Ask the Insiders: Should Cerrone fight at 145 lb.?

More than changing the names and criterion of post-fight bonuses, the UFC needs to alter their overall approach to selecting who takes home these performance rewards and consider adopting an entirely new approach. (Josh Hedges/Zuffa/Getty)

At 30 years old it’s likely wise he stayed at 155 pounds, although many of us would have liked to see him infiltrate the growing depth at 145 pounds. It’s not too late for him to drop down, but it wouldn’t be easy. Making 155 pounds is no easy task for “The Cowboy,” let alone having to drop another 10 pounds. I can’t see that being fun for Cerrone.



I believe so. In fact, this was the very reason I asked about it during the conference call with the Silva’s orthopedic surgeon and the UFC’s COO. I also asked a few friends who are doctors to get a different perspective. The overall sentiment was that Silva would not have an advantage, but they could not say 100 percent.

I wasn’t disappointed, but some of the officiating did raise an eyebrow or two. Same with the throwing of illegal elbows. Then there was the weigh-ins and post-fight press conference. Call me traditional but they’ve been done hundreds of times before. Why did some act like they’ve never seen them before? Or how to act, where to go and what to say? Small stuff like that really irks me.

I use it daily, and not because it’s my job, but because I think it’s exceptional value for a product that has yet to be perfected. And it’s only going to get better. I have UFC events on VHS, DVD, hard drives, etc. Now I have everything all in one place. 



Chances are slim to none. As for which is the better promotion, it all depends on what you like. All I care about are the fights — good match-making that builds talent. Both continue to do so based on their own business needs. The finished product for both is very good, and anyone that is close to me understands the value I place on the tournament format. It’s one of the best ways to determine a winner, not just in combat sports, but in stick and ball sports as well.

Not necessarily. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a 10-10 round in my career. I can generally, under the unified rules of MMA, tell you which fighter earned a 10-9 round versus their opponent. Now, can the scoring criteria be improved? Yes. But that won’t fix the issue that many judges aren’t certified. That’s the issue with judging, not the system.

Your guess is as good as mine. History says third week of September, but seeing as the UFC has events already booked up between now and April, that leaves us with eight months to select from. Grab a dart board that looks like an Octagon and label the eight sides May through December. Close your eyes and fire away. Come up with some conclusions and get back to me. That’s pretty much where many of us are at right now.



Ufcvancouverbc asked “@ShowdownJoe who do you think will hold the @ufc belts at the end of 2014?”

Great question and one that is very difficult to forecast. Let’s be honest, it’s near impossible, but since you asked, I’m thinking Demetrious Johnson, Anthony Pettis, Jon Jones and Cain Velasquez will still be champs. Based on my “on paper” breakdowns, the other champs have contenders that will pose them more problems than those I listed above. It’s all what ifs and subjective, but that’s how I see it.



TimFairbanks310 asked “@ShowdownJoe how do you see the @ChrisWeidmanUFC vs @vitorbelfort playing out? #asktheinsider”

I’ll always take Vitor early in a fight, but Chris is a beast. I’m not sure the Brazilian will be able to stop the American’s takedowns. One has to think that if Weidman finishes Belfort, this guy could go on a serious run. Many still doubt if he’s even worthy of being the champ, but such is the nature of MMA. People tweet me all the time that Jon Jones is lucky, GSP is horrible, Anderson was a paper champ, etc. 



mgn90 asked “@ShowdownJoe who has the better MMA wrestling between @dc_mma and @SugaRashadEvans?”

There are three things we can look at, courtesy of FightMetric.com: Takedown Average, Takedown Accuracy and Takedown Defense. When it comes to average, Rashad’s is 3.34 to Daniel’s 2.06. Evans also takes the Accuracy metric with a score of 48%, while Cormier comes in at 44%. Finally, defense, which “DC” owns at 100%, with “Suga” listed at 67%. So Evans is a better takedown artist while Cormier has never been taken down in MMA. So, how do we solve this MMA equation? Easy – we let the fighters decide on February 22nd, at UFC 170, when the take on each other, during the co-main event for UFC 170.


TheRealMacVic asked “@ShowdownJoe What is next for Josh Barnett? I still believe he is a Top 5 HW. #AskTheInsider”

It may not be the answer many people like, but Junior dos Santos needs an opponent, as does Mark Hunt. Heads or Tails? You pick.



Dana White says he has offered Nick numerous fights. He also stated Diaz continues to turn them down because he now has money. When he wants more money, he will take a fight. Once GSP vacated the title, I thought Nick would have been frothing at the mouth to get back in the cage. Looks like we were wrong … for now.



I really don’t believe he’s going to fight again, but if it’s going to be anyone you have to assume he wants someone in the top 15 who has name value. Personally, I’d like to see him take on Tim Boetsch.

From Facebook

Yasser Waly: “Where do you see the TRT issue going especially ahead of the Vitor/Weidman fight? Fighters that need it use it but does it actually advantage them vs. ‘clean’ fighters? What do you expect the UFC’s stance will be?”

The UFC’s stance will not change anytime soon. They leave it up to the regulators or regulate it themselves whenever they host international events. Do I believe it gives them an advantage over fighters who are clean? Absolutely. Although they claim it makes them “equal” to their opponents, I don’t always agree. Some truly do need it, but I don’t believe they should be competing in a sport that allows them to hurt another human being. The end results are potentially sport-ending headlines. Call me greedy, but I want to keep my job for a very long time.



Brian Mascoll: “What ever happened to Thiago Alves? He was one of my favorites?”

Just a crazy string of bad luck. His last bout was in March 2012. In July 2012 he was supposed to compete at UFC 149 in Calgary, but withdrew because of a back injury. Then, he was set to return in August 2013, but again withdrew because of injury. But the good news is that he is apparently healthy now and wants to fight in March at UFC 171 in Dallas.



Brent Feeney: “What are your thoughts now with the GSP/Silva super fight?”

Same as ever. I’ve never wavered. I remain steadfast. The minute I get the urge to see them fight, I’ll pull out the latest copy of the UFC video game and do it. Beause this “super fight” is simply not going to happen in real life. Unless…

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