UFC 172: Jones Shuts Down Teixeira Over Five Rounds In Bolstering Baltimore

UFC
UFC 172: Jones vs. Teixeira
Saturday 26 April 2014
Baltimore Arena, Baltimore, MD, USA.

BY NISAR KHAN

Jon Jones once again, stood atop the Light Heavyweight division as the kingpin in the pound-for-pound rankings, dispatching dangerous Brazilian Glover Teixeira over five rounds.



Jonny “Bones” Jones secured his mark as the most successful Champion in Light Heavyweight history, with his win over Glover Teixeira being his seventh consecutive win, in total his 14th win in the division.

Yet again, Jones proved in favor of statements that he may be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the World, with creative offense to fend off the formidable striker who came into the bout on a 20-fight win streak.

SEE ALSO · NBA Playoffs 2014: Full Coverage

In the late Championship rounds, Jones elbows were making their mark on Teixeira, who showed signs of damage with a huge cut across his forehead and nose. However, the Brazilian, although complimenting Jones, also revealed that he suffered a shoulder injury in the first round – though he abstained from compromising his performance, saying “he [Jones] beat me at my best”.

Teixeira was able to stub some takedowns during the goings of the fight, although the majority of an entertaining battle would be contested in the stand-up. Jon “Bones” Jones proved he could match the dangerous striker, standing right in front of him and dishing out blows. At times, he showed a glimpse of trouble but took it back to the Octagon and controlled the fight with startling, versatile offense.

Out comes the mouthguard. #Boom! #UFC172 pic.twitter.com/2sTujaTGlQ
— Nisar Khan (@iNisarKhan) April 27, 2014

A win over Teixeira may now put Alexander Gustafsson back into the focus, after his win at UFC in London back in March.

Jones paid tribute to Baltimore Ravens’ legend Ray Lewis, imitating his dance during his entrance. The athletic prowess of the Jones’ family was clear to see with his two brothers, both in the NFL (one a SuperBowl winner, the other a first-round draft pick) ringside. 

In the co-main event, Anthony Johnson dominated Phil Davis to mark his return to the organization. Phil Davis was outmatched in the striking, and any attempts to utilize his wrestling with takedowns were punished, as Johnson kicked him or struck off too fast for the All-American. Johnson would land some wild shots, though Davis would not succumb, and lasted the course – even though he had little chance of making out a win on the judges perspective.

Luke Rockhold set his sights on Michael Bisping and Vitor Belfort after a submission showcase agianst Tim Boetsch. Rockhold would get the job done in the first round after the fight was taken to the ground, scrambling into a reverse triangle and finishing the fight. If you’re a fan of submissions, UFC 172 was your night..

Jim Miller had his hand raised after 3 minutes of fighting against Yancy Medeiros securing an outstanding 14th career submission victory. Tying the record for most submission attempts in UFC history (31), Miller finished it as Medeiros went unconscious after battling the choke. Taking the fight on a week’s notice, Medeiros was game as he courageously fought against the submission and glancing body kicks left a mark on Miller, who called out anyone in the lightweight division to face him next.

Hawaiian Max Holloway started with a finish – the main card, that is. Holloway submitted the upcoming Andre Fili with a guillotine choke after an entertaining opening scrap. With both being young talents, there was some wild exchanges, though Holloway would not squander the opportunity when it was presented, securing a tight guillotine choke after a takedown attempt went south.  

“What a way for the UFC to break history as they touch down in Baltimore for the first time. Classy opponents Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira – to go with finishes all over the card. Performance bonuses will be hard to pick for this one, from a flying knee, one-punch knockout, ‘night of guillotines’ and more. 

“The main event itself was entertaining. It was one of those fights where you were expecting one guy to just drop. Both chins held up. For Teixeira, he still has a lot of exciting matchups while there is a big queue waiting for a fight with Jones.

“UFC 173 was flat out spectacular.”

There was no shortage in noteworthy events from the preliminary fights, including a flying-knee knockout from Chris Beal, making a picture-perfect debut as he left Patrick Williams out cold. Joseph Benavidez – who has challenged Demetrius Johnson for the Flyweight title twice – executed an audaciously technical guillotine choke to Tim Elliott, whereby the American trapped both hands of Elliott, forcing him to stop on the mat to tap out. To add to the expanding candidates for performance bonuses, Danny Castillo landed a rattling one-punch knockout to Charlie Brenneman in the early stages of Round 2.

Jon Jones keeps his crown to deter the Brazilian. But he knows all too well that plenty of challenges await the 26-year-old. 

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UFC on FOX 11: Werdum Withers Browne To Seal Showdown With Champ Velasquez

UFC
UFC on FOX 11 Werdum vs. Browne
Amway Center, Orlando FL.

BY NISAR KHAN

Fabricio Werdum dominated Hawaiian knockout artist Travis Browne to set up a showdown for the Heavyweight Championship.

UFC.com

Fabricio Werdum is now set to face UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez, after a defining decision victory over Travis Browne. Initially the favorite prior to the fight, Travis Browne attempted big knockout blows in the first round though none would connect to the satisfaction of the Hawaiian, and nor would they trouble Brazillian Jiu-jitsu black belt Werdum. By the midst of the second round, Werdum, at times, would find himself teeing off shots at will against his opponent, who already seemed fatigued and worn out. This would lead to Travis Browne being taken down for the first time in his career, only for it to occur two more times in the fight. Werdum was able to take down Browne, and stand with him, making signs as early as the end of the first round where he stunned his Hawaiian counterpart. Later on, in the Championship rounds, Werdum was comfortable enough to taunt his opponent, with swift body and leg kicks, and astonishing combinations. In spite of the striking quality, Travis Browne took a lot of damage throughout the bout, but managed to stay put and finish the fight. A gassed-out Browne proved easy prey for Werdum to control the fight, though the Brazillian was cautious and wise in his pursuit, makings sure he did not tire himself in search for a knockout – evidently so, it worked, as he looked fresh as the fight drew to a close. Browne’s chin may have held up, but it was a landslide on the judges’ scorecards.

Miesha Tate edged out fellow former #1 contender Liz Carmouche in a gutsy decision victory. “Cupcake” Tate, who lost in a third round submission in her last fight, didn’t get off to a good start as Carmouche controlled the fight from the ground with her wrestling in full effect. Though, this would dramatically change in the round to follow, a closely contested one which saw Tate’s submission attempts get her scored on the judges’ scorecards. In the midst of the third and final round, an attempted rear-naked choke was persevered and superbly defended by Carmouche, managing to hold on and pull the grip away, meaning she would go the distance. A well-contested fight that goes to show the big leaps the division is making, and the paths that are being paved. 

Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone prevailed in the highly-anticipated lightweight clash between himself and Edson Barboza. With both combatants possessing lethal striking power based from the kicks, they would trade wildly to open the round, though the Brazillian Barboza seemed to be emerging the better from the exchanges. Out of nowhere, as Barboza surged forward towards Cerrone, he would be stunned and crashed to the mat at the hands of a jab from the Cowboy. He’d follow it up with a quick and swift submission attempt, firmly locking the rear-naked choke leaving no other option but to tap for Barboza. 

Yoel Romero got the main card proceedings underway with a victory whereby he convincingly shut down Brad Tavares. The accredited Cuban Olympian would not only dictate the fight on the ground, but also was successful with a multitude of significant strikes that left Tavares bloodied. Over the course of three rounds, Romero sustained his control and influenced the fight throughout.

Earlier, Khabib Nurmagomedov took his record to 22 – 0 as he defeated Rafael dos Anjos in the prelims, aggressively dictating the fight to catapult himself into consideration as a top contender. Also, Jorge Masvidal was able to counter-wrestle Pat Healy in a huge decision win.

Fabricio Werdum will face Cain Velasquez for the UFC Heavyweight strap, as the Mexican Champion heals from a shoulder injury. He looked sharp as he defeated his opponent, proving a bigger threat to the title than many expected initially.

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GIF Corner: GIF of the Night


By far the best GIF of the night shows the fight clearly – Browne was not fast enough, and Werdum had a field day. 

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Kennedy Frustrates Bisping In Quebec Decision Victory

UFC

BY NISAR KHAN

Tim Kennedy scored a decision victory over Michael Bisping as the TUF Nations series culminated in Quebec, Canada.



After months of bitter exchanges between one another, they let their fists do the talking. Tim Kennedy opened up early with his ground game, keeping Bisping on his back and able to score. It would be a different picture in the second round, though, as the Brit was able to keep things stood up and score in his favor. The fight went the distance and consisted off big strikes from either combatant, though none powerful to score a knock down. This was acknowledged in the post-fight interviews, “I hit you with my hardest shots, man” Kennedy told Bisping after the fight. Kennedy was disappointed that he couldn’t get the finish, while Bisping was unable to really showcase his real game in regards to his striking and so on. The animosity had faded throughout the course of the fight as both recognized mutual respect for one another. Tim Kennedy moves to 3 – 0 in the UFC while Bisping is derailed on his quest for the ever-illusive title shot.

The coaches from the series themselves, Patrick Cote and Kyle Noke, put on a show in the co-main event from the fight card. Canadian Patrick Cote edged his coaching counterpart in a close unanimous decision win. The Australian Noke, though, had a great showing highlighted by a massive knee in the second round. Patrick Cote won closely with the decision, lighting up the building as the Canadians swept the night.

With it being the TUF Finale, of course, we would see the crowning of two New TUF Nations Champions. First, Chad Laprise outlasted his teammate Olivier Aubin-Mercier in a split-decision win in the Welterweight final. This was followed by Elias Theodorou’s triumph in the middleweight tournament final, with his second round TKO victory against Sheldon Westcott.

Dustin Poirier began the proceedings for the main card with a resounding finish in the second round of the bout against Akira Corassani. Both Featherweights would exchange heavy blows to one another in a pulsating round to begin the fight. An early submission attempt from the Swede Corassani put Poirier in mountains of trouble, though the outspoken fighter would be able to redeem himself and land a knee flush as the two stood back up. Neither would be phased during the break, and they would begin how they finished the first round – finishing, though, much quicker. Dustin Poirier ratted Akira Corassani with a bombarding uppercut, breaking the nose of the Swede, amounting in intense pain as Poirier finished the job. 

Earlier, in the prelims, there was some noteworthy action. Women Bantamweights Leslie Smith and Sarah Kaufman engaged in a ferocious battle of which the latter won via unanimous decision. KJ Noons put in a shout for performance of the night leaving Sam Stout a confused mess at the hands of his knockout – no further understanding was needed by observers, as Stout – moments after being knocked out – got the referee in a headlock after being finished. The first knockout of the night came from Ryan Jimmo, who shut out Sean O’Connell in impressive fashion.

Analysis, Breakdown & Reaction

As much as I hate to criticize, sometimes that may be the only solution. The Ultimate Fighter seems less important than the good old days of Bonnar and Griffin – not just my opinion, there was not as big a buzz for it than on previous occasions, even considering the fact that it was TUF Nations. Obviously there was plenty of showcasing to the younger talents and the fights were far from subdued.

KJ Noons… enough said! You know you’ve knocked someone out when they wake up thinking the referee is their opponent – bizarre, somewhat comical to watch, but when you hit as hard as that, it will do some damage. 

The main event aftermath is what we’d like to see more often – two prior-hating now-respecting combatants acknowledging the respect gained for one another throughout a contest. Both will be disappointed with their performances, Bisping more though, as he was shut down by Tim Kennedy. Both will hope to do much better when they find their next match in a fulfilled Middleweight division.

Tim Kennedy has mastered the game to shut down and defy Michael Bisping – moving him to further, brighter prospects in the middleweight division. What’s next for Kennedy? How will Bisping bounce back?

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Dan Henderson Finishes Shogun Incredibly In Third Round Of Brazil Rematch

UFC

BY NISAR KHAN

Dan Henderson opened up a new chapter in his storied career as he knocked out Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in the Third Round of their rematch in Natal, Brazil.



Dan Henderson was down in scoring as he lost the two previous rounds, suffering knock downs in both. Hendo’s chin held up. 

Shogun scored the first round with a knockdown although Henderson found his range at time. This would be similar in the second round too, with a flush uppercut landing to drop Henderson. In the third round, though, as they broke off from an exchange, Henderson landed a huge shot that sent Rua tumbling, and referee Herb Dean stopped it on the ground as Henderson hammered away.

Yet again, we learn the lesson – never underestimate the power of Henderson’s right hand, it really is a stick of dynamite.

Dan Henderson also won the fight prior, by decision whereas this was an emphatic TKO victory. Many had written off the former PRIDE Champion, and arguments were further strengthened when he was down in the first two rounds. 

“It means a lot to me more than other fights to beat a guy like Shogun”, said a relieved Dan Henderson, who admitted that he was too patient in the earlier rounds.

Aged 43, Henderson still has some left in the tank, another huge win to bounce back after a bad string of fights last year, including a loss to Vitor Belfort. 

The fight was the main event of a tremendous card of action in Natal, Brazil,

In the co-main event, CB Dolloway prevailed as the underdog to defeat Cezar Ferreira with a TKO victory merely 39 seconds into the fight. Dolloway managed to hold up to take some shots, in exchange to land some, eventually dropping Ferreira with a left-hook before proceeding to finish the fight.

There was plenty of ferocious action to get the Brazilian crowd pumped up throughout the night. Fan favorite Fabio Maldonado dispatched Gian Villante in a gutsy fight that went the distance. Despite being rocked in the inaugural round, Maldonado had Villante in dire straits to conclude the fight, although Villante would hold up just enough to go the distance. Thiago Santos finished his fight within 53 seconds, as he put away Rony Markes while Rony Jason followed the same pattern in his win over Steven Siler, within 1:53 of Round 1. There were four first-round finishes in the prelims, a more than appropriate way to fire up the crowd. Further up the card, Leanardo Santos and Norman Parke’s fight was ruled a majority draw.

More UFC on TheSportMatrix.com:
– Full Report, Exclusives From UFC London »
– UFC 171: Johnny Hendricks Wins Vacant Welterweight Strap »
– A Look At UFC’s Vast Global Expansion »

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Johny Hendricks Emerges As New UFC Welterweight Champion In Thrilling Dallas Main Event

UFC

BY NISAR KHAN

UFC 171: Hendricks vs. Lawler

Saturday 15 March 2014

American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas (USA)

DALLAS – Johny Hendricks was victorious in his hometown as he edged out Robbie Lawler in a 48 – 47 unanimous decision victory at the American Airlines Center.

Overwhelmed: Johny Hendricks sports the Gold round his waist. UFC

Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler engaged in a thrilling main-event in Dallas and it would ultimately be decided in the fifth and final round. “Big Rig” controlled the first two rounds with his leg-kicks proving the difference, and making a clear mark on Robbie Lawler – whose right leg swelled in the second round. However, fighting out of the blue corner, Robbie Lawler controlled the third round and put Johny Hendricks in deep trouble, with huge shots. In spite of landing cleanly, Johny Hendricks did not drop throughout the fight, and nor did Robbie Lawler, throughout the fight. Going into the fifth round, it was clear that both men were even on the judges’ scorecards. An opportunistic and smart Johny Hendricks seized the opportunity by grinding out the early minutes, before landing a takedown with around half-a-minute to go, ultimately scoring the round in his favor and more importantly getting a grasp of the illusive UFC gold that many thought he should have earned in November last year. 

“I know I’ll fight him again, and maybe I’ll give a better performance” said an overwhelmed Johny Hendricks following his victory. Fighting out of Dallas, Texas, Johny Hendricks fell to his knees and released an uproar of celebration after it was announced that he was the new Champion. Soon after, Robbie Lawler praised his performance and acknowledged how close he came. It was a valiant effort from Lawler, who fell short on the day, and his lengthy reign in the UFC will continue should he want to pursue the gold. 

Tyron Woodley defeated Carlos Condit in the co-main event, as the former Interim Welterweight Champion blew his knee out during the fight. An exciting first round saw both come out and trade a few big shots, but in the second, a takedown would seem to tweak the knee of Condit, before a leg-kick to the opposite leg would force Carlos Condit to collapse in pain as his knee buckled. Replays showed that Carlos Condit was in tremendous pain after the takedown, supporting Tyron Woodley’s statement after the fight where he claimed it was all his doing. Despite the big win, the nature of his victory may still keep him a fight or two from a title shot. 

Myles Jury applied the ultimate game plan in order to defy Diego Sanchez. The Mexican Sanchez, coming off an epic fight at UFC 166, attempted to apply his aggression with exchanges similar to that he had with Gilbert Melendez. Jury played his cards right and backed off slightly, and tactically got the win on points. 

Hector Lombard dominated Jake Shields in a unanimous decision victory. It was an impressive opening round for the Judo-Olympian, of who also used some Judo with significant takedowns in the fight. Round 1 would see Jake Shields put into some deep trouble with an outburst of huge shots from Lombard, however he slowed down noticeably in the remaining two rounds. That alone took it far from an impressive win, as he cruised past Jake Shields at ease yet didn’t display the credentials needed for a title challenge. It seems like his cardio wasn’t good enough to keep up the pressure, and after his win he said “I could have given more in the third round”, acknowledging his decreased effort in the fight.

Ovince St. Preux impressively opened the main card with a rare “Von Flue” Choke almost subtlety dispatch Nikita Krylov. The 22-year old was out cold after being submitted in the first round as St. Preux got his tenth career finish.

There was plenty of great preliminary action too in a really stacked card, that included TUF 17 winner Kelvin Gastelum edging out Rick Story with a split decision win, while earlier in the night Jessica Andrade defeated Raquel Pennington. 



Analysis, Comment & Breakdown

Rare submission a credit to Saint Preux’s ability

Many people watching the action at home were unaware of what exactly happened for a few moments when the fight was stopped and Ovince Saint Preux went to celebrate. Having worked the submission on the ground, it was locked in tightly and even Nikita Krylov couldn’t tap before he passed out. A submission like that is an incredible rarity inside the Octagon, further adding to his credentials and ever-growing MMA ability. 

Hector Lombard gasses out, needs to show more for title talk

Defeating an esteemed fighter such as Jake Shields is always a big accomplishment. However Hector Lombard may have inadvertently contributed to his own criticism, after he slowed down in the latter two rounds and didn’t push for the finish. One could argue that the Olympian showed maturity not to empty the gas tank and go for the first round knockout, but then it could just be a lack of opportunity. Many enjoyed his Judo throws which were a great part of the bout, when they were used, but Lombard simply didn’t give it his all, and he even knew it, and said it.

Myles Jury applies perfect game plan to defy Diego Sanchez

Diego Sanchez was completely shut down by Myles Jury in Dallas. In some cases, the Mexican may have beat himself in regards to his mindset and ongoing aggression rather than the more tactical approach. Despite how tempting, Myles Jury did not really engage in any prolonged wild swings, but backed away and created space just to score. It was far from the ideal zone for Diego Sanchez to fight in.

Woodley’s win overshadowed by injury, what would have happened if the fight went on?

Its always unfortunate to see a fight end in injury. This has somewhat taken some of the sting out of Tyron Woodley’s win. Both exchanged really well in the action we saw, and with all due respect, Woodley cannot exactly take all credit for his takedown injuring Condit, it was an accident. If the fight went on it may have been really close, and Condit was setting up for a finish.

Hendricks finally gets the belt, Lawler humble in defeat, Welterweight showcase

It was a showcase of fine Welterweight action at UFC 171. What a great fight we had between Robbie Lawler and Johny Hendricks. Both stood in front of one another and traded, and it really is a Fight of the Year candidate. Robbie Lawler will have to wait longer for the taste of Gold if it happens, but what a great showing by him too. Joe Rogan pitted Rory McDonald as Hendricks’ potential next opponent, do you agree?

Superb fights in a stacked card as Johny Hendricks leads the way for a new era inside the Octagon. 

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