It started in Tokyo. The second round of World Victory Road's Sengoku featherweight grand prix in 2009, Marlon Sandro coming at him with what looked like an overhand right. Source: http://www.ufc-video.co.cc/2012/10/bj-penn-vs-matt-hughes-highlights-hd-ufc-123/
A light heavyweight battle is set for Memorial Day weekend as Ryan Bader takes on Glover Teixeira. The high profile matchup joins an ever-growing holiday weekend card.. The bout was announced by UFC officials late Tuesday evening. Ryan Bader got back on track at UFC on Fox 6 with a quick submission victory over Vladimir [...]
Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/32846/ufc-160-ryan-bader-vs-glover-teixeira-to-meet-in-vegas/
After beating Michael Bisping in a middleweight bout at UFC on FX 7, Vitor Belfort said he wanted a shot at the UFC light heavyweight belt. He called Chael Sonnen a clown, and asked for a "champion vs. champion" shot at Jon Jones.
He continued during the UFC postfight show on Fuel.
?[Sonnen] is a clown. Get out. Get out of the way. He just got knocked out pretty bad by Anderson Silva then he fights Jon Jones. He doesn?t deserve the reality show. Let me fight - real champion versus real champion. I know he?s a good athlete, but he needs to go to the back of the line. Let me fight the rematch.?
Belfort fought Jones in September and lost by submission. Sonnen will fight Jones in April after the conclusion of "The Ultimate Fighter." They will coach against each other on the show. Sonnen, a commentator on the postfight show, immediately responded.
?Let me be really clear and speak directly to you Vitor. You have been telling the world that you want to meet Jesus and I will gladly arrange that travel, but first I am going to get rid of Jon Jones, then you are next. Vitor, I accept. Don?t make any mistake about that. You have called me out twice now,? Sonnen said.
Their war of words continued on Twitter.
@sonnench You don't have the power to send me to Jesus, buy I can provide you with an early encounter with Satan!
? Vitor Belfort (@vitorbelfort) January 20, 2013
Vitor:I Played golf w/Jesus today after I did @jimrome show.He said you're gonna lose.Also, the tattoo makes you look like a "Brown-Noser"
? chael sonnen (@sonnench) January 21, 2013
Belfort's vitriol at Sonnen seemed so out of place. Belfort is a middleweight, and if he's looking for another shot at the light heavyweight title, perhaps he should look for a middleweight fight first?
But what Belfort did do was set himself up perfectly for an injury replacement if Sonnen or Jones were to suffer one. This has happened in three of the last four seasons of TUF, so it's not a bad idea on Belfort's part. Considering Sonnen got their light heavyweight title shot after fighting at middleweight for years, and Nick Diaz got one after a suspension and a loss, there's not much rhyme or reason to the UFC's title match making these days. Belfort is making a smart play based on recent history.
Demian Maia and Joe Benavidez started UFC 156's main card with decision wins on Saturday night.
In the battle of the wrestler vs. the grappler, grappling whiz Demian Maia easily won over wrestler Jon Fitch.
Fitch, who wrestled collegiately at Purdue, could not stop Maia's takedowns. Throughout all three rounds, Maia took Fitch's back, and controlled him from there throughout. The one saving grace for Fitch was that he could stop Maia's submissions, but Fitch offered no offense. The judges saw it 30-27 on every card for Maia.
Maia has found welterweight to be a much more welcoming weight class. He has three wins there, over Fitch, Rick Story and Dong Hyun Kim. Fitch, on the other hand, has hit a rough patch. He is 1-2-1 in his last four fights.
Joe Benavidez won over Ian McCall to start off the main card. Benavidez had the better of McCall early on, wobbling him early in the first round, but McCall's grappling kept Benavidez at bay in the second round. Benavidez stopped McCall's takedown attempts and wobbled him early in the third round. The judges saw it 29-28 across the board for Benavidez.
Both fighters lost their last bouts to the flyweight champ, Demetrious Johnson. Getting the win at UFC 156 was key for each fighter to get another shot at the belt. Benavidez's win puts him to 17-3, with his last two losses coming in title fights.
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UFC 156 is the UFC's annual Super Bowl weekend card, and as usual, it's a big one. A former champion will drop down to try to win a belt in a new weight class, a Strikeforce champion will try to win a shot at the UFC heavyweight belt, and these questions will be answered.
What have the layoff and injuries done to Jose Aldo? By the time he walks into the cage on Saturday night, it will have been 385 days between Aldo's fights. He had several injuries and had bouts canceled twice. It's hard to say if we'll see the invincible Aldo who fought Chad Mendes last January.
How does the new weight class suit Frankie Edgar? Since starting as a lightweight, Edgar has had doubters because he was on the small side for 155 lbs. It worked for him, as he did win and defend the UFC lightweight championship. Now that he's lost it, he's trying again for the belt at 145 lbs. Will the new weight class fit him even better than lightweight did?
[Related: UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo is perfectly suited for superstar status]
Did Alistair Overeem look past Antonio Silva? At the pre-fight press conference, Overeem called the bout with Silva a warm-up fight.
"Obviously I've not fought for 13 months, so it's going to be a good test for me," Overeem said. "I should not overlook 'Bigfoot' Silva, but if I look at my training and what I do to my sparring partners, I should not make 'Bigfoot' Silva more than he is. He should not be a problem, but that's why it's a warm-up fight."
That's dangerous ground to tread, as looking past the man who is about to punch you makes it lightly you'll get knocked out. Overeem should beat Silva, but the one way he can lose is to not take Silva seriously.
[Related: Rashad Evans' best path to title shot could be cutting weight, facing Anderson Silva]
Can Jon Fitch use his wrestling to neutralize Demian Maia? You may not like to watch Fitch's matches. You may have used the words "lay and pray." But you cannot deny Fitch's ability to use his wrestling to hold off opponent's strengths. This time, he'll be using it against Maia, whose submissions and jiu-jitsu are tough to beat. This is Fitch's chance to show he can hold off even the best ground games.
What are you most looking forward to for UFC 156 -- or are you not looking forward to it at all? Speak up in the comments, Facebook or Twitter.
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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/four-questions-answered-ufc-156-183941245--mma.html
