The Pain Palace MMA, Boxing & Beyond

Chokewho's UFC 124 Predictions

2010-12-06T15:09:00.001-06:00

Brian's UFC 121 Picks

2010-10-23T16:43:00.003-05:00

Lesnar Vs. Velasquez - Although Lesnar wrestling always dominates, Cain will out strike him avoiding a big takedowns. I think Cain will wear down Lesnar and score tko in the 3rd round.

Shields vs. Kampmann - Shields always does well on the ground, but Kampmann's striking will overwhelm Shields.I'm going with Kampmann for the decision .

Ortiz vs. Hamill- this will be Tito's comeback fight . He taught Hamill most of what he knows , and Tito will match the wrestling . Hamill gasses out early and Tito will ground n pound to the victory in the 3rd

Rest of the card -
Gonzaga with first rd KO over Schaub
Sanchez with the decision over Thiago
Court McGee first round tko
Patrick Cote first round submission over Lawlor
Camozzi with decision over Yang
Yvel will KO Madsen in first round
Fight if the night might go to Kampmann vs. Shields

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ChokeWho's UFC 121 Predictions

2010-10-19T07:25:00.001-05:00

ChokeWho's UFC 120 Predictions

2010-10-11T08:47:00.001-05:00

UFC 117 Hangover

2010-08-08T10:57:00.009-05:00

Here is my UFC 117 Hangover...literally..

Wow...this card was everything I thought it would be and more. We as MMA fans were treated to just about everything we love about this sport wrapped in to one PPV.

Junior dos Santos def. Roy Nelson via unanimous decision

I picked Roy Nelson to win this fight. He doesn't walk, talk or look like a "fighter" but he definitely showed that he is a fighter...and a great fighter at that. He took so many big shots that I lost count. The man is a warrior and if you didn't respect him prior, you have to now. Dos Santos has very fast hands for a HW in my opinion. It seems as if no one is able to see that right uppercut because of how fast he throws it and the angles he is able to throw it from. I was really impressed by both of the fighters will and determination. They were both tested like neither had been tested before and "Cigano" prevailed. I'm looking forward to watching both guys fight again.

Matt Hughes def. Ricardo Almeida via submission
Matt Hughes still has it. The man is beyond strong and he proved it again last night with his "East Illinois" choke. I don't know if he has the durability to make it back to the top but he can still take care of business. He is in the UFC HOF and still takes on some of the best his Welterweight division has to offer. I'm partial to wrestlers because as we all witnessed last night, wrestling is a huge part of MMA. Hughes is the all-time leader in victories in the UFC. He claims he wont fight again until next year. I'm hoping to see him fight in person one more time before he decides to call it quits.

Clay Guida def. Rafael Dos Anjos via submission
The Carpenter...another bad ass from my home state of Illinois defeated Dos Anjos...(not to be confused with Dos Santos) via submission. Clay's cardio is second to none as he proved again last night. Any fight Clay is in is worth watching...the dude doesn't stop. Curious to see who Joe Silva puts in front of him next. Clay is having a good year thus far with his 2-0 record in 2010.

Jon Fitch def. Thiago Alves via unanimous decision
Jon Fitch improved his record to 23-3-1 with a UD over Thiago "I have a hard time making weight" Alves. Not busting Alves' balls because dude is a monster but this is the second time he has missed weight for a big fight. Fitch on the other hand did what he always does and grinded another UD out which was his fifth in a row. Dana White wouldn't acknowledge the fact that Fitch should face the winner of GSP vs. Koscheck because of the fact that Jake Shields is in the mix now.

Anderson Silva def. Chael Sonnen via submission
First off...unlike my guy FQD1911, I don't think this was fight of the year. In my mind..a great fight is a close fight where both fighters go back and forth but the better man wins that night. This was a one sided fight in my opinion up until about 1:50 left in the fifth round. Anderson Silva proved he is the best Middleweight in the world...again. I picked Sonnen to win this fight and he did exactly what he said he was going to do up until he got caught in a triangle. There is no question that he tapped. Anderson Silva can take an ass whoopin...no question. I have to think there will be an immediate rematch for these guys just like Shogun was granted with Machida. Sonnen did his best to retire the Spider but in the end Silva showed why he gets to wear the belt. The best striker in the world pulled off a text book submission with less than two minutes left in the fifth. I couldn't help but think he was going to come up with something during the fight while watching it with a few friends. I was the only pro Sonnen guy there and things were looking good for 23 minutes plus. I can't wait for the rematch. If there is one guy that can take Silva's belt I think we all know who he is.

Once again the UFC proved why they are the best in the MMA biz. Every fight on the main card could have been a main event in any other promotion. UFC 118 is right around the corner. Make sure you hit us up prior to check out Chokewho's prediction video.

Check out Ariel Helwani's post UFC 117 interview with Dana White.

UFC117 SILVA VS SONNEN PREDICTIONS

2010-08-06T12:43:00.004-05:00

UFC 117. Is a stacked card from top to bottom. From the main event..(Silva-Sonnen) to the opening bout..(Saunders vs Hallman).

The main even features Silva vs Sonnen is a highly anticipated matchup. Can Sonnen and all his smack talk stop the spider?? What Silva will show up?? Silva that destroyed Irvin, Forrest?? Cant wait for this...
Im going to give my picks for this event and how I will see the fights ending. Again these are just my picks(predictions).

Main Event
Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen
Anderson Silva tko RD 2. Chael has awoke the monster. I dont think this fight will even go to the second round. But im giving Sonnen the benefit of doubt here that he may be able to get Silva to the ground in rd 1. Even if he does...Silva may submit him in round 1.

Co-main event...For a title shot at the winner of GSP vs KOS.
Jon Fitch vs Thiago Alves
Jon Fitch UD.
I was leaning toward Alves in this fight. But once it was announced winner gets a title shot, I turned to Fitch. Also worried about Alves weight and ring rust after being off for 1 year.

Clay Guida vs Rafeal dos Anjos
Possible FOTN right here!!
Guida Unanimous Dec.

Matt Hughes vs Ricardo Almeida
Almeida Sub 2RD.
How much does Hughes left in the take?? Almeida has shown great improvement.

Roy Nelson vs Junior dos Santos
Junior TKO rd 2
I lke Roy alot in this fight...But I think Junior's standup is too good. If Roy can get Junior on his back...may be a huge upset.

Hazelett vs Rick Story.
Hazelett Sub 2rd.

Phil Davis vs Rodney Wallace
Phil Davis Sub rd2
This is a tuff luck replacement for wallace. Davis is a beast and should make this look easy.

Boetsch vs Brown
Boetsch KO rd 1

Hendricks vs Brenneman
another possible FOTN.
Hendricks Unanimous Dec.

Struve vs Morecraft
Struve sub 2 rd.

Saunders vs Hallman
Saunders TKO rd 1.

These are my predictions....what are yours!!

UFC on Versus 2

2010-08-06T11:24:00.009-05:00

What a great night of fights on Versus!!

First lets start off with the main event.

John "Bones" Jones vs Vladimir "The Janitor" Matyushanko

Well, what can you say here. John Jones proved that he is ready for a step up in competition as he dismantled Vladimir via first rd. tko. Jones looked very comfortable against a very seasoned vet in Matyushanko. He showed some patience and his desire to finish fights.

This win puts Jones according to Dana White, In the top 8 of the LHW division. Who and what is next for Jones?? Winner of Rampage/Machida?? Forrest Griffin?? We shall soon see.....

Next up..Mark Munoz vs Yushin Okami

Okami wins this matchup via Split Decision, Okami displayed great take down defense in this matchup. Basically stopping Munoz every attempt at a take down, Okami kept Munoz off balance with the staight left hand all evening, not letting Munoz get inside him to utilize the clinch or dirty boxing. The continued take down defense seemed to frustrate Munoz, and also took a lot of energy from Munoz as he seemed to gas in the 3rd round. This victory put Okami right back into the 185lb title picture.

Jake Ellenberger vs John Howard.
Ellenberger wins via 3rd rd. tko...doctor stoppage

This was a great fight...Both fighters came to throw bombs. Each trading off early. With Howard in my opinion getting the better of the standup the entire fight.. In the end it was the repeated takedowns and GNP from Ellenberger that was too much for Howard. Eventually closing the left eye of Howard and eventually leading to the doctor stoppage.

Takanori Gomi vs Tyson Griffin
Gomi wins via KO rd 1.
The fireball kid is back!! Griffin actually was looking good in this fight, as he stayed close to Gomi and pestered him with punches and low kicks, it was one attempted low kick that led to Tyson leaving an opening for a right hand from Gomi that put Tyson face first on the canvas. The referee immediately stepped in and stopped the fight. Tyson was not happy with this...but you can clearly see it was a good stoppage as Tyson was out.

Great night of Fights!!

UFC On Versus 2

2010-08-01T09:10:00.001-05:00

MAIN CARD
Jon Jones (206) vs. Vladimir Matyushenko (206)
Mark Munoz (185) vs. Yushin Okami (185)
Jake Ellenberger (170.5) vs. John Howard (170.5)
Takanori Gomi (156) vs. Tyson Griffin (154)

PRELIMINARY CARD
Paul Kelly (155) vs. Jacob Volkmann (156)
DaMarques Johnson (172) vs. Matthew Riddle (171)
James Irvin (205) vs. Igor Pokrajac (204.5)
Mike Massenzio (184) vs. Brian Stann (186)
Darren Elkins (154.5) vs. Charles Oliveira (154)
Rob Kimmons (185) vs. Steve Steinbeiss (185)

CHOKEWHO'S UFC ON VERSUS 2 PREDICTIONS

2010-07-27T20:35:00.000-05:00

Battle of the BIG MEN

2010-07-04T11:58:00.003-05:00

    UFC 116 turned out to be a great night of MMA for the fans and the UFC. They pulled off another great fight card, which in my opinion did not disappoint. I would be very surprised if this fight card did not bring in the highest pay-per-view numbers for the UFC. If this was your first time tuning in to a MMA event or a UFC event, and last night's fight card did not have you excited to watch more, then you don't get MMA and you never will.

    Chris "The Crippler" Leben defeated Yoshihiro Akiyama via Triangle Choke submission in the closing minute of Round 3. This fight went back and forth between two good fighters. Leben proved his submission game can be just as lethal as his KO power. With Lebens' recent wins in the UFC, he has made a statement that he is back and ready for a run at a title shot.

    Stephan "The American Psycho" Bonnar defeated Krzysztof Soszynski via TKO by GNP strikes in Round 2. This rematch had the same nonstop action the last fight brought and didn't disappoint. Bonnar proved with his performance he is not finished in the UFC and his post-fight pose showed "The American Psycho" is ready for all comers.

    Chris "Lights Out" Lytle defeated Matt Brown via submission by Armbar via Triangle Mount in Round 2. Lytle never seems to ever disappoint the fans with his performances in the cage. He always goes into the fight ready to do a stand up battle, but is just as deadly with his submission game. I personally believe Lytle is still underrated in the UFC and should be in line for a title shot. Even though Lytle is just comfortable with going out and doing what he does best...WIN, he is one of the better fighters in the UFC in my opinion.

    George Sotiropoulos defeated Kurt Pellegrino via Unanimous Decision. I thought this fight went back and forth and that it was much closer than the judges scored it. Pellegrino almost was able to finish Sotiropoulos in the closing seconds of the 3^rd round when he delivered a nice knee to the face of Sotiropoulos that knocked him down. The bell sounded and it was little too late for Pellegrino to capitalize on it. It seems that Sotiropoulos' winning streak may put him in line for a title shot very soon; at least that is the talk from his fans.

    Brendan Schaub defeated Chris Tuchscherer via TKO by strikes in round one. The Ultimate Fighter is proving that he is stepping up his fight game and wanting to make a name for himself in the heavyweight division. If he stays on the right track he can be a worthy opponent for anybody trying to climb the title shot ladder.

    Last but not least was the main event of the night, Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin. It's the first time in UFC history heavyweights of that size have gone one on one for the right to call themself the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Lesnar defeated Carwin via submission by Arm Triangle Choke in the Round 2. It's the first loss in Carwin's career and the first time he has gone past the 1^st round.

   Carwin was able to take Lesnar down and control him from the top and land vicious GNP to Lesnar's face in the 1^st round. Lesnar more than proved he could handle the big punches from Carwin's massive fists and took the fight to the 2^nd round, a place Carwin has never been. This round Lesnar took control of the tired Carwin and was able to get top control where he was able to apply the arm triangle choke to put Carwin to sleep for the win. Lesnar proved he is the best of the big men and that he deserves the right to wear the belt. For all the doubters and haters of Lesnar, you can eat a fat one because he will be UFC heavyweight champion for a long time to come.

CHOKEWHO'S UFC 116 PREDICTIONS

2010-07-02T14:29:00.002-05:00

TUF Finale picks

2010-06-18T18:50:00.003-05:00

GrassfightsMMA:
Jamie Yager VS Rich Aonito
Jamie Yager, I personally don't like him. As a fighter or a person. It seems if he can't finish someone within the first minute of the fight, he is unable to come out on top. His crazy kicks look bad and he cant seem to handle getting punched. Now, Rich Attonito, the little bit of fighting we saw before the illegal knees, he was dominating. I belive Attonito will defeat Yager.
Rich Attonito via TKO round 3.

Spencer Fisher vs. Dennis Siver
This is going to be a great fight. Two guys coming off losses, both great fighters. I see a fight of the night coming out of this. I had the chance to see Dennis siver fight Ross pearson in march. And he preformed very well. I think Siver gain the upper hand throughout a three round battle, and score a decision victory.
Dennis Siver via Unanimous decision

Chris Leben vs Aaron Simpson
Undefeated Aaron Simpson VS TUF 1 cast member and one of my favourite fighters, Chris Leben. Both of these guys have won most of their fights by Knockout. I think, however. That Leben will outclass Simpson purely by experience. Derailing the A-train in the second round.
Chris Leben via (T)KO round 2

Keith Jardine vs Matt Hamill
This fight interest me. Hamill is coming off a win, though he was dominated. And Jardine is coming off of a three loss streak. Though I hate to see a career ended, I think its a wrap for Jardine. I don't think we'll see him in the UFC anymore. I belive the Hammer will control him throughout the first round and score a KO in the second. Keiths time is up.

Last but not least..

Court McGee vs Chris McCray
Court McGee has been my favorite since day one. His style is great. And throughout the season he grew, became better and better each fight. But I'm not counting the Savage out. They are both very talented young fighters. However, I see Court coming out on top with a decision or a submission. I can't quite call it because you never see the same thing twice out of him. But I belive Savage will put up a great fight and be offered a contract as well. Not the six figure, but a contract with the UFC is great no matter what.

TUF FINALE

2010-06-18T16:22:00.002-05:00

MAIN CARD on SPIKE TV
Court McGee (185) vs. Kris McCray (184)
Matt Hamill (205) vs. Keith Jardine (205)
Chris Leben (186) vs. Aaron Simpson (186)
Spencer Fisher (156) vs. Dennis Siver (156)
Rich Attonito (186) vs. Jamie Yager (185)

PRELIMINARY CARD
John Gunderson (155) vs. Mark Holst (154)
Seth Baczynski (185) vs. Brad Tavares (185)
Josh Bryant (185) vs. Kyle Noke (185)
Chris Camozzi (185) vs. James Hammortree (186)
Travis Browne (251) vs. James McSweeney (231)

"Rad and Scientific" - Interview with Deadliest Warrior's Geoff Desmoulin

2010-05-30T20:58:00.005-05:00

I recently had the pleasure of asking Geoff Desmoulin, biomechanical engineer, martial artist, and co-host of Spike TV's Deadliest Warrior a few questions. Find out what Geoff had to say on martial arts, and how he utilizes his skills as a biomechanical engineer in his training, be sure to check out his show, Deadliest Warrior, Tuesdays on Spike.

First of all, I would just like to sincerely thank you for your time and say that I am a huge fan of Deadliest Warrior.

"Glad to hear it... it's got a phenomenal following of every one from typical Spike audience (MMA heads and the like), to geeks, women (which is new for spike), and professionals (also new for spike)... "

What is your background in martial arts, and what lead to your interest in the martial arts?

"My background is in Isshin Ryu Karate. It's an Okinawan style that stems from short, quick and linear puches and kicks while moving in a 45deg angle towards and away from your opponent. Very useful, quick to learn and [you] can still use it when you get older since every kick is below the waist. However, I currently train in the Russian Martial Art called Systema.* "

How does your experience as a kinesiologist and biomechanical engineer impact your martial arts training?

"It doesn't make me better... BUT I understand much more what I'm doing... why I hit in certain regions of the body, and why I want to hit with the first two knuckles when I punch. Pressure = Force/contact area. So, if you reduce contact area you increase pressure which translates to more damage to your adversary."

In previous interviews, you've expressed interest in matching up Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali on Deadliest Warrior, what other martial artists or combat sports practitioners would you be most interested in finding out who is deadlier?

"Best from Systema vs Best from Karate vs Best from Tai Chi. As you can imagine there is A LOT of talk going into any martial art. So, I'd like to see the best vs the best of different styles so that we can once and for all put an end to the talk. I'd like to be there to take static and dynamic measurements from each fighter both from the strikes and from their body... then have them go at it... full contact... see who wins... that would be rad and scientific... like the show I guess. BUT I'd uber nerd core out collecting that data."

You've had mixed martial artists Chuck Liddell and Rashad Evans on Deadliest Warrior, what lead to their inclusion on the show and what was your experience with them like?

"When looking for guys to represent the warriors we look high and low, far and wide and seeing as UFC is similar to how the Gladiator's operated, we thought why not bring in Chuck Liddell on the show, who is really the face of the UFC, to help us test traditional Gladiator's weapons. As for Rashad, we wanted to mix it up. BUT believe it or not that current UFC rules are very similar to that of Pankration. Pankration is a fighting style that Alexander the Great trained in so why not bring in a guy that is world class at that particular art. It's using your resources really. Spike is connected so we utilize that. As for how the guys were and how they performed on and off camera. I'd have to give the edge to Rashad. BUT he's had a lot of training having gone through the Ultimate Fighter. Lots of camera time and that helps tons. BUT off camera both were very respectful and genuinely interested in the numbers we were pulling from them and the warriors they were representing. Plus I got their signatures on some Official UFC fight gloves... Woot!"

*For more about the Russian Martial Art of Systema and Geoff's involvement in it, head here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlcCQCKo_h8

UFC 114 Staff Picks

2010-05-29T06:57:00.003-05:00

MMAInked/Mark Matthews
Jesse Forbes vs Ryan Jensen- Both of these guys are finishers. All W's by tapout or (t)ko....
Based on mres experience and fighting stiffer competition, I'm gonna have to roll with Jensen....

Riley vs Brammer.... Don't know much about Brammer. Rileys a gamer. I'll roll with Riley by default. Lol!

Cane vs Diabate..... Initially I thought Diabate would have a chance. He looked good when I saw his last fight a short while ago. But, Cane has consistently fought better fighters. I think Cane gets the W here...

Guillard vs Lowe No disrespect to Lowe, but I think the Young Assassin will make relatively quick work of him....

Effy Escudero vs Dan Lauzon.... Based on what I read on the rift between Joe n Dan right now and the reason for that rift, I think this is a good fight for Effy to get back 9in the W column

Hathaway vs Diego Sanchez..... This will be a huge measuring stick for Hathaway. But I think The YES! man gets the W in what will contend with Rampage and Rashad for Fight of the Night

Brilz vs Lil Nog.... I think Nog shows the difference in the level of fighter between he and Brilz while getting the W

Duffee vs Russow.... I think Duffee gets a hard earned W to show that his KO of Hague was no fluke

Bisping vs Miller..... I honestly dislike Bisping and will probably pick against him everytime. Miller owns one of my favorite sub victories ever with a NASTY stand up guillotine in the IFL. With all that is going on in his world, and the fact that this is a win or get cut fight for him, I look to see Miller get the W by Sub...

Rashad vs Rampage. WOW! I cannot wait to see what this fight has in store. Technically and also judging from the difference in the way their training was portrayed on Primetime. I would have to say Rashad gets the W.... BUT I think Rampage can connect and end Rashads night. Rashads wrestling and more well rounded game vs Rampages 'it' factor and ko power is a coin flip for me. Who is gonna show up? Who wants it more? I hope Rampage as he is my pick!

GrassFightsMMA
Rashad Evans vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
After all the trash talk and aggression, don't expect either fighters to come out agressive. Rashad Evans is a great wrestler with great athletic ability and drive. He has great stand up skills, and is an all around great fighter. Jackson's wrestling is often overlooked, seeing as he pretty much outwrestled Dan Henderson at UFC 75. I don't see Rashad being able to control Jackson like he will need to, so I'm calling this one for Jackson. Rashad has great hand speed, but I Jackson's boxing is very well rounded.
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, TKO/KO R2

Michael Bisping vs. Dan Miller
Both fighters coming off losses, I will predict this one as a FOTN cantidate. Michael Bisping is a great technical kickboxer with a suprisingly good ground and pound game for being English. 11 of his 18 wins are by KO/TKO. He looked a little tenative against Wanderlei Silva, but can we blame him? Bisping is a great fighter, but Dan Henderson and Wanderlei Silva are both very big hitters. I didn't see how he could have won either of those. Dan Miller is mainly a submission fighter, 7 of 11 wins coming by sub. I see this for Bisping.
Michael Bisping by unanimous dec.

Jason Brilz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Little Nog is amazingly well rounded. Great hands, legs and amazing BJJ. He is the smaller half of the notorious Nogueria brothers. Brilz is an all-american wrestler turned MMA fighter, with an impressive record of 18-2. But, Little Nog is great standing and on the mat. I see no way for Brilz to win this.
Rogerio by whatever he wants.

John Hathaway vs. Diego Sanchez
Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez is back at welterweight after an unsuccesful run at the lightweight crown. Honestly, he was too big for lightweight, and is slightly undersized for welterweight. He has viscious ground and pound skills, great cardio and a very stifling fighting style that not alot of fighters can handle. John Hathaway is an undefeated fighter that has displayed good ground skills in a decision win over Paul Taylor at UFC 105. But, I see Nightmare being too much for Hathaway, and having a sucessful return to welterweight.
Diego Sanchez, TKO R1

XTinazX
Jensen, Riley, Cane, Guillard, Escudero, Sadollah, Sanchez, Nog, Duffee, Miller & Rampage

More staff picks will be posted this afternoon.

UFC 114

2010-05-25T17:14:00.004-05:00

MAIN CARD (PPV)

Rashad Evans vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
Michael Bisping vs. Dan Miller
Todd Duffee vs. Mike Russow
Jason Brilz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
John Hathaway vs. Diego Sanchez

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

Dong Hyun Kim vs. Amir Sadollah
Efrain Escudero vs. Dan Lauzon

PRELIMINARY CARD (Not televised)

Melvin Guillard vs. Waylon Lowe
Luiz Cane vs. Cyrille Diabate
Joe Brammer vs. Aaron Riley
Jesse Forbes vs. Ryan Jensen

Tim Sylvia vs Mariusz Pudzianowski : Moosin MMA

2010-05-22T11:43:00.001-05:00

Before I even get started expressing my opinion of the fight....I mean exhibition match, that took place at Moosin MMA in Boston, MA last night, how did this bush league MMA production show even get on ppv? WEC finally got on ppv and it put this show to shame without even trying too hard. The fighters went out there and performed to the best of their abilities, I just wish the rest of the show could have done the same. I thought the pre-fight interviews were supposed to be shown before the fight actually happens, not after the first round of the fight. The commentary was sub-par and I am sure there were many MMA fans who decided to put their TV on mute during the fights to avoid hurting their ears from that noise.

The main event between "The Maniac" and "The Worlds Strongest Man" turned out to be just a warm up match for Tim Sylvia. The outcome of the fight should have been no surprise to anybody who follows MMA. Sylvia, a former UFC heavyweight champion, had more experience and better standup than Pudzianowski to begin with, but what was surprising is that Sylvia had better cardio for being over 300lbs and not being in real fighting shape. Pudzianowski gassed out like there was a long line at Texaco and a shortage of pumps to go around. In his defense though, cardio is not something needed in the sport of powerlifting, but hey Pudzianowski, you are in the sport of MMA now and cardio is a key essential in helping you win a fight.

One note to the commentators, a throw down and a take down are two different things and you may want to keep that in mind next time you use the term. Pudzianowski was able to throw Sylvia to the ground one time, but could not do anything more from that position. Sylvia controlled the entire fight from start to finish and in reality, if he was in shape, he could have finished Pudzianowski off in the first round. I must admit though, I wasn't sure if Sylvia would suffer another Ray Mercer deal, but he showed how green Pudzianowski really is in the sport of MMA.

This is another win for Sylvia, and I am not sure if this puts him back on the road to the UFC or Strikeforce but I would like to see him against Bobby Lashley, only to see how Lashley fairs against a big man who does have striking skills. As for Pudzianowski, he did have heart for taking the fight, but as seen last night, just because you are "The Worlds Strongest Man", it does not make you "The Worlds Toughest Man" as he tapped out from being ground and pounded by "The Maniac".

"Down-Time" My First Blog Entry- By Mark Matthews

2010-05-17T23:57:00.003-05:00

Alright….. So, I’m a blogger now...... I’m sure that as much as I try to inform you of all the going-ons in my fight world and share with you what I’ve learned, it’ll help me keep track of progress for myself. So, it’s a win-win situation for both of us. I can dig that…

My blogging schedule will be varied and scattered. But, rest assured I will keep you in the loop. With that being said , let’s get this party started:

If I were to title today’s blog entry, it would be called “Down-Time” as that is exactly the mode I am in. I fought twice within the span of a month, with the last fight being a little over a week ago. So, I’m listening to the people around me for once and allowing my body a little time to recoup a bit. I suffered a few injuries through training for those fights that are now nagging me a bit. So, I’m just taking it easy on training until those things are close to %100. I’m still getting in the fitness gym here and there for some cardio and a decent lift session.

I have gained about 15 lbs in the time since my fight. But that’s probably due to the fact that I tossed my diet completely out the window for a week or two. I have been indulging a bit on the things that I would look at when training, but knew would just be bad fuel for me. When training, I eat as clean and natural as possible, and follow a strict supplement regimen. And although my “diet” when I’m not training is probably still a lot cleaner than most, I really try to tighten it up when I’m getting ready for a fight. I Just look at everything as either high-octane, or sludge. And I need no sludge when training.

I think down-time is an important phase of the fighter lifestyle. We have to be so disciplined and structured when preparing for a fight that I think it’s healthy to get away from that for a second. Take a look at the other areas of your life for a bit, make some progress in those areas, and come back to the grind refreshed. Although, the irony of me saying this is only due to my discovery of it for myself through circumstance, as opposed to choice. That’s why I even have this bit of wisdom to share. If I didn’t have these injuries nagging at me right now, I’d already be back in the gym. That’s just how I get down.

The work ethic that participating in MMA has instilled in me spills over well into the other areas of my world. And it’s during down-time that I get to push in those directions a bit. When I have a fight coming up, I tend to tunnel vision on it a bit, and slack gets created in the outer areas of my world not involved in the fight. My down-time lets me pick up that slack, as well as get ahead a bit those areas enough to focus on the next fight when it comes up.

As I type, I read my words and realize that down-time is your time to balance. Get your world right so that you can go into the next fight fully focused. Have some fun in your down-time. Make it worth the work you just put in and reward yourself, whether you got a W in that last outing or not. You worked for a result. You gave it your all. You left it in the gym before you left it in the cage/ring as well. That right there deserves some celebration in itself.

Take this time to replay the fight, in your mind as well as watching it, and be honest with yourself. Could you have finished it sooner? Were you getting touched by the same strike more often than you would like to have? Did your strikes look as crisp in the fight as they do on the bag/mitts/pads? Did you take advantage of every opening? Were you transition well on the ground? Were you thinking position first? We can always do better than our last. And if we are already finding flaws in what we thought was when we were performing at our best, then we have already grown since that moment. Down-time is the perfect time to get your mind in the game without the physical. This’ll help you get to the next level each fight because it will have you addressing weaknesses as soon as they become apparent.

Well, that concludes this current brainstorm. I’m on my way to see my good friend Jaime Jara take on a 5-0 jiu-jitsu black belt with all first round finishes , and see team-mate Michele Ould take on Zoila Frausto, a team-mate of my last opponent.

I like going to as many fights as possible. Not only to support my friends/training partners, but also just to keep myself in that environment. To feel that electricity and be comfortable in it, to observe others in combat and realistically assess where you feel you stand in your division/region. That way you know what match-ups are good for you. Do your homework….

Alright, now I’m babbling. Hope you enjoyed the read. I’ll be back soon…….

STRIKEFORCE CHALLENGERS : MAY 21st

2010-05-17T11:30:00.003-05:00

MAIN CARD
Matt Linland vs. Kevin Casey
Tyron Woodley vs. Nathan Coy
Roger Bowling vs. Bobby Voelker
Nate Moore vs. Tarec Saffiedine
Pat Healy vs. Bryan Travers

Get your picks in to P.J. Harrison by 4pm cst on 5/21 to be featured on our site.

STRIKEFORCE HEAVY ARTILLERY - The Aftermath

2010-05-16T10:59:00.000-05:00

Once again, in my opinion Strikeforce put on another decent show for MMA fans last night. Some questions were answered and some careers may be over. In the main event, Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem took on Brett “The Grimm” Rogers. Overeem did more damage to Rogers than Wesley Snipes did in the whole Demolition Man movie. It was apparent once the fight started, Rogers was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was not able to deal with Overeem's strength, experience, and his ground and pound beat down he received courtesy of Overeem. Many fans wondered why Rogers even got the title shot when he previously suffered a KO by the hands of Fedor. After that disappointing showing by Rogers, the fans and critics were right, he did not deserve to be there.

Multiple World BJJ Champion Roger Gracie took on Kevin “The Monster” Randleman. I am a fan of Randleman and always enjoy watching him fight, but last night he needed a win to possibly keep his career on track. It was not meant to be for Randleman, one of the great pioneers in the sport of MMA. Gracie showed surprising boxing skills by sticking an effective jab in Randleman's face through out the fight, keeping Randleman off balanced. Randleman had a difficult time dealing with Gracie's height and reach advantage while trying to get inside. Once in the clinch, Gracie delivered a few devastating knees that took Randleman down and then Gracie began to do what he does best, that's work his BJJ. Gracie was able to apply a RNC and put "The Monster" to sleep and maybe also his career. I don't know where Randleman goes from here, but I would still like to see him fight again.

Antwain "The Juggernaut" Britt took on Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante and there was nothing but heavy artillery being thrown in this fight. These two guys were making sure this fight did not go to the judges scorecard. Britt came out throwing some punches and even caught Feijao at one point but was not able to capitalize on it. Feijao was working the clinch well using some knees to try and catch Britt. Feijao was able to catch Britt with some good punches and one shot that KO'd Britt to end the fight. In my opinion, Britt made the common mistake some wrestlers make when they have KO'd some guys in previous fights, they don't rely on their wrestling skills and think there good enough strikers. Use what got you to the dance and everything else will fall in place.

BJJ World Champion Ronaldo “Jacare” de Souza took on Smokin Joe Villasenor and this fight surprisingly went the distance. Souza was controlling Villasenor with take downs and GNP technique throughout rounds 1 and 2. After the second round ended, it was obvious that Souza's cardio was becoming a question because it took him awhile to get off his knees and get back to his corner. In round 3, Villasenor did a much better job defending the take downs and landing good punches to the face of Souza. Towards the end of round 3, Souza took Villasenor down again to insure the victory decision in his favor. The fight was not close on the judges' scorecard, with every judge scoring it 30-27 in favor of Souza. It was a very entertaining fight because Souza could not finish Villasenor and Villasenor refused to quit. I wouldn't mind seeing a rematch down the road between these two fighters again.

Antonio "Big Foot" Silva took on Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski and Arlovski came to the cage more as a MMA model than an MMA fighter. Don't get it twisted, there is nothing wrong with coming to the cage looking good and flashy, but if your fighting skills are not up to par, then what? I am a big fan of Arlovski and wanted him to get back on that winning track but there was a "Big Foot" blocking the path. For some reason, Arlovski felt like standing and trading punches with Silva which made no sense to me. Silva proved that his hands were big and also quick as he caught Arlovski with punches to the face all night. Arlovski did not move his head and had no lateral movement to avoid taking these unnecessary punches and was bleeding from the nose and mouth profusely. Silva took Arlovski to the ground and was controlling him by using his size to keep him there. Arlovski had no answers to Silva's game plan, but he did prove his chin was strong enough to take those punches from Silva. Arlovski started using leg kicks, but they were few and far in between to do any real damage to Silva. When you are trying to chop a tree down, you don't chop at the top but instead at the base of the tree and Arlovski should have been kicking the hell out of Silva's legs from the beginning. The commentators last night mentioned that Arlovski was seeing a sports psychologist about his losing streak, I sure hope he got a money back guarantee because he ended up with another loss. I just don't see the fire in Arlovski's eyes that made him one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the world, the killer instinct may be gone for good. I know he has more to offer and look forward to him showing it in the cage, but he needs to find that desire again.

STRIKEFORCE : HEAVY ARTILLERY : PREVIEW & STAFF PICKS

2010-05-15T12:03:00.008-05:00

Event: Strikeforce – Heavy Artillery – Overeem vs. Rogers
Date: Saturday, May 15, 2010
Venue: Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri
Broadcast: Showtime

MAIN CARD (Showtime)
Champ Alistair Overeem vs. Brett Rogers (for heavyweight title)
Andrei Arlovski vs. Antonio Silva
Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs. Joey Villasenor
Roger Gracie vs. Kevin Randleman
Antwain Britt vs. Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
Justin DeMoney vs. Jesse Finney
Lyle Beerbohm vs. Vitor Ribeiro
Darryl Cobb vs. Booker DeRousse
Mike Chandler vs. Sal Woods
Lee Brousseau vs. Fransisco France
Tom Aaron vs. Erik Steenberg
Matt Ricehouse vs. Greg Wilson

Staff Picks
Big Ron is taking Arlovski & Overeem
Maggie is taking Cavalcante, Gracie, Jacare, Arlovski & Overeem
Christina is taking Britt, Randleman, Jacare, Arlovski & Overeem
GrassFightsMMA is taking Britt, Randleman, Jacare, Arlovski & Overeem
ChokeWho is taking Cavalcante, Gracie, Shaolin, Jacare,Arlovski & Overeem

P.J. is taking Cavalcante, Randleman, Jacare, Silva & Overeem.
I am a little skeptical on Silva & Overeem. I'm not worried about Arlovski's stand up or what little ground game he has but I don't know if Silva can go the distance. I think Big Foot submits the Pit Bull early or wins by UD if he can last that long.

I never really cared for Rogers nor do I think that beating Fedor's ass from time to time in their fight matters. But...I'm curious to see if Overeem's cardio gets the best of him. If Overeem wins this fight (which I think he will) I believe he needs to get it done in the 1st round or early in the 2nd. I'll be looking for a big punch or a possible flying knee. Take a look at the Overeem timeline below. He sure has changed over the years...

MMA Live 5.13.10

2010-05-14T20:08:00.003-05:00

Staff Quick Picks

2010-03-19T12:21:00.004-05:00

Here are the Staff Picks for UFC on Versus 1

Xtina
Jones
Gonzaga
Kongo
Sakara

DaSilvaMMA
Jones
Dos Santos
Buentello
Irvin

PJ Harrison
Jones
Dos Santos
Kongo
Irvin

Big Ron
Jones
Dos Santos
Kongo
Irvin

also don't forget to check out Courtney's video picks as well

Enjoy the Fights!

GSP Interview

2010-02-22T16:18:00.000-06:00

Staff Picks for UFC 110

2010-02-19T10:08:00.010-06:00

Without further ado here are the staff picks for UFC 110........

Xtina

Cain

Silva

Sotiropoulos

Jardine

Cro Cop

Big Ron

Nog

Bisping

Stevenson

Bader

Cro Cop

P.J. Harrison

Cain

Silva

Stevenson

Bader

Cro Cop

BRIANCMERRITT

Cain by decision- although Big Nog is always a threat with his jits, Dave Camarillo has been working with Cain on submission defense.. I believe Cain will dominate the ground.

Silva by KO in 2nd round- Bisping doesn't have the chin or the speed for Wandy.

Jardine by decision- I believe Jardine vs. Bader could very well be fight of the night... Jardine will set up good leg kicks.

Cro Cop by KO round 1- now with Rothwell out and a last min. replacement, expect Cro Cop to do damage.

also..
Lytle and Stevenson to get wins