UFC 235 Breakdown

By Justin Dohnson, The People's Red Head

Finally! The People’s Redhead has returned to The Weigh-In!

Jon Jones defeated Anthony Smith

Las Vegas was host to UFC 235, where the main event was Jones versus Smith. Jones cruised to unanimous decision victory. The only thing of note in this fight aside from the ease with which Jones had defending his title against Smith was the illegal knee Jones landed in Round Four. Jones is no stranger to illegal knees but luckily this one did not cost him his belt.

Many wonder what is next for Jon Jones? Daniel Cormier did not retire but he is likely in for one more major fight, and it will most likely not be against Jon Jones. Rumors are swirling out of the UFC that Cormier will square off against Brock Lesner. As much I think we all would watch Cormier vs. Jones III, there is just no place for it. We know what this looks like and it is not pretty for Cormier who is going to retire as a hall of famer and a role model. However, if this fight were to take place at heavyweight instead of light heavyweight, it may regain the interest of the staff at The Weigh-In.

I asked Matt Ward his thoughts on Cormier vs. Jones III. He replied with “Go Fuck Yourself!”
Our own Luis Cortes was not available for comment, but his voicemail has the voice of an angel on it.

I think Jones has a few options, which would be to clean out the heavyweight division or line up a super fight against Francis Ngannou. Ngannou recaptured the attention of everyone with his recent knockout of Cain Velasquez. This is a fight I want to see, but am not sure it will happen. Jones may not have interest and Ngannou may not be ready for the talent level of Jones.

Kamaru Usman defeated Tyron Woodley

Kamaru Usman was victorious over Tyron Woodley. This fight came as a surprise to many. Woodley has fought everyone and has looked invincible as of late. However, Usman came in with an aggressive game plan and beat Woodley at his own game, the ground game that is. Usman controlled the majority of the fight from the clinch. Usman went on to win by unanimous decision.

Woodley immediately asked for a rematch. The running fights back bit has become challenging. I cannot argue that Woodley certainly deserves a chance to redeem himself. However, there is a big difference in a premature stoppage like what happened to T.J. Dillashaw recently, and getting dominated over five rounds. Due to this, it is likely Usman goes on to fight Colby Covington who has not shied away from calling out Usman. Woodley’s shot at the title will probably require him to fight his way back into contention, but he certainly was a fantastic champion and remains an excellent fighter.

Ben Askren submits Robbie Lawler

After years of anticipation, we see the arrival of Ben Askren to the UFC. Askren did not disappoint the fans either. Askren submitted Robbie Lawler in the first round by way of choke. This submission is filled with controversy. Veteran official, Herb Dean called a stoppage to the fight, and controversy immediately arose regarding whether or not Lawler was out. After watching the tape, the answer is he may have been out, but it is very difficult to see. Footage looks like Lawler’s arm flails as if he is out, but it is quite questionable.

Dean was heavily criticized for the stoppage, but we at The Weigh-In stand behind him. Lawler is another fighter who wanted an immediate rematch and Askren is not inclined to grant Lawler’s request. Askren brought up a great point regarding his controversial win. If he were to rematch Robbie, he would be in the same place statistically that he is in now and he has nothing to gain from a rematch with Lawler. I could not agree more with Askren’s take.

Worthy of note, Lawler looked great. In fact, Lawler looked like the animal we are used to seeing in the octagon. He looked like Lawler of old. I'm thinking time off has done Lawler a world of good and I am excited to see his next fight.

Other 235 Results: 

Weili Zhang defeated Tecia Torres via unanimous decision. 

Pedro Munhoz defeated Cody Garbrandt via first-round TKO.

Garbrandt cannot seem to recover after losing twice to Dillashaw. This marks Garbrandt’s third loss in a row. I for one hope he rights the ship, as he is one of the most exciting fighters in the division to watch. 

Zabit Magomedsharipov defeated Jeremy Stephens via unanimous decision. 

Johnny Walker defeated Misha Cirkunov via first round TKO. 

Cody Stamann defeated Alejandro Perez via unanimous decision.

Diego Sanchez defeated Mickey Gall via second round TKO.

Sanchez has been doing this for years. Do not sleep on this man, he is still dangerous and continues to evolve with the sport.

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Dustin's Corner: New Year’s Wish List of Dream Fights

Finally! The People’s Red Head has come back to The Weigh-In.

Happy New Year! With 2018 upon us, we cannot help but think of what could be the best fights this year. In between what is known as nocturnal emissions, I have dreamed about 2018, and the fights I want to see. After careful review, please check out my top ten dream fights below:

#10
Tyron Woodley vs. Georges St-Pierre

As Erykah Badu said, you better call on Tyron(e). Woodley does not get enough credit. When I lay down to sleep at night, I think about him and St-Pierre. After typing that last sentence, I stand by it. Listen up fans, do not worry if I dream of men in my sleep.

This matchup would pit two explosive wrestlers against one another. St-Pierre has bulked up, and looked great in his win against Bisping. Woodley has now defeated Stephen Thompson twice, and awaits a big name fight, which he deserves. This fight would go a long way to cementing Woodley’s status as one of the best of all time. However, no one knows what lies next for St-Pierre.

St-Pierre reminds me of my absentee father. It is the holiday season and one never knows if he will show or not. All of a sudden, you get surprised, St-Pierre appears to fight, much like my father appears in my life. Nevertheless, Woodley would take this fight, and I would love for St-Pierre to get on board.

#9
Urijah Faber vs. T.J. Dillashaw 

Faber coming out of retirement to fight Dillashaw would be a treat to all fans. This fight has all the fixings of an instant classic. Plus, after the rift that Dillashaw has created at Team Alpha Male, Faber has stated he is willing to settle their differences in the Octagon.

(Urijah Faber - UFC.com)

When I think of Faber coming out of retirement to face Dillashaw, I get full pants people. This fight has a little something for everyone. There is the drama of being former teammates, the endless shit talk, and now, a rumor Dillashaw aborted Faber’s love child. One of those items above may not be true. Would Dillashaw entertain this match? I think that due to his lack of draw, he should consider this bout. Faber is a fan favorite and still capable of drawing pay-per-view numbers.

#8
Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman 2.5

I know that this one is questionable, but it is my article, and I will write what I want. Silva, who may be the most talented fighter to ever grace MMA has a lot of mileage on him. He has also recently been popped for violation of the UFC’s anti-doping policies. However, as a fan, this fight has never sat well with me.

In their first match, Weidman knocks out Silva while Silva is clowning him. Up to that point, it can be argued that Silva was dominating Weidman. In the second fight, Silva broke his leg, putting an end to the bout. One wonders if steroids caused brittle bones? Let us not worry about the science behind the previous question. It is neither here, nor there.

This is a fight I would love to see, but it will never happen. At this point, we are not even certain if we will see Silva in the octagon again. He was once again popped for violation of the UFC’s anti-doping policy. However, I will always wonder if he did not clown Weidman, would he have remained undefeated?

#7

Matt Ward vs. Steve Ward

Close friends of the “Brothers Ward” know that this bout has been brewing for years. This rivalry dates back to the early 90's, and while they are both on the decline physically, the general public would still love to see this fight happen in 2018. However, as both brothers now train out of different gyms, we are not sure it will ever happen.

Who could forget the 2014 road trip to L.A. when Steve got pissed over Matt listening to the Jerky Boys, and drinking all of the sake L.A. had to offer. This match also materialized again in 2016, when scandal erupted between the two siblings. Surveillance video revealed Matt Ward doing something that can only be described as huffing Steve’s underpants. An irate Steve Ward pushed Matt, but this domestic disturbance was broken up by the police, leaving the fans curious of what could have been.

#6

Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson

After losing his belt to Garbrandt, we have not seen Cruz back in action. For my money, he is still one of the best in the bantamweight division. Who would not want to see these two tangle again? Fans may remember that Cruz handed Johnson his last loss back in 2011.

(Dominick Cruz - MMAJunkie.com)

Johnson has ran through the flyweight division and needs a challenge. I’m not sure if Cruz could make the weight, but a catch weight bout would be sensational. This is the type of match where belts do not matter. This is a match that would allow both men to get paid, and I’m sure that fans everywhere want to see this match happen. Both fighters are future hall of famers, and frankly, this is the fight that would propel them into the upper echelon of UFC popularity.

#5

Ronald McDonald vs. Hamburglar

Another match that has been brewing for years is Ronald McDonald versus the Hamburglar. This is not just a match made for WWE 2K17; this is a match that all fast food enthusiasts want to see. We all know that gingers are awesome, and as such, Ronald McDonald would be the favorite. He brings food, folks, and fun to everyone.

However, the Hamburglar feels like he has been overshadowed for years. He has a lot of animosity toward Ronald, and feels he should be McDonald’s number one spokesman. If that was not enough, Hamburglar has been accused of gross embezzlement. It is rumored that he has embezzled millions of dollars in hamburgers since the late 80's.

Ronald has been attempting to take the high road. He contends there is no feud between the two. However, those closest to him report that the feud is still alive and well. Even more, the Ronald camp dropped a bomb when they reported to The Weigh-In that Ronald refers to the Hamburglar as a beefer. For those who do not know, that is racially derogatory term for white hamburger enthusiasts. It is shocking to hear the family friendly clown speak with such a tone, but not surprising given the history of these two. Lets hope 2018 is the year they squash the beef.  

#4

Max Holloway vs. Frankie Edgar

Holloway is fresh off his second successful victory over Jose Aldo. The Hawaiian looks unstoppable and willing to fight anyone. In fact, the last time I was this excited about something coming out of Hawaii was when I first tried Spam. I should also mentioned I am a huge B.J. Penn fan. He was amazing!

Holloway has really grabbed the torch and ran with it, representing Hawaii with extreme dominance of the featherweight division. Who better to test the Hawaiian than New Jersey’s own, Frankie “The Answer” Edgar? One may recall, Edgar had previous success against another Hawaiian, B.J. Penn. This fight bodes the question of can he transfer his previous success against the hard-hitting Holloway? 

This fight was actually supposed to take place, but Edgar recently suffered an orbital bone fracture, forcing him to pull out. This infuriated the Ward brothers as everyone knows, they do not believe in pulling out. We wish Edgar a speedy recovery and truly hope this fight gets underway in 2018. 

#3

Luke Rockhold vs. Daniel Cormier 

While I am aware they train out of the same camp, a fan can dream. Rockhold against Cormier would be an amazing show down. We have two world-class wrestlers who know each other’s game. This fight would promise to be an excellent display of the ground game.

However, it will never happen, but is on my dream list due to Cormier not currently having anyone throw down within his own division. I feel Luke would make a worthy opponent for Cormier. While it will never happen, fans can dream of what it would be like. Both men are highly skilled and truly terrifying inside the Octagon.

#2

Conor McGregor vs. Tony Ferguson

McGregor has his choice of anything he wants to do. He recently said he would be seen inside the WWE. He followed that up with stating his next fight would be an MMA match. With the entire landscape of the sport being his oyster, there are so many options for him to choose from. However, to me, it would make the most sense that he take on Tony Ferguson.

Ferguson is one of the scariest fighters on the planet. He has no flaws in his game. On top of that, he has cardio that lasts for days, which tends to cause problems for McGregor. Whether this fight will happen remains unknown. However, this fight could have just as easily been in my number one slot. 

This fight would promise to be a good ole fashioned slugfest. I for one think that Ferguson could match McGregor on the feet, and more importantly, would be willing to do so. Not only would this match be one of the largest pay-per-view draws, it would require me to constantly change out of my wet pants, should it actually come to fruition.

#1

Jon Jones vs. Brock Lesnar

No one knows what the future holds for Jon Jones. His punishment for his latest anti-doping violation has still not been determined. Due to this, who knows when, or if we will ever see Jones in the Octagon again? However, all fans want to see him take on Brock Lesnar.

This fight would promise to be the biggest UFC bout of all time. However, both men have their PED issues, which may prevent this dream bout from ever unfolding. If they did square up, it would be amazing. Jon Jones can stand and bang, and he is also capable of wrestling with Lesnar. Jones is so versatile that one wonders if he could dominate Lesnar the way he has the rest of the UFC. 

While I do believe Jones vs. Lesnar belongs in the number one dream slot, it is not likely we will ever see it, truly making it a dream. At this point, I just hope Jones gets to fight again in the UFC. However, if Jones is able of a return, perhaps the two could make arrangements to fight in Japan, where I hear they are a little lax on their performance enhancing drug testing.  

Special Thanks To: 

MMA Junkie

McDonald’s French Fries

Matt Walker and the Meat Sweats Podcast

Joey “Whoa” Lawrence

WWE Spandex (Available for purchase below) - 

-Dustin Johnson, The People's Red Head

Dustin's Corner: Jon “Bones” Jones Popped Hot and the World has Lost All Meaning

Do you hear me knocking? Well, let me in! Finally! The People’s Red Head has come back to The Weigh-In!

We are breaking news people! Jon Jones failed a drug test after defeating Daniel Cormier at UFC 214. This news has shocked the MMA world. Reactions to Jones failed test results are all over the map. No one knows what to believe anymore. The next thing we will be told is that Lance Armstrong was juicing during his Tour de France domination. To think Jon “Bones” Jones would cheat is like finding out Hulk Hogan was juicing, brother. I refuse to even discuss whether “Sly” Stallone was on something during the Rocky era.

For those living under a rock, Mr. Jones has been a dominant force in the UFC. He was arguably the pound-for-pound, scariest man on the planet. However, the tests results following his performance at UFC 214 tested positive for some sort of banned substance. It was confirmed that cocaine was not in his system, but in the words of Matthew McConaughey, it would be a lot cooler if it was. Cocaine is something we could wrap our heads around. Mr. Jones has constantly denied steroid use during the course of his career.

Due to Jon’s history of substance abuse, the result of his recent drug test could lead to a suspension of four years. He is in his prime, and a four-year suspension would essentially be a career ender. His options would be limited to fighting somewhere overseas where the testing is less than current. This is a polite way of saying he would be reduced to fighting in the wild west of combat sports where competitors enter the ring with syringes dangling from their buttocks.

As a huge fan of Mr. Jones I feel it is critical to remind everyone that not all the facts are in. All we know is that Jon had an A and B failed sample that I believe was taken prior to UFC 214. Mr. Jones has failed in the past due to some sort of tainted supplement and I am hopeful that this is the issue in this matter. Has anyone ever seen the list of banned substance out on the USADA website? The list can be found at:  https://www.usada.org/substances/prohibited-list/athlete-guide-2017-prohibited-list/. The last list I saw of this magnitude was everything my ex wanted me to change about myself... Trust me, that list had USADA beat!

The Jones' camp has been very quiet. Everyone believes this is because he is guilty, but it is most likely due to the fact that the investigation is ongoing. It is important to remember that not all of the facts are in. I am pulling for Mr. Jones. I could not imagine MMA without Mr. Jones. Outside of Conor, Jones is the biggest name in the sport.

Another important factor that has gone mostly unreported is the impact this result has had on Daniel Cormier. Cormier has been a consummate professional and ambassador of MMA. Cormier dominates the sport with the exception of fighting against Jones. Fans continue to boo Cormier who may very well be the best example of a role model in all of combat sports. It is a true shame. Cormier is an inspiration to us all.

As the Jones' results continue to unfold, it will be more than interesting. Here at The Weigh-In Boxing Blog and Podcast, we will keep you posted as the information becomes available. Our thoughts go out to Mr. Jones and we wish Daniel Cormier continued success.

People’s Red Head Out!

*Special thanks to USADA.org and the great one, Chael Sonnen, for the some of the information contained within this article.

- Dustin Johnson, The People's Red Head

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