Chicago Cop Mike Russow Suffers Second Round KO
January 26, 2013 by Matt
by Matt Lo Cascio
Chicago cop Mike Russow was back fighting in his hometown Saturday night, as the UFC on Fox 6 invaded the United Center. Russow walked in to “Simple Kind of Man”, and entered the cage behind a thunderous roar from his many fans.
Russow had opponent Shawn Jordan in trouble early in the first round. Russow moved Jordan up against the cage and then landed a series of rights that left Jordan a bit wobbly and bloodied. Russow took a break from the barrage and gathered some breath while holding Jordan up against the cage.
With 2:30 left in the round, Russow unleashed another barrage of punches that stunned Jordan led to a takedown.
Jordan escaped, but with blood trickling down his face. Russow attempted a single-leg takedown but couldn’t complete it. Jordan landed some short, solid elbows at the end of the round, but Russow clearly won it.
Jordan seemed to have a better feel for Russow in the beginning of round 2, but then an eye poke to Russow halted the action.
Jordan found his range and began landing hard shots to Russow’s face, then easily took him down. Russow gave up his back to Jordan, but Russow escaped with about three minutes left in the round. He got Jordan in a clinch and the United Center crowd called for knees. Russow obliged, landing two knees behind a loud roar.
But Jordan was able to turn the tables on Russow, get him to the ground and take his back. There would be no escape for Russow this time, as he was clearly hurt from the powerful lefts and rights that Jordan was landing. Herb Dean stepped in to end it at 3:48 of round 2.
“I thought I had it,” Russow said. “I’m disappointed but it’s MMA. You have to finish when you get your guy hurt.”
Jordan acknowledged that Russow had him in big trouble in the opening round.
“How badly was I hurt in the first round? What? There was two rounds in that fight? Well, I was shook up pretty bad,” Jordan confessed. “That first round wasn’t fun at all.”
Russow drops to 15-3 in his pro career, including a second straight defeat. He suffered a first-round TKO loss to Fabricio Werdum at UFC 147 last June.
UFC on Fox 6 Results
January 26, 2013 by Matt
RESULTS FROM UFC ON FOX 6 – 1/26/13 – UNITED CENTER – CHICAGO, IL
Demetrious Johnson vs John Dodson – Demetrious Johnson def. John Dodson via UD
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs Glover Teixeira – Teixeira def. Jackson UD
Anthony Pettis vs Donald Cerrone – Pettis def. Cerrone, TKO- Strikes, 2:22 rd. 1
Erik Koch vs Ricardo Lamas – Lamas def. Koch via TKO – ref stoppage via strikes 2:22 rd.2
PRELIMS
TJ Grant vs. Matt Wiman – Grant def Wiman via TKO 4:51 rd. 1
Clay Guida vs Hatsu Hioki- Guida def. Hioki via SD
Mike Stumpf vs Pascal Krauss – Krauss def. Stumpf via UD
Ryan Bader vs Vladimir Matyushenko – Bader def. Matyushenko via guillotine, :50 of rd. 1
Mike Russow vs Shawn Jordan – Jordan def. Russow via TKO-strikes, 3:48 rd. 2
Rafael Natal vs Sean Spencer – Natal submits Spencer via arm triangle, 2:13 rd. 3
Simeon Thoresen vs David Mitchell – Mitchell def. Thoresen via UD, 30-27 on all three judges’ cards
Demetrious Johnson UFC on FOX Fighter Diary
January 25, 2013 by Matt
What’s the stupidest question UFC flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson has been asked? He talks about it in his UFC on FOX fighter diary.
UFC’s Dana White Having Surgery on His Ear [Video]
January 22, 2013 by Matt
It’s fight week here in Chicago, as The UFC is back in town for UFC on FOX 6 at the United Center on Saturday.
UFC president Dana White puts out vlogs (video blogs) during fight week, and this week is no different. Except that instead of talking about one of the matchups on the card, or how fans can win tickets, we are treated to video of White’s recent surgery for Meniere’s Disease.
He’ll warn you in the video and I’ll warn you here: there will be blood. So watch at your enjoyment/peril.
UFC on FOX 6 Preview: Anthony Pettis vs. Donald Cerrone
January 21, 2013 by Matt
by Matt Lo Cascio
Most fight fans agree that the Anthony Pettis vs. Donald Cerrone bout has ‘Fight of the Night’ written all over it. Cerrone is usually cashing bonus checks after his fights and Pettis is one of the fastest, most dynamic strikers in the sport. There’s also a firm grudge in place and title shot implications abound. It is can’t-miss TV come Saturday night. Here’s a preview of one of the most anticipated fights on the card.
THE BACKGROUND
Cerrone told MMA Junkie that “The dude’s (Pettis) been running scared for two years,” he said. “He doesn’t fight. You can’t just not take fights. Three fights in two years.”
Pettis did the one thing that Cerrone could not: defeat Benson Henderson and claim the WEC lightweight title. Cerrone had two chances against Henderson back in the WEC. The first fight was won by Henderson via unanimous decision and the rematch wasn’t much of one at all as Henderson choked out Cerrone before two minutes had expired off the clock in the first round.
Cerrone had one other title shot in the WEC against Jamie Varner and he also dropped that fight to a split decision.
So when Cerrone says that Pettis has been ‘running scared’, it’s hard not to filter that through what’s happened in recent years. Pettis had one title shot and made the most of it. He landed one of the greatest kicks in MMA history and took the belt from the champion in his one and only chance at the title. Cerrone had three shots and came up empty each time. He also dropped a bout to Nate Diaz that would have earned him another shot at Henderson.
Both fighters are coming off impressive victories. Cerrone scored a first round knock out of Melvin Guillard at UFC 150 in August. Pettis knocked out Joe Lauzon in the first round of his only fight in 2012.
The winner of the Pettis vs. Cerrone fight likely gets a title shot against the winner of the Benson Henderson vs. Gilbert Melendez fight, so the stakes are extremely high for both combatants.
THE BET
“When you believe in things that you don’t understand, then you suffer…superstition ain’t the way.” – Stevie Wonder, “Superstition“
Anthony Pettis takes on Donald Cerrone at the United Center on Saturday, and if you believe in superstition, your money will be firmly behind The Cowboy before the cage door and betting windows slam shut.
Pettis has two losses on his pro record, both courtesy of Chicago-area fighters. Clay Guida handed Pettis his most recent loss in 2011 and Bart Palaszewski beat Pettis back at WEC 45 in 2009. So far, Chicago hasn’t been too kind to Pettis.
Oddsmakers basically have it even right now. I’ve seen Cerrone at -120 and Pettis at -110, as well vice versa.
Velasquez on PED Testing, Fighting Alistair Overeem
January 11, 2013 by Matt
UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was in Chicago on Thursday to promote UFC on FOX 6 at the United Center on Jan. 26. He talked with ESPN Chicago’s Ray Flores about the prospect of fighting Alistair Overeem, and if he would want additional PED testing for Overeem, who is coming off a suspension.
Tyson Who? Cain Velasquez Responds to Tyson Fury
January 11, 2013 by Matt
Tyson who? “I didn’t know who he was.” That’s what UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez had to say about boxer Tyson Fury, who called out Velasquez, challenged him to a fight and called him a ‘midget’.
In an interview with Ray Flores for ESPN Chicago, Velasquez describes the only acceptable scenario in which he would fight Fury.
UFC on FOX 6: Demetrious Johnson Interview
January 9, 2013 by Matt
Demetrious Johnson looks to defend his UFC flyweight title at the United Center on January 26 at UFC on FOX 6. Johnson says that Dodson cannot match his speed, but speed is not the only reason he wins fights.
UFC on FOX 6: John Dodson Interview
John Dodson will battle Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson for the UFC flyweight title when the UFC on FOX comes back to the United Center on January 26.
Dodson has had just three UFC fights, but because the UFC’s flyweight division is in its infancy he has leaped to the top of the class with three straight wins. In this video, he talks about how the fight will be won between him and Johnson.
Ric Lamas on Big Fights, Blanket Wrestlers
December 10, 2012 by Matt
by Matt Lo Cascio
Chicago’s Ric Lamas will fight Erik Koch at the United Center when the UFC on FOX comes back to town on January 26. He’ll be fighting on national TV in his hometown, and the winner of the fight should get a shot at the UFC 145 lb. title.
That seems like an inordinate amount of pressure, but Lamas actually welcomes all those challenges.
“The more support and familiar faces I have around me, the more comfortable I feel. I can’t wait to fight at home in front of all my family and friends,” Lamas said.
Having friends and family around being a comfort makes sense, but what about the title implications of the bout, and being on national TV for the first time?
“I don’t feel any more or any less pressure because in this business EVERY fight is the most important fight of your life,” Lamas said.
Most fighters will say things like this, but you actually believe it when Lamas says it. If you’ve seen him fight, you know Lamas is one of the coolest cats in MMA. Watch him as he enters the cage and he’ll likely have the same expression that he would have going to get the morning paper.
Lamas was an All-American wrestler at Division III Elmhurst College, and he’s worked his way up from fighting locally at Ironheart Crown to the WEC and now the UFC, where he has yet to lose in three fights.
He’s made big statements in all three of those fights. He stopped Matt Grice via TKO in the first round, followed that up by choking out Cub Swanson and then beat heralded contender Hatsu Hioki by unanimous decision in June.
Next up is Duke Roufus-trained Erik Koch, a lanky, sensational striker that has been defeated just once. That ought to give Lamas cause for concern, right?
“There is nothing that I would say concerns me about Erik Koch,” Lamas said. “He’s just another tough opponent. At this level everyone is a tough opponent. All I can do is prepare the best I can and perform well on fight night.”
Fellow Chicagoan Clay Guida will fight Hatsu Hioki on the same card in January. Having just defeated Hioki, Lamas was asked what advice he would give to Guida, who will be making his featherweight debut.
“I would tell him not to hesitate or give Hioki too much respect,” Lamas said.
You don’t get to the top of your division without being well-rounded, but Lamas is best known for his wrestling pedigree. The main criticism of fighters in MMA these days is that “blanket wrestlers” are boring and that they simply try to win on points. Lamas has a message for fans and fighters that don’t like that style.
“There are some wrestlers who are really exciting fighters to watch. There are also some wrestlers who use their wrestling to win fights, or lay and pray as people call it,” Lamas said. “I don’t hold anything against any fighter who has to do what they have to do to win. If you don’t want someone laying on you for three rounds then learn how to GET UP! Or learn how to defend a takedown. People are quick to blame the wrestler but if the other guy trained like he should then he should be able to stop a takedown.”
We’ll likely find out if Koch can stop a Lamas takedown early in their fight. Expect Lamas to get inside and try to get Koch to the ground. Chad Mendes used that style in Koch’s only defeat, and Koch would love to stay on the outside and use his range and striking to keep Lamas at bay.
The UFC on FOX card will also feature several other Chicago-area fighters. Chicago police officer Mike Russow will fight Shawn Jordan, and Team Curran’s Mike Stumpf will take on Pascal Krauss.
Demetrious Johnson will defend his flyweight title against John Dodson, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will fight Glover Texiera, in what could be Rampage’s last UFC fight.
