Next Saturday, December 13th, while most of the MMA community will be focused on The Ultimate Fighter Finale, two former UFC heavyweight contenders will face off at Mixed Fighting Alliance: There will be Blood at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.
Both Jeff Monson and Ricco Rodriguez were on a roll in the UFC until they had their momentum stopped by Tim Sylvia. Soon after their defeat they were shown the door by the promotion.
Since leaving the UFC, Ricco Rodriguez has seemingly done himself more harm than good. First there was his much publicized weight gain. The former champion fought at over 300 lbs wearing a t-shirt to contain his mass. Then there was his stint on Celebrity Rehab and his eerie description of how he positioned his unconscious girlfriend, whom he thought was dead, in the driver’s seat of his wrecked car to avoid a DUI arrest.
However, perhaps the saddest thing about Rodriguez is that through all of his troubles, his natural talent still shines through. Recently he has been on the comeback trail with five straight victories.
In fact, in his last fight against Robert Beraun at Rage in the Cage, Ricco looked damn impressive putting together meaningful combinations with his striking and showing enough carido to win a unanimous decision.
Will Ricco ever return as the man who once took Nogueira to the wire? A year or two ago most people would not have dreamed it, but at only 31 years of age and having already won six out of his eight fights this year, there is a drive inside this man that is far from finished.
Ironically, Jeff Monson was originally cut from the UFC back in 2002 for losing to Rodriguez. He was eventually welcomed back after picking up thirteen straight wins.
Since leaving the UFC the last time, he is 6-2 with the losses coming against Pedro Rizzo and Josh Barnett. Considering this is his third fight since September, Monson may be employing the same strategy as before; win so many fights the UFC has to take notice.
These two fighters may not be the biggest names in sport. In fact, they might even be overshadowed on this card due to the debut of former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley. That being said, heavyweights with decent resumes are always in demand.
With the heavyweight division’s dearth of talent and guys like Neil Wain getting fights in the UFC, a win here could propel either of these fighters back to the top. For Monson it will be another chance to crack through against the upper echelon, and for Rodriguez it may signal a sort of career redemption and a step in the right direction.
– Richard Mann
Here are some videos to get you hyped for the Monson vs. Rodriguez fight:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znF92P31QKc
Jeff Monson vs Kazuyuki Fujita at Pride 34
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYcq0NSZRUc
Jeff Monson vs. Forrest Griffin (Overtime Round)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLK-3EMiebI
Jeff Monson calling out Kimbo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4e3pZ3gPvo
Ricco Rodriguez vs. Ben Rothwell in the IFL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLK-3EMiebI
Ricco Rodriguez vs. Nogueira ADCC style
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyvWTlTKwys
Ricco Rodrigeuz’s reaction to the Judges after the Nogueira fight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A18LWxlqYXA