Thursday, January 31, 2008
Takanori Gomi Signs With WVR
UFC 81 Breaking Point
Tim "Maine-iac" Sylvia 26-3 vs Antonio "Minotauro" Nogueira 30-4-1 Main event with the Heavyweight title at stake and they don't even make it onto the poster. Damn. Ah well, Nog comes in after a nice 7 months off and a lackluster win over Heath Herring. Tim is returns after slapping around Brandon Vera and getting no credit for it as usual. I like the anti-attitude of ole Tim and think he gets a bum rap. The guy has loads of power in his hands, great takedown defense, and has been Champ or at least in the title hunt for the UFC for the last 5 years! Do people realize that? The guy is boring sometimes but a win is a win and is rarely stopped in his few defeats. Nog is the vet who has been in so many wars, I wonder if it is beginning to catch up with his body. He just looked bad against Herring and was almost KO'd before Heath let him off the hook. Now he claims he is in better shape and hungry to be a two company champion. He has underrated boxing (the guy has boxed 3 professional fights), some of the best Jiu-Jitsu in the world, and normally an iron chin and will. He has fought giants in the past like Semmy Schilt (6'11), Bob Sapp (6'5 350 lbs.), so I don't think size is an issue. He has also survived against Cro Cop, Josh Barnett, Fedor Emelianenko, and Sergei Kharitonov, all of whom I believe can beat Sylvia. Watch those hands and "Big Nog" makes it a rough night for Tim, tiring him on the feet and floor for an eventual late round win.
Frank Mir 10-3 vs Brock Lesnar 1-0 I gotta say I am shocked to see all the people picking Mir in this fight. He's in great shape back to his old self but my god Brock is an absolute monster! I have trouble believing Mir can keep the fight on the floor with his great Jiu-Jitsu long enough to secure a submission. Mir's stand up looks improved but how hard does Lesnar throw those oak trees he calls arms? I more look for Lesnar to lay on top of Mir and grind out a slow victory but I'm hoping Mir pulls some shit and quiets the loud mouthed giant in his UFC debut.
Nate Marquardt 28-7-1 vs Jeremy Horn 88-16-5 I love Horn I do, but I'm just not seeing him win much in the sport anymore. The guy just looks tired these days and rightfully so with 109 pro fights. Nate is coming off a tough loss to Anderson Silva and looking to rebound in impressive fashion. If Greg Jackson has this kids mind right, I don't see Horn doing much but surviving. Nate is better on the feet, equal on the ground with better stamina and power. Horn is an amazing fighter and one of the best teachers in the world, just don't know how much he really wants to fight anymore.
Terry "Lil Tyson" Martin 18-3 vs Marvin "Beastman" Eastman 14-7-1 Lets bang muthafuckas! These guys are coming to throw bombs. Martin was kicking Chris Leben's ass but he came in fat yet again for a fight and ran out of gas. To prove how smart he is he hurt Chris and then dropped his hands to taunt him. Enter righteous KO and Martin needs a big win as he starts over again. Marvin got a win in the IFO after his loss to eventual champ Rampage Jackson and wants to be relevant in the UFC. Really either guy can win this and a smart Eastman makes it a boring fight on the floor for the win. *UPDATE* Both men say they want to showcase their wrestling so switch it to Eastman because apparently Martin is an idiot.
Tyson Griffin 10-1 vs Gleison Tibau 27-3 Tibau likes the floor game but Tyson is the amazing wrestler with impressive power for a Lightweight. Tyson wins this by early G&P or rolling to a decision victory.
Chris Lytle 34-15-4 vs Kyle Bradley 13-4-1 How great did the new and improved Chris Lytle look in his last fight with Thiago Alves? The guy was non-stop coming forward with barrages of punches like he was Wanderlei Silva or something. The former fire fighter is sick of the "boring" label and began to whip the shit outta Alves until a cut ended his evening early. Kyle rides in on a 7 fight win streak against a bunch of nobodies and a KO stand up game. Chris should just have too many tools for this kid but that 1 shot and goodnight punch is there for Kyle. I always play the percentages and that spells a win for Lytle.
David Heath 9-2 vs Tim Boetsch 6-1 Hey Dave, how does it feel coming back from a shit talking effort against Babalu that got your bitch ass choked unconscious? Before that he lost a decision to Lyoto Machida. Tim's a big rugged fella coming over from the IFL so he doesn't get much cred here. *UPDATE* Heath looks flabby and Boe looks big. changing my mind.
Ricardo Almeida 8-2 vs Rob Yundt 7-0 Ric returns to MMA after a 2 year absence to apply his Jui-Jitsu brilliance. Rob is an undefeated Alaskan fighter who steps in on very short notice to replace a sick Alan Belcher. Ring rust is a big concern, but at one time Ricardo was supposed to be the next big thing even notching a win over fellow card fighter Nate Marquardt. Never bet on the short notice guy anyway.
Keita Nakamura 14-2-2 vs Rob Emerson 8-6-1 Seriously Rob still has a job? This guy sucks ass. He's not even impressive in his true sport of kickboxing and the guy knows shit else. "K-Taro" has had a tough go in the UFC (0-2) but got a confidence building KO in November at Cage Rage and the guy has tons more talent than Robby.
The NEW International Fight League
Yet this is only the beginning. The door has been left open for separate teams from the world of MMA to come in and challenge IFL teams with their own squads for special events. Tito Ortiz and his Team Punishment have already expressed interest and how can proud academies like Chute Boxe, Hammer House, American Top Team, Black House, Greg Jackson, Brazilian Top Team, and perhaps even the notorious Russian Red Devils resist the temptation to battle camp vs camp? I think this is a much better approach to the "team" concept and will allow for more solid teams with more cohesion.
The IFL also goes into 2008 with Champions for each weight class. This allows for title fights pitting the best against the best with that gold that the fans always seem to want to see. Lightweight Champ Ryan Schultz, Welterweight Champ Jay Hieron, Middleweight Champ Matt Horwich, Light Heavyweigth Champ Vladimir Matyushenko, Heavyweight Champ Roy Nelson, and newly created Featherweight Division Champ Wagnney Fabiano will all be defending their respective titles in the coming year. This adds the excitement of the title fight along with the team style battles on the same cards.
Finalized deals with MyNetwork TV and Fox Sports Net along with video releases by Warner Home Video will continue to push the IFL into new markets not to mention they will finally be broadcasting "live" fights instead of taped bouts that people read about on the Internet and don't watch. For you game fanboys, an IFL video game is currently in the works.
This "new" look IFL definately looks vastly improved from the 1st version, though I wouldn't go out and buy their stock just yet. On the other hand, it is awfully cheap for a company making that run at the mainstream of MMA.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Brock Lesnar Headliner Before He Even Gains 1st UFC Win, + his penis tattoo
Bobby Lashley Leaves WWE For MMA
UFC Fight Night Brawls & Boredom
1st things 1st, Nate Diaz had to quiet a lot of critics including myself with his dominant defeat of Alvin Robinson. We all knew the kid had great ground skills, but the way he used his long limbs and slick Ju-Jitsu to triangle choke out Robinson was just a thing of beauty. He may look like he weighs 5 lbs. going into a fight with a muscular built fighter, but he looks like a young Royce Gracie with agile and constant Ju-Jitsu maneuvers from position to position as if it were nothing. Pulling guard was the biggest mistake Alvin could make and he paid for it being finished in 1 round something supposed "contender" Kenny Florian also did. Perhaps young Nate does need some bigger name fish to fry.
Kurt Pellegrino came out with a shot and immediately got rocked by a stiff kick from Alberto Crane that almost ended the fight. Kurt shot some teeth through his bottom lip and yet still fought on beginning to establish himself on the feet in the round. He continued into the 2nd with pinpoint strikes begging Crane to come forward and face him. From there he tore the guy apart with a brutal punches cutting the fighter even more than in the 1st bloody round. To the ground Crane fell and turtled up and Kurt unloaded until ref Herb Dean stepped in, perhaps early. Even so, the gashes and swollen eye of Crane would not have allowed him to continue much longer and Kurt snatches the win from an almost instant defeat to go 11-3 in the "Fight Of The Night."
Mike Swick seemed unsure of himself as Josh Burkman went with wild kicks, backfists, and stuffed takedowns in the main event. Lackluster at best, but an easy 1st round win for Burkman. In the 2nd as the crowd boo'd the boring affair of constant leaning against he cage, Swick finally landed a significant kick to Josh and a few punches to win a very close 2nd round. How about some more boring action? Well the 3rd provided it though Mike seemed to finally get comfortable at his new weight landing some combinations but not a lot of damage. It was a fight neither fighter should be proud of but Swick gets the proper decision nod.
Cote, Cote, Cote, Cote, the Canadian came into a fight where everyone (including myself) thought he was outgunned on the feet with Drew McFedries. Couldn't be further from the truth as Patrick Cote landed well on the feet and accepted shot great shots to his granite chin. From there Patrick got busy landing a brutal uppercut that sent the Miletich fighter to the canvas and then gave the ground and pound out for the victory in TKO fashion. Big win for Cote who seems to have survived his earlier "cursed" UFC daze to become a contender.
Thiago Thavares where are you? The brilliant Brazilian looked anything but in a sloppy decision win over journey man Michihiro Ohmygodwa. Thiago won every round but should have dominated this fight with a giant headed opponent he seemed to be leery of. This will not help his cause to return to the UFC Lightweight Top 10 but hey, a win is a win, is a win.
Gray Maynard exhausted Denis Siver in route to a decision victory, as Corey Hill also dilapidated his opponent and won with a long limbed TKO. Jeremy Stephens upset Cole Miller (the Upset pick I wanted to make but was too scared) with could not handle the power of his opponent as body shots and slams took their toll in route to a barrage of elbows and punches on the floor. Matt Wiman broke Justin Buchholz nose to get a rear naked choke and a win that still keeps him well below the Top 10 Lightweights.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Ultimate Fight Night Wednesday: Swick vs Burkman
Patrick Cote 12-4 vs Drew McFedries 6-2 Cote has had his share of bad luck in the UFC, but a 3 fight winning streak and a KO of popular Kendall Grove has put him back in the picture. McFedries is returning from a sick win over Radev and a vicious staff infection. Both men have bombs for hands and this will no doubt be a brawl on the feet. Who lands 1st wins. My heart is for Cote, but I think Drew has more power, better accuracy, and that intangible explosiveness that takes him to a TKO win. However, if Cote is smart, he takes this fight to the floor where Drew is inexperienced and tires him out to take the win on points. 1st upset pick of the night!
Nate Diaz 7-2 vs Alvin Robinson 10-2 Nate is still trying to prove he belongs after winning TUF, but he is facing a fellow submission artist who has much more bulk and perhaps can toss around the lanky frame of Nate. We know the Diaz brothers are tough but I don't see Nate hurting Alvin in the stand up game and Robinson out muscling him to a victory provided he isn't caught in a sneaky slick Diaz submission. 2nd upset pick of the night!
Thiago Tavares 16-1 vs Michihiro Omigawa 4-5 Thiago Tavares returns angrier than ever after losing an ultra close decision to Tyson Griffin. His title hopes were derailed by that loss so it seems the UFC decided to give him someone to punish. Oh my god Omigawa is in for a hurting.
Kurt Pellegrino 16-3 vs Alberto Crane 8-1 Batman returns after a spirited loss to former #1 contender Joe Stevenson to battle Crane who was just flat out abused by Roger Huerta. It was ugly and I expect Kurt to G&P his way to a victory as well.
Gray Maynard 4-0-1 vs Dennis Siver 11-4 Gray returns after a 9 second KO punch win in his last fight! Siver has some power in the hands but I think Gray just smothers him with his superior wrestling and apparently his powerful strikes.
Cole Miller 13-2 vs Jeremy Stephens 14-2 Jeremy likes to stand up while Cole has excelled with his long limbs on the ground. I think this could be a very competitive fight with Cole not getting an easy pass here for being a TUF alum. Jeremy could pull the upset here but I'm going to play it safe with the favorite since I'm picking ridiculous upsets for this card.
Joe Veres 5-2 vs Corey Hill 1-0 Joe is the guy who lasted a whole 9 seconds against Gray. Corey is the super popular TUF alum who doesn't have any real experience to speak of. So who wins? Beats me. Something tells me Veres has a little more in him than his last fight, but how can he get past the reach of the tallest UFC Lightweight (6'4) who has been training with Matt Hughes and the Miletich camp on occasions?
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The UFC Exodus Begins.......
Randy Couture, the comeback story of the year, and hero to millions re-gained the UFC Heavyweight Title only to lose interest in potential opponents when the UFC could not sign reigning Heavyweight Ruler Fedor Emelianenko to a strict and unrealistic contract. He also felt as if the money aspect of the Zuffa ran business was getting out of hand. Fight "bonuses" were meant to make up small dollar contracts for fighters but were not mandatory. Couture found this out when he defeated Gabriel Gonzaga and was never given his "promised" $250,000 fight bonus. The legendary Hall Of Famer simply "resigned" from the UFC and has given up the title he worked so hard to retrieve. He will sit out the remainder of his contract until it becomes void in October and he can sign with upstart M-1 Global to make the dream fight with Fedor a reality. The UFC has responded with a lawsuit and a sudden bad mouthing of the man they once heralded as the greatest fighter of all time.
Andrei Arlovski, another fan favorite and former Heavyweight Champion, has been sitting on the UFC bench simply because he is refusing to talk contract extension until his final fight is up. The UFC seems to have finally relented giving him a fight in March which will be 11 months since his last fight and victory! Arlovski's management has been very verbal in their disgust with the UFC's handling of their fighter and Andrei will most likely find his way to M-1 Global, Bodog Fight, Elite XC, or K-1, all which are willing to pay big money with "open contracts" (fighters can fight for other promotions while under contract with the companies permission).
As another UFC Top 10 Heavyweight exits, Fabricio Werdum, whom Andrei Arlovski defeated in his last bout, has been named the #1 contender after defeating Gabe Gonzaga at UFC 80! The 10-3-1 fighter will face the winner of Tim Sylvia vs Antonio Nogueira. Werdum has rarely defeated top talent like the aforementioned Gonzaga, while already losing to Antonio Nogueira and is 2-2 in his last 4 fights. That is your #1 contender?
Now the always bitchy and unhappy Tito Ortiz has stated that he has accepted a fight with Lyoto Machida and stated "I’m just looking to get my final fight over with the UFC.” after being told by the UFC brass he wasn't worth the money ($210,000 a fight) and no longer a "commodity" to them. Ouch. I've never like the ass but you can't deny people want to watch the guy fight (he had the 2 highest PPV buys for the company before last year) and he is a skilled fighter (I just threw up a little). Now he is leaving as well.
Renato "Babalu" Sobral was bounced for holding a choke hold too long on a fighter while BJ Penn did the exact same thing and earned a title shot that would eventually win him the Lightweight Title. Denis Kang had similar reservations as Fedor about UFC contracts and signed with K-1. Matt Lindland still refuses to sign with the UFC which has earned him much money all over the world. But these men are just free agents that were allowed to slip through the UFC's hands.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
UFC 80 Fight Links
http://ballhype.com/video/b_j_penn_vs_joe_stevenson_at_ufc_80/
Jorge Rivera vs Kendall Grove
http://rutube.ru/tracks/407764.html?v=f30f9e1aeffdef7c2499fc1c4b2e6f7e
Marcus Davis vs Jess Liaudin
http://rutube.ru/tracks/407837.html?v=230b9396e5100546443b06b48bcd8141
Wilson Gouveia vs Jason Lambert
http://rutube.ru/tracks/407854.html?v=664b1c987042f0e2dfb69c692c8dba8f
The UFC hates me right now.
Be patient as the host sites are very busy since the PPV ended.
UFC 80 Results *spoilers* Before PPV Airs
Sakara defeats James Lee in a bout handed to him by the UFC for a win. Sakara has had 7 fights now in the UFC for some odd reason. He isn't the "great" striker we all heard about and he has a 3-3-NC record against all weak opponents. His only "name" fight was a loss to Dean Lister and I continue to wonder why this guy has a job. Even in his wins, like this one, he doesn't look impressive and his opponent seemed to have hurt his back causing the eventual loss here as well. They seem to like the Roman overseas, but I hope he stays there.
Paul Kelly and Paul Taylor had a great fight of stand up exchanges but it was the wrestling of Kelly that would earn him the nod from the judges. Pretty good fight overall and I guess we should have listened to the "insiders" who were saying the Wolfslair Academy fighter (Michael Bisping, etc.) would out work the fellow Brit.
Antoni Hardonk came out with his deadly leg kicks and a couple of punches to TKO Colin Robinson in just 17 seconds! It would have been more impressive against a decent opponent. Keep in mind Hardonk was tooled by Frank Mir and Justin McCully for christ's sake. Hardonk moves right up in the Heavyweight Division to the top 100.
El Conquistador delivers "my upset pick" with a complete dismantling of the overrated Kendall Grove. It took 1:20 for Jorge Rivera to takedown Kenny and pound the living shit out of him with an unyielding barrage of punches forcing the ref to step in and stop the fight. Listen, Jorge came off an embarrassing loss to Terry Martin who has Tyson like power and KO'd him flat. Evens so, Rivera took Rich Franklin to the brink, has fought Champ Anderson Silva, as well as Travis Lutter, David Loiseau, Lee Murry, and Mark Weir to name a few, garnering him much knowledge and experience at a higher level than glass chin Grove. Don't count the old man out yet as he took out the odd bodied and quite overrated Kendall. I say again, Kendall is oooooverrated!
"The Irish Hand Grenade" Marcus Davis do what he do and dropped those cannon fired punches into the grill of Jess Liaudin, dropping him and winning the bout to continue his now 11 fight winning streak in just 1:04!! I heard a lot of talk that Jess was going to win the bout and I just laughed. Liaudin is a nice crazy fighter, but Davis is for real and is training and learning at a faster pace than about anyone I've seen in years. He has completely changed himself from a one trick pony to an MMA knowledge sponge. Sho you right!
Fabricio Werdum's Chute Boxe training pays off as he wins again in the rematch with Gabriel Gonzaga by TKO of all things. Gonzaga's game plan was to attack the legs with kicks and actually try to fight the fight on the ground. Did not work. Werdum, not wanting an ugly performance like his last bout with Andrei Arlovski, wanted action and delivered the punches and elbows brilliantly. In the 2nd round, Gabe continued the leg assault but seemed fatigued already! Werdum moves in with the patented Chute Boxe knees and punishes the big man before dropping him to the canvas for a decimating attack of elbows and punches in rapid fire succession forcing the ref to save Gonzaga. Wow, not only because of the upset, but how dominate and greatly improved Werdum has become in a short time with the stand up game. Was Gabe out of shape for this, or did the training at Chute Boxe just help Werdum out pace the odd game plan of Napao? Strange goings on.
Friday, January 18, 2008
UFC 80 Rapid Fire *do not order this ppv*
*Early Disclaimer, do not, under any circumstances order this PPV. Reasons given below.*
Quick Picks
BJ "Prodigy" Penn 11-4-1 vs. Joe "Daddy" Stevenson 28-7 W-BJ
Gabriel "Napao" Gonzaga 8-2 vs. Fabricio Werdum 9-3-1
W-Gabe
Jason "Punisher" Lambert 23-6 vs. Wilson Gouveia 9-4
W-Lambert
Sam "Hands Of Stone" Stout 12-3-1 vs. Per Eklund 12-2-1
W-Stout
Alessio 11-6 Sakara vs. James Lee 13-2
W-Sakara
Paul Taylor 8-2-1 vs. Paul Kelly 6-0
W-Taylor
Marcus "Irish Hand Grenade" Davis 13-3 vs. Jess "Joker" Liaudin 12-8
W-Davis
Kendall Grove 8-4 vs. Jorge Rivera 14-6
W-Rivera (upset pick)
Antoni Hardonk 5-4 vs. Colin Robinson 9-3
W-Hardonk
*Final disclaimer. If MMA fans continue to order weak ass PPV's like this one, the UFC will keep putting them on. The fact that the UFC has raised their prices to $45.00 is maddening enough, but to begin the rate hike with suck a lackluster event is just stupid. This is a weak card even if it was free on Spike TV! Dana White and the boys at Zuffa continue to use shady business practices to squeeze every last dollar out of the fan while trying to squash every upstart and legit MMA company out there to maintain their monopoly of the sport. You can watch the PPVby the end of the day (since in England it will be early our time) on many Internet outlets such as Megaupload, Daily Motion, YouTube, V Sandbox, Rapid Share, and many many more sites that cater to your inner pirate. Use your voice by keeping your money in your wallet this Saturday, and still see the event. That will doubly piss off the UFC and hopefully, eventually, force them into decent PPV's (which they have the talent for) and respect for the fans that make them money.*
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
MMA MMA MMA, & The Like
In a battle of the undefeated, Thiago Alves (Chute Boxe) is slated to face Rashad Evans (Jackson Submission Fighting) in May. Both Light Heavyweights are on the cusp of title contention after padding their perspective records as of late. Rashad is coming off a judges gift decision over Michael Bisping while Thiago just obliterated the aura of power punching Houston Alexander. One thing is for sure, Thiago will force Rashad to not fight the boring fight he is known for.
Speaking of "The Planet" Houston Alexander, he has an upcoming puncher's war with fellow stand up stand out James Irvin. Both have nothing on the ground and great power in the hands so a KO is inevitable for one of the men.
Karo Parisyan (18-4), who most consider the #1 contender for the Welterweight Title after the Serra/GSP fight, is rolling the dice in a reported fight with Thiago Alves (13-3). Thiago is a definite up and coming Welterweight who could derail Karo's title hopes for the 2nd time (injury cost Parisyan his 1st title shot). Thiago is coming off a lucky win via cut over Chris Lytle in a bout he was losing while Karo returns is coming off an impressive win over Pride FC vet Ryo Chonan. Give Karo the credit, he could just sit on the sidelines until after the Serra/GSP rematch, but he wants to stay active and make sure he gets a title shot.
Jeremy Horn (79-16-5) has stepped in and out of retirement to face Nathan Marquardt (25-7-2) after Middleweight contender Thales Leites (12-1) had to withdraw with a broken hand. Marquardt is looking to recover from his title defeat at the hands of the "2007 Fighter Of The Year" Anderson Silva, while Horn returns as one of the most respected fighters of all time, trying to get back on track after disappointing 2-2 in the last few years. A win puts Horn back in the mix, while a win for Marquardt keeps him near title contention provided someone can beat Silva.
Undefeated Lyoto Machida (12-0) has accepted a fight with Tito Ortiz (15-5-1) (who has yet to sign). Tito is coming off his draw with Rashad Evans and a stint on the reality show "The Apprentice," while Lyoto needs one more big win to be a Light Heavyweight #1 contender. He should be already but hey, you also need to have a "name" in the UFC for a title shot. By the by, Vitor Belfort had an interview with the UFC about returning to the organization and said his 1st order of business was a rematch with Tito. Stay tuned.
Eddie Alvarez (11-1), former Bodog Fight Welterweight Champion has signed a deal to fight for Elite XC. Eddie is a top and vicious talent who needs to be brought to a larger market. Though a bit small for Welterweight, Alvarez is a standout who KO's the crap out of competition and has a huge cult following. Expect big things from this man soon on Showtime.
Strikeforce Champion Frank Shamrock (23-8-1) will fight San Shou legend and ultra-exciting MMA up and comer Cung Le (5-0) for the Middleweight title March 29th. Many have said Le has not yet been tested in MMA and that Frank hasn't had a truly elite opponent since his return to MMA action, so this fight may sate all fans. Cung has amazing striking ability with the legs and hands while Frank is a veteran who was once the greatest in the world. The fight is sure to draw an enormous audience and will the winner face Renzo Gracie?
Hall Of Fame fighter Pat Miletich says he would like to rematch aforementioned Renzo Gracie this year and possibly Frank Shamrock as he plans to continue to tarnish a formerly great legacy.
Finally and inevitably, the UFC has officially launched a lawsuit against former/current? Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture. Obviously, they want him to fight for them before his contract expires in October and block at all costs a dream bout against one Fedor Emelianenko. I continue to believe that both parties in this are wrong and that the only losers in the long run will be the fans.