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Josh Koscheck has been waiting a long time to get his chance at the former UFC Welterweight champion Matt Hughes, and Saturday night at UFC 135 that opportunity will finally arrive. Hughes was originally scheduled to fight Diego Sanchez but Koscheck had to step up and fill that spot with only 19 days notice when Sanchez suffered an injury and had to pull out.
Hughes will be fighting the last bout on his current UFC contract so the outcome of this matchup will have a direct effect on his future in mixed martial arts. A loss and we could very well be watching the last time the UFC Hall of Famer steps into the Octagon. A surprise upset win and he would surely extend his career, at least for three more fights.
The current line at the Bodog Sportsbook on Hughes beating Koscheck sits at +300 on the MMA odds. That’s up from the +240 payout that was initially offered as most MMA bettors have been opting to put their action on Koscheck. As a -450 favorite at the Bodog Sportsbook Koscheck is expected to be better than the aging Hughes regardless of where the fight may go.
Matt Hughes is coming off a crazy 21-second loss to B.J. Penn nearly a year ago and many think that was a sign that he can no longer take a punch. At 37 years old that could be true, but the Penn loss could also be a freak KO that periodically happens in MMA. In his three previous fights against Ricardo Almeida, Renzo Gracie and Matt Serra, Hughes looked like the dominant wrestler/ground-and-pound champ we watched for years.
Does the former champ have one glory day left in him like Tito Ortiz had at UFC 132? If he does, it’s going to be a great payday on the UFC betting odds for those that make the call.
Get all your UFC betting lines at Bodog.
Hughes will be fighting the last bout on his current UFC contract so the outcome of this matchup will have a direct effect on his future in mixed martial arts. A loss and we could very well be watching the last time the UFC Hall of Famer steps into the Octagon. A surprise upset win and he would surely extend his career, at least for three more fights.
The current line at the Bodog Sportsbook on Hughes beating Koscheck sits at +300 on the MMA odds. That’s up from the +240 payout that was initially offered as most MMA bettors have been opting to put their action on Koscheck. As a -450 favorite at the Bodog Sportsbook Koscheck is expected to be better than the aging Hughes regardless of where the fight may go.
Matt Hughes is coming off a crazy 21-second loss to B.J. Penn nearly a year ago and many think that was a sign that he can no longer take a punch. At 37 years old that could be true, but the Penn loss could also be a freak KO that periodically happens in MMA. In his three previous fights against Ricardo Almeida, Renzo Gracie and Matt Serra, Hughes looked like the dominant wrestler/ground-and-pound champ we watched for years.
Does the former champ have one glory day left in him like Tito Ortiz had at UFC 132? If he does, it’s going to be a great payday on the UFC betting odds for those that make the call.
Get all your UFC betting lines at Bodog.
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King of the Rock was back in Campbell River for its second installment of high action amateur mixed martial arts (MMA) fights featuring top young amateur fight prospects from Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.
There were lots of surprises and fights so exciting it was a shame that somebody had to lose it at the King of the Rock 2 held Saturday at a jammed packed Paramount Music Hall.
The following are the fight results: 1. MMA 170 lbs. - Shaun Devries CVMMA Victoria Def. Chris Darula, House of Pain, Cranbrook. Tapout due to front guillotine 25 seconds into round two. Darula was a tough opponent for Devries, who was hard on him with stand up exchanges and clinching getting cornered was finally what got Devries in trouble with the standing guillotine.
2. MMA 155 lbs. - Guy Gauthier CVMMA Courtenay Def. Brad Webb, Revolution Langley. Gauthier got Webb and took him down in a sweeping body slam. While Webb did manage to take the fight back to standing, there was another tapout by standing guillotine.
3. MMA 185 lbs. - Brandon Wolkosky Valley MMA Chilliwack Def. Robert Baldwin VMA Victoria. At 1: 41 of round three Wolkosky had a dominant position and worked hard with Baldwin, who was able to work a guard into a guillotine that was finally broken and he had to go to turtle until referee stoppage.
4. Modified Muay Thai 147 lbs. - Johnny Two-Feathers Williams Final Round, Duncan Def. Houtan Ali Koshani KB One Amateur Muay Thai. Round one and Johnny Two-Feathers Wilson showed great combinations and pressure on Koshani, and both fighters had heated exchanges. Ali Koshani had too much time against the ropes from Williams combinations and didn't seem to make use of steep front kicks to control distance. By judges decision.
5. Modified Muay Thai 170 lbs. Catchweight - Oren Hanscomb Island Warriors, Campbell River Def. Jordan House, Island Warriors, Campbell River. Exhibition match, two fighters from the same gym with a 20 lbs. weight difference! This one had to be settled with crowd appreciation.
6. MMA 155 lbs. Adam Wills, House of Pain Cranbrook Def. Kalen Johl Bad Boy Outreach, Surrey. Tapout 1: 06 round one by rear naked choke. Wills got Johl by a top position, starting with stuffing his take down attempt and turning it into a guillotine. Johl had to work defensively to protect from a rain of blows and then turtled into the rear naked choke.
7. MMA 170 lbs. - Chris Anderson 2 CVMMA Courtenay Def. Cass Young. The long awaited rematch for both fighters, with explosive rounds, taking turns in tough positions, but showing respect all the while, as we saw when they touched gloves after CA2.0 laid the same kick on Cass Young that got him disqualified last time, doing it right and not getting into trouble with it. Really a high energy high action fight where both fighters showed incredibly well, and we hope to see them again. Chris Anderson 2.0 went on to get the win by judges decision by one point.
8. MMA 185 lbs. - Herbert Moon independent Def. Johnathan Dubois Bad Boy Outreach. Herbert Moon and Johnathan were relaxed enough before the fight to be seen standing there and talking to each other. But when it came to fight they came out hard. Both fighters showed hard and aggressive, with Moon making Jiu-jitsu finishing attempts, notably a kimura that Dubois worked hard to get out of. Both fighters managed to get out of the bottom positions in turn and fight back to their feet through the second and third rounds, but Moon was getting the better of Dubois, almost finishing him at the end of round two as it was. Herbert Moon finished Dubois by ground and pound at 2: 50 in round three.
Bodog Sportsbook
There were lots of surprises and fights so exciting it was a shame that somebody had to lose it at the King of the Rock 2 held Saturday at a jammed packed Paramount Music Hall.
The following are the fight results: 1. MMA 170 lbs. - Shaun Devries CVMMA Victoria Def. Chris Darula, House of Pain, Cranbrook. Tapout due to front guillotine 25 seconds into round two. Darula was a tough opponent for Devries, who was hard on him with stand up exchanges and clinching getting cornered was finally what got Devries in trouble with the standing guillotine.
2. MMA 155 lbs. - Guy Gauthier CVMMA Courtenay Def. Brad Webb, Revolution Langley. Gauthier got Webb and took him down in a sweeping body slam. While Webb did manage to take the fight back to standing, there was another tapout by standing guillotine.
3. MMA 185 lbs. - Brandon Wolkosky Valley MMA Chilliwack Def. Robert Baldwin VMA Victoria. At 1: 41 of round three Wolkosky had a dominant position and worked hard with Baldwin, who was able to work a guard into a guillotine that was finally broken and he had to go to turtle until referee stoppage.
4. Modified Muay Thai 147 lbs. - Johnny Two-Feathers Williams Final Round, Duncan Def. Houtan Ali Koshani KB One Amateur Muay Thai. Round one and Johnny Two-Feathers Wilson showed great combinations and pressure on Koshani, and both fighters had heated exchanges. Ali Koshani had too much time against the ropes from Williams combinations and didn't seem to make use of steep front kicks to control distance. By judges decision.
5. Modified Muay Thai 170 lbs. Catchweight - Oren Hanscomb Island Warriors, Campbell River Def. Jordan House, Island Warriors, Campbell River. Exhibition match, two fighters from the same gym with a 20 lbs. weight difference! This one had to be settled with crowd appreciation.
6. MMA 155 lbs. Adam Wills, House of Pain Cranbrook Def. Kalen Johl Bad Boy Outreach, Surrey. Tapout 1: 06 round one by rear naked choke. Wills got Johl by a top position, starting with stuffing his take down attempt and turning it into a guillotine. Johl had to work defensively to protect from a rain of blows and then turtled into the rear naked choke.
7. MMA 170 lbs. - Chris Anderson 2 CVMMA Courtenay Def. Cass Young. The long awaited rematch for both fighters, with explosive rounds, taking turns in tough positions, but showing respect all the while, as we saw when they touched gloves after CA2.0 laid the same kick on Cass Young that got him disqualified last time, doing it right and not getting into trouble with it. Really a high energy high action fight where both fighters showed incredibly well, and we hope to see them again. Chris Anderson 2.0 went on to get the win by judges decision by one point.
8. MMA 185 lbs. - Herbert Moon independent Def. Johnathan Dubois Bad Boy Outreach. Herbert Moon and Johnathan were relaxed enough before the fight to be seen standing there and talking to each other. But when it came to fight they came out hard. Both fighters showed hard and aggressive, with Moon making Jiu-jitsu finishing attempts, notably a kimura that Dubois worked hard to get out of. Both fighters managed to get out of the bottom positions in turn and fight back to their feet through the second and third rounds, but Moon was getting the better of Dubois, almost finishing him at the end of round two as it was. Herbert Moon finished Dubois by ground and pound at 2: 50 in round three.
Bodog Sportsbook
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MMA betting fans will finally get to see the third instalment of the Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard saga this weekend when the two will do it one more time at UFC 136. The Lightweight title fight main event will headline a stacked card that includes another UFC strap up for grabs in the Featherweight division. The Bodog Sportsbook is offering UFC odds on six fights from the card, including the Lightweight title fight headliner.
Despite not being victorious against Maynard in two previous fights, oddsmakers at the Bodog Sportsbook currently have Edgar as a -155 favorite. After weathering a storm in the first round of their last fight Edgar was able to do what he does best and out-work Maynard for most of the remainder of the fight. That seems to be enough in the eyes of the oddsmakers to give him a slight edge this time around.
Maynard will have UFC odds of +125 to win at the Bodog Sportsbook despite not losing to the champ in two previous fights. The big question on Maynard now is whether or not that he was just gassed in the other title fight after an explosive first round where he had the champ hurt numerous times. Will he go out and dominate Edgar once again? He’s certainly capable, and if he bides his time a little better this time he could walk out of the Octagon as the new UFC Lightweight champ.
These two fighters are so closely matched that the outcome could come down to which man wants it the most. Has the draw fuelled Maynard enough to give him an edge, or will Edgar’s new confidence be the difference this time? There’s a long list of reasons to pick either fighter in this one.
Get all your UFC odds at Bodog.
Despite not being victorious against Maynard in two previous fights, oddsmakers at the Bodog Sportsbook currently have Edgar as a -155 favorite. After weathering a storm in the first round of their last fight Edgar was able to do what he does best and out-work Maynard for most of the remainder of the fight. That seems to be enough in the eyes of the oddsmakers to give him a slight edge this time around.
Maynard will have UFC odds of +125 to win at the Bodog Sportsbook despite not losing to the champ in two previous fights. The big question on Maynard now is whether or not that he was just gassed in the other title fight after an explosive first round where he had the champ hurt numerous times. Will he go out and dominate Edgar once again? He’s certainly capable, and if he bides his time a little better this time he could walk out of the Octagon as the new UFC Lightweight champ.
These two fighters are so closely matched that the outcome could come down to which man wants it the most. Has the draw fuelled Maynard enough to give him an edge, or will Edgar’s new confidence be the difference this time? There’s a long list of reasons to pick either fighter in this one.
Get all your UFC odds at Bodog.
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UFC 136 will feature two title fights and some key contender matchups in the Welter and Middleweight divisions this Saturday night, and the Bodog Sportsbook has the lines for all your UFC 136 MMA betting action.
The co-main event on the card features what may be the last attempt for Kenny Florian to finally wear UFC gold. This time he gets a shot at Jose Aldo’s Featherweight strap in only his second fight in the weight class.
Despite having a reputation as a fighter that chokes in the big fights, UFC odds at the Bodog Sportsbook have Florian handicapped only as a +225 underdog. Action on that line hasn’t moved very much, indicating that MMA bettors are giving Florian a decent chance to upset the smaller champion.
Jose Aldo continues to be one of the pound-for-pound top-five in the world but that ranking will be tested against a bigger opponent who has very good Muay Thai kickboxing skills. Aldo is used to out-striking his opponents with a fast pace kickboxing style, and that may not be easy to do against Florian.
Aldo looked mortal for the first time in the Octagon in the last round of his title defense with Mark Hominick at UFC 129. It’s no secret that Aldo has a difficult time cutting weight to 145 lbs, and if Florian can take him into the championship rounds Aldo could gas out and find himself in bad spot.
Aldo will still be a favorite at the Bodog Sportsbook and currently has UFC odds of -285. If you think that he will be able to chop down Florian the way he has with most of his opponents that price is a bargain on one of the best fighters on the planet.
Get all your UFC odds at Bodog.
The co-main event on the card features what may be the last attempt for Kenny Florian to finally wear UFC gold. This time he gets a shot at Jose Aldo’s Featherweight strap in only his second fight in the weight class.
Despite having a reputation as a fighter that chokes in the big fights, UFC odds at the Bodog Sportsbook have Florian handicapped only as a +225 underdog. Action on that line hasn’t moved very much, indicating that MMA bettors are giving Florian a decent chance to upset the smaller champion.
Jose Aldo continues to be one of the pound-for-pound top-five in the world but that ranking will be tested against a bigger opponent who has very good Muay Thai kickboxing skills. Aldo is used to out-striking his opponents with a fast pace kickboxing style, and that may not be easy to do against Florian.
Aldo looked mortal for the first time in the Octagon in the last round of his title defense with Mark Hominick at UFC 129. It’s no secret that Aldo has a difficult time cutting weight to 145 lbs, and if Florian can take him into the championship rounds Aldo could gas out and find himself in bad spot.
Aldo will still be a favorite at the Bodog Sportsbook and currently has UFC odds of -285. If you think that he will be able to chop down Florian the way he has with most of his opponents that price is a bargain on one of the best fighters on the planet.
Get all your UFC odds at Bodog.
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It’s been over a year since Chael Sonnen came within two minutes of winning Anderson Silva’s UFC Middleweight title, and ever since then MMA betting fans have been patiently awaiting the outspoken Middleweight’s return. Now cleared to fight again, Sonnen will face rising MMA star Brian Stann at UFC 136.
Despite the layoff Sonnen is still one of the top contenders in the division and will be favored to win at the Bodog Sportsbook. The UFC odds on a Sonnen victory currently sit at -260. That line has grown from the initial -210 handicap as more of the action has been placed on the former Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler.
Sonnen will look to do what he does best and move forward in an attempt to get his hands on Stann, where he can utilize his dirty boxing and ground-and-pound skills in close quarters. The issue with Sonnen in this fight isn’t about his ability to control where this fight is fought; it’s about how he will react in the Octagon following such a long layoff.
The much-improved Stann is currently on a three-fight win streak and is looking to get into a potential title shot situation with a victory over Sonnen. Despite superior striking skills, Stann will be a +200 underdog at the Bodog Sportsbook to pull off the upset. That potential payout is up from the UFC odds of +170 that were initially posted.
Stann will look to keep the fight standing and wear down Sonnen with strikes. That’s no easy feat against a fighter with the style of Sonnen, but if Stann can manage to land a heavy strike he could easily get the upset. This fight should come down to how well Stann can stop the takedown and work in the clinch.
Get all your UFC odds at Bodog.
Despite the layoff Sonnen is still one of the top contenders in the division and will be favored to win at the Bodog Sportsbook. The UFC odds on a Sonnen victory currently sit at -260. That line has grown from the initial -210 handicap as more of the action has been placed on the former Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler.
Sonnen will look to do what he does best and move forward in an attempt to get his hands on Stann, where he can utilize his dirty boxing and ground-and-pound skills in close quarters. The issue with Sonnen in this fight isn’t about his ability to control where this fight is fought; it’s about how he will react in the Octagon following such a long layoff.
The much-improved Stann is currently on a three-fight win streak and is looking to get into a potential title shot situation with a victory over Sonnen. Despite superior striking skills, Stann will be a +200 underdog at the Bodog Sportsbook to pull off the upset. That potential payout is up from the UFC odds of +170 that were initially posted.
Stann will look to keep the fight standing and wear down Sonnen with strikes. That’s no easy feat against a fighter with the style of Sonnen, but if Stann can manage to land a heavy strike he could easily get the upset. This fight should come down to how well Stann can stop the takedown and work in the clinch.
Get all your UFC odds at Bodog.
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If there’s one good thing about Nick Diaz managing to find himself back in the main event at UFC 137 it’s that the MMA odds on his new opponent won’t be so expensive. Had Diaz faced the Welterweight champ as originally planned, the price on George St-Pierre would have been costly. Now Diaz is pitted against MMA legend B.J. Penn in his first UFC fight in five years, and MMA bettors are treated to near-even odds to play.
The Bodog Sportsbook currently has Penn handicapped as a slight -120 favorite. The former Welterweight and Lightweight champion is coming off a draw against the widely considered No. 2 Welterweight Jon Fitch. There’s little doubt that Penn will be very motivated to show Diaz that despite his Strikeforce success fighting a top-tier UFC contender is a very different beast. And a motivated Penn is a dangerous Penn.
Diaz has been a dominant Welterweight champion with a ten-fight win streak dating back to May 2008. He’s a complete fighter who’s comfortable standing as well as on the ground, and his boxing skills are well above average. Oddsmakers at the Bodog Sportsbook currently have him as the slightest of underdogs at -110 on their UFC betting lines.
The outcome of this fight depends on one factor – Nick Diaz. Will he be able to make the adjustment in competition into the UFC or will he have difficulty in the fashion most of the Strikeforce talent has had in the Octagon? If he’s able to keep the fight standing his boxing skills could be enough to dominate Penn and wear down the former champion. If Diaz isn’t ready for the step up in competition Penn will likely control the fight on the ground for a decision or submission victory.
Get all your UFC odds at Bodog.
The Bodog Sportsbook currently has Penn handicapped as a slight -120 favorite. The former Welterweight and Lightweight champion is coming off a draw against the widely considered No. 2 Welterweight Jon Fitch. There’s little doubt that Penn will be very motivated to show Diaz that despite his Strikeforce success fighting a top-tier UFC contender is a very different beast. And a motivated Penn is a dangerous Penn.
Diaz has been a dominant Welterweight champion with a ten-fight win streak dating back to May 2008. He’s a complete fighter who’s comfortable standing as well as on the ground, and his boxing skills are well above average. Oddsmakers at the Bodog Sportsbook currently have him as the slightest of underdogs at -110 on their UFC betting lines.
The outcome of this fight depends on one factor – Nick Diaz. Will he be able to make the adjustment in competition into the UFC or will he have difficulty in the fashion most of the Strikeforce talent has had in the Octagon? If he’s able to keep the fight standing his boxing skills could be enough to dominate Penn and wear down the former champion. If Diaz isn’t ready for the step up in competition Penn will likely control the fight on the ground for a decision or submission victory.
Get all your UFC odds at Bodog.
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UFC 137 will bring MMA betting fans a great matchup in the talent-laden Lightweight division when “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone takes on Dennis Siver. The winner of this fight will likely find a place in top-ten rankings with future hopes of a potential title shot down the road.
Both fighters are on lengthy win streaks and have shown much improvement over the last year, setting the scene for a fight that could easily take “fight of the night” honors.
It’s tough to find a better bet in MMA over the last year and a half than German kickboxer Siver. During his current four-fight win streak he’s been handicapped at even-money or as a big underdog every fight, yet he’s beaten the odds every time. It seems that oddsmakers are still nonbelievers and will once again have Siver as the underdog this Saturday.
Siver combines lethal striking skills with excellent takedown defense that has forced many opponents to stand with him. Cerrone will be a big test, but if Siver can keep the fight standing he has very good chance to win – whether it goes the distance or by landing a power shot that finishes Cerrone.
Cerrone is a complete MMA fighter with striking and ground skills. He’s on a five-fight win streak of his own and is looking to put himself into a contender situation with an impressive performance at UFC 137. He will be the favorite against Siver on Saturday night and will likely be looking to get the fight to the ground where he will have a big edge over his one-dimensional opponent.
Cerrone’s Muay Thai may be enough to keep Siver at bay until the takedown opportunity presents itself, and if it does MMA betting fans at the Bodog Sportsbook will see why the “Cowboy” is the favorite to win this fight.
Get all your UFC odds at Bodog.
Both fighters are on lengthy win streaks and have shown much improvement over the last year, setting the scene for a fight that could easily take “fight of the night” honors.
It’s tough to find a better bet in MMA over the last year and a half than German kickboxer Siver. During his current four-fight win streak he’s been handicapped at even-money or as a big underdog every fight, yet he’s beaten the odds every time. It seems that oddsmakers are still nonbelievers and will once again have Siver as the underdog this Saturday.
Siver combines lethal striking skills with excellent takedown defense that has forced many opponents to stand with him. Cerrone will be a big test, but if Siver can keep the fight standing he has very good chance to win – whether it goes the distance or by landing a power shot that finishes Cerrone.
Cerrone is a complete MMA fighter with striking and ground skills. He’s on a five-fight win streak of his own and is looking to put himself into a contender situation with an impressive performance at UFC 137. He will be the favorite against Siver on Saturday night and will likely be looking to get the fight to the ground where he will have a big edge over his one-dimensional opponent.
Cerrone’s Muay Thai may be enough to keep Siver at bay until the takedown opportunity presents itself, and if it does MMA betting fans at the Bodog Sportsbook will see why the “Cowboy” is the favorite to win this fight.
Get all your UFC odds at Bodog.
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UFC 137 will be airing in next few hours. Stay tuned and watch the complete excitement online as Penn takes on Diaz in the main event.
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Middleweight contenders are not as common in the UFC as they once were. Division champion Anderson Silva has gone through most of them already, but one fighter is climbing up the ladder at a rapid pace. Mark Munoz will look to get one step closer to his title shot with a win over UFC veteran Chris Leben at UFC 138 in Birmingham, England this Saturday night.
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Munoz is a former NCAA champion wrestler who has heavy hands and a desire to finish his fights in spectacular fashion. Currently on a three-fight win streak, Munoz certainly has the proper skills to give Chris Leben a hard time in the Octagon. As the Bodog Sportsbook -260 favorite, oddsmakers (and most MMA betting fans) seem to believe that Leben will not be able to handle the wrestling skills and ground-and-pound of his younger opponent.
Leben is an experienced fighter that has improved in many ways over the last couple of years. His takedown defense is much better than it once was, and more importantly he seems to have dealt with many of the personal demons he once had. Despite a puncher’s chance to win Leben has been handicapped as a +200 underdog at the Bodog Sportsbook.
Leben will need to keep the fight standing if he is to have his best chance to win, but even if he does keep the fight off the ground Munoz will pose a threat to land a big strike. If Munoz can get the fight on the ground Leben will be at a big disadvantage and will need to get to his feet as soon as possible. However this fight plays out, MMA fans will be in for a treat when these two start throwing down on Saturday night.
Get all your UFC odds at Bodog.
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Munoz is a former NCAA champion wrestler who has heavy hands and a desire to finish his fights in spectacular fashion. Currently on a three-fight win streak, Munoz certainly has the proper skills to give Chris Leben a hard time in the Octagon. As the Bodog Sportsbook -260 favorite, oddsmakers (and most MMA betting fans) seem to believe that Leben will not be able to handle the wrestling skills and ground-and-pound of his younger opponent.
Leben is an experienced fighter that has improved in many ways over the last couple of years. His takedown defense is much better than it once was, and more importantly he seems to have dealt with many of the personal demons he once had. Despite a puncher’s chance to win Leben has been handicapped as a +200 underdog at the Bodog Sportsbook.
Leben will need to keep the fight standing if he is to have his best chance to win, but even if he does keep the fight off the ground Munoz will pose a threat to land a big strike. If Munoz can get the fight on the ground Leben will be at a big disadvantage and will need to get to his feet as soon as possible. However this fight plays out, MMA fans will be in for a treat when these two start throwing down on Saturday night.
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What once seemed like a happy marriage now resembles that of a messy, bitter and public divorce. For the UFC and Spike TV, the latest casualty of the finality of their relationship is taking place in front of our very eyes this week.
The "kids" that are suffering from all the vitriol between the two mainstream MMA parents are the fighters competing on Saturday's UFC 138.
You remember UFC 138, don't you? That's the event on Spike featuring Chris Leben and Mark Munoz in the main event. Remember Thiago Alves? He's on the card too! That fancy British bantamweight with the cool hat...what's his name? Oh, Brad Pickett! He's taking on someone in Renan Barao who hasn't been defeated in 27 straight fights!
These and more stories have been waiting to be told, but in case you haven't noticed, there's been zero attention placed on UFC 138 all week. Sure, we're right at the halfway point of four events in four weeks, but every show is an important one, right? Well, apparently not if it airs on Spike TV these days.
The Card That Didn't Exist
Here's a few things that stuck out this week about the non-promotion:
- On Wednesday's The Ultimate Fighter, there wasn't a single mention/ad for Saturday's event. There were two promos for UFC 139: Henderson vs. Shogun, two deceptive spots for the Cain Velasquez/Junior dos Santos 11/12 Spike marathon, a UFC Best of 2011 DVD set ad and a promo for Ultimate Knockouts 2. To repeat, the show is on Spike TV THIS SATURDAY and there was nothing done on a UFC show aired on Spike to promote it.
- There was no UFC 138 media conference call this week or even last week. I can't remember the last time that happened in recent memory. I realize the fighters are in London and there's a time difference, but that hasn't stopped these from happening before.
- Dana White took most of the week off Twitter. There was no 'FIIIIIGHT WEEEEEEEK!' tweet to get people excited and no activity at all until Thursday. White, Twitter and fight promotion go together like the Kardashians, paparazzi and dumb people caring. He lives and breathes UFC especially in a fight week and suddenly he goes silent on his favorite social media platform? That doesn't compute.
A scan of UFC.com Thursday night tells the user all they need to know: the November 12th UFC on Fox date is all that matters. Between the ads running to three of the top six lead story slots devoted to Cain Velasquez, UFC 138 is already an afterthought before it even begins.
It's obvious that since the Fox deal was announced (and really even before that), things have gotten increasingly ugly from both sides. Recent glaring examples are Spike's decision to run the aforementioned Velasquez/dos Santos marathon against the Fox show and the decision to air Bellator prelim fights on Spike.com. The UFC countered by not listing Spike as a place to watch events, directing people to UFC.tv instead.
Just think of that for a minute. When's the last time you heard of a broadcasting relationship where an entity didn't list on their website where to watch the event on TV for free? How this bodes for the TUF finale in early-December is anyone's guess.
Do It For The Kids
While the pissing match between the two is a sad end to a once-fruitful relationship, the ones getting punished are the "kids" -- aka the fighters competing Saturday. Leben and Munoz didn't ask to be flown to London to main event a star-lacking show. Pickett didn't ask the promotion to run four straight Saturdays of shows when he's co-main eventing in the biggest fight of his career in front of his countrymen. The near-sellout crowd at Birmingham, England's LG Arena that has already set an arena record for revenue didn't ask for any of this. They want a great show and want to feel like they're seeing a great show. If the UFC doesn't seem to care, why should they?
Even if this card is viewed as a dog, there are still 20 men competing that deserve the UFC and Spike's best effort in telling people they should watch this show. This is one of two final live events both sides have to co-produce and then, they can go their separate ways (minus the footage Spike can air throughout 2012).
Things may be difficult, but the fighters and the fans shouldn't be the ones that suffer the brunt of the punishment as a result. As long as those three letters are on the marquee, it's in both parties' best interests to swallow some pride and represent like any other show.
The "kids" that are suffering from all the vitriol between the two mainstream MMA parents are the fighters competing on Saturday's UFC 138.
You remember UFC 138, don't you? That's the event on Spike featuring Chris Leben and Mark Munoz in the main event. Remember Thiago Alves? He's on the card too! That fancy British bantamweight with the cool hat...what's his name? Oh, Brad Pickett! He's taking on someone in Renan Barao who hasn't been defeated in 27 straight fights!
These and more stories have been waiting to be told, but in case you haven't noticed, there's been zero attention placed on UFC 138 all week. Sure, we're right at the halfway point of four events in four weeks, but every show is an important one, right? Well, apparently not if it airs on Spike TV these days.
The Card That Didn't Exist
Here's a few things that stuck out this week about the non-promotion:
- On Wednesday's The Ultimate Fighter, there wasn't a single mention/ad for Saturday's event. There were two promos for UFC 139: Henderson vs. Shogun, two deceptive spots for the Cain Velasquez/Junior dos Santos 11/12 Spike marathon, a UFC Best of 2011 DVD set ad and a promo for Ultimate Knockouts 2. To repeat, the show is on Spike TV THIS SATURDAY and there was nothing done on a UFC show aired on Spike to promote it.
- There was no UFC 138 media conference call this week or even last week. I can't remember the last time that happened in recent memory. I realize the fighters are in London and there's a time difference, but that hasn't stopped these from happening before.
- Dana White took most of the week off Twitter. There was no 'FIIIIIGHT WEEEEEEEK!' tweet to get people excited and no activity at all until Thursday. White, Twitter and fight promotion go together like the Kardashians, paparazzi and dumb people caring. He lives and breathes UFC especially in a fight week and suddenly he goes silent on his favorite social media platform? That doesn't compute.
A scan of UFC.com Thursday night tells the user all they need to know: the November 12th UFC on Fox date is all that matters. Between the ads running to three of the top six lead story slots devoted to Cain Velasquez, UFC 138 is already an afterthought before it even begins.
It's obvious that since the Fox deal was announced (and really even before that), things have gotten increasingly ugly from both sides. Recent glaring examples are Spike's decision to run the aforementioned Velasquez/dos Santos marathon against the Fox show and the decision to air Bellator prelim fights on Spike.com. The UFC countered by not listing Spike as a place to watch events, directing people to UFC.tv instead.
Just think of that for a minute. When's the last time you heard of a broadcasting relationship where an entity didn't list on their website where to watch the event on TV for free? How this bodes for the TUF finale in early-December is anyone's guess.
Do It For The Kids
While the pissing match between the two is a sad end to a once-fruitful relationship, the ones getting punished are the "kids" -- aka the fighters competing Saturday. Leben and Munoz didn't ask to be flown to London to main event a star-lacking show. Pickett didn't ask the promotion to run four straight Saturdays of shows when he's co-main eventing in the biggest fight of his career in front of his countrymen. The near-sellout crowd at Birmingham, England's LG Arena that has already set an arena record for revenue didn't ask for any of this. They want a great show and want to feel like they're seeing a great show. If the UFC doesn't seem to care, why should they?
Even if this card is viewed as a dog, there are still 20 men competing that deserve the UFC and Spike's best effort in telling people they should watch this show. This is one of two final live events both sides have to co-produce and then, they can go their separate ways (minus the footage Spike can air throughout 2012).
Things may be difficult, but the fighters and the fans shouldn't be the ones that suffer the brunt of the punishment as a result. As long as those three letters are on the marquee, it's in both parties' best interests to swallow some pride and represent like any other show.
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It’s the fourth straight week of UFC action on Saturday night as UFC 139 is staged at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. There are no major title bouts on the card, but it is headlined by a matchup between light-heavyweight contenders Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Dan Henderson. Rua opened as the +105 underdog but has taken major action on Bodog’s MMA odds, to where he is currently the -140 favorite.
Get your MMA odds at Bodog’s online sportsbook!
The 29-year-old Rua was the UFC light-heavyweight champion before falling to Jon Jones at UFC 128 on a third-round TKO, the first pure knockout of Shogun’s career. He did bounce back impressively with a first-round knockout of Forrest Griffin at UFC 134 in late August. Rua (20-5) has alternated wins and losses in his past five fights.
Henderson (28-8) was formerly the light-heavyweight champion of Strikeforce but relinquished that belt upon his return to UFC. This will be Henderson’s first UFC fight since beating Michael Bisping by a second-round knockout at UFC 100 in July 2009. He then headed to Strikeforce, where he lost his first fight – to Jake Shields – but closed with three wins in a row, including a first-round TKO of former legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko on July 30. That was the first knockout of Emelianenko’s career.
The 41-year-old Henderson will be in his third go-round with the UFC. He won two matches in the organization in 1997, then spent several years fighting in Japan and in Pride before returning to the UFC in 2007. It is thought the Rua-Henderson winner will be in line for another shot at Jones next year, presuming Jones beats Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 next month (Rua has already split two fights with Machida).
UFC 139 also features former Strikeforce star Cung Le making his UFC debut against Wanderlei Silva, who replaced an injured Vitor Belfort, and Brian Bowles facing Urijah Faber in a key bantamweight bout between former WEC champions.
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Get your MMA odds at Bodog’s online sportsbook!
The 29-year-old Rua was the UFC light-heavyweight champion before falling to Jon Jones at UFC 128 on a third-round TKO, the first pure knockout of Shogun’s career. He did bounce back impressively with a first-round knockout of Forrest Griffin at UFC 134 in late August. Rua (20-5) has alternated wins and losses in his past five fights.
Henderson (28-8) was formerly the light-heavyweight champion of Strikeforce but relinquished that belt upon his return to UFC. This will be Henderson’s first UFC fight since beating Michael Bisping by a second-round knockout at UFC 100 in July 2009. He then headed to Strikeforce, where he lost his first fight – to Jake Shields – but closed with three wins in a row, including a first-round TKO of former legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko on July 30. That was the first knockout of Emelianenko’s career.
The 41-year-old Henderson will be in his third go-round with the UFC. He won two matches in the organization in 1997, then spent several years fighting in Japan and in Pride before returning to the UFC in 2007. It is thought the Rua-Henderson winner will be in line for another shot at Jones next year, presuming Jones beats Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 next month (Rua has already split two fights with Machida).
UFC 139 also features former Strikeforce star Cung Le making his UFC debut against Wanderlei Silva, who replaced an injured Vitor Belfort, and Brian Bowles facing Urijah Faber in a key bantamweight bout between former WEC champions.
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On Saturday night, Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to pay-per-view with UFC 139 at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., where mixed-martial-arts legends Dan Henderson and Mauricio (Shogun) Rua square off in a light heavyweight main event. Taking a break from his fight-week preparations, Henderson went 1-on-1 with Postmedia News MMA reporter Dave Deibert, discussing poker glory, college life and living past the age of 100 ...
POSTMEDIA: Last year, you, UFC Hall-of-Famer Randy Couture and ring announcer Bruce Buffer competed alongside three professionals on a special edition of NBC’s Poker After Dark. How many times since then, or maybe right after, were you able to bust Randy’s chops for knocking him out?
HENDERSON: It really doesn’t do any good to bust his chops because he agrees he’s not that good of a poker player. But I was pretty happy with that, just doing as well as I did, too (placing third behind Buffer and pro Howard Lederer).
POSTMEDIA: You were chip leader for while and took a few good pots off a couple of World Series of Poker bracelet winners. How did the thrill of taking them down on a few hands compare to some of your thrills fighting or wrestling?
HENDERSON: It was fun, definitely. You definitely get a thrill, especially when you know you’re bluffing somebody and you could be out of the game if he calls you on it. But I don’t know if anything compares to the fighting and the feeling you get when you knock someone’s head off.
POSTMEDIA: Away from fighting, you’re a bit of an outdoorsman. What’s the biggest catch you’ve ever had, either hunting or fishing?
HENDERSON: Probably an elk. They’re usually around 900, 1,000 pounds.
POSTMEDIA: So when you told the tale to your friends, how big was it? Fifteen-hundred pounds?
HENDERSON: It was what it was. You could eat it for about a year.
POSTMEDIA: As a Greco-Roman wrestler for the United States, where did taking part in the Olympic ceremonies rank on the goosebump scale?
HENDERSON: For ’96 (in Atlanta), it was the closing ceremonies. In ’92 (in Barcelona, Spain), it was the opening ceremonies. That was a pretty cool moment.
POSTMEDIA: You went to high school and college in the late-1980s and early-90s. Looking back at your pictures, what fashion statement makes you wince looking back?
HENDERSON: I don’t know if it makes me cringe, but I did have a mullet.
POSTMEDIA: You rocked it proudly at the time, though, right?
HENDERSON: Actually, I had a mullet at the ’92 Olympics, too.
POSTMEDIA: Rocking it on a global scale. Nice. You’ve been wrestling or fighting for three decades. When you wake up each morning, what body part most reminds you of what you do for a living?
HENDERSON: Most of my body. I moan and groan a lot when I get out of bed. It takes a while before I get moving.
POSTMEDIA: You have two daughters and a son. Do you worry more about the girls than you do your boy?
HENDERSON: Not so much. My son gets hurt a lot because he’s a little too brave – and retarded at the same time (laughs). I’m more worried about him. I think in the next few years I’ll be more worried about my oldest daughter. She’s almost 13.
POSTMEDIA: You went to college at famed party school Arizona State and you spend a lot of time now in Las Vegas. So where do you find the better party?
HENDERSON: Those are two different things. As far as a college goes, if you’re comparing college parties, I’d go with ASU. The girls wear less there. Vegas, when you can afford to be there, it’s a fun time out.
POSTMEDIA: You can still compete with and beat anyone inside the cage. But at 41 years old, what makes you feel your age?
HENDERSON: Training camps makes me feel my age a little bit. I’ve got to be really careful with the body.
POSTMEDIA: If the sporting gods came to you when you were competing in the Olympics and said, ‘We’ll give you an Olympic gold now if you agree to shave three years off your life,’ do you take that deal?
HENDERSON: That’s a tough call. I would probably say, ‘Yeah.’ I plan on living to 110 so I guess it doesn’t make much difference.
POSTMEDIA: Last year, you, UFC Hall-of-Famer Randy Couture and ring announcer Bruce Buffer competed alongside three professionals on a special edition of NBC’s Poker After Dark. How many times since then, or maybe right after, were you able to bust Randy’s chops for knocking him out?
HENDERSON: It really doesn’t do any good to bust his chops because he agrees he’s not that good of a poker player. But I was pretty happy with that, just doing as well as I did, too (placing third behind Buffer and pro Howard Lederer).
POSTMEDIA: You were chip leader for while and took a few good pots off a couple of World Series of Poker bracelet winners. How did the thrill of taking them down on a few hands compare to some of your thrills fighting or wrestling?
HENDERSON: It was fun, definitely. You definitely get a thrill, especially when you know you’re bluffing somebody and you could be out of the game if he calls you on it. But I don’t know if anything compares to the fighting and the feeling you get when you knock someone’s head off.
POSTMEDIA: Away from fighting, you’re a bit of an outdoorsman. What’s the biggest catch you’ve ever had, either hunting or fishing?
HENDERSON: Probably an elk. They’re usually around 900, 1,000 pounds.
POSTMEDIA: So when you told the tale to your friends, how big was it? Fifteen-hundred pounds?
HENDERSON: It was what it was. You could eat it for about a year.
POSTMEDIA: As a Greco-Roman wrestler for the United States, where did taking part in the Olympic ceremonies rank on the goosebump scale?
HENDERSON: For ’96 (in Atlanta), it was the closing ceremonies. In ’92 (in Barcelona, Spain), it was the opening ceremonies. That was a pretty cool moment.
POSTMEDIA: You went to high school and college in the late-1980s and early-90s. Looking back at your pictures, what fashion statement makes you wince looking back?
HENDERSON: I don’t know if it makes me cringe, but I did have a mullet.
POSTMEDIA: You rocked it proudly at the time, though, right?
HENDERSON: Actually, I had a mullet at the ’92 Olympics, too.
POSTMEDIA: Rocking it on a global scale. Nice. You’ve been wrestling or fighting for three decades. When you wake up each morning, what body part most reminds you of what you do for a living?
HENDERSON: Most of my body. I moan and groan a lot when I get out of bed. It takes a while before I get moving.
POSTMEDIA: You have two daughters and a son. Do you worry more about the girls than you do your boy?
HENDERSON: Not so much. My son gets hurt a lot because he’s a little too brave – and retarded at the same time (laughs). I’m more worried about him. I think in the next few years I’ll be more worried about my oldest daughter. She’s almost 13.
POSTMEDIA: You went to college at famed party school Arizona State and you spend a lot of time now in Las Vegas. So where do you find the better party?
HENDERSON: Those are two different things. As far as a college goes, if you’re comparing college parties, I’d go with ASU. The girls wear less there. Vegas, when you can afford to be there, it’s a fun time out.
POSTMEDIA: You can still compete with and beat anyone inside the cage. But at 41 years old, what makes you feel your age?
HENDERSON: Training camps makes me feel my age a little bit. I’ve got to be really careful with the body.
POSTMEDIA: If the sporting gods came to you when you were competing in the Olympics and said, ‘We’ll give you an Olympic gold now if you agree to shave three years off your life,’ do you take that deal?
HENDERSON: That’s a tough call. I would probably say, ‘Yeah.’ I plan on living to 110 so I guess it doesn’t make much difference.
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MMAjunkie.com was on scene and reporting live from tonight's 2011 World MMA Awards red-carpet, black-tie ceremony.
Tonight's industry-wide festivities took place at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Winners were announced in 22 categories. UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones earned the coveted Charles "Mask" Lewis Fighter of the Year award, and late trainer Shawn Tompkins earned a Special Lifetime Achievement award.
Although the event didn't air or stream live, FOX Sports Net broadcasts the show nationally via tape delay on Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
UFC fighter Chael Sonnen and CBS Sports Network's Molly Qerim hosted tonight's ceremony, which is organized by Fighters Only. The awards honor achievements from September 2010 through August 2011.
MMAjunkie.com was nominated in the "Media Source of the Year" category, and thanks to the voting power of Junkie Nation, earned its fourth straight victory. MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter and MMAjunkie.com Radio co-host John Morgan was a finalist in the "MMA Journalist of the Year" category but fell short to colleague Ariel Helwani.
The winners included:
INTERNATIONAL FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Michael Bisping, Alexander Gustafsson, Joachim Hansen, Alistair Overeem and Dennis Siver
Winner: Alistair Overeem
GYM OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Alliance MMA, Black House, Jackson's MMA, Roufusport and Xtreme Couture
Winner: Black House
REFEREE OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Herb Dean, "Big" John McCarthy, Dan Miragliotta, Josh Rosenthal and Mario Yamasaki
Winner: Herb Dean
COMEBACK OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Marloes Coenen vs. Liz Carmouche at "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson," Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry at UFC Live 5, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (career), Tito Ortiz (career) and Joe Warren vs. Joe Soto at Bellator 27
Nominees: Cheick Kongo
BEST TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT
Nominees: Bad Boy, Everlast, Hayabusa, Rival and Venum
Winner: Everlast
MMA JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Nominees: John Morgan, Gareth A. Davies, Josh Gross, Ariel Helwani and Ben Fowlkes
Winner: Ariel Helwani
COACH OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Rafael Cordeiro, Eric Del Fierro, Cesar Gracie, Greg Jackson and Shawn Tompkins
Winner: Greg Jackson
BEST LIFESTYLE CLOTHING
Nominees: Affliction, Bad Boy, Form Athletics, RVCA and TapouT
Winner: TapouT
PROMOTION OF THE YEAR
Nominees: BAMMA, Bellator Fighting Championships, DREAM, Strikeforce and UFC
Winner: UFC
MEDIA SOURCE OF THE YEAR
Nominees: "Inside MMA" on HDNet, MMAFighting.com, "MMA Live" on ESPN, MMAjunkie.com and Sherdog.com
Winner: MMAjunkie.com
BEST TECHNICAL CLOTHING
Nominees: Bad Boy, Hayabusa, Jaco, Sprawl and Venum
Winner: Bad Boy
MMA PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Bruce Buffer, Jacob "Stitch" Duran, Joe Rogan, Bas Rutten and Burt Watson
Winner: Joe Rogan
FEMALE FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Marloes Coenen, Zoila Gurgel, Sarah Kaufman, Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate
Winner: Miesha Tate
RING ENTRANCE OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 133, Vitor Belfort at UFC 133, Dave Herman at UFC 131, Mark Hominick at UFC 129 and Jason "Mayhem" Miller at DREAM.16
Winner: Jason "Mayhem" Miller
BREAKTHROUGH FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Donald Cerrone, Daniel Cormier, Phil Davis, Demetrious Johnson and Brian Stann
Winner: Donald Cerrone
SUBMISSION OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Chan Sung Jung vs. Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night 24, Pablo Garza vs. Yves Jabouin at UFC 129, Richard Hale vs. Nik Fekete at Bellator 38, Vinny Magalhaes vs. Viktor Nemkov at M-1 Challenge 25, and Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader at UFC 132
Winner: Chan Sung Jung vs. Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night 24
RING GIRL OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Arianny Celeste, Kelli Hutcherson, Brittney Palmer, Chandella Powell and Mercedes Terrell
Winner: Arianny Celeste
LEADING MAN OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Scott Coker, Lorenzo Fertitta, Marc Ratner, Bjorn Rebney and Dana White
Winner: Dana White
KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Patricky "Pitbull" Freire vs. Toby Imada at Bellator 39, Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry at UFC Live 5, John Makdessi vs. Kyle Watson at UFC 129, Lyoto Machida vs. Randy Couture at UFC 129, and Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort at UFC 126
Winner: Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort at UFC 126
FIGHT OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Jose Aldo vs. Mark Hominick at UFC 129, Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber at UFC 132, Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard at UFC 125, Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley at "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley," and Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann at UFC Live 3
Winner: Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard at UFC 125
CHARLES "MASK" LEWIS FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Dominick Cruz, Nick Diaz, Dan Henderson, Jon Jones and Anderson Silva
Winner: Jon Jones
Tonight's industry-wide festivities took place at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Winners were announced in 22 categories. UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones earned the coveted Charles "Mask" Lewis Fighter of the Year award, and late trainer Shawn Tompkins earned a Special Lifetime Achievement award.
Although the event didn't air or stream live, FOX Sports Net broadcasts the show nationally via tape delay on Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
UFC fighter Chael Sonnen and CBS Sports Network's Molly Qerim hosted tonight's ceremony, which is organized by Fighters Only. The awards honor achievements from September 2010 through August 2011.
MMAjunkie.com was nominated in the "Media Source of the Year" category, and thanks to the voting power of Junkie Nation, earned its fourth straight victory. MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter and MMAjunkie.com Radio co-host John Morgan was a finalist in the "MMA Journalist of the Year" category but fell short to colleague Ariel Helwani.
The winners included:
INTERNATIONAL FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Michael Bisping, Alexander Gustafsson, Joachim Hansen, Alistair Overeem and Dennis Siver
Winner: Alistair Overeem
GYM OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Alliance MMA, Black House, Jackson's MMA, Roufusport and Xtreme Couture
Winner: Black House
REFEREE OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Herb Dean, "Big" John McCarthy, Dan Miragliotta, Josh Rosenthal and Mario Yamasaki
Winner: Herb Dean
COMEBACK OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Marloes Coenen vs. Liz Carmouche at "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson," Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry at UFC Live 5, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (career), Tito Ortiz (career) and Joe Warren vs. Joe Soto at Bellator 27
Nominees: Cheick Kongo
BEST TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT
Nominees: Bad Boy, Everlast, Hayabusa, Rival and Venum
Winner: Everlast
MMA JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Nominees: John Morgan, Gareth A. Davies, Josh Gross, Ariel Helwani and Ben Fowlkes
Winner: Ariel Helwani
COACH OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Rafael Cordeiro, Eric Del Fierro, Cesar Gracie, Greg Jackson and Shawn Tompkins
Winner: Greg Jackson
BEST LIFESTYLE CLOTHING
Nominees: Affliction, Bad Boy, Form Athletics, RVCA and TapouT
Winner: TapouT
PROMOTION OF THE YEAR
Nominees: BAMMA, Bellator Fighting Championships, DREAM, Strikeforce and UFC
Winner: UFC
MEDIA SOURCE OF THE YEAR
Nominees: "Inside MMA" on HDNet, MMAFighting.com, "MMA Live" on ESPN, MMAjunkie.com and Sherdog.com
Winner: MMAjunkie.com
BEST TECHNICAL CLOTHING
Nominees: Bad Boy, Hayabusa, Jaco, Sprawl and Venum
Winner: Bad Boy
MMA PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Bruce Buffer, Jacob "Stitch" Duran, Joe Rogan, Bas Rutten and Burt Watson
Winner: Joe Rogan
FEMALE FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Marloes Coenen, Zoila Gurgel, Sarah Kaufman, Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate
Winner: Miesha Tate
RING ENTRANCE OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 133, Vitor Belfort at UFC 133, Dave Herman at UFC 131, Mark Hominick at UFC 129 and Jason "Mayhem" Miller at DREAM.16
Winner: Jason "Mayhem" Miller
BREAKTHROUGH FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Donald Cerrone, Daniel Cormier, Phil Davis, Demetrious Johnson and Brian Stann
Winner: Donald Cerrone
SUBMISSION OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Chan Sung Jung vs. Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night 24, Pablo Garza vs. Yves Jabouin at UFC 129, Richard Hale vs. Nik Fekete at Bellator 38, Vinny Magalhaes vs. Viktor Nemkov at M-1 Challenge 25, and Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader at UFC 132
Winner: Chan Sung Jung vs. Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night 24
RING GIRL OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Arianny Celeste, Kelli Hutcherson, Brittney Palmer, Chandella Powell and Mercedes Terrell
Winner: Arianny Celeste
LEADING MAN OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Scott Coker, Lorenzo Fertitta, Marc Ratner, Bjorn Rebney and Dana White
Winner: Dana White
KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Patricky "Pitbull" Freire vs. Toby Imada at Bellator 39, Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry at UFC Live 5, John Makdessi vs. Kyle Watson at UFC 129, Lyoto Machida vs. Randy Couture at UFC 129, and Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort at UFC 126
Winner: Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort at UFC 126
FIGHT OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Jose Aldo vs. Mark Hominick at UFC 129, Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber at UFC 132, Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard at UFC 125, Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley at "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley," and Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann at UFC Live 3
Winner: Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard at UFC 125
CHARLES "MASK" LEWIS FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Dominick Cruz, Nick Diaz, Dan Henderson, Jon Jones and Anderson Silva
Winner: Jon Jones
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Tito Ortiz was able to revive his MMA career with an upset win for the ages against Ryan Bader last July - and it looked as if Ortiz was finally healthy and back in the mix in the UFC Light Heavyweight division.
A month later, though, he stepped into the Octagon against the No.1 ranked contender Rashad Evans to save a pay-per-view main event, and, despite fighting gallantly, Ortiz showed that he was no longer at the top of the Light Heavyweight heap.
Now only a gatekeeper at best, Ortiz takes on “Little Nog” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 140 and will once again need a win to remain relevant within the division. As the underdog, action on Ortiz on the MMA odds at the Bodog Sportsbook has a good chance to pay out if the former UFC Light Heavyweight champ decides to do what he does best and outwrestle his Brazilian opponent for a decision win. Ortiz has stated publicly that he wants to put on exciting fights, so the wrestling scenario may not play out.
Nogueira will step into the Octagon as the odds-on favorite despite losing his last two fights. The Brazilian will look to use his boxing skills to win a decision or to wear down Ortiz enough to use his jiu-jitsu skills to finish the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy”.
This fight has definite upset potential, especially if Ortiz can close the distance and work close enough to Nogueira to negate his boxing skills. Despite being a black belt in jiu-jitsu Nogueira will have a tough time submitting a fighter with the experience of a Tito Ortiz without wearing him down first.
Check out the Bodog Sportsbook this week for the lines on Ortiz vs. Nogueira and all the UFC odds for UFC 140.
Home of Going All In.
A month later, though, he stepped into the Octagon against the No.1 ranked contender Rashad Evans to save a pay-per-view main event, and, despite fighting gallantly, Ortiz showed that he was no longer at the top of the Light Heavyweight heap.
Now only a gatekeeper at best, Ortiz takes on “Little Nog” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 140 and will once again need a win to remain relevant within the division. As the underdog, action on Ortiz on the MMA odds at the Bodog Sportsbook has a good chance to pay out if the former UFC Light Heavyweight champ decides to do what he does best and outwrestle his Brazilian opponent for a decision win. Ortiz has stated publicly that he wants to put on exciting fights, so the wrestling scenario may not play out.
Nogueira will step into the Octagon as the odds-on favorite despite losing his last two fights. The Brazilian will look to use his boxing skills to win a decision or to wear down Ortiz enough to use his jiu-jitsu skills to finish the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy”.
This fight has definite upset potential, especially if Ortiz can close the distance and work close enough to Nogueira to negate his boxing skills. Despite being a black belt in jiu-jitsu Nogueira will have a tough time submitting a fighter with the experience of a Tito Ortiz without wearing him down first.
Check out the Bodog Sportsbook this week for the lines on Ortiz vs. Nogueira and all the UFC odds for UFC 140.
Home of Going All In.
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When Frank Mir knocked out Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira nearly three years ago there was a lot of talk following the fight about Nogueira having a staph infection, which depleted his strength.
Even Mir was surprised when he finished off the former UFC and Pride champion, and now they will meet again on the MMA betting board at the Bodog Sportsbook at UFC 140 with both fighters healthy to decide if the first result was a fluke or not.
Get all your UFC 140 odds at Bodog.
Nogueira has not looked good against top-tier Heavyweights for nearly three years, so oddsmakers at the Bodog Sportsbook will likely have “Big Nog” handicapped as the underdog to win the rematch. If he was indeed weakened in their first fight, and he performs the way he did against Brendan Schaub in his last bout, the upset option on Nogueira could be the way to go.
Mir has been fighting the top Heavyweights in the world for seven years and will come into this rematch as the favorite with all the confidence in the world. He walked through Nogueira last time and will be favored to do it again at UFC 140. Mir has heavy hands and world-class submission skills which should negate most of what Nogueira will bring on Saturday night.
As long as Mir doesn’t get overconfident he should be able to control where the fight is fought and out-score his Brazilian opponent for three rounds. Both men know that they need to put on an entertaining fight to keep the UFC paychecks coming, so a stand-up battle could be the theme Saturday night. If that’s the case, this fight could go either way.
Get all the MMA lines on Mir vs. Nogueira and the other fights on the UFC 140 fight card later this week.
Even Mir was surprised when he finished off the former UFC and Pride champion, and now they will meet again on the MMA betting board at the Bodog Sportsbook at UFC 140 with both fighters healthy to decide if the first result was a fluke or not.
Get all your UFC 140 odds at Bodog.
Nogueira has not looked good against top-tier Heavyweights for nearly three years, so oddsmakers at the Bodog Sportsbook will likely have “Big Nog” handicapped as the underdog to win the rematch. If he was indeed weakened in their first fight, and he performs the way he did against Brendan Schaub in his last bout, the upset option on Nogueira could be the way to go.
Mir has been fighting the top Heavyweights in the world for seven years and will come into this rematch as the favorite with all the confidence in the world. He walked through Nogueira last time and will be favored to do it again at UFC 140. Mir has heavy hands and world-class submission skills which should negate most of what Nogueira will bring on Saturday night.
As long as Mir doesn’t get overconfident he should be able to control where the fight is fought and out-score his Brazilian opponent for three rounds. Both men know that they need to put on an entertaining fight to keep the UFC paychecks coming, so a stand-up battle could be the theme Saturday night. If that’s the case, this fight could go either way.
Get all the MMA lines on Mir vs. Nogueira and the other fights on the UFC 140 fight card later this week.
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The UFC Light Heavyweight division has long been thick with title contenders - not since Chuck Liddell ruled at 205 lbs has there been a dominant champion able to hold onto his belt against all comers. At UFC 140 Jon “Bones” Jones will try to defend his title for the second time against another former champion, Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida.
Has the UFC Light Heavyweight division finally found its true champion? Oddsmakers at the Bodog Sportsbook seem to think so. Get your UFC 140 betting lines now.
Jones continues to be head-and-shoulders above the rest of the competition in the division and seems to improve every time we see him in the Octagon. He has already destroyed two previous champions with relative ease and will be a heavy -550 favorite on the MMA odds to beat another. Most of the action for this main event so far has been placed on Jones, so that price is unlikely to drop by fight time.
A couple of years ago, when he knocked out Rashad Evans, many MMA fans believed that Machida would become the next dominant champion at 205 lbs. But the “Machida Era” didn’t last very long, and instead it’s Jones that has taken the division by storm and established himself as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world as well as one of the biggest draws in the sport.
The Dragon will bring a unique fighting style that Jones has never seen before, and for this reason he stands a chance for the upset. If he’s able to evade Jones' wrestling and reach, and score with lunging strikes, he could frustrate the champion and find success. Oddsmakers at the Bodog Sportsbook are offering a +355 payday for the Machida upset on the UFC betting board.
Has the UFC Light Heavyweight division finally found its true champion? Oddsmakers at the Bodog Sportsbook seem to think so. Get your UFC 140 betting lines now.
Jones continues to be head-and-shoulders above the rest of the competition in the division and seems to improve every time we see him in the Octagon. He has already destroyed two previous champions with relative ease and will be a heavy -550 favorite on the MMA odds to beat another. Most of the action for this main event so far has been placed on Jones, so that price is unlikely to drop by fight time.
A couple of years ago, when he knocked out Rashad Evans, many MMA fans believed that Machida would become the next dominant champion at 205 lbs. But the “Machida Era” didn’t last very long, and instead it’s Jones that has taken the division by storm and established himself as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world as well as one of the biggest draws in the sport.
The Dragon will bring a unique fighting style that Jones has never seen before, and for this reason he stands a chance for the upset. If he’s able to evade Jones' wrestling and reach, and score with lunging strikes, he could frustrate the champion and find success. Oddsmakers at the Bodog Sportsbook are offering a +355 payday for the Machida upset on the UFC betting board.
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Ten months, four wins.
Three former champions beaten.
Hardly a dicey moment.
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It’s been said before on this site, but Jon Jones put the icing on what may be the single best year for any fighter in MMA history on Saturday when he dumped Lyoto Machida on the canvas like a guy dropping off his dirty clothes at the cleaners. During the last 310 days, Jones has sprinted through a sterling list of light heavyweight competition, upping his overall record to 15-1 and doing it all while just barely breaking a sweat.
At 24 years old, he’s already scored and underscored his position as the best 205-pound fighter in the world. Now, the only thing with the potential to be more impressive than Jones’ 2011 might just be his 2012, when he’ll inherit even tougher challenges and a UFC landscape ripe for him to seize the mantle as the sport’s best pound-for-pound fighter.
The No. 1 P4P spot has been the exclusive domain of Anderson Silva since Fedor Emelianenko fell off so precipitously in 2010-11 -- and don’t worry, Silva fans, your guy has GOAT status still well in hand -- but the debate could get interesting again if the current trends hold up into next year.
In the wake of his win over Machida, Jones says he has his heart set on a lengthy vacation, but I wouldn’t count on it. Not with Silva on the shelf until June, Georges St. Pierre out perhaps the entire year and Junior dos Santos fresh off his own knee surgery. Especially not with Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans and Phil Davis already lurking around as potential next challengers for the light heavyweight title.
With more shows than ever planned for 2012, the UFC will need its healthy champions to stay active. Barring any unforeseen setbacks, it’d be a surprise if we don’t see Jones fight either Henderson or the Evans/Davis winner by spring. If he were to win -- say, over Hendo -- then defeat Evans at the end of summer or early fall, well, you do the math. Even if Silva returns from his shoulder injury and defeats Chael Sonnen or Mark Munoz in the meantime, I’m not sure he’d be able to hold off that kind of charge from Jones.
UFC President Dana White says he thinks “Bones” is already No. 2 pound-for-pound and if by this time next year he’s managed to put together a run that includes consecutive wins over Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Machida, Henderson and Evans, I don’t see how you could deny him the top spot. That would be a six-fight stretch not even Silva could match. Being the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world isn't a lifetime achievement award, after all, but a snapshot of who is the best fighter in the sport at that moment, regardless of weight.
Unfortunately, since the UFC’s official position is that we shouldn't hold our breath for Jones and Silva to ever actually get together in the cage, the pound-for-pound debate will continue to be wholly hypothetical into the near future.
If things play out according to chalk during 2012 however, Silva may still be the greatest MMA fighter of all time, but Jones will get my vote as the best on the planet right now.
Three former champions beaten.
Hardly a dicey moment.
Tweet, tweet
Don't miss a moment of the latest MMA coverage from around the world. Follow us on Twitter and stay informed. Join »
It’s been said before on this site, but Jon Jones put the icing on what may be the single best year for any fighter in MMA history on Saturday when he dumped Lyoto Machida on the canvas like a guy dropping off his dirty clothes at the cleaners. During the last 310 days, Jones has sprinted through a sterling list of light heavyweight competition, upping his overall record to 15-1 and doing it all while just barely breaking a sweat.
At 24 years old, he’s already scored and underscored his position as the best 205-pound fighter in the world. Now, the only thing with the potential to be more impressive than Jones’ 2011 might just be his 2012, when he’ll inherit even tougher challenges and a UFC landscape ripe for him to seize the mantle as the sport’s best pound-for-pound fighter.
The No. 1 P4P spot has been the exclusive domain of Anderson Silva since Fedor Emelianenko fell off so precipitously in 2010-11 -- and don’t worry, Silva fans, your guy has GOAT status still well in hand -- but the debate could get interesting again if the current trends hold up into next year.
In the wake of his win over Machida, Jones says he has his heart set on a lengthy vacation, but I wouldn’t count on it. Not with Silva on the shelf until June, Georges St. Pierre out perhaps the entire year and Junior dos Santos fresh off his own knee surgery. Especially not with Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans and Phil Davis already lurking around as potential next challengers for the light heavyweight title.
With more shows than ever planned for 2012, the UFC will need its healthy champions to stay active. Barring any unforeseen setbacks, it’d be a surprise if we don’t see Jones fight either Henderson or the Evans/Davis winner by spring. If he were to win -- say, over Hendo -- then defeat Evans at the end of summer or early fall, well, you do the math. Even if Silva returns from his shoulder injury and defeats Chael Sonnen or Mark Munoz in the meantime, I’m not sure he’d be able to hold off that kind of charge from Jones.
UFC President Dana White says he thinks “Bones” is already No. 2 pound-for-pound and if by this time next year he’s managed to put together a run that includes consecutive wins over Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Machida, Henderson and Evans, I don’t see how you could deny him the top spot. That would be a six-fight stretch not even Silva could match. Being the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world isn't a lifetime achievement award, after all, but a snapshot of who is the best fighter in the sport at that moment, regardless of weight.
Unfortunately, since the UFC’s official position is that we shouldn't hold our breath for Jones and Silva to ever actually get together in the cage, the pound-for-pound debate will continue to be wholly hypothetical into the near future.
If things play out according to chalk during 2012 however, Silva may still be the greatest MMA fighter of all time, but Jones will get my vote as the best on the planet right now.
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Recognizing the growth and integration of mixed martial arts with personal training and physical fitness, the National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association (NESTA) recently approved the Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Association’s (MMACA) online certification program for 4.0 continuing education credits. These credits also satisfy recertification requirements for the NESTA Personal Fitness Trainer program.
The online MMACA certification program is designed for personal trainers, coaches, martial artists and MMA participants interested in acquiring both athletic and business skills required for successful mixed martial arts coaching. It combines combat drills, plyometrics, mental training, TRX, kettlebells, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, sports nutrition, flexibility and more.
“Mixed martial arts continues to be adopted into a variety of sports as well as popular culture and national TV, so it only makes sense that this special online certification now qualifies for continuing education credits,” said John Spencer Ellis, founder of the Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Association. “We are pleased with this recognition of the strength and quality of our certification program.”
Becoming a certified mixed martial arts conditioning coach involves a series of online lectures, video demonstrations, a digital manual, audio lessons and more. The program is 100 percent online and self-paced.
In addition to the NESTA continuing education credits, the Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Association’s certification also earns credits through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
About MMACA
The Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Association (MMACA) was developed to bridge the gap between sports conditioning science, MMA training methods and direct application from the ring, octagon, mat or cage. The MMA Conditioning Association is the MMA certification division of the National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association (NESTA), a leader in innovative solutions for fitness, nutrition and wellness professionals, as well as club owners since 1992. The MMACA and its staff of educators, exercise physiologists, dietitians, biomechanists, strength coaches, sports psychologists, physical therapists, massage therapists, kinesiologists and business professionals have joined with the world's top boxers, wrestlers, BJJ fighters, Muay Thai fighters, American kickboxers, MMA fighters and coaches to develop a comprehensive MMA conditioning program. For more information about the certification, please visit Mixed Martial Arts MMA Conditioning Coach Certification | Strength & Conditioning Training for MMA
The online MMACA certification program is designed for personal trainers, coaches, martial artists and MMA participants interested in acquiring both athletic and business skills required for successful mixed martial arts coaching. It combines combat drills, plyometrics, mental training, TRX, kettlebells, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, sports nutrition, flexibility and more.
“Mixed martial arts continues to be adopted into a variety of sports as well as popular culture and national TV, so it only makes sense that this special online certification now qualifies for continuing education credits,” said John Spencer Ellis, founder of the Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Association. “We are pleased with this recognition of the strength and quality of our certification program.”
Becoming a certified mixed martial arts conditioning coach involves a series of online lectures, video demonstrations, a digital manual, audio lessons and more. The program is 100 percent online and self-paced.
In addition to the NESTA continuing education credits, the Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Association’s certification also earns credits through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
About MMACA
The Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Association (MMACA) was developed to bridge the gap between sports conditioning science, MMA training methods and direct application from the ring, octagon, mat or cage. The MMA Conditioning Association is the MMA certification division of the National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association (NESTA), a leader in innovative solutions for fitness, nutrition and wellness professionals, as well as club owners since 1992. The MMACA and its staff of educators, exercise physiologists, dietitians, biomechanists, strength coaches, sports psychologists, physical therapists, massage therapists, kinesiologists and business professionals have joined with the world's top boxers, wrestlers, BJJ fighters, Muay Thai fighters, American kickboxers, MMA fighters and coaches to develop a comprehensive MMA conditioning program. For more information about the certification, please visit Mixed Martial Arts MMA Conditioning Coach Certification | Strength & Conditioning Training for MMA
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It's that time of year once again, fight fans. The 2012 edition of the World MMA Scouting Report will kick off in just a few hours, spotlighting ten prospects from around the world in each of the eight different weight classes. Last year's report proved to be a huge success with over 50% of the prospects on the report signing with a major mixed martial arts promotion in the following year. Even to this day, many of the prospects featured on the 2011 World MMA Scouting Report who weren't signed are now seeing interest, and we hope the same interest will come to this year's crop of fighters.
Unlike last year's report, we've been planning this year's edition for five months, combing through a countless list of prospects hidden in the depths of the sport's regional landscape. Unexpected moments of excitement weren't common during the endless nights of daunting research, but the few moments in which we watched greatness overcome adversity made it all worth our while. Here's a little teaser featuring a few of those moments. Get excited!
In order to make things easier and more focused, we've narrowed the criteria for inclusion on the report this year. Below is a list of the factors we outlined from the beginning of our research:
Limiting Factors
Prominence: Similar to last year, prospects are limited to unsigned fighters. Fighters in the UFC, Bellator, and DREAM were not considered. There is one exception to the rule however. Bellator has signed prospects to one-fight deals to fill out undercards. Those fighters are still under consideration until confirmed as tournament fighters or signed to long-term deals.
Age: Less than or equal to 30 years of age.
Exclusivity: All prospects are exclusive to this year's report. Prospects from previous year's reports cannot be included. Only fighters profiled in the end report honorable mention post are exempt.
Our ranking methodology is fairly straightforward. The prospects who have proven track records and possess the skills to make an immediate impact in a top-tier mixed martial arts organization top our divisional rankings. Strength of record is a factor among the top fighters while potential is a more significant factor among prospects in the middle or near the bottom. A fighter's environment, training partners, and background all come into play as well, but nothing is as important as what we see inside the cage.
Finally, this year's report will have some additions to the format. Last year was the inaugural edition, so there wasn't any room for features. This year, we will add two new features to the report: Honorable Mentions and 2011 World MMA Scouting Report Recaps, putting us at a grand total of 88 articles in 42 days.
2012 World MMA Scouting Report Structure
Profiles: Eight weight classes will be featured. Flyweight was a late addition since the UFC just announced its inclusion in their ranks. It will be featured after the heavyweight division concludes. Every day, two profiles will be posted, usually at 8 AM ET and 8 PM ET. Times should be treated as tentative.
2011 World MMA Scouting Report Recaps: These pieces will recap last year's report. Where are they today? What are they doing now? They will be posted alongside their respective division after the countdown of the division has concluded.
Honorable Mentions: At the conclusion of the report, we will publish a post outlining 8 fighters, one from each weight class, as honorable mentions. These fighters are still eligible for next year's report.
Readers can find all of the 2012 World MMA Scouting Report posts under our new section here. Last year's report profiles will eventually be added to the section. Follow me at @lelandroling on Twitter for updates. Enjoy!
Unlike last year's report, we've been planning this year's edition for five months, combing through a countless list of prospects hidden in the depths of the sport's regional landscape. Unexpected moments of excitement weren't common during the endless nights of daunting research, but the few moments in which we watched greatness overcome adversity made it all worth our while. Here's a little teaser featuring a few of those moments. Get excited!
In order to make things easier and more focused, we've narrowed the criteria for inclusion on the report this year. Below is a list of the factors we outlined from the beginning of our research:
Limiting Factors
Prominence: Similar to last year, prospects are limited to unsigned fighters. Fighters in the UFC, Bellator, and DREAM were not considered. There is one exception to the rule however. Bellator has signed prospects to one-fight deals to fill out undercards. Those fighters are still under consideration until confirmed as tournament fighters or signed to long-term deals.
Age: Less than or equal to 30 years of age.
Exclusivity: All prospects are exclusive to this year's report. Prospects from previous year's reports cannot be included. Only fighters profiled in the end report honorable mention post are exempt.
Our ranking methodology is fairly straightforward. The prospects who have proven track records and possess the skills to make an immediate impact in a top-tier mixed martial arts organization top our divisional rankings. Strength of record is a factor among the top fighters while potential is a more significant factor among prospects in the middle or near the bottom. A fighter's environment, training partners, and background all come into play as well, but nothing is as important as what we see inside the cage.
Finally, this year's report will have some additions to the format. Last year was the inaugural edition, so there wasn't any room for features. This year, we will add two new features to the report: Honorable Mentions and 2011 World MMA Scouting Report Recaps, putting us at a grand total of 88 articles in 42 days.
2012 World MMA Scouting Report Structure
Profiles: Eight weight classes will be featured. Flyweight was a late addition since the UFC just announced its inclusion in their ranks. It will be featured after the heavyweight division concludes. Every day, two profiles will be posted, usually at 8 AM ET and 8 PM ET. Times should be treated as tentative.
2011 World MMA Scouting Report Recaps: These pieces will recap last year's report. Where are they today? What are they doing now? They will be posted alongside their respective division after the countdown of the division has concluded.
Honorable Mentions: At the conclusion of the report, we will publish a post outlining 8 fighters, one from each weight class, as honorable mentions. These fighters are still eligible for next year's report.
Readers can find all of the 2012 World MMA Scouting Report posts under our new section here. Last year's report profiles will eventually be added to the section. Follow me at @lelandroling on Twitter for updates. Enjoy!
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2006/12/07
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Jon Jones has been an unstoppable force since he first stepped into the Octagon and now he looks poised to become the first dominant Light Heavyweight champion since Chuck Liddell. No one has come even close to challenging him in any of his 14 fights, but it wasn’t that long ago that we were all saying the same thing about Lyoto Machida.
MMA betting fans know that fighting style matchups in the UFC often determine which fighter will come out victorious. Jon Jones has never faced a fighter like Quinton Jackson, someone who will look to walk right through whatever Jones throws at him and take the fight to him. How Jones will respond to an opponent that’s head-hunting him, instead of the other way around, remains to be seen.
MMA bettors at the Bodog Sportsbook have little faith in a Jackson upset and have driven the original upset price of +350 on the UFC odds all the way up to +450. Even against an evolved young fighter like Jones one has to give Rampage a puncher’s chance, and at +450 or better by fight time, one properly timed Jackson hook could make for a big payday.
Rampage Jackson wants his UFC Light Heavyweight belt back and he’s prepared for this fight more than any other. A determined and dedicated Rampage is a very dangerous opponent, and if Jon Jones makes one mistake his time as champion will come to an abrupt end just like all the others of late.
Get all your UFC odds at Bodog.