Tonight on the Sirius Fight Club (Sirius Channel 127) I'll be discussing the stacked UFC 94 show with Randy Gordon and Chris Thomas. Mike Goldberg and Marc Ratner are expected to call in from Las Vegas with analysis and weigh-in results, so be sure to check out what expects to be a fun program. Matt Serra was to join us in the studio, but I was told today he's under the weather.
Each of us will be asked for predictions and why. Here's a sneak preview of what I see happening tomorrow night:
Georges St. Pierre vs. B.J. Penn
Penn moving up in weight could cost him stamina wise, but he won’t go down without a fight. St. Pierre remains intensely focused and unflappable since his loss to Serra and (hype or not) dismisses Penn's silly comments on UFC Primetime. GSP via decision.
Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva
Another great bout between a machine (Machida) and a destruction device (Silva). Silva comes off a back injury, and Machida’s style is pure precision and frustrates the hell out of opponents. Machida in a decision.
Stephan Bonnar vs. Jon Jones
We'll see if Bonnar is hurt by being out of action for 15 months or if his training helps him not be affected by rust. Jones is hungry and dynamic, yet with a level enough head and humility to control his aggression and not make a big mistake against a veteran. Jones TKO in Round 2.
Karo Parisyan vs. Dong Hyun Kim
I don’t know much about Kim, though many people thought he didn’t deserve the unamious decision win over Matt Brown. Parisyan is extremely talented and fun to watch. His back is healthy and he’s determined to rebound from that loss to Thiago Alves. Parisyan TKO Round 1.
Nate Diaz vs. Clay Guida
Guida has the edge in experience, an incredible heart and is approaching his peak at age 27, whereas Diaz is still in the developmental stage. The Carpenter TKO in Round 1.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Jon Jones' quest
I asked a few in the MMA loop their thoughts on Jon Jones and his bout with Stephan Bonnar Saturday at UFC 94. They either never heard of him or only knew of him, and all wanted to know more about him, so I jumped at the chance to pen a feature on Jones for Junkie and learned he's extremely mature for a 21 year old, who is also a father and soon to be engaged.
Once Jones arrived in Las Vegas this week, he declined a room at the host MGM Grand, optiong to stay 10 minutes off the strip to avoid the myriad of distractions Sin City along throws at you. Bonnar has been out of action for a year, recovering from a serious injury and still rebuidling a reputation soiled when he tested positive for steriods after his second with with Forrest Griffin. Yet Jones' limited MMA experience has him listed as an underdog.
That's exactly how he wants it. This quote from Jones sums up what he's all about:
"The reality of this thing is I have 15 minutes to prove to everyone, and to myself, that I belong in the octagon. People tend to hype you up a lot and tell you you're going to be the next great thing. I don't need that. I need reality. Reality is I'm the underdog, and I need to come with everything."
Fan comments were plentiful and intelligent, which the many having Jones winning the fight. I concur. Jones takes a huge step up the ladder with a second-round TKO.
Once Jones arrived in Las Vegas this week, he declined a room at the host MGM Grand, optiong to stay 10 minutes off the strip to avoid the myriad of distractions Sin City along throws at you. Bonnar has been out of action for a year, recovering from a serious injury and still rebuidling a reputation soiled when he tested positive for steriods after his second with with Forrest Griffin. Yet Jones' limited MMA experience has him listed as an underdog.
That's exactly how he wants it. This quote from Jones sums up what he's all about:
"The reality of this thing is I have 15 minutes to prove to everyone, and to myself, that I belong in the octagon. People tend to hype you up a lot and tell you you're going to be the next great thing. I don't need that. I need reality. Reality is I'm the underdog, and I need to come with everything."
Fan comments were plentiful and intelligent, which the many having Jones winning the fight. I concur. Jones takes a huge step up the ladder with a second-round TKO.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Never boring in Yankeeland
And it's not even February yet! The good news is the Yankees came to terms with Andy Pettitte on a one-year deal with incentives, which made too much sense. Even though this likely means more service time in Triple-A for Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, et. all, it's not such a bad thing.
The bad news is the firestorm caused by excerpts from Joe Torre's new book, “The Yankee Years.” My encounters with Torre as Yankees manager in 1997-98 and 2003-07 were nothing but positive. He never struck me as the vindictive type, which is why I was shocked to read some of the swings he took at the Steinbrenners, Alex Rodriguez and Brian Cashman.
These attacks at Torre's character are premature. The book must be read in full to make a fair judgment, but the fact remains that his name is on the cover and he authorized every passage from start to finish. Expect this to be the lead story once camps open for the Yankees and Dodgers in three weeks.
Shameless plug No. 1: I have a feature on Anthony Johnson appearing in FIGHT! Magazine,,one of the top MMA publications in the business, in either the March, April or May. “Rumble” is one of the exciting and rising young stars in the UFC whose compiled his first two UFC wins in a combined 64 seconds, but too little people are talking about him. His next bout is against the rugged Luigi Fioravanti February 7 in Tampa.
Shameless plug No. 2: I'll be live and in studio Friday night on the “Sirius Fight Club” (Sirius Channel 127) talking Georges St. Pierre-B.J. Penn and other topics with hosts Randy Gordon and Chris Thomas beginning around 6 p.m. Randy is the former head of the New York State Athletic Commission and Chris is an MMA insider with connections everywhere in the industry.
The bad news is the firestorm caused by excerpts from Joe Torre's new book, “The Yankee Years.” My encounters with Torre as Yankees manager in 1997-98 and 2003-07 were nothing but positive. He never struck me as the vindictive type, which is why I was shocked to read some of the swings he took at the Steinbrenners, Alex Rodriguez and Brian Cashman.
These attacks at Torre's character are premature. The book must be read in full to make a fair judgment, but the fact remains that his name is on the cover and he authorized every passage from start to finish. Expect this to be the lead story once camps open for the Yankees and Dodgers in three weeks.
_______________________
Shameless plug No. 1: I have a feature on Anthony Johnson appearing in FIGHT! Magazine,,one of the top MMA publications in the business, in either the March, April or May. “Rumble” is one of the exciting and rising young stars in the UFC whose compiled his first two UFC wins in a combined 64 seconds, but too little people are talking about him. His next bout is against the rugged Luigi Fioravanti February 7 in Tampa.
Shameless plug No. 2: I'll be live and in studio Friday night on the “Sirius Fight Club” (Sirius Channel 127) talking Georges St. Pierre-B.J. Penn and other topics with hosts Randy Gordon and Chris Thomas beginning around 6 p.m. Randy is the former head of the New York State Athletic Commission and Chris is an MMA insider with connections everywhere in the industry.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The Hammer's Homecoming
Matt Hamill is fighting again. This time against Mark Munoz, a former NCAA Division I national champion undefeated in five MMA bouts. This time it's UFC 96 on March 7 - in his home state of Ohio. Hamill is a native of Loveland, 15 miles northeast of Cincinnati and 88 from Columbus, the host of the event. The last time the UFC invaded the Nationwide Arena was March 3, 2007. Hamill's reception equaled, if not exceeded, that of Rich Franklin and Randy Couture as he entered the Octagon en route to a first-round TKO of Rex Holman.
Hamill-Munoz is the lead preliminary bout on a card that features Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Keith Jardine as the main event, but there's no denying the buzz Hamill is already receiving and can expect to receive on March 7. The difference from his previous fights is that this is no longer a feel-good story about the deaf kid doing well. Hamill is 32 years old and fighting in the stacked light-heavyweight division. He's not at the point where he can take Rampage or Jardine, but an impressive win over Munoz will boost his confidence and his case for a title shot before it's too late. Armed with a new six-fight deal with the UFC, Hamill and his camp knows it's now or never.
"I'm very focused right now," Hamill told me yesterday. "My instincts are to destroy and eliminate anyone in my division and move on without any hesitation at all."
Holmes' mission statement going into Hamill's last fight was to destroy Reese Andy. It wasn't exactly a destruction and Hamill looked sluggish at times, but he pounded Andy into submission in the second round. Unlike the time when I wrote Matt Hamill: Raw, Holmes admitted that Hamill is some sort of zone - and it's scary.
"I've never seen him like this," Holmes said.
A reader said it best: "The guy needs a switch. He's tough as nails." Maybe Hamill has finally found it. The key is not turning it off and on like a radio. He shut it down against Rich Franklin and you saw what happened.
By the way, I have a bone to pick with a few other readers who think Hamill has peaked and needs to drop Holmes and enlist with a, um, reputable MMA camp. Members of Hamill's family have read similar sentiments in the past and take exception to it. As great as a Greg Jackson is - and he is one of the best - nobody knows or can communicate with Hamill as well as Holmes, who has been with him since Day 1. He pushed Hamill beyond brutality for the Andy fight in response to the Franklin loss and knows he's not yet at a level where he can hang with the top contenders - and keep in mind he was robbed against Michael Bisping.
Hamill-Munoz is the lead preliminary bout on a card that features Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Keith Jardine as the main event, but there's no denying the buzz Hamill is already receiving and can expect to receive on March 7. The difference from his previous fights is that this is no longer a feel-good story about the deaf kid doing well. Hamill is 32 years old and fighting in the stacked light-heavyweight division. He's not at the point where he can take Rampage or Jardine, but an impressive win over Munoz will boost his confidence and his case for a title shot before it's too late. Armed with a new six-fight deal with the UFC, Hamill and his camp knows it's now or never.
"I'm very focused right now," Hamill told me yesterday. "My instincts are to destroy and eliminate anyone in my division and move on without any hesitation at all."
Holmes' mission statement going into Hamill's last fight was to destroy Reese Andy. It wasn't exactly a destruction and Hamill looked sluggish at times, but he pounded Andy into submission in the second round. Unlike the time when I wrote Matt Hamill: Raw, Holmes admitted that Hamill is some sort of zone - and it's scary.
"I've never seen him like this," Holmes said.
A reader said it best: "The guy needs a switch. He's tough as nails." Maybe Hamill has finally found it. The key is not turning it off and on like a radio. He shut it down against Rich Franklin and you saw what happened.
By the way, I have a bone to pick with a few other readers who think Hamill has peaked and needs to drop Holmes and enlist with a, um, reputable MMA camp. Members of Hamill's family have read similar sentiments in the past and take exception to it. As great as a Greg Jackson is - and he is one of the best - nobody knows or can communicate with Hamill as well as Holmes, who has been with him since Day 1. He pushed Hamill beyond brutality for the Andy fight in response to the Franklin loss and knows he's not yet at a level where he can hang with the top contenders - and keep in mind he was robbed against Michael Bisping.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Serra: Hughes is a &#$(!
Matt Serra vs. Matt Hughes has been in the works for 13 months. The two finally collide May 23 in Las Vegas, and if you think the rivalry has lost some spark, think again.
Serra is a reporter's dream. He'll come right at you and say whatever's on his mind without any regard of the censors. He's also one of the more fun and friendly personalities you'd ever meet. But he'll have to take his game up at least five levels by May. Serra hasn't fought since last April and even though Hughes is past his prime, he's an MMA legend and has the same bad intentions going into UFC 98. Whether Hughes calls it a career after this fight, which he's hinted, the last thing he wants is a loss to Serra, period.
Then again, Serra is hell-bent to not see Hughes' hand raised in victory.
"Do you think he'd be a gracious winner?" Serra said. "I can't have that. I cannot – cannot – lose to this guy, and I know that."
Serra is a reporter's dream. He'll come right at you and say whatever's on his mind without any regard of the censors. He's also one of the more fun and friendly personalities you'd ever meet. But he'll have to take his game up at least five levels by May. Serra hasn't fought since last April and even though Hughes is past his prime, he's an MMA legend and has the same bad intentions going into UFC 98. Whether Hughes calls it a career after this fight, which he's hinted, the last thing he wants is a loss to Serra, period.
Then again, Serra is hell-bent to not see Hughes' hand raised in victory.
"Do you think he'd be a gracious winner?" Serra said. "I can't have that. I cannot – cannot – lose to this guy, and I know that."
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Time heals all wounds?
It almost always does. In Matt Serra's case nothing can be further from the truth.
After more than 21 months of talking smack and healing from injuries — and 13 months since his last fight — Matt Serra is finally getting his shot at Matt Hughes May 23 at UFC 98 in Las Vegas. I finally caught up with Serra Friday night. His hatred for his former friend turned archrival hasn't waned during his time off. It's escalated.
“Let me go on the record. I can’t stand him. I don’t like him. There’s a lot of pride on the line here," Serra said.
He was only getting warmed up. Not mixing words, he didn't back down from what he told me last September, that he wanted to retire Hughes. Frankly speaking, Serra's goal is to "decapitate" him.
There will be much more on this next week on MMAJunkie.com. If you thought Quinton Jackson and Wanderlei Silva hated each other, whoa boy.
After more than 21 months of talking smack and healing from injuries — and 13 months since his last fight — Matt Serra is finally getting his shot at Matt Hughes May 23 at UFC 98 in Las Vegas. I finally caught up with Serra Friday night. His hatred for his former friend turned archrival hasn't waned during his time off. It's escalated.
“Let me go on the record. I can’t stand him. I don’t like him. There’s a lot of pride on the line here," Serra said.
He was only getting warmed up. Not mixing words, he didn't back down from what he told me last September, that he wanted to retire Hughes. Frankly speaking, Serra's goal is to "decapitate" him.
There will be much more on this next week on MMAJunkie.com. If you thought Quinton Jackson and Wanderlei Silva hated each other, whoa boy.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Finally, Serra vs. Hughes
Matt Serra finally has his grudge match and a chance to settle a vendetta that’s been boiling for more than 18 months since the taping of The Ultimate Fighter 6, Serra will get a shot at his hated rival, Matt Hughes at UFC 98 May 23 in Las Vegas. Serra texted me this morning to confirm the bout, which Hughes mentioned on his Web site on Friday, though at that time it was not 100 percent confirmed.
I'll be speaking with Serra over the next day or two. I'm willing to guess he's a tad excited to face someone he flat-out doesn't like, but it'll also be only his third fight April 7, 2007 when he shocked Georges St. Pierre. He suffered an elbow injury in the GSP rematch and a herniated disc while demonstrating a move to a student. It'll be interesting how responds after a 13-month layoff.
However, this will also be Hughes' first fight in 11 months since suffering serious knee injuries against Thiago Alves. He's dropped three of his last four fights and with his best days behind him stated he plans on retiring after settling his feud with Serra.
Meanwhile, Matt Hamill secured a new six-fight deal with the UFC and faces Mark Munoz at UFC 96 on March 7 in Columbus, Ohio, a city and state where he has a huge following. My MMAJunkie colleague John Morgan broke the story this past weekend, citing a source close to the Munoz camp.
I'll be speaking with Serra over the next day or two. I'm willing to guess he's a tad excited to face someone he flat-out doesn't like, but it'll also be only his third fight April 7, 2007 when he shocked Georges St. Pierre. He suffered an elbow injury in the GSP rematch and a herniated disc while demonstrating a move to a student. It'll be interesting how responds after a 13-month layoff.
However, this will also be Hughes' first fight in 11 months since suffering serious knee injuries against Thiago Alves. He's dropped three of his last four fights and with his best days behind him stated he plans on retiring after settling his feud with Serra.
Meanwhile, Matt Hamill secured a new six-fight deal with the UFC and faces Mark Munoz at UFC 96 on March 7 in Columbus, Ohio, a city and state where he has a huge following. My MMAJunkie colleague John Morgan broke the story this past weekend, citing a source close to the Munoz camp.
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