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UFC on FOX 11 pre-fight facts: Thiago Alves returns from career-long layoff
The UFC heads to FOX for the second time this year on Saturday night with a stacked card headlined by a No. 1 contenders bout in the heavyweight division.
Top title contenders Fabricio Werdum (17-5-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and Travis Browne (16-1-1 MMA, 7-1-1 UFC) are set to collide in the UFC on FOX 11 headliner at Orlando’s Amway Center with a shot at divisional kingpin Cain Velasquez on the line.
Along with the main event, FOX’s 11th UFC showcase features several bouts of significance; seven fighters on the card will put win streaks of at least three fights on the line.
To dig into some of the statistics behind all 13 fights scheduled for the UFC’s first trip to the state of Florida since June 2012, here are 75 pre-fight facts going into UFC on FOX 11.
MAIN EVENT
fabricio-werdum-14.jpgWerdum’s three-fight UFC winning streak is tied with Browne for the second longest active streak in the heavyweight division behind champion Cain Velasquez (four).
Werdum’s current winning streak is tied for his longest in MMA competition since 2005. His longest run of consecutive victories spans five fights.
Werdum is the only fighter in MMA history to submit both Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Fedor Emelianenko. Dan Henderson is the only man aside from Werdum to hold wins over both Nogueira and Emelianenko.
Werdum’s only defeats in the past 10 years are to fighters who once held the UFC, PRIDE or Strikeforce heavyweight championship.
Werdum lands 4.38 significant strikes per minute, the fourth highest rate among active UFC heavyweights and seventh highest in divisional history (minimum of five fights).
Werdum has landed 55.5 percent of his significant attempts, the second highest accuracy among active heavyweights and fourth highest in heavyweight history (minimum of five fights and 350 significant attempts).
With a striking rate of 4.38 per minute and absorption rate of 2.01, Werdum’s striking differential of +2.37 is the second highest in UFC heavyweight history behind Velasquez (+4.52).
Werdum has committed to 21 submission attempts in his past 21 fights. He’s also landed 26 takedowns in the same amount of time (since 2003). He’s 11-3 in fights in which he lands at least one takedown.
travis-browne-ufc-168Browne’s three-fight UFC winning streak is tied with Werdum for second longest active streak in the heavyweight division behind Velasquez (four).
Browne has earned all the victories in his current streak by first-round knockout. He has needed just 6:19 of cage time to record all of those finishes. Browne’s average fight time of 5:40 is the shortest among active heavyweights and fourth shortest in modern heavyweight history (minimum of five fights).
Browne has earned five first-round knockout victories under the UFC banner, the second most in heavyweight history behind Roy Nelson (six).
Browne is the only fighter in UFC history to earn two knockout victories stemming from standing elbow strikes. He used the technique to finish Josh Barnett at UFC 168 and Gabriel Gonzaga at the TUF 17 Finale.
Browne has successfully defended all eight takedown attempts by his opponents in UFC competition.
Browne has been controlled on the ground for just 45 seconds throughout his UFC career, the third shortest amount of time in UFC heavyweight history behind Shawn Jordan (0:16) and Stipe Miocic (0:18) (minimum of five fights).
Browne’s five UFC fight-night bonuses are tied with Stefan Struve for the second most in heavyweight history behind Roy Nelson (six).
At 6-7, Browne is the second tallest fighter on the UFC roster (Struve).
CO-MAIN EVENT
miesha-tate-5.jpgMiesha Tate (13-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC) enters the event on the first two-fight losing streak of a professional career that dates back to 2007. “Cupcake” is 1-3 in her past four fights overall, and all of those losses have come by stoppage.
Tate has earned at least one takedown in all 10 of her UFC/Strikeforce appearances.
Tate’s 3.46 takedowns per 15 minutes of fighting in her Strikeforce career is the fourth highest rate for any fighter in the now-defunct organization’s history. Her 18 takedowns overall in Strikeforce competition are tied for the fifth most in history.
Tate’s 11 submission attempts in Strikeforce competition are the fourth most by any fighter in company history.
Tate is the only fighter in combined Strikeforce/UFC/WEC/PRIDE history to come back from being knocked down three times in a fight to finish their opponent. She accomplished the feat against Julie Kedzie at “Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman.”
Liz Carmouche (9-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) will become the first woman to compete inside the octagon four times.
Carmouche enters the event with a 3-4 record in her past seven professional bouts.
Carmouche’s 238 total strikes landed in a Strikeforce bout against Marloes Coenen are the second most in organizational history. Jake Shields’ 280 total strikes against Dan Henderson lead the category.
The UFC heads to FOX for the second time this year on Saturday night with a stacked card headlined by a No. 1 contenders bout in the heavyweight division.
Top title contenders Fabricio Werdum (17-5-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and Travis Browne (16-1-1 MMA, 7-1-1 UFC) are set to collide in the UFC on FOX 11 headliner at Orlando’s Amway Center with a shot at divisional kingpin Cain Velasquez on the line.
Along with the main event, FOX’s 11th UFC showcase features several bouts of significance; seven fighters on the card will put win streaks of at least three fights on the line.
To dig into some of the statistics behind all 13 fights scheduled for the UFC’s first trip to the state of Florida since June 2012, here are 75 pre-fight facts going into UFC on FOX 11.
MAIN EVENT
fabricio-werdum-14.jpgWerdum’s three-fight UFC winning streak is tied with Browne for the second longest active streak in the heavyweight division behind champion Cain Velasquez (four).
Werdum’s current winning streak is tied for his longest in MMA competition since 2005. His longest run of consecutive victories spans five fights.
Werdum is the only fighter in MMA history to submit both Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Fedor Emelianenko. Dan Henderson is the only man aside from Werdum to hold wins over both Nogueira and Emelianenko.
Werdum’s only defeats in the past 10 years are to fighters who once held the UFC, PRIDE or Strikeforce heavyweight championship.
Werdum lands 4.38 significant strikes per minute, the fourth highest rate among active UFC heavyweights and seventh highest in divisional history (minimum of five fights).
Werdum has landed 55.5 percent of his significant attempts, the second highest accuracy among active heavyweights and fourth highest in heavyweight history (minimum of five fights and 350 significant attempts).
With a striking rate of 4.38 per minute and absorption rate of 2.01, Werdum’s striking differential of +2.37 is the second highest in UFC heavyweight history behind Velasquez (+4.52).
Werdum has committed to 21 submission attempts in his past 21 fights. He’s also landed 26 takedowns in the same amount of time (since 2003). He’s 11-3 in fights in which he lands at least one takedown.
travis-browne-ufc-168Browne’s three-fight UFC winning streak is tied with Werdum for second longest active streak in the heavyweight division behind Velasquez (four).
Browne has earned all the victories in his current streak by first-round knockout. He has needed just 6:19 of cage time to record all of those finishes. Browne’s average fight time of 5:40 is the shortest among active heavyweights and fourth shortest in modern heavyweight history (minimum of five fights).
Browne has earned five first-round knockout victories under the UFC banner, the second most in heavyweight history behind Roy Nelson (six).
Browne is the only fighter in UFC history to earn two knockout victories stemming from standing elbow strikes. He used the technique to finish Josh Barnett at UFC 168 and Gabriel Gonzaga at the TUF 17 Finale.
Browne has successfully defended all eight takedown attempts by his opponents in UFC competition.
Browne has been controlled on the ground for just 45 seconds throughout his UFC career, the third shortest amount of time in UFC heavyweight history behind Shawn Jordan (0:16) and Stipe Miocic (0:18) (minimum of five fights).
Browne’s five UFC fight-night bonuses are tied with Stefan Struve for the second most in heavyweight history behind Roy Nelson (six).
At 6-7, Browne is the second tallest fighter on the UFC roster (Struve).
CO-MAIN EVENT
miesha-tate-5.jpgMiesha Tate (13-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC) enters the event on the first two-fight losing streak of a professional career that dates back to 2007. “Cupcake” is 1-3 in her past four fights overall, and all of those losses have come by stoppage.
Tate has earned at least one takedown in all 10 of her UFC/Strikeforce appearances.
Tate’s 3.46 takedowns per 15 minutes of fighting in her Strikeforce career is the fourth highest rate for any fighter in the now-defunct organization’s history. Her 18 takedowns overall in Strikeforce competition are tied for the fifth most in history.
Tate’s 11 submission attempts in Strikeforce competition are the fourth most by any fighter in company history.
Tate is the only fighter in combined Strikeforce/UFC/WEC/PRIDE history to come back from being knocked down three times in a fight to finish their opponent. She accomplished the feat against Julie Kedzie at “Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman.”
Liz Carmouche (9-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) will become the first woman to compete inside the octagon four times.
Carmouche enters the event with a 3-4 record in her past seven professional bouts.
Carmouche’s 238 total strikes landed in a Strikeforce bout against Marloes Coenen are the second most in organizational history. Jake Shields’ 280 total strikes against Dan Henderson lead the category.
REMAINING MAIN CARD
donald-cerrone-ufc-on-fox-10Donald Cerrone’s (22-6 MMA, 9-3 UFC) nine UFC lightweight victories are tied for the eighth most in divisional history behind Gleison Tibau (13), Jim Miller (12), Melvin Guillard (11), Yves Edwards (10), B.J. Penn (10), Nate Diaz (10) and Joe Lauzon (10).
Cerrone is one of the UFC’s most consistent fight-night award winners; “Cowboy” has received a fight-night bonus in eight of his 12 UFC bouts.
Cerrone’s fight-night bonuses haven’t been exclusive to his UFC career, though. His 13 UFC/WEC fight-night bonuses (totaling $555,000) are the most in the combined history of the two promotions.
Cerrone’s seven submission victories in UFC/WEC lightweight competition are tied with Joe Lauzon and Kenny Florian for the second most in divisional history behind Nate Diaz (10).
Cerrone’s 10 knockout/submission victories in UFC/WEC lightweight competition are the second most in history behind Diaz (11).
Cerrone is one of seven fighters in UFC history to earn two or more knockout victories stemming from a kick to the head.
Cerrone is one of the division’s most active strikers; he lands 4.87 strikes per minute of fighting, the third best output rate in lightweight history behind Evan Dunham (4.97) and T.J. Grant (6.83). His 50.2 percent significant strike accuracy is the fourth highest in lightweight history.
Cerrone usually won’t fight on the ground unless he wants it there. His 87.5 percent takedown defense rate ranks second in lightweight history behind Gleison Tibau (91.8 percent).
Cerrone’s landed 49 leg kicks landed against Vagner Rocha at UFC 131, the most ever in a three-round UFC fight.
Edson Barboza’s (13-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) is the only fighter in UFC history to earn two knockout victories stemming from leg kicks. He used the technique to stop Rafaello Oliveira at UFC 162 and Mike Lullo at UFC 123. Overall, Barboza’s earned three knockouts in UFC competition stemming from kicks, tying Vitor Belfort for the most finishes stemming from a kick technique in UFC history.
Of Barboza’s 320 significant strikes landed, 36.9 percent of them were landed to his opponents’ legs, the second largest proportion of leg strikes among active UFC fighters behind Lorenz Larkin (41 percent).
Barboza’s landed 91.9 percent of his 320 significant strikes while at distance, the third largest proportion of distance strikes in lightweight history. His seven knockdowns are tied for the third most in 155-pound history.
Barboza’s takedown defense rate of 82.9 percent is fifth highest among active lightweights.
brad-tavares-lorenz-larkin-ufc-fight-night-35Brad Tavares’ (11-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak is the second longest active one in the middleweight division behind champion Chris Weidman (seven).
Tavares has earned all of the victories in his current winning-streak by decision. His last stoppage was a first-round knockout of Phil Baroni at UFC 125 in January 2011.
Tavares’ average fight time of 13:40 is the fourth longest in middleweight history (minimum of five UFC fights).
Tavares’ 3.35 significant strikes landed per minute is the fifth highest rate among active UFC middleweights.
Tavares lands 84.9 percent of his significant strikes from a distance, the second largest proportion among active middleweights behind Chris Camozzi (84.4 percent).
Tavares’ 80.8 percent takedown defense rate is the third best in middleweight history. The Hawaiian has stuffed 21 of 26 takedown attempts inside the octagon.
Tavares’ 116 significant strikes against Riki Fukuda at UFC on FUEL TV 8 are the fourth most ever landed by a middleweight in a single fight.
Yoel Romero’s (7-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) three-fight UFC winning streak is tied for the fourth longest active streak in the middleweight division behind Weidman (seven), Tavares (five) and Vitor Belfort (four).
Romero, 36, is the oldest of the 26 fighters scheduled to compete on the card.
Romero has earned all seven of his professional victories by knockout. That, of course, includes all three of his wins under the UFC banner.
Romero is one of 11 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout victory stemming from a flying knee strike. He accomplished the feat against Clifford Starks at UFC on FOX 7. That knockout, which came at 1:32 of Round 1, was the second fastest flying knee finish in UFC history.
Romero is the only fighter in UFC history to win back-to-back fights by third-round knockout. He accomplished the feat against Derek Brunson at UFC Fight Night 35 and Ronny Markes at UFC Fight Night 31.
Romero is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout victory stemming from elbow strikes to the body. He accomplished the feat against Brunson at UFC Fight Night 35. Matt Brown earned a similar finish of Jordan Mein at UFC on FOX 7. It was also just the third finish of its kind in UFC history; Cheick Kongo forced Paul Buentello to submit with elbows to the body at UFC on VERSUS 1.
PRELIMINARY CARD
khabib-nurmagomedov-ufc-165Khabib Nurmagomedov (21-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (20-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) will mark just the second non-title fight in UFC history in which both fighters are riding five-fight UFC winning streaks. The other time the rare matchmaking feat took place was when Francis Carmont took on Constantinos Philippou at UFC 165.
Nurmagomedov and dos Anjos’ five-fight UFC winning streak is tied with Myles Jury and T.J. Grant for the longest active streak in the lightweight division.
Nurmagomedov’s 21-fight MMA winning streak is the second longest winning streak among active UFC fighters behind bantamweight champion Renan Barao (22).
Nurmagomedov’s 21 completed takedowns against Abel Trujillo at UFC 160 are the most ever in a single UFC bout. Sean Sherk, who completed 16 takedowns against Hermes Franca in a five-round title fight at UFC 73 in July 2007, held the previous record.
Dos Anjos has earned four of the victories on his current five-fight winning streak by decision.
Dos Anjos’ nine UFC lightweight victories are tied for the eighth most in divisional history behind Gleison Tibau (13), Jim Miller (12), Melvin Guillard (11), Yves Edwards (10), B.J. Penn (10), Nate Diaz (10) and Joe Lauzon (10).
Thiago Alves (19-9 MMA, 11-6 UFC) returns from a layoff of more than two years due to injury for his first fight since March 3, 2012 – a span of 777 days. That layoff is the longest of Alves’ professional career, which dates back to his debut in June 2001.
Alves’ 11 UFC welterweight victories are tied with Johny Hendricks and Matt Brown for the fifth most in divisional history behind Georges St-Pierre (19), Matt Hughes (16), Josh Koscheck (14) and Jon Fitch (13).
Alves’ seven knockout victories in welterweight competition are the second most in divisional history behind Matt Brown (eight). Alves has scored 10 knockdowns in his UFC career, tied for the sixth most in UFC history.
Pat Healy (29-18 MMA, 0-3 UFC) is winless in four UFC appearances across two stints with the organization. His current three-fight winless drought is the longest of his 48-fight career.
Healy’s seven victories in the now-defunct Strikeforce lightweight division are the third most in history behind former champions Gilbert Melendez (11) and Josh Thomson (10).
Healy’s 28 completed takedowns under the Strikeforce banner are the most in the promotion’s existence.
Healy’s 12 submission attempts in Strikeforce competition were the third most in organizational history.
jorge-masvidal-ufc-fight-night-31Jorge Masvidal (25-8 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is one of just two fighters in UFC history to finish a bout by submission at 4:59 of Round 2, which he did against Michael Chiesa at UFC on FOX 8. Chan Sung Jung also did it against Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night 24.
Masvidal has landed a greater number of significant strikes than his opponent in six of his past seven fights that have gone the distance. His 356 significant strikes landed during his Strikeforce career ranked third most in lightweight history.
Masvidal’s 76.8 percent striking defense rate is the third best of any fighter in Strikeforce history.
Masvidal’s 83.3 percent takedown defense rate is the third best in Strikeforce history.
Jordan Mein (27-9 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned 22 of his 27 professional victories by knockout (15) or submission (seven).
Mein will compete for the first time since a knockout loss to Matt Brown at UFC on FOX 7 this past April. His 364-day layoff is his longest in nearly eight years as a professional.
Mein is the only fighter to have ever knocked down Brown in UFC competition.
Hernani Perpetuo (17-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) enters the fight on a career-high MMA undefeated streak of nine. He hasn’t suffered a loss since August 2010.
Ray Borg (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his UFC debut just 616 days after his first professional MMA fight.
Mirsad Bektic (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), 23, is the youngest of the 26 fighters scheduled to compete on the card.
Opponents Derrick Lewis (9-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Jack May (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) have fought to a decision a total of just three times in 18 combined professional fights.
Lewis has earned eight of his nine career wins by knockout.
May has earned six of his seven career wins by knockout, all in the first round.
donald-cerrone-ufc-on-fox-10Donald Cerrone’s (22-6 MMA, 9-3 UFC) nine UFC lightweight victories are tied for the eighth most in divisional history behind Gleison Tibau (13), Jim Miller (12), Melvin Guillard (11), Yves Edwards (10), B.J. Penn (10), Nate Diaz (10) and Joe Lauzon (10).
Cerrone is one of the UFC’s most consistent fight-night award winners; “Cowboy” has received a fight-night bonus in eight of his 12 UFC bouts.
Cerrone’s fight-night bonuses haven’t been exclusive to his UFC career, though. His 13 UFC/WEC fight-night bonuses (totaling $555,000) are the most in the combined history of the two promotions.
Cerrone’s seven submission victories in UFC/WEC lightweight competition are tied with Joe Lauzon and Kenny Florian for the second most in divisional history behind Nate Diaz (10).
Cerrone’s 10 knockout/submission victories in UFC/WEC lightweight competition are the second most in history behind Diaz (11).
Cerrone is one of seven fighters in UFC history to earn two or more knockout victories stemming from a kick to the head.
Cerrone is one of the division’s most active strikers; he lands 4.87 strikes per minute of fighting, the third best output rate in lightweight history behind Evan Dunham (4.97) and T.J. Grant (6.83). His 50.2 percent significant strike accuracy is the fourth highest in lightweight history.
Cerrone usually won’t fight on the ground unless he wants it there. His 87.5 percent takedown defense rate ranks second in lightweight history behind Gleison Tibau (91.8 percent).
Cerrone’s landed 49 leg kicks landed against Vagner Rocha at UFC 131, the most ever in a three-round UFC fight.
Edson Barboza’s (13-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) is the only fighter in UFC history to earn two knockout victories stemming from leg kicks. He used the technique to stop Rafaello Oliveira at UFC 162 and Mike Lullo at UFC 123. Overall, Barboza’s earned three knockouts in UFC competition stemming from kicks, tying Vitor Belfort for the most finishes stemming from a kick technique in UFC history.
Of Barboza’s 320 significant strikes landed, 36.9 percent of them were landed to his opponents’ legs, the second largest proportion of leg strikes among active UFC fighters behind Lorenz Larkin (41 percent).
Barboza’s landed 91.9 percent of his 320 significant strikes while at distance, the third largest proportion of distance strikes in lightweight history. His seven knockdowns are tied for the third most in 155-pound history.
Barboza’s takedown defense rate of 82.9 percent is fifth highest among active lightweights.
brad-tavares-lorenz-larkin-ufc-fight-night-35Brad Tavares’ (11-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak is the second longest active one in the middleweight division behind champion Chris Weidman (seven).
Tavares has earned all of the victories in his current winning-streak by decision. His last stoppage was a first-round knockout of Phil Baroni at UFC 125 in January 2011.
Tavares’ average fight time of 13:40 is the fourth longest in middleweight history (minimum of five UFC fights).
Tavares’ 3.35 significant strikes landed per minute is the fifth highest rate among active UFC middleweights.
Tavares lands 84.9 percent of his significant strikes from a distance, the second largest proportion among active middleweights behind Chris Camozzi (84.4 percent).
Tavares’ 80.8 percent takedown defense rate is the third best in middleweight history. The Hawaiian has stuffed 21 of 26 takedown attempts inside the octagon.
Tavares’ 116 significant strikes against Riki Fukuda at UFC on FUEL TV 8 are the fourth most ever landed by a middleweight in a single fight.
Yoel Romero’s (7-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) three-fight UFC winning streak is tied for the fourth longest active streak in the middleweight division behind Weidman (seven), Tavares (five) and Vitor Belfort (four).
Romero, 36, is the oldest of the 26 fighters scheduled to compete on the card.
Romero has earned all seven of his professional victories by knockout. That, of course, includes all three of his wins under the UFC banner.
Romero is one of 11 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout victory stemming from a flying knee strike. He accomplished the feat against Clifford Starks at UFC on FOX 7. That knockout, which came at 1:32 of Round 1, was the second fastest flying knee finish in UFC history.
Romero is the only fighter in UFC history to win back-to-back fights by third-round knockout. He accomplished the feat against Derek Brunson at UFC Fight Night 35 and Ronny Markes at UFC Fight Night 31.
Romero is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout victory stemming from elbow strikes to the body. He accomplished the feat against Brunson at UFC Fight Night 35. Matt Brown earned a similar finish of Jordan Mein at UFC on FOX 7. It was also just the third finish of its kind in UFC history; Cheick Kongo forced Paul Buentello to submit with elbows to the body at UFC on VERSUS 1.
PRELIMINARY CARD
khabib-nurmagomedov-ufc-165Khabib Nurmagomedov (21-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (20-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) will mark just the second non-title fight in UFC history in which both fighters are riding five-fight UFC winning streaks. The other time the rare matchmaking feat took place was when Francis Carmont took on Constantinos Philippou at UFC 165.
Nurmagomedov and dos Anjos’ five-fight UFC winning streak is tied with Myles Jury and T.J. Grant for the longest active streak in the lightweight division.
Nurmagomedov’s 21-fight MMA winning streak is the second longest winning streak among active UFC fighters behind bantamweight champion Renan Barao (22).
Nurmagomedov’s 21 completed takedowns against Abel Trujillo at UFC 160 are the most ever in a single UFC bout. Sean Sherk, who completed 16 takedowns against Hermes Franca in a five-round title fight at UFC 73 in July 2007, held the previous record.
Dos Anjos has earned four of the victories on his current five-fight winning streak by decision.
Dos Anjos’ nine UFC lightweight victories are tied for the eighth most in divisional history behind Gleison Tibau (13), Jim Miller (12), Melvin Guillard (11), Yves Edwards (10), B.J. Penn (10), Nate Diaz (10) and Joe Lauzon (10).
Thiago Alves (19-9 MMA, 11-6 UFC) returns from a layoff of more than two years due to injury for his first fight since March 3, 2012 – a span of 777 days. That layoff is the longest of Alves’ professional career, which dates back to his debut in June 2001.
Alves’ 11 UFC welterweight victories are tied with Johny Hendricks and Matt Brown for the fifth most in divisional history behind Georges St-Pierre (19), Matt Hughes (16), Josh Koscheck (14) and Jon Fitch (13).
Alves’ seven knockout victories in welterweight competition are the second most in divisional history behind Matt Brown (eight). Alves has scored 10 knockdowns in his UFC career, tied for the sixth most in UFC history.
Pat Healy (29-18 MMA, 0-3 UFC) is winless in four UFC appearances across two stints with the organization. His current three-fight winless drought is the longest of his 48-fight career.
Healy’s seven victories in the now-defunct Strikeforce lightweight division are the third most in history behind former champions Gilbert Melendez (11) and Josh Thomson (10).
Healy’s 28 completed takedowns under the Strikeforce banner are the most in the promotion’s existence.
Healy’s 12 submission attempts in Strikeforce competition were the third most in organizational history.
jorge-masvidal-ufc-fight-night-31Jorge Masvidal (25-8 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is one of just two fighters in UFC history to finish a bout by submission at 4:59 of Round 2, which he did against Michael Chiesa at UFC on FOX 8. Chan Sung Jung also did it against Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night 24.
Masvidal has landed a greater number of significant strikes than his opponent in six of his past seven fights that have gone the distance. His 356 significant strikes landed during his Strikeforce career ranked third most in lightweight history.
Masvidal’s 76.8 percent striking defense rate is the third best of any fighter in Strikeforce history.
Masvidal’s 83.3 percent takedown defense rate is the third best in Strikeforce history.
Jordan Mein (27-9 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned 22 of his 27 professional victories by knockout (15) or submission (seven).
Mein will compete for the first time since a knockout loss to Matt Brown at UFC on FOX 7 this past April. His 364-day layoff is his longest in nearly eight years as a professional.
Mein is the only fighter to have ever knocked down Brown in UFC competition.
Hernani Perpetuo (17-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) enters the fight on a career-high MMA undefeated streak of nine. He hasn’t suffered a loss since August 2010.
Ray Borg (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his UFC debut just 616 days after his first professional MMA fight.
Mirsad Bektic (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), 23, is the youngest of the 26 fighters scheduled to compete on the card.
Opponents Derrick Lewis (9-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Jack May (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) have fought to a decision a total of just three times in 18 combined professional fights.
Lewis has earned eight of his nine career wins by knockout.
May has earned six of his seven career wins by knockout, all in the first round.
Former Strikeforce champ Jake Shields signs with World Series of Fighting
Following his release by the UFC, former Strikeforce middleweight champion and onetime UFC title challenger Jake Shields has signed with World Series of Fighting.
Shields’ manager, Lex McMahon, on Thursday confirmed Shields’ signing to MMAjunkie following an initial report from Bleacher Report. No terms of the deal are known, and WSOF has yet to make an official announcement of Shields being in the fold, or of when his first fight will be.
“Jake is happy to call WSOF home, and is looking forward to a long relationship,” McMahon told MMAjunkie.
Shields joins fighters like Jon Fitch, Yushin Okami and Melvin Guillard as recent high-profile releases by the UFC. But in WSOF’s welterweight division, he’ll step right into the title picture with the likes of Fitch and Josh Burkman for new champion Rousimar Palhares.
Shields (29-7-1) was let go by the UFC following a unanimous decision loss to Hector Lombard at UFC 171 in Dallas. That loss snapped a four-fight unbeaten streak for the Californian, a longtime training partner of Nick and Nate Diaz and Gilbert Melendez.
The 35-year-old Shields was regarded as one of the world’s best welterweights outside of the UFC when he signed with EliteXC and went on to win that promotion’s 170-pound title with a submission of Nick Thompson in just 63 seconds in 2008. He defended that belt with a submission of Paul Daley before the promotion shuttered its doors.
Shields moved up to middleweight when he signed with Strikeforce in 2009 and submitted Robbie Lawler. Then he beat Jason Miller to win the vacant 185-pound belt in November 2009. Against Dan Henderson, he had a stiff test in his first title defense. But after a rough first round, he went on to dominate the former PRIDE champion for a unanimous decision in what would be his final fight for the promotion.
Shields signed with the UFC in 2010 an took a split decision from Martin Kampmann in his promotional debut, a return to welterweight. That got him a shot at then-champ Georges St-Pierre in UFC 129′s main event. But despite doing what was then almost unheard of, taking rounds on the judges’ scorecards from the champion, he dropped a decision for his first loss since December 2004, snapping a 15-fight winning streak.
Shields’ next fight was a main event against Jake Ellenberger that came not long after his father had passed away. In New Orleans, he was stopped in 53 seconds for the first back-to-back losses of his career. He rebounded with a unanimous decision win over Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 144 in February 2012. But after a decision win at middleweight over Ed Herman, he failed a post-fight drug test and was suspended and fined.
When he returned, it was again at welterweight, and he picked up back-to-back split-decision wins against Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia in 2013 to put himself back in the title discussion at 170 pounds. The loss to Lombard halted that talk and ultimate got him his release.
But Shields now moves forward with the Las Vegas-based promotion, which airs its main cards on NBC Sports Network.
Following his release by the UFC, former Strikeforce middleweight champion and onetime UFC title challenger Jake Shields has signed with World Series of Fighting.
Shields’ manager, Lex McMahon, on Thursday confirmed Shields’ signing to MMAjunkie following an initial report from Bleacher Report. No terms of the deal are known, and WSOF has yet to make an official announcement of Shields being in the fold, or of when his first fight will be.
“Jake is happy to call WSOF home, and is looking forward to a long relationship,” McMahon told MMAjunkie.
Shields joins fighters like Jon Fitch, Yushin Okami and Melvin Guillard as recent high-profile releases by the UFC. But in WSOF’s welterweight division, he’ll step right into the title picture with the likes of Fitch and Josh Burkman for new champion Rousimar Palhares.
Shields (29-7-1) was let go by the UFC following a unanimous decision loss to Hector Lombard at UFC 171 in Dallas. That loss snapped a four-fight unbeaten streak for the Californian, a longtime training partner of Nick and Nate Diaz and Gilbert Melendez.
The 35-year-old Shields was regarded as one of the world’s best welterweights outside of the UFC when he signed with EliteXC and went on to win that promotion’s 170-pound title with a submission of Nick Thompson in just 63 seconds in 2008. He defended that belt with a submission of Paul Daley before the promotion shuttered its doors.
Shields moved up to middleweight when he signed with Strikeforce in 2009 and submitted Robbie Lawler. Then he beat Jason Miller to win the vacant 185-pound belt in November 2009. Against Dan Henderson, he had a stiff test in his first title defense. But after a rough first round, he went on to dominate the former PRIDE champion for a unanimous decision in what would be his final fight for the promotion.
Shields signed with the UFC in 2010 an took a split decision from Martin Kampmann in his promotional debut, a return to welterweight. That got him a shot at then-champ Georges St-Pierre in UFC 129′s main event. But despite doing what was then almost unheard of, taking rounds on the judges’ scorecards from the champion, he dropped a decision for his first loss since December 2004, snapping a 15-fight winning streak.
Shields’ next fight was a main event against Jake Ellenberger that came not long after his father had passed away. In New Orleans, he was stopped in 53 seconds for the first back-to-back losses of his career. He rebounded with a unanimous decision win over Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 144 in February 2012. But after a decision win at middleweight over Ed Herman, he failed a post-fight drug test and was suspended and fined.
When he returned, it was again at welterweight, and he picked up back-to-back split-decision wins against Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia in 2013 to put himself back in the title discussion at 170 pounds. The loss to Lombard halted that talk and ultimate got him his release.
But Shields now moves forward with the Las Vegas-based promotion, which airs its main cards on NBC Sports Network.
Browne-Werdum winner gets Velasquez in Mexico, coach says champ should be ready
ORLANDO – Stakes are high for a heavyweight headliner between Travis Browne (15-1-1 MMA, 6-1-1 UFC) and Fabricio Werdum (17-5-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) at UFC on FOX 11, UFC President Dana White said today at a pre-event news conference.
“The winner of this fight will fight Cain Velasquez in Mexico – assuming Cain’s recovery is on schedule,” White said. Although not yet made official by the UFC, that card is expected for November.
White did not give a precise date for the potential bout or a location for an event in Mexico, adding, “I’m probably going to get in trouble for announcing that.”
Velasquez’s coach, however, is cautiously optimistic the champ will be able to stick to a November deadline he set this past month in Dallas.
“He’s still in rehab right now,” American Kickboxing Academy coach Bob Cook told MMAjunkie. “I think he’s got another month of rehab before he’s cleared to start training. We’re expecting to fight in the fourth quarter. Unless there’s a delay in his progress, that should be very doable.”
The UFC doesn’t always guarantee title shots to the winners of high-profile bouts. White on Wednesday said the winner of a welterweight contest between Rory MacDonald and Tyrone Woodley wasn’t necessarily guaranteed shot at the belt.
With Velasquez (13-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC), however, a title fight serves a purpose. Since he regained the UFC title in late 2012, the champion has been targeted as a frontrunner in the promotion’s plans to open a new market in Mexico. But a shoulder injury he suffered in a trilogy fight with ex-champ Junior dos Santos has pushed back a debut in the country.
Werdum was targeted as Velasquez’s next title challenger, but elected to fight the surging Browne when the champ’s injury was confirmed. The top contenders now meet on Saturday at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., for the FOX network-televised event
ORLANDO – Stakes are high for a heavyweight headliner between Travis Browne (15-1-1 MMA, 6-1-1 UFC) and Fabricio Werdum (17-5-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) at UFC on FOX 11, UFC President Dana White said today at a pre-event news conference.
“The winner of this fight will fight Cain Velasquez in Mexico – assuming Cain’s recovery is on schedule,” White said. Although not yet made official by the UFC, that card is expected for November.
White did not give a precise date for the potential bout or a location for an event in Mexico, adding, “I’m probably going to get in trouble for announcing that.”
Velasquez’s coach, however, is cautiously optimistic the champ will be able to stick to a November deadline he set this past month in Dallas.
“He’s still in rehab right now,” American Kickboxing Academy coach Bob Cook told MMAjunkie. “I think he’s got another month of rehab before he’s cleared to start training. We’re expecting to fight in the fourth quarter. Unless there’s a delay in his progress, that should be very doable.”
The UFC doesn’t always guarantee title shots to the winners of high-profile bouts. White on Wednesday said the winner of a welterweight contest between Rory MacDonald and Tyrone Woodley wasn’t necessarily guaranteed shot at the belt.
With Velasquez (13-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC), however, a title fight serves a purpose. Since he regained the UFC title in late 2012, the champion has been targeted as a frontrunner in the promotion’s plans to open a new market in Mexico. But a shoulder injury he suffered in a trilogy fight with ex-champ Junior dos Santos has pushed back a debut in the country.
Werdum was targeted as Velasquez’s next title challenger, but elected to fight the surging Browne when the champ’s injury was confirmed. The top contenders now meet on Saturday at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., for the FOX network-televised event
White: Wanderlei Silva injured back in Sonnen brawl, had to postpone fight
UFC President Dana White bristles at the idea that a brawl between Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen on “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3″ was staged.
It was certainly real enough to force the postponement of the opposing coaches’ end-of-season fight, the executive told MMAjunkie.
“What happened was Wanderlei got hurt in that fight,” White said following Wednesday’s TUF Nations Finale. “He got double legged on the concrete and he hurt his back. He hurt his hand punching Chael in the head and he got injured.
“He couldn’t fight on time because he got hurt in the fight f—ing coaching a show. I’m done being angry now. I was angry when it happened. It’s just disgusting.”
Many suspected the whole incident might have been fake, given Sonnen’s reputation as a pro-wrestling style promoter who frequently bends the truth to hype fights. But that initial thought gave way to a tentative endorsement of the brawl’s authenticity.
Whether or not it was staged, the fact is that Sonnen (28-14-1 MMA, 7-6 UFC) and Silva (35-12-1 MMA, 5-7 UFC) were scheduled to headline the TUF Brazil 3 Finale on May 24 in Sao Paulo. Then, earlier this month, the UFC announced that the bout was being shifted to UFC 175, which takes place July 5 at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Events Center.
“There’s a bunch of idiots in the media saying, ‘That thing looks contrived,’” White said. “It was far from contrived. That thing was a disgusting display of what shouldn’t happen, and if I was there it would have never happened.
“The fact that there were other people, even people holding camera in that f–king place and let that happen is just beyond belief. Then the kid who runs in and sucker-punched Chael from behind, it’s just as bad as it can get.”
In recent weeks, Sonnen has hinted that Silva might back out of the bout due to an injury, but White said the new date will hold.
The UFC executive first spoke of the brawl during a media day with reporters in Los Angeles, noting it took place midway through filming. At the time, he seemed more dismayed than outright angry at the incident. But he popped off when asked about his thoughts on what happened now that the show is public.
Silva and Sonnen eventually collected themselves after fighting on set, though Silva threatened at one point to quit the show. Cooler heads prevailed, and filming wrapped earlier this year.
The pair’s rivalry stems from the latter’s pair of fights with now-former middleweight champ Anderson Silva. Silva became enraged at Sonnen’s promotional hyperbole and confronted him in a now-infamous video posted by the former PRIDE champ. Sonnen was none too pleased to see the interaction made public, which prompted him to take aim at Silva during interviews.
After several months of buildup and a near run-in at an MMA expo, things finally came to a boil on the reality show set, despite Silva saying he wouldn’t fight in the street with Sonnen because he was a professional.
Now, “The Axe Murderer” needs to make sure he’s physically ready to fight for the real contest
UFC President Dana White bristles at the idea that a brawl between Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen on “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3″ was staged.
It was certainly real enough to force the postponement of the opposing coaches’ end-of-season fight, the executive told MMAjunkie.
“What happened was Wanderlei got hurt in that fight,” White said following Wednesday’s TUF Nations Finale. “He got double legged on the concrete and he hurt his back. He hurt his hand punching Chael in the head and he got injured.
“He couldn’t fight on time because he got hurt in the fight f—ing coaching a show. I’m done being angry now. I was angry when it happened. It’s just disgusting.”
Many suspected the whole incident might have been fake, given Sonnen’s reputation as a pro-wrestling style promoter who frequently bends the truth to hype fights. But that initial thought gave way to a tentative endorsement of the brawl’s authenticity.
Whether or not it was staged, the fact is that Sonnen (28-14-1 MMA, 7-6 UFC) and Silva (35-12-1 MMA, 5-7 UFC) were scheduled to headline the TUF Brazil 3 Finale on May 24 in Sao Paulo. Then, earlier this month, the UFC announced that the bout was being shifted to UFC 175, which takes place July 5 at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Events Center.
“There’s a bunch of idiots in the media saying, ‘That thing looks contrived,’” White said. “It was far from contrived. That thing was a disgusting display of what shouldn’t happen, and if I was there it would have never happened.
“The fact that there were other people, even people holding camera in that f–king place and let that happen is just beyond belief. Then the kid who runs in and sucker-punched Chael from behind, it’s just as bad as it can get.”
In recent weeks, Sonnen has hinted that Silva might back out of the bout due to an injury, but White said the new date will hold.
The UFC executive first spoke of the brawl during a media day with reporters in Los Angeles, noting it took place midway through filming. At the time, he seemed more dismayed than outright angry at the incident. But he popped off when asked about his thoughts on what happened now that the show is public.
Silva and Sonnen eventually collected themselves after fighting on set, though Silva threatened at one point to quit the show. Cooler heads prevailed, and filming wrapped earlier this year.
The pair’s rivalry stems from the latter’s pair of fights with now-former middleweight champ Anderson Silva. Silva became enraged at Sonnen’s promotional hyperbole and confronted him in a now-infamous video posted by the former PRIDE champ. Sonnen was none too pleased to see the interaction made public, which prompted him to take aim at Silva during interviews.
After several months of buildup and a near run-in at an MMA expo, things finally came to a boil on the reality show set, despite Silva saying he wouldn’t fight in the street with Sonnen because he was a professional.
Now, “The Axe Murderer” needs to make sure he’s physically ready to fight for the real contest
Ryan Bader vs. Rafael 'Feijao' Cavalcante booked for UFC 174 in Vancouver
SOMEBODY GOING NIGHT NIGHT!
A bout between light heavyweights Ryan Bader (16-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) and Rafael Cavalcante (12-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has been added to UFC 174.
The Canadian Press first reported the booking.
UFC 174 takes place June 14 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Bader vs. Cavalcante is likely to be part of the main card.
Bader, who’s ranked No. 10 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA light-heavyweight rankings, recently rebounded from a 1-2 run with a decision victory over Anthony Perosh at UFC Fight Night 33. The 30-year-old, who first joined the UFC after winning “The Ultimate Fighter 8,” has added solid striking skills to his wrestling base in recent years and now owns seven knockouts in 16 career wins.
Those skills could come in handy against the hard-hitting Cavalcante. The 34-year-old recently picked up a submission win (due to strikes) over Igor Pokrajac at UFC Fight Night 32. The Strikeforce and EliteXC vet has earned every career victory via strikes, including seven in the first round.
The latest UFC 174 card includes:
•Champ Demetrious Johnson vs. Ali Bagautinov – for flyweight title
•Rory MacDonald vs. Tyron Woodley
•Ryan Bader vs. Rafael Cavalcante
•Kiichi Kunimoto vs. Daniel Sarafian
•Mike Easton vs. Yves Jabouin
•Roland Delorme vs. Michinori Tanaka
•Kajan Johnson vs. Tae Hyun Bang
SOMEBODY GOING NIGHT NIGHT!
A bout between light heavyweights Ryan Bader (16-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) and Rafael Cavalcante (12-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has been added to UFC 174.
The Canadian Press first reported the booking.
UFC 174 takes place June 14 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Bader vs. Cavalcante is likely to be part of the main card.
Bader, who’s ranked No. 10 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA light-heavyweight rankings, recently rebounded from a 1-2 run with a decision victory over Anthony Perosh at UFC Fight Night 33. The 30-year-old, who first joined the UFC after winning “The Ultimate Fighter 8,” has added solid striking skills to his wrestling base in recent years and now owns seven knockouts in 16 career wins.
Those skills could come in handy against the hard-hitting Cavalcante. The 34-year-old recently picked up a submission win (due to strikes) over Igor Pokrajac at UFC Fight Night 32. The Strikeforce and EliteXC vet has earned every career victory via strikes, including seven in the first round.
The latest UFC 174 card includes:
•Champ Demetrious Johnson vs. Ali Bagautinov – for flyweight title
•Rory MacDonald vs. Tyron Woodley
•Ryan Bader vs. Rafael Cavalcante
•Kiichi Kunimoto vs. Daniel Sarafian
•Mike Easton vs. Yves Jabouin
•Roland Delorme vs. Michinori Tanaka
•Kajan Johnson vs. Tae Hyun Bang
Dan Henderson vs. Daniel Cormier booked as UFC 173 co-headliner
UFC 173 has a late addition to the lineup, and it’ll serve as the Memorial Day weekend’s pay-per-view co-headliner.
The UFC today announced Daniel Cormier (14-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) will put his undefeated record on the line against veteran Dan Henderson (30-11 MMA, 7-5 UFC). UFC President Dana White made the initial announcement on “SportsCenter.”
UFC 173 takes place May 24 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. In addition to the PPV main card, prelims are available on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Cormier is ranked No. 6 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA light-heavyweight rankings. Henderson is a spot behind at No. 7.
Cormier, a significant favorite in the bout, recently made short work of injury replacement Patrick Cummins at UFC 170. It marked the light-heavyweight debut for the former Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix winner. Cormier, an Olympian and former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler, now has nine stoppages in 14 career wins. White suggested a victory over Henderson would put the 35-year-old in prime position for a title shot, though Glover Teixeira and Alexander Gustafsson are first up for champion Jon Jones.
Henderson, meanwhile, also is looking for an elusive UFC belt. The former two-division PRIDE champion recently halted a three-fight losing streak with a knockout win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in UFC Fight Night 38′s headliner. The 43-year-old, who’s also a former Olympian and collegiate wrestling standout, faced a likely release (and possible retirement) if he didn’t pull off the win. A victory over Cormier would be a significant one for the veteran fighter, who competes for the first time since ending testosterone-replacement therapy.
The full UFC 173 card now includes:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
•Champ Renan Barao vs. T.J. Dillashaw – for UFC bantamweight title
•Daniel Cormier vs. Dan Henderson
•Jake Ellenberger vs. Robbie Lawler
•Takeya Mizugaki vs. Francisco Rivera
•James Krause vs. Jamie Varner
PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX Sports 1, 8 p.m. ET)
•Michael Chiesa vs. Francisco Trinaldo
•Tony Ferguson vs. Katsunori Kikuno
•Chico Camus vs. Chris Holdsworth
•Mitch Clarke vs. Al Iaquinta
PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 6:30 p.m. ET)
•Anthony Njokuani vs. Vinc Pichel
•Doo Ho Choi vs. Sam Sicilia
•Jingliang Li vs. Danny Mitchell
UFC 173 has a late addition to the lineup, and it’ll serve as the Memorial Day weekend’s pay-per-view co-headliner.
The UFC today announced Daniel Cormier (14-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) will put his undefeated record on the line against veteran Dan Henderson (30-11 MMA, 7-5 UFC). UFC President Dana White made the initial announcement on “SportsCenter.”
UFC 173 takes place May 24 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. In addition to the PPV main card, prelims are available on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Cormier is ranked No. 6 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA light-heavyweight rankings. Henderson is a spot behind at No. 7.
Cormier, a significant favorite in the bout, recently made short work of injury replacement Patrick Cummins at UFC 170. It marked the light-heavyweight debut for the former Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix winner. Cormier, an Olympian and former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler, now has nine stoppages in 14 career wins. White suggested a victory over Henderson would put the 35-year-old in prime position for a title shot, though Glover Teixeira and Alexander Gustafsson are first up for champion Jon Jones.
Henderson, meanwhile, also is looking for an elusive UFC belt. The former two-division PRIDE champion recently halted a three-fight losing streak with a knockout win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in UFC Fight Night 38′s headliner. The 43-year-old, who’s also a former Olympian and collegiate wrestling standout, faced a likely release (and possible retirement) if he didn’t pull off the win. A victory over Cormier would be a significant one for the veteran fighter, who competes for the first time since ending testosterone-replacement therapy.
The full UFC 173 card now includes:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
•Champ Renan Barao vs. T.J. Dillashaw – for UFC bantamweight title
•Daniel Cormier vs. Dan Henderson
•Jake Ellenberger vs. Robbie Lawler
•Takeya Mizugaki vs. Francisco Rivera
•James Krause vs. Jamie Varner
PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX Sports 1, 8 p.m. ET)
•Michael Chiesa vs. Francisco Trinaldo
•Tony Ferguson vs. Katsunori Kikuno
•Chico Camus vs. Chris Holdsworth
•Mitch Clarke vs. Al Iaquinta
PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 6:30 p.m. ET)
•Anthony Njokuani vs. Vinc Pichel
•Doo Ho Choi vs. Sam Sicilia
•Jingliang Li vs. Danny Mitchell
Props:
Coach E. No and Coach E. No
Andrei Arlovski Signs With UFC
Fuck yeah
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/former-heavyweight-champion-andrei-arlovski-005953299--mma.html[/B]
After six years fighting outside of the organization, former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski returns to the UFC. UFC president Dana White tweeted the news on Thursday and a UFC official later confirmed the news with MMAWeekly.com.
Arlovski (21-10, 1 NC) captured the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC 51 in February 2005 by submitting Tim Sylvia with an achilles lock in just 47 seconds. He defended the title against the late Justin Eilers at UFC 53 and was named the heavyweight champion. He defeated Paul Buentello at UFC 55 before losing back-to-back fights to Tim Sylvia.
He last competed in the Octagaon on March 1, 2008 at UFC 82 where he defeated Jake O’Brien by technical knockout. He left the UFC on good terms and signed with the now defunct Affliction fight promotion and fought in their inaugural event in July 2008. He next fought in an EliteXC and Affliction co-promoted event knocking out Roy Nelson. In January 2009, Arlovski got the fight every heavyweight was clamoring for at the time, a match-up with Fedor Emelianenko at Affiction: Day of Reckoning. He lost via knockout to the former Pride champion in the first round. He’d lose his next three fights under the Strikeforce banner.
Following his stint in Strikeforce, Arlovski fought in ProElite, ONE FC and World Series of Fighting. He’s gone 6-1-1 in his last eight fights. Arlovski last competed on Nov. 29, 2013, defeating Andreas Kraniotakes by TKO.
It’s unknown who the 35-year-old will face in his return bout, or when that will be.
Fuck yeah
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/former-heavyweight-champion-andrei-arlovski-005953299--mma.html[/B]
After six years fighting outside of the organization, former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski returns to the UFC. UFC president Dana White tweeted the news on Thursday and a UFC official later confirmed the news with MMAWeekly.com.
Arlovski (21-10, 1 NC) captured the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC 51 in February 2005 by submitting Tim Sylvia with an achilles lock in just 47 seconds. He defended the title against the late Justin Eilers at UFC 53 and was named the heavyweight champion. He defeated Paul Buentello at UFC 55 before losing back-to-back fights to Tim Sylvia.
He last competed in the Octagaon on March 1, 2008 at UFC 82 where he defeated Jake O’Brien by technical knockout. He left the UFC on good terms and signed with the now defunct Affliction fight promotion and fought in their inaugural event in July 2008. He next fought in an EliteXC and Affliction co-promoted event knocking out Roy Nelson. In January 2009, Arlovski got the fight every heavyweight was clamoring for at the time, a match-up with Fedor Emelianenko at Affiction: Day of Reckoning. He lost via knockout to the former Pride champion in the first round. He’d lose his next three fights under the Strikeforce banner.
Following his stint in Strikeforce, Arlovski fought in ProElite, ONE FC and World Series of Fighting. He’s gone 6-1-1 in his last eight fights. Arlovski last competed on Nov. 29, 2013, defeating Andreas Kraniotakes by TKO.
It’s unknown who the 35-year-old will face in his return bout, or when that will be.
he is fighting schaub who ever gets punched first is going to sleep
Props:
SLRider510 and SLRider510