Friday, July 10, 2009

Top 10: Finale + UFC 100 Predictions

So here we are. Nine fights down, one more to go. What could be number one on this list? Your answer lies below. Drumroll!!!!














1. Austin St. John vs. Jason David Frank














That's right, I WENT THERE! This was one of the most anticipated fights when I was a kid, and now that I am a grown man, I STILL want to see this happen! I mean, think about it. Austin St. John was known as the original red ranger. The LEADER. And then what happened, Jason David Frank came in and stole his spotlight. Shortly after Frank came on the show, St. John was a ranger no more, and Frank assumed the role of the de-facto head honcho. To describe this in a way other people may understand, Jason David Frank is the HHH of the power rangers. If you get that reference, congratulations. Austin St. John faded into obscurity, as did Frank. However, Frank has expressed interest in fighting St. John. Unfortunately that will probably never happen due to this:




Obviously the depression has lasted with him to this day. But who would win a fight between both men in their prime? Tough call. Frank has a stronger kickboxing background, but St. John has a stronger will. Gotta give it to St. John.


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So, still here?

Well, here are my predictions for tomorrow night.

Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping


These men went at it as coaches on TUF 9. Bisping's Brits wiped the floor with the US, and Henderson must have a fire under his ass right now. This fight will very likely go the distance, and I think Henderson's will will eke out Bisping's skill. Bisping doesn't seem strong enough to knock Henderson out, or strong enough to take him down. I have been proven wrong before (see my pitiful 0 for 3 article on UFC 99). But, I pick Hendo to win by unanimous decision.

Georges St. Pierre vs. Thiago Alves

Alves is a BEAST. That is all that needs to be said about him. The man walks around at 200 pounds and is the biggest man GSP has ever had to face. I realize that GSP has better technique than the powerhouse Alves, but technique will get you nowhere if you cannot take your opponent down. Look for Alves to keep this one standing and GSP to try and get him to the ground ASAP. I know I am going to get flamed for this, but I am picking Alves to dethrone GSP. Alves gets the knockout in the second round.

Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar


Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir have already fought before, with Mir submitting him via leglock. Afterwards, Lesnar dismantled Heath Herring and defeated Randy Couture to win the Heavyweight crown. All in less than 5 fights. Mir had defeated Minotauro Noguiera to win the interim crown. There are many skeptics who aren't giving Mir a shot in this one due to the fact that Noguiera was nowhere near 100%.

Here's the thing, Lesnar had beaten another brawler and a wrestler. He had never dealt with anyone comfortable on his back other than frank Mir. Herring was a brawler, Couture was a wrestler. All Lesnar has is his wrestling, his power, and his oh-so-gay looking hammerfist (albeit it IS powerful). He claims he wants revenge, and he claims he won't get caught in that leglock again. I think that Lesnar has had nightmares every night up until today. And I think his vengeful mood will affect his fighting. When one fights for revenge, one tends to lose focus. And you need to realize something else. Frank Mir is fighting for redemption. After a motorcycle accident took him out a few years ago, he has clawed his way back up and is one more fight away from supremacy. He has much more to lose than Lesnar. I think Mir will weather the storm in the first round, and go to submit Lesnar in the second. I don't think Lesnar has learned enough in the past few months to handle Mir's Jiu-jitsu. We'll see what happens tomorrow night.

In the esteemed words of Mills Lane and Marvin Gaye: LET'S GET IT ON!

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Thursday, July 9, 2009

Top 10: Part 3

Tonight the UFC Ultimate 100 takes a break, but I am not! Tonight I will reveal two more fights that made the top 3!


3. Tony Jaa vs. Bruce Lee


When I started this countdown, I am sure that you knew Bruce Lee would be here sooner or later. It was only a matter of when and against who. Bruce Lee is the founding father of Jeet Kune Do, the "style of no styles." In many ways, Jeet Kune Do concepts are nearly identical to those of mixed martial artists today. Bruce Lee claimed that a fighter should do whatever is necessary to defend himself. JKD advocates the combination of different styles, to create an entity that is unbounded and free. Hell, Bruce Lee essentially IS the father of MMA.

Tony Jaa is arguably one of the best action stars of this generation. If you have seen his movies (Ong-Bak, the Protector), he is on a level like no other action star. He was even touted as the next Bruce Lee (in terms of action movie stardom). It remains to be seen whether Hollywood will give him a chance, but he is arguably the next great action star.

Now, how would these two fare against each OTHER? It's JKD vs. Muay Thai. Bruce Lee's fitness does not touch Jaa's, and his philosophy of martial arts is unparalleled. Lee would take this fight easily, by finding Jaa's weaknesses, and exploiting them, breaking him down methodically until Jaa can fight no more. Sure, this would end up being one sided, but I am sure it would be entertaining as hell to watch.

2. Alex Trebek vs. Sean Connery

Wait, what? What beef do these two have with each other?

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Got it? After watching the most recent Celebrity Jeopardy sketch on SNL a while ago, I realized these two characters absolutely HATED each other. How many times while watching these sketches did you think Trebek was just going to go apeshit on Connery? He never had the outlet! Connery always got the best of Trebek, and I know Trebek would want revenge. Read on...

This would probably be one of the most hyped fights ever (well, maybe not more than #1). Picture the weigh-in: Trebek comes out, weighs in, followed by Connery whose laugh can be heard from the back. Trebek cannot hold his frustrations and tries attacking Connery. Connery fires jeers back at Trebek as security escorts him out.

Fight day. Both men are in the cage, and meet in the centre to receive instructions, while Connery points out Trebek's mother at ringside. The fight would pretty much be Trebek wildly swinging at Connery while he laughs and cracks mother jokes. Connery laughs it up until Trebek lands a few shots and the brawl is on. Both men would slug it out for 3 rounds until it goes to a decision. This one would end in a DRAW, folks. Come on, there is no true winner here, as Trebek would at least bask in the relief that he defended his mother's honor and beat the holy hell out of Connery...until his mother enters the ring and reveals that she slept with Connery.



So what rivalry would top this? Stay tuned until tomorrow, along with my predictions for UFC 100!!!

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Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Top 10: Part 2

Hope you enjoyed the first part of the countdown, so I am wasting no time. Here are the next set of fights!

6. Tupac Shakur vs. Biggie Smalls

Ok, we all know that the East vs West rap rivalry took the stage and that there were many players. But these two men seem to sum this rivalry up best in our lifetime. Biggie Smalls grew up in a tough childhood...aw hell, I don't need to describe his life, just watch 'Notorious.' Comparing these two men is like comparing an elephant to a lion. And unlike Peter Griffin, I don't think that Biggie's girth would do wonders for his stamina. I would expect this fight to begin with Biggie being the aggressor, but losing steam mid-fight, allowing Tupac to take over and secure a win in the middle of the fight.

5. Adolf Hitler vs. Winston Churchill

We all know that World War two was unnecessary, so why not put the two top leaders of that war in a cage together? Both men were soldiers for their respective countries. Churchill undoubtedly has more experience in the army, as he served from 1895 to around 1915. He traveled to multiple countries and served as a cavalry officer. However, Hitler's role during WW1 will become the difference maker in this fight. You know why he was so intense and intimidating during his speeches? Imagine running across the Western Front with bullets flying all around you. That's what Hitler didm and it undoubtedly made him a tough Gefreiter. All politics aside, if these two squared off, I would see Hitler garnering the win, as his army experience undoubtedly makes him much tougher than the British bomber.

4. David Letterman vs. Jay Leno


You knew this one was coming sooner or later. We have 'The Chin' vs 'The Gap.' Quick backstory: David Letterman was believed to be touted as the replacement for the late, great, Johnny Carson for the host of the Tonight Show, but Jay Leno stuck his chin in his business and took the job. Well, Letterman must have been pissed off, and I bet if given the opportunity, would love to get in the ring with Leno. Here's how I see the fight going down: Letterman would come out swinging, but Leno's rock hard chin would likely deflect all of Letterman's punches. Leno would then come back and stick his fist right into Letterman's gap, knocking him out instantly.

And there we go! Seven down, three to go. And believe me, the best is yet to come...

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Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Top 10 Fantasy Fights

This week, the UFC is putting on a countdown of their 100 greatest fights ever. So I thought it would be interesting to do something similar. So, over the next few days, I will countdown a list of the top 10 fights that I would have liked to see happen. Why? I'm working, I'm not in school, and I'm bored. Sue me.

This list will compose of real and fictional people, and is purely my opinion. So without further ado, let's get started!!!

10. Monica Lewinsky vs. Hilary Clinton


When you talk about chickfights, there are many female celebrity feuds that come into play. However, when you consider the magnitude of the circumstances surrounding these two women, this is THE chickfight to see (of course, next to Carano/Cyborg). Hilary Clinton was the first lady of arguably one of the HIPPEST presidents to ever grace the White House. Bill smoked weed, played the sax, and had sexual relations with other women behind his wife's back. Hilary should have not only been pissed that her husband cheated on her, but on an uglier woman!!!!! If this fight were to happen, I would picture Hilary being the aggressor, using her limberness to dominate Lewinsky from bell to bell.


9. Steve Urkel vs. Screech

When you talk nerds, these two names come to mind. Steve Urkel was the surprise nerd who appeared on the show Family Matters, which was a spinoff from the show 'Perfect Strangers' (remember that show?). Screech was the nerd from Bayside High, always the lackey of Zack Morris. So what would happen when these two titans of the textbook face off? Urkel wins. He has the technology to transform himself into anyone he wants (remember that Bruce Lee episode?) Urkel via TKO in the first round.

8. Criss Angel vs. David Blaine


Our second chickfight...wait, never mind. We have two magicians face off. David Blaine burst onto the magic scene with his 1997 special where he mesmerized audiences with his ridiculous illusions. Criss Angel comes along in 2005 with Mindfreak, and takes Blaine's tricks and literally amps them up. And then every other year you see one of the two men perform some ridiculous trick or escape (usually hanging in the air). Criss Angel usually hides behind his jacket and his chains trying to put on some rocker/goth type image, and has the voice and lisp of a post-op transvestite. David Blaine seems more composed and to himself. If these two ever decided to face off, Blaine would most certainly dominate.

7. Homer Simpson vs. Peter Griffin

Why cartoon characters? Cause Matt Groening vs. Seth Mcfarlane would have been tougher to analyze. Besides, seeing a super-heavyweight matchup of this magnitude would be far more interesting. Homer Simpson came onto the scene in the early 90's, as a bumbling, drunken father on the TV show "The Simpsons." In 1999, Peter Griffin appears on family guy as a...drunken...bumbling...father. Oy. Well, it's no use comparing these two characters, but comparing their fighting styles is far different. Peter Griffin is by far the better striker, as shown in various episodes fighting multiple characters. And he can go on for minutes on end. But Homer is the cartoon version of Rocky Balboa: he can take punches.

If this came to fruition, Griffin would attack early and often, while Simpson (with Moe in his corner) would take punches trying to tire Griffin out. While rather large, Griffin has a ton of stamina for a man his size, and would very likely eke out a decision over Simpson.


So there it is, fights 10-7. Stay tuned for the next installment!!!

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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

What a messed up world...

It's been a while since I posted anything, so it's time to break my silence.

After reading the newspaper today, I felt it was time to say something, as it is ridiculous what are being reported in the news.

But first, the strike. I must say, I feel pretty sorry for those in Toronto affected by this. I personally think that this recession has made everyone paranoid, and I wonder if the city workers would be striking if there was no recession. The same could be said with the LCBO strike. They're looking for full-time job security at a time where money is scarce. It is truly unfortunate that all of these circumstances had to occur at the same time. I swear, if the damn sewage companies go on strike, then we will be truly up to our necks in deep *^$#%.

Next, I read an article talking about a tree that Adolf Hitler planted in Poland. Workers are debating tearing it down to make way for a new roundabout. Downright ridiculous. I'm not knocking the article. I'm knocking the fact that people in Poland are debating taking down a tree that HITLER planted. Read the article here if you're interested.

And then you have the Hilton/Will.i.am debacle. Will.i.am claimed that Hilton was seeking for attention, and it obviously worked, as I am fucking typing about this right now!!! Honestly, what kind of example are you setting for kids when you 'Tweet' an assault right after it happens?? I can imagine it now: A high schooler gets stabbed, and, while slowly clinging onto life pulls out his phone and tries to update his facebook status. The future does not look good for anyone who sees this man as a rolemodel...

Coming soon, # 10 on the countdown of my top 10 fantasy MMA fights. Pull out a cigar for this one, folks...

R.I.P Ed McMahon.

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Friday, June 12, 2009

UFC 99 Predictions

That's right, we are on the eve of UFC 99, and I've got some predictions (hence the title). First off, some kudos go out to the Penguins for taking the Stanley Cup against what seemed to me insurmountable odds.

Now, for UFC 99, I am going to focus on not two, but THREE bouts.

Rich Franklin vs. Vanderlei Silva

This is one fight fans have been clamouring for, and potentially could be the last fight for Silva.

Last weekend at the expo, I had a chat with 'Showdown' Joe Ferarro himself, and his consensus was this: his heart said Silva, and his head said Franklin. He proceeded to explain to me why Franklin could have the edge in this fight, and frankly, it made sense. However, Silva has more to lose, and is a man possessed.

Silva has a 'side feud', if you will, with Anderson Silva. He does not respect the way Anderson has handled his last few fights. Well, Anderson Silva despises Vanderlei SO much, that he agreed to train with Franklin to prepare for Silva!!!! A man he obliterated not once, but twice!

Well, Silva is not taking this lying down. He wants to beat Franklin. And he KNOWS that to get to Silva, he will go through Franklin. I think on drive alone, Silva has the edge in this fight. I think that Franklin's streak against "Silva's" will become 0-3.

Cain Velasquez vs Cheick Kongo

The man touted as the future of the UFC does not seem to have much credibility behind him. With just 5 professional fights, I cannot see how he can carry the heavyweight division. You need to look no further than his last fight, which seemed to simply be a feeder fight because his opponent fought so badly. Add to the fact that Kongo has a wealth of experience, as well as a 3 inch height advantage, he should be able to take down Velasquez and hand him his first UFC loss.

Marcus Davis vs. Dan Hardy

In the words of 'Showdown' Joe: This one is going to be a war.

They have hyped this fight based around the fact that these two do not like each other. Add the fact that they are both knockout artists and you have the potential for fight of the year. However, the key to this fight lies right underneath your nose...

Marcus Davis has an edge over Dan Hardy in one area: ground victories. Davis has proven that he can win fights on the ground and on his feet convincingly. However, I have not seen anything from Hardy other than knockout wins. If Davis is smart, he will take the fight to the ground. If not, each man stands a puncher's chance of winning. I am picking Davis to win due to his more all around game.


And that's it!!! Stay tuned, as over the next few weeks I will be doing a countdown of my top 10 fantasy MMA fights that I want to see. I know, it's a bit lame. But since I am not going to be in school for 15 months, I'll have a lot of time on my hands, and this'll be fun.

And I'm OUT!

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Sunday, June 7, 2009

MMA Expo Thoughts

What a day!!!

Yesterday was the kickoff for the MMA Expo, 4th Edition. I said I was going to give you thoughts, and by God here they are. Here is a play-by-play of my journey throughout the day. Get ready for a long one, folks.

9:45 AM - Arrive at International Centre, begin my 5 minute hike across the parking lot.

9:55 - Line starts moving for people to get in

10:02 - Finally make it in, paid my 20 bucks, and entered the hall to find...boxes. Yes, people were still setting up, so I take this opportunity to scout the area to see who is appearing where.

10:10 - I go up to a fitness exhibitor and take a mini fitness test where I fail miserably for all but one test. They had a contest to see who would set the highest records in their tests, and I actually made it on the board for one test.

10:11 - I fill out a ballot to win tickets to a WWE event in Hamilton. Yes, I'm lame.

10:22 - I get to the Silverstar exhibitor where they give visitors the opportunity to play UFC: Undisputed all day.

10:24 - I get my chance to play and easily win my fight (as Demian Maia) against Anderson Silva, submitting him in 43 seconds with a kimura.

10:32 AM - As I look over to my left, I notice Patrick Cote has arrived, so I head over to his area to wait in line for his autograph.

11:08 -



Finally met Patrick Cote! Didn't really get a chance to talk to him though, as there was a massive lineup behind me. But he did seem like a nice guy.

11:12 - After finishing with him, I look over and notice another fighter just arriving...

11:21 -



Frank Trigg! Quite honestly the nicest fighter of the entire day. We chatted it up for a few minutes, asked him what he was doing, and received confirmation from him that he WILL be returning to the ring for sure in September and fighting against Josh Koscheck.
I'll be rooting for you in the fall.

11:27 - I notice a magazine stand featuring an autograph section, so I do not hesitate and purchase one for 5 bucks. And it couldn't have come at a better time because...

11:30 - I notice Sean Sherk arriving and the lineup begins to fill up FAST. I get my place in line and wait...

11:48 -



Sean was another stand up guy, and he still looked pretty beat up. He was just coming fresh of of a loss to Frankie Edgar. I asked him about his future fights, but he said he has not heard anything.

11:54 -



'The Hammer' Matt Hamill. The only deaf fighter in the UFC, was already luring people over as I got my picture taken with Sherk. So I got in line and got him to sign my mag.

11:56 - As I am walking, I notice a lineup forming around the corner, so I wait in line to see...

12:04 PM -



Sam Stout. Stand-up guy to talk to, and agreed to engage me in a face-off. I think I could take him. :)

12:12 -



I am waiting in line to meet Shonie Carter, and sneak a picture of his belts.

12:14 -



If you have seen Shonie Carter on TV, he acts EXACTLY the same in person. Fucking hilarious man.

12:20 - LUNCH!

12:53 -



First one I meet after lunch was none other than 'Showdown' Joe Ferarro. We had a pretty good conversation for about 5-10 minutes or so, and we discussed his show, UFC 99, and what he sees happening in the future. Very nice guy, as he was one of the few people I actually talked to outside of 'Hello, can I get your autograph'?

1:04 -



I make my way to the Hayabusa area to see if I can get Arianny's autograph. The lineup, however, was HUGE. Kang had a smaller lineup, and so I got his picture first.

1:20 - I hear rumblings that James Irvin is soon to arrive, so I get in line.

1:30 - Irvin was slated to arrive, but he was not here, so I waited.

1:40 - Still waiting, and to the left of me, a guy got on the stage and started talking about the benefits of jump rope as noone cared to listen. Oh joy.

1:50 - Irvin still has not arrived and the guy is STILL going. I had to give it to him though, the dude could JUMP.

1:55 - His demo mercifully ends, but I give him my props just as Irvin enters through the door.

2:24 -



James Irvin is HUGE in person man. That's really all that needed to be said.

2:30 - I finally get in line to meet Arianny as it has slightly gone down a bit.

2:54 -



What a trooper. She arrived at 12 and she was signing for probably about three hours. And gentlemen, she IS hotter in person. That is all.

2:58 -



I sidle my way over to meet a soft spoken Mark Bocek.

3:09 - I go back to the Hayabusa exhibitor to buy me a t-shirt. It was either 20 bucks to buy, or 5 to buy AND wear on site. I stripped.

3:16 -



Recently released former UFC fighter Jason MacDonald.

3:25 - I got me a Tapout shirt to close out the day.


So here is my final thought:

Overall, I thought the day was well worth the 20 bucks. There was good interaction, good events, and good people. I met fans from far and wide. By far, my favourite guys I met were Frank Trigg and Shonie Carter. Other than Thiago Silva not showing, James Irvin was my biggest disappointment. So yeah, that's about it. I will be posting my (And Showdown Joe's) predictions for UFC 99 soon enough, so stay tuned!

PEACE OUT!

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