It turns out I went 5-for-5 in my UFC 94 predictions. What stood out in the main card was Clay Guida taking it to Nate Diaz and proving he's ready for the top contenders in the lightweight division. Though he was running on empty by Round 3, Jon Jones was dynamite and boosted his profile with a decision win over Stephan Bonnar. Georges St. Pierre left no doubt he is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world with his destruction of B.J. Penn, though Penn remains the lightweight champ whose best days are far from over.
The highlight of the night was Lyoto Machida's fiurst-round knockout of Thiago Silva. The Dragon's fighting style has been panned as boring and frustrating to fans for reasons I cannot understand. Like him or not, Machida is the real deal and he's getting a shot at the light-heavyweight title if Keith Jardine defeats Quinton Jackson at UFC 95. Should Rampage retain the strap, he'll meet champion Rashad Evans, but Machida should be in line for a fight with a significant opponent. Lots to choose from in that division. Personally, I'd love to see him against Forrest Griffin - or perhaps Jon Jones or Matt Hamill.
Another busy week on tap. I have a feature with Joe Lauzon in the works to promote his UFC Fight Night main event against Jeremy Stephens this Saturday night. Part of this story was how Lauzon's original opponent, Hermes Franca, was forced to back out with a torn ACL, but that didn't stop him from making disparaging remarks about Lauzon and his brother, Affliction fighter Dan, over The Underground MMA fourm. The normally laid back Lauzon shared a strong respose, which has me tracking down Franca for a reaction.
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