UFC 131: “Exceeded Expectations”

Written by: Neilzy

Wow!

Just…

Wow!

I was impressed with what I saw last night and every fight just left me eager to see the next one. It was a great event and some pretty big highlights came from what was apparently a weak card.

A lot of fans had written this card off saying that it wasn’t worth the purchase because of the lack of big name draws on the card, well those guys are going to be pretty disappointed they didn’t get to see what turned out to be one hell of a night of fights!

I don’t like reading play by play recounts of fights on the internet so I am not going to write one either. I just want to highlight a few things from the card that made me kind of say “in your face” to those who REFUSED to pay for the pay-per-view.

I love wars. I love seeing two guys go toe to toe and just give it their all and that’s exactly what we saw when Dave Herman beat Jon Olav Einemo, these two were absolutely gassed by the second round but they put on one hell of a show. I hope that Jon gets another chance in the UFC because he entertained the hell out of me, sure he got tired but he hasn’t fought in months. I am looking forward to see what these two do next in their respective fights because they certainly got their names out for all the UFC fans to see and was defiantly deserving of fight of the night honours.

The Sam Stout knockout was brutal and certainly deserving of the knockout of the night bonus. It was looking like things were going to head to a second round but Stout landed an impressive punch that sent Edwards to the ground quickly. Stout didn’t even need to jump on Edwards for the usual celebratory ground and pound, Edwards was out and Stout got another highlight reel finish to his name.

Demian Maia surprised me that’s for sure. I was not expecting to see him run a stand up clinic in round one, Maia looked good and he had defiantly been working on his stand-up. I was happy that Munoz came out with the win, it was a great fight and each round left me anxious with what was going to come next. Munoz showed some amazing skills in being able to keep Maia at bay and is defiantly a star of the future.

Kenny Florian looked great at 145. Nunes’ head resembled Elvis’ Sinosic’s during most of his UFC career and he put up a hell of a fight. I think that Florian is defiantly on the verge of taking some gold, 145 seems like the place for him, he’s bigger at 145, he’s stronger and has the experience to really tear that division apart. I was a little disappointed at how the fans treated him after the win but Canadians love their hockey. Wrong place. Wrong time.

Dos Santos tore Carwin apart in that first round. Even I cringed a little when they showed what JDS’ fists had done to Carwin’s face. I thought it probably should have been stopped in Round number one but am glad it wasn’t. These two gave it their all and it was kind of good that it went the distance, it let us see what Dos Santos’ chin was like. He got clipped a few times but the fight was never Carwin’s. Dos Santos heads towards the title fight and that’s going to be an explosive fight!

If you couldn’t afford to buy the pay-per-view I understand, times are tough but saying you weren’t going to buy it because of the card is always a dangerous thing to say. This card exceeded expectations and was certainly probably one of the best ones this year.

Remember, it’s Mixed Martial Arts.

And anything can happen!

@provingwrong

UFC 131: It’s a Fight Week People!

Written by: Neilzy

You kind of figure out that there is a UFC event coming up when your twitter timeline explodes, and I for one love it. This weekend UFC 131 comes to us live from Vancouver, Canada (which is quite a nice place I might add) and I for one cannot be more excited. Sure, I have been able to catch UFC action for the last couple of weeks now but each time there is a pay per view I am buzzing and ready to part way with my hard-earned to watch the sport I love.

Although my girlfriend doesn’t like me spending the money on it, she loves it too so it kind of works itself out.

This weekend there are two fights in particular that I am really looking forward to.

Kenny Florian makes his featherweight debut and he is going to be the first fighter to fight in four different weight divisions. I hope Florian finds his feet at featherweight, I really do. He’s a great guy, and I am thinking that he is going to finish this fight with his old faithful, the rear naked choke. I want Kenny to win and get in line for a title shot, he would look great with gold around his waist and a win plus a submission of the night bonus cheque would certainly help him on his quest to finally hold a championship.

Rear Florian Choke for the win!
What was supposed to be the meeting of the two Ultimate Fighter coaches was the next big fight I was looking forward to. I love watching Lesnar fight even though he isn’t the most technical fighter there’s just something about a guy of his size throwing those mitts around. Instead we get Shane Carwin who is also pretty impressive in stature so he should certainly put on a show as well. I am predicting fireworks in this one and I am thinking that this is not going the distance.

JDS is one hell of a fighter and I think he’s going to be the one to take that belt from Cane. He is going to go out there and give it his all. I can just feel the energy running through me now, that fight is going to be an absolute corker!

It’s fight week people, live it and love it!

Follow me on twitter @provingwrong

UFC 130 – Post Fight Press Conference

Written by: Stoic Taco

Did you see the post event press conference?

There were some great questions posed to Dana and the various fighters about their matches, how they’re feeling, and possible next steps.

I strongly recommend checking it out, here’ s the video link

http://www.ufc.com/media/130-post-pc-archive

Some of the highlights include;

When Dana announced that Frank Mir would not be joining the conference as he went to hospital for a fractured jaw and rib, he didn’t see Big Country raise his hands in victory and asked the crowd of journalists, “that’s funny you sick bastards?”, only to be told of Roy Nelson being funny and raising his hands in victory behind Dana.

The first question was directed to Matt Hamill. He was asked if he was surprised that Rampage was able to defend against his take down attempts. The response was that he was surprised and that he still thought it was a good fight. He seemed in good spirits considering the situation. When asked if he was in pain, the response was that he would probably be feeling it tomorrow. The Hammer was then pressed to explain his mental state because he appeared to be visibly defeated in the second and third rounds, the response was he was happy with his performance and that he would go back into training and that he will try to come back. Matt was adamant that he would come back again.

Dana was asked for his thoughts on the main event since the crowd really wasn’t that into it. Dana chucked to himself first, and responded that Rampage looked good in the beginning of the fight but then gassed out halfway through (I don’t know if that is really the case, could have been trying to deflect some of the heat of that question on to Rampage) “I say it all the time, guys gotta stay consistent, gotta stay busy”

When pressed about the possibility of a Rampage vs Jon Jones fight, he replied that if his hand is ok that it will probably happen. He was interested in getting Rampage getting checked out by a doctor and then “go from there”.

The next question was directed to Roy Nelson about who really deserved the title and why. Big Country responded with “I would say Frank won because he out wrestled me. I brought Dan Hardy in for my wrestling this week (the odd English joke always goes down well….) so as we can see English wrestling is not as good as American wrestling”.

Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson, ever the joker, made light of his wrestling defeat by making fun of Dan Hardy, and while it kept the journalists entertained and laughing, it didn’t excuse his poor performance in the octagon.

The next question was directed to Rampage and he was asked about his performance in the fight. “I was okay with my performance, I wanted to do a little bit more. I knew that I could stay on my feet with Matt Hamill. Matt had a great game plan and as soon I could see how far away he was standing from me I knew he wanted to take me down, he had some great low leg kicks, and it just made me not do exactly what I wanted to do….he’s a tough guy…so I’m a little bit disappointed but I lived though….I wanted a knockout…but that guy’s got a hard head. I don’t think anyone is going to knock him out…I think Matt has a long future in this sport.”

The next question was to Dana and was about the future of Rick Story. Dana had this to say; “I actually thought it was a great fight. Rick Story fought a great fight….and he got crushed by that knee in the third round. Rick kept his head together, kept his composure together like a pro”. Rick added that he had discussed it with his manager and believe that the next opponent will be Jon Fitch.

Brian Stann spoke about how after a fight he doesn’t find that there are expectations placed on him and it’s pretty much the best time to get back into the gym and just keep training.

The post event press conference covered a lot of topics and is definitely worth checking out.

UFC 130: Matt Hamill, I Really Wanted You To Win

Written by: Stoic Taco

I really believed that Matt Hamill could win at UFC 130.

I thought that with his wrestling skills and motivation to move closer to a Top 10 ranking would motivate him to bring his A Game on Saturday night.

Alas, it was not to be.

There is no disputing that Rampage Jackson is a dangerous fighter. One who is not only experienced in the ring, but one who should not be underestimated. And that’s what is looked like to the thousands of spectators in attendance and to the hundreds of thousands watching at home, The Hammer had underestimated his opponent.

We all know that Hamill is a wrestler, a great wrestler at that. But if we know it, then certainly Rampage knew it and would prepare for the best way to counter any takedown attacks.

So I am having a little bit of a hard time trying to understand The Hammer’s game plan because it looked like it solely revolved around getting Rampage to the mat and trying to submit him. Obviously Rampage expected this and trained on how to prevent takedowns, it worked well because he prevented a total of 16 attempts!

Why didn’t Matt Hamill work on a game plan that didn’t include wrestling or takedowns for the most part? Why not focus on striking and kicking? Why not try to do something that would confuse his opponent and then try for a take down? I totally understand that there is no way that Hamill would be able to go toe-to-toe with a ferocious striker like Rampage, but he should at least have prepared for the possibility that a take down would not be possible….

By consistently attempting a take down, it was obvious what the game plan was, which allowed Rampage to adapt, counter, and eventually win by unanimous decision.

The one thing that The Hammer was able to successfully do was evade a KO. It was the one thing that Rampage wanted to achieve in the fight and he was unsuccessful in that.

Matt, I am a big fan and definitely want to see you rise in the rankings, but you need to include more than just wrestling into your armoury if you want to eventually achieve a title shot.

Rampage, you fought a good fight and deserve a title shot against Jon Jones…if only your hand wasn’t fractured…

TUF coaches announced

Michael “The Count” Bisping has been announced as taking his coaching role up again for the next series of The Ultimate Fighter. While this news was only interesting if he was against Chael Sonnen.

What is interesting about the upcoming season is that his opponent is MTV’s Bully Beatdown coach Jason “Mayhem” Miller. For those of you familiar with his other show will know that Mayhem will be bringing the smack talk and comedy to the show. It’s also a great opportunity to expose Mayhem to the UFC audience who may not be familiar with him.

This could lead to some hostility at Wolfs Lair as Mayhem is buddies with Rampage Jackson who is not only a member of Team Wolfslair but is also a friend/training partner of Michael Bisping.

One thing which is for certain is that this season is sure to be entertaining. Something that many have criticized as missing ingredient from some seasons of the hit reality program.

I’m currently in Las Vegas attending UFC 130 expect a write up soon after the fights.

Written by Edes – MMA Fightclub

UFC 130 Rampage vs The Hammer

Written by: Stoic Taco

With UFC 130 only a couple of days away, let’s have a look at the headlining fight.

Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson v Matt ‘The Hammer’ Hamill

It’s definitely no secret that I am not a fan of Rampage, the guy is too much of a loudmouth, showboats far too much, and is pretty much the main reason why I can’t bring myself to watch The A-Team however I have to respect the guy as a fighter. His wins speak for themselves.

This is going to be a hard fight for the The Hammer. But one that he can handle on the mat and eventually walk away with the win.

Let’s have a look at the lead up to the fight.

There is no doubt that one of Rampage’s greatest strengths is his striking. Once he lands a solid punch, there is little that his opponents can do but hit the mat. Rampage has even said “I am looking forward to knocking Matt Hamill out”. I am certain that it’s with this in mind that The Hammer will be looking to win through submission.

Speaking of  Matt Hamill’s wrestling ability, have a look at this great video from Deaf Nation about The Hammer’s private gym (a combination of wrestling and UFC) and a public gym MVMMA (Mohawk Valley MMA) where the public is invited to train, learn, and have fun.

Let’s have a look at the fighter profiles in a little more details, (figures from UFC.com)

Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson 

31-8-0

Skills Breakdown: 72% time spent Striking & 28% Takedowns

Summary: Strength, Slamming Ability, and Wrestling

Matt ‘The Hammer’ Hamill

11-2-0

Skills Breakdown: 55% time spent Wrestling & 45%Striking

Summary: Wrestling and Boxing

Experience – Rampage wins

All Round Fighter – Hamill wins

So what it comes down to now is, who wants it more? And on that, I believe The Hammer will walk away victorious.

UFC – A Step Closer to New York!

Written by: Stoic Taco

The UFC is a step closer to bringing their promotion to New York City after the New York Senate voted 42-18 today in favour of regulating Mixed Martial Arts in the state.

UFC President Dana White (@danawhite) announced the victory through Twitter;

“It passed 42 to 18!!!!! FINALLY!!!! NY!!!!”

This is a great win for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts as marches towards full legalisation in one of the most influential states in the USA and making it the 46th state to regulate the sport.

To get an idea of just how massive and wide-reaching MMA is, have a look at the MMA Facts website.

Today is only a step towards its, perhaps inevitable, legalisation however the bill still requires the State Assembly approval and the signature of Gov Andrew Cuomo to become law.

It’s this last step that prompted the below tweet from the UFC President urging fans to contact and petition their local assemblyman.

“NYS Senate just voted to legalize MMA in NY! Live in NY? Call your Assembly member & tell them to pass the bill”

Dana White then included this link http://www.mmafacts.com/phone in the tweet which redirects to a page containing the below information on how best to voice your excitement that MMA is getting closer to becoming legal in New York State.

The best chance to get mixed martial arts regulated in New York this year is to include it in the state budget, which is due on April 1. The State Senate has already included it in their proposed budget; now we need the Assembly to do the same.

Please take two minutes to call your Assembly member and ask them to include regulation of mixed martial arts in the budget. Be sure to tell them that you live in their district. Be firm but polite.

To find out who your Assembly member is and their phone number, simply fill in your street address and zip code below.

This is a great day for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts and especially for the UFC.

Once New York is approved, get ready for some great UFC New York action!

Kevin James in MMA Film

Written by: Stoic Taco

Kevin James, star of King of Queens and The Dilemma, is starring in a new film about the increasingly popular sport, MMA (Mixed Martial Arts).

Here Comes The Boom tells the story of a desperate physics teacher who begins moonlighting as a mixed martial arts fighter in order to save jobs and programs at his fiscally challenged high school.

The actor who is known for his larger physique and boisterous persona has had to undertake a gruelling training program in order to prepare for the physical challenges of playing a MMA fighter.

This photo posted on Twitter by legendary UFC Ring Announcer Bruce Buffer (@brucebuffer) shows the newly slimmed down Kevin James on the first day of filming.

Kevin James has been a long time supporter of MMA and the UFC and is friends with Randy Couture, so it only makes sense that he’d be interested in bringing a MMA themed film to the big screen.

Check out this older video of Kevin training with Randy ‘The Natural’ Couture.

Directed by Frank Coraci (who previously worked with Kevin James in the soon-to-be-released film Zookeeper) and co-starring Salma Hayek, Charice, and Henry Winkler, Here Comes the Boom is scheduled for release in July 2012.

Cue POD’s “Boom” as it’s theme song (I hope…)

Matt Hamill: A Legend in the Making?

I believe that Matt Hamill has the makings of a champion. I believe that Rampage will fall during UFC 130. I believe that Matt Hamill will be the man to finally shut Rampage up and take another step closer to a title shot.

Following on from his unanimous decision victory over former TUF coach Tito Ortiz, Hamill has been waiting for a “top 10 fighter” and it looks like his opportunity has finally arrived in the form of Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson.

Rampage has been rather vocal about his opponent;
http://www.ufc.com/media/UFC-130-Quinton-Rampage-Jackson-pre-fight-interview

“I’m gonna try to do to Matt Hamill what I do to all my opponents…whoop is ass…There’s not one doubt in my mind that I can whoop Matt Hamill…I like to finish people…I want a devastating finish”

The question is whether Rampage can fulfill his promise.

Hamill is ready for this. Hamill is ready to step up to the big leagues. I think he can do this.

Check out Matt Hamill’s Road to Rampage video here, thanks to MMA-Core.
http://www.mma-core.com/videos/_Hamil_s_Road_to_UFC_130?vid=10019211&tid=104

Matt Hamill is an inspiring fighter. Not only has he overcome some serious setbacks to achieve more than most of us can only dream of, he also continues to inspire all segments of the community.

In fact, there is even a movie about Matt Hamill and his inspiring life story;

And if you are still not convinced, here are the words from the man himself;
http://www.sportsnet.ca/mma/2011/05/14/ultimate_blogger_hamill_1/

People assume that it is hard for me to compete as a deaf fighter, but this is all I’ve ever known. I don’t know any other way to fight, and so I’ve learned to adapt to my environment. Whereas some fighters get weighed down by the advice of their cornermen during a fight, I am in a position where I can receive advice in between rounds and then relax and carry them out for the five-minute rounds. I don’t panic or worry if things are going wrong and I don’t hear the shouts and screams of my cornermen. It’s all on me, and I like it that way.

This is the man who’s going to go the distance with Rampage Jackson…and walk away with the victory!

Brock Lesnar Out of UFC 131

Written by: Stoic Taco

It was announced today at the UFC Summit in Las Vegas that Brock Lesnar is battling another case of diverticulitis which has caused him to step down from his UFC 131 bout against fellow TUF coach Junior dos Santos.

The announcement was made by both UFC President Dana White and Brock Lesnar to a media conference.

“Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has diverticulitis again,” said White. “He spent all day yesterday over at the Mayo Clinic and he’s gone through a bumper to bumper of tests. This thing acted up on him again, he’s got some serious choices to make in the next couple of weeks on whether to fight this thing or take the surgery.”

Stepping in for Lesnar is Shane Carwin, who will face off against Junior dos Santos on June 11th in Vancouver Canada.

For those of you who don’t yet follow UFC on Twitter (@ufc), here’s how the story was broken.

Brock has diverticulitis again – at Mayo Clinic – out of 131… Dos Santos will fight Carwin on June 11th in Vancouver… Brock: apologizes to JDS and Spike – he dodged a bullet two years ago, may have to have the surgery this time – evaluating options… Symptoms hit during the TUF taping – Brock says symptoms aren’t as serious as last time but he couldn’t train for UFC 131 bout… Brock on choosing between life changing surgery and a lifetime of symptoms: “I’m fighting a different fight here”… ‘Brock: I’m not retiring…I believe there’s a solution to every problem, I just gotta find the right solution…I love this sport”

Shane Carwin posted the following update on his blog today;

“I was training and my phone was blowing up so I looked over and saw some missed calls from Dana and Joe Silva. I reached out to my manager to see what was going on and he informed me that we are taking Lesnar’s spot for 131.

Junior is a serious fight and not the type of fight that you would normally take on a 30 day notice but I have a dream to chase and I do not have a lot of time to chase it. This is an opportunity to put myself in contention for the title”

For the full story and for further updates, check out the UFC website