UFC 118: Edgar vs. Penn 2
For the first time ever on August 28 2010, the UFC is going to Boston for UFC 118: Edgar vs Penn 2. The card features a lightweight championship rematch between BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar. Also, boxing champion James Toney takes on MMA legend Randy Couture. Its boxing vs. MMA baby! (But in MMA’s backyard)
Another exciting 155-pound showdown between Kenny Florian and Gray Maynard rounds out a very top-heavy pay-per-view (PPV) main card. The winner of this bout will surely be guaranteed a title-shot with whoever wins the main event.
Frankie Edgar vs. B.J. Penn
Edgar pulled off a huge upset to take the lightweight belt from Penn in April, winning a controversial unanimous decision. The 31-year-old Penn is the greatest lightweight in MMA history, Edgar is one of the better lightweights of the present. But remember, this kid lost a unanimous decision against Maynard. He’s beatable and I think BJ will come up guns ablazing and KO Edgar to take back what he feels is his, the LW belt.
Randy Couture vs. James Toney
If there’s ever been a case of one fighter having a “puncher’s chance,” it’s right here: Toney, making his MMA debut, has absolutely no hope of beating Couture unless he lands that one perfect punch that knocks Couture senseless. Is Toney capable of doing it? Sure. He was twice named the boxer of the year by Ring Magazine, and even if he’s nowhere near as good now as he was at the height of his boxing career, he’s still the most accomplished fighter with his fists ever to step into the Octagon. But is Toney going to do it? No. Couture is smart enough not to stand in front of Toney and wait to be punched, and Couture will take Toney down and finish the fight on the ground.
Kenny Florian vs. Gray Maynard
Maynard’s pro MMA record is 9-0, and over the course of his UFC career he’s become known as the master of using his wrestling to grind out decisions. That makes him, in the view of many fans, boring. I don’t really agree with that criticism of Maynard, but I think Florian is the right guy to force Maynard to change up his game plan, and ultimately to finish Maynard by submission.
UFC President Dana White called this a lightweight No. 1 contender match, which makes sense because Florian and Maynard are generally recognized as the next-best lightweights in the UFC after Edgar and Penn. But Florian just got a title shot a year ago and lost badly to Penn, which would make a Florian-Penn rematch a tough fight to sell if Florian and Penn both win. Really hard to hard to predict this one.
Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: Is it ever gonna happen?
For my first blog on boxing, I’m gonna share my views on the most talked about matchup presently.
Here’s a quick update for those still wondering whether the megafight between pound-for-pound number 1 and 2 Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr will ever happen.
The answer: probably not.
The second round of negotiations have broken down, and with Mayweather being non-committal about fighting Pacquiao and Pacquiao being tied down by his commitments as a Filipino congressman, it appears unlikely that the two men will ever step into the same ring. For this year at least…
The first time fight negotiations broke down, fingers were pointed at Pacquiao for refusing stringent blood testing prcoedures. Sure, Mayweather shouldn’t have been dictating the rules but for $40 million Pacquiao should have just gone for it. Besides, both fighters were going to have blood taken anyway and more importantly for Pacquiao, refusing blood testing had cast a shadow of doubt over his impressive legacy. Whether blood testing is justified or not, many boxing fans cannot fathom why Pacquiao would risk suspicion for the rest of his career.
Now, however, the blame has come down squarely on Mayweather. Diehards will continue to argue that Floyd is The Man and should not be subjected to any limitations or deadlines from Top Rank’s Bob Arum (Pacquiao’s promoter), but most boxing fans and the general public will view Floyd’s refusal as an act of cowardice. In fighting Pacquiao at a 50-50 split, Mayweather would make enough money to set himself up for life (estimates are around $40 million plus) and provide him with the opportunity to once again ascend to the pound-for-pound throne and cement his place in boxing history. It is clear that Pacquiao’s popularity and rise to stardom has annoyed Mayweather and this would have been the perfect opportunity for him to shut everyone up. It’s not like Mayweather would have been an underdog in this fight. Both fighters are in the primes of their careers and there is no other opponent out there that comes even close for either guy.
Mayweather is now looked upon as a coward that never wanted a piece of Pacquiao in the first place. Even the insistence on blood testing is now considered nothing more than a ploy to avoid fighting Pacman. If the two end up never fighting each other Gayweather will be remembered as the one that ducked Pacquiao.
As for Pacquiao, it looks like he will go on to fight Antonio Margarito on 13 November in a fight no one really wants to see. There really isn’t much to get excited about. Margarito is a disgraced cheater (illegal hand wraps) who doesn’t even deserve a chance to fight. He’s going to have trouble securing a license in Nevada and as a result they may have to shift the fight to Mexico.
Sadly, there is no winner here.
UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen Review
Who would have thought Chael Sonnen would dominate champion Anderson Silva for over 90% of this title fight? Well… no one!
Silva, coming into the fight with a 11-0 UFC record, is undoubtedly the most lethal striker in the middleweight division. So how did Sonnen neutralize this? Easy… Just put him on his back and apply some ground & pound. Most will say its easier said than done. Well, Sonnen utilized his superior grappling to do just that, giving Silva the worst beatdown he’s ever experienced.
This went on for 4 and a half rounds.The title was his – within a whisker. And then with just under 2 minutes remaining in the fight, Silva showed that he is still one of the most gifted fighters in the world by locking in a triangle choke out of nowhere. Sonnen tapped reluctantly but earned a lot of respect in defeat.
In the end, Silva’s BJJ bailed him out to overcome Sonnen’s superior grappling. This will go down as one of the greatest finishes in the history of MMA.
Other maincard results:
Thiago Alves vs. Jon Fitch Results – Fitch Wins By Decision
Fitch is simply a guy that outworks you. He’s a wrestler through and through.
Matt Hughes vs. Ricardo Almeida Results – Hughes Chokes Out Almeida
Some fighters need to have a perfect set up for their submissions. Matt Hughes does not.
Junior Dos Santos vs. Roy “Big Country” Nelson Results – Dos Santos By Decision
Dos Santos has some amazing power. Nelson, on the other hand, sure can take a punch.
UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen
Fight fans will not only be treated to a championship showdown between middleweight title holder, P4P king Anderson “The Spider” Silva and challenger Chael Sonnen, but will also be treated to a superb main card consisting of welterweight contenders and ultimate fighter winner, Roy Nelson going against the young upcoming star Junior dos Santos.
Silva is arguably the most lethal practitioner of MMA in the UFC when his mind is on the job. Did you see what he did to former LH champ Forrest Griffin? Floored three times in one round.
UFC commentator Joe Rogan once described the middleweight champion’s work as a ‘ballet of violence’, with his knees razor-sharp, his kicks deadly, and his punches pin-point. Sonnen, who is running for State Representative as a Republican, has been using his verbal skills to get inside Silva’s head. He plans to walk through it all to come out the other side with the most painful, yet satisfying, victory of his career.
Personally, I don’t think so. All this trash talking will come to nothing on August 7, where Silva will remain the undisputed P4P king of MMA.
