UFC 85 video: 'You're wrong' if you think Brandon Vera is too small for heavyweight

by MMAmania.com on May 30, 2008 3:19 PM EDT

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Vera is one of my favorite fighters, and yes he can fight at HW, because the HW division is weak. He’d be a lot more challenged in the LHW division. Brandon, like Gina, just doesn’t want to cut weight. He likes being able to eat what he wants!

by kevin on May 30, 2008 3:21 PM EDT reply actions

I would have liked to have seen him move down about a year ago but now that the division is as weak as it is…they need to maintain some decent HWs…Vera is solid but Verdum is no joke either…this is a tough one to call…Vera if it stays standing…Verdum if it hits the floor.

by Buster Bluth on May 30, 2008 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Go Brandon

by mmalover on May 30, 2008 3:26 PM EDT reply actions

Matt Hughes’s Twin Brother Mark will be signing a contract to fight in the UFC!

by john on May 30, 2008 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions

who cares, he trains with matt, he’ll end up just like tommy spears…on his back saying "where am I!!

lololololol

by kevin on May 30, 2008 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Its great news, I will get to see 2 Hughes’s get their asses whooped…. I really cant stand Hughes!

by john on May 30, 2008 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m also a HUGE supporter of seeing Hughes lose. To see two of them go down in one night is reason enough for me to watch this event.

by Toms Bombs on May 30, 2008 8:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Really? Where did you hear this???

by Haze on May 30, 2008 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions

- HUGHES BROTHERS SET FOR UFC REUNION
Thursday, May 29, 2008 – by Ken Pishna – MMAWeekly.com

It has been more than eight years since former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes and twin brother Mark have competed in mixed martial arts at the same event. That era, however, may soon come to an end.

Matt, in a pre-fight media conference call for UFC 85 on Thursday, was posed a question he didn’t expect, that being about the possibility of his brother returning to the Octagon.

"This is an unexpected question," said Matt, the elder brother – by five minutes – of the Hughes twins. "I do know that Mark is going to sign a contract with the UFC where he won’t compete for anybody else. And that’d be right here coming up. That’s all I can really tell you. That’s all I can really comment on,"

Mark sports a 6-2 professional record in MMA, including a win at UFC 28, but hasn’t competed in nearly five years. Apparently poised for a return, Matt says that Mark doesn’t have a fight lined up yet, but is adamant about his return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a place Matt has called home for several years.

"There’s no fight scheduled (for Mark), but he is going to sign a contract with the UFC to fight for them and nobody else."

Of course, with the twin brothers under contract, the obvious question is if they will compete on an upcoming fight card together. On that issue, Matt was less certain.

While he indicated that he would like to fight on the same event as his brother, Matt said, "To be honest, we tried that in the past with the old owners and they just never went for it. But that’s been six, seven years ago probably. So, we’ll just see what comes out of it. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. Hopefully if it does, it’ll be in the Midwest there somewhere."

With the sport now under sanctioning across most of the United States, including Illinois and Missouri, there has been speculation that the UFC will soon operate an event in either Chicago or St. Louis. So it appears that Matt’s hopes of fighting in the Midwest, with his brother, has now become a distinct possibility.

by john on May 30, 2008 3:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Mania, dont take this post down!, if he does, its on mmaweekly!

by john on May 30, 2008 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Interesting, thanks

by Haze on May 30, 2008 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions

I can totally see them pulling on of those pro wrestling stunts where one of them is hiding under the cage and they switch places when the ref isn’t looking.

by PW on May 30, 2008 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I think he fights at middleweight!

by braveheart on May 30, 2008 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions

If he fights at MW he should have tried to get on TUF and get some exposure.

by JV on May 30, 2008 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

He’s matt hughes twin brother! thats exposure enough

by braveheart on May 31, 2008 9:17 AM EDT up reply actions

werdum had an interview where he said he was going to stand with vera and KO him standing. I hope I heard it wrong and he’ll end up taking it to the ground. TAKE IT TO THE GROUND, vai cavalo! lol.

by linx on May 30, 2008 3:47 PM EDT reply actions

Linx, I heard the same thing on another thread here. Maybe the Gonzaga KO and Chute Box has his head a little swollen. I am a Vera fan so I hope its true, cause Werdum will get KTFO if he doesn’t take him down.

by bnf on May 30, 2008 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Dont be so fast to count Werdum out in the stand up. He improved a TON standing during the 6th months he trained with Chute Box for the Gonzaga fight, and I expect him to be a TON sharper come June 7th. Now, I am aware that Vera has been doing muy Tai for YEARS, but Werdum hasn’t looked that bad standing and he is a tough guy. Nog ROCKED him a bunch of times but couldnt finish WERDUM. Arlovski couldnt finish him, although he was GUnshy….He defeated Aleksander Emelienko who is an absolute ANIMAL!…

BTW, you know what would be an entertaining match up that we will never get to see? Brock vs. Aleksander Emelienenko….Talk about 2 HUGE AGRESSIVE BEASTS
, going at it. Aleks would be better standing, and although Brocks chin hasnt been tested, I assume its very sturdy!

Back to the Vera fight: If the fight goes to the ground, Vera will get FINISHED, and I am a big Vera fan, but lets be real, NOG admitted Werdum was probably even better then him on the ground so you Know WERDUM is a monster on the matt. The problem is that Vera’s greco roman background should help him keep the fight standing for as long as he wants, while he controls Werdum with over and under hooks. Then again the Chute box camp is really crafty teaching its fighters the Ju jitsu trips, so Werdum wont be shooting for single legs or anything li8ke that so maybe he can get Vera down.

I am a HUGE fan of both fighters and I really want Vera to be a successful heavyweight since we all know the divbision nedds it, and I havent made up my mind officially yet on who I am betting, but as Of now I am still leaning towards WERDUM

by john on May 30, 2008 8:15 PM EDT up reply actions

John, always the voice of reason. But, in that video Vera breaks down Werdum perfectly. Werdum is not a technical striker, but he puts everything he has into his combos. If it gets to the ground Vera will lose, but we have to remember these guys are fighters and sometimes their egos get the better of them. IMO Vera has better stand-up regardless of how Werdum’s training is going… When in doubt I have to go with my boy Vera!!!

by bnf on May 31, 2008 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Don’t forget that werdumm stood with AA for three rounds……

by ufcsucks on May 31, 2008 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Ya, you’re right, they STOOD there for 3 rounds,lol. Vera won’t just dance around like AA did for 3 round. He will be throwing vicious kicks, knees and punches.

by Gord on Jun 1, 2008 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Brandon by Brutal KO. to tell the truth this is the only fight in this event that I like.

The others are ok but this fight really captures my attention.

by matthew on May 30, 2008 3:49 PM EDT reply actions

Vera will NOT finish this. Werdum is proven to be SOLID – hes mashed up big mans. Vera is hyped and solid, but mostly hype. Will Vera get a shot at AA after this – if he wins i can see it coming fa sho’ – Peace

by Insain on May 30, 2008 4:06 PM EDT reply actions

AA is in elite XC and Vera will destoye him garanteed!

by matthew on May 30, 2008 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions

since when did A.A. sign w/ elite? whats your source.

by b.w. on May 30, 2008 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought he was going over to adrenaline.

by linx on May 30, 2008 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions

If by AA you mean Andre Arlovski he signed with Adrenaline.

by JV on May 30, 2008 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah i was thinking of adrenaline sorry. All this news of Elite ex has been sticking to my head

by matthew on May 30, 2008 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions

ok. i thought adrenaline as well. easy to get mixed up w/ all the new orgs.

by b.w. on May 30, 2008 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Wrong!!! i like Vera but AA would ko him mos def

by jdawg on May 30, 2008 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions

my point exactly! Thank you

by Insain on May 31, 2008 7:13 AM EDT up reply actions

If Vera wants to fight at HW, then he needs to get stronger. Walking around with a belly at 220 is not a good plan, brah.

by jhc on May 30, 2008 4:09 PM EDT reply actions

Vera is a bum…werdum should smash him!

by ORTIZ!!!!!!08....BABY! on May 30, 2008 4:34 PM EDT reply actions

How the hell is Vera a bum?

by Jeff on May 30, 2008 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions

you are stupid…look at your name…enough said

by dtrain on May 30, 2008 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions

HA!

by Haze on May 30, 2008 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Vera has great striking and good ground game. He should have no problem with Verdum.

by TrueMMa on May 30, 2008 9:23 PM EDT up reply actions

ORTIZ!!!!!!08 lol.

The last time Tito finished someone other than Ken Shamrock was Elvis Sinosic back in 2001

by braveheart on May 31, 2008 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions

Vera seems excited and almost giddy for this fight. He is definitely an exciting fighter to watch! I’m looking forward to this fight. Werdum is a HUGE person.

by Soups on May 30, 2008 4:36 PM EDT reply actions

Vera is weak, talking about big Tim. If his hand was broke then where were the kicks? He got a takedown and did nothing with it. He should keep Tim out his mouth cause he’s the one that made the fight boring. Now I hope Werdum beats his ass.

by JV on May 30, 2008 4:47 PM EDT reply actions

out his mouth? He did kick him but Tim’s reach was hard to deal with because when vera would kick him he would get tagged

by matthew on May 30, 2008 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions

So then why make comments about Tim then? He said Tim was limping in the back, Tim wasnt limping in the though. Why is he talking about Tim now that hes in Adrenaline?

by JV on May 30, 2008 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions

I meant to say “Tim wasnt limping in the fight though”

by JV on May 30, 2008 5:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Your argument is weak, Vera uses his punches to set up his kicks. His hand was already broken when he took Tim down. It’s hard enough to control a guy as big as Tim on the ground, with 2 hands, let alone 1. His thumb was broke. Without the thumb you have no grip. It was a pathetic performance , for sure (including Tim), but that was an anomaly. I’m sure Vera will be back to his old self next week,when he fights Werdum. GG already showed how susceptible Werdum is to leg kicks (although he can take one hell of a kick). Vera can do the same thing, but he won’t gas after the first round like GG.

by Gord on Jun 1, 2008 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions

“Don’t Believe the hype, just believe what you see”

by Peter on May 30, 2008 5:03 PM EDT reply actions

“Muay Thai baby…Rob Kaman 101”

by Peter on May 30, 2008 5:03 PM EDT reply actions

he needs to drop down if ever wants the title he could easily drop down ,he will never be able to take out the trully best of the division if he got manhandled which basically he did by tim ,he could really be a force in the light heavy weight division ,odviouslly cause with all thats against him he has got some very good victories to his resume,hopefully he realizes this before he takes too many beatings and gets fired or gunshy and ruins his career

by scott on May 30, 2008 5:26 PM EDT reply actions

he had previouly stated that he would have to get his a$$ whooped before he drops donw to Lhwt. I’m a Maineiac fan and Tim didn’t whoop the Truth so he stayed at Hwt. I also like the Truth but i kinda hope he gets whooped and then drops down a weight class.there would be some pretty good matches for him at 205.

by the Levi on May 30, 2008 6:12 PM EDT reply actions

he not too small for HW, but he could compete very well in LHW.

by bradpittfightclub on May 30, 2008 6:23 PM EDT reply actions

I hope Joe Siva doesn’t mis-match the HW division. It important to pick the HW fights carefully to maintain the look of the HW division.
Even with fighters such as Werdum, Gonzaga, Shane Carwin, Herring, Kongo, Mir, Lesnar, Coleman, Vera, and the HW champ big Nog miss-mathching can make this whole division look more weak then it already does!…

by ntvman on May 30, 2008 6:24 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah man, this guy is becoming my favorite HW, hope he can do it man, prove everybody wrong, he is so well rounded, hope he beats werdum.

by The Anomaly on May 30, 2008 8:13 PM EDT reply actions

Vera by tko rnd 2

by jintao on May 30, 2008 10:37 PM EDT reply actions

They should have lesnar fight vera next. If you want a massive guy to make him drop a weight class, i’d say brock is ur man. Not to mention, it would be a great test for brock in how he would handle a guy with great stand up. It would test both fighters.

by RyanHobbs on May 30, 2008 11:16 PM EDT reply actions

Vera would knee his face off! All he needs to work on is stuffing he’s takedowns (He also is a very good wrestler) If they get to the ground Vera could get him in a submission. Vera is to well rounded for Lesnar.

by matthew on May 31, 2008 1:04 AM EDT up reply actions

vera is a gooch

by HOWaiianFapOut on May 31, 2008 6:08 AM EDT reply actions

Vera is a definitely one of the smaller heavyweights… but it’s not that he’s too small for HW, it’s more about him being a sizeable LHW.

by DJ on May 31, 2008 9:51 AM EDT reply actions

Why are so many obsessed with Vera moving to LHW. He has said many times, he will move down after he wins the HW belt or gets his ass kicked. The belt will come first. Mark my words. Vera is the overall most talented HW.

by Gord on May 31, 2008 1:06 PM EDT reply actions