Tag: The Bohnfire

Michael Chiesa touts former foe Sean Brady’s ‘mutant-like strength’ after Leon Edwards finish

Michael Chiesa verifies Sean Brady’s strength is different after their UFC fight, and thinks Leon Edwards should’ve known better.

[autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] has experienced what it’s like to be in the octagon with [autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag], and thinks Leon Edwards made a serious miscalculation in the UFC Fight Night 255 main event.

Chiesa (20-7 MMA, 13-7 UFC) suffered a unanimous decision loss to Brady (18-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 198 in November 2021. The welterweight veteran, who also serves as a prominent analyst for the UFC and ESPN, was intrigued to see how his former opponent would deal with ex-champion Edwards (22-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC) in the biggest fight of his career this past Saturday at The O2 in London, and it turned out to be a one-sided affair that led to a fourth-round submission result.

In the aftermath of the fight, Brady criticized Edwards for not focusing enough on the task at hand and dwindling on his title loss to Belal Muhammad in July. Chiesa backed that stance, and thinks Edwards did not realize the caliber of opponent he was stepping into the cage with.

“Sean’s a tremendous athlete,” Chiesa told MMA Junkie. “Incredibly skilled, incredibly strong. I could’ve warned Leon about that heading into that fight. You can’t really makes jokes about the short-guy thing. … Somebody should’ve warned Leon. This isn’t some short guy. You’re not going to just lace this guy with a head kick. You are going to have to deal with the strongest fighter you’ve ever faced in your life. There’s no guy you can bring in to emulate the strength of Sean Brady, because you would have to find a guy that’s like 210 pounds. He’s that strong. I remember the first time he wrapped his hands around my waist when we fought, I was just like, ‘Holy crap. (Paul) Felder totally was right.’ He has like mutant-like strength. I wasn’t surprised.

“Sean really turned a corner after that Belal Muhammad fight and when you saw him fight Belal, you saw a lot more lateral movement, it looked like he was trying to be more technical on the feet. I think where he turned the corner after Belal is where he was just like, ‘Screw this.’ He can just walk these guys down with big punches, get them on their heels, get them on the mat and get them into his wheelhouse. He turned a corner after that Belal fight. It’s safe to say you could argue he could be the next guy to fight for the title. We’ll see how everything shakes out, but we’re seeing a big paradigm shift at 170 pounds and it’s very, very exciting.”

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Brady’s victory added further depth to the title picture at 170 pounds. Reigning champ Muhammad will next defend against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 on May 10, then undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov is expected to get the winner. Beyond that, Brady’s name is now in the fold, then someone like lightweight champion Islam Makhachev could be a factor if he ever moves up.

Much will be decided about who the best welterweight in the world is over the coming months. Chiesa thinks Brady might be that guy, but given what he’s seen thus far, his support remains behind Muhammad.

“I do think Belal beats JDM,” Chiesa said. “I think that’s a good fight for him. I’m not trying to be disrespectful or dismissive of his skills. He’s an incredible boxer. We’ve seen him have trouble in the past with the wrestling department. Belal is a pressure monster. He’s going to be in your face, he’s going to be in your face, he’s very durable. JDM has got to be ready to defend the takedowns, but not only ready to defend the takedowns, but defend the pressure. It’s hard to come forward with boxing pressure when the guy is going to mash you with wrestling, and Belal does a good job mixing up the wrestling with the striking to keep his opponents guessing. I see Belal winning this fight, but this time next year is going to be very interesting. I think the tougher matchups for Belal are on the horizon.

“I think Sean Brady, if they fought again, I think he’s a different fighter. His style is similar to Belal’s in terms of the pressure and the wrestling. But he’s just got that edge with the submissions. I don’t know how that fight goes. I think it would be a different fight. But you’ve got Shavkat the boogeyman waiting in the wings. He did look a lot more human against Ian Garry, but once the fight unfolded we found out he went into that fight with a knee injury. Islam going up could really shake things up. If Shavkat wins the title, I don’t know how Islam fares against him. The pick of the bunch, I think I’m going to stick with Belal Muhammad because I think people doubt him so much, I would like to think that he beats JDM, I would like to think he could beat Sean Brady again, but I think that’s the toughest of the fights for Belal, would be a fight with Sean Brady. I’m just picking Belal because I’m done picking against the guy.”

To hear more from Chiesa, check out his complete appearance on “The Bohnfire” podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 255.

Paul Felder ponders Brandon Moreno’s ability to end winless skid in Mexico

Paul Felder questions if UFC Mexico headliner Brandon Moreno’s winless record on home soil is a product of too much pressure.

[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag]’s career in the UFC could not be described as anything less than an outrageous success. The two-time former flyweight champion has reached the highest of highs, been a part of history and been one of the key figures behind MMA’s boom in Mexico.

When it comes to competing on his home soil, however, that’s a part of Moreno’s UFC career he probably wants to forget about. He’s winless in three octagon appearances in Mexico, going 0-2-1, with the two defeats being in main events against Sergio Pettis and Brandon Royval.

On Saturday, however, Moreno (22-8-2 MMA, 10-4-2 UFC) gets the chance to turn the narrative in his favor. He’s positioned in another headlining spot at UFC on ESPN 64, this time against Steve Erceg (12-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) at Arena CDMX in Mexico City (ESPN2, ESPN+).

The record at home has been a thorn in the side of Moreno. Top UFC analyst and color commentator [autotag]Paul Felder[/autotag] understands why, but said if Moreno wants to get back to the title again, he is going to need to overcome this hurdle.

“He’s being put on the face of Mexican MMA and they want him there so much to draw attention, and that brings a lot of pressure to it,” Felder told MMA Junkie. “The fact that it is at altitude and he has to change the way that he wants to train. He likes to have his own team and camp around him. Then it’s the financial burden. Bringing the whole team to altitude, prepping in altitude – it’s just so much that goes into that. Then how many people are hitting up somebody like Brandon Moreno when he’s in Mexico City and he’s getting ready for a main event and he’s got to do all the press that goes with it?

“A main event somewhere else, it’s not as big a deal for him. He can kind of slip under the radar and just do the media. But when you’re the guy, you’re the Mexican fighter on the marquee there in your home country, it’s a lot. That’s what really gets to a guy like that. Some people handle that home advantage well and make it work, and I think sometimes it breaks guys mentally.”

According to the divisional standings and betting odds, Moreno, No. 3 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie flyweight rankings, is positioned well to get his hand raised against No. 9-ranked Erceg.

Felder notes not to count out the underdog in this position, however, and explains the two 125-pound contenders to put on an entertaining show under the spotlight.

“I do think it will be an exciting fight,” Felder said. “Any time Brandon Moreno is in there (it’s good), and Erceg when he’s on his game, we’ve seen him at his best like in that championship fight he lost, a razor close fight to Alexandre Pantoja. Then he had another setback after that (to Kai Kara-France), but I think this kid, if he can really dig in and have a fun scrap with Moreno and get a win, he puts himself right back in the mix at flyweight. I like both of those guys a whole lot. That fight is going to be a lot of fun.”

To hear more from Felder, check out his complete appearance above on “The Bohnfire” podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.

Brandon Moreno’s coach notes what’s ‘lost in the weeds’ about Steve Erceg before UFC on ESPN 64

Brandon Moreno’s coach Sayif Saud explains why Saturday’s UFC Mexico main event vs. Steve Erceg is no layup.

[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag]’s head coach [autotag]Sayif Saud[/autotag] thinks the public isn’t giving [autotag]Steve Erceg[/autotag] enough credit ahead of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 64 main event.

Former two-time flyweight champion Moreno (22-8-2 MMA, 10-4-2 UFC) gets another headliner on home Mexican soil when he takes on Erceg (12-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) at Arena CDMX in Mexico City (ESPN2, ESPN+). “The Assassin Baby” is the moderate favorite going into the five-round contest, and although his team at Fortis MMA and Saud have full confidence, they aren’t looking at this as a freebee in Moreno’s quest back to championship glory.

“Steve Erceg is a tough challenge,” Saud told MMA Junkie. “That’s kind of what’s getting lost in the weeds here. This kid is one of the toughest guys in the division. He lost to (Alexandre) Pantoja? OK. Everyone has been losing to Pantoja. Nothing but respect to the champ. And he got clipped by Kai Kara-France and that was a close fight and he caught him. … To look at Erceg like, ‘Oh yeah, he’s done.’ He’s the new breed. He’s got great boxing. Good jiu-jitsu. Very, very high fight IQ. Very, very smart. Very tough. Big, five-round cardio. He’s good.”

Saud understand that on paper Erceg, No. 9 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie flyweight rankings, looks to be in a rough spot on paper, but that also makes him more dangerous. He knows, because No. 3-ranked Moreno was just on a two-fight losing skid himself, and it took a lot of work to climb out of that hole.

He did it successfully at UFC Fight Night 246 in October, though, putting a five-round beating on Amir Albazi to take a lopsided unanimous decision. Now he looks to build on that momentum with another strong showing.

“Brandon’s in a different space since we took the break (after back-to-back losses),” Saud said. “The Albazi fight was one of the best fights he’s had. It was a masterpiece. It was five of rounds of him doing everything he wanted and he never got sloppy. It was really a nice performance. I think that was the key for him. He’s got the fire back.”

If Moreno wants to get the title back for a third reign, he will have to overcome what’s been a major career obstacle. He is 0-2-1 under the UFC banner when competing in Mexico, and has fallen short twice in the main event spot.

Saud said Moreno’s record in Mexico is not something that burdens him, and ultimately expect it to be put to rest with a victory.

“I would never say something is mental for Brandon Moreno,” Saud said. “It’s just a guy that’s overcome so much. But I would say the altitude is a big deal. That’s not a joke. Brandon’s attitude is he’s a two-time undisputed champion, looking to be a three-time. He’s looking to be the first one ever. He says, ‘You tell me I’ve got to win no matter what, so I’ve got to climb this mountain.’ I agree with that. So here we are.”

To hear more from Saud, check out his complete appearance on “The Bohnfire” podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn in the video above.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.

Fortis MMA’s Sayif Saud shares key to reaching 100 UFC coaching wins

Fortis MMA head coach Sayif Saud shares the key to sustained UFC success after hitting the milestone of 100 octagon wins.

Coaches are among the most unheralded people in MMA, but at UFC Fight Night 254 this past Saturday, Fortis MMA leader [autotag]Sayif Saud[/autotag] got his flowers.

After being a frequent presence in the corner of notable athletes under the UFC banner, Saud reached the landmark of 100 team victories with the sport’s biggest promotion, and it came courtesy of a Sam Hughes split decision triumph over Stephanie Luciano in a strawweight bout at UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

The moment Hughes’ hand was raised, she took the microphone during her post-fight interview and showered Saud with praise, vocalizing the significance of the Dallas-based team hitting the milestone of triple-digit victories in the UFC.

“Everybody was so cool about it like, ‘Tonight’s the night,'” Saud told MMA Junkie. “It surprised me, honestly, because there’s so much fights, so much crap going on. Everybody who plays a role (at the UFC) that people don’t see were like, ‘Tonight’s the night. You’re going to do it.’ Everybody handled it pretty awesome and gave me a lot of love. Just a really cool moment and something I’ll something I never forget.’

“Winning fights in the UFC isn’t easy. Winning double digit fights over multiple years, it’s so hard. I think we’ve done it five times in five years or six years. It is so hard then to win 20 fights in a year, we’ve done that a couple of times. Just one win is hard, so obviously if you’re getting 20 wins in a year in the UFC, it’s really something to be proud of.”

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Saud, a former fighter who found his place as a coach with the famed Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque, N.M., got his first coaching win on the back of Sean Spencer beating Yuri Villefort at UFC Fight Night 28 in September 2013. His personal highlights as a cornerman on the road to 100 included Geoff Neal’s 90-second knockout of Mike Perry in December 2019, and Brandon Moreno emerging from his four-fight series with Deiveson Figueiredo as undisputed flyweight champion.

Although 100 represents a monumental achievement for Saud and a key item crossed off his bucket list, he said it’s not the time to rest on his laurels. He’s still got relevant, highly ranked names in his stable of fighters who have aspirations of their own.

“I had two goals (as a coach): My first goal was to get to 100 wins, because I thought that’s Don Shula-esque, you can’t be denied,” Saud said. “That’s a lot of wins. The second was to win an undisputed title, which that wasn’t easy at all and will be very hard to do again and that’s what we’re striving to do, to win titles.”

Although Fortis MMA is now among the most established and prestigious gyms in the sport, Saud said it’s a priority to continue expanding and evolving. Longtime team member and UFC lightweight veteran Diego Ferreira recently committed to a role as full-time jiu-jitsu coach, which Saud said adds to the “very unique” staff Fortis MMA has to offer.

In December, Saud told MMA Junkie that he was mulling a coaching retirement in the not-too-distant future. He said those comments were met with pushback from his athletes, especially those who are younger in their respective careers.

Saud said he’s not yet ready to make his exit as Fortis MMA’s head coach, especially as he reflects on such a big moment in his career, which he preached as a product of having fighters consistently prepared to compete at the highest level of MMA.

“I’ve got to thank everyone at the gym that has been part of this journey since Day 1,” Saud said. “This dream that we had to build this team from scratch, to kind of see it now hit this milestone of 100 wins is just kind crazy. It’s surreal in some ways because it’s like, we did it. We solidified this dream, and I feel like what’s what this 100 wins shows, is the consistency at the highest level when the sport has continued to get harder and harder. It is so hard to win now even compared to pre-COVID and Contender Series. It’s so much more competitive. I’m just really proud of everybody.

“I’m gone so much. Life’s trade-offs. For those 100 wins, that’s 100 times that I wasn’t here at home to watch my own kinds. It’s an accomplishment that so many people were a part of and supported and I really appreciate everybody. It was a really cool weekend.”

To hear more from Saud on his milestone of 100 UFC wins, check out his complete appearance on “The Bohnfire” podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn in the video above.

Video: Megan Olivi names UFC’s next crop of potential pay-per-view stars

Does the UFC have a star problem? Megan Olivi lists names to inspire hope for the next era of PPV headliners.

UFC reporter and correspondent [autotag]Megan Olivi[/autotag] has had an in inside look on the promotion’s operation for more than a decade, so she knows what it takes for a fighter to rise through the ranks and reach superstar status.

From Jon Jones to Conor McGregor to Ronda Rousey and everyone in between, Olivi has experienced it all as larger-than-life figures in MMA have come and gone. So when claims are made the promotion has an alleged star power problem in the wake of Alex Pereira’s light heavyweight title loss to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313, it requires a closer examination.

Olivi talked to MMA Junkie about whether that’s a deficit of names capable of headline numbered UFC pay-per-view events in the coming years, and also list which fighters have the potential to excel and slide into the position of carrying an entire event around their name.

Check out the video above for Olivi’s appearance on “The Bohnfire” podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn, where they rate the current and next crop of UFC stars and mention names such as Islam Makhachev, Tom Aspinall, Ilia Topuria, Diego Lopes and many more.

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