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'.
The Ultimate Fighter divides opinion among MMA fans. For some it is compulsory MMA viewing, for others it is nothing more than a flailing reality show.
Many detractors will point to the show's waning ability to produce a star. Post-TUF 4 only two winners of the show have fought for a title (Nate Diaz and John Dodson), both losing. Ever since Matt Serra shocked the world and knocked out Georges St-Pierre to become the welterweight champion, TUF has largely produced fighters who occupy mid to low level slots on the roster. Fighters who rarely break into the top fifteen.
This begs the question. What is the point of The Ultimate Fighter? Is it to find promising talent or is it to make compelling reality TV? Obviously, the answer is both but for the past few years the priority appears to have shifted to the latter.
This season, more than any in recent memory, seems to blur these lines. This is because it will be the first to feature both men and women in the house, a decision that could produce two very different outcomes.
On the one hand, this season reinforces the notion that TUF is becoming nothing more than a gimmick. A reality show that only cares about viewing figures. We are all adults here, we know what will likely happen when you put men and women in the same house and throw alcohol into the mix. These people are fighters, they are not school teachers and office workers, they are slightly wilder than the rest of us. The likelihood of drama is going to be pretty high. Because, come on, without TV or internet what else are they supposed to do?
But maybe that is the point. After all, that is what makes a successful reality TV show. The Real World and Big Brother have proven that.
Conversely, some would argue that, because of the inclusion of the women, this season will be the first time in years that TUF will be a legitimate search for talent. In terms of the women, this is basically TUF 1 all over again. The women's division in the UFC is in its infancy and its roster is shallow. This consequently means there is a lot of unsigned talent out there. So the talent level in the house will be very high, comprising of fighters already at a UFC standard. As was the case in early seasons of TUF.
As yet, there has not been an official cast list for the show. However, Dave Meltzer has released a rumored one that features a stacked line-up of veterans and up-and-comers. Tara Larosa is arguably the early favourite, she holds wins over current UFC top 10 ranked fighters Alexis Davis and Julie Kedzie. Whilst housemates Shayla Baszler and Tonya Envinger have shared the cage with the likes of Cyborg Santos, Gina Carano and Sarah McMann. The first season of the ultimate fighter was such a pivotal moment in MMA, it's possible that TUF 18 will have a similar effect for the women.
Bearing this in mind, it seems odd that the UFC has decided that the women should share the house with the men. As was briefly discussed, there is enough talent for the women to carry the show by themselves. There is no need to include the men; this could have been a watershed moment in women's MMA, a season with an all female cast, coached by two of the best female fighters in the world. Instead, by combining them both, the show comes across as gimmicky. Maybe we should question the UFC's motives. Are they looking for sex, relationships, drama or serious talent?
The problem is that it feels like they don't know. The show is confused; it isn't sure what it wants to be. Right now, it is hard to predict which way it will go. But one thing is for sure, TUF 18 will either be remembered as trailblazing and pioneering or as a transparent attempt to revitalize a dying show.
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.
