Derrick Lewis KOs Marcin Tybura for America in a truly HW fight
Derrick Lewis is just a big country type dude who hits hard. If there was no MMA, Derrick Lewis would be making his money in carnivals, doing some "See if you can go two minutes with the big dog" type shit. Lewis believes in his power, he hits hard and he knocks dudes out. Nothing he does is technical, nothing he attempts is with any sort of smoothness. Dude is just a big rugged banger.
Marcin Tybura is just the opposite of a big game fighter. Dude seems to get checked everytime he takes a comfortable step up.
“If you’re reading this, you’re going to watch this show anyways” A preview for the UFC’s return to Australia
Joey
November 12th, 2017
Oh boy. Well it's not always going to be loaded, is it? The UFC came into this show basically with two fights to build around which in the modern era is really all you need. If fans only care about the main event and the co-main event then sure! All you need is two fights, am I right? The problem, as if often times the case, is that these things fall apart easier than a Jenga tower. Mark Hunt was pulled due to concerns about his mental health and in his place came Fabricio Werdum. That's a more interesting fight FOR me but for Aussie fans, I'm willing to bet they were 1,000,000 times more interested in Hunt/Tybura than Werdum/Tybura. No big deal because the co-main event was pretty solid am I right? Well then Joanne Calderwood pulls out and our co-main is Bec Rawlings vs Jessie Rose Clark. Even though I believe Jessy Rose-Clark is UFC caliber (she's got that Val Letourneau record where she fought a lot of badasses early in her career), that's still not a co-main event caliber fight. Beyond that you have fights ranging in quality from decent action fights to Australian filler to "look we need at least 10 fights!" type stuff. It's really no different from last year's November Australia card which was ALSO ruined by injury. Sorry Aussies!
Fight Changes/Injury Cancellations: 4 (Mark Hunt OUT, Fabricio Werdum IN vs Marcin Tybura/Joanna Calderwood OUT, Jessy Rose-Clark IN vs Bec Rawlings/Jeremy Kennedy OUT, Shane Young IN vs Alexander Volkanovski/Jesse Taylor OUT, Tim Means IN vs Belal Muhammad)
Headliners (fighters who have either main evented or co-main evented shows in the UFC): 6 (Fabricio Werdum, Marcin Tybura, Jake Matthews, Dan Kelly, Will Brooks, Anthony Hamilton)
Fighters On Losing Streaks in the UFC: 5 (Will Brooks, Jake Matthews, Bec Rawlings, Anthony Hamilton, Eric Shelton)
Fighters On Winning Streaks in the UFC: 3 (Belal Muhammad, Marcin Tybura, Alexander Volkanovski)
Stat Monitor for 2017:
Debuting Fighters (Current number: 34-29)- Shane Young, Nadia Kassem, Jessy Rose- Clark, Tai Tuivasa, Adam Wieczrowek
Short Notice Fighters (Current number: 20-31-1)- Fabricio Werdum, Shane Young, Jessy Rose-Clark, Tim Means
Second Fight (Current number: 24-35)- Ashkan Mokhtarian, Frank Camacho, Rashad Coultier
Cage Corrosion (18-11-1)- Alex Chambers, Bec Rawlings
Twelve Precarious Ponderings
1- Perhaps NO single relationship in the UFC is as tortured as the relationship between Dana White and Fabricio Werdum. Werdum was the guy who was supposed to lose to "the guy" but he's just kept winning and winning and winning and so on so forth. I wonder if Dana grew to like Werdum due to the fact that he's well spoken (more on that later) and ultra reliable to make it to fight night. They gave Werdum main events in Brazil, they hired him to be their lead Spanish color commentator, had a reality show with he and Cain etc etc. At the same time it feels like the two never really ever liked one another with Dana on two-three separate occasions giving Werdum the "That's nice but you should've finished the fight" speech to Werdum's Reebok comments which got him yanked off commentary duties. They built a stadium show around the legends of Brazil and Werdum was the one guy who came up short in humiliating fashion. Werdum's use of "maricon" is the sort of thing that is simply unacceptable for a major org. There are TWO major instances of Werdum being selective about his next fight (He turned down Stipe Miocic in a short notice fight and turned down Overeem similarly last year). Beyond all that though, Werdum's still a quality capable HW which the UFC needs. He's a proud Brazilian who can headline events which the UFC are in short supply of. What's more is dude stays busy. Last year he fought in May (after bowing out in February), September and was scheduled to fight in December. This year he's fought in July, October and now a month later in November. Dude STAYS active and that matters in today's UFC. They sort of need one another---and that's a pretty good way to describe this pairing at this point.
2- I wonder if Marcin Tybura is going to be a guy who is as valuable as a pseudo Russian (M-1 ties) than he will be as a Polish born HW.
3- I wonder if the move to 170 lbs is the equivalent of do or die for Jake Matthews. The Aussie is very young, talnted and he came into the UFC with a bevy of hype as potentially the BIG star from Australia. It has been an uneven ride thus far for Jake Matthews affter two submission wins over limited opposition. A loss to James Vick followed and since then? It's been uneven. He looked FANTASTIC vs Johnny Case but against Akhbar Arreola, Kevin Lee and Andrew Holbrook he just hasn't looked the same. He's powerful but when he's met by somebody who isn't going to be bullied, Matthews wilts. His striking has long been a problem and I don't think it's gotten any better recently. He has this propensity to duck and flail for a takedown when hurt which cost him vs Kevin Lee and James Vick. He's moving up in weight which might be a better move since perhaps cutting too much weight for his muscular frame could be a problem. Bojan Velickovic is a big burly welterweight who hits hard but has a propensity to getting taken down. It's fair matchmaking; pitting strength vs weakness for both fighters.
4- Jessy Rose-Clark has a 7-4 record which on paper makes you think she's probably not going to be something of another. I won't begrudge anybody for feeling that way BUT Pannie Kianzad was a top regional prospect when they faced off. She gave some problems to Sarah Kaufman and Pam Sorenson in decision losses and has wins over some undefeated prospects like Janay Harding. Her last time out she beat Carina Damm on like a week's notice which is a no joke type of win. I don't know if she'll beat Bec Rawlings BUT I think some people are going to be surprised.
5- No matter the country, Tim Means vs Belal Muhammad is a pretty solid fight. Means has a well earned reputation as a poor man's Matt Brown with his love of knees and elbows in all different types of set ups. Means has a well known reputation as a kill or be killed type of fighter but he showcased some restraint and poise in his last fight. On the other hand, Belal Muhammad has been a bit TOO poised in his more recent days. His offensive output tends to wane and he's gone away from some of the weapons which made him a promising prospect. That said, he's still tremendously gifted and both he and Means could create for some magic.
6- I think it speaks to the decline of Will Brooks that he's probably the best fighter on this card but he's sandwiched on the FS1 prelims between Ryan Benoit/Askhan Mokhtarian and Adam Wierowczek/Anthony Hamilton. Brooks' losses have been frustrating as he got outathlete'd vs Charles Oliveira and his fight vs Alex "Cowboy" Oliveira was a catchweight after Cowboy just showed up all kinds of out of shape. He SHOULD be able to run right through Nik Lentz but Brooks seems so hit or miss these days that you simply can't bet on anything anymore.
7- Reminder that Ryan Benoit iced Sergio Pettis and gave Brandon Moreno trouble in a close loss. The problem is that in a sea of about 10 flyweights resting outside the top 5 (Mighty Mouse, Benavidez, Cejudo, Pettis and Formiga), you have a bunch of guys just not fighting frequently enough or just fighting in nowhere's land on the card.
8- Dan Kelly vs Elias Thorodorou is your smoke break. Adjust your schedule accordingly. Two similar like minded fighters except one is 58 years old.
9- I'm glad to see Eric Shelton getting a third chance after two tough split decision losses vs established competition. There's nothing wrong with facing Alejandre Pantoja and Jarred Brooks and walking out with split decision losses. Jenel Lausa is a step backwards in reputation BUT his talent level can challenge Shelton.
10- I now I mention this all the time but I'm always happy when multiple flyweight fights are on the same card. I want this division to survive and thrive.
11- I don't know if Tai Tuivasa is going to be any good as a fighter but any under 25 year old heavyweight has my attention immediately.
12- It's not gonna win any beauty contests but Damien Brown vs Fran Camacho is a lock to be one of the wildest wackiest fights of the night. Slopfest of all slopfests right here, man.
Must Win
1- Tai Tuivasa
The UFC is bound to go to Australia at least once a year if not more so. Mark Hunt will be out of this organization sooner rather than later. A new Australian monster HW would almost immediately slot in #3 behind Robert Whittaker and Meagan Anderson as potential Australian drawing cards. Tuivasa could have a long time future in the UFC if he's even MODERATELY decent.
2- Jake Matthews
The clock is ticking on WHAT Jake Matthews is going to be in the UFC. What was a promising debut has slowly eroded into becoming just another guy in a crowded 155 to 185 lb universe. He's changing weight classes and getting a truly dangerous opponent in Bojan Velickovic. This could be a really interesting challenge for him.
3- Marcin Tybura
Until he decides not to, Fabricio Werdum will be in the UFC. He's too valuable. Now as it pertains to Tybura, this is the highest profile fight of his career. This isn't slumming it up on a UFC prelim slate, this is headlining in a much tougher fight than his original assignment. A win here and he becomes a major player in a division seeking younger big bodied dudes to take up spots.
Fabricio Werdum takes a decision over Marcin Tybura
Werdum’s cardio is so impressive at 40 years old. He went out there and chased a finish on a younger fighter for 25 minutes. Tybura had his moments but I feel like his lack of athleticism stuck out like a sore thumb. His pacing could also use work, especially when your corner tells you to pressure and you just continue to lay back and try to hit that Miocic counter. The problem is that Werdum is like a crafty old pitcher and pitchers don't get beat twice on the same pitch.
Marcin Tybura i Mark Hunt skrzyżują rękawice podczas australijskiej gali UFC Fight Night 121.Jak nieoficjalnie udało się dowiedzieć redakcji Lowking.pl, w swoim piątym występie w oktagonie Marcin Tybura (16-2) skrzyżuje rękawice z byłym pretendentem do pasa mistrzowskiego kategorii ciężkiej Ma
Mark Hunt vs Marcin Tybura in November. Really good fight actually.
Spivac putting on a display of “Winning til he lost” where he just throws hands for 3 minutes vs Tybura and then either lets himself get taken down or willingly puts himself in a position to be taken down where Tybura just beats him up.
Sakai clearly feasting off the scraps of Shamil Abdurakhimov!
No seriously though, that was absolutely unreal by Sakai. Rocks Tybura and just poured on the offense until dude wilted. Hurt Tybura with a big knee to the body and when Tybura fell into the cage, Sakai just bombed away. Crazy performance from Sakai who moves to 3-0. Brazil Contenders Series continuing to stand out.
