The Josh Barnett Free Agency Saga

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Eric

Written by Jaycen De Norscia Twitter: @JaycenD

The Josh Barnett Free Agency Saga
Still to this day, it remains unknown as to whether or not Josh Barnett will re-sign with the UFC. And to be perfectly honest, the news of that uncertainty being still is just appalling to me. I agreed with every fan who voiced some disgust over the UFC’s recent decision to cut Jon Fitch, but that’s nothing compared to the massive void kept open by the absence of Josh Barnett. We’ve been told that Fitch’s release was a matter of cost-cutting, but we can only hope that said costs were cut for the sake of making room for one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all-time, Josh Barnett.
At age 35, the Warmaster has already proven that he’s still able to hang and bang with this generation’s top crop of fighters. And in my opinion, there’s much less question surrounding his ability to do so than there is surrounding the legitimacy being behind the UFC’s claim that it’s all about acquiring and showcasing all of the world’s best MMA fighters. The UFC’s heavyweight division is extremely lacking in depth, and it shrunk even more this week via the release of Mike Russow. That being said, it’s a very bad sign to see such little care and effort being exerted toward bringing Josh Barnett back to terms with a UFC contract.
I heard that the reasoning behind his refusal to re-sign thus far had something to do with the UFC’s alleged unwillingness to extend him an offer the likes of that which they publicly made to Eddie Alvarez. Of course, Alvarez is only 29, and can offer the UFC a lot more mileage than Barnett can, but does that even hold a candle in this debate?
Eddie Alvarez is a great fighter, but he competes at lightweight, a division which, even after the UFC’s recent roster cuts, still contains a total of 75 fighters under contract. The UFC’s heavyweight division, however, contains only 29 fighters under contract. I’m not saying that the UFC shouldn’t continue to pursue Eddie Alvarez, but I am saying that they should be pursuing Josh Barnett just as hard, if not much harder.
I’m not exactly sure what all of the details were behind the UFC’s offer to Eddie Alvarez, but monetarily speaking, the UFC should definitely be willing to offer at least that same amount to Josh Barnett. And as for the immediate title shot that was offered to Alvarez, I don’t necessarily think that Barnett (or Alvarez for that matter) should receive a title shot just for showing up, but I do think that the next offer that Josh receives should show him some sort of a legitimate path back into title contention. For instance, his next offer should be to return against the likes of Stefan Struve (assuming first that Struve will be victorious on 3/3), with the winner of that fight then moving on to face the winner of JDS/Overeem for a UFC title shot. That’s undeniably fair to Barnett, and equally fair to each of the other parties involved.
By re-debuting against Stefan Struve, Barnett would be giving one of the division’s most promising rising stars an opportunity to try and take out a former UFC Champion, which Struve has yet to do. And on the other side of that coin, Barnett would have the opportunity to try and end the heavyweight division’s longest win streak to date, in order to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he can still topple this generation’s title contenders, en route to reclaiming glory. And if victorious, the timing would be perfect for Barnett to then square off against the winner of UFC 160′s JDS vs Overeem contest, in a title eliminator bout this fall – which could determine who will get the first Heavyweight title shot in 2014.
And in the meantime, the winner of Velasquez/Silva II would likely defend the title once more in 2013, against either the winner of Werdum vs Nogueira, or to the winner of Cormier vs Mir.
If I saw or heard Barnett turn down an offer expressing as much interest in him as the one that I just typed as an example, then I wouldn’t still be so adamant about the UFC’s obligation to re-sign him. But as it stands, I don’t think that he’s gotten any offers like that  one. I don’t think that the UFC brass have even come to terms with how much they need Josh Barnett, and because of that, I can definitely understand any lack of desire that he may be having toward re-signing. The UFC should be making his return feel as wanted by the company as it is legitimately wanted, and as much as it’s been anticipated by the entire MMA community for the past couple of months and counting. And above all else, the UFC should not be saying that if Barnett opts to not re-sign, it would be “no problem.” At this point, it ain’t a matter of what would be or wouldn’t be, but rather a concern for what already is – And make no mistake about it, the heavyweight division’s lack of depth is a problem.
Josh Barnett is the solution.
Posted in Bellator, Dream, Strikeforce, UFC | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Roundtable-What do you think lies ahead for Rampage Jackson?

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Eric
rampage

rampage

What do you think lies ahead for Rampage Jackson? Will he sign with another MMA organization after his final UFC bout? Will the UFC somehow keep him around?

By Jaycen De Norsci-RNC Contributor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaycenD

That’s really a tough question to answer. I mean, if he can defeat Glover Teixeira, letting him leave the UFC would be too silly for me to even try to explain. Glover’s got Next Big Thing potential written all over him. So, even if Rampage loses that fight, I don’t think he’s worth throwing away. He’s a former Light Heavyweight Champion. I’m very disappointed that he recently stated he doesn’t want to end his career in the UFC, though. Win or lose at UFC on FOX 6, seeing Rampage leave the UFC to go fight in another MMA promotion thereafter would be like seeing Kevin Garnett leave the NBA to go play for a men’s basketball travel league at the YMCA. C’mon, man. There’s got to be a better way to handle this than that!

But what does Rampage want? That’s worth looking into. He’s worth it. His morale ain’t exactly where we’d like it to be, but when that dude is feeling it and the passion is visibly there, he’s a tremendous asset to have on your roster; no questions asked.

Is the UFC really denying him the right to wear Reebok, or did I misread that? That’s silly. Let him wear whatever he wants. As long as he’s fighting for you and your organization, and it’s clear that he’s trying to give the fans what they paid for (which he always does), then who really cares what he’s wearing? …As long as it isn’t Dennis Hallman’s trunks. lol!

Also, Rampage needs to strongly consider the following:

What if Chael Sonnen wins the Light Heavyweight Championship on April 27? …Do you really want to risk not being under contract if and when that happens?

I trust that Rampage and the UFC will think this thing through and do what’s right.

 

Brian Hobaugh-RNC Contributor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/arearnakedchoke

He is, or, rather, should be, out of the UFC. I sure hope not. I don’t like seeing Rampage get beaten up. I think that if there is a way to keep him, Dana will do it.

Dylan Young-RNC Contributor

Arearnakedchoke.com on Facebook- www.facebook.com/erichobaugh

The UFC will keep him no doubt, if he wins. He is an Icon in MMA. I can’t see them just letting him go. He will sign back with them too he obviously wants to stay in the UFC over any other organization. Even if he loses it’s hard to say that the UFC would give away a money maker like him. Just putting his name on a card is enough for me to tune in. But, what if they don’t, where will he go? My money would be on Bellator, or possibly Dream. He used to fight in Japan, and if he does decide to fight in America there isn’t too much choice due to the monopolization of the UFC. Either way I hope he comes out happy.

Eric Hobaugh-RNC Editor-in-Chief

I am not convinced Rampage is going to fight anymore.  He is not a good enough fighter to stay in the UFC.  He might not be a good enough fighter to win in another organization.  I think he will end up in
Bellator, fight a few times until he loses, and then be faced with retirement.  He was one of the best fighters ever and I hope he retires on his own terms so we can remember him that way.

Posted in Bellator, Dream, UFC | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Roundtable-Where does Michael Bisping go from here?

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Eric

 

By Jaycen De Norsci-RNC Contributor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaycenD

Where does Michael Bisping go from here after losing his third opportunity at getting to a title fight?

I like how you chose to mention that it wasn’t just a lost opportunity at a title shot, but that it was actually his third lost opportunity at a title shot. I like this because it will only serve as a testament to his mental toughness and dedication to the sport when he comes back better than we saw him last, again. This isn’t baseball. There’s no three strikes rule here. You can take as many swings as you can get. And I guarantee you, Bisping isn’t done swinging. Look back to the defeat he suffered at the hands of Dan Henderson. That type of loss usually proves to be make-or-break in determining whether or not a fighter truly has what it takes to become great in this sport. If he makes excuses and cuts around any of his own faults or problems, then he’s probably not going to improve at all and will be just as susceptible to losing fights that same way, again and again: But that’s not what Michael Bisping did. He went back, filled in the holes in his game, which Dan Henderson had so devastatingly pointed out, to ensure that he never gets beaten like that again.

 

Also, he doesn’t cry when goofballs send him videos of that loss to try and get under his skin. He laughs, welcomes it, and even gives credit to Dan Henderson for making him evolve as a fighter. So, do I really need to explain to you what I think Bisping’s going to do now? He ain’t about to roll over and die, buddy. He lost to a great fighter in Vitor Belfort. It happens.

 

He’s going to fix whatever problems he sees in his game after that fight and come back better than we’ve ever seen him. And who knows? Maybe he’ll even credit Vitor for making him the Champion that he’s going to become. Next question. :)

 

 

Brian Hobaugh-RNC Contributor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/arearnakedchoke

He should get out of the UFC. He is over-rated and I don’t even like him as a person. Maybe he should retire.

Just keep rollin’ with the punches. I have never been a fan of Bisping or his eager mouth. But, as I would say to any fighter you just have to keep pushing forward. Many may say he should consider a change of weight class to try some new competition, but I feel like this is his optimum weight class. You also have to consider that maybe he isn’t champ material. Either way he will go for gold, so he just needs to get a few more wins under his belt and chase the title yet again.

 

Dylan Young-RNC Contributor

Arearnakedchoke.com on Facebook- www.facebook.com/erichobaugh

 

Eric Hobaugh-RNC Editor-in-Chief

I have been saying Michael Bisping is over rated for years.  He is a good fighter, but not a great one. He cannot win against the top five fighters in his weight division. I think he is a top ten fighter, but not a top five.  He will never again be in the top five of light heavyweight or 185.  He is also the biggest UFC star outside of the US and Brazil.  The UFC will continue to feed him opponents outside of
the top five.  He can fight years being the gate keeper to the top five at 185, still make a great living, and help Zuffa.  I think this will be his role moving forward.

michael bisping

Posted in Bellator, Dream, Strikeforce, UFC | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Who should the UFC put in against Anderson Silva next, and why?

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Eric

anderson silva

By Jaycen De Norsci-RNC Contributor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaycenD

Well, as it stands, Vitor Belfort is the #2 Middleweight in my eyes. But I don’t necessarily think he should get the next shot at Anderson. And that’s actually convenient, because he recently suggested more interest in rematching Jon Jones, anyway. I don’t think Vitor should rematch Jones yet, but I think I know the next best thing for him, and I’ll get back to that in a moment. First, let me answer your question.

 

Anderson Silva’s teammate, Antônio Rogério Nogueira is scheduled to face Rashad Evans at UFC 156. I think that IFRashad Evans can beat him, he should have the right to choose another member of Black House to fight next; either Anderson Silva, whom he’s expressed interest in challenging for the Middleweight title – or Lyoto Machida, whom he’s expressed interest in rematching at Light Heavyweight. And now getting back to Vitor Belfort, his next fight should be against the guy whom Rashad doesn’t choose.

 

Ideally, I’d love to see a PPV headlined by Anderson Silva defending the Middleweight title against Rashad Evans, with a co-main event of Vitor Belfort vs Lyoto Machida. And should Lyoto be victorious over Dan Henderson at UFC 157, then this bout against Vitor would most definitely be for a shot at the Light Heavyweight title. And hey, aren’t Vitor and Machida the only two men to have ever won a round against Jon Jones? Makes sense that they fight each other, and what better time than on a show that’s being headlined by their respective teammates? Also keep in mind, the UFC 156 main card features two instances of Black House vs The Blackzilians. So, this hypothetical super card would be tremendous follow-through on the budding rivalry between two of the best teams in the sport!

 

 

 

Brian Hobaugh-RNC Contributor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/arearnakedchoke

The real question here is: Realistically or unrealistically? Unrealistically, GSP or Jon “Bones” Jones. Realistically, I don’t think anyone has a good enough chance to consider. Not in middleweight, and maybe not in light heavyweight  either.

 

Dylan Young-RNC Contributor

Arearnakedchoke.com on Facebook- www.facebook.com/erichobaugh

Let’s be honest for a second. Is there any reason for him to fight at middle weight anymore? Yes I feel like if someone were to directly challenge him and his title that he should indeed defend it, but for now he should keep focusing on climbing the light-heavyweight ladder, which in my opinion him having to do so is completely unnecessary, but that is a discussion for another time. So since they won’t set up a Jones vs. Silva fight, I feel that these two would be most logical. Rua or Bader, these match-ups would both be great and a win over either one would for sure pull him into the top 10 and possibly title contention.

 

 

Eric Hobaugh-RNC Editor-in-Chief

I think most everyone knows Silva is almost at the end of his career. He has basically destroyed everyone who has faced him with the exception of Chael Sonnen.  He is the greatest fighter who has ever lived.  It seems to me, the two things left he really cares about are money and his legacy.  Both of these two things are addressed with superfights.  He can bolster both of those things if he can fight and defeat GSP or Jon Jones. He is unlike most UFC fighters, in that he can pick who he fights.  In my opinion, he will take one or both of these fights and then retire.

 

Posted in Bellator, Dream, Strikeforce, UFC | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Winners and Losers From UFC on Fox 6

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Eric

UFC on Fox 6 Winners and Losers

UFC on Fox 6 was an entertaining night of free fights complete with a view of the end of one era  and the beginning of another. Rampage Jackson may very well have faught his last fight in the UFC. Demetrious Johnson defended his title for the first of what I think will be many title defenses.

Winners

Ricardo Lamas showed he can stay with the best fighters in the world with his victory over Erik Koch.  The win was not a huge surprise, but the way he won was devastating.  He ran through Koch like a knife through warm butter and he should be given a top 5 opponent in his next fight.

Glover Teixeira is a legit threat to anyone at 205 and should now be in the mix after the way he defeated Rampage. It still amazes me how many fans do not know his name.  After his performance  on UFC on Fox 6, they will. I would love to see him fight Ryan Bader or Phil Davis in his next fight.

When Anthony Pettis lost to Clay Guida in 2011, I thought he was just another decent fighter from the WEC who would never compete for UFC gold.  Now, on the contrary, three fights removed from that loss finds him not only on a three fight win streak, but I think the best bet to win the UFC Lightweight title in 2013.

John Dodson lost his first title shot to Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Fox 6.  If he had been fighting any other fighter in the world besides Demetrious Johnson, he would be the UFC Champion.    How many of his ‘free’ fights have been better than the high dollar PPV main events? Too many to list. He is one of the most exciting fighters in the world to watch and I cannot wait to see him again.

Demetrious Johnson proved against the best challanger around,  he is the best flyweight in the world.  The speed at which he moves is almost unbelievable.  Not only is he the best flyweight in terms of techniqe and skills, he also proved  he can be rocked and still come forward for the win.  What’s next for him?  Who cares as long as we get to watch it.

 

mighty mouse johnson

By Eric Hobaugh Editor-in-Chief

Losers

Erik Koch was supposed to be fighting Jose Aldo for the Featherweight title at UFC 153.  He was forced to drop out of the fight due to injury and Frankie Edgar stepped in.  His loss last night to Ricardo Lamas was not just a loss, but the kind of loss that may take him out of the title picture for some time. He was  dominated so badly, he will need at least three quality wins before he is looked at again for a title shot.

Donald Cerrone has all the physical skills to be a world champion.  He has fought well against many elite fighters.  There is nothing to be ashamed of by losing to Anthony Petis, but the way he lost was disastrous.  Pettis dominated him so badly, he will have to reevaluate his entire game.   He is an exciting fighter, so I think he still has many fights left in the UFC, but he will need to put two quality wins together to earn his way back into the top ten.

The Ricardo Arona slam. His Pride KO win over Kevin Randleman. The KO win over Chuck Liddell for the title.  His devestating KO win over Wanderlei Silva. These are the ways I choose to remember Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson.  He changed the way the sport was fought and the way we watched as fans.  Seriously, how many fans tuned into his Pride and UFC fights to see one of his slams or classic KO’s? Countless fans of MMA are fans because of Rampage.  I choose not to read or listen to all of the bitching he has done about how “the UFC screwed him over” and how “the promotion does not appreciate him”.  In his last three fights, he has lost to Jon Jones, Ryan Bader, and Glover Teixeira.  I hope he retires and makes movies.  He is not a bad actor and his movies do not suck.  If he fades away into the Hollywood sign the way Randy Couture has, it will be a great ending to an amazing career. My fear is, the next headline we read about Rampage, will be something like “Rampage Jackson signs a 5 year deal with Bellator.”

Posted in Bellator, Dream, Strikeforce, UFC | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Who wins the Flyweight Championship bout between Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and John Dodson at UFC on Fox 6, and how?

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Eric

 

mighty mouse johnson

mighty mouse johnson

 

Who wins the Flyweight Championship bout between Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and John Dodson at UFC on Fox 6, and how?

 

By Jaycen De Norsci-RNC Contributor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaycenD

I don’t like picking fights… but I will be rooting for John Dodson! He’s wicked entertaining. Johnson is, too, but he needs to start finishing guys. Maybe he can change that on January 26 …Or maybe we’ll see a new Champion crowned?

 

Brian Hobaugh-RNC Contributor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/arearnakedchoke

Demetrious Johnson. He is stronger, faster, and all-around better at everything than Dodson. 2nd round TKO.

 

Dylan Young-RNC Contributor

Arearnakedchoke.com on Facebook- www.facebook.com/erichobaugh

 

I love this match up. Neither of these guys has won a match that has gone to decision, so I expect to see a quick finish. Dodson hasn’t lost a match since his coming out through the Ultimate Fighter, and it’s hard to see that changing. But, on the other hand I don’t believe that he has fought against anyone of the caliber of Johnson. I can’t wait for this and to see what both fighters do with the rest of their careers, because they will both be great. Here’s my call Demetrious Johnson with the victory in the second round.

 

 

Eric Hobaugh-RNC Editor-in-Chief

I think Johnson wins this one by decision.  He is just too strong in
every aspect of MMA to be beaten by Dodson.  Dodson is a good fighter,
but Johnson is a superior fighter.  Johnson is faster and that will be
a good test for Johnson, but ultimately Johnson will prove to be too
much for the challenger.  This will be one of the fastest fights in
the history of the sport and I cannot wait to see this one.

 

Posted in Bellator, Dream, UFC | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Heavy Heavyweights-By Jaycen De Norsci-RNC Contributor

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Eric
JDS

JDS

 

By Jaycen De Norsci-RNC Contributor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaycenD

Just to clarify, I wasn’t suggesting that Junior dos Santos should take a fight or two before receiving another title shot because I think he needs to “prove himself again.” I said it because the Heavyweight title is usually defended only twice a year, so there are probably a couple of guys who should get a turn before him.

If Alistair Overeem can defeat Bigfoot at UFC 156, then he should definitely go first. If Daniel Cormier wins at UFC on FOX 7, and Alistair goes on to become Champion, then I think DC should go next. And on the flipside of that, Frank Mir has never fought Cain or Overeem, so he’s also a possibility if he wins at UFC on FOX 7. And if Fabricio Werdum can beat Big Nog in June, then you have to imagine he’ll be asking for a shot, too; especially if Overeem happens to become Champion around that time.

There is, of course, one issue with making JDS wait, which was probably pretty evident in my previous answer: There aren’t a lot of actual contenders in the Heavyweight division whom he hasn’t faced yet. There’s Overeem, DC and possibly Josh Barnett, but that’s essentially it, excluding teammates.

Personally, I think the Heavyweight division needs to be expanded. Josh Barnett definitely needs to be signed. His return could deliver a great opponent for someone like Stefan Struve (if he’s able to get through Mark Hunt on 3/3), or for Gabriel Gonzaga, who impressively submitted Ben Rothwell at UFC on FX 7.

And if Andrei Arlovski can defeat Jeff Monson in their upcoming bout on 2/2, then I think he should be brought back into the UFC, as well. Dana White did say (a few months ago) that Arlovski could get back into the UFC if he can beat a big name. Monson’s pretty much the biggest available to him outside of the UFC, so I imagine that’s the fight he was talking about. Anyway, a returning Andrei Arlovski would really present the perfect opposition for Roy Nelson in his next outing. Arlovski is the one guy who managed to finish Big Country in a professional MMA bout, but it happened outside the UFC. Comeback vs Payback would be a nice theme for this rematch to unfold in the one setting that really counts, inside the Octagon!

Posted in Bellator, Dream, Strikeforce, UFC | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Roundtable-What’s next for Junior dos Santos? How many victories does he need to get back to another title fight?

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Eric
JDS

JDS

1) What’s next for Junior dos Santos? How many victories does he need to get back to another title fight?
Jaycen De Norscia-RNC Contributor
The first order of business on Junior’s to-do list should be getting back to full health. Dana White mentioned possibility of him having a dislocated jaw during the post-fight press conference. So, needless to say, there’s no reason for him to rush back into the mix with any possible post-UFC 155 injuries still lingering. At the end of the day, he’s still the #2 Heavyweight in the world.
However, when he is ready to step back inside the Octagon, I don’t think it should be for an immediate title shot. There are a lot of guys in line for a shot right now, but Junior definitely has the status to cut most of them. I imagine he’ll only have to win a couple fights, at the very most, to get another shot. Hell, it might only take one homerun knockout to do it, and that definitely ain’t outside the realm of possibility when JDS is at bat.  
Personally, I’d love to see Roy Nelson get the opportunity to rematch him. Roy’s one of the only two men whom Junior was unable to finish, causing him to settle for a decision victory instead. And just like Junior, Roy’s never been stopped inside of the Octagon, and we all know Big Country’s hungry for a title shot of his own. Speaking of which, I bet Cheick Kongo’s regretting turning down that opportunity to fight him last month. Imagine if he had taken it and somehow managed to KO Nelson? He’d make a whole lot of sense fighting JDS right now, especially considering their respective histories with Cain…
…Moving on, I’d also really love to see Junior wage war with Daniel Cormier at some point. But as I’ve stated before on this website, I’m dying to see DC make his UFC debut against Frank Mir. That’s still a must-see match-up, in my opinion.
Nonetheless, when the time comes for JDS to get back in the hunt, you can bet he’ll be a man possessed on reclaiming his title as the baddest man on the planet. But in the meantime, he may have to settle for being the maddest man on the planet, without the title. And on that note, maybe Josh Barnett would be the appropriate opponent for him in his return fight. The Warmaster also knows how it feels to have the UFC Championship taken from him. And if memory serves me right, he ain’t too happy about it either.
Dylan Young-RNC Contributor
I don’t think that he needs to prove himself anymore then he has already. If you ask me he deserves to get the rubber match that is bound to happen at some point right now, when it matters the most to both fighters. I mean it is bound to happen so why not just give him the immediate rematch. If not he should only have to win one match at the most to regain title contention.
Eric Hobaugh-RNC Editor-in-Chief
I am in agreement with Dylan that he could be given a rematch as soon as he is healthy, but that aint going to happen.  I would love to see him against Daniel Cormier.  That makes the most sense for both fighter and the UFC.  I am the biggest fan of both fighters. Much like the Cain JDS fight I will have a hard time  picking my favorite in that fight.  I like it  better when one of the fighters is someone I can get behind and hate.  Both of these guys are sweethearts and I can not wait until they get into the cage and try to rip their throats out!  For the record I think this is a bad match up for JDS, but he can 100% win if he uses a better game plan against Daniel than he did against Cain.  Because Daniel is a MUCH BETTER WRESTLER THAN CAIN (Yes, I just wrote that) JDS will need to completely change his game if he does indeed fight DC.
Posted in Bellator, Dream, Strikeforce, UFC | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cain Destroys JDS to Recapture UFC Gold at UFC 155-Recapping UFC 155

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Eric

By Eric Hobaugh

Editor-in-Chief

 

Cain Velasquez

Cain Velasquez

The under card on FX was good, but not great. Looks like Jamie Varner is preparing for another run at a title. What was the judge that scored the fight 30-27 for Guillard doing instead of watching the fight?

First up was Chris Leben vs. Derek Brunson. It was good to see Leben in the octagon after serving his 12 month drug suspension.          This was a rock em sock em robots kind of fight. How many times have we seen Leben look like he was done and come back for a last minute KO win? It was not to be in this back and forth battle.  Leben looked like he had a bad case of ring rust. I am not sure how many more times we will see Chris Leben in the cage.  I think his best days are behind him.  Brunson has a bright future and with Greg Jackson in his corner the sky is the limit for him. Brunson won a rather  boring decision victory.

Yushin Okami vs. Alan Belcher started slow and dead even on my score cards for the first round. Round two went to Okami because he was able to get Belcher to the ground and maintain his dominant position. Round three was an exact duplicate of the second. Belcher will need to once again go back to the drawing board.  He was only a fight or two from a title shot before this fight.  With this boring loss to Okami he will have much work to get back into title contention.  Okami looked better than he has in a while, but I think he will never again challenge for a title.

The first round in the Tim Boetsch vs. Costa Philippou was very even with neither fighter gaining an edge.  Boetsch looked as if he had an injury to his right hand and pulled his punches when he threw that hand. In round two Philippou started to gain the advantage with his superior striking and he used some ground and pound to cut the forehead of Boetsch. The fight was stopped in the third round and Boetsch lost because he was not defending himself.  Boetsch will need to reload and find ways to improve if he wants to stay in the mix at 185. I am not taking away anything from Philippou, but Boetsch had a possible broken hand, a cut due to an accidental head butt, and his eye was closing from an eye poke.  Philippou did not look great and will need to do way better in his next fight if he wants to climb the ranks on the middleweight division.

Joe Lauzon vs.  Jim Miller started with Jim Miller landing early and often.  Miller opened a cut with a nice elbow and the blood flowed.  Miller was dominant from the opening bell to the closing bell of the first.  Joe Lauzon looked as if he had been shot in the face he was so bloody. Miller took Lauzon down in the second and stayed in full mount or half guard for more than half the round. Louzon was able to sweep and ended up on top for the second half of the round.  Joe Lauzon looked as if he had been shot in the face he was so bloody. GREAT FIGHT!  The third round was all on the feet and I scored the third for Louzon. This fight was to this point in the PPV the fight of the night. What a shame that one of these fighters had to loose. This fight will be a fight of the year candidate. Miller won a close decision. Miller takes another step forward in his progression for a title shot.  Louzon lost this decision but I think this loss will not hurt him too much in the standings and he will be given another top ten fighter in his next fight.

Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez started fast with Velasquez being the aggressor and landing often.  I thought that Velasquez had to fight the perfect fight to win.  He destroyed Junior in the first round.  The second started like the first ended. Junior was taken down at will and could do nothing with Velasquez. This was an unbelievable fight. Cain looked unstoppable. Round three was the same as round one and two. Round four was an exact duplicate of the third.  Round five was another total dominant performance by Velasquez.   JDS will be back and this loss will make him a better fighter. Velasquez will hopefully meet Overeem soon and that will be an all-time great fight. If JDS can put a win or two together we could see an awesome trilogy with Velasquez.

So many times the fights do not match the hype.  Tonight they were better than the hype.  I am looking forward to many exciting fights in 2013.

 

Posted in Bellator, Dream, Strikeforce, UFC | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Breaking Down UFC 155

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Eric
Cain Velasquez

Cain Velasquez

By Dylan Young

Junior dos Santos vs Cain Velasquez

There is no doubt in my mind who will take this fight. Just as the first fight played out between these two monsters, Junior will prevail. He is, in my opinion, the stronger, faster, and all around more athletic fighter between the two. Many say Cain will outwrestle him, but I just do not see this being the case with Junior’s display of wrestling skills in the past. Either way, as I see it this match up will not go to a decision and it more than likely will not even move into the championship rounds.

 

Joe Lauzon vs Jim Miller

I can see it already. This is going to be a great fight. Both of these fighters are very evenly matched experience wise, which always makes for a competitive match-up. With both of them having a statistically high amount of submission wins, I wouldn’t be too surprised if they kept it on the feet and made it a scrap. It’s hard to see a clear victor, but my money is on Jim Miller.

Tim Boetsch vs Costantinos Philippou

          This is another great fight to come, especially from what I have seen out of both fighters in the past. It is hard to say who will pull away from the fight victorious due to Constantinos being somewhat new to the UFC. Boetsch will for sure be his biggest test yet, although I think that he will indeed be able to take the monster Boetsch down.

Alan Belcher vs Yushin Okami

          It’s almost kind of weird seeing these guys back in the ring again since their fight in 2006. Both fighters have changed tremendously and I feel like this will be a very close fight. I do see Okami winning it again this time around; though this time I don’t see the decision victory playing into the scenario. Even, if Okami doesn’t come away with the victory one of the will be “Put Away” so to speak.

 

Posted in Bellator, Dream, Strikeforce, UFC | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment