Bleacher Report - Articles by Kieran Bamford

UFC Nighty Night

Kieran Bamford — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:04:37 -0500

Billed as 'an epic battle of champions' UFC 94, Pierre vs. Penn was hyped as the biggest fight in UFC history.

Though on some fronts the fight, or at least Penn, failed to deliver, most fans were satisfied with St. Pierre's successful title defence.

On the same card, two unbeaten 13-0 warriors went head to head and after a crushing knock-out of Thiago Silva by Lyoto Machida right at the buzzer, fans went wild.

Prior to that at UFC 93, two veterans slugged out an insanely close fight as Rich Franklin lost narrowly to former pride champion Dan Henderson.

At the same event the much-anticipated return of Mark Coleman drew many viewers to see if the original ground and pound stalwart could really still perform at the highest level. Sadly for his fans, Mauricio Rua ruined the party—but fans were entertained even if one eye was already on Pierre vs. Penn.

So with great fights and all the hype in past events many fans are predicting a period of mediocrity. The more discerning fans however might just spot one or two prospects for incredible fights on the next two fight cards.

UFC 95 is headlined by Diego Sanchez vs. Joe Stevenson—an unusual headliner but maybe an interesting prospect. Stevenson is a strong fighter and has a great ground game. Sanchez is on a winning streak and wont want it to end any time soon.

Names don't necessarily make a fight, but styles do. These are two impressive jiu-jitsu practitioners and with UFC fans becoming increasingly well versed in the ground game the fight shouldn't disappoint, as Stevenson predicts:

“We have similar styles, although he kicks more than I do. I am looking forward to the fight; Diego is someone who will come at me instead of staying back worried about me taking them down. I think it will be a great fight.”

If you told a UK fan that the card is weak they may have to disagree. With four British fighters on the card the, O2 arena London will be awash with atmosphere and chanting. Any non-native fighters will find themselves the villain no matter how popular they are in US shows.

Michael Bisping may not be gracing the octagon, but many talented young fighters are, with Dan Hardy the standout. Hardy is much-talked about in the UK MMA scene and with his impressive victory over Akahiro Gono he has stamped his mark on the UFC. Now Hardy is ready to take on Rory Markham in what will be both fighters second fight in the UFC and neither fighter will want a loss so early on their UFC record.

Ultimately UFC 95 is a night for prospects. Promising fighters such as Demian Maia, Junior Dos Santos, Terry Etim and Paul Taylor will all be looking to catch the eye of Dana White and Joe Silva. More experienced UFC fighters such as main event fighters Sanchez and Stevenson as well as Josh Koscheck and Nate Marquardt are peppered throughout the card and will ensure the smooth running and professionalism of the night. A card full of promise, delivering British fighters to British fans and offering the best of UFC youth.

Just two weeks later the UFC gives another offering, this time delivering one of the biggest names in the sport in the form of Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson. The reformed and rejuvenated Jackson faces the ever present Keith Jardine. Both fighters are coming off the back of solid wins and both like to stand and swing. Potentially a solid fight yet most fans can only see one winner and Jackson proceeding up the ladder to get a shot at the title he wants so badly to retrieve.

The fight card is littered with exciting fighters such as Matt Brown, Matt Hamill, Jason Day and the young Tandem McCrory. The standout fight on the card for many, including the main event, will be Shane Carwin vs Gabriel Gonzaga.

This promises to be an incredible stand up war. The unbeaten Carwin is a giant and looks to be a real contender for the heavyweight throne. Whoever leaves the octagon the victor should find himself named as the number-one heavyweight contender.

With the recent cuts of UFC fighters anyone on a shaky record will literally be fighting for their livelihoods and will be dying to make an impression. While it could lead to nervy performances it is more likely to be extra motivation and give fighters a little more reason to strive for fight of the night.

The big names might not seem to be ever present, but when looking back in a few years, the cards will be seemingly full of huge fighters who were just a little less well known.

Liddell's Choice: The Art of an MMA Comeback

Kieran Bamford — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 05:52:55 -0400

This article originally appeared on Fighters Only. Click here to see it in its original context.

“And it is all over!”

These are familiar words from UFC commentator Mike Goldberg, but sometimes they can allude to more than just the end of a fight. With recent upsets against Chuck Liddell, Quinton Jackson, and Tim Sylvia, questions are inevitably asked about where they go from here.

Some, such as Telegraph MMA journalist Gareth Davies, call for Liddell to end his career before becoming a stepping stone for up-and-comers. Davies recently wrote that Liddell “needs to have a sit down with UFC president Dana White, who should spell out some home truths."

In the unpredictable world of MMA, defeat is only a second away and one wrong choice is quickly capitalized on by opponents of the highest caliber. The manner of defeat can help dictate what happens next.

A devastating knockout can end a career, whereas a contested split decision gives a little more leeway when asking for another chance.

A loss on the record is hard for any fighter. For a promising fighter it can be a lesson learned and a few more rounds of experience to rely on next time. Such was the case for Brock Lesnar following his debut defeat to Frank Mir at UFC 81.

“You win some, you lose some. I'd like to win them all but I can't," Lesnar said, reflecting on his first-round submission loss.

For a champion however, the repercussions are great. The invincible veneer is shattered, the deals become less lucrative and—worst of all—he finds himself back at the start of a path he so arduously traveled before.

Matt Serra followed the Hollywood underdog script to the letter as he staggered his way to a 4-4 record in the UFC and seemingly lost his chance at the big time. That is, until he was handed a lifeline in the form of "The Ultimate Fighter 4: The Comeback."

Serra came through the rounds and took victory at the finale by the slightest of margins. But this didn't matter; he had gained his chance and a once in a lifetime shot at glory.

It was a chance he didn't take lightly and, despite being a heavy underdog, he executed a first round knockout on the seemingly unstoppable Georges St. Pierre. (Although ultimately, Serra learned that the only thing harder than becoming a champion is remaining one.)

Randy Couture is the embodiment of heart and he is making yet another comeback as he returns to the UFC. Already twice a champion, Couture retired from MMA after a second-round KO loss to Liddell in February 2006.

A year later, at age 43, Couture came out of retirement to face the much larger Tim Sylvia for the UFC heavyweight title. Sylvia was dominated for five rounds and Couture upset the critics and the odds to become the first ever three-time UFC heavyweight champion and the king of comebacks.

But not all returns are triumphant affairs. Some end almost as soon as they start. Some are devastated by injury and misfortune. Many occur when the fighter is past his prime and make for nothing more than uncomfortable viewing, as fans watch one-time legends be punished by lesser-known fighters.

Ken Shamrock did exactly that when thousands watched his attempted comeback fail inside a round as Robert ‘Buzz’ Berry demolished him with relative ease. It was a tough sight for those who had seen Shamrock help make MMA and the UFC what it is today.

Perhaps the greatest comeback comes in the form of MMA itself. Once vilified by authorities and sporting bodies everywhere, MMA almost faded out of existence before primetime television and careful marketing helped it become the fastest growing sport in the world.

While it may not be viewed as barbaric any more, it is still a cutthroat industry made by and for winners. There are no loveable losers in MMA, and every spot on the fight card has plenty of quality fighters vying for it.

The competition is only getting better, with the likes of Affliction and WEC pushing the UFC to stay ahead in such a profitable market. This can only mean that any fighter not pulling his weight must be removed to make way for more exciting prospects, however big their name.

One of those truly promising prospects is young Brit, Paul Kelly. Undefeated so far, Kelly has one goal—to entertain the fans. As he told UFC.com: “I'd rather lose an exciting fight than win a boring one.”

An admirable outlook, but one that may be tested should a "one" appear in the loss column.

The top fighters made it there for many reasons, not least of which is fan popularity.

With their notable skills, undeniable heart, and crowd pleasing performances, fighters such as Chuck and Rampage should have no problem returning to winning ways. The only real test will be their desire to get back in the cage and mix it with the best once again.

Were Dana White to ask if they still “want to be a f**king fighter,” the answer would be an unerring “yes.”