UFC 144: Japan - Leonard Garcia vs. Tiequan Zhang, Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee Added
by Scott Haber on Nov 28, 2011 10:00 AM EST
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The UFC has finalized the card for its February return to Japan at the Saitama Super Arena with the addition of two more bouts to the UFC 144 lineup. Bantamweights, Norifumi Yamamoto and Vaughan Lee, will square off, as will Leonard Garcia and Zhang Tiequan in featherweight action. The UFC confirmed both bookings late Sunday night:
"Kid" Yamamoto will go to battle against British bantamweight Vaughan Lee, fighting for the first time in almost two years in his home country. Plus, China's Tiequan Zhang and the always-game Leonard Garcia have agreed to meet inside the Octagon on that date.
It's no surprise that the UFC is utilize as much of its Asian roster as possible on this card, but all four fighters involved in these bouts are in desperate need of a win to establish their relevance, despite the relatively uncrowded waters at 135 and 145 lbs.
Despite getting handled in his UFC debut, the once highly-touted Yamamoto was still seen as a heavy favorite in his bout against Darren Uyenoyama earlier this month, but "Kid" ended up getting handily out-grappled again and losing another decision, despite managing to land a few solid during the brief amount of time he spent on the feet against Uyenoyama. Lee made his debut in his native England at UFC 138 against kickboxing specialist, Chris Cariaso. Although he was billed as a submission specialist, Lee looked pretty helpless on the ground with Cariaso, and found himself getting his guard passed and mounted repeatedly.
Leonard Garcia is in the midst of a two-fight losing streak, although many would argue that the streak would be quite a bit longer than that if it weren't for some controversial decisions that ended up in Garcia's favor. Most recently, he lost his rematch against Nam Phan, although a defensive lapse on Phan's part in the final round nearly earned Garcia a come-from-beind victory. Zhang, meanwhile, was at one time seen as China's first big MMA star, but underwhelming performances in losses against the likes of Danny Downes and Darren Elkins have squelched many of those hopes.
The full UFC 144 card on February 26th, now includes:
Main Card:
-Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson - UFC lightweight championship
-Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader
-Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt
-Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields
-Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis
Preliminary Card:
-Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch
-Riki Fukuda vs. Steve Cantwell
-Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee
-Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso
-Takanori Gomi vs. George Sotiropoulos
-Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski
-Tiequan Zhang vs. Leonard Garcia
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Am I the only one that thinks
that J Lo v. Pettis is an odd fight to have on this card?
by HeadKickLegSweep on Nov 28, 2011 10:09 AM EST reply actions
I think it’s a fight that needed to happen, but this card could’ve used a different fight.
KEMvP
"You know Joe, if Keith Jardines last name was Johnson, the nickname 'The Dean of Mean' wouldn't work at all."
I definitely want the fight to happen.
It just has no place on this card.
UFC on Fox 2 would be a better fit
by HeadKickLegSweep on Nov 28, 2011 10:35 AM EST up reply actions
Yeah, agreed.
KEMvP
"You know Joe, if Keith Jardines last name was Johnson, the nickname 'The Dean of Mean' wouldn't work at all."
this really did turn into a fun card
"Hi. I don't know you." - me
"Cigano punch my face...all the time." - Anderson Silva
by POW on Nov 28, 2011 10:09 AM EST via mobile reply actions
what the fuck?
rampage vs. bader?
what the fuck?
i tried to change my username to 'big country fit' but the system wouldnt let me.
what's wrong with that?
was either that or Rampage vs. Bonnar
by HeadKickLegSweep on Nov 28, 2011 10:12 AM EST up reply actions
Or Rampage vs. Shogun 2
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on Nov 28, 2011 4:37 PM EST up reply actions
Rua says he's fine, and is already back in the gym.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on Nov 28, 2011 9:37 PM EST up reply actions
Why, what the fuck?
Bader is still a pretty good LHW..
Rampage just got destroyed.
A Bader win gives him a huge bump, and a Rampage win gives proves he’s still upper echelon.
K-1 Level Predictions Team
and a Bader loss
might be the nail in the coffin for his title hopes
by HeadKickLegSweep on Nov 28, 2011 10:14 AM EST up reply actions
Bader is so far from a title shot, that it wouldn’t even be that big of a deal.
A win is huge, but a loss means he’s in the same position he’s in right now..good but not great.
K-1 Level Predictions Team
that far though?
I think he’s actually in a really precarious position between title contender/gate keeper.
The loss to Jones is a gimme. But the loss to Tito is really damning.
If he loses to Rampage, it makes it look like he can’t beat top contention.
If he finishes Rampage though, and then beats two more top ten, or even a Rua/Henderson/Evans, there’d be good reason to give him another shot.
Don’t think it’ll happen though. I think Page puts his lights out. Just bored.
by HeadKickLegSweep on Nov 28, 2011 10:42 AM EST up reply actions
Are they really putting Gomi on prelims
in Japan?
Tatum: I think he's a good man. I like him. I got nothing against him, but I'm definitely gonna make orphans of his children.
I have to believe that the UFC is going to make those fights available, especially to people in Japan
Kid, Okami, Hioki, Gomi…. No way that the UFC doesn’t utilize those guys for PPV revenue.
K-1 Level Predictions Team
I don't think Okami has much of a following
in Japan.
by Scott Haber on Nov 28, 2011 10:30 AM EST up reply actions
Right,
But he’s got to have more of a following then Mark Hunt or Kongo (right?) or even J-lau or Pettis…
But from the looks of it Okami will be on the spikeTV prelims, and I’m sure there is something similar in Japan
K-1 Level Predictions Team
More than Mark Hunt?
Nope. Not even close.
KEMvP
"You know Joe, if Keith Jardines last name was Johnson, the nickname 'The Dean of Mean' wouldn't work at all."
by T.C. Engel on Nov 28, 2011 10:37 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Im dissapointed in myself
I cant tell if that gif is slowed down or if Mark Hunt is the Matrix
"Frank Mir had a horseshoe up his ass. I told him that a year ago. I pulled it out of him and beat him over the head with it. [Now] I'm going to drink a Coors Light. That's right a Coors. Bud Light don't pay me nothing. I may even get on top of my wife tonight," Brock Lesnar.
Having never seen this before
Holy CRAP taht is badass
MAARRRKKUUUUUU HUNTOOOOO indeed!
When you saw only one set of footprints, it was Herb Dean who carried you -- Mike Fagan
by hardlyworking on Nov 28, 2011 2:27 PM EST up reply actions
Man, you haven't lived if you've nevers een the atomic ass drop.
KEMvP
"You know Joe, if Keith Jardines last name was Johnson, the nickname 'The Dean of Mean' wouldn't work at all."
really? Even in Japan...
Clearly I don’t know what I’m talking about, but I just don’t get how a country that huge, who once was the mecca for MMA, wouldn’t pay to see the top fighters from their country…
I don’t think that current UFC PPV’s with those guys is a good indicator either, because, honestly, who would go out and buy a PPV to watch it at 2 pm on a sunday…
K-1 Level Predictions Team
Gomi is on the card more for the Japanese audience, anyways.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on Nov 28, 2011 4:37 PM EST up reply actions
A couple points
War Tiequan, please get Leonard outta here.
I would not be surprised at all if the undercard were shown for free in Japan, so all of the locals get promotion and such and such.
The artful muppet formerly known as KrmtDfrog.
Please read my sardonic wit and over-blown sense of self over at headkicklegend.com
by Cory Braiterman on Nov 28, 2011 10:26 AM EST reply actions
why UFC keep matching up Garcia against Asians??
The fight with Tiequan will be fifth time in a roll, are UFC trying to make him look bad among our people or something?
From China with love.
And rice. A lot of.
Should we
Just give Garcia the controversial split decision now and save ourselves the heartache for when it actually happens.
Robbie Lawler vs Nick Diaz UFC 47
Rogan: (after Diaz throws a looping left kick) Look at this Karate Kid stuff right here
Goldie: Daniel Miyagi has arrived in the OCTAGON.
by HeadKickOfDoom on Nov 28, 2011 10:44 AM EST reply actions
No NO!
I refuse to accept that almost certain reality…
WAR ZHANG, even though youre Chinese and not really Japanese, so your relavence on the card is questionable, WAR
by HeadKickLegSweep on Nov 28, 2011 10:46 AM EST up reply actions
Nah
Garcia will probably get a legit win here if Zhang can’t sink in a guillotine.
Aimed at the crotch...
Zhang has better standup
The little I’ve seen of it, he’s much tighter and pretty quick
Business as Usual has a STACKED team. I mean, we could win with just me, but you know.
by halitosis on Nov 28, 2011 7:11 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
UFC needs to bring out the Bushido round structure and rules
"Now you see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb."
I hope that Yamamoto wins this one, especially on the feet. If Zhang can get takedowns on Garcia instead of brawling, I can see Zhang winning. Those high-risk guillotine attempts he made against Elkins though makes me worried that Garcia may end up in top position if Zhang goes for one and loses it.
Check out the C&D Channel on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/Gobusiness123 for MMA reviews, predictions, analysis, and other MMA related content.
Man Garcia might beat Zhang and I get why they have KID on the card wish he was released though he is done
Twitter @MaZZM
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The really should name this:
UFC 144: Last Stand in the Land of the Rising Sun
Which would also be a cool name for a Kung Fu flick. Someone get the RZA on that one, stat!
by Steve W on Nov 28, 2011 12:50 PM EST via mobile reply actions 2 recs
The really should name this:
UFC 144: Last Stand in the Land of the Rising Sun
Which would also be a cool name for a Kung Fu flick. Someone get the RZA on that one, stat!
by Steve W on Nov 28, 2011 12:51 PM EST via mobile reply actions
It's absolutely crazy
how Bendo has a title shot! I like both Pettis and Bendo (Pettis a bit more maybe) and the fact that less than a year ago Pettis beat Bendo, was the WEC champ, and was slated for a UFC/WEC lw unification bout, but now Bendo actually has a shot is just crazy. A lot can happen in a years time, hell Jon Jones is the champ and could very well have taken apart 3 elite/legendary fighters and one promising prospect all within a years time. How fucking cool is mma?
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Nov 28, 2011 1:01 PM EST reply actions
Oh hell yeah
Okami headlines a PPV fighting for the title and then ends up on the prelims. That’s some high-quality Fitch treatment.
Oh, and the #2 or #3 FW in the world wins an iffy split decision so put him deep on the prelims against a guy who just earned himself a big upset KO win over a top 10 FW! Genius!
Either this card is so stacked (it is stacked, to be honest) that they had no room for these fights no the main card, or Okami and Hioki pissed off Dana White.
I respect your opinion even though it's wrong.
I think those two fights will make FX.
The rest will be on Fuel.
We are in a post Spike/Facebook world now, friends.
by Steve W on Nov 28, 2011 1:45 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I wonder if we'll start to see more stacked prelim cards with the fights on Fuel and FX.
I respect your opinion even though it's wrong.
Putting Kongo vs. Hunt and Shields vs. Akiyama above those guys is pretty terrible.
by discoandherpes on Nov 28, 2011 2:32 PM EST up reply actions
I don't give a shit.
If Hunt continued a three fight tear towards on the prelims and, for whatever reason, I couldn’t see it, I would FLIP SHIT. So fuck everyone who doesn’t want Kongo vs. Hunt on the main card.
KEMvP
"You know Joe, if Keith Jardines last name was Johnson, the nickname 'The Dean of Mean' wouldn't work at all."
proud nationalist japan
wont be happy to see that all japanese have been left off the main card except for akiyama whose korean ethnicity is well known (and often hated) in japan.
gotta say that the ufc is out of touch on this one.
btw no nev state commission in japan, so soccer kicks and stomps for old times sake please.
I'd like soccer kicks and stomps
And coincidentally a Wand/Bisping rematch on this card.
I respect your opinion even though it's wrong.
by SSreporters on Nov 28, 2011 1:53 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
.
KEMvP
"You know Joe, if Keith Jardines last name was Johnson, the nickname 'The Dean of Mean' wouldn't work at all."
Such a great moment..
And I was lucky enough to be there :)
Don't be scared Gomi...
by ThatsHowIRoll on Nov 28, 2011 4:51 PM EST up reply actions
Did you notice it live?
KEMvP
"You know Joe, if Keith Jardines last name was Johnson, the nickname 'The Dean of Mean' wouldn't work at all."
I love how the UFC is so determined to keep Leonard Garcia in the UFC
That they set him up with as obvious a squash match as you’re going to get.
I think Garcia wins by his VAUNTED power and a TKO.
I respect your opinion even though it's wrong.
Tryin hard
To get Kid a win
’’apparently the the only way to kill a lion is by rear naked choke…personally i’d just kick it in the head.’’ – Bas Rutten
by pridedaze09 on Nov 28, 2011 4:18 PM EST via mobile reply actions
No complaints about Hioki not being on the main card ?
Wierdos.
by Anthony Peer on Nov 28, 2011 4:49 PM EST via mobile reply actions
hey, there’s still time.
"Men like us... we never get back the things we love."
- Jaron Namir
by Victor Rodriguez on Nov 28, 2011 4:57 PM EST up reply actions
Remember when people were bitching that the UFC was disrespecting Japan and didnt care about putting on a good card there? This card looks pretty damn good to me. Werent they also planning on having a card in Japan and the USA on the same day and showing fights from both?
How could I forget?
Especially with posts like this one:
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/9/6/2406714/ufcs-return-to-japan-a-wasteful-vanity-act
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