I talked with Bellator Light Heavyweight (former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion) Tito Ortiz leading up to Bellator's Unfinished Business (Ken Shamrock - Kimbo Slice). I asked him about that fight, his relationship with Shamrock, his future in Bellator, and what fight would he tell someone to watch who had never seen a Tito Ortiz fight.
My prediction on who Tito will fight next?
1. Fedor (he's in St. Louis, could come out of retirement)
2. Liam McGeary (current Bellator Light Heavyweight Champ)
3. King Mo
4. Phil Davis
Last. Tito vs. Shamrock IV
Showing posts with label Kimbo Slice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kimbo Slice. Show all posts
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Tim Sylvia KO'd by one of the worst TUF participants ever
So Tim Sylvia was at it again last night, bringing his fat-ass sideshow to Titan Fighting Championships. He was featured in the main event against Abe Wagner, an unmemorable participant on TUF: Heavyweights back in the Kimbo Slice days. You'll remember him getting the life pounded out of him in the first match of the season by Jon Madsen.
Anyways, Sylvia weighed in Thursday at 311lbs, which basically tells us he doesn't care anymore. In fact, I found a video of him on the internet recently which showed him trying to become a cop. Who does he think he is, MMA's version of Shaq? You need to be good at something, dude.
Well apparently that cop career is taking away from his training, and he's probably eating more than enough donuts. He once again looked fat, slow and unathletic, as well as unfocused in his tilt with Wagner. The result? See below...
Looks like it's back to the drawing board (buffet line) for the former UFC heavyweight champ. His days are long gone, time to focus on the police career.
-Bess
Anyways, Sylvia weighed in Thursday at 311lbs, which basically tells us he doesn't care anymore. In fact, I found a video of him on the internet recently which showed him trying to become a cop. Who does he think he is, MMA's version of Shaq? You need to be good at something, dude.
Well apparently that cop career is taking away from his training, and he's probably eating more than enough donuts. He once again looked fat, slow and unathletic, as well as unfocused in his tilt with Wagner. The result? See below...
Looks like it's back to the drawing board (buffet line) for the former UFC heavyweight champ. His days are long gone, time to focus on the police career.
-Bess
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Keefe's Pick 3 for Week 13 & TUF 10 Finale
NFL PICKS
Bengals (-13) over Lions
Seahawks (pick) over 49ers
Patriots (-3.5) over Dolphins
Last Week: 3-0
Overall: 19-14
The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 Finale:
Houston Alexander over Kimbo Slice
Matt Hamill over Jon Jones*
Roy Nelson over Brendan Schaub**
MMA Picks: 6-3
*Upset special, Hamill (+250)
**Fight is for UFC contract/ winner of Season 10.
-Keefe
Sunday, July 26, 2009
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
Ultimate Fighter Cast Preview
-Bess
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Kimbo Slice on The Ultimate Fighter
Kimbo to the UFC? Well sort of. Dana White has always said the only way Kimbo would compete in the UFC is if he went on and won the reality show. For Kimbo, step 1 is in the books. He will join 15 other Heavyweights for the upcoming season of TUF to be coached by Rampage Jackson and Rashad Evans, two former Light Heavyweight Champions. Theres two will also square off when the season if over, meaning the next challenger for Lyoto Machida will be none other than Shogun Rua.
Anyway I am excited to hear the news that Kimbo will be on TUF. Just a few days ago I wrote "Enough of TUF" (scroll down a bit to see it). I was getting sick of the stale show that focused much more on the coaches than that of the new fighters. Well Kimbo just changed all of that. I'm going to watch every show. Nice job out of Kimbo for stepping up and taking this challenge and hey, good job out of Dana for putting him on the show after talking so much crap about him. Plus he knows the rating are going to "spike" right back up. Should be very interesting to see how he does.
-Keefe
Also be sure to check out all the "great" 1st pitches Besse has found below and vote on our poll (top right.)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Some Beef from The Brief
Brewers missed one trade deadline move
Getting rid of Ned Yost.
Watching last night’s ESPN2 game between the Brewers and Astros, I couldn’t help but think two things:
1) CC Sabathia is pitching like a beast right now
2) Ned Yost will be the reason the Brewers tank at the end and miss the playoffs AGAIN
I think the first point is indisputable. Just look at CC’s numbers since coming over from Cleveland. He’s 8-0 with a 1.60 ERA and the Brewers are 8-1 in his nine starts. He’s flooding the strike zone with his entire arsenal, and when you’re talking about a low to mid 90’s fastball on both sides of the plate mixed in with a plus curve and changeup, any offense will have its hands full. That being said, if CC keeps this up can he make his way into the Cy Young discussion? I understand everyone is foaming at the mouth over the trio of Brandon Webb, Tim Lincecum and Edinson Volquez, but it’s just so hard to overlook what Sabathia is doing to the National League thus far. Volquez has looked human as of late, and if Webb and/or Lincecum hit a rough patch, I think CC could steal a few votes. It’ll be hard to overcome him only playing half a season, though.
Regarding Ned Yost... For anyone watching last night’s game, was it me or was Steve Phillips nailing it right on the head? There was NO reason to trot out Sabathia in the bottom of that ninth inning. He was already at 111 pitches, right around his season average, and you could see him clearly laboring, especially after allowing a couple guys to reach and one run to score. Look, Ned, any dimwit paying attention saw that you were leading 9-2 and while I realize you’re at home and want to give the fans something to go nuts about – such as CC’s 5 th complete game with Milwaukee – that 9 th inning was the perfect opportunity to trot Keefe or I out there to get in some work. If we load em up or surrender a run or two, you could get Mota and Torres warming, which you did, and bring either or both of them in to shut the door. Even Gagne would have been a safe choice in that situation. And not only did ole’ Neddy not recognize that, but he let CC labor through the last couple batters of that inning, including the at-bat to Tejada in which every fastball was up at his eyes. I realize you’re trying to maximize your value with the guy, but it’s the middle of August and he’s probably going to make another six or seven starts. If, miraculously, you do make the postseason, let’s try and make sure he’s got enough in the tank to avoid a tumultuous flop like last year. He hit a career high 241 innings and was clearly showing signs of being taxed in his three postseason starts. During that three game stretch he surrendered 21 hits in 15.1 innings and had a K/BB ratio of 14/13. Ugh.
Manny (or CC) for MVP
Again, I know it’s hard to make the argument given these two will have only played half a season for their respective ballclubs. But I can’t help but think that if either, god forbid both of these teams, makes the playoffs, it will clearly be because of Manny and CC’s contributions in the 2 nd half. I already pointed out CC’s numbers in Milwaukee thus far, and Manny’s, from an offensive standpoint, are just as gaudy. He’s hitting .421 with six homeruns and 21 RBI in 16 games. He’s got eight multi-hit games and has been held hitless only twice. Not only that, but look at what he’s done for a guy like Jeff Kent. While Kent is clearly too arrogant – he tried to fight Barry Bonds, who would’ve crushed him – to admit it, Ramirez’ presence in that lineup has brought him more pitches to hit, and he’s responded to the tune of .421 in the month of August.
Let’s face it, the Utley for MVP train has de-railed, the Pujols will lose votes to Ludwick, the Cubs are getting production from everyone, and the Diamondbacks’ offense sucks. David Wright was my sleeper at the midway mark and I think he’s starting to turn into a real contender with his 95 RBI and .322 clip after the break. But in my opinion this award should go to a guy who’s had the most impact and a direct correlation to a team’s success. Both Manny and CC, to this point, exemplify those qualities and they have some filthy numbers to back it up. We’ll see how it plays out, but if this keeps up, I think it needs to be considered.
Jason Bay is an idiot that can hit
I’ll preface this by saying that the Red Sox did not replace Manny Ramirez with Jason Bay. They merely acquired the most value available at the time.
But Bay has been a welcome addition to that lineup, and his .348/3/16 line with the Sox so far is impressive. Coming off last night’s 2-homer game in which he also stole a base, it looks like Bay could be a nice catalyst and solid player down the stretch. But he’s not a cleanup guy, and the Sox will need Youkilis or a healthy Mike Lowell ready to deliver when David Ortiz starts getting walked every time up.
The reason Bay is an idiot is because of his comments to alleged mistress to the captain in a post-game interview. When Heidi Watney asked Bay to comment on Jon Lester’s performance, he said he was impressed and that not many people knew about the guy outside of the AL East.
Are you kidding me?
The guy beat cancer and was back pitching in the majors a year after his diagnosis.
He won Game 4 of the 2007 World Series. Were you watching? Or do you literally shut it down after game 162?
He threw a no-hitter against the Royals back in May.
He’s 12-4 with a 3.17 ERA this season.
I’m pretty sure people know about the guy.
What people may not know is that he’s a legitimate Cy Young candidate in a non-Cliff Lee season. Lee more or less has a stranglehold on the honor with his 17-2 record and 2.43 ERA. It’ll take a Brian Bannister v. Yankees type bombing, on more than one occasion, or a season ending injury right now in order for Lee to lose it. But if it weren’t for him, Lester would be and still should be right up there in the discussion along with teammate Daisuke Matsuzaka. He’s got 16 quality starts in ’08 and the Sox are 18-8 in games which he has started; not to mention Boston is 11-2 in Lester’s last 13 starts. Pretty filthy. To compare, Lee has 18 quality starts in two less starts and the Indians are 18-6 in those 24 games. Hey, if he gets lit up to the tune of 10 runs in one inning ala Bannister in his next two starts, he’d be 17-4 with a 3.44 ERA when the dust settles. Improbable? Yes. Impossible? Yes.
Oh and don’t forget about Roy Halladay, either. I tried trading for him with Shark for fantasy, offering up Chris Volstad and David Price in our keeper league. He threw me John Lackey instead, which is fine, but Halladay is a monster. Eight complete games, a 14-9 record and 2.64 ERA. The Jays have lost 11 games in which Halladay started, but they’ve only scored 19 runs in those contests, being shutout three times and scoring three runs or less in nine of them. Tough deal.
Tom Brady injured?
In my NBA MVP debate, I mentioned that Lebron James should be given the Lebron James MVP award every season based purely on the fact that his team would absolutely suck without him. We’re starting to see that perhaps Tom Brady falls into that category, as well. No only are Matt Cassell, Matt Gutierrez and Kevin O’Connell not the answer, but the defense is porous and won’t carry this team at all in ’08. If Brady isn’t healthy, not only will the Pats struggle to finish 8-8, but Moss won’t catch 80 balls and he’ll end up bitch slapping someone on the sideline. Peyton Manning probably falls into this category, as well, but there’s much less concern here for the Colts.
And I apologize if I spelled any of the names wrong for those three backup QB’s, but they’re so bad I didn’t care enough to look it up.
Classic commercial
For anyone that hasn’t seen it yet, check out the new Nike commercial with LT and Kimbo Slice. Pure comedy at its finest. If you can’t ignore and work past the clear cut stereotypes here for the terrific humor involved, then you’re an idiot. This is absolute gold. Check out the part where Kimbo tosses open the freezer door. That might have sealed it for me.
[1]
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading.
-Bess
Getting rid of Ned Yost.
Watching last night’s ESPN2 game between the Brewers and Astros, I couldn’t help but think two things:
1) CC Sabathia is pitching like a beast right now
2) Ned Yost will be the reason the Brewers tank at the end and miss the playoffs AGAIN
I think the first point is indisputable. Just look at CC’s numbers since coming over from Cleveland. He’s 8-0 with a 1.60 ERA and the Brewers are 8-1 in his nine starts. He’s flooding the strike zone with his entire arsenal, and when you’re talking about a low to mid 90’s fastball on both sides of the plate mixed in with a plus curve and changeup, any offense will have its hands full. That being said, if CC keeps this up can he make his way into the Cy Young discussion? I understand everyone is foaming at the mouth over the trio of Brandon Webb, Tim Lincecum and Edinson Volquez, but it’s just so hard to overlook what Sabathia is doing to the National League thus far. Volquez has looked human as of late, and if Webb and/or Lincecum hit a rough patch, I think CC could steal a few votes. It’ll be hard to overcome him only playing half a season, though.
Regarding Ned Yost... For anyone watching last night’s game, was it me or was Steve Phillips nailing it right on the head? There was NO reason to trot out Sabathia in the bottom of that ninth inning. He was already at 111 pitches, right around his season average, and you could see him clearly laboring, especially after allowing a couple guys to reach and one run to score. Look, Ned, any dimwit paying attention saw that you were leading 9-2 and while I realize you’re at home and want to give the fans something to go nuts about – such as CC’s 5 th complete game with Milwaukee – that 9 th inning was the perfect opportunity to trot Keefe or I out there to get in some work. If we load em up or surrender a run or two, you could get Mota and Torres warming, which you did, and bring either or both of them in to shut the door. Even Gagne would have been a safe choice in that situation. And not only did ole’ Neddy not recognize that, but he let CC labor through the last couple batters of that inning, including the at-bat to Tejada in which every fastball was up at his eyes. I realize you’re trying to maximize your value with the guy, but it’s the middle of August and he’s probably going to make another six or seven starts. If, miraculously, you do make the postseason, let’s try and make sure he’s got enough in the tank to avoid a tumultuous flop like last year. He hit a career high 241 innings and was clearly showing signs of being taxed in his three postseason starts. During that three game stretch he surrendered 21 hits in 15.1 innings and had a K/BB ratio of 14/13. Ugh.
Manny (or CC) for MVP
Again, I know it’s hard to make the argument given these two will have only played half a season for their respective ballclubs. But I can’t help but think that if either, god forbid both of these teams, makes the playoffs, it will clearly be because of Manny and CC’s contributions in the 2 nd half. I already pointed out CC’s numbers in Milwaukee thus far, and Manny’s, from an offensive standpoint, are just as gaudy. He’s hitting .421 with six homeruns and 21 RBI in 16 games. He’s got eight multi-hit games and has been held hitless only twice. Not only that, but look at what he’s done for a guy like Jeff Kent. While Kent is clearly too arrogant – he tried to fight Barry Bonds, who would’ve crushed him – to admit it, Ramirez’ presence in that lineup has brought him more pitches to hit, and he’s responded to the tune of .421 in the month of August.
Let’s face it, the Utley for MVP train has de-railed, the Pujols will lose votes to Ludwick, the Cubs are getting production from everyone, and the Diamondbacks’ offense sucks. David Wright was my sleeper at the midway mark and I think he’s starting to turn into a real contender with his 95 RBI and .322 clip after the break. But in my opinion this award should go to a guy who’s had the most impact and a direct correlation to a team’s success. Both Manny and CC, to this point, exemplify those qualities and they have some filthy numbers to back it up. We’ll see how it plays out, but if this keeps up, I think it needs to be considered.
Jason Bay is an idiot that can hit
I’ll preface this by saying that the Red Sox did not replace Manny Ramirez with Jason Bay. They merely acquired the most value available at the time.
But Bay has been a welcome addition to that lineup, and his .348/3/16 line with the Sox so far is impressive. Coming off last night’s 2-homer game in which he also stole a base, it looks like Bay could be a nice catalyst and solid player down the stretch. But he’s not a cleanup guy, and the Sox will need Youkilis or a healthy Mike Lowell ready to deliver when David Ortiz starts getting walked every time up.
The reason Bay is an idiot is because of his comments to alleged mistress to the captain in a post-game interview. When Heidi Watney asked Bay to comment on Jon Lester’s performance, he said he was impressed and that not many people knew about the guy outside of the AL East.
Are you kidding me?
The guy beat cancer and was back pitching in the majors a year after his diagnosis.
He won Game 4 of the 2007 World Series. Were you watching? Or do you literally shut it down after game 162?
He threw a no-hitter against the Royals back in May.
He’s 12-4 with a 3.17 ERA this season.
I’m pretty sure people know about the guy.
What people may not know is that he’s a legitimate Cy Young candidate in a non-Cliff Lee season. Lee more or less has a stranglehold on the honor with his 17-2 record and 2.43 ERA. It’ll take a Brian Bannister v. Yankees type bombing, on more than one occasion, or a season ending injury right now in order for Lee to lose it. But if it weren’t for him, Lester would be and still should be right up there in the discussion along with teammate Daisuke Matsuzaka. He’s got 16 quality starts in ’08 and the Sox are 18-8 in games which he has started; not to mention Boston is 11-2 in Lester’s last 13 starts. Pretty filthy. To compare, Lee has 18 quality starts in two less starts and the Indians are 18-6 in those 24 games. Hey, if he gets lit up to the tune of 10 runs in one inning ala Bannister in his next two starts, he’d be 17-4 with a 3.44 ERA when the dust settles. Improbable? Yes. Impossible? Yes.
Oh and don’t forget about Roy Halladay, either. I tried trading for him with Shark for fantasy, offering up Chris Volstad and David Price in our keeper league. He threw me John Lackey instead, which is fine, but Halladay is a monster. Eight complete games, a 14-9 record and 2.64 ERA. The Jays have lost 11 games in which Halladay started, but they’ve only scored 19 runs in those contests, being shutout three times and scoring three runs or less in nine of them. Tough deal.
Tom Brady injured?
In my NBA MVP debate, I mentioned that Lebron James should be given the Lebron James MVP award every season based purely on the fact that his team would absolutely suck without him. We’re starting to see that perhaps Tom Brady falls into that category, as well. No only are Matt Cassell, Matt Gutierrez and Kevin O’Connell not the answer, but the defense is porous and won’t carry this team at all in ’08. If Brady isn’t healthy, not only will the Pats struggle to finish 8-8, but Moss won’t catch 80 balls and he’ll end up bitch slapping someone on the sideline. Peyton Manning probably falls into this category, as well, but there’s much less concern here for the Colts.
And I apologize if I spelled any of the names wrong for those three backup QB’s, but they’re so bad I didn’t care enough to look it up.
Classic commercial
For anyone that hasn’t seen it yet, check out the new Nike commercial with LT and Kimbo Slice. Pure comedy at its finest. If you can’t ignore and work past the clear cut stereotypes here for the terrific humor involved, then you’re an idiot. This is absolute gold. Check out the part where Kimbo tosses open the freezer door. That might have sealed it for me.
[1]
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading.
-Bess
Friday, May 30, 2008
EliteXC, WEC provide banner weekend for MMA
Every year around the last weekend in May or first week in June, the annual St. Paul’s School alumni baseball game descends upon the hallowed grounds of Millville in rustic Concord, NH. And so tomorrow that’s where the Sports Brief, both halves of it, will be at 2pm. Rich and I look forward to this event for 364 days a year, essentially right after the last one wraps up. We get there early for a stretch and catch, throw down a nip or two and show these spoiled little trust fund babies that we can still play ball. For the record, no one affiliated with the Sports Brief is a TFB.
Normally, we try and turn this into a weekend extravaganza, incorporating other festivities that we enjoy onto the itinerary in hopes of making it worth our time. Last year was the 5th year reunion, which I missed because I was working an internship with the Boston Red Sox and the game was delayed for over an hour by rain and they were playing the Yankees, which meant the game was four hours by default. This year we decided that a round of golf on Saturday would be necessary as would the standard pilgrimage on Sunday morning to the Red Apple. Amidst our rough hangovers, we rise around noon, strap on our buffet shoes and dive into the best Chinese buffet line in the upper New England area.
But this year we’ve added two more events that will truly make this weekend worth remembering. First and foremost is the EliteXC card promoted by Gary Shaw, headlined by Kimbo Slice and being shown on CBS. A truly landmark event in that it’s the first time mixed martial arts is being shown on network television. I’m excited to see Kimbo continue his development from street brawler to MMA fighter against James Thompson, whose heavy hands shouldn’t be discounted despite his glass jaw. Yet it continues to bother me that people are clamoring over the fact that Slice is fighting “another tomato can.”
Let’s set the record straight: Kimbo has three fights under his belt and has only been training for a year and a half. The people that argue he’d be defeated by any top tier heavyweight or that he has no right to be headlining this card are the same people who have joined the millions of others in watching his videos on YouTube. You are all the reason this man has risen in popularity and folklore. With another four or five fights and continued training with Bas Rutten and Randy Katami, I think matchups against these top tier heavyweights will be in line. But again, it’s his popularity, the demand to see him compete, that is the reason for him headlining his card. It’s not because his talent, ability and overall record warrant it.
The undercard itself is pretty impressive, as well. Robby Lawler and Scott Smith will put on the type of standup battle that makes MMA so exciting. While Lawler’s tactical skill likens him to a boxer in the MMA game, he’s aggressive, has great power and never turns down an opportunity to engage. Smith, meanwhile, just comes to fight and he’s got great KO power as evidenced by his last win a few months ago over Kyle Noke. He’s a former union iron worker who goes by the moniker “Hands of Steel.” This should be riveting TV.
The female fight between Gina Carano and Kaitlyn Young should be interesting. Carano is much like Kimbo in that she’s fairly inexperienced but she’s shown great ability so far and her popularity comes from activities outside of being a sanctioned MMA competitor. Obviously I’m referring to her stellar work on NBC’s “American Gladiators.” Has anyone watched her on the joust? It’s incredible how dominant she is. But the best part of watching her on AG is on the pyramid. She’ll literally pull a woman off the pyramid, then either pull her into her guard or secure a mount and hold her there until time elapses. As an MMA fan, I can’t help but smile. But her opponent, Young, is no slouch either, and her experience will prove to be a good test for Carano.
Then there’s the enigmatic Phil Baroni, the self-proclaimed “New York Bad Ass” who once petitioned himself to be “The F*cking Best Eva” after his brutal KO of Dave Menne for the UFC middleweight title. He’s fighting Joey Villasenor, and while neither of these guys can claim to be in the upper echelon of mixed martial artists, they’re exciting and TV friendly, much in the same way that Chris Leben continues to be tapped for televised PPV fights despite a so-so UFC record.
And finally we’ll be treated to another heavyweight matchup that pits Brett Rogers, fresh off a KO of Thompson in their last fight, against Jon Murphy. You can question why a guy who got KTFO’d against Rogers would be Kimbo’s opponent as a headliner. The answer is simple: Kimbo’s the main draw here and Thompson is a better matchup for him in terms of continuing his development. Rogers is a more dangerous opponent, and if he’d lost to Thompson, he’d probably be fighting Kimbo in the headliner right now. Perhaps Kimbo, with a victory of course, can take on the winner of this fight in the Fall.
I’m slightly disappointed that Shaw didn’t put a couple judo or jiu-jitsu artists on the main card, because submissions, rolls, sweeps and throws are a very exciting part of MMA. I understand why a wrestler wouldn’t be televised, because lay-n-pray is never exciting to watch. But I would have appreciated Shaw giving the network audience a broader spectrum of the game, as well. Nonetheless, these standup battles should do well in terms of excitement, and ultimately, ratings.
But the best part of Saturday night’s fights, however, is that it probably won’t have the best fight of the weekend. That’s right, everyone seems to be forgetting that CBS isn’t the only fight card available for free on cable TV this weekend. So after the fights end and you’re left wanting more, remind yourself that Versus has another WEC event scheduled for Sunday. And headlining that card is a featherweight matchup between the current Champion and rising star Urijah Faber and the first ever UFC lightweight champ Jens Pulver. “Lil’ Evil” should prove to be a tremendous test for Faber and certainly a great measuring stick as to where he stands in this sport. Faber has been plowing through his competitors, rattling off 12 straight victories since his first and only loss to current UFC lightweight contender Tyson Griffin. The “California Kid” has his eyes set on a rematch with Griffin, but Pulver should be his only focus right now. The experience, heavy hands and tremendous heart possessed by the veteran could present problems, especially if Faber can’t get Pulver to the ground and control him there. With a win, Faber will truly have arrived as one of the sports’ elite. With a loss, it will only make the division more interesting with Pulver establishing himself as a force, and a champion, at that weight.
The rest of the card isn’t as deep or talented as the CBS card on Saturday, but it’s worth watching nonetheless. Miguel Torres defends his bantamweight title for the first time since defeating Chase Beebe. He takes on Yoshiro Maeda. To the casual fan, this may not mean anything to you. But in layman’s terms, we’re talking about two guys with a combined 55-5-2 record. That’s just plain filthy. And if you’ve ever watched a boxing match at this weight, you know these guys are in 5th gear for an entire fight. Torres displayed sick jiu-jitsu and ground skills in his win on Beebe, good enough in fact that I’m hoping he does it again. Whether you’re a hardcore fan or giving MMA a shot, watching a guy like Torres on the ground can give anyone an appreciation for the skill.
Meanwhile, “Razor” Rob McCullough returns from his devastating KO loss to Jamie Varner in which he also lost his lightweight belt. McCullough takes on the guy to hand him his first professional defeat, Kenneth Alexander. While this has Rampage-Eastman 2 written all over it, it still provides an interesting storyline, especially with McCullough coming off that loss to Varner.
It should be an exciting weekend for fights, and truly a banner moment for the sport of MMA. While the UFC has certainly helped the sport grow exponentially, it’s repeated PPV telecasts and recent string of poor ratings on Spike haven’t been the most productive and beneficial instances. This weekend should give serious exposure to the game and its fighters and provide a shot in the arm to MMA in general. And it will be a great way to cap off the weekend as Rich and I continue to hang onto the dream for one day out of the calendar year. This comes from a guy who tried to bunt for a base hit in the alumni game a few years back. You gotta do what you can to get on base and help the team. I’ll post my picks below:
CBS on Saturday night
Kimbo Slice by KO in the 1st round
Robbie Lawler by (T)KO due to strikes in the 2nd round
Joey Villasenor by submission in the 3rd round
Gina Carano by decision
Brett Rogers by KO in the 2nd round
WEC on Sunday night
Urijah Faber by submission (rear naked choke) in the 3rd round
Miguel Torres by submission in the 2nd round
Rob McCullough by KO in the 1st round
Chuck Grigsby by decision
-Besse
Normally, we try and turn this into a weekend extravaganza, incorporating other festivities that we enjoy onto the itinerary in hopes of making it worth our time. Last year was the 5th year reunion, which I missed because I was working an internship with the Boston Red Sox and the game was delayed for over an hour by rain and they were playing the Yankees, which meant the game was four hours by default. This year we decided that a round of golf on Saturday would be necessary as would the standard pilgrimage on Sunday morning to the Red Apple. Amidst our rough hangovers, we rise around noon, strap on our buffet shoes and dive into the best Chinese buffet line in the upper New England area.
But this year we’ve added two more events that will truly make this weekend worth remembering. First and foremost is the EliteXC card promoted by Gary Shaw, headlined by Kimbo Slice and being shown on CBS. A truly landmark event in that it’s the first time mixed martial arts is being shown on network television. I’m excited to see Kimbo continue his development from street brawler to MMA fighter against James Thompson, whose heavy hands shouldn’t be discounted despite his glass jaw. Yet it continues to bother me that people are clamoring over the fact that Slice is fighting “another tomato can.”
Let’s set the record straight: Kimbo has three fights under his belt and has only been training for a year and a half. The people that argue he’d be defeated by any top tier heavyweight or that he has no right to be headlining this card are the same people who have joined the millions of others in watching his videos on YouTube. You are all the reason this man has risen in popularity and folklore. With another four or five fights and continued training with Bas Rutten and Randy Katami, I think matchups against these top tier heavyweights will be in line. But again, it’s his popularity, the demand to see him compete, that is the reason for him headlining his card. It’s not because his talent, ability and overall record warrant it.
The undercard itself is pretty impressive, as well. Robby Lawler and Scott Smith will put on the type of standup battle that makes MMA so exciting. While Lawler’s tactical skill likens him to a boxer in the MMA game, he’s aggressive, has great power and never turns down an opportunity to engage. Smith, meanwhile, just comes to fight and he’s got great KO power as evidenced by his last win a few months ago over Kyle Noke. He’s a former union iron worker who goes by the moniker “Hands of Steel.” This should be riveting TV.
The female fight between Gina Carano and Kaitlyn Young should be interesting. Carano is much like Kimbo in that she’s fairly inexperienced but she’s shown great ability so far and her popularity comes from activities outside of being a sanctioned MMA competitor. Obviously I’m referring to her stellar work on NBC’s “American Gladiators.” Has anyone watched her on the joust? It’s incredible how dominant she is. But the best part of watching her on AG is on the pyramid. She’ll literally pull a woman off the pyramid, then either pull her into her guard or secure a mount and hold her there until time elapses. As an MMA fan, I can’t help but smile. But her opponent, Young, is no slouch either, and her experience will prove to be a good test for Carano.
Then there’s the enigmatic Phil Baroni, the self-proclaimed “New York Bad Ass” who once petitioned himself to be “The F*cking Best Eva” after his brutal KO of Dave Menne for the UFC middleweight title. He’s fighting Joey Villasenor, and while neither of these guys can claim to be in the upper echelon of mixed martial artists, they’re exciting and TV friendly, much in the same way that Chris Leben continues to be tapped for televised PPV fights despite a so-so UFC record.
And finally we’ll be treated to another heavyweight matchup that pits Brett Rogers, fresh off a KO of Thompson in their last fight, against Jon Murphy. You can question why a guy who got KTFO’d against Rogers would be Kimbo’s opponent as a headliner. The answer is simple: Kimbo’s the main draw here and Thompson is a better matchup for him in terms of continuing his development. Rogers is a more dangerous opponent, and if he’d lost to Thompson, he’d probably be fighting Kimbo in the headliner right now. Perhaps Kimbo, with a victory of course, can take on the winner of this fight in the Fall.
I’m slightly disappointed that Shaw didn’t put a couple judo or jiu-jitsu artists on the main card, because submissions, rolls, sweeps and throws are a very exciting part of MMA. I understand why a wrestler wouldn’t be televised, because lay-n-pray is never exciting to watch. But I would have appreciated Shaw giving the network audience a broader spectrum of the game, as well. Nonetheless, these standup battles should do well in terms of excitement, and ultimately, ratings.
But the best part of Saturday night’s fights, however, is that it probably won’t have the best fight of the weekend. That’s right, everyone seems to be forgetting that CBS isn’t the only fight card available for free on cable TV this weekend. So after the fights end and you’re left wanting more, remind yourself that Versus has another WEC event scheduled for Sunday. And headlining that card is a featherweight matchup between the current Champion and rising star Urijah Faber and the first ever UFC lightweight champ Jens Pulver. “Lil’ Evil” should prove to be a tremendous test for Faber and certainly a great measuring stick as to where he stands in this sport. Faber has been plowing through his competitors, rattling off 12 straight victories since his first and only loss to current UFC lightweight contender Tyson Griffin. The “California Kid” has his eyes set on a rematch with Griffin, but Pulver should be his only focus right now. The experience, heavy hands and tremendous heart possessed by the veteran could present problems, especially if Faber can’t get Pulver to the ground and control him there. With a win, Faber will truly have arrived as one of the sports’ elite. With a loss, it will only make the division more interesting with Pulver establishing himself as a force, and a champion, at that weight.
The rest of the card isn’t as deep or talented as the CBS card on Saturday, but it’s worth watching nonetheless. Miguel Torres defends his bantamweight title for the first time since defeating Chase Beebe. He takes on Yoshiro Maeda. To the casual fan, this may not mean anything to you. But in layman’s terms, we’re talking about two guys with a combined 55-5-2 record. That’s just plain filthy. And if you’ve ever watched a boxing match at this weight, you know these guys are in 5th gear for an entire fight. Torres displayed sick jiu-jitsu and ground skills in his win on Beebe, good enough in fact that I’m hoping he does it again. Whether you’re a hardcore fan or giving MMA a shot, watching a guy like Torres on the ground can give anyone an appreciation for the skill.
Meanwhile, “Razor” Rob McCullough returns from his devastating KO loss to Jamie Varner in which he also lost his lightweight belt. McCullough takes on the guy to hand him his first professional defeat, Kenneth Alexander. While this has Rampage-Eastman 2 written all over it, it still provides an interesting storyline, especially with McCullough coming off that loss to Varner.
It should be an exciting weekend for fights, and truly a banner moment for the sport of MMA. While the UFC has certainly helped the sport grow exponentially, it’s repeated PPV telecasts and recent string of poor ratings on Spike haven’t been the most productive and beneficial instances. This weekend should give serious exposure to the game and its fighters and provide a shot in the arm to MMA in general. And it will be a great way to cap off the weekend as Rich and I continue to hang onto the dream for one day out of the calendar year. This comes from a guy who tried to bunt for a base hit in the alumni game a few years back. You gotta do what you can to get on base and help the team. I’ll post my picks below:
CBS on Saturday night
Kimbo Slice by KO in the 1st round
Robbie Lawler by (T)KO due to strikes in the 2nd round
Joey Villasenor by submission in the 3rd round
Gina Carano by decision
Brett Rogers by KO in the 2nd round
WEC on Sunday night
Urijah Faber by submission (rear naked choke) in the 3rd round
Miguel Torres by submission in the 2nd round
Rob McCullough by KO in the 1st round
Chuck Grigsby by decision
-Besse
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