Heading into Bellator 39 this Saturday, Eddie Alvarez stands alone in the 155 lb. ranks for the promotion. Since dropping to 155 after is loss to Nick Thompson at BodogFight : Clash of Nations in 2007, The Philadelphia native has indeed been on a tear, winning 11 of 12 fights (The lone loss coming to Shinya Aoki for the WAMMA lightweight title at Dynamite!! in 2008).
So much so, that he's earned high praise from Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney, who has on numerous occasions dubbed Alvarez the best 155'er in the world. Dana White refuted those comments, saying if he was he'd have to come to the UFC to prove it.
So, who's right? Is Alvarez the best Lightweight in the world?
Right now, with the 155 lb. landscape ever evolving with longtime kingpin BJ Penn out (moving up to Welterweight again) and a plethora of fights that were available to Alvarez just months ago now gone (UFC buying Strikeforce and the disaster in Japan) it would only make sense that he would no doubt have to make that choice in the coming future.
With fighters like Anthony Pettis, Clay Guida, Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar in the 155 lb. division in the UFC, (plus lightweight champion Gilbert Milendez in Strikeforce) it might only be a matter of when, not if Alvarez decides to jump ship and leave Bellator in the dust. Mind you, there are a few intriguing matchups left for the American in Bellator (Patricio "Pitbull" and the man he's fighting on Saturday, Pat Curran, plus veteran Toby Imada, just to name 3) but the casual fan doesn't stay home to watch an event like Bellator (150,000 viewers last week off a peak of almost a quarter million 2 weeks ago). Plus, we all know Dana White's philosophy on co-promotion....There is none.
And if you're looking for something out of the "Fedor" factor (i.e. the media hyping it up), it will be hard pressing for Alvarez to find opponents after all is said and done with the UFC folding in Strikeforce. Plus, I believe unlike Emelianenko, Alvarez won't stay loyal to Rebney as "The Last Emperor" did to M-1 and Vadim Finklestein (Why that is is anybody's guess).
So while Alvarez stays in Bellator, His status as the best lightweight is under question. He might be, however, the best lightweight you've never heard of.
-In other news, First episode of "Ultimate Fighter" season 13 debuted last night amidst much hype surrounding Brock Lesnar's coaching gig. Didn't start out well for the former UFC heavyweight champion as his fighter lost to Dos Santos' #1 pick. Fortunately for him, his fighter was the last pick he chose.
- Thiago "The Beast" Silva (you know what? that's a great nickname for him. I think I'll call him "The beast" because that's what he is, both literally and figuratively), has admitted to switching a fake urine sample, as reported by MMAJunkie. He says he will accept whatever punishment the Nevada State Athletic Commission is willing to give him. Why the hell he decided to cheat against Brandon Vera, of all people is anybody's guess. I mean, I might have understood against Lyoto Machida, but....Brandon Vera? I'm sure you don't need to cheat against a guy who was 3-5 in his last 8 fights going into the fight.
-Bjorn Rebney has also said in an interview via MMAJunkie he's not concerned about the drop in ratings for his brand. He's said that last week's Richard Hale "Toby Imada" impression has gone on to generate 140,000+ hits on Youtube, and goes on to describe the next month or so of fights as "Blistering". Of course, he fails to mention the fact the NCAA Basketball tournament has been on the last 2 weekends, as well as the UFC streaming fights live on Facebook for Ultimate Fight Night 24.
Until next time, fight fans.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Tales from the Jungle : What's in the water in Brazil?
In full contact sports, its a term of endearment when you see somebody who puts for their best effort and never gives up and excites you, that that person is "A Beast".
Thiago Silva is one such example. When he dropped Houston Alexander with punches back at UFC 78, I was impressed with how one sided his dominance was with the Ground and Pound. The same thing happened in his fight with Antonio Mendes at UFC 84, securing him a co-main event slot against Lyoto Machida at UFC 94. He would get floored by the future UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, but would follow it up in fights with Keith Jardine and Brandon Vera, with a loss to Rashad Evans sandwiched in the middle (he still showed some lethal strikes in having Evans wobbly though).
Following his one sided dismantling of Vera, it would have been safe to say that Silva was, for all intents and purposes, a "Beast".
How much of a "Beast" Silva is however, both literally and figuratively, is currently under speculation. Following the win over Vera (and "The truth"s subsequent release), came a fight pitting the Brazilian against Rampage Jackson. However, a disputed drug test put the brakes on that fight, with Matt Hammill stepping in to replace him.
Now, comes a report from MMAJunkie today, that the disputed "A" sample is quoted by the Nevada State Athletic Commission as one that is "inconsistent with human urine". Yes folks, you are reading the absolute truth ripped from the headlines...its not the pee you drop in the toilet every day. Silva is suspended pending an April 7th appeal hearing. Up until then, Silva is temporarily suspended until the matter is resolved.
This almost seems something out of the National Enquirer. Comments on the Junkie message board have ranged from it being Dog Urine to The NSAC head Keith Kizer admitting they might have to take "drastic measures" to ensure deception amongst fighters doesn't happen again. Kizer also reported that this hasn't been the first time they've been deceived : in 2006, Kevin Randleman submitted a fake urine test at Pride 32 where he fought "Shogun" Rua, and when confronted with it at his appeal in 2007, admitted to using a fake sample to ensure he wouldn't be caught using illegal painkillers he claims were used to cure a lung infection.
So it happens twice in 4 years, and NOW they decide to do something? The first time somebody got caught, you should have come up in arms and made an example out of Randleman. He too, in his day was a "Beast". Now he's just some cheater who got caught.
It would said that the same could be said of Silva. How much of a "Beast" he is now, I suppose we'll have to wait to find out.
- In other news, Bellator ratings dropped again. From a high of 230,000 2 weeks ago for Bellator 36 comes a season low of just 150,000 for this past Saturday's Bellator 38. This was after Richard Hale's inverted triangle victory, a la Toby Imada/Jorge Masvidal (which has become a Youtube sensation upon itself).
Note to fans : Bellator provides exciting action. Get with it.
Until next time, Fight Fans.
Thiago Silva is one such example. When he dropped Houston Alexander with punches back at UFC 78, I was impressed with how one sided his dominance was with the Ground and Pound. The same thing happened in his fight with Antonio Mendes at UFC 84, securing him a co-main event slot against Lyoto Machida at UFC 94. He would get floored by the future UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, but would follow it up in fights with Keith Jardine and Brandon Vera, with a loss to Rashad Evans sandwiched in the middle (he still showed some lethal strikes in having Evans wobbly though).
Following his one sided dismantling of Vera, it would have been safe to say that Silva was, for all intents and purposes, a "Beast".
How much of a "Beast" Silva is however, both literally and figuratively, is currently under speculation. Following the win over Vera (and "The truth"s subsequent release), came a fight pitting the Brazilian against Rampage Jackson. However, a disputed drug test put the brakes on that fight, with Matt Hammill stepping in to replace him.
Now, comes a report from MMAJunkie today, that the disputed "A" sample is quoted by the Nevada State Athletic Commission as one that is "inconsistent with human urine". Yes folks, you are reading the absolute truth ripped from the headlines...its not the pee you drop in the toilet every day. Silva is suspended pending an April 7th appeal hearing. Up until then, Silva is temporarily suspended until the matter is resolved.
This almost seems something out of the National Enquirer. Comments on the Junkie message board have ranged from it being Dog Urine to The NSAC head Keith Kizer admitting they might have to take "drastic measures" to ensure deception amongst fighters doesn't happen again. Kizer also reported that this hasn't been the first time they've been deceived : in 2006, Kevin Randleman submitted a fake urine test at Pride 32 where he fought "Shogun" Rua, and when confronted with it at his appeal in 2007, admitted to using a fake sample to ensure he wouldn't be caught using illegal painkillers he claims were used to cure a lung infection.
So it happens twice in 4 years, and NOW they decide to do something? The first time somebody got caught, you should have come up in arms and made an example out of Randleman. He too, in his day was a "Beast". Now he's just some cheater who got caught.
It would said that the same could be said of Silva. How much of a "Beast" he is now, I suppose we'll have to wait to find out.
- In other news, Bellator ratings dropped again. From a high of 230,000 2 weeks ago for Bellator 36 comes a season low of just 150,000 for this past Saturday's Bellator 38. This was after Richard Hale's inverted triangle victory, a la Toby Imada/Jorge Masvidal (which has become a Youtube sensation upon itself).
Note to fans : Bellator provides exciting action. Get with it.
Until next time, Fight Fans.
Ad lib : What's the real deal behind the Shields/GSP promo?
If you guys haven't already seen it, The promo video for UFC 129's main event with Jake Shields and George St. Pierre is already out. It can be found on Youtube as well as numerous other video sharing sites.
Its got the look and feel of a classic UFC promo that most of us have seen : Great Music (Fort Minor's "Remember the Name"), Joe Rogan's nonsensical banter regarding what he sees in the underdog (In this case Shields) and the ever present "Sold Out" banner across the top of the page at the end of the commercial.
In the promo, We see Jake Shields sitting around his trophy wall, with Jiu-Jitsu medals galore and various newspaper clippings proclaiming his various wins over notable fighters such as Dan Henderson, Robbie Lawler and Carlos Condit. Shields is sitting in there with a clipping coming from his latest win against Martin Kampmann. We see Shields train, get up from his spot in the crowd from another GSP win to walk to the back and past St. Pierre with numerous reporters and his entourage to the exit.
Yet, there's something definitely eerie about it. And it just might be the first 10-15 seconds of the clip : The welterweight titles Shields won in the now defunct promotions EliteXC and Rumble On The Rock.
We all know that EliteXC was run by ProElite Inc., a company now known far and wide for its corrupt policies, alleged match fixing and banking their future on a street fighting phenom (Kimbo Slice). With Shields being billed as a "5 time World Champion", and with UFC now owning Strikeforce (after out bidding the aforementioned ProElite), is this mere coincidence, or is this a ploy by Zuffa brass to actively promote their product, while writing off the credentials of Shields in former organizations as merely nothing?
The UFC owns Strikeforce. If they wanted to truly promote Shields as a contender to the title, why not post the 2 Strikeforce belts he owned during his time in that organization instead? It would give a guy who's being "looked past" by most people more credibility. It would also not look so tasteless, as to say "We're the UFC. We're #1. Who gives a fuck what you've done in the past because you didn't do it here!".
Either way, I sure hope St. Pierre didn't take these commercials to heart as he's got a long road ahead of him come April 29th. Shields is not a slouch (15 consecutive wins is 15 wins regardless of organization), and given his BJJ background might have a surprise or 2 for the Canadian.
Until next time, Fight Fans.
Its got the look and feel of a classic UFC promo that most of us have seen : Great Music (Fort Minor's "Remember the Name"), Joe Rogan's nonsensical banter regarding what he sees in the underdog (In this case Shields) and the ever present "Sold Out" banner across the top of the page at the end of the commercial.
In the promo, We see Jake Shields sitting around his trophy wall, with Jiu-Jitsu medals galore and various newspaper clippings proclaiming his various wins over notable fighters such as Dan Henderson, Robbie Lawler and Carlos Condit. Shields is sitting in there with a clipping coming from his latest win against Martin Kampmann. We see Shields train, get up from his spot in the crowd from another GSP win to walk to the back and past St. Pierre with numerous reporters and his entourage to the exit.
Yet, there's something definitely eerie about it. And it just might be the first 10-15 seconds of the clip : The welterweight titles Shields won in the now defunct promotions EliteXC and Rumble On The Rock.
We all know that EliteXC was run by ProElite Inc., a company now known far and wide for its corrupt policies, alleged match fixing and banking their future on a street fighting phenom (Kimbo Slice). With Shields being billed as a "5 time World Champion", and with UFC now owning Strikeforce (after out bidding the aforementioned ProElite), is this mere coincidence, or is this a ploy by Zuffa brass to actively promote their product, while writing off the credentials of Shields in former organizations as merely nothing?
The UFC owns Strikeforce. If they wanted to truly promote Shields as a contender to the title, why not post the 2 Strikeforce belts he owned during his time in that organization instead? It would give a guy who's being "looked past" by most people more credibility. It would also not look so tasteless, as to say "We're the UFC. We're #1. Who gives a fuck what you've done in the past because you didn't do it here!".
Either way, I sure hope St. Pierre didn't take these commercials to heart as he's got a long road ahead of him come April 29th. Shields is not a slouch (15 consecutive wins is 15 wins regardless of organization), and given his BJJ background might have a surprise or 2 for the Canadian.
Until next time, Fight Fans.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Coach Lesnar : How good will he be?
This Wednesday marks the beginning of season number 13 (ever notice how in North America, show's are classified as "seasons", but over in the UK they classify them as "series", even though the show has been on 4 or 5 years. Don't understand? me either) of UFC's runaway reality show hit, "The Ultimate Fighter". The weight class of choice for this season are welterweights, with several names going for tryouts, including James Toney (NO! not the boxer that got beat up by Randy Couture, but a white fellow by the name of Jamie "The Ghost" Toney) and Gina Carano's former squeeze, kickboxer Kit Cope.
In the end though, it wouldn't matter who did make the show, because everybody is more or less focused on the coaches for this season : Heavyweight mainstays Junior Dos Santos and former kingpin of the division, Brock Lesnar. The 2 will face off in a #1 contender match to determine who Cain Velasquez will make his first defense against in Vancouver at UFC 131 on June 11th.
Looking at Lesnar, there's no doubt the only reason he was tagged as a coach for this season was for one reason : A ratings windfall. The highest rated season was the "Heavyweight" season coached by "Rampage" Jackson and Rashad Evans. The reason being was street fighting phenom Kimbo Slice, who fans either wanted to see get the contract or fall flat on his face (if you haven't watched the season....well, just look where Kimbo's career ended up).
All in all though, it appears that while Lesnar doesn't have as much experience as other coaches, he was smart enough to bring in guys that knew what they were doing : By bringing in names such as Marty Morgan, Erik Paulson, Rodrigo "Comprido" Medeiros, Greg Nelson and Luke Richardson, all guys that helped the former WWE star make the transition to MMA. It was also reported by MMAJunkie that Lesnar "bonded" with a his team, as he said that 5 and a half weeks wasn't too long of a period to get to know anybody, but due to the time together with his fighters he tried to influence them as best he could. How they were there for the "opportunity" he received from UFC president Dana White to go and fight.
All in all, well spoken for a guy who's biggest claim to fame in MMA circles is fingering the crowd and lipping off sponsors of the UFC, including Bud Light following his title win over Frank Mir. He said the coaching gig also gave him the opportunity to get even with Cain Velasquez for taking his title.
Well, technically Brock, The UFC gave you that opportunity...they just want you to get them a ratings spike so they get renewed for a couple more seasons and see if you can get a title shot in the process.
In all honesty, I'm not sure how Lesnar will actually fare as a coach not being a people person (he hid out in the woods following his title loss) , But having him as a coach will make for some over the top, smash mouth, must see TV.
-In other news, MMAJunkie is reporting that Mr. Ja....sorry, CHAEL Sonnen's sentencing date has been re-scheduled. Originally slated to take place yesterday, March 28th, it will now take place on April 8th in Portland, Oregon.
-The Fighter Payroll came out for last weekend's Ultimate Fight Night 24 from Seattle. the $537,000 US payroll was topped by the main event's loser, Antonio Rogerio Noguiera at $90,000. Phil Davis earned a mere $34,000 with 17k from that coming from a win bonus. The big bonuses were from Jonny Hendricks (who earned $55,000 for KO of the night), "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung ($55k for Sub of the night, as well as a jump in those T-shirt sales), and Michael McDonald and Eduardo Figuroa (for Fight of the Night).
-M-1 Global had a card on Friday, broadcast live on Showtime. None of the MMA sites I cruise had any mention of it, but it was their loss. 4 action packed fights, with a couple of fighters (Magomed Sultanakhmedov and Alexander Sarnavskiy) definitely showing their potential. Even the refereeing wasn't subpar. They knew exactly when to stop a fight, and pointed to the judges before fights started. Its a shame that with the MMA landscape the way it is now, that they won't get a sniff of the bright lights and big time atmosphere of the UFC.
get a hold of me anytime at mmarmaggeddon@gmail.com
Until next time, fight fans.
In the end though, it wouldn't matter who did make the show, because everybody is more or less focused on the coaches for this season : Heavyweight mainstays Junior Dos Santos and former kingpin of the division, Brock Lesnar. The 2 will face off in a #1 contender match to determine who Cain Velasquez will make his first defense against in Vancouver at UFC 131 on June 11th.
Looking at Lesnar, there's no doubt the only reason he was tagged as a coach for this season was for one reason : A ratings windfall. The highest rated season was the "Heavyweight" season coached by "Rampage" Jackson and Rashad Evans. The reason being was street fighting phenom Kimbo Slice, who fans either wanted to see get the contract or fall flat on his face (if you haven't watched the season....well, just look where Kimbo's career ended up).
All in all though, it appears that while Lesnar doesn't have as much experience as other coaches, he was smart enough to bring in guys that knew what they were doing : By bringing in names such as Marty Morgan, Erik Paulson, Rodrigo "Comprido" Medeiros, Greg Nelson and Luke Richardson, all guys that helped the former WWE star make the transition to MMA. It was also reported by MMAJunkie that Lesnar "bonded" with a his team, as he said that 5 and a half weeks wasn't too long of a period to get to know anybody, but due to the time together with his fighters he tried to influence them as best he could. How they were there for the "opportunity" he received from UFC president Dana White to go and fight.
All in all, well spoken for a guy who's biggest claim to fame in MMA circles is fingering the crowd and lipping off sponsors of the UFC, including Bud Light following his title win over Frank Mir. He said the coaching gig also gave him the opportunity to get even with Cain Velasquez for taking his title.
Well, technically Brock, The UFC gave you that opportunity...they just want you to get them a ratings spike so they get renewed for a couple more seasons and see if you can get a title shot in the process.
In all honesty, I'm not sure how Lesnar will actually fare as a coach not being a people person (he hid out in the woods following his title loss) , But having him as a coach will make for some over the top, smash mouth, must see TV.
-In other news, MMAJunkie is reporting that Mr. Ja....sorry, CHAEL Sonnen's sentencing date has been re-scheduled. Originally slated to take place yesterday, March 28th, it will now take place on April 8th in Portland, Oregon.
-The Fighter Payroll came out for last weekend's Ultimate Fight Night 24 from Seattle. the $537,000 US payroll was topped by the main event's loser, Antonio Rogerio Noguiera at $90,000. Phil Davis earned a mere $34,000 with 17k from that coming from a win bonus. The big bonuses were from Jonny Hendricks (who earned $55,000 for KO of the night), "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung ($55k for Sub of the night, as well as a jump in those T-shirt sales), and Michael McDonald and Eduardo Figuroa (for Fight of the Night).
-M-1 Global had a card on Friday, broadcast live on Showtime. None of the MMA sites I cruise had any mention of it, but it was their loss. 4 action packed fights, with a couple of fighters (Magomed Sultanakhmedov and Alexander Sarnavskiy) definitely showing their potential. Even the refereeing wasn't subpar. They knew exactly when to stop a fight, and pointed to the judges before fights started. Its a shame that with the MMA landscape the way it is now, that they won't get a sniff of the bright lights and big time atmosphere of the UFC.
get a hold of me anytime at mmarmaggeddon@gmail.com
Until next time, fight fans.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Bellator 38 recap.
This probably sounds a little too cliche, but another week....and another Bellator moment.
Coming to us from Harrah's in Tunica, Mississippi we got our first look at the participants in the promotions inaugural 205 lb. tournament. In it, we were treated to 4 great fights, 3 finishes and a finish reminiscent of a certain lightweight fight from the promotions first season.
The main event, had Tim Carpenter defeating Daniel Gracie by a 3 round decision. The fight was back and forth, but Carpenters numerous submission attempts and controlling standup gave him the edge, and he was able to get the victory via split decision, with 2 judges giving him the fight by a 29-28 margin.
Other winners included DJ Linderman defeating Raphael Davis by 3rd round TKO, and Christian M'Pumbu winning his fight by 3rd round TKO after being dominated for the first 2 rounds.
That however, was nothing compared to the tilt between Rick Hale and former division 1 wrestler and Xtreme Couture Las Vegas wrestling coach, Nik Fekete. After going for a takedown, the man known as "Rare Breed" certainly earned his nickname by securing triangle position on Fekete. From there, Fekete did his best to scramble, only to stand up and be locked in a inverted triangle choke, reminiscent of Toby Imada vs Jorge Masvidal in Season 1. Fekete could no longer carry the former boxer Hale, and dropped to the mat, forcing referee Josh Herzog to stop the contest at just 1:55 of round 1.
Honorable Mention : Herzog might have been the referee in charge of the majority of the main card fights, but the fight between Linderman and Davis should have been stopped sooner. Davis took 3-5 more shots than he needed too, and he was so gassed after a early 3rd round low blow that Herzog gave him more time. This was right after the first fight of the night, where Herzog pointed out that Chris Davis took a huge shot from the Frenchman M'Pumbu that left him stiff. In one night, he went from being Herb Dean to Steve Mazzagatti in the span of 3 fights.
Numbers from last weeks Bellator came in & they were significantly down from the season's second week : just 174,000 compared to 230,000 the week before.
Note to Bjorn Rebney : UFC is king. Going head to head kills your product. Get with it.
Tune in next week for the first half of the Welterweight semi-finals with Lyman Good, as well as the World Lightweight title fight between kingpin Eddie Alvarez and season 2 tournament winner Pat Curran.
Until next time, fight fans.
Coming to us from Harrah's in Tunica, Mississippi we got our first look at the participants in the promotions inaugural 205 lb. tournament. In it, we were treated to 4 great fights, 3 finishes and a finish reminiscent of a certain lightweight fight from the promotions first season.
The main event, had Tim Carpenter defeating Daniel Gracie by a 3 round decision. The fight was back and forth, but Carpenters numerous submission attempts and controlling standup gave him the edge, and he was able to get the victory via split decision, with 2 judges giving him the fight by a 29-28 margin.
Other winners included DJ Linderman defeating Raphael Davis by 3rd round TKO, and Christian M'Pumbu winning his fight by 3rd round TKO after being dominated for the first 2 rounds.
That however, was nothing compared to the tilt between Rick Hale and former division 1 wrestler and Xtreme Couture Las Vegas wrestling coach, Nik Fekete. After going for a takedown, the man known as "Rare Breed" certainly earned his nickname by securing triangle position on Fekete. From there, Fekete did his best to scramble, only to stand up and be locked in a inverted triangle choke, reminiscent of Toby Imada vs Jorge Masvidal in Season 1. Fekete could no longer carry the former boxer Hale, and dropped to the mat, forcing referee Josh Herzog to stop the contest at just 1:55 of round 1.
Honorable Mention : Herzog might have been the referee in charge of the majority of the main card fights, but the fight between Linderman and Davis should have been stopped sooner. Davis took 3-5 more shots than he needed too, and he was so gassed after a early 3rd round low blow that Herzog gave him more time. This was right after the first fight of the night, where Herzog pointed out that Chris Davis took a huge shot from the Frenchman M'Pumbu that left him stiff. In one night, he went from being Herb Dean to Steve Mazzagatti in the span of 3 fights.
Numbers from last weeks Bellator came in & they were significantly down from the season's second week : just 174,000 compared to 230,000 the week before.
Note to Bjorn Rebney : UFC is king. Going head to head kills your product. Get with it.
Tune in next week for the first half of the Welterweight semi-finals with Lyman Good, as well as the World Lightweight title fight between kingpin Eddie Alvarez and season 2 tournament winner Pat Curran.
Until next time, fight fans.
UFC Fight Night 24 : Noguiera vs Davis re-hash : Mr Wonderful reigns.
For the second week in a row, We got a main event featuring a young up and coming American, and a Brazilian legend. Also for the second consecutive week, we saw the legend fall.
And although it wasn't as dominant as what Jon Jones did to Shogun Rua just a week prior, Phil Davis will take it.
On Saturday Night, the man known as "Mr. Wonderful" used his superior wrestling technique and uncompromising ground and pound to gut out a victory over Antonio Rogerio Noguiera. While he initially struggled taking Noguiera down, after he switched from single to double legged takedowns it came much easier. Although I had Noguiera's defense of those takedowns giving him the first round, the 3 judges disagreed and Davis won unanimously on all scorecards by a 30-27 margin.
Next for Davis : The "trilogy" that's no doubt awaiting him with Jon Jones will happen. But he's still a win or 2 off from that title shot. I'd say a fight with the winner of Ryan Bader-Tito Ortiz would be an interesting one.
Next for Noguiera : He did enough to hold off on a full-time coaching career. Still sluggish, a fight with Forrest Griffin might be one that captivates people's attention.
The co-main event, we saw Anthony "Rumble" Johnson return to the ranks of welterweight to take a unanimous decision victory over former #1 contender Dan Hardy. Hardy appeared to be working on his Jiu-Jitsu, having a kimura locked in on Johnson quite a few times, but the wrestling and strength of the American proved to be too much. With the loss, Hardy has dropped 3 in a row.
Next for Johnson : Still a win or 2 from being back in the mix. Perhaps a fight with the reeling Martin Kampmann.
Next for Hardy : UFC president Dana White said that Hardy wasn't "done" following the loss. If Paulo Thiago isn't up to anything, why not?
Amir Sabdollah used his status as a constantly evolving "student" of the game to earn a submission victory over DeMarques Johnson. Johnson used his wrestling and striking to win the first round, But once Sabdollah got on top, the writing was on the wall. Trapping Johnson's arm across his face, he subsequently rained down punches at just over 3 minute mark of round 2. With no other options, Johnson was forced to tap at 3:27 of the middle stanza.
Next for Sabdollah : He needs a step up in opponent. How about trying Yoshihiro Akiyama following his return?
Next for Johnson : Jorge Rivera.
The "Fight of the Decade" rematch didn't have the fireworks the first match had, but Chan Sung Jung did provide a highlight in his victory over Leonard Garcia. The first round was more or less a technical matchup, with Garcia getting tagged by a high kick by "The Korean Zombie" although he couldn't finish. After round one, we got some flashes of the wild flurries from their first encounter in the second, with Jung securing the takedown. From there, he was able to grab top position and in a first for me, secured a "Twister", described by Joe Rogan as a "terrible submission" securing Garcia's head and squeezing on his temple. With just a second left in the 2nd, Garcia tapped, earning Jung the victory.
Next for Jung : Manny Gamburyan.
Next for Garcia : That rematch with Nam Phan.
Honorable Mention : Alex "Bruce LeRoy" Caceres' UFC career is no doubt over after he was dominated and tapped out by Mackens Semerzier at just 3:18 of the first round of his debut. I know Dana White was "rooting" for him on TUF, and the Shaolin outfit he was rocking last night was kind of cool...but his "over the top" style is something that is best suited for WWE.
Overall, 3-1 on the night for my picks. Brings me to a 14-13-1 record for the year. But what's odd is this : I'm just 6-9-1 on PPVs, but I'm 8-4 on free fights.
Bizarre huh?
Get back to me : e-mail me at mmarmaggeddon@gmail.com
Until next time, Fight fans!
And although it wasn't as dominant as what Jon Jones did to Shogun Rua just a week prior, Phil Davis will take it.
On Saturday Night, the man known as "Mr. Wonderful" used his superior wrestling technique and uncompromising ground and pound to gut out a victory over Antonio Rogerio Noguiera. While he initially struggled taking Noguiera down, after he switched from single to double legged takedowns it came much easier. Although I had Noguiera's defense of those takedowns giving him the first round, the 3 judges disagreed and Davis won unanimously on all scorecards by a 30-27 margin.
Next for Davis : The "trilogy" that's no doubt awaiting him with Jon Jones will happen. But he's still a win or 2 off from that title shot. I'd say a fight with the winner of Ryan Bader-Tito Ortiz would be an interesting one.
Next for Noguiera : He did enough to hold off on a full-time coaching career. Still sluggish, a fight with Forrest Griffin might be one that captivates people's attention.
The co-main event, we saw Anthony "Rumble" Johnson return to the ranks of welterweight to take a unanimous decision victory over former #1 contender Dan Hardy. Hardy appeared to be working on his Jiu-Jitsu, having a kimura locked in on Johnson quite a few times, but the wrestling and strength of the American proved to be too much. With the loss, Hardy has dropped 3 in a row.
Next for Johnson : Still a win or 2 from being back in the mix. Perhaps a fight with the reeling Martin Kampmann.
Next for Hardy : UFC president Dana White said that Hardy wasn't "done" following the loss. If Paulo Thiago isn't up to anything, why not?
Amir Sabdollah used his status as a constantly evolving "student" of the game to earn a submission victory over DeMarques Johnson. Johnson used his wrestling and striking to win the first round, But once Sabdollah got on top, the writing was on the wall. Trapping Johnson's arm across his face, he subsequently rained down punches at just over 3 minute mark of round 2. With no other options, Johnson was forced to tap at 3:27 of the middle stanza.
Next for Sabdollah : He needs a step up in opponent. How about trying Yoshihiro Akiyama following his return?
Next for Johnson : Jorge Rivera.
The "Fight of the Decade" rematch didn't have the fireworks the first match had, but Chan Sung Jung did provide a highlight in his victory over Leonard Garcia. The first round was more or less a technical matchup, with Garcia getting tagged by a high kick by "The Korean Zombie" although he couldn't finish. After round one, we got some flashes of the wild flurries from their first encounter in the second, with Jung securing the takedown. From there, he was able to grab top position and in a first for me, secured a "Twister", described by Joe Rogan as a "terrible submission" securing Garcia's head and squeezing on his temple. With just a second left in the 2nd, Garcia tapped, earning Jung the victory.
Next for Jung : Manny Gamburyan.
Next for Garcia : That rematch with Nam Phan.
Honorable Mention : Alex "Bruce LeRoy" Caceres' UFC career is no doubt over after he was dominated and tapped out by Mackens Semerzier at just 3:18 of the first round of his debut. I know Dana White was "rooting" for him on TUF, and the Shaolin outfit he was rocking last night was kind of cool...but his "over the top" style is something that is best suited for WWE.
Overall, 3-1 on the night for my picks. Brings me to a 14-13-1 record for the year. But what's odd is this : I'm just 6-9-1 on PPVs, but I'm 8-4 on free fights.
Bizarre huh?
Get back to me : e-mail me at mmarmaggeddon@gmail.com
Until next time, Fight fans!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Welcome to the 21st Century : West Virginia legalizes MMA
Well, it took a while, but we finally have the 45th state to sanction Mixed Martial Arts. West Virginia's congress passed legislation to sanction the sport, with the vote passing by a margin of 71-26, as reported by ESPN.com.
This only leaves 3 states who have athletic commissions -- Connecticut, Vermont, and of course, New York -- as the states who have yet to pass it. With Jon Jones' title victory, and him being a New York native, the push to pass it will no doubt generate more steam. Its about time they got in the 21st century. It would be quite the thrill to check out a UFC from the "Mecca of Sports" Madison Square Garden, at least once in my lifetime.
- Kampmann still believes he beat Sanchez.
Its been almost a month since the 3 round war on "UFC on Versus 3" between welterweights Martin Kampmann and Diego Sanchez. The fights outcome left many fans arguing what justifies points in the cage to what exactly is scored, as both CompuStrike and FightMetric thought Kampmann was the victor. Regardless, the judges gave it a decision for the American. I even argued Kampmann couldn't buy a break in an earlier article, written the day after.
In a new article on ESPN.com.uk , The Dane sits down for his first interview since that night. The argument he makes about "useful aggression" is valid, as a lot of Sanchez's punches did not land. But he crosses the line when he says that "even a 5 year old" could see he beat the man now known as "The Dream".
He lost because he made the judges decide. His refusal for a rematch is even more ridiculous. He didn't whine this much when he truly got robbed against Jake Shields. If he wants to prove that he won the first fight, do what Shogun did to Machida -- go in there, hurt him early and finish the fight Martin. Otherwise, talking about it does nothing.
Until next time, fight fans.
This only leaves 3 states who have athletic commissions -- Connecticut, Vermont, and of course, New York -- as the states who have yet to pass it. With Jon Jones' title victory, and him being a New York native, the push to pass it will no doubt generate more steam. Its about time they got in the 21st century. It would be quite the thrill to check out a UFC from the "Mecca of Sports" Madison Square Garden, at least once in my lifetime.
- Kampmann still believes he beat Sanchez.
Its been almost a month since the 3 round war on "UFC on Versus 3" between welterweights Martin Kampmann and Diego Sanchez. The fights outcome left many fans arguing what justifies points in the cage to what exactly is scored, as both CompuStrike and FightMetric thought Kampmann was the victor. Regardless, the judges gave it a decision for the American. I even argued Kampmann couldn't buy a break in an earlier article, written the day after.
In a new article on ESPN.com.uk , The Dane sits down for his first interview since that night. The argument he makes about "useful aggression" is valid, as a lot of Sanchez's punches did not land. But he crosses the line when he says that "even a 5 year old" could see he beat the man now known as "The Dream".
He lost because he made the judges decide. His refusal for a rematch is even more ridiculous. He didn't whine this much when he truly got robbed against Jake Shields. If he wants to prove that he won the first fight, do what Shogun did to Machida -- go in there, hurt him early and finish the fight Martin. Otherwise, talking about it does nothing.
Until next time, fight fans.
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