Showing posts with label Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Show all posts
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
The UFC's Return To Boston Should Be Worth The Wait
The UFC is coming back to the Boston nearly 3 years to the day from when it made its debut in the city with UFC 118. The return show will also mark the first on the Fox Sports 1 channel. So it will be free for the world to see, and for the Boston area fans paying the money to go see it live at the TD Garden, it looks like it won't disappoint.
Here is what the UFC on Fox Sports 1 1: Shogun vs. Sonnen card looks like as of right now.
SATURDAY, AUGUST, 17.
MAIN CARD (Fox Sports 1,8 p.m. ET ):
Here is what the UFC on Fox Sports 1 1: Shogun vs. Sonnen card looks like as of right now.
SATURDAY, AUGUST, 17.
MAIN CARD (Fox Sports 1,
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua* vs. Chael Sonnen*
Alistair Overeem* vs. Travis
Browne
Urijah Faber* vs.Yuri
Alcantara
Thiago
Alves vs. Matt
Brown
Uriah
Hall vs. Nick
Ring
Michael
Johnson vs. Joe
Lauzon
PRELIMINARY CARD:
Michael
McDonald vs. Brad Pickett
Mike
Brown vs. Akira Corassani
Conor
McGregor vs. Andy
Ogle
Diego
Brandao vs. Daniel Pineda
Cody
Donovan vs. Ovince St. Preux
Ramsey
Nijem vs. James
Vick
*Top 10 Fighter in Division
Sign me up for this one.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
UFC 145 has arrived
I'm pretty pumped for tonight's UFC 145 event from Atlanta, GA. And my company, Swirl, was awesome enough to let a few of us MMA junkies at the office use the big screen in the creative lounge to watch the fights together tonight. Should be a great time. We're all bringing our favorite fast food meals to enjoy while we watch some of the best athletes on the planet go toe-to-toe. Oh, the irony.
Tonight's main event is going to have a tremendous ripple effect in the MMA community, regardless of the outcome. I was talking about this with a co-worker yesterday, and the point I made is that the UFC will be in a great place no matter which fighter wins the title bout. If Jones defends successfully, the UFC's decision to sponsor him and essentially put their eggs in the proverbial one basket will be paid off tremendously. Jones will have defeated his rival and biggest test to date, one that was looming in the background the past year since he won the title from Shogun back in March 2011. Evans has always been the guy people wanted to see Jones fight, and it'll finally happen. If he wins, there's Dan Henderson and perhaps Alexander Gustafson down the road, but I think discussions will start to turn to Jones moving up to the heavyweight. He's now walking around at 230 and filling out his frame as he matures. And with Lesnar gone from the heavyweight picture, Jones could fill the void as "the big draw" in that division. And do what Brandon Vera never even came close to doing, despite many, including himself, predicting he would: be the first man to hold both the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles at the same time.
On the flip side, if Evans wins, the light heavyweight division will get flipped upside down. Jones invincibility will be gone, the major deals potentially off the table for the time being, and a major rematch will loom. One that will be bigger than the Silva-Sonnen bout later this year. That would be HUGE money, and the UFC would not be in a bad place if that's the case.
The easy money is to bet on Jones tonight. He's a physical freak: the reach, the athleticism, the added strength, and the ability to soak up so much MMA knowledge in only a matter of 4-5 years. He's the best out there. But the smart money is on Evans. He's a 5 to 1 dog in Vegas, and quite frankly, I think that's a bit aggressive. Evans has shown the ability to finish fights on his feet and on the ground, something he was crucified for early in his career. Ever since the brutal Sean Salmon head kick KO, Evans has gone on to finish multiple opponents in exciting fashion: Liddell via one-punch KO, Griffin for the title via vicious ground-and-pound, and Tito Ortiz via knee to the body. And in other fights where he won via decision, he added excitement and overcame adversity in some cases. Against both Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson, he survived late scares, overcoming knockdowns to recover quickly and save the win. And against the latter, he put Jackson on his butt early in the fight, turning the tables on the once feared KO artist. His fight against Phil Davis was a tutorial, a glorified practice - or so it seemed. Davis, a highly touted prospect, had nothing for Evans. Literally. Evans is a stud, and he's got enough tools in his box to dethrone the champ.
The difference in the fight will be the jab and front kick of Jones. He'll need to use those at will to keep Evans at bay and avoid the challenger from closing the gap and dictating the pace and location of the fight. If he doesn't consistently jab and kick, Evans will work his way inside and either land a takedown or put fists to face. And either will be a problem for Jones. But for Evans, that's the rub. If he can't get in tight, he doesn't have a chance. No one in the UFC can win a fight from the outside against Jones simply b/c of his reach. Machida did it for a round, but Jones made the adjustment and was able to clip Machida several times in the 2nd round from the outside, the final one putting Machida on the mat, eventually leading to a nasty gash from a Jones elbow and ultimately ending with a standing guillotine.
I'm picking Jones to win, but if I decide to put money on the fight tonight, I'm taking Evans. The odds are too good not to. As for the action, I see Jones and Evans going toe-to-toe for a battle. It will be the defining fight for both fighters; Jones passes a grueling test against his biggest challenge yet, while Rashad shows the world that he really is one of the best EVER at light heavyweight. This won't be a 5-0 shutout. It'll be a 48-47 type of card, one that will earn a tremendous amount of respect for both fighters, and hopefully put an end to this ridiculous, bitter war of words between the two of them.
Main Event
Jon Jones defeats Rashad Evans via UD
Other Main Card fights
Rory MacDonald defeats Che Mills via 2nd round (T)KO
Ben Rothwell defeats Brendan Schaub via UD
Miguel Torres defeats Mike McDonald via 2nd round submission (rear-naked choke)
Mark Hominick defeats Eddie Yagan via 1st round KO (punch)
Tonight's main event is going to have a tremendous ripple effect in the MMA community, regardless of the outcome. I was talking about this with a co-worker yesterday, and the point I made is that the UFC will be in a great place no matter which fighter wins the title bout. If Jones defends successfully, the UFC's decision to sponsor him and essentially put their eggs in the proverbial one basket will be paid off tremendously. Jones will have defeated his rival and biggest test to date, one that was looming in the background the past year since he won the title from Shogun back in March 2011. Evans has always been the guy people wanted to see Jones fight, and it'll finally happen. If he wins, there's Dan Henderson and perhaps Alexander Gustafson down the road, but I think discussions will start to turn to Jones moving up to the heavyweight. He's now walking around at 230 and filling out his frame as he matures. And with Lesnar gone from the heavyweight picture, Jones could fill the void as "the big draw" in that division. And do what Brandon Vera never even came close to doing, despite many, including himself, predicting he would: be the first man to hold both the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles at the same time.
On the flip side, if Evans wins, the light heavyweight division will get flipped upside down. Jones invincibility will be gone, the major deals potentially off the table for the time being, and a major rematch will loom. One that will be bigger than the Silva-Sonnen bout later this year. That would be HUGE money, and the UFC would not be in a bad place if that's the case.
The easy money is to bet on Jones tonight. He's a physical freak: the reach, the athleticism, the added strength, and the ability to soak up so much MMA knowledge in only a matter of 4-5 years. He's the best out there. But the smart money is on Evans. He's a 5 to 1 dog in Vegas, and quite frankly, I think that's a bit aggressive. Evans has shown the ability to finish fights on his feet and on the ground, something he was crucified for early in his career. Ever since the brutal Sean Salmon head kick KO, Evans has gone on to finish multiple opponents in exciting fashion: Liddell via one-punch KO, Griffin for the title via vicious ground-and-pound, and Tito Ortiz via knee to the body. And in other fights where he won via decision, he added excitement and overcame adversity in some cases. Against both Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson, he survived late scares, overcoming knockdowns to recover quickly and save the win. And against the latter, he put Jackson on his butt early in the fight, turning the tables on the once feared KO artist. His fight against Phil Davis was a tutorial, a glorified practice - or so it seemed. Davis, a highly touted prospect, had nothing for Evans. Literally. Evans is a stud, and he's got enough tools in his box to dethrone the champ.
The difference in the fight will be the jab and front kick of Jones. He'll need to use those at will to keep Evans at bay and avoid the challenger from closing the gap and dictating the pace and location of the fight. If he doesn't consistently jab and kick, Evans will work his way inside and either land a takedown or put fists to face. And either will be a problem for Jones. But for Evans, that's the rub. If he can't get in tight, he doesn't have a chance. No one in the UFC can win a fight from the outside against Jones simply b/c of his reach. Machida did it for a round, but Jones made the adjustment and was able to clip Machida several times in the 2nd round from the outside, the final one putting Machida on the mat, eventually leading to a nasty gash from a Jones elbow and ultimately ending with a standing guillotine.
I'm picking Jones to win, but if I decide to put money on the fight tonight, I'm taking Evans. The odds are too good not to. As for the action, I see Jones and Evans going toe-to-toe for a battle. It will be the defining fight for both fighters; Jones passes a grueling test against his biggest challenge yet, while Rashad shows the world that he really is one of the best EVER at light heavyweight. This won't be a 5-0 shutout. It'll be a 48-47 type of card, one that will earn a tremendous amount of respect for both fighters, and hopefully put an end to this ridiculous, bitter war of words between the two of them.
Main Event
Jon Jones defeats Rashad Evans via UD
Other Main Card fights
Rory MacDonald defeats Che Mills via 2nd round (T)KO
Ben Rothwell defeats Brendan Schaub via UD
Miguel Torres defeats Mike McDonald via 2nd round submission (rear-naked choke)
Mark Hominick defeats Eddie Yagan via 1st round KO (punch)
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Hendo, Wanderlei Win; UFC 139 Results
MAIN CARD:
Dan Henderson* def. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
Wanderlei Silva def. Cung Le via knockout (strikes) - Round 2, 4:49
Urijah Faber** def. Brian Bowles via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 2, 1:27
Martin Kampmann def. Rick Story via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
Stephan Bonnar def. Kyle Kingsbury via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25, 30-27)
UNDER CARD:
Ryan Bader def. Jason Brilz via knockout (punch) - Round 1, 1:17
Michael McDonald def. Alex Soto via knockout (punches) - Round 1, 0:56
Chris Weidman def. Tom Lawlor via technical submission (D'arce choke) - Round 1, 2:07
Gleison Tibau def. Rafael dos Anjos via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
Miguel Torres def. Nick Pace via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Seth Baczynski def. Matt Brown via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 2, 0:42
Danny Castillo def. Shamar Bailey via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 4:52
*Hendo will likely face Jon Jones-Lyoto Machida winner for a shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Title
**Faber will face Dominick Cruz (for the third time) for the UFC Bantamweight Title.
Be sure to check out The Sports Brief's MMA Rankings.
-Keefe
Dan Henderson* def. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
Wanderlei Silva def. Cung Le via knockout (strikes) - Round 2, 4:49
Urijah Faber** def. Brian Bowles via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 2, 1:27
Martin Kampmann def. Rick Story via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
Stephan Bonnar def. Kyle Kingsbury via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25, 30-27)
UNDER CARD:
Ryan Bader def. Jason Brilz via knockout (punch) - Round 1, 1:17
Michael McDonald def. Alex Soto via knockout (punches) - Round 1, 0:56
Chris Weidman def. Tom Lawlor via technical submission (D'arce choke) - Round 1, 2:07
Gleison Tibau def. Rafael dos Anjos via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
Miguel Torres def. Nick Pace via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Seth Baczynski def. Matt Brown via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 2, 0:42
Danny Castillo def. Shamar Bailey via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 4:52
*Hendo will likely face Jon Jones-Lyoto Machida winner for a shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Title
**Faber will face Dominick Cruz (for the third time) for the UFC Bantamweight Title.
Be sure to check out The Sports Brief's MMA Rankings.
-Keefe
Friday, November 18, 2011
Night of Legends: UFC 139 Preview
Tomorrow night the UFC continues their ridiculous streak of events with UFC 139 out in San Jose. This card is stacked with former champions. The great champs from PRIDE will be well represented as Shogun Rua faces Dan Henderson, and Wanderlei Silva takes on former Strikeforce champ and action movie star Cung Le in his UFC debut. Also two of the best from the WEC square off with Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles.
Here is a closer look at the 6 MMA legends who will enter the cage on Saturday night.
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
MMA Record: 20-5
UFC Record: 4-3
Last Five: 3-2
Key Wins: Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Alistair Overeem (2), Kevin Randleman, Mark Coleman, Chuck Liddell, Lyoto Machida, Forrest Griffin
Key Losses: Babalu Sobral, Coleman, Griffin, Jon Jones
Achievements: PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Champion (2005), UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
Dan Henderson
MMA Record: 28-8
UFC Record: 5-2
Last Five: 4-1
Key Wins: Carlos Newton, Gilbert Yvel, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Babalu Sobral (2), Renzo Gracie, Murilo Rua, Murilo Bustamante (2), Akihiro Gono, Kazuo Misaki, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, Rich Franklin, Michael Bisping, Rafael Cavalcante, Fedor Emelianenko
Key Losses: Wanderlei Silva, Big Nog, Lil Nog, Ricardo Arona, Misaki, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Anderson Silva, Jake Shields
Achievements: UFC 17 Middleweight Tournament Winner, PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix Champion (2005), PRIDE Welterweight Champion, PRIDE Middleweight Champion, Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion
Wanderlei Silva
MMA Record: 34-11-1
UFC Record: 3-6
Last Five: 2-3
Key Wins: Guy Mezger, Dan Henderson, Sakuraba (3), Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (2), Ricardo Arona, Keith Jardine, Michael Bisping
Key Losses: Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz, Mark Hunt, Arona, Cro Cop, Henderson, Chuck Liddell, Rampage, Rich Franklin, Chris Leben
Achievements: PRIDE Middleweight Champion (2001-2007), PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Champion (2003). Most wins (22) and KOs (15) in PRIDE FC history
Cung Le
MMA Record: 7-1
UFC Record: ---
Last Five: 4-1
Key Wins: Frank Shamrock, Scott Smith
Key Loss: Smith
Achievements: Strikeforce Middleweight Champion, all 7 wins by KO
Urijah Faber
MMA Record: 25-5
UFC Record: 1-1
Last Five: 3-2
Key Wins: Cole Escovedo, Charlie Valencia, Dominick Cruz, Jeff Curran, Jens Pulver (2)
Key Losses: Tyson Griffin, Mike Brown (2), Jose Aldo, Cruz
Achievements: WEC Featherweight Champion
Brian Bowles
MMA Record: 10-1
UFC Record: 2-0
Last Five: 4-1
Key Wins: Charlie Valencia, Damacio Page (2), Will Ribeiro, Miguel Torres, Takeya Mizugaki
Key Loss: Dominick Cruz
Achievements: WEC Bantamweight Champion
With these 6 guys on the card, it should be great. Wanderlei is past his prime, but is still a must-see guy. I'm torn on my picks. I'll go Shogun, Le, Bowles.
Enjoy the fights.
-Keefe
Here is a closer look at the 6 MMA legends who will enter the cage on Saturday night.
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
MMA Record: 20-5
UFC Record: 4-3
Last Five: 3-2
Key Wins: Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Alistair Overeem (2), Kevin Randleman, Mark Coleman, Chuck Liddell, Lyoto Machida, Forrest Griffin
Key Losses: Babalu Sobral, Coleman, Griffin, Jon Jones
Achievements: PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Champion (2005), UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
Dan Henderson
MMA Record: 28-8
UFC Record: 5-2
Last Five: 4-1
Key Wins: Carlos Newton, Gilbert Yvel, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Babalu Sobral (2), Renzo Gracie, Murilo Rua, Murilo Bustamante (2), Akihiro Gono, Kazuo Misaki, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, Rich Franklin, Michael Bisping, Rafael Cavalcante, Fedor Emelianenko
Key Losses: Wanderlei Silva, Big Nog, Lil Nog, Ricardo Arona, Misaki, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Anderson Silva, Jake Shields
Achievements: UFC 17 Middleweight Tournament Winner, PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix Champion (2005), PRIDE Welterweight Champion, PRIDE Middleweight Champion, Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion
Wanderlei Silva
MMA Record: 34-11-1
UFC Record: 3-6
Last Five: 2-3
Key Wins: Guy Mezger, Dan Henderson, Sakuraba (3), Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (2), Ricardo Arona, Keith Jardine, Michael Bisping
Key Losses: Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz, Mark Hunt, Arona, Cro Cop, Henderson, Chuck Liddell, Rampage, Rich Franklin, Chris Leben
Achievements: PRIDE Middleweight Champion (2001-2007), PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Champion (2003). Most wins (22) and KOs (15) in PRIDE FC history
Cung Le
MMA Record: 7-1
UFC Record: ---
Last Five: 4-1
Key Wins: Frank Shamrock, Scott Smith
Key Loss: Smith
Achievements: Strikeforce Middleweight Champion, all 7 wins by KO
Urijah Faber
MMA Record: 25-5
UFC Record: 1-1
Last Five: 3-2
Key Wins: Cole Escovedo, Charlie Valencia, Dominick Cruz, Jeff Curran, Jens Pulver (2)
Key Losses: Tyson Griffin, Mike Brown (2), Jose Aldo, Cruz
Achievements: WEC Featherweight Champion
Brian Bowles
MMA Record: 10-1
UFC Record: 2-0
Last Five: 4-1
Key Wins: Charlie Valencia, Damacio Page (2), Will Ribeiro, Miguel Torres, Takeya Mizugaki
Key Loss: Dominick Cruz
Achievements: WEC Bantamweight Champion
With these 6 guys on the card, it should be great. Wanderlei is past his prime, but is still a must-see guy. I'm torn on my picks. I'll go Shogun, Le, Bowles.
Enjoy the fights.
-Keefe
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Podcast: Keefe on Jon Jones
Saturday, March 19, 2011
UFC 128 predictions
UFC 128 takes place tonight, and we are facing the possibility of two entirely different outcomes and landscapes in the Light Heavyweight division. Champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, a guy I've deemed the ultimate badass, returns to defend his title against rising superstar Jon "Bones" Jones, who is filling in for the injured Rashad Evans.
Rua is coming off an incredible KO victory of former champion Lyoto Machida, returning from injury and dealing with an extended layoff. Jones, the up-and-coming challenger, is fresh off his impressive submission victory over Ryan Bader, and actually stands as a -230 favorite in Vegas; Rua is laying +180.
I understand why people are favoring Jones to win. They're jumping on the hype train and the kid appears to have all the tools. He's long, rangy, quick, agile, strong, has great, creative strikes and is extremely intelligent on the ground. His ground and pound is as impressive as you'll see in the sport. But in one of Dana White's video blogs from this week, Welterweight Champ Georges St. Pierre said the most important aspect of the fight would be the mental area. GSP has admitted he choked in his first title fight with Matt Hughes, a fight he lost, tapping out as time expired in the 1st round to an armbar.
The reason I found the comment so interesting is because I think this is where Rua holds a distinct advantage. He has significantly more experience and has been through the trenches. While this has not served some well, such as Big Nog, Cro Cop and Wanderlei Silva, Rua actually appears to be a fresher, stronger fighter. He's a hunter, and he'll stalk his pray and attack with a slew of power leg kicks and punches. He actually registered the most powerful strike in the Sports Science Lab. He's a scary dude, and I think he'll hold the wild card in tonight's fight. Jones is the future of the division and the sport, but this is still Rua's time. I'm going with the champion. I think Jones will come out hot, trying to put his arsenal of strikes on display. But Rua will stop him in his tracks with those remarkable leg kicks, slowing down the challenger and beginning the process. An overhand right will stun Jones and Rua will close in, overwhelming Jones as he plummets to the floor before the referee steps in to save the young fighter from further beating.
The UFC's Light Heavyweight division has gone through continuous transition over the last several years, with champions unable to defend their belt more than once. Rua will not fall into the same trap. I expect he'll defend his belt several times beyond this fight, and further, I think Jones will actually be the guy to end Shogun's reign. It just won't be tonight.
Shogun defeats Jones via (T)KO in 1st round
And here are the rest of the main card picks:
Urijah Faber defeats Eddie Wineland via decision
Jim Miller defeats Kamal Shalorus via decision
Nate Marquadt defeats Dan Miller via T(KO) in the 2nd round
Cro Cop defeats Brendan Schaub via KO in the 1st round
Enjoy the fights!
-Bess
Rua is coming off an incredible KO victory of former champion Lyoto Machida, returning from injury and dealing with an extended layoff. Jones, the up-and-coming challenger, is fresh off his impressive submission victory over Ryan Bader, and actually stands as a -230 favorite in Vegas; Rua is laying +180.
I understand why people are favoring Jones to win. They're jumping on the hype train and the kid appears to have all the tools. He's long, rangy, quick, agile, strong, has great, creative strikes and is extremely intelligent on the ground. His ground and pound is as impressive as you'll see in the sport. But in one of Dana White's video blogs from this week, Welterweight Champ Georges St. Pierre said the most important aspect of the fight would be the mental area. GSP has admitted he choked in his first title fight with Matt Hughes, a fight he lost, tapping out as time expired in the 1st round to an armbar.
The reason I found the comment so interesting is because I think this is where Rua holds a distinct advantage. He has significantly more experience and has been through the trenches. While this has not served some well, such as Big Nog, Cro Cop and Wanderlei Silva, Rua actually appears to be a fresher, stronger fighter. He's a hunter, and he'll stalk his pray and attack with a slew of power leg kicks and punches. He actually registered the most powerful strike in the Sports Science Lab. He's a scary dude, and I think he'll hold the wild card in tonight's fight. Jones is the future of the division and the sport, but this is still Rua's time. I'm going with the champion. I think Jones will come out hot, trying to put his arsenal of strikes on display. But Rua will stop him in his tracks with those remarkable leg kicks, slowing down the challenger and beginning the process. An overhand right will stun Jones and Rua will close in, overwhelming Jones as he plummets to the floor before the referee steps in to save the young fighter from further beating.
The UFC's Light Heavyweight division has gone through continuous transition over the last several years, with champions unable to defend their belt more than once. Rua will not fall into the same trap. I expect he'll defend his belt several times beyond this fight, and further, I think Jones will actually be the guy to end Shogun's reign. It just won't be tonight.
Shogun defeats Jones via (T)KO in 1st round
And here are the rest of the main card picks:
Urijah Faber defeats Eddie Wineland via decision
Jim Miller defeats Kamal Shalorus via decision
Nate Marquadt defeats Dan Miller via T(KO) in the 2nd round
Cro Cop defeats Brendan Schaub via KO in the 1st round
Enjoy the fights!
-Bess
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Machida vs. Shogun II at UFC 113
The UFC's Light Heavyweight Title is on the line this Saturday night in Montreal. The Champion Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida faces Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a much anticipated rematch.
Check out the story from BostonThrowdown.com to see why the belt will change hands.
Why Shogun Will Beat Machida
Monday, October 26, 2009
Let's hear it for Brazil!
The 2016 Summer Olympics, Pele, the Brazilian Women's soccer team, so why not add 2 of the very best in the world of mixed martial arts. Saturday night in Los Angeles the undefeated Lyoto Machida put his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship belt on the line against the 18-3 and former Pride Grand Prix Champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. I was going to bet on Shogun and his +375 line, however I am at odds with my previously bet taking website, so decided to not wager on the fight.I am glad that I didn't, because I would have lost my mind, in addition to $25-$50 bucks. (I'm not going to bet the house on an underdog, no matter how good the feeling, just can't do it.) Shogun lost the fight to Machida by unanimous decision 48-47 on all the judges scorecards.
I felt that Shogun definitely won 2 rounds, Machida definitely won 1 run with 2 being toss ups, apparently those 2 went to the defending champ. It looks as though we could see an automatic rematch between these two Brazilian fighters, and that makes sense on a bunch of levels. Rampage Jackson appears to still be retired (the next best 205 pound fighter in the world), and middleweight champ Anderson Silva, who embarrassed former champ Forrest Griffin has said he would not fight his friend and training partner Machida. Who else is deserving of a shot? Rashad Evans? Not right now he's not. Wanderlei Silva? Nope. Keith Jardine? No thanks, and on down the line. Because it was such a close decision, I love the idea of Machida vs. Shogun II.
In addition to Brazil, let's hear it for Tristan Besse who went 9-2 on his UFC 104 picks including a perfect 5-0 on the main card. Certainly better than BJal's Lock du Jour and Keefe's Pick 3.
-Keefe
*Keefe's 2009-2010 NBA Preview Coming Soon...
Saturday, October 24, 2009
UFC 104 picks
Tonight from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA, Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida makes his first defense of the light heavyweight title against a surging Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. This could be one of the more exciting fights of the year, with two prolific strikers doing battle in the Octagon. Rua will no doubt be the aggressor, with his devastating Muay Tai skills contrasting the patient, elusive yet explosive striking of "The Dragon", who has knocked his last two opponents out cold. The co-main event is decent, with rising heavyweight prospect Cain Velasquez taking on savvy veteran Ben Rothwell. Velasquez was supposed to be taking on Shane Carwin in a #1 contender spot, but they needed Carwin to step in and face Brock Lesnar at UFC106. This will be a good test for the young Mexican fighter. Here are my picks for tonight's card:
Main card
Machida over Rua via (T)KO in the 3rd round
Velasquez over Rothwell via decision
"Rumble" Johnson over Yoshida via KO in the 1st round
*Note that Johnson's unprofessionalism brought him in at 176 pounds, 5 pounds over the 171 contracted weight. While he's probably reeling from cutting down from 220 pounds, he'll probably weigh almost 190 in the cage tonight.
Tibau over Neer via submission (guillotine choke) in the 2nd round
Stevenson over Fisher via decision
Preliminary bouts
Okami over Sonnen via decision
Hardonk over Barry via (T)KO in the 1st round
Bader over Schafer via decision
Rivera over Kimmons via (T)KO in the 2nd round
Kingsbury over Al-Hassan via decision
Struve over Gormley via submission (rear-naked choke) in the 1st round
Enjoy the fights.
-Bess
Main card
Machida over Rua via (T)KO in the 3rd round
Velasquez over Rothwell via decision
"Rumble" Johnson over Yoshida via KO in the 1st round
*Note that Johnson's unprofessionalism brought him in at 176 pounds, 5 pounds over the 171 contracted weight. While he's probably reeling from cutting down from 220 pounds, he'll probably weigh almost 190 in the cage tonight.
Tibau over Neer via submission (guillotine choke) in the 2nd round
Stevenson over Fisher via decision
Preliminary bouts
Okami over Sonnen via decision
Hardonk over Barry via (T)KO in the 1st round
Bader over Schafer via decision
Rivera over Kimmons via (T)KO in the 2nd round
Kingsbury over Al-Hassan via decision
Struve over Gormley via submission (rear-naked choke) in the 1st round
Enjoy the fights.
-Bess
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