Archive for September, 2010

A list of the medical suspensions following the lackluster UFC 119 has been released. Have a look: Mark Hunt; indefinite suspension; needs clear x-ray on left elbow; 30 days no contact Sean McCorkle; 30 day suspension; 21 days no contact Steve Lopez; 30 day suspension; laceration on foreheard; 30 days no contact Matt Mitrione; 30 day suspension, 12 days no contact Joey Beltran; 30 day suspension; laceration; 30 days no contact Sean Sherk; 30 day suspension; 21 days no contact Evan Dunham; 45 day suspension; 45 days no contact Matt Serra; 180 day suspension Matt Serra; indefinite suspension; must clear [...]

  The UFC probably lost some fans with this one.  A bunch of decisions and a stinker of a main event was definitely not what they needed.  I was watching with a group of around 15 people, mostly casual fans.  With the exception of the Sherk/Dunham fight, they were bored.  Casual fans miss things, and their reaction isn’t always a good barometer for the quality of a fight.  Still, I like watching with them.  It’s good to be exposed to new fans’ perspectives.  I feel like a lot of hardcore fans lose sight of that.  I’ve been vigorously trying to [...]

Frank Mir vs Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic I’ll state the obvious first: most people aren’t excited about this main event.  This will probably be reflected in the PPV numbers.  The mainstream appeal just isn’t there. I’ve long since learned not to get discouraged by that.  Great fights don’t have to be for a belt, and they don’t have to feature big stars.  And actually, both Mir and Cro Cop are stars to anyone who’s paying attention.  They’ve both been champions.  Mir, at least, could be champion again.  I wasn’t looking forward to a rematch with Nogueira, but when Cro Cop [...]

The Chael Sonnen steroid scandal has been bad for all of us, but the biggest loser by far is the UFC.  Sure, Sonnen will miss a year and likely be a lot less relevant when he comes back.  He should call Sean Sherk for some tips on how to adjust to his new life (Sherk tip 1: abandon your takedowns).  I’m pissed the UFC’s newest superstar has to be put on ice.  He’s been a real treat this past six months or so.  He very quickly became the best thing the UFC had going.  Dana White was probably praying for Sonnen to [...]

This post will handle the bottom three fights on the main card.  The main event and co-main event will be profiled Friday.  I feel like I’m going to need until then to figure out who I’m favoring in The Bader/Nogueira fight.  I’ve been going back and forth on that one for the last month. Evan Dunham vs Sean Sherk In the wake of BJ Penn’s dethroning, and with the most boring title fight in history forthcoming, all lightweight fights take on added significance.  The whole division has been thrown out of wack and there are now two decision-seeking point fighters at the [...]

I might sound like a total UFC fanboy here, but these countdown shows are awesome.  They really do a great job of prepping the casual fan for these fights.  I’m sure MMA graybeards scoff at such shows.  And its true, you and I might not be learning anything new, but I’m sure a lot of viewers are.  Whenever I’m trying to get friends to bust a UFC hang with me, I always tell them to watch the countdown.  It gets them right where they need to be. The downside is you’re essentially watching an hour-long commercial for an upcoming event [...]

Rousimar Palhares vs. Nate Marquardt was a fight I’d been looking forward to since I first heard about it. Marquardt is a physical specimen with well-rounded skills. I became a big fan of the way he fights during his impressive 3-fight knockout streak before the loss to Chael Sonnen. For me, it’s as exciting to watch Marquardt fight as it is painful to listen to him talk. And Palhares is just plain scary. A musclebound simpleton who snaps legs? That’s not a guy you want to fight, I don’t care who you are. It seemed like Nate the Great was [...]

Tonight before the premiere of “The Ultimate Fighter Season 12: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck,” the UFC will be invading the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas for “UFC Fight Night 22: Marquardt vs. Palhares.” Fight Night 22 is headlined by a middleweight bout between three-time Middleweight King of Pancrase Champion Nate Marquardt and jiu jitsu black belt Rousimar Palhares. Palhares has won three straight fights, while Marquardt will be looking to get back on track after being dominated by top middleweight contender Chael Sonnen in February. In the night’s co-main event, TUF season 8 winner Efrain Escudero faces off [...]

According to Antonio “Mandingo” McKee today on the Sherdog radio network, he has signed a four-fight deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. McKee has not lost a fight in seven years and is most recently coming off of a devastating first-round finish of Luciano Azevedo at MFC 26. McKee is often criticized by fans for his “boring” fight style, but has notched finishes in his last two bouts. “Mandingo” would be a great addition to the UFC’s lightweight division which lacks a lot of star power. His personality and his fantastic brand of trash talk will be a welcomed presence [...]