UFC 118 Breakdown
The age-old debate over which combat sport is superior, boxing or MMA, will be the hot topic this Saturday night as James Toney makes his professional mixed martial arts debut against UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture at the TD Garden in Boston, Mass.
In the main event of UFC 118, lightweight kingpin Frankie Edgar will look to once again silence his critics when he defends his coveted title against former two-division champion B.J. Penn.
Here’s a closer look at the UFC 118 main card:
-Frankie Edgar (12-1) vs. B.J. Penn (15-6-1)
In what was arguably the year’s biggest upset, Edgar dethroned Penn at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi, earning a contentious unanimous decision over five close rounds.
After being granted an immediate rematch, Penn hopes to erase any doubt about who the superior lightweight fighter really is. After all, many fighters and observers gave the edge to “The Prodigy” in their first encounter. Furthermore, strike totals lean towards Penn winning the first three rounds.
But the fight ultimately ended up in the hands of judges, which has previously caused champions to lose their titles in questionable fashion. It was an uninspired performance from Penn and he paid dearly for it. This time, however, he will surely be better equipped for “The Answer.”
The 31-year-old Hawaiian is the most decorated lightweight in MMA history, vanquishing the likes of Takanori Gomi, Sean Sherk, Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez to cement his legacy in the division. Additionally, Penn has fared well against bigger opponents in other weight classes, including Matt Serra, Matt Hughes and Renzo Gracie. Penn even took on former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida and lost a hard-fought decision to the Brazilian, who weighed 220 pounds at the time of their fight.
Penn is the first non-Brazilian to win a gold medal in the black belt division at the Mundial World Championships in Brazil. With his indisputable grappling credentials and amazing flexibility, Penn was among the most gifted fighters to ever step foot in the octagon. Having earned his BJJ black belt in 2000 under Andre Pederneiras, Penn adapted quickly to the multi-faceted MMA game and became one of only two men to hold UFC championships in multiple weight classes, the other being Randy Couture.
In addition to his highly dangerous ground game, Penn has demonstrated a solid wrestling base, particularly with his outstanding balance and takedown defense. Moreover, Penn has evolved into one of the sharpers boxers in the sport, tactically picking apart opponents with his heavy hands. Freddie Roach, the trainer of pound-for-pound boxing king Manny Pacquiao, has called Penn the best boxer in MMA. Evidently, that statement can no longer be true with the addition of James Toney to the UFC.
Criticisms of Penn throughout his career have centered primarily around his work ethic, or perhaps his lack thereof. While disregarding the need for a world-class training camp, Penn’s innate abilities and talents have allowed him to perform at the highest level.
After gassing in his last fight, Penn has been more diligent in his preparation for Edgar. “The Prodigy” has trained with the Diaz brothers, Bibiano Fernandes, Vitor Belfort and his familiar crew in Hawaii. Adding key elements to his training camp will give Penn a significant advantage. Fernandes has been able to mimic the speed and footwork of Edgar, while Belfort has been bringing Penn’s hand speed to a whole new level.
Undoubtedly motivated and now focused on redemption, Penn will be as dangerous as ever come Saturday night.
Edgar, meanwhile, is riding high after sending shockwaves through the MMA world. It wasn’t the prettiest fight in the world, but Edgar eked out a decision against Penn, a feat few men have accomplished.
A BJJ purple belt under Ricardo Almeida, Edgar has beaten a number of notable adversaries prior to dispatching Penn this past April. With victories over Sherk, Tyson Griffin and Jim Miller, Edgar is a proven grinder with a tactical in-and-out game, which makes him difficult to catch. In his lone career setback, the 28-year-old New Jersey native dropped a decision to top contender Gray Maynard, one of the division’s premier wrestlers.
Now on a four-fight winning streak, Edgar is in top form. His combination of quality wrestling, precise boxing, underrated grappling and rapid movement makes him a fighter you can never count out. At UFC 112, he became the first lightweight in history to successfully take Penn down to the mat, although he couldn’t keep him there long.
While Penn has brought the likes of Belfort into his camp, Edgar has trained with UFC welterweight king Georges St-Pierre, Penn’s two-time conqueror. Edgar will surely be at his best, but one has to wonder if it will be enough to triumph yet again.
Penn’s lackluster effort in his first go-around with Edgar has been blamed on multiple factors. Some have criticized poor judging, while Penn’s camp has made mention of a sinus infection. The outcome was a heartbreaking defeat, but the controversy surrounding the judges’ scores led to Penn being granted an immediate rematch, and rightfully so.
Regardless of the decision at UFC 112, Penn is still a 3-to-1 favorite in this bout. Possessing great killer instinct, the submission magician will need to take Edgar down, something he failed to do in their first fight. Once on the mat, few fighters have escaped Penn’s wrath. That being said, I don’t like Edgar’s chances against the vengeful Hawaiian.
Verdict: Penn via Submission, Round 2
-Randy Couture (18-10) vs. James Toney (0-0)
In the greatest boxing versus MMA battle in history, the current IBA heavyweight boxing kingpin Toney will take on MMA royalty with bragging rights in the combat sports industry hanging in the balance.
Toney’s path to the UFC has been most interesting. The 42-year-old ring technician has competed professionally as a boxer since 1988, long before the sport of MMA entered the limelight. With his pro boxing career dwindling down, Toney began to follow UFC president Dana White to events and went on to issue challenges to the promotion’s biggest draws, including Brock Lesnar and Chuck Liddell. His eagerness to enter hostile territory and fight them under MMA rules led to White eventually giving in by signing Toney to a lucrative deal.
The heavy hitter suitably nicknamed “Lights Out” reportedly turned down a proposed fight against popular Internet streetfighter-turned-pro fighter Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson. To his credit, he actually wanted to fight an elite mixed martial artist. While a bout against Couture is not quite the immediate title shot he was hoping for, it’s a high-profile opponent for a man with an 0-0 pro MMA record.
Since Toney has never competed in MMA, it would be silly to point to ring rust as a factor in this fight. However, it has been nearly a year since Toney last fought in a boxing ring. The 1991 and 2003 Ring Magazine “Fighter of the Year” will have questionable conditioning compared to his 47-year-old opponent, who is known to always be in superlative physical condition.
In an admirable attempt to learn as much as he can about the MMA game, Toney began training with standout wrestlers Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal and Antonio McKee. But there is only so much he can pick up in so little time. It is unlikely he will be able to stuff a takedown attempt by the three-time Olympic team alternate.
Couture’s smothering clinch game and ground-and-pound assault has carried him to victory against the likes of Gabriel Gonzaga, Vitor Belfort and Tito Ortiz. At 47, however, Couture is increasingly vulnerable to getting knocked out by superior strikers.
Toney’s hands connecting on Couture’s chin can be a nightmare for the MMA community, but it’s a very real possibility come Saturday night. While Couture is the heavy favorite, Toney has enough tricks up his sleeve to make this a competitive fight. Unlike some other practitioners of the sweet science, Toney’s punches are both accurate and lethal, which will translate well to MMA.
The possibility is unquestionable, but Toney is unlikely to unload on Couture. “The Natural” will look to close the distance immediately, shoot in with a traditional double-leg and emphatically crush the boxing great in the first round.
Verdict: Couture via Submission, Round 1
-Demian Maia (12-2) vs. Mario Miranda (10-1)
Brazilian middleweight compatriots meet in a pivotal rebound fight for the 2007 ADCC submission grappling champion Maia.
The BJJ wizard has not seen action since losing to Anderson Silva at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi. Despite an uninspiring performance throughout the first three rounds, Maia put up a spirited effort in the last two stanzas against the backpedalling champion, but it wasn’t enough to steal the title.
Maia’s first-round submission win over Chael Sonnen in February 2009 is proof that styles make fights, as Maia went on to get knocked out by Nate Marquardt in just 21 seconds at UFC 102 while Sonnen dominated Marquardt when they crossed paths at UFC 109.
The 32-year-old 2nd degree BJJ black belt has achieved myriad successes as a grappler, comparable only to MMA’s elite submission aces, including Penn, Ronaldo De Souza and Roger Gracie.
After submitting his first five UFC opponents and earning four “Submission of the Night” bonuses, Maia broke into the top 10. The continually maturing southpaw showcased improved striking in his decision win over Dan Miller this past February.
Meanwhile, Miranda is coming off a devastating stoppage of David Loiseau at UFC 115. The AMC Pankration-trained fighter joined the UFC after wins over Rick Story and Joe Vedepo on smaller shows. He lost his promotional debut against wrestling powerhouse Gerald Harris, but the 31-year-old is now looking ahead at an opportunity to establish himself as a household name.
A solid wrestler, Miranda recently took part in Silva’s training camp for his title defense against Sonnen at UFC 117. To prepare the champion for battle, Miranda mimicked Sonnen’s wrestling base. During his time at the Black House Gym, Miranda was able to spar with some of the best fighters in the world. Additionally, he strategized with Silva, a pound-for-pound wrecking machine who defeated Maia earlier this year.
Maia has teased that he will use his evolving striking to pick Miranda apart. However, this fight will eventually spill to the mat, which is where Maia will do his greatest damage. Miranda is no slouch on the ground, but he is unlikely to escape unscathed against such a high caliber grappler.
Verdict: Maia via Submission, Round 2
-Kenny Florian (13-4) vs. Gray Maynard (9-0)
With a lightweight title shot up for grabs, these top-ranked competitors will put on a clinic at UFC 118.
Since losing to Penn at UFC 101, Florian has bounced back with successive submission wins over Clay Guida and Takanori Gomi.
The one-time Team Sityodtong member is now anchored at Tristar Gym in Montreal, Canada where he trains with the likes of St-Pierre and instructor Firas Zahabi.
Florian has stopped 10 foes during his UFC campaign and gone the distance only twice, an amazing feat in the talent-rich lightweight division.
His primary tools include a dangerous Muay Thai game consisting of a precise jab and razor-sharp elbows coupled with a flair for submissions, having earned his BJJ black belt under Roberto Maia at Gracie Barra Boston.
Based on recent performances, Florian is in his prime at the age of 34 and hopes to one day fight Penn, Diego Sanchez and Sean Sherk again, the only three men to defeat him in the UFC.
Maynard, 31, is unbeaten in 10 pro fights. However, Nate Diaz submitted him on the fifth season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” while many pundits have criticized Maynard’s split decision win over Diaz in their rematch this past January.
The Xtreme Couture product turned in his most impressive performance against the current champ Edgar at UFC Fight Night 13 in April 2008. An NCAA Division I wrester for Michigan State University, Maynard is one of the best in the division when it comes to suffocating competition with takedowns. Under Gil Martinez, Maynard has exhibited improved boxing skills and is becoming a well-rounded machine at 155 pounds. Always a bonus, he has been training with Couture leading up to UFC 118.
This is a great match-up on paper with neither man possessing a distinctive edge. The result will come down to which fighter effectively implements their gameplan.
Maynard will need to hold his own standing by scoring with effective combinations to set up takedowns. On the mat, Maynard is not out of deep water as Florian can catch him in a submission. Conversely, Florian needs to wear Maynard down with punishing strikes, while stuffing his opponent’s takedown attempts. The longer this fight stays standing, the more it should favor “Ken-Flo.”
Verdict: Florian via Split Decision
-Nate Diaz (12-5) vs. Marcus Davis (17-6)
Two big egos are set to clash in an explosive welterweight encounter.
The Cesar Gracie-trained Diaz keeps getting better. A BJJ brown belt, the 25-year-old has submitted numerous black belts during his UFC tenure, including Kurt Pellegrino, Alvin Robinson and Junior Assuncao.
After being outwrestled in disappointing decision setbacks against lightweights Maynard, Joe Stevenson and Clay Guida, Diaz made his welterweight debut this past March, destroying Miletich Martial Arts student Rory Markham in under three minutes.
Despite flaunting his submission prowess to win several key fights in the UFC, Diaz is mostly content to box with just about anyone.
The controversial trash talker would be well advised to revert to his BJJ pedigree against Davis. But it would be unsurprising to see the Stockton native trade strikes with the “Irish Hand Grenade.”
The 37-year-old Davis has had an up-and-down UFC career with key wins over Chris Lytle and Shonie Carter. Following losses against Dan Hardy and Ben Saunders, the Team Sityodtong product stopped Jonathan Goulet at UFC 113 this past May.
Davis, a southpaw, is hardly a fish out of water on the mat, having rolled with Jorge Gurgel and other top BJJ masters. However, Diaz will have a decisive edge on the mat and Davis should be aware of that element of danger if he is taken down.
Even standing, Diaz’s output of punches is incredible, shades of his brother Nick. The offensive storm of punches will eventually take its toll on the aging Mark Dellagrotte pupil. Depending on his performance, this fight could determine if the future for Diaz is at 155 or 170 pounds.
Verdict: Diaz via TKO, Round 3
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