On Saturday night at UFC 160, TJ Grant faced Gray Maynard in the biggest fight of his career. The stakes were high, with the winner receiving a shot at the lightweight title against Benson Henderson.
Somewhat surprisingly, Grant knocked out Maynard in the first round. Producing the greatest performance of his career and also earning himself a knockout of the night bonus, worth $50,000. A bonus that was originally destined for Junior Dos Santos until Mike Tyson urged Dana White to award it to Grant.
Interestingly, Grant's victory over Maynard at UFC 160 was his first ever appearance on the main card of a UFC event. His previous ten fights in the UFC have all been conducted on the prelims. A low profile career for a low profile man.
Arguably, Grant's lightweight title shot was the most captivating story to come out of UFC 160. This is a fighter who has fought the majority of his career at welterweight, it's where he fought the first six of his fights in the UFC. During his time as a welterweight in the UFC, Grant managed a 3-3 record. His three wins in that period came to fighters who were immediately released following the loss. He was a fighter whose career was going largely unnoticed.
Then came the pivotal moment in his career, following his loss to Ricardo Almeida in 2010, Grant decided to move down to lightweight. A decision that rejuvenated his career. Since his transition into the 155 pound division, Grant has won five in a row and his next fight will be for the world title.
TJ Grant is now the poster boy for changing weight classes.
A fighter moving weight classes is relatively common in MMA. What isn't common is when a fighter's career is significantly improved because of that change. Typically, a fighter will move into another division as a last resort. It's usually a desperation move when a career is in its death throes. A ploy to prolong their career, at least with the UFC. Lost a couple a fights in a row? Hey, why not seek a fresh start in another weight class. The problem is, if you are a mediocre fighter struggling for a win, changing the division you fight in isn't likely to change that. You will just be a mediocre fighter in a different division. This is the reason why TJ Grant's story is so interesting.
Grant was a .500 fighter at welterweight who became a wrecking machine once he moved down to lightweight. Rarely, if ever, has there been such a disparity in a fighter's performance between weight classes. There are many examples to compare. Rich Franklin, Wanderlei Silva, Brian Stann and Kenny Florian have all fought in different divisions. However, there was not a stark contrast in their performances immediately before and after the move. If they were a top 10/15 fighter in one division they became a top 10/15 fighter in their new division. So why is Grant so different?
Maybe it was simply a case of fighting in the wrong division for the majority of his career. All of his three losses at welterweight in the UFC came against big strong grapplers (Dong Hyun Kim, Johny Hendricks and Ricardo Almeida). So the theory that the reason for his deficiencies at welterweight was due to him being undersized holds some weight. It's also possible that the move to lightweight gave his career a new lease of life which reinvigorated him. Who knows. It doesn't really matter anyway. However it happened, it is one hell of a story.
The fact is that later in the year, TJ Grant will fight Benson Henderson for the lightweight title. In doing so, he will be one of the unlikeliest title challengers in a long time. He doesn't have a big name, a charismatic personality or a flashy fighting style. Following the recent title shots given to Nick Diaz and Chael Sonnen though, this is just what we needed. A deserving gritty contender who has risen up the rankings to earn his shot. For that reason, plus we all love an underdog, a lot of MMA fans will be in the corner of the Nova Scotian come fight night.
Over the past few days, the adequacy of the gloves used by the UFC have been called into question.
The debate was obviously ignited following the peculiar events of UFC 159, in which, among other things, two of the fights were stopped due to eye pokes. Although this event and it's oddities were certainly an outlier, it seems that the eye pokes at UFC 159 were the last straw for many. And it is the gloves that have taken the brunt of the criticism.
Following the controversy, the UFC has decided to design a new glove. On Tuesday Dana White explained, "we have started to work on a new glove that actually curves your hand," adding that "the glove is curved like a 'U' so you can still open your hand, but your fingers don't point straight out."
Social media has been set ablaze with images of how the apparent new gloves will look, an example being this monstrosity. Many, however, are suggesting that the new gloves will be very similar to the ones used in Pride.
But are the gloves the real issue? Well, they certainly aren't the primary reason fighters are getting poked in the eye. That is the fault of their opponents. This is the issue that needs to be addressed. Instead of wasting time and money partaking in research and development into new gloves, why not stop the problem at its source. The fighters.
Eye pokes are a workplace hazard in MMA, the same as low blows and headbutts. However, because eye pokes are a phenomenon based mainly in MMA they seem to have slipped under the radar of the ABC (Association of Boxing Commissions). Which is the reason the St. Preux vs Villante debacle was able to occur. Marc Ratner (UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs) is aiming to change this, he plans to request changes to the unified rules at the ABC's summer convention.
Getting back to the root of the problem, it is either poor technique or malicious intention that will cause an eye poke. An emphasis needs to be placed on keeping the fist closed when striking. Fighters who repeatedly paw out at their opponent should be penalized accordingly. Knowing that points will be taken away if they do this should be enough to deter the frequency of these types of incidents. There is absolutely no need for outstretched fingers to be anywhere near your opponents face when you are striking. This common flaw in technique is what needs to be addressed and altered, not the gloves.
Other than wasting time and money, redesigning the gloves could present different problems. Ever since UFC 14: Showdown in 1997, wearing the current type of UFC glove has been mandatory. Therefore, the majority of the fighters in the UFC today have spent their entire career fighting and training in these gloves. Changing the gloves in any significant way may be difficult to adapt to, at least initially.
Another concern, perhaps the main concern, is how will the new gloves affect performance. We know why these new gloves are being developed, to avoid eye pokes. However, if too great of an emphasis is placed upon it's function in the striking realm then the grappling aspect of the sport may suffer. Movement of the hand and it's digits is essential for grappling in MMA, restricting that too much would hamper a grappler's effectiveness. Designing the gloves incorrectly may turn MMA into a striking biased sport.
Rules and regulations are what is needed, not redesign.
Daniel Cormier is in a peculiar position. The division in which his fighting future lies is still undecided.
The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion is currently in career limbo until he decides which title it is he wants to make a run at.
There are two clear paths for Cormier to take, both of which have their own respective roadblocks.
The first one is to stay at heavyweight. This seems like it would be the most logical option, it certainly makes the most sense from a purely fighting perspective. He has fought his entire career at heavyweight, he was/is the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion, he hold wins over two former UFC Heavyweight Champions and he owns a knockout victory over the the man about to fight for the title. Oh yeah, he is also undefeated at the weight.
The only problem with staying at heavyweight is that, his good friend, Cain Velasquez is the current UFC Heavyweight Champion. The pair, who train together at AKA, have stated numerous times that they would be unwilling to fight one other. So, like any job, why stick around when there is no chance of progression.
Ok, so Cormier should move down to the light heavyweight division then? Well that too has its issues.
Cormier has spent his entire career at heavyweight, usually weighing between 235 and 250 pounds. Not since his wrestling days, at 211 pounds, has he weighed anywhere near the 205 pound light heavyweight limit. When you consider he has consistently made 211 pounds in the past, only 6 pounds above the light heavyweight limit, moving down a weight class seems very plausible. The issue is that the last time he attempted to make this weight, at the 2008 Olympic Games, his kidneys failed and he could not compete. If that's how your body reacts to making 211 pounds, maybe trying to make 205 pounds isn't such a good idea.
Cormier has admitted that he lost the weight incorrectly, nevertheless any future attempts to do something similar must be met with serious consideration. When participating in a sport like this, the last thing you need is an extra health risk.
A definitive decision has not been made regarding which of these paths he is going to take. Ideally this decision would have been made before his UFC debut, that way he could have focused his efforts on getting a title shot in that particular division. Instead, he is stalling slightly. Lacking purpose.
He recently fought and defeated Frank Mir, a fight that didn't really get him any closer to a title. It felt more like a stop-gap fight. In fact, because of this current indecision, he isn't really mentioned in the heavyweight title picture at all.
This is evident in the matchmaking too. Joe Silva and Sean Shelby can't second guess what Cormier's intentions are, so he is being matched up with the top gatekeepers of the division. It is difficult to put a fighter in a number one contender bout if he isn't willing to face the champion.
Following Roy Nelson's impressive TKO victory over Cheick Kongo, Dana White announced that he liked a potential match up with Cormier. A proposition that he promptly agreed to on Twitter;
Does this mean that he is staying at heavyweight? Possibly. Why else would you continue to take fights in a division that you plan to leave. Perhaps the strategy is to continue to take fights at heavyweight until Velasquez relinquishes his title. Or maybe they have decided that if the time should come, they will fight one another for the title. Logically, those are the only two reasons for sticking around at heavyweight. Otherwise, he is an undersized (at 5'10") fighter in a weight class with no real prospects.
We know Dana White's opinion on the matter, he would like to see Cormier move down to light heavyweight. He believes his power will be much more effective at 205 pounds. At this stage it is largely unclear what Cormier's intentions are, I'm not sure even he knows. It's possible he is waiting to let the chips fall where they may and then going from there. A risky strategy, he is behind a growing number of men in the queue for title shots. Until he comes out and dedicates himself to a division, his career is lacking impetus. He is a fighter without a home.
Saturday night was quite possibly the last time we will ever see Chael Sonnen compete in MMA.
After he was soundly beaten at UFC 159, Chael's rhetoric was transformed. He was now somber and reflective. Gone was the showman. All that remained was the man behind all the hyperbole. The real Chael. The Chael we saw on the Ultimate Fighter. During his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Chael stated that "I'm not going to be one of the guys to hang around, if there isn't a road to the title then this sport isn't for me. I believe that was probably my last opportunity". In my book, those are some retiring words.
As is always the case when there is a high profile retirement, we instantly begin the process of dissecting their career. Usually through rose-tinted glasses. So how will we remember Chael Sonnen the fighter? If we are to ignore the persona and simply concentrate on his fighting accolades, then Chael may be remembered as MMA's nearly man.
Chael's failure to capture the light heavyweight belt against Jon Jones meant that he has come up short in all three of his UFC title fights.
His time in the WEC yielded a similar story. In 2007, Chael fought Paulo Filho for the title and was submitted in the second round. Then, the following year he got another chance to challenge Filho. Despite winning the fight, he did not capture the title because Filho missed weight, deeming it a non-title fight. In case you aren't keeping count, that is five chances to win a world championship and five times Chael has gone home empty handed.
Unfortunately for Chael, he seems to possess that annoying knack of just falling short in all of his endeavors. That could be due to a mental fragility or maybe his talent is just not at a championship level. We can speculate all we want but ultimately it is irrelevant, he came second every time and that is all that counts.
So assuming Chael does indeed decide to retire, his career will be one of a world class fighter who narrowly failed at the final hurdle.
The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday night will be the scene of a one-sided beat down according to a large proportion of the MMA world.
Many, including the odds makers, believe that Chael Sonnen has little to no chance of dethroning Jon Jones at UFC 159.
That opinion is perfectly valid and the controversy of this fight announcement is somewhat understandable. The light heavyweight bout will be Sonnen's first since his UFC debut against Renato Sobral at UFC 55 in 2005. Which, of course, means that he is 0-1 at light heavyweight in the UFC. He is also coming off a loss in a completely different division. Chael, certainly, does not 'deserve' this fight in any conventional sense.
However, all that is now irrelevant. The fact is they will both step into the octagon and only one of them will leave as the UFC light heavyweight champion. The only real pertinent discussion now is, can he actually pull it off?
Well Jones is about as unbeatable as it gets in MMA. Ignoring the disqualification loss to Matt Hamill, he has never been beaten. Not only that, but baring a briefly deep armbar courtesy of Vitor Belfort, his MMA career has pretty much been smooth sailing. His extraordinary reach and unpredictable fighting style causes his opponents to resemble a deer caught in the headlights. He possesses that rare ability to mesmerize and remove his opposition from their game plans. It is in this area of the contest that Chael may complicate things.
One of the funnest aspects about Chael as a fighter is his go go go attitude whilst in the cage. There are no Greg Jackson-esque game plans, he simply tucks his chin in and moves forward. This, such a simple rudimentary technique, could potentially be his most useful asset.
Scared is a strong term, especially in the testosterone fueled world of MMA, so instead lets use wary. Many, if not all, of Jones's title defenses have been against challengers who seem very wary to engage. They fight prudently. Very rarely do we see the fight being taken to Jones. Yet, this is precisely what we are likely to see at UFC 159.
Chael only comes with one mode and that is attack mode. He will not stand in awe while Jones uses his length to dictate the distance at which the fight will fought. Instead, he will be constantly aggressive and will plow forward to a fault in an attempt to get inside, grab a hold of and hopefully take down the champion. After all, gangsters from Oregon have no concern for oblique kicks.
Jones doesn't possess one punch knockout power, instead he breaks you down gradually with a wide ranging assault round after round until he seizes his opportunity to finish the fight. This could be encouraging for Chael. He may be willing to eat the odd shot on the way in if it means he can complete a take down. Then what? We have never really seen Jones on the back foot or even how he reacts to adversity. There is no telling how he will respond if he cannot dictate the pace or range of the fight. He may crumble, he may rally and find a way to win.
Jones's take down defense has been impregnable, however the same was said about Anderson Silva and Chael took him down and beat him up for the majority of their seven rounds with one another. He will be hoping for similar success against Jones, minus the triangle chokes and failed spinning back fists.
The journey towards UFC 159 started back in August of last year, when the fight was announced. It has been long and it has been controversial. Eight months and one reality TV show later we are about to find out if Chael Sonnen can finally back up his rampant mouth and become a world champion.
So can a blown up middleweight who has lost on three separate occasions to Jeremy Horn beat the greatest light heavyweight of all time? Maybe. To paraphrase Chael P., he may go down, but if he does he will go down like a gangster.
Super fight is a term that gets thrown around a lot in combat sports. It is also a term that is tricky to define.
In my last post, I discussed super fights in the UFC. I, personally, used the term 'super fights' to describe potential bouts involving the top three pound for pound fighters in the sport. However, a lot of the time it is simply used as a promotional tool to hype up fights that are not really deserving of the label.
Maybe the term has been bastardized over time. Words are often overused to the point where they lose their true meaning. Love, hate and literally hit their saturation points a long time ago, the significance behind them has been diminished greatly. One could argue that this is what is happening with the term 'super fight'.
The truth is there is no real definition. We just need to decide how we are going to use it.
So which fights do we brand as a super fight? Is it simply champion vs. champion or is it more complicated than that? Maybe legend vs. legend is deserving of the title? What about pound for pound great vs. pound for pound great?
I think the answer is much more subjective.
A true super fight is, in part, determined by the fans. The desire to see those two particular individuals face off must be intense. It is the kind of fight that your mum will know is happening. The kind of fight the mainstream media take notice of. Usually, these fights seem destined not to take place. And that’s why we are fascinated by them, if shooting stars were witnessed every night they wouldn't be as special. A true super fight is generally years in the making, it's the teasing and anticipation that makes it that much more enticing.
On that basis, I would determine that there are only two true super fights to be made in the UFC, George St-Pierre vs. Anderson Silva and Anderson Silva vs. Jon Jones.
There, does however, seem to be an awkward no man’s land when it comes to super fights. They occupy the area between a run of the mill title fight and a contest that decides who is the pound for pound king. The fights that operate in this space are fights I like to call the ‘not quite’ super fights.
A recent example of what I’m talking about was the Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar fight. This was even talked about as a super fight, but almost half-heartedly. The anticipation and excitement for this fight was higher than that of Aldo’s previous title defenses yet was distinctly lower than what could be expected if GSP was to fight Silva. Maybe this was because Edgar was no longer a champion and was riding a two-fight losing streak. Nevertheless, these were two of the top ten pound for pound fighters in the world doing battle, the featherweight king versus the former lightweight king. There was just a certain something missing, they were not fighting for the right to be known as the greatest fighter on Earth.
There are more of these ‘not quite’ super fights to be made in the UFC. As my previous post discussed, they are plenty of obstacles to overcome in order for a true super fight to go down. The fun part about the ‘not quite’ super fights is that they are much more likely to take place.
Working from bottom to top let’s start with Jose Aldo vs. Benson Henderson. Earlier this year, it was revealed that if Aldo beats Anthony Pettis in August he will move up and face Henderson for the lightweight title.
Next up there is Henderson vs. GSP. In February, Henderson called out the long-time welterweight champ. This was days after Pettis decided to move down to featherweight and fight Aldo instead of fighting Henderson for the lightweight title, for which he was the number one contender. They have previous and Henderson was upset Pettis moved down so maybe his call out of GSP was just a bit posturing. Nonetheless, if Henderson continues winning there could be big paydays for him down the line.
Finally, to complete our list, there is Jon Jones vs. Cain Velasquez. It was pretty much inevitable that Jones will move up to heavyweight at some point, he has even stated that it could be as early as the end of this year. Which means a bout between Jones and Velasquez could conceivably take place in 2014.
These are all big fights. They are fantasy fights. They are champion vs. champion fights. Yet they still fall within that no man’s land. They are more special than typical title fights but not quite as epic as the GSP vs. Silva or Silva vs. Jones super fights would be. They are the ‘not quite’ super fights.
Super fights, especially lately, have been a much discussed topic in the UFC. Ever since Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva embarked upon their dominant championship reigns, there has been talk of a super fight between the two. A fight to determine the pound for pound king. For the longest time though, this seemed to be a pipe dream.
The emergence of Jon Jones, however, seems to have reignited life into the subject. It has now become MMA's version of a love triangle.
Lately we have begun to be teased more and more by the UFC. Dana White, in particular, has been very vocal about making super fights between the big three.
So why does the UFC seem to be pushing the super fights with vigor lately? Maybe it is because they need to strike while the iron is hot. There appears to be a vast number of reasons why the fights won't happen. So why not try to make them as quickly as possible while all the pieces are still in place.
It looks as if we are oh so close to witnessing a combination of the top three pound-for-pound fighters in the world do battle inside the octagon. Despite it feeling like a very real possibility, there are a number of potential roadblocks.
So. What are the obstacles that could prevent a potential super fight involving Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva and Jon Jones?
Well, for starters, Anderson Silva is the linchpin to this whole concept. As he is in the middle of the trio, any hopes of a super fight rest on him. We have three fighters and two possible fights, both of which Silva is a participant. Luckily, it seems that out of three, Silva is the one most fond of the idea.
Silva is set to defend his middleweight title against Chris Weidman at UFC 162 in July. Now, if he was to lose, would the super fights fall part? The whole reason these super fights are enticing is because they are pitting three, seemingly unbeatable, world champions against each other. The allure would be somewhat lost if Silva is coming of a loss and is no longer a champion. The odds are unquestionably in Silva's favour but it would be foolish to count Weidman. He is a world class grappler who many are tipping for the upset. According to Dana White, Weidman has already apologized for ruining the super fights.
"I talked to Chris Weidman myself. Guy looks me right in the eye and says, 'I'm telling you, I apologize that I'm going to f**k up all your super-fights and I'm gonna be your next champion. What I will do for you is I'll give him (Silva) an immediate rematch in Madison Square Garden as soon as he loses."
Next up is Georges St-Pierre. Who, of the three, seems least keen to engage in a super fight. As he is at the bottom end of this trio, he can only fight one man, Anderson Silva. Now, whenever he is asked a question regarding Anderson Silva and a possible fight, his demeanor visibly changes and he avoids the question like a seasoned politician. It wouldn't be completely unjustified if one was to opine that St-Pierre doesn't want to fight Silva. Which is, ultimately, what matters.
It has been all but confirmed that St-Pierre will fight Johny Hendricks. Which many are predicting will be his toughest test to date. However, it is important to note that this isn't set in stone. Dana White has said on multiple occasions that he hopes to put on a super fight by the end of the year, ideally at Madison Square Garden to celebrate the UFC's 20th anniversary in November. Which is approximately the time that the St-Pierre-Hendricks would take place. So either Hendricks gets his title shot or we have to wait to see St-Pierre-Silva. If we do see St-Pierre-Hendricks before a super fight, which seems the most likely option, then there is the distinct possibility that he gets beat. Which would obviously dampen the desire for a St-Pierre-Silva super fight.
Another issue with St-Pierre is that it was recently announced that he will play Batroc the Leaper in Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It is unclear, at this stage, how this will impact his immediate future. But it is safe to assume that he will be taking some time away from the sport. He is famous for his preparation so it is unlikely he would do it alongside a fight camp. So will St-Pierre even fight again in 2013? Who knows.
Lastly, we have the final piece of this puzzle, Jon Jones. Now, Jones can only fight Anderson Silva and this fight can only happen at 205 pounds. Which is interesting as it is the only common ground we have in super fight territory because Silva has fought at 205 before in the UFC. He has fought three times in the light-heavyweight division, winning all three bouts via first round knockout. Granted, they were against limited opposition but nevertheless it is the only overlap there is in the Venn diagram of UFC super fights.
The only issue with a Jones-Silva super fight at 205 is that it doesn't seem like Jones is going to be sticking around at 205 for much longer. A move to heavyweight has been a much touted option for Jones, he is still young and filling out his 6'4" frame. However, this could be happening much sooner than was previously anticipated. In January, Jones suggested that his inevitable move to heavyweight could be happening as early as this year. It seems the window of opportunity for Jones and Silva to face off could be narrowing.
Another potential obstacle in the way of Jones's involvement in a super fight, is his upcoming fight with Chael Sonnen. Even though this fight is somewhat controversial and many believe that Sonnen doesn't stand a chance, this is MMA and that means that anything can happen. In my opinion, there are a couple of things that Sonnen brings to the table that Jones hasn't experienced in his title reign so far. One is world class wrestling, and the other is the likelihood that he will not be intimidated or in awe of the unconventional champion. Jones possesses the ability to stump world class fighters, his unique style has caused his opponents to almost freeze. I doubt that will happen to Sonnen, he will come to fight. Fighting Chael Sonnen is never an easy task and it is one that Jones shouldn't overlook.
There we have it, the three men in this super fight triangle and the obstacles they face in order to compete against one another.
So who knows if the stars will ever align. One thing is for certain, for them to do so, an awful lot has to fall into place.
