Joe Rogan and Mayhem Miller talk about having Brasilian BJJ coaches, then Joe Ezekial chokes his dog.
Friday, September 30, 2011
UFC CHAMPIONS BREAKDOWN: BY SHERDOG
I don't know how accurate these numbers are, but this is a pretty sweet graph.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
TRIBUTE TO SHOGUN RUA
There's no doubt in my mind that one of the greatest of all time is Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. When he comes to fight, he's damn near unbeatable. I made the mistake of picking against him in his last fight, and boy do I regret it. It's with that in mind that I post this video. Thanks to FlyWinMMA for the sweet new Shogun highlight.
He's one of my all time favorite MMA fighters and I can't wait to see him put a whoopin' on Dan Henderson. WAR SHOGUN!!
He's one of my all time favorite MMA fighters and I can't wait to see him put a whoopin' on Dan Henderson. WAR SHOGUN!!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Just in case you missed last nights episode.....
Come back tomorrow for: BETTING ODDS, BREAKDOWNS, AND PREDICTIONS FOR UFC LIVE: CRUZ VS. JOHNSON
Come back tomorrow for: BETTING ODDS, BREAKDOWNS, AND PREDICTIONS FOR UFC LIVE: CRUZ VS. JOHNSON
Sunday, September 25, 2011
9 THINGS I LEARNED FROM UFC 135, RESULTS, AND REACTIONS
There's a lot I could say about what happened tonight, but it wouldn't do it justice. While overall, the card itself wasn't spectacular, we all learned something important........Jon Jones is not over hyped.
9 THINGS I LEARNED FROM UFC 135 (Cause I didn't learn 10)
1. Jone "Bones" Jones is not only the future of MMA. He's the present, and apparently what ever else he wants to be. The sky is the limit for this kid.
2. You should not let Heavyweights fight in high altitude. Really Joe Silva?
3. Nate Diaz has black belt level Jiu-Jitsu. I'm not sure why he still has a brown belt.
4. If you're already in the UFC hall of fame, and you're still fighting, its probably about time you retire.
5. TUF winners are not what they used to be. These guys come out gunning right from the beginning.
6. Despite the loss, Ben Rothwell is a tough dude. He was exhausted and taking a beating, but he still answered the bell in the third round.
7. Josh Koscheck is not a bad guy. He just plays the part very well. He was gracious and thankful after his win.
8. I like the idea of a "Rampage" vs. "Shogun" rematch in Japan. I hope Dana White makes it happen.
9. Apparently, Rashad Evans and Jon Jones really don't like eachother. I thought it was all an act, but the animosity was palpable.
I guess the betting odds are here to stay! I got a great reaction from the new format, so thanks everyone for the support. Considering that I picked a huge long shot in "Rampage" Jackson, I think I did pretty well overall in my picks. For those of you that weren't paying attention, I went 5 for 7 on the night.
RESULTS
Tim Boetsch def Nick Ring by Unanimous Decision
Boetsch had a lot of hype coming into this fight. He was fighting for only the second time at Middleweight and was expected to buzz saw through Nick Ring. Although he won, he was less than impressive. I will say that his defensive boxing looked really good. He had great head movement and did what he could against an opponent who wouldn't engage half the time. Even so, he's going to need to do a lot more before he can be considered a top contender at 185lbs.
Tony Ferguson def Aaron Riley by TKO in Rd 1 (Doctor's Stoppage)
I'm gonna make this one quick. Ferguson came, he saw, he broke another man's jaw. Enough said.
Nate Diaz def Takanori Gomi by Submission in Rd 1 (Armbar)
Can anyone tell me why Nate Diaz is still a BJJ brown belt. I'm honestly not sure whether Gomi is a blackbelt in anything, but Diaz has made it a habit of submitting BJJ blackbelts on the regular. Not only that, his boxing looked crisp and on point. As much as I love Gomi, I just don't know if he can compete with the upper echilon of fighters, especially in the Lightweight division.
Travis Browne def Rob Broughton by Unanimous Decision
Remember when I said that heavyweights shouldn't fight in high altitude? This fight is a good example why. Browne looked really good in the first round as he was able to bounce around and dictate the pace of the fight. Everything after that was sloppy at best. What was really surprising was how easily Browne was able to take Broughton down. Broughton was considered the grappling specialist going in to the fight, but he wasn't able to use any offensive grappling other than a lackluster kimura attempt. Browne looked good, but far from impressive.
Mark Hunt def Ben Rothwell by Unanimous Decision
I have to applaud the heart of Ben Rothwell. There are very few men that would answer the bell in the 3rd round after having to be picked up by their trainers and walked to their corner at the end of the 2nd. Mark Hunt looked like he's been working hard to develop a complete MMA game. Striking is still his forte, but it seems as though his work at ATT has helped to round out his game. By no means is he elite, but he still has some fight in him.
(This was a big night for Samoans as both Mark Hunt and James Te-Huna delivered big wins)
Josh Koscheck def Matt Hughes by TKO in Rd 1
For the first four minutes of the first round, it seemed as though Matt Hughes would pull off the upset. His boxing looked crisp and he was able to hit Koscheck repeatedly in that damaged eye. All it took was 30 seconds for Kos to turn it around. Matt Hughes will forever be remembered as a legend and one of the guys responsible for building the UFC in to what it is today. It's unfortunate that he had to go out the way he did, but its for the best. What was surprising was how gracious Josh Koscheck was even after the big win.
Jon Jones def Quentin Jackson by Submission in Rd 4 (Rear Naked Choke)
I don't think there's anything left to say about Jon Jones. He may very well be knocking on the door of unbeatable. I'm sure the next few weeks will be littered with rumors of super fights with Anderson Silva or Cain Velasquez. For now, he's undoubtedly the best Lightheavyweight Mixed Martial Artist in the entire world. There's no doubt about that. How good will he get? We'll have to wait and see.
All in all, I give UFC 135 a C+. Some excitement....Some good finishes.... But it could have been better.
KO of the night: Josh Koscheck
Submission of the night : Nate Diaz
Fight of the Night: Jon Jones vs. Quentin Jackson
I really hope everyone enjoyed the betting odds being added in with the predictions. For anyone who took my advice and lost, sorry about that, better luck next time. That's why they call it gambling!
I'm going to do my best to try and find the videos for at least the main card fights and post them up tomorrow.
Don't forget that the finals for the ADCC are tomorrow. If you're not doing anything and can pry your eyes away from football for a few minutes, it should be a treat. (FYI, I picked almost every single winner in the first two rounds)
The next few weeks are stacked with events so keep reading, and I'll keep doing what I do.
(Check out my buddies' blog if you get a second. If you're a fan of MMA, which I'm sure you are, I promise you'll enjoy it. Some support never hurts! Check it out at: www.mmabadass.com)
(Just FYI, I actually don't know him....I just lost a bet. But check the site out anyway.....It's not half bad)
9 THINGS I LEARNED FROM UFC 135 (Cause I didn't learn 10)
1. Jone "Bones" Jones is not only the future of MMA. He's the present, and apparently what ever else he wants to be. The sky is the limit for this kid.
2. You should not let Heavyweights fight in high altitude. Really Joe Silva?
3. Nate Diaz has black belt level Jiu-Jitsu. I'm not sure why he still has a brown belt.
4. If you're already in the UFC hall of fame, and you're still fighting, its probably about time you retire.
5. TUF winners are not what they used to be. These guys come out gunning right from the beginning.
6. Despite the loss, Ben Rothwell is a tough dude. He was exhausted and taking a beating, but he still answered the bell in the third round.
7. Josh Koscheck is not a bad guy. He just plays the part very well. He was gracious and thankful after his win.
8. I like the idea of a "Rampage" vs. "Shogun" rematch in Japan. I hope Dana White makes it happen.
9. Apparently, Rashad Evans and Jon Jones really don't like eachother. I thought it was all an act, but the animosity was palpable.
I guess the betting odds are here to stay! I got a great reaction from the new format, so thanks everyone for the support. Considering that I picked a huge long shot in "Rampage" Jackson, I think I did pretty well overall in my picks. For those of you that weren't paying attention, I went 5 for 7 on the night.
RESULTS
Tim Boetsch def Nick Ring by Unanimous Decision
Boetsch had a lot of hype coming into this fight. He was fighting for only the second time at Middleweight and was expected to buzz saw through Nick Ring. Although he won, he was less than impressive. I will say that his defensive boxing looked really good. He had great head movement and did what he could against an opponent who wouldn't engage half the time. Even so, he's going to need to do a lot more before he can be considered a top contender at 185lbs.
Tony Ferguson def Aaron Riley by TKO in Rd 1 (Doctor's Stoppage)
I'm gonna make this one quick. Ferguson came, he saw, he broke another man's jaw. Enough said.
Nate Diaz def Takanori Gomi by Submission in Rd 1 (Armbar)
Can anyone tell me why Nate Diaz is still a BJJ brown belt. I'm honestly not sure whether Gomi is a blackbelt in anything, but Diaz has made it a habit of submitting BJJ blackbelts on the regular. Not only that, his boxing looked crisp and on point. As much as I love Gomi, I just don't know if he can compete with the upper echilon of fighters, especially in the Lightweight division.
Travis Browne def Rob Broughton by Unanimous Decision
Remember when I said that heavyweights shouldn't fight in high altitude? This fight is a good example why. Browne looked really good in the first round as he was able to bounce around and dictate the pace of the fight. Everything after that was sloppy at best. What was really surprising was how easily Browne was able to take Broughton down. Broughton was considered the grappling specialist going in to the fight, but he wasn't able to use any offensive grappling other than a lackluster kimura attempt. Browne looked good, but far from impressive.
Mark Hunt def Ben Rothwell by Unanimous Decision
I have to applaud the heart of Ben Rothwell. There are very few men that would answer the bell in the 3rd round after having to be picked up by their trainers and walked to their corner at the end of the 2nd. Mark Hunt looked like he's been working hard to develop a complete MMA game. Striking is still his forte, but it seems as though his work at ATT has helped to round out his game. By no means is he elite, but he still has some fight in him.
(This was a big night for Samoans as both Mark Hunt and James Te-Huna delivered big wins)
Josh Koscheck def Matt Hughes by TKO in Rd 1
For the first four minutes of the first round, it seemed as though Matt Hughes would pull off the upset. His boxing looked crisp and he was able to hit Koscheck repeatedly in that damaged eye. All it took was 30 seconds for Kos to turn it around. Matt Hughes will forever be remembered as a legend and one of the guys responsible for building the UFC in to what it is today. It's unfortunate that he had to go out the way he did, but its for the best. What was surprising was how gracious Josh Koscheck was even after the big win.
Jon Jones def Quentin Jackson by Submission in Rd 4 (Rear Naked Choke)
I don't think there's anything left to say about Jon Jones. He may very well be knocking on the door of unbeatable. I'm sure the next few weeks will be littered with rumors of super fights with Anderson Silva or Cain Velasquez. For now, he's undoubtedly the best Lightheavyweight Mixed Martial Artist in the entire world. There's no doubt about that. How good will he get? We'll have to wait and see.
All in all, I give UFC 135 a C+. Some excitement....Some good finishes.... But it could have been better.
KO of the night: Josh Koscheck
Submission of the night : Nate Diaz
Fight of the Night: Jon Jones vs. Quentin Jackson
I really hope everyone enjoyed the betting odds being added in with the predictions. For anyone who took my advice and lost, sorry about that, better luck next time. That's why they call it gambling!
I'm going to do my best to try and find the videos for at least the main card fights and post them up tomorrow.
Don't forget that the finals for the ADCC are tomorrow. If you're not doing anything and can pry your eyes away from football for a few minutes, it should be a treat. (FYI, I picked almost every single winner in the first two rounds)
The next few weeks are stacked with events so keep reading, and I'll keep doing what I do.
(Check out my buddies' blog if you get a second. If you're a fan of MMA, which I'm sure you are, I promise you'll enjoy it. Some support never hurts! Check it out at: www.mmabadass.com)
(Just FYI, I actually don't know him....I just lost a bet. But check the site out anyway.....It's not half bad)
Saturday, September 24, 2011
BETTING ODDS, BREAKDOWNS, AND PREDICTIONS FOR UFC 135
I know, I know, it's been almost a week since my last post and I never did my reactions for UFN 25. Well please, allow me to explain....... Uhhh...... What had happened was......
If you really want to know, I don't have cable because I just moved in to a new apartment. I was also invited to a very interesting event the night of the fights so I wasn't able to watch them live. By the time I actually did get a chance to watch them, it was too late. So here I am before you once again, asking your forgiveness. For what its worth, I was totally distraught about it for like six minutes. Honestly, it was agonizing.
We're now in the thick of it. Every title in the UFC will be defended over the next six weeks. UFC 135 is just the beginning. The next two cards are completely stacked, and it all ends with the UFC's coming out party on November 12th. This is truly a historic time in the history of MMA. What a time to be a fan!
Being one that accepts constructive criticism, I've decided to take some wise advice and get to the point a lot quicker. I realize that I can be a bit long winded. So sue me..........Lets get on with it then......
At the behest of a friend, I've decided to start including betting odds in my break downs and predictions. If nothing else, it might help you degenerates out there make the right decisions about which picks to make. I'm not the biggest supporter of sports betting, but I'll do anything for a friend. Well....almost anything.
The Undercard
As usual, there will be two fights televised for free on Spike TV. These will be among the last few fights to show for free on Spike. The festivities begin at 8:00 pm est. Don't miss it.
(The betting odds reported here are as up to date as possible. They were obtained from bodog.com at 11:34 pm the night before the fight)
Tim Boetsch (-150) vs. Nick Ring (+120)
I wasn't particularly impressed with the selections that were made for the Spike Tv portion of this card, but free MMA is good MMA, so I'll take what I can get.
You may remember Tim Boetsch as the guy who sent Kendall Grove packing from the UFC. You may also remember him as the one and only victim of the "Philmura." If nothing else, Boetsch will go down in MMA history for that fact. Boetsch has pretty powerful striking and good wrestling. He is fighting at Middleweight for only the second time in his career. Nick Ring is the Ultimate Fighter alumni who could very well have taken the whole show had he not gotten himself injured. If you remember, he beat Court McGee (the eventual winner) in one of the earlier rounds. His injury is what allowed McGee to come back and win it all. Ring trains out of the Tri-Star gym with the likes of Georges St. Pierre.
This is one of the more evenly matched fights on this card. Both men have solid stand up skills and decent enough grappling. I don't know why, but I just don't see there being a finish in this fight. Ultimately, I think Nick Ring will do enough to take a decision by using his grappling and BJJ skills to take the fight where he wants it. I would pick Ring just on the strength of his training partners.
Bet: Ring at +120 is a solid bet here. This is a good fight to add to a parlay.
Prediction: Nick Ring by Unanimous Decision
Tony Ferguson (-350) vs. Aaron Riley (+275)
If I were Aaron Riley, I'd be pretty mad at the odds makers. This fight is a lot more evenly matched then the odds might reflect. Even so, Aaron Riley is going to be in for a tough night. Tony Ferguson is the winner of the Ultimate Fighter Season 13. He looked impressive in the finale showing a good sprawl and very technical boxing. Riley has had some success in the UFC but has lost decisively when fighting top competition. If he can muscle his way inside and take Ferguson out of his game, then he has a very good chance of winning this fight.
Look for Ferguson to try to stay on the outside and use his boxing to pick Riley apart. As much as I like Aaron Riley, I don't think he'll win this fight. Ferguson just looked too good the last few times I've seen him and I don't think Riley will be able to work his game plan.
Bet: Up to you if you want to take Ferguson at -350. Not a lot of money to be made there, but it's a good bet that Ferguson will win.
Prediction: Tony Ferguson by 2nd Rd TKO
THE MAIN CARD
Ben Rothwell (-340) vs. Mark Hunt (+260)
What a great fight to kickoff the PPV with. I'm always a fan of some much needed Pride nostalgia. For those of you that don't know who he is, Mark Hunt has been around for years, always competing against top competition. In Pride, he was at one point considered a serious contender but was never able to put a good amount of wins together. Ben Rothwell has not fought in the UFC in over a year and is finally coming back after some injuries derailed his progress. You might remember Rothwell as the guy who sent Gilber Yvel packing. Most likely, you remember the one sided beat down he took at the hand of Cain Velasquez.
This is a tough one to predict because you never know which Mark Hunt will show up. If Mark Hunt the pissed off Samoan shows up, then Ben Rothwell might as well just pack his bags and go back to the corn field. If not, then Rothwell should have an easy enough time with Hunt. Still, I'm going to take Hunt here. What can I say, I have a soft spot for the old days.
Bet: Taking Hunt at +260 is risky. Rothwell (-340) is a much safer bet. Hunt has crazy power though, and can end the fight at any time. Go with Rothwell. Not everyone is as crazy as I am.
Prediction: Mark Hunt by 1st Rd KO (More of a wish then a prediction)
Nate Diaz (-270) vs. Takanori Gomi (+210)
Gomi is another one of those ex-Pride guys that are very hard to read. The way he fights is very much contingent on how stable he is mentally. I think the loss to Clay Guida really took a lot out of him and Nate Diaz will be able to capitalize on it. Diaz has great submissions, especially off his back, and has shown that he has a tough chin. I think Diaz will ultimately be able to use his boxing and cardio to wear down Gomi and lock in the submission.
Bet: There's a lot of upside to taking Gomi (+210) here but you'll probably be throwing your money away. Instead of taking Diaz straight up, try betting on him wining inside the distance (+120).
Prediction: Nate Diaz by 2nd Rd Submission
Travis Brown (-400) vs. Rob Broughton (+300)
I don't know if its the fact that I have a soft spot for Hawaiians, but I just can't seem to pick against them. This time, its a pretty safe bet because Travis Browne is a killer. Let me paint a little picture for you....Travis Brown is 6'7". His last fight was against Stephan Struve, who is 6'11". When Brown knocked out Struve, he did it while Struve was in mid air trying to hit him with a flying something or other. That means Browne was punching up at Struve from about 7 or 8 inches below him, and he still knocked him out cold. Now that's power. Broughton is a skilled fighter with some impressive grappling credentials, but he's in deep water here.
Broughton will probably try to shoot in for the takedown over and over again because that's where his strength lies. Browne will have to channel his inner Chuck Lidell and sprawl and brawl his way in to the win column. Ultimately, Browne will be able to use his superior size to keep the fight standing and deliver another beautiful KO for the fans.
Bet: Not a lot of upside to taking Browne (-400) here. This is another one of those situations where you should take a prop bet. Betting on the fight going a full round is +150. Much better odds there.
Prediction: Browne by 2nd Rd KO
Josh Koscheck (-550) vs. Matt Hughes (+375)
This fight was originally booked as Matt Hughes vs. Diego Sanchez. An injury to Sanchez caused him to pull out on short notice. He was quickly replaced by Josh Koscheck. What a bummer for Matt Hughes. Matt Hughes is a legend and will always be a fan favorite. Unfortunately, Koscheck is a really bad stylistic matchup for him. Koscheck was flirting with the idea of fighting at Middleweight before he was offered this fight on short notice. He's bigger, arguably stronger, and throws bombs. Hughes won't be able to use his wrestling here as Koscheck is an accomplished wrestler in his own right. I'm not really sure what the game plan is for Hughes at this point, but he needs to come up with something big if he wants to win this fight.
I think this is the fight that sends Matt Hughes in to retirement. He's hinted at wanting a "Chuck Lidell job" so this will probably be the end for him. Hughes' chin isn't all that great and Koscheck will be able to exploit that. Thanks for all the great fights Matt, but I think this is the end of the road.
Bet: I don't know if it's even worth betting on this one. The odds undeniably favor Koscheck. If you're feeling squirrelly though, taking Matt Hughes by decision is +600. Hey, it could happen. Probably not though.
Prediction: Josh Koscheck by 1st Rd TKO
Jon Jones (-550) vs. Quinton Jackson (+375)
What can I say about Jon Jones that hasn't already been said? You know when people say, "He gets better every time I see him" ? Well, there are only two fighters I've ever actually believed that about. One is Frankie Edgar. The other, as I'm sure you know, is Jon Jones. What he's been able to do in three short years is incredible. In the words of Quentin "Rampage" Jackson (I'm paraphrasing), "Jon Jones is the future of MMA, but I'm the present." That's right! I think "Rampage" is going to win this fight! Call me crazy, but there's something about this matchup that reeks of an upset. I don't know if its the fact that "Rampage" looks more motivated than I've seen him in a long time, or whether it's Jones' attitude, but I truly believe that the Light Heavyweight championship will change hands once again. Experience is an asset that most undervalue in MMA. This is really the first high profile fight of "Bones'" career and I think "Rampage" has managed to get in to his head. Yeah, Jones is flashy and has a ton of talent, but when Jackson gets that fire in his eyes, he's a dangerous man.
This should be a really good back and forth battle. I see this being the fight where we finally find out what kind of chin Jon Jones has. Eventually, he won't be able to use his reach to keep Jackson at a distance. I think "Rampage" will be able to use the clinch to his advantage and dirty box his way to a win. Of course, there's a very good change that I'm 100% wrong and that my Pride nostalgia is kicking in again. I still smell the upset though. Jon Jones will one day be as unbeatable as Anderson Silva, but not yet.
Bet: Don't let the odds fool you, taking Jackson (+375) is a very promising bet. It might be a bit of a nail biter, but it'll be worth it.
Prediction: Quentin Jackson by 3rd Rd KO
Well I hope everyone likes the new format.
Please feel free to offer any suggestions of what I can be doing better.
Don't forget the Bellator 51 is the same night as UFC 135, so program your DVR's accordingly.
There's also another big event this weekend that some of you might be interested in. The ADCC Submission Grappling World Championship will be held on the 24th and 25th. We're talking the greatest grapplers in the world going toe to toe for two days. You can watch them live on PPV for $30. If nothing else, tune in for the finals on day 2. It's going to be sick, I promise.
I'll be doing be post fight reactions directly after the fights from now on. No more waiting a day to know who won!
As always, don't forget to follow me on twitter @TheGuardFighter.
Enjoy the fights tonight everyone! I know I will!
Friday, September 23, 2011
MY PICKS FOR THE ADCC
ABSOLUTE CHAMPION : XANDE RIBEIRO
FILL IN THE BRACKETS YOURSELF!
There will also be two super fights as part of the event.
Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs. Braulio Estima
Mario Sperry vs. Renzo Gracie
I pick Estima and Gracie to win.
Anyone interested in watching the ADCC, it will be streaming live on PPV September 24th and 25th . This is quite possibly the greatest collection of grapplers in the world today. I promise, you won't regret watching it.
Here's the link:
http://www.budovideos.com/shop/customer/product.php?productid=32318
FILL IN THE BRACKETS YOURSELF!
There will also be two super fights as part of the event.
Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs. Braulio Estima
Mario Sperry vs. Renzo Gracie
I pick Estima and Gracie to win.
Anyone interested in watching the ADCC, it will be streaming live on PPV September 24th and 25th . This is quite possibly the greatest collection of grapplers in the world today. I promise, you won't regret watching it.
Here's the link:
http://www.budovideos.com/shop/customer/product.php?productid=32318
Saturday, September 17, 2011
WARRIOR REVIEW AND UFN 25 PREDICTIONS
Sorry about the delay everyone. It's been a long and eventful week. But believe me, I never once forgot my duty as the worst MMA blogger in the world. I know you've all been anxiously waiting at the edge of your seats, so you can all relax now. I'm back.
Well, since it's been almost a week, I've decided to make this somewhat of a double post. I'll do my usual predictions as well as my first ever movie review! Are you excited yet? You don't have to tell me, I can feel it from here. If you're wondering what movie I'll be reviewing, I'll tell you. It's The Smurfs! No.... I'm just kidding. Of course it's going to be Warrior. What other movie would a guy who writes a blog about Mixed Martial Arts review?
A little bit of warning is in order before your read this review. I'm somewhat of a jaded elitist when it comes to movies and film making. Ask anyone that knows me and they'll tell you that I'm a pretty harsh critic. I honestly can't even remember the last movie I saw in theaters that I left not feeling like I was just conned out of $30+. Now that you know my secret, you can decide if you want to continue reading. Theres no shame in just skipping to the predictions and bypassing the movie review all together. I won't judge you, I promise.
Warrior (Spoiler Free)
I honestly went in to this movie trying to keep the most open mind possible. I did my homework before buying tickets and everything. Rotten tomatoes was giving it an 82% approval rating, so I was optimistic about how I would feel when the movie was over. So I drove to the movies with my girlfriend, trooper that she is, and bought us some tickets. No popcorn tonight kids, just coffee and water. We sat through the previews, which were intense to say the least, and finally the main attraction began. Don't worry, Im not planning to give you a play by play or anything like that. I wont spoil the ending or go in to too much detail. Anything I tell you could be easily picked up from just watching the trailer (available above). I've divided my thoughts about the movie in to three sections that I like to call: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
1. This is hands down the best movie ever made that features MMA as a sport. (although the competition is not very stiff)
2. Nick Nolte's performance was intense and believable.
3. It showed that MMA fighters can come from all walks of life.
4. Cameos by actual MMA fighters, Nate Marquardt and Anthony Johnson.
5. Tom Hardy did a fantastic job. It really felt like he could whoop my ass.
The Bad
1. Over stylized fight scenes. Some of the scenes looked like something out of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
2. Joel Edgerton (Brandon Conlon) was lukewarm at best. It felt like his expressions were just different variations of the same emotion.
3. The whole premise of the movie is incredibly unbelievable. Especially the reason behind why both brothers compete in the tournament.
4. The stereotypical high school kids. I thought I was watching an episode of Saved by the Bell at one point.
5. Kurt Angle as the Fedor like character "Koba." It was almost painful to watch.
The Ugly
1. I don't know of any athletic commission that would sanction a one day, 16 man tournament. Especially in Atlantic City.
2. WWE style power bombs? Really? They could have at least made it look believable.
3. Using Josh Rosenthal (an actual MMA referee) to be the referee in the movie. If he ever reffed a fight in real life like he did in Warrior, he'd be fired.
4. The way Brandon Conlon gets beat up for the majority of the fight and then pulls a submission out of his ass. Speaking of which, the technique he uses to perform said submissions is atrocious. They couldn't have hired one legitimate BJJ consultant?
5. The training montages. Why would a fighter who's about to compete in a major tournament spar without any protective gear on? At one point they go full contact in training. Its just ridiculous as far as I'm concerned.
6. Fighters with nicknames like "White Lightning." Seriously?
All in all it wasn't a terrible movie. It is definitely leagues above its predecessors and is a better MMA movie than any that I've seen in the past. It still, however, paints Mixed Martial Arts as a sport in a somewhat negative light. There's a ways to go before MMA is accurately and fairly portrayed in a film. I understand that this is Hollywood, and everything is slightly exaggerated, but there's no need to exaggerate quite so much. MMA is an exciting sport in real life, so there's no reason to push the boundaries. I also think that a little more research needs to be done by the film makers before they try to write characters that will be believable MMA fighters.
As an MMA fan I give this film a C-. Mildly entertaining at times, but could have been a lot better.
As a jaded film goer, it gets a solid C+. Wait until it comes out on video.
Now lets move on to topics I actually know a little something about. Sorry if the movie review was less than entertaining, but I thought I'd give it a shot.
UFN 25: Shields vs. Ellenberger
This is starting to be looked at as the forgotten UFC card. Ultimate Fight Night 25 feels like it was hastily put together and hasn't really been promoted very well. Maybe Dana White and the rest of the UFC have been so preoccupied with the Fox deal and other endeavors that they forgot that this card was coming up. I don't think I've seen one real commercial promoting any of these fights. Now that I think about it, I don't even remember seeing a trailer for UFN 25. It's a shame too because so much could have been done for the city of New Orleans had a little more attention been payed to this event. The good things is that this is yet another free event and one of the last to be broadcast on Spike. Since I'm never one to complain about free MMA, I'm just as excited for this as I am for any other card.
Alan Belcher vs. Jason MacDonald
It's the return of Alan Belcher! For those of you that don't know, Belcher has been out of commission for more than a year after suffering a detached retina while training for his fight with Demian Maia. You may last remember Belcher giving Patrick Cote a beat down and then calling out Anderson Silva. I appreciate the gamesmanship Alan, but lets be serious. Neither Belcher nor his terrible Johnny Cash tattoo are on the same level as Anderson Silva. Jason MacDonald is a journeyman of sorts and a BJJ blackbelt. This will be his 13th fight in the UFC and he's been up and down and up and down, always losing to top competition. This has all the potential in the world to be a great fight. The return of Belcher adds some much need depth to the Middleweight division and MacDonald should be a stern test for him. At one point, Belcher was considered a viable contender and if he can put a couple of impressive wins together he may just get his shot at the title. Ring rust might be factor for Belcher as he's been out of the octagon for more than a year and was even forced to stop training all together at one point. This fight will give us a good indication as to the status of Belcher's recovery. Assuming he's in good shape, this should be a fairly one sided affair. Belcher has a very underrated ground game and his stand up is much better than MacDonald's. So, assuming the Jason MacDonald hasn't learned any new tricks since we last saw him, Belcher should take this one.
Prediction: Belcher by 2nd Rd TKO
Eric Koch vs. Jonathan Brookins
So we finally get to see the guy who won the Ultimate Fighter Season 12 fight in the UFC. Brookins won the show nine months ago and has yet to make his octagon debut. Although he won the show as a lightweight, he will be making his featherweight debut in the UFC. Featherweight is actually his preferred weight class and its where he had spent the majority of his time prior to TUF 12. Fun fact, Brookins once fought Jose Aldo in the WEC. It wasn't even a close fight and Aldo buzzed right through him, but he still fought him. Dropping to featherweight permanently is a great idea for Brookins as the lightweight division has a long list of contenders ready to make their mark. Brookins will be facing Eric Koch, a WEC transplant who has looked impressive in his last few fights. Koch is currently on a three fight win streak and this will be his second fight in the UFC. Koch's only career loss came at the hands of wrestling dynamo Chad Mendes.
This may actually be the most evenly matched fight of the entire card. Both Brookins and Koch bring a lot of skills to the table and I'm actually very curious to see how this one is going to play out. If Brookins can muscle Koch to the ground and use his wrestling to keep control, then it will be a very long night for Koch. Koch has much better stand up than Brookins though and could very easily end this fight or use his athleticism to pepper Brookins with punches from the outside. I honestly don't know how much Brookins has improved since his stint on TUF but based one what I saw, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He looked tough on the show and I"m willing to back him in this fight based solely on what I saw there. Koch has unlimited potential though and being that he's only 22, the sky is the limit. Since it is very rare that a TUF winner loses in his octagon debut after the show, I'm gonna have to go with Brookins on this one.
Prediction: Brookins by Unanimous Decision.
Court McGee vs. Dongi Yang
I have to be honest with you. I had to look up Dongi Yang and watch his fights on Youtube. Prior to this booking I'd never heard of him. Apparently, this is actually his third fight in the UFC. Go figure! You may know Court McGee as the winner of TUF 11 and the first guy to ever win The Ultimate Fighter as a wildcard. He's also one of the few remaining high level Mixed Martial Artists out there who train at The Pit under the tutelage of John Hackleman.
Based on the little I've seen of Dongi Yang, it seems like he's a pretty solid Middleweight. He has good takedowns and a decent enough ground game. Court McGee, however, has shown us time and time again that there's no quit in him. Just when you think the guy is outmatched, he does something that no one was expecting. I think the power comes from that magnificent beard of his. I'm going to base this pick on two very important factors considering I don't know much about Yang. Asian fighters have had a very hard time fighting overseas and have not been very successful in the UFC as a whole. Two, the UFC matchmakers tend to favor TUF winners in their match ups and will usually give them beatable opponents until they start to become contenders. I think Court McGee pulls this one out but using his wrestling to take down The Ox (Yang's nickname) and pound him out.
Prediction: Court McGee by 3rd Round TKO
Jake Shields vs. Jake Ellenberger
The battle of the Jakes. I have to commend Jake Shields for still going through with this fight. His father passed away three weeks ago and he never once considered pulling out. It must be tough to prepare yourself for a fight after going through such an emotionally difficult time.
Jake Shields is coming off a very disappointing loss to Georges St. Pierre. I was pulling for him in that fight and I still believe that he has all the tools to beat GSP. He just came in with a flawed game plan. Even so, he was still able to take GSP the distance and was the first fighter to hurt him in a very long time. If Shields had used the skills he excels at instead of standing and trading with GSP, he may very well have won that fight. Ellenberger is coming off a big KO of Sean Pierson and is being touted as one of the rising stars in the Welterweight division. His wrestling is very good and his standup is improving at a methodical pace.
Lets cut to the chase! Although Ellenberger is a very well rounded and talented fighter, Jake Shields is a master at bringing the fight to his world. His blend of Catch Wrestling and BJJ (which he calls American Jiu-Jitsu) is second to only to Josh Barnett. A lot of people will point to his lack of finishes in recent years, but this is because he has only fought elite level competition. I don't think Ellenberger has a shot at out grappling Shields which makes his only chance a quick knockout. Being the Jake Shields once took a full power H-Bomb from Dan Henderson right to the chin, and still came back to win the fight, I don't think Ellenberger has the strength to knock him out. Ellenberger has also shown that a high level BJJ practitioner can give him problems. Watch his fight with Carlos Eduardo Rocha and tell me I'm not right.
I see Jakes Shields using his Wrestling and BJJ skills to frustrate Ellenberger in to making a mistake. Shields will then pounce and finally finish a fight. He will then dedicate his much deserved win to his father.
Prediction: Jakes Shields by Rd 2 Submission.
Sorry again for taking so long in between posts. I promise I'll try to keep it more consistent from here on out.
As always, feel free to leave any comments about anything.
I'm planning on making some pretty exciting improvements so keep tuning in and you won't be disappointed. There's a lot of original content coming your way.
As always, follow me on twitter @TheGuardFighter.
Come back tomorrow for my post fight reactions.
PEACE!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
9 THINGS I LEARNED FROM STRIKEFORCE: BARNETT VS. KHARITONOV, REACTIONS, AND VIDEOS
One more card is in the books. Believe it or not, this very well may have been the most entertaining StrikeForce card I’ve ever had the privilege of watching. From top to bottom, every fight was fun and exciting. I was actually able to watch the full event because HDnet broadcasts all the prelims live. Even the undercard fights were a pleasure to watch. Kudos to Scott Coker and the entire StrikeForce organization for putting on a fantastic night of fights for the fans. Thanks!
I’m man enough to admit when I was wrong about something. Boy did I underestimate the abilities of Luke Rockhold. There is now a new Middleweight Champion in StrikeForce. I predicted that Jacare would win this fight in devastating fashion and that Luke Rockhold did not deserve to be in the same building as the champ. These words I’m eating taste surprisingly sour. Not only does Luke Rockhold deserve every second of the recognition he is currently getting from the MMA world, he deserves apologies from all the naysayers. In fact, I’d like to lead this campaign. I’m sorry Luke Rockhold!
I think there’s still a ways to go before Rockhold can be considered among the elite, but he’s well on his way.
(I’d just like to point out that I actually scored this fight in favor of Jacare. He definitely won rounds 1 and 4 and 5 was a tossup. Still, it was so close of a fight that I can’t blame the judges for their decision)
Daniel Cormier def. Antonio “Big Foot” Silva via KO in RD 1
If I’m wrong about everything else in my entire life, please remember that I was 100% right about this. In fewer words, Daniel Cormier is….a….beast. I’ll be the first to say that I had no idea he has so much power in his hands. I saw this fight going completely differently than it actually did. Even so, the end result was basically the same. Daniel Cormier came in to this fight as an alternate and basically dismantled a guy who was considered by most to be a top 10 Heavyweight. No more words, I’ll let the video do the talking. Oh, one more thing…… “Can the man get some respect now please?”
Josh Barnett def. Sergei Kharitonov via Submission (Arm Triangle) in RD 1
Once again Josh Barnett does what everyone expects him to do. He closes the distance while eating some punches, takes his opponent down, and then goes to work. Has anyone else noticed that when Josh Barnett takes someone down he has this crazy ability to land mounted? That’s two fights in a row now where he’s done the exact same thing. Well it turned out to be a really short night for Sergei Kharitonov who was outmatched right from the beginning. I honestly expected the fight to be a bit more competitive than it was. This fight was a testament to Barnett’s skills as a grappler. He’s truly among the elite in the Heavyweight division.
(I still think that he should not have been licensed to fight, but you can’t deny the man’s skills)
The finals of the StrikeForce Heavyweight Grand Prix will now be decided by Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier. In my opinion this will be the most intriguing matchup thus far. Will Josh Barnett be able to take down and Olympic wrestler? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. There are reports that Daniel Cormier injured his hand so it might be a while before we get to see this fight happen. I personally can’t wait. War Cormier!
9 things I learned from StrikeForce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov (Cause I didn’t learn ten)
1. Pat Militech is the only person on the StrikeForce broadcast team that should be allowed anywhere near a microphone. I’ve never missed Mike Goldberg so much in my life.
2. Hearing Bas Rutten and Kenny Rice do commentary on the undercard was fantastic. I’ve never been a big Kenny Rice fan but listening to him say that Yoel Romero has “moves like Jagger” was just priceless.
3. AKA is one of the best MMA gyms in the country. They went 4 – 0 last night and took home the Middleweight Championship in case you didn’t notice.
4. Hype is exactly that, just hype. The two most hyped fighters on the card, Amanda Nunes and Maximo Blanco, both fell to experience. Just goes to show what talk gets you in this sport.
5. (More of a confirmation) You cannot expect to win fights by being really good in one discipline. There’s a reason it’s called Mixed Martial Arts.
6. StrikeForce has some great prospects that are poised to do big things in this sport. Keep an eye out people.
7. Watching the undercard can sometimes be more entertaining than watching the main card. Those guys fight for pride and it always makes for a good show.
8. King Mo gets better every time I watch him fight. He should not be allowed to do interviews though.
9. Josh Barnett should really stop making reporters feel uncomfortable when they interview him. Especially when the reporter is female. Talking about peeling the flesh from someone’s body is less than appropriate Josh.
In other news, Bellator 49 was also last night in case you missed it. I heard it was a really great show, but I haven’t actually had a chance to watch is yet. I did catch Ben Saunders putting on a clinic though. I hope he makes his way back to the UFC at some point. I really enjoy watching him fight. Results are as follows:
Chris Lozano def. Brent Weedman via Unanimous Decision
Ben Saunders def. Chris Cisneros via TKO in RD 3
Luis Santos def. Dan Hornbuckle via Unanimous Decision
Douglas Lima def. Steve Carl via Unanimous Decision
Results:
UnderCard
Dominique Steele def. Chris Mierzwiak via unanimous decision
Alexis Davis def. Amanda Nunes via TKO in RD 1 (punches from the back)
Jordan Mein def. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos via TKO in RD 3 (standing elbows)
Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante def. Yoel Romero via KO in RD 2
Mike Kyle def. Marcos Eduardo Lima via unanimous decision
Some of the videos for these fights are available on Youtube. I suggest you at least watch the Jordan Mein vs. Cyborg fight and the Feijao vs. Romero fight. Jordan Mein is a future star of the sport so you better take notice. Feijao, well, he was just being Feijao and that’s always fun to watch. In fact, I’m going to go ahead and post them because I’m so certain that you’ll enjoy it.
(*disclaimer* - Round 1 of the Feijao vs. Romero fight is extremely boring. I promise you won’t regret it if you can make it to Round 2)
UnderCard
Dominique Steele def. Chris Mierzwiak via unanimous decision
Alexis Davis def. Amanda Nunes via TKO in RD 1 (punches from the back)
Jordan Mein def. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos via TKO in RD 3 (standing elbows)
Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante def. Yoel Romero via KO in RD 2
Mike Kyle def. Marcos Eduardo Lima via unanimous decision
Some of the videos for these fights are available on Youtube. I suggest you at least watch the Jordan Mein vs. Cyborg fight and the Feijao vs. Romero fight. Jordan Mein is a future star of the sport so you better take notice. Feijao, well, he was just being Feijao and that’s always fun to watch. In fact, I’m going to go ahead and post them because I’m so certain that you’ll enjoy it.
(*disclaimer* - Round 1 of the Feijao vs. Romero fight is extremely boring. I promise you won’t regret it if you can make it to Round 2)
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Main Card
If you read my post from Friday, you’ll know that I went 3 – 2 on my picks last night. That’s not bad considering that one of these fights ended in a major upset. That gives me a lifetime record of 7 – 5. If I was a baseball player, I’d be batting over .500.
Pat “Bam Bam” Healy def Maximo Blanco via Sumbission (RNC) in Round 2
What a nutty fight this turned out to be. A lot of people were expecting Maximo Blanco to show the world why he’s considered one of the fastest rising prospects in the sport. He did, for about two and a half minutes. From then on, it was all Pat Healy. Congratulations to Bam Bam by the way for taking some illegal kicks to the head and not taking the easy way out. Not only did he continue to fight, but he turned it up and brought the fight to Blanco. What was really surprising is that Blanco, who is supposed to be a standout wrestler, was out wrestled by Healy for the majority of the fight. All in all this was a great performance from Pat Healy, who once again shows us why experience and composure is so important in the sport of MMA. He also shows us that he’s tough as nails. Blanco should probably find a Jiu-Jitsu coach very soon and learn how to defend a submission. Seriously.
Muhammed “Kingo Mo” Lawal def. Roger Gracie via KO in RD 1
I’ve said it a hundred times and I’m going to have to say it again! I will never understand the Gracies. Listen, these guys were among the pioneers of modern MMA and without them the sport would never have become what it is today. But why the hell do they refuse to learn how to Box? It is mind boggling for me that a guy like Roger Gracie, who is quite possibly the best BJJ practitioner in the world, would come in to a fight against a fighter as dangerous as King Mo and not be 100% prepared in his standup. King Mo fought most of the fight with his hands down throwing power punches. He wasn’t even looking for counters because of how sure he was that Gracie was outmatched in the standup department. Roger Gracie, and the entire Gracie family for that matter, needs to realize that Jiu-Jitsu alone will not win MMA fights at the highest levels. You have to be good at everything. I say this only because I don’t want to see another Gracie lose like that again.
Luke Rockhold def. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza via Unanimous Decision
If you read my post from Friday, you’ll know that I went 3 – 2 on my picks last night. That’s not bad considering that one of these fights ended in a major upset. That gives me a lifetime record of 7 – 5. If I was a baseball player, I’d be batting over .500.
Pat “Bam Bam” Healy def Maximo Blanco via Sumbission (RNC) in Round 2
What a nutty fight this turned out to be. A lot of people were expecting Maximo Blanco to show the world why he’s considered one of the fastest rising prospects in the sport. He did, for about two and a half minutes. From then on, it was all Pat Healy. Congratulations to Bam Bam by the way for taking some illegal kicks to the head and not taking the easy way out. Not only did he continue to fight, but he turned it up and brought the fight to Blanco. What was really surprising is that Blanco, who is supposed to be a standout wrestler, was out wrestled by Healy for the majority of the fight. All in all this was a great performance from Pat Healy, who once again shows us why experience and composure is so important in the sport of MMA. He also shows us that he’s tough as nails. Blanco should probably find a Jiu-Jitsu coach very soon and learn how to defend a submission. Seriously.
Muhammed “Kingo Mo” Lawal def. Roger Gracie via KO in RD 1
I’ve said it a hundred times and I’m going to have to say it again! I will never understand the Gracies. Listen, these guys were among the pioneers of modern MMA and without them the sport would never have become what it is today. But why the hell do they refuse to learn how to Box? It is mind boggling for me that a guy like Roger Gracie, who is quite possibly the best BJJ practitioner in the world, would come in to a fight against a fighter as dangerous as King Mo and not be 100% prepared in his standup. King Mo fought most of the fight with his hands down throwing power punches. He wasn’t even looking for counters because of how sure he was that Gracie was outmatched in the standup department. Roger Gracie, and the entire Gracie family for that matter, needs to realize that Jiu-Jitsu alone will not win MMA fights at the highest levels. You have to be good at everything. I say this only because I don’t want to see another Gracie lose like that again.
Luke Rockhold def. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza via Unanimous Decision
I’m man enough to admit when I was wrong about something. Boy did I underestimate the abilities of Luke Rockhold. There is now a new Middleweight Champion in StrikeForce. I predicted that Jacare would win this fight in devastating fashion and that Luke Rockhold did not deserve to be in the same building as the champ. These words I’m eating taste surprisingly sour. Not only does Luke Rockhold deserve every second of the recognition he is currently getting from the MMA world, he deserves apologies from all the naysayers. In fact, I’d like to lead this campaign. I’m sorry Luke Rockhold!
I think there’s still a ways to go before Rockhold can be considered among the elite, but he’s well on his way.
(I’d just like to point out that I actually scored this fight in favor of Jacare. He definitely won rounds 1 and 4 and 5 was a tossup. Still, it was so close of a fight that I can’t blame the judges for their decision)
Daniel Cormier def. Antonio “Big Foot” Silva via KO in RD 1
If I’m wrong about everything else in my entire life, please remember that I was 100% right about this. In fewer words, Daniel Cormier is….a….beast. I’ll be the first to say that I had no idea he has so much power in his hands. I saw this fight going completely differently than it actually did. Even so, the end result was basically the same. Daniel Cormier came in to this fight as an alternate and basically dismantled a guy who was considered by most to be a top 10 Heavyweight. No more words, I’ll let the video do the talking. Oh, one more thing…… “Can the man get some respect now please?”
Josh Barnett def. Sergei Kharitonov via Submission (Arm Triangle) in RD 1
Once again Josh Barnett does what everyone expects him to do. He closes the distance while eating some punches, takes his opponent down, and then goes to work. Has anyone else noticed that when Josh Barnett takes someone down he has this crazy ability to land mounted? That’s two fights in a row now where he’s done the exact same thing. Well it turned out to be a really short night for Sergei Kharitonov who was outmatched right from the beginning. I honestly expected the fight to be a bit more competitive than it was. This fight was a testament to Barnett’s skills as a grappler. He’s truly among the elite in the Heavyweight division.
(I still think that he should not have been licensed to fight, but you can’t deny the man’s skills)
The finals of the StrikeForce Heavyweight Grand Prix will now be decided by Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier. In my opinion this will be the most intriguing matchup thus far. Will Josh Barnett be able to take down and Olympic wrestler? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. There are reports that Daniel Cormier injured his hand so it might be a while before we get to see this fight happen. I personally can’t wait. War Cormier!
9 things I learned from StrikeForce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov (Cause I didn’t learn ten)
1. Pat Militech is the only person on the StrikeForce broadcast team that should be allowed anywhere near a microphone. I’ve never missed Mike Goldberg so much in my life.
2. Hearing Bas Rutten and Kenny Rice do commentary on the undercard was fantastic. I’ve never been a big Kenny Rice fan but listening to him say that Yoel Romero has “moves like Jagger” was just priceless.
3. AKA is one of the best MMA gyms in the country. They went 4 – 0 last night and took home the Middleweight Championship in case you didn’t notice.
4. Hype is exactly that, just hype. The two most hyped fighters on the card, Amanda Nunes and Maximo Blanco, both fell to experience. Just goes to show what talk gets you in this sport.
5. (More of a confirmation) You cannot expect to win fights by being really good in one discipline. There’s a reason it’s called Mixed Martial Arts.
6. StrikeForce has some great prospects that are poised to do big things in this sport. Keep an eye out people.
7. Watching the undercard can sometimes be more entertaining than watching the main card. Those guys fight for pride and it always makes for a good show.
8. King Mo gets better every time I watch him fight. He should not be allowed to do interviews though.
9. Josh Barnett should really stop making reporters feel uncomfortable when they interview him. Especially when the reporter is female. Talking about peeling the flesh from someone’s body is less than appropriate Josh.
In other news, Bellator 49 was also last night in case you missed it. I heard it was a really great show, but I haven’t actually had a chance to watch is yet. I did catch Ben Saunders putting on a clinic though. I hope he makes his way back to the UFC at some point. I really enjoy watching him fight. Results are as follows:
Chris Lozano def. Brent Weedman via Unanimous Decision
Ben Saunders def. Chris Cisneros via TKO in RD 3
Luis Santos def. Dan Hornbuckle via Unanimous Decision
Douglas Lima def. Steve Carl via Unanimous Decision
Well that will do it for today. I hope everyone enjoyed the fights last night.
If you didn’t get a chance to watch them, take the liberty of watching them here and tell your friends.
Please feel free to leave any comments you might have. I always welcome criticism or praise. Either or.
Oh, did anyone else notice the bad ass walk out shirts that Cormier and Rockhold were wearing? Anyone know where I can get me one of those?
As always, follow me on Twitter @TheGuardFighter.
Until next time!
If you didn’t get a chance to watch them, take the liberty of watching them here and tell your friends.
Please feel free to leave any comments you might have. I always welcome criticism or praise. Either or.
Oh, did anyone else notice the bad ass walk out shirts that Cormier and Rockhold were wearing? Anyone know where I can get me one of those?
As always, follow me on Twitter @TheGuardFighter.
Until next time!
Friday, September 09, 2011
STRIKEFORCE BREAKDOWN AND PREDICTIONS
I think it’s time for Dana White and Joe Silva to take a vacation. Like….Seriously. The last few days have been jam packed with MMA news and I’m still having trouble with it all. For those of you who haven’t been keeping up, I have two words for you, HOLY CRAP!! I know I promised I would never just give you the news, but this week has been so crazy that I don’t see how I can go without at least mentioning what’s been happening. Here is a short run down of what’s happened in the last four days. In no particular order:
1. Diego Sanchez breaks his hand and pulls out of his UFC 135 fight with Matt Hughes. He is subsequently replaced by Josh Koshcheck.
2. Nick Diaz does not show up for the UFC 137 press conference in Toronto. Dana White is annoyed.
3. Alistair Overeem signs a contract with the UFC. Overeem vs. Brock Lesnar will be the main event of UFC 141 on December 30th.
4. Nick Diaz no shows his second consecutive UFC 137 press conference. This time in Las Vegas. Dana White is now furious.
5. Dana White pulls Nick Diaz from the main event of UFC 137 and promotes Carlos Condit to #1 contender status. UFC 137 is now billed as Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit.
6. B.J. Penn is left without an opponent for UFC 137.
7. The rumor mill begins to churn about who Dana White will find to fight B.J.
8. The UFC announces that the main event for UFC 140 will be Frank Mir vs Minotauro II.
9. Dana White finally announces who will replace Carlos Condit and fight B.J. Penn. It’s Nick Diaz……….. wait…….what?
That’s right boy and girls, Dana White pulled the ole switcharoo. I don’t understand exactly how or why it happened, but I’m oh so glad it did. Carlos Condit was the true #1 contender in the UFC Welterweight division anyway and should have gotten the nod for a title shot way before Nick Diaz did. Diaz is a great fighter in his own right, but it takes more than being the champion in another promotion to merit a title shot in the UFC. I was excited to watch him fight GSP, but I’m way more excited to see him fight The Prodigy. What a stylistic matchup that will be. Diaz now has to prove himself and fight a legend before he can go after the champ. What can I say? All is right in the world. As if that wasn’t enough, pretty much every marquis fighter in the promotion is scheduled to fight before the end of the year. Good lord what a week it’s been!!
Well…..Now that we’re all caught up, it’s time for my pre-fight analysis and predictions for the StrikeForce Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov. As usual, the standard disclaimer applies:
(*disclaimer* - Please do not use my picks for betting purposes. I am not now nor have I ever been an MMA analyst. If you do however turn a profit from using my picks for sports betting……I want a cut)
I really don’t know if there’s an accurate way to predict how this fight is going to end. I think it’s really going to be decided by who comes in with the better game plan. Lawal has the advantage in the striking department so if he can use his wrestling to avoid being taken down by Gracie, he should be able to win fairly easily. No one knows how good his submission defense is because it’s never truly been tested, but if you watch his fight against Gegard Mousasi you’ll see that his top control is pretty dominant. Mousasi had multiple opportunities for submissions from the bottom though and didn’t capitalize on them. With Gracie, that will not be that case. If he has an opportunity, he’ll finish the fight as long as it ends up on the ground. Still, I think Lawal will be able to use his sheer power and athleticism to take this fight. Gracie, for all his Jiu-Jitsu brilliance, is still a novice in MMA. His striking still has ways to go and this is one of those fights where he won’t be able to rely solely on his Jiu-Jitsu to win. This might be another case of a Gracie unwilling to evolve with the rest of the MMA world and learn how to throw a punch correctly. Even so, this fight is 50/50 on who wins. If I had to make a choice, gun to my head, I’d pick Lawal.
Don’t forget that if you don’t have Showtime, and don’t have any friends who have it, or just plain don’t have any friends, Bellator 49 is also tomorrow night. It’ll be airing live on MTV 2 and should be a decent card as well.
As always, follow me on Twitter @TheGuardFighter.
Come back on Sunday for more story time with TheGuardFighter. I’ll also be giving you my post fight reactions if you're interested.
I’ll leave you with the new official promo for UFC 137: Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit !
Until next time!!
1. Diego Sanchez breaks his hand and pulls out of his UFC 135 fight with Matt Hughes. He is subsequently replaced by Josh Koshcheck.
2. Nick Diaz does not show up for the UFC 137 press conference in Toronto. Dana White is annoyed.
3. Alistair Overeem signs a contract with the UFC. Overeem vs. Brock Lesnar will be the main event of UFC 141 on December 30th.
4. Nick Diaz no shows his second consecutive UFC 137 press conference. This time in Las Vegas. Dana White is now furious.
5. Dana White pulls Nick Diaz from the main event of UFC 137 and promotes Carlos Condit to #1 contender status. UFC 137 is now billed as Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit.
6. B.J. Penn is left without an opponent for UFC 137.
7. The rumor mill begins to churn about who Dana White will find to fight B.J.
8. The UFC announces that the main event for UFC 140 will be Frank Mir vs Minotauro II.
9. Dana White finally announces who will replace Carlos Condit and fight B.J. Penn. It’s Nick Diaz……….. wait…….what?
That’s right boy and girls, Dana White pulled the ole switcharoo. I don’t understand exactly how or why it happened, but I’m oh so glad it did. Carlos Condit was the true #1 contender in the UFC Welterweight division anyway and should have gotten the nod for a title shot way before Nick Diaz did. Diaz is a great fighter in his own right, but it takes more than being the champion in another promotion to merit a title shot in the UFC. I was excited to watch him fight GSP, but I’m way more excited to see him fight The Prodigy. What a stylistic matchup that will be. Diaz now has to prove himself and fight a legend before he can go after the champ. What can I say? All is right in the world. As if that wasn’t enough, pretty much every marquis fighter in the promotion is scheduled to fight before the end of the year. Good lord what a week it’s been!!
Well…..Now that we’re all caught up, it’s time for my pre-fight analysis and predictions for the StrikeForce Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov. As usual, the standard disclaimer applies:
(*disclaimer* - Please do not use my picks for betting purposes. I am not now nor have I ever been an MMA analyst. If you do however turn a profit from using my picks for sports betting……I want a cut)
The Main Card:
Unlike UFC events, StrikeForce does not offer pre-main event fights as part of the programming package. Therefore, I will only be analyzing the five fights that will be broadcast on the Main Card. These fights will air live on Showtime. I advise you to find your friends who have the channel and bring a six pack to their house. It should be a good night of fights.
This is one of the deepest cards StrikeForce has put together in a long time. Unfortunately for the promotion, there has been so much breaking news this week that the event has been all but swept under the rug. Even so, this is about as noteworthy a card as you can get outside the UFC……
This is one of the deepest cards StrikeForce has put together in a long time. Unfortunately for the promotion, there has been so much breaking news this week that the event has been all but swept under the rug. Even so, this is about as noteworthy a card as you can get outside the UFC……
Maximo Blanco vs. Pat Healy
The long awaited debut of Maximo Blanco is finally here! Blanco is the Venezuelan wrecking machine that has been dominating the Japanese circuit for just over two years. His last few fights have been under the World Victory Road / Sengoku banner, and he is making not only his Strikeforce but his American MMA debut. Blanco is a standout wrestler as well as an accomplished Muay Thai practitioner and has won five of his last six fights by KO or TKO. He was originally booked to face Josh Thompson but a foot injury left Thompson unable to fight. Blanco will now face veteran and all around solid fighter Pat Healy. Healy is coming in to this fight on a two fight win streak and will be fighting on less than four weeks rest. Here’s a fun fact, Maximo Blanco and Pat Healy are almost the same age with Healy being slightly older by less than 3 months. Here’s another fun fact, Pat Healy has over 3 times as many fights as Maximo Blanco.
I could go on for days about how I think this fight is going to play out, but unfortunately I have to account for the fast decreasing attention span of the general population. I will almost always pick experience over hype. With that being said, this is a terrible stylistic matchup for Healy. He has trouble with wrestlers and grapplers who can work themselves in to dominant positions and pound away at him. Being that Blanco is a pretty accomplished wrestler, I see him taking this one either by KO/TKO or a Unanimous Decision. I guess I’ll have to jump on the Maximo Blanco band wagon for now.
The long awaited debut of Maximo Blanco is finally here! Blanco is the Venezuelan wrecking machine that has been dominating the Japanese circuit for just over two years. His last few fights have been under the World Victory Road / Sengoku banner, and he is making not only his Strikeforce but his American MMA debut. Blanco is a standout wrestler as well as an accomplished Muay Thai practitioner and has won five of his last six fights by KO or TKO. He was originally booked to face Josh Thompson but a foot injury left Thompson unable to fight. Blanco will now face veteran and all around solid fighter Pat Healy. Healy is coming in to this fight on a two fight win streak and will be fighting on less than four weeks rest. Here’s a fun fact, Maximo Blanco and Pat Healy are almost the same age with Healy being slightly older by less than 3 months. Here’s another fun fact, Pat Healy has over 3 times as many fights as Maximo Blanco.
I could go on for days about how I think this fight is going to play out, but unfortunately I have to account for the fast decreasing attention span of the general population. I will almost always pick experience over hype. With that being said, this is a terrible stylistic matchup for Healy. He has trouble with wrestlers and grapplers who can work themselves in to dominant positions and pound away at him. Being that Blanco is a pretty accomplished wrestler, I see him taking this one either by KO/TKO or a Unanimous Decision. I guess I’ll have to jump on the Maximo Blanco band wagon for now.
Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal vs. Roger Gracie
Do I smell a classic Wrestling vs. Jiu Jitsu matchup? For me, this is the fight I’m most looking forward to on this card. I’ve been wondering what would happen if Roger Gracie were to fight a dominant wrestler such as King Mo. For those of you unfamiliar with Roger Gracie, let me introduce you. Gracie is arguably the greatest BJJ practitioner in the world today. There isn’t a BJJ or submission grappling event in existence that he hasn’t won in dominant fashion. The crazy thing about Gracie is his style of Jiu-Jitsu. He uses a style that I like to call “Advanced Fundamentals.” It’s the same kind of technical brilliance other dominant members of the Gracie family, most notably Rickson Gracie, have successfully used in the past. There’s very little creativity or flashiness. It’s literally bare bones Jiu-Jitsu at its finest. He has a professional MMA record of 4 – 0 with all four fights ending in either the first or second round by submission. Check out this Roger Gracie BJJ highlight reel if you’re not convinced of how good he is.
Do I smell a classic Wrestling vs. Jiu Jitsu matchup? For me, this is the fight I’m most looking forward to on this card. I’ve been wondering what would happen if Roger Gracie were to fight a dominant wrestler such as King Mo. For those of you unfamiliar with Roger Gracie, let me introduce you. Gracie is arguably the greatest BJJ practitioner in the world today. There isn’t a BJJ or submission grappling event in existence that he hasn’t won in dominant fashion. The crazy thing about Gracie is his style of Jiu-Jitsu. He uses a style that I like to call “Advanced Fundamentals.” It’s the same kind of technical brilliance other dominant members of the Gracie family, most notably Rickson Gracie, have successfully used in the past. There’s very little creativity or flashiness. It’s literally bare bones Jiu-Jitsu at its finest. He has a professional MMA record of 4 – 0 with all four fights ending in either the first or second round by submission. Check out this Roger Gracie BJJ highlight reel if you’re not convinced of how good he is.
King Mo is the former StrikeForce Light Heavyweight Champion who was undefeated until his most recent bout which he lost by TKO to Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante. Lawal is an accomplished amateur wrestler who has been known to stand and bang when the situation calls for it. His standup has improved exponentially from fight to fight and the power he packs in his hands can give anyone trouble. Lawal has had a long layoff because of injuries so this will be his first fight in more than a year. He’s been somewhat of a nomad while in recovery and has traveled the world training with everyone and anyone who is willing to teach him something. His training camp for this fight was completed AKA along side of guys like Josh Koshcheck and Cain Velasquez.
I really don’t know if there’s an accurate way to predict how this fight is going to end. I think it’s really going to be decided by who comes in with the better game plan. Lawal has the advantage in the striking department so if he can use his wrestling to avoid being taken down by Gracie, he should be able to win fairly easily. No one knows how good his submission defense is because it’s never truly been tested, but if you watch his fight against Gegard Mousasi you’ll see that his top control is pretty dominant. Mousasi had multiple opportunities for submissions from the bottom though and didn’t capitalize on them. With Gracie, that will not be that case. If he has an opportunity, he’ll finish the fight as long as it ends up on the ground. Still, I think Lawal will be able to use his sheer power and athleticism to take this fight. Gracie, for all his Jiu-Jitsu brilliance, is still a novice in MMA. His striking still has ways to go and this is one of those fights where he won’t be able to rely solely on his Jiu-Jitsu to win. This might be another case of a Gracie unwilling to evolve with the rest of the MMA world and learn how to throw a punch correctly. Even so, this fight is 50/50 on who wins. If I had to make a choice, gun to my head, I’d pick Lawal.
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Luke Rockhold (Middleweight Championship Fight)
Talk about a mismatch. When this fight was first announced, my initial reaction was to check the calendar and make sure it wasn’t April 1st. Is the Strikeforce Middleweight division that depleted that they couldn’t find a legitimate contender for the Middleweight title? I feel like Scott Coker needed to fill a spot on this card and picked a name out of a hat. I would prefer Jacare not have an opponent than this mess. In case you’re not following, I don’t think Luke Rockhold has a chance here. Sorry if it seems like I’m bashing his skills because that’s not my intention. He’s a very good fighter in his own right but still has a long way to go before he develops the skills necessary to pose a threat to a guy like Jacare. Let me explain something to you, in the world of BJJ, there are maybe three or four guys whom are always mentioned in the debate of who the best is. One of them you already know is Roger Gracie. Another is Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. As if it wasn’t enough that his Jiu-Jitsu is, as Joe Rogan would say, “Top of the Food Chain,” he’s been training stand up with the likes of Anderson Silva and the rest of the BlackHouse crew. Add in the fact that he’s a naturally gifted athlete and you have yourself what heretofore will be referred to as “A BEAST.” Oh, did I mention that Luke Rockhold hasn’t fought in 19 months? I think we all know how I feel about this fight……….Moving on!
Antonio “BigFoot” Silva vs. Daniel Cormier
"If they can't defend the take down, they deserve to be on their back."
Them are mighty strong words for a relative new comer to MMA who is fighting on the main card of a major event for only the second time in his career. “But Daniel Cormier is a former Division 1 All-American wrestler,” you say? Big deal!! Those grow on trees in MMA these days. “He was the captain of 2008 Olympic Wrestling team and trains at AKA where his training partners include UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez too?” Oh.... Well.... Maybe he's saying that for a reason then. If you haven't gotten it yet, let me say it in plain English for you. Daniel Cormier is a really good wrestler. He’s not only a really good wrestler, he may very well be the most decorated wrestler fighting in MMA today (Ben Askren not withstanding).
Antonio “Big Foot” Silva is no slouch by any means. He’s a giant of a man who has been developing his skills at a steady pace year after year. His stand up is solid and he has a black belt in BJJ. In his last fight, he beat the previously mythological creature known as “The Last Emperor” in to a swollen mess and has a lot of momentum coming in to this fight. Many considered that fight to be Big Foot’s coming out party and it thrust him in to the ranks of the elite heavyweights. So what does all of this mean for this fight, you might ask? Actually, nothing…… Big Foot Silva is as tough as they come. But I don’t know how ready I am to call him elite. Yeah, he beat Fedor. So did Dan Henderson, who is a Middleweight. The fight before that he beat Mike Kyle (a light heavyweight), but almost got knocked out in the process. Before that, he beat a rapidly declining Andrei Arlovski. I don’t know about you, but in my book that’s not exactly a strong resume. Factor in the fact Cormier was not his original opponent and is strong in all the areas he is weak and what you have is a recipe for an upset. You heard it here folks! Daniel Cormier will defeat Antonio Silva. Cormier has a long and bright future in MMA and this will be the fight that gives him a top ten ranking. Mark my words.
"If they can't defend the take down, they deserve to be on their back."
Them are mighty strong words for a relative new comer to MMA who is fighting on the main card of a major event for only the second time in his career. “But Daniel Cormier is a former Division 1 All-American wrestler,” you say? Big deal!! Those grow on trees in MMA these days. “He was the captain of 2008 Olympic Wrestling team and trains at AKA where his training partners include UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez too?” Oh.... Well.... Maybe he's saying that for a reason then. If you haven't gotten it yet, let me say it in plain English for you. Daniel Cormier is a really good wrestler. He’s not only a really good wrestler, he may very well be the most decorated wrestler fighting in MMA today (Ben Askren not withstanding).
Antonio “Big Foot” Silva is no slouch by any means. He’s a giant of a man who has been developing his skills at a steady pace year after year. His stand up is solid and he has a black belt in BJJ. In his last fight, he beat the previously mythological creature known as “The Last Emperor” in to a swollen mess and has a lot of momentum coming in to this fight. Many considered that fight to be Big Foot’s coming out party and it thrust him in to the ranks of the elite heavyweights. So what does all of this mean for this fight, you might ask? Actually, nothing…… Big Foot Silva is as tough as they come. But I don’t know how ready I am to call him elite. Yeah, he beat Fedor. So did Dan Henderson, who is a Middleweight. The fight before that he beat Mike Kyle (a light heavyweight), but almost got knocked out in the process. Before that, he beat a rapidly declining Andrei Arlovski. I don’t know about you, but in my book that’s not exactly a strong resume. Factor in the fact Cormier was not his original opponent and is strong in all the areas he is weak and what you have is a recipe for an upset. You heard it here folks! Daniel Cormier will defeat Antonio Silva. Cormier has a long and bright future in MMA and this will be the fight that gives him a top ten ranking. Mark my words.
The Main Event
Josh “The Baby-Faced Assassin” Barnett vs. Sergei “The Other Russian Sambo Guy” Kharitonov
(Just to be clear, that’s not really his nickname)
Here it is, the main event. I don’t want to be the one to say it but since no one else will, I’ll take the lead on this. Josh Barnett should not have been licensed to fight in this event. As far as I’m concerned, he shouldn’t be licensed to fight in any event. I will be the first to say that he is an amazingly talented fighter. His blend of Catch Wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu is unlike anything else in the game today. There’s no denying his talent. There’s also no denying the fact that he’s failed more drug tests for P.E.D’s (Performance Enhancing Drugs) than all of Major League Baseball combined. I’m of the opinion that MMA is too young of a sport to be associating itself with that kind of controversy. Even so, he’s still fighting Sergei Kharitonov on the 10th of September. Who is Sergei Kharitonov you might ask? He’s only the last guy to knock out Alistair Overeem and the only one to ever have done so at heavyweight. I actually heard that there’s not a hand under Kharitonov’s glove. There’s just Chuck Norris doing spinning round house kicks. He used those hands in Pride like a one man wrecking crew who never really made a name for himself because of how inconsistent he was. He would win the fights he wasn’t supposed to win and lose the ones he was supposed to dominate in. In all fairness though, he was fighting injured for a long time and it hindered many of his performances in those fights.
On the surface, this may feel like a classic Striker vs. Grappler matchup. But most don’t realize that Kharitonov is actually an accomplished grappler in his own right, having trained Sambo for years and even training with Fedor Emelianenko. He won’t be as easy to take down and submit as you might think, but he has nowhere near the level of grappling prowess that Josh Barnett brings to the table. In a perfect world, Kharitonov will disassemble Barnett piece by piece until the only thing that can save him is a mid-fight steroid cocktail. As we all know, this is not a perfect world. As good and underrated as I think Kharitonov is, he’s just not at the same level as Barnett by any means. If he throws a Chuck Norris round house fist in the direction of Barnett’s chin and it connects, anything can happen. It probably won’t though. Barnett has perfected the art of staying away from big punches and dragging the fight down to his world. This fight will be no different.
My official prediction:
Barnett does enough to get inside and drag Kharitonov to the mat. From there, it’s all over. Whether it’s by decision, submission, or TKO, Barnett will win this fight.
The final of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand-Prix will be decided by Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier.
I hope everyone enjoyed today’s pre-fight break down.
(Just to be clear, that’s not really his nickname)
Here it is, the main event. I don’t want to be the one to say it but since no one else will, I’ll take the lead on this. Josh Barnett should not have been licensed to fight in this event. As far as I’m concerned, he shouldn’t be licensed to fight in any event. I will be the first to say that he is an amazingly talented fighter. His blend of Catch Wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu is unlike anything else in the game today. There’s no denying his talent. There’s also no denying the fact that he’s failed more drug tests for P.E.D’s (Performance Enhancing Drugs) than all of Major League Baseball combined. I’m of the opinion that MMA is too young of a sport to be associating itself with that kind of controversy. Even so, he’s still fighting Sergei Kharitonov on the 10th of September. Who is Sergei Kharitonov you might ask? He’s only the last guy to knock out Alistair Overeem and the only one to ever have done so at heavyweight. I actually heard that there’s not a hand under Kharitonov’s glove. There’s just Chuck Norris doing spinning round house kicks. He used those hands in Pride like a one man wrecking crew who never really made a name for himself because of how inconsistent he was. He would win the fights he wasn’t supposed to win and lose the ones he was supposed to dominate in. In all fairness though, he was fighting injured for a long time and it hindered many of his performances in those fights.
On the surface, this may feel like a classic Striker vs. Grappler matchup. But most don’t realize that Kharitonov is actually an accomplished grappler in his own right, having trained Sambo for years and even training with Fedor Emelianenko. He won’t be as easy to take down and submit as you might think, but he has nowhere near the level of grappling prowess that Josh Barnett brings to the table. In a perfect world, Kharitonov will disassemble Barnett piece by piece until the only thing that can save him is a mid-fight steroid cocktail. As we all know, this is not a perfect world. As good and underrated as I think Kharitonov is, he’s just not at the same level as Barnett by any means. If he throws a Chuck Norris round house fist in the direction of Barnett’s chin and it connects, anything can happen. It probably won’t though. Barnett has perfected the art of staying away from big punches and dragging the fight down to his world. This fight will be no different.
My official prediction:
Barnett does enough to get inside and drag Kharitonov to the mat. From there, it’s all over. Whether it’s by decision, submission, or TKO, Barnett will win this fight.
The final of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand-Prix will be decided by Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier.
I hope everyone enjoyed today’s pre-fight break down.
Please feel free to leave any comments you might have. Let me know if you agree, disagree, or just want me to stop posting this ridiculous jibber jabber.
Don’t forget that if you don’t have Showtime, and don’t have any friends who have it, or just plain don’t have any friends, Bellator 49 is also tomorrow night. It’ll be airing live on MTV 2 and should be a decent card as well.
As always, follow me on Twitter @TheGuardFighter.
Come back on Sunday for more story time with TheGuardFighter. I’ll also be giving you my post fight reactions if you're interested.
I’ll leave you with the new official promo for UFC 137: Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit !
Until next time!!
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