lovetoaster

Now, seemingly all of a sudden, the middleweight division is the most exciting division in the UFC. Weidman, Belfort, Rockhold, Jacare, Machida, Bisping, Tim Kennedy, Alan Belcher...and likely Anderson Silva again one day. It seems like just yesterday the division was stale with Anderson sitting at the top and no real threats to him.

The only other division I would put above it right now is 170. 

And maybe this guy too, depending on what weight class he decides to reside in:

Rockhold lands a left kick LLLLiver shot, followed up with a good ole soccer kick to the body, finishing "Bob" Costas Phillipou late in the first round. Really enjoy Luke's offense. Naturally, he wants a Vitor rematch. I can see that happening, and if Vitor starts showing age soon, who knows? Right now Vitoranasourus Rex would probably still dispatch him early.

That liver kick was nasty. I felt Bas Rutten nod in approval. 

I feel like I underestimate Rockhold for some reason, but outside of the first Belfort fight, all he has done for the last six years is win impressively. He has a very diverse skillset and he seems to exploit whatever opening his opponent gives him. Phillipou left his body open and Rockhold took advantage with a vengeance. 

And I didn’t know that rapper Nelly was part of their ownership. He was at the game too. I’d rather hang out with him over MJ and no I’m not kidding.

Yeah, I live in Charlotte and I have seen Nelly at a few games in the past. But I did not know that he was part of the ownership group until last night. There were a few times when I wondered what he was doing at a Charlotte Bobcats game. It all makes sense now.

Gortat was outstanding tonight. Vesely was really good off the bench. Booker got hot and made a huge impact in the third. John did his thing and got a little bit more rest than usual tonight. Porter and Temple and Webster were all solid off the bench. Nene took it hard to the rack over and over but couldn't get a call.

And biggest thing, Beal got off the snide and was unstoppable in the second half. Can't wait until he's able to play like this on a more regular basis. He was just way more aggressive right from the get go and he got himself into a rhythm.

Yeah, I was at the game last night and for the most part, Gortat was great. My friends that I went with became very familiar with the term Polish Hammer. There was a pretty sizable group of people with Polish heritage there, so that was nice to see. Beal was definitely in a groove, he was feeling it and was just so confident with his shot. Booker played well and you are right, Nene was getting a little frustrated at the lack of calls...for good reason. It was also funny to see Wall and Booker share a nice hug on the kiss cam.

I was a little worried after the Bobcats cut it to seven late, but they hit some big shots down the stretch.

This will be Faber's first title bout with Duane Ludwig at Alpha Male.  IMO, Ludwig has made a huge difference for the better in Faber's striking, and overall confidence/aggressiveness in his stand up game.

 

Faber could always bang before, but his bread & butter was primarily wrestling/submissions, but his last handful of fights since Ludwig has been in camp, he has looked like a killer on his feet too.

Were you trying to make a pun?

I just read that AJ Styles is free of the TNA. Or is that some angle they are working??..I'm not a huge Styles fan but he would be a hell of an add to the WWE.

I think its an angle. I have always liked Styles, and he would be a good get for WWE if they booked him well, but they probably wouldn't. For every Daniel Bryan and CM Punk, there are dozens of guys that don't fit the mold that have not been used well. Not that TNA is ever going to do anything big with him, but maybe it is better to be a big fish in a small pond.

Yeah, Chael coaching on on TUF: Brazil is an interesting move. But it will definitely garner a lot of attention in Brazil.

Also:

Source: Tatsuya Kawajiri signs with UFC, wants on January card in Singapore

 

Tatsuya Kawajiri, one of the most highly regarded lighter weight fighters in the world, will next compete inside the UFC's octagon.

The Japanese featherweight, who most recently fought for DREAM in December 2012, has signed a deal with the UFC, sources close to the situation told MMAjunkie.com. While no first fight has been set, sources said Kawajiri hopes to make his UFC debut in January in Singapore.

 

I'm guessing Texeria gets the next title shot. If Gus and Jones fight again, its going to be interesting because they both improve tremendously quick. 

Yep, Teixiera gets next shot, but I have a strong suspicion that we will see this fight again. One way or another.

A. Gus won over a lot of new fans tonight, including me, but still glad Jones won (Huge Jones Fan). Gus definitely won on points though if we're all honest. Jones on big shots, but big shots w/o KO's don't count as much in MMA as they do in boxing. Surprised by the outcome.... 

Honestly, I am too. Not that I thought Gus got robbed, but when I heard the scores, and that it was unanimous, I figured it was Gus' belt. Especially with the 49-46. I can't see any way Bones gets a 49-46. I can see Gus getting 49-46, but no way Bones gets that unless the judge has been drinking as much as I have.

Like I said, I had Gus winning, but I am not upset. It was a really close fight. I am just pleased about how great of a fight that was. That was the best fight I have seen in a long time. Probably since Hendo-Shogun, and maybe even better than that.

I would usually agree, but that Gus was clearly hurt bad by that flurry

Agreed. I can't complain about that, because that was the most damage that was done in the round, and really, the fight.

I don't like 49-46 card, but the others are perfectly fine.

Exactly. 49-46 is garbage. I had it 48-47 Gus, but I was iffy on one round. I was shocked it was unanimous.

For some reason, BJ Penn is coming out of retirement and will coach the next season of TUF against Frankie Edgar. They will fight at 145lbs.

 

Can't think of a single soul who is really asking for Edgar/Penn III

 

Prepare for the promo onslaught of "BJ is fired up" or "BJ is motivated again"

Yeah, this perplexed me when I first heard it. Apparently Dana wanted it to be Faber-Edgar, but Faber did not want to move up and Edgar did not want to move down.

With Mousasi going to 185, I wouldn't mind seeing a rematch.

That's a great call. I am going to give Joe Silva a shout.

Mousasi koed him but it was a vicious up kick with him diving into it.

Yeah, I think that is really the only time that I have seen his chin really fail him. But man, that was a nasty kick. I will never forget that one.

The Bellator PPV is actually Nov. 2, and there is no UFC event that date...for right now. Even with nothing else that date, I have no interest in the Bellator PPV. I think it is a big mistake doing that fight on PPV, I just don't see that many people ordering it.

Both guys are on three-fight losing streaks, Tito is 2-7-1 in the last seven years and Rampage is 5-5 in the last six years. Neither of these guys has the curiousity factor that will bring casual fans in and hardcore fans won't watch in big numbers because, let's be honest, it's a fight of two has been's. Bellator die hards and UFC haters will order it, but I can't imagine they will pull significant numbers. 

I have never been a big Tito fan, but I used to be a big Rampage fan. But I got tired of his complaining and his antics. Both of them are so similar, leading up to the fight, they are in the best shape they have ever been and are refocused. But how long will it take when one of them loses to blame it on an injury they have been dealing with?

Bjorn can be hyperbolic and say that these are two of the biggest names in MMA, and that this is a fight people have wanted to see for years. They were two of the biggest names in MMA and this is a fight that some people wanted to see maybe 5-6 years ago. Not now.

I am just a litte disappointed in Bellator, the organization that said that they would never take UFC retreads and wanted to be known for developing their own fighters. This just seems like a stunt to make a quick buck, and I can see it failing miserably. The only way this might work, is if somehow they convince Eddie Alvarez to drop his lawsuit and fight on the PPV, but I doubt that will happen.

Yep, the worlds really been clamoring to see Roy Jones Jr fight Rampage Jackson in any capacity.

There are just so many questions. Rampage probably weights about 40 pounds more than Roy Jones, Jr. They are saying there have been discussions about whether it will be boxing or MMA. I don't want to see Rampage box, and I don't want to see Roy poorly attempt MMA. They are just trying to thwart Anderson's attempt at fighting Jones by jumping in front of him. That's fine, because I thought it was a stupid idea for Silva. I think it is even dumber by Rampage. 

Even if one of these guys does beat Roy Jones, what exactly would that prove? Roy has not been relevant in quite some time.

'Rampage' Jackson vs. Roy Jones Jr. boxing bout targeted for year-end PPV

 

Viacom is expected to announce plans to go head-to-head with pay-per-view juggernaut Zuffa LLC and its UFC 168 offering at next week's Bellator 97 event on Spike TV.

An unveiling of Bellator fighter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's plans with the promotion will likely include a pay-per-view boxing match with former multi-division boxing champ Roy Jones Jr., multiple sources close to the event today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/07/quinton-jackson-vs-roy-jones-jr-boxing-bout-targeted-for-year-end-ppv

Yuck. I was not excited for a potential Anderson Silva-Roy Jones fight. I am sure not going to be excited for Rampage-Jones.

And they are going to try and go against Silva-Weidman II with this? I feel like this is a bad idea on many levels.

I've never seen such overreaction to summer league games. They mean absolutely nothing. Zero. It's a pick up game that is televised on TV.

Exactly what I told one of my friends last night. With the lack of structure, it's like watching the all-star game. Except its a no-star game. But I still watch.

UFC middleweight Brian Stann retires from MMA to focus on broadcasting, family

UFC middleweight Brian Stann, a former WEC light heavyweight champion, has announced his retirement from the sport.

Stann (12-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC) exits the sport after a "Fight of the Night" loss to Wanderlei Silva in March in what will be his final fight. Stann confirmed his retirement to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com); he made his official announcement on "The MMA Hour."

Stann will now focus his career on broadcasting and his family. On Wednesday, FOX Sports announced the Atlanta-area resident is part of the new Atlantic Coast Conference football crew for FOX Sports South. Since the UFC's broadcast deal with FOX began in 2012, Stann has been active as an analyst for both FOX and FUEL TV's pre- and post-fight UFC event coverage.

"Yesterday, news broke that I'm going to be branching out and doing some college football," Stann said on the show. "But a couple months ago, I had made the decision and just wasn't sure when I would announce it, that I was no longer going to continue fighting. So I wanted to use this opportunity to say thank you. The relationships and experiences I've gotten from fans and fellow fighters have honestly made me a much better person. I leave fighting having taken more from fighting I have ever gave."

http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/07/ufc-middleweight-brian-stann-retires-from-mma-to-focus-on-broadcasting

I had a feeling this may be coming, but it still sucks. Excellent fighter, a great ambassador for the sport, and just a great American. Even though it was a loss, he certainly went out on a high note with his fight against Wanderlei.

That has already started on sherdog.  People have waited 7 years for this man to lose and the moment he finally did they all creamed there pants.  It's pretty sad that people just can't appreciate a talent for what it is...

Same thing in the comments on MMA Junkie. Many people jumped at the opportunity to say "I told you he was overrated." I am not the biggest Silva fan, but I just wanted to reply to every single one with "shut up." I don't read the comment section of many stories because, frankly, some people are idiots. I had to hit the back button on my browser yesterday before I said something profane to someone.

Brazilian center Vitor Faverani has reportedly drawn interest from the Spurs, Wizards, Knicks and Celtics.

Our ears perk up whenever the Spurs show interest in an overseas prospect. Vitor is a 25-year-old big man (6'11", 233 lbs) who has played professionally in Spain since 2006-07. His per-minute stats are impressive but he's never averaged more than 18 minutes per game.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=NBA&id=2228&line=211138&spln=1

Weidman going through security at the Vegas airport:

Haha, that's great. I just don't want to hear any "Tim Sylvia stories" about some of the interesting places that he wears the UFC belt.

As a side note, for a chuckle, go to Google and type in "Tim Sylvia." Some of the suggested searches are amusing. I was going to take a screenshot, but it is NSFW.  

Shaun Al-Shatti

‏@shaunalshatti

Dana White says all the superfights are off the table. Says that fight cost Silva, Jones and GSP a ton of money.

I guess Bones vs. Cain will be the next superfight to be ruined before it happens.

What money? Silva and Jones both said they will never fight each other and GSP has already said he won't fight Silva. Dana talking out of his ass again I see....

I don't believe that for a second. I don't think GSP-Silva would have happened, but Silva-Jones would have happened eventually, IMO. There were a lot of moving goalposts on that one. But not now, for the foreseeable future.

I don't want to hear that BS from Dana. They coulda made those superfights already but opted for Sonnen and Bonnar. The UFC was just waiting for one of em to lose so they could blame the fighter. The window of opportunity was there, they just wanted to milk the perennial stars and not sabotage one of their champs by having them lose in devastating fashion to another. They didn't want GSP defending the belt, coming of a 1st rd KO to Anderson, for example.

I agree the window was there, but I don't think GSP wanted that fight for a few reasons. I think Silva-Jones was the most likely to happen though.

I always feel bad for the guys at the podium that will never be asked a question. Like Tim Kennedy. He could be out enjoying his win with an adult beverage.

Fedor retired on a win.

over Pedro Rizzo, not sure that really counts

>

Fight game is cruel, seems like nobody is allowed to go out on top

Fedor

Liddel

Couture (got Karate Kid'ed into retirement)

Big Nog

Anderson

When you think about it, its kinda remarkable this hadn't happened before tonight. Clowning while fighting a man with 4oz gloves should have led to disaster well before tonight.

The thing that bugs me is that unlike those other guys, Anderson took himself out of that fight. He could have retired last night and rode off into the sunset with integrity. At least those other fighters fought to their demise. Silva clowned himself to his own. Ridiculous behavior.

The reason I didn't think it was remarkable that Silva didn't lose while clowning earlier is because he was disrespecting one-dimensional fighters. A guy like Weidman is to complete to get away with relying on a weakness to pose and prance around. Chris does not seem to have one, except maybe speed. However it was enough speed to swing at a 38 year old, uninspired champion.

Thats the killer, he did do it to himself. More to the point, I'm still not certain we know who the better fighter is at the moment. Weidman is the smarter fighter for sure, but better, I can't honestly say. That disturbs me.

Me too. Unless Silva has hit the "Fedor" wall as far as reaction time and explosiveness, he would win a rematch IMHO. He was truly not motivated tonight. I was disturbed by his antics between rounds. The whole thing wreaked of a man tired of the game.

Still not trying to diminish Weidman's "beyond his years" instincts though. That kid fears no man.

Well hopefully this will bring back the wrecking machine Silva. This is not Maia, Weidman can strike. He knows that now. Theatrics are great to make a fun fight, but you have to win the fight. Silva tried to get in Weidmans head and it did not happen. Huge props, kid.

Shaun Al-Shatti

‏@shaunalshatti

Dana White says all the superfights are off the table. Says that fight cost Silva, Jones and GSP a ton of money.

I guess Bones vs. Cain will be the next superfight to be ruined before it happens.

That's why everyone screaming fix should pipe down. It does not make sense. A lot of money was lost tonight for the UFC and a few fighters. No fix here, tin foil hat folks.