Props: MMAWeekly.com
Quoteworthy:
“He’s a really, really nice guy, great fighter, tons of heart. He kind of mentioned that he would like to come down to New Mexico and try it out. Hopefully it will help everybody and everybody will win.”
Mixed martial arts super trainer, Greg Jackson, reveals that Roger Huerta will train with his camp in Albuquerque, N.M., prior to his lightweight showdown with Kenny Florian at UFC 87 in August. The 155-bout is widely considered the number one title contender eliminator match, making it perhaps the most important fight for “El Matador” in his career to date. Huerta has not competed since December 2007 and will likely thrive training alongside UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre, as well as Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt and other top fighters.
48 Comments »
I think yhis move might be really good fore the matador.
Does it really matter though? At the end of the day, BJ will destroy him. Behind closed doors, all the LW’s are secretly praying BJ does move up. But he wants to hold multiple titles, so even if he moves up, he’ll definitely move back down!
I couldnt agree more! I really dont see a viable challenger in the 155 division…sherk might test him for a few moments but as soon as he makes his first mistake you can kiss his ass good bye. If BJ is in great shape, I think he would take out GSP. His stand up is solid enough to bother GSP and if GSP tries to use his great wrestling, it just plays right into BJ’s biggest strength…his BJJ.
It didn’t really work so well last time. I think GSP has improved more since their last fight and although it would be a difficult fight I think GSP comes out the winner.
correct Shadyone. BJ’s strength is his BJJ, but more his top game BJJ. He’s a finisher when he gets top position, for sure. From his guard, he’s always dangerous, but he hasn’t submitted anyone from his guard in the UFC.
As for the topic of the blog, this is a great move for Huerta. Great trainer, great training partners to improve his game, and a great S&C coach.
I still think GSP beats BJ 6/10 times. BJ is slightly more skilled than GSP, but GSP’s size, speed, cardio, and strength give him the edge IMO. An in-shape BJ will probably be around 160 pounds, which is too small to fight a guy like GSP. So BJ would really have a dilemma.
Im am a huge BJ Penn fan, but what are u guys suggesting? The UFC to eliminate the Lightweight division? I agree that nobody can beat BJ Penn right now, but life goes on….people still have to train, compete and grow, in order to one day have a shot. You guys sound like since no one can beat BJ…..nobody should waste their time trying to improve.
I do not agree, training with great fighters will make you awsome, maybe not great, but I think training with GSP, and (who I think is the most UNDER-RATED) Evens, he WILL hang with BJ.He may win or loose, but these training partners will make him better.
What’s the matter, maybe I am right!
Kick his ass Roger!
huerta is a beast !!!!! i think as everybody already knows he is going to be a force to be recconed with in the LW division !!!!!! i hope that this camp will get him ready to fight Ken FLO!!! he is a high caliber fighter with alot of good traits !!!! ken flo will bring it lets just hope huerta can get through all of his FINISHES !!!! and sneak in a few of his own ! this fight is going to be great with alot of action!
This is a great idea for Huerta. It has to be better then the Miletich camp, thats for sure. Hopefully Jackson can refine his technique a little bit, making him less sloppy, and leaving him open for so many different things. I think Jackson will teach him how to use his striking effectively, while not opening up gapeing whole for his opponents to take advantage of, because his normal style wont hold up against the technically osund Florian.
Yeah John, Kenflo greatest strength is the fact that he is so technically sound. He just executes everything close to perfect. We all know Huerta is tough and has heart, but I don’t think that will be enough. Winner Kenflo by TKO.
Oh no..that makes him the GSP for the lightwieghts. No..too smart a move for Huerta.
Exactly what I was thinking…Huerta training with GSP, that is a scary thought. The dude will be hard to beat after this training camp, sorry Kenny your elbows won’t get you out of this fight!
This would make Penn vs. Huerta a great fight to look forward to!!
Bull’s eyes! I love this move. Hope it works out for him and stay there for awhile. There is not a thing not to like about Huerta. I think he will me a much better, smarter fighter.
Jackson seems to have a solid camp. IMO, good move.
Please God, let Roger kick the ship out of Kenflo!!
Anyone training in Jackson camp can only get better. Great move for Roger. Florian/Huerta will be a fantastic fight.
Please God, let Kenflo kick the ship out of Roger!!
No matter who he trains with, he is not ready for Kenny. It is only another easy fight for him . I like Roger , but this is not the moment to face a guy like Kenny.
YSA i agree with you in the sence that KEN FLO is in another ball leuge, however roger is no slouch when it comes to fighting! he has had some really hard fights! he fights with the switch on WIDE OPEN ! i think jackson will give him all of the tools needed to match up with ken flo!i think if he can just keep his 110% drive and determination on kenny he can win the fight! however if he makes a mistake he WILL get caught! kenny can go off of the slightest mistake that someone makes and turn it into a win! i think roger will have the tools to get it done! it will not be an easy win for kenny !!!!!
he will only get better under jackson. this has all the makings for a classic. to bad its only for 3 rnds instead of 5. a 5rnder would be awesome between these two.
Roger is going to whoop some ass.
he’s as crafty as they come and can
over power kenny no prob.
Ken-flo is on a hell of roll at the moment, the guy is a beast! Even though Huerta has some incredible skills and is probably the more physically strong fighter; I cant see this ending any other way than a TKO for Ken-Flo. Standing up/on the ground – give an advantage to the Boston boy both times. His mental toughness sets him apart too! In the end I think he’ll end up a bit like Franklin though…can’t beat the champ (Penn or Sherk in this case) but smashes everybody else.
part of me thinks he’s not ready for kenny, but then i hear he’s been training with st. pierre and doing strength and conditioning with st. pierre’s coach, and now this, and i’m starting to think it could be a really good fight. it’s a smart move all around and i think he’s only going to improve greatly by being around st. pierre and all of those guys, plus having jackson in his corner will be huge.
Training with GSP can only mean good things for Huerta. I’m a fan, I hope he can keep his momentum going.
I think this was a great move for roger it will make him an all arounf better fighter look what it did for GSP.ni bet his wrestling gets better he could use some work on that and then he would be great standing and on the ground
he is an awesome fighter and one of my absolut favourite fighters to watch, but he’s style of fighting doesnt match up well with florian.
If he doesnt ko florian standing during the first 1-2 minutes of the fight, he WILL make a mistake and he will either get caught or taken down and elbowed.
And from there on you’ve all seen how it goes. The ref will stop the fight or he will turn his back and get choked out.
i cant see this going any other way…
I saw KenFlo vs Lauzon fight, does KenFlo always incessantly elbow his opponents like that when they’re in their guard? That annoyed the hell out of me!
I hope el Matador kicks his ass! Finally a mexican fighter we can follow
De La Hoya has disappointed me…
“He’s a smoothy! Definitely a smoothy!”
This fight should be a great stand up war! I don’t think Florian will try and take him dow nor be able to for that matter. Traing with st. pierre can only make one’s takedown defense and takedowns better.
Huerta is a great scrambler but his only chance in this 1 is to use his size advantage and learn how to hold people down like Sherk, GSP, or Fitch. Greg Jackson’s best gift to Huerta would be to teach him how to wrestle and control people like GSP. Florian had absolutely nothing for Sherk. But if Huerta ends up on his back, Florian will mount him and either pound him out or RNC just like everybody else. I really can’t wait until somebody pounds out Florian. That day can’t come soon enough.
Penn vs. Florian OR
Penn vs. Huerta…will still be more exciting than Penn vs. Sherk.
MMA fans win either way!
I finish fights !!HAHAHA
Im looking for Kenny to beat this pretty boy up.
That’s very cool to have Roger in Jackson Camp, great start up to prepare and train on the way to fight Ken Flo. Greg Jackson is one of the best mma camps out there.
training with greg jackson can only improve el matador, great prep for the fight with ken flo!!!!
Huerta is going to get his ass whooped by Florian… not saying that ’cause I’m a Florian fan either. There is an obvious difference between the top 3 fighters in the division, Sherk, Florian, Penn and the rest of the pack.
I would like to see Joe Stevenson face Florian next, that would be a gud fight.
Bj Penn, then the rest of the pack.
Training with guys like GSP and Rashad should improve Huerta’s wrestling. He clearly got out-wrestled by Guida.
I do not agree, training with great fighters will make you awsome, maybe not great, but I think training with GSP, and (who I think is the most UNDER-RATED) Evens, he WILL hang with BJ.He may win or loose, but these training partners will make him better
what are u guys talkin about bj penn being so good? sherk is going to destroy him just like he does everyone else. As long as sherk gets past the second round bj peen is done. Sherk’s cardio is amazing theres no way bj will be able to keep up with him for more than one or two rounds. And i dont see bj submitted sherk. he’s too smart and strong hell probably just muscle out of any submission attempt. bj’s only hoipe is somehow out wrestle sean sherk and mount him and pound him out. but i dont see that happening. so stop acting like bj already won the fight against sherk its gonna be alot tougher than yall think.
as for the knflo and huerta fight that should be a great fight. huerta’s definatley got some size on kenny but kenny is a smarter fighter. huerta tends just swing crazialy some times. It should be a great fight i have no idea who wins i cant wait for taht fight
peace
This will bring good things for Roger. Working with GSP is going to do miracles for his take down defence because it won’t exist with George in the begining. He will have to earn it with St.Pierre’s uncanny wrestling ability, and he would be smaller then GSP. That considered I also think Greg J will give Roger all the tools to not get submitted. Watching elbows is a a different story.
This all boils down to the fact that I don’t think Kenny will be able to get a take down, and if he did manage Huerta could still get back up. On the feet, and now training in Alb, NM… Huerta WAR Too Split Decision.
Kenny Florian will win this fight.
Training with GSP and Evans for 3 months isn’t going to improve Huerta’s wrestling ability beyond a guy like Sean Sherk. If Florian can go 5 rounds with a roided Sherk, he will be able handle Huerta’s wrestling.
Also, Florian’s Muay Thai is on a different level than Huerta’s. If Florian cuts him with an elbow, I question Huerta’s heart when his blood starts spewing.
And lastly, Roger’s time off is going cost him this fight. Since his loss to Sherk, Kenny Florian is on a 4 fight win streak and has finished all of his fights. If it weren’t for a well timed knee, Huerta would have gotten his first ‘L’ from Guida.
Momentum is on Florian’s side. Octagon rust and possible self doubt from his so-so performance against Guiada is on Huerta’s.
I don’t no y ppl are hateing on ken flo? He’s always puts on a show. Very fast pace, and i is always trying to fin the fight! What more do you want from a fighter?
i think it will be between this and forrest/rampage for fight of the year, you guys think rogers wrestling has holes because guida took him down so many times, but roger even said that before the fight he was already burnt out, he went into the guida fight just trying to knock the shit out of him and got taken down a lot because of it, no one else has taken him down, but a well rested huerta’s game doesn’t have any holes, and there is no way he quits before kenny, i respect kenny and think he can probably take most of the other 155ers but he wont be able to “finish” roger, no body can he has too much heart and i might even give kenny the 1st or 2nd round,but in the third when the fight is on the line nobody attacks like huerta, he’s the best final round fighter i’ve ever seen, especially when he’s behind on the card.
B.J unbeatable????? we will see soon enough. The guy is a proud, cocky SOB and we all know that pride comes before a fall. BJ could get knocked out by Sherk, Huerta and even Florian. Let’s not forget that this is MMA and no one can stay on top that long. As far as Bj vs Gsp I believe George would man handle him like couture did silvia or worse.
Roger Huerta WILL win…. that is all she wrote! Get used to the idea that this guy will KICK Kens BE HIND!