Fight Block Episode 6 Agenda: UFC on FX Browne vs Silva predictions and UFC on Fuel TV Struve vs Miocic recap.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Episode 6: UFC on FX Browne vs Silva
Fight Block Episode 6 Agenda: UFC on FX Browne vs Silva predictions and UFC on Fuel TV Struve vs Miocic recap.
Episode 5: UFC on Fuel Struve vs Miocic Predictions
Episode 5 Agenda: Quick discussion on current Strikeforce events, UFC 152 recap, and UFC on Fuel Struve vs Miocic predictions (46:19). Tune in.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Episode 4: UFC 152 Predictions Jones vs Belfort
Fight Block Episode 4 Agenda: UFC 152 Prediction Show, In the Main Event Jon Jones defends his Light Heavyweight Championship against Vitor Belfort. First UFC Flyweight Championship is decided between Joseph Benavidez and DeMetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson, also Michael Bisping takes on Brian Stann in middleweight match up, and Matt Hamill returns to the Octagon.
Other news covered: Anderson Silva and Stephan Bonnar step up to headline UFC 153 and a recap of The Ultimate Fighter: Nelson vs Carwin debut episode.
iTunes Download file coming soon.
Coop's Picks: Jones, Benavidez, Bisping, Hamill, Olivera
Monday, September 10, 2012
Episode 3: Renzo Gracie, Robbers, Brock Lesnar Hall of Famer?
Episode 3 Agenda: Crazy story this week, Renzo Gracie takes down two robbers while tweeting the events live! But did he take things too far? Also our Top 5 list of MMA Fighters doing badass things outside the cage. And does Brock Lesnar deserve to be in the Hall of Fame? Tune in! Audio File coming soon!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Episode 2: GSP/Silva and Aldo/Edgar
Fight Block Episode 2 Agenda: GSP is healthy and ready to return at UFC 154, Bellator and Champions losing outside the promotion, ONE FC 5 Sylvia vs Arlovski controversy, Jose Aldo vs Frankie Edgar announced for UFC 153, and Brock vs Fedor possibly in the works? Tune in.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Episode 1: Jon Jones/UFC 151 Cancelled
Join us for the first episode, the beta test, of The Fight Block. We are taking this thing in a new direction and slowly working to creating a weekly podcast. In our first episode we discuss the recent controversy surrounding Jon Jones and UFC 151 being cancelled.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Cystal Ball: Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix-Barnett vs. Cormier Edition
Article Submitted by Jacked The Ripper
Photo Credit: MMA Convert
Without further ado (and there's been a lot of it), Showtime will be presenting MMA fans around the world with a much-delayed (but worthwhile) climax to the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix saga. I chose to post an old fan-made poster circa the tournament's initial announcement to illustrate how things have changed. Since the tournament containing eight of the best heavyweights in the world began its quest to crown the king of the division, we now find ourselves with the tournament final of Josh "The Babyfaced Assassin" (or Warmaster depending on who you ask) Barnett versus "D.C." Daniel Cormier. If you predicted this as the tournament final when the high-stakes spectacle was initially announced, then go take a shower, because I smell bullshit in your words. Barnett's barely on the damn poster and D.C. was regarded somewhere between a skidmark on the tourney's alternates circuit or a nice prospect, but only because his primary training partner was a man named Cain Velasquez. I've got to say, I always imagined Barnett in the finals (although maybe not as easy as he made it look along the way) but I don't have the poker face to say the man I saw him against would be the guy who looks like a somewhat tougher version of 'Carl' from Family Matters. And Gilbert Melendez makes a guest appearance, which will be nice. Oh wait, he's fighting? Well, then...
Lightweight Bout: Gesias Cavalcante vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg The other Cavalcante on the card looks to regain some of the attention that was on him just a few years ago that had him in talks for toughest lightweights in the world. Not exactly anymore. But che should be able to thwart anything Isaa "The Valley Girl" Vallie-Flagg throws his way. Not really his nickname. But it should be. Don't believe me? Check the quality of opposition. If JZ loses this, then he's even done as a high-level gatekeeper if you ask me. The other Cavalcante via decision.
Welterweight Bout: Nah-Shon Burrell vs. Chris Spang A battle only watched by hardcore fans that will surely see the live audience go snag their food. And it's on the main card? I know JZ Cavalcante has fallen a bit, but geez. Kinda harsh. Burrell via 2nd round TKO.
Light-Heavyweight Bout: Rafael Cavalcante vs. Mike Kyle A rematch a few years in the making where Feijao will look to erase the L on his record from when MAK pasted him back in 2009 with a brutal knockout. Cavalcante wasn't taking him seriously at the time (could you blame him, though?) and Kyle made him pay for it. Kyle has really come into his strike at heavyweight, rededicating himself after the birth of his child as well as a long suspension stemming from what can be vaguely described as very unsportsmanlike conduct in a past bout. He's only lost at heavyweight in recent memory, and that's a division he has no place at. He's been impressive enough that I was looking forward to seeing the long-teased fight between he and former champ, Gegard Mousasi. He'll have to settle for Feijao, though, who has improved since their last outing and won a title. Not a bad name to add to your resume twice. On paper, the Brazilian is better in each skill, even if Kyle hits harder. Still, though Kyle's got the better chin, and if he can connect squarely, people may be talking about Mike Kyle come Sunday morning. I won't be surprised if I'm wrong, but I have to go with the guy who's more skilled: Cavalcante via 2nd round TKO.
Strikeforce Lightweight Title Fight: Gilbert Melendez vs. Josh Thompson If this trilogy had happened sooner after their last fight, I would have been more interested. Thompson seems to have reached his peak as a fighter, and it appears he is sliding out of his athletic prime as years of hard training are catching up. He got a gift decision against JZ and got beaten decisively against Tatsuya Kawajiri. Remember what Melendez did to him? Let me refresh your memory-it involved a lot of elbows and a little bit of time. Thompson still is a game fighter, though, and I don't expect him to go down easy. I don't think Gil steamrolls him as fast as the odds would suggest, but I expect a convincing decision from the man they call "El Nino." Then let's talk UFC, please.
Heavyweight Grand Prix Final: Josh Barnett vs. Daniel Cormier I introduced this one enough in the intro. It's breakdown time. Let's talk facts. Bigfoot looked great against Fedor in that second round. D.C. looked great against Bigfoot. But that doesn't mean he should be favored to win here. Bigfoot lumbered around the ring with all the poise and grace of Frankenstein meanwhile serving his head on a silver platter to the upstart, like some giant deformed pinata.
The Olympic powerhouse, Daniel Cormier is surely one to keep your eyes on still, but, much like Shane Carwin's career, time is against him. At age 33, D.C. is off to a late start and I think that doesn't help his chances here, either. At the same time, Barnett's 34, so he doesn't have that many years at an elite level left in him, either. In fact, if Cormier wins this decisively, it's pretty obvious that Barnett's athletic peak may have past him by. Long story short, the time is now for both of these guys. Although they are both at very different points in their careers, they are just as much in need of a W on Saturday night in order to have a head start capitalizing on the next few years to cement a legacy.
It's almost weird to think that D.C. has a lot to prove being a prospect, but Barnett has plenty to prove for different reasons. He has always been regarded among the top heavyweights, only falling out of top contender talk due to inactivity against top opponents after Affliction folded
Skill set-wise, Barnett has always been regarded as one of the best. He's easily the most well-rounded heavyweight in the top 10, and one has to think that he always had it in him to be THE best, a theory perpetuated strongly by Joe Rogan. It is yet to be seen whether he still can or if he spent the time when he should have been THE SHIT sidelined.
Speaking of skill sets, no one has better, more suffocating top control than J.B. "The Warmaster" has shown time and time again that if he gets on top of you, that's a wrap. He can hit submissions from a variety of positions. His stand-up is underrated, he hits hard, and if it gets overlooked, it's at his opponent's expense. His catch-wrestling style wears on opponents and is very physically taxing.
D.C., on the other hand, has improved by leaps and bounds in the striking department. The dude hits like a truck. His Olympic-caliber wrestling is...literally Olympic-caliber. He can definitely implement a sprawl and brawl gameplan against Barnett, occasionally mixing in a takedown to score points. Barnett's best bet would be to make it nasty, pin Cormier against the fence, utilize dirty boxing, hold a heavy base and dump D.C. on his Olympic ass. We could be in for one of the best heavyweight fights in a while, or an uneventful war of attrition. I'm "pinning" my hopes and money on an exciting bout, though.
Make no mistake. D.C. would win every wrestling match they'd have, but it is Barnett who has the better wrestling for MMA. Both have solid stand-up, with Cormier getting the decided edge in power. Barnett can hit submissions out of many positions. Cormier also is coming off of breaking and re-breaking his hand, likely limiting his potential for improvement. I'm also sold on Barnett's cardio more so than D.C., and he has the more taxing style for his opponent. I'll be surprised if Barnett's past his prime already, which is essentially what D.C.'s chance is riding on here. I wouldn't be surprised to read either man's name in the headlines on Sunday morning, but on paper, this is Barnett's fight for the taking. Josh "The Babyfaced Assassin" Barnett...unanimous decision.
Got some differing opinions? Let's here 'em!
Without further ado (and there's been a lot of it), Showtime will be presenting MMA fans around the world with a much-delayed (but worthwhile) climax to the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix saga. I chose to post an old fan-made poster circa the tournament's initial announcement to illustrate how things have changed. Since the tournament containing eight of the best heavyweights in the world began its quest to crown the king of the division, we now find ourselves with the tournament final of Josh "The Babyfaced Assassin" (or Warmaster depending on who you ask) Barnett versus "D.C." Daniel Cormier. If you predicted this as the tournament final when the high-stakes spectacle was initially announced, then go take a shower, because I smell bullshit in your words. Barnett's barely on the damn poster and D.C. was regarded somewhere between a skidmark on the tourney's alternates circuit or a nice prospect, but only because his primary training partner was a man named Cain Velasquez. I've got to say, I always imagined Barnett in the finals (although maybe not as easy as he made it look along the way) but I don't have the poker face to say the man I saw him against would be the guy who looks like a somewhat tougher version of 'Carl' from Family Matters. And Gilbert Melendez makes a guest appearance, which will be nice. Oh wait, he's fighting? Well, then...
Lightweight Bout: Gesias Cavalcante vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg The other Cavalcante on the card looks to regain some of the attention that was on him just a few years ago that had him in talks for toughest lightweights in the world. Not exactly anymore. But che should be able to thwart anything Isaa "The Valley Girl" Vallie-Flagg throws his way. Not really his nickname. But it should be. Don't believe me? Check the quality of opposition. If JZ loses this, then he's even done as a high-level gatekeeper if you ask me. The other Cavalcante via decision.
Welterweight Bout: Nah-Shon Burrell vs. Chris Spang A battle only watched by hardcore fans that will surely see the live audience go snag their food. And it's on the main card? I know JZ Cavalcante has fallen a bit, but geez. Kinda harsh. Burrell via 2nd round TKO.
Light-Heavyweight Bout: Rafael Cavalcante vs. Mike Kyle A rematch a few years in the making where Feijao will look to erase the L on his record from when MAK pasted him back in 2009 with a brutal knockout. Cavalcante wasn't taking him seriously at the time (could you blame him, though?) and Kyle made him pay for it. Kyle has really come into his strike at heavyweight, rededicating himself after the birth of his child as well as a long suspension stemming from what can be vaguely described as very unsportsmanlike conduct in a past bout. He's only lost at heavyweight in recent memory, and that's a division he has no place at. He's been impressive enough that I was looking forward to seeing the long-teased fight between he and former champ, Gegard Mousasi. He'll have to settle for Feijao, though, who has improved since their last outing and won a title. Not a bad name to add to your resume twice. On paper, the Brazilian is better in each skill, even if Kyle hits harder. Still, though Kyle's got the better chin, and if he can connect squarely, people may be talking about Mike Kyle come Sunday morning. I won't be surprised if I'm wrong, but I have to go with the guy who's more skilled: Cavalcante via 2nd round TKO.
Strikeforce Lightweight Title Fight: Gilbert Melendez vs. Josh Thompson If this trilogy had happened sooner after their last fight, I would have been more interested. Thompson seems to have reached his peak as a fighter, and it appears he is sliding out of his athletic prime as years of hard training are catching up. He got a gift decision against JZ and got beaten decisively against Tatsuya Kawajiri. Remember what Melendez did to him? Let me refresh your memory-it involved a lot of elbows and a little bit of time. Thompson still is a game fighter, though, and I don't expect him to go down easy. I don't think Gil steamrolls him as fast as the odds would suggest, but I expect a convincing decision from the man they call "El Nino." Then let's talk UFC, please.
Heavyweight Grand Prix Final: Josh Barnett vs. Daniel Cormier I introduced this one enough in the intro. It's breakdown time. Let's talk facts. Bigfoot looked great against Fedor in that second round. D.C. looked great against Bigfoot. But that doesn't mean he should be favored to win here. Bigfoot lumbered around the ring with all the poise and grace of Frankenstein meanwhile serving his head on a silver platter to the upstart, like some giant deformed pinata.
The Olympic powerhouse, Daniel Cormier is surely one to keep your eyes on still, but, much like Shane Carwin's career, time is against him. At age 33, D.C. is off to a late start and I think that doesn't help his chances here, either. At the same time, Barnett's 34, so he doesn't have that many years at an elite level left in him, either. In fact, if Cormier wins this decisively, it's pretty obvious that Barnett's athletic peak may have past him by. Long story short, the time is now for both of these guys. Although they are both at very different points in their careers, they are just as much in need of a W on Saturday night in order to have a head start capitalizing on the next few years to cement a legacy.
It's almost weird to think that D.C. has a lot to prove being a prospect, but Barnett has plenty to prove for different reasons. He has always been regarded among the top heavyweights, only falling out of top contender talk due to inactivity against top opponents after Affliction folded
Skill set-wise, Barnett has always been regarded as one of the best. He's easily the most well-rounded heavyweight in the top 10, and one has to think that he always had it in him to be THE best, a theory perpetuated strongly by Joe Rogan. It is yet to be seen whether he still can or if he spent the time when he should have been THE SHIT sidelined.
Speaking of skill sets, no one has better, more suffocating top control than J.B. "The Warmaster" has shown time and time again that if he gets on top of you, that's a wrap. He can hit submissions from a variety of positions. His stand-up is underrated, he hits hard, and if it gets overlooked, it's at his opponent's expense. His catch-wrestling style wears on opponents and is very physically taxing.
D.C., on the other hand, has improved by leaps and bounds in the striking department. The dude hits like a truck. His Olympic-caliber wrestling is...literally Olympic-caliber. He can definitely implement a sprawl and brawl gameplan against Barnett, occasionally mixing in a takedown to score points. Barnett's best bet would be to make it nasty, pin Cormier against the fence, utilize dirty boxing, hold a heavy base and dump D.C. on his Olympic ass. We could be in for one of the best heavyweight fights in a while, or an uneventful war of attrition. I'm "pinning" my hopes and money on an exciting bout, though.
Make no mistake. D.C. would win every wrestling match they'd have, but it is Barnett who has the better wrestling for MMA. Both have solid stand-up, with Cormier getting the decided edge in power. Barnett can hit submissions out of many positions. Cormier also is coming off of breaking and re-breaking his hand, likely limiting his potential for improvement. I'm also sold on Barnett's cardio more so than D.C., and he has the more taxing style for his opponent. I'll be surprised if Barnett's past his prime already, which is essentially what D.C.'s chance is riding on here. I wouldn't be surprised to read either man's name in the headlines on Sunday morning, but on paper, this is Barnett's fight for the taking. Josh "The Babyfaced Assassin" Barnett...unanimous decision.
Got some differing opinions? Let's here 'em!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Crystal Ball: UFC 144 Edition
Submitted by Jacked The Ripper
Photo Credit: Zuffa, LLC
Main Card:
• Middleweight: Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch
Tim Boetsch's middleweight career has been off to a pleasant start. Some feel he's being thrown to the wolves by drawing Anderson Silva's last title challenger in this outing, but I disagree. Boetsch presents the strength and potential style to muscle Okami around the same way Sonnen did. A good chin, brute power, and some judo chops (see what I did there) make Boetsch a formidable opponent, even for A-list opposition. He's made it clear that he should have more eyes on his career than most surging middleweights. The problem is Boetsch doesn't posess the speed of Sonnen, nor does he posess the gas tank to keep the same frenetic, relentless pace that Sonnen put on Okami. Few do, and this isn't to say Boetsch has garbage cardio, it's just that it's not elite. Also standing in his way is that his style is one that Okami is used to dealing with. I expect Okami to find his way out of a few wild striking exchanges and some bullying to take a forgettable decision like the old Okami was known for. The only X-factor here for upset potential may be if Okami's not motivated after falling to the champ after finally receiving his long-awaited title shot. Still, though. Okami by decision.
• Featherweight Bout: Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski
In a battle to potentially determine the nextvictim contender to the throne of Jose Aldo, we have an intriguing match-up between two well-traveled verterans of the sport. Bart Palaszewski is currently enjoying his status as something of a hot commodity after his Chuck Liddell-esque destruction of Tyson Griffin. Hioki, on the other hand, displayed the now-routine Octagon jitters, though came out on top against a game George Roop. Walking away with a W in your first UFC outing is always an accomplishment, even though the performance was underwhelming. It's hard to tell whether 'Bartimus' either isn't well-rounded enough to sustain a hot streak, or whether he simply was oversized at his previous weight. Still, though, his success has been comparable to Pat Healy in that he wins fights he shouldn't (i.e. Pettis at a weight heigher than his current class), though is always a stern test for anyone in the division with consistency being his only flaw holding him back. A win over Hioki would put Palaszewski in line for gold, the one thing missing from his soon to be 50-fight career. Unfortunately for the inked-up featherweight, I think Hioki's well-rounded game and hometown motivation will enable him to manage a definitive decision over a game Bartimus. In Bart's favor, though, I'm inclined to believe his hair would impress the likes of Heath Herring and Dennis Rodman.
• Lightweight Bout: Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon
In a bout that is sure to deliver fireworks, be it a slugfest or a tactical battle, the last WEC Lightweight Champ, Anthony Pettis, attempts to get in the mix by derailing the momentum of repeat spoiler, Joe Lauzon. Lauzon hopes to remind people that he shouldn't be the underdog as often as billed, thus making a case for a potential contender label of his own. Pettis may be getting labeled as the more one-dimensional of the two because of the way in which he lost to Clay Guida, but I see the two as being equally well-rounded. Pettis is great off his back, even though I'd give Lauzon the overall advantage on the floor by a measurable margin. Lauzon, on the other hand, is perfectly competent on the feet, though Pettis is the clear superior in this department. All in all, I wouldn't be shocked to see either man appear victorious. In the end, though, I see Pettis shining through in his ability to keep the fight standing enough to pepper Lauzon and drill him with significant strikes being the key to victory. Anthony Pettis via competitive, yet clear-cut unanimous decision.
• Welterweight Bout: Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields
Both men are in desperate need of a win here to not only remain in the mix, but remain in the good graces of UFC brass. The eyes tend to be on Akiyama as the promotions' bigger failure with some going as far as saying he's been the biggest bust ever. I disagree; in fact, between the two, I think Shields has been more dissappointing. Akiyama, perhaps unfairly, was pinned with the high-hopes of being the man to defeat Anderson Silva by Dana White. In spite of a well-rounded game, middleweight proved to be too much for Akiyama, although he was able to give the division's major players fits aside from Vitor Belfort. In the end, it is clear that Akiyama is most definitely UFC-level, just not an A-lister. He hopes to restore his initial high-hopes and reinvent his career Madonna-style at 170.
I believe Shields to be the larger bust after the UFC almost-immediately thrust him into title contention, essentially billing him as GSP's next opponent before he'd even debuted against Martin Kampmann. His success in Strikeforce and other non-UFC promotions was played up to epic proportions, with his reputation being pushed as a top pound-for-pound player. Since his arrival, he's gone 1-2. Or 0-3, depending on whether you subscribe to the theory that Kampmann won that night. Unlike Akiyama, all of his performances have been easily forgettable, aside from maybe just the Jake Ellenberger fight, albeit for the wrong reasons.
Shields' best chance is pinned upon his ability to implement his specific brand of the ground game, coined, American Jiu Jitsu. His best bet is to clinch with Akiyama and attempt to drag the Japanese-Korean to the ground and implement his dominant top-game submissions. Or perhaps hope that Akiyama will judo throw him into a position where he can work his magic.
Akiyama enjoys a clear-cut advantage in the stand-up. He hit with plenty of power at middleweight, and that power will only multiply in comparison to his smaller welterweight counterparts. He will be able to toss his new opponents to the mat with greater ease given his strength advantage. His submission game has always been more than competent, with his only submission loss being accounted for at the hands of cardio, rather than Chris Leben being better than him on the floor.
A cut to a new weight class is always a huge X-factor and Akiyama yet-again finds himself being fed to the wolves immediately. The other most significant X-factor is where the fight takes place. Although Akiyama's no slouch on the ground, Shields has proven time and time again that he is on another level with his submission game. And while Shields can tolerate the stand-up game long enough to implement his game or (usually) not get finished on the feet, Akiyama posesses the ability to end his night in violent fashion.
In the end, Akiyama will be able to keep the fight standing and avoid being submitted when it hits the floor. If it's standing as long as I think it will be, it's Sexyama's fight to win. It will be a fairly impressive debut for the welterweight division's freshest (& sexiest) face. The Prince of Swagger via decision.
• Heavyweight Bout: Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo
It's 2012. Brock Lesnar is retired after consecutive drubbings. Fedor Emelianenko is barely, or just outside the top ten at heavyweight. Mark Hunt, of all people, is relevant and on a winning streak in the most significant heavyweight division on the planet. If I would have told you that two years ago you would have shit yourself. And I wouldn't have blamed you. In fact, I probably would've joined you. Not to make it weird or anything.
Cheick Kongo is enjoying a nice resurge in relevancy and is unbeaten in his past four outings. He shut down the previously unbeaten Matt Mitrione, scored a dramatic, unreal comeback win over Pat Barry in one of 2011's most memorable moments to boot. Before that, he bested Paul Buentello, but drew against the rising Travis Browne due to his infatuation with Browne's shorts.
On paper, this bout looks similar to Kongo's fight against Antoni Hardonk. And I expect Kongo's gameplan to be the same. You see, Kongo has earned the label of being a world-class striker and gets promoted as a wrecking ball on the feet by the UFC in order to generate hype. But one dissappointing thing about The French Sensation is that he is a coward. No pun intended with his French heritage, but he has a knack for being scared to stand and trade with opponents who posses even decent stand-up skills or power. The first instance I can recall of it is him turning into an impromptu wrestler after being blasting by Heath Herring. From there, it's been rinse and repeat. Including guys he's clearly better than in the stand-up game like Paul Buentello. Even if Kongo is more than capable on the feet, he instead chooses to pin opponents against the cage and just hold them there, blasting with an occassional knee, legal or not. Do not think I'm confusing strategy with cowardice, either. Kongo inexplicably seems to go against his skillset at times.
In this case, though, Mark Hunt IS the better striker. In fact, his crowning of K-1 World Grand Prix Champion in 2001 literally means the term world-class striking isn't just being thrown around because. Kongo was a kickboxer who, while competent, was just decent on the European circuit. Hardly the terror that the Super Samoan, who plagued K-1 was.
In order to win this, Kongo HAS to pin Hunt to the cage and drag him to the canvas where he can implement his beastly ground and pound. The other option would be to catch one of Hunt's staple leg kicks and follow him to the ground. Hunt is deceptively fast for his size and will have to work to counter Kongo's forward movement with his counter-striking. Ultimately, Kongo will not only have to wade through counter strikes in order to get the fight where he wants it, but also hold Hunt in place, which is no easy task, especially considering his thirty pound deficiency and Hunt's raw strength. Mark Hunt. Brutal first round knockout.
Light-Heavyweight Bout: Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader
Expect this fight to look a lot like Jackson's against Hamill in many fashions. Quinton will have to put his best sprawling shoes on and work to tag Bader on the feet, while largely not having much to worry about in terms of the other man's striking ability. But the recurring question is just how much gas does Quinton really have left in the tank. The missed weight surely has an explanation, but it's not going to do anything to quell the naysayers calling for his retirement.
I was sitting in-person for Bader's last fight in San Jose at 139 where he caught Jason Brilz early with a lunging right hand and ended his night. One thing I've noticed lately about Bader's game is his flawed movement. He stands incredibly flat-footed, and scuttles around. He really has to dig deep into his wrestling roots in order to have a chance in hell against the man they call Rampage. While Bader's loss to Jones is forgiveable, his getting dropped and tapped by Tito is not.
Rampage's loss to Bones is understandable as well. Though it did instill strong doubt as to whether Jackson would ever hold the belt again, it in no way signifies he is done. Rampage isn't quite in that spot where he's only taking on novelty fights (ala most of the latter portion of Randy Couture's career) and is still a top light heavyweight. Questions of motivation aren't enough to buy Darth Bader a victory, either. Plus, fighting in Japan should make no one wonder whether Rampage wants to fight, especially considering he requested to.
In the end, as long as Rampage's weight cut wasn't injury-related (and it may be, considering that even with qustions of motivation, he's always been professional about making weight) it's only a matter of time before he blasts Bader with the kill shot. Quinton Jackson via TKO in front of his 'hometown' crowd.
• Lightweight Title Fight: Frankie Edgar (c) vs. Benson Henderson
In what may turn out to be the event's fight of the night, the Land of the Rising Sun is treated to a lightweight clash of epic proportions. Frankie "The Answer" Edgar, now being dubbed the Rocky Balboa of MMA, defends his crown against surging contender "Smooth" Ben Henderson. Both guys are difficult not to like, with each man's background story being easily endearing.
This is one of those fights that I wouldn't touch if I was a betting on the event. I'm not going to be majorly shocked with either outcome. But the way I see it is rather simple in comparison to some of the other bouts on the card, in spite of the bout's even matchup. The champ has the speed advantage, wrestling advantage, and the better hands. I'll concede submission offense and defense to Bendo, and I'm sure he has some surprises for Edgar to boot. But in short, Edgar has The Answer for Smooth. Frankie Edgar by unanimous decision.
Main Card:
• Middleweight: Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch
Tim Boetsch's middleweight career has been off to a pleasant start. Some feel he's being thrown to the wolves by drawing Anderson Silva's last title challenger in this outing, but I disagree. Boetsch presents the strength and potential style to muscle Okami around the same way Sonnen did. A good chin, brute power, and some judo chops (see what I did there) make Boetsch a formidable opponent, even for A-list opposition. He's made it clear that he should have more eyes on his career than most surging middleweights. The problem is Boetsch doesn't posess the speed of Sonnen, nor does he posess the gas tank to keep the same frenetic, relentless pace that Sonnen put on Okami. Few do, and this isn't to say Boetsch has garbage cardio, it's just that it's not elite. Also standing in his way is that his style is one that Okami is used to dealing with. I expect Okami to find his way out of a few wild striking exchanges and some bullying to take a forgettable decision like the old Okami was known for. The only X-factor here for upset potential may be if Okami's not motivated after falling to the champ after finally receiving his long-awaited title shot. Still, though. Okami by decision.
• Featherweight Bout: Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski
In a battle to potentially determine the next
• Lightweight Bout: Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon
In a bout that is sure to deliver fireworks, be it a slugfest or a tactical battle, the last WEC Lightweight Champ, Anthony Pettis, attempts to get in the mix by derailing the momentum of repeat spoiler, Joe Lauzon. Lauzon hopes to remind people that he shouldn't be the underdog as often as billed, thus making a case for a potential contender label of his own. Pettis may be getting labeled as the more one-dimensional of the two because of the way in which he lost to Clay Guida, but I see the two as being equally well-rounded. Pettis is great off his back, even though I'd give Lauzon the overall advantage on the floor by a measurable margin. Lauzon, on the other hand, is perfectly competent on the feet, though Pettis is the clear superior in this department. All in all, I wouldn't be shocked to see either man appear victorious. In the end, though, I see Pettis shining through in his ability to keep the fight standing enough to pepper Lauzon and drill him with significant strikes being the key to victory. Anthony Pettis via competitive, yet clear-cut unanimous decision.
• Welterweight Bout: Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields
Both men are in desperate need of a win here to not only remain in the mix, but remain in the good graces of UFC brass. The eyes tend to be on Akiyama as the promotions' bigger failure with some going as far as saying he's been the biggest bust ever. I disagree; in fact, between the two, I think Shields has been more dissappointing. Akiyama, perhaps unfairly, was pinned with the high-hopes of being the man to defeat Anderson Silva by Dana White. In spite of a well-rounded game, middleweight proved to be too much for Akiyama, although he was able to give the division's major players fits aside from Vitor Belfort. In the end, it is clear that Akiyama is most definitely UFC-level, just not an A-lister. He hopes to restore his initial high-hopes and reinvent his career Madonna-style at 170.
I believe Shields to be the larger bust after the UFC almost-immediately thrust him into title contention, essentially billing him as GSP's next opponent before he'd even debuted against Martin Kampmann. His success in Strikeforce and other non-UFC promotions was played up to epic proportions, with his reputation being pushed as a top pound-for-pound player. Since his arrival, he's gone 1-2. Or 0-3, depending on whether you subscribe to the theory that Kampmann won that night. Unlike Akiyama, all of his performances have been easily forgettable, aside from maybe just the Jake Ellenberger fight, albeit for the wrong reasons.
Shields' best chance is pinned upon his ability to implement his specific brand of the ground game, coined, American Jiu Jitsu. His best bet is to clinch with Akiyama and attempt to drag the Japanese-Korean to the ground and implement his dominant top-game submissions. Or perhaps hope that Akiyama will judo throw him into a position where he can work his magic.
Akiyama enjoys a clear-cut advantage in the stand-up. He hit with plenty of power at middleweight, and that power will only multiply in comparison to his smaller welterweight counterparts. He will be able to toss his new opponents to the mat with greater ease given his strength advantage. His submission game has always been more than competent, with his only submission loss being accounted for at the hands of cardio, rather than Chris Leben being better than him on the floor.
A cut to a new weight class is always a huge X-factor and Akiyama yet-again finds himself being fed to the wolves immediately. The other most significant X-factor is where the fight takes place. Although Akiyama's no slouch on the ground, Shields has proven time and time again that he is on another level with his submission game. And while Shields can tolerate the stand-up game long enough to implement his game or (usually) not get finished on the feet, Akiyama posesses the ability to end his night in violent fashion.
In the end, Akiyama will be able to keep the fight standing and avoid being submitted when it hits the floor. If it's standing as long as I think it will be, it's Sexyama's fight to win. It will be a fairly impressive debut for the welterweight division's freshest (& sexiest) face. The Prince of Swagger via decision.
• Heavyweight Bout: Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo
It's 2012. Brock Lesnar is retired after consecutive drubbings. Fedor Emelianenko is barely, or just outside the top ten at heavyweight. Mark Hunt, of all people, is relevant and on a winning streak in the most significant heavyweight division on the planet. If I would have told you that two years ago you would have shit yourself. And I wouldn't have blamed you. In fact, I probably would've joined you. Not to make it weird or anything.
Cheick Kongo is enjoying a nice resurge in relevancy and is unbeaten in his past four outings. He shut down the previously unbeaten Matt Mitrione, scored a dramatic, unreal comeback win over Pat Barry in one of 2011's most memorable moments to boot. Before that, he bested Paul Buentello, but drew against the rising Travis Browne due to his infatuation with Browne's shorts.
On paper, this bout looks similar to Kongo's fight against Antoni Hardonk. And I expect Kongo's gameplan to be the same. You see, Kongo has earned the label of being a world-class striker and gets promoted as a wrecking ball on the feet by the UFC in order to generate hype. But one dissappointing thing about The French Sensation is that he is a coward. No pun intended with his French heritage, but he has a knack for being scared to stand and trade with opponents who posses even decent stand-up skills or power. The first instance I can recall of it is him turning into an impromptu wrestler after being blasting by Heath Herring. From there, it's been rinse and repeat. Including guys he's clearly better than in the stand-up game like Paul Buentello. Even if Kongo is more than capable on the feet, he instead chooses to pin opponents against the cage and just hold them there, blasting with an occassional knee, legal or not. Do not think I'm confusing strategy with cowardice, either. Kongo inexplicably seems to go against his skillset at times.
In this case, though, Mark Hunt IS the better striker. In fact, his crowning of K-1 World Grand Prix Champion in 2001 literally means the term world-class striking isn't just being thrown around because. Kongo was a kickboxer who, while competent, was just decent on the European circuit. Hardly the terror that the Super Samoan, who plagued K-1 was.
In order to win this, Kongo HAS to pin Hunt to the cage and drag him to the canvas where he can implement his beastly ground and pound. The other option would be to catch one of Hunt's staple leg kicks and follow him to the ground. Hunt is deceptively fast for his size and will have to work to counter Kongo's forward movement with his counter-striking. Ultimately, Kongo will not only have to wade through counter strikes in order to get the fight where he wants it, but also hold Hunt in place, which is no easy task, especially considering his thirty pound deficiency and Hunt's raw strength. Mark Hunt. Brutal first round knockout.
Light-Heavyweight Bout: Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader
Expect this fight to look a lot like Jackson's against Hamill in many fashions. Quinton will have to put his best sprawling shoes on and work to tag Bader on the feet, while largely not having much to worry about in terms of the other man's striking ability. But the recurring question is just how much gas does Quinton really have left in the tank. The missed weight surely has an explanation, but it's not going to do anything to quell the naysayers calling for his retirement.
I was sitting in-person for Bader's last fight in San Jose at 139 where he caught Jason Brilz early with a lunging right hand and ended his night. One thing I've noticed lately about Bader's game is his flawed movement. He stands incredibly flat-footed, and scuttles around. He really has to dig deep into his wrestling roots in order to have a chance in hell against the man they call Rampage. While Bader's loss to Jones is forgiveable, his getting dropped and tapped by Tito is not.
Rampage's loss to Bones is understandable as well. Though it did instill strong doubt as to whether Jackson would ever hold the belt again, it in no way signifies he is done. Rampage isn't quite in that spot where he's only taking on novelty fights (ala most of the latter portion of Randy Couture's career) and is still a top light heavyweight. Questions of motivation aren't enough to buy Darth Bader a victory, either. Plus, fighting in Japan should make no one wonder whether Rampage wants to fight, especially considering he requested to.
In the end, as long as Rampage's weight cut wasn't injury-related (and it may be, considering that even with qustions of motivation, he's always been professional about making weight) it's only a matter of time before he blasts Bader with the kill shot. Quinton Jackson via TKO in front of his 'hometown' crowd.
• Lightweight Title Fight: Frankie Edgar (c) vs. Benson Henderson
In what may turn out to be the event's fight of the night, the Land of the Rising Sun is treated to a lightweight clash of epic proportions. Frankie "The Answer" Edgar, now being dubbed the Rocky Balboa of MMA, defends his crown against surging contender "Smooth" Ben Henderson. Both guys are difficult not to like, with each man's background story being easily endearing.
This is one of those fights that I wouldn't touch if I was a betting on the event. I'm not going to be majorly shocked with either outcome. But the way I see it is rather simple in comparison to some of the other bouts on the card, in spite of the bout's even matchup. The champ has the speed advantage, wrestling advantage, and the better hands. I'll concede submission offense and defense to Bendo, and I'm sure he has some surprises for Edgar to boot. But in short, Edgar has The Answer for Smooth. Frankie Edgar by unanimous decision.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
UFC 144 Previews & Predictions: Prelims
Article submitted by Jacked The Ripper
Image Credit: Esther Lin
Another Super Saturday is upon us, and while the drill may be the same for the fans, this cannot be said for Zuffa. In fact, the near exact opposite is the case for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and its brass. The roughly twelve year hiatus from the last UFC event in the Land of the Rising Sun has been a long one. The climate has changed considerably and the powers that be have a lot riding on the potential of creating a new foreign market...potentially the largest fan-base addition this side of Brazil. Tonight the largest MMA promotion in the world sets up its travelling circus in the same venue that housed the former largest MMA promotion in the world: the world-famous Saitama Super Arena.
For those of us still writing, "PRIDE NEVA DIE!" on all our checks, tonight is something special beyond another night of exciting matchups. It's a night of nostalgia-a welcome throwback to an amazing era that still holds a special place in the heart of many fans. I highly recommend taking a look at the stellar, "Ghosts of Saitama," series available for reading at our good friends of MMAMania.
Tonight may be business as usual for UFC and the sport of MMA's newer wave of fans, but for the UFC and for those of us who have experienced the awe and wonder that was Pride Fighting Championships, tonight is about a little bit more than a night of action-packed fights. Tonight, for a few hours, we relive an era that is anything but forgotten.
Preliminary Card
As with both Brazilian events, the UFC has unsurprisingly stocked the fight card with Japanese fighters aplenty, coupled with a few who hold a special place in the eyes of Japanese fans.
• Takeya Mizugaki gets unfairly underrated by analysts due to his losing efforts against the bantamweight division's best. But when your recent losses are made up of names like Faber, Bowles, Jorgensen, and Torres, you're not necessarily a chump, yourself. Mizugaki is comparable to another fighter on tonight's card, Cheick Kongo. Essentially a gatekeeper of the division, albeit arguably more relevant in his relative division. He should highlight the skillset difference between himself and Chris Caraiso and cruise to a decision W.
• Expect Tiequan Zhang to come out with a fire lit under his ass after his recent defeats. That combined with his veteran savy and the Octagon jitters of Issei Tamura should spell a submission victory.
• There's a lot of X-factors in the Steve Cantwell-Riki Fukuda fight, such as the latter's long layoff, Cantwell's recovery, and the fact that Cantwell may choose to adjust his style significantly in order to snag a win. Although I usually never try and pick guys coming off long layoffs, I'm going to go with Fukuda via decision.
• Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee is an intriguing match-up. Kid Yamamoto exemplifies the recurring tale of the fallen king. Back when Japanese MMA was pushing the sport with honor and tradition, Yamamoto shared more in common with his American counterparts...Littered with tattoos, crazy hair, creepy sneers, and his dedication to wrestling all made him stand out. To top it off, he was an absolute killer, ranking on all major pound-for-pound lists. He now struggles to merely remain relevant and silence those who argue he's merely living nostalgia. Lee is a fresher face who's looking to make a name for himself off of the fallen Yamamoto. The one-time Ultimate Fighter hopeful surely wants to capitalize by getting Yamamoto to the ground where he can utilize his strong transitions and guard passing, which could spell trouble for the veteran. Containing Yamamoto on the ground isn't going to be as easy as one would think. Combine that with Kid's brutality standing up and bulletproof chin and Lee has his work cut out for him. Yamamoto via brutal TKO.
• Takanori Gomi vs Eiji Mitsuoka represents a similar type of stylistic matchup Gomi has faced since joining the UFC more or less. It's a shame, too. I'm not saying anyone should be given gimme fights, but I find this chronic booking of bad stylistic match-ups for The Fireball Kid a bad business move. He has potential to be a more value commodity if booked for fireworks from time to time, rather than just being brought in as a temporary means to build a few stars with his name value. Mitsuoka has impressive grappling credentials, manages to score mount often, has a strong-based top game, and has legit wrestling to compliment his submission game. One could argue that he may be a worse match-ups in some capacity than some of Gomi's previous few. Still, if Gomi's recent trend of being hesitant to pull the trigger is broken, which I expect to be the case in front of his homeland, a motivated Gomi spells trouble for Mitsuoka. While Mitsuoka isn't atrocious on the feet, Gomi doesn't have to worry about being conned into a ploy stand-up to set up a takedown like he did against Diaz or Florian. I expect Gomi to predict the takedown even moreso since it's his opponent's only real option and be ready. As long as that's the case, it's only a matter of time until he separates Mitsuoka from his senses. Gomi via blistering KO.
Stay tuned for breakdowns of the main card fights.
Another Super Saturday is upon us, and while the drill may be the same for the fans, this cannot be said for Zuffa. In fact, the near exact opposite is the case for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and its brass. The roughly twelve year hiatus from the last UFC event in the Land of the Rising Sun has been a long one. The climate has changed considerably and the powers that be have a lot riding on the potential of creating a new foreign market...potentially the largest fan-base addition this side of Brazil. Tonight the largest MMA promotion in the world sets up its travelling circus in the same venue that housed the former largest MMA promotion in the world: the world-famous Saitama Super Arena.
For those of us still writing, "PRIDE NEVA DIE!" on all our checks, tonight is something special beyond another night of exciting matchups. It's a night of nostalgia-a welcome throwback to an amazing era that still holds a special place in the heart of many fans. I highly recommend taking a look at the stellar, "Ghosts of Saitama," series available for reading at our good friends of MMAMania.
Tonight may be business as usual for UFC and the sport of MMA's newer wave of fans, but for the UFC and for those of us who have experienced the awe and wonder that was Pride Fighting Championships, tonight is about a little bit more than a night of action-packed fights. Tonight, for a few hours, we relive an era that is anything but forgotten.
Preliminary Card
As with both Brazilian events, the UFC has unsurprisingly stocked the fight card with Japanese fighters aplenty, coupled with a few who hold a special place in the eyes of Japanese fans.
• Takeya Mizugaki gets unfairly underrated by analysts due to his losing efforts against the bantamweight division's best. But when your recent losses are made up of names like Faber, Bowles, Jorgensen, and Torres, you're not necessarily a chump, yourself. Mizugaki is comparable to another fighter on tonight's card, Cheick Kongo. Essentially a gatekeeper of the division, albeit arguably more relevant in his relative division. He should highlight the skillset difference between himself and Chris Caraiso and cruise to a decision W.
• Expect Tiequan Zhang to come out with a fire lit under his ass after his recent defeats. That combined with his veteran savy and the Octagon jitters of Issei Tamura should spell a submission victory.
• There's a lot of X-factors in the Steve Cantwell-Riki Fukuda fight, such as the latter's long layoff, Cantwell's recovery, and the fact that Cantwell may choose to adjust his style significantly in order to snag a win. Although I usually never try and pick guys coming off long layoffs, I'm going to go with Fukuda via decision.
• Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee is an intriguing match-up. Kid Yamamoto exemplifies the recurring tale of the fallen king. Back when Japanese MMA was pushing the sport with honor and tradition, Yamamoto shared more in common with his American counterparts...Littered with tattoos, crazy hair, creepy sneers, and his dedication to wrestling all made him stand out. To top it off, he was an absolute killer, ranking on all major pound-for-pound lists. He now struggles to merely remain relevant and silence those who argue he's merely living nostalgia. Lee is a fresher face who's looking to make a name for himself off of the fallen Yamamoto. The one-time Ultimate Fighter hopeful surely wants to capitalize by getting Yamamoto to the ground where he can utilize his strong transitions and guard passing, which could spell trouble for the veteran. Containing Yamamoto on the ground isn't going to be as easy as one would think. Combine that with Kid's brutality standing up and bulletproof chin and Lee has his work cut out for him. Yamamoto via brutal TKO.
• Takanori Gomi vs Eiji Mitsuoka represents a similar type of stylistic matchup Gomi has faced since joining the UFC more or less. It's a shame, too. I'm not saying anyone should be given gimme fights, but I find this chronic booking of bad stylistic match-ups for The Fireball Kid a bad business move. He has potential to be a more value commodity if booked for fireworks from time to time, rather than just being brought in as a temporary means to build a few stars with his name value. Mitsuoka has impressive grappling credentials, manages to score mount often, has a strong-based top game, and has legit wrestling to compliment his submission game. One could argue that he may be a worse match-ups in some capacity than some of Gomi's previous few. Still, if Gomi's recent trend of being hesitant to pull the trigger is broken, which I expect to be the case in front of his homeland, a motivated Gomi spells trouble for Mitsuoka. While Mitsuoka isn't atrocious on the feet, Gomi doesn't have to worry about being conned into a ploy stand-up to set up a takedown like he did against Diaz or Florian. I expect Gomi to predict the takedown even moreso since it's his opponent's only real option and be ready. As long as that's the case, it's only a matter of time until he separates Mitsuoka from his senses. Gomi via blistering KO.
Stay tuned for breakdowns of the main card fights.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Spreading the Wealth: UFC Fighters Zuffa Needs to Trade to Strikeforce
Submitted by Jack3dTheRipper, in what will be the 1st entry in a multi-part series of columns.
Photo Credit: Caged Insider
Another day, another Strikeforce fighter turns in his Strikeforce gloves for a pair of UFC gloves. Okay, so maybe the takeover hasn't been happening that fast. But it is in no way a secret that the brass at Zuffa has had an itchy trigger finger in its poaching of Strikeforce talent. In lieu of Strikeforce's increasingly thinning roster, I propose Zuffa trades several of their combatants, better-served for Strikeforce.
The counter-argument to this has validity, though. That being the stance that the UFC's expansion of show quantity has lead to weaker cards. This, to me, is a moot point. Strikeforce is still doing a significantly less amount of shows annually in comparison. Thus allowing UFC to call upon the starpower of any of its traded fighters when needed. In fact, in order for traded fighters to maintain a full-time schedule, they may have to fight in both leagues. With that being said, let's get the list started.....
Light-Heavyweight: Brandon Vera
Background:
This first choice should come as a surprise to no one. Brandon Vera is a guy who is not (or at the very best barely) UFC level at this point in his career. True, he can compete with the best guys once in a blue moon, but the UFC has cut guys who can make much better claims on their resumes than that. Brandon Vera is currently employed on a technicality due to Thiago Silva having hot piss after their scuffle. Before that he was employed due to his initial hot streak, or in case the UFC ever went to the Phillipines. Thankfully, those of us who grew tired of watching more skilled guys get cut while Vera phoned in performance after performance got a break when Mr. Mark Munoz rose to power. In Munoz we got a new fighter to suit the Filipino culture. And better yet-he's actually good. Ah, I kid Brandon Vera, I kid. Well...sort of. The Truth (pun intended) is that Vera spent what should have been the prime of his career on the sidelines arguing with his manager. Many claim he never was that good to begin with, capitalizing on a stream of wins over borderline name fighters, stylistically favorable match-ups, and one long-forgotten win over a one-legged Frank Mir. Luckily for Vera, no one-not even Mir-gives a shit about seeing a rematch. Even Vera, himself, has to know what would happen should those stars align.
When fans speak of Vitor as never having lived up to his potential, it seems a bit unfair as his list of losses only includes the absolute best of the best. The difference here is people expected Vitor to be the best of all time, which he in no way is. On the flipside, fans often speak of seeing the 'old Vera' appear the same way they do Vitor. Both points are invalid, but for different reasons. Vitor of new is better and more evolved than the mythical, 'Vitor of old'. The 'Vera of old' can still be seen. He appears nearly every time he's pit against lesser competition. Notice a pattern?
Reasoning:
In spite of how it might read so far, this article isn't meant to hate on Brandon Vera. Quite the opposite. In fact, the purpose of this article is to better the career of The Truth. Although Vera may have the skillset to compete with A-listers, he doesn't have the mind to. There are many reports of Vera skipping training sessions and being elsewhere, mentally, before fights. At age 34, it is unlikely that this is going to change. The only viable answer in my eyes? Strikeforce.
Vera's Benefit:
This is where Vera's 'coast on talent' mentality can find him more success. Strikeforce's paper-thin light-heavyweight division would be equally as well off with his addition as he would. In Strikeforce, Vera immediatley becomes a contender with name recognition and provides some intriguing match-ups. Here he finds an opportunity to rebuild his legacy and a chance to find worth to his career. He can go from being a minor scootmark in MMA history to a remembered commodity.
Zuffa's Benefit:
If Dana White really wants to keep Strikeforce around and fix it, he's going to need more fighters. This is going to take both an influx of rising talent from free agency and the trading of UFC veterans. With his name recognition, Vera can find himself job security as a big fish in a small pond. He will no-doubt boost ticket sales more than the rising as-of-yet-unheralded stars of tomorrow. A situation worth solving when you look at Strikeforce's sales versus show cost charts. Better yet is that Vera has a much larger chance of going on that tear he was always supposed to do. This way when a fight night needs a headliner or UFC eventually expands to the Phillipines, they have another Filipino who actually would be marketable as legitimate. And that's The Truth.
Another day, another Strikeforce fighter turns in his Strikeforce gloves for a pair of UFC gloves. Okay, so maybe the takeover hasn't been happening that fast. But it is in no way a secret that the brass at Zuffa has had an itchy trigger finger in its poaching of Strikeforce talent. In lieu of Strikeforce's increasingly thinning roster, I propose Zuffa trades several of their combatants, better-served for Strikeforce.
The counter-argument to this has validity, though. That being the stance that the UFC's expansion of show quantity has lead to weaker cards. This, to me, is a moot point. Strikeforce is still doing a significantly less amount of shows annually in comparison. Thus allowing UFC to call upon the starpower of any of its traded fighters when needed. In fact, in order for traded fighters to maintain a full-time schedule, they may have to fight in both leagues. With that being said, let's get the list started.....
Light-Heavyweight: Brandon Vera
Background:
This first choice should come as a surprise to no one. Brandon Vera is a guy who is not (or at the very best barely) UFC level at this point in his career. True, he can compete with the best guys once in a blue moon, but the UFC has cut guys who can make much better claims on their resumes than that. Brandon Vera is currently employed on a technicality due to Thiago Silva having hot piss after their scuffle. Before that he was employed due to his initial hot streak, or in case the UFC ever went to the Phillipines. Thankfully, those of us who grew tired of watching more skilled guys get cut while Vera phoned in performance after performance got a break when Mr. Mark Munoz rose to power. In Munoz we got a new fighter to suit the Filipino culture. And better yet-he's actually good. Ah, I kid Brandon Vera, I kid. Well...sort of. The Truth (pun intended) is that Vera spent what should have been the prime of his career on the sidelines arguing with his manager. Many claim he never was that good to begin with, capitalizing on a stream of wins over borderline name fighters, stylistically favorable match-ups, and one long-forgotten win over a one-legged Frank Mir. Luckily for Vera, no one-not even Mir-gives a shit about seeing a rematch. Even Vera, himself, has to know what would happen should those stars align.
When fans speak of Vitor as never having lived up to his potential, it seems a bit unfair as his list of losses only includes the absolute best of the best. The difference here is people expected Vitor to be the best of all time, which he in no way is. On the flipside, fans often speak of seeing the 'old Vera' appear the same way they do Vitor. Both points are invalid, but for different reasons. Vitor of new is better and more evolved than the mythical, 'Vitor of old'. The 'Vera of old' can still be seen. He appears nearly every time he's pit against lesser competition. Notice a pattern?
Reasoning:
In spite of how it might read so far, this article isn't meant to hate on Brandon Vera. Quite the opposite. In fact, the purpose of this article is to better the career of The Truth. Although Vera may have the skillset to compete with A-listers, he doesn't have the mind to. There are many reports of Vera skipping training sessions and being elsewhere, mentally, before fights. At age 34, it is unlikely that this is going to change. The only viable answer in my eyes? Strikeforce.
Vera's Benefit:
This is where Vera's 'coast on talent' mentality can find him more success. Strikeforce's paper-thin light-heavyweight division would be equally as well off with his addition as he would. In Strikeforce, Vera immediatley becomes a contender with name recognition and provides some intriguing match-ups. Here he finds an opportunity to rebuild his legacy and a chance to find worth to his career. He can go from being a minor scootmark in MMA history to a remembered commodity.
Zuffa's Benefit:
If Dana White really wants to keep Strikeforce around and fix it, he's going to need more fighters. This is going to take both an influx of rising talent from free agency and the trading of UFC veterans. With his name recognition, Vera can find himself job security as a big fish in a small pond. He will no-doubt boost ticket sales more than the rising as-of-yet-unheralded stars of tomorrow. A situation worth solving when you look at Strikeforce's sales versus show cost charts. Better yet is that Vera has a much larger chance of going on that tear he was always supposed to do. This way when a fight night needs a headliner or UFC eventually expands to the Phillipines, they have another Filipino who actually would be marketable as legitimate. And that's The Truth.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Take Your Pick: UFC 142 Edition
Article submitted by Jack3dTheRipper.
Photo credit: Oileng P.
Last weekend gave us a sweet Strikeforce event to satisfy our MMA palate, and for the second weekend in a row, we get to sit down to a lovely Saturday night of combat sports. This time-UFC. The venue: Rio De Janiero, Brazil. Zuffa really is the gift that keeps on giving. Without further ado….
Preliminary Card:
• Mike Pyle’s a great gatekeeper at welter. He’ll cruise to a decision over Ricardo Funch.
• Omigawa will do the same over Yuri Alicantra.
• Thiago Tavares will continue this trend with a decision W over Sam Stout in a potentially gritty fight.
• Gonzaga will score a technical knockout over Edinaldo Oliveira in the first frame.
• Antonio Carvahal will defeat Felipe Arantes in some way or another…probably decision.
Main Card:
• Lightweight: Terry Etim vs. Edson Barboza
Two 155lb spark plugs are set to go to war in a fight many will have their eye on for fight of the night. Both have something to prove in an attempt to stand out in the crowded B-level of the lightweight division. Apparently no one’s told them when you reach the A-level, things get even more complicated…just ask Jim Miller, Melvin Guillard, Joe Lauzon, Dennis Siver, George Sotiropolous, Evan Dunham, Clay Guida, or Donald Cerrone, or Anthony Pettis. Basically anyone not named Frankie Edgar or Benson Henderson.
The Brazilian-blooded Barboza will surely look to sling leather as always. It’s no secret that the bread and butter of his offense standing is his kicks. He’s become known for them, and surely Etim will expect to have to dodge and block more than a couple on Saturday night. Unfortunately for Etim, Barboza has an uncanny knack for landing with his legs, and landing often. Barboza also is not typically looking to sit back and fire singular power shots, but rather looks to pepper foes with blistering combinations. Etim is capable on his feet, but it is Barboza who will hold a distinct advantage in this area. I do not believe Etim will be able to get on the inside and give his opponent the same trouble fellow countryman Ross Pearson did.
Though Barboza is no slouch on the ground, Etim will hold a similarly distinct advantage in the submission department as well as the wrestling (though neither are great here) to round out what should be a ground-centric gameplan. No matter who wins, this one’s not going to be a blowout. Both have a fair chance, but Barboza should be able to keep Etim on the outside with his strikes to edge out a gritty decision.
• Welterweight: Erick Silva vs. Carlo Prater
Young Carlo Prater is something of an anomaly in the MMA world, in his boasting of a veteran resume of 40 fights despite only being thirty years old. His replacement of Siyar Bahazadura makes for a less-hyped, though still compelling-enough fight. His opponent? Young upstart Brazilian firecracker, Erick Silva. Prater’s made a career out of tooling low level opponents and losing to real-deal fighters. He does, however, boast a few name wins over the likes of Guillard, Condit, Healy, and Fischer, a couple of whom he beat early in their respective careers. Condit did, in fact, avenge his loss down the line.
At this point in time, these two are at a crossroads. Unless something changes, Prater seems set in his role, though Erick Silva is on a fast track to a potentially promising career. On paper, this match seems even, and it is competitive. But I am of the thought that Silva’s going to stick around for a while, and would even if the UFC wasn’t looking to market new Brazilians in their homeland. This will be a showcase fight for Silva, who will blast Prater with a nasty, unseen strike, thrown with quick athleticism and shocking accuracy inside the first round, or at least within the second.
• Middleweight: Rousimar Palhares vs. Mike Massenzio
Man, the UFC’s booking of Rousimar Palhares is frustrating from a fan’s perspective. He consistently proves he obliterates B-level or lower fighters yet only gets brought up to the A-list fights in stylistically unfavorable match-ups to showcase a struggling top fighter who needs a win. Palhares can seek solstice in the fact that he was competitive against Dan Henderson and (sort of) in the fact that it was his own stupidity, not lack of skill, that cost him the fight against Nate Marquardt. The man has a likeable personality when he’s not being a headcase….though that tends to happen more often than it should (which, in retrospect, may be tied into the UFC’s hesitance to market him better). Either way, it’s a crime when the man gets shoved in the preliminary card so it’s great that he’s being showcased on the main card in a fight that he should win in exciting fashion, even if his opponent’s name won’t do anything for his resume.
Mike Massenzio is a tough customer in his own right. He’s a solid gatekeeper for new middleweights and brings the fight. Unfortunately for him, he doesn’t offer many tools, nor has he shown the necessary growth from fight to fight that could shuttle him up the ranks. Even more unfortunate for Mikey? The backbone of his arsenal, his wrestling, only serves to stick him in the quicksand-like territory of Paul Harris. His striking is typically only used to blend into his wrestling to close the distance into a clinch situation. This makes him equally susceptible to falling into one of Rousimar’s bear trap-like submissions. Rousimar’s stand-up has improved somewhat, though, so these two may be nearly on the same level in this department. In fact, Palhares may hold the advantage in the striking power department.
No matter how you slice this one, the evidence points to Mike Massenzio ending the night with one of his limbs in severe pain. Rousimar Palhares, appendage submission-second round.
• Middleweight: Vitor Belfort vs Anthony Johnson
Anthony Johnson’s long-awaited acceptance of his inner fat kid has brought us to the co-main event of the evening. The UFC apparently has high hopes for Johnson at middleweight because they’re giving him a top five (or top three, depending on who you ask) opponent in The Phenom. The best Johnson ever did at 170lbs was getting in the mix, though he never reached the point of being regarded as one of the top contenders. Fortunately for him, the move up makes more sense, even in a sport where struggles tend to mean a drop in weight. But Belfort will be no short task, so here’s hoping for Rumble’s sake he borrowed some horse meat from Alistair Overeem. Belfort, on the other hand, finds himself in a dangerous spot here. Though his next move of coaching opposite fellow Brazilian legend, Wanderlei Silva is already predetermined, a loss here will drop his stock exponentially. If he wins, then fans will write it off as just beating a bloated welterweight (though Johnson is anything but).
As if there weren’t enough storylines going into this fight already, Anthony “Crumble” Johnson missed weight by a whopping 11lbs, thus edging out Travis Lutter for the worst instance of missing weight title. Not exactly a prestigious one, either. Though the explanation of needing to rehydrate due to illness and numbness in his legs leads one to believe why this fight is even taking place or implies that Johnson is fibbing. Due to his sub-par attitude in addressing his weight issues and essentially letting the world know that he doesn’t give a shit, I’m going to assume it’s probably the latter, though no matter how you slice it, it’s irresponsible.
After the Baldfather’s recent statements that Johnson’s likely fighting for his job, you can pretty much throw out what was quite possibly Johnson’s only chance-that being lay & pray on Belfort for the entire fifteen minutes like he did to Dan Hardy. Truth be told, even with that gameplan on the table, I have no idea why so many are picking Johnson to win. He’s untested at middle(chubby?)weight, fighting one of the best in the division, and his biggest win was when he fought totally out of his element in a snoozer against Dan Hardy because he was afraid to stand with him and take chances. Again, given that that is likely out of the window if Johnson enjoys having a job, then who is his biggest win while employing his traditional, stand-up gameplan? Charlie Brenneman, that’s who. So I’m not exactly sure how that adds up to him being able to knockout the best guy he’s ever faced by far who’s only really been knocked out once by some guy named Anderson Silva who’s supposed to be sorta okay from what I hear.
Belfort, on the other hand, has earned a reputation for unfulfilled potential. I believe this to be due to the ultra-high expectations he set early in his career. His only losses have come to Liddell, Couture, Sakuraba, Ortiz, Overeem, Henderson and Silva…..not exactly sub-par competition. The truth is, whether or not he ever wins another title, Belfort is a legend…it’s just that a lot of fans expected him to be the best of all time, which he certainly is not. Before he came in overweight, I was thinking the longer this thing went beyond halfway through the first round, the more it favored Johnson. But now I expect him to have worse cardio than Belfort.
The bottom line: Belfort hits faster, harder, and is more well-rounded. Johnson’s best chance to win is to lay and pray, but his inactivity on top will lead to stand-ups by the referee wherein the UFC’s longest-tenured fighter will at some point blitzkrieg Crumble Johnson with a blistering knockout within the first round.
• Main Event-Featherweight Title: Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes
First off, let me say that I’m disappointed yet again in the UFC’s marketing plan for this fight. While they’ve done a good job building up the champ in the past, highlighting his rags to riches story and humble beginnings that remain present in his character today, they haven’t totally hammered it into fans’ heads as much as they could. Instead most ad pieces revolve around the dominant champion defending against the guy who’s ‘really good’, who were lead to believe is going to win, quite possibly. What they should be doing is marketing Mendes for who he is-the unlikely story of the college kid who’s now living the dream. If the UFC is going to bulk up the amount of shows they have, they risk over-saturation and low buy rates if they just recycle the same story over and over to sell title fights. Here’s an idea: save the great guy vs. really good guy storyline for when you literally have no story to go on and neither guy’s talker. That’s not the case here, so why not try and make the fighters more relatable to fans so they identify with them. That’s how you build followings.
I must say, I’m really tempted to pick Chad Mendes here for a number of reasons. I don’t believe cardio’s going to be an issue. Not saying I think it will be with Aldo in this fight because I’m sure he’s training his Brazilian ass off for this show in from of the homeland, but I still would wager that Mendes’ cardio has the edge. While Aldo’s ground game has been hyped as potentially his biggest asset, I’m not going to buy into it being a significant threat to a cautious Mendes, no matter how much Joe Rogan tries to sell it. Lastly, if Hominick (gasp, a Canadian!) has the wrestling chops and top game to smother Aldo, I think Mendes will do just fine.
On the contrary, Jose Aldo is….Jose Aldo. It’s difficult to bet against the man. In the Florian fight, he lost the first round, unquestionably. But unlike many of his counterparts, he did what a true champion would-he changed up his gameplan and did what he needed to do to readjust intra-fight and won the rest of the fight. There’s no need to break down Aldo’s striking as was done for the Florian and Hominick fights (two guys who have impressive striking credentials). The gap between his and Money’s hands is so great that we’ll just say Aldo’s is better and leave it at that. If you have to ask why and how, then you haven’t been paying attention to either of these men. His jiu jitsu is undoubtedly better, but I’m not sure it’s enough to submit Mendes or threaten enough to make him think twice about the takedown.
With all of that being said, I look at this fight and a couple things jump out at me that I may have initially overlooked. The first being that I absolutely do not see Mendes possessing the finishing ability to put Aldo away. This means that Mendes will have to consistently score takedowns, put Aldo against the fence, and use smothering top control for twenty-five minutes to win. The second is that Aldo has likely trained the hardest he ever has going into a huge title defense in front of his home country. His cardio will be good enough that he will still be nearly as dangerous in the later rounds as he is in the first. At some point, Aldo’s going to catch Mendes and end his night violently, even if he has to sacrifice a few rounds beforehand to do so.
Last weekend gave us a sweet Strikeforce event to satisfy our MMA palate, and for the second weekend in a row, we get to sit down to a lovely Saturday night of combat sports. This time-UFC. The venue: Rio De Janiero, Brazil. Zuffa really is the gift that keeps on giving. Without further ado….
Preliminary Card:
• Mike Pyle’s a great gatekeeper at welter. He’ll cruise to a decision over Ricardo Funch.
• Omigawa will do the same over Yuri Alicantra.
• Thiago Tavares will continue this trend with a decision W over Sam Stout in a potentially gritty fight.
• Gonzaga will score a technical knockout over Edinaldo Oliveira in the first frame.
• Antonio Carvahal will defeat Felipe Arantes in some way or another…probably decision.
Main Card:
• Lightweight: Terry Etim vs. Edson Barboza
Two 155lb spark plugs are set to go to war in a fight many will have their eye on for fight of the night. Both have something to prove in an attempt to stand out in the crowded B-level of the lightweight division. Apparently no one’s told them when you reach the A-level, things get even more complicated…just ask Jim Miller, Melvin Guillard, Joe Lauzon, Dennis Siver, George Sotiropolous, Evan Dunham, Clay Guida, or Donald Cerrone, or Anthony Pettis. Basically anyone not named Frankie Edgar or Benson Henderson.
The Brazilian-blooded Barboza will surely look to sling leather as always. It’s no secret that the bread and butter of his offense standing is his kicks. He’s become known for them, and surely Etim will expect to have to dodge and block more than a couple on Saturday night. Unfortunately for Etim, Barboza has an uncanny knack for landing with his legs, and landing often. Barboza also is not typically looking to sit back and fire singular power shots, but rather looks to pepper foes with blistering combinations. Etim is capable on his feet, but it is Barboza who will hold a distinct advantage in this area. I do not believe Etim will be able to get on the inside and give his opponent the same trouble fellow countryman Ross Pearson did.
Though Barboza is no slouch on the ground, Etim will hold a similarly distinct advantage in the submission department as well as the wrestling (though neither are great here) to round out what should be a ground-centric gameplan. No matter who wins, this one’s not going to be a blowout. Both have a fair chance, but Barboza should be able to keep Etim on the outside with his strikes to edge out a gritty decision.
• Welterweight: Erick Silva vs. Carlo Prater
Young Carlo Prater is something of an anomaly in the MMA world, in his boasting of a veteran resume of 40 fights despite only being thirty years old. His replacement of Siyar Bahazadura makes for a less-hyped, though still compelling-enough fight. His opponent? Young upstart Brazilian firecracker, Erick Silva. Prater’s made a career out of tooling low level opponents and losing to real-deal fighters. He does, however, boast a few name wins over the likes of Guillard, Condit, Healy, and Fischer, a couple of whom he beat early in their respective careers. Condit did, in fact, avenge his loss down the line.
At this point in time, these two are at a crossroads. Unless something changes, Prater seems set in his role, though Erick Silva is on a fast track to a potentially promising career. On paper, this match seems even, and it is competitive. But I am of the thought that Silva’s going to stick around for a while, and would even if the UFC wasn’t looking to market new Brazilians in their homeland. This will be a showcase fight for Silva, who will blast Prater with a nasty, unseen strike, thrown with quick athleticism and shocking accuracy inside the first round, or at least within the second.
• Middleweight: Rousimar Palhares vs. Mike Massenzio
Man, the UFC’s booking of Rousimar Palhares is frustrating from a fan’s perspective. He consistently proves he obliterates B-level or lower fighters yet only gets brought up to the A-list fights in stylistically unfavorable match-ups to showcase a struggling top fighter who needs a win. Palhares can seek solstice in the fact that he was competitive against Dan Henderson and (sort of) in the fact that it was his own stupidity, not lack of skill, that cost him the fight against Nate Marquardt. The man has a likeable personality when he’s not being a headcase….though that tends to happen more often than it should (which, in retrospect, may be tied into the UFC’s hesitance to market him better). Either way, it’s a crime when the man gets shoved in the preliminary card so it’s great that he’s being showcased on the main card in a fight that he should win in exciting fashion, even if his opponent’s name won’t do anything for his resume.
Mike Massenzio is a tough customer in his own right. He’s a solid gatekeeper for new middleweights and brings the fight. Unfortunately for him, he doesn’t offer many tools, nor has he shown the necessary growth from fight to fight that could shuttle him up the ranks. Even more unfortunate for Mikey? The backbone of his arsenal, his wrestling, only serves to stick him in the quicksand-like territory of Paul Harris. His striking is typically only used to blend into his wrestling to close the distance into a clinch situation. This makes him equally susceptible to falling into one of Rousimar’s bear trap-like submissions. Rousimar’s stand-up has improved somewhat, though, so these two may be nearly on the same level in this department. In fact, Palhares may hold the advantage in the striking power department.
No matter how you slice this one, the evidence points to Mike Massenzio ending the night with one of his limbs in severe pain. Rousimar Palhares, appendage submission-second round.
• Middleweight: Vitor Belfort vs Anthony Johnson
Anthony Johnson’s long-awaited acceptance of his inner fat kid has brought us to the co-main event of the evening. The UFC apparently has high hopes for Johnson at middleweight because they’re giving him a top five (or top three, depending on who you ask) opponent in The Phenom. The best Johnson ever did at 170lbs was getting in the mix, though he never reached the point of being regarded as one of the top contenders. Fortunately for him, the move up makes more sense, even in a sport where struggles tend to mean a drop in weight. But Belfort will be no short task, so here’s hoping for Rumble’s sake he borrowed some horse meat from Alistair Overeem. Belfort, on the other hand, finds himself in a dangerous spot here. Though his next move of coaching opposite fellow Brazilian legend, Wanderlei Silva is already predetermined, a loss here will drop his stock exponentially. If he wins, then fans will write it off as just beating a bloated welterweight (though Johnson is anything but).
As if there weren’t enough storylines going into this fight already, Anthony “Crumble” Johnson missed weight by a whopping 11lbs, thus edging out Travis Lutter for the worst instance of missing weight title. Not exactly a prestigious one, either. Though the explanation of needing to rehydrate due to illness and numbness in his legs leads one to believe why this fight is even taking place or implies that Johnson is fibbing. Due to his sub-par attitude in addressing his weight issues and essentially letting the world know that he doesn’t give a shit, I’m going to assume it’s probably the latter, though no matter how you slice it, it’s irresponsible.
After the Baldfather’s recent statements that Johnson’s likely fighting for his job, you can pretty much throw out what was quite possibly Johnson’s only chance-that being lay & pray on Belfort for the entire fifteen minutes like he did to Dan Hardy. Truth be told, even with that gameplan on the table, I have no idea why so many are picking Johnson to win. He’s untested at middle(chubby?)weight, fighting one of the best in the division, and his biggest win was when he fought totally out of his element in a snoozer against Dan Hardy because he was afraid to stand with him and take chances. Again, given that that is likely out of the window if Johnson enjoys having a job, then who is his biggest win while employing his traditional, stand-up gameplan? Charlie Brenneman, that’s who. So I’m not exactly sure how that adds up to him being able to knockout the best guy he’s ever faced by far who’s only really been knocked out once by some guy named Anderson Silva who’s supposed to be sorta okay from what I hear.
Belfort, on the other hand, has earned a reputation for unfulfilled potential. I believe this to be due to the ultra-high expectations he set early in his career. His only losses have come to Liddell, Couture, Sakuraba, Ortiz, Overeem, Henderson and Silva…..not exactly sub-par competition. The truth is, whether or not he ever wins another title, Belfort is a legend…it’s just that a lot of fans expected him to be the best of all time, which he certainly is not. Before he came in overweight, I was thinking the longer this thing went beyond halfway through the first round, the more it favored Johnson. But now I expect him to have worse cardio than Belfort.
The bottom line: Belfort hits faster, harder, and is more well-rounded. Johnson’s best chance to win is to lay and pray, but his inactivity on top will lead to stand-ups by the referee wherein the UFC’s longest-tenured fighter will at some point blitzkrieg Crumble Johnson with a blistering knockout within the first round.
• Main Event-Featherweight Title: Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes
First off, let me say that I’m disappointed yet again in the UFC’s marketing plan for this fight. While they’ve done a good job building up the champ in the past, highlighting his rags to riches story and humble beginnings that remain present in his character today, they haven’t totally hammered it into fans’ heads as much as they could. Instead most ad pieces revolve around the dominant champion defending against the guy who’s ‘really good’, who were lead to believe is going to win, quite possibly. What they should be doing is marketing Mendes for who he is-the unlikely story of the college kid who’s now living the dream. If the UFC is going to bulk up the amount of shows they have, they risk over-saturation and low buy rates if they just recycle the same story over and over to sell title fights. Here’s an idea: save the great guy vs. really good guy storyline for when you literally have no story to go on and neither guy’s talker. That’s not the case here, so why not try and make the fighters more relatable to fans so they identify with them. That’s how you build followings.
I must say, I’m really tempted to pick Chad Mendes here for a number of reasons. I don’t believe cardio’s going to be an issue. Not saying I think it will be with Aldo in this fight because I’m sure he’s training his Brazilian ass off for this show in from of the homeland, but I still would wager that Mendes’ cardio has the edge. While Aldo’s ground game has been hyped as potentially his biggest asset, I’m not going to buy into it being a significant threat to a cautious Mendes, no matter how much Joe Rogan tries to sell it. Lastly, if Hominick (gasp, a Canadian!) has the wrestling chops and top game to smother Aldo, I think Mendes will do just fine.
On the contrary, Jose Aldo is….Jose Aldo. It’s difficult to bet against the man. In the Florian fight, he lost the first round, unquestionably. But unlike many of his counterparts, he did what a true champion would-he changed up his gameplan and did what he needed to do to readjust intra-fight and won the rest of the fight. There’s no need to break down Aldo’s striking as was done for the Florian and Hominick fights (two guys who have impressive striking credentials). The gap between his and Money’s hands is so great that we’ll just say Aldo’s is better and leave it at that. If you have to ask why and how, then you haven’t been paying attention to either of these men. His jiu jitsu is undoubtedly better, but I’m not sure it’s enough to submit Mendes or threaten enough to make him think twice about the takedown.
With all of that being said, I look at this fight and a couple things jump out at me that I may have initially overlooked. The first being that I absolutely do not see Mendes possessing the finishing ability to put Aldo away. This means that Mendes will have to consistently score takedowns, put Aldo against the fence, and use smothering top control for twenty-five minutes to win. The second is that Aldo has likely trained the hardest he ever has going into a huge title defense in front of his home country. His cardio will be good enough that he will still be nearly as dangerous in the later rounds as he is in the first. At some point, Aldo’s going to catch Mendes and end his night violently, even if he has to sacrifice a few rounds beforehand to do so.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
The Morning After Pill: Rockhold vs. Jardine Edition
Submitted by Jack3dTheRipper
The weekend brought the world of MMA yet another entertaining Strikeforce event. And there’s something to be said for that. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that it seemed like Strikeforce was Zuffa’s wart it was about to freeze off. At any rate, it’s good to see Strikeforce both showing up and delivering. At any rate, I have since treated the event like one would treat news of their teenage daughter’s pregnancy and gave it time to sink in.
The running trend of the night was veterans schooling their overmatched, comparatively green foes, aside from a newy middleweight Jardine blowing it in true Jardine fashion against middleweight champ, Luke Rockhold.
Tarec Saffiedine picked up a nice win in a matchup of two 170-lbers currently attempting to break into that next level. The Lebanese youngster is on a nice roll, and has proved that he’s worth keeping around. Though this fight should’ve served more to showcase potential, the current thin roster means that any win is worth twice as much. Plus, props for toughing it out to WIN a decision with a broken freaking arm! It’s harder to predict Strikeforce booking than UFC’s, but I see him being logically pitted against a struggling veteran, like the male (though he may have less testosterone than his wife) Cyborg.
If Tarec Saffiedine fought a good fight on a broken arm, what’s your excuse for a perfectly healthy stinker? Tyrone Woodley has major credentials, but thus far has done a fantastic job of ensuring everyone gets un-excited about his career at the higher level. This was a lackluster fight and quite frankly, Woodley can do better. I’m not playing armchair quarterback here, but he’s proved he’s better than this before and has thus set a better standard. If he keeps winning like this, his nickname’s gonna change from T-Wood to Bitch. As in, Black Jon Fitch, because Zuffa won’t be handing out any title shots to him. Then again, it is Strikeforce. Predicted next fight: Woodley vs. Marius Zaromskis or the winner of Daley and Kazuo Misaki. Mein can face the loser, unless this loss in a dull fight results in a trip back to prelims.
Muhammad Lawal, the ‘veteran’, gave a strong showing against his overmatched, albeit undefeated ‘rookie’, who had more fights than he. Apparently wearing a skirt only enrages your opponent, because King Mo beat Lorenz Larkin down in the second round like he owed him money. Lawal should earn an opponent with some real name value in his next bout, with possibilities including a rematch with Mousasi or Cavalcante. I’d say Sobral was a possibility, but the two are great friends who’ve publicly made their lack of interest in fighting one another apparent. As for Larkin, he’ll get another B-level foe and in the meantime, will have plenty of time to remember that only Melvin Manhoef can get away with rocking a skirt in the cage.
It’s hard to imagine blowing your big potential coming out party more than Adlan Amagov did. When your only significant offense maneuver was a blatantly illegal knee and you proceeded to get stomped in ironic fashion by an immediately returned legal flying one, you didn’t exactly make a lasting impression…unless you count being on “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler’s highlight real. Amagov was highly touted with some legitimate credentials, but in a game where you’re only as good as your last outing, people will forget him (if he was even on their radar in the first place) until he proves them otherwise. I believe he’s capable, and see him being pitted against Ronaldo Souza or Melvin Manhoef next. Lawler didn’t answer the cardio question which surprisingly popped up in his last bout, but it doesn’t matter when you blitz your opponent in such brutal fashion. Lawler did what he does best and notched another quick KO under his belt. He may have been written off as an A-lister after a recent rough patch that followed a spectacular post-UFC run, but people forget Lawler is only 29, has taken care of himself, and is still hungry. He should be around for a while longer and should have hopefully closed the book on ANY talk of him being done. Predicted next fight: Antwain Britt or Yancy Medeiros.
Let me start the main event thoughts by saying that I think Luke Rockhold has caught a case of the ‘Bones fever’. That’s not to mean he’s a Jones fan, but rather my terminology for the case of a young champion who got where he is rather quickly (and unexpectedly), only to undergo a personality switch and become cocky with a strong shot of annoying mixed in. Ever since the fight was booked, it was apparent that Rockhold went from being the young, positive, promising underdog kid everyone could relate to, to being his own biggest fan. Bones still at least seems likeable at times, and at least has, uh, I don’t know?....a reason or two to brag! Rockhold’s biggest win was a controversial decision over Ronaldo Souza and a stoppage over the newly middleweight, Keith Jardine. So, if you’re asking yourself why young Luke thinks he deserves to be in the upper echelon of the UFC when he hasn’t even exactly cleaned out the ultra-thin roster of Strikeforce, then you’re amongst friends.
As far as the fight itself, there’s much less to say. Correct me if I’m wrong, but at 6’2” with an off-season weight of 230 plus lbs, Keith Jardine seemed like one of the biggest 205’ers. Rumor has it he had to pull a James Irvin and drop nearly 20lbs on weigh in day. I hope his middleweight experiment is over. Speaking of experiments, it almost seems like fighting is an experiment for Jardine. He’s spent his whole life doing dangerous jobs like mining and bounty hunting for a paycheck, and it seems like this is no different. He’s never going to be the best or get back to the title hunt like he once was, but he’s content to throw leather with anyone and he’s going to make it a fight while it lasts, win or lose. I was never of the thought that Keith’s chin was an issue in every fight. Don’t get me wrong, it’s easier to hit lights out physically with Jardine, but sometimes he’ll turn in a performance like he did against Jackson, Hamill, or Mousasi (all loses) that show that if he actually plays defense and sticks to his defensive instincts, it doesn’t mean his chin’s a giant arrow pointing to the ‘off’ button. At the same time, I believe that if the problem hasn’t been fixed now, it won’t be. Jardine will remain just fine offensively.
The fight itself went as expected in that it was a fun scrap while it lasted. At first glance it appeared like it may have been an early stoppage, but upon replaying the video, it was clear that Jardine went limp for a moment ala Fedor in the Henderson fight and the lights were on but nobody was home. A lot of people were picking “The Dean” to win here, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Rockhold looked great while it lasted and Jardine looked much slower than usual. Again, 185 is not the answer for Jardine, and it showed. Jardine’s chin is blatantly inconsistent, but Rockhold isn’t exactly known for having scary knockout power, even the variety to put Keith to sleep. That’s why if there’s anything to learn from this fight for Keith, it’s that he should go back to light-heavyweight. As for Luke Rockhold, he looked sharp, and got a nice win over a name opponent, and he deserves proper praise. Aside from those whacky kicks, though….they may look flashy, and may even connect, but if he tried that against ANY of the guys he wants to fight, be it Silva, Belfort, etc., I don’t think the risk would be worth the reward….even a lackluster, drained “Dean of Mean” didn’t seem to care about them, much. At the end of the day, I think Tim Kennedy, Robbie Lawler, Ronaldo Souza, or even Melvin Manhoef might have something to say about Luke being ready to face the UFC’s best. All of the aforementioned present unique problems to the champ, who until recently wasn’t even seeing the light of main card on events. Somewhere in San Francisco, Gilbert Melendez is wincing (or chuckling) about Luke Rockhold’s copycat request. Predicted next fight: Tim Kennedy. Predicted next fight for Jardine: Renato Sobral.
**Update: If you’re still on the fence about Rockhold’s newfound personality, don’t hold your breath. A member of his entourage (originally incorrectly reported as a family member), was yelling things up to and including, “Keith Jardine sucks!” at a casino lobby. A bystanding woman (later reported to be Jardine’s mom) proceeded to rush, swing, and connect on the said man, who bailed as security arrived. Huge LOL at Jardine’s mom tying up the score to an even 1-1 between Team Rockhold & Team Jardine. I wonder if Jardine secretly wishes his mom would’ve never gotten involved, like a teased schoolboy whose mom calls the principal to bury her son's bullies. Till next time.
The running trend of the night was veterans schooling their overmatched, comparatively green foes, aside from a newy middleweight Jardine blowing it in true Jardine fashion against middleweight champ, Luke Rockhold.
Tarec Saffiedine picked up a nice win in a matchup of two 170-lbers currently attempting to break into that next level. The Lebanese youngster is on a nice roll, and has proved that he’s worth keeping around. Though this fight should’ve served more to showcase potential, the current thin roster means that any win is worth twice as much. Plus, props for toughing it out to WIN a decision with a broken freaking arm! It’s harder to predict Strikeforce booking than UFC’s, but I see him being logically pitted against a struggling veteran, like the male (though he may have less testosterone than his wife) Cyborg.
If Tarec Saffiedine fought a good fight on a broken arm, what’s your excuse for a perfectly healthy stinker? Tyrone Woodley has major credentials, but thus far has done a fantastic job of ensuring everyone gets un-excited about his career at the higher level. This was a lackluster fight and quite frankly, Woodley can do better. I’m not playing armchair quarterback here, but he’s proved he’s better than this before and has thus set a better standard. If he keeps winning like this, his nickname’s gonna change from T-Wood to Bitch. As in, Black Jon Fitch, because Zuffa won’t be handing out any title shots to him. Then again, it is Strikeforce. Predicted next fight: Woodley vs. Marius Zaromskis or the winner of Daley and Kazuo Misaki. Mein can face the loser, unless this loss in a dull fight results in a trip back to prelims.
Muhammad Lawal, the ‘veteran’, gave a strong showing against his overmatched, albeit undefeated ‘rookie’, who had more fights than he. Apparently wearing a skirt only enrages your opponent, because King Mo beat Lorenz Larkin down in the second round like he owed him money. Lawal should earn an opponent with some real name value in his next bout, with possibilities including a rematch with Mousasi or Cavalcante. I’d say Sobral was a possibility, but the two are great friends who’ve publicly made their lack of interest in fighting one another apparent. As for Larkin, he’ll get another B-level foe and in the meantime, will have plenty of time to remember that only Melvin Manhoef can get away with rocking a skirt in the cage.
It’s hard to imagine blowing your big potential coming out party more than Adlan Amagov did. When your only significant offense maneuver was a blatantly illegal knee and you proceeded to get stomped in ironic fashion by an immediately returned legal flying one, you didn’t exactly make a lasting impression…unless you count being on “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler’s highlight real. Amagov was highly touted with some legitimate credentials, but in a game where you’re only as good as your last outing, people will forget him (if he was even on their radar in the first place) until he proves them otherwise. I believe he’s capable, and see him being pitted against Ronaldo Souza or Melvin Manhoef next. Lawler didn’t answer the cardio question which surprisingly popped up in his last bout, but it doesn’t matter when you blitz your opponent in such brutal fashion. Lawler did what he does best and notched another quick KO under his belt. He may have been written off as an A-lister after a recent rough patch that followed a spectacular post-UFC run, but people forget Lawler is only 29, has taken care of himself, and is still hungry. He should be around for a while longer and should have hopefully closed the book on ANY talk of him being done. Predicted next fight: Antwain Britt or Yancy Medeiros.
Let me start the main event thoughts by saying that I think Luke Rockhold has caught a case of the ‘Bones fever’. That’s not to mean he’s a Jones fan, but rather my terminology for the case of a young champion who got where he is rather quickly (and unexpectedly), only to undergo a personality switch and become cocky with a strong shot of annoying mixed in. Ever since the fight was booked, it was apparent that Rockhold went from being the young, positive, promising underdog kid everyone could relate to, to being his own biggest fan. Bones still at least seems likeable at times, and at least has, uh, I don’t know?....a reason or two to brag! Rockhold’s biggest win was a controversial decision over Ronaldo Souza and a stoppage over the newly middleweight, Keith Jardine. So, if you’re asking yourself why young Luke thinks he deserves to be in the upper echelon of the UFC when he hasn’t even exactly cleaned out the ultra-thin roster of Strikeforce, then you’re amongst friends.
As far as the fight itself, there’s much less to say. Correct me if I’m wrong, but at 6’2” with an off-season weight of 230 plus lbs, Keith Jardine seemed like one of the biggest 205’ers. Rumor has it he had to pull a James Irvin and drop nearly 20lbs on weigh in day. I hope his middleweight experiment is over. Speaking of experiments, it almost seems like fighting is an experiment for Jardine. He’s spent his whole life doing dangerous jobs like mining and bounty hunting for a paycheck, and it seems like this is no different. He’s never going to be the best or get back to the title hunt like he once was, but he’s content to throw leather with anyone and he’s going to make it a fight while it lasts, win or lose. I was never of the thought that Keith’s chin was an issue in every fight. Don’t get me wrong, it’s easier to hit lights out physically with Jardine, but sometimes he’ll turn in a performance like he did against Jackson, Hamill, or Mousasi (all loses) that show that if he actually plays defense and sticks to his defensive instincts, it doesn’t mean his chin’s a giant arrow pointing to the ‘off’ button. At the same time, I believe that if the problem hasn’t been fixed now, it won’t be. Jardine will remain just fine offensively.
The fight itself went as expected in that it was a fun scrap while it lasted. At first glance it appeared like it may have been an early stoppage, but upon replaying the video, it was clear that Jardine went limp for a moment ala Fedor in the Henderson fight and the lights were on but nobody was home. A lot of people were picking “The Dean” to win here, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Rockhold looked great while it lasted and Jardine looked much slower than usual. Again, 185 is not the answer for Jardine, and it showed. Jardine’s chin is blatantly inconsistent, but Rockhold isn’t exactly known for having scary knockout power, even the variety to put Keith to sleep. That’s why if there’s anything to learn from this fight for Keith, it’s that he should go back to light-heavyweight. As for Luke Rockhold, he looked sharp, and got a nice win over a name opponent, and he deserves proper praise. Aside from those whacky kicks, though….they may look flashy, and may even connect, but if he tried that against ANY of the guys he wants to fight, be it Silva, Belfort, etc., I don’t think the risk would be worth the reward….even a lackluster, drained “Dean of Mean” didn’t seem to care about them, much. At the end of the day, I think Tim Kennedy, Robbie Lawler, Ronaldo Souza, or even Melvin Manhoef might have something to say about Luke being ready to face the UFC’s best. All of the aforementioned present unique problems to the champ, who until recently wasn’t even seeing the light of main card on events. Somewhere in San Francisco, Gilbert Melendez is wincing (or chuckling) about Luke Rockhold’s copycat request. Predicted next fight: Tim Kennedy. Predicted next fight for Jardine: Renato Sobral.
**Update: If you’re still on the fence about Rockhold’s newfound personality, don’t hold your breath. A member of his entourage (originally incorrectly reported as a family member), was yelling things up to and including, “Keith Jardine sucks!” at a casino lobby. A bystanding woman (later reported to be Jardine’s mom) proceeded to rush, swing, and connect on the said man, who bailed as security arrived. Huge LOL at Jardine’s mom tying up the score to an even 1-1 between Team Rockhold & Team Jardine. I wonder if Jardine secretly wishes his mom would’ve never gotten involved, like a teased schoolboy whose mom calls the principal to bury her son's bullies. Till next time.
Friday, January 6, 2012
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