Don't Let UFC on Versus 6 Pass You By

I don’t know if you noticed but the UFC is putting on 4 title fights in the matter of 16 days. This is one of the most impressive blocks in UFC history and it will be capped off with one of the most important title fight of the year: Frankie Edgar vs Gray Maynard III for the lightweight title. While UFC 136 is certainly something to be excited about, UFC on Versus 6 is one of the best free shows to date. As this is late it is going to be quick but don’t take it as an indication that it is any less a card you need to see.

Mac Danzig vs Matt Wiman

Both Danzig and Wiman have really turned things around over the last year or so. It hasn’t just been about wins and losses but more about performance quality. They are securely set in the middle of the pack at 155 pounds but an impressive win would be a huge way to close out the year. This is actually a rematch of a controversial fight from just over a year ago where Wiman won but many believe the fight was stopped early. This fight should be really exciting and both guys have a lot to gain.

Charlie Brenneman vs Anthony Johnson

Brenneman burst on the scene with his upset win over Rick Story but many still think he is an underdog against impressive striker Anthony Johnson. With the welterweight division running out of challengers for GSP, wins from guys like this can be huge leaps up the ladder. Both men are coming off the biggest wins of their respective careers and will look continue that momentum in this striker vs grappler contest. Johnson might be big enough and strong enough to keep the fight standing and could be a front-runner for KO of the night.

Stefan Struve vs Pat Barry

A lot of people are calling this a freak show fight in short because Struve is really really tall and Barry is really really short. The match-up is legit though. Struve is a good fighter but seems to have hit his ceiling and Barry just can’t string the kind of wins together that he needs. Both fighters have loads of potential and a knack for excitement. Struve might get chopped down with wicked leg kicks (Barry’s kicks are some of the scariest in the sport). Watch for a fun ending to this fight.

UFC Bantamweight Championship: Dominick Cruz (Champ) vs Demetrious Johnson

Do not blink. Do not go to the bathroom during the rounds. You might not even want to talk to friends. This fight is going to be fast, REALLY fast. It might not be finished quickly – in fact I think it will go the distance – but the pace set by both men will be stuck in top gear. All the pressure is on Johnson to continue to shock people and be competitive against top competition. Cruz is pound – for – pound good and if Johnson can figure out how to give him trouble this could be fight of the forever. Cruz’s foot work and hands are lightning fast and always working odd angles. The big champions get all the attention but Dominick Cruz is one of the most impressive in the sport. Don’t miss this chance to see him and hope for a competitive fight.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of UFC 135

The Good

Jon Jones – I still may not think he is God’s gift to MMA but Jones was impressive at UFC 135. My biggest qualm with the young man to this point is that there is still a lot to learn about him but we did learn something in Denver. We learned that he is patient, his reach is going

to be a huge obstacle (even for sharp , technical striker) and he won’t be baited into a dumb fight strategy. Jackson was physically outmatched and really needed Jones to mentally laps to use his superior boxing; Jones wouldn’t bite. Jones has a very bright future and this is a huge step in the right direction.

Rampage Jackson – Look, he may have lost but that one of the best incarnations of Rampage Jackson I have seen. His head movement and footwork looked fantastic and his punches early in the first two rounds were scaring Jones into some serious, albeit smart, backpedaling. Rampage has nothing to be ashamed of - Jones reach and stature was just too much, but he put on one hell of a show.

Nate Diaz - I've been a little down on Diaz (pictured) lately but he shut me up quickly at UFC 135. This was easily the best Nate Diaz we have seen. His striking wasn’t just accurate; it seemed to have increased power. Diaz’s boxing quickly broke Gomi and Nate is all the sudden an interesting 155 poundprospect again.

Tim Boetsch and Toney Ferguson – Both men got big wins on the UFC prelims, wins that should qualify them for a more prominent spot next time around. Ferguson looked as impressive as any TUF winner in some time and Boetsch did what he always does, smashes folk. Keep an eye on both these men in the not too distant future.

The Bad

Takanori Gomi – I am all about Asian fighters finding success in the United States but I think Gomi might be done. He looked bad. Gomi stood right in front of a fighter who was beating him to the punch by a mile and his takedown attempts could have been stuffed by kids in the Make A Wish Foundation. My hat is off to Diaz but Gomi’s performance was nothing to get excited about.

Travis Browne – This might not be fair. I think Broughton is a really tough dude, way tougher than I gave him credit for. However Browne should have been able to turn up the heat when this fight was in his hands. He got tired quickly (even at that altitude) and just seemed incapable of going in for the kill. This isn’t so much that Browne looked bad (like gomi did) but that Brown didn’t look good. This is simply a matter of expectations and I expect more out of Browne.

The Ugly

Big Men At High Altitude - Next time the UFC does a show in Denver perhaps it should consider leaving off the big sluggers. Don’t get me wrong, I loved watching Hunt (pictured) v Rothwell and to a lesser extent Browne vs Broughton. The elevation significantly decreased the chances of a finish though and made those big fists swing awful slow awful early in the fight. Rothwell and Hunt looked like zombies but man did they give it their all. Some people were sore about it but those two literally could not give more to that fight. It was ugly but in a good way.

Koscheck vs Hughes – It wasn’t really good or bad. The fight itself wasn’t really ugly but the outcome sure was. Matt Hughes basically out boxed Koscheck for a round and then Koscheck decided to swing for the fences until he caught him. I think Kos is a great fighter but he used almost none of his actual skill to pull off this win. Hughes was so physically outmatched that all the technique in the world wasn’t going to get him that win as Kos swung for his head and just kept moving forward.

Jon Jones Behavior – Ok I guess I’ll close out with some hate. In all earnestness though this guy acted like a child more than once at UFC 135. First, the lift of Rampage after the bell was busch league to say the least. Even Joe Rogan lauded it as a demonstration of skill. Seconds after the bell he lifted a man that was in the process of standing up anyway. It demonstrated nothing and accomplished less. All it showed was that Jones could do something after the bell that he had been incapable of during the round, physically dominate Rampage. At the end of the fight Jones pouted about Rashad Evans inclusion in the post fight festivities claiming that Evans had “ruined his night for the second time.” I’m sorry – what? Evans comes into the ring to do an interview and you say he ruined your night then walk off in a huff? I know Jones is the youngest champion in UFC history but does he really need to act like it? As proud of this win as he should be, he should really second-guess himself on his actions outside of the fight.

Don't Miss UFC 135

UFC 135 isn’t a matter of why you should watch. I bet you already know why you should watch. Jon Jones (pictured) is the hottest thing going in the sport, everyone’s darling. And you know Rampage Jackson (pictured bottom of the post), right? You know his record, his reputation, his bark and his bite. You know why you should watch but I fear that many fans are coming into this with tunnel vision – just waiting to see Rampage get demolished so we can all rejoice in the growing legend of “Bones” Jones. Well as usual I am here to explain two things, why the dominate narrative of a fight might not be the best way to approach it and to let you know about all the cool under card fights are worth tuning in for.

Spike TV Prelims

Lets start at the bottom, not the bottom bottom but the middle bottom really. I have been waiting for the Tim Boetsch (pictured) vs Nick Ring fight for over thee months now. There are two main reasons for this. 1) Tim Boetsch looked REALLY good in his MW debut. He was known as a powerhouse at LHW and didn’t seem to lose any of that power with the weight cut. This guy literally threw grown men at 205 pounds around (look up his fight with David Heath) and now he is fighting at 185 and the prospects are scary. 2) He is fighting a guy who is introduced as Nick “The Promise” Ring. Self examination time: are you laughing? Are you shaking your head? Do you have a natural dislike for this man growing in your stomach? If you answered no to all of those questions skip to the next fight because we are on completely different pages right now. That really has to be the worst name in all of MMA. Not only am I fundamentally against the concept of promise rings as I think they are pointless, but no professional fighter should choose to be known by such a silly, pun driven nick-name. REALLY!? It’s a promise ring; you’re a pro fighter. I know this criticism bites the hypermasculity of the sport but it rubs me the wrong way. Full disclosure though, Nick Ring is the first openly gay fighter in the UFC so if you are more sensitive to the double meaning than I am go ahead and pull for the Promise in this fight. I tend to think it was a convenient pun that stereotypically effeminizes him at the same time that it really annoys me.

Ok, I promise I won’t spend that much time on all the fights. In all honesty it is a huge test for Ring who shows lots of promise but has been somewhat pampered to this point. I expect Boetch to maul him but Ring has a big chance to prove himself.

Toney Ferguson won the most recent Ultimate Fighter season but like many winners from the past 5-6 seasons, he hasn’t caught anyone’s eye yet. Dana White and company have clearly nixed the honeymoon period for these fighters and started throwing them to the wolves because Aaron Riley is no joke. Riley pushes the pace and has some really dangerous hands. Much like Ring, Ferguson has a great opportunity to prove himself but he has to get through a really tough veteran. This is one of the better pairings they have put on Spike TV recently and there is a really good chance you willsee the winners of these fights in prominent spots very soon.

Main Card.

Some of these fights are really really simple. For example, I can sum the first fight up in one sentence. I would watch Mark Hunt and Ben Rothwell bring their big thick skulls and ham hock fists to a bar and fight. That’s it… that’s all you need to know.

Nate Diaz vs Takanori Gomi (pictured) is a little more complex. Gomi was once the MMA nerds darling. About 5-7 years ago MMA supernerds LOVED Japanese fighters and Gomi was one of the most impressive around. Since then things haven’t gone so well, particularly in America. Gomi has punching power, experience, and a fairly well rounded game. Nate Diaz on the other hand should be more technically sound and able to take the fight on skill alone. Unfortunately, Diaz is anything but consistent; so you never truly know what you are going to get. Gomi will swing for the fences and avoid the ground and Diaz will talk trash, throw punches in punches and try to get the fight to the ground. I don’t expect the fight to be boring in the least and would be somewhat surprised if this one saw the third round.

Is everyone ready to see a borderline assault in the cage? Travis Browne (pictured) is going to knock Rob Broughton into a new kind of unconsciousness. A friend of mine calls Browne The Redneck Dinosaur and it kind of works. That guy does nothing but mindlessly move forward and swing some of the most deadly fists in the division. He can take huge shots and still deliver devastating KOs. In short, he is just a big ol fighter. Broughton, on the other hand, is nothing to get too excited about. He is a submission ace (sort of) but the chances of him getting Brown down similar to the chances of me getting Travis Browne. If you can put money on KO of the night put it on this fight and if you want a preview go check out Browne’s facewrecking of Stephan Struve.

The most hated man in MMA is back and ready to dispose of one of the sport’s icons. Matt Hughes was all set for a very competitive fight with the scrappy Diego Sanchez, a fight that I sort of thought he would ultimately lose. Unfortunately Sanchez got injured and now Hughes faces a much more daunting beast in the form of Josh Koscheck. Kos may be a divisive character but there is no doubt that he has absolutely come into his own over the last 4-5 years. It hasn’t been a perfect rise but he hasn’t had any easy fights either. Hughes is certainly not to be taken lightly, but this is all Kos’ fight to lose. He should be faster, stronger, and more technically sound just about anywhere the fight can go. I see this one ending in the second with fireworks along the way.

A year and a half ago I was talking about Jones as a rising star, already slowly getting off the bandwagon. I have had more or less an inverse relationship with Jones as a fan. I was really high on him after his first two fights in the UFC, thought he would for sure be a future champion. As his popularity grew I started to rethink my fandom. By the time he won the championship I was still confident that he was good (REALLY GOOD) but I had full on removed myself from the preverbal war wagon. There are two reasons for this. 1) Something rubs me the wrong way about this guy the more I see him. He seems like a nice guy and I don’t begrudge him his success but I have never been a fan of superman. You know, some kids like the main hero, the Leonardos (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) of the world. I liked Raphael. I liked Wolverine. I liked Batman. Jones is a prototype and that lacks something to me. It lacks a character flaw, something that I think is fundamental to humanity. Fighters are caricatures to us (fans). As soon as we start investing in them as fellow individuals we lose perspective. It has nothing to do with him as a person. I am sure, and have actually heard from some fairly close sources (his brother played football at SU where I tutored football players – I am not connected or anything) that he is a great dude. But I don’t care for “Jon Jones” the caricature. That caricature is the thing I root for or root against. 2) I started to notice that he seemed to show no flaws. The obvious and boring observation is that this is a sign of greatness. To me it is quite alarming. This sport is not a sport of perfection; but of imperfection. No one is without flaw and when your flaw is not tested, pushed and forced back on you there is no way to sharpen your response. No training is the same as an actual fight. The level of competition at the top of the LHW division is too strong to avoid being exposed forever. Someone is going to find out what Jones isn’t good at and I really wonder if it’s going to shake Jones, who hasn’t been shook yet. Rampage is likely going to see if it’s his jaw. Look for Rampage to utilize his footwork to get inside and work hard body blows on his way to tagging Jones on his chin. If he does that we are going to learn a lot about the champion. There is no doubt that this night is about Jon Jones. This is his fight to lose. He has all the physical tools to be dominant but I am not counting Rampage Jackson out and I wont be one bit surprised if he shocks the world at UFC 135. Rampage is mean, a fighter. It is on him to see if Jones possesses those same qualities.

Official Arm Triangle Blog Rankings

Heavyweight

1. Cain Velasquez (UFC) – Set to fight on Fox in the biggest HW fight in the sport’s history (yeah I said it), Cain sits reigns supreme till proven otherwise.

2. Junior Dos Santos (UFC) – Has the opportunity of a lifetime to prove that he is the best HW in the world on the biggest stage of all.

3. Alistair Overeem (Strikeforce) – Pulled out of the tournament only to be lined up against Brock Lesnar. I’ll take it.

4. Brock Lesnar (UFC) – Illness thwarts another fight for Lesnar. All eyes are on Brock to see if he can return.

5. Josh Barnett (Strikeforce) – He has yet to be challenged in the Strikeforce tournament, walking through the semis. Another win and he may ruin Dana Whites plans all together.

6. Daniel Cormier (Strikeforce) – I am higher than most on this guy. I think he has world beater potential but his size might be an issue in the UFC.

7. Fabricio Werdum (Strikeforce) – Coming off a tough loss but he has been very impressive as of late. He only falls because of inactivity.

8. Antonio Silva (Strikeforce) – This tournament is even good to its losers, placing them in high profile fights. Silva is good and we will find out how good very soon.

9. Shane Carwin (UFC) – Carwin needs to stay active and needs a good match-up soon. Carwin and Mir are lucky I am totally disinterested in Fedor being top 10 now.

10. Frank Mir (UFC) – Mir gets to prove it was no fluke against Big Nog and the fans are waiting for me to actually do something.

Light- Heavyweight

1. Jon Jones (UFC) – There is no doubt that he is the number one LHW in the world but now the true test of a champion begins.

2. Rashad Evans (UFC) – Looked good enough against Tito but no one is jumping on the war wagon for it. He waits his turn now.

3. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (UFC) – Still not sure why people are counting him out. Rampage has the tools to KO Jones so don’t sleep on this fight.

4. Shogun Rua (UFC) – Shogun looked like a world-beater against Forrest but there are plenty of challenges ahead.

5. Lyoto Machida (UFC) – Machida knocked Randy Couture into retirement with ease. He has a long road a head of him and it is getting crowded at the top.

6. Dan Henderson (Strikeforce) – Beats Fedor in a flashy way but it doesn’t do much to help him in a top-heavy division. He needs to get back into the UFC.

7. Muhammed Lawal (Strikeforce) – Looked good enough against Roger Gracie and will soon be testing himself in the UFC.

8. Forrest Griffen (UFC) – Tough lose to Shogun but it happens to the best of em. Expect a long layoff now with his new child.

9. Phil Davis (UFC) – Who knows what is next for this kid. One minute he is fighting and the next he is taking a long break. Tons of potential though.

10. Alexander Gustafsson (UFC) – I am a little blown away by how under the radar this kid is. I’ll gladly put him in my current top 10.

Middleweight

1. Anderson Silva (UFC) – Anderson Silva is the best fighter in the world and he will look to prove it at home when he meets Okami in Brazil.

2. Chael Sonnen (UFC) – I guess since noone else has been stepping up in this division, Sonnen returns to number 2.

3. Yushin Okami (UFC) – Okami looked bad. He looked really bad. I think he was scared or nervouse because that is the only way I can figure out what he did in the cage.

4. Vitor Belfort (UFC) – A big KO win against Akyama earns him a spot in the top 5. He welcomes Cung Le to the UFC next and hopes to work towards a title shot.

5. Hector Lombard (Bellator) – Has he fought anyone worth while? No but he wins and he has a belt around his waste.

6. Mark Munoz (UFC) – Coming off his biggest win, Munoz will headline against Leban in a very winnable fight. This win could be huge.

7. Brian Stann (UFC) – Stann is the man for now. Lets see if he can keep up the momentum against Sonnen

8. Nate Maquardt (Some British Organization) – I don’t know what else to do with this guy. Hindsight is 20/20 so he has to be top 10 but what is next?

9. Chris Leban (UFC) – Leban has a huge opportunity to shoot up the ranks with a win over Munoz. He needs to show up and show up big.

10. Demian Maia (UFC) – Even off a lose this guy is good. Personally, I can’t wait to see him fight again.

Welterweights

1. Georges St. Pierre (UFC) – Another fight and another win. Some still call for the Silva fight but that seems to be on hold for the moment.

2. Jon Fitch (UFC) – I guess he gets to fight Johnny Hendricks next. That isn’t going to break him into the title picture but you can’t move a guy down who doesn’t lose fights.

3. Carlos Condit (UFC) – Condit gets his title shot and the MMA world got real excited about it. He might be the biggest threat to GSP yet.

4. Nick Diaz (Strikeforce) – Decided to no-show a presser and loses his title shot. Now he gets to fight BJ Penn, congrats Diaz!

5. Josh Koscheck (UFC) – Koscheck might be the luckiest man in MMA right now. He picks up a very winnable, very high-profile fight against Hughes.

6. B.J. Penn (UFC) – I gotta put him in the top 10. He is one of the most skilled fighters in the world but I would still rather see him at 155 pounds.

7. Jake Ellenberger (UFC) – Ellenberger vaults up the ranks with a huge win over Shields. This is a legit threat to anyone at the top of the division.

8. Martin Kampmann (UFC) – After a few conversations and some thought, I am going to give Kampmann more credit for the unjust lose to Sanchez.

9. Diego Sanchez (UFC) – Injured and out of the fight with Hughes, Sanchez needs to get back into the cage and get a decisive win or he will fall out of grace quickly

10. Rory McDonald(UFC) – On skill alone I would put him at number 5 right now, but he has to prove himself. He is getting a proper slow build though so it will take time.

Lightweight

1. Gray Maynard (UFC) – The only non-UFC Champ at the top. Maynard has a win and a draw over the champ and is unbeaten as a pro.

2. Frankie Edgar (UFC) – Will get another shot to beat Maynard and silence the critics that are still not sold he is the best LW in the world.

3. Gilbert Melendez (Strikeforce) – Probably as good as anyone in the world at 155. We would all be better MMA fans if we got to see him fight the best.

4. Eddie Alvarez (Bellator) – He might be overrated but he has a belt and is on a win streak. He won’t find the competition in Bellator to keep him here long though.

5. Benson Henderson (UFC) – Bendo flies up the ranks with his win over Jim Miller. No one wants to fight this dude right now but Guida is gunna have to

6. Melvin Guillard (UFC) – He is the real deal and now that he is fighting a lot smarter he has looked unstoppable. Whats next?

7. Shinya Aoki (Dream) – I tend to think he is a bit overrated, especially after taking a beating from Melendez but his record speaks for itself.

8. Jim Miller (UFC) – A tough lose to Bendo but he is still better than most. I don’t think it will be long before he is back to his winning ways.

9. Dennis Siver (UFC) – Siver has been impressive but this division is just way too tight. He needs more fights and more wins

10. Clay Guida (UFC) – His win over Pettis was a snoozer but it’s a win. He stays in the top 10 and gets a crack at Bendo on FOX.

Featherweight

1. Jose Aldo (UFC) – Good News: He is 2010 fighter of the year and pound for pound rated. Bad News: Top UFC lightweights are moving down to Featherweight.

2. Kenny Florian (UFC) – Gears up for his title shot and might be the stiffest test for Aldo to date.

3. Chad Mendes (UFC) – This guy is no joke. 11-0 and hunting a title shot, look out for Mendes in 2012.

4. Mark Hominick (UFC) – Not totally sure why this guy gets no respect I for one haven’t forgotten his heroic effort against Aldo and think he would be too much for most at this weight.

5. Hatsu Hioki (UFC) – I fear that Roop is going to be a tougher test than most people think but Hioki needs to win big if he wants to remain relevant.

6. Pat Curran (Bellator) – Good fighter with a good record. Bellator is strong at this weight class and he might be one of the strongest.

7. Tyson Griffin (UFC) – Found success in his debut but will need to string together wins

8. Diego Nunes (UFC) Will really need to bounce back in his next fight to stay relevant in an increasingly competitive division.

9. Joe Warren (Bellator) – Is apparently dropping weight for his next right. I am a fan of people finding their weight and sticking to it.

10. Dustin Poirier (UFC) – Loads of potential and very entertaining, he has a lot of work to do but the initial results are good.

Bantamweight

1. Dominick Cruz (UFC) – Simply put, he has been more impressive than anyone at this weight over the last year. He is now pound for pound rated.

2. Joseph Benavidez (UFC) – Benavidez doesn’t lose to people not named Dominick Cruz. Unfortunately that is the one guy he needs to beat to move up.

3. Brian Bowles (UFC) – This is the one guy I would really like see get another shot. I have a lot of confidence in Bowles.

4. Urijah Faber (UFC) – Will meet Bowles next and the winner will likely get a title shot.

5. Scott Jorgensen (UFC) – Back on the winning track, Jorgensen will look to keep his spot among the elite at 135 lbs.

6. Demetrious Johnson (UFC) – By process of elimination he is going to get the next title shot and its going to be on SpikeTV. This WILL be entertaining.

7. Masakatso Ueda (Shooto) – He may only be on a two fight win streak but he is 12-1-2. Ueda seems to be improving with each fight.

8. Miguel Torres (UFC) – Another set back has a lot of people wondering if Torres was ever as good as his billing.

9. Brad Pickett (UFC) – Just one lose in his last 11 fights, Pickett will need to continue his exciting ways if he wants to move up from here.

10. Takeya Mizugaki (UFC) – After some thought I have to give credit where credit is due. This guy never gets easy fights and he always brings it.

MMA News Wave!

For those of you who haven’t been paying attention the MMA world has been rocked with news lately. Even before the Strikeforce Grand Prix fights were being made and altered the outlook for the later half of the sport’s year. In the ancient art of killing two birds with one stone I am going to simply incorporate Strikeforce and the fallout of its most recent show into this stream of news and out of respect for the fights that are done over the fights that are to come, I will lead with it.

Strikeforce Grand Prix Finals Set

Ladies and Gentlemen it is my great honor to present to you a rising talent and potential MMA superstar, Mr. Daniel Cormier (pictured)! To say the least I believe I made a solid case for why he was a real threat to upset Antonio Silva, not to mention counting him among the top fighters to watch for the later half of 2011. Even with my shameless self-promotion (read “I told you so”) I think I might have undersold him. Cormier is an absolute beast looking like a world-beater on his way to knocking out Big Foot Silva. Given his wrestling pedigree it is hard to imagine anyone controlling where the fight takes place against his will and his developing striking is starting to look scary, if nothing else for his knockout threat. It looks like Cormier is going to be big trouble for a guy who is yet to see trouble in this tournament, Josh Barnett. Barnett is a well-rounded veteran who doesn’t lack in any area of mixed martial arts, including confidence. The great thing about Barnett is that he kind of makes you believe whatever he says, no matter how outlandish it might be. I expect this to be Cormier’s stiffest test to date and Barnett’s stiffest test in the tournament. Neither man is likely to go down easy in this one so be sure to keep an eye on the booking of the finals early in 2012.

GSP vs Condit and Diaz vs Penn

For those keeping score Nick Diaz was once scheduled to meet GSP for the welterweight title in October and Carlos Condit (pictured) was set to fight BJ Penn. WELLLLL. You see Nick Diaz has never been one to follow the rules, even if the rules are fairly reasonable. As such, he decided to skip out on a press conference in Canada, likely presuming that he would get a verbal lashing and nothing more. Dana White decided to make an example of the brash older Diaz by taking his title shot away and giving it to Carlos Condit, likely the more worthy contender of the two… just sayin’. Then, without batting an eye, White books Diaz on the same card against BJ Penn. This is more than a simple switcheroo; this is a game changer. Carlos Condit might be the most dangerous opponent in the division for GSP right now. Does this mean I would bet the house AND the dog on him? No. It does however mean that I view this as much more compelling than GSP vs Shields, Hardy, Alvez, or Koscheck… even more compelling than GSP vs Diaz would have been. To ice the cake, Diaz vs Penn is going to be prime space for trash-talking as well as a one hell of a fight between two fighters who have an odd number of similarities (world class bjj, fluctuating weight, underrated stand up, accusations about motivation). The welterweight division got a lot more interesting with this move and the potential fallout there of.

Brock Lesnar vs Alistair Overeem

If nothing else this is going to be hands down the scariest looking fight in MMA history. Brock Lesnar (pictured) and Alistair Overeem look like they were both crated on an ancient gladiator video game. The background to this fight is somewhat fascinating. Both fighters are popular, well hyped, and have experienced considerable success in their careers but both are at a strange crossroads. Overeem’s dedication to fighting in America has been constantly questioned, questions that only gained momentum when he pulled out of the SF tournament. Brock has had his second serious operation and recovery period on a condition that could have ended his life. There is no doubt that both Brock and Overeem want to be reestablished as winners in a big way in December when they square off. The long and short of the fight is simple, whoever can control where the fight takes place will win. If Overeem can keep it standing it is only a matter of time before he knocks Brock into next year. But, if Lesnar can secure a take down, I am not sure Overeem will be able to do much off his back.

Vitor Belfort vs Cung Le

Ok, this one might not shock anyone right off the bat. There are a few things you need to do before you will get this. One, go to THIS . Skip to about the midway point in the video and watch to at least the 7 minute point. Then go HERE and watch Cung Le highlights. Now you know pretty much all you need to about Cung Le and Vitor Belfort (pictured). Those highlights aren’t misleading, that is more or less what each consistently does in the cage when healthy. Cung Le has long been a mystery. Some people think his flashy striking and solid wrestling background make him a top-tier middleweight. Others think he is going to get exposed once he enters the UFC and meets quality competition. I tend to lean towards the latter but suspend full judgment until after this fight. If Le wins he could get a shot at Silva. If Vitor wins he could be fast approaching a rematch for the title himself.

UFC on FOX

While few were looking the UFC signed a blockbuster deal with FOX and will debut on the station in November. The manifestations of this could already be seen by those who watched football on FOX this past weekend as the network has clearly deiced to put their promoting muscles behind the debut, airing commercials consistently throughout the games. The main event you ask? It is none other than the most important heavyweight fight possibly in the sports history, the long awaited clash between Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez (pictured) for the UFC Heavyweight Title. If you know me or have ever read this blog before you, you know that I am a complete mark (that’s dork talk for a fan that loses all sense of reason and reality) for this fight. It truly is a clash of titans. I have been over it before but lets do it one more time. In the past three years these two have gone a combined 14-0 in the UFC with 10 of those wins coming by KO/TKO and 1 coming by submission (a submission to punches – no joke). Junior Dos Santos might be the best striker in the Heavyweight division and Can Velasquez might have the highest motor and be the most well-rounded. There is no way this fight isn’t exciting and with any luck they will remain competitive into the championship rounds. Even if the fight ends early this is one to tune into because 1) its free and 2) it is going to be massively influential in determining the future heavyweight MMA and the sport’s emergence into the mainstream.

Why You Should Watch The Strikeforce Grand Prix

The hangover from UFC Rio is heavy. People are still sort of walking around shielding their eyes from the MMA sun while drinking copious amounts of water and coffee. However if you don’t shake it off now you are going to miss the coolest, most exclusive underground party of the season. The Striekfroce Grand Prix is the Velvet Underground of MMA. It is going to get you mad respect from the kids in the know, will isolate you and keep you weird to the cool kids but will be 100% worth it at the end of the day. This weekend there is a killer cd release party in Ohio and if you miss it you miss out.

Roger Gracie vs King Mo Lawal

MMA is not without wrestlers and it is not without strikers. However there are very few fighters that stake their reputation on just their jujitsu anymore. Roger Gracie (pictured) is one of the few and man does he have some good jujitsu. There is no doubt that he is facing stiffest test to date when he takes on the uber athletic King Mo Lawal. Both men are trying to make waves at 205 pounds and make their case for a UFC contract or a Strikeforce title shot (King Mo recently lost the title). This fight comes down to where King Mo thinks he can win. Conventional wisdom would tell us that he wants no part of the ground game and should have an advantage on the feet but his best work is done from top position. There is a real possibility that this is a chess game of distance and position until one of them is able to make their move but for the technically minded this should be a plate full. For those who are not this fight should provide flashes of action and suspense if not a career changing performance from one of them. Regardless the winner will be well on his way to being a breakout star this year.

Ronaldo Souza (Middleweight Champion) vs Luke Rockhold

Relatively little name recognition and being overshadowed by the heavyweights have put a damper on this fight but there are three things you need to know.

1) Luke Rockhold has never been in a fight longer than 4 minutes and 7 seconds.

2) Ronaldo Souza is a submission ace, fighting some of the top talent outside the UFC.

3) Rockhold is 7-1 and Souza is 14-2.

Expect these two to bring it and expect to remember one, if not both of them when the night is over.

Daniel Cormier vs Antonio Silva

Daniel Cormier is an x-factor in t his tournament if there ever was one. He steps in to replace the former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion and competes against one of the tournament favorites in Antonio Silva (pictured). Cormier has a whole lot going for him. He trains with Cain Velasquez, he has an every improving stand-up game, he is unbeaten (read: there isn’t a lot of success tape out there on him), and oh yeah… he is an Olympic wrestler. One might expect someone of his wrestling pedigree to dominate on the ground but Cormier has mostly kept his grappling in reserve, using it to avoid takedowns. It is likely that he would return to his wrestling game at the first sign of real trouble and in that regard he brings a lot of unknowns to a fight like this. Silva’s size, power, boxing, and grappling skills have made him a hot pick to win the tournament and they are enough to give just about anyone trouble. However, Cormier might be set to play spoiler. If anything, this tournament might have gotten more interesting with the substitution.

Josh Barnett vs Sergei Kharitonov

Barnett and Kharitonov (pictured) might have had the easiest bouts in the first round but there is no reason to believe the luck will continue for either man. Kharitonov is the operational definition of dark horse. Josh Barnett is the operational definition of favorite, alegit dangerous HW - one of the most well rounded in the business. Don’t believe the hype that he is going to run over Kharitonov, who’s heavy hands will put any man in trouble, period. This is Barnett’s fight to lose though and the onus is on him to put the fight where he wants it. Keep an eye on the juice testers before and after the fight for this. Barnett doesn’t have the cleanest record and remains one of the biggest threats to the tournament. I for one hope he fights clean, win or lose because I am starting to gain faith in this tournament is one of the most critical affairs in the sport today.

No matter how you cut it there is no bad way for the finals to shake out (unless of course there is a major injury or a substance abuse issue). If everyone fights clean and we get clean winners… we all win. It may be tempting to get caught up in all the UFC moves and announcements, forgetting this event but don’t let that happen to you. Strikeforce might not be around forever so enjoy it while its here.