According to MMAWeekly.com, still-champ Randy Couture is back to training following the broken arm he suffered at UFC 74. No word on whether or not he's accepted the Nogueira offer, but according to White, it remains on the table.
This, from MMAWeekly.com:
"I'm training again. It's not 100%, but it's good," said the current UFC heavyweight champion. “I just had it x-rayed again. I think in a couple of weeks it will be cleared 100%."
He added, "It feels a little strange in certain places, but overall it's good."
Couture's acting career has taken off, but it most likely hampered the healing process. He commented, "It would have healed faster I think if I allowed them to put a cast on it. With the acting gig, I couldn’t be walking around ‘The Unit’ and ‘Scorpion King’ with a cast."
Despite still being recognized as the UFC heavyweight champion, Couture – ranked as the No. 4 heavyweight in the world by MMAWeekly.com – is currently in the midst of determining his future, both with the company, and in the sport in general.
He submitted his resignation from the UFC, both as a fighter and in other capacities, in early October, saying, “I’m tired of swimming upstream at this stage with the management of the UFC.”
A very public war of words has ensued since his resignation with both Couture and the UFC holding separate press conferences to detail their respective sides of the situation.
Couture since has reportedly been offered a title defense against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Couture Healing, Nogueira Offer Still On Table
Thursday, August 30, 2007
UFC Balance Of Power Regains Normalcy
With the wins of Randy Couture and Georges St. Pierre on Saturday night, the pair finalized UFC's return to general predictability (a good thing) following a span of upsets which stretched from 68 to 71, effectively throwing three of the five title pictures in disarray. With Sherk's win (let's forget about the steroids for a moment), Couture's first successful defense of the HW title, and St. Pierre displaying his ability to shake the Serra blues, it appears that we can start narrowing the talent into some Superfights.
No need to give Gonzaga another title shot now. And after St. Pierre's dismantling of Koscheck, it's obvious that St. Pierre and Hughes are the only guys who deserve to be on the top of that division. Not Sanchez, not Kos, not Parisyan, and certainly none of the other guys who were said to be in line for a title shot. Just the best of the best. Had Koscheck won the fight on Saturday, it would've taken even more legitimacy from the division and possibly...just possibly set up for Koscheck-Serra. Instead of being forced to witness that eyesore, it looks as if we're on track for GSP-Hughes III, which is the best fight for the fighters, the fans, and of course, the sport.
Couture's huge win marks the reality of his second coming in the UFC as he has now dispatched of two contenders (Sylvia and Gonzaga) who have at times been heralded as greats, but have now been reduced to pawns. This is significant because now Couture can start wading through the real contenders, the PRIDE guys. Similar to the Koscheck-Serra scenario, I think I speak for everyone when I say we really dodged a bullet with the potential Gonzaga-Nogueira matchup. Instead, we should be treated to Couture-CC, Couture-Nog, or even Couture-Fedor. With CC's recent loss and Nog's less than stellar opening show, there really is no contender in the UFC who should be considered a favorite against "The Natural." It may be up to White to sign someone who can fill these shoes.
The narrowing of competition continues at UFC 75 with the Henderson-Rampage match, a virtual win-win for the UFC. With a Liddell and Shogun wins at 76, the UFC should be set up perfectly for a winter to remember. Silva and Franklin will kick things off with what should be a war. We will most likely see Shogun against the winner of Rampage-Henderson. Couture will almost definitely fight Cro Cop or Nogueira. And barring something amazing happening, Hughes will get another crack at GSP. It may have not been the most exciting event in the world, but UFC 74 has now set the stage for the success that is to come.
(Originally published on martialbase.com)
Saturday, August 25, 2007
UFC 74 LIVE RESULTS & UPDATES
Throughout the evening of August 25, 2007, Irish Whip Fighting will be providing up-to-the-minute updates for every televised fight at UFC 74. With St. Pierre rebounding from the Serra loss and Couture taking on Cro Cop killer Gabriel Gonzaga, this won't be a card to miss. Updates start at 10 PM EST.
Randy Couture defeats Gabriel Gonzaga in the third round via TKO
Georges St. Pierre defeats Josh Koscheck via unanimous decision
Roger Huerta defeats Alberto Crane via technical knockout (strikes) in round three
Joe Stevenson defeats Kurt Pellegrino via unanimous decision
Patrick Cote defeats Kendall Grove via technical knockout (strikes) in round one
Renato “Babalu” Sobral defeats David Heath via submission (anaconda choke) in round two
Frank Mir defeats Antoni Hardonk via submission (kimura) in round one
Thales Leites defeats Ryan Jensen via submission (armbar) in round one
Clay Guida defeats Marcus Aurelio via split decision
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Greg Jackson Welcomes St. Pierre
According to The Fight Network, Former UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre has found himself a new camp to train at. Pierre has official become part of Greg Jackson's camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
From The Fight Network:Highly regarded New Mexico coach Greg Jackson says he and his fighters expect to log a lot of air miles to Montreal in the coming months, with the recent addition of Quebec native Georges St. Pierre to his stable. St. Pierre recently dropped his trainer, ex-Soviet Special Forces sniper Victor Vargotsky, in favor of the Albuquerque-based Jackson, who mentors fighters like Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt and Keith Jardine. St. Pierre hosted the trio for a two-week training camp at his home in Candiac. St. Pierre… feels he made the best decision to help himself evolve as a fighter.
Under Jackson's camp are many well-known fighters, such as: Rashad Evans, Jason McDonald, Nathan Marquardt, Keith Jardine, and Joey Villasenor.
Georges St. Pierre most recently lost his WW title to Matt Serra by TKO at UFC 69.
Pierre is set to face Josh Koscheck at UFC 74, set to take place on August 25. Headlining the card will be current UFC HW champ Randy Couture, as he will put his belt on the line against Gabriel Gonzaga.
Monday, July 30, 2007
MMA and WWE Can Coexist!
I love watching both MMA and WWE. Many think that they cannot coexist and that MMA is loads better then WWE. Here I will tell you what I like about each show, what one show can offer that another one can’t, how they don’t have to interfere, and how they can coexist and live in harmony.
I’ll start out this article by saying that since joining The Irish Whip I have become an MMA fan…due to Ben and Masson’s articles over the past months. Also, as you know, I am a huge WWE fan. However, it seems to me that the WWE does not get the respect from MMA fans that it deserves. MMA fans always use the ignorant and hackneyed term “fake” when it comes to wrestling.
FAKE is the exact 4-letter word that makes MMA fans and WWE fans not get along. If I may quote my “great friend” Darth Nihlist:
“The WWE has been surpassed by the UFC. Please refrain from talking about the WWE here. UFC is all that needs to be discussed. It is real, WWE is NOT!! Thank You. The writers here are obviously juveniles that pander to the WWE.”
“If you sheep want to keep following a pre-determined outcome form of entertainment, so be it.I like my sports to be REAL and not scripted. Yahoo searches and all that are just proof of the idiocy that is ruining this country. How many searches does yahoo get about the idiot president and his pointless war????”
Fake kills me. The blood is real (see Tommy Dreamer at the first One Night Stand), the pain is usually real (see Sabu tear open his arm from barbwire and have his bicep hanging out…and then wrap his turban around it and continue the match), and sometimes the rivalries are real (see Flair vs. Foley…or Edge vs. Matt Hardy).
WWE is just as exciting as MMA (Jeff Hardy jumping off of a 20-foot ladder onto someone is just as/more exciting then Mirko Cro Cop kicking someone in the face). Also, WWE is televised a lot more. WWE has 3 shows a week, while I often find myself watching Ultimate Fighter 2 reruns. The 3 shows a week allow the fans to watch the top performers of the company at least once a week (analogy by Ben: think of Liddell vs. Rampage every week)…while I would have to pay to watch Chuck Liddell fight every 2 months.
However MMA is actual combat where people actually get hit all the time (another analogy by Ben: think if John Cena actually got punched out). MMA is fun to watch because you know that each fighter is throwing in 110% throughout each fight. MMA is also very exciting because of its unpredictability. In MMA a guy could get knocked or submit out in the first minute of the fight! Unpredictability is the epitome of exciting.
Actually, let me break down unpredictability real quick. It has pluses and minuses. The pluses are that it causes excitement and causes the fans to be in an atmosphere where they don’t know what is going to happen at all. However, the minuses are that if someone pays to see UFC 74 and Randy Couture knocks out Gabriel Gonzaga in the first minute, and St. Pierre knocks out Koscheck in the first minute…there are no refunds. If you pay for Wrestlemania, then you know that you are going to get to watch it for around 3 hours.
Let’s move to scheduling. UFC has “UFC Unleashed” on Thursday nights, ppvs on Saturday nights, and I think that Ultimate Fighter is Wednesdays (correct me if I’m wrong)…and WWE has RAW on Monday nights, ECW on Tuesday nights, Smackdown on Friday nights, and ppvs on Sunday nights. Now is it just me or do none of these dates conflict? These two sports can easily coexist if the MMA fans give WWE respect and vice versa.
Hopefully I didn’t start some civil war…but we’ll see. By the way, I have decided to no longer be under by pen name “Jared Gerrard” and use my real name Jordan Arnold. So if you were wondering where I went…it’s just a new name.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
UFC 74 Updates: Aurelio-Guida, Mir-Hardonk
Big updates for UFC 74, which is set to take place on August 25, 2007. PRIDE veteran Marcus "Maximus" Aurelio (14-4-0) is going to make his UFC debut against UFC veteran Clay Guida (21-8-0)in a lightweight clash. Also, on the card, heavyweight Frank Mir (9-3) is looking to make his return to the Octagon against Antoni Hardonk (5-3).
UFC.com's Thomas Gerbasi made the official announcement Tuesday evening for the debut of PRIDE's Marcus Aurelio.
Marcus Aurelio is a Brazilian fighter, int the lightweight division and trains with American Top Team. Aurelio's main arsenal is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Aurelio most notable win was against PRIDE lightweight champion Takanori Gomi, whom he defeated via arm triangle in a non title fight. Aurelio lost in a remtach six months later by split decision.
Aurelio signed a four-fight deal with the UFC last month.
Guida on the other hand, made his UFC debut at UFC 64 against Justin James, winning be submission. Guida most recently fell to Din Thomas and Tyson Griffin.
The Mir-Hardonk addition to UFC 74 was confirmed earlier today by UFC.com.
Frank Mir is a former UFC heavyweight champion, who's coming off a recent shoulder injury. Mir's shoulder injury was caused by a brutal motorcycle accident three months after he won his UFC heavyweight title in 2004.
Mir has looked less than impressive in his most recent UFC fights and even admitted that he didn't even both to diet for the fights, coming in visibly heavier than usual.
Mir's most recent fight in the UFC was at UFC 65: Bad Intentions where he lost to Brandon Vera by TKO (strikes).
Antoni Hardonk, Mir's opponent for UFC 74, is a dutch fighter who fights out of Vos Gym. Hardonk is 1-1 in the UFc Octagon, winning his first against Sherman Pendergarst by KO and losing his second to Team Punishment's Justin McCully by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 9.
UFc 74: Respect is shaping up pretty nicely. The event is schedule to take place August 25, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The updated card is the following:
Champion Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Georges St. Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck
Patrick Cote vs. Kendall Grove
Joe Stevenson vs. Kurt Pellegrino
David Heath vs. Renato “Babalu” Sobral
Alberto Crane vs. Roger Huerta
Antoni Hardonk vs. Frank Mir
Marcus Aurelio vs. Clay Guida
Ryan Jensen vs. Travis Lutter
Not too bad if you ask me. This card has the potential to be LEGENDARY.
The Lianger
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Upcoming UFC Event Odds
It is well known that Las Vegas will put odds on just about anything, and so, it's no surprise that that within minutes of the Liddell-Jardine announcement, money odds were up. Equally disturbing are the money odds for December's event. I wouldn't be surprised if they had odds on a Rashad Evans-Michael Bisping title fight for 5 years from now. But...since they're up, The Irish Whip will cover it.
UFC 74:
Surprisingly, odds makers have Gabriel Gonzaga (-135) as a slight favorite over Champion Randy Couture. I discussed this with Masson and he suggested that "this is what happened when you KO Cro Cop." I think he's right. Money on The Natural ranges anywhere from -105 to +120. I'd bet Couture if the money went over +120.
Georges St. Pierre is the overwhelming favorite -225, and as he should be. I expect him to destroy Koscheck (+200), but with the recent rash of upsets and St. Pierre's questionable mental readiness, I won't be betting on this fight.
UFC 75:
Rampage is a small favorite over Henderson, and this is to be expected as Liddell was on the top of the heap whereas Wandy was already coming off of a loss when he got KO'ed by Hollywood. Rampage is a -135 and Henderson's a +130, making this an essential pick 'em. It's too close to call in my book and I simply haven't seen enough of either of these guys to justify plunking down a Benjamin.
Cro Cop is a huge favorite (-325) over Cheick Kongo (+300) and this wouldn't be a bad one to take. I expect Cro Cop to rebound famously from his Gonzaga fight and dominate at UFC 75, resulting in a knockout victory. If you've got the money, put it on Cro Cop.
Michael Bisping is a nicely sized favorite (-215) over Matt Hammil (+185).
UFC 76:
Liddell is a big favorite (-280) over Jardine here, as if anyone cares. I know I don't. It's a relatively solid bet though, considering Liddell's need to rebound (see: Cro Cop). I love The Iceman, so I might bite on this money, but it's a little pricey considering the flash in which he went down last time.
Shogun is an equally big favorite (-240) over Machida (+180), but this scares me a little bit. Many publications have Shogun as their #1 Light heavyweight, but Machida isn't far behind. I fear that Shogun's odds are being inflated due to the fact that none of Machida's UFC bouts have been televised. This fight will be closer than the odds suggest...stay away!
Jon Fitch is a favorite (-155) over Diego Sanchez (+120). After his poor performance against Kos, faith in Diego is down, but I see him taking this fight.
UFC 77:
Anderson Silva is a -205 favorite against Franklin (+170), which seems about right. I don't see anything going differently although I do like Franklin and hope he wins so they need to have a rubber match. That's what I'd like...but I don't think it'll happen. Confidence in Silva is so high right now that this is an appetizing bet and one which I may have to take.
Evans and Ortiz are relatively even money again. Pick 'em. I'll be picking Ortiz because I think he'll be better prepared this time...and he wont hold the fence.
UFC 78:
Penn is a small favorite (-150) over Sherk (+125). Jump on this bet! Penn has ALL the tools to beat Sherk and he'll break them out at 78, no doubt about it. I'm guaranteeing this win for Penn right here.
UFC 79:
Hughes is an expected favorite over Serra, but at -345, it's more than any of us thought. He's a bigger favorite than St. Pierre over Koscheck or Cro Cop over Kongo. I love Hughes, and I think he'll win, but it's too much of a risk for me. Serra (+290) smells blood like none other and I'm afraid if he landed one, he'd be able to finish.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Upcoming UFC Events Analysis
With a reasonable degree of certainty, we are now able to discuss main events through the end of 2007. Some suggest that Dana White and his at-times overzealous promoting machine are a drain on the sport, but knowing main events in advance allows us to speculate way too early and have a great deal of fun doing so.
UFC 74: Unfortunately, the 74th installment of UFC events (this is a lie, see UFC 37.5) seems be falling just as the 73rd and 72nd did. That is, they feature a number of events which are "good match ups" and could potentially feature upsets, but will most likely leave us saying "I knew that was going to happen." Despite Gabriel Gonzaga's early betting lead over Randy Couture, it is doubtful that the Brazilian will be able to capture the American's title. I watched UFC 56 today, and was put to sleep by Gonzaga's lack of stamina and aggression. To be fair, he did land a knockout blow 13 minutes into the fight (which was 12 minutes too late for the crowd, which had begun to chant "Go Home!" minutes earlier). Additionally, St. Pierre should destroy Josh Koscheck. Of course, I said this about Rush's UFC 69 fight against Matt Serra, but I just don't see how St. Pierre loses two fights in a row. This is certainly one to bet on. Couture and GSP provide the event with marketable and exciting figures, but they aren't fighting worthy competitors. I predict another dud.
UFC 75: After what will have been three months of total crap, UFC will finally come through with an awesome event (even if it does feature PRIDE fighters rather than home-grown UFC talent). Jackson and Henderson should provide an absolute war which will be scheduled to end at any time, as both possess incredible knockout power. On another level, the idea of having Champion vs. Champion is something that's never been done before and brings us closer to Dana White's dream of an MMA Superbowl. On the under card are a few solid fights including the return of Cro Cop and Bisping-Hamill. This is definitely one to buy and will probably be the most hyped card since UFC 71 as well as the most enjoyable card since UFC 68.
UFC 76: I don't even want to talk about this piece of shit card. I plan on spending this fight night watching UFC 52 instead. Liddell vs. Jardine is a waste of time for both fighters and their fans. If Jardine wins, it just sets Liddell further back from a title shot. Meanwhile, it's not as if Jardine is getting a shot at Rampage or Hendo anytime soon. The best scenario is that Liddell destroys him and legitimizes his claim for a title shot. Even so, we would still have to wait another 5 months for this to happen. The fight of the night should be Shogun vs. Machida. We all know what Shogun can do (just one loss in PRIDE with wins over Rampage, Little Nog, and Arona) and despite Machida's fights getting bumped off his last two cards, he still holds wins over B.J. Penn AND Rich Franklin. I wouldn't be surprised if the winner of this fight meets the winner of Evans-Ortiz II, as Liddell inevitably gets lost in the Light heavyweight shuffle.
UFC 77: This should be a fun one, and it's encouraging that they've sandwiched this and 75 on either side of the evolving disaster that will be UFC 76. Rich Franklin will get his rematch against Anderson Silva and the WORST thing that happens is that Franklin gets his face knocked in from a Muay Thai clinch for two rounds. The best case scenario (in my book, at least) is that the Miletich-trained fighter takes this fight, setting the stage for Franklin-Silva III. That would be awesome. Meanwhile, Tito and Rashad will meet again, and both should be looking to make an impact. Neither fighter was pleased with the outcome at 73, and both want to prove that they are the better competitor. Look for an all-out war.
UFC 78: While this card won't be quite as strong as 77, it will still top the UFC 76 card. It looks to feature Sherk-Penn for the Lightweight title, or as I like to call it, the fight of second-tier Welterweights. Both hold losses to St. Pierre and Matt Hughes and have since decided to cut weight and try their hand at a different class. This should be a spectacular fight, with both men being expert technicians and wizards on the ground. Both can strike, Sherk has the best take downs in the game, but Penn might have the best defense. Anything can happen in this fight, and that's what makes it so exciting. Maybe they'll add a little Arlovski-Sylvia IV to this card and really make it a show stopper. Big Nog would be ready to fight at this point as well, and Cro Cop has been guaranteed a date with Rodrigo -- if he can get past Kongo at 76. Just a thought...
UFC 79: I doubt that the Hughes-Serra fight will the greatest bout in the history of MMA, but it could be good. For all intents and purposes, Hughes is expected to win his title back (he's a current -400 favorite) without having to go through GSP. The most exciting part of this bout is that it should set up Hughes-St. Pierre III, which will reach Liddell-Couture trilogy status. It's way too early to guess what else will be on this card, but as we all know too well, the other main card fights (not the main event) often make or break the entire event. It could be as good as 75 or as terrible as 76; it all just depends on how they schedule it.
Don't forget to comment below with your own thoughts, predictions, and reactions to the upcoming six months of UFC action!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
UFC Main Card Updates
Look no further for all the latest in UFC Main Card updates. Shogun's debut, Ortiz-Evans II, Franklin-Silva II, and Sherk-Penn have all been announced. But where will they fall?
UFC 74: Respect
Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (Heavyweight title)
Georges St. Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck
Joe Stevenson vs. Kurt Pellegrino
Diego Sanchez vs. Hayato Sakurai
Patrick Cote vs. Kendall Grove
David Heath vs. Renato Sobral
Quinton Jackson vs. Dan Henderson (Lightheavyweight title)
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Cheick Kongo
Michael Bisping vs. Matt Hamill
Houston Alexander vs. Alessio Sakara
UFC 76 (Anaheim, CA: Honda Center)
Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Lyoto Machida
Jon Fitch vs. Diego Sanchez
Evan Tanner vs. TBA
UFC 77 (Cincinnati, Ohio: U.S. Bank Arena)
Rich Franklin vs. Anderson Silva (Middleweight title)
Tito Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans
UFC 78 (Newark, New Jersey: Prudential Arena)
Sean Sherk vs. B.J. Penn (Lightweight title)
UFC 79 (East Rutherford, NJ: Continental Airlines Arena)
Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra (Welterweight title)
Early 2008
Mirko Filipovic vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira II
Matt Hughes vs. Georges St. Pierre III
The Debut Of Fedor
Monday, July 9, 2007
UFC 73: What's Next?
In my last post, UFC 73: Quick Results, I didn't really get into the details of what happened at the event, why certain outcomes were noteworthy, and where the UFC and its fighters go from here. I didn't do any of that. But I'll do it now.
Who does Sean Sherk fight next?
A little-known 155 pounder named Masson Liang. Just kidding...actually, I don't know who he's going to fight. Since the Lightweight division is relatively new and unfilled, who is to take the takedown master on while all the Welterweights cut pounds? I don't really need to see a rematch with Florian and Penn seems to be more interested in fighting up a class. BJ is no longer the svelte Hawaiian who took out Caol Uno in 11 seconds. Maybe Nick Diaz or Sports Illustrated cover boy Roger Huerta? It's possible, but there's nothing currently in the works. With 9 events in between Sherk's last two bouts, don't expect a title defense before the New Year.
What happens in Silva-Franklin II?
The same damn thing. But before I get into that, let me just say that I'm ecstatic to have a champion who can hold a belt for more than one defense. I really could've done without a Marqurdt upset and Anderson Silva has made me a very happy man. Now, onto the UFC 76/77 fight between Ace and The Spider. I don't see how it goes any different. Silva's only gotten better and had more experience, he always looks prepared, and boy, can he strike. How does Franklin win this fight? He'd be better off cutting to Welterweight than sticking around in Silva's division for the next half decade.
What do Tito and Evans do now?
Nothing? Maybe? I don't know. If Tito hadn't held the cage, he'd probably have a unanimous decision, but that wouldn't overshadow the fact that Evans was able to hang with Ortiz. Unfortunately, this fight didn't serve its proposed dual purposes: take out the trash of the LHW division and end the bad blood between these two in a bloody and violent fashion. First, the former purpose: instead of leaving us with just one of these fighters to join the pantheon of UFC LHW elites (Rampage, Liddell, Shogun, Hendo), we've got 1 champion and about a million guys who think they deserve a title shot. There's nothing worse than a UFC fighter who thinks he deserves a shot. And now we have six of them. Just throw a Grand Prix tournament already! Now, the second purpose: in an unsuccessful bid to hype up a fight and have it come through, the UFC was left with a lackluster performance which left much to be desired. These guys were supposed to rip into each other like animals! And when they didn't, fans booed. Will we trust the UFC military-industrial promotional complex next month, when they hype up their new God, Josh Koscheck? Probably not. If you havent seen the new UFC 74 website, go there now. Rogan calls Kos "the best athlete in MMA" and "the best at takedowns." Had I known that Rogan was so adept at building people up into something they aren't, I would've had him asking girls out for me all along. "Ben's the best looking guy in the world!" he would say. But next month, when he had someone new to promote, he'd say the same thing about them. That's kind of what this is like. Nate Marquardt (you know, the guy who had "all the tools to beat Anderson Silva") must feel dirty after being fucked so badly by the UFC 73 promoters.
Should Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira be worried?
I don't think so. Sure, he got caught with a HUGE kick, BUT, he wasn't knocked out and he won the fight. I think Big Nog probably underestimated Herring (whom he beat twice in PRIDE) and even admitted that the UFC was the big leagues of MMA (after the fight). He'll need to prepare a little more for the next one, but as far as shaking off those first fight jitters, I think he did a nice job. Similarly, Rampage and Cro Cop seemed a little tentative during their debuts at UFC 67. Rampage followed this with a spectacular second fight whereas Cro Cop got KTFO by Gonzaga. What will happen to Big Nog? It will largely depend on whom he fights, but if I had to place a bet (on the -700 favorite), I'd say he'll be quite all right.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
BJ Penn to Fight Diego Sanchez
According to Sherdog.com this morning, sources say that BJ "The Prodigy" Penn will now face off against Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez on UFC 74's undercard. UFC 74's main event features a UFC heavyweight title fight between Randy "The Natural" Couture and Gabriel Gonzaga, which is set to take place on August 25, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay in Les Vegas, Nevada.
It had already been rumored that Sanchez was set to make his appearance at UFC 74, but against PRIDE veteran Hayato Sakurai. Sources of Sherdog.com seem to have put out the fire supporting those rumors.
Penn, the 28-year-old Hawaii native, recently stopped Jens "Little Evil" Pulver, in a lightweight battle, with an extraordinary submission win at the Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale.
However, the same thing cannot be said for Diego Sanchez. Sanchez tarnished his perfect MMA record with lackluster performance, to say the least. Sanchez lost by a unanimous decision to long hated opponent Josh Koscheck at UFC 69: Shootout, where the two circled around like little fairy's for most of the fight. Sanchez now stands with a record of 17 wins and 1 loss.
There's actually a lot at stake in this fight. It would be a devastating blow to Penn if he loses to Sanchez, on the other hand, it would be a huge step-up for Sanchez if he somehow manages to pull out the win against "The Prodigy." In addition, if Penn loses it would most likely further his chances for a rematch against Matt Hughes and/or Georges St. Pierre, the sole reason why he decided to move back up the welterweight division.
Looks like UFC 74: Respect is starting to shape up real nicely, the Penn-Sanchez bout will join the St. Pierre-Koscheck and the Couture-Gonzaga heavyweight title match. Sweet fragrant lord, I can't wait for UFC 74!
I was always impressed by PRIDE's cards, they would usually contain intriguing matches from start to finish. The UFC is finally taking a page out of PRIDE's match-making and producing kick-ass cards.
The Lianger
Sunday, June 24, 2007
UFC Main Card Updates
Anderson Silva vs. Nate Marquardt (Middleweight title)
Sean Sherk vs. Hermes Franca (Lightweight title)
Tito Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Heath Herring
Kenny Florian vs. Alvin Robinson
UFC 74: Respect
Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (Heavyweight title)
Georges St. Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck
Joe Stevenson vs. Kurt Pellegrino
Diego Sanchez vs. Hayato Sakurai
Tim Sylvia vs. TBA
Quinton Jackson vs. Dan Henderson (Lightheavyweight title)
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Cheick Kongo
Michael Bisping vs. Matt HamillUFC 76 (Anaheim, CA: Honda Center)
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. TBAUFC 77 (Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Bell Centre) Wanderlei Silva vs. Chuck LiddellUFC 78 (Cincinnati, Ohio: U.S. Bank Arena)
Rich Franklin vs. Anderson Silva/Nate Marquardt (Middleweight title) UFC 79 (East Rutherford, NJ: Continental Airlines Arena)
Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra (Welterweight title)
Friday, June 8, 2007
Let the goodness seep in…
According to www.mmahq.com, Diego “The Nightmare” Sanchez will be going toe to toe with Pride FC fighter Hayato “Mach” Sakurai at UFC 74 in August.
Hayato Sakurai is an outstanding Japanese mixed marital artist with an impressive record of (30-7-2). Sakurai holds recent wins over: Joachim Hansen, Jens Pulver and Shinya Aoki, just to name a few. Sakurai did compete at UFC 36 against Matt Hughes, but couldn’t overcome Hughes’ overwhelming power and was stopped via TKO in the fourth round. Sakurai is well versed in his techniques and at one time considered pound for pound one of the greatest fighters.
I think Diego Sanchez needs no introduction, but what the hell. Sanchez gained much popularity on The Ultimate Fighter television series with his “unique” ways (i.e. Yoga, utilizing ‘Chi’ or energy from the earth). Sanchez is best known for this nearly flawless record, with the exception of his recent loss to Josh Koscheck. Horrendous fight by the way, nice display of immense improved striking from Koscheck’s part however. Hm, maybe Sanchez’s poor, to say the least, performance was due to him…I don’t know, TESTING POSITIVE FOR HEPATITIS C, I kid. That’s what they originally believed it to be. It was later confirmed by doctors that Diego had a severe staph infection and had a hole in his thigh the "size of a coffee cup.”Anyhow, this should be a SOLID matchup if it proves to be true. God, I hope it is. I will definitely be pulling for Sakurai. Sakurai is certainly no pushover and Diego should have his hands full with this one. I hope both fighters come focused, hepatitis and staph infection free and ready to bang. Let’s hope Sanchez doesn’t try to push Sakurai off the stage at the weigh-ins.
Stay classy fans,
The Lianger Read More...
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Is Parisyan Patient Enough?
UFC 71’s main event caused a bit of an uproar in the eyes of Liddell fans. Honestly, I don’t think it’s anything to gripe about, it was simply history repeating itself, and it’s time for a new champion to reign supreme in the light-heavyweight division.
Though the main event may have stirred the emotions of fans, Parisyan (17-4-0) and Burkman (8-4-0) seemed to steal the show with fifteen minutes of action packed, judo throwing, hard fought rounds. It was an explosive three rounds from beginning to end, to say the least. Parisyan displayed much polished striking ability and a drastic improvement in his cardio. The same cannot be said about Burkman. Burkman’s lack of conditioning was evident to fans watching as he began to take deep breaths during the last minutes of the first round. Though Karo’s jabs and counters further solidified his unanimous win over Burkman, his conditioning sealed the deal.
In an interview, Karo states: "He's a strong guy, but his cardio was shit. Thank god it wasn't that good. I out-conditioned him."
On top of adding a notch on his belt, Parisyan announced his desire for a title shot. Refusing to beg on his knees like Franca and St. Pierre, Parisyan still asked Dana White to give him another chance, as his first was to take place at UFC 56, but was forced to pull out due to an injury.
However, even with Parisyan’s cry for a title shot, it appears that it’s going to be put off till 2008. With TUF6 debuting in September, all eyes are on Hughes and Serra’s match up, which is looking to happen at the TUF6 Finale in December. Parisyan in the meantime, may have to duke it out with Jon Fitch (13-2-0) before he gets a chance to attain the belt. The possibility of the winner of Serra-Hughes taking on the winner of the St. Pierre- Koscheck, scheduled on August at UFC 74, can also pose as a setback for Parisyan’s title shot.
Fitch is set to fight on June 12 in UFC Fight Night 10 against Roan Carneiro.
Whatever ends up happening down the road, Parisyan never fails to put on a good show for fans.
Stay classy fans,
The Lianger
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
ECW Notes/UFC Notes/Updated Cards
I thought about using a whole post to go through tonight's "ECW," but I quickly realized that it was what it always is. The stars were involved in a non-extreme match plagued with interference (CM Punk vs. Elijah Burke), Originals were used to put over less-extreme new wrestlers (Balls Mahoney vs. Kevin Thorn), and more Superstars that people actually like were humiliated (RVD, Tommy Dreamer). The only good thing I have to say about ECW is that the producers have become quite talented at fitting in four commercials, three matches, two promos, one bizarre dance segment, and a partridge in a pear tree into their single hour time slot.
Onto the the UFC. Despite what I reported about Liddell getting the winner of the Rampage-Henderson fight, it appears that he will have to wait. I watched an ESPNews clip in which Dana White (one of Liddell's biggest fans) said that Liddell would have to prove himself in a COUPLE of fights before getting a shot at Rampage. He included the fact that Chuck has now lost twice to Rampage and so it would be hard to justify a third fight. Despite that I don't really count Rampage's first win as valid in this context, I take a bigger issue with the statement that Liddell has to prove himself. If an ESPN cover and PPV numbers bigger than the WWE and Professional Boxing don't coun't for something, then I'm not sure what White is looking for.
Below are the updated UFC cards that you've become so used to seeing from us. Worth noting is the heavily rumored but still unconfirmed Rampage-Henderson fight at UFC 76. It's the first card that isn't already full and/or on cable television. It would also provide Rampage with enough time to recover from the Liddell fight (as if he needs to) and train for Hollywood Henderson. Also worth taking a look at is the Hughes-Serra fight which has been pushed to the end of The Ultimate Fighter 6 (for which both are coaches). This seven-month layoff means that the only real Welterweight action during the remainder of the year will be the St. Pierre-Koscheck fight at UFC 74. Although the winner has been promised a title shot, the long layoff between UFC 74 and the Spring of 2008 (when the winner of Hughes/Serra would be ready to fight) means that the UFC 74 winner will probably fight again prior to the title shot, meaning that it isn't necessarily guaranteed (if the winner were to lose his intermediary fight). This is the first bit of poor planning I've seen from the UFC in a long time. Finally, when looking at the two September cards (UFC 75, UFC 76), it is obvious that the former card will be shown on SpikeTV. Whenever you have an event being held in Europe with Michael Bisping and Cro Cop headlining, you can bet it'll be on cable. Anyway, here are the updated cards (new fights in bold):
Rich Franklin vs. Yushin Okami
Forrest Griffin vs. Hector Ramirez
Jason McDonald vs. Rory Singer
Tyson Griffin vs. Clay Guida
Mauricia "Shogun" Rua may fight
Anderson Silva vs. Nate Marquardt (Middleweight title)
Sean Sherk vs. Hermes Franca (Lightweight title)
Tito Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Heath Herring
Kenny Florian vs. Alvin Robinson
UFC 74-August 25, 2007
Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (Heavyweight title)
Georges St. Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck
Frank Mir vs. Tim Sylvia
Joe Stevenson vs. Kurt Pellegrino
Roger Huerta vs. TBA
UFC 75-September 8, 2007 (SpikeTV)
Michael Bisping vs. TBA
Jess Liaudin vs. TBA
Cro Cop vs. TBA
UFC 76-September 22, 2007
Rampage Jackson vs. Dan Henderson
UFC 77-October 2007
Anderson Silva vs Rich Franklin
UFC 78-November 2007
Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra
UFC 79-December 2007
Spring 2008
Hughes/Serra winner vs. St. Pierre/Koscheck winner
Read More...
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
UFC Main Card Updates
UFC card updates are as follows, with additions in bold:
Chuck Liddell vs. Quinton Jackson (Light Heavyweight title)
Karo Parisyan vs. Josh Burkman
Chris Leben vs. Kalib Starnes
Ivan Salaverry vs. Terry Martin
Keith Jardine vs. Houston Alexander
Rich Franklin vs. Yushin Okami
Forrest Griffin vs. Hector Ramirez
Jason McDonald vs. Rory Singer
Tyson Griffin vs. Clay Guida
Mauricia "Shogun" Rua may fight
Anderson Silva vs. Nate Marquardt (Middleweight title)
Sean Sherk vs. Hermes Franca (Lightweight title)
Tito Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Heath Herring
Kenny Florian vs. Alvin RobinsonUFC 74 (Las Vegas, Nevada: MGM Grand)
Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (Heavyweight title)
Georges St. Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck
Frank Mir vs. Tim Sylvia
Joe Stevenson vs. Kurt Pellegrino
Matt Serra vs. Matt Hughes (Welterweight title)
Michael Bisping vs. TBA
Jess Liaudin vs. TBA
UFC 76 (Cincinnati, Ohio: U.S. Bank Arena)
Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin (Middleweight title)
Monday, May 14, 2007
Upcoming UFC Cards Loaded With Talent
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Updated UFC Main Cards
Chuck Liddell vs. Quinton Jackson (Light Heavyweight title)
Karo Parisyan vs. Josh Burkman
Chris Leben vs. Kalib Starnes
Ivan Salaverry vs. Terry Martin
Keith Jardine vs. Houston Alexander
Rich Franklin vs. Yushin Okami
Forrest Griffin vs. Hector Ramirez
Jason McDonald vs. Rory Singer
Tyson Griffin vs. Clay Guida
Anderson Silva vs. Nate Marquardt (Middleweight title)
Sean Sherk vs. Hermes Franca (Lightweight title)
Tito Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Heath Herring
Kenny Florian vs. Alvin RobinsonUFC 74 (Las Vegas, Nevada: MGM Grand)
Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (Heavyweight title)
Georges St. Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck
Frank Mir vs. Tim Sylvia
Joe Stevenson vs. Kurt Pelligrino
Matt Serra vs. Matt Hughes (Welterweight title)UFC 76 (Cincinnati, Ohio: U.S. Bank Arena)
Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin (Middleweight title)
