Giving away a lifetime Membership to one of the best gyms in the world. Help us change someone’s life..!
Tag Archives: brandon vera
Henderson vs. Diaz, Rua vs. Gustafsson, Penn vs. MacDonald Added to UFC on FOX 5
By Ariel Helwani – Video Reporter and Writer
The UFC is bringing out the big guns on FOX once again. Benson Henderson vs. Nathan Diaz for the lightweight title, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs Alexander Gustafsson and B.J. Penn vs. Rory MacDonald have all been added to UFC on FOX 5, which will take place on Dec. 8 at a yet to be announced venue. UFC president Dana White confirmed the news with USA Today on Wednesday.
This marks the first time a UFC title will be defended on network television since Cain Velasquez fought Junior dos Santos at UFC on FOX 1 in November.
Henderson (17-2) successfully defended the title on Saturday night when he defeated Frankie Edgar via split decision, while Diaz (16-7) most recently defeated Jim Miller via guillotine choke at UFC on FOX 3 in May.
Rua (21-6) picked up a much-needed TKO win over Brandon Vera two weeks ago at UFC on FOX 4, while Gustafsson (14-1), considered one of the rising stars in the 205-pound weight class, is coming off a win over Thiago Silva in April.
And then you have Penn vs. MacDonald, which was supposed to take place at UFC 152 in September until a cut suffered in training forced MacDonald to pull out of the fight. Penn (16-8-2) hasn’t fought since October, when he lost to Nick Diaz via unanimous decision. Following the fight, Penn announced his retirement from the sport, but he returned earlier this year when MacDonald called him out on The MMA Hour. MacDonald (13-1) most recently defeated Che Mills via TKO at UFC 145.
The promotion is expected to announce a fourth main card fight in the following weeks.
Dana White UFC 150 vlog day 1
UFC of Fox 4: Main Card Highlights
by DeLeon DeMicoli | source: The Underground Blog
Mike Swick vs. DaMarques Johnson
This was Mike Swick’s return to the octagon since a twenty-four month layoff. But luckily for fight fans he was in top form when he stepped inside the cage.
At the opening bell both fighters hit each other with solid shots. But it was Johnson that took it to the ground and landed heavy ground-and-pound busting up Swick’s face. In round two Johnson set up a jab-kick combo that Swick caught like the winning touchdown for a Hail Mary pass putting Johnson on his back. While Johnson used the opposite hand to break his fall Swick saw the opening and dropped a piston into Johnson’s face, not once, but three times ensuring Johnson wasn’t getting up.
Besides being a great show opener on Fox (not to mention Knock Out of the Night honors) it was the friendly banter on Twitter between both athletes after the fight that showed the class of UFC fighters.
DaMarques Johnson
@officialswick welcome home in the @UFC sir. You where the better man last night. As a fan I’m glad back. Can we be twitter friends now?
Mike Swick
@DaMarques_UFC Thanks bro. You gave me a hell of a fight, we had a war! Always a fan of yours, keep your head up!
DaMarques Johnson
@officialswick I HOPE YOU USE SOME OF THAT BONUS MONEY TO BUY A LIGHT SWITCH IN UR HOUSE AND NAME IT DARKNESS LMAO
Mike Swick
@DaMarques_UFC Keep ur spirits high rather! Haha Thx 4 bringing it. We made war. Love ur heart & fortitude! Ur elbows… not so much! 
Joe Lauzon vs. Jamie Varner
This scrap proved why the lightweight division could have more action in it than a Jerry Bruckheimer flick.
At the opening bell Varner looked like he took a few boxing lessons from Micky Ward and Dicky Eklund with all of the body shots he landed. But it was Lauzon’s ground game that led the dance in the third, putting Varner in a triangle choke and not letting up until an exhausted Varner tapped.
The fight took home Fight of the Night honors giving both fighters a $50,000 bump and Lauzon an extra $50,000 to fly home first class if he chose from taking Submission of the Night honors.
Lyoto Machida vs. Ryan Bader
Machida returned to classic form in this fight relying on his karate and counter striking. As the fighters met in the middle of the cage Bader looked like he was standing on the edge of a cliff hesitating to jump into the sea while Machida used his wizard-like hand motions to hypnotize Bader. Bader fell under the spell and lunged into Machida’s counter-punch, which proved to be an over-the-counter sleeping aid.
With quick work of Bader, Machida will fight the winner of Jones vs. Henderson.
Mauricio Rua vs. Brandon Vera
Vera stepped into the Octagon like Rod Tidwell in the movie “Jerry Maguire” hoping to prove his critics wrong and that he belonged with the light heavyweight division’s elite. Rua wasn’t going to make Vera’s night an easy one as he changed up his style looking for the takedown. Vera refused to cry uncle as he returned to his feet each time and hit Rua with a sharp jab-hook-kick combo. But it was Rua that reloaded his six-shooter in the fourth round and came out blasting to win by TKO.
Underground Blogger DeLeon DeMicoli wraps up the UFC on FOX 4 main card
DeLeon DeMicoli writes and trains in San Francisco, CA. He is currently writing a novel on Mixed Martial Arts.
UFC changes tune, UFC on FOX 4′s Bader-Machida winner also possible for title shot
by John Morgan
LAS VEGAS – On Monday Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White announced that UFC on FOX 4 headliners Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (20-6 MMA, 4-4 UFC) and Brandon Vera (12-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) are competing this weekend for a shot at the promotion’s light-heavyweight title.
He later told USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that co-headliners Ryan Bader (14-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) and Lyoto Machida (17-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) also will have that opportunity.
“Whoever wins the most impressively on Saturday night gets the shot at the title,” White said.
White’s decision comes after a rash of fan backlash following his original announcement. UFC’s social-media-savvy fanbase immediately took to Twitter to protest the decision while citing Rua’s recent losses to both current champion Jon Jones and the champ’s UFC 151 opponent, Dan Henderson – as well as Vera’s current run of just one win in four appearances – as reasons why the bout did not deserve to be considered a No. 1 contender’s contest.
White said he listened to the complaints, and he’s making a change.
“I put together the fights that fans want to see,” White said. “The fans didn’t like the Rua and Vera choice, so here it is: The guy that wins most impressively on Saturday night out of the co-main event and the main event will get the shot at the winner of Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson.”
The change still leaves the potential for Vera, who has registered just two wins in three years, to qualify for a championship bout. However, White said he believes an impressive win is enough for “The Truth” to deserve such an opportunity.
“There’s no doubt that Vera is getting the opportunity of a lifetime,” White said. “He’s getting the opportunity of a lifetime, but we’ll see what happens. We’ll see if he makes the most of it.”
Interestingly, champ Jones has already defeated all four potential contenders, so if he’s able to get past Henderson on Sept. 1, he’ll be looking at a rematch. The champ also took to Twitter to protest the original plans.
“Scratching my head,” Jones wrote on Monday.
However, Jones’ current run of seven consecutive wins, which includes four victories in a row against ex-UFC champs, has left him with very little new blood ready to step into a UFC title fight.
“He can scratch his head all he wants,” White said with a laugh. “Scratch away.”
“UFC on Fox 4: Shogun vs. Vera” takes place Saturday at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. A four-fight main card airs on Fox (8 p.m. ET) following prelims on FUEL TV (5 p.m. ET).
For more on UFC on FOX 4, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.
