MMAmania.com - UFC on FOX 18 stream: 'Johnson vs Bader' live results, updates, highlights and moreBest UFC website for news, UFC results, fight highlights and UFC schedule, including live streaming updates, breaking MMA news and much more!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49461/mania-f.png2016-02-01T16:00:03-05:00http://www.mmamania.com/rss/stream/106415992016-02-01T16:00:03-05:002016-02-01T16:00:03-05:00Northcutt Explains Quick Tap, Pre-Fight Illness
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<figcaption>Esther Lin/MMA Fighting</figcaption>
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<p>It's tough out there for a 19-year-old fighter.</p>
<p>Sage Northcutt suffered the first loss of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career this past weekend (Sat., Jan. 30, 2016) against Bryan Barberena at UFC on FOX 18 in Newark, New Jersey (<a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877730/highlights-sage-northcutt-taps-seconds-after-bryan-barbarena-squeezes" target="_blank">video</a>). Soon thereafter, <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/2/1/10886530/ufc-khabib-nurmagomedov-slams-tony-ferguson-mocks-sage-northcutt-little-bitch-mma">all the critics</a> were quick to hop on Twitter to discount his not-so-"Super" performance.</p>
<p>Which is confusing in itself, as the young star seems to be the poster boy for politeness, always greeting his elders with "sir" or "mister" in interviews.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2015/12/24/10661372/matt-mitrione-critical-ufc-pay-scale-sage-northcutt-gets-paid-more-than-me-its-ridiculous-mma">Maybe it's jealousy? </a></p>
<p>Nevertheless, Sage stopped by <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/2/1/10880566/the-mma-hour-with-fabricio-werdum-sage-northcutt-benson-henderson">The MMA Hour</a> to talk about his disappointing loss and revealed that he was riddled with sickness in the weeks and days leading up to his fight. But being a trooper, he opted to stay on the card instead of bowing out.</p>
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<p><i>"Well, first off, sorry if my voice sounds a little bit funny. I don't want to make excuses for my poor performance out there, but I actually had strep throat three times in the last four months. And then when I actually got down to New Jersey, I had been on multiple antibiotics. Then in New Jersey, two days before my fight, I had a real bad relapse of the strep throat and I had to go to the emergency clinic, or UFC had to take me. And then, Dr. D with the UFC had to write a prescription for me for more antibiotics and stuff like that. So really, I really couldn't explain how I felt out there. I felt really horrible. I obviously don't want to pull out of a fight, that's not good. I just had a hard time breathing out there. I really wasn't myself, so that wasn't the Sage you would normally see out there in the Octagon. Even after the first 30 seconds, a minute out there, I couldn't breath. I felt like my legs were cement. It just wasn't me out there. So, I know I'll be coming back better than ever and I'm still healing up from feeling sick. In a few days I'm going back to the doctor again to try and heal up from all of this."</i></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877730/highlights-sage-northcutt-taps-seconds-after-bryan-barbarena-squeezes">That explains the quick tap.</a></p>
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<p><i>"It wasn't panic, I felt very calm. The thing was, having the hard time breathing and having the mouth piece in, my energy level wasn't the level I would normally have. I fought as a 155'r, weighing 170 is what I weighed when I walked out there actually. That's what I weigh in at, so I got to eat breakfast before weigh ins. I didn't have my same strength. When he was on top of me, Having his shoulder on my throat, I know it wasn't a traditional head-and-arm choke from side control where you can apply the same kind of pressure, but having your jaw shut and trying to breath through your nose for this time during the fight, I was so congested that I couldn't even breathe standing up. That's why I wasn't able to move the same, kick the same. What I wanted to do, I wasn't able to actually act it out and do it because my body wasn't able to keep up. And it was like my heart was racing. It felt like breathing through a straw. So, even if it wasn't the best lock, I was having such a hard time breathing that it was just as tight as it might have been if I was in that position if I wasn't sick. If that makes sense." </i></p>
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<p>Now, Northcutt will have to learn another lesson the hard way.</p>
<p>As legitimate as his health reason may be -- and it is, as he had to contact USADA prior to his fight to get clearance for the multiple prescriptions -- critics will latch on to these comments (as unfair as it may be) and chalk it up to a mere excuse.</p>
<p>There's just no way around it, <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/27/10846276/fabricio-werdum-reacts-mean-ufc-196-backlash-blasts-cruel-fair-weather-mma-fans">right Fabricio?</a></p>
<p>His illness also explains why he opted to take the last-minute replacement fight at welterweight, as trying to cut down to lightweight with an already weak body would've been all kinds of terrible. In his team's thought process, they felt being able to eat more food in the lead up to the bout would've helped him recover.</p>
<p>But, as Northcutt revealed, no one foresaw a relapse just two days before fight night. Still, he did his best to put his best foot forward and act like everything was okay. And in hindsight, he says he still wouldn't have pulled out of the bout, as he says his job is to fight for UFC when the company needs him.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; letter-spacing: 0.25em">* * *</p>
<p><b>Tommy Toe Hold:</b> <i>The unbreakable positivity of Sage Northcutt</i></p>
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https://www.mmamania.com/2016/2/1/10886864/sage-northcutt-explains-quick-tap-ufc-on-fox-18-reveals-pre-fight-battle-strep-throat-mmaAdam Guillen2016-02-01T11:39:12-05:002016-02-01T11:39:12-05:00Hey Bum, Who You Callin' A Little Bitch?
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<figcaption>David Manning-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Some fighters were thrilled to see Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight Sage Northcutt get his comeuppance at the UFC on FOX 18 event last Saturday night (Jan. 30, 2016) inside Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey (<a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877730/highlights-sage-northcutt-taps-seconds-after-bryan-barbarena-squeezes" target="_blank">video</a>).</p>
<p>I'm not entirely sure why, as the "Super" 155-pound up-and-comer never said a bad word about anyone, so I guess the only explanation is <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2015/12/24/10661372/matt-mitrione-critical-ufc-pay-scale-sage-northcutt-gets-paid-more-than-me-its-ridiculous-mma" target="_blank">this</a>.</p>
<p>Exhibit A:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Woo!!! Tapped like a little Bitch & Tried to tel the Ref Different!! <a href="https://twitter.com/sagenorthcutt">@sagenorthcutt</a> VonFlu/Got You <a href="https://twitter.com/bryan_barberena">@bryan_barberena</a> <a href="https://t.co/xO4jNshOtq">pic.twitter.com/xO4jNshOtq</a></p>
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyFergusonXT/status/693607504568197121">January 31, 2016</a>
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<p>That must be <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2011/5/26/2192081/ufc-quick-quote-tony-ferguson-became-the-boogeyman-on-tuf-13" target="new">what he meant by "The Boogeyman."</a></p>
<p>Undefeated lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov, who fights Ferguson at <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fight-card/788/ufc-on-fox-19" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC on FOX 19</a> in April (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/27/10840206/with-michael-johnson-sidelined-ufc-targets-tony-ferguson-vs-khabib-nurmagomedov-april-mma">more on that here</a>), rushed to the aid of Northcutt and had some encouraging words, while also taking the time to give "El Cucuy" a piece of his mind.</p>
<p>"Talk shit about 19 year old, you're jealous of him because he makes more money than you," <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamKhabib/status/693702114397155328" target="_blank">Nurmagomedov wrote on Twitter</a>. "You are a bum."</p>
<p>We'll find out who gets the last word <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/27/10840206/with-michael-johnson-sidelined-ufc-targets-tony-ferguson-vs-khabib-nurmagomedov-april-mma">on April 16</a>.</p>
https://www.mmamania.com/2016/2/1/10886530/ufc-khabib-nurmagomedov-slams-tony-ferguson-mocks-sage-northcutt-little-bitch-mmaJesse Holland2016-02-01T10:06:01-05:002016-02-01T10:06:01-05:00Northcutt Breaks Silence After Faltering On FOX
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<p>Sage Northcutt is starting to sound like the mixed martial arts (MMA) equivalent of Ned Flanders.</p>
<p>Despite <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/31/10874648/ufc-fox-18-results-recap-sage-northcutt-vs-bryan-barberena-fight-review-analysis-mma">a second-round submission loss to Bryan Barberena</a> at the UFC on FOX 18 event last Saturday night (Jan. 30, 2016), which took place inside Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the "Super" lightweight (and part-time welterweight) was all smiles.</p>
<p>"Thank you all for the support this weekend and everybody that tuned in and watched," <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/sagenorthcutt/status/693965391870054400">Northcutt wrote on Twitter</a>. "I'll be back better than ever!"</p>
<p>The high-profile loss (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877730/highlights-sage-northcutt-taps-seconds-after-bryan-barbarena-squeezes">replay here</a>) was the first of his pro career and will likely come as satisfaction to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2015/12/24/10661372/matt-mitrione-critical-ufc-pay-scale-sage-northcutt-gets-paid-more-than-me-its-ridiculous-mma">those fighters who criticized the promotion's decision to pay Northcutt (7-1) $40,000 to show</a>, especially now that his "Super" bubble was burst on the big stage.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2015/12/11/9890074/ufc-fight-night-80-results-rose-namajunas-paige-vanzant">It happens</a>.</p>
<p>For much more on last weekend's UFC on FOX 18 event, check out our complete "Johnson vs. Bader" story stream news archive by clicking <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877558/ufc-fox-18-stream-online-johnson-bader-live-results-updates-highlights-newark-mma">here</a>.</p>
https://www.mmamania.com/2016/2/1/10885394/video-smilin-sage-northcutt-breaks-silence-after-ufc-on-fox-18-loss-bryan-barberena-mmaJesse Holland2016-02-01T09:00:03-05:002016-02-01T09:00:03-05:00What's Next For Ryan Bader?
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<figcaption>Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Another weekend of fisticuffs has come and gone, as UFC on FOX 18 blew the roof off Prudential Center last Saturday night (Jan., 30, 2016) in Newark, New Jersey.</p>
<p><b><i>For complete coverage including play-by-play results click </i></b><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/20/10793346/ufc-fox-18-live-stream-results-johnson-vs-bader-play-by-play-updates-online-free-newark-mma"><b><i>here</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b></p>
<p>Plenty of fighters were left licking their wounds, including Sage Northcutt, who suffered the first loss of his young career, as he was stopped by Brian Barbarena in round two (<a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877730/highlights-sage-northcutt-taps-seconds-after-bryan-barbarena-squeezes">see it again here</a>). And Josh Barnett, who was choked out by Ben Rothwell in the co-main event of the night.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877864/josh-barnett-vs-ben-rothwell-full-fight-video-highlights-ufc-fox-18-newark-mma">See it again here</a>.</p>
<p>But which fighter is suffering from the worst post-fight hangover, now 48 hours removed from the show?</p>
<p>Ryan Bader.</p>
<p>Going into his light heavyweight fight against Anthony Johnson, Bader was as determined as ever to prove once and for all he was <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2015/8/30/9228565/ufc-192-ryan-bader-didnt-dwell-and-cry-after-title-fight-snub-mma">deserving of a shot at the division strap</a>. After all, he had already won five straight in the highly-competitive weight class.</p>
<p>But, he had yet to notch a win over a top three ranked opponent. Something "Darth" needed before his requests would be met, <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/27/10833838/anthony-johnson-ryan-bader-needs-beat-top-three-opponent-before-asking-ufc-title-shot-mma">according to "Rumble."</a></p>
<p>Unfortunately for Ryan, the fight was over as quickly as it began, as Anthony took advantage of a failed takedown attempt from the wrestling powerhouse to gain favorable position. It didn't take long for Johnson to rain down those heavy hands of his to force a stoppage just 68 seconds into the fight.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877950/knockout-anthony-johnson-vs-ryan-bader-full-fight-video-highlights-ufc-fox-18-newark-mma">See how it all went down here</a>.</p>
<p>Given the short amount of time lasted, there isn't much to dissect. But if you ask Daniel Cormier, "Darth" was simply <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/31/10878416/daniel-cormier-critical-of-ryan-baders-ufc-on-fox-18-performance-says">scared of the power</a> that Johnson carries.</p>
<p>Power "DC" himself has felt before.</p>
<p>Personally, I wouldn't go as far as to say a longtime veteran like Bader walked into the Octagon with fear in his heart. The result is simply a testament to Johnson and his punches, which have dropped the best of them time and again. While a shot at the 205-pound title against the winner of Cormier vs. <span>Jon Jones</span> likely awaits Johnson, Bader, unfortunately, will have to start from scratch.</p>
<p>It's the nature of the beast.</p>
<p>Prior to his defeat, Bader had done everything right, winning five straight and doing his <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2015/5/24/8652443/video-ryan-bader-crashes-ufc-187-post-fight-press-conference-daniel-cormier-fight">hardest to lobby</a> for an overdue championship fight.</p>
<p>That said, Bader has all the tools in the world to rack up another four or five straight wins. But <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2015/6/8/8747143/ufc-ryan-bader-alexander-gustafsson-doesnt-deserve-daniel-cormier-title-fight-mma">as we've seen in the past</a>, he may not even need that many to get back into a title eliminator fight, he just has to be ready.</p>
<p>As far as his comeback bout, a showdown against Alexander Gustafsson sounds about right. "The Mauler" hasn't had the best of luck in his previous two fights -- which includes a knockout loss to Johnson and championship defeat to Cormier -- so a win over a top-ranked fighter like Bader could be a nice way to turn things around.</p>
<p>For Bader, a win over Gustafsson would help him stay afloat in the rankings and erase the memory of his devastating loss to "Rumble."</p>
https://www.mmamania.com/2016/2/1/10871110/ufc-fox-18-results-whats-next-ryan-bader-after-knockout-loss-anthony-johnson-mmaAdam Guillen2016-01-31T20:00:02-05:002016-01-31T20:00:02-05:00Video: Johnson Dissects Ryan Bader KO Win
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<p><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/434/anthony-johnson" class="sbn-auto-link">Anthony Johnson</a> proved he's still a legit threat for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/weight-class/light-heavyweight" class="sbn-auto-link">Light Heavyweight</a> title by absolutely obliterating <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/39/ryan-bader" class="sbn-auto-link">Ryan Bader</a> in the main event of <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fight-card/767/ufc-on-fox-18" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC on FOX 18</a> in Newark, New Jersey.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/31/10874662/ufc-on-fox-18-results-recap-anthony-johnson-vs-ryan-bader-fight-review-analysis-mma">And it took all of 86 seconds</a>.</p>
<p>Shortly after his knockout victory over "Darth," Johnson joined the Fox Sports analyst crew in the booth to talk about his impressive win, being mentally weak, and the difference in his fighting game now as opposed to a year ago when he lost his 205-pound championship fight to <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/373/daniel-cormier" class="sbn-auto-link">Daniel Cormier</a>.</p>
<p>Plus, "Rumble" dissects his chances of being the next man up for another championship bout against the winner of the upcoming title fight between <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/47/jon-jones" class="sbn-auto-link">Jon Jones</a> and the aforementioned Cormier.</p>
<p>To see Johnson's dominating victory over Bader click <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877950/knockout-anthony-johnson-vs-ryan-bader-full-fight-video-highlights-ufc-fox-18-newark-mma">here</a>, and to get all the play-by-play results of last night's (Sat., Jan. 30, 2016) UFC on FOX 18 event click <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/20/10793346/ufc-fox-18-live-stream-results-johnson-vs-bader-play-by-play-updates-online-free-newark-mma">here</a>.</p>
https://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/31/10878754/ufc-video-anthony-johnson-talks-knockout-win-over-ryan-bader-in-newark-mmaAdam Guillen2016-01-31T19:00:02-05:002016-01-31T19:00:02-05:00Reebok Payouts For UFC New Jersey Total $137,500
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<p><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fight-card/767/ufc-on-fox-18" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC on FOX 18</a> went down last night (Sat., Jan. 30, 2016) inside the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and now it's time to see who went home with the biggest slice of the Reebok sponsorship pie.</p>
<p><b><i>For complete UFC on FOX 18: "Johnson vs. Bader" results and coverage of all the night's action click <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877558/ufc-fox-18-stream-online-johnson-bader-live-results-updates-highlights-newark-mma">here</a>.</i></b></p>
<p><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/434/anthony-johnson" class="sbn-auto-link">Anthony Johnson</a> and <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/39/ryan-bader" class="sbn-auto-link">Ryan Bader</a> each walked away with a $15,000 sponsorship check after their main event scrap which saw "Rumble" knockout "Darth" out in the very first round to continue his ascension in the <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/weight-class/light-heavyweight" class="sbn-auto-link">light heavyweight</a> division.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877950/knockout-anthony-johnson-vs-ryan-bader-full-fight-video-highlights-ufc-fox-18-newark-mma">See it again here</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/410/jake-ellenberger" class="sbn-auto-link">Jake Ellenberger</a> also scored a $15,000 payday despite losing to <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/372/tarec-saffiedine" class="sbn-auto-link">Tarec Saffiedine</a> -- who earned $5,000 -- in <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/weight-class/welterweight" class="sbn-auto-link">welterweight</a> action.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/18/10784756/tj-dillashaw-vs-dominick-cruz-full-fight-video-highlights-ufc-fight-night-81-boston-mma"></a>Check out the rest of the payouts courtesy of <a href="http://mmajunkie.com/2016/01/ufc-on-fox-18-athlete-outfitting-pay-rumble-bader-ellenberger-get-15k-each" style="background-color: #ffffff;">MMA Junkie</a>:</p>
<p><a href="http://mmajunkie.com/2016/01/ufc-fight-night-81-athlete-outfitting-pay-dillashaw-cruz-earn-top-payouts"></a></p>
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<p><i>Anthony Johnson: $15,000 def. Ryan Bader: $15,000<br><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/492/ben-rothwell" class="sbn-auto-link">Ben Rothwell</a>: $5,000 def. <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/409/josh-barnett" class="sbn-auto-link">Josh Barnett</a>: $5,000<br><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/647/jimmie-rivera" class="sbn-auto-link">Jimmie Rivera</a>: $2,500 def. Iuri Alcantara: $10,000<br><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2930/bryan-barberena" class="sbn-auto-link">Bryan Barberena</a>: $2,500 def. <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/3363/sage-northcutt" class="sbn-auto-link">Sage Northcutt</a>: $2,500<br>Tarec Saffiedine: $5,000 def. Jake Ellenberger: $15,000<br><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2836/carlos-diego-ferreira" class="sbn-auto-link">Diego Ferreira</a>: $2,500 def. <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2652/olivier-aubin-mercier" class="sbn-auto-link">Olivier Aubin-Mercier</a>: $2,500<br><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/320/rafael-natal" class="sbn-auto-link">Rafael Natal</a>: $10,000 def. <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2078/kevin-casey" class="sbn-auto-link">Kevin Casey</a>: $2,500<br><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/251/wilson-reis" class="sbn-auto-link">Wilson Reis</a>: $5,000 def. <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/827/dustin-ortiz" class="sbn-auto-link">Dustin Ortiz</a>: $5,000<br><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/848/alexander-yakovlev" class="sbn-auto-link">Alexander Yakovlev</a>: $2,500 def. <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2698/george-sullivan" class="sbn-auto-link">George Sullivan</a>: $2,500<br><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/550/alex-caceres" class="sbn-auto-link">Alex Caceres</a>: $10,000 def. <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/3089/masio-fullen" class="sbn-auto-link">Masio Fullen</a>: $2,500<br><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/3516/randy-brown" class="sbn-auto-link">Randy Brown</a>: $2,500 def. <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2939/matt-dwyer" class="sbn-auto-link">Matt Dwyer</a>: $2,500<br><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2134/damon-jackson" class="sbn-auto-link">Damon Jackson</a>: $2,500 vs. <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/3178/levan-makashvili" class="sbn-auto-link">Levan Makashvili</a>: $2,500<br><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2669/tony-martin" class="sbn-auto-link">Tony Martin</a>: $2,500 def. <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2199/felipe-olivieri" class="sbn-auto-link">Felipe Olivieri</a>: $2,500</i></p>
</blockquote>
<p>So, how are payouts determined?</p>
<p>According to the revamped payout structure (<a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2015/5/6/8560827/pic-ufc-fighter-leaks-reebok-payouts-tenure-tier-for-uniform-sponsorship-deal-mma">see it</a>), the more fights you have combined with UFC and the now-defunct World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Strikeforce promotions, the more coin you have for your combat sports piggy bank.</p>
<p>And the less fights you have under the ZUFFA banner... well, the less you get. If you have a problem with the structure, <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2015/10/26/9616682/reebok-has-message-sponsorship-haters-ufc-decides-how-fighters-paid-not-us-mma">take it up with UFC, not Reebok.</a></p>
<p>According to the report, fighters will also receive royalty and payments up to 20-30 percent of any UFC-related merchandise sold that bears his or her likeness. That's a great way for the <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2015/7/23/9020493/dana-white-fat-shames-morons-idiots-who-bash-ufc-reebok-deal-stitch-duran-twitter-mma">Internet "morons"</a> to help the cause.</p>
<p>For complete results from UFC Fight Night 81: "Dillashaw vs. Cruz," including play-by-play updates, click <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/13/10759988/ufc-fight-night-81-live-stream-results-dillashaw-vs-cruz-play-by-play-updates-boston-fs1-mma">here</a>.</p>
https://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/31/10871022/ufc-on-fox-18-reebok-payouts-total-137500-anthony-johnson-ryan-bader-mmaAdam Guillen2016-01-31T14:00:03-05:002016-01-31T14:00:03-05:00What's Next For Anthony Johnson?
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<p>UFC Light Heavyweight terror Anthony Johnson once again staked his claim as the No. 1 contender last night (Sat., Jan. 30, 2016), violently ending Ryan Bader's five fight winning streak just 86 seconds into the fight. Earning his 10th career knockout inside the Octagon, and 15th overall, MMAmania.com ponders what could be next for "Rumble."</p> <p>"Rumble" is a bad man.</p>
<p>There is simply not enough superlatives to define just how dangerous Anthony Johnson is once he steps into the Octagon.</p>
<p>His unique blend of knockout power, coupled with excellent timing and very underrated takedown defense, has made Johnson one of the most difficult puzzles to solve in UFC today.</p>
<p>Ryan Bader sure wasn't able to figure out the enigma last night (Sat., Jan. 30, 2016), as he quickly became the latest in a long list of "Rumble's" victims in the main event of UFC on FOX 18 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.</p>
<p>"Darth" was hoping to extend his winning streak to six straight en route to a UFC title shot, but as he paced the Octagon during Bruce Buffer's introductions, Bader truly looked terrified and regretful that he signed on to fight the terror that is Anthony Johnson.</p>
<p>After an ill-fated takedown attempt in the first 10 seconds of the fight, Bader's night was all but done, and just about a minute later he was lying unconscious on the mat.</p>
<p>The knockout was Johnson's 10th in his UFC career, and 15th overall.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877950/knockout-anthony-johnson-vs-ryan-bader-full-fight-video-highlights-ufc-fox-18-newark-mma" target="_blank">Check out the highlights here.</a></p>
<p>With Johnson dominating nearly every top ranked Light Heavyweight contender since rejoining the organization in 2014, there is no doubt as to what's next for "Rumble."</p>
<p>Once Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones settle their feud later this year, Johnson will step in as the next man in line to fight for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.</p>
<p>Although both Jones and Cormier are focused on the task at hand, you have to believe both men are at least somewhat uneasy about the treacherous possibility of facing off against someone as dangerous as Johnson.</p>
<p>Irregardless of whether or not "Rumble" could actually defeat Cormier or Jones inside the Octagon, his ferocious knockout power is the great equalizer that could help accrue him a UFC title.</p>
<p>Whether Johnson waits on the sidelines for the next six months remains to be seen, but I certainly wouldn't mind watching him lay waste to another 205-pound contender in the interim.</p>
<p>At the post-fight press conference, "Rumble" noted he would have no problem <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/31/10878396/anthony-johnson-would-definitely-wait-for-ufc-title-shot-following-knockout-ryan-bader-mma" target="_blank">waiting for a title shot</a>, but then just moments later reversed course, indicating he would take another fight in the interim for a payday.</p>
<p>And how could you blame him when he continues to cash <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10873970/ufc-fox-18-bonuses-anthony-johnson-ben-rothwell-payouts-newark-mma" target="_blank">$50,000 bonus checks</a>?</p>
<p>Either way, whenever and whoever Johnson fights next, the MMA world will be watching eagerly.</p>
<p><b>For complete UFC on FOX 18: "Johnson vs. Bader" results and coverage of all the night's action click <a data-ref-index="12" target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877558/ufc-fox-18-stream-online-johnson-bader-live-results-updates-highlights-newark-mma">here.</a></b></p>
https://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/31/10879410/ufc-on-fox-18-results-recap-whats-next-fight-for-anthony-johnson-title-shot-mmaAlex Schlinsky2016-01-31T13:00:02-05:002016-01-31T13:00:02-05:00UFC New Jersey, 'The Report Card'
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<p>Sometimes I really envy Joe Rogan. Not because he's a millionaire comedian who gets to watch UFC fights so close to the action that he gets sprayed with blood and sweat, but because he seems able to get excited about even the shittiest of fights.</p>
<p>Such was my reaction to last night's (Sat., Jan. 30, 2016) <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877558/ufc-fox-18-stream-online-johnson-bader-live-results-updates-highlights-newark-mma">UFC on FOX 18</a> card in Newark, New Jersey, a night mainly filled with forgettable fights or one-sided beatdowns that ruined any semblance of suspense and excitement.</p>
<p>But, them's the breaks. You know the card kind of sucked when they gave "Fight of the Night" to a couple of guys who would be hard-pressed to make it through the "you must be this tall to ride" signs at Disneyland.</p>
<p>There was some entertainment to be found, however, if you know where to look. Let's delve deeper, shall we? Who got top marks and who failed to pass in this week's "Report Card"? Find out below:</p>
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<p>There are moments of regret in your life when you fail so spectacularly that no passage of time or subsequent events can overshadow your awful performance. These memories can sometimes be dulled with alcohol or deliberate repression, but they never really go away. Ryan Bader is now the proud owner of one such moment.</p>
<p>Whatever the gameplan was coming into this main event it surely couldn't have been what Bader tried. After spending the past three years working his ass off to put together a five fight win streak and the strongest claim to a shot at UFC gold, Bader threw it all away with perhaps the most inept takedown attempt I've ever seen.</p>
<h4><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877950/knockout-anthony-johnson-vs-ryan-bader-full-fight-video-highlights-ufc-fox-18-newark-mma">Watch Ryan Bader toss away his title aspirations against Anthony Johnson right here</a></h4>
<p>After shooting from far enough away that Anthony Johnson received a postcard about it, then failing to threaten even the slightest hint of a single leg, Bader assumed a turtled position on the mat. The futility of then fishing for a kimura without having any control over Johnson's body was soon demonstrated when the bigger man escaped and pounded Bader's title shot into dreamland.</p>
<p>Frankly, I'm amazed Bader even took this fight. Johnson had recently competed for the title and had no winning streak to lay claim to the right to fight him for a number one contender ranking. And Bader had nothing to gain and everything to lose, since winning would keep him where he already was and losing would send his ass back to the bottom of the heap he'd spent three years climbing over.</p>
<p>It's one thing to take a fight against another top-ranked light heavyweight who could give Bader trouble, but to accept the most dangerous power hitter in the UFC? That's just a bad career move. And frankly, other than being trolled on Twitter by Johnson I'm not sure why he felt he needed to accept this fight.</p>
<p>I believed the proper matchmaking to make was Anthony Johnson vs. Jon Jones with the winner facing Daniel Cormier vs. Ryan Bader. But UFC had other ideas. Namely, screwing Bader out of a well-deserved title shot while rewarding a man who disgraced the organization by taking illegal substances and then performing a hit and run on a pregnant woman.</p>
<p>Oh well.</p>
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<p>Surely Ben Rothwell is the 2016 version of the Mark Hunt comeback story. At one time just a 2-3 fighter in UFC who lost every other fight in which he was scheduled, the 34-year-old is now on a four fight winning streak with finishes in each one.</p>
<p>What's more amazing about Rothwell's career resurgence is that his streak has come against some top notch fighters, including a knockout win over Alistair Overeem and last night becoming the first man to submit Josh Barnett. The latter feat cannot be overstated as a great accomplishment, given Barnett's pedigree as a heavyweight grappler in Metamoris with a successful title defense against Ryron Gracie.</p>
<h4><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877864/josh-barnett-vs-ben-rothwell-full-fight-video-highlights-ufc-fox-18-newark-mma">Watch Josh Barnett get submitted for the first time in his career right here</a></h4>
<p>It's important to note that Barnett wasn't completely outclassed. The fighter was actually winning most of the exchanges prior to the finish and one could easily chalk up the loss to a mental lapse. "Warmaster" looked to be in control in the first round, keeping a high right elbow to both block incoming punches and land the quick right hook.</p>
<p>But then Barnett inexplicably sought the takedown against the fence, giving up his neck and getting squeezed by Rothwell's new go-to "gogo" choke that also saw Matt Mitrione gasping for air seconds into their fight. The consecutive submissions shows Rothwell has become a well-rounded fighter who is dangerous everywhere the fight goes, something that would make any potential rematch with former opponents (like Cain Velasquez and Andrei Arlovski) very interesting.</p>
<p>What makes Rothwell's run so very Mark Hunt-like is that UFC has obviously not been keen on giving him any easy opportunities to claw to the top of the 265-pound division. Sadly, with both Fabricio Werdum and Cain Velasquez clogging the top of the division with injuries it may be a long time before we get to see how well he performs against either one.</p>
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<p>This was officially designated Fight of the Night for the fast-paced action and back-and-forth momentum. But if I'm being honest I'll probably forget about it by tomorrow. Why? Because although it was a decent scrap, nothing really significant happened.</p>
<p>Jimmie Rivera stalked and chased Iuri Alcantara, who spent most of the time on the defensive. And whenever you're talking about one of the Alcantara brothers you may as well accept the fight is going to a decision. Especially when it's Iuri and he's playing keepaway pattycake.</p>
<h4><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/31/10878218/fight-of-the-night-iuri-alcantara-vs-jimmie-rivera-full-fight-video">Watch Jimmie Rivera and Iuri Alcantara go to war in a Fight of the Night winner</a></h4>
<p>I was pretty impressed with Rivera, who showed no concerns about standing and banging with one of the better strikers at 135 pounds. But that's actually been the key in defeating Alcantara, who always wilts under pressure when he's denied the opportunity to set up his strikes. In fact, if the fight felt a bit like a repeat it's because Frankie Saenz more or less employed the same strategy last February.</p>
<p>When you look at Alcantara's impressive record (33-7) and his UFC ranking (14th) it's easy to overlook that his wins come mainly against flyweights (Iliarde Santos, Vaughn Lee, Wilson Reis) or fighters no longer in the UFC. Every single time he's taken on a pressure fighter of any repute (Urijah Faber, Hacran Dias) he's faded like a newspaper in the sun.</p>
<p>Still, I don't want to take anything away from Rivera. The 19-1 bantamweight is a fun addition to the 135-pound division, which needs fresh blood now that Dominick Cruz is back and in control. Sure, a rematch with T.J. Dillashaw might happen but eventually we're going to need some new contenders and Rivera looks every bit capable of filling those shoes.</p>
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<p>If you're looking to me for surprise I'm going to sorely disappoint you. Don't get me wrong, I did pick Sage Northcutt to crush what looked to be yet another hand fed tomato can with little experience and no abdominal muscles, but I never for one moment believed Northcutt was a good fighter.</p>
<p>Not only did Northcutt benefit from the classic Herb Dean early stoppage in his debut fight (and now that you've seen Northcutt crushed perhaps people will go back and objectively judge whether that fight was stopped early like I claimed), he was exposed on the ground in his sophomore fight against Cody Pfister. It was only a matter of time before somebody came along to finish him off there.</p>
<h4><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/30/10877730/highlights-sage-northcutt-taps-seconds-after-bryan-barbarena-squeezes">Watch the Sage Northcutt hype train come to a crashing halt right here</a></h4>
<p>The fact he was submitted by a guy who is unlikely to be ranked in the top 50 of the lightweight contenders in UFC does not bode well for Northcutt's immediate chances of rebounding from this loss. The only good news in this one is that he's still young, strong and has a base karate talent that may help him in future. Sadly, he was exposed as lacking something that you truly can never build up: heart.</p>
<p>Northcutt tapped out to a choke that wasn't secured or in danger of cutting off his oxygen, which means he mentally quit. He opted out of the fight because he'd had enough. In schoolyard parlance, he pussed the fuck out. He quit. He's weak. Sorry, that's just how it is. Ask Jimmy Quinlan.</p>
<p>The thing about the Diaz brothers (Nate and Nick) is that although there are fighters who are bigger, stronger, have better striking, grappling or speed, they are always dangerous because they never give up. They are among the most mentally strong fighters in UFC, which allows them to not only win fights they're losing but overcome people who have superior skillsets.</p>
<p>Northcutt has the opposite problem. He had a physical advantage over Barberena, a clear speed advantage, and a lifetime of karate training. All Barberena was bringing to the table was toughness. Turns out it was more than enough against a quitter.</p>
<p>So even though he's only 19 years old, Northcutt showed that when the going gets tough, he'd rather quit than persevere. I think that's what really distinguishes him from two other so-called hype trains who were derailed in the past year. Both Paige VanZant and Ronda Rousey were crushed by Rose Namajunas and Holly Holm, respectively, but neither showed any mental weakness whatsoever in their fights (Rousey only showed it after getting knocked out).</p>
<p>VanZant, in particular, showed tremendous courage and toughness in defeat, sustaining multiple 10-8 round losses but continued to answer the bell. Despite losing badly, she proved she belongs in UFC and can grow and overcome her setbacks. Northcutt showed nothing of the sort.</p>
<p>One last note. People were whining on social media about how badly Northcutt was being treated after the loss, completely misdirecting their anger at people they thought were tormenting a teenager. Fans (including me) weren't happy with Northcutt's loss because we dislike a 19-year-old kid. We were happy because it was proved once again that UFC can't manufacture talent through undeserved hype. You have to earn respect from fans, as Conor McGregor did. It isn't given freely.</p>
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<h4>Quick Hits From The Undercard</h4>
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<li><span><b>Jake Ellenberger</b> (D) may only be 30 but looks like he hasn't evolved from his one punch technique after six years in UFC. As for <b>Tarec Saffiedine</b> (B), he's the most talented boring technical fighter in the world and couldn't finish a ham sandwich with a blowtorch. </span></li>
<li><span>It's been a really hard go for Canada since the retirement of Georges St-Pierre. <b>Olivier Aubin-Mercier</b> (C) found himself at a loss against <b>Carlos Diego Ferreira</b> (B), who was better wherever the fight went last night. Curiously, Aubin-Mercier was finally beginning to find success on the feet in the third round before trying to take down a third degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and got dominated on the mat for his efforts.</span></li>
<li><span><b>Rafael Natal</b> (C) pulled a Rafael Natal. He danced around throwing sloppy punches and takedowns until <b>Kevin Casey</b> (F) gassed out and gave up on the mat. Speaking of mentally weak, Casey more than demonstrated how easily he gives up when he was on TUF. I'm not sure why he was still signed after the show. Maybe Northcutt has a chance after all.</span></li>
<li><span>Where was this version of <b>Wilson Reis</b> (A) against Jussier Formiga? He completely dominated <b>Dustin Ortiz</b> (D), who looked slow and outclassed everywhere in this fight.</span></li>
<li><span><b>Alexander Yakovlev</b> (A+) won all four minutes of this fight, lighting <b>George Sullivan</b> (F) up on the feet, taking him down at will, and then knocking him out with a pretty combination. Frankly speaking, he deserved a performance bonus.</span></li>
<li><span><b>Alex Cacares</b> (A) looked more like a dancer out there than a fighter, leaping in and out with kicks that flustered and confused <b>Masio Fullen</b> (C-) completely.</span></li>
<li><span><b>Randy Brown</b> (B) performed admirably in his UFC debut despite the fight hype of being chosen by Dana White in his "Looking for a Fight" reality show. He took on an experienced <b>Matt Dwyer</b> (C+) who gave him a good run for his money, but ultimately fell short in the third round when Brown turned up the pressure.</span></li>
<li><span><b>Levan Makashvili </b>(F) deserved nothing from this fight after fouling <b>Damon Jackson</b> (B+) twice in the span of a minute. The fact two judges would have scored the fight for him despite doing little but defending takedowns in the first two rounds really speaks to the ineptitude of judging.</span></li>
<li><span><b>Tony Martin</b> (B) showed quite a bit of heart in taking out <b>Felipe Olivieira</b> (C-), a fighter with 10 knockouts, many in the first round, on his resume. Martin endured the pressure, dragged the fight into deep waters where the Brazilian gassed out, and choked him for the finish. Toughness. Can't be taught.</span></li>
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<div>That's a wrap! See you next Saturday when Bigg Rigg attempts to get on a scale without breaking it against Stephen Thompson. Should be a fun 'un!</div>
https://www.mmamania.com/2016/1/31/10878294/ufc-new-jersey-johnson-vs-bader-the-report-cardUnambig Redux