Greg Clark's fight predictions are almost here

Many MMA Fever regulars such as Adam Pattenden, Michel Dubuc, Anthony Bastone, and Augustus Amul have been itching for Greg Clark's UFC 67 fight predications.

Don't worry MMA Fever Fans I have it on good word that Greg is finishing off his predictions and you will see them very SOON!.

We appreciate your patience and your continued support.

Colonel Balz

Dana White to fight Tito Ortiz

Everyone knows that Tito Ortiz and Dana White don't like each other but did you know that in Tito's contract he is guaranteed a 3 round 3 minute boxing match against Dana White which should occur in the next few months?

Listen to Dana White's predication on the Fight care of NBC sports.

Pride Fighters are Better than UFC Fighters

I said it because it's true. Pride has real fighters with more skill than the UFC. The UFC is still a young organization that is yet to match the talent that Pride has in its ordinary fighters.

Why is it that Dana White is desperate for fresh skilled hired guns from Pride... because his current crop of UFC fighters need a real dose of reality and I don't mean another season of The Ultimate Fighter which, has diluted the UFC with mediocre to average fighters in comparison to Pride fighters. GSP excluded of course ;)

Last summer, the Pride Boss said his Pride fighters will devour the UFC fighters well, we will see when Cro Cop and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson show us on Saturday for UFC 67.

Dana White is smart to inject the UFC with a little Pride. It's about time!

Don't believe me? Check this out.

The Worst MMA Fighter of All Time

I thought it would be fun to determine who is the worst MMA fighter of all time and boYz its not Heath Herring.

My research consistently pointed me to:

Joseph "The Ho Bag" Bochenek.

Sites such as Sherdog and Subfighter pointed to the "Ho Bag".

Who is this "Ho Bag" and why was he the worst MMA fighter of all time????

The only thing we know about the "Ho Bag" is his record in which he was submitted in every single fight! What a fawking champ.

I coundn't even find a picture on this dude.

Well here is the Hobag's Record:

0 - 10 - 0 (Win - Loss - Draw)
Losses: 10 Submissions (100.00%)

More to the point the Hobag was submitted on average in 46 seconds.

The longest the Hobag has lasted in a fight was a 1 minute and 26 seconds at RITC 8 - Rage in the Cage 8.

Reality check - Travis Lutter

Travis Lutter could go from Ultimate Fighter TV star to champ








Travis Lutter speaks out with Mike Chiappetta of NBC about his upcoming fight with Anderson Silva at UFC 67.

Q: Anderson Silva has obviously looked dominant in his two UFC matches so far. How do you go about beating him?
A: Shoot in, take him down, beat him the in head until he gives up.

UFC 67 Fight Predictions – Colonel Balz

UFC 67 Fight Predictions – Colonel Balz
January 31, 2007.

Anderson Silva Vs. Travis Lutter

Anderson Silva is a Brazilian professional MMA fighter and the current UFC Middleweight Champion. He is also the current Cage Rage World Middleweight Champion. The spider has a record of 17 wins (10 by knockout, 5 by submission), and 4 draws.

Travis Lutter is an American MMA fighter who we remember from Ultimate Fighter 4. Travis has a record of 12 wins (1 by knockout, 7 by submission) and 3 losses

Anderson’s striking skills will surely “Franklin” Lutter. The 185 Pound Brazilian superstar whose hero is Spiderman should have his way with the out classed Lutter. Anderson will knock out Lutter in the second round.


Mirko Cro Cop Vs. Eddie Sanchez

I was watching the pre fight hype shows on Spike last night and its hilarious how little video Spike had on Mirko. I have heard that Pride is being stingy in providing Video on Cro Crop and I don’t blame them. The UFC website does not even have a picture of Cro Cop yet. Mirko joining the UFC was a huge loss for Pride as Mirko is the second best Heavyweight in the world. Fedor of Pride is the only other contender in Mirko’s class. UFC Dana White is a smart man and he is bringing in the talent. See a recent post where Dana White responds to questions about the possibility of Pride fighters crushing UFC champions.

Mirko has an MMA record of 21 wins, 4 losses, and 2 draws. Mirko is a Croatian killer with the ability to knock your head off with either his hands or his legs.

Eddie is a decent fighter with heavy hands however he is fodder for the Hammer.

I believe Mirko will knock Eddie out in the first round. Mirko and spike will be looking for a big splash. If you felt last nights Spike TV showing of Mirko was lacking have a look at a recent post provided from MMA Fever’s contributor Greg Clark where you see both Mirko and Fedor GET IT ON!.


Quinton Jackson Vs. Marvin Eastman

Marvin "The Beastman" Eastman is mixed martial arts fighter with a background in collegiate wrestling and muay thai. Marvin has a record of 13 wins (4 by knockout, 2 by submission), six losses, and 1 draw. One of thoses wins came against Quinton Jackson in a decision back in 2000.
Quinton Jackson is a heavy hitting mixed martial artist who also has a backgrond in collegiate wrestling. Quinton has a record of 25 wins , 6 losses, and 0 draws. Quinton has fought some of the best figthers in the Pride organization and has won against the likes of Kevin Randleman and Chuck Liddell.

Eastman is 38 years old and is a part time fighter at this juncture of his career.

Rampage who is 28 years is a full time fighter who is hungry for revenge. Rampage has spent most of his career in Pride and has fought a better caliber of fighters.

Look for the younger fighter Quinton in his UFC debut to knock out Eastman in the second or third round. Rampage will prove to be too strong and will have his revenge over Eastman.


John Halverson vs. Roger Huerta

Roger “El Matador” Huerta is coming off a win against Jason Dent in UFC 63 Penn vs. Hughes. Roger has a record of 17 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw.

John Halverson has a record of 13 wins and 4 losses. John is known to be heavy handed and well rounded.

Huerta should put on a good show and will take this fight.


Patrick Cote vs. Scott Smith

Patrick Cote is a Canadian MMA fighter with a record of 8 wins (3 by knockout, 3 submission) and 3 losses. Patrick currently repertoire includes Kick boxing, wrestling, and Brazilian Jui Jitsu.

Patrick is friends and trains periodically with GSP. GSP and Patrick Cote train out of Quebec City in the newly formed nation of Quebec. Patrick is a favorite of MMA Fever regular Michel Dubuc.

Scott is an American MMA fighter who recently appearred in the Ultimate Fighter: The Comeback where he lost to Travis Lutter in the quarter finals. Scott has a record of 12 wins, 2 losses, and no draws. Scott has a background in Wrestling and will attempt to take this fight to the ground which will be a mistake against Cote who is versed in submission.

Patrick is a well rounded fighter and he has faced some tough opponents like Tito Ortiz over his career. Patrick took a beating from Ortiz and lasted the entire fight showing his toughness.

Look for Patrick to dominate this fight and win in the second round.

Here are the rest of my predictions:


Terry Martin Vs. Jorge Rivera
Jorge recently came off a win against Edwin Dewees in Nov 2006 with a TKO.
Jorge Rivera will be winner against Terry who?


Frankie Edgar Vs. Tyson Griffin
Winner: Tyson Griffen


Sam Hoger Vs. Lyoto Machida
Sam recently has lost to both Rashad Evans and Stephan Bonnar. The loss to Rashad was a split decision.

Look for the 8-0 Lyoto Machida to take this fight.

Diego Saraieva Vs. Dustin Hazelett

Look for Dustin to take this fight.

Cro Cop Brings Pride to UFC 67

MMA fans who are down with the sickness are eagerly anticipating the debut of Mirko Cro Cop in the UFC at UFC 67 - All or Nothing. I went over to the UFC website to see Cro Cop's profile and I was disappointed that they didn't have a picture of the K1 Kickboxing and Pride superstar.

That's OK, MMA Fever fans can get their fill right here to catch up on the MMA phenom and crowd favorite. Cro Cop has fought the very best in the world in the heavyweight divisions such as Fedor Emilianenko, Aleksander Emilianenko, Wanderlei Silva, Josh Barnett, Kevin Randleman, Heath Herring and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira to name a few.

Cro Cop last fought September 10, 2006 and dropped Wanderlei Silva with a devastating left leg kick to the side of the head. I've also added below, another highlight in Cro Cop's career that shows the immediate defeat of Fedor's brother, Aleksander Emilianenko at Pride Final Conflict 2004.

UFC fans will see a very different style of fighting that I predict will leave them wanting more from Cro Cop and also other fighters. Cro Cop will change the landscape of UFC fighting much the same as Anderson Silva has with his Muay Thai skills and Royce Gracie before him with the introduction of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu which is now a mandatory staple in every UFC fighter's arsenal.

Get ready for UFC 67... Hey Eddie Sanchez, duck!

UFC 67 Predictions by MMA Girls

Colonel Balz and I will have our own UFC 67 Picks posted soon, so in the meantime, we would like to bring to you another installment of the MMA Girls giving us their UFC 67 predictions.

Adam Pattenden, MMA Fever fan, this one is for you...



If you want to see more of the MMA Girls, be sure to check out their MMA instructional videos and let the MMA Girls Show You How.

I am sure that you will not be disappointed. Enjoy!

Ultimate Fight Night 8 Payouts

The Florida State Boxing Commission has released the fighter payouts for the Ultimate Fight Night Live event held at the Seminole Hard Rock in Florida on January 25th.

It amazes me how little the fighters receive especially those who lose their bouts like Sean Salmon who only pulled in 3 grand for becoming a UFC highlight reel and wetting the taste of new UFC fans because of The Kick Heard Round the World. There's got to be a better way to make a living, ya think?

Some of this will shock you...

Rashad Evans — $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win)
Sean Salmon — $3,000

Jake O’Brien — $18,000 ($9,000 to show, $9,000 to win)
Heath Herring — $6,000

Hermes Franca — $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win)
Spencer Fisher — $13,000

Nathan Marquardt — $44,000 ($22,000 to show, $22,000 to win)
Dean Lister — $11,000

Josh Burkman — $14,000 ($7,000 to show, $7,000 to win)
Chad Reiner — $3,000

Ed Herman — $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win)
Chris Price — $3,000

Din Thomas — $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win)
Clay Guida— $5,000

Rich Clementi — $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)
Ross Pointon — $5,000

UFC President Dana White responds to questions about the possibility of Pride Fighters coming to the UFC and crushing current UFC champions.

Dana White says: "Let's see if they run wild..."

UFC 67 Fight Card Set

Finally, the UFC has confirmed their fight card for UFC 67. I've been holding off on my UFC 67 predictions because fight cards are notorious for changing at the last moment.

I am disappointed that the UFC had not done its homework like MMA Fever and its fans. Apparently, the Machida fight will not be broadcast. Instead, it will be replaced with a couple of lightweights in John Halverson Vs. Roger Huerta

Huh? Why would the UFC bump a Light Heavyweight bout for a Lightweight bout? More to the point, why would the UFC not showcase Ryoto "Lyoto" Machida who happens to be the first person to lay a serious beating on Rich Franklin to record Rich's first MMA loss in his career?

Did I mention that Ryoto "Lyoto" Machida was the first to KTFO Rich Franklin?

I am not impressed with this decision by the UFC however, it will not deter me from watching UFC 67 because I have to see Anderson Silva, Cro Cop and Rampage Jackson.

Here is the finalized UFC 67 fight card:

Anderson Silva 17-4-0 Vs. Travis Lutter 12-3-0

Middleweight Championship bout

John Halverson 13-4-0 Vs. Roger Huerta 17-1-1

Lightweight bout

Mirko Cro Cop 21-4-2Vs. Eddie Sanchez 8-0-0

Heavyweight bout

Quinton Jackson 25-6-0 Vs. Marvin Eastman 13-6-1

Light Heavyweight bout

Patrick Cote 9-4-0 Vs. Scott Smith 12-2-0

Middleweight bout

Sam Hoger 6-2-0 Vs. Lyoto Machida 8-0-0

Light Heavyweight bout - May not be broadcast

Terry Martin 16-2-0 Vs. Jorge Rivera 14-5-0

Middleweight bout - May not be broadcast

Frankie Edgar 5-0-0 Vs. Tyson Griffin 8-0-0

Lightweight bout - May not be broadcast

The UFC is taking over the UK

UFC Launches UK Website

To bolster its expansion efforts overseas in the United Kingdom, the UFC has created a dedicated microsite for British fans.

With UFC 70 planned for April 21 at the Manchester Evening News Arena (M.E.N.) in Manchester, England, as well as the increasing effort to sign European talent, offering a dedicated site is a logical next step.

Promintently displayed is the UK favorite Michael Bisping who recently won against Eric Schafer in UFC 66 Liddel Ortiz.

O Canada, We Stand on Guard For Georges St.Pierre

Yes we do stand on guard for the most dynamic MMA fighter in the UFC. Georges St.Pierre is going to stay with the UFC for a while due to a recent contract extension that commits him to a 6-fight deal and a lot of bank to go with it.

Published: Sunday, January 28, 2007 3:50 PM ET
Canadian Press: NEIL DAVIDSON

(CP) - Canadian mixed martial arts champion Georges St. Pierre has signed a new six-fight deal that will make him one of the top-five earners in the UFC, his manager confirmed Sunday.

While the UFC only has five champions, it boasts some high-priced talent without a title in the shape of heavyweights Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic and Randy (The Natural) Couture, light-heavyweight Tito (Huntington Beach Bad Boy) Ortiz and former welterweight champion Matt Hughes.

St. Pierre had two fights left on his existing contract when he dethroned longtime title-holder Hughes at UFC 65 in Sacramento, Calif., on Nov. 18.

Both St. Pierre's camp and the UFC were keen to sign him to a upgraded long-term deal in the wake of his championship win.

The 25-year-old from Montreal is already one of UFC's most popular fighters. At 13-1, with an impressive all-round set of skills, he is exciting to watch inside the cage. Outside, he is well-spoken and classy.

"(He's done) very well. We're very happy," manager Stephane Patry said about the new deal.

UFC fighter pay is hard to gauge, since the privately owned organization does not share financial details.

According to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, St. Pierre's purse for beating Hughes was US$58,000 - $29,000 plus a $29,000 win bonus. But for marquee fighters, the purse only tells part of the financial story, with contracts containing other lucrative bonuses and clauses.

St. Pierre was to defend his title Saturday against Matt (The Terror) Serra at UFC 67 in Las Vegas but the bout was postponed after St. Pierre hurt his knee wrestling in training.

St. Pierre is back training but he has not yet been cleared to spar. He is due to see a specialist on Feb. 8 to have his knee checked out.

"We have seen specialists now and then and they don't think he will need surgery, so that's why we are very confident," Patry said from Montreal.

St. Pierre sprained his posterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments.
Patry says St. Pierre will now meet Serra on April 7 at UFC 69 in Houston if his health permits.

Champion and manager are both slated to attend UFC 67. Montreal middleweight Patrick Cote, another of Patry's charges, fights Scott Smith on the undercard of the middleweight title fight between champion Anderson Silva and Travis Lutter.

Lutter defeated Cote in November in the middleweight finale to Season 4 of The Ultimate Fighter reality TV show.

===================================================

Expect many women to be wearing T-shirts with the graphic below:

Wendel Clark Tribute

Hey, I'm from Toronto and the Leafs have not been the same since Wendel Clark left. Clark was the most feared grinder in his day and even goons like Bob Probert of the Red Wings wouldn't venture near him and when he did, he ducked and covered.

This belongs in MMA Fever because it stands as a reminder to MMA fighters to stop playing safe because you'll eventually meet your maker when you encounter another Wendel Clark-like fighter. Tough as nails.

A tribute to my namesake!

2.3 Million People Affected with MMA Fever

UFC's live "Fight Night" earned a rating share of 1.7

PRESS RELEASE - From PWTorch.com

ONE-TWO PUNCH OF SPIKE TV'S "PROS VS. JOES" AND "UFC FIGHT NIGHT" KNOCKS OUT THE COMPETITION ON JANUARY 25

More Men 18-34 Tune Into Season Premiere of "Pros vs. Joes" Than Anything Else on Television From 10:00-11:00pm

Second Most Watched UFC Fight Night Ever With 2.3 Million Viewers

New York, NY, January 29, 2007 – Spike TV's original programming one-two combo of the season premiere of "Pros vs. Joes" (10:00-11:00pm ET/PT) and a live "UFC Fight Night" (8:00-10:00pm) on Thursday, January 25 was a knockout victory for the network. "Pros vs. Joes" drew 900,000 Men 18-34 (3.3 rating) more than anything else on television (broadcast or cable) in the timeslot. The premiere tallied a total of 2.4 million viewers, the third most watched original series premiere in network history behind "Blade" and "The Ultimate Fighter 3" last year.

"Spike TV originals bring the kind of distinctive hard-hitting action that resonates with our young male audience, as evidenced by the ratings from Thursday," said Kevin Kay, General Manager, Spike TV.

Overall, "Pros vs. Joes" drew 1.89 HH rating, with a 2.57 in M18-49, a 1.63 in P18-49, a 3.32 in M18-34, and a 3.73 in M25-34. Compared to the timeslot last year, the show was up triple digits in every key demo including +340% in HH, +498% in M18-49, +462% in P18-49, +849% in M18-34, +767% in M25-34 and +374% in average audience.

Along with Men 18-34, the telecast was #1 in its 10:00-11:00pm timeslot in all of television in M18-24 and was #2 behind NBC in M25-34 and #3 in M18-49. The telecast was easily #1 in its timeslot vs. all cable competition in all male demos.

Leading into "Pros vs. Joes" was a hard-hitting "UFC Fight Night" that featured exciting victories by two of the sports' rising stars – light heavyweight Rashad Evans and lightweight Hermes Franca. The fight card drew 2.3 million viewers, the second highest "UFC Fight Night" ever behind Tito Ortiz-Ken Shamrock III last October. As usual, the UFC fight defeated the NBA (Mavericks vs. Bulls) on TNT (1.4 million viewers) and NCAA College basketball (Duke vs. Clemson) which tallied 1.5 million viewers on Thursday night. Also by comparison, the NHL's star-studded All-Star Game the night before on Versus drew 691,000 viewers, less than a third of Spike TV's UFC fight card audience.

The telecast was #1 in its 8:00-10:00pm timeslot in cable in the key demos of M18-34, M18-49, M25-34, and M18-24.

Overall "UFC Fight Night" drew a 1.70 HH rating, with a 2.00 in M18-49, a 2.25 in M18-34, and a 2.73 in M25-34. Compared to the timeslot last year, the event was up +43% in HH, +122% in M18-49, +181% in M18-34, +190% in M25-34 and +58% in average audience.

About Pros vs Joes

"Pros vs. Joes" features regular guys competing in a variety of sports against an incredible array of sports legends. Season two features many of sports' biggest and most talked-about athletes over the last twenty years including Michael Irvin, Eric Dickerson, Wade Boggs, Jose Canseco, Darryl Strawberry, Dave Winfield, Bruce Smith, Roy Jones Jr., Andre Reed, John Starks, Vince Coleman, Kordell Stewart, Andre Rison, Tim Hardaway, Grant Fuhr, Rob Dibble, Rik Smits, Will Clark, Spud Webb, Kevin Willis, Randy Couture, Mark Jackson, Claude Lemieux, Robby Ginepri, and Cobi Jones.

"Pros vs. Joes" is produced by Mess Media and MY Entertainment. Serving as executive producers are Scott Messick, President, Mess Media; Michael Yudin, President of MY Entertainment; and Joe Townley. Sharon Levy and Tim Duffy are Executives in Charge of Production for Spike TV.

About 1/25 UFC Fight Night

Spike TV's latest edition of "UFC Fight Night" from The Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida featured four live bouts with some of the UFC's rising stars. In the main event, Rashad Evans knocked out Sean Salmon with a devastating kick that sent a message to the entire light heavyweight division that the undefeated Evans is for real. Lightweight Hermes Franca looks to be headed for a title shot after an impressive 2nd round TKO over Spencer Fisher in the co-feature. Heavyweight Heath Herring shook off some rust to win in a decision over Jake O'Brien and Ed Herman posted an impressive victory over Chris Price in the other televised fights.

Spike TV is available in 91 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc.

UFC 67 - UFC's New Superstars??? Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Mirko Cro Cop

In preparation for this Saturday's UFC 67 here is something to get you going.

Enjoy and turn up the volume for the Cro Cop video.

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson



Mirko Cro Cop - Don't call this a come back.

MMA Girls Show You How

Dudes, are you lost with understanding all of the various moves that MMA has to offer? Well, the MMA Girls are here to show you what they are and how to do them.

For more instructional video from the MMA Girls, check out their site... no, really, check out their site :)

Colonel Balz, this one is for you.

An Insider's Look at the Business of the UFC

A very telling insider's report on the state of the UFC and the growing popularity of the sport of mixed martial arts in America and the world. If you want to know how we got here today, check out CNBC's video about the business of MMA and the UFC.



*** Be sure to click on the volume tab in the player next to Dailymotion to activate sound ***

Travis Lutter Will Lose at UFC 67

That's right, I said it, Travis Lutter will lose at UFC 67.

Why am I the only one who has a lead vest on that repels the strong marketing kryptonite that the UFC dishes out to us? When The Ultimate Fighter 4 - "The Comeback" first aired and the prize was a $100,000 contract with the UFC and the same amount in sponsorship monies from Xyience, I thought, "Alright, that's a nice chunk of change to give to a fighter to devote the next year on improving his skills".

Then, Dana White drops a bomb and says the winner of TUF4 in the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions will take on the UFC champions of those weight divisions in their first fight back into the UFC.

As Joe Rogan said at UFC Fight Night after Rashad Evans snapped his foot in Sean "smoked" Salmon's face, "WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!". I have a Personal Video Recorder from my cable company and I had to replay that over again just to make sure I heard it correctly and sure enough, I did with mouth dropped straight down to the floor.

I mean, come on, this is called "The Comeback" which, implies that they were once UFC fighters who didn't cut the mustard in the first go round and now they have a chance to fight other B-rated fighters to vie for a title shot with the respective champion of that weight division within the UFC. Are you kidding me?

Anderson "The Spider" Silva is a journeyman fighter born from the mean streets of Brazil. You see, there are only two sports in Brazil worth a damn and they are soccer and fighting. Just so you know, Silva doesn't play soccer. Here is a piece of Anderson Silva's Wiki page and could someone let Travis Lutter know that Silva is a Black Belt in BJJ.

"Although known primarily for his skills in Muay Thai, Silva is also a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which he earned in 2005 from Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.[2]"

What makes anyone think that Travis Lutter has a hope at all against someone who is solely responsible for Rich Franklin, the deposed Middleweight champion, having to resort to reconstructive facial surgery following his fight with Silva.

If Silva never fought Rich Franklin would you think Travis would have chance with him too? No way Jose! These guys aren't champions 'cause someone tapped them on the shoulder and asked if they wouldn't mind wearing the championship belt for a while until someone better comes along. No, they earned it by being the very best in their weight class. The VERY BEST.

I have seen and heard the hype that Travis Lutter has solid Jiu-Jitsu skills. Fine, but so do many others and didn't I mention that Anderson Silva was born and raised in Brazil where Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was born also? People, this is going to be another highlight and quick feather in the cap for Silva.

The only real reason why people would be interested in the fight is to see the devastating effect that Silva will have on another human being 'cause we are tired of watching the same two clips of him laying a beating on Franklin and Leben and hungry for more. Anderson will satisfy our thirst for blood and do what he does best, over deliver.

Here are two quotes from Travis Lutter on his upcoming fight with Silva:

"I don't see this fight going that long. I'm going to go in there, take him down and beat him up," said Lutter in a matter-of-fact tone that belies his confidence. "I don't like to fight that long. Hopefully, we'll get him out of there in two rounds."

'Hopefully', is the only word I took away from that quote. Why would Lutter inflate his chest, pound on it by stating that he will, "take him down and beat him up", then go on to use the word 'hopefully' which shows a lack of confidence. Hopefully?

Here is the other outrageous quote from Lutter:

"His takedown defense is probably the weakest part of his game," Lutter said. "I think his stand-up is incredible, and his jiu-jitsu's okay, with his wrestling being the biggest hole. My game plan is to get him down and beat him up just enough so he gives me something (for a submission)."

Anderson's take down defence exists at the end of his knee. Travis Lutter isn't quick enough to shoot on Silva. He's called the Spider for a reason you know? Lutter is projecting his own fight style on Silva and calling his wrestling the biggest hole. Well, Silva could tell Lutter that his Muay Thai is non-existent and that's HIS biggest hole.

I would be surprised if Lutter could get The Spider on his back. Shocked would a better word for it as I feel that Anderson will keep the fight standing with Lutter lying on the canvass in a stiffened state when Silva is done with him.

This isn't a comprehensive prediction of their upcoming fight at UFC 67 on February 3rd, it's just "the way it is and the way it's gonna be".

UFC 67 Middleweight Championship prediction: Anderson "The Spider" Silva!

Ultimate Fighting is a Pussy Cat Sport

The Kick Heard Round the World

If you missed the full version of "the kick heard round the world", check out Rashad Evans KO's Sean Salmon Video. Also, if you want to see Mirko Cro Cop chop down the Axe Murderer in the same fashion, check out Cro Cop Drops Wandy.

One more nuggett for you MMA Fever fans, The Best UFC Fight of 2006 with Matt Hughes dropping to the new Welterweight UFC Champion, Georges St.Pierre (GSP).

This is gonna be one hellava year for MMA!

Women in MMA - Warrior Nation

Gina Carano
Warrior Nation: Inside mixed martial arts

MSNBC has a new documentary series that takes a look inside the world of MMA. So far, there have been three episodes broadcasted. Most think of MMA as a man's world however, it is interesting to see how much influence and participation women have in the sport.

If you haven't seen any episodes yet, you are able to view the segments of the first two from the MSNBC site. The third installment focuses on Gina Carano, who fought in the first ever women's mixed martial arts bout in the state of Nevada.

Part II: Warrior Nation

Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz are profiled before their bout at UFC 66 on episode 4 on Tuesday, Jan 30.

Watch Warrior Nation on MSNBC, Tuesdays @ 10&11pm EST and Fridays at 11pm EST.








Warrior Nation Episode 3 Trailer:

Ultimate Fight Night 8 Predictions Aftermath

Well, there was a couple of stingers in the bunch however, I came out of Ultimate Fight Night 8 with 5-3 on my picks. My losers were at the hands of Din Thomas, Hermes Franca and Jake O'Brien and that's where this commentary will guide me.

Hermes Franca Vs. Spencer Fisher (Lightweight bout - 155Lbs)

Hermes Franca surprised me, the viewers and most of all, Spencer Fisher with the awkward right-handed haymaker thrown from below the side of his waist and landing squarely on Fisher's forehead. The Liddellish punch rocked Fisher as his legs instantly turned into rubber and looked to Franca for support except, that's the worst guy to help you stand up. Franca finished the semi-conscious Fisher with a flurry of finishing punches pinning Spencer up against the fence until the fight was called off by the referee.

The good news for Hermes Franca is that he now has a shot at the Lightweight title which currently resides with Sean "The Muscle Shark" Sherk. What can I say? Any fighter has a puncher's chance and Hermes proved the theory right on this night and it was his night to shine. Franca owned Fisher on the ground with his Boa-constrictor like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu moves. It was an exciting fight with lots of action that myself and the fans at the Seminole Hard Rock in Florida surely appreciated.




Heath Herring Vs. Jake O'Brien (Heavyweight bout - 206-265Lbs)

Booooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Come on! What was that? That was the worst display of MMA that I have seen since Dean Lister last fought. It appears that the UFC has joined forces with the WWE and now promotes wrestling matches. Now, don't get me wrong, wrestling is a tough sport and all and if you are into two sweaty dudes lying on each other for 15 minutes then you definitely got your fill with this cheesy bout. I'm just not into that, never was and never will be. Where was the 'mixed' in the mixed martial arts?

Heath Herring looked like he was out of shape and looked more like a dude who just strolled in from the Taco Bell with his ten gallon hat, long flowing coat and bloated appearance that some must have mistaken for an Elvis sighting. I couldn't believe with my own eyes that Heath couldn't sprawl or defend the takedown in anyway shape or form. He simply gave into the takedown like a fat kid gives into a pound of ice cream. I definitely blame Heath Herring for the loss and also his ignorance of the UFC rules when he was looking to Big John McCarthy and begging him to stand the fight up because Heath thought Jake wasn't showing any aggression.

Well Heath, welcome to the UFC and get this you Texas Lazy Horse, this isn't Pride you know? The UFC doesn't have yellow cards and the penalized fighter isn't docked 10% of the purse monies. The rounds are 5 minutes, not 10 minute rounds Heath so conditioning is the most critical factor in the faster pace of the UFC simply 'cause you have less time to get shit done. Come prepared next time or go and serve me some of those delicious Tacos from Taco Bell.

Jake "Irish" O'Brien, you epitomize the worst style of fighting that the UFC currently likes to showcase - Lay and Pray. That shit you pulled would have earned you a red card in Pride and you would have been kicked out of the building by the hoards of booing fans that salivate for action between the fighters and Pride rules give them exactly what they paid for.

Jake, you put the Irish to shame with your pussy fighting err... wrestling, duck and cover style of fighting. Your undefeated record is a joke and any Irishman would slap the green snot and bejezus out of you for fighting like a pufta panzie. Here's a tip, when you take your opponent down... DO SOMETHING! Be creative like ohhhh I don't know.... throw a punch? Stop hanging around Josh Koscheck and Matt Hamill. I hope you get KTFO by someone with real Irish spirit 'cause you suck. You deserve a beating for being a pussy and I hope Dana White (who you completely embarrassed on national TV with your boring fight style) sets you up with Mirko Cro Cop. I will pay to watch that and you become part of his human highlight footage.



Clay Guida Vs. Din Thomas (Lightweight bout - 155Lbs) not televised.

Unfortunately, I didn't see this fight because Spike did not televise the bout however, UFCMania was there and shared some interesting feedback on this fight to his readers:

"As expected, this fight was nonstop action. I mentioned last night that I thought Guida got robbed. I’ll backpedal on that statement a little bit, because the fight could have gone either way. It was just clear to me that Guida won two of three rounds. He pushed the pace, scored takedowns and drilled Thomas with a few hard shots.

Thomas, on the other hand, let Guida come to him and defended very nicely from his back. He attempted some tricky submissions from the bottom that would have most likely worked on a lesser fighter. “Dinyero” did pick Guida apart when standing, especially during rounds two and three. Guida fought a more complete fight, however, and he should have had his hand raised at the end. I have no idea how that was not at least a split decision. It was the fight of the night."




Final note to Dana White:

Dana, I am sure that you were embarrassed by the Heath Herring fight as I was too. There is a way to prevent this sort of wrestling match from happening again and it goes like this:

If the fighter with top control is not pressing the pace or being the aggressor within 3 seconds, have the referee stand the fighters up and give the fighter who was in top control a verbal warning.

If this should happen again, another verbal warning. A third occurrence and subsequent occurrences should result in losing a point for the round. You see, because you are using Nevada State Athletic commission, 10-9 scoring, this would act as a deterrent instead of a strategy for all Lay and Pray fighters. The LnP fighter would simply disappear and that would be good for the fans and good for the business of the UFC especially nationally televised events whose sole purpose is to promote Ultimate Fighting and bring in a wider audience and more future PPV buys.

Just a thought, please take it into consideration for us, the fans.

Randy Couture Vs. Sloppy Joes

Randy Couture is on the Spike TV series Pros Vs. Joes 2 which aired immediately following UFC Ultimate Fight Night 8 this past Thursday. Here is a video clip showing three ass clowns getting tossed around the octagon by a man 10 years their senior.

I was impressed with Randy's stamina after taking on three fresh Joes in a row. He looked like he could still continue. There is no way that I would ever do what the unsuspecting Joes did. I like my joints where they are, thanks!



Randy Couture shows Kevin James of King of Queens fame what reality programming is all about.

Anderson "The Spider" Silva Highlight

Not much is known about Anderson Silva in North America aside from the fact that he knocked the red out of Chris Leben's hair and took away Rich Franklin's sense of smell after he crushed his nose with his knee. Here is an Anderson Silva video clip that gets us up to speed with "The Spider".

This is my favorite Anderson Silva clip. It's short but impressive!

King of Queens MMA Special

Kevin James plays the lead role in the hit comedy series King of Queens and is also a huge MMA Fever fan, ah..., MMA fan. Kevin can usually be seen ringside at all the major UFC matches and we are happy that the modern day Jackie Gleason is an MMA nut just like us.

Here is an episode of King of Queens with a few familiar faces like Randy Couture, Dan Henderson, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Frank Trigg (with hair) doing what they do best to Doug and his gang.

Joe Rogan Verbally Submits a Heckler

Joe Rogan shows how to handle a heckler. Most know Joe as the Fear Factor guy and the UFC commentator guy but most never knew about his sharp stand-up comedy career. Joe should give lessons to Michael "Cosmo Kramer" Richards 'cause he knocked this one out of the building and had fun doing it too.

Warning: If you are offended by foul language, please leave the fuck'n' site now!

UFC 67 Preview

The UFC 67 site is updated and full of goodness.

Check out UFC 67

UFC Recognizes MMA Bloggers

Maybe it was just me but I noticed something very special in last night's UFC Ultimate Fight Night event between Rashad Evans and Sean Salmon. What I noticed was the prominence of the little guy fighting hard to spread the word about MMA and sponsoring an up and comer like Sean Salmon for the world to see.


That little guy isn't so little in the MMA blog scene and they are UFCJunkie.com. As you can see from the picture to your left, UFC Junkie is prominently displayed on the front right panel of Sean Salmon's fight shorts on an internationally televised (it showed in Canada so it's international aight) event on a major U.S. network.


This sort of attention should not go unnoticed by the MMA community and MMA Fever officially tips its hat to UFC Junkie and to Sean Salmon for their hard work in preparation for the fight last night. Unfortunately, the fight did not go in Sean Salmon's favor however, he did impress the UFC fans in a hard fought first round that I had scored him as the winner (10-9).

What really makes this special is realizing that this wouldn't even be possible without the support of the fans who support UFC Junkie's site and also Sean Salmon and that kind of loyalty is to be commended.


Another picture caught my eye today which is similar to the promotion of the little guy blog that covers MMA, not unlike this little blog. It's a picture with the UFC President, Dana White pointing to the owner of UFCMania.com while he was in attendance at the Hard Rock Seminole in Florida for last night's fight.


These are huge wins for the little guy blogger and the little guy MMA fan who supports these great UFC blogs through their loyalty and participation and encouragement to carry on even though there isn't any money to be made in doing so... it's for the love of Ultimate Fighting and MMA as an emerging sport. This kind of passion simply doesn't exist in any other sport today which, makes the MMA sites and the MMA fans so special.


To UFCJunkie.com and UFCMania.com and also FightOpinion for recognizing MMA Fever by linking to us in your Friday News Flash today, MMA Fever and its fans formally thank you for adding value and staying true to the sport of Mixed Martial Arts... for the sake of the fans!

Rashad Evans KO's Sean Salmon Video

One of the best roundhouse kicks you'll ever see.

Fortunately, Sean "Smoked" Salmon is fine after having his lights turned out by Rashad Evans at UFC Fight Night 8 last night.

UFCFight Night Live Rashad Evans vs Sean Salmon Results and Insights

Spencer Fisher Wha Happen?

Hermes Franca came out of the gates throwing bombs. Clearly Hermes was trying to knock off Fisher’s head off. The king knew the bombs were coming and defended well during the first round.

Spencer looked like a whore most of the fight as he was on his back defending against the relentless throws of Hermes.

Hermes ended the fight when he landed a crazy right hand to the King’s right temple.

Sean Sherk "Muscle Shark” should be next for Hermes and my money is riding on the Muscle Shark who should keep his title. Sherk won his last two fights over Kenny Florian (unanimous decision) and Nick Diaz (unanimous decision).

After the fight Hermes went on to say a few words which I could barely understand however I could make out a few points:

“I am getting down on my knees”….. “For Dana White”….?????

Little concerned after hearing this….



Heath “Texas Crazy Horse” Herring losses horribly to young and upcoming Jake O’Brien.

Jake fought a smart fight taking down Herring “AT WILL”.

Joe Rogan commented well on Heath’s effort and was all over the favorite during this fight.

“O’Brien is beating his ass”…. “Heath has zero defense”…..”Again he’s mounting him”

Kudo's to Rogan's commentary. :))))))

In my opinion Heath was too hyped and he should go back to Waco Texas where he was born and train with David Koresh.

Heath went off after the fight saying that he was trying to give the fans what they wanted by offering a stand up fight and a knock out however all O’Brien wanted to do is wrestle on the ground. This is MMA and a big part of MMA is ground and pound and that’s exactly what O’Brien did to Heath.

O’Brien trains with Team Punishment and practiced GROUND and Pound. Good job Jake and Heath stop crying you big baby.





Ed Herman "Short Fuse" wins using excellent Technique over Chris Price "The Exorcist"

The fight started off well both fighters throwing a lot of knees at each other.

Ed has some scary moments though and seemed very slow as Chris Pace tried applying several Kimura which Ed was slow to escape.

The fight was ended when Herman showed excellent technique applying an Arm bar to the exorcist forcing Chris to tap almost immediately.

Great job by Short Fuse and its good to see him win won after two recent losses. His recently losses were to Jason MacDonald and Kendall Grove.




Rashad Evans Wins by Knock Out at 1:06 in the 2nd round by kick.

The first kick every landed by Rashad Evans during any fight and guess what he knocks out Salmon cold.

The kick landed square on Salmon’s chin and Salmon dropped like rock, out fawking cold. Great end to the fight. How many times are we going to see that kick on replays? :)

Salmon won the first round and took Rashad down several times. Salmon has a wrestling background so this was expected.

It was clear by the second round that Salmon was winded so I believe conditioning was a factor in this fight. Salmon started to drop his guard.

Unfortunately for Salmon Rashad went over the lowered guard and kicked him in the chin which caused him to go black. :)))))

Rashad followed up with two punches which added insult to injury to an already knocked out Salmon.

Salmon was laying on his back his body stiff as a board for several minutes after the fight.

Great job Rashad, who’s next for this undefeated warrior.




Here are the rest of the decisions courtesy of UFC.

"It's not that big anyway" - IFL Weigh-in Fiasco

Every guys worst nightmare...

Ross Pointon's Last Stand Tonight

MMA Fever fan, Gorman Wu caught Wu-ping it up at The Ultimate Fighter 3 Finale with "The Gladiator" Ross Pointon.

Ross is scheduled to fight tonight at the UFN8 event against Rich Clementi and I predict that this will be the last we hear from Ross in the UFC simply because the only successful brawler that ever set foot on the canvas was the one and only David "Tank" Abbott and Ross isn't even close to Tank's class (if Tank even has any class :)

Although we may never see or hear from Pointon again after tonight, I still think he was the most colorful fighter in the house of the The Ultimate Fighter 3 series and I miss his off the wall brainless sayings that were often unintelligible.

From Ross' Wiki page:

Personality and Quotes

Pointon was portrayed on the show as a confident, serious fighter with heart. He was also shown as a fun loving man who loves his daughter and has pride in his home country. Pointon was also a source of culture-clash humor and many memorable moments inside the house. Though losing both fights, Pointon remained classy and respectful of his opponents.

"I'm a fighter, man, I'm here to fight."
"Y'know what I mean?"
"Craziness."

Bisping: "What are you going to do if he [Kendall Grove] catches you in a submission?"

Pointon: "Gonna smash his face in, man."

"I'm gonna knock you out with me breath, Kendall." (Said before eating a piece of garlic bread.)
"How's your wild thing."
"I'm a Gladiator."
"He [Michael Bisping] has 10 straight wins, he's one of the best in the country, but so am I."
"Bring the Fucking pain!"
"You know what i Mean!"

Ross Pointon's MMA Record:

It was nice watching you on camera Ross... it's just that part when you had to fight that you need to seriously work on.

"You know what I Mean!"

MMA Fever Knocked Feedburner Out Too

WOW!

Blogger goes offline yesterday and now Feedburner.com today. My apologies to those who are trying to access MMA Fever content at this moment.

You see, Feedburner code is embedded into this template to allow you to subscribe to our feed and also email a post to someone or add it to your list of favorites on Del.icio.us and also, a link for you to Digg our posts.

As Feedburner tries to revive itself with smelling salts, MMA Fever will continue to rock its server with our Feverish fans.

In the meantime, check out Colonel Balz' much anticipated and controversial UFC Fight Night predictions

Stay tuned!

US MARINES SAY 'NO' TO TITO AND PORN STAR GIRLFRIEND

Courtesy of the New York Post:

THE Marines may like to look at Jenna Jameson- but only in private. The porn star's boyfriend, ultimate fighter Tito Ortiz, was scheduled to give a speech as a guest of honor in front of 800 men in uniform at a "birthday" ball at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego on Nov. 12. But the pugilist was disinvited after the Marine brass found out he was going to bring Jameson as his date.

Ortiz received an e-mail from Maj. Jason Johnston stating, "There is some serious consternation here about having your girlfriend attend our ball. Of course I, and a lot of Marines, are very excited about it, [but] many of our commanders feel it might be inappropriate for the type of event we are having . . . it is professionally embarrassing for me to have to possibly retract our invitation, especially when I am such a big fan."

Ortiz and Jameson are making other plans.

For those of you like me who don't know what consternation means here is the definition courtesty of The free dictionary.

Noun
1. consternation - fear resulting from the awareness of danger

Colonel Balz Fight Night Picks and Weigh-in Results for UFC Fight Night

Here are my picks:

Rashad Evans (205.5) vs Sean Salmon (206)

Winner: Rashad

Although Salmon is a newcomer on the UFC scene, Evans feels his superior conditioning and preparation will allow him to emerge with another victory.

Heath Herring (250) vs Jake O’Brien (234.5)
Winner: Texas Crazy Horse

Hermes Franca (155) vs Spencer Fisher (154.5)

Winner: The King

The Fisher-Franca fight has been widely anticipated as a possible show-stealer of the night. Fisher is 20-2 over his career and has won two in a row following a close split-decision loss to Sam Stout at UFC 58. Franca is 17-5 overall (4-2 in UFC) and has won six matches in a row, including a submission win over Jamie Varner at UFC 62.

Dean Lister (185) vs Nate Marquardt (185.5)
Winner: Nate The Great

Chad Reiner (171) vs Josh Burkman (171)
Winner: The People's Warrior

Ed Herman (186) vs Chris Price (192)*
Winner: Short Fuse

* Herman agreed to face Price despite the Indiana fighter being seven pounds over the middleweight limit of 185 pounds. When Price thanked Herman for still agreeing to fight, “Short Fuse” responded, “You weren’t getting off that easy.”

Clay Guida (154) vs Din Thomas (154.5)
Winner: The Carpenter

Ross Pointon (168.5) vs Rich Clementi (169.5)
Winner: The Gladiator

MMA Fever Knocked Out Blogger

Blogger went down today due to a massive spike in traffic to this blog. Blogger maintenance crew worked for almost 2 hours to restore Blogger and bring her back on her feet.

This is something the world hasn't seen, an MMA blog with the power to bring down a giant through the intensity of the millions of hits we get everyday from Feverish MMA fans.

... and then I woke up with a smile on my face :)

Bodog is Messing with your MMA Mind

Recent news (rumours) has surfaced that Spencer Fisher will not fight at UFC Fight Night 8. What makes this frustrating and interesting at the same time is that nobody can confirm or deny the rumour.

UFC.com has not posted any new information about a substitution on the fight card. Spike TV hasn't made any changes either and MMAWeekly has an interview with Spencer posted today. So where does this rumour come from?

The betting lines!

You see, anything worth its weight in gold has to have betting lines and this is where the rumour originated (thanks Bodog!). Funny thing here is that not all betting companies have changed the fight card betting line on the Fisher fight 'cause they still have him listed to fight. A couple have changed the fight card and this sent a ripple throughout the MMA world on the eve before the fight.

Bodog has the fight card changed and the Sherdog Forum is all a buzz about the rumour. If you check out Sherdog's main site, they have a preview of the upcoming fight and posted a page about Spencer Fisher and Hermes Franca fighting tomorrow night.

From what I see, Bodog is using its power of betting influence to piggyback off of the publicity of the fight and also suck in people to place bets with them. This is my opinion and I can't substantiate it however, this is my world so will stand behind what I say and tell you that Bodog is messing with your MMA mind.

Good old Calvin Ayre - Founder of Bodog and fellow Canadian who's doing his best to promote BodogFight. Coincidence?

It would be irresponsible for UFC and Spike TV to not divulge any change in the fight card with the rest of the world. Dana White and the Spike TV execs know exactly what's at stake here and Spike doesn't want to mess with its viewership which is why they dropped the Lister fight from the broadcast. Oh, did I mention that Lister sucks ass?

Anyway, I am looking forward to when the current Champ, Sean "The Muscle Shark" Sherk fights again. Because the UFC has no rhyme or reason as to who fights who 'cause they don't have an established contention formula. It is most likely that Sherk will fight either Fisher or Franca next to defend the Lightweight belt but I wouldn't hold my breath.

I want to see B.J. Penn take on Sherk instead... Sherk is a mini Matt Hughes so this would suffice for now to satisfy my craving for a Penn, Hughes rematch. It would be nice to see a well conditioned Penn take on Hughes instead of the "Hilo doughboy" we saw when Hughes trapped Penn and delivered 42 unanswered shots to his head. I like Hughes, don't get me wrong but his stand-up game is nowhere near mine was when I was in the 5th grade at recess. Sorry, I digress.

By the way, The Ultimate Fighter 5 begins again on Spike TV starting April 5, 2007. Jens Pulver"ize" and B.J. "The Prodigy" Penn are the coaches of the 155 pound Lightweights.

*** This just In***

Fisher-Franca fight is on according to NBC Sports

Royce Gracie Built the UFC...It's His House

This is my personal favorite of Royce Gracie at UFC 3 against the steroid freak Kimo Leopoldo. Kimo weighed in at 250Lbs and Gracie was 176Lbs. Any doubters of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu should watch the clinic Royce put on for the MMA world.

This was back in the day when the UFC was a "No Holds Barred" fighting competition. Notice the bare knuckles of the fighters and also the hair pulling that went on.

The UFC owes a great debt of gratitude to Royce Gracie & the Gracie family for putting the UFC on the map and giving the average man hope when confronted with a juiced up animal like Kimo.

Mike "Not So Quick" Swick

Mike Swick gets attacked by a military dog at the Miramar airfield in San Diego, California. I loved the end of the video where the dog leaped through the air to drive Mike Swick into the fence. Not unlike the cage of the UFC octagon. I thought Mike did well and I'm sure the dog thought so too.

MMA becoming more popular then boxing?

UFC 66 breaks gate record

Event rakes in almost $5.4 million at box officeNBCSports.com staff reportPosted: Jan.21, 2007, 9:42 pm EST; Updated: Jan.21, 2007, 9:46 pm EST.

The rematch between Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz that took place at UFC 66 was hyped as the biggest U.S. mixed martial arts event of all-time, and it lived up to the hype. The live gate at Las Vegas' MGM Grand was $5,397,300, according to figures released by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

The gate receipts were the largest ever for an MMA event, topping the $3.4 million earned in February 2006 in the last fight of the Liddell-Randy Couture trilogy. The figure trails only Oscar De La Hoya's May 2006 fight with Ricardo Mayorga for the highest-grossing gate of the year. That fight made $7.6 million at the box office.

Because of pay-per-view receipts, it is likely that UFC's event grossed more than De La Hoya-Mayorga. While the boxing match sold around 700,000 pay-per-view buys, over 1 million were expected for UFC 66.
Liddell defeated Ortiz via third-round TKO in the main event.

Gay Pride?

Note: this article's title was not intended for the homosexual community.

Pride announced four new fights for its Las Vegas show on Feb 24, 2007

The main event is Wanderlei Silva versus Dan Handerson.

Most notable announcement is UFC boy Nick Diaz will be taking on the Lightweight Champ Takanori Gomi (say that ten times fast) in a non title defence.

Yo Tito, it's yer Birthday!

From the too funny file:

Tito Ortiz is turning 32 tomorrow and his girlfriend, *Cough* Porn actress *Cough*, Jenna Jameson is hosting his birthday bash at Pure Nightclub located next to the Sportsbook inside Caesars Palace at 3570 Las Vegas Blvd.South Las Vegas, NV.

Thanks to UFCJunkie for the head's up.

Happy Birthday Jacob C. "Tito" Ortiz!

Why Pitbull dog fights are banned when UFC fights are not?

Are you having a hard time selling the idea of sitting down with your wife/girlfriend/family to watch a wholesome event like UFC 67 - All or Nothing this coming February 3rd?


Well, you're not alone and the question I found at Yahoo Answers is a more accurate indication of the public's perception of MMA in North America.

Here are some of my favorite responses to the question:

Let's see...because UFC involves humans who have the rational choice and ability to decide if they want to do this, whereas dogs do not?Because the dogs maim each other to the point of death, whereas humans can communicate that they are done?


Animals and humans are different. Pitbull fights are more brutal and occasionally results in death to the dog. Not one single UFC fighter has died or been seriously injured unlike boxing or checkers.


I hold hamster fights down at my house on Saturday nights come on down the action is furocious!


are you serious??it's a question of free will and control. you train a person how to fight, and you're also training when to fight, you're putting them in control of the skills you've given them. when you train a dog to fight, all you're doing is teaching it how to kill, nothing else, they don't know anything about control, they want to kill anything that moves, simple as that. when's the last time u heard of a UFC fighter running wild in the street, mauling to death little kids? never, because a human being knows better.


pull your head out of your *** and take a look at the real world for once. there's sport, like the UFC, and there's brutal, cruel, pointless death, dog fighting.


Now, Pitbull fighting is not banned in the UFC as we have Andre "The Pitbull" Arlovski as the former Heavyweight Champion and a contender for the coveted belt.

"The Pitbull"

Isn't is great to see The Pitbull wearing the belt? Andre was interviewed at UFC 66 before the fight against Cruz and admitted to drinking heavily on the eve of his fights with Sylvia. Whether that's true or not, expect Arlovski to 'bring it' when he is chosen to fight Mirko Cro Cop in the months to come.

As Borat says, "Very Nice!".

Selling MMA is an uphill battle and we MMA fans are seeing small gains even as recent as NBC Sports adding a UFC section on their website.

Remember to ease your MMA doubter in slowly (to wear them down ;) and possibly start them off with the January 25th Spike TV UFC Fight Night 8 before selling the PPV idea.

MMA Fever is an excellent resource to get them up to speed (if I say so myself).

Fun for the whole family! so says Dana White - UFC President

Are UFC Championship Titles Legit?

Something dawned on me today and that was how different the UFC is than any other combat sport. I hate to say this however, the UFC is structured similar to the WWE Wrestling (Sports Entertainment) rather than other established entities like Boxing for instance.

If someone was to ask you who the number one contender is for any of the Weight classes, could you tell me definitively or just speculate based on "popular" opinion. This is how the WWE operates... by fan feedback just the same as the UFC is currently operating with regard to a non-existent rankings formula, no clear contention formula or elimination format.

So who gets to fight the "Champ" in the UFC ? The answer to who gets to fight the Champ is decided by the person holding on the remote control who is also in control of whether to press the "buy" button or not for the UFC Pay-Per-View event. Not any different than how the WWE decides who gets a title shot at a Wrestlemania event.

So why on Earth is Randy Couture automatically given a Heavyweight title shot against Tim Sylvia when he has been retired for almost a full year now AND he retired a Light Heavyweight and hasn't fought in the Heavyweight ranks for years.

Seriously, if the UFC is interested in gaining 'Mass Appeal' and legitimacy as a professional sport then they better get their act together and frame some concrete contention formula similar to other legitimate pugilistic sports.

Here is an excerpt from MAXFighting.com which explains why the UFC is still operating as a side show and isn't yet ready for prime time with the Sporting establishment:

"The UFC has none of this... It has whim and fancy. Who is the hot item for now??? Or simply, who is available??? as with Eilers. To drive the point, how did Eilers, who lost his previous UFC bout then get a shot at the title, while the guy who defeated him fought on the undercard of that very same event???

They brought in Eilers because the other two or three opponents before him had to cancel for various reasons... fine... you need to fill in a body for the fight. But for goodness sake, do not make it a "title" fight.

Remember when Ken Shamrock got a shot at the "title" in 2002 when he return to the UFC after not fighting there since 1996. He even lost his previous MMA bout in PRIDE less than a year before the title bout.

How does that work??? That is like putting the Bears in the Superbowl because one team could not make it, and the Bears did great in 1985."

I for one would like to see MMA in the United States legitimize and the UFC is the perfect vehicle to make this happen, if they want to.

For speculative MMA Top Ten rankings, check out MMAWeekly.

I still think Kurt Angle could put a serious hurt on Randy Couture any day of the week and THAT would be worth the PPV buy.

End of rant :)

Sylvia responds to Couture's Trash Talking

Recently, Couture criticized Sylvia, stating that Tim has been fighting mainly not to lose, rather than to win. The current UFC Heavyweight Champion responded to those comments.“I don’t think they’re justified at all,” stated Sylvia. “[Andrei] Arlovski was game until I rocked him. When I rocked him, he didn’t want to engage. I chased him for a while and I cut him off. As soon as I cut him off, he got out of there. Same thing with [Jeff] Monson; when I threw some big punches and big knees, I hurt him and dropped him. For the most part, he was trying to take me down for the whole fight. You can’t finish somebody when they do stuff like that. I’ve only seen Randy finish somebody like once or twice I think.” “The role’s reversed a little bit. I think Randy is trying to get himself motivated. I think he’s trying to find ways to make himself think that he can win,” added Sylvia regarding Couture’s comments. “I don’t need to trash talk, I’m the heavyweight champ of the world. I think I’ve proven myself and I’m going out there one fight at a time. Hopefully at the end of the night my hand is raised and I beat a legend.”

UFC 67 Fight Card

UFC 67 — FEB. 3, 2007 @ Mandalay Bay Events Center — Las Vegas, Nev.

Anderson Silva vs. Travis Lutter

Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic vs. Eddie Sanchez

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Marvin Eastman

Ryoto Machida vs. Sam Hoger

Tyson Griffin vs. Frank Edgar

Melvin Guillard vs. Dustin Hazelett

Scott Smith vs. Patrick Cote

Jorge Rivera vs. Terry Martin

Roger Huerta vs. John Halverson

*** Fight predictions for UFC 67 coming in the next week... stay tuned! ***

Only 3 Things Come Out of Texas...

UFC® : Ultimate Fighting Championship®

Steers, Queers and Heath "The Texas Crazy Horse" Herring. Check the link above and I am sure that you can figure which one Heath's opponent thought he was.

Heath said emphatically, "I didn't touch him, I stood there and he kissed me on the lips". "He's kissing me!"

During the pre-fight staredown, his opponent, Yoshihiro Nakao, leaned in and kissed him on the lips. Herring reacted by punching Nakao in the face, knocking him out. Herring was immediately disqualified and Nakao had to be taken from the ring on a stretcher.

Shortly thereafter, Nakao's cornermen attacked Herring and a brief melee ensued. The fight result has since been changed by K-1 from a disqualification loss for Herring to a no contest, as K-1 found that Nakao's kiss and Herring's punch were both fouls.

Note to self: Don't kiss Heath Herring before a fight

*** Just thought I would mention that the UFC website has a bunch of trained monkeys that know nothing about MMA let alone the UFC. Not too sure if you noticed but... the video is captioned above with the name "David Herring" and not Heath Herring. Fortunately, we keep it real (and accurate) around here. ***

"UFC Fight Night - Jan. 25th
Watch UFC newcomer David Herring take on undefeated Jake O'Brien at UFC Fight Night Live, on Jan. 25th at 8pm on SPIKE. (A commercial may play before your requested content.)"

Fedor Emelianenko Q & A

In a recent online meeting at Fedor's site, he spent some time to answer some very interesting questions. In particular, question #3 for me. The content below comes directly from Fedor's forum translated from Russian to English. Very interesting read.

From Fedor's Forum:

Q: In your opinion, who are the best fighters in the world under 96 kg, and in what order?
A: I think they are Shogun, Wanderlei Silva, and Chuck Liddell

Q:What did you think of the Silva/Crocop fight in 2006 GP?
A: Mirko was technically sound, but Wanderlei was unrecognizable; I think he gained extra weight and wasn’t doing what he should have.

Q: Is there a chance to see you in the UFC? Did they offer you a contract?
A: I don’t know what the chances are, this is really a question for Vadim Finkelstein (Fedor’s manager – CF). At this point Pride is the best MMA organization in the world, so we compete in Pride. Although, we did receive offers from UFC.

Q: What do you think of the UFC champion, Tim Silvia? How high does he rank compared to the top ten heavyweights?
A: Frankly speaking, I never really thought about this. I haven’t seen many of Tim’s fights, so I can’t really say where exactly he is in the top ten. The fights that I saw weren’t bad.

Q: What do you think of “Systema”?
A: I don’t understand the question.

Q: Young undefeated UFC fighter Diego Sanchez trained with you. What do you think of him and of George St. Pierre?
A: We never trained together, but I saw his fights. I think he is a good, promising fighter.

Q: If Nogueira and Cro Cop had a rematch today, who would have a higher chance of winning?
A: Everything depends on how they implement their game plans. If Mirko keeps it standing, Nogueira will suffer. At the same time, if Nogueira forces his game on Mirko and brings the fight to the ground, Mirko will have less of a chance to win, since he is weaker on the ground.

Q: If you found yourself in a submission hold that you thought you couldn’t get out of, would you tap out?
A: I’ve never been in such a situation, so I really don’t know what I would do.

Q: Were you rocked by Mark Hunt’s punch to the back of the head in your last fight?
A: It didn’t rock me, but it was unpleasant.

Q: Do you think that Mirko can do better in a rematch against you? Do you think there is a reason to do a rematch? Did he get better? Does he have anything that can be a threat to you?A: I think that Mirko can do better if he fixes his mistakes, but I will also try to come up with some threats for him.

Q: Have you signed a contract with Pride?
A: At this point the negotiations are ongoing. We have a preliminary agreement between us in place.

Q: Is there a chance for a fight in Russia, and when?
A: It’s planned for April by M-1 together with Bodog.

Q: How serious is your toe injury?
A:At this point everything is fine, I am not even limping anymore. It was unfortunate that I broke it before the fight, so we had to cancel the sparring sessions and running. The only thing I could do was working with punching bags.

Q: When is your next fight?
A: It’s in Spring, in St. Petersburg. I might also participate in the Russian Combat Sambo Championship in February in Ulan-Ude.

Q: Do you know of any young fighters who can be a challenge for you in a fight? Kirill Sidelnikov, perhaps?
A: I think he is too young. Although Kirill is learning very fast; he is a promising fighter. I really hope that he can fill my shoes some day.

Q: Does living in Russia satisfy your personal ambitions?
A: Yes, completely.

Q: Do you know Putin personally? Someone should tell that judoka whose “kung-fu” is better.. You might want to do a better PR – maybe more people in the country will start learning the sport.
A: No, I do not know Putin personally. We have never met in person yet. I’ll think about better PR.

Q: You have beaten all real contenders in Pride. Who’s next?
A: I don’t know who’s going to be next in Pride, we have not discussed it yet. It might be Nogueira, again, or Josh Barnett.

Q: Was Hunt’s submission attempt a real threat? We were all thinking that was it!
A:There really was absolutely no threat.

Q: When you fought Mirko, starting with the second round we could see in his eyes that he was lost. It felt like he realized that he cannot beat you. You beat him at this own game. Was it a revenge for your little brother? Your attack was quite ferocious.
A: No, it wasn’t because of my brother. It was our tactic and a desire to fight.

Q: We agreed with Igor (Fedor’s website admin – CF) that you will be on air live on Sport 93.2 FM. Will you have some time for Q&A?
A: Yes, it’s scheduled for January 11, and I’ll try to be there.

Q: Are you going to build your house in Oskol or are you moving to Moscow suburbs?
A: I’ll build it in Oskol. Frankly speaking, I don’t want to move anywhere.

Q: During the fight with Cro Cop, Pride showed your spouse in the audience. She must have nerves of steel to be able to watch you fight. How does she do it? Is she completely confident in your ability to win?
A: Well, you should really ask her…

Q: You are participating in the Bodog promotion in March. Is this a single fight with you remaining in Pride, or is it a real possibility that you’ll join BodogFIGHT?
A: No, we do not have a long-term contract yet, but it’s really a question for Vadim (Fedor’s manager).

Q: We haven’t heard much from your brother Aleksander. Are we going so see him in MMA, and if so, when?
A: He will continue to fight in MMA. His next fight will be in April.

Q: They call you Russian Fighting Machine. You are ready for any fight under any circumstances.
A:So far that’s how it is, both in MMA and in life.

Q: What does one need to do to become such a “machine” in our country? It’s more genetic than acquired..
A: No, it’s all acquired. I wouldn’t say that I am so naturally gifted athletically.

Q: Do you think that you were lucky to become who you are now in our country, in our conditions?
A: There was some degree of luck, of course, but I mostly achieved it through hard work.

Q: What was your hardest fight, when you had to overcome yourself?
A: Fights are probably not the hardest thing. It’s the training – sometimes it’s extremely hard.I never had to “overcome myself”. My hardest fights were probably with Nogueira and Crocop.

Q: Fedor, Happy Holidays! Could you share your analysis of the fight with Mark Hunt?
A: Thank you. Everything was generally under my control. It’s hard to zero in on one specific point, but I felt that I’ll catch him in a submission. Although, I could fight him standing as well.

Q: What do you think about the Monster division (120 kg and over)?
A: I think it will be interesting to see large fighters.

Q: Gran Prix is held every four years for each weight category. What’s the sense in holding it for unpopular weight brackets, if some stars in middle and heavyweight brackets might not be there long enough for the next Gran Prix?
A: The management has more insight into this, they know what they are doing.

Q: What do they say behind the scenes in Pride about Mirko Filipovic? Is he coming back to Pride?
A: As far as I know, he went to the UFC.

Q: Did you have to deal with hazing in the army, that is, did you have to fight with senior soldiers, and how did your service go in general?
A: The army made a real man out of me. I never had to fight with senior soldiers, but I had to assert my rights several times.

Q: Are you planning to train in Holland again?
A: Yes, I am planning to train in Holland again, focusing on kicking technique. I have many friends there. I can’t tell exactly when I am going to go yet.

Q: Fedor, were you hurt by that terrible throw by Randleman? I trained sambo myself, and I felt like my soul was knocked out of me after such slams.
A: It really wasn’t anything. There was no damage to my health at all.

Q: Is the ring surface similar to tatami?
A: No, it’s harder.

Q: How often do you have to search for extra strength when it seems like there is nothing left? All of your opponents gas before you do. Does that mean that you train more, or that you do more endurance training?
A: I think it’s the result of training in general, as well as endurance training. We go to the fighting camps in the mountains before the fights specifically for that reason.

Q: Did Aleksander listen to the useful advice of his brother? Are you training together?
A: No, we are not training together.

Q: Do you think that Crocop went to UFC because he could never defeat you? Or was it the money? Probably the former..
A: I really don’t want to say anything negative about him. Of course any contract includes financial considerations.

Q: You said that Hunt’s submission attempt was not a real threat. Did he have a chance to complete it? I thought that he was not doing it quite right. Is that the case? Or is it that sambo practitioners have more flexible joints?
A: No, he really wasn’t doing it correctly. But even if he was doing it right, I don’t think it would have worked. No one could ever submit me with it, even in training.

Q: What do you think about American rules modifications: 5 minute rounds, no knee strikes to grounded opponents? Is that an advantage or a disadvantage for you?
A: The new rules really do not matter for me.

Q: Is it hard to fight athletes who are taller than you, who have more muscle mass and weight? If you imagine a hypothetical fight with a fighter who has not trained but is extremely strong, for example, a strongman competition winner, would he be able to overpower you?
A: You can beat them. I don’t think such a fighter will be of any threat to me.

Q: Fedor, be careful, don’t take such risks. Yoshida tried to fight standing, and you saw how that ended. What do you think was his mistake? And why were the refs so inhumane to just drag a fighter in deep knockout to the ring and continue the fight?
A: Yoshida’s problem is that he does not develop his striking technique. His grappling base alone is no longer enough to win. I did not see the fight, but so far the refs have behaved correctly.

Q: Fedor, I have a very practical question. You often say that your strength training is limited to pushups, pull-ups and crunches. How many push-ups and pull-ups can you do?
A: I never do push ups to the limit. I do one or two sets, and I do at least 20 pull-ups as fast as I can.

Q: Do you think Aikido has a chance in PRIDE?
A: Aikido, I think, has no chance in Pride.

Q: Have you though of coming to the Black sea to train? We have all the right conditions: the sea, the mountains..
A: It would be great to go to the sea for a vacation, but not to train.

Q: How long are you going to be in Moscow? Is it business or pleasure?
A: I’ll be in Moscow for a couple of days on personal business.

Q: Have you completed filming in Valeria’s music video?
A: No, not yet.

Q: Do you know our boxers Kostya Dzu, Oleg Moskaev, Valuev?
A: I know Valuev. I haven’t met Kostya and Oleg, but it would be nice to meet them and talk sometime.

Q: Does the Ministry of Sport help you in any way?
A: No, they don’t.

Q: Will Roman Zentsov fight in Pride?
A: He will fight in Bodog; there is nothing set up in Pride right now.

Q: What are techniques you training right now?
A: We are training everything.

Q: What do you think of the common wisdom that an athlete needs to rest one day of every week, one week of every month, and one month of every year? Do you have enough time to rest to recover?
A: No , I don’t have enough recovery time. I’d like to rest more.

Q: Who in your team is responsible for planning the high-altitude training? Have there been any mistakes (in the camp planning )? Do you use your previous plans and experience of other athletes (specifically, athletes in the endurance sports – cross-country skiers, etc)?
A: My coaches, Voronov and Michkov, plan the camps. We had no mistakes so far. We maintain contact with some track and field guys, and the coaches use their experience.

Q: In your opinion, how many times a year can an athlete of your caliber be in top shape and have serious fights?
A: If one rests and trains well, one can do 3-4 fights a year. It’s possible to do up to six fights, but then one will be burned out psychologically.

Q: I’ll repeat the question about Francisco Filho. He is a karate master and a star of K-1, who has knocked out our Ruslan Karaev in December. He is also in negotiations with Pride. He trains with the Brazilian Top Team. Does he have a chance to succeed in Pride, or is it too hard to learn ground grappling later in life, and a karateka would have little chance in Pride?
A: I think you can learn to grapple later in life, and the chances will be relatively good.

Q: Do you ever allow yourself any alcohol? Beer, maybe?
A: I do, but not beer. ))) (! A SMILIE!)

Q: Why do think Russian athletes do not want to make MMA their future? Do you have any plans for your involvement with MMA after you retire?
A: I haven’t thought about my future (after retirement). Russian athletes do not want to make MMA their future because so far MMA really has not developed in our country.

Q: Is it harder to train and fight now than in the beginning of your career? Now that you have accomplished everything, does that soft comfortable couch look more appealing?
A: Yes, you start thinking about future rest. You start to want a real vacation.

Q: Have you ever thought in the beginning of your fighting career that your future will turn out this way, or rather, that you will turn it and kimura it this way and achieve everything you have?
A: No, I didn’t. Although, when I started fighting, I realized that it’s my calling and that I will be able to succeed.

Q: Jean Claude van Damme’s offer was very intriguing. Have you thought of studying acting? Frankly speaking, I would really like to see you in a good action movie.
A: Right now I don’t have time to study acting yet.

Q: Knowing your popularity in Japan, Korea, and, hopefully soon, in the United States, I’d like to know if you’re open to collaboration with Russian companies to advance their brand in those countries. Have you talked to ALROSA (diamond business)?
A: No, so far we have not received any offers, but we are open to collaboration.

Q: Where did your colleagues Roman Zentsov and Amar Suloev go?
A: Amar lost a fight and has not fought in Pride since. He had to deal with some problems with this son’s health.. Roman also had some time off, but now he is planning to fight in April. Very recently he won two fights in Konti.

Q: In Korea, you mentioned a video game where you will play the coach. Are we going to see a game with Fedor the Fighter, or Fedor saving the world, for example? Promise to think about it!A: Ok, we’ll think about it. The game should be out by now, but you’ll only be able to play it online.

Q: Who would you like your children to be?
A: I never thought about it. I just want them to be happy.

Q: How widespread is the problem of steroid use in MMA? What’s your opinion of Kevin Randleman? Does he eat well? : ) Did his diet help him in his famous throw? Or was it his technique, or luck?
A: There is mandatory steroid testing before and after each match. As far as Kevin’s throw goes – it was probably his technique.

Q: Do you think you are a naturally gifted fighter, or were you able to develop your talent?
A: I think I developed my talent, but mainly I am able to see problems in my game and the game of my opponents.

Q: Do you think that hard work leads to success in all fields and all situations?
A: Yes, I think so.

Q: What are your thoughts on the fact that Pride, the best promotion in the world, often invites people who can’t even be called professional fighters?
A: This is a decision by management and the fighters themselves.

Q: I think that fighting in the ring and in the cage is different. Also, the strategy of the fight really changes depending on whether elbow strikes are permitted. As a fighter, are you interested in the UFC?
A: It’s more of a curiosity.

Q: I think that you move faster than any other heavyweights. Were you fast as a child? Were you a fast runner?
A: I wasn’t a fast runner as a kid, and I didn’t move that fast either.

Q: Do you ever quarrel with your wife Oksana?
A: Sometimes.

Q: Do you watch TV?
A: I do.

Q: Is there a fighter, or fighters, who you would like to fight in the ring?
A: I’ve never really thought about it.

Q: I thought that after the fight with Hunt you have several things to work on. Do you already have solutions to these problems? Also, when you faced off with Hunt in the center of the ring before the fight, it seemed that we no longer have the usual energy. I am very worried.
A: Most likely it was just tiredness. I need to rest more.

Q: You fought many fighters in Pride. When were you in your best shape?
A: I try to be in my best shape for every match, and can do it every time.

Q: One more question about the Hunt fight. When I watched the fight, I did not see Hunt tap out. Was he unable to do it?
A: The ref did not stop the fight right away. Hunt’s joints were creaking, and he tapped out verbally. Once he did, the ref stopped the fight right away.

Final message: Thank you, everyone, for your participation and your questions. If you did not have a chance to ask your question, I will be glad to answer them live on radio. See you next time (! A SMILIE AGAIN!)

Cro Cop Drops Wandy

Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic has gone on record to say about himself, "Right leg hospital, Left leg cemetery". 'Nuff said... bring on UFC 67!

The Best UFC Fight of 2006

Hey, it was a proud moment for Canada and the absolute best fight that the UFC had all year. Why did Matt stand with Georges? Because he didn't have any other options.

GSP all the way!

Jardine Vs. Griffin UFC 66

At the end of this clip, you can see Forrest Griffin overcome with emotion as he is seen weeping openly out loud immediately after the fight was called in Jardine's favor due to a knockout from a flurry of strikes.

Now, Forrest is a tough guy and former police officer from Macon, Georgia who just missed out on his chance to take a stab at contending for the Light Heavyweight belt this year. He looked to be the next in line to fight Chuck Liddell and that fight would have set Forrest on his way to financial health, win or lose.

You see, these fighters do not fight for hobby as I write about fighting for hobby. They don't have day jobs that distract them from their MMA training so they need to be successful in the ring, cage or octagon in order to keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies.

MMA fighters are amongst the lowest paid professional athletes in North America. It isn't unheard of for an unknown fighter to go the distance (3-5 minute rounds in UFC), lose by way of split decision, then collect their $2000 check, never to be heard from again in the big leagues like UFC & Pride.

Poor Forrest, literally... he received $16,000 to fight with no win bonus. That's it. For some, that appears to be a good chunk of change however, you need to factor in that these fighters generally fight once every 3-4 months, they have trainers to be paid, dietary supplements to buy and of course as mentioned, rent and food along with the IRS' take from that as well.

Forrest had everything to cry for because he suffered his second loss in a row which, is the kiss of death in the UFC... just ask David "The Crow" Loiseau who's contract was cancelled and unceremoniously ousted from the spectacle that is the UFC.

This embarrassment of losing and potentially being dropped from the UFC with one more loss to his record must have been in Forrest's mind when be literally sprinted out of the building after having a good cry in the ring.

I am sure that we haven't seen the last of Forrest Griffin, and he has learned that he is not invincible to the knockout so expect a very changed and highly focused fighter when we see him next as Forrest Griffin 2.0 or will he fly away just like The Crow.

Chuck Vs. Tito - UFC 66 Round 3

It is rumoured that both Chuck and Tito earned roughly 3 million each for their fight at UFC 66 on December 30, 2006. Now Chuck can pay off the Ferrari and Tito can afford to be Jenna Jameson's boyfriend for another month or two.

MMA Playground - Perfect Timing!

Through my online travels I stumbled upon an interesting site that fits well with the theme of this site. It's a fantasy MMA game for UFC, Pride and MMA fans alike. Hmmmm.... sounds a lot like this place.

Anyway, MMAPlayground is new and hasn't started the fantasy MMA season yet and now is the perfect time to sign up (for free) to make your UFC 67 picks.

As promised, I will have my UFC picks right here in plain view followed up with a post fight summary and an ongoing tally of the success of my fight predictions. I will also include my MMAPlayground totals as there is a chance to win virtual money for some serious bragging rights.

Here is some information directly from MMAPlayground.com:

Hello and welcome to MMAPlayground.com, a FREE fantasy MMA website for Pride FC and UFC fans alike with two games to be played. The first is simple: correctly pick the winner for an upcoming fight to score points. Score additional points for guessing the fight's conclusion. At the end of each MMAPlayground.com fight season the person with the most points will be announced and win a prize (this season's prize is $500*).

The second is a fantasy wager system, where you can earn fantasy dollars by both guessing a fight's specific outcome and by making bets with other MMAPlayground.com members. So, invite your friends and join the community today! Happy gaming!

- MMAPlayground.com Administration

See you on the inside... my user name is MMAFever (of course).

Rich Franklin's record is 22-2, who beat him first?

Rich "Ace" Franklin suffered a devastating loss to Anderson "The Spider" Silva and also lost his UFC Middleweight title at UFC 64. That was Rich's second loss in his MMA career. Do you know who gave Rich his first loss?

Ryoto "Lyoto" Machida (May 30, 1978-) is a Japanese Brazilian professional mixed martial arts fighter. Son of Japanese Brazilian Shotokan karate master Yoshizo Machida, Ryoto is considered a rising star in MMA, having secured victories over former UFC Middleweight Champion Rich Franklin, former UFC Welterweight Champion B.J. Penn, and Light Heavyweight runner-up of the UFC's The Ultimate Fighter Season 1, Stephan Bonnar.

It should be noted, however, that Machida had a significant weight advantage in his fight with BJ Penn.

Under the management and tutelage of wrestling legend Antonio Inoki since Inoki discovered him after the Bonnar fight, he has until recently fought primarily in Japan, although he is no longer under Inoki after the closing of his promotions/management firm Inoki Office.

In his American debut, Machida defeated Vernon White via unanimous decision at the at WFA: King of the Streets event in Inglewood, California on July 22, 2006.

Machida is noted for his semi-orthodox fighting style. Since he is a karate student, it is normal for him to be using an unorthodox (or southpaw) stance.

Ryoto "Lyoto" Machida is currently 8-0 in his Mixed Martial Arts career and is set to fight next at UFC 67 against Sam Hoger.

Rich Franklin recently gave an exclusive interview to Maxfighting.com and had some comments to share about Machida's return:

MaxFighting: UFC buys the WFA and a name that comes with the purchase is a familiar one, Ryoto Machida. What was your feeling if any when you saw that?

RF: I could care less, really. If I fight Machida in the future, great. If I don't, I don't care one way or the other.

MaxFighting: Do you think it would be a different fight this time.
RF: I am almost positive it would be.

Franklin is also returning to the octagon for UFC 67 against my fellow Canadian, Jason "The Athlete" MacDonald. I'll have my UFC 67 fight predictions up soon and you'll want to stay connected because it will be very controversial.

This is going to be a very exciting year for the Middleweight division of the UFC.

This is why Chuck Liddell is on a "Rampage"

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson is Chuck Liddell's only unavenged MMA loss in his career and is definitely the driving force behind the lawn mowing we have seen him do in the Light Heavyweight ranks of the UFC.

Rampage wants him badly too 'cause he can taste the payoff if the MMA Gods are in his corner when they meet again... and they will meet again!

Once Quinton blows through his UFC warm-up match on February 3rd against Marvin "The Beastman" Eastman, and Chuckie fully heals from his injury, we will finally see (arguably) the most anticipated fight in MMA history sometime in the middle to late 2007.

This is the break-out year for MMA... mark my words.

How to Beat a GIANT

This one is for you Mr.Randy Couture for your upcoming fight with 6'8" Tim Sylvia. This is a step by step instructional video on how to beat a giant. Wanna know how? You knock him on his ass, that's how!

Let Fedor show you how he chopped a 6'11" GIANT down to size. This was Fedor's PRIDE debut and one hell of a first showing that sent shockwaves (pun intended for PRIDE fans) throughout the MMA landscape.

The Muay Thai Clinch Revisited

Hey Rich? Do ya Smellllllllllllllllllllllahhhhhhh what the Spider's cookin'? Probably not 'cause yer nose was placed where your ear is.

I still don't understand why Rich couldn't get out of Anderson's Muay Thai clinch. Regardless, it was one of my personal favorites for 2006 and deserves another look.

And now....... Ladies and gentlemen, this is an oldie but a goodie between Joe Rogan of Fear Factor fame and currently the UFC broadcaster extraordinaire Vs. that wife abusing MUTT Jonathan Baker made infamous from the Amazing Race reality series.

Muay Thai clinch perfectly executed... way to go Joe!

MONSON RETURNS TO UK TO DEFEND BELT - Fedor fight postponed???

Well boyz and girls,

it appears the Fedor and Mongoon :) fight will be postponed.

I am dying to see Mongoon fight the Russian Experiment (RE) as I want to see how bad Mongoon will be beat down. Let's all remember that Mongoon took Sylvia the distance in a UFC HW title defence losing of course. If Mongoon loses badly to Fedor what the hell do you think Fedor will do to Sylvia???? Fucking rape him that's what. Sylvia will make one tall biatch.

Apparently Mongoon is going to defend his Cage Title to Mario “Sakuta” Neto in England on March 4, 2007.

No official rescheduling of the Fedor vs Mongoon fight. It may occur in April however nothing is official.

Stay tuned...

CB

$11,211.00 for Chuck Liddell's UFC 66 Gloves

Chuck's gloves, you know, the same one's used to beat Tito Ortiz down like a little schoolgirl at the playground have fetched more money than most of the losing fighters received at UFC 66. UFC Junkie has reported the full UFC 66 payouts and some of it may surprise you.

Here is the description of the auction:

"You are bidding on the gloves Chuck Liddell wore at UFC 66 vs Tito Ortiz. If you saw the PPV you saw me trying to pull them off Chuck's hands just minutes after the fight. You don't get them any better then that! Please contact me for Full postage and insurance fees after the item sells.

THANK YOU CHUCK LIDDELL"

The proceeds of the eBay auction will go directly to the Ryan Bennett Memorial Fund to provide assistance to the Bennett family. Mixed Martial Arts broadcasting star, Ryan Bennett had an impressive career and a real passion for all things MMA and he will be missed.

MMA Fever Welcomes Colonel Balz

G'day MMA Fever-ish fans, I have an exciting announcement to make...

Colonel Balz has joined MMA Fever as a contributing Author. Although Balz and I share similar viewpoints on the world of MMA, our perspectives are unique to one another and this will serve to add a special ingredient that will separate us from all other blogs on the subject of MMA.

As you can tell from Balz' comment posts, his feedback and accuracy of the content he provides is electric and we are definitely in store for something special in the near future.

Colonel Balz just told me that he has a differing opinion about the outcome of the Main Event of Fight Night 8 on January 25. I don't want to steal his thunder so I too will wait for his much anticipated and colourful fight predictions.

Thank you Colonel and welcome aboard!

Tim Sylvia on Blind Date?

CroCop vs. Fedor

The title fight for the ages between Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic and the champ Fedor Emelianenko. It doesn't get any better than this!

UFC Fight Night 8 Predictions

We have a nice little fight card set for UFC Fight Night 8 taking place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Florida on Thursday, January 25 @ 8pm on Spike TV.

This will be a good warm-up to the upcoming UFC 68 on Feb 3.

Here are my predictions:

Rashad Evans 14-0-0 Vs. Sean Salmon 9-1-0

Rashad Evans is slowly growing on me. Rashad gained notoriety by winning the Heavyweight fight against Big Brad Imes in The Ultimate Fighter 2 finale.

Since then, Rashad has dropped down a weight class to the Light Heavyweight ranks (205 Lbs) where he stands a good chance at contending for the title in a year or so. Rashad is a wrestler with decent strikes and quick foot work.

In his last fight, he knocked out a tough opponent in Jason Lambert (22-5-0) in the second round. I expect Rashad to bring the same intensity to this fight against Sean Salmon. Rashad is used to the bright lights and the national attention of Spike TV and the UFC so I am giving a huge edge to Rashad as long as he stands on his feet and trades punches with Salmon who will be quick to chute for the takedown.

Unfortunately for Salmon, Evans' takedown defence is solid so expect a pugilistic match that will see Rashad's undefeated record remain with his arm held high in the air.

It's important to note that UFC Junkie is sponsoring Sean Salmon and I am a huge fan of the Junkie's insights. Check him out.

Prediction: Rashad Evans by TKO over Salmon.

Jake O'Brien 9-0-0 Vs. Heath Herring 26-11-1

I am soooooooooo excited about this match-up that Heath should have been the one plastered front and center on the UFC Fight Night poster instead of Rashad.

Heath is a devastating striker with a solid ground game. Heath has learned how to lose from the very best that MMA has to offer in the Heavyweight division and those include Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mirko Filipovic, Vitor Belfort, and the amazing Fedor Emelianenko.

They say the true test of a fighter is to see if he will learn from his losses and bounce back quickly and stronger than the previous fight. Well, this is the case for the Texas Crazy Horse and how could you not learn from going toe to toe with fighters that would embarrass the current UFC Heavyweight line-up.

I expect big things from Heath because of his explosive fighting style and never quit attitude. At 28 years old, expect Health to add depth and athleticism we haven't seen since the Pitbull Andre Arlovski was the champ.

Prediction: Heath all the way... Sorry Jake, you will lose the match and also your unbeaten 9-0 record however, as Heath's career has shown, in order to be the best, you have to learn how to be beaten by the best. School is in session for ya!

Hermes Franca 17-5-0 Vs. Spencer Fisher 20-2-0

What can I say? Fisher all the way!!!! Spencer has more depth in terms of fight experience than Franca and he is currently being trained in the MFS (Miletich Fighting Systems) style a la, Jeremy Horn, Matt Hughes & Tim Sylvia. Not bad training partners.

Hermes Franca hasn't risen to the challenge in a big fight. He came close in his split decision loss against Yves Edwards a couple of years back but still has not had the fight that could put him on the 155 map of contenders.

Franca, this is your shot to propel your career into overdrive. Be sure to duck when you see the flying knee that Spencer likes to dish out.

Prediction: Spencer Fisher by KO in the 3rd.

Dean Lister 9-4-0 Vs. Nate Marquardt 27-6-1 (May not be broadcast)

Wanna see a lob sided match? Well, you ain't gonna 'cause this one is not televised and thank goodness for that. Dean Lister has to be the most boring and ill equipped fighter in MMA today.

Everything he has is mediocre at best. Nothing stands out as his strength and we will see Dean where he belongs after this fight, out of the UFC and back training real fighters with skill.

Lister just sucks. His decision win against Yuki Sasaki was an embarrassment to MMA. Too bad I couldn't highlight Nate's skills, it's just that Lister sucks sooooooo bad that an octagon girl could knock him out with her fight round number card.

Prediction: Nate Marquardt without breaking a sweat in the first round by submission.

Quick Untelevised Picks:

Chad Reiner 13-1-0 Vs. Josh Burkman 18-3-0

Prediction: Burkman

Ed Herman 13-4-0 Vs. Chris Price 8-1-0

Prediction: (toss a coin) I'm going with the Short Fuse merely due to the fact that if Ed Herman does not win, he'll be out of the MMA circuit indefinitely and possibly joining his buddy Chris Leben. It's do or die for the Short Fuse.

Clay Guida 21-3-0 Vs. Din Thomas 21-7-0

Prediction: I like Clay to win by submission. This is my underdog pick and I hope Din Thomas goes away quietly.

Ross Pointon 4-8-0 Vs. Rich Clementi 22-6-0

Holy TUF series rematches Batman!

Prediction: Ross Pointon will go back to the island he came from and continue to work as a punching bag for up and coming UK fighters. Ross should have been matched up with Dean Lister... then we'd all go back to watching the Golf Channel. Rich Clementi all the way by KO 'cause Ross doesn't know any different

"Ja know what I mean?"

Will Couture Regain His Championship Form Against the Maine-iac?

I have to admit that I am still in shock over the recent news that was dropped by Randy Couture on 'Inside the UFC' Spike TV program. Randy quickly stated that he will jump into the octagon with the reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion of the World - Tim "The Maine-iac" Sylvia.

Couture has been retired from fighting for close to a year now since he was knocked into retirement by the Iceman Chuck Liddell during the Light Heavyweight title fight on February 4, 2006. Immediately following the fight, Randy announced his retirement from the UFC and MMA altogether.

For MMA Fans, this was a bitter-sweet announcement back then and I can say the same is true with the announcement of his comeback to fight Sylvia for the Heavyweight crown. On one hand, I want to see The Natural fight again and on the other hand, I don't want to see a circus side-show like we have seen with Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie.

Although, there is a major difference with Couture as opposed to Shammy and Gracie and that difference is that he has evolved with MMA over the years so this definitely gives him an advantage over other geriatric fighters. That's right, Randy Couture is 43 years old which is unheard of in combat sports.

Randy Couture earned the UFC Heavyweight title back in 1997 against Maurice Smith at UFC (15.5) Japan. He vacated the belt over a contract dispute with the UFC and did not return until November 2000 at UFC 28 where he regained the title from Kevin Randleman in the 3rd round by way of TKO.

Couture held on to the title by defending twice in very memorable battles with Pedro Rizzo until The Natural met his match in a loss against a younger, hungrier and juiced up fighter in Josh Barnett by technical knockout in the 2nd round in March 2002. Josh failed the drug test following the fight and fled to Japan beltless and currently fights in Pride FC.


Tim Sylvia still has a cloud of controversy following him when he was also caught using banned performance enhancing drugs.

Sylvia first captured UFC Heavyweight Championship from Ricco Rodriguez at UFC 41, and defended his title with another quick victory over 6'10" Giant Gan McGee at UFC 44.

After the fight with McGee, Sylvia tested positive for the banned substance Stanozolol, an anabolic steroid. He was stripped of his title, handed a six-month suspension and a $10,000 fine by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. He later commented that the steriod usage was for shedding excess weight. Sylvia apologized for his wrongdoing and made no effort to claim innocence.

All of that is past and Tim is the current champ and arguably the most disliked Heavyweight champ in UFC history. Many UFC fans will boo Tim when he fights because he has recently employed a less aggressive fighting style that is, for lack of a better word, "boring" to watch. This is something you would not expect from someone who is 6'8"and 265Lbs who had a grocery list of TKO victories up until his last two title defences which went the full 5 rounds and he won by decision.

Personally, I say let Tim fight Tim's fight, boring or not, he does seem to fight smart and not hard which, has most likely made all the difference in his retention of the belt he so covets.

My Prediction?

Couture is going to get murdered!

Sylvia is fighting smarter than he ever has and still possesses that snapping knockout power at the end of his mile long arms. Tim also has thunderous leg kicks that we haven't seen used in a while and I have a feeling that we will see Tim utilize all of his skills NOT to impress the UFC fans, but to impress Randy Couture to shut him up for good.

Sorry Randy, you are no Mirko "Cro Cop"Filipovic who will be the only one in the current stable of UFC Heavyweights to cut down the Tim Sylvia tree and give the fans back what they have been craving... an exciting Heavyweight champion fighter.

Cro Cop & Arlovski, now that's a fight!

Here is a snippet of what Randy says about his return to the octagon from the Couture Chronicles courtesy of the Fight Network:

"I think just seeing that and analyzing that made me realize that I could get in there and I could beat these guys.

In the last few weeks, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic has come on the radar, obviously another top fighter who’d be another interesting fight. Tim’s standing there with the title and needing an opponent, and is also, I think, an interesting and
formidable opponent.

It has always been about the competition for
me. These are some interesting fights. These fights excite me. These fights challenge me. Even at 43 years of age, I have more things I can accomplish and more things that I can do. In my opinion, I can still compete with these guys and beat them.

Am I doing the right thing? Is this stupid? Is this another Michael Jordan-esque stunt, another pro athlete that can’t let go? I don’t feel like that. I’ve enjoyed doing commentary and all the other things that have kept me busy. I don’t think it’s a huge issue of letting go.

Hell, maybe I’m just kidding myself and Tim’s going
to point it out to me. I don’t think that’s the case. I guess we’ll find out on March 3. Maybe I just don’t have it anymore and I’m just as crazy as everyone thinks I am.

If you feel this legend should stay retired, then let this “old man” live out his glory days, at least one more time. If you believe I’ve still got in me, like I believe I do, then come along for the ride. Regardless, I will fight my heart out for you come March 3.

I just feel like I’ve got more fighting in me to do."

All Things MMA...

Well, this is it. This is the starting point for all things MMA from my twisted perspective. I have been fortunate enough to secure MMAFever as the future site that will house many of my off the wall predictions and controversial viewpoints surrounding the ever evolving world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

Stay tuned and enjoy the ride!