UFC 65...And It Was!!!

Wow!!! Some of the best fights we have had in one pay per view in a long time. Let me start with my personal favorite.

As I have been boasting, Brandon Vera is really the next big thing. His standup is sick, his ground game is dominant, and he is the best heavyweight in the UFC, and possibly someday, the world. MMA has not seen a true mixed martial artist of this caliber since Marco Ruas, and he is ready to shine.

What fist stands out about him is his instict and timeliness. He has that killer instinct to go and get it done when he sees the opportunity. He does not waste any chances. Against Mir, the moment Mir was dazzed, Brandon knew it was ready for the clinch. The funny part is when I see him on the ground doing the exact finishing hold taught in his classes. He trapped Mir from a side mount where he has him in a perpendicular type full nelson, forcing Mir to turn into him to do anything, once that happened, the face was exposed and the fight over. Classic Lloyd Irvin Jiu-Jitsu. I am extremely proud that he is ex-military, and chose to make San Diego his home. I can't wait to stop back by the gym before my Okinawa tour begins.

Next...Wow. GSP was right in that he had no reason to fear Hughes. He is dominant over Hughes in every part of the game. His first loss was truely a rookie mistake. It is clear that what we have seen from Hughes lately was acurate. He has no quality stand-up, and he is weak on the ground when not in the dominant position. He should have attacked that fight as Sherk did with Florian, instead he let his pride step in, pulled and Arlovski, and fought GSPs game. GSP is the second best 170lb fighter in the wotrld. I only say that because he has not faced the #1 yet...Diego Sanchez.

Yawn...The Silvia fight was the most boring...HOWEVER, I have gained an extreme respect for him. He took it to Monson wherever Monson went. He proved he is not simple one sided, he has brains and heart, and he is still deservedly champ. Like GSP, only because he has not faced the best in Brandon Vera. I am glad it was Silvia who did the calling out. That almost guarantees Brandon will have the next shot.

The rest of the fights were entertaining. Joe Daddy was alright, but has yet to convince me he can do 155 and beat Florian or Sherk.

That is the best I got this quick. I love seeing a change in the guard, and I hope it continues. The next belts go to Vera and Evans...Standby UFC...it is getting GOOD!!

Nate

UFC 65...The Best One Yet?

I have never been so up for a UFC in a long time. Though some had a couple fights that got me interested, this is the first where I can envision 2 changes of the guard, and then a step up for the next heavyweight contender..."The Truth."

Hughes has been interesting to watch. Every time you think he is beat, he finds a way to win. It is a New England Patriot type spirit that possesses him in the ring. It is something every champ needs, and something to be admired. THAT aspect, however, is all I admire about Hughes. Matt Hughes was clearly getting dominated on his feet in the first 2 rounds. Better said, he was getting his a*! whooped! Finally he was able to get BJ Penn down to the ground, where he was again dominated and showed his weakness in avoiding submissions. Matt hughes does not have the talent to stay out of trouble with submissions. The mistake GSP made in the first fight, being over aggressive, is the mistake Matt makes almost every time. He rushes into a takedown, wrestler style, leaves himself open for the submission, but wills himself through the mistake and powers out. With the new GSP, I do not see this happening again.

George St. Pierre is a new fighter. If he takes his time, he will beat Hughes. He is better on his feet (and Hughes insists on boxing lately) and on the ground, he has the better chance at a submission victory than Hughes. I believe Hughes will finally face someone with the stamina and the strength to finally not allow Hughes to dominate. Whether it ends in round 1, or round 5, I believe GSP will win.

Silvia vs. Monson is not as interesting. Silvia gets props for fighting dumb fighters who play his game. The last title fight was all about Arlovski proving he had a chin, not about Arlovski wanting to win the belt. I hope Monson is not that type of fighter. This is the first world class grappler Silvia has faced since losing to Mir. I believe a similar outcome is imminent. Silvia is too lengthy without the power needed to avoid submissions. If Monson can take him down (avoiding any Babalu type stupid striking) then this fight will be extremely quick. Finaly there will be someone on top of the heavyweight division to actually challenge Mir or Vera.

Which brings me to why it will be Vera! He is a world class kickboxer and grappler. People don't understand how good he really is. As far as kickboxing, he has more than proved his worth. In grappling, he faced a strong Brazillian grappler (twice) and both were neutralized by Vera. He actually submitted Silva via. guilotine choke. I am not disrespecting Mir, Frank has the best ground game the heavyweight division has ever seen, the only question is; which Mir will we see? His last fight had him in the ring extremely out of shape. He was not ready either physically or mentally. If he does this again, he will get knocked out. The other aspect to this fight is that Vera is no ground rookie. The way Lloyd Irvin schools teach defense, is spectacular. When on the ground against Mir (which is a great possibility, watch how Vera rolls up and puts his face on the side of Mir. He places himself in such a ball, that Mir cannot strike, or find any extremity to try to lock up. I have grappled Lloyd Irvin students, and they are very good at this defense. Vera is world class at it.

This matchup is great because it will show us who is next to face the heavyweight champ. If it is Monson, the heavyweight division may not see a pure striker as it's belt holder for a long time.

Oh yea, the Joe Stevenson and Nick Diaz fights might be good as well. But honestly, these other 3 are all I care about.

BTW: Diego Sanchez (my favorite at 170) better get the next damn title shot after GSP. This fight against Riggs is bogus. Riggs has done nothing to show he is in Sanchez' class. After the demolition of Parysian, Sanchez should have been on tap for Hughes. The politics of the UFC are starting to suck. TUF 4 did nothing but get in the way.

Props to Anderson Silva for doing what I said he would (and better than I thought he would do it), and to thumbs down to Serra, he will go nowhere in the big time no matter who he faces in February.

Nate