What's new at Ludus Martial Arts

We’re so proud of our team! Find out how they’ve been doing, as well as what else has been going on at our gym lately.

Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Kevin Lee, UFC on FOX 31’s other losing fighters?

UFC on FOX 31 took place on Saturday at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. In the four-fight main card, everyone on the losing end was beaten rather definitively.

Kevin Lee (17-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) put on a strong performance over five rounds, but ultimately he was unable to overcome Al Iaquinta (14-4-1 MMA, 9-3 UFC) when he lost a unanimous decision in the rematch between lightweight contenders.

Prior to the main event, Dan Hooker (17-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) experienced his first loss at lightweight, Sergio Pettis’ (17-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) bantamweight return went sour, and Jim Miller’s (29-13 MMA, 18-12 UFC) record-setting 31st UFC fight ended in just 75 seconds.

After every event, fans wonder whom the losing fighters will be matched up with next. And with another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard’s shoes, and play UFC matchmaker for UFC on FOX 31’s losing fighters.

* * * *

Jim Miller

Ross Pearson

Should fight: Ross Pearson
Why they should fight: Miller got caught up in the whirlwind of Charles Oliveira’s grappling game early in their lightweight rematch, and before he knew it he was tapping out against the Brazilian.

Miller beat Oliveira by submission at UFC 124 in December 2011, but this time he was choked out in just 75 seconds, which is certainly a disappointment for the UFC’s record-holder for most fights. At this point Miller seems quite close to the end of his career, but he has said he wants to continue fighting.

The UFC will likely be happy to keep him around, and if Miller insists, he’s should be sharing the cage with mid-tier talent he can actually beat. A win in a matchup with fellow veteran Pearson (20-15 MMA, 12-12 UFC) is hardly a guarantee, but it would be a nice pairing between two fighters with more than 50 UFC appearances between them.

Sergio Pettis

Andre Soukhamthath

Should fight: Andre Soukhamthath
Why they should fight: Pettis’ return to bantamweight did not go as planned, and now he’s lost three of his past four and left in a weird spot in his career after being outgunned to a unanimous decision by Rob Font.

To Pettis’ credit, he’s only been fighting the absolute best at 135 pounds and flyweight. Perhaps that means a slight step back is in order, and an unranked name like Soukhamthath (13-6 MMA, 2-3 UFC) would be perfect.

Dan Hooker

Paul Felder

Should fight: Loser of Paul Felder vs. James Vick at UFC on ESPN 1
Why they should fight: Hooker got an ugly experience of what the top of the lightweight division really looks like when he took a prolonged beatdown from Edson Barboza en route to a third-round knockout loss.

Hooker had a couple moments in the fight, but he main takeaway is that he’s insanely tough and durable, which is probably not the best narrative. That type of loss will take a while to recover from, and it remains to be seen if it will change “The Hangman” for better or worse.

With a good amount of time off likely for his future, it’s hard to navigate who could be available for Hooker to fight next. At the moment, though, a pairing against the loser of February’s UFC on ESPN 1 matchup between Felder (15-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) and Vick (13-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) seems appropriate.

Kevin Lee

Should fight: Rafael dos Anjos
Why they should fight: Watch the video above to see why Lee should move up tot he welterweight division and fight dos Anjos (28-11 MMA, 17-9 UFC) next.

For complete coverage of UFC on FOX 31, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

‘That’s not who I am’: Igor Severino apologizes for bite, hopes one mistake doesn’t define career

Igor Severino’s life isn’t the same as it was one week ago. As of now, the 20-year-old ex-UFC fighter doesn’t know if it’ll ever be even similar after he bit opponent Andre Lima during their March 23 fight at UFC on ESPN 53 in Las Vegas. The highly unusual...

Joaquin Buckley: ‘This Is The Reason I’m Here’

UFC Welterweight Joaquin Buckley Is Stoked To Be In A Marquee Position To Move Up The Rankings And Show He Belongs Fighting The Top 170-Pound Fighters On The Roster Read the Full Article Here

come and try a ludus mma class free!

We want to make sure that Ludus MMA is the right fit for you before asking you to commit to a membership.
That’s why we’d like to offer you a FREE ONE-DAY PASS to our gym.

With your FREE PASS, you can:

  • Try as many classes as you’d like,
  • Explore the facility
  • Talk to our coaches one-on-one about what you can expect as a member

© Copyright 2024 - Ludus Martial Arts - 730 Beach Blvd, Unit 105, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250.

(904) 374-4186 / ludusmartialarts@gmail.com