MMAmania.com - UFC on FOX 5 results, recaps, videos and more for 'Henderson vs Diaz' on Dec. 8 in SeattleBest 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.png2012-12-10T09:02:19-05:00http://www.mmamania.com/rss/stream/35091252012-12-10T09:02:19-05:002012-12-10T09:02:19-05:00UFC on Fox 5: Recapping The Seattle Special
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<figcaption>Esther Lin/MMA Fighting</figcaption>
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<p>Wrapping up the UFC on Fox 5: "Henderson vs. Diaz" event that took place on Sat., Dec. 8, 2012, at the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington, featuring Ben Henderson vs. Nate Diaz and much, much more. </p> <p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/98161/ufc-on-fox-5-henderson-vs-diaz">UFC on Fox 5</a>: "Henderson vs. Diaz" blew the roof off the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington, last night (Sat., Dec. 8, 2012) featuring a main event of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/weight_class/lightweight">Lightweight</a> Champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/127864/ben-henderson">Ben Henderson</a> doing <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/128663/nate-diaz">Nate Diaz</a> dirty for five full rounds.</p>
<p>A good old fashion passionate 25-minute ass whooping.</p>
<p>The co-headlining attraction saw <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122632/alexander-gustafsson">Alexander Gustafsson</a> put his name at the top of the 205-pound contender heap by turning in a strong performance against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122520/mauricio-rua">Mauricio Rua</a> in a unanimous decision victory.</p>
<p>The other two main card bouts saw <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122584/rory-macdonald">Rory MacDonald</a> destroy <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122540/b-j-penn">B.J. Penn</a> so badly UFC President Dana White hopes to see "The Prodigy" retire while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122572/matt-brown">Matt Brown</a> knocked out <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129563/mike-swick">Mike Swick</a> to end his inspirational comeback story.</p>
<p>In cased you missed any or all of it -- or just want to keep the discussion alive -- below are links to all the major storylines borne from Saturday night's event in Seattle.</p>
<p align="center">__________________________________</p>
<p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">UFC on Fox 5: "Henderson vs. Diaz" </span></b></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/11/26/3695076/UFC-FOX-5-results-LIVE-online-updates-fight-coverage-Henderson-Diaz-Dec-8-Seattle-mma/in/3509125">Results and live fight coverage</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3745340/ufc-fox-5-results-recap-last-night-henderson-vs-diaz-championship-seattle-mma/in/3509125">Recap and next day discussion</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/8/3744722/ufc-fox-5-post-fight-press-conference-live-stream-video-online-dana-white-mma/in/3509125">Post-fight press conference</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3745696/ufc-on-fox-5-bonuses-and-awards-for-henderson-vs-diaz-in-seattle-mma/in/3509125">Bonuses and awards</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3747082/ufc-on-fox-5-results-recap-ben-henderson-vs-nate-diaz-fight-photos-gallery-seattle-mma/in/3509125">Event photo gallery</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3748038/ufc-on-fox-5-ratings-henderson-vs-diaz-event-garners-3-41-million-viewers-overnights">Overnight ratings</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/8/3745668/ben-henderson-vs-nate-diaz-full-fight-video-highlights-from-ufc-on-fox-5-seattle-mma/in/3509125">Ben Henderson vs. Nate Diaz fight video highlights</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3745646/shogun-rua-vs-alexander-gustafsson-full-fight-video-highlights-from-ufc-on-fox-5-seattle-mma/in/3509125">Mauricio Rua vs. Alexander Gustafsson fight video highlights</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3745610/bj-penn-vs-rory-macdonald-full-fight-video-highlights-from-ufc-on-fox-5-seattle/in/3509125">B.J. Penn vs. Rory MacDonald fight video highlights</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3746008/video-matt-brown-knocks-out-mike-swick-at-ufc-on-fox-5">Matt Brown vs. Mike Swick fight video highlights</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/8/3744758/ufc-fox-5-results-recap-ben-henderson-vs-nate-diaz-prelims-fx-facebook-seattle-mma/in/3509125">"Prelims" results recap</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/8/3745184/ufc-on-fox-5-results-matt-brown-knocks-out-mike-swick-recap-mma-seattle/in/3509125">Recap: Matt Brown knocks out Mike Swick</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/8/3745240/ufc-on-fox-5-results-rory-macdonald-dominates-bj-penn-decision-mma/in/3509125">Recap: Rory MacDonald dominates B.J. Penn</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/8/3745304/ufc-on-fox-5-results-alexander-gustafsson-mauls-shogun-rua-wins-decision-mma/in/3509125">Recap: Alexander Gustafsson mauls Mauricio Rua</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/8/3745422/ufc-on-fox-5-results-ben-henderson-destroys-nate-diaz-to-retain-lightweight-title/in/3509125">Recap: Ben Henderson destroys Nate Diaz</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3746952/ufc-on-fox-5-results-recap-matt-brown-vs-mike-swick-fight-review-and">Fight review: Matt Brown vs. Mike Swick</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3746804/ufc-on-fox-5-results-recap-rory-macdonald-vs-bj-penn-fight-review-and">Fight review: B.J. Penn vs. Rory MacDonald</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3746234/ufc-on-fox-5-results-recap-alexander-gustafsson-vs-mauricio-rua-fight">Fight review: Mauricio Rua vs. Alexander Gustafsson</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3746184/ufc-on-fox-5-results-recap-ben-henderson-vs-nate-diaz-fight-review-analysis">Fight review: Ben Henderson vs. Nate Diaz</a></p>
<p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">UFC on Fox 5 post-fight fallout</span></b></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3746842/ufc-fox-5-results-report-card-henderson-vs-diaz-event-seattle-mma/in/3509125">Event report card</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3745666/ufc-on-fox-5-results-recap-biggest-winner-loser-from-henderson-vs/in/3509125">Biggest winner and lowliest loser</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3745678/ufc-fox-5-results-recap-next-fight-ben-henderson-nate-diaz-seattle-mma">What's next for Ben Henderson</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3748512/joe-silvas-shoes-who-should-the-ufc-on-fox-5-main-card-winners-fight/in/3509125">Joe Silva's shoes: Next fights for UFC on Fox 5 winners</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/8/2246636/ufc-on-fox-5-results-greatest-fight-card-free-tv-mma/in/3509125">UFC on Fox 5 delivers the greatest fight card ever put on free TV ... sort of</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3747708/ufc-on-fox-5-results-ben-henderson-fought-nate-diaz-with-a-toothpick-in-mouth-allegedly/in/3509125">Ben Henderson fought Nate Diaz with a toothpick in his mouth</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3748978/ben-hendersons-coach-john-crouch-ufc-post-fight-interview-exclusive/in/3509125">Exclusive interview with Ben Henderson's coach</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3747700/pic-nate-diaz-gives-ben-henderson-the-middle-finger-during-their-ufc">Pic: Nate Diaz gives Ben Henderson the finger</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3745586/ben-henderson-steals-ufc-fox-show-nate-diaz-seattle-mma/in/3509125">On a night of up-and-comers, Ben Henderson stole the show</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/2223537/alexander-gustafsson-jon-jones-ufc-title-shot-dan-henderson-mma/in/3509125">Alexander Gustafsson earns title shot but Dan Henderson may take it from him</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3746044/bj-penn-retire-mma-loss-rory-macdonald-ufc-on-fox-5-dana-white">Dana White wants B.J. Penn to retire from MMA</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3746100/ufc-on-fox-5-results-rory-macdonald-calls-for-carlos-condit-rematch-dana-white-mma/in/3509125">Rory MacDonald calls for Carlos Condit rematch and Dana White is on board</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3747716/ufc-fox-5-results-rory-macdonald-options-next-fight-friends-st-pierre-tristar-mma/in/3509125">Rory MacDonald has options, just not Georges St. Pierre</a></p>
<p>Rory MacDonald mired in dreaded MMA friend zone</p>
<p>That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being. What gets your vote for the biggest story coming out of UFC on Fox 5?<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/84570/ufc-144-edgar-vs-henderson"> </a></p>
<p>Sound off, Maniacs.</p>
https://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/10/3749848/ufc-on-fox-5-results-recap-ben-henderson-vs-nate-diaz-event-wrap-up-seattle-mmaGeno Mrosko2012-12-10T09:00:38-05:002012-12-10T09:00:38-05:0019 UFC on FOX 5 Post-Event Fast Fact From Seattle
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>UFC on FOX 5: "Henderson vs. Diaz" took place Saturday night (Dec. 8, 2012) in Seattle, Wash., with Ben Henderson defeating Nate Diaz by unanimous decision in the main event, while Alexander Gustafsson also picked up a decision victory in the co-main event. Those are facts. And we have more.</p> <p>There were plenty of facts to come out of UFC on FOX 5: "Henderson vs. Diaz," which took place at the KeyArena in Seattle, Wash., on Dec. 8, 2012.</p>
<p>Some are notable, others irrelevant and a few will expand your knowledge.</p>
<p>For instance, we know that <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/127864/ben-henderson" class="sbn-auto-link">Ben Henderson</a> and Nate Diaz collided in the main event, battling for five action-packed rounds that resulted in "Bendo" earning a unanimous decision and, in the process, notching his second successful UFC lightweight title defense.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3747700/pic-nate-diaz-gives-ben-henderson-the-middle-finger-during-their-ufc" target="_blank">We also know how Diaz felt about it.</a><br><br>That's not all we know, though.<br><br>Check out 19 post-fight facts about UFC on FOX 5: "Henderson vs. Diaz" below:</p>
<ol>
<li>Henderson has gone to a decision in seven consecutive bouts. "Smooth" has fought 145 consecutive minutes without finishing an opponent.</li>
<li>Jeremy Stephen's suffered a knockout loss for the first time in his 29-fight professional career.</li>
<li>According to Fight Metric, Henderson outlanded Diaz 124 to 30 in significant strikes. </li>
<li>Diaz is tied with <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122560/demian-maia" class="sbn-auto-link">Demian Maia</a> for the most UFC fights in the past five years at 14.</li>
<li>B.J. Penn surpassed <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122519/tito-ortiz" class="sbn-auto-link">Tito Ortiz</a> for the most total fight time in UFC history at five hours, three minutes and 51-seconds.</li>
<li>Betting favorites went 7-4 on the card.</li>
<li> <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122520/mauricio-rua" class="sbn-auto-link">Mauricio Rua</a> is winless (0-3) in the UFC in fights that go to a decision.</li>
<li> <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122572/matt-brown" class="sbn-auto-link">Matt Brown</a> is on the first four-fight win-streak of his career.</li>
<li>According to Fight Metric, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/158092/abel-trujillo" class="sbn-auto-link">Abel Trujillo</a> out-struck <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/152645/marcus-levesseur" class="sbn-auto-link">Marcus LeVesseur</a> 67 to 7 in their "Prelims" card bout.</li>
<li>The 30-24 scorecard in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/2519/ufc-on-fox-5-nam-phan-vs-dennis-siver" class="sbn-auto-link">Dennis Siver vs. Nam Phan</a> fight was just the second in UFC history. The first was Nate Quarry vs. Kalib Starnes at UFC 83.</li>
<li> <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122632/alexander-gustafsson" class="sbn-auto-link">Alexander Gustafsson</a> fought to a decision in consecutive fights for the first time in his career.</li>
<li>All six of <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/128663/nate-diaz" class="sbn-auto-link">Nate Diaz's</a> UFC losses are by way of decision.</li>
<li> <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129563/mike-swick" class="sbn-auto-link">Mike Swick</a> was knocked out for the first time in his 14-fight UFC career.</li>
<li>Given the current UFC schedule, Brown will be the only fighter on the UFC roster to go 4-0 in 2012.</li>
<li> <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122540/b-j-penn" class="sbn-auto-link">B.J. Penn's</a> loss to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122584/rory-macdonald" class="sbn-auto-link">Rory MacDonald</a> dropped his record to 1-4-1 in his past six fights.</li>
<li> <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129608/mike-easton" class="sbn-auto-link">Mike Easton</a> had his eight-fight win streak snapped and was handed his first defeat since Sept. 2007.</li>
<li> <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122895/dennis-siver" class="sbn-auto-link">Dennis Siver</a> improved to 2-0 since dropping to the featherweight division. </li>
<li> <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/127866/scott-jorgensen" class="sbn-auto-link">Scott Jorgensen</a> is the sixteenth fighter in UFC history to earn two post-fight bonuses in one event. The feat has happened 18 times overall, with UFC middleweight champion <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122568/anderson-silva" class="sbn-auto-link">Anderson Silva</a> picking up double bonuses on three separate occasions.</li>
<li>Henderson is the only fighter on the UFC roster to compete and win in three title fights in 2012.</li>
</ol>
<p>That's a wrap for this set of UFC facts.</p>
<p>Did you learn anything new/interesting? Do any of the facts change your perspective on Saturday's fights?</p>
<p>Let us know below!</p>
<p>For complete UFC on FOX 5: "Henderson vs. Diaz" event coverage, results, recaps, videos and more click <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/8/3745084/ufc-fox-5-results-recaps-videos-photos-henderson-vs-diaz-seattle-mma">here</a>.</p>
https://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/10/3748470/ufc-on-fox-5-results-19-post-event-facts-about-henderson-vs-diazMike Bohn2012-12-09T23:15:35-05:002012-12-09T23:15:35-05:00Exclusive: 'Bendo' Coach Talks Gameplan, Toothpick
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<figcaption>Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>MMAmania.com has an exclusive interview with Benson Henderson's head trainer John Crouch, talking the gameplan against Nate Diaz, the specific preparation for his trash talking and even the toothpick controversy in this exclusive interview. Get all the details below. </p> <p>When <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/127864/ben-henderson" class="sbn-auto-link">Ben Henderson</a> stepped into the Octagon last night (Dec. 8, 2012) to defend his UFC <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/weight_class/lightweight">Lightweight</a> title against gritty challenger Nate Diaz in the main event of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/98161/ufc-on-fox-5-henderson-vs-diaz">UFC on Fox 5</a>, it was the culmination of some very intense and particular preparation.</p>
<p>The result was a dominant performance, an extremely strong one-sided showing against one of the toughest fighters in the division.</p>
<p>Before Henderson ever stepped into the cage, however, he specifically prepared for all the facets of the game that Diaz brought to the table and gameplanned ways to shut every single one of them down.</p>
<p>Low leg kicks, punches to the leg, constant pressure and remaining calm while being taunted were all showcased last night as Henderson thwarted Diaz at every turn. It was hands down his most dominant performance since coming over to the UFC after the WEC merger.</p>
<p>Henderson's coach, John Crouch, the head grappling instructor of MMA Labs was in his corner last night. Crouch talked to MMAmania.com about the pre-fight preparation that led to Henderson's fantastic outing, even dishing the dirt on "<a target="_blank" href="http://mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3747708/ufc-on-fox-5-results-ben-henderson-fought-nate-diaz-with-a-toothpick-in-mouth-allegedly">Toothpick-gate</a>" in this exclusive interview.</p>
<p>Check it out:</p>
<p><b>Brian Hemminger</b> (<a href="http://www.MMAmania.com">MMAmania.com</a>): Now did you breathe a sigh of relief seeing how well Benson did, not having any controversy this time after the last two <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122527/frankie-edgar">Frankie Edgar</a> fights?</p>
<p><b>John Crouch</b>: Well not exactly relief. We expect to win. There are the normal nerves and anticipation. I wouldn't say it's a relief. That's what Ben does and it's what we've come to expect. I certainly liked it better than the Frankie Edgar fights that's for sure.</p>
<p><b>Brian Hemminger</b> (<a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.MMAmania.com">MMAmania.com</a>): What really impressed me the most was you guys never let Nate Diaz get comfortable in there. He was never allowed to get in a groove and work his offense. Anything he tried to get anything going, Benson completely shut him down. Was that part of the plan to either always be attacking from outside of his range or getting inside his range and never spending too much time in the pocket?</p>
<p><b>John Crouch</b>: You said it pretty well. That was good, man. You should be a coach. That's awesome. (laughs) That's the idea. You don't want to stand in boxing range with Nate. He's dangerous. Once he gets on a roll, he just overwhelms people with his pace. We felt like we could get in and out when we wanted to and it turns out we were right. It was great. It was exactly what we had talked about. We implemented a lot of things we worked on and it was exciting to see them come to fruition.</p>
<p><b>Brian Hemminger</b> (<a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.MMAmania.com">MMAmania.com</a>): Benson had gone away from the leg kicks against Frankie Edgar after a strong first round but against Nate Diaz, he stuck with them and they were so debilitating. Every time he threw them, something bad happened to Diaz whether he was getting staggered, getting dropped or having to change his stance. They were so effective. Was that a big part of the plan heading in?</p>
<p><b>John Crouch</b>: Absolutely. Ben kicks hard. He's really good at it and really comfortable doing it. It's a big part of our gameplan all the time, trying to utilize all his weapons. I can't classify him as a boxer or "this" or "that." He uses all his weapons really well. He has a lot of weapons in his lower half and he used his elbows really well last night too. His boxing keeps getting better and better so absolutely. We want to fight to our strengths and kicking is part of that.</p>
<p><b>Brian Hemminger</b> (<a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.MMAmania.com">MMAmania.com</a>): Something I read before the event which I thought was interesting was you put Benson through this gauntlet of trash talk to get him prepared for Nate Diaz, having his teammates swear at him in sparring and try to get in his head. It didn't seem like that bothered him one bit last night. Did you think the extra preparation helped him out in that department?</p>
<p><b>John Crouch</b>: I think it's just like an NFL team going somewhere and practicing with a bit of noise. You just have to be conscious of it and be ready for it and I think once you're aware of something, it's a lot easier to prepare for it. We had some guys throwing taunts out there, flipping him off and after a while it got to be a playful thing but we just want to be prepared for whatever comes. We didn't want to walk in and have the coaches go, "Oh, we didn't think of that." That's my worst nightmare. We played with it, had a good time with it and honestly I don't know if Ben would have been bothered either way but as coaches, it makes us feel better anyway.</p>
<p><b>Brian Hemminger</b> (<a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.MMAmania.com">MMAmania.com</a>): He threw an attack that I've only ever seen from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122568/anderson-silva">Anderson Silva</a> and I've never seen it really be effective before. He threw a lead punch to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/128663/nate-diaz">Nate Diaz's</a> leg and it actually knocked him down at one point. Was that something you actually practiced or was it just something crazy that Ben came up with spur of the moment during the fight?</p>
<p><b>John Crouch</b>: Oh no, we practiced that. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129722/alex-caceres">Alex Caceres</a> "Bruce Leroy" came into our last camp and he likes that punch. He does a lot of wacky stuff, that kid. He hit Ben in the leg with it one day and Ben didn't like it and he started doing it to everybody else. It hurts, man. It is a really weird place to get punched in that thigh. It hurts your leg. It hurt Nate's leg last night and it's pretty far range and a weird angle too so it worked well. It was absolutely in the gameplan and it's how he hit that overhand in the last round and dropped Nate. He threw that leg punch and then came over the top so it worked great.</p>
<p><b>Brian Hemminger</b> (<a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.MMAmania.com">MMAmania.com</a>): Benson really got in Diaz's face last night which was something that his three prior opponents were unable to do. What do you think it was about those last three fights for Diaz that his opponents weren't making the proper adjustments?</p>
<p><b>John Crouch</b>: Well styles make fights, really. People stay at the end of Diaz's range and let him get going and the kid's a monster there. We didn't want to be there and Ben, he's a very aggressive fighter. Since we've come to the UFC, we've tried to be more aggressive. Ben can go all night and push the pace. We weren't able to do that against Frankie Edgar. That kid is great. Frankie's a great fighter. It's really hard to do that against Frankie or you'll get punched in the face and knocked out. It was really nice to do that against someone we could have fun with against.</p>
<p><b>Brian Hemminger</b> (<a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.MMAmania.com">MMAmania.com</a>): Something kinda crazy that came out of the event last night were all these questions about <a target="_blank" href="http://mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3747708/ufc-on-fox-5-results-ben-henderson-fought-nate-diaz-with-a-toothpick-in-mouth-allegedly">whether Ben fights with a toothpick in his mouth</a>. You train with him and see him all the time. Is that just a comfort thing? Does he really do that? Or are you not at liberty to discuss it?</p>
<p><b>John Crouch</b>: I don't ever know when he had it in. I tell him not to do it and he either does or doesn't do it. I don't know. We're gonna work on it. I think with all this attention, hopefully this will stop him from doing it anymore. I've been asking him for years not to do it. I've checked. I've physically looked. I can't tell if he has it or not sometimes. He's a stubborn kid and that's why he's a champion. I don't know why that's his little thing. I'm sure they're gonna give him a hard time about it. I didn't know it was in there. It makes me sad that that's what people wanted to talk about. I understand it's a curiosity, but at the press conference, some idiot that was the first question they wanted to talk about. Like seriously? You just watched that fight and the first question you're gonna ask about is a toothpick? That's crazy. When you're in the public eye and you do something, people notice.</p>
<p><b>Brian Hemminger</b> (<a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.MMAmania.com">MMAmania.com</a>): Now taking it away from him, could that affect his performance?</p>
<p><b>John Crouch</b>: Nothing affects him. You could throw him in the freezer for 30 minutes before he fought and he'd fight the same way.</p>
<p><i>You can follow John on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jcbjj">@JCBJJ</a>.</i></p>
<p><i>To listen to the complete audio of my conversation with John Crouch, click <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pureadrenaline/2012/12/09/verbal-submission-110-john-crouch-jessica-eye">here</a> (interview begins at the 12:00 mark)</i></p>
https://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3748978/ben-hendersons-coach-john-crouch-ufc-post-fight-interview-exclusiveBrian Hemminger2012-12-09T20:01:09-05:002012-12-09T20:01:09-05:00Matches To Make For UFC on FOX 5 Winners
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<figcaption>Photo by Esther Lin for MMAFighting.com</figcaption>
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<p>Playing fantasy matchmaker is one of the most enjoyable things to do for mixed martial arts (MMA) fans, and with UFC on FOX 5: 'Henderson vs. Diaz' behind us, we put ourselves in Joe Silva's shoes to play matchmaker for the event's main card winners.</p> <p>UFC on FOX 5: "Henderson vs. Diaz" is in the books and once again, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/ufc">Ultimate Fighting Championship</a> (UFC) delivered a spectacular night of mixed martial arts (MMA) action.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122572/matt-brown">Matt Brown</a>, Rory MacDonald, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122632/alexander-gustafsson">Alexander Gustafsson</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/127864/ben-henderson">Ben Henderson</a> were the big winners Saturday night (Dec. 8, 2012) at the KeyArena in Seattle, Wash., as each picked up a decisive victory over their respective opponents on the main card.</p>
<p>After every fight card, fans wonder who the winners will be matched up with next. With another night of heart-racing fights in the rear-view mirror, it's time to look forward and put ourselves in Joe Silva's shoes to play UFC matchmaker.</p>
<p>Here we go:</p>
<p><b>Winner: </b>Matt Brown<br><b>Who He Should Fight Next: </b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/131378/siyar-bahadurzada">Siyar Bahadurzada</a><br><b>Why They Should Fight: </b>Brown picked up a brutal knockout of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129563/mike-swick">Mike Swick</a> at UFC on FOX 5 for the first four-fight win streak of his MMA career. "The Immortal" moves a few notches up the ranks and with 14 UFC fights under his belt, most of which have proven to be exciting, Brown is going to be a mainstay with the organization for the foreseeable future.</p>
<p>Bahadurzada has been on the shelf since April nursing an injury to his hand, but the Afghan fighter is expected to return to the cage sooner than later. Bahadurzada scored a highlight-reel knockout over <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122592/paulo-thiago">Paulo Thiago</a> in his UFC debut earlier this year, and a match up with Brown would be a great clash of two 170-pounders with the ability to end a fight in the blink of an eye.<br><br>Bahadurzada would pose a huge threat on the feet because of his devastating knockout power, and vice versa, but considering neither man has ever been finished with strikes in 53 combined fights, it would be interesting to see how the fight would play out.</p>
<p>Both competitors are trying to establish themselves as contenders in the welterweight division and a win for either of them would help build ground towards that status.</p>
<p><b>Winner: </b>Rory MacDonald <br><b>Who He Should Fight Next: </b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122573/carlos-condit">Carlos Condit</a><br><b>Why They Should Fight: </b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122584/rory-macdonald">Rory MacDonald's</a> one and only career defeat comes at the hands of Condit in a fight "Ares" was likely only a few ticks of the clock away from winning. The Canadian says the loss eats away at him and wants redemption against Condit. After utterly dismantling MMA legend <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122540/b-j-penn">B.J. Penn</a>, the 23-year-old called Condit out in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. And given his performance, it's hard to argue MacDonald doesn't have grounds to request a rematch.</p>
<p>We know MacDonald wants the fight, <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3746100/ufc-on-fox-5-results-rory-macdonald-calls-for-carlos-condit-rematch-dana-white-mma" target="_blank">UFC President Dana White told FUEL TV after the event that he is warm to the idea of the match up</a>, so now all that leaves is Condit, who has yet to comment on the situation.</p>
<p>Beyond MacDonald's quest for vengeance, the match up makes all kinds of sense for both men. Condit's status has elevated since the initial 2010 meeting between the two at UFC 115 and with "The Natural Born Killer" having just held the interim UFC title, MacDonald is catching him at a peak moment in his career and could use Condit's recent success to catapult himself further up the rankings.</p>
<p>Condit, on the other hand, would be granted an opportunity to take out a friend and training partner of the man who last defeated him, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122591/georges-st-pierre">Georges St. Pierre</a>. Moreover, Condit would be able to prove once and for all he is superior to MacDonald even though he had his hands full in the first fight.</p>
<p>Two of the three parties needed to make the rematch happen appear to be on board, now it just comes down to Condit and his camp.</p>
<p><b>Winner: </b>Alexander Gustafsson<br><b>Who He Should Fight Next: </b>Winner of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/2423/ufc-156-rashad-evans-vs-antonio-rogerio-nogueira">Rashad Evans vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira</a> at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/115889/ufc-156-aldo-vs-edgar">UFC 156</a><br><b>Why They Should Fight: </b>Alexander Gustafsson showed he is a legitimate contender in the light heavyweight division with a unanimous decision win over <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122520/mauricio-rua">Mauricio Rua</a> at UFC on FOX 5. With the win, "The Mauler" pushed his UFC record to 7-1, and lined himself up for another meaningful fight at 205-pounds. <br><br>UFC President Dana White said prior to UFC on FOX 5 that the winner of Gustafsson-Rua would get a title shot, but with the belt currently tied up between <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122514/jon-jones">Jon Jones</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122570/chael-sonnen">Chael Sonnen</a> until April, it's likely the Swede will fight again before challenging for the title.<br><br>If a championship fight is off the table, the most logical opponent for Gustafsson to face next would be the winner of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122510/rashad-evans">Rashad Evans</a> vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122518/antonio-rogerio-nogueira">Antonio Rogerio Nogueira</a>, who face off in one of the featured bouts of UFC 156 on Feb. 2, 2013. <br><br>If Evans were to defeat Nogueira, a match up between "Suga" and "The Mauler" would pit two of the top-5 light heavyweights in the world against one another. Evans' wrestling would present a threat unlike anything Gustafsson has had to deal with and beyond that, it would be a pivotal fight for the division.</p>
<p>Should Gustafsson face Nogueira, it would make a fight that was supposed to take place at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/95194/ufc-on-fuel-tv-2">UFC on FUEL TV 2</a> last April before "Minotoro" suffered an injury, which resulted in Gustafsson facing <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/128668/thiago-silva">Thiago Silva</a>. There was interest in a Gustafsson vs. Nogueira bout before it was scrapped and considering both fighters would be coming off big wins, rebooking the fight is a logical next step.<br><br>Regardless of which man Gustafsson faces next, there is another fascinating match up in the light heavyweight division on the horizon.</p>
<p><b>Winner: </b>Ben Henderson <br><b>Who He Should Fight Next: </b>Winner of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/2467/ufc-on-fox-6-donald-cerrone-vs-anthony-pettis">Donald Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis</a> at UFC on FOX 6 <br><b>Why They Should Fight: </b>After another successful title defense against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/128663/nate-diaz">Nate Diaz</a>, Benson Henderson is one win away from matching <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122527/frankie-edgar">Frankie Edgar</a> and B.J. Penn's record for the most title defenses in the history of the UFC lightweight division.</p>
<p>Up next for Henderson? Well, the winner of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122525/donald-cerrone">Donald Cerrone</a> vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122902/anthony-pettis">Anthony Pettis</a> --who fight at UFC on FOX 6 next January-- sounds like a good dance partner for "Smooth" to tangle with.</p>
<p>Some have suggested <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/strikeforce">Strikeforce</a> champ <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122538/gilbert-melendez">Gilbert Melendez</a> as a potential opponent, but given the uncertainty surrounding the Strikeforce organization and its fighters paired with Melendez's nagging shoulder injury, it's too difficult to determine a timeframe for that fight.</p>
<p>Henderson has fought both Cerrone and Pettis before, defeating "Cowboy" on two separate occasions under the WEC banner while suffering what was his last loss to "Showtime" in 2010.</p>
<p>A fight against Pettis is certainly the more intriguing of the two options as Pettis holds a win over the champion and it would be interesting to see if he could put on a repeat performance and take Henderson's belt.</p>
<p>It's not often the UFC puts together a third fight when one man has won the first two, but an exception could certainly be made for Cerrone. His game has improved tremendously since last sharing the cage with Henderson and perhaps Cerrone could adapt and right the wrongs he made in the first two fights. <br><br>At the end of the day, the UFC is going to get a competitive title bout with a good storyline, so there should be no complaints regardless of how everything pans out.</p>
<p>That ends this edition of Joe Silva's shoes. What do you think of these potential match ups? Do you agree? Disagree?</p>
<p>Let us know in the comments section below what fights you would make if you were in Joe Silva's shoes and were playing the role of UFC matchmaker.</p>
https://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3748512/joe-silvas-shoes-who-should-the-ufc-on-fox-5-main-card-winners-fightMike Bohn2012-12-09T18:30:06-05:002012-12-09T18:30:06-05:00UFC on FOX 5 Ratings Are In
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The overnight ratings are in for the UFC on Fox 5: "Henderson vs. Diaz" event that went down last night (Sat., Dec. 8, 2012) in Seattle, Washington, and the numbers are stronger than the previous two outings for the UFC on network television. </p> <p>Well, I'll be damned. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/ufc">Ultimate Fighting Championship</a> (UFC) put together a great card for its latest effort on FOX and the overnight ratings reflect the added interest in the show.</p>
<p>According to <a target="_blank" href="http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/12/09/tv-ratings-saturday-ufc-beats-up-american-giving-awards-the-borrowers-frosty-the-snowman-specials/160894/">TVByTheNumbers.com</a>, UFC on FOX 5: "Henderson vs. Diaz," which took place last night (Sat., Dec. 8, 2012) at the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington, garnered an average of 3.41 million viewers for the 8-10 p.m. ET broadcast, with a 1.6 rating in the highly coveted 18-49 demographic.</p>
<p>As I'm sure UFC President Dana White would be quick to tell you, that rating was enough to win the night for FOX.</p>
<p>It's important to note that the main event of the show, the lightweight championship bout that saw <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/127864/ben-henderson">Ben Henderson</a> batter and bruise <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/128663/nate-diaz">Nate Diaz</a> for five full rounds, ran much longer than the time allotted for the show. That means the overnight ratings have not factored in anything that came after 10 p.m. ET.</p>
<p>That's good news for both the UFC and FOX because the numbers were even better than what they've shown so far.</p>
<p>For comparison's sake, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/95241/ufc-on-fox-3">UFC on Fox 3</a>: "Diaz vs. Miller" did 2.25 million viewers and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/95372/ufc-on-fox-4">UFC on Fox 4</a>: "Shogun vs. Vera" did 2.36 million viewers in their overnight ratings. They still aren't back up to the levels they were at first but that's not unexpected and improvement is really all anyone can ask for, right?</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/98161/ufc-on-fox-5-henderson-vs-diaz">UFC on Fox 5</a> featured the aforementioned lightweight title showdown, in addition to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122632/alexander-gustafsson">Alexander Gustafsson</a> mauling <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122520/mauricio-rua">Mauricio Rua</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122584/rory-macdonald">Rory MacDonald</a> running through <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122540/b-j-penn">B.J. Penn</a>, and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122572/matt-brown">Matt Brown</a> knocking out <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129563/mike-swick">Mike Swick</a>. It was a fine show worthy of the improved ratings.</p>
<p>For complete results, including blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action, click <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/11/26/3695076/UFC-FOX-5-results-LIVE-online-updates-fight-coverage-Henderson-Diaz-Dec-8-Seattle-mma">here</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/8/3744758/ufc-fox-5-results-recap-ben-henderson-vs-nate-diaz-prelims-fx-facebook-seattle-mma">here</a>.</p>
https://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3748038/ufc-on-fox-5-ratings-henderson-vs-diaz-event-garners-3-41-million-viewers-overnightsGeno Mrosko2012-12-09T17:30:19-05:002012-12-09T17:30:19-05:00Bendo Beats Diaz With Toothpick In His Mouth
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Lost in the shuffle of four amazing main card performances at last night's (Dec. 8, 2012) UFC on Fox 5 event was the fact that Ben Henderson, who defeated Nate Diaz to retain his title, apparently did so with a toothpick in his mouth. </p> <p>A bizarre situation played itself out during the main event of last night's (Sat., Dec. 8, 2012) <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/98161/ufc-on-fox-5-henderson-vs-diaz">UFC on Fox 5</a>: "Henderson vs. Diaz" show on network television. Most fans were keyed on the bizarre camera cutaways when <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/128663/nate-diaz">Nate Diaz</a> was flipping off <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/127864/ben-henderson">Ben Henderson</a> en route to a five-round unanimous decision loss but a bigger controversy, although one that hasn't received a ton of attention, has come out.</p>
<p>Henderson fought Diaz with a toothpick in his mouth ... allegedly.</p>
<p>I say allegedly because "Bendo" played coy at the post-fight press conference, first saying he couldn't comment with a subtle nod to the affirmative before quickly changing his tune to say he was joking. Then, UFC employee Dave Sholler, who was emceeing the presser, later made sure to point out that Henderson was joking and he did not fight with a toothpick in his mouth.</p>
<p>Little did they know, UFC President <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDQaL8MEQDE&feature=g-u-u">Dana White had given an interview to FUEL TV</a> that aired at roughly the same time Sholler and Henderson were in which he said he saw a toothpick in Henderson's mouth:</p>
<p><i>"Let me tell you what, I saw a toothpick pop out of his mouth when he walked back to the corner. That is the craziest thing I have ever seen. That is so not legal it's not even funny. It's incredible. I've never seen anything like it in my 43 years on Earth. I doubt (he gets fine), I mean why could you fine him for it? But I think that the athletic commission will be looking for that in the future."</i></p>
<p>Later, video came out and it looks definitive:<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UkJScJaU4mM" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>There are obvious safety concerns with something like this. For starters, Henderson could mistakenly swallow the damn thing. Secondly, he could have it pop out of his mouth in such a way that while clinching with his opponent, he could open a cut on said opponent. Yes, it's a long shot that would happen but even the possibility is enough to raise concern on the matter.</p>
<p>Or is that an overreaction? Maniacs, how do you feel about Henderson (allegedly) fighting with a toothpick in his mouth?</p>
https://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3747708/ufc-on-fox-5-results-ben-henderson-fought-nate-diaz-with-a-toothpick-in-mouth-allegedlyGeno Mrosko2012-12-09T17:00:03-05:002012-12-09T17:00:03-05:00UFC On FOX 5 Henderson vs Diaz Photo Gallery
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<figcaption>Esther Lin/MMA Fighting</figcaption>
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<p>Check out a photo gallery from the UFC on FOX 5: "Henderson vs. Diaz" event that took place last night (Sat., Dec. 8, 2012) at the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington, featuring Ben Henderson's incredible victory over Nate Diaz.</p> <p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/98161/ufc-on-fox-5-henderson-vs-diaz">UFC on Fox 5</a>: "Henderson vs. Diaz" blew the roof off the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington, last night (Sat., Dec. 8, 2012) featuring a main event of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/weight_class/lightweight">Lightweight</a> Champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/127864/ben-henderson">Ben Henderson</a> doing <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/128663/nate-diaz">Nate Diaz</a> dirty for five full rounds.</p>
<p>A good old fashion passionate 25-minute ass whooping.</p>
<p>The co-headlining attraction saw <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122632/alexander-gustafsson">Alexander Gustafsson</a> put his name at the top of the 205-pound contender heap by turning in a strong performance against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122520/mauricio-rua">Mauricio Rua</a> in a unanimous decision victory.</p>
<p>The other two main card bouts saw <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122584/rory-macdonald">Rory MacDonald</a> destroy <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122540/b-j-penn">B.J. Penn</a> so badly UFC President Dana White hopes to see "The Prodigy" retire while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122572/matt-brown">Matt Brown</a> knocked out <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129563/mike-swick">Mike Swick</a> to end his inspirational comeback story.</p>
<p>Click <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/2012/12/8/3744600/ufc-on-fox-5-photos">here</a> to check out a complete photo gallery with a lot more shots from the event by <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/2012/12/8/3744600/ufc-on-fox-5-photos">Eshter Lin of MMA Fighting</a>.</p>
<p>For complete UFC on Fox 5 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/11/26/3695076/UFC-FOX-5-results-LIVE-online-updates-fight-coverage-Henderson-Diaz-Dec-8-Seattle-mma">here</a> and <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3745340/ufc-fox-5-results-recap-last-night-henderson-vs-diaz-championship-seattle-mma">here</a>.</p>
https://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3747082/ufc-on-fox-5-results-recap-ben-henderson-vs-nate-diaz-fight-photos-gallery-seattle-mmaGeno Mrosko2012-12-09T16:30:48-05:002012-12-09T16:30:48-05:00MacDonald Mired In Dreaded MMA 'Friends Zone'
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<p>Rory MacDonald is trapped in the unforgiving "Friends Zone," which is a dark, twisted and complicated place that stunts growth and aggravates Dana White to no end. The good news, for now, is that MacDonald has viable options on the table that don't necessarily have to include his Canadian chum, Georges St. Pierre.</p> <p>For <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122584/rory-macdonald">Rory MacDonald</a>, being stuck in the "Friends" zone with Tristar Gym stablemate Georges St. Pierre means that he will never fight the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/ufc">Ultimate Fighting Championship</a> (UFC) <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/weight_class/welterweight">Welterweight</a> champion.<br><br>And that's a curious position to be in, when you're as talented a 23-year-old there is in mixed martial arts (MMA).<br><br>For MacDonald, off the heels of a three-round drubbing of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122540/b-j-penn">B.J. Penn</a> at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/98161/ufc-on-fox-5-henderson-vs-diaz">UFC on Fox 5</a> Saturday night (Dec. 8, 2012), it means more of the wait and see game. The odd nature of the wait is that it's hard to see "Rush" losing anytime soon, and equally hard to see how much longer MacDonald can operate on a kind of parallel track, biding his time and dusting off overmatched opponents.</p>
<p>Eventually, something's got to give, at least if MacDonald keeps showing the incremental progression he demonstrated against Penn.<br><br>Plainly put, it was a 15-minute clinic put on by the Canadian wunderkind, whose diverse striking, brilliant timing and excellent ability to chain together clever combinations had Penn at a deficit at best, and at times, seemingly on the brink of collapse, particularly in the second round where Penn absorbed a frightful series of withering body punches. But, Penn remains one of the most durable fighters in the game, and his reward was simply more punishment as MacDonald turned up the pressure.<br><br>So what's next?</p>
<p>Well, what's interesting is that the UFC doesn't have to protect MacDonald, a la <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122632/alexander-gustafsson">Alexander Gustafsson</a>, who is desperately needed as a future <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122514/jon-jones">Jon Jones</a> challenger, or a Michael Bisping. They can throw MacDonald in against anyone, secure in the knowledge that even if he loses -- and at this point the most likely style to beat him is a lay-and-pray style decision by an elite wrestler -- he is so young and talented that he can be rebuilt with a minimum of effort. <br><br>Given the schedule of the UFC's upcoming events and the availability of top welterweight fighters, here's what yours truly has come up with after putting on my matchmaker's hat. Each match up, and the potential outcome, are gauged in terms of how it affects MacDonald staying in the "Friends" zone, a position that time and results are only going to put more pressure on unless St. Pierre is no longer the champ, which is a long-odds bet, given how solid he looked against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122573/carlos-condit">Carlos Condit</a> last month at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/95856/ufc-154-st-pierre-vs-condit">UFC 154</a>.<br><br><b>MacDonald vs. Condit</b><br>After his thrilling performance in 2010 against Condit, MacDonald showed the fire and raw ability he had, only to fade late and absorb a pounding in the final seconds en route to a technical knockout loss. The upside of this match up is it's a natural -- everyone would be interested to see how MacDonald, wiser and far more experienced, would fare against Condit, whose grit and resilience against St. Pierre reinforced his reputation he forged in the WEC and in recent showings against UFC 170-pound competition.<br><br>But, the downside of this bout in terms of MacDonald being able to be kept out of the title-shot conversation are considerable. First, if he beats Condit, he's likely to beat Condit an at least as impressive fashion as St. Pierre did, which begs the question of why he's not getting a title shot next. St. Pierre basically did enough striking to buy respect, then took down and ground Condit to a five-round decision. MacDonald could probably execute that game plan (hell, he nearly did it in their first bout, and matched up better with Condit on the feet then that GSP did last month).<br><br>MacDonald losing isn't such a bad thing, as he'd surely do so in exciting fashion, but Condit re-emerges as a contender who has already lost a fairly clear-cut decision to St. Pierre. Granted, his third-round headkick stunner had the champ in trouble, but those are somewhat thin prospects with which to build a rematch on. Overall, Condit is a decent choice for an opponent, but there could be some repercussions from the match that cause unintended consequences.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3746100/ufc-on-fox-5-results-rory-macdonald-calls-for-carlos-condit-rematch-dana-white-mma" target="_blank">So decent, in fact, the UFC President Dana White is apparently on board with idea.</a><br><br><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/127078/erick-silva"><b>Erick Silva</b></a><br>I love this match because against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122576/jon-fitch">Jon Fitch</a>, Silva showed incredible toughness to go along with his obvious athletic gifts. He's going to be a handful for anyone in the division right now, and with the experience of a three-round bout, he'll have a better sense of how to pace himself, which clearly cost him against Fitch's grinding style. Silva is slated to face veteran <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129492/jay-hieron">Jay Hieron</a> in February, but given the recent performances of both, it's hard to see how this won't turn out to be a big win for Silva, whose reputation as a blanket killer is well-earned.<br><br>Silva's explosiveness would make him one of the rare match ups where MacDonald wouldn't necessarily have the edge on the feet, at least not early, and the Brazilian's phenomenal upper-body strength make him a real handful to take and keep down. Sometimes, two young, exceptionally talented guys are a natural match up for the pure fireworks they generate.<br><br>Plus, regardless of who wins, it doesn't hurt the UFC. A MacDonald victory gives him another notch on his belt against a talented guy, but not necessarily a top contender (once again begging the question of why he isn't getting a title shot). And a Silva win only elevates him into elite contender status. Either way, you'd have to be crazy to not want to see this one, and soon.<br><br><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122582/josh-koscheck"><b>Josh Koscheck</b></a><br>I thought Koscheck got the raw end of a decision against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/127154/johny-hendricks">Johny Hendricks</a>, and despite losing handily against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122591/georges-st-pierre">Georges St. Pierre</a> in his 2010 title challenge, "Kos" remains an exceptionally tough litmus test for anyone hoping to build a case for a title shot. His wrestling, experience, and powerful striking make him a real handful (just ask Hendricks).<br><br>This would also be a good deep-water style test for MacDonald, who has yet to face a top UFC welterweight with Koscheck's wrestling ability. Koschecl always knows how to promote a fight by playing the villain, and there's no doubt he'd relish the opportunity to disrupt MacDonald's ascent.</p>
<p>It's also the closest Kos will ever get to beating GSP, but, hey, life is full of realizations like this one.<br><br>Koscheck would probably be forced to shoot for takedowns and grind MacDonald to the mat, especially as the striking of "Ares" against Penn was brilliantly inventive. There's not many guys Kos can't do that to when he remembers to do it, and it would be a revealing test of how MacDonald fared against this style.<br><br>Because at the end of the day, he's probably going to have to face St. Pierre. There are also limits to what we can take from the win -- Penn's better days are behind him, and he is a natural 155-pound fighter. As long as St. Pierre and MacDonald keep performing like they're capable, it's hard to see how long Rory can stay in the Friends zone and not step up and challenge the champ.</p>
<p>He may simply be too good to stay there for much longer.<br><br><i>Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst</i></p>
https://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/9/3747716/ufc-fox-5-results-rory-macdonald-options-next-fight-friends-st-pierre-tristar-mmaJason Probst