Rapid Reaction: UFC Fight Night Austin, Pacquiao vs. Algieri & Metamoris 5
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1:25 a.m. ET Jesse Denis: I, for one, am down to toss the winner-winner, loser-loser format and have Edgar-Mendes go down to determine the would be king of the featherweight universe.
1:19 a.m. ET Tristen Critchfield: It’s also worth noting that Edgar removed all the drama from the evening here in Texas. People were already heading for the exits before he got the last-second tapout.
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1:18 a.m. ET Tristen Critchfield: I’m not shocked that Frankie Edgar won this fight, but I am a little surprised that he was able to manhandle Cub Swanson the way he did. I expected a much more closely-contested result. Thanks to “The Answer,” the UFC has no real obstacle in the way of putting Conor McGregor into a title bout against Jose Aldo – provided the Irishman beats Dennis Siver. Edgar, meanwhile, is in something of a no-man’s land right now. He’s good enough to beat most of the 145-pound division, but he already got a crack at Aldo in his first featherweight appearance. What do you do with Edgar now?
1:17 p.m. ET thesherdoggy: Not sure why I
went against wrestling. Edgar was the man tonight! I would love to
be in McGregor's head as he watched this.
1:17 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: Almost 16 minutes in top position and nearly 300 strikes landed for Edgar. Multiple full mounts, back mounts, punch barrages and choke attempts. With 10 seconds left, he's peppering Swanson with strikes from back control, then desperately seeking a finish, just crossfaces Swanson so hard he taps out with mere seconds left. Absolutely breathtaking performance by Edgar, who gets the latest finish in UFC history in one of the biggest beatdowns this year.
1:15 a.m. ET Jesse Denis: Frankie is still looking to finish after winning four rounds, dominating three. This man is truly still a champion.
1:10 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: Swanson looks like he got beat down by a gang of thugs in the corner as Greg Jackson pleadingly tells him he needs a knockout heading into the fifth and final.
1:09 a.m. ET Greg Savage: The official scores as read by Michael Buffer are 119-103, 119-103 and 120-102 for the winner by unanimous decision, Manny Pacquiao.
1:08 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: This is turning into an absolute ass-kicking. Edgar got full mount and threatened from the back briefly before Swanson escaped, but Edgar regains full mount in mere seconds. Frankie Edgar looks like he's now fighting out of whatever that “dark place” is that Dominick Cruz was talking about.
1:08 a.m. ET Greg Savage: Well, it's mercifully over. Pacquiao takes every round on my card and it should read something like 120-102... Ouch!
1:07 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: Frankie Edgar passes five hours in the cage, passing Tito Ortiz and moving into third all-time in terms of total fight time in the Octagon behind Georges St. Pierre and B.J. Penn. Also, if he lands a whole bunch of significant strikes in these last 10 minutes, he can pass Michael Bisping for second all-time on that list, also behind GSP.
1:04 a.m. ET Jesse Denis: Edgar, too, rolling in the Octagon. After a competitive opener, "The Answer" has pitched a shutout since. None of the beloved Edgar heroics necessary, thus far. While I found it as an affront to the man that he was made to sit out such a long time to coach TUF, it looks like he used that time to become a bad enough ground-and-pounder to rescue the President.
1:04 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: Toms River, N.J.'s finest has now spent just under eight minutes of the first 15 in top position, busting Swanson up and spreading blood all over his face. Swanson's gotta do some drastic in round four to change the tide of the fight.
1:02 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: Edgar has the total strike edge at 106-49 over Swanson, literally doubling him up, at the halfway mark of the fight. That gap might get even wider here as Edgar gets to side control and continues to wear down Swanson with heavy top pressure.
12:57 a.m. ET Jesse Denis: Algieri looks content to continue with more of the same, despite everything coming up Pacqioap across over 10 rounds. He seems unwilling to even attempt any degree of adjustment.
12:57 a.m. ET Greg Savage: With less than 20 seconds to go in Round 10, Algieri goes down again. I believe that is six knockdowns if I'm correct. Not much to gain here. Fight has been as one-sided an affair as I can remember in a big fight. 100-85... just let that sink in.
12:57 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: Potent second round from Edgar. He's muscling Swanson on top, landing hard punches and elbows from half guard while consistently looking to pass. Swanson's hacked up and wearing a quasi-crimson mask. To say that Edgar has become a more proficient ground-and-pounder over his career would be an understatement. He's really stepped it up in top position since cutting to 145.
12:55 a.m. ET Greg Savage: Huge round from Pacquiao. Planted him once and got a standing eight as well. It was a big right that sat him down. Should be at least 90-76 after the lopsided beating Algieri has absorbed.
12:54 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: Frankie Edgar, ever the cage general, just keeps touching Cub Swanson clean, waiting for him to get aggressive then planting him with well-timed, well-executed takedowns. It's an Edgar style fight through eight minutes.
12:51 a.m. ET Greg Savage: More of the same here. Pacquiao dominates another round and is now up 80-69 on my card. Fruitless trip so far for Algieri's crew.
12:46 a.m. ET Jesse Denis: Pacquiao is casually running away with Algieri's wallet at this point. Meanwhile, Edgar and Swanson are about to start in Texas, and Jordan Breen has made a man in Florida extremely nervous with that chilling bit of news.
12:44 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: Marcos Rosales, Jon Schorle and Anthony Townsend are our main event judges. Well, damn, dudes. Fasten your safety belts, cause the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is upping the potential wacky factor with that triumvirate.
12:41 a.m. ET Greg Savage: Boom, the top almost blows off Cotai Arena at the Venetian here in Macau after Pacquiao plants Algieri again with a big barrage. He's down a third time. Are coffin nails on the way?
12:41 a.m. ET thesherdoggy: I'm your Huckleberry, Jordan. I think Swanson is going to use his boxing skills to pull off a decision win over Frankie here. Call me crazy.
12:41 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: I'm particularly curious to see if Swanson can use his extra-low low kicks to move Edgar around into a big power shot, while at the same time, intrigued to see if Edgar can capitalize on Swanson's kicking by catching them, which Edgar is particularly good at.
12:39 a.m. ET Greg Savage: Pacquiao is rolling like a freight train and Algieri seems to be tied to the tracks. It's 50-44 after five. The only question now is whether Pacquiao can get the KO that has eluded him for so long. Freddie Roach talked this week about him working more on his power punching in hopes of returning to the stoppage column. We'll see if he can pull it off.
12:38 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: Main event time in Austin, Texas. Anyone have an outside-the-box prediction? A Cub Swanson upset win? Frankie Edgar by knockout? Swanson winning and actually getting the title shot over Conor McGregor?
12:35 a.m. ET Greg Savage: I have it 40-35 after four rounds for the Filipino legend. You remember in “White Men Can't Jump” when the team Wesley and Woody have to play are smack talking? "This s--- is too easy!" Seems like the rout is on.
12:35 a.m. ET Tristen Critchfield: Bizarre performance from Bobby Green tonight. He seemed more interested in showing that he could absorb Barboza’s shots than he did in landing offense of his own. Considering that Green was publicly contemplating retirement ahead of the fight, maybe it shouldn’t be surprising.
12:31 a.m. ET Greg Savage: Manny is having his way with Algieri. Landing at will, especially with the lead right. Algieri just hasn't taken a single chance and he's going to have to take a ton of them if he wants any chance to win this fight.
12:30 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: Edson Barboza wins the unanimous decision with three 30-27 scorecards. As is usually the case, I would've loved to see more strikes from Barboza, but he hit Green with brutal kicks and several clean counterpunches that would've dropped or stopped lesser men. I'm not gonna protest too hard given the intensity of some of the shots Green absorbed over 15 minutes. Hell, I would've loved to have seen another two rounds, since Green was still pressing forward and had his best round of the fight in the third.
12:24 a.m. ET Greg Savage: They are really loud in here. Everything Manny does sends them into convulsions.
12:23 a.m. ET Jesse Denis: Over at Cotai Arena, the crowd seems to lose their mind every time Pacquiao fires off a combination. Greg, how are those eardrums doing after that second-round knockdown?
12:22 a.m. ET Greg Savage: First round in the books for Pacquiao, 10-9. Algieri looks like he wants to keep him at distance and box like his trainer Tim Lane discussed earlier this week. Probably a good strategy, because he likely goes to bed if he gets in a fire fight.
12:21 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: My good friend and yours, Jon Schorle, was the judge responsible for the 30-27 Brad Pickett scorecard. Well, at least he wasn't refereeing anything.
12:20 a.m. ET Jesse Denis: Green is showing off a pantheon-level chin in the second round. Meanwhile, Barboza has managed to shut down what has hitherto made made "King" an effective fighter in the UFC.
12:19 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: A hard right hand busted Green's mouth open, so he called for Barboza to bring it on. Barboza responded by knocking him down and nearly out with a spinning wheel kick. Oh, what could have been. Barboza is really starting to put harder, cleaner shots on Green with his hands now, too.
12:18 a.m. ET Greg Savage: Here we go, Manny Pacquiao and Chris Algieri have been introduced and we're are off.
12:16 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: Tense opening round from the two lightweight contenders. Green, predictably, is the one pressuring forward and pantomiming brushing dirt off of him with each Barboza strike. However, the Brazilian is the more active so far and started to hack into Green more effectively in the second half of the round with his low kicks.
12:09 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: Weird trivia note: Edson Barboza is the only fighter in UFC history to record knockout finishes via head kick, body kick and leg kicks.
12:08 a.m. ET Greg Savage: Anthems are sung, it's just about time to get this thing started. Funny to see Top Rank has their own version of “Baba O'Riley” to get the fans pumped up. A lot of MMA touches in the arena here.
12:06 a.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: I have been looking forward to this fight since the moment that it was announced. Green always seems to do something special while in the cage, he elevates his game in the Octagon. There's no way he is going to retire after this fight, win or lose.
12:04 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: Sherwood can't believe he's watching a UFC co-main event where one of the guys was recently sponsored by either Magnaflow or Boo-Yaa Fight Wear.
12:00 a.m. ET Jordan Breen: Bobby Green-Edson Barboza up next. Great style matchup, since Barboza is a classier technician, but Green's rugged, in-your-face, non-stop style will force him to overcome some of his workrate issues and protect his fragile chin. Plus, Green is out on Facebook talking about how he might retire after the fight, for whatever reason.
11:57 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Zou Shiming takes this one by unanimous decision. The scorecards read 119-106, 119-106 and 120-103 for the gold medalist, who runs his pro boxing record to 6-0.
11:54 p.m. ET Brian Knapp: If I see this friggin' John Cena commercial one more time, I'm going to throw my shoe through the TV.
11:54 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Chico Camus rides his Dominick Cruz impression to a split decision win. I gave Pickett the final round, but I'm curious to see which judge gave him all three. That said, it's not really the craziest thing despite the disparity with the actual result, given how close and competitive the first two rounds were. Still, flyweight looks like Camus' weight class, from a physical perspective.
11:50 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Some serious smack talk going on in the ring now in Macau. Mini-Manny eggs on Shiming as they trade punches in the center of the ring. I still don't think Onesongchaigym has won a single round, but it has been an entertaining fight. Shiming's left eye is severely swollen heading into the final stanza so Mini-Manny has that going for him, at least.
11:49 p.m. ET Tristen Critchfield: So, I’m not too confident in the skills of the Russian translator the UFC has on hand this evening. Case in point: the post-fight quotes the from Alexey Oleinik the promotion recently sent via release.
“I am very happy. I have an excellent team,” he said. “My striking skills are my strength, but this is just how I fight, 80 to 90 percent of my finishes are by knockout.”
Of course, this is exactly not how he fights. Forty of Oleinik’s 50 career triumphs are by way of submission.
11:41 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Shiming should have an insurmountable lead, but he got butted in the eighth and has a nasty cut over his left eye. He has completely dominated this match and should it be stopped, it should go to the scorecards and he would assuredly win.
11:37 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Very close first round in Brad Pickett-Chico Camus, but Camus looks physically stout in his first fight at 125 pounds. He's showing wonderful quickness in tagging Pickett with left hands repeatedly, and even though Pickett took him down and landed some elbows, I prefer Camus' takedown stuffing and strikes on the feet in the opening round.
11:27 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Shiming puts him down again, could be another 10-7 round after he was deducted a point for a low blow. This one is a laugher. We need Bob Arum to step up on the ring apron and put the thumbs down now. C'mon Bob, give the peasants what they want.
11:23 p.m. ET Chris Nelson: Alexey Oleinik is in the mix, Tristen.
11:22 p.m. ET Tristen Critchfield: Just when I thought Jared Rosholt was well on his way to another ho-hum decision, Alexey Oleinik knocks him out cold. Does the 37-year-old Ukrainian-Russian now officially qualify as one of the promotion’s “up-and-coming” big men? The pickings are slim at heavyweight.
11:20 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: That's 11 in a row for 37-year-old Alexey Oleinik, all stoppages. Not bad for a guy who got wiped out by Neil Grove in Bellator. Not bad at all.
11:18 p.m. ET Sam Genovese: Heavyweight MMA.
11:18 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Well, Rosholt's still got a way to go on the feet. He gets caught winding up and a massive left hook from Oleinik lays waste to him, leaving the former OSU Cowboy flat on his back, served up for a final coffin nail hammerfist. Potent stoppage by Oleinik, who I insulted by saying he only wins by exotic submission.
11:15 p.m. ET Greg Savage: A squash match is squash match. Zou Shiming is putting the stamp on Onesongchaigym. He had him down twice in the second and is toying with him in the third. Bring on the red meat: I'm ready for Pacquiao-Algieri although it might not be much better than this one.
11:14 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Well hot damn. You see the imprint Steven Wright is making a striking coach on all the Team Takedown guys. I liked how Rosholt stepped inside and threw with both hands after hurting Oleinik with the knees and didn't retreat from his strikes, but blocked and moved with them. He's still gotta be careful, though, with Oleinik having weird power. I know Rosholt comes across like a garden variety lug of a wrestler, but if he can make those strides on the feet, he could be a really legitimate heavyweight. He already displays a willingness to mash guys to the body on the ground and seems to love doing that kind of damage.
11:09 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: It's time for tough-wrasslin' sleeveless flannel enthusiast Jared Rosholt and truly bizarre and charming Ukrainian Alexey Oleinik. If you've never seen Oleinik, he pretty much excusively wins with low-percentage techniques like no-gi ezekiel chokes and scarf hold neck cranks, while looking like a middle-aged gym teacher. Very cool.
11:08 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Here we go, Zou Shiming, who got a huge pop from the crowd here, is about to get after it with Mini-Manny, Kwanpicht Onesongchaigym, in a 12-round WBO international flyweight title. Shiming is a huge favorite here.
11:02 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Haha, the crowd at Cotai Arena just popped for the mini-Pacquiao who is fighting Chinese gold medalist Zou Shiming. If you haven't seen him check out, TJ De Santis images' from the open workouts, press conference and weigh-ins. Spitting image of Pacquiao, but tinier.
11:01 p.m. ET Jesse Denis: I thought Ortiz was toast in the second. Going in, I was more interested in seeing if he'd last to the final bell, and while he clearly lost, he actually did impress with a hard man effort.
11:00 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: 30-27 for Joseph Benavidez and extra style points for nearly landing a fantastic spinning heel kick in the waning moments. He landed just about every other kind of strike you could imagine over 15 very exciting minutes. He's still MMA's top second banana in any weight class. It's a shame that Demetrious Johnson wasted him so bad in the rematch, so as to invalidate the chance for a third bout.
10:58 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Benavidez has landed over 100 significant strikes in the fight with three and a half minutes left in the contest. What an offensive wizard.
10:56 p.m. ET Greg Savage: The official scorecards at Cotai Arena all read 120-107. It's a shutout for Vasyl Lomachenko despite a busted up left hand.
10:52 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Dustin Ortiz's fortitude is ridiculous. Benavidez has clocked him cleanly and precisely with punches and kicks, to the head and body, and he just takes it. This is the fight we expected so far, but Ortiz has really taken some heat.
10:50 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Lomachenko has a hurt left hand and hadn't really throw it much but he lobbed a couple hard ones that round. Has to hurt like hell, that's a tough customer right there. I'm not sure he's dropped more than a round in this one as we head to the 12th and final round. Could even be a shutout. Really impressive stuff considering he was working with one hand for most of the fight.
10:47 p.m. ET Jack Encarnacao: Always admire Benavidez's ability to close distance despite almost always having a shorter reach than his opponent; he's found a way to move that almost makes it a non-factor.
10:44 p.m. ET Sam Genovese: Benavidez's speed advantage is overwhelming. He's landing about three strikes for every one of Ortiz.
10:44 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Big pop in the arena as they show the Arnold Schwarzenegger and Rocky Balboa posing with Pacquiao in his dressing room.
10:42 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: What does Dana White have against Austin, of all places?
10:39 p.m. ET Chris Nelson: Don't look now Brian, but we've got a flyweight fight next and then Jared Rosholt.
10:37 p.m. ET Brian Knapp: Who dried up all the finishes? This card started with such promise.
10:37 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Looks like the southpaw Lomachenko has hurt his left hand. He hasn't thrown it in ages and is just jabbing and moving/running. He has won every round in my opinion, but it isn't as fun to watch a one-armed fighter.
10:36 p.m. ET Jack Encarnacao : I like the way they're sprinkling teases of Edgar-Swanson throughout the broadcast. Free suggestion: next time tell the fighter's life story in dribs and drabs until closing with thoughts on their last fights, just before the main event starts.
10:35 p.m. ET Chris Nelson: Wiman gets the unanimous decision but the real winner is me because I managed to make it through three rounds without typing "Woman” in the play-by-play.
10:33 p.m. ET thesherdoggy: Maybe Wiman can get some sponsors on his shorts now. Or, is he just preparing for the mandatory UFC uniform?
10:31 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Wiman wins the unanimous nod, I thought he won every single round. Each round was fun, though, but Wiman was landing clean and hard even when he embraced Vallie-Flagg's style of fight, plus nearly putting him away multiple times on the ground. Not that the UFC was crying out for more entertaining lightweights, though.
10:30 p.m. ET Sam Genovese : Jack, I'll be surprised if this event ends without any dudes pulling out their pieces and firing a few shots into the ceiling, Yosemite Sam-style.
10:30 p.m. ET Jack Encarnacao: Would be interested to know why Wiman was asking for the time in the closing moments with that back mount. My guess is he wanted to know how much time was left to go all-in on a sub, but then he appeared to give up after he couldn't trap the arm with his leg
10:28 p.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: There appeared to be something going on outside of the Octagon, maybe a crowd fight. Even Johny Hendricks had to turn around and take a look at it. #peoplelovefights
10:24 p.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: What a grinder of a fight! It looks to be sucking some of the juice out of both fighters.
10:24 p.m. ET Sam Genovese : I love Wiman's Heisman stiff-arm followed by a right straight. It landed clean and it looked painful.
10:23 p.m. ET Jack Encarnacao: I love prolonged clinch battles like this because the fighters so often appear to be locked in a collar-and-elbow tie up ... (Pull the side headlock, tackle, again) ...
10:22 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Lomachenko has been putting a beating on Piripinyo here in Macau and finally puts him down at the end of the fourth. This has been the one-sided affair everyone was expecting.
10:20 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Despite the obvious red flags -- long layoff, going vegetarian with carefully selected beans, unbranded UFC shorts with no sponsors -- Wiman's willingness to engage Vallie-Flagg in a rugged clinch battle, plus having some sick submission transitions and attempts, has brought this card back to life.
10:19 p.m. ET Jesse Denis: Not that Wiman is defensive dynamo of any kind, but Vallie-Flagg has a complete disregard for defense. He is MMA's Mankind (not Cactus Jack, totally different guy).
10:16 p.m. ET Tristen Critchfield: Vallie-Flagg is a little bit of a feel-good story here, as he was able to focus fully on his camp after learning his father’s cancer was in remission. Normally I don’t put much stock into a fighter talking about how good a camp was, but I think this time Vallie-Flagg was probably more present in the gym -- both physically and mentally -- than he was for his past couple bouts.
Wiman, meanwhile, who is returning after a hiatus, told ESPN.com that during his nearly two year absence that he didn’t train and didn’t really miss MMA all. This sport takes a hell of toll on the body, and I’m wondering Wiman’s attitude is something we might see more and more often as fighters’ bodies begin to break down.
10:15 p.m. ET Jesse Denis: “This fight is just like a blender.”
10:15 p.m. ET Sam Genovese: Heroes get remembered, but rubber-booted legends never die.
10:13 p.m. ET thesherdoggy: I'm pretty sure Wiman is the only fighter that has worn rubber boots to the weigh-ins.
10:13 p.m. ET Sam Genovese : Is it really fair to call a guy probably most famous for when Goldie called him “Watt Miman” an “accomplished lightweight”?
10:11 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Matt Wiman is such a peculiar character. Not that I don't support his choice wholeheartedly, but he literally doesn't have a Twitter account, a major anomaly as a pro MMA fighter, especially one with tenure in the UFC. Tul$a Top Team forever.
10:10 p.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: Screw the Affliction shirts, real fans have the jeans with the rhinestones on the ass.
10:07 p.m. ET Greg Savage: The official attendance here at Cotai Arena is 13,200. They added 200 seats last night because of high demand.
10:04 p.m. ET Sam Genovese: Just further evidence that Florida should fall into the Atlantic.
10:04 p.m. ET Jesse Denis: There is, or at least was, an Affliction store on South Beach, so they can still be seen out here in the wild of Miami. Again, score one for Florida.
10:03 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Now we head to the can-crushing segment of the card. A pair of two-time Olympic gold medalists, both huge favorites, are set to compete before the main event. Zou Shiming -- 2008 and 2012 Games gold medalist for China -- takes on Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym while Vasyl Lomachenko -- 2008 and 2012 Games gold medalist for Ukraine -- will square off with Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo, 10:03 p.m. ET Jack Encarnacao: I suppose it is true, Jordan, that the late-20s who went in on those during UFC's 2006 boom are now very, very much in their 30s.
10:00 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Yes. Apropos of our conversation earlier, Jack: dads.
9:59 p.m. ET Jack Encarnacao: Interesting that Frankie is still in Affliction. Do you ever see anyone in those shirts anymore?
9:58 p.m. ET Greg Savage: That's it for Vargas-DeMarco. I had Vargas taking it 115-113, while all three judges have it 116-112 for the winner and still WBA light welterweight champion, Jesse Vargas.
9:57 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: One 29-28 Magomedov scorecard among the other 30-27's; I guess Copeland got a round for headbutt damage to Magomedov's legs. Also, you know the UFC schedule isn't ideal when Anik and Stann are trying to go over the replays of the fight post-decision and they're halfway through the “Baba O'Riley” highlight in the venue.
9:51 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Tale of two fights here in Macau. Vargas went up early and it has been all DeMarco since the midway point of the fight. He may have to win the last two rounds to even this up and will probably need a knockdown to get that strap, but it's been a good competitive fight thus far after starting slow.
9:51 p.m. ET Jesse Denis: It's true, Jack. In the land of the heavy hand, being able to cut an opponent's power off by hacking his base before he can land on you is invaluable.
9:50 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Magomedov's defense isn't great; Copeland's tagged him with both hands with wild overhands. But, his flexibility and speed with his legs. His hand speed is good, his leg speed is fantastic for a 6-foot-4-ish, 250-pound-ish athlete. Copeland's whole body is welted up. He's got a rare, fun heavyweight style, even if he's not a natural knockout artist.
9:49 p.m. ET Jack Encarnacao: It strikes me in watching Magomedov-Copeland how much more of an edge it is to be a swift kicker at heavyweight than other weight classes.
9:43 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Antonio DeMarco is putting together a nice little comeback here in the late rounds. He's stalking Vargas now after arguably losing the first six rounds straight. He's taken the last three on my card to tighten things up. I have it 87-84 Vargas heading to the tenth round.
9:41 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Meanwhile, while I'm posting stomach-turning pieces of MMA esoterica, Ruslan Magomedov is having a fantastic round against the rugged Josh Copeland. Magomedov's quick-kicking attack has made the difference, though. He gets the shin up so damn fast for a good-sized heavyweight. Copeland is landing some bolos, but he's getting hit with Magomedov's arsenal.
9:37 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: OK, grossout kings: I decided against posting the pictures directly into the article. I think that would be a bridge too far. But, if you're a sick puppy and wanna see the pics from when Justin Wren got some strange form of oral ebola, click here. Hat tip to MiddleEasy.
9:35 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Seems like someone woke up Antonio DeMarco before the seventh round. He had his best period of the fight and landed some solid body shots that had Vargas backing up a bit. I have it 69-64 going to the eighth round.
9:35 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Thanks for bringing Justin Wren up, Tristen. Not only was is he an underrated talent who got ripped off in his TUF Finale fight against Jon Madsen, but it gives me an excuse to find the very gnarly and disgusting pics of when he had that weird oral disease and his entire mouth stared bleeding and collapsing. Wee!
9:32 p.m. ET Tristen Critchfield: Josh Copeland enters the UFC on the heels of a victory over Mountain West Conference all-time sack leader Jan Jorgensen at RFA 18. And if I remember correctly, Copeland followed many of his punches that night with a growl -- sort of the antithesis of “Cuddly Bear.” Also, Copeland is accompanied to the Octagon by noted humanitarian and “TUF 10” veteran Justin Wren.
9:31 p.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: I go into every heavyweight fight with my fingers crossed hoping to see a good fight. Sad thing is, it obviously doesn't work out very often. #fingerscrossed
9:31 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: In case Rocky, excuse me, Roger Narvaez didn't invigorate you there, we've now got two heavyweights you probably haven't heard of! Real talk, though, Ruslan Magomedov and Josh Copeland are understated as far as heavyweight up-and-comers go, but they're both solid, well-rounded and provided we don't have a cardio implosion in this one, we should get a fight better than what you'd probably imagine.
9:25 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Vargas is doing work now, really starting to put it on DeMarco who has just not thrown enough to be in this fight. I have it 40-36 after four rounds.
9:25 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Hell, a lot of people thought German Technocop Nick Hein won, too. It's a good night to have a day job in Austin, Texas.
9:24 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: We've got at least two wins for fighters with full-time jobs on this undercard with Arreola and Narvaez pulling it off. I wonder if Choi has a day job. I suppose a “superboy” might not need one.
9:22 p.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: Narvaez, just another day at the office putting out fires.
9:20 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Oh, we've got a split decision with duelling 29-28's... and it goes to Roger Narvaez! I suppose two of those judges gave him the first round? Either way!
ROCKY IS HERE!
9:19 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Incredible third round from Narvaez, but he probably made a mistake not letting Barnatt stand up with 60 seconds left, since these judges might not reward him with the 10-8 round he might need to make it even. I will, however, and have this a 28-28 draw. It's a shame Narvaez didn't get the knockout so I could've slipped in a Gus Johnson “Rocky is here!!!!11”.
9:16 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Vargas took the first round on my card but got clipped in the second and is now bleeding from a cut under his left eye. More activity in round two but still moving at a snail's pace. 20-18 Vargas going to the third on my scorecard.
9:15 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: And without warning, Narvaez lands a wild head kick that stuns Barnatt, then drops him, follows him to the ground and is pounding away with most of the round left. What a potential comeback we have going on here.
9:09 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Barnatt the more effective striker through the first half of the bout, but it's nothing to write home about. The real takeaway from this fight is the simple fact it's a 6-foot-6 middleweight against a 6-foot-3 middleweight. The upper echelon of this division is physically massive right now. Terrible time for Vitor Belfort to have to slim down.
9:07 p.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: Barnatt was shaking his right hand out on the way to his corner. That's usually not a good sign in a punching sport. 9:06 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Here we go, the televised portion of the card is pushing away from the dock at Cotai Arena. Antonio DeMarco, with Freddie Roach in his corner will take on Jesse Vargas, who is being cornered by Roy Jones Jr., for the WBA light welterweight strap.
9:03 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Judge Jennie Cardenas turns out to be the offending judge with the lame 30-27 in Vick-Hein:
Scorecard for Nick Hein vs. James Vick for those interesting
#UFCAustin
#UFC
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— UFCONFOX (@UFCONFOX) November
23, 2014
9:01 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: It's 9:01 p.m. in the east and we've got our first groin strike of the night, as Barnatt lands a knee to the body which slides down and makes groin contact. Narvaez shakes it off quick, but we're on the low blow board.
8:54 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Speaking of bad scorecards, Luke Barnatt up next in a tune-up against Roger Narvaez. Barnatt deserves a softie since he got completely ripped off in Germany earlier this year against Sean Strickland. Andy Haigh had the fight 30-27 Strickland, one of the very worst scorecards all year, other than Jeff Collins' 30-27 Diego Sanchez scorecard against Ross Pearson.
8:53 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Good to see MMA announcers aren't the only ones who mess up scores. Official cards for Ng-Attard just arrived on press row and they should have read 59-54, 57-56 and 57-56. They were read with two 59-54 cards rather than two 57-56.
8:48 p.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: 30-27? I thought TJ was in China, with Greg?
8:47 p.m. ET Jesse Denis: I am not rightly sure how anyone, anywhere, scores that 30-27 for Vick. The two 29-28 were in line with what actually happened in the eight walls.
8:47 p.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: I'm impressed with the crowd in Austin, we went the entire fight without any “USA! USA!” chants. 8:47 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: James Vick wins a unanimous decision. He deserved it, but his homies in Texas boo the verdict, curiously enough. The two 29-28 scorecards were righteous, 30-27 is dumb as hell considering Vick didn't do much in round one and was dropped cleanly twice, even if he wasn't near death's door.
8:45 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Those last two scores should have read 59-54. It's tough to hear in here. I feel shame.
8:44 p.m. ET Greg Savage: That's it, were headed to the scorecards again in Macau. For those of you who just tuned in from Metamoris, that is when people who watched the fight decide who did better. The official scores are 57-56, 58-55 and 58-55 in favor of the winner by unanimous decision, K.K. Ng.
8:43 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Fights like this, where it's two lesser-known, but quality fighters with no real narratives to push per se... these are fights where Jon Anik and Brian Stann shine together. Anik gets more into the technical side of the action, he lets you know what tactics a fighter is using to succeed, how he's faltered and Stann expands on it. Just like it should be.
8:42 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Vick's habit of pushing his punches -- perhaps understandable, since his limbs are so long – coupled with never protecting his chin -- provides so many opportunities where you think “Oh man, if this guy just threw a counter there.” Little wonder he got dropped twice on short shots in the first round despite not being seriously hurt by either.
8:37 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: A more conservative-than-usual Vick throws isolated jabs, power punches and kicks but manages to be more active than Hein and not give him much to counter. Likely a set of 19-19 cards heading into the final round in Austin.
8:36 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Going to the sixth and final round between Ng and Attard in Macau. These guys are giving it their all but just aren't top-level fighters. Really sloppy stuff from both gentlemen.
8:27 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Hein dropped a careless Vick in round one, and despite the Texan's ability to recover quickly and regain his feet, it'll be the difference in scoring that first round. Vick is going to have to fight out of a hole. Hein's left hand is the straw that stirs the drink for him so far.
8:27 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: It's now time for compact German police officer Nick Hein to rumble with the biggest lightweight on the UFC roster, 6-foot-3 Texan James Vick. This one might be a bit sloppy, but I'm banking on it being tons of fun.
8:25 p.m. ET Greg Savage: But will Royce challenge Saku like he did to Bravo? That is the real question.
8:21 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: And I'm going to go out on a limb and say that unlike Royce in his Sakuraba rematch, Renzo won't have so much nandrolone in his bloodstream that it can't be accurately read by the testing laboratory.
8:21 p.m. ET Mike Fridley: The last 10 minutes of Sakuraba-Gracie was all Renzo. The Gracie practitioner spent much of the duration in north-south and side control, fishing for kimuras on both arms. True revenge was not to be had, however, as Sakuraba’s defense was true on a way to a 20-minute draw.
8:21 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: In case anyone missed Jeff's lovely reference and just assumed he likes bad music:
8:20 p.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: Sakuraba's entrance music for Metamoris should have been “Beautiful Day” Day by U2. Just saying.
8:17 p.m. ET Tristen Critchfield: Just got done interviewing Paige VanZant in the media room. Before we went live, she asks if her hair looks too crazy. “I’m still a girl,” she explained. She then proceeded to answer questions in rapid-fire fashion, obviously still coming down from the high of her first UFC victory. In hindsight, she said it doesn’t feel so bad to miss out on “The Ultimate Fighter” now that she has a win under her belt.
8:15 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Next bout pits Macao local K.K. Ng and Australian Steve Attard. As you might guess, there is a ton of local support for Ng here at the Cotai Arena.
8:15 p.m. ET Jesse Denis Greg, you're giving me visions of Hong Man Choi rapping himself to the ring in K-1.
8:13 p.m. ET Greg Savage: HOLY CRAP! There is a Chinese musical (I think) act going down between rounds here in Macau and it is... amazing? Two guys and a girl rapping and singing with dancers going crazy behind them. I have no words. Just lol.
8:13 p.m. ET Mike Fridley: The first 10 minutes of Sakuraba-Gracie doesn’t look much different from the first round of their Pride 10 match. “The IQ Wrestler” shutting down Renzo’s guard from the top and winning the hand battles.
8:12 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: To Sherwood's point, I was pretty confident even a flat Edwards would win a decision up until the fight started. Just 20 seconds into the fight, Edwards wasn't reacting to Arreola's kicks at all and looked dreadfully slow. Sometimes it's just gone, in a flash. Edwards has been slipping for a while, but he actually looked as shot as you can look in just a matter of seconds.
8:11 p.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: Edwards has been entertaining us all for years, but he seemed a bit off tonight a bit slower then he has shown. Not to take anything away from Arreola's mad aggression he came out firing.
8:09 p.m. ET Jesse Denis: Yves Edwards was actually one of my first interviews in the sport, dehydrated and delirious because the Florida Commission delayed weigh-ins for hours (obviously). The Thugjitsu Master rocked that interview in the Captain Morgan stance for four minutes. Shame to see the man go out from the UFC on a loss, although this is MMA, so it's commonplace.
8:09 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Just read Edwards dropped his fifth in a row. When I saw him in Florida a few weeks ago he acknowledged his career was probably coming to a close sooner rather than later and even intimated that any fight at this point could be his last. He will have some soul searching to do after another loss.
8:07 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Well, Brian's hinky feeling nailed that. Arreola came out hot, throwing hard strikes and Edwards looked physically slow and couldn't respond. Arreola seemed to feel it quickly and once he landed that right check hook to drop him, it was over. Edwards was completely scrambled and basically gave up the armbar. Biggest win of Arreola's career, this would've looked nice at UFC 180.
8:06 p.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: I wonder if they will really try to get the VanZant-Curran fight on TV. Let's see how much they want to try to build VanZant if there is an opportunity.
8:06 p.m. ET Greg Savage: That is eight rounds in the book in Macau. After a hard-fought 24 minutes, your winner by scores of 79-73, 78-74 and 78-74 s Rex Tso. I thought it was a bit closer than the cards but had Tso up as well. This kid never stops smiling, even when he's getting punched in the face.
8:04 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: I heard Renzo took this grappling match super seriously and had a real training camp, flew guys in and pushed himself to the physical limit. I wonder if Sakuraba cut back to one pack of cigs a day.
8:03 p.m. ET Mike Fridley: I’m either having an LSD flashback from my early 20s, or Kazushi Sakuraba and Renzo Gracie are really mixing it up on the canvas at Metamoris 5. I’ll keep everyone posted.
8:01 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: I know Yves Edwards' UFC run, and MMA career in general, is going to come to an end relatively soon. And, I appreciate that Akbarh Arreola is a Mexican MMA pioneer. But, the Thugjitsu master can't exit the big stage by losing to a guy who still works full-time as a safety inspector. It wouldn't be right.
7:58 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Spirited back-and-forth bout here between Tso and Sabu in Macau. Neither guy has been able to pull away. That probably doesn't bode well for the Indonesian fighter.
7:58 p.m. ET Tristen Critchfield: I was told earlier tonight that even though he’s on the preliminary card, the UFC will likely bring Edwards to the post-fight presser if he wins. Not sure if that’s a Texas thing or a last hurrah-type thing.
7:58 p.m. ET Brian Knapp: Are we about to see Yves Edwards' last fight?
7:56 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Greg, I think Metamoris' predicament with draws shows off the inherent difficulty with competitive grappling as a spectator sport: if you create a points system, people will game it and if you do submission-only, you get a lot of draws. ADCC still ultimately has the best format because the tournament angle makes you tolerate some of the lameness for whatever reason. People just love tourneys.
7:55 p.m. ET Greg Savage: No way, another draw at Metamoris? Say it ain't so. Am I the only one that thinks having so many matches end in a draw is a tough sell long term?
7:55 p.m. ET Jack Encarnacao: I have to say, while it's nice to see fighters being good dads, it's too one-note for UFC broadcasts. We more want to know how a fighter feels about his opponent, and a clear message about why he thinks he's going to win; personality points like these are only interesting inasmuch as they help us understand how/why they fight.
7:54 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Is there anything less surprising and more adorable than Frankie Edgar training his three- or four-year-old son to respond to “What do you want to do when you grow up?” with “I want to wrestle and fight”?
7:52 p.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: That was a fun fight right there. VanZant-Curran was a step forward for women's MMA for sure. Seeing VanZant using those foot stomps shows us she has a mean streak for sure.
7:52 p.m. ET Jesse Denis: VanZant showed a lot of promise in this performance, albeit putting of her faults on display in the process. The first round was arguably a “Round of the Year” contender, partially due to that dynamic. It's going to be interesting as we watch her further develop as a fighter.
7:51 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: VanZant sounds like she's going to have a heart attack while talking to Anik, combination of the toll of the fight and a clear, exhausting adrenaline dump, talking 100 miles an hour then losing her breath. Haven't seen one like that since Chas Skelly almost passed out talking in the cage.
7:50 p.m. ET Jack Encarnacao: VanZant has really good instincts that can be honed. Don't forget this was just her fifth fight. We're going to see her grow and get tighter in the defense.
7:49 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: It's possible VanZant was up 20-18 on those scorecards, but I like that she listened to her corner, sensed there was two minutes left and busted out a fight-ending flurry. That said, that stoppage by Kerry Hatley is pretty soft. These women can't mess with a Claudia Gadelha yet, but they're not weekend warriors. Curran could've fought out of that and at least made it to the cards. Fun fight, though, and a validation showing by VanZant after starting a bit rocky.
7:47 p.m. ET Mike Fridley: It’s another draw at Metamoris 5 as MacDonald escaped Torres’ best attempts at a highlight-reel finish. It was a close one with three minutes remaining as Torres had near-perfect kimura position. A calm MacDonald worked angles on the floor to gain the space needed to explode out. Highlight of the fight: “Ares” taking flight for a flying armbar attempt. It was not close to putting his opponent in danger, but it showed that the Canadian was willing to mix it up with the decorated grappler.
7:43 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Rory MacDonald really is showing off some fantastic submission defense here against Torres on the Metamoris mat. It's nice that he actually engaged Torres, too. So often with the Metamoris matches with MMA guys, there's no incentive for the fighters to push the action or put themselves in any position they could get exploited. See the Brendan Schaub-Roberto Abreu nightmare for reference.
7:41 p.m. ET Jack Encarnacao: VanZant has flashes of Carano in the way she pours on punches but flashes of Cyborg in the way she careens into compromising positions.
7:40 p.m. ET Mike Fridley: Just past the 10-minute mark are Rory MacDonald and J.T. Torres. It’s been a back-and-forth affair with both men attempting risky maneuvers in search of a fight-finishing hold. This is a world-class grappling match and the Canadian welterweight contender is more than holding his own.
7:38 p.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: Training with Rick Collup or training with Team Alpha Male? There must be no place like home.
7:38 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Sloppy sweep by VanZant, picking both Achilles' of Curran to get to top position in the last minute and flurry on her. That should still be Curran's round, 10-9, but VanZant at least clever and wary enough to pile it on late and threaten. These women are both neophytes compared to some of the women at 115 pounds in the UFC, though.
7:35 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: VanZant just running headlong into the clinch here, which is igniting a fun clinch brawl thus far. Curran is the most physically dominant so far, having got a headlock throw and another just now at the halfway point of the round.
7:30 p.m. ET Jesse Denis: I think… nay, I will be upset if Edgar doesn't walk to "Kick In The Door". This is no time for re-branding.
7:29 p.m. ET Jeff Sherwood: How many MMA fans watched this face-off at the weigh-ins and decided to go subscribe to Fight Pass? I think Curran will derail any hype behind VanZant.
7:29 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Hey, there's a decent chance Algieri could rip off “Kick In The Door” or whatever Edgar chooses to use tonight, too. Bring on the musical clones.
7:28 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Uh oh, Joseph Benavidez is going to be pissed. Espinos Sabu just came out to "Stranglehold" by Ted Nugent for his match with local Hong Kong favorite son and the happiest fighter I have ever seen, Rex Tso.
7:28 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Speaking of Kailin Curran, if you didn't check out this pre-fight feature from the delightful Casey Leydon, featuring particularly beautiful surfing shots, do yourself a favor:
7:24 p.m. ET Mike Fridley: Kailin Curran -- no known relation to big show veterans Pat and Jeff Curran -- is the first Hawaiian female to grace the Octagon. According to an interview on UFC.com, she may have her father to thank for laying the foundation for her career:
“My dad started me off in wrestling in seventh grade and I hated him for it because I was the only girl at the time,” Curran told UFC.com’s Thomas Gerbasi. “I was super uncomfortable and I felt like it was such a guy sport. I was a tomboy, but I was like 'do I really have to go and do this and wear a singlet?' It was just so weird.”
7:23 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Kailin Curran-Paige VanZant on tap next at 115 pounds. Very, very close fight. I actually think Curran should be a slight favorite here, having beaten better opposition and being a better striker. Not that VanZant is pure hype because of her looks, but she's only fought one notable woman, Tecia Torres, who absolutely housed her. I think this is a close 15-minute battle.
7:22 p.m. ET Tristen Critchfield: How many promotional catchphrases and scary faces did Joe Rogan record at one time? Did they lock him in a dark room and tell him to spout every bit of fighter hyperbole in his repertoire? And are these interchangeable? Will we hear, “These are two extremely dangerous guys” in reference to future fights? These are the things I think about when we have a break after a quick knockout.
7:22 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Over on the Pacquiao card, Jerwin Ancajas stops Fadhili Majiha at 1:48 of the third with a booming straight left that sent him reeling to the canvas. The Tanzanian could not get back to his feet before being counted out. Ancajas, a southpaw, had been scoring well with a strong right hook that had stopped Majiha in his tracks a number of times before he slipped the left-handed sleeping pill in there midway though the third frame. Fun scrap.
7:15 p.m. ET Tristen Critchfield: Courtesy of FightMetric.com’s Michael Carroll: Choi’s 18-second KO is the fastest finish by a featherweight debuting in the UFC.
At least Puig didn’t have to suffer the indignity of such a quick defeat in his home country. As a matter of fact, maybe that’s why he wasn’t part of the UFC 180 lineup.
7:13 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: I imagine Aaron Brink-Andrei Arlovski is up there, too.
7:13 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Ryan Jimmo's seven-second debut smashing of Anthony Perosh is obviously tops, but what are the other fastest UFC debuts ever? That was bananas.
7:11 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: It took all of 18 seconds for Choi. He countered a Puig jab, slammed him, then bashed his head in with ground-and-pound. Hello, world.
7:10 p.m. ET Jesse Denis: It not take Doo Ho Choi very long to go nuclear on Puig, unsurprisingly. The sequel to “The Korean Zombie” begins now.
7:10 p.m. ET Mike Fridley: In the Metamoris 5 “Secret Match,” Jake “Not Going Out on My” Shields and Roberto Satoshi duelled to a relatively uneventful draw. In standard Shields fashion, he largely dominated positioning and controlled with his strength. Performance of the night thus far easily goes to Garry Tonon, who submitted Zak Maxwell with an incredible heel hook in the evening’s opening bout. Vinny Magalhaes and Matheus Diniz competed to a draw, as did Yuri Simoes and Keenan Cornelius. Next up: Rory MacDonald vs. J.T. Torres and then Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Renzo Gracie.
7:10 p.m. ET Greg Savage: Jerwin Ancajas and Fadhili Majiha have kicked off the Clash in Cotai here in Macao. Pacquiao and Algieri are scheduled to hit the ring around 12:15 p.m. local time here.
7:08 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: For whatever it's worth, Brian, Kenny Florian is doing a great job calling the action for Metamoris 5 with Jeff Glover.
7:08 p.m. ET Chris Nelson: I’d sign that, Knapp. Stann is the best thing to happen to the UFC booth in a while. Really a pleasure to hear on broadcasts.
7:07 p.m. ET Brian Knapp: Can we get a petition circulating to have Brian Stann installed as the permanent UFC analyst?
7:06 p.m. ETTristen Critchfield: Just when I thought Ed Hardy had the market cornered on unnecessarily gaudy headwear, Juan Manuel Puig walks out to the cage blinding everyone with the bling on his lid.
7:02 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Also, if you're just getting started on your fight night pursuits, you'll want to go back and watch the Keenan Cornelius-Yuri Simoes gi match from Metamoris 5. Aggressive, technical, world-class grappling and a fun developing rivalry.
6:58 p.m. ET Mike Fridley: Yes, Doo Ho Choi is a finisher. Familiarize yourself with his violence game before he clashes with Juan Manuel Puig. Heads up: there’s a gorgeous (and brutal) flying knee knockout at the 19:10 mark of the below video.
6:56 p.m. ET Brian Knapp: I must say I'm looking forward to seeing Mr. Choi do his thing in the Octagon.
6:55 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: Our UFC under-undercard in Austin features with the long-awaited debut of South Korean human turbine Doo Ho Choi. Choi was originally set to meet Sam Sicilia at UFC 173 in May, but was injured. Injuries have been the only thing that have really slowed Choi up in his career so far. I don't know if he's as good of an all-around prospect as say, Mirsad Bektic, but he's insane amounts of fun. He's already been chosen as the spiritual successor to Chan Sung Jung and it's apt, but where Choi isn't as slick of a grappler as Jung is, he is a much more powerful hitter.
6:53 p.m. ET Tristen Critchfield: Greetings from the Frank Erwin Center in rainy Austin, Texas, hallowed ground once roamed by the best pure scorer in the NBA today, Kevin Durant -- for a year, anyway.
Tonight, potential featherweight royalty steps into the Octagon in the UFC Fight Night main event, as Frankie Edgar takes on Cub Swanson. Already, Dana White has given Swanson this ringing endorsement if he wins:
“If Cub Swanson wins this fight, we did tell him we would give him a title shot,” White recently told Fox Sports.
Maybe I’m wrong, but it sounds like there’s plenty of wiggle room to hand that shot to Conor McGregor if he wins against Dennis Siver on Jan. 18.
6:50 p.m. ET Jordan Breen: It's fight night once again. And, it's a unique sort of fight night with a solid-if-unspectacular UFC card, as well as Metamoris 5 as we speak and Manny Pacquiao-Chris Algieri later. Lucky for you all, Sherdog's got hands on deck in Austin, Long Beach and Macau.
1:00 p.m. ET Mike Fridley: Keep it locked to this URL Saturday night for rapid reaction regarding Saturday’s UFC Fight Night Austin, Metamoris 5 “Sakuraba vs. Gracie” and HBO Boxing’s “Pacquiao vs. Algieri” cards.
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