MMA Nation - UFC 142: Chad Mendes Vs. Jose Aldo Complete Coverage

UFC 142 Results: Erick Silva Beats Carlo Prater, Loses By Disqualification

2012-01-15T18:09:01Z

UFC welterweight Erick Silva had no problem demolishing Carlo Prater in their UFC 142 bout, finishing Prater with punches on the ground in under a minute. Unfortunately for Silva, referee Mario Yamasaki didn't like what he saw and disqualified Silva for landing illegal blows to the back of Prater's head.

UFC 142 Results: Carlo Prater defeats Erick Silva by disqualification due to illegal blows at :29 of round 1.

UFC announcer Joe Rogan called for several replays to be shown to the crowd after the fight and openly disagreed with the call.

"I have great respect for the referee, but I see that most of them hit the side of the head, not the back of the head," Silva told Rogan in the Octagon post-fight.

"I'm not a judge. I didn't stop the fight. All I know is that he hit me and it sent a shock of pain through my body unlike anything I've ever experienced. I don't know if the shots were legal. I just know it was unlike anything I've ever felt," Prater said after the fight.

"Everyone here knows that wasn't intentional. I don't know what else to say," said Silva.

For his part, UFC president Dana White made no bones about disagreeing with the call:

@danawhite
Dana White BS call for Erick Silva
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Silva's manager, long-time MMA legend Wallid Ismael pulled even fewer punches in his comments about the fight, "this referee, Mario Yamasaki, he's a clown. He never was somebody and never will be somebody. You have to understand that you are a nobody, Mario Yamasaki, you don't exist.," Ismael said in a video posted on YouTube.

"We're going to pay him like he won the fight," White told MMA Junkie.

"I would appeal it if I was him," White said. "The thing is that when you do it, Ratner is the guy to talk to about this. We try to run things the way that they're supposed to be run, like the athletic commission would.

"Listen, there are refs out there like Steve Mazzagatti that are just plain bad. He's a bad ref. He's got no business in the ring. But you've got guys like Mario Yamasaki and some of the other guys that are going to make mistakes. There's nothing wrong with making mistakes. There's nothing wrong. We're [expletive] human. We're going to do it. But you have to be able to go back and say, 'We made a mistake. Here's the proof. Let's overturn it.'"

White is hoping to get instant reply for all UFC events.

UFC 142 Results: Anthony Johnson Misses Weight, Loses To Vitor Belfort, Gets Cut From The UFC

2012-01-15T17:16:09Z

Friday morning, one day before UFC 142 Anthony Johnson woke up feeling great. Just a few pounds over the 185 pound limit for his middleweight bout with Vitor Belfort, Johnson anticipated no problem cutting weight for the fight. Then everything went wrong.

UFC 142 Results: Vitor Belfort submits Anthony Johnson by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:49 of round 1.

After a few hours of cutting weight and getting to within a pound and one-half of the limit, Johnson's leg went numb and his alarmed team called in the UFC's doctor for consultation. The doctor ordered Johnson to be rehydrated by IV and dashed any hopes he had of making weight for the fight.

Pre-Fight Interview With 'Hungry' Anthony Johnson

UFC president Dana White was not happy and made his displeasure with Johnson clear in his second video blog for UFC 142. Johnson's opponent Vitor Belfort was not happy and made his displeasure clear pre-fight.

Then come fight time Johnson seemingly had to battle both Belfort and referee Dan Miragliotta who kept standing the fight back up pretty quickly every time Johnson succeeded in forcing the fight to the ground. Belfort didn't need much help as he stunned Johnson with a knee to the face and followed up with a rear naked choke for the finish.

"A loss is a loss. My legs just got really tired. I didn't get beat up in there and he really didn't hurt me with what he hit me with. I just got tired. I've got to figure this thing out," Johnson said after the fight.

The ordeal wasn't over for Johnson after losing the fight either.

UFC president Dana White wasted little time in cutting Johnson from the promotion. "This is his third time (to miss weight for a UFC bout)," White said. "Three strikes and you're gone."

"That was one of the most unprofessional things I've ever seen," White said. "The guy was at 170 pounds. He moved up to 185 pounds so this wouldn't happen anymore, and this is the worst weightcutting disaster he's ever had. He almost ruined the co-main event here in Brazil. I don't know what else to say about that one. I'm not happy about it."

For Johnson, it's going to be a long re-think of his mixed martial arts career and it will happen outside the bound of the sport's biggest promotion.

UFC 142 Results: Jose Aldo Reignites With Stunning KO Of Chad Mendes

2012-01-15T16:35:12Z

UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo (21-1, 11-0 UFC/WEC) came into his UFC 142 title defense against Chad Mendes (11-1, 6-1 UFC/WEC) with a lot of pressure weighing down on him. First there was the pressure of facing the undefeated Mendes, the undisputed #1 contender for Aldo's title. Then there was the pressure of fighting in his native Brazil for the first time since 2007 and headlining a UFC for the first time. Not to mention the pressure to get a spectacular finish after going to decisions in his first two UFC title defenses.

UFC 142 Results: Jose Aldo defeats Chad Mendes by knockout at 4:59 of round 1.

Aldo lifted those burdens with a spectacular leaping knee KO win over Mendes with only one second remaining in the opening round of their UFC 142 bout. He then exploded into a wild celebration that saw him charge out of the Octagon and run deep into the surging, cheering crowd.

"This is the spirit I wanted to come out with tonight. The fans here gave me so much energy. We knew Chad was going to try to take me off my feet. We prepared for that and I had a chance to land the knee. It connected and I finished the fight. I was so overcome with emotion that I wanted to celebrate with my people," Aldo said after the fight.

It will be very interesting to see if Aldo succeeded in planting himself into the Brazilian national consciousness the way UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva did with his UFC 126 win over Vitor Belfort. UFC 142 was a far less hyped event in the U.S. or Brazil than that bout, but pending the enthusiasm of the Brazilian media, Aldo just may have made himself a bit of a star in his native land.

For his part, Aldo's opponent Chad Mendes, took the loss with resignation and respect.

"Jose is a great champion and he was the better man tonight. He showed why he's one of the best fighters in the world. I knew it would be hard to take him down, but I kept trying. I tried to keep the pressure, but he is just so tough and his takedown defense is great. I wanted the title so bad," said a disappointed Mendes.

The UFC would dearly love to see Aldo emerge as a star in Brazil or the U.S. They've struggled to establish the 145 pound featherweight division as a legitimate draw since adding it to the UFC in early 2010. The return of Aldo to his exciting knock-out ways could be a harbinger of better days ahead for the division.

UFC 142 Results: Tavares, Alcantara, Pyle Get Wins On FX

2012-01-15T15:47:54Z

Four of the five preliminary fights from UFC 142 aired on FX: Thiago Tavares vs. Sam Stout, Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Ednaldo Oliveira, Yuri Alcantara vs. Michhiro Omigawa. The opening preliminary fight Felipe Arantes vs. Antonio Carvalho was streamed live on Facebook.

Following are quick recaps of each of the preliminary fights.

Thiago Tavares Survives Sam Stout

Brazilian lightweight Tavares (17-4-1, 7-4-1 UFC) forced a grappling match to dominate Sam Stout (17-6-1, 7-6 UFC) in the first round. In the second he surprised almost everyone, especially Stout by outstriking the Canadian on the feet. In the third, Stout began to get the edge and poured it on after a late stand up to nearly finish Tavares. Tavares was happy to survive and get the decision.

UFC 142 Results Thiago Tavares defeats Sam Sout by unanimous decision (scores not read).

"Sam Stout was the toughest opponent I've ever faced and this is the biggest win of my career. I thought about this fight for a long time. I have to be honest: of all the ways I saw this fight going, I never expected to beat him striking. I tried to take the fight to the ground, but he has great takedown defense. The fight stayed on the feet and I was able to win there. I want another big name next," Tavares said after the fight.

For his part, Stout spoke about his late coach Shawn Tompkins, who passed away suddeninly in 2011.

"This was my first fight without Shawn (Tompkins). It was definitely an adjustment not having him in my corner. I hope Shawn would be proud.

"I thought I took rounds two and three, but I just struggled to find my rhythm. My head wasn't in it in the first round. I had a slow start and I have no one to blame but myself for that," said Stout.
Gabriel Gonzaga snuffs Ednaldo Oliveira

Heavyweight Gonzaga (13-6, 8-5 UFC) quickly overwhelmed the Oliveira (13-1-1, 1 NC, 0-1 UFC ) the undersized late replacement. Gonzaga dodged a couple of stiff shots from the UFC debutante before taking him down and choking him out. Gonzaga was cut from the UFC in 2010 and should be happily ensconced in the UFC's heavyweight division.

Gabriel Gonzaga defeats Ednaldo Oliveira by submission (rear naked choke) at 3:22 of round 1.

"It felt great to be back in the Octagon. I showed that I still have my BJJ skills in there tonight. My time away from the UFC was good for me. I dealt with some personal business in my life and came back refocused. Before, I was training well, but my mind just wasn't in it. Now, I'm back, I feel great. I'm focused and I showed that by beating a 13-0 fighter," said Gonzaga after the fight.

"Part of me is sad and part of me is angry. I left an opening and Gabriel capitalized. I wanted to win badly and this is not a good feeling," said Oliveira.

Gonzaga had been a late replacement for British heavyweight Rob Broughton who had to bow out of the fight due to injury.
Yuri Alcantara Batters a Game Michihiro Omigawa

Alcantara (27-3, 3-0 UFC/WEC), a long-time veteran of the regional Brazilian fighting scene notched his first ever major international win with a dominant three round drubbing of the long-ranked Omigawa (13-11-1, 1-5 UFC). Omigawa fought hard and survived multiple stunning blows that would have finished a less gritty opponent.

Yuri Alcantara defeats Michihiro Omigawa by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

"This was like the World Cup for me tonight. To fight against a veteran like him was a true honor. I hope this win proved to the UFC that I'm ready for the main card. I felt like a complete fighter in there tonight," said Alcantara.
Ricardo Funch vs. Mike Pyle

The veteran Pyle (22-8-1, 5-3 UFC) made short work of Funch (8-3, 0-3 UFC), a late replacement for Paulo Thiago. Pyle blasted Funch with a straight right hand, followed up with a knee to the face that dropped Funch and finished him with some brutal ground and pound.

Mike Pyle defeats Ricardo Funch by TKO (referee stoppage) at 1:22 of round 1.

"After my last fight, I took a step back and readjusted some things in my training. I knew that I had to really take a look at my whole MMA game and I think you saw some of the adjustments and improvements tonight. My striking and my overall game have evolved. This was an important fight for me in my career and I appreciate Ricardo taking this fight on short notice," said Pyle.

"I'm disappointed. I don't have any excuses. He caught me with a good shot and it was over," said Funch.
Felipe Arantes decisions Antonio Carvalho

Arantes (14-4, 1-1 UFC) managed to come back and defeat Carvalho (13-5, 0-1 UFC) after losing the first round. Arantes was taken down and dominated on the ground by the Canadian Carvalho in the opening frame but came back to outstrike his foe in the remaining two rounds.

Felipe Arantes defeats Antonio Carvalho by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

"I'm very happy with this win because I went out there and proved to the people of Brazil that I belong in the Octagon. He was a very tough opponent. I had a tough camp and battled some injuries, but I was able to get in there tonight and control the striking and win," said Arantes

"I expected the crowd to be against me, but I'm not sure it played a big factor. They were definitely loud. In the end, Felipe listened to his corner very well. I wish I would have had more efficient shots (for takedowns) because they worked in the first round. I went for a few too many submissions and tired myself out," said Carvalho after the fight.

UFC 142: Jose Aldo Vs. Chad Mendes Fight Video Highlights

2012-01-15T07:16:39Z

The featherweight division has but one king, and his name his Jose Aldo.

The young champion defended his belt in style at UFC 142, blasting previously undefeated challenger Chad Mendes unconscious with a knee-from-hell at 4:59 of round one, before spilling into the stands of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's HSBC Arena. Full video highlights of Aldo's crowning moment can be seen below.

For more, catch the play-by-play by MMA Nation's own Luke Thomas.

ROUND 1 - Both fighters standing orthodox and Mendes starts off with several inside leg kicks. And now an outside leg kick. Aldo returns the favor and it's hard. Mendes dives on a single and can't get it. Aldo doing all the stalking now. Aldo fires off another hard outside leg kick. Hard uppercut from Aldo and Mendes dives on another single, but can't get it. Mendes grabs another single, but Aldo spins out. Mendes catches a leg kick and as Aldo spins and Mendes takes his back. Mendes still behind tries a lift, but Aldo uses the fence. Mendes still behind Aldo pressing the champion into the fence. Aldo breaks the tightwaist and drives a knee into Mendes' face. Aldo follows up and that's a wrap. Aldo is still the champ.

Jose Aldo defeats Chad Mendes by knockout at 4:59 of round 1.

UFC 142 Fight Card Breakdown: Jose Aldo Vs. Chad Mendes

2012-01-14T22:00:12Z

UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo (20-1, 10-0 UFC/WEC) defends his belt against challenger Chad Mendes (11-0, 7-0 UFC/WEC) at UFC 142 tonight at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At 25 years old, Aldo is one of the most dominant 145lb fighters in MMA history. Mendes, 26, is the undefeated challenger.

Aldo defeated Mike Brown to take the WEC belt in 2009 and fended off a challenge from Mendes' coach and training partner Urijah Faber in 2010. The WEC was absorbed into the UFC in 2010 and the whole division moved to the Octagon.

Aldo is a brilliant Muay Thai kickboxer with an uncanny ability to defend against take downs. His opponents have only been successful on 6% of their attempts to take Aldo down in the UFC/WEC. Aldo is known for his flying knees and knock out punches. Aldo is also a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and won a world championship at the brown belt level before moving on to mixed martial arts competition.

Mendes is an exceptional wrestler who wins fights by getting the take down and controlling position. If he can impose his game on the explosive and dangerous Aldo for three out of five rounds without getting KO'd or submitted, the win is his for the taking.

Look for Aldo to take this one.

Aspect	Aldo	Points	Mendes	Advantage
Range Fighting
Boxing	Very Good	1	Decent	Aldo
Kickboxing	Lethal	3	Ok	Aldo
Wrestling	Excellent Defense	1	Excellent Offense	Mendes
Clinch Fighting
Dirty Boxing	Good	0	Solid	Tie
Thai Clinch	Monster	1	Ok	Aldo
Throws/Trips	Ok	1	Very Good	Mendes
Ground Fighting
Positional Control	Very Good	1	Excellent	Mendes
Scrambling	Very Good	1	Excellent	Mendes
Ground and Pound	Brutal	0	Effective	Tie
Submissions	Theoretically Excellent	1	Meh	Aldo
Intangibles	Getting Tentative?	0	Far From Home	Tie
Overall	The Champ	6/4	A Challenger	Aldo

Dana White UFC 142 Video Blog: Day Two

2012-01-14T21:25:14Z

The camera follows UFC president Dana White as he takes a helicopter to the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the UFC 142 weigh ins. Much drama ensues as Dana has to inform Vitor Belfort that his opponent Anthony Johnson won't be making weight.

A drawn, dehydrated Belfort knaws a towel, audibly tearing the fabric with his teeth as he weighs his decision -- make weight and get 20% of Johnson's purse or rehydrate immediately, not worry about the weight and not get the bonus. Vitor calls in a coach to help him decide.

Ultimately Belfort elects to make weight and take the 20%.

"I'm a professional," Belfort repeatedly tells White and UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta.

Later, White confronts Anthony Johnson who tries to explain what happened with his botched weigh in. At one point Ferttita is heard saying that Johnson came as close as a pound and 1/2 over the 185 pound limit before he had to have an emergency rehydration.

UFC 142 Fight Card Breakdown: Vitor Belfort Vs. Anthony Johnson

2012-01-14T21:00:41Z

Middleweights Vitor Belfort (20-9, 9-5 UFC) and Anthony Johnson (10-3, 7-3 UFC) meet in the co-main event of UFC 142 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Johnson came into yesterday's weigh-ins unable to make the 185lb middleweight limit. He weighed in at 197lbs and has to weigh in at less than 205lbs tonight or the fight will be cancelled.

Former light heavyweight champ Belfort made his UFC debut in 1997 at the age of 19. He's 34 now and he's basically the same-old Vitor: capable of throwing chains of straight punches with great power but with a tendency to wilt if the fight doesn't go his way.

Johnson, a former welterweight who consistently struggled to make the 170lb limit, is a skilled former collegiate wrestler who brings a considerable amount of power in his punches and kicks along with the take downs.

Johnson's camp claims he failed to make weight due to medical issues that arose as he tried to cut the final few pounds. Fluid pumped into his body before he weighed in is presumed to account for most of the weight in excess of the limit.

Johnson will have a considerable size advantage but it remains to be seen how effected he will be by the aftereffects of the failed weight cut.

Aspect	Belfort	Points	Johnson	Advantage
Range Fighting
Boxing	Punches Like Pistons	2	Bomber	Belfort
Kickboxing	Solid	1	Very Good	Johnson
Wrestling	Limited	1	Very Good	Johnson
Clinch Fighting
Dirty Boxing	Dangerous	0	Dangerous	Tie
Thai Clinch	Very Good	1	Insane	Johnson
Throws/Trips	Ok	1	Very Good	Johnson
Ground Fighting
Positional Control	Ok	1	Very Good	Johnson
Scrambling	Ok	1	Good	Johnson
Ground and Pound	Dangerous	0	Dangerous	Tie
Submissions	Submissions?	1	Submissions???	Belfort
Intangibles	Sometimes Wilts	1	Blew His Weight Cut	Belfort
Overall	Old	4/6	Older	Johnson

Check out our complete archive for all the news and notes related to the UFC 142 fight between Vitor Belfort and Anthony Johnson that takes place later this evening.