Thumbs Down: 5 fights that didn’t happen in 2012

It is midway through 2012, and it seems to be a bad year for injuries in the UFC. Five important fights have been cancelled or postponed this year due to injury, surgery, illness or suspension. These things are all part of the fight game and have been since day one. The nature of the sport is brutal, but injuries are not isolated to fights. Most fighters suffer their injuries in training.  As well-rounded as a UFC fighter is expected to be, it is quite easy to “overtrain”, that is, put the body

Injury forces Thiago Alves out of UFC 149

News broke today that Thiago Alves is out of his UFC 149 bout with Siyar Bahadurzada. Forced to withdraw due to an undisclosed injury, it is a disappointing setback for Alves. Looking to bounce back from a submission loss to the surging Martin Kampmann, Alves was set up to face Bahadurzada in an exciting war of two fast-paced strikers. The Brazilian kickboxer had dominated Kampmann on the feet before an ill-advised takedown spelled his doom. Alves was originally set to face Yoshihiro Akiyama on the card

UFC 149: Thiago Alves now faces Siyar Bahadurzada

News broke today that Thiago Alves will find himself with a new opponent at UFC 149 from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Originally scheduled to face Yoshihiro Akiyama on the card, he will now fight surging prospect Siyar Bahadurzada. This announcement adds some fireworks yo the card, as both fighters love to throw leather with bad intentions. The bout holds different but important implications for both fighters.
Alves is looking to get a win streak going,having once been a title challenger against Georges St.

With Rio de Janeiro out of the question, UFC 147 moves to Minas Gerais, Brazil

After much debate the proposed stadium setting of Engenhao in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil has been officially ruled out. In it’s place, Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais will serve as the location, at the  Estadio Jornalista Felippe Drummond. Dana White had high hopes of reaching upwards of 80,000 fans in a soccer-stadium setting as Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen continue their colossal rivalry. However, a much-publicized conflict with the previously scheduled UN conference on Sustainable Development

UFC 142: Jose Aldo KO’s Chad Mendes to retain title

Jose Aldo remained the UFC Featherweight Champion, after defending his title for the third time with a devastating first round KO victory over Chad Mendes.
Aldo controlled the action inside the Octagon, not allowing Chad Mendes to execute his wrestling-based gameplan. Mendes had some success with leg kicks and one takedown that allowed him to take Aldo’s back, but this fight was all about the champion finally proving himself after two disappointing performances against Kenny Florian and Mark Hominick.

UFC 142 Prediction: Jose Aldo to make a statement against Mendes

Next Saturday, Jose Aldo will put his title on the line against Chad Mendes. Their match headlines the UFC’s second foray into Brazil, after a wildly successful first show earlier this year. Jose, whose list of conquered foes contains Urijah Faber and Mike Brown, will be putting his title on the line for the fifth time.
So what makes Chad “Money” Mendes different than Urijah Faber and Mike Brown? That’s the question I asked myself when breaking down the scrap between Aldo and