'UFC on FX 8: Belfort vs. Rockhold' Main Card Recap

image via fightday

It was a clean sweep for Brazil this part Saturday night as they emerged victorious in all four fights on the main card of the UFC on FX 8 event which took place at the Jaraguá arena in Santa Catarina, Brazil. It was an event which, on paper, was not the strongest but delivered on the night.

The main card started off with a back and forth battle between Brazilian compatriots Rafael Natal and João Zeferino. Debutant Zeferino began his UFC career in confident manner picking off Natal with some superb counter shots in the first round. As so often is the case Zeferino was at the mercy of the, now infamous, Octagon debut adrenaline dump and Natal took over midway through round two, finding his range with some neat combinations. From then on out it was Natal's fight as he landed his takedowns and strikes at will including a quickfire flurry as the gas tank of his opponent was approaching empty. "Sapo" moved into a full mount late on in the third but couldn't manage to finish the game Zeferino and the fight ended with a deserved unanimous decision victory (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) for Natal.

Sunday Morning Coming Down - UFC on FX 8

Sunday Morning Coming Down

“You’re Boring…talk to the hand” is the new, “Guilty as Charged”

Not long after Vitor Belfort helped Luke Rockhold lay out his mat for his kindergarten slumber, he was at the press conference, celebrating his victory when a member of the media dared to ask him a question about his TRT usage.  Vitor frowned on the question and said, “You’re boring man, you’re boring.  Please get out of here; I am not going to talk to you. Talk to the hand.”  Yes, Vitor Belfort told another grown man to, “Talk to the hand.”  Benjamin Grimm needs a timeout.   If you don’t know who that is, Google it, chuckle and then get back to this article. 

I mean, Vitor is just becoming an unstoppable force these days.  If he needs TRT, what hope is there for the rest of us?  He will likely have to keep fighting outside of the US, as Keith Kizar, per Damon Martin, said the NSAC was “unlikely” to issue Belfort a TRT exemption, which wouldn’t bode well for the Bionic Brazilian.  

'Invicta FC 6: Coenen vs. Cyborg II' Event Poster; Updated Fight Card

The official event poster for Invicta FC 6 has finally dropped and it's a beauty. Thanks to Shannon Knapp and company I no longer have to  google image search 'Invicta FC 6 poster' every time I have a free moment in hopes of finding it, it's here.

Below we've attached the updated 'Invicta FC 6: Cyborg vs. Coenen II' fight card as it stands today. It's another jam packed fight fiesta featuring all of your Invicta favorites like Leslie Smith, Joanne Calderwood, Bec Hyatt, Veronica Rothenhausler and Rose Namajunas. Ok, maybe those are my favorites. Anywho, check out the fight card below and keep it locked here as always for plenty of Invicta FC 6 coverage from our wonderful staff leading up to, during, and after this event.

Main Card (InvictaFC.com)

• Inaugural Featherweight Title Bout: Marloes Coenen (21-5) vs. Cristiane 'Cyborg' Justino (11-1)

• Strawweight Title Bout: Carla Esparza (C) (9-2) vs. Ayaka Hamasaki (9-0)

• Bantamweight Bout: Sarah D'Alelio (7-3) vs. Lauren Taylor (6-0)

• Flyweight Title Eliminator: Leslie Smith (5-3-1) vs. Jennifer Maia (7-2-1)

• Atomweight Bout: Jessica Penne (10-2) vs. Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc (8-6)

• Strawweight Bout: Joanne Calderwood (6-0) vs. Claudia Gadelha (9-0)

• Featherweight Bout: Ediane Gomes (10-2) vs. Julia Budd (5-2)

• Strawweight Bout: Bec Hyatt (5-2) vs. Mizuki Inoue (5-1)

• Bantamweight Bout: Miriam Nakamoto (1-0) vs. Duda Yankovich (1-1)

Preliminary Card (InvictaFC.com)

• Strawweight Bout: Rose Namajunas (2-0) vs. Tecia Torres (2-0)

• Strawweight Bout: Ashley Cummins (3-1) vs. Emily Kagan (2-1)

• Featherweight Bout: Mollie Estes (1-2) vs. Veronica Rothenhausler (1-0)

• Atomweight Bout: Livia Von Plettenberg (1-1) vs. Cassie Robb (0-1)

Vitor Belfort's spinning heel kick KO of Luke Rockhold (Video)

blackzilians.com

"We some headbussaz, we some head bussaz, we'll knock a hata out, we some headbussaz." - Vitor Vieria and the Blackzilians

This new Vitor Belfort is one of the scariest fighters I've ever had the displeasure of feasting my eyes upon. The TRT hawk. The Jesus kick that KO'ed Bisping earlier this year in Sao Paulo. And now, the spinning heel kick of faith that rendered Luke Rockhold non responsive last night inside of the Arena Jaraguá. This man is clearly some kind of newfangled testosterone injected demon who thinks he's been sent into the Octagon to do Jesus' work. Or maybe he just happened to run into Wolverine's adamantium stash somewhere buried in Brazil.

The reality is folks, love him or hate him, it's Anderson Silva rematch or bust now for this Vitor. If Michael Bisping or Luke Rockhold would've beaten Vitor they would've been next in line. Vitor finished them both in the first round with the greatest KO kick finishes inside of the UFC middleweight division since Anderson posterized his face back in 2011. This Vitor is by far the biggest threat to the Spider's inhuman reign. We'll just have to wait and see what Chris Weidman has to say about all of this. July 6th cannot come soon enough.

Check out the video of Vitor Belfort's 16th career KO below. It's by far the most impressive of his storied career thus far.

UFC on FX 8: Belfort vs. Rockhold is the grudge match we never asked for

Vitor Belfort has been the face of the UFC in Brazil for well over a decade now. Luke Rockhold has all of the makings of a future UFC superstar stateside. Tonight on FX we will see one of these men take a huge step forward, while the other will be forced to step back and watch.

While it may be one of the more unlikely grudge matches that we never asked for; this will be one that could produce Anderson Silva's next challenger. That in itself is a reason to tune in and watch these two former MMA champions as they attempt to earn a shot at dethroning the greatest fight of all-time. It's another UFC moment from a chapter in a book that has yet to be written. It's another one of those can't miss fights that is so closely contested on paper that none of us would put our family or house on it. It goes down just mere moments from now, and it's importance becomes more and more infinite as we anticipate it's final result.

Exclusive Interview: 'Thug' Rose Namajunas holds nothing back

"Thug" Rose Namajunas is one of the emerging faces of the next generation of mixed martial artists.  At only twenty years old she is already a well rounded fighter with a highlight reel of striking and submission skills. She's taken home the SOTN bonus in both of her professional fights; her latest of course being that twelve second flying armbar finish of Kathina Catron which went down as the fastest submission in WMMA history.

Namajunas also embodies the artistic side of MMA.  Watching her dance backwards against Emily Kagan while still throwing punches and kicks you are reminded of a ballet dancer making the almost impossible seem effortless.  She fights with emotion but not emotionally.  Not with anger but with a passion.  She puts all of herself into her fights which leave an indelible impression inside of you.  Here are some of her thoughts.

The following interview was done by Dwayne Wolff for hov-mma:

Impact Fight League 57: 'War of Aggression' ready to rock Detroit tonight

"A war of aggression, sometimes also war of conquest, is a military conflict waged without the justification of self-defense, usually for territorial gain and subjugation."

Michigan's most well known MMA promoter Joseph Donofrio will be taking his talents downtown tonight to the Joe Louis Arena for what promises to be an action packed night of fights. With two title bouts on the docket, and fights featuring local fighters such as Redford's Damian Burton, who was featured in the Detroit Free Press this week, Impact Fight League 57: 'War of Aggression' is ready to make a big Impact in a building that dons the name of arguably the greatest Heavyweight boxer of all-time.

After learning that his first foray into downtown Detroit (for the most part Donofrio's MMA events have taken place in the suburb of Auburn Hills) may have been canceled with the Detroit Red Wings advancing to the second-round of the NHL playoffs, a relieved Donofrio, along with a hungry group of up and coming fighters, promise to deliver an exciting night of fights. Memories of Bob Probert and Joey Kocur will fill the air inside of the Joe tonight when the best from Michigan and Canada hook em up right under those 11 Stanley Cup banners.

When it's all said and done the cage will be torn down and the Wings will come back home on Monday night having just evened up their Western Conference semi-finals with the rival Blackhawks at one game a piece on Saturday afternoon.

Tickets for Impact Fight League 57: 'War of Aggression' can be purchased at the Fox Theatre and Joe Louis Arena box offices, OlympiaEntertainment.com, HockeyTown Authentics in Troy, and at any TicketMaster location. Here's to more MMA in and around the Detroit area.

Dana White UFC on FX 8 Vlog #1

With all of the talk surrounding marijuana and the Diaz brothers this past week it's only natural that we take a trip back to 4/20 with the Baldfather himself.

Dana's first UFC on FX 8 vlog is now officially live which means it's time to go behind the scenes of UFC on FOX 7. That makes perfect sense to you if you view these vlogs on the regular. If this is your first time - enjoy, and check out the archive.

'UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga' Main Card Preview

The UFC is coming back to FOX with another monster show that has a little bit of something for everybody. Having just finished perusing the main card of this promotions latest offering for the fine city of Seattle and I've decided to include my not so final assessment below of the main card below. Feel free to take a gander.

Miesha Tate vs. Liz Carmouche

Former Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion Miesha Tate and U.S. Marine Liz Carmouche will both attempt to get back in the win column when the kick things off live on FOX. Tate is coming off of a fight of the night performance against Cat Zingano where she was finished by her opponents deadly muay thai assault that would leave her falling just short of the opportunity of a lifetime - coaching opposite Ronda Rousey on TUF 18.

Speaking of lifetime opportunities, Liz Carmouche became the first female in UFC history to enter the Octagon as a competitor. Although Carmouche was defeated by Ronda Rousey in the main event of the evening, she gave Rousey the fight of her life, and longest of her career.

This tilt between Tate and Carmouche will be another in the long line of firsts for women in MMA; it'll be the first female bout in FOX network television history. A win for either fighter inside of the Key Arena on July 27th puts them right back in line for a rematch against the greatest female fighter in the world today.

Wanderlei wants to suck and smell Chael's blood

In this edition of "just incase you missed it," we take a look at the latest installment of words exchanged between Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen.

Although neither man will admit it, if this fight doesn't take place at 'UFC on FOX Sports 1: Boston' on August 17th, it'll likely happen before the year is out.


"Jon Jones and Anderson [Silva] have been to nice to Chael. I want to suck his blood. I want to smell it. Not just fight. Not just fight. I want to hurt him......Chael is a joke, man. He is going to be second forever. He is never going to be first." - Wanderlei

"..I can assure you Wanderlei, I will not be signing a contract for you to suck on any part of me. I suggest you got to a bath and find youreslf. " - Chael

Who do you think will finally leave the cage with their hand raised after years of ongoing smack talk between these two?