UFC 134 (also known as UFC: Rio) marks the first time the UFC has hosted an event in Brazil since 1998. So it was logical to have big time Brazilian MMA stars such as Anderson Silva, Maurico “Shogun” Rua, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on the main card. Here are my “things to know” heading into this Saturday’s UFC 134:
1. Anderson Silva looks to avenge blemish from his fighting record again Yushin Okami
Anderson Silva has been one of the most dominant fighters in UFC history. He has never lost a fight while in the UFC and has one blemish on his fighting record since 2005: a Disqualification loss to Yushin Okami at Rumble on The Rock in January of 2006. He was disqualified when he landed a controversal upkick from the bottom position on the ground. While Okami looked able to continue the fight the referee decided to end the fight and allow Okami to move on in the tournament.
Since then Silva has not lost a fight while Okami has lost to Jake Shields, Rich Franklin, and Chael Sonnen. Now the two finally have the opportunity to rematch, Silva will be very motivated to avenge this “loss”. Both fighters have improved since their 2006 fight, but it has been Silva who has become one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time while Okami has been “good enough” to stay relevant at 185 pounds. Despite the fact that Okami has been training with Chael Sonnen for this rematch, it is hard to see Okami duplicating the performance Sonnen had for the first four rounds of his fight with the UFC Champion Silva. Defeating Okami this Saturday night would be a major victory for Silva’s personally and career wise: to redeem himself and beat the last man to walk away from fight with him not a loser.
2. Can Forrest Griffin stay relevent in the UFC Light Heavyweight Division?
Forrest Griffin is 10-4 in his UFC career; he is the former UFC Light Heavyweight champion and won the first season of the Ultimate Fighter. A good career by many people’s standards. Griffin is a very popular fighter in the UFC but he needs a win over “Shogun” Rua to stay in the top-tier of the 205 pound division. Since beating “Rampage” Jackson for the 205 pound belt back in 2008, Forrest lost back to back fights, took some time off, then came back and has won two straight. He has never won more than three fights in a row during his time in the UFC so he needs to show he can build significant momentum and the type of winning streak to earn him not just another shot at fighting for the belt but also show he can still be a perennial contender in the UFC. Forrest has accomplished so much in his career that he could retire in the next couple years and most fans would not hold it against him. Coming into his rematch with Maurico “Shogun” Rua at UFC 134, Griffin has admitted he will be cutting a lot of weight to get down to 205 by the day of weigh ins. The question has never been is Griffin talented, strong, or tough enough to fight in the UFC, the real question is how bad does he want to be champion again? Does the fire still burn in him that will drive him to be the best? This Saturday night will show us where Forrest is at in his MMA career.
3. Brendan Schaub wants to take out big names on his way to the top
Since losing to Roy Nelson in The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweight Finale, Schaub has won four straight fights. In his last two fights he has beaten Gabriel Gonzaga (former UFC number one contender) and Mirko “Cro Cop” Fillipovic (2006 PRIDE Open Weight Tournament Champion). Next he faces Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, the former PRIDE Heavyweight and Interm UFC Heavyweight Champion. Also, Schaub has said he wants to fight Frank Mir soon, another former UFC champion. But Schaub has been criticized by some “experts” because he has beaten both Gonzaga and “Crop Cop” when they are on the downside of their fighting careers. Nogueira is coming off surgeries on both of his knees and a hip while not fighting since February of 2010 so we are unsure how good he will be in his return to action.
So is it really that big a deal if Schaub is beating these big name heavyweights when they are not at their best on fight night? I understand the old saying “In order to be ‘the man’ you have to beat ‘the man’” but to use big name fighters to build your career when those fighters are not what they once were? Some people say this is wrong and “doesn’t seem right”. Yet Schaub has said in interviews he wants to fight guys who “scare him” because it brings out the best in him. So to him it is not disrespectful or him picking on old competition to beat these MMA stars. If we go by what Schaub says, he is fighting guys who in his mind are dangerous and beating them means a lot to him. Either way, building a win streak that has names such as Gonzaga, “Cro Cop”, and Nogueira on it is definitely a sure way to get into the top-tier of UFC heavyweight fighters.
4. Different career paths have brought Ross Pearson and Edson Barbosa to face each other
This matchup of two young and talented lightweight fighters has potential to be Fight of the Night at UFC 134. But their paths to this fight are very different. Pearson won The Ultimate Fighter Season 9 Final and has gone 4-1 during his time in the UFC. Going through TUF is a major promotional platform for young fighters and typically guys who win TUF get more chances from the UFC to show they can be successful. On the other hand, Barbosa is 8-0 in his MMA career and has won his first two UFC fights. He is the former Ring of Combat Lightweight Champion and 7 of his 8 MMA wins have been finishes via knockout or submission. A showdown of two dynamic, young fighters is always sure to be a good fight and the winner of this fight is likely to elevate themselves in the UFC’s 155 pound division. Should be interesting to see whose fighting style will be more successful standing: Pearson’s sharp boxing or Barbosa’s technical Muay Thai. Also, Barbosa has a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-Jitsu and Pearson has a brown belt in Judo.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
UFC/FOX TV Deal Analysis
The UFC and FOX had a major press conference yesterday to announce their new television contract. According to Sports Business Daily and ESPN the deal is for seven years and 90 million dollars. Dana White announced that the first "UFC on FOX" live event is scheduled for November 12, 2011. The deal calls for four major UFC events on FOX network television a year, a long with six "UFC Fight Night" events on FX cable television. Also, "The Ultimate Fighter" reality TV series will be on FX on Friday nights starting in 2012 and will be live instead of Spike's condensed six weeks of filming. Included is the agreement to have some Prelim fights and other UFC related broadcasts ("UFC Countdown", "UFC Primetime", "UFC Unleashed", "Best of Pride" etc.) on FX and Fuel TV.
Now that I have given you the contractual basics, I want to look at why this deal happened and its affect not just on Mixed Martial Arts but on the Professional Sports landscape. As someone who has worked in different areas of media (broadcast and print) I want to break this down for everyone in a unique way.
FOX has been looking to boost their ratings for the last few years. Popular shows such as "24" and "The Shield" are no longer on the air and even "Rescue Me" is coming to an end on FX. Loosing such staple programming has been weakness for FOX because they have not been able to introduce much program to replace these popular programs. Also, the loss of traction by programs in the ratings such as "Bones" and "House" has put FOX in the odd position of trying to keep up in many head to head matchups with the seasonal programming on CBS and ABC. In fact, there have been weeks in which some of the popular USA network shows have beat out FOX and FX programming in the ratings. In recent years networks have leaned on their sports programming not just for revenue and ratings but for promotion of their regular television programming. This is something CBS has been very successful with during NFL and college basketball seasons. FOX usually gets some boost from NFL season promotions but there has been mixed reviews from MLB and NASCAR broadcasts. Part of the problem with those two sports is that with baseball there is no consistency for the viewer in broadcast times (some weeks its 1pm ET, other weeks it 3 or 4pm ET) while NASCAR is considered a "niche" mainstream sport whose viewing demographics are limited in terms of age, gender, and financial class.
When FOX lost to NBC in recent bids for Olympic coverage, they knew they needed to gain a new televised sports franchise to grab ahold of. UFC expiring contracts with Spike TV and Versus the perfect opportunity for FOX to gain access to the 18-36 year old male demographic was there for the taking. Average age of viewership for other sports programming is at least ten years older in age and those viewing customers are more set in their ways in terms of products they buy and the kinds of programming they will watch on TV. The younger, the better in the media world since many young people are still flexible in terms of what is new whether the product is a television show or beverage FOX had a history already in place with the UFC: UFC 37.5 was broadcast on FOX Sports' "Best Damn Sports Show Period" and was the first mixed martial arts event broadcast on cable television. During the Early 2000's, FSN's "Best Damn Sports Show Period" frequently covered MMA fighters from PRIDE, UFC, and IFL. But since the early to mid 2000's UFC average viewership has almost tripled and in 2011 the time was now for FOX to get ahold of viewership that was being under served.
Consider this: in 2011 UFC Prelim live broadcasts on Spike TV averaged 1,467,000 viewers per showing and on ION Television the average viewership was 771,000. Now that may sound small, but it is actually very significant because both Spike and ION did little promoting of these Prelim broadcasts and neither channel had the big name parent company to help promote any of their daily or special programming. The UFC was generating viewership for programs such the Prelim Live fights, "Best of Pride", "UFC Countdown" and others shows basically through Twitter, Facebook, their website, and email newsletters. By broadcast media standards that is very weak promotion and to get those kinds of numbers means that there is vast unlocked potential in viewership on cable and network television for UFC programming. Also realize that "UFC on Versus 5" gained an average viewership of 779,000 and the peak was near a million during the Hardy versus Lytle main event fight. They got this number on a traditionally poor television viewing night (Sunday) in the middle of the second worst time of year for ratings (Summer time) on a channel that is available in about 30 percent FEWER homes in North American than FX or Spike TV.
So this deal is a major win programming wise and viewership wise for FOX. For the UFC this is their big time step into competing with the other major professional sports organizations on Network Television. Unlike the CBS ventures with Elite XC and Strikeforce, the UFC has a very deep roster of excellent MMA talent and mainstream recognizable fighters. Also, Joe Rogan outside of MMA is still well-known for his stints on the TV comedy series "Friends" and his time hosting the reality show "Fear Factor". Being the top organization in a sports field also has the perks of being able to say that your champions and top-level athletes are the very best in the world.
The UFC though will suffer the same network television growing pains of other "non-team sport" organizations such as NASCAR and PGA because their potential is only as good as the stars who shine on the big stage. Golf has suffered tremendously in the ratings without Tiger Woods and with seven straight Major Championships won by first time Major winners the casual fans have no clue who is who and have no incentive to watch. NASCAR's two biggest names, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon, have not been big winners over the last few years and the same guy has won the last five straight overall Championships and Jimmie Johnson has typically done so in undramatic fashion. What the UFC has going for them that these other sports do not is they have more than a couple major big names and have numerous other rising stars that can be promoted and built up.
Also, the timing of this announcement was perfect because FOX played UFC promos (commercials that promote programming) a few times during the Eagles-Steelers Preseason showdown and they can spend the rest of the Pre season leading into the NFL regular season promoting the November 12th UFC on FOX event. This is significant because the NFL is the top sport with crossover viewership for MMA. Surveys show that NFL viewers are the most likely to watch MMA than any other Professional Sports fan and according to a Twitter study 61 percent of UFC fans also follow NFL players and reporters on twitter also.
Lastly, this is big for Mixed Martial Arts financially. Once Spike TV and Versus no longer have rights to UFC or WEC programming then those channels are free to pursue other MMA organizations. Bellator could easily move from MTV2 to Spike TV or Versus and fill the slots where the UFC had been without the networks skipping a beat. TJ Tompson of ProElite MMA has talked about making a deal with a TV network once the organization gets more events set up. The UFC being broadcast on the big stage opens broadcasting opportunities for other orgnanizations just like the NFL's popularity has opened up financial and television opportunities for other football organizations such as AFL (Arena Football League), CFL (Canadian Football League), LFL (Lingerie Football League), and the upstart USFL (United States Football League) that had limited success in the 1980's. And with more television exposure there are more marketing and promotional opportunities for MMA fighters. Remember the old days when CondomDepot.com was a major fighter sponsor? Now we have Budweiser and Bud Light commercials with Anderson Silva and Jon Jones. The next step is for Verizon or AT&T to sponsor the UFC instead of Boost Mobile or have Nike expand their clothing lines to MMA.
The future is now for all of MMA. The mainstream media cannot just ignore it anymore as a rogue activity and it's not like the movie "Bloodsport" with fights occurring in underground tournaments with "go for the kill" calls. These are athletes who have real training backgrounds and compete to make a living. They are no less athletes than the pros who compete in the NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL. The UFC has done promotion and broadcasting by themselves for years, now they have a major network standing by their side. Like the Bud Light commercial says, "Here we go!"
Now that I have given you the contractual basics, I want to look at why this deal happened and its affect not just on Mixed Martial Arts but on the Professional Sports landscape. As someone who has worked in different areas of media (broadcast and print) I want to break this down for everyone in a unique way.
FOX has been looking to boost their ratings for the last few years. Popular shows such as "24" and "The Shield" are no longer on the air and even "Rescue Me" is coming to an end on FX. Loosing such staple programming has been weakness for FOX because they have not been able to introduce much program to replace these popular programs. Also, the loss of traction by programs in the ratings such as "Bones" and "House" has put FOX in the odd position of trying to keep up in many head to head matchups with the seasonal programming on CBS and ABC. In fact, there have been weeks in which some of the popular USA network shows have beat out FOX and FX programming in the ratings. In recent years networks have leaned on their sports programming not just for revenue and ratings but for promotion of their regular television programming. This is something CBS has been very successful with during NFL and college basketball seasons. FOX usually gets some boost from NFL season promotions but there has been mixed reviews from MLB and NASCAR broadcasts. Part of the problem with those two sports is that with baseball there is no consistency for the viewer in broadcast times (some weeks its 1pm ET, other weeks it 3 or 4pm ET) while NASCAR is considered a "niche" mainstream sport whose viewing demographics are limited in terms of age, gender, and financial class.
When FOX lost to NBC in recent bids for Olympic coverage, they knew they needed to gain a new televised sports franchise to grab ahold of. UFC expiring contracts with Spike TV and Versus the perfect opportunity for FOX to gain access to the 18-36 year old male demographic was there for the taking. Average age of viewership for other sports programming is at least ten years older in age and those viewing customers are more set in their ways in terms of products they buy and the kinds of programming they will watch on TV. The younger, the better in the media world since many young people are still flexible in terms of what is new whether the product is a television show or beverage FOX had a history already in place with the UFC: UFC 37.5 was broadcast on FOX Sports' "Best Damn Sports Show Period" and was the first mixed martial arts event broadcast on cable television. During the Early 2000's, FSN's "Best Damn Sports Show Period" frequently covered MMA fighters from PRIDE, UFC, and IFL. But since the early to mid 2000's UFC average viewership has almost tripled and in 2011 the time was now for FOX to get ahold of viewership that was being under served.
Consider this: in 2011 UFC Prelim live broadcasts on Spike TV averaged 1,467,000 viewers per showing and on ION Television the average viewership was 771,000. Now that may sound small, but it is actually very significant because both Spike and ION did little promoting of these Prelim broadcasts and neither channel had the big name parent company to help promote any of their daily or special programming. The UFC was generating viewership for programs such the Prelim Live fights, "Best of Pride", "UFC Countdown" and others shows basically through Twitter, Facebook, their website, and email newsletters. By broadcast media standards that is very weak promotion and to get those kinds of numbers means that there is vast unlocked potential in viewership on cable and network television for UFC programming. Also realize that "UFC on Versus 5" gained an average viewership of 779,000 and the peak was near a million during the Hardy versus Lytle main event fight. They got this number on a traditionally poor television viewing night (Sunday) in the middle of the second worst time of year for ratings (Summer time) on a channel that is available in about 30 percent FEWER homes in North American than FX or Spike TV.
So this deal is a major win programming wise and viewership wise for FOX. For the UFC this is their big time step into competing with the other major professional sports organizations on Network Television. Unlike the CBS ventures with Elite XC and Strikeforce, the UFC has a very deep roster of excellent MMA talent and mainstream recognizable fighters. Also, Joe Rogan outside of MMA is still well-known for his stints on the TV comedy series "Friends" and his time hosting the reality show "Fear Factor". Being the top organization in a sports field also has the perks of being able to say that your champions and top-level athletes are the very best in the world.
The UFC though will suffer the same network television growing pains of other "non-team sport" organizations such as NASCAR and PGA because their potential is only as good as the stars who shine on the big stage. Golf has suffered tremendously in the ratings without Tiger Woods and with seven straight Major Championships won by first time Major winners the casual fans have no clue who is who and have no incentive to watch. NASCAR's two biggest names, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon, have not been big winners over the last few years and the same guy has won the last five straight overall Championships and Jimmie Johnson has typically done so in undramatic fashion. What the UFC has going for them that these other sports do not is they have more than a couple major big names and have numerous other rising stars that can be promoted and built up.
Also, the timing of this announcement was perfect because FOX played UFC promos (commercials that promote programming) a few times during the Eagles-Steelers Preseason showdown and they can spend the rest of the Pre season leading into the NFL regular season promoting the November 12th UFC on FOX event. This is significant because the NFL is the top sport with crossover viewership for MMA. Surveys show that NFL viewers are the most likely to watch MMA than any other Professional Sports fan and according to a Twitter study 61 percent of UFC fans also follow NFL players and reporters on twitter also.
Lastly, this is big for Mixed Martial Arts financially. Once Spike TV and Versus no longer have rights to UFC or WEC programming then those channels are free to pursue other MMA organizations. Bellator could easily move from MTV2 to Spike TV or Versus and fill the slots where the UFC had been without the networks skipping a beat. TJ Tompson of ProElite MMA has talked about making a deal with a TV network once the organization gets more events set up. The UFC being broadcast on the big stage opens broadcasting opportunities for other orgnanizations just like the NFL's popularity has opened up financial and television opportunities for other football organizations such as AFL (Arena Football League), CFL (Canadian Football League), LFL (Lingerie Football League), and the upstart USFL (United States Football League) that had limited success in the 1980's. And with more television exposure there are more marketing and promotional opportunities for MMA fighters. Remember the old days when CondomDepot.com was a major fighter sponsor? Now we have Budweiser and Bud Light commercials with Anderson Silva and Jon Jones. The next step is for Verizon or AT&T to sponsor the UFC instead of Boost Mobile or have Nike expand their clothing lines to MMA.
The future is now for all of MMA. The mainstream media cannot just ignore it anymore as a rogue activity and it's not like the movie "Bloodsport" with fights occurring in underground tournaments with "go for the kill" calls. These are athletes who have real training backgrounds and compete to make a living. They are no less athletes than the pros who compete in the NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL. The UFC has done promotion and broadcasting by themselves for years, now they have a major network standing by their side. Like the Bud Light commercial says, "Here we go!"
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
What to watch For: Bellator 48
Bellator has been establishing their organization as the top "Not Zuffa owned" Mixed Martial Arts organization in North America. CEO Bjorn Rebney has done a good job of amasing talent while not signing every Zuffa washout to come into the free agent market. It was also a smart move for Bellator to make the move to MTV2 so they can ensure all events are free for anyone with more then a basic cable or dish television package can watch. Bellator 48 is more then just the Featherweight Tournament Finals but is also an event hosting two solid Heavyweight fights on the Main card that showcases Bellator's growth as an organization in overall talent and name recognition. When the fans can tune in and recognize most of the names on the fight card without having to do Google research, that is always a positive.
1. Can Pat Curran win two different weight class Bellator tournaments in a period of 14 months?
The 23 year old Pat Curran is building a name for himself by reaching two Bellator Tournament finals. What makes this even more impressive is he has done it at 155 pounds AND 145 pounds. He has looked faster and sharper on the feet at Featherweight while not losing his wrestling strength.
But he is facing a much different opponent in this tournament finals in comparison to last year. In June 2010 Curran faced a veteran fighter in Toby Imada who has really good grappling skills. This Saturday night Curran faces Marlon Sandro: a dynamic fighter with a 19-2, one of those losses was by controversal Split Decision to current UFC fighter Michihiro Omigawa. Both Sandro and Curran have gotten 47 percent of their career wins via decision so expect this to be a three round war.
If Curran can win this matchup it will boost his MMA resume. Expect him to get some serious interest from the UFC when his Bellator contract runs out.
2. How will Bellator Heavyweight Champ Cole Konrad handle a step up in competition?
Cole Konrad is a young Heavyweight MMA prospect who will be facing a fighter Saturday Night in Paul Buentello who has been in 6 times as many fights (42) than Konrad (7). Konrad was a great collegiate and international wrestler before coming to MMA and he trains with former UFC Heavyweight Champ Brock Lesnar. Yet training at Lesnar's camp can only do so much to prepare a young fighter to face a man who has fought for Heavyweight titles in four different MMA organizations.
Buentello's MMA record is comprised of a "Who's Who" of upper level MMA heavyweights who have fought over the last ten years. He has faced 11 fighters who have fought in the UFC, compilling a record of 3-8. This matchup with Buentello is a good fight to measure where Konrad is at in his MMA career. Despite the paradox of Konrad not defending his belt in his fight this Saturday (a "tradition" Bellator does with many of their belt holders, reserving championship fights for winners of their tournaments) defeating a veteran like Buentello would be a good sign that Konrad has made the big step from MMA prospect to serious MMA Heavyweight fighter. Also he would avoid the comparisons to guys like Todd Duffee and Brandon Vera who were hyped Heavyweight prospects that came up short of the hype and expectations.
3. What does the future hold for Ricco Rodriguez if he keeps winning?
Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Ricco Rodriguez is on an unique winning streak: he has won 12 straight fights while fighting for 12 different MMA organizations. Since returning from his suspension by the California Athletic Commission in 2007 Rodriguez has amassed a fighting record of 21-5. Although he has not beaten any big names during that stretch winning can do a lot for a fighters confidence. Hopefully Rodriguez has finally found a fighting home with Bellator after his MMA world tour for the last four years. He faces another former UFC fighter, Seth Petruzelli, who is best known for his fast knockout of Kimbo Slice in 2008. If Rodriguez wins his fight this Saturday night he will have beaten two Ultimate Fighter Alums in two of his last three fights while extending his winning streak to 13 fights. Having a fighter with Rodriguez's name recognition and winning streak is a nice perk for Bellator as they continue to grow in popularity.
1. Can Pat Curran win two different weight class Bellator tournaments in a period of 14 months?
The 23 year old Pat Curran is building a name for himself by reaching two Bellator Tournament finals. What makes this even more impressive is he has done it at 155 pounds AND 145 pounds. He has looked faster and sharper on the feet at Featherweight while not losing his wrestling strength.
But he is facing a much different opponent in this tournament finals in comparison to last year. In June 2010 Curran faced a veteran fighter in Toby Imada who has really good grappling skills. This Saturday night Curran faces Marlon Sandro: a dynamic fighter with a 19-2, one of those losses was by controversal Split Decision to current UFC fighter Michihiro Omigawa. Both Sandro and Curran have gotten 47 percent of their career wins via decision so expect this to be a three round war.
If Curran can win this matchup it will boost his MMA resume. Expect him to get some serious interest from the UFC when his Bellator contract runs out.
2. How will Bellator Heavyweight Champ Cole Konrad handle a step up in competition?
Cole Konrad is a young Heavyweight MMA prospect who will be facing a fighter Saturday Night in Paul Buentello who has been in 6 times as many fights (42) than Konrad (7). Konrad was a great collegiate and international wrestler before coming to MMA and he trains with former UFC Heavyweight Champ Brock Lesnar. Yet training at Lesnar's camp can only do so much to prepare a young fighter to face a man who has fought for Heavyweight titles in four different MMA organizations.
Buentello's MMA record is comprised of a "Who's Who" of upper level MMA heavyweights who have fought over the last ten years. He has faced 11 fighters who have fought in the UFC, compilling a record of 3-8. This matchup with Buentello is a good fight to measure where Konrad is at in his MMA career. Despite the paradox of Konrad not defending his belt in his fight this Saturday (a "tradition" Bellator does with many of their belt holders, reserving championship fights for winners of their tournaments) defeating a veteran like Buentello would be a good sign that Konrad has made the big step from MMA prospect to serious MMA Heavyweight fighter. Also he would avoid the comparisons to guys like Todd Duffee and Brandon Vera who were hyped Heavyweight prospects that came up short of the hype and expectations.
3. What does the future hold for Ricco Rodriguez if he keeps winning?
Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Ricco Rodriguez is on an unique winning streak: he has won 12 straight fights while fighting for 12 different MMA organizations. Since returning from his suspension by the California Athletic Commission in 2007 Rodriguez has amassed a fighting record of 21-5. Although he has not beaten any big names during that stretch winning can do a lot for a fighters confidence. Hopefully Rodriguez has finally found a fighting home with Bellator after his MMA world tour for the last four years. He faces another former UFC fighter, Seth Petruzelli, who is best known for his fast knockout of Kimbo Slice in 2008. If Rodriguez wins his fight this Saturday night he will have beaten two Ultimate Fighter Alums in two of his last three fights while extending his winning streak to 13 fights. Having a fighter with Rodriguez's name recognition and winning streak is a nice perk for Bellator as they continue to grow in popularity.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
What To Watch For: UFC on Versus 5
After experiencing UFC 133 in person, I must admit that it has left me wanting to see more MMA fights! Maybe someone slipped something in my drink over the weekend or the event was so electric that it left me wanting more. Either way, I am looking forward to UFC on Versus 5 this Sunday night and here's some reasons why you should be watching too:
1. Will UFC on Versus 5 be the "Swan Song" for Dan Hardy or Chris Lytle?
This should be an exciting and dynamic main event with two fighters who are coming off losses in which they did not get to entertain the fans the way they like to. Both are known for their stand up game so this could end up being Fight of The Night. But both fighters are in very different places in their careers. Hardy is on a three fight losing streak since earning the opportunity to fight for the UFC Welterweight Championship. The three straight losses have caused some people question if Dan Hardy was really good enough to have ever faught for the title or if he has just been unlucky lately. Contrary to his public gimmick image with his mohawk and sometimes goofy attitude, Hardy is actually a hard worker who has serious Muay Thai skills so he is out to prove he has what it takes to hang in the UFC.
On the other hand, Chris Lytle has been in the fight game since 1999 and has 53 career MMA fights along with 15 Professional Boxing matches. The loss to Brian Ebersole earlier this year broke a four fight winning streak, the longest of his MMA career. Lytle has opened an exploritory committee for a possible political run for Indiana state office in 2012. A second straight loss could possibly convince Lytle to turn his interests full time to politics instead of fighting. Lytle is a fan favorite earning 8 Award of The Night Honors (Tied with Anderson Silva for most in UFC history) so it would be disapointing to see him go.
After Sunday nights Main Event is over, it is possible that the loser will not be seen in a UFC Octagon again for some time.
2. Jim Miller versus Ben Henderson is an unofficial number one contender fight
Thanks to the absorbtion of WEC fighters into the UFC and the draw between Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard in January, there is a serious log jam in the UFC 155 pound division of top tier fighters. Jim Miller is currently on a seven fight winning streak and his only two career losses have been to the two fighters who are facing off in October for the Lightweight Belt: Edgar and Maynard. His next opponent is the former WEC Lightweight Champ Ben Henderson. Henderson is also a talented fighter who has lost only once in his last 12 fights. When he lost to Anthony Pettis in December many people forget that he put up a good fight againt Pettis before that wild kick was landed in the 5th round. During his time in the WEC Henderson finished four of his six opponents so this will be no easy fight for Miller. The winner of this fight will likely fill the void for who gets next after Edgar and Maynard take care of business at UFC 136.
3. Can Donald Cerrone sustain his mommentum?
Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone was a very popular fighter in the WEC and was involved in 10 fights, receiving four "Fight of the Night" awards. But for all of Cerrone's popularity and talent his overall record in the WEC was 7-3-1 and he never officially won more then 2 fights in a row during his time there. Since coming to the UFC "Cowboy" has won two straight fights and has looked excellent. Sunday night he has a showdown with Charles Olivera, a fighter who has similar skills to Cerrone. If Cerrone gets past Olivera then he will have won five straight fights overall (three in the UFC) and usually gaining such mommentum will get the attention of the UFC brass. Cerrone's popularity combined with a solid winning streak would open the opportunity for him to face off against one of the UFC's top tier 155 pound fighters. One thing we know for sure is that Cerrone never backs down from a fight and never disapoints.
4. When will Joseph Benevidez get the respect he deserves?
Joseph Benevidez is the Rodney Danerfield of MMA because no matter what he does he "gets no respect, no respect at all!" Benevidez has two losses in 16 MMA fights and both were against one of the top fighters in the world: UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz. Since 2008 Benevidez is 9-2 with six finishes. Yet most of his career he has been overlooked and even at UFC on Versus 5 fight card he is stuck on the Preliminary Card behind a matchup between C.B. Dollaway and Jared Hamman. Now nothing against Dollaway or Hamman but their fight is ahead of a matchup between a former Bantamweight Champion (Eddie Wineland) and a two time former number one contender (Benevidez). With the UFC opening its doors in 2012 to a Flyweight division (125 pound fighters) this may be one of the last fights for Benevidez at 135 pounds and his matchup with Wineland should be a great fight. So take the time to pull up Facebook for the Prelim fights this Sunday beause you do not want to miss a chance to watch one of the most underrated fighters in MMA before he moves down to his natural weight class and becomes a champion.
1. Will UFC on Versus 5 be the "Swan Song" for Dan Hardy or Chris Lytle?
This should be an exciting and dynamic main event with two fighters who are coming off losses in which they did not get to entertain the fans the way they like to. Both are known for their stand up game so this could end up being Fight of The Night. But both fighters are in very different places in their careers. Hardy is on a three fight losing streak since earning the opportunity to fight for the UFC Welterweight Championship. The three straight losses have caused some people question if Dan Hardy was really good enough to have ever faught for the title or if he has just been unlucky lately. Contrary to his public gimmick image with his mohawk and sometimes goofy attitude, Hardy is actually a hard worker who has serious Muay Thai skills so he is out to prove he has what it takes to hang in the UFC.
On the other hand, Chris Lytle has been in the fight game since 1999 and has 53 career MMA fights along with 15 Professional Boxing matches. The loss to Brian Ebersole earlier this year broke a four fight winning streak, the longest of his MMA career. Lytle has opened an exploritory committee for a possible political run for Indiana state office in 2012. A second straight loss could possibly convince Lytle to turn his interests full time to politics instead of fighting. Lytle is a fan favorite earning 8 Award of The Night Honors (Tied with Anderson Silva for most in UFC history) so it would be disapointing to see him go.
After Sunday nights Main Event is over, it is possible that the loser will not be seen in a UFC Octagon again for some time.
2. Jim Miller versus Ben Henderson is an unofficial number one contender fight
Thanks to the absorbtion of WEC fighters into the UFC and the draw between Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard in January, there is a serious log jam in the UFC 155 pound division of top tier fighters. Jim Miller is currently on a seven fight winning streak and his only two career losses have been to the two fighters who are facing off in October for the Lightweight Belt: Edgar and Maynard. His next opponent is the former WEC Lightweight Champ Ben Henderson. Henderson is also a talented fighter who has lost only once in his last 12 fights. When he lost to Anthony Pettis in December many people forget that he put up a good fight againt Pettis before that wild kick was landed in the 5th round. During his time in the WEC Henderson finished four of his six opponents so this will be no easy fight for Miller. The winner of this fight will likely fill the void for who gets next after Edgar and Maynard take care of business at UFC 136.
3. Can Donald Cerrone sustain his mommentum?
Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone was a very popular fighter in the WEC and was involved in 10 fights, receiving four "Fight of the Night" awards. But for all of Cerrone's popularity and talent his overall record in the WEC was 7-3-1 and he never officially won more then 2 fights in a row during his time there. Since coming to the UFC "Cowboy" has won two straight fights and has looked excellent. Sunday night he has a showdown with Charles Olivera, a fighter who has similar skills to Cerrone. If Cerrone gets past Olivera then he will have won five straight fights overall (three in the UFC) and usually gaining such mommentum will get the attention of the UFC brass. Cerrone's popularity combined with a solid winning streak would open the opportunity for him to face off against one of the UFC's top tier 155 pound fighters. One thing we know for sure is that Cerrone never backs down from a fight and never disapoints.
4. When will Joseph Benevidez get the respect he deserves?
Joseph Benevidez is the Rodney Danerfield of MMA because no matter what he does he "gets no respect, no respect at all!" Benevidez has two losses in 16 MMA fights and both were against one of the top fighters in the world: UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz. Since 2008 Benevidez is 9-2 with six finishes. Yet most of his career he has been overlooked and even at UFC on Versus 5 fight card he is stuck on the Preliminary Card behind a matchup between C.B. Dollaway and Jared Hamman. Now nothing against Dollaway or Hamman but their fight is ahead of a matchup between a former Bantamweight Champion (Eddie Wineland) and a two time former number one contender (Benevidez). With the UFC opening its doors in 2012 to a Flyweight division (125 pound fighters) this may be one of the last fights for Benevidez at 135 pounds and his matchup with Wineland should be a great fight. So take the time to pull up Facebook for the Prelim fights this Sunday beause you do not want to miss a chance to watch one of the most underrated fighters in MMA before he moves down to his natural weight class and becomes a champion.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Rashad Evans 2.0
I have seen Rashad Evans fight since his time on the Ultimate Fighter. I remember cheering for him because I knew he was talented and had a bright future. I was rooting for him to beat a legend in Chuck Liddell because I knew a win over "The Iceman" would be a big stepping stone in his career.
But going into the title fights with Forrest Griffin and Lyoto Machida I felt that Evans' was acting too confident and cocky in front of the cameras. The over the top bravado and disrespect that Mohammed Ali had towards his opponents is something I will always hold against Ali and those same attitudes I saw coming out in interviews and promotions done with Evans. I was almost hurt because I knew deep down Rashad Evans is NOT a self-promoting, egotistical, flamboyant jerk; yet in interviews and in promotional clips that is how he came off to me. I know Rashad Evans can be great in MMA like Ali was in boxing but I dislike when athletes try to emulate Ali's public persona.
One of the great elements of Mixed Martial Arts is that historically and culturally it is different from other sports because the way of the Martial Artist is to respect one's opponent and look to win in the most technically superior fashion. I myself have taken Martial Arts classes and instruction over the years so I look at the mind games that someone like Mohammed Ali used with his opponents as disrespectful and smokescreen to cover up for Ali's flaws.
Rashad Evans is an MMA fighter, not a boxer. There is a difference between promoting and hyping a fight in contrast to disrespecting one's opponent and using psychological manipulation more often then letting your performance do the talking. That is why I cheered for Griffin, Machida and Quinton Jackson when they faught against Evans. Not because I hate or despite Evans, but because I disliked what he was portraying himself as: an athletic diva.
Something happened between May of 2010 and now to Rashad Evans. Whether it was an epiphany, gaining wisdom and maturity, someone he respected sitting him down or just getting out of the familiar surroundings of Jackson MMA; whatever triggered the change in Evans' overall demeanor and evolution in MMA skills it was all on full display this past Saturday night. Evans came into the rematch with Tito Ortiz stronger, sharper, more focused, and maybe even faster then I have ever seen him. It was as if over the last 14 months Evans got an upgrade in every area of his game and mentally he is in a great place. His performance against Ortiz was excellent in every way and I couldn't help but stand and cheer for him at the end of the fight out of respect.
But then Evans took it even further. He went out of his way after the fight during interviews and the post-fight press conference to show respect and grattitude towards Ortiz for taking the fight on short notice and for how Ortiz faught. Evans didn't gloat with the spotlight on him, instead he credited his team training him well and the hard work he put into getting better and back into the Octagon. This is a fighter who was ready to walk the walk instead of running his mouth or loving himself.
The two best things that have happened to Rashad Evans in my opinion are losing to Lyoto Machida and Jon Jones training at Jackson MMA. Machida humbled Evans and showed that no fighter is invicible or too talented to loose a fight. Jones showed Evans the reflection that many people saw when they looked at Rashad: talented, cocky, proud, and immature. Evans knows he is better then that. Jackson MMA is one of the top MMA gyms in the world but Evans had no way to grow and get better there anymore. Evans took the path less traveled and that path will lead him to reclaim the title that was once his: UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
Evans has the chance to go down as one of the best MMA fighters of all time. Seriously. Some people may laugh at that but lets look at the facts:
*Evans is 16-1-1 so far in his career
*He has beaten 3 superstars/legends in MMA (Liddell, "Rampage", Ortiz)
*He has some of the best standup skills in all of MMA, a notch below guys like Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort
*He has a great wrestling base, coming from a NCAA Division 1 wrestling program (Michigan State)
*He is one of the more intellegent, quick thinking fighters in the MMA game
But yet some people will still hold the past against him. I am not one of them. I know greatness when I see it and the sky is the limit for Evans. At UFC 133 Evans put all fighters at 205 pounds on notice: He is back and better then ever. I cannot wait to see him fight again and I hope some day i get to meet Rashad Evans, shake his hand, and tell him to his face how much I respect and admire him.
Rashad Evans 2.0 is more then just a great fighter, it is a model to show other young athletes of how to become great in their athletic profession and in life.
But going into the title fights with Forrest Griffin and Lyoto Machida I felt that Evans' was acting too confident and cocky in front of the cameras. The over the top bravado and disrespect that Mohammed Ali had towards his opponents is something I will always hold against Ali and those same attitudes I saw coming out in interviews and promotions done with Evans. I was almost hurt because I knew deep down Rashad Evans is NOT a self-promoting, egotistical, flamboyant jerk; yet in interviews and in promotional clips that is how he came off to me. I know Rashad Evans can be great in MMA like Ali was in boxing but I dislike when athletes try to emulate Ali's public persona.
One of the great elements of Mixed Martial Arts is that historically and culturally it is different from other sports because the way of the Martial Artist is to respect one's opponent and look to win in the most technically superior fashion. I myself have taken Martial Arts classes and instruction over the years so I look at the mind games that someone like Mohammed Ali used with his opponents as disrespectful and smokescreen to cover up for Ali's flaws.
Rashad Evans is an MMA fighter, not a boxer. There is a difference between promoting and hyping a fight in contrast to disrespecting one's opponent and using psychological manipulation more often then letting your performance do the talking. That is why I cheered for Griffin, Machida and Quinton Jackson when they faught against Evans. Not because I hate or despite Evans, but because I disliked what he was portraying himself as: an athletic diva.
Something happened between May of 2010 and now to Rashad Evans. Whether it was an epiphany, gaining wisdom and maturity, someone he respected sitting him down or just getting out of the familiar surroundings of Jackson MMA; whatever triggered the change in Evans' overall demeanor and evolution in MMA skills it was all on full display this past Saturday night. Evans came into the rematch with Tito Ortiz stronger, sharper, more focused, and maybe even faster then I have ever seen him. It was as if over the last 14 months Evans got an upgrade in every area of his game and mentally he is in a great place. His performance against Ortiz was excellent in every way and I couldn't help but stand and cheer for him at the end of the fight out of respect.
But then Evans took it even further. He went out of his way after the fight during interviews and the post-fight press conference to show respect and grattitude towards Ortiz for taking the fight on short notice and for how Ortiz faught. Evans didn't gloat with the spotlight on him, instead he credited his team training him well and the hard work he put into getting better and back into the Octagon. This is a fighter who was ready to walk the walk instead of running his mouth or loving himself.
The two best things that have happened to Rashad Evans in my opinion are losing to Lyoto Machida and Jon Jones training at Jackson MMA. Machida humbled Evans and showed that no fighter is invicible or too talented to loose a fight. Jones showed Evans the reflection that many people saw when they looked at Rashad: talented, cocky, proud, and immature. Evans knows he is better then that. Jackson MMA is one of the top MMA gyms in the world but Evans had no way to grow and get better there anymore. Evans took the path less traveled and that path will lead him to reclaim the title that was once his: UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
Evans has the chance to go down as one of the best MMA fighters of all time. Seriously. Some people may laugh at that but lets look at the facts:
*Evans is 16-1-1 so far in his career
*He has beaten 3 superstars/legends in MMA (Liddell, "Rampage", Ortiz)
*He has some of the best standup skills in all of MMA, a notch below guys like Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort
*He has a great wrestling base, coming from a NCAA Division 1 wrestling program (Michigan State)
*He is one of the more intellegent, quick thinking fighters in the MMA game
But yet some people will still hold the past against him. I am not one of them. I know greatness when I see it and the sky is the limit for Evans. At UFC 133 Evans put all fighters at 205 pounds on notice: He is back and better then ever. I cannot wait to see him fight again and I hope some day i get to meet Rashad Evans, shake his hand, and tell him to his face how much I respect and admire him.
Rashad Evans 2.0 is more then just a great fighter, it is a model to show other young athletes of how to become great in their athletic profession and in life.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
4 things to watch for with UFC 133
Despite the fact that injuries have altered this fight card numerous times over the last couple months, UFC 133 is still a solid fight card. So lets proceed with a preview of the event that goes down this saturday:
1. Which will be more of a disadvantage: Rashad Evans' long layoff or Tito Ortiz fighting within 34 days of his last fight?
Both fighters in Saturday's main event have taken different roads that brought them to this fight. Rashad Evans was promised a title shot after his last fight when he beat Quinton "Rampage" Jackson by decision at UFC 114. But since May of 2010, Rashad made the choice to first wait to for then Champ Maurico "Shogun" Rua to recover from knee injury and then Evans injured his own knee before getting to fight Rua. Then he was suppose to face current 205 pound Champ Jon Jones but he pulled out with a hand injury. When Evans enters the Octagon this Saturday night he will be coming off a hiatus that spans almost 15 months. During the time Evans was not fighting, Ortiz has fought 3 times and he looked excellent in a dominating finish at UFC 132 against Ryan Bader. So now the question is which is more of a disadvantage: Evans long layoff or Ortiz fighting on such short notice. More often then not fighters who have long layoffs usually loose their first fight back. Whether it is nerves or not being use to the speed of the fight game, having a long time away from fighting has hurt numerous fighters in recent years. On the other hand, fighting 34 days after a big win is a major wild card. Ultimately the real question come Saturday night will be which fighter will feel the most pressure to perform and that will be the man walking away with the loss.
2. Vitor Belfort's response to a loss
Belfort is one of my favorite MMA fighters of all time. But it has been shown that Belfort's biggest opponent in his career has been himself. After losing to Randy Couture back in 2004 Belfort went on to loose 4 of his next 6 fights. In many of those fights Belfort looked lost in himself and lacked confidence. Then from 2007 through 2009 Belfort won five straight fights and four of them were via Knockout or Technical Knockout victories. Then he was out of action for 16 months due to injuries and lost to Anderson Silva this past February. With people doubting him again, Belfort has the opportunity to get back to winning against a tough opponent in Yoshihiro Akiyama. A win this Saturday night would not just silence those who think Belfort is "overrated" but also would signal that he is ready to come back better then ever after losing to one of the best MMA fighters in UFC history.
3. What if Mike Pyle again overcomes the underdog label and beats Rory McDonald?
Mike Pyle is 4-2 in the UFC since 2009 and has won 3 straight fights. He has won back to back fights in which he was considered an underdog and with another win Saturday night Pyle can make the argument that he is ready to move into the next level of competition in the UFC. Pyle has been around the MMA game for awhile and in fact is the only fighter to ever finish Jon Fitch (in 2002). For a guy who has been around the fight game so long and is such a balanced fighter its a great opportunity for him to move up the ranks in the 170 pound division. Better late then never right? And beating a rising MMA prospect in McDonald would be another solid win for Pyle's resume.
4. MMA in Philadelphia
With tickets still available to purchase for Saturday's UFC 133 event some are questioning if UFC is marketable in a city like Philadelphia. But as Bernard Hopkins said at Wednesday's workouts, MMA is "unique" and is still "growing in popularity". The last time the UFC was in Philly the main event was Anderson Silva fighting at Light Heavyweight against Forrest Griffin. I am sure if the UFC brought a title fight to the city that the tickets would sell out faster as compared to a fight card that has had numerous injuries and matchup changes. Losing a big name like Rich Franklin and a local favorite Phil Davis will definate hurt them when they look at the oveall pay per view buys and gate sales. Last time the UFC was in Philly they broke opening gate records for Pennsylvania and this year will be down in comparison for sure. But this does not mean UFC 133 is a bad fight card because there are many good matchups. But ticket and PPV sales are driven harder by casual fans and if the casual fan doesn't take serious interest in the event then the hardcore fans can only spread their money around so much. Casual fans recognize the big names like Brock Lesnar, George St. Pierre, and "Rampage" Jackson while younger stars such as Frank Edgar, Jon Jones, and Dominick Cruz are known names. No offense but it is hard to sell a fight card on which the main card has a matchup between Dennis Hallman and Brian Ebersole (Im still unsure why the matchup between Mendes and Yaya wasn't moved onto the main card). Hopefully the UFC stops putting big time events in Newark, NJ and instead bring such high profile fight cards to a city with a rich tradition in the fight game. Philly fans like winners, period. That's how to sell any sport in this city.
1. Which will be more of a disadvantage: Rashad Evans' long layoff or Tito Ortiz fighting within 34 days of his last fight?
Both fighters in Saturday's main event have taken different roads that brought them to this fight. Rashad Evans was promised a title shot after his last fight when he beat Quinton "Rampage" Jackson by decision at UFC 114. But since May of 2010, Rashad made the choice to first wait to for then Champ Maurico "Shogun" Rua to recover from knee injury and then Evans injured his own knee before getting to fight Rua. Then he was suppose to face current 205 pound Champ Jon Jones but he pulled out with a hand injury. When Evans enters the Octagon this Saturday night he will be coming off a hiatus that spans almost 15 months. During the time Evans was not fighting, Ortiz has fought 3 times and he looked excellent in a dominating finish at UFC 132 against Ryan Bader. So now the question is which is more of a disadvantage: Evans long layoff or Ortiz fighting on such short notice. More often then not fighters who have long layoffs usually loose their first fight back. Whether it is nerves or not being use to the speed of the fight game, having a long time away from fighting has hurt numerous fighters in recent years. On the other hand, fighting 34 days after a big win is a major wild card. Ultimately the real question come Saturday night will be which fighter will feel the most pressure to perform and that will be the man walking away with the loss.
2. Vitor Belfort's response to a loss
Belfort is one of my favorite MMA fighters of all time. But it has been shown that Belfort's biggest opponent in his career has been himself. After losing to Randy Couture back in 2004 Belfort went on to loose 4 of his next 6 fights. In many of those fights Belfort looked lost in himself and lacked confidence. Then from 2007 through 2009 Belfort won five straight fights and four of them were via Knockout or Technical Knockout victories. Then he was out of action for 16 months due to injuries and lost to Anderson Silva this past February. With people doubting him again, Belfort has the opportunity to get back to winning against a tough opponent in Yoshihiro Akiyama. A win this Saturday night would not just silence those who think Belfort is "overrated" but also would signal that he is ready to come back better then ever after losing to one of the best MMA fighters in UFC history.
3. What if Mike Pyle again overcomes the underdog label and beats Rory McDonald?
Mike Pyle is 4-2 in the UFC since 2009 and has won 3 straight fights. He has won back to back fights in which he was considered an underdog and with another win Saturday night Pyle can make the argument that he is ready to move into the next level of competition in the UFC. Pyle has been around the MMA game for awhile and in fact is the only fighter to ever finish Jon Fitch (in 2002). For a guy who has been around the fight game so long and is such a balanced fighter its a great opportunity for him to move up the ranks in the 170 pound division. Better late then never right? And beating a rising MMA prospect in McDonald would be another solid win for Pyle's resume.
4. MMA in Philadelphia
With tickets still available to purchase for Saturday's UFC 133 event some are questioning if UFC is marketable in a city like Philadelphia. But as Bernard Hopkins said at Wednesday's workouts, MMA is "unique" and is still "growing in popularity". The last time the UFC was in Philly the main event was Anderson Silva fighting at Light Heavyweight against Forrest Griffin. I am sure if the UFC brought a title fight to the city that the tickets would sell out faster as compared to a fight card that has had numerous injuries and matchup changes. Losing a big name like Rich Franklin and a local favorite Phil Davis will definate hurt them when they look at the oveall pay per view buys and gate sales. Last time the UFC was in Philly they broke opening gate records for Pennsylvania and this year will be down in comparison for sure. But this does not mean UFC 133 is a bad fight card because there are many good matchups. But ticket and PPV sales are driven harder by casual fans and if the casual fan doesn't take serious interest in the event then the hardcore fans can only spread their money around so much. Casual fans recognize the big names like Brock Lesnar, George St. Pierre, and "Rampage" Jackson while younger stars such as Frank Edgar, Jon Jones, and Dominick Cruz are known names. No offense but it is hard to sell a fight card on which the main card has a matchup between Dennis Hallman and Brian Ebersole (Im still unsure why the matchup between Mendes and Yaya wasn't moved onto the main card). Hopefully the UFC stops putting big time events in Newark, NJ and instead bring such high profile fight cards to a city with a rich tradition in the fight game. Philly fans like winners, period. That's how to sell any sport in this city.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
4 things to watch for Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson
This Saturday's Strikeforce event is the biggest, most important event for the "younger brother promotion". Since being acquired by Zuffa, many people have questioned how long will Strikeforce stay in existance considering the fates of other MMA organizations taken over by Zuffa (parent company of the UFC). What happens at this event will determine where Strikeforce goes considering the loss of star power in the Striekforce Heavyweight Grand Prix and the questions about several fighters with expiring fight contracts.
1. Which Fedor will we see Saturday Night?
Before 2010, Fedor Emelianenko had not lost a fight since 2000. But a string of loss has put a fighter who is considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time in a position to contemplate retirement. Unlike some of his comtemporaries, Fedor is only 34 years old and still could be a force in MMA. The problem is that he has looked disinterested in his last few fights while not being in the best physical shape. If Fedor is motivated to end this two fight losing streak and not lose to a fighter who weighs about 24 pounds less then him, then we should see a great fight. A win for Fedor signals he is still relevant, especially considering his is "expected" to win. But a loss could signal a depressing end to the career for a fighter who at one time was considered the greatest Heavyweight MMA fighter of all time.
2. The Future of Women's MMA
Although it is sad, the reality is that the future of Women's MMA is leaning on what happens when 135 lb. Champion Marloes Connen takes on 11-2 Miesha Tate. It was only a few years ago that Women's MMA was banking on the potential success of Gina Carrano. But when Carrano got dominated by "Cyborg" Santos many thought that would be the beginning of the end. But now that there appears to be a group of talented and attractive women who fight at weights lighter then Carrano's 145 lbs. division, there is potential and still hope. Women's MMA has two major obsticles standing in the way of it becoming a mainstay with casual and hardcore MMA watchers:
The First Obsticle is depth. How many top level women's fighters are really out there? Will there be many more beyond this current generation? Both are valid questions, considering what has happened to other women's professional sports endevours. Professional Women's Hockey and Soccer leagues started out as hot commodities but over time audiences lost interest for various reasons and the talent pool never grew beyond the base that they started with. The WNBA has proved that you can market yourself on quality of product alone in order to maintain the ability to make money off of women's professional sports. Yet part of that is because Women's basketball (Pro and Collegiate) has grown in poluarity across the board. Women's MMA needs the talent to keep coming or all of its stars will get old and the sport will retire with them.
Second obsticle is marketability. In order for any sport to grow and make money is for it to find a way to appeal to people beyond the hardcore, loyal fan base. It is hard to market a sport when their champions (Cyborg and Coenen) are not very interactive with the fans or very visable. How are you suppose to gain the attention of casual watchers if your champions are as engaging as watching Olympic Curling? Also, whether right or not, fighting is a sport that appeals to a casual audience that looks at women's sports and says "Where's the cute girl?" or what may refer to as "The Anna Kournikova Effect". While this may be sexiest, its a reality that all women's sports have to deal with, especially since men watch sports more then women. Fighters such as Miesha Tate and Sarah Kauffman have shown they are comfortable with showing their feminine side and have been ok with being seen as "attractive". This is an element that other women's fighers (for example, Cyborg and Coenen) have shunned for various reasons. There's a reason boxing and MMA have ring girls in sexy outfits walking around and they just happen to be beautiful, attractive ladies. That same way of thinking is applied by many men (again, it is sexist in some ways) towards women in other sports. I know many women who like MMA because they like fighting but REALLY like looking at the guys. That is a major catilyst in marketing to women, so it isn't a foreign concept to do the same with Women's MMA. Women's Tennis grew in popularity when Anna Kournikova hit the scene so Women's MMA shouldn't ignore such realities.
So ultimately what needs to happen Saturday Night is there to be an interesting fight with some solid MMA action and then the winner flash a real nice, cute smile a few times during the post fight interviews and to act/talk like a woman (not like any other male athlete after a big win).
3. Will Paul Daley vs. Tyron Woodley entertain viewers?
Paul Daley is an exciting fighter who has great standup skills. But he has had problems in the past against strong wrestlers (see his fights with Josh Koscheck and Jake Shields). Meanwhile for Woodley, he is considered a upcoming star with great wrestling skills and athleticism. But 2 of his last 3 fights were not exactly exciting according to some and I am not sure his all around game is good enough to handle fighters who could stop his takedowns. Considering the history of both these fighters, this could be a fight in which Woodley finds out he isn't good enough to stand and trade with Daley so he takes him down and basically lays on him for most of the fight. To be fair, Woodley is still young in the sport but he has not shown that he is very active from the top when he does take a guy down. If Woodley does beat Daley in a "boring" fashion then many people will be uninterrested in him getting a chance to fight for the vacant Strikeforce Welterweight Belt.
4. Will there be any mommentum gained from this event for Striekforce?
The increase of UFC events this year has pushed them further into the public eye as a must see sporting event. Being the "little brother" or "Triple A" version of the UFC (not my labels, just what I have read) has put Strikeforce is a perilous position. Yes they have a contract through the end of 2012 with Showtime, but what about after that? Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz has already left for the greener pastures of the UFC and its fair to say that other top level fighters will eventually want to go to the UFC sooner or later as well. Strikeforce Champions Gilbert Melendez (Lightweight), Allistair Overeem (Heavyweight), and Dan Henderson (Light Heavyweight) are definately talented enough to contend in the UFC. When Strikeforce signed Fedor Emelianenko, the idea was that he would be a major marketing tool to gain them popularity. Instead Strikeforce's biggest money making stars (Nick Diaz and Jake Shields) left the organization while their dynamic Heavyweight Champ (Overeem) has been removed from the Heavyweight Tournament because the event was scheduled a month earlier then Overeem wanted to fight coming off an injury. So if Fedor losses, the Women's Championship fight turns out to be a bore, and upcoming star Woodley is unimpressive against Daley, where does that leave Strikeforce marketing wise? Of course the hardcore MMA fans will watch, but the casual viewers or those who only care about the UFC will not tune in. At that point the only hope for Strikeforce is that the charismatic Josh Barnett wins the Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament, setting up a very marketable matchup against Overeem. Outside of that, there is little else. Melendez is running out of major name or talent competition at lightweight, the 185 pound division seems to be a rotating circuit of 3 talented guys fighting each other, and Dan Henderson is a 40 years old Light Heavyweight Champion whose last fight in his contract was against a fighter who weighs about 24 pounds more then him and is on a two fight losing streak heading into the fight. Also, the future is not exactly promising for an MMA organization that is broadcast on a network that many people don't even have available as part of their Dish or Cable package. All Strikeforce fans, employees, and fighters can do is hope for the best come Saturday night.
1. Which Fedor will we see Saturday Night?
Before 2010, Fedor Emelianenko had not lost a fight since 2000. But a string of loss has put a fighter who is considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time in a position to contemplate retirement. Unlike some of his comtemporaries, Fedor is only 34 years old and still could be a force in MMA. The problem is that he has looked disinterested in his last few fights while not being in the best physical shape. If Fedor is motivated to end this two fight losing streak and not lose to a fighter who weighs about 24 pounds less then him, then we should see a great fight. A win for Fedor signals he is still relevant, especially considering his is "expected" to win. But a loss could signal a depressing end to the career for a fighter who at one time was considered the greatest Heavyweight MMA fighter of all time.
2. The Future of Women's MMA
Although it is sad, the reality is that the future of Women's MMA is leaning on what happens when 135 lb. Champion Marloes Connen takes on 11-2 Miesha Tate. It was only a few years ago that Women's MMA was banking on the potential success of Gina Carrano. But when Carrano got dominated by "Cyborg" Santos many thought that would be the beginning of the end. But now that there appears to be a group of talented and attractive women who fight at weights lighter then Carrano's 145 lbs. division, there is potential and still hope. Women's MMA has two major obsticles standing in the way of it becoming a mainstay with casual and hardcore MMA watchers:
The First Obsticle is depth. How many top level women's fighters are really out there? Will there be many more beyond this current generation? Both are valid questions, considering what has happened to other women's professional sports endevours. Professional Women's Hockey and Soccer leagues started out as hot commodities but over time audiences lost interest for various reasons and the talent pool never grew beyond the base that they started with. The WNBA has proved that you can market yourself on quality of product alone in order to maintain the ability to make money off of women's professional sports. Yet part of that is because Women's basketball (Pro and Collegiate) has grown in poluarity across the board. Women's MMA needs the talent to keep coming or all of its stars will get old and the sport will retire with them.
Second obsticle is marketability. In order for any sport to grow and make money is for it to find a way to appeal to people beyond the hardcore, loyal fan base. It is hard to market a sport when their champions (Cyborg and Coenen) are not very interactive with the fans or very visable. How are you suppose to gain the attention of casual watchers if your champions are as engaging as watching Olympic Curling? Also, whether right or not, fighting is a sport that appeals to a casual audience that looks at women's sports and says "Where's the cute girl?" or what may refer to as "The Anna Kournikova Effect". While this may be sexiest, its a reality that all women's sports have to deal with, especially since men watch sports more then women. Fighters such as Miesha Tate and Sarah Kauffman have shown they are comfortable with showing their feminine side and have been ok with being seen as "attractive". This is an element that other women's fighers (for example, Cyborg and Coenen) have shunned for various reasons. There's a reason boxing and MMA have ring girls in sexy outfits walking around and they just happen to be beautiful, attractive ladies. That same way of thinking is applied by many men (again, it is sexist in some ways) towards women in other sports. I know many women who like MMA because they like fighting but REALLY like looking at the guys. That is a major catilyst in marketing to women, so it isn't a foreign concept to do the same with Women's MMA. Women's Tennis grew in popularity when Anna Kournikova hit the scene so Women's MMA shouldn't ignore such realities.
So ultimately what needs to happen Saturday Night is there to be an interesting fight with some solid MMA action and then the winner flash a real nice, cute smile a few times during the post fight interviews and to act/talk like a woman (not like any other male athlete after a big win).
3. Will Paul Daley vs. Tyron Woodley entertain viewers?
Paul Daley is an exciting fighter who has great standup skills. But he has had problems in the past against strong wrestlers (see his fights with Josh Koscheck and Jake Shields). Meanwhile for Woodley, he is considered a upcoming star with great wrestling skills and athleticism. But 2 of his last 3 fights were not exactly exciting according to some and I am not sure his all around game is good enough to handle fighters who could stop his takedowns. Considering the history of both these fighters, this could be a fight in which Woodley finds out he isn't good enough to stand and trade with Daley so he takes him down and basically lays on him for most of the fight. To be fair, Woodley is still young in the sport but he has not shown that he is very active from the top when he does take a guy down. If Woodley does beat Daley in a "boring" fashion then many people will be uninterrested in him getting a chance to fight for the vacant Strikeforce Welterweight Belt.
4. Will there be any mommentum gained from this event for Striekforce?
The increase of UFC events this year has pushed them further into the public eye as a must see sporting event. Being the "little brother" or "Triple A" version of the UFC (not my labels, just what I have read) has put Strikeforce is a perilous position. Yes they have a contract through the end of 2012 with Showtime, but what about after that? Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz has already left for the greener pastures of the UFC and its fair to say that other top level fighters will eventually want to go to the UFC sooner or later as well. Strikeforce Champions Gilbert Melendez (Lightweight), Allistair Overeem (Heavyweight), and Dan Henderson (Light Heavyweight) are definately talented enough to contend in the UFC. When Strikeforce signed Fedor Emelianenko, the idea was that he would be a major marketing tool to gain them popularity. Instead Strikeforce's biggest money making stars (Nick Diaz and Jake Shields) left the organization while their dynamic Heavyweight Champ (Overeem) has been removed from the Heavyweight Tournament because the event was scheduled a month earlier then Overeem wanted to fight coming off an injury. So if Fedor losses, the Women's Championship fight turns out to be a bore, and upcoming star Woodley is unimpressive against Daley, where does that leave Strikeforce marketing wise? Of course the hardcore MMA fans will watch, but the casual viewers or those who only care about the UFC will not tune in. At that point the only hope for Strikeforce is that the charismatic Josh Barnett wins the Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament, setting up a very marketable matchup against Overeem. Outside of that, there is little else. Melendez is running out of major name or talent competition at lightweight, the 185 pound division seems to be a rotating circuit of 3 talented guys fighting each other, and Dan Henderson is a 40 years old Light Heavyweight Champion whose last fight in his contract was against a fighter who weighs about 24 pounds more then him and is on a two fight losing streak heading into the fight. Also, the future is not exactly promising for an MMA organization that is broadcast on a network that many people don't even have available as part of their Dish or Cable package. All Strikeforce fans, employees, and fighters can do is hope for the best come Saturday night.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
UFC 132 Aftermath
The UFC every July 4th weekend looks to put on a big show and this past weekend was no exception. Lets take a look back at Saturday night's big fights:
UFC Bantamweight Championship: Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber
Result: Cruz via Unanimous Decision
This fight was fast-paced and for all five round both guys put on a show. The difference was Faber's inability to takedown Cruz and Cruz outstriking Faber in every round.
Next for Cruz: There is some debate about who the next real number one contender is right now in the UFC 135 pound division. Demetrious Johnson is on a four fight win streak and his last fight was a action-packed win over former WEC bantamweight champ Miguel Torres. Meanwhile, Brian Bowles has won two straight fights since he lost the belt to Cruz back in early 2010. It will be interesting to see which fighter the UFC brass picks to take on Cruz next. My choice is Johnson because his overall skills along with his speed present the biggest threat to Cruz at 135 right now.
Next for Faber: Since Faber put on a good fight for five rounds typically the UFC will not drop him too far down the ladder in terms of rankings. Scott Jorgenson, another former number one contender at 135 pounds, would be an interesting fight for Faber and would keep him in the running to get another shot at the belt sooner then later.
Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben
Result: Leben via Knockout
Chris Leben said before this matchup that both men were going to throw until someone falls. Fortunately for Leben it was Silva who fell and Leben walked away with a KO win after nailing "The Axe Murder" with a couple hard upper cuts.
Next for Leben: "The Crippler" seems to always be in an exciting fight. He has won four of his last five fights and the last three wins have all been via stoppage. Problem for Leben is that he has been in the UFC so long he has faced many of the fighters at 185 pounds who would be considered top 15 competition. The only fighter currently on a winning streak who seems ready to face a guy like Leben would be Chris Weidman.
Next for Silva: The fact that Silva got knocked out Saturday night is not as much about him "losing his chin" but the issue that he had not faught in almost 17 months. Since he was brutally knockedout by Quinton Jackson in December of 2008 he has only had three fights and he has one win. Wanderlei may be coming to the end of his career yet I'm not sure he is ready to walk away from MMA just yet. If Yoshihiro Akiyama losses at UFC 133 then a "Axe Murderer" vs. "Sexyama" fight would make sense for both men at this stage of their careers.
Dennis Siver vs. Matt Wiman
Result: Siver via Unanimous Decision
This was the fight that I considered the most bizarre of the night. Wiman spent more time trying to takedown Siver then anything else in the fight. Siver was successful in stopping the takedowns but that didn't deter Wiman from trying still. Most people had Siver winning the 1st round and Wiman taking the 2nd round. The 3rd was about perspective since neither fighter really dominated the final round. So when you leave it up to the judges score cards, anything can happen.
Next for Siver: Siver has now won four straight fights and since January of 2009 he is 7-1 in the UFC. His all-round MMA game has improved while his opponents are running out of ways to beat him. A fight with either Anthony Pettis or Gleison Tibau would be an interesting test for Siver.
Next for Wiman: Wiman clearly thought he had won the fight on Saturday night and went as far as throwing his hat down and storming out of the octagon after the judges decision was announced. Three of Wiman's four UFC losses have been by decision so one would think he would understand the conscequences of not finishing a fight. Either way, Wiman's winning streak is gone and has to take a step back in the crowded UFC lightweight division ranks. A fight with another guy who lost on the UFC 132 card would be right for Wiman right now: Shane Roller.
Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader
Result: Ortiz via Submission (Guillotine Choke)
Supposedly Ryan Bader was a 8-1 favorite in his matchup with Tito Ortiz. Ortiz had lost three straight fights and the "experts" thought that Ortiz was done. But people forget Tito is a former UFC champion and Saturday night he showed that he is not ready to retire anytime soon. He looked better then Bader in the striking department and after Ortiz nailed Bader with a straight right the former champ jumped on his favored opponent and sunk in a deep choke to finish the fight.
Next for Ortiz: A big win like this for Ortiz gives him many options for his next matchup. Tito has said in the past he likes to take on top level competition yet most of that competition in the UFC at 205 pounds is booked over the next few UFC events. Maybe he could get the loser of Evans-Davis, Franklin-Nogueria, or Griffin-Rua. Or maybe someone from Strikeforce will get their contract re-written like Nick Diaz did and come over to have their first fight of the new UFC contract against Tito Ortiz (who knows).
Next for Bader: Before 2011 Ryan Bader had never lost a fight in his MMA career. Now he has lost to the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champ (Jon Jones) and a former UFC champion (Tito Ortiz). Bader went from being top 10 at 205 in the UFC to middle of the pack. Maybe its time to match him up Krzysztof Soszynski to see if Bader can get back on track against someone who has won three of his last five fights.
Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Result: Condit via Knockout (Flying Knee)
After his win over Nate Diaz, Dong Hyun Kim called out UFC Welterweight Champion George St. Pierre. Instead he got to face the former WEC Welterweight Champ Carlos Condit. Kim said before the fight that Condit was "overrated" and that when he wins he wanted next shot at GSP. After a fast first round knockout, I think Kim just got knocked back to reality.
Next for Condit: After two close Split Decisions to start his UFC career, Condit has reeled off three straight wins in which he finished his opponents. People seem to forget that Condit defended the WEC Welterweight belt three times and while in the WEC he stopped all of his opponents either by submission or knockout. While Condit has a case to be next in line for a shot at the belt, it is unlikely he will sit around and wait until the winner of St. Pierre-Diaz is ready to fight again. If Diego Sanchez beats Matt Hughes in September then a Condit-Sanchez fight would make sense for Condit if he doesn't want to wait around for a title shot.
Next for Kim: The loss to Condit is the first official loss of Kim's MMA career. Often criticed for his style of taking guys down but not doing much else while in a dominant position, Kim still has some evolving to do if he intends on making a run to become a number one contender in the UFC. Maybe a fight with someone who is hard to takedown (like Josh Koscheck) would force him to learn some other techniques aside from same old he has been using lately.
Quick thoughts on some Preliminary Card Fights
Melvin Guillard vs. Shane Roller: With his knockout of Shane Roller, Guillard has now won five straight fights and gotten his hand raised in eight of his last nine fights. Guillard is quickly setting himself apart from the rest of the 155 pount division. Guillard has said in the past that he wants to fight Jim Miller, yet Miller is booked to fight in August against Ben Henderson. Guillard also said Saturday night he wants to fight at the UFC 136 event in Houston. There are only two guys high in the lightweight ranks in the UFC who would be available to fight in October: Clay Guida (who is a teammate of Guillard's at Jackson MMA) and former UFC Lightweight Champ Sean Sherk (who has stated on Twitter he would like to come back to the UFC this fall after recovering from injury issues).
George Sotiropoulos vs. Rafael dos Anjos: Before 2011, George Sotiropoulos was the winner of nine straight fights and was considered to be in the mix as a contender at 155 pounds. Now after two straight losses George has lost all mommentum and all of the praise about his "great boxing skills" evaporated with a wild first round KO at the hands of Dos Anjos. Ironically, its the first knockout victory of Dos Anjos' career.
UFC Bantamweight Championship: Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber
Result: Cruz via Unanimous Decision
This fight was fast-paced and for all five round both guys put on a show. The difference was Faber's inability to takedown Cruz and Cruz outstriking Faber in every round.
Next for Cruz: There is some debate about who the next real number one contender is right now in the UFC 135 pound division. Demetrious Johnson is on a four fight win streak and his last fight was a action-packed win over former WEC bantamweight champ Miguel Torres. Meanwhile, Brian Bowles has won two straight fights since he lost the belt to Cruz back in early 2010. It will be interesting to see which fighter the UFC brass picks to take on Cruz next. My choice is Johnson because his overall skills along with his speed present the biggest threat to Cruz at 135 right now.
Next for Faber: Since Faber put on a good fight for five rounds typically the UFC will not drop him too far down the ladder in terms of rankings. Scott Jorgenson, another former number one contender at 135 pounds, would be an interesting fight for Faber and would keep him in the running to get another shot at the belt sooner then later.
Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben
Result: Leben via Knockout
Chris Leben said before this matchup that both men were going to throw until someone falls. Fortunately for Leben it was Silva who fell and Leben walked away with a KO win after nailing "The Axe Murder" with a couple hard upper cuts.
Next for Leben: "The Crippler" seems to always be in an exciting fight. He has won four of his last five fights and the last three wins have all been via stoppage. Problem for Leben is that he has been in the UFC so long he has faced many of the fighters at 185 pounds who would be considered top 15 competition. The only fighter currently on a winning streak who seems ready to face a guy like Leben would be Chris Weidman.
Next for Silva: The fact that Silva got knocked out Saturday night is not as much about him "losing his chin" but the issue that he had not faught in almost 17 months. Since he was brutally knockedout by Quinton Jackson in December of 2008 he has only had three fights and he has one win. Wanderlei may be coming to the end of his career yet I'm not sure he is ready to walk away from MMA just yet. If Yoshihiro Akiyama losses at UFC 133 then a "Axe Murderer" vs. "Sexyama" fight would make sense for both men at this stage of their careers.
Dennis Siver vs. Matt Wiman
Result: Siver via Unanimous Decision
This was the fight that I considered the most bizarre of the night. Wiman spent more time trying to takedown Siver then anything else in the fight. Siver was successful in stopping the takedowns but that didn't deter Wiman from trying still. Most people had Siver winning the 1st round and Wiman taking the 2nd round. The 3rd was about perspective since neither fighter really dominated the final round. So when you leave it up to the judges score cards, anything can happen.
Next for Siver: Siver has now won four straight fights and since January of 2009 he is 7-1 in the UFC. His all-round MMA game has improved while his opponents are running out of ways to beat him. A fight with either Anthony Pettis or Gleison Tibau would be an interesting test for Siver.
Next for Wiman: Wiman clearly thought he had won the fight on Saturday night and went as far as throwing his hat down and storming out of the octagon after the judges decision was announced. Three of Wiman's four UFC losses have been by decision so one would think he would understand the conscequences of not finishing a fight. Either way, Wiman's winning streak is gone and has to take a step back in the crowded UFC lightweight division ranks. A fight with another guy who lost on the UFC 132 card would be right for Wiman right now: Shane Roller.
Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader
Result: Ortiz via Submission (Guillotine Choke)
Supposedly Ryan Bader was a 8-1 favorite in his matchup with Tito Ortiz. Ortiz had lost three straight fights and the "experts" thought that Ortiz was done. But people forget Tito is a former UFC champion and Saturday night he showed that he is not ready to retire anytime soon. He looked better then Bader in the striking department and after Ortiz nailed Bader with a straight right the former champ jumped on his favored opponent and sunk in a deep choke to finish the fight.
Next for Ortiz: A big win like this for Ortiz gives him many options for his next matchup. Tito has said in the past he likes to take on top level competition yet most of that competition in the UFC at 205 pounds is booked over the next few UFC events. Maybe he could get the loser of Evans-Davis, Franklin-Nogueria, or Griffin-Rua. Or maybe someone from Strikeforce will get their contract re-written like Nick Diaz did and come over to have their first fight of the new UFC contract against Tito Ortiz (who knows).
Next for Bader: Before 2011 Ryan Bader had never lost a fight in his MMA career. Now he has lost to the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champ (Jon Jones) and a former UFC champion (Tito Ortiz). Bader went from being top 10 at 205 in the UFC to middle of the pack. Maybe its time to match him up Krzysztof Soszynski to see if Bader can get back on track against someone who has won three of his last five fights.
Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Result: Condit via Knockout (Flying Knee)
After his win over Nate Diaz, Dong Hyun Kim called out UFC Welterweight Champion George St. Pierre. Instead he got to face the former WEC Welterweight Champ Carlos Condit. Kim said before the fight that Condit was "overrated" and that when he wins he wanted next shot at GSP. After a fast first round knockout, I think Kim just got knocked back to reality.
Next for Condit: After two close Split Decisions to start his UFC career, Condit has reeled off three straight wins in which he finished his opponents. People seem to forget that Condit defended the WEC Welterweight belt three times and while in the WEC he stopped all of his opponents either by submission or knockout. While Condit has a case to be next in line for a shot at the belt, it is unlikely he will sit around and wait until the winner of St. Pierre-Diaz is ready to fight again. If Diego Sanchez beats Matt Hughes in September then a Condit-Sanchez fight would make sense for Condit if he doesn't want to wait around for a title shot.
Next for Kim: The loss to Condit is the first official loss of Kim's MMA career. Often criticed for his style of taking guys down but not doing much else while in a dominant position, Kim still has some evolving to do if he intends on making a run to become a number one contender in the UFC. Maybe a fight with someone who is hard to takedown (like Josh Koscheck) would force him to learn some other techniques aside from same old he has been using lately.
Quick thoughts on some Preliminary Card Fights
Melvin Guillard vs. Shane Roller: With his knockout of Shane Roller, Guillard has now won five straight fights and gotten his hand raised in eight of his last nine fights. Guillard is quickly setting himself apart from the rest of the 155 pount division. Guillard has said in the past that he wants to fight Jim Miller, yet Miller is booked to fight in August against Ben Henderson. Guillard also said Saturday night he wants to fight at the UFC 136 event in Houston. There are only two guys high in the lightweight ranks in the UFC who would be available to fight in October: Clay Guida (who is a teammate of Guillard's at Jackson MMA) and former UFC Lightweight Champ Sean Sherk (who has stated on Twitter he would like to come back to the UFC this fall after recovering from injury issues).
George Sotiropoulos vs. Rafael dos Anjos: Before 2011, George Sotiropoulos was the winner of nine straight fights and was considered to be in the mix as a contender at 155 pounds. Now after two straight losses George has lost all mommentum and all of the praise about his "great boxing skills" evaporated with a wild first round KO at the hands of Dos Anjos. Ironically, its the first knockout victory of Dos Anjos' career.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Who are the top 11 wide receivers in NFL history?
With all the discusion about Terrell Owens NFL future and career with the news of his ACL surgery, I wanted to take the time to give my top Wide Receivers of all time. When ranking football players at different positions, one has to consider the following:
1) Who they played with
2) How great were they compared to their contemporaries
3) How many seasons were they among the best at their position
So with these factors in mind, here's my list of greatest Wide receivers in NFL history:
11. Hines Ward
Credentials: Six seasons with atleast 1,000 receiving yards, tied for 9th all time in career receptions, six seasons with atleast 7 touchdown catches
Overview: This four time Pro Bowler is the Pittsburgh Steelers all time leader in catches, receiving touchdowns, and receiving yards. He is one of the toughest, most durable wide receivers in the NFL the last 15 seasons. Also an excellent run blocking wide out.
10. Michael Irvin
Credentials: Seven seasons with atleast 1,0000 receiving yards, 5 straight Pro Bowl appearences (1991-1995), ranked 18th all time in receiving yards
Overview: Irvin was one of the top offensive weapons on one of the most dominant teams during the 1990's. He actually should have been a Pro Bowler six times (In 1997 he had 9 TD's, 1,180 receiving yards, 75 catches). He also was a great run blocking wide out, helping paving the way for Emmitt Smith to be able to become the man with the most rushing yards in NFL history. Part of the reason his numbers are not as prolific as some others is because opposing defenses gameplanned to not let Michael Irvin beat them.
9. Isaac Bruce
Credentials: Eight seasons with 1,000 receiving yards, Six seasons with atleast 7 touchdown catches, 9th all-time in TD catches, 3rd all-time in receiving yards, 7th all-time in catches
Overview: One of the most consistent wide outs in NFL history who doesn't get enough credit for his great career. Known for his great speed and excellent route running, Bruce was a key member of the St. Louis Rams teams from 1999-2003 known as "The Greatest Show on Turf". He is one of only seven players in NFL history with atleast 1,000 career receptions.
8. Marvin Harrison
Credentials: eight seasons with atleast 10 touchdown catches, second all-time in catches, sixth all-time in receiving yards, fifth all-time in TD catches, eight straight Pro Bowl appearences (1999-2006)
Overview: Major reason why Peyton Manning was able to be so great so early in his career, Harrison was a wide receiver with great hands and seemed to always find holes in defenses while running routes. Harrison also was an underrated athlete who could out jump and out run many Cornerbacks in the NFL during his career.
7. Don Hutson
Credentials: Eight time first team All-Pro, 8th all-time in Receiving Touchdowns, In 1942 had top 10 all-time single season touchdown receptions and receiving yards per game
Overview: Before the NFL entered the Super Bowl Era, Don Hutson was the first great Wide Receiver. Historians say he had excellent speed and caught everything thrown his way. For years opposing teams gameplanned just to stop Hutson from scoring, yet for five straight seasons (1940-1944) he led the league in points scored and eight seasons he led the NFL in total Touchdowns.
6. Steve Largent
Credentials: Tied for 6th all-time in touchdown catches, 12th all-time in receiving yards, seven time Pro Bowl selection, eight seasons with atleast 1,000 receiving yards and 8 TD catches
Overview: When the best two Quarterbacks you played with in your career are Dave Kreig and Jim Zorn yet you put up the numbers Steve Largent did, you deserve serious respect. Largent was a great route runner and seemed to almost never drop a pass thrown his direction. One can only imagine what kind of numbers he would have put up for his career if he had played with a great Quarterback.
5. Randy Moss
Credentials: 5th all-time in receiving yards, tied for 2nd all-time in touchdown catches, tied for 8th all-time in receptions, has had ten seasons with atleast 1,000 receiving yards, led the NFL in TD catches five times
Overview: One of the greatest athletes to ever play the position of wide receiver, Moss has great speed, good hands and can out jump any defensive back for a touchdown. In fact, almost half of his career 153 career TD catches have been from him leaping over defenders in the end zone. "The Freak" as he has been labelled, also had 1,000 receiving yards in eight of his first ten seasons in the NFL.
4. Tim Brown
Credentials: 4th all-time in receptions and receiving yards, tied for 6th all-time in touchdown catches, had nine straight seasons with atleast 1,000 receiving yards (1993-2001), nine time Pro Bowl selection
Overview: The 1987 Heisman Trophy winner started his career as a Kick/Punt return specialist who was used as a slot receiver on offense. His excellent speed and agility combined with great hands and route running made him a big time offensive weapon. Considered by many as one of the most underrated Wide outs in NFL history, Brown was productive even in the latter stages of his career when he at age 35 had nine TD catches and at age 36 had 81 receptions.
3. Terrell Owens
Credentials: Tied for 2nd all-time in touchdown catches, 2nd all-time in receiving yards, 5th all-time in receptions, eleven seasons with atleast 8 TD catches, six time Pro Bowl selection
Overview: With all the drama that has come with Terrell Owens' career, it is hard to argue with his productivity on the field. Yes he has been a problem child for three different NFL franchises and yes he has said/done some crazy stuff; but anyone who is only second to Jerry Rice in career TD catches and receiving yards is definately a future Hall of Famer and has proven himself as one of the greats. He is also 10th all-time in receiving yards per game.
2. Cris Carter
Credentials: 4th all-time in receiving touchdowns, 8th all-time in receiving yards, 3rd all-time in career receptions, eight straight Pro Bowl apperances (1993-2000), five straight seasons with atleast 10 TD catches (1995-1999)
Overview: Considered to be the wide receiver with the best hands in NFL history, Cris Carter was the top wide receiver in the NFL during the 1990's not named Jerry Rice. Carter had back to back seasons with 122 catches (1994-1995), eight seasons with atleast 9 TD catches, and nine straight seasons with atleast 73 catches (1993-2001). He was also the mentor for Randy Moss when he first came into the league and was no slouch in the athletic department with his speed and agility.
1. Jerry Rice
Credentials: All-time leader in receiving yards, receptions, TD catches and Pro Bowl selections among Wide Receivers
Overview: Jerry Rice wasn't the fastest or quickest or best leaping Wide out in NFL history. Rice was the best at all of the little things that make a great wide receiver such as route running, catching every ball thrown his way, getting open and being exactly where his QB threw the ball at the right time. Rice wanted to be the greatest and put in the work 365 days every year to be just that. Even at age 40 years old he had 92 catches, 1,211 receiving yards, and 7 TD catches. NFL Network voted Jerry Rice as the greatest football player in NFL history. So if anyone says Jerry Rice isn't the greatest Wide Receiver in NFL history, then sit the person infront of footage of him of the highlights from Rice's career then Jethro Gibbs' slap that person on the back of the head.
Honorable Mentions to: Art Monk, James Lofton, Andre Reed, Rod Smith, Don Maynard, Tory Holt, Tommy McDonald, Lance Alworth, Keyshawn Johnson, Charlie Joiner, Fred Biletnikoff
1) Who they played with
2) How great were they compared to their contemporaries
3) How many seasons were they among the best at their position
So with these factors in mind, here's my list of greatest Wide receivers in NFL history:
11. Hines Ward
Credentials: Six seasons with atleast 1,000 receiving yards, tied for 9th all time in career receptions, six seasons with atleast 7 touchdown catches
Overview: This four time Pro Bowler is the Pittsburgh Steelers all time leader in catches, receiving touchdowns, and receiving yards. He is one of the toughest, most durable wide receivers in the NFL the last 15 seasons. Also an excellent run blocking wide out.
10. Michael Irvin
Credentials: Seven seasons with atleast 1,0000 receiving yards, 5 straight Pro Bowl appearences (1991-1995), ranked 18th all time in receiving yards
Overview: Irvin was one of the top offensive weapons on one of the most dominant teams during the 1990's. He actually should have been a Pro Bowler six times (In 1997 he had 9 TD's, 1,180 receiving yards, 75 catches). He also was a great run blocking wide out, helping paving the way for Emmitt Smith to be able to become the man with the most rushing yards in NFL history. Part of the reason his numbers are not as prolific as some others is because opposing defenses gameplanned to not let Michael Irvin beat them.
9. Isaac Bruce
Credentials: Eight seasons with 1,000 receiving yards, Six seasons with atleast 7 touchdown catches, 9th all-time in TD catches, 3rd all-time in receiving yards, 7th all-time in catches
Overview: One of the most consistent wide outs in NFL history who doesn't get enough credit for his great career. Known for his great speed and excellent route running, Bruce was a key member of the St. Louis Rams teams from 1999-2003 known as "The Greatest Show on Turf". He is one of only seven players in NFL history with atleast 1,000 career receptions.
8. Marvin Harrison
Credentials: eight seasons with atleast 10 touchdown catches, second all-time in catches, sixth all-time in receiving yards, fifth all-time in TD catches, eight straight Pro Bowl appearences (1999-2006)
Overview: Major reason why Peyton Manning was able to be so great so early in his career, Harrison was a wide receiver with great hands and seemed to always find holes in defenses while running routes. Harrison also was an underrated athlete who could out jump and out run many Cornerbacks in the NFL during his career.
7. Don Hutson
Credentials: Eight time first team All-Pro, 8th all-time in Receiving Touchdowns, In 1942 had top 10 all-time single season touchdown receptions and receiving yards per game
Overview: Before the NFL entered the Super Bowl Era, Don Hutson was the first great Wide Receiver. Historians say he had excellent speed and caught everything thrown his way. For years opposing teams gameplanned just to stop Hutson from scoring, yet for five straight seasons (1940-1944) he led the league in points scored and eight seasons he led the NFL in total Touchdowns.
6. Steve Largent
Credentials: Tied for 6th all-time in touchdown catches, 12th all-time in receiving yards, seven time Pro Bowl selection, eight seasons with atleast 1,000 receiving yards and 8 TD catches
Overview: When the best two Quarterbacks you played with in your career are Dave Kreig and Jim Zorn yet you put up the numbers Steve Largent did, you deserve serious respect. Largent was a great route runner and seemed to almost never drop a pass thrown his direction. One can only imagine what kind of numbers he would have put up for his career if he had played with a great Quarterback.
5. Randy Moss
Credentials: 5th all-time in receiving yards, tied for 2nd all-time in touchdown catches, tied for 8th all-time in receptions, has had ten seasons with atleast 1,000 receiving yards, led the NFL in TD catches five times
Overview: One of the greatest athletes to ever play the position of wide receiver, Moss has great speed, good hands and can out jump any defensive back for a touchdown. In fact, almost half of his career 153 career TD catches have been from him leaping over defenders in the end zone. "The Freak" as he has been labelled, also had 1,000 receiving yards in eight of his first ten seasons in the NFL.
4. Tim Brown
Credentials: 4th all-time in receptions and receiving yards, tied for 6th all-time in touchdown catches, had nine straight seasons with atleast 1,000 receiving yards (1993-2001), nine time Pro Bowl selection
Overview: The 1987 Heisman Trophy winner started his career as a Kick/Punt return specialist who was used as a slot receiver on offense. His excellent speed and agility combined with great hands and route running made him a big time offensive weapon. Considered by many as one of the most underrated Wide outs in NFL history, Brown was productive even in the latter stages of his career when he at age 35 had nine TD catches and at age 36 had 81 receptions.
3. Terrell Owens
Credentials: Tied for 2nd all-time in touchdown catches, 2nd all-time in receiving yards, 5th all-time in receptions, eleven seasons with atleast 8 TD catches, six time Pro Bowl selection
Overview: With all the drama that has come with Terrell Owens' career, it is hard to argue with his productivity on the field. Yes he has been a problem child for three different NFL franchises and yes he has said/done some crazy stuff; but anyone who is only second to Jerry Rice in career TD catches and receiving yards is definately a future Hall of Famer and has proven himself as one of the greats. He is also 10th all-time in receiving yards per game.
2. Cris Carter
Credentials: 4th all-time in receiving touchdowns, 8th all-time in receiving yards, 3rd all-time in career receptions, eight straight Pro Bowl apperances (1993-2000), five straight seasons with atleast 10 TD catches (1995-1999)
Overview: Considered to be the wide receiver with the best hands in NFL history, Cris Carter was the top wide receiver in the NFL during the 1990's not named Jerry Rice. Carter had back to back seasons with 122 catches (1994-1995), eight seasons with atleast 9 TD catches, and nine straight seasons with atleast 73 catches (1993-2001). He was also the mentor for Randy Moss when he first came into the league and was no slouch in the athletic department with his speed and agility.
1. Jerry Rice
Credentials: All-time leader in receiving yards, receptions, TD catches and Pro Bowl selections among Wide Receivers
Overview: Jerry Rice wasn't the fastest or quickest or best leaping Wide out in NFL history. Rice was the best at all of the little things that make a great wide receiver such as route running, catching every ball thrown his way, getting open and being exactly where his QB threw the ball at the right time. Rice wanted to be the greatest and put in the work 365 days every year to be just that. Even at age 40 years old he had 92 catches, 1,211 receiving yards, and 7 TD catches. NFL Network voted Jerry Rice as the greatest football player in NFL history. So if anyone says Jerry Rice isn't the greatest Wide Receiver in NFL history, then sit the person infront of footage of him of the highlights from Rice's career then Jethro Gibbs' slap that person on the back of the head.
Honorable Mentions to: Art Monk, James Lofton, Andre Reed, Rod Smith, Don Maynard, Tory Holt, Tommy McDonald, Lance Alworth, Keyshawn Johnson, Charlie Joiner, Fred Biletnikoff
Thursday, June 16, 2011
UFC 131 Aftermath
UFC 131 turned out to be one of the most exciting, interesting MMA fight cards of 2011 despite the "experts" saying the fight card didn't have enough "star power".
Junior Dos Santos vs. Shane Carwin
Result: Dos Santos via Unanimous Decision
Dos Santos gets better with every fight he has had in the UFC. After almost finishing Carwin in the first round, JDS spent the rest of the fight using his crisp striking to keep Carwin at bay. He even took Carwin down twice in the third round to leave no doubt in anyone's mind who the real number one contender is for the UFC Heavyweight Championship.
Next for Dos Santos: He has a date with UFC Heavyweight Champ Cain Velasquez later this year. Since Cain is still recovering from Rotator Cuff Surgery this showdown will probably happen at UFC 136 in October or UFC 138 in November.
Next for Carwin: Shane Carwin deserves a lot of credit for his heart, toughness, and willingness to take on such a tough fight on short notice considering it was his first fight since having major neck surgery. Carwin looked a little slow and rusty in the Octagon, which is understandable considering he hasn't fought since last July and had only been training a few months before this fight because he had to recover from surgery. Carwin will be back in full force sooner then later. A matchup with Roy Nelson would be a good opportunity for Carwin to get back on track and test his skills in all areas of his game.
Kenny Florian vs. Diego Nunes
Result: Florian via Unanimous Decision
Kenny Florian made a successful debut at 145 pounds Saturday night but showed he is still adjusting to the division. During the first round Nunes suprised Florian with his speed and power. It appeared KenFlo underestimated his opponents physical abilities. Yet as he usually does, the thinking fighter Kenny Florian adjusted his approach to Nunes and proceeded to out-strike his opponent while taking him down several times.
Next for Florian: Dana White has changed his position as to who Jose Aldo's next opponent would be over the last two months. It is expected that Florian's next fight will be either for the UFC Featherweight championship against Aldo or Florian will have a number one contender fight to decide who will face Aldo next. Big problem for Florian is that the other top contender, Chad Mendes is already commited to fight in August. The likely next fight will be against Aldo considering most top ten featherweights in the UFC are already booked to fight already.
Next for Nunes: It wasn't a bad fight for Nunes. Showing good power and heart, Nunes can be considered a contender at 145 pounds. He needs to work on his takedown defense and the accuracy of his flashy kicks. A fight with Michihiro Omigawa would be good for Nunes so he can work on his grappling and ground game.
Damian Maia vs. Mark Munoz
Result: Munoz via Unanimous Decision
This was one of the two fights on the card I thought should have been rewarded Fight Of The Night honors. Munoz won the final two rounds after surviving Maia's attacks in the first. If Munoz wasn't such an excellent wrestler Maia would have had a better chance at winning this fight since Maia had no success trying to takedown Munoz.
Next for Munoz: Since dropping to the Middleweight division, Munoz has won 6 of his 7 fights and the lone loss being to Yushin Okami via split decision. Munoz is one of the toughest and most consistent fighters in the UFC. His next fight should be against a fighter who is also on the rise and Brian Stann fits that description.
Next for Maia: Maia's striking looked sharp in this fight and if it wasn't for the fact he was facing a top level wrestler he would have been in a better position for the win. Maia has evolved his MMA game from being a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert who was limited in other areas to a fighter who forces you to pick your poison when fighting him. The problem for Maia is that his last three fights have been close decisions against fighters with good grappling skills. A fight with either Dan Miller or Jorge Santiago would test his ability to handle opponents with solid all-around skills who push the pace of a fight.
Jon Olav Einemo vs. Dave Herman
Result: Herman via TKO
This was clearly a mismatch from the start. Einemo has not faught in an MMA fight since 2006 and it showed during the match. Herman moved more swiftly and was the more active striker. But this was not one of the better fights of the night and I still question why it was awarded Fight Of The Night honors.
Next for Herman: Herman has faught in over 20 fights before his UFC debut so the only way to know if he can handle top level competition is to put good fighters in front of him. Stefan Struve is a fighter whose all-around MMA game is good enough to be trouble for most Heavyweights and if Herman can beat him then we will know if he can really hang in the UFC.
Next for Einemo: Einemo is one of the best grapplers in the Heavyweight division so there is no doubt he belongs in the UFC. But right now he is near the bottom of the ladder with his loss to Dave Herman. A matchup with either Aaron Rosa or Mark Hunt are fights that would be a slower pace so he can get use to fighting in the octagon.
Donald Cerrone vs. Vagner Rocha
Result: Cerrone via Unanimous decision
Cerrone used a his kickboxing experience to basically chop down Rocha's leg with leg kicks. The only time Rocha had Cerrone on the ground he was suprised that Cerrone was trying to submit him and he let him back up.
Next for Cerrone: Cerrone is currently on a four fight winning streak and has made a solid argument to be a mainstay in UFC's 155 pound division. In an interview with Ariel Helwani of MMAfighting.com, "Cowboy" said he would like to be matched up with Sam Stout because he wants to "throw down" with someone. After Stout's brutal knouckout of Yves Edwards, maybe Cerrone should be careful what he asks for.
Next for Rocha: This was the UFC debut for the Brazilian who is famous for his ground game. He looked very passive once he realized he couldn't get the fight to the ground. Both Cody McKenzie and Kamal Shalarus would be willing to match grappling skills with Rocha so one of those fights may be next for him.
Quick thoughts on some Preliminary Card Fights
Sam Stout vs. Yves Edwards: Stout lived up to his nickname "Hands of Stone" with a knockout of Edwards that rivals any great knockout you may seen in the last 10 years. Stout is a MMA veteran who is now 6-5 in the UFC and should get more credit for being able to hang around the UFC for five years now.
Chris Weidman vs. Jesse Bongfeldt: Weidman ended this fight with a standing gullitoine choke that displayed his physical strength and jiu-jitsu skills. Chris' coaches have claimed he will one day win the UFC Middleweight belt but we have not seen much of Chris' standup game yet. A fight would Tim Boetsch would force Weidman to fight standing up while facing someone who is also a good wrestler and has serious physical strength.
Dustin Poirier vs. Jason Young: This was a fight that was my choice for Fight of the Night. Both fighters stood and striked at a rapid fire pace. The main reason Poirier won was because he got a couple takedowns and showed better footwork in the octagon. Nothing should be taken away from "Shotgun" Young, he has a bright future as an MMA fighter.
Junior Dos Santos vs. Shane Carwin
Result: Dos Santos via Unanimous Decision
Dos Santos gets better with every fight he has had in the UFC. After almost finishing Carwin in the first round, JDS spent the rest of the fight using his crisp striking to keep Carwin at bay. He even took Carwin down twice in the third round to leave no doubt in anyone's mind who the real number one contender is for the UFC Heavyweight Championship.
Next for Dos Santos: He has a date with UFC Heavyweight Champ Cain Velasquez later this year. Since Cain is still recovering from Rotator Cuff Surgery this showdown will probably happen at UFC 136 in October or UFC 138 in November.
Next for Carwin: Shane Carwin deserves a lot of credit for his heart, toughness, and willingness to take on such a tough fight on short notice considering it was his first fight since having major neck surgery. Carwin looked a little slow and rusty in the Octagon, which is understandable considering he hasn't fought since last July and had only been training a few months before this fight because he had to recover from surgery. Carwin will be back in full force sooner then later. A matchup with Roy Nelson would be a good opportunity for Carwin to get back on track and test his skills in all areas of his game.
Kenny Florian vs. Diego Nunes
Result: Florian via Unanimous Decision
Kenny Florian made a successful debut at 145 pounds Saturday night but showed he is still adjusting to the division. During the first round Nunes suprised Florian with his speed and power. It appeared KenFlo underestimated his opponents physical abilities. Yet as he usually does, the thinking fighter Kenny Florian adjusted his approach to Nunes and proceeded to out-strike his opponent while taking him down several times.
Next for Florian: Dana White has changed his position as to who Jose Aldo's next opponent would be over the last two months. It is expected that Florian's next fight will be either for the UFC Featherweight championship against Aldo or Florian will have a number one contender fight to decide who will face Aldo next. Big problem for Florian is that the other top contender, Chad Mendes is already commited to fight in August. The likely next fight will be against Aldo considering most top ten featherweights in the UFC are already booked to fight already.
Next for Nunes: It wasn't a bad fight for Nunes. Showing good power and heart, Nunes can be considered a contender at 145 pounds. He needs to work on his takedown defense and the accuracy of his flashy kicks. A fight with Michihiro Omigawa would be good for Nunes so he can work on his grappling and ground game.
Damian Maia vs. Mark Munoz
Result: Munoz via Unanimous Decision
This was one of the two fights on the card I thought should have been rewarded Fight Of The Night honors. Munoz won the final two rounds after surviving Maia's attacks in the first. If Munoz wasn't such an excellent wrestler Maia would have had a better chance at winning this fight since Maia had no success trying to takedown Munoz.
Next for Munoz: Since dropping to the Middleweight division, Munoz has won 6 of his 7 fights and the lone loss being to Yushin Okami via split decision. Munoz is one of the toughest and most consistent fighters in the UFC. His next fight should be against a fighter who is also on the rise and Brian Stann fits that description.
Next for Maia: Maia's striking looked sharp in this fight and if it wasn't for the fact he was facing a top level wrestler he would have been in a better position for the win. Maia has evolved his MMA game from being a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert who was limited in other areas to a fighter who forces you to pick your poison when fighting him. The problem for Maia is that his last three fights have been close decisions against fighters with good grappling skills. A fight with either Dan Miller or Jorge Santiago would test his ability to handle opponents with solid all-around skills who push the pace of a fight.
Jon Olav Einemo vs. Dave Herman
Result: Herman via TKO
This was clearly a mismatch from the start. Einemo has not faught in an MMA fight since 2006 and it showed during the match. Herman moved more swiftly and was the more active striker. But this was not one of the better fights of the night and I still question why it was awarded Fight Of The Night honors.
Next for Herman: Herman has faught in over 20 fights before his UFC debut so the only way to know if he can handle top level competition is to put good fighters in front of him. Stefan Struve is a fighter whose all-around MMA game is good enough to be trouble for most Heavyweights and if Herman can beat him then we will know if he can really hang in the UFC.
Next for Einemo: Einemo is one of the best grapplers in the Heavyweight division so there is no doubt he belongs in the UFC. But right now he is near the bottom of the ladder with his loss to Dave Herman. A matchup with either Aaron Rosa or Mark Hunt are fights that would be a slower pace so he can get use to fighting in the octagon.
Donald Cerrone vs. Vagner Rocha
Result: Cerrone via Unanimous decision
Cerrone used a his kickboxing experience to basically chop down Rocha's leg with leg kicks. The only time Rocha had Cerrone on the ground he was suprised that Cerrone was trying to submit him and he let him back up.
Next for Cerrone: Cerrone is currently on a four fight winning streak and has made a solid argument to be a mainstay in UFC's 155 pound division. In an interview with Ariel Helwani of MMAfighting.com, "Cowboy" said he would like to be matched up with Sam Stout because he wants to "throw down" with someone. After Stout's brutal knouckout of Yves Edwards, maybe Cerrone should be careful what he asks for.
Next for Rocha: This was the UFC debut for the Brazilian who is famous for his ground game. He looked very passive once he realized he couldn't get the fight to the ground. Both Cody McKenzie and Kamal Shalarus would be willing to match grappling skills with Rocha so one of those fights may be next for him.
Quick thoughts on some Preliminary Card Fights
Sam Stout vs. Yves Edwards: Stout lived up to his nickname "Hands of Stone" with a knockout of Edwards that rivals any great knockout you may seen in the last 10 years. Stout is a MMA veteran who is now 6-5 in the UFC and should get more credit for being able to hang around the UFC for five years now.
Chris Weidman vs. Jesse Bongfeldt: Weidman ended this fight with a standing gullitoine choke that displayed his physical strength and jiu-jitsu skills. Chris' coaches have claimed he will one day win the UFC Middleweight belt but we have not seen much of Chris' standup game yet. A fight would Tim Boetsch would force Weidman to fight standing up while facing someone who is also a good wrestler and has serious physical strength.
Dustin Poirier vs. Jason Young: This was a fight that was my choice for Fight of the Night. Both fighters stood and striked at a rapid fire pace. The main reason Poirier won was because he got a couple takedowns and showed better footwork in the octagon. Nothing should be taken away from "Shotgun" Young, he has a bright future as an MMA fighter.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Thoughts on 2011 NBA Finals
It took six games and a couple comebacks but the Dallas Mavericks reigned in their first NBA Championship in franchise history. This championship is a big deal for many of the players on the Mavs because they have played many years in the NBA awaiting their chance to get a ring. The average age of their starting lineup in Game 6 is 31.4 years of age. Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler, Jason Terry, DeShawn Stevenson, Peja Stojakovic, and Brendan Haywood have all been in the league for atleast 9 years so this year was their shot at getting a title. All of those guys were First Round draft picks who have had very productive careers and half of the players on the Mavs roster have been NBA All Star selections at some point in their careers.
In contrast, the Miami Heat's starting lineup for Game 6 had an average age of 27 years old and only three players got any serious playing time had been in the league atleast 10 seasons. As the series came to a close the Heat as a team played with no urgency or passion. It was as if in the back of their minds they believed that they would get more chances at winning a title so they backed off against the Mavs. LeBron James passed up numerous shots, Dwayne Wade had an off shooting night, while Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem looked lost at times.
One of the difficult answers to figure out is whether the Heat's poor fourth quarter play in this series is a reflection of their Head Coach Erik Spoelstra or a reflection of team leadership. Spoelstra has said all the right things in this series until Game 6 when he used the term "mental stability" in describing his team. I remember back when Spoelstra said during the regular season that players were "crying" in the locker room after a loss and then the team caught fire heading into the Postseason. But to question professional athletes "mental stability" when talking to the media is not a shrewed move by a man who has been around NBA players for decade.
On the flip side, the players after the game seemed disapointed yet fine with the fact that they lost the series. For all the whitty comments and professional experience in the NBA and international competition, both Wade and LeBron had nothing productive or insightful to say after the game. While Wade came across as if he felt like it was all a weird dream, LeBron has grown spiteful towards the public and media. When he said at the post-game press conference that he is going to "enjoy" his life while everyone complaining about him have to wake up to "their lives" he was basically giving the middle finger to the world. For a guy who came from almost poverty, has wanted people to like him, and has had a tumultuous personal life, he has taken the position of him against the world.
LeBron and Dirk are polar opposites in how they have handled criticism over the last few years. While the criticism and negativity has fueled the drive in Dirk to become great, LeBron has reacted as to say "So winning back to back MVP awards and taking a mediocre team to the NBA Finals is not good enough for everyone?!?" LeBron is still 26 year old super talent and he has the opportunity to be considered as one of the greatest of all time in NBA history, if he wants it bad enough.
Yet Dirk, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry and the Mavericks wanted to defy the odds and reach for what they have worked their entire careers for: a championship. With age comes wisdom and the Mavs are a roster full of clutch, veteran saavy guys who were willing to sacrifice ego for the ring. When the Mavs acquired Tyson Chandler in the off season he filled a major void of a defensive leader. Dallas has been known for over a decade as a team with many offensive weapons but their defense had been lousy for years so Chandler helped change their play as a team.
Much credit should be given to Dallas Head Coaach Rick Carlisle. Carlisle had been prematurely fired twice in his career when had done a good job with both the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers. He was never given the chance by those franchises to finish the job he started. Mavs owner Mark Cuban understood this and was willing to give Carlisle the time needed to not just change the culture in Dallas but also fail. People forget that the best coaches and players are not the one's who are immediate successful but those who learn through experience how to be great. Carlisle deserves a lot of credit for how he coached this team, how he managed player's minutes and how he allowed veterans such as Kidd, Chandler, and Dirk to lead this team through their playoff run.
In the end, the team that wanted it more and was deeper talent wise won the 2011 NBA Finals. Sure Miami has the Big Three of LeBron, D-Wade and Bosh but the rest of their roster is full of guys who are past their primes or are just solid role players. Meanwhile the Mavericks have five players who have been multiple time All Star selections and are a roster of true professionals. Maybe instead of being indifferent the Miami Heat should take the time to learn something for the 2011 NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks.
In contrast, the Miami Heat's starting lineup for Game 6 had an average age of 27 years old and only three players got any serious playing time had been in the league atleast 10 seasons. As the series came to a close the Heat as a team played with no urgency or passion. It was as if in the back of their minds they believed that they would get more chances at winning a title so they backed off against the Mavs. LeBron James passed up numerous shots, Dwayne Wade had an off shooting night, while Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem looked lost at times.
One of the difficult answers to figure out is whether the Heat's poor fourth quarter play in this series is a reflection of their Head Coach Erik Spoelstra or a reflection of team leadership. Spoelstra has said all the right things in this series until Game 6 when he used the term "mental stability" in describing his team. I remember back when Spoelstra said during the regular season that players were "crying" in the locker room after a loss and then the team caught fire heading into the Postseason. But to question professional athletes "mental stability" when talking to the media is not a shrewed move by a man who has been around NBA players for decade.
On the flip side, the players after the game seemed disapointed yet fine with the fact that they lost the series. For all the whitty comments and professional experience in the NBA and international competition, both Wade and LeBron had nothing productive or insightful to say after the game. While Wade came across as if he felt like it was all a weird dream, LeBron has grown spiteful towards the public and media. When he said at the post-game press conference that he is going to "enjoy" his life while everyone complaining about him have to wake up to "their lives" he was basically giving the middle finger to the world. For a guy who came from almost poverty, has wanted people to like him, and has had a tumultuous personal life, he has taken the position of him against the world.
LeBron and Dirk are polar opposites in how they have handled criticism over the last few years. While the criticism and negativity has fueled the drive in Dirk to become great, LeBron has reacted as to say "So winning back to back MVP awards and taking a mediocre team to the NBA Finals is not good enough for everyone?!?" LeBron is still 26 year old super talent and he has the opportunity to be considered as one of the greatest of all time in NBA history, if he wants it bad enough.
Yet Dirk, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry and the Mavericks wanted to defy the odds and reach for what they have worked their entire careers for: a championship. With age comes wisdom and the Mavs are a roster full of clutch, veteran saavy guys who were willing to sacrifice ego for the ring. When the Mavs acquired Tyson Chandler in the off season he filled a major void of a defensive leader. Dallas has been known for over a decade as a team with many offensive weapons but their defense had been lousy for years so Chandler helped change their play as a team.
Much credit should be given to Dallas Head Coaach Rick Carlisle. Carlisle had been prematurely fired twice in his career when had done a good job with both the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers. He was never given the chance by those franchises to finish the job he started. Mavs owner Mark Cuban understood this and was willing to give Carlisle the time needed to not just change the culture in Dallas but also fail. People forget that the best coaches and players are not the one's who are immediate successful but those who learn through experience how to be great. Carlisle deserves a lot of credit for how he coached this team, how he managed player's minutes and how he allowed veterans such as Kidd, Chandler, and Dirk to lead this team through their playoff run.
In the end, the team that wanted it more and was deeper talent wise won the 2011 NBA Finals. Sure Miami has the Big Three of LeBron, D-Wade and Bosh but the rest of their roster is full of guys who are past their primes or are just solid role players. Meanwhile the Mavericks have five players who have been multiple time All Star selections and are a roster of true professionals. Maybe instead of being indifferent the Miami Heat should take the time to learn something for the 2011 NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
In Defense of LeBron James
I have always been conflicted about LeBron James. Coming out of High School I felt there was too much hype. When he took the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals I applauded him and his ability to carry a team on his back. When he had "The Decision" on ESPN I thought he was being arrogant but respected his desire to want to win. I am not really a "LeBron Fan"; I respect him and think he is the best all-around player in the NBA today. But after last night's game with the media and fan backlash that has been thrown his way, I think someone needs to defend LeBron James.
I do not understand the excessive vitriol that has been directed towards LeBron James. On one hand people expect too much of him. He is not the "Next Michael Jordan" and there will never be another MJ. The closest thing we have in the Post-Jordan era of the NBA that can be considered to be "Like Mike" is Kobe Bryant. But even Kobe's numbers and all around game is not exactly on par with Jordan. LeBron James is similar to Michael Jordan in one major aspect: there never has and there may never be another player like him. LeBron grew up watching MJ and every kid at some point wants to be "Like Mike". But LeBron is three inches taller then Jordan, physically stronger, and is a better passer then MJ. LeBron James is basically a taller, stronger, more athletic modern day version of Oscar Robertson.
Also, I do not understand the "LeBron Haters". What has LeBron done that is worth anyone hating him? Has he raped or abused women? Has he killed dogs? Has he killed someone while drinking and driving? Has he been accused or caught using steroids or other perfomance enhancing drugs? Has he lied to the public about something of moral relavence? The answer to all of these questions is NO! Yet, we have given numerous athletes second chances who have done all of the above, but people despise LeBron? I understand some people are tired of hearing about LeBron James. I know some people hold the whole Decision fiasco against him (although we forget that the media enabled him to have such a platform in the first place). The fact that there are so many "LeBron haters" out therer only shows me that too many people have their priorities mixed up. Kobe Bryant cheated on his wife (atleast one time we know for sure about) and yet Kobe is "respected" as a winner.
Have we forgotten that LeBron James is 26 years old? I ask that question seriously because aside from Kobe Bryant, no High School to NBA star player has won an NBA championship at a young age. Yet Kobe had the help of a superstar (Shaquille O'Neal), a legendary Head Coach (Phil Jackson) and was surround by veteran players who were leaders on and off the court. When LeBron James went to his first NBA finals his supporting cast consisted of a Center who had trouble staying healthy for a full season (Zydrunas Ilgauskas), a player who was drafted ahead of Paul Pierce to be the wing-man for Allen Iverson (Larry Hughes), their best 3-point shooter was two years younger then LeBron (Daniel Gibson) and their Head Coach was in his second season as an NBA Head Coach (Mike Brown).
So when are we going to give LeBron James some kind of slack? This is his first season playing with a other star level players in their primes and with a supporting cast who has atleast been to a few all star games in the past. LeBron carried this team during the Heat's run to the NBA Finals. But yet he gets labelled on Twitter "LeBrick" after one game? Sure he went 3-11 from the field, but what about that game Chris Bosh had earlier this postseason where he made one shot out of almost 20? Where is the criticism of Dwayne Wade who late in the fourth quarter missed a big free throw shot and turned the ball over in crunch time? Where is the criticism of Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra for not giving his players better offensive plays in the fourth quarter? Instead everything is LeBron James fault?
The fact that I have to defend LeBron James is a reflection of the reality that fans and the media have become so reactionary. The criticism of LeBron has been over the top and excessive. Let us not forget he led the Heat last night in assists and rebounds, so its not like he didn't do anything all night. LeBron is one of the most talented basketball players to ever play in the NBA but we really need to stop comparing LeBron to the greatest players of all time and expecting him to be what he is not. Remember he is only 26 years old so he has many more years to become better and make his legacy. We do not remember all of "bad" games that Jordan, Magic, or Bird had, so why should we hold this one game against him?
I do not understand the excessive vitriol that has been directed towards LeBron James. On one hand people expect too much of him. He is not the "Next Michael Jordan" and there will never be another MJ. The closest thing we have in the Post-Jordan era of the NBA that can be considered to be "Like Mike" is Kobe Bryant. But even Kobe's numbers and all around game is not exactly on par with Jordan. LeBron James is similar to Michael Jordan in one major aspect: there never has and there may never be another player like him. LeBron grew up watching MJ and every kid at some point wants to be "Like Mike". But LeBron is three inches taller then Jordan, physically stronger, and is a better passer then MJ. LeBron James is basically a taller, stronger, more athletic modern day version of Oscar Robertson.
Also, I do not understand the "LeBron Haters". What has LeBron done that is worth anyone hating him? Has he raped or abused women? Has he killed dogs? Has he killed someone while drinking and driving? Has he been accused or caught using steroids or other perfomance enhancing drugs? Has he lied to the public about something of moral relavence? The answer to all of these questions is NO! Yet, we have given numerous athletes second chances who have done all of the above, but people despise LeBron? I understand some people are tired of hearing about LeBron James. I know some people hold the whole Decision fiasco against him (although we forget that the media enabled him to have such a platform in the first place). The fact that there are so many "LeBron haters" out therer only shows me that too many people have their priorities mixed up. Kobe Bryant cheated on his wife (atleast one time we know for sure about) and yet Kobe is "respected" as a winner.
Have we forgotten that LeBron James is 26 years old? I ask that question seriously because aside from Kobe Bryant, no High School to NBA star player has won an NBA championship at a young age. Yet Kobe had the help of a superstar (Shaquille O'Neal), a legendary Head Coach (Phil Jackson) and was surround by veteran players who were leaders on and off the court. When LeBron James went to his first NBA finals his supporting cast consisted of a Center who had trouble staying healthy for a full season (Zydrunas Ilgauskas), a player who was drafted ahead of Paul Pierce to be the wing-man for Allen Iverson (Larry Hughes), their best 3-point shooter was two years younger then LeBron (Daniel Gibson) and their Head Coach was in his second season as an NBA Head Coach (Mike Brown).
So when are we going to give LeBron James some kind of slack? This is his first season playing with a other star level players in their primes and with a supporting cast who has atleast been to a few all star games in the past. LeBron carried this team during the Heat's run to the NBA Finals. But yet he gets labelled on Twitter "LeBrick" after one game? Sure he went 3-11 from the field, but what about that game Chris Bosh had earlier this postseason where he made one shot out of almost 20? Where is the criticism of Dwayne Wade who late in the fourth quarter missed a big free throw shot and turned the ball over in crunch time? Where is the criticism of Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra for not giving his players better offensive plays in the fourth quarter? Instead everything is LeBron James fault?
The fact that I have to defend LeBron James is a reflection of the reality that fans and the media have become so reactionary. The criticism of LeBron has been over the top and excessive. Let us not forget he led the Heat last night in assists and rebounds, so its not like he didn't do anything all night. LeBron is one of the most talented basketball players to ever play in the NBA but we really need to stop comparing LeBron to the greatest players of all time and expecting him to be what he is not. Remember he is only 26 years old so he has many more years to become better and make his legacy. We do not remember all of "bad" games that Jordan, Magic, or Bird had, so why should we hold this one game against him?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
UFC 130 Aftermath
With UFC 130 in the rear view mirror, lets review what happened and what the future holds for the fighters:
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson versus Matt Hamill
Result: Jackson via Unanimous Decission
I saw from the start the focus in Jackson's eyes, something I had not seen from him since the Keith Jardine fight. He didn't just win this fight, but showed he was on another level as an MMA fighter in comparison to Matt Hamill. Rampage stuffed all of Hamill's takedowns and he threw more knees in this fight then he has used in the last several years combined.
Next For Jackson: If his hand checks out when he sees the doctor this week then he will probably fight Jon Jones next for the UFC Light Heavyweight Title. Since Rashad Evans has already commited to fighting Phil Davis at UFC 133, there needs to be someone to face Jones when he returns to action and there is a shortage of deserving opponents available to fight for the belt.
Next for Hamill: At age 34 time is running out for him to improve as an MMA fighter to have a chance to fight for the belt. Either Matt had a serious off-night in terms of his performance or he really needs to work on his striking and footwork to enable him to make the takedowns more viable. If Ryan Bader can get a win against Tito Ortiz in July then I think Hamill should be matched up up with him. If Bader loses in July then Hamill could get the winner of the Stephan Bonnar-Karlos Vermola fight.
Frank Mir versus Roy Nelson
Result: Mir by Unanimous Decission
Despite White's cynicism, Mir was impressive in his win against Nelson. Mir's striking and grappling was sharp. To top it off, he took down Nelson at will which shows that Mir is getting better as an MMA fighter, a scare thought for other UFC Heavyweights. Nelson got worn out trying to fend off Mir's attacks and by the end of the fight didn't seem like he wanted to even be in the Octagon anymore.
Next for Mir: In The last 4 years Frank Mir has only lost to two men: Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin. He is still an top 10 Heavyweight MMA fighter which gives him plenty of options for his next fight. Mir could be matched up with the winner of Antonio "Minotauro" Nogeuria-Brendan Schaub or depending on the his patience and health, he could wait around until Brock Lesnar comes back from his surgery in early 2012.
Next for Nelson: Nelson has stated after the fight he needs to add more weightlifting and cardio to his training. Although its hard to take a guy seriously who brings in a guy to help him with his wrestling whose strength is Muay Thai (Dan Hardy). Losing two fights in a row does no favors for any fighter in the UFC so he needs to win his next fight to stay releavant in the UFC Heavyweight division. The winner of the Joey Beltran-Aaron Rosa fight next month would be an interesting test for Nelson.
Stefan Struve versus Travis Browne
Result: Browne via Knockout
I did not have any real expectations for this fight so I was pleasantly suprised with the action from both men. It was an interesting striking battle until Browne blasted Struve, sending the 6'11" fighter crumbling to the ground.
Next for Browne: Browne's power was on full display against Struve in this fight and he looked ready to fight from the start. It's time for him to face a fighter who is more well rounded then his last two opponents. Maybe a matchup with the winner of Matt Mitrione-Christian Morecraft fight would be a good measuring stick of his development as an MMA fighter.
Next for Struve: After being blown away by Junior Dos Santos, Roy Nelson, and now Travis Browne its fair to say Struve is basically a gatekeeper fighter who guards the divide between the elite heavyweights in the UFC and the rest of the field. Yes Struve is still young but unless he hits the weight room to add more muscle to his lanky frame and gets a stronger chin he has no other future in the UFC or MMA. Logic says his next opponent could come from the Jon Olav Einemo-Dave Herman fight.
Thiago Alves versus Rick Story
Result: Story via Unanimous Decission
An interesting but close fight resulted in Rick Story getting the biggest win of his MMA career. Alves put up a good fight and many people believe he won the third round but Story was given the first 2 rounds by the judges so Alves' 3rd roudn performance was too little too late. Story used his wrestling and aggressive striking to tame the usually forceful Alves. Even when it seemed like Alves could finish the fight against Story in the 3rd round, Alves seemed to still be a bit tenative because he was worried about being taken down.
Next for Story: Story has now rattled off six fights in a row and has shown he is ready for the next level of competition. But the young fighter is being naive and irrational to call out Jon Fitch for his next fight. Fitch has lost only once since 2003 (against UFC Welterweight Champ George St. Pierre) and Fitch is slated to be rematched against BJ Penn after their fight in February ended in a draw. But if Story really wants a step up in competition he could get Josh Koscheck next and see how he handles that challenge.
Next for Alves: Although he is only 27 years old, Alves has been around the UFC for for almost 6 years now. Losing to Story in such a close fight shows he still has some things to work on. Alves is one of the most talented 170 pound fighters in all of MMA and if he can figure out how to use all those skills the way he use to before 2009 then he will be back better then ever. A matchup with the winner of the Dan Hardy-Chris Lytle fight would give him the oppontunity to stand and bang instead of worrying about being taken down constantly.
Brian Stann versus Jorge Santiago
Result: Stann via TKO
If anyone had any doubts about Brian Stann's evolution as an MMA fighter, those doubts were put to rest Saturday night. Stann outperformed a guy in Jorge Santiago who was considered one of the top Middleweight fighters in the world. More importantly then just winning against Santiago, he finished him in the 2nd round, showing that Stann is ready for the next level at 185 pounds.
Next for Stann: Stann so far has looked unstoppable since dropping to Middleweight. His power and technique in all aspects of the MMA game is impressive. The sky is the limit for him and he could be holding the UFC Middleweight belt in just a couple years. Damian Maia and Mark Munoz are facing off at UFC 131 and the winner could be Stann's next opponent since the UFC is trying to slowly work him up the 185 pound rankings.
Next for Santiago: Santiago is one of the most talented fighters in MMA and he will come back from this loss for sure. Santiago ran into a fighter who has been unstoppable at 185 pounds and got run over. If he commits himself to training he can go on a winning tear like he did after he left the UFC in 2006. A matchup with either Dan Miller or Kendall Grove would make sense for Santiago as he is in his second go around with the UFC.
Miguel Torres versus Demetrious Johnson
Result: Johnson via unanimous decission.
One of the most (if not the most) exciting, action packed fights of the night got left in the hands of the judges. Although I scored the fight 29-28 for Torres, I understand that under the current scoring system utilized by MMA judges that a takedown is more valuable points-wise then who the more active fighter is on the ground. It was a great fight by both men and nothing should be taken away from Johnson because he put on a great fight along with Torres.
Next for Johnson: Johnson is on a solid four fight winning streak. His speed combined with his standup and takedown skills is proving to be a problem for many 135 pound fighters. If Joseph Benevidez gets past Eddie Wineland in August then a Benevidez-Johnson fight could be a number one contender fight for the UFC Bantemweight belt.
Next for Torres: Although he is only 30 years old, he has 43 Professional MMA fights in his career and he has won 39 of them. So the issue is not that Miguel Torres doesn't know how to win but he has been a bit unlucky at times in his last 5 fights. Torres is still young enough to be able to re-group to make a run at the Bantemweight title. Remember, this is a fighter who has had 20 straight and 17 straight fight winning streaks. A matchup with Japaneese MMA star Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto would be an interesting fight for both men who are at turning points in their careers.
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson versus Matt Hamill
Result: Jackson via Unanimous Decission
I saw from the start the focus in Jackson's eyes, something I had not seen from him since the Keith Jardine fight. He didn't just win this fight, but showed he was on another level as an MMA fighter in comparison to Matt Hamill. Rampage stuffed all of Hamill's takedowns and he threw more knees in this fight then he has used in the last several years combined.
Next For Jackson: If his hand checks out when he sees the doctor this week then he will probably fight Jon Jones next for the UFC Light Heavyweight Title. Since Rashad Evans has already commited to fighting Phil Davis at UFC 133, there needs to be someone to face Jones when he returns to action and there is a shortage of deserving opponents available to fight for the belt.
Next for Hamill: At age 34 time is running out for him to improve as an MMA fighter to have a chance to fight for the belt. Either Matt had a serious off-night in terms of his performance or he really needs to work on his striking and footwork to enable him to make the takedowns more viable. If Ryan Bader can get a win against Tito Ortiz in July then I think Hamill should be matched up up with him. If Bader loses in July then Hamill could get the winner of the Stephan Bonnar-Karlos Vermola fight.
Frank Mir versus Roy Nelson
Result: Mir by Unanimous Decission
Despite White's cynicism, Mir was impressive in his win against Nelson. Mir's striking and grappling was sharp. To top it off, he took down Nelson at will which shows that Mir is getting better as an MMA fighter, a scare thought for other UFC Heavyweights. Nelson got worn out trying to fend off Mir's attacks and by the end of the fight didn't seem like he wanted to even be in the Octagon anymore.
Next for Mir: In The last 4 years Frank Mir has only lost to two men: Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin. He is still an top 10 Heavyweight MMA fighter which gives him plenty of options for his next fight. Mir could be matched up with the winner of Antonio "Minotauro" Nogeuria-Brendan Schaub or depending on the his patience and health, he could wait around until Brock Lesnar comes back from his surgery in early 2012.
Next for Nelson: Nelson has stated after the fight he needs to add more weightlifting and cardio to his training. Although its hard to take a guy seriously who brings in a guy to help him with his wrestling whose strength is Muay Thai (Dan Hardy). Losing two fights in a row does no favors for any fighter in the UFC so he needs to win his next fight to stay releavant in the UFC Heavyweight division. The winner of the Joey Beltran-Aaron Rosa fight next month would be an interesting test for Nelson.
Stefan Struve versus Travis Browne
Result: Browne via Knockout
I did not have any real expectations for this fight so I was pleasantly suprised with the action from both men. It was an interesting striking battle until Browne blasted Struve, sending the 6'11" fighter crumbling to the ground.
Next for Browne: Browne's power was on full display against Struve in this fight and he looked ready to fight from the start. It's time for him to face a fighter who is more well rounded then his last two opponents. Maybe a matchup with the winner of Matt Mitrione-Christian Morecraft fight would be a good measuring stick of his development as an MMA fighter.
Next for Struve: After being blown away by Junior Dos Santos, Roy Nelson, and now Travis Browne its fair to say Struve is basically a gatekeeper fighter who guards the divide between the elite heavyweights in the UFC and the rest of the field. Yes Struve is still young but unless he hits the weight room to add more muscle to his lanky frame and gets a stronger chin he has no other future in the UFC or MMA. Logic says his next opponent could come from the Jon Olav Einemo-Dave Herman fight.
Thiago Alves versus Rick Story
Result: Story via Unanimous Decission
An interesting but close fight resulted in Rick Story getting the biggest win of his MMA career. Alves put up a good fight and many people believe he won the third round but Story was given the first 2 rounds by the judges so Alves' 3rd roudn performance was too little too late. Story used his wrestling and aggressive striking to tame the usually forceful Alves. Even when it seemed like Alves could finish the fight against Story in the 3rd round, Alves seemed to still be a bit tenative because he was worried about being taken down.
Next for Story: Story has now rattled off six fights in a row and has shown he is ready for the next level of competition. But the young fighter is being naive and irrational to call out Jon Fitch for his next fight. Fitch has lost only once since 2003 (against UFC Welterweight Champ George St. Pierre) and Fitch is slated to be rematched against BJ Penn after their fight in February ended in a draw. But if Story really wants a step up in competition he could get Josh Koscheck next and see how he handles that challenge.
Next for Alves: Although he is only 27 years old, Alves has been around the UFC for for almost 6 years now. Losing to Story in such a close fight shows he still has some things to work on. Alves is one of the most talented 170 pound fighters in all of MMA and if he can figure out how to use all those skills the way he use to before 2009 then he will be back better then ever. A matchup with the winner of the Dan Hardy-Chris Lytle fight would give him the oppontunity to stand and bang instead of worrying about being taken down constantly.
Brian Stann versus Jorge Santiago
Result: Stann via TKO
If anyone had any doubts about Brian Stann's evolution as an MMA fighter, those doubts were put to rest Saturday night. Stann outperformed a guy in Jorge Santiago who was considered one of the top Middleweight fighters in the world. More importantly then just winning against Santiago, he finished him in the 2nd round, showing that Stann is ready for the next level at 185 pounds.
Next for Stann: Stann so far has looked unstoppable since dropping to Middleweight. His power and technique in all aspects of the MMA game is impressive. The sky is the limit for him and he could be holding the UFC Middleweight belt in just a couple years. Damian Maia and Mark Munoz are facing off at UFC 131 and the winner could be Stann's next opponent since the UFC is trying to slowly work him up the 185 pound rankings.
Next for Santiago: Santiago is one of the most talented fighters in MMA and he will come back from this loss for sure. Santiago ran into a fighter who has been unstoppable at 185 pounds and got run over. If he commits himself to training he can go on a winning tear like he did after he left the UFC in 2006. A matchup with either Dan Miller or Kendall Grove would make sense for Santiago as he is in his second go around with the UFC.
Miguel Torres versus Demetrious Johnson
Result: Johnson via unanimous decission.
One of the most (if not the most) exciting, action packed fights of the night got left in the hands of the judges. Although I scored the fight 29-28 for Torres, I understand that under the current scoring system utilized by MMA judges that a takedown is more valuable points-wise then who the more active fighter is on the ground. It was a great fight by both men and nothing should be taken away from Johnson because he put on a great fight along with Torres.
Next for Johnson: Johnson is on a solid four fight winning streak. His speed combined with his standup and takedown skills is proving to be a problem for many 135 pound fighters. If Joseph Benevidez gets past Eddie Wineland in August then a Benevidez-Johnson fight could be a number one contender fight for the UFC Bantemweight belt.
Next for Torres: Although he is only 30 years old, he has 43 Professional MMA fights in his career and he has won 39 of them. So the issue is not that Miguel Torres doesn't know how to win but he has been a bit unlucky at times in his last 5 fights. Torres is still young enough to be able to re-group to make a run at the Bantemweight title. Remember, this is a fighter who has had 20 straight and 17 straight fight winning streaks. A matchup with Japaneese MMA star Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto would be an interesting fight for both men who are at turning points in their careers.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
5 things to look out for with UFC 130
Loosing the Main event/draw of Frank Edgar/Gray Maynard III matchup will hurt Pay Per View numbers for UFC 130 but overall the fight card is still solid and has a lot to offer to casual and hardcore MMA fans. Also, PPV start time is 9pm so that should entice some fans on the East Coast who dont want to be watching MMA until 12:30am when its Memorial Day weekend. Here's what you need to know about this Saturday's event:
1. Will the real Rampage and Frank Mir please stand up?
Both Jackson and Mir are at similar places in their MMA careers. They are former champions but now in their early 30's who are at crossroads in their careers. Both are 1-1 in their last two fights and have fans clamoring for more out of them. As a fan of both men, it pains me to watch Mir and Rampage fight without the aggression that they use to fight with. They both at one point were considered the top of their weight divisions because they took the fight to their opponents and always tried to finish the fight. If the Jackson and Mir of Pre-2010 comeback into the octagon Saturday then their opponents have little to no chance against them (no offense to Matt Hamill and Roy Nelson)
2. Brian Stann versus Jorge Santiago will be electric
Stann and Santiago both want the same thing: to prove they are elite Middleweight fighters who deserve to keep moving up the rankings ladder. Stann has evolved into a powerful striker who has good takedown defense and may be be the strongest middleweight in all of MMA. Santiago has evolved into an electric all-around fighter who looks to finish every fight any way he can. Santiago has been considered one of the best 185 pound MMA fighters who was not already in the UFC as he has won the Strikeforce Middleweight Tournament. He also dominated Sengoku's 185 pound division for two years. But Stann is a Marine who is fighting on Memorial Day weekend, so we know he wants to win this fight more than any fight in his MMA career. This fight is going to either be the Fight of the Night or will end in dynamic fashion.
3. Thiago Alves must face his deamons to beat Rick Story
Thiago Alves has only had two issues keeping him from being the top Welterweight in MMA: cutting weight and aggressive wrestlers. Thanks to Mike Dolce, Alves' weight cutting issues are a bad memory and he may be better then ever physically. Now he faces a fighter in Rick Story who pushes the pace of the fight and is an excellent wrestler. Alves' last two losses have been to excellent wrestlers so needs to show he can stop the takedowns and make Story fight his game. Story has not fought a welterweight who is as powerful and skilled a striker as Alves and when Thiago senses weakness in his opponent he pounces and finishes. This fight will test both fighters in some of their weaker areas.
4. Will Stefan Struve versus Travis Browne be a fight worthy of the Main card?
I have nothing personal against either Struve or Browne, but when the biggest name either guy has beaten is Paul Buentello (Struve won a Majority Decision) its hard for me to rationalize their matchup being worth of the Main Card of a PPV event. The fact that the UFC decided to put Browne-Struve on the main card ahead of more well known fighters such as Miguel Torres (former WEC Bantemweight Champ) and Kendall Grove (Winner of Season 3 Ultimate Fighter) makes me wonder if they know something MMA fans and media dont. While Struve has won his last two fights by Knockout, Browne's last fight was a Draw again Cheick Kongo in a fight that was lackluster. So this could be a very interesting fight or it may be like watching pain dry.
5. Miguel Torres wants to win, which doesn't mean he is boring
The Former WEC Bantenweight Champ is currently on a two fight winning streak but has explained in interviews he just wants to win and if the fans think he is doing so in a boring way then that is on them. This is a fighter who was on a 17 fight win streak (from 2003-2009) during which 15 of those wins were by knockout or submission. Its unfair to say that Torres is now a "boring fighter" after one fight in which his strategy was to counter punched against a fighter who is usually aggressive. Torres has good boxing skills and he can submit fighters from any position. His next opponent, Demetrious Johnson, is usually a fighter who brings the fight to the competition so Torres will have a better opportunity this Saturday to show UFC fans his skills and hopefully erase the mislabel of "boring" next to his name.
1. Will the real Rampage and Frank Mir please stand up?
Both Jackson and Mir are at similar places in their MMA careers. They are former champions but now in their early 30's who are at crossroads in their careers. Both are 1-1 in their last two fights and have fans clamoring for more out of them. As a fan of both men, it pains me to watch Mir and Rampage fight without the aggression that they use to fight with. They both at one point were considered the top of their weight divisions because they took the fight to their opponents and always tried to finish the fight. If the Jackson and Mir of Pre-2010 comeback into the octagon Saturday then their opponents have little to no chance against them (no offense to Matt Hamill and Roy Nelson)
2. Brian Stann versus Jorge Santiago will be electric
Stann and Santiago both want the same thing: to prove they are elite Middleweight fighters who deserve to keep moving up the rankings ladder. Stann has evolved into a powerful striker who has good takedown defense and may be be the strongest middleweight in all of MMA. Santiago has evolved into an electric all-around fighter who looks to finish every fight any way he can. Santiago has been considered one of the best 185 pound MMA fighters who was not already in the UFC as he has won the Strikeforce Middleweight Tournament. He also dominated Sengoku's 185 pound division for two years. But Stann is a Marine who is fighting on Memorial Day weekend, so we know he wants to win this fight more than any fight in his MMA career. This fight is going to either be the Fight of the Night or will end in dynamic fashion.
3. Thiago Alves must face his deamons to beat Rick Story
Thiago Alves has only had two issues keeping him from being the top Welterweight in MMA: cutting weight and aggressive wrestlers. Thanks to Mike Dolce, Alves' weight cutting issues are a bad memory and he may be better then ever physically. Now he faces a fighter in Rick Story who pushes the pace of the fight and is an excellent wrestler. Alves' last two losses have been to excellent wrestlers so needs to show he can stop the takedowns and make Story fight his game. Story has not fought a welterweight who is as powerful and skilled a striker as Alves and when Thiago senses weakness in his opponent he pounces and finishes. This fight will test both fighters in some of their weaker areas.
4. Will Stefan Struve versus Travis Browne be a fight worthy of the Main card?
I have nothing personal against either Struve or Browne, but when the biggest name either guy has beaten is Paul Buentello (Struve won a Majority Decision) its hard for me to rationalize their matchup being worth of the Main Card of a PPV event. The fact that the UFC decided to put Browne-Struve on the main card ahead of more well known fighters such as Miguel Torres (former WEC Bantemweight Champ) and Kendall Grove (Winner of Season 3 Ultimate Fighter) makes me wonder if they know something MMA fans and media dont. While Struve has won his last two fights by Knockout, Browne's last fight was a Draw again Cheick Kongo in a fight that was lackluster. So this could be a very interesting fight or it may be like watching pain dry.
5. Miguel Torres wants to win, which doesn't mean he is boring
The Former WEC Bantenweight Champ is currently on a two fight winning streak but has explained in interviews he just wants to win and if the fans think he is doing so in a boring way then that is on them. This is a fighter who was on a 17 fight win streak (from 2003-2009) during which 15 of those wins were by knockout or submission. Its unfair to say that Torres is now a "boring fighter" after one fight in which his strategy was to counter punched against a fighter who is usually aggressive. Torres has good boxing skills and he can submit fighters from any position. His next opponent, Demetrious Johnson, is usually a fighter who brings the fight to the competition so Torres will have a better opportunity this Saturday to show UFC fans his skills and hopefully erase the mislabel of "boring" next to his name.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
2011 NFL Draft Overview: NFC
Here is my NFL Draft recap for the NFC teams:
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
Best Draft Picks: Tyron Smith, OT (Round 1), Bruce Carter, LB (Round 2), Demarco Murray, RB (Round 3), Dwayne Harris, WR (Round 6)
Draft Grade: B+
Comments: This may be one of the Cowboys best drafts of the last decade. They drafted according to need and the best player available. Smith is an athletic, strong Tackle who can play on either side of the line. Carter can play any of the Linebacker positions; he is fast, strong, and dynamic. Murray is probably most underrated Running Back in this year's draft. People forget how good he played at Oklahoma so relying of NFL Combine stats doesn't tell the whole story.
New York Giants
Best Draft Picks: Prince Amukamara, CB (Round 1), Marvin Austin, DT (Round 2), Greg Jones, LB (Round 6), Tyler Sash, S (Round 6)
Draft Grade: B
Comments: The Giants used the draft to beef up their defense. Amukamara reminds me skills-wise of Pro Bowl Corner Nnamdi Asomugha. Austin is a first round talent who dropped to the 2nd round because of off the field issues. Jones and Sash have great football instincts and hit hard. The only negative about the Giants draft is that they didn't do much to address this offensive line depth.
Philadelphia Eagles
Best Draft Picks: Danny Watkins, OG (Round 1), Casey Matthews, LB (Round 4), Dion Lewis, RB (Round 5), Brian Rolle, LB (Round 6)
Draft Grade: B
Comments: The Eagles needed help on Defense and their Offensive line. Good news is they did address most of their needs. Watkins can start as a rookie and do well. Matthews and Rolle are underrated, talented Linebackers while Lewis was LeSean McCoy's backup at University of Pittsburg. Bad news is the Eagles did a poor job addressing their needs at defensive back by drafting raw, unproven players.
Washington Redskins
Best Draft Picks: Ryan Kerrigan, DE (Round 1), Leonard Hankerson, WR (Round 3), Roy Helu, RB (Round 4), Evan Royster, RB (Round 6)
Draft Grade: B
Comments: It looks like the Redskins used the draft to get the players to fit the system they tried to run last season. Kerrigan plays the position of Defensive End in the 3-4 defense that Albert Haynesworth refused to do. Hankerson is one of the best possesion receivers in the draft with great hands. Helu is a speed back who can shed tackles while Royster is a power back who runs hard down hill and tries to run through linebackers. Adding talent and depth to the Redskins is part of Shanahan's plan to rebuild this team into a contender.
NFC North
Chicago Bears
Best Draft Picks: Gabe Carimi, OT (Round 1), Stephen Paea, DT (Round 2)
Draft Grade: C+
Comments: The Bears had only five draft picks this year because they traded away picks to the Broncos to get QB jay Cutler. The grabed good players with their first couple picks but the rest of the picks were head scratchers. Carimi was one of (if not the best) Offensive Tackle in college football last year and he can immediately step in to help an offensive line that was the worst of all last season's NFL playoff teams. Paea is a raw talent who is still learning to play the defensive tackle position but he showed last season he can be an unstoppable force.
Detroit Lions
Best Draft Picks: Nick Fairley, DT (Round 1), Titus Young, WR (Round 2), Mikel Leshoure, RB (Round 2), Douglas Hogue, OLB (R5)
Draft Grade: A-
Comments: The Lions offered their first 3 draft picks to the Cardinals to move up to 5th overall to get Patrick Peterson. Since that didn't work out the Lions made the best of those three picks, literally. Fairley reminds me of Warren Sapp, so think about a young Sapp playing next to Ndamukung Suh. Young was the top offensive target in Boise State's high powered offense last season and he is the perfect compliment to Calvin Johnson. Leshoure is a power back that can split time with the speedy Javid Best. Hogue played lineback in college but because of his excellent coverage skills the Lions could turn him into a Strong Safety and develop him.
Green Bay Packers
Best Draft Picks: Derek Sherrod, OT (Round 1), Randall Cobb, WR (Round 2), Alexander Green, RB (Round 3), DJ Williams, TE/HB (Round 5)
Draft Grade: B+
Comments: The Packers had ten draft picks in the 2011 draft but they made the best of their first three. Sherrod is a solid Tackle to help protect Aaron Rodgers. Cobb was arguably the best player and biggest weapon at the University of Kentucky last season as a Kick and Punt Returner, Wide Receiver and he played in the Wildcat formation a couple times. Most people do not know about Green since he played for Hawaii; his skills appear to be a combination of Ryan Grant and Ahmad Green. Williams is one of those offensive talents who doesn't have a real position on the field but a smart offensive coordinator will get him on the field so he can make an impact.
Minnesota Vikings
Best Draft Picks: Christian Ponder, QB (Round 1), Kyle Rudolph, TE (Round 2), Christian Ballard, DL (Round 4), Mistral Raymond, S (Round 6), Ross Homan, LB (Round 6)
Draft Grade: B
Comments: Although I agree with most people that the Vikings serious reached picking Ponder at 12th overall, I think Ponder can be a good pro Quarterback. Ponder is very similar to Chad Pennington except Ponder is more athletic and has a stronger arm. Rudolph has the skills to be a Pro Bowl caliber Tight End. Ballard, Raymond, and Homan all have good football instincts along with being versitle players; they can be developed into solid starters on the defensive side of the ball.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
Best Draft Picks: Julio Jones, WR (Round 1), Akeem Dent, ILB (Round 3), Jacquizz Rodgers, RB (Round 5), Cliff Matthews, DE (Round 7)
Draft Grade: C+
Comments: Although the Falcons drafted good players who can contribute as rookies in 2011, they gave up too much to move up to get Julio Jones. Is any player worth two 1st round picks and several other picks?!? Dont get me wrong, Jones is a big time talent with great potential but in college he wasn’t the most dependable player and defenses in the SEC were able to make him a non-factor at times and take him out of the game. Dent could become a solid NFL starter at Middle Lineback while Rodgers was very underrated talent who could be the next Warrick Dunn in the NFL.
Carolina Panthers
Best Draft Picks: Terrell McClain, DT (Round 3), Sione Fua, DT (Round 3), Kealoha Pilares, WR (Round 5)
Draft Grade: C-
Comments: I am not a fan of the Panthers taking Cam Newton number one overall in this year’s draft. Newton is a super talent, but he comes off as over confident and he only played one season in college. The fact that people have said he is a “better version of Tim Tebow” is an insult. Tebow played in college four years and had to deal with teams game planning against him. Newton was a one year suprise; when a team had a month to gameplan for him (University of Oregon in the national title game) Newton looked limited. McClain and Fua are upgrades for the Panthers on the defensive line so atleast Carolina did something right in the draft.
New Orleans Saints
Best Draft Picks: Cameron Jordan, DE (Round 1), Mark Ingram, RB (Round 1), Martez Wilson, OLB (R3), Nathan Bussey, LB (Round 7)
Draft Grade: B+
Comments: The Saints found a way to get two of the best players in the draft at their positions in the first round. Jordan has the potential to be a force on defense and Ingram is an NFL-ready Running back who could be an offensive rookie of the year candidate if he gets enough touches. Wilson is an underrated talent who could be developed into a solid NFL starter. Bussey could easily be the next Steve Tasker.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Best Draft Picks: Adrian Clayborn, DE (Round 1), Da’Quan Bowers, DE (Round 2), Luke Stocker, TE (Round 4), Ahmad Black, S (Round 5), Allen Bradford, RB (Round 6)
Draft Grade: B+
Comments: The Buccs draft can be characterized by one word: Steals. Getting a super talent like Bowers in the second round when they already drafted a solid defensive end in the first round gives the Buccs many more options on defense with schemes and blitz packages. Black may not have shown much at the NFL combine but he was the leader of the Gator defense at Florida and is one of the smartest, toughest, most instinctive Safeties to come out of college in years. Bradford and Stocker provide depth at positions that are thin for Tampa.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
Best Draft Picks: Patrick Peterson, CB (Round 1), Ryan Williams, RB (Round 2), Sam Acho, DE (Round 4)
Draft Grade: B-
Comments: For a team that was in the Super Bowl a couple years ago, they have many needs to fill on both sides of the ball. Peterson is the player who I consider the best player in the NFL draft this year. He has excellent coverage skills, solid tackler, and can be a star in the punt and kick return game. Williams is a power Running Back for a team that got little production from its RB’s last season. Acho has Reggie White type abilities. The problem with Arizona’s draft is that there are a few players they drafted with some questions about their ability to be successful at the NFL level and they didn’t select enough “can’t miss” talent.
St. Louis Rams
Best Draft Picks: Robert Quinn, DE (Round 1), Lance Kendricks, TE (Round 2), Austin Pettis, WR (Round 3), Greg Salas, WR (Round 4), Jermale Hines, S (Round 5)
Draft Grade: A-
Comments: The Rams are big time winners in this year’s draft. They got a super talented, athletic pass rusher (Quinn), a Pro Bowl caliber receiving Tight End (Kendricks), two Wide Receivers who are great route runners with good hands (Pettis and Salas), and an underrated Safety who reminds me of Brian Dawkins (Hines). I’m not sure who should be more happy with these draft selections: Quarterback Sam Bradford or Rams fans.
Seattle Seahawks
Best Draft Picks: John Moffitt, OG (Round 3)
Draft Grade: D-
Comments: The Seahawks draft was so confussing and questionable that my head spins just thinking about it. They overreached to draft James Carpenter in the first round. The rest of their picks (not named John Moffit) make little sense for their team. After beating the defending Super Bowl champions in the playoffs, they did almost nothing to get better. Being the team in a weak division with the worst draft class is a bad sign for the 2011 season.
San Fransisco 49ers
Best Draft Picks: Colin Kaepernick, QB (Round 2), Kendall Hunter, RB (Round 4), Ronald Johnson, WR (Round 6), Colin Jones, S (Round 6)
Draft Grade: B-
Comments: The first draft of the Harbaugh Coaching Era in San Fransisco was solid. I know many people like their first round selection of Aldon Smith but I think they could have gotten a similar type of talent later in the draft. Kaepernick has the potential to be a good NFL Quarterback and Hunter is reminds me of Brian Westbrook. Johnson and Jones strengthen the 49ers’ depth at their respective positions.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
Best Draft Picks: Tyron Smith, OT (Round 1), Bruce Carter, LB (Round 2), Demarco Murray, RB (Round 3), Dwayne Harris, WR (Round 6)
Draft Grade: B+
Comments: This may be one of the Cowboys best drafts of the last decade. They drafted according to need and the best player available. Smith is an athletic, strong Tackle who can play on either side of the line. Carter can play any of the Linebacker positions; he is fast, strong, and dynamic. Murray is probably most underrated Running Back in this year's draft. People forget how good he played at Oklahoma so relying of NFL Combine stats doesn't tell the whole story.
New York Giants
Best Draft Picks: Prince Amukamara, CB (Round 1), Marvin Austin, DT (Round 2), Greg Jones, LB (Round 6), Tyler Sash, S (Round 6)
Draft Grade: B
Comments: The Giants used the draft to beef up their defense. Amukamara reminds me skills-wise of Pro Bowl Corner Nnamdi Asomugha. Austin is a first round talent who dropped to the 2nd round because of off the field issues. Jones and Sash have great football instincts and hit hard. The only negative about the Giants draft is that they didn't do much to address this offensive line depth.
Philadelphia Eagles
Best Draft Picks: Danny Watkins, OG (Round 1), Casey Matthews, LB (Round 4), Dion Lewis, RB (Round 5), Brian Rolle, LB (Round 6)
Draft Grade: B
Comments: The Eagles needed help on Defense and their Offensive line. Good news is they did address most of their needs. Watkins can start as a rookie and do well. Matthews and Rolle are underrated, talented Linebackers while Lewis was LeSean McCoy's backup at University of Pittsburg. Bad news is the Eagles did a poor job addressing their needs at defensive back by drafting raw, unproven players.
Washington Redskins
Best Draft Picks: Ryan Kerrigan, DE (Round 1), Leonard Hankerson, WR (Round 3), Roy Helu, RB (Round 4), Evan Royster, RB (Round 6)
Draft Grade: B
Comments: It looks like the Redskins used the draft to get the players to fit the system they tried to run last season. Kerrigan plays the position of Defensive End in the 3-4 defense that Albert Haynesworth refused to do. Hankerson is one of the best possesion receivers in the draft with great hands. Helu is a speed back who can shed tackles while Royster is a power back who runs hard down hill and tries to run through linebackers. Adding talent and depth to the Redskins is part of Shanahan's plan to rebuild this team into a contender.
NFC North
Chicago Bears
Best Draft Picks: Gabe Carimi, OT (Round 1), Stephen Paea, DT (Round 2)
Draft Grade: C+
Comments: The Bears had only five draft picks this year because they traded away picks to the Broncos to get QB jay Cutler. The grabed good players with their first couple picks but the rest of the picks were head scratchers. Carimi was one of (if not the best) Offensive Tackle in college football last year and he can immediately step in to help an offensive line that was the worst of all last season's NFL playoff teams. Paea is a raw talent who is still learning to play the defensive tackle position but he showed last season he can be an unstoppable force.
Detroit Lions
Best Draft Picks: Nick Fairley, DT (Round 1), Titus Young, WR (Round 2), Mikel Leshoure, RB (Round 2), Douglas Hogue, OLB (R5)
Draft Grade: A-
Comments: The Lions offered their first 3 draft picks to the Cardinals to move up to 5th overall to get Patrick Peterson. Since that didn't work out the Lions made the best of those three picks, literally. Fairley reminds me of Warren Sapp, so think about a young Sapp playing next to Ndamukung Suh. Young was the top offensive target in Boise State's high powered offense last season and he is the perfect compliment to Calvin Johnson. Leshoure is a power back that can split time with the speedy Javid Best. Hogue played lineback in college but because of his excellent coverage skills the Lions could turn him into a Strong Safety and develop him.
Green Bay Packers
Best Draft Picks: Derek Sherrod, OT (Round 1), Randall Cobb, WR (Round 2), Alexander Green, RB (Round 3), DJ Williams, TE/HB (Round 5)
Draft Grade: B+
Comments: The Packers had ten draft picks in the 2011 draft but they made the best of their first three. Sherrod is a solid Tackle to help protect Aaron Rodgers. Cobb was arguably the best player and biggest weapon at the University of Kentucky last season as a Kick and Punt Returner, Wide Receiver and he played in the Wildcat formation a couple times. Most people do not know about Green since he played for Hawaii; his skills appear to be a combination of Ryan Grant and Ahmad Green. Williams is one of those offensive talents who doesn't have a real position on the field but a smart offensive coordinator will get him on the field so he can make an impact.
Minnesota Vikings
Best Draft Picks: Christian Ponder, QB (Round 1), Kyle Rudolph, TE (Round 2), Christian Ballard, DL (Round 4), Mistral Raymond, S (Round 6), Ross Homan, LB (Round 6)
Draft Grade: B
Comments: Although I agree with most people that the Vikings serious reached picking Ponder at 12th overall, I think Ponder can be a good pro Quarterback. Ponder is very similar to Chad Pennington except Ponder is more athletic and has a stronger arm. Rudolph has the skills to be a Pro Bowl caliber Tight End. Ballard, Raymond, and Homan all have good football instincts along with being versitle players; they can be developed into solid starters on the defensive side of the ball.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
Best Draft Picks: Julio Jones, WR (Round 1), Akeem Dent, ILB (Round 3), Jacquizz Rodgers, RB (Round 5), Cliff Matthews, DE (Round 7)
Draft Grade: C+
Comments: Although the Falcons drafted good players who can contribute as rookies in 2011, they gave up too much to move up to get Julio Jones. Is any player worth two 1st round picks and several other picks?!? Dont get me wrong, Jones is a big time talent with great potential but in college he wasn’t the most dependable player and defenses in the SEC were able to make him a non-factor at times and take him out of the game. Dent could become a solid NFL starter at Middle Lineback while Rodgers was very underrated talent who could be the next Warrick Dunn in the NFL.
Carolina Panthers
Best Draft Picks: Terrell McClain, DT (Round 3), Sione Fua, DT (Round 3), Kealoha Pilares, WR (Round 5)
Draft Grade: C-
Comments: I am not a fan of the Panthers taking Cam Newton number one overall in this year’s draft. Newton is a super talent, but he comes off as over confident and he only played one season in college. The fact that people have said he is a “better version of Tim Tebow” is an insult. Tebow played in college four years and had to deal with teams game planning against him. Newton was a one year suprise; when a team had a month to gameplan for him (University of Oregon in the national title game) Newton looked limited. McClain and Fua are upgrades for the Panthers on the defensive line so atleast Carolina did something right in the draft.
New Orleans Saints
Best Draft Picks: Cameron Jordan, DE (Round 1), Mark Ingram, RB (Round 1), Martez Wilson, OLB (R3), Nathan Bussey, LB (Round 7)
Draft Grade: B+
Comments: The Saints found a way to get two of the best players in the draft at their positions in the first round. Jordan has the potential to be a force on defense and Ingram is an NFL-ready Running back who could be an offensive rookie of the year candidate if he gets enough touches. Wilson is an underrated talent who could be developed into a solid NFL starter. Bussey could easily be the next Steve Tasker.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Best Draft Picks: Adrian Clayborn, DE (Round 1), Da’Quan Bowers, DE (Round 2), Luke Stocker, TE (Round 4), Ahmad Black, S (Round 5), Allen Bradford, RB (Round 6)
Draft Grade: B+
Comments: The Buccs draft can be characterized by one word: Steals. Getting a super talent like Bowers in the second round when they already drafted a solid defensive end in the first round gives the Buccs many more options on defense with schemes and blitz packages. Black may not have shown much at the NFL combine but he was the leader of the Gator defense at Florida and is one of the smartest, toughest, most instinctive Safeties to come out of college in years. Bradford and Stocker provide depth at positions that are thin for Tampa.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
Best Draft Picks: Patrick Peterson, CB (Round 1), Ryan Williams, RB (Round 2), Sam Acho, DE (Round 4)
Draft Grade: B-
Comments: For a team that was in the Super Bowl a couple years ago, they have many needs to fill on both sides of the ball. Peterson is the player who I consider the best player in the NFL draft this year. He has excellent coverage skills, solid tackler, and can be a star in the punt and kick return game. Williams is a power Running Back for a team that got little production from its RB’s last season. Acho has Reggie White type abilities. The problem with Arizona’s draft is that there are a few players they drafted with some questions about their ability to be successful at the NFL level and they didn’t select enough “can’t miss” talent.
St. Louis Rams
Best Draft Picks: Robert Quinn, DE (Round 1), Lance Kendricks, TE (Round 2), Austin Pettis, WR (Round 3), Greg Salas, WR (Round 4), Jermale Hines, S (Round 5)
Draft Grade: A-
Comments: The Rams are big time winners in this year’s draft. They got a super talented, athletic pass rusher (Quinn), a Pro Bowl caliber receiving Tight End (Kendricks), two Wide Receivers who are great route runners with good hands (Pettis and Salas), and an underrated Safety who reminds me of Brian Dawkins (Hines). I’m not sure who should be more happy with these draft selections: Quarterback Sam Bradford or Rams fans.
Seattle Seahawks
Best Draft Picks: John Moffitt, OG (Round 3)
Draft Grade: D-
Comments: The Seahawks draft was so confussing and questionable that my head spins just thinking about it. They overreached to draft James Carpenter in the first round. The rest of their picks (not named John Moffit) make little sense for their team. After beating the defending Super Bowl champions in the playoffs, they did almost nothing to get better. Being the team in a weak division with the worst draft class is a bad sign for the 2011 season.
San Fransisco 49ers
Best Draft Picks: Colin Kaepernick, QB (Round 2), Kendall Hunter, RB (Round 4), Ronald Johnson, WR (Round 6), Colin Jones, S (Round 6)
Draft Grade: B-
Comments: The first draft of the Harbaugh Coaching Era in San Fransisco was solid. I know many people like their first round selection of Aldon Smith but I think they could have gotten a similar type of talent later in the draft. Kaepernick has the potential to be a good NFL Quarterback and Hunter is reminds me of Brian Westbrook. Johnson and Jones strengthen the 49ers’ depth at their respective positions.
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