Fight\Zen

MMA Hat Theives!

2010-03-16T17:14:00.004-04:00

Dateline 2010- A startling new trend is appearing in the seedy underbelly of MMA spectator dens: Hat Thieves!

Seriously?! MMA video maker master lookoutawhale has documented this rash of greedy opportunism. Check it out!

I hope someone got a sweet bid on eBay for this... considering there is no proof that said hat is actually the hat worn. Ah, weirdos.

They Call Him Nightmare... UFC 107 Predictions

2009-12-10T08:30:00.002-05:00

In the glut of year-end UFC events, 107 may be the most anticipated. Although, every time there is a light weight fight on a card, of any type, it's a must-watch. In this case, it's THE must-watch. Let's shake it out, shall we?

Paul Buentello vs. Stefan Struve
Paul Buentello's signing in the UFC is a mystery to me. Well, I guess not really, since D-Dubbs is snatching up any fighter with any sort of name recognition. What's more of a mystery is why he is on the main card. Stefan Struve is an interesting HW jitz player, and also a GIANT! Buentello's striking is always dangerous, but then again so is the swine flu. Most people won't be affected by either. If Struve can get him to the ground, it should just be a matter of time.
-Struve by sub, Rd. 2

Kenny Florian vs Clay Guida
Second mystery of the day; why is this fight not the co-main event.
I've said before Kenny Florian is the best LW that will never beat BJ Penn. Clay Guida is insane, and one of the most entertaining fighters in any class. This will be Fight of the Night, and will blow your face off. Than being said, Kenny wins this hands down. His skill on the feet and stifling guard combined with his fight IQ and Dellagrotte trained Muay Thai make him too much of a match for The Carpenter's wrestling and frantic pace. IF he can take Kenny down, it's only going to put him in almost as bad a spot as being on his feet.
-Kenny Florini by UD, Rd. 2

Jon Fitch Vs. Mike Peirce
Squash. Fitch mauls Peirce. Peirce goes back to the under card. With that out of the way, what is really next for Fitch?Can he beat GSP? Can anyone? He won't fight his AKA-mates, which comprise a decent chuck of UFC WW fighters. A rematch with Thiago Alves is coming... then?
-Jon Fitch by mauling, Rd. 2

Frank Mir vs. Cheick Kongo
This is actually a pretty decent match up, until we can see if Frank's striking against Big Nog was the real deal. Until then, this is a classic striker vs. grappler. The main tipping point is Mir's ability to plan out his fights and exploit his opponents' weaknesses. I don't know how much longer Kongo sticks around after this loss. With the beasts that are starting to clog up the HW division, his inconsistent game leaves a lot to to be desired. HW gatekeeping isn't the place to be. Ask Heath Herring.
Frank Mir by dismemberment, Rd. 2

BJ Penn vs. Diego Sanchez for the LW Championship
I really don't like Diego Sanchez. He's proven to be versatile and exciting, sure, but that's about all. His talent is his athleticism, which isn't a bad thing, but when he's up against other athletic people with more talent, he doesn't fare as well. BJ Penn is on a tear, and 155 is his kingdom as long as he wants to rule. There isn't a person in this world who can beat him at LW, and Deigo is no different. Look for Diego to come out like gang busters and for BJ to pick him apart with the jab. Once Diego's had enough to getting popped in the mouf', he may try to shoot. Big mistake. Penn is the most exciting BJJ practitioner in all of MMA. It's like a work of art. There is no aspect of this game the Sanchez is better than Penn.
BJ Penn by RNC, Rd. 2

I also want to take a moment to express my disappointment in the omission of Belcher/Gouveia from the main card. These guys can fight, and Belcher in particular is as exciting as a back alley monkey brawl. I realize that both of these guys are coming of losses (although I still think Alan was robbed), but so are Mir and Kongo. Give these guys a chance. Alan has every right to be upset.

Future Headline: "Hendo Convicted of Murdering Shields"

2009-12-07T18:06:00.006-05:00

In a shock to no one, Dan Henderson has signed with Strikeforce. In a shock to me, Jake Shields says he would fight Dan, if asked. I, for one, am looking forward to this fight. It's a chance for Shields to prove what I've always known; he isn't fit to scrub the jocks of the big leagues. Henderson will out wrestle Shields, and when Shields tries to stand and trade, he'll be "Miked".

On the flip side, Hendo vs. Mousasi WILL. BE. AWESOME! Plus, it's the only actual LHW title fight is SF that makes sense. Because there is no one else in the SF LHW division. Hey, it's the effort that counts!

Dana White is acting like it ain't no thang. This isn't like letting Tim Sylvia or Tito Ortiz go. This is like letting Andrei Arlovski go, at least in theory. AA should have been a major coup for EliteXC, but he lost. Henderson isn't an over-the-hill, non-relavant fighter. Yet. This could prove to be a turning point in the "Strikeforce is a far distant second place" game.

TUF 10 Final Impressio...zzzzz

2009-12-03T09:20:00.006-05:00

The Ultimate Fighter: The Heavyweights is over, and it went out with a resounding, "meh". It's time for the FightZen wrap up, so prepared to be winded like Wes Shivers.

First things first: James McSweeney is a royal d-bag of the highest order. You'd think after his snoozefest of a first fight and near pummeling by a guy called "Meathead" in his second fight, he'd be a little less of a cocky dickwad. Thus it was not to be. James McSweeney is not a "great" striker. Big looping punches and sloppy kicks make not a good striker. His over confidence led to five across the eyes and a pounding out. Won't be missed. I guess we were supposed to leave the season thinking Kimbo was a good guy, Zak was dingleberry, and Marcus was a giant teddy bear, but what I'll remember the most is how James is one of the top 5 bully/tools of of the entire TUf run. Congrats, mate!

I started the season expecting Roy Nelson to win the whole thing (still do!), but Brendan Schaub impressed the hell out of me. A seemingly nice guy with decent skills, it was good to see that more than just "entertainment" might come out of the show. One of a small handful of guys from the show who can make a UFC run, I'm looking for great things in the future from Brendan.

Speaking of guys who could make a run, PLEASE get Marcus Jones a real camp. The guy could be for realz! He'll beat Mitrione, but he won't go much further with out some serious stand up. Justin Wren. Darrill Schoonover. Quentin Jackson... wait, who?

Also, UFC, take the time to not treat us like idiots. We all know Quentin and Rashad aren't fighting. Cut the clips of them jawing. No one cares.

Relatively speaking, I give this season a 3 out of 10 "Big Country" belly rubs. Dana is confused or desperate to make it turn around. This wasn't a great season, or even a good one. Kimbo wasn't the next big thing, Wes Simms wasn't as funny as he pretended he would be (or as good), and Roy Nelson didn't impress you, but he won every fight with barely a scratch. He didn't follow D Dubbs's "4 fights in 6 weeks-all out cockfight until you die-otherwise you are a joke" formula, and he will now fight in the UFC (honestly, win or lose). Roy Nelson. Still doing it his way.

UFC 106: Lesnar vs Car... Ortiz vs Cole... Ortiz vs Griffin 2 Predictions

2009-11-21T19:17:00.012-05:00

UFC 106 is working on adding itself to the list most cursed cards in history. Doesn't mean there ain't some interesting fights, with the return of the Huntingdon Beach Bad Boy and Forrest Griffin's first fight since his dismantling at the hands of The Spider to another return for Phil Baroni and the debut of the one of the best LHWs in the world, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

Let's break it down:

Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Griffin
This summer, Forrest Griffin was, for lack of a better word, embarrassed by Anderson Silva. So the real question is, which Forrest is going to show?

This guy?

Gets 'em everytime!

I hope not. Tito shouldn't stand a chance against the same guy who worked the plan against Rampage and Shogun. He's also an incredibly emotional guy, and coming off 2 losses, I'm thinking he'll be super motivated to win. I'd like to see Big Head Magee make another run, but I don't think it will start by beating Forrest Griffin.

-Forrest Griffin via smothering decision Rd.2

Anthony Johnson vs. Josh Koscheck

This might be my favorite fight of the card. A battle of 2 pure athletes can only end explosively. If Koscheck is powerful, though, Rumble is a beast. If Kos tries to stand with him, it may be the last time he's able to stand without a walker.

-Anthony Johnson via decimation Rd. 2

Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah

This might be my least favorite fight of the card. Phil Baroni has never been a "NY Badass" as it relates to his fighting record. Amir Sadollah isn't living up to his potential, yet. If Amir wins, good for him, good for fans. If Phil wins, any step up in competition means he gets destroyed. That being said, if Phil can work his plan in the first round, he should be able to get the KO. Otherwise, he'll more than likely gas and get subbed. Can he work his plan? I don't think so.

-Amir Sadollah via armbar Rd. 2

Luiz Cane vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

What most people don't know, is that Nogueira is one of the best LHWs in the world. I mean, he beat Dan Henderson, for christ's sake. (He also lost to Sokoudjou, but let's call that a hiccup.) He just hasn't been exposed to the audience yet. Here's the chance. Luiz Cane is a tough match up, but expect typical Nogueira toughness.

-Antonio Rogerio Noguiera via quick TKO Rd. 2

Paulo Thiago vs. Jacob Volkmann

Speaking of "flukes" Paulo Thiago once again benefits from card drop outs. The first time, he punch Josh Koscheck's eyeballs out his ears. He then got chewed up by the best UFC welterweight whose initials aren't G, S, and P, Jon Fitch. Now he's fighting a guy whose nick name is... wait for it... "Christmas". In this instance, it's a shame that they are airing the prelims for free on Spike, since it means they won't move those two fights, which could easily be main carders, up. Sooooo I guess I'll go with Paulo. I guess.

-Paulo Thiago via something exciting I'm sure

Speaking of the prelims, I'd really like to see Ben Saunders put on the same insanley dominating fight as he did with Brandon Wolff. I also am excited to see what Rosholt does. I think he may kill Kendall.

BTW, who can afford to go to UFC fights now-a-days!? Let me know how long it takes you to find the cheap ($100!) seats here. I'll even give you a hint. They're the dark blue ones.

"Mayhem" needs to step up... and dance!

2009-11-06T08:21:00.006-05:00

Of all the fights at this weekend's Strikeforce card, I think I'm most excited about the Jason Miller/Jake Shields fight. First off, it's between two fighters who have a relatively-compared to the the last SF 185 title holder-continuous habit of fighting regularly. Second, it'll help legitimize SF by adding a potentially solid title holder to their ranks. Third... well:

If I don't see something like this on Saturday night, I'll assume Mayhem isn't in it to win it. C'mon Mayhem! Seriously though, I'm looking at Mayhem to win this. He's got the tools, and I don't think he's reached his peak yet. Getting some more top level competition is going to go a long way for him. We're also talking a huge professional step up for him, and SF could use a charismatic fighter to bring in the butts. Sorry Fedor... the stare and smirk don't cut it.

Quick picks for this weekend:
Fedor over Rogers via TKO 2nd rd.
Miller over Shields via SD 2nd rd.
Mousasi over Soku via mass destruction 2nd rd.
Werdum over Bigfoot via throat crushing RNC 2nd rd.

I also want to throw out that I'm pumped for Coenen vs. Modaferri. I tweeted my love for Roxy earlier this week, and I'm psyched to get to see Marloes fight live-or on tape delay- instead of on youtube. I'm hoping this is one of those fights that can define the division. Because right now the division is Cyborg and Carano. Throw some tough fights in there (which this is shaping up to be) and people will take notice. I'll take Roxy because... well because she loves video games! Either way, both girls can bang. Can't wait!

Nate "Rock" Quarry Will Eat Your Brains!

2009-10-21T20:32:00.003-04:00

Nate Quarry was on G4 TV's Attack of the Show tonight. Great interview. Nate's a lot more charismatic than I thought, and is definitely a good ambassador. Apparently he was used as a zombie model for some game (that I've already pre-ordered!!) called Left4Dead 2. Nice work Nate!

Video Game - E3 2009 - Attack of the Show

Is Hendo worth it?

2009-10-20T20:09:00.003-04:00

That's the question floating around right now. D Dubbs spoke to RawVegas and doesn't seem to think so.

Watch Dana White Cheers On His Cousin At Tuff N Uff Fights on RawVegas.tv

I tend to disagree, but I guess it depends on the type of money he's looking for. I mean, not doubt Dan's a draw right now. I'd be willing to bet that he's top 15-20 in MMA name recognition. His win over Bisping, even if it was expected, was tremendously high profile. Could they squeeze a little more money out? Probs. Should he be getting a piece of the PPV? Probs not.

Should he be fighting for Strikeforce?
Zod I hope not.

-What do you think? Is Dan Henderson worth keeping?

Hey, UFC! Your title picture is out of focus!

2009-10-05T09:59:00.003-04:00

In light of last week’s Silva/Belfort title fight announcement, I find myself in the unenviable position of being a fan of the fight, but not of the ramifications. Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort should be most fans’ wet dream. Two of the best strikers the game has seen, old vs. new, and the potential of someone with the skills to knock off one of the greatest fighters of all time all make a sound case, at the very least, for an intriguing fight.

So what’s not to like?

The UFC is building their business. It’s bigger than ever, with good reason. But mainstream success doesn’t always mean sustained success. The UFC was built on the backs of names, not fights. Liddell, Couture, Hughes. Ortiz/Shamrock drew a crowd, but it’s not what people came back for.

With this announcement, the UFC is putting itself on the wrong side of this equation. They aren’t building up fighters. Vitor Belfort in NOT a title contender. Not yet. Shogun is NOT a title contender. I don’t care how dominant he was in Pride. Diego Sanchez is NOT a title contender. Giving title fights to people who haven’t fought their way through at least part of a division means the UFC doesn’t care who it’s champions are, as long as they’re exciting. Giving a shot to some one who beat a slumping/past their prime/verge of retirement “name” means the UFC is hoping to cash in on the old names to make the brand bigger than the fighters. In the meantime, say Vitor loses this fight. What’s next? The “Rich Franklin Treatment”? The “Dan Henderson Treatment”?

Don’t believe me? Ask Anderson Silva. Have a non-exciting fight, and D Dubbs is all over you, even though you hold the record for the most octagon wins, you cleaned out a division, and are widely considered one of the best fighters in the world.

Ask Lyoto Machida. Never lost a round? Beaten everyone put in front of you? You get nothing. Dominate an exciting fighter? Even then you only get a title shot when the “preferred” fight doesn’t materialize.

Don’t get me started on this guy.

When you give someone a title shot who hasn’t earned it, the fans don’t care. They love to watch the fights. But they don’t know who these fighters are. Correlation? Name 10 boxers who fought in the 80’s/90’s. Probably pretty easy right? I can do it and I HATE boxing. Name 10 boxers, active today, who have mainstream name recognition. A little harder?

Build up the names. Let people get behind their favorite fighters again. Don’t turn the MMA fan base into crows, squawking at anything shiny. You owe it to us.

What do you think? Totally off base? Let me know… leave a comment!

TUF 10: It’s Worse Than I'd Feared.

2009-09-24T09:55:00.002-04:00

Last night’s TUF fight played out how I sadly imagined the whole season’s worth of fights to happen.

Big dudes with no stamina. It’s like the UFC HW division pre-2006 all over again. Watching Wes Shivers rest with his hands on his hips and knees made me feel like he’d kicked me in the nizzuts. They both rolled over after the fight, like they’d just gone through a Gracie/Sakuraba style all-nighter.

“All I can say is: I got tired and I lost the fight.”

It’s only episode 2, and I’m already disillusioned with the talent this season (more than past seasons). I still have Roy Nelson going all the way. There isn’t a person in the house that can hang with him. It’s almost not fair to have him in there. What we have instead, is a bunch of guys who don’t need to eat healthy or take care of their bodies in any way. If they did, most of them would be “too small” to fight at HW, and then they’d have to *gasp* fight at LHW. Being big ain’t enough. Ask this guy:

In light of Rampage’s recent “retirement” talk, there’s almost no reason to watch the show. What do you have to say for your self, UFC?

Say it ain’t so ‘Page!

2009-09-23T09:55:00.001-04:00

According to his post on Rampage-Jackson.com, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has decided to retire from MMA… for the foreseeable future.

Don’t do it!

First off, you still have to fight Rashad. You REALLY have to fight Rashad. Imagine, for the rest of your life, you’ll have to listen to Rashad talking about how scared you are. Scared! Of Rashad Evans?! Outrageous!

Second… The A-Team!? I’ve heard of cashing in, but did you see the Dukes of Hazzard movie? Me neither! And I don’t plan on seeing the A-Team movie… sorry ‘Page!

Third… have you seen Randy Couture’s movies? ME NEITHER!

We all understand that you’re pissed at Dana White. No one likes him. For realz. But pro athletes never make a good transition to film. At least not a sustainable one. (Except Reggie Jackson in Baseketball.)

Listen. Just watch this… watch and remember…

quinton rampage jackson highlights
by kngbrucelee

UFC 103 Aftermath-What’s next for Vitor?

2009-09-21T10:32:00.001-04:00

4 for 5 in my main card predictions this weekend. Not bad at all if I do say so myself. But what happens next? On a card with very few (if any) title ramifications, was it a complete waste?

Let’s start with MY BOY Vitor Belfort. Total domination over a former champ. Is he ready for Anderson? I don’t think so. He’s got to prove himself a little further against ACTUAL MW contenders. Henderson, Marquardt, Bisping (HAHA! wooo… just kidding). Throwing him in with Anderson has a huge downside in that if he loses, he becomes Rich Franklin. What a waste of some big fight potential. Dana White is already looking to set it up. I’m hoping Anderson surgery will keep him off the shelf long enough to keep Vitor active. Rich Franklin: “He’s got fast hands… so what?” Shazam!

Mirko, Mirko, where have you gone Mr. Cro Cop? In fairness, I don’t think Mirko did that poorly. I also don’t think dos Santos did that well until the final frame. All in all a slow, unexciting bout with a very strange ending. Retirement for Filipovic? I think it may be time. What’s left for him in any org? A few showcase fights? He’s rich and famous, and has almost done it all. Sounds like he agrees… +1 for the most awkward interview of Joe Rogan’s career. “UFC is the boss……………………..whatever they want!”

Kos with another great win. Sorry Twinkletoes. When your opponent is standing over you, holding your head with one hand and pummeling you with the other, you lost. Good effort, not enough. Give Koscheck Matt Hughes. Why not? I’d like to see it.

How about Efrain Escudaro living up to post TUF expectations? Great fight over a great opponent. Cole Miller needs to keep his mofo hands up. Efrain needs another challenge. Whatchyoo got 155?

Post 103 cut predictions: Cro Cop, Emerson, Franca (maybe for the hair alone. zing!)

UFC 103: Vitor Belfort Returns!! (or what ever it’s called)

2009-09-19T15:29:00.003-04:00

Less than 8 hours away from the return of one of my favies fighters of all time… at least to the UFC. And a better opponent he couldn’t have. Let’s take a minute to break it down, at least as it relates to what I think, and as such, what you have to read since it’s my site. Bam!

Rich Franklin vs. Vitor Belfort

This will be a totally biased slant on the this fight. Vitor Belfort is in the middle of a resurgence that is equal parts hunger and experience. Rich Franklin is winding down his storied career (it would seem). Let’s not pretend that Rich doesn’t have the pull to push towards –if not directly at- a title fight at 205. Instead, he’s taking showcase fights. While he’s not as far down the slope as Liddell was, he’s not dominating anyone now-a-days. I’ll eat my hat if Vitor doesn’t put Rich out.

Belfort via piston punches, Rd 2

Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic vs. Junior Dos Santos

I’m still confused as to what Cro Cop is doing back in the UFC. No one was asking for it. And now he’s co-main eventing? I don’t get it. Huge name for Junior, and another huge win. There’s really no reason to think that Cro Cop is back to form. I’m pumped to watch Junior again… this guy is exciting and talented and will most likely kill Cro Cop. Also, since when did we all stop not even listing Cro Cop’s last name? Any who…

Dos Santos by tiger uppercut or pretzel twist. Take your pick, Rd 2

Martin Kampmann vs. Paul Daley

Kampmann’s head and arm choke on Drew McFedries is probably one of my favorite submissions in recent memory. Otherwise, I’m not sure he’s on the same level with Mike Swick. Swick would have owned him… Daley will be a little closer. I can’t get excited about this fight, so I’ll just call Kampmann wins it.

Kampmann by dutch oven, Rd 2

Josh Koscheck vs. Twinkletoes

Kos will fight any one they give him… good for him. He has the chance to beat a legend and will most likely do it. Trigg’s a “charismatic” fighter whose claim to fame was 2 sound drubbing’s at the hands of future HOF’er Matt Hughes. Kos won’t be a champ anytime soon, but he’s a hell of a fighter. If he can stick to his jab, and fall back on his wrestling, he should take a pretty commanding decision.

Koscheck by decision, Rd 2

Tyson Griffin vs. Hermes Franca

I’m calling this SotN (snooze of the night). I’m also calling it for Griffin. He’s all but un-stoppable. Hermes is on the downside (noticing a theme?). Griffin will wrestle Franca to the ground and pin him 1,2,3.

Griffin by wet blanket, Rd. 2

If it weren’t for Vitor’s return, this would be a total pass. Who goes anywhere, win or lose, after this? Belfort has a few fights to go before MW title contention, but a win over Ace would be a pretty big jump though. He win’s and he get Henderson, Maia, or Mardquardt (whoever isn’t already in a title fight). I’m very excited to see where he goes from here. GO VITOR (not WAR Vitor… that is silly).

How right will I be? What do you think? Leave a comment, sucka!

UFN 19/TUF 10 Impressions

2009-09-17T13:55:00.001-04:00

What an GREAT night of fights! I’m usually not very interested in UFNs, since they save the top tier talent for the PPVs, but UFN19 was probably the best UFN of all time!

Quick Impressions:

-I’m not impressed by Melvin Guillard. Period. Yeah he can punch, and yeah he’s athletic… anything else? It would seem not. On the flip side, I don’t get Diaz boxing. I thought, for a minute there, Nate was going to break into a slap/flail/spaz punch windmill. Watching him strike, it makes we wonder how he survived the streets of Stockton. I doubt the BJJ came in handy. But I DO get Diaz jitz… and I love it. He’s got one of the best active guards in the game, and I’d like to see him put together a better stand-up strategy.

-Any one else surprised that Tim Credeur is not only fighting in the UFC, but doing a damn good job? After watching him on TUF, he just seemed like a sad sack with extremely limited skills. His fight with Quarry could have gone either way, and if it weren’t for those bombs, Tim had the fight won. Nate Quarry was a pretty big step up in competition, but he proved that he belongs there.

-I am sad to see Roger Huerta go. He’s calm an poised in the ring, and throws ALL kinds of punches. Here’s hoping his movie career doesn’t pan out. Also, Gray Maynard took a step up in my book. At least, if he continues this way. He showed that he can stand and bang, but didn’t get away from his wrestling. BUT he didn’t lay and pray. He stayed active, and worked his GnP. He’s no match for BJ though…

-I’m still waiting on Carlos Condit. He was the top in the WEC, which was so lacking for talent that Zuffa pulled it. He does have heart, but it will only take him so far. Ellenberger was a beast for, oh say, 4 minutes. Imagine what he can do with proper notice? I hope to see him back soon.

TUF 10

OK, so all of the Kimbo Slice BS aside, I’m cautious about this season. I’m thinking Roy Nelson should take it all, but heavyweights in general don’t interest me. I’ll wait to see what else they got, because right now, I don’t see much.

What do you think? Was UFN 19 the best one yet? Is TUF 10 just setting us up to watch a bunch of chubby manchildren gas out during every fight? Leave a comment!

You've got it all wrong. Gina Carano is the "freak".

2009-08-16T11:58:00.006-04:00

Gina Carano is a freak.

In case you didn't notice, she's hot. Not "hot for a fighter". Hot. Unquestionably. She's also strong as hell, talented, charismatic, etc... This list goes on. She will beat 99% of the women fighters out there, and will do it in convincing fashion.

But let's get serious for a second. MMA, women's or otherwise, is a legit sport. As in any sport, you need to be in the best shape you can be (combined with tons more) to win. To win fights, you're body needs to be hard, at least for any sustainable amount of time. Cris "Cyborg" Santos is hard. She trains her body, and it shows. And she manhandled Gina Carano last night. Did Gina put up a valiant effort? Of course... but she was out muscled above all else.

Over the last few months we've had to listen to the jokes about Cyborg's "manliness", "steroid use", and "freakishness". It's ridiculous. The woman is an athlete. And a hell of an athlete at that. In order for Women's MMA to continue to evolve, we need women like Cyborg to step up so that the public can see that it's not a beauty contest and not a popularity contest, but an athletic endeavor worthy of their time.

As time goes by, we'll all look back and realize that Gina Carano was an anomaly, because as the sport evolves, so will the shape and condition the athletes are in. If you don't believe me, ask the Williams sisters. "Conviction" is a great fighter, and I'm not taking anything away from her training, skills, cardio etc... Her beauty combined with her talent make her, truly, a freak.

As a fan, I'm excited to see what comes next.

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Strikeforce: Carano vs Cyborg Predictions

2009-08-14T09:09:00.003-04:00

This card has fallen apart almost as fast as my respect for the Facebook friends who support the signing of Michael Vick. Injuries, new signings, and well... pot, have changed the scope of this card on almost every level. Let's hit the main card up like your mom on a prom date.

Gina Carano vs Cris Santos

I still don't understand people who don't think is is an awesome fight and dont' see the ramification this will have on the MMA world. The women are getting a main event with a title on the line. On a major card. On national TV. And it's going to be epic! This is a superfight. Both these ladies are tough a nails and put people out. And it's really hard to call. Epic striking almost ensures this doesn't go all five rounds. Gina (we're on a first name basis, you know) is on top of the game now for a reason. If she shows up on target, she'll be able to out work Cyborg on the feet. If it goes to the ground there is a marked advantage for Cyborg. Gina will have to control the pace early and stay away from the take down. If that happens? Win.

Gina Carano by TKO, Rd 2

Renato "Babalu" Sobral vs Gegard Mousasi

I'm not going to re-hash this one since I've already gone over what I think. Suffice it to say, great match up with Mousasi drop kicking all up in Babalu's skull.

Mousasi by KO boot to the dome, Rd 2

Gilbert Melendez vs Mitsuhiro Ishida

Grappler vs Wrestler. I'm thinking snoozfest if this goes to the ground... call it a hunch. But if it stays up, Melendez is gonna' lay suckas out.

Melendez by TKO by machine gun punches. Rd 2

Jay Heiron vs Jessie Taylor

HAHAHAHA! You've got to be kidding me. Jesse Taylor is a doofus. Sure he's won some fights. Against who? Guys behind TJ Maxx? Heiron's on the verge of being top rung and he'll prove it by dismantling JTdummy... this doesn't get out of round one.
Heiron by murder, Rd 2

Mike Kyle vs Fabricio Werdum
I still don't get why Werdum was canned after his devastating loss to Junior Dos Santos. He's an elite fighter who's gone against elite competition... including a win over the current SF HW champ, Overreem. Mike Kyle is a talent no doubt. Werdum has him beat in ever aspect. I'm hoping to see some jits here, since there isn't a lot on the rest of the main card.
Werdum by strangulation, Rd 2

Other Thoughts:
-Really upset how the Nick Diaz drama is playing out. I love watching him fight, and would hate to see his career take a Josh Barnett arc.

-How long do we have to wait for SF to put up Overeem's title? I really want SF to succeed... there needs to be competition in the market. But until they can support their title picture with constant fights, it'll never be legit.

-Yes, Gina Carano is hot... she is also an exciting fighter. Really would like to see her win. She is STRONG. Don't let the looks fool you. She will knock you out. Can she out power Cyborg? Maybe... Plus, she trains with This Guy:

I Told You So! Part 1

2009-08-10T09:38:00.004-04:00

Ok. So far August is turning out to be an awesome month for MMA. Didn't I tell you? With just 2 events down, we've seen return to forms, upsets, and new champs. Quick reactions to the weekend:

-I didn't get to post my predictions for WEC 42, but I'm pretty sure no one in their right mind was expecting the Bowles upset... certainly not in such convincing fashion. Some are comparing it to Brown-Faber 1, but at least SOME people gave Brown a chance. Congratulations to Brian Bowles, and I can't wait for a quick rematch.

-Anderson Silva may have killed Forrest Griffin. I predicted upset, then I saw the fight and said "WTF was I thinking?!" It would seem that the reason Silva was so boring in his last 2 fights would be because his opposition was so boring. He stepped up and mutilated Griffin. Destroyed. I'll never doubt him again... until he fights Machida, someday.

-BJ Penn is still the man. In my predictilations I said that Kenny is the Rich Franklin of 155. It seems to be the case. BJ won in convincing fashion. Who's next at 155? What's next for Kenny? 145?

Up next: Strikeforce Carano vs Cyborg. So far, exciting month in MMA. Told you so!

UFC 101: Declaration Predict-larations

2009-08-03T20:49:00.003-04:00

A few short days away from the UFC's first foray into my home town... and I'll be in another state. Such is life, but I implore everyone to get to the show. Make them come back at a time that is convenient for me!

So here you go, my totally biased, completely un-scientific predictions for the main card... love 'em or hate 'em... or shut it, sucka!

BJ Penn (0-1 vs Crisco) vs Kenny Florian (0-1 vs beards)
I want Kenny to win this. He's an exciting fighter, awesome in every way, and quite frankly, a testament to his profession. He is also the Rich Franklin of his weight class. He is the best LW, who can't beat the champ. The psuedo-question of the BJ's condition out, there is nothing Kenny does better then BJ. I don't see this ending any other way than stoppage. No question.
BJ Penn by upside down monkey choke - Rd 2

Anderson Silva (1-0 vs insomnia lately) vs Forrest Griffin (0-1 vs elephantitus of the ears)
When I heard about this fight, I nearly blew my shit. This is the fight Anderson needs, and is a fantastic way for Forrest to prove that he is THE underdog thrilla. If Silva brings his game, Forrest most likely won't stand a chance. He'll probs put Forrest through the ringer, and make him run with magic legs (bam). But he hasn't been there, and is looking a bit cocky. This is the perfect chance for Forrest to step in and show what he's made of. I'm calling upset.
Forrest Griffin by decision - Rd 2

Amir Sadollah (o-1000 vs injury) vs Johnny Hendricks (1-0 vs people who share my awesome first name)
Amir is a future star methinks. Johny Hendricks is going to be a journeyman in about ten fights or so. So where does that leave us? I'd like to see Amir drop some kicking science all over Hendricks. No cheap, easy arm bars. Keep it on the feet, Amir. Smack that sucka around. Thai clinch, knees, end.
Amir Sadollah by Tiger knee - Rd 2

Kendall Grove (1-0 vs hunger pangs) vs Ricardo Almeida (1-0 when tagging with Renzo's foot
Another great clinch game, and Kendall's length makes it that must more interesting. He also has a half decent ground game. Ricardo's got the ground advantage, clearly, but if Grove can keep it on his feet it should end in a butt whoopin'. I smell grove picking Ricardo apart from afar all night and dropping him when Ricardo gets sloppy and shoots. Then blammo...
Kendall Grove by head boot - Rd 2

Josh Neer (0-1 vs charm school) vs Kurt Pellegrino (1-0 vs awesome nicknames)
To steal from a million people, this has FotN all over it. But Neer is strong and tough, and will bash your brains in if given the chance. Plain and simple, Holy Lights Out Batman!
Josh Neer by route canal... with fists - Rd 2

Fedor Goes No Where (or Dana White may be Right!)

2009-08-03T19:42:00.002-04:00

You may or may not have heard this, but if you hadn't I'm calling "exclusive". Fedor Emelianenko has signed with Strikeforce! You read it here first! Right?

We can only hope that they didn't give ALL of their money to Fedor. Strikeforce has proven to be a pretty compelling show, even more so than when Affliction was around (when was that anyway?). If they pull an Attencio or a Shaw and sink all of their money into "The Last Emperor", they may go the way of the dodo($kala). Fortunately, SF already has a bunch of stars, great fighters, and compelling match-ups under their belt.

That being said, pull up a chair, relax, and allow me to spin a little yarn for you about a great Emperor that ruled over no one. Here's a list of HWs currently fighting in SF via their website:

Alistair Overeem: A 29-11-1 record sounds better of paper than it does in reality. He's lost to Shogun (twice), Werdum, and Nogueira, and beat a string of guys I mostly don't recognize (including Filipovic "twins", which I totally don't recognize). Does this mean he's a bad fighter? No. He suffers from the same dearth of competition that Fedor does. Fedor will kill him. I don't mean that metaphorically. He also beat Vitor Belfort twice, which puts him on my hate list. F' him.

Brett Rogers: "The Grim" beat the snot out of a slumping Andrei Arlovski. That's got to count for something, right? Sure it does. But he doesn't have the experience to take Fedor now (maybe not ever). Fedor also has the jaw of a real pit bull... one punch won't be enough, and what else has he got? Moxie?

Fabricio Werdum: A super-dee-duper Jits guy who's got some big fights to his name, then got his head punched off by Junior dos Santos. This is actually my favorite fight for Fedor. Why not? To paraphrase... some one's got to beat Fedor, why not Fabricio Werdum?

Bob Sapp: That's right, Bob Sapp.

Paul Buentello: Nah.

Phil Baroni's Ego: There's actually a good chance that the NYBA'a ego could overcome Fedor in a fight. It's def a heavyweight. But it would have to escape from the body of average fighter, and that would be it's down fall.

I could go on (not really, there's just not that many) but I'm not going to bother. Dana White might be right. Fedor will never be the best until he beats Ric Flair. He isn't doing that in Strikeforce. For years, the HW division in the UFC was a joke. I mean this guy was champ! The story goes that Randy Couture called D Dubbs and begged to come out of retirement because the HWs were lazy! But the new HWs are stacked, jacked and ready for crack! Fedor's missing out... on a handful of beatins'.

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Post UFC Press Conference Reaction

2009-07-31T15:05:00.003-04:00

All in all not a bad presser, at least from a fans POV. So let's get all 90's R&B and break it down...

Vitor is back!

All wierdness re: my Single White (Fe)male-ness aside, It's great to have a dynamic fighter like Vitor Belfort back where you may actually get to see him fight! You can't even find this guy on Unleashed! And Franklin vs. Belfort can only be a fantastic match. Right up both fighters' alley. Rich doesn't have to drop to 185 and he gets to fight a guy who is IMMEDIATELY in title contention. I'd like to have seen Vitor get a little bit of a warm up, but it's not like he hasn't been here before. This, to me, is the best news of the call. I'm looking for the Phenom to make an immediate impact in the UFC... I mean if Shogun can get a title shot, why can't he?

Tito is back!?
Looks to me like Tito was just on a break, and as I suspected there was no real way he wasn't coming back to the UFC. I'm hoping he's as rested and healed as he says he is. I'd like to see him be dominant again, but when you consider the opposition, i.e. Rampage, Rashad, Forrest, Machida, Franklin, hell, even Liddell again! and I don't see him in title contention. That being said it will be good to have him back, and good to not have him behind a broadcast booth. Gook luck Mr. Jameson.

The Fedor deal is dumb
There is no reason on this earth that UFC would co-promote with anyone. Ever. If that is the sticking point, then M-1 and Fedor can take this borscht and shove it. D Dubbs has nothing to gain from making that sort of deal. You show me a co-promotion deal and I'll show you one of two things: 1)A failure or 2)a going no where promotion. Also, I'll probably show you my rump.

Hendo gets the Spider!
This is GREAT news! Hendo is the only guy so far to really give Anderson Silva some trouble... in a long time. He's earned another shot. Glad to see he's getting it. Not sure why Vitor moved up, but since he's been so rad at 185, hopefully he'll move back down after the Ace fight.

Network deal etc...
I guess there is one in the works... meh. I'm happy with Spike and Vs. the best part about MMA is that you can watch it all year 'round. Hopefully this won't ever saturate. Also, ESPN+UFC+UK=meh for me. Good for them though.

Hopefully we can stop talking about Fedor now. He has proven that he doesn't want to fight in the UFC and it's really all about the money to him and his promoters. UFC already has the most recognizable heavyweight, maybe even mainstream fighter, in the world... Best of luck fading back into relative obscurity. Hopefully he'll get his head on straight and sign the deal. I'd like to see it, but I won't be broken-hearted not to.

What Needs to come out of Today's UFC Conference Call.

2009-07-31T08:47:00.003-04:00

This list is, of course, all my opinion. Which is all that counts...

1. Vitor Belfort signs a deal to take him to retirement.
I <3 him! Leave me alone!

2. Ace is fighting neither Hendo nor Tito.
There's been a lot of speculation that Tito may return to the UFC and that he may fight Rich Franklin in place of Dan Henderson (which is already a dumb match up). Please let Ace make a run at the LHW title. Please. While the Hendo fight MAY put him on the right path, Dan wants Silva. Give Rich a solid 205er like Thiago Silva or the Dean of Mean, Keith Jardine. Tito, at this point, means nothing until he also can string some fights together. No, that is, other than a payday.

3. The UFC will now broadcast on the moon.
This one's a little out there, but since we won't be hearing about the Fedor signing, I figure shoot for the stars. Literally.

4. Anderson Silva is relinquishing his belt and moving up.

and/or

5. Anderson Silva has agreed to fight GSP.
They really can't give him anyone else. All the other up and comers are great fighters, but not even in his league. I can't think of a 185er that would give him a solid challenge, except Hendo again. The GSP fight is coming... no doubt. Drop the belt, hold a 1 night tourney, old school style, and let Silva fight who ever the hell he wants. The UFC has proven over and over again that the big money is more important than the title picture anyway, and the Spider is ripe for some big time fights (assuming he can get past Forrest).

6. Dana and Tito are doing a Bosom Buddies remake.
I can only dream...

What else?

Affliction: Trilogy predictions that will never be.

2009-07-29T09:12:00.003-04:00

Last week I wrote that August was going to be the greatest month in MMA history. As is always the case with such grandiose statements (at least those made by me), shiz happens. But ain't nothing gonna' break my stride! Nobody gonna' slow me down! Oh no! I got to keep on moving!

So here are my imaginary predictions for the psuedo-imaginary main card fights (we'll still see some of them) that would have taken place at the now historic (also, now imaginary) Affliction: Trilogy event that should have been...

Main Card:

Fedor doing calistenics.

Fedor Emlienenko (100000-1) vs. Josh Barnett (o-3 vs pee tests):
The fight that ended it all. The battle of the flabby midsections... nonetheless this should have been a great fight. But then, so should Fedor vs. Arlovski have been. There's no reason to believe that the Thrilla from Rubizhne wouldn't have steam rolled Barnett. Cycle or not, The Baby Faced Assasin only seems to be on top when either a) he is using the 'roids or b) isn't being tested for using the 'roids (see part a.). But who knows? Maybe Fedor might have had a bad day? Maybe all those ice creams would have caught up with him? Maybe... ah who am I kidding.
-Fedor by submission due to strikes, Rd 2

Renato "Babalu" Sobral (1-0 vs David Heath's swallow reflex) vs. Gegard Mousasi (undefeated when fighting in the US):
Babalu will forever be remembered for 2 things; the afore-alluded to mugging of David Heath and being Chuck Lidell's title run fodder. Truth is, he's a talented fighter and has been doing his best to remind people of that lately. Gegard's an up and comer with a solid record against people not on Cat Ballou's level. I was (and will be) looking for "The Dreamcatcher" to take the next step in competition by putting Sobral down like a clown. With a frown.
-Mousasi by KO due to headkick, Rd 2

Vitor Belfort (1-0 vs my heart) vs. Jorge Santiago (1-0 vs a guy named LaVerne)
Soooooo... I'll admit to having a bit of a man-crush on Mr. Belfort. He was one of my favorite fighters in the early days, so it warms my heart to see him look as dominating as ever. He's mostly lost to "names" though, which means he needs to step it up. A devastating KO against an exciting journeyman like Santiago should've put him right on the cusp of where he needs to be for a title somewhere. I'd would have expected an exciting battle, but I also heart Vitor Belfort.
-Belfort by knuckle sammiches, Rd 2

Gilbert Yvel (undefeated vs. refs) vs. Paul Buentello (1-0 vs Tank Abbot... in 2007)
Two guys with a poop-ton of striking stoppages between them... could have been a fight filled with "fistic" (please look up that word and tell me it's not real) fireworks. More likely they would have worn each other out. Not really sure why this fight is on the main card, while Rothwell, Heiron, Horodecki, and Lauzon aren't. Maybe too much salary here? Maybe another reason why Affliction ran out of money? Who knows... anywho. Punches. Punches. Punches. You get the idea.
-Yvel by decision, Rd 2

Takanori Gomi (0-0 vs. stoners) vs. Rafaello Oliveria (0-1 vs Wikipedia)
Look, I'll be the first to admit that I know close to nothing about the Japanese MMA scene. But I do know Gomi. So suck it!
-Gomi by fireball, kid!, Rd 2

PS. Thank you for sending Ben Rothwell to the UFC. He's probably the best heavyweight that no one seems to care about. This is where he belongs. Do I think he can beat Brock? Not yet... but I do think he makes for some compelling match-ups, especially for the UFC's "new HW guard".

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Josh Barnett is an idiot, but...

2009-07-27T08:20:00.003-04:00

So it's pretty clear that Josh Barnett made a huge, idiotic, career altering mistake. Twice. IMO, there's no clearer sign that you no longer belong in the "big leagues" than if your success seems directly tied to your use of banned substances, as it does in this case.

But...

Let's not pretend for a minute that the Babyface is to blame for Affliction's woes. They, to simplify, suffered from the same problem EliteXC did: They put all of their chickens in one basket. One pudgy, yet incredibly talented, Russian basket. Who knows how much undisclosed money they funneled to Fedor, not to mention all of the "high profile" fighters that fought Fedor and never fought for Affliction again. Simply, as you all know, they spent more than they had. They took a gamble and it didn't pan out... all signs pointed to them not making it much further than 3 anyway.

Affliction goes back to sponsoring the UFC, Barnett goes back to Japan... all is right with Dana White. Fedor goes back to relative main stream obscurity? Let's hope not. Let's also hope that Strikeforce doesn't decide to counter program the UFC with a multi-million dollar Fedor fight. At least not yet...

PS: Here's a great knock-out highlights vid, courtesy of Sportsviews.com. There's a dis-proportionate amount of vintage Wandy, but when has that ever been a bad thing?

August will be the greatest an interesting month in MMA history.

2009-07-22T14:47:00.000-04:00

Ok. So I was all set to christen this new site with an in-depth, well thought out and provocative post on how August is going to be the greatest month in MMA history. With no less than 5(!) events from major organizations happening in the next 30+ days, numerous title matches, intriguing mid-card fights, and future title match implications, August should have been spec-freaking-tacular.

But wait! Clasp your Clydesdales! What's this? Josh Barnett is going to, once again, attempt to ruin his MMA (in the U.S. any way, since Japan clearly doesn't care) career, as well as severely damage Affliction's future prospects? Alistair Overeem STILL can't defend his Strikeforce title? ~~Kimo has died?~~

So will August still be the greatest month in MMA history? I argue,"Yes, you fool!"

Here, in no particular order (because there is no person alive that would describe my brain as "in order") is why I'm one pizzumped chump for August:

Gina Carano vs. Cyborg for a women's title. The ramifications for this are amazing. This isn't like the WNBA. These women are headlining a fight card filled with dudes! Headlining! And this will be no cat fight... these ladies are as tough as they come, in case you live on Mars and haven't seen them brutalizing anyone lately. A five round title fight. I can't wait.

Anderson Silva gets some competition! So what if Forrest Griffin was only the champ for one day (or something like that), he's still pretty bad arse. And while I'm not sure he will pull it off, it will at least be interesting. I think... hope. Silva is steadily staking a claim as the pound for pound most boring fighter. Forrest is always at the top of the opposite list. Even when he's flopping around on the ground.

Vitor Belfort fights... Fedor?! Sweet mother of Zod! This isn't a good idea on any level. But The Phenom is one of my favies of all time, and any chance to get to see him test his mettle against the best in the world is ok with me. If he wins... does he get the belt?

Other highlights:
Miguel Torres vs. Brian Bowles
BJ vs. Kenny... this has gotten awesome written all over it, depending on which BJ shows up. BTW, pool jumping is cool.
A couple of old guys duke it out(I keed!) on the same card that I get to watch Damain Maia roll some slick Jitz all over Nate Marquardt.
Bob-a-loo vs Guh-gard
Diaz vs. Riggs II
Sanctioned MMA in Philly! Super-stardom awaits whoever utilizes the Kensington Curb Kick!

And on and on and on...

What the funk? This is going to be an expensive (and worth every dollar) month for fight fans...

What else am I missing?