#DORK 33: Royal Rumble Preview

Wrestlemania 31 Odds

(Odds courtesy of Bovada.)

WWE World Heavyweight Title Match

Brock Lesnar (champ, +130)

Roman Reigns (-170)

**That was pre Lesnar announcement that he wasn't going to the UFC.**

Updated Odds for Title Fight

Brock Lesnar (champ, -130)

Roman Reigns (-110)

Singles Match

The Undertaker (-350)

Bray Wyatt (+225)

Singles Match

Sting (-700)

Triple H (+400)

Singles Match

Seth Rollins (-135)

Randy Orton (-105)

United States Title Match

Rusev (champ, +275)

John Cena (-450)

Intercontinental Title Ladder Match

Daniel Bryan (3/2)

Dean Ambrose (9/4)

Dolph Ziggler (8/1)

Bad News Barrett (champ, 9/1)

Luke Harper (20/1)

Stardust (25/1)

R-Truth (35/1)

Divas Tag Team Match

A.J. Lee & Paige (-350)

The Bella Twins (+225)

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Damien Mizdow (5/4)

Sheamus (7/4)

Ryback (6/1)

Mark Henry (8/1)

Big Show (12/1)

Curtis Axel (18/1)

Kane (18/1)

The Miz (18/1)

Titus O'Neil (25/1)

Fandango (25/1)

Goldust (40/1)

Heath Slater (40/1)

Jack Swagger (40/1)

Sin Cara (40/1)

Zack Ryder (50/1)

Adam Rose (50/1)

Darren Young (50/1)

Konnor (50/1)

Fatal 4-Way Match

Tyson Kidd & Cesaro (7/4)

The New Day (11/4)

Los Matadores (5/1)

The Usos (6/1)

And be sure to listen to the Keefer Madness: Wrestlemania 31 Preview tonight at 9:55 on 98.5 The Sports Hub. 

***CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE MADNESS

WWE Night of Champions Picks

Brock Lesnar over John Cena for WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Cesaro over Sheamus for United StatesChampionship
A.J. Lee over Paige and Nikki Bella for Diva's Championship
Dolph Ziggler over The Miz for Intercontinental Championship
The Usos over Goldust & Stardust for Tag Team Championship
Randy Orton over Chris Jericho
Mark Henry over Rusev
Roman Reigns over Seth Rollins

Look for potential run-ins:
Bray Wyatt during Ziggler-Miz
Harper & Rowan during Tag Titles Match
Dean Ambrose during Reigns-Rollins

21-1

I can't believe it.  

Undertaker lost.

Now what?

Wrestlemania XXX Preview

This Sunday it's Wrestlemania XXX from the Superdome in New Orleans.  It'll be a massive 4 hour extravaganza (7-11pm).  Lots of matches scheduled, Hulk Hogan is your host (whatever that does), and as I am for every Mania, I'm optimistic.

What I'm Looking Forward To:

1. Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H

These two have been going back and forth forever.  It's been a long build if you will.  Should be the opening match and should be sick.  The winner will be involved later in the night against champ Randy Orton and Batista in a 3-way for the WWE Heavyweight Championship.  (This thing could turn into a Fatal-4-Way, HHH has that kind of control.)  But everything involving Bryan has been terrific, so I expect the same with these two matches.

Prediction: Daniel Bryan wins.  The YES! fans will be in full force and finally get the show ending and result they've been waiting for.  
(However I am tempted to bet (yes you can bet) on Triple H, Orton, and Batista, they are all huge under dogs and it would be a nice payout... thinking about it.)

2. Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena

Wyatt is my favorite wrestler going right now and he has a real chance to be my favorite all-time.  His promos are off the charts and now that CM Punk is out of the picture, Bray is far and away the best on the microphone.  Despite popular opinion Cena puts on some solid matches.  I'm not expecting this to be Wyatt-Bryan from the Royal Rumble, but this has the makings for Match of the Night.

Prediction: Bray Wyatt... he may get some help from Erick Rowan and Luke Harper... and perhaps a mystery partner/ new addition to the family??? (I have no clue on this, just a guess.)

3. Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar

I mean, it's the Undertaker at Wrestlemania, you're going to watch.  I'm not as in to this one as the recent Taker-Punk, Taker-HHH, Taker-Michaels, but we'll see.  And are we going to get Sting, showing up on Sunday or more likely on Monday?  That I could get excited about.

Prediction: 22-0

CM Punk Does NOT Return At Monday Night Raw In Chicago

The show opened on Monday with CM Punk's music, but it was his former manager Paul Heyman who made his way out to the ring in front of Punk's hometown.  Well played WWE.   Heyman did his thing.  He mentioned CM Punk, the first time the name has been uttered on a WWE broadcast since he left the company.  Heyman said Punk was NOT in the building.  He blamed the fans for why Punk wasn't there and referenced his loss last Wrestlemania to the Undertaker, which allowed him to introduce his current guy Brock Lesnar.

Solid start to the show.  I was still thinking Punk would arrive and blow the roof off the place.

First match was for the Tag belts where The Usos beat The New Age Outlaws to become the NEEWWWW WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!   Good for them.

Big E and Cesaro have a match.  Fine.

The Wyatts vs. The Shield is next.  Once again it's terrific.  Without these two factions, I'd be out on the WWE right now.  Bray Wyatt is the best on the mic (since Punk is gone, remember) and Dean Ambrose isn't bad himself.  All 6 can wrestle and put on great matches.  Crowd chanted "This Is Awesome" a few times for this one, even before it started.

First hour of the show was great.  No CM Punk, but his name was mentioned and the crowd chanted it a few times.

Then a bunch of crap matches follow including Sheamus vs. Christian.  No thanks.

Jesse (Aaron Paul) from Breaking Bad comes out with Dolph Ziggler for his match with Alberto Del Rio.   Gotta promote that movie.

John Cena comes out, says he won't be wrestling and then talks about the Wyatts.   Least the WWE realizes Bray Wyatt is legit, as he is in TWO rivalries/ storylines right now.

Main Event time:  Batista vs. Daniel Bryan.  And of course Randy Orton is out too.  He's the champ.

Looks like Bryan will win and then shockingly Orton comes in and it's a DQ.  Next thing you know Triple H, Stephanie, and Kane are all in the ring beating up Bryan.  This would be a pretty good time for CM Punk's music to hit again... but it does not.  The WWE knew it was the perfect time and once again ended the night with Triple H and Steph reigning victorious.  Weak sauce.

Remember when the WCW had too many of their wrestlers (Hogan, Nash, NWO, etc.) in charge of creative and the whole operation went in the trash?  Well Triple H is doing a hell of a job trying to recreate that mess.

Daniel Bryan not being good enough is getting tired.

Triple H and Steph as the lead villains is getting tired.

Randy Orton sucks.

Batista sucks.

Sheamus sucks.

I'll probably still watch through Wrestlemania, but they are making it tough.  If I had the feeling that they were setting us up for something awesome it would be one thing, but the storytelling/ writing is so bad there is almost no hope.   Do they write this stuff day of?  How much of a long-scope do they have?   Remember when Kane was kidnapped by the Wyatt Family?  What about Daniel Bryan?  Do they remember?

I'll end with a quick Pros vs. Cons list of the current state of the WWE.

PRO:
Daniel Bryan
The Wyatt Family
The Shield
CM Punk
Paul Heyman

CON:
Randy Orton
Batista
Triple H/ Steph as the main heels
Writing
Sheamus
Christian
Kane
Lack of CM Punk
IC Belt
Divas Division

And John Cena probably lies somewhere in the middle.

Brock Lesnar Returns to WWE

This is old news, but in case you missed it Brock Lesnar made his return to the WWE this past Monday on Raw. The rumors had been swirling for sometime that the former WWE Champ & UFC Heavyweight Champ (still ranked in our Top 5 in the weight class... we should edit that.), would be coming back to wrasssling. But after Lesnar said he was retiring from MMA, it appears he wasn't kidding, like so many fighters and boxers and Brett Favre.

Brock returned to the WWE one day after Wresltemania 28. John Cena was closing out the show and wanted The Rock to come out to the ring so the two could shake hands. He did not get The Rock, he got this....

Pretty good stuff. But it still doesn't compare to this gem from 1999.

-Keefe

Dos Santos Wins Title: Full UFC on Fox Results

The UFC made its debut on national television last night with a one-bout Heavyweight Championship showcase. The telecast began at 9:00pm EST and after 30+ minutes of build up with stories about the two (challenger Junior Dos Santos and champion Cain Velasquez) as well as commentary from UFC president Dana White and former UFC champ Brock Lesnar, the fight finally got underway. And it didn't last long.

Perhaps a bittersweet moment for the UFC, its first fight on Fox, which had been built up for months on their network, particularly during NFL games on Sunday. The fight lasted just over 1 minute, with Dos Santos becoming the newest Heavyweight Champ.

For those that criticized the fact that only one fight was shown on Fox (the rest of the card was seen on facebook and or FUEL TV), Dana White has two words for you, "Shut up." The fact is the contract between the UFC and Fox does not kick off until 2012, so this was really just a taste. But will it leave casual fans wanting more?

Full results below.

MAIN CARD
Junior Dos Santos def. Cain Velasquez via knockout (punches) - Round 1, 1:04 - Heavyweight Championship Bout

UNDER CARD
Ben Henderson def. Clay Guida via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Dustin Poirier def. Pablo Garza via submission (D'arce choke) - Round 2, 1:32
Ricardo Lamas def. Cub Swanson via submission (arm-triangle choke) - Round 2, 2:16
DaMarques Johnson def. Clay Harvison via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 1:34
Darren Uyenoyama def. Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
Robert Peralta def. Mackens Semerzier via TKO (strikes) - Round 3, 1:54
Alex Caceres def. Cole Escovedo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Mike Pierce def. Paul Bradley via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
Aaron Rosa def. Matt Lucas via majority decision (28-28, 30-26, 30-26)

What's Next For the UFC Heavyweight Division?

Cain Velasquez sits atop the Heavyweight Division in the UFC following his impressive victory over former champion Brock Lesnar. Cain will defend his newly won title vs. the #1 contender Junior Dos Santos. That is what we know. But what about the rest of the top-tier heavyweights including former champions and interim champs. It's as head scratching as a recent M. Knight Shyamalan movie.

Brock Lesnar, Shane Carwin, Frank Mir, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Roy Nelson are all Top 10 Heavyweights in the world of mixed martial arts, and after the recent news that Carwin is injured and had to pull out of his fight with Nelson at UFC 125, all five of these fighters are looking for opponents. Here's a fighter-by-fighter analysis of what could be next. At the end, I will tell you how I would map out the heavyweights.

Brock Lesnar:
Lost UFC title, after 2 defenses, at UFC 121 last weekend to Cain Velasquez. Lesnar suffered a serious cut to the face, just a nasty cut, and could be out at least 6 months to recover. What do you do with Lesnar? Is he 1 fight away from getting another title shot? Some of the options for Lesnar include a trilogy bout with Frank Mir or depending on how serious his injuries are, wait for the loser of Velasquez/Dos Santos. It's difficult to project as Lesnar could be out until at least April.

Shane Carwin:
Carwin was set to be in the co-main event at UFC 125 vs. Roy Nelson. He was forced out of the fight due to injury. Carwin said that an MRI revealed a serious injury, if surgery is NOT needed he is out 8-12 weeks, but if it is required he would be out even longer. Bad news for a guy who just fought for the title and actually won the 1st round against Lesnar. A win over Nelson would have vaulted him back up into contention, but now he must wait.

Frank Mir:
Mir was scheduled to face Big Nog at UFC 119, but an injury to Nogueira allowed Mirko Cro Cop to fill in and get his name in lights. (UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop). It wasn't the most entertaining fight, at all, but Mir came out on top. Mir seems to have a number of options here. The aforementioned trilogy fight with Lesnar, a re-match with Carwin, the originally scheduled re-match with Big Nog, and even Brendan Scaub (coming off a win over Gabe Gonzaga) has called out Mir.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira:
As stated above Big Nog was scratched from the UFC 119 bout with Mir due to injury. Nogueira has not seen a lot of action over the past couple of years, he is also 1-2 in his last 3 with losses to the current champ Velasquez and Mir. You have to wonder how much Nogueira has left in the tank. With his style he can be dangerous for any opponent, but he has taken so much damage in his career.

Roy Nelson:
Nelson, the only guy on this list who seems to be ready to go in the next couple of months. After losing to Dos Santos in a #1 contender bout, he immediately got another chance to prove himself when Joe Silva scheduled him to face Shane Carwin. But now Nelson must wait for a replacement.

If I were in charge of the booking for the UFC, this is how I would schedule the top heavyweights. (Dates of fights all TBD based on length of injuries)

Champ Cain Velasquez vs. Challenger Junior Dos Santos. That was easy.

Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir, do the trilogy now. With injuries you never know when you'll get a chance to do it, and it wouldn't be exciting if it was 5 years from now a la Liddell vs. Ortiz.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Brendan Schaub. Schaub wanted Mir, but he should get the guy scheduled to face the former champ at UFC 119. Schaub passed his test with a win over Gonzaga, this would be even more impressive and put him squarely in the division's Top 10.

Roy Nelson vs. Ben Rothwell. It might look like something you would see at the Double Duce, but these guys are legit. Rothwell last fought at UFC 115 and picked up a win over Gilbert Yvel, so he could be ready to step right in for Carwin at UFC 125.

Shane Carwin vs. Velasquez/Dos Santos Loser. Especially if Carwin is going to be sidelined for a long time, he can await the loser of the title fight. If Shane comes back much sooner give him someone like Kongo, Cro Cop, or Gonzaga.

What matches in the heavyweight division do you want to see? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.


-Keefe

Throwdown Podcast: UFC 116 Recap

Rich Keefe and Nick Cattles of BostonThrowdown.com discussed the exciting UFC 116 card that featured Brock Lesnar, what to expect from Anderson Silva, and the UFC coming to Boston in their latest podcast. Click on the link below to check it out.

Throwdown Podcast: UFC 116 Recap


Also, how lame is LeBron James?

UFC 116: Lesnar vs. Carwin Preview

The Heavyweight belt will be unified this Saturday night in the UFC as champion Brock Lesnar squares off with interim champ Shane Carwin. Yoshihiro Akiyama co-headlines the card in his 2nd UFC bout against Chris Leben, who steps up on short notice for the injured Wanderlei Silva.

We break down the main event event in a podcast on BostonThrowdown.com

Throwdown Podcast: UFC 116 Preview

-Keefe

Besse's UFC 111 Preview and Predictions

It's been a while since I posted a thorough preview and in-depth predictions for a UFC event. I don't know if any of you will even read it or take stock in what I say, but I don't care. It's my blog (half of it, anyway).

Tonight is a pretty major PPV event for Zuffa and UFC. First and foremost is the return of GSP since his five round molestation of Thiago Alves. You'll remember that GSP injured a muscle in the groin area in the third round, yet continued to abuse and dominate the ATT standout in every phase of the game, particularly taking him down repeatedly and walking out of the Octagon that night with the Welterweight title and Alves' soul and dignity in hand.

His challenger is Dan Hardy, an outspoken, entertaining brawler from the UK who brings heavy hands and excellent boxing technique, but a paltry resume that has many fighters and fans alike questioning the validity of his title shot. He's a huge underdog, but UFC had the right idea utilizing its "UFC Primetime" series, a blueprint of HBO's highly acclaimed "24/7" program to hype the fight. It's worked, as Hardy has displayed he is taking this seriously and has seized the opportunity to not only hype the fight appropriately and skillfully, but add his own twist that intrigued many a fan: training with the last man to beat GSP in Matt Serra, a disciple of Renzo Gracie, who by the way assisted GSP in his training.

In addition, we have a heavyweight attraction with two of the premiere big men in the world going at it. Due to Brock Lesnar's battle with diverticulitis, UFC made the Frank Mir-Shane Carwin co-main event a five round bout for the interim Heavyweight title. Since Mir's loss to Lesnar at UFC 100, he has put on well over 20 pounds of muscle and bulked up so that he has to cut weight to make the limit. He's done this in working with former World's Strongest Man competitor Mark Philippi at the Philippi Sports Institute. The Olympic style lifting has done wonders for me, he appeared bigger, stronger and faster in his quick dismantling of Cheick Kongo at UFC 107 back in December 2009. He beat Kongo to the punch, landing a crippling left hand that left Kongo dazed on the mat. Mir quickly pursued his down opponent, ripping off several strikes before locking in a brutal guillotine that eventually left Kongo limp and unconscious on the Octagon floor for several minutes. It was beautiful display of technique across many phases of mixed martial arts, a true sign that Mir is on the right track.

For Carwin, he returns after a one year layoff since Gabriel Gonzaga ran into his meat truck of a hand and got flatlined in the process. Carwin brings an interesting skillset with his massive size, decorated wrestling background and heavy, heavy hands. Mir has dubbed Carwin a better version of Lesnar, and while it may be too early to make that claim, tonight will be a great test and excellent barometer for the engineer from Colorado. He's 11-0 with 11 stoppages, all in the first round, all within the first three minutes of the fight. His wrestling, striking and crippling ground and pound speak for itself. And in his fight against Gonzaga, he showed his ability to absorb some heavy strikes, weather a storm, get up off his back against a high level grappler and finish a fight in an instant...all in the same fight. The test will be how he fares defensively both on his feet and on the ground against a guy like Mir, a two-time UFC champion with a more complete skillset striking and grappling.

The third attraction was supposed to be a rematch of Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves until a CAT scan revealed an irregularity in Alves' brain. Let's hope he's okay and it's not career ending. Ben Saunders has stepped up to replace Alves, and this will be an incredible opportunity for the young fighter who brings devastating knees and muay thai into the bout with the former Purdue wrestling standout.

A solid card top to bottom with two amazing fights at the top of the list. Now onto the predictions:

Georges St. Pierre v. Dan Hardy
UFC Welterweight Title Bout

Let's face it: St. Pierre may be the best fighter, pound for pound on the planet. His game has evolved to the point that he is fully competent and highly skilled in all phases. He brings a diverse striking skillset of punches and kicks that display his unbelievable athleticism. And if he gets uncomfortable on his feet against a dangerous striker? He can go to his wrestling, which may be as good as anyone's in mma. No one can stop his takedowns, and once he gets you down, even the best grapplers in the world are unable to neutralize his superb positioning, strength and conditioning to get back to their feet. He can submit from the top or finish you with strikes. And his penchant for dominating opponents over five full rounds means his cardio is top notch. The guy is a stud.

In Hardy, we have a man who is as dangerous a striker as you'll see in mma. His hands are fast, powerful and accurate, his boxing an aesthetically pleasing mix of technique and pure violence. If he puts his hands on you, it could mark the beginning of the end, if he hasn't already knocked you out cold (ask Rory Markham). But while he's displayed a competent ground game and takedown defense against the likes of Marcus Davis and Mike Swick, it doesn't simulate the high level wrestling that GSP is bringing to tonight's fight. And therein lies the rub. Hardy worked with the aforementioned Serra on his guard, positioning and overall grappling to prepare for GSP's ground attack. While Serra is the last man to beat GSP, he did it on his feet. And the last time Serra went to the ground with GSP, he was seen tapping out to the knees to the body. So I don't think that will have much of a difference in tonight's fight.

Prediction: Hardy may create some harrowing moments early in the fight. But this will resemble GSP's last several fights. Some diverse, technical boxing early on, working the jab and welcoming his opponent to get comfortable on his feet before dropping levels and securing a takedown, which is where it will stay until the end of the round. You can't tell me Hardy is any bigger or stronger than Alves, so I don't see him doing much better in terms of getting back to his feet. The only wildcard is Hardy has nothing to lose here, a potential upset hero looking to shock the world; it's the kind of fight you almost wish Gus Johnson was commentating for. But it won't happen. GSP is focused on establishing his legacy as the greatest welterweight ever, and he will continue that process with an absolute clinic tonight.

St. Pierre wins via (T)KO stoppage due to strikes in the 2nd round

Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin
Interim UFC Heavyweight Title Bout

This will be a tremendous test for both men, and the winner will be handsomely rewarded with the opportunity to unify the titles with Lesnar this summer. There will be a couple interesting dynamics to follow in this fight. First will be the striking aspect: how does Mir's fluid movement and diverse combinations work against Carwin's questionable defense and can Carwin land that big shot on the button and put Mir out cold? And on the ground: if Carwin lands in Mir's guard, can his power and ground and pound overshadow any improvements, if any, that Mir has made in defending from his back, or can Mir land a submission to end the fight?

Prediction: Both men will have their moments in this fight, and I don't think we'll question that either is still at the top of the heap when all is said and done. Mir has a more diverse artillery on his feet, and the strength and weight gain, without the expense of his speed and athleticism, have done wonders. Carwin brings serious power and wrestling to this fight, but I think Mir's technique and experience, as well as his motivation to fight Lesnar for a third time, will prevail. But I won't be upset if Carwin wins, he's a likeable guy that I'd enjoy watching fight Lesnar.

Mir wins via submission (d'Arce choke) in the 2nd round

Jon Fitch vs. Ben Saunders

A dangerous fight for both men. For Fitch, taking on an opponent like Saunders on short notice is brutal. He's hungry, has nothing to lose and will throw everything but the kitchen sink at him in an effort to win the fight. For Saunders, he takes on a guy who many feel is the #2 or #3 welterweight in the UFC right now. A man whose only loss in the organization was to the guy fighting in the main event tonight.

Prediction: Everyone knows where this fight is going...to the ground. Fitch will take Saunders down early and often to avoid any danger on his feet. He was training for Alves, another accomplished striker, but someone who inflicts damage with his hands and feet, not in the clinch with his knees. With that type of attack in question and unknown to Fitch, it's best to eliminate the grey area and get where he is comfortable and in control, in the guard effectively working his ground and pound. Saunders should be applauded for stepping in and taking this fight, but he won't be good enough to thwart Fitch's superior wrestling.

Fitch wins via unanimous decision

Kurt Pellegrino vs. Fabricio Camoes
Pellegrino via unanimous decision

Jim Miller vs. Mark Bocek
Miller via (T)KO stoppage in the 3rd round

Nate Diaz vs. Rory Markham
Diaz via submission (guillotine choke) in the 2nd round

Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Brown
Almeida via submission (kimura) in the 1st round

Rodney Wallace vs. Jared Hamman
Hamman via (T)KO due to strikes in the 2nd round

Rousimar Palhares vs. Tomasz Drwal
Drwal via KO (punch) in the 1st round

Matthew Riddle vs. Greg Soto
Soto via submission (rear naked choke) in the 2nd round

There you have it. I'll check back in tomorrow with the results and see how I did. Enjoy the fights.

-Bess

World's Strongest Man wins MMA debut

Well there wasn't much in terms of technique, but the power and brute force displayed by Mariusz Pudzianowski last night was stunning. I have no idea what kind of "prospect" he can be in the MMA game, and with his advanced age, you have to use the term prospect lightly. But look, there's no question you won't find a man stronger than him. Not Brock Lesnar, not Bobby Lashley, not anyone. At the same time, I'm not sure his opponent landed a single punch during the short fight, nor threw anything even remotely threatening. He essentially beat the crap out of a moving punching bag. So let's not start calling for Fedor, but you have to enjoy the beatdown. Look at those leg kicks!!!

-Bess

Fastest KO in MMA history

Step aside, Chris Clements. You now have company as owner, ahem, co-owner of the fastest recorded knockout in MMA history. Steve Ramirez (7-5) needed just 3 seconds to topple opponent Darven Wattree in his fight for "Pure Combat 9: Home Turf" this past weekend on July 25th. After refusing to touch gloves with Wattree and returning to his corner, Ramirez calmly came out, tossed a sweeping overhand right with ill intentions and found his mark. Wattree simultaneously dropped unconscious to the floor as well as to 2-3 in his pathetic fighting career. A loss like this to a guy of Ramirez's caliber does not bode well for future prospects, and while we hope Wattree is okay, we also hope he realizes he may need to look into another line of work.

Here's the clip:



And here's Clements' KO from "TKO 25":



I must say, Clements' KO is a little more entertaining for a few reasons. First, the footage is clearly better. No offense to the fan who captured Ramirez's KO, it's a job well done considering he's in the stands and using a home camera. But it doesn't get the up close shot we could've benefitted from. Secondly, what the hell was Lautaro Tucas doing? He sprinted at Clements with his hands by his side like a pansy, lept in the air with seemingly zero intention of doing anything, then wears a sledgehammer to his face and immediately has his lights turned off. Thricely, the finishing blows when he's clearly unconscious, thus bouncing his head up and down off the canvas, are a terrific watch.

Perhaps Tucas and Wattree should fight each other with the loser being forced into the retirement and the winner being forced into retirement anyway. Both of these guys suck. I actually just knocked out both of them as I posted this blog entry and I didn't even have to get up off the couch.

The one thing that bothers me about the Ramirez KO is that he refused to touch gloves with Wattree. What a bag of douche. As if it's that hard. I know Ramirez touched gloves with him when they first got to the center of the cage, but who does that anyway? You typically do it after the referee instructs you to do so, so figure it out. You've had 12 fights now, make an adjustment. You're not Brock Lesnar and you're not in UFC. You're fighting for Pure Combat 9, which nobody really cares about. So stop being a loser and just touch the guys gloves when you're supposed to instead of showing him up when he made the gesture after receiving your instructions.

But anyway, which of these record breaking KO's is your favorite? Sound off...

-Bess

UFC 100 Results

Undercard:

Shannon Gugerty defeated Matt Grice via Submission(Guillotine Choke) at 2:26 in the 1stRound
Tom Lawlor defeated CB Dollaway via Submission(Guillotine Choke) at :55 in the 1stRound
Dong Hyun Kim defeated TJ Grant via Unanimous Decision (30-26, All Three judges)
Jon Jones defeated Jake O’Brien via Submission(Guillotine Choke) at 2:43 in the 2ndRound
Jim Miller defeated Mac Danzig via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Mark Coleman defeated Stephan Bonnar via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Main Card:

Yoshihiro Akiyama defeated Alan Belcher via Split Decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28) in UFC debut
Dan Henderson defeated Michael Bisping via Knockout at 3:20 in the 2ndRound, one of the best knockouts I have ever seen.
Georges St-Pierre defeated Thiago Alves via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-44, 50-45) to remain UFC Welterweight Champion
Brock Lesnar defeated Frank Mir via TKO(Strikes) at 1:58 in the 2ndRound to remain UFC Heavyweight Champion
Jon Fitch defeated Paulo Thiago via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) in a live bout that followed the main event.

-Keefe

Besse's UFC 100 picks

Well, folks, UFC 100 is finally upon us. Just over 12 hours from now Mike Goldberg will open the show and then we'll here his patented line, "and I'm joined as always by my partner Joe Rogan." We're being treated to an absolutely stacked card, and we can only hope that some of these fights on the main card will end early so we can get a look at some of the preliminary fights. I'm not going to give a thorough, fully detailed breakdown of each fight, but I'll pick my winners below and offer a brief synopsis of my thought process on why I'm making that pick. Without further ado, let's get to it:

Brock Lesnar v. Frank Mir - UFC Heavyweight Championship

My pick: Frank Mir by 3rd round submission
If you watched the weigh-in yesterday, Mir looks to be in fantastic shape, the best of this point in his career. Since his most recent comeback, he's a more cerebral, calculated and dedicated fighter than he's ever been, and tonight will be his moment in the spotlight. Utilizing his improved footwork, I look for Mir to pick his spots on his feet and wear down and frustrate Lesnar. By the third round, Lesnar's gas tank will begin to depleet and Mir will take full advantage, pulling guard and submitting Brock to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.

Georges St. Pierre v. Thiago Alves - UFC Welterweight Championship

My pick: St. Pierre by 4th round (T)KO

Alves will give St. Pierre all he can handle early on, but it just simply won't be enough. St. Pierre is the champion for a reason, and he'll do all he can to avoid getting chopped down by the vicious leg kicks of Alves. It will be close after two rounds, but St. Pierre's impressive cardio will come into play, and he'll start to mount a charge in the third round. There, I look for him to press Alves against the cage, wear down his opponent, and set up a fantastic finish in the fourth. He'll score a takedown and work his way to a convincing ground and pound victory, leaving us all wondering if his next move is to middleweight to take on Anderson Silva in a superfight.

Dan Henderson v. Michael Bisping

My pick: Henderson by decision

Bisping is a talented middleweight and will one day challenge for the title. Heck, he may even win it. But it won't happen going through Henderson, not at this point in his career. Hendo knows what he has to do to get another shot at Silva, and he knows what he'll have to do to beat Silva, as well. Throw a few bombs and set up a take down, and stick to his bread and butter ground and pound. That's what he'll do tonight. Bisping may be the quicker, more technical striker, but he reminds me a lot of Joe Calzaghe. Not to compare the two by any means, but within the context of MMA and UFC, that's what I see: a guy with fast hands whose damage comes merely by accumulation of punches, not power. He won't hurt Henderson, but Henderson will hurt him. A few bombs will put Bisping on shaky legs, and Henderson will start landing some takedowns. He'll grind his way to a decision win.

Jon Fitch v. Paulo Thiago

My pick: Fitch by 2nd round (T)KO

Thiago scored a flash knockout over Josh Koscheck and had been getting dominated prior to it. Perhaps it was Koschecks fault for trying to replicate his hellacious KO victory over Yoshiyuki Yoshida last December. Nonetheless, let's not crown Thiago just yet. Fitch is at the top of the sport in his division and he won't make the same mistake as his training partner at AKA. He'll wear down Thiago in the first and pound his way to victory in the second. Overall, a dominant showing by the former title challenger and a fall back to Earth for the promising prospect, who may be in over his head on this one...in fact, I thought he was against Koscheck, but that's what happens with 4oz. gloves. Anything can happen.

Yoshihiro Akiyama v. Alan Belcher

My pick: Akiyama by 1st round submission

Sure, Belcher spoiled the debut of middleweight superstar Denis Kang. But it was a guillotine chock off a takedown attempt. That happens and doesn't necessarily speak to a phenomenal jiu-jitsu game or a dominant performance. I look at it as a guy taking advantage of another man's mistake. Akiyama won't do the same thing. This guy is the real deal, and he should steamroll right through Belcher with a first round submission. Look for Akiyama to be clamoring for a title shot in early to mid 2010.

Preliminary Bouts:

Mark Coleman (15-9) vs. Stephan Bonnar (13-5)
Bonnar by 3rd round (T)KO
You have to respect everything Coleman has done for the sport and the fact that he's still competing at his age. But the guy has never adjusted to the fact that his gas tank is the size of a walnut. Plus there are rumors circulating that the former heavyweight had a lot of trouble with this cut. This fight should get Bonnar back on track, as he'll avoid an early flurry from Coleman and take it to deeper waters. Watch Coleman's tank run on "E" in the latter half of the fight as Bonnar begins to pick him apart and finish him on their feet.

Mac Danzig (21-6-1) vs. Jim Miller (13-2)
Danzig by 2nd round (T)KO
Everyone is picking Danzig to lose to Miller; everyone is also extremely high on Miller. So am I. But I'm going with a minor upset here. Danzig is a talented fighter, but he needs a win here to stay in the UFC. Miller has a promising, long career ahead of him within this organization. Danzig is motivated, and has the skillset to compete with a lot of talented lightweights. He'll utilize his wrestling and avoid a slew of submission attempts from Miller before working to side control and eventually the mount. GnP win for Mac.

Jon Jones (8-0) vs. Jake O'Brien (11-2)
Jones by spectacular death
Watch Jones masterfully pick apart O'Brien before turning the lights off with an early KO in the second round. It will be a contender for KO of the Night.

Dong-Hyun Kim (11-0-1) vs. T.J. Grant (14-2)
Grant by 2nd round submission
That blemish on Kim's record is a NC against Karo Parysian, a fight which he lost but had overturned after Parysian tested positive for god knows what. Certainly wasn't steroids, look at the guy. Grant is a submission guy, and a talented one at that. He'll work the fight to the ground and eventually lock one in.

C.B. Dollaway (11-2) vs. Tom Lawlor (6-2)
Dollaway by 1st round steamroll submission
Jesus, I'd stand a better chance against Dollaway. Good for Lawlor dropping weight, and he's a great personality and entertaining guy. But this is a showcase fight for Dollaway before they have him take the leap to the next tier of talented fighters in the middleweight division. Lawlor won't stop anything in this fight, most certainly not a takedown and submission quickly in the first.

Matt Grice (9-2) vs. Shannon Gugerty (11-3)
Gugerty by 3rd round submission
This could be your Fight of the Night. Grice can bang, and he got caught in his last fight against Veach and had trouble recovering. But up until that point, he'd been outclassing Veach on his feet. The decision was a disputable one, and you know he'll bring it tonight. But Gugerty has excellent submissions, and I trust has learned a lot from his submission loss to perennial contender Spencer Fisher at UFC 90. These guys will go to war for 2.5 rounds before Gugerty lands on the mat with Matt (like that?) and locks in a fight ending submission.

So there you have it. An excellent card throughout, hopefully we'll get to see some of these preliminaries.

Also, you'll notice on the sidebar that we've posted a link to my Twitter page. My Twitter name is @tbesse29. Keefe may be joining soon, as well, but for now, I'd love to have anyone and everyone following me on Twitter. Tonight I'll be tweeting during the fights, posting results, thoughts on the action and possibly even scoring rounds as they happen. Feel free to check it out, follow me and enjoy the action from your phone, especially if you can't watch the fights anywhere tonight but want updates. And I welcome any and all comments and thoughts on the action as we follow it tonight. Enjoy.

-Bess

UFC 100 This Saturday!

UFC 100 is just a couple of days away. It's a great card, as it really should be, highlighted by two title fights. The main card features the UFC debut of Yoshirio Akiyama in a middleweight bout against Alan Belcher. Belcher spoiled Denis Kang's much anticipated octagon debut, but I don't think he'll do it again. Akiyama is a showman as well as a Top 10 middleweight.

The conclusion of The Ultimate Fighter 9 was last month, but now the season's coaches square off on Saturday as Dan Henderson finally meets Michael Bisping. A title shot with Anderson Silva is on the line here, and I predict we're a few months away from Silva vs. Hendo II.

Jon Fitch returns to main card action after being in a title fight with GSP not to long ago. Fitch battles the unbeaten Paulo Thiago who upset Fitch's teammate Josh Koscheck with a surprise KO. Fitch wins this fight, and may likely get another crack at St. Pierre.

Georges St. Pierre puts his 170 pound crown on the line against the big (too big in fact in his fight against Matt Hughes where he was overweight) Thiago Alves. It's being billed as the toughest challenge in either fighters career. I don't buy it. Alves is good, but check out GSP's resume. I like St. Pierre to win and remain in the conversation of who is the best pound for pound fighter. Both guys have knockout power, but I see GSP winning a 5 round decision.

Mir vs. Lesnar II caps off an exciting night of fights. Lesnar was dominating the first fight before hitting Mir in the back of the head and thus being pulled off the former champ. Mir caught Brock in a knee lock and it was all over. If you saw their faces following the fight you would say there is no way Mir won, but that's the beauty of MMA. I'm torn on this one, and since I'm cheering for Mir I'm going to pick him. If Lesnar wins it sets up a trilogy which we've seen with Liddell/ Couture, and Tito/ Shamrock... could be something.

UFC Hall of Famer, ground and pound founder, and owner of ridiculous "old man strength" Mark Coleman battles Stephen Bonnar on the undercard, and the man to beat Bonnar in his last fight, Jon Jones is also in action.

I'm looking forward to Saturday... be sure to check it following the fights as I will post the full results from UFC 100.

-Keefe

And the best MMA heavyweight in the world is...

According to this video, Fedor still reigns supreme. This is absolute gold, whoever put this together. Check out the gut on Mir. As funny as it is though, you still have to wonder how someone has this much time on their hands...but bravo. And great ending.


Brock Lesnar VS Frank Mir at UFC 81 - Watch more Free Videos

-Bess

UFC 87 Results

Here are the results from Saturday night's UFC event, and you can see how the guys from the Brief did with their picks.

Ben Saunders def. Ryan Thomas via submission (arm-bar). Round 2, 2:28.

Chris Wilson def. Steve Bruno via unanimous decision.

Jon Jones def. Andre Gusmao via unanimous decision.

Cheick Kongo def. Dan Evensen via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 4:55.

Tamdan McCrory def. Luke Cummo via unanimous decision.

Demian Maia def. Jason MacDonald via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 3, 2:44.

Kenny Florian def. Roger Huerta via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

Rob Emerson def. Manny Gamburyan via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 0:12.

Brock Lesnar def. Heath Herring via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26).

Georges St. Pierre def. Jon Fitch via unanimous decision (50-43, 50-44, 50-44), to retain his Welterweight Championship.


The Sports Brief Picks

Besse: 8-2
Keefe: 6-4

The Sports Brief's UFC 87 Picks

The UFC has a slew of great fights coming up over the next several months, and this card is a great way to kick things off. Not only is GSP putting his welterweight crown on the line, but he'll have an opportunity to make his case for being the top pound-4-pound fighter in the world. Meanwhile, Brock Lesnar returns and looks to avoid a disastrous 0-2 start to his UFC career, one that he nor the company can afford. And to top it off, we get two of the top lightweight contenders in the UFC going toe-2-toe for their shot at UFC gold. With further ado, here are the picks, Keefe's first, then mine. We did them separately then put them together, so let us know what you think, who you agree with and who you like coming out on top on Saturday night.

Televised Bouts

Keefe’s Picks

Georges St. Pierre vs. Jon Fitch (Welterweight Championship Bout)

GSP and Fitch truly are the two best welterweights in the world. The 170 pound division is dominated by UFC fighters and this is the match up every fan wants to see. The only hick-up St. Pierre has faced was the stunning loss to Matt Serra. Since then he has defeated fellow Top 10 guys in Josh Koscheck, Matt Hughes (for the second time), and took care of business against Serra. Along with those names, how about B.J. Penn, Sean Sherk, Frank Trigg, Jason Miller, Jay Hieron, Karo Parisyan, and Pete Spratt being on GSP’s resume. Why not add Jon Fitch to that list?

I understand Fitch has rattled off 15 straight victories including a perfect 8-0 in the UFC with wins over Diego Sanchez, Thiago Alves, and Josh Burkman, but I’m still not convinced. Half of Fitch’s victories in the UFC have come via decision, and St. Pierre has never lost when it comes down to the judges. He usually doesn’t let it go that long. Fitch is a great wrestler. That’s a fact. But GSP out wrestled Fitch’s training partner and 4 time All-American wrestler Josh Koscheck. Maybe Fitch can submit GSP? He has finished 3 fights in the octagon by submission. Don’t count on it. Besides that armbar by Hughes in 2004, GSP won’t let that happen either. I truly believe the only way to defeat GSP now is a fluke knock out a la Serra. I think this is a solid fight for 2 and a half rounds but than St. Pierre, one of the best pound for pound fighters on the planet, ends it.

Georges St. Pierre def. Jon Fitch via (T)KO in the 3rd round

Roger Huerta vs. Kenny Florian

These two are not Top 10 lightweights in the world, but they are Top 5 in the UFC. The winner could find him self in line for a title shot down the road, the one problem being that the current champ B.J. Penn has his sights set a little higher, on a rematch with Georges St. Pierre. I think Penn will be watching this night of fights pretty closely. After a busy 2007, Huerta has not fought in 8 months. He can’t afford to have any ring rust against a guy like Ken-Flo. (I’m still upset I didn’t tell Florian he had a good flow when I took a leak next to him in a Somerville bathroom, damn.) Either way I like Florian to catch “El Matador” in one of the 5,000 submission holds he knows.

Kenny Florian def. Roger Huerta via submission in the 2nd round

Heath Herring vs. Brock Lesnar

Will big Brock Lesnar last more than 90 seconds this time around? For the paying fans I hope so, for Herring’s face, different story. Lesnar proved he’s an absolute monster who just has a lot to learn. Mir got a title shot out of defeating Brock, in his 1st UFC fight no less, you figure that out. Meanwhile Herring is coming off a victory over Kongo. Heath has yet to have a fight in the UFC not go the distance, but I think this will be different. Herring’s only chance here is to find a submission, where most of his Pride victories came from, and slap it on early a la Mir. Upset alert… if this is an upset.

Heath Herring def. Brock Lesnar via submission in the 1st round

Demian Maia vs. Jason McDonald

A pair of fighters here who find themselves on the outside looking in, on the true contenders list at 185. Both guys hold victories over Ed Herman, of course so does Besse and I. McDonald’s best win is over Leben, but anytime he’s gotten a shot a one of the elite, he has lost (Franklin and Okami.) This is a huge fight for Maia. Where does he stack up? He’s 7-0 in his career and 2-0 in the UFC. McDonald, owner of the worst nickname in sports “The Athlete” (aren’t they all athletes?), needs this win. In fact, I feel like it’s a great win for one fighter, but a bad loss at the same time, if that makes since. The loser here is a long way from a title shot, the winner may only need another fight or two, much like Patrick Cote who went on a nice run.

Demian Maia def. Jason McDonald via submission in the 3rd

Manny Gamburyan vs. Rob Emerson

Not sure why this is a televised main event bout, I’ll be honest. I can understand the die hard fans who say enough with the TUF crap being pushed down our throats. Yes there have been many great and entertaining fighters from the past shows like Forrest Griffin, Chris Leben, Diego Sanchez, etc., but there’s been many more who don’t belong on TV. I’m not saying Manny and Emerson are bad fighters. They could both be solid some day. If you watched Dream 5 last month you saw some incredible lightweights. This is an undercard fight. Manny’s had a nice run of quick finishes, and I think it continues.

Manny Gamburyan def. Rob Emerson via submission in the 1st

Undercard Bouts

Cheick Kongo def. Dan Evensen via decision

Ben Saunders def. Ryan Thomas via (T)KO in 1st

Luke Cummo def. Tamden McCrory via (T)KO in 2nd

Andre Gusmao def. Jon Jones via decision

Chris Wilson def. Steve Bruno via (T)KO in 3rd

Besse’s Picks

Televised Bouts

Georges St. Pierre vs. Jon Fitch (Welterweight Championship Bout)

Finally, GSP is clear of the whole Matt Hughes/Matt Serra shenanigans and can finally begin truly defending the welterweight crown. His first test since regaining that title is against a guy who is on quite a roll in Jon Fitch. Fitch has won 15 straight, but he looked a bit off target in his fight with Chris Wilson. Don’t get me wrong, Fitch clearly deserves this opportunity as he’s beaten some talented and fairly big name fighters along the way. He’ll be relying on the strength of his wrestling and jiu-jitsu in this fight, but he’s going to have his work cut out for him.

That’s because he’s taking on MMA phenom Georges St. Pierre, who is truly exemplary of the new generation of athletes in the sport. GSP is athletic and well-rounded, and you could argue that he is never at a disadvantage in any facet of the game against any fighter. Formally you would have pointed to his wrestling, but after his decisive win over Josh Koscheck, he put that to rest; he’s also training with the Canadian National team. His striking will be far superior to that of Fitch, and I expect GSP to come out and get comfortable on his feet. While I think he can hang with Fitch on the ground, he’ll want to score points standing and wear down the challenger, who will be going for five rounds for the first time in the UFC. In the end, GSP will simply be too much for the game, but outclassed Fitch.

GSP remains your Welterweight Champ via (T)KO in the 3rd round.

Roger Huerta vs. Kenny Florian

This is the fight that I’m most excited about on this card. Florian and Huerta are two of the top lightweights in the UFC and I think this could be an opportunity for one of these fighters to establish himself as a top 10 lightweight in the world. Dana White should be taken seriously when he says this has the potential to be a Fight of the Year candidate.

Huerta is returning to action for the first time since his win comeback win over Clay Guida last December. He posted an impressive 6-0 campaign in 2007, and while I argue that his opponents weren’t top caliber fighters, his aggressive, all-action style makes for great fights and his win over Guida showed he is dangerous at any point during a fight. While he should be compared to GSP in terms of talent level, he’s similar in that he’s an athletic, well rounded competitor. He’ll need to apply pressure for all 3 rounds and not allow Florian to gain control on the ground.

For Florian, his biggest challenge will be sticking to his gameplan. I’m confident that due to his experience at a championship level, he’ll be able to do this, but he needs to avoid getting into a fast paced, all-action brawl with Huerta. Florian’s striking is very good, don’t get me wrong, but Huerta is more athletic and rangier, so Florian will need to utilize angles and his Muay Thai clinch. If he control the action and eventually take Huerta down, I think he can work his way to the mount and go for the finish.

Kenny Florian wins via (T)KO in the 3rd round

Heath Herring vs. Brock Lesnar

I hate this fight because I’m actually a fan of both fighters. Herring HAS to be one of everyone’s favorite fighters simply because the guy will fight anyone, anytime, anywhere. That and his infamous YouTube clip in which he knocked the guy out for kissing him during the stare down. That scores points with me any day of the week.

Yet interestingly enough, you have to respect Brock Lesnar because he’s not taking any cupcakes for opponents. This guy has stated he wants to fight tough, credible opponents, and he got that in Frank Mir and he’s getting that again in Herring. I thought Lesnar was mighty impressive against Mir, inflicting serious damage and relentless attack before being caught in a submission. Meanwhile, Herring is coming off an impressive win over Cheick Kongo, a match that many thought would go the other way. But Herring has revamped his training and dedication to the sport, and he looked very tough, durable and much improved in grinding out the decision win.

There’s no question that the biggest hole in Lesnar’s game is his submission defense, and Herring has captured 16 of his 28 victories via just that. However, a lot of those have been submissions that come as a result of being on top of his opponents. I simply don’t see him finding a way to control Lesnar on top and work his way to a mount, taking the back, acquiring a choke, etc. While he may be able to roll Lesnar or work out of Lesnar’s guard, it’s my contention that Brock will simply be too big, too strong and too powerful. Herring will put in yet another gritty, impressive performance, but Saturday’s fight will show why he is the Chris Lytle, Chris Leben and Marcus Aurelio of the heavyweight division.

Brock Lesnar wins via (T)KO in the 2nd round

Demian Maia vs. Jason McDonald

Maia and McDonald could be a ton of fun to watch. Both are sick submission specialist, and I thank them both for their respective embarrassments of Ed “Short Fuse” Herman. Maia has come out of nowhere and is off to a modest 7-0 start to his career. McDonald, meanwhile, has shown flashes of brilliance at times, earning him fights with Yushin Okami and Rich Franklin. He fell flat on his face both times, however, and is slowly developing into a guy who will always fall just a bit short.

A lot of times when two guys with similar backgrounds go at it, the fight is won by utilizing other facets. It’s a matter of who is more comfortable in other areas and can keep it there. I don’t think that will be the case here. Maia seems to have jiu-jitsu skills that are unparalleled, and I think his will simply outclass McDonald’s in scoring a late submission win.

Plus his submission over Ed Herman was much cooler than McDonald’s. That and I also have trouble picking a guy with the nickname, “The Athlete.”

Demian Maia wins via 3rd round submission

Manny Gamburyan vs. Rob Emerson

Joe Silva is pitting a pair of TUF 5 alums against each other here. Interestingly enough, Emerson is an alum of something else, as well: The Lords of South County. Pretty hardcore, eh? Not if you watch the video in which he and his boys ambushed some poor guy at a gas station filling up his car. Pretty weak. I’m not a fan of Gamburyan, either, but I’ll take him over some spoiled, rich kid punk. Not only do I expect Manvil the Anvil to run right through Emerson, I’m hoping he gets hold a limb and goes Babalu on that ass.

Manny Gamburyan wins via 1st round submission

Undercard Bouts

Cheick Kongo def. Dan Evensen via decision

Ben Saunders def. Ryan Thomas via 1st round submission

Tamden Mcrory def. Luke Cummo via decision

Andre Gusmao def. Jon Jones via 1st round submission

Chris Wilson def. Steve Bruno via decision

-Besse and Keefe

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