Top 5 (possible) DREAM FIGHTS

With the UFC and Pride FC now brought under one umbrella, everyone has been speculating about the dream match ups that now have the potential to develop. I have made my dream list and we'll see what will happen.

Chuck Liddell 20-3 vs Shogun Rua 16-2
Both these men have been nothing short of dominant in the last few years. Shogun stomped his way through 2005 winning the Middleweight Grand Prix, and then continued with 4 more wins after his freak injury loss to Mark Coleman. Only going to a decision twice in his 18 fights, Shogun is awash in amazing striking and a non-stop action pace. He has notable wins over Ricardo Arona, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, and Quinton Jackson.
Chuck Liddell has not gone to a decision since 2002, and has KO'd or TKO'd his last 7 opponents, 5 while defending his Light Heavyweight title. Chuck's stock has risen to the most popular MMA fighter today, and his exciting KO reel cannot be denied. Chuck has notable wins over Randy Couture (twice), Tito Ortiz (twice), and Babalu Sobral (twice).
This fight would be the stand up war everyone was hoping to see with Wanderlei Silva before his 2 consecutive KO losses. Shogun is 10 years younger than Chuck, but age has not slowed the top Light Heavyweight in the world. There is no doubt in my mind this fight would deliver the action and draw everyone wants in a super-fight!

Wanderlei Silva 31-7-1 vs Vitor Belfort 15-8 Rematch
After his last two debilitating losses, Wand needs something big to pump up his career once again. Belfort is trying to resurrect a once promising career, that many thought would lead him to be the best in the world at 205lbs. Vitor already beat Wand in 1998 in only 44 seconds! After that fight, their careers would take different paths with Silva climbing to the top of Pride FC and winning and holding the Middleweight title for 5 years, while Vitor went on to lose his big opportunity fights against Liddell, Couture, Ortiz, and Alistair Overeem twice, in pathetic fights.
The 1st fight has been on highlight reels for years, and the 2nd could be the same. Vitor could use a win over Wand to put himself at a higher level for his comeback, and Silva could avenge his embarrassing loss, with a win over the very famous Belfort. Belfort publicly said Silva has a weak chin and is overrated after Wand's last loss to Dan Henderson. They've barked at each other in the Brazilian press for years, and this grudge match would definitely draw the fans in again.

Mirko Cro Cop 22-5-2 vs Tim Sylvia 20-3
Two of the top striking Heavyweights in the game, both coming off losses. Though unpopular, Tim has amassed a very good record and is a 2-time UFC Heavyweight champ. Cro Cop's legend proceeds him, and he is still a dangerous fighter who has shown the ability to come back stronger after a loss. Sylvia's detractors have labeled him "boring" in the past, but a bout with Cro Cop shouldn't be lackluster with Mirko refusing to allow Tim to bully him and force the action. Its the perfect time for these men to hook it up and let the gloves fly. Winner gets back in the Heavyweight title hunt.

Matt Hughes 41-5 vs Matt Lindland 20-5
I know Hughes next fight is already signed with Matt Serra, and Lindland is signed with Bodog, but its my dream fight. Back in 2005, Lindland was on a roll and claimed the UFC was having trouble finding men who wanted to fight him. After stating that (I believe at UFC 52), Hughes stepped in the Octagon and stated he would come up in weight to 185 and gladly fight Matt (he has since made more claims of wanting to go up to Middleweight). Both men are legendary collegiate wrestlers, with tons of personal pride, and the grit needed to go to the war that would develop here. You can bet that the Team Quest/Miletich Fighting System rivalry would go to a new level with two of the best pound 4 pound fighters in MMA today.

Randy Couture 15-8 vs Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 29-4-1
Two of the craftiest ground warriors ever to play the game going one on one. Big Nog is the ju jitsu black belt who has submitted Cro Cop and Bob Sapp, while coming closer than anyone to beating Fedor Emelianenko. A super tough chin and the ability to fight long hard fights, Nog would be up to the challenge. And how about the age defying, and now 3 time UFC Heavyweight champ? He's beaten Chuck Liddell, and embarrassed Tito Ortiz and Vitor Belfort, only to come back at age 43 to win his 5th title. A Greco-Roman wrestling God, isn't afraid to mix it up with anybody, whether with punches, submissions, or the ground and pound that made him famous.
Tell me this PPV wouldn't sell and pack any arena. This could be one of the most technically impressive fights possible today.

Well, there's my top 5 Super-Fights that actually could happen in the foreseeable future. Now if we could get Frank Shamrock vs Dan Henderson, or Norifumi Yamamoto vs Takanori Gomi we could really go nuts. Anywho, lets hope the UFC puts something together and doesn't drag their feet until the time for these fights has passed as they did with Liddell/Silva. Here's ideal matchmaking.

By the by, why no mention of a Fedor fight? Because there is still nobody who has proved themselves worthy of giving him a run in a fight. Deal with it.

Everyone Gets Caught!

Mma hl
Uploaded by bloodjinn

With all the recent upsets in MMA (Diaz/Gomi, Sokodjou/Arona & Nogueira, Serra/GSP, et cetera) I thought this video could give us all a little perspective. MMA is more than 1 fight, and the fighters that bounce back from devastating losses, are the ones who become legends.

UFCMMAFIGHTERS_EVERYBODYHURTS
Uploaded by Shawn304

UFC 70 Mayhem In Manchester

Gabriel "Napao" Gonzaga shocked the world with his defeat of Mirko Cro Cop. Not the win exactly, because many gave him a great chance to win via submission or decision, but Napao won by beating Cro Cop at his own game, with his greatest weapon! The match began with little action until Gonzaga took Cro Cop to the ground. From there, he educated Mirko on throwing cutting, vicious elbows. Cro Cop did little to defend the assault and was cut early and often. Gabe was just owning him, and then in a surprising and controversial move, ref Herb Dean stood them up, though Gabe had a lot of action on the ground and the stand up seemed odd. At any rate, instead of the reset helping the stand up fighter Cro Cop, it led to his brutal demise. Cro Cop circled Gonzaga with his hands at his waist. Then, fast and out of nowhere, Gonzaga threw a high leg kick as Mirko had done so many times in the past, that straight KO'd Cro Cop who was out before he hit the floor! Mirko landed awkwardly on his right leg possibly injuring his knee and more probably breaking his ankle. Having seen Cro Cop devastate his opponents so often with the maneuver, it was all the more shocking to see him decimated by it. It was a scary couple of moments, as Cro Cop lay motionless for what seemed like forever, as Gonzaga celebrated, and medics tended to the fallen warrior.

After the match, Heavyweight Champ Randy Couture met his new #1 contender in the ring, as he and Gonzaga exchanged compliments and hands. Gonzaga looked much bigger than Randy, and Couture even admitted he thought Gabe would be the tougher fight for him. It will be interesting to see just how quickly this match is set.

Mirko eventually got to the stool (shakily) and would walk from the cage under his own power. He returned to Croatia where his normal swarm of media met him. He said, "The way I fought, I deserved what I got." He claims he is not injured at all, and was walking without even a limp. Interesting to see what comes next for Cro Cop. I hope he takes some good time off to heal the concussion, work on keeping his hands up, and he must, MUST develop some ground defense!

Hometown hero Michael Bisping got the TKO win, as expected, or Elvis Sinosic. What was not expected, was after Mike dominated the 1st round and bloodied the crap outta Elvis, that he would get caught by a right hook and drop to the canvas. It was a scary moment for the British crowd, as Elvis locked on a tight kimura, which Bisping refused to tap to. Mike turned things back over and got on top where he reigned down body and head shots with blazing speed until the ref mercifully stopped the match. Bisping came to the ring so amped up that he cut a blistering pace throughout the entire fight, throwing wildly at all times, but causing much damage anyway. It made the win all the more sweet as Mike was tested in those short moments, but had the presence of mind to recover and get the win. Maybe next for "The Count," we can expect a step up in talent to perhaps a Jason Lambert, Babalu, or maybe even K. Jardine.

Andrei Arlovski got a decision win over Fabricio Werdum in perhaps the worst fight of all time. AA won the 1st round with an uppercut knockdown of Werdum, and the next 2 rounds consisted of occasional leg kicks, some slapping punches, and a lot of boo's. AA apologized to the crowd, but perhaps his is the one who should get the moniker of "boring fighter," and not Tim Sylvia. Absolutely terrible.

Cheick Kongo survived the ground game of Assuerio Silva, and then pummeled him on the feet to a decision victory. The obvious holes in Kong's ground game are still there, but there is no denying his strong presence on the feet. Still far far away from the title scene, as Joe Rogan said, "Someone needs to kidnap Kongo and take him to a ju jitsu tournament."

Ryoto Machida got another one sided decision win over David Heath upping his record to 14-0. Time for a real step up in talent for his next fight. What can this guy do at 205?

Alessio Sakara finally decided to fight like the man he used to be, and got the highlight TKO over Victor Valimaki. Now go to Cage Rage and stop bothering people.

Terry Etim took an absolute ass wuppin, but survived to come back and choke Matt Grice into unconsciousness. 10-0 and a big win for the Brit.

We went a brutal 5 & 5 on our picks, and there is no excuse for that! Apologies all around and we will get back to form for the next event, which looks like UFC 71 Liddell/Jackson 2.

UFC Nations Collide In Merry Ole England

Blue will highlight Brits in action, while Red will rep the World.

Mirko Cro Cop 22-4-2 vs Gabriel Gonzaga 7-1 Gabe is not a tomato can. This guy is a real ju jitsu specialist whose hands have improved with every fight. His one loss is to Werdum via shocking TKO. Since, he has won 5, and became an all around dangerous fighter. Cro Cop = deadly strikes, we know this. The ground is his weakness, but the aforementioned Werdum (ju jistsu blackbelt), is teaching Mirko and swears he is taking the fight seriously. If he can strike and sprawl, it will be a short and bad night for the slower Gonzaga. Cardio is also a concern for Cro Cop, but not for Gonzaga. In the end, I believe if Cro Cop can beat Josh Barnett 3 times, he can take Gabe. A slow takedown attempt spells death to Napao.

WINNER-Cro Cop by KO

Andrei Arlovski 12-5 vs Fabricio Werdum 9-2-1 Welcome to the UFC Mr. Werdum, I've been hyping you for a while. Werdum, as I said, is a ground master, but with Cro Cop, is improving his stand up skills. Arlovski can knock the shit out of anyone with one punch, but his ground game has never been tested, though he claims sambo experience. If you check their respective records, Werdum has fought far better talent, and has never been stopped in his losses. Really, Arlovski has never been tested, which seems odd since he was once the champ. His losses stem mainly from a soft chin, but it held up fine against the power punching Sylvia in their last meeting. Barring his injury, I think he would've won that fight. Still, with all his athletic ability and powerful hands, he has yet to respond with heart in a war. Werdum will be that test. If Werdum can get to him, he takes this fight, unless, unless, Arlovski's superior conditioning out paces Werdum to a decision win. Or a KO. Or Werdum gets the sub. Or not. I believe Arlovski has soooo many tools, but I want to stress, he hasn't really been tested by upper tier talent. Tough fight to call, and much bigger for Arlovksi's carreer than for Werdum's.

WINNER-Werdum??

Lyoto Machida 9-0 vs David Heath 9-0 Identical records (which will become a theme for this event) meet as these two men bang out a tough fight. Heath took the fight late after Griffin fell out, and nobody else wanted it. People fear the all around skill of Lyoto, who boasts wins over S. Bonnar, R. Franklin, and BJ Penn. A much higher level for Machida, but Heath is tough as nails. When the action stops, Lyoto just has too slick of a game, and out points Heath for the decision win. I'm betting this will be an exciting fight!

WINNER-Machida by decision

Michael Bisping 13-0 vs Elvis Sinosic 8-9-2 Elvis is the gatekeeper for the TUF champs. Here he repeats the role he played for Forrest Griffin when he won TUF and used Elvis as a punching bag. Now TUF winner Mike Bisping will do the same. Elvis is a great, loveable, skilled, tough guy, but look at his record. He's all flash and flavor, but just not that good. Bisping has harder, better strikes than Forrest, and a better ground game. Elvis comes to test, excite, and get laid out for the finale.

WINNER-Bisping by TKO

Cheick Kongo 19-3-1 vs Assuerio Silva 32-4 Silva returns to the UFC, after getting 2 wins outside the US. The formerly highly touted Cheick is coming off a sad loss to jobber Marrero, which exposed his ground game weakness. Silva is good on the ground which leads you to believe he'll win the day. Yet, looking closer at his record, he is susceptible to power strikers (A. Emelianenko, B. Vera, T. Sylvia) which Kongo definately is. Kongo is much faster, and must use his athleticism to stick and move his way to victory. People are already giving up on Cheick but I think he gets the upset win here, trying to erase his last embarrassing loss.

WINNER-Kongo by TKO

Matt Grice 9-0 vs Terry Etim 9-0 Matt is a well rounded wrestler. Etim is a sub master, winning all but 1 of his fights by submission (except the 1 win by KO). The Brit has to take it in his homeland with his uber-slick ground game.

WINNER-Etim by hmmmm, how about submission

Junior Assuncao 5-2 vs David Lee 5-2 Ass last lost to Batman, while Lee last lost to Griffin. Lee is the hometown boy and both like the floor game. David is funny and that earns the pick from me.

WINNER-Lee by decision

Alessio Sakara 14-4 vs Victor Valimaki 8-3 Alessio was much feared before coming to the UFC and going 1-2 & a NC. He's a strong striker, with zero ground game, and is here to draw the Italy fans and finish off his contract. Valimaki will agree to the stand up game but isn't exactly amazing either. As disappointing as Sakara has been as of late, he has to do something in the UFC, and the time is now or never. I can't believe I'm picking this guy again.

WINNER-Sakara by KO

Dennis Siver 10-3 vs Jess Liaudin 10-8 Siver the German is a kickboxer with some Judo. Liaudin is an unorthodox striker, with the hometown, and a puncher's chance.

WINNER-Siver by TKO

Ediberto Crocota 10-0-1 vs Paul Taylor 7-1-1 Paul Tayla is da Brit here mate. Crocota is the Nogueira trained Brazilian ju jitsu man who will be submitting you today.

WINNER-Crocota by submission

Aye, Brits like a good stand up fight, and they'll be gettin' some here (that sounded more pirate like in my head but I'm not deleting it). Damn good card that was originally a PPV until the time for securing a spot ran out. The fans win one and get sally for free! How about that? Expect a rabid crowd, & Bisping puts the final football (soccer) score Brits 3, World 2. The queen mum sheds a victory tear and we all have tea for one gray day.

How Big Is MMA In Russia?

MMA in Russia is so well respected, President Vladimir Putin not only attended the recent Bodog Fight PPV in Russia, but he invited fighters back to the Palace where he lives (including Aleksander & Fedor Emelianenko)! They were treated to an extravagant dinner and dined with the Russian elite. Wow, could you imagine George W. Bush hanging out with Chuck Liddell and Dana White after a UFC PPV? It should also be noted that President Putin is not only a Judo/Sambo fan, but longtime practitioner as well. And yes, that is Jean Claude Van Damme. He was special guest of honor at the PPV and palace along with the fighters. Jean Claude is big in Russia, like David Hasselhoff is big in Germany. Its a strange world indeed. There was no sign of Dolph Lungren at the event.

Matt Hughes = Class Act

Remember when Matt was the Welterweight Champion and he always seemed like a good guy, very professional, not disrespectful, and genuine? What happened to that dude? He went on the reality show The Ultimate Fighter and was a dick the entire time, even talking trash to GSP when they were supposed to be focusing on the fighters they were there to train. He claims this warrior for god, good ole country boy image, but really seems more like the spoiled jock, who is really an ass. I guess losing that precious belt does something to a fella. At any rate, here is Matt's all class reaction to GSP getting KO'd at the hands of Matt Serra. The other dick/jock that comes in to hug good ole Matt is Lightweight Champ Sean Sherk. Oh yeah, Sherk got demolished by GSP as well.

So is Matt happy Serra won because he thinks he'll kill em with a title shot, or is he happy someone beat GSP since he can't anymore? I remember how GSP reacted when he beat Matt, telling him how much he respected him as he shook his hand and hugged him, and guaranteed he would get a rematch and all that.

Ah well, Matt's a dick, fuck him.

"Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall."-Proverbs 16:18

Amen brother.

Aleksander Emelianenko vs Erik Pele

Erik Pele vs Aleks Emelianenko bodog
Uploaded by redkiller77400

Fedor Emelianenko vs Matt Lindland

Fedor vs Matt- 14 April 2007
Uploaded by bosnia_

The Brothers Emelianenko Victorious @ Bodog

Bodog Fight had their latest PPV, Saturday April 14th, in mother Russia. Of course, this is the home of the Red Devil Fight Club, and its most prominent members, Fedor and Aleksander Emelianenko. For the 1st time in their careers, they were able to fight in front of their fellow Russians. I have been critical of Bodog Fight in the past, but the arena and PPV actually looked pretty good. The only detraction has to be the entrance music for all fighters being supplied by bands signed to Bodog Music, which tend to suck around the low level of a Papa Roach or a Saliva. At any rate, we'll supply info on the most interesting fights, but not all 13.

The "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko defeated Matt "The Law" Lindland via armbar in the 1st round. Matt, a normal Middleweight (185lbs.) weighed in at a hefty 212lbs., and immediately took the fight to the much heralded, seemingly unbeatable Pride FC Heavyweight Champion with an overhand left that connected with Fedor's cyborg eye. Emelianenko was immediately bleeding, and Lindland continued to push, and began trying for a takedown. Lindland even lifted the mighty Fedor into the air, but on the way down, Fedor shifted position and landed on top of the Law (*Note-Currently there is some controversy that Fedor held the ropes preventing the takedown. Pay no mind to these excuses from fans or from Lindland himself. Fedor did rest his hand on the ropes and even grabbed it once for maybe 2 seconds. When warned by the ref, Fedor released quickly, but rested his hand on the rope, which it completely legal. He never grabbed the rope again.) Fedor then got full mount, followed by an ankle lock, which he let go of and returned to guard. From there he positioned himself to the side of Lindland and locked on to the left arm. Matt tried to turn out of the hold, but Fedor regained grip and tightened down the maneuver, forcing Lindland to tap out.

Though a 1 round fight, Lindland cut the giant of MMA, and showed he had the power to contend with Fedor, but not the skill. It has happened to the best of them, and Lindland may yet be a force at Heavyweight, as his next to contracted fights with Bodog come in the big boy division. Hmmm, a match with little brother maybe?

Aleksander Emelianenko defeated Eric Pele by TKO in the 1st round as well. Aleks came in fast and with devastating knee strikes. From there it was a continual barrage of knee's, punches, and perfectly painful body shots. Eric Pele showed his remarkable chin, and little else. Reminiscent of Tim Sylvia teeing off on Cabbage, Aleksander struck whenever, and where ever he chose. When an uppercut dropped Pele, Aleks began the ground and pound, but the ref knew the fight was over. Aleks looked in good shape and had a great performance against a KO specialist.

Josh Curran defeated Jarno Nurminen via TKO in round 3 of their knock down drag out slugfest. Can't say that I'm a fan of either guy, but if you like old school Tank Abbott style throwdowns, this fight is for you. Entertaining and full of shots that will make you cringe, Josh just outlasted Jarno with his stellar cardio.

Roman Zentsov continued the Red Devil winning ways by defeating Kristof Midoux in their rematch to continue a 7 fight winning streak. Roman is really starting to come on in his career, and may be a force in the near future.

Amar Suloev is building steam as he defeats Andy Foster by KO in only 26 seconds.

Congrats to the "Goat" Nick Thompson, as the charismatic Welterweight gets a TKO victory over the previously undefeated Eddie Alvarez.

Female fighter Julie Kedzie got a much needed win against Julia Berezikova with a TKO in round 2. Nice work for the beautiful and deadly Julie.

1st MMAFightOpinion Pound For Pound Rankings

Pound For Pound Top 10 Rankings

1 Fedor Emelianenko

2 Chuck Liddell

3 Matt Lindland

4 Mirko Filipovic

5 Dan Henderson

6 Mauricio Rua

7 Takanori Gomi

8 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

9 Anderson Silva

10 Norifumi Yamamoto

Odd Men Out: George St.Pierre, BJ Penn, Matt Hughes, Wanderlei Silva, Gilbert Melendez

Who Is Sokoudjou?

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou

Nickname African Assassin
Association = Team Quest AFRICA

Height 6'0 / 183cm
Weight 205 lbs (93kg)
Nationality Cameroon
Born April 18, 1984
Fighting out of Temecula, CA
Town of birth Cameroon
Mixed martial arts record
Wins 4
By knockout 3
By submission 0
Losses 1
Draws 0
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (April 18, 1984) is a mixed martial arts fighter from Cameroon.

Sokoudjou was the 2001 US Open Judo champion. He trains with Team Quest where he is a kickboxing and MMA instructor.

He is currently fighting with PRIDE FC. In his PRIDE debut, Sokoudjou acheived an stunning upset by knocking out Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at PRIDE 33, where he was the underdog at 16 to 1 odds.[1] His last fight was a KO win over Brazilian Top Team standout and Nogueira stablemate Ricardo Arona at PRIDE 34 on April 8, 2007.SOKOUDJOU is currently training at Team Quest alongside Dan Henderson. SOKOUDJOU, who has been building up his physique since childhood, pursues Judo. Champion of the 2001 and bronze medalist at the 2003 US Open Judo Championships, SOKOUDJOU has also defeated Shinichi Shinohara and is considered by many as the next Olympic candidate. He was then introduced to MMA, and was drawn to its appeal. In addition to his large physical capacity, he wields as his weapon the ground techniques he has developed through Judo. With 2 wins out of 3 MMA matches, he has yet to build experience, but is nonetheless quickly absorbing new techniques. He is particularly improving his punches at the standing position.

Thanks to the good people at Wikipedia for the great information!

Man From Cameroon

Ricardo Arona vs African Assassin Pride
Uploaded by dewsaw2

NSAC: Marijuana Worse Than Steroids

NSAC (Nevada State Athletic Commission) has handed down their punishments for fighters who tested positive for banned substances. Nick Diaz received a 6-month suspension, was fined $3,000, and his win over Takanori Gomi is ruled a NC (no contest). This seemed very odd considering CSAC (California State Athletic Commission) had the same case against Diego Sanchez. Sanchez received 3-month suspension, $500 fine, the fight remains a win for Diego, and did not disclose the results to the public.

Thiago Alves tested positive for Steroids, Josh Barnett, Tim Sylvia, Vitor Belfort, Pawel Nastula, and many more. In every single one of these steroid infested fights, not one has been overturned or made a NC. The commission stated they believed Diaz used Marijuana to "numb the pain" in his fight with Gomi, and thus it was an "enhancing" drug. As ludicrous as that is, how about the fact, steroids are without question, an enhancing drug, and are fined less, and the suspension is less, than for marijuana? Could it be there is already corruption in the fledgling sport of MMA, whenever big name stars such as Gomi, and Sanchez are involved, it seems the answer is yes.

It is a sad state of affairs indeed. I already miss the Japanese run Pride FC shows where nothing was tested for. Seems then a guy could smoke a little pot, and then battle a roided meatball without being targeted as the most vile of fighters. So Nick and all the other pot smoking fighters, put down the pipe, and pick up the needle. The commissions will go easier on you.

If you are as dissatisfied as I am about these events, please let the NSAC know

Nevada Athletic Commission 555

E. Washington Ave. Ste 3200

Las Vegas, Nevada 89101

(702)486-2575

boxing@govmail.state.nv.us

Hidehiko Yoshida is fighting in the first Zuffa run Pride show this summer, and it will mark his journey into the 205 Light Heavyweight division, where he is going to make a run at the title (source-MMANews.com) in the UFC later in the year. Though maybe past his prime, Yoshida is a proud and cagey warrior, who will spice up the lackluster division.

Josh Barnett has no contract with Pride FC, and is a free agent. Josh has not been contacted by anyone from Zuffa at this time. It should be noted, Josh Barnett had a bad falling out with the Zuffa brass when he tested positive for steroids while he was the Heavyweight Champion, and turned his back on the company and headed to Pride FC. There may be some sort of black list developing, which was one of my main concerns with Zuffa buying Pride. Maybe a stint at Bodog will be in order for the talented Barnett where he could face Fedor Emelianenko!

Once again Tito Ortiz has made an ass of himself at the latest UFC event. Tito was seen walking past future opponent Rashad Evans (who was seated with his girlfriend) when Ortiz began talking shit to him and telling him he won't be ready for their fight. Rashad got to his feet when Tito shoved Rashad back while others stepped in to quell the skirmish, as Tito walked away like the class act he is.

MMA World Gone MAD (UFC & Pride Results)

Holy shit every fight is an upset! Well maybe not every one but damn, titles changed hands, divisions were re-schuffled, fighters crowned legit, new signee's, and lest we forget the final Pride FC show!

Matt "The Terra" Serra shocked the world when he destroyed Georges St.Pierre in one round! Both fighters took it easy and looked very calm and composed in the cage. Then, Serra landed a shot that put GSP on his heels. GSP got up only to be dropped yet again and began to stagger around the cage wildly. You could sense the end coming as Serra knocked him down yet again, and pounced. Standing above the badly hurt Champion, Serra reigned down blow after blow while GSP's hands flailed and in no way defended himself. The referee actually allowed too much time to recover as GSP took a serious beating. Finally and mercifully, the ref stepped in and Matt Serra became the new Welterweight Champion!! Who woulda thunk a TV show contest winner would actually win the crown? If that wasn't enough to rock the 170lb. division, check out the co-main event.

Josh Koscheck absolutely and easily won every round in his grudge match against Diego Sanchez. On the feet Sanchez wasn't even close as Koscheck scored with punches and nice high kicks at will. Koscheck only got in trouble once on the floor, so he kept the fight on the feet where he calmly went to a unanimous decision. The crowd did boo moments of inactivity, but I don't fault either dangerous fighter for being a little cautious.

*So what do we know now about the Welterweight division? Matt Hughes should get the 1st crack at Matt Serra and the title, while GSP may meet Josh Koscheck, with Diego Sanchez looking to fight the on fire talent known as Jon Fitch. It will be interesting to see how all the cards fall into place as this whole division is turned upside down in one night of fighting! By the by, nice planning Dana White. Everyone knows this was supposed to be Diego's night where he would go on and fight the winner of GSP/Hughes. It almost makes you like Koscheck,....well almost.

Sokoudjou is for real folks! Soko came in with vicious leg kicks to Ricardo Arona. Arona felt them and tried to take Soko to the ground, but was met with a stiff powerful uppercut that put him on his ass. Sokoudjou then employed some soccer kicks (which after last night are now illegal with the new Zuffa ownership) and ended Arona's attempt at vengeance for his teammate. Somewhere today, Arona and Rogerio Nogueira are having coffee and saying, "Where the fuck did this guy come from." Well, Cameroon, but it doesn't matter because he is going to be a force at Light Heavyweight. How about a little Shogun Rua vs Sokoudjou? That has potential to be an amazing fight.

Jeff Monson got back on track by defeating Kazuyuki Fujita by rear naked choke in the 1st round, in what was billed as the 1st UFC vs Pride FC fight. Its not really but who cares?

Speaking of who cares, Butterbean got the win over the even fatter Zulu by tapout! Can you believe that, a submission win for Butterbean. The world is going crazy. Next we'll have Chuck Liddell winning fights by flying keylock.

The ref waited too long in the Josh Thompson vs Don Frye fight, and Don took another brutal beating. Not sure why they even let him fight, but he still gets paid. Thompson rockets up to the top 30 in the Heavyweight Division. He should be in line for a title shot around, oh,.....never.

Shinya Aoki continues to submit everyone at will and after his victory, he called for a title shot. Umm Gomi, you're in a world of hurt if you fight this ground wizard.

*Kazushi Sakuraba entered the Pride ring with much emotion, and claimed he will return to fight in the Pride ring (possibly in his farewell match).

*Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (#3 Heavyweight In The World) has officially signed with the UFC. It will be interesting to see who he fights first, this man is a legit, and immediate contender.

Back to the UFC where Yushin Okami dominated Mike "Not So Quick" Swick in route to a unanimous decision. Okami is right there along with Rich Franklin for a title shot at the winner of Anderson Silva (Middleweight Champion) and Nate Marquardt.

Heath Herring finally won in an awkward fight with Brad Imes, while Kendall Groves looked more improved in his win, and Roger Huerta is sneaking up the Lightweight rankings with another strong showing. Josh Haynes got embarrassed yet again as Luke Cummo knocked him so silly, he actually took down the ref thinking it was his opponent, while Cummo tried to restrain him. See ya in the minor leagues Haynes.

Well, that's all that's worth noting for now on this busy MMA weekend with many surprises and Earth shattering results. Goodbye to Pride FC, and Zuff/UFC, bring on the super-fights! Bet.

Pride 34 Kamikaze (Final Japanese Run Show)

Sokoudjou shocked the world with his stunning quick and definite KO of Anotonio Rogerio in his Pride debut. Now teammate Ricardo Arona seeks vengeance for his partner. I can't see Soko getting the upset again, but who thought he'd win the last one? The human tank style of Arona should get this to the floor where he dismantles the inexperience fighter, and G&P's his way to victory. One thing's for sure, if Soko pulls the upset again, he will be for real!

WINNER-Arona by TKO

Aoki burst onto the scene with his amazing rubber guard and ju jitsu, slaying everyone in his path. Brian's a sub par fighter with a losing record=Aoki tune up fight.

WINNER-Aoki whenever and however he wants

Zelg is a TKO wizard vs the 2-3 record of the struggling Takimoto. The crowd's on his side, but the odds aren't. My eyes are welling up.

WINNER-Zelg by shockingly TKO

Butterbean is actually the more stylistically sound striker against someone who actually out weighs him in Zulu. Its a battle of the blubber, as these bigguns duke it out in a stand up fight. Who wins and who cares? Freak fight, freak fight!

WINNER-Butterbean by KO

The attempt at the 1st Pride FC vs UFC fighter is on. Both men are wrestlers by trade, but Fujita has that scientifically proven "Ironhead," while Monson is the submission Abu Dabi champion. Surely Monson can get him to the ground, but if not, expect destruction on the feet via Fujita blows. Not sure Monson can hold Fujita down, and in the final Japan owned fight card, Fujita finds a way to gut it out for the victory. I'm actually crying now.

WINNER-Fujita by decision

Through the tears I see an out of shape, and past his prime Don Frye trying to slug it out with the schizophrenic Josh Thompson. Thompson sometimes fights well, and at other times looks like a rookie. Surely, he can out box the old man and eek out a boring win. Frye has no business fighting anymore.

WINNER-Thompson by decision

The final bout has two actually decent fighters going at it. Nakao has fought some good name people, and Drago is a talented striker with only one defeat. Drago should take this if he stays away from the Pro Wrestler on the ground.

WINNER-Drago by decision

I'm now bawling my eyes out because this is the final Pride FC, Japanese run show, before Zuffa takes them over officially. We get only 7 bouts on this weak, weak card, and no real compelling fights. How sad to see this once proud company not go out with a bang, but only a whimper. They once ruled the MMA world, and now can't even put together a full card of fights (Gilbert Yvel's opponent got cut, I can't remember why, and Wanderlei Silva vs Igor Vovchanchyn seems to not be happening as well, with Silva not getting medical clearance in time). A rough day for MMA when Pride FC tries to bow out gracefully, before the new regime takes over. Goodby soccer kicks and knees to downed opponents. So long great ring that once housed legendary fights like Rickson Gracie vs Takada, Sakuraba vs Renzo Gracie or Carlos Newton, Rampage Jackson vs Wanderlei Silva, Fedor vs Cro Cop, Antonio Nogueira vs Shogun Rua, Gomi vs Kawajiri, Frye vs Takayama and many many more. Thank you Pride FC for all the great memories and beautiful shows. Here's hoping the soul isn't taken from the name, and the new owners do it justice.

UFC 69 St.Pierre vs Serra

Welterweight Champion Georges "Rush" Pierre 13-1 vs Matt "Terra" Serra 15-4 Matt should be fighting at 155, and got a title shot by winning a contest (though I'm not sure he should've won the decision against Chris Lytle), while GSP earned the title defeating the greatest Welterweight of all time Matt Hughes in dramatic fashion. GSP is too fast, strong, and has far more tools in his MMA belt, than the ground practicioner, Serra. Serra is shorter, has little reach, but is a tough guy who prepares well for fights, and used to train with the champ. Still, GSP will have even more gas then him, and this should be (though anything can happen in the fight game) an easy title defense.

WINNER-GSP by TKO

Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez 19-0 vs Josh "Blanket" Koscheck 9-1 *(this fight is not listed as a rematch, though they did fight on The Ultimate Fighter season 1, it is considered an amatuer bout) Both men have improved dramatically since their 1st meeting long ago. Kos can now strike, and is still one of the best wrestlers in the game. Diego also has improved his stand up game, with the help of Oscar De La Hoya, and got his 1st KO victory in his last fight against Joe Riggs. Both have stamina for days, and both absolutely hate each other. So, who employs his will in this even match up to get the win? My guess is Diego, with his non-stop always coming at you motion, will tire Koscheck, and unyielding will tranfers into a win. This is a tough 50/50 fight where either guy could win, but odds have to be on the "Nightmare" until someone can beat him. Expect a long brutal fight.

WINNER-Sanchez by decision

Heath "Damn I Need A Good Showing" Herring 26-12-1 vs Brad "Hillbilly Hearthrob" Imes 6-2 Heath has all the experience in the world, while Brad only has a few years under his belt. Heath has far more game, and motivation to win, though both are in their home state. Brad likes to bang, which is what Herring is looking for. Simply put, if Herring doesn't win this fight, his career is in deep shit.

WINNER-Herring by TKO

Mike "Quick" Swick 10-1 vs Yushin Okami 20-3 Swick has a real test here, with a guy almost as fast as him, who probably has better ground game. Another 50/50 fight, where either man could win, in an excitig bout. Nice matchmaking here, I'm torn on who to pick. I'm leaning to Swick, but on the ground Okami will own it.

WINNER-?????????

Kendall "Da Spyder" Groves 9-3 vs Alan "Burp" Belcher 9-2 Alan is an ok stand up fighter, but Kendall has that long lanky reach, and good ground skills. This should go to the floor as his mentor Tito Ortiz would do, where Grove gets a win.

WINNER-Groves by submission

Roger Huerta 18-1-1 vs Leonard Garcia 13-1 Garcia is no joke, but he doesn't seem to have explosiveness and power that Huerta does. Both are on a roll, but Huerta edges it out somehow.

WINER-Huerta by decision

Thales Leites 9-1 vs Pete "Drago" Sell 7-3 Thales is back, as the heralded fighter returns from his debut loss. Sell was in the slugfest highlight reel with Scott Smith, in which he lost via blind right cross. Thales is the ju jitsu man while Drago is the wrestler/slow striker. This should go to the mat, with Leitas showing us why he is here. Drago just isn't that great anywhere, but he is tough. An in shape Leites should take this.

WINNER-Thales via submission

"Irish Hand Grenade" Marcus Davis 15-4 vs Pete Spratt 16-7 Striker's war! Both of these guys know how to bang, but don't be shocked if Davis, who has been working on his ground game a lot, takes this to the floor, where Spratt always loses because he has no knowledge of what to do on the ground. Standing, a puncher's chance goes to either fighter, Davis is now a smarter fighter, with more tools.

WINNER-Marcus Davis by TKO

Josh "BTP" Haynes 9-6 vs Luke "Lead Singer of Weezer" Cummo 7-4 The battle of the average guys. Both guys are tough and Josh seems to always take a brutal beating, but doesn't get put away, he just loses decisions. Cummo has no power but can squirm his way into good submission positions. I don't know, lame fight with lame guys, BTP probably gets it on toughness alone. This should be on a Spike TV show, not a PPV.

WINNER-Cummo by decision

A few good fights here, but not really worth buying the PPV for. This should be a Spike TV Ultimate Fight Night card, with the exception of the co-main events. First time in Texas for the UFC, so the crowd will be hyped, because, everything's bigger in Texas ya'll.

Ultimate Fight Night Results

Well that was about as awful as I thought it would be. 5 of the 9 fights went to a boring decision, and the talent was lackluster at best. The main event didn't even last 30 seconds for fucks sake.

Joe "Daddy" Stevenson made short work of "Shit Talker Supreme" Melvin Guillard, submitting him in 20 seconds. Melvin ran his mouth like a mad man before the fight, and then wouldn't shake hands before the bout began. Then it was a short left jab from the "Daddy," that put Guillard on his heels, and then he got taken down. An attempt at a leg lock, turned into a guillotine, and it was over. Melvin did nothing, except for embarrass himself. Melvin just laid there shocked, as Joe told him he is a legit fighter, and that he respected him! Even after all the trash talk, nice to see Stevenson bringing class to the short lived main event. Guillard falls down the ladder, and Joe Stevenson is probably the next #1 contender for the Lightweight crown.

Ok, I refused to pick against Kenny Florian, because every time I do, the kid wins. My strategy pays off as Kenflo gets on a deeep rear naked choke, after some leg attacks, and secures a solid victory. I would like to see Kenflo fight Frank Edgar, or Tyson Griffin, in a real wrestler vs ju jitsu style fight. If not, some other up and comer in the division, or perhaps the veteran stylings of one Din Thomas. That could be real good.

Jason McCully beat Antoni Hardonk by unanimous decision, but it was Hardonk who looked like he came in on short notice for the fight, not McCully (he had 3 weeks notice). This was a battle to not fall asleep, as McCully took down Hardonk easily, and employed the always exciting, lay and pray technique. It was a horrible fight where the loser deserved to lose, and the winner deserved a trip down to the WEC.

Drew Fickett won but is still in the mid to back of the pack in the Welterweight division. And finally, nobody else is worth talking about. Yea, what a crappy fight card. On to this weekends UFC PPV, that isn't worth paying for. Busy weekend with the inclusion of Pride FC's final non-zuffa run show. Stay tuned, stay active, and stay away from the Ultimate Fight Night reruns.

Ultimate Fight Night 4-5-2007

JJoe "Daddy" Stevenson 31-7 vs Melvin "Young Assassin" Guillard 39-6-3 These guys have been talking a lot of shit, so expect a war. Guillard said Stevenson is on HGH, and Joe took it very seriously, and was very upset. Guillard can out bang Stevenson, but his weakness is the ground, where Joe Daddy is brilliant. Tito Ortiz is teaching Guillard sprawl, and how to fight on the ground, but is it enough time for Guillard to be ready for a wrestling pro. I think not, and see Joe Daddy getting the takedowns rather easily, and pounding out another victory. Guillard isn't a long shot though, and one punch can end the night. The winner is the #1 contender and gets the winner of Hermes Franca and Lightweight Champion Sean Sherk.

WINNER-Joe Stevenson by submission

Antoni Hardonk 5-2 vs Justin McCully 7-3-2 Hardonk is the brutal striker from Holland (where all great strikers seem to be from), and McCully is a replacement for the injured Frank Mir (shoulder injury), and got the nod thanks to his daddy and mentor, Tito Ortiz. Still, as a wrestler, McCully has the advantage against a striker with zero ground game. This fight was set up to advance Hardonk, because the UFC thinks he can be a future factor in the Heavyweight division. He has brutal leg kicks (he won his last fight via leg kick KO!), and should sprawl and brawl his way to victory.

WINNER-Antoni Hardonk

"Kenflo" Kenny Florian 7-3 vs Dokonjonosuke Mishima 17-5-2 This is a tough fight for Kenflo, who finally got some credit after a tough title loss to Sean Sherk in his last fight. Does he have enough elbows and ju jitsu to defeat the Snoopy carrying Mishima, not sure. Dokon didn't fight the smart fight in his UFC debut against Joe Stevenson, but he does have the skills to pay the bills yall (sorry about that one). Barring an elbow induced cut, I look for Dokon to get the win, but it will take 3 full rounds of pressing the action. If I pick against Kenny, he always wins, so I'm going against my instincts here.

WINNER-Kenflo

Drew "Master" Fickett 30-5 vs Keita "K-Taro" Nakamura 13-1-2 Good luck calling this one. K-Taro is one tough dude, but Drew is a tough mutha as well. Both are coming off losses, but Drew really took it to Karo Parisyan, and may overpower this smaller fighter who has not faced the higher level of competition.

WINNER-Drew Fickett by submission

Kurt Pellegrino 15-2 vs Nate Mohr 6-3 Kurt works the floor, Mohr is a striker. Who the hell are these guys? At least the merger of the UFC and Pride FC will hopefully eliminate fights like this that should be in the WEC.

WINNER-Pellegrino?

Forrest Petz 18-3 vs Kuniyoshi Hironaka 10-3 Both are coming off losses (theme of the show), and Hironaka seems better, I guess. Petz is bigger, hold on I'm flipping a coin.

WINNER-Petz by coin toss

Seth Petruzelli 10-4 vs Wilson Gouveia 7-4 Neither of these guys are very good, jesus this card went to shit in a hurry. Both guys tend to gas, so lets hope this is over soon. Oh yeah, neither guy will do shit in the Light Heavyweight division.

WINNER-Gouveia

Roan Carneiro 10-5 vs Rich Clementi 34-11-1 Brazilian Top Team vs striker Clementi. Jesus what a compelling fight, Clementi is reborn at Lightweight (sarcasm), I suppose he wins.

WINNER-Clementi by TKO

Naoyuki Kotani 17-5-5 vs Thiago Tavares 14-0 More small show fighters, but I admit, I am interested to see the talent level of Tavares. He seems as though he could be legit, but we shall see.

WINNER-Tavares

Look I understand this is on free TV, but give me a fucking break! There is 1, 1 good fight on this card (the main event). This is the worst Fight Night the UFC has done to date. Their star fights are the main event (which I just said is good), Kenflo, and Fickett? Who the hell are the rest of these guys, and why is almost everyone coming off a loss. Is this actually a WEC show and I read it wrong? I understand building up younger and new talent, but come on. The card should be compelling and intriguing. At any rate this is the shit you get, and then its on to GSP/Serra this Saturday. Drink a lot of caffeine, and shoot some meth before the start, and stay tuned for The Ultimate Fighter 5 (Lightweight Tournament) starring BJ Penn and Jens Pulver.

UFC Officially Buys Pride FC

Crap crap crap crap crap. Well here we go, enjoy the all encompassing power of the UFC. Granted, the Fertitta brothers bought Pride FC, without, Dana White, and plan to run the company as a completely separate brand, with different people running each brand, or company. Still, since the Fertitta brothers are partners with Dana White, under the Zuffa banner, they will still be in a close relationship, and you can bet your ass they will be swapping fighters and changing rules.

At this point, it looks as though all Pride FC events, whether held in America or Japan, will have UFC rules (elbows allowed, no stomps, et cetera). 2 or 3 Pride events will be held in America, but the big show, Shockwave, will still be held in Japan. Interestingly, there is supposed to be a Super Bowl style PPV that will put the top fighters from each brand, if not champions, against each other.

The fighters are getting screwed here, because they have lost bargaining power, and fans, watch as your PPV rates skyrocket. And the little guys, yes those "other" companies Dana White so loves to make fun of, well, they're not dead yet.

In a big move to combat the now super-sized UFC/Pride FC group, MMA companies K-1 (Japan), Strikeforce (America), Spirit MC (Korea), and Cage Rage (England), Bodog (Russia/America), have joined up, and will be swapping talent as well as cross-promotional events. As reported earlier, there is already a PPV event with Elite XC and Strikeforce, and ICON (Hawaii) and King Of The Cage (America), plan to continue their shows and partner up with every MMA group.

So the arms race is on, but the UFC/Pride FC team is far ahead of the pack. Its far too soon to tell if this will be disaster or heaven for MMA fans, but at least the little guys are fighting back, and joining forces against the new evil empire. May the force be with them.

Lawler KO's Trigg @ ICON

Robbie Lawler lived up the his nickname, "Ruthless," by winning back the ICON Middleweight Title from Frank Trigg via brutal highlight KO. The quality in this GIF may not be great, but the devastation was. Trigg was helped out of the ring by his corner crew, and had to be taken to the hospital for exhaustion as well as to check out his concussion.

The fight was actually a close affair, which ended in the 4th round of their Hawaiian title fight. Both fighters got very tired, and both kept their hands at their sides. The problem was, though Trigg was landing more shots, Lawler landed the big ones that ended the night. Both fighters did not seem to be in the best shape, and clearly gassed in the fight.

Jason "Mayhem" Miller got a TKO victory in his fight, possibly setting up a rematch with now 2-Time ICON champ Lawler, who Jason took the belt from last year.