MMA Melee: Premiere MMA Camps, More UFC Injuries, & Boxing?

Anyone else notice Rough House ran game on UFC 105? Ross Pearson, Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy, Andre Winner, and even Nick Osipczak all got wins at the UK show. Before them, fellow team member Paul "Semtex" Daley made his UFC debut in September and KO'd Welterweight contender Martin Kampmann. The crew based in Nottingham, England has stepped up and past fellow their Brits at Wolfslair to become the premiere MMA camp in the Empire. When is the last time you saw 4 winners in 1 night from respected camps like Greg Jackson Submission Fighting, Miletich Fighting System, American Kickboxing Academy, American Top Team, Xtreme Couture, Team Quest, Chute Boxe, Brazilian Top Team, and Black House? Very impressive.

The dreaded staff infection has returned and ruined the Heavyweight #1 contender bout between Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cain Velasquez. Now "Minotauro" will be heading back to the hospital for antibiotics and out of UFC 108. Perhaps Shane Carwin could step into this bout as Brock Lesnar is not going to return to MMA for quite some time and possibly ever. More on that later.

Hey Brandon Vera, what do you have to say after the judges at UFC 105 gave Randy Couture the win in a dismal effort from both men? "I’m pissed, I’m really pissed, but the sport of MMA, she, MMA, is a bitch and if you let it go to the judges, you let it out of your hands, you know?"said Vera who lost a close and controversial MMA decision much like Shogun Rua who got jobbed against Lyoto Machida. "I’m super happy I got to fight Randy Couture, my hero, my legend, and let the rest of the light heavyweight division know that I’m going to whip your ass if you get into the Octagon with me." moaned Brandon. Why is it too much to ask that judges get decisions correct? Not every fight can end in a stoppage but the MMA world tends to blame the fighter for not finishing things instead of the "professional" judges who often consistently get bouts dead wrong?

Dan Hardy upset Mike Swick to become the #1 contender to Georges St. Pierre's Welterweight title, but may have to wait for the actual fight. It looks as though the UFC brass is looking for both men to host The Ultimate Fighter Season 11 which with gathering the talent and shooting the series, could take up to 6 or more months.

In a rare bit of boxing news, Manny Pacquiao thoroughly trounced Miguel Cotto in a fight that lasted almost all 12 rounds though should have been stopped earlier. It was definitely a gruesome sight and after the 9th round, Cotto’s wife and kid who were by the ringside left the arena to avoid the unpleasant visuals. Cotto was beat to shit and maybe Manny can be everyone's hero and shut the big mouth of Floyd Mayweather.

Finally, how about nobody mentioning Randy Couture showing up to UFC 105 with a bleached blonde teenage girl who looked too young to even be his daughter! I mean the balls on this guy are spectacular. He drops the beautiful Kim Couture as his fame rises (his 2nd divorce) without even broaching the subject with her, and then trots out his new barbie doll as if its no big deal he's hitting the axe wound of a fresh faced debutante 40 years his junior! God bless America!