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Doubted, Ignored, Never Left bored: The Stipe Miocic Story

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UFC 220 marked the first time since the UFC’s inception that the heavyweight title was consecutively defended more than twice. And, as accolades go, Stipe Miocic holds the best in the business; The most dominant UFC Heavyweight Champion of all time. But hindsight is a wonderful thing, and many doubters of Stipe’s skills existed before his dismantling of “The Predator” Francis NGannou, in Boston’s TD Garden.

The context of the Francis NGannou hype train needs to be addressed to fully understand why Miocic was doubted since the announcement of this fight. Francis makes no bones about his history; He was homeless as recent as five years ago, and worked in a sand mine as a child. His dream was to escape the poverty of Cameroon and find a better life. His dream became a reality and he found himself working towards developing his craft in a French MMA gym. Five years on, he fought for a UFC Heavyweight title.

The world loves a fairytale, and the Francis NGannou story was set to rival “Rocky” for its dramatic undertones. Since arriving at the UFC, NGannou dismantled all in his path with his devastating power and unforgiving explosiveness. But the romanticism of the Francis NGannou story faded on January 20th 2018, as Stipe Miocic physically neutralised N’Gannou for five rounds, leading to a decisive decision. Miocic shut the doubters down and exposed the world to the sobering reality of Miocic’s mastery.

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AND STILL: Miocic defeated NGannou by decision at UFC 220.

But lets not forget; UFC 220 wasn’t the first time Stipe Miocic was doubted in his career. Fights against Fabricio Werdum and Junior Dos Santos saw Stipe Miocic being severely doubted by fans across the board.

Is Stipe Miocic personally responsible for this lack of faith by the fans? No. Doubt comes with consistently fighting top-level opponents, and in a sport like MMA, the endless possibilities and outcomes leaves fans with severe migraines and scientific hypothesis’ concerning fights.

And six months on, and we’re in the same position.

Light Heavyweight UFC Champion Daniel Cormier has stepped up to challenge Cleveland native Stipe Miocic in arguably the biggest superfight the UFC has ever seen. Cormier is a legend in his own right; He’s dominated the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions since debuting in MMA in 2009 and has held championships in both. He’s also an accomplished wrestler, competing in the 2004 Olympics for the United States as a Freestyle wrestler and captaining the 2008 team. As a mixed martial artist, his only loses have came to Jon Jones (arguably the greatest talent in MMA history). Those loses are marred in controversy and many consider these defeats illegitimate due to Jones testing positive (on multiple occasions) for PED’s and banned substances.

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THE CHAMP: Daniel Cormier challenges Stipe Miocic for the UFC Heavyweight Championship at UFC 226.

For me, it’s extremely commendable (and refreshing) that a combat champion is willing to fight the most elite of the elite, on a consistent basis. Stipe Miocic deserves praise for this. Similarly, Daniel Cormier deserves praise for stepping up and taking a fight outside light heavyweight. Don’t dismiss the fact that there are easier fights for DC to take. At 39 years old, he’s chosen to take this heavyweight endeavor on as a way of cementing his legacy as one of the greatest of all time.

The fight itself presents endless possibilities, and I’m simply not qualified to put my white lab coat on and start breaking down the thousands of variables that will ultimately lead to the fight’s outcome. I’m just happy that for the first time in a long time, a fight has been promoted on the basis of its own merit and not by witty punch-lines and embarrassing scandals. The “Reality TV” approach to fight promotion has become extremely stale for purists, and facilitates casual fans with endless sound bites to back up their widely uneducated opinions.

This fight is a throwback to the old school mentality; The unstoppable force meets the immovable object. A manipulative rankings system and phrases such as “the money fight” have diluted the way in which fights are constructed and no matter who the victor, this fight represents the return to the ideal that the best fight the best.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship; As real as it gets. And that’s the way it should be.

Younger, Faster, Disaster; Michael Bisping vs Kelvin Gastelum.

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As the smoke begins to settle from UFC Fight Night 122, many fight fans are left questioning the motives of Michael Bisping for taking a short-notice fight just three weeks removed from being choked unconscious by current UFC Middleweight Champion Georges St. Pierre. But like many actions in the fight game, it’s all about context.

Michael Bisping is one of the last of his kind. I can’t remember a single time Bisping was reported to have refused or pulled out of a contest, something that’s extremely rare in 2017. He lives by an old school code and thinks an old school way; “This is what I do, I fight”.

The risks involved were abundantly clear, and although pre-fight Gastelum was placed much lower in the UFC Rankings than Bisping (Gastelum was ranked 9th before the fight), rankings don’t mean much in a sport that entire careers can be altered via a single punch to the face.

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CHAMPION: The former UFC Middleweight Champion aimed for a quick turnaround after his 3rd round submission loss three weeks ago.

Kelvin Gastelum has looked reinvigorated since his move to Middleweight. The Ultimate Fighter Season 17 winner holds notable stoppage wins against Tim Kennedy and Vitor Belfort, two consistent contenders throughout their careers and two men that previously caused Bisping a world of problems. Gastelum is also twelve years younger than Bisping, who has clocked plenty of fighter miles in his grueling eleven year UFC career.

But who can blame Michael Bisping for acting like Michael Bisping? He’s always been game for a fight, and was seemingly confident going into this contest; “Everybody wants to get paid. Two paydays, one training camp”. Bisping’s logic seemed rudimentary, and I’m sure looking back on this contest he wishes this fight was as straightforward as that. But in his heart of hearts, I have to believe he knew better than to think that his bravery and nobility is all it would take to force a win against a dangerous opponent. Put simply, life isn’t as easy as that.

Contrary to popular belief, the fight itself was close right up until the final exchange. Both fighters had their high points, landing solid punches and kicks. But the final exchange has quickly gone viral; a crisp weave, followed by a right straight/left hook combination seen “The Count” collapse. The fairytale ended right at that moment and the brutality of MMA was realised once again. Sporting romanticism out the window.

Credit where credit is due to Michael Bisping for being the company man that he is and resurrecting a fight card thats entire existence was threatened by Anderson Silva’s apparent USADA violation. He flew to China and rolled the dice, and although he didn’t experience the luster or reward of a win, he should be recoginsed for his huge heart and endless valor. Bisping was all class after the fight: “I was enjoying myself; he caught me with a good shot. God bless Kelvin, he’s young. I’ve done this for a long time, man. I’m getting old”.

But combat, in its nature, is unpredictable and MMA doesn’t follow a Hollywood script. Gastelum’s incredible knockout will surely move him on to bigger and better things, and Bisping’s loss may accelerate his retirement plans (although he has hinted his plan for one last fight in London on March 2018 will go ahead). And for the fight fans who’ve been left slack-jawed by the manner of Gastelum’s explosive dispatching of Michael Bisping, this fight was a sobering look into the savage reality of MMA.

MMA is as good as it gets. The UFC is as real as it gets. And quite simply, it’s the most gruesomely honest sport on the planet.

Ben Askren: The Welterweight MMA Legend You’ve Never Heard of?

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In recent years, MMA has seen rise to some of the best combat athletes of the modern era. The savage and barbaric nature of the sport has forced competitors to constantly improve and innovate, and this ideal has been both a gift and a curse for Ben Askren.

At this point you may be wondering; Who is Ben Askren?

Ben Askren is an extremely outspoken nine year MMA veteran, holding an undefeated record of 17-0-1 and known for his highly controversial “lay and pray” fighting style. His most notable victories come against Douglas Lima (via decision), Jay Hieron (via decision) and Andrey Koreshkov (via doctors stoppage between rounds three and four).

Askren is a great example of how entertainment value can make or break a combat athlete’s notoriety, and a prime example of how being critical of Dana White, the UFC’s methods and the sport as a whole can come back and bite you permanently.

Askren has referred to himself as being “blacklisted” by the two biggest MMA organisations in the world (Bellator and UFC), which is stunning considering his fight record and his fighting credentials. To mention a few of his many accolades, Askren is a former Olympian in wrestling, a former Bellator champion (who also holds the record for recording the most amount of Bellator wins) and current One FC Champion. He has never been signed to the premier MMA organization, The UFC, and at 33-Years-Old, has just announced he is to retire after his next fight (against Shinya Aoki on November 24th at “One FC: Immortal Pursuit”).

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UNDEFEATED: Ben Askren holding his Bellator and ONE FC Welterweight Titles.

Again, you may wonder why Askren has never fought under the UFC banner.

There isn’t a straightforward answer, although both Dana White and Ben Askren tell different stories as to why the signing never happened. Askren often refers to the “unfair contractual practices” implemented by the UFC, which was a direct reaction to his unsuccessful contract negotiations with the UFC in 2013. These negotiations led Askren to claim that he “got screwed pretty royally”. These failed contract talks have left a bitter taste in the mouth of Askren, who over the years has went on to attack the UFC and Dana White relentlessly.

On the other hand, Dana White pointed to Askren’s passion for the sport as the reason for the failed negotiations. In 2015, Dana White claimed Ben Askren “does not want to fight the best in the world” at a New York Press Conference, and also claimed “he’s not my kinda guy” (with reference to Ben Askren as a businessman and person).

We’ll probably never know how good Ben Askren truly was, due to the fact he never came up against the “world class” competition required to reach legend status, although if legend status was conditional on “beating what’s in front of you”, he’d be a hall of famer, no questions asked.

His “lay and pray” style may also be damaging to his reputation, with many MMA figures (such as Phil Baroni) referring to Askren as “boring” and “unwatchable”. It is worth noting that as a tactical approach, “lay and pray” has been extremely effective at neutralizing Askren’s opponents offense, whilst also limiting the damage which Askren has taken in his career. Askren has also been able to finish ten of his eighteen opponents within the distance, making him both clinical and punishing in grappling and ground and pound exchanges.

There’s nothing more temporary in combat sports than retirement; Look at Floyd Mayweather, Georges St.Pierre and BJ Penn as examples of this. However, if this is the final time we see Ben Askren fight, know that there will be a permanent footnote on both Askren’s career and the MMA Welterweight Division.

We’ll never truly know what we missed out on.

CM Punk Broke the Internet.

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CM Punk

As UFC 203 drew to a close, it was difficult to take my mind off the cataclysmic failure in which Phil Brooks had just endured.

For those wondering who Phil Brooks is, he’s known by most as CM Punk, a former professional wrestling champion and self proclaimed “Cult of Personality”.

The reason I call him by his real name, rather than his stage name, is to differentiate his past from his present. Nothing in his past could have prepared him for the stark realization that, when it comes to mixed martial arts, you’re either born with it or you’re the other 99.9% of the world.

Brooks got battered. There’s no debate about that. The bout lasted two and a half minutes and there wasn’t a second in the fight when he wasn’t being dominated.

BATTERED: Phil Brooks being pummelled by welterweight prospect Mickey Gall.
BATTERED: Phil Brooks being pummelled by welterweight prospect Mickey Gall.

It was hard to watch at times. Just seconds in, it was abundantly clear that this experiment wasn’t going to have a happy ending for the Chicago native. And although the fight proved brutal, it also proved necessary.

This fight, along with other examples (James Toney VS Randy Couture & Jose Canseco Vs Hong Man Choi immediately spring to mind) are reminders to the general public that, although the term “mixed martial arts” has the word “art” in it, there’s nothing artistic about being punched in the face.

MMA is savage. On the same card, viewers witnessed a man’s finger becoming so badly dislocated that, when the footage is paused, you can clearly see a bone sticking out. Viewers also witnessed Alistair Overeem, a man with over 15 years of MMA experience, being unapologetically knocked unconscious. This isn’t a game folks.

The Phil Brooks experiment, if nothing else, provoked opinions. On one side, many admired the man for chasing his goals and following his dreams. On the other, many seen his move into professional fighting as cocky, arrogant and ignorant. He’s always been considered a controversial character and his move into MMA was cut from the same cloth.

Brooks said, “In life, you go big or you go home” after the fight. It was an admirable act of courage to step into the octagon and the man deserves respect for that alone. But there’s nothing more humbling in life than a punch to the face. And unfortunately for Brooks, he learned that the hard way on several occasions.

His Rocky story didn’t have a happy ending. His face and ego were left battered and bruised. And his reputation? Well, he’s always been known as an entertainer and his journey has certainly entertained fans and spectators alike. So, credit to him.

It’s not clear if we’ll see Phil Brooks back in the octagon. But if we do, I hope it’s to promote a Wrestlemania, rather than to venture into a world that rewards the few and condemns pretenders through violence.

His record reads zero wins, one loss. And with his 38th Birthday fast approaching, I just can’t see that improving anytime soon.

Ronda Rousey; Revolutionary, Evolutionary, Transcendent. Also beats people up for fun.

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Ronda Rousey: Celebrating victory in Brazil.

If Ronda Rousey were to disappear into obscurity tomorrow, she would still go down as one of the most influential sports figures of all time. Rousey’s a character that you only need to listen to for a few seconds to realize that she’s another level. A superior level. Both physically and mentally. Her mental toughness was developed at a young age, having had problems with her speech as a child. This, along with being the daughter of a legendary Olympian Judoka shaped her into the person she is today. A champion.

For me, her fight career is secondary to what she represents. She has personified the American dream through perseverance and hard-work. Her “never say die” attitude is something that will go on to inspire anyone who cares to watch and listen to her.

On August 1st 2015, she faced Bethe Correia, an aggressively brash competitor and undefeated Brazilian that talked the talk and, prior to this fight, seemingly walked the walk. She dismantled two of Rousey’s close friends in Shayna Baszler and Jessamyn Duke. This, along with her controversial trash-talk (which Rousey claimed to allude to Rousey’s father’s suicide) made this fight simply unmissable.

Another factor in this fight was the fact that Rousey decided to fight Correia in her native Brazil. Brazil is incredibly nationalistic, and when UFC fighters from outside Brazil fight there, the crowd often chant “Uh vai morrer”, which is Portuguese for “You’re going to die”. It’s also worth noting that it’s not customary for a champion to fight the challenger in the challenger’s home country. Put yourself in Rousey’s shoes; How thrilled would you be about walking through a crowd that wished for your death? Doesn’t sound pleasant, right? Ronda Rousey isn’t a normal human being though, and seemingly those variables didn’t do anything to her confidence.

The main talking points of the fight were three fold; Firstly, Ronda Rousey’s entrance was one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever seen. I’m not one for putting much merit into “psyching out” an opponent by a fight entrance, but this was something reminiscent of Mike Tyson’s entrance for his Leon Spinks fight. The reception she received sounded similar to a Justin Bieber concert (personally I’m not a fan of the Biebs), which seemingly rattled Correia. As she arrived to the cage, it was apparent Correia’s confidence had waned.

Another talking point was the strategy Rousey implemented. She usually fights with the strategy of forcing her opponent to grapple with her. Rousey’s Olympic pedigree in judo makes her impossible train for and defend against, therefore she usually exploits her world-class Judo skill-set. In this fight however her approach was reminiscent of legendary Brazilian MMA legend “Wanderlei Silva”, in that her focus was on winging as many punches toward her opponent’s head as she could, without having much technique behind them. She got hit, but she hit more, totally disregarding the risk of being damaged by her opponent.

The third talking point was the spectacular finish to the fight. Rousey delivered a crisp two-punch combination to Correia’s head, which left her faceplanted on the mat, in the very first round. The word “devastating” is overused in combat sports, but for this occasion, i’d say it’s the perfect description. As the referee pulled Rousey away from Corriea, she was heard sarcastically saying “don’t cry” to her unconscious opponent, adding insult to injury and putting a stamp on the fight. Not only did she beat Correia at her own game, but she looked menacing doing it. And not only did she knock out an undefeated and highly touted challenger, but she also put the rest of the division on watch. I think the lesson here is, don’t make Ronda Rousey mad.

Ronda Rousey: Celebrating victory.

Similar to Conor McGregor, Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, King Kong and even Jesus Christ, she’s a polarizing character. With regards to her competition, she dominates on a regular basis. Think about this; she hasn’t once come close to being vulnerable to defeat, something that is rare in a sport with so many ways to lose. She has not only advanced the fight game, but she’s also a vehicle for female empowerment through her achievements inside and outside the cage. I think she’s undoubtedly one of the most inspirational characters of the 21st centaury, and at 28 years old, she’s really only getting started.