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  • UFC Fight Night 75: Barnett vs. Nelson weigh-in results and live video

    Welcome to WrestlingObserver.com’s live coverage of the UFC Fight Night 75: Barnett vs. Nelson weigh-ins from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan kicking off at 11 PM eastern time. The event airs on Saturday on FOX Sports 1 at 10 PM eastern time. Preliminary card action kicks off on FOX Sports 2 at 8 PM eastern time. This is the UFC’s fourth straight year making a trip to Japan to host an event.

    The event will be headlined by a five-round battle in the heavyweight division as former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett returns from a near two-year layoff to take on former TUF winner Roy Nelson, who has lost four of his last five fights. In the night’s co-main event, former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi looks to inch closer towards a title shot in the middleweight division as he takes on late-notice replacement Uriah Hall, who is looking for the biggest win of his career as a big underdog.

    Chico Camus originally missed weight, coming in at 126.5 pounds. He came back later and made the official limit for his bout at 126 pounds.

    MAIN CARD (FOX SPORTS 1- 10 PM ET/7 PM PT):
    Josh Barnett (239) vs. Roy Nelson (261)
    Gegard Mousasi (186) vs. Uriah Hall (186)
    Kyoji Horiguchi (126) vs. Chico Camus (126)
    Takeya Mizugaki (136) vs. George Roop (135)
    Katsunori Kikuno (145) vs. Diego Brandao (146)
    Mizuto Hirota (146) vs. Teruto Ishihara (146)

    PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX SPORTS 2- 8 PM ET/5 PM PT):
    Keita Nakamura (170) vs. Li Jingliang (171)
    Nick Hein (155) vs. Yusuke Kasuya (156)
    Naoyuki Kotani (156) vs. Kajan Johnson (156)
    Shinsho Anzai (170) vs. Roger Zapata (171)

  • UFC Fight Night 75 DFS Playbook: value picks, who to avoid

    Daily fantasy has taken over the sports world as you consistently see commercials for DraftKings and FanDuel all over your sports channels and sporting events. It has become a huge industry, and the UFC joined in earlier this year when they became a part of DraftKings. With nine months of events in the past, the UFC is here to stay on DraftKings, and there is some money to be made for those willing to participate.

    While they do not have the number of games for play as the NFL or the MLB, DraftKings MMA still has plenty of fun to offer. With that being said, starting this week with UFC Fight Night 75, we will be taking a look at ways you could potentially earn some money, if you are willing to take the risk, and perhaps earn some big money.

    Let’s start with the basic rules for those who may be unfamiliar with how Draft Kings MMA works. Every fighter on the card is assigned a salary. They are generally coordinated with the current betting odds at the times the salaries are set. A huge favorite will have a large salary while a big underdog will not cost you as much. It involves a lot of risk and taking chances on fighters you may not be sure will actually win. You have a salary cap of $50,000, and your team is limited to five fighters. Generally speaking, depending on the salaries, you are usually able to fit two or three favorites onto your roster, but you will always have to take on two or three betting line underdogs.

    The scoring system runs as follows: you get 0.5 points for a significant strike, 1 point for position advancement on the ground, 2 points for a takedown and a reversal/sweep on the ground, and 3 points for a knockdown. You also get points on how the fight ends. You earn 100 points for a first-round win, 75 points for a second-round win, 50 points for a third-round win, 40 points for a fourth-round and a fifth-round win, and 25 points for a decision win. With that system, you should be looking at filling your roster with fighters you expect to win early with a finish.

    Every week, beginning with this week, we are going to give you a rundown of who I see as being studs to score you points, some value plays, and then some fighters I am going to avoid. Then, I will be joined by WrestlingObserver.com contributor Paul Fontaine, and occasional Bryan & Vinny show crasher PeachMachine as we give your our lineups that we will be using to make money as well as our thoughts into why exactly we went with the five fighters we did.

    STUDS:

    Diego Brandao ($10,600)

    Diego Brandao has the sixth-highest salary on the UFC Fight Night 75 card, and he has perhaps the best chance to score a finish when he takes on Katsunori Kikuno. Kikuno has lost two of his four UFC bouts, and both of those losses have come by knockout in the first round. Brandao is a violent and dangerous fighter, and his only UFC losses have come to top featherweights. Kikuno has a weird style with the karate background, and Brandao can mentally implode at times. Brandao is coming off a big stoppage win over Jimy Hettes, and he is a finisher, having won 15 of his 19 bouts by finish. Finishes score you the big points, and with Kikuno’s suspect chin and Brandao’s aggressive nature, he has the chance to score you some big points.

    Takeya Mizugaki ($10,500)

    Takeya Mizugaki is coming into Saturday night’s fight card on a two-fight losing streak, but he gets a favorable match-up against George Roop in his home country of Japan. Mizugaki is on a win streak when fighting in Japan, and is looking to bounce back in a big way. He is a big betting favorite over Roop, which should bode well for his chances. He can score points on a lot of takedowns, and his ground game is well above Roop. Roop has been stopped by strikes in his last three losses, and while Mizugaki isn’t known as a big finisher, he can finish a weak opponent. Roop is a weak opponent. On a card where there might not be a lot of finishes, you should look for someone who has the chance to score the biggest going the distance. Mizugaki is that guy.

    VALUE PLAYS:

    Roy Nelson ($8,600)

    I’m actually a little surprised that Roy Nelson is available at his modest price. I was thinking about whether or not to put him as a value play as his recent record isn’t all that good. Then again, all seven of his wins in the UFC have come by knockout, and he gets an opponent in Josh Barnett who is coming off a near two-year layoff. Barnett was finished in his last fight, and finished quickly by Travis Browne. You know that Nelson is going to be looking for the knockout, and while Barnett can avoid punches quite well, the right hand from Nelson is a difference maker. If you are stacking your team with overwhelming favorites, perhaps taking a flyer on Nelson scoring a finish could make the difference in winning.

    Yusuke Kasuya ($8,500)

     Yusuke Kasuya is an underdog and a value pick as he is making his UFC debut against a tough foe in Nick Hein. Kasuya has won nine fights in his career, all by stoppage, with seven finishes in the first round. Simply put, from a fantasy perspective, he gets the job done. However, Hein will give him a challenge. Hein has some good wrestling and his striking is improving, and he is well-rounded. Kasuya has a solid grappling and ground game, and if he can score a takedown, he is one who quickly looks for guard passes in looking for a submission. It is a risky play, but a very valuable one should you be looking for an underdog to hit big.

    AVOID:

    Gegard Mousasi ($11,300)

    Gegard Mousasi has the highest salary of the twenty fighters on the card, and he is the biggest betting favorite. He is fighting Uriah Hall, a tough opponent, but one who is taking the fight on short notice. Mousasi can be an enigma. He can finish you fast, but he can also drag fights to the later rounds and squeak out an uneventful decision where not much happens. You can’t really know whether to trust him putting up big points from a fantasy point-of-view. He may score you takedown points, but Hall has good takedown defense. Hall is the kind of opponent that will make Mousasi’s striking attack more methodical over a constant barrage. You don’t quite know what to get from Mousasi in this fight, so I would avoid him. He could put up big points, but at the salary he’s at with the opponent he has, I’m not taking the risk. I do see him winning the fight though.

    Katsunori Kikuno ($8,800)

    I don’t expect Katsunori Kikuno to get the win over Diego Brandao. He leaves too many openings, has a suspect chin, and his striking skills have seemed to diminish with each UFC bout. He doesn’t have the same head movement, and his head is going to be a target for Brandao. I love Brandao as my top stud on this card, as noted above, which makes Kikuno the one fighter I’m staying away from. He is cheap, and Brandao can get in a wild brawl and lose his head, and Kikuno could definitely capitalize. I still see Brandao getting an early finish.

    OUR LINEUPS — 

    RYAN FREDERICK: Kajan Johnson ($10,700), Diego Brandao ($10,600), Takeya Mizugaki ($10,500), Roy Nelson ($8,600), Yusuke Kasuya ($8,500)

     I like Brandao, Mizugaki, Nelson and Kasuya for all of the reasons I stated above. I see Brandao and Mizugaki scoring finish wins early, and Kasuya being an underrated pick. Nelson has the big right hand that can end any fight. I also like Kajan Johnson against Naoyuki Kotani. Kotani is 0-4 in the UFC, and he has been finished in his last three Octagon appearances, and Johnson has scored 16 of his 20 professional wins by stoppage.

    PAUL FONTAINE: Gegard Mousasi ($11,300), Diego Brandao ($10,600), Takeya Mizugaki ($10,500), Teruto Ishihara ($9,000). Roy Nelson ($8,600)

    I like Nelson as the underdog here and I think he’s good value. Barnett has his foot in too many waters these days and Nelson’s power cannot be overlooked. Mizugaki is a finisher and even though he’s a favorite, there are bonus points for finishes with Draft Kings. Same goes for Diego Brandao. Brandao in particular is facing someone that has suffered two first round knockouts in recent fights. Ishihara is more a bet against his opponent Mizuto Hirota, who has two UFC fights on his resume and lost them both. Ishihara is also 10 years younger. Mousasi is the most expensive pick but I have room for him and feel quite confident he’ll finish the overmatched Uriah Hall in quick order.

    PEACH MACHINE: Kyoji Horiguchi (11,000), Roy Nelson (8,600), Yusuke Kasuya (8,500), Kajan Johnson (10,700), Li Jingliang (10,300)

    Horiguchi is my lock.  I had the pleasure of training with Horiguchi in Guam.  He’s a masher.  I picked him to beat DJ, and even though he got decimated, he was beaten by the best.  Look for him to finish early.  KO’s score big points. I picked Nelson ecause I have no faith in Barnett.  Bad KO’s change a man, and his last fight was a bad KO.  His future is in BJJ.  Another KO win for big points. I saw Kasuya decimate Frank Camacho, a monster BJJ Brown Belt, in the PXC in Guam in his last fight.  Frank is a monster brown belt at jits and he was subbed by Kasuya.  I’m taking him by sub. Johnson trains at Tristar.  Anyone under GSP has a good shot anytime he steps in the cage… Except for Francis Carmont coming off a 5 hour delay against Phil Davis. Jingliang is my sleeper pick. This will be a good match so I’m hoping for some high points due to a lot of strikes being thrown, if not the win. My remaining salary is $900. I’ll wager all my extra money on the main event not going five rounds.

  • UFC Fight Night 75 Preview: 5 storylines to watch, betting odds & predictions

    After a three-week break, which in this day-and-age is a long break, the Octagon returns on Saturday night as the UFC makes its now annual trip to Japan for UFC Fight Night 75 from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The main card airs on FOX Sports 1 on Saturday night, with preliminary action taking place on FOX Sports 2.

    The event will be headlined by a five-round bout in the UFC’s heavyweight division as veterans Josh Barnett and Roy Nelson square off following a coaching stint on the UFC Fight Pass exclusive television show, UFC: Road To Japan. The finals of that reality event will also take place on the card as Mizuto Hirota meets Teruto Ishihara. In the co-main event of the evening, former Strikeforce and DREAM champion Gegard Mousasi takes on Uriah Hall, who steps in as an injury replacement for the toughest bout of his career. The rest of the card will be filled with Japanese fighters. Let’s take a closer look at the night’s action and find five storylines to keep an eye on as we head into Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night 75 event.

    1. Who has more left to give in their career: Josh Barnett or Roy Nelson?

    Josh Barnett and Roy Nelson meet in the main event of Saturday’s event, and it is an interesting time in both men’s careers as they head into their headline bout. They coached eight fighters during UFC: Road To Japan in the lead-up to this event, and now they meet in a fight where both could be fighting for their UFC futures. It’s not to say either man will be cut due to the depth issues in the UFC’s heavyweight division, but Barnett is 37-years old and Nelson is 39-years old, and their best days are likely behind them. Barnett also hasn’t fought in over a year-and-a-half as he was last seen in the Octagon eating elbows from Travis Browne in a 60-second loss at UFC 168 in December 2013. Nelson has lost four of his last five fights, and he hasn’t looked all that competitive in those losses. His only win in over two years was a knockout win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, who recently retired.

    Barnett has had a lot of success in his career in Japan, and returning to action there may be quite the confidence boost for him. His time away should have gotten him healthy, but it will be interesting to see if he suffers from any form of rust. His only losses since 2006 have come to Browne and Daniel Cormier, so it’s not like he has been getting blown away by lesser fighters. Meanwhile, Nelson has only fought once in Japan, and it came one year ago when he was knocked out by Mark Hunt. It was the only time in Nelson’s career he has truly been knocked out, and it came at the hands of one of the hardest hitters in the sport. It is hard to envision a repeat of that on Saturday night.

    All of Nelson’s wins in the UFC have come by knockout and he will be looking to do the same for Barnett. It has seemed for the longest time that Nelson has given up on following a gameplan in looking to headhunt. He either gets the knockout or he struggles mightily and doesn’t look good. Barnett has good wrestling and good submissions and a style to make Nelson look bad if Nelson can’t land the big right hand. Barnett will probably look to drag the fight out, but he will also want to test the chin of Nelson to see if there is anything left there. It’s heavyweights and anything can happen, but this fight has the chance to be a long, drawn-out and not neccessarily exciting fight. I like Barnett to get the win in this one as I see him having more to give at this stage in his career.

    2. Can Uriah Hall score the upset win over Gegard Mousasi?

    Gegard Mousasi is one a decent roll in the UFC’s middleweight division, scoring wins in his last two fights. His only UFC losses have come to Lyoto Machida and Ronaldo Souza, and he is currently ranked sixth in the UFC’s middleweight rankings. He is on the cusp of title contention, but has yet to beat a top-five ranked opponent. He was to face Roan Carneiro at this event, but with Carneiro being forced out due to injury, Uriah Hall stepped in to take a huge opportunity. It is going from a ranked opponent to an unranked opponent for Mousasi, but this is probably a more dangerous fight for him due to the striking prowess of Hall. Hall has solid kickboxing skills and is a violent opponent if he can connect. He fought recently, scoring a first-round TKO win over Oluwale Bamgbose on August 8 in Nashville. Stepping in on short notice will receive some good faith from the UFC brass, but he has a tough test.

    Mousasi tends to, at times, fight below his skill level. He is highly talented and a legitmate contender to be a title challenger in the near future. He can have a boring and plodding style, but it is effective. Hall sometimes comes up mentally short, and he tends to fight below his skill set. Fighting Mousasi can be extremely frustrating, and it will likely get in the head of Hall. Mousasi may look to take the fight to the mat, and Hall would prefer to keep the fight on the feet. For all of Hall’s flashy kickboxing skills, Mousasi is a better overall striker. This is definitely Mousasi’s fight to lose. I don’t see Hall being able to score the upset, but funnier things have happened in the UFC. However, Mousasi will take this fight the distance and score an uneventful decision win.

    3. Can Kyoji Horiguchi and Takeya Mizugaki rebound in their home country?

    Kyoji Horiguchi and Takeya Mizugaki are the only Japanese fighters ranked in the top ten of their divisions, and both have fought for championships during their time under the Zuffa banner. Horiguchi is coming off a loss to Demetrious Johnson when he challenged for the UFC Flyweight Championship at UFC 186 in April. Mizugaki challeged for the WEC Bantamweight Championship in his Zuffa debut, losing a decision to Miguel Torres in April 2009 in one of the best fights in WEC history. Mizugaki is looking to bounce back from two straight losses to Dominick Cruz and Aljamain Sterling that ended his five-fight win streak.

    Horiguchi will take on Chico Camus, who is looking to bounce back from a loss to Henry Cejudo at UFC 188 in June. Camus was looking to get into title contention after an impressive flyweight debut win over Brad Pickett, and he will be looking to improve on his record of just three wins in seven UFC bouts. Mizugaki will be taking on long-time UFC and WEC veteran George Roop, who returns after being out of the Octagon since a first-round knockout loss to Rob Font at UFC 175 in July 2014. Roop is just 4-5 since returning to the UFC following the WEC merger, and he could very well be fighting for his UFC future. The same could be said for Camus, so Horiguchi and Mizugaki will need to be impressive in front of their home country fans.

    4. Katsunori Kikuno and Diego Brandao both have title aspirations. Who takes a step forward?

    Admittedly, this fourth storyline was originally written about Norifumi “KID” Yamamoto, who was scheduled to compete on this card against Matt Hobar. However, both Yamamoto and Hobar fell victim to the injury bug, and the bout was scrapped from the card. The featured preliminary bout between Katsunori Kikuno and Diego Brandao was moved to the main card, and it takes this spot on our preview. Brandao is a former winner of The Ultimate Fighter, but he has had mixed success, sporting a 5-3 record in the Octagon, but those losses have come to Darren Elkins, Dustin Poirier and current interim champion Conor McGregor, all tough opponents. He won his last bout by stopping Jimy Hettes at the end of the first round in April.

    Kikuno is just 2-2 in the UFC and is coming into the fight off a first-round knockout loss to Kevin Souza in March. He has talked lately about his big aspirations of being champion, but it is entirely possible that he is fighting for his UFC career in this bout. Both of his losses have come by knockout in the first round, but he did score an impressive submission win over Sam Sicilia in Japan last September. Both men are far away from title contention, but should be able to put together a nice little scrap on Saturday night. Brandao has a penchant for being violent, and Kikuno does have the suspect chin. I expect to see Brandao getting his hand raised and taking a step forward in the 145-pound division.

    5. What else on the card is there to look forward to?

    With this being a fight night event in Japan, the card is filled with Japanese fighters. In fact, nine of the eleven total bouts feature Japanese fighters. The fight card also features the finals of the “UFC: Road To Japan” when featherweights Mizuto Hirota and Teruto Ishihara meet. Hirota has fought in the UFC twice before, losing both bouts, but he returns on the heels of a three-fight win streak. Ishihara will grace the Octagon for the first time, and both of his career losses have come to fighters who have UFC experience.

    In preliminary action, Keita Nakamura makes his return to the UFC on short notice when he fights Li Jingliang. A pair of lightweight bouts take place as Germany’s Nick Hein takes on the debuting Yusuke Kasuya, and Naoyuki Kotani takes on Kajan Johnson. All four of those bouts take place on FOX Sports 2. In the lone bout on UFC Fight Pass, Shinsho Anzai takes on Roger Zapata, who will be making his UFC debut after competing on season 19 of The Ultimate Fighter.

    Full UFC Fight Night 75 Fight Card, Betting Odds and Predictions

    MAIN CARD (FOX SPORTS 1- 10 PM ET/7 PM PT)

    Heavyweights: (#8) Josh Barnett vs. (#11) Roy Nelson
    Betting Odds:     Barnett (-260), Nelson (+220)
    Prediction: Barnett by decision

    Middleweights: (#6) Gegard Mousasi vs. Uriah Hall
    Betting Odds:     Mousasi (-450), Hall (+360)
    Prediction: Mousasi by decision

    Flyweights: (#7) Kyoji Horiguchi vs. (#13) Chico Camus
    Betting Odds:     Horiguchi (-365), Camus (+255)
    Prediction: Horiguchi by decision

    Bantamweights: (#8) Takeya Mizugaki vs. George Roop
    Betting Odds:     Mizugaki (-245), Roop (+175)
    Prediction: Mizugaki by submission in round 2

    Featherweights: Katsunori Kikuno vs. Diego Brandao
    Betting Odds:     Kikuno (+170), Brandao (-230)
    Prediction: Brandao by knockout in round 1

    UFC: Road To Japan Featherweight Finals: Mizuto Hirota vs. Teruto Ishihara
    Betting Odds:     Hirota (-245), Ishihara (+175)
    Prediction: Hirota by submission in round 1

    PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX SPORTS 2- 8 PM ET/5 PM PT)

    Welterweights: Keita Nakamura vs. Li Jingliang
    Betting Odds:     Nakamura (+170), Jingliang (-230)
    Prediction: Jingliang by knockout in round 2

    Lightweights: Nick Hein vs. Yusuke Kasuya
    Betting Odds:     Hein (-280), Kasuya (+200)
    Prediction: Hein by decision

    Lightweights: Naoyuki Kotani vs. Kajan Johnson
    Betting Odds:     Kotani (+190), Johnson (-270)
    Prediction: Johnson by submission in round 3

    Welterweights: Shinsho Anzai vs. Roger Zapata
    Betting Odds:     Anzai (-130), Zapata (-110)
    Prediction: Zapata by decision

  • UFC TUF 22: McGregor vs. Faber results & recap for episode 3

    By Steve Juon, WrestlingObserver.com

    It’s a whole new season and Conor McGregor is the reason, as he and Urijah Faber go toe to toe as coaching foes on The Ultimate Fighter. They won’t duke it out after the season is done, but there’s still pride on the line, not to mention Conor’s reputation as the newest badass on the block.

    Join us each episode for “The Notorious Quote of the Week” as Conor puts his mouth where UFC’s money is! We’ll also spice things up with some predictions for week two about who could go all the way this season – two “Fighters to Watch” for each recap.

    The Notorious Quote of the Week: “Man Urijah is an absolute p—y. Stop being a p—y. Man up and make the fight (with Dillashaw). You’ve got nothing else left.”

    Last week U.S. fighter Ryan Hall beat European fighter Frantz Siloa to retain control for Team Faber. This week’s fight is Sascha Sharma (Team Europe) vs. Chris Gruetzemacher (Team U.S.). Here we go!

    Martin Svensson is sporting a black eye at the same time he’s saying the training is going really well. I’ve got him on my “Fighter to Watch” list this week because of the amount of energy he expends in the workout sessions.

    Apparently the Team McGregor strategy is to have a light workout in the morning without their coach, then an intense session with technical instruction including McGregor in the evening. Dana White says he acts like he doesn’t give a f— when the truth is that he really does.

    Chris Gruetzemacher says his dad was shot and murdered when he was only five. It’s part of what made him focused and convinced him to be a fighter, and make the most of his athletic ability while he still has the time to. He’s my other “Fighter to Watch” this week.

    Sascha Sharma talks about how his dad emigrated from India to Germany decades ago, and how he had an infection in childhood that left him paralyzed for a time. He had to train to walk, he had to train martial arts to feel better, and after that he couldn’t give it up.

    Faber comes over to the TUF house to watch the T.J. Dillashaw fight where he finished Renan Barao standing, beating Barao for the second time (July 25, 2015). Afterward Sharma is 155 and Gruetzemacher is 154.5 on the scale. Dana thinks Gruetzemacher has it in the bag because he trains with Benson Henderson.

    * Lightweight: Chris Gruetzemacher (USA) vs. Sascha Sharma (Europe)

    Sharma is in the gray trunks and “Gritz” as Faber calls him is in the blue. Sharma pushes Gritz into the fence as McGregor calls for him to throw knees and to be patient in the fight. Gritz takes him to the ground and Sharma goes for a triangle submission – but Gritz breaks it and lands a couple of hard and heavy rights on the ground. Sharma gets up and pushes Gritz into the fence again. Sharma single legs him to the ground but can’t keep him down. 2:30 gone. These two are going really hard for what looks to be a long fight with a half hour of TV time left. Sharma pulls guard at 3:15 then tries to land upkicks but Gritz talks the half guard to land elbows. Gritz is passing furiously and Sharma is scrambling furiously – an intense amount of energy is being expended on both sides. Gritz ends up on top in guard and Sharma tries to get a triangle or armbar again but can’t. On to R2!

    Sharma lands a right hand and shoots immediately to open R2, but when he can’t get it he flops to his back hoping to suck Gritz in. Gritz is more than happy to get on top and throw some elbows, then take a full mount at 51 seconds, but Sharma is able to escape it – not without getting bloodied. McGregor loses his cool when he goes to his back again and starts screaming “Stay on your f—ing feet!” Sharma rolls and Gritz nearly gets an armbar out of it. McGregor is screaming at Sharma to “end up on top out of it” and he does. Sharma gets swept though and Gritz is in side control. McGregor: “You need to find your patience in there. A patient man always prevails.” Sharma manages to hold on and go for some upkicks when Gritz repositions, but Gritz gets big damage late and a mount too.

    Dana White announces a sudden victory third round and McGregor screams at him to stay on his feet before we go to commercial.

    Sharma ignores McGregor’s advice and goes to the ground immediately, causing an exasperated McGregor to scream “WHAT THE F—?!” Gritz spins to take the back while throwing rights, but Sharma tries to trap his head for a choke. He’s too exhausted to lock it on though and Gritz gets on his back again throwing rights at his head. It’s a war of attrition and Gritz is winning. He passes to side and takes the back again. McGregor screams “up on your feet” but he’s too whipped to even try. Gritz pushes him back down into half guard. McGregor realizes they’ve lost the fight even with two minutes left. Faber: “Don’t do anything too crazy just keep eating him up.” INDEED. Sharma spins on top with just over a minute left. Gritz motions like he’ll stand up but sweeps with a half minute left. McGregor: “Very very poor. My God.” Sharma is a bloody mess.

    McGregor: “When he shot from the bell in the t’ird round and then pulled guard, there’s nothing more you can do. There’s nothing more you can do for the kid. There’s only so much words can do.” He accuses Sharma of “crumbling under the pressure.” All three judges score the third 10-9 for Gritz which makes Team U.S. 2-0 so far. Faber: “For not being emotionally invested you sure got emotionally invested.” Faber announces Tom Gallicchio (USA) vs. Marcin Wrzosek (Europe). Join us next week!

  • UFC News: Dana White talks Nick Diaz and Fedor

    From our friends at Submssion Radio in Australia:

     Fielding questions from fans and media at the UFC 193 Q&A in Sydney, Australia, Dana White spoke about Nick Diaz’s 5-year suspension and what his initial thoughts were.

    Submission Radio was on hand for the event and have the clip for you below!

    VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/SPYJLjMkdLI
    Quote:

    “We’ve been here (Australia). When this thing went down, we’ve been here. And many people who know me and know the sport, I’ve been a very reactionary person in the past. I’m a little older and a little wiser now. I don’t just react, I have to know all the facts. I don’t know all the facts, you know. When you hear this – because it’s so jarring when you hear this. It’s like, wait a minute, this guy was suspended for five years and got a 150,000 dollar fine for marijuana? So you can completely take that out of context too, but that’s his third offense. It’s his third offense, and let’s all be honest here, Nick Diaz doesn’t exactly play by the rules. You know, listen, everybody would love to hang out and smoke weed all day and not play by the rules. It sounds awesome. It’s sounds like, you know, it sounds like the great thing to do (laughs). But in reality, you can’t do that, and especially when you’re dealing with the government. Nick was also in a situation where Nick hadn’t paid his taxes in a long time, you know. You can’t do that either. So it has to be more than ‘hey the guy smoked weed and…’ – I don’t know all the facts yet. We’re leaving tomorrow morning. When I get home, I will hear all the facts. I promise you, you will hear from me soon on the Nick Diaz situation. I have to figure out all the facts first.”

    Speaking at the UFC 193 fan Q&A in Sydney, Australia, Dana White squashed the latest rumors about the UFC planning Fedor Emelianenko vs. Anderson Silva at light heavyweight, which were started by Chael Sonnen. Submission Radio was on hand for the event and have the clip for you below! VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/G1ruu2aRBtM
    Quote:

    “That’s completely false (laughs). You know, the Fedor thing has been this weird deal for a long time. We’ve obviously talked to Fedor many times and tried to get it done, and we’ll see how this thing plays out. But no, there’s absolutely no truth to that whatsoever. Sorry Chael.”

  • UFC TUF 22: McGregor vs. Faber results & recap for episode 2

    By Steve Juon, WrestlingObserver.com

    It’s a whole new season and Conor McGregor is the reason, as he and Urijah Faber go toe to toe as coaching foes on The Ultimate Fighter. They won’t duke it out after the season is done, but there’s still pride on the line, not to mention Conor’s reputation as the newest badass on the block.

    Join us each episode for “The Notorious Quote of the Week” as Conor puts his mouth where UFC’s money is! We’ll also spice things up with some predictions for week two about who could go all the way this season – two “Fighters to Watch” for each recap.

    The Notorious Quote of the Week this time shows Conor’s disdain for Urijah’s casual attire. “Flip flops and jeans? You need to dress your age, honestly.”

    The teams as determined last week:

    Team McGregor (Europe): Abner Lloveras, David Teymur, Marcin Wrzosek, Frantz Siloa, Martin Svensson, Mehdi Baghdad, Sascha Sharma, Saul Rogers

    Team Faber (United States): Brandon Ricetti, Chris Gruetzemacher, James Jenkins, Jason Gonzalez, Julian Erosa, Ryan Hall, Thanh Le, Tom Gallicchio

    Conor McGregor summons Team Europe to the changing room for a chat. He says they’ll get to work with the same coaches he does for his own fights. Then he gets down to brass tacks and says that the Europeans have had a much tougher road to get into MMA, so they’ll have more heart than the US team already, but at the end of the day there’s no such thing as a team because everybody has to individually try to win their shot to be in the UFC.

    There’s the usual amount of smack talk at the TUF house on both sides, so I’m not going to waste your time with that. Instead let’s go right to Conor McGregor’s first session. He wants them to have sparring without taking damage, to give them the feel of what a real fight situation will be like. “That’s upgrading your software without damaging your hardware.” Commercial.

    BEHOLD THE DANA WHITE SWERVE~!

    Dana gives the coaches an opportunity to bring back one eliminated fighter on each team. McGregor picked Artem Lobov and Faber picked Johnny Nunez. On top of that now that there is one extra fighter for each team, Dana White will pick one guy from each to NOT go to the quarterfinals. It’s not enough to win – he wants everybody to PERFORM.

    Thanh Le says this won’t hurt him one bit – he delivers excitement in his performances. In fact based on last week’s show he’s on my “Fighters to Watch” list. I can’t say that he’s my FINAL pick though because flashy spinning kicks and big knockouts are important, but we need to see what happens to Le when those things DON’T work out.

    McGregor and Faber talk s–t to each other as both teams are waiting in the hallway to go in and film the first fight pick announcement. Since Faber won the coin toss last week he announces the fight: Ryan Hall (USA) vs. Frantz Siloa (Europe).

    Reminder – Hall tapped out Johnny Nunez via heel hook, while Siloa got a technical submission via rear naked choke on Martin Delaney. If this one goes to the ground it could be a WILD scramble. Ryan Hall is my other pick for “Fighters to Watch” this week, especially after hearing his explanation of mastering the 50/50 position and how he’s so comfortable in it he can disarm his opponents (“taking the knife out of their hand”) on the ground, leaving him an easier path to victory. Urijah Faber refers to him “The Wizard.”

    Siloa talks about how he’s actually Iraqi by heritage, but was born in Sweden when his parents fled during a war (he doesn’t specify which one). He vows to finish the fight whether standing or on the ground. McGregor says they picked Hall to face Siloa because “they fear the exchange” and want to go to the ground, and believes Siloa can break Hall down with shots to the body and the head.

    At the weigh-ins Siloa steps on the scale first. 155 pounds even. Ryan Hall takes the scale and he’s also 155 even. Hall’s decades of jiu-jitsu competition experience are praised as we go to a commercial break, but the show is padded out with more tough talk on both sides when we come back, followed by ANOTHER commercial break. With less than ten minutes of TV time remaining you know it’ll be a one round fight.

    * Lightweight: Ryan Hall (USA) vs. Frantz Siloa (Europe)

    Hall’s in the blue trunks and Siloa the gray. Neither man is afraid to stand and trade in the first minute. Hall dives for a leg and Siloa tries to roll out of trouble but he can’t roll through the fence so he’s in trouble once he hits the chain link. Siloa taps at 1:53. Faber: “THE WIZARD!” And that’s all she wrote. Hall is making a statement with two great performances two weeks in a row.

    Meanwhile Siloa is getting iced down backstage and gets a pep talk from McGregor, saying it was just a bad break. “There’s a different between being caught and losing.” Faber and McGregor continue to talk smack. McGregor: “Flip flops and jeans? You need to dress your age, honestly.” Faber: “When I can grow a beard I’ll dress my age.” Faber announces  Chris Gruetzemacher (USA) vs. Sascha Sharma (Europe). Join us next week!

  • UFC announces February return to London’s O2 Arena

    On Wednesday, the UFC announced a 2/27 show in London, England, at the O2 Arena.

    The show will be an FS 1 card and tickets will go on sale to Fight Club members on 12/1, to Sun+ members on 12/2, and to the public on 12/4 at Noon.

    No matches have been announced but UFC stated Michael Bisping, Brad Pickett and Ross Pearson have expressed their desire to be on the show. 

  • UFC: Nick Diaz suspended for five years

    By Dave Meltzer, WrestlingObserver.com

    On Monday, the Nevada Athletic Commission issued a five year suspension to UFC welterweight/middlweight Nick Diaz and fined him $165,000 after a three hour hearing based on his positive test for marijuana on 1/31, the night of his fight with Anderson Silva.

    The $165,000 was based on 33 percent of Diaz’s $500,000 purse for the fight.

    The hearing got contentious between Diaz’s lawyer, Lucas Middlebrook, and Pat Lundvall of the commission.  Middlebrook argued that drug tests taken before and after his fight showed Diaz’s marijuana levels below the 150ng/ML which is the current commission’s threshold for a marijuana positive. The tests would have been above previous levels.  However, a third test showed him at 700ng/ML, or nearly five times allowable levels.

    The commission stated the suspension was not as much for this marijuana test failure, but because Diaz had failed tests in Nevada for marijuana in 2007 and 2012, making this a third violation.

    Lundvall recommended a lifetime suspension, but the other commissioners suggested five years, which, with Diaz being 32 years old, could end his career. 

  • UFC 191: The Velten Scoring System

    Submitted by Dan Velten

    In this article we will continue to evaluate my new scoring system and other options related to improving MMA scoring, focusing on last Saturday’s UFC 191: Johnson vs. Dodson 2.

    There are no adjustments to be made after part 3.  I’m still fine-tuning the wording of the True 10 Point System, but I have not altered the points. The goal is still to find a way to use more of the 10 points consistently. I’m still leaning towards making it a five point system but I’m going to give this at least one or two more shows. 

    Rules of the column as always, I’ll score only the main card fights and only report on those that actually go to the judges.  Anything controversial will be covered in more detail. For more details of the scoring system I’ve created called “True Ten,” search for ‘Velten Scoring System’ in the archives. 

    With each article, I will look at one fight (if there was one) from the previous show that may have had a controversial decision.

    Questioning the Decision:  Neil Magny vs. Erick Silva

    Official Result:  Magny by Split Decision, on scorecards of 29-28 Magny, 29-28 Silva, and 30-27 Magny

    From last show, the only kind of controversial decision was the fact that this match was ruled a split decision.  The right guy, Magny, won but in my book, he clearly won every round.  OK, you could maybe have scored the third for Silva, but the fact that one judge gave Silva two rounds and the win, is an error in judgment and not really an indictment of the system.  No system can correct for stupidity.  This was not as heinous as I may be making it out to be, but bad judges need to be reprimanded.

    ***** 

    LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS:  Jan Blachowicz vs. Corey Anderson

    Official Result- Corey Anderson def. Jan Blachowicz by unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26)

    True Ten: Rd 1) Anderson 10-8  Rd 2) Anderson 10-7  Rd 3) 10-7 Anderson

    Result: 30-22 Anderson

    Weighted: Rd 1) Anderson +1  Rd 2)  Anderson +2  Rd 3)  Anderson +3

    Result:  6-0 Anderson

    Pride:  Anderson

    Analysis:  This was a one sided butt kicking by Anderson, and it was nice to see all three judges using more of the 10 points giving Anderson a wider margin of victory. I can’t believe it honestly. The score of 30-25 is very rarely seen.  Maybe we are moving in the right direction. 

    HEAVYWEIGHTS:  Andrei Arlovski vs. Frank Mir

    Official Result- Andrei Arlovski def. Frank Mir by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

    True Ten: Rd 1) Arlovski 10-8  Rd 2) Arlovski 10-8  Rd 3) Mir 10-9

    Result: 29-26 Arlovski

    Weighted: Rd 1) Arlovski +1  Rd 2) Arlovski +2  Rd 3) Mir +3

    Result: 3-3 Draw

    Pride: Arlovski

    Analysis:  I’m fairly convinced Arlovski won this fight, and no one thought this was going to the judges, but my weighted score system created a draw situation.  I don’t think that’s a bad call actually because Mir fought a hell of a third round, especially for being incredibly fat. 

    UFC FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP:  Demetrious Johnson(c) vs. John Dodson

    Official Result- Demetrious Johnson def. John Dodson by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45) to remain UFC Flyweight Champion

    True Ten: Rd 1)  10-10  Rd 2) 10-9 Dodson   Rd 3) 10-9 Johnson  Rd 4)  10-9 Johnson  Rd 5) 10-8 Johnson

    Result: 49-46 Johnson

    Weighted: Rd 1) Johnson +1 Rd 2) Dodson +1  Rd 3) Johnson +2   Rd 4) Johnson +2 Rd 5) Johnson +3

    Result: 8-1 Johnson

    Pride:  Johnson

    Analysis: This fight had a lot of really close rounds and really the first three could have been 10-10’s, but DJ came on in the end and got the rightful decision.  

    Overall Analysis: 

    We all knew the main event was going to go 25 minutes, but no one could have thought Mir vs. Arlovski was going 15 minutes.  I wonder if the judges, who no doubt thought the same thing, had the mindset that someone is getting KO’d and thus they didn’t pay as much attention to the heavyweight match.  I think a case could be made that Mir won rounds 2 and 3, but if you assumed this fight was not going to the distance, you may have sort of tuned out. 

    Random Thoughts:

    What would happen if UFC did away with weigh-in’s the day before completely, and went to a cyclical or seasonal weigh-in system, where a fighter has to make weight 4 times a year?  It would have nothing to do with when you fight, and the fighter could do it at their gym or wherever.  Then they’d be free to enter the cage at whatever weight, as long as they made weight 4 times.  This would make it so that no fighter would ever fight dehydrated and thus it would be much safer. 

  • UFC News: Eddie Alvarez confirms Anthony Pettis fight, date TBD

    Former Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez officially confirmed on Twitter Friday that his rumored fight with Anthony Pettis is a go, and will be taking place in Boston.

    While not announced officially, the belief is that the fight will be on the UFC Fox Sports 1 show set for January 17th at Boston’s TD GArden, headlined by Bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw vs. Dominick Cruz.

    One can make the case that with just those two fights alone, it is the biggest show the company has put on FS1 in their history.