Video: Matt Giancarlo vs. Michael Dombrowski – United Combat League
February 19, 2014 by Matt Lo Cascio
Video of Gilbert Grappling’s Matt Giancarlo vs. Michael Dombrowski fight from United Combat League’s “Havoc in Hammond” on February 15, 2014.
Video: Joe Goytia Teaches the Arm-Jerk Takedown
February 19, 2014 by Matt Lo Cascio
Total Fight Challenge promoter Joe Goytia of Goytia’s Martial Arts teaches the arm-jerk takedown, a practical move both inside the cage and out.
VIDEO: Miguel Torres vs. Giovanni Moljo – UCL
February 17, 2014 by Matt Lo Cascio
Video of the Miguel Torres vs. Giovanni Moljo fight at the United Combat League’s “Havoc in Hammond” on February 15, 2014.
Video: Tom Shoaff vs. Austin Tweedy at HFC 19
February 11, 2014 by Matt Lo Cascio
Here’s the fight that promoter Paul Vale — and many others — are calling the best fight in Hoosier Fight Club history, as well as the first candidate for Fight of the Year.
It’s Evolution MMA’s Tom Shoaff vs. Austin Tweedy from HFC 19.
74 Judo Throws in Just Two Minutes
February 9, 2014 by Matt Lo Cascio
You might have to pause about halfway through due to dizziness, but 74 Judo throws in two minutes is an amazing sight to behold. The video features 2008 Beijing Olympian and Australian submission grappling champion Matt D’Aquino.
Ricardo Lamas Won’t Be Intimidated by Jose Aldo
January 27, 2014 by Matt Lo Cascio
Ricardo Lamas met the media at the United Center Saturday Night, just one week before his title shot against Jose Aldo at UFC 169.
Lamas talks about the support he’s getting from Chicago, how he won’t be intimidated by Jose Aldo and much more in this video by Miguel Cisneros (@MiguelCTV).
Chico Camus: ‘Chicago’s like my second city’
January 27, 2014 by Matt Lo Cascio
Chico Camus moved to 3-1 in the UFC with a unanimous decision victory over Yaotzin Meza at the United Center on Saturday night. Local videographer Miguel Cisneros caught up with the rising star after his big win.
Follow Miguel on Twitter: @MiguelCTV
What Makes a Title Contender? Miocic vs. Gonzaga Preview
January 23, 2014 by Matt Lo Cascio
by Matt Lo Cascio
One definition of contender is a person who has a good chance at winning. When it comes to heralding fighters as ‘title contenders,’ the word is thrown around a bit too lightly. Moving up the ladder, maintaining a winning streak and beating some of the division’s known quantities are but steps to qualification. Those steps constitute the vying process, the striving to become a contender. That path is arduous and steep; it never gets easier and at no time will the wind be at your back. But it doesn’t necessarily make you a contender.
That paragraph is either really profound or mere gibberish. Either way, Gabriel Gonzaga and Stipe Miocic find themselves at this junction. They’ve completed the initial steps toward earning the contender label, but now comes the truly hard part: getting to the top of the division and continually winning. Only then do you earn the right to be called a title contender. Saturday night in Chicago we’ll find out which fighter takes that next uphill step. The winner solidifies a top-10 ranking and moves on to fight the best in the division. The loser heads back to meet with the many that vie.
The conventional wisdom is that Miocic still has untapped potential. A win against “Napao” would give him more cred, and perhaps a date with Josh Barnett, Mark Hunt, Bigfoot Silva or even the loser of Werdum vs. Browne. However, I don’t know that a win over Gonzaga tells us anymore about his ability to win the title. It tells us he can beat solid, top-10 vets like Nelson and Gonzaga, but his true status as a contender won’t be revealed until he gets a matchup against a top-5 heavyweight. Can he hang with the length and speed of Browne? Dos Santos? Werdum? The bottom line is that Miocic badly needs a win here. A loss here obviously sets him back, especially in a heavyweight division filled with bigger names and bigger draws.
After a short-lived retirement, Gonzaga’s return to the UFC has been very entertaining. He scored quick first-round knockouts against Dave Herman and Shawn Jordan in his last two fights, and he scored submission wins in his first two fights back.
Gonzaga’s skills are world-class and he has consistently rumbled with the best heavyweights in the world for almost a decade. But he already has losses to Junior Dos Santos and Travis Browne, and he’s dropped two fights to Fabricio Werdum. Those three would stand in the way of any title shot, and I don’t see many scenarios in which he scores wins against any fighter in that trio.
Miocic has a better gas tank and is statistically one of the more accurate strikers in the division. Against Roy Nelson, he used his jab a lot, mixed up his strikes and employed great footwork. If he avoids an all-out slugfest with Gonzaga, and follows that same game plan, Miocic should score the win. Then we find out if he is a true contender, something I think we all want to see.
Here’s the video preview for UFC on FOX: Gonzaga vs. Miocic.
UFC in Chicago: Ben Henderson vs. Josh Thomson Preview [Video]
January 13, 2014 by Matt Lo Cascio
The UFC is coming back to Chicago and the United Center on January 25, with former UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson pitted against former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson in the main event.
When I think about fighters that truly push the pace, Josh Thomson immediately comes to mind. He is one of the most exciting fighters to watch, yet one of the most underrated and under-appreciated of his era. He’ll bring out the best in Henderson, and make the former champ fight at the frenetic pace he sets.
Here’s a quick video preview of the event, and we’ll have much more on the card soon.
The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia [Video]
January 8, 2014 by Matt Lo Cascio
The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia premieres January 15 on Fox Sports 1. Patrick Cote will coach the Canadian team and Kyle Noke will lead the Australians. Here’s a quick look at show.
Here’s a look at the fighters:
Full Cast:
Welterweights/Team Canada
Oliveir Aubin-Mercier 4-0, Montreal
Matthew Desroches 4-0, Fredericton
Kajan Johnson 19-10, Montreal
Chad Laprise 7-0, London, Ontario
Middleweights/Team Canada
Luke Harris 10-2, St. Albert, Alberta
Nordine Taleb 8-2, Montreal
Elias Theodurou 8-0, Toronto
Sheldon Westcott 8-1, St. Albert, Alberta
Welterweights/Team Australia
Chris Indich 6-1, Perth
Jake Matthews 6-0, Melbourne
Brendan O’Reilly 5-0, Brisbane
Richard Walsh 7-1, Sydney
Middleweights/Team Australia
Vik Grujic 6-2, Melbourne
Daniel Kelly 6-0, Melbourne
Tyler Manawaroa 10-0, Brisbane
Zein Saliba 4-0, Sydney
The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia will debut at 9pm CT on FOX Sports 1 next Wednesday, January 15.
