Test for KneeBar Reactions predictions contest..........
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
WARRIOR REVIEW AND UFN 25 PREDICTIONS
Sorry about the delay everyone. It's been a long and eventful week. But believe me, I never once forgot my duty as the worst MMA blogger in the world. I know you've all been anxiously waiting at the edge of your seats, so you can all relax now. I'm back.
Well, since it's been almost a week, I've decided to make this somewhat of a double post. I'll do my usual predictions as well as my first ever movie review! Are you excited yet? You don't have to tell me, I can feel it from here. If you're wondering what movie I'll be reviewing, I'll tell you. It's The Smurfs! No.... I'm just kidding. Of course it's going to be Warrior. What other movie would a guy who writes a blog about Mixed Martial Arts review?
A little bit of warning is in order before your read this review. I'm somewhat of a jaded elitist when it comes to movies and film making. Ask anyone that knows me and they'll tell you that I'm a pretty harsh critic. I honestly can't even remember the last movie I saw in theaters that I left not feeling like I was just conned out of $30+. Now that you know my secret, you can decide if you want to continue reading. Theres no shame in just skipping to the predictions and bypassing the movie review all together. I won't judge you, I promise.
Warrior (Spoiler Free)
I honestly went in to this movie trying to keep the most open mind possible. I did my homework before buying tickets and everything. Rotten tomatoes was giving it an 82% approval rating, so I was optimistic about how I would feel when the movie was over. So I drove to the movies with my girlfriend, trooper that she is, and bought us some tickets. No popcorn tonight kids, just coffee and water. We sat through the previews, which were intense to say the least, and finally the main attraction began. Don't worry, Im not planning to give you a play by play or anything like that. I wont spoil the ending or go in to too much detail. Anything I tell you could be easily picked up from just watching the trailer (available above). I've divided my thoughts about the movie in to three sections that I like to call: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
1. This is hands down the best movie ever made that features MMA as a sport. (although the competition is not very stiff)
2. Nick Nolte's performance was intense and believable.
3. It showed that MMA fighters can come from all walks of life.
4. Cameos by actual MMA fighters, Nate Marquardt and Anthony Johnson.
5. Tom Hardy did a fantastic job. It really felt like he could whoop my ass.
The Bad
1. Over stylized fight scenes. Some of the scenes looked like something out of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
2. Joel Edgerton (Brandon Conlon) was lukewarm at best. It felt like his expressions were just different variations of the same emotion.
3. The whole premise of the movie is incredibly unbelievable. Especially the reason behind why both brothers compete in the tournament.
4. The stereotypical high school kids. I thought I was watching an episode of Saved by the Bell at one point.
5. Kurt Angle as the Fedor like character "Koba." It was almost painful to watch.
The Ugly
1. I don't know of any athletic commission that would sanction a one day, 16 man tournament. Especially in Atlantic City.
2. WWE style power bombs? Really? They could have at least made it look believable.
3. Using Josh Rosenthal (an actual MMA referee) to be the referee in the movie. If he ever reffed a fight in real life like he did in Warrior, he'd be fired.
4. The way Brandon Conlon gets beat up for the majority of the fight and then pulls a submission out of his ass. Speaking of which, the technique he uses to perform said submissions is atrocious. They couldn't have hired one legitimate BJJ consultant?
5. The training montages. Why would a fighter who's about to compete in a major tournament spar without any protective gear on? At one point they go full contact in training. Its just ridiculous as far as I'm concerned.
6. Fighters with nicknames like "White Lightning." Seriously?
All in all it wasn't a terrible movie. It is definitely leagues above its predecessors and is a better MMA movie than any that I've seen in the past. It still, however, paints Mixed Martial Arts as a sport in a somewhat negative light. There's a ways to go before MMA is accurately and fairly portrayed in a film. I understand that this is Hollywood, and everything is slightly exaggerated, but there's no need to exaggerate quite so much. MMA is an exciting sport in real life, so there's no reason to push the boundaries. I also think that a little more research needs to be done by the film makers before they try to write characters that will be believable MMA fighters.
As an MMA fan I give this film a C-. Mildly entertaining at times, but could have been a lot better.
As a jaded film goer, it gets a solid C+. Wait until it comes out on video.
Now lets move on to topics I actually know a little something about. Sorry if the movie review was less than entertaining, but I thought I'd give it a shot.
UFN 25: Shields vs. Ellenberger
This is starting to be looked at as the forgotten UFC card. Ultimate Fight Night 25 feels like it was hastily put together and hasn't really been promoted very well. Maybe Dana White and the rest of the UFC have been so preoccupied with the Fox deal and other endeavors that they forgot that this card was coming up. I don't think I've seen one real commercial promoting any of these fights. Now that I think about it, I don't even remember seeing a trailer for UFN 25. It's a shame too because so much could have been done for the city of New Orleans had a little more attention been payed to this event. The good things is that this is yet another free event and one of the last to be broadcast on Spike. Since I'm never one to complain about free MMA, I'm just as excited for this as I am for any other card.
Alan Belcher vs. Jason MacDonald
It's the return of Alan Belcher! For those of you that don't know, Belcher has been out of commission for more than a year after suffering a detached retina while training for his fight with Demian Maia. You may last remember Belcher giving Patrick Cote a beat down and then calling out Anderson Silva. I appreciate the gamesmanship Alan, but lets be serious. Neither Belcher nor his terrible Johnny Cash tattoo are on the same level as Anderson Silva. Jason MacDonald is a journeyman of sorts and a BJJ blackbelt. This will be his 13th fight in the UFC and he's been up and down and up and down, always losing to top competition. This has all the potential in the world to be a great fight. The return of Belcher adds some much need depth to the Middleweight division and MacDonald should be a stern test for him. At one point, Belcher was considered a viable contender and if he can put a couple of impressive wins together he may just get his shot at the title. Ring rust might be factor for Belcher as he's been out of the octagon for more than a year and was even forced to stop training all together at one point. This fight will give us a good indication as to the status of Belcher's recovery. Assuming he's in good shape, this should be a fairly one sided affair. Belcher has a very underrated ground game and his stand up is much better than MacDonald's. So, assuming the Jason MacDonald hasn't learned any new tricks since we last saw him, Belcher should take this one.
Prediction: Belcher by 2nd Rd TKO
Eric Koch vs. Jonathan Brookins
So we finally get to see the guy who won the Ultimate Fighter Season 12 fight in the UFC. Brookins won the show nine months ago and has yet to make his octagon debut. Although he won the show as a lightweight, he will be making his featherweight debut in the UFC. Featherweight is actually his preferred weight class and its where he had spent the majority of his time prior to TUF 12. Fun fact, Brookins once fought Jose Aldo in the WEC. It wasn't even a close fight and Aldo buzzed right through him, but he still fought him. Dropping to featherweight permanently is a great idea for Brookins as the lightweight division has a long list of contenders ready to make their mark. Brookins will be facing Eric Koch, a WEC transplant who has looked impressive in his last few fights. Koch is currently on a three fight win streak and this will be his second fight in the UFC. Koch's only career loss came at the hands of wrestling dynamo Chad Mendes.
This may actually be the most evenly matched fight of the entire card. Both Brookins and Koch bring a lot of skills to the table and I'm actually very curious to see how this one is going to play out. If Brookins can muscle Koch to the ground and use his wrestling to keep control, then it will be a very long night for Koch. Koch has much better stand up than Brookins though and could very easily end this fight or use his athleticism to pepper Brookins with punches from the outside. I honestly don't know how much Brookins has improved since his stint on TUF but based one what I saw, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He looked tough on the show and I"m willing to back him in this fight based solely on what I saw there. Koch has unlimited potential though and being that he's only 22, the sky is the limit. Since it is very rare that a TUF winner loses in his octagon debut after the show, I'm gonna have to go with Brookins on this one.
Prediction: Brookins by Unanimous Decision.
Court McGee vs. Dongi Yang
I have to be honest with you. I had to look up Dongi Yang and watch his fights on Youtube. Prior to this booking I'd never heard of him. Apparently, this is actually his third fight in the UFC. Go figure! You may know Court McGee as the winner of TUF 11 and the first guy to ever win The Ultimate Fighter as a wildcard. He's also one of the few remaining high level Mixed Martial Artists out there who train at The Pit under the tutelage of John Hackleman.
Based on the little I've seen of Dongi Yang, it seems like he's a pretty solid Middleweight. He has good takedowns and a decent enough ground game. Court McGee, however, has shown us time and time again that there's no quit in him. Just when you think the guy is outmatched, he does something that no one was expecting. I think the power comes from that magnificent beard of his. I'm going to base this pick on two very important factors considering I don't know much about Yang. Asian fighters have had a very hard time fighting overseas and have not been very successful in the UFC as a whole. Two, the UFC matchmakers tend to favor TUF winners in their match ups and will usually give them beatable opponents until they start to become contenders. I think Court McGee pulls this one out but using his wrestling to take down The Ox (Yang's nickname) and pound him out.
Prediction: Court McGee by 3rd Round TKO
Jake Shields vs. Jake Ellenberger
The battle of the Jakes. I have to commend Jake Shields for still going through with this fight. His father passed away three weeks ago and he never once considered pulling out. It must be tough to prepare yourself for a fight after going through such an emotionally difficult time.
Jake Shields is coming off a very disappointing loss to Georges St. Pierre. I was pulling for him in that fight and I still believe that he has all the tools to beat GSP. He just came in with a flawed game plan. Even so, he was still able to take GSP the distance and was the first fighter to hurt him in a very long time. If Shields had used the skills he excels at instead of standing and trading with GSP, he may very well have won that fight. Ellenberger is coming off a big KO of Sean Pierson and is being touted as one of the rising stars in the Welterweight division. His wrestling is very good and his standup is improving at a methodical pace.
Lets cut to the chase! Although Ellenberger is a very well rounded and talented fighter, Jake Shields is a master at bringing the fight to his world. His blend of Catch Wrestling and BJJ (which he calls American Jiu-Jitsu) is second to only to Josh Barnett. A lot of people will point to his lack of finishes in recent years, but this is because he has only fought elite level competition. I don't think Ellenberger has a shot at out grappling Shields which makes his only chance a quick knockout. Being the Jake Shields once took a full power H-Bomb from Dan Henderson right to the chin, and still came back to win the fight, I don't think Ellenberger has the strength to knock him out. Ellenberger has also shown that a high level BJJ practitioner can give him problems. Watch his fight with Carlos Eduardo Rocha and tell me I'm not right.
I see Jakes Shields using his Wrestling and BJJ skills to frustrate Ellenberger in to making a mistake. Shields will then pounce and finally finish a fight. He will then dedicate his much deserved win to his father.
Prediction: Jakes Shields by Rd 2 Submission.
Sorry again for taking so long in between posts. I promise I'll try to keep it more consistent from here on out.
As always, feel free to leave any comments about anything.
I'm planning on making some pretty exciting improvements so keep tuning in and you won't be disappointed. There's a lot of original content coming your way.
As always, follow me on twitter @TheGuardFighter.
Come back tomorrow for my post fight reactions.
PEACE!
9 THINGS I LEARNED FROM STRIKEFORCE: BARNETT VS. KHARITONOV, REACTIONS, AND VIDEOS
One more card is in the books. Believe it or not, this very well may have been the most entertaining StrikeForce card I’ve ever had the privilege of watching. From top to bottom, every fight was fun and exciting. I was actually able to watch the full event because HDnet broadcasts all the prelims live. Even the undercard fights were a pleasure to watch. Kudos to Scott Coker and the entire StrikeForce organization for putting on a fantastic night of fights for the fans. Thanks!
I’m man enough to admit when I was wrong about something. Boy did I underestimate the abilities of Luke Rockhold. There is now a new Middleweight Champion in StrikeForce. I predicted that Jacare would win this fight in devastating fashion and that Luke Rockhold did not deserve to be in the same building as the champ. These words I’m eating taste surprisingly sour. Not only does Luke Rockhold deserve every second of the recognition he is currently getting from the MMA world, he deserves apologies from all the naysayers. In fact, I’d like to lead this campaign. I’m sorry Luke Rockhold!
I think there’s still a ways to go before Rockhold can be considered among the elite, but he’s well on his way.
(I’d just like to point out that I actually scored this fight in favor of Jacare. He definitely won rounds 1 and 4 and 5 was a tossup. Still, it was so close of a fight that I can’t blame the judges for their decision)
Daniel Cormier def. Antonio “Big Foot” Silva via KO in RD 1
If I’m wrong about everything else in my entire life, please remember that I was 100% right about this. In fewer words, Daniel Cormier is….a….beast. I’ll be the first to say that I had no idea he has so much power in his hands. I saw this fight going completely differently than it actually did. Even so, the end result was basically the same. Daniel Cormier came in to this fight as an alternate and basically dismantled a guy who was considered by most to be a top 10 Heavyweight. No more words, I’ll let the video do the talking. Oh, one more thing…… “Can the man get some respect now please?”
Josh Barnett def. Sergei Kharitonov via Submission (Arm Triangle) in RD 1
Once again Josh Barnett does what everyone expects him to do. He closes the distance while eating some punches, takes his opponent down, and then goes to work. Has anyone else noticed that when Josh Barnett takes someone down he has this crazy ability to land mounted? That’s two fights in a row now where he’s done the exact same thing. Well it turned out to be a really short night for Sergei Kharitonov who was outmatched right from the beginning. I honestly expected the fight to be a bit more competitive than it was. This fight was a testament to Barnett’s skills as a grappler. He’s truly among the elite in the Heavyweight division.
(I still think that he should not have been licensed to fight, but you can’t deny the man’s skills)
The finals of the StrikeForce Heavyweight Grand Prix will now be decided by Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier. In my opinion this will be the most intriguing matchup thus far. Will Josh Barnett be able to take down and Olympic wrestler? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. There are reports that Daniel Cormier injured his hand so it might be a while before we get to see this fight happen. I personally can’t wait. War Cormier!
9 things I learned from StrikeForce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov (Cause I didn’t learn ten)
1. Pat Militech is the only person on the StrikeForce broadcast team that should be allowed anywhere near a microphone. I’ve never missed Mike Goldberg so much in my life.
2. Hearing Bas Rutten and Kenny Rice do commentary on the undercard was fantastic. I’ve never been a big Kenny Rice fan but listening to him say that Yoel Romero has “moves like Jagger” was just priceless.
3. AKA is one of the best MMA gyms in the country. They went 4 – 0 last night and took home the Middleweight Championship in case you didn’t notice.
4. Hype is exactly that, just hype. The two most hyped fighters on the card, Amanda Nunes and Maximo Blanco, both fell to experience. Just goes to show what talk gets you in this sport.
5. (More of a confirmation) You cannot expect to win fights by being really good in one discipline. There’s a reason it’s called Mixed Martial Arts.
6. StrikeForce has some great prospects that are poised to do big things in this sport. Keep an eye out people.
7. Watching the undercard can sometimes be more entertaining than watching the main card. Those guys fight for pride and it always makes for a good show.
8. King Mo gets better every time I watch him fight. He should not be allowed to do interviews though.
9. Josh Barnett should really stop making reporters feel uncomfortable when they interview him. Especially when the reporter is female. Talking about peeling the flesh from someone’s body is less than appropriate Josh.
In other news, Bellator 49 was also last night in case you missed it. I heard it was a really great show, but I haven’t actually had a chance to watch is yet. I did catch Ben Saunders putting on a clinic though. I hope he makes his way back to the UFC at some point. I really enjoy watching him fight. Results are as follows:
Chris Lozano def. Brent Weedman via Unanimous Decision
Ben Saunders def. Chris Cisneros via TKO in RD 3
Luis Santos def. Dan Hornbuckle via Unanimous Decision
Douglas Lima def. Steve Carl via Unanimous Decision
Results:
UnderCard
Dominique Steele def. Chris Mierzwiak via unanimous decision
Alexis Davis def. Amanda Nunes via TKO in RD 1 (punches from the back)
Jordan Mein def. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos via TKO in RD 3 (standing elbows)
Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante def. Yoel Romero via KO in RD 2
Mike Kyle def. Marcos Eduardo Lima via unanimous decision
Some of the videos for these fights are available on Youtube. I suggest you at least watch the Jordan Mein vs. Cyborg fight and the Feijao vs. Romero fight. Jordan Mein is a future star of the sport so you better take notice. Feijao, well, he was just being Feijao and that’s always fun to watch. In fact, I’m going to go ahead and post them because I’m so certain that you’ll enjoy it.
(*disclaimer* - Round 1 of the Feijao vs. Romero fight is extremely boring. I promise you won’t regret it if you can make it to Round 2)
UnderCard
Dominique Steele def. Chris Mierzwiak via unanimous decision
Alexis Davis def. Amanda Nunes via TKO in RD 1 (punches from the back)
Jordan Mein def. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos via TKO in RD 3 (standing elbows)
Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante def. Yoel Romero via KO in RD 2
Mike Kyle def. Marcos Eduardo Lima via unanimous decision
Some of the videos for these fights are available on Youtube. I suggest you at least watch the Jordan Mein vs. Cyborg fight and the Feijao vs. Romero fight. Jordan Mein is a future star of the sport so you better take notice. Feijao, well, he was just being Feijao and that’s always fun to watch. In fact, I’m going to go ahead and post them because I’m so certain that you’ll enjoy it.
(*disclaimer* - Round 1 of the Feijao vs. Romero fight is extremely boring. I promise you won’t regret it if you can make it to Round 2)
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Main Card
If you read my post from Friday, you’ll know that I went 3 – 2 on my picks last night. That’s not bad considering that one of these fights ended in a major upset. That gives me a lifetime record of 7 – 5. If I was a baseball player, I’d be batting over .500.
Pat “Bam Bam” Healy def Maximo Blanco via Sumbission (RNC) in Round 2
What a nutty fight this turned out to be. A lot of people were expecting Maximo Blanco to show the world why he’s considered one of the fastest rising prospects in the sport. He did, for about two and a half minutes. From then on, it was all Pat Healy. Congratulations to Bam Bam by the way for taking some illegal kicks to the head and not taking the easy way out. Not only did he continue to fight, but he turned it up and brought the fight to Blanco. What was really surprising is that Blanco, who is supposed to be a standout wrestler, was out wrestled by Healy for the majority of the fight. All in all this was a great performance from Pat Healy, who once again shows us why experience and composure is so important in the sport of MMA. He also shows us that he’s tough as nails. Blanco should probably find a Jiu-Jitsu coach very soon and learn how to defend a submission. Seriously.
Muhammed “Kingo Mo” Lawal def. Roger Gracie via KO in RD 1
I’ve said it a hundred times and I’m going to have to say it again! I will never understand the Gracies. Listen, these guys were among the pioneers of modern MMA and without them the sport would never have become what it is today. But why the hell do they refuse to learn how to Box? It is mind boggling for me that a guy like Roger Gracie, who is quite possibly the best BJJ practitioner in the world, would come in to a fight against a fighter as dangerous as King Mo and not be 100% prepared in his standup. King Mo fought most of the fight with his hands down throwing power punches. He wasn’t even looking for counters because of how sure he was that Gracie was outmatched in the standup department. Roger Gracie, and the entire Gracie family for that matter, needs to realize that Jiu-Jitsu alone will not win MMA fights at the highest levels. You have to be good at everything. I say this only because I don’t want to see another Gracie lose like that again.
Luke Rockhold def. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza via Unanimous Decision
If you read my post from Friday, you’ll know that I went 3 – 2 on my picks last night. That’s not bad considering that one of these fights ended in a major upset. That gives me a lifetime record of 7 – 5. If I was a baseball player, I’d be batting over .500.
Pat “Bam Bam” Healy def Maximo Blanco via Sumbission (RNC) in Round 2
What a nutty fight this turned out to be. A lot of people were expecting Maximo Blanco to show the world why he’s considered one of the fastest rising prospects in the sport. He did, for about two and a half minutes. From then on, it was all Pat Healy. Congratulations to Bam Bam by the way for taking some illegal kicks to the head and not taking the easy way out. Not only did he continue to fight, but he turned it up and brought the fight to Blanco. What was really surprising is that Blanco, who is supposed to be a standout wrestler, was out wrestled by Healy for the majority of the fight. All in all this was a great performance from Pat Healy, who once again shows us why experience and composure is so important in the sport of MMA. He also shows us that he’s tough as nails. Blanco should probably find a Jiu-Jitsu coach very soon and learn how to defend a submission. Seriously.
Muhammed “Kingo Mo” Lawal def. Roger Gracie via KO in RD 1
I’ve said it a hundred times and I’m going to have to say it again! I will never understand the Gracies. Listen, these guys were among the pioneers of modern MMA and without them the sport would never have become what it is today. But why the hell do they refuse to learn how to Box? It is mind boggling for me that a guy like Roger Gracie, who is quite possibly the best BJJ practitioner in the world, would come in to a fight against a fighter as dangerous as King Mo and not be 100% prepared in his standup. King Mo fought most of the fight with his hands down throwing power punches. He wasn’t even looking for counters because of how sure he was that Gracie was outmatched in the standup department. Roger Gracie, and the entire Gracie family for that matter, needs to realize that Jiu-Jitsu alone will not win MMA fights at the highest levels. You have to be good at everything. I say this only because I don’t want to see another Gracie lose like that again.
Luke Rockhold def. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza via Unanimous Decision
I’m man enough to admit when I was wrong about something. Boy did I underestimate the abilities of Luke Rockhold. There is now a new Middleweight Champion in StrikeForce. I predicted that Jacare would win this fight in devastating fashion and that Luke Rockhold did not deserve to be in the same building as the champ. These words I’m eating taste surprisingly sour. Not only does Luke Rockhold deserve every second of the recognition he is currently getting from the MMA world, he deserves apologies from all the naysayers. In fact, I’d like to lead this campaign. I’m sorry Luke Rockhold!
I think there’s still a ways to go before Rockhold can be considered among the elite, but he’s well on his way.
(I’d just like to point out that I actually scored this fight in favor of Jacare. He definitely won rounds 1 and 4 and 5 was a tossup. Still, it was so close of a fight that I can’t blame the judges for their decision)
Daniel Cormier def. Antonio “Big Foot” Silva via KO in RD 1
If I’m wrong about everything else in my entire life, please remember that I was 100% right about this. In fewer words, Daniel Cormier is….a….beast. I’ll be the first to say that I had no idea he has so much power in his hands. I saw this fight going completely differently than it actually did. Even so, the end result was basically the same. Daniel Cormier came in to this fight as an alternate and basically dismantled a guy who was considered by most to be a top 10 Heavyweight. No more words, I’ll let the video do the talking. Oh, one more thing…… “Can the man get some respect now please?”
Josh Barnett def. Sergei Kharitonov via Submission (Arm Triangle) in RD 1
Once again Josh Barnett does what everyone expects him to do. He closes the distance while eating some punches, takes his opponent down, and then goes to work. Has anyone else noticed that when Josh Barnett takes someone down he has this crazy ability to land mounted? That’s two fights in a row now where he’s done the exact same thing. Well it turned out to be a really short night for Sergei Kharitonov who was outmatched right from the beginning. I honestly expected the fight to be a bit more competitive than it was. This fight was a testament to Barnett’s skills as a grappler. He’s truly among the elite in the Heavyweight division.
(I still think that he should not have been licensed to fight, but you can’t deny the man’s skills)
The finals of the StrikeForce Heavyweight Grand Prix will now be decided by Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier. In my opinion this will be the most intriguing matchup thus far. Will Josh Barnett be able to take down and Olympic wrestler? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. There are reports that Daniel Cormier injured his hand so it might be a while before we get to see this fight happen. I personally can’t wait. War Cormier!
9 things I learned from StrikeForce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov (Cause I didn’t learn ten)
1. Pat Militech is the only person on the StrikeForce broadcast team that should be allowed anywhere near a microphone. I’ve never missed Mike Goldberg so much in my life.
2. Hearing Bas Rutten and Kenny Rice do commentary on the undercard was fantastic. I’ve never been a big Kenny Rice fan but listening to him say that Yoel Romero has “moves like Jagger” was just priceless.
3. AKA is one of the best MMA gyms in the country. They went 4 – 0 last night and took home the Middleweight Championship in case you didn’t notice.
4. Hype is exactly that, just hype. The two most hyped fighters on the card, Amanda Nunes and Maximo Blanco, both fell to experience. Just goes to show what talk gets you in this sport.
5. (More of a confirmation) You cannot expect to win fights by being really good in one discipline. There’s a reason it’s called Mixed Martial Arts.
6. StrikeForce has some great prospects that are poised to do big things in this sport. Keep an eye out people.
7. Watching the undercard can sometimes be more entertaining than watching the main card. Those guys fight for pride and it always makes for a good show.
8. King Mo gets better every time I watch him fight. He should not be allowed to do interviews though.
9. Josh Barnett should really stop making reporters feel uncomfortable when they interview him. Especially when the reporter is female. Talking about peeling the flesh from someone’s body is less than appropriate Josh.
In other news, Bellator 49 was also last night in case you missed it. I heard it was a really great show, but I haven’t actually had a chance to watch is yet. I did catch Ben Saunders putting on a clinic though. I hope he makes his way back to the UFC at some point. I really enjoy watching him fight. Results are as follows:
Chris Lozano def. Brent Weedman via Unanimous Decision
Ben Saunders def. Chris Cisneros via TKO in RD 3
Luis Santos def. Dan Hornbuckle via Unanimous Decision
Douglas Lima def. Steve Carl via Unanimous Decision
Well that will do it for today. I hope everyone enjoyed the fights last night.
If you didn’t get a chance to watch them, take the liberty of watching them here and tell your friends.
Please feel free to leave any comments you might have. I always welcome criticism or praise. Either or.
Oh, did anyone else notice the bad ass walk out shirts that Cormier and Rockhold were wearing? Anyone know where I can get me one of those?
As always, follow me on Twitter @TheGuardFighter.
Until next time!
If you didn’t get a chance to watch them, take the liberty of watching them here and tell your friends.
Please feel free to leave any comments you might have. I always welcome criticism or praise. Either or.
Oh, did anyone else notice the bad ass walk out shirts that Cormier and Rockhold were wearing? Anyone know where I can get me one of those?
As always, follow me on Twitter @TheGuardFighter.
Until next time!
STRIKEFORCE BREAKDOWN AND PREDICTIONS
I think it’s time for Dana White and Joe Silva to take a vacation. Like….Seriously. The last few days have been jam packed with MMA news and I’m still having trouble with it all. For those of you who haven’t been keeping up, I have two words for you, HOLY CRAP!! I know I promised I would never just give you the news, but this week has been so crazy that I don’t see how I can go without at least mentioning what’s been happening. Here is a short run down of what’s happened in the last four days. In no particular order:
1. Diego Sanchez breaks his hand and pulls out of his UFC 135 fight with Matt Hughes. He is subsequently replaced by Josh Koshcheck.
2. Nick Diaz does not show up for the UFC 137 press conference in Toronto. Dana White is annoyed.
3. Alistair Overeem signs a contract with the UFC. Overeem vs. Brock Lesnar will be the main event of UFC 141 on December 30th.
4. Nick Diaz no shows his second consecutive UFC 137 press conference. This time in Las Vegas. Dana White is now furious.
5. Dana White pulls Nick Diaz from the main event of UFC 137 and promotes Carlos Condit to #1 contender status. UFC 137 is now billed as Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit.
6. B.J. Penn is left without an opponent for UFC 137.
7. The rumor mill begins to churn about who Dana White will find to fight B.J.
8. The UFC announces that the main event for UFC 140 will be Frank Mir vs Minotauro II.
9. Dana White finally announces who will replace Carlos Condit and fight B.J. Penn. It’s Nick Diaz……….. wait…….what?
That’s right boy and girls, Dana White pulled the ole switcharoo. I don’t understand exactly how or why it happened, but I’m oh so glad it did. Carlos Condit was the true #1 contender in the UFC Welterweight division anyway and should have gotten the nod for a title shot way before Nick Diaz did. Diaz is a great fighter in his own right, but it takes more than being the champion in another promotion to merit a title shot in the UFC. I was excited to watch him fight GSP, but I’m way more excited to see him fight The Prodigy. What a stylistic matchup that will be. Diaz now has to prove himself and fight a legend before he can go after the champ. What can I say? All is right in the world. As if that wasn’t enough, pretty much every marquis fighter in the promotion is scheduled to fight before the end of the year. Good lord what a week it’s been!!
Well…..Now that we’re all caught up, it’s time for my pre-fight analysis and predictions for the StrikeForce Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov. As usual, the standard disclaimer applies:
(*disclaimer* - Please do not use my picks for betting purposes. I am not now nor have I ever been an MMA analyst. If you do however turn a profit from using my picks for sports betting……I want a cut)
I really don’t know if there’s an accurate way to predict how this fight is going to end. I think it’s really going to be decided by who comes in with the better game plan. Lawal has the advantage in the striking department so if he can use his wrestling to avoid being taken down by Gracie, he should be able to win fairly easily. No one knows how good his submission defense is because it’s never truly been tested, but if you watch his fight against Gegard Mousasi you’ll see that his top control is pretty dominant. Mousasi had multiple opportunities for submissions from the bottom though and didn’t capitalize on them. With Gracie, that will not be that case. If he has an opportunity, he’ll finish the fight as long as it ends up on the ground. Still, I think Lawal will be able to use his sheer power and athleticism to take this fight. Gracie, for all his Jiu-Jitsu brilliance, is still a novice in MMA. His striking still has ways to go and this is one of those fights where he won’t be able to rely solely on his Jiu-Jitsu to win. This might be another case of a Gracie unwilling to evolve with the rest of the MMA world and learn how to throw a punch correctly. Even so, this fight is 50/50 on who wins. If I had to make a choice, gun to my head, I’d pick Lawal.
Don’t forget that if you don’t have Showtime, and don’t have any friends who have it, or just plain don’t have any friends, Bellator 49 is also tomorrow night. It’ll be airing live on MTV 2 and should be a decent card as well.
As always, follow me on Twitter @TheGuardFighter.
Come back on Sunday for more story time with TheGuardFighter. I’ll also be giving you my post fight reactions if you're interested.
I’ll leave you with the new official promo for UFC 137: Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit !
Until next time!!
1. Diego Sanchez breaks his hand and pulls out of his UFC 135 fight with Matt Hughes. He is subsequently replaced by Josh Koshcheck.
2. Nick Diaz does not show up for the UFC 137 press conference in Toronto. Dana White is annoyed.
3. Alistair Overeem signs a contract with the UFC. Overeem vs. Brock Lesnar will be the main event of UFC 141 on December 30th.
4. Nick Diaz no shows his second consecutive UFC 137 press conference. This time in Las Vegas. Dana White is now furious.
5. Dana White pulls Nick Diaz from the main event of UFC 137 and promotes Carlos Condit to #1 contender status. UFC 137 is now billed as Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit.
6. B.J. Penn is left without an opponent for UFC 137.
7. The rumor mill begins to churn about who Dana White will find to fight B.J.
8. The UFC announces that the main event for UFC 140 will be Frank Mir vs Minotauro II.
9. Dana White finally announces who will replace Carlos Condit and fight B.J. Penn. It’s Nick Diaz……….. wait…….what?
That’s right boy and girls, Dana White pulled the ole switcharoo. I don’t understand exactly how or why it happened, but I’m oh so glad it did. Carlos Condit was the true #1 contender in the UFC Welterweight division anyway and should have gotten the nod for a title shot way before Nick Diaz did. Diaz is a great fighter in his own right, but it takes more than being the champion in another promotion to merit a title shot in the UFC. I was excited to watch him fight GSP, but I’m way more excited to see him fight The Prodigy. What a stylistic matchup that will be. Diaz now has to prove himself and fight a legend before he can go after the champ. What can I say? All is right in the world. As if that wasn’t enough, pretty much every marquis fighter in the promotion is scheduled to fight before the end of the year. Good lord what a week it’s been!!
Well…..Now that we’re all caught up, it’s time for my pre-fight analysis and predictions for the StrikeForce Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov. As usual, the standard disclaimer applies:
(*disclaimer* - Please do not use my picks for betting purposes. I am not now nor have I ever been an MMA analyst. If you do however turn a profit from using my picks for sports betting……I want a cut)
The Main Card:
Unlike UFC events, StrikeForce does not offer pre-main event fights as part of the programming package. Therefore, I will only be analyzing the five fights that will be broadcast on the Main Card. These fights will air live on Showtime. I advise you to find your friends who have the channel and bring a six pack to their house. It should be a good night of fights.
This is one of the deepest cards StrikeForce has put together in a long time. Unfortunately for the promotion, there has been so much breaking news this week that the event has been all but swept under the rug. Even so, this is about as noteworthy a card as you can get outside the UFC……
This is one of the deepest cards StrikeForce has put together in a long time. Unfortunately for the promotion, there has been so much breaking news this week that the event has been all but swept under the rug. Even so, this is about as noteworthy a card as you can get outside the UFC……
Maximo Blanco vs. Pat Healy
The long awaited debut of Maximo Blanco is finally here! Blanco is the Venezuelan wrecking machine that has been dominating the Japanese circuit for just over two years. His last few fights have been under the World Victory Road / Sengoku banner, and he is making not only his Strikeforce but his American MMA debut. Blanco is a standout wrestler as well as an accomplished Muay Thai practitioner and has won five of his last six fights by KO or TKO. He was originally booked to face Josh Thompson but a foot injury left Thompson unable to fight. Blanco will now face veteran and all around solid fighter Pat Healy. Healy is coming in to this fight on a two fight win streak and will be fighting on less than four weeks rest. Here’s a fun fact, Maximo Blanco and Pat Healy are almost the same age with Healy being slightly older by less than 3 months. Here’s another fun fact, Pat Healy has over 3 times as many fights as Maximo Blanco.
I could go on for days about how I think this fight is going to play out, but unfortunately I have to account for the fast decreasing attention span of the general population. I will almost always pick experience over hype. With that being said, this is a terrible stylistic matchup for Healy. He has trouble with wrestlers and grapplers who can work themselves in to dominant positions and pound away at him. Being that Blanco is a pretty accomplished wrestler, I see him taking this one either by KO/TKO or a Unanimous Decision. I guess I’ll have to jump on the Maximo Blanco band wagon for now.
The long awaited debut of Maximo Blanco is finally here! Blanco is the Venezuelan wrecking machine that has been dominating the Japanese circuit for just over two years. His last few fights have been under the World Victory Road / Sengoku banner, and he is making not only his Strikeforce but his American MMA debut. Blanco is a standout wrestler as well as an accomplished Muay Thai practitioner and has won five of his last six fights by KO or TKO. He was originally booked to face Josh Thompson but a foot injury left Thompson unable to fight. Blanco will now face veteran and all around solid fighter Pat Healy. Healy is coming in to this fight on a two fight win streak and will be fighting on less than four weeks rest. Here’s a fun fact, Maximo Blanco and Pat Healy are almost the same age with Healy being slightly older by less than 3 months. Here’s another fun fact, Pat Healy has over 3 times as many fights as Maximo Blanco.
I could go on for days about how I think this fight is going to play out, but unfortunately I have to account for the fast decreasing attention span of the general population. I will almost always pick experience over hype. With that being said, this is a terrible stylistic matchup for Healy. He has trouble with wrestlers and grapplers who can work themselves in to dominant positions and pound away at him. Being that Blanco is a pretty accomplished wrestler, I see him taking this one either by KO/TKO or a Unanimous Decision. I guess I’ll have to jump on the Maximo Blanco band wagon for now.
Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal vs. Roger Gracie
Do I smell a classic Wrestling vs. Jiu Jitsu matchup? For me, this is the fight I’m most looking forward to on this card. I’ve been wondering what would happen if Roger Gracie were to fight a dominant wrestler such as King Mo. For those of you unfamiliar with Roger Gracie, let me introduce you. Gracie is arguably the greatest BJJ practitioner in the world today. There isn’t a BJJ or submission grappling event in existence that he hasn’t won in dominant fashion. The crazy thing about Gracie is his style of Jiu-Jitsu. He uses a style that I like to call “Advanced Fundamentals.” It’s the same kind of technical brilliance other dominant members of the Gracie family, most notably Rickson Gracie, have successfully used in the past. There’s very little creativity or flashiness. It’s literally bare bones Jiu-Jitsu at its finest. He has a professional MMA record of 4 – 0 with all four fights ending in either the first or second round by submission. Check out this Roger Gracie BJJ highlight reel if you’re not convinced of how good he is.
Do I smell a classic Wrestling vs. Jiu Jitsu matchup? For me, this is the fight I’m most looking forward to on this card. I’ve been wondering what would happen if Roger Gracie were to fight a dominant wrestler such as King Mo. For those of you unfamiliar with Roger Gracie, let me introduce you. Gracie is arguably the greatest BJJ practitioner in the world today. There isn’t a BJJ or submission grappling event in existence that he hasn’t won in dominant fashion. The crazy thing about Gracie is his style of Jiu-Jitsu. He uses a style that I like to call “Advanced Fundamentals.” It’s the same kind of technical brilliance other dominant members of the Gracie family, most notably Rickson Gracie, have successfully used in the past. There’s very little creativity or flashiness. It’s literally bare bones Jiu-Jitsu at its finest. He has a professional MMA record of 4 – 0 with all four fights ending in either the first or second round by submission. Check out this Roger Gracie BJJ highlight reel if you’re not convinced of how good he is.
King Mo is the former StrikeForce Light Heavyweight Champion who was undefeated until his most recent bout which he lost by TKO to Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante. Lawal is an accomplished amateur wrestler who has been known to stand and bang when the situation calls for it. His standup has improved exponentially from fight to fight and the power he packs in his hands can give anyone trouble. Lawal has had a long layoff because of injuries so this will be his first fight in more than a year. He’s been somewhat of a nomad while in recovery and has traveled the world training with everyone and anyone who is willing to teach him something. His training camp for this fight was completed AKA along side of guys like Josh Koshcheck and Cain Velasquez.
I really don’t know if there’s an accurate way to predict how this fight is going to end. I think it’s really going to be decided by who comes in with the better game plan. Lawal has the advantage in the striking department so if he can use his wrestling to avoid being taken down by Gracie, he should be able to win fairly easily. No one knows how good his submission defense is because it’s never truly been tested, but if you watch his fight against Gegard Mousasi you’ll see that his top control is pretty dominant. Mousasi had multiple opportunities for submissions from the bottom though and didn’t capitalize on them. With Gracie, that will not be that case. If he has an opportunity, he’ll finish the fight as long as it ends up on the ground. Still, I think Lawal will be able to use his sheer power and athleticism to take this fight. Gracie, for all his Jiu-Jitsu brilliance, is still a novice in MMA. His striking still has ways to go and this is one of those fights where he won’t be able to rely solely on his Jiu-Jitsu to win. This might be another case of a Gracie unwilling to evolve with the rest of the MMA world and learn how to throw a punch correctly. Even so, this fight is 50/50 on who wins. If I had to make a choice, gun to my head, I’d pick Lawal.
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Luke Rockhold (Middleweight Championship Fight)
Talk about a mismatch. When this fight was first announced, my initial reaction was to check the calendar and make sure it wasn’t April 1st. Is the Strikeforce Middleweight division that depleted that they couldn’t find a legitimate contender for the Middleweight title? I feel like Scott Coker needed to fill a spot on this card and picked a name out of a hat. I would prefer Jacare not have an opponent than this mess. In case you’re not following, I don’t think Luke Rockhold has a chance here. Sorry if it seems like I’m bashing his skills because that’s not my intention. He’s a very good fighter in his own right but still has a long way to go before he develops the skills necessary to pose a threat to a guy like Jacare. Let me explain something to you, in the world of BJJ, there are maybe three or four guys whom are always mentioned in the debate of who the best is. One of them you already know is Roger Gracie. Another is Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. As if it wasn’t enough that his Jiu-Jitsu is, as Joe Rogan would say, “Top of the Food Chain,” he’s been training stand up with the likes of Anderson Silva and the rest of the BlackHouse crew. Add in the fact that he’s a naturally gifted athlete and you have yourself what heretofore will be referred to as “A BEAST.” Oh, did I mention that Luke Rockhold hasn’t fought in 19 months? I think we all know how I feel about this fight……….Moving on!
Antonio “BigFoot” Silva vs. Daniel Cormier
"If they can't defend the take down, they deserve to be on their back."
Them are mighty strong words for a relative new comer to MMA who is fighting on the main card of a major event for only the second time in his career. “But Daniel Cormier is a former Division 1 All-American wrestler,” you say? Big deal!! Those grow on trees in MMA these days. “He was the captain of 2008 Olympic Wrestling team and trains at AKA where his training partners include UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez too?” Oh.... Well.... Maybe he's saying that for a reason then. If you haven't gotten it yet, let me say it in plain English for you. Daniel Cormier is a really good wrestler. He’s not only a really good wrestler, he may very well be the most decorated wrestler fighting in MMA today (Ben Askren not withstanding).
Antonio “Big Foot” Silva is no slouch by any means. He’s a giant of a man who has been developing his skills at a steady pace year after year. His stand up is solid and he has a black belt in BJJ. In his last fight, he beat the previously mythological creature known as “The Last Emperor” in to a swollen mess and has a lot of momentum coming in to this fight. Many considered that fight to be Big Foot’s coming out party and it thrust him in to the ranks of the elite heavyweights. So what does all of this mean for this fight, you might ask? Actually, nothing…… Big Foot Silva is as tough as they come. But I don’t know how ready I am to call him elite. Yeah, he beat Fedor. So did Dan Henderson, who is a Middleweight. The fight before that he beat Mike Kyle (a light heavyweight), but almost got knocked out in the process. Before that, he beat a rapidly declining Andrei Arlovski. I don’t know about you, but in my book that’s not exactly a strong resume. Factor in the fact Cormier was not his original opponent and is strong in all the areas he is weak and what you have is a recipe for an upset. You heard it here folks! Daniel Cormier will defeat Antonio Silva. Cormier has a long and bright future in MMA and this will be the fight that gives him a top ten ranking. Mark my words.
"If they can't defend the take down, they deserve to be on their back."
Them are mighty strong words for a relative new comer to MMA who is fighting on the main card of a major event for only the second time in his career. “But Daniel Cormier is a former Division 1 All-American wrestler,” you say? Big deal!! Those grow on trees in MMA these days. “He was the captain of 2008 Olympic Wrestling team and trains at AKA where his training partners include UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez too?” Oh.... Well.... Maybe he's saying that for a reason then. If you haven't gotten it yet, let me say it in plain English for you. Daniel Cormier is a really good wrestler. He’s not only a really good wrestler, he may very well be the most decorated wrestler fighting in MMA today (Ben Askren not withstanding).
Antonio “Big Foot” Silva is no slouch by any means. He’s a giant of a man who has been developing his skills at a steady pace year after year. His stand up is solid and he has a black belt in BJJ. In his last fight, he beat the previously mythological creature known as “The Last Emperor” in to a swollen mess and has a lot of momentum coming in to this fight. Many considered that fight to be Big Foot’s coming out party and it thrust him in to the ranks of the elite heavyweights. So what does all of this mean for this fight, you might ask? Actually, nothing…… Big Foot Silva is as tough as they come. But I don’t know how ready I am to call him elite. Yeah, he beat Fedor. So did Dan Henderson, who is a Middleweight. The fight before that he beat Mike Kyle (a light heavyweight), but almost got knocked out in the process. Before that, he beat a rapidly declining Andrei Arlovski. I don’t know about you, but in my book that’s not exactly a strong resume. Factor in the fact Cormier was not his original opponent and is strong in all the areas he is weak and what you have is a recipe for an upset. You heard it here folks! Daniel Cormier will defeat Antonio Silva. Cormier has a long and bright future in MMA and this will be the fight that gives him a top ten ranking. Mark my words.
The Main Event
Josh “The Baby-Faced Assassin” Barnett vs. Sergei “The Other Russian Sambo Guy” Kharitonov
(Just to be clear, that’s not really his nickname)
Here it is, the main event. I don’t want to be the one to say it but since no one else will, I’ll take the lead on this. Josh Barnett should not have been licensed to fight in this event. As far as I’m concerned, he shouldn’t be licensed to fight in any event. I will be the first to say that he is an amazingly talented fighter. His blend of Catch Wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu is unlike anything else in the game today. There’s no denying his talent. There’s also no denying the fact that he’s failed more drug tests for P.E.D’s (Performance Enhancing Drugs) than all of Major League Baseball combined. I’m of the opinion that MMA is too young of a sport to be associating itself with that kind of controversy. Even so, he’s still fighting Sergei Kharitonov on the 10th of September. Who is Sergei Kharitonov you might ask? He’s only the last guy to knock out Alistair Overeem and the only one to ever have done so at heavyweight. I actually heard that there’s not a hand under Kharitonov’s glove. There’s just Chuck Norris doing spinning round house kicks. He used those hands in Pride like a one man wrecking crew who never really made a name for himself because of how inconsistent he was. He would win the fights he wasn’t supposed to win and lose the ones he was supposed to dominate in. In all fairness though, he was fighting injured for a long time and it hindered many of his performances in those fights.
On the surface, this may feel like a classic Striker vs. Grappler matchup. But most don’t realize that Kharitonov is actually an accomplished grappler in his own right, having trained Sambo for years and even training with Fedor Emelianenko. He won’t be as easy to take down and submit as you might think, but he has nowhere near the level of grappling prowess that Josh Barnett brings to the table. In a perfect world, Kharitonov will disassemble Barnett piece by piece until the only thing that can save him is a mid-fight steroid cocktail. As we all know, this is not a perfect world. As good and underrated as I think Kharitonov is, he’s just not at the same level as Barnett by any means. If he throws a Chuck Norris round house fist in the direction of Barnett’s chin and it connects, anything can happen. It probably won’t though. Barnett has perfected the art of staying away from big punches and dragging the fight down to his world. This fight will be no different.
My official prediction:
Barnett does enough to get inside and drag Kharitonov to the mat. From there, it’s all over. Whether it’s by decision, submission, or TKO, Barnett will win this fight.
The final of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand-Prix will be decided by Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier.
I hope everyone enjoyed today’s pre-fight break down.
(Just to be clear, that’s not really his nickname)
Here it is, the main event. I don’t want to be the one to say it but since no one else will, I’ll take the lead on this. Josh Barnett should not have been licensed to fight in this event. As far as I’m concerned, he shouldn’t be licensed to fight in any event. I will be the first to say that he is an amazingly talented fighter. His blend of Catch Wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu is unlike anything else in the game today. There’s no denying his talent. There’s also no denying the fact that he’s failed more drug tests for P.E.D’s (Performance Enhancing Drugs) than all of Major League Baseball combined. I’m of the opinion that MMA is too young of a sport to be associating itself with that kind of controversy. Even so, he’s still fighting Sergei Kharitonov on the 10th of September. Who is Sergei Kharitonov you might ask? He’s only the last guy to knock out Alistair Overeem and the only one to ever have done so at heavyweight. I actually heard that there’s not a hand under Kharitonov’s glove. There’s just Chuck Norris doing spinning round house kicks. He used those hands in Pride like a one man wrecking crew who never really made a name for himself because of how inconsistent he was. He would win the fights he wasn’t supposed to win and lose the ones he was supposed to dominate in. In all fairness though, he was fighting injured for a long time and it hindered many of his performances in those fights.
On the surface, this may feel like a classic Striker vs. Grappler matchup. But most don’t realize that Kharitonov is actually an accomplished grappler in his own right, having trained Sambo for years and even training with Fedor Emelianenko. He won’t be as easy to take down and submit as you might think, but he has nowhere near the level of grappling prowess that Josh Barnett brings to the table. In a perfect world, Kharitonov will disassemble Barnett piece by piece until the only thing that can save him is a mid-fight steroid cocktail. As we all know, this is not a perfect world. As good and underrated as I think Kharitonov is, he’s just not at the same level as Barnett by any means. If he throws a Chuck Norris round house fist in the direction of Barnett’s chin and it connects, anything can happen. It probably won’t though. Barnett has perfected the art of staying away from big punches and dragging the fight down to his world. This fight will be no different.
My official prediction:
Barnett does enough to get inside and drag Kharitonov to the mat. From there, it’s all over. Whether it’s by decision, submission, or TKO, Barnett will win this fight.
The final of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand-Prix will be decided by Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier.
I hope everyone enjoyed today’s pre-fight break down.
Please feel free to leave any comments you might have. Let me know if you agree, disagree, or just want me to stop posting this ridiculous jibber jabber.
Don’t forget that if you don’t have Showtime, and don’t have any friends who have it, or just plain don’t have any friends, Bellator 49 is also tomorrow night. It’ll be airing live on MTV 2 and should be a decent card as well.
As always, follow me on Twitter @TheGuardFighter.
Come back on Sunday for more story time with TheGuardFighter. I’ll also be giving you my post fight reactions if you're interested.
I’ll leave you with the new official promo for UFC 137: Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit !
Until next time!!
UFC ON FOX AND THE FUTURE OF MMA
I said I would do it, and after more than four days of work, and one day of rest (even God rested), I finally settled on a layout I'm more or less happy with. I know it's not professional grade stuff yet, but it is levels above the eyesore it was before. Notice the easy to read text and sleek design. Marvel at the real time twitter feed and rotating YouTube library. I still have hundreds of ideas pouring out of my skull on what needs to be done so that you, as readers, can be proud to log in to this baby and read the constant nonsense that my brain seems to generate. It'll be an uphill battle to keep the design fresh and interesting, but I'm up for the challenge. Next up, an MMA events calendar so that you can always know who is fighting and when it's going to happen. You would think it'd be easy to find a customizable calendar that is ready to embed. I assure you, it’s not. But alas, these are not things you should be worrying about. On to the show!
It's been quite the weekend for MMA. There have been more big announcements in the last five days than there have probably been in the last five months. Fight cards have been reshuffled and matchups have been signed. The world of MMA has been operating on overdrive for almost a week and with good reason. As I'm sure you're all aware of, the biggest news coming out of this weekend was the behemoth of a network deal that the UFC signed with Fox. We're talking about the world’s largest MMA promotion partnering with one of the largest television networks on the planet. What does this mean for the state of MMA? It means that more than 99 million households will now have free access to MMA events year round. Ladies and gentlemen, MMA is finally going Mainstream!! Or is it?
Admittedly, I was excited to hear that MMA was finally hitting the big time. On the surface, this deal seems like a win/win for everyone. For the UFC, it means a larger scale audience and worldwide recognition. It also means a revamping of their programming. A fresh audience requires a fresh look and feel to the presentation. And let's be serious, we were all getting bored of the gladiator intro and the same old fight promos. This deal means the attraction of new investors and the potential for billions worth of advertising. All this extra revenue can translate in to higher paydays for the fighters. It's no secret that professional MMA fighters are among the worst paid professional athletes in the world. Fighters can make as little as $3000 per fight in a top tier promotion like the UFC. Hopefully, more money for the promotion means more money for the fighter. You still can't see the negative side of all of this, can you?
What does this mean for the fans? Well, it depends on which category of fan you fall into. For the hardcore fan (me), it means finally being able to talk about MMA and not have people look at you like you're that three eyed fish from the Simpsons. It means more free fights! Most of all, it means getting the big fights for free. In this case, Dana White has chosen to pull the main event from UFC 139 and make it the headliner of the FOX debut. Just in case you've been in an alcohol induced coma for the last few days, Cain Velasquez will defend his heavyweight title for the first time against long deserving number one contender Junior Dos Santos. It will be the one and only fight on the FOX debut assuming the fight does not end early. So there you have it, more reasons why this is a good idea. I'm not really making a good argument for the opposition am I?
If you fall in to the category of a casual fan, what does this mean for you? It means the possibility of seeing more big fights for free. The biggest hurdle in attracting the casual fan lies in getting them to shell out $50 every time there is a fight. Generall they'll wait for only the big fights to make a purchase. A fight like Velasquez vs JDS would probably have accumulated millions in pay-per-view buys. Instead of paying $50 like the casual fan might have done so to see a historic and amazing fight like the one I'm talking about, everyone now gets to see it for free. Damn, I really suck at this playing devil’s advocate thing.
I bet you're wondering what exactly is it that I'm trying to get at. So far it seems as though there is no downside to the UFC on Fox. Maybe it's the fact that I'm a purist. Maybe it's jealousy because I've ponyed up hundreds and hundreds of dollars year after year just so I could see the likes of Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre become household names. The next generation, it seems, won't be facing this dilemma. I will admit that it was difficult for me to play the other side on this one. But as I racked my brain for reasons why this could be a bad idea, two very big concerns began to form.
1. What if the world is not ready for MMA to go Mainstream? There are still millions of Americans that perceive MMA as human cock fighting. Will these people be willing to accept that MMA has developed in to a sport unlike any other in the world? Our sport is more technical than boxing, more intricate than Football, and by far more fun to watch than baseball. Will the average person give it a chance? What happens if the UFC debut on Fox becomes a bloody mess? Will it turn people off to the sport? Even worse, what happens if the fight turns out to be a snoozer? Cain Velasquez is a decorated wrestler who is coming off a year long layoff. If he can't stand with JDS there's a good chance he'll take him down and try to pound him out. Is the new MMA fan prepared to understand the nuances of grappling and fighting for position? Better yet, what if a potential new fan clicks over to Fox on November 12th and there's a lay and pray clinic being conducted? Dana White is taking a huge gamble with this deal. If the main event for the Fox debut doesn't turn out to be another Forrest Griffin vs Stephan Bonner 1, than there is the potential of turning away fans as opposed to gaining them. You still with me?
2. (Concern number) The greatest thing about MMA, hands down, is the fighters. Nine out of ten times they will do whatever it takes to put on a show for the fans. Lately, however, there's been a slowly growing faction of fighters that are less and less willing to engage their opponent. Guys like (I hate to point it out) Georges St. Pierre have lost the killer instinct that once made them show stoppers. I've pondered this for quite some time, and the only reason I can think of for this shift in the direction of boring, is money. Now don't get me wrong, I understand that a fighter’s job is to win and that this often means neutralizing your opponent’s strengths while capitalizing on yours. What guys like GSP do is amazing. I have a full appreciation for the level of skill it takes to take an opponent down repeatedly and maintain a dominant position. Anyone who’s ever trained Jiu-Jitsu or wrestling knows what I’m talking about. My concern here is that when a fighter becomes a superstar like GSP, they begin to make lots of money. With making money, comes the fear of losing it. So what you get is a fighter who has all the skills necessary to finish the guy standing across from him in the cage, but is afraid to take risks for fear of losing. Yes, I’m happy that MMA fighters will most likely finally be getting paid what they deserve. There’s a great lesson to be learned from situations like the NFL lockout though. Millionaires want to make more millions. Is the UFC on Fox poised to give us an entire generation of Floyd Mayweathers? I surely hope not.
Well, I know it seems strange that I would give you the other side of the coin, but someone has to do it! In all seriousness though, I’m hugely psyched for the UFC to be on FOX. I think Dana White made a great choice in making Velasquez vs. JDS the main event. I just don’t see how that fight can suck. I truly believe that those two will be the Lidell vs Couture of this generation. Prepare yourselves MMA fans!! The next few years should be quite the ride
I’m ready…… Are you?
Well, once again all good things must come to an end. Thanks for reading everyone. I hope I didn’t scare you…….
The next few months are jam-packed full of events, so don’t forget to come back for my pre-fight predictions and post-fight reactions. It all starts this Saturday with the semi-finals of the StrikeForce Heavyweight Grand-Prix.
As always, follow me on Twitter @TheGuardFighter.
One more thing before you go…..
Check out the new fight promo for UFC 135. This is just one more example of the new UFC marketing machine hard at work.
Enjoy!
THROUGH THE EYES OF A FAN: A GLIMPSE FROM UFC RIO
It's been 26 years since my last confession and five days since UFC Rio. The MMA world is now abuzz with rumors and news as all focus shifts to the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix and UFC 135. Not being able to keep up with it all, I had no intention of posting anything for a few days while I made some changes to the site. I’m well aware that this page needs an abundance of work and I'll be diligently trying to make sure that looking at it doesn't give anyone eye cancer. Be that as it may, I felt compelled to give all three of my readers one last thrill before I closed up shop for a few days to work on the inevitable brilliance (read as mediocrity) that this venture will produce.
As an avid MMA fan and now budding amateur blogger, I try to stay as up to date as possible with everything that is happening in the world of MMA. No worries though, I've never thought that the job of a blogger is to relay the news. If you're logging in here and expecting to see news updates about MMA, than you've come to the wrong place. I suggest you visit http://www.mmajunkie.com/ if that's what you're looking for as they are my personal favorite place for MMA news on the internet. So, it's without hesitation that I make you this solemn promise my dear readers (probably more like reader). I will never take the easy way out and just give you the news! I will strive to write about things that interest me as an MMA fan, and I will do my best to provide social commentary on noteworthy MMA topics. With that being said, let's move on.
While trying to make heads or tails of how I could change KneeBar Reactions to look less like visual diarrhea, I came across a video that fired up my brain in unexpected ways. For all you perverts out there, it's not what you think. Thanks again to my brother and newly minted collaborator for finding it and showing it to me as it was the inspiration for today's post. After watching the video I began to search for more just like it and what I found was amazing. If you read any of my earlier posts than you already know that I'm Brasilian by heritage. You may also already know how I feel about Brasilian fans. Anyone who's ever been at a bar with Brasilian soccer fans during a world cup game knows exactly what I’m talking about. The thing about Brasil is that national pride is most openly demonstrated when athletics are involved. This pride, however, is generally reserved for soccer, volleyball, and some of the more main stream sports that Brasilians excel at. While many consider Brasil to be the unofficial birthplace of modern MMA, it is rare that it is accepted in popular culture and is almost never shown on television. I guess the world is not without a sense of irony in this case. These videos showed me that not only have Brasilians accepted MMA as a mainstream sport, they’re willing to show the same spirit and fervor normally reserved for soccer in support of their favorite MMA fighters. Just to be clear, I’ve been to a live MMA (UFC) event in the U.S. and there was no where near the level of energy I felt from the videos below. It's literally palpable! If only I could go back in time and get my ass to Brasil. Where's Doc Brown with the DeLorean when you need him?
So……..It’s to you, Brasilian MMA fans, that I dedicate this post!! And to the rest of the world, be careful when you sign up to fight a Brasilian MMA fighter. You’re not just fighting a man anymore, you’re fighting an entire country.
(*** A special thanks to the fans who made these videos)
Enjoy!!
(Shogun KOing Forrest Griffin)
Well, that's all folks!
As always, feel free to leave comments, concerns, or hate mail. Any attention is good enough for me.
Don't forget to follow me on twitter @theguardfighter.
Thank you everyone for the unexpected support! I'll be back as soon as I get this biatch looking mildly presentable. Until next time, I bid you adieu.
As an avid MMA fan and now budding amateur blogger, I try to stay as up to date as possible with everything that is happening in the world of MMA. No worries though, I've never thought that the job of a blogger is to relay the news. If you're logging in here and expecting to see news updates about MMA, than you've come to the wrong place. I suggest you visit http://www.mmajunkie.com/ if that's what you're looking for as they are my personal favorite place for MMA news on the internet. So, it's without hesitation that I make you this solemn promise my dear readers (probably more like reader). I will never take the easy way out and just give you the news! I will strive to write about things that interest me as an MMA fan, and I will do my best to provide social commentary on noteworthy MMA topics. With that being said, let's move on.
While trying to make heads or tails of how I could change KneeBar Reactions to look less like visual diarrhea, I came across a video that fired up my brain in unexpected ways. For all you perverts out there, it's not what you think. Thanks again to my brother and newly minted collaborator for finding it and showing it to me as it was the inspiration for today's post. After watching the video I began to search for more just like it and what I found was amazing. If you read any of my earlier posts than you already know that I'm Brasilian by heritage. You may also already know how I feel about Brasilian fans. Anyone who's ever been at a bar with Brasilian soccer fans during a world cup game knows exactly what I’m talking about. The thing about Brasil is that national pride is most openly demonstrated when athletics are involved. This pride, however, is generally reserved for soccer, volleyball, and some of the more main stream sports that Brasilians excel at. While many consider Brasil to be the unofficial birthplace of modern MMA, it is rare that it is accepted in popular culture and is almost never shown on television. I guess the world is not without a sense of irony in this case. These videos showed me that not only have Brasilians accepted MMA as a mainstream sport, they’re willing to show the same spirit and fervor normally reserved for soccer in support of their favorite MMA fighters. Just to be clear, I’ve been to a live MMA (UFC) event in the U.S. and there was no where near the level of energy I felt from the videos below. It's literally palpable! If only I could go back in time and get my ass to Brasil. Where's Doc Brown with the DeLorean when you need him?
So……..It’s to you, Brasilian MMA fans, that I dedicate this post!! And to the rest of the world, be careful when you sign up to fight a Brasilian MMA fighter. You’re not just fighting a man anymore, you’re fighting an entire country.
(*** A special thanks to the fans who made these videos)
Enjoy!!
(The reaction after Minotauro KO'd "The Hybrid." I promise, no more Prius jokes)
(Shogun KOing Forrest Griffin)
(Anderson Silva being a bad ass mofo)
This is the only one of the videos that needs a back story. You might notice that the captions are in Portuguese. I would take the time to translate them for you, but I'd really rather not. Here's a link to google translator if you really want to know what all of them mean.......... http://translate.google.com/........ The first clip is especially important because it is of Paulo Thiago entering the arena for his fight with David Mitchell. For those of you that don't know, Thiago is a member of the Brasilian Special Forces police squad known as BOPE (Batalhao de Operacoes Policiais Especiais). The song he's walking in to is from a movie about this police unit called Tropa de Elite (Elite Squad). If you've never seen it, put it on your Netflix, download it illegally, even go to Blockbuster. It's that good!! Anyway, the rest is self explanatory.
Well, that's all folks!
As always, feel free to leave comments, concerns, or hate mail. Any attention is good enough for me.
Don't forget to follow me on twitter @theguardfighter.
Thank you everyone for the unexpected support! I'll be back as soon as I get this biatch looking mildly presentable. Until next time, I bid you adieu.
(***disclaimer***.... I am in no way affiliated with www.mmajunkie.com or any other MMA organization. I'm just a fan. But feel free to send me free stuff if you want. I'm talking to you Junkie!)
9 THINGS I LEARNED FROM UFC RIO AND REACTIONS.....
Well, another night of fights is in the books, and man was it a doozy. Hurricane Irene came around and tried to open up a can of whoop ass on me, but I wouldn’t let her. Faulty satellite feed be damned!! I was still able to watch all the fights from RIO thanks to some McGuyver like moves from my brother and only follower so far. Thanks Bro!
For anyone who wasn’t actually able to watch the event, please, for your own sake, watch it now. There was not a boring fight on the card and only two fights went the distance (televised and PPV at least). Ironically enough, in an event where there was a BJJ blackbelt fighting in almost every matchup save one, there was not a submission finish the whole night. Go figure!
So….. Let’s recap.
I went 4 x 3 on my picks last night. Not bad for my first attempt at breaking down fights.
Rousimar Palhares defeats Dan Miller by UD.
Just like I said, this was a one sided beat down and Palhares pretty much destroyed Miller in every aspect. It didn’t end in a submission like I predicted but man was it brutal at times. Miller did manage to rattle his opponent once but it was pretty much smooth sailing for Palhares from there on. Kudos to him by the way for landing a solid head kick on Miller that sent him to the canvas. Double kudos to him for completely embarrassing himself and celebrating a TKO victory that never occurred and still managing to dominate the rest of the fight. It must be hard to come back from a mental mistake like that and still win.
Thiago Tavares defeats Spencer Fisher by TKO/KO
Man, was I wrong about this one. Thiago Tavares not only brought the fight to Fisher, but pretty much dictated that pace of the match from the opening bell. Fisher had no answer for Tavares’ pressure and sheer strength. I honestly thought “The King” (Fisher) would turn it on in the second round after Tavares had wasted a lot of energy in the first trying to control him. That, however, never happened and round two was much of the same. Congratulations to Thiago Tavares for keeping his composure and not letting the magnitude of the situation get to him. I picked against Tavares and I’m happy to be wrong in this instance. I did say that this fight was tailor made for Tavares to win though and I was right. So I’ll mark this one up as a win for me!
(Check out this picture of Tavares back stage before the fight. Kind of brings a tear to my eye)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.phpfbid=10150358297906276&set=a.106287481275.124019.46299886275&type=1&theater
THE MAIN CARD
Stanislav Nedkov defeats Luis Cane by TKO/KO
Damn it Luis Cane, you ruined the clean sweep for Brasilian fighters! This was the only fight where the Brasilian fighter did not win against a “foreigner.” I don’t even know what to say about this one. Cane was in route to dismantling Nedkov’s face when he got caught with the over hand right from hell. He then proceeded to do the “stanky leg” for eight seconds while Nedkov continued to pound on his head. What a disappointment! That’s the beauty of MMA though. There is no real way to predict the outcome of a fight. At any given time, anything can happen. Congrats to Nedkov for winning his UFC debut and coming up big. As for Cane, I guess it’s back to the drawing board.
Man, was I wrong about this one. Thiago Tavares not only brought the fight to Fisher, but pretty much dictated that pace of the match from the opening bell. Fisher had no answer for Tavares’ pressure and sheer strength. I honestly thought “The King” (Fisher) would turn it on in the second round after Tavares had wasted a lot of energy in the first trying to control him. That, however, never happened and round two was much of the same. Congratulations to Thiago Tavares for keeping his composure and not letting the magnitude of the situation get to him. I picked against Tavares and I’m happy to be wrong in this instance. I did say that this fight was tailor made for Tavares to win though and I was right. So I’ll mark this one up as a win for me!
(Check out this picture of Tavares back stage before the fight. Kind of brings a tear to my eye)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.phpfbid=10150358297906276&set=a.106287481275.124019.46299886275&type=1&theater
THE MAIN CARD
Stanislav Nedkov defeats Luis Cane by TKO/KO
Damn it Luis Cane, you ruined the clean sweep for Brasilian fighters! This was the only fight where the Brasilian fighter did not win against a “foreigner.” I don’t even know what to say about this one. Cane was in route to dismantling Nedkov’s face when he got caught with the over hand right from hell. He then proceeded to do the “stanky leg” for eight seconds while Nedkov continued to pound on his head. What a disappointment! That’s the beauty of MMA though. There is no real way to predict the outcome of a fight. At any given time, anything can happen. Congrats to Nedkov for winning his UFC debut and coming up big. As for Cane, I guess it’s back to the drawing board.
 |
| The "Stanky Leg" |
Antonio Nogueira defeats Brendan Schaub by TKO/KO
So much for the hype behind “The Prius”..…uhhh....I mean “The Hybrid.” In his first outing in more than a year, Big Nog came out and made a serious statement. Not only is he not ready to retire, the man is poised to make another run at the title. Ask me if I think he’ll ever be a UFC Champ again and my answer will surely be no. But to say that there’s no fight left in the big guy would be as massive mistake. For only the third time in his legendary career “Minotauro” finished a fight by KO/TKO. Not only was it a convincing win, it came at a time when everyone thought his career was basically over. I’m glad to see Nogueira back in the win column and will anxiously be awaiting his next fight. Perhaps a rematch with Frank Mir is in order. What’s next for Brendan Schaub? It’s back to the dealership for you!
Edson Barboza defeats Ross Pearson by Split Decision
This was probably the most surprising fight of the night for me for various reasons. Ross Pearson came out and looked great. Everyone has always known that he has good stand up but last night it looked phenomenal. Not only did he keep up with Barboza, but he arguably won rounds one and three. One judge even scored the fight in his favor. I don’t know what it was, but Barboza just wasn’t fighting with the same raw aggression that we’ve seen in previous outings. He looked almost hesitant to engage and spent much of the fight back peddling. Fortunately for him, the home field advantage may have swung the fight in his favor. It could have honestly gone either way though. I’d really like to see him tested in his next fight. Maybe a showdown with a top 15 lightweight? Dennis Siver would make an intriguing matchup.
Shogun defeats Forrest Griffin by KO/TKO
Welcome back Shogun Rua!! Holy bananas was I pleasantly surprised with the result of this fight! If you read my predictions, which you probably didn’t, I predicted that Forrest Griffin would smother Shogun for three rounds and win this fight by Unanimous Decision. Once again, I was happy to be wrong. Rua came out and looked like the Shogun of old, throwing devastating combos and constantly pressing the action. Forrest was never given the opportunity to even develop a rhythm in this one, poor guy. I don’t think Forrest’s heart was ever really in this fight though. He looked flat footed and seemed like he was waiting for Shogun to end the fight quickly so he could go home to his pregnant wife (congrats to him by the way. His wife went in to labor shortly after the fight was over). If he can stay healthy, there’s a really good change we’ll see another Shogun Rua run at the title. At the very least, I’ll settle for a rematch with Rampage for some much needed Pride FC nostalgia.
Anderson Silva defeats Yushin Okami by KO/TKO (pure humiliation)
One word. Wow!...... I’ve never really been a fan of Anderson Silva. I think he has a terrible attitude at times and his showboating can be frustrating for anyone hoping to see a good fight. All that to say, damn is he a good fighter. I haven’t seen a performance like that since “The Spider” himself made Forrest Griffin look like an amateur. It has to be disheartening as a fighter when the guy you’re trying to punch puts his hands down and you still can’t hit him. Once again, Anderson Silva proves that he’s in a league of his own when it comes to fighting. The middle weight division is essentially devoid of worthy challengers with the exception of Chael Sonnen. I don’t even believe that fight will play out like the first time. There are very few things more scary than a pissed off Anderson Silva, and Sonnen has royally pissed him off. I don’t know if there’s currently a man on the planet who can beat this guy, but I’m looking forward to seeing someone try. I can’t wait to see what’s next for “The Spider.”
Fight Night Bonuses:
Fight of the Night – Ross Pearson x Edson Barboza
Ko of the Night – Antonio Minotauro Nogueira.
Submission of the Night – None
9 things I learned from UFC RIO………………. (Cause I didn’t learn 10)
1. Never underestimate the power of fighting at home. I still think that the majority of these matchups were designed to favor the Brasilians, but it still doesn’t change that fact that they dominated in every aspect.
2. Anderson Silva is a bad, bad man. Conversely, Yushin Okami was never a worthy challenger to begin with. He was just the only guy left.
3. Ross Pearson may very well be knocking on the door of elite level striking. Man was he impressive last night.
4. Don’t bet against a healthy Shogun Rua. When he’s healthy and not coming back from an injury, he’s a force to be reckoned with. I don’t know if there’s anyone else in the light heavyweight division with that kind of dynamite in their hands.
5. Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira will shock the world whenever he can. The man is a living legend. I bow to you sir!
6. Brendan Schaub is a long way from being a contender in the Heavyweight division (I didn’t really learn this but I thought I would reiterate the point anyway)
7. Forrest Griffin’s biggest weakness is his mental preparation. Going in to this fight it was evident that he wasn’t 100% focused. Maybe he should take some time out to evaluate whether this is something he really wants to do. Otherwise, he may wind up face down on the canvas yet again.
8. Joe Rogan is possibly the best commentator in MMA. Kenny Florian did his best to fill Rogan’s shoes, but I felt like there was something missing last night. Screw Fear Factor!
9. Brasilian fans are the greatest fans in the world! (Again….This is something that I didn’t really learn. I’m just making sure that everyone else knows what I’ve known for years)
All in all, UFC RIO gets an A in my book. Up next, UFC 135! Will Rampage Jackson be able to derail the hype train that is Jon Jones? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
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In other MMA related news, ProElite debuted their promotion last night in Hawaii. The event featured a who’s who of UFC cast outs and a few notable up and comers. Highlights include:
Kendall Grove avenging a loss to Joe Riggs with a first round guillotine choke. Is it just me or is this guy a mountain of wasted potential?
Andrei Arlovski finally manages not to wind up face planting on the canvas. It’s been a while since he actually won a fight. It‘s been an even longer while since he was able to go a few rounds with out the lights going out. Congratulations Andrei!
Penn wins by rear naked choke. No, not that Penn. B.J.’s little brother, Reagan, made his MMA debut last night. In true Penn fashion, he wins with his brother’s favorite submission. It’s rumored that Reagan’s BJJ may be better than his brother’s. It’s also rumored that he is a much better athlete than Baby Jay. Since I have a soft spot for Hawaiians and B.J. Penn is quite possibly my favorite fighter ever, I look forward to seeing the next generation of Hilo boys killing it in the cage. I will anxiously be following this kid’s career and hope that he makes it to the big show soon! Just Scrap!!!
There in concludes another day……. Thanks for reading!
Please feel free to leave comments or send me presents. Whatever makes you a happier person.
Tune in next time for more MMA related news, opinions, general tom foolery…..
Until next time, Stay Classy……!
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