No Traditional Camp, No Problem: Short-Notice Fighters Have Caused Waves

Andy Ruiz wasn’t the sexy option to fight Anthony Joshua for the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight championships. Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, went through many other options before he settled on Ruiz. Compared to Joshua, who is built more like a Greek God, Ruiz has a stockier build.

Only a month before the fight, Ruiz signed a contract to take on Joshua during the English fighter’s debut in New York City. But online boxing news shows that the fight in the “World’s Most Famous Arena,” Madison Square Garden, didn’t turn out as Joshua hoped. Ruiz unleashed power shots throughout the fight that pushed Joshua back.

While Joshua knocked down Ruiz in the third round, not much went right for the Englishman. Ruiz seemed to be encouraged after seeing the Englishman’s power. He fought more aggressively than before after being knocked down.

Ruiz knocked Joshua down several times, ultimately securing a knockout win in the seventh round. While Ruiz never successfully defended the belts after winning them in 2019, his victory was a highlight among fighters who have taken fights on short notice.

Diaz Ruins Featherweight Title Picture

There was supposed to be a champion vs. champion bout for only the second time in promotion history at UFC 196 in March 2016. But two weeks before lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos and featherweight titleholder Conor McGregor were supposed to fight, dos Anjos had to pull out with a broken foot.

MMAfighting latest news shows that this sent the UFC scrambling to find the red-hot McGregor another opponent. Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar turned down the fight because of a lack of time to prepare and an injury, respectively. But Nate Diaz stepped in, and the UFC agreed to move the bout up a weight class to welterweight.

While McGregor was already in camp and felt he could handle the increase in weight, the fight wouldn’t play out that way. While McGregor cracked Diaz early, Diaz showed off his impressive cardio. He would end up wearing out McGregor before earning a submission victory.

Kimbo Found Out it Wasn’t a Street Fight Anymore

Seth Petruzelli’s performance in October 2008 wasn’t a surprise to anyone who follows MMA. But anyone looking at the best MMA news sites will see that Petruzelli dominating Kimbo Slice hurt the reputation of EliteXC as a promotion. He wasn’t even supposed to fight when he went to see the EliteXC: Heat fight card.

But Petruzelli was inserted into the main event after Ken Shamrock was forced to pull out. Instead of fighting an over-the-hill fight, Slice was in the position of having to fight a younger man who wanted to make his name. Petruzelli forever etched his name into the lore of short-notice winners by taking out Slice in 14 seconds.

This hurt the reputation of EliteXC, which was attempting to use Slice’s career as a backyard internet fighter to draw eyeballs. Slice would see this through his entire career, which included stints in the UFC and Bellator. Slice did knock out Shamrock at Bellator 138.

Petruzelli never went on to find big-time success in MMA. While Petruzelli would earn a UFC contract two years after his big upset win, he would lose both of his fights with the promotion. Petruzelli also had a short stay in Bellator.

Ige Was Willing to Get off the Couch

Dan Ige has a history of producing exciting fights in the UFC. When the word went out at UFC 303 that Brian Ortega was too sick to fight, Ige, who lives in the Las Vegas area quickly got a hold of the UFC and said he was willing to take the fight with Diego Lopes on only a few hours’ notice.

Ige still had to come in and make weight, which he did. While Ige didn’t win the fight, he didn’t look out of place either. After taking some stiff punches from Lopes in the first round, he gradually worked his way back into the fight.

By the time the third round rolled around, Ige was returning the punishment.

Sanders Wasn’t Taken Seriously

Corrie Sanders was supposed to be another notch in the belt of famed Russian heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko. The South African fighter had only fought two competitive rounds over the past 18 months. When bookmakers lined the fight, Sanders was a 40 to 1 underdog.

But the power that Sanders carried in his hands didn’t need time to heat up. Klitschko came in expecting to demonstrate his superior boxing. But Sanders would stun Klitschko with how hard he hit. He ended up dropping Klitschko four times in two rounds to claim a knockout victory in Germany and pick up the WBO heavyweight title.

Sanders lost his next fight, a challenge for the WBC heavyweight title to Wladimir’s brother, Vitali, a year later.

Bisping Claims His Title

Michael Bisping won’t be remembered for having one of the best middleweight title reigns in UFC history. But how Bisping won the title was an amazing performance on short notice. Bisping, who had been acting in a XXX movie with Vin Diesel, was called in to challenge Luke Rockhold for the championship on only a few weeks notice.

Bisping, who was considered a solid veteran fighter, wasn’t expected to do much with Rockhold. However, Bisping would surprise everyone involved. He picked up a first-round knockout win to claim the title.

There were several factors working against Bisping entering this fight. Rockhold had won their first fight by second-round submission just a few years before. Bisping also barely had vision in one of his eyes. He had suffered a detached retina during a fight with Vitor Belfort three years before.

Bisping’s vision never came back following the fight with Belfort. However, Bisping was able to have enough vision to put down Rockhold and win the title. Bisping would go on to defend the championship against Dan Henderson.

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By Dean McHugh.