UFC 196: McGregor vs. Diaz

MCGREGOR vs DIAZ!!! pic.twitter.com/jsOqcsrK9Y

— Dana White (@danawhite) March 5, 2016

Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz January 31st

The UFC announced that Anderson Silva will fight Nick Diaz, in his first fight back in the UFC, on January 31 in Las Vegas. 

Silva is coming off a disgusting injury while Diaz has been away from the UFC for years.   I'm excited about the fight, but a small part of me fears rust. This could be one of the best fights of all-time.  Or maybe it's gets hyped up beyond belief and can't live up to it. 

How will Silva respond to the injury?  Is Diaz still elite?  Either way, I'll be watching to find out.  

Easy one of the most anticipated fights I can remember.  

Do we need another countdown timer?

UFC Shines In Boston Return

The UFC was back in Boston last night and the 13-fight card did not dissapoint. Dana White had said this was the best free TV event the company had ever put together.  And I think he was right. 

UFC 75 was the best free card (with Rampage vs Henderson (champion vs champion), the controversial Bisping win over Hamill and Cro Cop falling to Kongo). 

But short of a title fight, UFC Fight Night 26 had all the makings for a memorable, long talked about card and it lived up to the hype. 

(My view for the fights below)

When the UFC first came to Boston it was back in August of 2010. There were some real big names: Randy Couture, B.J. Penn, Frankie Edgar, Gray Maynard, and Kenny Florian. 

It was a good night, but not great. Couture fought boxer James Toney in a very rare "freak match" in the Dana White Era UFC. 

Maynard was boring in a win over Florian, and Edgar controlled Penn for 5 rounds in the main event title fight. Again good but not memorable like last night. 

The early fights at UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen (on Fox Sports 1) were solid and the crowd turned out early. Cold Miller lost a crap decision to Manny Gamburyan, Michael "Mayday" McDonald and Brad Pickett put on the fight of the night and crowd went bonkers for Conor McGregor... And that was all BEFORE the 6-fight main event. 

(McGregor with Joe Rogan after his decision win. BELOW. He apologized for not finishing the fight and said he hurt his knee.)

The biggest disappointment of the night was local guy Joe Lauzon losing to Michael Johnson. Not Lauzon's best night but it was Johnson's to be sure. 

John "Doomsday" Howard made sure the Mass fighters didn't go winless. The Dorchester native took a split decision win over Uriah Hall.  Howard was the biggest underdog on the card (+365), but Dana was not thrilled with all the high 5s the two fighters were dishing out during the fight. He said post fight that Hall doesn't have what it takes to fight in the UFC. 

HORRIBLE!!!!!!! The high 5 fight of the night WTF

— Dana White (@danawhite) August 18, 2013

Matt Brown made up for it with a 29 second KO victory over Mike Pyle.  Brown went on to say that Pyle is better than GSP, so...

Urijah Faber got a nice win over a tough Iuri Alcantara.  Faber dominates non-title fights, we'll see what happens next for him. 

Then it was time for the co-main event. 

Alistair Overeem vs. Travis Browne

Two Top 10 Heavyweights put on a hell of a show. Overeem beat the crap out of Browne for 2 solid minutes, many refs would have stopped the fight. But Browne just took it and waiting for Reem to tire. He did. When the former Strikeforce and Dream champ lowered his hands, Browne began with an assault of kicks to the head, ultimately landing one before finishing him off with hammer fists to the skull. 

Best win of Browne's career.  Another brutal loss for Overeem. 

At this point the UFC was playing with house money. 12 fights down with the vast majority being very entertaining. 

But it was time for Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Chael Sonnen.  

Sonnen took down Shogun immediately and you started to wonder if this was going to be a slow, control from the top, methodical fight. But before anyone could get too upset, Chael pulled off a submission victory, his best career win. 

Awesome night of fights. 

Lots of questions jump out: does Matt Brown or Travis Browne get a title shot soon?  Will Faber face Mayday? What's next for Overeem and Shogun?  What weight class will Sonnen's next fight be?

But we do know the answer to the most important question. The UFC WILL be back in Boston. 

Podcast: Dana White

I talked to UFC President Dana White about the UFC's return to Boston, Anderson Silva's loss, and UFC on Fox 8 this Saturday.

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):

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.

Uriah Hall KO From TUF

Heads up!

Machida Earns Title Shot; UFC on FOX 4 Results

The Staples Center was the site for UFC on FOX 4: Shogun vs. Vera.  The co-main event served as a platform to see who would get the next Light Heavyweight Title shot against the winner of Jon Jones- Dan Henderson next month.  Shogun defeated Vera, but Machida was more impressive in his victory over Bader, therefore Dana White decided to give it to Machida.

Honestly, Jones has beaten all 4 of the guys who were in the mix and none of the fights interest me.

Also on the card, Mike Swick returned to action and got a huge welterweight win, and Joe Lauzon tapped out Jamie Varner... Full result below:

•Mauricio "Shogun" Rua def. Brandon Vera via TKO (punches) - Round 4, 4:09

•Lyoto Machida def. Ryan Bader via knockout (punches) - Round 2, 1:32

•Joe Lauzon def. Jamie Varner via submission (triangle choke) - Round 3, 2:44

•Mike Swick def. DaMarques Johnson via knockout (punches) - Round 2, 1:20

•Nam Phan def. Cole Miller via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

•Phil Davis vs. Wagner Prado, no contest (accidental eye poke) - Round 1

•Rani Yahya def. Josh Grispi via submission (north-south choke) - Round 1, 3:15

•Phil De Fries def. Oli Thompson via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 2, 4:16

•Manny Gamburyan def. Michihiro Omigawa via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

•John Moraga def. Ulysses Gomez via knockout (strikes) - Round 1, 3:46


-Keefe

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)

UFC 144 picks

Today I'm up in El Dorado Hills, California. My client, Lennar, is hosting a Grand Opening for their new home concept Next Gen(TM) - the Home Within a Home(TM). It comes w/ a completely separate private suite that's built into the home and monthly mortgage payment. A kid moves out, a kid moves back in, or maybe your parents come live with you. You could even use it for a "mancave" or private guest suite when friends and family come visit. To learn more, visit Lennar.com/Sacramento.

Apologies for the shameless plug, now onto the picks. Given that I have to be there for 11am, I'm keeping this short and sweet.

Main Event

Frankie Edgar defeats Benson Henderson via (T)KO (strikes) in the 5th round (2:48)

Co-Main Event

*Quinton "Rampage" Jackson weighed in 6lbs over and later disclosed it was an injury in training that led to the foul on the scales

Originally, I picked "Rampage" by KO (punch) in the 2nd round - it would have been his first since 2008 at UFC 92 vs. Wanderlei Silva. However, given the circumstances of yesterday, I'm switching my pick.

Ryan Bader defeats Quinton "Rampage" Jackson via (T)KO (strikes) in the 3rd round (3:19)

"Rampage" will announce after the fight that he wants one last fight vs. "Shogun" in Japan before retiring.

Main Card

Mark Hunt defeats Cheick Kongo via KO (punch) in the 1st round (2:26)

Yoshihiro Akiyami defeats Jake Shields via (T)KO in the 1st round (4:33)

Yushin Okami defeats Tim Boetsch via decision

Hatsu Hioki defeats Bart Palaszewski via decision

Joe Lauzon defeats Anthony Pettis via submission in the 2nd round (2:29)

I'm also taking part in a UFC pool at work. Five of us submitted picks only on the seven main card fights, with the result of the main event (method and time) being the primary tiebreaker. $5 a pop, so hopefully this will help pay for the dough I'm shelling out to watch this tonight.

Enjoy the fights!

-Besse

UFC 142 Predictions

I'm back baby!

After a long hiatus, I've decided to try and commit myself to posting blogs more consistently moving forward. Work has taken a toll on me, but after starting a new job, moving apartments and getting settled after the holidays, the hope is I'll have some time to make occasional posts during the week and some on the weekends.

For the first blog back, here are predictions on the main card for the UFC 142 fight tonight:

Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes

Interesting take here. I actually work with a guy who is friends with a lot of members in and associated with Team Alpha Male: Urijah Faber, Mark Munoz, and none other than Chad Mendes. We've talked a lot about this card over the last couple weeks, and he firmly believes, bias or not, that Mendes' wrestling can be the difference in this fight.

I don't.

While I think he can find success in moments throughout the fight, I don't think he'll have the ability to wear down Aldo enough in this pockets to finish him. And when the fight is on the feet, Aldo has the significant advantage. Mendes packs power, but Aldo's striking is so versatile, fluid and devastating, Mendes could be worn down by the 4th and 5th rounds. In fact, my co-worker told me he was cageside for the Aldo vs. Faber fight, and the leg kicks were devastating from Aldo. They could see the impact on his legs from the 1st row, and after the fight Faber told him they hurt like hell. Expect Mendes to face the same difficulty.

Aldo will wear him down on the feet, and while Mendes will score in short spurts, Aldo will carry a lead in the championship rounds, where Mendes will be tired, sore, and not have the spring in his legs to score any takedowns. As a result, Aldo hurts Mendes with a flurry late in the 4th before finishing him on the ground.

Result: Aldo defeats Mendes via 4th round (T)KO stoppage.

Vitor Belfort vs. Anthony Johnson

"Rumble" came rumbling onto the scale at 197lbs, 11lbs over the contracted weight. Dana White just released his Day 2 Vlog and it's interesting to watch his conversation with Belfort, informing him of the predicament and his options to either stop cutting and rehydrate now or make weight and accept 20% of Johnson's purse. Vitor, ever the professional, accepted the latter.

One thing I caught in the video, which you can view below, is that the fight will take place around 3am in Brazil. Vitor is from Brazil, so he's used to the time zone and has a sense of what needs to be done to be ready by fight time. I can't assume Johnson, far from the professional Belfort is, has the same awareness. So while Johnson may have the advantage from weighing much heavier than Belfort, he also went through some serious medical issues that caused him to miss weight, and I think Belfort will actually be fresher when they enter the cage.

In terms of tangibles, it's an interesting matchup of styles. Both are prolific strikers. Belfort has the faster, crisper strikes, while Johnson brings power that may not be matched at 170, 185, or possibly even 205. This guy throws bombs, plain and simple. But the quickness of Belfort on the feet could force Johnson to consider packing up his ego and relying on his wrestling. The "Phenom" will have to watch out for that.

Picking this fight is tough. The weight thing really throws a wrinkle into the mix, but ultimately I think Belfort prevails. He's fighting in his home country, has quick, fast hands with power, and has fought guys just as big if not bigger than Johnson. It's not something new to a guy with a wealthy of experience. Johnson will be a legitimate threat while the fight lasts, but I think Belfort wobbles "Rumble" and closes fast with a shocking flurry of strikes that puts Johnson down and out in the 2nd round.

Result: Belfort defeats Johnson via 2nd round KO

Rousimar Palhares vs. Mike Massenzio

This won't take long. I'm not sure how Massenzio wins this fight. And he won't. Palhares will bully him to the mat within the first couple minutes of the fight, land some strikes from the top, then latch onto a leg as Massenzio tries to scramble. He'll tap, Palhares will hold the submission a few seconds after the ref steps in, Massenzio will get hurt, and there will be a massive scrum in the cage as UFC brass try to restore order.

In other words, just another day in the life of Palhares.

By the way, does Palhares have the biggest arms in MMA? Holy christ.

Result: Palhares defeats Massenzio via 1st round submission (kneebar)

Erick Silva vs. Carlo Prater

Prater looks like a badass, but he's actually just a veteran fighter with a ton of experience. Silva, meanwhile, is an up-and-coming prospect who is looking to pass yet another test as he tries to climb the ladder.

My knowledge of Prater goes back to his days in the WEC. A failed title attempt against then 170lb. champ Carlos Condit, and another loss to former WEC welterweight contender Brock Larson. He was wiped out in both fights, and while he's fought a lot of tough, top guys in the sport, he's never really found success at the highest of levels.

Silva, meanwhile, is a guy who has finished 10 of his 13 professional victories, 7 by submission. He's also trained with fellow Brazilians Anderson Silva and the Nogueria brothers. The guy can attack, and against Prater I think he continues his climb to contendership with relative ease. He'll soften Prater up with strikes, then after being wobbled, Prater will try and scramble for a takedown. On his knees while reaching for a leg, Prater's neck will be exposed and Silva will pounce on it, locking up the guillotine and finishing the longtime MMA vet with the tapout.

Result: Erick Silva defeats Carlo Prater via 1st round submission (guillotine choke)

Terry Etim vs. Edson Barboza

This should be a barn burner. I love to watch Etim. Long, lean and athletic, and he has a fantastic submission game. Great threat on the ground. Barboza, meanwhile, is an undefeated prospect with some serious striking on the feet. He's coming off a split decision win against Ross Pearson, a guy who's pretty talented on his feet, as well.

Both guys should bring it, and this is my early pick for Fight of the Night honors. As far as the result, Etim is going to need to get this fight to the ground and be on the attack, not fighting in a scramble. If it stays on the feet, he's tough and will be game, but it'll be the best way for him to lose a decision.

Ultimately, I think that's how it goes down. Etim won't be able to sustain any success on the mat against Barboza, and the majority of it will showcase the superior striking of the undefeated talent.

Result: Barboza defeats Etim via unanimous decision

That's all I'll weigh in on, as the undercard fights have kicked off. Just wanted to get this up as I want the end of the 49ers-Saints game and get ready for the Pats. A great weekend of sports, and more exciting UFC action coming this month, a lot of which has been featured on FOX during this game which has been pretty cool to see.

Enjoy the games and the fights!

-Bess

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)

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

Besse changes pick, Rivera by KO in 1st

Forget what I said earlier about Bisping in our UFC 127 preview. I just watched Dana White's episode 3 video blog from Australia, which includes footage focusing on the weigh-ins. Check out Bisping and how stupid he is. It comes in around the 5:40 mark. After seeing this, I am no longer picking with my gut. I hope Jorge Rivera knocks Bisping's stupid block off into section 323. I don't even know if that section exists where they're hosting the fight, but if it does, it would be up in the nosebleeds. Enough said. Bisping might be the biggest loser I've ever seen.

Fedor: Over & Out

The once indestructible Fedor Emelianenko lost last night in the 1st round of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix to Antonio "Big Foot" Silva. The fight was called due to a doctor's stoppage following the 2nd round. The picture above (thanks to Yahoo! Sports) shows you why.

Fedor has now lost his last 2 fights. He did not have 2 losses in his first 32 fights. Dana White is certainly smiling right now. His losses (Fabricio Werdum & Silva) came against good not great heavyweights. His chances against Alistair Overeem, Junior Dos Santos, Brock Lesnar, Cain Velasquez? Not good.

But don't forget just how dominate Fedor was. It's rair to retire in the fighting biz on top of your game. If you think you still have something you go into the cage/ring, but it doesn't take long to find out the truth. Even Muhammad Ali didn't retire on top.

Like Chuck Liddell, Fedor is likely done (at least as a #1 fighter) but his legacy should live on. If you aren't familiar with Fedor as a top guy check out some of the old PRIDE fights against the likes of Big Nog, Cro Cop, Coleman, Herring, and others. He was the best.

Also in the Strikeforce tourny, Andrei Arlovski lost to Sergei Kharitonov. I thought Overeem was going to win the whole thing to begin with so I feel pretty good about that.

-Keefe

Strikeforce Heavyweight Tournament

I am a huge fan of tournaments in MMA, something you will never see in the UFC, unless Dana White changes his mind. Strikeforce announced an 8-man grand prix for their Heavyweight division. Not all of the details have been determined yet, such as will Alistair Overeem's belt be on the line in his 1st match up with Fabricio Werdum, and if so will all the fights be 5 rounds to make it fair.

One question I have, who the hell came up with the bracket? Overeem (champ), Werdum (#1 contender), and Fedor Emelianenko (once seen as #1 heavyweight in the world) are all on the same side of the bracket. What? Either way I am looking forward to it, and finally Overeem will get some good match ups in the U.S.

-Keefe

Besse's UFC 107 picks

Several months ago, tonight was a night we couldn't wait for. We were finally going to see Quinton "Rampage" Jackson square off against Rashad Evans after some of the most intense sh*t talking this sport has seen. And TUF10 was going to get us even more jacked up for the fight. Unfortunately, "Rampage" got cast as the old Mr. T in the new "A-team" flick - with Liam Neeson, who's a badass, and Bradley Cooper, who was the man in "The Hangover". According to Dana White and "Rampage" himself, he'll return soon to settle the score.

But instead of that being tonight's main event, we get a lightweight title fight between BJ Penn and Diego Sanchez. Penn is uber talented at lightweight, and Sanchez is maniacal. I can't help but think part of the antics Sanchez displays are merely an act, but good lord this dude is awkward. I just don't see anyone beating Penn at lightweight. I thought Florian had a chance, but his brother is retarded and developed the worst gameplan in the history of MMA. And instead of holding Keith culpable, Ken-Flo dumps one of the best trainers in the game, Mark Dellagrotte, so he can go hang on GSP's nuts a little more with Firas up at Tri-Star. Here are my picks for the three main fights tonight...

BJ Penn defeats Diego Sanchez via submission (rear-naked choke) in the 3rd round
Frank Mir defeats Chieck Kongo via submission (kimura) in the 1st round
Kenny Florian defeats Clay Guida via decision

-Bess

Karo Parisyan Out of UFC 106 & UFC

According to Dana White on twitter, "Karo Parisyan has f****d over the UFC, the fans and his opponent again!!! He will not be fighting saturday or ever again in the UFC!!"

There you go, Karo was expected to make his comeback to the octagon Saturday Night at UFC 106 in the Main Card against Dustin Hazelett. No word yet on if Hazelett will get another opponent or what pre-lim card will move to the Main Card. (Tough blow to the fans as the pre-lims air live and free on Spike TV, so the best one, perhaps Davis vs. Saunders now moves to ppv.)

In Parisyan's only fight of 2008 he was knocked out by Thiago Alves. He was then set to fight Yoshida at UFC 88 but pulled out right before the weigh-ins with a "back injury." He finally returned to in the cage at UFC 94 (Jan. '09) vs. Dong Hyun Kim and won barely in a split decision... which was overturned after getting busted for pain killers.

It's been a bumpy ride for Karo Parisyan, who is still a Top 20 welterweight in the world. He has career victories over Matt Serra, Nick Diaz, Nick Thompson, Ryo Chonan, Chris Lytle, Josh Burkman, Drew Fickett, and Dave Strasser in his 1st UFC fight back in 2003 less than a month after his 21st birthday. His only losses are to Alves, Diego Sanchez, Georges St. Pierre, and Sean Sherk (twice).

If Karo wants to fight, and it seems like a big if at this point, he would be a guy that Strikeforce would certainly target. He's only 27 years old and boosts an 18-5 record.

Karo Parisyan vs. Nick Diaz II perhaps? We shall see.

-Keefe

Mark Coleman pulls out of UFC 106 fight with Tito Ortiz

Less than an hour ago, Tito Ortiz announced via Twitter that he's searching for someone else to beat up at UFC 106:

"Coleman,coleman,coleman to bad he sissies out!!! Who's next??? I'm kicking someone's ass on Nov 21st!" -via Tito Ortiz's Twitter account

Interesting development as this was supposed to be a good barometer for both fighters, particularly The Huntington Beach Bad Boy as he makes his way back from back surgery. Whose ass can he beat now? Ideas, anyone?

-Bess

Don't call it a comeback

"Uh oh, light heavyweights. Tito Ortiz is baaaaaaaaaack."

Yesterday, Dana White held a press conference to make a litany of announcements regarding UFC. First and foremost, he addressed the Fedor situation, expressing disappointment in negotiations and clarifying that he had made every effort to sign the top heavyweight in the world, but felt negotiations were at an impasse.

In addition, White also announced the new main event for UFC 103 on Sept. 19 in Dallas, TX. Rich Franklin is still one half of that main event, but instead of a rematch with Dan Henderson, he'll be taking on newly signed Vitor Belfort, who will take part in his first UFC fight since a split decision loss to Tito Ortiz at UFC 51.

Speaking of Tito Ortiz, White confirmed after weeks of speculation that the former UFC light heavyweight champion is in fact returning to the UFC fold. After setting aside their differences, the two polarizing figures were able to reach an agreement that, according to White, will allow the fighter to "retire in the UFC."

Ortiz, who last fought at UFC 84 in a decision loss to current light heavyweight kingpin Lyota Machida, returns after back surgery which actually fused his spinal cord. It's similar to the surgery Nate Quarry had a couple years ago. Ortiz, battling back injuries dating back several years, has stated that this surgery will allow him to compete at 100% for the first time in a long time. While it remains to be seen how much of a difference this procedure will make at this stage of his career, the prospect of a "healthy" Ortiz is certainly enticing. Couple that with his incredible drawing power as a PPV machine, and you can see why White made a concerted effort to bridge the gap and make amends with the former champion. Certainly a victory for everyone involved, and personally, I'm hoping "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" has one more run left in him.

That being said, Ortiz posted a video on YouTube yesterday documenting his first full day back in training. While it shows nothing ground breaking, the brutal honesty of the video should be received well. After showing several minutes of footage of Ortiz jump roping, working on strikes on a heavy bag and then practicing his infamous ground and pound, the video actually shows Ortiz rise up from the bag and scurry over to a garbage can, where he spends several moments vomiting into a garbage can in the corner. Props to Ortiz for including this in the video. I assume most fighters would be too embarassed to admit it even happened, never mind let you see first hand. He's embracing the fact that he's a long way away from being ready, which is a reason he declined a co-headliner at UFC 103 and is looking towards a November or December return. According to White, that could be against former UFC heavyweight champion and current Hall-0f-Famer Mark "The Hammer" Coleman. That could be an excellent matchup given that Coleman always comes to fight and would pit two extremely talented wrestlers against each other. For Ortiz, Coleman would present a solid threat, but also be the type of fight where Ortiz could likely survive the ring rust he'll expectedly have and still be able to earn a victory.

Here's the video of Ortiz's first day back training. It's a good watch, and a great intro into the LL Cool J track...



-Bess

TUF 10 Cast Video preview

This season of TUF is going to be absolutely insane...is it September 16 yet?!?!?!


Ultimate Fighter Cast Preview

-Bess