A Champions Kryptonite

The UFC's heavyweight division is one of the most hotly contested titles of all. Here we bring to you, who we think may just be the 'dark horse' for Cain Velasquez's belt.

Cain Velasquez, the champion, stands at 6ft1inch tall, weighs 108kg and moves quicker than a greyhound chasing a ball of fluff around a track. He is a real life 'Superman'. Those 3 things together with his NCAA wrestling skills make for one beast of a man. A freight train has nothing on the power Cain can generate when shooting for your hips. In his last fight. against former champ Junior Dos Santos, he left Dos Santos barely recognisable, such was the damage he had inflicted.

Cain making a mess of JDS in their last meeting

So how could anyone take his belt if he's so dangerous? Enter....

Travis 'Hapa' Browne                                                                                      

Born in Oahu, Hawaii, Travis Browne holds a professional record of 15-1-1, his only loss coming at the hands of Antonio 'Bigfoot' Silva when Browne had torn his hamstring early in the fight. He stands a staggering 6ft7inch high and weighs no less than 115kg. This is what 'Supermans' Krytonite looks like. With knockout victories over Stefan Struve, Gabriel Gonzaga and Alistair Overeem, the power Travis holds is another crucial part to what's needed to bring down the champ. His long legs provide a bigger target for Cain, but his Muay Thai skills will have Velasquez hesitant on a takedown. With his long limbs he'll be able to keep Cain away at a safe distance, whilst picking him off with superior striking. The champ has power too, sure, but Travis took a beating from Alistair Overeem, remembering Alistair is a former K1 champion kickboxer, yet recovered to knock him out. You could argue that Cain's already beaten someone the same mould as Browne, in 'Bigfoot' Silva, but Bigfoots agility will not compare. Travis will be able to throw his hips back a lot quicker to avoid the takedown and keep the fight standing to his advantage. For now though, Hapa must a find a way through former UFC champ Josh Barnett, at UFC 168,  and hope Cain Velasquez can resist the punching power of Junior Dos Santos, at UFC 166. Only then may Kryptonite have the chance to bring Superman to his knees.

Travis 'Hapa' Browne after his recent victory

UFC 165 Live Review Jon 'Bones' Jones vs Alexander 'The Mauler' Gustafsson

Here we go! Light Heavyweight championship on the line. The most dominant light heavyweight ever begins confidently, with his trademark front kick to the knee keeping Gustafsson at bay. Alex remains confident though, throwing his fair share of strikes. A nice knee from Gustafsson that landed on Jones, looked to back Jon up. Some more good trading left Jones bruised early and Alex got the takedown, to the excitement of those at Melbournes Lion Bar. Jones finished the round with a good elbow. But Gustafsson should get the first round. What a start!
In between rounds it became apparent of the damage Alex had done, Jon's right eye was closing quickly. Early in the 2nd 'The Mauler' sat Jones down and ran in for the kill, Jon quickly recovered though and got back to his feet. Gustafsson continued to enjoy the better of the striking. Jon landed a nice kick and looked to wrestle back control of the fight. Jon shot for the takedown but Alex stuffed it nicely. Near the end Alex landed a nice over hand right, but Jkn probably did enough to take the second round. What a fight so far!
Huge combo from Gustafsson started us off in the 3rd. Jones kept throwing his front keg kick to Gustafsson's knee, Jones' kicks looked to be more effective now, landing more to the body, but it was still Alex countering well with the jab then overhand right. Jones begun to assert his dominance, throwing big body kicks and backing Alex up. The last minute of the round Gustafsson threw some nice combos but Jon countered with a spinning elbow. A seriously good fight, going into the championship rounds.
Coming into the 4th the champion looked the fresher and started by landing some nice strong jabs. Alex landed some strikes as well and we continued the back and forth battle. Gustafsson now begun to take the upper hand, his jabs were landing clean and now both of Jon's eyes look to be swelling. Some more right left combos forced Jon to shoot for the takedown, but Alex stuffed the attempt. Jon Jones landed a huge elbow that looked to rock Gustafsson and Jones went for the kill, Alex ran away for the remaining seconds of the round and survived.
With both guys now bleeding, its anyone's fight coming into the 5th and final. Both guys exactly the same now, throwing great strikes, getting in and out quickly. Good right left by Jones, good right left by Gustafsson, Jones gets the takedown and Gustafsson gets back up. What a fight! Jones started to land the more effective strikes, Alex exhausted tried and tried, Jones the fitter man went the harder as we closed. Jones head kick, Gustafsson upper cut, Jones elbow. Wow, that's it. We go to the judges, what an amazing fight!!!
Jones rightfully gets the unanimous decision victory, 48-47, 49-46, 48-47. But Jones finished busted up, bruised and battered. Alexander Gustafsson is a true warrior and he will get another crack at the belt. For now though, Jon Jones remains the Light Heavyweight Champion. In doing so sets a new record for the most Light Heavyweight Title defences. I've said it before , but what a fight!

UFC 165 Live Review Renan Barao vs Eddie Wineland

Interim Bantamweight title on the line! Eddie looking charged runs to the center of the octagon and is on the front foot right from the start. Renan Barao moves in for the clinch and presses Wineland to the cage, Yves Lavigne is quick to break them up though and its back to the center of the octagon we go. Both guys looking very confident exchanging clean blows. Barao landed some nice leg kicks that looked to have little impact on Eddie. Some big blows from both guys to finish the round. Good luck scoring the first, Wineland maybe with more octagon control.
Round 2 and again Eddie marches to the center of the octagon to take control. OOOHHHHHHH!!!! Renan Barao! Spinning back kick meant for the liver, lands on Eddie Winelands jaw as he ducks. Its enough to rock Wineland and Barao jumps all over him, throwing 3 more punches before the referee has seen enough and calls an end to the fight! What a knockout!

UFC 165 Live Review Brendan 'The Hybrid' Schaub vs Matt Mitrione

Will they swing like we expected? Kind of. Both guys have a huge amount of respect for one anothers striking, so both hung back. Schaub definitely landed the better of the blows early, opening up Mitrione with a big right hand. They both went back to being cautious, before Brendan landed a good combo and followed up with a good takedown. Matt worked to a hip escape and looked to be getting back to his feet, but 'The Hybrid' locked in a D'Arce choke in the mean time. At first Mitrione signalled to the ref he was ok, but Brendan corrected his angles and put Mitrione to sleep. Out cold, Dan Mirgliotta stepped in and it was all over. Huge submission victory for Brendan Schaub

UFC 165 Live Review Costa Phillipou vs Francis Carmont

Both guys start this one with some front leg kicks. Francis shoots early for the takedown and is able to control Phillipou, not many strikes thrown from the position but definitely good control. Carmoint transitioned to get back mount and quickly looked to lock in the rear naked choke, Costa was able to roll and pull guard though. Francis through continuous good transition was able to move to side control, some good defence from Phillipou almost had him locking in an oma plata. Carmont continued to control the fight and the Tristar fighter will get the first (Carmont).
The 2nd round was much the same with Francis Carmont hitting the early takedown. Costa was looking for submissions from his back though, it meant Carmont was unable to really open up with ground and pound. Once again good defence from Phillipou meant Big John McArthy would step in and stand them up, it was short lived however with Carmont getting the fight back down and dominating Costa. 2-0 Carmont's way.
Costa began the 3rd keeping extra distance to avoid the takedown and tried get in and out of range quickly with right left combos. Francis got the takedown however and it was back to the ground, Carmont really opened up with some nice elbows and punches from the top this time. Credit to Costa for continuously looking for submissions, but with the beating that he had taken and the control of Francis meant there was not a lot he could do. Francis Carmont completely dimnant the whole way through, to a unanimous decision victory

UFC 165 Live Review Pat 'Bam Bam' Healy vs Khabib 'The Eagle' Nurmagomedov

2 guys looking to get a crack at Anthony Pettis' belt started with each trying to find their range. Khabib opened up first with some good quick combos, but the fight quickly settled again and both went back to a feeling out period. It didn't take long though for both though to really open up, big striking and a couple of flying knees gave Nurmagomedov the upper hand in the first. Healy didn't back away however continuing to press with the jab. But cleaner striking from 'The Eagle' meant he had the first round.
Between rounds Healy's corner instructed him to be first, he listened and came all out attack to start the round, Khabib was still able to get the cleaner strikes away. Nurmagomedov got an early takedown, but 'Bam Bam' was quickly back on his feet. Pat's a real warrior and despite being busted open, he continued to press hard and landed some nice left hooks before shooting for a takedown, once again though it wasn't on the ground for long and both guys went straight back exchanging blows on their feet. A big takedown to Khabib at the end of the round, made sure he was up 2 rounds to nil.
No real surprise to start the 3rd with both guys again throwing continuous combos. Khabib hit the double leg and was able to complete the takedown, this time with Pat was too tired to fight off Nurmagomedov and his top control lasted for around a minute, then.....wow! Healy looked to be getting back to his feet, before Khabib lifted him above his head ran across the cage and SLAM! Huge statement! From there it was all 'The Eagle', he grounded and pounded out the round, to a unanimous decision victory. What lies ahead for Nurmagomedov? Must be a title shot, or Benson Henderson in a title eliminator

UFC Brisbane FN 33 All Australia Assault Hippo Vs Bader

Brisbane will host an all Australian main card for UFC Fight Night 33 with the addition of Light Heavyweight Anthony 'Hippo' Perosh Vs Ryan Bader.

Perosh in his 14 Second finish of Vinny Magalhaes

A wish granted to the Hippo from UFC matchmakers as he called for a high ranked fighter on home grounds, along with the rallying 'Hippolites' (Perosh fans) for a bout with Bader.
21 seconds, the total fight time of Perosh's previous outings has him in a strong position to be in career best shape even at the tender age of 40, improved striking to stack up on a 3rd degree Jui Jitsu black belt will see Perosh head in to Brisbane with a chance of taking a big scalp in the light heavyweight ranks.


Ryan Bader who sits on the edge of the warrior packed LHW rankings is arguably in 'no mans land', 5 appearance's in the octagon since November 2011, consisting of  a 3-2 record with all 3 wins against fighter's who are no longer on the roster speaks volumes, especially when the 2 L's are against Lyoto Machida and most recently the hype train Glover Texeria.

Is it then the right match up for Bader to get a confidence boost in facing a Perosh, or has the Hippo received this biggest opportunity of his UFC Career.

The light heavyweight bout becomes the 5th added to the December 7 card, joining Hunt Vs Bigfoot, Te-Huna Vs Shogun, Palelei Vs Barry, Andrews Vs Hestar.

UFC 165 Preview Pat 'Bam Bam' Healy vs Khabib 'The Eagle' Nurmagomedov



Khabib 'The Eagle' Nurmagomedov, 4-0 in the UFC and 20-0 in total, faces the toughest challenge of his unblemished career this weekend, in Pat 'Bam Bam' Healy.


Healy's last outing was a submission victory over UFC veteran Jim Miller, even though the record books show a no contest as a result of Pat testing positive for marijuana post fight and in Khabib the durable Healy can start to gain some real momentum in his rise up the lightweight ranks. Pat in the past has notable wins over the likes of Carlos Condit and Dan Hardy, so let's not underestimate the talent he has. With over 40 professional fights to his name, as well as competing against the worlds best for the better part of 10 years, Pat has the chance to out the handbrake to Khabib's run.


Nurmagomedov is coming from a much different background to Healy. Having spent much of his career in smaller promotions, its only now that he has cracked it with the big boys. His career history tells a story of a well rounded fighter, ready to brawl or even compete in a chess match of Jiu Jitsu. With victories by all means possible he is almot as complete a fighter as you're likely to see. The hype should be up and about after this fight, for with a win over Pat Healy, 'The Eagle' can really expect to soar to new heights.

UFC 165 Preview Costa Phillipou vs Francis Carmont

Costa Phillipou is back and ready to once again stake his claim as contender for the middleweight crown. Tristar's Francis Carmont is the person standing in his way. The owner of a current 10 fight win streak, 5 in the UFC's octagon, will be as eager as ever to jump at the opportunity handed to him. With Phillipou as an opponent, this is without a doubt the biggest and toughest test of his career, the advantage for Carmont will be on the ground. Training with the team at Montreal's Tristar, is sure to add to the wrestling strengths of Francis and with his submission game already top notch, expect to see him shoot and control Costa from the top position. 

Costa, returning after a lengthy layoff through injury, will be the more powerful striker and will be chasing a quick fire finish to make sure he reminds everyone of where he stood prior to being injured. With his last victory over Tim Boestch, Phillipou had entrenched himself fimly in the top10, but since has become somewhat the forgotten man in one of most talented divisions. It will be great to see him letting his hands fly early on in search of that eye catching finish. Lets hope we don't see another case of ring rust, because Costa could well be about to make run at the coveted middleweight belt

UFC 165 Preview Brendan 'The Hybrid' Schaub vs Matt Mitrione

After beginning his UFC career with 5 straight wins, Matt Mitrione stepped up to face better opposition in Check Kongo, then Roy Nelson. With both resulting in losses, Mitrione was taught a harsh lesson, the level of competition steps up drastically when you fight top 10 guys. Lucky for us, Matt didn't get too down on himself and was back in the octagon 4 months later, his 19 second knockout of Phil Defries left us wanting more. Here against Brendan Schaub, Mitrione gets another chance to prove himself against a quality opponent. He has big power and fists will be flying early.
Schaub, like Mitrione, recently rebounded after a couple of losses and with a win here will start to build some momentum and possibly a stoush with a top 10 opponent. With wins in the past over the likes of Mirko Cro Cop and Gabriel Gonzaga, 'The Hybrid' has the more experience, but the power that Matt holds is scary and this one could be over early.

UFC 165 Preview Jon 'Bones' Jones vs Alexander 'The Mauler' Gustafsson

As Jon 'Bones' Jones enters the octagon this weekend, in an attempt to set the record for most light heavyweight title defences, the questions on many peoples lips will be, is he the GOAT (greatest of all time)?
Alex 'The Mauler' is one who will definitely not be in agreeance that he is. Gustaffson currently holds a 15-1 record, with his only loss coming at the hands of Phil Davis, however his only win over a top 10 opponent came against a fading 'Shogun' Rua. Sure Shogun will go down as a legend, but the Shogun of yester year is no longer around. Alex dominated Rua for a unanimous decision victory, but he will struggle to have the same impact on the champion. For Gustaffson to have any chance he will have to hope he can hit Jones unlike anyone before. Catch Jones early is the only recipe for victory for Alex 'The Mauler'.

5 title defences by the age of 26 and with 4 of the 5 coming against former champions you could well make a case that he is the GOAT. Jones' ability to keep his opponents out of range, with his extraordinary long reach, is something few can match. His front kick to the knee or him mesmerising his opponent by holding his palm out, are techniques constantly employed when Bonessteps into the octagon. With his long reach, hes able to easily get into range of his opponent, constantly picking them off with the jab, which he loves to follow up with a short elbow. Jon's high level wrestling and violent ground and pound complete what is the best mixed martial artist and possibly athlete in sports today. You can well expect that the 'GOAT' debate will only gain momentum after a destructive victory this weekend. 

UFC 165 Preview Renan Barao vs Eddie Wineland

Interim Bantamweight championship on the line again!?! Yep! With title holder Dominik Cruz still out with a knee injury, Renan Barao must yet again defend his belt. Eddie Wineland is the man who gets the chance to take on the man with longest undefeated streak in professional mma. Eddie's strengths coming into this fight will be his striking and if he's able to get into top position on the ground and control Barao from there. Wineland should be looking to push the pace right from the start, he would want to catch Barao off guard early by pressing quickly. With Wineland pressing hard it should mean that Barao can't settle himself, if he does however get the chance to get into rhythm, watch out!

When Renan Barao finds his groove, there isnt a much more impressive fighter to watch. His lightning quick hands and feet, his ability to close the distance quickly and his high level jiu jitsu make this guy what he is. In his first interim title match, he was so good he made Uriah Faber look second rate, which he definitely is not, such is the skill of Barao. His current undefeated streak sits at 30! I find it hard to see that changing by the end of the weekend. Barao should have his sights set firmly on Cruz if he gets through Eddie, with Cruz tipped to be back early next year. Let's hope we get a barn burner from start to finish. 

UFC Brisbane FN33 Lands TUF 17 team mates Andrews V Hester

UFC Brisbane has landed yet another homecoming bout.
TUF 17 team mates Dylan Andrews faces Clint Hester.

'The Villan' Andrews is now 2-0 in the UFC since the 17th season of the ultimate fighter most recently taking a TKO victory over Papy Abedi. Andrews returns to fight on the foundations of his MMA career for the first time since July 2012.

Clint Hester a former pro boxer with an MMA record of 8-3,
Made his successful debut in the octagon at the finale of TUF 17, a TKO victory over Bristal Murande from a impressive elbow strike showed the athleticism of well tuned fighter.

It will be the warrior hearted vs muscle machine on December 7, a main card middleweight fight where former friends become foes inside the den.

Tickets for UFC BRISBANE  Go on sale October 10. Stay tuned at MMA Aus for all you need to know.

UFC Brisbane FN33 get's HULKED

UFC Brisbane Fight Night 33 has just been HULKED with
Aussie Heavyweight Soa 'The Hulk' Palelei joining home grown stars Mark Hunt & James Te Huna to take on Pat 'HD' Barry on December 7.

The Bout comes after the successful return of the 'Hulk' to the octagon at UFC 164, where he battled through adversary to finish his opponent in the 3rd.
A rib injury suffered weeks before his return to cage couldn't stop the heart and determination which has now has payed dividends for Soa, gracing him with a high step up in opponent on home turf.

HD Barry arguably the gate keeper of the UFC Heavyweight division, fly's down-under with a big opportunity to gate crash the party, with only 1 of his 14 fight career going to decision its guaranteed that HD will bring his best to Brisbane.

The December 7 Card is now stacking up to be the best the UFC has brought to Australia and is setting a new standard. Strong rumours of TUF smashes winner Robert Whitaker also appearing on the card may be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Tickets go on Sale October 10, www.ticketmaster.com.au

UFC Brisbane FN33 Te-Huna Vs Shogun.

UFC Brisbane Fight Night 33, December 7 has it's second official fight.
With Australian light heavyweight James Te-Huna Vs Marucio 'shogun' Rua, Which is likely to be the co-main event of the card.

It comes after Te-Huna called for a bout with Shogun earlier this year while looking for a top 10 opponent before stepping in to face Glover Texeria at UFC 160.

Rua who recently lost to Chael Sonnen on the return to UFC Fight Night, will be adimant on picking up a win with only 1 in his last 4 outings.

UFC Brisbane Fight Night 33, December 7 Hunt V Bigfoot

UFC Australia Director Tom Wright (Centre),
Hunt(Left) Perosh (Right) at the confrence

Monday  9th September 11am, UFC director of operations for Australia Canada and New Zeeland Tom Wright, confirmed the circulating rumours of the UFC to host a free-to-air card in Brisbane on December 7, the event will be headlined by 2 top ten ranked heavyweights, home grown Aussie Mark Hunt Vs Antonio ' Bigfoot ' Silva.

Both men coming of losses of whom their opponents now face each other for the UFC Heavyweight Title, Cain Velásquez Vs Junior Dos Santos at UFC 166.
The Brisbane Entertainment Centre will host the giants controlled by the world famous Octagon, it is the first UFC event in Brisbane and comes almost a year to date since the last card in Australia.


No other fight's have been officially confirmed but it's highly expected TUF stand out middleweight Dylan Andrews will appear on the card, along with Heavyweight Soa Palelei, TUF Smashes winner Rob Whitaker, and many more local fighters.

Soa 'The Hulk' Paleli.

Tickets go on Sale October 10th, a capacity crowd of 12,000 will sell quickly so be sure to be tuned in to MMA Aus for all the latest details.





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