I loosely steal the concept from ESPN’s Gregg Easterbrook TMQ. I like it. Please send contributions to the different sections to TuesdayMorningSweep@gmail.com . The column will, hopefully, happen following Zuffa/Forza Fight weekends but will not only be limited to that fight card.

After a long layoff, thankfully aided by the UFC’s lack of numbered card, Tuesday Morning Sweep (heretofore TMS) is back with a look back at the weekend that was and the future that might be.

The weekend was headlined by Rashad Evans’ thorough beating at the hands of Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. Perhaps underwhelming in the violence department, especially considering the beatings Jones has imposed in his UFC career, the fight more than made up for it by the sheer tension throughout. Given the few shots that Evans managed to get through early in the fight TMS thought that all that needed to happen was a well placed right hand and that Jones could have been in trouble. The same tension was there waiting for the champion to come up with something that would take out the challenger.

What is perhaps most disappointing, looking forward, is that the Rashad Evans that showed up on Saturday was definitely the best Rashad we have seen in the stand-up department. He showed much improved footwork, nice form on his punches and kicks and was moving around the cage very well. That Evans beats everybody in the division, which leads to a limited amount of challengers for the champion in the future. Sure enough, there is always the monster of a right hand that is Dan Henderson that could be an interesting proposition. But after that? Silence.

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I loosely steal the concept from ESPN’s Gregg Easterbrook TMQ. I like it. Please send contributions to the different sections to TuesdayMorningSweep@gmail.com . The column will happen following Zuffa/Forza Fight weekends but will not only be limited to that fight card.


The narrative chosen by the UFC was that they were coming back to the birthplace of some of the important martial arts for MMA. It was on display during the intro of the Pay-Per-View and repeated many times by Joe Rogan during the evening. While TMS appreciates the touch, it seems a bit incongruous given the history of folk wrestling throughout the world and the history of Karate (as with most things Japanese, Karate is a refinement of neighbouring country's thing.) It is as if Jujitsu has the monopoly on submission grappling, Judo on upper body throws and trips.

The lack of popularity of Frankie Edgar is something that TMS is baffled by. TMS cannot remember a boring Frankie Edgar fight and this weekend's edition was just the same. What an incredible fight filled with technique, heart and determination. On first viewing TMS gave the fight to Edgar but on further review, Ben Henderson might have taken it based on a lot of the Edgar strikes that TMS thought landed didn't. Henderson now finds himself at the top of the mountain and seems, to TMS, far from a finished product and far from being unbeatable. More interesting fights and more excitement in the most interesting division in MMA coming.



much, much, much more after the jump

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Please send contributions to the different sections to TuesdayMorningSweep@gmail.com . The column will happen following major Zuffa/Forza Fight weekends but will not only be limited to that fight card.

UFC 143 crowned a new Welterweight Champion while Georges St-Pierre recovers. While it is uncertain at this point if this particular crown will be defended, there is a host of challenges in front of both of the main eventers, should they decide to fight in the immediate future. Carlos Condit could fight the winner of Jake Ellenberger-Diego Sanchez (if that is Sanchez then it brings all sorts of Jackson-Winklejohn’s issues) or Johny Hendricks in a close future. Both of those fights could be very interesting. The loser of the Ellenberger-Sanchez could fight Diaz in what would be a barn burner, regardless of who it is.

TMS thinks that welterweight is in good shape and should bring exciting fights in the next year, regardless of the status of the reigning Champion.

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Please send contributions to the different sections to TuesdayMorningSweep@gmail.com . The column will happen following major Zuffa/Forza Fight weekends but will not only be limited to that fight card.

Looking back at UFC on Fox 2, TMS thought there were a few things that stood out for the winners and losers of the main card on Fox:

Rashad Evans is an elite Light-Heavyweight. The way he darted in and out of range on the feet and the way he transitioned from striking to grappling was precisely what Phil Davis wasn’t able to do. He fought a smart fight that wins him a date with Jon Jones, in what could very well be his biggest payday of his career. The story is there to be exploited, we’ll see who takes advantage of it.

Chael Sonnen’s smothering of Michael Bisping in the third round won him the fight in the opinion of TMS. Once Sonnen managed to pull Bisping in the middle of the cage, you could clearly see the superior grappling of the former. But Bisping is a very good grappler despite his lack of credentials. Once again the value of the takedowns being more important than what the fighter does with it. TMS thought after the fight was that Bisping won round one and two because of the lack of any offense generated by the takedowns. However, looking back at the notes taken showed that Sonnen might have won the first. It was a very close fight and showed, at the very least, that Bisping belongs in the middleweight elite conversation, he gave Sonnen all he could handle.

Chris Weidman graduates with little fanfare to the elite of the middleweight division, perhaps a bit too early for his own good. Much like Phil Davis, he is a special talent that needs time to blossom and fighting the likes of Demian Maia, Michael Bisping or Yushin Okami is not what you wish for this early in a career. You hope for incremental step ups in competition. That said, Maia made it easy for him to win this fight, much to the chagrin of the fans that remember his sport grappling and early cage prowess.

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Transitions, Transitions, Transitions

Transition between the different phases of combat is something Tuesday Morning Sweep (heretofore TMS) believes is the most important aspect of MMA. TMS has covered this aspect before and will continue to do so with regularity.

José Aldo, in the main event of the night showed what perhaps is the quickest transition between takedown defense and offense we have ever seen. Aldo barely had time to break the grip from Mendes’ bodylock, spin and he was back with a knee strike and the follow up punches.

Similarly, Vitor Belfort defended the takedown with a front headlock then transitioned to what could have been a Brabo or any other arm-in choke and then really quickly transitioned to the back of Anthony Johnson. Despite a really tired Johnson, it was a really impressive ground work transition from a fighter that mostly relies on his boxing in fights.

Roussimar Palhares very quickly transitioned from strikes to a takedown attempt he had no intention of completing and really quickly transitioning to the leg lock.

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This one is a little more succinct than the other one. You could call it 1.5 if you wanted. I was not planning on writing one but ended up with things to say.

The weekend saw a Strikeforce card that was neither major or significant but had potential for interesting fisticuffs. Unfortunately we got neither. The card was a disgrace in terms of scoring, refereeing and the fights just did not deliver in terms of competitiveness and entertainment.

Perhaps the most entertaining fight of the night was Tarec Saffedine beating Tyler Stinson by decision. Although TMS thought that Saffedine won the fight, Adelaide Bird, judge for the NSAC, thought one better, scoring the fight 30-27 for Saffedine. Given that Saffedine was stunned at the half point mark of the first round and was then continually on the defensive as Stinson looked like he was close to finishing him. If Saffedine's defense was just a little more deficient, he very well could have been done. How Bird thought Saffedine won that round is a mystery.

That score came right after the worst scoring of the night where Nah-Shon Burrell should have lost a decision to James Terry, although he had a great performance in third round. The result seemed to have shocked Burrell himself, but Glen Throwbridge and Marcos Rosales thought Burrell won.

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I loosely steal the concept from ESPN’s Gregg Easterbrook TMQ. I like it. Please send contributions to the different sections to TuesdayMorningSweep@gmail.com . The column will, hopefully, happen following Zuffa/Forza Fight weekends but will not only be limited to that fight card.

Welcome to the big lights, gents

This past weekend saw the welcome to the big time of MMA for a few fighters: Alistair Overeem finally made his entrance to the UFC and did it in grand fashion, stopping Brock Lesnar. Johny Hendricks put himself in line for a title shot, a place that was very unlikely a year ago after that loss to Rick Story. With his brother fighting for the interim title in a short time, it would be plausible that the UFC puts Nate Diaz, winner, in superb fashion, over a surging Donald Cerrone, directly in line for a title shot. There is an interesting story to be made for the brothers to be UFC Champions.

Also interesting is the fact that all three fighters are flawed in some respect and that the way to beat them has been paved before: Overeem via tiring, Diaz via top control and Hendricks via constant pressure, as demonstrated by Story and Mike Pierce (Tuesday Morning Sweep [heretofore TMS] thought Pierce won their fight.)

Somethings just don’t feel right

Ed Soares doing the Brazilian translations for the UFC is always unusual. Good relationship with the organization is important for a manager, but considering the way some of his clients are doing everything possible to frustrate the organization, it is always a bit strange to hear his voice in the interpreter context.

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