Rear Naked News

UFC 100 Live Results

2009-07-11T21:10:00.001-04:00

UFC 100 Live Results at the new site - www.RearNakedNews.com

New Site Has Launched

2009-07-03T22:48:00.001-04:00

www.rearnakednews.com

Tito Still Talking

2009-06-29T03:27:00.004-04:00

It always amazes me how he can talk for so long without stopping.

Notice the sleazeball doing the interview. He'd be better off staying behind the camera next time. He also asks one of the worst phrased questions I've ever heard...

Sleazeball: Is it possible that you would ever, if if, the respect was there, if the dollars was there, whatever, under the circumstances all together, is it possible we could ever see the legacy of Tito Ortiz have another fight, uh, with UFC, ever, you think?

(My favorite part is how he gets upset with his bumbling opening and says "whatever" halfway through. Subconsciously he knows he's an idiot.)

Atencio's Priorities

2009-06-26T21:07:00.004-04:00

In case you forgot, Tom Atencio fights tomorrow night on the ridiculous "Ultimate Chaos" PPV. Honestly, what are they hoping to do? 1,500 buys? I might order it just so I can call my friends and hear their reaction when I say, "Hey, I ordered "Ultimate Chaos"! Bring the wings!"

Maybe Atencio should spend a little more time in the office because while he was pretending to be a fighter, Dana White swooped in and stole Vitor Belfort.

(This picture confirms my belief that even fighters look like idiots when they hold their fist up for a photo.)

UFC 100 Odds

2009-06-25T23:34:00.008-04:00

With UFC 100 around the corner, it's time to get into betting mode and review the odds. Like all sports betting, MMA odds change over time, so it's important to keep an eye on them from when the bout is announced all the way till fight night. You want to maximize the line to your advantage whenever possible.

UFC 100 Odds

Lesnar -240
Mir +190

St-Pierre -300
Alves +220

Henderson -230
Bisping +180

Fitch -450
Thiago +325

Akiyama -300
Belcher +220

Bonnar -350
Coleman +250

Miller -200
Danzig +160

Jones -450
O'Brien +325

As of tonight, I like Bonnar, Fitch, and Bisping.

A lot has been made of Mark Coleman's newfound dedication to cardio training. The fact he just discovered the need for cardio shows me all I need to know. You can't undo decades of neglect with one proper training camp.

Fitch will not fall into the trap Koscheck did. He'll grind his way to a victory over Thiago, instead of standing and trading with him.

And I like Bisping, even though no one else does. I think it's a close fight either way. Henderson's inability to finish fights will come back to haunt him. Bisping has the technical striking game to outscore Henderson like Rich Franklin did. He'll avoid enough takedowns, keep it standing, and win a decision.

Rampage Sued for Death of Fetus

2009-06-25T22:58:00.003-04:00

Holli Griggs, the pregnant woman whose SUV Rampage Jackson rammed into with his monster truck, has filed a lawsuit seeking damages for the incident. TMZ quotes the figure at "more than $25,000". Griggs had a miscarriage following the accident, but it was ruled the monster truck ramming into her SUV did not cause it. It's possible to have a miscarriage because of stress, so I'm unsure how they determined his ramjob could not have caused it.

Anyways, this one will settle out of court for an undisclosed amount of money. It'll be significant.

Perhaps Rampage took the coaching job on Ultimate Fighter 10 because of the impending lawsuit. Make a nice salary coaching and fight an easier opponent or take on Machida for the title. From an economic standpoint, it's not a difficult decision.

Gonzaga On The Brink

2009-06-25T02:00:00.002-04:00

UFC 66 - WIN Marrero (Preliminary Card)
UFC 70 - WIN Cro Cop (Main Event)
UFC 74 - LOSS Couture (Main Event)
UFC 80 - LOSS Werdum (Main Card)
UFC 86 - WIN McCully (Preliminary Card)
UFC 91 - WIN Hendricks (Main Card)
UFC 96 - LOSS Carwin (Main Card)
UFC 102 - Tuchscherer (Preliminary Card)

The first time you fall off the main card is not a huge deal. As long as you were previously a name, you're not in danger of being cut. The second time you fall to the preliminary card, you're in trouble. Notice the talent difference between his first trip to the prelims and his second. Tuchscherer is the guy who tried out for TUF 10 and they thought he was too good, so they signed him to a contract instead. This is a whole different ballgame than fighting McCully/Hendricks. The UFC hoped for Gonzaga to get back on track by placing him in those fights. There is no hope for the Tuchscherer fight. Gonzaga needs to win or he might be looking for a new employer.

MMA is a strange sport. Your opportunities don't last long. It's like when you're at a bar talking to a pretty girl. Unless you've found the Holy Grail of bars, the ratio of pretty girls to guys is always working against you (kind of like the ratio of championship belts to fighters). You need to capitalize on the conversation or else you might not get another opportunity. Gonzaga stumbled over his words, the pretty girl is talking to someone else now, and he's stuck with a fat chick who thinks too highly of her boobs.

Good luck, Gabe. You're gonna need it.

Carwin vs Velasquez

2009-06-24T23:27:00.002-04:00

Inside Fights is reporting that Shane Carwin will face Cain Velasquez at UFC 103 in Dallas, TX. The fight makes sense on a variety of levels. They've reached the point where they can't put off sorting out the future of the Heavyweight Division any longer. I still say the winner of Couture/Nogueira is assured a title shot, but after them it's without a doubt the winner of Carwin/Velasquez (if it pans out and they both agree to the fight).

Velasquez's Mexican roots also won't hurt ticket sales.

The other bout mentioned is Matt Hughes vs Mike Swick. Hughes desperately needs a big win to stay relevant and Swick desperately wants recognition. It's not the type of fight that gets me pumped, but it's solid.

Inside Fights also mentions the longshot of Chuck Liddell vs Rich Franklin. Dana White's commercial interview with Amir Sadollah seemed to open the door for Liddell's return. Does a fight with Franklin make any sense? Well, actually, yes. Franklin is in a strange limbo. He's good enough to decision most of the 205 pounders in the UFC. He's not good enough to finish the top guys. They could put him in a fight with a rising star like Luis Cane, but you run the risk of Franklin decisioning him and ruining Cane's potential. The solution is to let Franklin fight the aging veterans who aren't in the title picture anymore. Henderson (not in the 205 title picture), Silva (not in any title picture), Liddell (only picture he is in is at some random bar with a porn star strapped to his side).

Book it. I'll watch Liddell chase him around for three rounds and lose a split. At least we won't have to see him get knocked out again.

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

2009-06-24T10:25:00.000-04:00

www.GabeGODZILLA.com

Bellator's Solid First Season

2009-06-22T23:52:00.008-04:00

-Bellator will have live English language broadcasts for Season 2, which kicks off in the fall. In many ways, their debut season without live English television was a blessing. They were able to build without expectations. Fans tuned in to see the highlight knockouts and submissions, but they weren't pouring over every minute of the broadcasts with a critical eye. When Season 2 begins, Bellator will have the experience of twelve shows to draw on and an ever growing list of exciting fighters.

-I can't say I'm a huge fan of the tournament structure as a foundation for an MMA organization. As a viewer, there are certain fights I want to see and I don't feel like waiting around for a tournament to shake out for them to happen. For fighters, though, the tournament structure is very enticing. Eddie Alvarez fought three times in a little over two months. He took home $175,000 in reported pay for his three victories. It's not only tournament winners who thrive financially. Since Bellator puts on one show a week, there are more opportunities for all their fighters to compete. In other promotions, fights are stretched out over months. Three fights in a year is considered a lot. Bellator turned this notion on its head. I'll guarantee we see some bigger names make their way to Bellator for the increased fighting opportunities.

-Going along with that thought, it'll be interesting to see how aggressive Bellator is with free agents. Eddie Alvarez and Hector Lombard (MW Winner) are legit top level fighters. They won their tournaments and need opponents during Season 2. Apparently, they plan on holding more tournaments and the winners will face the champions from Season 1. A nice idea on paper, but you better fill out the Season 2 tournaments with more well-known commodities, if you expect to sell the Season 1 Champs vs Season 2 Champs as a PPV event (see Sherdog link in final point for more info on their PPV plan).

-Overall, a solid start. Bellator managed to get fans interested despite their abundance of unknown fighters. Moving forward, Bellator needs to prove their economics work. I'm a little dubious about how they intend to make money. A broadcast deal with one of ESPN's English stations would go a long way to convincing me. According to Sherdog, they might not land on ESPN or ESPN2, though. It might not even be a channel within the ABC/ESPN family. They also plan on doing PPV events, which seems premature to me. Alvarez is their biggest draw and I'd say 50% of the mainstream MMA audience doesn't have any idea who he is. That's a bad sign when you're talking PPV buy rates and such.

Eddie Alvarez vs JZ Cavalcante

2009-06-21T23:55:00.003-04:00

According to MMANews.com, Eddie Alvarez and JZ Cavalcante will do battle at DREAM 11 on September 23rd. This will be Alvarez's biggest test since his loss to Shinya Aoki. The Bellator wins were nice, but they weren't against top talent.

For all those fans who don't bother with Japanese MMA, you're missing out, especially on the Lightweights. DREAM's stable of 155 pounders is the best in the sport. Plus, they almost always put on exciting fights. These guys go out to kill each other. I highly recommend you tune in for this fight.

Also on the card, the semifinals of the Super Hulk tournament with Choi/Minowa and Mousasi/Sokoudjou.

Vitor Belfort and The UFC

2009-06-21T16:36:00.003-04:00

During a commercial break, Spike gave us another segment with Amir Sadollah. Usually these are pointless, but last night we got some interesting news. Apparently Dana White is fishing for Middleweights to challenge Anderson Silva. He named Vitor Belfort as someone he believed could give the enigmatic champ a fight. The reason this is interesting is because Belfort is under contract with Affliction. In recent weeks, White has teased fans with the promise of signing a Middleweight who would "blow our minds." Is Belfort that Middleweight?

I'm gonna say definitely.

While my mind remains in tact, it would be a significant addition to the division.

(By the way, has anyone ever parlayed their TUF win into a better situation than Sadollah? He hasn't even fought in the UFC since winning the show a year ago yet he's interviewing Dana White on Spike TV. It pays to be a likeable fighter these days.)

TUF Finale Thoughts

2009-06-21T13:26:00.003-04:00

-Clay Guida returned to his brawling roots last night and it cost him the fight. He came out wild and took some of the worst Round 1 punishment I've ever seen. He's gotta be killing himself for not using his strength advantage to put Sanchez on his back from the start of the fight. He still managed to get a split decision, which proves to me that he's actually a title contender and not just some guy who puts on entertaining fights. What he needs is a trainer he respects enough to listen to. Someone who will all but force him to fight his game the entire time. He could Couture his way through the Lightweight Division, if he just stopped trading with guys for more than 2-3 strikes at a time. As soon as he gets hit, he needs to tie-up and push his opponent around. I hope he finds that guy soon because taking punishment adds up quickly in MMA.

-I can't remember the last time I was that psyched during a UFC staredown.

-James Wilks' beatdown of Damarques Johnson delighted me. I'm sure he's a nice enough dude in real life, but Johnson came off as the Ultimate Douche on the show.

-Ross Pearson's pre-fight video was more entertaining than his win over Andre Winner. "Here's me girlfriend. She's called Jenny." I'm definitely introducing my girlfriend that way from now on.

-Kevin Burns might as well embrace his illegal tactics and become a full blown heel. I say he shows up to his next fight with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan in his corner and spits green mist into his opponent's eyes like The Great Muta.

-I'm not jumping off the Nate Diaz bandwagon yet. He's very young. His brother went through a similar patch of decision losses before realizing how to put it all together. Nate's dealing with that now. Give him a year of mid-level fights and he'll be back. One thing he needs to solve immediately is his over-reliance on fighting from his back. He's a great jiu-jitsu guy, but fighting from your back makes it almost impossible to win a decision in the UFC. A lot of fighters fall into this trap. When a fight goes to the ground, judges score based on control. They rarely factor in submission attempts from the bottom. Diaz needs to forget about submissions at times and just work on reverses or getting up. I'm confident he will figure this out, combine it with better striking, and be a top five Lightweight before he's 27.

-Sanchez vs the winner of Penn/Florian. I'm cool with it. With Sherk out of the way, there isn't anyone else deserving of a title shot. Plus, Diego puts on great fights. I hope the layoff isn't too long, though. He mentioned he had trouble with the cut and I'd rather not see him balloon up in weight before having to lose it all.

-And finally, shut the hell up with the Twitter crap. My God, I thought I was watching a Jonas Brothers concert or something.

Is The UFC Serious?

2009-06-18T18:24:00.003-04:00

The UFC makes a hundred good decisions for every bad decision, but putting Lytle/Burns on the televised Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale is one of their worst in quite some time. It's even worse when you consider Lester/Osipczak and Dent/Dollar are on the non-televised portion of the show. Lester was involved in multiple memorable fights, Osipczak is one of the few guys on the show with talent, and Dent/Dollar hate each other. How could you pass up either of those fights for Lytle/Burns?

I don't get it, especially the Lester snub. The guy made the season interesting. He at least deserves his final few minutes of fame on live TV.

(According to Lester's UFC bio, he's 5'1 170 lbs. Guy really is a tank.)

Cro Cop On DREAM 10 Card

2009-06-18T17:08:00.002-04:00

Josh Gross is reporting that Mirko Cro Cop will face Siala "Mighty Mo" Siliga on July 20th at DREAM 10. There has been considerable Mirko bashing since he fled the UFC after EPKOing Al Turk. I'm just as pissed as everyone else, but lets remember this is not Pride Cro Cop. In the UFC, he'd have all kinds of trouble with the top guys (the ones he claims he wanted to fight). Whenever the UFC put him into the cage with Lesnar/Mir/Couture/Carwin/Velasquez, he was losing. It was inevitable and in a way I'm happy to see it end this way. I don't want to watch anymore former Pride greats get dominated.

In Japan, he can end his career against mediocre competition and hold onto the last shred of his past dominance. Kick dudes in the head, cash your checks, and ride off into the sunset, Mirko. I'm fine with it.

Davis Isn't Getting A Rematch

2009-06-18T16:49:00.002-04:00

I've been a vocal supporter of Marcus Davis, but he needs to forget about a rematch with Dan Hardy. He lost. Whenever fighters let things go to the judges, you run the risk of losing a decision. MMA scoring is suspect at best. I don't think it's corrupt. It's just a difficult sport to score. The only way around it is finishing the fight. Davis had his chances and could not put Hardy away.

A rematch does not make sense for anyone other than Davis. Hardy and the UFC have nothing to gain from it. The UFC has gone out of their way to market itself to England and Hardy's rise into relevance bolsters their thin lineup of UK fighters. There's no need to throw him back into the cage with Davis.

UFC 99 Final Thoughts

2009-06-15T23:25:00.004-04:00

-One of the stranger nights of fights in recent memory. Off the top of my head...Saunders and Swick trash talking during the fight and you could clearly hear it, an eye poke, a river sized gash, two questionable decisions on the main card (Franklin/Silva and Fisher/Uno), one coin flip decision (Hardy/Davis), Bruce Buffer didn't give the scores for Fisher/Uno or Franklin/Silva, Miragliotta strikes again, and Velasquez almost got knocked out twice yet won every round convincingly.

-After rewatching the Franklin/Silva fight, I still think Wandy took it. To me it's not enough to control the action like Franklin did. You need to do something with the control. Silva inflicted more serious damage. If a fighter takes his opponent down in the first ten seconds, lays on top throwing light punches for four minutes, then gets dropped with a strike in the last ten seconds of the round, I don't think his 4+ minutes of control should win the round.

-Cro Cop vs Overeem. Cro Cop vs Fedor. I like either of those fights a lot more than Cro Cop vs Couture or Cro Cop vs Nogueira. And, yes, Fedor will be in Japan before the year ends.

-Time to get Mike Swick a top opponent. The possibility of a fight with Matt Hughes intrigues me, although I don't know why.

-Cain Velasquez's win was not impressive. We all knew Kongo couldn't wrestle to save his life. Velasquez could not put him away, despite landing hundreds of strikes. I give him credit for working through the punches he ate on his feet, but he's no longer a sure thing in my book. A decent wrestler with powerful strikes will beat him (Lesnar and Carwin come to mind). Lets see how Velasquez evolves now that Kongo poked a couple holes in his aura.

-Where does Wanderlei Silva go from here? He's 2-5 in his last 7 fights stretching back to 2006. More troubling was the news he cut 12 lbs the day before weigh-ins. He looked spent after one round with Franklin. It wasn't like Franklin tired him out with grappling, either. If the UFC really believes in him and his future, they'll set him up with an easy opponent for his Middleweight debut. Someone he can knock out early would be best. If it goes deeper than a round, he's in trouble.

-Seriously, what the hell was Buffer's deal? Did he decide on his own not to read the scores? Did he forget (um, twice)?

-Rich Franklin is quietly adding to his Hall of Fame legacy. Even though I thought he lost the fight, he got the decision. Fight long enough and you end up on both sides of strange decisions. Franklin's last time out, he lost a split decision to Dan Henderson, a fight many fans believe Franklin won. I want to see Franklin fight again at 195 lbs. Give him a rematch with Henderson (if he loses to Bisping) at the catchweight.

Sylvia Off Affliction Card

2009-06-15T20:05:00.002-04:00

His career meltdown is entering legendary territory. All he's missing is a run-in with the law. Lets recap.

-After winning the first two rounds, gets submitted by Big Nog.
-Leaves UFC and signs enormous contract with Affliction.
-Promptly gets annihilated by Fedor.
-Disappears off the face of the Earth.
-Lets Monte Cox talk him into fighting 600 year old Ray Mercer in a boxing match.
-Scores a perfect ten on the unintentional comedy scale.
-Doesn't train for fight and weighs in at 310 lbs (picture!).
-Gets annihilated by Mercer.
-Dropped from Affliction's third event.

Mercer KOs Sylvia

2009-06-14T01:26:00.006-04:00

Monte Cox has all but sewn up the 2009 Worst Manager award. The loss can't be blamed on him, but putting Sylvia into the position can. Managers are supposed to look out for their clients and steer their career into the right directions. A former UFC Heavyweight Champion should never be in Alabama fighting a 48 year old boxer. Sylvia had nothing to gain from it.

(The real loser in all of this is Affliction. If Sylvia isn't injured and can still fight on August 1st against Paul Buentello, they will be paying an obscene amount of money to a fighter who just got knocked out by Ray Mercer. How do you hype a fight like that? I don't even know if Sylvia can be medically suspended since Alabama does not have an Athletic Commission. God, what a mess.)

All right, one last time.

Fedor Needs Time Off?

2009-06-13T23:55:00.002-04:00

"Fedor’s record is proven. It’s unmatched. A 30-1 record, and the one was on a stoppage due to a cut. But Fedor, he needs some time off too. We can’t just keep bringing Fedor back [event after event].” - Tom Atencio via Fight Line

Since 2007, he's fought four times. Four. He's had 6 months between each of his Affliction bouts. Yeah, Tom, better slow him down. Don't want him burning himself out with that crazy schedule.

Cro Cop Leaves UFC

2009-06-13T21:04:00.002-04:00

The UFC's experiment with a one fight deal did not go so well. Mirko Cro Cop has signed a three fight deal with DREAM and totally burned his bridge with the UFC. It's an unexpected move, as Cro Cop seemed genuine about his return to the Octagon. Before the fight, Dana White talked openly about how he never gives one fight deals and this is why. Cro Cop promised to sign on for two additional bouts after the fight, but for some reason had a change of heart (DREAM officials saw him win a fight on a UFC PPV and offered crazy money).

It's unfortunate because Cro Cop remains a very popular fighter. I think he's at the tail end of his career and wants to make the most money while he's still a draw. DREAM gives more upfront money, while the UFC gives you the chance to make huge money, as long as you win. Cro Cop took the easy money and financially it's probably his best option.

Still sucks for fans who wanted to see him matched up with the best the UFC has to offer.

UFC 99 Live Results

2009-06-13T14:33:00.037-04:00

(If you like the Live Results, please support our sponsors. A click here and there allows me to occasionally eat.)

-A better name for this event would have been "Ramifications". The winner of Kongo/Velasquez becomes an instant title contender and if Silva defeats Franklin, he's probably getting a shot at the Middleweight Title in the latter half of 2009. There's also the return of Cro Cop, which could set up a huge fight with Couture/Nogueira, if he can keep it together and take out Al Turk. I can't think of another PPV in a while with so many Ramifications. See, it works much better than "Comeback".

Preliminary Card
John Hathaway vs Rick Story
-Hathaway Wins by Unanimous Decision
Denis Stojnic vs Stefan Struve
-Struve Wins by 2nd Rd Submission (RNC)
Paul Kelly vs Rolando Delgado
-Kelly Wins by Unanimous Decision
Paul Taylor vs Peter Sobotta
-Taylor Wins by Unanimous Decision
Dennis Siver vs Dale Hartt
-Siver Wins by 1st Rd Submission (RNC)
Terry Etim vs Justin Buchholz
-Etim Wins by 2nd Rd Submission (D'arce)

Marcus Davis vs Dan Hardy
-The "bad blood" between Marcus Davis and Dan Hardy is comical to say the least. I enjoy seeing the UFC stoop to this. The feud is based on Davis saying he's Irish and Hardy saying he's not. That's dumber than a mid 90s WWF angle.
-Davis wearing an Irish kilt and an ugly sponsor t-shirt. Probably the strangest clothing combo in the history of fashion.

Round 1
Leg kick by Hardy. Body kick by Davis. A takedown attempt by Davis is initially stuffed by Hardy. Davis still working for it. He finally drags Hardy down. Davis quickly into full mount and throwing punches. Hardy works back to full guard. Davis has his back with Hardy on his knees. Punches to the side of the head by Davis. Back to their feet and Hardy lands a big right elbow. RNN Scores it 10-9 Davis.

Round 2
Solid leg kick lands for Hardy. Davis lands a left. Both connect lefts at the same time. Another left by Davis. Action picking up. Another exchange with both landing, but Hardy gets the better of it. Hardy connects with a big knee. He follows Davis to the ground. Davis regains composure and seems to be all right. Hardy working from full guard. Davis goes for an arm bar, but can't totally hook it in. Elbow from Hardy. Davis working like crazy from the bottom. Lots of elbows. Referee stands them up. Davis mauls him into the cage. Hardy lands a knee to the body from the clinch. A big left lands for Davis. He takes Hardy down. Throwing lefts from Hardy's full guard. RNN Scores it 10-9 Hardy.

Round 3
Davis lands a left and Hardy goes down. It looked like somewhat of a slip. It landed, though, and will score points with the judges. Davis passes to half guard. Not throwing much. Davis rolls and grabs Hardy's foot. They scramble for a bit with Davis trying to sink in the submission. Looked bad for a second, but Hardy gets out. Back to their feet. From a tie-up, Hardy takes Davis down. Hardy connects with an elbow and some punches. Davis is cut. Referee stops it to check the cut. Fight restarted. Bad break for Hardy. Davis was wobbly when he stood up. That gave him 15 seconds or so to recover. Weird cut check, to say the least. Referee stands them back up. Blood all over Davis. Davis lands a left and Hardy a leg kick. Fight ends in a tie-up along the cage. RNN Scores it 10-9 Hardy.

Dan Hardy Wins by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

-Nightmare to score. Davis controlled the fight, but Hardy did the most damage. After they announced the decision, Hardy tried to shake hands and Davis waved him off.

Spencer Fisher vs Caol Uno

Round 1
Uno shoots and is stuffed. Knees to the side by Fisher. Still tied-up and on their feet. Knees to the body by Fisher. Referee finally splits them after two minutes of nothing but partially connecting knees. Fishers lands a left. Solid leg kick by Fisher. A short right hook connects for Fisher. Uno shoots again, but another nice sprawl by Fisher. Fans whistling and saying angry things in German. Rounds mercifully ends to a chorus of boos. Fisher frustrated by the crowd's reaction. RNN Scores it 10-9 Fisher.

Round 2
Fisher connects with a left. Uno grabs him and takes him down. Fisher gets up quickly. Uno goes for takedown and Fisher sprawls perfectly, again. Good leg kick by Fisher. Then a better leg kick by Uno. Another by Uno. He shoots and Fisher sprawls. They scramble and Uno ends up on top in Fisher's full guard. Very cool escape by Fisher. When Uno stood in his guard, Fisher grabbed his foot and tripped him to the ground. Back to their feet and another tie-up. Fisher goes for a sweep, but Uno ends up on top. Back to their feet. Rogan trying to explain why this fight doesn't suck (basically it's a fight only high brow MMA fans can enjoy). Whatever, dude. RNN Scores it 10-9 Uno.

Round 3
Tie-up with Uno driving Fisher into the cage. Uppercut lands for Fisher. A big left slaps against Uno's head. Uno is unfazed and grabs a leg. Yet another tie-up along the cage. Yamasaki finally wakes up from his coma and breaks them apart. A solid leg kick by Uno. Fisher lands a right hook and then takes Uno down. Fisher passes to side. Uno whips him off and drives Fisher into the cage. Fisher lands a good combo, but Uno comes in and takes him down. Uno into mount. Throwing nice punches and elbows from the top. Uno doing some damage. RNN Scores it 10-9 Uno.

Spencer Fisher Wins by Unanimous Decision

-Another tough one to score. I gave it to Uno, but it doesn't surprise me the judges didn't.

-Boring fight. Rogan can defend it all he wants, but that fight sucked.

Ben Saunders vs Mike Swick
-Make or break time for Saunders.
-"He's confident, but not an ass." Rogan on Swick.
-Bruce Buffer looking more and more like Vince McMahon with every passing event. By UFC 105, the transformation should be complete.

Round 1
Saunders grabs Swick, but ends up on the bottom. He sorta pulled guard. Swick staying active on top. Saunders holding on. Swick landing body shots. Some trash talk between Saunders and Swick. Referee stands them up after over three minutes on the ground without anything happening. Good exchange with both landing. Tie-up with Saunders pushing Swick into the cage. Knee to the head by Saunders. It partially landed. Swick reverses him into the cage. RNN Scores it 10-9 Swick.

Round 2
Swick charges in with a punch and lands a couple knees from the clinch. Swick takes him down and moves right into the mount. Saunders fights him back to guard. Swick throwing light stuff from the top. Crowd groaning. Referee stands them up in less than two minutes! He's learning! I don't know who he is, but I think his first name is Leon. He's white too. You don't hear of too many white guys named Leon anymore. As you can tell, this fight isn't too exciting. Anyways, Swick opens things up with a punching charge. He's landing. Saunder's backing away. Rights are getting through. He nails him on the temple and Saunders is down. Referee stops it.

Swick Wins by 2nd Rd TKO

-That could have been a great fight, if Leon would have stood them up quicker. You can't let things stagnate on the ground. Once the action stops for thirty seconds, stand them up. Big John is the best at knowing when exactly to stand fights up.

Mirko Cro Cop vs Mostapha Al Turk
-In the pre-fight video, Al Turk tries to use the Rocky IV "He's a man!" defense.
-Oh no...Dan Miragliotta.

Round 1
Turk lands a right. He goes for a takedown and Cro Cop throws him off. Leg kick by Turk. Straight left by Cro Cop. Cro Cop charges in with a right left combo. He drops him with a left. Then lets Turk back up. Cro Cop pokes him in the eye (Miragliotta misses it on cue). Turk covering up. Cro Cop attacking. Turk eats a big strike. It's over.

Cro Cop Wins by 1st Rd TKO

-First, Cro Cop was gonna TKO this guy at some point. Turk was throwing wild punches and Cro Cop had already dropped him. But...the eye poke led to the finish. Miragliotta totally missed it. He never disappoints.

Cain Velasquez vs Cheick Kongo
-Miragliotta on the scene again. I guess they don't think he can screw up twice in one night. It would be impressive if he managed to do it in back to back fights.
-5 inch reach advantage for Kongo.

Round 1
Kongo catches him. Big strike. Another one. Two huge rights. Velasquez still somehow gets a takedown. Great recovery. Kongo pushes him off. Scramble and Velasquez is back on top. Side control for Velasquez. Elbow from the bottom by Kongo. Mount by Velasquez. Going for a choke. Kongo rolls out of it. Back up, but Velasquez takes him right back down. He's in side control. Right hands landing for Velasquez. Kongo back up for a second before Velasquez takes him down again. More ground and pound. RNN Scores it 10-9 Velasquez

Round 2
Kongo connects again at the start with a right. He clinches, though, and it allows Velasquez to recover. Velasquez takes him down. He hurt him again. He just can't follow it up. Velasquez into mount. He has his back. Punches to the side of the head of Kongo. Kongo stands and gets taken down again. Velasquez into side control. Elbow from the bottom by Kongo. More punches from the top by Velasquez. Knees to the body. Kongo is bleeding from his nose. RNN Scores it 10-9 Velasquez.

Round 3
Kongo connects again at the start. This time not as flush. Kongo takes Velasquez down. Velasquez pivots out of trouble and has Kongo's back. Throwing rights to the head. Kongo back up. He's landing knees to the body. Kongo landing punches. Velasquez hurt a bit. Kongo comes in too quickly and gets taken down...again. Another mount by Velasquez. More punches from the top. RNN Scores it 10-9 Velasquez.

Cain Velasquez Wins by Unanimous Decision

-Kongo made the same mistake three times. He connected with big punches then moved forward. Every time he walked into a takedown. Once down, it was like watching a heavyweight college wrestler taking on a lightweight high schooler.

Rich Franklin vs Wanderlei Silva
-Silva is so cool he makes "Sandstorm" seem like a manly entrance song.
-Rogan calls Silva the most exciting fighter in MMA history. That's probably true. Least exciting fighter in MMA history? Reese Andy, of course.
-Am I the only one who doesn't believe Silva is really 32 years old? I'm not being sarcastic. I think his actual age was altered at some point. He's probably 35-36.
-Silva starting to look like Mark Coleman.

Round 1
Slow start with both tentative. Silva comes forward, Franklin counters. Neither landed solid. Body kick by Franklin. Silva throwing high kicks. Silva catches a body kick and takes Franklin down. Silva in Franklin's full guard. Silva throwing and missing from top. Body punches mixed in with strikes to the head. Nothing major landing yet. Franklin gets up and has Silva down. Franklin connecting with punches to the head. RNN Scores it 10-9 Franklin

-"I think I broke his nose" says Franklin.

Round 2
Body kick by Silva. Franklin counters. Good exchange with both landing. Silva misses with a big right. Silva breathing heavy. Maybe the cut was too much for him. He's swinging hard. Franklin drops him, but doesn't go in for the kill. Silva back up. Silva throwing hard again. He lands and Franklin is hurt. Silva throwing, but he can't end it. Franklin seems ok. Exchange and both landing. RNN Scores it 10-9 Silva

Round 3
Silva looks very tired. Franklin lands a left. Silva lands a right. Franklin tags him with a left. Franklin is doing whatever he wants. Loops a punch in that connects. Low blow. Franklin kicked Silva in the nuts. Quick restart. Both fighters land. Silva coming forward. A knee to the head by Silva. Silva raises hands and pumps up crowd. Franklin lands a combo. Silva charges in and has Franklin somewhat hurt. Franklin weathers the storm and takes Silva down. Silva kicks him off and gets up. Round ends in a tie-up. Franklin the the back throwing punches and Silva throwing elbows. RNN Scores it 10-9 Silva

Rich Franklin Wins by Unanimous Decision

-Kind of a weird one. It goes with the theme of the night. One fighter controls the fight, the other does more damage.

It Just Gets Better

2009-06-13T00:08:00.002-04:00

Tim Sylvia weighed in at 310 lbs for his fight with Ray Mercer.

Do you think he'll wear a shirt in the cage like a fat kid at the pool? Do you think they'll both wear shirts? Imagine them fighting in shirts. It's hilarious. I'm more excited for this than UFC 99. Admit it. You are too.

UFC 99 Predictions

2009-06-12T20:40:00.004-04:00

Wanderlei Silva vs Rich Franklin
-Silva by 1st Rd TKO
Cain Velasquez vs Cheick Kongo
-Kongo by 1st Rd TKO
Dan Hardy vs Marcus Davis
-Davis by Unanimous Decision
Ben Saunders vs Mike Swick
-Swick by Unanimous Decision
Mirko Cro Cop vs Mostapha Al-Turk
-Cro Cop by 2nd Rd TKO

(I can't decide if my sentimental nature messes up the Silva pick or not. Since he's facing Franklin, I think you could make the argument that picking either has an element of sentimentality to it. They're both fan favorites who are in the later stages of their careers. Picking a winner based on logic is out of the question. Feelings come into play on this one no matter which way you go. Maybe the MMA Gods will intervene and allow Silva to have one last run. They owe it to all the fans who did not see his Pride dominance as it happened. It would also make up for bringing Kimbo Slice back into our lives.)

Sylvia/Mercer Back On!

2009-06-11T19:43:00.003-04:00

The saga continues...

Earlier today the boxing match between Tim Sylvia and Ray Mercer was canceled over sanctioning issues by the Association of Boxing Commissions (whatever the hell that is).

Here's a transcript of their meeting.

Corrupt Boxing Commissioner #1: That fat MMA dude Tim Sylvia is boxing Ray Mercer this weekend in Alabama?
Corrupt Boxing Commissioner #2: Ray Mercer is still alive?!

Anyways, they freaked out, put pressure on the right people, and the boxing match was canceled. Promoter Monte Cox did not take the hint. Instead of scrapping the main event, he got Sylvia and more importantly Mercer to agree to contest the fight under MMA rules. This gets the ABC out of the picture.

I know everyone was pumped for the six round boxing war, but don't worry. Apparently Sylvia has agreed to fight Mercer in a boxing match in the future. Yup, that's right...Rematch, baby.

I've always heard rumors Cox plans on releasing a tell-all book about his struggles promoting this epic bout. It's tentatively titled "A Work of Staggering Stupidity".

(And of course, it's still hilarious the 50th time you see it)

Xtreme Couture Supplements

2009-06-11T11:21:00.004-04:00

Xtreme Couture now has a line of supplements. It's about time a fighter poked their nose into this world. It's been sitting there waiting for a couple years. This is one reason I think MMA managers are horrible. You have a perfect match between fighters and supplements. Everyone is enamored with MMA training at the moment. It's the new Tae Bo. All you really need is a popular fighter to be the spokesman for the products and some investors. Why has it taken this long for someone to do it? Even a moderately successful operation could turn out millions a year. Instead MMA managers cash their 10% checks, wait for calls from promoters, and line up ugly sponsor t-shirts for their fighters to wear.

Supposedly (probably not), this is Randy Couture's supplement schedule. Not surprisingly, he takes every product they offer. What are the odds?!

Check out this stock photo of the Xtreme Couture research lab. Looks like they're working on a new Orange Julius shake of some sort.

The 1 to Tito Scale

2009-06-08T18:32:00.003-04:00

On a scale of 1 to Tito, how bad was Kenny Florian's commentary last night?

It surprised me because in the past I've found him less annoying than most announcers. I figured his work on MMA Live would have made him even better.

Nope.

Get back to the gym, Kenny. You're sitting in Pulver's seat.

Faber's Hand Steals The Show

2009-06-08T12:09:00.002-04:00

Nothing was settled last night. Mike Brown slid by an injured Urijah Faber. An amazing performance by Faber, even in defeat. He resorted to throwing elbows instead of punches. He couldn't grasp Brown in the clinch or any time they wrestled. It was spectacular to watch and at the same time frustrating, because this rematch had the makings of a back and forth classic. Without his right hand, Faber was a shell of himself, and Brown took advantage often enough to get the decision.

I hope Brown makes it through Jose Aldo and Faber heals up, because a third fight between these two is the best thing WEC has going.

I'm Sensing A Pattern

2009-06-07T12:57:00.003-04:00

Strikeforce "Lawler vs Shields" Recap

2009-06-07T00:27:00.006-04:00

-Did you see Mike Kyle's improbable TKO victory over Rafael Feijao? Yeah, me either. I did get to see Kevin Randleman gas in a minute and a half, though.

-Kevin Randleman's striking technique reminds me of a T-Rex trying to bat coconuts from a tree.

-"Catchweight fights can also open a door to Pandora's box." Oh, that explains it. Thanks for the insight, Shamrock.

-Phil Baroni kept asking for more water before the fight. Never a good sign.

-"World renowned Cage Master" - Jimmy Lennon Jr. in reference to Nick Diaz.

-I hope Scott Smith invests his money well, because he's gonna be a mess as an old man. You could actually hear his brain weeping with each passing shot. Strikeforce needs to sideline him for at least six months and let his head heal.

-Big John is the best. I love his confidence. Most refs are afraid to break up stalled clinches, but not Big John. He doesn't mess around.

-Has Nick Diaz entered the upper echelon? I think he needs one more big win before he's fully made the leap, but he's well on his way. His evolution into a top fighter has been one of the best stories of 2009. I hope Strikeforce finds him some quality opponents at 170 lbs, which is where he belongs.

-"Some great Heavyweights in attendance...Fedor, Josh Barnett." - Gus Johnson snubs Tim Sylvia.

-As soon as I saw Michael Moore in Arlovski's corner, I knew my prediction was spot on. Arlovski needs to make a decision. Is he a boxer or a Mixed Martial Artist?

-I don't want to see Rogers get murdered against Overeem. Let him develop more, please.

-"Andrei chose the wrong tactic." - Fedor sums it up.

-How bad was Ranallo's interview with Fedor? With all the softballs flying around, I thought I was watching a Rock n' Jock.

-Lawler's pre-fight dance routine was more entertaining than the main event. He did realize there were cameras on him the entire time, right?

Strikeforce "Lawler vs Shields" Preview

2009-06-05T23:26:00.008-04:00

Kevin Randleman vs Mike Whitehead
I'm indifferent towards this fight because it bumped Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante off the main card. He should walk through Mike Kyle, but it still bothers me that Strikeforce would lower him on the card for Randleman/Whitehead. Neither of these two is making a title run anytime soon. Feijao, on the other hand, is one of the best young fighters in the sport. You gotta showcase him, even if it's against a replacement fighter.

That said, I'm favoring Whitehead. Randleman is one of those guys who gets more credit than he deserves. His record is a pedestrian 17-12. You might say, "Well, Couture doesn't have a great record, either." The difference is Couture has lots of big wins. Randleman has very few.

I also tend to stay away from fighters who recently had a kid, got engaged, got married, are planning a wedding, or had knee surgery. Randleman got married like a month ago. Combine this with Randleman's sketchy submission defense and I think Whitehead takes it by 1st Round Submission.

Joe Riggs vs Phil Baroni
Baroni makes me laugh and I wish I could pick him, but Riggs seems motivated and barring a random punch, wins this one rather easily. Riggs by 1st Round TKO.

Nick Diaz vs Scott Smith
Smith puts on entertaining fights, is as tough as they come, and has elite level knockout power. With that out of the way, he's overrated. His stock is artificially high. In the first fight with Lawler, he was getting smoked and would have eventually been knocked out. In the second fight, he was outclassed. Against Radach, he was being pummeled for three rounds before connecting. I don't buy his status as a title contender. Diaz should have his way with Smith. He's smart enough to win without putting himself into danger. Diaz by 2nd Round Submission.

Andrei Arlovski vs Brett Rogers
This is a difficult fight to predict. Arlovski is coming off a truly horrific knockout loss to Fedor. Historically, fighters do not rebound well from those. There is also the late booking. This fight was announced two and half weeks ago. Arlovski was supposed to be preparing for a six round boxing match on June 27th. It's weird to say the least. I'm not sure if Arlovski is crazy or stupid. For Rogers, the decision to take the fight was a no-brainer. It's an excellent opportunity for a power puncher to knock out a big name opponent who often goes down hard.

Let me explain a little bit about why the timing of the fight perplexes me. Arlovski is training for a boxing match. His mindset is completely on stand-up. No wrestling, grappling, etc. He might be in great shape for a boxing match, but I find it hard to believe his body is ready for wrestling. It's a different conditioning. This isn't to say Rogers is a wrestling powerhouse and will wear down Arlovski. He is good in close, though. He also outweighs Arlovski by twenty pounds. If Rogers leans on Arlovski a bit early, we might see a tired fighter as the fight goes on. I just don't get why he and his camp would ever agree to the fight on two and half weeks notice.

I'm going with the underdog. He will probably lose the 1st Round, but I think Arlovski will tire a bit in the 2nd and leave himself open for a big strike. Rogers by 2nd Round KO.

Jake Shields vs Robbie Lawler
Shields is one of the best MMA jiu-jitsu guys out there. He's also one of the worst strikers among top fighters. The best comparison is to Matt Hughes. Both are great fighters, elite fighters even, but their striking is comically below average. It's going to be an enormous mismatch on the feet. Lawler is a brutally effective striker. If I had to name the five best strikers (pure striking on its own), Lawler makes the list.

Shields needs to survive on his feet and somehow get the the fight to the mat. The problem will be getting a bigger opponent down without getting knocked senseless in the process. I don't think he can wrestle Lawler down. I also don't think he knocks him down with a strike. That leaves the third option, which is getting hit. Shields will need to capitalize on Lawler's aggressiveness. He needs him to follow him to the ground and I think he has a good shot at getting it to happen. This is where the fight will be won or lost. Either Shields pulls a crazy submission or Lawler finishes it from the top with strikes. I'm going with the latter. Lawler by 2nd Round TKO.

I Guess Creed Was Busy

2009-06-05T10:27:00.002-04:00

Wanderlei Is Awkward

2009-06-03T15:17:00.002-04:00

Wanderlei Silva, the King of the Uncomfortable Conversation.

(Pay attention at 1:41 for the strangest hug you will see today.)

Viewer's Guide to TUF 10

2009-06-03T11:18:00.015-04:00

Why would the UFC want Kimbo Slice on The Ultimate Fighter?

The UFC has been very successful by drawing hardcore message board posting fanatics alongside mainstream casual fans. They walk the line carefully and it has paid off for them. Kimbo represents a portion of the public the UFC has yet to capture. They are spectacle fans. The type of people who want to see something for the sake of seeing it. They don't necessarily care about MMA all that much. There are a lot of them and Kimbo brings them in.

The Ultimate Fighter operates as a giant advertisement for the UFC's PPVs. During commercial breaks they almost always run a PPV promo. The more people watching the show, the more who see the promos. Kimbo's presence increases promo viewership. It's all about the money.

How much is Kimbo being paid to be on the show?

According to Dana White, it is a standard Ultimate Fighter contestant agreement. He will get paid the same amount as the rest of the cast. The difference is what happens after the show. Kimbo and the UFC have an agreement in place for a lucrative contract, if he ends up fighting in the UFC (White's words were, "If he makes it into the UFC, his contract is different.")

Why would Kimbo want to be on the show?

I think in some ways Kimbo resents the way EliteXC used him. They rushed him into the spotlight and never gave him a chance to develop. He went along with it because they paid him obscene amounts of money. It's not like he was a victim, but I definitely believe he was relieved when the ride ended with the loss to Seth Petruzelli.

Being on The Ultimate Fighter is a chance to salvage his career. EliteXC Kimbo was an artificial bubble. We all knew it was a matter of time before it popped. UFC Kimbo has the opportunity to put a solid foundation under his stardom. All he really needs to do is train hard and win a fight. Do that and he's fighting for the UFC following the season.

Wasn't Kimbo getting offers elsewhere?

Yes, but nothing close to the UFC's offer. Think about it like this...The UFC offers you a chance to be on TV, work with top notch trainers, and a large contract if you make it to the UFC. He doesn't have to win the whole thing to get the contract. Most of the contestants on previous seasons of The Ultimate Fighter end up fighting in the UFC. It's really a tremendous offer.

Kimbo's other options were Strikeforce, Japan, or boxing. Strikeforce did not offer a big contract. They operate under a strict budget (one of the reasons I respect the hell out of them) and they did not plan on using Kimbo as a main event fighter. The Japanese promotions were in the mix, however, Kimbo would have had to be a cartoon character the rest of his career. The last option was boxing with Gary Shaw as his manager. A noose and a ledge is a better option than having Gary Shaw manage your career.

Does Kimbo have a chance at winning the show?

Probably not. Despite being in main events on network TV, Kimbo is inexperienced. The TUF casts usually have a couple terrible guys, mostly mediocre guys, and 1-2 studs. Kimbo falls in the mediocre category. Good enough to win a fight, but not a contender.

His concentration needs to be on training hard. One of the best reasons for going on TUF is getting noticed by training camps. If a fighter like Junie Browning can end up with Xtreme Couture, I see no reason why Kimbo won't get a similar opportunity.

Enough Kimbo stuff. Who else is on the show?

At this point the full list is not out. We do know there will be four guys who could sorta be called former NFL players. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. At least two of them should be solid - Marcus Jones and Brendan Schaub. I'm pegging Schaub as the early favorite until I see the rest of the list.

When does the season begin?

They began filming this week. It will premiere September 16th on Spike TV.

I still hate Kimbo. Do you?

Nope. I can't help but be interested in how this pans out. He's taking a chance and it'll be fun to watch. If he fails, I'll enjoy it. If he succeeds, I'll enjoy it. Seeing people attempt to perform under pressure is one of my favorite things to watch on TV. No one has ever had this sort of pressure on them in the Ultimate Fighter house. We've seen fighters crack over trivial issues like missing their girlfriend. Imagine what Kimbo will be going through. It's fascinating no matter how you look at it.

Kimbo Slice on TUF 10

2009-06-02T10:33:00.003-04:00

Kimbo Slice will be a contestant on the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter. The show is shaping up to be a circus with Rampage and Evans as coaches and Slice now added to the cast. Obviously there will be a fair amount of outrage over Slice's addition, but in some ways I respect the decision on his part. It's a last ditch effort to salvage his career. I enjoy watching stuff like that.

For the UFC, it's all about ratings. With Slice on board, the show will break records. More ratings equals more exposure for their PPV ads, which appear during almost every commercial break.

Does he have a chance at winning?

He can definitely win his first fight. I don't see them matching him up with any of the better fighters. There are always guys at the bottom of the cast who stink (Gabe Ruediger). This will be especially true with the Heavyweights featured. It's a very shallow division. After the first round, it's probably lights out on his TUF run.

Odds of Rampage using his "Black on black crime" joke in the first episode?

2/1

Mousasi vs Babalu

2009-06-01T22:26:00.005-04:00

The Mousasi/Belfort weight impasse could not be worked out. It's probably for the best. Belfort's career has been reborn at Middleweight and a move up in weight to face a younger top prospect would have been a dubious decision. The answer to the dilemma turned out not to be Matt Lindland, as I thought, but instead Renato "Babalu" Sobral. Mousasi and Babalu will most likely fight at 205 lbs, where Sobral currently holds the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Title.

Babalu does not get the credit he deserves. There are two reasons for this. First, the Liddell highlight reel losses are what everyone remembers. No way to erase those from the public's consciousness. Second, he beats who he's supposed to. It's kind of a backhanded compliment. Meaning, when he faces top competition, he loses. Maybe this will be Babalu's moment to get a huge win. Okay, maybe not. Mousasi is a beast. He's better on his feet and can match Babalu on the ground. It's a very solid fight, though. I'm glad Affliction did not go with Lindland and possibly derail Mousasi's career with a boring split decision loss.

Affliction: Trilogy
Josh Barnett vs Fedor Emelianenko
Gegard Mousasi vs Renato Sobral
Dan Lauzon vs Chris Horodecki
Jay Hieron vs Paul Daley
Tim Sylvia vs Paul Buentello

Tim Sylvia Not Too Bright

2009-05-31T12:59:00.003-04:00

"Its something I've always wanted to pursue and if it works out like I'd like for it too, I can switch over. I don't want to be done with MMA, but the money is a lot better in boxing. Plus its a lot easier on your body and its a lot easier to train for a boxing match than it is an MMA match." - Tim Sylvia via Fighters Only

Money and easier training. Wow, Sylvia didn't hold back. Most guys would have said to test themselves.

His idea of boxing paydays is way off. Yes, there are 3-5 boxers who make millions a fight. No, Sylvia does not have any chance of ever being one of them. He's fighting Ray Goddamn Mercer in Alafrigginbama. Probably not the best way to launch your multi-million dollar boxing career. There is also the problem of Sylvia not being a draw. In MMA, the fans barely cared about him. Crossing over to boxing makes him even less interesting. I think we will eventually see an MMA fighter make a ton of money on a boxing PPV, but it isn't gonna be Sylvia.

(Never gets old)

Affliction's Poster Is Crap

2009-05-29T13:57:00.005-04:00

I guess it shouldn't surprise me that a company who designs ugly t-shirts would also make ugly event posters. Somehow, it still does. Look at this load of crap. The cheesy flags in the background, the goofy pictures of them holding their arms up (Fedor's doesn't even look real), the two-tone Affliction logo, the dual theme for an event called "Trilogy", and of course Ben Rothwell getting his name on the poster. As usual, Affliction does not disappoint.

(Click on image for a bigger version of a load of crap)

No Need To Sugarcoat It

2009-05-28T21:40:00.005-04:00

Rampage is ducking Machida.

The UFC offered him a title shot and he turned it down in favor of fighting Rashad Evans. This has nothing to do with whether the UFC wanted Evans on The Ultimate Fighter opposite Rampage. He even said it himself, "They told me I could fight whoever and I had my mind set I would fight Evans."

An offer was made and he declined. If he accepted, the UFC would have reached out to Machida and asked him to coach. Or, they would have taken Rampage off the show. A title bout trumps it. After all, the major function of The Ultimate Fighter is to serve as an advertising vehicle for UFC PPVs.

In MMA, opportunities are fleeting. I think this is a huge mistake. While Rampage is wallowing in Ultimate Fighter Limbo, the guy who took his title will be facing Anderson Silva. A win by Forrest Griffin would bump Rampage from the number one contender spot. Coupled with a loss to Evans and Rampage won't sniff a title shot in 2010.

If his goal is to get "his belt" back, he's going about it the wrong way.

Rampage and Evans on TUF 10

2009-05-28T16:36:00.003-04:00

All right, at this point it seems like the following scenario played out...

Dana White: Hey Quinton!
Rampage: Please don't make me fight Machida.
Dana White: Sure thing, pal.
Rampage: How 'bout some black on...
Dana White: If you say that stupid joke one more time, I'm making you fight Machida.
Rampage: Sorry.

Rampage and Rashad Evans will coach the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter. Rampage was given the choice between fighting for the title or taking on Evans. Since Rampage is too scared to face Machida, it appears Mauricio Rua will get the title shot. Is this how the Machida era will go? Clear cut number one contenders turning down title shots? I sure hope not.

Mousasi Can't Make 185 lbs

2009-05-27T16:27:00.004-04:00

"I cannot make the weight, otherwise I would have continued to fight at 185 and not given up my DREAM middleweight title," Mousasi responded. "I cannot make 185 anymore and that is final."

Told ya.

If Belfort doesn't want to fight above 185 lbs, look for Matt Lindland to take his place. Although, I believe Belfort will ultimately accept the catchweight bout.

Who Can Beat Machida?

2009-05-26T13:44:00.008-04:00

Quinton Jackson
Why He Can Win: Jackson punches as hard as anyone in the Light Heavyweight division. All it takes is one shot to end a fight (Silva, Liddell). We still haven't seen what happens when Machida gets hit with a clean strike.
Why He Can't Win: I can't see him getting through the fight without his lead leg breaking. If the fight goes on for longer than a round, he's in trouble.
Likelihood of Fighting: Barring an injury, Jackson will get the first crack at the new champion, probably in November or December.

Mauricio Rua
Why He Can Win: A healthy Shogun has the all-around game to match Machida stride for stride. He's quick, has power, good in the clinch, can sub you on the ground. The only hole is, well, you know.
Why He Can't Win: Although he won the Liddell fight, you can't help but wonder about his conditioning. In a five round fight, it's tough to feel confident he won't gas.
Likelihood of Fighting: Rua needs another big win before he can be considered a title contender.

Forrest Griffin
Why He Can Win: Griffin might just be crazy enough to forget about the Machida aura and take the fight to him. How will Machida respond to adversity in the cage? We don't know yet and it'll continue to be a mystery until someone pressures him. Griffin's submissions are also very underrated. We saw Machida get caught in a triangle against Tito Ortiz, so it's not far fetched to think it can happen again.
Why He Can't Win: He takes too many strikes. Griffin gets hit against everyone he fights. The other problem is Griffin is not a finisher. To defeat Machida, he'd need to win a decision, which means getting through five rounds without getting beheaded. In a three round fight, I'd like his chances a lot better.
Likelihood of Fighting: With a win over Anderson Silva at UFC 101, Griffin would position himself as next in line to face the winner of Machida/Jackson.

Randy Couture
Why He Can Win: As much as they want to build Machida up as a superb wrestler, I think it's actually his one weakness. The problem is getting in without getting hit. Couture still has the wrestling ability to overpower opponents.
Why He Can't Win: When you get older, your reactions slow down. It's not dramatic, but the extra hundredth of a second it takes could be the difference between Machida's straight left hitting you on the chin or partially landing. Couture is just too old for this sort of opponent.
Likelihood of Fighting: It's a long shot. There are better fights for him at Heavyweight (with a win he gets Lesnar/Mir, with a loss he gets Cro Cop). Either way, I think Couture finishes his career at Heavyweight.

Dan Henderson
Why He Can Win: Like Couture, Henderson has the blend of wrestling and toughness I believe it will take to defeat Machida. He can take a strike and keep coming forward.
Why He Can't Win: Henderson and Griffin have the same problem. They do not finish fights.
Likelihood of Fighting: Slim. Henderson's future depends on his fight with Michael Bisping. If he wins, he's getting a Middleweight title shot against Anderson Silva. If he loses, well, then things get interesting. Henderson would probably make the move to Light Heavyweight for good, since he'd fall behind Bisping and Marquardt/Maia on the list of contenders. At 205 lbs, he'd still have some viability as a contender. Personally, I want to see him and Wanderlei Silva fight again.

Belfort vs Mousasi Affliction 3

2009-05-26T13:28:00.002-04:00

Affliction has made their fair share of mistakes, but when it comes to booking interesting fights, they usually get it right. The latest news is Gegard Mousasi will face Vitor Belfort at Affliction's third event on August 3rd. My guess is a catchweight of 195 lbs, as Mousasi has no plans to compete at 185 lbs anymore.

I'll save everyone the time. Tom Atencio will say, "Well, ya know, I don't like to say anything until the contracts are signed. Um, we, um, uhm, nothing is set. When things are, uhm, we will say, uhm...."

Affliction 3
Fedor Emelianenko vs Josh Barnett
Vitor Belfort vs Gegard Mousasi
Tim Sylvia vs Paul Buentello
Dan Lauzon vs Chris Horodecki
Paul Daley vs Jay Hieron

UFC 98 Recap

2009-05-24T12:21:00.007-04:00

-Enough cannot be said about how easily Lyoto Machida defeated Rashad Evans. The thing that stood out to me was how much damage he inflicted without ever being in danger. When Chuck Liddell fought Evans, every time he threw a punch, I was thinking, "Oh man, he's leaving himself out there." Same thing with Forrest Griffin. Machida was the polar opposite. The Light Heavyweight division has been a knockout division for a long time and I don't know if you can beat Machida like that. As crazy as it sounds, I think a wrestler would have the best chance. Striking with him is the wrong way to go.

-I didn't touch on this during the Live Results, however, it needs to be said. Matt Serra kind of got screwed by the judges. He also screwed himself. Let me explain. In the 1st Round, Hughes walked into Serra's head. It was an accidental headbutt and it almost knocked Hughes completely out. Serra capitalized with a barrage of punches. It was a totally one-sided round until Hughes made a Hulk Hogan comeback and slammed Serra to the ground. The takedown changed the round from a possible 10-8 to 10-9 Serra. The only person Serra can blame for the lost point is himself. He had Hughes dead on his feet and let him survive. In the 2nd Round Hughes controlled the action and took it 10-9. The 3rd Round is where I think the judges might have screwed Serra a little bit. Both fighters scored takedowns, although I'd say Serra's was more impressive considering he is 5'4 and Hughes looked like Mark McGwire last night. Serra also worked offensively from the bottom. Hughes did almost nothing from the top. I scored the round 10-9 Hughes, but after watching it again, I think Serra won it. All three judges scored it 10-9 Hughes.

-Sean Sherk needs to see a psychologist. You're facing a smaller fighter. Go for takedowns the entire fight. Wear him out. The only way he beats you is by standing. The term "complete fighter" is to blame for Sherk's odd strategies of late. No one wants to be known as one-dimensional anymore. Wrestlers want to be strikers and strikers want to be submission experts. It doesn't make sense to me. Use your strengths to your advantage and let the other guy adapt to them.

-Phillipe Nover's career is turning into one of those new shows TV networks hype like crazy then by mid season they're cancelled.

-Overall it was a good PPV. The Sherk/Edgar and Sonnen/Miller fights were awful. The rest of the main card was great. It'll be interesting to see how many PPV buys it does. The recent media blitz by Dana White to promote the video game will help. Without it, I think you'd be looking at a 350K event. With it, I'm gonna guess 450K.

UFC 98 Live Results

2009-05-23T20:01:00.041-04:00

(If you like the Live Results, please support the sponsors on the right. A click here and there really helps.)

Preliminary Card
Dave Kaplan vs George Roop
-Roop Wins by Split Decision (29-28, 27-30, 30-27)
Brandon Wolff vs Yoshiyuki Yoshida
-Yoshida Wins by 1st Rd Submission (Guillotine)
Krzysztof Soszynski vs Andre Gusmao
-Soszynski Wins by 1st Rd TKO
Phillipe Nover vs Kyle Bradley
-Bradley Wins by 1st Rd TKO
Pat Barry vs Tim Hague
-Hague Wins by 1st Rd Submission (Guillotine)
Brock Larson vs Mike Pyle
-Larson Wins by 1st Rd Submission (Arm Triangle)

-I'm putting the Over/Under at 9.5 for how many times Goldberg describes Machida as elusive.

Frankie Edgar vs Sean Sherk

Round 1
Neither landing anything early. They tie-up briefly. Edgar throwing some leg kicks. Edgar lands a combo. Another left/right combo for Edgar. Sherk is walking right into them. Edgar shoots for a single, but Sherk brushes him off. Sherk tries a leg kick and Edgar goes in and gets a takedown. He's working for a guillotine. Sherk gets out of it and they're back to standing. Sherk moving forward. He's a step slow on the exchanges so far. A left lands for Sherk. A kick and a combo by Sherk. RNN Scores it 10-9 Edgar.

Round 2
Edgar moving around constantly. Sherk is more active to start the round. A left lands for Sherk. Another left. Solid body kick for Edgar. Tie-up and a knee to the body sends Sherk down. He's right back up, kind of a slip from being off-balanced. Edgar connects with a left followed by a right. Another combo for Edgar. He's just too quick for Sherk thus far. He's connecting and getting out of the way. By the time Sherk throws, Edgar is two steps away. Edgar tries a takedown that goes nowhere. RNN Scores it 10-9 Edgar.

Round 3
Sherk looks frustrated to start the final round. Sherk shoots hard and gets a sweet takedown. Edgar gets up quickly, though. I have no idea why Sherk isn't shooting constantly. It's like he wants to prove he can fight on his feet, but it's not working. Tie-up, Sherk tries for a clinch, Edgar gets free. Sherk misses on a takedown. Edgar connects during the scramble as they break. Inside leg kick by Edgar. Edgar counters perfectly with a combination. Sherk shoots with ten seconds left. Edgar defends and sinks in a guillotine. Sherk doesn't tap, but it scored points. RNN Scores it 10-9 Edgar.

Edgar Wins by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

-I have no idea why Sherk refuses to take people down. I don't get it at all. Play to your strengths. Make your opponent adapt to you. Trying to win stand-up battles with alligator arms just doesn't make sense to me.

Dan Miller vs Chael Sonnen
-Miller sporting chest hair. All things equal, the guy with chest hair wins.

Round 1
Miller lands a right. Sonnen shoots for a takedown. Miller has a guillotine. Sonnen takes his time and gets out. That didn't look good. Sonnen on top throwing some strikes. Miller using a high guard. Strikes are landing for Sonnen. Miller turns for a kneebar. Sonnen defends and scrambles to side control. Miller gets back to half guard. Sonnen stands and rains down a couple solid punches. Elbow lands for Sonnen. RNN Scores it 10-9 Sonnen.

Round 2
Tie-up, Sonnen pushes him into the cage. Miller has another guillotine. He lets go. Sonnen in full Miller's full guard. Sonnen throwing good shots from the top. Miller throwing legs up and getting close to a triangle. He's gotta be exhausted by now, though. Miller turns and goes for an arm bar. Sonnen gets out before Miller can get it going. Sonnen throws a huge left that misses from the top. Other than that, the last minute was very light stuff from Sonnen. RNN Scores it 10-9 Sonnen.

Round 3
Jab lands for Miller. A right then a left connects for Miller. Sonnen has enough of getting hit and takes Miller down. Sonnen not doing much from the top. Elbow lands for Sonnen. Nothing really happening. Sonnen laying on top throwing light stuff. RNN Scores it 10-9 Sonnen.

Sonnen Wins by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

-"Not the most exciting fight." Rogan said it best.

-Thank God that's over.

-I obtained an exclusive picture of Lyoto Machida and Ed Soares going over the gameplan for tonight's fight.

Xavier Foupa-Pokam vs Drew McFedries
-Prior to the fight Goldberg told us, "This fight is brought to you by Burger King...Have it your way late at night!" I'm pretty sure that's the ad for Condom Depot too.

Round 1
McFedries catches him with a big right. Prof X stumbles down. McFedries all over him. Prof X moving around on the ground and avoiding the stoppage. More shots. Prof X gets up and gets nailed again. Referee stops it.

McFedries Wins by 1st Round TKO

Matt Hughes vs Matt Serra
-I still can't believe this fight is actually gonna happen. I'm waiting for a last minute injury or maybe Serra will choke on a meatball. Seriously, how does a 5'4 fighter almost miss weight at 170 lbs?
-Serra coming out to the Rocky theme song.
-Hughes looks enormous.

Round 1
A slow start with both circling. They go in for an exchange and a headbutt wobbles Hughes (he sort of walked into it). He's rocked. Serra lands some punches (one to back of head) and Hughes is hurt. Referee is watching closely. He didn't see the headbutt, so there was no timeout. Hughes grabs a leg and is holding on. I'm shocked this is still going on. Hughes back up and wrestles Serra in close. He seems recovered now. Back to circling. Hughes grabs Serra trips him to the ground. He shifts to side control and now has his back. Serra eating strikes, as Hughes looks to sink in a Rear Naked Choke. Serra turns and gets out of trouble. They're back to standing. RNN Scores it 10-10 (because of the headbutt).

Round 2
Jab by Hughes. Hughes wrestles Serra into the cage and throws him to the ground. Hughes looking to pass. Serra defending well and not letting Hughes into side control. Hughes landing some punches to the head. Punches to the body now. Serra playing to the crowd and acting like the strikes don't hurt. They probably don't, but he's losing the round. Referee stands them up with ten seconds left. RNN Scores it 10-9 Hughes.

Round 3
A right lands for Hughes. He dives in after it and gets the takedown. Serra immediately working for a shoulder lock. Hughes pulls his arm out. Full guard for Serra. Now Serra is working for a shoulder lock on the other arm. Hughes gets out again. Serra holding on and looking for the referee to stand them up. The referee listens and we're back to standing. Serra comes in with a right that partially lands. Hughes counters, though, with a couple strikes of his own. Tie-up, Hughes looks for a trip. Serra counters and throws Hughes to the ground. Serra working from the top. He lands a nice punch. Hughes gets basically back to his feet. RNN Scores it 10-9 Hughes.

Matt Hughes Wins by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

-Wow. It was sort of a boring fight with Hughes laying on top mostly. However, the 1st Round headbutt made it very dramatic. Hughes was pretty much out. The guy's recovery skills are unmatched by anyone. I'd put this on par with his comeback against Trigg. He got hit with a headbutt, a punch to the back of the head, a bunch of punches while he was staggered, then he came back and took Serra down. Amazing.

Lyoto Machida vs Rashad Evans (LHW Title)
-They really need Machida to be a coach on The Ultimate Fighter. The way he talks is hilarious. It's straight out of a Kung Fu movie.
-The UFC should pay Sean Salmon every time they show the clip of his head colliding with Rashad Evans' foot. It just seems like the right thing to do.
-Evans going crazy on the way to the cage.
-No sign of Evans' boyfriend Keith Jardine.

Round 1
Minute in, no strikes. Minute and a half, nothing. Fans are being very patient. Machida is stalking. A head kick brushes Evans back and into the cage. There was some force, but it didn't fully land. A big kick lands for Machida into Evans' body. Machida lands body kick and a left hand that drops Evans. He's on top throwing. Evans weathers the storm and gets back to his feet. It seemed like he caught him off-balanced and it was a flash knockdown. Evans wasn't hurt, really. RNN Scores it 10-9 Machida.

-"He's gonna have to come to you, Lyoto."

Round 2
Leg kick by Machida. A "MACHID-A!" chant has broken out. A body kick by Machida. Machida charges in with rights and lefts. Evans answers and actually hits Machida in the face. It didn't hurt him, but still, he landed a strike. Machida lands a big straight left that hurts Evans. He's all over him. Evans is taking strikes from every angle. He's down. He's up! Machida is relentless. A big right. A huge left drops Evans and it's over. Holy crap!

Machida Wins by 2nd Round KO

-First, Machida gave one the best post-fight speeches ever. He did the entire thing in his Kung Fu movie voice. The fans ate it up and were cheering throughout the whole thing. He sort of has an Andre the Giant thing going where everything he says is kinda funny because his voice is so deep.

-Second, the finish was classic. Evans deserves credit for all the strikes he took without dying. The last left dropped him to his knees then he fell backwards and for a second it looked like he might have broken his neck.

-Who the hell is gonna beat this guy?

UFC 98 Picks

2009-05-23T11:45:00.003-04:00

RearNakedNews.com will have UFC 98 Live Results beginning tonight at 8pm ET.

Phillipe Nover vs Kyle Bradley L
-Nover by 1st Rd TKO
Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs Brandon Wolff W
-Yoshida by 2nd Rd TKO
Chael Sonnen vs Dan Miller
-Miller by 2nd Rd Submission
Sean Sherk vs Frankie Edgar
-Sherk by Unanimous Decision
Matt Hughes vs Matt Serra
-Hughes by 2nd Rd TKO
Rashad Evans vs Lyoto Machida
-Machida by Unanimous Decision

Memo to UFC

2009-05-23T10:11:00.007-04:00

Next time you have a weigh-in, don't put your hottest ring girl directly behind the scale. This stuff isn't complicated, guys.

(More pictures here, perverts.)

Super-Manager Ed Soares

2009-05-22T18:42:00.003-04:00

Chael Sonnen, Krzysztof Soszynski, and Ed Soares were on Pro MMA Radio this week. Whoever is in charge of booking guests for this show needs to be fired. Even funnier is MMAMania's description of Ed Soares as a "super-manager". What exactly makes him super? Was it the time Paulo Filho missed weight for a title fight? Was it the time Big Nog fought with a knee injury and coming off a staph infection? Was it the two times Anderson Silva danced his way through PPV main events? Or maybe it's how Soares mistranslates what his fighters say?

Maybe a better description of Soares would be "super-opportunist".

I'm Back

2009-05-22T12:33:00.007-04:00

Where have you been?

This semester killed me. The end of it was particularly devastating. I'm still not sure how I wrote all the papers I did without a constant drip of meth pumping into my arm.

How excited are you for Cro Cop's return to the UFC?

I'd give it a 5 on the Give A Crap Meter. His best days are over and at this point he's a sideshow fighter. It's a brilliant move by the UFC, though. The Euro fans will go crazy when he kicks Al-Turk's head into the cheap seats.

I should explain what a "sideshow fighter" means. It's not someone like Hong Man Choi or Kimbo Slice. To me a sideshow fighter is anyone who can still draw interest, but isn't a legit title contender. The most notable are Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva.

Will Evans/Machida bore the hell out of everyone watching?

I think we're in for a five rounder and at least 3 and a half of those rounds will be entertaining. The 1st round will probably draw boos, but things will get better as it goes deeper. I'm looking forward to seeing Greg Jackson's gameplan. If he comes up with a way to beat Machida, I'll give in and call him a genius from now on. I really hope Goldberg shuts the hell up between rounds and lets us hear what Jackson tells Evans.

Why is Strikeforce putting one of their best younger fighters against Andrei Arlovski?

Because they're smart and realize MMA fans want to see compelling fights. Brett Rogers does not need anymore build-up fights. You can only protect a guy for so long.

Is BJ Penn really training with Todd Marinovich's dad?

Imagine what Penn will be like when he nears the end of his career. He's slowly going crazy, I think. Here's my list of things that will probably happen at some point in the future.

3. Huge argument with Dana White, quits UFC, starts a rival promotion with himself as the biggest name.
2. Starts dressing like Jesper Parnevik.
1. Brings back the afro/mustache combo.

I'd be shocked if at least two of those did not happen in the next ten years.

Does the winner of Velasquez/Kongo get a title shot?

Velasquez, definitely not. Kongo, probably not. I think we will see the winners of Lesnar/Mir and Couture/Nogueira fight in the winter (almost certainly if Lesnar and Couture win). The winner of Kongo/Velasquez should fight Shane Carwin. Then the winner of that would be a clear number one contender and face the champion in late winter or early spring of 2010.

What did you think of the Lost finale?

The opening scene was perfect. My only issue was the ending. No way Juliet survives the fall and even if she does, no way she's able to move. And how did she miss all those metal objects? Didn't anyone think, "Hmmm, maybe we're taking the drama of her death a little far. How about she just falls down the giant hole and dies?" Other than that, I'm pumped for the final season.

Will you be doing UFC 98 Live Results?

Yup.

Lashley Wins Again

2009-05-16T12:11:00.003-04:00

I like Lashley's approach to MMA. He's staying active instead of hoping for his name to carry him. If he beats Bob Sapp, he'll have the bigger promotions craving his attention. The UFC might step up just to keep him out of Strikeforce.

Dana White ESPN Chat

2009-05-15T12:47:00.002-04:00

Tuesday at 2pm ET, Dana White will be given the live chat treatment on ESPN.com. Most of these are tame and don't feature any Earth shattering questions. However, White has an uncanny talent for saying more than he should. Even with softball questions, I have a feeling this will be worth following.

(By the way, semester is over, finally. Back to a regular posting schedule for RNN.)

Little Nog a Top 5 LHW?

2009-05-11T14:30:00.007-04:00

Over the weekend, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira fought for the first time in his native country of Brazil, winning by submission over Dion Staring. It's the fifth straight victory for the smaller of the Nogueira brothers. He rarely gets mentioned as a top Light Heavyweight, but maybe it's time he gets some respect. He's lost three times in 20 fights and two were by decision (Shogun, Matyushenko). The other was a 23 second knockout loss to Sokoudjou. The Sokoudjou loss is inexcuseable, but the other two are solid. Even the Sokoudjou loss could be given the Liddell logic of "He just got caught."

In 05-06 he defeated Alistair Overeem twice and Dan Henderson, which are his biggest wins to date. The Henderson submission win was especially impressive because in 2005 he was a tank. 09 UFC Hendo is a photocopy of a shadow of 05 Henderson. The death of Pride hurt Nogueira's ascent to the top of the Light Heavyweights. Since then he hasn't faced the same level of competition.

At this point I'd place him firmly in the Top Ten. He's a big win away from being in the same conversation with Evans, Machida, Rampage. I'd like to say I'm confident Affliction will find him a quality opponent for their summer show. However, the last two Affliction shows he's been relegated to the preliminary card. My guess is we'll see him facing Sokoudjou whenever Affliction decides to book their next event. Although we can all hope for Gegard Mousasi. That fight would make even the most hardened MMA fan pee a little in his TapouT parachute pants.

Dana White E:60

2009-05-10T13:12:00.002-04:00

It does not air until Tuesday night, but the guy who interviewed Dana White could use a little MMA refresher course. He told MMA Fanhouse, "He's [White] clearly lifted the sport, he's done a number of brilliant things to lift the sport to where it is. But one of the things we ask in the piece is, Is he too volatile to get the sport to the next level?"

Dana White does not represent the entire sport anymore than Mark Cuban represents the entire NBA. It is not White's job to do anything but get the UFC to the next level. If the reporter meant the latter, I still don't agree with him. In eight years White and Zuffa have turned a $2 million shack into a multi-billion dollar behemoth. In the past six months, they have had two PPVs do over a million buys (UFC 92 and 94). Neither of those PPVs were headlined by anyone named Liddell or Ortiz, either. The UFC has transitioned to a new lineup of stars, during a severe worldwide economic downturn, and they are making more money than ever. The success is astounding, but apparently since Dana White curses he must not be capable of reaching the "next level".

Damn The Internet

2009-05-07T13:41:00.004-04:00

Shaq Training MMA

2009-05-06T15:21:00.001-04:00

Silva vs Jones Jr.

2009-05-06T13:49:00.004-04:00

A year ago I was enamored with everything Anderson Silva did. He could have taken a crap in the center of the cage and I would have thought, "Did you see the size of it? Wow." Since then he has become one of the most annoying fighters to follow. I think having Ed Soares as his spokesman doesn't help, either. There is something sleazy about him. I'm sure he's a great manager and makes his fighters huge amounts of money, but as a voice, he sucks.

The latest Silva development is he wants to fight Roy Jones Jr. in the UFC under MMA rules. Dana White immediately shot it down, comparing the proposed fight to something Pride or K-1 would do. I gotta agree with him. There is zero need to ever have such a fight in the UFC. White and the other executives have done a masterful job of positioning the UFC between entertainment and sport. A Silva/Jones fight would firmly place them on the pro wrestling side of the equation.

There is also the business side to think about. How much money would it take to sign Roy Jones Jr.? My guess is millions. Would Silva/Jones bring in enough PPV buys to offset such a salary? My guess is no f'n way. Silva is a terrible PPV draw and Jones Jr. has not been relevant for years. Now if it was Floyd Mayweather Jr., you might have something, but again, I do not think it is worth it. MMA is thriving and does not need to become a sideshow to survive.

"Affliction Sucks" - Bellator

2009-05-05T19:24:00.005-04:00

"We paid attention like crazy to what they were doing incorrectly and have tried desperately to shy away from it," Rebney said. "(We) tried desperately to not find ourselves in that spot and to not make similar mistakes to those made by the IFL, Elite, and obviously Affliction, I don't know what their current status is, but they're not in a growth curve. Let's put it that way." - Bjorn Rebney, Bellator CEO

It's pretty bad when you get mentioned last in a sentence with the IFL and EliteXC. Poor Affliction. They deserve equal parts credit and disbelief for their foray into MMA promotion. I'll miss them when they're gone.

I'm still not sure what to make of Bellator. In many ways, I think this first season of events has been about proving to ESPN it can work. Once live events begin airing on ESPN2, it'll be easier to tell if this thing has legs or not. At this point, it is a niche product for Spanish speaking and hardcore MMA fans.

(Quote courtesy of MMA Fanhouse)

Worst MMA Announcer Ever

2009-05-02T15:15:00.009-04:00

Give it 12 seconds and you'll be laughing. A minute in, you'll be screaming "Oh My Gosh!".

And at the 6:25 mark, keep an eye on the left arm of the "white...man".

Ed Herman Is Awesome

2009-04-30T19:26:00.004-04:00

Earlier today the UFC's Twitter page announced Yushin Okami suffered an injury and would not be able to face Dan Miller at UFC 98. Then they got themselves in trouble by stating, "Dan Miller will fight an awesome replacement challenger." This of course sent fans into hysterics as they pondered the choices. Well, it turns out the "awesome replacement challenger" is Ed Herman. Yes, the same Ed Herman who was a loss away from getting cut at UFC 97. I actually am a Herman fan, but to categorize him as "awesome" is a huge stretch.

Here are some other huge stretches I came up with...

Georges St-Pierre doesn't shave his legs.
Marcus Davis is Irish.
Ed Soares is a trustworthy translator.
Mauro Ranallo doesn't try too hard.
UFC gyms will be popular.
Dan Miragliotta makes sound decisions.

(The UFC must be monitoring this site because now Herman has been replaced by Chael Sonnen, who I guess they feel is more awesome. By the time UFC 98 gets here, Dan Miller might be fighting Jose Canseco.)

I Need Your Help

2009-04-30T14:42:00.002-04:00

No, this is not some lame attempt to make me money. All I'm asking for is access to your MMA memory. Email me any fights you remember with questionable stoppages. I don't need videos, just a list will do.

Phil Baroni Wins

2009-04-29T11:07:00.008-04:00

He easily had the hottest date at Kevin Randleman's wedding. There really wasn't much competition, other than Pepsi Carano and her Tuxedo T-Shirt Dress, but a win is a win.

(How high does this dude score on the "Uneasiness About My Date Hooking Up With Someone Else Tonight" Scale? I say a 9.)

Forrest Griffin vs Anderson Silva

2009-04-28T14:21:00.003-04:00

The rumors are true. Forrest Griffin will face Anderson Silva at UFC 101. As usual, when Dana White and the UFC are backed into a corner, they come out firing. The negative publicity following Silva's lackluster victory over Thales Leites definitely forced their hand. They needed to get Silva back into the cage and against a talented opponent. Griffin is a perfect choice. His fights are almost always entertaining and he's popular enough to sell the match-up to a large audience, something Silva has not been able to do yet.

The biggest winner in all of this is probably BJ Penn. With Griffin/Silva on the card, UFC 101 becomes a major PPV. He'll make quite a lot more off of PPV buys than he would have with Griffin fighting Thiago Silva. Penn seems pretty smart now for passing on UFC 99 (destined to tank at the box office).

From a style standpoint, I can see arguments for Griffin or Silva having the advantage. Griffin is a big Light Heavyweight. As St-Pierre/Penn II showed, size (and Vaseline) matters. It's difficult to imagine Silva being able to use much clinch work without Griffin tackling the hell out of him. On the pro-Silva side, you have Griffin's ability to get hit in the face by just about everyone he fights. He always reminds me of Rocky Balboa the first time he faces Apollo Creed. It's like he's purposely leaving his head out there to get hit. Do that against Silva and this thing won't last long.

Dana and Chuck at Talladega

2009-04-28T10:47:00.004-04:00

I haven't watched Part 2 yet, but I heard when the cars pass, a gust of wind knocks Chuck out.

Nick Diaz vs Scott Smith

2009-04-28T09:20:00.003-04:00

Strikeforce continues to impress me. Babalu goes down with an injury, killing one of their featured bouts on June 6th, so they respond by adding Nick Diaz vs Scott Smith. The fight will be at a catchweight of 180 lbs.

The June 6th card now features at least two can't miss fights. The other being the main event between Robbie Lawler and Jake Shields. There is also still the possibility Alistair Overeem will defend his Strikeforce Heavyweight Title that night.

I'm glad Strikeforce is stacking their cards. My biggest worry with them was they'd fall into the EliteXC line of thinking and protect their most popular fighters. Instead they are consistently setting up marquee match-ups and forcing their best to face top competition. It's good for them, the sport, and of course the fans.

(I realize there is a segment of MMA fans who do not like catchweight fights. Personally, I don't care. If a big fight can be made by setting up a catchweight, I say make it happen. It's always interesting to see how a fighter will fare when they step up in weight and catchweights allow this to occur a lot more than the established MMA weight classes.)

TUF 9 Is Great So Far

2009-04-24T13:06:00.003-04:00

-They're actually showing training footage. It's either a miracle or the house crap was so boring this season that they have no other choice. Wasn't it interesting watching Bisping and the UK coaches watching film and going over their gameplan? I kept waiting for the inevitable five minute chunk of house time, but it never came. I'm delighted.

-Frank Lester is the most hilarious character they've ever had on TUF. He's the master of shadow boxing. No one does it better.

-Hopefully I never have to talk to Dan Henderson, because I'll fall asleep midway through his first sentence.

-Damarques Johnson is the opposite of funny.

DREAM.9 Looks Sick

2009-04-24T12:01:00.003-04:00

Yesterday DREAM announced Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza and Jason "Mayhem" Miller would be fighting at DREAM.9 and I instantly thought, "I need to do a Live Blog for that." Then today I wake up and they add JZ Cavalvante vs Tatsuya Kawajiri. This has the makings of a crazy event and I haven't even mentioned the 2nd Round of the Featherweight Grand Prix, which is sure to feature some classic fights. And, and, there is still the chance Gegard Mousasi faces Rameau Sokoudjou. If you are mainly a UFC fan, these names might not seem like a big deal. For anyone who does closely follow MMA outside of the USA, you just crapped your pants.

I'm beginning to think DREAM is auditioning for the services of Fedor and wants to prove their dedication to putting on huge shows.

Hilarious Sylvia/Mercer Promo

2009-04-21T14:02:00.006-04:00

I like to think there is never an appropriate time for a grown man to type "OMFG!", but I'm starting to reconsider.

(Thank you to "omaran" for putting his YouTube skills to good use.)

Babalu/Feijao Off

2009-04-21T11:43:00.002-04:00

This is an odd one. Babalu has pulled out for "personal reasons". It's unfortunate for a lot of reasons. Strikeforce loses a title fight. Feijao loses a title shot. Tito Ortiz sees another possible opponent float away. Sucks all around. Maybe this will force Strikeforce to fill the void with Alistair Overeem's title defense. That would be great and all, but I was excited for Babalu/Feijao.

Damage Control

2009-04-19T12:06:00.003-04:00

“I apologize. I personally apologize for what happened tonight. You guys know, this isn’t what the UFC was built on and this isn’t the way the fights usually go. Listen, any night you can have an off-night. When a guy is that talented and can literally end a fight whenever he wants to, wow.” - Dana White

Take a look in the mirror. You're the one who spent a month telling us why this was such a great match-up and how Leites deserved to be there (which really boiled down to, "He got knee'd in the face and didn't quit.") If Jurassic Park taught me anything, it's you can't feed a T-Rex like a dog. They want to hunt for their dinner. Let Silva hunt. Give him an opponent who will fight back, instead of fall to his back every time he gets touched. Yushin Okami and Demain Maia...the noise you just heard was the door slamming on your possible title shots.

Liddell Is Finished for Now

2009-04-19T11:45:00.004-04:00

It's sad to see a legend of any sport leave on someone else's terms, but it happens so often that we've become accustomed to it. Boxing gives us the best examples. No matter how hard they try, aging boxers always believe the next time out will be their glorious comeback. They'll knock out their opponent and inject new life into their career. Chuck Liddell had those same dreams going into his fight with Mauricio Rua at UFC 97. Knock this guy out and everyone will shut up about retirement.

The fight had all the energy of Liddell's best, as he got the loudest ovation I've ever heard from a crowd. Even a megastar like Liddell had to be blown away by it. The 1st Round was back and forth with both fighters having their moments until Liddell pawed his left hand out and Rua clobbered him with a left of his own. Initially the stoppage seemed quick, until you saw Liddell get up and ask Mario Yamasaki, "What happened?"

Dana White has already declared the career of Liddell to be over. Liddell himself seems resigned to it. After the fight he was worn out and anything but defiant. Will we ever see him fight again? Probably. It would certainly not be the first time a fighter called it quits only to return later. For all the punishment Liddell has taken lately, his mind is still sharp. It's hard to believe he will go quietly without at least coming back one more time to hear the fans go nuts when he enters the cage. Stuff like that is tough to totally give up on. For now, it appears he will forget about fighting for awhile and listen to White's declaration. This time next year, though, I foresee a return and an even bigger ovation for the sport's biggest star.

Um, Wow

2009-04-19T01:23:00.004-04:00

That main event was so bad, I don't even want to make fun of it. Can we just forget it happened and move on? I don't blame Silva for the way he fought. Every time he got within punching distance, Leites fell down, so he stayed away and kicked the hell out of his leg/knee all fight. My main beef is with the UFC for even putting this together. Silva needs opponents who aren't afraid of him. Leites was in over his head. Every MMA fan knew it from the moment the fight was announced. I guess the thinking was, "Lets give Anderson someone to kill, so people forget about the Cote fight." It makes sense, but the execution was all wrong. You don't put a relatively inexperienced jiu-jitsu ace with limited stand-up into a PPV main event against one of the best counterpunchers in MMA. It's probably the worst recipe for an entertaining fight there is.

Silva needs opponents who believe they can hurt him. I say give him a Light Heavyweight to chew on this summer. I can't sit through another one of these. As much as I love Demain Maia, the thought of him spending five rounds getting kicked in the knee does not make me excited.

UFC 97 Live Results

2009-04-18T18:16:00.058-04:00

(If you like the Live Results, please support our sponsors. All it takes is a quick click to help RNN continue to grow.)

-It's gonna take a minor miracle to get all these preliminary fights in before the PPV starts at 10pm. Through an hour and fifteen minutes, two fights have happened. Maybe the Stout/Wiman fight will be moved to the main card.

Preliminary Card
Eliot Marshall vs Vinny Magalhaes
-Marshall Wins by Unanimous Decision
Ryo Chonan vs TJ Grant
-Grant Wins by Split Decision
Mark Bocek vs David Bielkheden
-Bocek Wins by 1st Rd Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
David Loiseau vs Ed Herman
-Herman Wins by Unanimous Decision
Jason MacDonald vs Nate Quarry
-Quarry Wins by 1st Rd TKO
Denis Kang vs Xavier Foupa-Pokam
-Kang Wins by Unanimous Decision

-They're playing up the "Liddell might retire" angle a ton.

Steve Cantwell vs Luiz Cane
-According to Rogan, this is "one of the most exciting fights on the card tonight."
-13 minutes in and Goldberg has talked for at least 11 of them. Guy is a machine.
-Bruce Buffer opens things up with a bunch of French words I do not understand. Crowd seemed to enjoy it, though.

Round 1
Cane moves forward with combos. A solid uppercut lands. Cantwell responds with a head kick that slaps against Cane's arm and head. Cane's punches are getting through. A right-left combo by Cane gives Cantwell pause. Some knees from the clinch by Cane. Combos are landing at will for Cane. Everything Cantwell throws is getting blocked. Straight left connects for Cane. Body shot by Cane. He's landing the straight left whenever he wants. RNN Scores it 10-9 Cane.

Round 2
Cane's hand speed is nuts. I feel like I'm watching a Tekken fight. He's hitting 2 to 3 punches every time. Straight left pops Cantwell's head back. Cane giving chase. Cantwell counters and lands. Another counter. A big time kick lands for Cantwell. Cane barely even blinked, but it was a solid shot. Another head kick lands, not quite as forceful as the first, but still kinda hard. Cane seems to be fine. I'm not sure how, exactly. A good uppercut lands for Cane as a right hook lands for Cantwell. RNN Scores it 10-9 Cantwell.

Round 3
Cane moving forward to start the round. He lands a straight left. A nice body kick connects for Cane following a series of strikes. More combos from Cane. Cantwell unleashes a combo of his own and partially clips Cane with another head kick. Cane clinches and knees Cantwell to the body. Cantwell backs Cane into the cage and lands with a right. Cane charges back with some jabs and an uppercut. Two head kicks by Cantwell that are blocked. Cane lands a knee to the body followed by some big punches. Round ends with both trading, Cantwell getting the better of it slightly. RNN Scores it 10-9 Cane.

Luiz Cane Wins by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

-Very good fight. Cantwell took heavy strikes and never seemed in too much trouble. He was impressive even though he lost. Cane is ready for a big time opponent.

Cheick Kongo vs Antoni Hardonk
-Kongo needs to be impressive to keep pace with the rest of the Heavyweights. A lackluster performance will put him way down the list of contenders.
-Kongo has a 4 inch reach advantage. That's a lot for a Heavyweight.

Round 1
Both fighters throw some kicks that do not land. Hardonk connects with a heavy leg kick. Another leg kick lands. Hardonk has Kongo backed into a corner and lands another leg kick. Kongo moves forward and ties him up. Fans chanting Kongo's name. Referee breaks them up and it's back to the center. Kongo catches a body kick and sends Hardonk to the mat with a right. It didn't land fully. Back to standing, Hardonk stalking with leg kicks. A right hand and an uppercut land for Kongo. Tie-up by the cage. Kongo trying to take him down. Knees to the thigh by Kongo. Kongo gets him down. Short elbows to the head by Kongo. Some punches, but Hardonk did a great job of avoiding damage. RNN Scores it 10-9 Kongo.

Round 2
Hardonk goes for a kick, but gets hit and falls down. Kongo connects with a big strike as he jumps on top of him. Kongo working from the top with hammerfists. A big right hand to the body then to the head. Very nice. Hardonk is cut. Kongo lands a big right that forces Hardonk to turn over then he pounds him with some more shots before the referee stops it.

Cheick Kongo Wins by 2nd Rd TKO

-They are moving right along. No post-fight interviews so far.

Krzysztof Soszynski vs Brian Stann
-Have you head Brian Stann was in the Marines?

Round 1
Both fighters looking for leg kicks to start things out. Soszynski gets the takedown. Stann does a decent job avoiding punishment and gets back to his feet. Soszynski gets another takedown. He's going for a kimura. Stann trying to defend, but he's done. He sinks it in and Stann taps.

Krzysztof Soszynski Wins by 1st Rd Submission (Kimura)

Chuck Liddell vs Mauricio Rua

Round 1
A leg kick by Rua. Liddell comes forward but doesn't connect. A nice exchange with both throwing in close. Liddell lands but Rua comes over the top with a left. Rua lands a right leg kick. Liddell is already sorta limping from the leg kicks. Liddell misses a punch and Rua takes him down. Liddell stands right up, but Rua grabs a leg. He's up and out of trouble. Wow, that looked bad for a second. Rua misses and Liddell takes Rua down. He lets him right up, though. Rua charges forward with a left and drops Liddell. He's on top raining down strikes. Ref stops it.

Mauricio Rua Wins by 1st Rd TKO

-Liddell never looked comfortable. He was moving slowly after the leg kicks and Rua kept looping punches that were barely missing. Another bad loss for Liddell.

-Rogan pressed him for an answer, but Liddell refused to say whether he's gonna retire. For whatever reason, I think he's done. He looked worn out following the loss.

Sam Stout vs Matt Wiman
-I'm sure there is a great reason for putting this fight after Rua/Liddell, but I have no idea what it is.

Round 1
I erased what I wrote because I'm an idiot. RNN Scores it 10-9 Stout.

Round 2
A nice combo to start the round by Stout. Wiman lands a right. Stout connects, but Wiman ends up scrambling to Stout's back. He slips off and Stout is on top. He lands a couple shots, but nothing major. Back to standing. Leg kick by Wiman. Wiman gets caught and is hurt. He took a nasty shot to the body. He falls to his back and tries to suck Stout into his guard. He briefly grabs an arm, but Stout gets free. Back to their feet and Stout is teeing off. Wiman is trying to survive. A solid right lands for Stout. RNN Scores it 10-9 Stout.

Round 3
Wiman comes forward and eats a punch. A tie-up and Wiman going for a takedown. He gets his back. Wiman has a body lock and is going for a choke. Stout keeping control of Wiman's wrist. He turns and is now on top. Nice job by Stout. Wiman is trying to work from the bottom, but is taking some strikes. Back to their feet briefly before Wiman runs forward and takes him down again. Working from the top. He's not really throwing anything, just trying to pass his guard. Stout up for a second then slammed back down. Stout back up and gets hit with a punch. RNN Scores it 10-9 Wiman.

Sam Stout Wins by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

-An interview with Channing Tatum and Cung Le. They're in that stupid new movie "Fighting". Very odd seeing a non-UFC fighter get camera time during a PPV.

Thales Leites vs Anderson Silva (MW Title)
-Rogan building up a possible fight between Silva and St-Pierre. It seems like if they both win, they're fighting. Now lets watch Leites ruin everything. It happens every time.
-Leites wearing sunglasses to the cage. God, I hope this doesn't become a trend.

Round 1
Silva standing back at first, as usual. Leites refusing to throw. Minute in without a punch thrown. Silva finally comes forward with a punch that doesn't land. Silva backing him up. Straight left lightly lands for Silva. Silva sweeps his leg then lets him right up. Leites grabs a leg and drives Silva into the cage. He was down for a second but popped up. Tie-up by the cage and Leites looking for a trip. RNN Scores it 10-9 Silva.

-I'm having Silva/Cote flashbacks after that round.

Round 2
Leites lands a leg kick. He catches Silva off-balanced and gets a great takedown. Leites on top in Silva's half-guard. Silva now has a body triangle. Leites throwing from the top. Silva gets back to his feet. He was never in trouble on the ground. Neither throwing anything. Fans are growing restless. Silva lands a couple jabbing punches. Head kick partially blocked by Leites. RNN Scores it 10-9 Leites.

Round 3
Silva catches a leg and a scramble ensues. Leites briefly down before Silva let him up. Leites gets poked in the eye and falls to the ground. Referee does not stop the fight. Awful. How did he miss that? Referee stands them up. Silva landing leg kicks. Fans chanting "G-S-P". Every time Silva touches Leites, he falls down on his back. A big body kick lands for Silva. A lunging left lands for Silva. Jumpkick connects for Silva. Punches coming in now and Leites is covering up. Leites falls down again. He's down again. I guess this is what happens when you put Thales Leites in a main event. RNN Scores it 10-9 Silva.

-Leites is literally falling to his back every time Silva gets close. It's kind of funny in a pathetic way.

Round 4
Kick to the leg of Leites. He's hitting his knee straight up the middle. Leites is limping a little. A slapping leg kick lands for Silva. He's dancing around and kicking Leites at will. Another front kick to the knee. He's teeing off on Leites left lead leg. He goes for a takedown, but Silva stuffs it. I don't even know how to describe what he just did. He somehow kicked Leites low on the leg with his back leg. Leites is moving very slow. RNN Scores it 10-9 Silva.

Round 5
Leg kick by Silva. Leites coming forward. A left lands for Silva. Leites goes for a takedown, but Silva defends nicely. Silva lands some solid punches on the downed Leites. Leites is bleeding pretty bad out of his nose. Another takedown attempt stuffed. Silva working from the top. Back to their feet and it's more of the same. Silva kicking his leg whenever he wants. Leites standing there and taking it. RNN Scores it 10-9 Silva.

Anderson Silva Wins by Unanimous Decision (49-46, 48-47, 50-46)

-God, that was brutal. At least Cote sorta tried to exchange. Leites didn't do a thing. He fought like a guy who was happy to be there. I don't think he ever believed he could win the fight. Time to get Silva some real opponents.

UFC 97 Picks

2009-04-18T11:01:00.010-04:00

I'm beyond swamped with school crap, so blame my education on the lack of posts this week. Here are my picks for tonight's show.

Silva over Leites by 1st Rd TKO W
Liddell over Rua by Unanimous Decision L
Stann over Soszynski by 1st Rd TKO L
Kongo over Hardonk by 2nd Rd TKO W
Cane over Cantwell by 2nd Rd TKO W
MacDonald over Quarry by 2nd Rd Submission L
Wiman over Stout by Unanimous Decision L
Marshall over Magalhaes by Unanimous Decision W
Kang over Prof X by 1st Rd Submission W

(LIVE RESULTS begin at 8pm)

Paulo Filho Still Jobless

2009-04-15T13:08:00.003-04:00

Prior to his awful loss against Chael Sonnen, Paulo Filho was being mentioned as the fighter who had the best chance to knock off Anderson Silva. Then he missed weight and had an acid trip in the cage. Months later the fallout still has not subsided. Filho is without a job and many MMA fans are wondering if he will ever live up to expectations.

First the bad news...Filho will not be fighting for Bellator. According to his manager, the contract was too restrictive. I read that as, "We didn't want him losing in the first round of the Middleweight Tournament then being relegated to fighting Bellator nobodies for the rest of his contract." Of course you can draw your own conclusions (he's too fat to make Middleweight right now).

The good news is DREAM is very high on Filho. He might even be ready for DREAM.9 in May, although DREAM.10 in July is more likely (at LHW). I hope he actually has his crap together and makes a strong comeback. When he's not all crazy, he's a legit talent. I'm not sure if a permanent move to Light Heavyweight will work out in the long run, though. If he plans on getting to the UFC, he needs to figure out a way to be a Middleweight. The UFC Light Heavyweights are too big.

Chuck Liddell Video Blog

2009-04-13T13:44:00.002-04:00

I like Dana's better. Liddell isn't that entertaining when he's not knocking the hell out of people.

Tito Still Talking

2009-04-12T11:53:00.004-04:00

Check out how long Tito was able to babble without even being asked a question. His ability to talk about himself is unparalleled.

Strikeforce Notes

2009-04-12T00:26:00.006-04:00

Diaz vs Shamrock
-Diaz Wins by 2nd Rd TKO
Melendez vs Damm
-Melendez Wins by 2nd Rd TKO
Radach vs Smith
-Smith Wins by 3rd Rd KO
Santos vs Akano
-Santos Wins by 3rd Rd TKO
Rogers vs Humphrey
-Rogers Wins by 2nd Rd TKO

Gus Johnson's makeup has him looking like a wigless Rupaul.

Interesting to see FullTiltPoker on the mat after the UFC decided to kick them out. I wonder if the sponsorship of Strikeforce happened before or after?
The entrances need work. A lot of work. The music is too low (It seems like each song was picked by a producer. They all had a "generic" feel to them.), the announcers never stop talking, and the pyrotechnics are a bit much. Seriously, it's not a difficult thing. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel. Entrances set the mood for fights, especially at the arena.

Pat Miletich was everything I figured he'd be. His work with the replays was about as spot-on as an announcer can be. Even his constant use of "Holy Cow" did not bother me. It was somehow endearing. Now if they'd just get rid of Ranallo.

I kept a running count of all the times Ranallo annoyed me. 47.

Pepsi Carano giggles like she's on shrooms every time the camera stares at her, which was once a minute during the first hour of the telecast.

Cyborg got her period! Cyborg gets a period?! Most shocking moment of the night.

Why are they mentioning the UFC so much? Let your product speak for itself. It doesn't impress viewers to hear Scott Smith used to be a UFC fighter. It impresses them to see him take a two round beating then pull off a remarkable knockout victory.

They should shave Herb Dean's head for stopping the Smith/Radach fight. He lets Smith recover multiple times then steps in as soon as Radach hits the mat. Awful, awful. You gotta be consistent as a referee. If you let one fighter grab a leg and hold on for dear life, you should at least let the other have the opportunity to do the same thing. Dean never gave Radach the chance to steady himself.

Is Rodrigo Damm wearing a wig?

If I was Asian, I'd definitely have a haircut like Cung Le.

I'd much rather see Brett Rogers face Kimbo Slice than Alistair Overeem. He's got talent, but Overeem will murder the guy.

Funniest line of the night was when Ranallo mentioned Nick Diaz's victory, "over journeyman Thomas Denny." That awkward silence you heard afterwards was Pat Miletich staring at Ranallo and mouthing the words, "You little jerk." Miletich defeated Denny back in December, for anyone who forgot.

Did Nick Diaz get taller? I swear to God I thought he was under 6 foot.

The reason I picked Shamrock was because I figured he would grab Diaz and get him to the ground. Once there Diaz would be content to remain on the bottom and work for submissions. This would give Shamrock a decision because judges have no idea about ground work. Instead, Shamrock dove into Diaz and ate a thousand punches. Odd strategy for a guy many consider a "smart fighter".

I was trying to think of Diaz's next fight, but I stopped myself. First, he has to pass the drug test. After that, I'll let my mind wonder.

Okay, I'll do it anyway...Lets say Robbie Lawler knocks the hell out of Diaz's buddy Jake Shields. That sets up a perfect rematch between Lawler and Diaz. If I was Diaz, I'd never want such a rematch, but he's nuts and will fight anyone.

Strikeforce Picks

2009-04-11T12:49:00.003-04:00

Shamrock over Diaz by Unanimous Decision
Melendez over Damm by TKO
Radach over Smith by TKO
Santos over Akano by Demolition
Rogers over Humphrey by TKO

Yes, I'm going with all the favorites. No, I do not expect them all to win. The two I feel the least confident in are Radach and Rogers. A lot has been made of Rogers, but he's inexperienced and coming off a huge layoff. The Radach/Smith fight is basically a toss-up. I'm going with Radach because I think Smith's stock took an artificial jump thanks to the brutal first fight with Lawler (where Smith was losing).

I think Shamrock is a bad match-up for Diaz. There are too many options for Shamrock and too few for Diaz. I don't see Diaz winning the stand-up in overwhelming fashion. I don't see him submitting Shamrock. I don't see him being able to control him. Maybe a random punch or something, but that's about it.

Sylvia/Mercer In A Cage

2009-04-10T17:28:00.003-04:00

This just keeps getting better. First, New Jersey decided it wanted no parts of a six round boxing match between Tim Sylvia and Ray Mercer. Promoter Monte Cox then moved the fight to Alabama, where apparently it's the modern Wild West and anything goes. Now MMAJunkie has learned the fight will take place in a cage. A boxing match in an MMA cage makes about as much sense as that glowing puck Fox used for hockey games in the late 90s.

Cox claims, "It just makes sense on so many levels, and it adds another twist to the main event."

Here are some other twists I came up with...

-Sylvia must wear a shirt like a fat kid at the pool so we don't have to see his physique.
-At random times during the fight, the lights will go out and MMA will be allowed.
-If Sylvia loses, he's never allowed to fight in an MMA bout again.

The funniest quote of the story comes from Sylvia. He says, "This could open up a whole new career for me. I hope that beating Mercer will open the eyes of some boxing promoters."

Yeah, I'm sure beating up a 48 year old man is going to impress the pants off the boxing world.

Women's Group Wants Apology

2009-04-09T11:31:00.004-04:00

This is going a bit far. Apparently the word "bitch" is off-limits now too. How about we just get rid of all words with a negative connotation? Everything will be positive and we'll prance around in a Willy Fucking Wonka Chocolate Factory all day long.

Bellator Has Fights Up In English

2009-04-08T19:27:00.003-04:00

All right, we finally have the answer to, "Will Bellator be available in English?"

Every Wednesday at 7am they plan on posting the previous week's event in English. The first show is up now. I gotta say, I really like it. Eventually they're gonna have a war take place and their site will blow up with people wanting to see it, so this is an excellent idea. The video is one large file and you can easily search through it. Literally took me five seconds to find the Eddie Averagez fight. We'll see how it holds up as more people visit.

Strikeforce All Access

2009-04-08T15:24:00.003-04:00

I absolutely love this concept...except the price. $24.95 a show? That's an insane price to pay, despite all the awesome features. I could see this being huge, if they found a way to get it around $5.99. I find it hard to believe a ton of people will shell out $25 for one show. The features are cool and all, but you could get Showtime for two months at that price.

SHOWTIME will offer Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fans the opportunity to get immersed in the April 11, blockbuster premiere of Strikeforce on SHOWTIME with its new interactive online experience, Strikeforce: All Access, it was announced today by the network’s Senior Vice President and General Manager, Sports and Event Programming, Ken Hershman. The digital initiative, an interactive live stream of Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz, on Saturday, April 11, further demonstrates the premium network’s commitment to leading the television industry in online, mobile, and interactive content distribution.

Fans can purchase the live webcast simultaneously with the live SHOWTIME telecast beginning at 10 p.m. ET*. Online participants can control their own viewing experience through multiple camera angles with corresponding audio tracks as well as interact with fellow users, view user-generated photos and download select music tracks from the event.

Junkie's WAMMA Puff Piece

2009-04-06T10:27:00.005-04:00

MMAJunkie has a book length puff piece up about WAMMA getting a sponsor. It was written by Steve Sievert, who also happens to be on the WAMMA Ranking Committee. Funny how that works, right? Fans always get on Kevin Iole for being a UFC spokesperson, which he is, but this article by Sievert is much worse. It goes along with WAMMA's strategy to infiltrate the MMA media and alter public opinion. Their Ranking Committee has nothing to do with actually getting things correct. It's all about stacking it with anyone with a website, in the hopes they will in return write positive articles about WAMMA.

Well, it worked in this case. According to Sievert, since WAMMA is close to getting a sponsor, that means they are credible. Never mind the fact they plan on whoring their fake titles out to whoever gives them the most money. He never touches on the subject, or anything negative. It's a complete puff piece meant to convince fans that WAMMA is their friend. Propaganda. Form a line everyone and thank WAMMA for putting advertisements on their belts.

I also like how he placed a Dana White tirade update at the end of the article. Nice touch, Sievert. Real slick.

(If you're bored, check out the list of the Ranking Committee. Be careful what you read, MMA fans.)

Torres Wins A War Over Mizugaki

2009-04-06T00:02:00.004-04:00

The fight began awkwardly when the referee stumbled over his words and told the fighters, "Touch gloves and go back to your gloves...Corners!" After that it was pure gold. Torres showed his usual multi-faceted brilliance with a barrage of punches, kicks, knees, shoulders, and elbows. Even though it's expected, it's still something special to watch him work in the cage. What we didn't expect was the iron chin and tenacity of his opponent, Takeya Mizugaki.

I think the 1st Round belonged to Mizugaki. He landed more solid punches, while Torres seemed content to warm up during the initial five minutes. Round 2 was difficult to score, but to me Torres won it. The last three rounds Torres took over with his superior conditioning. Mizugaki slowed down late in the 2nd and never seemed capable of sustaining an attack for more than a flurry. Torres repeatedly pressed him into the cage and delivered dozens of knees. Mizugaki had no energy to push him off and it ultimately cost him the fight.

(I'll stop here to say a word about Frank Mir...He might have delivered the most one-sided call ever. From the opening bell all he did was praise Torres. If Mir was a judge, he would have had it 742-3 Torres.)

It was a great fight. Definitely worth watching, if you missed it. After seeing Torres relentlessly working in the 5th Round, I really don't think he's losing any time soon. He's as complete of a fighter as we have right now and you're a fool if you don't enjoy it.

Aoki Beat In 27 Seconds

2009-04-05T11:05:00.004-04:00

Shinya Aoki's appearance in DREAM's Welterweight Grand Prix worked out about as well as an elephant on a diving board. He was able to take Hayato "Mach" Sakurai down, but everything after that went poorly. Sakurai quickly reversed from the bottom, knee'd him in the head four times, then knocked him out with some vicious right hands.

WAMMA will surely play this off as no big deal since Aoki was fighting in a higher weight class. They'll point out that BJ Penn lost against a Welterweight too. The problem with that line of thinking is BJ Penn lost to one of the best fighters alive, while Aoki got smoked by someone who isn't. If you're going to throw around titles like "#1 Lightweight in the World", you better be sure the guy wearing the belt deserves it. Aoki is a great fighter, but his resume was a little thin to be handing him such a distinction.

Knowing WAMMA, they'll probably overnight a Welterweight Belt to Sakurai.

Alvarez Gets Rocked Then Wins

2009-04-03T23:52:00.006-04:00

Eddie Alvarez avoided a huge upset in his Bellator debut by rebounding from early trouble for a submission win. No one gave Greg Loughran much of a chance, but he scored a quick knockdown with a left. Alvarez regained his composure and was able to eventually get Loughran to the ground. Following a nice takedown he sinked in a guillotine and forced Loughran to tap.

You could look at this two ways. Either you think Alvarez's performance was proof of his will to win or that he's overrated and should have never been in trouble to begin with. I'm kind of leaning towards the latter. Greg Loughran is a journeyman fighter. He should not be knocking down someone who is supposedly a Top 5 Lightweight.

Maybe it's time I dusted off his old nickname again...Eddie Averagez.

Poor, Matt Hughes

2009-04-03T17:34:00.002-04:00

With all the Dana White stuff, no one noticed his April Fools' Joke. At least, I hope it's a joke.

"I just got a phone call from Renana Barkan, the producer of Dancing with the Stars and they want me to be on the show for the next season. The 4-weeks of training doesn’t start until after my fight, so that won’t be a problem, and then we start taping the show right after that. So, I’ll kick the idea around with the wife and we’ll see where it goes from here."

Sherdog Blows

2009-04-03T13:50:00.003-04:00

On April Fools' Day, Fightlinker put up a satirical picture of a website called "Shitdog". Shitdog was not amused. Their lawyers are threatening Fightlinker over trademark issues. They want them to hand over their profits from April 1st. You gotta love the American legal system. Remind me why I'm studying to be a lawyer again? Seriously, if I'm stuck writing a document someday with lines like, "The mark SHITDOG is spelled and pronounced confusingly similarly to the mark SHERDOG.", please come to my office and shoot me in the face.

It is stuff like this that makes Shitdog hated by a large segment of MMA fans. They take themselves too seriously. Fightlinker has little to worry about. They're covered. In fact, they should probably thank Shitdog for giving them all this free publicity.

Dana Apologizes

2009-04-03T11:29:00.006-04:00

He gave in. What a (Removed by Editor). I'm glad the mainstream media can move on from this story and concentrate on more important matters like North Korea bombing BJ Penn's house.

GLAAD Wants An Apology

2009-04-02T15:46:00.004-04:00

You knew this was coming. GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) is seeking an apology from Dana White and the UFC for his remarks about Loretta Hunt and her sources. I'm not sure why GLAAD feels the need to step in. I guess whenever anyone with name recognition says a word like "faggot" they jump at the chance to seem needed. The reality is Dana's usage had nothing to do with sexuality. Although groups like this would like you to believe words have a singular meaning, it's not even close to true.

In other news, I'd also like an apology from Dana for making me sit through an hour of British fighters talking on camera. My eyes still hurt from all the subtitles I had to read.

Fight Night Thoughts

2009-04-02T13:02:00.003-04:00

Carlos Condit needs to stop going to the bottom. I realize he "fights like that", but it kills him with the judges. Until judges become jiu-jitsu aces, they're almost always gonna see the guy on the bottom as losing the fight. Doesn't matter how many subs you try or whether the guy on top is doing anything.

I thought Kampmann won the fight. It wouldn't have upset me to see the decision go either way, though.

Tyson Griffin is such a pleasure to watch. He passed Clay Guida last night on my list of "Favorite Fighters to Watch Win or Lose".

When Dana White dies, Helio Gracie is gonna arm bar him into submission for the Mask tribute stuff. Evan Tanner is probably wondering what the hell is up too.

Tim Credeur won again. It's time for Joe Silva to get him a tough opponent. I wanna see what this guy can do.

Okay, no more Junie Browning on the main card until he beats someone decent. He looked way out of his league last night and it's not like Cole Miller is Shinya Aoki.

Aaron Simpson Did What?

2009-04-01T19:02:00.003-04:00

So I was reading Tracy Lee's blog about her time spent with Arizona Combat Sports and came across this...

"He [Aaron Simpson] and Kendra had attempted to have children over and over and couldn't conceive. After failed fertility procedure attempts, they decided to go the surrogate route. That's when Kendra's 51 year old mom stepped forward and volunteered to carry the child. At first Aaron and Kendra wouldn't allow it to happen because they felt that it was quite dangerous but when round after round of testing of her health showed that she was quite capable of carrying their child, they moved forward. Two embryos were inserted into her womb and both took! 18 months later and the boy and girl pair are now 9 months old and as healthy as can be."

Yeah, he got his mother-in-law pregnant. He also TKO'd Tim McKenzie today. Aaron Simpson rules.

I Love You, Dana

2009-04-01T17:32:00.007-04:00

Here is the article. I can't help but admire how angry he gets.

3 Ways TUF 9 Won't Suck

2009-04-01T14:42:00.004-04:00

I can't say I'm too excited about this season of The Ultimate Fighter. To me it's a bad sign when the figurehead of the company questions the idea at the start. Of course, Dana has changed his tune just in time for the start of the season. He says the same thing every season, "Yap, yap, yap...best season ever...yap, yap, yap...the next (fill in the blank)...yap, yap, yap...you won't believe it." I'm not one to trust a promoter, so I decided to make a list of ways this season can be salvaged.

1. Bisping gets control from the start and puts his best fighters against the worst from Team USA. This might seem like a jerky way of coaching, but it would make for a more interesting season. I want to see fighters from both teams make it into the later rounds. If Bisping goes for the best vs worst angle, it can happen. If he doesn't, I fear the depth of Team USA will smother them in most fights and we'll see a 6-2 edge or worse.

2. They go back to showing more training footage and less house stupidity. Last season was the worst. You have Anderson Silva training with Team Nog and we barely get to see any of it. Instead we see a prank a week from "The Polish Experiment". The house crap should not be the focus of the show. Use it as filler and concentrate on the training. Somewhere along the line this equation was flipped and it needs to be remedied.

3. Henderson and Bisping learn to dislike each other. Things are more exciting when there's tension between the coaches (Penn/Pulver, Hughes/Serra, Ortiz/Shamrock, Griffin/Jackson briefly). I wanna see Bisping say, "Dan, you planning on ending a fight anytime soon?" Then Henderson replies, "Blow me."

We'll see if any of my hopes come true tonight.

UFC's April Fools' Joke

2009-04-01T11:23:00.002-04:00

You gotta give them credit. I have a hard enough time going to law school and posting once a day. Meanwhile, they're promoting multiple events, producing TV shows, negotiating contracts, and making fun of Fedor. I'm sure this joke will go over well with his handlers and their classic Russian sense of humor.

UFC President Dana White today greenlighted work to begin on the construction of a new Zuffa-owned stadium in Russia that will be able to hold a number of different sporting events, including soccer, boxing, and of course, mixed martial arts.

“This is a big moment for the company and I couldn’t have picked a better day to announce this monumental event,” said White. “I can’t wait for this Stadium to be finished and we’re even including the fans in the process by holding a contest on the internet for people to choose the name of it.”

Construction is tentatively scheduled to be done in time for UFC 115 on April 1st, 2010.

“A Project like this Reaches millions In the Largest group of Fans in the sport,” said White. “Out Of all the places in the world to put up a stadium, this was the only place for us, and we’re gonna Love Seeing the UFC here.”

UFC.com

Never Believe A Brazilian

2009-03-30T13:58:00.002-04:00

A lot has been made about this cryptic post over at CagePotato. Fightlinker got so carried away, they even charted out the rest of Anderson Silva's MMA career. I have a fundamental problem with the initial report, though. It likely came from the mouth of a Brazilian. The only thing less reliable than a Brazilian is Tom Atencio. I think it's a translation problem between promoters and the fighters. Here is how I think it happens...

Joe Silva leaves a voicemail - "Hey, Demian. It's Joe Silva from the UFC. I wanted to let you know we are exploring different possibilities for your next fight. Maybe Nate Marquardt or even Anderson Silva. I'm not sure when exactly, but UFC 102 in August is a possibility. Good luck, pal! I'll let you know when something is more definite."

Demain Maia talks to groupies - "Maybe Anderson in August."

Groupie talks to CP - "Anderson Silva in August!!!"

Internet goes apeshit.

This isn't to say it won't happen. Logically it kinda makes sense. Following Silva's destruction of Leites, he can either sit out until the latter half of 2009 and wait for Bisping/Henderson or he can take on someone else in late summer then deal with the TUF fallout. Of course that puts Yushin Okami and Nate Marquardt totally out of the picture. My problem is it came from the mouth of a Brazilian and until proven otherwise, I choose to disregard everything they say about potential match-ups.

Hamill vs Vera at UFC 101

2009-03-30T00:30:00.002-04:00

Two of my least favorite fighters will do battle at UFC 101 about fifteen minutes from my house. I guess I should look at the bright side - one of them is gonna lose. As of right now, I'll be rooting for Hamill. His post-fight interviews are hilarious. I could watch them on a loop for an entire weekend and never stop laughing. Vera, on the other hand, takes himself way too seriously. It's easy to dislike him.

Sylvia/Mercer Moved to Alabama

2009-03-29T13:24:00.003-04:00

It's pretty bad when the only place you can stage a fight is Alabama. According to the article, they don't even have a regulatory body. Another thing to consider is the fight will be June 13th, which makes it almost impossible to imagine a scenario where Sylvia could fight on the proposed July 11th Affliction card. Somehow I think Affliction is happy about this. Sylvia's enormous salary and lack of drawing power isn't exactly the deadly promotional combo Affliction (or any MMA company) needs right now. It would be funny if we find out later Affliction lobbied the New Jersey State Athletic Commission to cancel the bout just so they didn't have to put Sylvia on their third card.

Barnett's Advice to Affliction

2009-03-28T23:37:00.003-04:00

"Here's my unsolicited comment for those putting Affliction 3 together: There's about nine months left to go in this year. I think I would avoid the UFC 100 head-to-head card." - Josh Barnett

Josh, you need to shut the hell up with your logic and reason. You think you're so smart with big words like "unsolicited" and "avoid". Stick to fighting and let Affliction do what they do best - make idiotic decisions and lose lots of money.

My Quest Might Be Over

2009-03-27T13:13:00.005-04:00

My quest to find the ugliest MMA shirt might be over. If I saw someone not named Fedor wearing this shirt, I'd probably have a heart attack and a stroke at the same time from the laughter exploding from my body. The best part is it's on sale for only $59.99!