RANT: I hate having tape delayed MMA. It sucks. I live on the west coast in a beautiful city. Why should I be punished for that?
Very disappointed that Jason High lost, but he's still young and will be back.
Gerald Harris is sneakily becoming a special fighter. He beat a tough guy in Miranda tonight. Very impressed that he actually finished him.
Yushin Okami actually finishing someone is very impressive. The loss to Chael Sonnen was a wake up call for him. Linhares was the kind of opponent he needed to get back on track.
Caol Uno's return to the UFC hasn't been exciting nor has it been impressive. He went to a stalemate with Spencer Fisher (something I never expected) and he got worked a bit on the feet by Gleison Tibau and then muscled on the ground. We haven't seen Tibau be that aggressive in a while. Not a good sign for Uno's future in the UFC. Tibau was able to do what Fisher couldn't which is kind of puzzling. Fisher had the stand up to pick Uno apart but yet Tibau hit him with a big shot and worked him on the ground. Very odd.
I can't wait to see the Volkman vs Torres and Andre Winner fights. I'll hold my comments til then.
Ross Pearson looked very good. He's slowly building on his game and used fakes effectively to catch Siver off guard. Siver never could get Pearson's timing down and was pretty much helpless the whole fight. I definitely underestimated Pearson coming off of TUF. I'm sorry Ross Pearson.
I'm pretty much done with seeing Nate Quarry fight. It's just too sad now.
Big Country did what I thought he would do. He hit Struve hard. It was pretty. I know Dana hates that he wins in impressive fashion but if Nelson keeps winning he could become a huge draw. I like it. I like it alot.
The fight went exactly the way I thought it would except that Kenny actually finished Gomi. Very impressive. Kenny is a top 5 lightweight but unfortunately can't beat BJ Penn. Until then we get to see him beat up lightweights with his jab. I'm down for it. Gomi looked like he was trying to goad Kenny into something into brawling but it wasn't working. Kenny is too smart. I want to see him fight Diego Sanchez. Diego will definitely quench his thirst for a brawl.
I went 6-3 putting my total to 12-7 for the year so far...at least on the blog.
Well if you have anything interesting to tell me email me at balletofviolence@gmail.com, twitter @blackzag05, or call me....errr just leave a comment on the post. We haven't got that far in this relationship yet.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
UFC Fight Night 21 Picks
Well the MMA Madness ends with a very sneaky and one of the more underrated UFC Fight Nights in a while. If you want a overlooking theme to the night, go check out Sherdog.com or MMAWeekly.com.
Mario Miranda vs Gerald Harris
This fight is much closer than I expected to be. Miranda, as former Brazilian wrestling hopeful is going to against TUF vet Gerald Harris. Harris who didn't make the UFC after TUF, rattled off seven wins before getting the call to face John Salter in Virginia at Fight Night 20. He got the win, in a slow moving fight and now faces undefeated Miranda. I've peeped some of Miranda's fights and I was impressed by his ability to get the fight on the ground and finish. Both men are equal in the wrestling department in my opinion. I don't though think their wrestling will cancel each other out and they will stand. I think it will hit the ground and Miranda will get the submission. Very hard fight to pick though.
MIRANDA BY SUBMISSION
Charlie Brenneman vs Jason High
Disclaimer: I like Jason High the person and the fighter. So I'm not going to pick this fight. That's not saying anything bad, it's just I can't be objective about this one fight. I think Jason is going to win, but I want to win which makes picking pointless.
Jacob Volkman vs. Ronys Torres
Last time we saw both of these fighters, they were on the losing end. Volkman, who has had no favors thrown to him by facing Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann in his first two UFC fights, faces Nova Uniao product Ronys Torres. Torres gassed against Melvin Guillard at UFC 109 and now has a chance at redemption. This is actually a really good matchup for both since Volkman is a wrestler and Torres is a ground specialist. I see Torres being able to get Volkman on the ground and submitting him though.
TORRES BY SUBMISSION ROUND TWO
Caol Uno vs. Gleison Tibau
We all know what Tibau is going to: take Uno down. Uno won't be able to stop it. Too bad. I like Uno too.
TIBAU BY DECISION
Yushin Okami vs. Lucio Linhares
Okami will be a handful for Linhares to deal with on the feet and in the clinch. It will be nice to see Okami getting back to his winning ways especially after a change in training.
OKAMI VIA DECISION
Robert Emerson vs Nik Lentz
How has Emerson managed to stick around all this time? A very crafty and heavy handed Emerson goes against Minnesotan Nik Lentz. Emerson has the power to KO Lentz. If he was smart he would just stand up with him. Lentz on the other hands wants to take it to the ground and finish. I think if Emerson tries to do what he did against Nover, this will be a very boring fight. If he tries to knock him out, I think he will succeed.
A DRAW
Andrew Winner vs Rafaello Oliveira
Winner looked great against one dimensional Roli Delgado. He showed really polished boxing en route to a knock out win. I see Winner really putting it on Oliveira stand up wise and hurting him pretty bad. Ross Pearson tried his hardest to put Winner on his back and couldn't so I don't see Oliveira being able to do the same. Winner has great takedown defense.
WINNER VIA 2ND ROUND STOPPAGE
Ross Pearson vs. Dennis Siver
Pearson put it on Aaron Riley at UFC 105. Very impressive. Siver rattled off three wins last year and looks to take the TUF winner. I can't get that performance Pearson had against Riley out of my head. Siver has his hands full.
PEARSON VIA DECISION
Nate Quarry vs Jorge Rivera
Two old men going at it. Nate has enough power to stop Jorge in what should be a sloppy, somewhat entertaining fight.
NATE QUARRY VIA 3RD TKO
Roy Nelson vs Stefan Struve
I see this fight going like this, "straight jab and hook from Nelson. Struve goes down faster than one of the girls next door."
NELSON VIA ROUND ONE TKO
Kenny Florian vs. Takanori Gomi
This fight earlier in KFLO's career could have sent him on a different path. Right now is the perfect time to fight a declining Gomi. Florian is just way too polished for Gomi especially on the feet. If he finishes Gomi it would fucking impressive.
FLORIAN VIA DECISION
all right that's it folks...
email me hate at balletofviolence@gmail.com and you can find me on twitter at @blackzag05!
Mario Miranda vs Gerald Harris
This fight is much closer than I expected to be. Miranda, as former Brazilian wrestling hopeful is going to against TUF vet Gerald Harris. Harris who didn't make the UFC after TUF, rattled off seven wins before getting the call to face John Salter in Virginia at Fight Night 20. He got the win, in a slow moving fight and now faces undefeated Miranda. I've peeped some of Miranda's fights and I was impressed by his ability to get the fight on the ground and finish. Both men are equal in the wrestling department in my opinion. I don't though think their wrestling will cancel each other out and they will stand. I think it will hit the ground and Miranda will get the submission. Very hard fight to pick though.
MIRANDA BY SUBMISSION
Charlie Brenneman vs Jason High
Disclaimer: I like Jason High the person and the fighter. So I'm not going to pick this fight. That's not saying anything bad, it's just I can't be objective about this one fight. I think Jason is going to win, but I want to win which makes picking pointless.
Jacob Volkman vs. Ronys Torres
Last time we saw both of these fighters, they were on the losing end. Volkman, who has had no favors thrown to him by facing Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann in his first two UFC fights, faces Nova Uniao product Ronys Torres. Torres gassed against Melvin Guillard at UFC 109 and now has a chance at redemption. This is actually a really good matchup for both since Volkman is a wrestler and Torres is a ground specialist. I see Torres being able to get Volkman on the ground and submitting him though.
TORRES BY SUBMISSION ROUND TWO
Caol Uno vs. Gleison Tibau
We all know what Tibau is going to: take Uno down. Uno won't be able to stop it. Too bad. I like Uno too.
TIBAU BY DECISION
Yushin Okami vs. Lucio Linhares
Okami will be a handful for Linhares to deal with on the feet and in the clinch. It will be nice to see Okami getting back to his winning ways especially after a change in training.
OKAMI VIA DECISION
Robert Emerson vs Nik Lentz
How has Emerson managed to stick around all this time? A very crafty and heavy handed Emerson goes against Minnesotan Nik Lentz. Emerson has the power to KO Lentz. If he was smart he would just stand up with him. Lentz on the other hands wants to take it to the ground and finish. I think if Emerson tries to do what he did against Nover, this will be a very boring fight. If he tries to knock him out, I think he will succeed.
A DRAW
Andrew Winner vs Rafaello Oliveira
Winner looked great against one dimensional Roli Delgado. He showed really polished boxing en route to a knock out win. I see Winner really putting it on Oliveira stand up wise and hurting him pretty bad. Ross Pearson tried his hardest to put Winner on his back and couldn't so I don't see Oliveira being able to do the same. Winner has great takedown defense.
WINNER VIA 2ND ROUND STOPPAGE
Ross Pearson vs. Dennis Siver
Pearson put it on Aaron Riley at UFC 105. Very impressive. Siver rattled off three wins last year and looks to take the TUF winner. I can't get that performance Pearson had against Riley out of my head. Siver has his hands full.
PEARSON VIA DECISION
Nate Quarry vs Jorge Rivera
Two old men going at it. Nate has enough power to stop Jorge in what should be a sloppy, somewhat entertaining fight.
NATE QUARRY VIA 3RD TKO
Roy Nelson vs Stefan Struve
I see this fight going like this, "straight jab and hook from Nelson. Struve goes down faster than one of the girls next door."
NELSON VIA ROUND ONE TKO
Kenny Florian vs. Takanori Gomi
This fight earlier in KFLO's career could have sent him on a different path. Right now is the perfect time to fight a declining Gomi. Florian is just way too polished for Gomi especially on the feet. If he finishes Gomi it would fucking impressive.
FLORIAN VIA DECISION
all right that's it folks...
email me hate at balletofviolence@gmail.com and you can find me on twitter at @blackzag05!
111 impressions and a bit about Strikeforce Challengers
Well I went 6-4 for the night. Bleh.
I was disappointed in Matt Brown's performance. Brown has made great progress and started to show signs of being better than advertised especially with his win against James Wilks. He had to know that Ricardo was just going to double leg him to death. Why he didn't have a better answer to that strategy than running straight at him with punches, I will never know. Ricardo on the other hand did gas in the second but was able to finish Brown once he immediately got him on the ground. I don't know how far he gets at 170 with a one round gas tank.
Nate Diaz did exactly what he needed to against Rory. He looked a teeny bit bigger in his frame but Rory outsized him by a lot on fight night. If Nate continues to fight at 170 he's going to almost always look across the cage at bigger guys. Rory can't hack it anymore in the UFC which is sad. The game is progressing a lot faster now and just being one-dimensional isn't cutting it anymore. This fight doesn't make it excited to see Nate fight again at 170 but it does get him back on the winning track.
Palhares deserved his suspension. He held on way too long. End of story.
I scored Miller vs. Bocek as a draw. The first went to Miller, second to Bocek and then the third obviously as a draw. Neither guy did anything offensively to gain my scorecard in the round. Bocek on the ground is def a force at 155. He had Miller in a beautiful arm trap in the second. He obviously slowed down in the 3rd but he was a serious test for Miller. It's obvious Miller still needs time to groom before he takes that next big step at 155.
Jon Fitch did what he does. Wins.
Batman's tenacity got him the win against Camoes. I don't know if this moves him from gatekeeper to mid-level guy but he did look very good in his transitions from the feet to the ground and the during scrambles.
I was duped into thinking Mir had actually grown as a MMA fighter. He really hasn't. His chin isn't that great along with his actual clinch work. He's not able to move quickly with the extra weight, which was the problem against Carwin. Carwin manhandled him and now is going to fight Brock in July. The right man won. Now we can wait until next year for a Brock vs Mir rubber match. Thank God.
GSP dominated Dan Hardy. He didn't finish him, but who cares? The man is the best 170er on the planet and also top two pound for pound.
Those waiting for my thoughts on Showtime: Challengers, here they are:
I have none. Mediocre fights. That's pretty much it.
Until next time, don't forget to make your UFC Fight Night Bets!
I was disappointed in Matt Brown's performance. Brown has made great progress and started to show signs of being better than advertised especially with his win against James Wilks. He had to know that Ricardo was just going to double leg him to death. Why he didn't have a better answer to that strategy than running straight at him with punches, I will never know. Ricardo on the other hand did gas in the second but was able to finish Brown once he immediately got him on the ground. I don't know how far he gets at 170 with a one round gas tank.
Nate Diaz did exactly what he needed to against Rory. He looked a teeny bit bigger in his frame but Rory outsized him by a lot on fight night. If Nate continues to fight at 170 he's going to almost always look across the cage at bigger guys. Rory can't hack it anymore in the UFC which is sad. The game is progressing a lot faster now and just being one-dimensional isn't cutting it anymore. This fight doesn't make it excited to see Nate fight again at 170 but it does get him back on the winning track.
Palhares deserved his suspension. He held on way too long. End of story.
I scored Miller vs. Bocek as a draw. The first went to Miller, second to Bocek and then the third obviously as a draw. Neither guy did anything offensively to gain my scorecard in the round. Bocek on the ground is def a force at 155. He had Miller in a beautiful arm trap in the second. He obviously slowed down in the 3rd but he was a serious test for Miller. It's obvious Miller still needs time to groom before he takes that next big step at 155.
Jon Fitch did what he does. Wins.
Batman's tenacity got him the win against Camoes. I don't know if this moves him from gatekeeper to mid-level guy but he did look very good in his transitions from the feet to the ground and the during scrambles.
I was duped into thinking Mir had actually grown as a MMA fighter. He really hasn't. His chin isn't that great along with his actual clinch work. He's not able to move quickly with the extra weight, which was the problem against Carwin. Carwin manhandled him and now is going to fight Brock in July. The right man won. Now we can wait until next year for a Brock vs Mir rubber match. Thank God.
GSP dominated Dan Hardy. He didn't finish him, but who cares? The man is the best 170er on the planet and also top two pound for pound.
Those waiting for my thoughts on Showtime: Challengers, here they are:
I have none. Mediocre fights. That's pretty much it.
Until next time, don't forget to make your UFC Fight Night Bets!
Friday, March 26, 2010
111 Picks
Matt Riddle vs. Greg Soto
Riddle is one of the many TUF vets I find myself saying “Really? He’s still in the UFC?” I’m not going to rag on him like Jordan Breen does against George Roop. I last remember seeing Riddle fight for the first time against Dante Rivera in the TUF 7 finale. He’s a good wrestler who is on the fourth fight of his career. He’s a lucky SOB for being able to progress in his entire career in the UFC. But don’t think he will last long if he loses to Kurt Pelligrino student Greg Soto. I will plead the fifth on knowing anything about Soto. I think Riddle will have enough wrestling and stand up to grind out a boring decision.
30-27 Riddle
PS Soto and Riddle will probably be starting off the night and with Soto being the local guy I’m stoked to see how those crazy SOBs react to a local boy.
Rousimar Palhares vs. Tomasz Drwal
I just want to start this off by saying I didn’t know Drwal had any other skills other being able to “stand and bang.” ugh. Let’s get rid of that moniker please! That being said. I am tempted to go two different ways in this fight. Drwal has KO power and Palhares has the skill on the ground to submit a lot of people at 185. Palhares couldn’t deal with Dan Henderson power and tried to bait him to the ground the whole fight. It didn’t work and he lost. I see this fight going the exact same way. Drwal will be able to land shots standing and get a takedown or two scoring points and the win.
Drwal Round Three TKO stoppage
Rodney Wallace vs. Jared Hamman
The Sho Nuff Master (I won’t call him by his name ever) shouldn’t be at 205. He’s too short, but he has a incredible build and style. He wants to get his opponents on the ground and either submit them or grind them out. He showed a vastly improved ground game in the 8 man tournanment in Aruba en route to winning the whole damn thing. Jared Hamman is a EliteXC/Strikeforce Challengers guy that will always go for the exciting fight. He lost to up and comer Alexander Gustaffsson in brutal fashion at 105. He’s going to get worked by the clinch game of the Sho Nuff Master most of the fight. Hamman will want to brawl with him but the Sho Nuff Master should be smart enough to avoid and submit him
Sho Nuff by 1st Round Sub
Nate Diaz vs. Rory Markham
Nate’s debut at 170 is against journeyman and owner of one of my favorite Kos ever Rory Markham. Nate went up to 170 after putting on a mediocre performance against Gray Maynard. I thought Nate put a ton of punches on Gray (like his brother) but just didn’t have anything of significant power to win the fight. Nate’s problem at 155 was getting taken down at will by wrestlers. He is willing to fight off his back but if he can’t get the sub, he’s basically screwed. Unfortunately, he will face more of the same at 70. Guys at 170 has great wrestling and can really put it on anyone when they get on top. Nate has nothing to worry about along those lines with Rory. Rory does have heavy hands but Nate has a good chine. I think Nate will drop Rory in the second and get him in a guillotine for the win.
Nate via sub Round Two
Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Brown
Another joining Nate at 170 is BJJ Black Belt Ricardo Almeida. Ricardo in as a 185er and looked rather unimpressive throughout his run there. Now he comes in against a stiff test in the ever improving Matt Brown. Brown looked great against TUF winner James Wilks and is always a guy overlooked by fans and the media. He probably still one of the most underrated guys to come out of TUF. I think Brown can tag Almeida on the feet and won’t get caught up in Almeida’s ground game.
The Immortal 30-27
Kurt Pelligrino vs. Fabricio Camoes
Gatekeeper Kurt Pelligrino goes against Camoes in a fight moved up to the main card. I expect a boring 3rd round decision for Kurt
Batman 29-28
Jim Miller vs. Mark Bocek
Jim Miller has looked great in his last few fights. This however is his first true test against a black belt in Bocek. Bocek is pretty transparent with his gameplan: Get his opponent down on the ground and submit. I think this fight will about scrambles and Miller will win those.
Miler via decision 30-27
Jon Fitch vs. Ben Saunders.
Jake Ellenberger stepped aside so Jon Fitch could take on Ben Saunders. Thiago Alves was found to have a brain irregularity and was pulled. I wish for his speedy recovery. Ben was already prepared to take on a great wrestler and now he just faces a better wrestler with a iron chin. It doesn’t look good for Ben but if he’s able to work the jab and stay off the fence, he could frustrate Fitch with his reach. I will play it safe though and choose Fitch.
Fitch 30-27
Mir vs. Carwin
Carwin has been out for year while Mir has done what is necessary to get the third fight with Brock. I don’t’ care that he has put on 25 extra pounds. I don’t care that he wants Brock to die. The only real question in this fight is about stand up. Carwin has a marginal chin after being almost stopped by Gabriel Gonzaga. Mir’s stand up has come along but hasn’t impressed me since he KO’d a guy with his hands at his waist in Kongo. I think Carwin needs to put pressure on Mir on the feet and try to make this a stand up battle. If he finds angles on the feet, he could pick Mir apart. I don’t think that will happen though and we will see Mir pick up the win.
Mir by 1st round Sub
GSP vs. Hardy
GSP will win this by a double and ground and pound. That’s it. Hardy does have power but GSP isn’t stupid enough to fall into a slug fest. GSP stops Hardy in the 3rd
I’m not going to be long winded just because this is the main event. It’s that damn simple.
Riddle is one of the many TUF vets I find myself saying “Really? He’s still in the UFC?” I’m not going to rag on him like Jordan Breen does against George Roop. I last remember seeing Riddle fight for the first time against Dante Rivera in the TUF 7 finale. He’s a good wrestler who is on the fourth fight of his career. He’s a lucky SOB for being able to progress in his entire career in the UFC. But don’t think he will last long if he loses to Kurt Pelligrino student Greg Soto. I will plead the fifth on knowing anything about Soto. I think Riddle will have enough wrestling and stand up to grind out a boring decision.
30-27 Riddle
PS Soto and Riddle will probably be starting off the night and with Soto being the local guy I’m stoked to see how those crazy SOBs react to a local boy.
Rousimar Palhares vs. Tomasz Drwal
I just want to start this off by saying I didn’t know Drwal had any other skills other being able to “stand and bang.” ugh. Let’s get rid of that moniker please! That being said. I am tempted to go two different ways in this fight. Drwal has KO power and Palhares has the skill on the ground to submit a lot of people at 185. Palhares couldn’t deal with Dan Henderson power and tried to bait him to the ground the whole fight. It didn’t work and he lost. I see this fight going the exact same way. Drwal will be able to land shots standing and get a takedown or two scoring points and the win.
Drwal Round Three TKO stoppage
Rodney Wallace vs. Jared Hamman
The Sho Nuff Master (I won’t call him by his name ever) shouldn’t be at 205. He’s too short, but he has a incredible build and style. He wants to get his opponents on the ground and either submit them or grind them out. He showed a vastly improved ground game in the 8 man tournanment in Aruba en route to winning the whole damn thing. Jared Hamman is a EliteXC/Strikeforce Challengers guy that will always go for the exciting fight. He lost to up and comer Alexander Gustaffsson in brutal fashion at 105. He’s going to get worked by the clinch game of the Sho Nuff Master most of the fight. Hamman will want to brawl with him but the Sho Nuff Master should be smart enough to avoid and submit him
Sho Nuff by 1st Round Sub
Nate Diaz vs. Rory Markham
Nate’s debut at 170 is against journeyman and owner of one of my favorite Kos ever Rory Markham. Nate went up to 170 after putting on a mediocre performance against Gray Maynard. I thought Nate put a ton of punches on Gray (like his brother) but just didn’t have anything of significant power to win the fight. Nate’s problem at 155 was getting taken down at will by wrestlers. He is willing to fight off his back but if he can’t get the sub, he’s basically screwed. Unfortunately, he will face more of the same at 70. Guys at 170 has great wrestling and can really put it on anyone when they get on top. Nate has nothing to worry about along those lines with Rory. Rory does have heavy hands but Nate has a good chine. I think Nate will drop Rory in the second and get him in a guillotine for the win.
Nate via sub Round Two
Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Brown
Another joining Nate at 170 is BJJ Black Belt Ricardo Almeida. Ricardo in as a 185er and looked rather unimpressive throughout his run there. Now he comes in against a stiff test in the ever improving Matt Brown. Brown looked great against TUF winner James Wilks and is always a guy overlooked by fans and the media. He probably still one of the most underrated guys to come out of TUF. I think Brown can tag Almeida on the feet and won’t get caught up in Almeida’s ground game.
The Immortal 30-27
Kurt Pelligrino vs. Fabricio Camoes
Gatekeeper Kurt Pelligrino goes against Camoes in a fight moved up to the main card. I expect a boring 3rd round decision for Kurt
Batman 29-28
Jim Miller vs. Mark Bocek
Jim Miller has looked great in his last few fights. This however is his first true test against a black belt in Bocek. Bocek is pretty transparent with his gameplan: Get his opponent down on the ground and submit. I think this fight will about scrambles and Miller will win those.
Miler via decision 30-27
Jon Fitch vs. Ben Saunders.
Jake Ellenberger stepped aside so Jon Fitch could take on Ben Saunders. Thiago Alves was found to have a brain irregularity and was pulled. I wish for his speedy recovery. Ben was already prepared to take on a great wrestler and now he just faces a better wrestler with a iron chin. It doesn’t look good for Ben but if he’s able to work the jab and stay off the fence, he could frustrate Fitch with his reach. I will play it safe though and choose Fitch.
Fitch 30-27
Mir vs. Carwin
Carwin has been out for year while Mir has done what is necessary to get the third fight with Brock. I don’t’ care that he has put on 25 extra pounds. I don’t care that he wants Brock to die. The only real question in this fight is about stand up. Carwin has a marginal chin after being almost stopped by Gabriel Gonzaga. Mir’s stand up has come along but hasn’t impressed me since he KO’d a guy with his hands at his waist in Kongo. I think Carwin needs to put pressure on Mir on the feet and try to make this a stand up battle. If he finds angles on the feet, he could pick Mir apart. I don’t think that will happen though and we will see Mir pick up the win.
Mir by 1st round Sub
GSP vs. Hardy
GSP will win this by a double and ground and pound. That’s it. Hardy does have power but GSP isn’t stupid enough to fall into a slug fest. GSP stops Hardy in the 3rd
I’m not going to be long winded just because this is the main event. It’s that damn simple.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Little by Little: The Best DamnBreakdown of UFC on Versus 1
So we have at least 15 fights in three days. It will be crazy. It will be epic. Let's just remember to mute the commentary on each UFC show. It will make your experience dynamic and explosive.
I will be breaking down two fights a day for UFC on Versus 1.
The first two are:
Julio Paulino vs. Mike Pierce
Eric Schafer vs. Jason Brilz
Julio Paulino steps in for Rob Kimmons as a late replacement against the "stop me" style of Mike Pierce. Paulino is a Alaskan Fighting Championship journeyman, holding the Middleweight title in the promotion. Pierce is the white Antonio McKee. He has a style that isn't visually pleasing, but it's effective. Jon Fitch was a able to out wrestle him and punish him on the ground for another mind-blowing decision. It's real simple. Paulino is going to come out swinging and Pierce is going to clinch and lock him down.
Mike Pierce UD
Eric Schafer vs Jason Brilz
I tried to watch Eric fight again and I remember why I'm not a huge fan of his. His takedowns are ugly and he also will be held down by a bigger, stronger guy. Jason Brilz is that guy. He has decent stand-up which he could catch Schafer with and should be able to shake off his takedowns.
Easy win for Jason Brilz via 2nd TKO stoppage.
I will be breaking down two fights a day for UFC on Versus 1.
The first two are:
Julio Paulino vs. Mike Pierce
Eric Schafer vs. Jason Brilz
Julio Paulino steps in for Rob Kimmons as a late replacement against the "stop me" style of Mike Pierce. Paulino is a Alaskan Fighting Championship journeyman, holding the Middleweight title in the promotion. Pierce is the white Antonio McKee. He has a style that isn't visually pleasing, but it's effective. Jon Fitch was a able to out wrestle him and punish him on the ground for another mind-blowing decision. It's real simple. Paulino is going to come out swinging and Pierce is going to clinch and lock him down.
Mike Pierce UD
Eric Schafer vs Jason Brilz
I tried to watch Eric fight again and I remember why I'm not a huge fan of his. His takedowns are ugly and he also will be held down by a bigger, stronger guy. Jason Brilz is that guy. He has decent stand-up which he could catch Schafer with and should be able to shake off his takedowns.
Easy win for Jason Brilz via 2nd TKO stoppage.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
The Mountain Man
For a guy that has only been fighting professionally for a year and half, Jessie Riggleman (8-0) is on the fast track in MMA. He is WEC bound after beating Bryan Goldsby in the last Respect is Earned card in Virginia. Unfortunately, his win was surrounded in controversy. In the first round of the fight, Riggleman was using knees in the clinch effectively while Goldsby was landing clean shots on the feet. Ultimately, Riggleman ended up on top winning the round. The remaining rounds were back and forth but Riggleman was the clear winner in a 29-28 decision. Unfortunately, the judges screwed it up and declared Goldsby as the winner by split decision. Riggleman then left the cage in shock. Right before the next fight started, they brought both men back out and announced that it was a unanimous draw, again to the ire of Riggleman. Finally, Riggleman got back into the cage after it was discovered one judge had his name on the wrong side of the card, which gave Goldsby the round. Instead of focusing on what was a great win against a Goldsby, who was been hailed by Shonie Carter (who was doing play by play) as the next great WEC prospect, Riggleman has to deal with questions not about his fight career, but about how badly the judges screwed up that night.
Regardless, Riggleman is moving on and focusing on the next phase in his career: a possible drop to flyweight. The WEC has plans to adopt the division in early 2011. Riggleman says he feels “much bigger than other flyweight fighters” but he also has no problem fighting at bantamweight as he did against Goldsby. At either weight, he is looking to use the Muay Thai clinch to get the win. “It’s very important in my game. If I can put the guy against the cage and control him with ties, I can wear him out faster.”
Riggleman’s rise in the sport has been fast but with an undefeated record and a progressive camp in the MMA Institute, he will either be fighting for the title in the local promotion, UWC or in the WEC by the end of the year.
Riggleman would like to give a big thanks to my sponsor Kimura wear and to all my training partners and trainers at the best school in Virginia, MMA Institute! Check them out at http://www.Kimurawear.com and http://www.MMAinstitute.com
Regardless, Riggleman is moving on and focusing on the next phase in his career: a possible drop to flyweight. The WEC has plans to adopt the division in early 2011. Riggleman says he feels “much bigger than other flyweight fighters” but he also has no problem fighting at bantamweight as he did against Goldsby. At either weight, he is looking to use the Muay Thai clinch to get the win. “It’s very important in my game. If I can put the guy against the cage and control him with ties, I can wear him out faster.”
Riggleman’s rise in the sport has been fast but with an undefeated record and a progressive camp in the MMA Institute, he will either be fighting for the title in the local promotion, UWC or in the WEC by the end of the year.
Riggleman would like to give a big thanks to my sponsor Kimura wear and to all my training partners and trainers at the best school in Virginia, MMA Institute! Check them out at http://www.Kimurawear.com and http://www.MMAinstitute.com
WEC 47 Thoughts and Ramblings
Ricardo Lamas' recent win against Bendy Casimir shows his growth as a LW prospect. After being thought of as just a wrestler, Lamas is starting to put together effective strikes with his tenacious wrestling. He is on the rise in the shallow WEC LW division.
Sweet GIF of the KO
http://urdirt.com/2010/03/09/wec-47-quick-gifs-ricardo-lamas-kos-bendy-casimir-mouthpiece-with-flying-knee/
Roop vs. Garcia wasn’t the fight of the night. Torres vs. Benavidez was. The point deduction was deserved since Roop was warned once. I had the fight scored 29-27 Roop. Neither are getting cut so I looked forward to seeing more improvement by Roop and the swinging Garcia.
Pettis has dynamic striking and can really put together offense on the feet. Castillo got caught. It happens. It’s good see both get on the broadcast and Pettis’ first win in the WEC even after dropping the controversial loss to "Bartimus".
Chad George took a bad shot and got caught in a nasty guillotine. Enough said. This should be a warning to all fighters. You can’t afford to take bad shots in MMA. Sharpen up your game.
Darabedyan was working Bart but Bart used good hips to catch him in a armbar. It was another technical mistake similar to Dany Lauzon against Cole Miller. It was good to see Bart get a finish for the second time in his WEC career.
I felt Miguel Torres forgot that it was only a three round fight. He had a slow pace which helped the aggressive Benavidez. With a 11 inch reach, Miguel should have jabbed Joe to death. He didn’t. Instead he ate shots and then got bum rushed on the ground. Getting submitted by a textbook guillotine was shocking, but it showed great improvement for not only Joseph but all the Team Alpha Male guys. Joe actually came with a game plan and submitted the WEC’s poster boy. Miguel has to go back the drawing and maybe even needs a lesser opponent to get all the rust of his game.
Cruz vs. Bowles
I’m not going to touch the “Bowles quit” conversation. I’m just going to talk about Cruz’s ability to slip, bob, weave and feint past Brian Bowles punches. He put on a clinic:how to be fluid and smooth on the feet. It’s probably the most put together stand up I’ve seen since Anderson put a hurting on Forrest. Cruz is going to be a great champion. I don’t want to see him and Joseph Benavidez rematch yet. I’d rather him and Scott Jorgensen throw down. Yes, Jorgensen is still developing but hot damn so is Cruz. I don’t think Cruz has truly peaked which is scary. The 135ers are just now starting to get some parody and that will be something WEC can bank on in the future.
Sweet GIF of the KO
http://urdirt.com/2010/03/09/wec-47-quick-gifs-ricardo-lamas-kos-bendy-casimir-mouthpiece-with-flying-knee/
Roop vs. Garcia wasn’t the fight of the night. Torres vs. Benavidez was. The point deduction was deserved since Roop was warned once. I had the fight scored 29-27 Roop. Neither are getting cut so I looked forward to seeing more improvement by Roop and the swinging Garcia.
Pettis has dynamic striking and can really put together offense on the feet. Castillo got caught. It happens. It’s good see both get on the broadcast and Pettis’ first win in the WEC even after dropping the controversial loss to "Bartimus".
Chad George took a bad shot and got caught in a nasty guillotine. Enough said. This should be a warning to all fighters. You can’t afford to take bad shots in MMA. Sharpen up your game.
Darabedyan was working Bart but Bart used good hips to catch him in a armbar. It was another technical mistake similar to Dany Lauzon against Cole Miller. It was good to see Bart get a finish for the second time in his WEC career.
I felt Miguel Torres forgot that it was only a three round fight. He had a slow pace which helped the aggressive Benavidez. With a 11 inch reach, Miguel should have jabbed Joe to death. He didn’t. Instead he ate shots and then got bum rushed on the ground. Getting submitted by a textbook guillotine was shocking, but it showed great improvement for not only Joseph but all the Team Alpha Male guys. Joe actually came with a game plan and submitted the WEC’s poster boy. Miguel has to go back the drawing and maybe even needs a lesser opponent to get all the rust of his game.
Cruz vs. Bowles
I’m not going to touch the “Bowles quit” conversation. I’m just going to talk about Cruz’s ability to slip, bob, weave and feint past Brian Bowles punches. He put on a clinic:how to be fluid and smooth on the feet. It’s probably the most put together stand up I’ve seen since Anderson put a hurting on Forrest. Cruz is going to be a great champion. I don’t want to see him and Joseph Benavidez rematch yet. I’d rather him and Scott Jorgensen throw down. Yes, Jorgensen is still developing but hot damn so is Cruz. I don’t think Cruz has truly peaked which is scary. The 135ers are just now starting to get some parody and that will be something WEC can bank on in the future.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Northwest MMA
The Northwest fight scene has been known for producing fighters who initially come into the sport as tough, hard nosed wrestlers. Most of those wrestlers start training up at Team Quest in Oregon. Led by Matt Lindland, some of the best talent trains there starting with the new number one Middleweight contender and possible Oregon State Representative Chael Sonnen. He put on a masterful performance against Nate Marquardt at UFC 109. He smothered him with takedowns and pounded on him for three rounds earning himself a unanimous decision win. More interestingly is how marketable he has become. He has made boisterous claims about the current MW champ Anderson Silva speaking perfect English and that he has only fought bums. He’s also called him a bully who he is going to stand up to and beat. Whether Anderson wins or loses at UFC 112, these two are going to fight in the future. With the recent change in the MW title bout at UFC 112, Sonnen could also be facing a familiar foe in Demian Maia if Maia pulls out the win. He embarrassed Sonnen on the ground en route to a triangle choke win at UFC 95.
Another up and comer out of Team Quest is WEC lightweight Dave “The Fugitive” Jansen. He lost the first fight of his career at WEC 46 to Kamal Shalorus in a primarily stand up bout. Once he works on his stand up, he will become a force to be reckon with along with his wrestling.
The local promotion in Oregon is called Sportfight and is run by the aforementioned Matt Lindland. They are running their twenty-seventh card on March 12, which will have a mixture of amateur and professional fights. Two intriguing fighters on this card are Colt Toombs and Nathan Coy. Toombs, who is the son of famous WWE wrestler Roddy “Rowdy” Piper will fight for the second time as a pro. He lost his debut at the Tachi Place Fights in February and will be looking to come back against local Roy Bradshaw. Second is the Welterweight title fight between Team Quest product Nathan Coy and Sikjitsu fighter Travis Bush. Nathan Coy is 7-2 with wins over UFC veterans Ricky Story and Mike Pierce. A win over a tough local guy in Bush could get him in the UFC very soon.
In Idaho, high profile fighters come from the Combat Fitness gym in Boise, Idaho. Scott Jorgensen is a top 135 prospect who is coming off a win against recent title contender Takaya Mizugaki. He has shown great improvement since his first fight against Damacio Page in the WEC. He showed polished boxing and clinch work against a very game Mizugaki. His next fight is against Chad George at WEC 47. It’s another opportunity for him to work on his skills and get one step closer to fighting the winner of Brian Bowles vs. Dominick Cruz in the summer.
Washington is a tale of two sides. On the west side of the state their are two main camps located in the capital Olympia and the bustling city of Seattle. In Kirkland, AMC Pankration is turning out top prospects under Matt Hume. Hume, who trains current UFC fighters Matt Brown and Rich Franklin has two prospects who are up and coming: Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and Caros "The Future" Fodor. Johnson started training at a AMC gym in Auburn, WA after being signed up by UFC and IFL vet Reese Andy. He then moved to the original AMC in Kirkland and fell under Matt Hume’s tutelage. He is currently 9-0 and coming off a impressive head kick KO win against Combat Fitness product Jesse Brock.
Fedor on the other hand started out kickboxing in Greenalke, WA and wound up wanting to compete. He was told AMC was the place to be and has won six straight fights by submission since. Both fighters agree with the reputation that fighters in the Northwest are tough. Johnson attributed this to have a well run amateur system in the state, which few states actually have.
Bryan Caraway (14-4) is also a interesting prospect who came up through SportFight shows and fights out of Olympia, WA. He trains out of Victory Athletics which is headed by UFC vet Dennis Hallman along with Brad Blackburn and Miesha Tate. He lost his WEC debut versus veteran Mark Hominick. He was lured easily into being swept while on top of Hominick and feel swiftly into a triangle. He had to pull out of his fight at WEC 47 against Fredson Paixao on March 6 due to a injury.
Finally, on the east side of the state in Spokane is Sikjitsu. Lyle Beerbohm, the self proclaimed trainer in the gym and aspiring fighter is the most established prospect. He is undefeated at 13-0 and a tough guy to deal with at 170. He fights at a fast pace the whole time and adopts the same strategy as Urijah Faber: win the scrambles. His last win was in a local show in Spokane but before that he won against talented kick boxer Duane “Bang” Ludwig. He has fought on the undercards of Strikeforce: Challengers cards but has never seen garnered any significant TV time inside the promotion. With his amazing story of being a recovering meth addict, he is going to either be stuck in Strikeforce’s lame duck of a business model or will hopefully be headed to the UFC or even the ever growing Bellator.
Another up and comer out of Team Quest is WEC lightweight Dave “The Fugitive” Jansen. He lost the first fight of his career at WEC 46 to Kamal Shalorus in a primarily stand up bout. Once he works on his stand up, he will become a force to be reckon with along with his wrestling.
The local promotion in Oregon is called Sportfight and is run by the aforementioned Matt Lindland. They are running their twenty-seventh card on March 12, which will have a mixture of amateur and professional fights. Two intriguing fighters on this card are Colt Toombs and Nathan Coy. Toombs, who is the son of famous WWE wrestler Roddy “Rowdy” Piper will fight for the second time as a pro. He lost his debut at the Tachi Place Fights in February and will be looking to come back against local Roy Bradshaw. Second is the Welterweight title fight between Team Quest product Nathan Coy and Sikjitsu fighter Travis Bush. Nathan Coy is 7-2 with wins over UFC veterans Ricky Story and Mike Pierce. A win over a tough local guy in Bush could get him in the UFC very soon.
In Idaho, high profile fighters come from the Combat Fitness gym in Boise, Idaho. Scott Jorgensen is a top 135 prospect who is coming off a win against recent title contender Takaya Mizugaki. He has shown great improvement since his first fight against Damacio Page in the WEC. He showed polished boxing and clinch work against a very game Mizugaki. His next fight is against Chad George at WEC 47. It’s another opportunity for him to work on his skills and get one step closer to fighting the winner of Brian Bowles vs. Dominick Cruz in the summer.
Washington is a tale of two sides. On the west side of the state their are two main camps located in the capital Olympia and the bustling city of Seattle. In Kirkland, AMC Pankration is turning out top prospects under Matt Hume. Hume, who trains current UFC fighters Matt Brown and Rich Franklin has two prospects who are up and coming: Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and Caros "The Future" Fodor. Johnson started training at a AMC gym in Auburn, WA after being signed up by UFC and IFL vet Reese Andy. He then moved to the original AMC in Kirkland and fell under Matt Hume’s tutelage. He is currently 9-0 and coming off a impressive head kick KO win against Combat Fitness product Jesse Brock.
Fedor on the other hand started out kickboxing in Greenalke, WA and wound up wanting to compete. He was told AMC was the place to be and has won six straight fights by submission since. Both fighters agree with the reputation that fighters in the Northwest are tough. Johnson attributed this to have a well run amateur system in the state, which few states actually have.
Bryan Caraway (14-4) is also a interesting prospect who came up through SportFight shows and fights out of Olympia, WA. He trains out of Victory Athletics which is headed by UFC vet Dennis Hallman along with Brad Blackburn and Miesha Tate. He lost his WEC debut versus veteran Mark Hominick. He was lured easily into being swept while on top of Hominick and feel swiftly into a triangle. He had to pull out of his fight at WEC 47 against Fredson Paixao on March 6 due to a injury.
Finally, on the east side of the state in Spokane is Sikjitsu. Lyle Beerbohm, the self proclaimed trainer in the gym and aspiring fighter is the most established prospect. He is undefeated at 13-0 and a tough guy to deal with at 170. He fights at a fast pace the whole time and adopts the same strategy as Urijah Faber: win the scrambles. His last win was in a local show in Spokane but before that he won against talented kick boxer Duane “Bang” Ludwig. He has fought on the undercards of Strikeforce: Challengers cards but has never seen garnered any significant TV time inside the promotion. With his amazing story of being a recovering meth addict, he is going to either be stuck in Strikeforce’s lame duck of a business model or will hopefully be headed to the UFC or even the ever growing Bellator.
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