When Quinton "Rampage" Jackson decided it was best to walk away from the year long sabbatical he had went on from filming the big screen adaptation of "The A-Team" and return to what he is more famous for at UFC 114 last May, his time off clearly showed. The unanimous decision loss to Rashad Evans clearly showed that Rampage had too much to work on in too limited a space of time (Rampage was in the corner for Wolf's Lair teammate Michael Bisping at UFC 110 3 months prior, and had ballooned up to about 240 lbs while working "The Count"s fight against Wanderlei Silva). While Jackson may have lost, his explosive one punch knockout power had clearly not left him, as he was probably closer to ending the fight than most people had expected (he had floored Evans with a right hand, but seemed too gassed after the big shot in order to end the fight). Many, many people wondered what the former UFC light heavyweight champion had left.
At UFC 123 last November when Jackson fought Lyoto Machida, a slow and methodical pace was in order, and while we never saw the amount of leg kicks we were expecting, Machida clearly didn't do enough to turn the favour in the eyes of the judges, and many people were shocked at the split decision victory awarded to Jackson (including Rampage himself). Despite the controversy surrounding it, the first round was razor thin close and Rampage won the fight clearly because of his aggressive nature and ability to get in and challenge Machida. Again, Rampage was under scrutiny.
So, clearly, going into UFC 130 against Matt Hamill, the story wasn't about whether or not Jackson could deliver a big finish, but whether or not his future plans outside of fighting had clouded his judgement, and whether or not Hamill could pull off a gigantic upset and send Jackson's career into a further tailspin.
Through 15 minutes, we got a clear picture of vintage Rampage Jackson : His aggressiveness and strength were clearly on display, getting inside Hamill's reach and exploiting his opponent's unwillingness to engage, stuffing takedown attempt after takedown attempt and having a clear edge with the barrage of shots he was landing (though Hamill refused to go down). After a round and a half, Hamill went into mere survival mode and Jackson was able to cruise from there on until the end, riding his performance to a unanimous decision victory.
Yet, despite this, fans still booed. Even after Rampage announced he had suffered a broken hand during preparations up to the fight and fought with essentially one hand, fans still weren't satisfied because it wasn't the "Rampage" people were used to seeing. The same one that powerbombed Ricardo Arona in Pride, or who dropped both former UFC 205 lb. kingpin Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva in previous trips to the Octagon. We saw a slower, aged Rampage use his primary skill set to grind it out and win ugly. A title shot against Jon "Bones" Jones was promised, but based on his injury and performance, that is unlikely to happen now.
So what can be gauged by Jackson's performance this weekend? While its clear that a fight between Jones and Jackson would be one sided due to the champ's speed, reach and clear distinct advantage in athleticism, Rampage would still probably hold his own. A more lucrative career is clearly on the horizon in the film business, but I wouldn't write Rampage off just yet. Clearly a few interesting fights still remain for Rampage, with rematches against both Rashad Evans and Shogun Rua front runners, but fights against Ryan Bader, Rich Franklin or (another rematch) Forrest Griffin would be interesting. The sabbatical did clearly cost him a step, but at the age of 32, his career clearly has a few years left in it.
-In other news, Dana White was apparently disappointed in both co-main eventers Roy Nelson and Frank Mir's performance Saturday night, as reported by MMAJunkie. While he later back tracked and called Mir's performance "admirable", He was quoted as saying Nelson's performance "disappointing" and he would meet with "Big Country" on Monday to discuss future plans. Honestly, I don't really know what White was expecting out of Nelson. He took a barrage of knees and still kept coming back. He was lost on his back during the 2nd and 3rd rounds, but I don't think Mir did enough to impress either (in my opinion anyway). Plus, at the end of the fight, Nelson looked clearly the fresher fighter.
- Strikeforce has announce that the much anticipated tilt between former consensus #1 heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson will happen on July 30th, as reported by both ESPN.com/Sherdog and MMAJunkie. The report on Junkie goes onto say the "Superfight" will be at heavyweight, at a weight of 220 lbs. The X-factor to this fight clearly hinges on Fedor : He has fought at 230 for the past 10 years in which he spent the majority of the time at the top. At 34 years old, can he actually take the necessary steps to cut weight? & Will it help or hinder his performance? Stay tuned.
- The new coaches for the 14th season of "The Ultimate Fighter" were announced last week. In a move that shocked well....absolutely nobody, Zuffa brass announced that Michael Bisping (in his second coaching stint) will be paired up with Strikeforce refugee and reality television host Jason "Mayhem" Miller, who returned to the UFC after a cup of coffee in "The Show" in 2005, where he lost to some French Canadian guy named St. Pierre. Reports go onto say that the contest between the 2 coaches will take place at the season finale live on Spike, as opposed to Pay Per View. That was probably their best move, as I could hardly think these 2 could sell as a 5th fight on a PPV card.
Questions? comments? leave one or e-mail me at mmarmaggeddon@gmail.com
Until next time, fight fans!
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Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
UFC 130 : Rampage vs Hamill re-hash : Rampage solid in victory, wins by decision; Mir gasses and survives.
Going into the UFC 130 Main Event, people were pondering how much former 205 lb. kingpin Quinton "Rampage" Jackson had left. Setting himself up for a career outside the cage due to his performance in the big screen of the adaptation of "The A-Team", people wondered how Jackson couldn't take his opponent, Matt Hamill lightly.
After UFC 130, Rampage didn't deliver the knockout he promised fans. Fans did boo. But 2 things can be concluded from the main event :
1) The year long sabbatical Jackson took clearly showed he had lost a step
2) Matt Hamill is a one tough guy.
Through 15 exhausting minutes, Jackson got inside and hit the former amateur wrestler known as "The Hammer" with several combinations, including hooks and uppercuts. After having his first (and subsequently every other) takedown stuffed by Jackson, Hamill went quite clearly into survival mode and was never in the running. The judges saw it the same way, with them awarding it to "Rampage" by unanimous decision, scores of 30-27 on all 3 scorecards.
Next for Rampage : During the post fight interview, Rampage announced he had suffered a fractured hand during training, but still fought anyway. That probably puts the breaks on a fight with current champion Jon "Bones" Jones. I say throw him in there with another prospect, say Ryan Bader.
Next for Hamill : Clearly showed he needs another fight or 2 to show his worth. I say perhaps a rematch with former middleweight champ Rich Franklin or Forrest Griffin.
The co-main event saw Roy Nelson take on former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir. A highly entertaining and competitive first round saw several tie ups, with Mir landing a head kick and a solid Muay Thai knee with "Big Country" hitting Mir with a nice right hand that left Mir a little wobbly. Mir got ahead and landed several knees that were thrown hard, but Nelson never backed away. Late in the first round, Mir got a trip right into a mount and while trying to go for a rear naked choke, lost position and Nelson able to scramble back up. The first round ended with Mir looking so tired he wasn't able to find his corner. The next 10 minutes were not as entertaining, and while Mir landed several knees to Nelson's face, was never able to put him away and simply tired, though he was able to get several takedowns and cruise to a unanimous decision victory, scores of 30-27 (twice) and 30-26.
Next for Mir : He clearly is still in the running for a title shot. I'd say either The winner of Brandon Schaub and "Minotauro" Noguiera or the loser of Carwin and Junior Dos Santos.
Next for Nelson : I'd say the loser of Schaub-Noguiera or perhaps the returning Brock Lesnar (more on that later).
The middleweight fight between former Sengoku champion Jorge Santiago and former Army officer Brian Stann was advertising as having fireworks, and it did not disappoint. The fight got off to a feverish pitch, with Stann landing a few solid combinations and Santiago circling around, trying to stay out of Stann's wheelhouse where he could land the big shot. Santiago threw several combinations, most missing while Stann was able to land some leg kicks and pepper Santiago with a few jabs. At just after the 3 and a half minute mark of the opening round, Stann landed a big right hand that dropped Santiago. He swarmed, but Santiago was able to weather the storm and survive the first by getting back up with about 10 seconds left. The second saw Santiago throw a combo and try for a takedown that was stuffed by Stann, followed by tie up and a knee by Jorge. Santiago had a lot of highlights in the next 2 minutes, landing several shots and taking a few from Stann and throwing a spinning backfist that Stann just seemed to walk through. At just under the 35 second mark of the second, Stann landed a right that clipped Santiago on the temple, with Stann coming in with mop up punches to end the fight at 4:29 of round 2.
Next for Stann : A game opponent would be nice. I say the winner of Maia and Munoz.
Next for Santiago : Jorge Rivera or Rousimar Pahlares.
The man known as "Mighty Mouse" Demitirous Johnson used his wrestling and low centre of gravity to carve and earn a unanimous decision victory over former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres. While Torres was clearly the taller and rangier fighter, Johnson found his niche with timely takedowns and several escapes from Torres' submissions, including a kneebar and kimura attempt. Torres looked strong in the early going, but wore as the fight went on. Judges saw it the same way, 29-28 (on all three scorecards).
Next for Torres : Since the title doesn't mean much to Torres, how bout a taste of 145 to prove his worth? If that's not happening, how about a fight with Brad Pickett
Next for Johnson : a fight with with Brian Bowles.
Honorable Mention : Roy Nelson is about one of the toughest guys on the planet. He was able to take several knees from Mir and still looked to be fresher, despite the obvious fact he was losing the fight. The UFC brass might not be too happy with him (according a report on MMAJunkie), but he showed tremendous heart and stood in there. I think he should be proud.
Also, Herb Dean showed you why again he is the best referee in the sport. Taking Jorge Santiago aside before the 2nd round to warn him about "open finger" punches shows how much attention to detail he pays. If I ever fought a title fight, I'd request that Herb Dean call it because I know how safe He'd make me stay. If there's a reason to stop a fight, he'll stop it.
Santiago also threw a flying knee to go along with that spinning backfist. Johnson going through Torres' kneebar submission and not even flinching. Great balance and great positioning just showed you that it doesn't matter what the size of dog in the fight, but the size of fight in the dog.
Also, right before the Pay Per View broadcast on Spike, UFC president Dana White announced that Brock Lesnar had undergone surgery on his colon, and should be returning by the end of the year. Given there are no other problems with him, One can only hope.
All in all, 3-1 on my picks (though i went a 3-5 on the Sportsnet pool) but brings me to 22-16-2 on the year. I've won 7 of my last 8 overall however.
Until next time, fight fans!
After UFC 130, Rampage didn't deliver the knockout he promised fans. Fans did boo. But 2 things can be concluded from the main event :
1) The year long sabbatical Jackson took clearly showed he had lost a step
2) Matt Hamill is a one tough guy.
Through 15 exhausting minutes, Jackson got inside and hit the former amateur wrestler known as "The Hammer" with several combinations, including hooks and uppercuts. After having his first (and subsequently every other) takedown stuffed by Jackson, Hamill went quite clearly into survival mode and was never in the running. The judges saw it the same way, with them awarding it to "Rampage" by unanimous decision, scores of 30-27 on all 3 scorecards.
Next for Rampage : During the post fight interview, Rampage announced he had suffered a fractured hand during training, but still fought anyway. That probably puts the breaks on a fight with current champion Jon "Bones" Jones. I say throw him in there with another prospect, say Ryan Bader.
Next for Hamill : Clearly showed he needs another fight or 2 to show his worth. I say perhaps a rematch with former middleweight champ Rich Franklin or Forrest Griffin.
The co-main event saw Roy Nelson take on former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir. A highly entertaining and competitive first round saw several tie ups, with Mir landing a head kick and a solid Muay Thai knee with "Big Country" hitting Mir with a nice right hand that left Mir a little wobbly. Mir got ahead and landed several knees that were thrown hard, but Nelson never backed away. Late in the first round, Mir got a trip right into a mount and while trying to go for a rear naked choke, lost position and Nelson able to scramble back up. The first round ended with Mir looking so tired he wasn't able to find his corner. The next 10 minutes were not as entertaining, and while Mir landed several knees to Nelson's face, was never able to put him away and simply tired, though he was able to get several takedowns and cruise to a unanimous decision victory, scores of 30-27 (twice) and 30-26.
Next for Mir : He clearly is still in the running for a title shot. I'd say either The winner of Brandon Schaub and "Minotauro" Noguiera or the loser of Carwin and Junior Dos Santos.
Next for Nelson : I'd say the loser of Schaub-Noguiera or perhaps the returning Brock Lesnar (more on that later).
The middleweight fight between former Sengoku champion Jorge Santiago and former Army officer Brian Stann was advertising as having fireworks, and it did not disappoint. The fight got off to a feverish pitch, with Stann landing a few solid combinations and Santiago circling around, trying to stay out of Stann's wheelhouse where he could land the big shot. Santiago threw several combinations, most missing while Stann was able to land some leg kicks and pepper Santiago with a few jabs. At just after the 3 and a half minute mark of the opening round, Stann landed a big right hand that dropped Santiago. He swarmed, but Santiago was able to weather the storm and survive the first by getting back up with about 10 seconds left. The second saw Santiago throw a combo and try for a takedown that was stuffed by Stann, followed by tie up and a knee by Jorge. Santiago had a lot of highlights in the next 2 minutes, landing several shots and taking a few from Stann and throwing a spinning backfist that Stann just seemed to walk through. At just under the 35 second mark of the second, Stann landed a right that clipped Santiago on the temple, with Stann coming in with mop up punches to end the fight at 4:29 of round 2.
Next for Stann : A game opponent would be nice. I say the winner of Maia and Munoz.
Next for Santiago : Jorge Rivera or Rousimar Pahlares.
The man known as "Mighty Mouse" Demitirous Johnson used his wrestling and low centre of gravity to carve and earn a unanimous decision victory over former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres. While Torres was clearly the taller and rangier fighter, Johnson found his niche with timely takedowns and several escapes from Torres' submissions, including a kneebar and kimura attempt. Torres looked strong in the early going, but wore as the fight went on. Judges saw it the same way, 29-28 (on all three scorecards).
Next for Torres : Since the title doesn't mean much to Torres, how bout a taste of 145 to prove his worth? If that's not happening, how about a fight with Brad Pickett
Next for Johnson : a fight with with Brian Bowles.
Honorable Mention : Roy Nelson is about one of the toughest guys on the planet. He was able to take several knees from Mir and still looked to be fresher, despite the obvious fact he was losing the fight. The UFC brass might not be too happy with him (according a report on MMAJunkie), but he showed tremendous heart and stood in there. I think he should be proud.
Also, Herb Dean showed you why again he is the best referee in the sport. Taking Jorge Santiago aside before the 2nd round to warn him about "open finger" punches shows how much attention to detail he pays. If I ever fought a title fight, I'd request that Herb Dean call it because I know how safe He'd make me stay. If there's a reason to stop a fight, he'll stop it.
Santiago also threw a flying knee to go along with that spinning backfist. Johnson going through Torres' kneebar submission and not even flinching. Great balance and great positioning just showed you that it doesn't matter what the size of dog in the fight, but the size of fight in the dog.
Also, right before the Pay Per View broadcast on Spike, UFC president Dana White announced that Brock Lesnar had undergone surgery on his colon, and should be returning by the end of the year. Given there are no other problems with him, One can only hope.
All in all, 3-1 on my picks (though i went a 3-5 on the Sportsnet pool) but brings me to 22-16-2 on the year. I've won 7 of my last 8 overall however.
Until next time, fight fans!
Friday, May 27, 2011
UFC 130 : Rampage vs Hamill preview
Well, after the largest UFC event in history last month in Toronto, injuries to main event fighters Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard caused a huge shuffle in direction for UFC 130. On Saturday Night, notable fan favorite and former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson steps into the cage against probably one of the bravest fighters in the world (dude can't hear anybody cheering, yet still goes out there) former amateur wrestler Matt Hamill in Las Vegas. Honestly, I still haven't come down from Cloud 9 after running the table last time around (went 4-0 in Toronto baby and 6-2 on my Sportsnet Picks)
Onto my picks :
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs Matt Hamill - The main event features "Rampage" vs Hamill. Jackson looks to figure in a title shot against "Bones" Jones if he is able to secure a win, While Hamill is just looking to shock the world. Rampage is coming off a split decision victory over Lyoto Machida at UFC 123 in Detroit last November, While Hamill was able to dominate a well past his due date Tito Ortiz at UFC 121 last October.
A lot of how this fight works out is the mindset of Rampage. A focused Jackson will probably dominate Hamill, but did he take this fight lightly? If he has, Hamill will use his bread and butter to take him down and inevitably grind it out, as Rampage's ground game is more or less non existent. However, A game Rampage will stuff takedowns, look to stand up and circle and look for a knockout. I'm banking on a game Rampage to show up Saturday, and for Hamill to look silly.
The Pick : Rampage by decision.
Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson - The co-main event of the card features heavyweight contenders Frank Mir and Roy "Big Country" Nelson. Mir is coming off making Mirko "Cro Cop" look silly by having him run into his knee last September, while Nelson is coming off a unanimous decision defeat against Junior Dos Santos at UFC 117 last August. A lot has been made about the fact that this isn't the first time these 2 have met : in 2003, Nelson dominated Mir by a score of 15-2 at a Grappler's Quest tournament. Both have matured and grown in leaps and bounds in their games since then, Mir winning the UFC interim heavyweight title (and subsequently getting floored by Shane Carwin in a fight for another interim title) and Nelson winning the TUF reality show, and carve his way into the title picture with wins against Stefan Struve and Brandon Schaub before his loss to JDS.
Mir has shown he can hit very hard, and his ground game is not one to be taken lightly. He hasn't shown however how hard he can get hit, being dominated by Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin with heavy shots while Roy Nelson was able to stand and trade with probably the fighter with the best pure boxing skills in UFC and arguably MMA in Dos Santos. I expect Nelson to be able to outgrapple the former UFC heavyweight champion and make another statement, with Mir ending up going to campaign for a 3rd fight with a returning Brock Lesnar (when he does come back).
The Pick : Nelson by decision.
Jorge Santiago vs Brian Stann - A middleweight fight I'm looking forward to is the re-debut of Sengoku champion Jorge Santiago vs The All-American Hero Brian Stann. Stann was originally supposed to fight Wanderlei Silva before the Brazilian ultimately decided he didn't want to be the "bad guy" while Santiago fresh off his dominance in Japan, decided to come to greener pastures of the UFC (somehow, I also think it had a lot to do with World Victory Road's financial situation). Santiago's first spell in the UFC ended with a 2 losses in 3 fights, but since then has gone on to a 10-1 record in fights with BodogFight, Strikeforce and Sengoku, while the former WEC 205 lb kingpin Stann has impressed in fights with Chris Leben and Mike Massenzio en route to 4 wins in 6 fights inside the Octagon.
Stann will use his wrestling and have Santiago in all loads of trouble, and it will only be a matter of time before the "All-American" will leave Santiago unconscious.
The Pick : Stann by TKO.
Miguel Torres vs. Demetrious Johnson - Former WEC 135 lb. Champion Miguel Torres was originally supposed to fight Brad Pickett. An injury to Pickett caused Johnson, who was originally supposed to fight Brazilian Renan Berao on the Facebook prelims, step in and take on Torres. I expect this fight to more or less "Wrestler vs. Striker", with Torres moving around the cage and using his jab, with Johnson trying to get inside, use his wrestling to ultimately wear him down. Torres has lost a step since his reign in WEC, and I fully expect Johnson to use his strength, wear him down and have his hand raised.
The Pick : Johnson by Decision.
Well, those are my picks. Agree? Disagree? want to get back to me? leave a comment or email me at mmarmaggeddon@gmail.com
Until next time, fight fans!
Onto my picks :
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs Matt Hamill - The main event features "Rampage" vs Hamill. Jackson looks to figure in a title shot against "Bones" Jones if he is able to secure a win, While Hamill is just looking to shock the world. Rampage is coming off a split decision victory over Lyoto Machida at UFC 123 in Detroit last November, While Hamill was able to dominate a well past his due date Tito Ortiz at UFC 121 last October.
A lot of how this fight works out is the mindset of Rampage. A focused Jackson will probably dominate Hamill, but did he take this fight lightly? If he has, Hamill will use his bread and butter to take him down and inevitably grind it out, as Rampage's ground game is more or less non existent. However, A game Rampage will stuff takedowns, look to stand up and circle and look for a knockout. I'm banking on a game Rampage to show up Saturday, and for Hamill to look silly.
The Pick : Rampage by decision.
Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson - The co-main event of the card features heavyweight contenders Frank Mir and Roy "Big Country" Nelson. Mir is coming off making Mirko "Cro Cop" look silly by having him run into his knee last September, while Nelson is coming off a unanimous decision defeat against Junior Dos Santos at UFC 117 last August. A lot has been made about the fact that this isn't the first time these 2 have met : in 2003, Nelson dominated Mir by a score of 15-2 at a Grappler's Quest tournament. Both have matured and grown in leaps and bounds in their games since then, Mir winning the UFC interim heavyweight title (and subsequently getting floored by Shane Carwin in a fight for another interim title) and Nelson winning the TUF reality show, and carve his way into the title picture with wins against Stefan Struve and Brandon Schaub before his loss to JDS.
Mir has shown he can hit very hard, and his ground game is not one to be taken lightly. He hasn't shown however how hard he can get hit, being dominated by Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin with heavy shots while Roy Nelson was able to stand and trade with probably the fighter with the best pure boxing skills in UFC and arguably MMA in Dos Santos. I expect Nelson to be able to outgrapple the former UFC heavyweight champion and make another statement, with Mir ending up going to campaign for a 3rd fight with a returning Brock Lesnar (when he does come back).
The Pick : Nelson by decision.
Jorge Santiago vs Brian Stann - A middleweight fight I'm looking forward to is the re-debut of Sengoku champion Jorge Santiago vs The All-American Hero Brian Stann. Stann was originally supposed to fight Wanderlei Silva before the Brazilian ultimately decided he didn't want to be the "bad guy" while Santiago fresh off his dominance in Japan, decided to come to greener pastures of the UFC (somehow, I also think it had a lot to do with World Victory Road's financial situation). Santiago's first spell in the UFC ended with a 2 losses in 3 fights, but since then has gone on to a 10-1 record in fights with BodogFight, Strikeforce and Sengoku, while the former WEC 205 lb kingpin Stann has impressed in fights with Chris Leben and Mike Massenzio en route to 4 wins in 6 fights inside the Octagon.
Stann will use his wrestling and have Santiago in all loads of trouble, and it will only be a matter of time before the "All-American" will leave Santiago unconscious.
The Pick : Stann by TKO.
Miguel Torres vs. Demetrious Johnson - Former WEC 135 lb. Champion Miguel Torres was originally supposed to fight Brad Pickett. An injury to Pickett caused Johnson, who was originally supposed to fight Brazilian Renan Berao on the Facebook prelims, step in and take on Torres. I expect this fight to more or less "Wrestler vs. Striker", with Torres moving around the cage and using his jab, with Johnson trying to get inside, use his wrestling to ultimately wear him down. Torres has lost a step since his reign in WEC, and I fully expect Johnson to use his strength, wear him down and have his hand raised.
The Pick : Johnson by Decision.
Well, those are my picks. Agree? Disagree? want to get back to me? leave a comment or email me at mmarmaggeddon@gmail.com
Until next time, fight fans!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Bellator 45 recap : M'Pumbu uses heavy hands, wins 205. title.
Bellator's season 4 swansong aired Saturday night on MTV2, live from the L'Auberge du Lac Resort Casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
The main even was a 5 round affair between Congolese Frenchman Christian M'Pumbu and Rich Hale for the promotions first Light Heavyweight World Championship. An entertaining first round had M'Pumbu circling around Hale's power and dropping the American with a heavy shot just at the 3 and a half minute mark of the 1st round. Hale's length made a difference though as he was able to push M'Pumbu aside and overcome the Frenchman's heavy hammer fists. The bell sounded, and the American got a second wind. The second round was dominated by Hale's length and getting through with left hooks always being able to counter M'Pumbu. After 10 minutes, the fight was a round apiece. The third round started with Hale coming in with a left hand and attempting a takedown, but M'Pumbu was able to switch off and hit with a shot to the body. After what seemed to be an eternity of combinations by both fighters, M'Pumbu landed a right hand with Hale dropping like a ton of bricks with another right hand followed by a combination of hammer fists. Jason Herzog stepped in after that, and at just over the 4 minute mark of the 3rd round, Christian "TonTon" M'Pumbu becomes the 205 lb. kingpin of Bellator. In doing so, He becomes the first African Born World Champion of a major MMA organization.
The co-main event was the finals of the 145 lb. featherweight tournament between wrestler Daniel Straus and Brazilian Patricio Pitbull, younger brother of lightweight Patricky Pitbull. Pitbull certainly came out in the first round and shown he had been working on his wrestling since his Season 2 loss to Joe Warren, as he was constantly stuffing or giving Straus trouble in taking him down, using his low centre of gravity. Although a solid knee by the Brazilian, the first round was close although Pitbull won 10-9. A second round was grinded out by Pitbull's solid takedown attempt, and he was able to grind out a 2 round lead despite a illegal elbow (more on that later). The third round was controlled by the Brazilian, and he was able to win by unanimous decision by a 30-27 (twice) and 29-28. In doing so, Pitbull secures a rematch with the only man to defeat him, Joe Warren.
Other winners included "Smiling" Sam Alvey, who despite taking a heavy shot by Frenchman Karl Amoussou which left him with a cut deep in the back of his head, was able to take a split decision and secure a spot in the Bellator season 5 middleweight tournament, set to begin in September.
Honorable Mention : Jason Herzog has to be one of the worst officials I have ever seen. The 205 lb. main event should have ended as soon as M'Pumbu landed the right hand on Hale, as the "Rare Breed" was out and took more shots than necessary, as Herzog hesitated before getting in between. Also, the knee to the head called by him was not even close to the head, as it landed on the body and even both Straus and Pitbull were confused.
Also with his death this week at 58, Macho Man Randy Savage was called out during the main event, as Sean Wheelock even referred to his feud with George "The Animal" Steele as "one of his favourites" with Jimmy Smith calling for a flying elbow. Somehow, I don't see that working off the Bellator cage.
Sam Alvey coming out with the "Bellator" name shaved into his head, only to lose a lot of blood and be on the track to losing before turning it on late.
Once again, this card concludes Bellator's 4th season. Its next card will kick off its "Summer Series" in June, with the first bouts of an announced Bantamweight tournament featuring Featherweight Champion Joe Warren and Wilson Gustao.
Until next time, fight fans!.
The main even was a 5 round affair between Congolese Frenchman Christian M'Pumbu and Rich Hale for the promotions first Light Heavyweight World Championship. An entertaining first round had M'Pumbu circling around Hale's power and dropping the American with a heavy shot just at the 3 and a half minute mark of the 1st round. Hale's length made a difference though as he was able to push M'Pumbu aside and overcome the Frenchman's heavy hammer fists. The bell sounded, and the American got a second wind. The second round was dominated by Hale's length and getting through with left hooks always being able to counter M'Pumbu. After 10 minutes, the fight was a round apiece. The third round started with Hale coming in with a left hand and attempting a takedown, but M'Pumbu was able to switch off and hit with a shot to the body. After what seemed to be an eternity of combinations by both fighters, M'Pumbu landed a right hand with Hale dropping like a ton of bricks with another right hand followed by a combination of hammer fists. Jason Herzog stepped in after that, and at just over the 4 minute mark of the 3rd round, Christian "TonTon" M'Pumbu becomes the 205 lb. kingpin of Bellator. In doing so, He becomes the first African Born World Champion of a major MMA organization.
The co-main event was the finals of the 145 lb. featherweight tournament between wrestler Daniel Straus and Brazilian Patricio Pitbull, younger brother of lightweight Patricky Pitbull. Pitbull certainly came out in the first round and shown he had been working on his wrestling since his Season 2 loss to Joe Warren, as he was constantly stuffing or giving Straus trouble in taking him down, using his low centre of gravity. Although a solid knee by the Brazilian, the first round was close although Pitbull won 10-9. A second round was grinded out by Pitbull's solid takedown attempt, and he was able to grind out a 2 round lead despite a illegal elbow (more on that later). The third round was controlled by the Brazilian, and he was able to win by unanimous decision by a 30-27 (twice) and 29-28. In doing so, Pitbull secures a rematch with the only man to defeat him, Joe Warren.
Other winners included "Smiling" Sam Alvey, who despite taking a heavy shot by Frenchman Karl Amoussou which left him with a cut deep in the back of his head, was able to take a split decision and secure a spot in the Bellator season 5 middleweight tournament, set to begin in September.
Honorable Mention : Jason Herzog has to be one of the worst officials I have ever seen. The 205 lb. main event should have ended as soon as M'Pumbu landed the right hand on Hale, as the "Rare Breed" was out and took more shots than necessary, as Herzog hesitated before getting in between. Also, the knee to the head called by him was not even close to the head, as it landed on the body and even both Straus and Pitbull were confused.
Also with his death this week at 58, Macho Man Randy Savage was called out during the main event, as Sean Wheelock even referred to his feud with George "The Animal" Steele as "one of his favourites" with Jimmy Smith calling for a flying elbow. Somehow, I don't see that working off the Bellator cage.
Sam Alvey coming out with the "Bellator" name shaved into his head, only to lose a lot of blood and be on the track to losing before turning it on late.
Once again, this card concludes Bellator's 4th season. Its next card will kick off its "Summer Series" in June, with the first bouts of an announced Bantamweight tournament featuring Featherweight Champion Joe Warren and Wilson Gustao.
Until next time, fight fans!.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Fast as Lightning : Is Hector Lombard UFC Worthy?
With his victory over Falaniko Vitale at last Saturday's Bellator 44, Hector Lombard extended the longest current winning streak in Mixed Martial Arts to 23 victories, as he hasn't lost in 5 years. For Lombard (29-2-1), the victory was par for the course, as when the ref waved it off he just smiled and looked at the crowd as he made yet another opponent look silly with his right hand.
However, as great as he has looked in his non-title "Superfights", the first defense of his 185 lb. title (which happened during season 3's Bellator 34), was quite ordinary. After throwing a wild flurry of punches in the first 5 minutes against the Russian Alexander Shlemenko, the former Cuban Olympian in Judo proceeded to hold down the challenger for the final 20 minutes, with everybody (including Shlemenko) shocked and appalled at the lackluster performance. Hector Lombard's comment when the fight was brought up during Friday's weigh-in for Bellator 44 was "all I care about is winning".
Its difficult to argue with the statement, as in the world of Mixed Martial Arts, that is really all that matters.
So, with the acquisition of Strikeforce by Zuffa, and with the the majority of good 185 lb. fighters under their umbrella, how would Lombard fare in the UFC?
The question is hard to gauge : Despite the win streak, the only 2 names on Lombard's resume that ring a bell to the casual Mixed Martial Arts fan would be current Strikeforce vet Gegard Mousasi and Pride veteran Akihiro Gono. Both ended in unanimous decision losses for Lombard. While the argument could be made that the Cuban was clearly raw (those were his 6th and 9th fights as a professional, respectively), the same argument can be made that his lack of cardio and size were disadvantages to him, as a bigger fighter like Mousasi could use his large frame and positioning to keep Lombard at bay, and Gono was able to weather an early storm and grind the rest of the fight out. However, since then, he has defeated such UFC vets as Vitale and Jay Silva, with the victory over Silva being a Bellator record 6 seconds.
The simple answer is this : As a 185 lb. fighter in the UFC, Lombard's small frame would put him at a clear disadvantage against the likes of Chael Sonnen, Nathan Marquardt, Michael Bisping and Brian Stann. He would be a Rousimar Palhares-type fighter, who would remain competitive but without a quick maneuver or two (like a heel hook), would lose several close decisions. However, at 170 lbs, he might be formidable competitor, perhaps a contender, due to his explosiveness and one punch knockout power.
But since this is all speculative, let's take solace in what he is right now : A man who despite his victories over less-notable fighters, provides us with a guilty pleasure, who will use the "Lightning" in his fists to simply knock those fighters out. And have a lot of fun while doing it.
-In other news, MMAJunkie has reported that UFC veteran Antonio McKee vs Shinya Aoki is cleared for "Dream 17 : Fight for Japan" on May 29th. Honestly, I'm no fan of Aoki (know you guys are getting tired of hearing that) but I'm hoping his countrymen cheer him on and he gets a victory.
-Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Noguiera has gone on record to say that he will fight at UFC 133 in Rio this August, as he told Brazilian Television's "Global Esporte", as reported by ESPN.com/Sherdog. He says that
“The biggest MMA promotion in the world will be back in Brazil after 14 years and I’ll be there, steady and strong.”, and goes onto say that he's looking forward to fighting in the co-main event. Its odd, but nobody in the UFC brass has confirmed this. Though recent reports have surfaced that prospect Brandan Schaub, fresh off sending the Brazilian's old sparring buddy Mirko "Cro Cop" into imminent retirement, is lobbying to be his opponent. My hope is that Minotauro turns back the clock and puts on a show.
-Its not turning the clock back, but Gilbert Yvel and Tony Lopez have been confirmed for an Edmonton, Alberta based Colosseo Fighting Championship card to take place sometime this spring, reported by Junkie. According to the promoters, this fight will feature "Pride" Style rules, with soccer kicks and stomps to the head legal. Really, I enjoyed the Japanese style fights....but this is what got MMA in hot water in North America in the first place.
Questions? Comments? leave one or e-mail me at mmarmaggeddon@gmail.com
Until next time, fight fans.
However, as great as he has looked in his non-title "Superfights", the first defense of his 185 lb. title (which happened during season 3's Bellator 34), was quite ordinary. After throwing a wild flurry of punches in the first 5 minutes against the Russian Alexander Shlemenko, the former Cuban Olympian in Judo proceeded to hold down the challenger for the final 20 minutes, with everybody (including Shlemenko) shocked and appalled at the lackluster performance. Hector Lombard's comment when the fight was brought up during Friday's weigh-in for Bellator 44 was "all I care about is winning".
Its difficult to argue with the statement, as in the world of Mixed Martial Arts, that is really all that matters.
So, with the acquisition of Strikeforce by Zuffa, and with the the majority of good 185 lb. fighters under their umbrella, how would Lombard fare in the UFC?
The question is hard to gauge : Despite the win streak, the only 2 names on Lombard's resume that ring a bell to the casual Mixed Martial Arts fan would be current Strikeforce vet Gegard Mousasi and Pride veteran Akihiro Gono. Both ended in unanimous decision losses for Lombard. While the argument could be made that the Cuban was clearly raw (those were his 6th and 9th fights as a professional, respectively), the same argument can be made that his lack of cardio and size were disadvantages to him, as a bigger fighter like Mousasi could use his large frame and positioning to keep Lombard at bay, and Gono was able to weather an early storm and grind the rest of the fight out. However, since then, he has defeated such UFC vets as Vitale and Jay Silva, with the victory over Silva being a Bellator record 6 seconds.
The simple answer is this : As a 185 lb. fighter in the UFC, Lombard's small frame would put him at a clear disadvantage against the likes of Chael Sonnen, Nathan Marquardt, Michael Bisping and Brian Stann. He would be a Rousimar Palhares-type fighter, who would remain competitive but without a quick maneuver or two (like a heel hook), would lose several close decisions. However, at 170 lbs, he might be formidable competitor, perhaps a contender, due to his explosiveness and one punch knockout power.
But since this is all speculative, let's take solace in what he is right now : A man who despite his victories over less-notable fighters, provides us with a guilty pleasure, who will use the "Lightning" in his fists to simply knock those fighters out. And have a lot of fun while doing it.
-In other news, MMAJunkie has reported that UFC veteran Antonio McKee vs Shinya Aoki is cleared for "Dream 17 : Fight for Japan" on May 29th. Honestly, I'm no fan of Aoki (know you guys are getting tired of hearing that) but I'm hoping his countrymen cheer him on and he gets a victory.
-Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Noguiera has gone on record to say that he will fight at UFC 133 in Rio this August, as he told Brazilian Television's "Global Esporte", as reported by ESPN.com/Sherdog. He says that
“The biggest MMA promotion in the world will be back in Brazil after 14 years and I’ll be there, steady and strong.”, and goes onto say that he's looking forward to fighting in the co-main event. Its odd, but nobody in the UFC brass has confirmed this. Though recent reports have surfaced that prospect Brandan Schaub, fresh off sending the Brazilian's old sparring buddy Mirko "Cro Cop" into imminent retirement, is lobbying to be his opponent. My hope is that Minotauro turns back the clock and puts on a show.
-Its not turning the clock back, but Gilbert Yvel and Tony Lopez have been confirmed for an Edmonton, Alberta based Colosseo Fighting Championship card to take place sometime this spring, reported by Junkie. According to the promoters, this fight will feature "Pride" Style rules, with soccer kicks and stomps to the head legal. Really, I enjoyed the Japanese style fights....but this is what got MMA in hot water in North America in the first place.
Questions? Comments? leave one or e-mail me at mmarmaggeddon@gmail.com
Until next time, fight fans.
Bellator 44 recap : Chandler overcomes Pitbull's flashiness, wins despite controversy; Lombard impresses.
It is a long known saying that style is more prominent over substance.
For Michael Chandler, his amateur wrestling background was seen as inferior to Patricky "Pitbull" Friere, who has been stylish in notable wins over former WEC lightweight kingpin "Razor" Rob McCullough and 2-time Bellator tournament finalist Toby Imada.
Unfortunately, for all those naysayers, Chandler would hear none of it Saturday night.
Coming to us Saturday night from Caesar's in Atlantic City, Bellator 44 featured those 2 fighters in the finals of the single-elimination lightweight tournament. A first round which went back and forth, was overshadowed by a low blow that sent the Brazilian to the ground, though no point was deducted. Chandler's crisper boxing was clearly the high point of it, and despite several big shots by the brother of featherweight Patricio "Pitbull", he could not overcome the substance and grit of the American. The second round featured several high points, including Pitbull trying to duplicate his victory over Imada, although a second low blow in the round clearly hindered those chances. The third saw Chandler grind it out with a takedown, never letting up on the Brazilian, and although a 3rd low blow early in the round saw a point deducted, Chandler did enough in that round to simply draw that round, and the first 2 were his as he won on all 3 scorecards by scores of 29-27 (twice), with the 3rd having it a draw. In winning, he is the first tournament winner to receive $100,000 and receives a title shot against Eddie Alvarez (who was in attendance) at Bellator's 5th season set to begin in September.
The co-main event saw Hector Lombard extend Bellator World Champions streak in non-title "Superfights" to 10 in a row and his personal streak to 23 victories, as the Cuban defected Australian took on UFC and Strikeforce veteran Falaniko Vitale in a 3 round contest. Amidst much hoopla surrounding Lombard's fantastic quick KOs, fans booed as Lombard showed a lot more patience, standing and trading with the American and not trying blow his tank with several mini flurries that had Vitale in a little bit of trouble. At just before the 1 minute mark of the final round, Lombard sent a right hand to Vitale's chin that floored him, and despite his resolve to get back up, stumbled and did his best Ric Flair flop impression as the referee Dan Margliotta stopped the fight.
Other winners included Geidrius Karavackas, who defeated follow Bellator newcomer Sam Oropeza by the scarf hold armlock (which i'll be honest, I've never seen before, and after last night, will probably never see again), and Season 2 middleweight tourney winner Alexander Shlemenko use his signature spinning backfists to cruise to a decision over Brett Cooper, despite the American having him wobbly in the opening minutes.
Honorable Mention : Did anybody else notice that Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez just re-iterate what commentator Jimmy Smith was saying? I didn't hear him say a word in the 15 or so minutes during the main event except "Yeah, exactly what Jimmy said". Would have been nice to hear some soundbytes by the man known to Bjorn Rebney as the World's "best lightweight", but I suppose that's his style. Shlemenko used his fantastic spinning backfists as well as a few tricks like spinning roundhouses in his decision victory. Lyman Good and Dan Hornbuckle were taken off due to injury, and it was alright as we saw a seldom seen submission by Karavackas. Lombard's lack of a boxing technique still amazes me, as he is a Cuban....you'd think he'd had learned at least a thing or 2 about technique in his formidable years there. Ah well, just good thing he didn't gas.
Tune next week for the final card of this 4th season, with Patricio "Pitbull" facing off against Daniel Straus in the featherweight finals, as well as the promotions first 205 lb. kingpin will be crowned as Christian M'Pumbu will take on Rich Hale.
Until next time, fight fans.
For Michael Chandler, his amateur wrestling background was seen as inferior to Patricky "Pitbull" Friere, who has been stylish in notable wins over former WEC lightweight kingpin "Razor" Rob McCullough and 2-time Bellator tournament finalist Toby Imada.
Unfortunately, for all those naysayers, Chandler would hear none of it Saturday night.
Coming to us Saturday night from Caesar's in Atlantic City, Bellator 44 featured those 2 fighters in the finals of the single-elimination lightweight tournament. A first round which went back and forth, was overshadowed by a low blow that sent the Brazilian to the ground, though no point was deducted. Chandler's crisper boxing was clearly the high point of it, and despite several big shots by the brother of featherweight Patricio "Pitbull", he could not overcome the substance and grit of the American. The second round featured several high points, including Pitbull trying to duplicate his victory over Imada, although a second low blow in the round clearly hindered those chances. The third saw Chandler grind it out with a takedown, never letting up on the Brazilian, and although a 3rd low blow early in the round saw a point deducted, Chandler did enough in that round to simply draw that round, and the first 2 were his as he won on all 3 scorecards by scores of 29-27 (twice), with the 3rd having it a draw. In winning, he is the first tournament winner to receive $100,000 and receives a title shot against Eddie Alvarez (who was in attendance) at Bellator's 5th season set to begin in September.
The co-main event saw Hector Lombard extend Bellator World Champions streak in non-title "Superfights" to 10 in a row and his personal streak to 23 victories, as the Cuban defected Australian took on UFC and Strikeforce veteran Falaniko Vitale in a 3 round contest. Amidst much hoopla surrounding Lombard's fantastic quick KOs, fans booed as Lombard showed a lot more patience, standing and trading with the American and not trying blow his tank with several mini flurries that had Vitale in a little bit of trouble. At just before the 1 minute mark of the final round, Lombard sent a right hand to Vitale's chin that floored him, and despite his resolve to get back up, stumbled and did his best Ric Flair flop impression as the referee Dan Margliotta stopped the fight.
Other winners included Geidrius Karavackas, who defeated follow Bellator newcomer Sam Oropeza by the scarf hold armlock (which i'll be honest, I've never seen before, and after last night, will probably never see again), and Season 2 middleweight tourney winner Alexander Shlemenko use his signature spinning backfists to cruise to a decision over Brett Cooper, despite the American having him wobbly in the opening minutes.
Honorable Mention : Did anybody else notice that Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez just re-iterate what commentator Jimmy Smith was saying? I didn't hear him say a word in the 15 or so minutes during the main event except "Yeah, exactly what Jimmy said". Would have been nice to hear some soundbytes by the man known to Bjorn Rebney as the World's "best lightweight", but I suppose that's his style. Shlemenko used his fantastic spinning backfists as well as a few tricks like spinning roundhouses in his decision victory. Lyman Good and Dan Hornbuckle were taken off due to injury, and it was alright as we saw a seldom seen submission by Karavackas. Lombard's lack of a boxing technique still amazes me, as he is a Cuban....you'd think he'd had learned at least a thing or 2 about technique in his formidable years there. Ah well, just good thing he didn't gas.
Tune next week for the final card of this 4th season, with Patricio "Pitbull" facing off against Daniel Straus in the featherweight finals, as well as the promotions first 205 lb. kingpin will be crowned as Christian M'Pumbu will take on Rich Hale.
Until next time, fight fans.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Damaged Goods : How much does Brock Lesnar really have left?
I suppose if you've been hiding under a rock for the past day or so, you've missed a hell of a meaty story, MMA Fans : Numerous outlets have reported that former UFC heavyweight kingpin Brock Lesnar, has pulled out of his UFC 131 tilt with Junior Dos Santos due to a second bout of diverticulitis.
Lesnar hadn't been feeling too great during training for the June 11th bout with the Brazilian, which would have no doubt guaranteed a #1 contender shot and a fight with the man who dethroned Lesnar, Cain Velasquez, sometime later in the year as he recovers from a shoulder injury. After being admitted to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota confirmed a second bout with the digestive disease, which almost killed him when he first contracted it in 2009.
Even after his having to pull out of the main event and his career seemingly in limbo, during a conference call yesterday, Lesnar said that he was "down, but not out".
Its hard to believe that Lesnar won't come back. His coaching stint on the latest season of the reality program "The Ultimate Fighter", and his marketing potential which transcends the sport more so than established veterans like Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva clearly shows his popularity, both positive and negative. But clearly, when a disease as this takes control of the body it is very difficult to shake, even for a big, strong, muscular and athletically gifted person such as Lesnar.
What I suppose is kind of interesting here is that Lesnar's story (he was promoting a biography in recent months) is one of absolute wasted potential. Lesnar had an amateur wrestling record of 106 wins in 111 matches (a notable loss in the NCAA tournament to current New England Patriot lineman Stephen Neal) and went to the world of Professional Wrestling (Which was at the time known as the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment), amidst much speculation and fanfare. It turned out that Lesnar's athletic ability (with shooting star presses and 500 lb superplexes and all) did not overshadow the fact that he was not a showman (Wrestling is as much about abilities in the ring as much as it is with "working crowds" and "talking the mike"). Disillusioned with that career, he decided to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL (despite having only one year of College Football under his belt). While putting up a gallant effort, he was cut amid much debate and speculation by the Minnesota Vikings, before the world of Mixed Martial Arts (and ultimately the Ultimate Fighting Championship) came calling.
I'm not going to put into perspective the World Championships he has won (along with numerous amateur accolades) in both (fake) sports and real ones. What I'm going to say here is that despite all that, firstly his attitude and inexperience, and now his body, has hindered his progress. It will be interesting to see what kind of impact he can make when he is cleared to fight again, although it should be also pointed out that one Roy Nelson did predict Lesnar would leave the show (albeit, for reasons different than this).
-In other news, All fighters for tomorrow night's Bellator 44 card being broadcast live from Atlantic City have made weight, according to MMAJunkie. The main event features current 185 lb. Kingpin Hector "Shango" Lombard take on UFC and Strikeforce vet Falaniko Vitale, with the finals of the lighweight tourney between Michael Chandler and Patricio "Pitbull" also on the card.
-Despite being forced off of UFC 133 with an injury, Light Heavyweight champ Jon "Bones" Jones will forgo surgery on his hand and plans to fight the winner between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis by the end of the year. MMAJunkie is also reporting that Rashad Evans claims he doesn't need the surgery and is simply ducking the Michigan State product. I suppose Rashad didn't see the fight between Jones and Shogun.
-ESPN/Sherdog is reporting UFC vet Antonio McKee is waiting a Visa in order to fight Shinya Aoki at "Dream 17 : Fight for Japan" on May 29th. I wonder if the bad guy, Aoki, will get a standing ovation.
Questions? Comments? Want to get back to me? email me at mmarmaggeddon@gmail.com
Until next time, fight fans!
Lesnar hadn't been feeling too great during training for the June 11th bout with the Brazilian, which would have no doubt guaranteed a #1 contender shot and a fight with the man who dethroned Lesnar, Cain Velasquez, sometime later in the year as he recovers from a shoulder injury. After being admitted to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota confirmed a second bout with the digestive disease, which almost killed him when he first contracted it in 2009.
Even after his having to pull out of the main event and his career seemingly in limbo, during a conference call yesterday, Lesnar said that he was "down, but not out".
Its hard to believe that Lesnar won't come back. His coaching stint on the latest season of the reality program "The Ultimate Fighter", and his marketing potential which transcends the sport more so than established veterans like Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva clearly shows his popularity, both positive and negative. But clearly, when a disease as this takes control of the body it is very difficult to shake, even for a big, strong, muscular and athletically gifted person such as Lesnar.
What I suppose is kind of interesting here is that Lesnar's story (he was promoting a biography in recent months) is one of absolute wasted potential. Lesnar had an amateur wrestling record of 106 wins in 111 matches (a notable loss in the NCAA tournament to current New England Patriot lineman Stephen Neal) and went to the world of Professional Wrestling (Which was at the time known as the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment), amidst much speculation and fanfare. It turned out that Lesnar's athletic ability (with shooting star presses and 500 lb superplexes and all) did not overshadow the fact that he was not a showman (Wrestling is as much about abilities in the ring as much as it is with "working crowds" and "talking the mike"). Disillusioned with that career, he decided to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL (despite having only one year of College Football under his belt). While putting up a gallant effort, he was cut amid much debate and speculation by the Minnesota Vikings, before the world of Mixed Martial Arts (and ultimately the Ultimate Fighting Championship) came calling.
I'm not going to put into perspective the World Championships he has won (along with numerous amateur accolades) in both (fake) sports and real ones. What I'm going to say here is that despite all that, firstly his attitude and inexperience, and now his body, has hindered his progress. It will be interesting to see what kind of impact he can make when he is cleared to fight again, although it should be also pointed out that one Roy Nelson did predict Lesnar would leave the show (albeit, for reasons different than this).
-In other news, All fighters for tomorrow night's Bellator 44 card being broadcast live from Atlantic City have made weight, according to MMAJunkie. The main event features current 185 lb. Kingpin Hector "Shango" Lombard take on UFC and Strikeforce vet Falaniko Vitale, with the finals of the lighweight tourney between Michael Chandler and Patricio "Pitbull" also on the card.
-Despite being forced off of UFC 133 with an injury, Light Heavyweight champ Jon "Bones" Jones will forgo surgery on his hand and plans to fight the winner between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis by the end of the year. MMAJunkie is also reporting that Rashad Evans claims he doesn't need the surgery and is simply ducking the Michigan State product. I suppose Rashad didn't see the fight between Jones and Shogun.
-ESPN/Sherdog is reporting UFC vet Antonio McKee is waiting a Visa in order to fight Shinya Aoki at "Dream 17 : Fight for Japan" on May 29th. I wonder if the bad guy, Aoki, will get a standing ovation.
Questions? Comments? Want to get back to me? email me at mmarmaggeddon@gmail.com
Until next time, fight fans!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Bellator 43 recap : Hieron overcomes Hawn's onslaught, securest Title Shot.
**Please note - I realize this is late. Its just that I hadn't had any time to finish a recap this weekend due to Mother's Day and auditioning for The Score's reality show "Drafted". So It had to wait a few days**
They call Xtreme Couture and former UFC fighter Jay Hieron "The Thoroughbred". That being said, it metaphorically symbolizes his tenacity and ability to be a clear workhorse while grinding decision victories out. No more example can be made from that to his fight with Rick Hawn this past Saturday night.
At Bellator 43, Hieron took on the former US Olympian in Judo Hawn. In an back and forth affair, Hieron showed very technical strikes, with powerful leg kicks and counters to Hawn's face that had him backing up throughout the first round. While Hawn pushed forward when not being pressed back, his strikes while aggressive, kept missing and Hieron squeezed out the first round 10-9 due to Hieron's movement away from Hawn's power. The second round saw more of the same, with Hawn trying to cut off Hieron's power and landing quite a few shots from angles, including a spinning roundhouse kick. Hawn was clearly frustrated and while he kept himself in the fight, He wasn't able to use his strengths (takedowns and Judo) through the first 10 minutes. His feeble combinations couldn't stop the clear domination by Hieron through his leg kicks, even though Hawn was finally able to land in the last minute or so in the second, I had Hieron winning both rounds 1 and 2. The third round was clearly Hawn's, as Hieron clearly looked gassed and more to be running. The judges saw it in a split decision, with Hieron winning on 2 scorecards by a margin of 29-28. In winning, he earned himself a $100,000 dollar pay day and a shot at current champion, Ben Askren.
The co-main event saw Joe "Diesel" Riggs, all 46 fights (and 28 years of him) take on Bryan Baker in a middleweight contest. After a slow back and forth first round, Baker finally dropped Riggs with a right hand, sending the former UFC and Strikeforce vet down to the mat at just under 4 minutes of round 2.
Other winners included Dave Rickels, who defeated opponent Rich Bouphanouvong by triangle choke, Heavyweight Ron Sparks winning by keylock, and former WEC bantamweight champion Chase Beebe earning his spot in the season 5 bantamweight tourney (which includes featherweight champion Joe Warren) over Jose Vega by guillotine choke (after 3 attempts at it).
Honorable Mention : Bellator needs new referees. Jason Herzog has got to be the worst referee i've ever seen. With Joe Riggs and Bryan Baker, Baker dropped him and Herzog stood there for about 10 seconds before Baker decided to finish. In the meantime, Baker just stood there.
Also, Baker overcoming Leukemia and showing the world he still had a thing or 2 left. Afterward, him getting down on one knee to propose to his girlfriend, which shows that ANYTHING, even marriage proposals, can happen in the world of MMA.
Tune in next Saturday, which features Middleweight Champ Hector "Shango" Lombard take on Falanaiko Vitale in a non-title bout, and the Lightweight tourney finals between wrestler Michael Chandler and Patricky "Pitbull" Friere.
Until next time, fight fans.
They call Xtreme Couture and former UFC fighter Jay Hieron "The Thoroughbred". That being said, it metaphorically symbolizes his tenacity and ability to be a clear workhorse while grinding decision victories out. No more example can be made from that to his fight with Rick Hawn this past Saturday night.
At Bellator 43, Hieron took on the former US Olympian in Judo Hawn. In an back and forth affair, Hieron showed very technical strikes, with powerful leg kicks and counters to Hawn's face that had him backing up throughout the first round. While Hawn pushed forward when not being pressed back, his strikes while aggressive, kept missing and Hieron squeezed out the first round 10-9 due to Hieron's movement away from Hawn's power. The second round saw more of the same, with Hawn trying to cut off Hieron's power and landing quite a few shots from angles, including a spinning roundhouse kick. Hawn was clearly frustrated and while he kept himself in the fight, He wasn't able to use his strengths (takedowns and Judo) through the first 10 minutes. His feeble combinations couldn't stop the clear domination by Hieron through his leg kicks, even though Hawn was finally able to land in the last minute or so in the second, I had Hieron winning both rounds 1 and 2. The third round was clearly Hawn's, as Hieron clearly looked gassed and more to be running. The judges saw it in a split decision, with Hieron winning on 2 scorecards by a margin of 29-28. In winning, he earned himself a $100,000 dollar pay day and a shot at current champion, Ben Askren.
The co-main event saw Joe "Diesel" Riggs, all 46 fights (and 28 years of him) take on Bryan Baker in a middleweight contest. After a slow back and forth first round, Baker finally dropped Riggs with a right hand, sending the former UFC and Strikeforce vet down to the mat at just under 4 minutes of round 2.
Other winners included Dave Rickels, who defeated opponent Rich Bouphanouvong by triangle choke, Heavyweight Ron Sparks winning by keylock, and former WEC bantamweight champion Chase Beebe earning his spot in the season 5 bantamweight tourney (which includes featherweight champion Joe Warren) over Jose Vega by guillotine choke (after 3 attempts at it).
Honorable Mention : Bellator needs new referees. Jason Herzog has got to be the worst referee i've ever seen. With Joe Riggs and Bryan Baker, Baker dropped him and Herzog stood there for about 10 seconds before Baker decided to finish. In the meantime, Baker just stood there.
Also, Baker overcoming Leukemia and showing the world he still had a thing or 2 left. Afterward, him getting down on one knee to propose to his girlfriend, which shows that ANYTHING, even marriage proposals, can happen in the world of MMA.
Tune in next Saturday, which features Middleweight Champ Hector "Shango" Lombard take on Falanaiko Vitale in a non-title bout, and the Lightweight tourney finals between wrestler Michael Chandler and Patricky "Pitbull" Friere.
Until next time, fight fans.
Monday, May 2, 2011
UFC 129 : St. Pierre vs Shields re-hash : St. Pierre overcomes underhanded tactics and eye injury, retains title.
Since he won the World Welterweight title back at UFC 83 in Montreal, Georges St. Pierre has always been accused by fans and critics for "fighting safe", that is not taking necessary risks and simply fighting to out point his opponents, whether it be Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves, Dan Hardy or Josh Koshcheck...
The truth is however, that while he doesn't take risks, he plays to his opponents weaknesses and has more intelligence when the cage closes to know how when the dust clears he'll still have his title. Saturday night was another example of that.
In front of a North American record crowd in excess of 55,000 at Toronto's Rogers Centre, St. Pierre faced American Jake Shields. And it was a thorough, 25 minute one sided beating, as The French Canadian champion used his jab and peppered Shields with shots while cruising to a unanimous decision victory. All the while, he did it with one eye, as a poke by Shields in the second left St. Pierre with blurry vision. St. Pierre also told Joe Rogan that he was "disappointed" in not being able to finish the Cesar Gracie product Shields.
Next for St. Pierre : Undoubtedly a move to 185 is in the cards against Anderson Silva. But since it can't happen until after Rio, I'd like to see him fight Nick Diaz in a "Champ vs Champ" contest.
Next for Shields : Losing for the first time in 6 years must be a bitter pill to swallow. If Jason "Mayhem" Miller wins his debut, give Miller his "rematch, buddy".
The co-main event saw Brazilian prospect and UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo take on Canadian and Ontario resident Mark Hominick. The early going saw Hominick circle outside of Aldo's leg kicks and power, while counter punching very effectively. Takedowns by Aldo were nullified by Hominicks defense off of his back, and while "The Machine" was never really in trouble, he had clearly lost the first 3 rounds. The fourth round saw Hominick get rocked and not being able to stand after that, though Aldo again was nullified by the Canadians defense. After being rocked, Hominick suffered a massive bump on his head, and while referee "Big" John McCarthy and ringside doctors checked on it, Hominick decided to labour on. The last round saw Hominick get a visibly tired Aldo with a takedown, and landing several shots, though not being able to put Aldo away. Time expired in the last round however, and Hominick would lose this title fight by unanimous decision, scores being 48-45, 48-46 and 49-46,
Next for Aldo : Dana White says Chad Mendes at UFC 133. Hope he works on his cardio in the meantime.
Next for Hominick : I think he could have finished if not for the massive bump on his head. I'd say throw him in with Josh Grispi to see if he can avenge his only WEC loss.
Former UFC light heavyweight champions Lyoto Machida and Randy Couture squared off, with "The Dragon" trying to rebound from back to back losses and "The Natural" just hoping to hang around with the Brazilian, as he said repeatedly this fight would be his last. The first round saw Couture trying to maintain the pace with Machida, shadowing him though being hit with heavy shots and not being able to land his own. The second round was more of the same, with Machida not being able to put a visibly slowed Couture with some blows. At just after the 1 minute mark of the middle stanza, Machida connected on a front kick reminiscent of both the Crane Kick from the film "The Karate Kid" and Anderson Silva's front kick on Vitor Belfort. Couture dropped faster than a sack of potatoes, losing a tooth and ultimately being sent into retirement.
Next for Machida : Either the winner of Rampage-Hammil or Rashad-Davis.
Next for Couture : Yeah yeah, he's done. Dana White said he was finished. But I don't buy it. I still think he'll be back. If not, I guess I'll watch Fedor-Couture if I ever get to heaven.
The first fight on the main card featured Canadian Mark Bocek taking on WEC graduate (and former lightweight champion) Ben Henderson. Bocek was not able to use his bread and butter on "Bend it like" Ben, that being Jiu-Jitsu. Although the Woodbridge product had the American in several compromising positions (including a leg lock late in the second that bent Henderson's leg into an angle you couldn't measure in Geometry class) Henderson earned a unanimous victory, winning on all scorecards by a margin of 30-27.
Honorable Mention : Hominick's refusal to quit even after doing his best Hasim Rahman impression is not something to be taken lightly. It showed you grit, heart and determination it takes to be a world champion. Though with his wife expecting to deliver their first child any day now, it can be argued that he was going to be the father of 2 kids : the one his wife is giving birth to, and the one that grew on his head.
Also, quit ragging on GSP. To fight for 15 minutes of a 25 minute fight with essentially one eye is miraculous. And he still made a guy with horrible standup (Shields) look even worse with one eye. MMAjunkie reported that his eye is fine and he should be ok. I'm not sure if Shields intended or not to fight dirty, but an eye poke is an eye poke. The fact he even resorted to trash talking while soundly losing a fight showed you he didn't belong in there.
Rory McDonald giving Nick Diaz a pounding. He deserved to beat Carlos Condit, sadly it didn't happen because of a mistake Rory made. But he learned from it and I'm sure it wouldn't happen again.
Also, there might be something to Steven Seagal's talk about "inventing" the front kick. First Anderson Silva throws it against Belfort. Now Machida uses the same kick to send Couture into retirement. Though the "inventing" story is pure nonsense, it shows he might know a thing or two about proper striking placement.
On a side note, I actually went perfect on my picks for the first time (on the year's biggest card so far, no less), which brings my record to an impressive 19-13-2 for the year.
Questions? Comments? email me at mmarmaggeddon@gmail.com
Until next time, fight fans!
The truth is however, that while he doesn't take risks, he plays to his opponents weaknesses and has more intelligence when the cage closes to know how when the dust clears he'll still have his title. Saturday night was another example of that.
In front of a North American record crowd in excess of 55,000 at Toronto's Rogers Centre, St. Pierre faced American Jake Shields. And it was a thorough, 25 minute one sided beating, as The French Canadian champion used his jab and peppered Shields with shots while cruising to a unanimous decision victory. All the while, he did it with one eye, as a poke by Shields in the second left St. Pierre with blurry vision. St. Pierre also told Joe Rogan that he was "disappointed" in not being able to finish the Cesar Gracie product Shields.
Next for St. Pierre : Undoubtedly a move to 185 is in the cards against Anderson Silva. But since it can't happen until after Rio, I'd like to see him fight Nick Diaz in a "Champ vs Champ" contest.
Next for Shields : Losing for the first time in 6 years must be a bitter pill to swallow. If Jason "Mayhem" Miller wins his debut, give Miller his "rematch, buddy".
The co-main event saw Brazilian prospect and UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo take on Canadian and Ontario resident Mark Hominick. The early going saw Hominick circle outside of Aldo's leg kicks and power, while counter punching very effectively. Takedowns by Aldo were nullified by Hominicks defense off of his back, and while "The Machine" was never really in trouble, he had clearly lost the first 3 rounds. The fourth round saw Hominick get rocked and not being able to stand after that, though Aldo again was nullified by the Canadians defense. After being rocked, Hominick suffered a massive bump on his head, and while referee "Big" John McCarthy and ringside doctors checked on it, Hominick decided to labour on. The last round saw Hominick get a visibly tired Aldo with a takedown, and landing several shots, though not being able to put Aldo away. Time expired in the last round however, and Hominick would lose this title fight by unanimous decision, scores being 48-45, 48-46 and 49-46,
Next for Aldo : Dana White says Chad Mendes at UFC 133. Hope he works on his cardio in the meantime.
Next for Hominick : I think he could have finished if not for the massive bump on his head. I'd say throw him in with Josh Grispi to see if he can avenge his only WEC loss.
Former UFC light heavyweight champions Lyoto Machida and Randy Couture squared off, with "The Dragon" trying to rebound from back to back losses and "The Natural" just hoping to hang around with the Brazilian, as he said repeatedly this fight would be his last. The first round saw Couture trying to maintain the pace with Machida, shadowing him though being hit with heavy shots and not being able to land his own. The second round was more of the same, with Machida not being able to put a visibly slowed Couture with some blows. At just after the 1 minute mark of the middle stanza, Machida connected on a front kick reminiscent of both the Crane Kick from the film "The Karate Kid" and Anderson Silva's front kick on Vitor Belfort. Couture dropped faster than a sack of potatoes, losing a tooth and ultimately being sent into retirement.
Next for Machida : Either the winner of Rampage-Hammil or Rashad-Davis.
Next for Couture : Yeah yeah, he's done. Dana White said he was finished. But I don't buy it. I still think he'll be back. If not, I guess I'll watch Fedor-Couture if I ever get to heaven.
The first fight on the main card featured Canadian Mark Bocek taking on WEC graduate (and former lightweight champion) Ben Henderson. Bocek was not able to use his bread and butter on "Bend it like" Ben, that being Jiu-Jitsu. Although the Woodbridge product had the American in several compromising positions (including a leg lock late in the second that bent Henderson's leg into an angle you couldn't measure in Geometry class) Henderson earned a unanimous victory, winning on all scorecards by a margin of 30-27.
Honorable Mention : Hominick's refusal to quit even after doing his best Hasim Rahman impression is not something to be taken lightly. It showed you grit, heart and determination it takes to be a world champion. Though with his wife expecting to deliver their first child any day now, it can be argued that he was going to be the father of 2 kids : the one his wife is giving birth to, and the one that grew on his head.
Also, quit ragging on GSP. To fight for 15 minutes of a 25 minute fight with essentially one eye is miraculous. And he still made a guy with horrible standup (Shields) look even worse with one eye. MMAjunkie reported that his eye is fine and he should be ok. I'm not sure if Shields intended or not to fight dirty, but an eye poke is an eye poke. The fact he even resorted to trash talking while soundly losing a fight showed you he didn't belong in there.
Rory McDonald giving Nick Diaz a pounding. He deserved to beat Carlos Condit, sadly it didn't happen because of a mistake Rory made. But he learned from it and I'm sure it wouldn't happen again.
Also, there might be something to Steven Seagal's talk about "inventing" the front kick. First Anderson Silva throws it against Belfort. Now Machida uses the same kick to send Couture into retirement. Though the "inventing" story is pure nonsense, it shows he might know a thing or two about proper striking placement.
On a side note, I actually went perfect on my picks for the first time (on the year's biggest card so far, no less), which brings my record to an impressive 19-13-2 for the year.
Questions? Comments? email me at mmarmaggeddon@gmail.com
Until next time, fight fans!
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