UFC 201

While most fighters are also top-tier athletes, some are more athlete than fighter.  Those fighters have not been invited to UFC 201.

We’re rolling into another weekend of MMA starting tonight with Invicta FC 18 and continuing tomorrow with UFC 201.

The Invicta card will be headlined with Alexa Grasso and Jodie Esquibel, two dynamic strawweights who I hope to see make the transition to the UFC. Tonight, they will be fighting for the Invicta FC strawweight belt.

UFC 201 may not be stuffed with mainstream name value, but it is stacked with legit brawlers.  It’s almost as if the UFC is apologizing to the hard are fans for UFC 200, because these guys and gals are going to war from top to bottom.

The main event features welterweight champ Ruthless Robby Lawler against fellow top-level striker
Tyron Woodley.  While Lawler may have the slight power advantage and Woodley may be slightly quicker, both men are fast, accurate hitters capable of laying down heavy damage. Expect to see Woodley try to score points with straight punches and wrestling, which Lawler will attempt to counter with his defensive wrestling and variety of strikes.  Lawler’s toughness and cardio should carry him through what will be an exciting, competitive fight.

We also have a co-main event with title implications at strawweight as Thug Rose Namajunas takes on Polish striker Karolina Kowalkiewicz.  Rose should enjoy a technical grappling advantage, but can easily be drawn into a wild brawl if Karolina can make her fight ugly.  Expect a brutal, gritty affair.

I’m a fan of putting contenders on the same card as champions in the same division, as the UFC has done with welterweight contender Matt Brown.  Brown will hope to get back on the title track after his loss to Damian Maia, and I expect him to get it done against a shopworn, used-up Jake Ellenberger.

I’m also looking forward to seeing Francisco Rivera and Jorge Masvidal get down in their respective fights.  Rivera has one-punch knockout power and he swings to knock your head off. Masvidal is a former street fighter with some of the best counter striking in the game, and is hoping to bounce back from a controversial decision loss against Al Iquinta.

We’ll be following all the action live and hope that you’ll join the conversation on Twitter @KevJMahon.

UFC Fight Night: dos Anjos vs. Alvarez

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UFC 199

I'm not trying to hear Rockhold talk about Bisping's disrespect.  Rockhold never showed Bisping any respect during the lead-up to the fight, and his bruised ego sent him looking for a reason to be mad.  Bisping clocked his game early and set up a left cross that sent Rockhold to the mat, following up with another big left when the champ tried to get back to his feet.  Game over. 

Rockhold is one of the all-time greats of the division, and I fully expect to see him back in the champion's circle one day, but on that night Bisping was just the smarter, better fighter. 

The action wasn't confined to the Ocatgon at UFC 199, as veteran MMA journalist Ariel Helwani was ejected from the venue along with his crew, noted MMA photographer and videographer Esther Lin and E. Casey Laydon.  The move appeared to be in retaliation for Helwani's report on the return of Brock Lesnar hours before the UFC's official announcement.   

The MMA community was shocked that such a veteran journalist, who is seen by many as a "company man," had received this kind of harsh treatment.  After all, it was Helwani who was given the Strikeforce scoop in order to head off previously banished Joss Gross in 2011.  However, tensions had been simmering between Helwani and the promotion for some time, including his firing from his Fox Sports 1 broadcasting position after airing an interview that touched on the subjects of fighter pay and free agency.  Zuffa owner Lorenzo Fertitta is widely believed to have been behind that move. 

Fans, fighters, and fellow media members took to the internet to express support for Helwani and his crew.  The story even penetrated to the mainstream media,  causing the UFC to rethink it's decision.  A few hours after Dana White announced to reporters that the ban would remain in place, the promotion reversed it's decision. 

The sport has grown from the days when Josh Gross and Loretta Hunt were thrown out of the UFC press corps.  It bodes well that such a decision could not escape the notice of the mainstream media.  The fact that it was worth calling them out on it shows how much the MMA space has grown, even if this particular episode casts the promotion in a less than favorable light.

FeatherWait. . .

This Conor McGregor shit is getting ridiculous. Rather than defending the featherweight title, Mad Mac has strong-armed the UFC into making the Diaz rematch that no one wants. The first fight didn't make sense, and doing a rematch is absolutely ludicrous.  McGregor is damaging his legacy while the featherweight belt gathers dust. 

Defend or vacate.  Personally, I'd pay to see the Aldo rematch right now, but no one gives a shit about this meaningless catchweight do-over.