All posts by Chris Blain

Canelo Alvarez vs. Liam Smith Preview and Prediction

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The world asked for Golovkin and eventually will get their wish. For now, though, they and Canelo Alvarez will have to settle for Liam Smith.

Canelo Backtracks

In a surprising twist, Mexican Boxing superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has returned to the 154-pound weight class for his next bout. Canelo will face WBO Junior Middleweight champion Liam Smith on September 17th in the main event of an HBO PPV card. The announcement was made on Friday by both Canelo’s promoter Golden Boy and Frank Warren who represents Smith:

Alvarez had been campaigning at a catchweight of 155 pounds since March of 2014 when he fought Alfredo Angulo. He won the middleweight title by defeating Miguel Cotto in November of 2015 but after being mandated by the WBC to defend the green belt against unified Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, Canelo back tracked.

Another May-Pac?

A delay in the negotiations caused the WBC to allow both Alvarez and Golovkin to take mandatory fights before negotiating a bout in the second half of  2016. Golovkin fought fringe challenger Dominic Wade last April and won by 2nd round KO. Alvarez shocked the world by picking Amir Khan as his Cinco De Mayo opponent. But instead of getting the GGG fight done after mauling Amir Khan, Alvarez has decided to surprise the world again.

Alvarez vacated the WBC Middleweight title to remove the pressure of negotiating the Golovkin bout. But instead of getting it booked, Alvarez has chosen to go back to 154 pounds and fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight title instead. Golovkin is rumored to a bout with Chris Eubank Sr. while the Canelo-GGG bout is reportedly “agreed upon” for 2017. Whether that happens or not, it’s become Mayweather-Pacquiao all over again.

Fighting A Heavy Underdog

The opportunity now knocks for Liam Smith, who will be making the 3rd defense of his title but is an unknown commodity outside his country. Smith is unbeaten in 24 bouts with 13 KOs and one draw. He won the vacant WBO 154 pound title with a 7th round KO of American John Thompson in October of 2015. He’s since defended his title twice, beating unknowns Jimmy Kelly and Predrag Radosevic via knockout. Smith has fought exclusively in the United Kingdom throughout his career. The fight against Alvarez will be his first on U.S. soil.

As expected, Canelo opened as a -800 favorite to beat his relatively unknown foe. Smith is a heavy +600 underdog against the first true test of his boxing career. While we’ve seen some stranger things happen in boxing lately, not many are expecting Smith to challenge Alvarez at all. Canelo enters with just one loss and one draw on his record, but he hasn’t tasted defeat since losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013. Not bad for an only loss.

Needless to say, Canelo has the youth, talent, prestige and venue all in his favor. He could possibly be a little distracted with a much bigger fight looming a year from now, but the odds look good that he’ll be dialed in and take care of business on September 17th.

UFC 203: Will CM Punk Be Victorious in His UFC Debut?

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At long last, one of the UFC’s most prized and controversial acquisitions will finally step inside the Octagon.

Long Awaited Debut

Former WWE champion CM Punk, birth name Phil Brooks, announced on Thursday that he will be making his UFC debut at UFC 203:

Brooks’ announcement ends a long wait for fans who have been dying to see the former professional wrestler take his act to the real fighting world of the UFC Octagon. It can be recalled that Brooks signed with the UFC in December of 2014 and was given “all the time he needed” by UFC President Dana White to prepare himself for a UFC bout.

Brooks has since locked himself inside Roufusport Academy in Milwaukee, the training home of former UFC Lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and One-FC king Ben Askren. A shoulder injury pushed farther back Brooks’ UFC debut but with everything going well now, it’s time for CM Punk to get it on inside the real jungle of fighting.

Passing The Audition

Last February, the UFC held an audition of sorts for the role of CM Punk’s first octagon opponent. 24-year old Mickey Gall was picked from a UFC reality show and was tested against Mike Jackson at UFC Fight Night 82. Gall passed the test with flying colors, submitting Jackson in the very first round. With the victory, Gall not only improved his young MMA record to 2-0 but he also officially earned the role of CM Punk’s first UFC opponent.

CM Punk vs. Mickey Gall will happen at the UFC’s historic debut in Cleveland on September 10. The event, which will be held at the Quicken Loans Arena, will be headlined by hometown hero and the brand new UFC Heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic and 4th ranked challenger Alistair Overeem.

Not A World Beater

Brooks opened as a +275 underdog against Gall, who hit the books at -400.

As the early bets arrived, 66% were made on Brooks with the most popular ones at +333 for him and -333 for Gall. Although the 37-year old will have one of the most highly anticipated UFC debuts of all-time, he isn’t expected to become a world beater. Not at his age and his MMA skills.

Still, Gall won’t be taken him lightly. Gall has made it known that he’ll treat CM Punk as if he’s a champion, rather than a UFC rookie. That hasn’t hurt his confidence any, however, as he’s predicted he will take Brooks out in just one round.

However, as he was in the WWE, CM Punk is a cult figure who has legions of followers. It’s that business side of Brooks that made him a prized recruit for Dana White back in 2014.

Alexander Gustafsson in the UFC Octagon Ring

Alexander Gustafsson Returns at UFC Fight Night 93

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The Swedish Mauler is back.

Two-time title challenger Alexander Gustafsson will return to the Octagon at UFC Fight Night 93. The announcement was made by the UFC on Thursday:

https://twitter.com/UFCEurope/status/743699719646412801

Long Layoff

It’s been almost a year since we last saw Gustafsson inside the Octagon. The Swede has been out of action following a 6-month medical suspension handed out to him following his five round war with Daniel Cormier at UFC 182. That suspension ended on April 3 and since then, Gustafsson had been waiting for the UFC to call his number.

Gustafsson expressed his interest to fight on September 3 and in the undercard of the Andrei Arlovski-Josh Barnett duel in Hamburg. But with the Light Heavyweight champion and the top three contenders already booked to fight each other, the 4th ranked Gustafsson was left with no choice but to take a fight with a lesser ranked opponent.

Needing A Win

Like Gustafsson, his opponent Jan Blachowicz is in search of a victory. The former KSW Light Heavyweight champion used to be one of the UFC”s most highly touted foreign born recruits. But the Polish knockout artist has only been 2-2 inside the Octagon. Following back to back unanimous decision losses in 2015, Blachowicz returned to the winner’s circle with a win over Igor Pokrajac last April.

In facing Gustafsson, Blachowicz gets his biggest break in the UFC. A win over The Mauler would not only help him keep his spot on the roster, it will also break him into the UFC’s 205 rankings. Blachowicz is 19-5 with 5 KOs and 7 submissions. His biggest win so far is a 1st round KO of Ilir Latifi in 2014. Incidentally, Latifi is not only Gustafsson’s countryman, he is also a  good friend and teammate.

Looking for Rematch

The fight though is more than just to avenge Latifi’s defeat. A victory by the 4th ranked Gustafsson could lead to a rematch with Jon Jones. It can be recalled that Gustafsson broke into the limelight with his epic UFC 165 title bout with Jones. Gus took Bones to the limit, only to lose by a controversial decision.

Jones will face Daniel Cormier for the undisputed 205 pound title at UFC 200 on July 9 while Glover Teixeira faces Anthony Johnson at UFC on Fox 20 two weeks later. The winner between Teixeira-Johnson should have the upperhand in the next title shot but if Gustafsson wins emphatically against Blachowicz, a rematch with either Jones and Cormier could be much more appealing.

Gustafsson opened the lines as a -550 favorite against Blachowicz’s +350.

Las Vegas Sign

Andre Ward To Face Sergey Kovalev on Nov. 19 in Las Vegas

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A Blockbuster Bout

A match-up between two pound for pound elites is set to happen on November 19 at the T-Mobile Arena is Las Vegas, Nevada. Former super middleweight champion Andre Ward will move up in weight to challenge Light Heavyweight king Sergey Kovalev in a highly anticipated match that is guaranteed to be a blockbuster.

Although neither camps announced the specifics, that is now moot and academic because Main Events and Roc Nation Sports which handles both fighters have made a formal request for the date and venue with the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Thursday.

Still A Contingent Event

The Ward-Kovalev bout has been agreed in principle for quite some time now. It was signed by both parties on the premise that both fighters win their respective interim bouts this summer. Kovalev will defend his unified title against Top 10 contender Isaac Chilemba on July 11 during a homecoming bout in Russia.

Ward on the other hand will fight a still unnamed foe at the Oracle Arena in his backyard of California, possibly on August 6. The 32 year old Ward vacated his 168 pound title to move up to 175. He made his light heavyweight debut against then undefeated Sullivan Barrera last March 26 and won by a wide decision. Incidentally, Ward has never fought in Las Vegas despite his high profile status. He will be making his Sin City appearance in the biggest fight of his life.

The Krusher

Known as the Krusher for his ridiculous knockout power, Kovalev is unbeaten in 30 bouts where he has 29 wins, 1 draw and 26 knockouts. The 33 year old Krusher is coming off a 7th round TKO win over Jean Pascal. Kovalev has made seven consecutive defenses of the WBO Light Heavyweight , annexing the WBA and IBF title in 2014 with his signature victory over the legendary Bernard Hopkins. Aside from Hopkins and Pascal, Kovalev has notable wins over Nathan Cleverly, Blake Caparello and Gabriel Campillo.

Like Kovalev, Ward is unbeaten. The California native has a record of 29-0 with 15 KOs. A former Olympic Gold medalist, Ward won the Super Six World Middleweight Classic in 2011. Ward beat the likes of Arthur Abraham, Mikkell Kessler and Carl Froch.

Ward-Kovalev is currently a pick’em fight with both fighters pegged at 110 in majority of the books.

Errol Spence vs. Leonard Bundu Winner Set to Get Title Shot

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Former US Olympian Errol Spence is one win away from a title fight.

After dismantling former welterweight champion Chris Algieri in five rounds last April 16th, 2012 Olympian Errol Spence will be fighting Leonard Bundu in an IBF title eliminator:

Replacement Foe

The fight with the 41-year old Bundu was ordered by the IBF after Spence’s original opponent, Konstantin Ponomarev, withdrew from the mandatory challenger bout after suffering a hand injury. The bout was ordered to determine the next opponent of current IBF Weterweight champion Kell Brook of England. With Ponomarev out, the IBF decided to give the slot to Bundu, the organization’s 7th ranked welterweight. Bundu has fought mostly in Italy and is on his second reign as the European Welterweight champion.

Bundu though has fought mostly in Italy and has fought just twice in the United States, losing his U.S. debut to Keith Thurman in 2014. He owns a record of 33-1 with 2 draws and 12 knockouts. The only recognizable names in Bundu’s resume are Thurman, Lee Purdy and Frankie Gavin. Otherwise, he’s fought unknowns, forcing critics to say that he is going to be easy picking for a guy as talented as Spence.

The Truth

Spence’s meteoric rise in the 147 ranks has been highly publicized. Known as the “Truth”, Errol Spence is unbeaten in 20 bouts and has recorded 17 KOs. Aside from Algieri, Spence has beaten the likes of Samuel Vargas, Phil LoGreco, Chris Van Heerden and Algieri. He is considered as the hottest prospect at 147 pounds and was named as ESPN’s 2015 Prospect of the Year.

The New King at 147?

Spence and Bundu have up to June 22nd to forge a deal or else a purse bid will be ordered by the IBF. Letters informing both camps of the deadline was sent on Tuesday. Should Spence beat Bundu, he will likely face Kell Brook later this year.

Brook is coming off an impressive second round stoppage of mandatory challenger Kevin Bizier last March. Brook, who owns an unbeaten 36-0 with 25 KOs record, won the IBF title by outpointing Shawn Porter in August 2014. He’s since defended the belt three times, scoring stoppage wins over JoJo Dan, Frankie Gavin and Bizier.

Boxing’s 147-pound weight class has been in search of a new king after the recent retirements of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. Spence is one of the guys highly touted to take that spot. The journey to prove it begins with beating Leonard Bundu next.

UFC Predictions: Who Will Michael Bisping Defend His Title Against?

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Michael Bisping has been UFC middleweight champion for only a week now. But he’s already busy talking about his next bout.

Not Keen on Rockhold

Bisping’s huge upset over Luke Rockhold in last Saturday’s UFC 199 main event in Los Angeles shook the MMA world the way Nate Diaz’s win over Conor McGregor did. But while McGregor-Diaz is headed to an encore in August, the newly crowned 185-pound king isn’t too keen about giving his predecessor a quick rematch.

In an interview with ESPN, Bisping narrated his long journey to the UFC title and said that Rockhold should be subject to the same, especially after his behavior during the UFC 199 post fight press conference. It can be recalled that instead of congratulating the Briton, Rockhold went off on his opponent during the post-fight interviews and vowed to “kill him” in a grudge match. That didn’t go well with the new champ, who now says that Rockhold will have to earn the third bout the way Bisping did for last weekend’s rematch.

Not Weidman Either

With Rockhold out of Bisping’s mind, former champion Chris Weidman took to Twitter to call out The Count and asked him to make good on a recorded pre UFC 199 statement where he (Bisping) promised to give Weidman the first crack at the belt should he win at UFC 199:

Weidman was supposed to be in Bisping’s shoes at UFC 199. But the former champ pulled out of the bout with a serious neck injury. But after a successful surgery  a couple of days ago, Weidman wants Bisping to make good on a promise to give him the first crack at the belt that was once his. Bisping however, seems to have other plans in mind:

Eyeing Revenge?

Dan Henderson just shocked the world with a 2nd round stoppage of Hector Lombard at the same UFC 199 event. That victory was supposed to be the last fight in Hendo’s current UFC contract. But with the magnitude of his victory, people are asking him to reconsider fighting again. Henderson owns a KO win over Bisping and that happened at UFC 100 and the Count expressed interest in getting that one back. However, while it’s unlikely the UFC will grant Hendo the title shot, the idea of a Henderson-Bisping rematch is too tempting.

Aside from Rockhold and Weidman, two other fighters have a better claim than Henderson. Ronaldo Souza was supposed to fight Rockhold after Weidman pulled out. But Jacare was injured too, so then came Michael Bisping. With Souza on the healing process now, he too deserves a title shot when he’s healthy again. Then there is Yoel Romero, the Cuban slugger who is currently serving a 6 month USADA related suspension. It’s likely either of these men will get the call to fight Bisping but don’t count out Dan Henderson yet.

Andrei Arlovski vs. Josh Barnett Set For UFC Fight Night Hamburg

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Two MMA legends face each other in the main event of UFC Fight Night 93 in what could be their final shot at regaining UFC glory.

Former UFC Heavyweight champions Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett will square off in Hamburg, Germany on September 3rd. The fight was announced by the UFC on Monday:

First Meeting

A lot of history stands between Arlovski and Barnett. The two were supposed to fight each other at Affliction:Day of Reckoning nearly 10 years ago, but that bout was postponed and Affliction later folded. They have a total of 80 fights and more than three decades of fighting experience between them.

Arlovksi won the UFC Heavyweight title by defeating Tim Sylvia at UFC 51. The Belarusian Pitbull defended the title twice before losing it to Sylvia in 2006. Arlovski also lost to Sylvia in a grudge match, also for the UFC Heavyweight title, four months after their second fight. Since then Arlovski’s made several stops in various MMA organizations worldwide.

He almost retired in 2011 after four consecutive losses but persevered and found his way back to the UFC in 2014. Arlovski opened his second UFC stint with four straight wins before losing his last two bouts to Stipe Miocic and Alistair Overeem, who incidentally will dispute the UFC Heavyweight title one week after UFC Fight Night 93.

Barnett, meanwhile, won the UFC title at UFC 32, knocking out Randy Couture. After he was stripped of the title due to a failed drug test, Barnett moved on to become the Pancrase Heavyweight title. He eventually ended up fighting in Japan where he made a name for himself in the PRIDE organization.

Barnett also found success in the Strikeforce promotion where he lost to current UFC Light Heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Finals in 2012. Like Arlovski, Barnett made it back to the UFC. He’s not been as successful though, having only an even record of 2-2 in his UFC return and losing to Ben Rothwell in his most recent bout.

Final Shot?

Arlovski is 37 and Barnett 38, so while there is no belt or title shot on the line, this is an all-important bout for both fighters. The winner moves on to live for another day. while the loser here could be riding to the sunset. It’s very likely the winner moves on for one last title shot, while the loser fades away. Odds haven’t been released yet, but given how good both fighters are, what’s on the line and the fact that this is the first time they’ll face each other, it’s got to be a close call.

Think you know who takes this? Tell us who and why in the comments below!

Fabricio Werdum vs. Ben Rothwell Added To UFC 203

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UFC 203 is shaping up to be a heavyweight affair.

Heavyweight Central

The reason for that is because the UFC has added a heavyweight showdown between former UFC Heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum and the resurgent Ben Rothwell to its first ever event in Cleveland on September 10. As we know by now, that event will be headlined by Stipe Miocic’s first defense of the UFC Heavyweight title against the 3rd ranked Alistair Overeem.

The UFC confirmed the announcement via Twitter:

It can be recalled that Werdum lost the Heavyweight title to Miocic at UFC 198 in Brazil last May 14th, 2016. The bout was Werdum’s first defense of the title which he unified after defeating Cain Velasquez at UFC 188. Prior to his loss to Miocic, Werdum racked up six consecutive wins since his return to the UFC. He won the interim title with a second round TKO of Mark Hunt at UFC 180.

The former champ initially asked for an immediate rematch after getting knocked out cold  with a punch from Miocic but the UFC decided to award Overeem with the title shot. Overeem is coming off knockouts win over Junior Dos Santos in December and teammate Andrei Arlovski last month.

Instead of a rematch with Miocic, the UFC is giving Werdum a Top 5 opponent not only to keep himself busy but keep him on top of the heap.

Working Back to a Title Shot

Like Werdum, Rothwell was having a career resurgence with four consecutive wins before losing his last bout. The former IFL star and USMMA Heavyweight champion beat Brandon Vera, Alistair Overeem, Matt Mittrione and Josh Barnett in succession to soar to #4 in the UFC Heavyweight rankings.

Unfortunately, Rothwell ran into Junior Dos Santos  last April and found Dos Santos’ boxing too much to handle. Big Ben lost by unanimous decision to fall back to #5 in the rankings.

Despite the loss, Rothwell still has a chance to finally get a title shot if he beats Werdum, who is currently the top ranked UFC Heavyweight contender. Similarly, Werdum’s title aspirations will get a big boost if he defeats Rothwell. The other fighters who are in the running for the next UFC heavyweight title shot are #2 Cain Velasquez who fights #7 Travis Browne at UFC 200 in July and the 4th ranked Dos Santos who is idle right now.

WBC Allows Deontay Wilder To Take An Optional Title Defense

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After his highly anticipated bout with Alexander Povetkin went bust, Deontay Wilder was given clearance by the WBC to take an optional title defense.

Failed Drug Test

It can be recalled that Wilder was set to defend his WBC Heavyweight title against mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin last May 21st in Russia. But a week before the scheduled bout, results of a failed drug test by Povetkin were released to the public:

Two days before the event, the WBC called off the event and opened an investigation on Povetkin’s drug violation. It was found out that Povetkin tested positive for Meldonium, a drug that is said to increase stamina. Povetkin admitted to using the drug but only up to September of 2015. The USADA effected the ban on Meldonium only in January of this year. However, Povetkin was tested thrice earlier in April and all results came negative. It was only during the April 27th test when he came in positive, hence the WBC investigation.

Not Freezing The Champ

With the Povetkin fight off, many were expecting Wilder to be put in the freezer until the WBC determines another mandatory challenger. However, the WBC did the right thing in allowing the champ to make an optional title defense as he did a full camp to prepare for Povetkin. For Wilder’s part, the champ himself wants to keep himself busy and is aching to give his fans another exciting bout. Wilder asked his team to scout for a good date and possibly a top ranked opponent who would be willing to fight in the summer. The champ is eyeing a bout in August.

A Familiar Name

A day after the WBC announcement, a familiar name popped up as Wilder’s possible foe. Former two-time title challenger Chris Arreola has been mentioned in various reports as the frontrunner to face  Deontay Wilder. The 35-year old Riverside native has a record of 36-4-1 with 31 KOs.

Arreola lost to Vitali Klitschko in 2009 and Bermane Stiverne in 2014. Arreola’s most recent bout was a split decision win over Travis Kauffman but that was overturned to a no-contest after Arreola failed a drug test.

Aside from Arreola, the WBC’s 15th ranked heavyweight Gerald Washington is also being rumored to be on the shortlist of opponents. The 6-7 Washington would make an interesting opponent for Wilder not only because of his size but because of his KO power. Washington is unbeaten in 17 bouts with 1 draw and 11 KOs.

Stipe Miocic Will Defend Title Against Alistair Overeem in Cleveland

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Stipe Miocic will defend the UFC Heavyweight title against 3rd ranked Alistair Overeem at UFC 203 in Cleveland. The UFC made the announcement official on Wednesday.

Breaking The Curse

With Cleveland longing to celebrate a sporting championship of any kind in the last 52 years, Miocic stepped into Brazil at UFC 198 and knocked out hometown hero Fabricio Werdum with a sensational right hand in the opening round of their five round bout. The victory earned Miocic the UFC Heavyweight title, giving Cleveland its first major world title in any pro sport since 1964 when the Cleveland Browns won the NFL National Title.

Cleveland rejoiced Miocic’s triumph but now they will have the opportunity to cheer him on as he makes his first title defense on September 10th at the Quicken Loans Arena, the home of the Cleveland Cavaliers and NBA superstar LeBron James, who are still in search of their own first ever NBA title. Miocic made the historic announcement to Cavs’ fans:

As the champ said, UFC 203 will mark the first time the UFC sets foot in Cleveland and it’s only fitting that its biggest MMA star and the UFC’s newest champion will headline the event.

The Demolition Man

Facing Miocic will be Dutchman Alistair Overeem who himself is coming off a sensational  2nd round TKO win over teammate Andrei Arlovski at UFC Fight Night Rotterdam last May. The former Strikeforce and DREAM Heavyweight champion is riding high on a four fight winning streak and will be making his first ever title fight appearance in the UFC. He was slated to challenge for the UFC title at UFC 146 in 2012 but was suspended for a failed drug test. Overeem struggled to a 1-3 record after his suspension until late in 2014 when he knocked out Stefan Struve to win the first of his current four consecutive wins.

Miocic Opens As Favorite

Miocic has opened as the slight favorite over his challenger at -170 against +140. Miocic, who still works as a fireman in Cleveland, was facing heavy odds when he challenged Werdum. Not only was he a betting underdog then, he was up against 45,000 Brazilians who were cheering for Werdum. Against Overeem, the roles have been changed. Miocic will have the support of the Cleveland faithful who have long waited for a champion to cheer. But like Werdum, he will have the added pressure to deliver before the hometown fans.

Historically, no champion has defended the UFC Heavyweight title more than twice. But after Cleveland’s 52-year title wait, Miocic intends to keep it in Ohio a little longer.