After fighting in an instant classic showdown against Antonio Nogueira, Randy Couture had one fight left on his contract, or so we thought. Randy and Dana White spilled the beans at the UFC 102 press conference, Randy and the UFC have reached a new 6 fight-26 month deal. That is potentially three fights a year for the next two years. Randy said the UFC is the place to be, and was undecided on whether to fight at heavy or light heavy, even though Dana White kept pushing the light heavy route saying Randy could do very well. To me this is very very exciting news and can't wait to see The Naturals follow up this fight, as he still mantains a high caliber status.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
UFC quick re-cap
A quick re-cap tonight and a full report on Sunday with a prediction re-cap also. Wow what a card tonight, every fight filled with action. It seems every card Randy Couture is on the other fighters pick their level up to. We had a record setting night tonight with Todd Duffee's seven second knockout, Thiago Silva proving he is worthy of his high status, and Nate Marquardt proving he also deserves a shot at the belt. But the main fight was an instant classic, with Randy Couture and Nogueira both proving to still have it. Have a good night fight fans and we will see you again. And the biggest news of all Randy Couture has signed a new fight deal for SIX MORE FIGHTS!
UFC 102 Predictions (Updated)
Heavyweights-Randy Couture vs. Antonio Nogueira
Nogueira via Unanimous Decision
Pearce-Nogueira split decision (razor thin)
Volkart-Couture decision
Benny-Couture tko 3rd rd
Hartert-Nogueira submission 3rd rd(see ya Volkart)
Light Heavyweights-Keith Jardine vs. Thiago Silva
Silva via Knockout Round 1 (1:35)
Pearce-Silva tko rd 1 (Come on silva!)
Volkart-Silva tko rd 2 (wouldn't be surprised if Jardine won given his past wins)
Benny-Jardine tko rd 2
Hartert-Jardine ko 1rd (I just want to say "The Dean of Mean")
Middleweights-Demian Maia vs. Nate Marquardt
Marquardt via knockout Round 1 (0:21)
Pearce-Marquardt split decision (I love Maia, and I think he can win, just setting myself up for failure on this one)
Volkart-Maia submission 1st rd (this is my want pick because of the jiu-jitsu, but you know what I think about Marquardt)
Benny-Marquardt submission 2nd rd (ankle lock)
Hartert-Marquardt ko 2 rd (lets see Anderson/Marquardt part Deux)
Light Heavywights-Brandon Vera vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
Vera via Unanimous Decision
Pearce-Soszynski submission rd 2 (the polish experiment can't be stopped right now)
Volkart-Vera tko 2nd rd
Benny-Vera submission rd 1(armbar)
Hartert-Vera ko 2nd rd (Vera will dissect the "Polish Experiment"!)
Middleweights-Chris Leben vs. Jake Rosholt
Rosholt via Submission Round 3 (1:30)
Pearce-Leben tko rd 1(Leben has a chip on his shoulder)
Volkart-Rosholt decision (upset pick...banking on wrestling background, see ya Leben)
Hartert-Leben rd 2 tko (no steroids needed)
Benny-Leben submission(ground game)
Middleweights-Ed Herman vs. Aaron Simpson
Simpson via TKO (injury) Round 2 (0:17)
Pearce-Simpson tko rd 3(nasty tko power)
Volkart-Simpson tko rd 2
Heavyweights-Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Chris Tuchscherer
Gonzaga via TKO Round 1 (4:27)
Pearce-Tuchscherer decision(my homer and upset pick)
Volkart-Gonzaga submission 2 rd
Heavyweights-Justin McCully vs. Mike Russow
Russow via Unanimous Decision
Pearce-McCully Decision
Volkart-Russow Decision (cop manhandles street fighter, just don't like McCully)
Heavyweights-Tim Hague vs. Todd Duffee
Duffee via Knockout Round 1 (0:07)
Pearce-Hague tko rd 1(the trashing machine will make duffee re-todded)
Volkart-Duffee tko rd 1 (by trashing of the thrashing machine)
Middleweights-Nick Catone vs. Mark Munoz
Munoz via Split Decision
Pearce-Munoz submission rd 1
Volkart-Munoz Decision
Lightweights-Marcus Aurelio vs. Evan Dunham
Dunham via Split Decision
Pearce-Aurelio submission rd 2
Volkart-Dunham Decision
Nogueira via Unanimous Decision
Pearce-Nogueira split decision (razor thin)
Volkart-Couture decision
Benny-Couture tko 3rd rd
Hartert-Nogueira submission 3rd rd(see ya Volkart)
Light Heavyweights-Keith Jardine vs. Thiago Silva
Silva via Knockout Round 1 (1:35)
Pearce-Silva tko rd 1 (Come on silva!)
Volkart-Silva tko rd 2 (wouldn't be surprised if Jardine won given his past wins)
Benny-Jardine tko rd 2
Hartert-Jardine ko 1rd (I just want to say "The Dean of Mean")
Middleweights-Demian Maia vs. Nate Marquardt
Marquardt via knockout Round 1 (0:21)
Pearce-Marquardt split decision (I love Maia, and I think he can win, just setting myself up for failure on this one)
Volkart-Maia submission 1st rd (this is my want pick because of the jiu-jitsu, but you know what I think about Marquardt)
Benny-Marquardt submission 2nd rd (ankle lock)
Hartert-Marquardt ko 2 rd (lets see Anderson/Marquardt part Deux)
Light Heavywights-Brandon Vera vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
Vera via Unanimous Decision
Pearce-Soszynski submission rd 2 (the polish experiment can't be stopped right now)
Volkart-Vera tko 2nd rd
Benny-Vera submission rd 1(armbar)
Hartert-Vera ko 2nd rd (Vera will dissect the "Polish Experiment"!)
Middleweights-Chris Leben vs. Jake Rosholt
Rosholt via Submission Round 3 (1:30)
Pearce-Leben tko rd 1(Leben has a chip on his shoulder)
Volkart-Rosholt decision (upset pick...banking on wrestling background, see ya Leben)
Hartert-Leben rd 2 tko (no steroids needed)
Benny-Leben submission(ground game)
Middleweights-Ed Herman vs. Aaron Simpson
Simpson via TKO (injury) Round 2 (0:17)
Pearce-Simpson tko rd 3(nasty tko power)
Volkart-Simpson tko rd 2
Heavyweights-Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Chris Tuchscherer
Gonzaga via TKO Round 1 (4:27)
Pearce-Tuchscherer decision(my homer and upset pick)
Volkart-Gonzaga submission 2 rd
Heavyweights-Justin McCully vs. Mike Russow
Russow via Unanimous Decision
Pearce-McCully Decision
Volkart-Russow Decision (cop manhandles street fighter, just don't like McCully)
Heavyweights-Tim Hague vs. Todd Duffee
Duffee via Knockout Round 1 (0:07)
Pearce-Hague tko rd 1(the trashing machine will make duffee re-todded)
Volkart-Duffee tko rd 1 (by trashing of the thrashing machine)
Middleweights-Nick Catone vs. Mark Munoz
Munoz via Split Decision
Pearce-Munoz submission rd 1
Volkart-Munoz Decision
Lightweights-Marcus Aurelio vs. Evan Dunham
Dunham via Split Decision
Pearce-Aurelio submission rd 2
Volkart-Dunham Decision
UFC 102 Main Event
Here it is the Main Event. A fight between the two most storied and decorated fighters in mma history. Both fighters have won fights from incredible odds. Randy "The Natural" Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira is a fight mma fans have been waiting almost ten years to see. This fight is Gretzky vs. Lemeuix, Bird vs. Magic, Donkey Kong vs. Mario. The winner of this fight will probably fight the winner of Lesnar/Carwin for the Heavyweight Belt. If you get to watch this fight I hope you understand what an honor it is to see them in action, as fighters in the future will always be compared to these two men.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is 33 stands 6'3" weighs in at 231 lbs. with a 77" reach and fights with a record of 31-5-1-1nc. He trains out of Black House with Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida, Paulo Filho, Junior Dos Santos, and Ronaldo Souza among others. Nogueira holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. He has a very long history including fights against Fedor Emailenenko, Mirko "Cro-Cop", Dan Henderson, Frank Mir, and many many other top names. He was the first Pride Heavyweight Champion. He is the first and only man to hold belts in Pride and the UFC. He has never been submitted and only knocked out once, in his last match against Frank Mir. Nogueira is known for his comeback wins, he will take a shot be in danger and then pull a win out of no where. Of his 31 wins 19 are by submission, he is one of the all-time great mma jiu-jitsu players. Even though he is only 33, the prime of most fighters careers, he has been through countless wars and I think he looks to be in the best shape of his life.
Randy Couture is 46 stands 6'1" weighs in at 220 lbs. with a 75" reach he fights with a record of 16-9. He is a Five time UFC Champion and fought in 15 title fights. He is in the UFC hall of fame and one of the best ambassadors the sport will ever have. Randy made his debut at UFC 13 almost 12 years ago. He has beaten Chuck Liddell, Vitor Belfort, Titio Ortiz, Kevin Randleman, Tim Sylvia, and Gabriel Gonzaga. Randy is a three time Olympic alternate in Greco-Roman wrestling for the U.S.A., and he is a Greco-Roman National Champion. Randy recently lost his UFC belt to Brock Lesnar at UFC 91, he did a very good job against Brock, eventually losing due to ground and pound from the enormous Brocks canned hams called fist. Randy is always looking for the hardest fight possible, which is why he fought as an underdog against so many other fighters, almost always coming out on top. Randy is a total freak of nature fighting at 46 years old and still being at the level needed to fight in the UFC. He is one of the best game planning fighters around and is a master of the clinch, dirty boxing, and wrestling. His work ethic is still second to none.
UFC 102 Preview
The co-main event is a Light heavyweight fight between Keith "The Dean of Mean" Jardine vs. Thiago "Pitbull" Silva. This is a big fight for both men, and a meeting of the to most dangerous bastards I can think of.
Thiago Silva is 26 stands 6'1" and fights with a record of 13-1. Thiago is personally my favorite fighter. Silva grew up in the slums of Sao Paulo, Brazil, in places police won't even go. He started jiu-jitsu training early in his life and has a black belt in the martial art. He first started training with the Chute Boxe academy with Anderson Silva, Wanderlei Silva, and "Shogun" Rua. He recently made the move to Florida, to train with American Top-Team. 10 of Silvas 13 wins have been by TKO, his only loss has come to Lyoto Machida due to a last second tko. Thiago is a very dangerous man and I can not wait to see this fight.
Keith Jardine is 33 stands 6'2" with a record of 14-5-1. Jardine is a former bounty hunter before getting his shot on the Ultimate Fighter season 2. Even though he did not win, he did well enough to earn a UFC contract. He now trains with world class trainer Greg Jackson. Jardine has fought nothing but the UFC best, beating Forrest Griffin, Chuck Liddell, and Brandon Vera, losing to Wanderlei Silva and recently to Rampage Jackson. Jardine has a very unique and awkward style, causing many difficulties for his opponents. We know Jardine will always bring it and be ready to bang.
Thiago Silva is 26 stands 6'1" and fights with a record of 13-1. Thiago is personally my favorite fighter. Silva grew up in the slums of Sao Paulo, Brazil, in places police won't even go. He started jiu-jitsu training early in his life and has a black belt in the martial art. He first started training with the Chute Boxe academy with Anderson Silva, Wanderlei Silva, and "Shogun" Rua. He recently made the move to Florida, to train with American Top-Team. 10 of Silvas 13 wins have been by TKO, his only loss has come to Lyoto Machida due to a last second tko. Thiago is a very dangerous man and I can not wait to see this fight.
UFC 102 Preview
The next Middleweight bout I will breakdown is Nate Marquardt vs. Demian Maia. This fight has major middleweight implications as the winner has been mentioned to maybe fight Anderson Silva for the championship, or at least set the number one contender for the near future.
Nate Marquardt is 30 stands 6'0" and fights with a record of 28-8-2. Nate started training in martial arts as a teenager taking jiu-jitsu, kenpo, wing chun, and kickboxing. He is now a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. Nate was Japans first middleweight King of Pancrase, he won the pancrase belt seven times still a record today. He vacated the belt to go to the UFC. He trains with what might be the best camp and trainer in the world under Greg Jackson. Nate is 7-2 in the UFC with his losses coming controversy to Thales Leites and in a Championship fight against Anderson Silva, Anderson Tko'd Nate in the first round. Some people in my inner circle believe that Nate is the man to beat Anderson, but I bring up this point. He needs to be focused on Maia first and foremost, he has said he is not scared of Maia's jiu-jitsu. That could be a huge enormous mistake.
Demian Maia is 31 stands 6'0" and fights with a record of 10-0. Demian is one of the best jiu-jitsu players in the world. Demian started jiu-jitsu and judu as a child. Learning kung-fu and karate as a teenager. Demian is an Abu Dahbi grappling champion.(anyone that is a ADCC champ is very very good) Demian has eight wins out of ten by submission, and out of his five wins in the UFC four have won submission of the night. Demian is truly a whole notha level of jiu-jitsu, he is the Anderson Silva of grappling, he is the sultan of snap(your arm), the lord of leverage, the champion of chokes, if he has your back it is tap or nap. goodnight.
UFC 102 Preview
Middleweights Chris Leben vs. Jake Rosholt will battle at UFC 102. For Chris this will be his first fight back after a nine month suspension.
Chris Leben is 29 stands 5'11" and fights with a record of 18-5. Chris first made his name by being the house drunken asshole on the Ultimate Fighter 1. Even with Chris's undeniable talent, his drinking and attitude would not let him reach his potential. After some up and down finishes in the UFC, including an embarrassing loss to Anderson Silva, Chris was offered a trainer spot at ICON fitness in Hawaii. Leading into UFC 89 main event against Michael Bisping Chris claimed to have changed his life around, quit drinking, and trained harder then ever. Even Chris's own trainers said his body looked more in shape than the have ever seen and they didn't know why. After the fight everyone knew why, Chris took a form of steroids called stanozolol, he admitted to it saying he thought it would be out of his body before the tests. He was suspended nine months, this is his first fight back since then.
Jake Rosholt is 26 stands 6'1" and fights with a record of 5-1. Jake is an all-time great collegiate wrestler for the Oklahoma St. Cowboys. He won three national championships in two weight classes and was a four time all-american. After college he started mma training at Extreme Couture in Las Vegas. He recently switched to team TakeDown, a new concept in mma where the fighters get a per diem and almost everything else paid for up front so all they have to do is train. Jake is a very dangerous opponent for Chris who has had trouble with wrestlers in the past.
Chris Leben is 29 stands 5'11" and fights with a record of 18-5. Chris first made his name by being the house drunken asshole on the Ultimate Fighter 1. Even with Chris's undeniable talent, his drinking and attitude would not let him reach his potential. After some up and down finishes in the UFC, including an embarrassing loss to Anderson Silva, Chris was offered a trainer spot at ICON fitness in Hawaii. Leading into UFC 89 main event against Michael Bisping Chris claimed to have changed his life around, quit drinking, and trained harder then ever. Even Chris's own trainers said his body looked more in shape than the have ever seen and they didn't know why. After the fight everyone knew why, Chris took a form of steroids called stanozolol, he admitted to it saying he thought it would be out of his body before the tests. He was suspended nine months, this is his first fight back since then.
Jake Rosholt is 26 stands 6'1" and fights with a record of 5-1. Jake is an all-time great collegiate wrestler for the Oklahoma St. Cowboys. He won three national championships in two weight classes and was a four time all-american. After college he started mma training at Extreme Couture in Las Vegas. He recently switched to team TakeDown, a new concept in mma where the fighters get a per diem and almost everything else paid for up front so all they have to do is train. Jake is a very dangerous opponent for Chris who has had trouble with wrestlers in the past.
Friday, August 28, 2009
UFC 102 Preview
We have made it to the main card breakdowns for UFC 102. A Light Heavyweight clash between Brandon "The Truth" Vera vs. Krysztof "The Polish Experiment" Soszynski.
Brandon Vera is 31 stands 6'3" with a record of 10-3. Vera grew up in Virginia as a wrestler, he earned a four-year scholarship to wrestle at Old Dominion University. He dropped out of Old Dominion when he felt college was not for him and joined the U.S. Air Force. He wrestled for the Air Force at the Olympic training center in Colorado. He received a medical discharge from the military after tearing ligaments in his arm. He then went on to mma training under Lloyd Irvin, Vera has a purple belt in jiu-jitsu and is extremely efficient in muay thai. Brandon won the Heavyweight championship in the W.E.C. in 2005. He came into the UFC and ran his undefeated record to 8-0 with some highlight reel wins. He then got a chance to fight Tim Sylvia, Vera broke his hand in the first round and went on to lose for the first time by decision. After that loss and one more at heavyweight he was talked into dropping to light heavy. Currently at light heavy he is 2-1 with his loss to Keith Jardine. Vera is one of Volkarts former favorite fighters, and if Vera wants to challenge for the championship belt he needs a win here against Soszynski.
Krysztof Soszynski is 32 stands 6'1" and fights with a record of 18-8-1. Soszynski born in Poland moved to Canada at age ten, started as a body builder and professional wrestler. Soszynski is a member of team Quest, you can spot him in the corner of a lot of Dan Henderson's fights. Soszynski has had a long road to the UFC, he was in the now defunct IFL and other smaller promotioins. Soszynski received his shot on the Ultimate Fighter 8. He turned that opportunity into 3 straight wins in the UFC. This will be his third fight in the UFC in the last five months. Soszynski is very good on the ground, winning 9 of his 18 matches by submission and two submission of the night awards from the UFC. The winner of this fight should have an upcoming shot against a contender.
Brandon Vera is 31 stands 6'3" with a record of 10-3. Vera grew up in Virginia as a wrestler, he earned a four-year scholarship to wrestle at Old Dominion University. He dropped out of Old Dominion when he felt college was not for him and joined the U.S. Air Force. He wrestled for the Air Force at the Olympic training center in Colorado. He received a medical discharge from the military after tearing ligaments in his arm. He then went on to mma training under Lloyd Irvin, Vera has a purple belt in jiu-jitsu and is extremely efficient in muay thai. Brandon won the Heavyweight championship in the W.E.C. in 2005. He came into the UFC and ran his undefeated record to 8-0 with some highlight reel wins. He then got a chance to fight Tim Sylvia, Vera broke his hand in the first round and went on to lose for the first time by decision. After that loss and one more at heavyweight he was talked into dropping to light heavy. Currently at light heavy he is 2-1 with his loss to Keith Jardine. Vera is one of Volkarts former favorite fighters, and if Vera wants to challenge for the championship belt he needs a win here against Soszynski.
Krysztof Soszynski is 32 stands 6'1" and fights with a record of 18-8-1. Soszynski born in Poland moved to Canada at age ten, started as a body builder and professional wrestler. Soszynski is a member of team Quest, you can spot him in the corner of a lot of Dan Henderson's fights. Soszynski has had a long road to the UFC, he was in the now defunct IFL and other smaller promotioins. Soszynski received his shot on the Ultimate Fighter 8. He turned that opportunity into 3 straight wins in the UFC. This will be his third fight in the UFC in the last five months. Soszynski is very good on the ground, winning 9 of his 18 matches by submission and two submission of the night awards from the UFC. The winner of this fight should have an upcoming shot against a contender.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
UFC 102 Preview
The last prelim fight of the night will be a middleweight match between Ed Herman and Aaron Simpson.
Ed Herman is 28 stands 6'2" and fights with a record of 15-7. Ed was a cast member on the Ultimate Fighter season 3 losing in the finals to Kendall Grove. Ed is a wrestler from Oregon and trains with Team Quest. Before the UFC he had a record of 11-3 with wins over former UFC champ Dave Menne, Nick Thompson, and Derek Downey. His three losses to Joe Doerksen, Kazuo Misaki, and Shane Davis. After the Ultimate Fighter reality show he has gone 4-4 in the UFC, losing to Grove, Jason MacDonald, Alan Belchar, and Demian Maia. Ed really needs a win here to prove he still belongs in the UFC.
Aaron Simpson is 35 stands 6'0" and fights with a record of 5-0. Aaron was a two time NCAA All-American wrestler with the Arizona Sun Devils. He trains at Arizona Combat Sports with Carlos Condit, Jamie Varner, C.B. Dollaway, and Ryan Bader to name a few. Evan though Aaron is a world class wrestler all five of his wins are by knockout with only one fight making it out of the first round. Aaron was picked up by the UFC during the WEC/UFC consolidation. With a win over Herman at UFC 102 he could pick up steam in his effort in the UFC middleweight division.
Ed Herman is 28 stands 6'2" and fights with a record of 15-7. Ed was a cast member on the Ultimate Fighter season 3 losing in the finals to Kendall Grove. Ed is a wrestler from Oregon and trains with Team Quest. Before the UFC he had a record of 11-3 with wins over former UFC champ Dave Menne, Nick Thompson, and Derek Downey. His three losses to Joe Doerksen, Kazuo Misaki, and Shane Davis. After the Ultimate Fighter reality show he has gone 4-4 in the UFC, losing to Grove, Jason MacDonald, Alan Belchar, and Demian Maia. Ed really needs a win here to prove he still belongs in the UFC.
Aaron Simpson is 35 stands 6'0" and fights with a record of 5-0. Aaron was a two time NCAA All-American wrestler with the Arizona Sun Devils. He trains at Arizona Combat Sports with Carlos Condit, Jamie Varner, C.B. Dollaway, and Ryan Bader to name a few. Evan though Aaron is a world class wrestler all five of his wins are by knockout with only one fight making it out of the first round. Aaron was picked up by the UFC during the WEC/UFC consolidation. With a win over Herman at UFC 102 he could pick up steam in his effort in the UFC middleweight division.
UFC 102 Preview
The third of four Heavyweight tilts on the card is Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Chris Tuchscherer. Gabe has lots of UFC history fighting in the UFC since 2005, while this is the UFC debut of Tuchscherer.
Gabriel Gonzaga is 30 stands 6'1" and weighs 260 lbs, he fights with a record of 10-4. Gabe is known for his all-time great highlight reel head kick TKO of Mirko "Cro-Cop" Filipovic at UFC 70.(winning knockout of the year in my eyes) He then got a title shot against Randy Couture at UFC 74, Gabe was considered by some to be the favorite in that fight because he was younger, bigger, and stronger than Couture. Randy broke Gabe's nose on a take down slam in the first round and finished Gabe in the third round. Gabe lost his next fight to fellow Brazilian Fabricio Werdum, then with two straight wins fought Shane Carwin at UFC 96. In the first 30 secs. Gabe landed a wicked uppercut and two left hands breaking Carwin's nose. Carwin stood back up and landed a powerful overhand that shut Gabe's lights out. Gabe is ranked in the top ten to top fifteen heavies in the world (I have him ranked #8 on my list). His 6-3 UFC record is nice, but losing three of his past five some say has put him in danger of being cut from the roster.
Chris Tuchscherer is 33 stands 6'1" and weighs 260 lbs. He fights with a record of 17-1-1n.c. Chris is our hometown boy from the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy. He is training partners with the UFC Heavyweight Champ Brock Lesnar. Chris's only loss is to fellow Minnesotan Travis Wiuff, by decision, in the YAMMA tournament finals.(three fights in one night) His first pro fight was a win over team Quest fighter Krzysztof Soszynski, Chris also holds wins over Travis Fulton and Brandon Lee Hinkle. Chris unsuccessfully tried out for this season of the Ultimate Fighter 10, but instead the UFC scouts called him a week later and offered him a contract flat out telling him he did not need to be on the show to be in the UFC. This should be a very game fight, even if it is Chris's first UFC fight against the vet Gabe Gonzaga, because I am sure training with Brock Lesnar full time makes him tough enough.
Gabriel Gonzaga is 30 stands 6'1" and weighs 260 lbs, he fights with a record of 10-4. Gabe is known for his all-time great highlight reel head kick TKO of Mirko "Cro-Cop" Filipovic at UFC 70.(winning knockout of the year in my eyes) He then got a title shot against Randy Couture at UFC 74, Gabe was considered by some to be the favorite in that fight because he was younger, bigger, and stronger than Couture. Randy broke Gabe's nose on a take down slam in the first round and finished Gabe in the third round. Gabe lost his next fight to fellow Brazilian Fabricio Werdum, then with two straight wins fought Shane Carwin at UFC 96. In the first 30 secs. Gabe landed a wicked uppercut and two left hands breaking Carwin's nose. Carwin stood back up and landed a powerful overhand that shut Gabe's lights out. Gabe is ranked in the top ten to top fifteen heavies in the world (I have him ranked #8 on my list). His 6-3 UFC record is nice, but losing three of his past five some say has put him in danger of being cut from the roster.
Chris Tuchscherer is 33 stands 6'1" and weighs 260 lbs. He fights with a record of 17-1-1n.c. Chris is our hometown boy from the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy. He is training partners with the UFC Heavyweight Champ Brock Lesnar. Chris's only loss is to fellow Minnesotan Travis Wiuff, by decision, in the YAMMA tournament finals.(three fights in one night) His first pro fight was a win over team Quest fighter Krzysztof Soszynski, Chris also holds wins over Travis Fulton and Brandon Lee Hinkle. Chris unsuccessfully tried out for this season of the Ultimate Fighter 10, but instead the UFC scouts called him a week later and offered him a contract flat out telling him he did not need to be on the show to be in the UFC. This should be a very game fight, even if it is Chris's first UFC fight against the vet Gabe Gonzaga, because I am sure training with Brock Lesnar full time makes him tough enough.
Monday, August 24, 2009
UFC 102 Preview
We are down to six days left until UFC 102, so there is catching up to do as far as match up breakdowns. Next is a lightweight match up between Marcus Aurelio vs. Evan Dunham.
Marcus Aurelio is 36 and stands 5' 10" tall with a 76" reach. He fights with a record of 18-7. Marcus trains with the all-star camp of American Top Team, he is a black belt Brazilian Jiu-jitsu fighter. The Brazilian has previously fought in the UFC going 2-3. He has wins over Ryan Roberts and Luke Caudillo, and losses against Hermes Franca, Tyson Griffin, and Clay Guida. He went 3-3 in Pride F.C., losing to top Japanese fighters Gomi, Ishida, and Mishima. Even though he went 5-6 in the big promotions, the losses all to quality opponents, in no way should you underestimate this submission master.
Evan Dunham is 27 and also stands at 5' 10", he has a 70" reach and fights with a record of 8-0. Evan went 4-3 as an amateur with a decision loss to Grey Maynard. He turned pro in 2007 and rattled off four straight wins, with that he traveled to the Philippines and won with a guillotine choke in the third round. After that fight he took a year off and started training with Extreme Couture. Since then he has won three more straight and is looking to move up the lightweight ladder with a win over Marcus Aurelio in his second UFC fight.
Marcus Aurelio is 36 and stands 5' 10" tall with a 76" reach. He fights with a record of 18-7. Marcus trains with the all-star camp of American Top Team, he is a black belt Brazilian Jiu-jitsu fighter. The Brazilian has previously fought in the UFC going 2-3. He has wins over Ryan Roberts and Luke Caudillo, and losses against Hermes Franca, Tyson Griffin, and Clay Guida. He went 3-3 in Pride F.C., losing to top Japanese fighters Gomi, Ishida, and Mishima. Even though he went 5-6 in the big promotions, the losses all to quality opponents, in no way should you underestimate this submission master.
Evan Dunham is 27 and also stands at 5' 10", he has a 70" reach and fights with a record of 8-0. Evan went 4-3 as an amateur with a decision loss to Grey Maynard. He turned pro in 2007 and rattled off four straight wins, with that he traveled to the Philippines and won with a guillotine choke in the third round. After that fight he took a year off and started training with Extreme Couture. Since then he has won three more straight and is looking to move up the lightweight ladder with a win over Marcus Aurelio in his second UFC fight.
Friday, August 21, 2009
UFC 102 Preview
The second of four heavyweight fights on the card will be Justin McCully vs. Mike Russow. McCully has been in the UFC since 2007, Russow will be in the big show for the first time.
Justin McCully is 33 stands 6'2" 240lbs with a 74" reach, fighting with a record of 9-4-2. Justin trains with Team Punishment and Tito Ortiz. He has fought in a pancrase tournament and lost to middleweight Evan Tanner in the finals. He also has a submission win in the Rings organization. McCully has yet to find his true spot in the UFC heavyweights division, beating Antoni Hardonk and Eddie Sanchez, but losing to Gabe Gonzaga. He is known as a wrestler, his 12 years pro mma experience might help in this fight.
Mike Russow is 32 stands 6'2" and weighs in at 265 lbs, fighting with a record of 11-1-1nc. Mike is a policeman from Chicago. His only loss comes from Sergei Kharitonov almost three years ago in his only Pride F.C. fight. He does hold notable wins over Jason Guida and K-1 vet Roman Zentsov. Mike has not fought in nearly a year, and will be making his UFC debut. The big Chicago cop will have a lot to prove, but not training in mma full time could be a hindrance at this level of competition.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
UFC 102 Preview
UFC 102 still inching closer, here is a look at the second fight on the card. This is the first of four Heavyweight bouts on the UFC 102 card. With four fights this night should shake up the Heavyweight division nicely.
Tim Hague 6' 4" 265 lbs. 26 years old, he fights with a record of 10-1. The big canadian was a former kindergarten teacher before starting MMA training full time. He holds a blue belt in Jiu-Jitsu under black belt instructors Kyle Cardinal and Rodrigo Munduruca. Tim became the Kng of the Cage Heavyweight Champion in only his fifth MMA fight in 2006. His only loss came to Miodrag Petkovic outside KotC, he avenged his only defeat less than 8 months later. In Tim's first UFC fight he took on K-1 super standout Pat Berry, defeating him from the underdog role. Tim could be someone to watch for in the future, as the "Thrashing Machine" is young and hungry.
Todd Duffee is 6'3'' 260lbs. 23 years old, he fights with a record of 4-0. Duffee trains with the all-star camp of American Top Team, Florida. Anyone from that camp is top notch, recently Thiago Silva credited Duffee and "Bigfoot" Silva for getting him ready for Jardine. Of Duffee's four fights, all have been by TKO, only Assuerio Silva has made it to the second round. Duffee also trains out of Hardcore Gym, in Georgia. With all the training at superior fight camps it would be reasonable to expect good things out of Todd in the future, but fighting for the first time in the UFC is always tough, so we will see what Duffee can bring to the heavyweight divisions table.
Tim Hague 6' 4" 265 lbs. 26 years old, he fights with a record of 10-1. The big canadian was a former kindergarten teacher before starting MMA training full time. He holds a blue belt in Jiu-Jitsu under black belt instructors Kyle Cardinal and Rodrigo Munduruca. Tim became the Kng of the Cage Heavyweight Champion in only his fifth MMA fight in 2006. His only loss came to Miodrag Petkovic outside KotC, he avenged his only defeat less than 8 months later. In Tim's first UFC fight he took on K-1 super standout Pat Berry, defeating him from the underdog role. Tim could be someone to watch for in the future, as the "Thrashing Machine" is young and hungry.
Todd Duffee is 6'3'' 260lbs. 23 years old, he fights with a record of 4-0. Duffee trains with the all-star camp of American Top Team, Florida. Anyone from that camp is top notch, recently Thiago Silva credited Duffee and "Bigfoot" Silva for getting him ready for Jardine. Of Duffee's four fights, all have been by TKO, only Assuerio Silva has made it to the second round. Duffee also trains out of Hardcore Gym, in Georgia. With all the training at superior fight camps it would be reasonable to expect good things out of Todd in the future, but fighting for the first time in the UFC is always tough, so we will see what Duffee can bring to the heavyweight divisions table.
Brock Lesnar Vs. Shane Carwin in the works.
Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar and contender Shane Carwin are reportedly in talks to fight for the belt. UFC 106 in Las Vegas is being targeted, the card will also feature the return to the UFC of Tito Ortiz vs. Mark Coleman, and Jon Fitch taking on Ricardo Almeida. Shane Carwin was going to fight Cain Velasquez, but the UFC scraped that fight, Brock did not have a opponent in the immediate future after last competing at UFC 100. This match has many ways to play out, with Shane Carwin being as big (if not bigger) and as powerful as Brock. The winner of this match will most likely fight the winner of UFC 102 headliner Randy Couture vs. Antonio Nogeuira. It will be interesting to see if Carwin pokes the bear a little more calling Brock nothing but a pro wrestler, we know what happened when Frank Mir did that. If Carwin truly believes Brock is nothing more than a WWE fake he will be in for a rough night. Hopefully they will sign the contract soon to make it official, and then double re enforce the cage, cause this fight is going to cause epic earthquakes.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
UFC 102 Preview
With UFC 102 11 days away it is time to start the fight countdown. First on the card is a Middleweight bout featuring Nick Catone vs. Mark Munoz, some times when two good wrestlers fight it turns into a stand-up fight, but we'll see.
Mark Munoz fights with a record of 5-1, while not a lot of mma experience he is an accomplished collegiate wrestler. A two time All-American at powerhouse Oklahoma St., he won the National Championship at 197 lbs. his senior year in 2001. Munoz will be making his middleweight debut in this fight. He recently fought Matt Hamill at 205 lbs. and took a kick to the head, which ended the fight. He also has two victories in the WEC before the UFC absorbed selected fighters into their roster.
Mark Munoz fights with a record of 5-1, while not a lot of mma experience he is an accomplished collegiate wrestler. A two time All-American at powerhouse Oklahoma St., he won the National Championship at 197 lbs. his senior year in 2001. Munoz will be making his middleweight debut in this fight. He recently fought Matt Hamill at 205 lbs. and took a kick to the head, which ended the fight. He also has two victories in the WEC before the UFC absorbed selected fighters into their roster.
Nick Catone fights with a 7-1 record. Nick is also a wrestler, he wrestled at Division I Rider University qualifying for the national tournament three times and winning over 100 matches total. Nick is a purple belt in jiu-jitsu, under professor Bill Scott, who received his black belt from Ricardo Almeida. Nick recently lost to Tim Credeur but does hold a wins over John "Doomsday" Howard and Derek Downey.
Light Heavyweights
Top Ten (rest of fighters after the jump)
1. Lyoto Machida 15-0 (5-0) 15W
2. Quinton Jackson 30-7 (4-1) 2W
3. Rashad Evans 13-1-1 (3-1-1) 1L
4. Mauricio Rua 18-3 (4-1) 2W
5. Forrest Griffin 16-6 (3-2) 2L
6. Thiago Silva 13-1 (4-1) 1L
7. Luiz Cane 10-1-1nc (4-1) 3W
8. Rich Franklin 25-4-1nc (3-2) 1W
9. Keith Jardine 14-5-1 (2-3) 1L
10. Brandon Vera 10-3 (2-3) 1W
1. Lyoto Machida 15-0 (5-0) 15W
2. Quinton Jackson 30-7 (4-1) 2W
3. Rashad Evans 13-1-1 (3-1-1) 1L
4. Mauricio Rua 18-3 (4-1) 2W
5. Forrest Griffin 16-6 (3-2) 2L
6. Thiago Silva 13-1 (4-1) 1L
7. Luiz Cane 10-1-1nc (4-1) 3W
8. Rich Franklin 25-4-1nc (3-2) 1W
9. Keith Jardine 14-5-1 (2-3) 1L
10. Brandon Vera 10-3 (2-3) 1W
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Houston Alexander fighting in Iowa
The UFC has reportedly given permission to Houston Alexander to fight on a promotion outside the UFC. He will remain under contract with the UFC in the mean time. Alexander fights against Sherman Pendergarst (11-14) for the “Adrenaline MMA IV” event in Counsil Bluffs, Iowa in September. Also rumored to be on the card is former UFC Heavyweight Champ Tim Sylvia and fighting super legend Jeremy Horn. It is nice to see the UFC allowing their fighters more outside activity, with this and the recent announcement of the ADCC competitors.(which will have gsp, maia and others) In Alexanders case he will get a tune up fight after coming back from his broken hand, the UFC is not a good place to shake ring rust. He will need a good performance when he comes back to the big show, he is currently on a three fight losing streak.
UFC 111 Scores
UFC 111 | Pearce | Volkart | Jeremy | Joel |
Riddle DQ | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Palhares rd 1 sub | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
Hamman desc | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Almeida rd 2 sub | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Diaz rd 1 tko | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Pellegrino rd 2 sub | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Miller desc | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
Fitch desc | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
Carwin rd 1 tko | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
St. Pierre desc | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
Total | 10 | 14 | 12 | 10 |
Picks after the jump
HeavyWeight Rankings
Top Ten (rest of fighters after the jump)
Fighter name- overall record (past 5 fights) Win/Loss streak
1. Brock Lesnar 4-1 (4-1) 3W
2. Randy Couture 16-9 (3-2) 1L
3. Frank Mir 12-4 (3-2) 1L
4. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 31-5-1-1nc (3-2) 1L
5. Shane Carwin 11-0 (5-0) 11W
6. Cain Velasquez 6-0 (5-0) 6W
7. Junior Dos Santos 8-1 (4-1) 3W
8. Gabe Gonzaga 10-4 (2-3) 1L
9. Mirko Filipovic 25-6-2-1nc (3-1-1nc) 2W
10. Cheick Kongo 14-5 (3-2) 1L
Fighter name- overall record (past 5 fights) Win/Loss streak
1. Brock Lesnar 4-1 (4-1) 3W
2. Randy Couture 16-9 (3-2) 1L
3. Frank Mir 12-4 (3-2) 1L
4. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 31-5-1-1nc (3-2) 1L
5. Shane Carwin 11-0 (5-0) 11W
6. Cain Velasquez 6-0 (5-0) 6W
7. Junior Dos Santos 8-1 (4-1) 3W
8. Gabe Gonzaga 10-4 (2-3) 1L
9. Mirko Filipovic 25-6-2-1nc (3-1-1nc) 2W
10. Cheick Kongo 14-5 (3-2) 1L
Monday, August 17, 2009
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