UFC 133 Results

I didn’t get a chance to get my picks in for this one, but let’s recap anyway.

Rashad Evans def. Tito Ortiz (TKO 2)

This was one of those fights where one guy had nothing to gain and everything to lose. Unlike many of those past fights, though, the guy still won. Rashad dominated Ortiz for the most part – the exception being the seemingly tight guillotine choke from which Evans escaped. Ortiz was given this fight thanks to a late notice injury. Frankly, he did not deserve it otherwise. Sure, he beat Ryan Bader but that was more of a Matt Serra-like fluke. Ortiz simply is not in the same class as these top guys he’s been allowed to fight. Hell, even Bader is overrated and has flaws. I’m not sure where Ortiz goes from here, but based on his Bader win and popularity, he’s likely to be given at least one more decent fight.

Vitor Belfort def. Yoshihiro Akiyama (KO 1)

No way Akiyama deserved this fight. With the exception of his loss to Anderson Silva, Belfort has been a monster while “Sexyama” has been mediocre at best. Getting submitted by Chris Leben should not get you into Belfort’s sights. But the division is pretty thin and good fights are scarce. The right guy won and won in highlight reel fashion.

Brian Ebersole def. Dennis Hallman (TKO 1)

I would have been tempted to pick Hallman in this one, but he has disappointed me in the past. Both of these guys have insane records, but haven’t really made splashes in the UFC. That seems to be changing for Ebersole who now has had a couple of impressive wins.

Constantinos Philippou def. Jorge Rivera (split)

I would have been tempted to pick the rejuvenated Rivera, but he, too, has disappointed me in the past. I didn’t watch this fight too closely, but what I did see of it led me to believe the right decision was made. In fact, Rivera survived to a decision thanks to some generous refereeing, I believe.

Rory McDonald def. Mike Pyle (KO 1)

Wow. McDonald is looking impressive. Good for the young Canadian. Let’s hope he gets some bigger fights.

Alexander Gustafsson def. Matt Hamill (KO 2)

Despite a decent record, Hamill has been unimpressive of late. His retirement announcement on Monday seems to confirm that his heart just wasn’t in it anymore. Congrats to him for making the UFC and having a decent career, but, yes, it was probably the right time and the right decision.

Chad Mendes def. Rani Yahya (unanimous)

Didn’t watch it too closely, but this appeared to be the right decision.

Ivan Menjivar def. Nick Pace (unanimous)

Didn’t see it.

Johny Hendricks def. Mike Pierce (split)

Didn’t see it. Good for Hendricks, but the split makes me wonder how impressive he was. He’s usually pretty stellar.

Mike Brown def. Nam Phan (unanimous)

Surprised this one wasn’t on the main card, considering how weak the card was and the names involved. Looks like this one was a blowout, though. Not sure Phan is ready for former champs yet.

Rafael Natal def. Paul Bradley (unanimous)

Another decision. Looks like the undercard kinda sucked. Didn’t see this one.

Hm. Think I might have gone 8-2 in this one had I got my picks in. Darn.

UFC 114 Results

All in all, this was a disappointing night of fights, on the main card at the very least. A bunch of decisions that lacked excitement, as it turns out. I'd hoped these guys would bring it more since they were mostly mid-cards types, but that didn't happen for the most part.

Alright, let's break down the results...

Rashad Evans def. Quinton Rampage Jackson (unanimous)
Rashad did exactly what I expected. He played it smart, stayed away from Jackson's power, and used his wrestling skills to get the decision. Not a popular strategy, but effective against an opponent who couldn't get off his back. Rampage needs a new coach; he isn't going to learn how to defend against the takedown by training in the UK. I'm imagining Rua will be a tougher test for Rashad. I wouldn't favour him in that fight, I don't think. (1-0)

Michael Bisping def. Dan Miller (unanimous)
Another lacklustre fight as both guys essentially stood and boxed for 15 minutes. So much for mixed martial arts. Since neigther has KO power, it was clear early on that this would go to a decision and Bisping would get the nod. Not sure what Miller's plan was, but he needed to shoot more. Of course, his takedown attempts weren't exactly GSP quality, so who knows if he was actually trying his best. Once again, a poor game plan costs a fighter. (1-1)

Mike Russow def. Todd Duffee (KO 3)
This was the shocker of the night. Russow looked awful in this one, and was getting teed off on for two and a half rounds until he caught Duffee with a shot to the ear that sent the latest UFC darling crashing backwards to the mat. The bar went nuts. It had been a pretty dull fight until then, with Duffe punching at will and the only surprise being the strength of Russow's chin. This seriously derails Duffee's rise, as Russow is far from an upper echelon fighter. In fact, he sucks. No idea how he amassed the record that he has. He seriously needs to lose weight. He's probably a middleweight under all that flab. (2-1)

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira def. Jason Brilz (split)
Another one that lacked sexiness. It was too close to call, but the judges gave Little Nog the little nod. I think he was pretty lucky to get out of there with his status as an up-and-comer intact. Brilz will live to fight another day. (3-1)

John Hathaway de. Diego Sanchez (unanimous)
I'm not sure what to make of Sanchez. He seemed to have all the tools to be a great champion a few years ago, but lately he seems to be off his game. He dropped down to 155 where I expected him to be a beast, but after losing to BJ Penn, he goes back up to 170 where even tougher competition exists and where he isn't nearly the biggest guy in the sandbox. WTF? He ended up boxing with a Brit on Saturday, and came out on the short end of the stick, just as he did with Penn. Where has Sanchez's clinch game gone? He used to be at his best on the inside, taking guys down and grounding and pounding them into the floor. No more. He's another one who needs a change of training scenery. What he's doing now is not working for him. His career is going off the rails in a hurry. Go back to 155, Diego. (3-2)

Dong Hyun Kim def. Amir Sadollah (unanimous)
Yay, another decision. Kim dominated this fight. Sadollah was never really in it. Kim just kept taking him down, controlling him and got the decision. Look for Kim to get a big name next. (4-2)

Efrain Escudero def. Dan Lauzon (unanimous)
What the f*** was with Lauzon? He looked terrible. He didn't engage much and his cardio apparently failed him. Amazingly, he was almost handed a gift when Escudero kicked him in the cup a couple of times, thus earning a point deduction, and then Escudero got so bored that he traded big shots in a flurry with Lauzon, thus risked losing the third round. Had Lauzon won the round, he would have "earned" a draw in what was really a ridiculously lopsided affair. Lauzon ought to be cut for putting in such a lacklustre performance. (5-2)

Melvin Guillard def. Waylon Rowe (KO 1)
Guillard was handed a gift in this one - a smaller opponent who was willing to stand and trade with him. But this wasn't the knockout some might have expected; Guillard caught Rowe with a knee to the gut that found a sweet spot and put Rowe down for the count. (6-2)

Cyrille Diabate def. Luiz Cane (TKO 1)
This was a sloppy affair, but entertaining. both guys threw bombs and had little defence. Tall, lanky Diabate found his range eventually and knocked Cane on his ass, after it looked like he might suffer the same fate. We'll see where this guys goes from here. (6-3)

Aaron Riley def. Joe Brammer (unanimous)
Another decision. Didn't see it. Apparently it was good. (7-3)

Ryan Jensen def. Jesse Forbes (sub 1)
Didn't see it, but it was the only submission of the night so Jensen earned a bonus. Forbes disappoints once again. (8-3)

Well, that was much better than last time, wasn't it? Thank goodness!

UFC 114 Picks

Weird card. This is one of those cards that doesn't look like much on the surface, but I'm betting will actually surprise some folks and provide decent entertainment.

Quinton Rampage Jackson vs Rashad Evans (light heavyweight)
This is the long-awaited fight stemming from The Ultimate Fighter season where these two acted as coaches. The fight was delayed 'cause Jackson took a role in the A-Team movie, much to the disgust and chagrin of the UFC who had gone to the trouble of booking the event in Memphis, Jackson's hometown. Who will win the fight? Hard to say. Both guys have power, Rashad has wrestling skills and speed, so he should get the nod. But Jackson is one of those guys who can end the night with one quick punch as we saw against Wanderlei and others. Jackson has been off for a long time, though, so there's no telling what kind fo shape he'll be in. I can see this fight being dull as hell if Evans can take Jackson down and stay on top. I could also see this fight ending with a highlight-reel knockout. There's a lot on the line here, as the winner is expected to get the first shot at champion Rua. For that reason, I bet Rashad plays it smart, keeps his distance, then takes Jackson down with a quick shot. Jackson, as we saw against Griffin, has zero ability to get off his back. Rashad will do that for 15 minutes and get the nod. Boring, but effective. I'm picking Evans.

Michael Bisping vs Dan Miller (middleweight)
Michael Bisping is the favourite, having had bigger fights and having been a star on TUF. Don't count Miller out, though. Sure, he's coming off two losses, but they were to Demian Maia and Chael Sonnen who are title contenders. Bisping isn't quite in that class, despite what he might think. Before that, Miller had reeled off three straight wins to kick off his UFC career, two by first round submission. We haven't seen Bisping on his back much (at least not conscious) so it's hard to say how he'd fare if Miller got him down. I'm going with the upset. I bet Miller, who can push the pace just like Bisping, gets Bisping down and submits him or earns the decision. I'll take Miller.

Todd Duffee vs Mike Russow (heavyweight)
Duffee holds the UFC record for fastest knockout (7 seconds) and it may not have been a fluke. He has a 15-second win and a 16-second win. Wow. This guy has crazy power. Russow, though, has a great record himself and tends to submit guys in the first round. So the question may be whether Russow can get Duffee on the ground. I'm gonna say...yes. Again, I'm gonna pick the dog and go with Russow by submission. I bet experience pays off in this one.

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs Jason Brilz (light heavyweight)
This one is a bit of a disappointment, of course, as it was supposed to be Nogueira versus Forrest Griffin. Nogueira is one of the UFC's new darlings and he hasn't disappointed yet. He has a terrific record (18-3) including wins over Dan Henderson, Luiz Cane, Vladimir Matyushenko, and two over Strikeforce Heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem. Brilz, on the other hand, is no pushover. He's at 18-2, though his fights have been mostly agianst mid-carders. This could be a great fight. If Brilz wins, it'd be a huge launching pad for him. But I don't see it happeneing. I'm picking Nogueira.

Diego Sanchez vs John Hathaway (welterweight)
I have no idea why Diego is back at welterweight. Lightweight seemed perfect for him and he was clearly on the rise there. A loss to BJ Penn is no tragedy and he might have been right back in the mix if the UFC staged a Sanchez-Florian rematch. Inexplicably, he has jumped back up to welterweight where he is a small fish in a very big pond, ruled by the biggest shark in the aquarium, GSP. Honestly, WTF? Diego seems to have lost a bit of steam recently, going to decision far too often after previously overwhleming his opponents. Hathaway has a perfect record, but hasn't fought anyone anywhere near Diego's status. This is a huge fight for him. If he wins, he'll be in title contention quick. If Diego wins, I'm not sure the same holds true (unless the UFC is desperate for new opponents for GSP). If Diego loses...well...zoinks, yo. I'm betting Diego finds a way to win this one, if only by experience.

Amir Sadollah vs Dong Hyun Kim (welterweight)
Amir was the surprising winner of TUF 7 and has gone 2-1 since with some impressive cardio work. Kim is "The Stun Gun" and although he was impressive in his debut, has been less than spectacular since. His loss to Karo Parisyan was overtruned after Karo tested positive for banned painkillers, so he maintains his undefeated record (12-0-1 [1]). Still, I'm gonna bet Kim finds a way to overwhelm Sadollah and finish him before it reaches a decision. I'm picking Kim.

Efrain Escudero vs Dan Lauzon (lightweight)
Another TUF winner in Escudero. He has looked pretty good, but is coming off a loss. Lauzon is the brother of TUF competitor Joe Lauzon, but hasn't impressed me all tnat much, despite his record. Both of these fighters are known for their submission skills and ending fights early. This could be the fight of the night. I'll pick Escudero.

Melvin Guillard vs Waylon Rowe (lightweight)
Guillard was a rising star once upon a time. Rowe doesn't even have a Wikipedia page. That gives you some idea how much Guillard's stock has fallen. Both of these guys are known for their KO power. This could be a barnburner and over quick. Since Guillard doesn't have to worry about submissions, he may actually win this one (and not undeservedly, like he did against Ronnys Torres). I'll pick Guillard.

Luiz Cane vs Cyrille Diabate (light heavyweight)
Cane will be looking to rebound form his loss to Little Nog. I'd never heard of Diabate, but he has a good record and has fought some big names (and lost, mind you). Still, I'm gonna pick Cane.

Aaron Riley vs Joe Brammer (lightweight)
Riley is one of those fighters who is tough to peg. He looks good once, then crap the next. Brammer has a nice record to start his career but has lost to the only name he's faced. I'm gonna pick Riley on experience.

Jesse Forbes vs Ryan Jensen (middleweight?)
A lot was expected from Forbes as he competed in TUF 3, but he hasn't lived up to the hype (certainly not his own!). He's been fighting in the smaller circuits for a while, ammassing a respectable record (13-4). Jensen has had a rough go recently, going 3-5 after being 11-1. But he was thrown to the wolves in his early UFC days, losing to Demian Maia and Thales Leites. I'm not sure how he has managed to stick around this second time around, going 1-2 in his last three UFC fights. This is one of those fights where the winner earns a reprieve and the loser goes home, I bet. Neither of these guys is used to going the distance, so this could be another quick one. I'll pick...Jensen.

Who you got?

UFC news: Liddell vs Franklin + Penn-Edgar rematch?

Bit of news hitting the wires this morning.

UFC 115

The UFC has released the fight card for UFC 115 taking place in Vancouver, BC. This is another big deal event as it marks the debut of the UFC in Western Canada. Vancouver is only the second city in Canada to host a UFC event, which has made rabid Toronto fans quite envious, to be sure.

The card was supposed to feature a battle between the latest TUF coaches, which everyone presumed to mean Chuck vs Tito III. But a strange thing happened on the way to the octagon as rumours and leaked photos suggested Tito was off the show and Rich Franklin had taken his place. Then, it was made public that Ortiz had been hospitalized. Still, Dana White told all who would listen that the Tito-Chuck fight was still on. Whether this was just a ploy to avoid spoiling the TUF season surprises or his actual belief, I don't know, but it has been confirmed that Tito is out and Franklin is in for UFC 115.

Some are greeting the announcement with disappointment, but, to be honest, I think this makes for a more interesting fight. Liddell-Ortiz III wasn't going to settle anything since Chuck was up 2-0. Besides, Ortiz hasn't been relevant for quite some time while Rich Franklin has still been fighting top dogs and is making a bid for a light heavyweight title shot in the future - something Ortiz was likely never to get.

Franklin is best at middleweight, if you ask me, but he was never going to reclaim the belt while Anderson Silva was patrolling those waters. Now, if Silva moves up to light heavyweight...

But that's another story.

In the meantime, a Chuck-Rich fight is an interesting proposition. Both are popular fighters and former champions. A few years ago, this fight seemed unlikely to ever happen (being in different weight classes), but fortunes have changed for both men and this main event offers them an opportunity to get back into the light heavyweight conversation. There's a lot at stake here. The winner will be elevated in the rankings, while the loser will face retirement questions. UFC 115 will mark a turning point - and that's why it matters.

But the disappointment being expressed at 115 isn't limited to the main event. The undercard is a bit underwhelming on the surface.

Cro Cop vs Barry - Mirko simply isn't the same fighter in recent years.
Thiago vs Kampmann - Ok, but not sexy.
Condit vs MacDonald - Condit is known, MacDonald not so much.
Griffin vs Dunham - Ok, not great.
Danzig vs Wiman - Two inconsistent fighters.
Rothwell vs Yvel - Finally some fireworks! But may not be broadcast. Oh.
Wilks vs Sobotta - Wilks is known, Sobotta not so much.
Funch vs Patrick - Never a good sign when the website doesn't have a photo.
Pyle vs Lennox - Pyle is known, Lennox not so much.

Ok, so it isn't the sexiest card we've ever seen. But let's not bury it just yet. Sometimes these cards end up having the best fights. All of these fighters, known or not, will be looking to make an impression. None of these fighters are the cream of their weight class crop, but that means they won't be complacent. They need the wins. I bet the Thiago-Kampmann fight will be terrific.

Still, one would have hoped that the UFC would have made more of an effort to make the card a monster, it being a new market and all. The problem, of course, is that many of the top dogs in the UFC have fought recently and there are only so many fighters available for this June event.

Let's hope the fighters surprise us and put on a terrific show.

Penn vs Edgar rematch?

Normally, when a champ loses their belt, they are forced to earn a tune-up victory before getting a rematch with the new champion. GSP did this with Koscheck, Hughes did this with Alves (he lost), Liddell did this with Jardine (lost), Couture did this with Van Arsdale, and then there's Griffin, Rampage, Evans, etc etc.

But it seems that the UFC is in talks to reunite BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar in the octagon for the lightweight belt. Edgar, you'll recall, won the belt from Penn at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi in a stunner of an upset and with some questioning the judging. The "controversy" surrounding this one, though, does not appear to be on the same scale as the Mauricio Rua vs Lyoto Machida judging that prompted the perhaps ill-advised (it was a snoozefest, to be honest) rematch to be scheduled for Montreal at 113.

So why the immediate rematch? Is the UFC catering to Penn who had been built up as the "greatest lightweight of all time" in recent months? Does it have anything to do with Penn's rumoured desire to leave the division (with the belt) and move up to 170? Does the UFC lack confidence in the marketability of Edgar vs Maynard? Is the lightweight division so thin that no other match-up is palatable?

Who knows.

I'd love to hear the explanation, though. The real explanation.

UFC 108 Results - Evans Beats Silva

Oops. Seems I've missed a couple of events while on vacation. Let's catch up:

UFC 108 was a surprise hit with some terrific finishes. The event was marred by injuries and many thought this woudl be a dull event. It was anything but. Check it out:

Rashad Evans def. Thiago Silva (Unanimous) - Silva lost but came out on top with the fans by putting on a better show. Evans won by laying and praying which will never earn you points with fans or the UFC. Silva was clearly frustrated and wanted ot bang. No wonder: when they did collide, Silva was coming uot on top and even managed to knock Evans down but was so tired by then that he was unable to finish. Too bad - Evans would have deserved the loss. Funny how Evans decried Silva's taunts and showboating afterwards when Evans is usually the one doing the showboating. Just desserts? If only Silva had won.

Paul Daley def. Dustin Hazelett (KO 1) - This was probably a mismatch. Hazlett was never going to be able to handle Daley's power and it would have been almost impossible for him to wrestle Daley to the ground. In a stand up war, Daley wins no problem.

Sam Stout def. Joe Lauzon (Unanimous) - I'm at a bit of a loss on this one. Lauzon is clearly the more talented fighter, but couldn't secure the victory. After dominating the first round, I can only assume Lauzon ran out of gas. He threw so few right jabs afterwards that I was CONVINCED he had broken his hand (haven't heard anything to that effect since). Stout was praised afterwards, but I didn't see this as a very good showing. Lauzon had better watch out or his stock will fall fast.

Jim Miller def. Duane Ludwig (sub 1) - Miller looked good. Ludwig not so much.

Junior Dos Santos def. Gilbert Yvel (TKO 1) - Dos Santos has some wicked power. He's climbing the ranks FAST.

Martin Kampmann def. Jacob Volkmann (sub 1) - Kampmann is great, but inconsistent. He always seems on the verge of a title shot, then stumbles. He looked good here again.

Cole Miller def. Dan Lauzon (sub 1) - Millers' submission from an inverted triangle was gorgeous.

Mark Munoz def. Ryan Jensen (sub 1) - A submission via strikes is always impressive. Poor Jensen tapped earlier but the ref didn't see it.

Jake Ellenberger def. Mike Pyle (TKO 2) - Don't really remember...

Rafaello Oliveira def. John Gunderson (Unanimous) - Don't remember, but apparently it was dull.

The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale - Predictions

Okay, better get these in quick before I get too busy again.

Roy Nelson vs Brendan Schaub - If it stays up, Schaub takes it, but if Big (Fat) Country gets on top of Schaub on the ground, it could be all over. I doubt Schaub could buck Nelson the way he did Marcus Jones. I think Nelson will win by smothering, I hate to say.

Matt Hamill vs Jon Jones - I like Hamill but he's stubborn. He seems ot refuse to use his wrestling skills in favour of slugging. If it stays up, I see Jones taking it, but if Hamill is smart he'll use his wrestling and get the win. I'll go with Hamill, though I don't like his odds.

Kimbo Slice vs Houston Alexander - I don't know how much weight cutting Kimbo had to do, this being a catchweight fight. Houston will be bigger than usual, being a light heavyweight by trade. Houston doesn't have the best technique and he is being given this fight for one reason: to stand and bang. Can he out-bang the internet sensation? I wouldn't be shocked. But I expect he'll leg kick Kimbo to death. I'll take Houston. If Kimbo loses, well, that may be the end of his mystique after a disappointing showing on TUF.

Frank Edgar vs Matt Veach - Can't say I remember Veach. Which means I don't like his odds against Edgar. I'll pick Edgar.

Marcus Jones vs Matt Mitrione - I like Marcus Jones and I hope he keeps fighting. I expect he'll get some motivation after kicking Mitrione's ass. I think this'll be a cakewalk for Jones once he gets Mitrione down.

Darrill Schoonover vs James McSweeney - McSweeney's a douche. This is a bully vs bullied fight. I think McSweeney is the better fighter... Guess I'll have to pick him. Darn it.

Jon Madsen vs Justin Wren - I'll take Wren.

Brian Stann vs Rodney Wallace - Who? Stann it is.

John Howard vs Dennis Hallman - Can Hallman's record possibly be correct? 64-12-2? Seriously? AND he has beaten Matt Hughes TWICE? Ok, sure - I'll take him.

Mark Bocek vs Joe Brammer - I've heard of Bocek, never heard of Brammer. Bocek it is.

TUF 10 Episode 3 - Kimbo Tested

So here we are at episode 3 of The Ultimate Fighter X and we got our chance to see the legendary Kimbo Slice in the octagon.

It would be a big test - literally - as he would be taking on former IFL heavyweight champ Roy "Big Country" Nelson. Some said this match-up would have been fitting for a pay-per-view.

I think a lot of people would have been asking for their money back. And it probably says something about how foolish Elite XC was for sinking all their hopes into the Kimbo pool.

The fight didn't live up to the hype.

Neslon is a big fat fuck. He's hardly a fighter. I mean, the guy is not tall for a heavyweight, yet he tested the weight limit, weighing in at 264 lbs. It's all stomach, baby.

But that's all he needed against the inexperienced brawler. Nelson managed to get Kimbo down, then rested his big belly on the poor street fighter who could not free himself from The Blob.

Nelson was clearly upset that the referee (Herb Dean) did not stop the fight before the end of the first round when he had Kimbo in a crucifix-like position and dropped...uh...marshmallows on Kimbo's head.

I mean, let's face it - they were hardly bricks.

The second round went much the same way. Kimbo landed a couple of decent shots but fell under Nelson's weight again and, this time, the ref stopped the fight when Nelson landed another couple of dozen marshmallow shots to Kimbo's head.

Was Kimbo "defenseless"? Maybe. But was he in danger? Hardly.

Frankly, the ref should have let the fight continue. I mean, what's the criteria here? Do you have to "intelligently defend" yourself when you're in no danger? If Nelson can't finish properly from that position I say let him tire himself out and see what happens.

It was a terrible display by both Kimbo and Nelson. Neither would fare well in the UFC with this skills. The fact Nelson sees himself as the favourite is either a commentary on his ego or on the lack of talent on this season of TUF.

I fear it may be both.

So far this season is one big country dud.

UFC 101 - Results : Penn defends, Griffin humiliated

Well, you can’t say I didn’t call it.

Sure, I wasn’t willing to “bet” against my boy Forrest, but I knew when the fight was first announced that he’d get trounced by Anderson Silva.

I was right.

It wasn’t even close.

They say styles make fights, and this was a complete mismatch. Griffin is a puncher with a relatively weak chin and no knockout power. How the hell was he supposed to beat a guy who has awesome stand up and has insane knockout power? His only hope was to clinch and use his weight to try to take Silva down – that strategy was nowhere to be seen.

The UFC sold some tickets and some PPVs, but in the process, they may have spoiled one of their golden geese by exposing Griffin’s weak chin and, essentially, humiliating him in front of millions.

Griffin certainly didn’t help matters by running out of the ring and, as some are stating, the arena. There were some reports that he ran to the back to get medical attention for a broken jaw and loss of hearing, but those reports appear to be false. I’d still like to hear Griffin’s take on the fight and reason for bolting. I thought he had learned from the fiasco that followed the Keith Jardine fight (another fight that shouldn’t have happened – for completely different reasons), but I guess not. He lost a little bit of my respect, but I’m still hoping there’s a decent explanation.

Who should Silva fight? The obvious choice is champion Lyoto Machida, but apparently that won’t happen since they’re training partners and “like brothers”. Machida is a high calibre fighter with skills similar to Silva’s – hard to hit with good knockout power. Clearly, Silva ought to remain in the light heavyweight division, so if he doesn’t fight the champ… Other “tune-up” fight opponents might include Rampage, Rashad Evans or, get this, Randy Couture. Rampage and Rashad are big guys with good chins and knockout power. Randy, on the other hand, would challenge Silva in close and is known for brilliant strategizing.

If the UFC had big brass balls, though, they’d put Silva in with Lesnar and set up a clash of titans. I’d give Silva even odds against the inexperienced Lesnar - at least.

Ok, let’s move on to the results from UFC 101:

BJ Penn def. Kenny Florian (sub 4) – I thought Florian might pull off the upset, but I didn’t count on a stupid strategy of single-leg takedown attempts and cage hugging. This was clearly not working. I don’t know if Florian was trying to take a page out of training partner GSP’s book, but let’s just say he’s no GSP. Florian had to take Penn down or, failing that, stick to leg kicks all night long and wear down the champ until he could pounce into a ground and pound game. Instead, Florian got outboxed by Penn and hugged his leg while Penn punished him. Seriously. WTF? (picked wrong 0-1)

Silva def. Griffin (TKO 1) – See above. Not even close. This was a non-fight from the start. Had Griffin won it would have been the biggest upset in UFC history. (picked “wrong” 0-2)

Johny Hendricks def. Amir Sadollah (TKO 1) – Despite what some may think, this was a good stoppage. Sadollah was out of it, defenceless (he was on all fours and not looking at his opponent) and at risk of injury. Hendricks looked pretty good in this brief bout. I’m looking forward to his next fight. (picked right 1-2)

Ricardo Almeida def. Kendall Grove (Unan Dec) – Grove was never really in this, except for an arm bar that was set up when he illegally grabbed the cage for leverage (which the ref either missed or dismissed). It drives me nuts when refs don’t call cage grabbing when it leads to a submission opportunity. I’ve seen it a number of times. Anyhow, Almeida didn’t look great, but we ought to see more of him after this. Grove, well, I think he’s out of his league in the UFC, but I’m sure they’ll keep him around due to his name recognition. (picked right 2-2)

Kurt Pellegrino def. Josh Neer (Unan Dec) – I missed most of this fight, but hear it was pretty dull. Looked like a lot of laying and praying in the third. (picked wrong 2-3)

UNDERCARD

Aaron Riley def. Shane Nelson (Unan Dec) – This was the famous rematch. Neither fighter was very impressive, but Riley got the nod, justifiably. (picked wrong 2-4)

John Howard def. Tamdan McCrory (Split Dec) – Wish I’d seen this. Sounds like it was a decent fight, but Howard wore McCrory down late. (picked wrong 2-5)

Alessio Sakara def. Thales Leites (Split Dec) – If reports are true, both of these guys should be kicked out of the UFC as I suggested. I hear it was a crazy boring fight and the fans booed. Thales Leites is coming off a title shot, for Pete’s sake, which goes to show how thin the middleweight division is. (picked wrong 2-6)

Matthew Riddle def. Dan Cramer (Unan Dec) – Would have liked to have seen this, too. (picked right 3-6)

George Sotiropoulos def. George Roop (Sub 2) – George looked good, but should have finished sooner. He had boatloads of opportunities and completely outclassed Roop on the ground. Looking forward to seeing more of him. (picked right 4-6)

Jesse Lennox def. Danillo Villefort (TKO 3) – I picked this blind, so can’t take too much credit. (picked right 5-6)

Ok, so the divining rod let me down, but considering I didn’t really pick Forrest to win, it was more like 6-5 than 5-6. I’ll try to do better next time.

Shogun Rua deserves title shot? Really?!

So Rashad Evans and Rampage Jackson will be the coaches for season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter.

Sounds good.

I’m not sure Evans is “coach” material (Matt Hughes must be shaking his head), but here’s an opportunity for him to rise to the occasion, like Forrest Griffin did, and establish himself as an elder statesman of the sport.

Rampage has been here before, of course.

The surprising part of this announcement is that Rampage begged off a fight with new champ Lyoto Machida in order to take the (not-so?) TUF gig. Rampage could have taken a shot at regaining the belt he (deservedly) lost to Griffin, but, no, he wants Evans.

This isn’t a total shock as Rampage has little to offer beyond what Evans might have and we all know how Evans did against Machida. This is, as I believe Rampage himself said, an opportunity for Rampage to step back, take some time, and improve his game.

But what of Machida? Who will be his first challenger to the 205 title?

Apparently, it’ll be Mauricio Shogun Rua.

WTF?!?!

Let me get this straight: Rua comes to the UFC after being somewhat of a stud in the defunct Pride organization, promptly gets schooled by Griffin – who submits him no less – wins a lacklustre fight against a positively geriatric Mark Coleman, and knocks out Chuck Liddell (1-3 in his last four) who is an opponent so formidable that Dana White immediately retires him after the fight and THAT gets Rua a title shot?!

Huh?!

You all know I’m a Griffin mark, but, come on; doesn’t he deserve a title shot more than Rua? Griffin beat Rua, beat Jackson and lost to Evans. If Jackson was deserving of a title rematch, why not Griffin? How does Rua leapfrog him, especially considering his boring performances?

There seems to be this UFC tradition, though, that ex-champs have to win a fight before returning to the top of the mountain, and I guess that hasn’t happened yet.

It seems plain to me that the most deserving challenger is the winner of the upcoming Griffin-Silva fight (UFC 101). Since Evans-Jackson won’t happen until late this year, maybe there’ll be time for a Lyoto-Griffin/Silva fight before the TUF coach winner takes on Machida (spring-ish 2010).

Rua? Can you picture him as champ after his 3 UFC performances?

Come on.

Kimbo Slice the "Ultimate Fighter"?

Will Kimbo slice through the competition?

Seeing him in the same room as Dana White ought to be interesting.

Seeing him train ought to be interesting.

Seeing who picks him when ought to be interesting.

Seeing whether or not he improves ought to be interesting.

Seeing whether or not he gets to fight in the UFC regardless of his performance ought to be interesting.

It seems the UFC is doing all it can to promote Kimbo. Making it only a heavyweights’ show is one thing. Putting them in the house automatically is another indication (having him lose in an elimination match in the first episode would have sucked – IF you want him to do well…).

One way or the other, we’ll probably see Kimbo fight in the finale. After that, who knows?

Will one of the coaches pick him up as a training partner/protégé?

UFC 98 Results

Lyoto Machida def. Rashad Evans (TKO 2) – I was a little surprised at Lyoto’s power. I thought this might be another boring ground fight if Evans ever took him down, but the fight never got that far. Since both were counter-strikers, the fight got off to a ridiculously slow start. The second round saw more action, and Evans went down in ugly fashion, looking like he was out of it three shots before he finally hit the canvas. The new champ seems like a decent guy and I hope he defends for a while to return some lustre to the hot potato belt.

Matt Hughes def. Matt Serra (unanimous decision) – This one went just as I predicted. Aside from the brief fireworks at the beginning where Serra clubbed Hughes and almost pulled out a victory, this one was boring as hell. Hughes predictably lay on top of Serra for most of the fight, earning the UFC-style decision. The UFC really has to do something about their judging system, as Serra was by far the more dangerous fighter. Who wants to see Hughes’ boring brand of fighting? Wrestlers are given far too much credit in the current system.

Drew McFedries def. Xavier Foupa-Pokam (KO 1) – This one promised to be a short one and it delivered. McFedries knocked F-P into next week in a mere 37 seconds. Good thing, too, since McFedries is useless beyond his initial barrage.

Chael Sonnen def. Dan Miller (unanimous decision) – Pretty dull fight. Sonnen hasn’t been very impressive since his arrival from WEC where he was the middleweight champ.

Frank Edgar def. Sean Sherk (unanimous decision) – Not a terribly exciting fight. Sherk has become a pretty one-dimensional fighter and NOT as a wrestler. He has somehow convinced himself that striking is the way to go. I think it’s the way for the former champ to go out of the UFC. His striking pretty much blows, especially against guys with a reach advantage. Why Sherk doesn’t take advantage of the pro-wrestler UFC is beyond me. Does he forget how he beat Florian?

Brock Larson def. Mike Pyle (sub 1) – Pyle looked pretty good with his multiple jiu-jitsu submission attempts, but Larson survived and managed to get top position long enough to secure an arm triangle choke. I hope we get to see Pyle again, just to give him a fair shake – maybe against the likes of Joe Lauzon.

Tim Hague def. Pat Barry (sub 1) – The Canadian boy looked like he might get knocked out early, but survived and delivered some thunderous shots of his own before slapping on a serious guillotine (he’s 265lbs!!). Reminded me of Gabriel Gonzaga a little.

Kyle Bradley def. Phillipe Nover (TKO 1) – This was a dark match we didn’t get to see. Seems Nover got schooled.

Krzysztof Soszynski def.. Andre Gusmao (TKO 1) – Soszynski looked pretty good, taking some shots and delivering more in return. He keeps his head up when striking which tends to make him more accurate than his opponent and shows great confidence. He’s on a roll and I’m sure we’ll be seeing lots more of him. Let’s see how quickly the UFC tries to move him up the ladder.

Yoshiyuki Yoshida def. Brandon Wolff (sub 1) – another dark match we didn’t see.

George Roop def. Dave Kaplan (split decision) – Another untelevised dark match. Kaplan has been less than impressive in the UFC. Considering this guy looked awful on the Ultimate Fighter show, I’m not sure why he’s seeing so much action in the big show.

Overall, only an ok show. I had expected some long, dull, wrestling dominated fights, so it wasn’t a big surprise. UFC 99 (June 13) ought to be more exciting with lots of big bangers on the card.

UFC 101: Silva vs Griffin

The UFC has announced that Anderson Silva will once again move up to the 205-pound division to test himself against the bigger boys. This time, his opponent will be none other than Forrest Griffin.

This blows.

See, I quite like Forrest. I think he’s a hard worker, a strong talent and a funny, personable guy. He’s gonna get his ass kicked. See, Forrest’s style is somewhat like Rich Franklin’s (mostly a stand up striker). And we all know how well that worked for him in his two fights with Silva. And we’ve seen how Forrest can sometimes get knocked silly by one good punch. He could try to take Silva down, but then he’s playing the jiu-jitsu game against a Brazilian. That’s like playing against a Sicilian when death is on the line. (ok, maybe that analogy doesn’t work)

Forrest’s only hope is to out-point Silva, which could happen I suppose, but I’m not sure I’d wanna stand and trade with Silva.

Who knows? Maybe Forrest will be too big and strong for Silva to bully with his Muay Thai clinch. But what does this fight prove? I mean, wouldn’t it be more interesting to have Silva take on the 205 champ? If Silva wins, does he get Evans/Machida next? If Forrest wins…so what? Is it a big deal for Forrest to beat the god of the middleweight division? Does it move Forrest closer to a rematch for his lost belt? I would hope so, but I’m not convinced. If he loses, where does that leave him? And who here really thinks Anderson Silva is second banana to Rashad Evans? I say let Anderson take on the champ, vacate his 185 belt (when he wins) and make the middleweight division competitive again.

Man, I hope Griffin wins....