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bet every fight on the card is more exciting than the 5rd snooze fest i predict as the main event.
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Could Matt Serra's UFC 98 fight with Matt Hughes be his final one?
Matt Serra has crammed more accomplishments and accolades in 14 career fights than most fighters could ever dream of achieving.
Serra won "The Ultimate Fighter 4" in 2006 and went on to win the UFC welterweight title from Georges St. Pierre a year later with one of the biggest upsets in MMA history.
But could an upcoming grudge match with Matt Hughes at UFC 98 be Serra's final task before retirement?
He's not closing the door on that possibility.
"I look it at like this," said Serra, who meets Hughes in the UFC 98 co-main event on May 23 in Las Vegas. "I feel like if I retired tomorrow, I have enough to tell my grandkids what I was doing. I'm very fortunate where I have two successful mixed-martial-arts schools in Long Island, N.Y. ... The fighting to me, I always felt that if my heart weren't in it and I'm doing it for the wrong reasons, then I'm not going to do it because I don't feel like I need to do it."
That's not to say Serra (9-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) is at that point quite yet.
"I do it enjoy it," the 34-year-old said. "I do love it. There's nothing better to me than getting paid to do what you love. I love what I do in the offseason. I love teaching. I love teaching jiu-jitsu. I love teaching martial arts (with) everyone from kids to other fighters who want to be champions someday.
"But I also love to compete. And while I still can do it and have the hunger for it and the desire, I'm still going to do it. I'll take it a fight at a time."
But how much does the Hughes fight factor into the decision? Would a "TUF" title, a welterweight belt and a victory over a longtime and bitter rival be enough to call it a wrap on his career?
"I'm putting a lot on this fight," Serra said. "I want that notch in my belt. In the future there are guys like GSP and Matt Hughes, who I'm sure are going to be hall-of-famers. If I get Matt Hughes under my belt and take care of him, even if I would not be considered one of the best ever, I'd have some victories over some guys who will be.
"I can live with that."
So is it a distinct possibility we could see Serra in the UFC octagon for the final time next week? Could the fight with Hughes – a year and a half in the making – mark the end of one of UFC's most improbably successful careers?
Serra isn't saying yes. But he's not saying no either.
"I don't know, man," Serra said. "I just want to take care of Matt Hughes, and then the only thing for sure is that I'm going to have some pizza and pasta because I haven't had any in three months. But after that, we'll see what's up."Comment
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Sean Sherk, Frank Edgar, Matt Serra clean in pre-UFC 98 drug tests
LAS VEGAS - UFC 98 main card competitors Sean Sherk, Frankie Edgar and Matt Serra have all passed pre-event drug test administered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer confirmed the results with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) following today's NSAC hearing at the Grant Sawyer State Office Building in Las Vegas.
Kizer also indicated the commission was still waiting on the results of a sample from Matt Hughes.
All four athletes will compete on UFC 98's main card, which takes place May 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
While Sherk was part of a well-documented suspension by the California State Athletic Commission following his July 2007 UFC title defense victory over Hermes Franca, Kizer insisted his selection was done strictly on a random basis.
The NSAC also required a clean test from Sherk before his May 2008 loss to B.J. Penn at UFC 84.
"The last time we made him do a test because of the prior suspension," Kizer said. "This one, him and Edgar was just the fight we picked, just like Serra and Hughes."
Sherk and Hughes were also approved for the renewal of their NSAC licenses to compete in mixed martial arts as part of today's proceedings. Former NFL lineman and current MMA heavyweight Marcus Jones also received his NSAC license.
All three applications were quickly approved without debate, though Commissioner Pat Lundvall did question Sherk, who was present via telephone, on his interaction with the legal system in the years following a conviction for assault in 1994.
Sherk indicated he had not been involved in any further issues with the law since the incident.
UFC veteran Marvin Eastman was also on the day's agenda for license approval, but "The Beastman" neglected to send in an application prior to the meeting. Eastman will be eligible for approval at the NSAC's next meeting, which Kizer recommended the commission hold prior to June 13.Comment
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Machida will offer Evans a very different challenge than he's ever faced. There's no way to effectively prepare for an opponent like Lyoto, because of his lone wolf style. He'll shrug off Evans' takedown attempts, full stop. If Evans choses to be aggressive and move forward, he'll find Lyoto too elusive and then, when Evans waits for Lytoto to come to him, it will be from a long distance out.
I see this a very easy UD for Machida, or possibly a stoppage.Comment
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I agree, I don't see Evans being effective against Machida's standup, and I think Machida will be able to largely nullify Evans' wrestling.Originally posted by Moon View PostComment
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UFC 98: PHILLIPE NOVER AFTER FIRST UFC WIN
It’s been a while since Phillipe Nover has been seen in the Octagon. In fact, it’s been almost five months since we’ve seen The Ultimate Fighter finalist lose to Efrain Escudero. In that period of time, he has been training hard to improve his game to make himself a threat in the lightweight division.
Returning at UFC 98, Nover will be taking on Kyle Bradley in a chance to get his first official win in the cage.
“I feel great,” said Nover on a recent episode of MMAWeekly Radio. “I've definitely been itching to get back in there. I actually, from my track record, don't fight that often, so I'm used to the downtime and taking a few weeks off. Now that I'm fighting full time and training full time, I definitely got the itch so I can't wait to get in there.”
Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White had lots of impressive things to say about Nover when he was on The Ultimate Fighter, drawing comparisons to the likes of Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva. While flattered by the comments, he realizes that he is not at that level yet.
“It depends how you take Dana White's words. I'm not on GSP's level or Anderson Silva's level. They're years and years ahead of me. They're training full time and they are super-talented, but there is no telling in the next five years if I can get to a championship level. I'm training my ass off and I have some talent, so it depends how you take it. Anderson Silva would whoop my butt. I'm not at their level, but maybe someday I will be.”
Most fighters would love to have their boss compare them to the likes of two dominating champions, but Nover was more taken back by a different comment that White made.
“I took it as a big compliment,” Nover offered. “One of the biggest compliments that I saw on an episode is that he said I'm possibly one of the most talented guys to get on the show. That just blew my mind.
"I try not to let things gas my head up. It added some pressure and added some nervous energy, but I really wanted to out in that fight with Escudero and knock his head off and say, 'yeah, I'm really good.' But strategy-wise, I was out strategized. Just over committing to power punches, things of that nature.”
When Nover lost to Escudero in the finals, it was the first loss of his career. After finishing his opponents quickly on the show, the loss took him by surprise. But like all good fighters do, he took his loss as a learning experience and is ready to unleash his newfound lessons on Bradley at UFC 98.
“It wasn't such a bad loss as in getting knocked out or submitted. I wasn't really hurt after the fight. More than anything I felt like I was mentally put in a different place. I didn't know how to come back from that. I went back to the drawing board and looked at things very positively," he recalled. "I saw the things that I need to work on and my holes are wrestling, which I've been working on day and night putting the puzzle pieces together, working on my wrestling and working on my hands. You have to put all the puzzle pieces together. I'm more a strategist now and in this next fight, you'll see that.”
Now more focused than ever, Nover realizes the opportunity that he has and doesn’t want to spoil it, which is why he has now transitioned to full time training.
“People would kill to get in my position,” he said humbly. “They have the talent, but they don't have the people around them or the ability to be like I do because I got on the show and got to show them the type of fighter I am to show them that I'm a UFC caliber fighter.
"The only way to prove you are a fighter is to train full time. I can't be working forty hours a week as a nurse and go and train. It's too draining for me.”
Nover’s opponent hasn’t had great success in the Octagon going 0-2, but losing to very tough opponents Chris Lytle and Joe Lauzon. Even though Bradley hasn’t won a UFC fight yet, Nover realizes the threat that Bradley possesses, especially because it could be win or be cut from the UFC.
“He's definitely a wounded dog right now and he's going to go all out. It's do or die for him, so I'm taking him very seriously," Nover said. "He's fought two tough guys and he didn't lose to scrubs. He has a decent record and he has a few knockouts on his record, so he is going to pour it all out and he's going to try to knock my head off. He'll try to win by any means, so I'm taking that very seriously. I'm not underestimating him at all."Comment
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Machida: ‘I’ll Bring Him into My Game’
Since Lyoto Machida arrived in the UFC with his unique Shotokan striking style, many have called him a boring fighter. However, six back-to-back victories against opposition like Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Tito Ortiz, and Thiago Silva have left little doubt of the unorthodox fighter’s efficiency in the Octagon.
It reminds Machida of another Brazilian competitor who walked before him.
"When Royce [Gracie] started to beat his opponents on the ground, the American fans were not used to the ground fighting and also criticized his style, but soon his efficient results changed peoples’ mind,” says Machida. “I’m not pretentious to compare myself to the legendary Royce, but I truly think something similar is happening with my standup style. Now I feel people are starting to understand and respect.”
Machida will have an opportunity to gain even more respect when he faces UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans at UFC 98 on May 23 in Las Vegas. Both fighters have remained undefeated in their 14 career bouts, marking the Brazilian’s biggest challenge to date. However, he does not worry about the pressure.
"I’m very happy because I’ve always dreamed about this moment,” says Machida. “Actually, I’ve already faced the worst pressure. In the fight against Ortiz, for example, I was in the middle of [Ortiz’s] personal war against Dana White and the boss threw all the responsibility on my shoulders.”
Machida also felt the heat going into his 2003 bout against another former UFC champion.
“I felt a lot of pressure when I fought Rich Franklin in Inoki Bomb-Ba-Ye in Japan,” says Machida. “At the time, I had just two MMA fights and he was undefeated with nine knockouts, and many people came to tell me that if I stayed on my feet, I would be knocked out fast. But my father said, ‘It’s not like that; go there and believe in our art.’ I did what he said and knocked him out in the second round.”
Machida, a native of the Amazon, might be the only fighter of Brazil’s elite to not rely on a top MMA training center for his striking.
"I see the preparation for a MMA fight as a set of many important points like sparring, structure, food and family support. Even having Anderson [Silva], [Vitor] Belfort, [Antonio] Minotauro [Nogueira] and other excellent partners in Rio de Janeiro, here in Belém (Para state) I have a more complete package,” says Machida. “I’m close to my family, counting on my father and brother´s support, eating my food, in my city, with excellent trainers, good sparring and making my own schedule.”
The son of a Japanese father and a Brazilian mother, the fighter points to his patriarch Sensei Machida, a Shotokan master, as one of his greatest influences.
"My father is a amazing strategist; when he looks at someone fighting he knows exactly what I have to do,” says Machida. “But my father is hot tempered -- he wants me to decide the fight fast, while my brother, Shinzo (a 2006 world-champion silver medalist in Shotokan karate) is more balanced and fights just like myself. Joining the tactics of my father and the equilibrium of Shinzo, I have the perfect package in my corner.”
Still, with a stacked corner, Machida expects a stiff test from Evans.
"He is a excellent wrestler,” says Machida. “Tito Ortiz tried to take him down, but he couldn’t. I’m not going to lose energy trying. He is also a good striker -- very cold and strategic. That became clear during his last fight when Forrest [Griffin] was beating him up and he suddenly turned the fight in his favor. Certainly, he is studying a way to not get into my game, but my father, brother and I, we are also studying a way to bring him into my game. All I can say is that the fans can expect a great fight.”Comment
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Added Serra/Hughes promo vidComment
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I have no doubt in my mind Machida would more than likely bring Rashad into his game. I just cant see Machida losing, that is a REAL martial artist right there.
I like Rashad a bit more than Machida though. Rashad would be like half a point more liked than Machida, in my book. So, even though I think Machida will win, I gotta go for Rashad.Comment
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UFC's Pat Barry brings heavy blows
Pat Barry has the kind of concussive punching and kicking power that can take him a long way in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's heavyweight division, even if his cell phone is filled with voice mails and text messages telling him he's a fool to compete with the big boys of mixed martial arts.
He's 5 feet, 11¼ inches tall and weighs 230 pounds but is derided as a "midget" who would be better off fighting as a 205-pounder.
Barry, who may be the most brutally honest man in MMA this side of Dana White, doesn't believe he's too small to be a factor at heavyweight.
And while he concedes he'd like to run into some of those anonymous Internet tough guys who fill his phone with venomous messages picking apart every aspect of his game, at least he's taking some of their advice to heart.
Barry, a one-time kickboxer in K-1, has moved to MMA and fashioned a 4-0 record. He's one of the many up-and-coming heavyweights that White, the UFC's outspoken president, is so excited about.
He meets Tim Hague on May 23 in UFC 98 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in a bout for which he'll give up about five inches and 35 pounds. He's not bothered by that, though he does get irritated by the constant refrain of many of his critics to drop to light heavyweight.
But where Barry agrees with them is the need to shore up his wrestling and his jiu-jitsu.
"I've gotten better at defending the takedowns, and I've gotten a lot better at exploding back to my feet once I hit the ground," said Barry, whose childhood home in New Orleans was destroyed in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. "I've gotten better at defending submissions. It's all coming.
"I'm a quick learner, and I'm a student of my trade. I've immersed myself in wrestling and jiu-jitsu. I've got Cliff Notes on wrestling and jiu jitsu, and I have to catch up on the years and years of experience all these other guys have."
He probably never will earn a black belt in jiu jitsu, and he probably is not going to qualify for the 2012 Olympic wrestling team. But he doesn't have to do either of those things to become one of the UFC's elite heavyweights.
He simply needs to become proficient at defending the takedown and must improve his submission defense. Barry has that rare kind of power that can knock down a man twice.
"When I talk about a guy like Pat Barry, I think it's smart to remember a kid like Thiago Alves," White said. "When Alves came to the UFC, all he was was a striker. He had nothing else. But he hooked up with a great team and he learned, and look at his takedown defense now. It's world class. Matt Hughes couldn't get him down [at UFC 85], and he's one of the greatest wrestlers ever in mixed martial arts.
"Pat has to get better at those things, but it's not like he's not capable of doing it. He's an extremely powerful guy, and if he develops in those other areas, he'll be right there with anyone in the heavyweight division."
Barry stopped Dan Evenson with kicks in the first round of his UFC debut at UFC 92 on Dec. 27 in Las Vegas, but that was not enough to satisfy his critics, who responded to his win by ridiculing Evenson.
It's part of the game, Barry is learning, but he's motivated to develop a more well-rounded game not only to silence the critics but also to increase the size of his paychecks.
He has the ability to become a big-time attraction with his power, but he still is scratching and clawing to survive. And while the life of a professional fighter might seem glamorous to some, Barry insists there isn't anything glamorous about scrimping and saving as you're trying to make a name for yourself.
"People come up to me and they say, 'Man, you're famous and you must be rich because I've seen you've got fights on YouTube,'" Barry said. "Rich? YouTube don't pay nothing. I'm still eating tuna out of a can, man."
But he'll be able to buy the biggest steaks he can find if he manages to gravitate toward the upper reaches of the UFC's heavyweight division.
The heavyweights typically are the sport's least talented fighters, but the UFC has developed a quality core of men who give the division the depth it hasn't had in years.
Men like champion Brock Lesnar and challengers Cain Velasquez, Shane Carwin and Junior Dos Santos, among others, aren't out of reach if Barry can continue his development.
"All those guys were questionable at one point or another, and some of them still have questions they need to answer," White said. "But they've developed and improved, and people see them differently now."
Barry said he barely could believe what he saw the first time he watched Velasquez, who probably is the UFC's top prospect.
Barry said fighters no longer are one-dimensional, but he said Velasquez takes being multidimensional to another extreme.
"I'm studying this stuff day and night because I have a very short period of time and I have to get this quick," Barry said of his wrestling and jiu-jitsu. "People don't 'just' punch and kick any more. They don't 'just' wrestle any more. There are no more Royce Gracies, where they'll just take you down and submit you. Everybody is good at everything.
"A prime example, the No. 1 example, a scary man who I don't want to see anytime soon, is Cain Velasquez. The first time I saw him fight, I had no idea he was not a striker. I thought, 'This guy is a badass kickboxer,' and he's beating guys to pieces. Afterwards, I found out he's not even a striker."
Barry laughed, knowing this is the type of guy he'll be facing before long.
"You see a guy strike like that and you think, 'He's got to have a long, long background as a kickboxer,'" Barry said. "No. The guy is a wrestler. He's a stud wrestler who happens to know how to punch and kick. That gave me chills.
"That right there is why I'm wrestling and doing jiu jitsu 10 days a week. I'm doing it nonstop, almost because I'm trying to get ready for guys like him. He's a super stud the world should watch out for. ... Those are the kinds of guys I'm going to have to fight, so it's not a surprise what I'm doing in training. But I'm an athlete, and I know I can pick this up."
If he does, the UFC will have another sensation on its hands. Barry has the power to score a knockout with either hand or either leg, and that's a rare commodity in the fight game today.
He knows that if he lands, he has the ability to end the fight at any time.
"I've kicked people before in the legs, and you see it transfer to their face and they're going, 'Oh, wow,'" Barry said. "Everyone is this business has been hit hard before, but I hit scary hard.
"I'm a Mike Tyson-esque kick boxer. Tyson wasn't a pitty pat puncher who would beat you with accumulation. Every time Tyson hit you in the head, he was trying to make your ear fall off. Being that I'm seen as a smaller heavyweight, that's my goal. I have to hit you and end the fight as quickly as possible, especially in MMA, because if I fall to the ground, I'm in trouble right now."
Let him put his hands on you, though, and it's a different story.
"I have to make guys not want to come close to me at all," Barry said. "If I punch you, you'll think you've stepped on a land mine. If I kick you, it's over, no matter who you are and where it hits you. You're going to be hurt. Something's going off your body. I've hit guys and in my mind as they're laying there, I'm like, 'Damn, man. I don't ever want to know what that feels like.'
"That's what I do. I'm a finisher."Comment
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