UFC 168. Wow.

December 29, 2013November 26, 2017 Ray Mullan Home, Sports Anderson, anderson silva, belfast, blogger, Champion, Chris, chris weidman, Damage, Injury, ireland, Irish MMA, Las Vegas, Leg break, middleweight, mma, Silva, sports, TKO, ufc, Underground], Weidman

The anticipation for the rematch between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman reminded me of some of the great rematches in boxing; Muhammad Ali Vs Joe Frazier, Manny Pacquiao Vs Juan Manuel Marquez, Lennox Lewis Vs Hasim Rahman to name a few.

There were still questions many had about the first fight. Was it a fluke? Was Chris Weidman in Anderson Silva’s league? Could Anderson Silva really hang with the best in his division at 38 years old? We all thought these questions would be answered tonight. But for many, Weidman’s victory was tainted.

The fight started with Anderson Silva looking very tentative on the feet. He seemed much more respectful of Chris Weidman’s skills than he did in the first fight and looked to strike from distance. Weidman clinched Anderson and attempted a takedown, which was stuffed. Very promising signs from Anderson.

Then we seen Anderson Silva attempt to gain the plum (or Muay Thai clinch) and strike with Weidman. We’ve seen this before; a perfect example would be the dismantling of Chris Leben in 2006. But unlike Leben, Weidman looked to present his own offense and clipped Anderson, forcing him on to the canvas. He landed devastating strike after devastating strike, before being tied up in Anderson’s guard.

As the round ended, I was overcome with tenseness and anticipation; it’s not that I wanted either fighter to win, I just wanted answers to the many questions I still had from the first fight. What was clearly apparent though, was that Anderson Silva had his work cut out and Weidman was dominating him. By miles.

The second round is a blur. Because trying to analyse individual strikes and events is completely redundant when you consider the ending. Anderson Silva threw a strong leg kick (which he’s done for the entirety of his career). The kick itself wasn’t out of the ordinary. But Chris Weidman’s reaction to the kick, as well as the impact of the kick was heart wrenching.

Weidman checked the kick strongly, which shattered Silva’s leg and may have ended his career. It’s one of the most gruesome sights I’ve seen in sports, and really drives home the idea of “combat sports”. Many refer to MMA and Boxing as “The Pain Game” and I can guarantee you there’s not many experiencing pain like Anderson Silva is at this time.

So, here’s the kicker (no pun intended); Did Weidman “leave no doubt” about who the best in the world is? There are two subjective answers to this question:

Yes – Checking kicks is a very functional technique that neutralizes opponents’ movement and stops leg kicks landing effectively. Weidman’s reactions were the direct reason for Anderson’s injury, thus the stoppage was because of Weidman and not because of Anderson just having a random accident.

Or….

No – This could have happened to anyone. Weidman got lucky and Anderson got injured as a direct result of Anderson’s kick and nothing else. We need a rematch when Anderson gets back. Weidman didn’t blatantly beat Anderson and for this win to hold any credibility, Weidman needs to beat Anderson again.

So. Which side are you on? After reading hundreds of tweets, I wasn’t surprised to see many of you calling this fight a “fluke” and a “fraud” and siding with “No”. But I was disappointed…

The idea that “ignorance is bliss” isn’t completely true; ignorance is only bliss to the ignorant. Everyone else has to hear ignorance and either attempt to combat it or just ignore it. With this though, I really feel the need to stress the genius of Chris Weidman and combat ignorance.

I’m certain Weidman didn’t expect to end a fight by checking a leg kick. But in a sport as competitive as MMA, defence is as important as offence. By implementing the defensive strategy of checking kicks, Weidman avoided taking unnecessary shots to his legs (thus staying mobile and away from Anderson Silva’s devastating strikes) and also, quite obviously, incapacitated his opponent.

John Danaher (Chris Weidman’s Jiu Jitsu coach) amazingly criticised Weidman’s performance in the first Anderson Silva fight by stating, “I didn’t like how he was taking those leg kicks”. There were improvements made from the first fight, which resulted in Weidman’s win.

It wasn’t a complete freak of nature. The leg break happened as a result of an action by Chris Weidman. The same way a knockout can happen as a direct action from an opponent. Although it was wasn’t meant to completely end the fight, it did.

To call the win a “fluke” is silly. Was the ending shocking? Absolutely. And could Anderson maybe have did more later on in the fight to win? Absolutely. But the fact remains, the events unfolded how they unfolded. These things happen. Actions have consequences.

I’m not dismissing Anderson Silva’s ability by any means. He’s by far the greatest the sport has ever seen. But Weidman won tonight. So give the guy his dues and stop acting like this event is as unbelievable as aliens landing on the White House.

UFC 164.

August 27, 2013November 26, 2017 Ray Mullan Home, Sports 164, alexander emelianenko, barnett, blogger, combat, elite fighters, fights, henderson, ireland, journalist, kick, mir, mirko cro cop, pettis, randy couture, rodrigo nogueira, showtime, ufc, ufc 164, ufc heavyweight champion, warmaster

The long awaited rematch and a matchup that should have happened years ago awaits; UFC 164 kicks off on August 31^st, live on Pay Per View (UK viewers can watch this on BT Sport).

The Rematch

Benson Henderson will defend his UFC lightweight title for a fourth time against former WEC lightweight champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis. The pair has fought before, with Pettis winning a close decision. This fight proved a classic, with both competitors having their moments in the fight. What many find most memorable about the fight though, was the “Showtime kick” which was landed by Pettis in the 5^th round. I usually try and avoid making bold statements when talking about sports, but the “Showtime kick” was probably the most insane moment in MMA history. I’m expecting fireworks folks, and so should you.

The kick heard around the world

The Overdue Fight

Frank Mir and Josh “The Warmaster” Barnett are also set to collide in a matchup that could have easily headlined a UFC event a decade ago. Both competitors are former UFC Heavyweight champions and crafty MMA veterans but have led very different careers.

Barnett seemed untouchable on March 22^nd 2002, when he defeated the legendary Randy Couture for the UFC Heavyweight title (via TKO). However, his glory was short lived as he tested positive for banned substances (something he has always vigorously denied). He was stripped of the title and never seen in the UFC again. He went on to fight legends such as Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, Alexander Emelianenko, Mark Hunt and Mirko Cro Cop in Pride FC, but there was always the question of how he would fair against the UFC’s elite fighters. Barnett’s a fighter that has been ranked in the top ten for the last decade, and isn’t to be taken lightly.

With Frank Mir, his record speaks for itself. He’s the former UFC Heavyweight champion, the only man to submit and knockout Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and is considered one of the greatest grapplers to ever grace the Octagon (as is Josh Barnett). His last outing was against Daniel Cormier, where he was defeated by decision. However, when dealing with Frank Mir (a guy whose been involved in title matches throughout the entirety of his career), it’d be unwise to think, “The old dog can’t go anymore”.

Josh Barnett vs Frank Mir – Pre-Fight Interviews

UFC 164 is stacked from top to bottom with intriguing matchups and potential wars, so I’m definitely suggesting that you sit in this weekend with a few friends, watch the fights and avoid doing one thing; blinking.

International fans can find out where they can watch the fights by going here:

http://www.ufc.com/event/UFC164#howToWatchModule

The Anderson Silva delusion and why Chris Weidman has a shot.

July 6, 2013November 26, 2017 Ray Mullan Home, Sports anderson silva, belfast, belt, blogger, championship, chris weidman, dana white, delusion, free agent, ireland, jiu jitsu, journalist, mgm, middleweight, mma, predictions, sports, ufc, ufc 162

UFC 162 brings fight fans the biggest MMA card of the year, with Anderson Silva (arguably the greatest fighter in history) fighting young up and comer Chris Weidman. Or so it’s been billed that way…

Without selling Anderson Silva short, he’s got a fight on his hands, at least on paper. Chris Weidman is a grappling prodigy, training under the likes of Renzo Gracie, John Danaher and Matt Serra. Not a bad resume for someone whose been considered an underdog for most of his career. His striking isn’t too shabby either, with knockouts over the likes of “Ultimate Fighter Season 17 finalist” Uriah Hall and Mark Munoz. However impressive these credits seem though, I believe he still doesn’t get the respect he deserves.

Chris Weidman improves every time he enters the octagon and has seemingly destroyed all his opponents. When he’s looked “off the pace” (see the Demain Maia fight) he hasn’t had a full training camp to prepare. He’s hungry for success and takes massive risks to succeed. This alone makes this a very dangerous fight for Anderson Silva, who’s been completely untouchable since his 16-fight tenure started in the UFC on June 28, 2006.

Again, I don’t want to sell Anderson Silva short here. He’s a killer. A born destroyer. He moves like he’s in the Matrix and dominates people at will. His crazy strikes and deadly submissions make professional fighters look amateur and leaves fans completely bewildered as to what happened. His knockouts over world-class competition such as Vitor Belfort (victim of the crazy front kick knockout), Yushin Okami, Chael Sonnen and Rich Franklin (twice) not to mention his many submissions over world-class grapplers make him one of the most feared guys on the planet.

With that being said, there have been holes in his game exposed by the very vocal Chael Sonnen, who proclaimed these weaknesses over a two year period. He completely outed the Brazillian on some of his weaknesses and frequently referred to the idea that he had “never seen him fight”. What he meant by this was that his past opponents have given him too much respect and space and leave him to move around and attack. Chael didn’t do this. He used constant pressure to fluster the champion, and although Anderson Silva persevered and got the victory (twice), fight fans all over the world learned a very sobering truth; Anderson Silva doesn’t respond well to constant pressure and elite wrestling.

Am I saying Chris Weidman is an absolute, no doubt in my mind winner in the fight? Absolutely not. But I do think he has a chance and for anyone to completely dismiss his chances is very naive. Styles make fights, and these conflicting styles may provide fans with an incredible show down. Will the hungry, inexperienced 29 year old prove too much for the experienced, diverse 38 year old champion? Only time will tell. One thing’s certain though; history will be made. And I wouldn’t miss it for the world!

UK and Irish fans can watch UFC 162 on ESPN from 1am on July 7^th and American fans can catch the fights on Pay-Per-View. For worldwide scheduling of UFC 162, go to http://www.ufc.com/event/UFC162/watch