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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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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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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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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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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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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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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End of week-in-review

Wow, what a week.

First, just when you thought that Kimbo Slice was done for after his humiliating loss to TUF eliminated hopeful Seth Petruzzelli, he keeps storming back. Earlier this week it was announced that he would be appearing on the 10th season of "The Ultimate Fighter."

What. The. Crap.

I have mixed feelings about this one. While it would be interesting to see how Kimbo would fare training with either Evans or Jackson, it is kind of sad that there are only 16 fighters appearing this season. Hmmmm...I WONDER WHY? Looks like Dana White will be milking Kimbo for all he can. Considering the harsh words Dana had for Kimbo, and the fact that on previous seasons fighters have to fight to get into the show, it does not surprise me that this happened. With Kimbo added to the already combustible situation between Evans and Jackson, this should make for an interesting season.

Speaking of Evans, a special props goes out to THE NEW CHAMP Lyoto Machida for humbling Evans at UFC 98. Well deserved.

If that wasn't big enough, this week the world lost a legend (known by some). David Carradine was found dead in Bangkok earlier this week. He was best known for his starring role in the 1970's TV series Kung Fu, the syndicated 1990's series Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, and as the titular character in Kill Bill. Early speculations of the cause of death suggested suicide, but now there are reports surfacing that his death may have been accidental. I was actually a big fan of Kung Fu: The Legend Continues when I was younger, and enjoyed him in Kill Bill. Rest in peace, Kwai Chang Caine.

Coming soon will be my picks for next week's UFC 99 PPV, and also potentially a run-down/review of this weekend's MMA expo.

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Just when you thought you were safe on the train...

This'll make me think twice before cutting someone off on a train. But honestly, that woman should have been charged more severely in my opinion. Regardless, it's a funny read:

It was an ordinary GO Train trip to work, but Michael Beline got a painful dose of commuter rage.

"Everyone was walking in a rush toward the platform," said the 30-year-old Annex resident who was taking the train at Union Station to his job as an elementary teacher with Durham Region's separate board.

He thinks he may have jostled a woman as the both raced toward Track 4A during the morning rush on April 9, 2008. He's not sure.

The next thing he remembers is her angry voice, saying "Don't you f-----g cut me off."

He turned toward the voice and the woman threw the contents of her coffee cup in his face.

The rest can be read here.

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UFC 98 results, Techsoup Canada update, and more!

Been a little while since my last post, so here’s what’s new in the news:

• UFC 98 has come and gone, and we have a third straight title change as Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida knocks out the flamboyant Rashad Evans in the second round. In the other featured main event, Matt Hughes defeated Matt Serra in a fight where every round could have gone either way for Hughes or Serra. The rest of the results can be found at the UFC.com website.

• In other news, I completed the video client profile for TechSoup Canada. You can view the Literature For Life client profile here.

• And for those interested in the field of software design/engineering, here is a little screencast I did for a previous assignment that demonstrates a reverse engineering tool.

• And finally, I am now a fully certified driver in Ontario! I recently got my license on Friday and now I am set to work for 15 months carefree. Tomorrow will be my first day on the job, so it will be interesting to see how it works out.

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UFC 98 - Predictions

Ever since my exams ended, I decided to take a nice little vacation and do nothing at all. And now I am sitting here...still doing nothing at all, and am bringing you my predictions for the main events of UFC 98!

UFC Light-Heavyweight Championship: Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida

Allow me to go on record and say that this title shot for Machida is LONG overdue, and it's about time he received his shot. This is being billed as yet another "battle of the undefeateds," with Machida and Evans boasting 14-0 and 18-0-1 records, respectively.

Machida, a Karate specialist, is coming fresh off of his knockout victory of (formerly undefeated) Thiago Silva. Before his fight with Silva, many had Silva touted as a top contender, and Machida defeated him convincingly.

Evans, after his draw with Tito Ortiz, rang off three straight wins over Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin, and is now the current top dog in the Light-Heavyweight division.

So we have a situation of collegiate wrestler vs. Karate specialist. Machida is one of the few Karate specialists (if not, the only one) in the UFC. If you watch Machida's fights, he is RARELY taken down. HE can brush off any take down attempts that come his way. No doubt Evans will be the aggressor in this fight, but I don't think that his wrestling skills will be able to match Machida's defense. This fight will simply come down to who will get the knockout blow first. People are already touting an Evans/Rampage title match after their recent altercation.

Will we see Evans/Jackson? Obviously. Will it be for the title? No. I believe Machida will defeat Evans and become the next champ. WAR MACHIDA!

Winner: Lyoto Machida - Knockout 2nd round


Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra

Oh my, what a grudge match. Former coaches of "The Ultimate Fighter" were supposed to face off at the season six finale (UFC 79), but Serra succumbed to injury. Instead, Hughes faced Georges St. Pierre for the interim Light Heavyweight title and lost. After that fight, Serra faced St. Pierre for the undisputed strap and lost as well.

After his fight with St. Pierre, Hughes faced off against "The Pitbull" Thiago Alves at UFC 85, losing by knockout. Serra has had no other fights between his title loss and this upcoming PPV.

Here we have a situation of two fighters with a ground game as their primary fighting style. Serra has his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, while Hughes has his wrestling game. Both men have been known to go the distance in past fights, and I have a feeling that a decision victory for either of these two men is likely. However, this fight will launch one of these fighters back into possible contention for the Welterweight title down the road. And especially for Hughes, this seems to be his make-or-break fight.

I do think Hughes could pull off the decision win through repeated takedowns and staying on top of Serra (which could also happen because Serra is more comfortable on his back). We have already had one "retirement" take place in Chuck Liddell. Hughes looks like he could be the next. I expect a flash knockout or submission to put Serra back into contention.

Winner: Matt Serra - TKO/Submission

So that's all for now. Expect me to start posting here more often.

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UFC 101 - Huge bout signed

Normally I wouldn't post news like this. But I just finished yet another exam today, and I thought this might tide some people over for a while.

Original Source: Yahoo Sports

Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White made good on his promise to land a significant fight for suddenly under siege middleweight champion Anderson Silva, telling Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday that he had signed a deal for Silva to face ex-light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin in the co-main event of UFC 101 in Philadelphia on Aug. 8.

Regarded by many as the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, Silva has come under a barrage of criticism for his performances in his last two fights, including from White. White said he was embarrassed by Silva’s performance in a decision victory over Thales Leites at UFC 97 in Montreal.

The rest can be read here. I smell fight of the year.

After exams end, expect me to post more regularly.

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UFC 97 - Results

So here are the results, fresh off of the PPV:

Undercard

Eliot Marshall def. Vinicius Magalhaes via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27).
T.J. Grant def. Ryo Chonan via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28).
Mark Bocek def. David Bielkheden via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 4:57.
Ed Herman def. David Loiseau via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27).
Nate Quarry def. Jason MacDonald via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 2:27.
Denis Kang def. Xavier Foupa-Pokam via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

Main card
Luiz Cane def. Steve Cantwell via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27).
Cheick Kongo def. Antoni Hardonk via TKO (strikes) - Round 2, 2:29
Krzysztof Soszynski def. Brian Stann via submission (kimura) - Round 1, 3:53.
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua def. Chuck Liddell via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 4:28.
Sam Stout def. Matt Wiman via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Anderson Silva def. Thales Leites via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 50-46) in what was one of the worst fights of the year.

Final thoughts

So, I was 2-0 in my predictions. Silva's win may have not been impressive, but it counts, and he has now set a UFC record - 9 straight wins. And congratulations to Shogun, who is slowly starting to build up steam again.

Up next, UFC 98 - Evans vs. Machida. It should definitely be more interesting than what was displayed tonight.

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UFC 97 - Predictions

For those of you that don't know, I am a huge UFC buff. Last year, I was writing articles for The Mike newspaper with my UFC predictions for every event. Since the end of the last academic term I took a hiatus. Well, I find it appropriate to resurrect my predictions article. So here it is, my UFC 97 predictions for the two main events.

UFC Middleweight Title - Anderson Silva/Thales Leites

Leites, primarily a Jiu-Jitsu fighter, seems to be the man to take out Anderson Silva. He only has one loss in his professional career, and his Jiu-Jitsu is one of the strongest in the game.Anderson Silva is on a tear, as this will be his sixth title defense. His striking is second to none, and he has proven that he can take care of himself on the ground. Will this be his swan song?

Silva was obviously not in his top form in his last defense against Canadian Patrick Cote. If the Silva that was in that fight shows up again, it can easily be a one sided fight for Leites. However, Silva is looking to prove himself and show tht he can return to his top form. Also realize that one of Leites' victories came against another Silva victim - Nate Marquardt. However, it was a split decision victory (and it came due to the fact that Marquardt committed two fouls). Prior to that fight, Silva Silva can (and should) return to his championship form come Saturday. I do believe a Jiu-Jitsu ace will dethrone Silva, but it won't be Leites.

Winner: Anderson Silva

Chuck Liddell vs Mauricio "Shogun" Rua"

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Chuck Liddell has won only ONE of his last four fights. At 39, he is approaching the tail end of his UFC career. Shogun is 1-1 in his UFC career, and his looking to reestablish himself at the top of the food chain. This is simiar to the Silva/Leites fight, as you have the striker vs the gound fighter. Liddell, with his wrestling background will look to keep this fight on his feet. If this fight goes to the ground, expect Shogun to have an edge. IF this fight remains standing, I give either fighter a puncher's chance. Liddell and Shogun will both be out to prove something in this fight. Canada made history at the last UFC event held in Canada.

Shogun has the tools to beat Liddell, and he has some momentum after his last win over Mark Coleman. Expect history to be made again, as I believe Shogun will beat Liddell into retirement.

Winner: Mauricio "Shogun" Rua

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TechSoup Canada Part 4

The interviews are complete and all that is left is to complete the deliverables for TechSoup Canada. As I mentioned in a previous post, my group needs to submit a 1-2 minute edited video, a word-for-word transcript of all three interviews, and a summary of all three interviews. Originally, we were supposed to have our deliverables ready a few days ago, but due to scheduling problems, we were unable to complete the interviews until recently. Consequently, due to the workload, we were unable to have the deliverables ready in a few days. After speaking with the TechSoup representatives, they had no problem in extending the deadline of the deliverables. As it stands, the estimated deadline will be sometime late next week.

My role in this assignment was acting as the point of contact between TechSoup and the rest of my team. Initially, I was primarily involved in scheduling the interviews. After interviews were completed, I emailed the rest of my group and together we decided on what section of the deliverable each person will complete. I volunteered to compile the recorded footage and create the 1-2 minute edited video. The other members of my group will transcribe one interview each. We got along well, even though face-to-face contact was minimal. This was due to conflicting course schedules. The consistent emails sent between group members made for the lack of face-to-face time. We all had a common goal, and we all cooperated towards reaching that goal.

Because I will not complete my part of the deliverable by the assignment deadline, I will not know the impact of my contributions until I finish them. However, the TechSoup representatives have been satisfied with the work that we have done so far. They have said that the information that we get should be able to inform more clients of their existence. Additionally, the people that we interviewed have praised TechSoup Canada's services and would recommend them to other organizations. Through the interviews alone, we discovered an answer to TechSoup's impact on their current clients. One of the clients that I interviewed suggested that TechSoup create a public forum where representatives of non-profit organizations can meet. Only time will tell how our work will affect TechSoup Canada (and their clients) in the future.

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TechSoup Part 3

Even though I had my final interview last Friday, homework prevented me from posting something about this earlier. Literature for Life is an amazing organization which offers teen moms a safe environment to explore and learn to use language to her advantage and to benefit her children. They help at-risk families build a culture of literacy.

So Jay (my partner), Donnie(the Marketing manager), and I interviewed Literature for Life on Friday. Compared to the OCASI interview, I could better clearly see the impact TechSoup had on this company. This was because they had physical evidence of their creations to display to us in the form of their magazines (which reach out to single mothers).

After this interview, my understanding of the digital divide has changed. TechSoup's sole mission is to essentially bridge the digital divide by supplying technology to non-profit organizaions that cannot afford it. However, after these interviews, it seems that TechSoup has done more than simply provide technology to those that need it. These organizations are learning how to use software primarily on their own, with assistance from TechSoup. TechSoup has supplied the employees of these organizations with new technological skills that they can use outside the workplace.

I have heard the term 'digital divide' used repeatedly, but I have never known anyone (or any organization) that did not have limited access to technology. After these interviews I realize that the gap is there, and organizations like TechSoup Canada are committed to bridging the divide.

More information on Literature for Life can be found here.

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TechSoup Canada - Part 2

As I wrote yesterday, I volunteered to work with TechSoup and assist them in their campaign to reach out to more clients. In order to do this, myself and three others will interview 3 current non-profit organizations that TechSoup helped, and create client profiles. We will present an edited video, written profile, and some photos to be used in a case study on the TechSoup Canada website.

Last Friday, myself and a partner (along with the Marketing Manager of TechSoup) went to OCASI (Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants) at Yonge and Eglinton. We interviewed a few representatives, and then took a tiny tour of the office. I managed to snap a few photos for the profile, so here is a little preview of what the OCASI office looks like:



The rest of the interviews will be completed by the end of this week. See you then.

OCASI's website can be found here.

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TechSoup Canada

TechSoup Canada is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting other non-profit organizations serve the needs of low-income, undeserved populations and create positive social change. They do this by donating software, at scale, to organizations all over Canada. Non-profit organizations work to better the community, however they may not always have the resources to help them in their cause. TechSoup Canada tries to help these organizations by providing software at 4% of the original cost for organizations to purchase and use.

So why am I talking about TechSoup, and where do I come in?

In my "Computers and Society" class, I was asked to select a service partner and assist them in completing a project. TechSoup Canada appealed to me the most, as I believed that they were making a huge difference in the nonprofit sector. Technology has the potential to do great things for this world, and TechSoup Canada  is providing an opportunity for other non-profit organizations to expand their horizons. TechSoup Canada wants to expand their local client base in order to assist more companies.

TechSoup Canada is a small company, and in order to expand their base, they needed extra manpower. So myself and three others are currently assisting TechSoup in developing client profiles that demonstrate how TechSoup Canada's products and services can make a difference in the non-profit sector. This will be done through interviewing their current clients and developing client profiles. Stay tuned, as I will have information from the first interview soon.

Here is a link for TechSoup Canada

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