While host country Canada boasts the most participants on this weekend’s UFC 149 fight card, there is a distant Australian influence to the UFC’s debut show in Calgary, Alberta, as well.
With transplants Hector Lombard and Brian Ebersole competing on the main card, and Sydney-based Anthony Perosh returning on the preliminary portion of the event, there are even more reasons than normal for Australian fans to tune into this weekend’s UFC pay-per-view.
After returning to the Octagon on short notice opposite Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic at UFC 110, Perosh has since made the move down to the light heavyweight division, where he’s much better suited, and reeled off three consecutive victories, most recently stopping Nick Penner at the close of the first round back in March.
Saturday night in Calgary, the 40-year-old veteran takes on one of Penner’s training partners, the debuting Ryan Jimmo, who brings a 16-fight winning streak with him into the cage.
Perosh’s renaissance has been equal parts impressive and inspiring, considering he had been winless in the Octagon prior to moving back to the 205-pound ranks.
Now, he’s won three in a row, showcasing his dominant top game and jiu-jitsu acumen in each, while proving he still has something to offer, even at his advanced age.
A fourth consecutive win is not out of the question, either, as Jimmo has been out of action since last October and can be somewhat conservative inside the cage at times.
If Perosh can get him into a grappling match, the veteran could continue his resurgence and kick off the Australian interest in this event with a win.
Stepping into the cage for the second time in a month, American transplant Brian Ebersole looks to earn the 51st victory of his career Saturday against welterweight wrestler James Head.
Ebersole, who fights out of Melbourne and has won 11 consecutive contests dating back to his loss against fellow UFC 149 competitor Hector Lombard (more on him shortly) at CFC 5, looks to extend his UFC run of success to five, building off his June win over TJ Waldburger here.
As crafty in the cage as he is charismatic outside of it, it’s hard to root against the man who introduced the UFC universe to “The Hairrow” in his bout against Chris Lytle in February 2011.
Despite his quartet of victories since entering the UFC as an injury replacement for Carlos Condit, Ebersole still isn’t mentioned as a potential contender in the welterweight ranks, and I’m not sure why.
Collecting four straight wins in one of the UFC’s deepest, most talented divisions is a difficult task, and should “The White Anderson Silva” push his streak to five with a win in Calgary, it will be hard to continue overlooking him as a title challenger moving forward.
And then there is Hector Lombard, the former Bellator champion who makes his UFC debut against Tim Boetsch with a shot at Anderson Silva’s UFC middleweight title awaiting him if he comes away with an impressive victory on Saturday night.
His debut is one of the most anticipated in recent memory, probably the biggest since fighters like Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Dan Henderson made their way to the UFC after the fall of Pride.
Having smashed his way through 20 consecutive opponents between Bellator and CFC, everyone is curious to see if Lombard has simply been getting the better of second-tier talent or if he can be a legitimate threat to the most dominant champion in UFC history.
The former Olympic judo competitor has a stern test before him in Calgary, paired with Tim Boetsch after a series of injuries scuttled both men’s original match-ups. Coming off a comeback win over Yushin Okami at UFC 144, Boetsch has quickly made his way up the middleweight ranks, and marks the most stern challenge Lombard has faced in some time.
A victory over the surging Boetsch will solidify Lombard as a true title challenger, most likely moving him to the head of the list.
Though some will surely want to challenge the inclusion of Ebersole and Lombard as Australians, they are nonetheless strong representatives of the kind of talent the burgeoning Australian MMA scene can produce.
This weekend, they look to build off the dominant performance put forth by James Te Huna last week, and continue giving Aussie MMA fans something to cheer about on the sport’s biggest stage.
Follow The Roar’s UFC Expert E. Spencer Kyte on Twitter (@spencerkyte).
E. Spencer Kyte
Roar Guru
That "useless" 40-year-old has won three-straight in the UFC, all by stoppage, so I think you might be a little off base with that claim. Yes, James Te Huna and Mark Hunt have been the best fighters out of that region as of late, but selling Perosh (and other Australian-based fighters) is a mistake.
Jerry
Guest
"re: Chonan v Silva..Silva’s last genuine loss, the spider was killing him and then well, MMA history!" Silva wasn't really killing Chonan before the submission.
omar
Guest
Perosh is useless he only gets a shot cause dana loves aussies. The best fighters to come out of aussie are actally kiwi james te huna and mark hunt. You aussies may claim them but they are kiwis. Nz will be the brazil of the southern hemisphere we polynesians are built for the sport of mma and guys like mark hunt and ray sefo training at extreme couture are prime examples.
E. Spencer Kyte
Roar Guru
He's definitely the type of guy who could get away with something like that, and the UFC seems OK with letting guys have a little fun. TJ Dillashaw is billed as a "Monkey Style Fighter," so why not let Ebersole go with Parts Unknown.
Cliff
Guest
I'd love to see "Brian Ebersole, from parts unknown".
jon
Guest
Jeez, no idea. I never really know how a fight's gonna go, no one really does do they? He hasn't fought in the UFC, so it's even harder to judge. The barbarian is a strong tough guy too, and he's gonna have a size advantage on Lombard (who could probably cut to welter if he wanted to). So I'm not sure really. I'd guess Lombard just cuz he's such a devastating striker with great take-down defense, but Boetsch could take him out.
E. Spencer Kyte
Roar Guru
Doesn't look like it is online, though the current issue of Inside MMA (Tito Ortiz cover) doesn't appear to have the Lombard story I'm talking about. I know the Fight! version isn't online either... sorry; been trying to get them to re-vamp their website, but they're not listening to me. I've come to learn that reputations in this business come in two forms: the way people who like you speak about you, and the way those who don't like you speak about you. Some people have more folks on one side than the other, good or bad. I've heard rumblings about being a little rougher and harder on the mats than some people like, but I've also heard as you have - that he's just a competitive guy who is actually not bad at all. Looking forward to seeing how he does in his debut. Any thoughts on how it goes?
MELB NSW 4 lyfe
Guest
Regradless of what the guy is in or out of the gym his record speaks for itself. MMA is a fickle sport and doesnt give two hoots about ability unless you get to the level of the current champs in the UFC. On any given night you can get your butt handed to you wther you walk in 20-0 or 0-20 (re: Chonan v Silva..Silva's last genuine loss, the spider was killing him and then well, MMA history!) Lombard is on an unbeaten streak, comes into the UFc with some brutal wins and if he blasts TB I dare say he steps into the No1 contender slot. Yeah his record is buffered with a few dubious competitors but he has so much to offer the MW division. What I am hoping is that this doesnt turn into a Antonio Mckee situation where he blasts thru the local circuit, gets a shot at the UFC runs into Volkman and then gets beat and was one and out
jon
Guest
I'll have to check that out, do you know if it's online or do I have to buy the mag? In terms of him being a gym bully or whatever, I've only ever heard that a couple times in a few interviews and things. I know a couple guys who've trained with him and they have nothing but good things to say about him, they reckon he's a very funny guy, very playful personality. I wouldn't know myself, never met him, and I guess at the end of the day it doesn't really matter. He's a good fighter, that's all I really care about.
E. Spencer Kyte
Roar Guru
He goes hard in the gym, there is no doubt about that, but whether that makes him a bully or a jerk is up for interpretation. Lots of guys like to go hard in the gym; it's how they feel they train best. Lots of guys also go a little tougher on the newcomers as a way to make sure they have what it takes to be a part of that gym; you see stuff like that in every sport. T.R. Foley wrote a great feature on Lombard in the last issue of Fight! Magazine - Lombard is on the cover - that gives his account of being on the mats with the former Bellator champion. Not sure if it was featured in Inside MMA, but it should have been.
E. Spencer Kyte
Roar Guru
Ebersole moves around a ton, and where you're billed out of doesn't really matter. I know lots of guys who are billed from the wrong cities or locations all the time; they just don't bother to change it. Not saying Brian was last time, just saying. He did a bunch of training for his last fight at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, as well as heading home to Illinois for some work too. He trains everywhere and anywhere he can.
Enjoyin the ride
Guest
yeah, but last fight they even announced he was fighting out of thailand so i dunno where he thinks hes from. but hes entertaining especially that funny ass cartwheel kick thing.
jon
Guest
I've heard that too, but I've also heard the opposite. I have a friend who thinks he's the nicest guy in the world. Who knows if it's true or not.
jon
Guest
Ebersole has been traveling to Thailand for years man. He trains Muay Thai there, teaches it too. He's a bit of a nomad in general.
Enjoyin the ride
Guest
Last fight Ebersole had he was fighting out of Phuket, Thailand. Dunno if thats permanent.
Seriously, Who says Oi?
Guest
I hope Lombard goes down big time. I've heard a lot of things from many sources saying that he is a huge douche in the gym. He's known for bullying inexperienced newcomers to gyms. He's also said to be a dirty tactician in training. I'm not only wanting him to lose, but I think he will. He really hasn't beaten fighters of the highest quality level.