FanPost edited and promoted by MMAmania.com.

Littered amongst the path of Jose Aldo's rise to the top of Zuffa's Featherweight division are the bodies of his opponents. Many have fallen due to the flurry of strikes, knees and vicious leg kicks that he has delivered in his quest to claim, and retain, the 145-pound championship belt.

With his iron grip cast over the division, the idea that "Junior" can be challenged seems preposterous in the wake of the destructive manner of his victories, including his vicious knockout of Chad Mendes at UFC 142 earlier this year.

However, as opponents fall, new ones rise up to take their place on the featherweight ladder. Who can step up to the challenge and dethrone Aldo?

A look at some possible contenders, after the jump.

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Have you ever watched a fighter and thought to yourself: 'if he was around X years ago, he could have been a Champion?'

Well I have, and here's a list of those fighters whom I believe would have achieved success if they were spawned just slightly before their time. This is not a serious list, in fact, it's probably because I am so bored with revising for my exams that I made it.

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The Hominick-Yagin fight this past Saturday went down, and the outcome gave me some thoughts. I'd like to share them with you lot and see what you lot think.

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All good things must come to an end.

After enjoying several years at the top of his division, and in numerous "Pound-for-Pound" rankings, the widely-touted "unbeatable" Miguel Angel Torres was sent crashing to the mat this past Saturday, unconscious, courtesy of a younger fighter determined to make his own mark in the sport.

This was only the second time that Torres had been knocked out in his fight career, one that had spanned to over 40 fights.

The question is, how will Miguel Torres be remembered?

Continue reading this post »

So apparently an MMA Fighter, Nate Patterson, decided to start trouble at a pool party, which resulted in him getting knocked out in one punch. Here's the news report:

Not only is it mortally embarrassing for a professional fighter to get KO'd by a layman in one punch, but also, being an absolute tool won't exactly do much for your fan base either.

Further, its news like this that gives people the impression that MMA is just an event that legalises fighting for thugs. It'll be interesting to see how this guy's career actually turns out.

(Props to MiddleEasy for the news)

As the world is still buzzing about the headkick knockout displayed by the UFC's newest karateka, Stephen Thompson, hot on his footsteps comes this man from England, Michael Page.

Page made his professional MMA debut last Saturday, on the card of UCMMA 26: The Real Deal at the Troxy Arena, London, England.

A flash in the pan, or a future champion? Watch the video and decide.

Continue reading this post »

Remember the post containing the interview with Mike Pierce, where he claims that Rick Story beat up on a beginner suffering from vertigo?

Somehow, the news that Pierce was badmouthing him and his gym reached Story, and he got so mad that he created a Blog specifically to address Pierce's accusations:

http://thehorrorstory-unknown.blogspot.com/2011/11/response-to-mike-pierces-interview.html

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Its only 8 months into the year and MMA fans have been treated to hundreds of bouts, but amongst the boring wrestle-fests and shocking decisions, there have already been a plethora of incredible knockouts staking their claim to gain the coveted mythical prize: "Knockout of the Year".

For a bit of fun, I that I would list a summary of the 'greatest' KO's so far, and give you all the chance to participate and help me decide which one you lot think is best. Wherever possible, I will try to provide a link so you can all watch the said unconscious-removing strike in action, but please don't be angry if the best I can find is a shitty YouTube link. (If the Zuffa brass has enforced it's anti-piracy clampdown and the video cannot be found, you'll have to make-do with my 'detailed descriptions' and your own vivid memories). Without further ado, here is the list:

Continue reading this post »

2010 closed out 2 days ago, and I am still striving to recover from the alcohol-induced stupor that I have been reduced to since the early hours of 2011. To help me kill my time, which is going both painfully and slowly, I have decided to produce a series of 'Top 10 of 2010' lists. There is a strong likelihood that many of you won't agree with my opinions, but quite frankly, I don't care. At least writing this is more enjoyable than watching re-runs of Coronation Street on TV.

Without further ado, let me present the first Top 10 List for you all to enjoy:

Continue reading this post »

This post is not about MMA, but it is about boxing. If the content is not deemed relevant to this site, please tell me so I can have the post removed.

For those of you who do not follow boxing, Vitali Klitschko defended his WBC Heavyweight title on Saturday night against Shannon Briggs in Hamburg, Germany.

Vitali, along with his brother Wladimir are widely recognized as the best heavyweight boxers in the sport today, although there has been much mixed opinions about the standards of heavyweight boxing since the division's glory days between a decade or so ago. The fight with Shannon Briggs, a 38 year old former WBO Heavyweight Champion and perennial fringe contender, held no surprises. Briggs, who has shown limited ability in his past few fights, was dominated by the elder Klitschko and despite claiming to be in the best shape of his life, failed to seriously threaten his opponent at any time during the fight. Briggs lost the bout by 120 - 107, 120 - 107 and 120 - 105 on the judge's scorecards - a clear shut out.

But the reason why I wanted to write this article was not because I wanted to applaud the dominance of the Klitschko brothers, but because of the decision and potential implications for Shannon Briggs. For those who watched the fight, many will agree that it was becoming extremely painful viewing towards the latter half of the fight: Klitschko was dominating his opponent and from Round 6 onwards, was seemingly hitting his opponent at will. Although Briggs threw one or two clean shots in later rounds, he became nothing more than literally a punchbag for Klitschko to hit.

To his credit, Briggs did not go down, and even more incredibly, he remained upright when giving out an interview after the fight. "Hopefully I showed you the heart of a lion", Briggs said, "...and the perseverance of a champion".

Yes you did Shannon. But at what price?

The media reports that Briggs took 302 blows to the head and body, with 171 of them registering as 'clean' shots. Briggs, despite being able to give a post-fight interview, collapsed when giving a urine sample and as of today, is still in hospital for treatment.

The fight should have been stopped earlier. The referee should have stopped the fight. The ringside physician should have stopped the fight. Reports claim that Brigg's corner wanted to have the fight stopped, but it was Brigg's pride and refusal to have the fight stopped that kept it going: "I made it clear that stopping was not an option".

Well it should have been.

A statement released by Brigg's claimed that he had incurred no severe head injuries. Rejoice? I don't think so. It is known that pugilistic illnesses are sometimes latent, coming into fruition after the fighter has retired from the sport. If Briggs develops pugilistic dementia later in his life, then this fight will immediately be spotlighted as having a major contribution.

The referee has since been under immense criticism after the fight. Referee John-Lewis claimed that he was satisfied that Briggs could continue fighting. Looking back, I wonder what made him think that. If his decision to not call an end to the beating was justified by Shannon Brigg's refusal to quit, then he made the wrong call. A referee is there to protect the fighter's health and well-being, not listen to the fighter and make a judgment based on his wishes. If his decision to not end the fight was, really as he claimed, based on the fact that Briggs could continue fighting, well, he was wrong as well. Briggs was being used as a punchbag for Klitschko, and although it is the immediate health of a fighter that is of primary concern to referees, one must give some thought to the implications of that fighter's future.

I am not saying that the referee is 100% to blame; Brigg's cornermen should have been more forceful in stopping the fight, and although it is always hard for a fighter to accept defeat, Brigg's resilience and determination to continue was also a huge factor. But at the end of the day, the referee is the one responsible for calling the bout and Ian John-Lewis, by allowing the fight to continue, failed in this situation to adequately protect Briggs.

In all combat sports, there will always be, at some point, concern about an individual's health. We, the audience, might protest about early stoppages, but at the end of the day, an early stoppage can always be resolved by giving a rematch. For Alzheimer's, there is no cure. In all refereed bouts, there is a duty of care owed by the referee to the fighters, and in the majority of cases, the referee will get it right.

Unfortunately for Ian John-Lewis, this time he got it wrong.

For those of you who do not follow boxing, Vitali Klitschko defended his WBC Heavyweight title on Saturday night against Shannon Briggs in Hamburg, Germany.

Vitali, along with his brother Wladimir are widely recognized as the best heavyweight boxers in the sport today - although there has been much mixed opinions about the standard of heavyweight boxing since the division's glory days between a decade or so ago. The fight with Shannon Briggs, a 38 year old former WBO Heavyweight Champion and perennial fringe contender, held no surprises. Briggs, who has shown limited ability in his past few fights, was dominated by the elder Klitschko and despite claiming to be in the best shape of his life, failed to seriously threaten his opponent at any time during the fight. Briggs lost the bout by 120 - 107, 120 - 107 and 120 - 105 on the judge's scorecards - a clear shut out.

But the reason why I wanted to write this article was not because I wanted to applaud the dominance of the Klitschko brothers, but because of the decision and potential implications for Shannon Briggs. For those who watched the fight, many will agree that it was becoming extremely painful viewing towards the latter half of the fight: Klitschko was dominating his opponent and from Round 6 onwards, was seemingly hitting his opponent at will. Although Briggs threw one or two clean shots in later rounds, he became nothing more than literally a punchbag for Klitschko to hit.

To his credit, Briggs did not go down, and even more incredibly, he remained upright when giving out an interview after the fight. "Hopefully I showed you the heart of a lion", Briggs said, "...and the perseverance of a champion".

Yes you did Shannon. But at what price?

The media reports that Briggs took 302 blows to the head and body, with 171 of them registering as 'clean' shots. Briggs, despite being able to give a post-fight interview, collapsed when giving a urine sample and as of today, is still in hospital for treatment.

The fight should have been stopped earlier. The referee should have stopped the fight. The ringside physician should have stopped the fight. Reports claim that Brigg's corner wanted to have the fight stopped, but it was Brigg's pride and refusal to have the fight stopped that kept it going: "I made it clear that stopping was not an option".

Well it should have been.

A statement released by Brigg's claimed that he had incurred no severe head injuries. Rejoice? I don't think so. It is known that pugilistic illnesses are sometimes latent, coming into fruition after the fighter has retired from the sport. If Briggs develops pugilistic dementia later in his life, then this fight will immediately be spotlighted as having a major contribution.

The referee has since been under immense criticism after the fight. Referee John-Lewis claimed that he was satisfied that Briggs could continue fighting. Looking back, I wonder what made him think that. If his decision to not call an end to the beating was justified by Shannon Brigg's refusal to quit, then he made the wrong call. A referee is there to protect the fighter's health and well-being, not listen to the fighter and make a judgment based on his wishes. If his decision to not end the fight was, as John-Lewis claimed, based on his belief that Briggs could continue fighting, well, he was wrong in making that assessment as well. Briggs was being used as a punchbag for Klitschko, and although it is the immediate health of a fighter that is of primary concern to referees, one must give some thought to the implications of that fighter's future.

I am not saying that the referee is 100% to blame; Brigg's cornermen should have been more forceful in stopping the fight, and although it is always hard for a fighter to accept defeat, Brigg's resilience and determination to continue was also a huge factor. But at the end of the day, the referee is the one responsible for calling the bout and Ian John-Lewis, by allowing the fight to continue, failed in this situation to adequately protect Briggs.

In all combat sports, there will always be, at some point, concern about an individual's health. We, the audience, might protest about early stoppages, but at the end of the day, an early stoppage can always be resolved by giving a rematch. For Alzheimer's, there is no cure. In all refereed bouts, there is a duty of care owed by the referee to the fighters, and in the majority of cases, the referee will get it right.

Unfortunately for Ian John-Lewis, this time he got it wrong.

For a long time now, the UFC's Lightweight division has been a shark tank. In the past it was ruled by BJ Penn, who, when not trying to fight with opponents in other weight divisions, was destroying all other challengers. Then, in UFC 112, Frankie Edgar did the unthinkable: he beat BJ Penn at Lightweight. And then, just to prove that the first time was not fluke or a result of erroneous scoring, he accomplished the feat once again at UFC 118 to prove that he is the best Lightweight in the world.

Now Frankie Edgar will have the chance to avenge his only loss when he defends his title for the second time, against number one contender Gray Maynard. And this is where problems  for the UFC begins. Although Frankie Edgar may have the 'answer' to the BJ Penn riddle at Lightweight, the employees of Zuffa must be scratching their heads when wondering why he isn't a major draw when seems to possess the potential to be one. Then, on the other side of the cage, there is his opponent, Gray Maynard, who has about as much pulling power as a demagnetised magnet due to his smothering wrestling style of fighting. In short, as Jonathan Snowden points out, Frankie Edgar is a champion but not a star and things are not likely to change even if he does beat Gray Maynard. 

Looking briefly at the rest of the UFC Lightweight fighters and apart from BJ Penn, it can be argued that none of them are proven draws. The old guard, Takanori Gomi and Sean Sherk have yet to convince fans that they are truly back to their best, although recent wins, however dubious in Sherk's case, have erased some doubts as to whether they belong. The young guns are also failing to reach star status: Melvin Guillard recently alienated fans with his Greg Jackson induced 'safe' style of fighting, Nate Diaz is too busy hopping divisions to stay and become a star in one, Jeremy Stephens, Evan Dunham and Tyson Griffin have recently suffered losses. Charles Oliveira is too green, and George Sotiropoulos and Joe Lauzon need wins against some big name opponents in order to prove their point.

Across the pond, similar problems are found within the UFC's sister promotion, the WEC. Firstly, there is the fan's perception that WEC's Lightweight fighters are of a lesser calibre than the UFC's. It simple: if they were that good, they would be fighting in the UFC and earning more money, right? However, like the UFC, The WEC also has a problem with 'stars' and drawing power within it's Lightweight division: Ben Henderson, the WEC's Lightweight Champion was subject to an online debate after his win at WEC 48 as to whether he could hang with the Top 10 UFC Lightweights. Like Edgar, he is a Champion but not a star, although that could be contributed to the lesser public interest in the WEC, rather than any personal fault of Henderson's.

Looking at the rest of the roster, Anthony Pettis, with his flashy moves and exciting style could potentially become the WEC's first major Lightweight star, but he has the difficult task of getting past Benson Henderson first. Donald Cerrone and Jamie Varner may have attracted more viewers with their last fight, but much of that was due to the history between the two. It is likely that if the two fought other opponents rather than each other, the interest in their fights would decline. Reed Harris, WEC supremo, must have been internally thanking Cerrone when the "Cowboy" offered Varner a final fight in their rubber match. Moving on, Shane Roller is coming off a loss, Kamal Shalorus was lucky to get a draw in his last fight, Anthony Njokuani was knocked out of relevance by a Polish newcomer, and Chris Horodecki and Bart Palaszewski, despite recent win streaks, have yet to demonstrate 'star' potential. 

And so here is the problem: Two separate organisations, one weight class, no major drawing power. 

The solution? Cross-Promotional Fights.

I am not suggesting that the WEC should just dissolve it's Lightweight class and throw all of the fighters into the UFC, for that would be a foolish move. Instead, Zuffa should explore the option of cross-promotional match-ups. This would give the opportunity for WEC fighters to be introduced to the wider UFC audience, and the concept might freshen up the lightweight division and save the UFC from making unappealing fights.

For example, most fans cannot honestly say that they are eagerly anticipating Frankie Edgar v Gray Maynard 2. Infact, fans outside of Maynard's immediate family are probably hoping that he doesn't win so that future championship fights won't be less exciting than watching paint dry. So if Edgar v Maynard 2 doesn't tickle your fancy, why not try matching Maynard with someone from the WEC, such as Kamal Shalorus, who is on paper the better wrestler and is a fighter with a penchant for brawling.

If questions are asked as to whether the WEC's lightweights can hang with the UFC's, then the only definitive answer outside of speculation is to match them up. The pros for cross-promotional matches are there: it is a new concept in which both brands can be heavily advertised - think the angle with Toney v Couture: Boxing v MMA, but instead of representing different sports, fighters are representing their own promotions. Furthermore, cross-promotional matches are a good way of introducing the WEC fighters to the wider UFC audience, which could in turn help push ratings for future WEC shows. Lastly, if Zuffa ever decide to merge the two separate divisions, then cross-promotional matches could make things easier in the future.

However, the concept is not without flaws. Contract clauses could affect this idea ever from happening, the question of whether a WEC fighter would permanently 'belong' in the UFC if he beat a UFC fighter would arise - no doubt, most fighters would want to fight for the UFC as the pay is significantly greater, and there is also the tricky issue of matching the fighters to begin with in a manner that doesn't ruin any fighter's plans to gaining a title shot in their own respective organisations (although I am sure that the combined force of Joe Silva and Sean Shelby would be up to the task). Lastly, matching cross-promotional fighters might not necessarily create any more stars, as the main selling point is the concept itself.

So yes, the idea is not new, nor is it completely perfect, but if Zuffa are planning to eventually dissolve the WEC's lightweight class into the UFCs, then cross-promotional fights between the two could very well be a good place to start.

What do you guys think?

For a long time now, the UFC's Lightweight division has been a shark tank. In the past it was ruled by BJ Penn, who, when not trying to fight with opponents in other weight divisions, was destroying all other challengers. Then, in UFC 112, Frankie Edgar did the unthinkable: he beat BJ Penn at Lightweight. And then, just to prove that the first time was not fluke or a result of erroneous scoring, he accomplished the feat once again at UFC 118 to prove that he is the best Lightweight in the world.

Now Frankie Edgar will have the chance to avenge his only loss when he defends his title for the second time, against number one contender Gray Maynard. And this is where problems  for the UFC begins. Although Frankie Edgar may have the 'answer' to the BJ Penn riddle at Lightweight, the employees of Zuffa must be scratching their heads when wondering why he isn't a major draw when seems to possess the potential to be one. Then, on the other side of the cage, there is his opponent, Gray Maynard, who has about as much pulling power as a demagnetised magnet due to his smothering wrestling style of fighting. In short, as Jonathan Snowden points out, Frankie Edgar is a champion but not a star and things are not likely to change even if he does beat Gray Maynard. 

Looking briefly at the rest of the UFC Lightweight fighters and apart from BJ Penn, it can be argued that none of them are proven draws. The old guard, Takanori Gomi and Sean Sherk have yet to convince fans that they are truly back to their best, although recent wins, however dubious in Sherk's case, have erased some doubts as to whether they belong. The young guns are also failing to reach star status: Melvin Guillard recently alienated fans with his Greg Jackson induced 'safe' style of fighting, Nate Diaz is too busy hopping divisions to stay and become a star in one, Jeremy Stephens, Evan Dunham and Tyson Griffin have recently suffered losses. Charles Oliveira is too green, and George Sotiropoulos and Joe Lauzon need wins against some big name opponents in order to prove their point.

Across the pond, similar problems are found within the UFC's sister promotion, the WEC. Firstly, there is the fan's perception that WEC's Lightweight fighters are of a lesser calibre than the UFC's. It simple: if they were that good, they would be fighting in the UFC and earning more money, right? However, like the UFC, The WEC also has a problem with 'stars' and drawing power within it's Lightweight division: Ben Henderson, the WEC's Lightweight Champion was subject to an online debate after his win at WEC 48 as to whether he could hang with the Top 10 UFC Lightweights. Like Edgar, he is a Champion but not a star, although that could be contributed to the lesser public interest in the WEC, rather than any personal fault of Henderson's.

Looking at the rest of the roster, Anthony Pettis, with his flashy moves and exciting style could potentially become the WEC's first major Lightweight star, but he has the difficult task of getting past Benson Henderson first. Donald Cerrone and Jamie Varner may have attracted more viewers with their last fight, but much of that was due to the history between the two. It is likely that if the two fought other opponents rather than each other, the interest in their fights would decline. Reed Harris, WEC supremo, must have been internally thanking Cerrone when the "Cowboy" offered Varner a final fight in their rubber match. Moving on, Shane Roller is coming off a loss, Kamal Shalorus was lucky to get a draw in his last fight, Anthony Njokuani was knocked out of relevance by a Polish newcomer, and Chris Horodecki and Bart Palaszewski, despite recent win streaks, have yet to demonstrate 'star' potential. 

And so here is the problem: Two separate organisations, one weight class, no major drawing power. 

The solution? Cross-Promotional Fights.

I am not suggesting that the WEC should just dissolve it's Lightweight class and throw all of the fighters into the UFC, for that would be a foolish move. Instead, Zuffa should explore the option of cross-promotional match-ups. This would give the opportunity for WEC fighters to be introduced to the wider UFC audience, and the concept might freshen up the lightweight division and save the UFC from making unappealing fights.

For example, most fans cannot honestly say that they are eagerly anticipating Frankie Edgar v Gray Maynard 2. Infact, fans outside of Maynard's immediate family are probably hoping that he doesn't win so that future championship fights won't be less exciting than watching paint dry. So if Edgar v Maynard 2 doesn't tickle your fancy, why not try matching Maynard with someone from the WEC, such as Kamal Shalorus, who is on paper the better wrestler and is a fighter with a penchant for brawling.

If questions are asked as to whether the WEC's lightweights can hang with the UFC's, then the only definitive answer outside of speculation is to match them up. The pros for cross-promotional matches are there: it is a new concept in which both brands can be heavily advertised - think the angle with Toney v Couture: Boxing v MMA, but instead of representing different sports, fighters are representing their own promotions. Furthermore, cross-promotional matches are a good way of introducing the WEC fighters to the wider UFC audience, which could in turn help push ratings for future WEC shows. Lastly, if Zuffa ever decide to merge the two separate divisions, then cross-promotional matches could make things easier in the future.

However, the concept is not without flaws. Contract clauses could affect this idea ever from happening, the question of whether a WEC fighter would permanently 'belong' in the UFC if he beat a UFC fighter would arise - no doubt, most fighters would want to fight for the UFC as the pay is significantly greater, and there is also the tricky issue of matching the fighters to begin with in a manner that doesn't ruin any fighter's plans to gaining a title shot in their own respective organisations (although I am sure that the combined force of Joe Silva and Sean Shelby would be up to the task). Lastly, matching cross-promotional fighters might not necessarily create any more stars, as the main selling point is the concept itself.

So yes, the idea is not new, nor is it completely perfect, but if Zuffa are planning to eventually dissolve the WEC's lightweight class into the UFCs, then cross-promotional fights between the two could very well be a good place to start.

What do you guys think?

Lets go back in time to January last year.

A fighter is signed to the WEC. Tall, rangy and athletic, and with a penchant for exhibiting excellent Muay Thai, this fighter would see his stock rise in the WEC after gathering three consecutive 'Knockout of the Night' bonuses in his debut year. All the factors added up, it seemed as though he would be destined to achieve success, and it seemed that 2010 was the year that Anthony Njokuani would eventually step up and shine.

Unfortunately for Njokuani, it is safe to say that 2010 has not been the most successful year in 'The Assassin's' career. Two consecutive losses - the most recent to a little known Polish prospect - has seen his stock plummet faster than the economy. This post will look at Anthony Njokuani's rapid ascent from 'prospect' to fringe contender in the WEC, and look at the factors that contributed to his fall from grace.

When Anthony Njokuani was signed to the WEC in January 2009 last year, he seemed to show signs that he was a potential star in the making. Njokuani had been making a name for himself in small-to-mid tiered organisations, with his dangerous Muay Thai style and habit of knocking out opponents in Kickboxing and MMA events. His flair for striking obviously caught the eye of the Zuffa officials, who aimed to introduce him to the broader audience by pairing him up with Ed Ratcliff in his promotional debut. With both fighters showing a preference for the stand up game, it was the perfect chance for Njokuani to start his WEC career with a bang.

Unfortunately for Njokuani, injuries to Ratcliff meant that he had to withdraw from the event. In his place, the WEC recruited another debutant, Benson Henderson; now the current WEC Lightweight Champion, but back then, little more than a promising prospect. Whilst facing a replacement who steps up on short notice is usually advantageous - unless that replacement happens to be Chris Leben - for Njokuani, his new opponent presented 'the worst matchup stylistically' that he could have wished for. Instead of fighting a fellow striker who would happily trade blows with him, Njokuani found himself fighting a wrestler, and if Njokuani had thought he would just go in there and knock Henderson out, he soon found out that he would be wrong. Henderson utilised his wrestling to secure takedowns in round one, and it was his wrestling that enabled him to secure a Guillotine choke in round two.

According to Njokuani, the fight with Henderson 'opened his eyes' to the various aspects of MMA. He recognised that in order to become a well-rounded fighter, he would have to work harder on his ground game and Jiu-Jitsu. The WEC obviously recognised that Njokuani had potential and they opted to give Njokuani another chance at WEC 40 against Bart Palaszewski. Although 'The Assassin' once again displayed his flaws, i.e. his lack of wrestling ability, all his ground-game shortcomings were forgotten as he demonstrated his vicious Muay Thai striking to earn his first 'Knockout of the Night' honours. 

In hindsight, it was probably due to Anthony's striking prowess that resulted in fans learning little about his progress on the ground game. In his next match, Njokuani knocked out in opponent in the second round after a slow start, and it was not until his fourth WEC fight that fans finally got a chance to see some elements of his improved wrestling. 

This is slightly ironic, because out of all his KO's of the Night, it is the Chris Horodecki one that stands out in people's minds - the jumping head kick whilst Horodecki was retreating - but in the excitement of that knockout, what might have escaped people's memories was how much Njokuani's wrestling had visibly improved in that fight. Njokuani stuffed Horodecki's takedown attempts, and at one point in the fight, managed to take Horodecki down before briefly maintaining the mount. As good as this may sound, sceptics remained unconvinced. Chris Horodecki was a striker, not a wrestler, and he only resorted to wrestling because, to paraphrase Frank Mir who was commentating the fight, "his opponent's strengths were better than his own". 

Putting the wrestling debate to one side, one thing that was definitely improving for Njokuani was his status within the WEC. Following three consecutive impressive victories, Njokuani found himself conducting more interviews, being featured in more articles, and in general, being exposed more to the wider audience. As stories of his difficult childhood emerged, fans soon had another reason to respect Njokuani other than for his striking, as his rags-to-riches story allowed fans to empathise with the Nigerian-born fighter. In his own words, he confessed:

"I can feel that they're trying to put me out there...since [the WEC] put my name out there, more and more people are noticing me". 

And so as the year drew to a close, Anthony Njokuani had risen from being a 'nobody' to become one of the 'must-watch' fighters in the WEC. Both his relaxed demeanour outside the cage, and his aggressive striking style inside had won him many supporters and plaudits. The script was set: Anthony Njokuani was destined to earn himself a title fight in 2010.

Continue reading this post »

Lets go back in time to January last year.

A fighter is signed to the WEC. Tall, rangy, athletic, and with a penchant for exhibiting excellent Muay Thai, this fighter would see his stock rise in the WEC after gathering three consecutive 'Knockout of the Night' bonuses in his debut year. All the factors added up, it seemed as though he would be destined to achieve success, and it seemed that 2010 was the year that Anthony Njokuani would eventually step up and shine.

Unfortunately for Njokuani, it is safe to say that 2010 has not been the most successful year in 'The Assassin's' career. Two consecutive losses - the most recent to a little known Polish prospect - has seen his stock plummet faster than the economy. This post will look at Anthony Njokuani's rapid ascent from 'prospect' to fringe contender in the WEC, and look at the factors that contributed to his fall from grace.

When Anthony Njokuani was signed to the WEC in January 2009 last year, he seemed to show signs that he was a potential star in the making. Njokuani had been making a name for himself in small-to-mid tiered organisations, with his dangerous Muay Thai style and habit of knocking out opponents in Kickboxing and MMA events. His flair for striking obviously caught the eye of the Zuffa officials, who aimed to introduce him to the broader audience by pairing him up with Ed Ratcliff in his promotional debut. With both fighters showing a preference for the stand up game, it was the perfect chance for Njokuani to start his WEC career with a bang.

Unfortunately for Njokuani, injuries to Ratcliff meant that he had to withdraw from the event. In his place, the WEC recruited another debutant, Benson Henderson; now the current WEC Lightweight Champion, but back then, little more than a promising prospect. Whilst facing a replacement who steps up on short notice is usually advantageous - unless that replacement happens to be Chris Leben - for Njokuani, his new opponent presented 'the worst matchup stylistically' that he could have wished for. Instead of fighting a fellow striker who would happily trade blows with him, Njokuani found himself fighting a wrestler, and if Njokuani had thought he would just go in there and knock Henderson out, he soon found out that he would be wrong. Henderson utilised his wrestling to secure takedowns in round one, and it was his wrestling that enabled him to secure a Guillotine choke in round two.

According to Njokuani, the fight with Henderson 'opened his eyes' to the various aspects of MMA. He recognised that in order to become a well-rounded fighter, he would have to work harder on his ground game and Jiu-Jitsu. The WEC obviously recognised that Njokuani had potential and they opted to give Njokuani another chance at WEC 40 against Bart Palaszewski. Although 'The Assassin' once again displayed his flaws, i.e. his lack of wrestling ability, all his ground-game shortcomings were forgotten as he demonstrated his vicious Muay Thai striking to earn his first 'Knockout of the Night' honours. 

In hindsight, it was probably due to Anthony's striking prowess that resulted in fans learning little about wrestling progress. In his next match, Njokuani knocked out his opponent in the second round after a slow start, and it was not until his fourth WEC fight that fans finally got a chance to see some elements of his improved wrestling. 

This is slightly ironic, because out of all his KO's of the Night, it is the Chris Horodecki one that stands out in people's minds - the jumping head kick whilst Horodecki was retreating - but in the excitement of that knockout, what might have escaped people's memories was how much Njokuani's wrestling had visibly improved in that fight. Njokuani stuffed Horodecki's takedown attempts, and at one point in the fight, managed to take Horodecki down before briefly maintaining the mount. As good as this may sound, sceptics remained unconvinced. Chris Horodecki was a striker, not a wrestler, and he only resorted to wrestling because, to paraphrase Frank Mir who was commentating the fight, "his opponent's strengths were better than his own". 

Putting the wrestling debate to one side, one thing that was definitely improving for Njokuani was his status within the WEC. Following three consecutive impressive victories, Njokuani found himself conducting more interviews, being featured in more articles, and in general, being exposed more to the wider audience. As stories of his difficult childhood emerged, fans soon had another reason to respect Njokuani other than for his striking, as his rags-to-riches story allowed fans to empathise with the Nigerian-born fighter. In his own words, he confessed:

"I can feel that they're trying to put me out there...since [the WEC] put my name out there, more and more people are noticing me". 

And so as the year drew to a close, Anthony Njokuani had risen from being a 'nobody' to become one of the 'must-watch' fighters in the WEC. Both his relaxed demeanour outside the cage, and his aggressive striking style inside had won him many supporters and plaudits. The script was set: Anthony Njokuani was destined to earn himself a title fight in 2010.

Continue reading this post »

Firstly, I would like to thank all of you for your feedback concerning my first post in the series - Part One: Fighters Who Fell From Grace. It was very difficult to think of a suitable title; my original title was 'Fallen Prospects in MMA', but this lead to some commentary debating whether Vera or Filho were actually prospects. This has led me to recognise that many people have a different opinion on what a 'prospect' actually is. If the fighters that I have chosen do not satisfy your threshold for being classified as a 'prospect', then I am sorry.

Before I received your comments, I already had it in mind to write Part Two about David Terrell and Mark Kerr. Then one poster suggested that I do some faces that "you had all forgot". Judging by the number of requests for Terrell, it was clear that none of you had forgotten about him, so I chose to write my article about someone else instead. Enjoy the (lengthy) read.

Continue reading this post »

Firstly, I would like to thank all of you for your feedback concerning my first post in the series - Part One: Fighters Who Fell From Grace. It was very difficult to think of a suitable title; my original title was 'Fallen Prospects in MMA', but this lead to some commentary debating whether Vera or Filho were actually prospects. This has led me to recognise that many people have a different opinion on what a 'prospect' actually is. If the fighters that I have chosen do not satisfy your threshold for being classified as a 'prospect', then I am sorry.

Before I received your comments, I already had it in mind to write Part Two about David Terrell and Mark Kerr. Then one poster suggested that I do some faces that "you had all forgot". Judging by the number of requests for Terrell, it was clear that none of you had forgotten about him, so I chose to write my article about someone else instead. Enjoy the (lengthy) read.

Continue reading this post »

"Prospect". 

In sports, this title is given to those athletes who are deemed likely for future success. However, only a small number of those anointed prospects actually go on to achieve further success in their fields. A much larger number fall by the wayside on their quest to become successful. 

This is no different in MMA. As the years have gone by, we have seen fighters enter the game with a 'prospect' label attached. In recent times, hot prospects such as "King' Mo Lawal, Cain Velasquez and Jose Aldo have worked their way up into championship level. Others, such as Jon Jones and Phil Davis are consistently rising in stock as they continue to rattle off impressive performances.

However, there are some fighters who were labeled as prospects, who have never quite reached the standards of which they were predicted; fighters who have not lived up to their initial early promises. This article, part one in the series, will look at some familiar faces who have never really lived up to their initial hype in MMA.

Brandon Vera

Upon entering the Zuffa ranks in 2005, Brandon Vera proceeded to decimate the first 6 opponents that the WEC/UFC gave him, which included a first minute knockout over a strangely despondent Frank Mir. As a result, and quite justly, Vera was labeled as the 'next big thing' at heavyweight, despite holding a size disadvantage against a majority of his heavyweight opponents.

Just as he seemed destined to achieve great things in the sport, Vera's career started to plummet. A contract dispute occurred, which resulted in almost a year off from fighting. Upon his return, Vera was welcomed back by the 6'8, former heavyweight champion, Tim Sylvia, a fight where 'The Truth' lost for the first time via unanimous decision. In the next match, Vera was TKO'd for the first time in his career by Fabricio Werdum. With two consecutive losses, Vera dropped down to LHW, where many felt that his frame was better suited. After going 3-1 against mediocre opponents, Vera began reviving his talk on holding two championships, a claim that made many realists laugh.

In his subsequent match, Vera dropped a dubious decision to Randy Couture. That loss, coupled with his past failings, convinced the fans that Vera's ambitions were out of grasp, and that he had now fallen into the 'middle-tier' category. This was recognised by the UFC, who matched him against the surging phenom, Jon Jones. For Vera, it was an all too familiar situation: an established fighter being used as a test for a young phenom, a position that he himself was in all those years ago. Vera ended up losing to Jones via a vicious elbow which broke his facial bone in three places.

Vera's face was not the only thing that was smashed that night, for his loss to Jones also smashed his ambitions of holding the light-heavyweight belt. For now, Vera has filled the spot vacated by Keith Jardine, a divisional gatekeeper with skills to separate the 'elite' from the mid-tiered. His chances of capturing one title now is unlikely, his ambition to hold two is impossible. For me, Vera will remain one of the more recent blue-chip prospects to never fully live up to his full potential.

Paulo Filho

Perhaps one of the most interesting characters on this list, Filho is unique from many other fallen prospects because his fall from grace did not involve old age nor did it involve dropping consecutive losses to higher-level opposition. Infact, the instrumental factor in Filho's rapid descent from 'prospect' status was Filho himself.

Having made waves in Japan fighting in Pride, Filho bought his undefeated streak to the WEC where he captured the vacant middleweight title in his first match. After beating Chael Sonnen in the subsequent match (although there was a dispute of whether Sonnen's screams of pain actually constituted to 'tapping out'), Filho had amassed a 16-0 record and was being touted as one of the best fighters in the division, and an entrant in many pound-for-pound rankings.

As attractive as his record was inside the cage, stories that surfaced outside about Filho's depression and drug-addiction were causes for concern to his fans. With a rematch against Chael Sonnen scheduled, Filho made a statement that all was well, which provided some assurance to those who were doubtful about his well-being. However, the assurance would be a mere short-term comfort, and disappointment would strike again as Filho weighed a hefty 4lb over the limit, making the fight a non-title bout.

The fight itself would go on to become one of the most infamous matches in WEC history. Throughout the fight, Filho looked confused, disorientated and just plain bizarre. His behaviour - repeated glances to the outside of the cage and apparently murmuring to himself - baffled Sonnen, who would spend the whole fight peppering Filho with jabs (perhaps out of sympathy); baffled Frank Mir, who was commentating the match and questioned: "what is he looking at?" and lastly, confirmed the fans' fears that Filho was not completely stable.

Unsurprisingly, Filho's antics during the fight meant that he was not recruited into the UFC when the WEC folded its middleweight division, but unfortunately, Filho's notoriety and questionable antics would continue to accompany him as he seeked to re-establish his career, from getting facial tattoos, to fighting out of shape at 205lb and heavyweight, and to pulling out of fights because of 'personal problems'. When it was announced that Filho's most recent bout would be at middleweight, many fans secretly hoped that it would be the return of the 'old' Paulo Filho. Unfortunately, he failed to make weight at the initial attempt, and only after completely disrobing did he make it within the 186lb limit, thus leaving fans bemused and with an all too familiar feeling of disappointment.

The fight with Kang is a fight that he should have won. It was a fight where I have no hesitation in saying that the 'old' Paulo Filho would have won. Unfortunately, the good times have all but passed for him, and it just saddens me to see so much potential being wasted because of an individual's fragile state. For me, Filho, along with Mark Kerr, remains one of the most tragic cases of fallen prospects within the sport of MMA.

Part 2, Part 3 and possibly Part 4 coming soon.

Images via www.themmanews.com and http://1.bp.blogspot.com

"Prospect". 

In sports, this title is given to those athletes who are deemed likely for future success. However, only a small number of those anointed prospects actually go on to achieve further success in their fields. A much larger number fall by the wayside on their quest to become successful. 

This is no different in MMA. As the years have gone by, we have seen fighters enter the game with a 'prospect' label attached. In recent times, hot prospects such as "King' Mo Lawal, Cain Velasquez and Jose Aldo have worked their way up into championship level. Others, such as Jon Jones and Phil Davis are consistently rising in stock as they continue to rattle off impressive performances.

However, there are some fighters who were labeled as prospects, who have never quite reached the standards of which they were predicted; fighters who have not lived up to their initial early promises. This article, part one in the series, will look at some familiar faces who have never really lived up to their initial hype in MMA.

Continue reading this post »

My friends and I were chatting in the pub the other day, and we got onto the subject of Jake Shields in the UFC. Whilst we all agreed that he was a top class fighter, our opinions became divided when we started to debate on who he could actually beat in the UFC's welterweight division.

The biggest divide in opinions came when we matched Jake Shields v. Jon Fitch, with half of us believing that Shields would win if they fought, and the others vice versa. The arguments for both sides went pretty much as follows:

Jon Fitch -

Superb wrestler, tough as nails. Unanimously considered #2 WW in the world, Fitch has amassed a 12-1 record in the UFC, with his only blip coming from a UD loss to GSP, the current WW champion and pound-for-pound great. As you all recall, Fitch took a beating in that fight, but still kept going. They argued that if GSP's beating couldn't stop Fitch, then Jake Shields won't be able to either. The Fitch supporters also pointed out that he is a huge WW, and unlike Henderson, an absolute fitness machine (here, the others pointed out that Shields had been fighting above his natural weight class, and was thus use to fighting larger, if not stronger, opponents).

The pro-Fitch half of the group thought that with his gritty wrestling-based fighting style, he would be able to take Shield's down, defend against submission attempts and grind out the win (at this point, the others argued that Shields effectively out-wrestled Dan Henderson, one of the best wrestlers in MMA. The retort was that Fitch is not 39 years old).

Jake Shields -

Another superb wrestler and BJJ player in his own right, Shields has been on a tear since 2005, building up 14 consecutive wins against quality opponents. Like Fitch, Shields also showed that he has plenty of heart by surviving an early RIGHT HAND OF DOOM from Dan Henderson and coming back to get the win. The pro-Shields argued that Shield's standup game had also improved dramatically, and this was demonstrated when he used strikes and kicks effectively in his bout against Robbie Lawlor (the counter-argument here was that Fitch has fought better strikers than Shields, such as Thiago Alves, and won).

The pro-Shields half also claimed that Fitch had not been the same since his loss to GSP (I considered this rubbish), and pointed out that Fitch was rocked in the final round of his bout against Mike Pierce, and that he was also almost the victim of a guillotine choke when he fought Paulo Thiago. They reasoned that Shields, with his BJJ skills would either be able to catch Shields in a choke, or work enough to get the decision win.

So there we have it. We will probably see this fight made for real somewhere down the line, but for the moment, I would like to ask you BE folks to kindly help 10 guys sat in a pub solve this debate! What do you guys think, Shields or Fitch?

*Yesterday, Anton Tabuena reported that Caol Uno has made the decision to continue fighting. Today, various sources have confirmed that Uno's next bout will take place in the Featherweight division.

Japanese fight veteran, Caol Uno is dropping down to featherweight for his next bout, according to MMA Weekly.

Holding a record of 27-13-5, Uno - once considered as one of the top lightweight fighters in the world- will fight at the 145lb division at Dream 16. However, the fans who want him to continue his fighting career should be wary, he warned that his next bout could be his 'final fight'.

Whilst the subject of weight-cutting amongst Asian fighters has been discussed to death amongst fans, many of his supporters will be happy about this decision, especially considering that many have the painful image of Uno being starched by the much larger Gleison Tibau still lingering in their memories.

I hope, that for his sake, Uno can find success in a new division. And who knows, if he decides to continue fighting, perhaps a successful run at featherweight might just see Uno back fighting under the Zuffa banner for the WEC.

All I have to say is 'Good Luck Caol!'

*Yesterday, Anton Tabuena reported that Caol Uno has made the decision to continue fighting. Today, various sources have confirmed that Uno's next bout will take place in the Featherweight division.

Japanese fight veteran, Caol Uno is dropping down to featherweight for his next bout, according to MMA Weekly.

Holding a record of 27-13-5, Uno - once considered as one of the top lightweight fighters in the world- will fight at the 145lb division at Dream 16. However, the fans who want him to continue his fighting career should be wary, he warned that his next bout could be his 'final fight'.

Whilst the subject of weight-cutting amongst Asian fighters has been discussed to death amongst fans, his supporters should be happy about this decision, especially considering that many still have the painful image of Uno being flattened by the much larger Gleison Tibau lingering in their memories.

I hope, that for his sake, Uno can find success in a new division. And who knows, if he decides to continue fighting, perhaps a successful run at featherweight might just see Uno back fighting under the Zuffa banner for the WEC.

All I have to say is 'Good Luck Caol!'

(image via. mmajunkie.com)

Some time ago, as an MMA fan I expressed my disappointment of Yushin Okami being matched up with Mark Munoz for the upcoming UFC on Versus 2 card on August 1 in San Diego.

I felt that Munoz, who in his most recent fight at UFC 112 rallied from behind to secure a devastating TKO against Kendall Grove, was a step in the wrong direction for Okami, who I believed should have been fighting someone of higher prominence in a bid for title contention.

Then, a couple days ago, it dawned on me that this match-up could be of greater importance than I first perceived.

For Okami, a win over "The Philippine Wrecking Machine" would put him at 5 - 1 in his last six fights, with his only loss coming to current number one contender Chael Sonnen back at UFC 104. The Zuffa brass could favor his overall record in the company, an impressive 8-2, over the quality of his opponents (no disrespect to them) and fast-track him to a bout with the winner of "Silva vs. Sonnen."

For Munoz, a win over "Thunder" would speak volumes and likely propel him to the upper echelon of the middleweight division. Obviously, the reward that comes with a victory would be greater for Munoz, but should Okami emerge victorious, his only reward would be (hopefully) more than just a pat on the back from Joe Silva and Dana White.

However, despite the relevance of the fight for both athletes, It struck me that this fight is of most importance to one party.

The UFC.

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Some time ago, in a fanpost on Watch Kalib Run, I expressed my disappointment of Yushin Okami being matched up with Mark Munoz. I felt that Munoz, who in his most recent fight rallied from behind to secure a devastating TKO, was a step in the wrong direction for Okami, who I believed should be fighting someone of higher prominence in a bid for title contention.

Then, a couple days ago, it dawned upon me that this match-up could be of more importance than I first perceived. For Okami, a win over Munoz would put him 5 - 1 in his last 6 fights, with his only loss coming from the current #1 contender, Chael Sonnen. The UFC could favour his overall record in the company, an impressive 8-2, over the quality of his opponents (no disrespect to them), and fast-track him to #1 contender status. For Munoz, a win would speak volumes, and would propel him to the upper echelon of the middeweights. Obviously, the reward that comes with a victory would be greater for Munoz, but should Okami emerge victorious, his only reward would be more than just a pat on the back from Joe Silva and Dana White.

However, despite the relevance of the fight for both athletes, It struck me that this fight is of most importance to one party: the UFC.

Continue reading this post »

This is my reply to Luke Thomas concerning his post "Wall Street Journal Looks at MMA in Hong Kong". It is worth watching if you have not yet seen it. This post merely contains my thoughts on Luke's original article - I have only written it as a fanpost because it seemed a bit too long to leave as a comment.

*Note: I do not claim to be an expert in the HK MMA scene. My parents are from HK and I live there periodically during the year. This post merely contains my thoughts and observations of the MMA scene in Hong Kong.

Continue reading this post »

via cdn3.sbnation.com

Tonight, on the 20th June, a mixed martial arts event is taking place in Canada. It is WEC 49: Varner v Shalorus. 

Whilst the 'hardcore' fans would have been aware of WEC 49, it is probably safe to say that many 'casual' fans of the sport would not be aware that a MMA event is going to take place tonight. The blame could be apportioned to the fans for their ignorance, but the majority of the finger pointing should be directed at Zuffa, and their promotion, or lack thereof, of the UFC's little sister.

Unlike UFC 115, or TUF Finale where none of the fights had any significance in terms of title eliminators and setting up future contenders - lets face it, none of the victors, (Kampmann, Franklin and Hamill included), will be challenging for the title anytime soon - WEC 49 actually has two #1 contender determining bouts: LC Davis v Josh Grispi, where the winner will probably (and unfortunately) face Jose Aldo for the 145lb title, and Varner v Shalorus; where the victor would end up favourite to challenge Benson Henderson for his 155lb strap.

Apart from those scraps, other talent on the fight card includes BJJ ace Rafael Assuncao, and the competent Wagnney Fabiano (albeit on the undercard), as well as an exciting prospect in Renan Barão, who has been touted by none other than Jose Aldo to be the future 135lb champion.

Unfortunately, the exposure of this event has not been well promoted by Zuffa at all. The event was not pushed by the UFC during yesterday's TUF Finale, and the only mention of it on the UFC website is a little heading under the 'Upcoming Live Events' section. Whilst I understand that it is important for the Zuffa to hype UFC 116, which will probably be the biggest event this year, it would not have hurt them to place a promotion for WEC 49, even if the promotion was only on the website for 24 hours until the event started tonight.

As Zuffa won't do it, I will: here is a reminder to watch the WEC tonight. It'll probably end up being the It IS the best MMA event this month. 

(image via www.mmaweekly.com)

First, I will begin by offering my congratulations to both fighters. Both know HOW to hype a fight. Unlike Sonnen v Silva, where all the insults have come by the way of the American, both Daley and Koscheck have not held back with trading insults via the web, their blogs and in interviews. As I result, I can barely contain my excitement for this fight, and I might just have to keep a spare change of underwear handy before the event starts.

What makes this fight interesting, apart from the 'smack talk', is the fact that both fighters actually have a chance to win. For example, despite what Sonnen says, it would be hard to find anyone who believes that he will 'put his head down and charge' at Silva without getting his skull cracked from a vicious knee. Paul Daley, however, possesses a mean left hook, some vicious elbows and some nasty knees and leg kicks. His takedown defence, according to the man himself, has improved alot since the fight with Jake Shields. If Daley can stuff Koscheck's takedowns, this fight could potentially proceed much like the Alves v Koscheck fight.

On the other hand, Koscheck started off promoting the fight seemingly prepared take the fast route to martyrdom for the fans, by claiming that he would 'stand and bang' with Daley. Whilst his initial courage would certainly have been applauded, his fight IQ would have been a cause for concern. However, sometime during the buildup of the fight, Koscheck seemed to have discovered Youtube and luckily stumbled across the videos of Daley fighting Nick Thompson and Sam Morgan, because his in recent blog he claimed that he would now  take him down, beat him up and choke him out. If this is true, we could see another repeat of the Anthony Johnson fight, minus the eye pokes.

So how does this fight play out? 

Although the WEC recently gave us a 'Wrestler v Striker' matchup in Roller v Njokuani, the outcome of that match should not be considered in light of this fight. Daley has that stocky build akin to a refrigerator, which makes him harder to take down than the walking lamp-post that is Njokuani. The audience also knew that Roller had no intention whatsoever in trading blows with his fearsome opponent. Koscheck, on the other hand, might just be spewing his wrestling talk to try and fool us into believing that he has changed, but instead, it could be a ploy to set us up for the 'surprise' KO.

However, I just don't think Koscheck is that fight-smart. I honestly believe that he will, at some point, try to stand with Daley, and in the process, he will get his neurons scrambled. Therefore my  money will be on the Brit come Saturday night. The victor will be Daley, by KO in Round 2. What do you guys think?