MMA Trending Topics – Q & A – Volume 3

That answer depends on if Aldo and his coaches believe he can win the UFC Lightweight title. Money follows the champion, and if Aldo doesn’t beat Pettis, he’s likely not going to stay at 155 lbs. So, it is a considerable risk for Aldo to give up his title, though he has been promised an immediate shot should he return to Featherweight.

Aldo’s team have been somewhat adamant about not giving up the title. They are likely using it as a bargaining chip, should Aldo decide to move up a weight class and potentially lose to Pettis. My guess is that Aldo’s people want to keep his contract contingent on him getting paid as the FW champ as long as he fights at 155 lbs.

As for Aldo’s chances of beating Pettis and reigning over the UFC Lightweight division, they are strong, but somewhat questionable. He has faded in the latter stages of fights, though some have attributed that to his draining weight cut. The fact remains, the fighters at 155 lbs. will be bigger and stronger. No offense to Ricardo Lamas, but Anthony Pettis, Ben Henderson, and Gilbert Melendez are on a completely different level. I like Aldo’s chances against Pettis more than I would against Henderson or Melendez, simply for the reason that Pettis will be willing to strike with Aldo and play his game. Also, Pettis lacks experience fighting in 5-round fights compared to Aldo, which could ultimately prove pivotal in a championship fight.

Aldo’s legacy at Featherweight is safe. There’s none better, so why not test the waters at 155 lbs. He’s only 27 years old and has an opportunity to do what no fighter has done in recent memory, which is to essentially become a 2-division champion.

Barao is a massive Bantamweight, but unlike Aldo, I feel his immediate future remains in his current weight class. There’s still some fans that feel Barao needs to defeat Dominick Cruz to become the true Bantamweight champion, and for those reasons, I’d like to see Barao stick around and prove his dominance over the division. There’s still a chance he faces Cruz, but also an opportunity to face Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson.

The other issue is that Aldo and Barao’s camp, Nova Uniao, may view Aldo’s move to Lightweight solely contingent on him beating Pettis. Should Aldo lose to Pettis, I have no doubt that Aldo will return back to the Featherweight division and look to reclaim his title.

My hope is that we see a vintage B.J. Penn performance. I am still a bit perplexed why B.J. has decided to drop all the way down to Featherweight. He certainly could have made this a catchweight of 150 lbs. This weight cut will be a huge shock to B.J.’s system. He’s already stated in the past that weight cutting was one of his most hated things.

Yet, for all the years that we questioned Penn’s training, dieting, conditioning, and commitment, this is the first time that he has trained exclusively at Brazil’s Nova Uniao camp amongst current UFC champions Jose Aldo and Renan Barao. Penn will know firsthand what it will take to once again be a champion in the UFC. That sounds asinine considering he’s been a champion, but just as veterans Rich Franklin and Chris Leben recently stated, this is a completely different UFC than just a few years ago. The athleticism and precision of today’s UFC athletes are unparalleled to those from the past.

Luckily, B.J. will fight a man he’s already spent 10 rounds in the cage with. Edgar isn’t going to bring much more to the table than Penn’s already seen. Penn shouldn’t preoccupy himself with matching Edgar’s quickness because he simply won’t win in that area. He has to make this a dogfight. He needs to walk Edgar down, push him up against the cage and win the clinch battles. That’s easier said than done because Edgar is a beast of a wrestler with great lateral movement. This fight may end up coming down to whether this will be a 3 or 5-round fight. If it’s a 5-round fight, I am firmly favoring Edgar, but if it’s only 3 rounds, Penn has a real chance to pull off the upset.

The real question is with Jose Aldo leaving to Lightweight, could B.J. Penn vs. Frankie Edgar fight for the vacant UFC Featherweight championship? That is a real possibility, that I am sure the UFC execs are pondering right now. Some will argue Chad Mendes and Cub Swanson are more deserving, but when it comes to PPV buys, Penn trumps all lighter weight fighters.

In conclusion, a motivated B.J. Penn, is still a very dangerous fighter. We’ve watched him be beaten and battered in his last few fights, but now with this bold move to Featherweight, a reinvigorated Penn looks primed to seek his revenge.

The short answer is no. For former PRIDE fans, the yellow cards were a savior for bouts destined to be slow and uninteresting. Following UFC 169, where all but 2 fights ended via decision, the fans and Dana White seemed frustrated. Yet, yellow cards are not the answer. They are too arbitrary, and in this day and age with athletic commissions, inexperienced referees, and inconsistent judges, how could you trust the fairness and effectiveness of them being handed out. It would just bring a whole new set of problems, which for now the UFC doesn’t need, considering its infancy compared to other major sports leagues.

The other issue is, yellow cards hurt the fighter’s livelihood. They are already struggling to make up for a lack of sponsorship dollars, and having a part of their purse taken away, only hurts the fighter and his family in the end. So, as much as some of us would love to see some of the point fighters get penalized for their fighting style, we’ll have to be content with sharing our disdain on MMA message boards.

Mir is 0-4 in his last 4 fights. He’s tried to make the necessary changes to turn his career around. He gave up his cushy homemade training schedule for Jackson’s MMA, yet that didn’t work out. Mir tried to stay up with the times by incorporating strength training, but in the end it just made him even slower. Unfortunately, Mir’s time in the sport is nearing its end.

Should Mir stay with the UFC, he’s going to have to take a steep pay cut to play the role of gatekeeper. I wouldn’t mind seeing him face the likes of Stefan Struve or Todd Duffee, but is that the way Mir wants to be remembered, as a gatekeeper for new contenders? Mir has always been a prideful guy and for him to stoop down and fight on Fight Night cards, just doesn’t seem likely. Yet, the reality is that Mir is never going to beat guys like Cain, JDS, or Overeem at this stage of his career. So, does he ask for his release and fighter lesser fighters in smaller organizations?

My gut says Mir will come back for one more fight. Nogueira called him out, though it looks as if he will face Roy Nelson. Stefan Struve is rumored to be returning, but there is also a slight possibility that Brock Lesnar may return. I wouldn’t rule out anything at this point in time.

Mir is still only 34 years old, which is relatively young compared to some fighters: Barnett (36), Nogueira (37), Hunt (39), Nelson (37), Kongo (38), Lesnar (36). If he really wants to resurrect his career, he may be wise to sign with WSOF, pick up a few submission wins, and possibly make one last run in the UFC.