Some quick hits to begin the week while I listen to Tommy Bolin Band's Homeward Strut on Sirius Channel 16:
I went 4-3 on my UFC 103 predictions, whiffing on Rich Franklin, Martin Kampmann and Drew McFedries while getting it right with picking Dos Santos, Koscheck, Griffin and Escudero. I was surprised with how McFedries had nothing and how electric Victor Belfort is. Cro Cop proved once again that he hasn't been the same since he was knocked out by Gabriel Gonzaga, while Frank Trigg says retirement is imminent following his disappointing return to the Octagon.
Ryan Schultz, again at a crossroads, has a big fight Wednesday night in Japan. "The Lion" explained to me during an interview for FightMagazine.com what happened the last time nobody gave him a chance.
I spoke with Brock Larson this afternoon five days after his bitterly disappointing loss to Mike Pierce at UFC Fight Night 19. Larson knows this was a lost opportunity, especially with Martin Kampmann's TKO loss to Paul Daley, to move a few rungs up the welterweight ladder and get his coveted rematch against Carlos Condit. He's obviously frustrated, but plans on training harder than he's ever had in his entire life. Like the loss to Condit, Larson is hell-bent on becoming better from this experience.
Ryan Bader told me in an e-mail: "Every thing is going great. I am training hard and am ready to go." The TUF Season 8 light-heavyweight winner steps into the Octagon next month for the first time since April, when he tore his MCL and PCL, to face Eric Schafer on the preliminary card of UFC 104.
Los Angeles will play host to a stacked event despite Shane Carwin being pulled away from his scheduled bout against Cain Velasquez in favor of a shot at Brock Lesner. Velasquez takes on Ben Rothwell. Anthony Johnson returns from his injury to face Yoshiyuki Yoshida, and Joe Stevenson-Spencer Fisher and Gleison Tibau-Josh Neer precede Lyoto Machida's first defense of the light-heavyweight crown against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
Strikeforce continues to stock up, this time signing former NCAA and NFL star Herschel Walker. Okay, Walker is 47, but won't fight until at least early next year and will train under one of the best camps in the country, American Kickboxing Academy and Bob Cook. The odds of a prosperous MMA career may be against Walker, but I personally have never been one to dismiss anyone strictly due to age.
If you believed the Yankees had the AL East wrapped up, look again. Their lead is down to five games coming off three losses in five games while the Red Sox are winners of 10 out of their last 11. This weekend set at Yankee Stadium suddenly has some bite, especially if the Yankees sweep the Angels and the Sox fall our course, or if - gasp - New York's division lead shrinks to two or even a game-and-a-half. This is why Yogi Berra was baseball's Einstein.
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