MMA in 2014: UFC Fighters Who Made the Most Noise
For many fighters, 2014 served as their platform for success. Those who achieved greatness during the year did so by becoming UFC champions, positioning themselves as title contenders or remaining undefeated while filming a couple of major motion pictures.
For others, 2014 gave way to their downfall and signified their demise. Some were trashed in the media by UFC President Dana White, and others were felled by performance enhancers and random drug tests.
All in all, sensational headlines were driven by fighters who made the most noise and became some of the most talked-about personalities in the world of mixed martial arts and beyond.
Ronda Rousey: “I’m Going to Retire Undefeated”
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Ronda Rousey was a star both inside and outside the Octagon in 2014. She defeated two high-caliber opponents—one of them an Olympic wrestling champion—in a combined time of one minute, 22 seconds.
Many thought that Sara McMann would serve as Rousey’s toughest opponent. The Olympic gold-medal wrestler sported a professional resume with a long list of accolades that seemed to suggest that she could defeat Rousey in dramatic fashion.
However, during her matchup with the champion, McMann suffered a liver shot that put her down and caused the referee to stop the bout at one minute, six seconds of the first round.
Then, at UFC 175, Rousey demolished Alexis Davis in just 16 seconds, putting her to sleep with punches in the process.
To accompany her great success in the Octagon, Rousey also starred in her first major motion picture alongside Sylvester Stallone in The Expendables 3. She also finished filming Furious 7 and Entourage, both of which are set to release in 2015.
The 27-year-old's outside ring success inevitably produces more mainstream fans for the UFC. She represents one of the hottest stars in world of MMA and is the only women ranked (No. 7) among her male peers on the UFC’s pound-for-pound list.
Ultimately, the superstar wishes to retire undefeated. In a UFC 157 promo, she stated, "I’m going to retire undefeated, and there’s not anything these girls can do about it. They can try. They’re welcome to try, but it’s just not happening."
Rousey plans on continuing her undefeated streak when she faces Cat Zingano on February 28 at UFC 184.
Jon Jones Proves That He’s the Best…Period
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For most of the latter part of 2014, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and two-time Olympian Daniel Cormier were at each other’s throats. Particularly after their brawl inside the lobby of the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino on August 4, 2014, for which they were fined a combined $59,000, tensions were beyond measure leading up to their fight at UFC 182.
In response to the brawl, on UFC Tonight (h/t MMA Torch.com), Cormier stated:
"I figured he was trying to intimidate me. He put his head down on my head and nudged me forward and I pushed him off me. If a guy gets in your face, and makes contact, I respond. Was it the right thing to do? No. But if he did it again, I'd do the same exact thing. I believe it is mental warfare. If I allowed him to do that to me, he would have gotten a one-up on me, and I expected him to do the same thing to me.
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Ultimately, however, Jones got a major “one-up” on Cormier. The champion overwhelmed his opponent at UFC 182, taking the former Olympic wrestler down three times during their bout.
With the win, accompanied by his virtually undefeated record (one loss via disqualification in a fight that he was dominating) and list of former world champions and high-caliber fighters he has defeated, Jones has arguably become the greatest mixed martial artist of all time at just 27 years old.
T.J. Dillashaw Shocks the World and Takes Gold
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Leading up to UFC 173, then-bantamweight champion Renan Barao hadn’t lost a fight in nine years. At 33-2, he sported a 70 percent finish rate and laid claim to the bantamweight title at UFC 149 with his win over MMA legend Urijah Faber. Nevertheless, T.J. Dillashaw ended Barao’s 32-fight win streak at UFC 173.
During their battle, Dillashaw outclassed Barao and beat him to the punch most of the time. This end result was a technical knockout of Barao in the last round and the relinquishing of his UFC championship title. Immediately following the victory, UFC color commentator Joe Rogan spoke to the new champion, Dillashaw:
"That was the greatest performance I have ever seen in my life. …You surpassed all expectations tonight with this performance… It was stunning. …This was incredible. T.J., this is one of the finest performances I have ever seen. …I’ll say it right now. …This is the most spectacular performance I have ever seen against a guy in Barao who is easily one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet. Congratulations on just a masterful work tonight.
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Given that both combatants were successful in their subsequent matchups, the MMA world looks forward to the inevitable 2015 rematch between two of the best bantamweights alive today.
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Conor McGregor Becomes a Bona Fide UFC Superstar
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In 2014, Conor McGregor maneuvered his way to the No. 5 spot on the UFC's featherweight rankings by defeating Diego Brandao and No. 6-ranked Dustin Poirier. The Irishman’s rise to the top of the featherweight division has not only been astronomical due to the destruction of his opponents, but McGregor’s brashness and trash talk have afforded him great popularity.
In fact, in an interview at UFC 182 regarding his upcoming opponent at UFC Fight Night 59, Dennis Siver, McGregor exclaimed:
"I cannot see him (Siver) escaping the first two minutes. He is a seasoned veteran. He is a kickboxing expert, a taekwondo expert. He is my most experienced competitor that I will ever have faced. But, I feel that under two minutes it will take me to dispatch him, and again it will make way for the football stadium in Ireland.
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If he wins, McGregor has been guaranteed a title shot against the division’s longtime champion, Jose Aldo, in what would be one of the most anticipated matchups of 2015.
Phil “CM Punk” Brooks: “They Will Respect Me”
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In December 2014, the UFC dropped a bombshell with the signing of Phil “CM Punk” Brooks. The former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) champion is poised to make his UFC debut in 2015. However, the controversy around Brooks’ signing dealt with his lack of preparation for the Octagon.
At 36 years old, he has no amateur or professional MMA experience. He has dabbled with Brazilian jiu-jitsu for years under the tutelage of Rener Gracie and claims to have a background in kenpo. With a 0-0 record heading into the Octagon and despite not sporting anything that would qualify him as a professional fighter on the world’s largest MMA stage, Brooks has become a contracted UFC fighter.
His signing with the UFC is only due to the fanbase that Brooks brings with him from the world of the WWE. He boasts more than 2.3 million followers on Twitter. His following is approximately a million more than former longtime UFC champion Georges St-Pierre and roughly 500,000 more than the face of women’s MMA, Ronda Rousey, and light heavyweight champion Jon Jones combined.
To bring light to his UFC debut, Brooks stated his intentions at UFC 181: “Hey, UFC fans. This is CM Punk, and I will see you in the Octagon—2015.”
The UFC is banking on Brooks’ popularity to enhance the spotlight on the growing sport. However, the benefits that he provides for the company may be short-lived, given his inexperience in mixed martial arts.
Headline quote provided by MMAWeekly.com
Dominick Cruz: The Injury Bug Prevails
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One of the most anticipated returns of the year revolved around former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. The 29-year-old became just as famous for his rivalry with Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez as he did for his winning of the WEC and UFC bantamweight titles.
However, in 2012, Cruz suffered a torn ACL and was eventually forced to vacate the UFC title. He returned in September 2014 at UFC 178, earning a quick knockout victory over Takeya Mizugaki.
Suddenly, in December 2014, via his Facebook page (h/t TheFightNation.com), Cruz suffered yet another injury, and like before, his return to the Octagon became unknown. The two-time world champion stated:
"It is with great sadness to report I have experienced another ACL injury. This time it’s in the right knee, opposite side of my first and second ACL injuries. Leading up to my last fight in September and after, I have practiced a very careful and methodical training and diet regime to keep my body healthy. Unfortunately, this is beyond my understanding and control. I don’t have a timetable for my return, but trust and know I will pour my heart and soul into returning to the Octagon.
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Cruz’s injury sidelines him indefinitely. Even if the former champion never returns to the Octagon, he would still be regarded as one of MMA’s greatest bantamweight fighters to ever compete at the highest levels.
Gina Carano's Camp Thoroughly Upset Dana White
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In April 2014, UFC President Dana White expressed excitement in his perceived capture and imminent signing of former MMA fighter and movie star Gina Carano. The “original face of women’s MMA” rose to fame during her undefeated fighting streak from 2006 to 2009. However, her loss to Cristiane Justino at Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg led to Carano’s subsequent and indefinite departure from mixed martial arts.
Suddenly, in early 2014, almost five years and a couple of movies later, Carano’s return sparked a great fervor in the MMA community. Regarding his meeting with Carano, per Steve Del Vecchio of Larry Brown Sports, White stated to Heidi Androl of Fox Sports, "Gina and I had a good meeting, and I’m very confident that she does want to come back, and she does want to fight. We do not have a deal, but we might.”
Nonetheless, after months of MMA buzz, talks dissolved between the two parties, which led to the ire of White. In an interview with Fox Sports, according to Damon Martin, the UFC president angrily exclaimed:
"The hardest human being we've ever dealt with and I didn't see it coming. I don't know, we'll see how these things play out. Just incredibly difficult. We've dealt with (Brock) Lesnar, Tito (Ortiz), Chuck (Liddell) was f---ing king of the world, Ronda Rousey, we've pretty much done deals with everyone on Earth and she is the hardest f---ing athlete we have ever dealt with.
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The non-signing of Carano deprived MMA fans of a fight between Carano and the athlete who brought women’s MMA to the UFC—Olympic medalist and UFC undefeated champion Ronda Rousey. As a result, Rousey will face Cat Zingano on February 28 at UFC 184.
Chael Sonnen Fails Drug Tests, Retires from MMA and Gets Fired by Fox Sports
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Although Chael Sonnen didn’t compete in the Octagon in 2014, it was a defining year for the UFC veteran.
The Oregon native was slated to face Vitor Belfort at UFC 175. However, he failed a drug test leading up to the bout, which led to his removal from the card. Following this failed test, Sonnen announced his retirement from mixed martial arts.
Nevertheless, subsequent to his retirement, in June 2014, it was disclosed that he had failed yet a second drug test. The Nevada State Athletic Commission revealed that Sonnen’s blood showed the presence of human growth hormone (HGH) and recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO). The latter is “typically used to boost red blood cells that carry oxygen to the muscles, increasing stamina and endurance.” With the incriminating evidence, the UFC and Fox Sports terminated Sonnen's contract as an MMA analyst.
In the aftermath, Sonnen all but admitted his guilt in the matter. In an interview on This is Jericho (h/t MMAWeekly.com), the UFC veteran stated:
"The rules are clear. I broke them. …You gotta get punished, and I was. And I’ll honor it. …I knew it. I didn’t think I’d be tested for another 44 days. I tried to game the system. …I didn’t want to say anything that could water down my guilt. I thought it was important when you’re wrong, just say you’re wrong, and I was wrong. I’m a grown man. I knew what I was doing. I thought I could have my cake and eat it too. I didn’t take anything illegal, but I’m getting technical here. I’m wrong. That’s the end of it. Be a man and walk away.
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To make matters worse, after failing two drug tests and being fired by the UFC and Fox Sports, Sonnen competed in Metamoris IV (a Brazilian jiu-jitsu competition on pay-per-view) in August 2014, and lost to BJJ legend Andre Galvao via rear-naked choke.
Despite his tumultuous year, Sonnen may have ended 2014 on a bit of high note after all, as ESPN hired him as an MMA analyst in November 2014.
Wanderlei Silva Runs, but He Can’t Hide
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After he coached The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3, the UFC pulled Wanderlei Silva from his matchup at UFC 175 against his perennial rival, Chael Sonnen. Silva’s refusal to undergo a random drug test ultimately led to his dismissal from the bout. Regarding the UFC, in a video released by Silva, he stated:
"I am stepping down from the ring. After today, Wanderlei Silva will not fight again. My career is over. Because I don't have a stage to perform, where the athletes get the proper respect. For these reasons, I have had enough. …They tried to turn my fans against me. My fans, who have followed me for 20 years, before this promotion even existed I was already fighting in Brazil. I have fought bare-knuckle and I helped building this sport. Everything you see today, I helped build with my sweat and blood.
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At the same time, despite stating his discontent with the UFC in late September 2014 and announcing his subsequent retirement, the Nevada State Athletic Commission issued the MMA legend with a lifetime ban and a $70,000 fine for his refusal to submit to the random drug test.
The mixed martial arts pioneer ended his career with a record of 35-12.
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