Issue 114
May 2014
Morsels of Fighters Only musings on everything mma
ON THE RADAR
Three red-hot prospects worth keeping an eye on...
Yuta Sasaki, 16-1-2
Tall, lanky Japanese bantamweight Yuta Sasaki has been getting results. An unrelenting grappler who isn’t easily deterred by adverse positions, he’s locked and choked his way to a 50% tapout win rate. The owner of a two-year and 10-fight undefeated streak, he doesn’t have much power in his boxing but instead uses his long jab (he’s a five-foot-ten 135lb’er) to control the stand-up and wear down opponents. He apparently wants to improve and win the Shooto title before going to the UFC. An exciting and sometimes eccentric fighter (he enters the ring wearing a long, flowing robe) who’s only 24, what’s not for the Las Vegas promotion to love?
Anthony Hamilton, 12-2
MFC heavyweight champion Anthony Hamilton has become a prospect since being stopped twice back-to-back in 2012. That’s down to several highlight-reel knockouts in a six-fight win streak, and training at Jackson’s MMA where he’s a sparring partner for friend and UFC contender Travis Browne. Since questions about his conditioning were answered with a dominant five-round January decision over TUF alumnus Darrill Schoonover, he might be asked whether he can cut it in the upper echelons next.
Anderson Berlingeri, 10-1
One of the best fighters to come out of the famed Chute Boxe gym in years is Anderson ‘Berinja’ Berlingeri. Except this time the group responsible for Muay Thai killers such as Wanderlei Silva and ‘Shogun’ Rua has produced one bona fide all-rounder. Eight out of the bantamweight’s 10 wins have ended early in his favour – five by KO, five by submission. Fast and calculated but aggressive, a first-round knockout win over UFC veteran Marcos Vinicius earlier this year may have caught the eye of the big-league matchmakers.
3 rounds of action
1 ‘CYBORG’ ANNOUNCES PLANS TO FACE ROUSEY AT 135LB IN DECEMBER
Former Strikeforce champion and reigning Invicta 145lb queen Cris ‘Cyborg’ Justino has detailed her plans to fight rival and UFC title-holder Ronda Rousey later this year.
In a statement released to US TV show Inside MMA, Rousey’s longtime rival stated after finishing already-contracted contests at featherweight she will work with a doctor to cut to 135lb and challenge for Invicta’s 135lb title in the summer. The Muay Thai specialist’s camp had previously claimed cutting down to bantamweight could be dangerous to her health.
If her bid for an Invicta belt at 135lb is successful Cyborg says she wants to fight Ronda, who started her MMA career at 145lb, for her belt in December.
Justino said: “I will still listen to my doctor’s advice and fight no more than three times at 135lb: first to win the Invicta belt, the second time to kick your ass, and the third time to kick your ass again so that the world can see it wasn’t luck.”
FO SCORE: Should ‘Cyborg’ succeed in making 135lb for her test bout, and win the contest, it’s hard to see the UFC passing on what will surely be one of the biggest bouts in MMA, let alone women’s fighting. Five years ago the Brazilian was one half of one of the most watched female fights in MMA history when she beat Gina Carano.
2 EFC AFRICA FIGHTER DIES AFTER TKO LOSS
South African middleweight Booto Guylain died in a Johannesburg hospital in March, six days after suffering a TKO loss.
The 0-2 pro-rules novice suffered a third-round mounted elbow strikes defeat at EFC Africa 27 on February 27th. Guylain was taken to hospital shortly after the bout where tests discovered he had swelling and bleeding on the brain.
Guylain received treatment from the Johannesburg General Hospital neuro-surgical team but passed away on March 5th.
His medical costs will be covered by OnePlan, EFC Africa’s medical partner.
FO SCORE: Our thoughts and condolences are with Booto Guylain’s family at this difficult time.
3 PETTIS AND MELENDEZ TO COACH ALL-FEMALE TUF
UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and final Strikeforce 155lb belt holder Gilbert Melendez coach opposite one another on the very first all-female season of The Ultimate Fighter. The show, set to premier in September, will culminate in a lightweight title showdown between Pettis and Melendez, as well as crown the very first UFC female 115lb strawweight champion.
Melendez’s opportunity comes in reply to a contract offer from Bellator.
FO SCORE: With ratings and buy-rates not matching the division’s talent, it appears the UFC’s lightweight class has struggled to appeal to fans of late. Perhaps this season will help personalise two of the best 155lb’ers in the world to viewers.
QUOTES
“Every day. Every day I miss waking up in the morning and having that challenge ahead of me.”
Doesn’t sound like it would take much to coax former UFC favourite Brian Stann back into the Octagon
“I thought I was there to corner somebody, and I had been convinced to step in on short notice to fight. That’s what was going on in my head. I was like, ‘Why have I fought tonight? I’m not supposed to fight for another two months.’”
Michael Bisping recalls not recalling being KO’d by Dan Henderson after their fight at UFC 100
“Apparently fighting Roy Nelson and then fighting Pat Cummins gets you a title shot. Maybe beating no one in the top 10 like Glover (Teixeira) did gets you a title shot. There’s no rhyme or reason to getting a title shot.”
UFC light heavyweight Phil Davis checks discretion at the door
“Brock Lesnar doesn’t f**king like anybody, but he really likes Pat Barry and has a lot of respect for Pat Barry. If Brock Lesnar likes you, holy s**t, you’re doing really good.”
Says UFC chief Dana White. If you’re OK by a gruff, introverted Minnesotan, you’re OK by us too
“Philosophically I look at sponsors as revenue that should go 100% to the fighters. The promoter shouldn’t be taking a piece of that, they shouldn’t be taking a commission, and they shouldn’t be charging sponsors for the right to pay fighters to step inside our cage.”
Bellator boss Bjorn Rebney takes a jab at the UFC’s sponsor tax
REWIND / FAST FORWARD
Legend reborn: linking two combatants – one past, one present
PATRICK COTE
Made UFC debut against Tito Ortiz on:
Four days’ notice
Record at the time (2004): 5-0
PATRICK CUMMINS
Record at the time (2014): 4-0
Made UFC debut against Daniel Cormier on:
10 days’ notice
STAR SIGHTING
WILL SMITH
Who? Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Men in Black actor
Where? UFC 170, Las Vegas, Nevada
Hollywood A-lister Will Smith, who undertook heavy boxing training for his role as Muhammad Ali in the fight legend’s movie biopic, was ringside with wife Jada and daughter Willow to watch fellow actor Ronda Rousey defend her UFC women’s 135lb title by TKO against Sara McMann in February.
...
