Issue 093
November -0001
We asked four different figures from the MMA world their opinions on the pressing matters of the moment
The Fighters
Q1. Do you expect Cain Velasquez to take Junior Dos Santos to the canvas from the opening bell in their UFC heavyweight title rematch?
Jon Jones
“I think he will. It would be smart for him to get the fight to the ground and make it a war of attrition.”
Shane Carwin
“In the heavyweight division, so many things can happen with one shot. If a small mistake is made, you’re paying the price, and it probably just cost you the fight.”
Dan Hardy
“Cain is going to come in with probably a little more of a cautious gameplan. Obviously, he knows Dos Santos likes to push forward and throw big shots. I think Cain is going to draw him in and duck under it.”
Matt Serra
“It was a little unfair, the criticism of Cain the first time. He got hit. He got caught. The other guy hits like he’s throwing bricks in there. If Junior catches anybody like that, he’s hurting them.”
Q2. Has Rory MacDonald bitten off more than he can chew in calling out former two-weight UFC champion BJ Penn?
Jon Jones
“No. I think Rory MacDonald is a great fighter and BJ Penn is a great fighter, too. More importantly, BJ Penn is a great name. Having a win over BJ would be huge for Rory.”
Shane Carwin
“It’s a bold move. To call out a legend like that, I’m sure he’s probably gotten some backlash from the fans. Brendan Schaub did when he was calling out legends like Nogueira and ‘Cro Cop.’ It might affect him that way.”
Dan Hardy
“I don’t know. Rory is a big, strong guy. He’s well rounded. BJ Penn may be past his best days, so this may be a changing of the guard. I think Rory could potentially go a long way, and BJ is a good test for him.”
Matt Serra
“Judging by his past performances, he definitely didn’t bite off more than he can chew. Carlos Condit got him, but that was after Rory was dominating the fight. BJ is a huge test for Rory, but it’s also interesting for BJ.”
Q3. Stefan Struve headlines this year’s UK card against Stipe Miocic. If Stefan wins, should he be considered in the heavyweight title picture?
Jon Jones
“I’ll be honest, as a heavyweight, I haven’t seen all of his fights, so it’s tough for me to really say. What I have seen has been exciting, though.”
Shane Carwin
“It might be a little soon. He’s had some ups and downs. To be in the mix, you’ve got to make some headway and steam to climb that hill. It wasn’t that way for Brock Lesnar, but he came in as a name. We have to earn our name.”
Dan Hardy
“I certainly think so. He’s taken a little bit to find his individual style. He’s well trained, and he’s rangy. I think he can cause anybody problems. It’s just a matter of showing up and getting the job done on the night.”
Matt Serra
“I believe so. The first time I met him, we were walking through the airport. He’s the nicest guy you’ll ever meet, but I had to go my separate ways because, seriously, I came up to his crotch. Do you know how awkward that looked?”
Q4. The UFC is going to China, and it seems that South Africa and India may be next. Where in the world would you like to fight most?
Jon Jones
“I would love to fight in Africa. I think that would be really cool, to be in Africa and fight in front of that crowd. It would be a great honor.”
Shane Carwin
“New Zealand would be cool. That seems like a great place to retire. Australia would have been fun if I hadn’t been injured. I’d like to go anywhere, but the history in Asia is amazing. My wife and I like to go and see the world.”
Dan Hardy
“I don’t know. Nottingham is a dream come true, to be honest. That surprised me. I’ve fought in Vegas now, and I’ll be fighting in my hometown. Wherever I fight after that is a bonus.”
Matt Serra
“Hopefully, before I’m 40 years old, I get to fight in New York, at Madison Square Garden. That’s a given.”
Q5. Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen rematched for the UFC middleweight title at UFC 148. If you could rematch one of your former opponents, who would it be?
Jon Jones
“Honestly, I’m really pretty happy with everything and how it’s worked out – even the Matt Hamill fight. That result really inspired me to push harder and everything, so I’m not really interested in any rematches.”
Shane Carwin
“I think everybody would want me to fight Lesnar, but I’d really like to have Dos Santos back. I came off a surgery, and I wasn’t myself in there. In the Lesnar fight, I was myself, and things happened beyond my control.”
Dan Hardy
“That would have to be Carlos Condit. That was my only knockout loss. I threw the fight away. It was my own fault, and I’d like to go back in there and fix that.”
Matt Serra
“Matt Hughes. I feel he didn’t win the first time, and after everything that’s been said and done, to go off on a fight that could easily have gone either way, why end like that? Why not end it in devastating fashion one way or the other?”
...
