UFC 170 Review: Rousey and Cormier remain unbeaten

Kingdom MMA Review of UFC 170

by Sam Heard @SamHeard_

Another UFC event is in the books and – it must be said – compared to the lacklustre events fans have witnessed so far in 2014, this one was actually very enjoyable. With several notable attendees there to experience a night at the fights including Will Smith with family and Stone Cold Steve Austin, the event certainly delivered overall. While the main card was generally outstanding, this was primarily thanks to the fights outside the main and co-main events (which were on both counts painfully one sided).

RONDA ROUSEY (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) VS. SARA MCMANN (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC)

For a long time now Sara McMann has been slated as the woman to eventually dethrone Rousey, utilising her Olympic-level wrestling to neutralise the champion’s judo. Despite this lofty praise, when this fight was announced back in December, many believed that McMann had been given the title shot too soon and she would be far better off amassing more MMA experience.

These fears were confirmed yesterday when Rousey picked up the TKO win over McMann coming via a wicked knee to the liver. The stoppage resulted in a chorus of boos from the fans in attendance, who believed Herb Dean stepped in prematurely – Herb seems to be on bad form of late … It’s unfortunate as until that point McMann and Ronda had been throwing bombs at each other in a highly entertaining first minute.

It was believed that the chink in McMann’s armour would be her striking and – whether you dispute the stoppage or not – this was confirmed last night. McMann did show flashes of promise though; she managed to stuff the hip toss of Ronda which was so dominant in her last match.

Next in line to face Ronda will likely be Alexis Davis who picked up a huge win on the undercard, though Cyborg’s recent announcement that she will be dropping to 135-lbs could throw a spanner in the works.

Result: Ronda Rousey def. Sara McMann via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1:06

DANIEL CORMIER (14-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) VS. PATRICK CUMMINS (4-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC)

This one went exactly according to the script as DC made his Light Heavyweight debut with a bulldozing victory over UFC debutant Patrick Cummins. DC was as high as a 1/16 favourite with UK bookmakers and, as the odds suggest, he made short work of Rashad Evan’s late replacement.

The former Olympic wrestler barely utilised any of his wrestling skills as he quickly rocked the newcomer with a vicious uppercut from the clinch. This visibly stunned Cummins triggering DC’s killer instinct to swarm him with punches till the then-unbeaten Light Heavyweight collapsed under the relentless pressure, making it an easy call for Mario Yamasaki to step in.

I was never a fan of this fight. Props to Patrick Cummins for stepping up, but making your UFC debut in the co-main event of a PPV against a guy like Cormier does not make for good viewing. Though I expect the UFC to use this win to hype DC fighting at 205-lbs, realistically it proves absolutely nothing. Here’s hoping that we’ll see that DC vs Rashad fight in the not-too-distant future.

Result: Daniel Cormier def. Patrick Cummins via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:19

RORY MACDONALD (16-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) VS. DEMIAN MAIA (18-6 MMA, 12-6 UFC)

In what would receive ‘Fight of the Night’ honours, we saw the clash of two top Welterweight fighters coming off loses looking to put their names back in the title mix. It would pit the awesome BJJ skills of Demian Maia against the more well-rounded Rory Macdonald, or in other words the timeless grappler vs striker matchup.

In the first round Maia scored a quick takedown and – for what remained of the five minute – displayed his amazing BJJ to dominate Macdonald on the ground. Every time Rory attempted an escape of a sweep Demian would be two moves ahead in a highly compelling chess match taking place on the ground. To his credit, Macdonald managed to survive the round and took the fight to Maia in the second, using his rangy attacks to bloody-up and rock the former Middleweight title contender on the feet.

Going into the third round it was unquestionably one round apiece. Macdonald had inflicted the more damage but if Maia could somehow take Rory back down to his world he could steal the win. Though Maia was able to get the quick takedown, Macdonald displayed grappling skills of his own to stand-up and continue the fight on the feet. He then continued to win the final round on the feet, easily stuffing the remainder of the Brazilian’s takedown attempts.

Rory may now be in a position where he is next in line to challenge the winner of the Hendricks vs Lawler match-up as he showed the aggression many believed he’d been lacking in his more recent fights.

Result: Rory MacDonald def. Demain Maia via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

MIKE PYLE (26-9-1 MMA, 9-4 UFC) VS. T.J. WALDBURGER (16-9 MMA, 4-4 UFC)

Experience triumphed over youth in this Welterweight clash as veteran Mike Pyle was able to get the late TKO stoppage over Waldburger.

Waldburger has built a name for himself for being an all-or-nothing style fighter – either he’ll pick up a flashy submission victory or he’ll be unconscious on the mat. Who needs judges, eh? True to form, this one didn’t hit the scorecards as a late flurry from Pyle which started with a spinning back fist rocked Waldburger, forcing him to shoot for a half-hearted takedown. Pyle reversed the attempt and found himself on top of Waldburger, raining down some of the heaviest elbows you’re ever likely to see in MMA. It was clear that Waldburger – who is known for his suspect chin – was out but still referee Herb dean didn’t jump in, making for some highly uncomfortable viewing. It was only after several more nasty looking shots landed that the fight was stopped. It’s really not been your year, has it Herb?

Result: Mike Pyle def. T.J. Waldburger via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 4:03

STEPHEN THOMPSON (9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) VS. ROBERT WHITTAKER (11-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC)

This was always going to be one of those blink-and-it’ll-be-over type matchups as these two strikers met in the Octagon; Stephen Thompson’s unpredictable karate style would take on the more powerful boxing of Aussie Robert Whittaker.

Though the fight was over quickly, Thompson was able to display some beautiful karate techniques. Using a traditional karate stance and his reach advantage he was able to keep Whittaker on the outside while landing plentiful front kicks, body kicks and leg kicks. Though Thompson kept his hands low throughout, Whittaker’s well-documented power was nullified by this ranged assault. Frustration set in on the Australian TUF Smashes winner as he began to rush in, eventually resulting in him being clipped with a crisp straight right which rocked him and allowed Thompson to pounce for the finish.

With a big win over a tough opponent, Wonderboy is likely going to be in a position to push for a top ten 170-lb opponent.

Result: Stephen Thompson def. Robert Whittaker via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 3:43

ufc 170 Results: Alexis Davis potentially puts herself next in line for the 135lb title fight

UFC 170 Results: Davis defeats Eye by Split Decision

by Ben Heather @benheather

This battle between two of the best 135lb women in the UFC could decide who will be the next contender for the women's bantamweight title which will be contested later tonight. Only time will tell who will be the champion later but if Ronda Rousey wins I see the winner from this fight being the next in line.

Round 1
Davis starts the round with some leg kicks always targeting the left leg of Jessica Eye. It doesn't take long before Davis locks in a nice Thai clinch and lands a couple of knees to the body and thighs in the clinch.
Just over a minute in to the fight Davis is mixing up her kicks and lands a front kick to the head but then the fight gets clinched against the cage where it stays until the ref steps in to break the women up. Davis goes back to working the left leg before moving up to the body. The fight returns to being clinched against the cage and this time it is Eye who has her back against the cage. The fight returns to the middle and Davis gets the takedown with ease and has 30 seconds left to work on the floor in half guard but can't find any space to lock in a submission as the round ends. A very close round which I believe Davis may have stolen with the late takedown.

Round 2
Round 2 starts the same way as the first as Davis comes out with some leg kicks, still targeting the left leg of Jessica Eye. Just after the minute mark of the round Davis catches a kick and takes Eye down landing in half guard. Davis is controlling the fight on the ground doing enough to keep the fight down without doing any real damage. However, with 90 seconds left it looks like Eye was giving up her back to prevent the body attacks from Davis but Davis keeps her in half guard. With 20 seconds left Davis lands some big hammer fists to the head and Eye clearly had no answer for Davis on the ground. The first round may have been close but the second was very one sided with Davis controlling 4 minutes of the round on the floor.

Round 3
Again as every round has started Davis lands more leg kicks but now Eye begins to catch the kicks but cant find any counters. With 3 minutes of the fight left Eye catches Davis with a left hook when Davis was going for more leg strikes. At the half way point Davis lands a big body shot but nothing more comes from it. As both women exchange on the feet its Eye who is landing the harder strikes with 90 seconds left. Now Eye is trying to give Davis a taste of her own medicine by working her legs. The remainder of the fight sees both women picking there punches but no hard punches are landed. I think Eye won the last and certainly by keeping the fight standing had a much better round but it was too little to late in my opinion.

The judges agree and score the fight 29-28 Eye, 29-28 Davis and 29-28 Davis. It goes in to the books as a split decision victory for Alexis Davis and the crowd react with some boos which I don't understand as to me it was clearly 29-28 to Davis.

Davis could have just booked herself a date with the winner of the main event tonight, only time will tell but if not she is doing a good job at clearing out some of the other contenders to the belt.

UFC 170 Results: Aljamain Sterling out points Cody Gibson

UFC 170: Aljamain Sterling vs Cody Gibson

by Ben Heather @benheather

Aljamain Sterling came in to the fight at UFC 170 with a lot of hype and why not after all he was coming in undefeated and from one of the best camps in MMA. The Serra Longo fighter certainly lived up to the hype during the fight. Cody Gibson did his best throughout the fight and made it a real dog fight.

Round 1
Sterling comes out wanting to make an impression in his UFC debut landing a couple of head kicks including a front kick within the first minute. Gibson then decides that he will not be shown up and both men attempt but miss some flashy kicks. Gibson attempts a takedown but can't complete it and lets go of the clinch but it doesn't take long for him to complete the takedown as he gets Sterling down a couple of seconds later. Again, Sterling isn't kept down for long and gets back up to his feet. This time Sterling drags Cody down and rolls in to full guard from the back of Gibson where he works the body and head while down. Gibson gets back up and they exchange on the feet before Sterling drags the fight to the cage wall where he is working his knees. Mixing up the placement between the body and the legs of Gibson.
Sterling 10-9

Round 2
The second round starts and Gibson catches a kick from Sterling and lands a punch. The fight goes back to clinching against the cage and its Sterling again trying to land the knees but Gibson is working the legs looking to take Sterling down. Two minutes in to the round he finally gets the trip. Again, like the first Sterling gets straight back up before being dumped back down on the floor. This time as Sterling attempts to get back up Gibson keeps hold of his back but nothing comes from it and they are back on the fence clinching. With 1:20 of the round left they finally come away from the cage and its not long before Gibson goes for another takedown. Both men then scramble to get position and Sterling goes for a double leg with 25 seconds left but gets caught in a guillotine by Gibson. The choke is not tight enough and Sterling gets out and makes it to the end of the round. Gibson evens the fight as it goes to the third round.

Round 3
The first real action of the third is when Sterling picks up and slams Gibson down 30 seconds in to the round. Sterling is doing just enough to keep the fight down and with 90 seconds gone Sterling attempts to lock in a D'arce choke. Sterling isn't able to complete the choke and lets go before he burns out his arms. Cody then tries to lock in a guillotine and tries to drag Sterling down but loses his grip and ends up on the bottom with Sterling in full guard. Sterling moves to half guard and works the body of Gibson from the bottom some of the shots seem to hurt Cody and he gives up his back to try and get out of the position with 90 secs left. With 45 seconds left Sterling locks the body triangle in and with 30 seconds left he is looking to finish the fight and locks in a Rear Naked Choke but again can't complete it. Sterling ends the fight on the back of Gibson throwing and landing bombs.

This was a great fight and Sterling takes the win 29-28 on all of the judges score cards. He also looks to be a real talent and the hype was well deserved for this fighter. I look forward to seeing him back in the Octagon in the near future.

Kingdom MMA review of UFC 169

UFC 169: Barao vs Faber II

by Sam Heard @SamHeard_

Boasting two title fights with a brace of the UFC’s most dominant champions topping off a stacked card, UFC 169 certainly promised a lot and in many ways failed to live up to this lofty expectation. Not only were UFC records broken for the most fights to go to decision – ten of the twelve fights would hit the judge’s scorecards – but the night ended in an unsatisfactory manner with a questionable referee stoppage. The disappointing nature of the night is reflected in the distribution of the bonuses with one fight taking all the honours. The Trujillo/Varner matchup would pick up not only the Knockout of the Night bonus for Trujillo but also an augmented Fight of the Night bonus as a result of the lack of a ‘Submission of the Night’ – a whopping $125,000 in bonuses for Abel Trujillo.

Renan Barao (32-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) VS. Urijah Faber (30-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC)

The UFC’s marketing of this fight was such that Faber had a 50% chance of toppling the newly crowned undisputed Bantamweight champion. Not only did Joe Rogan explicitly say this in the promo but they were also very shady about revealing the fact that the two had fought before and that Barao in his decision victory Barao had outscored Faber 50-45 on one judge’s scorecard.

In their second match-up it was all too clear that since they last met in the Octagon, Barao is the more improved of the two fighters. The first two or so minutes of the fight saw some fairly even striking exchanges between the two fighters with Faber’s tutelage under Duane Ludwig clearly giving him the confidence to kick-box with the dangerous Brazilian fighter. However, standing with Barao proved to be a mistake as a solid straight right connected directly with Faber’s jaw, dropping him and allowing Barao to swarm all over him. Somehow Faber was able to get to his feet but the Brazilian blitz continued, a typhoon of knees, uppercuts and body shots. The relentless pressure from Barao paid off as he once again dropped the dazed Alpha Male captain. Faber clung to Barao’s leg and was guarding the Brazilian’s rapid hammerfists but Herb Dean had seen enough, despite Faber having given him the thumbs up. In fairness to Faber, he did seem like he was able to continue and after the fight was stopped he was immediately up challenging the controversial decision.

This ending was undesirable to both Bantamweights – Faber was denied the opportunity to continue in the fight while Barao, who had looked amazing in the fight, couldn’t get the definitive stoppage he may have needed to get his name right up the p4p rankings.

Result: Renan Barao def. Urijah Faber via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:42

Jose Aldo (24-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) VS. Ricardo Lamas (13-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC)

Some have expressed disappointment in Jose Aldo for not picking up a victory in the distance. I am not one of these people. While he failed to stop Lamas, Aldo looked completely dominant in his unanimous decision victory and showed some of the most technically appealing combinations of strikes I’ve ever seen.

Aldo chained together long, accurate combinations throughout the fight which nearly always finished with one of his renowned thunderous leg kicks. The Brazilian champ also displayed exceptional takedown defence to ruin Lamas’ strategy to outwrestle him. Lamas was mostly unable to threaten Aldo – the only round he won on the judges’ scorecards was the fifth where he was fortunate enough to find himself on top of Aldo in a scramble. Even in this position he didn’t really trouble Aldo who was clearly content to remain on his back and let the judges give him his sixth consecutive UFC win. Critics of Aldo will attribute his losing the fifth round to his tendency to fade towards the end of fights. I tend to disagree with this as he hadn’t slowed down at all until being taken down.

At the post-fight press conference it was revealed that now Aldo has defeated all the top featherweight contenders he would be interested in moving up to 155-lbs to fight Pettis for his Lightweight belt.

Result: Jose Aldo def. Ricardo Lamas (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)

Frank Mir (16-9 MMA, 14-9 UFC) VS. Alistair Overeem (37-13 MMA, 2-2 UFC)

In what was probably the most disappointing fight on the main card we saw one of the least competitive heavyweight fights in recent memory. Most expected Overeem to come out, rock the shaky chin of Mir immediately and finish him for a quick return to the dressing room. We saw domination of a very different, far more boring kind, however. Clearly in fear of getting tagged as he has been in his past two fights, Overeem fought ultra-conservatively despite having several openings to easily finish Mir. Instead, he lay on top of Mir for large sections of the fight landing just enough ground-and-pound for the ref to not stand it back up. What could have been one of the most exciting fights on the card turned out to be boring and highly uncompetitive. Bad match-making on the part of the UFC.

Result: Alistair Overeem def. Frank Mir via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Ali Bagautinov (13-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) VS. John Lineker (23-7 MMA, 4-2 UFC)

This clash of two rising flyweights certainly seemed to be a fight for the number 1 contender spot, pitching the world-class sambo of Bagautinov against the brute power of John Lineker.

The fight was extremely back-and-forth throughout: Bagautinov, as we had seen in his last fight, was comfortable enough on his feet to throw combos at the Brazilian while mixing in takedowns while Lineker was able to cause some visible pain to the Russian, particularly with body shots in the second. Despite this, it was an easy fight to score in the end with Bagautinov’s domination on the mat able to comfortably win the first and third rounds while Lineker’s power shots in the second frame won him a round back. Bagautinov certainly seems like a worthy challenger to take on Mighty Mouse next – he was able to make a man who has been knocking out talented flyweights left, right and centre look slow, plodding and one dimensional.

Result: Ali Bagautinov def. John Lineker via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Abel Trujillo (12-5 MMA, 3-1 UFC) VS. Jamie Varner (21-9-1 MMA, 3-4 UFC)

This fight was easily the most entertaining on the whole card and there really isn’t much which can be said about it other than that you should watch it as soon as you get chance.

Imagine two Wanderlei Silva clones slugging it out in the Octagon if you want the best description of this bout. The two had each other hurt on multiple occasions and indeed it seemed Varner had all but beaten Trujillo until he got caught by a massive counter-right which sent him down immediately like a felled tree.

Once again, if you haven’t watched this fight yet, watch it.

Result: Abel Trujillo def. Jamie Varner via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 2:32

UFC Fight Night 37 fight card Official - Main Card

UFC announce the finalised line up for UFC Fight Night 37 - Kingdom MMA review the Main Card

by Ben Heather @benheather

With the tickets for UFC Fight Night 37 now on sale to fight club members and those who have signed up to the UFC Newsletter it has been announced that the line up for the event has been finalised.

UFC Fight Night 37 marks the return to the UK of the UFC and its first show in Europe of 2014. The fight card has been set at 10 fights and will consist of a 4 fight main card and 6 prelim fights.

Currently the event is not due to be scheduled on BT Sports in the UK as this event is a UFC Fight Pass Event and so not on TV in the US. So today Kingdom MMA spoke to Simon Head (@simonhead), Digital Producer of UFC for BT sports to see what the latest news was regarding the event being shown on tv and he had the following to say.

"At the moment all we can confirm are the events on our schedule page here. If and when other events are added, they'll be added to this page. If UFC London is one of them, obviously we'll make an announcement."

In my opinion BT Sports have already proved to be a great success for the UFC in the UK and I believe they will do anything they possibly can to show this event live on BT Sports on March 8th. If you think back the first event which was shown exclusively on Fight Pass was UFC Singapore and BT Sport were able to find a resolution and show the event on tape delay in the UK. In all honesty it was never going to be shown live at the time due to the content at 11am so this was a great result for the UK fans.

Kingdom MMA will now take a look at the main card and discuss what is on the line in each match up.

Omari Akhmedov vs Gunnar Nelson

Akhmedov (12-1 MMA 1-0 UFC) debuted for the UFC last year in Brazil putting on a real show for the fans and won by knocking out Thiago Perpetuo in the first round to pick up the bonus for the fight of the night. Not a bad way to start your career in the UFC but now he will be facing the toughest opponent of his career in Icelandic fighter Gunnar Nelson (11-0-1 MMA 2-0 UFC).

Nelson will come in to the fight as the crowd favourite having fought 10 out of the 12 fights in his career in either the UK or Ireland. I predict Nelson will attempt to get the fight to ground as soon as possible and showcase his BJJ skills en route to a submission victory. My only concern with Nelson is the fact it will be over a year since his last fight when he walks in to the Octagon in March so we will have to see if he can pick up where he left off and keep his undefeated record.

Ian McCall vs Brad Pickett

Pickett (23-8 MMA 3-3 UFC) has to be one of the best MMA fighters to watch. He comes in to fights, stands his ground and is happy to put it all on the line and trade blows in the centre of the Octagon. Yes his UFC record isn't the best but look at who he has fought. His losses have come against the now champion of the bantamweight division Renan Barao and former title contenders Eddie Wineland and Michael McDonald. It's not like he has lost to chumps, these guys are the best of the elite fighters at bantamweight which led Pickett to drop down to flyweight where he will meet Ian McCall (12-4-1 MMA 1-2-1 UFC) in London for his flyweight debut.

Ian McCall has always been a flyweight contender ever since the UFC introduced the division in March 2012. He took Demetrious Johnson to a draw when they first fought in the division and in the final round of that fight looked like he might be able to stop Johnson however couldn't and lost the rematch. Now he is looking forard to welcoming Pickett to the division. It will be an explosive fight and a real test to see where Pickett ranks in the division. After all Brad Pickett is one of only two men to have a win over the champ Demetrious Johnson so a win against McCall could push him all the way to finally getting that UFC title shot he craves so bad.

It will certainly be a great fight for the fans so don't blink because as always I expect Brad Pickett to try and finish this fight as early as possible.

Melvin Guillard vs #13 Michael Johnson

This fight was originally meant to be the rematch between Melvin Guillard (31-12-2-2 MMA 12-8-1 UFC) and Ross Pearson following the no contest ruling to there fight back in October. However last week Ross Pearson had to be pulled out of this fight due to a knee injury. This came as a big disappointment to the fans. However, I for one am very happy about the match up we will now see as the co main event of UFC Fight Night 37.

Michael Johnson (14-8 MMA 6-4 UFC) has stepped in to replace the injured Pearson and I can't think of a better replacement (that realistically) could have taken this fight. Johnson has been on a tear of late defeating Joe Lauzon in his hometown and then following that up at UFC 168 by knocking out Gleison Tibau. Johnson is similar to Pearson is some respect in that he loves to keep the fight on its feet and will happily stand and bang with Guillard who is also known for this in his fights.

I expect this fight to be up there in the fight of the night category once all is said and done. It will be either this fight or the previous McCall vs Pickett fight that takes home the bonus money but these fighters will certainly put on a show for the fans.

Main Event: #1 Alexander Gustafsson vs #11 Jimi Manuwa

This has all the attributes of a great fight, both guys have proven knock out power and will be coming to make a statement. This is without doubt the biggest fight in Jimi's life. Lets face it though, I can't think of a better way to do it. Manuwa (14-0 MMA 3-0 UFC) will be headlining his first UFC event in his hometown of London in front of a packed crowd, trying to keep his undefeated record intact against the guy who many say deserves to be the champ now. If dreams come true, this has to be up there with the best dream Manuwa could have predicted. It will certainly be a step up in competition for him but a win will propell him to the very elite level of the division and not far from a title shot.

For Gustafsson (15-2 MMA 7-2 UFC), he will be coming in to this fight with everything to lose against a very strong opponent but the prize for risking it is that rematch he desires so badly with Jon Jones. Although he is a european fan favourite he will be walking in to the Manuwa's home town and will not have the fans on his side for this fight.

If the fight stays standing then I predict somebody will be getting knocked out, however Alexander Gustafsson just became the first man to take down Jon Jones and I see him having a lot easier job of getting Manuwa down. If he does, he will certainly have the advantage in the fight. However, it was rumoured that Manuwa may be training with Daniel Cormier for part of this fight camp so we will have to wait and see what happens on fight night.

The full card is as follows

Main Card
Alexander Gustafsson vs Jimi Manuwa
Melvin Guillard vs Michael Johnson
Ian McCall vs Brad Pickett
Omari Akhmedov vs Gunnar Nelson

Prelims
Cyrille Diabate vs Ilir Latifi
Luke Barnatt vs Mats Nilsson
Brad Scott vs Claudio Henrique da Silva
Roland Delorme vs Davey Grant
Igor Araujo vs Danny Mitchell
Louis Gaudinot vs Phil Harris

That marks the end of my preview of the main card for UFC Fight Night 37. Do you agree with my comments? Please comment below with your thoughts.

Tickets are on sale now for this event at www.ticketmaster.co.uk

UFC Fight Night 37 fight card Official - The Prelims

UFC announce the finalised line up for UFC Fight Night 37 - Kingdom MMA review the Prelims

by Ben Heather @benheather

With the tickets for UFC Fight Night 37 now on sale to fight club members and those who have signed up to the UFC Newsletter it has been announced that the line up for the event has been finalised.

UFC Fight Night 37 marks the return to the UK of the UFC and its first show in Europe of 2014. The fight card has been set at 10 fights and will consist of a 4 fight main card and 6 prelim fights.

Kingdom MMA will now take a look at the prelims and discuss what is on the line in each match up.

Phil Harris vs Louis Gaudinot

The show will be kicked off with a flyweight battle between England's Phil Harris (22-11-1 MMA 1-2 UFC) and #11 ranked Louis Gaudinot (6-3 MMA 1-2 UFC) as both men look to get back to winning ways following losses to John Lineker and Tim Elliott respectively. This fight will also mark the first time that Gaudinot has fought outside of the USA, while Harris will have the crowd on his side with the home field advantage. A loss for either fighter could result in them getting cut from the UFC, although with the flyweight division not exactly overflowing with fighters they may be safe for one more fight.

Danny Mitchell vs Igor Araujo

The next fight is in the Welterweight division and will see "The Cheesecake Assassin" Danny Mitchell (14-4-1 MMA) make his UFC debut against Brazilian Igor Araujo (24-6-1 MMA 1-0 UFC), who trains at Jackson's MMA. Between both men 75% of there victories have come via submission so we could be in for a real treat in this fight if it ends up on the floor.

Davey Grant vs Roland Delorme

TUF 18's Davey Grant (8-2 MMA 0-1 UFC) gets his wish in the next fight, although he didn't win The Ultimate Fighter in 2013 he did enough for the UFC to give him a contract. Now he gets at least one more shot in the octagon at UFC Fight Night 37, back on home soil as he squares off against five times UFC veteran Roland Delorme (9-2-1 MMA 3-1-1 UFC). This will be a tough test for Grant however, a win in this fight will certainly see him settle in the division and prove that he deserves to be in the UFC and he will certainly get the full backing of the English crowd.

Delorme will also be fighting outside of North America for the first time in his career so unlike Grant will have to deal with trying to cut weight while travelling and getting used to fighting at a different time zone. All of these factors could have an impact on the outcome of this fight and will be to Grant's advantage.

Then its the turn of the middleweights as two former TUF contestants Brad Scott (9-2 MMA 1-1 UFC) and Luke Barnatt (7-0 MMA 2-0 UFC) are set to defend British pride as they take on Claudio Henrique da Silva (9-1 MMA) and Mats Nilsson (11-2-1 MMA) respectively, who will both be making their UFC debuts.

Brad Scott vs Claudio Henrique da Silva

Brad Scott will be making his third appearance in the UFC after losing in the final of TUF The Smashes to Robert Whittaker but then submitting Michael Kuiper in the first round with a front choke in Manchester back in October. As with his last fight Scott has been out in American training at The MMA Lab in Arizona training with guys such as former champ Benson Henderson and Joe Riggs, which can only be a good thing for his preperation for this fight. Claudio Henrique da Silva who trains at London Shootfighters will be coming in to this fight looking to make a name for himself and prove to the world that he deserves to be in the UFC. By the time the fight takes place it will be nearly 18 months since his last fight though so UFC debut nerves and ring rust may play a factor in the fight.

Luke Barnatt vs Mats Nilsson

At 7-0 Luke Barnatt will be putting his undefeated record on the line again as he looks to work his way up the rankings with another win in London and this time he is fighting Swedish fighter Mats Nilsson. When this fight was announced many fans were shocked that Barnatt had not been given a bigger name fight but for Luke, as always he will not be leaving anything to chance as he prepares both physically and mentally for his fight. Nilsson, who fought and won twice last year for Cage Warriors is certainly taking a step up in competition as he makes his UFC debut.

I just hope we don't see anymore showboating from Luke in this fight and he sticks to business and focuses purely on finishing his opponent instead of celebrating before the job is complete.

Cyrille Diabate vs Ilir Latifi

The final bout on the prelims sees Ilir Latifi (7-3 MMA 0-1 UFC) make his return to the UFC after headlining UFC Sweden last year as a last minute injury replacement for Alex Gustafsson. The fact that Latifi headlined a UFC event in 2013 had to be one of the strangest stories of 2013 but he certainly didn't embarrass himself, if anything his stock rose in the fight. Yes he clearly lost the fight against Mousasi who was the better fighter and cruised for most of the fight but Latifi didn't look like he didn't belong in the Octagon with him. For this fight he gets a full camp to prepare for Cyrille Diabate (19-9-1 MMA 4-3 UFC) and we will certainly the best Ilir Latifi in March.

I didn't expect to see Diabate on this card due to the fact that his UFC record when fighting in the UK is 0-3 and his overall MMA record when fighting in the UK is 3-6 which is crazy for a guy with a very good record. That being said, two of those loses have come against Alex Gustafsson and Jimi Manuwa who will be fighting each other in the main event of this event so it shows the opposition he has been facing.

I think both men need to win this fight as a loss could have severe implications on their employment status with the UFC.


That marks my preview of the prelims for UFC Fight Night 37, make sure to keep checking Kingdom MMA for the breakdown of the main card.

Tickets are on sale now for this event at www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Kingdom MMA review UFC on FOX 10

UFC on Fox 10: Henderson vs Thomson

by Sam Heard @SamHeard_

The UFC on FOX 10 card was arguably never that highly anticipated with many noting the lack of title fight compared to most other UFC on Fox cards. Nonetheless, there was certainly enough here to generate interest; the former Lightweight champion facing off against the ex-Strikeforce champ, two heavyweights causing a storm in the big-boy leagues, the never dull Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone and the decimating power of Jeremy Stephens. The main card had quite a few stellar moments but overall the undercard stole the show – too bad for the big-wig ringside ticket holders who only show up for the main card! It was certainly a decent night of fights overall, but had yet another main event ending in controversy over a contentious judge’s decision, leaving some fans with a sour taste.

Benson Henderson (19-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) VS. Josh Thomson (20-5 MMA, 3-1 UFC)

Another Benson Henderson main-event, another highly-debated, controversial judges’ decision. The fight overall was a dream for any grappling fans with plenty of high level wrestling and groundwork and fairly little in the striking department. In the opening two rounds, Thomson arguably had the edge. In the first round he was able to take Benson down at will and take his back before locking in a body triangle and going for numerous submission attempts.

However, between the first and second rounds Josh reported to his corner that he’d broken his hand and this was painfully evident for the remainder of the fight where Thomson threw very few punches and struggled to pursue the takedown as he was unable to clasp his hands together. This was where Bendo came into his own. The strength advantage he had over Thomson anyway combined with Josh’s injury meant he was able to have his way for much of the fight, particularly in the third round. He also used his trademark calf kicks to wear Thomson down even more. I always find it strange watching Benson that such a large, muscular Lightweight has so little finishing power.

Despite the balanced nature of this fight, many had Thomson up three rounds to one going into the fifth, meaning Benson would need a stoppage to be victorious. I personally had it two-two going into the fifth round, and with Benson edging it in the fifth for me I gave it 48-47 to the former champion. However, one of the judges (Sal D’Amato) scored it 49-46 to Henderson which many online found to be a particularly egregious call.

In the post-fight press conference Thomson revealed that he was considering retirement while Dana stated that Benson’s performance would not be enough to get him a shot at the belt.

Result: Benson Henderson def. Josh Thomson via split decision (47-48, 48-47, 49-46)

Gabriel Gonzaga (16-8 MMA, 11-7 UFC) VS. Stipe Miocic (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC)

In a departure from form, we saw a heavyweight fight which actually hit the judges’ scorecards – the first one since the epic battle between Mark Hunt and Bigfoot Silva (by far the more entertaining fight).

The first round was very even and highly entertaining, pitting the good boxing and footwork skills of Miocic against the brutal leg kicks and takedown threat of Gonzaga. However, after the opening five minutes, Gonzaga’s gas tank emptied quickly and he just covered up his face for large expanses of the fight, leaving Stipe free to pick him apart with his jab. Gonzaga tried on multiple occasions to get Stipe to the ground where he could implement his high level BJJ-game but Stipe was able on all-but-one occasion to stuff the takedown. I can’t help but question Stipe’s lack of power with his inability to stop a completely exhausted Gonzaga.

Result: Stipe Miocic def. Gabriel Gonzaga via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Donald Cerrone (22-6 MMA, 9-3 UFC) VS. Adriano Martins (25-7 MMA, 1-1 UFC)

This highly anticipated matchup saw Donald Cerrone, who looked exceptional in his last fight against Evan Dunham, take on Adriano Martins who looked none-too-shabby himself against Daron Cruikshank.

Cerrone’s fights are always interesting – sometimes he comes out looking unbeatable while other times Cowboy can seem a little tentative and flat. Interestingly, in the opening exchanges in this fight Cerrone wasn’t looking at his best in my opinion. Given the circumstances in which the fight finished this must sound like the statement of a madman, but in my opinion it looked like Martins was getting the better of Cowboy on the feet. Martins was landing some dangerous looking overhand rights and absorbing Cerrone’s leg kicks without taking any visible damage. Cerrone hit a takedown from which the BJJ Blackbelt was able to immediately get back up. However, seemingly from nowhere, Cerrone threw a right head kick which connected perfectly with the Brazilian sending him straight to the mat. Knowing that his technique had been picture perfect, Cerrone didn’t follow up the assault on his unconscious opponent – what a class act.

Result: Donald Cerrone def. Adriano Martins via knockout (head kick) – Round 1, 4:40

Darren Elkins (17-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) VS. Jeremy Stephens (23-9 MMA, 10-8 UFC)

This looked to be one of the most balanced fights on the main card; a classic grappler versus striker matchup pitting ultra-tough Darren Elkins against hard-hitting Jeremy Stephens. Since dropping to featherweight, Jeremy Stephens has experienced a renaissance which certainly continued into last night’s matchup. In the past Stephens has ran into difficulty when facing good quality wrestlers but the takedown defence he displayed against Elkins shows exactly why Stephens’s name is now being discussed alongside Featherweight contenders.

Elkins’ offence was mainly neutralised by Stephens’ exceptional takedown defence. Some fairly questionable fight IQ from Stephens where he engaged Elkins on the ground meant he found himself in a fairly tight Guillotine choke late in the third round, but Elkins didn’t have the time to force the tap. Elkins ate some huge uppercuts from Stephens – whose only level seems to be full power – showing why people consider him to be so tough. Overall, an impressive display from the Lil Heathen.

Result: Jeremy Stephens def. Darren Elkins via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Highlights from the Undercard

Alex Caceres (10-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC) VS. Sergio Pettis (10-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC)

Caceres would win not just the Submission of the Night award for his Rear Naked Choke victory over young Sergio Pettis deep into the third round but the fight would also win Fight of the Night honours. Some brilliant stuff from both combatants.

Daron Cruickshank (14-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) VS. Mike Rio (9-4 MMA, 1-3 UFC)

A master class in striking from Cruickshank against Mike Rio. Rocked him in a magnificent display in the first before finishing him in the second. The best Cruickshank we've seen in the Octagon.