SAM ALL JAM

UFC on FOX 2: Murphy's Law

2012-01-28T16:59:00.000-08:00

Murphy's Law is an adage that states, "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong;" introducing UFC on Fox 2. Although this was technically the second UFC on FOX event, it was the first full card that was featured with three big bouts.

The first one, back in November, just showed a championship fight that lasted all of 64 seconds. Thus, it was important for many reasons that the six fighters in action Saturday night provide just that, action. Unfortunately, what looked good on paper, didn't translate well to the cage as the result was three lackluster decisions.

The main event was between light-heavyweights (205 lbs.) 'Suga' Rashad Evans (17-1-1, 6 KO's 2 subs) and Phil 'Mr. Wonderful' Davis (9-1, 2 KO's 3 subs), a pair of former Big 10 wrestlers from Michigan State and Penn State respectively; sadly, it may have turned out better if it were an amateur wrestling match. That's because Evans, a former UFC champion, outclassed the inexperienced Davis over five rounds en route to a unanimous decision victory.

Clearly quicker and better with his hands and in MMA, his wrestling, Evans dominated, but never really hurt Davis seriously; though he did bloody and beat him up pretty good. Although Davis has a very promising future, it was evident that his lack of experience, especially against the caliber of opponents Evans has faced, was the big difference. Nonetheless, he hung tough with the former champ and survived a couple of moments throughout when he was caught under Evans in a vulnerable crucifix position on the ground.

Meanwhile, Evans, who was clearly looking to make a statement in front of current light-heavyweight champion Jon 'Bones' Jones, who was in attendance as an analyst in the Fox booth with Curt Menefee and Randy Couture, is just happy to finally get his wish; a showdown against his former teammate in three months @ UFC 146 in Atlanta. Though Jones currently looks invincible, Evans looks like he may be his toughest test yet. Too bad that wasn't the fight featured on Fox; the UFC could have used it on this night.

There were two questions leading into the co-main event between middleweight (185 lbs.) contenders Chael Sonnen (28-11-1, 7 KO's 4 subs) and Michael 'The Count' Bisping (22-4, 14 KO's 4 subs). The first was who would impose their will in the fight, the grappler Sonnen or the striker Bisping? The other was would the fight live up to the hype the two biggest trash talkers in the UFC made it out to be?

The answer to the first question was the grappler, as Sonnen won a unanimous decision by being able to use his wrestling, albeit barely. As for question number two, unfortunately for the fans and for the UFC's second event on Fox, the answer was no. Sonnen hardly looked as dominant as he did in his last fight against Brian Stann and Michael Bisping, while putting up a good battle, hardly did much else to sway the judges.

While UFC President Dana White, ultimately got what he wanted as Sonnen will now get a rematch against middleweight champion Anderson Silva, most likely in Silva's home country of Brazil, he has to wonder if this performance will hurt the promotion of that fight at all. Sonnen on the other hand, in typical Sonnen fashion, did his part with a WWEesque type post fight interview. In the octagon he refused to answer Joe Rogan's question about the fight, instead asking Rogan, "How do you feel standing next to the greatness that is Chael Sonnen." Really?

In a surprising start of the card on Fox, middleweight grappling experts Demian Maia (15-4, 2 KO's 8 subs), a world champion Jiu-Jitsu player, and Chris Weidman (8-0, 2 KO's 3 subs), a former All-American wrestler, fought a three round affair standing. For some reason the two grapplers decided to duke it out as boxers and the result, as you can imagine, was a steady, but lethargic split decision win by the young upstart Weidman.

Stepping in on 11 days notice after Maia's original opponent Bisping was moved up to face Sonnen, Weidman barely hung on as he was totally gassed in the last round. To his credit though, he secured the only takedowns of the fight, which weren't many, and did attempt a submission or two. Maia meanwhile, who won his first five fights in the UFC via submission, is only (4-4) in his last eight fights, with the four wins coming by decision; maybe someone needs to remind him of what initially made him a threat and contender in the division, jiu-jitsu not boxing.

Finally, while styles make fights, the UFC brass, and Fox for that matter, cannot be happy with the way things turned out in prime time. I personally told and texted all the casual fans and friends I know to tune in to the free fights on Fox, in hopes that they would see what I'm always clamoring about; the fastest growing and most exciting sport in the world. I don't think I won over many new fans, if any, on this night.

Nice guys don't always finish last

2012-01-20T18:20:00.000-08:00

Legendary baseball manager Leo Durocher is credited with coining the phrase, "Nice guys finish last." In most cases, regardless of the situation, Durocher is right; but when it comes to MMA that rule doesn't necessarily apply. The latest example is now former UFC middleweight (185 lbs.) contender Jorge 'El Conquistador' Rivera.

I say former because just like another highly respected good guy before him in Chris Lytle, Rivera (pictured @ left) announced before his fight Friday night that win or lose, it would be his last. Well that wasn't the only thing he had in common with Lytle, because just like Lytle, Rivera went out a winner. A second round TKO finish over tough Eric Schafer, who used to fight @ 205 lbs., means that 'El Conquistador' ends an 11+ years career @ (20-9, 14 KO's, 2 subs).

A very respectable record considering Rivera's resume of opponents, including 15 fights in the UFC. While his record inside the octagon was a mere (8-7), his presence was always felt among his fellow competitors and among the fans where 'El Conquistador' has always been a fan favorite. Another trait he has in common with Lytle who also had a simple .500 record inside the UFC, but was easily one of the most popular fighters among the fans and his peers.

Rivera made his UFC debut after only seven fights way back in 2003 @ UFC 44 against former title contender David 'The Crow' Loiseau. In typical 'Conquistador' fashion, he went three toe to toe rounds before winning a unanimous decision. In his next fight inside the octagon he got caught in a triangle choke submission against tough Lee Murray; and so would go the career of the popular Puerto Rican from Milford, Massachusetts.

Always a crowd pleaser with his stand and bang style, the ground game was always his downfall. Nonetheless, that didn't keep him from competing against the best in the world. Take a look at just some of the names he's fought in his career, Travis Lutter, Rich Franklin, Anderson Silva, Dennis Hallman and Michael Bisping to name a few, and it's easy to see he's had a better than average career.

He starred and competed in Season Four of 'The Ultimate Fighter', the comeback season, and reached his career high point nearly a year ago when he was in the co-main event @ UFC 127 against Bisping. While he never could get over the hump and get a win in that big fight when he needed it most, he would always come back and get it in his next fight. On top of that, he always maintained a positive attitude and keen sense of humor, which he displayed in his many YouTube videos that made him a favorite with the fans.

Rivera's overcome a lot in his life including heading down the wrong path in his younger years and losing his oldest daughter at only 17 years of age to an untimely illness three years ago. In between he became a military veteran and a perennial contender in the biggest Mixed Martial Arts organization in the world. Now one month before his 40th birthday, he's retired on his own terms.

Opening a brand new Gym in his hometown in a matter of weeks and looking to spend more time with his family, Rivera is at peace with his career and his decision to walk away. If you look at my caller bio over @ Gozejitsu.com, I list five fighters as my personal favorites. In that list are the names of Chris Lytle and Jorge Rivera; both are now retired and having gone out on top, it's safe to say that nice guys don't always finish last. Thanks Jorge for the memories and for always being a true professional.

Who's gonna take the weight?

2012-01-15T03:44:00.000-08:00

As the late great rapper Guru of the legendary hip-hop group Gang Starr once quipped, "Who's gonna take the weight?" That is the question now that surrounds Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson following the quick release of this promising young contender from the UFC. Sure it is a question, but also a play on words as the release is the result of Johnson's third failed attempt at making weight before a fight.

Unfortunately for Johnson (Pictured above), it was not only his third strike, but it came before the biggest fight of his career where he was featured in a co-main event. Luckily for Johnson his opponent Vitor Belfort was willing to go through with the fight, albeit with a stipulation, or he would've never made it past Friday night; especially with UFC President Dana White fuming upon the news that Johnson would miss his weight badly.

How badly? Anthony Johnson (10-4, 7 KO's) weighed in for a middleweight (185 lbs.) fight at 197 lbs. It's one thing to miss making weight by two, even three pounds, but missing it by double digits is "totally unprofessional," as Dana White said live on Fuel TV at the weigh-ins Friday. To his defense, if there is any, it was reported that Johnson was a mere one and a half pounds from hitting his mark when he was told by a doctor to rehydrate or risk serious health issues.

Johnson's camp used the excuse that 'Rumble' began feeling ill three hours before weigh-ins and was instructed by a physician to put fluids in his system. Sorry, but that excuse isn't going to fly and it didn't with White. While anything is possible, the truth is Johnson's past speaks for itself. On two prior occasions, while Johnson was competing as a welterweight (170 lbs.) he missed his weight before a fight.

I'm very nearly 5' 11" tall, and while I'm a lot older than Anthony Johnson, I can tell you I haven't seen 170 lbs. since high school. In the photo above, which was taken in July 2009, I was weighing about 225 lbs. and you can see that 'Rumble' who is much larger than I am, was weighing at least that, if not more. Therefore, how he ever made the 170 pound welterweight limit is a miracle unto itself.

However, he did make it, on at least 11 occasions; so you would think this fight, his first at middleweight, giving him an additional 15 lbs. cushion to play with, should be no problem. Yet it was, which makes you wonder, this time was it Johnson's fault or someone else? That is the question that was posed to me by MMAJunkie Radio host Gorgeous George Garcia when I told him the news that 'Rumble' had missed weight.

Garcia asked, "Does a missed weight target by so much fall on the fighter or his trainer?" In this case, the trainer is noted MMA instructor Mike Van Arsdale of the Blackzilian camp in Florida. Van Arsdale a former MMA fighter and UFC veteran, is also a former wrestler by trade, so he knows all there is to know about making weight. The same also goes for Johnson, who before becoming a professional fighter was an accomplished wrestler in the junior college ranks, winning a national championship.

Therefore, through his wrestling history and 13 professional fights prior, including two failed attempts, Johnson knew what his responsibility was and more importantly, how to meet it. For whatever reason, he didn't; so when the question comes up as to who's gonna take the weight for Anthony Johnson's release from the UFC? The answer is quite simple, look in the mirror big boy because you have no one to blame but yourself.

UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes Preview

2012-01-12T13:32:00.001-08:00

When UFC 134 was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil back in August 2011, it had been nearly 13 years since the last time they were in the birthplace of what is now known as MMA. However, this last time was so nice, they had to do it twice; so this Saturday they are back again in Rio, barely four months later, with another stacked card, which features one of the top five pound for pound fighters in the world.

In August it was the arguable number one on that list, Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva that highlighted the show; this time it is none other than the exciting young UFC featherweight (145 lbs.) champion Jose Aldo. Aldo (20-1, 12 KO’s 2 subs) is one of the sports fastest rising young stars at only 25 years old. He hasn’t lost a fight in over six years and has won his last 13 in a row; including six in the WEC and his first three in the UFC.

His opponent this time comes in the form of an equally young, up and coming stud in Chad ‘Money’ Mendes (10-0, 2 KO’s 2 subs). The product of Hanford, California that fights out of the fabled ‘Alpha Male’ camp in Sacramento is a top notch wrestler whose overall game has improved with every fight. At only 5’6” he’s a powerful dynamo with explosive takedowns. The question is will that be enough against the all-around great Aldo.

Aldo, the former WEC featherweight champion as well, is truly the definition of a “beast” when it comes to MMA; fast hands, lethal kicks, vicious Muay Thai and a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The one thing I didn’t mention was wrestling, where you would think Mendes would have the advantage. However, that didn’t stop him from destroying Mendes’s stable mate Urijah Faber when they fought.

On top of that, after just rolling through his competition, in his last two fights Aldo has survived two five round wars against top UFC contenders Kenny Florian and Mark Hominick. Thus, that experience against great competition will prove invaluable in the continuing growth of Aldo’s game. I fully expect him to finish Mendes via referee stoppage due to strikes by the third round in a successful homecoming.

In the co-main event, don’t blink because it is a barnburner featuring two fast handed, heavy-fisted middleweights (185 lbs.). The true homecoming is here for former UFC light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) champion Vitor ‘The Phenom’ Belfort, as he’ll not just be fighting in his home country, but his hometown as he is a Rio native. Belfort (19-9, 13 KO’s 2 subs), was actually the main event draw at only 21 years old when the UFC first went to Brazil back in ’98.

At that time he used all of 44 seconds to pummel future legend Wanderlei Silva. While that is possible again, I doubt it will happen, at least not that fast, this time against his opponent Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson. That is because Johnson (10-3, 7 KO’s) is an athletic physical specimen with great skills in both wrestling and kickboxing. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if it were Belfort who got caught and put away that fast.

It’s because of the raw talent that Johnson possesses, including his strength that is truly making this a difficult fight to call. However, I think experience and a dedicated Belfort will win via TKO in the second round. I just think his overall boxing skills, superior hand speed and crowd support will be too much for the young ‘Rumble’, who I l believe will get shook a little by the raucous Brazilian crowd.

So far it’s two for two for the Brazilians, will it be more of the same on the undercard? I believe so as I see Rousimar Palhares (13-3, 1 KO 9 subs) wrapping up and twisting Mike Massenzio (13-5, 2 KO’s 6ubs) in one of his patented leg locks before their three rounds are up.

The same can be said for the next big thing coming out of Rio De Janeiro Edson Barboza. This kid who is (9-0, 6 KO’s 1 sub), is riding a three fight win streak in the UFC and I see him getting his fourth via decision against talented Terry Etim from England. However, Barboza better be careful in his approach as Etim (15-3, 2 KO, 12 subs) is no joke and can easily catch the native both standing and on the ground.

I can’t lose in the other fight as it is Brazilian vs. Brazilian when the crafty veteran Carlo ‘Neo’ Prater (29-10-1, 2 KO’s 16 subs) finally makes his UFC debut after a ten year career. His opponent is a young hungry lion in Erick ‘Indio’ Silva (13-1 3 KO’s 7 subs) who comes out of the Nogueira camp. Silva’s only fight in the UFC lasted 40 seconds as he won by KO back in August and I expect more of the same against the seasoned, but outgunned Prater.

As they say in Brazil, "Espero que gostem das lutas;" that is Portuguese for “enjoy the fights.”

Enough already with the excuses

2012-01-07T16:37:00.000-08:00

Probably the greatest single thing about this country may be freedom, freedom to choose instead of having someone make decisions for you. It is a powerful thing, but with freedom comes much responsibility.

Along those lines, the premise that a person is innocent until proven guilty is something that was established long ago; it has been the cornerstone of our judicial system. I'm not saying the system is infallible, but more often than not, it works. At the very least, it is fair.

On a rare weekend where the UFC did not have a live event scheduled and boxing was relatively light, the Strikeforce organization had center stage all too themselves. With a nice card that featured a championship bout and another fight that featured a former champion, all eyes should have been on Strikeforce this weekend; and they were, but for all the wrong reasons.

The news on Friday that Strikeforce Women's featherweight (145 lbs.) champion Cristiane 'Cyborg' Santos (pictured above) had been suspended due to a failed drug test superseded any outcomes of battles within the cage. You see, even though she's a woman in a sport dominated by men, Santos is a rare commodity.

She's not only the most dominant female fighter in the world, she is arguably Strikeforce's number one attraction; specifically because of her dominance. Unfortunately though, she's also just the latest fighter in the world of mixed martial arts to be found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs.

Santos failed her post fight test taken after her successful defense of her title on December 17, 2011 against Japanese fighter Hiroko Yamanaka. She has been suspended by the California State Athletic Commission for one year and fined $2,500. She has since issued an apology for her failed test, which was for stanozolol metabolites.

Yet, while she took responsibility for her actions, she claimed innocence by reason of negligence; she claims she didn't know a dietary supplement she used to help cut weight during training contained a banned substance. Herein lays my issue with her apology.

I do not have any fame and fortune, yet I know what I am ingesting into my system on a daily basis. Thus, I would assume a professional athlete, who makes their living with their bodies earning thousands, if not millions of dollars, would take a little bit more responsibility in their judgment.

Every time a professional athlete, including MMA fighters, gets caught taking a banned substance they immediately turn to the defense, "I didn't know." Chael Sonnen, Sean Sherk, Royce Gracie etc., all said the same thing. Enough already with the excuses; it's time for athletes to step up and accept full, not partial responsibility for their actions. From that standpoint, I have to give former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia a lot of credit.

Never the most talented fighter in the world and definitely not the most athletically gifted, when he got busted for performance enhancing drugs, he quickly and openly admitted he made a mistake because he knew what he was taking and did it for one reason; he wanted to try and improve his physique to look more like a fighter and a champion. If you're not going to take full responsibility and own up to everything 100 percent for yourself, then at the very least do it for those that idolize and worship you.

Right or wrong, Brock did it his way

2012-01-01T04:43:00.000-08:00

The New Year isn't even a day old and yet the biggest news for mixed martial arts in 2012 belongs to a personality no longer affiliated with the sport. Although Brock Lesnar lost his fight Friday night in spectacular and quick fashion, he still ended up being the biggest star of the night, both literally and figuratively; that's because upon his defeat, Lesnar dropped the bombshell that he is retiring from the sport of MMA. However, was it really that surprising?

Lesnar (5-3, 2 KO's 2 subs) is only 34 years old, which puts him in his physical prime for this sport, and has only been a part of it for four and a half years, but his heart just isn't in it. He tried hard to be a fighter and for his brief stint, due to his natural physical gifts, found success; but a fighter's heart has to be just as natural and Lesnar just doesn't have it.

During his career, I've often said that Lesnar was a bully in disguise and what I meant was he took advantage of those he could because of his size and skill. However, whenever he met someone that wasn't imposed by him, he folded under the pressure. Bullies in my mind are always fearful deep down inside and when it came to fighting I felt Brock was no different.

Yet, he has to be given respect and acknowledged even if this is true. That's because on eight different occasions he put in the work and found the heart to step into the cage and face his opponents; not everyone can do that. Not to mention how he handled the pressure that was put on him, sometimes brought upon by his own actions. He came into this sport a known commodity from his days as a professional and amateur wrestler; a lot was expected of him and win or lose he delivered.

In his short time he became the biggest pay-per-view draw for the UFC and in only his fourth pro fight, he won the UFC heavyweight title. There are many skilled fighters with heart bigger than a beach ball that never attain, let alone get even close, to those heights. Beyond that, outside of the cage he showed more courage than he ever did inside of it.

In the last two years, in the middle of his prime and during his reign at the top, he was stricken with a life threatening illness in diverticulitis. This disease is one that affects the intestinal tract and most times, as in Lesnar's case, can only be treated through sensitive surgery. The first time he was diagnosed, there was doubt he would ever fight again. He could have easily walked away and had a legitimate reason why, yet he didn't. He came back and fought and he did it twice.

Sure he found temporary success and then lost his last two fights, but in my eyes and in the eyes of many, Brock won. That's because while he may never have displayed the heart of a fighter, he definitely displayed the heart of a champion. For a guy I truly believe doesn't have it in him to be in the spotlight, he's overcome all challenges and won at every level he's competed at.

He rose to win a NCAA championship as an amateur wrestler and then won championships in both pro wrestling and MMA in the two biggest organizations in the world. On top of that, for all the bravado and ego he came into this sport with, on Friday night after he lost he went out humbly and professionally. Even in defeat, Brock stole the show and for that, he should be applauded. Right or wrong, Brock did it his way.

UFC 141 Preview: 2011 is going out with a bang

2011-12-23T11:19:00.001-08:00

As I sit here previewing next Friday’s UFC 141 card it suddenly dawned on me that no matter what I say regarding the main event, it’s quite simple, somebody’s getting knocked the f*** out! I mean, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that when you have two finely tuned behemoths coming at each other, something or somebody’s got to give; the question here is who?

One thing is for sure, UFC President Dana White and matchmaker extraordinaire Joe Silva can never be accused of protecting or coddling any of their fighters. On the last show of the year they have paired arguably their biggest money draw in former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar against their biggest free agent signing this year in former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair ‘Demolition Man’ Overeem. The result is a fight for the ages that is intriguing and full of questions for many reasons.

First and foremost is, what Brock Lesnar can we expect considering Lesnar (5-2, 2 KO’s 2 subs) hasn’t competed since his title losing affair against Cain Velasquez 14 months ago? The reason behind the layoff was his second bout in two years against Diverticulitis, a serious condition that affects the digestive system. Thus, Lesnar had to endure a second surgical procedure to correct the problem, which always leaves the lingering question of how healthy is he?

This doesn’t even take into account, the rust incurred from such a long layoff. One needs to remember that while he’s a freak of nature type of athlete with top of the line wrestling credentials, he’s still a relative pup in the cage with only seven pro fights to his credit. Compare that resume to Overeem (35-11, 14 KO’s 19 subs) and on paper at least it looks like a mismatch.

However, Lesnar holds one wild card, wrestling. If he is able to clinch Overeem and take him down before “The Reem,” as he is also known, is able to inflict his damage, the UFC newcomer could be in a world of hurt like he’s never experienced before. Lesnar may be inexperienced, but he is massive and he’s a monster, literally. Thus, having him with that wrestling ability on top of you can spell doom.

Yet, that wild card is all he has in a hand that at best would sum up to only two pair in poker. Overeem on the other hand has everything from a three of a kind to a flush. Highly skilled in kickboxing, based on his background in Holland and experienced in all facets of Mixed Martial Arts from his vast international competition, I expect the “Demoltion Man” to live up to his name and demolish his opponent.

It’s no secret Lesnar doesn’t like to get hit; granted nobody does, but he’s a fish out of water as soon as he get’s touched and when facing Overeem, I anticipate he’s going to get hit fast and hard before he’s ever able to impose his wrestling will on the Dutch striker. That coupled with cage rust is why I am picking Overeem by first round TKO. If that happens, a showdown with current UFC champion Junior Dos Santos would be dynamite, literally and figuratively.

In the co-main event, we’re going from one extreme to the other as unlike the two Goliaths that are facing each other in the main event this fight takes place in the lightweight (155 lbs.) division. Yet, don’t be surprised if this one takes fight of the night honors as Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone (17-3, 1 KO, 13 subs) looks to make it seven wins in a row against talented Nate Diaz (14-7, 3 KO’s 10 subs). This fight may be about as even as you can get.

Both guys are extremely versatile and are equally adept standing or on the ground. While conventional wisdom would probably have you lean towards Diaz as far as jiu-jitsu is concerned, it’s hard to ignore Cowboy’s 13 submission victories. Also, while Nate is unorthodox, but effective with his boxing, Cerrone has kicks in his arsenal that Diaz just doesn’t possess.

Almost too hard to call it, I’m going to pick Cerrone in this one via decision based on one factor. In a failed attempt at moving up to welterweight, Diaz was tossed around like a rag doll in his fight against Rory MacDonald. I think Cerrone may have the strength advantage between the two, which is my overriding factor in this one. On another note, this will be Cowboy’s fifth fight in 2011.

Finally, in a very interesting fight welterweights (170 lbs.) Jon Fitch (23-3-1, 5 KO’s, 5 subs) and Johny Hendricks (11-1, 6 KO’s 1 sub) square off in a contender’s match between two of the division’s best wrestlers. That said, while Fitch has challenged once for the belt and is arguably the number one contender right now, I am picking Hendricks via decision. The difference is boxing where Hendricks has shown constant and developing improvement. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Is Melendez King of the Hill or stuck in purgatory?

2011-12-18T04:00:00.000-08:00

Following another impressive performance Saturday night, against yet another formidable challenger, Strikeforce lightweight (155 lbs.) champion Gilbert 'El Nino' Melendez finds himself in quite a strange place. Is he 'King of the Hill' or is he stuck in purgatory? Arguably the number one lightweight in the world and easily one of the top ten pound for pound fighters as well, you would think there is no question, but there is. That is because Melendez finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Being a champion at any level is a great accomplishment, whether it is as an amateur or as a professional at a small regional promotion. Thus, being a Strikeforce champion is nothing to sneeze at, but there is always the stigma of not being a UFC champion; which is the pinnacle of Mixed Martial Arts by where all other fighters are measured. It may not be fair, and in some cases may not be accurate, but as the phrase says, "it is what it is."

Melendez (20-2, 11 KO's 1 sub) handled his business on Saturday night as he convincingly won a unanimous decision over very tough Jorge 'Gamebred' Masvidal. That gives him six straight victories in a row and the only two losses on his record he's avenged. However, when you compare the names of his last six opponents, with those of current UFC champion Frankie Edgar, there seems to be a definite drop in competition. They've all been good fighters, but outside of Shinya Aoki, who was ranked number two in the world at the time, they were not necessarily cream of the crop.

That is of no fault of 'El Nino' though; loyal to the end, he made his name through Strikeforce when the UFC, for some reason, wouldn't give him a look. However, now under the Zuffa banner that also owns the UFC, Strikeforce, which was always looked upon as second fiddle, is now looking more like a minor league or junior circuit. Nonetheless, because Strikeforce is now owned by Zuffa, everyone, including Melendez, just knew it was a matter of time before he found himself challenging for the coveted UFC title. The time was supposed to be now at the end of Strikeforce's cable TV deal with the Showtime network. "Not so fast my friends," as ESPN's Lee Corso would say.

It was recently announced that Strikeforce renewed their contract with Showtime, which quipped many people to ask why? I too was asking myself the same question, but after thinking about it clearly, it's simple; it's all about the Benjamin's. The UFC recently signed a major network television deal with FOX. However, Zuffa realizing that cable network money is just as green and valuable knew it had to keep its hand in that cookie jar as well. How do you do it without causing a conflict of interest? You keep Strikeforce as a separate brand; problem solved.

Great for Zuffa, but where does that leave Melendez? If I know UFC President Dana White, I wouldn't worry too much. He realizes he has quite a commodity in the Strikeforce champion, so I'm sure he'll do whatever he has to, both financially and competitively to keep Melendez happy. The lightweight division in the UFC is probably the deepest in the company; especially with the WEC merger last year; so I wouldn't be surprised if you saw some well known names and high caliber fighters make their way onto the Strikeforce roster.

Yet, that's not etched in stone and Melendez has all but cleaned out the cupboard bare. Therefore, till some more big name fighters make their way into Strikeforce, he'll just keep playing Russian roulette with his world ranking as former Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez did before him and you see what that got him; a loss to a young hungry lion and more importantly a potential loss of big paydays. Thus, Melendez remains in purgatory and although he is King of the Hill in Strikeforce, that's almost like being Anthony Michael Hall's character was in the movie 'Sixteen Candles'; King of the Dipsh*ts!

UFC 140: Is there still any doubt out there?

2011-12-11T04:07:00.000-08:00

Although Jon 'Bones' Jones (15-1, 8 KO's 5 subs) is the UFC light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) champion and has already defeated former champions Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua and Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, people still doubt whether he's for real. After his title defense Saturday night against yet another former champion, Lyoto 'The Dragon' Machida (17-3, 6 KO's 2 subs), is there still any doubt out there? UFC 140 took place in Toronto, Canada and our neighbors to the north were treated to some exciting fights.

In the main event, champ Jones, still only 24 years old, found himself facing possibly the biggest test of his career yet. That is because while the biggest thing with fighting Jones is trying to solve the puzzle that he is, his opponent Machida is a brain twister of his own. Using a counter attacking Karate based style, Machida was effective and appeared to have Jones not only confused, but concerned early on. As a matter of fact, he clearly won the first round, which is something no one has been able to do against the unorthodox Jones.

However, the second round proved another story as Jones found the missing piece to the Machida puzzle; in this case it was closing the distance. By doing so he was able take Machida down, apply some ground and pound and eventually throw an elbow which caused a cut to the forehead. He then was able to catch Machida in a standing guillotine choke and, because of his uncanny size & length, torque his neck to the point that he literally put the dragon to sleep. I don't think there is any doubt left, Jones is legit and the future of this sport.

In the co-main event, it was a rematch of former UFC heavyweight champions between Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (33-7-1, 3 KO's 20 subs) and Frank Mir (16-5 3 KO's 9 subs). Not only are these two former champions, but arguably the best submission experts in the division. That said, when you have guys this big possessed with that type of skill, injury through submission is always a possibility. Such was the case in this fight.

After a great start in the first round for Nogueira, where he had Frank Mir's number with effective dirty boxing (in close-fighting), it was a vicious right hand that dropped Mir; it looked as though Big Nog was on the verge of victory. Always confident in his ground game, he jumped on Mir, going for a possible choke. Oddly enough, it appeared as though the chokehold somehow revived Mir and he was able to reverse position. He inevitably got on top, secured Nogueira's arm with a Kimura lock and applied so much pressure, he broke the arm forcing Nog to tap.

Frank Mir now becomes the first man to not only knockout Nogueira, but to submit him as well. He said it perfectly in his post-fight interview when Joe Rogan asked him about the submission; "Unfortunately when you are our size and as dangerous as we are, these things are going to happen. Hopefully, Nogueira is going to be okay, I idolize him."

Five years ago, light-heavyweights Tito 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' Ortiz (16-10-1, 8 KO's 3 subs) and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (20-5, 6 KO's 6 subs) would have been the main event of any mixed martial arts event, including the UFC. However, at this point in their careers they are two legends of the sport who finally met in the cage after lengthy careers; the result was Lil' Nog finishing Tito in the first round. The irony is that Ortiz, the master of the ground and pound attack, was beaten at his own game as Nogueira hurt him with punches and elbows to the body while Ortiz was on his back. Time will tell if Ortiz will get to honor the last fight of his contract and career.

Talent and skill may be the cornerstone of a fighter's success, but that all goes out the window if that fighter doesn't keep their emotions in check. One can argue that is what happened to bantamweight (135 lbs.) Mark 'The Machine' Hominick (20-10, 8 KO's 8 subs) against 'The Korean Zombie' Chan Sung Jung (12-3, 3 KO's 7 subs). Riding the emotions of recently losing his close friend and trainer Shawn Tompkins, along with fighting in his home country, Hominick came out reckless throwing a wild left hook; the result was he got caught with a counter right hand that was the beginning of the end for him in just seven seconds.

Freedom of Speech, not in today's world

2011-12-09T10:58:00.000-08:00

As we move ever so closer to 2012 and find ourselves fully entrenched in the world of social media, you better watch what you say; especially if you are a public figure. Never was this more clearly evident then on Thursday evening when UFC President Dana White reported that former World Extreme Cagefighting champion and current UFC bantamweight contender Miguel Torres had been cut from the roster. The reason was an inappropriate message from his twitter handle.

Torres, who is one of the more popular MMA fighters with fans, especially when it comes to twitter, made the mistake of tweeting the following, “If a rape van was called a surprise van more women wouldn’t mind going for rides in them.” That post was subsequently removed and replaced with, “If a windowless van was a called a surprise van more people wouldn’t mind going for rides in them. Everyone likes surprises.” Too late the damage was done; as if the latter post was any better.

Miguel Torres has been known to have a unique sense of humor. I personally got a chance to experience some of that humor when I got to meet and speak to him a little in May 2010. It is a quick hitting, no holds barred type of humor that would’ve made him perfect for the ‘70’s when TV shows like ‘All in the Family’ and ‘Sanford and Son’, could and would freely use language that cannot fly today. Considering the Redd Foxx shirt he had on in our photo above, it all makes sense.

Unfortunately, it’s not 1973 and we’re not in the 20th century. It’s nearly 2012, it’s the politcially correct 21st century and certain things just can’t be said; or in the case of the UFC, shouldn’t be said. Dana White implores his fighters to tweet to the masses, even going so far as to reward those that communicate with original and witty remarks. A year ago, he may have even just given Torres a slap on the wrist for this latest slip of the tweet. However, things are different now.

The UFC recently signed a major television deal with the FOX network that will make the brand and sport mainstream in 2012. Thus, what may have just ruffled White’s feathers a year ago, downright plucked them today. Torres was clearly wrong in his judgment, but he was also a casualty because of the business circles the UFC is in these days.

Fighters and employees of the company now have to readjust their thinking to a more corporate mindset before speaking; which brings me to former UFC light-heavyweight champion Rashad Evans. On Wednesday, one entire day before the Torres error in judgment, Evans too spoke before thinking. This one was live at a press conference promoting his January fight; on FOX no less, against fellow contender Phil Davis.

Evans, who wrestled collegiately at Michigan State threw a verbal jab at Davis, who wrestled at fellow Big Ten rival Penn State by saying, “I’m going to put my hands on you worse than that dude did them other kids at Penn State.” The comment was obviously referencing the charges of child molestation against former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky. Not necessarily the best choice of words considering the nature and sensitivity of the crime in question.

Yet, unlike the Torres reaction, White’s response was simply to acknowledge that it was a stupid comment and that Evans was doing it in the heat of promoting a fight. Could it be that Torres’s mistake was not so much what he said, but when he said it? One has to wonder if White after feeling the heat of having to downplay the Evans remark, felt compelled to take drastic measures upon hearing about the Torres fiasco. Things that make you go hmmmmm?

Another case closer to home where a twitter mistake came with a price is the one made by Lehigh University All-American wide receiver Ryan Spadola. On the eve of Lehigh’s quarterfinal matchup against North Dakota in the College Football Sub-division Tournament, Spadola has been suspended for a tweet he sent before last Saturday’s opening round game against Towson. The sad part here is the tweet did not even originate with him.

The tweet, which referenced the Towson student body and contained a racial slur, was originally posted by a friend of Spadola’s. However, the mistake by the receiver was made when he decided to retweet it; thus, in essence he made it his. The NCAA got wind of it and tomorrow in what is the biggest game so far of his collegiate career, the junior wide receiver has to pay the price for his actions.

These incidents are just the latest of athletes, professional and amateur, who have made the mistake of speaking without thinking things through; especially when it comes to twitter. Usually not a day goes by anymore without hearing of some athlete’s downright dumb twitter comment, usually responding to something they should just stay clear of. Freedom of speech does not necessarily translate to say whatever you think; especially not in today’s world.

Exposed through redemption

2011-12-03T22:43:00.000-08:00

As some read this column, they may believe I'm speaking from a biased opinion; seeing that I've never hidden the fact that I'm a proud Puerto Rican American who has always been a Miguel Cotto fan. However, those that know me know better. I'll be the first to admit a totally different opinion if I truly feel one. Unfortunately for Antonio Margarito (pictured at left) I can't, because Saturday night he was exposed through Cotto's redemption.

In a rematch of their first fight, which took place three years ago, WBA light middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (37-2, 30 KO's) exacted revenge on Antonio Margarito (38-8, 27 KO's) for more reasons than just a previous loss. That is because unlike their first fight, Cotto and most intelligent boxing fans realize that this fight was actually fought on even ground. By now everyone is familiar with the suspicion that Margarito used illegal hand wraps in their first fight, since he was found to have such in his subsequent fight against Shane Mosely.

Yet, we may have never known about the illegal wraps, which included elements of Plaster of Paris, had it not been for the keen watchful eye of Mosely trainer Nazeem Richardson. Richardson, who was part of Cotto's camp Saturday, is the one that noticed the improprieties during the pre-fight against Mosely and since then Margarito hasn't been the same. It's very simple; the proof lies in the pudding or in this case the plaster.

Before he was ever caught with the wraps, he was the most feared fighter in the world who literally destroyed Cotto over 11 rounds. Since the discovery though, Margarito, or as noted boxing writer Pedro Fernandez likes to refer to him as, 'Margacheato' is only (1-3) in his last four fights. His three losses are against future Hall of Famer Mosely and champions Manny Pacquiao and Cotto, while his lone win is against little known Mexican Roberto Garcia.

On Saturday, as Cotto had predicted, the outcome was much different as can be seen in Margarito's face above. On this night it was Cotto who pummeled Margarito's face and right eye through 10 rounds, forcing the ringside doctor to stop the fight since his eye was completely shut. He did it with slick boxing and constant movement, as he did in their first fight; only this time there was just leather coming back, not leather surrounding a foreign object.

Cotto fought his fight without any concern and Margarito without the wraps, had no answer. The reason was not because Margarito couldn't hurt him; on the contrary. It was because he knew he was the truly superior fighter all along and it showed. I've been saying for months, after the beatdown Margarito took from Manny Pacquiao, that he's been exposed. Without that edge, he's just a good fighter, not a great fighter. Emanuel Steward summed it up best in his post fight comments when he said, "I think Margarito's days of being an elite fighter are done."

Meanwhile Cotto, who many said was not the same fighter after the beatings by Margarito and Pacquiao, looked sharper than ever under new trainer Pedro Diaz. With his future looking bright and redemption finally felt in his heart, he was asked by Max Kellerman what his thoughts were now about Margarito. Cotto's response, "As I said before, I don't think of him; he means nothing to me."

As for the man known to boxing pundits as 'The Tijuana Tornado', these days he's looking more like a Baja, California breeze. The relentless straight forward style he possesses that made him the man in boxing no one wanted to face is no longer a threat to the top tier fighters of the sport without the added advantage inside his gloves. He's been exposed through redemption and with serious injury twice now to that right eye, it remains to be seen (no pun intended) if he will continue to fight; let alone be able to.

Will legendary boxing rivalry ever exist in MMA?

2011-11-26T18:36:00.000-08:00

As I watched Mexican boxing WBC super middleweight champion Saul Alvarez defend his title Saturday night against Puerto Rican former titleholder Kermit Cintron live from Mexico, one thing was clearly evident; this legendary rivalry in boxing between fighters from these two proud countries is alive and well. Nowhere will this be more evidently on display than next Saturday night when Puerto Rican WBA super middleweight champion Miguel Cotto defends his belt in a rematch against his Mexican arch nemesis Antonio Margarito.

These two bouts are just the latest in a long line of classic moments and fights between fighters from these two boxing rich Latin nations. I ought to know, as I've been a long time boxing fan who also happens to be Puerto Rican; and unless you are a fan who is either Puerto Rican or Mexican, I don't think you can truly appreciate how big this rivalry really is. It is something that goes beyond just a winner and a loser.

It all stems from pride or as we say in Spanish, "Orgullo." Sure, it is something you learn because you grow up in it, but it is also something that is embedded inside of you because of you're Hispanic heritage; I think it is a Latin trait period as you see it prominently displayed in MMA through Brazilians. To truly understand it, just consider some of my own personal experiences within this boxing rivalry.

In August 1981, Wilfredo Gomez, arguably the greatest fighter ever to be produced by Puerto Rico, took on the late great Mexican legend Salvador Sanchez in a featherweight championship at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. At the time, I was an 18 year old getting ready to start my sophomore year of college and Gomez was like a God to me. So when I saw him take a beating over eight rounds, ultimately losing by TKO, I am not ashamed to admit that tears welled up in my eyes. This may be hard to understand by some, but easy to understand by others.

Seven years later, my pride swelled again in the hopes and anticipation that another late great champion Puerto Rican Edwin Rosario would take away the pain from the Gomez loss as he took on Mexico's greatest champion ever Julio Cesar Chavez. Unfortunately though, from a personal standpoint, the result was the same as Chavez closed Rosario's left eye and forced his corner to stop the fight after ten rounds. However, it wouldn't be considered a rivalry if it were just one-sided.

Alas, in 1999 redemption came when Puerto Rico's Felix Trinidad defeated Mexican/American Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya via decision. How serious was I about that fight? Beforehand I asked my friends who I watched the fight with, who normally drink Corona beer, to drink Heinekens instead so as not to show any allegiance to Mexico in any form that day. That is how crazy this rivalry is; thus, the question is, will this legendary rivalry ever exist in MMA?

Since the sport of MMA is still in its relative infancy, just recently celebrating its 18th year of existence last week, the sport is now just expanding to include fighters from these proud ancestries. Nonetheless, there are fighters of note already in place such as Mexican former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and Puerto Rican former Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. Yet, there aren't enough yet to establish any rivalries.

Alvarez, when he was champion, had been talked about in a proposed fight against Mexican Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez and that could have been the beginning of a great one, but it never materialized. Alvarez did defend his title in October 2010 against former UFC cover boy Roger Huerta, which was really the first significant match between a Puerto Rican and Mexican in MMA, but by that time Huerta had lost his luster as a contender, thus it was nothing more that just a title defense.

However, as the sport continues to grow, more and more young fighters of Puerto Rican and Mexican descent, who used to automatically turn to boxing back in the day, are now turning to MMA instead. Therefore, it's inevitable that at some point we will have a significant fight between Puerto Rico and Mexico inside a cage instead of a ring; quite possibly Alvarez vs. Melendez one day soon. Yet, till then the question remains, will this legendary boxing rivalry ever exist in MMA?

UFC 139: The night two legends stole the show

2011-11-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

How much do I love MMA? I missed the live telecast of UFC 139 Saturday night because I was DJ'ing and didn't get home till 4:30AM. However, I set my alarm for 6:45AM, so I could get up to watch the replay at 7AM Sunday morning and it was well worth the effort. On a stacked card being fought in San Jose, CA, it was a pair of legends that stole the show.

The main event alone was worth the price of admission as light-heavyweights (205 lbs.) Dan 'Hendo' Henderson (29-8, 13 KO's 2 subs) and Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua (20-6, 7 KO's 1 sub) put on an epic battle that is already being lauded as one of the greatest in UFC history. After five grueling rounds of back and forth action, it was the 41 year old former Pride FC and Strikeforce champion Henderson who emerged the victor in his third return to the UFC.

Although it was a non-title fight, this classic proved the UFC brass right in making all main events five rounds; although early on it didn't look like it would get past one or two. In vintage Dan Henderson style, his lethal right hand caught Rua throughout the first three rounds and it looked like it could be the beginning of the end in all three. However, 'Shogun' somehow weathered the storm and found moments of his own throughout.

Ironically, as the fight progressed into the fourth and fifth rounds, the tide turned and it was Rua who had Henderson (pictured above) in serious trouble, especially in the fifth when he was in mounted position on the ground for at least four minutes. Yet, just like Rua before him, Hendo found the will, which is about all he had at the end, to survive. The result was an instant classic. In typical Henderson fashion, after the fight he told Joe Rogan, "That guy can take an f'in punch."

The co-main event was electric right from the entrance of the combatants and that electricity carried right on through into the cage. That's because it featured two combat sports legends, one in MMA and one in kickboxing, in former Pride champion Wanderlei 'The Axe Murderer' Silva and former San Shou world champion Cung Le. In a crossroads fight for both fighters as Silva (34-11-1, 24 KO's, 3 subs) was only 3-6 in his last nine fights and Le (7-2, 7 KO's in MMA) at 39 has a successful movie career going, it was Silva who would emerge the victor.

For Silva, four of those last six losses were by knockout, the last one in 27 seconds just four months ago. Thus, UFC President Dana White had been talking about possibly forcing him to retire and in the first round it looked as though that may be the case as Le had him in trouble at one point. However, a champion's heart cannot be measured and late in the second round it was Silva who hurt Le with a punch and then unleashed his patented fury. With vicious knees from a Muay Thai clinch, he dropped the hometown Le and finished him with hammer fists forcing the referee to step in.

An emotional Silva said in his post fight interview, "It's been a difficult last few years for me, but things can happen through belief and hard work. Jesus Christ is always with me; it is he who is the boss." As for Le, this was his first fight ever in the UFC and with this being his first fight in over 16 months, only time will tell if he'll have another or will finally call it a career. Fighting in movies is a lot safer and glamorous than in the octagon.

'California Love' is not just the signature entrance song for popular bantamweight (135 lbs.) Urijah Faber (26-5, 7 KO's 14 subs), but it is also what 'The California Kid' gave and received to and from the northern California crowd. The former 145 lbs. champion in World Extreme Cagefighting, took on Brian Bowles (10-2, 3 KO's 6 subs), who himself is a former bantamweight champion in the WEC. On this night though it was all Faber as he just outclassed Bowles with his speed, boxing and wrestling, eventually winning by submission using the vaunted guillotine choke his Alpha Male team is known for.

What had the potential to be a possible fight of the night candidate, turned out to be a three round technical affair; due in part to welterweight (170 lbs.) contenders Martin Kampmann (18-5, 7 KO's 6 subs) and Rick 'Horror' Story (13-5, 3 KO's, 3 subs). On this night, it was Kampmann, an extremely talented fighter who's been on the losing end of a couple of questionable decisions, who was on the positive end tonight and justifiably so. Using a nice combination of kickboxing, take downs and jiu-jitsu, Kampmann defeated Story who has now lost two in a row after being one win away from a title shot.

In the first fight of the night, it was a clear cut case of experience and overall better technique superseding talent and potential. Stephan Bonnar (14-7, 3 KO's, 7 subs), one half of the famed greatest UFC fight of all-time with Forrest Griffin, who at one point in the last few years had lost six fights in a row, has found new life as he defeated Kyle Kingsbury (11-3, 4 KO's 2 subs) via unanimous decision. Using a superior ground game, Bonnar totally dominated Kingsbury over three rounds to earn his third victory in a row.

Time to make a statement to the world

2011-11-13T14:33:00.000-08:00

When I first interviewed Bethlehem, PA's own Ronald Cruz in April 2010, he was an unknown professional boxer with an (8-0) record that few outside of the northeast area knew about. Move forward a short year and a half and today he's an up and coming welterweight prospect with a record of (14-0, 11 KO's), who's ranked #59 in the world. This weekend in Atlantic City, he looks to improve on that record and as he says, "make a statement to the world."

Although he got his start in the boxing game relatively late, this young 25 year old is making up for lost time and making the most of it. A lot has changed since we last spoke 18 months ago, a new trainer, a new wife and six more wins; but one thing hasn't changed and that is Ronald's focus and desire to someday make his dream come true of becoming a world champion.

I asked Ronald why the change in trainer from his amateur then professional coach Alec Morales and his response was respectful, but candid. "Very simply we weren't getting along too well. A fighter/trainer relationship is a very sensitive one since you have to work together every day. I just noticed over time that wasn't happening and a change was needed," Cruz said. Luckily, the change came in the form of a trusted friend who just happened to be experienced in boxing.

Lemuel 'Indio' Rodriguez is an old friend of Cruz's who comes from a family of boxers in Puerto Rico and although he didn't have professional experience behind him, Ronald saw something in him that told him this was the way to go. He said, "Before we even started working together, I went to him about the idea to try and feel him out. I noticed right away, that this would work out."

I asked Cruz what was it about Rodriguez that made the difference and his response was, "Besides his boxing background, I noticed he had a different philosophy for training. He uses different workouts and he notices little things as well. For example, when we talked he immediately pointed out to me that I need to use my legs more. The other thing I like about working with Indio is, even if I'm doing something right, like throwing my jab, he'll keep stressing it over and over; he's a perfectionist and I needed that."

The other big change in Ronald's life this past year came in the form of marriage to his long-time girlfriend Daisy. "She's always supported me," he said. "Being slightly older than me, she understands the demands this sport has and that there are days when I can hardly spend the time I wish I could with her and my kids. She makes the necessary sacrifices it takes to make this work for us."

This past July Cruz won his 14th fight in convincing fashion when he headlined a professional card at the Sands Casino in his hometown. I asked him if there is a possibility of that happening again and he told me, "Yes there is; they are currently building an events center adjacent to the casino that should be open next spring and they are talking about possibly doing something in May."

That's the future, but the present is this Saturday the 19th and the opponent is Ronald's stiffest and most experienced yet. Anges Adjaho (25-6, 14 KO's) is a veteran from Buffalo, NY who's last fight was a tough 10 round decision loss to perennial contender Joel Julio; a guy who has fought for the world title twice, so you know this is a big step up in competition. With such a strong opponent ahead, I asked him what he's been doing differently from his previous fights.

"We've been working a lot on speed for both the hands and the legs," he said. "Also, we've been really working the jab as he is an extremely good defensive fighter and we feel this will be an important weapon in penetrating that defense." He also told me, "I know I have a knockout streak going (7 TKO's in a row), but I can't get caught up in that. I have to go in there, do my job and if it doesn't happen, I can't desperate looking for it. I have to be smart and win the fight."

With nothing but success so far and so much riding in this his biggest fight to date, I asked Cruz what he expects for Saturday and where he hopes to be a year from now at the end of 2012. "With this fight, I want to go out there and make a statement. I want to show the world I can do everything these world class fighters have and haven't done yet." Finally, he says, "The goal is to get that world title belt. I don't know where I'll be a year from now, but we'll be working towards that goal and hopefully, we'll be close."

Ronald Cruz fights this Saturday November 19th at Bally's in Atlantic City. I want to thank Ronald for taking time out from his busy schedule and wish him luck.

There is no substitute for power

2011-11-12T22:46:00.000-08:00

According to 'Scarface' Tony Montana, "In this country, first you get the money. Once you get the money, then you get the power." When it comes to Mixed Martial Arts however, it's just the opposite. First you exhibit the power; then when you show that power you get the money. Either way, there is no substitute for power, which is exactly what Junior Dos Santos showed everybody on Saturday night.

If there is any doubt at the power that new UFC heavyweight champion Dos Santos (14-1, 9 KO's 3 subs) must pack in a punch, just look at the size of his massive fist compared to mine in the photo above. Now I am not insinuating in any way that I have a large fist compared to the champ's, but his is abnormally huge. It is reminiscent of the 'Seinfeld' episode when they showed that the girl Jerry was dating at the time had "Man Hands."

It was that fist that made all the difference for Dos Santos Saturday night as with one looping right hand to the back of the ear, ala Chuck Liddell, he dropped former champion Cain Velasquez (9-1, 8 KO's) to the canvas and finished him; it took all of 64 seconds. Mike Tyson's 88 second demolition of Michael Spinks in boxing back in the day seems like an eternity. Yet, as exciting a finish as it was the question now remains, how good was it for the UFC and its first ever telecast on mainstream television? I say, it was perfect.

Sure, a five round classic may have been better and not all fights usually end this fast. However, on a night when the main event needed to make a splash and a strong first impression, it did pretty good. You see, while hardcore MMA fans are knowledgeable and appreciative of technical fights, it was the casual fans the UFC needed to appeal to on this night; the ones that are usually blood thirsty for quick action. Well, they got that and more on Saturday.

I said on Friday this was a difficult fight to call as it was the former champ's wrestling versus the new champ's boxing. On this night, the boxer won out, mainly because the wrestler made the mistake of thinking he could box with the heavy puncher. The result was Velasquez losing his belt in his first title defense. He was coming off a year long lay-off due to injury and it showed. However, there is no excuse; Dos Santos was simply the better man on this night.

As for 2012 and the network television deal between the UFC and Fox, the possibilities are exciting; when you look at the roster, see the current champions and the potential for intriguing match-ups. Note, I said possibilities; because if there is one thing we've come to learn with the UFC, it is that nothing is guaranteed. However, one thing we can always count on is, there is no substitute for power.

More than just a title fight

2011-11-11T13:14:00.001-08:00

On a weekend that should be dominated by boxing, due in part to Manny ‘Pac-man’ Pacquiao and his third fight against Juan Manuel Marquez, the UFC is crashing that party and making a splash of its own. In a historic move for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the UFC will premiere on the Fox network Saturday night with no less than the heavyweight championship of the world.

This move is historic for the UFC, but not for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts which has been featured on major network television before. Both the EliteXC and Strikeforce promotions have appeared live on the CBS network, with pretty fair ratings and reviews. However, this is the UFC; the number one promotion in all of MMA. Therefore, if the UFC makes it, MMA makes it.

Undaunted by the mega-draw that is Pacquiao, Dana White, President of the UFC and Fox will counter program, somewhat, with UFC champion Cain Velasquez (9-0, 8 KO’s) defending his title against the clear number one contender Junior Dos Santos (13-1, 8 KO’s 3 subs). I say somewhat because the Fox telecast will only broadcast this one fight, which will be for one hour between 9 and 10 eastern time. The boxing par-per-view starts at the same time, but the main event will not come on till after the UFC event is over.

Nonetheless, this is a risky and dare I say, ballsy move on the part of White. Universally credited, and deservedly so, with bringing the UFC and MMA from the doldrums of the dark ages and making it the fastest growing sport in the world, White is now determined to bring it to the masses and make it mainstream. All good except first impressions are forever lasting and to attempt this venture against Pacquiao shows White’s commitment and belief in his product.

White has been openly stressing this date all week for numerous reasons such as, will the fight live up to the hype or will it make a big enough splash? However, probably the biggest reason is that more than a few times this year, especially a/o late, the fighters slated for the main event haven’t made it to the finish line of the fight date healthy enough to have a main event; and while both fighters appear strong and healthy with a little over 24 hours to go, White will not relax till show time.

One thing in his favor is the combatants he has chosen for this inaugural fight on Fox. Velasquez and Dos Santos are not just heavyweight sluggers; they are two of the most athletically gifted and skilled heavyweights on the planet. Both capable of finishing the other with one punch, these two are destined to put on a show for the ages; whether it last five minutes or five rounds.

For once, I am truly having difficulty picking a winner in this one. If the fight had taken place earlier this year, I probably would have leaned towards Velasquez, solely because of how dominant he looked against former champion Brock Lesnar. However, that fight was over a year ago in October 2010 and a serious shoulder injury from that fight forced the champion on the shelf. Thus, is ring rust a factor?

Dos Santos on the other hand is primed and ready. Coming off a convincing victory against former title challenger Shane Carwin, where he dismantled Carwin in every facet; Junior looks like the real deal. The determining factor for me lies in the wrestling; can Junior nullify Cain’s takedowns and avoid fighting off his back?

Considering the long layoff, I would normally say yes. However, watching both Chael Sonnen and Rashad Evans, two top fighters in the UFC who are also excellent wrestlers, come back from long layoffs this year and not lose a beat, I’m thinking Cain can do the same. So, though my heart is saying Dos Santos, my mind and logic are saying Velasquez. Thus, I am picking Cain Velasquez to defend his title in a five round epic that should make Dana White look like Kool-Aid because he’ll be smiling from ear to ear.

The UFC vs. Boxing; the rivalry continues

2011-11-06T03:41:00.000-08:00

It isn't often we get free fights on television anymore; and when we do, it is usually some up and coming prospects in either boxing or MMA that just don't deliver. From the days of closed circuit TV in boxing to pay-per-view events now in both sports, it's all about the Benjamin's these days. However, Saturday night we got the rare double in boxing and MMA, that was not only free, but delivered big excitement as well.

A journalist friend of mine once told me, that I should never write about boxing and MMA in the same column. Well today, I'm bucking that advice and doing it because the two fights Saturday night were so good and so similar in fashion; they earned equal billing in my book. In MMA, it was the main event of UFC 138 between Chris 'The Crippler' Leben (22-8, 12 KO's 5 subs) and Mark 'The Filipino Wrecking Machine' Munoz (12-2, 6 KO's 1 sub) that capped off an exciting card from Birmingham, England.

The mix of Leben, the veteran mixed martial artist with the heavy left hand and Munoz, the All-American wrestler with the vicious ground and pound, was a recipe for fireworks and it went off with a bang. Right from the start, the two were throwing bombs at each other whether it was standing or on the ground. Not surprisingly, Munoz got the first take down; but what was surprising was Leben got up and got the second and third take downs on the decorated wrestler Munoz.

The result was a back and forth first round that had both announcers Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan exclaiming, "Wow, what a round!" The difference though was Munoz looked fresh and ready to go for the second, while Leben looked gassed as he was breathing heavy and looking weary. Tell tale sign or not, they came out and picked up right where they left off; only this time, the damage would be too much.

Sensing Leben was too weak to fend off his take down attempts, Munoz shot in on 'The Crippler' repeatedly. However, to Leben's credit, as tired as he was, he kept fighting back with submission attempts off his back, punches to the head and body and working his way back up to his feet. Yet, it was Munoz who delivered the most telling blow as during some of his patented ground and pound attack, he cut Leben over his left eye that caused a lot of bleeding.

It also caused the referee to stop the action during the second round, to have the doctor look at it. Ultimately, he let the fight go on, but while sitting on the stool between the second and third rounds, Leben told his corner he could not see and they decided to stop the fight giving Munoz an all important win in the middleweight (185 lbs.) division. Munoz is still a little green around the MMA edges, but you can see his all-around game continuing to improve every time out.

Luckily, the timing was perfect because as that fight ended, the boxing match on HBO between light-middleweight (154 lbs.) contenders Alfredo 'El Perro' Angulo (20-2, 17 KO's) and James 'Mandingo Warrior' Kirkland (30-1, 27 KO's) was about to start; thank God and HBO for 'Boxing after Dark'. In what was projected to be a can't miss/don't blink affair, the fight lived up to the hype and then some. Unfortunately for Angulo, who was fighting in his home country of Mexico, it was the tale of two halves.

The two halves came in the first round where both fighters, known for coming forward, did just that; testing each others chin to see who can withstand the other's power. Within the first minute, it looked as though the winner would be Angulo as during an exchange, he caught Kirkland flush with an overhand right to the face that dropped the American challenger to the canvas. With Angulo living up to his nickname, which translates to 'The Dog', he went on the attack as he threw everything he had at Kirkland during the second minute.

Problem was, Kirkland withstood the onslaught and Angulo ended up punching himself out; credit to the referee for not stopping the fight too early. Thus, in the third minute of the round, it was Kirkland who cleared the cobwebs and came on with his own vicious straight forward onslaught of combinations, which included a left uppercut that found the mark on Angulo more than once. The result was Angulo went down before the end of the round and barely survived as Kirkland came back off the canvas to win the round.

How good was that first round? Analyst Max Kellerman said, "That is a round people will be talking about for years to come." From that point on it was all James Kirkland, who recently reunited with his former trainer Ann Wolfe, yes a female and it paid dividends. Wolfe's no-nonsense boot camp style training had Kirkland ready for the long haul.

Angulo wasn't expecting to go that haul and it showed as Kirkland wore him down over the next four rounds, ultimately forcing the referee to step in @ 2:01 of the sixth round and save 'El Perro' from himself. For Kirkland, he's back after a stint in jail and an unexpected loss three fights ago. This was a WBC semi-final eliminator for the title and the 'Mandingo Warrior' looks like he's primed, ready and most importantly hungry.

As for the UFC vs. Boxing on the same night, this was just a precursor of things to come as next Saturday, the UFC premieres on the Fox network with the heavyweight championship of the world between champ Cain Velasquez and challenger Junior Dos Santos. However, they're going head up with one of boxing's two biggest draws, Manny 'Pac-Man' Pacquiao as he takes on Juan Manuel Marquez for the third time. Luckily for us, the UFC fight should be done by the time the boxing main event comes on; thus, the rivalry continues.

What makes a fighter popular or hated?

2011-10-30T04:24:00.000-07:00

Saturday night's main event @ UFC 137 turned out to be an entertaining one, which salvaged a somewhat lackluster card. It featured two of the sports most popular fighters in Strikeforce welterweight (170 lbs.) champion Nick Diaz (26-7 13 KO's 6 subs) and former UFC lightweight (155 lbs.) and welterweight champion BJ Penn (16-8-2, 7 KO's 6 subs). Though Diaz would end up winning a close decision; that is secondary to fans of both fighters that could care less about who won or lost.

This is a testament to the popularity of both fighters that has always been at the top level of Mixed Martial Arts. However, the question is why? It definitely has nothing to do with their win-loss records, which aren't necessarily iconic to say the least. Yet, both are iconic figures in a sport that reveres certain fighters and has mutual disdain for certain others. Penn (pictured above), is one that has had it right from the beginning of his career and if Saturday nights crowd support is any indication, it just continues to grow.

While he's a laid back personable young man, he's always been one of very few words. He's not very big on the interview scene and as for his post-fight interviews; he's legendary for his one sentence, or even one word, responses and leaving the cage. Yet, when he steps into the cage he's always business, which I think is what appeals to fans; a man of few words who lets his actions do the talking. Diaz is another one of these personalities.

His disappearance from not one, but two press conferences leading up to this card, tells you he's not much into talking. However, fans know there is never any concern as to whether or not he'll deliver, win or lose, inside the cage. I truly believe it is what makes guys like Diaz and Penn so popular. Fans of this sport have a high regard for anyone that is willing to put it on the line every single time regardless of wins and losses; perfect example, Randy Couture.

Hall of Famer Couture (19-11, 7 KO's 4 subs), is arguably the sports most popular fighter ever; yet, one look at his record instantly tells you it has nothing to do with his many storied victories. It has everything to do with the man, inside and outside the cage. Always respectful and humble, he's also been a warrior in every sense of the word. A multi-time champion in the light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) and heavyweight classes, the ageless wonder feared no one inside the cage; even if they were giants in front of him like Tim Sylvia or Brock Lesnar.

Fans revere these fighters, as they do a chosen few others such as Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva and Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson. Check their records and you'll see it has nothing to do with how many wins or losses each have. It has everything to do with their fighting spirit and willingness to put it on the line, regardless of who they're fighting. This may very well explain why certain others are just not liked, regardless of their achievements.

Rashad Evans and Tito Ortiz are two former UFC light-heavyweight champions; Ortiz a multi-time champion. However, whenever they step into the cage or are shown on camera sitting in the audience, they are soundly booed. This is not to say they are without fans, because when they faced each other at UFC 133 in Philadelphia, I was cage side and can tell you first hand they both received their fair share of support. I guess in that scenario fans had no alternative and they had to root for somebody.

However, I've often wondered what it is about them that just don't appeal to the fans like the others mentioned above? Is it their lay and pray ground and pound wrestling style of fighting that just doesn't cut it? Or, is it their willingness to talk trash at every turn, while the aforementioned are men of few words? Josh Koscheck is another example of one of the most disliked fighters in the sport and he is a combination of both a wrestler at heart and one of the biggest trash talkers in MMA.

Ironically though, Chael Sonnen, who is probably the king of both the wrestling, ground and pound style and is without competition when it comes to talking smack, is generally popular among fans. I think in Chael's case, the reason he appeals to the masses is because he'll talk trash and back it up; and ultimately, that's what it comes down to. People are willing to look past any of these traits, as long as you give them their money's worth. Bottom line is people work hard for their money and they appreciate fighters who are willing to do the same; at least I think that's the case.

Pros and Cons to tournament style MMA

2011-10-23T03:30:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing I love about the Bellator Fighting Championships, it is that throughout their tenure they have stuck to their game plan of using tournaments to crown their champions. It has become their niche and the backbone of their creed, "Bellator is where championship opportunities are earned not given." However, that said, there are pros and cons to tournament style MMA.

Saturday night as I watched Bellator 55, which featured the semifinals of their season five bantamweight tournament and also featured a non-title bout with their light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) champion Christian 'Ton-Ton' M'Pumbu, certain things just didn't sit right with me. First and foremost, it had to deal with their champion M'Pumbu (Pictured above) not defending his title. I understand he has to await the winner of an actual tournament, yet herein lies the problem.

In using tournaments to determine who should be the next contender for your championship, the champion himself must lie dormant and wait for his next defense. Seems perfect in theory however, there are flaws when a tournament is not held every season. This cannot be done since Bellator currently has champions in seven different weight classes. Therefore, a champion, if lucky, gets to defend his title once a year.

For example, Bellator heavyweight champion Cole Konrad won his title in October 2010. Since then he's had only one fight, which took place in August, ten months after his last fight and it was a non-title affair. Bellator is currently having a heavyweight tournament this season to determine a challenger for Konrad, However, that means he won't actually defend the belt till early 2012; if lucky, about a year and a half after he won it.

For a guy like Konrad, who has had only eight professional fights in his career, it's difficult to progress as a fighter without actual fight experience. Thus, he's a world champion, but his career has stalled. I give pro wrestling's World Wrestling Entertainment credit; they have their champion defend his title just about every time he steps into the ring; sometimes four or five nights a week. However, like the Harlem Globetrotters, it's always against the same opponent.

Another negative to tournament style MMA, is the rule that no elbows can be thrown during the quarter and semifinal rounds. This is to try and insure that fighters will not be cut or damaged to the point they cannot return a month later to continue in the tourney. Seems logical I know, but there are flaws in this ideology.

The most prevalent is that by removing such a vital part of a fighter's arsenal, one that usually ends fights, you have a higher percentage of matches that tend to go the distance. On Saturday night, both semifinals went the full three rounds. Granted there are other ways to end fights, but adding elbow strikes sure would help. Then there is another issue; theoretical, but factual as well.

It has to do with the fundamental theory that by removing elbow strikes, which is such an integral part of what makes Mixed Martial Arts what it is; you truly don't have a full blown MMA fight. Therefore, to remove something that is legal within the rules, for the purpose of continuing a tournament, somewhat dilutes the tournament if you think about it. Is it actually MMA?

However, not all is bad when it comes to tournament style MMA. One of the great things that Bellator has accomplished by using this format is giving an opportunity to young, unknown fighters who normally wouldn't get a chance on a big show. It has helped fighters gain notoriety and in the process, has helped Bellator create stars. It has also helped give fighters numerous paydays; while champions have to sit and wait, tournament participants can have up to three or four fights within a year.

Finally, the biggest positive is there are no ifs, ands or buts as to who deserves the next title shot. A tournament determines who rightfully gets to fight for a championship and no will question whether or not that person has earned it; that falls right in line with Bellator's motto. However, just like everything else in life, there are definite pros and cons to tournament style MMA.

Fast and Furious: Bellator 54

2011-10-15T19:39:00.000-07:00

If you are a fan of the 'Fast and Furious' movies, no you did not fall asleep and go into a time warp. While that franchise is currently in production of filming part six, which will be out in 2013, the Bellator Fighting Championships franchise is already up to 54 events. However, while last nights fight card may have started off slow, the last three fights were definitely fast and furious.

Featuring the semifinals of the season five middleweight (185 lbs.) tournament, along with a featured non-title bout for bantamweight (135 lbs.) champion Zach 'Fun-Size' Makovsky (Pictured @ left), Bellator delivered for the amped Atlantic City, NJ crowd. It all started with Makovsky (14-2, 1 KO, 6 subs), a product of my hometown Bethlehem, PA, who now fights out of Philadelphia, he was the local favorite going in and he did not disappoint.

Facing a tough opponent in Nebraska corn fed Ryan 'Are you Ready?' Roberts (16-10-1, 7 KO's 3 subs), Makovsky offset Roberts wrestling with his own, which he combined with a superior submission game. After using his speed advantage in the stand-up striking game, the champ used a couple of take downs that he was able to garner on the former two-time Nebraska state wrestling champion. Roberts was able to get up from the first, but the second proved a different story.

It was after the second take down that Makovsky, he himself a former wrestler at Drexel University, secured a north-south position and subsequent choke on his opponent that forced Roberts to tap with just 12 seconds left in the first round. When asked about the submission after the fights, Makovsky said, "I've been working that one a lot at the 'Fight Factory'; it's definitely one of my favorite chokes." Up next for the champion, he awaits the winner of this season's bantamweight tourney, which continues with the semifinals next week.

Speaking of tournament semifinals, the Makovsky win was followed by the middleweight tourney semis and it was not a good night for anyone named Bryan/Brian. First fight up, featured Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu wizard Vitor Vianna (12-1-1, 5 KO's 4 subs) against 'The Beast' Bryan Baker (16-3, 8 KO's, 3 subs). Vianna may not be a household name yet, but hardcore MMA fans know that this former two-time jiu-jitsu world champion can do more than submit his opponents and he showed it last night.

After going the distance in his last fight and facing a personal crisis with an illness his wife was battling during training, Vianna vowed to make a point this fight and he did as the submission fighter came out swinging. However, so did Baker as he had no respect for Vianna'a stand-up and he paid for it dearly as he got caught, though not flush, right above the ear with a looping right hand. It was enough to drop Baker and Vianna pursued, pouncing on his fallen opponent and finishing him with a flurry of unanswered hammer fists forcing the referee to step in and save a defenseless Baker.

It took a total of 54 seconds, in a fight where the introductions probably lasted longer than the actual bout. Afterwards, a visibly emotional Vianna couldn't help but shed some tears as he had explained during the pre-fight interview that his wife was hospitalized with a thyroid issue and he was at her bedside for ten days straight. Once his wife got better though, she told him to get back to training. Sounds like something right out of 'Rocky II'. Vianna said afterward, "there are no easy fights here in Bellator" and he was right.

Up next for the Brazilian is a "Russian Storm" as his opponent in the tournament finals will be Alexander 'Storm' Shlemenko (42-7, 26 KO's 7 subs). Unlike the other two fights, Shlemenko needed one and a half rounds to defeat his opponent, but that's probably because he was fighting 'The Predator'. Brian Rogers (8-3, 7 KO's, 1 sub) may have been virtually inexperienced compared to his Russian counterpart, but he was not intimated. He took it to Shlemenko right from the start and it looked at first like he might actually win.

Looking a lot more fluid in the boxing game, Rogers was tagging Shlemenko at will with both left and right hands in the first round that had the Russian in trouble. However, experience was a big factor as Shlemenko was able to weather the storm (no pun intended) and survive the first round. The tide turned, so to speak, in the next round as it was Shlemenko who hurt Rogers with a spinning back fist and proceeded to just unload bombs.

Smelling blood, Shlemenko continued his onslaught with heavy punches and pulverizing knees to the body eventually forcing Rogers to buckle and bend to the ground twice. It was during the second time that Shlemenko just went to town on his downed opponent and this time there was no getting up. The end came at 2:30 of the second round in a very entertaining back and forth affair. The finals should produce a worthy opponent for current middleweight champ Hector Lombard.

In the first fight of the night, it was an inspired Jacob Kirwan (9-3, 1 KO, 5 subs), who in his first fight in Bellator defeated previously undefeated Rene 'The Brazilian Bomber' Nazare (10-1, 4 KO's 4 subs). Kirwan used his wrestling to grind out a unanimous decision. Bellator Fighting Championships gets overlooked a lot because many times it is being overshadowed on a Saturday night by a UFC card. However, on this night it had the MMA stage all to itself and it made the most of its performance as it was fast and furious.

UFC 136: Fights are fought in the cage, not on paper

2011-10-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

There's a reason fights are fought in the cage, not on paper, and UFC 136 on Saturday night proved why? Quite simply, logic and common sense don't always win out. In my preview I asked the question whether or not the third time would be the charm? On this night the answer would end up being yes and no.

The yes came in the form of UFC Lightweight (155 lbs.) Champion Frankie 'The Answer' Edgar (Pictured @ left). After two previous fights with challenger Gray 'Bully' Maynard that ended once in his only defeat and once in a draw, Edgar finally put to rest his only demon. Strangely enough, this fight looked eerily similar to the second fight they had on New Years Day.

Edgar (14-1-1, 3 KO’s 3 subs), just like in round one the last time, got rocked by Maynard, this time by a right uppercut that had him on queer street. This time Maynard (11-1-1, 8 KO’s), instead of going all in and punching himself out, took a more pronounced approach, but had Edgar on the verge of defeat. However, this undersized lightweight has a heart the size of a heavyweight and it showed as once again he weathered the storm and came back to win round two.

A combination of Edgar's slick kickboxing and Maynard's unwillingness to go in for the kill, gave the champion the time he needed to shake the cobwebs and get in a rhythm. That would eventually prove to be Maynard's undoing as in round four, Edgar connected with a right hand that hurt 'The Bully'. A follow-up right hand dropped him and the champion, unlike his challenger, went in for the kill and got it as the ref jumped in to save a defenseless Maynard. While it may not have been Ali-Frazier, this trilogy delivered with the final record being 1-1-1; Edgar however won the latest and most important of the three.

As stated above, there was a "no" response to the 'third time is the charm' question. Unfortunately, that came in the form of featherweight (145 lbs.) title challenger Kenny 'Ken-Flo' Florian (14-6, 3 KO’s 9 subs). After two unsuccessful attempts at the lightweight title, Florian had worked his way to challenge the featherweight champion Jose Aldo (20-1, 12 KO’s 2 subs). While Florian had his best showing in a title fight, it was far from his best performance.

Early on Kenny looked relaxed and on his game working a structured game plan of clinching with the champion to perfection. It subdued Aldo's explosive stand up skills and had him on the defensive as he had to work to avoid takedowns. There was one flaw in the plan, when he was able to take Aldo down; Florian was unable to keep him there. Meanwhile Aldo was able to get on top of Florian in rounds three and five and do what Florian was unable; inflict some damage when he had that position.

Ultimately the result was a unanimous decision victory for the champion, though I don't know if he so much as won as much as the challenger lost. While he never really had Aldo in trouble, there were many times throughout the fight where Florian had Aldo pressed up against the cage and I felt could have utilized the position to throw punches and knees. He didn't, choosing instead to focus on positioning for possible takedowns that never materialized. The result, Florian comes up short again; and at 35 with so many successful ventures outside of the cage, only Ken-Flo knows if he'll keep fighting.

With two title fights on the card, the show may have clearly been stolen by the UFC's most controversial fighter and figure, middleweight (185 lbs.) Chael Sonnen. In his first fight, since his thrilling loss to champion Anderson Silva over a year ago, Sonnen (26-11-1, 7 KO’s 4 subs) didn't miss a beat as he picked up right where he left off. Using superior wrestling, ground and pound and jiu-jitsu, he manhandled 'All-American' Brian Stann (10-4, 7 KO’s 1 sub), eventually winning by submission via an arm-triangle choke in round two.

The win should and could have been enough, but it paled in comparison to Sonnen's post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. When asked what's next, the always outspoken Sonnen said, "Anderson Silva, you suck! Super-Bowl weekend, I'm calling you out and raising the stakes; you lose, you leave the division; I lose, I leave the UFC forever." Anderson Silva who was sitting cage side could only smile, while Charles Barkley sitting beside him laughed out loud. Sonnen is great at working his way into the limelight and I think he just did it again.

While the biggest surprise of the night may have been Joe Lauzon's, (21-6, 4 KO’s 17 subs), first round submission victory over Melvin Guillard (29-9-2, 19 KO’s 2 subs), that thunder was quickly stolen by the fight afterwards. The rematch between featherweights Nam Phan (17-9, 7 KO's 5 subs) and Leonard Garcia (15-8-1, 3 KO's 9 subs), not only stole Lauzon's thunder, it earned 'Fight of the Night' honors. As he always does, Garcia seems to know only one way to fight and Phan, who felt robbed of a decision in their first fight, was happy to oblige.

The difference here was Phan was technical in his approach, while Garcia was his usual wild, swinging for the fences, self. The result, Phan won the first two rounds, barely surviving a Garcia comeback in the third, thus earning a well deserved unanimous decision victory. When asked by Joe Rogan if a third fight was in the offering between these two, Garcia was all for it by saying, "If it's in Houston again, I'm down." Phan meanwhile was quick to respond, "No that's okay." Tonight showed why fights are fought in the cage, not on paper.

UFC 136: Will the third time be the charm?

2011-10-05T18:22:00.001-07:00

Is the third time really the charm? This appears to be the question as we head into this weekend’s UFC 136 card. It’s the third time that UFC Lightweight (155 lbs.) Champion Frankie Edgar will face challenger Gray Maynard in a fight inside the octagon. It’s also the third time former lightweight, now featherweight (145 lbs.) Kenny Florian will challenge for a UFC world title after two failed attempts at 155 lbs; all that and more as we look ahead to UFC 136.

It’s been nine months since Frankie Edgar (13-1-1, 2 KO’s 3 subs) and Gray Maynard (10-0-1, 8 KO’s) kicked off the year right with a five round clash on New Year’s Day that ended in a draw. That was their first title fight against one another, but not their first fight. That actually took place over three years ago with Maynard handing Edgar the only loss of his career via decision. Eight rounds so far and we still haven’t been able to determine, who’s truly better than the other.

These two are so evenly matched that we may actually go another five rounds and still not know. However, notice I said “may,” as I believe this one will end with a clear cut winner. What I’m not sure of is who will be the victor? While I feel Edgar is the better all-around fighter, Maynard is clearly the bigger and stronger of the two. Therefore, one punch from Maynard can end the fight, while an accumulation of punches from Edgar can do the same.

On the ground, both are excellent wrestlers with strong collegiate backgrounds, but Maynard probably has the slight edge in this department based on his Big 10 experience. However, I feel Edgar has a slightly stronger jiu-jitsu and submission game. I’m having a difficult time picking a winner, but push, come to shove I’m taking Maynard solely because of two reasons.

First, he is naturally a bigger lightweight than Edgar as I believe the champ would be better suited fighting at 145 lbs. The other reason is that he owns one win over Edgar already and many argue that he may have won the second fight as well. My heart and east coast bias is telling me to go with Edgar, but logic and common sense is saying Maynard by decision. What other ending would it be?

In the co-main event, it’s another heart versus logic battle as Kenny Florian (14-5, 3 KO’s 9 subs) challenges for the featherweight title. However, in champion Jose Aldo (19-1, 12 KO’s 2 subs), he faces a consensus top five best pound for pound fighter in the world. This fight is intriguing on a few levels because for one it’s experience vs. youth. It’s also size vs. speed, but most importantly, it’s probably Florian’s last attempt at winning UFC gold.

At 35, Florian is ten years Aldo’s senior; and while both have had virtually the same amount of fights, Ken-Flo’s resume cannot be overlooked. Florian has fought all but three of his fights in the UFC against the lightweight division’s absolute best. That said, just look at who his only losses inside the octagon have been to.

Maynard, is currently challenging for the world title. He’s also lost to former champion and MMA legend B.J. Penn in a failed title bid. In another failed title attempt he lost to another former champion Sean Sherk and finally, he lost to Diego Sanchez in the finale of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ Season One when he had to compete 40 pounds above his current fighting class at middleweight.

Meanwhile Aldo, while competing against the WEC’s best before becoming UFC champion, has really fought no one neat that plateau other than former champions Urijah Faber and Mike Brown. However, whoever he has fought he’s annihilated with his quickness and ferocity. Although his frame dictates he’s a large featherweight, Florian is a natural lightweight who’s fought even heavier at both 170 and 185. Yet, the biggest question is will the third attempt at a world championship be the charm for Florian?

Another tough one for me as I truly believe Kenny’s size, experience and mastery of both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai can help him compete with anything Aldo throws his way; all except speed that is. Unfortunately, I think Aldo will be just too fast for Kenny no matter where the fight goes and that will be the telling difference in a TKO loss. My heart says Florian, but once again logic has superseded my emotions.

In two other fights of note, I’m anticipating knockouts of the highest variety. First, although Chael Sonnen’s wrestling can nullify just about anyone, just ask Anderson Silva, I think his time off due to suspension will leave just enough rust for Brian Stann to knock off for him. Stann (10-3, 7 KO’s 1 sub), a former WEC champion is finally rounding out as a fighter and that should help defend against Sonnen (25-11-1, 7 KO’s 3 subs), who’s best chance is to get Stann to the ground and keep him there.

I’m expecting more of the same from lightweight Melvin Guillard (29-8-2, 19 KO’s 2 subs) when he faces Joe Lauzon (20-6, 4 KO’s 16 subs). As tough and talented as Lauzon is, he’s no match for Guillard’s combination of speed, strength and power. If Lauzon was overpowered by George Sotiropoulos, he’s going to be overwhelmed by Guillard, who also appears to have finally rounded out as a fighter and is ready to challenge for the title. Short night for Lauzon as he gets KO’ed quick.

UFC on Versus 6: Land of the Giants

2011-10-01T17:59:00.000-07:00

Back in 1996, UFC 8 was appropriately called 'David vs. Goliath' because it featured a tournament of massive heavyweights competing against smaller lighter weight fighters. This was at the time that athletic commissions did not sanction Mixed Martial Arts, thus there were no weight classes. On that night, it was one of the "smaller" fighters, Don 'The Predator' Frye who won the tournament.

While today's UFC is much different as all fights are sanctioned and has fighters competing in various weight classes, this past Saturday night's UFC on Versus 6 card looked eerily similar to UFC 8. That's because the main card featured a few fights where the height disparity between the combatants was extremely evident. On this night however, it was the "Land of the Giants" as the much taller fighters all won and did so convincingly; and it all started with the UFC Bantamweight (135 lbs.) Champion Dominick Cruz.

Cruz (19-1, 6 KO's 1 subs), known as 'The Dominator', did just that against his much shorter opponent Demetrious Johnson (9-2, 2 KO's 4 subs). At only 5'3", Johnson is aptly nicknamed 'Mighty Mouse', but on this night he just looked like a mouse without the might as he was quick, but that's it. Cruz was not only taller, standing 5'8", but he was stronger than Johnson in every facet and it showed clearly; especially in the clinch and on the ground where the champ displayed superior grappling skills.

Johnson had some moments throughout the five rounds, but they were far and few in between as he found himself having to chase the much taller champion and he paid for it. By the end of the fight, Johnson's left cheek was so swollen; he looked like he had a Blow Pop in his mouth. He was resilient though, even surviving two separate rear-naked choke attempts by the champion; one looked so tight, I remarked to my friend, "it's a wrap," but it wasn't. Nonetheless, in much the same fashion that he defeated Urijah Faber three months ago, Cruz handled Johnson in every way, only more "dominating."

If you thought five inches was a clear height advantage, how about a foot? (See photo above) That was the advantage 6'11" heavyweight Stefan 'Skyscraper' Struve' (22-5, 5 KO's 15 subs) enjoyed over his opponent Pat 'HD' Barry (6-4, 5 KO's), yet it was on the ground, not standing, that Struve won. Both kickboxers by trade, Struve and Barry, measured each other with round kicks and punches early, but in the second round during a clinch, it was the much taller Struve who went for a guillotine choke.

While he couldn't secure it, the move worked to his advantage as the fight dropped to the ground, where Struve used his long lanky legs and wrapped up Barry in a triangle choke. In a desperate and dramatic effort, Barry stood up with Struve wrapped around him and tried to power his way out by slamming him, but it just made it worse. Struve didn't flinch and the choke just got tighter; this time Barry wasn't getting up as he tapped at 3:22 of the second round.

It didn't take that long for 6'2" welterweight (170 lbs.) Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson (10-3, 2 KO's 2 subs) to dispatch of his opponent Charlie Brenneman (14-3, 5 KO's 2 subs), although the ending seemed premature. Brenneman AKA 'The Spaniard', who is four inches shorter than Johnson, figured his best opportunity to win would be to take the fight to ground. What he didn't count on was Johnson being so strong there. So after getting controlled and pummeled by Johnson on the ground he decided he'd better get up. That was a big mistake.

After scrambling to get back to his feet, Brenneman caught a left round kick flush to his face that knocked him down flat on his back. However, while the kick knocked him down, it didn't knock him out, as he appeared ready to defend against Johnson pouncing on him. Neither he nor Johnson ever got the chance though as referee Mario Yamasaki jumped in and stopped the fight. While I'm all for fighter safety and feel the outcome was inevitable, this was clearly too soon. The end came at 2:49 into round one.

Speaking of premature stoppages, Mac Danzig (20-9-1, 5 KO's 1 sub) and Matt Wiman (14-6, 4 KO's 4 subs) fought in a rematch of a fight they had last year, which was stopped prematurely when Wiman was attempting a choke. On this night, there was no early end as both fighters went back and forth battling each other both standing and on the ground with Wiman earning a unanimous, but close decision. The fight was so close and entertaining, it earned fight of the night honors.

UFC 135: The Next Generation is now

2011-09-24T17:10:00.000-07:00

It wasn't necessarily The Prodigal Son returning home, but UFC 135 taking place in Denver, Colorado where UFC 1 took place 18 years ago was a memorable occasion. For one, they had a lot more fans in The Pepsi Center than the approximately 2,500 people they had back in the McNichol's Arena in '93. The other reason had to do with reigning light-heavyweight champion Jon 'Bones' Jones (pictured).

Jones (14-1, 8 KO's 4 subs), only 24 years of age, put on a dominant display well beyond his years against former champ Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson (32-9, 14 KO's 7 subs). Just as I expected, Jones who is multi-faceted in his game, used a cerebral approach and pretty much toyed with the one-dimensional Jackson for three and a half rounds. Boxing, kick-boxing, wrestling, Muay-Thai clinch work and jiu-jitsu, Jones displayed it all until he ended up winning by submission with a rear naked choke against the always tough to finish Rampage.

Jackson may be one-dimensional, but that one dimension, his heavy hands, usually works against most opponents. However, this is not your average 205 pounder, as Jones stands at a lean 6'4" and has a freakish 84 inch reach. Thus, Rampage was trying in vain to land one of his patented haymakers as he couldn't reach his target. It's almost like fighting a human sized tarantula.

When asked by Joe Rogan after the fight what he thought about Jones, Rampage responded by saying, "He's the real deal; I don't know if there any light-heavyweights out there that can beat him." Yet, Jones next scheduled opponent, former teammate Rashad Evans feels otherwise as he told Joe Rogan afterwards in the cage, "I'm glad the UFC is making this fight, I'm looking forward to it." Jones response, "I'm not saying anything till the fight. This is the second time he's ruined my special moment in the cage."

In the co-main event, sadly it was another legend that has fallen prey to Father Time as welterweight (170 lbs.) Josh 'Kos' Koscheck (16-5, 5 KO's 5 subs) finished former two-time champion Matt Hughes (46-9, 17 KO's 18 subs) via TKO @ 4:59 of the first round. Although Hughes looked competitive early, it was only a matter of time once Koscheck opened up. That's two first round KO losses in a row for Hughes; yet when asked what's next by Joe Rogan, Hughes surprisingly said, "I'm not retiring; I'm going to ask the UFC to put me on the shelf and then we'll see what happens."

Finally, I hate to say I told you so, but in the first fight of the night that's just what happened. In my preview I said that Japanese icon Takanori 'The Fireball Kid' Gomi (32-8, 12 KO's 6 subs) would probably lose to Nate Diaz (14-7, 3 KO's 10 subs) in the first round either by triangle choke or arm bar; Diaz obliged by applying both before finishing him with an arm bar at the end of the first round. However, that was only after he owned Gomi on the feet with beautiful boxing combinations. Diaz looks great back at lightweight (155 lbs.) where he truly belongs.

UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage Preview

2011-09-20T19:09:00.001-07:00

While it's not taking place in the same venue, UFC 135 is returning home to its birthplace of Denver, Colorado. Nearly 18 years ago in November 1993, UFC 1 took place in the McNichols Sports Arena. This Saturday, the UFC returns to Denver, only this time to sellout the Pepsi Center. It's kind of ironic too, because this card is filled with match-ups and stars from the last era taking on the next generation and it all starts at the top.

The main event is for the world light heavyweight championship and it features current titleholder Jon 'Bones' Jones (13-1, 8 KO's 3 subs) defending against the legend simply known as 'Rampage'. While there may be three other MMA fighters who lay claim to the nickname 'Rampage', there is only one that matters; former UFC champion Quinton Jackson (32-8, 14 KO's 7 subs). Jones vs. Rampage is an interesting match-up on many levels and they all have to do with the contrast in every way between the two combatants.

Rampage, while only 33, represents the old guard. A former champion who made his bones, (no pun intended), in Japan during the Pride Fighting Championships days; he's been fighting professionally for 12 years and only knows one way to fight. Meanwhile, Jones is not only the new breed, he is the next breed. Only 24 years old, Jones is a complete mixed martial artist who's barely been fighting over three years now.

Jackson lives up to his nickname, not only through his fighting style, but by being outspoken, boisterous and mean. Jones on the other hand is 'Cool Hand Luke', to coin a phrase from 1967. He's quiet, reserved and soft spoken, yet his style in the cage is quick, effective and fluid. Though both are African-American, Jackson is a country boy from Memphis, while Jones is a city kid from upstate New York. They have nothing in common, except the UFC 205 lbs. title.

How do I see this one playing out? Jackson's only chance is to bully Jones and eventually catch him with one of those bombs he throws with either hand. Problem is Jones has a freakish 84 inch reach, in which he uses every inch of it to keep his opponents at bay until he decides to engage. When he does, he's quite adept either standing throwing strikes or grappling as a former state wrestling champion. It's not rocket science here; Jones has too many ways to win versus Jackson's one way. Jones will keep Rampage at a distance and frustrate him till he wins via TKO in the second round.

The co-main event is quite interesting as well as it features another former legendary champion, welterweight (170 lbs.) Matt Hughes (45-8, 17 KO's 18 subs) taking on two-time title challenger Josh 'Kos' Koscheck (15-5, 4 KO's 5 subs). Hughes has been fighting even longer than Rampage at 13 years plus and is facing a product from 'The Ultimate Fighter' era as Koscheck was on season one. Both former All-American wrestlers in college, Koscheck is the more accomplished as a former national champion. They are both coming off losses though and haven't fought since 2010.

The last time we saw Hughes in November last year, it took B.J. Penn all of 21 seconds to punch his lights out. Koscheck on the other hand, took a serious five-round beat down at the hands of current champ Georges St. Pierre in December. The beating was so bad; Koscheck suffered a broken orbital bone around his eye. The question is which defeat will impact what fighter more?

While I think Koscheck's was much more mentally impacting, I do believe Hughes best days are behind him; thus the reason I believe it took him 10 months to get back in the cage after just a 21 second TKO loss. Koscheck remains stable at American Kickboxing Academy, while Hughes is not sure where to be these days; though he owns his own gym in his hometown. Anything is possible, but I see Koscheck winning convincingly, probably by third round TKO via ground and pound and possibly sending Hughes into retirement. Especially since this is Hughes last fight on his current contract.

The other bout of note on this card is the lightweight (155 lbs.) tilt between the Japanese Icon Takanori 'The Fireball Kid' Gomi (32-7, 12 KO's 6 subs) and the younger bad boy from Stockton, California Nate Diaz (13-7, 3 KO's, 9 subs). I say younger because Diaz is of course the younger brother of Nick Diaz, who ironically fought Gomi in February 2007 at Pride 33. Though Nick won via Gogoplata choke submission, the decision was ruled a no contest by the Nevada Athletic Commission after Diaz tested positive for marijuana.

This fight marks the return to lightweight for Nate who tried his hand at 170, till he literally got tossed around like a rag doll in his last fight against Rory McDonald; I don't see that happening here though. While Gomi has a ton of experience, 13 years worth though he's only 32, five of his seven losses have been to submission. This of course is Diaz's forte, thus I see him catching Gomi, either in a triangle choke or arm bar, quite possibly in the first round. Sad but true, it looks like out with old and in with the new at UFC 135.

Protect yourself at all times

2011-09-17T22:02:00.000-07:00

Before I begin, let me preface my remarks by saying, "Outside of his boxing skills, I have never been much of a Floyd 'Money' Mayweather fan." That said; I have no problem with the outcome of Saturday night's fight against former welterweight champion 'Vicious' Victor Ortiz. I can hear the uproar already, but before all the anti-Mayweather fans start screaming bloody murder at me, let me explain my reasoning.

For three and a half rounds Saturday night, the fight was going just as I and many boxing experts had expected it would; Floyd Mayweather (42-0, 26 KO's) keeping the fight in the center of the ring picking apart a game, but outmatched Victor Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KO's). Sure, Ortiz came into the ring the WBC welterweight champion, but at just 24 years old, his level of experience is still nowhere near Mayweather's and it showed early on and throughout.

Although Ortiz had a couple minor flashes/moments throughout, it was Mayweather's precise counter punching that dictated the way the fight was going the first three and half rounds. That was until all hell broke loose. For one of the very few moments in the fight, Ortiz backed up Mayweather and appeared to finally be doing some damage while having the slicker opponent up against the ropes. As a matter of fact, had he stayed with what he was doing at that point, he looked as though he could possibly pull out the fourth round. That was until the unexpected happened.

In the midst of throwing punches at Mayweather, Ortiz, for some strange reason, decided to live up to his nickname, get "vicious" and throw a head butt at Mayweather's chin. Blatant and obvious, referee Joe Cortez jumped in and stopped the action. He then proceeded to take a point away from Ortiz. After this, the two fighters embraced with Ortiz apologizing for his actions and Mayweather seemingly accepting. What happened next is what ends the fight and starts the controversy.

As they parted their embrace, Mayweather hit Ortiz with a left hook and right hand that knocked down the former champion. Unable to recover, Ortiz was counted out by Cortez, who for a 'Hall of Fame' referee looked a bit bewildered by the whole thing. The stoppage came at 2:59 of the fourth round. Immediately the question began, was Mayweather dirty or unprofessional for hitting Ortiz as they finished their embrace and his hands were down? I say no and here's why.

First of all, Mayweather did nothing wrong. The timeout that was called after the initial head butt was back in, which means "protect yourself at all times." That is the first and repeated rule of boxing, MMA, wrestling or any other combat sport in the world. Mayweather had his hands up after the embrace, so why didn't Ortiz? Experience, that's why.

Second, it was Ortiz, not Mayweather, who initiated the intentional head butt, thus turning an otherwise clean fight up to that point, into 'no holds barred'. Therefore, even if the punches Mayweather threw after the embrace were "dirty," which I am saying they were not, he was just adapting to dirty tactics that were being used upon him. In other words, Ortiz made a mistake by fighting a fighter at something he is good at. Not necessarily fighting dirty, but using it to your advantage. At this, Mayweather is a master.

The unfair uproar that is being hurled at Floyd Mayweather has nothing to do with professional prizefighting and everything to do with people's diluted perception of sportsmanship. Don't hate the player, hate the game. As much as boxing and mixed martial arts are sports, they are not played with the same courteous etiquette that you will see on a tennis court or golf course. While there are rules in place, it is still a fight.

Floyd Mayweather fought that fight within the rules. If he hadn't, the same way referee Joe 'Mr. I'm Fair, but I'm Firm' Cortez penalized Victor Ortiz for not fighting within those rules, he would have penalized Mayweather. Also note there was no negative reaction or response at all from Ortiz. He just smiled in his corner as though he realized he was just outmatched. A valuable, but costly lesson was learned by Ortiz Saturday night, protect yourself at all times.

Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Semifinals: AKA cleans house

2011-09-10T22:15:00.001-07:00

When it came to the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Semifinals Saturday night in Cincinnati, Ohio, the underlying story had to do with American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), who had a clean sweep in their four fights; three of which were on the main card. Oh yeah, a little guy known as Josh Barnett, former UFC Heavyweight Champion, also won in his tournament semifinal fight setting up a showdown with probably the biggest winner of the night, Daniel Cormier (pictured @ left).

Cormier (9-0, 4 KO's, 3 subs), a former two-time U.S. Olympian in freestyle wrestling and last minute replacement in this tournament, made the most of his opportunity as he knocked out his much more imposing and experienced opponent in the first round. Antonio 'Bigfoot' Silva (16-3, 11 KO's 3 subs) was coming off the biggest win of his career after he thrashed Fedor Emelianenko back in February. Everybody expected the same against the much smaller and inexperienced Cormier who only stands 5'10 1/2", compared to Silva's 6'4" frame. However, someone forgot to tell Cormier.

It took the former Olympian less than four minutes to dispatch of Silva, dropping him three times in the first round with punches the last one with a beautiful right handed uppercut from the inside. Cormier, who was an alternate who replaced former champion Alistair Overeem in the tourney, now finds himself in the final against an even more experienced former champion, Josh Barnett (31-5, 7 KO's 19 subs). When asked about his chances, Cormier responded by saying, "I train with the best heavyweight (UFC Champion Cain Velasquez) in the world on a daily basis."

Barnett, who has not lost in nearly five years, took just about 30 seconds longer than Cormier to defeat his opponent Sergei Kharitonov (18-5, 9 KO's 8 subs) via an arm triangle choke. It was business as usual for Barnett, who avoided Kharitonov's punches early and eventually caught him in a clinch and took him down. Once there, Barnett used his superior position to pound on his Russian opponent until Kharitonov made the mistake Barnett was looking for.

The only negative about Barnett's performance tonight was him changing his nickname to 'The Warmaster'. It may very well be the cheesiest and worst nickname in MMA history, but then again Barnett comes from a pro wrestling background in Japan. As a matter fact, in his post-fight interview Barnett said, "Catch wrestling is where it's at; pro wrestling all the way." Barnett and Cormier will meet sometime in early 2012.

The other featured bout had AKA middleweight (185 lbs.) Luke Rockhold (8-1, 1 KO, 6 subs), wrestling the title away from former champion Ronald 'Jacare' Souza (14-3, 11 subs) in an entertaining five round affair. In the end, it was Rockhold winning a very close unanimous decision as two judges understandably scored it 48-47, while one judge had it 50-45, which was outright ridiculous. This was Rockhold's first fight in 19 months due to injury, which made it even more impressive and it showed as he was overcome with emotion after the decision was rendered.

Also on the card, former light-heavyweight champ Muhammed 'King Mo' Lawal (8-1, 6 KO's) added another notch to his short, but impressive list of victories as he knocked out the latest installment from the first family of MMA Roger Gracie (4-1, 4 subs). Looking extremely relaxed and patient with his boxing, Lawal, who recently joined the AKA team, caught Gracie with an overhand right on the temple that was the beginning of the end for the decorated grappler. Up next for 'The King', "I want Feijao." Rafael 'Feijao' Calvacante is the man who defeated Lawal for his title.

It was a clean sweep for AKA fighters tonight and it started on the prelims with light-heavyweight Mike 'MAK' Kyle (19-8-1, 12 KO's 3 subs) who scored a unanimous decision victory over previously undefeated Marcos Rogerio 'Pezao' de Lima (8-1, 6 KO's 1 sub). Kyle, who used to compete at heavyweight, was rebounding from a loss last December to none other than the previously mentioned Antonio 'Bigfoot' Silva. AKA, was already regarded as one of the top gyms around the world in MMA circles and with the clean sweep tonight from their young lions, no one can argue that point.

10 years later, the pain still lingers

2011-09-04T06:05:00.000-07:00

With a slow weekend in both Boxing & MMA and one week till the infamous 10 year anniversary of 9/11, I decided to write a tribute column to three friends I lost that day; one who I used to train with side by side in martial arts.

August is now over and summer is dwindling down. Labor Day is upon us, which means that a dreaded infamous anniversary is on the horizon. September 11th or 9/11 will always live in infamy, but it’s hard to believe that nearly ten years have passed since that fateful day.

Recently, I watched the movie ‘World Trade Center’ and I was moved by the true expression of humanity that was displayed in the rescue efforts following the tragedy that befell upon us that day. However, I am not here to comment on the film as much as I am to discuss how the movie itself stirred some personal emotions within me that are connected to that day. I lost three friends on September 11, 2001. One I could talk to personally, the other two though could only talk to me.

First and foremost, I want to dedicate this column to a personal friend, Alan Merdinger. Alan worked on the 102nd floor of the North Tower, the first tower to be hit. He worked in the offices of Cantor Fitzgerald, a brokerage company who lost more than 600 employees that day. While Alan was a Native New Yorker, he was a resident of the Lehigh Valley, like myself, who resided in Whitehall, Pennsylvania.

For seven years he would make the daily commute back and forth from Pennsylvania to New York to work at the pinnacle of the New York Skyline. I came to know Alan a couple of years prior to 9/11 through our mutual interest in Martial Arts. We both trained at Lehigh Valley Taekwondo and besides sweating side by side under the daily regimen of martial arts training, we found that we had other common bonds.

I too was originally from New York, but beyond that we both loved The New York Mets. We would constantly discuss the highs and lows of our beloved baseball team and even discussed catching a game together someday. Unfortunately, we never got that chance.

A week prior to 9/11 while training together, I vividly remember one night I had to grapple with Alan; in other words, we were submission wrestling. He hated this part of training while I loved it, so it made for a very interesting encounter. Let me just say, we shared a few laughs while trying to submit each other. It was this encounter that would lead Alan to ask me if I would assist him in his upcoming blue belt test. I told him, “It would be my honor. However, once again I never got the chance.

At 47 years old Alan was determined to accomplish his goal of becoming a black belt. He was well on his way as he was an accomplished martial artist with many years of experience. It was the commute back and forth from New York that delayed the process for him as it cut into his training time.

Yet, it was inevitable he was going to achieve his dream. That is why Master Lee Arnold awarded Alan’s wife with the coveted blue belt he was going to test for the week after 9/11. As is stated on a plaque that now hangs on a wall inside the training academy, “Alan Merdinger was a good father, a good student and most importantly a good friend.”

However, as I stated earlier, I lost three friends that day. The other two were a big part of my life, especially since they were around since my childhood. We were both conceived in 1962, but they weren’t born till 1966. They grew a lot quicker than I did though; so much so that they reached puberty by 1970 and by 1973 they were officially introduced to the World. Who were these friends of mine? The historic Twin Towers of The World Trade Center.

It is hard to explain how a person can feel this way about inanimate objects, but if you lived and grew up in New York City, especially in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s, you can relate. These were not just two buildings, these two were a part of my adolescence. As they grew, I grew with them.

The same way we celebrate birthdays and holidays as people, I did the same with my two friends. In 1974, I was there when wirewalker Phillipe Petit walked across a tightrope between the two of them on a crisp August morning. I was there in 1976 when Kong laid in the plaza for days while they filmed the ending scene to the remake of King Kong; and in 1977 I watched in awe as ‘The Human Fly’ George Willig scaled the South Tower in three hours.

These towers were a personal part of my life and even though their time on this earth wasn’t as long as mine, they left me with memories that will last me a lifetime. All those memories were stirred last week as I watched the movie ‘World Trade Center’ and strange as it may seem, it literally hurt to see the image of my friends who were so tall and strong crumbled down to their very core.

I can still see them from time to time, as they once were, whenever I watch the opening scene to ‘Saturday Night Fever’ or I watch the 1976 version of ‘King Kong’. However, I miss them very much. Thus, even though the old adage is “time heals all,” I am here to tell you that ten years later, the pain still lingers.

UFC 134: Silva comes home better then ever

2011-08-28T06:53:00.000-07:00

After it was all over, UFC's pilgrimage back to the motherland of MMA proved a huge success as a raucous Brazilian crowd was treated to an exciting night of fights. Of course, the culmination of this Brazilian heavy card was Anderson Silva's destruction of middleweight (185 lbs.) title challenger Yushin Okami in the main event. It took Silva (31-4, 18 KO's 6 subs) less than two rounds to dispatch of the number one contender in the division and leave everyone wondering, who can possibly present a challenge to arguably the greatest fighter in the world?

Using the first round to measure his opponent, one could argue Okami (26-6, 9 KO's 4 subs) won that round. Using the clinch game to keep Silva up against the cage he worked the patented Team Quest "dirty boxing" style. However, that was only until Silva broke away before the end of the round and dropped Okami with one of his own patented moves, an unorthodox quick right jab. The bell may have saved Okami, but only temporarily as the man known as 'The Spider' could smell blood.

In the second, Silva (pictured above) seemed supremely relaxed as he changed speeds and angles while confusing Okami with his approach. Eventually he caught Okami again and this time there was no bell in sight to stop the onslaught. The Spider swarmed on his opponent and threw punches to the face, elbows to the body in abundance forcing the referee to stop it at (2:04) of the second round. After the fight when asked by Kenny Florian whose next, Silva jokingly replied, "my clone."

In the co-main event, it took less time than that for former light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) champion Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua (20-5, 17 KO's 1 sub) to avenge his loss to fellow former champion Forrest Griffin (18-7, 3 KO's 7 subs). Actually, it took less than two minutes for Rua to drop Griffin with a right hand to the jaw that staggered the much larger challenger. From that point forward, Rua pounced on Griffin unloading hammer fists, while his opponent tried unsuccessfully to defend. Eventually a couple of those shots connected and left Griffin helpless forcing referee Mario Yamasaki to step in at (1:53) of the first round.

Shogun who was coming off a crushing defeat to Jon Jones where he lost his title was ecstatic as he screamed, "I'm back" in his post fight celebration. Those two fights went pretty much as I had predicted in my preview, but I could not pull off the trifecta as a living legend reminded me and others, he's still far from done. So goes the legacy of former heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo 'Minotauro' Nogueira (33-6-1, 3 KO's 20 subs).

Nogueira, coming back after a loss to current heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and a subsequent 18 month layoff due to injury and multiple surgeries, refused to lose in his first fight ever in his hometown. Brendan Schaub (8-2, 7 KO's), who said before the fight, "I'll match up my boxing with anyone in the heavyweight division," was in for a rude awakening as Nogueira gave him a lesson. Schaub had his moments early, but as I stated, you could see in his eyes that on this night Nogueira was not going to be denied.

Matching everything his young challenger threw at him, 'Big Nog', the jiu-jitsu specialist, moved forward in his attack showing extreme confidence in his own boxing game. Schaub appeared surprised that Nogueira withstood his punches and inevitably it was Nog who caught the eager Schaub up against the cage, dropping him with a beautiful right-left combination. Nogueira unleashed a fury of punches that knocked out Schaub cold and down flat on his face. It took a little over three minutes and on this night, no one was happier than Nogueira.

After addressing the crowd with a huge smile on his face in his native Portuguese, he then translated and said he rushed his recovery for one reason. "I had three and a half months to train for this fight; I had surgeries in both my hips and my knee. I sacrificed though because I had never fought at home before." Up next for the former champion? Well, according to UFC President Dana White, who originally was thinking retirement, he now says, a possible title run. "It's not a matter of how many victories, it's who he fights," White said.

With the return to Brazil such a huge success, White is looking to return in 2012; this time not to fill an arena, but rather a stadium. "Trust me, people aren't going to have trouble getting tickets to the next one, I guarantee you that. We're going big next time; we're not playing around next time," White said. Could a mega-fight between Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre be the main event? Only time will tell.

Back in Brazil UFC 134: Silva vs. Okami Preview

2011-08-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

It's been nearly 13 years at an event called 'Ultimate Brazil', since the UFC has been in the uncrowned birthplace of what we now know as Mixed Martial Arts. At that time the city was Sao Paolo, but this time the UFC is pulling out all the stops and are going to Rio de Janeiro. A card laden heavy with Brazilian fighters, probably the greatest of them all Anderson 'The Spider' Silva tops the bill.

Silva (30-4, 17 KO's, 6 subs), the current UFC middleweight (185 lbs.) champion, will defend that title against number one contender Yushin 'Thunder' Okami (26-5, 9 KO's 4 subs) in a rematch of a fight that took place over five years ago in another organization. In that fight, Okami won a technical disqualification due to what was deemed to be an illegal kick by Silva. I doubt the same will happen here as I anticipate Silva will dominate his formidable challenger.

This is not to say that Okami doesn't have a chance; he is a strong wrestler, which many believe is the formula needed to defeat Silva, ala Chael Sonnen's near flawless performance last year. He also has a very strong chin as of his five losses, only one has come via KO and that was early in his career back in 2003. However, in Silva he's fighting arguably the number one fighter in the world. As a matter of fact, that DQ loss to Okami was Silva's last.

Winner of 14 fights in a row, including 11 title defenses, Anderson Silva is the epitome of well rounded. A superior striker with fast hands, crisp boxing skills and legs like a spider that throw kicks from anywhere, he is also quite adept on the ground as a jiu-jitsu black belt under the renowned Nogueira brothers. Thus, with all this and fighting in his home country, I anticipate Silva winning in dominant fashion by KO, quite possibly in the first round. Don't blink is all else I'll say.

The co-main event is also a rematch and this one features two former UFC light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) champions in Forrest Griffin (18-6, 3 KO's 7 subs) and Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua (19-5, 16 KO's 1 sub). Their first fight which took place nearly four years ago at UFC 76, ended with Griffin pulling off a submission victory over Rua via rear naked choke late in the third round. In Rua's defense, it was his first fight ever in the octagon, versus the ring they used in the Pride Fighting Championships, and he was actually fighting injured with a torn ligament in his knee.

Thus, those factors, plus Griffin did not look all that impressive in his return from injury decision victory over Rich Franklin in February. 'Shogun' is looking to come back strong after losing his belt in his last fight; revenge and the fight taking place in Brazil all lead me to believe Rua will win by decision in a tough three round war. That said I am not picking all the Brazilians to win on this card.

In the other "big" fight of the night, heavyweight Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1, 2 KO's 20 subs) takes on fast rising up and comer Brendan 'The Hybrid' Schaub (8-1, 7 KO's). Nogueira, a former UFC interim champion and former Pride champion, is a legend in this sport. Fighting professionally since 1999, the man known as 'Minotauro' has fought the who's who of the heavyweight division in MMA. Meanwhile Schaub has come a long way since his stint on 'The Ultimate Fighter' show less than two years ago.

In the last two years, the careers of these two have taken different paths. Nogueira hasn't fought since February 2010 when he got blasted in the first round by current champ Cain Velasquez. Since then he's had surgeries on both his hips and knees to repair nagging injuries. Meanwhile, since losing in the Ultimate Fighter Finale, Schaub is on a four fight win streak, winning three of four by knockout. Sadly, I expect that to happen here as I see Schaub finishing Nogueira via KO and possibly a passing of the torch from a legend to a future star. Enjoy the fights!

Only the good die young

2011-08-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

Legendary singer/songwriter Billy Joel once sang "Only the good die young." However, that phrase was around long before Billy Joel, so you know it's definitely been around longer than the sport of Mixed Martial Arts; which will celebrate it's 18th birthday in November. However, in that short 18 year span MMA has lost its share of notables within the sport and sadly all of them were all still very young.

MMA fighters Evan Tanner (age 37) & Gilbert Aldana (29), former UFC broadcaster Ryan Bennett (35), the Godfather of MMA Radio, and Charles 'Mask' Lewis (46), co-founder of 'Tapout' Clothing, are just a few examples of all really good people dying tragically long before their time. Shockingly, last weekend another name was added to this list as renowned MMA trainer Shawn Tompkins (37) died of an apparent heart attack in his sleep. I won't profess to have known Shawn on a personal level, because I didn't. However, I can attest on a personal level that he was one of the truly good guys in MMA that I did get to know.

I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to Shawn on more than one occasion, whether in passing while in Las Vegas, at his gym at the Tapout training facility or on the radio. Each and every time, he would take a few minutes to talk, listen and most importantly engage in conversation with me, whether it was two minutes or ten. It wasn't an obligation nor was it his duty; it was his personality because that's who Shawn Tompkins was. An engaging outgoing person, who loved his sport, loved what he was doing and loved the fans of the sport.

A week ago I was watching the UFC on Versus card when Mike Goldberg announced on the air the news regarding Shawn Tompkins passing; it hit me like a punch to the chest. I was shocked and saddened instantly. I remember having this same reaction when I heard the news that my friend Ryan Bennett was killed tragically in an auto accident. I considered Ryan a friend, since we spoke numerous times over a couple of years through his radio show 'Soundoff', though we never formally got a chance to meet face to face. Shawn Tompkins on the other hand, as you can see by the photo above, I actually ran into more than once.

A former professional fighter in the early days of the sport, Tompkins may have only had four pro fights, but he had a wealth of knowledge and experience. Between his fight career and then as an assistant trainer under legendary Bas Rutten in the International Fight League, Shawn honed his craft until his time as a full-time trainer came calling. It was in this realm that Shawn Tompkins excelled and made a name for himself. Some of his prized pupils included successful MMA fighters Sam Stout, Mark Hominick, Vitor Belfort and Chris Horodecki to name but a few.

A stint as a striking coach at Xtreme Couture and then finally branching off on his own and forming Team Tompkins at Tapout, Shawn Tompkins AKA 'The Coach', had finally reached the top of his profession. He was widely regarded as one of the best MMA trainers in the world. Sure, we never hung out or shared a beer together, but within this sport, unlike others, things are quite different. The hardcore MMA community is truly like a family and that includes athletes, notables and fans alike. Shawn Tompkins always made me feel that way when we spoke, which is why I can attest "only the good die young." Rest in Peace Coach.

UFC on Versus 5: Lytle goes out a winner

2011-08-14T12:33:00.001-07:00

On Sunday night for the first time in its nearly 18 year history, the UFC made its way to the land of bratwurst and brew, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While the city delivered the eats, the UFC delivered the treats, as the night was filled with entertaining fights from top to bottom. However, the star of the night was simply Chris 'Lights Out' Lytle.

Lytle (41-18-4, 3 KO's 22 subs), fighting in his record tying 20th and last fight in the octagon, officially announced the day before he was retiring after a 13 year career in MMA. That does not count a career in the squared circle as a professional boxer as well where he amassed a record of (13-1, 7 KO's). His opponent in his last fight was the always dangerous Dan 'The Outlaw' Hardy (23-10, 11 KO's 4 subs)

In typical Chris Lytle fashion, he went out swinging for the fences only to end up adding to his submission total as he won via guillotine choke late in the third round. Ironically, it was Hardy who made the mistake of taking Lytle down at the end after they traded shots for the first 14 minutes. A five-time fight of the night winner and one of the most popular fighters in UFC history, it was fitting and classy that the Milwaukee crowd gave him a standing ovation during his post fight interview. "Thank you Chris Lytle for all the great fights and memories."

The co-main event of the evening featured two of the top contenders in the lightweight (155 lbs.) division. Jim Miller (20-3, 3 KO's 11 subs), riding a seven-fight win streak, was dominated over three rounds by Benson 'Smooth' Henderson (14-2, 2 KO's 8 subs). In the process, Miller not only lost the fight, but his chance at a title shot as he was clearly the number one contender going in. Meanwhile, Henderson a former World Extreme Cagefighting champion is now (2-0) since coming to the UFC.

In one of the most anticipated fights of the night, Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone (16-3, 1 KO 12 subs) used a perfectly thrown upper cut to the solar plexus (mid-section) to drop highly touted Charles Oliveira (14-2, 6 KO's, 7 subs). That proved the beginning of the end for the young Brazilian lightweight standout as Cerrone wasted no time in jumping on him with punches in bunches. At three minutes of the first round the referee had seen enough and stopped the fight giving Cerrone his first TKO victory.

The first fight of the main card featured welterweights (170 lbs.) Amir Sadollah (6-3, 2 subs) and Duane 'Bang' Ludwig (29-11, 10 KO's 6 subs) in a very pleasing Muay Thai styled affair, which saw Ludwig come away the victor. Using his superior experience, especially as a former Muay Thai world champion, Ludwig put on a clinic in striking and take down defense winning a unanimous decision.

In closing, the fight card was overshadowed by the shocking news that renowned MMA trainer Shawn Tompkins passed away earlier in the day at the much too young age of 37. While specifics haven't come out a/o yet, according to sources close to Tompkins, he apparently was in his native Canada when he didn't awaken from his sleep. I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to Shawn Tompkins on multiple occasions and am saddened not only by the news, but because he was always a class act and joy to talk to. May God bless his family during this difficult time and he rest in peace.

UFC 133: Slow start, fast finish

2011-08-06T23:31:00.000-07:00

Literally 30 minutes before the first fight and you can feel the electricity in the air here at The Wells Fargo Center in the City of Brotherly Love. Whether in Philadelphia, Las Vegas or Rio de Janeiro, where they'll be in three weeks, the UFC delivers excitement like no other sporting event.

That of course was before the fights actually started, so the question is did it actually deliver? Early on during the prelims, it looked as though the answer was going to be no as fight after fight kept ending in lackluster decisions. However, as the night progressed, so did the action and by the time we got to the main card, the action was full throttle. Now the big question was, did the main event deliver?

After fighting to the extremely rare unanimous draw four years ago, light-heavyweights (205 lbs.) Rashad 'Suga' Evans (15-1-1, 5 KO's, 2 subs) and Tito 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' Ortiz (16-8-1, 8 KO's 3 subs) put on a different show this time. Feeding off the electricity of the raucous Philly crowd, both fighters seemed energized and went at it right from the start. In the end, which came at 4:48 of the second round, it was Evans who was the victor ironically using Ortiz's forte, ground and pound.

Ortiz appeared liked the Tito of old, confident coming off his victory last month against Ryan Bader, but while he initiated the fight early, it was Evans who finished the first round with a takedown late that resulted in a pulverizing attack. More of the same came in the second round, although for a few seconds it looked as though the takedown may prove problematic as Ortiz secured a tight guillotine choke on Evans. However, Rashad was able to wrestle his way free and punish Ortiz with strikes from every angle, including a knee to the solar plexus area, which proved to be the finishing blow. Up next for Evans, a showdown with the winner of the Jon Jones/Rampage Jackson fight.

In the co-main event, in a battle of middleweight (185 lbs.) contenders, Vitor 'The Phenom' Belfort (20-9, 14 KO's 2 subs) finally went back to what made him a phenom in the first place, his fast hands. Using superior speed and boxing skills, Belfort caught Yoshihiro 'Sexyama' Akiyama (13-4, 5 KO's 7 subs) flush on the jaw with his patented left hand. That stopped the judoka in his tracks, Then, in an attack eerily similar to when he defeated Wanderlei Silva in 44 seconds back at Ultimate Brazil, Belfort threw punches in bunches on the ground with blazing speed, knocking out Akiyama in the process. In his post fight interview Belfort summed up his performance in two words, "I'm back."

In a clash of two true middleweight veterans of mixed martial arts it was Brian 'Bad Boy' Ebersole (48-14-1, 14 KO's 20 subs) who turned out to be Dennis 'Superman' Hallman's kryptonite. This was because he ended the fight in the first round with a punishing attack from the top position on the ground. Initially, it was Hallman (50-14-2, 4 KO's 39 subs) who pushed the pace and charged at Ebersole right from the start. However, Ebersole weathered the storm and reversed the tide inevitably forcing a referee stoppage. Ebersole who had 61 fights before ever getting a shot in the UFC has now won his first two in the octagon.

In the first fight on the main card, 21 year old young stud Rory 'Ares' MacDonald (12-1, 5 KO's 6 subs) put it on Mike 'Quicksand' Pyle (21-8-1, 2 KO's 16 subs) early and often to garner a first round TKO victory. Using a nice combination of power shots, MacDonald eventually dropped the 35 year old veteran and pounced on him with a barrage of punches that forced the referee to come in and save a defenseless Pyle. Welterweight (170 lbs.) MacDonald, out of Canada, is so promising at such a young age, Dana White can only hope he turns out to be as good as another young Canadian welterweight, champion Georges St. Pierre.

On the undercard, Swedish sensation Alexander 'The Mauler' Gustafsson (12-1, 8 KO's 3 subs) provided the early fireworks of the night as he nailed Matt 'The Hammer' Hamill (10-4, 6 KO's) with a vicious left hook in the second round. That proved the beginning of the end for the former 'Ultimate Fighter' TV show alum. Hamill has now lost his last two after winning his previous five. Meanwhile, Gustaffson has won his last three in a row and is (4-1) since coming to the UFC.

The Last Emperor's last stand?

2011-07-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Usually, when the word last is applied to anything, it implies there will be not another afterward. In Fedor Emelianenko's case, his nickname 'The Last Emperor' implies there will be no other MMA fighter like him after his reign. Well, The Last Emperor's reign is now over; now the question remains was this his last stand?

On Saturday the great Fedor Emelianenko (31-4, 8 KO's 16 subs), appeared to be on his way to victory. After an exciting back and forth start to his super fight against fellow legend Dan Henderson (28-8, 13 KO's, 2 subs), where each had their moments, Emelianenko (pictured @ left) appeared to take control and have 'Hendo' all but finished when he dropped him to his knees with a combination. However, just like a wounded tiger fights back when he is cornered, Henderson did the same.

As Emelianenko came in for the kill, Henderson fired off an uppercut from his knees, which caught the Russian on his jaw and seemed to finally break the mystique behind the legendary Fedor. Though he would say later that he felt the referee stopped the fight prematurely, truth is Emelianenko fell face first on the canvas stiffer than the Saddam Hussein statue fell in Firdos Square, Baghdad back in 2003. Yet, it is that denial that finally makes me believe for the first time that Emelianenko's best days are behind him.

As the Strikeforce card was about to begin, I discussed with Brian 'Goze' Garcia of MMA Junkie Radio, how a mutual friend had predicted Henderson would win by TKO. I said that I felt most people had jumped off the Fedor bandwagon much too quickly considering his previous loss was literally to a giant much bigger than him and that before that he got caught in a submission by one of the world's best heavyweight jiu-jitsu practitioners. I felt he would win last night and win pretty easily considering he was facing the Strikeforce light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) champion in a heavyweight fight. Suffice it to say, I was wrong.

Selfishly, I don't want to see Fedor Emelianenko go out on his shield riding a three fight losing streak after a ten year reign where he technically never lost. However, after seeing how he fell last night, and previously writing about and seeing former legends such as Wanderlei Silva continue to drop easily after absorbing undue punishment, I am also concerned. While he did not say either way what will happen next, he continues to state that in his life religion and family come first. Only time will tell if this was 'The Last Emperor's' last stand.

Probably lost in the shuffle of Strikeforce news this weekend, between Fedor’s third consecutive loss and Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem’s cut from the roster, is ESPN.com’s blatant disregard of the co-main event Saturday night. In their recap of Strikeforce’s Emelianenko vs. Henderson card, ESPN.com discussed the main event, and they also recapped the Daley/Woodley and Kennedy/Lawler fights. Nowhere to be found was the result of the women’s championship fight between former champ Marloes Coenen and new champion Meisha Tate.

I understand in the landscape of combat sports, women are still looked upon as a fringe commodity among the majority of fans; but the truth is these two women are extremely skilled in their craft and showed as much during four rounds on Saturday. It was a back and forth battle in which both women showed excellent skills both standing and on the ground, with Tate ultimately winning by submission. Yet, the so-called worldwide leader in sports coverage has treated them no better than the late great Rodney Dangerfield, “women still get no respect.”

Bellator 47: Surprisingly one-sided

2011-07-24T05:24:00.000-07:00

What a difference a year makes? A year ago, Pat Curran (pictured @ left) was a relative unknown when he entered the Bellator season three lightweight (155 lbs.) eight-man tournament and won. Though he lost in his bid against lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, he showed his worth by lasting five rounds with one of the top pound for pound fighters in the world. This year, he appears to be doing the same thing, only this time it's in the featherweight (145 lbs.) division and he's a clear cut favorite.

Curran (15-4, 3 KO's 5 subs) won a unanimous decision last night in the tournament semifinals against highly touted and pre-tourney favorite Ronnie 'Kid Ninja' Mann (20-4-1, 3 KO's 10 subs) in a surprisingly one-sided affair. Always improving on his all-around skills, Curran used his length to keep Mann at bay as he picked him apart with clean and effective striking. A flying knee early on that caught Mann flush, seemed to set the tone for the remainder of the fight.

Mann had some moments in the second and third rounds where he was able to finally attack and reach Curran, eventually getting him to the ground and working some submissions, but in both cases it was within the last seconds of each round. A tight guillotine choke at the end of the second round may have proved to be Curran's undoing had the bell not have saved him, as Mann really had it sunk in deep. Up next for Curran in the tourney final is another stiff test in Brazilian Marlon Sandro.

Sandro (19-2, 7 KO's, 3 subs) won his semifinal against fellow Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Nazareno 'Naza' Malegarie (20-2, 5 KO's 13 subs) via unanimous decision as well. This was a South American Civil War as Malegarie is Argentinean, but the war was fought primarily on the feet for these two renowned grapplers where Sandro clearly had the advantage. While Malegarie took the fight to Sandro, he wasn't able to do much else as Sandro used superior striking and takedown defense to garner the decision.

Curran and Sandro will meet in less than one month, on August 20th, in the tournament finale for the right to meet the winner of the fight between current featherweight champion Joe Warren and last season's tournament winner Patricky 'Pitbull' Freire. Before last night, I had said that I felt the winner of the Mann/Curran semifinal would win the tournament and after last night I feel no different. I am picking Pat Curran to defeat Marlon Sandro next month and this time, eventually winning a world championship when he gets that shot again.

On the undercard, it was a sweet homecoming for London Ontario, Canada native Chris Horodecki (18-3, 7 KO's 3 subs), as he cruised to a unanimous decision victory in his three round affair against game Chris Saunders (9-2, 3 KO's 2 subs). Horodecki a veteran of numerous fights in both the International Fight League (IFL) and World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) used that experience to out wrestle and control Saunders AKA as 'The So-Cal Kid'. Horodecki looks like a great addition to Bellator's growing lightweight (155 lbs.) stable.

The only fireworks of the night came early and quick as huge heavyweights Neil 'Goliath' Grove (11-3-1, 11 KO's) and Zak Jensen (10-7, 6 KO's 4 subs) let it all hangout for exactly two minutes of the first round. While Jensen dropped Grove early with a right hand during an exchange, it was Grove who withstood the storm and eventually got on top of Jensen on the ground. When he got there, he was not going to be denied as he powered shots that included punches, elbows and hammerfists alike, right through Jensen's guard forcing the referee to stop it. Grove is looking towards an eventual rematch against Bellator champion Cole Konrad who defeated him last October in his championship bid.

Live your dream and stay true to it

2011-07-15T15:00:00.001-07:00

"Live your dream and stay true to it;” that’s the creed MMA fighter Jimmy Spicuzza lives by everyday. It is part of what sustains him on his quest to become a champion one day. It hasn’t been an easy road so far for this talented lightweight (155 lbs.) fighter from Las Vegas, but that road is also what drives him to make his dream come true.

So you want to be a professional fighter? That’s what you hear Dana White asks prospects every season on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’. Too bad he hasn’t asked Jimmy Spicuzza yet, because he would’ve gotten his answer by now. When I last interviewed Jimmy a year ago, he was an amateur champion in the Tuff ‘N‘ Uff organization who had just won his fifth fight. Everything was looking up as he was about to turn pro and make his dream come true.

One year later, the dream remains and luckily everything is still looking up, but things haven’t progressed as Jimmy Spicuzza expected. He’s had one pro fight so far and it’s one he had to figuratively fight for. In March of this year, he headlined a nine fight MMA card in St. George, Utah for the CFC or Crown Fighting Championships organization.

“They brought me in as a fall guy for the hometown boy Rusty Pearson who was (7-2) at the time I fought him,” Spicuzza said. Apparently the promoter didn’t do his homework or didn’t know what I already knew because it took Jimmy all of two minutes to catch Pearson with an armbar submission. “I had broken my nose two weeks before that fight during sparring, but there was no way I was going to let this fight go that I had worked so hard to get.”

You’d think after a performance like that in your professional debut the offers for future fights would come flying in. However, to date that’s the only fight Spicuzza has had. “I’ve hired a management company, so I can just concentrate on training. They told me they are fielding some offers, but nothing has materialized a/o yet. They are affiliated with Alchemist MMA and they said they may hook me up with them, so I remain optimistic.”

Meanwhile, Jimmy Spicuzza continues to stay committed and show the same sacrifice and dedication he showed a year ago. He still gets up every morning to work in the family business and then trains at various Las Vegas gyms with some of the sports best. “I’m still working my Muay Thai and striking with Master Chen @ J-Sect and my Jiu-Jitsu with Robert Drysdale. I’m also getting in training at Xtreme Couture and Frank Mir’s gym as well.”

As for the immediate future, Spicuzza says, “I’ve been contacted by the CFC about possibly fighting for them in Utah again for their lightweight title. Also, I have potential fights lined up for August and September in Hawaii and Arizona respectively. I am hopeful I can get in at least three more fights before the end of the year.”

As for long term goals, “I am hoping I can get a few fights and then eventually land either on a Strikeforce Challengers Series card or maybe even a Bellator tournament," he said. The diligent way this kid lives his life and the skills he possesses, I anticipate that those goals will be reached a lot sooner than later. However, don’t believe me, believe what Jimmy Spicuzza himself wrote, which is tattooed on his right rib cage:

“The lessons we learn in life come from the mistakes we make. The best thing someone can do is never give up. Life is what you make of it; learn from what you experience, don’t let it break you. You always have your pride and your family. Understand the fact that the sun will rise another day and the world can be yours. Live your dreams and stay true to those that you value most; because they are those that will be there when the sh** hits the fan. LIFE.”

You can follow Jimmy on Facebook at Jimmy Spicuzza or on Twitter @JimmySpicuzza and also on his website www.jimmyspicuzza.com

How many is too many?

2011-07-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

It is the age old question when it comes to boxing that a/o late has come into play more and more in the short history of mixed martial arts as well. The question, how many is too many? What are they referring to, knockouts? The answer, well that is up for debate.

After witnessing MMA living legend Wanderlei Silva crumple to the ground after only 27 seconds at the hands of Chris Leben in their fight at UFC 132 last weekend, that question has been debated all week. Should the icon Silva, (pictured @ left after being KO'ed by Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson in 2008), finally retire. Considering what I saw last week I say yes; but don't listen to me, listen to the facts.

The facts are that numerous studies have been conducted over the last few years on the brains of former athletes who have suffered concussions while competing at the highest level of sports such as football, hockey etc. These studies have shown significant damage to the brains of athletes that suffer repeated trauma, such as concussion caused by blows to the head. Former NFL player Dave Duerson, who committed suicide in February of this year at the age of 50, insisted that his brain be examined upon his death. The results were shocking, yet not surprising.

Doctors at Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy determined that Duerson had, "classic" and "moderately advanced" symptoms of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE. Duerson's was the 14th of 15 brains of former NFL players to be examined at the center that was diagnosed with CTE. Thus, you can imagine what a pro fighter's chance of such a disease is. However, that's only the scientific fact. The other fact lies, no pun intended, in the repeated falls of some of boxing and MMA's greatest fighters over the last few years.

Silva (33-11-1) is just the latest example of this dizzying fact. At only 35 years of age, he is just (2-6) in his last eight fights, suffering five of those losses by brutal KO's, four of them in the first round. The one fight he didn't lose by KO, he took a beating at the hands of another fallen legend himself Chuck Liddell. Liddell (21-8), one of the all-time greats in MMA, finished his career going (1-5) in his last six fights with four of those losses ending by vicious one punch knockouts.

What do these two iconic warriors have in common? Once there lights were turned off once, it repeated itself over and over and each time it would happen easier the moment they got tagged. However, it's not just limited to these two and it's not just MMA fighters. A couple of examples in boxing as well will show that the same pattern has repeated itself.

Former multi-division champion and another all-time great in his sport, Roy Jones, Jr. has suffered the same fate over the last few years. Virtually untouchable in his first 50 fights going (49-1) with his only loss a disqualification, he's gone (5-7) in his last 12. Four of those seven losses have come by way of scary knockouts that all started with a second round lights out KO at the hands of Antonio Tarver seven years ago. Since then, once he gets touched, Jones head and body seems to shut down.

One vicious knockout appears to be all that is needed to alter a fighter's chemistry and ultimately his career. The proof is in the pudding in both MMA and boxing. A closer look at some other examples of some high profile names in both sports will show how their careers have "fallen'' by the wayside after one brutal knockout.

Andre Arlovski (15-9), former UFC heavyweight champion is (0-4) in his last four fights with three losses by KO in the first round. Other examples in MMA include, Matt Lindland (22-9), former UFC and Strikeforce veteran; he is (1-4) in his last four fights with two of those losses coming by way of KO in under a minute. Mirko 'Cro-Cop' Filipovic (27-9-2), UFC and Pride veteran is (5-5-1) in his last 11 fights with four losses by way of some of the most sick knockouts in UFC history.

In boxing there is former middleweight champion Jermain Taylor who is just (1-4) in his last five fights with three knockout losses after being unbeatable in his first 28 fights. Sadly, he has been cleared to fight again, which he is scheduled to do next month. Then there is the sad story of former Olympic and two-division champion Meldrick Taylor. Untouchable during his first 25 pro fights, one unfaithful punch from Julio Cesar Chavez with two seconds left in their championship bout in 1990 changed his career forever.

After that TKO loss, Taylor went (14-7) over the next 12 years with three of those losses coming by way of KO from '90-'94. A prodigy at the time of his first knockout loss to Chavez in 1990, he was a mere shell of his former self at the time Chavez knocked him out again four years later. This is why I think the answer to the question, how many is too many, may just be only one. They say one punch is all it takes to change the complexion of a fight. In some cases, it may change a whole lot more.

UFC 132: Suprises & disappointments, but exciting

2011-07-03T05:08:00.000-07:00

With so many first round finishes at UFC 132, it was kind of ironic that the main event turned out to be a five round back and forth battle. However, it ended up as I predicted it would, although that was the only prediction I got right in an otherwise surprising, but exciting night of fights. In the end it was UFC Bantamweight Champion (135 lbs) Dominick Cruz and challenger Urijah Faber who stole the show.

Cruz 'The Dominator' (18-1, 6 KO's 1 sub) and Faber 'The California Kid' (25-5, 7 KO's 13 subs) fought about as close a five rounds as you can get. While the judges didn't see it that way as they awarded Cruz (pictured @ left) a unanimous decision, with one judge scoring all five rounds for Cruz, the scores weren't indicative of how close the fight actually was. Ask anyone who watched it and they'll tell you it was a difficult fight to score.

That is because Cruz and Faber are so extremely fast and quick, that anytime either of them launched an attack, the other was able to counter it just as fast. It was truly an exciting match of speed, but ultimately it was Cruz's awkward, yet effective, style of firing and shooting from all angles that earned him a well deserved victory. Joe Rogan commented after the fight that he'd like to see them go at it for a third time; so would I as they are now (1-1).

Sadly the co-main event, though just as exciting, albeit for 27 seconds, may have marked the end of a true legend. Everyone, including themselves, knew that when middleweights (185 lbs) Wanderlei 'The Axe Murderer' Silva (33-11-1, 23 KO's 3 subs) and Chris 'The Crippler' Leben (26-7, 13 KO's 8 subs) stepped into the octagon, fireworks were going to erupt. These two only know one way to fight and that is going straight ahead firing punches and they did not disappoint. The disappointment came when it looked as though Silva may have Leben reeling with a couple of shots in the pocket, only to be caught with a vicious left uppercut that dropped him to his knees.

Leben followed with more lefts to the head on the ground that left the legend out on his knees until the referee stepped in to save him. Leben, though excited, remarked later on, "Wanderlei is my hero; he's always been my favorite fighter." While respectful, it may not be comforting to this icon of the sport who is now just (2-6) in his last eight fights. Silva, who is beloved around the world by so many fans, including myself, may need to come to the realization that it is time to move on.

With a successful gym in Las Vegas where he trains his own team of young fighters, there is no other reason for him to continue other than for the thrill of it. Although it happens more often that not in combat sports, it is really sad to see a true legend continue to get beat down after a storied career where he once issued the beatings. It happens to the best of them, Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture etc, and now it is Silva's time to come to that realization. He may not have a choice as Dana White said in the post-fight press conference, "People love him so much for the way he fights and the type of person he is; but yeah, it's probably the end of the road for Silva."

Ironically, it was another legend that shocked the world last night. Former light-heavyweight (205 lbs) champ Tito Ortiz (16-8-1, 8 KO's 3 subs), who had not won a fight in nearly five years, rekindled glimpses of days gone by as he defeated the young lion Ryan 'Darth' Bader (12-2, 5 KO's 3 subs) via guillotine choke submission in less than two minutes of the first round. During an exchange, 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' caught Bader with a short right hand that dropped him in a daze and in the ensuing scramble; Ortiz secured the choke that forced the tap. Fighting for his life, as his job was clearly on the line; Ortiz lives to fight another day.

Finally, in a card full of highlight reel knockouts and submissions, the highlight of the night was clearly produced by welterweight (170 lbs) Carlos Condit (27-5, 13 KO's 13 subs). His perfectly timed flying right knee to the jaw of previously undefeated Dong Hyun Kim (14-1-1, 6 KO's 1 subs) in the first round, obviously stunned the man known as 'Stun Gun' dropping him to the canvas. 'The Natural Born Killer' then unleashed a vicious assault of punches that ended Kim's perfect record and night.

Welterweights beware, there's a new kid in town

2011-07-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania may not immediately be looked upon as a breeding ground of boxing talent, but located just one hour north of boxing rich Philadelphia and 90 minutes west of New York City, you better recognize. While the boxing public keeps waiting for welterweight superstars Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. to someday settle the debate as to who the best in the world is, there is a little known 147 lb. fighter who's slowly creating a buzz in the northeast.

Ronald Cruz (13-0, 10 KO's), a native of South Bethlehem, put on quite a show in his hometown tonight in the first ever professional fight card held at the Pennsylvania Sands Casino. Headlining for the first time in his career against tough, tried and tested Doel Carrasquillo (15-18-1, 13 KO's), Cruz (pictured above with trainer Lemuel 'Indio' Rodriguez post fight) brought the crowd to a frenzy with a sixth round stoppage of the journeyman; when Carrasquillo signaled to legendary referee Steve Smoger he could no longer continue. Despite the record, Carrasquillo was coming off a KO win in February against a previous (12-0) fighter.

However, any thought he had of doing it again was squashed when he indicated his rib was broken by Cruz and he could no longer continue. Cruz, fighting in his first ever scheduled ten rounder, appeared to be in cruise control the first four rounds. However, when I asked Rodriguez about it he remarked, "On the contrary; he was following the game plan to perfection, which was to touch his body until he could take no more and the ref would be forced to stop it."

Meanwhile, with a hometown crowd in attendance and his first ever main event, I asked Cruz if he felt any pressure to perform. His response, "I felt it early and throughout my training camp, but I did my best to not let it consume me." When asked how he felt when he heard the thunderous ovation he received coming out of the locker room, he said, "It felt good." "I heard it, but I was trying to stay focused at the task at hand and not let myself, get caught up in the moment."

Though names like Pacquiao, Mayweather and even young stars like Ortiz and Berto, dominate the world 147 lb. landscape, welterweights better beware; there's a new kid in town. Now ranked in the top 100 in the world, looking sharper every time out and starting to be called 'Hands of Steel', because of his punching power and the old Bethlehem Steel this town was once known for, Ronald Cruz is that kid.

On the undercard, there were a couple of up and coming prospects that looked very impressive. One was super welterweight Grayson 'The Baby-Faced Assassin' Blake (3-0, 1 KO) out of York, PA. Exhibiting beautiful boxing skills, including punching combinations and nice head and shoulder movement, he easily out pointed his opponent Anthony Abrams (1-7) out of Philadelphia.

As for 'The City of Brotherly Love', Philadelphia's own Rashad 'All Business' Brown (5-0, 2 KO's) provided some early fireworks as he pummeled his opponent Omar 'The Machine' Sims (5-4, 3 KO's) from Baltimore, MD. After six workmen like rounds, including a knockdown in the second from a right hook to the head, Brown won a unanimous decision. At only 22 years of age, this super middleweight from Philly may be yet another name from this great fight city to look out for. Peltz Promotions out of Philadelphia put on a nice show in my hometown; hopefully they'll come back.

UFC 132 Cruz vs. Faber Preview

2011-06-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

While last weekend it was the big boys that stole the show, this week the main event features a couple of bantamweights battling for the 135 lbs. title. However, don't think for a minute this fight takes a backseat in any way, because this fight has the potential to be the best fight in bantamweight history thus far. Why? Because it features a rematch of arguably the best two fighters of the weight class in the world.

UFC champion Dominic 'The Dominator' Cruz (17-1, 6 KO's 1 sub) is not only defending his belt, but has a chance to avenge the only blemish on his record. That is because his challenger Urijah 'The California Kid' Faber (25-4, 7 KO's 13 subs) defeated the current champ via guillotine choke in a fight they had four years ago. At that time though things were different; Faber was one fight away from becoming champion in World Extreme Cagefighting at featherweight (145 lbs.). Cruz meanwhile was fighting in only his 10th professional fight. A lot has happened since then.

Faber has gone 7-3 in 10 fights, including losing his title and going down in weight. Cruz meanwhile has won eight fights in a row, including the WEC 135 lbs. championship, defended it and became the initial UFC bantamweight champ. As much as I like Urijah Faber, it is for those reasons, plus some others, that I am picking Cruz to defeat Faber in the rematch via unanimous decision.

Cruz is a much improved fighter since then, not to mention more experienced now. He's learned how to use his size and reach to his advantage, as he's extremely tall for this weight class, and is much improved in his takedown defense. Plus, he's had two fights against Joseph Benavidez, one of Faber's primary training partners and teammates at Alpha Male. As great as Faber is and continues to be, I think he's met his match at featherweight Jose Aldo and now at bantamweight also in Dominic Cruz. We'll see if I'm right or wrong come Saturday.

In the co-main event, it's the return of a legend as Wanderlei 'The Axe Murderer' Silva (33-10-1, 23 KO's 3 subs), who hasn't fought in nearly a year and half, faces off against the always dangerous Chris 'The Crippler' Leben (25-7, 13 KO's 6 subs) at middleweight (185 lbs.). This one is a tough call for me as a huge Silva fan because I believe his best days are behind him. By the same token, I was never fully impressed by Leben, but the guy always seems to find a way to win. Yet, I'm going to let my heart get in the way and say that I think the time off may have been good for 'The Axe Murderer', which is why I'm picking him to win by second round TKO.

The other fight of note on this card features the return of yet another legend. Only this time the legend faces a rising star and I don't think the fairy tale ending is in store. Former light-heavyweight (205 lbs) Kingpin Tito Ortiz (15-8-1, 8 KO's 2 subs) meets budding superstar Ryan 'Darth' Bader (12-1, 5 KO's 3 subs) in what will likely be his last fight in the UFC. Ortiz AKA 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' is 0-4-1 in his last five fights and has not won a fight since October 2006; sadly, I don't think it will happen here either.

Bader, who is just 28 years old compared to Ortiz's 36, was on the verge of a title shot till he lost to eventual champion and fellow young stud Jon 'Bones' Jones in February. Ortiz's forte has always been his wrestling, but it can't compare to Bader's, a former two-time All-American while at Arizona State University. That, plus the game has obviously passed Ortiz by and I believe he's only in it for a paycheck is why I'm picking Bader by TKO in the third round. A sad end prediction for a true pioneer of the sport, but that's what happens when you hang on too long; just ask Ortiz's long time nemesis Chuck Liddell.

UFC on Versus 4: KOngo wows! Story upset

2011-06-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

It isn't often one gets to experience free high profile mixed martial arts action, so how rare is it then when you get it three nights in a row? Such was this case this past weekend where we were treated to a Strikeforce Challenger series card on Friday, Bellator's summer series opener on Saturday and finally a UFC on Versus card Sunday night. In a strange twist of fate, what could have been a disaster for the UFC turned out the better for it?

Literally 24 hours before the UFC's fourth live free card on the Versus network, the main event originally scheduled between former middleweight (185 lbs.) contender Nate Marquardt and current welterweight (170 lbs.) contender Rick 'The Horror' Story fizzled right before their eyes. In what the UFC has stated was a failed physical, Marquardt was unauthorized to fight. No specific reason was given, but it is speculated performance enhancing drugs were the reason because UFC President Dana White wasted no time in announcing the release of Marquardt from the UFC.

With the original main event now gone, the co-main feature between heavyweight strikers Cheick Kongo (16-6-2, 10 KO's 3 subs) and Pat 'HD' Barry (6-3, 5 KO's) was now relegated to be the highlight of the show; and was it ever? In just two and a half minutes of action, Kongo (pictured above) and Barry delivered a highlight reel of punches and knockdowns, which culminated in one of the greatest comebacks in UFC history. Both fighters known primarily as kickboxers did not disappoint as they promised a good fight and they delivered.

Starting out cautiously as expected, both fighters measured each other with some vicious Muay Thai round kicks to their legs. Then out of nowhere in an exchange, Barry, who gave up five inches in height and nearly eight inches in reach, dropped Kongo with an overhand right to the ear. The chiseled heavyweight from Paris, France dropped like a sack of potatoes and from that point on, all hell broke loose.

In serious trouble and almost out, Kongo tried desperately to clinch the oncoming Barry and get to his feet; somehow he did. However, in a frantic exchange Barry dropped him again and this time Kongo looked all but out. It almost looked as though referee Dan Mirgliotta was stepping in to stop it, which no one would have disputed, but he didn't. Good thing he didn't because somehow Kongo got up again and found his wits enough to catch Barry with a right cross to the head that slowed him down. Then he immediately followed that with a thunderous right uppercut to the jaw that stopped Barry in his tracks as he was out before he hit the floor.

Kongo followed him to the ground, but no need as Mirgliotta saw Barry was as stiff as a board and jumped in to save him from any further damage. Not since former UFC middleweight Scott Smith delivered a knockout punch to Pete Sell, after being keeled over by a body shot, have we seen such a dramatic comeback. This one though happened during a main event between heavyweights on free television. It can't get much better than that for the UFC and its fans.

In the co-main event, the aforementioned Rick 'The Horror' Story (13-4, 3 KO's 3 subs) actually found himself the subject of one. After losing his original opponent and main event status, he was relegated to the co-main slot against last minute replacement Charlie 'The Spaniard' Brenneman (14-2, 5 KO's 2 subs). Story, with nothing to gain and everything to lose, considering he was riding a six-fight win streak and was being talked about as a title challenger, did just that.

Brenneman, who hails from Hollidaysburg, PA, had the hometown crowd from Pittsburgh in his corner and it fueled him as he went at Story and defeated the wrestler at his own game. Repeatedly, taking down Story during the first two rounds, 'The Spaniard' used a ground and pound attack to take a commanding lead. However, he would need that lead and some slick submission defense as well as he found himself in some danger in the third.

He continued to attack Story with takedowns, only this time Story was more aggressive in his jiu-jitsu game as he had Brenneman in some precarious situations throughout the entire round. To his credit, the hometown kid would not relent and found a way to hang on for a surprising and upsetting unanimous decision. For Brenneman, its instant contender status while for Story, its back to the prologue or the beginning of the book.

Bellator Summer Season starts with a bang

2011-06-25T17:02:00.000-07:00

As much I enjoy Bellator Fighting Championships, going into its summer season series opener I did question why they were beginning their new season with a featherweight tournament? Especially considering they just ended season four with one in the same weight class (145lbs.). However, after watching the four quarterfinal matches in this season's tourney on Saturday night, I now understand why.

Even though featherweight champion Joe Warren still hasn't defended his title against the season four tournament winner Patricio Pitbull, which takes place next month, Bellator wasted no time in stacking the field for their next featherweight title challenger. Someone else who wasted no time in his quest was tournament favorite Ronnie 'Kid Ninja' Mann (pictured at left). Mann (20-2-1, 3 KO's 10 subs) used all of four minutes to handle his business as he TKO'd challenger Adam Schindler.

Schindler (9-2, 6 subs) came into the fight the naturally bigger fighter, having fought his first 10 fights at lightweight (155 lbs.), but it wasn't enough to stop the man known as 'Kid Ninja'. Mann, using superior striking and good takedown defense, was able to counter any offense Schindler tried to muster and eventually caught him with a straight right/left hook combination that dropped his opponent. He then pounced on Schindler with a flurry of hammerfists that rendered Schindler defenseless and unconscious. Mann looks right on point with two successive wins in Bellator.

The second quarterfinal match featured relative, but talented, unknown Jacob Devree (10-2, 3 KO's 4 subs) taking on highly touted Nazareno 'Naza' Malegarie (20-1, 5 KO's 12 subs). Although Devree was game, his relative inexperience at this level was evident against the highly skilled Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt from Argentina. Malegarie, whose only loss came in the first round of the season four tournament, came back with a vengeance as he out wrestled and eventually submitted Devree with a slick guillotine choke early in the third round. Malegarie looks like he's on a mission.

Quarterfinal fight number three was another match-up of an early tournament favorite against another talented newcomer as former Sengoku featherweight champion Marlon Sandro (18-2, 7 KO's 3 subs) faced off against fellow Brazilian Genair Da Silva, Jr. (10-4, 6 KO's 1 sub). Sandro, who trains out of the famed Nova Uniao gym in Rio de Janeiro with UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, showed his superior world class level as he won a surprising split decision against Da Silva. This fight was the first outside Brazil for Da Silva and that inexperience showed against Sandro who's fought 10 of his 20 fights in Japan. Considering that disparity in experience, Sandro did not look overwhelming in his victory; it remains to be seen if his best is yet to come.

In the fourth and final fight of the night, former lightweight tournament winner Pat Curran (14-4, 3 KO's 5 subs) took on fellow Bellator veteran Luis 'Baboon' Palomino (16-7, 8 KO's 2 subs). Curran, who was coming off a unanimous decision loss to lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez after coming out of nowhere to win the season three 155lbs. tournament, moved down 1o pounds and he looked stronger than ever. After dropping Palomino with a crisp right hand to the jaw, both fighters went back and forth on the ground. It was there that Curran went for a D'Arce choke and transitioned it beautifully into a Peruvian neck tie submission choke.

With all four favorites winning, the semifinals look to be top notch and exciting. Depending on the match-ups in the next round, if the brackets fall the way I think they will, I am predicting a final that will feature Ronnie Mann against Pat Curran with Mann ultimately winning the tourney. Whatever the match-ups, one thing's for sure, Bellator continues to impress with their tournaments and their matchmaking as their summer season has started with a bang.

Strikeforce doesn't live up to its name

2011-06-19T07:44:00.000-07:00

While the name of the game is mixed martial arts, when the name of your promotion is Strikeforce you anticipate some action in the form of, well striking. Although strikes, (punches, kicks, knees etc.), were not null and void last night in Strikeforce's Heavyweight Grand Prix, they didn't come in abundance either; especially not to the satisfaction of the Dallas, Texas crowd, which I'll address in a minute.

Nonetheless, the second round of quarterfinal match-ups have finally taken place, albeit four months later, and as expected Alistair Overeem and Josh Barnett (pictured @ left) handled their business. However, it is the way they handled it that is being scrutinized, though I'm not exactly sure why? When you have two match-ups that feature a striker vs. grappler, the outcomes are to be expected.

In the main event, Overeem (35-11, 14 KO's 19 subs), the reigning Strikeforce heavyweight champion, tried to do his part and finish his opponent Fabricio Werdum (14-5-1, 4 KO's 8 subs), but it wasn't enough to please the crowd. While he came away with a unanimous decision, I guess the expectations of a champion with such a high pedigree of kickboxing were just too much to overcome. Werdum, realizing he could not stand toe to toe with the champ, continuously tried in vain to lure the champion into a clinch and ground game. However, Overeem, already with a loss to Werdum five years earlier via submission, would have none of it.

The crowd was not pleased at all with Werdum's constant flopping and attempts to lure Overeem to the ground, but what did they expect? Werdum was just playing to his strength, especially realizing early on he could not stand and trade with the bigger and stronger champion. Up next for Overeem, it doesn't get any easier as he faces a "big" task in 'Bigfoot' Antonio Silva. Though he should be favored, Overeem needs to be a lot sharper in his overall attack if he is going to "beat the man who beat the man" as Silva did when he took out the favorite in the tournament Fedor Emelianenko.

In the co-main event, it was pretty much a case of not how, but when. In my preview, I stated if Barnett (30-5, 7 KO's 18 subs) could avoid the mammoth punches coming from Brett Rogers (11-3, 9 KO's 1 sub), he would inevitably get him down into his world and win via submission in the second round. I hate to say I told you so, but I did. After controlling Rogers for much of the first round once he got him to the ground, he did more of the same and eventually finished him with a tight arm-triangle choke in the second. Rogers did what he could, but his fate was sealed if he couldn't land that big punch, which he didn't.

Once again, the Dallas crowd booed unmercifully while Barnett played to his strength, instead of appreciating a master of submission wrestling at work. The semi-final round is no cakewalk for Barnett as he takes on Russian KO artist Sergei Kharitonov. Kharitonov, who holds both a win and loss against champ Overeem, has a wealth of experience and is my dark horse pick to win this tournament. However, my favorite is Barnett, who I expect to defeat the Russian and whoever he faces in the final. In other words, the winner of this semifinal bracket is my pick to win the whole thing.

Two final comments regarding the tourney and the crowd; first, I hope Strikeforce learns from Bellator and doesn't wait another four months for the next round. If they had rode the momentum of the first round in February and got to this show earlier, I feel it would have been much better for the fighters who had too much time to sit and wait, thus creating some lackluster performances.

Finally, until casual American fans realize these are no longer the days of no holds barred fighting and that it is now a technical sport called mixed martial arts, we will continue to have reactions such as what was experienced last night. Fans here in the states need to understand that unlike boxing, this fight game encompasses a lot of different facets besides punching. Therefore, instead of booing whenever a clinch occurs or a fight goes to the ground, I suggest fans educate themselves, so they can truly appreciate the artistry of a fighter's whole game, instead of feeling cheated somehow.

I think every fan should try at least once to get on the mat one day and roll around, whether it is wrestling, jiu-jitsu, judo etc., so you can truly feel and appreciate what it takes to "fight" on the ground. These fighters are some of the most skilled and best conditioned athletes in the world. For them to step into a cage and be booed is a total disrespect and disgrace in my eyes and should never happen. That is unless you are Kalib Starnes and refuse to engage for three rounds as he did against Nate Quarry at UFC 83; then boo to your hearts content.

Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Preview

2011-06-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

We had to wait four months for the second tier of quarterfinal round match-ups in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament, but if the fights live up to hype, it will be worth the wait. However, the key word in all of this is ‘if’, because there are numerous questions regarding the four fighters being featured on Saturday night. Nonetheless, the anticipation surrounding these two fights is as big as when the tournament first started in February.

The co-main event features not only a contrast of styles, but of fighters as well. On one end you have a highly experienced former UFC champion in Josh ‘The Baby-Faced Assassin’ Barnett (29-5, 7 KO’s 17 subs), while his opponent Brett ‘The Grim’ Rogers (11-2, 9 KO’s 1 sub) is still an inexperienced green knockout artist. On paper, this should be a no contest, but that’s why fights are played out in the cage and not on paper; in the cage, anything can happen.

The key here is for Barnett to avoid Rogers’s big punches while he goes for a clinch and an eventual takedown. On the ground Barnett has a decisive advantage as can be witnessed by his 17 submission wins along with a vicious ground and pound attack. If Rogers can avoid being taken down and keep the fight standing, then he has more than a puncher’s chance. That is assuming his conditioning is up to par, which he claims it is.

That is one of two big questions surrounding Rogers, the other being, how much has he worked on his ground game? As for Barnett, the big question that always follows him now is regarding performance-enhancing drugs. A two-time loser in that department, only time will tell if he’s “cleaned” up his act. The other question for Barnett is regarding his age? He’s only 33, but he’s been fighting since 1997, so he’s an old 33 and hasn’t fought since July. How much will that impact him? I say not enough to lose, so I’m picking Barnett via submission in the second round.

In the main event, it is only the second fight in Strikeforce for Alistair ‘Demolition Man’ Overeem (34-11, 14 KO’s 19 subs), since he won the Strikeforce heavyweight title back in November, 2007. That is not to say he hasn’t been busy though. Since then he’s had nine fights going (8-0) with one no-contest. The only fight for Strikeforce in there was his only defense to date against Rogers where he obliterated the challenger in three plus minutes last year. He’s clearly at the top of his game right now, also winning the K-1 Heavyweight Title back on New Year’s Eve.

His opponent Fabricio ‘Vai Cavalo’ Werdum (14-4-1, 4 KO’s, 8 subs) comes in to this bout with a lot of mystique and confidence behind him. It was almost a year ago to the day that Werdum stole that very mystique, which surrounded the great Fedor Emelianenko, when he tapped the ‘Last Emperor’ in just over a minute. Besides the confidence from that win, he also holds the distinction of a win over Overeem, five years ago when they fought in the Pride Fighting Championships over in Japan.

However, in the five years since that loss, Werdum has suffered some critical losses along the way, while Overeem (pictured above) has clearly refined his game and become a top five heavyweight in the world. Two simple questions here are, can Werdum avoid Overeem’s striking onslaught and can Overeem avoid being taken down by the jiu-jitsu wizard? I say Overeem is much better all-around than he was five years ago, thus he will avoid the takedown and destroy his worthy opponent; possibly finishing him in the first round. Don’t blink, these two can end that fast.

UFC 131: Dos Santos & Florian prove their worth

2011-06-12T07:35:00.000-07:00

At UFC 130 last month, it seemed as though I couldn't get any predictions right. However, that was not the case last night as I had called that both Junior Dos Santos (pictured at left) and Kenny Florian would win in their respective fights and they held true to form. With that, Dos Santos (13-1, 8 KO's 3 subs) has now officially earned a title shot against current UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, while Florian has made those same intentions known in the featherweight (145 lbs.) division. "I'm here to prove I'm one of the best featherweights in the world and earn a shot at the title," Florian said.

In the main event, while I had predicted a win for Dos Santos, I had also stated someone would get knocked out; whether it would be him or his opponent Shane Carwin (12-2, 7 KO's 5 subs). Granted it didn't happen, but the way Carwin's face looked after three rounds of punishment at the hands of JDS, he probably wished it did. Dos Santos battered Carwin at will throughout using superior boxing skills, almost finishing him at the end of the first round by unleashing a vicious ground and pound attack when he stunned and dropped Carwin with a thunderous left hook. At the end of the first, Carwin's face was a bloody mess.

Yet Carwin, withstood the barrage of punches for nearly 40 seconds, got up and continued. Unable to breath through what appeared to look like a broken nose and cut under both eyes, the former interim heavyweight champ showed the heart of Rocky Balboa against Apollo Creed as he stalked Dos Santos for two more rounds to the finish. He even mustered a takedown or two, but he couldn't do anything once he got there; Dos Santos's athleticism proved too much for the bigger Carwin.

In the post fight interview, Joe Rogan told JDS he had officially earned a shot at the champion Velasquez, who is currently recovering from shoulder surgery. Velasquez was in attendance and when asked by Rogan what he thought about Dos Santos's performance and how he felt about fighting his future opponent, Velasquez's response was, "he was typical Dos Santos here tonight." "I look forward to challenging myself against a great opponent such as him."

In the co-main event, the big question was, how would the cut to 145 lbs. affect Kenny Florian? Answer, it had no effect as Florian (14-5, 3 KO's 9 subs) looked better than ever as he won convincingly against a dangerous Diego Nunes (16-2, 5 KO's 6 subs). Convincingly is a deceiving word, as Nunes looked like he may be too much for Florian at the beginning, beating him to the punch and kick and even dropping him at the end of the first round with a combination. However, after that it was all 'Ken-Flo', as he used superior wrestling, striking and surprisingly conditioning to defeat the much younger featherweight.

Florian may not have to wait long for his shot at current 145 lbs. champion Jose Aldo as timing is everything. Chad 'Money' Mendes was most likely the next challenger, but when Aldo's nagging back injury forced Mendes to either wait or take a fight, he chose the latter, defeating Michihiro Omigawa in February. Now with Florian in the mix after a strong dominant performance and a much more appealing opponent for the flashy Aldo, UFC President Dana White jokingly quipped, "more than likely," when asked is Florian next in line for a title shot.

Florian, who is 0-2 in title fights at lightweight (155 lbs.), may find that the third time, now at 145, is the charm. One other quick note on last night's fights, something has to be done about the judging in mixed martial arts. Some of the scoring last night was downright criminal. Middleweight (185 lbs.) Mark Munoz defeated Demian Maia via unanimous decision in a very close fight that I actually had Maia winning two rounds to one.

I can accept that Munoz won, however I cannot accept that he won all three rounds on one judge's card. How that judge, or anyone for that matter, could score the first round for Munoz, where Maia clearly pressed the action, surprising Munoz with precision punching throughout and even hurting him clearly in that round is ridiculous? Don't believe me, just listen to what Dana White said afterwards, "I don't know what the *&%@ in the world that guy was seeing. He should never judge a fight again, ever."

TUF 13 Finale Review/UFC 131 Preview

2011-06-04T17:07:00.000-07:00

Leave it to the up and comers and hungry want to be's to pick up the slack for the UFC after last weekend's sub-par UFC 130 card. TUF 13 finalists Tony 'El Cucuy' Ferguson and Ramsey Nijem, along with lightweight contenders Clay 'The Carpenter' Guida (pictured at left) and Anthony 'Showtime' Pettis did what the headliners last week couldn't do; excite the crowd. With that, we have a new TUF tournament champion and a potential number one contender for the lightweight (155 lbs.) championship.

First, in the main event of the evening, Ferguson (11-2, 7 KO's 3 subs), a participant in season 13 of 'The Ultimate Fighter' (TUF) reality series, became this season's champ with a slick and convincing first round knockout over fellow TUF alum Nijem (4-2, 1 KO, 2 subs). Ferguson, a welterweight (170 lbs.) who fights out of Oxnard, California, a legendary hotbed for boxing, displayed those same boxing skills in picking apart his opponent and eventually landing a crushing left hook to the jaw. Ferguson was representing ailing UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar who was his coach on the show.

Meanwhile Nijem, who was representing number one heavyweight contender Junior Dos Santos, never got a chance to put to use the dominant wrestling skills that helped propel him to the finals. In winning, Ferguson secures a guaranteed six-figure contract with the UFC. Neither Lesnar, nor Dos Santos were present at the event due to Lesnar recovering from his second bout with Diverticulitis and Dos Santos preparing for his big fight next weekend, which I'll preview below.

While in the main event, it was a case of the striker defeating the wrestler, just the opposite happened in the co-main event. In that fight, it was the grappler Guida who was able to implement his wrestling and use it to garner a unanimous three-round decision over Pettis. Pettis, the last World Extreme Cagefighting Champion, did all he could to live up to his nickname 'Showtime', even attempting a roundhouse kick to the face off his back, but it wasn't enough to combat Guida's relentless ground and pound attack.

Guida (29-11, 4 KO's, 11 subs), a fan favorite because of his non-stop energetic frantic style, is now riding a four-fight win streak, including three submission finishes, and has propelled himself right in line to potentially fight the winner of Frankie Edgar-Gray Maynard III. That fight of course will be for the lightweight championship of the world. Meanwhile Pettis (13-2, 5 KO's, 6 subs) at only 24 years of age, even with the loss remains at the top tier of the division as he continues to evolve his exciting game.

Now, onto the big boys and UFC 131 next Saturday June 11; this will feature heavyweight contenders Shane Carwin and the aforementioned Junior Dos Santos in the main event. Don't sleep, let alone blink on this one, because I anticipate it will not last long. Dos Santos (12-1, 8 KO's 3 subs) is undefeated in six fights in the UFC, winning all but one via TKO. Originally scheduled to fight Lesnar before he became ill, he now faces Carwin who possesses the exact record at (12-1, 7 KO's 5 subs).

Carwin is far from a throw in replacement, as he is a former interim world champion and possesses a very similar fighting style to Lesnar. I truly believe one punch is going to determine the outcome of this fight and it can easily come from either fighter, but I am predicting in the end it will be Dos Santos who will be left standing. While the book is still out on whether or not Dos Santos can fight off his back, which is a strong possibility against Carwin the wrestler that is still a mystery.

Meanwhile, we have seen a flaw in Carwin's game when he gassed against Lesnar and ended up getting submitted. According to Carwin, he has addressed this issue by changing his nutrition and training regimen. However, it is that one flaw and the fact that I believe Dos Santos is the better boxer that I give him the nod here.

One other fight I am looking forward to on this card features former lightweight contender Kenny 'Ken-Flo' Florian (13-5, 3 KO's, 9 subs) who will be making his featherweight (145 lbs.) debut. His opponent will be natural featherweight contender Diego 'The Gun' Nunes (16-1, 5 KO's, 6 subs). These are two Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu stylists with a wide array of striking skills as well. It will be interesting to see whether Florian can be as effective at 145 and whether Nunes can deal with Florian's size and experience; my pick is Florian by decision. We'll find out soon enough, enjoy the fights.

Memories are good, but good memories are great!

2011-06-03T20:19:00.000-07:00

My how time flies when you're having fun? No other time that I can recall have those words ever been more prophetic than a week ago. It was at that time that I was in Las Vegas for the sole purpose of hanging with the Junkie Nation (pictured at left) to celebrate the 1000th show of MMA Junkie Radio.

If for some reason you are unaware as to what and who MMA Junkie Radio is and more importantly, what and who Junkie Nation is, let me explain? MMA Junkie Radio or Junkie Radio is the number one internet radio show covering the sport of mixed martial arts. Junkie Nation are the hosts and crew of that show along with their legion of loyal listeners, of which I am one; and as you can see, only one of many. However, this is more than just a show and its listeners, this is a family.

Four years ago, Gorgeous George, Goze and Jenny from the Block, took their passion as MMA fans one step beyond and started a radio show covering this sport we all love. They did it to fill a void that was left when the late great Ryan Bennett, host of Soundoff Radio, was tragically killed in an auto accident. Little did they know that what they started on a whim, would soon become their livelihood and for us an integral part of our lives. Since that time, these three, along with John Morgan, reporter extraordinaire, have become not only our daily MMA fix, but our good and close friends.

Thus, the reason that last weekend we converged on Sin City to celebrate with our brothers and sister. BTW, for me, I don't use that term lightly, but rather as a term of endearment because GG, Goze and Jenny have come to mean that much to me in the last couple of years as personally their friendship has become something very special. Obviously, I'm not the only one that feels that way as the above photo just captures a portion of the people in attendance, which made the weekend that much more memorable.

The people I met last week and in the last couple of years, from all over the world, are not only genuinely good people, but have become personal friends. Last week, we got together to rejoice in laughter and happiness and engage in the following activities. We bowled at The Red Rock Casino, fired weapons; yes we shot guns at the famous Gun Store and played basketball on the campus of UNLV. On top of that we enjoyed MMA fights and action together both Friday and Saturday nights at Tuff 'n' Uff and from the UFC.

In between all this fun and activity, we ate and drank too; you name it and we, as a whole of different parts, claimed it. From the simple dollar menu of Mickey D's to the Brazilian Barbecue of Texas de Brazil we ate to our hearts content. As for engaging in spirits, let's just say 'Slick Rick da Fish' wasn't the only one partaking in that venture. Finally, this special weekend was capped off by a private party at the 'Eye Candy' lounge in Mandalay Bay. The only possible drawback to this was the reality that the party meant this dream weekend was coming to an end.

I could go on and on about how fantastic my weekend in Vegas was, but I won't because it would take too much time. I can point out individuals and their moments that made me smile and laugh throughout, but I won't because there were too many to name them all. I will just say that there are moments in ones life that are so special, a person carries it with them for as long as they live. Those are memories and "memories are good, but good memories are great." This was a good memory.

UFC 130: Fireworks end in a dud

2011-05-31T05:03:00.000-07:00

UFC 130 may have started out with fireworks, but when and where it really counted, it ended with a dud. I guess that’s what happens when you lose your scheduled main event weeks before the event. Originally going to be headlined by the third fight between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard for the lightweight championship, injuries forced the cancellation of that fight. That left light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) contenders Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson (32-8, 14 KO’s 7 subs) and Matt ‘The Hammer’ Hamill (10-3, 6 KO’s) to pick up the slack and they didn’t.

I originally predicted Hamill could and would defeat Jackson (pictured at left), based solely on the blueprint Rashad Evans laid out for wrestlers, which he used one year prior, on how to beat the former champion. However, Hamill, a former division three national champion wrestler, was unable to do the same. As a matter of fact, Jackson was never in danger at all throughout the fight of being taken down.

That left the fight standing, where Jackson had a decisive advantage, and he used it effectively. Yet, Hamill was never in any serious trouble throughout, thus causing Jackson to win a lackluster unanimous decision. The 12,000+ in attendance, which is another issue, voiced their displeasure and apparently UFC President Dana White did not disagree. Part of that emotion came from what he was already feeling after the co-main event.

Heavyweights Frank Mir (15-5, 3 KO’s 8 subs), a former two-time champion, and Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson (15-6, 8 KO’s 5 subs), both fighting in their hometown, did not do much to win their hometown fans over. Nelson especially, who weighed in @ 260 lbs, looked out of shape, more than normal, and unmotivated throughout. Mir meanwhile, did take the fight to Nelson, but didn’t do much to try and finish it. This resulted in another lopsided unanimous decision win for Mir.

To say Dana White was initially displeased with the way this fight played out is an understatement. In his post fight press conference on Saturday night he berated Mir by saying, “Frank Mir has been a two-time world champion. He’s been around a long time. He’s a super talented guy and I expect more from him.” However, he softened his stance a bit on the former champion 24 hours later when he said, “I was a little harsh on Mir. He came into that fight with the perfect gameplan, and he nailed Roy with some big shots. Mir dominated that fight from start to finish, and he deserves some credit for that."

As for the undercard, there was some excitement as All-American light-heavyweight Brian Stann (11-3, 8 KO’s, 1 sub) continued his winning ways by destroying Jorge Santiago (23-9, 9 KO’s, 12 subs) via TKO from punches in bunches in the second round. Also, in the battle of the twin towers, heavyweight contender 6’7” Travis ‘Hapa’ Browne (11-0-1, 9 KO’s 1 subs) garnered the KO of the night bonus for his highlight reel “Superman Punch” knockout over 6’11” Stefan ‘Skyscraper’ Struve (21-5, 5 KO’s 14 subs) in the first round.

The other bout on the undercard featured a welterweight (170 lbs.) tilt between contenders Rick ‘Horror’ Story (13-3, 3 KO’s 3 subs) and Thiago ‘Pitbull’ Alves (18-8, 11 KO’s 1 sub). What had the potential to be a dynamite fight, turned out to be another dud as Story dominated Alves with his wrestling and gutted out a unanimous three round decision victory. The win now propels Story though, riding a six-fight win streak, to the top tier of the division and a potential match-up with fellow wrestler and number one contender Jon Fitch.

Bellator review/UFC preview

2011-05-22T04:42:00.000-07:00

One ends and another begins; it's not just the cycle of life, but the cycle of MMA as well. With the completion of Bellator's fourth season we are also on the cusp of UFC 130 in Las Vegas, where I'll be in just a few days taking in all the festivities. However, before then, I'll take a quick look back on this season's Bellator highlights and preview next weekend's big fights.

Bellator Fighting Championships mantra, "where title shots are earned, not given," was never more evident than this past Saturday night when their first ever light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) champion was crowned. Known for creating new MMA stars by giving relative unknowns an opportunity in their tournaments, Bellator appears to have found just that in Christian M'Pumbu (18-3-1, 7 KO's 8 subs). The French fighter, by way of the Democratic Republic of Congo, became the first African born champion in any major MMA organization Saturday night the same way he got to the finals, by TKO.

M'Pumbu (pictured above), AKA known as 'Tonton', hits like a "ton" of bricks as he knocked out all three of his opponents in Bellator's first ever light-heavyweight tournament to become champion; pretty impressive considering he literally walks around no higher than 200 lbs. Other tournament winners this season who've earned title shots in their respective divisions include Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire who will get a chance to avenge his only loss next season when he faces off against featherweight (145 lbs.) champ Joe Warren.

Another future star in the making, former All-American wrestler Michael Chandler, punched his ticket, (no pun intended), to the lightweight (155 lbs.) championship against one of the sports best in champion Eddie Alvarez. Finally, in the welterweight (170 lbs.) tournament, it was an early "thoroughbred" veteran favorite, Jay Hieron, who came out on top with an opportunity at a world title against current champ Ben Askren. With season four, the first on MTV2, another successful one and with the above listed title fights on tap along with more tournaments in store, season five in Bellator looks like it will be even bigger and better.

Looking towards next weekend, the UFC comes back to its home base in Vegas, with UFC 130 and another big card, literally. Oddly enough, it would've been even bigger had it not been for the loss of two little guys. The original main event, the lightweight championship and third fight between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard had to be scratched because of injuries to both during training. That bumps a light-heavyweight contender bout to the main event and a huge, in more ways than one, heavyweight fight to co-main status.

Former light-heavyweight champ Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson (31-8, 14 KO's 7 subs) steps back into the octagon for the first time in six months since his split decision win against Lyoto Machida, to take on former 'Ultimate Fighter' alum, Matt' The Hammer' Hamill (10-2, 6 KO's). Hamill, the former three-time division-three national wrestling champion, is riding a five-fight winning streak and while it may not be the popular opinion, I expect him to do the same here. Rampage, who packs the power to put anyone to sleep with one punch, has not shown a willingness to expand his game and that will be his downfall here.

Rashad Evans, also a former collegiate wrestler, showed the formula exactly one year ago, on how to use wrestling to defeat Jackson and I believe Hamill will employ more of the same. Unless Rampage has worked on his wrestling and takedown defense, I see Hamill with an improved stand-up game, avoiding the big shot and taking one of his own, literally, over and over again to grind out a decision. If that happens, Hamill will be right on course to eventually meet up with current champ Jon 'Bones' Jones, who Jones was handling quite easily before losing via disqualification for illegal elbow strikes.

In the co-main event, it's a "huge" Vegas showdown when former heavyweight champion Frank Mir (14-5, 3 KO's 8 subs) takes on the man known as 'Big Country', Roy Nelson (15-5, 8 KO's, 5 subs). While both are big men, usually coming in right under the 265 lbs. limit, they are both agile and mobile in their fighting styles. Mir, who stands 6'4", looks more proportionate for the weight class, while Nelson at 6 foot even, looks like someone who you'd typically see at the end of the bar on a Friday afternoon. However, don't let that fool you; Nelson is a skilled fighter who knows exactly how to use his weight.

Mir knows this all too well as he lost to Nelson in a Jiu-Jitsu tournament a few years back. Both are high-level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts with very heavy hands, thus making this a very intriguing match-up that can go either way. Therefore, my decision is being made solely on the one factor I see separating the two, heart. While Mir has stepped in to the cage 19 times and has faced the best the division has to offer, for some reason, I've always felt he's lacked something emotionally. Not sure what it is, but it's there and it's something I know Nelson has, which is why I'll pick him to defeat Mir via TKO.

One punch by Mir can end this whole discussion and make me look bad, but that is what makes this sport so great. It is also why I'll be in Vegas this week to catch all the action live when it goes down. Hopefully, it will live up to the hype I've predicted, but if not I'll be in Sin City, so I'll have fun regardless. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but I'll be back next week to tell you all about it; the fights that is.

Silva's biggest threat may not be in the UFC

2011-05-15T06:59:00.001-07:00

With a (28-4, 16 KO's, 5 subs) record, UFC middleweight champion Anderson 'The Spider' Silva is arguably the number one fighter in the world right now. Therefore, it's safe to say he's without question the best middleweight in the world; or is he? Step in Bellator middleweight champion Hector 'Lightning' Lombard (29-2-1, 16 KO's 6 subs), quite possibly Silva's biggest threat at 185 pounds who is not in the UFC.

Standing at only 5'9", the five inches in height he gives up to Anderson Silva may just be the only disadvantage the man AKA Shango would have against 'The Spider'. Lombard, a 2000 Judo Olympian, won his 22nd in 23 fights, with the only blemish being a draw, including 18 in a row, with a third round crushing knockout over Falaniko Vitale (29-10, 9 KO's 16 subs) in a non-title fight Saturday night. That is compared to 14 wins in a row for Silva in just about the same time period. So, what's the difference; level of competition?

Silva's compiled that record over five years with the majority of those fights taking place in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which boasts the best talent laden middleweight roster in the world. Meanwhile, Lombard, in nearly five years, besides Bellator has fought in the Cage Fighting Championships promotion out of Australia, where he is also the middleweight champion, and Warrior's Realm. Yet, what Lombard may lack in the form of competition, he more than makes up for in every other facet.

Besides being an Olympic Judoka and multi-world Judo champion, Lombard is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under Marcus 'Conan' Silviera of American Top Team, whose direct black belt lineage goes to the late great Carlson Gracie, Sr. himself. Also, as can be seen in the photo above, Lombard is powerfully built and knows exactly how to use that power when it comes to striking as can be noted by his 16 KO's. It took only one perfectly placed short right hand to the jaw to put Vitale on Queer Street Saturday night. He fell not once, but twice from the same punch; this to a guy who's only been KO'ed five times in 39 fights.

Silva meanwhile is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under the renowned Nogueira brothers and his striking ability is unparalleled. A beautiful technical boxer with precise fast hands and leg kicks that are just as lethal, along with a devastating Muay Thai game, 'The Spider' has the perfect build for his style. With his wiry frame and long limbs, he is equally adept standing as he is on the ground. This is the reason why I think a fight between these two would be a great match-up.

Too bad we'll never get to see it though. As long as the UFC refuses to co-promote, and let's face it they don't need to, Lombard will have to settle for fights with very good, but not great opponents. Thus, he'll continue to toil in relative obscurity to the casual MMA community and will never be considered on Silva's level. That's a shame and a loss for MMA hard cores because Silva's biggest threat may not be in the UFC.

"You are the true pound for pound King"

2011-05-07T22:33:00.000-07:00

"You are the true pound for pound King." Note, that quote is not mine, although I concur 100%, but that quote came from Shane Mosley directly to Manny Pacquiao immediately after their fight Saturday night. With a swollen face and looking all of his 39 years of age in the ring, Mosley had nothing but praise for the best fighter in the world who wears boxing gloves; which is a whole other issue I will get too momentarily. Meanwhile, Pacquiao remains his always humble, but infinitely supreme self in the ring.

Although I did not write a formal preview for this fight, I did predict publicly via social media that I thought Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KO's) would win this fight via late round TKO, after beating down Mosley (46-7-1, 39 KO's) and would force him into retirement. The TKO never came, but the beat down was evident and although Mosley did not announce he was retiring, he went from being 'Sugar Shane' to 'Sweet 'n' Low Shane' three fights ago. Pacquiao meanwhile, responded to Jim Gray in his post-fight interview when asked, why he could not finish Shane after an early round knockdown; "my legs started to stiffen up on me. I don't know why, but this happened to me once before during the Marquez fight."

Of course everyone wants to finally see Pacquiao fight Floyd Mayweather, Jr., but personally I don't care at this point and I believe Manny doesn't either. Mayweather has not fought since he defeated Mosley over a year ago. Also, when Gray asked Pacquiao how he feels about it, his response was simply, "I only want the fight to happen because that is what the people want. I am here to make the people happy." In other words, he could care less at this point.

On the undercard, the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry is alive and well as Mexican Jorge 'Travieso' Arce (57-6-2, 44 KO's) upset former WBO super bantamweight champion Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr. (20-1-1, 17 KO's). Vasquez from Bayamon, Puerto Rico lost via TKO in the 12th and final round. However, this was a TKO solely because Arce appeared to have Vasquez in trouble against the ropes. After taking many shots, but throwing back as well, Vasquez's trainer, his father, a three-division former world champion, threw in the towel with two minutes left in the fight. A fight that was close in many people's eyes, including the judges.

I argue that this was a mistake for one reason. While I agree Vasquez, Jr. was clearly in trouble, at that point I felt that Vasquez, Sr. was not acting as a trainer, but rather as a father. I have no problem with a father protecting his son, but if that is the case, then your decision is not professional, but personal and I don't feel both can mesh in this game of boxing. Junior was clearly upset with his father in the corner for stopping the fight and it would not surprise me to see a change of trainer's from here on out.

In the fight prior to this, former middleweight champion Kelly 'The Ghost' Pavlik (37-2, 32 KO's) successfully came back from a stint in rehabilitation for alcoholism, although I do not agree with the decision. In a fight against previously undefeated super-middleweight prospect Alfonso Lopez (21-1, 16 KO's), Pavlik scored a majority decision victory. However, in a fight that was very close, I will point out that Lopez defeated Pavlik in every punch statistical category featured after the fight. Yet, one judge scored it 95-95, which shows how close it was, but the other two scores were 98-92 and 99-91 in a fight I and many others had Lopez winning.

This judging fiasco along with one other issue really ruined an otherwise entertaining night of fights for me. In all three fights mentioned above, I noticed a trend that's been going on quite a while now; in each fight, the competitors wore different brand gloves. I have an issue with this and I'll explain why. Whether they are made by Everlast, Grant, Reyes etc., every glove weighs the same and are sanctioned by the athletic commission, but that doesn't mean the playing field is the same. If each manufacturer makes their product differently than the other, then who is to say that one glove doesn't have some form of advantage over the other.

Though they may weigh the same, the padding may be slightly different. One may be more prone to cause thumb injuries to the eye, than the other. One brand may actually allow a fighter to scientifically have a speed advantage over the other. There was a time when both fighters were required to wear the same glove in a fight, when did that suddenly change? A friend of mine said to me Saturday night, "a glove is a glove isn't it?" My response was simply, "that's like saying Nike's are the same as Reject's/Bobo's; need I say more?"

UFC 129: Hype as a whole becomes reality

2011-04-30T15:30:00.000-07:00

Toronto, Canada was the location of the largest crowd in UFC history, 55,000+, and they were not disappointed as one of the greatest cards ever assembled on paper delivered in person. All the way from the first fight on the prelims to the main event of the evening, this card lived up to the hype that was expected. Canadian fighters, born or based, won six of ten fights on the card, including, most importantly, Georges St. Pierre's defense of his welterweight (170 lbs.) title.

St. Pierre (22-2, 8 KO's 5 subs), in typical GSP fashion, went the distance and won a unanimous decision over Jake Shields (26-5-1, 3 KO's 10 subs), but may have garnered more criticism in the process. Constantly berated for not being a finisher, although I call it fighting smart, St. Pierre didn't do anything to disprove those claims. GSP looked crisp early with his striking, but became more reserved as the fight progressed after his left eye began to bother him in the third round. After the fight he said, "I can't see out of my left eye; all I see is a blur."

Meanwhile, Shields, whose only real chance was to take GSP to the ground, made no attempts to do such other than catching his left leg a few times when St. Pierre threw round kicks. Surprisingly, Shields did bust up St. Pierre's face a bit, but GSP was never in trouble throughout the fight. It looked as though Shields was content just to be fighting for the championship, instead of winning it. It was Shields first loss in seven years, while it was St. Pierre's ninth win in a row in the last four years.

In the co-main event of the evening, the featherweight (145 lbs.) championship, champion Jose Aldo (19-1, 12 KO's 2 subs) won a unanimous decision, but got all he could he handle from challenger Mark Hominick (20-9, 8 KO's, 8 subs). While Aldo won the first four rounds pretty clearly, he was exposed somewhat by Hominick's boxing; especially getting caught regularly with straight left jabs. I don't want to say ring rust was a factor, but it was obvious Aldo was exhausted by the end as in the last round Hominick took him down with four minutes left and pretty much beat on him.

I guess no one will ever joke again that The Karate Kid's Crane technique doesn't work; just ask former five-time UFC champion Randy Couture (19-11, 7 KO's 4 subs). Couture, the 47 year old marvel of MMA and freak of nature got KO'ed by said Crane technique as former light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) champion Lyoto Machida (17-2, 6 KO's 2 subs) caught him with a perfect jump front kick to the chin in the second round. Machida ends a two-fight skid while Couture officially announced "this was it," when asked if he was finally retiring by Joe Rogan. Thanks for the memories Randy; you are truly a living legend.

In the first fight of the pay-per-view, former WEC lightweight (155 lbs.) champion Ben Henderson (13-2, 2 KO's, 8 subs) went into Toronto and won a unanimous decision over hometown boy Mark Bocek (9-4, 1 KO, 7 subs). Displaying a perfect all-around game of punches, kicks and knees along with an excellent ground game, Henderson nullified any attempts Bocek had in his great submission game. Henderson at only 27 years old looks to be a factor in the lightweight division.

Finally, for those that didn't catch the prelims that were shown on Facebook, you missed some exciting action. Four of the five fights all finished within the first and second round via two knockouts and two submissions. These were highlighted by a sweet spinning back fist KO from Canadian John Makdessi over Kyle Watson; also, fellow Canadian Jason McDonald's beautiful first round triangle choke submission on Ryan Jensen.

UFC 129: St. Pierre vs. Shields Preview

2011-04-23T14:49:00.000-07:00

One whole week before UFC 129 may be a bit early for a preview, but as the event draws nearer, one can feel the magnitude of this upcoming card. Not only is it taking place in Toronto, Canada, which is the home country of welterweight (170 lbs.) champion Georges St. Pierre, but it may very well be the last time we see MMA legend Randy Couture compete in the cage. All this, plus the debut of featherweight (145 lbs.) champion Jose Aldo and it's understood why UFC 129 may be the biggest card of the year so far in the UFC and possibly all of MMA.

The main event alone is an exciting one that is being looked forward to with much anticipation. That is because it features arguably the most popular fighter in the sport today, St. Pierre (21-2, 8 KO's 5 subs) defending his title against quite possibly his toughest test to date Jake Shields. Shields (26-4-1, 3 KO's 10 subs), is a former 5x World Champion in every major organization outside the UFC, including both Strikeforce and EliteXC. He's also a decorated jiu-jitsu black belt under renowned trainer Cesar Gracie. That is why I find it so difficult to believe that Shields is such a huge underdog.

If St. Pierre has one advantage on Shields it's in the stand-up game where GSP's Kyokushin Karate and boxing background make him far superior than Shields with both his hands and feet. However, when it comes to the ground game, as proficient as St. Pierre is in both wrestling and jiu-jitsu, where he is also a black belt under Bruno Fernandes, I have to give the advantage to Shields. A former college All-American wrestler from Cuesta College in California and highly decorated jiu-jitsu practitioner, Shields has fused wrestling into his jiu-jitsu game, thus describing his style as 'American Jiu-Jitsu'.

Yet, as evenly matched as they are, I predict St. Pierre will be the victor here in a late round TKO via ground and pound. Why? As experienced as Shields is, this is only his second fight in the UFC and first in the main event. He has recently stated he did not realize all the media demands that a fight of this stature in the UFC requires and I think inevitably GSP's experience in the octagon, 17 fights in seven years, will prove the difference. I think Shields will wear out by the fourth or fifth round under the pressure and get caught under a barrage of punishment from St. Pierre that will force the referee to stop the fight. Bold prediction considering GSP has not won a fight via stoppage in over two years.

As for Couture (19-10, 7 KO's 4 subs), the 47 year old marvel looks like he's finally decided this will be his last hurrah. He's been hinting at retirement after his last couple of fights after coming out of his first retirement four years ago to win back the UFC heavyweight championship for a second time against Tim Sylvia. A former two-time light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) champion as well, that is where he will fight his last fight against another former champ Lyoto 'The Dragon' Machida.

Machida (16-2, 5 KO's 2 subs) is coming off two straight defeats in 2010, the only two of his career and suddenly finds himself at a crossroads for the first time in his career. As great as Couture is at game planning and figuring out fighter's that possess unique styles, such as Machida's Karate/counter-striking style, I think he will end his career with a loss as he did the first time. I think Machida will see the faults in his laid back approach, implement a much more aggressive demeanor and win a close decision against one of the all-time greats of the sport.

Hard to believe that the exciting and flashy Aldo (18-1, 12 KO's, 2 subs) isn't getting much attention on this card, but that's what tends to happen when you're out of sight, out of mind. However, if he holds true to form after coming back from a neck injury, the UFC fans are in for a special treat. The UFC's first and only featherweight champion is the number one featherweight and consensus number three pound-for-pound fighter in the world for good reason. This 24 year old kid has decimated the competition in his weight class.

Step up Mark 'The Machine' Hominick (20-8, 9 KO's 7 subs), winner of his last five fights in a row. At 29 years of age, Hominick is a true veteran of this sport fighting his first fight before his 20th birthday. A well-rounded fighter who is part of highly recognized 'Team Tompkins', Hominick would be favored against just about any other featherweight in the world. However, against Aldo I don't see it happening.

Unless the injury has caused Aldo to suffer some ring rust or his first fight ever in the UFC can cause the champ to have the well known first time octagon jitters, I see Aldo finishing Hominick within the first two rounds. His devastating Muay Thai style has caused fighters to fold under kicks, knees, elbows and anything else he can throw. Also, a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from famed Nova Uniao and a member of the great 'Blackhouse' team, there's just too much here for Hominick to overcome. Don't blink as this fight along UFC 129 should live up to the hype and be fast and furious.

Living up to legacy of welterweight royalty

2011-04-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

With a relatively light weekend of MMA, my focus shifts to boxing this weekend where an intriguing welterweight championship fight turned out to be so much more. Former WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto (27-1, 21 KO's) lost his title last night to a hungry and much more determined Victor Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KO's), in what is an early candidate for fight of the year. Little did they know it at the time, but Berto and Ortiz were living up to a legacy of welterweight royalty that goes back thirty years.

One of the great pastimes of boxing has always been the debates that take place when people argue about fighters from different generations. In the Eddie Murphy movie 'Coming to America', this long standing tradition was hilariously featured in the barbershop scenes. However, I don't know if anyone ever has debated about an entire weight class of fighters from one generation to the next.

Downstairs in my "man cave", one of the various Ring magazine covers I have adorning the wall is a personal favorite which features the class of the welterweight division of the 90's. The cover photo includes former champions Felix Trinidad, Oscar De La Hoya, Ike Quartey and Pernell Whitaker. All sure fire Hall of Famers although some may disagree about Quartey, but I'd argue that with a 37-4 record over an 18 year career, look who the man lost too. De La Hoya, Fernando Vargas, Vernon Forrest and Ronald 'Winky' Wright; all champions he went the distance with and the last two in the last year of his storied career.

Yet as great as this class of welterweights were, I don't think even they come close to the legendary foursome we had in the early '80's. You want to talk Hall of Fame, how about 'Sugar' Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran and Wilfred Benitez. These four waged their own personal wars against each other throughout the '80's, beginning with Leonard vs. Benitez in late November 1979. The rivalries amongst one another continued as they eventually moved up and out of the welterweight division.

However, welterweights are what we're talking and I've only mentioned the absolute cream of the crop from the '80's and 90's. I didn't even throw out the next tier of names from both those decades, which included the likes of Pipino Cuevas, Mark Breland and Marlon Starling of the '80's; and in the '90's where you had James 'Buddy' McGirt and Wilfredo Rivera. Yet, just looking at the absolute best from both those decades, how well does this generation's welterweight class stack up?

Taking a look at the top you have Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, who I don't think anyone would argue could not hold their own in any era. Sprinkle in a little sugar with 'Sugar' Shane Mosely, a future Hall of Famer who has fought Mayweather and will fight Pacquiao next month. Finally, add the young stars Ortiz and Berto, who put on an exciting show last night and you, have quite a group. However, until Mayweather and Pacquiao step up and face each other the way Leonard and Hearns did in '81 (pictured above) and the way Trinidad and De la Hoya did in 1999 when they were both undefeated, this class will have difficulty living up to the legacy of welterweight royalty.

Top Ten in MMA; who and why?

2011-04-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

For years in boxing, the argument of who is the sport "pound for pound" best has always been waged. With the fast ascent of Mixed Martial Arts the last few years and the addition of more weight classes, that same argument is now waged in MMA. While this is strictly an opinionated matter and everyone has differing views, let me give you my take as to whom and more importantly why, I currently consider my top ten pound for pound best in MMA.

Across every one's list, there is little argument as to who is at the top; the only dispute you will find is who should be number one Anderson Silva or Georges St. Pierre (pictured above)? My choice is:

1.) Georges St. Pierre - UFC Welterweight (170 lbs.) Champion (21-2, 8 KO's 5 subs)

Arguably the sports most popular fighter, 'GSP' or Rush', as he is called, is at the top of his game. His last loss came exactly four years ago during his first title reign. Since that time he's reeled off eight straight wins against some of the sports best, including a title winning revenge victory against Matt Serra. His current streak is against a who's who within the division. If there is one argument against him, it's that he's only had three finishes in those eight victories. People construe it as being gun shy; I argue that he just fights smart. Not quite 30 years old yet, he is just hitting his prime.

2.) Anderson Silva - UFC Middleweight (185 lbs.) Champion (28-4, 16 KO's 5 subs)

Hard to imagine a fighter who has not lost in over five years and is currently riding a 14 fight win streak could be second in anything, but that is where I place 'The Spider'. A total package of dynamite, whether it is standing or on the ground, Silva has dominated the last five years, including a couple of non-title fights @ 205 lbs. However, his competition level, as a whole, over that time doesn't add up to St. Pierre's. Add to that, the fight against Sonnen where he lost 23 of 25 minutes, along with his very lackluster performance against Demian Maia and that is why he is second here.

3.) Jose Aldo - UFC Featherweight (145 lbs.) Champion (18-1, 12 KO's 2 subs)

Only 24 years old, this kid is a machine that destroys the competition. His last loss was in 2005; since then, 11 straight wins including seven finishes in his last eight fights. His only decision in that run was a complete decimation of renowned Urijah Faber. The last WEC featherweight champ, he's been hampered by injury lately, thus delaying his UFC debut. However, that will come in three weeks against Mark Hominick where the world should see what I'm talking about.

4.) Eddie Alvarez - Bellator Lightweight (155 lbs.) Champion (22-2, 12 KO's 7 subs)

I know I'll get some flack for this one, but in my opinion I rate him this high because I think he's currently the best lightweight in the world. Sure, people will argue he hasn't fought the greatest competition in Bellator, but that doesn't mean he's not better than his peers at this weight. With seven straight victories the last two plus years, he's had finishes in six of those fights, including dominating wins against former UFC cover boy Roger Huerta and highly respected Josh Neer. Extremely fast hands and feet well versed on the ground and built like a truck for this weight, my only hope is that someday he can prove what I already believe to be so.

5.) Jon Jones - UFC Light-Heavyweight (205 lbs.) Champion (13-1, 8 KO's 3 subs)

Nicknamed 'Bones', Jones should be nicknamed 'Freak', because at a legit 6'4" and a UFC historic 84" wingspan, he is a freak of nature for this weight class. Granted, he just became champion, but he did so in convincing fashion over one of the unquestioned best in the world. With only 14 fights, over half have been in the UFC, where he's dominated the competition, and his only loss was a disqualification in a fight he was easily winning. It won't be long before he's challenging for number one on this list.

6.) Nick Diaz - Strikeforce Welterweight Champion (24-7, 12 KO's 8 subs)

The first of three Cesar Gracie fighters in this list, Diaz may be the only legit challenger outside the UFC to St. Pierre at 170 lbs. and with the recent purchase of Strikeforce by Zuffa, we may actually see it happen somewhere down the line. A former UFC stalwart, Diaz has grown immensely as a fighter since his days in the Octagon. Currently on a nine fight win streak over three years, it should grow to ten before the nights over.

7.) Dominic Cruz UFC Bantamweight (135 lbs.) Champion (17-1, 6 KO's 1 sub)

He may be small in weight, but at 5'8", he is tall for this weight class. 'The Dominator' has been dominant over the best in the world in this division, suffering his only loss four years and nine wins ago against Urijah Faber at featherweight. Only 25 years old and getting better every fight, an eventual rematch with Faber may be imminent now that 'The California Kid' has dropped down to 135lbs.

8.) Frankie Edgar - UFC Lightweight Champion (13-1-1, 2 KO's 3 subs)

Much respect to Edgar, who is clearly a featherweight fighting @155lbs. He's handled everyone the UFC has thrown at him, including two wins over the legendary B.J. Penn. However, his only loss and draw are to the same man, Gray Maynard; some even argue he lost the second fight with Maynard. The two will settle the score in a third go round this summer. Alvarez's size and strength is why I rate him above Edgar at lightweight.

9.) Gilbert Melendez - Strikeforce Lightweight Champion (18-2, 10 KO's 1 sub)

The guy everyone would love to see Alvarez fight, 'El Nino' is a top flight grappler from the renowned Cesar Gracie camp. However, I don't think his stand-up game compares to Alvarez's and his competition level overall isn't much better either. Ironically, tonight he's defending his title against tough Tatsuya Kawajiri, but it will be his first fight in a year when he looked great against Dream lightweight champ Shinya Aoki. Thus, for these reasons is why I rate him the third best lightweight on this list.

10.) Jake Shields - UFC #1 Welterweight Contender (26-4-1, 3 KO's 10 subs)

The only non-champion on this list, that is only because he is a recent entry to the UFC. Shields has held world titles in five different organizations, most recently in Strikeforce. He is the third Cesar Gracie fighter on this list, which says something about their camp. Before you marvel at Silva's current win streak, Shields is riding 15 consecutive victories over six years. He will challenge St. Pierre in three weeks at UFC 129.

Before you ask how a top ten pound for pound list would not include at least one heavyweight, hear me out. UFC Champion Cain Velasquez, while great, still has had only nine pro fights. Strikeforce champ Alistair Overeem has not been active enough in MMA lately to merit consideration and Fedor Emelianenko who topped this list for years, has lost his last two fights in a row.

The Continuous Evolution of MMA

2011-04-02T10:34:00.000-07:00

When you have a sport that is barely over 17 years old, it's safe to assume that the ascension and evolution of that sport will grow at a rapid pace. However, when the sport is mixed martial arts, with so many different facets involved, it's even safer to assume that growth will be even faster. Yet, when you take a look at the continuous evolution of MMA, I don't think even the most hardcore fans could have imagined what we've witnessed in the last few months alone.

In November, 1993 when we first saw a tall lanky Brazilian named Royce Gracie disable and wrap up much larger opponents with an art form we were unfamiliar with, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, we were amazed. At the time, everyone figured after 65 years of the Gracie family practicing and perfecting their art, it could not get much better. Well, last weekend's MMA action, which produced two different submission of the year candidates in one night, proved that even now over 80 years old, BJJ is ever-evolving; such is the case with MMA.

After those early days of the UFC, when the sport was much more referred to as NHB or 'No Holds Barred', we knew changes were inevitable if the sport was going to survive. There was no way open hand tournaments with at least three fights in one night was going to last. So, just eight years later in 2001, Zuffa Entertainment takes over a fledgling sport and legitimizes it with rules and regulations recognized by the New Jersey State Athletic Commission.

Now equipped with weight classes, gloves and governing bodies across the U.S., MMA as we know it had finally reached its potential; or so we thought. Just four years later, the sport hits mainstream television with its own reality show, 'The Ultimate Fighter'. However, no one could have expected that the finalists of that first season, Forrest Griffin and Stephen Bonner, would put on arguably the greatest fight in the sports history and change the face of the sport. After this, there's no way things can get any better, or could they?

Forget the last five plus years, the last few months alone have shown that MMA and its athletes are far from reaching their full potential. Take the last World Extreme Cagefighting Lightweight (155 lbs.) champion, Anthony 'Showtime' Pettis. Just three and a half months ago, in the final fight in WEC history, 'Showtime' lived up to his name by pulling off a move in the fifth and final round of his championship winning fight against former champ Ben Henderson.

(Pictured above) Pettis, right in line with the heat of the action, in one fell swoop, jumped off the cage and threw a round kick with the same leg he used to jump off the cage with. His target, Henderson's face, was reached with precise accuracy; Henderson was dropped, while Pettis with the grace of a Ballerina pounced on his opponent. We as fans were left screaming because we had never seen anything like it. There's no way another kick could be as astounding; or could it?

Less than two months later, Anderson 'The Spider' Silva throws and knocks out Vitor Belfort with the front kick heard round the world. After a lackluster and cautious first three minutes of their fight, Silva surprised Belfort, who was weary of 'the Spider's hands', with a pinpoint front kick delivered directly to Belfort's Jaw. The result, a KO and our unified reaction of wow! Front kicks in MMA aren't necessarily a weapon of choice, unless you're a 'Spider' of course.

However, as mentioned above, the advancements have not been made in striking alone. Jiu-Jitsu is a science unto itself and its seemingly limitless potential was superbly displayed last week in both Bellator and the UFC respectively. 205 lb. Rich Hale pulled off the second inverted triangle choke we've seen in the last two years and 'The Korean Zombie' Chang Sung Jung won his fight with the first ever 'twister' submission in MMA competition. These fantastic finishes are all just part of the continuous evolution of MMA.

March Madness, MMA Style

2011-03-26T16:41:00.000-07:00

As I sit here typing, I am literally engulfed in the hype of March Madness. Yes, I've been watching all the excitement of the NCAA College Basketball Tournament, but right now I am enjoying March Madness MMA style. I am checking out the light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) tournament quarterfinals of Bellator 38 on MTV2, while at the same time watching the preliminary fights of UFC Fight Night 24 on Facebook. Yes, I am watching both events live, one on TV and the other on my computer. Can you tell I love MMA?

With the main card for the UFC still a couple of hours away, I'll start with Bellator and for those that did not bother to tune in, you missed a good one. A couple of upsets, a slick submission and a come from behind KO victory were all part of the first ever 205 lbs. tournament in Bellator's history. In the main event, Tim Carpenter (7-0, 3 subs) surprised everyone, but himself, as he won a split decision victory over celebrated jiu-jitsu world champion Daniel Gracie (5-3-1, 4 subs). In a very close fight throughout, it was Carpenter, not Gracie, who was the aggressor on the ground attempting numerous submissions.

The biggest upset of the night came in the third fight, where a back and forth battle saw relative unknown D.J. 'Da Protege' Linderman (9-1, 3 KO's 3 subs) take out the early favorite in this tourney Raphael 'Noodle' Davis (10-2, 2 KO's 7 subs). Early on, it looked like Davis was going to have it easy as he was drilling Linderman with knees from a Muay Thai clinch in the first round. However, Linderman had other ideas as his own vicious stand up attack finally took its toll in the third round. There, after an inadvertent low blow against Davis that caused a pause in the action, Linderman pummeled Davis with punches that eventually forced the referee to jump in and stop it.

The submission of the night, and early candidate for submission of the year, goes to Rich 'Rare Breed' Hale (16-3-1, 6 KO's 8 subs) for his inverted triangle choke on Nik 'The Machine' Fekete (4-1, 2 KO's) in less than two minutes of the first round. Fekete, shot in for the takedown and got it, but in a scramble, Hale landed on Fekete's back upside down and pulled off the move that made Toby Imada a household name in Bellator's first season. Ironically, in my preview of tonight's fights I posted a photo of Imada's inverted triangle against Jorge Masvidal.

In the first fight of the night, Christian 'Tonton' M'Pumbu (16-3-1, 5 KO's, 8 subs) won the battle of the Chris's with a come form behind third round TKO over Chris 'The Professional' Davis (10-3, 5 KO's, 5 subs). Although he held his own and attempted a couple of submissions in the first two rounds, he was clearly behind going into the third. Knowing that and seeing Davis all but riding on gas fumes, he turned up the intensity and finished Davis with punches in bunches forcing the ref to step in and stop the onslaught. Bellator continues to show strong with young up and coming talent and excellent matchmaking.

Light-heavyweights were also the feature in the main event of the UFC as once again it was a young lion pitted against a crafty veteran. This time the lion, Nittany Lion that is, 'Mr. Wonderful' Phil Davis (9-0, 2 KO's, 3 subs) won a lackluster unanimous decision over Antonio Rogerio 'Minotauro' Nogueira (19-5, 5 KO's 6 subs). Davis, a 2008 national champion from Penn State, used his wrestling to control the fight, but surprisingly it took a while. He was unsuccessful at numerous takedown attempts in the first round, but found his range in the second and third.

Muhammad Ali once quipped, "Rumble young man rumble" and that's just what welterweight (170lbs.) Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson (9-3, 6 KO's, 2 subs) did as he used his superior size and wrestling to outlast 'The Outlaw' Dan Hardy (23-9, 11 KO's, 4 subs). Johnson, coming back from a knee injury that sidelined him for 16 months, dominated all three rounds with a ground and pound attack for a unanimous decision victory. Hardy, who fought for the title almost a year ago to the day, has now lost his last three in a row.

Finally, picking up where they left off a year ago, featherweights (145 lbs.) Leonard 'Bad Boy' Garcia (15-7-1, 3 KO's 9 subs) and 'The Korean Zombie' Chang Sung Jung (11-3, 2 KO's 4 subs) put on another exciting fight with a different outcome. After losing a disputed split decision last year, Jung (pictured above) left no doubt this time around pulling off a rare Eddie Bravo 'Twister' submission with one second left in the second round. Incredible, two 'submission of the year' candidates in one night; that's March Madness, MMA style.

UFC vs. Bellator, which are you watching?

2011-03-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

Now that Strikeforce has been bought out by Zuffa Entertainment and is under UFC ownership that leaves only Bellator Fighting Championships as the only major promotion not under Dana White's control. In only its fourth season, Bellator may not be on UFC's level quite yet as far as finances and fighters, but it has made great strides and developed some young stars. So the question is which are you watching this weekend when they go head to head on free cable television?

Bellator, which gave us the memorable inverted triangle submission by Toby Imada on Jorge Masvidal (pictured above), continues it's fourth season, first on MTV2, this Saturday night. On tap (no pun intended) is their first ever light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) tournament quarterfinals. The UFC counters with 'Fight Night 24', which features a light-heavyweight main event between Antonio Rogerio 'Minotoro' Nogueira (19-4, 5 KO's, 6 subs) and 'Mr. Wonderful' Phil Davis (8-0, 2 KO's 3 subs).

The UFC Fight Night card, which will be live on Spike TV, has some other very attractive match-ups as the co-main event is a welterweight (170 lbs.) clash between contenders Dan 'The Outlaw' Hardy (23-8, 11 KO's 4 subs) and Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson (8-3, 6 KO's, 2 subs). Also, to start out the main card, it is a rematch of what I and many considered to be the 2010 Fight of the Year, when featherweight (145 lbs.) Leonard 'Bad Boy' Garcia (15-6-1, 3 KO's 9 subs) faces off against the 'Korean Zombie' Chang Sung Jung (10-3, 2 KO's, 3 subs).

All very evenly matched fights with some intriguing twists, I'm going to go with the following; in the main event I'm picking Phil Davis to overcome Nogueira's obvious experience and utilize his superior wrestling to get a unanimous decision. Because of his superior size, strength and athleticism, I'm taking 'Rumble' Johnson to knockout Dan Hardy, especially after Carlos Condit showed it was possible in Hardy's last fight. Finally, in a narrow split decision, I'm going with the 'Korean Zombie', mainly because I think he got robbed out of the same in last year's fight.

As for Bellator, their four quarterfinal fights include a bevy of young up and comers, which they are known for cultivating and creating. One fight that does interests me though is one that features two of the best prospects on this card as Tim Carpenter (6-0, 3 subs) takes on MMA Royalty of sorts. His opponent Daniel Gracie (5-2-1, 4 subs) is a member of the first family of Mixed Martial Arts. I'm going out on a limb here and picking Carpenter to finish Gracie via strikes. That's a light limb considering he has no KO's on his record, but the Gracies are notorious for being average at best with their stand-up game.

One other name to be on the lookout for in this light-heavyweight tournament is Raphael 'Noodle' Davis (10-1, 2 KO's 7 subs). Davis had two fights in Bellator last year winning both convincingly. However his opponent D.J. 'Da Protege' Linderman (8-1, 2 KO's, 3 subs) is a former heavyweight who use to fight around 250 lbs. The winner of this fight could be the dark horse in this tourney. I'm picking Davis based on the quality of past opponents. Who are you picking in these fights? Better yet, which are you watching?

UFC 128: The Beginning of the 'Bones' Era

2011-03-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

At UFC 128 Saturday night, the Tri-State area came out in droves and they were not disappointed. After representing strong last month at the Strikeforce event in East Rutherford, NJ, the Hudson River crowd invaded the Prudential Center in Newark. There, they witnessed history as Endicott, NY's own Jon 'Bones' Jones (13-1, 8 KO's 3 subs) became the youngest champion in UFC history.

Jones, in only his 14th pro fight and after just three years of training, completely dominated and decimated former light heavyweight (205 lbs.) champ Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua (19-5, 16 KO's 1 sub). Using all of his 6'4" frame, the man they call 'Bones' used everything in his arsenal including kicks, punches, elbows and wrestling to crush, kill and destroy Rua over two and half rounds. Rua had no answer for Jones's reach and his wrestling being put on the defensive the whole time. Even when he had Jones in his guard on the ground, Jones, unlike anyone else with his length, was able to throw punches and elbows to Rua face with impact.

Easily the next big thing in MMA, Jones showed why as he showed flash in his offense, throwing a beautiful spinning elbow to Rua's head in the second round when he had him up against the cage. In the third round it was an accumulation of punishment on the ground, followed by a punch to the mid-section and a follow-up knee while they were standing that ultimately ended the night and reign for 'Shogun'.

In August last year, I wrote a column entitled 'The Next Generation of UFC Superstars'. The piece was accompanied by the above photo of none other than Jon 'Bones' Jones. I said at the time that Jones was the next superstar in the 205 lbs. division. After Saturday night's performance I feel comfortable in saying he is the next superstar in all of Mixed Martial Arts. We may very well be seeing the second coming of Anderson Silva at only 23 years of age.

He didn't have the belt five minutes before the UFC brought in Jones first challenger for his title into the cage. Strangely, it was Jones's teammate 'Sugar' Rashad Evans, who ironically Jones had replaced in this fight when Evans got injured. When Joe Rogan asked Jones how he felt about having to defend against his own teammate and good friend, Jones said, "I've been working for this belt and I know God wouldn't bring me this far if he didn't have a reason."

The co-main event of the night didn't necessarily finish as I predicted, but it did see bantamweight (135 lbs.) Urijah 'The California Kid' Faber (25-4, 7 KO's, 13 subs) get a unanimous decision over former WEC champion Eddie Wineland (18-7-1, 9 KO's 3 subs). I had predicted Faber would take down Wineland and inevitably get a submission win. He may not have gotten the submission, but he did take down Wineland in the second and third rounds. However, he could not do much other than smother Wineland's offense. After the fight Faber told champion Dominic Cruz, "hide your kids, hide your wife and hide that belt because I'm coming for it."

The swing bout of the night saw New Jersey's own Jim Miller (20-2, 3 KO's 11 subs) staking his claim for a shot at the lightweight (155 lbs.) title as he finished Kamal 'The Prince of Persia' Shalorus (7-1-2, 4 KO's, 1 sub) via TKO in the third round. Miller, the only New Jersey fighter of four on the card to win, has now extended his win streak to seven in a row. When asked in his post fight interview by Joe Rogan if he's looking for a title shot, Miller's response was simply, "I'm ready." I wonder if fellow New Jersey native, lightweight champion Frankie Edgar feels the same way.

Meanwhile, Miller's brother Dan wasn't so lucky. In middleweight (185 lbs.) action, Nate 'The Great' Marquardt (31-10-2, 8 KO's 15 subs) outlasted a game Dan Miller (13-5, 1 KO 8 subs) to win a unanimous decision. Using a combination of crisp strikes and a vicious ground & pound attack, Marquardt nullified any attempt Miller had at mustering offense. Miller, a wrestler and jiu-jitsu player, tried desperately to take this fight to the ground, but it was Marquardt who continuously ended up on top delivering punishment when they were on the mat.

Finally, in the heavyweight showdown between the legend Mirko 'Cro-Cop' Filipovic (27-9-2, 20 KO's, 4 subs) and the young up and comer Brendan 'The Hybrid' Schaub (8-1, 7 KO's), sadly it ended just as I predicted. Schaub ended up knocking out 'Cro Cop' in the third round, but it wasn't as easy as I or Schaub thought it would be. 'Cro-Cop', while methodical in his approach, looked inspired at times, but it wasn't enough as he eventually got caught with an overhand right that knocked him silly. Schaub continues to impress, winning his fourth in a row; three by KO. On the other hand, 'Cro-Cop', who has lost multiple times now in the UFC via devastating KO's, may need to consider retirement.

UFC 128 Preview: Is 'Bones' Ready?

2011-03-18T06:23:00.000-07:00

It is the age old question for a young promising fighter that is destined for greatness, when is it the right time to throw him in with the King of the Jungle? For UFC light heavyweight (205 lbs.) Jon 'Bones' Jones (12-1, 7 KO's 3 subs), that time is now. Jones (pictured @ left) will challenge current champion Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua (19-4, 16 KO's 1 sub) for his title Saturday @ UFC 128 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Thus, the question now becomes, is 'Bones' ready?

Jones, who's only been fighting professionally for three years, will be taking on a veteran with over nine years experience fighting all over the world. Rua, a native of Brazil, the former Pride 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix Tournament winner, has fought the best of the best in his home country, Japan and now here in the United States. That type of experience is hard to overcome in any sport, let alone mixed martial arts. That said, although still young, I believe Jones's time is now and he will defeat Rua at his own game.

Rua, a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who is also known for devastating Muay Thai kicks, is facing a different breed of fighter in Jones. A 6' 4" superb athlete that is skilled both on the ground and standing. He's a former NY State wrestling champion, with fast hands, quick feet and lethal elbows; just ask former contender Brandon Vera who had his facial bones smashed by one of Jones's elbows. However, what sets Jones apart from Rua and everyone else is his unorthodox fighting style, which has proven successful thus far.

The only blemish on his record is a disqualification loss against Matt Hamill for throwing what was deemed an illegal elbow while Hamill was down. Had that strike not been thrown, Jones was well on his way to finishing Hamill convincingly in less than a round and maintaining a perfect record. Therefore, although he is facing the toughest test of his young career, I am picking Jones to do what a young Cassius Clay did to Sonny Liston back in 1964 and "shock the world."

In the co-feature of the card, it is a bantamweight (135 lbs.) fight between former WEC champion Eddie Wineland (18-6-1, 9 KO's 3 subs) and the long awaited UFC debut of 'The California Kid' Urijah Faber (24-4, 7 KO's 13 subs). Faber, the former WEC featherweight (145 lbs.) champion, is fighting for only his second time @ 135 lbs. The winner of this fight will most likely be considered the number one contender for a crack at current champion Dominick Cruz.

Not only is a title shot possibly at stake, but there have been rumors that the coaches for the next season of 'The Ultimate Fighter' may be Cruz and the winner of this bout. If that should be Faber, I would consider that a done deal seeing that he is one of the most popular and well know fighters in the world. The former poster boy for World Extreme Cagefighting, Faber would be a ratings draw with his surfer boy good looks and Justin Bieber type appeal with the younger female audience; but don't let that fool you, because in the cage, Faber is the real deal.

Lightning quick and surprisingly strong for his size, Faber is an accomplished grappler with fast hands to match. However, if he chooses to stand with Wineland, that can prove to be a mistake as Wineland loves to brawl and can take a punch. That's why I expect Faber to take down his opponent quickly and wrap him up like an early Christmas gift winning by submission. Whether this outcome happens or not, don't blink because these two will be fighting a mile a minute, which will make for an entertaining fight.

The other intriguing bout on the main card takes us from the little guys to the big boys. Heavyweights (225-265 lbs.) Brendan 'The Hybrid' Schaub (7-1, 6 KO's) and Mirko 'Cro-Cop' Filipovic (27-8-2, 20 KO's 4 subs) will square off in yet another young lion takes on grizzled veteran affair. The difference here, unlike the Jones/Rua bout, is that Rua is still in his prime; while 'Cro-Cop' appears to be living off his fame from the 'Pride' days over five years ago.

Only (4-4) since coming to the UFC, 'Cro-Cop' appears to be gun shy and afraid to pull the trigger anymore on his lethal left round kick, since suffering a crushing knockout four years ago against Gabriel Gonzaga. Since then, he has not been the same fighter and that will be a problem against the young former football player Schaub who has KO power in both hands and boxing skills to match. Sadly, I see Schaub not only finishing Filipovic by KO, but quite possibly ending a Hall of Fame career in the process. Like 'Bones' Jones, is Schaub ready? We'll find out Saturday night.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em

2011-03-13T05:25:00.000-07:00

Dana White not only resembles Lex Luther, Superman's number one arch villain, but he also possesses the smarts of the brain savvy criminal mastermind as well. In a stunning move yesterday that shook the mixed martial arts world, White, President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, announced that the UFC ownership group Zuffa, Inc. had purchased the Strikeforce promotion. Apparently, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker figured if he couldn't beat them, he may as well join them.

While no specific details of the buyout have been released a/o yet, White did reiterate one point over and over. That is, for the time being Strikeforce will continue to operate as its own entity; in other words it's business as usual for Strikeforce. He noted that a television contract with Showtime still has to be honored along with all current fighter contracts as well. Thus, it appears the only change for now is the ownership banner. However, what does this all mean for MMA in the long term?

As with any business move of this magnitude, there are pros and cons that come with it. One thing is for sure though, over the last decade, White, along with his Zuffa partners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, have always seemed to make the right move in terms of the UFC and the sport. One only needs to take a look at how both have grown in the last ten years to know that as far as business goes, these guys know what they're doing. However, this particular move in having Strikeforce remain its own entity reminds of a similar move that took place around ten years ago.

The World Wrestling Entertainment after years of "Monday Night Wars" with its chief rival World Championship Wrestling, shocked the pro wrestling world one Monday night by announcing that they too had purchased the rights to their chief counterpart. At the time, the storyline was that Shane McMahon, son of WWE CEO Vince McMahon, had bought the company to compete against his father. They played out that storyline and determined that WCW would similarly remain as its own entity.

The "Invasion" angle, as it was called, eventually didn't work and inevitably the WWE absorbed all WCW operations, including their wrestlers, under one banner. Dana White has publicly stated on more than one occasion that he's always respected Vince McMahon and loosely followed his business model over the years in building the UFC promotion. Is this another case of that? If so, are we headed toward the same results? The WWE and pro wrestling have suffered immensely in its popularity since that move, albeit some may argue that the growth of MMA has had something to do with that.

However, most people argue that it was the lack of competition that ruined the WWE product. That it was the monopoly of talent by McMahon that eventually saturated and watered down his product. In the last few years the UFC has bought and taken over all their chief rivals including Pride, WEC and now Strikeforce. To this point they've been able to handle the mergers well and prosper; but in this case they have taken over their number one North American rival. Other than the Bellator Fighting Championships, who are still in their infancy, but making great strides, there are no other national counterparts to deal with.

Personally, I think this is a good move, not so much for the UFC, but for MMA. One of the biggest issues with boxing over the last few years is the number of different organizations involved and the alphabet list of "world" champions. A question that consistently surfaces in boxing these days is who is the heavyweight champion? There are so many, it's hard to tell. While not immediately, ultimately that question will be answered as far as MMA is concerned. Especially if the Strikeforce heavyweight tourney continues as planned. Though the name Fedor Emelianenko may not be among them.

M-1 Global, Emelianenko's management company, who was in partnership with Strikeforce, or so we thought, has said their deal is with Showtime. Thus, they state this buyout would not affect any deal they have with the cable television network. White and M-1 have always been at odds with one another and this situation should prove no different; although the cards are definitely in White's favor considering Emelianenko, M-1's number one commodity, has lost his last two fights.

There are other lingering questions as well. Women's MMA for instance, what happens now? White who has steadfastly always been opposed to women's MMA, now inherits a women's division that possesses the best and most exciting female fighter in the world in Cristiana 'Cyborg' Santos. It also features the impending return of the most well known female fighter in the sport Gina Carano. Also, Paul Daley, who the UFC parted ways with last year and who White has stated will never fight for the organization again is scheduled to fight for the Strikeforce welterweight championship next month. What if he wins? If there's one thing we have learned this weekend is "never say never."

There is no substitute for experience

2011-03-06T09:34:00.000-08:00

After a weekend chock full of world class MMA action from the UFC to Bellator and Strikeforce, there's one thing we know for sure. When it comes to Mixed Martial Arts, there is no substitute for experience. That truly came to fruition on Saturday night in both the Bellator welterweight (170 lbs.) tournament and also at Strikeforce. There the oldest fighter of the weekend, 40 year old Dan 'Hendo' Henderson, now (27-2, 12 KO's 2 subs), garnered his fifth world championship by finishing former light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) champ Rafael 'Feijao' Calvacante (10-3, 9 KO's 1 sub).

After a back and forth first round that saw both fighters wobble each other, Henderson used his vast experience and superiority in wrestling to take control of the bout and slow down the champ's onslaught. The second round proved more of the same where Henderson worked from the clinch, then the top, as he was able to take Calvacante down to the ground and maul him. However, it was in the third round that his patented right hand ended the day.

The "rocket" right hand as I described it in my preview, appeared to just graze the champs chin, but it was enough to send him to the canvas where Henderson quickly pounced on him unleashing no less than six more right hands before the referee jumped in to stop it. This sport and its legend's never cease to amaze me. Just when you think their best days are behind them they find a way to keep you guessing. Such is the case with Henderson who continues to defy the odds and still doesn't rule out a run at middleweight (185 lbs.). Much respect to the new champ.

Experience was also a factor in the Strikeforce women's (135 lbs.) championship as last minute challenger Liz 'Girl-Rilla' Carmouche, only (5-1, 3 KO's 1 sub), gave champion Marloes 'Rumina' Coenen (19-4, 3 KO's 14 subs) all she could handle before losing via fourth round submission. Carmouche appeared to be winning by taking the fight to Coenen and overwhelming the Dutch fighter before her inexperience gave way and Coenen caught her in a Triangle Choke that ended her night. Up next for Coenen, she wants Meisha Tate, her original opponent, who had to pull out due to injury.

Meanwhile, Bellator Fighting Championship kicked off their fourth season with the quarterfinals of their welterweight tourney. In all but one of the four fights everything went according to plan, if you consider the favorites going in. The one fight that didn't was the first of the night where tourney finalist from last year Dan 'The Handler' Hornbuckle (22-4, 9 KO's 11 subs) lost a unanimous decision to Brent Weedman (18-5-1, 10 KO's 7 subs). A very close fight throughout, Weedman surprised Hornbuckle with his prowess on the ground, nullifying all submission attempts and aggressively pursing his own.

In the next fight, a match-up of two Judo players, we got a surprising stand up affair that went all three rounds as former Olympian Rick Hawn (10-0, 7 KO's) outgunned 'Judo' Jim Wallhead (21-6, 6 KO's 9 subs) to win a lackluster unanimous decision. We got pretty much what is to be expected when two grapplers decide to stand and trade, not much of anything; although to his credit, Hawn did show an improving stand-up game of which he had none when he started in the sport. For him to advance in this tournament, he's going to have to get back to his roots if he's to have any chance against the other three semifinalists who are experienced and proficient strikers.

That brings us to the third fight of the night, which had the most convincing win, yet the most controversial. Jay 'The Thoroughbred' Hieron (20-4, 6 KO's 6 subs), an early favorite in this tourney, won his eighth fight in a row by technically submitting his opponent Anthony 'The Recipe' Lapsley (19-5, 3 KO's 13 subs) via rear naked choke; or did he? This is where the controversy steps in as the ref did just that and stopped the fight claiming he got no response when he grabbed Lapsley's arm. Only problem is Lapsley was not out as he immediately jumped up and questioned the ref when he pulled Hieron off him.

This is a shame because it was obvious the referee made a mistake, but as Jay Hieron (pictured above) said in his post-fight interview, "it was going to happen nevertheless." I truly believe that would've been the case, as Hieron looked very sharp in his three plus minutes of work. As for Lapsley, he can only hope that someone has to drop out of this tournament due to injury and that Bellator does the right thing and brings him back as the first alternate as he pretty much was unscathed outside of his loss. This precedent was set in a previous season tournament in Bellator, so only time will tell what happens.

In the last quarterfinal fight, an expected stand-up war between former champion Lymon 'Cyborg' Good (11-1, 5 KO's 1 sub) and heavy hitting up and comer Chris 'The Cleveland Assassin' Lozano (6-1, 6 KO's) turned out to be pretty one-sided. Once again, experience set the two apart as Good worked a nice combination of both boxing and wrestling to completely outclass Lozano, damaging his left eye in the process. Good's stiff left jab and straight right hand throughout can be blamed for Lozano's eye.

The former champ looks like he's on a mission to regain his belt and, depending on how Bellator matches up these final four, a potential final between Hieron and Good would be pure dynamite. Let's hope Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney sees it that way and that the stars align properly as either one of those two would be a great match-up for the champion Ben Askren. While Askren's the champ, he's still only had seven pro fights and as we've seen above, there is no substitute for experience.

Can't get enough MMA, this is your weekend

2011-03-04T10:43:00.000-08:00

If last night's free UFC on Versus 3 card wasn't enough to satisfy your MMA hunger, don't worry there's more in store for you. Whether you are a hardcore fan for the sport of mixed martial arts or just a casual fan wanting to know more, this is the weekend you've been waiting for.

Besides the UFC card last night, tomorrow night, Saturday, there are two major fight cards being put on by rival promotions Strikeforce and Bellator. The Strikeforce card, live from Columbus, OH, will be televised on Showtime, while Bellator will be kicking off their fourth season from Lemoore, CA for the first time on MTV2. However, before we look at tomorrow, let's take a look back at last night.

On the heels of UFC 127, which seemed to leave more questions than answers, UFC on Versus 3 provided an entertaining night of free fights both on the Versus network and Facebook. Between the live prelims aired on UFC's Facebook page and the main card on TV, the UFC gave us no less then eight free entertaining fights. So much for those that say Dana White and the UFC brass doesn't look out for their fans.

The main event also ended being 'Fight of the Night' as welterweight (170 lbs.) Diego 'call me Dream, not Nightmare' Sanchez (23-4, 6 KO's 9 subs) won a unanimous, but highly disputed, decision over Martin 'Hitman' Kampmann (17-5, 7 KO's 6 subs). While it was a close fight, all three judges scored it 29-28 for Sanchez; I on the other hand had the same score albeit for Kampmann. Apparently, I wasn't the only one that saw it my way as a chorus of boos rang out throughout the arena when the decision was rendered.

Long story short, while Sanchez was the obvious aggressor, attempting no less than 15 takedowns in three rounds while chasing down Kampmann, one look at his face will tell you the 'Hitman' was actually living up to his name. Kampmann, was precise with his punches as he turned Sanchez's face into ground beef while making him look like a zombie from an old George Romero 'Night of the Living Dead' movie by the end of the fight. Also, for those that appreciate the aggressor versus the counter puncher type of fighter, I'll just say that of the 15 takedowns Sanchez attempted, he was only able to score one in the last round, in which Kampmann was able to get up and escape.

To his credit, Sanchez did inflict some damage on Kampmann while they were standing, opening a cut on his opponent, but I didn't feel it was as much as what he received. He could barely speak clearly in his post fight interview, which leads me to another issue surrounding Sanchez. Always an eccentric in his training and lifestyle, he came into this fight looking extremely soft physically. Truthfully, not just soft, but actually out of shape. He's never looked this way his entire career. Also, he came in with a clean shaven skinhead look, which isn't against the law, but it makes you wonder if there are issues outside of fighting that Sanchez is dealing with. Things that make you go hmmmmm?

Onto Strikeforce tomorrow night and the main event between reigning light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) champion Rafael 'Feijao' Cavalcante (10-2, 9 KO's 1 sub) and former Pride champion & UFC veteran Dan 'Hendo' Henderson (26-8, 11 KO's 2 subs). Cavalcante, who's coming off his championship winning TKO victory over former champ Muhammad 'King Mo' Lawal last August, appears to have everything on his side, including age, as the product of the renowned 'Blackhouse' team is riding a three-fight win streak.

Meanwhile Henderson (pictured above), a 40 year old former Olympic wrestler and pioneer of this sport, who fought back @ UFC 17 in just his third pro fight, is coming off a knockout decimation of Renato 'Babalu' Sobral back in December. Winner of four out of his last five, Henderson the wrestler is known for a his rocket right hand that can put people to sleep with one punch; just ask UFC contender Michael Bisping. However, I don't think it will be enough to surpass the multi-talented Cavalcante who is hitting his peak and has multi-purpose skills, along with KO power of his own, to deal with Henderson. I expect Father Time to finally catch up with 'Hendo' and 'Feijao' to win via a fourth or fifth round TKO.

As for Bellator, they start their fourth season with a dynamite card featuring four quarterfinal fights in the welterweight division. Always using the tournament format to crown champions, which I like, they have stacked the field this year in this division that has created some intriguing match-ups. Some of the names featured include former champion Lyman 'Cyborg' Good, perennial contender Dan 'The Handler' Hornbuckle, former Judo Olympian Rick Hawn and former UFC & Strikeforce veteran Jay 'The Thoroughbred' Hieron.

Also sprinkled into the mix are some very promising up and comers, which Bellator is known for promoting and turning into household names. As previously stated, Bellator also signed a new TV contract in the off-season with MTV, to feature all shows exclusively on MTV2, every Saturday throughout the season. With their telecast starting at 9PM eastern time and Strikeforce beginning an hour later on Showtime, I suggest you get new batteries for the remote control, so you can click back and forth and enjoy all the action. For a MMA fan, it really doesn't get much better than this.

UFC 127: A night of upsets and disappointments

2011-02-27T04:53:00.000-08:00

After much anticipation and expected outcomes, last night's UFC 127 from Sydney, Australia, turned out to be a night of upsets and disappointments. Upsets are what make the sport of mixed martial arts so great because of its unpredictability. The disappointments come from unfinished business, which we had, in two different forms in both featured bouts last night.

In the main event between welterweights (170 lbs.) B.J. Penn and Jon Fitch, the outcome was as even as the stare down between the two at the weigh-ins (pictured above). In a fight full of twists and turns, ebbs and flows, or whatever other term you want to use, Fitch closed the show in dominating fashion, which we now know served as his saving grace. The smaller Penn had a game plan that appeared to be working until Fitch caught onto it and did the same to Penn, only worse.

Penn's game plan was simple, take down the much larger wrestler first and work his superior jiu -jitsu, before the wrestler took him down. In the first two rounds it seemed to be working as in both rounds Penn secured impressive takedowns and then worked his way to Fitch's back. It was there that it appeared Penn, on a few occasions was going to secure a rear naked choke on Fitch and end the fight. However, as I predicted, three rounds were just not enough as Fitch was able to avoid the choke attempts and inevitably reverse position on Penn, where he would work some ground & pound for the last minute of each of the first two rounds.

This is where things get tricky. Do you score the first two rounds for Penn, where he secured takedowns and had Fitch in serious trouble with possible submission attempts or do you score it for Fitch based on escapes, reversals and strong finishes? In his mind, Fitch was taking no chances as in round three he immediately took Penn down and with over four minutes left, he pounded on Penn unmercifully, giving him no room to breath, let alone escape. As soon as the round was over I turned to my buddy and said, "I would not be surprised if this fight is scored a draw, if Fitch's third round was scored a 10-8 based on his dominance."

I only wish my predictability was this good the rest of the night as the scores read 29-28 Fitch and 28-28 on the other two judge's scorecards for a majority draw. When asked after the fight if he think he won, a humble honest Penn told Joe Rogan, "no." "In the first two rounds, I was able to secure dominant position, but in round three Fitch kicked my a**," Penn said. With champion Georges St. Pierre tied up with a title defense in April and then a possible showdown with middleweight (185 lbs.) champion Anderson Silva, I wouldn't be surprised if a rematch is imminent. When asked about it, Penn said, "if Fitch wants to do it again, I'm down."

That wasn't the only letdown of the night as in the co-main event where an absolute war was expected between middleweights Michael Bisping and Jorge Rivera, we got what we wanted, I think. Bisping won via TKO due to a second round ref stoppage after pummeling Rivera to the ground with punches in bunches, but was it fair? Everything about the decision to stop the fight was without question, except was it a round too late?

In round one, when both fighters were measuring each other and trading back and forth an incident occurred during a scramble that changed the complexion of the whole fight. During a sequence that found Rivera on the ground underneath Bisping, he was able to work his way back to his hands and knees and looked like he was about to get up. That is when Bisping, while Rivera was clearly on both knees, leveled a knee of his own to the face of Rivera. Under U.S. MMA rules, you cannot kick or knee a downed opponent to the head and in this case Rivera was clearly down. The question is, was the blow from Bisping blatant or in the heat of action?

According to the ref, it was the latter and only enough to warrant a point deduction and warning to Bisping. Now the other question, should Rivera have been allowed to continue? After a grace period allowed recovering, he chose to continue. However, he was obviously not the same after that and it showed in his performance the rest of the way. Some knowledgeable people I know suggested he should have stayed down and got the disqualification win. However, my response is, while that seems logical, in the heat of the moment it's not plausible.

If he stayed down people would have accused him of faking it and taking the easy way out. He chose to stand and continue and we see what outcome that got him; Rivera was in a no win situation. In that moment, a true fighter will always continue because his heart will not allow him to think rationally. Pride is a great thing, but it can also be your worst enemy and in Rivera's case, it appears it may have been just that. Alas, another disappointing finish.

In two other bouts, the so-called obvious wasn't so predictable. Dennis Siver, the lightweight (155 lbs.) kickboxer from Germany, spoiled the homecoming for Australian George Sotiropoulos. Siver avoided all of the Aussie's takedown attempts and won a unanimous decision, thus snapping Sotiropoulos's eight-fight win streak. In the process, he also took away a possible shot Sotiropoulos had at the winner of Frankie Edgar-Gray Maynard III.

In other welterweight action, Chris Lytle, who was riding a four-fight win streak of his own, lost an unexpected decision to last minute replacement Brian Ebersole. Ebersole, a veteran of over 60 fights, finally got his chance in the octagon and did he ever make the most of it. Over three rounds, he outgunned and outlasted the veteran Lytle, even surviving numerous submission attempts. UFC 127 was definitely a night of upsets and disappointments.

UFC 127 Penn vs. Fitch Preview

2011-02-20T16:19:00.000-08:00

You know MMA has finally arrived when only one week has passed since the last major fight card on pay-per-view and you start to feel like you can't wait till the next one. On the heels of Strikeforce's electric card last weekend and Anderson Silva's front kick heard around the world @ UFC 126, just two weeks ago, we are less than one week away from UFC 127 in Sydney, Australia.

This potential 'Thunder from Down Under' is highlighted by a possible number one contender's match between former lightweight (155 lbs.) champion B.J. 'The Prodigy' Penn, now fighting at welterweight (170 lbs.), and Jon Fitch, winner of five straight. Also on the card is the guaranteed throwdown between middleweight (185lbs.) contenders Michael 'The Count' Bisping and Jorge 'El Conquistador' Rivera, along with some other intriguing match-ups.

Of course, it's all about the main event and it includes one of the most fan favorite fighters of all-time; B.J. Penn (16-7-1, 7 KO's 6 subs), who continuously reinvents himself every time you think his best days are behind him. It's strange to say this about a 32 year old fighter, who should be considered to be in his prime, but 'The Prodigy' has been in this game 10 years come this May. Hard to believe, but true, and in Fitch he's facing a naturally bigger man who may not be the flashiest fighter, but is definitely skilled.

Fitch (23-3, 5 KO's, 5 subs), a former Division One wrestler at Purdue University, is now a well-rounded mixed martial artist that has perennially been in the top ten and better for years. His only loss in the last eight years was a unanimous decision to Georges St. Pierre in a previous bid for the welterweight title. Since then, he's reeled off five straight decision wins, which hurts him when it comes to fan support. Nonetheless, he's reinforced his game while training at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, CA and in the process has earned a black belt in "Guerilla" Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under renowned trainer Dave Camarillo.

As much as I love Penn and I would not put it past him to finish this fight either by a KO or submission, I'm picking Fitch by decision here. Besides Fitch's natural size and strength advantage, I think that a three round fight bodes well in his favor against Penn versus a five rounder. I feel Fitch has developed enough skills, standing and on the ground, to avoid any mistakes in just 15 minutes of fight time. I anticipate he'll take Penn down and maul him over the course of the fight, similar to what St. Pierre did in his second fight against Penn. Besides, Fitch's 33rd birthday is three days before the fight and I'm anticipating a huge celebration.

As stated above, if the fireworks don't blast off in the main event, it's probably because they would have exploded in the fight previous to it. That's because I'm expecting nothing less in the co-main event between Bisping and Rivera. These two, who possess the gift of gab, have been trash talking one another to comedic levels and now it's time to put up or shut up. Bisping (20-3, 12 KO's 4 subs), the former 'Ultimate Fighter' Season Three winner, is the bad boy from England that U.S. fans love to hate. Winner of his last two fights, and six out of his last eight, 'The Count', embraces the villain role and usually relishes in it.

On the contrary, Rivera (19-7, 13 KO's 2 subs), a veteran at 38 years of age, has resurrected his career both in the cage and out. (6-2) in his last eight fights, including three in a row, 'El Conquistador' has won the fans over with his knockout power and willingness to put on a show. Rededicating himself after the loss of his teenage daughter to illness a couple of years ago, Rivera looks primed and ready for what he admits is probably his final run. He's also displayed quite a sense of humor while using all facets of the world wide web, including YouTube and Facebook, to appease his fans and talk trash on his opponent.

Not only has he won the war of words, but I think he'll win the fight as well via knockout. That's assuming Bisping decides to stand and trade instead of taking the fight to the ground where he's quite effective at pounding his opponents into submission via punches in bunches. I don't think either have an advantage over the other in the ground game, thus the reason I think it will stand long enough for Rivera to find his range and catch the battling Brit with a right hand. Curious to see where the winner stands in the UFC middleweight pecking order after this one.

Another interesting fight with major implications is the lightweight tilt between Germany's Denis Siver (17-7, 5 KO's 9 subs) and Australia's own George Sotiropoulos (14-2, 1 KO, 8 subs). Siver, a kickboxer with excellent ground skills, has won his last two and six out of his last seven with only one win going to decision. Meanwhile, the home country boy Sotiropoulos is riding an eight fight winning streak and has a potential number one contender spot riding on this fight; that is per UFC President Dana White, this past weekend.

With the momentum of all those victories on his side along with an entire country on his shoulders and the chance at a title fight, I can't see any way Sotiropoulous loses this fight. With an adequate stand-up game and a very slick high level jiu-jitsu game on the ground, I expect the Aussie to win this fight and do so in convincing fashion; most likely via submission. If that happens, I expect him to face the winner of Frankie Edgar/Gray Maynard III for the lightweight title.

Strikeforce tourney a knockout; literally

2011-02-12T21:38:00.000-08:00

All good things must come to an end, or so the saying goes. In this case it is not a good, but great thing as legendary Fedor Emelianenko (pictured @ left/post fight) lost his second fight in a row, this time in the first round of the Strikeforce heavyweight (207-265 lbs.) tournament. Could we have just seen the last of 'The Last Emperor'?

Fighting in the main event of the heavyweight fight card that took place at The Izod Center in East Rutherford, NJ, Emelianenko (31-3, 8 KO's 16 subs) took on the man known simply as 'Bigfoot', Antonio Silva. Silva (16-2, 11 KO's 3 subs), now riding a three-fight win streak, fought the fight of his life as he held his own exchanging punches with the former 'Pride' heavyweight champion in the first round, before totaling dominating and beating him down during the second. Emelianenko, with a closed right eye and badly bruised face survived the round and beatdown, but could not get past the ringside physician who stopped the fight.

To his credit, Emelianenko, who was giving up more than five inches and at least 40 pounds to his opponent, never quit when he ended up underneath Silva in full mount position for nearly four minutes. He tried his best to fend off the onslaught and escape, but it was hard to do against such a massive man with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt pedigree. Besides the punches, Silva had at least three submission attempts during the round, including a rear naked choke, a tight arm triangle choke and a knee bar, but somehow Fedor survived every one. Miraculously, he nearly turned the tables at the end of the round, attempting a heel hook of his own on the "Bigfoot."

When asked in his post fight interview, what was his mind set having coming off his first ever two fight losing streak, the always humble Russian legend stated through his translator, "thank you for your love and support. Maybe this is it; maybe it's time to move on." The knowledgeable packed crowd, with a large Russian contingent in attendance; showed their emotions as in unison you could hear a somber "no" ring throughout the arena. Sadly, he may not be the only former Russian champion to have lost on this night and possibly for the last time.

Andre 'The Pitbull' Arlovski (15-9, 11 KO's 3 subs), who just turned 32 a week ago, appears to be at the end of his career as he lost his first round tournament fight against fellow Russian Sergei Kharitonov (18-4, 9 KO's, 8 subs) via first round knockout. Arlovski, who just a short five years ago was at the top of the game as the former UFC heavyweight champion, has now lost four in row, including three by vicious first round knockouts. Meanwhile, Kharitonov looks like a live dark horse in this eight-man tournament, especially with Emelianenko losing in his side of the bracket.

In another exciting heavyweight affair, up and coming Shane del Rosario (11-0, 8 KO's 3 subs) traded bombs with 'Big' Lavar Johnson (15-4, 13 KO's 2 subs) before finally catching him with an arm bar submission in the first round. With the win, Del Rosario put himself in position as the first alternate in the heavyweight Grand Prix tournament, should one of the original participants has to drop out for any reason. The second half of the first round tournament fights will take place the first weekend in April.

In another heavyweight tilt on the main card, Chad 'The Grave Digger' Griggs (10-1, 9 KO's 1 sub) continued his spoiler winning ways in Strikeforce. Coming off a surprising win over pro wrestling sensation Bobby Lashley, Griggs put on an exciting display of punching power as he outlasted a game, but undermanned Gian Villante (7-2, 5 KO's 2 subs). Villante, a young talented prospect from nearby Long Island, NY, had a few moments in the nearly three minutes the fight lasted before being stopped and finished by a flurry of Griggs punches.

However, it was Emelianenko who, even in defeat, was the star of this evening. Should this be his last hurrah, sadly, many casual and new fans to the sport may not realize the magnitude of this legend's career. When he reigned supreme during the heyday of the Pride Fighting Championships, he fought and defeated some of the best in their prime including Mirko Cro-Cop, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Mark Coleman. Along the way, he has defeated five former UFC heavyweight champions, while never once fighting for the organization. Yet, it is beyond the fighting where he may be most revered.

Idolized in his native country and beloved worldwide, the quiet champion with the humble demeanor possesses an aura about him that only a select few ever attain. I compare it to the living legend that is Muhammad Ali. In other words, there could be a room of high level dignitaries and celebrities, yet if Ali walked in, they would all be in awe of him. The same reverence seems to follow the deeply religious Fedor wherever he goes. Strangely, if this should be the end of his storied career, as time passes the aura will not fade as it does with most retired athletes, but it will grow instead. That is the mark of a true legend and such is Fedor Emelianenko.

UFC 126: Proof is in the Pudding

2011-02-06T04:33:00.000-08:00

In the fight game, whether it's boxing or mixed martial arts, no matter how dominant a champion is, there is always a challenger out there that poses a threat. The one guy that has some fans starting to believe, the champion may finally have met his match. Such was the case with UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort, or so we thought.

It took middleweight (185 lbs.) champion, Anderson 'The Spider' Silva, now (28-4, 16 KO's 5 subs), a little over three minutes to quell any thoughts that he is not the number one pound for pound fighter in the world. Facing off against the one guy who finally had hands who were even more lethal than his in Vitor 'The Phenom' Belfort (19-9, 13 KO's 2 subs), Silva (pictured above) didn't need his hands at all. Instead, he used a front kick to the chin that showed the proof is in the pudding.

With a very cautious start from two heavy-handed punchers, the first three minutes of the fight saw no action other than the fighters circling each other measuring striking distance. Then after a quick exchange that saw Silva fall, but able to get up right away, 'The Spider' threw a front kick from the back leg that caught Belfort flush on the chin, which all but had him out before he hit the mat. Silva, realizing his opponent was pretty much helpless, showed mercy in hesitating to pounce on him and hit him flush with a left and right hand before the referee jumped in to end it at 3:25 of the first round. Belfort must have thought Silva had eight legs like a spider because he never saw the kick coming.

Silva, a true martial artist in every sense of the word, showed immediate compassion as he went to Belfort while still on his back and cradled him to express his true feelings towards his downed opponent. At the weigh-ins the day before, Silva provoked a heated exchange between the two fighters; but understanding there's a fine line between martial arts etiquette of respect and putting on a show for the promotion of the fight, he masterfully weaves his web between the two worlds.

Now that he's pretty much cleaned out his division of all viable challengers, other than Yushin Okami, which is another story, what's next for 'The Spider'? According to UFC President Dana White, it's a potential showdown against welterweight (170 lbs.) champion Georges St. Pierre, probably at a catch-weight. That is assuming St. Pierre defeats title challenger Jake Shields in April. St. Pierre, the other fighter that is argued as the best in the world pound for pound, will no doubt be the next challenger that is labeled as "the guy" who will finally defeat Silva. As great as St. Pierre is though, I can't see him matching up with Silva who is a huge middleweight that has fought numerous times at light-heavyweight (205 lbs.).

Speaking of light-heavyweights and guys that are huge for their weight class, Forrest Griffin (18-6, 3 KO's 7 subs) used his superior size and strength to garner a unanimous decision against former middleweight champion Rich 'Ace' Franklin (28-6, 15 KO's, 10 subs). After a first round that found Franklin in survival mode for four minutes after Griffin got on top of him on the ground, he was never able to mount any type of attack against the much stronger former light-heavyweight champion. To show Anderson Silva's true dominance, he has wins over both of these former champions in devastating fashion with brutal knockouts; in Franklin's case it was twice.

In the other light-heavyweight feature of the night, Jon 'Bones' Jones (12-1, 7 KO's 3 subs) continued to show his versatility as he submitted previously undefeated Ryan 'Darth' Bader (12-1, 5 KO's 3 subs) via guillotine choke in the second round. Jones, who has been tabbed as the next future star of MMA, has found out his future is now. In the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Jones was told that due to an injury sustained by teammate Rashad Evans, which forces Evans out of his title fight against champion Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua next month, Jones will now get that shot. Since he came out of this fight virtually unscathed, it appears the fight date will still be March 19.

Finally, in the first fight of the night, former World Extreme Cagefighting Bantamweight (135 lbs.) Champion Miguel Torres (39-3, 9 KO's 23 subs) used his sizeable height and reach advantage to outbox Antonio Banuelos (18-7, 7 KO's 1 sub) en route to a unanimous decision. Torres an unbelievable 5'9" for a bantamweight, was six inches taller than his opponent and used every inch of it as he kept Banuelos at bay with a stinging left jab and right cross combination all night. Now training under St. Pierre's trainer Firas Zahabi, Torres showed a renewed discipline in his fight approach.

There's a new kid on the block

2011-01-24T15:43:00.000-08:00

Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo, Junior Dos Santos, Lyoto Machida, and Justin Lawrence; if you're wondering why the name Justin Lawrence doesn't seem to register with the names of four of the greatest MMA fighters on the planet, wonder no more. That's because Justin 'The American Kid' Lawrence is the latest addition and rage of the coveted 'Blackhouse' family. Only 20 years old with one professional fight under his belt, this kid is about to take the MMA world by storm.

It's okay if you're skeptical that I may be over hyping a kid with just one pro fight. However, when you impress both the management and fighters, especially UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva, of such a high level selective team like 'Blackhouse', one need to stop and take notice. This is exactly what I and everyone else is starting to do. Yet, when you realize his background, you begin to understand he's been preparing for this practically his whole young life.

Raised in Pacific, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, Justin's been training as long as he can remember. His father Benny Voyles, a former professional boxer and kickboxer with a background in Kempo Karate, owns a gym called 21st Century Self Defense. At just six years of age, Justin began training in his father's gym, first in Kempo, then eventually kickboxing. "If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be where I'm at today. I'd probably be looking for some dead end job in Pacific," Lawrence said.

A natural athlete, Justin also has wrestled since the third grade and played high school football. He excelled so much in both, that he placed in states multiple years in wrestling and in football; he helped snap a six year winless streak, 0-60, that is a national record for consecutive losses. With a 4.4 seconds time in the 40 yard dash, his junior year he ran for 275 yards and three touchdowns against St. James High School to help end Pacific's losing streak. They went on to win three games that year and three the following year. Besides himself, he credits the coach hired his junior year George Hinkle. "He inspired me so much; he didn't just coach me, but taught me that discipline, just like in the fight game, translates to everyday life."

However, it was boxing and kickboxing that Justin lived for and he excelled there as well. He's a six-time national kickboxing champion and also a two-time St. Louis Golden Gloves champion. When I asked him why he chose to pursue MMA versus boxing he said, "When I was 12, 13, 14 years old, all I dreamed about was being the next great boxer; at that time MMA wasn't as big yet. However, all of sudden MMA exploded in this country and seeing that I was also a wrestler I thought it was a natural fit for me."

It's been so natural that a family friend who also happened to know Ed Soares and Anderson Silva took it upon himself to suggest to Soares that he needed take a look at Lawrence as a prospect. So, on that word Justin was flown to Blackhouse for an opportunity to train and assist Silva for his fight against Chael Sonnen. "When I flew out there, I wasn't expecting anything. I was just going to get that experience of training with the greatest fighter in the world."

Noticing Soares and the Blackhouse fighters weren't going to give him any respect he didn't earn, he was thrown to the wolves as he was put to spar with arguably the best pound for pound fighter in the world in Silva. "It's the hardest I've ever been hit, but I held my own," he said. Also holding his own on the ground, he not only earned respect from Blackhouse, but something else.

He was offered a contract to sign with Blackhouse management and to be a part of one of the most revered fight teams in the world. After discussing it with his parents, there was nothing further to think about. Since then, he had his pro debut on the undercard of the December, 2010 'Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu 2' event. In a fight where he was listed as a 3-1 underdog, he won a unanimous technical decision, totally dominating his opponent.

Not officially signed with any promotion at this time, Justin and his team are currently fielding offers for his next fight. When asked where he would like to be 10 years from now, his response was simply, "I just want to be known as the best, most well-rounded fighter in the world. What Georges St. Pierre is now, I want to take to the next level."

A strong believer in "I believe everything happens for a reason," Justin goes into every fight with '2 Corinthians 2:14' tattooed on his chest and 'Jesus Saves' embroidered on his shorts. "If it weren't for him to give me the talent, to give me the discipline to do what I do, I wouldn't be here." Look out world, there's a new kid on the block; an 'American Kid'.

Justin Lawrence would like to thank first and foremost, his parents, especially his dad, for giving him the opportunity to do what he loves and for pushing him when he needed to be pushed. He also wants to thank Ed Soares and the entire Blackhouse family. 21st Century Self-Defense Academy along with Pat Benson, his first Jiu-Jitsu coach and Nick Bellon for stepping up on short notice when it was needed.

I want to thank Justin Lawrence for his time during this interview and also Mike Ramirez from Blackhouse for helping to arrange it.

UFC Fight Night Review/Strikeforce Preview

2011-01-22T16:35:00.000-08:00

While there is no way any of us could ever repay those who serve this country and protect our freedom on a daily basis, the UFC did their small part. For the second time, the UFC held a live fight card on a military base to honor our soldiers and to raise money for the 'Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund'. This organization supports our troops who are injured in battle, especially traumatic brain injuries, and the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Fighting at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, the UFC put on a nice show headlined by lightweights (155 lbs.) Evan Dunham (11-2, 2 KO's, 6 subs) and Melvin 'The Young Assassin' Guillard (27-8-2, 17 KO's 2 subs). In the main event, Guillard, a replacement for injured Kenny Florian, who was Dunham's original opponent, made the most of his opportunity as he devastatingly pummeled Dunham for a first round referee stoppage.

Always possessing all the tools and God given gifts, the 27 year old Guillard appears to finally be putting it all together under the tutelage of MMA trainer extraordinaire Greg Jackson. A package of superior hand speed, power and athleticism are the reason why Guillard has won his last four in a row and seven out of his last eight. In his post-fight interview he said, "You keep lining them up and I'll keep knocking them down on my way to a title shot by the end of the year or early 2012; I promise you that."

The co-main event didn't last very long as former NFL player and heavyweight up and comer Matt 'Meathead' Mitrione upped his record to (4-0, 3 KO's) as he smashed, or should I say thrashed, Tim 'The Thrashing Machine' Hague (12-5, 7 KO's 3 subs) with a TKO in the first round. Using a stiff left jab, while extremely light on his feet, and finishing with a powerful right hand, Mitrione is starting to make some noise in the big boy division of the UFC.

The main card featured a fight in the featherweight (145 lbs.) division between Mark 'The Machine' Hominick (20-8, 9 KO's 7 subs) and George Roop (11-7-1, 2 KO's 4 subs). Hominick lived up to his nickname as he was a machine in knocking out Roop in a little over a minute via ref stoppage. The win, Hominick's fifth in a row, guarantees him a title shot against champion Jose Aldo in what should be a dynamite fight. Also, in another heavyweight tilt, tough Joey 'The Mexecutioner' Beltran (12-5, 10 KO's, 1 sub) was chopped down, literally, by kickboxer Pat 'HD' Barry (6-2, 5 KO's). Barry won a unanimous decision using a nice combination of precision punches and vicious round kicks to Beltran's left leg.

In the first fight on the main card, lightweight Cole Miller (17-5, 3 KO's 12 subs) underestimated 'Handsome' Matt Wiman (13-5, 4 KO's 4 subs) as he got beat ugly and was completely dominated for three rounds. Thanks to the troops for their unwavering service and thanks to the UFC for an entertaining free night of fights.

Looking ahead to next Saturday, the Strikeforce promotion returns with not just one, but two championship fights in San Jose, CA. The main event of the evening features welterweight (170 lbs.) champion Nick Diaz (23-7, 12 KO's 7 subs) defending his title against number one challenger Evangelista 'Cyborg' Santos (18-13, 11 KO's 5 subs). Also, the middleweight (185 lbs.) championship is at stake when Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza (13-2, 10 subs) defends against heavy hitting 'Ruthless' Robbie Lawler (18-6, 15 KO's, 1 sub).

While Santos may be best be known for being the husband of the number one female fighter in the world, Cristiana 'Cyborg' Santos, he is a dangerous fighter in his own right. However, of his 13 losses, 8 have been via KO, which may prove to be a problem against the slick punching Diaz who possesses underrated knockout power. A Cesar Gracie black belt in jiu-jitsu as well, the champion has no weaknesses, is just stepping into his prime and should have no problem retaining his title.

The other bout is a classic grappler vs. striker match-up that will be a battle of which fighter can impose their will on the other. Souza, very slick on the ground, has fought some good fighters, but no one with the punching power that Lawler possesses. A former 'ICON Sport' middleweight champion, Lawler, the former UFC veteran, is (7-2-1) in his last 10 fights and coming off a 50 second knockout of Matt Lindland. Only 28 years old with a wealth of world class experience, I think this is Robbie Lawler's time and he will make the most of it with a KO victory over 'Jacare'.

If you are interested in donating to the 'Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund', you can call 1-877-747-HERO (4376) or go to FIGHTFORTHETROOPS.COM

UFC is full of crock; I mean Brock

2011-01-13T16:29:00.000-08:00

2011 is barely two weeks old, yet it's making "big" waves as far as MMA news is concerned. One of the biggest, (no pun intended), news stories so far has been the upcoming/impending Strikeforce Heavyweight Tournament. This tourney features eight of the world's best heavyweight fighters, including two of the top five in champion Alistair Overeem and former number one pound for pound fighter Fedor Emelianenko.

To counter this heavyweight bonanza, the Ultimate Fighting Championship dropped a gargantuan bombshell themselves this past week. They announced that the coaches for the upcoming season of 'The Ultimate Fighter' reality series would be number one heavyweight contender Junior Dos Santos and former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. Not only that, but they also stated the two will fight at the season finale and that the winner will get the next title shot against current champion Cain Velasquez.

While this move may make sense for a couple of reasons, business wise that is, it doesn't make sense as far as the heavyweight title picture is concerned. Then again, when has common sense ever been a factor where dollars and cents are involved? The fact that Dos Santos (12-1, 8 KO's, 3 subs) is riding a seven fight win streak, the last six in the UFC, and Lesnar (5-2, 2 KO's, 2 subs) just lost his last fight against Velasquez means nothing when it comes to money; not to mention that Dos Santos has won as many fights in a row that Lesnar has total in his career.

While UFC President Dana White may publicly say he covets his titles and "doesn't want them to become watered down and meaningless as in boxing," the truth is mixed martial arts, like any other professional sport is driven by the almighty dollar. This is why the UFC is full of crock; I mean Brock. Brock Lesnar. Like him or not, means ratings and Pay-Per-View buys, which in turn equals money. That means that a long as his heart is in it and he's under contract, Brock it is.

Yet, this may be a problem in the long run. Rumors, unconfirmed, have been circulating that Lesnar has no real desire to keep fighting as he's realized he doesn't like to get hit. Geez, what a surprise? Now I'm no genius, but I would think that fear of getting hit is not a good thing to possess if you fight for a living. This has been substantiated with reports that in his last camp he even refused to spar because he didn't like the contact. While the rumors and reports may be unconfirmed, his reaction to contact in his last two fights is not.

Upon getting punched in the face by both Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez, Lesnar's response in both instances were to crumble and run away instead of standing and trading. Granted, he is a wrestler by trade, not a boxer, but even the most novices of fighters instinctively would fight back upon getting punched in the face. It is a natural instinct, for those that have it in them to fight and I'm not sure Brock Lesnar has that.

I'm not saying he doesn't have heart, because any man who is willing to step into a cage and fight, let alone seven times, has to have some heart. However, desire is something else. Does he have the desire to continue to step into the cage, this is the question? Lesnar has shown a track record of quitting in past careers such as professional wrestling and football; though he never really got started in the latter. Yet, with millions of dollars already made, overcoming a near career ending illness, a rumored one more fight left on his current contract and Vince McMahon dangling even more millions to return to pro wrestling, one has to wonder where Lesnar's heart truly is.

Dana White is banking, literally, that Lesnar's heart is in MMA. Regardless, he has him through his next fight and he's going to ride him as long as he can. Thus, the reason he got the coaching stint on 'The Ultimate Fighter'. This will mean coaching and taping for at least six weeks, then at least three months of television ratings. Ultimately the fight with Dos Santos and with Velasquez currently on the shelf for six-eight months with a torn shoulder, the timing is perfect. Not to mention that I think Brock will eventually lose to Dos Santos, thus setting up the showdown we were supposed to get anyway.

However, what if Brock wins? This could end up being quite a dilemma if he decides he no longer has it in him to continue fighting. It's not like he hasn't done it before; he left the WWE while he was their champion and on top of the wrestling world. While this move will be fruitful for the UFC in the short term, in the long run it has the potential to be quite disastrous and embarrassing for Dana White. Only time will tell if a Dos Santos right hand will resolve that problem.

Heart of a Samurai Warrior

2011-01-05T18:23:00.000-08:00

The word 'Samurai' is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. The term was meant to describe those who serve in close attendance to the nobility. However, in the 12th century the word became synonymous with and was closely associated to the middle and upper echelons of the warrior class.

Move forward to the 21st century and legendary Mixed Martial Arts fighter Kazushi Sakuraba still embodies that true heart of a samurai warrior. Lost in all the pageantry of the New Years celebration and all the MMA action-taking place, here in the states with the UFC and in Japan with both 'Dream' and 'Sengoku', was the fact that Sakuraba lost both a fight and an ear in the process.

It may be because this was a meaningless fight at the end of a long illustrious career for a true legend of the game. However, there was a time not too long ago when the man, known as 'The Gracie Hunter', was arguably the most popular fighter in the world.

Sakuraba (26-14-1, 3 KO's 19 subs), is a wrestler by origin, who began his amateur-wrestling career at the relatively late age of 15, He enjoyed immediate success in both high school and college, eventually finishing fourth in the All-Japan tourney his senior year. Considering coaching after college, he inevitably pursued professional wrestling to fulfill a childhood dream of emulating his idol, the legendary 'Tiger Mask'.

During the early through mid '90's Sakuraba enjoyed a stellar pro wrestling career, working his way up from a relative jobber for his first full year, to a nationally renowned star. During his tenure as a pro wrestler he worked for promotions such as New Japan Pro Wrestling, UWFi and Kingdom Pro Wrestling. It was while with Kingdom, a promotion founded by fellow pro wrestling legend and MMA fighter Nobuhiko Takada, that Sakuraba would eventually find his way into MMA.

When the UFC made its way to Japan in December, 1997, for 'Ultimate Japan', it of course was looking to have some local Japanese fighters involved in their heavyweight tournament. Kingdom Pro Wrestling, looking to gain notoriety for their own fledgling promotion decided to enter two of there own wrestlers in Yoji Anjoh and Hirmitsu Kanehara. However, right before the tournament Kanehara sustained an injury in training, thus forcing the inexperienced Sakuraba as a last minute replacement.

Weighing a meager 183 lbs., they had to list him as 20 lbs. heavier just to get him over the 200 pound limit needed to enter the "heavyweight" tournament back then. His first ever opponent in MMA, the 243 lbs. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black belt and former Extreme Battlecade Champion Marcus 'Conan' Silveira. After a wrongful premature stoppage that awarded Silveira a TKO, the UFC and referee John McCarthy, realized their mistake, declared the fight a no-contest and brought Sakuraba back later in the night.

With Tank Abbott winning his side of the bracket, but having to withdraw because of injury, Sakuraba was pitted once again against Silveira for the tournament title. Being outweighed by 60 lbs., this time he defeated Silveira via armbar submission in less than four minutes. The wrestler proved he could hang with the big boys of MMA and he would do so time and time again over the next 13 years.

In that time he's fought and defeated the likes of Vitor Belfort, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, Kevin Randleman and Ken Shamrock; all former UFC champions much larger than he is, which he defeated while fighting in the now defunct Pride Fighting Championships. Many of his losses, also were to former champions much larger than he, including Wanderlei Silva (three times) and heavyweights Mirko 'Cro-Cop and Igor Vovchanchyn.

Yet, it was his run against the renowned Gracie family, during their prime that has made him a legend in Japan. Royler, Renzo and the late Ryan all lost to the 'Gracie Hunter'. However, those fights all paled in comparison to his win in the epic six-round 90 minute marathon against three time UFC champion Royce Gracie (pictured above) during the Pride Grand Prix 2000 finals. Easily the longest fight in modern MMA history, Sakuraba outlasted Gracie, eventually forcing his corner to throw in the towel.

Now 41 and possessing some of the worst cauliflower ears in the game, the MMA legend has lost his last three fights. Not only have his skills eroded, but also so have his ears as his right ear literally shredded in his last fight when he attempted to shoot in on his opponent. Obviously, past his prime and unable to compete any longer, I can only hope that like his US counterpart Chuck Liddell, Saku will finally retire and Japan will find a way to take care of their native son who has clearly displayed the heart of a samurai warrior.

UFC 125: No Resolution

2011-01-02T08:52:00.001-08:00

In a fight card original billed as "Resolution," partly because of the New Year, but mainly because of the main event, a solid UFC 125 started 2011 off on the right foot. That is depending on how you feel about a main event that had no resolution after all. In a fight that I quoted in my preview as, “is about as evenly matched as you can get in a title fight,” lightweight (155 lbs.) champion Frankie Edgar (13-1-1, 2 KO's 3 subs) and Gray Maynard (10-1-1, 2 KO's) fought five rounds to a draw.

The two big questions here are, how was the first and last round scored? In round one, Maynard dropped Edgar twice with solid punches that had the champion in serious trouble and clearly on Wobble Street throughout. Question number one, did that round deserve to be scored 10-8? Unlike boxing, the rules are not so clear cut in MMA as to what constitutes such scoring. This is also not taking into consideration whether the referee should have stopped the fight, which is a judgement call. In this case it appeared to be the right call not to as Edgar somehow came back strong in round two.

The second question is who won the last round? That seemed to be the determining factor seeing that Maynard clearly won rounds one and three, while Edgar did the same in rounds two and four. A difficult round to score, as both had their moments, I have to be impartial, going against my prediction before the fight, and say I felt Maynard won the last round, thus winning the fight. That said, I can see how Edgar was given the last round and how this fight was a called a draw.

Regardless of the outcome, it was a back and forth fight, one which garnered 'Fight of the Night' honors and giving both fighters a $60,000 bonus each. While both fighters, especially Maynard, both expressed their desire to do it again, Dana White, President of the UFC, immediately announced in the post fight press conference that Anthony 'Showtime' Pettis, the last WEC lightweight champion, will be Edgar's next opponent. (Please note, the UFC has since announced that Dana White has had a change of heart and Edgar/Maynard III will actually be the next title defense after all).

In the co-main event, middleweight (185 lbs.) and former Marine, Brian 'All-American' Stann (10-3, 7 KO's 1 sub) left no doubt in the first round as he stopped Chris Leben (25-7, 13 KO's 6 subs). He did it with a combination of power punches that started with a left hook and ended with a right cross. Leben, who's been known to have a granite chin, made the mistake of testing it while trying to stand and trade with the much heavier punching Stann. In the post fight press conference when asked, Stann respectfully said, "I would like to fight legendary Wanderlei Silva next."

In other action, light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) Thiago Silva (15-2, 11 KO's 2 subs) won a dominant unanimous decision against Brandon Vera (11-6, 7 KO's 1 sub), thus making 'The Truth' out to be a liar. Beating Vera with wrestling and a vicious ground and pound game, Silva left Vera not only with a loss, but a clearly fractured nose that was grotesquely disfigured after the fight.

Welterweight (170 lbs.) Dong Hyun Kim (14-0-1, 6 KO's 1 sub) did the same against Nate Diaz (13-6, 3 KO's 9 subs), wrestling and controlling the jiu-jitsu wizard on the ground. In his post-fight interview, the Korean speaking in his native language clearly stated, "GSP", meaning he wants his crack at the reigning welterweight champion. Time will tell if he gets it.

In the opening fight of the pay-per-view, lightweight Clay Guida (28-11, 4 KO's 15 subs) finished Takanori Gomi (32-7, 12 KO's 6 subs) in the second round with a slick guillotine choke submission. Guida said afterwards, "my goal is to be in title contention by the end of 2011." As stated above, a solid night of fights and while I went 2-2-1 in my pre-fight predictions, UFC 125: Resolution ended up offering no resolution after all.

UFC 125 Resolution: The Preview

2010-12-25T18:01:00.000-08:00

While the Christmas holiday usually puts a halt to all major Mixed Martial Arts action, the New Year's holiday does just the opposite. A long-time staple for huge shows in Japan, this year is no different in the land of the Samurai with next weekend's DREAM 'Dynamite 2010' show. However, it is also the springboard for the Ultimate Fighting Championship's next card, UFC 125 Resolution, which is a dynamite card of its own.

This card features a main event for the world lightweight (155 lbs.) championship between current champ Frankie 'The Answer' Edgar and number one contender Gray 'The Bully' Maynard. Also the co-main event between middleweight contenders Chris 'The Crippler' Leben and Brian 'Stann has the UFC looking to start 2011 off with a bang. Those two fights along with the rest of the main card bouts should have no problem doing just that in the New Year.

The lightweight tilt between Edgar and Maynard is a rematch of a fight the two had back in April 2008. At that time, it was a fight featuring two young up and coming prospects. Maynard (10-0, 2 KO's) grounded out a unanimous decision victory after the three rounds over Edgar (13-1, 2 KO's 3 subs) giving him his only loss. Since then, the two have taken similar paths, only Edgar's has been more accelerated and celebrated. They both have had five fights since, however Edgar has fought stiffer competition, including two successive victories over former lightweight champion B.J. Penn.

Both coming from a wrestling pedigree and each having evolved their all-around MMA fight game, this is about as evenly matched as you can get in a title fight. Maynard's size and strength compared to Edgar, who is clearly a featherweight (145 lbs.) with a lightweight belt, proved the difference in the first meeting and it may do the same here. However, Edgar's strength has improved in the last couple of years and his stand-up game, especially his boxing, is clearly better than Maynard's. Therefore, because of those factors, I am giving the nod to Edgar in a five-round decision.

In the co-main event, the seasoned Leben (25-6, 13 KO's 6 subs) takes on Stann (9-3, 6 KO's 1 sub), a former WEC middleweight champion, who makes up for his inexperience with heavy hands. Stann, a former U.S. Marine, is 3-2 in the UFC since coming over from the WEC, while Leben found a resurgence in 2010 with three straight victories since January, including huge wins over Aaron Simpson and Yoshihiro Akiyama in a two week span. Although one punch from Stann can end things quickly, I see Leben with an accumulation of punches ending Stann's night via TKO and keeping his run alive.

The undercard features some very intriguing match-ups that should be very entertaining. In the welterweight (170 lbs.) division, Nate Diaz (13-5, 3 KO's 9 subs), from the famed Cesar Gracie Fight team, takes on South Korean Dong Hyun 'Stun Gun' Kim (13-0-1, 6 KO's 1 sub). While Kim has some punching power, he's had five fights in the UFC resulting in four wins, three by decision, and one no-contest. Diaz meanwhile has a granite chin and a slick submission game, which I envision him using at some point to sub Kim to continue his already two fight win streak.

Also on the undercard, a light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) tilt between Brandon 'The Truth' Vera (11-5, 7 KO's 1 sub) and Thiago Silva (14-2, 11 KO's 2 subs). Both guys are coming off losses and a long lay-off due to injury, so there are questions regarding ring rust and health. Seeing that both have the same factors at hand, my determination is a mental one. Silva, with a back injury, lost a unanimous decision to former champ Rashad Evans. However, Vera got smashed, literally, by Jon Jones with some vicious elbows to the face resulting in a fractured cheekbone. Thus, I feel that beatdown will make Vera gun shy mentally, which can be dangerous against a heavy-handed Silva. I've got Silva by KO in the second.

Finally, hold onto your seats as the pay-per-view will start with fireworks when lightweights Clay 'The Carpenter' Guida (27-11, 4 KO's 14 subs) and Japanese legend Takanori 'The Fireball Kid' Gomi (32-6, 12 KO's 6 subs) step into the cage. Both notoriously quick starters, the difference here is that Guida's energy won't stop, while Gomi has a history of gassing in later rounds. Thus, I see Guida, a human energizer bunny, going non-stop on his way to a decision or possibly winning by submission. Either way, it will be a great way to start off a great card and hopefully a great 2011.

WEC: The Little Engine that Could

2010-12-17T13:21:00.000-08:00

September 28, 2001 is a significant date in Mixed Martial Arts because it marks the day of UFC 33, the first event promoted under the new Zuffa ownership. That will forever be looked upon as the date MMA came out of the darkness to begin its ascent as the fastest growing sport in the world.

However, three months earlier, during the "Dark Age", another historical date in MMA took place. June 30, 2001 was the day that World Extreme Cagefighting was born @ The Palace Indian Gaming Center in Lemoore, CA with an event called 'WEC 1 - 'Princes of Pain'. Using the number one in their event title, the promotion that was the WEC just knew they were going to have more than one event and they did; 52 more to be exact.

What they probably didn't know was that the sport of MMA would grow to be a worldwide phenomenon and that they would play a significant role in that growth. Kind of ironic that growth would be attributed to a company whose focal point the last few years were lighter weight classes, which featured fighters that did not grow to be very big. However, that was only in terms of stature. In terms of skill, entertainment and popularity, the WEC and their fighters was 'The Little Engine that could'.

They proved just that this past Thursday as WEC 53 - Henderson vs. Pettis, was not only a great event, but also a crowning achievement in WEC history. It was the last event for the promotion as they are now being merged with the UFC under the Zuffa banner; thus the date of December 16, 2010 will also go down as another important date in MMA history. So too will be the answer to the trivia question, what was the last fight ever in WEC history?

The answer of course was the lightweight (155lbs.) championship main event between titleholder Benson 'Smooth' Henderson (12-2, 2 KO's, 8 subs) and challenger Anthony 'Showtime' Pettis (13-1, 5 KO's 6 subs). Not only did Pettis and Henderson live up to Pettis's nickname and put on a show, but also it was a great fight and a fitting way to end an important chapter in MMA. In the end, Pettis won a five round unanimous, but close decision, thus becoming the new and last WEC lightweight champion.

BTW, for those that did not see the fight, Pettis's "jump off the cage flying right round kick to Henderson's face" in round five that knocked down the former champ is a highlight that will also go down in MMA history. In the 17 years the sport has been around I've never seen anything like it, but then again that is what the WEC has always been good for. Classic fights, chock full of action-packed highlights that will live on forever.

Look at some of the names of the fighters that have fought in the WEC and the list reads as a virtual who's who of MMA. Horn, Pellegrino, Melendez, Shamrock, Diaz, McCullough and Torres to name but a few. Even the main event way back @ WEC 1 featured a pioneer of the sport in UFC Hall of Famer Dan 'The Beast' Severn against Travis Fulton. However, when you think WEC there is one name that has become synonymous with the organization, Urijah Faber.

'The California Kid', a homegrown product from Northern California, birthplace of the organization, not only became the poster boy for WEC, but it's ambassador as well. A former featherweight champion, who is one of the sports biggest stars, he took the promotion, put it on his back and made sure the world knew it was more than just a regional show. It was Faber, along with current featherweight champ Jose Aldo, who spearheaded the WEC's one and only pay-per-view event and made it a rousing success by selling out the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California earlier this year.

Along the way, the WEC went on to garner a television contract with The Versus Network, attract international stars from all around the globe and carve its own niche as the premiere organization for featherweight (145 lbs.) and bantamweight (135 lbs.) fighters in the world. Reed Harris, President of the WEC has much to be proud of, yet now it is but a memory, albeit an important one. However, it leaves a profound legacy that will continue to live on through its fighters who will now compete in the UFC. Thank you WEC for the memories and for always living up to your name and being totally extreme.

"From the Fields to the Garden" and then some

2010-12-13T12:50:00.000-08:00

While I enjoy reading, I have to admit, it's far and few in between the books I can find that can instantly grab my attention to the point where I can't literally put it down. Many of those in my lifetime have usually been biographies of people involved in things that stir my interest such as the underworld, sports or historical figures.

Luckily for me, I found that and then some in 'From the Fields to the Garden: The Life of "Stitch" Duran'. Of course, anyone reading this column has to know who Jacob 'Stitch' Duran is. However, if you are just a casual fan of combat sports and may be unfamiliar with this legendary figure, he is the famed cutman for the UFC and in the world of boxing.

Wondering how a guy who inconspicuously works in the corners of fighters, quietly repairing cuts and keeping fighters safe can make such a name for himself? That is what makes Stitch's story such an interesting one and makes this book such a great read.

"From the Fields," addresses the early part of Stitch's life when he was a young boy working alongside his family in the farmlands of Northern California. An extremely humble beginning for a man who's had his image on giant like billboards outside arenas and has worked in both film and television.

"To the Garden", speaks about his dreams and aspirations to someday make it to what he deemed for himself to be the pinnacle of his sport and trade, Madison Square Garden. Well the poor kid from Planada, California has made it there and back numerous times with some incredible stories to go with it.

That is where "The Life of 'Stitch' Duran" comes in; in between the beginning and the end, there are the most interesting stories from discovering Taekwondo and Muay Thai in the jungles of Thailand while in the military, to eating and drinking in a traditional German Schnapps House. Then there are the stories that interested me the most, which are the ones you never hear about from the inner world of boxing and MMA.

Stitch's book takes you behind the scenes and in the locker rooms. It reveals the inner thoughts of many of the great and legendary fighters we have become fans of. It also explains in detail, how far both sports have come, yet how much farther they each have to go in terms of safety. This is of utmost importance to Stitch in his career as a cutman, but even more so in his compassion for the fighters he looks after.

So many of them have come to respect the man and his work. That is quite evident in the number of fighters that request him specifically and no one else when it comes to wrapping their hands. I asked Stitch how is it that he can accommodate all the requests when there are so many fighters on a particular UFC card? "It comes down to seniority, status and priority," he said. "Obviously, someone the likes of a Randy Couture, Mirko Cro-Cop or Brock Lesnar will take precedence over most fighters."

Another interesting part of the book is on his actual work and trade as a cutman, which he has helped to cultivate in his thirty plus years in the game. When I asked if he sees the cutman trade evolving in the same way fighters is constantly evolving, he said, "absolutely 100%." "Unlike cutmen in the past when I was coming up who refused to share their knowledge, I'm constantly educating through seminars and the younger people are innovating and evolving ideas from things they learn from me."

A former farm boy, baseball player, soldier, martial artist and so on, Stitch's is a real life rags to riches story; one of dreams, hopes and realities. A must have for any true combat sports fan, it is a great complement and addition to any library. It is also the perfect Christmas gift for those you know who love boxing, MMA or just an interesting story; one that will take you "From the Fields to the Garden" and then some.