The Match-ups to Be

  

The UFC has developed many interesting situations across all weight classes, and with these developments, I have had a lot of "Joe Silva moments" as i continue to create perfect match ups in my head. I will just go ahead and explain them.

The winner of Bader/Ortiz to fight the winner of Griffin/Rua:

  Both of these fights will show who is successfully rebounding, and a win pushes the winner almost back into the mix. If Griffin beats Shogun he is one win away from being back in the "mix" and who better as a next opponent than Bader or Tito. If Rua wins this matchup, we can see a championship rematch in the relatively near future, that is if Jones remains on top. In Ryan Bader's situation, a win over Ortiz not only (most likely) retires the Huntington Beach Bad Boy, but shows resiliency and will remind everyone that he is a top tier 205 pounder. Either way, these four fighters are in relatively the same scenario, although Bader and Tito are coming off losses, and Griffin is coming off a win over Franklin, in relation to the Belt they are in the same vicinity.

Stann vs Noke:

 Both of these middleweights are coming off at least two straight wins (3 for Noke), and they have both proved their stand up skills. Stann who in my opinion looked his best tonight at UFC 130 as he battered Jorge Santiago earning a fight of the night bonus. His new and improved physique, and his devastating punching power was accompanied by his tricky game plan which shifted from punishing the body (Leben), to working the viscous leg kicks. Kyle Noke's well rounded game creates a solid matchup for striker, Brian Stann. With Bisping vs. Miller recently announced as TUF coaches, the two are now out of commission but in theory would make a great matchup for Stann.  If Stann wins a fight over Noke, he will most definitely be in title contention, and Noke can be thrusted right into the "mix" with a victory over the american war hero.

Winner of Guillard v Roller to face Jim Miller:

Melvin Guillard for much time has been one of the most dominant lightweights in the UFC, as he most recently displayed incredible strength and quickness in his dealing withEvan Dunham in fight for the troops. He has been given Shane Roller after this win, and not anything against Roller, but The Young Assassin deserves better. He is very GSPesque in his quick and powerful wrestling, and smooth hands. If he were to face Jim Miller, he would be tested not only on his feet, but most definitely on the ground, which is one area that he hasn't shown solid control, as all four of his losses in the UFC are from submission. Not only does this fight make sense for Guillard, but Miller is one of the most underrated fighters in the lightweight division. He is on a 7 fight win streak only losing his last fight to Gray Maynard. He has decisively beaten all of his last seven opponents, and never asks for a title shot, but is going to get one with the pace he is on. Seeing these two explosive 155ers clash will send a shot through the Lightweight division that cannot be ignored.

Ben Henderson vs. Dennis Siver:

Both of these lightweight strikers have shown their dominance on their feet, and in his most recent victory over Bocek, Henderson is a scary opponent. He escaped a number of submissions (by a jiu jitsu expert), and was able to control the stand up game. Dennis Siver's kickboxing has taken the division by surprise, with his  three fight win streak. A decorated striker such as Ben Henderson, who is as tough as any, finds a great matchup with a durable Siver. Both fighters are on their way to the top of the division, and a win over one another will push them even higher.

Michael McDonald vs. Dimetrius Johnson:

Both of these 135ers came out victorious on May 28th at UFC 130, and have proven they can hang with the quickest fighters in mma. Although Johnson was facing controversy after his decision win over Torres, i believe that with as many submission escapes, reversal sweeps, and takedowns that Johnson executed he earned the win. Johnson has proven to be a danger on his feet, and has lighting quickness that can only be compared to the best. Michael "Mayday" McDonald, coming off a fight of the night over Edwin Figueroa at UFC Fight Night 24, added another win to his resume with a split decision victory over Chris Cariaso. He demonstrated his smooth ground game, and his relentless stand up (much reminiscent of Rick Story), making him a force to be reckoned with. A win for either of these fighters will put them in title contention in a big way.

Story vs. winner of Condit v Kim:

As many might have counted "The Horror" out against the veteran Thiago Alves in the welterweight matchup at UFC 130, Rick Story fought an amazingly tough battle with the kick boxer. He pushed the pace in this fight, and wore a number of big shots by Alves, yet continued to control the octagon. A standup battle between Condit and Story is intriguing, and should Kim get through Carlos Condit, one would only assume the explosive wrestling to present itself in Rick Story. This young welterweight has shown his toughness and pure strength in his victory over "The Pitbull" tonight, and is a tough opponent for anyone in the welterweight division.

Would a Nick Diaz vs Georges St. Pierre superfight in UFC even be competitive?

For everyone that is ready to rip this article up just after seeing that title, I ask you to please proceed in reading and allow me to explain.

I believe just as much as anyone that Nick Diaz is worthy of a Georges St. Pierre caliber opponent. After he walked through Paul Daley with an impressive technical knockout win in an explosive and exciting first round, it became impossible to doubt just how proficient the Stockton, Calif. native is on his feet. 

My only question is this: With talks of a St. Pierre vs. Diaz title fight in the works for UFC 140 this December, and evenrumors that they're under consideration for the vacant Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 14 coaching slots, would it even be worth the time? Honestly, would it even be competitive?

Diaz, who was previously employed by UFC, has since fought in Elite XC, Dream, and most recently Strikeforce, amassing an impressive 11-1-1 record since his departure. That includes a 10-fight win streak with his only loss coming from a doctor stoppage against KJ Noons.

Everything that Diaz has needed to accomplish to prove he deserves bigger and better opponents, he's done -- and convincingly.

So what's the problem?

Although Diaz is dominating the Strikeforce welterweight division in the same manner St. Pierre is dominating the UFC's, there are a number of variables that may very well lead to a lopsided fight.

In the entire sports world, St. Pierre's athleticism is close to unmatched but when you're talking MMA, there's no question that it is. His well-rounded skill-set and strong wrestling game has the ability to completely control fights, exactly the way he has shown us so many times throughout his career.

In addition, "Rush" has some of, if not the, best takedowns in the sport with a will that is nearly unbreakable. Putting aside the criticism of his lack of finishing recent fights, GSP has found a way to win for a very, very long time.

An attitude that sometimes carries serious repercussions, and the confidence that comes with such an "F the world" mentality, has brought Nick Diaz all kinds of attention, both good and bad. His subsequent success in the cage has made him a superstar.

As far as his skills, he has an exceptional ground game with his well known jiu-jitsu pedigree to go along with a scrappy striking style. Put it all together and he's an incredibly difficult match-up for anyone.

The problem with a fight with St. Pierre is that his overall skills more or less cancel out everything Diaz brings to the table. His ability to dominate in wrestling and survive dangerous jiu-jitsu practitioners (see Shields, Jake), as well as win fights with his boxing via a simple jab (see Koscheck, Josh), is a testament to that fact.

The French-Canadian has handled Shields, Koscheck, Dan Hardy, and Thiago Alves in his last four fights, all of which he has, despite all the criticism, won decisively. That's just the tip of the iceberg as far as St. Pierre's overall accomplishments go. We haven't even mentioned his drubbing of such elite fighters like Matt Hughes and Jon Fitch.

And with all due respect to Nick Diaz's previous opponents, they simply do not match up to the caliber of fighter "Rush" has been dealing with for the past few years.

Not only are these two 170-pound champions in different leagues, both literally and figuratively, so, too, have been all their opponents.

Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre, in due time, could make for an epic title fight. But for now, I believe this fight has too much of a chance to be a massive disappointment. It could very well end up just being a repeat of Rory MacDonald's domination of Nick's brother, Nate Diaz, back at UFC 129 on April 30.

Diaz's win streak and record over the past few years has been impressive and is definitely nothing to scoff at. Is it enough to earn him a shot at Georges St. Pierre's coveted UFC welterweight championship? Yes, it probably is.

Just don't expect the fight to be all that competitive.

The Gluten Free Diet: Optimizing the Heath of Athletes

    The gluten free diet has become increasingly prevalent in the past 10 years. As more and more people have started excluding the protein from their diet, lots of research has been conducted on the effects of gluten, providing helpful insight to what excluding gluten actually does. Gluten is a protein found in wheat grain that also is present in barley, rye, and malt. People who are allergic to gluten can have a number of illnesses, one of which is Celiac Disease. This intolerance will result in autoimmune deficiency effects on their stomach where the body sees the gluten as a foreign object and attacks itself and despite initial stomach pains, it can run down the digestive system over time.

  I have had the idea about fighters taking on this lifestyle for many reasons, all benefiting them in many ways, but when i saw Light Heavyweight Rich Franklin tweet on behalf of this topic, I knew i had to apply my knowledge.

    In many combat sports such as; mixed martial arts, boxing, wrestling and jiu jitsu, weight cutting is a monumental issue that every athlete must face at one point in their career. Depending on the how strict and disciplined an athlete is with their diet, weight cutting can either be simple and painless, or as many fighters have experienced: torturous. Almost any fighter will tell you that the key to having a successful and manageable weight cut is staying on your diet during the weeks leading up to the fight. In addition, when fighters are drained from cutting excess weight their performance can be seriously diminished, and suddenly all of the work they have done to prepare for a fight is rendered insignificant. When diet expert and ex-fighter Mike Dolce talks about cutting weight and proper diet, he says "fighters forget that after they finally make weight, they have to fight and be at their peak performance the very next day".

  Tightening up the diet is the key to successfully cutting weight and recovering from it quickly. Perhaps eliminating bread, pasta, battered and breaded foods, and sugary pastries could be accomplished all at once when going gluten free. All fast food, dessert, and unnecessary calories are out of the question already for those who are gluten intolerant, but imagine what an athlete could achieve with their body through this diet. Not only does it exclude foods that have no nutritional value to humans (or high level physical athletes for that matter), but it leaves the human body feeling revitalized. 

  Although cutting gluten out of the diet is highly beneficial, is vital to consume the necessary levels of fiber, potassium, and iron, all of which are commonly deficient among gluten free eaters (but are as easy to add with foods such as spinach and bananas). 

  Writing as someone that has been gluten free for 4 years (i was diagnosed with celiac at age 15), i can truly speak for this diet. I am a competitive athlete, and weight management has never been an issue for me. I always eat gluten free, and feel just as healthy as any athletic human being. While being overtly careful in maintaining healthy levels of fiber and iron, the gluten free diet can lead to optimal health, both on a nutritional level, and a physical level. What better sport to introduce this phenomenon to than combat sports, where fighters are constantly manipulating their bodies for competition. For these athletes, any edge that allows them to reach the higher standards is highly coveted, and the gluten free diet just may be a gem hiding under the radar.

Here is a Link to Celiac disease Website, with information pertaining to the gluten free diet http://www.celiac.org/

And another link about gluten free recipes and foods http://www.eatingglutenfree.com/

Putting fighters first: A closer look at the significance of Zuffa's new medical insurance coverage

FanPost edited and promoted by MMAmania.com.

Every single day, athletes around the world risk injury in doing what they love, both by competing and training. Football players face injuries every single time they put the pads on and although the sport is full contact, practice tends to lack the physicality of a game, which in mixed martial arts (MMA), is often not the case.

In a sport where the use of many fighting disciplines is the object of the sport and thus the path to victory, it would only make sense that injuries occur. When thinking about what fighters go through in the course of a fight, it is overwhelming. Whether being worn down by an opponent when on the bottom of a ground war, attempting to bring a fighter down, or simply standing and banging, every fighter is put through a physically demanding test like no other.

With such physicality being the nature of the sport, it only lines up that training for it is just as tough.

The strength and conditioning that must be attained in a fighter's practice is utterly exhausting. I myself am an athlete and have participated in MMA and boxing workouts. There comes a point where you are so worn down and drained, that mental toughness is the only thing that is keeping you going, and that is the ultimate goal of such testing workouts.

Fights are the paramount test of mental toughness, and training simply mimicks that.

In addition to the unprecedented workouts, a fighter must also work on all aspects of mixed martial arts. Whether wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Judo, Muay Thai or any other discipline, there comes full speed practice which leaves a gaping hole for injuries. Injuries can come from rolling on the mat to work on wrestling, often in a shared gym space (just ask Rashad Evans).

Sparring sessions can escalate, and suddenly it is no longer 50-percent speed as natural instinct and adrenaline kicks in. So many variables can lead to injury at any moment.

After all, it is a fight. 

As a fan it frustrates me to see so many professionals forced out of competition due to injuries sustained in training like in the most recent news of Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, and previously John Fitch and B.J. Penn. But as an athlete, it is difficult to even question these fighters and the fact that they are getting hurt could possibly mean they were not careful in training, but most often is a result of hard work in preparation for a fight. 

Fighting hurts people, there is no avoiding it and it is difficult to comprehend because some of these fighters appear to be superhuman. Whether it be minor cuts and bruises, or bone breaks, muscle tears, and even concussions, these athletes will sometimes get hurt, and it is only up to them to have the best possible control on their health.

The rest is out of their hands.

Zuffa recently unveiled its new health plan for fighters which includes health care coverage for injuries suffered in training as well as the fights. The new health care policy has taken a big step in backing up every one of their athletes. Protecting the mixed martial artists of the UFC and Strikeforce is Zuffa's number one top priority.

This has been reassured many times, but none as significantly as today as Zuffa has finally walked the walk.

This news may not seem very significant to the average fan, but it should be recognized and appreciated that Zuffa has the utmost respect and care for its athletes in protecting them while they train to be the worlds best athletes and entertainers. Many professional sports insure their athletes' safety in both practice and competition but a fighter's regimen is not like any other athletes, which makes this all the more important.

Any average person, athlete or not, knows how badly a lack of health insurance can quickly result in a number of problems. You break an ankle, then can't pay for it and suddenly you are in debt and immobile. This scenario is no rarity and the injury risk for physical specimens (the fighters) is considerably higher.

Although hearing about UFC 130's main event change was a disappointment, any human being who can feel pain should have gained a new perspective and appreciation for Zuffa and its fighters.

Edgar vs. Maynard out of UFC 130 due to Injuries

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Why Mixed Martial Arts Stands Alone

Sport is all about competition, and every sport presents a different aspect to how athletes can compete. Without taking anything away from any other sport at all (i have respect and enjoy many sports), i would like to illuminate why i believe MMA stands alone in the world of sport.
Athletes around the world not only pride themselves in competing and winning, but also bettering themselves as an athlete. Ultimately, the goal is to well-round oneself in order to be as successful as possible. Look at a basketball player for example; they need quickness and speed, strength, cardiovascular strength, and shooting ability. These aspects of basketball only begin to cover what is needed for success. Training in excess on one aspect will take away at other aspects, and success is often attained by those who are able to find a balance.
In mixed martial arts, not only do fighters need to round themselves in terms of physical condition, but they have to actually train in an attempt to perfect interdisciplinary forms of fighting. This is far more extensive than any other sport, and preparing to be a successful mixed martial artist takes training in a number of sports, with each one being a complete sport in itself.
Although the Ultimate Fighting Championship coined this name years before the sport became so popular and respected, they had it spot on. MMA is a competition to find the best, most successful, well rounded, and Ultimate fighter.
The vigorous strength and conditioning workouts that mixed martial artists go through have much of the sports world envying them, and the mental toughness is simply unprecedented. But this only begins to explain what fighters must possess; Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling, Boxing, Muay Thai, Kickboxing. These are all entities in themselves, yet must be mastered in congruence with one another before entering the octagon. While one fighter can be a great jiu jitsu master, and another an elusive striker, they both have experience in all walks of the game.
Styles are the main factor in how well two fighters can be matched up. Seeing a guy with great wrestling, and explosive takedowns fight against a submission expert with good hands is always interesting to see, and as mixed martial arts has progressed through the years, these fights continue to be the most entertaining combat in world. Seeing such skills clash with one another, while at the same time being experienced in the opponents strength, leaves this sport by itself at the top of the world of competition.
While it used to be as simple as two guys slugging it out without rules in a caged octagon, this sport has flourished and grown into the most complex, riveting, yet simple sports in the world. It is one man versus another, and using the different disciplines of fighting within mixed martial arts, this is undoubtedly the purest form of competition.

The Five Most Underrated Aspects of a Fighter's Game

There are many different aspects of a fighter's game that can make him successful in the cage. Most of these things are quite obvious, apparent, and must not be overlooked when shaping oneself as a fighter. Being able to have quick punching and powerful kicking, as well as takedowns and takedown defense, all the way to ground grappling skills are some of the more obvious (not less important) skills a fighter can have. Despite these, there are a few underrated tools for a fighter that i view as just as important to these basics.


1. Elasticity and Dexterity:
Because the sport of Mixed martial arts has so many disciplines within it, there are literally an unlimited amount of positions that one's body can be put through during the course of a fight. Whether it is being on one foot preventing a takedown, or working off one's back to look for a submission, or find a way out of one, having a wide range of motion is important in surviving the battle. Take B.J. Penn for example, a guy who has great hands, top level Jiu Jitsu, and probably the best takedown defense of anyone in the sport, but his flexiblity only adds to the frustration that he gives his opponents. Penn uses his legs, as if they were extra arms, and has a vicious rubber guard. Simply watching a guy trying to posture up in a guard like this is exhausting. Despite B.J.'s great balance, which is a very important weapon in any mma fighter's arsenal, his controlling guard, takedown defense, and submission defense is largely because of the dexterity, and must not be overlooked.

2. Grip Strength:
Every fighter in professional mixed martial arts is without a doubt an elite level athlete. Some fighters may be stronger than others, but all of them have top tier strength. When looking past the giant shoulders, and shredded stomachs, there is a strength that is difficult to see from a fighter when just looking at him. The ability to grip an opponents limbs with authority can significantly tire an opponent, prevent him from doing significant damage, and merely make him look weak. One of the greatest examples for this is Antonio "lil nog" Rogerio Noguiera. He is a great striker and of course is sound in BJJ, but when on his back, he has the amazing ability of wrist control, disallowing any type of posturing up from the opponent. It is mind-blowing to see one grown man control another just as freakishly athletic and strong man as if he were reprimanding a frantic child, and i dont think one could argue that dealing with this is easy.

3. Rhythm:
Many different sports can be related to the idea of having a rhythm while playing. In baseball, a hitter can find a rhythm to time a pitch, or field a ground ball. In basketball, the team moves as one functioning rhythmic machine. Fighting is no different. In the beginning of some fights, fighters tend to throw test jabs, and kicks to "feel out" their opponent. These aren't intended to hurt the opponent but rather decode their style, and find a rhythm. When counter strikers like Anderson Silva are moving back, and yet landing shots on an opponent (lets use Forrest Griffin as an example) that look to be completely wide open and uncontested, it is his ability to sync with his opponent, and time his shots with rhythm that creates these openings. His precise accuracy leads to knock out power, as all it takes is a quick twist to the chin, and a guy is rocked. Most people think of rhythm as something only dancers have, but then again, there is no denying that "the Spider" has got some moves.

4. Poise:
Sure, it is exhilarating to see a guy nearly pop a vein out of adrenaline gained from the packed arena, and the recent rehydration after weight cut, but this doesn't always win fights. For a guy to be collected and stay within himself in the midst of one of the biggest moments of their lives, is far from easy, and comes with experience. Guys like Georges st. Pierre, or Jose Aldo do a tremendous job of staying relaxed as they enter the octagon to begin a fight. An important scenario in which this can make or break a fighter's night is when taking punishment on the ground, and in order to prevent a stoppage, they must keep their composure and stay alive. I believe this to be one of the most underrated traits, because even the fans tend to go crazy when watching a fight, and they, in turn react well when fighters reciprocate. Rory MacDonald showed great poise in his most recent victory over Nate Diaz. Not showing a hint of emotion while being showered with love by more than double the amount of people of previous UFC attendance records. "The Waterboy" is 21. And I thought it took experience.

5. Delivering Successful Elbows:
You are probably thinking, what is this guy thinking, of course elbows do damage, and often lead to knockouts. But while many of us know that elbows do a scary amount of damage to anyone receiving them, they are simply harder than they look to execute successfully (somewhat pun intended). Why is Jon "Bones" Jones so dominant? Sure he's got a freakish reach, but his elbows are the most devastating part of his game, just as Brandon Vera. Anybody can throw an elbow, but it is those who have a sense of how to generate the most damage through using it. There is a reason why some elbows look powerful to the audience, and yet a fighter will sometimes just shake them off, and others look to be cruel and unusual. I believe that a successful elbow falls between the cracks, because every elbow thrown doesn't always result in a KO or TKO. Only the spot on, and unexpectedly well-timed elbows are deadly. In Gilbert Melendez's most recent victory over Tatsuya Kawajiri, the flurry of elbows landed at the end of the fight made Melendez look superhuman, and Kawajiri powerless, and a technique that can make the other fighter look like they have no chance, is key.

UFC 129: Rory MacDonald cements his status as a future star

Most great fighters, in their early years of fighting tend to show hints of monster potential. In Georges St. Pierre's professional MMA debut against Ivan Menjivar (a very tough opponent as many people may have just realized) he won a fight in one round by verbal submission, and by no means was it a convincing victory (GSP was put on his back mutliple times, which is a rarity for him).

This young and athletic GSP that nobody knew at the time had gotten a win under his belt and nothing more.

Soon after this fight, he faced Justin Bruckmann in another UCC matchup, and this time, he immediately took Bruckmann down, and patiently passed. He was maturing before our eyes, and it was this fight that GSP was leaving an impression on the fans not just from his freakish athleticism, but rather his undying will as he gave his opponent no time to recover or even rest. St. Pierre grounded and pounded until he found an armbar opening and immediately took advantage, winning by submission.

This significant improvement from one fight to the next was the sign of a future star. Even in his next fight he manhandled Travis Galbraith and earned a TKO in which his opponent believed the fight was still going on when GSP went to pay his post victory respects.

GSP is a difficult fighter to relate anyone to because he is so uniquely well rounded, yet a young training partner of his has caught my (as well as many UFC fan's) attention.

Rory MacDonald.

MacDonald suffered a loss to Carlos Condit at UFC 115. Despite his impressive cool, calm, and collected attitude as he walked through a giant arena (and would later approach a baseball stadium) full of his own fans, it ended up being a twisted night, and it was extremely frustrating to watch. For two rounds the 20-year-old MacDonald controlled "The Natural Born Killer" and executed some excellent takedowns.

In addition to his superior wrestling, Rory was winning the stand-up as well and for the two seconds he was on his back, he pulled off a textbook sweep and reversal. It was all the young Canadian's fight until he got caught in the third round, and attempted a takedown in desperation following getting rocked.

Condit, aware he had lost both previous rounds knew he had to finish the fight, and with the extremely questionable stoppage with 10 seconds left (MacDonald took punishment for the entire last two minutes while composed enough to stay alive and nothing changed when it was stopped), he did.

As disappointing as it is to see such a great prospect lose like that, MacDonald came out of that loss 10-times better of a fighter and after 10 months of unmatched hard work, he dominated Nate Diaz at UFC 129 on April 30. This amazing performance proved to me that MacDonald is worthy of any contender in the 170-pound division (with due time, "The Waterboy" is only 21 with 12 fights).

His imposing of his will, dominant wrestling (with an unheard of three consecutive giant suplexes) and his veteran-like poise, which kept him completely level headed in front of 55,000 of his hometown fans, is the recipe for success that is extremely rare.

It is guys like this that make the sport so great, and become champions. It only makes sense that this guy trains with GSP, right?

Lyoto Machida vs Jon Jones title fight is best for the light heavyweight division

After watching the dismantling of a legend, Randy Couture, inside the Octagon by Lyoto Machida this past Saturday night at UFC 129, two things became apparent.

First of all, it made for perfect timing for "The Natural" to finally hang up the gloves. On such a grand stage, at such an action packed event, with such a devastating -- and memorable -- finish, it was the right decision to retire. It is never easy to see an amazing athlete leave the game but this was undoubtedly the time to do it..

Secondly, this fight showed "The Dragon" has that fire back in his breath and is ready for another push to the top of the division.

He took the time to find his comfort zone throughout the first round. This zone exists within his rhythm of jumping in and out of an opponents wheelhouse to jab and kick. He's like a rabbit with his otherworldly agility and it proved to be too much for the even-keeled Couture.

When Machida is on, he becomes a different fighter. One even the greatest mixed martial artists in the history of the sport will have trouble dealing with.

If there was ever a time to show that very fact, it's now, and if there was ever an opponent to prove it to, it's current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.

Machida is reminiscent of Anderson Silva. With his hand movement and quick side to side strafing, he's nearly untouchable when he wants to be. 

The Brazilian has the technicality to hurt someone that has overpowered all previous opponents. Who better than Jones?

This fight is very similar to if Silva were to go up to 205-pounds again to face "Bones." That's a dream match-up that no one will blame you for desperately asking for. However, an alternative is staring us straight in the face in the form of Machida, who already makes his home in the light heavyweight division.

With his rabbit's agility and ability to stay out of his opponents range, not to mention his penchant for frustrating his foes, he could very well have the exact style needed to defeat the dominant champion. He may actually be elusive enough to avoid both the lethal reach of Jones and his stunning and powerful clinch game.

His Karate kicks are just a bonus in this match-up. He doesn't need to be flashy or show off any new wrinkle Steven Seagal may be pushing on him at that particular moment. A proper game plan, with his skills and ability to implement it, will suffice.

Would Machida walk in and run straight through Jones to win back the title? Not at all. But that's precisely what makes the match-up so intriguing. Both men present interesting challenges to the other and there is a clear path to victory on both sides.

The same cannot be said for many of the other current contenders at 205-pounds.

You see Forrest Griffin crack jokes about not wanting to fight Jones because he's such a beast but his smile betrays his true feelings on the matter; he really doesn't want that fight. Couture turned down a bout against the young phenom. Before their recent sandbox spat, Rashad Evans wanted none of him either, albeit for differing reasons.

The point remains, there are few fighters in the world at this moment that are viewed as viable opponents for the freakishly athletic light heavyweight king.

However, there is one that is not just a credible challenger but poses a very real threat to unseat him from his throne: Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida.

Follow me on twitter for updates on my newest stories! @catchsolo

 

Zuffa LLC: The Answer for Strikeforce Buyout

Ever since the mixed martial arts owning corporation known as Zuffa purchased Strikeforce, many different opinions have formed about what move is next. Strikeforce, who is a competitor to the mothership UFC, have been competing for years, and contrary to previous buyouts, Strikeforce is yet to merge with the UFC. It is a confusing situation because the strikeforce fighters dont necessarily qualify to fight the UFC fighters, and vice versa, but the two share the same owner: Zuffa. Instead of simply merging the two fight leagues, there is another way that i will explain and is highly more profitable and has the most potential in my opinion.
First of all i think that it is important to have "super-fights" or fights between top ranked fighters of each corporation. For example, there is now much talk now about a possible Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre because at this point there seems to be no matchup for St. Pierre within 170 pounds in the UFC that is as exciting as a Diaz GSP super-fight. The fights that can be made between fighters of these different associations has close to endless possibilities as there continue to be young prospects in both the UFC and Strikeforce. This is part of the plan that will allow both leagues stay in tact, as well as boost revenue and promotion for big interleague matchups. The difficulty here is deciding who gets what title. If Diaz were to defeat GSP, who would retain the UFC welterweight title? Also should Diaz go back to Strikeforce, who is next for him? These logistics would need to be resolved, but it has great potential.

In addition to having interleague fights, i have created a system that is similar to the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. It would be called the Zuffa Grand Prix, and would be in all weight classes, bantamweight through heavyweight. Essentially it would be a tournament that is Strikeforce vs. UFC. Four fighters from each corporation would fill up each side of the bracket making a total of eight participants. No current champion would be allowed to participate, as the winner of the tournament would be next in line for the Title shot in their respective organization. It would be a way for fighters who are contending at a certain weight class, and even with two victories and losing in the championship, they would be catapulted into the "mix". IF it turns out that UFC or Strikeforce fighters are dominantly winning tournament after tournament, there would be a break in tournament action, and further tournaments would be created when higher level of competition presents itself.
Because Strikeforce is fought in a hexagon, and UFC is fought in a larger Octagon, the fighters would vote and upon a tie in voting, it would rotate every tournament, from Hexagon to Octagon. The winner of this Zuffa Tournament would be crowned Zuffa Grand Prix ____weight champion. This title would include a bonus and title shot, and also great exposure to the world of both Strikeforce and UFC.
Here are a few reasons on why this is better than a merger or no joining at all. First, when two large organizations merge, many fighters would simply not fit on the roster and would be cut (like in the WEC merger), and nobody wants that. Also when merging, everything would become the "new" UFC, and many "Strikeforce-only" fans would lose interest. This would keep Strikeforce there for former UFC fighters who were let go (such as Keith Jardine), who still have a large professional stage to fight on. Lastly, none of this would effect the scheduled fights that both the UFC and Strikeforce have planned, but rather it would add to the amazing schedule of intriguing fights compliments of Matchmaker extrordinairre, Joe Silva. I hope this proposition for Zuffa can be understood to be a great route for Zuffa to go at this point.
Here i have attached my prototype for a Lightweight Zuffa Grand Prix. I created it through a photo editing program.

Georges St. Pierre: Hurts So Good

Georges St. Pierre has been viewed as the pound for pound best fighter in the world for many years and rightfully so. The 170 pounder has now defended his title 6 straight times with his most recent victory over Jake Shields. Many claim GSP lacks a killer instinct, as he is yet to finish a fight in quite a while, but i believe it is a different factor than that.
GSP, since gaining a TKO victory over B.J. Penn at UFC 94 has gone four straight victories without a finish and many fans dont take very well too that. I believe that before becoming one of the many critics of fighters who dont finish their opponents, it is crucial to delve deeper into the nature of Mr. St. Pierre and figure out why he appears to be unable to end fights.
I knew that there was something special about St. Pierre as a fighter and a human being when i first was introduced to his smooth, precise, and almost perfect athleticism in his fighting career, yet i was not sure what exactly made such a fighter. Georges, as seen on the hit show UFC Primetime, is one of the hardest workers in professional athletics, and he is simply a physical specimen. His explosive takedowns, to his perfectly timed counters and leaping superman jabs can only be performed by some people and when at peak performance. When the basic fan is looking at the Hardy, Koscheck, or Shields fights, it appears just like St. Pierre is losing his ability, and his dominance is diminishing. Upon seeing his reaction to the first Matt Serra fight, when he was knocked down, and soon after finished on the ground, i gathered that the glass chin was GSPs biggest flaw, but upon more recent examination of the Shields bout, i see that it is more than that.
Georges St. Pierre works for perfection, and nothing less and as of admirable a trait that is, it may be hurting him inside the octagon. St. Pierre always is ready for each opponent in a unique way for that specific opponent, and continues to control fights and come out on top. With this persona of GSP, comes a big downside that has recently become evident. Mixed Martial Arts is simply not a sport for perfection. Any two guys can train and train in preparation for a fight, and build it up as much as they please, but come fight night, it comes down to two men fighting each other in a caged stage, and in this situation, anything can happen. Mr. St. Pierre is so confortable with his brilliant game plans and the manner in which he is able to execute them, that he sees no problem, but what happens when he must divert from his original plan? What happens when he is cut on his eye and has blurred vision, or is rocked and must recover before continuing to play out his fight plan? Adapting to change not only with different opponents but within the fighter during the course of a fight is vital to a fighters survival. If Georges St. Pierre is the best fighter when things are going his way that is great, yet his biggest issue is his lack of resilience when falling behind in a fight.
In order for Mr. St. Pierre to win the fights (decisively) in which he is forced outside his comfort zone, he has to greatly improve his ability to recover and not simply switch to survival mode when pushed away from plan. When GSP can beat a fighter, in an instance where his opponent brings the fight to GSP, he will have made a significant step in becoming the "perfect" fighter. Taking punishment is part of the game even for perfectionists like St. Pierre, and once he learns that no one is perfect, he can begin fighting with a different mindset. And in the words of Firas Zahabi, (GSP's head trainer and corner man) in response to a complaint from GSP about his bad eye, "shut up, you have another eye, your fine"

UFC 129: Enough Said

I have been waiting so long to begin documenting my many thoughts on the world of mixed martial arts. After last night, I figured there was no better time to begin sharing my opinions. With the action packed event that took place at the sold out Rogers Center in Toronto, I along with millions of fans around the world may have witnessed an event that truly lived up and beyond the hype that was surrounding this “biggest event yet” fight card. For those of you that are avid mma watchers you already know that there can be great disappointments as well as amazing performances, but never in my year and a half of intensely following each event in the Mixed Martial Arts world have I seen a card that “wow’d” me the entire night as much as last nights did. The overwhelmingly stacked card on UFC 129 was speculated to be the biggest event since UFC 100, in which GSP vs. Alves, Lesnar vs. Mir, and Henderson vs. Bisping headlined. Almost every single fight last night achieved so much more quality action and with the combination of a flying triangle submission, and a spinning back fist KO, this was already one of the most exciting fight nights I have watched live, and I was saying this before the main card had begun.

            With the exception of the fight between Claude Patrick and Daniel Roberts (nothing against either fighter), I was simply taken aback with the constant highlight reel fights appearing all the way through the preliminary fights. The very first fight that took place in the home of the Toronto Blue Jays (a baseball stadium) was one that would win a bonus at the conclusion of the night. Yves Jaboulin and Pablo Garza took the stage at 3pm PT. After the first round appeared to be in the books, Garza had a hold of Jaboulin as he was moving backwards, and out of nowhere, he slingshot his legs over the shoulders of his opponent, and seconds later forced Jaboulin to tap due to a flying-triangle choke. I feel like that needs a second mention, Flying triangle choke! John Makdessi was next to capture attention of anyone watching at barely 4pm PT (a mere two hours before the start of the main card). He had picked apart Kyle Watson for two rounds, and seconds after Watson found his under hooks and almost made it to the ground, Makdessi faked a right leg kick and spun around giving Watson a backhand and earning him a knockout. This did not look like undercard fights, but rather Pay Per View competition.


Next up was a matchup between Ryan Jensen, and Jason McDonald. McDonald, who has overcome many personal issues throughout his life, came into the octagon with a goal to win and make his biggest move towards the right direction. He did just that, as 1:37 into the first round, he secured a triangle choke, just after withstanding a slam (which in fact tightened the choke), and multiple frantic, dying shots from Jensen before he tapped. After a Claude Patrick Decision over Daniel Roberts, the excitement picked up again in sudden fashion (again, nothing against those fighters) as Jake Ellenberger faced off against Sean Pierson.  Pierson, who was supposed to fight Brian Foster (who couldn’t take the fight due to head injuries discovered weeks before the fight), was slightly favored simply due to the fact that Ellenberger took the fight on around two weeks notice. It was a relatively evenly matched bout as both were exchanging, that is until Ellenberger continued the surreal entertainment of UFC 129 with a left hook catching Pierson’s head as he slowly tilted his way to the canvas. Ellenberger’s body glided after his right finishing cross onto the top of Pierson’s body and was taken off by Herb Dean before any further damage could be done.

The next in line was a man who has been well known for his abrasive personality, yet won the show The Ultimate Fighter in season five against Armenia Manvel Gamburyan due to shoulder dislocation. Nate Diaz. He was matched with a new face in Mixed Martial Arts but immediately respected Rory MacDonald. MacDonald trains with Georges St. Pierre at TriStar Gym in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. From hearing that anyone who knows their mma would assume he would be a solid test for Diaz, yet once he started working in the octagon that night it became very clear that he was a prodige of Mr. St. Pierre. Almost everything that MacDonald did was GSP-esque, including the part where he dominated his opponent. His quick jabs, superman punches, athletic movement, and takedown defense were all indicators of a young GSP. Even more so, his quick diving superman jab to a leg kick (landing multiple times) was a spitting image of the Welterweight Champion. Not to mention the three ground-breaking suplex throws, when he slammed Diaz around like a rag-doll sending chaos through the stadium full of his Canadian faithful. Out of all the fighters that I saw on the night of April 30^th, this kid was the one who I am most excited to see in the octagon again.

Next comes the Main Card. Wait, what? That was the undercard? Deep Breath, and now time to pay attention to the headliners. Bocek vs. Henderson began the second half of UFC 129. In a fight that was though to be submission specialist versus the speedster standup guy in Henderson, it was almost just that. There were many attempts to end the fight on the mat by Bocek, as he wore a number of punches and kicks compliments of Bendo. Many of Bocek’s submission attempts such as a third round guillotine looked to be a finishing product, yet later at the post-fight press conference, Henderson confidently claimed that none of them were close to finishing him. Henderson would take the unanimous decision and retain the title as the “toughest guy to submit”.

A Hitman would next square up against a Janitor for the second main card fight. Vladimir Matyushenko faced Jason Brillz, in a light heavyweight matchup. Many people knew both men had knockout power, but Brillz is a younger fighter and up until this fight, many had only seen Matyushenko ground and pound his way to victory. It was another amazing finish that had you on your toes for an entire 20 seconds. Yes, 4:40 was left in the first round when Brillz wore a Janitor’s right hand to the top of his head, and fell to the mat giving Matyushenko his TKO victory which was standing, just not for long.

Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida followed this fight with his bout against the legend in Randy “The Natural” Couture. Many speculations surrounded this fight, both about who would take the victory, but more importantly, if this would be Couture’s last fight in his decorated career.  Machida has an elusive and precise striking style that originates from his Machida Karate, and when he is at his best he has proved to be just as brilliant as the great Anderson Silva at times. Couture, who had moved back and forth from Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight, retaining multiple belts in both divisions, is a strong fighter and is talented at controlling the fight at the ground. Couture, after the fight said he felt like he was “standing still” when fighting Machida, and that is just what it looked like. From the beginning of the fight to the end, Machida was displaying his movement, and in n’ out quickness to pick Couture’s game apart. It was just a minute into round 2 that Machida re-created the impossible, as he brought déjà vu back into the minds of all watching, and front kicked Couture in the face. It brought me to utter disbelief as I watched Couture’s shocked and stiff body plummet to the mat, as it was way too familiarly amazing to witness. This was in a way, emotionally and amazingly bittersweet, as Rogan interviewed the Couture after the fight, and the Natural said that was it for him in the octagon.  For a kick that was thought to be one of the best and amazingly executed ever by the spider, to be recreated with such precision on such a stage, against such an opponent is simply mind-blowing.

            Mark Hominick was by no means expected to win his championship bout against the great Jose Aldo, but he, as well as all in attendance knew that he was fighting at home and was ready to put on the fight of a lifetime. In watching Hominick battle his way through five exciting, disconcerting, and emotional rounds, I had immediately gained all the respect in the world for the guy, as everyone should have. Aldo was throwing everything he had in his arsenal that had been used to beat all 12 of his previous opponents, and the Canadian continued to wear all of it as he pushed forward. It was a truly inspiring performance by Mark Hominick to continue to live through his determination in the Octagon. He was battered and rocked number of times by Aldo’s lightning quick strikes, and it was in the middle rounds of the fight that one of Aldo’s left elbows landing on Hominick’s forehead forced a hematoma the size of a golf ball to appear. As people watched, they were trying to decide if they could even comprehend the size of the bump on his head, yet it was his undeniable courage, and perseverance that gained Hominick all the respect he could have ever gained with a loss. Mark Hominick’s head was swollen and huge, but not nearly as big as his heart.

            Finally the main event; Georges St. Pierre vs. Jake Shields. This was the fight that people had been talking about for months. With the help of the brilliant marketing and advertisement department of the UFC, as well as the hit show UFC Primetime, this fight was pumped up and promoted as much as any big fight in UFC history has been. Shields, known for his version of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, “American Jiu Jitsu” (refer to his right forearm), is a dangerous man on the ground. To quote light heavyweight contender, Phil Davis (who trained with Shields in preparation for this fight), “I take him down, and I lose.” Shields has an extremely testing ground game, and has control at many different positions, and he hasn’t lost in 6 years, (although was literally saved by the bell in his decision victory over Jason Mayhem Miller). Despite all this, it is important to remember who St. Pierre is. GSP has strived to be perfect, and has come just as close as any mixed martial artist ever will.  He re-creates himself for every opponent he faces, and is a physical specimen. Many people had predicted a wrestling GSP to continue to take down the great Jake Shields, and beat him in his own game. Not only did St. Pierre pertinently stay away from the ground, but didn’t bother with Shield’s guard when he did take him down. Georges St. Pierre, with a few cuts (a rarity) and an irritated eye, had jabbed and overhand right-ed his way to victory to another decision. As GSP will face much criticism for not finishing a fight once again, a win is a win, and if the French-Canadian wants to be perfect, he will continue to be reminded that this isn’t the sport for that, like when he was when he noticeably affected by a few little shots. The important thing to remember is that Georges St. Pierre retained his belt, and didn’t give Shields a chance to win. He was ready for anything his opponent presented, and continues to prove how unpredictable he is, even to the fans.

            For someone like me who is simply an educated fan on MMA, I have come a long way in understanding this sport, and every day I appreciate it more and more. It is only a matter of time until everyone respects (doesn’t have to be a fan, but will respect) this sport for what pure competition it is. The fight that I along with millions of people worldwide were privileged enough to witness in UFC 129 was not only a milestone for the UFC, Dana White, and all the participating fighters, but also extremely important for the fans, and for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, and what better way to display it that such a highlight reel packed night of fights.