraguá do Sul may be all that's needed for one of the Brazilians to jump straight into a title fight. We all know how impulsive the UFC - mainly Dana - can be.

Despite Souza's higher ranking, however, it is Machida who is the more likely to get a title shot off the back of UFN 36. A win over Carmont is commendable but it isn't exactly the type of win that thrusts you into the spotlight. Machida, on the other hand, is facing a man who has only lost one of his last one of his last 23 fights. Being the former light heavyweight champion helps too.

If Weidman is going to extend his tenure as UFC middleweight champion, he will have to face, and defeat, a murderer's row of Brazilians. First there were his two unique fights with Anderson Silva - the arguable GOAT. Next up he has the ever improving and increasingly muscular Vitor Belfort to contend with. After which, either Souza or Machida will be there waiting in the wings for the victor. UFN 36 may decide who that man will be.

Urijah Faber: Best of the Rest

If Urijah Faber manages to pull off the upset against Renan Barao, on Feb 1, he will be adorned with UFC gold. If he fails, however, he may be the recipient of another crown - the best fighter in UFC history to have never won a title.

This unwanted and unfortunate honour has a few potential candidates, Kenny Florian and Dan Henderson perhaps being the most noteworthy. Faber is slightly unique though, he can't quite win a world title but he is head and shoulders above the rest of the competition. 

He is the best of the rest.

Faber has had 36 professional fights - 30 wins and 6 losses. All six of his losses came in title fights. In fact, he is 0-5 in his last five opportunities to become a world champion. Never though has he lost a non-title fight, those he usually wins comprehensively. 

He occupies an unusual space in the MMA landscape, mere yards below the champions but a mile above everyone else. The Team Alpha Male leader is trapped in no-man's-land.

It must be a frustrating position to be in, akin to finishing in fourth place at the Olympics. Good, just not good enough for something shiny. 

His last successful title bout was a defence of his WEC featherweight championship against Jens Pulver. Yeah, it was that long ago. Since then Faber is 9-5. All nine wins were obtained in non-title fights and all five losses came when challenging for a belt - the story of Faber's career.

Of those nine victories, seven were finished inside the distance - all by submission. The two bouts that did go the distance were unanimous decisions. This highlights Faber's dominance - when not competing for a championship. He has strong boxing, wrestling and wicked chokes. There are no holes in his game which is why he is only ever beaten by pure class.

He may reign over the rest of the division but the fact that he has lost his last five title fights suggests that, maybe, he just isn't at the level needed to be a UFC champion.

That might not be the whole story though.

Perhaps he is merely a victim of circumstance. Unlucky that the champions in his way have been as elite as it gets. Dominick Cruz and Renan Barao, the men at the top of the bantamweight division, are unbeaten in the UFC and hold a combined record of 8-0. 

UFC 169 will be Faber's third attempt for the UFC bantamweight title. Considering he is 0-2 in his previous endeavours, it seems rather likely that this will be his last opportunity to take home the bantamweight strap.

That, however, was the consensus after his last failed attempt - a loss to Dominick Cruz - and yet here we are. His popularity and dominance over the remainder of the division continues to supersede his age and poor track record in title fights. So this may not be Faber's last chance after all, if he continues to be the best of the rest.

Chris Weidman: Breaking Free of Anderson Silva

Chris Weidman has now beaten Anderson Silva, the man universally regarded as the greatest of all time, twice. First, to win the UFC middleweight title and then to retain it. So one week on, Weidman has been soaking up the plaudits. Right? Well, not quite.

I know Weidman has a world championship belt and functional limbs but he, too, can be considered rather unfortunate following his duels with Silva.

Bear with me.

Weidman's victories, life changing career-propelling wins, can both conceivably be called flukes. If not flukes, then certainly the results of freak occurrences.

The manner in which his wins were obtained is inescapable. Naysayers will always be able to point to their fluky nature. In many ways, the magnitude of his accomplishments have been diminished and by no fault of his own. 

In the lead up to those defining moments, Weidman was dominating but Silva toyed in the first and then toiled in the second. As a result, everyone was robbed of a conventional result. Most importantly, Chris Weidman was robbed. He was robbed of a definitive win over the greatest of all time, twice.  

The nature of the wins caused the aftermath, on each occasion, to be focused on Silva's shortcomings. The adulation, the praise, it has all been diluted for Weidman.

Which is unfortunate because it can be argued, and argued convincingly, that both wins were as a result of Weidman's competence as a fighter. Perhaps each occasion was merely a case of his skill and preparation being presented with an opportunity. Nevertheless, there will always be an asterisk beside those wins.

As fight fans, we want decisive answers. We dislike what ifs and maybes. It is why we yearned to see Mayweather vs. Pacquiao and why questionable decisions urk us so much. We need closure.

This is something we didn't get and likely never will from Weidman fighting Silva.

So not only does Weidman have to follow Silva's historic reign as middleweight champion, he has to do it with a monkey on his back.

Weidman will have to face a murderers row straight away. Fighters like Vitor Belfort, Lyoto Machida, Jacare Souza and Gegard Mousasi are waiting in the wings.

Luckily, and I use the term lightly, Belfort is up next for Weidman. I say lucky because Weidman needs a guy like Belfort next. He has been on an absolute tear and will provide an excellent litmus test for the champion. 

Following the bizarre nature of the Silva fights, this bout will be pivotal. If Weidman wins then he will have proven himself to the doubters and if he loses many will consider the Silva fights to be flukes.

As Jon Jones has shown, it only takes a couple of years and a string of big wins to forge a legacy. Weidman now has this opportunity and he has to take it if he is to break free and leave the shadow of Anderson Silva.

Benson Henderson: The Hunt for Recognition and Redemption

Benson Henderson currently occupies an unusual space, he has reached the pinnacle of his profession, winning and retaining a world title, but he is not yet a star. At UFC 164, he will be fighting for recognition, something that has so far eluded his tenure as champion, and, because of the opponent, redemption.

As a lightweight in the UFC, Henderson is 7-0 and 4-0 in title fights. That is an impressive feat. The manner of many of his victories, however, has been less so. In seven fights, he has failed to finish a single opponent and two of his three title defenses have been split decisions. 

Henderson is the king of his division but he has just been eeking by his opponents. He has not yet achieved that career-defining win. Until that happens, he will remain in the mid to low region of the pound-for-pound rankings and will continue to be an uncelebrated champion.

He is the king of his division, he just has to encapsulate that into a single performance. Destroy the next best guy in the division. The king needs to unquestionably be the king. So far, Henderson has beaten everyone he has needed to at lightweight, just never in spectacular fashion. This is why he is currently treading water as a champion who is not yet a star, still chasing recognition.

In his 13 fights within the WEC and UFC, only one man has beaten Henderson. That man is Anthony Pettis. It was at the last ever WEC event, WEC 53, and Henderson was attempting to defend his lightweight title in his home state of Arizona. 

As if losing his title in his home state wasn't bad enough, Henderson was victim to perhaps the most jaw dropping moment in MMA history. In the final minute of the final round, Pettis pulled off the kick heard around the world. The 'Showtime Kick' is one of the sport's greatest highlight reels and Henderson is the recipient. 

Redemption is a powerful motivational tool though and Henderson has said that he is looking forward to erasing "that Pettis stain on my soul". 

At UFC 164, Henderson will get the chance to kill two birds with one stone. If he beats Pettis, and retains his belt, he will avenge his only loss in the last six years. If he beats him decisively, he can silence the naysayers. Recognition and redemption will be his.

Condit and Kampmann: Fighting for Relevancy at UFC Fight Night 27

The main event at UFC Fight Night 27 will pit two perennial welterweight contenders against each other in a fight for relevancy. In terms of title contention, one man will be fighting to stay relevant and the other will be fighting to become relevant.

Carlos Condit and Martin Kampmann will fight each other for the second time next Wednesday (Aug. 28) on Fox Sports 1 in Indianapolis, Indiana. In their first bout Kampmann defeated Condit via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28), it was Condit's promotional debut and only Kampmann's second fight as a welterweight in the UFC. Now, however, they are both seasoned campaigners in the division with UFC gold on their minds.

Since their first meeting, and despite losing, it is Condit who has had more success. Following that split decision loss in 2009, Condit has gone 5-2 in the UFC. It was a run that included a five fight winning streak that only came to an end when he faced Georges St-Pierre, unsuccessfully, for the UFC welterweight championship. He is currently the number two ranked welterweight in the UFC and his last six fights have produced five post-fight bonuses and an interim title.

Kampmann, on the other hand, is 5-4 since he fought Condit and two of those losses were via TKO in the first round. His path has not been laden with gold nor has it come even come close. Instead, he has spent his 11 fight spell as a welterweight in the UFC stuck in the lower half of the top 10. He is currently ranked at number six in the UFC's official rankings.

They both have three opponents in common and, interestingly, they share the same results. They both lost to Jake Shields, beat JakeEllenberger and they were both beaten by number one contender Johny Hendricks in their last outing. So MMA math is especially useless here.

Condit has worn both UFC and WEC gold and is still under 30, he is firmly entrenched in the upper echelon of the welterweight division. This territory, occupied by a small number of elite fighters, is one that Condit is fighting to remain in and Kampmann is fighting to break into. Kampmann has always been on the outside looking in, a couple of big wins are usually followed by a loss and his progression up the rankings stalls.

After dropping back to back fights, Condit's back is up against the wall, a win is pretty much a necessity if he has any intention of remaining relevant in the title picture. Kampmann, however, is at a crossroads. A win thrusts him into the title picture and a loss condemns him as a perennial 5-10 ranked welterweight, completely irrelevant as a title threat.

This headline fight is intriguingly poised, it is a rare non-title fight with real consequences. They will both, under different circumstances, be fighting for relevancy. 

The Last Chance Saloon for Shogun and Sonnen

The main event at UFC Fight Night 26 is Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua vs Chael Sonnen. They are both in the twilight of their careers and they are both coming into this fight off a loss, two in Sonnen's case. To continue being someone who matters, a win on Saturday night is pretty much a necessity. 

Since defeating Chuck Liddell in the first round in 2009, Shogun has traded wins and losses in the UFC. His overall record in the company is 6-6. Sonnen's record in the UFC, in two separate stints, is strikingly similar at 5-5. A combined record of 11-11 is not something you would expect from participants in the headline bout of a UFC card. However, their records are more of a testament to the level of competition they have faced rather than a knock on their talent or lack thereof. 

Interestingly, despite seeming very similar, their records in the UFC, upon closer examination, can be quite contrasting. Both are .500 fighters whose losses came against only the best. Their wins, however, are quite different. The five victories in Shogun's UFC career were against opponents who are 7-16 over the last four years. Sonnen's victories in the UFC came against opponents who, conversely, are 29-17 in the last four years.

Other than his title winning effort against Lyoto Machida, Shogun's wins in the UFC have come against Mark Coleman, Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin and Brandon Vera. All of whom were aging fighters past their prime by the time Shogun met them in the octagon. Sonnen's wins, on the other hand, were against legitimate contenders. Fighters like Yushin Okami, Nate Marquardt, Brian Stann and Michael Bisping.

This, perhaps, partly explains why Sonnen is currently the favorite despite the fact that he has never won in the UFC as a light heavyweight and Shogun is the former UFC light heavyweight champion. There are, of course, other factors that determine Sonnen's status as favorite. Neither wrestling nor cardio is Shogun's strong suit but Sonnen excels in both. A troublesome combination for Shogun, especially in a five round fight.

These two fighters are battling to swim against the current. They are in the autumn of their careers and title opportunities are moving further and further away. The loser will almost certainly never be thought of as a contender again.  

Since he lost his title, Shogun has twice lost to fellow contenders and is now firmly behind in the pecking order. Alexander Gustaffson will be the next man to face Jon Jones then there is Glover Teixeira, Daniel Cormier and Phil Davis waiting in the wings. Sonnen has lost all three of his title fights in the UFC. In fact, his last two fights were defeats in title bouts, in two different divisions. Both men are in desperate need of a win if they are to remain relevant.

Sonnen, however, is in a slightly better position than Shogun. He recently announced that he has signed a new five-fight contract with the UFC and will be moving back down to middleweight following the fight with Shogun. The consequences of a Sonnen loss, therefore, have been greatly diminished now he is leaving the light heavyweight division behind. Whereas Shogun is in danger of falling out of the top ten should he be defeated on Saturday night. 

Luckily for Sonnen, Anderson Silva lost his belt and the middleweight division has opened up for him. Sonnen was likely to never get another shot at Silva and the middleweight title again. But now Chris Weidman is the champion, fighters like Sonnen and Belfort are back in the running for a shot at the belt (providing Weidman retains his belt at UFC 168). 

Also, Sonnen has been, rather vocally, targeting Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva lately. So there are, at least, some interesting potential match-ups in his future. The same can't really be said for Shogun. A loss would be devastating. Rather than making runs at the title, he would instead, should his career continue, take on the role as gatekeeper for entry into the upper echelon of the division. A depressing duty for a legendary fighter to undertake. There is just something so sad about witnessing the gradual decline of a former champion, the transformation from a lion into just the guy in a lion's suit.

The outcome of the main event at UFC Fight Night 26 will very likely reinvigorate the career of the victor whilst killing the career of the defeated. One man's prospects may be sunnier than the others but both men, to some extent, are in the last chance saloon. 

UFC 163: A Makeshift Event

UFC 163 has been broken, fixed, broken and put back together again. The event is an unwanted return to the injury-ravaged cards that plagued 2012 for the UFC. 

The injury bug has returned with a vengeance and UFC 163 bore the brunt of the damage. The main card in particular has been bit hard, all but one of the bouts have either been altered or removed altogether due to injuries. Lyoto Machida vs. Phil Davis is the only fight on the main card that has remained unchanged. 

First, the original main event, Jose Aldo vs. Anthony Pettis, fell through. This, unquestionably, would have been one of the biggest fights of the year. Both are astonishingly talented and have the potential to be multi-divisional champions. The thought of those two sharing a cage really whet the appetite of the MMA community. It wasn't to be though, Pettis injured his knee and was replaced by Jung Chan-Sung - or the Korean Zombie as the UFC has, solely, marketed him in all of their promotional content.

Even though this is almost guaranteed to be a fun fight, it is still somewhat of a mismatch. 

The Zombie may be the most exciting fighter in MMA. In the past three years, he has won two fight of the year awards which sandwiched a submission of the year honor. Nevertheless, Aldo is a top three pound-for-pound fighter and the Zombie is just three fights removed from a two fight losing streak that featured Leonard Garcia and George Roop. According to BestFightOdds, Aldo is a big favorite in the -800 range. If Aldo fails to defend his belt on Saturday night it will be considered a sizable upset.

After the replacement main event was announced in June, main card fights began dropping like flies in July. The first victim was Josh Koscheck, after his injury, his proposed bout with Demian Maia was removed from the card. Then on the same day a week later, Phil Harris and Clint Hester suffered injuries and were replaced with unknown Brazilians Jose Maria Tome and Thiago Santos. 

Replacements haven't only affected the fighters, the UFC's commentary team has also been subject to change. For the first time since UFC 134, also held in Brazil, Joe Rogan will be absent from a PPV. Instead, the recently retired Brian Stann will take his place.

The plethora of changes has significantly impacted the event. UFC 163 was once a deep card with a main event that fans were chomping at the bit to see. Now, however, it has become almost the opposite. Other than the main and co-main event, there is very little top shelf talent featured and the main event, which before was bordering on a super fight, is now a relative mismatch.

The disarranged card will have even the most hardcore of MMA fans Googling the names of some of the fighters competing. As is always the case with events in Brazil, the card is loaded with Brazilians and, due to the number of late replacements, many are unknown to the majority of fans. Six fighters on the card don't even have a Wikipedia page, Sherdog will have to suffice for research purposes. The third fight on the PPV, a spot usually reserved for well-known fighters in the upper echelon of their division, will be Cezar Ferreira vs. Thiago Santos. Those who don't watch TUF: Brazil, or have in-depth knowledge of the local MMA circuit in the country, will likely have no idea who Ferreira and Santos are. This is a common scenario throughout the card.

As long as the pesky non-Brazilians don't win, the card will likely be a hit with the crowd. Especially if, like the last time he fought in Rio de Janiero, Aldo wins by spectacular knockout and then runs into the crowd to celebrate with the fans. However, outside of Brazil, its popularity may be slightly lacking. The patchwork, makeshift nature of the card has dampened some of the enthusiasm it once mustered. Big fights and popular names have fallen by the wayside and the buy rate for this PPV will likely take the hit.

Demetrious Johnson: A Champion but not a Star

At UFC on Fox 8, UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson will fight John Moraga in defense of his belt. He will also be fighting for recognition, something that has so far eluded his tenure as champion. 

His fight, on Fox, Saturday night will continue his run of being the only UFC champion to have never headlined a pay-per-view event. The flyweight champion currently occupies an unusual space, he has reached the pinnacle of his profession, winning a world title, but he is not yet a star. This is the gap that Johnson and the UFC are trying to bridge.

His omission from pay-per-view main events has little to nothing to do with his talent, as of right now he just simply does not have the star power to carry a pay-per-view on his own. 

Instead he will defend his title for the second consecutive time on free television. Which, of course, has its benefits. Fighting on Fox garners much more exposure than fighting on a PPV would. Johnson's last title defense on Fox, for example, was watched by an average of 3.78 million according to TVbytheNumbers.com. 

Johnson is a relatively new champion in a relatively new division, so it is understandable that the UFC are trying to build his profile before giving him a PPV main event slot. The 125 pound division was only introduced in March 2012 when a tournament consisting of four flyweights began at UFC on FX 2. Johnson went on to win the flyweight title in September 2012 at UFC 152 by beating Joseph Benavidez in the tournament final. His title reign and division are in their infancy. Maybe this is the sole reason why audiences haven't quite connected with Johnson, maybe they just haven't seen enough of him and the flyweights.

But maybe not.

Johnson's fighting style is one that does not translate well with casual fans. Whilst MMA purists may applaud his technique and athleticism, his style lacks the drama and brutality that fans on the periphery of MMA are attracted to. There is a core group of MMA fans who will pretty much watch any event that the UFC puts on, so viewing figures are really determined by how many casual fans decide to tune in. It is this group of people that Johnson needs to appeal to in order to become a star.

The issue is, as previously stated, that casual fans have not taken to his style. He has been consistently branded with the 'boring' moniker. 

Johnson is 5-1-1 in the UFC and all five of those wins came by decision. Combining his UFC and WEC stints, Johnson has participated in ten fights. In only one of those has he managed to finish his opponent, a third round submission victory over Damacio Page at WEC 52. Furthermore, in his four fights at flyweight in the UFC so far, he has yet to truly dominate his opponent. Those four fights all ended in close decisions, including one draw and a split decision. 

However, it must also be noted that since moving down to flyweight, in just four fights, he has won two fight of the night bonuses. This again showcases the polarizing nature of Demetrious Johnson. To some he is a technical wonder whose performances are impressive displays of skill. Whereas, others see a dull fight lacking in excitement and violence. 

His position is similar to that of Benson Henderson, they are both the kings of their divisions but they seem to be just eeking by their opponents. They have not yet achieved that definitive career-defining win. Until that happens, they will continue to hover around the mid to low spots on the pound-for-pound rankings and be the uncelebrated champions.

Johnson is unquestionably the best flyweight in the world. He just has to encapsulate that into a single performance. Destroy the next best guy in the division. The king needs to unquestionably be the king. So far Johnson has beaten everyone he has needed to at flyweight, just never in spectacular fashion. This is why he is currently treading water as a champion who is not yet a star.

A Blockbuster End of the Year for the UFC

The UFC has finalized its schedule for the remainder of 2013 and, should the injury bug stay away, it promises to be an impressively prolific spell. 

From now until the end of the year, all nine of the UFC's active champions will defend their belts. This remarkable period of MMA will begin at UFC on Fox 8 on July 27 with Demetrious Johnson vs. John Moraga and climax at UFC 168 on Dec. 28 when Anderson Silva rematches Chris Weidman. Two of the events in this time, UFC 165 and UFC 168, will even feature two title fights, the only other event in UFC history to do so was UFC 100 in 2009. During this time, there will also be some very fine UFC on Fox Sports 1 events. Examples being, Chael Sonnen vs. Shogun Rua, Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann and Michael Bisping vs. Mark Munoz.

Interestingly, Johnson vs. Moraga will be the only title bout to not headline a pay-per-view event, it will instead be shown on Fox. Johnson holds the reluctant honour of being the only champion in the UFC to have never headlined a pay-per-view event. It is, however, an understandable decision, the flyweight division is still relatively unknown and Johnson has little name recognition. At this point in his career he would struggle to carry a pay-per-view, appearances on Fox, with more viewers, should help boost his celebrity.

It has occurred purely by coincidence but as the year moves closer towards its end, the events ascend in both size and star power. Like a good opera, this period of events in the UFC appears to form a rising crescendo until it hits a peak and finishes with a big finale. 

Seven events from now until the end of the year will feature title fights. The first three of these will be headlined by title fights in three of the lighter weight classes, flyweight, featherweight and lightweight. First, it will be Demetrious Johnson vs. John Moraga at UFC on Fox 8 on July 27. Then, José Aldo vs. Jung Chan-Sung at UFC 163 on Aug. 3 and Benson Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis at UFC 164 on Aug. 31. 

The concluding four events will be headlined by light-heavyweight, heavyweight, welterweight and middleweight title bouts. In chronological order, these fights will be Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson and Renan Barao vs. Eddie Wineland at UFC 165 on Sept. 21, Cain Velasquez vs. Junior Dos Santos at UFC 166 on Oct. 19, Georges St-Pierre vs Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 on Nov. 16 and Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva and Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate at UFC 168 on Dec. 28.

Historically, events headlined by the lighter fighters are not as financially and commercially successful as their heavier counterparts. So this crescendo begins with events headlined by three of the lighter champions, it then ascends onto the two heaviest and climaxes with events headlined by the two biggest pay-per-view stars in the sport. The final event of the year, UFC 168, the big finale, even has the possibility of being the biggest in UFC history. The rest of 2013 should be a blockbuster period for both the UFC and its fans.

Ricardo Lamas: The Forgotten Featherweight

UFC 162 on Saturday night showcased four of the best featherweights in the world. So, consequently, the featherweights have been a hot topic of discussion in the days following the event. Due to the 'out of sight out of mind' nature of this sport, Ricardo Lamas has been missing from these discussions. Lamas, it seems, is quickly becoming the forgotten featherweight.

Lamas actually started the year in style by impressively finishing Erik Koch in January at UFC on Fox 6, a man who would have fought for the title in 2012 if it wasn't for the injury bug. However, since then Lamas just can't catch a break.

First, less than a fortnight after his win over Koch, the UFC announced that Anthony Pettis would drop down to 145 pounds to challenge José Aldo. Even though, that meant Aldo would be fighting a guy who had never competed at featherweight before, for the second consecutive time. 

Then, last month, when Pettis got injured and was removed from his UFC 163 title bout with Aldo, Lamas was again overlooked for the title shot. Instead, the UFC called on Jung Chan-Sung aka the Korean Zombie. Despite the fact that Lamas is currently above the Zombie in the UFC's official rankings and he is riding a longer winning streak in the division.

Following UFC 162, and just in case Lamas hadn't been disregarded enough, all the talk of Aldo's next challenger was focused on Frankie Edgar and Cub Swanson. Many are proposing that the two should fight to determine a number one contender. Some have even suggested that Swanson has done enough and should fight the winner of Aldo/Zombie. A quite ludicrous notion when you consider that Lamas submitted Swanson in 2011 and hasn't lost since, arguably defeating higher caliber opponents along the way. 

Lamas's career is strikingly similar to TJ Grant's, albeit with a different outcome. Both had respectable, but not exactly dazzling, stints in one weight class before a move down in divisions reinvigorated their careers. Lamas and Grant went from being middle of the pack in one division to elite contenders in another. They did this by going unbeaten at their new home, beating everyone the UFC put in front of them. Although, neither possesses a big name or personality, Grant's performances alone were enough to get him a title shot. Lamas, on the other hand, is still waiting for his.

It is starting to feel like Lamas isn't 'sexy' enough for a shot at the title. By which i mean he doesn't have a flamboyant fighting style, a loud mouth or any star power. Neither does Grant you might say, which is true but there was basically no other option at lightweight. Featherweight, however, has almost a plethora of contenders to choose from. Twice now, Lamas has lost out to the sexier option. First there was Pettis, a much flashier fighter with a bigger name. Then there was the Korean Zombie and come on, what is sexier than a Korean Zombie?

It is an arduous time for fighters like Lamas in the UFC. This year the likes of Chael Sonnen and Nick Diaz have jumped the queue and received title shots based on their star power and marketability, rather than merit. A few months ago the UFC introduced their official ranking system, which theoretically should stop this type of practice in its track. However, the fact that the UFC chose the Zombie to face Aldo instead of Lamas who is ranked higher shows that this isn't the case. 

By rights, Lamas should face the winner of Aldo/Zombie and Edgar vs. Swanson should determine the number one contender after Lamas. His immediate future though is unclear, he reportedly still received his show money after the Zombie was removed from their UFC 162 bout but as of yet he does not have a fight booked. 

MMA is a 'what have you done for me lately' kind of sport and Lamas needs to fight while he waits for the outcome of Aldo/Zombie. Otherwise, the title moves further and further away from him. An impressive performance from another featherweight in the meantime or an injury in training while he waits would again result in him missing out on a title shot. Other than remodeling himself into something he isn't, winning is all Lamas can do in order to avoid becoming the forgotten featherweight.

Chris Weidman: The Man to Dethrone the King? Part II

In part I, the reasons why Chris Weidman might be successful at UFC 162 were explored. This second and final installment will focus on what may prevent him from becoming the UFC middleweight champion.

A substantial proportion of the MMA community, relative to previous Anderson Silva fights, believe that the champion will lose his belt on Saturday night. However, those that side against Weidman usually site one reason, his inexperience. 

Weidman's talent is irrefutable. What isn't, is whether or not he is ready for a fight of this magnitude.

With less than ten professional fights on his record, Weidman is still somewhat green in the sport. It is also easy to forget that he basically became the number one contender by default as all potential adversaries for Silva started dropping like flies. Michael Bisping was being groomed for a title shot, all he had to do was get past Vitor Belfort and the opportunity was his. He consequently got knocked out and the UFC had to look elsewhere. With very few viable contenders at middleweight, light heavyweight stand-out Rashad Evans entered the discussion. However, he then suffered a lackluster loss to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and the chance was gone. With essentially no other options the UFC turned to Weidman.

The step up in competition will be enormous for Weidman, his toughest tests to date have been Demian Maia and Mark Munoz. In an ideal world his title shot would have come further down the line, after he had gained more experience fighting in the upper echelon of the division. Fights with the likes of Yushin Okami and Michael Bisping would have provided a greater test of where he is at. As is he untested against the best in the world, it is difficult to classify him as anything other than a talented prospect. 

If you are about the face the greatest fighter of all time, it isn't exactly ideal to go into the fight with no big fight experience. Weidman has never even fought on the main card of a pay-per-view before and he is about to headline the biggest event of the year, a championship fight in Las Vegas against the pound-for-pound king. That is some jump to make. 

For someone who is used to fighting without much hoopla, participating in an event of this significance could be a bit of a shock to the system. A baptism of fire like this will be a real test of his mental fortitude. The media obligations alone during fight week can be enough to drain a fighter mentally. As well as the pressure and nerves that come along with such a high profile bout. This particular fight, mentally, brings with it a certain x factor. That x factor is his opponent. Silva has a unique aura about him, an aura similar to what Mike Tyson possessed in his prime. When Tyson was at his murderous best, his opponents would be defeated by their own anxiety. The combination of fear and the likelihood of being embarrassed in front of millions would cripple them. The same can be said of Silva. He has the potential to make talented fighters look like clowns. Silva's opponents have to face the fact that they may be romoshopped all over the internet the next day. Just making it to the fight with all his emotions in check could be a herculean task in itself.

As if the challenge wasn't already difficult enough for Weidman, he is going to have to face the greatest fighter of all time coming of a one year hiatus and shoulder surgery. He will also have to beat him twice. Dana White has announced that should Silva lose, there will be an instant rematch. 

Silva has never been beaten in the UFC, he has defended his middleweight title ten times, he is the pound-for-pound king and he is widely considered to be the greatest of all time. Can Weidman defeat that man and overcome all the obstacles presented in this article? Well on Saturday night at UFC 162 in Las Vegas we will find out if Chris Weidman is the man to dethrone the king.

Is There Anything Left for Anderson Silva to do at Middleweight?

For the past seven years, Anderson Silva has been king of the middleweight division. On Saturday night at UFC 162, he will attempt to defend his title for the eleventh time.

Since he acquired the belt by defeating Rich Franklin in 2006, Silva has defeated every single challenger that has been put in front of him. However, Saturday night may very well be the night that he finally runs out of worthy contenders for his middleweight crown. If Silva defeats Chris Weidman, he may have finally cleared out the division. After all, Weidman only became the number one contender by default. After a number of top middleweights suffered losses, he was basically the only viable man left standing.

Trying to pick Silva's next title defense is no easy task, in terms of contenders, it is slim pickings in the middleweight division. Ignoring Weidman, who is the number one ranked fighter in the division, and moving down the list we reach number two and three ranked fighters (Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami), both of whom were knocked out by Silva in 2011. So barring fighting the same guys again, there isn't much left to do for Silva at middleweight if he beats Weidman.

Outside of those top three ranked guys, there just isn't anybody else who deserves a title shot. Michael Bisping is probably the best of the rest but he has consistently fallen at the last hurdle. He has participated in three title eliminator fights in the UFC, against Henderson, Sonnen and Belfort, and lost all three. This is a shame because Silva vs. Bisping could actually be a big event for the UFC if it was to be held in England. It would have the potential to be the sport's breakthrough moment in the UK, a market that Dana White has been desperate to crack for years.

Silva is widely considered to be the pound-for-pound king and the greatest of all time but he is aging and, although he shows no signs of slowing down, he has a limited amount of time left in the sport. He has firmly established himself as the greatest middleweight of all time, there is nothing left to prove in the division and with no real challengers left now would be the time to turn his attention toward super fights before father time catches up to him.

Silva's rhetoric leading up to UFC 162 would suggest that his focus is intensifying on the super fights. I cannot recall a single word being said regarding his next fight at middleweight. Apart from Weidman, the two names to come out of Silva's mouth the most have been Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones. Quite the contrary to his past behaviour on the subject, Silva has actually been fairly vocal on the subject of super fights. 

However, his attitude toward his two potential adversaries has been night and day. When asked about GSP, Silva has been unusually mischievous in his answers. On Monday in an interview with ESPN, Silva made the comment that GSP was "no good" and also insinuated that Pierre was scared to fight him. This is in complete contrast to his answers about Jones, in which Silva has been nothing but respectful and courteous. At a press lunch on the same day, he even went as far as saying "If I fight Jon Jones, I don't think I'm going to win". 

It is always difficult to second guess Silva, notorious for having fun with the media, he seems to enjoy misleading them wherever possible. So it is wise to take what he says, in public, with a pinch of salt. Nevertheless, he seems to have his sights set firmly on a super fight. Which is probably the right move, he is 38 and his accomplishments at middleweight are indisputable, he has a finite amount of time left in the sport and it would be more effectively spent on pursuing fights that would enhance his legacy. 

Chris Weidman: The Man to Dethrone the King? Part I

At UFC 162, just ten fights into his professional career, Chris Weidman will face Anderson Silva for his middleweight crown, a fighter who is universally recognized as the greatest in the sport. 

Due to middleweight contenders falling by the wayside over the last year, Weidman basically got the title shot by default.

Weidman and his progress, for a while now, have carried a sense of excitement similar to that surrounding the early career of Cain Velasquez. Before Velasquez became heavyweight champion or even a heavyweight contender, we would always hear his name mentioned by 'people in the know' who would wax lyrical about an up and coming beast who would be champion someday. The same thing has been happening with Weidman. It seems like the majority of the MMA community believe he is destined to become champion.

Ever since Silva became a seemingly unbeatable demi-god, it feels like his next opponent is always the one who has the tools to beat him. The marketing machine goes into overdrive and we hear all about how this challenger could be the one to finally dethrone the champion, Joe Rogan uses his "if I had to design a fighter in a lab to beat Anderson he would have... (describes the opponents skill set)" bit and some of us fall for it. Then inevitably, Silva brings a ballet of violence to the octagon and we feel foolish for ever doubting him. So we have danced this dance before.

The difference this time is the size of the hype train. Even though all of Silva's opponents are sold to us as having the best chance yet to beat him and possessing the ideal tools to do so, this fight is different. Never have so many fans, fighters and writers picked against the champion. So why is this the case? What makes Weidman different from the rest?

Well the fights with Chael Sonnen showed that Silva's Achilles heel, so to speak, is his wrestling. His two fights with Sonnen were the only in his UFC career where his opponent was able to have continued success. Sonnen proved that Silva can be taken down and kept there. Now considering that Weidman is also a big powerful wrestler, it's easy to see why many believe he is a bad match up for Silva. 

Weidman, like Sonnen, has impressive wrestling credentials, he is a two-time NCAA Division I All-American and had victories over current light heavyweight contenders Phil Davis and Ryan Bader. However, the key difference between the two, and perhaps the reason Weidman is so heavily backed, is that he has much more of a propensity to finish the fight once it hits the ground. 

Along with his accomplished wrestling, he is also somewhat of a jiu-jitsu prodigy. He has taken to the discipline phenomenally quickly. In 2009, after only eight months of training he qualified for and competed at ADCC, known as the Super Bowl of grappling. He lost in the second round to BJJ superstar Andre Galvao, but gained a lot of praise for his performance against the two-time ADCC champion. He is now a brown belt under former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra.

Unlike Sonnen, who uses his wrestling to maintain a dominant position once the contest hits the ground, Weidman utilizes his well rounded grappling skills as a tool to finish the fight. Once he is on top of his opponent, he will constantly be on the offensive looking for a way to finish, usually searching for chokes.  

Weidman's striking, despite not advancing as quickly as his BJJ, is competent. Whilst standing and trading with a master like Silva will obviously not be a part of his gameplan, Weidman will need to use his striking to exchange with Silva and punch his way in to get close enough to complete a takedown. Talented grapplers like Demian Maia and Thales Leites fought Silva and simply refused to strike, instead they limited their attacks to hopeful lunges towards Silva's legs. As we know, that didn't work out to well for them. Weidman's striking, whilst nowhere near Silva's level, is more capable than that possessed by Sonnen, Maia and Leites so there will be no need for desperate lunges, he should at least occasionally be able to work his way in to secure a takedown.

Because Silva has never lost in the UFC, we can only examine the fights in which he was least impressive. Top of that list would be his first fight with Sonnen. Sonnen managed to consistently get the fight to the ground and control Silva there for the majority of the fight. 

Well Weidman is essentially a better version of Sonnen, his game has more dimensions to it. He has the wrestling pedigree of Sonnen as well as the added layers of potent BJJ and more competent striking. He is also younger and more athletic. So if Sonnen and his skill set can have that level of success against the middleweight champion, logic would suggest that a Weidman victory on Saturday night is certainly feasible. One thing is for certain, it will certainly be much more difficult for Silva to submit Weidman off his back.  

In part II, coming in a couple of days, I will look at the reasons why Chris Weidman may not be the man to dethrone the king.

UFC 161: The Event That Doesn't Really Matter

For the very first time, the UFC will be heading to Manitoba, Canada. More specifically, the MTS Center in Winnipeg. And it feels like nobody cares. 

UFC 161 is a card that has been broken and put back together again, rather shoddily. As a result, the enthusiasm for this event is somewhat non-existent.

This event and its original line-up wasn't the strongest of pay-per-views to begin with, so once it lost its main event and a prominent main card bout it became a card more suited to a Fuel TV slot. 


May 21 was the beginning of the end for UFC 161. It was the day that Renan Barao pulled out of the main event, an interim bantamweight title fight against Eddie Wineland. It would have been Barao's second defense of his title and the fight was the event's main source of credibility. With the fight scrapped, a lot of the drawing power of UFC 161 was lost.

After this, in a bid to reinforce the main card, the UFC decided to remove Soa Palelei from his fight with Stipe Miocic and replace him with Roy Nelson. A fighter with a much bigger name.

The final nail in UFC 161's coffin came just twelve days before the event was due to take place, when it was announced that Antonio Rogerio Nogueira had to pull out of his rematch with Shogun Rua due to a back injury. Rather cruelly for the much suffering Western Canadian fans, a potential Sonnen vs. Rua fight was dangled in front of them only to be taken away because of Sonnen's alleged visa issues. That fight will now main event the UFC's inaugural event on Fox Sports 1 in Boston. 

These changes decimated the card. The fight that has now been bumped up to the main event is Rashad Evans vs. Dan Henderson, both of whom are coming off losses. Hardly what you would expect from the main event of a pay-per-view. In fact, in the main three fights, five out of the six fighters are coming off losses. Only Roy Nelson is riding a winning streak. To call this pay-per-view fight card shallow would be kind.

To say that this event 'doesn't really matter' is obviously hyperbole, but hyperbole that has its base in truth. UFC 161 will not feature a title fight nor will it even feature a fight to determine a number one contender, very unusual for a pay-per-view event. 

Other than pride, there isn't much else to fight for on Saturday night. Very few of the fighters involved are ranked high enough to cause an impact upon their division with a win and the majority of those that are actually ranked in the top ten are coming off a loss. The only fighter who is in the top ten of his division and is carrying some momentum is Roy Nelson. However, he is facing someone he is expected to dispose of handily. Miocic has only been fighting professionally a little over three years and was knocked out in his last outing, a win over him will do little to advance Nelson's standing in the heavyweight division.

So UFC 161 will have little to no effect in the big picture, that isn't to say it won't be fun though. Both Evans and Henderson suffered lackluster losses in their last fights, the loser in this fight is finished as a contender. This should prompt an exciting fight, an impressive win is the only way to ensure one of them stays relevant. The card also features two heavyweight bouts, the other being Barry vs. Jordan, in which all four fighters are aggressive strikers. It's almost certain that both those fights will end with someone on their back dazed and confused. Alexis Davis will fight Rosi Sexton in only the fourth women's fight in the UFC and if they follow the example set by the last three, they will most likely steal fight of the night.

So UFC 161 will likely be a fun night of fights with very little consequence. Which sounds perfect for an event on Fuel TV, but this won't be shown on free television. The UFC are expecting fans to pay for the privilege of watching this card and that may prove to be a very difficult task for an event that 'doesn't really matter'.