Bantamweight shakeup: Easton out, Hougland meets Jabouin and Menjivar fights Barao
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Bantamweight shakeup: Easton out, Hougland meets Jabouin and Menjivar fights Barao
Budgellism
3/23/12 4:43:57PM
An injury to Mike Easton (12-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has shuffled the bantamweight deck.
Now meeting Yves Jabouin (17-7 MMA, 2-1 UFC) at UFC on FUEL TV 3 is Jeff Hougland (10-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC), whose originally scheduled opponent, Renan Barao (28-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), is now set to meet Ivan Menjivar (24-8 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in a possible No. 1 contender bout at UFC 148.
Sources close to the event today confirmed the news to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) following a tweet from reporter Joe Ferraro, host of Sportsnet's "UFC Central."
Reached today for comment, Easton declined to confirm he was out of the fight but admitted to dealing with injuries in training. His reps were unavailable for comment.
"I really want this fight, but it's no good going into a fight realy, really banged up," he said. "It makes for not a good night."
"UFC on FUEL TV 3: Korean Zombie vs. Poirer" takes place May 15 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va. Main-card fights air live on FUEL TV while preliminary-card fights stream on Facebook.
UFC 148 takes place July 7 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It's main card airs live on pay-per-view while preliminary-card fights air on FX.
LINK
Now meeting Yves Jabouin (17-7 MMA, 2-1 UFC) at UFC on FUEL TV 3 is Jeff Hougland (10-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC), whose originally scheduled opponent, Renan Barao (28-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), is now set to meet Ivan Menjivar (24-8 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in a possible No. 1 contender bout at UFC 148.
Sources close to the event today confirmed the news to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) following a tweet from reporter Joe Ferraro, host of Sportsnet's "UFC Central."
Reached today for comment, Easton declined to confirm he was out of the fight but admitted to dealing with injuries in training. His reps were unavailable for comment.
"I really want this fight, but it's no good going into a fight realy, really banged up," he said. "It makes for not a good night."
"UFC on FUEL TV 3: Korean Zombie vs. Poirer" takes place May 15 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va. Main-card fights air live on FUEL TV while preliminary-card fights stream on Facebook.
UFC 148 takes place July 7 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It's main card airs live on pay-per-view while preliminary-card fights air on FX.
LINK
Budgellism
3/23/12 4:45:08PM
MUCH better match up. Hell yeah I'm excited for Barao vs. Menjivar. My two favourite Bantamweights going at it 
cowcatcher
3/23/12 4:58:29PM
Posted by Budgellism
MUCH better match up. Hell yeah I'm excited for Barao vs. Menjivar.
The Houghland/Barao matchup really didn't make sense to me, this is much more competitive.
Twenty20Dollars
3/23/12 5:05:24PM
I don't like Easton being out, but this really worked out for the better.
shaneTpain
3/23/12 5:18:15PM
OOOOOOO very sick fights! 
Menjivar vs Barao is gonna be LEGENDARY
And Hougland gets a proper welcome back fight
Menjivar vs Barao is gonna be LEGENDARY
And Hougland gets a proper welcome back fight
ncordless
3/23/12 8:29:24PM
Menjivar v Barao winner should get the next shot at 135.
What a great improvement over Barao/Hougland! Two very good fighters with skillsets that are going to be awesome to watch collide.
What a great improvement over Barao/Hougland! Two very good fighters with skillsets that are going to be awesome to watch collide.
Bubbles
3/23/12 10:57:52PM
Posted by ncordless
Menjivar v Barao winner should get the next shot at 135.
Barao yes, but not Menjivar if he wins. Michael McDonald/Miguel Torres winner should get the next shot if Barao loses
hashyandy4
3/24/12 12:46:24AM
Posted by Budgellism
MUCH better match up. Hell yeah I'm excited for Barao vs. Menjivar. My two favourite Bantamweights going at it
I thought u would like this Budge. Much better match ups tho, Barao vs Menjivar should be sick, but Renan should win.
prozacnation1978
3/24/12 11:19:34AM
Barao vs menivar for next title shot sounds right to me
ncordless
3/24/12 1:06:06PM
Posted by Bubbles
Posted by ncordless
Menjivar v Barao winner should get the next shot at 135.
Barao yes, but not Menjivar if he wins. Michael McDonald/Miguel Torres winner should get the next shot if Barao loses
I actually think that Menjivar, if he were to beat Barao, should have the title shot.
Torres beat Pace his last outing, but lost a close one to Mighty Mouse the fight before that.
McDonald has strung some wins together, but to me he could use a couple more fights to continue to improve before he gets the title shot.
Menjivar had trouble with Albert, but he did win, and regardless I have a feeling lots of fighters are going to have trouble with Albert. That's one of those wins that is gonna be more impressive as time goes on. He also has a win against Pace. He is riding a 3 fight win streak, and in my opinion, a win over Barao would be a bigger accomplishment than a win over either McDonald or Torres.
Franklinfan47
3/24/12 1:10:50PM
Posted by Twenty20Dollars
I don't like Easton being out, but this really worked out for the better.
Agreed, much better match-ups
rush13
3/24/12 1:16:02PM
Posted by Budgellism
MUCH better match up. Hell yeah I'm excited for Barao vs. Menjivar. My two favourite Bantamweights going at it
Much better is an under-statement lol...Easton getting hurt makes up for the Hougland/Barao announcement.
Bubbles
3/24/12 6:40:45PM
Posted by ncordless
I actually think that Menjivar, if he were to beat Barao, should have the title shot.
Torres beat Pace his last outing, but lost a close one to Mighty Mouse the fight before that.
McDonald has strung some wins together, but to me he could use a couple more fights to continue to improve before he gets the title shot.
Menjivar had trouble with Albert, but he did win, and regardless I have a feeling lots of fighters are going to have trouble with Albert. That's one of those wins that is gonna be more impressive as time goes on. He also has a win against Pace. He is riding a 3 fight win streak, and in my opinion, a win over Barao would be a bigger accomplishment than a win over either McDonald or Torres.
while I can agree with those points, Torres is already known among casual fans and is an easier sell...plus a potential Faber and Torres matchup I have been dying to see for years. Johnson essentially just laid on Torres which was enough for the judges but not to the rest of us. McDonald would be like 15-1 on an 8 fight win streak which again is an easier sell than 25-8 Menjivar with a 4 fight win streak. Menjivar hasn't even seen a main card fight yet, so he is a virtual unknown or forgotten fighter outside of us who follow the sport intently.
more known fighters will get title shots over deserving fighters more times than not when there are 2 who are in line. I dont see this being any different