MMA FAN TALK

Scoring UFC 179 Aldo vs Mendes 2 with the Min/Min System

2014-10-28T23:48:00.004-04:00

Ok I'm glad that I rewatched this fight because with the beer, excitement and the environment I was in, my initial score for the fight was........... Batshit crazy. Now scoring it a second time around after calming down from the high and looking at it objectively I was really surprised with the results I got. This is #JoseAldo  vs#ChadMendes   #UFC179

Jose Aldo   Chad Mendes
R1)10,10,10,9,10= 49   9,10,9,10,8= 46
R2)9,10,10,9,10= 48 10,9,10,10,10= 49
R3)10,10,9,10,9= 48   10,9,10,8,10= 47
R4)10,9,9,9,10= 47 10,10,10,10,9= 49
R5)8,9,10,10,10= 47 10,10,9,9,10= 48

Aldo 239    Mendes 239

The fight is a DRAW

Now according to this I had Mendes winning Rounds 2,4 and 5, and had Aldo winning Rounds 1 and 3. But the difference is the weight of those rounds. Now listening to this fight with headphones on the two hits after the bell, I counted those because no points were taken in the fight and also listening, the crowd had to have been deafening because I heard the bell but it was faint past that roaring crowd so I can see the argument that he didnt hear it or whatever. Now if you want to take into account by Mendes than I would just make R1-Min4 a 10-9 for Aldo because of the eyepoke, R2-Min1 a 10-9 for the nut shot and R3-Min1 10-9 for the second eye poke. But regardless, even though I scored this a draw. I'm just one of three judges that would score the fight and especially in Brazil, it leans towards Aldo.

This was a really close fight and although Aldo took a beating, it was the best performance I had ever seen from Aldo in the UFC. Chad Mendes has changed night and day from his last bout with Aldo almost 3 years ago. When a fight this close and I scored it a draw, you got to believe in Brazil it would go to Jose Aldo. Which makes me wonder what would the score had been if it was fought in California like it was originally scheduled? Regardless, this was truly a battle of #1 vs #2 in the division.

UFC 179: Glover Teixeira vs Phil Davis Fight Analysis/Prediction

2014-10-12T15:02:00.000-04:00

With both fighters coming off of one-sided decision losses, both fighters seek to bounce back and regain momentum as contenders in the light heavyweight division. Lets breakdown these two fighter based on how they looked in their past 5 fights.

Phil Davis 12-2-0, 2 KO/TKO, 4 Sub, 6 Decision

Strengths

From 2012 to now we have seen Phil Davis striking game improve as he has shown really good kicks and jabs straight down the middle. He does a good job at using the most of his reach advantage and keeps himself at a safe distance while close enough to attack. When he takes his opponents to the ground he has shown in multiple fights one of his favorite go to submissions. As his opponent tries to stand, he will have full control of the opponents head and looks to sink in an anaconda choke every time. He has done this against Alexander Gustafsson and to Wagner Prado. He is a high level collegiate wrestler that really has set up his striking more so he can change levels and go for the takedown. He has a good chin and keeps himself at distance which allows him to absorb less punishment and he knows how to use his striking and wrestling to score points.

Weaknesses

Although he is a NCAA Division I All American wrestler, he has had trouble getting his timing which allowed quite a bit of his takedowns to be stuffed. In his fight against Alexander Gustafsson, a lot of his takedowns were stuffed by the Mauler. Alexanders downfall in that fight was trying to out-wrestle Phil Davis. He also is not comfortable on his back as when Rashad Evans took him down, Phil gave up good positions multiple times and allowed Rashad to mount a crucifix twice. The biggest weakness that so far has not been improved is his reaction to getting hit. Phil will feel comfortable standing and open up but once he gets hit he tends to hesitate and be timid to engage the rest of the fight. He starts striking further and further away taking away a lot of pop from his strikes, In round 5 against Rashad Evans, Phil was so far away that Rashad was able to paw away every strike thrown. He also becomes very predictable when he gets hit, he desperately drop to his knees for takedowns once engaged and they get stuffed. He has shown poor fighter IQ to make adjustments mid-fight. Against Lyoto Machida he was so afraid to engage that Lyoto would taunt Phil to bait him to engage. Because Phil Davis is not threatening with his lack of power in his striking Phil tends to look for takedowns towards the end in hopes to steal the round. This was shown in his fight against Lyoto Machida. We will see on October 25 if Phil has overcome that flaw as with a record of 12-2-0 and at 30 years old there is still time for Phil grow and prove his worth as one of the top fighters in the Light Heavyweight Division.

Glover Teixeira 22-3-0, 13KO/TKO, 6 Sub, 3 Decision

Strengths

Glover Teixeira is a high level fighter that a lot of MMA fans never heard of but most fighters knew was the real deal. Most thought if it weren't for his visa issues, he would very well have been UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and for the most part would have been the champion Jon Jones would have fought instead of Shogun Rua. When he came into the UFC he came in immediately establishing himself as a threat not only on the feet but on the ground showing powerful one punch power and slick ground game. In his fight against Kyle Kingsbury he showed very heavy hands and pressure from the start and when an opponent goes down he not only looks to finish the fight with his hands, he showed multiple times his automatic reaction to take the back sinking his hooks to establish his ground control and look for openings. Has great top game and although he would love to finish his fights with a TKO, if an opponent starts reaching he will quickly look for the arm triangle as he showed against Kingsbury and Fabian Maldonado. He showed in fights against Rampage, Maldonado, and Bader that he is very game to keeping the fight a slug-fest and has shown an iron chin especially against Jon Jones and Ryan Bader. He also showed success in defending some of the takedowns of Ryan Bader and at any point even if he is rocked shows he has that one punch knockout power that will turn lights out at any point.

Weaknesses

With all being said about his striking game there is flaws that prove to be fatal if against a technical striker. He shows little head movement especially when he is engaged in striking which makes him susceptible to counters. He also has a tendency to drop his hands and show a rather sloppy striking defense. With his powerful hands he tends to hunt for the knockout throwing looping overhands and hooks that can be exploited against a mobile fighter. Its hard to hunt for the one punch knockout cause in high level competition most times those opportunities are not there and against Phil Davis who wants to keep it on the outside at distance will not create those opportunities.

Prediction

In conclusion, we have a fighter in Phil Davis that is good at scoring points and using his length to keep at a safe distance to strike and not get hit and with top level wrestling. Than we have a fighter in Glover Teixeira that is threatening both on the feet and on the ground. With both fighters having good chins, look for this fight to look something like Phil Davis vs Anthony Johnson with Davis being tentative to engage the power of Glover Teixeira. Glover is not going to make this a technical fight and is going to press the pace and seek to be in Phil's face looking for the Mike Tyson uppercuts when Phil dives for the takedown once pressured.

Glover Teixeira Win Unanimous Decision

MMA Scoring System Must Change

2014-10-09T01:11:00.002-04:00

I have looked at all the problems with our current 10 Point Must System and a lot of people tend to think the current system is fine, the problem is the judges. Although there is a judging problem in fighting, the current system displayed today is the main concern. Even with a good judge there are a lot of fights where one fighter does just enough to win the round and gets scored 10-9, and another fighter does alot more and enough to take the round and that gets scored 10-9. The problem is those are two completely different rounds yet they both get scored the exact same. The min/min system I designed not only eliminates that problem, but also adds more clarity to the judges for bad decisions.

What needs to be understood is a MMA match is a fight until it goes to a decision, than it becomes a sport. And with the min/min system each minute being scored does a very crucial thing. It judges based on what actually happened in the fight, not what we feel and remember happened because there is alot that goes on in 5 min that we forget.

If fighter X is convincingly winning 4 minutes of the fight and fighter Y rocks his opponent but he survives the round, to most with the current system, that means fighter Y won the round, but that’s not exactly true. Yes fighter X got rocked in the last minute and survived the round, but if it goes to a decision, what fighter X did the majority of that round still counts. Now fighter Y’s ending minute might make the round much closer but it doesn’t throw away what happened the previous four minutes. That’s why the min/min system is important. It scores fighter for what actually happened in the fight. It also makes it very easy to look at the scorecard and see just exactly what happened in the fight and why the judge scored it the way he did. It’s much easier to defend your score for 1 minute than it is to defend your score for 5 minutes.

I have used this system for 5 straight events from start to finish to see its effectiveness live during a fight and it is very effective and easy to use. This system would take away a lot of the controversy of "Who really won." Controversies like GSP vs Hendricks, Jones vs Gustafsson, Edgar vs Maynard I and etc. In regards to the judges using the Min/Min System, its much simpler, easier and more accurate to score 1 minute than it is to score 5 minutes. I’m really interested in hearing your opinions on this system and any suggestions that can make this better, or any concerns because something needs to be done and I really want to push this and make a difference because I love this sport so much.

Minute/Minute Scoring System

• With each round being 5 minutes, the judge scores each minute as its own individual round.
• Each minute gets scored 10-10 (action draw), 9-9 (no action draw), 10-9, 10-8 and 10-7.

- The draws are important because sometimes a minute is too close to score or nothing happens and to force a winner becomes biased.• At the end of the 5 minute round, all the scores get added up to give you the winner of the round.
• Once all three or five rounds of the fight are completed, the totals get added up to give you the end result of who won the fight.
• If the referee deducts points, each deduction is 5 points. (ex: 10-9 round with current system is 50-45 with min/min system. So 1 point with current system equals 5 points with min/min system.)

Hendo or Showtime?

2013-08-31T21:44:00.000-04:00

December 16 2010, WEC 53, Two fighters engaged in one the greatest fights in MMA history. A tough and technically sound champion fought an incredibly dynamic and relentless challenger, who in the end triumphed to steal the belt. It was a technique straight out of one the many martial arts movies I grew up with which changed the tide of the fight in the challenger's favor, and thus put a loss on his opponent's record he would not forget.

That night was the final WEC event due to it's merger with the UFC, and the two fighters would go on to begin their quests at being champions in their new organization. One became champion once more, and the other has had to wait through injuries to get his second shot.

OF course, even new fans have seen enough promotional footage to know I'm talking about Benson Henderson and Anthony Pettis. In just a few hours, Henderson get's a second chance to defend his title against the man who handed him the second and most disappointing loss of his career. Pettis, on the other hand, seeks to repeat history, dethrone the Henderson, and claim the title he believes has been rightfully his all along.

Does Henderson have what it takes to retain the UFC crown? Or is Pettis too dynamic to be denied? As a fan of both fighters this one is too hard to call. Each has proven their greatness before, and have showed improvement in each fight. And with so much at stake, it's hard to say one is more motivated than the other.

What do you all think?

MMA's Greatest Champion: Dana White

2013-08-30T00:43:00.001-04:00

There many personalities in MMA who have have done great things for the sport, but also given us alot to pass judgement on. Anderson Silva, Rashad Evans, Jason Miller, Tito Ortiz, Quinton Jackson, etc. Many of these and other fighters like them, have changed the course of the sport's history

But who has made the biggest impact? It isn't a fighter at all, instead it is UFC President Dana White. Bleacher Report columnist Levi Nile put out an interesting piece on White which I recommend people read (link below). It is pretty good argument on why MMA has always needed Dana White and still does, as he is responsible for the phenomenal growth of the UFC, and thus the sport. But also, it is an acknowledgement of his flaws.

I for one completely agree with Levi, White hasn't been perfect, but he undoubtedly has gotten the job done. If you've followed MMA since the days of UFC 1, you can see the evolution. And it had to do with White's vision for the sport and the path he understood it needed to follow to get there. And while today the UFC, like every sport, still has it's controversies (some created by White himself) we probably wouldn't have MMA or the UFC to enjoy or criticize had it not been for the work he's done.

I'm a huge fan of MMA, and fight sports in general. So I for one, even in the face of some things White has done or said which I disagree with, greatly appreciate that he has brought the UFC and MMA to the mainstream. Sure, sometimes his open attacks on some of his fighters can be brutal, and his foul language at press conferences, even though enjoyable to me, probably isn't the best thing for the sport. You don't see David Stern (NBA commissioner) or Roger Goodell (NFL commissioner) dropping f-bombs at every interview.

Also,fighters have often called White and the UFC out for not paying them enough. Fans and critics have argued that sometimes the match making seems illogical. Some, like Jason Miller, have gone on the record to say MMA has been ruined or is headed to ruin because of Dana White. But let's look at it this way, which is another point Levi mentioned in his article, the UFC has only grown since Zuffa took it over and Dana White started running things, granted Zuffa's owners the Fertitta Brothers probably have had a lot to do with it as well. And let's not forget the fighters, like the one's I mentioned earlier and many more. But it has been his relentless campaign to bring the UFC to the top that has made it possible for the overall sport to exist as it does today.

Love him or hate him, when you look at his track record objectively, it's hard to argue that MMA as a sport would be around or at least be anywhere near as large as it is today without Dana White.

Check out the original article here for the full story: MMA: Where Would MMA Be Without Dana White?

Will The Spider Be Champ Once More?

2013-08-28T00:03:00.000-04:00

Can Silva ignore the criticism over his title loss and focus on regaining it?

On July 6 2013, Chris Weidman did many of Anderson Silva’s critics a favor by validating then via his knockout victory over the long time UFC 185 lb king. It was a moment most of Silva’s fans did not believe they would see, including this one.

After the fight Silva went on to say he had no interest in fighting for the belt again, but just a few days later the rematch was announced and Anderson took to the internet to claim he was “back”.

I myself believe, like many out there, that Anderson Silva could have won that fight. Perhaps it is true that he pushed his showboating tactics a bit too far this time, and the second time around he will make Chris Weidman wish he had never set foot in the octagon against him. But that’s a fans point of view. The question is will he avenge his loss and reclaim the title? Can he? Psychologically, is he going to be able to look past it and take it to the new champ? Is his age a factor? And most importantly, if he does win, will he be the show boating marvel of the past? Or will he play it safe?

I admit the humble fighters of the UFC are my favorite, but the exceptions are Rashad Evans and Anderson Silva. Their cockiness isn’t so much a real character flaw as it is their fighting personality. It is their form of confidence. And Silva in particular has given us some of the most amazing highlights and finishes we’ve seen in any fight sport because, as he put it, believes he can do what others say can’t be done. If that attitude, that confidence returns to octagon later this year Weidman could be in for a beating.

2013, The Year NY MMA Fans Will Have Their Wish.

2013-04-27T16:26:00.000-04:00

I live in what is considered to be the greatest city in the world, and not just by it's citizens, but by others around the world. It is no doubt this city offers something to anyone around the world, and this is because it is such a diverse city. You can find people from any part of the globe and almost anything to do you can think of. Granted there may be a few minor exceptions, but the one that seems to stand out is the fact that you still can't see a live, sanctioned professional MMA event.

The fact that Madison Square Garden or the newly built Barclay's Arena has not had a UFC or even a Bellator event is just mind boggling. This is because NY State government has yet to pass a bill that would legalize the great sport of MMA. Just picture it, Rashad Evans, Jon Jones, Uriah Hall, and other NY fighters being able be part of a fight card at the historic MSG. Even seeing Matt Serra come out of retirement for one fight at Nassau Coliseum would be great. For years now this has been a dream NY politicians have denied us.

However, 2013 seems like the year fans such as myself get their wish. Lorenzo Fertitta seems to think so as well stating in recent interview "I believe if we had an opportunity — if it was brought to the floor — I do believe it would pass,". He also makes the claim that third party studies have been conducted concluding that at minimum, a whopping 100 million dollars could be generated by the UFC alone in a two year period. If this is true, one would think that type of impact alone is huge argument in favor of legalizing the sport. I for one am convinced that with the level of popularity this sport has reached coupled with the money that could be generated by the UFC and other promotions, MMA will finally have it's place in NY. This is a confidence Fertitta shares as he stated in the same interview "When you take into account the number of sponsors and cosponsors that we have and really the general support from legislators that we talk to, we think it passes by a wide majority."

We are at a point where there is no intelligent argument that could be made in favor of upholding NY's ban on MMA. Fans are calling for it, promotions are clearly pushing for it, and no one can tell me the extra cash would be a bad thing (even if it's only little more than the projected minimum of $100 million ).

There is one more angle to look at here, amateur bouts are already happening around the state. Regulated amateur events have been on the rise proving that the demand is there. Granted unregulated events have been a cause for concern given the injuries and potential deaths that can happen. But lifting the ban and putting proper regulations in place would eliminate the concerns around all this and in no way negate the positive impact the sport can have.

Chael Sonnen Will Lose, And It Shouldn't Be A Surprise.

2013-04-27T00:41:00.001-04:00

Much like the fans at today's UFC 159 Weigh in, I am not a supporter of Jon Jones and would actually be happy if he lost tomorrow. However, as fight fan and someone who has some education in fighting, I can definitively say Jones will win.

Let's get one thing out in the open, I'm no fan of Chael Sonnen either, but he is tough. He sells a fight better than anyone, and does at least fight with all his will to back up his trash talk. And I'll even grant that his in your face, or as he puts it, "head in chest style", is precisely the type I think it takes to beat Jones. If you take a glimpse at the moments the champ has looked weak it's when he's being pressed. The problem is no one has chosen to keep the pressure on him, something Sonnen loves to do. But you can't just be a ram and rush forward, you have to be somewhat strategic which in my opinion is where Chael falls short.

Couple all that with the Champs more extensive tool box, things aren't looking good for challenger from Oregon.

I Am Not Impressed By GSP's Performance! (sort of)

2013-03-17T21:07:00.000-04:00

Add caption

The current undisputed UFC welterweight champ has pretty much settled himself at the top, and hasn't been in much danger of being dethroned. Last night most GSP fans got pretty much what they wanted as he neutralized any game plan Nick Diaz had, and well...dominated the fight.

When I say that this satisfied most fans I mean it. After all I am a huge fan of the champ, however, I think last nights performance was nowhere near his best, brilliant as it may have been. GSP has long been accused of laying and preying, or holding on for victories. But for the more educated fans, they do notice his intelligent way of grappling and how busy he actually is on the ground. The trouble lies in the fact that GSP hasn't finished anyone since 2009 when he stopped BJ Penn. He certainly has the submissions, and maybe not one hit knock out power but he hits pretty damn hard. Just ask Jon Fitch.

Last nights main event was a disappointment because GSP constantly tries new things in training, and clearly is levels beyond even the more elite fighters in the sport today, but somehow he isn't stopping fighters he should be able to. Nick Diaz probably can't be knocked out, and a submission win over him would be incredible so I am taking that into account, but what of other recent fights? Granted he is also facing some of the toughest fighters we've seen in the octagon, but still. He is a professional after all and he's got to be itching for a finish.

So next on the horizon for the champ is Johnny Hendricks, an outstanding wrestler with freakish knock out power. A threat I'm sure, but like so many before him, not as tactical as the welterweight king. I fear that given the threat Hendrick's poses this next title fight will be a very typical GSP fight. Meaning another brilliantly thought out plan will neutralize Hendrick's abilites, but it's more likely to expect GSP being finished in that fight than the other way around. I will remain a GSP fan till the day he retires, but I may stop paying for his PPV's as they are becoming repetitive.

Fallon Fox: Doesn't Belong in Women's MMA (or men's)

2013-03-16T21:24:00.003-04:00

Man turned woman fighter Fallon Fox

A few short years ago, MMA was still trying to gain traction on the road to becoming a respected and recognized sport in the world. There is no denying it has arrived and taken it's placed as the worlds most exciting sport. The sport was uplifted by many great fighters such as Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, as well as current participants as GSP, Anderson Silva, and Jose Aldo. And like any sport it has not been without it's handful of bad apples and sideshows which give it's critics reason to bad mouth it. Currently the sport faces a question that is highly debatable, and it was raised by the appearance on the scene of one Fallon Fox, an individual who potentially brings shame to a sport that is still fighting for some respect.

Fox, who revealed herself to be man up until a few years ago, is the first transgender fighter in MMA and wants to fight in the UFC's womens division. Or at least the first to make it public.The trouble with Fox fighting women is that She is 37 years old, and has been a woman for only about 6 or 7 of them. Born a boy, developed into a man, and eventually had the necessary work to done to be legally considered a woman. However, the frame and muscle Fox carries is clearly still that of a man. It should be considered illegal for Fox to fight women. The removal of male genitals and hormone therapy may have altered Fox's appearance to the point where under certain lighting she looks like a woman. But let's face it, it's way too easy to tell Fox is a man. And no matter how you dice it, 5'7" 144 lb man vs a 5'7 144 lb woman is just not right. The difference muscle and bone density alone is huge disadvantage to the woman.

Had Fox undergone the treatments and surgeries early on in life, and not developed as a man I might find myself debating this a little more. But since that isn't the case, Fox needs to fight as a man or not fight at all.

Who agrees? Or disagrees ?

Still Hoping For a UFC in The Big Apple?

2013-03-16T16:27:00.002-04:00

Could it be on it's way? MMA in New York? According to assemblyman Sheldon Silver it's "inevitable"(Sheldon Silver On MMA in NY). And with the state's governor getting behind the idea, NY might finally get some octagon action (Mario Cuomo On Legalizing MMA in NY. Who doesn't want to watch a UFC event at Madison Square Garden or the Barclay's Arena?

GSP or Diaz?

2013-03-16T15:28:00.000-04:00

They finally square off...tonight!

One man is the clean cut, marketable, poster boy kind of athlete any sport loves to have. The other, an equally necessary enigmatic and controversial bad guy, a true heel. Their only common ground being their talent as fighters, and their goal to be the best.

Georges St. Pierre and Nick Diaz have long waited for they day met inside the octagon. Today it finally happens. So the questions is, after all the talk and media hype which man will have his hand raised? Can GSP's dynamic and imposing style earn him another decisive victory? Or will Diaz win another hard fought war and earn what he feels he's deserved for a long time?

Nick Diaz has a lot of haters (myself included), but much like the Lebron James no matter how much I hate they guy, his abilities are undeniable. Diaz can take punishment like few others can, uses his boxing better than most in the sport, and lets not forget he is not by any means a slouch on the ground. Problem is I've never seen Diaz be a great strategist. He moves forward and presses the action in every fight which has earned a lot of respect fans, and victories. As we saw with his fight with Carlos Condit, this strategy doesn't always work. What Diaz has in ability he lacks in intelligence, I don't see him adjusting game plans very often. But hes sure does know how to outlast people.

GSP seemingly has all answers for Diaz. He's Strategic, explosive, dynamic, and has been known to beat fighters at their own game. Mentally he seems unbreakable, but the mind isn't always in sync with the body. Matt Serra proved that, granted GSP avenged that lost. However the most notable moment of the GSP vs Condit fight was the unchecked headkick by Condit that nearly ended it all. GSP showed resilience many thought he didn't have, and went on to dominate the fight. But he's surely not perfect and Diaz is a guy who can take over a fight. Brief mistakes have caused GSP the title once before, and nearly again in his last fight. He needs to have his usual perfect game plan execution to best his opponent tonight. Plus, he's not a been a finisher as of late, which puts him in danger of getting out worked.

My firm believe is GSP will dominate again, even if he doesn't finish. As a fan, GSP does need to finish more often. Diaz has stopped more people but hasn't been stellar against the more tactical fighters he's faced. Do I believe it'll be a good fight? Hell yes. Will GSP win? Likely. Can Diaz win? Yes (but not likely)

What do you think??

Is GSP Bored? Probably.

2012-07-13T21:43:00.000-04:00

George St. Pierre, the most dominant Welterweight in UFC history is currently finishing up his rehab after an ACL repair in December. Fans of GSP, as he is now known world wide have been waiting anxiously for his return to the octagon at the end of this year. He will face Carlos Condit who is the current interim champ. But for the time being those waiting to see GSP show case his talent in the octagon have to settle for old fight replays, his occasional video updates on his rehab, and some stranger things like this...

Hilarious right?? I think so. It does however raise questions such as, is GSP bored out of his mind not being in the fight game? Is he low on cash and is doing these kinds of things to stay a float? Or is he setting himself up for future beyond fighting? The answer to the last question is a likely yes. The second? probably not considering the kind of superstar he's become. But the first question can almost certainly be answered with a yes, and damn it that was a good way to fill the time. I mean look at him, doesn't he appear to be having just hell of a time.

Does Machida Vs. Evans 2 Make Sense?

2012-05-02T21:40:00.003-04:00

Evans and Machida Face Off

There are two fighters in the UFC'S light heavyweight division who are likely chomping at the bit for a second shot at Jon Jones. I'm talking about the last two men to face Jones, Rashad Evans and Lyoto Machida. I just an article read on Bleacher Report about 10 possible match ups that should be aired on Fox as a means to draw in more fans. One of those is the one in question, and what I think should be the fight that determines the next 205lb top contender.

Now it's true that Evans clearly held his own against Jones making the bout go to a decision, while Machida was finished relatively early in the fight. But if we stop to think for a second the kind of hype this fight could generate, it seems a pretty obvious choice. Both men are former champions, would love to get their hands on Jones to avenge their losses, and want to regain the gold. Plus, throw in the fact that this would be a rematch to a fight Evans loss by KO, and what you have is the recipe for a great build up. Granted there are others in this division who are very talented and working their way up to the title, but no other match up sounds as exciting as this. In addition I think if Rashad Evans wins and puts himself in line for another title shot, a second fight with Jones would be well deserved. And one last reason, I like many other fans really enjoyed the build up to UFC 145, enough to see a continuation. What do you think?

The UFC Should Keep Overeem

2012-04-26T23:32:00.001-04:00

So the NSAC has suspended Alistair Overeem but not for long enough that he couldn't fight at the end of the year. If he fights, the fans are wondering if he'll being doing so for the UFC. Dana White is a pretty smart guy, a bit brash at times, he typically makes good business calls. This time though it would be hard to justify a brash call like cutting Overeem. Chael Sonnen served a suspension for the same issue and is now in another title fight. And I would argue that while Sonnen's mouth might provide some entertaining rants, it also represents the sport poorly at times. That can't be said of Overeem.

The Time is Nearly Here, Who Will Win? EVANS!

2012-04-18T23:12:00.001-04:00

The champ Jon Jones and #1 contender Rashad Evans stare down at the UFC 145 pre-fight press conference

So after a little over a year of back and forth verbal attacks and drama the UFC's light heavyweight title is on the line this Saturday night as Jon Jones defends his championship belt against Rashad Evans. The well publicized back story of this match up has generated an incredible amount hype leading up to this fight, which almost seems pulled from movie script. And with that hype has come plenty of speculation, mostly in the form of Evans having no chance to pull off the victory.

But I have to object here because when I think Rashad Evans here's a few descriptions that come to mind ; overlooked, underrated, under appreciated, etc.

Do people forget the perfectly set up overhand that violently stopped Chuck Liddell?

Or how about the beating unleashed on Forrest Griffin that earned Evans the tittle?

Anyone? Fine then let me point out the incredible performance against Quinton Jackson, the brutal finish of Tito Ortiz, and the schooling handed to Phil Davis. All of these victories despite the talk that Evans would lose every time. It's absurd how little respect Evans gets when you consider how much he deserves. And as far as Jones goes, people like this guy way too much. Dangerous as Jones may be lets face it, he's no Anderson Silva and certainly doesn't hold a candle to Muhammad Ali. He's not that dangerous, and to be honest I think Rashad Evan's has his number. Evans has the speed, knockout power,wrestling skill and intelligence to take the gold and shut a lot of these ridiculously over confident Jones fans up.

So am I the only who thinks Evans has great chance at putting all this hype around Jones to rest??

MMA has to come to NY

2012-04-10T17:36:00.003-04:00

( Wouldn't this be a sight?)

New York is great place to live, especially NYC. When you think of the kinds of sporting events that have been held at Madison Square Garden, you think of some of the greatest sports spectacles in history. Taking that into consideration it seems a bit off that the UFC and other organizations have had some tremendous shows they've put on over the years in arenas across the globe and yet none can say they've been in the most famous one of them all. And why? Isn't it about time this state added some great MMA events to it's rich sports history? Places like MSG, Nassau Coliseum, Citifield, Yankee Stadium, and the soon to be completed Nets stadium in Brooklyn, among others, could all host a great MMA show that would do wonders for this city and state. So why hasn't it happened? Heres why...

Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York: There can be only one (first sanctioned NY MMA in ...

2012-04-10T16:57:00.001-04:00

Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York: There can be only one (first sanctioned NY MMA in ...: Last January, when New York State admitted that amateur MMA was legal in NY and not under the purview of the NYS Athletic Commission, it ma...

Dana White: Frank Mir vs. Cain Velasquez 'Will Happen' - MMA Fighting

2012-04-10T14:06:00.001-04:00

So with the current dilemma created by the failed drug test of Alistair Overeem, the UFC is tasked with finding a possible replacement for the title bout at UFC 146. There are quite a few fighters who are willing to step in so that shouldn't take that match makers long. Should Overeem be dropped from the event, Mark Hunt and Dan Henderson are both open to the fight, with Mark Hunt campaigning heavily for the shot at the crown. But there is one fighter who will not get that shot, at least just yet. It seems Frank Mir will have to get past Cain Velasquez to have a chance at being the only 3 time heavyweight champion in UFC history. Check out the link Below for the full article.

Dana White: Frank Mir vs. Cain Velasquez 'Will Happen' - MMA Fighting

GSP: I Will Be Back Better Than Ever

2012-04-08T22:03:00.001-04:00

Check out GSP talking to Sherdog.com about his return to the octagon and facing Carlos Condit....
GSP: I Will Be Back Better Than Ever

Evans vs. Jones: Evans should win

2012-04-08T14:38:00.001-04:00

April 21st, 2012 will be a night many MMA fans have been waiting on for way too long (including this one). Former light heavyweight champ "Sugar" Rashad Evans has been hard at work on his way back to the title and will finally get his shot against bitter rival, former friend and teammate, and obviously current champ Jon "Bones" Jones.

After losing the light heavyweight crown to Lyoto Machida at UFC 98 almost 3 years ago, "Sugar" Rashad Evans has been on an interesting road back to the title full of injuries and controversy, but also some good performances. UFC fans haven't always been very supportive of the Michigan State Spartan turned world class mixed martial artist. That has changed a bit as losing the title and his departure from Greg Jackson's camp has brought the MMA world a new and improved Evans.

Many fans are still highly critical of the former champ, but the ones who are more educated on fighting will recognize a smarter, faster,stronger, more relaxed and efficient fighter. The challenges posed by Evans are unlike any Jones has faced yet in real time. Sure Jones has his strengths to rest on with one additional factor, he's trained with Evans and likely knows a lot of his game. However, flip that around and the same can be said for Evans. Plus the challenger possesses the best speed, power, footwork (yes better than Machida, running isn't footwork), wrestling, and intelligence the champ has ever faced. Evans's has two major improvements that will be a key to this fight, he is tactically aggressive and far more athletic than before meaning no one has ever pressed Jones like Evans can. This is going to be a tough match that has been hyped up with the back story of the rivalry between these two. But in the end, the intelligence and intensity Evans will bring should be the answer to the dynamic champ.

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Evans vs. Jones: Jones could win.

2012-04-08T13:21:00.000-04:00

Before winning the title, Jon Jones was quickly building a fan base due to his dynamic style and dominant performances. Though I hate to admit it, I was becoming a fan mostly because the 205 lb division in the UFC had become stale for me after Evans lost the title. Let's face it, aside from his current challenger and only threat so far, Jones hasn't face any real challenges yet. He's pretty much walked through the opposition. Of course we're talking about a few no names at first but then he faced, Ryan Bader (good but not great), followed by Shogun and Rampage (who are barely shadows of their former selves), and his last opponent, Lyoto Machida. Now, Machida put on the best performance to date against Jones before dropping the ball and getting submitted. However, Machida's non-aggressive style makes it easy for fighters like Jones to get comfortable so that was no surprise in the end.

So what am I getting at? His opponents haven't been all that impressive, however his dominance isn't purely because of that. I will not go as far as to put him so high up there like other fans do that I would call him legendary, I think he's yet to prove that. But with all the strengths he possesses he can prove it on the 21st by beating the one man who in recent fights has showed he has all the tools to defeat him. Jones is very dangerous though, he shows no fear of trying unorthodox techniques, he has the drive,he's very athletic, mixes things up well, and he's on a streak. And given that he has defended his title more than once already, derailing his momentum isn't going to be easy.

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