UFC 116 – Pick’em

We have waited long enough.  Finally the biggest and most important heavyweight fight, in any sport, since Tyson-Holyfield is upon us this Saturday at UFC 116.  And’s the only headlining fight worth mentioning.

Lesnar-Carwin is so big that the UFC built special reinforced Octagon.

When these two mammoths were scheduled to fight the first time, I made my prediction http://rebelref.com/2009/10/19/ufc106-forecast-carwin-beats-lesnar/ Now that the fight is finally here, the potential outcome isn’t as clear as it once was.

Shane Carwin is entirely too focused on a knockout.  To recognize the negative effect of that, then look no further than Dan Henderson’s loss to Jake Shield in April.  When facing a wrestling machine like Lesnar, takedown defense can be your best friend.  Carwin has indicated he has worked on his wrestling but you can see it in his eyes that his striking has dominated his training camp.

Everyone knows he can punch so he’s not surprising anyone.  The same goes without saying Brock Lesnar will use his wrestling to neutralize Carwin’s striking.  It’s all the more reason for Carwin to emphasize on his defense so it can set up more knockout opportunities.

Lensar has left no stone unturned while training for his title defense.  His newfound maturity has evolved him both as a person and as a fighter. Instead of working on his strengths, Lesnar has elected to work on his weaknesses.  Becoming a complete fighter is the best foil for a man like Carwin.  Lesnar acknowledges this and has worked hard for his chance to prove it.  Lesnar has made the right changes in his camp which is a scary thought for challengers like Carwin.

With all that being said…

Pick:  Shane Carwin

Call me crazy but I still think all the training in the world can’t fix a chin.  I don’t believe Lesnar has one.  Even if Lesnar does get Carwin down and smothers him, I believe Shane will ultimately survive.  Carwin should have many opportunities to find Lesnar’s chin and test it.  It’s one test Lesnar won’t pass.  Carwin will tag Lesnar and Lesnar will crumble.  Just like all of Carwin’s victims.  Carwin will lose one day but he’s waiting too long for this one.  He’s hungry.  Carwin by KO.

Suckerpunch: Fedor vs. Werdum

The MMA overload continues.  Saturday’s Fedor vs. Werdum card both tested our patience as fight fans, and turned the MMA world upside down in one single night.  Needless to say it served as an opening act so to speak for this week’s Lesnar vs. Carwin heavyweight toggle.

The most appreciated aspect of the card was….

No ex-football players or former athletes on the card.  Every participant on Saturday’s card is a full-fledged mixed martial artist.  No freak shows or guest spots which is something fight fans really appreciate.

Cung Le won and….

was there any doubt?  He was dominating his first match with Scott Smith until he ran out of gas then found himself waking up to the ceiling lights.  It’ll be interesting to see whether he grants Smith a rubber match, or now that he has avenged his loss will it give him enough satisfaction to move on?  In any case he needs to quickly make up his mind.  No more pondering.

Enough already…

and make the Erin Toughill – Cyborg Santos match.  I don’t know what was worse.  Strikeforce’s sadistic matchmaking in this case or the referee’s decision to allow Cyborg to keep butchering poor over-matched Jan Finney. There was never going to be any Buster Douglas moment for Finney in this one.  She was just the latest sacrificial lamb for Cyborg.  Strikeforce has a legitimate and potentially competitive women’s championship match on their hands with Cyborg and Toughill.  There is no reason to keep prolonging it.

The WTF Award goes to…

Fabricio Werdum for submitting the world’s best heavyweight.  Talks of retirement and never watching any film of his opponent’s fights sent off alarming signals that Fedor Emelianenko may not h ave been totally focused for this fight. He’s neither the first grand champion to make this mistake nor will he be the last.  In any case Werdum shocked the world and deserves all the credit in the world for doing what many that was impossible.  The only person probably happier than Werdum himself is Dana White.

The X Man

All the talk surrounding Chuck Liddell’s knockout loss to Rich Franklin at UFC 115 is that the show’s over for the future Hall of Famer.  Not too far behind is the mention that Dana White should refuse any request by “The Iceman” for another fight.

While this is true, there needs to be more emphasis on the one person in Chuck’s world that needs to step up the most if that situation presents itself:  John Hackleman.

It happens all too often when a fighter is finished but continues to fight on while the trainer goes along with him on his path of self-destruction.  The trainer loves the fighter and willing to go down with him.

That’s why Hackleman remains the x-factor in the Liddell retirement saga.

Chuck Liddell is arguably the most endeared fighter ever to grace the Octagon.  His contributions to the sport, not just the UFC, are in-measurable. No one wishes to see him laid out cold again.

Hackleman is not the polarizing figure as White is, but he is the most influential when it comes to the former champ.  The next time he and Liddell make a trip to “The Pit” it should to train the fighters of tomorrow.  He and the king of yesteryear’s MMA are ready the next phase of their journey together.

And just like before, it’s up to Hackleman to get Chuck ready for his next challenge.

Moving On

A wise man once said “talk is cheap”.  In the case of David Haye, it’s not cheap; it’s worthless.

He promised to restore the glory of the heavyweight division.  He swore to clean up the murky championship picture by unifying titles.  His impressive run at cruiserweight, and being the  polar opposite of both Klitschko brothers, made him their most appealing challenger.

To his credit, he made heavyweight boxing remotely interesting.  Even if it was just for a brief moment.  Although for the third time within a calendar year, he sat on the brink of the most significant championship fight since 2003 only to remove himself from all negotiations to pursue an easier fight.

How is that going to bring back the lure of the heavyweights?  He would serve boxing much better if he would just disappear altogether.

It’s the new boxing tradition of talking your way to greatness but never actually backing it up.  Boxing is littered with fighters who do this but Haye has become it’s premiere practitioner.

David Haye is an absolute disgrace to boxing.  It’s time to move past Haye as he is not deserving of anyone’s time.  Manny Pacquiao is the most beloved boxer because his fists actually do his talking.  Haye is pumped up of false bravado and who has time to waste on his garbage?  There are better things to do.  Like basket weaving.

Boxing’s Baddest – P4P

1) Floyd Mayweather

It kills me to place him atop and as I predicted he would cruise through the overrated Mosley bout, BUT its extremely fair to say that he will win against Manny Pacquiao when or if they meet.  He has benefited tremendously from matches against under-sized, bloated and declining opponents alike.

2) Manny Pacquiao

He’s a fight fan’s fighter and never disappoints. Though he’s too small and gets hit too often to think he can defeat Mayweather.

3) Sergio Martinez

Schooled Kelly Pavlik to win the middleweight title and was denied a decision I believed he deserved against Paul Williams.  On paper it was a loss, but in boxing, fighter’s loses aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on half the time.  Martinez was the better fighter in both cases and is on the verge of becoming a star.

4) Paul Williams

The crafty southpaw got away with a decision against Martinez then had his match against Kermit Cintron end in truly bizarre fashion.  He passed on a rematch with Cintron which is puzzling considering their match was just getting started when it abruptly ended.  The bottom line is he was absurdly awarded a win when no contest would be in order just about anywhere else on the planet.  He received another win he didn’t deserve and apparently that’s good enough for Paul Williams.  Then he wonders why nobody cares him.

5) Juan Manuel Marquez

Say what you will about Marquez fading but the fact he remains he has fought the best on his way up the scale.  Often against younger, fresher fighters.  That can’t be said about other fighters such as Mayweather and Chad Dawson.

MMA Monsters – P4P

1) Georges St. Pierre

Regardless of whether you think he’s a safety 1st wrestler, the fact remains is that he always faces top opposition and always brings his best performance in the cage…every…single…time.  The complete fighter.

2) Anderson Silva

Has been reduced to strictly a counter striker.  He only excels when others come forward.  Against passive opponents, Silva has failed miserably.  He cannot push the action and his foolishness just illustrate his insecurities.  Looking to pick on smaller men like GSP is pathetic too.

3) Fedor Emelianenko

The only knock against “The Last Emperor” is the lack of activity.  If he fought more often he’d be #2.

4) Mauricio Rua

Because knocking out Lyoto Machida to win the light heavyweight championship should be enough to get you in anyone’s top 5.  Shogun was magnificent in both fights. He looks like the Shogun that tore through Pride and the UFC might finally have a dominant LHW champion on their hands.

5) Jose Aldo

Aldo may be the least known on the list, but he certainly deserves to be one of the most appreciated.  His fights look like an arcade game due to his stupendous skills.  After stomping Urijah Faber, the Aldo era has no apparent end in sight.

Kimbo Sliced

Finally Kimbo Slice’s time in the UFC has ended. It’s about damn time too. Promoters took an unfortunate stereotype and tried to develop Slice into MMA’s Mike Tyson. Instead what they got was MMA’s Mr. T.

The Kimbo Slice experiment did accomplish some good though. It proved that MMA is not glorified street fighting. Brawling in shipyards and warehouses does not equal Octagon success. Kimbo’s failure should serve precedent to any aspiring tough guy who think they can just walk in and do this MMA thing.

Kimbo didn’t deserve the all exposure he received. The only thing you can give him credit for is making the most out of his limited abilities.

Good riddance to Kimbo Slice. He got his 15 minutes.

UFC 113 – Pick’em

The UFC’s mindset lately has been more quantity than quality.  Although every now and then in the UFC’s flooded PPV schedule you will find one that will not allow you to take any bathroom breaks.  UFC 113 is one of those cards and has been marked on my calendar for months.  No Kimbo talk here (because it’s not worth the space) but this card has fights really worth talking about:

Josh Koscheck vs. Paul Daley

Two loud mouth jerks.  One a bruising British striker.  The other an American wrestler who wants to be a striker (see Chuck Liddell and Rashad Evans).  Each wishing to become the next in line to challenge, and I use that word lightly, for Georges St. Pierre’s welterweight championship.

Koscheck has been on the brink of a 2nd title shot for seems to be an eternity.  Paul Daley is one of the hottest rising stars in the promotion’s deepest division.  He’s left a path of broken and busted bodies since crashing onto the UFC scene.  Josh Koshceck has been up and down over the past few years. Although the current form of Koscheck arms the perfect foil for Daley’s championship hopes.  So who wins?

Pick:  Josh Koscheck

Simply put, Koscheck finally remembered his meal ticket has always been his wrestling.  By going back to the basics he thrashed Anthony Johnson.  Daley has plenty of trouble holding his own against strong wrestlers.  There is nothing that would have me believe Daley has corrected this problem.  Koscheck will use his superior wrestling and extinguish Daley from any talk about title contention.

Light Heavyweight Championship : Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio Rua

This is what mixed martials arts is all about.

Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida almost effortlessly tore through the division on his way to the top.  No one had been able to even brush Machida much less connect with a meaningful shot.  Then along came Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.  Shogun did what most people thought was impossible.  He made Machida look mortal.  He came into the 1st fight with a brilliant game plan pushed Machida to his breaking point.  It was a masterful performance by Shogun, but too bad it wasn’t enough.

The controversy that followed prompted an immediate rematch.  Fight fans are beaming for another fight between these two geniuses of the sport.

Pick:  Lyoto Machida

Lyoto Machida was thrown for a loop when Shogun approached the fight the way he did. It forced him to dig down deep and pull a razor thin decision.  That said more about Lyoto Machida than many of his other wins.  Shogun will undoubtedly have another surprising plan but Machida is maybe the most intelligent fighter in the UFC.  Machida will be more evolved, more aware and better prepared for anything Shogun has in store for the rematch.  He’ll be ready for anything and he will add to his growing legend by winning a clear decision.

A Heavy Load

Rumors are hard to keep in this day and age.  With the power of the internet at your fingertips, you can find out anything about anybody at any given time.

Even though Dana White has yet to confirm what we already know, it’s safe to say it maybe the most pivotal match in MMA history.

Randy Couture will present MMA at UFC 118 against former boxing champion James Toney.  Captain America vs the Detroit Motormouth.  The weight of an entire sport is resting firmly on the aging shoulders of Randy Couture.

Talk about pressure.

The seemingly endless debate of boxing vs. MMA will reach a conclusion in an intriguing battle between these over-the-hill stars.

Although I wish it were someone other than Randy Couture to get the call, but I have to say the fight makes sense.  Both guys are well past their primes and who better to test a boxer in the cage than the man who set the standard for modern-day grapplers?

Some skeptics will say that Toney is Dana White’s sacrificial lamb, but they obviously know nothing about James Toney.  He’s no slouch; not by any stretch of the imagination.

Although if you believe a traditionalist mixed martial artist, then Toney will be finished the moment he’s taken down.  James Toney has the best hands in the UFC. Hands down.  No one else in the promotion comes close.  If he lets his hands go, then it can be a nightmare for aspiring grapplers shooting for a take down.

That doesn’t bode well for Couture has been TKO’d in most of his losses.

Speaking of loses, Toney’s whiskers have never failed him.  Once he signed he immediately became the man with the best chin in the UFC stable.  Finishing him via strikes will prove to be most difficult.

Making Couture’s plight worse is that the entire sport of MMA is counting on him for the proverbial “I told you so”.  A loss suffered here will set back the sport for a long time.

Forget Sidney Crosby, Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods.  Never before has a sport been so deeply hinged on a single performance by one of its athletes.  James Toney and boxing nothing to lose in this fight.  Both will be fine win or lose.  If Couture gets put to sleep then so does MMA.  It’ll go back to being regarded as a novelty act.

If that happens neither Couture nor MMA would want to awaken from that slumber.

There Goes The Superbowl

Damn it, damn it, damn it!  Drew Brees was voted to be on the cover of Madden 2011.  People scoff at the talk of a curse but you can’t ignore the overwhelming evidence that supports it.  It’s hard enough to make the playoffs the season following the Super Bowl but now the Saints have some serious voodoo on their franchise player.  Drew Brees has always defied the odds and he accomplished the impossible by winning a Super Bowl in New Orleans.  So if anyone can break the curse it’s Drew Brees.  Although me saying that doesn’t make me feel any better.

Sucker Punch: Strikeforce

What’s not to love about Strikeforce?  Strikeforce did it again this past Saturday by providing us with an absolutely free card featuring some of the biggest names in the sport.  With any fight card, “Strikeforce:  Shields vs. Henderson” had it high points and some really low points.  Either way, Strikeforce gave us plenty to talk about Monday morning at the water cooler:

Say what you want about Jason Miller interrupting Jake Shield’s interview….

but the Cesar Gracie camp should feel like punk bitches for the post fight melee.  They need to realize the damage their actions caused the promotion that employs many of them.  There was no need for the entire team to shamelessly swarm and beat on Miller like they did on live television.  Post-fight challenges and shoving matches are nothing new in the fight business.  It’s how many future matches come to realization and certainly a simple intervention would have been sufficient. The wolf pack mentality has no place in the sport often praised for its all-around respect.  Cesar Gracie’s lynch mob did more damage to MMA then they did to Miller when they jumped him.

Mad props goes to….

Gilbert Melendez for putting a final stamp on his win over Japanese superstar Shinya Aoki.  Melendez bashed Aoki on every corner and when Aoki crab crawled after him, Melendez nailed him as he did the whole fight.  Melendez wanted to finish strong and was simply not content with a stellar shut out win.  That killer instinct is what makes him special.

Mo Lawal won but…

rounds 1 & 2 of fight should serve precedent for re-evaluating position versus damage scoring. How can you constitute an elbow to the head to be more valuable than just lying on top of someone and absorbing damage?  Dominant position has value when a fighter imposes his will but if his will gets him beat up from the guy in the inferior position (bottom), then how does he win the exchange?  Should a submission hold more value if the victory comes from a dominant position?  Of course not.  Therefore striking from the bottom should not cease to exist just because the man on top is unable mount any offense.  It’s an unfair advantage that only benefit wrestlers and eradicates everything we learned from Royce Gracie.

Someone needs to tell….

Dan Henderson to go in to a championship fight with a better game plan than just wanting to end the fight with a big right hand.  Henderson got lazy and was humiliated because of it.  Getting schooled by a blown up welterweight was a total embarrassment for Henderson and he’s been in this sport too long for him to have Chuck Liddell syndrome.

Bust or Bust

When a college quarterback enters the NFL draft you know almost immediately if he is going to be a quality player in the NFL.  Hyping up players before the draft is nothing new, but this is a bad year for quarterbacks – period.  Regardless of what the media says about either Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen, neither are going to set the world on fire once they’re pros.

What triggered me the most is the way the media was all over Jimmy Clausen because he only threw 2 incomplete passes on his pro day.  So what? The ESPN the Magazine does and article on the way Clausen throws a pretty spiral.  Like any of this is going to translate into him becoming a quality NFL QB.

How about focusing more on how immature he is and that he has an attitude problem?  Getting knocked the hell out after leaving a restaurant should throw up a flare about the kind of negative attention he brings.  He’s a punk and character goes a long way in the NFL (see Matt Ryan).

Sam Bradford gets injured his last year, come back with like 13 lbs. of added muscle and suddenly he’s a stud?  I don’t get it. Brady Quinn is bulging with muscles all over his body and he can’t complete a pass to save his life.  Not to mention he played in the same offensive system as Clausen and it didn’t matter if it was pro-style because he still sucks.  When a quarterback has it you just know it.

The media keeps trying to spin this and blow it up as they always do, but the added attention they give Clausen and Bradford clearly show how bad this draft class is regarding QBs.  Quarterbacks are the poster boys of a franchise and any GM should proceed with extreme caution when drafting either Clausen or Bradford.  It’s like choosing either JaMarcus Russell or Brady Quinn all over again.  And we all know how well that turned out for those teams.  Face it, either way the drafting teams are screwed.

Guaranteed Money

Floyd Gayweather knows a thing or two about money.  He knows how to make it.  He knows how to throw it away.  He also knows how to stay money inside the ring.

Come May 1st, I will not be one of the many forking over $50 for Gayweather’s match against “Sugar” Shane Mosley.  There’s no need to when Gayweather’s victory is pretty much guaranteed.  Barring some freak occurrence, boxing’s biggest bitch will walk away with a decision win.

Two fights ago, Mosley stopped Ricardo Mayorga at 2:59 of the very last round.  Had the fight not been waved off, Mosley would have won by majority decision.  The encounter was a victory but it’s a prime example of Mosley’s masked declining ability.

It was a rare case where the finish depreciates a fighter.  Mayorga’s was everyone’s favorite come back victim because he could be easily outclassed by a technical boxer.  He was the perfect opponent for a fighter wanting to knock some rust off and look dominant in the process.  Mayorga should have never seen the championship rounds in that fight.  Oscar De La Hoya ran through him in 6; Tito Trinidad in 8.  There’s no excusing the fact Mayorga shouldn’t have survived as long as he did considering how overmatched he was against Mosley.

It’s hard to take away from a win much less two, but Mosley’s win against Antonio Margarito is another that deceived many.  Margarito can say he didn’t know about the illegal hand wraps, but every boxer knows how his hand wraps are done.

Judging by the look on his face and the way he fought, Margarito just wanted out of there.  He didn’t know what to do without the plaster wraps and he didn’t want to find out.  How else do you explain Margarito retreating, half the production of his normally furious pace, unwillingness to hunt down and walk through shots?  He fled and essentially gave up.  Mosley deserves credit for finishing him, but it’s another fruitless triumph due to the deflated version of Antonio Margarito that night.

There is almost nothing I would much rather see than to watch Gayweather lose, but unfortunately I will have to wait a little bit longer.  Mosley is one of the finest fighters of any generation but the sun is setting on his career.  It goes without saying Gayweather is well aware of this.  It’s why the fight was made in the first place.  The Mayorga and Margarito fights illustrated the bleak chance of an upset.

Shane Mosley doesn’t use his jab much anymore.  His rolling shoulders are gone.  His speed isn’t what it used to be.  He has his work cut out for him against the defensive mastery that Floyd Gayweather brings.  Mosley will land his shots but not enough of them to supplant Gayweather.

Mosley’s best chance is to turn it into a fight instead of a boxing match.  It’ll never happen against Gayweather.

Floyd Gayweather’s perfect record was no accident.  He’s reached his perch by following a carefully crafted and cunning plan.  He remains there by risking little and talking a lot.  Against Shane Mosley, Gayweather is out of harm’s way and will have plenty to brag about with Mosley’s name on his resume’.

Heartbroken

HBK. The Showstopper. The Icon that can still go. Mr. Wrestlemania. The journey that began back in Texas circa 1984 came to a sad end this past Monday night in Arizona; the birthplace of the Heartbreak Kid. Fittingly, one of the greatest careers in wrestling history ended where he life trek to wrestling superstardom began. Unlike most retirements in pro wrestling, Shawn Michaels’ is honest and not another carefully created storyline.

His career truly transcended wrestling. His Ironman Match against Bret Hart at Wrestlemania XII is arguably the best wrestling match of all-time. Shawn Michaels’ gift was pushing the envelope and setting a standard that will never be matched.

When the WWE needed a superstar to introduce a groundbreaking match, Shawn Michaels got the call. It’s a true testament to the masterful artistry of his craft. With it he captured the imagination of everyone who had the privilege of watching him perform. His ability was breathtaking. His sense for the moment was unsurpassed.

Even well past his physical prime, he currently rides a 6 year (2004-2009) streak of winning Match of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Prior to his injury imposed exile following Wrestlemania XIV, Michaels owned a 4 year streak for Match of the Year.

Pro wrestling lost the greatest performer in its history Monday night. He forever has a place at wrestling’s round table with the likes of Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Ric Flair, Andre the Giant, Stone Cold Steve Austin and the Undertaker. Like his iconic peers at that table, Shawn Michaels will never be replaced. If the WWE was Motley Crue, then he was Vince Neil and those following him would be John Corabi. The business of pro wrestling will roll on, but it certainly will never be the same without HBK.

So long Shawn Michaels and thanks for all the memories.

What We Learned @ UFC 111

Shane Carwin is a beast

For those of you who doubted Shane Carwin’s place among the best heavyweights, the joke’s on you.  Carwin’s ferocious serious of left uppercuts chopped down Frank Mir.  Along with the face crushing assault, Carwin blew open the doors for a match with Brock Lesnar that has twice been cancelled before.  Carwin is the most serious threat to Lesnar’s reign as champion.  Finally we have someone who will not be bullied by Lesnar and also someone who can put Lesnar’s questionable chin to the ultimate test.  Shane Carwin’s explosiveness is the fight-ending magic that people love and expect from a heavyweight. Carwin has arrived and that is not good news for Lesnar, but great news for the rest of us.

Brock Lesnar is….

Still a jerk for claiming that Shane Carwin won a “fake belt”.  Lesnar was impressed with Carwin’s win over Frank Mir, but he also showed signs of concerns with his childish comments.  Lesnar is worried about Carwin; as well he should be.

Dan Hardy knows what it means to tap

He obliged, but when caught in Georges St. Pierre’s kimura, Hardy’s right hand did posture up, even for a moment, ready to tap.  Luckily for Hardy, GSP’s compassion allowed Hardy to escape when GSP looked up at the referee for intervention.   He deserves all the credit in the world for not tapping but he does know what it means to tap otherwise his hand would have been ready to do so in the 1st place.

GSP’s victory still beautiful

It goes without saying that Georges St. Pierre is the most complete fighter in MMA.  As the world’s premiere mixed martial artist, GSP’s expectations of himself is what separates him from his peers.  GSP was both a technical misstep and a humane thought away from the “beautiful victory” he wanted so bad.  Both mental errors by  GSP denied everyone, most of all GSP himself, the stoppage that was so badly wanted.  By default, Hardy’s reputation spiked but by no means should GSP’s take a hit.  It was an masterful performance.  One in which showcased a clinic and overwhelmed yet another quality contender.  Furthering cleaning out your division is something every champion wants.  GSP gets everyone’s absolute best every time in therefore always making his victories great.

UFC 111 – Pick’Em

Finally a UFC card worth paying for.  It sucks that Thiago Alves will not get his chance to avenge his loss to Jon Fitch but the two title fights on this  card are enough for me to forgive Dana White for the garbage he’s been airing.

Interim Heavyweight Championship : Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin

The best part of the interim heavyweight title fight is that we are guaranteed an exciting fight ending finish.  Whether it be a submission via Mir or another highlight reel Carwin KO, it’s safe to say this one is not going the distance.  With both guys’ track record it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the fight will not reach the 2nd frame.  Somebody’s going down and going down hard.  Gotta love it.

Frank Mir wiped his ass with Cheick Kongo his last time out and looked awesome in doing so.  Shane Carwin has been a beast each trip to the Octagon.  Mir has been TKO’d in all his professional losses.  Carwin has the most unforgiving power in the heavyweight division.  Carwin has never been faced with anyone as dangerous as UFC’s boa constrictor – Frank Mir.

Frank Mir’s lungs have yet to be tested to see if they can supply enough oxygen to keep his new bulked up frame going.  Shane Carwin hasn’t seen the 2nd minute in any of his 11 wins therefore questioning his cardio in a 5 round championship fight.  Around and around we go.

Pick: Shane Carwin

Reason: Neither man is going to have much time to test their cardio in this fight as stated before.  It’s going to end early and I’m picking Shane Carwin to upset the former 2x UFC heavyweight champion.  Mir’s striking has improved leaps and bounds but standing with Carwin is suicide.  Mir’s best chance is on the ground but even there Carwin is Brock Lesnar’s long lost twin; therefore can mostly like control Mir and pound him into powder.  Carwin has the better chin and Mir’s experience will be nullified.  Mir’s career has been up and down.  This will be his latest set back to bounce back from.

Welterweight Championship : Georges St-Pierre vs. Dan Hardy

The Chosen One, Georges “Rush” St. Pierre, finally returns to the battlegrounds defend the most prized possession in MMA.  Standing in the way is the flamboyantly confident Brit Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy. Hardy is singing the same song as all the other would-be GSP detractors.  GSP has seen it all, heard it all and beaten them all before.  Hardy offers little to faze the pound-for-pound king.  Yet the Pride of Nottingham is in a good position because he has nothing to lose.

Hardy is looking to duplicate Matt Serra’s feat of April ’07. Hardy is uber confident he’s going to become the 1st British UFC champion even though he’s going to have to run the gauntlet at UFC 111.  Hardy has never faced a fighter as complete as GSP.  GSP has trumped better strikers, dominated world class wrestlers, thwarted superior submission artists all in becoming the absolute best mixed martial artist in the world.

Hardy has history on his side.  Massive underdogs have often turned the sports world upside down.  Buster Douglas.  Matt Serra.  The ’07 Giants.  Hardy has a lot going for him.  He is a crisp striker with razor sharp elbows.  He’s been the underdog in every fight and every time he’s come out on top.  GSP is in the same position as he was back in April 2007.  History often repeats itself and conventional wisdom is that it’s only a matter of time before lightning strikes again.

Pick: Georges St. Pierre

Reason:  Because it’s GSP!  Lightning doesn’t strike twice in GSP’s world.  Everyone uses the 1st Serra fight as their motivation against the champ,  but why are people still talking about the 1st Serra fight?  St. Pierre is light years past that, and by crushing Hardy Saturday night he’ll lay the ghost of Serra to rest.  St. Pierre’s stand up is vastly underrated and his ability to control distance is one of his best assets.  Hardy does his best work close up.  It doesn’t really matter much because whether he’s close or far away, nothing will stop GSP from bull rushing him and imposing his will on Hardy’s hard head.  Hardy’s new best friend will be the referee when he saves him from a classic George St. Pierre beating.

Farewell Super Dave

I didn’t want to accept it.  It just seemed like a bad joke.  Last Saturday one of my oldest and dearest friends was laid to rest.  It doesn’t seem real; yet I have to accept it whether I want to or not.

“Super” Dave Dominguez may not mean much to any of you but he meant a lot to me.  He was an avid fight fan and a rabid football fan.  From the moment we met, we always enjoyed going back and forth about sports.  He was my rival in every way.  I’d say John Elway; he’d say Joe Montana.  I backed Oscar de la Hoya and he was in Fernando Vargas’ corner.  It was always fun going round for round with him.  The only thing we agreed on was that we enjoyed each other’s company and cherished being the proverbial thorn in each other’s side.  We were teammates for years and some of the best times of my life were spent with Super Dave.  Our personal debates were a main source of influence for the idea behind this website.

When reflecting on those who have passed on, the deceased suddenly become saints no matter what they did when they were here on Earth.  Super Dave is the exception.  You will not find someone who could honestly say something bad about him.  He was awesome in every way a person could  be, and anyone who knew him would tell you that.   Super Dave was always chill and the coolest mofo in the room.  He was always having a good time and he was loved by many.  He touched so many people and it’s hard to imagine going on through the journey of life without my little guido buddy.

To know him was to love him and I certainly loved Super Dave.  I still do.  I will miss Super Dave and God bless him for impacting my life.  Sports may not provide the same enjoyment without Super Dave, but I am grateful for my spent time with him because my life was blessed for simply being his friend.

Numbers Over Rings

When LaDainian Tomlinson was shopping around for a new place to dig his cleats into next season, he emphatically stated that he wanted the chance to compete for a championship.  Well good luck with that in New York LT!

LT failed to sign with the Vikings because of Brett Favre’s uncertainty for the 2010 season.  What a miscalculation on LT’s part.  Favre will be back for the 2010 season, as many experts predict, and the Vikings will once again be one of the NFC’s elite teams.  Even without Favre, the mere fact that the Vikings, back-to-back division champions from 2008-09, are in the NFC where it’s a crap shoot every year as to which team will represent the conference in the Super Bowl.

His ego also fogged up his eye shield. Don’t kid yourselves.  LT wants to feel important. Minnesota is Favre and Peterson’s world.  His ego wasn’t going to allow him to play alongside  Adrian Peterson so the media could draw up comparisons all season long.  Playing with a young quarterback and running back, LT’s presence is suddenly much more valuable.  With the Vikings powerful personalities, LT gets lost in the background.

This move was not about championships.  The Jets signing was about something much more vain.  LT saw former Jets RB Thomas Jones, 32, come off a career year (1,409 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns) in 2009.  With Jones now in KC, it opens the doors for LT to give the Jets a better receiving option at the RB position.  LT will be a compliment to starter Shonn Green, a role he accepts, but Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer presents a offensive scheme familiar to LT.  Schottenheimer was the QB coach in San Diego for 4 seasons and LT knows that his role and numbers will intensify under Schottenheimer.  The Jets’ run happy ways made them the leading rushing team in the NFL last season.  Fresh off the worst statistical season of his career, LT hopes to find that second wind with the league’s premiere run 1st team.  He’s going to get a lot of touches and that was his goal all along.  If he is to prove he has something left in the tank then he needs as many opportunities as possible.  The Jets are well equipped to give him that shot at redemption.

Tomlinson says the Jets have the ability to become a championship team.  Although he’s forgetting that it’s been said and proven a million times over that the NFL is a quarterback driven league.  As long as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger are heading up the AFC’s best, then LT and the Jets will always be on the outside looking in.  Plus there’s no love lost between Tomlinson and the Patriots, so how’s he going to contain that cry baby attitude when Brady’s Bunch eats his lunch twice a year?  The Jets were fortunate to be in the AFC Championship this past season.  To say otherwise is ridiculous and so is LT for using the Jets ’09 season as a smoke screen.

LT is headed to the Big Apple for bigger numbers.  That’s it; plain and simple.  New York is an aging running back’s dream.  Terrific O-Line, game managing QB, great lead blocker, grind out O and a stingy D.

It’s time to stop romanticizing about LaDainian Tomlinson and just see the situation for what it is.  If he were serious about a championship he’d be in Minnesota.  Then again that’s only important to some people.  Not LT.

The Magic of Manny

Motormouth Mayweather is unusually quiet these days.  Floyd Mayweather is running around his las Vegas mega mansion, that he can’t afford yet, trying to put a negative spin on Manny Pacquiao’s shut out win against Joshua Clottey.  Anyone who witnessed Clottey’s scared turtle impression last Saturday night against Manny Pacquiao realized what Mayweather did as he watched it himself.  There was no sensational KO this time around for Pacquiao, but the fact that Clottey bitched up and just tried to survive was a serious testament to Pacquiao as a fighter.  Just as much as the sounds of crickets coming from the Mayweather camp.  Pacquiao managed to clobber the pride out of Clottey, and shut up boxing’s biggest jerk all in one magical night.  It’s no wonder why he’s the best.

Rocky Clottey

There’s a Manny Pacquiao fight this weekend and no one is really too excited about.  Maybe it’s because the fight is not viewed as much of a contest to begin with.  Winning the Pacquiao sweepstakes is welterweight standout, Joshua Clottey.  Going up against the pound-for-pound king of boxing, it’s not a question of if, but when will Pacquiao hand Clottey his first KO loss?

There is plenty of reason to back that assessment up.  After all Pacquiao has destroyed boxing’s best on his ascend to the top.  Clottey’s last fight was a decision loss to Miguel Cotto who was then butchered by Pacquiao last November.  So it is to no surprise that Clottey is an overwhelming underdog heading into Saturday’s match at Cowboys Stadium.

Clottey is viewed as having no real shot of winning the fight and the media have all but pegged him with the “Rocky” label.  Clottey is a tough and durable fighter. He doesn’t have much punching power and he’s fallen short in his biggest matches.  His trainer was not granted a visa out of his native land therefore had to be replaced for this fight.

Clottey has never been stopped before and is banking on his stubborn chin to defy the odds and reach the final bell.  Forcing a decision would be a moral victory for Clottey.  When facing the Filipino phenom, having Michael Buffer read the score cards instead of the final time, is the sweetest sound one can hear.  Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto all failed to do so in Pacquiao’s last three matches.

This is the opportunity of a lifetime and Clottey will make the most of it.  He’s a game opponent and will put forth a tremendous effort.  He will come up short but I think it’s safe to say he’ll hear the final bell.  That will make him a winner in my book now matter how badly he’s beaten.