By Christopher Jester

 

This weekend at UFC on FX 8, the last Strikeforce middleweight champion will meet face-to-face with Vitor Belfort in what could be a title eliminator for both fighters. In fact, it is easy to say that both men are deserving of a shot at the title. With a fight between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and challenger Chris Weidman looming, the UFC desperately needs to fill the spot of title challenger to keep the 185 pound division busy. This bout is ideal for setting up the next challenger.

The fighter with the easiest case for title contention is Luke Rockhold. This former Strikeforce Champion left the organization as its middleweight champion after rattling off victories over Keith Jardine, Tim Kennedy, and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza; the latter whom he took the title from. Rockhold holds an impressive winning streak of nine wins since his only loss back in 2007. The UFC versus Strikeforce angle has been very popular among the fans as the recent Benson Henderson versus Gilbert Melendez clash proved. Rockhold’s battling through Strikeforce Challengers to reach the championship at Strikeforce was a story within itself, but if he was to gain a title shot in the UFC, it would only make his journey to the top more inspiring.

The only thing working against Rockhold is that he has not fought any of the top 10 names as of yet (unless your rankings included Jacare Souza), Vitor Belfort will mark his first top ranked middleweight opposition. A victory over Belfort would surely impress. A victory by (T)KO or Submission would be even nicer. The truth is, just because he has yet to finish a top ten fighter does not rule him out, nor should it. Another fighter who had only finished one top ranked fighter is now getting a title bout against the UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and his name is Chris Weidman. An impressive win over Belfort is the sort of victory Rockhold needs on his resume to legitimize any kind of campaign to title contention.

Vitor Belfort has a few more things going against him, to a degree, and that is stating it loosely. Vitor Belfort has been remarkable at middleweight. His only loss in the 185 division was to the now famous front kick from Anderson Silva in his shot at the title. Since then Belfort has beaten Yoshihiro Akiyama (middleweight bout), Anthony Johnson (catch-weight bout), and most recently Michael Bisping (middleweight bout). Bisping was one fight away from his own shot at the title but Belfort snatched that away with a fight ending headkick. That should be worth something.

His fights at middleweight have all been finishes, that is also something to keep in mind as well. With the middleweight division in turmoil after the fighters with winning streaks have lost, this put Belfort in a precarious situation that he can benefit from. Beating Rockhold strengthens his winning streak in the division to three, and that is a lot more than most other fighters in the division have at the moment.

The biggest things working against Belfort are his losses. Some would argue that his venture to 205lbs to fight UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones should be discarded. And for good reason, if you remove that loss, Belfort would be on a three fight winning streak overall. That is much better than going into this fight with just one recent win. Considering just his wins at middleweight, Vitor Belfort has the sort of record that propels him into title contention immediately. His dilemma is that he has crusaded for a rematch against Jon Jones instead of calling out for a rematch against Anderson Silva.

Since this discussion has moved into Silva territory, Belfort’s loss against the UFC Champion still remains fresh in many fans’ minds. It is the kick that revitalized Anderson Silva from the criticism he received about the lack of killer instinct in his bouts prior that one. In the past, Belfort implied that the kick was lucky. Well, if Belfort believes that, he should turn away from wanting this rematch with Jones and take a match that far more is reachable. A rematch with Silva going the same way via front kick to the head is slim to none, and it would likely prove a more exhilarating affair than the first time around. However, the finish was so stunning that some may not find a rematch as interesting. Regardless, a Belfort victory would prime him for a shot at the title; whether Anderson Silva defends his title against Chris Weidman or not.

UFC On FX 8’s main event will prove an intriguing one as it will likely line up the next title challenger at middleweight. Rockhold has a lot to prove in this match against Vitor Belfort. The questions are: is he ready to take on a top ten middleweight? And can he withstand the punching power of Belfort? It would appear that more pressure is on him. Perhaps that is a good thing for a fighter whose inspirations are about nothing more than getting to UFC championship gold. With Belfort, although his recent losses are still fresh in many memories, he still has the knockout power to skyrocket himself back into title contention. Tune in this Saturday night for the answers!
 

Follow Christopher “sLapDatSuCKa” Jester on Twitter @sLapDatSuCka

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By Christopher Jester

 

Bellator MMA is frequently referred to as the #2 MMA promotion. Whether that is simply just in North America or in the world, that is up for the fans and the media to decide. However, there is no denying that there is some huge potential for growth and prominence if Bellator plays their cards right. The reality is that as promising as Bellator is, it has very little household name recognition. Even after asking some fair-weather mixed martial arts fans what other promotions they watch, most couldn’t rattle off one other promotion outside of the UFC. This is a missing opportunity for Bellator, who is now on cable television and owned by Viacom. A few corrections could go a long way to help cement Bellator MMA in non-hardcore minds.

Truthfully, Bellator may achieve all that they want in the long-run through a slow, steady, and patient road to recognition. Unfortunately, the only press that Bellator seems to get now is bad press concerning the contractual dispute between Eddie Alvarez and Bellator, fake representatives, and other non-productive rumors. In my opinion, the organization should separate this stench of notoriety from their name and organization as quickly as possible.

What really is the issue here? Is it a simple ego battle between Zuffa and Viacom? Eddie Alvarez thinks so, and has gone as far as saying, “… this is a big dick-swinging contest between two big companies” when he a guest on MMAFighting’s The MMA Hour. What comes from this whole dispute is that Viacom looks like a tyrannical villain. Whether he gets out of this contract dispute or not, Eddie Alvarez will look like the victim. If the UFC picks him up, they will look like his savior from the oppressive Bellator and Bjorn Rebney. This is the sort of ill-repute that Bellator should avoid at all costs as they continue to grow their new relationship with Spike TV. They should end this battle. Yes, they may appear to lose but at least it will not deter from the future success of their brand.

Outside of legal concerns, the biggest shocker is that Viacom has yet to market Bellator MMA as much as they could. Everyone knows how large Viacom is as a company, yet outside of Spike TV there are very few commercials that can be seen promoting the upcoming seasons or stars of the Bellator tournaments. Yes, Fight Master, the new reality show headlined by Randy Couture, is coming very soon but Viacom is the owner of MTV, BET, VH1, and other channels popular television channels. What about attaching trailers to Paramount movies during box office summer hits? It just seems like a waste of resources and opportunities to further expose their product.

The strategy to select certain free agents, most are UFC castoffs, are sound. However, the issue here is that some of these castoffs carry the name and recognition they need. Some fans would follow Quinton “Rampage” Jackson over to Bellator just to see if he can knock someone out. The money it would take to get him may be what caused Bellator to shrug at the notion, but it was at least a viable option as far as publicity goes.

Picking up worthy free agents is the way to go. Finding more ways to promote their fighters and their shows is simply necessary. Viacom is too large of a company to not have commercials running on every channel they own. It is ridiculous that they haven’t done so already. There is no doubt that the tournament format will create superstars. Look at Michael Chandler and Pat Curran. The slow and steady approach will surely work out in the long run. However, is taking that turtle’s pace viable? A little more exposure could light the fire that Bellator MMA needs to showcase why they are the #2 MMA promotion in North America. Being owned by Viacom is a good weapon for Bellator, they just need to pull the trigger.

Follow Christopher “sLapDatSuCKa” Jester on Twitter @sLapDatSuCka

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By PDG Staff

 

UFC Lightweight Contender Jamie Varner and Welterweight #1 Contender Johny Hendricks Fight It Out in a Reebok Spartan Race in Burnet, Texas on May 18th

 
UFC superstars Jamie Varner and Johny Hendricks are always looking for new ways to up their training for their next fight. Taking their competitive edge over opponents to a whole new level, the two mixed martial arts fighting phenoms will compete in the upcoming Burnet, Texas Reebok Spartan Race Sprint on Saturday, May 18th.

Last week, it was announced that the two fighters had partnered with apparel giant, Reebok! Varner is no stranger to Spartan Race as he recently completed his first race in Las Vegas last month. Hendricks won’t have experience on his side, but a size advantage may help him in the 20 obstacles the course contains. If you think you have what it takes to challenge two of the best fighters in the world and KO the Spartan Race visit www.spartanrace.com to sign up and compete with these guys!

Here are some photos from Varner and Hendricks’ recent visit to the Reebok headquarters in Canton, Massachusetts:

[Show as slideshow]

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By Scott Casber

 

The Official Radio Partner of PunchDrunkGamer, Takedown Radio‘s Scott Casber talked to two-time NCAA Division II All-American and UFC welterweight contender Jake Ellenberger about his upcoming fight at UFC on FOX 8 against Rory MacDonald, knocking out Nate Marquardt, changes to his training and fight preparations, his success in the cage/ring against other wrestlers, USA Wrestling, the Olympics and more. Enjoy!
 

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By Scott Casber

 

Two time Olympian and former NCAA Division I All-American, undefeated MMA rising star Daniel Cormier (12-0 MMA) fresh off of his latest victory at UFC on FOX 7: Henderson vs. Melendez, joins the official radio partner of PunchDrunkGamer, Takedown Radio to talk wrestling in mixed martial arts, defeating Frank Mir, saving Olympic Wrestling, the possible match-up with Roy “Big Country” Nelson, changing weight classes and more. Enjoy!
 

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By Dave Carpinello

 

The King of Rock ‘n Rumble, Elvis Sinosic has been involved with mixed martial arts for over 15 years including a fight career that spanned across the globe with 22 professional fights. The co-owner of Sinosic Perosh Martial Arts recently took some time to talk with PunchDrunkGamer about a variety of subjects including women’s MMA, the UFC, Australian MMA, his career and more!

PDG:  It has been over five years since your last professional fight, do you think you will fight again and if not how hard is it to curb the urges to get back in the cage/ring?

Elvis Sinosic:  I think at this point it is most unlikely that I will fight professionally again in MMA. Every time I go to a live show I get the urge to step in there and do it again. If the UFC were to approach me I’d definitely jump on it. Other than that, it would have to be a special offer from a promoter to get me to fight again. I still stay in shape and spare with our guys in the gym. I hope to compete in more Jiu Jitsu competitions now that I’m not actively fighting in MMA.

PDG:  During that time you have still been very active in the sport, can you tell your fans some of things that you have been doing?

Elvis Sinosic:  Even though I haven’t been competing, I love the sport too much not too be involved. Obviously I have my Gym SPMA, with my business partner and UFC fighter Anthony Perosh. My involvement is teaching/coaching my students and fighters. I corner fighters when they step into the Cage. I have also been doing live commentary when the opportunity arises, which is something I really enjoy. I’ve also appeared in a few YouTube video’s talking about MMA. I believe I have a wealth of knowledge and experience in the sport and I’m always happy to pass that on.

PDG:  You almost returned at UFC 110 in 2010 for a rematch against Chris Haseman but had to withdrawal due to an injury. How hard was it for you to have to pull out of that fight and do you think things would be any different for you today had you been able to fight that night?

Elvis Sinosic:  It was very difficult to pull out of UFC 110. Obviously but the injury required surgery. It was a combination of years of wear and tear on top of new injuries from the training camp. That combination made things very difficult as it was my dominant side, my right shoulder that was injured. It was a tough call, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to be involved with the UFC’s first show in Australia (especially since I was the first Australia fighter to fight in the UFC and to fight for a World Title) but I also didn’t want to go in and give a half assed performance with the excuse that I was injured. Sometimes I think I should’ve done it, sometimes I think I made the right choice. Regardless I have to live with my decision.

PDG:  What is the mixed martial arts scene in Australia like these days, have you seen a lot of growth recently?

Elvis Sinosic:  The MMA scene here in Australia fluctuates. Overall it is growing with more exposure to the general community. A few years ago no-one outside of martial artists and hardcore fans knew what MMA was. Now at least it’s known if not always understood. Obviously the sport grows around a UFC event because of all the exposure and marketing they do. Now we are seeing more and more MMA here in Australia which is a good thing. We’re seeing more people who want to compete in MMA. I hope to see further growth with this sport.

PDG:  Who are some the of the up and coming fighters from Australia that maybe fans in North America have yet to hear about or should be keeping an eye on?

Elvis Sinosic:  I’ll talk about the guys from our Gym since they are the ones I know best. We have a few guys who have been doing very well, Steve Micallef is one of our top guys, he is 6-0 as a middleweight and he’s just returned from time off due to injury and is looking to move to the welterweight division. He’s held belts in middleweight here in Australia. Steve is also BJJ brown belt with us and has very explosive standup. Once he steps into the cage again I expect him to have another belt in no time. Luke Standing is 4-0 as a featherweight. He was supposed to fight for the belt in Brace but his opponent pulled out at the last moment. Luke will be holding a belt here in Australia before the year is out. Abel Brites is 2-0 as a lightweight and will be making a statement in his division in the future. One of our heavyweights, Denis Roberts is 3-0 and has recently moved to the US and is training out at AKA. Expect big things from him. He is an international level wrestler, a BJJ brown belt under us and has a natural aptitude for boxing. Also, training with guys like Cain Velasquez is going to do wonders for him. I hope to see him on a big show soon. That’s just a quick run down of some of our guys, we have more guys who are climbing the MMA ladder and looking to make a big splash in the future.

PDG:  There have been several big news stories in the world of MMA over the last 18-24 months, can I get your thoughts on the following:

- The growth of Women’s MMA and Ronda Rousey?

Elvis Sinosic:  I think it’s great that Women’s MMA is finally getting some great exposure. I hope that continues regardless of what happens with Ronda. Obviously Ronda has been a great figure head to the movement with the UFC. She is a very skilled and game competitor (she has won and defended her belt in Strikeforce and the UFC). She has done a great job taking over from where Gina Carano left off. There are also many other great female competitors in her division.  Hopefully we’ll see Women’s MMA continue to grow as Men’s did in the early days and more divisions will be given exposure as the pool of fighters continues to grow.

- The UFC takeover and eventual dismantling of Strikeforce?

Elvis Sinosic:  The UFC taking over and absorbing Strikeforce has it’s good and bad points. Obviously seeing the champions come across to the UFC and test their mettle against the best in the sport is awesome. Obviously everyone wants to see the best face each other and this is one of the results of the takeover. On the flip side, losing a big name MMA show is a loss to the fans as a competitor creates a bigger market and more variety. Also, guys who were at the lower end of the division (both in the UFC and Strikeforce) lose out as the UFC only has a limited number of spots for fighters in each division. I think this is could be a good thing as long as we continue to see other shows such as Bellator and ONE FC, etc. do well and offer an alternative to fighters who cannot get into the UFC. I know there are many more shows out there which continue to grow everyday.

- Athletic commissions treating medical marijuana/marijuana use the same as they do for performance enhancing drugs?

Elvis Sinosic:  I really have no issue with this. I don’t use so I don’t see the benefits of it, so it doesn’t affect me at all. Obviously they have their reasons. I do think that professional fighters should adhere to the rules whether they agree with them or not. I’m not saying they shouldn’t look to fight for their cause and make changes, I’m saying you’re a fighter who’s career is MMA and you should follow the rules. Why is ok to break one rule and not the other? As a professional you should be aware of the consequences if you decide to break the rules and you should accept the punishment and not complain. Obviously changes need to be made in all areas, improved judging, dealing with TRT, dealing with marijuana and I think they should do that by following the correct procedure to do this. Petition the commissions to make these changes and do properly.

- Fighters getting title shots based on trash talk/$$$ as opposed to merit?

Elvis Sinosic:  I’m not a fan of this but saying that I’m not a promoter. I understand that as a promoter their goal is to generate as much income as possible. Obviously guys who have a great ability to trash talk and gain exposure help the promoter do their job. Selling a fight is part of your job. Fighters who think they only need to fight don’t understand the implications of getting paid. If you want to fight in professional show and get paid then you need to do your job and promote the fight. The only problem is when trashing talking puts fighters into title fights when legitimate contenders have done the hard work and earned the right get passed over. This then tarnishes the champions legacy as it will be pointed out they faced bums (and that’s how it will be looked back on). It makes the Belt look a little less legitimate. I think it’s ok when a legitimate contender uses it to get a shot (maybe jumping one or two spots). It’s a slippery slope between exposure and earning legitimacy.

PDG:  Outside of fighting, you have been involved with Movember; How did it go last year and how much has it grown since you started working with the program nearly six years ago?

Elvis Sinosic:  Yes, I’ve been involved in Movember nearly every year since I first started working with them (I think I may have missed one or two due to other commitments). I think it’s a great opportunity to give men’s health issues some well needed exposure. Every year it continues to grow and more people are involved. I think it’s great because it draws much needed donations which help with the advancement of cures and the understanding of men’s health issues.

PDG:  Thanks for your time Elvis, is there anything else that you would like to add?

Elvis Sinosic:  Thanks for taking the time to talk to me. It’s always a pleasure to catch up and chat to let the fans know what I’m up too. The fans can check out my Facebook page, my twitter @ElvisSinosic or my instagram @rocknrumble to see what I’m up to and stay in touch. If you’re in Australia (or even heading out this way) and are interested in training check out our gym (www.spma.net.au).

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By Christopher Jester

 

Fighter of the Month: Matt “The Immortal” Brown

Event: UFC on FOX 7 (April 20, 2013)

Opponent: Jordan Mein

Result: TKO – Punches & Elbows (1:00 of Round 2)

In what turned out to be a very exciting month in combat sports, it was the UFC that reigned heavy with an astounding four events with exhilarating and memorable fights. Even in a month where champions like the UFC’s Light-Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and UFC’s Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson defended their titles, sometimes it takes a little bit more than exciting knockouts or hard-fought debatable decisions that make a fighter. Sometimes it is about what a man can do when his back is against the wall, with the only thing he has left is his heart and a never quit attitude. This is the sort of characteristic that Matt “The Immortal” Brown showed in his UFC on Fox 7 fight against Jordan Mein.

Already on a comeback run in his career, Matt Brown came into this fight riding a four-fight win streak but he matched up against a highly-touted prospect in Jordan Mein. Mein, who had just came off a victory over Dan Miller, was looking to stop Brown’s resurgence. The bout was competitive in the first round with Matt Brown as the main aggressor. However, Mein stayed in the fight and helped his cause with a late round takedown where he performed solidly on offense with punches from the top.

Recuperating quickly for the second, it took “The Immortal” Matt Brown only several seconds before he was back on the attack with knees from the clinch that dropped Mein. Punches and elbows followed in a thrilling fight that earned Matt Brown his fifth straight victory. The only thing this fight lacked was an epic storyline or some drama akin to Jon Jones’ title defense against Chael Sonnen. What it had plenty of though was a great performance from Matt Brown who took his best to a game Jordan Mein.

PunchDrunkGamer would like to award Matt Brown our Fighter of the Month for April. Congrats on an electrifying victory and good luck in your endeavors!

Runner-Ups:

1. Josh Thomson (UFC On Fox 7 – April 20, 2013) – When you’re so confident in your technique that you keep leaving yourself open for head kicks, eventually one of them is going to hurt you. This is exactly what happened to Thomson’s opponent Nate Diaz. Thomson stayed rangy and kept away from Diaz’s bread-and-butter, his boxing, and kept landing head kicks throughout the fight. Diaz can say whatever he wants about Thomson making “lady sounds”, but it was Thomson who scored the stoppage just as Diaz’s corner was throwing in the towel. It also marked the first time Diaz had been stopped by strikes in his career.

2. Pat Curran (Bellator 95, April 4, 2013) – It seems like people have forgot that Bellator was actually in action this month with all the UFC buzz. For those who missed it, Pat Curran showed just why he is one of the best featherweights in the world when he defended his title against Shahbulat Shamhalaev. He outclassed Shamhalaev and it took him only two minutes and thirty-eight seconds to do it when he cinched a remarkable guillotine choke to defend his title for the second time.

3. Jon Jones (UFC 159 – April 27, 2013) – Who hurt Jon Jones more in this fight? Chael Sonnen, Jones’s broken toe, or himself when he forgot to get a pedicure? All kidding aside, whether his toe suffered a compound fracture or a dislocation, Jon Jones proved why there are now talks that he should be considered for the best pound-for-pound fighter in mixed martial arts. Jones took no time to out-wrestle and outshine Chael Sonnen. It took just a few punches and elbows at the tail-end of the first round that helped Jones tie Tito Ortiz’s record for most title defenses in the Light-Heavyweight division.

4. Rose Namajunas (Invicta FC 5 – April 5, 2013) – Forget about comeback victories i.e. Cat Zingano or Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos’s outmatching Fiona Muxlow, Rose Namajunas was the highlight of Women’s Mixed Martial Arts in the month of April. Namjunas rocked Kathina Catron as soon as she was allowed to strike and clinched up an amazing flying armbar for the victory at only 12 seconds of the first round.

5. Chad Mendes (UFC On Fox 7 – April 20, 2013) – No one appears to want a rematch with Jose Aldo more than Chad Mendes. He has been a man on a mission since his only career lost to the reigning UFC Featherweight champion. He had a tough and burly opponent in Darren Elkins, but Mendes knockout streak continued when he landed a perfect right hook to turn off the lights for Elkins. The victory only pushed him closer to that rematch in a crowded division.

Notable Mentions: This month was so impressive there were 21 fighters who were in the running for Fighter of the Month at PunchDrunkGamer. Here are just a few of the notable mentions and their accomplishments. Yoel Romero who starched Clifford Starks with a flying knee. Despite the controversial and debatable decision, Benson Henderson defended his UFC Lightweight title for a third time. Pat Healy who defeated New Jersey hometown hero Jim Miller. With revenge on his mind, Shinya Aoki stopped Kotetsu Boku with a rear-naked choke. Cat Zingano survived what would have been a losing decision to Miesha Tate and came back with a roaring victory by TKO. Cyborg Santos who made a successful return to stop Fiona Muxlow and Kelvin Gastellum who derailed the hype train of Uriah Hall to become the Ultimate Fighter Season 17 winner.

Follow Christopher “sLapDatSuCKa” Jester on Twitter @sLapDatSuCka

Post your comments directly below! You can also discuss the latest MMA and Video Game News in the PunchDrunkGamer Forums and don’t forget to Follow PDG on Twitter @PunchDrunkGamer and Like the PDG Official Facebook Page!

Post your comments directly below! You can also discuss the latest MMA and Video Game News in the PunchDrunkGamer Forums and don’t forget to Follow PDG on Twitter @PunchDrunkGamer and Like the PDG Official Facebook Page!

Post your comments directly below! You can also discuss the latest MMA and Video Game News in the PunchDrunkGamer Forums and don’t forget to Follow PDG on Twitter @PunchDrunkGamer and Like the PDG Official Facebook Page!

Post your comments directly below! You can also discuss the latest MMA and Video Game News in the PunchDrunkGamer Forums and don’t forget to Follow PDG on Twitter @PunchDrunkGamer and Like the PDG Official Facebook Page!