Sunday, May 31

Oliveira vs. Lentz: do Bronx Emerges a Thrilling, Quiet Title Contender

Charles Oliveira, the UFC featherweight division’s best-kept secret, is the ultimate anomaly to teething terms from casual fans. When “do Bronx” steps into the cage, the mere notion that grappling is anything but exciting always gets turned on its head.

Juvenile terms such as lay-and-pray take a backseat. There is no lay-and-pray against Oliveira, a man with snakes for legs and more tricks than David Copperfield.  

It was all on full display in his second run-in with Nik Lentz at UFC Fight Night 67. The two featherweights had met four years prior to Saturday night at UFC on Versus 4, where an illegal knee ruined Oliveira’s rear-naked choke submission.

Much had changed the second time out.

Lentz was no longer the one-trick pony wrestler lulling fight fans to sleep. Oliveira was every bit as well-rounded as he was back then. Perhaps the biggest change for him was maturity. He was no longer the raw 21-year-old prospect from Sao Paulo, Brazil. A highly-experienced tactician had emerged from unshaped clay, filled with endless potential.

In front of a Brazilian crowd, he greeted the former NCAA Division I wrestler with a steady dose of elbows and thai knees. There was no attempt to play the matador to Lentz’s bullish tactics in the striking department. Oliveira showed no respect for Lentz’s power, willingly keeping his head aligned in the fire to counter with shots of his own.

However, the reckless strategy did leave key openings. One in particular was a knee to the body that dropped Lentz late in the first round. But Lentz recovered by the second round and went back to his bread-and-butter wrestling. He was able to snag a few takedowns and attempted to weave his way through Oliveira’s guard, which ended up being a full-time job in itself.

Keeping top position was every bit as taxing as securing a takedown for Lentz, who fought tooth and nail to overcome Oliveira’s aggressive ground wizardry. The fight-ending mistake didn’t occur until the third round, where Lentz left his neck open for a guillotine choke.

At the post-fight press conference, Oliveira was asked to give his thoughts on a potential title fight in the future. The Brazilian star is currently riding a four-fight win streak with victories over Lentz, Jeremy Stephens, Hatsu Hioki and Andy Ogle.

"If you don’t want the title, you’re in the wrong sport," said Oliveira, who earned another Fight of the Night bonus. "When I have my chance, I will go there to become champion. I can grow a lot more. I haven’t showed anything yet. One day I will get there and win the title."

Featherweight champion Jose Aldo is scheduled to defend his UFC title against Conor McGregor at UFC 189 on July 11. Frankie Edgar is likely next in line to fight for the throne, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise to hear Oliveira’s name get called following a big win or two.

Aldo’s dominance is leading the division down the ruined path of recycled contenders. A fresh face is always welcome, and it certainly isn’t a bad thing to see one as exciting Oliveira’s.

 

Jordy McElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He also is the MMA writer for FanRag Sports and co-founder of The MMA Bros.

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Carlos Condit Wants a Title Shot Following UFC Fight Night 67 Victory

Carlos Condit returned at UFC Fight Night 67 for the first time in over a year, and he looked like he had never left.

Condit assessed Thiago Alves in the first round, and beat on him in the second. Condit’s striking was as good as we have seen it inside the Octagon. The former interim welterweight champion has a fan-pleasing style with high output and a variety of techniques. It was the creativity that ultimately ended the contest on Saturday.

The Natural Born Killer connected flush with an elbow that floored Alves. From that point on it was all Condit as he went for the finish. Alves was tough as nails. He did not go quietly into the night and stayed active through the end of the round. The doctor called a stop to the fight between the second and third rounds, as Alves’ nose was broken from the elbow that started the onslaught. Condit felt Alves’ nose break on his elbow:

Yeah, I didn’t exactly know what happened, but I, you know, felt it on my elbow and I knew that he was hurt. I hurt him with the first rising elbow, and then hurt him again with the spinning back elbow. And I could just feel the fight drained out of him after I hit him that first time.

What’s next for the No. 4-ranked welterweight? In the post-fight interview he wanted whoever offered him an exciting fight, but at the post-fight press conference he stated unequivocally that he wants whoever the champion may be come post-UFC 189.

Robbie Lawler will defend the UFC welterweight championship against Rory MacDonald at UFC 189 in the co-main event. The two met previously at UFC 167 when Lawler took a split-decision victory over the rising star in a title eliminator.

Both fights would be interesting for Condit.

Condit has faced MacDonald before, and it was a come-from-behind showing from Condit. He was losing the fight through the first two rounds, but MacDonald tired in the third. This allowed Condit to take over the fight and finish it before it went to the judge’s scorecards.

The Albuquerque Bandit has never faced Lawler, but their styles match up well against one another. It would be a rip-roaring main event for later in 2015 if the UFC chooses to go down that path following Lawler’s title defense in July. However, it may not be likely to happen just yet.

Condit’s win at UFC Fight Night 67 was his first in 14 months, and only just put him back in the win column. Tyron Woodley, ranked No. 3 in the division and the man who put Condit on the shelf, has back-to-back wins to his credit. It would be difficult for the UFC to justify leaping Condit ahead of the man that beat him.

His performance this past weekend will do a lot to give the UFC pause as to who is the next contender. Condit is much more pleasing to the average fan’s eye, and he came through with an exciting and meaningful victory on Saturday. Regardless, we come away from UFC Fight Night 67 with another credible title challenger at 170 pounds.

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UFC Fight Night 67 Results: 4 Fights for Thiago Alves to Take Next

Everything can change in the blink of an eye. It's a tired cliche, but for Thiago Alves Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 67, it was the brutal truth.

After he probably won a competitive—if relatively uneventful—first round against Carlos Condit, Alves caught a sharp elbow on the nose early in round two. Despite the ensuing blood and punishment, Alves hung tough, but the cageside doctor stopped the fight between the second and third rounds.

"I felt that I could have kept fighting at least for another round, but congratulations to Condit; he did a really good job," Alves told broadcaster Jon Anik through a translator in the cage after the fight. "The doctor stopped the fight, so I have to respect that."

Alves has always been a respectful competitor and an entertaining fighter to watch. After missing more than two years of action with injuries, Alves has fought three times in the past 14 months, winning twice before losing to Condit. There are interesting possible opponents for the American Top Team welterweight moving forward. Here are four of those possibilities.

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NSFW: Carlos Condit Destroys Thiago Alves' Face at UFC Fight Night 67

Thiago Alves' Saturday night ended quickly at UFC Fight Night 67, courtesy of a torrent of Carlos Condit offense. Check it out here:

The first round was a tentative, respectful affair. Alves threw his patented leg kicks as the Natural Born Killer circled and checked when he could. Early in the second round, however, Condit feinted a right hand into a stepping-in left elbow that smashed Alves' nose and put him on wobbly legs.

Alves would hit the mat and Condit would continue to punish him for the remainder of the round, slicing him up with punches and more elbows inside the clinch. While the Brazilian would reach the bell, the ringside doctor had seen enough, calling the fight before the start of the third. The damage was done, however, as the former UFC title contender was taken to the hospital after the fight and will undergo surgery to repair his nose.

It was a particularly gratifying win for Condit, who has spent 14 months out of the cage due to a knee injury sustained during his UFC 171 bout opposite Tyron Woodley. While the victory does not quite propel him directly back into the title hunt, it was a strong reminder of NBK's perfect storm of pure violence and actual, technical kickboxing. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if Condit winds up fighting for the title in early 2016.

After the fight, Condit called for the winner of the upcoming welterweight title fight between Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald, saying he wants to once again carry UFC gold. While he likely won't get it quite yet, there are more than a few interesting potential opponents out there for him...if anybody is willing to step into the cage with him after seeing what happened to Alves.

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UFC Fight Night 67 Results: 4 Fights for Carlos Condit to Take Next

The oil can was in full effect for Carlos Condit Saturday night. A knee injury kept him out for more than a year, but rust was not a major factor in the main event of UFC Fight Night 67, where Condit scored a TKO of a tough Thiago Alves.

Though Condit was tentative at the opening and didn't move with exceptional fluidity, the Natural Born Killer still bloodied, shattered and battered Alves in a violent second round, breaking Alves' nose and spurring a cageside doctor to stop the fight.

"After the feeling-out process, I just started thinking about the different things we had worked on.... And the first thing I threw really, really worked," Condit told broadcaster Jon Anik in the cage after the fight, in apparent reference to a left elbow that first damaged Alves' nose. "I want a good fight [next]. I want somebody exciting. I want somebody the fans are excited to watch me fight."

We can help, Carlos. Here are four opponents Condit could face who would make sense in the rankings and provide an exciting matchup.

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Condit vs. Alves: Pros React to UFC Fight Night 67 Main Event

A bloodied canvas and a broken nose were the key pieces of evidence left behind by “The Natural Born Killer” at UFC Fight Night 67 on Saturday night.

The former interim UFC champ Carlos Condit had become a forgotten soul in the welterweight division after spending over a year on the sidelines rehabilitating a torn ACL.

But as the lights dimmed and unfamiliar entrance sounds echoed throughout the arena, Condit made the world remember once more.

Thiago Alves, a former UFC title contender, stood across from Condit hoping to play spoiler to his long-awaited return. Home turf belonged to Alves, who stood proud in front of thousands at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil.

The familiar strategy of switching stances and beautifully blended striking combinations from Condit immediately put minds at ease of the post-surgery issues that at some time come along with ACL injuries. Always happy to oblige on the feet, Alves remained in the heat of the exchanges looking for any opening offered to him to land the fight-altering strike.

He found a home for a few of his signature leg kicks, but Condit’s unwavering focus had him meeting shin to shin on all the rest. It was a highly competitive striking match early on as both men looked to find their range and timing.

However, the feeling-out process came to an abrupt end in the second round as Condit feinted a straight hand before rearranging Alves’ face with a beautifully timed lead elbow. It was the tide-turning strike of the fight that put Alves into survival mode. As Condit rushed across the cage to clean up the bloody scraps of his wounded prey, Alves miraculously fought back to his feet and pushed the fight back to the center of the Octagon.

But the damage from the elbow strike had already been done. Alves’ nose was a twisted, broken mess, forcing him to rely solely on breathing from his mouth. A heart the size of Brazil saw Alves through a second-round pummeling, but at the doctor’s discretion, the fight wasn’t allowed to go any further.

Condit was awarded a victory by doctor’s stoppage. As is customary, fighters reacted on social media to the high-quality fisticuffs put on display in the fight night main event (Warning: NSFW Language).

After speaking with Dr. Marcio Tannure, the medical director of Brazil’s athletic commission (CABMMA), MMAFighting’s Guilherme Cruz is reporting Alves’ “badly broken” nose will require surgery. Meanwhile, Condit has already set his eyes on the winner of the welterweight title fight between Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald in July.

“I want whoever has the title in a couple months. Whether it’s Rory or whether it’s Robbie Lawler, I want that guy,” Condit said at the post-fight press conference.

 

Jordy McElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He also is the MMA writer for FanRag Sports and co-founder of The MMA Bros.

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UFC Fight Night 67 Results: Carlos Condit Paints Familiar, Gory Scene in Return

In the end, Carlos Condit came out looking exactly as we all remembered him—victorious, and spattered in his opponent’s blood.

Condit made short and gory work of Thiago Alves on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 67, forcing the ringside doctor to stop their main event fight after the second round due to Alves’ broken nose. It was victory No. 30 of Condit’s professional career, improved on his gaudy 93 percent finishing rate and reaffirmed his position as one of the welterweight division’s deadliest technicians.

So, pretty much the same-old, same-old for the Natural Born Killer.

Despite returning from 14 months off after suffering a serious knee injury in a fight against Tyron Woodley last March, Condit entered still clinging to the No. 4 spot in the UFC’s official 170-pound rankings. While that lofty standing didn’t offer much room for upward mobility, an impressive showing against Alves puts him very much back in the thick of a revamped title picture.

For a few uncertain moments there, Condit’s standing wasn’t quite so clear.

It took him a round to find his range against the shorter but more powerful Alves. Their first five minutes together were hotly contested, with Alves landing several of his trademark hard low kicks. Condit’s normal high volume of strikes was on display, but the intensity that had paced him to a 29-8 overall record (6-4 UFC) since 2002 was noticeably lacking.

Perhaps he needed to knock off some rust, or maybe that first round was just a scouting expedition. Condit began the second more aggressively, and he dropped Alves with a beautiful left elbow roughly a minute into the stanza. It marked the beginning of the end for the 31-year-old Brazilian.

“After the feeling-out process I just started thinking about different things that we had worked on,” Condit told UFC play-by-play announcer Jon Anik in the cage when it was over. “We put together a lot of different tools, a lot of tactics. The first thing I threw that we had worked on, it really worked.”

Alves offered no quit, even after it was clear Condit had broken his nose. His career, too, had been plagued by recent inactivity, but he was coming off a TKO win over Jordan Mein at UFC 183 in January. A victory over Condit here would’ve been just as meaningful—if not more—for him.

It could’ve given him renewed momentum—something Alves hasn’t really enjoyed since he fought Georges St-Pierre for the welterweight title at UFC 100 in 2010. Counting that loss, Alves came in just 4-4 in his last eight fights, and prior to 2014, he had sat out two full years owing to a laundry list of injuries and rehab efforts.

Though Condit pinned him against the fence and began raining a potpourri of strikes on his already bloody face, Alves managed to work his way to his feet not once, but twice. He briefly threatened Condit with a standing guillotine choke and continued to trade punches and kicks as best he could.

But Condit stung him again with a right hand and then a highlight-reel spinning elbow. He took Alves down with a bit less than two minutes left and did it again just before the end of the round.

“I knew he was hurt,” Condit said at the postfight press conference, via Sherdog.com’s Tristen Chritchfield. “I hurt (his nose) on the first rising elbow, and then I hurt it again on the spinning back elbow. I could just feel the fight drain out of him after I hit him that first time.”

Alves seemed game to continue, but he also didn’t protest too loudly when the ringside doctor in Goiania, Brazil told his corner he couldn’t go on. It made for a bit of an anticlimactic end to an otherwise great fight, but it was the right move to protect the fighter from further damage.

One of the last times we saw Alves, he was watching the big screen in the arena, turning his head from one side to the other, trying to get a look at the sudden, unscheduled left-hand turn in the middle of his face.

For Condit, the win proves he is still a player in the suddenly volatile welterweight division. After losing his interim UFC title to St-Pierre in 2012 and dropping his next bout to future champ Johny Hendricks at UFC 158, it might have been tempting to think we’d already seen his high watermark in the Octagon.

But St-Pierre’s sudden departure from the sport at the end of 2013 effectively gave new life to everyone at 170-pounds and Condit is just now getting around to making good on it. Hendricks won the title at UFC 171—the same event where Condit was injured—but during the time Condit was out rehabbing his knee, Hendricks lost the championship in a rematch with Robbie Lawler.

Lawler will now defend the title against Rory MacDonald at UFC 189 in July (also a rematch), and Condit joins Hendricks and Woodley waiting to see who emerges with the belt. Regardless if it is Lawler or MacDonald, Condit likely now stands just one more win away from his own No. 1 contender status.

Not bad for your first night back at work in more than a year.

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UFC Fight Night 67 Results: Burning Questions Heading into Fight Night 68

UFC Fight Night 67 is in the books. The results are as follows, courtesy of Bleacher Report's live blog czar, Craig Amos:

Main Card on Fox Sports 1

  • Carlos Condit def. Thiago Alves, TKO (Round 2, 5:00)
  • Charles Oliveira def. Nik Lentz, submission (Round 3, 1:10)
  • Alex Oliveira def. K.J. Noons, submission (Round 1, 2:51)
  • Francimar Barroso def. Ryan Jimmo, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
  • Francisco Trinaldo def. Norman Parke, split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Darren Till def. Wendall Oliveira, knockout (Round 2, 1:37)

Prelims on Fox Sports 1

  • Rony Jason def. Damon Jackson, submission (Round 1, 3:31)
  • Jussier Formiga def. Wilson Reis, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Nicolas Dalby def. Elizeu Zaleski, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Mirsad Bektic def. Lucas Martins, TKO (Round 2, 0:30)

Prelims on UFC Fight Pass

  • Juliana Lima def. Ericka Almeida, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-25)
  • Tom Breese def. Luiz Dutra, TKO (Round 1, 4:58)

Next up? UFC Fight Night 68 on June 6.

The scuttling of Daniel Cormier vs. Ryan Bader has stripped a once-solid of most of its name value. Still, the card contains a deceptive amount of talent including lower-weight class standouts Alex Caceres, Dustin Poirier and Joe Soto, as well as two interesting heavyweight bouts. Oh, and it has Dan Henderson possibly stepping into the cage for the last time opposite Tim Boetsch. That's interesting, too.

So what are the biggest questions entering a new week? Find out here!

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UFC Fight Night 67 Results: The Real Winners and Losers

UFC Fight Night 67 hit Brazil on Saturday, and the latest installment from the leader in MMA was a roller-coaster ride.

The evening got underway with a solid slate of preliminary action. New kids on the block performed well, and veterans on the undercard gave it their all. We even had a Top 15 flyweight affair as well.

The prelims delivered.

The main card got off to a rocky start, though. To say it left a lot to be desired might be an understatement, but once we got to the headlining bouts, business picked up. Charles Oliveira finished Nik Lentz in their rematch, and Carlos Condit returned to action with an exciting win over Thiago Alves.

Despite some lackluster fights, it was an entertaining show. Most importantly, an elite fighter came back healthy.

UFC Fight Night 67 featured 12 bouts in total, but who won? That is what I am here to break down for you. Let's look beyond just the basic results and find out who came out the other side as losers or winners.

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The Good, Bad and Strange from Fight Night 67

The UFC's welterweight division has consistently held its status as one of the deepest collectives under the promotional banner in the Zuffa era, with Carlos Condit and Thiago Alves being staples of the upper echelon of the weight class for the past several years.

Yet with both the Natural Born Killer and American Top Team representative being sidelined for lengthy stints in recent years, questions began to hover in regard to their elite-level status. The Pitbull has returned from his two-year hiatus with back-to-back victories that have the Muay Thai wrecking machine looking back to form inside the Octagon. He went into Fight Night 67 looking to officially reclaim his place in the divisional title race and was determined to get the job done in his signature brutal fashion.

Across the cage, Condit was facing uncertainty of his own. More than a year had passed since he suffered a devastating knee injury against Tyron Woodley at UFC 171, and the New Mexico native worked diligently in his time away from action to ensure he'd be ready to go when the next opportunity came to pass. That moment came in Goiania, Brazil on Saturday night, as two of the best finishers in the history of the welterweight division stepped into the cage to handle their business.

The collision between the former champion and the Pitbull figured to be a violent affair, and it certainly delivered. While the opening round had a large feeling out period, the second frame was pure ferocity. Condit dropped Alves with a short elbow on a counter exchange that mangled the Brazilian's nose. Nevertheless, the former title challenger dug deep and continued throwing heat despite Condit lacing him with huge shots at every turn.

In between the second and third rounds, the cageside doctor called a stop to the fight because of the state of Alves' nose, and Condit marked a triumphant return with a crisp and devastating performance.

Let's take a look at the good, bad and strange from Fight Night 67.

 

The Good

Carlos Condit has been one of the baddest welterweights in the world for the better part of the past decade, but after suffering a tough knee injury that put him out of action for 14 months, it was unclear whether the same Natural Born Killer would ever return.

Those questions were answered at Fight Night 67, as the former interim champion blistered a resurgent Thiago Alves in the main event in Goiania, Brazil. While Pitbull overcame the New Mexico native's length with his signature leg kicks in the opening frame, the second round saw Condit unleash that killer instinct he has built his career upon.

The Jackson-Winkeljohn-trained fighter ripped Alves with a short elbow in the early goings then proceeded to batter and pound away at the Brazilian powerhouse for the rest of the second frame.

The end result of Condit's barrage led to Alves suffering a badly broken nose that forced the cageside doctor to call an end to the bout. With the win, Condit not only stamped an impressive return to the heated welterweight ranks but also put himself back on track to climb toward the top of the 170-pound division.

*** There was bad blood brewing between Charles Oliveira and Nik Lentz leading up to their tilt at Fight Night 67, and it's Do Bronx who got the last laugh. After their initial meeting ended in a "no contest" because of an illegal knee strike from the 25-year-old submission ace back in 2011, they came into their rematch in Goiania looking to settle things once and for all.

It was a back-and-forth affair throughout the initial two rounds, but Oliveira latched onto a guillotine choke in the final round to pick up his fourth consecutive win in the featherweight ranks.

*** Stepping up on short notice is a risky move, but the reward was definitely worthwhile for Alex Oilveira in Goiania. Cowboy stepped in as a replacement to face K.J. Noons and defeated the former Elite XC lightweight champion via rear-naked choke in the first round of the contest. With King Karl's savvy boxing pedigree, the wiry Brazilian wasted zero time taking his opponent to the floor. Once Oliveira had the former Strikeforce title challenger on the mat, he locked in the choke to earn his first victory under the UFC banner.

*** While there was nothing pretty about the fight between Francisco Trinaldo and Norman Parke, the lightweight tilt did provide an interesting study in how victory can be obtained despite faltering late in the fight. The stocky Brazilian and The Ultimate Fighter winner had a close opening round, but Trinaldo battled back to take a clear lead in the second.

While Parke didn't show a crazy sense of urgency in the final frame, he certainly did enough to take the round on the judges' cards. Yet when the final decision was read, two of the judges saw the bout going in Trinaldo's favor. That's a tough call because the fight was there for the taking for Parke, but the UK native couldn't quite find a consistent rhythm.  

*** It's not wise to go to the ground with a guy who has "Jiu-Jitsu" tattooed on his back, and Rony Jason showed Damon Jackson exactly why that is. While the Leech was getting the better of the The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil winner in the early goings, the savvy submission artist hit a brilliant sweep off his back he turned into a triangle choke. Jackson did his best to fight off the lock, but the more he rolled on the mat, the deeper in danger he landed until he was forced to tap.

With the victory, Jason not only gave his home country crowd something to cheer about but picked up his second win in his past three showings inside the Octagon as well.

*** Jussier Formiga is looking to make a run at the flyweight title, and the Nova Uniao fighter took another strong step at Fight Night 67. The resilient Brazilian took it to Wilson Reis on the preliminary portion of the card, as he used his striking, forward pressure and grappling skills to keep the flyweight powerhouse on the defensive. The end result was Formiga picking up his third consecutive win in the 125-pound ranks, and it will be interesting to see what the UFC chooses to do with him.

While it's doubtful he could leapfrog John Dodson in the race for title contention, he will definitely draw one of the division's biggest names in his next outing.

*** Making a good first impression on the sport's biggest stage is a crucial move to make, and both Nicolas Dalby and Elizeu dos Santos showed up to scrap on their respective debuts. The former Cage Warriors champion triumphed in what was a hard-fought tilt from start to finish.

The Danish striker jumped used his aggression to claim the opening frame, but dos Santos upped his output and was able to turn the tide. While the fight could have easily gone either way, it was Dalby who pulled out the split-decision victory on the judges' scorecards.

*** Mirsad Bektic simply isn't messing around, and he furthered that notion against Lucas Martins at Fight Night 67. The 24-year-old Bosnian scrapper dominated Minero from the jump until he pounded out the stoppage victory in the second round.

With his victory on Saturday, the American Top Team product not only keeps his undefeated record intact but has now collected three consecutive victories under the UFC banner. The featherweight division is only growing more competitive, and Bektic could very well be poised to do big things in the 145-pound fold.

 

The Bad

While it would seem unlikely that K.J. Noons would be released from his UFC contract after submitting to Alex Oliveira on Saturday night, there does seem to be something amiss with the California-based fighter.

His bout with Cowboy at Fight Night 67 was to be his third as a welterweight under the UFC banner, and there just wasn't anything that looked right about him once he stepped into the cage. Commentator Jon Anik mentioned that Noons has changed up his training pattern, putting more focus on giving his body ample time to rest. While his gas tank was never tested against Oliveira, his preparation was, as the rangy Brazilian was able to get Noons down and submit him with relative ease.

While the loss is nothing to write Noons off about, it's clear he's not fighting with the same intensity and urgency upon which he made his name. The fighter who has stepped in to compete in recent outings is a far cry from the high-volume striker that went toe-to-toe with Nick Diaz in a pair of memorable matchups several years back.

Simply put: Noons just doesn't seem to be fully invested in what he's doing at the present time, and the cracks are beginning to show. If he wants to turn things around, he's going to need that fire from the days of old. Only time will tell if he ever recaptures that drive.

 

The Strange

The best part of writing this article while covering cards in Brazil is there is just so much strange to be found. Whether the frenzied crowd keeps their passionate and threatening chants cranked up to full volume from the opening bout until the main event or chaos spills out in the physical form for all to see inside the Octagon, things have simply been known to get weird in the place widely regarded as the birthplace of mixed martial arts.

That trend continued at Fight Night 67 in Goiania on Saturday, and fight fans didn't have to wait long for the curious happenings to present themselves. 

The initial wacky turn came from the cageside judges during the women's strawweight bout between Juliana Lima and Ericka Almeida in the second fight of the night. While Lima scored with a solid takedown, she was allowed to ride out top control for lengthy stints without doing any major damage or working toward a submission finish. Furthermore, while Almeida was on her back for most of the fight, she was able to defend herself well despite being in a compromising position.

All in all, it was a difficult fight to watch. One of the judges apparently shared that sentiment, as they handed in a 30-25 card in favor of Lima. When 10-8 rounds are scored, there is normally a lopsided beating handed out or one of the fighters is clearly dominated to the point of nearly being put away. The judge who scored two of those rounds as such either saw things playing out that way or fell asleep, which would be understandable in this particular case.

And what would complement strange scoring and questionable standups better than a bit of mystery? Thank goodness Darren Till was on hand to provide the fighting faithful with the necessary bit of intrigue it takes to get through a six-fight main card. The debuting welterweight's left arm is adorned by a portrait tattoo of a woman who some in the MMA community believe strikes a solid resemblance to surging strawweight star Paige VanZant. 

While that's probably not the case, it's still a far better look than Alan Belcher's ill-fated Johny Cash tattoo. No offense to the legendary Man in Black, but the ink on Belcher's arm looks like the late country star pulled through a dough press. On the other hand, Till's artwork looks well done and served as a solid complement to finish he scored after after blistering Wendell Oliveira with a buffet of ground shots to earn the second-round knockout. 

It took Till time to get comfortable under the bright lights, but once he settled, he—as he so eloquently put in his post-fight interview—"elbowed his opponent's face off." It was a job well done by Till and an impressive first showing inside the Octagon.

With murder having been addressed in the last paragraph, it's a fine segue to get into what happened to Ryan Jimmo at Fight Night 67.

The former MFC champ turned struggling UFC light heavyweight came into his bout against Francimar Barroso in desperate need of a victory, as the Big Deal had dropped all but one of his past three showings inside the cage. And while Jimmo came out determined and aggressive, those energies were quickly zapped from his bulky frame courtesy of a brutal groin kick.

While low blows and eye pokes are common in MMA, rarely do fans ever get to see the puke bucket brought out. Any time a shot downstairs induces vomiting, it's a sure guarantee that shot to the pills was of the vicious variety. After throwing up and regaining his bearings, Jimmo continued, but he never recovered from the illegal blaster that floored him.

Some illegal shots are simply an unfortunate effect of where fighters are throwing strikes from, but they are illegal nonetheless. What Barroso did certainly had an impact on the fight and should have resulted in a deduction because it broke the rules. However, it's a rare sight to see a referee take a point on the first offense of the fight, and that gray area certainly played out in the Brazilian's favor on Saturday night.

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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Carlos Condit vs. Thiago Alves: What We Learned from UFC Fight Night 67 Tilt

UFC Fight Night 67 headliners Carlos Condit and Thiago Alves have had their recent careers defined by injuries.

Condit missed out on a huge opportunity to stake a claim for a title shot in the post-Georges St-Pierre welterweight division when he lost to Tyron Woodley at UFC 171 because of a knee injury that would keep him out of the cage for a year. Alves, on the other hand, was one of the top welterweights in the sport in 2008 but has spent much of the last seven years nursing various strains, tweaks and tears in every muscle, ligament and joint imaginable.

It was a fight with a great deal on the line for both men, who needed to make up for a great deal of lost time.

Things started off with a slow, methodical first round. Alves threw his signature leg kicks. Condit looked for big hits from the outside.

Then came the second round.

NBK—that's Condit for those who didn't catch his Shawn Michaels-inspired rebranding—landed a gorgeously timed standing left elbow that rocked Alves early. His nose was badly broken, but Condit lived up to his nickname, showing no mercy as he delivered heaps of punishment to his wounded foe.

Alves lasted until the bell, but the ringside doctor was not keen on his chances of surviving another round. The fight was called on the stool, with Condit being officially going down as the winner at 5:00 of Round 2 via TKO.

So what did we learn from this bout?

For Alves, it was confirmation of something we already suspected. While he is a devastatingly heavy hitter, he just doesn't seem to be able to hack it against today's top welterweights.

It might be the injuries taking their toll, or it might just be the natural evolution of the division. Either way, with his loss to Condit and the beating he took from Jordan Mein, it would be hard to favor him against anybody in the Top 20 of the welterweight division—never mind the Top 10.

And what of Condit?

The former WEC welterweight champ has always been the perfect blend of technical brilliance and pure, brutish violence. Knee injuries, however, can be a tricky thing and can truly end the careers of men such as Condit, whose greatest skill has always been his ability to instantly capitalize on a slight opening.

In the opening minutes of the fight, it seemed as though he might have gone the way of King Mo Lawal, who has been struggling for years to recover from his own knee troubles. Condit was tentative. Too tentative, it seemed.

The questions started swirling. Had he lost a step? Was he overly concerned about his bad knee? Was this the beginning of the end?

Nope, nay and nein. While it took a few uneventful minutes, when Alves' hands were a bit too wide apart, the NBK who demolished Dong Hyun Kim and mauled Dan Hardy showed up with an accurate, devastating and unconventional strike. And it was glorious.

So what did we learn? Carlos Condit is back, folks. And that's just great.

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UFC Fight Night 67 Results: Winners, Scorecards from Condit vs. Alves Fight Card

Carlos "The Natural Born Killer" Condit announced his return to the welterweight division emphatically on Saturday night in Brazil. He scored a TKO victory over Thiago Alves after the second round when the Octagon-side doctor wouldn't allow the proud Brazilian to continue.

In the second round, Condit appeared to break the nose of Alves with a counter elbow strike that visibly disfigured his opponent's nose. The shot sent Alves reeling and opened a nasty gash on his nose. 

To the Brazilian's credit, he showed exceptional heart fighting back, but Condit never let up. Condit landed 75 significant strikes to just 34 for Alves. The finish was Condit's 10th in WEC/UFC history, and it puts him in position to gain a title shot sooner rather than later.

When asked who he'd like to face in his next fight, Condit wasn't picky, per Fox Sports UFC:

After this performance, most fans would be happy to watch Condit fight again as soon as possible. Here's a look at the full results table and analysis of the full card.

Fight Pass Prelims Analysis

Breese Decimates Dutra 

With just four seconds left in the event's opening bout, Tom Breese finished Luiz Dutra with a huge left hand that put the Brazilian on the mat. Breese had controlled the entire first round. He landed 37 significant strikes to 19 for Dutra before forcing the referee to stop the bout just before the horn.

At just 23 years old, Breese ran his professional record to 8-0. He could be a name to remember in the welterweight division.

 

Lima Dominates Almeida

Some fights simply shouldn't happen. The Juliana Lima vs. Ericka Almeida scrap fits into that category. Lima was miles ahead in every aspect of the sport. She used her advanced grappling to land three takedowns and spend 10:15 seconds in top control.

MMA Thought saw the dominant Lima performance in the works once she got a load of Almeida's shoddy takedown defense:

It's hard to determine how good Lima's showing was considering the disparity in talent and world-class experience. Almeida was in her first UFC bout, and nerves might have been an issue. In any case, Lima shined and looks prepared to look for another shot at women's strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk somewhere down the line.

 

Fox Sports 1 Prelim Analysis

Bektic Looks Destructive

From the opening moments of the Mirsad Bektic vs. Lucas Martins bout, the Croatian showed who would be the boss of the Octagon. His movements and strikes had more purpose, and he quickly transitioned to a takedown that spelled the beginning of the end for Martins.

An aggressive Bektic opened up a cut on Martins' face and caused significant swelling on his opponent's left eye.

Martins made it through the first round but was quickly floored in the second round and pounded out until the fight was stopped. It was an impressive and complete performance from Bektic. Per the UFC's official Twitter account, Bektic announced his intentions to ascend the latter in the 145-pound rankings:

 

Dalby Takes Down Dos Santos

Nicolas Dalby knew he couldn't spend too much time trading shots with the powerful Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos. Instead, he did just enough in the stand-up game to earn respect and then leaned on his superior grappling en route to the split-decision victory.

Dalby was outstruck 57-41 in significant strikes, but the former landed six takedowns that impressed judges enough to earn him the victory.

Despite his solid work, Dalby looked legitimately surprised he was awarded the decision against the hometown favorite in a close fight. Ben Fowlkes of USA Today noticed Dalby's reaction:

If he can continue to put on solid performances, Dalby will have to learn to handle his success with a little more poise.

 

Formiga Has Too Much for Reis

Not usually known for his striking prowess, Jussier Formiga proved he had added that wrinkle to his game against Wilson Reis.

A hard right hand put Reis down in the second round, and Formiga's boxing scored most of the fight. Ultimately, Formiga would lean on his world-class jiu-jitsu to walk away with the split-decision victory.

Formiga locked down four takedowns that kept Reis on his proverbial heels most of the fight.

 

Jackson Vanquished on the Ground by Jason

Damon Jackson played with fire and got burned. He took Rony Jason—an elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist—down twice. The second time he wasn't allowed to continue the fight.

Jackson changed levels nicely to earn the takedown in the first round, but he got careless trying to land some ground-and-pound shots. The active legs from Jason wrapped Jackson up and put the American in peril.

Jason teetered between a triangle choke and an armbar before settling on the former and earning the submission. The UFC's official Twitter account acknowledged Jason's grappling work:

 

Main Card Analysis

And Till...

In a sparkling UFC debut, Darren Till scored a brutal second-round KO win over Wendell Oliveira. After allowing his nerves to get the best of him in the first frame, Till found his form in the second round.

Oliveira tried to take Till down, but the move wound up backfiring on the powerful Brazilian. Till turned him over and rained down some nasty elbows that left Oliveira momentarily unconscious. Karyn Bryant of Fox Sports responded to Till's vicious finish.

Till improved his MMA record to 13-0 and announced his arrival in the welterweight division with the win.

 

Trinaldo Trips Up Parke

With improved striking from previous performances, Francisco Trinaldo eked out a split-decision victory over Norman Parke. Both men dominated a round. Trinaldo's clear win came in the second round when he used some effective body punching to put Parke on retreat much of the round.

Parke clearly won the third round with a timely takedown and top control for more than two-thirds of the round. The decision came down to the first round. It was close, but two of the judges felt Trinaldo did the better work.

Parke scored two takedowns in the round, but Trinaldo landed 20 significant strikes to just five for Parke. Perhaps a rematch is in order.

 

Barroso Wins Snoozer

In the absolute worst fight of the night, Francimar Barroso kicked Ryan Jimmo in the groin, caused him to vomit and then beat him by unanimous decision. If that sounded exciting, then I'm a better writer than I thought.

There was literally no action of note in this bout aside from the gross foul from the Brazilian. In fact, I'm not even sure if Barroso deserved the decision. Like most fans, I was just happy the fight ended. B/R MMA shared my sentiments:

 

The Brazilian Cowboy Lassos Another One

The first time I saw Alex "Cowboy" Oliveira, I was like: "C'mon man, there's only one Cowboy, and that's Donald Cerrone." However, the more I see of Oliveira, the more impressed I am.

On Friday, he secured a first-round submission win over the tough KJ Noons via rear-naked choke. He did a good job avoiding Noons' power shots before seizing the opportunity to take the fight to the ground. He was able to take Noons' back and quickly lock on the choke that forced Noons to submit.

UFC president Dana White chimed in after Oliveira's victory:

 

Do Bronx Does Work

In an excellent back-and-forth battle that was just as good as their initial battle in 2011, Charles Oliveira defeated Nik Lentz by submission in the third round. The first round saw Lentz push the pace and have his moments while keeping the Brazilian pressed against the cage.

However, Oliveira would break away to land some devastating knees to the midsection.

One of the shots sent Lentz to the canvas. Oliveira mounted Lentz, but the latter did a good job avoiding major damage. Lentz would gain some momentum in the second round, but it was Oliveira who avoided a few submission attempts.

In the third round, Oliveira took his opponent down and immediately began pursuing the submission. After a few adjustments, Oliveira forced Lentz to tap out from guillotine. In all honesty, this fight should be the Fight of the Night.

Jordan Breen of Sherdog.com agreed:

There are several fights at 145 pounds that Oliveira could take—including a meeting with Max Holloway. We'll see what's next for Oliveira, but at just 25 years old, his future is bright.


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