WEC to Merge with UFC

So for everyone who has been following this blog for the past few weeks, hopefully you know what the WEC is. For those of you who read and had all information go in one ear and out the other, here's a quick refresher.

WEC was purchased in 2006 by ZUFFA, owners of UFC. Since then it has operated as a sister promotion, featuring smaller fighters in the bantamweight (135lbs), featherweight (145lbs), and lightweight divisions (155lbs). WEC temporarily featured welterweight, middleweight and light heavyweight divisions, but these were ultimately dissolved, with only a select few fighters being welcomed into the UFC.

It wasn't long before people began to realize that smaller fighters brought a new level of speed, aggression, and conditioning that hadn't been seen in larger weight classes. This led to many exciting fights, earning WEC a contract with Versus Network to air multiple events. In a recent interview, Dana White said that the timing was perfect for the UFC and WEC to finally merge, and for the UFC to add the additional smaller weight classes. So what does this mean?

First and foremost, this most immediate change will be the introduction of two new weight classes. Featherweight champion Jose Aldo will retain his title, while the winner of Dominick Cruz vs Scott Jorgenson will be awarded the Bantamweight championship belt. With these two new divisions, the UFC will be able to showcase the smaller, more exciting fighters, as well as champion Aldo who is slowly becoming one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world. It has been rumored that Aldo's first bout under the UFC banner will come at UFC 125 on January 1, 2011, when he defends his FW title against either Mark Hominick or Josh Grispi.

The next area of discussion comes in the form of the WEC lightweight division being absorbed into the UFC's lightweight division. There have recently been several name fighters released by the UFC, including lightweights Efrain Escudero, Rob Emerson, Fabricio Camoes, Matt Veach and several others. It seems these guys were discarded to make room for the incoming roster of WEC fighters. This will provide a lot of interesting match-ups and a change of scenery to the UFC LW division. Rumor has it that the winner of the upcoming UFC LW title bout between Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar will take on the winner of upcoming WEC LW title bout between Ben Henderson and Anthony Pettis.

While the merger arises the possibility of potential super fights and interesting style clashes, there are also a few setbacks that can't be dismissed. The UFC has been criticized a lot lately for putting on lackluster cards (UFC 119, UFC 120, UFC 122). Events like these are the result of the UFC having too deep of a talent pool, and needing to get all of their fighters time in the Octagon. With the injection of WEC fighters, the UFC talent pool now grows even deeper, meaning we may be subject to even more mediocre cards.

While the UFC has problems with mediocre cards, they also have had a few events featuring too much talent. This basically just means that there are so many big name fighters on a card, that not all of their fights will be aired due to time constraints. Once the WEC fighters come in, this is likely to happen a lot. This is immediately evident with UFC 125, which currently features the LW title bout between Maynard-Edgar, FW title bout between Aldo-TBD, then main card bouts featuring Gomi-Guida, T. Silva-Vera, Nate Diaz-Dong Hyun Kim, Leben-Stann, the debut of lightweight Antonio McKee, and heavyweight Roy Nelson is slated to appear on this card. Thats 8 fights on a card that will only be able to air 5 on PPV.

I know these last two paragraphs sound opposing/contrasting, but trust me, this shit will happen. A lot of people are asking to see fighters like Urijah Faber, Donald Cerrone, Henderson, and Cruz on main card pay-per-views, but in all honesty, expect most of these WEC fighters to either end up on undercards, or else on free events on Spike/Versus.

As far as potential fights go, I don't see much changing in the featherweight or bantamweight division. The biggest change will come in the lightweight division where we can see guys like Edgar, Maynard, Penn, Florian, Gomi, and Guida take on guys like Henderson, Pettis, Cerrone, Varner, Roller and others. The one potential flaw that comes to mind is that the UFC fighters will be much better than their WEC counterparts, thus making the merger pointless.

I am mostly looking forward to seeing how the UFC promotes Jose Aldo, which I'm sure they will like crazy. If Frankie Edgar loses to Gray Maynard at UFC 125, expect Edgar to drop to featherweight where he would be better physically suited, and make a run at Aldo's title.

Ultimately the merger brings a lot of interesting potential matches to the UFC LW division, as well as two new exciting divisions for the MMA community to feast their eyes on. There are still two WEC events under contract before the end of 2010, and the merger will take effect starting immediately in 2011, as I mentioned earlier, with UFC 125 on Jan. 1st.

UFC Review

I was on Sherdog.com today, which is one of the premier MMA websites on the internet today. I was reading this article called UFC 121 Analysis: Main Card. It is eerie how similar this article is to mine. Check it out.

http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/UFC-121-Lesnar-vs-Velasquez-Analysis-The-Main-Card-27738

The No-Favorite League

This is an article my buddy Jake wrote. He's too much of a coward to subscribe and blog himself, so I am doing it for him. All negative feedback and hate mail is encouraged. Enjoy.

The No-Favorite League

The first seven weeks of the NFL season have only served to make every preseason prediction specialist look like an idiot. The difference between what we expected and what we got is more mixed up than Stewart Bradley after one of this season's trademark concussions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbm88CQB7YI

No case can be made for any team's dominance, unlike years past where the Patriots, Titans, Saints and Colts began the year on long win streaks. Every team has at least one loss, and every one-loss team has also looked shaky in several victories. Injuries are to blame for some of up-and-down play seen so far. Players all over the league are competing to see who can get lose control of their own sphincter the quickest by getting concussed in as awesome a fashion as possible. Quarterbacks left and right are getting knocked out of games, mostly by the Giants defense. They concussed Matt Moore on sack in Week 1, molested the Bears offensive line in putting Baby Jay Cutler to sleep, broke Shaun Hill's arm in Week 6 and snapped Tony Romo's clavicle last night. The amount of gametime backup quarterbacks have had to play contributes to some teams' disappointing records.

Possibly the strongest team in the league is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite missing Big Ben Roethlisberger for the first four games of the season, a game for every digit he slipped into that "hesitant" co-ed, they have scrapped to a 5-1 record. However it took a horrible call by the officials to hand them a 23-22 victory over the Dolphins last week. Similarly the 5-1 Jets were giftwrapped a W by the boys in blue a week earlier, when a late game 4th down heave to Santonio Holmes drew a flag at the 1. The 5-1 Patriots' defense has been inconsistent, while the offense has looked downright awful at times. They have thrived on the mistakes of their opponents more than they've made plays.

This isn't even touching on the huge disappointments fans have gotten in Dallas, San Diego, and San Francisco. Teams expected to win their divisions that are right now wallowing in last place. On Brett Favre's Vikings, picks are all too prevalent in both drive- and marriage-killing form. The Saints, despite a 4-3 record, are struggling to replicate their playmaking from last year on both offense and defense. They aren't forcing turnovers and are having trouble making the big plays that defined them as a team during their Super Bowl run.

Another small factor affecting these teams is the potential lockout looming over this season. Several players such as Vincent "I'm good to drive" Jackson, Marcus McNeill and Logan "..Who?" Mankins have held out for a better contract before hitting the lockout, affecting the passing game of the Chargers and the running game for the Pats. McNeill has since returned but the others continue to hold out until most likely Week 10.

This year has brought about some interesting upsets, and probably lost some people a lot of money. Parity in the NFL seems to be at a peak. However I can't help but think that sometimes the league is just more interesting with a juggernaut or two.

Quick UFC 121 Recap and Analysis

The first UFC event with a championship on the line since August 28th, and the last one until December 12th, delivered in several ways. Even though 4 of the 5 main card bouts went to decision, we have been left with a lot to think about from each fight. Let's get into it.

Schaub vs Gonzaga
What Happened: Schaub was able to keep this fight on the feet and use his superior stand up to beat Gonzaga to the punch en route to a decision win. Gonzaga did very little to mount any sort of offense in this fight. Schaub on the other hand was active and constantly moving, but never went in for the kill or showed any sort of killer instinct when he had Gonzaga rocked.
What Next: Gonzaga has solidified himself as nothing but a gatekeeper in the heavyweight division. The UFC will most likely use him either as a stepping stone for their up and coming contenders, or as a rebound fight for contenders coming off of losses, such as Brock Lesnar. For Schaub, it's time to give him another crack at a legit heavyweight. He called out Frank Mir, although I don't think he's ready for that matchup. I'd like to see him get in there with Cheick Kongo and see what sort of blood bath ensues.

Tito Ortiz vs Matt Hamill
What Happened: Ortiz looked good early, landing combos and kicks, and quite possibly taking the first round. Once the second round rolled around, Hamill took the fight to mat and controlled Tito for much of the rest of the fight. Tito looked tired by the 3rd round and found himself being beaten to the punch by Hamill. Hamill takes a close decision win.
What Next: Tito has now lost his last 4 fights, and hasn't won since 2006. But, he looked game in both of his last two fights against Hamill and Forrest Griffin. Unfortunately, Tito's wrestling game, the one thing that once made him UFC champion, is no longer what is was. Ortiz has little to no shot at a title run, and the only fight left that would be worth watching is a third meeting with the Iceman.
Hamill looked pretty good in this fight, but I just don't really notice much improvement in his game. His wrestling was dominant as usual, but his standup still looks really slow and technically unsound. In a division ruled by strikers, Hamill needs to switch it up somehow. Don't forget how badly Jones handled him, so Hamill is still a good ways away from the top. People are saying he should fight Lil Nog. This could very well be a repeat of Nog-Bader, and I'd much rather see Rogerio fight somebody like Forrest or Thiago Silva/Brandon Vera winner. Throw Hamill in with someone like Bonnar, a guy who will take the fight to him. Or a match with up and coming prospect Phil Davis could be very interesting.

Diego Sanchez vs Paulo Thiago
What Happened: Thiago seemed to control the bout early using stiff counters and getting Diego to the ground. Halfway through the 2nd round Diego lifted Thiago into the air and ran across the ring screaming in a scene reminiscent of Hughes-Trigg, before planting Thiago and the mat and unloading fists. From here on out it was Diego's fight, as he was able to secure a body triangle on Thiago in the 3rd and walk away with a unanimous decision win.
What Next: This was a huge win for Diego. Coming off of losses to BJ and Hathaway, it looks like the move back to Jackson has paid off for Diego, who still says he plans on returning to 155 for another run at the title. It's hard to see where he fits into that division right now, but it appears that he is as hungry and ferocious as ever.
As for Thiago, he has fizzled out and settled into the gatekeeper role. He didn't mount too much offense in this fight, except for constantly attempting Brabo chokes. He is now 3-3 since joining the UFC and it seems his win over Koscheck may in fact have been a fluke. Seems like a sound opponent for John Hathaway to rebound against.

Jake Shields vs Martin Kampmann
What Happened: Shields went with his usual gameplan of taking the fight to the floor. Kampmann looked very timid to throw his hands/kicks, obviously due to the fact that he knew Shields would shoot in on him. Either way, Kampmann showed great takedown defense and a great ability to get back to his feet. Shields looked noticeably exhausted by the third round in this fight due to a tough weight cut and just barely squeaked by with a split decision victory.
What Next: Jake Shields said it himself before this bout that he needed an impressive victory in order to earn a shot at GSP. With that performance, Shields is definitely not ready for a shot at the champ. Shields needs to become more accustomed to this weight and get his cardio in order. It now seems that he may need another win before getting a title shot, and oh look, there's Jon Fitch just waiting in the wings for a fight. Is there any better #1 contender matchup out there right now? I think not.
Kampmann, even in defeat, continues to impress me. I know Shields wasn't his normal self, but the fact that Kampmann was able to sprawl and get back to his feet the way he was surprised the hell out of me. Coming off of a loss, he has nothing but exciting matchups ahead of him. A possible rematch against Condit, or bouts against Lytle, Dan Hardy, or the Alvez-Howard winner are all potential fights for the Dane.

Cain Velasquez vs Brock Lesnar
What Happened: Brock came out and bullrushed Cain, throwing punches and knees before dragging Cain to the ground. But then, to everyone's shock, Cain got up... Brock pushed him up against the fence and secured another double leg. Then Cain got up again. Then Cain took Brock down, and began unloading punches. Brock got back to his feet and literally stumbled across the ring like a drunkard before falling over and staggering into the fence. Cain continued to unload with punches and knees, bloodying Brock up before finally getting him down one last time and putting him away with hammer fists. First round TKO for your new UFC Heavyweight Champion, Cain Velasquez.
What Next: For Velasquez we all know what lies ahead. Junior Dos Santos. This fight has been a longggg time in the making, as each of these guys has been tearing through the HW division. Though the casual fan may not find this fight too interesting, hardcore fans will be chomping at the bit to see these two go at it. Since neither of them took too much damage in their bouts, let's hope they can schedule their fight for sometime in the near future. UFC 125 anyone? Super Bowl Weekend? Make it HAPPEN DANA!
As for Brock, he is slowly but surely becoming a one dimensional fighter. His standup has been looking shotty in his past couple of fights, and it seems that any time he gets hit he panics like a little girl who just saw a spider. The fact still remains that Cain is the only person who has successfully gotten up after being taken down by Brock, and Cain's wrestling is far superior to most of the other fighters in the HW division. While people probably want to see rematches against Mir or Carwin, Brock is still the UFC's biggest draw, and they won't risk having him lose two fights in a row. Expect him to take on someone he can easily take down and pound on. Gonzaga maybe? I would like to see Brock in there against Big Nog, that'll bring back memories of Bob Sapp being in there.

So that's it, a quick rundown of each fight and where the fighters stand in their respected division.

Some feedback on these would be great too. If you guys want to hear more/less about certain topics, issues, let me know and I'll try to address them in future posts. Also any critiques on my writing, reviewing, etc would also be appreciated as I'm still getting into the groove of writing again. Thanks everyone.

This Week in MMA

I wanted to post this earlier in this week, but I have been a little busy and unable to get around to it, so hopefully people are able to read this before tonight.

We have a very exciting couple of days ahead of us in the world of mixed martial arts, with a couple of championship belts on the line as well as a few potential Fight of the Year bouts taking place. Enough intro, let's get underway.

The first event to feast your eyes on is Bellator 33, which airs tonight (Thurs Oct. 21) on CSN at 8pm. Yes ladies and gents, it's a free card, so be sure to tune in. I have given some background on promotions like UFC, WEC and Strikeforce, but Bellator is a little different. The promotion is still very young, having started over the past few years. In an attempt to differentiate themselves from the competition, Bellator employs a different style to their fights. Bellator utilizes the tournament format, something which has been loved by fans, but hasn't really been seen since the Grand Prix days of Pride.

In season 1, Bellator debuted featuring tournaments in the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight division. With events airing every Thursday, Bellator would show several bouts from each divisions tournament, with the winner advancing on to the next round. By doing this, it allows fans to see the fighters progress up through the ranks en route to becoming champion. Although many of the fighters in Bellator are relatively unknown, the promotion has laid claim to some amazing submissions and knockouts over the past two years.

http://www.fightofthenight.com/news/bellator-top-10-finishes-video/

(videos kinda cheesy but whatever)

LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT

Champion Eddie Alvarez vs Roger Huerta

This fight has fireworks written all over it. After a meteoric rise to super-stardom which landed Huerta a spot on the cover of ESPN Magazine, Huerta is at a stand still in his career. He has hinted that he wants to leave the world of mixed martial arts to pursue acting, which is what several other fighters have begun doing (Rampage, Couture). Having lost 3 of his past 4 bouts, this fight will likely decide whether it's time for Huerta to give up fighting. Huerta is at his best when he is throwing leather with his opponent. He has a great standup game and a hell of a chin. With some solid wrestling as well, Huerta is a tough match for anyone.

Eddie Alvarez is an extremely well rounded fighter who made a name for himself fighting all around the world, primarily in Japan with DREAM before coming to Bellator. Alvarez won most of his fights in Japan via T(KO), but after coming to Bellator, he finished his last six opponents, all by submission.

This fight is going to be CRAZY. Both of these guys love to stand in the pocket and exchange. They also are very comfortable on the ground and have all the skills to turn this into a great ground battle with technical transitions. The odds of that happening are very unlikely though, and expect these two to bang it out on the feet for three rounds or until one of them is out cold.

This is Huerta's first fight since his infamous street fight outside of a club in which he KO'd some guy who outweighed him by probably 100lbs. I could honestly care less who wins, I am just expecting absolute fireworks. If I HAD to bet, I'd put my money on Alvarez, but this fight should be a slobber knocker.

WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT

Champion Lyman Good vs Ben Askren

I haven't seen either of these guys fight, so I don't have much input on how the fight will go, but they both have great credentials.

Lyman Good is 10-0 and seems to rely on an aggressive style to overwhelm opponents en route to TKO victories.

Askren is a former two time state wrestling champions out of the University of Missouri, and competed in the 2008 Olympics. It is rare than an athlete with credentials this high enters into the world of mixed martial arts, but here is an exception. Askren will obviously employ his world class wrestling game, most likely en route to a decision victory. What will be interesting to see is if he has made any drastic improvements towards his overall game. Sure we all know he has great wrestling, but how is his stand up, ground and pound, submissions, how is he off his back, etc. There are a lot of questions to be asked about this kid, (he's only 24), but until someone is able to stop his wrestling, we may not see many of those questions answered.

There will be other bouts on this card, although Bellator doesn't really disclose all their fight information. Either way, these two fights are worth watching, so check em out if you aren't busy watching Jersey Shore.

On to the big boys. UFC 121. I have been waiting for this event for faaaar too long. This is the first card featuring a title fight since UFC 118 back in August, and there won't be another card with a title fight on it until UFC 124 on December 11, so enjoy this one folks.

Last week I made a point out of the fact that while UFC 120 may have had a couple of potentially entertaining bouts, none of them held any significance in their respective divisions. That is not the case for UFC 121, in which every bout holds some relevance. HERE WE GO!!

Starting us off, innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn the HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION! (265lbs)

Brendan Schaub vs Gabriel Gonzaga

A finalist on the Ultimate Fighter season 10, as well as former member of the Buffalo Bills practice squad, Schaub has proven to have a good amount of power and explosiveness for a guy his size. After suffering a knockout loss to Roy Nelson on the finale of TUF, Schaub has rebounded to defeat Chase Gormley and Chris Tuchsherer in under a combined 2 minutes, both by TKO.

Gonzaga has developed into a gatekeeper in the suddenly deep heavyweight division. Since losing a HW title match to Randy Couture back in '07, Gonzaga has gone 3-3 in the division. His 3 victories have come in impressive fashion, but his three defeats have been as equally unimpressive. While Gonzaga is a very talented fighter, he has been unable to put it together against top level opposition (Werdum, Carwin, Dos Santos).

Both of these guys are big and don't mind exchanging on the feet. It will be interesting to see if Schaub's stand up has progressed enough since the Roy Nelson loss to be able to stand with Gonzaga. GG is very well versed in jiu jitsu as well, which may come into play in the event that Schaub gains an advantage in the striking department. A lot lies on the line in this fight for Schaub. If he wins, he'll earn himself a shot at a legit contender. If he loses, it's back to the slums. I got Gonzaga in this one.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT (205lbs)

Tito Ortiz vs Matt Hamill

This fight has a lot going on behind the scenes. First off is that Ortiz was Hamill's coach on season 3 of the Ultimate Fighter back in 2006. Since then Hamill has accrued an 8-2 record in the UFC, although one of those losses was a very controversial split decision loss to Brit Michael Bisping. At the same time, one of Hamill's victories came due to disqualification against Jon Jones because Jones used "illegal" elbows while absolutely dominating Hamill. I don't really know how to put this without sounding like a dick, but it's a fact that should be known by casual fans, Matt Hamill is deaf. It is extremely impressive that even with a disability like that, Hamill is able to compete at such a high level.

Since TUF 3, Tito has gone 1-3-1. He defeated Ken Shamrock in October of 2006 before dropping his title fight rematch against Chuck Liddell in December of that year. After this, Tito became more of a business man, taking time off to focus on his career as CEO of Punishment Athletics, a MMA equipment and clothing line, as well as appearing on Celebrity Apprentice. Throw a couple of surgeries in there, and Tito only ended up fighting 3 times in 3 years.

Tito claims to be 100% healthy, but that can never be known for sure. Tito is getting old and he is getting rusty. He has barely been fighting and his head has clearly been more focused on his business ventures rather than his fighting career. Coming into this bout, Tito has been talking a lot of shit, including a couple of cheap shots at the fact that Hamill is deaf. While this is true, Hamill has great wrestling and is strong as a bull. Most of Tito's success in his early UFC days came from his ability to take people down and pound their faces in. Don't expect to see any of that in this fight as Hamill will be tough to get to the ground. Hamill does have very slow, albeit technical, striking. Don't be surprised if Tito is able to gain the upper hand in this area.

At the end of the day, Hamill has better overall wrestling than Tito. In the event that he gets in trouble on the feet, it wouldn't be surprising to see Hamill put Ortiz and his back and give him a taste of his own medicine. Expect Hamill to pull out a decision here over the aging and deteriorating Ortiz.

WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION (170lbs)

Diego Sanchez vs Paulo Thiago

The winner of the original season of the Ultimate Fighter, Diego Sanchez just can't seem to find a home for himself. After the show, Diego went 5-0 in the welterweight division before running into bigger, stronger wrestlers like Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch. Realizing he wasn't big enough to hang with these guys, Diego cut down to lightweight and fought at 155. After wins over Joe Stevenson and Clay Guida, Diego was dominated for almost 5 rounds by BJ Penn before the ref stopped the bout. Following this brutal beatdown, Diego returned to the welterweight division, only to come up short against British fighter John Hathaway.

Thiago has been a bit of a surprise story. A relatively unknown fighter, Thiago burst onto the scene with his knockout victory over Josh Koscheck to start of 2009. He has since gone 2-2, most recently losing to top contender Martin Kampmann.

Sanchez is a crazy dude who has devoted himself entirely to being a fighter. He has cardio for days and pushes a relentless pace with relentless ground and pound as well as solid submissions. He has developed somewhat of a stand up game, although he relies heavily on uppercuts, and tends to leave himself vulnerable to counter punches. The thing is, both of Sanchez's strengths play right into Thiago's strengths. Thiago is a very slick counter puncher, as he showed en route to knocking out Koscheck. He also has a great submission game, which he put on display against Mike Swick. The only times he loses is when he is up against a far superior striker (Kampmann) or an extremely dominant wrestler (Jon Fitch). While Diego does have good wrestling and jiu jitsu, he isn't as strong as the top tier guys in the welterweight division, and he will have trouble controlling Thiago.

Expect Diego to come out aggressive early, losing exchanges on the feet due to Thiago's slick counter punching. Once he's in trouble, Diego will resort to what he knows best and take the fight to the ground. Thiago, as cool as a mother fuckin cucumber, will lock on some sort of submission and put the "Nightmare" away for good. Sanchez may be on his way out of the UFC after three straight losses.

WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION (170lbs)

Jake Shields vs Martin Kampmann

For all of you who don't know who Jake Shields is, consider yourself lucky. An extremely accomplished wrestler/grappler/jiu jitsu fighter, Shields is the current Strikeforce Middleweight champion, and is one of the most boring guys out there. He has an absolutely smothering top game, which he uses to set up his slick submission game. Unfortunately, in the event he is unable to get a submission, he kind of just holds his opponent down. He doesn't do much damage via GnP, but instead just maintains dominant position and rides out a decision, as we saw against Henderson, Mayhem, Paul Daley, Okami, and others.

Martin Kampmann on the other hand is a very exciting fighter. Formerly a middleweight, the Danish fighter has found success fighting in the welterweight division, having gone 3-1 since dropping down, including a dominant victory over Paulo Thiago in his last bout. Kampmann relies on his slick Muay Thai striking to pick his opponents apart. He is also no slouch on the ground, with 6 of his 17 victories coming via submission.

Dana White has said that if Shields wins this fight, he will get the next crack at the WW belt following the December 11th matchup between Georges St Pierre and Josh Koscheck. It is very likely that Shields will drag Kampmann to the ground and keep him there for much of this match. Shields doesn't have the best stand up in the world and would be in tough shape against Kampmann's striking. Look for Shields to employ a game plan very similar to when he fought Paul Daley: takedown and lay on your opponent until either the round ends or the ref stands you back up.

The only thing I'm hoping for is that Kampmann is able to generate a few scrambles and transitions while on the ground. Every second that this fight is on the feet, Kampmann needs to try to make the best of his striking advantage. Expect Shields to walk away with this one on his way to being to next in line for the welterweight championship.

And the MAIN EVENT, IN THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (265lbs)

Champion Brock Lesnar vs Cain Velasquez

For the first time in a while, Brock Lesnar seemed mortal again. Following a stint in this hospital which saw Lesnar in very serious condition, the UFC champion was welcomed back by a beating at the hands of Shane Carwin through the first round of their July bout. Lesnar showed heart, adversity, and overall growth as a fighter in the second round of that bout as he was able to take Carwin down and beat him up a little bit before applying a fighter ending arm-triangle choke.

Velasquez is a great young talent with a strong wrestling background out of Arizona State University, boasting an 8-0 record, 6-0 since entering the UFC. He has shown great resilience and endurance in his victories over Cheick Kongo and Ben Rothwell, and put on his most impressive performance when he knocked out Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in February of this year. Unfortunately, he has been on the shelf since that fight, a time that spans over 8 months.

The biggest factor coming into this bout is the weight difference. Lesnar will most likely weigh in at the limit of 265, and probably be around 2702-275 come fight time. Velasquez on the other hand will most likely weigh in at 240-245. He is a much smaller HW who relies more on speed and endurance to outlast his opponents. A lot of people are giving Velasquez a big advantage on the feet due to his performance against Big Nog. But, don't forget that Cain got rocked by Cheick Kongo at the beginning of all three rounds of their fight before he was able to secure a takedown. Brock may not have the quickest hands out there, but the guys got power and he definitely has the ability to put some punches together.

The real question is whether Cain can stop Brock's takedowns. The fact that Randy Couture was able to fend of Lesnar gives a glimmer of hope that Velasquez can have similar success against the behemoth Brock. We have yet to see Brock fight past the 3rd round, so it's hard to gauge what state his cardio is at. Word from Velasquez camp is that he can go 10 rounds if need be, so we'll see if the fight makes it into the championship rounds (4+5) where cardio will truly make a difference.

If there's anyone in the UFC HW division who can give Lesnar trouble, it's Velasquez. He has the best wrestling in the division which should be beneficial in stuffing Brock's takedowns. Cain also has quick hands to put Brock in trouble on the feet. Both fighters have shown a great ability to recover after being rocked early on (Lesnar against Carwin; Velasquez against Kongo). This fight has all the makings to be a back and forth war between two of the very best heavyweights in the world right now.

So that's it. 2 nights, 3 championship bouts, a ton of great battles. Any time Brock fights there is always a sort of tension and anticipation in the air that really gets your blood pumpin. Against a guy like Velasquez, who comes into this bout carrying all of Mexico on his back, you know the atmosphere is going to be crazy. I'm looking forward to every fight on that card, and once again my picks are Gonzaga, Hamill, Thiago, Shields, anddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd I'll go with Velasquez just because I would love to see Lesnar get upset. Thanks for reading and enjoy the fights.

UFC 120 Recap

Normally with my UFC follow up posts, I would go in depth on each fight and what happened and the potential outlook for each fighter. Unfortunately I missed the first couple of fights, and as I mentioned in my Preview and Predictions, none of the fights really had much title implication. Instead we were witness to a pretty shocking night of mixed martial arts.

So first off, I missed the James Wilks and Cheick Kongo fights. Turns out Patrick dominated Wilks for three rounds using clinch grappling as well as taking Wilks down a few times. Much like I predicted, Patrick was able to use his superior grappling to control Wilks, although neither of them was able to submit their opponent en route to a unanimous decision victory for Patrick. The Kongo fight started off as I expected, with Browne coming out wild. Unfortunately Kongo didn't unleash his hands the way I expected, and the two ended up fighting to a lackluster decision resulting in a draw due to a point being deducted from Kongo in the 3rd round. With these results, Wilks may be on his way out of the UFC, while Cheick Kongo has become solidified as a gatekeeper in the HW division.

Can't believe the result of the Hathaway fight. Honestly this kid looked unstoppable when he fought Sanchez. Against Pyle, he was never able to land a punch first, and was constantly being tagged on the feet. Also, very surprisingly, Pyle had a lot of success dragging Hathaway to the ground and gaining dominant position. This fight went the complete opposite way I expected, as John Hathaway was handed his first loss. Apparently he's not as legit as I thought.

On to the fight I was looking forward to most. Condit vs Hardy left me more satisfied than any fight has in a while. Coming in, I was rooting for Condit all the way, but fully expected Hardy to pull out the victory due to style matchups. They engaged for the first three minutes, before both fighters threw straight right - left hook combinations simultaneously. Hardy's left hook landed on Condit's right shoulder, while Condit's left hook landed flush on the cheek/jaw of Hardy. The Outlaw went down, and Condit followed up with two pinpoint shots to put Hardy's lights out. Condit has never been one to show KO power, and the fact that he did this against a fighter like Dan Hardy is fucking awesome. Condit has definitely earned himself a shot at an upper echelon fighter, someone like Sanchez/Thiago, Alvez/Howard, Shields/Kampmann(rematch). Looking forward to Dan Hardy vs Chris Lytle.

On to the main event. Bisping looked real good tonite. Sure he did get tagged by a few big right hands from Akiyama, but aside from that, he was landing leg kicks and combinations with ease. That may not be saying much, considering that Akiyama's whole offense was his right hand and he didn't seem to put up any sort of defense. Akiyama put all his eggs in one basket, relying on that right hand to finish the fight. While Bisping looked good putting his hands together, he still showed a lot of fundamental mistakes in his striking. Circling to his left (towards the power hand of his opponent). This is what got him knocked out against Hendo, and almost got him KO'd by Akiyama. He also shows a tendency to keep his hands high and tight, but once he throws some punches, he is slow to bring his hands back, resulting in Akiyama landing several big counters. Bisping also went for several pitiful takedowns during this fight. A well deserved decision for the Brit, although I don't think he stands a chance against Marquardt, Sonnen, Belfort, or Maia, not to mention Anderson.

So all in all it was a pretty decent card for a free TUF. Sadly 4 of the 5 bouts went to decision, but I am still overjoyed by Condit's knockout victory. As I mentioned earlier this week, I am very excited for next week's Preview and Predictions for UFC 121. Very exciting card with a lot riding on each fight. Tune in next week for my two cents.

UFC 120 Preview and Predictions

Alright folks, prepare for the first of four UFC cards to be aired in almost rapid succession. UFC 120, which will take place at the O2 Arena in London, England, airs this Saturday, October 16th FOR FREE at 8pm on Spike TV on tape delay (starts live at 9pm England time, roughly 4pm here). This event is followed by UFC 121 on October 23rd, UFC 122 on November 13th, and UFC 123 on November 20th. That's 4 events in just over five weeks. So without further ado, here are my thoughts and predictions on the upcoming bouts.

James Wilks vs Claude Patrick

Welterweight Division - 170lbs

I'll just mention it now, the way the UFC operates, any time they have a card in England, it will be loaded with English fighters. Any time they have a card in Canada, it's full of guys with beady little eyes and flapping heads. So isn't it fitting that they start this card off with the winner of The Ultimate Fighter: Team US vs Team UK, James Wilks. Wilks proved to be a surprise finalist on TUF, utilizing his length and ground skills.

Patrick comes in with a wrestling background and is known for having great strength for a welterweight. 9 of his 12 victories have come via submission, with 6 of those coming from Guillotine Choke.

Both of these fighters are more comfortable on the ground, attempting submissions. Since Patrick holds an advantage in the wrestling department, there is a chance Wilks may try to keep this one on the feet. He will most certainly have trouble warding off Patrick's takedown attempts, and it will only be a matter of time before he is dragged down to the mat. Expect to see Claude walk away with another submission victory under his belt. After recently releasing former TUF winner Efrain Escudero, don't be surprised if the UFC decides to let Wilks go following this bout, as there is little room in the ever-growing welterweight division.

Cheick Kongo vs Travis Browne

Heavyweight Division - 265lbs

Kongo is 1-2 in his past three bouts, having lost consecutive fights to Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir before picking up a much needed win over Paul Buentello. Another win here is vital for Kongo if he has any hope of remaining relevant in the suddenly deep heavyweight division.

Browne came into the UFC with a 9-0 record, 7 of those wins coming from T(KO). He finished off TUF alum James McSweeney in the first round, and has now earned himself a shot at more legitimate competition.

Kongo is a specimen. He is probably the last person I would want to see standing across from me in the Octagon. He has shown a brutal killer instinct in his fights against CroCop, Wellisch, Evensen, and Al-Turk. His main weakness lies in his ground game, which was exploited by Cain Velasquez when the two fought last year. Fortunately for Kongo, there is very little chance Browne will take this fight to the ground, as he too also loves to stand and bang it out. Kongo should hold a distinct advantage in the speed department, allowing him to beat Browne to the punch in most exchanges. At 6'7, Browne is a tall and lumbering fighter, and in the event that he eats a shot and goes down, it is unlikely he will be able to get back to his feet with haste. Expect Kongo to come out and overwhelm his opponent en route to another TKO beat down in the first round.

John Hathaway vs Mike Pyle

Welterweight Division - 170lbs

Pyle is an experienced fighter, having fought names like Rampage, Jake Shields, Jon Fitch, and Shonie Carter, while accumulating a 19-7 record. Hathaway (Englishman) on the other hand has been fighting only 4 years and has been on a tear, going 14-0 since 2006.

Hathaway shocked much of the MMA world last May when he dominated perennial contender Diego Sanchez for three rounds. Another win here for Hathaway would almost certainly earn him a shot at an elite contender such as Fitch/Alves/Hardy/Condit/Shields/Kampmann (WW division is kinda stacked).

Pyle is 2-2 since entering into the UFC. He did defeat Jon Fitch when they fought, although it was back in 2002. Since then Pyle has shown a willingness to engage with anyone, but seems to always come out on the short end when facing top level opposition.

Pyle is one of those fighters who goes in and fights. With a strong BJJ background behind him, Pyle doesn't mind engaging on the feet or on the ground. In this bout against Hathaway, Pyle may be in a little over his head. Hathaway showed an incredibly strong wrestling game against Sanchez which we are NOT used to seeing from English fighters (wrestling has normally been their weak point). Hathaway has shown a good amount of power and technique on the feet as well, both of which will certainly cause problems for Pyle. Expect the Englishman to overwhelm Pyle early on the feet before dragging him to the mat and finishing him off with GnP, leaving him laying dead on the mat like a Pyle of shit. ...sorry, just had to get that one out. But seriously, Hathaway looks like the best fighter to come out of England thus far. This kid is legit.

Carlos Condit vs Dan Hardy

Welterweight Division - 170lbs

This fight is the main reason I will be watching this card. Hardy (Englishman) finds himself in the Octagon for the first time since dropping a 5 round decision to champion Georges St. Pierre. Hardy had been riding a 12 fight win streak up to that point, excluding a DQ loss in 2007 due to groin kicks. It will be interesting to see if the loss has shaken Hardy's confidence. Before the GSP fight, we heard plenty of trash talk out of the kid from Nottingham, but for this fight he has been a bit more quiet.

Former WEC welterweight champion Condit comes into this fight on the back of a potential Fight of the Year candidate when he defeated Rory MacDonald in June. If you haven't seen the fight I highly recommend watching it. Condit has always been a very entertaining fighter, showing a great killer instinct in the ring, and tremendous skill both striking and on the ground.

I'm very interested to see how this fight ultimately plays out. While Condit is down to bang with anyone on the feet, he doesn't have the best striking. He went toe to toe with Martin Kampmann for three rounds and lost via decision. Against a guy like Hardy, who relies almost entirely on his hands and his power, Condit probably won't make it three rounds if Hardy is able to connect flush. This means Condit's best bet is to take Hardy to the ground. Rarely one to finish a fight with ground and pound, Condit relies more on his slick ground game to pull off any submission he can get a hold of. Condit's one problem is that he takes big risks when going for submissions. Rather than maintaining dominant positions and trying to pass, Condit has been known to make wild attempts at armbars and triangle chokes as well as trying to secure his opponent's back. Having only been submitted 3 times in 30 fights, Hardy has shown a great ability to escape submissions, especially armbars (watch his fight against GSP). If this fight goes as I expect, which I really hope it does, it will be a back and forth war between Hardy and Condit, going from exchanges on the feet to transitions on the ground back to the feet and back down to the mat until the bell sounds at the end of the third round. Almost a guaranteed fight of the night, can't wait for this one. I'm 100% rooting for Condit in this one, but from an analytical standup, I think Hardy will take it.

MAIN EVENT

Michael Bisping vs Yoshihiro Akiyama

Middleweight Division - 185lbs

It honestly disgusts me that this is a main event. Akiyama, also known as "Sexyama", has an enormous gathering in Japan. I suspect the reason he is on the main event is to attract that Japanese audience. I mean, the guy lost his last bout against Chris Leben, and now he's in the main event? Come on.

Bisping (Englishman) hasn't been any more impressive. After defeating Chris Leben in 2008, Bisping was 3-0 in the middleweight division and on the verge of a title shot. He then got the Hendo Hammer from Hell - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzP91Rn0wSE&feature=related, how about a slow-mo replay - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHHX0YboWTM.

So anyways, Bisping got KTFO and is now 2-2 since that win against Leben. If he wants any chance of staying relevant in the MW division, he needs a win here over Akiyama. Even though this division is pretty thin right now, Bisping hasn't really impressed anyone recently and is pretty much on everyone's shit list. On the other hand, is Bisping wins, he could be looking at potential fights against Okami/Marquardt, Leben, Belcher, or Maia. Sadly, those are the elite fighters right now in the UFC MW division. No wonder Anderson Silva has been giving everyone golden showers.

On to the fight. Though Bisping doesn't have much power in his hands, his strength has always been his ability to put together combinations using his hands, feet, knees and anything else he can throw at you. Similar to Nick Diaz, he aims to wear down his opponents through an accumulation of shots, not just one big blow. Sadly, Akiyama is able to take a hell of a shot. In his bout with Leben, Akiyama went toe to toe with the Crippler for almost three rounds, eating shots and firing right back. If your unaware, Chris Leben has blocks of cement for hands. If this kid hits you clean, you're going to sleep, end of story. This means Akiyama should have no problem eating whatever shots Bisping throws at him while firing shots right back.

Akiyama's greatest strength lies in his grappling. A highly accomplished judo practitioner, Akiyama is the type of fighter who tends to abandon any gameplan and just let the fight go wherever it goes. Because of this attitude, many times he ends up not even using his judo and instead throwing punches. As far as this fight goes, Bisping is good at staying on his fight, and if taken down, good at getting back up. So while Akiyama holds a substantial advantage in the clinch department, it probably won't be too much of a factor. I expect these guys to stand and exchange for three rounds. I don't know if either of them has enough power to put the other one away, but there is definitely a chance that this one ends with a TKO at some point. I see Akiyama taking it, due to the fact that he outworked both Alan Belcher and Chris Leben on the feet, and if Akiyama IS able to execute a judo throw or two, they could be very beneficial in winning rounds.

So there it is, five free UFC bouts, four of which feature English bastards, to feast your eyes on this Saturday. While these fights do have promise to be exciting, it's a shame that none of them have any immediate title implications. Any of the winners from this card will probably need at least 2 more victories before they could earn a shot at the title, especially the Hardy-Condit and Hathaway-Pyle fights due to the fact the welterweight division is absolutely loaded with talent. Keep on eye on not only Hathaway, but also upcoming welterweights Ricky Story and Mike Pierce, as they have been slowly working their ways up through the division and crushing everyone in their path.

I have to say, I am much more excited to post my predictions for next week's UFC event which has title implications in almost every bout. Honestly all five fights on the main card are more interesting than the Bisping vs Akiyama matchup. There is also actually a title fight on the card, which is good news to hear since the UFC is having more and more cards featuring non-title fights as the main event. Anyways, tune in this Saturday to at least check out Hardy and Condit go to war. I was right when I told everyone to watch Jose Aldo, so do the right thing, and watch the free event.

LW - Edgar, Florian, Ross Pearson, "Baby" Joe Lauzon
WW - Diaz bros, Kampmann, Koscheck, John Howard
MW - Wanderlei, Belcher
LHW - Rich Franklin, Rampage, Mousasi, Jon Bones
HW - Big Country, JDS, Brett Rogers, Todd Duffee

Strikeforce: Diaz vs Noons 2 Preview and Predictions

So I just remembered this event is happening tonight, and since it's on Showtime I figured a reasonable amount of people would be able to tune in. In the case that you are stuck in your home on a Saturday night, here's something to look forward to :).

Up to this point, I have only discussed UFC and it's sister promotion, WEC. Strikeforce is a California based MMA promotion, headed by CEO Scott Coker. After entering the MMA scene in March of 2006, Strikeforce has since grown, airing multiple events on Showtime as well as CBS. Strikeforce continues to sign talented fighters, but is suffering from severe lack of depth in several divisions. Since the promotion only puts on events every 6-8 weeks, similar to WEC, they are able to get away with using many of the same fighters in their events. Now that you are a little bit more informed on the organization itself, lets get into it.

Before watching this event, be prepared for the notable change in commentary. Many fans of MMA are accustomed to hearing the voices of Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg, the usual UFC voices. Either them or the voices of fighter-analysts such as Frank Mir or Kenny Florian. Strikeforce on the other hands brings forth Mauro Renallo, Frank Shamrock, and usually Gus Johnson/Bill Goldberg. Renallo, a former Pride FC announcer, may sound familiar to any long time fans. He is well known for adding excitement to the fight with his inflection. Frank Shamrock tends to find a way to relate anything going on to himself, or one of his fights. Seeing as how he lost to Diaz in the past, expect to hear him reference that fight many times tonight. Gus Johnson is a joke and should be allowed nowhere near an MMA microphone. When Seth Petruzelli KO'd Kimbo Slice a couple years back, Johnson dubbed the performance "the greatest upset in MMA history". That's enough outta you, Gus. And so, on to the FIGHTS!

Starting off, in the welterweight division (170lbs)

Tyron Woodley vs Andre Galvao

This is a fight featuring two of the more promising upcoming fighters in this division. Woodley is a powerful wrestler who has been able to adapt his game successfully to mixed martial arts, while also developing solid enough boxing to hold his own against most in the division on their feet. On the other hand, Galvao is a high level Jiu-Jitsu competitor who is always dangerous off his back. Each of these young fighters are looked to elevate themselves into the upper echelon of the division and eventually challenge for the welterweight title.

Although Galvao boasts a very prominant Brazilian JJ background, he isn't the best fighter off his back. A fighter who relies on clinching up with his opponent and taking them down, Galvao is most comfortable fighting from the top and passing. Against a strong wrestler like Woodley, Galvao is going to not only have trouble taking his opponent down, but will also have trouble fighting off any takedowns which Woodley might attempt.

The outcome of this fight strongly depends on where Woodley wants to take it. A fighter who has been improving with each and every outing, Woodley holds an advantage on both the feet and on the ground. I expect Woodley to work his boxing game early. If Galvao is in trouble, I see him trying to clinch up along the fence, before Woodley is able to win the grappling match and get his foe on the mat. For a wrestler, Woodley has shown great submission offense, winning 4 of his last 5 fights via tap out. While he may have more trouble submitting someone like Galvao, expect Woodley to use smothering wrestling and Ground n Pound to finish Galvao off somewhere around the second round, if not the first.

Josh Thomson vs Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante

Lightweight Division (155lbs)

From 2006 thru 2008, these two fighters stood atop the lightweight rankings. Both powerful wrestlers, these guys seemed like they couldn't be stopped. From June 9, 2006 until September 20, 2008, Thomson went 8-0, finishing 6 of his opponents. From May 3, 2006 until April 28, 2008, JZ went 7-1-1. Since then they have both only fought twice in the past two years, being sidelined with injuries for long periods of time.

Thomson fought in both the UFC and Pride before finally finding a home with Strikeforce. A powerful wrestler, "the Punk" has shown a very powerful wrestling game and a willingness to trade with anyone on the feet. Check out his second fight with Gilbert Melendez. After losing his LW title at the end of 2009, Thomson is ready to fight his way back up to the top of the division for a potential rubber match against champion Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez.

JZ made a name for himself in Japan, fighting with K-1 HERO'S and Dream. Cavalcante is known for his smothering Jiu-Jitsu game. Also boasting tout kickboxing, JZ is a threat wherever the fight goes. Having constantly been doubted due to facing "lesser competition", this is Cavalcante's chance to prove himself as a legit contender in this division.

If you've watched Thomson's fights with Melendez, this bout has the potential to go very similar to those. Both of these fighters likes to push a fast pace, and seem to have cardio for days. I expect to see them come out and begin engaging on the feet. While JZ may have a more methodical approach, look for Thomson to let his hands go in attempts to fluster his opponent. The real question for this bout is whether Cavalcante can get Thomson down to the ground. If so, he will most likely be able to lay on Thomson, pass his guard, and work some GnP. If JZ is unable to get the fight on the mat, Thomson may very well have the advantage on the feet. This should be a very exciting fight and I'm expecting it to take FOTN.

Sarah Kaufman vs Marloes Coenan

Women's 135lb Championship

Due to the fact that Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos has been demolishing every woman to step foot in the cage with her at 145lbs, Strikeforce has decided to develop a 135lb division for all the other ladies who enjoy throwing fists.

Coenan was absolutely battered by Cyborg in January of this year, and hasn't fought since. She is 1-2 in her past three fights, and is in desperate need of a win to stay relevant in the growing pool of female fighters.

Kaufman is 12-0, 4-0 since entering Strikeforce. After winning her first 3 bouts via decision, Kaufman ended her last fight via KO Slam.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoZQjC-uTvw

While women's MMA is still growing, I find it hard to get interested in it. The level of talent is still extremely low, as evidenced by Cyborg's ability to seriously beat the shit out of all her opponents. I also don't really enjoy watching two women punch each other in the face, because it usually ends up looking like any typical high school cat fight, with the girl's sort of turning their heads away while they throw pawing-like slaps rather than straight punches.

I don't really have much more input on this one. Kaufman by TKO?

Nick Diaz vs Karl James "KJ" Noons

Welterweight Championship (170lbs)

These two have fought once before, on November 10, 2007. Almost three years later, they meet again. The first bout was purely a stand-up battle, with Noons picking Diaz apart. Noons, an accomplished boxer turned MMA fighter, relies almost entirely on his hands. Diaz, a scrappy fighter from the mean streets of Stockton, CA, boasts a dynamic Jiu-Jitsu game, but is always willing to exchange with anyone on the feet. Diaz loves to fight, plain and simple. This one characteristic may ultimately lead to his downfall.

Since defeating Diaz in 2007, Noons would fight once more in 2008 before devoting himself entirely to boxing for 2 years. After going 4-1, all fights ending in decision, Noons decided he wanted to compete once again as an MMA fighter. Since returning to Strikeforce in 2010, he is 3-0, including his most recent TKO victory over Jorge Gurgel in August.

Diaz has also been on a tear, having gone 7-0 since his loss to Noons. With names such as Sakurai, Shamrock, Scott Smith and Marius Zaromskis under his belt, Diaz has solidified himself as a prominent welterweight.

As I mentioned, Noons is an accomplished boxer who relies on quick combinations and counter punches to literally pick his opponents apart. When he fought Diaz he opened up several cuts on Nick's face which eventually led to the fight being stopped. Noons has shown very little ground ability in his MMA fights, but has still been able to accrue an impressive record with solely his standup.

After losing his fight against Noons due to cuts, Diaz underwent extensive re-constructive surgery to replace scar tissue around his eyes. Most likely due to quick, cheap stitch jobs following fights, Diaz had a lot of built up scar tissue on his face which resulted in the skin being cut open much easier. This new surgery has replaced that scar tissue and should allow Diaz to exchange without the chance of being busted up.

Diaz will most likely come out throwing his hands, which he loves to do. Diaz loves to use his jab to paw and pepper his opponent. Although these punches don't have much power behind them, they eventually take their toll and really ware down fighters. Unfortunately, Noons should have similar success countering and landing shots on Diaz. In order to win this fight, Diaz HAS to take it to the ground. He holds a profound advantage in this department and would easily be able to exploit KJ's pitiful ground defense.

These guys definitely have a lot of animosity towards one another, so expect them to come out throwing punches early. If Diaz gets in trouble, which he most likely will, his best bet will be to take it to the floor. Diaz should have a strength advantage since this bout is at his normal 170lbs, while the first bout was at 160, which made it easier for Noons to shrug off takedown attempts from the weaker Diaz. It all comes down to whether or not Diaz is willing to accept the fact that Noons is the better boxer, and to take the fight to the ground where he will have the upper hand.

While this card only features 4 bouts, it still has a lot of promise. Woodley is sure to be a big name in the division within the next year or so, and it's always fun to watch a prospect coming up through the ranks. Thomson and Cavalcante makes for a great bout and should be very exciting. I don't care about women's MMA. Diaz and Noons should also be a great rematch, with a lot of fireworks on the feet.

Movie Reviews

It's 5 o'clock on a Wednesday and the weather is disgusting outside. Since I have nothing better to do, I figured I will post a few reviews of movies I have seen recently. If you're interested in seeing any of these movies, check out these reviews. I'll try not to give anything away.

Devil

As I sat in my seat for this movie, I wasn't expecting very much. Shyamalan has consistently put out nothing but pure garbage since the release of Sixth Sense. Even Signs, considered good by some, was ruined by Shyamalan's pitiful ending. Regardless of my expectations, I was interested in finding out who the Devil was going to be.

In one of the opening scenes, we are shown a long slow-motion take of each of the five "victims" entering into a large building. I personally think it is very obvious from this initial scene who the Devil is. From here we see each of the victims take their place on the elevator, and let the show begin.

The film is shot from two perspectives, that of the people in the elevator, and another from the POV of two security guards and a police officer who are watching the whole thing unfold via security cameras. This is where I find the first flaw. Shyamalan loses a lot of the suspense that is building in the elevator by bringing the viewers outside. The five people in the elevator are suffering from fear, claustrophobia, anxiety, etc. By keeping the viewers in the elevator with them, it makes us feel like we're in there with them. Unfortunately much of this tension is lost due to multiple perspectives.

The acting is acceptable, at best. None of the actors does a great job of adding emotion or suspense to their role, but merely just reading lines and acting clueless. It isn't until the final five minutes of the movie that the acting becomes almost laughable as the Devil is revealed while the others lay witness.

Shyamalan loses any sense of horror or suspense in this movie due to the constantly shifting point of view, lack of viewable violence (all damage done takes place in the dark so as to keep the identity of the Devil unknown), and mediocre acting. Another typical M. Night ending leaves all hope for a good movie in ruins. Don't waste your time on this hellacious piece of crap.

GRADE: S for SHITTY SHIT

Let Me In

So I have never seen the original of this movie, a Swedish film called "Let The Right One In". Apparently they are pretty damn similar, but the American version is said to have enough tweaks to help it stand as its own.

We are introduced to Owen, a poor frail bastard who reminded me of Billy Elliott. From the get-go we are told that his parents are planning on splitting up. As if things aren't bad enough at home, Owen resides in a dreary town in New Mexico where the ground is always coated in fresh snow. Before you start to get jealous of this kid's lifestyle, here's the best part. Every day at school he is tormented by three boys who seem to have matured earlier than young Owen.

It isn't until Owen meets Abby, a girl who has just moved in next door, that he finally feels he has a true friend. Unfortunately, although actually it is quite fortunate, Abby is something much different. She's a vampire!

Chloe Moretz, who plays Abby and also Hit Girl from "Kick-Ass", delivers a laudable performance as the innocent yet brooding girl next door. Kody Smit-McPhee does a terrific job as the pitiful weakling Owen. The film uses the bullying of Owen to draw an obvious emotional response from the audience, which in turn leads to a positive reaction once Owen and Abby begin to interact.

The film starts with a great base for a good horror film. Get the audience emotionally attached to the protagonist, and then start having crazy, scary shit happen to them. It usually works every time. Except this time. Poor CGI results in several of the more graphic scenes of the film to appear somewhat comedic and even laughable. In turn, this takes away from the evil that is Abby's character. While the idea of a young girl who needs blood to survive may sound chilling, the film tends to miss in areas that could have been more chilling.

All in all the film was interesting, and did get somewhat of a reaction out me. But ultimately it wasn't very scary, and it just left me wanting more at the end. And I don't mean wanting more in the sense that I wished it was longer, just feeling that the movie could have done more with what it had been building in the first thirty minutes.

GRADE: C

The Social Network

Coming into this film, my expectations were rather split. On one hand we have David Fincher, director of Fight Club, Se7en, Benjamen Button... and Aaron Sorkin, writer of A Few Good Men and West Wing to name a couple. On the other hand, we have Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. Little did I know what I was in for.

We are introduced to the character of Mark Zuckerberg right off the bat. Be prepared, he talks fast. This opening conversation with his girlfriend is crucial to understanding exactly what Mark Zuckerberg is like as a person, from his mannerisms, his demeanor, his directness, and his overall perception of the college world around him to the root of what truly motivates him. Watch closely, because you are witnessing one of the most brilliant minds to ever be portrayed on the big screen since John Nash (A Beautiful Mind).

Following the conversation, Mark rushes across campus to his dorm. It's at this point that the score, created by NIN member Trent Reznor, will have a profound effect on the film. We find Zuckerberg in his dorm, drinking a beer and posting obscenities about his ex girlfriend online. Zuckerberg then creates a website in which students compare female undergrads based on looks. The site attracts so much attention it causes the school network to overload. What follows is an amazingly fast paced adventure through the story that is The Social Network. This movie covers topics from love, friendship, creation, triumph and fortune to greed, jealousy, betrayal, and destruction.

Fincher does an amazing job of telling this story, in a movie where it is actually effective to use multiple viewpoints. (You hear that M. Night?) Fincher tells the story by first showing us the events as they unfolded. In between each major set of events, we are brought into separate depositions between Zuckerberg, lawyers, and those who are against him. At first I was wary of this idea, as I thought it might seem too confusing. I was wrong. Fincher does a great job of posing questions in these depositions, then showing us the events, leaving the viewer to decide who acted in a just manner, and whether or not Facebook was in fact stolen.

The writing of Sorkin must also be credited in the sense that the film is never biased towards any party. It shows us the events unfolding from the points of view of Zuckerberg, his partner Eduardo Saverin, the Winklevoss twins, Sean Parker, and others who were involved. At the sime time, the dialogue is amazing. The fast talking Zuckerberg displays levels of wit and crude explanation that at times left me unable to do anything but just chuckle to myself and say "Wow."

I was blown away by Eisenberg in this film. If you've seen Zombieland, and your expected to see the quiet, mild-mannered coward headed to Columbus, you're in for a treat. Eisenberg delivers a performance definitely deserving of a nod. His quick talking, confident persona is great, while you can still sense his incredibly high levels of insecurity and fear. It is an absolute treat watching as Zuckerberg slowly creates thefacebook, from aspects such as relationship status to the all telling Wall, from minor interactions in his dorm all the way to Silicon Valley.

I was also very pleased with the acting of Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Severin, who gives a great second half performance in this film. The relationship between Severin and Zuckerberg is a pivotal part of the film and very interesting.

Justin Timberlake also delivers as Napster inventor Sean Parker, who comes in to speak with Zuckerberg about expansion. JT does a solid job as the professional, yet still party-crazed, Parker.

There is so much to this movie that it isn't until after you leave the theatre and take it all in that you'll realize what you just witnessed.. I will say that the final scene of this movie is absolutely genius. Whether it came from the mind of Sorkin or Fincher, it is rare that you see a final scene really delve into the true character of the protagonist, and that is what happens here. The jealousy, the duplicity, the manipulation, every aspect of Zuckerberg's character is epitomized in the final scene.

This movie truly speaks to our generation. The generation of people who grew up playing video games and going from Napster to Kazaa to Myspace to Facebook and everything in between. Also as a recent college grad, it's great not only seeing this film take place in a college setting, but also the way Zuckerberg views the college experience. I would absolutely recommend this movie to any viewer of any age group. A magnificently written, directed, and edited film. Expect to see this one a lot at next year's Academy Awards.

GRADE: A

So those are my quick reviews. Still a little rusty, getting the hang of critiquing again. Hope these helped you if you were thinking about seeing any of those three films.