ok quick picks for tonights fights...
kos by ko rnd 2
swick by demolition rnd 1 ( on a personal note I truly despise Goulet, dont know why he brings it win-loose- or draw )
Cantwell by somin .... I have never seen his opponent fight so I am assuming that he is set up to loose
Tim C by sub rnd 3
Miller by TKO rnd 2
luigi by unamiomus dec.
as for the rest of the fights ....not really sure by I will take Mccully and Hill
one other quick note check out this tidbit from our boy KIMBO
" I love the city of Japan"
Wednesday, December 10
Tuesday, December 9
Random Rants
ok so it's been slow for the past week ...
The WEC show on the 3rd was so-so I guess Torres is bad-ass no doubt but aside from that it was a flat show as far as I am concerned. Mir was good which always surprises me cause he is a uber-douche on TUF ! The part about kicking in the front door with the straight kick had my girl and I rolling. Maybe editing can do that to a guy who knows ...
Reports are coming in from the far east that Bigfoot Silva will forgo the suspension from the CSAC and compete in Sengoku! who can blame him after the debacle that the CSAC has been
Looks like another blow to start-up fight org Affliction. Golden-Boy has schedule a mega fight right across the street and on the same night as there big jan 24th hoopla ! ouch ! I thought that was this big mega-merger .. I dont know about you but if I am being a partner with someone I am not going to do something to directly hurt there/my event am I ?????
Kimbo is going to do some color work for k-1 in the future , good for him!
Fight for the troops is wednsday night so tune and help out. The UFC is really stepping up for this one and so should we !
I will have a post on my fight predictions later on tonight so check back in the morning
The WEC show on the 3rd was so-so I guess Torres is bad-ass no doubt but aside from that it was a flat show as far as I am concerned. Mir was good which always surprises me cause he is a uber-douche on TUF ! The part about kicking in the front door with the straight kick had my girl and I rolling. Maybe editing can do that to a guy who knows ...
Reports are coming in from the far east that Bigfoot Silva will forgo the suspension from the CSAC and compete in Sengoku! who can blame him after the debacle that the CSAC has been
Looks like another blow to start-up fight org Affliction. Golden-Boy has schedule a mega fight right across the street and on the same night as there big jan 24th hoopla ! ouch ! I thought that was this big mega-merger .. I dont know about you but if I am being a partner with someone I am not going to do something to directly hurt there/my event am I ?????
Kimbo is going to do some color work for k-1 in the future , good for him!
Fight for the troops is wednsday night so tune and help out. The UFC is really stepping up for this one and so should we !
I will have a post on my fight predictions later on tonight so check back in the morning
Monday, December 1
Weekend Wrap!
Ok. this weekend totally blew for MMA fans .....No fights no real news ...unless the UFC getting a tv deal in Germany does something for you ???not me ....and as far as that goes why the UFC still is not on network tv for atleast a once a year special or something is beyond me ? They could put on a once a year with a few fledling stars ( chuck ?? randy ??? hughes ??? vera???) that would draw the average fan with name recognition and load the bulk of the card with up and comers ??
next as for fledgling stars it looks like chuck v. randy is loosing steam by the second ... seems both sides are not to keen on the fight according the good folks over at Bloody ELbow
as for the rest of the weekend not much except that Dana says that GSP could fight Anderson if he beats BJ ... nice nugget but not something that i could base a weekend off of !
next as for fledgling stars it looks like chuck v. randy is loosing steam by the second ... seems both sides are not to keen on the fight according the good folks over at Bloody ELbow
as for the rest of the weekend not much except that Dana says that GSP could fight Anderson if he beats BJ ... nice nugget but not something that i could base a weekend off of !
Wednesday, November 26
Back from Hiatus
Ok I know its been a while folks. I have been through 2 different jobs and in the mists of a move as we speak but I am back in the saddle .... so where to start ...alot has happened in the past few months but the basics are this
1 Randy is back in the UFC and promptly got KTFO'ed by Brock for the belt .....next up for Brock is the winner of the Big Nog/ Mir fight in Dec.
2. EXC is out of buisness do in no small part to Kimbo getting KO'ed by a journeyman fighter that jumped up from LHW
3. Anderson Silvia is still the best fighter in the world
4. GSP and BJ are throwing down in January in what has to be the best fight in MMA history
5. Uriah Faber got TKO'ed when he missed a crazy flying back elbow on Mike Brown
6. Sugar Rashad turned the Iceman into his own personal highlight real
7. Affliction has had it's share of woes and cheers first they cancelled a show in Nov. and now have a sure fire prime time match-up in Fedor v. AA
8. and lastly but certainly not leastly Gina Carano is still hot as HELL !!!
1 Randy is back in the UFC and promptly got KTFO'ed by Brock for the belt .....next up for Brock is the winner of the Big Nog/ Mir fight in Dec.
2. EXC is out of buisness do in no small part to Kimbo getting KO'ed by a journeyman fighter that jumped up from LHW
3. Anderson Silvia is still the best fighter in the world
4. GSP and BJ are throwing down in January in what has to be the best fight in MMA history
5. Uriah Faber got TKO'ed when he missed a crazy flying back elbow on Mike Brown
6. Sugar Rashad turned the Iceman into his own personal highlight real
7. Affliction has had it's share of woes and cheers first they cancelled a show in Nov. and now have a sure fire prime time match-up in Fedor v. AA
8. and lastly but certainly not leastly Gina Carano is still hot as HELL !!!
Tuesday, July 15
Rampage Arrested!
Batter-Up!
Can you friggin'believe it ?? Word on the street big boppers is that Rampage has done when on well a Rampage! This is a bad time to be messing up. The sport is just starting to gain traction. The shocking news was confirmed by 5 ounces of pain's senior writer Sam Caplan. Here is a sweet link to some candid photos
This immediately gets my mind spinning to the ramifications this will have on the premier division in the sport. The UFC 205lb crown is the most revered title in MMA.Now with the #1 contender facing felony charges the UFC has some serious moves to make . Wandy, Machida, T.Silva ? The summer swell is just starting to form.
On other notes the big weekend battle lines are set Big A vs. UFN ! The story should begin to unfold pretty soon after the skirmish. Spike's TV overnight ratings will be available within a day. The PPV buy rate will take a little longer. The Affliction card is stacked no doubt but, there is a question mark with everyone of there fighters ....Fedor included. The lack of real star power is a major question mark in my mind. Fedor is unproven, in his North American debut he did less than 50k ppv buys . His Bodog fight did less than 15k. Timmy is respected but dull , there is no doubt about his skill set and toughness, its his style that has rubbed people the wrong way. Andre ? well he lost to Timmy twice and I for one can attest to the fact no one in ther right mind wants to see that crap .
Can you friggin'believe it ?? Word on the street big boppers is that Rampage has done when on well a Rampage! This is a bad time to be messing up. The sport is just starting to gain traction. The shocking news was confirmed by 5 ounces of pain's senior writer Sam Caplan. Here is a sweet link to some candid photos
This immediately gets my mind spinning to the ramifications this will have on the premier division in the sport. The UFC 205lb crown is the most revered title in MMA.Now with the #1 contender facing felony charges the UFC has some serious moves to make . Wandy, Machida, T.Silva ? The summer swell is just starting to form.
On other notes the big weekend battle lines are set Big A vs. UFN ! The story should begin to unfold pretty soon after the skirmish. Spike's TV overnight ratings will be available within a day. The PPV buy rate will take a little longer. The Affliction card is stacked no doubt but, there is a question mark with everyone of there fighters ....Fedor included. The lack of real star power is a major question mark in my mind. Fedor is unproven, in his North American debut he did less than 50k ppv buys . His Bodog fight did less than 15k. Timmy is respected but dull , there is no doubt about his skill set and toughness, its his style that has rubbed people the wrong way. Andre ? well he lost to Timmy twice and I for one can attest to the fact no one in ther right mind wants to see that crap .
Thursday, July 10
Week In Review
Ok so its been a little bit but here goes..
UFC 86 was not all that it was cracked up to be . It had spirited moments and high drama. The Premier Belt in all of MMA was on the line. The title fight was more than memorable but, the rest of it wasn't. Lets look at the undercard
Guillard via beatdown, same with Gonzaga. Cole miller had a nice win over Gurgel, who is just about done for. Stevenson withstood a onslaught Tibau to catch him in a guillotine choke. Cote won a close fight that was very dull. Koscheck made a mess of Lytle's face and head. The elbows from half guard were nothing short of brutal. Tyson Griffin looked strong in his win also .
The title fight was exciting and not without controversy. I had the fight for Forrest but, only by a little. I think the second round was the difference. Jackson inability to get up cost him the fight. Forrest did not punish him at all from that position. The easiest way to describe it almost as riding time in wrestling. Neither fighter is doing much but one is holding a Superior position over the other. I would also think that Forrest pressing the action contributed to the win. Rampage by far the more effective striker. All in all it has the ability to end up as one of the top 3-4 fights of the year.
I went 6-2 on my picks loosing on the big one and Cole Miller. not bad
On a personal note I had no idea that the affliction is using a ring instead of a cage. This is a huge , ginormous , monumental let down for me. I know that there has been tons of underground hype for this thing but, come on a ring ? I mean for real a frigging ring ? I prefer the cage any day of the week. I think that the ring interferes with the fights to much. It promotes stoppages , and slows the pace of the fights. The cage on the other hand allows for a more fluid fight. I believe the cage is the primary reason for most of the first time fighters who are ranked do so poorly.
Other Notes
There is a awesome Dana White interview floating around.
The UFC is countering EXC on the 26th with a re-run of UFC 84 and a rebroadcast of the 19th Silvia vs. Irvin show which is being hailed as a 3 hr 6 fight show! That is super sweet for all us cheapskates that are not forking over 40 bones to affliction. (dude it's in a ring?)
Gary Herman over at 5 Ounces was all over it last weekend with a few classic quotes from D.W.
Borat competed in MMA in Arkansas in June. It is said that it was part of a untitled movie that he has coming out. It seems as if our friend was up to his old high jinx again
Less than 2 weeks till the first salvo of a major battle and the hype is flying. I gotta tell ya I was seriously considering buying the affliction show, but Dude, in a Ring ?
UFC 86 was not all that it was cracked up to be . It had spirited moments and high drama. The Premier Belt in all of MMA was on the line. The title fight was more than memorable but, the rest of it wasn't. Lets look at the undercard
Guillard via beatdown, same with Gonzaga. Cole miller had a nice win over Gurgel, who is just about done for. Stevenson withstood a onslaught Tibau to catch him in a guillotine choke. Cote won a close fight that was very dull. Koscheck made a mess of Lytle's face and head. The elbows from half guard were nothing short of brutal. Tyson Griffin looked strong in his win also .
The title fight was exciting and not without controversy. I had the fight for Forrest but, only by a little. I think the second round was the difference. Jackson inability to get up cost him the fight. Forrest did not punish him at all from that position. The easiest way to describe it almost as riding time in wrestling. Neither fighter is doing much but one is holding a Superior position over the other. I would also think that Forrest pressing the action contributed to the win. Rampage by far the more effective striker. All in all it has the ability to end up as one of the top 3-4 fights of the year.
I went 6-2 on my picks loosing on the big one and Cole Miller. not bad
On a personal note I had no idea that the affliction is using a ring instead of a cage. This is a huge , ginormous , monumental let down for me. I know that there has been tons of underground hype for this thing but, come on a ring ? I mean for real a frigging ring ? I prefer the cage any day of the week. I think that the ring interferes with the fights to much. It promotes stoppages , and slows the pace of the fights. The cage on the other hand allows for a more fluid fight. I believe the cage is the primary reason for most of the first time fighters who are ranked do so poorly.
Other Notes
There is a awesome Dana White interview floating around.
The UFC is countering EXC on the 26th with a re-run of UFC 84 and a rebroadcast of the 19th Silvia vs. Irvin show which is being hailed as a 3 hr 6 fight show! That is super sweet for all us cheapskates that are not forking over 40 bones to affliction. (dude it's in a ring?)
Gary Herman over at 5 Ounces was all over it last weekend with a few classic quotes from D.W.
Borat competed in MMA in Arkansas in June. It is said that it was part of a untitled movie that he has coming out. It seems as if our friend was up to his old high jinx again
Less than 2 weeks till the first salvo of a major battle and the hype is flying. I gotta tell ya I was seriously considering buying the affliction show, but Dude, in a Ring ?
Saturday, July 5
UFC 86 Predictions
UFC light heavyweight Title
Rampage vs. Forrest
Forrest is revered for his heart and stamina but will it be enough to carry him ? I am not sure that when Jackson is properly motivated and trained for a fight that he can be beat. I have seen the losses that he has suffered and its clear that he has been a different fighter since joining the UFC .
Forrest has few ways to win this fight, Rampage has many. I am not so sure that this doesn't turn out like his fight vs Tito Ortiz . He was unable to get the dominant position and could not finish in the stand up. Has Forrest improved enough ? Is just the shear mass of his heart that will carry him? There are very few factors that can match up to that.
I think Rampage comes out blazing and tries to overwelhm Griffin. Rampage has maybe 3 rounds to put Forrest out, after that if Forrest is anywhere within a active pulse he wins. I predict Forrest does not make it .
Rampage by TKO rnd 2
Cote vs. Almeida
I think Cote KO's Ricardo in the 1st round. Cote is on a mini tear here it doesn't stop tonight. Look for him to win and get Yushin Okami in the near future for a shot at the title.
Stevenson vs. Tibau
Look for Jo-daddy to come out methodical and set the pace. Daddy will enforce the rules of the game to Tibau. Stevenson by sub. (RNC) rnd 2
Koscheck vs. Lytle
A fight with lots of hype that will not live up to it . Koscheck will take lytle down and not finish him. His lay pray against lytle's defensive mentality will drawl this one out .
Koscheck via unanamous descion
Griffin vs. Aurelio
Griffin will overpower Aurelio in the stand up game. Look for Griffin to win via tko rnd. 1
In the other fights I like Gonzaga , one a side note this fight should have been put on the main card. People like seeing the heavies. I like Gurgel, and Guillard also.
One other point. I wish that if they where not going to show more fights that the half hour prefight show was worth a damn. This is a big sticking point with me . If the UFC want to continue with the promotion of their product they should develop other way of making money outside of the fights themselves.
Think of the NFL pregame shows. Imagine the same thing with MMA . The UFC not being on a major network is hurting the development of the sport. So why not do a nice half hour prefight show with expert analysis and predictions. They could mend alot of fences and sell advertising. They dont even have the fights on network TV. Do a Saturday night pregame show on ABC as a lead in to the PPV . Then in turn, start the PPV portion a 1/2 hr earlier so the fans get to see more fights on the PPV .
This would please the hardcore fight fans and generate a good vibe about their product. The lead in show could be funded by a influx of ad dollars(Harley D or Bud Light ?) and how about the UFC sign a deal with Underarmour ? Those 2 companies where made for each other.
I am almost done my third installment on the MMA state . I am sorry for the delay in posts but its the 4th in my town and it get very busy round here .
Rampage vs. Forrest
Forrest is revered for his heart and stamina but will it be enough to carry him ? I am not sure that when Jackson is properly motivated and trained for a fight that he can be beat. I have seen the losses that he has suffered and its clear that he has been a different fighter since joining the UFC .
Forrest has few ways to win this fight, Rampage has many. I am not so sure that this doesn't turn out like his fight vs Tito Ortiz . He was unable to get the dominant position and could not finish in the stand up. Has Forrest improved enough ? Is just the shear mass of his heart that will carry him? There are very few factors that can match up to that.
I think Rampage comes out blazing and tries to overwelhm Griffin. Rampage has maybe 3 rounds to put Forrest out, after that if Forrest is anywhere within a active pulse he wins. I predict Forrest does not make it .
Rampage by TKO rnd 2
Cote vs. Almeida
I think Cote KO's Ricardo in the 1st round. Cote is on a mini tear here it doesn't stop tonight. Look for him to win and get Yushin Okami in the near future for a shot at the title.
Stevenson vs. Tibau
Look for Jo-daddy to come out methodical and set the pace. Daddy will enforce the rules of the game to Tibau. Stevenson by sub. (RNC) rnd 2
Koscheck vs. Lytle
A fight with lots of hype that will not live up to it . Koscheck will take lytle down and not finish him. His lay pray against lytle's defensive mentality will drawl this one out .
Koscheck via unanamous descion
Griffin vs. Aurelio
Griffin will overpower Aurelio in the stand up game. Look for Griffin to win via tko rnd. 1
In the other fights I like Gonzaga , one a side note this fight should have been put on the main card. People like seeing the heavies. I like Gurgel, and Guillard also.
One other point. I wish that if they where not going to show more fights that the half hour prefight show was worth a damn. This is a big sticking point with me . If the UFC want to continue with the promotion of their product they should develop other way of making money outside of the fights themselves.
Think of the NFL pregame shows. Imagine the same thing with MMA . The UFC not being on a major network is hurting the development of the sport. So why not do a nice half hour prefight show with expert analysis and predictions. They could mend alot of fences and sell advertising. They dont even have the fights on network TV. Do a Saturday night pregame show on ABC as a lead in to the PPV . Then in turn, start the PPV portion a 1/2 hr earlier so the fans get to see more fights on the PPV .
This would please the hardcore fight fans and generate a good vibe about their product. The lead in show could be funded by a influx of ad dollars(Harley D or Bud Light ?) and how about the UFC sign a deal with Underarmour ? Those 2 companies where made for each other.
I am almost done my third installment on the MMA state . I am sorry for the delay in posts but its the 4th in my town and it get very busy round here .
Thursday, June 26
The State of MMA
The current state of the professional Mixed Martial Arts is volatile and prosperous. There are many dynamics at play with many different factors weighing on the outcome .A constant ebb and flow of ratings and rumors.The sport is facing its greatest challenges and its greatest prosperity.The gauntlet has indeed been set. How will it play out ?
The Players
The Current Champ
The UFC
Currently the UFC is the largest promoter of MMA. They have risen from banishment to having their fighter on the the cover of SI. They were the first to show live events on free TV. TUF has been a huge success since its inception. They have set the standard for which just about all other companies will be judged ....just about. The UFC is the classic American story .Right from there very first pay per view it was misunderstood, uneducated, unorganized, and defiantly very, very brutal. They gained notoriety and infamy at the same time. They were eventually banned from coast to coast, no one would be touch them, within a few years they would be sold. Enter Zuffa.
Zuffa moved swiftly to put in place a new president and business model. They changed the rules in the cage, from weight classes to rounds to the elimination of the one night tournament. They then preceded to market the changes to athletic commissions around the country. The stigma was slowly being lifted. After a series of daft moves and steady marketing the UFC has become the signature MMA company in the world. The roster is a who's who of MMA . Bar none the best fighters are in the UFC. The one question that remains is Network T.V. When will they pull the trigger?
EXC at this time is currently the biggest challenge to the reigning kings . They have positioned themselves in a very adventitious spot. There currently are the only promotion that has a prime time network t.v. deal .There success lies in there acceptance of circus act fights and low ball grifting to the fans. The marketing and PR departments have made the deals while the others failed. EXC is both on Showtime and CBS prime time the first for both broadcast groups. .
The stable of fighters that are under contract for EXC are not the top of the food chain by any stretch of the imagination but there is certainly stars there. Gary Shaw and Co. are setting match ups that are based more on preservation of stars than competition.
With so few quality fighters under contract, in debt, and no clear direction of there rosters, one wonders how they have prospered? They have not made a profit yet and are not close to . How long can this will this last ?
Small San-Jose based promotion that has a post prime TV deal with NBC for a 30 minute time slot. One of the few promotions that seems to do things right. Second to Zuffa in terms of ROI. they have been very savvy in their moves. This is the true Dark horse in the race for supremacy.
With intriguing talent and a underlying integrity they have steadily made strides.The true question is now does Strikeforce have enough talent and cunning to seize a golden opportunity ?
The same remaining problem that might be unobtainable ? How to drawl talent away from other promotions?
WEC
Zuffa based company that features lightweight fighters. They a TV deal in place with the VS. network. They have generated a fair amount of exposure in the last 6 mo. All of it good.They have a mass of talent with some rising stars. The June first show on Vs. was nothing short of spectacular and there ratings back it up.If there was a coming out party,that was it . The question is will the American public pay to see lighter weight fighters ? Or maybe, will they have to ?
Affliction
Latest and greatest challenge to the throne. Swooping up talent with big money movers and shakers ..Hello Mr. Trump .....The old rules of the game are changing . Does big money names and spending equal Success? There are so many questions left to answer its hard to know where to place them just yet. July 19th is going to sting .Do they have the gumption to stick it out? We might never know because they haven't told anybody about it. There marketing campaign has been lacking to say the least. Will the investors get cold feet after a 7-9 million dollar loss ? Will the fighters who once held so much promise return to glory ? The wins by anyone on there premiere card will be quality wins, but will they entertain ?
stay tuned for further instalments of my paper I will post them as they are finished. Thanks for reading
The Players
The Current Champ
The UFC
Currently the UFC is the largest promoter of MMA. They have risen from banishment to having their fighter on the the cover of SI. They were the first to show live events on free TV. TUF has been a huge success since its inception. They have set the standard for which just about all other companies will be judged ....just about. The UFC is the classic American story .Right from there very first pay per view it was misunderstood, uneducated, unorganized, and defiantly very, very brutal. They gained notoriety and infamy at the same time. They were eventually banned from coast to coast, no one would be touch them, within a few years they would be sold. Enter Zuffa.
Zuffa moved swiftly to put in place a new president and business model. They changed the rules in the cage, from weight classes to rounds to the elimination of the one night tournament. They then preceded to market the changes to athletic commissions around the country. The stigma was slowly being lifted. After a series of daft moves and steady marketing the UFC has become the signature MMA company in the world. The roster is a who's who of MMA . Bar none the best fighters are in the UFC. The one question that remains is Network T.V. When will they pull the trigger?
The Contenders
EXCEXC at this time is currently the biggest challenge to the reigning kings . They have positioned themselves in a very adventitious spot. There currently are the only promotion that has a prime time network t.v. deal .There success lies in there acceptance of circus act fights and low ball grifting to the fans. The marketing and PR departments have made the deals while the others failed. EXC is both on Showtime and CBS prime time the first for both broadcast groups. .
The stable of fighters that are under contract for EXC are not the top of the food chain by any stretch of the imagination but there is certainly stars there. Gary Shaw and Co. are setting match ups that are based more on preservation of stars than competition.
With so few quality fighters under contract, in debt, and no clear direction of there rosters, one wonders how they have prospered? They have not made a profit yet and are not close to . How long can this will this last ?
Strikeforce
Small San-Jose based promotion that has a post prime TV deal with NBC for a 30 minute time slot. One of the few promotions that seems to do things right. Second to Zuffa in terms of ROI. they have been very savvy in their moves. This is the true Dark horse in the race for supremacy.
With intriguing talent and a underlying integrity they have steadily made strides.The true question is now does Strikeforce have enough talent and cunning to seize a golden opportunity ?
The same remaining problem that might be unobtainable ? How to drawl talent away from other promotions?
WEC
Zuffa based company that features lightweight fighters. They a TV deal in place with the VS. network. They have generated a fair amount of exposure in the last 6 mo. All of it good.They have a mass of talent with some rising stars. The June first show on Vs. was nothing short of spectacular and there ratings back it up.If there was a coming out party,that was it . The question is will the American public pay to see lighter weight fighters ? Or maybe, will they have to ?
Affliction
Latest and greatest challenge to the throne. Swooping up talent with big money movers and shakers ..Hello Mr. Trump .....The old rules of the game are changing . Does big money names and spending equal Success? There are so many questions left to answer its hard to know where to place them just yet. July 19th is going to sting .Do they have the gumption to stick it out? We might never know because they haven't told anybody about it. There marketing campaign has been lacking to say the least. Will the investors get cold feet after a 7-9 million dollar loss ? Will the fighters who once held so much promise return to glory ? The wins by anyone on there premiere card will be quality wins, but will they entertain ?
stay tuned for further instalments of my paper I will post them as they are finished. Thanks for reading
The Evening Post
Here is the Low down for the Past couple of days,
I am working on a state of the mma piece that will cover some of the most debated topics in the game today. Its going to cover the UFC and all the other rival companies place in the game. The MMA world is in a serious transition state right now. I think there are a clear set of goals that need to be achieved soon and the company that will reach them is still up for debate. I have laid out ground rules for success of the companies and what roadblocks could arise. Look for the article within the next 2 weeks .
I will have a review of the Strikeforce show sometime this weekend and updates throughout .
- EXC has confirmed 3 title fights on the 26th (heavy, middle, and welter)
- Strikeforce has a big show this weekend with there #1 fighter Gilbert Melendez taking on Josh Thompson. Weigh-ins are today at 530 pacific time at a Dave and Busters (I kid you not)
- Looks like Brett Rodgers got his wish , rumors are floating that he is getting his boy Kimbo in October. (personally I think this is going to be the show that draws the highest rating ever, more on that later)
- The seniors tour that is Affliction lost a fighter....Vernon"Tiger" White is out for testing pos-o-tive for a diuretic in a local show. Edwin Dewees is rumored as his replacement against "Little Nog"
- Mauro Ranallo & "Big John" are set as the announcement crew for the Affliction card. On a personal note I cannot stand Mauro! He is WAY over the top and turns my stomach.
- The WEC has just about filled out there Aug. 3rd card with a few good lightweight guys
I am working on a state of the mma piece that will cover some of the most debated topics in the game today. Its going to cover the UFC and all the other rival companies place in the game. The MMA world is in a serious transition state right now. I think there are a clear set of goals that need to be achieved soon and the company that will reach them is still up for debate. I have laid out ground rules for success of the companies and what roadblocks could arise. Look for the article within the next 2 weeks .
I will have a review of the Strikeforce show sometime this weekend and updates throughout .
Tuesday, June 24
Palhares vs Henderson @ UFC 88 and other bits of interest
Reports from mma Kings 5ounces is that Hendo is back at 185 for UFC 88 in "Hotlanta". This is a real test for Hendo as Palhares is no joke. Hendo has a sledgehammer right and world class wrestling , Palhares is a BJJ black belt from B.T.T. I like Hendo in this fight as of right now, but that could change.
There is also a rumor flaoting that Tim Boetsch is on the card as well. Boetsch is best remembered for his utter mauling of David Heath at UFC 81.
Looks like Wandy is heady back to the cage in October, stories swirling have him fighting T. Silva. There is a interesting sub story about this matchup It appears that Wandy was first offered a fight with Lyoto Machida in what would sure be a battle for the #1 contender spot. ....its becoming apparent that nobody is all that excited about facing Machida. This poses a good question though .... whats next for Machada ? , to me its down to about 3 peeps ... Chuck, Shogun, or maybe Jardine. If I was a 205'er I would steer clear of him. I would not want to be out pointed by him on tv ...He makes people look bad plain and simple
and speaking of looking bad, Nick Diaz is getting fed his Tomatoes! Word is K.J. and him will have to wait to squash there little rift. Diaz is now rumored to fight the "wild man" Thomas Denny. Just another big screw up by everybodys favorite slimeball Gary Shaw
Speaking of Shaw MMA Payout is reporting that he is about to get "shit canned" . I think the only people that would be upset about that would be him and his douchebag son. These are 2 of the most unsavory peeps in the buisness. Ole Gary boy has been scum since he started in boxing promotion(the single most crooked enterprise outside of bensonhurst ave. ) Now dont go getting all self righteous on me least you forget that just as recent as the 5-31 EXC card Jared Shaw was trying to influence the ref in the Kimbo-Thompson fight repeatedly calling for a stand up when Thompson was in side control.... side friggin control..Oh and he did get his wish also ...here is wishing his track suit antics are ova !
There is also a rumor flaoting that Tim Boetsch is on the card as well. Boetsch is best remembered for his utter mauling of David Heath at UFC 81.
Looks like Wandy is heady back to the cage in October, stories swirling have him fighting T. Silva. There is a interesting sub story about this matchup It appears that Wandy was first offered a fight with Lyoto Machida in what would sure be a battle for the #1 contender spot. ....its becoming apparent that nobody is all that excited about facing Machida. This poses a good question though .... whats next for Machada ? , to me its down to about 3 peeps ... Chuck, Shogun, or maybe Jardine. If I was a 205'er I would steer clear of him. I would not want to be out pointed by him on tv ...He makes people look bad plain and simple
and speaking of looking bad, Nick Diaz is getting fed his Tomatoes! Word is K.J. and him will have to wait to squash there little rift. Diaz is now rumored to fight the "wild man" Thomas Denny. Just another big screw up by everybodys favorite slimeball Gary Shaw
Speaking of Shaw MMA Payout is reporting that he is about to get "shit canned" . I think the only people that would be upset about that would be him and his douchebag son. These are 2 of the most unsavory peeps in the buisness. Ole Gary boy has been scum since he started in boxing promotion(the single most crooked enterprise outside of bensonhurst ave. ) Now dont go getting all self righteous on me least you forget that just as recent as the 5-31 EXC card Jared Shaw was trying to influence the ref in the Kimbo-Thompson fight repeatedly calling for a stand up when Thompson was in side control.... side friggin control..Oh and he did get his wish also ...here is wishing his track suit antics are ova !
Monday, June 23
Weekend Re-Cap
Ok ...So the TUF finale was not the best fights ever put on TV but there was certainly enough action to go around. I thought the night went pretty much as expected with only a few surprises playing out.
I guess when I had to give my performance of the night, it would go to Hazelett. That was one of the sweetest finishes I have ever seen. If you missed it check out here @ UFC.com for a free video of the fight. Burkman is a tough out for anyone and he seemed on his game Saturday night.What really caught my attention was the post fight interview where Dustin talked about Brazilian Jui Jistu "theory" ? A arm bar from a wizzer is a sick transition . To be honest I have never seen that before and after watching the replay a few hundred times I am even more impressed.
I was also impressed with Kendall Grove. I thought he was very focused and aggressive for the entire course of the fight. Tanner on the other hand was slow and hesitant. I think a couple of undercard fights would have done him well before moving up to the top of the food chain. Then again I am sure the UFC is not paying him to fight cans.He will be a interesting story to watch from here on out, but when isnt Tanner interesting? Tanner is different breed to say the least. You can follow his amazing story here !
Diego looked good but, to me it seemed that Luigi was very much in this fight. I think Luigi could stand to drop to 155, he looked very soft through the mid-section and gassed early( although that is not uncommon against Diego).
On to the TUF finale. I was not to thrilled by the match up to start with after watching Amir sub C.B. in the semi's. Amir is only going to get better and could be a real player in the 185-170 range within 2 years. He is smart, crafty, has tons of heart and can finish fights.
C.B. on the other hand should find a new camp ASAP! To loose by the same move to the same guy within 3 months shows me something is lacking . C.B., coming from a all-american wrestling background would seem to have the higher pedigree but it hasnt worked out . Alot is made about wrestling being the best background for MMA. I think it is, to a extent. I think it is to mid to upper level wrestlers, but to the elite it can pose some mental road blocks that most cannot overcome. The elite wrestlers seem to take longer to add different elements to the game. If he does not have KO power, then they are susceptible to being ko'ed or subbed as most fights go to the judges. Where as the mid level wrestler has the great core attributes of wrestling ( mental toughness, stamina, desire, heart, discipline, excellent takedowns and defense) but they are still free mentally to adapt to new things.
Enough ranting about styles ...as for the rest of the card it went according to plan ... McFedries by KO, Lister by choke and Brown both by TKO. The Creduer fight never happened because of him taking a.d.d. meds ? Tim is the guy you cheer your heart out for but cant seem to get over the "hump" . I seem as a Josh Haynes type fighter .
and now
"The Moment of Truth"
7 wins
2 loses
5 of 7 wins predicted with the proper finish although some rounds were wrong(Sanchez & Amir)
other things of interest from this weekend
I guess when I had to give my performance of the night, it would go to Hazelett. That was one of the sweetest finishes I have ever seen. If you missed it check out here @ UFC.com for a free video of the fight. Burkman is a tough out for anyone and he seemed on his game Saturday night.What really caught my attention was the post fight interview where Dustin talked about Brazilian Jui Jistu "theory" ? A arm bar from a wizzer is a sick transition . To be honest I have never seen that before and after watching the replay a few hundred times I am even more impressed.
I was also impressed with Kendall Grove. I thought he was very focused and aggressive for the entire course of the fight. Tanner on the other hand was slow and hesitant. I think a couple of undercard fights would have done him well before moving up to the top of the food chain. Then again I am sure the UFC is not paying him to fight cans.He will be a interesting story to watch from here on out, but when isnt Tanner interesting? Tanner is different breed to say the least. You can follow his amazing story here !
Diego looked good but, to me it seemed that Luigi was very much in this fight. I think Luigi could stand to drop to 155, he looked very soft through the mid-section and gassed early( although that is not uncommon against Diego).
On to the TUF finale. I was not to thrilled by the match up to start with after watching Amir sub C.B. in the semi's. Amir is only going to get better and could be a real player in the 185-170 range within 2 years. He is smart, crafty, has tons of heart and can finish fights.
C.B. on the other hand should find a new camp ASAP! To loose by the same move to the same guy within 3 months shows me something is lacking . C.B., coming from a all-american wrestling background would seem to have the higher pedigree but it hasnt worked out . Alot is made about wrestling being the best background for MMA. I think it is, to a extent. I think it is to mid to upper level wrestlers, but to the elite it can pose some mental road blocks that most cannot overcome. The elite wrestlers seem to take longer to add different elements to the game. If he does not have KO power, then they are susceptible to being ko'ed or subbed as most fights go to the judges. Where as the mid level wrestler has the great core attributes of wrestling ( mental toughness, stamina, desire, heart, discipline, excellent takedowns and defense) but they are still free mentally to adapt to new things.
Enough ranting about styles ...as for the rest of the card it went according to plan ... McFedries by KO, Lister by choke and Brown both by TKO. The Creduer fight never happened because of him taking a.d.d. meds ? Tim is the guy you cheer your heart out for but cant seem to get over the "hump" . I seem as a Josh Haynes type fighter .
and now
"The Moment of Truth"
7 wins
2 loses
5 of 7 wins predicted with the proper finish although some rounds were wrong(Sanchez & Amir)
other things of interest from this weekend
- UFC heavyweight champ in exile Randy Couture's wife took the beatin of a lifetime in her pro debut look no further than this pic (carefull very rough )courtesy of sherdog.
- The UFC and THQ have released the first trailer from their upcoming video game and it looks sick .(thanks to my friends and undisputed "kings of MMA" 5 ounces of pain!
- Jake Shields has signed to fight Nick"the goat"Thompson on the upcoming EXC card in late July .
- Look for Karo Parisyan to return at UFC 87 against Yoshiyuki Yoshida after dropping 2 in a row
- The UFC announced that they are going back across the pond this time to Birmingham . Possible fighters include Bisping (of course) Dan Hardy for his UFC debut. There was also a speculation that A.Silva/ Okami fight was going down then. Look for that fight to happen if Anderson wins on the 19th
Thursday, June 19
TUF 7 Finale Predictions
Main Event
Tanner vs. Grove
The Story Line :
This has the makings of either a great fight or a dud. I can see it being a real battle or a one sided affair . Both fighters have the ability to dominate and to be dominated. I am super excited to see how it plays out. In order for Tanner to win he needs to get going fast.Tanner was unsuccessful in his much talked about return from a 3 year existential journey. Tanner is a well liked fighter who at one time was the 185lb champ. He has a world class wrestling ability and long time veteran of the fight game. His opponent Grove is a previous TUF winner. Kendal has been on a 2 fight down slide getting knocked out in one and TKO'ed in the other,particularly the K.O. against Cote. I think if Tanner doesnt come out and keep the pressure on Grove will tap him. Tanner is not the most mentally tough fighter so if he gets down early the pressure could crush him. Both fighters are equal in stricking. The ground game is a classic wrestler/bjj match up with the slight edge going to Tanner. This fight will be one and lost in the takedowns. If Tanner is unsuccessful in his takedowns I think he will loose the fight. Grove showed good takedown defense againt Belcher but Tanner is better by far at takedowns.
Prediction
Tanner by G&P pd. rd.3
TUF 7 Finale
Sadollah vs. C.B.
the story line
Rematch of the semifinal bout in which Amir subbed CB with a armbar. That fight was a toss up and this one will not be. I see them both being decent UFC fighters with the difference being Amir having fight ending ability. Dolloway is better at takedowns and wrestling. I think with Amir having time to train specifically against CB's gameplan will be the difference. CB is a classic G&P fighter, where his problem is that he hasn't shown KO power. Without being able to close out fights he has his work cut out for him from here on out. I could be wrong about this but I don't think so. I think Amir stuffs the takedowns better in this fight CB gasses out and Amir by TKO or submission guillotine or rear naked .
Prediction
Sadollah by rear naked rd. 3
Sanchez vs Fioravanti
The Storyline :
Sanchez season one TUF winner has went 1-2 in last 3 fights. He looked sharp in his last 2 fights going 1-1 with the loss coming by way of split decision against the #1 ranked contender Jon Fitch. Luigi owns the same exact 1-2 record with one of the losses coming to Fitch as well. The difference being that Diego has fought and beaten a much higher level of fighter. I see this fight being a one sided mashing by Diego all the way. I think he is going to overwhelm Luigi and pound him out in the first round. I can see several way this fight can go and all of them tell me that Sanchez is the winner.
Prediction :
Sanchez by TKO strikes Rd.1
Rest of the fights:
I am taking Spencer Fisher in a close and exciting fight. I am also taking Burkman in what is lining up to be a war. There is a ton on the line for both of these fighters. I predict this fight will make it to the televised portion of the show. Look for McFeddries to win by KO, Matt Brown and Dean Lister to win by tapout due to strikes.Lastly Tim Creduer to win by unanimous decision.
JohnnyRev
Tanner vs. Grove
The Story Line :
This has the makings of either a great fight or a dud. I can see it being a real battle or a one sided affair . Both fighters have the ability to dominate and to be dominated. I am super excited to see how it plays out. In order for Tanner to win he needs to get going fast.Tanner was unsuccessful in his much talked about return from a 3 year existential journey. Tanner is a well liked fighter who at one time was the 185lb champ. He has a world class wrestling ability and long time veteran of the fight game. His opponent Grove is a previous TUF winner. Kendal has been on a 2 fight down slide getting knocked out in one and TKO'ed in the other,particularly the K.O. against Cote. I think if Tanner doesnt come out and keep the pressure on Grove will tap him. Tanner is not the most mentally tough fighter so if he gets down early the pressure could crush him. Both fighters are equal in stricking. The ground game is a classic wrestler/bjj match up with the slight edge going to Tanner. This fight will be one and lost in the takedowns. If Tanner is unsuccessful in his takedowns I think he will loose the fight. Grove showed good takedown defense againt Belcher but Tanner is better by far at takedowns.
Prediction
Tanner by G&P pd. rd.3
TUF 7 Finale
Sadollah vs. C.B.
the story line
Rematch of the semifinal bout in which Amir subbed CB with a armbar. That fight was a toss up and this one will not be. I see them both being decent UFC fighters with the difference being Amir having fight ending ability. Dolloway is better at takedowns and wrestling. I think with Amir having time to train specifically against CB's gameplan will be the difference. CB is a classic G&P fighter, where his problem is that he hasn't shown KO power. Without being able to close out fights he has his work cut out for him from here on out. I could be wrong about this but I don't think so. I think Amir stuffs the takedowns better in this fight CB gasses out and Amir by TKO or submission guillotine or rear naked .
Prediction
Sadollah by rear naked rd. 3
Sanchez vs Fioravanti
The Storyline :
Sanchez season one TUF winner has went 1-2 in last 3 fights. He looked sharp in his last 2 fights going 1-1 with the loss coming by way of split decision against the #1 ranked contender Jon Fitch. Luigi owns the same exact 1-2 record with one of the losses coming to Fitch as well. The difference being that Diego has fought and beaten a much higher level of fighter. I see this fight being a one sided mashing by Diego all the way. I think he is going to overwhelm Luigi and pound him out in the first round. I can see several way this fight can go and all of them tell me that Sanchez is the winner.
Prediction :
Sanchez by TKO strikes Rd.1
Rest of the fights:
I am taking Spencer Fisher in a close and exciting fight. I am also taking Burkman in what is lining up to be a war. There is a ton on the line for both of these fighters. I predict this fight will make it to the televised portion of the show. Look for McFeddries to win by KO, Matt Brown and Dean Lister to win by tapout due to strikes.Lastly Tim Creduer to win by unanimous decision.
JohnnyRev
Noon Review
Ok. So let me get this out of the way right off the bat... JT....you idiot ...
I know that we have all been in that same spot at some point in our lives. We have all had that time when the fun gets a little out of control, things just start spinning. The difference being that we are all not on National TV ! They should go and film Jesse going back to his "regular job" for about a month. They should show it to every guy who ever makes it on the show from here on out. It seems to me Jesse is like Lenny from "of Mice and Men"some times. You know he doesn't mean it, but that doesnt change the fact that it just can't be done. Wheeew got that over with. quick hits for today are :
UFC T.U.F.Finale is set , look for my complete predictions and fight break on this weekends shows later tonight
live on Spike TV from 9:00 PM to 12:00 AM (ET/PT) on Saturday, June 21
I know that we have all been in that same spot at some point in our lives. We have all had that time when the fun gets a little out of control, things just start spinning. The difference being that we are all not on National TV ! They should go and film Jesse going back to his "regular job" for about a month. They should show it to every guy who ever makes it on the show from here on out. It seems to me Jesse is like Lenny from "of Mice and Men"some times. You know he doesn't mean it, but that doesnt change the fact that it just can't be done. Wheeew got that over with. quick hits for today are :
UFC T.U.F.Finale is set , look for my complete predictions and fight break on this weekends shows later tonight
live on Spike TV from 9:00 PM to 12:00 AM (ET/PT) on Saturday, June 21
main card
E.Tanner vs. K. Grove
TUF 7 Tourny Finals A.Sadollah vs. C.B. Dollaway
D.Sanchez vs L.Fioravanti
S. Fischer Vs. J. Stephens
Prelims.
J.Burkman vs. D.Hazlett
M. Eastman vs. D. McFedries
D. Lister vs J.Horn
T.Credeur vs. C. Yarbrough
M.Arroyo vs. M.Brown
D.Rivera vs. M.Riddle
Not bad at all. Rumors are starting to swirl about Dana White's role in the company after the shake up this week . I can see both side of the debate. I know that it is not a good thing for the UFC if EXC is on CBS, and the UFC is on SPIKE TV. They dont want the untapped masses to believe that EXC is superior. In my opinion the UFC has less than 18 months to get on one of 5 major channels (HBO,ABC,ESPN,NBC,FOX) or they stand to loose a substantial amount of fan base to EXC.Watch Dana White talk about it at 3pm on sat on espn.com/mmalive
Affliction needs a serious add campain soon. The UFC is putting together a nice card for Fight Night 14 This Card poses a real threat to their first show. There philosophy of spending millions of dollars on fighters and not telling people is as bad as, not spending any money and telling everyone in the world. There card is deep on names but little sizzle. The need a TV comercial on major network tv with highlights on this show.. I just dont see it happening.
I am out
Wednesday, June 18
UFC Makes major "announcement"
So this is what we have been waiting for ? Two weeks of theories and rants ! This ?? That Lorenzo Ferritta is leaving the casino business. to work full time on the UFC ? I for one feel ripped off , slighted , even taken advantage of !
I seem to think that there was more to the story and Dana let his excitement get the best of him. There is no logical reason to postpone this twice if it's completely internal right ? I dont think so, there is no contract to negotiate. Lorenzo owns the company. I think in the next few weeks we will find out more.,maybe even this weekend at the finale .
stay tuned as usual
I seem to think that there was more to the story and Dana let his excitement get the best of him. There is no logical reason to postpone this twice if it's completely internal right ? I dont think so, there is no contract to negotiate. Lorenzo owns the company. I think in the next few weeks we will find out more.,maybe even this weekend at the finale .
stay tuned as usual
UFC "major announcement" set for todat at 3pm EST
It seems as if the waiting is finally going to be over. After about 10 of the craziest days the blogsphere has ever seen the UFC is set to finally make it know what the hubbub is all about !
This whole mess started when UFC pres Dana White made a statement to ESPN the mag. about a announcement that will quote "blow peoples minds and change the MMA business for the next 5 years".White made it known that the "deal" was done and even his employees did not know. He was renting a"secret location" to do his announcement and whatnot .
Well so far Dana has pushed back the "biggie" 2 times from 6-12 to 6-17 to 6-18.Dana is now going to do a national radio tour in "major markets" to talk about it . What does this mean for the sport ? Who knows ? There have been about 50 different rumors bandied about from the WWE buying the UFC to a network T.V. deal ( a big sticking point for just about everyone remotely interested in MMA).Another one is UFC using this to generate internet traffic and then announce the July 19th show .
all I know is that 3pm its either it's going to happen or not.Check back here to make your own judgment on it .
This whole mess started when UFC pres Dana White made a statement to ESPN the mag. about a announcement that will quote "blow peoples minds and change the MMA business for the next 5 years".White made it known that the "deal" was done and even his employees did not know. He was renting a"secret location" to do his announcement and whatnot .
Well so far Dana has pushed back the "biggie" 2 times from 6-12 to 6-17 to 6-18.Dana is now going to do a national radio tour in "major markets" to talk about it . What does this mean for the sport ? Who knows ? There have been about 50 different rumors bandied about from the WWE buying the UFC to a network T.V. deal ( a big sticking point for just about everyone remotely interested in MMA).Another one is UFC using this to generate internet traffic and then announce the July 19th show .
all I know is that 3pm its either it's going to happen or not.Check back here to make your own judgment on it .
