B.J. Penn (13-5)
The man known as “The Prodigy” is fighting for the first time since moving up to welterweight to try and regain the title from Georges St. Pierre at UFC 94. Penn accused GSP of greasing his shoulders so Penn couldn’t get a good grip with his legs, but this takes away from the fact that Penn just got beaten for the second time by a better fighter, and he was out of his comfort zone, which is 155 pounds. Penn is a great grappler, but his striking is underrated, and his all-around skills are the reason why he’s the favorite in your offshore sportsbook.
Kenny Florian (11-3)
Florian has won his last six fights, four of which came by submission. Florian defeated former champion Joe Stevenson with a rear-naked choke at UFC 91 to become the No.1 contender for the lightweight crown. This is his second shot at the belt, as he lost to Sean Sherk back at UFC 64, but he hasn’t lost since. Florian has admitted that he looks up to Penn, who is one of the top lightweights in the world, but he also realizes that to be the best, you have to be the best.
What Will Happen: UFC 101 odds have Penn as a -220 favorite in this main event, and this will be a matchup featuring two fighters who are well versed in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The difference could be in their strikes, as Penn has a boxing background to go with his excellent takedowns, while Florian is known to have some of the sharpest elbows in all of MMA once he gets his opponents down to the ground. We won’t see Penn get manhandled as he did in the GSP fight, and you could tell that gaining the weight to move up had an effect on his conditioning. He’ll be eager to show that the GSP fight was an anomaly and that he is still the lightweight king of the UFC. This could be Florian’s last chance at the crown, but Penn’s well-rounded game will be just too much.
UFC betting pick: B.J. Penn
Last edited by nhatoday on Fri Aug 21, 2009 6:42 am; edited 1 time in total
Main Card Bouts:
-B.J. Penn def. Kenny Florian by submission (rear naked choke) at 3:54, R4
-Anderson Silva def. Forrest Griffin by KO at 3:23, R1
-Aaron Riley def. Shane Nelson by unanimous decision (30-27 on all score cards)
-Johnny Hendricks def. Amir Sadollah by TKO (ref's stoppage due to punches) at :29 seconds, R1
-Ricardo Almeida def. Kendall Grove by unanimous decision (30-27 on all score cards)
-Kurt Pellegrino def. Josh Neer by unanimous decision (30-27 on all score cards)
Preliminary Bouts:
-Aaron Riley vs. Shane Nelson
-John Howard def. Tamden McCrory by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
-Alessio Sakara def. Thales Lietes by split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-2
-Matt Riddle def. Dan Cramer by unanimous decision (29-27, 30-27, 30-26)
-George Sotiropolous def. George Roop by submission (kimura) at 1:59, R2
-Jesse Lennox def. Danillo Villefort by TKO (doctor's stoppage due to cut) at 3:37, R3 Main Card:
-Cris “Cyborg” Santos def. Gina Carano by TKO (Strikes) at 4:59, R1
-Gegard Mousasi def. Renato “Babalu” Sobral by TKO (Strikes) at 1:00, R1
-Gilbert Melendez def. Mitsuhiro Ishida by TKO (Strikes) at 3:56, R3
-Fabricio Werdum def. Mike Kyle by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:24, R1
Preliminary Card:
- Jay Hieron def. Jesse Taylor by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
-Scott Lighty def. Mike Cook by TKO at 2:05, R1.
-Justin Wilcox def. David Douglas by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:16, R3.
-James Terry def. Zak Bucia by TKO at 0:23, R1.
-Alex Trevino def. Isaiah Hill by Submission (Key Lock) at 3:56, R1.
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (over 205 pounds)
#1 Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Fedor Emelianenko
2. Brock Lesnar
3. Frank Mir
4. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
5. Randy Couture
6. Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic
7. Brett Rogers
8. Cain Velasquez
9. Andrei Arlovski
10. Shane Carwin
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (205-pound limit)
#1 Light Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Lyoto Machida
2. Rashad Evans
3. Quinton Jackson
4. Anderson Silva
5. Forrest Griffin
6. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
7. Gegard Mousasi
8. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
9. Keith Jardine
10. Thiago Silva
MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION (185-pound limit)
#1 Middleweight Fighter in the World: Anderson Silva
2. Yushin Okami
3. Nathan Marquardt
4. Jorge Santiago
5. Dan Henderson
6. Robbie Lawler
7. Vitor Belfort
8. Kazuo Misaki
9. Yoshihiro Akiyama
10. Demian Maia
WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION (170-pound limit)
#1 Welterweight Fighter in the World: Georges St. Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Jake Shields
4. Thiago Alves
5. Josh Koscheck
6. Matt Hughes
7. Martin Kampmann
8. Carlos Condit
9. Mike Swick
10. Nick Thompson
LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION (155-pound limit)
#1 Lightweight Fighter in the World: B.J. Penn
2. Shinya Aoki
3. Eddie Alvarez
4. Tatsuya Kawajiri
5. Joachim Hansen
6. Kenny Florian
7. Gesias "JZ" Calvancante
8. Josh Thomson
9. Frankie Edgar
10. Diego Sanchez
Randy Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
The Breakdown: Two of MMA’s heavyweight legends look to prove naysayers wrong one more time, as elder face smasher Couture takes on a suddenly shopworn Nogueira. Despite being just a few months removed from his 33rd birthday, Nogueira’s years of absorbing beatings like a Brazilian Jake LaMotta seemed to catch up with him when Frank Mir soundly trounced him at UFC 92. Couture is not coming off the fight of his life, either, as he failed to stop the centaur known as Brock Lesnar from claiming the heavyweight crown that once rested on his own head. With that said, Couture has not left his last few fights looking like a back-alley hospital patient.
With Mir having already written the script for starching Nogueira, watch for Couture to use his wrestling to keep the fight standing and rely on his boxing from there. Whether or not playing the same tune as Mir works for Couture will depend on just how much of his old self Nogueira has rediscovered in his eight months away from the cage. In a sport where nostalgia runs deep but counts for little, Nogueira has to prove he still has something left to offer after already giving so much.
The X Factor: Lost in all the dismissive chatter about Nogueira is the fact that Couture is a 46-year-old man competing in a sport that skews younger than the cast of whatever atrocious teen-age drama the CW airs. Sooner or later, Couture is going to hit the same wall Brett Favre has already run into several times. How capable Nogueira is of sending him on his way remains anyone’s guess, but he’s proven everyone wrong countless times before.
***
The Bottom Line: Nogueira fans should start practicing their cringing, as Couture is going to turn this into a one-sided dirty boxing display that the Brazilian won’t be able to do much of anything about. No miracle submissions this time around, as Nogueira ends up getting saved by the referee’s sense of compassion but not before taking two rounds worth of Couture’s old-school bullying.
Main Bouts:
-Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira def. Randy Couture by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-2
-Thiago Silva def. Keith Jardine by KO (Punch) at 1:35, R1
-Jake Rosholt def. Chris Leben by Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) at 1:30, R3
-Nate Marquardt def. Demian Maia by KO at :21, R1
-Brandon Vera def. Krzystztof Soszynski by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Preliminary Bouts:
- Aaron Simpson def. Ed Herman by TKO (Injury) at :17, R2
-Gabriel Gonzaga def. Chris Tuchscherer by TKO (Strikes) at 2:27, R1
-Mike Russow def. Justin McCully by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-26, 30-27)
-Todd Duffee def. Tim Hague by KO at :07, R1
-Mark Munoz def. Nick Catone by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
-Evan Dunham def. Marcus Aurelio by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27) "I think that time was last night. It's been 11 months. I heard Nate Quarry talk about there was a time a guy picked him up and slammed him and he was like, 'Oh, I'm okay.' And then he picked the guy up and slammed him. Well, last night, I had that same factor. I was wrestling with some of the jiu-jitsu guys and I hit a double, a beautiful double, and I lifted him and dumped him on his head and I was like, 'Alright everybody, that was the first takedown I did in a year and half.' It was great," stated former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz as he talked about his long-awaited return to the Octagon.
Ortiz recently returned to training after coming off a year-long layoff. He last fought in May of 2008 when he lost a unanimous decision to current UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida. Shortly after, the Huntington Beach Bad Boy would undergo extensive back surgery in October that would sideline him and put his career on hold. Now, Ortiz is back and after receiving approval from his doctor, he has returned to training full-time and feels better than ever.
"I was wrestling with Cris Cyborg and she's a tough chick, man. For a girl, I expect her not to be so damn tough. We were just wrestling around and I went for a guillotine and she slipped out of it. When she slipped out of it, I traded off to a triangle and I locked the triangle and she went to go pick me up and slam me. She picked me up and slammed me on the ground and I had no pain. Nothing. I ended up choking her, but at the same time, it was just a factor of those little small things that I noticed. I'm good. I'm ready to do this and start working. I felt great. I felt really good," Oritz added.
Rich Franklin vs. Vitor Belfort
The Breakdown: The weight-class limbo continues for Franklin, who will look to spoil Belfort’s return to the UFC in a 195-pound catch-weight contest. What makes this bout interesting is that for the umpteenth time, Belfort looks like a rejuvenated fighter thanks to knockout wins over Terry Martin and Matt Lindland. More importantly, Belfort has the edge in speed and footwork over Franklin, who has developed a somewhat predictable style that overemphasizes his powerful left body kick and equally dangerous straight left.
While those are Franklin’s best weapons, he leaves himself wide-open for counters on both (see how Wanderlei Silva eventually found those openings in their bout at UFC 99). Belfort is a far more fundamentally sound boxer than Silva. His stiff southpaw jab could create problems for Franklin, who doesn’t do a good job of controlling range with his own jab. This fight certainly doesn’t favor Franklin on the feet, but Belfort has struggled against ground-and-pound-minded opponents in the past and Franklin has shown nasty striking on the mat.
The ground part of that strategy may prove difficult for Franklin, however. Belfort is hardly a free takedown, and Franklin himself is typically hesitant to hit the mat. If Franklin can’t disrupt Belfort’s rhythm on the feet with takedowns or clinch work, his chin will eventually catch up to him and Belfort has long been one of the best finishers in the game.
The X Factor: Matching southpaws against each other always yields interesting results, and both fighters could find it difficult to effectively employ their favored tactics. The other variable looming over this fight is Belfort’s brain, which is about as stable as an Iranian election. It doesn’t take much to throw Belfort off his game, and Franklin is as focused and committed a fighter as you’ll ever find. “Ace” needs to make this an uncomfortable fight for Belfort. If he allows Belfort to sit back, create angles and measure punches, this fight will be a painfully one-sided proposition for Cincinnati’s favorite son.
The Bottom Line: Trying to predict what Belfort will do is as pointless as watching a Rob Schneider movie in search of a laugh. With that said, Belfort has finally started doing all the things fans have been begging him to do for years: stay patient, work the jab and use all of his skills. Franklin won’t have an answer for Belfort’s superior boxing and massive hand speed advantage, and by the time he does go for a takedown, he’ll find it far easier said than done. This one ends with Franklin starched on the canvas and Belfort instantaneously christened as a premier contender in the middleweight class.
Main Card Bouts:
-Vitor Belfort def. Rich Franklin by Ko at 3:02, R1.
-Junior dos Santos def. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic by verbal submission at 2:00, R3.
-Paul Daley def. Martin Kampmann by TKO at 2:31, R1.
-Josh Koscheck def. Frank Trigg by TKO at 1:25, R1.
-Tyson Griffin def. Hermes Franca by TKO at 3:26, R2.
Preliminary Bouts:
-Efrain Escudero def. Cole Miller by KO at 3:36, R1.
-Tomasz Drwal def. Drew McFedries by submission (rear naked choke) at 1:03, R2
-Jim Miller def. Steve Lopez by TKO (injury) at :48 or R2.
-Nik Lentz def. Rafaello Oliveira by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
-Rick Story def. Brian Foster by submission (arm triangle choke) at 1:09 of R2
-Eliot Marshall def. Jason Brilz by split decisin (30-27, 27-30, 30-27).
-Vladimir Matyushenko def. Igor Pokrajac by Unanimous Decision (30-27 on all scorecards).
-Rafael Dos Anjos def. Robert Emerson by Unanimous Decision (30-27 on all scorecards).
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (over 205 pounds)
#1 Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Fedor Emelianenko
2. Brock Lesnar
3. Frank Mir
4. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
5. Randy Couture
6. Junior Dos Santos
7. Brett Rogers
8. Cain Velasquez
9. Andrei Arlovski
10. Shane Carwin
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (205-pound limit)
#1 Light Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Lyoto Machida
2. Rashad Evans
3. Quinton Jackson
4. Anderson Silva
5. Forrest Griffin
6. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
7. Gegard Mousasi
8. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
9. Thiago Silva
10. Luis Cane
MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION (185-pound limit)
#1 Middleweight Fighter in the World: Anderson Silva
2. Nathan Marquardt
3. Vitor Belfort
4. Yushin Okami
5. Jorge Santiago
6. Dan Henderson
7. Robbie Lawler
8. Kazuo Misaki
9. Yoshihiro Akiyama
10. Demian Maia
WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION (170-pound limit)
#1 Welterweight Fighter in the World: Georges St. Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Jake Shields
4. Thiago Alves
5. Josh Koscheck
6. Matt Hughes
7. Paul Daley
8. Martin Kampmann
9. Carlos Condit
10. Mike Swick
LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION (155-pound limit)
#1 Lightweight Fighter in the World: B.J. Penn
2. Shinya Aoki
3. Eddie Alvarez
4. Tatsuya Kawajiri
5. Joachim Hansen
6. Kenny Florian
7. Gesias "JZ" Calvancante
8. Josh Thomson
9. Frankie Edgar
10. Diego Sanchez
Dream 11: Feather Weight Grand Prix 2009 Final Round wrapped up today and here are the results.
Feather Weight Grand Prix 2009 Reserve bout:
Kazuyuki Miyata vs. Dj Taiki
Result: Miyata wins by decision
Feather Weight Grand Prix 2009 Semi-Finals:
Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Hideo Tokoro
Result: Takaya defeated Tokoro via TKO (Punches) in round 2
Bibiano Fernandes vs. Joe Warren
Result: Fernandes defeated Warren via submission (Armbar) in round 1
Super Hulk Grand Prix 2009 Semi-Finals:
Ikuhisa Minowa vs. Hong Man Choi
Result: Minowa defeated Choi via submission (Heel Hook) in round 2
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Bob Sapp
Result: Sokoudjou deafeated Sapp via TKO (Punches) in round 1
Super Fights:
Lightweight bout: Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Melchor Manibusan
Result: Kawajiri defeated Manibusan via TKO (Punches) in round 1
Middleweight bout: Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Rubin Williams
Result: Sakuraba defeated Williams via submission (Kimura) in round 1
DREAM Lightweight Championship bout:
Joachim Hansen (c) vs. Shinya Aoki
Result: Aoki defeated Hansen via submission (Armbar) in round 2 to become the new DREAM Lightweight Champion
Feather Weight Grand Prix 2009 Final:
Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Bibiano Fernandes
Result: Fernandes defeated Takaya via decision (Split) to become the first DREAM Featherweight Champion
Bibiano Fernandes won't fight until 2010: Dream promoter Keiichi Sasahara said at his post-fight press conference that the cut over Fernandes' eye likely means he won't be able to defend his Dream featherweight belt this year. When he does fight next year, it might be a rematch of Tuesday's main event, which Fernandes won by split decision over Hiroyuki Takaya.
Shinya Aoki vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri likely for New Year's Eve: Sasahara said Aoki will want a couple of months to rest, and that he should defend the Dream lightweight belt against Kawajiri at the New Year's Eve Dynamite show.
Kazushi Sakuraba is likely to fight at Dream 12: "Sakuraba doesn't look injured, so we'd really like to invite him to participate in Osaka," Sasahara said. Dream 12 takes place October 25, and it will be Dream's first event in a cage instead of a ring.
Boxers aren't used to getting kicked: American boxer Rubin Williams, who lost to Sakuraba in an embarrassing mismatch, said repeatedly at his post-fight press conference that he was unprepared for the kicking element of MMA.
The Super Hulk Tournament is all about ratings: "Minowa showed us the great dynamic of the Super Hulk Tournament," Sasahara said. "I'm expecting a good TV rating."
Minowaman is a wrestler first and a fighter second: "I'd like to maintain the MMA approach in the training, but my feeling is that I'm still a pro wrestler," said Ikuhisa Minowa, who will fight Sokoudjou in the Super Hulk Tournament final on New Year's Eve.
American fighters don't like Japanese refs: Two losing Americans, Bob Sapp and Joe Warren, complained that the refs had stopped their fights early. Warren has a strong case tht he didn't tap out against Fernandes and didn't deserve to have his fight stopped, but Sapp wasn't fighting back against Sokoudjou and has no reason to gripe about the stoppage.
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (over 205 pounds)
#1 Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Fedor Emelianenko
2. Brock Lesnar
3. Frank Mir
4. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
5. Randy Couture
6. Junior Dos Santos
7. Brett Rogers
8. Cain Velasquez
9. Andrei Arlovski
10. Shane Carwin
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LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (205-pound limit)
#1 Light Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Lyoto Machida
2. Rashad Evans
3. Quinton Jackson
4. Anderson Silva
5. Forrest Griffin
6. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
7. Gegard Mousasi
8. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
9. Thiago Silva
10. Luis Cane
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MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION (185-pound limit)
#1 Middleweight Fighter in the World: Anderson Silva
2. Nathan Marquardt
3. Vitor Belfort
4. Yushin Okami
5. Jorge Santiago
6. Dan Henderson
7. Robbie Lawler
8. Kazuo Misaki
9. Yoshihiro Akiyama
10. Demian Maia
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WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION (170-pound limit)
#1 Welterweight Fighter in the World: Georges St. Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Jake Shields
4. Thiago Alves
5. Josh Koscheck
6. Matt Hughes
7. Paul Daley
8. Martin Kampmann
9. Carlos Condit
10. Mike Swick
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LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION (160-pound limit)
#1 Lightweight Fighter in the World: B.J. Penn
2. Shinya Aoki
3. Eddie Alvarez
4. Tatsuya Kawajiri
5. Kenny Florian
6. Joachim Hansen
7. Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante
8. Josh Thomson
9. Frankie Edgar
10. Diego Sanchez
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FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION (145 pound-limit)
#1 Featherweight Fighter in the World: Mike Brown
2. Urijah Faber
3. Hatsu Hioki
4. Jose Aldo
5. Raphael Assuncao
6. "Lion" Takeshi Inoue
7. Leonard Garcia
8. Wagnney Fabiano
9. Bibiano Fernandes
10. Marlon Sandro
UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida says family is the key to staying hungry.
The Machida clan, including father Yoshizo and brothers Chinzo and Kenzo, insulate Lyoto as he prepares for fights, and his meeting with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 104 has been no different. With the belt, distractions abound outside the dojo.
"There’s a lot of distractions, a lot of people coming at you, but thank God, I have a team around me that protects me from that," said Lyoto.
A heap of hyperbole has followed the champion since his dominating performances over Thiago Silva and Rashad Evans. Karate traditionalists have been galvanized by his style. Many of the promotion’s top fighters have scratched their heads at how to beat him. But the 31-year-old fighter says he’s still chasing the belt, accolades aside.
“I think my biggest worry and the thing that I’m most concerned with is just staying focused and zoning in on what my goals are, to keep that belt and keep putting on good performances,” said Machida.
The main goal, he says, is to evolve into a better fighter every time he steps into the Octagon. Were it not for family, he might lose sight of that goal.
More than his title grab at UFC 98, Machida said his fight with Tito Ortiz at UFC 84 was the biggest challenge in maintaining focus. In the buildup to the fight, he felt like he was being brought into the middle of a political war between president Dana White and Ortiz.
“I feel like I was brought in and had a lot of weight on my shoulders to beat Tito, for more than just the reason to beat Tito,” said Machida. “So I definitely started to feel the pressure, more the mental pressure versus the technical pressure because of that situation.”
He seems less stressed about the target on his back as champion, although he is well aware of it.
Rua has taken a play from Machida’s book in his approach to the fight, saying that patience is the key to defeat the undefeated champion.
Machida says he has followed Rua’s career and shares a professional respect for him (“He’s had a lot of fights to make the whole country of Brazil proud,” said Machida), but will put it aside when the two meet in Los Angeles on Oct. 24. When they do battle, it’s just business.
Contrary to the hype, Machida says he’s very beatable.
“Anybody can be beat,” he said. “But that’s what motivates me to keep going out there, training hard, staying focused, and my goal is that every time I have the opportunity to present myself in the Octagon... I’m always going to come prepared and come in the best shape of my life. Thank God I have my family around and my team, they always expect a lot of me, so they’re always there to stay on top of me and keep me humble, keep me focused, and keep me motivated to get in there and represent my family and my karate well.”
Main Card Bouts:
-Lyoto Machida def. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua by Unanimous Decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
-Cain Velasquez def. Ben Rothwell by TKO (Strikes) at 0:58, R2
-Gleison Tibau def. Josh Neer by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-2
-Joe Stevenson def. Spencer Fisher by TKO (Strikes) at 4:03, R1
-Anthony Johnson def. Yoshiyuki Yoshida by KO (Punch) at 0:41, R1
Preliminary Bouts:
-Ryan Bader def. Eric Schafer by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-26, 30-27)
-Pat Barry def. Antoni Hardonk by TKO (Strikes) at 2:30, R2
-Chael Sonnen def. Chael Sonnen by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
-Jorge Rivera def. Rob Kimmons at 1:53 by TKO (Strikes), R3
-Kyle Kingsbury def. Razak Al-Hassan by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-2
-Stefan Struve def. Chase Gormley at 4:04 by Submission (Triangle), R1 HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (over 205 pounds)
#1 Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Fedor Emelianenko
2. Brock Lesnar
3. Frank Mir
4. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
5. Cain Velasquez
6. Randy Couture
7. Junior Dos Santos
8. Brett Rogers
9. Andrei Arlovski
10. Shane Carwin
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (205-pound limit)
#1 Light Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Lyoto Machida
2. Rashad Evans
3. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
4. Quinton Jackson
5. Anderson Silva
6. Forrest Griffin
7. Gegard Mousasi
8. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
9. Thiago Silva
10. Luis Cane
MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION (185-pound limit)
#1 Middleweight Fighter in the World: Anderson Silva
2. Nathan Marquardt
3. Vitor Belfort
4. Jorge Santiago
5. Dan Henderson
6. Robbie Lawler
7. Kazuo Misaki
8. Yoshihiro Akiyama
9. Demian Maia
10. Chael Sonnen
WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION (170-pound limit)
#1 Welterweight Fighter in the World: Georges St. Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Jake Shields
4. Thiago Alves
5. Josh Koscheck
6. Matt Hughes
7. Paul Daley
8. Martin Kampmann
9. Carlos Condit
10. Mike Swick
LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION (155-pound limit)
#1 Lightweight Fighter in the World: B.J. Penn
2. Shinya Aoki
3. Eddie Alvarez
4. Tatsuya Kawajiri
5. Kenny Florian
6. Joachim Hansen
7. Gesias "JZ" Calvancante
8. Frankie Edgar
9. Diego Sanchez
10. Gray Maynard
Even at its weakest, network television is still the circulatory system for most entertainment: It’s familiar, it’s accessible and it doesn’t need to buffer. Fedor Emelianenko’s appointment with the Sears Centre in Chicago this Saturday will be seen by, at minimum, several million viewers.
Some people would say that this is not enough, and that CBS is not doing itself many favors to help answer the question that will be debated this week and in the weeks ahead: Can they make a star out of Fedor Emelianenko?
Heading into what promises to be a long and exhausting media build into Strikeforce’s first over-air telecast, some observers have settled on the idea that CBS is simply “not doing enough” to promote their acquisition of the most effective Russian prizefighter since Ivan Drago.
If you look closely enough at that (paraphrased) statement, you might realize the cause is idling in the symptom.
Emelianenko cannot appear on a CBS talk show (his English is somewhere north of Chuck Liddell’s); Emelianenko cannot appear in advertisements displaying a ripped musculature (he doesn’t have one); Emelianenko cannot have a speaking part on “CSI: Miami” (he might be convincing as a corpse). As marketable athletes go, Emelianenko is not very marketable.
What he does have is a nearly unblemished 30-1 record and an unofficial title -- given to him by his peers, who should know -- as the world’s best fighter. CBS can and does put that in italics, but because virtually all of his fight footage is owned by Zuffa, you’ll have to settle for the “tell” rather than the “show.” (Why his fight footage from Rings is rarely seized is beyond me: It’s not in HD, but it’s not 8mm, either.)
Is all that winning enough? Emelianenko’s closest approximation is Anderson Silva, who also speaks little English, doesn’t have a physique cast in marble and has a reputation for being an all-time great. Because of the UFC’s market posturing, Silva rebounded from some lackluster performances to draw good business for a bout against Forrest Griffin over the summer. He’s well known but far from a household name.
Could Fedor Emelianenko become a household name in the U.S.?
Emelianenko does not have the UFC machine propelling him, which might be compensated for by CBS, except that their EliteXC broadcast that failed to feature Kimbo Slice dropped off the ratings cliff. CBS viewers, apparently, did not enjoy fighting so much as they enjoyed Kimbo fighting. This is an important, depressing distinction.
But Affliction -- a company that previously only had experience selling T-shirts that looked like Megadeth threw up on their printing presses -- managed some credible pay-per-view business with Emelianenko at the top. And ironically, Emelianenko’s biggest push may have come from the UFC itself: Summer’s drawn-out coverage of his negotiations with the UFC ran rampant, and he came off as a mythical figure the company desperately wanted. There’s intrigue in that.
His Nov. 7 date was mentioned during an NFL halftime show Sunday; Emelianenko also appeared in commercials during college and pro football telecasts, a direct appeal to likely viewers. What else, exactly, could CBS do to trumpet this guy? Their “60 Minutes” has invited controversy a handful of times over the years by endorsing stories that had some connection to CBS business: a book by Dick Clarke, former White house staffer, got the segment treatment in 2004 without revealing parent company Viacom would profit from its sales; “Guiding Light” got a send-off on the show shortly before it ended 72 years on the air. In terms of corporate synergy, a well-timed profile of the reputed toughest man on the planet would not seem all that dysfunctional.
Print advertising? It’s expensive, and there’s little evidence it can directly influence sporting events. Hype programming? Networks will rarely devote airtime to something that blaringly self-serving, but pre-empting Craig Ferguson one night for Showtime’s “360” show might have displayed a commitment to Strikeforce that the network has so far been reluctant to share. (That episode has been distributed to CBS’ local affiliates, who will use their discretion on when and where to air it. My best guess: 4 a.m., just after Billy Mays makes a posthumous pitch for OxyClean.)
The foreign athlete has it rough: Audiences like to see themselves in their sporting attractions. Someone who dominates Americans without speaking the language is not going to earn himself a Wheaties box. Whether he can earn enough viewers to best “America’s Most Wanted” is a question for the overnight ratings.
Emelianenko is a star to a lot of fans; but those fans, in the scale of network television, wouldn’t pay for a single 30-second Snuggles spot. It may take time for the general public to warm up to a cold guy. At 33, with nearly 10 years of wear, does he have the time to spare?
Strikeforce/M-1 Global “Fedor vs. Rogers” will stare down the UFC and draw its line in the sand this Saturday, as heavyweight kingpin Fedor Emelianenko anchors the promotion’s CBS debut from the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill. In making such a stand, it helps to have the most indestructible Russian since Rasputin by your side, along with an opponent who looks like a mutated version of Mr. T.
Besides the must-see intrigue that comes with Emelianenko stepping into a cage against Brett Rogers, the night will see Strikeforce crown a middleweight champion when jiu-jitsu demigod Jake Shields takes on Jason “Mayhem” Miller. Though light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi will not put his strap on the line in his bout with Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, anytime guys nicknamed “The Dreamcatcher” and “The African Assassin” fight, we owe it to ourselves to watch.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers
The Breakdown: More than six years into his reign as the T-1000 of the heavyweight class, Emelianenko faces a familiar challenge in Rogers -- a ginormous brawler blessed with the punching power needed to starch a cyborg emperor. However, putting fist to face appears to be the only threat Rogers poses to Emelianenko, who has a whole toolbox of skills thanks to his legendary international Sambo career, as well as the kind of ground-and-pound that can give the heartiest onlooker a migraine.
If anything works in Rogers’ favor, it could be that Emelianenko seems to go along with whatever his opponent wants to do out of an almost reckless confidence that he can succeed in any situation. It has yet to cost him a fight, but it has gotten him in trouble before, and Rogers only needs one punch and one mistake to precede it to leave lots of bookies in tears.
Considering both fighters rely on wide looping punches, the openings will be there for both men to play shatter the skull. Of course, this assumes Emelianenko does not drag Rogers to the mat and dismantle him like a stack of Legos. Although no one has seen Rogers’ ground game, it seems safe to assume that he will not do anything except tap out if Emelianenko pulls him into the deep end of the pool.
The X-Factor: Emelianenko has weaknesses, but his opponents always end up laid out before they get a chance to do anything except look overmatched. Rogers does have the ability to exploit Emelianenko’s mediocre chin, but that means putting himself right in the Russian’s wheelhouse.
Rogers certainly will not be afraid to collapse the pocket, but no heavyweight can walk through Emelianenko’s punches. Taking a few of those shots will be the price of admission for Rogers.
The Bottom Line: Everyone from Andrei Arlovski to Semmy Schilt had a striker’s chance against Emelianenko, and they all discovered why they were better off leaving the quiet, dead-eyed Russian alone. That lesson that will be written across Rogers’ face, as well, as Emelianenko takes advantage of his aggression and greets him with an overhand right midway through the opening stanza.
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (over 205 pounds)
#1 Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Fedor Emelianenko
2. Brock Lesnar
3. Frank Mir
4. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
5. Cain Velasquez
6. Randy Couture
7. Junior Dos Santos
8. Brett Rogers
9. Shane Carwin
10. Fabricio Werdum
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (205-pound limit)
#1 Light Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Lyoto Machida
2. Rashad Evans
3. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
4. Quinton Jackson
5. Anderson Silva
6. Gegard Mousasi
7. Forrest Griffin
8. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
9. Thiago Silva
10. Luis Cane
MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION (185-pound limit)
#1 Middleweight Fighter in the World: Anderson Silva
2. Nathan Marquardt
3. Vitor Belfort
4. Dan Henderson
5. Jake Shields
6. Robbie Lawler
7. Kazuo Misaki
8. Yoshihiro Akiyama
9. Demian Maia
10. Chael Sonnen
WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION (170-pound limit)
#1 Welterweight Fighter in the World: Georges St. Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Thiago Alves
4. Josh Koscheck
5. Matt Hughes
6. Paul Daley
7. Martin Kampmann
8. Carlos Condit
9. Mike Swick
10. Marius Zaromskis
LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION (160-pound limit)
#1 Lightweight Fighter in the World: B.J. Penn
2. Shinya Aoki
3. Eddie Alvarez
4. Tatsuya Kawajiri
5. Kenny Florian
6. Joachim Hansen
7. Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante
8. Frankie Edgar
9. Diego Sanchez
10. Gray Maynard
This Saturday, live from Manchester, England, the UFC® comes back at you with a plethora of powerhouse fights that will feature the old warrior, the questionable warrior and maybe even the wannabe warrior; you can figure out who that one is on your own! This will be UFC® 105: COUTURE VS. VERA, and as usual, it promises not to disappoint!
Mike "Quick" Swick (14-2) versus Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy (22-6, 1 NC)
Okay, a lot of trash talking going on here. Both of these men believe they deserve to be St-Pierre's next opponent, or victim, whichever the case may be. "Quick's" had a great career derailed with some major injuries, but he's healthy now and no one lives up to their nickname more than he does. He is a blur of fists that seem to consistently overwhelm his opponents, whether standing or on the matt. Hardy is playing the underdog role and claiming he's not getting enough respect. But with only three UFC® fights (all wins) and no wins over any real big-name fighters, this is his chance to at least establish himself. A win here puts "The Outlaw" on the road to contention. Not so fast however. Look for Swick to be his usual intense, fast-paced striking machine. Swick is right when he says people underestimate him ... and I believe Hardy will come to understand that.
Michael "The Count" Bisping (17-2) against Denis Kang (32-11-1, 2 NC)
The UFC® is pulling more and more quality talent from all over the world. Although this will be Kang's third UFC® bout, many fans may still not know who he is. Hardcore MMA aficionados know exactly who this guy is, and that he's a very formidable opponent for "The Mouth" ...uhmm, I mean "The Count." Bisping is coming back from a devastating and embarrassing knockout at the hands of Dan Henderson, so his pride and his rise to championship contention both need some shoring up right now. You have to love Bisping's take on getting knocked out. Borrowing a line from Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell, he said, "I just got caught!" Yeah, and if I step in front of a tractor-trailer on the interstate then "I just got run over!" That's how bad he "got caught." But for fighters, a short memory and minimizing a loss is vital to success, so I don't blame "The Count." I also think that this is a respectable fight for him to get back on the winning track with, although this will be a tough bout, as Kang is a very capable and smart cage veteran with 46 fights at only 32 years of age. The difference, I think, will be Bisping's speed, and don't be shocked if it goes to the ground a few times. Bisping is underrated on the mat and can hold his own there. I think Bisping will be hungry. He'll also be in great shape, and he'll win.
Randy "The Natural" Couture (16-10) takes on Brandon "The Truth" Vera (11-3)
So, how many guys with 10 losses - and for that matter, two losses in a row - command a main event UFC® fight? The answer is only Randy Couture, as he has become the deserved Godfather of the modern day sport and an example of what a true MMA super-athlete should be, both in and out of the cage. His fights, even when he loses, always reflect heart, preparation, excellent conditioning and top-level skill. Dropping back down to 205 from being a highly undersized heavyweight just might be the smartest thing to prolong his career. And if you listen to him speak, it seems as though he has no immediate plans to retire. Why not if he keeps winning and stays healthy? However, this may be a must-win situation for him to continue to be a major draw. Three losses in a row do not bode well for anyone's future in the UFC® ... much less a 46-year-old. Vera, on the other hand, has won two in a row, including a highly impressive victory over a very tough Krzysztof Soszynski on August 29th of this year. Yes, the same night that Couture fought Nogueira. Two and a half months from your last fight is not a lot of time for "The Truth" to prepare for "The Natural." Couture has the advantage in this department, as he always stays in top shape. "The Truth" has taken some of the same parallel routes Couture has. He started his career as a heavyweight, and then after a meteoric rise followed by two defeats in a row, he dropped down to 205, where he's 3-1. This fight will be a contrast in styles, like many MMA bouts. Brandon's a 6'2" classic Muay Thai-style fighter, and of course, Randy is known for his world-class wrestling. Some have questioned Vera's desire and commitment. One thing's for sure though; when he's on his game, he's one of the best that the UFC®'s light heavyweight division can offer. And he will be on, and motivated, for this fight - in England ... main event ... against a living legend? Come on, that's a no-brainer! This will be close in my opinion. There will be no knockout, but I think Couture's experience and conditioning will allow him to out-wrestle Vera for a close victory. And that's "The Truth!"
Main Bouts (On Pay-Per-View):
-Forrest Griffin defeats Tito Ortiz by split decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-2
-Josh Koscheck def. Anthony Johnson by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:42, R2
-Paulo Thiago def. Jacob Volkmann by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
-Antonio Rogerio Nogueira def. Luis Cane by TKO (Strikes) at 1:56, R1
-Amir Sadollah def. Phil Baroni by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-2
Preliminary Bouts (On Spike TV):
-Ben Saunders def. Marcus Davis by KO (Knee) at 3:24, R1
-Kendall Grove def. Jake Rosholt by Submission (Triangle Choke) at 3:59, R1
Preliminary Bouts (Non-Televised):
-Brian Foster def. Brock Larson by TKO (Strikes) at 3:25, R2
-Caol Uno vs. Fabricio Camoes ruled Majority Draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-2
-George Sotiropoulos def. ason Dent by Submission (Armbar) at 4:36, R1
