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After suffering a Split Decision loss to Ronny Markes earlier this week at UFC on Fuel 1 it appears Aaron Simpson is considering a drop down to 170 pounds to take advantage of his size rather than suffer as a smaller opponent. The 37-year old grappler leveled his Brazilian adversary in their bout but struggled to slip out of the larger Markes’ grasp in the clinch. “There were times I couldn’t budge,” said Simpson to MMAJunkie. “He had his shoulder buried in my chest, and I couldn’t move him. And I can defend a lot of people’s takedowns and everything, and it was just one of those deals where that really dwarfed me.” A Round-by-Round Look at Simpson vs. Markes “Everybody I fight is cutting from 220,” the 11-3 Simpson continued, adding his power is enough to contend with bigger foes but his size simply isn’t. Simpson had won a trio of tilts entering the match-up with Markes including victories over Mario Miranda, Brad Tavares, and Eric Schafer. Simpon has only been finished a single time in his career (by Chris Leben), having lost to the decision to Markes as well as one to Mark Munoz. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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It looks like one of the brightest prospects in the middleweight division will be on the shelf for a solid chunk of time after sustaining an injury in his most recent outing. According to 23-year old Ronny Markes, seen outpointing Aaron Simpson this past Wednesday night at UFC on Fuel 1, he broke his hand during an early exchange and will have to get surgery to repair the damage. The victory improved Markes’ record to 13-1 and was his sixth straight including a previous win over Karlos Vemola inside the Octagon. Markes’ status was revealed in a conversation with TATAME where the Nova Uniao product explained, “The entire fight my hand was aching, but I got the win anyway. I guess it influenced a lot. It was a God’s blessing I made it through until the end with my hand like this.” While Markes is unsure of when he’ll return to the ring he did say he is hopeful he can be ready by June when the UFC is expected to hold a card in Sao Paolo, Brazil. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Ronny Markes suffered a broken hand in the first round of his middleweight fight against Aaron Simpson at last Wednesday's UFC on FUEL TV event in Omaha. The break was severe enough to require surgery, but Markes remains hopeful that he can be all patched up in time to compete at the UFC's next trip to Brazil this June. Props: Tatame.com

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It was a battle of youthful size and exuberance versus veteran experience last night (Feb. 15, 2012) on the main card of UFC on Fuel TV 1 in Omaha, Neb., when Brazilian prospect Ronny Markes took on two-time All-American wrestler Aaron Simpson. While the eight-fight Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran Simpson appeared to be in control early, scoring an impressive first round knockdown with a massive uppercut, it was Markes who would turn the tides in the later rounds. Apparently, Octagon experience isn't everything. So how was Markes able to bounce back? And what's next for both middleweights? Follow me after the jump for our Ronny Markes vs. Aaron Simpson UFC on Fuel TV 1 post-fight review and analysis: Early on, Markes looked to establish his leg kicks and wear Simpson down in the clinch. He was having his way until he was suckered into a punching exchange with "The A-Train." The Brazilian was stunned with a nice left hand and as he backed straight up, Simpson made him pay with thunderous uppercut which floored him. To his credit, Markes didn't panic and was able to recover to the point where Simpson actually backed away from him on the ground and allowed him to get back to his feet. In both rounds two and three, Markes wisely avoided punching exchanges as they simply aren't his strong suit yet. Instead, he muscled Simpson around against the fence with his huge size advantage (he looked like a light heavyweight in there). The Nova Uniao fighter also managed to score takedowns in the final two rounds and when he was forced to stand with Simpson, he made sure to attack with heavy leg kicks instead of getting suckered into a brawl. In the end, Markes' ability to impose his will on Simpson was just barely enough as he was awarded a split decision victory (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). For Simpson, his stand-up looked solid, but he let himself get pushed around way too much last night. Markes was so big and so strong, he should have been avoiding the clinch but a majority of the fight took place there. He had his moments with his powerful punching, but not nearly enough of them in the final two rounds. He didn't do nearly enough to fend off Markes' clinch game or his takedowns. There are several possibilities for a next fight. I'd like to see Simpson take on someone like Jason Miller, Cung Le or perhaps Tim Credeur. It would be nice to see him step in against a fellow veteran for once. For Ronny Markes, that was a solid display of guts, coming back from getting hurt in the first round to impose his will in the latter two frames. His size is definitely something that's going to be very difficult to deal with and as long as he continues to train with a top camp like Nova Uniao, everything else will come. His punching still needs a lot of work as he doesn't use his hips or the rest of his body at all, but his leg kicks were solid. He's got perhaps the most energy sapping clinch in the middleweight division right now, he just needs to add some more variety to his attack. I think at 23 years old, he's got a pretty bright future. I'd like to see Markes take on someone like Ed Herman or the upcoming winner of Constantinos Philippou vs. Court McGee. Let's see what this prospect is made of. So what did you think, Maniacs? Did you feel Markes did enough in the final two rounds to earn the nod? Where do you think both fighters should go from here? Sound off! For complete UFC on Fuel TV 1 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.

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UFC on FUEL 1 - Ronny Markes vs. Aaron Simpson

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It was a close fight and the judges saw it the same, but debuting middleweight Ronny Markes did enough to pull out a split decision win over Aaron Simpson.

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Ronny Markes defeats Aaron Simpson by split decision. The judges scored the fight 29-28, 29-28, and 28-29. Ronny Markes battled Aaron Simpson for three rounds in a back-and-forth affair. An uppercut dropped the Brazilian in the first round, but Simpson was unable to capitalize on the opportunity. Markes recovered and was able to remain competitive for the remainder of the round. The rest of the fight was a sort of myopic clinch affair. Markes was able to muscle the former ASU wrestling coach around the cage and completed several takedowns. Unfortunately, he was unable to damage Simpson when the fight hit the mat. Ronny Markes is now 2-0 in the UFC and is slowly establishing his spot on the UFC's roster. A win over Aaron Simpson will definitely give him the opportunity to showcase his skills against tougher middleweights. Aaron Simpson will remain a tough test for opponents but has likely hit his ceiling as a fighter. SBN coverage of UFC on Fuel TV

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The UFC on Fuel TV 1: "Sanchez vs. Ellenberger" event taking place tonight (Wed., Feb. 15, 2012) in Omaha, Nebraska, featured a middleweight mash up pitting two solid grapplers in Aaron Simpson vs. Ronny Markes. Simpson may be 37-years-old, but he managed to string together three wins in a row headed into this evening's festivities. Markes, meanwhile, just 23 and with his entire career ahead of him, was riding a five-fight win streak, including a dominant performance in his Octagon debut last August. Count another one for Markes and his first at 185-pounds. The fans at the Omaha Civic Auditorium didn't appreciate the split decision going his way, likely because he used a steady does of clinching and late takedown tactics to earn it but a win is a win is a win. Considering the lack of depth at middleweight, could Markes be a contender sooner rather than later? Not much different than most of the other fights on tonight's broadcast, Markes and Simpson came out doing the damn thing. Predictably enough, it led to a clinch between the two wrestlers that was only broken thanks a referee looking for action. He got it, too, in the form of Simpson landing a huge uppercut that sent Markes ass over tin cups. The ensuing swarm wasn't enough to finish the fight but there was little doubt who the winner of the first round was. The same couldn't necessarily be said of the second stanza, as the two battled back and forth in the clinch with Simpson landing more shots while Markes managed to earn a takedown, though he did very little with it. The final frame is where either man could truly assert himself. It's somewhat surprising, then, that neither did so. Markes used a clinch game that had fans in Omaha blowing their voices out booing while Simpson was reckless in his attempt at finishing the fight with strikes. In fact, he damn near knocked himself out by inadvertently running into Markes knee. Sloppy. Markes said screw it and went all "late takedown FTW." Simpson got back up but ultimately, it was enough to earn him the close decision. Remember, too, to check out MMAmania.com's ongoing coverage of the UFC on FUEL TV 1 main card action, which is rolling right along, by clicking here.

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Ronny Markes withstood a hard punch from Aaron Simpson in the first round and fought hard enough in the second and third to win a close split decision at Wednesday night's UFC on FUEL event. The victory improves Markes' record to 13-1, and shows that he's a promising young fighter in the middleweight division. But it wasn't easy. Markes tagged Simpson with several hard punches in the first 30 seconds of the first round, but Simpson maintained his composure and clinched with Markes against the cage. After the referee separated them, it was Simpson who took control by landing a huge uppercut that knocked Markes down. Simpson then pounced and tried to finish Markes with ground and pound, but Markes stayed active from his back and survived. Simpson won the first round, but Markes did a nice job of staying alive when it looked like Simpson was ready to finish him. More Coverage: UFC on FUEL Results | Ronny Markes vs. Aaron Simpson Live Blog The second round was slower, with a lot of clinch work and fighting for position. Simpson is a strong wrestler, but Markes more than held his own in that department, taking Simpson down and getting on top of him late in the round. The third round featured more clinch work, and the crowd started to boo, wanting more hard-hitting action like the first round delivered. As Markes controlled him against the cage, Simpson asked the referee to separate them, and the referee obliged. That gave Simpson his last, best chance, and he came out swinging, but Markes soon grabbed hold of him again, and the round ended without a lot of action. The judges scored it 29-28, 29-28 and 28-29 for Markes. The fans booed, but it wasn't a bad decision: After Simpson's early flurry, he didn't do much of anything in the second and third rounds, and Markes did just enough to win.

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This is the UFC on FUEL live blog for Aaron Simpson vs. Ronny Markes, the main event of tonight's UFC card from the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha.Simpson (11-2) won all three of his fights in 2011, defeating Mario Miranda, Brad Tavares and Eric Schafer. Markes (12-1) won his UFC debut last August by outpointing Karlos Vemola.The live blog begins below. More Coverage: UFC on FUEL Results | Latest UFC News Round 1:Round 2:Round 3:

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OMAHA, Neb. - When Brazilian prospect Ronny Markes first started down his current career path, he didn't exactly have his family's support. In fact, his parents wanted him to ply the family trade and chase a career as an electrician. "My parents were against it," Markes told MMAjunkie.com in his native Portuguese. "I used to sneak out to jiu-jitsu classes. My father figured it out and grounded me from going out in the evening, which is when I used to watch the practices. I used to train in hiding."

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Brazilian Ronny Markes, a former heavyweight who debuted in the UFC as a light-heavyweight, will take the plunge all the way down to 185-pounds for the first time tomorrow night. Markes tackles Division 1 All-American wrestler and feisty veteran Aaron Simpson on the main card of the UFC on Fuel TV show. Ronny Markes (12-1) trains under Jair Lourenco at the "Kimura" branch of the prestigious Nova Uniao fight team and holds a brown belt in BJJ under Lourenco and the legendary Andre Pederneiras. Starting his career on the local circuit in Brazil, Markes won ten of his first eleven in devastating fashion, clobbering six victims by TKO and latching four submissions with one decision. This initial surge propelled Markes to his first marquee opponent in former WEC champion and Pride standout Paulo Filho. Markes fully capitalized on his considerable size advantage and Muay Thai acumen to batter Filho around the cage for all three rounds, scoring a commanding unanimous decision that inevitably launched his stateside career. Karlos Vemola, a six-time wrestling champion of his homeland in the Czech Republic, welcomed Markes to the Octagon on the UFC Live 5 card last August. What was expected to be a case of an untested Brazilian succumbing to the venom of an experienced wrestler unfolded in reverse: it was Markes who imposed control and dominated the contest with staunch takedowns and a suffocating top-game. It was a clean sweep on the judges' score cards and Markes made a strong statement right out of the gate. The overwhelming reaction to the way Markes dismantled Vemola was to belittle the Czech's wrestling accomplishments, but that option will not be on the table with two-time All-American wrestler Aaron Simpson (11-2). Attending Division 1 powerhouse Arizona State University, Simpson was also a multiple-time Pac-10 champion, a Pan-Am silver medalist and took fourth place at the Olympic trials. That same extraordinary success transferred well to MMA, as Simpson got a shot in the WEC after destroying his first four opponents (three by TKO and three in the first frame with one submission). He didn't disappoint either, sinking David Avellan at WEC 36 by first-round knockout in a mere eighteen seconds. The next step up presented itself and Simpson migrated to the big leagues of the UFC and duplicated his devastation with another quick strike-stoppage. He would go on to notch two more victories -- one eased by Ed Herman blowing out his knee and the next a split-decision over Tom Lawlor -- before tasting a double-dose of defeat. After winning the first round handily, Simpson's pace slowed dramatically in the second against Chris Leben and left him a sitting duck in the voracious striker's cross-hairs. Next up was an equally decorated wrestler in Mark Munoz, who was just a little quicker and stronger in out-hustling Simpson to a unanimous decision at UFC 123. Simpson has since piled on three straight wins (Mario Miranda, Brad Tavares, Eric Schafer), all by decision. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC on Fuel TV By all accounts, Markes fights like a bloodthirsty and untamed savage. Every action and all efforts are dedicated wholly to inflicting great bodily harm. As evinced to the right, he doesn't throw punches casually nor as a distraction, but unleashes each blow with purely malicious intentions. Markes came into the UFC heralded as a double-threat fighter for his BJJ and Muay Thai, but ended up wielding three-dimensions by unveiling a fully functional wrestling game. This makes him a thoroughly complete fighter and his potential has maximized even further by dropping weight. Above, we get a glimpse of the fireballs Markes hurls and the sound reactions and timing he has on the feet along with his offensive and defensive wrestling. Against Vemola, Markes was faster, stronger, more agile and superior in every aspect. He lit up Vemola standing, nailed takedown almost at will and also drubbed him with strikes in the clinch. To the left, Markes gets excellent wrist control on Vemola's left arm and extends it away from his waist to leave his mid-section wide open for a brutal knee. Even at the ripe ol' age of thirty-seven, Simpson shows no signs of slowing down and has managed to improve his boxing nicely. While his wild power carried him through the embryonic stages of his career, he's been able to clean up his stance, footwork and punching technique without losing his raw striking heft. Not so much of a finesse-guy from outside, Simpson prefers to barge into close quarters and whirl short, tight hooks with both hands at a frenzied pace. Both of these animations versus Eric Schafer relect that tendency. Most of Simpson's lead shots from the fringe are ferocious and he follows directly in their streaking path to shrink the distance and maul with volume-combos at phone-booth range. While his effectiveness is apparent, he is somewhat relegated to being stationed either outside and idle on the perimeter or sandwiched deep in the pocket and scattering leather. Admittedly, Schafer is not known for his striking prowess and this was a bit of a showcase for Simpson's stand up. The reason all indications point to this match up being a bloodbath is that Markes shares Simpson's affinity for close-range brawling. Typically, you'll find neither biding their time cautiously or circling away to methodically counter punch. No, these gentlemen conduct themselves like long-leashed pitbulls who have just been let off the chain and envision their opponents like a juicy steak wrapped in Sprawl shorts, dangling enticingly before their ravenous eyes. The edge with game-planning goes to Simpson, who's exhibited the ability to lay out and adhere to a strategy specifically crafted to his adversary. Pinpointing Schafer's striking deficiency, Simpson was unflinching in stuffing takedowns to keep the fight standing; miffed after getting a taste of Brad Tavares' punching power, he enveloped the heavy-handed fighter and buried him against the cage to squelch his striking. Markes will have a substantial advantage in submission and is equally perilous from the top as he is off his back. Of course, the unknown pros and cons of his dramatic cut in weight will be at play and may be emphasized by the likelihood this bout will stretch into the later rounds. Even if his cut goes well, Markes will be an outright leviathan strength-wise at middleweight but will lose a little bit of his quickness, which is an integral aspect of his style -- and Simpson's too, who's fleet-footed for 185. I imagine the opening moments will transpire as the classic battle of who can impose their will first. I expect Markes to come out with cannons blazing, but ready to react instantly to avoid being put on his back. Simpson would love nothing more than to demonstrate his superior wrestling and vault ahead early with a few successful takedowns. In the clinch, Simpson has a better base and control where Markes is more offensively geared with a diverse Thai arsenal. This is a close match up that favors Simpson on paper, but I like Markes here. As long as he's not lagging from the cut or severely dehydrated, he should have too many weapons. My Prediction: Ronny Markes by decision. Poll Aaron Simpson vs. Ronny Markes Simpson Markes   4 votes | Results

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Brazilian Ronny Markes takes his impressive 12-1 record into his scrap with Aaron Simpson on UFC on Fuel 1. Check out what he has to say about the fight and get a look inside his camp.

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Two entertaining middleweight scrappers will be duking it out this Wednesday night (February 15, 2012) as "The A-Train" Aaron Simpson takes on Ronny Markes on the main card of UFC on Fuel TV: "Sanchez vs. Ellenberger" in Omaha, Nebraska. Simpson is currently riding his second three fight winning streak in the UFC. The former Arizona State All-American wrestler has been working his way back into relevance and a victory on the national stage during the UFC's debut on Fuel would do wonders for him. Ronny Markes is a very intriguing prospect who's on the rise. After starting his career with a 12-1 record fighting mostly at light heavyweight, including a dominant decision victory in his UFC debut, he decided to drop down to 185 pounds simply because he thought he could do even better there. He'll get to prove what he's made of against an eight-fight UFC veteran next week. Will Simpson continue his resurgent run back to the top of the UFC's middleweight division? Or will Markes derail "The A-Train?" How does each man earn a victory on Wednesday night in Omaha? Let's find out: Aaron Simpson Record: 11-2 overall, 7-2 in the UFC Key Wins: Ed Herman (UFC 102), Brad Tavares (UFC 132), Tom Lawlor (UFC Fight Night 20) Key Losses: Mark Munoz (UFC 123), Chris Leben (Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale) How he got here: Aaron Simpson was a standout wrestler in high school and was a two-time All-American while competing at Arizona State in college. After graduating, he was the assistant wrestling coach at Arizona State for several years before getting a late start on a mixed martial arts career. After crushing everyone on the local circuit, Simpson earned an invite to the WEC, where he knocked out David Avellan in just 18 seconds. When the UFC bought the WEC, they transferred over all the larger weightclasses and Simpson was included. His UFC career got off to a very impressive start as well, dominating Tim McKenzie and Ed Herman and barely squeaking by Tom Lawlor in a "Fight of the Night"-winning performance. The Power MMA fighter had his momentum halted by the right hand of Chris Leben and then he was put in reverse by current contender Mark Munoz at UFC 123. Since those back to back losses, Simpson has gone to his roots, wrestling and clinching his way to victories over Mario Miranda and Brad Tavares before turning Eric Schafer into a human punching bag at UFC 136. The 37 year old is expected to face a stiff test in Ronny Markes this Wednesday. How he gets it done: Simpson needs to be cautious in this bout, as Markes is dangerous wherever this fight goes. After two fights to get his confidence back, it seemed he finally was ready to stand and trade again in his last fight with Eric Schafer, and he battered "Red" badly over the course of three rounds, nearly finishing the fight on multiple occasions. If he's still got that same level of confidence, Simpson has the power in the stand-up department to trade with Markes and beat him there. Look for him to work his way into the pocket and throw some heavy shots, as "The A-Train" isn't much for jabs and set-ups in his strikes. If the striking isn't working, The former All-American has got some terrific wrestling skills to fall back on. He'll try to work the power double and take the fight to the canvas, but if that doesn't work, as Markes showcased some solid takedown defense in his last fight, he might simply try to stall in the clinch. I don't expect to see Simpson do much damage whether he takes this fight to the ground or takes inside position along the fence, but he can definitely score points with the judges for being in a superior position. Ronny Markes Record: 12-1 overall, 1-0 in the UFC Key Wins: Karlos Vemola (UFC on Versus 5), Paulo Filho (IFC) Key Losses: none How he got here: Ronny Markes, just 23 years old, has competed on three continents now in his first 13 fights. He competed in Europe early in his career, and then fought on a wide range of local shows in his native Brazil. After winning 10 of his first 11 fights, he was given the opportunity of a lifetime when he faced former WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho at the International Fighter Championship. Markes used a significant size and strength advantage to dominate the beleaguered Brazilian with top control, positional dominance and ground and pound over the course of three rounds to easily score a unanimous decision victory and really put his name on the map. The Nova Uniao fighter was quickly scooped up by the UFC and made his debut against former heavyweight Karlos Vemola at UFC on Versus 5 last August. In that fight, Markes dominated Vemola in the clinch and with repeated takedowns to earn another unanimous decision. Surprisingly, after the fight, Markes announced he was dropping down to middleweight and after making the cut, he earned a shot against former top prospect Aaron Simpson. How he gets it done: Markes is not the best striker, but a lot can change in six months especially when you're only 23 years old and training out of one of the most prestigious fight camps in the world. Despite the potential for growth, Markes most likely will be working to utilize his bread and butter, which is the clinch and takedowns. That won't be easy against Aaron Simpson, who's a very strong and powerful wrestler, but Markes had his way with Karlos Vemola, a Czech national wrestling champion at light heavyweight, so he is very much full of surprises. The Brazilian seems most at home near the fence, where he's terrific at controlling his opponent's movement and pinning them against a barrier. He's got some solid takedowns so don't be surprised if he can actually put Simpson on the ground. He's done it to much bigger men in the past and he can do it again. Fight X-Factor: The biggest X-Factor for this fight, other than the 14 year age difference between the two fighters has to be the clinch. Both Simpson and Markes are very strong and utilize the clinch often if they need to take a breather, regain their wits, work for takedowns or simply tally up some points with the judges. Both men enjoy taking inside position and pinning their opponents against the fence so this might come down to who is stronger in the clinch and who can exert more pressure on their opponent. Something tells me Simpson would rather be standing and trading than clinching with Markes, but it might be difficult to throw down in the cage center if your opponent is constantly pushing you backwards towards the cage. Bottom Line: This fight could be exciting, but there's also potential it could be a snoozefest. If either man can gain the upper hand, whether it's Simpson getting off with his punches in the pocket or Markes scoring a takedown and working ground and pound, this bout could be terrific. If neither fighter can gain an upperhand, there's also potential for there to be a huge stalemate both against the fence and on the ground. I see the possibility for multiple referee separations if that's the case. Hopefully both men are able to put on a show, but if they don't, don't say I didn't warn you. Who will come out on at UFC on Fuel TV: "Sanchez vs. Ellenberger?" Tell us your predictions in the comments below! Poll Which middleweight will be victorious this upcoming Wednesday night on the UFC on Fuel TV main card? Aaron Simpson Ronny Markes   0 votes | Results

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This Wednesday’s UFC on FUEL TV event in Omaha, Nebraska will mark a night of firsts for Brazil's Ronny Markes as he takes on wrestler Aaron Simpson. Markes, who debuted in the Octagon as a light heavyweight and fought at that weight and also at catchweights of around 198 pounds in Brazil, will be fighting as a middleweight for the first time. Plus, this will also be his first time on a UFC main card, as he defeated Karlos Vemola by decision on the preliminary portion of UFC Live last August.In that debut, Markes, a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Andre Pederneiras and Jair Lourenco, outwrestled the former national wrestling champion en route to a points victory that earned him his first UFC win. And even if he didn't produce the most exciting bout in his first time outside his homeland, Markes did show the strength and durability to dominate Vemola in the Czech Republic native’s own field - the takedowns."If it was a wrestling match, I would have been beaten, I have no doubts of it," Markes said. "But I have been training throws since my start in BJJ, and I polished them with the wrestling of Roberto Leitão Filho (silver medal in the Indianapolis Pan-Ams of 1987). They were linked to my strength, an aspect that Vemola was not expecting."After that first UFC experience, Markes analyzed where he could have been better, and what forced him to be a bit hesitant in some situations. Yet once he capitalized on the holes in Vemola’s game but still couldn't get a finish, he learned what he is going to do next."First off, I was focused on controlling the fight, to debut with wisdom and then deliver something big,” he said. “It didn't happen and we only realize what we could do better in a win when you watch your performances afterwards. I didn't use my elbows on any of the opportunities I had to. I saw the gaps for it, but I thought that I didn't want to expose myself for a reverse, because a wrestler can explode on the bottom and end up on top of you."Keeping a dominant position during the fight seemed to be something so far from Markes if you saw his Octagon walk-in. Deeply emotional, the powerhouse from Brazil started crying after passing the curtain en route to the cage. Apparently he was mentally shaken by the opportunity; however, he didn't drag such emotion into the fight, leaving it all outside."I am a strong guy, with strong emotions," he says, smiling. "After some important matches I won in Brazil I let my emotions appear, and this would not be different when I made my dream come true of going to UFC. A lot of people imagined it would harm my performance, but I have a limit for it and the end comes when I put my first foot inside the cage."Markes, at 6-foot-1, wasn't a tall guy for the light heavyweight division, and he's still not one of the tallest in the 185-pound class, so the move to the middleweights was welcomed and would not be a problem. But when you look the frame of the man from Nova Uniao, you realize that it is not going to be that easy, principally when a guy like Markes never stepped up on the scales at less than 198 pounds."Yeah, this will be a problem...for Simpson," Markes affirms. "I conditioned my body with the supervision of Thiago Macedo (strength and conditioning coach) and the cut was nice. My speed increased, I kept the strength, and these will be more obstacles for to Simpson face."Determined to give to the fans a different look from his first UFC triumph, where he didn't perform as brilliantly as he wanted to, Markes now hopes to let his game talk for itself as he displays a style that he says is more complete than that of his opponent."I have nothing, but respect for Simpson,” Markes said. “He's a wrestler, a good one, he has a powerful right hand and he has more experience and has been evolving. But I think I have many more options to put Simpson away than he does. I polished my game on the feet very well with a lot of kickboxing and boxing, I am a brown belt in BJJ for about two years, and I am not afraid of playing from the bottom, but I don’t think Simpson will jeopardize himself in my guard. I want to please the fans and best way to do it is by finishing the fight."

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Renan Barao  Podcast Powered By Podbean  Patricio "Pitbull" Freire  Podcast Powered By Podbean Jussier Da Silva Podcast Powered By Podbean  Ronny Markes Podcast Powered By Podbean

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The UFC's first live event on Fuel TV is just two months away, and the card is now starting to come together. UFC.com announced two more additions to the February 15th card in Omaha, Nebraska last night, with Jonathan Brookins facing Rani Yahya in a featherweight bout, and Aaron Simpson and Ronny Markes meeting in middleweight action: Added to UFC on FUEL 1: Aaron Simpson vs. Ronny Markes at middleweight; Jonathan Brookins vs. Rani Yayha at feathwerweight Brookins and Yahya are both known for their grappling skills, but the American, who won season 12 of The Ultimate Fighter, is known for his wrestling chops, while Yahya is known as a standout Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner. Both men are looking to get back in the win column, with Brookins getting battered and outmuscled by the highly-skilled Erik Koch back in September, while Yahya also dropped a decision to #1 contender, Chad Mendes, in August. Simpson, the highly-decorated wrestler at Arizona State, has quietly put together a three-fight winning streak in 2011, with consecutive wins over Mario Miranda, Brad Tavares, and Eric Schafer. Although his style has been criticized as "dull" in recent fights, Simpson has certainly been making improvements to the more reckless style that got him the only two losses of his career. Markes is one of the many excellent prospects to emerge from Brazil's Nova Uniao camp, and although he made a successful debut at light heavyweight, thoroughly dismantling Karlos Vemola, he's decided to drop to 185 lbs for this bout. The card for UFC on Fuel 1 now includes: -Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger-Stefan Struve vs. Dave Herman-Jonathan Brookins vs. Rani Yahya-Ronny Markes vs. Aaron Simpson UFC on Fuel 1 coverage

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The UFC on Fuel card in February has added two new bouts with Aaron Simpson taking on Ronny Markes, while TUF winner Jonathan Brookins takes on submission specialist Rani Yahya.

Posted in: vs, aaron simpson, fuel card, ronny markes, marke

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Filed under: UFC, NewsThe inaugural UFC on FUEL event added two new matchups on Wednesday when the UFC announced middleweight and featherweight bouts that have been agreed to. Aaron Simpson will put his three-fight win streak on the line when he faces Brazilian Ronny Markes in a 185-pound fight, while Ultimate Fighter season 12 winner Jonathan Brookins will face submission wizard Rani Yahya. Simpson (11-2) has tried to work his way into middleweight contention with consecutive victories over Eric Schafer, Mario Miranda and Brad Tavares, wins that came on the heels of a two-fight losing streak. To continue that run, he'll have to beat Markes, who made his octagon debut on short notice and out-worked Karlos Vemola to a decision win in an August event. That match was contested at light-heavyweight, and in this one, Markes (12-1) will attempt to stake out some ground in the UFC's 185-pound division. The featherweight bout between Brookins and Yahya features a pair of fighters who prefer to look for victory on the ground. Brookins (12-4) has eight of his wins by tapout, while Yahya (16-7) has 14 submission wins. Both men are coming off losses. UFC on FUEL 1 will take place on February 15, 2012, and though the venue isn't official, it is likely to emanate from CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska. It features a main event of Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, event, fuel event, marke, yahya

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