One of the Greatest Champions of All Times and a New Superstar

For the first time in his career Jon Jones, in his match up against Alexander Gustafsson has been put in a fight which did not provide him with a comfortable control of the distance.

Staying in the pocket often complemented sweede’s style and staying outside just proved what an important factor the size of Gustafsson was in this fight.  Alex’s constant target reaching jabs, wonderful footwork and unbelievable wrestling defence in his fight for the Light-heavyweight title of the world has shocked the community of Mixed Martial Arts. Behold, a new superstar has emerged.

Chris Weidman and His Dubious Train of Hype

With UFC 162 fast approaching the organisation is trying to sell Chris Weidman as an unbeaten phenom, a perfect storm to blow away the most dominant champion in the history of the sport. While it sounds very exciting, the reality is quite different. Numerous fans have expressed negative opinions on Weidman as a contender to the Middleweight title. Today we will examine the legitimacy of Chris Weidman as a number one contender.

Chris Weidman is being advertised as a young talent with a whole glorified career ahead of him. With only 9 professional fights on his record it may appear to be true, however in reality he is already 29 years old. In the MMA of today, a fighter in his late twenties is usually only a couple of years away of reaching the hay day of his career. Compared to a 23 year old welterweight Rory MacDonald who at the moment arguably does not get half of the hype Weidman is getting, he should be a seasoned veteran in the fast evolving environment of today’s mixed martial arts. However, Chris is not a veteran, he has a decent 9-0 record with 5 UFC victories, but at the moment his career leaves an impression that the contender has not been tested at the highest levels of the competition. 

The Ethics of Testosterone Replacement Therapy in Mixed Martial Arts

It is natural that a human body slows down in its mid-thirties. It is also as natural that some elite athletes will not be excited to accept the fact that they will not be able to practice and perform at the same pace and level as before. That is where the question whether something about it could be done arises. When natural methods seem to be inefficient, and steroids are unhealthy, risky, unethical and flatline stupid, an athlete may realise that retirement may be the best solution to his/her issue. However, it can be a hard decision to make to some athletes, especially in a sport like Mixed Martial Arts where fighter’s financial security is more of an exception than a rule.

Fortunately to some, a magical way to slow down the aging process has been found. Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) has proven to be a go to move for the fighters who have either made a decision to prolong their careers, have normal lives or even stay alive. Fighters such as Chael Sonnen, Frank Mir, Dan Henderson and Forrest Griffin have gotten exemptions that allow them to use testosterone therapy and have formed an infamous TRT club of mixed martial arts.

A Different Look at Jon Jones’ Defensive Strategy: Can Mixed Martial Arts be Compared to Basketball?

The shenanigans that have surrounded the cancellation of UFC 151 event in Las Vegas have not been seen in the world of MMA in a very long time.  A wave of criticism has been launched at Jon Jones and his coach Greg Jackson for not accepting the short notice fight against Chael Sonnen. While it is very easy to attack the hesitant champion who has probably wasted months of training and thousands of dollars of fellow fighters, dozens of dozens of their training partners and coaches and ruined the weekend of thousands of fans, the following article will suggest taking a look at the situation from a different angle. The question is whether Jones should care about the other fighters and the fans. The proud Christian is in this sport for money after all.

What is Next for the Winner of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Tournament?

The Strikeforce heavyweight tournament has finally ended and we have got a winner. It is safe to say that the victory in the Grand Prix puts Daniel Cormier in the top five of the heavyweight rankings, which could mean that it is about time for him to fight for the UFC title. However, that will not happen yet as Strikeforce (SF) and its host – Showtime have signed the winner of the tournament to have one last fight in Strikeforce. That means that the number one contender for the UFC heavyweight title could very possibly be determined in the Cormier's last fight in SF. ZUFFA have decided to shut Strikeforce's heavyweight division down and send their best heavyweight talent to the UFC. The main question now is who will be Daniel's opponent as at the moment he is the only heavyweight on the Strikeforce roster. It appears that ZUFFA has only two options – they can either bring one of UFC's elite heavyweights, or get a serious free agent to face Daniel Cormier.

The Ups and Downs of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Tournament

When Strikeforce announced that they will be organizing a heavyweight tournament - we nodded, there has not been a renowned MMA tournament in a very long time. When the president of Strikeforce, Scott Coker, stated that it may go down as the best MMA tournament of all times - people smirked. Next to UFC, Strikeforce was small and powerless. However, they managed to get a bunch of elite heavyweights to perform and deliver in every fight. Those who smirked in the past - do not any more.

Today, right before the final fight of the tournament between Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier, we can look back at the Grand Prix and evaluate it. As mentioned above, Strikeforce succeeded at the most important aspect of organization - they have gathered a group of heavyweights who have brought a broad arsenal of skills and heavy power. One could argue that today, every single fighter (with an exception of Andrei Arlovski) in the tournament could at least co-main event a big UFC pay per view card. Another major reason for the tournament's success has been the fashion of the fights. With an obvious exception of Werdum vs. Overeem, the fights were entertaining and hardly predictable. These are the reasons why heavyweight fights are favorite among the fans of the sport.