USMC Grappler

UFC 73 Appropriately Named "Stacked"

2007-07-04T07:51:00.000-07:00

This is the best card I have seen this year. Not that UFC 71 didn't impress, but the fighters on that card I mostly did not care about or were not real contenders. This UFC 73 is packed with contenders. Finally some of the young talent get to put their up and coming status on the line against the named and famed belt holders and ladder dwellers. I am extremely ready for this UFC.

Heath Herring vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

This fight turned out to be the least desired of the night for me. Although I was ready to see how Nogueira would enter the octagon and see if he would live up to the Pride lovers hype, I am disappointed it is not against an Alovski or Vera. I really hope he faces one of them soon, because he should walk right thorough a boring Herring. Herring and Nogueirra in their first fight was a war, but Herring hung with him all day. Is this really a different Herring? Will Big Nog disappoint like CroCop? Herring...can this guy look aggressive again like in his Pride days?

My Pick: Nog in a walk over by Submission.

Sean Sherk vs. Hermes Franca - Lightweight Title

I am rather excited to see more of Sherk, and especially against Franca. It could end up being very similar to the Florian fight, however Franca is more powerful than Florian and I think Sherk may try to knock him out instead. Franca is vulnerable to the knock out due to his undisciplined yet powerful striking. This fight should be action packed. I just hope it is not another boring lay and pray showing by Sherk.

My Pick: Sherk...he is too strong and short on the ground to be submitted, and Franca too undisciplined in the standup.

Anderson Silva vs. Nathan Marquardt

This is exciting because of the superior submission talent of Marquardt and the popularity and devastating striking of Silva. What people don't know is that Silva has excellent grappling offense from his back as displayed toward Lutter, and in the Pride days. He is an underrated grappler by far. The only possible way I see marquardt winning is because the UFC can award GnP victories to fighters who were actually losing. The guard needs to be better understood by UFC judges. Marquardt will probably go to the GnP and stay on top. I hope Silva worked more on his takedown defense. It has been weak in the past.

My Pick: Silva by TKO (with mental reservation to Marquardt by decision from GnP)

Tito Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans

This is not like the Forrest and Bonner main event which was B.S. but this is a legitimate non title main event. Rashad is a legitimate contender and one whom I consider in the top 3 (other than Liddell and Jackson). Rashad has far superior wrestling and stronger punches. Ortiz may have better cardio, but I really don't think so. For such a known and great fighter, I have never seen a top "great" have such an overall disadvantage as Tito does with Rashad. There is no weakness in Rashad's game that I see Tito taking advantage of, and there is no strength in Tito's game that I see Rashad being weaker in.

My Pick: Rashad by TKO

UFC Lightweight Rankings

2007-06-27T00:16:00.000-07:00

With the heighlighting of this division since TUF 5, and my inability to keep up on the other organizations, I will rank the Lightweight fighters from the UFC only. This division has become very exciting with the weight cut by some serious contenders and some other returning stars from the past. My rankings I believe will be fair and sane, but will not require or respect a belt holder to be ranked #1. This will be true in all of my picks. I will also only rank the top 5. I have always thought a top 10 to be overkill.

Unfortunately the bulk of the talent arrived on scene in this weight class after Sherk already had the belt and before a proper tournament style elimination could take place.

#1 Lightweight: Thiago Tavares

This pick is stricktly based on overall skill level he possesses, and current win rate (how many and how quickly) over any opponent he has faced. I believe he is in the top eschelon of BJJ in this division and he has probably better striking that BJ Penn, without the issues of poor conditioning. He has overwhelmed all his opponents to this date and shows unstoppable agression. I truly believe based on talent and conditioning that he is the best in this division.

#2 Lightweight: B.J. Penn

With his return to this weightclass he is at his perfect size to maintain excellent conditioning. He has reemerged, with his domination of Rulver, with new life and passion for the sport. Maybe this time around he will live up to his potential. It is honestly his past and poor conditioning from before that makes me rank him just below Tavares. Their skill level is similar on the ground so I do not see Penn being able to dominate and control his position like he can at will with some other opponents. Though his standup is excellent, I believe it is second best to Tavares in theis weight class. However, once Penn or tavares get through Sherk, which will happen sooner or later, I see this entire weight division needing to go through him to get the belt.

#3 Lightweight: "The Muscle Shark" Sherk

I am not a fan of his style, but every fighter below Penn or Tavares will be overwhelmed by his power and his good standup defense. He is careful and technical enough in the standup to avoid being knocked out and he is probably the strongest and best conditioned at this weight class. The only reason why I believe he is #3 behind Penn adnTavares is I believe Penn is better in the standup and also able to submit Sherk, something Florian with his lack of power and long stature could not do. Tavares also has the skill to do it with an equal stamina. The days of GnP in this division are over so long as the two fighters above him are in this weight class.

#4 Lightweight: Kenny Florian

Kenflo just did not have the power to beat Sherk. This will not be his problem with any other fighter in this weight division. He does not have the talent level, even with his Jiu-Jitsu to beat BJ or Tavares, but I believe he can beat the remaining contenders. His Jiu-Jitsu and more disciplined kickboxing should beat both a Joe Stevenson and a Hermes Franca

#5 Joe Stevenson/Hermes Franca

I could not rank these two seperately until I see them fight. I believe this would be an exciting matchup and one that should have taken place before the Sherk fight.

Some Militich product fans may ask where Spencer Fischer is. I believe he is where he deserves, no where to be seen on this list. The fact that the UFC always considers him a "contender" actually seriously pisses me off. He showed talent against Sam Stout, but what else does he have compared to the other fighters listed above? The fact is he is going to end up getting a title shot before Tavares or Penn, and I believe it is all political.

Next up, the Welterweights...

UFC 71: Post Fight Analysis

2007-05-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

Starnes vs. Leben

Talk about exceeding expectations. What a very entertaining fight. I believe Kalib Starnes won all 3 rounds, rather than 2 of three. The technique of Starnes was strong and Leben showed his strong chin ability again. The only problem I saw from this fight is ANOTHER American Top Team fade. The American Top Team does not condition their fighters in cardio. I don't know how many times I have said that. I was surprised to see so many good punches land from Kalib. 2 things he did wrong were to not pass the guard (due to cardio) and never once kick good to the head. In the 3rd round especially, there were numerous opportunities to kick Leben to the head and possibly score a knockout.

I can't believe Mike called them both classy! Kalib was classy, Leben was trash. I hope that was Leben's last time in the UFC. His fighting is junk and so is his attitude.

Overall, great fight to watch.

Alexander vs. Jardine

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I freakin told you so!!!

Over rated!

Terry Martin vs. Ivan Salaverry

This fight has nothing to break down. Ivan got caught up because he was thinking of only 1 move and not 2 or 3 ahead. When you do that, and focus on just the one move, your opponent can work his first, second, and third possibilities at will. Not to mention Martin had the position in the first place.

Very lame showing by Ivan, TKO Martin was deserved.

Josh Burkman vs. Karo Parysian

What an excellent fight. Karo easily wins round 1 with his throw and also landing the solid punches. Burkman looked very wild and had to clean it up. However, he did not. Burkman was outpunched, outclassed, and Karo put a clinic on him. It was annoying to watch. Burkman was gassed the entire last 2 rounds of the fight.

World class talent vs. strength in this one. Josh is not ready for this level as I thought he might be. I think Karo showed something today as well because he went for broke and did not look intimidated at all. His hands were excellent and Judo keeps him dangerous everywhere.

Complete domination by Karo. Eddie Bravo is not very good at scoring. Karo has a new fan, and then with his time he spent with the Marines in Miramar, he is a classy guy. (Diego still #1 in that division)

"Rampage" vs. "Iceman"

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!
That was awesome. Liddell needs to show class. He was silly twice. When he went down, and then when he got him with a back swing of the elbow!

"I agree with Chuck, let's do it again." Jackson

This man was a steal by the UFC!!!

What a UFC!!

UFC 71: Liddell Carries A Card

2007-05-26T17:16:00.000-07:00

There truly is nothing spectacular about this fight card that I could see. I really only have an interest in the One fight mentioned in the title. There are a couple potential good fights, but nothing striking me of any concern. The reason is because none of the fighters on this card are in the top 5 of their weight division. Terry Martin may be the only exception but that still remains to be seen. With as many events being produced as there are this year, we eill have to expect many entertaining yet meaningless fights.

The Card:

Kalib Starnes vs. Chris Leben

This is really a "who cares" fight. Neither fighter deserves the status of UFC fighter. King of the Cage is the best they should be able to hope for with their mediocre talent and lame personalities. I think if anything, Kalib has a similar style to Jason MacDonald and should lose to Kalib, if only he wasn't the same fighter who took a kick to the ribs and gave up against Kendell Groves. I am not sure Kalib has the heart to endure a strike from Leben. So who wins?

I DON'T CARE.

Houston Alexander vs. Keith Jardine

Keith Jardine has succeeded in taking Forrest Griffin's position as the most overrated fighter in the UFC. There is nothing Keith has done and no one he has beaten to give him the respect he has. Forrest was overrated to begin with, so beating him was not as big a deal as so many fans who like Forrest's personality give it. This weight class is still thin for true talent capable of beating or even competing with Chuck. My Pick:

Keith...though I am cheering for Alexander!

Josh Burkman vs. Karo Parysian

This fight is more than likely the most exciting and most anticipated of the night behind only Liddell/Jackson. The firworks could come for this one. I was not at all impressed when I saw Karo's fight in Miramar. If he had quit like he wanted, and the corner had not talked him back into the fight, Karo would not have won a decision as he did. With him I am just tired of seeing a 3 round Judo match. Burkman, however, has the potential to knock Karo out, and possibly even submit him. I am very excited to see the energy behind the fight. I think Karo may be able to defend and outscore in a Judo match to get another decision, but my pick really is Burkman. he is a rising star and I expect him to take the next step. My Pick:

Burkman: TKO

Terry Martin vs. Ian Salaverry

I saw Martin in one 185lb fight and he was a monster. He appears to overwhelm his opponent and tear them up. I would like to see him fight a great fighter like Franklin, or he would be a great test against Groves to really see where he stands. I have never seen Ian so it is impossible for me to rate this fight. I just know the violence will be high simply because Terry is in it.

No Pick

Liddell vs. Jackson

This fight is EVERYTHING it is billed to be. A dominating champion fighting the one man who has beaten him and still remains unrevenged. This fight should be fire works. Everyone is expecting a real challenge for Liddell, but it could be a first round KO by either fighter. Both these men know what this fight means and have been on this stage before. Neither man will look to back down and could bring it from the beginning. What I liked from watching the Pride fight is that Chuck hit Jackson, but Jackson could take his punches. Jackson also had a better pure boxing style defense and was able to counter punch effectively, where that is usually Chucks game. i think with the fence Jackson has an even greater upper hand. he was able to get Chuck to the ground before in a ring with ropes, now what can he do when he is able to pin him against a cage? My Pick:

Jackson: TKO in 2

Come back for my post fight breakdowns and...
Coming soon:

USMC Grappler's standings by weight class with fighter analysis.

UFC 66 Pre-Fight Analysis and Picks

2006-12-27T13:24:00.000-08:00

UFC 66 can go either way. The fighters who are on the card have been both great and disappointing, depending on the bout. If we get the "great" out of each fighter, it should be very entertaining. I will only break down what I see in the Main Card. The card looks like this.

Main Card Bout
Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz II (LightHeavyWeight Title)
Jason MacDonald vs Chris Leben
Andrei Arlovski vs. Marcio Cruz
Forrest Griffin vs Keith Jardine
Micheal Bisping vs. Eric Schafer

Preliminary Bouts
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Carmelo Marrero
Yushin Okami vs Rory Singer
Anthony Perosh vs. Chistian Wellisch
Thiago Alves vs. Tony DeSouzatitle

Tito vs. Chuck
I honestly believe (and not just because I always wish Chuck's demise) that Ortiz can and will get the belt back. In one comercial he says he doesn't care about the belt, in the other, he says it is his life. I believe the latter. Tito has turned into a class act with all he does for the military and his students as their coach. He has always proved to be one of the hardest workers. The only issue I see with him against Liddell is his conditioning. He faded too early against Forrest Griffin, thinking he would put him away early. The one thing he will NOT do is beat Chuck in the first round. He needs to be ready.
From Chuck's side, I am not sure what his plan will be. It is always to knock everyone out, but in the last fight Ortiz proved to have a good chin and good defense against Liddell's punches until the eye gouge. I think Liddell needs to go for the ground and pound over Tito, or try to let Tito wear himself down by escaping Tito's clinch until Tito tires, and then knock him out if possible. !!Or just eye gouge him again

Jason MacDonald vs. Chris Leban

This is the exact type of fight I was refering to with "great." Leban came into the middleweight division full of fire and tore off win after win, then when running into the eventual champ, he showed how his lack of discipline holds up to proffesional skilled fighting. I think he has a chance to win this fight, but I see MacDonald taking it. I think he will do just enough to hold him off for a while, but MacDonald should get the submission vistory. Leban has a lot of raw brawling ability with enough skill to keep him near the top of the Middleweight division to date, but if anyone studies his lack of discipline in fighting style, they should be able to win.

Andre Arlovski vs. Marcio Cruz

This is a soft fight in the comeback of Arlovski. I do not see him losing by any means. A submission victory is possible, but I think this win will come from a first or second round TKO. They will work Andre up the chain a bit until Silvia is no longer champ, and then give him another shot at the belt. No one wants to see Arlovski vs Silvia 4!

Forrest Griffin vs Kieth Jardine

I am no Forrest fan. I think he is funny, I think he is near the top of the Light Heavyweight Division, but I think he will never be champ. That being said, having to fight Jardine is an insult. Many people thought he came close to beating Tito. Some people insist he did (I do not). Either way, Forrest has enough talent and fan fare to warrent a fight with the undefeated Rashad Evans, not a sorry looking Jardine. It seems the UFC has resigned to believe that Jardine and Forrest will never hold the belt and are brawlers at best, and therefore belong in the ring against other brawlers only. I think there is something to be said about that, but I still believe Forrest has earned the right to fight Evans, or maybe even be the first to face Quinton Jackson next year. Maybe that is what the winner of this fight will recieve. Who knows.

Michael Bisping vs Eric Schaffer

This is the second most interesting fight for me for two reasons. Bisping needs to come in and prove himself in the first UFC PPV of his career, and second, he is facing a very talented Schaffer. I saw schaffer fight once and he took every advantage given to him and showed impressive grappling skills. I think it is a beautiful first test for Bispings first time into the ring and I think he will prove himself worthy of the fan fare given to him thus far.

As I said previously, I hope this UFC turns out to be in the great category. It will be hard to compete with the prior UFC which was outstanding in every way. If Tito wins I see a matchup with Chuck and Quinton Jackson and Tito probably will defend his title against Rashad Evans. If Chuck wins I see no one else ready. Rashad may get the fight anyway. Enjoy the UFC on Saturday!

Nate!

Ultimate Fight Night - Miramar

2006-12-27T07:55:00.000-08:00

Finally I have a minute to write my review.

First off let me say that i think it is absolutely awesome what the UFC did for the Marine Corps. Their sponsorship (and vice versa) is very much appreciated. The Marine Corps was right to get on board and promote the UFC. It is what being a Warrior is all about.

Before I forget...I might be on MSNBC this January. They did a documentary on the UFC that I was interviewed for and my predictions are perfect...as you might see if they select my piece of the video!

My overall experience was great. Watching a UFC live is every bit as entertaining as a football game and more so that baseball. Though the overall matchups on this card were not that spectacular, I still had an exciting time. I was able to meet the likes of Dana White, Dean Lister, Jason Lambert, "JJudo" Gene Label, and Diego Sanchez. I sat right behind Diego's parents (you can see me for a split second in the live clips just before the fight and after the knockout right behind his parents) and had the pleasure of escorting them to the VIP section after having a 20 minute conversation with them in the waiting line. Just like regular people, they came out into line and sat down 1 hour early!! I introduced myself and then it dawned on us 20 minutes into it, that they could get in VIP. Being the senior rank in line I decided to escort them. VERY, very gracious people. Like Diego himself, they are very humble.

OK...The fights!!!

Logan Clark vs. Steve Byrnes

Steve Byrnes was a Marine before his UFC career began. Though he was not horrible, he may have wanted to stay Marine. He had the power and control of the fight but every move he made to finish the fight came from his MCMAP training, and as I said to the MSNBC guys, MCMAP and MMA do not match up. You will lose in MMA if you soley rely on MCMAP training. Steve was able to take Clark down and control the ground, but he almost never threw strikes! His attempts at an achilles leg lock (many MANY times) were embarrasing. That was the MCMAP showing through. He did not control the body of Clark in the attempts, and there is no way in hell a professional will submit from the achilles lock. You better be willing to break that ankle! Over all, Clark deserved the win, and Byrnes has some work to do.

Keita Nakamura Vs. Brock Larson

This was a very entertaining close fight. I do not have much to say except both these boys can scraap. I thought the call to give the fight to Larson was incorrect in that he seemed to sustain the most punishment, and ground control was equal. I think the decision was crowd based. You do not give a new Japanese UFC fighter the win over an American in a very close fight, in front of a bunch of Marines. That may be harsh, but that is how I felt watching it.

Dave Menne Vs. Luigi Fioravanti

This fight was very good, and it was finally a good showing by an ex-Marine. Luigi dominated every aspect of this fight. You could see the heart of Dave Menne leave him as the fight continued. I do not have any specifics on the happenings, but luigi pressed Menne the whole time and beat him up pretty good. It is nice to see someone not tainted by MCMAP.

Alan Belcher Vs. Jorge Santiago

The fight between Santiago and Belcher was perfectly scripted. They were on their feet the majority of time, and Belcher could handle the takedowns of Santiago. As most fighters in the American Top Team tend to do, Santiago began to wear down toward the third round. This fight I was particualrly proud of because I had been yelling for Belcher to kick Santiago more. Fianlly in the third round Belcher started to wear out the tired Santiagos leg and I began to yell "to the head, to the head." About 1-2 minutes of punishment to the leg later, Belcher finally brought a kick to the side of the head which caught Satiago perfectly for the knockout. Loved it!!! It is always nice to talk about fighting with friends and have them witness your instincts proven to be accurate!

Victor Valimaki Vs. David Heath

Many people thought this fight was entertqaining. The antics of Heath showing off were definetely interesting, however I prefer to see fighters like Vera and Sanchez who are focused and humble, not cocky and half-ass. Heath won the fight and deservedly so but he will amount to nothing. Being a light-heavyweight, with guys like Lambert, Forrest, Rashad, Bisping, Tito and Chuck, will ensure Heath and his game playing will remain an undercard.

Marcus Davis Vs. Shonie Carter

As a person I cannot stand Shonie Carter. As a fighter he is washed up. As a warrior with heart, all props go to him. Shonie put his heart on display this entire fight. He should have been knocked out in the first round and in the second was sure to fold. He was so tired from the punishment by Davis we all thought for sure he would go out. However, in the thrid round, Shonie came back and put on a show. You could see he wanted to fight well before his fellow Marines but was not the better fighter. He never quit and perservered to the end. I gained a new respect for him that night.

Drew Fickett Vs. Karo Parisyan

Great fight! This was the second best fight of the night. Very entertaining, bloddy and hard fought on both sides. I was about to get very upset at Parisyan. What people watching Spike did not see is that Parisyan almost threw in the towel due to his cut. It was mostly upsetting because we all knew he could continue. He was winning the fight and just needed to show heart. He wanted to quit and his corner would not let him. Many people may doubt that about Karo, however he WANTED to quit! You could here his cornerscreaming at him. Karo was telling them to throw in the towel and the corner would not let it happen. They were winning the fight and they knew it. I am glad Parisyan continued, but Fickett was seconds away from a forfeit victory.

Jeff Joslin Vs. Josh Koscheck

I was very suprised at how boring this fight turned out to be. Koscheks last showing made me think it would turn out much differently. It is hard to watch the pure wrestlers revert back to their old form. It is great that they can produce good takedowns, but they need to learn to take a page from Tito's book and throw better elbows on the ground. Koscheck controlled Joslin the entire time but could do nothing with it. He won a points decision based soley on his explosive takedowns. Not interesting at all.

Diego Sanchez Vs. Joe Riggs

WOW, WOW, WOW!!!
What an unbelievable fight. I told the MSNBC boys that I was there at the event to see Diego beat Riggs, and I was greatly rewarded. Having to fight Riggs at all is an insult to Diego. Riggs has been more down that up lately and Diego is an undefeated contender. After beating Parisyan you would have thought Diego would get respect. Not at all. Even now after a quick knockout he still gets none. The reason Dieg is the next champ is his focus, fighting instincts and technical talent. Many people were turned off by his Alessio fight, but that is what sold me on him. Alessio was not going to be taken down and he ran away from a real fight the entire 3 rounds. Diego chased him and did all he could to press the fight that Alessio ran from. I was impressed at Diego's heart and perserverance in that fight, and have seen it every time since. He took Riggs out with a beautiful left hook right to the kisser, knocking Riggs down, and then followed up with a perfectly timed knee while Riggs was getting up.

People debate whether the timing was lucky and if Dieg was going for a knee to a downed opponent. It is again another show of the lack of respect people have for Sanchez. He has done nothing to earn that type of criticism, and has always shown a killer instict to press the action when his opponent is vulnerable, yet he gets that type of flak. It was a perfect finish for the first knockout of Sanchez' career. A beautiful reward for my loyal support!!!

On Meeting Dana White...

Dana is a class act who loves to chat with the audience. I was able to speak with him about Brandon Vera, Pride fighters coming to the UFC, and on Sanchez getting a title shot. Though he was not completely open (and how can he be on everything) his hints tell alot.

I first asked Dana about Vera vs. Sylvia and he confirmed that the fight agreement is in the works. He knows this is the fight everyone wants to see. I believe the problems with the contract stem from Vera having only one fight left on his current contract which Vera would like upgraded before taking the belt (which he will). Dana told me to look out for 2007 which he promises will be the best year in the UFC yet. He said they are getting lots of exciting fighters from elsewhere. He did not confirm who they were, but I told him that Vera and Cro Cop wold make an excellent match to which he simple smiled and winked while stating "I agree." He said many others were coming and I told him I had heard rumors of the Pride fighters coming to the UFC and another smile while saying it will be a good 2007. When Sanchez won over Riggs I shouted to Dana that Sanchez is his next champ at 170. Wide eyed after witnessing the quick, unexpected knockout he simple shook his head and said "WOW!" All UFC fans know Dana would love one of his TUF competitors to hold a belt, and soon. It would boost interest i the show which degraded greatly with "The Comeback." I would expect Sanchez to get one more fight, then the title shot provided he is successful.

This was my first UFC experience. Free, exciting, and a great time. I loved it and again thank Dana, the UFC, and the Marine Corps for putting a show like this on.

Nate

UFC Fight Night

2006-12-16T11:32:00.001-08:00

What an awesome night, one I won't ever forget. I will have pics of me and some fighters along with my breakdown shortly. For now, here is the Diego post fight interview with the UFC. I am the taller big faced Marine to his right behind him the second half of the interview! http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=MultiMedia.Detail&gid=3983

Nate

Brandon Vera on YouTube

2006-12-05T10:01:00.000-08:00

Everyone who reads this should know I have bragged that Vera will be the next champ in the UFC. I feel as confident about this as ever. I also believe he could be the champ at either weight class.

What I stumbled on is some highlight videos from YouTube, which are excellet at showing his well rounded skills. He has some monter kicks and suplexes. I really believe he is the best the UFC has seen at heavyweight since Marco Ruas, and I hope Vera will show us his aggression that he shows in these tapes.

Chuck should not want to face this guy in an exhibition. He will get annihilated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUajVyfzuMQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWnKt_XD_Ew

Nate

UFC 65...And It Was!!!

2006-11-19T13:29:00.000-08:00

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?

2006-11-16T08:32:00.000-08:00

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

UFC 62...It's Back!

2006-09-01T23:08:00.000-07:00

Following a very good Ultimate fight night to kick off TUF 4, the UFC had it's best PPV in a while. All around, the fights were very good. Of course, for anti-chuck fans like myself, the night ended in a letdown. Lets get started.

I AM NOT a Nick Diaz fan, and I have always given Josh Neer respect for being tuough and hangin in there, but the roles have changed. Nick Diaz looked very good. Maybe he just looked good against a mediocre fighter, but what a way to start a UFC!! He dominated the standing exchanges, owned the ground, and made Neer look bad enough to maybe stay away from a PPV card for a while. There are much better welterweights than him who deserve the spotlight, and Diaz earned his way back into it. He still have nothing on Diego! (I should have wrote an UFN review...what a fight!)

The Hermes Franca fight was one that kept me glued. I was about to kick the tv when Big John stopped the fight. I was elated when the submission came! Franca deserved that fight and was about to be robbed. The best thing that shows heart and determination, is a fighter who was given an excuse to quit, yet refuses to let outside elements influence his focus and rob him of what is rightfully his to lose. He showed great poise and will be interesting to watch!

Cheick vs Vera??? Now, everyone knows I am a huge Vera fan, and look for him to get the next title shot after Monson, but after he wins that title, a fight like that may be more of an exciting K-1 fight than a UFC fight. Congo looked very tough and very good in the standup. He did show he is suceptable to the submission, and thaqt is where Vera would prevail, IMO. Either way, another interesting fighter is n the heavyweight division.

Forrest vs. Bonnar. Though not boring, it was lame. It was less violent than the first one, but Bonnar showed he is not up to the task of hanging with the elite3 in the 205 class. He spent the majority off the time running away and taking little jabs. It would have been a much better fight to see on the ground. I think Bisping needs to fight Griffin next. Let's get the Forrests and Bonnars where they belong, on the undercard. It was an insult to Chuck, whom I hate, to call that a "co-main event."

Chuck vs. Babalu...what can I say. Why are all the fights abouve welterweight "stupid fighter vs. the champ?" I am not a fan of the 205 and up champs, because they win by idiots fighting the champs game. What possessed Sobral to train for so long, to be a top Gracie Barra fighter, and then charge chuck with his fists like a 2 year old? What type of moron is he? I think Chuck has knocked more people out backing up with the counter punch, than moving forward!! What the hell was Sobral thinking? Siome people will say he wasn't, that is why he is a fighter...ummmm...Chuck is a thinker. If these idiots insist on boxing and flailing against Chuck and Silva, they will EAT CANVAS!! Wake the hell up future contenders. Fight YOUR game, it is why you are there!!

Well, that is it, I hope to keep this up more again! See ya in the ring!

Nate

USMC Grappler Fight Club

2006-07-13T13:48:00.000-07:00

This is it! The inaugural USMC Grappler Fight Club session was today.

I have to tell you, we are blessed to be in a position where training in MMA is considered to be part of fostering the “warrior spirit.” To be in a place where our passion for fighting is encouraged and where our training is facilitated for free is just simply awesome.

I work in a place that has more Marines with upper level Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) belts than any unit I have been in before. For Marines to be at the green, brown, and black belt level in the Marine Corps, typically means they have a desire for fighting and training outside of just what the Marine Corps teaches them. So here we are, provided with the pads, the time for physical training, and the experience of a mix of people who can share their knowledge of what they grew up learning or what they are learning out in the civilian world right now. Bring that together in an environment of both physical and technical training along with mentoring and leadership and you have the USMC Grappler Fight Club!

Our vision for the future is to have better fighters proficient in both MCMAP and MMA and to foster the warrior spirit in any who desire to participate. We will do this through routine training, grappling tournaments, boxing smokers (if still allowed), and motivational cultivation.

Semper Fi and see you out there!

UFC 61

2006-07-09T07:52:00.000-07:00

Arlovski fought another fight where he beat himself. This is why I am a Vera fan. He is a smart fighter. He would have pursued that leg until Tim could no longer stand. Now in the next heavyweight fight, we will be forced to watch Monson vs Sylvia. Ugh. i am no longer an Arlovski fan. He was out to prove he had a chin and could outpunch Sylvia more than he wanted the belt.
He bought Sylvia's hype and actually believed a submission is the lucky win (Sylvia/Arlovski 1). Stupid fighter.

I hate Ken, but he is still KEN SHAMROCK. You do not stop that fight until he is at least injured visibly!!! I agree Tito (and I am glad) was in the process of punishing him mercilessly. But Ken deserves the respect of getting submitted or knocked silly. He was not convincingly either. Doesn't the first UFC hall of famer deserve more respect than that?
I think it was a plan to piss off Ken. Maybe he will leave for good this time. The old timers are being phased out.

Mir looked horrible. How long does it take to lose that kind of weight? Frank went from pure dominant to horribly out of shape. His problems are mental, and he needs to correct him because he is going no where in that division without better conditioning.

WANDERLEI SILVA!!!

The third on my list of favorite 6!! He is the worlds best at 205 and will prove it. Ummm...what is Babalu wins?? Errrr...
Either way I hove Wanderlei fights in the UFC. Is it a belt match? I hope so. He may have lost in the UFC before, but he has had a lot of wins and maturing since then. Look for him to own the UFC!!!

Josh Burkman looked good. In reality, Team Punishment looks great. Did coaching actually make Tito a better man and fighter? Now that he is the one looked up to, will he take back his status in the UFC as a great? I look forward to seeing team punishment challenge Miletich for supremacy in the UFC.

Overall it was a very disappointing UFC other than the Wanderlei announcement. The fights were lackluster, the fighters not the brightest, and too many quick stoppages. I would have like to see the Joe Stevenson fight end on different terms. I had the first 2 rounds split. Joe is suceptable to a knockout. C- on the overall good fighter/entertaining scale for the night.

Nate

UFC 61 Preview and Picks

2006-07-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

I will first start off with my predictions with the winner in red and then break them down. Hopefully I will do better than my 5-3 on Ultimate Fight Night last week.

Tim Sylvia Vs. Andrei Arlovski

Andrei has yet to get beat by anyone other than Andrei. Yes, I said it. The last fight all came down to a mistake made by an over anxious fighter, who given a second or two longer, would have finished that fight with a victory. Tim Sylvia is strong, don't get me wrong, but he is not a great fighter at any particular style. He can get beat at punching with anyone that can stay out of his reach. He would get out kickboxed by any premier kickboxer of comparable sixe, he would get outgrappled by anyone with any serious skill. He cannot rely on his size for much longer.

I would have to say that the heavyweight division is the one division where the skills are not that widely dispersed. Frank Mir, Andrei Arlovski, Brandon Vera, and Jeff Monson are the only fighters that immediately come to mind with any true art to their fighting. These are the disciplined few of that division.

Tito Ortiz Vs. Ken Shamrock

Unfortunately, for the second straight UFC, the fight with the biggest hype behind it will turn out to be a battle, but another battle where Tito tees off on Ken Shamrock. Ken just does not have the cardio to keep up. I cannot see this fight going any different than the last. Watching Ken attempt to compete today is getting old. We see a tired fighter, working through exhaustion by getting beat up even worse. His fight against Don Frye in Pride was a boring battle of two old guys.

Tito is still up to punish Ken. The bad blood between them will hype up Tito even more than last time. Last time Tito was out to beat a legend, now he wants to destroy the heart of his enemy.

Unfortunately, this fight doesn't hold much bearing for either fighter. Even if Tito wins again impressively, I do not think he is up to the level of beating Chuck Liddell. I am not sure he can. Not because he isn't good, but because their styles do not mix to his advantage.

Dan Christison Vs. Frank Mir

This is a fight where both men have something to prove. Either are capable of a win. I see Frank winning this fight by submission, only if he has better striking skills. Dan and Frank will more than likely end up on the ground, and I would count that battle to go to Mir, who appears to be in better shape for that type of fight. If Mir can keep the top position, and reverse Dan when in the guard, this should be Mir's fight. The winner of this bout should fight Brandon Vera, if Vera is not already on tap to fight someone like Ricco Rodriguez or Jeff Monson.

Josh Burkman Vs. Josh Neer

Josh Neer has already defeated 2 TUF fighters in Joe Stevenso and Melvin Guillard. Coming from the Miletich camp, I will have to go with Neer. He has good submission skills and great heart. His fight against Melvin Guillard, where he fought through one of the nastiest cuts I had ever seen and was still allowed to continue, showed me that Neer is all heart. He knew he had superior ground skills and was able to avoid Melvins big punch. His fight against Joe Stevenson was unimpressive, but effective.

I believe Stevenson is overrated compared to the other fighters in the UFC at that weight division. With this division owned by BJ Penn, GSP, and last but not least, Hughes, all the Welterweight fights like this will ever be is undercards!

Yves Edwards Vs. Joe Stevenson

I have not seen Yves fight, but I have seen Joe. I have been too unimpressed with Joe Stevenson to pick him again. Both fighters have skill on the ground, with an edge to Joe. However, if Yves can protect himself there, and do the damage he is capable of on his feet, I see him getting a descision, or less likely, a knockout. I believe this will be a good fight, again, in a dead end division for either of these fighters.

Undercards

I will just pick these fights. Most of the following fighters I have not seen, and I am picking off of their records and styles.

Drew Fickett Vs. Kurt Pellegrino (Great fight)

Jeff Monson Vs. Anthony Perosh (Monson is on a mission)

Gilbert Aldana Vs. Cheick Kongo

Hermes Franca Vs. Joe Jordan

Enjoy the fights!!

TUF 3 Finale...Excellent!

2006-06-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

What made this season finale the best so far?

Well, lets start off with my initial picks: (5-3)

Stout (after beating Spencer Fischer, I am a fan)
Bisping (will wear the belt someday)
Grove (going with my heart, not head. Do not put stock in this)
Jardine (Gouveia lost to Rory Singer ...nuf said)
Starnes (Abbadi completely unimpresive)
Hutcherson (Go with the grappler unless the name is Herman)
Matt Hamill (Jesse has ability, no brains)
Combs (Mike thought Hamill was good...)

Stout proved to be overwhelmed. A classic display of standup vs. Jiu Jitsu, with BJJ dominating. The Spencer Fischer fight was not a way to evaluate Stout. He had no defense on the ground. I did not see the other fights I lost...

Now to the good fights!!

First it was the underdog Grove coming to the finale focused and determined to not get beat on the ground. His excellent kickboxing skills, now mixed with a more well rounded ground game, landed him that victory. I thought the adjudication of the judges was correct, but also Ed did earn himself the right to be signed as well.
Grove truly was the most improved fighter, and the best student of the show. He went there to learn and become great. He may be on his way.
Ed showed tremendous heart. He was not well liked due to his overwhelming arrogance but lack of performance on the show. He proved that he would not be "beat." And I would say that he was not "beat," but that he lost a match that either fighter deserved. No complaints, only extreme respect to both fighters.

Michael Bisping looked to be everything I thought he was. He is for sure the best light-heavyweight from that show. Not to take away anything from Matt, but his well rounded skill, his killer instinct, and excellent conditioning led to a dominating victory. I still believe he has what it takes to go through the light heavyweight division to possibly challenge Liddell someday.

Matt Hamill looked very impressive. He is a ground and pound specialist it seems, but I like how he controls his opponents on his feet and throws repeat uppercuts into the chin. I really wonder what a fight between Hamill and Rashad Evans would look like.

I think the fighters to come out of TUF 3 are the best yet. Their actual techinical skills are far better than the winners of the past and I actually look forward to seeing them often in the UFC.

Nate

City Boxing

2006-06-21T09:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I joined the City Boxing team downtown Sandiego. It was a very good experience. I took the beginners kickboxing class taught by Brandon Vera, and the Jiu Jitsu class that immediately followed. A tough 2 1/2 hours. But, IMO, the best way to train in grappling is tired. It forces you to use your technique, or get submitted.

The gym is a busy one, probably partly due to the success of it's fighters. They have plenty of equipment and expertise on hand. The biggest thing for me was to be able to train with great fighters at a low cost. Compared to other prices in San Diego, City Boxing is a bargain for anyone. Many gyms offer only one sport, this one allows you to train in any or all of them (Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, Boxing) or all of them for the low monthly fee. I think I will continue to do the kickboxing and Jiu Jitsu supersets 2 times a week. I need to get back to middleweight size!!

If you are in the San Diego area, I recommend this gym.

Nate

TUF 3...Good Finale

2006-06-16T08:27:00.000-07:00

I wasn't sure what to think of the Semi-Finals. I actually thought it was silly that the 2 Semi-Finalists who had WON their previous light-heavyweight matches had to fight 2 previous losers to get to the finals. Only Bisping and Josh were left of the winners, so they should have automatically advanced...except the UFC probably HAD to put up a final episode for Spike (contracts and all). Some things about the business driving the sport can be frustrating, fortunately it worked out right.

I think Bisping is the best light-heavyweight, even had Matt stayed in the mix. That was an awesome flying knee after he had learned from his mistake and took that first shot. He has a real good chance of going far in the light-heavyweight division of the UFC. I think he will take Josh in the first or second round, but I believe it will be a good fight no matter what.

Why the hell didn't Jesse pound Josh from behind? What a waste of energy. Even had Josh gotten out eventually, damage may have been inflicted. Instead he played a purely submission game in a situation where he may have been able to beat Josh in the first round. Jesse is strong, he can wrestle, but he is not a smart fighter. He beat himself twice this season.

Ed continues to unimpress. His ground and pound is weak. Yes he gets the takedown, but he does not inflict much damamge. I still think he could get caught in a guilitine or triangle (even though his position in the opponents guard is low and tight). He really likes to push into his opponents throat and face with forearms and elbows. That could play into a GOOD grapplers hands. Rory looked confused, even though I thought over all (with strikes and actual control) he had the better of round 1. I am not sure why everyone gave Ed the first round. 185 is my best natural weight, and though I do not usually say this, I believe I could defeat any one of the remaining 4 middleweights from last night. I think this fight will be all about preparation. Grove had plenty of time to prep for Ed's style, even if it goes to the deck. I hope he did. i would like to see Kendall win. Ed is a typical wrestler in the style of Mark Coleman, he can be beat from the ground by a good tactician.

Overall I enjoyed the last episode. I think the finals will be fun to watch.

Picks: Bisping and Ed...though I want Grove to beat Ed.

Nate

Brandon Vera...The Next Big Thing in the UFC?

2006-06-14T09:34:00.000-07:00

YES!!
The reasons why are simple, he doesn't miss an opportunity. Last week on TUF 3 I saw a fight where Grove had an opportunity at 2:40 into the second round to end the fight quickly with a guilitine choke, and did not even see it. I know after 7 1/2 minutes of fighting, people might tire out and miss opportunities, but this type of choke against a wrestlers attempt at a take down is BASIC. Many fighters today (and Grove could very well be making 6 figures in 1 1/2 weeks from now) are missing the basics.

Brandon Vera IS NOT!

His last fight proves that if you give him a neck, he will take it. On the UFC Unleashed I saw the fight against Fabiano Scherner where, due to his well rounded DISCIPLNE (not knowledge, there is a difference) in both standup and grappling, Brandon had the better of Scherner both standing up, and even on the ground (so it seemed) over the BJJ grappler.

I am typically not at all a fan of "Jack of all trades," but when a fighter can be disciplined in that type of sport, the way Vera is, then he will rise to the top, because not many "Jacks" can fight with his type of discipline. I would like to ask him, has it anything to do with the military background??

I believe Brandon has the ability to beat ANY fighter in the light-heavyweight or heavyweight divisions. Sylvia is too sloppy still. His size may actually hurt him against Vera. Arlovski's chin may be a factor, and Vera may actually be better on the ground. Liddell is entirely too undisciplined and a joke of a champion in my opinion. No one left to even put in Vera's class. It would be an insult to make Vera go through the likes of Bonnar or Griffen to get to Liddel. Maybe bring Pedro Rizzo back due to matching styles or a fight with Frank Mir before a heavyweight title fight. But still, why wait? He is already a contender, the UFC better standby!

Nate

UFC 60

2006-05-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

WOW...
What a non-event that main event turned out to be!

What can I say, the BJJ master turned out to make rookie BJJ mistakes, and look the most pathetic out of all who represented BJJ or submission wrestling in UFC 60. A couple things were readily apparent.
1. Royce Gracie did not train against wrestlers. One of the biggest things about grappling wrestlers is their ability to gain the side mount. The way he extended his arms and allowed one to be trapped in Hughes legs, and the other to be extended in an arm bar, showed he did not expect to be in that position. His head was not prepared for the defense.
2. Royce lost his composure when his positioning was quickly dominated. How does a Jiu Jitsu master commit the cardinal sin of giving up his back unless all heart had failed him? Giving up your back, only to play possum in that situation, showed that Royce's heart was defeated. His legendary status will label him a "warrior," but his performance showed anything but.

Many modern UFC fans will hate the Sanchez vs. Alessio fight. The only complaint I had about that fight was Sanchez' inability to use any other takedown technique. Shooting in for a wrestlers one leg takedown was not working, and though willing to exchange a few blows, he did not use those opportunities to shoot in high. Alessio did well in the defense, and it was nice to see a striker hold his own and stay on his feet, but clearly he was all to happy with "surviving" and not fighting. He knew if he pushed the fight, Sanchez would control the position. In boxing, the Golden Boy started losing decisions to other good fighters that he would simply just avoid. Likewise in the UFC, the ignorant fans who booed Sanchez in favor of Alessio should have been pissed at Alessio's performance and known the fight belonged to Sanchez. Avoiding good fighters is not to be rewarded by a judges decision. I liked the fight because it was a chess match. How could Sanchez get passed the de fense of Alessio to finaly press the fight? The question was answered and the judges scored correctly.

The best fight of the night, being a Jiu Jitsu enthusiast, was Dean Lister. In classic BJJ fashion, Dean fought his way into an opportunity to take his apponent down, work his guard, and apply a textbook triangle, which is one of the most gratifying submissions to work against an opponent. Chuck Liddell needs to stand by.

I just wanted to point out the biggest fights of the night. I didn't mention Brandon Vera, but he had a good showing as well and I think he will go a long way. I am not sure if he was a Marine or Sailor, but that mixed with fighting out of San Diego means I will keep my tabs on him.

Overall, the Hughes vs. Gracie fight was the worst of the night, fans of BJJ left more disappointed and angry at Royce than anything, but encouraged by seeing Lister. The UFC is weeding out the competition. The victories were submission based, the fighters in this UFC were more disciplined than others I have seen lately. Fighters like Chuck Liddell and Forest Griffen (brawlers) will not last long as contenders in the UFC if Lister and Vera have anything to say about it. Though the growing pains hurt, the future looks a little bit brighter.

Nate

Gracie vs. Hughes

2006-05-24T13:37:00.000-07:00

Royce needs to win this fight, not only for his family, but to bring the sport back to its truth.

I think Hughes' style will actually benefit Royce. He will take the fight to Gracie and press him. In that type of fight, it will allow Gracie to be more aggressive as well and not just settle in the guard. If one of the two make a mistake on the ground it will more than likely be Matt. I think it has a chance to end in the first round with Royce winning. If Hughes wins, it will be a lucky punch knockout (very doubtful) or a bias UFC decision. (Anyone remember Ruas/Oleg)?

Anyone honest about the UFC competition today will admit that the fighters have weaker skills than in the past. "Jack of all trades, master of none." Time limits that force aggressiveness have led to sloppy fighters and boring fights for anyone who appreciates the tactics of it all. How often have the great tacticians lost due to a knockout? Or is it a judges decision awarding victory to stupid aggression over patient dicipline? Someday it will be ugly like boxing. Too bad.

I was concerned that with the pulling in of fans with NO CLUE to the discipline of real fighting, due to the rules that force sloppy fighters in the UFC, that the climate would become like that of boxing. Some people are wondering if this fight is fixed.

IT IS NOT FIXED.

Not only would Hughes or Gracie not do it, but Dana (UFC President) doesn't need to do it. If Hughes wins, the sloppy fighting is justified and the fans with nothing better invested in the sport than to want to see a good brawl will be happy and flock to the UFC even more. If Gracie wins, he again proves that discipline and technique is the best way to fight, and MMA purists who are tired of the "jack of all trades, master of none" brawlers will come back to the sport with renewed passion. It is not fixed because either result is win/win for the UFC.

Being a purist and a lover of the disciplne rather than the show of MMA, I hope Royce wins this bout and does it quickly. I have watched the UFC go from being a place where contrasting styles were tested against one another, and the grappler usually won, to a sport where thoughtless aggression is rewarded by a judges decision, even if the losser had the clear tactical advantage and would have dominated a no time limit fight. One example of this is the fights that Sam Hoger has been in of late. A new dedication to smart fighting made him so much better after TUF 1 concluded. Had the fight with Bonnar or Evans been allowed to continue with no time limit, he had the best chance to win those matches, even though in those matches, Hoger was forced to do more standup than he desires due to the time limits.

Nate

Biography

2006-05-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

So just another MMA based blog, eh? Not exactly.

I am not a "world class" fighter. No official belts to speak of or wins/losses to brag about. So why read my posts?

Because reguardless of my position in the MMA world circuit (non-existent), I am and have been an MMA enthusiast since 1997. Since that time I have followed grappling and it's success in the tournaments with passion. My opinions are definetley my own, and they are by no means uneducated.

A little bit about myself...

I was trained in some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 1997 privately from a friend who took it in a class setting. This was not my first exposure to the discipline. My sister dated a second degree blackbelt who was trained under Helson Gracie in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Though he never taught me any of it, when I met my friend who trained me, much of what Fabrecio talked about came back to me. Learning it was the best time I have had doing any particular hobby. Much of it seemed to come naturally , and as long as I remembered the fundamental truths of the style, I did well.
After a total of 12 lessons, I was transferred in the service to Okinawa. I ran into a Marine who had been taking BJJ for 3 years with a friend in the similar type setting as I. I believe he was taught differently however. Though he spoke the language, his practice was not as disciplined. I submitted him with a triangle in less than 5 minutes. After that match, the first challenge apart from my teacher that I had experienced, I decided to look for official training. The only class I could find that even closely resembled BJJ, was a base taught Judo class. After 1.5 hours of witnessing the silliness of Judo, I asked the blakbelts if any wished to grapple. I explained my limited BJJ and one who was my age agreed. This was my first time ever rolling with a gi on, and within 10 minutes I had submitted him with a rear choke.
Finally finding a BJJ class, I attended without hesitation. In a class of 8, I was immediately the #2 student as far as skill was concerned. None of which I credit to me. The only problem with this class is that after 2 months I was still the sparring partner/teacher to the other 6 in the class, and I was learning nothing new. I realized that classes were a waste of time, I had already bagun learning in the best way possible...1 on 1 instruction with a solid foundation in the philosophy of the system, not the moves of it. Needless to say, I left. My only experience in grappling after this time was teaching firends, mostly ex-wrestlers, whatever I knew. They became good quick. 10 months later I returned home.

I looked up my friend and instructor right away and we trained again. Immediately I could tell the difference. It took him quite a while to submit me (around 20 minutes)and he commented that he was impressed at my progression. He asked how hard I trained there and I told him that only for the first 3 months did I "train." Beyond that I just immersed myself in video or teaching others, and even that time was slim. I learned that by studying the discipline and watching or teaching others, you improve greatly even with a lapse in training.
Since that time I have not trained with my instructor but I have been involved in the Marine Corps Martial Arts. Though a decent program, I believe it lacks those fundamentals that made me successful. I have yet to lose a grappling match to a fellow Marine reguardless of the belt. I do not believe thaat streak will continue if I do not begin my training again, but again I find myself in the role of sparing partner/teacher than that of a person being taught. I hope to change this soon. I have been reconnected with my old friend and instructor who has very good connections these days with world champion talent. I did not connect with him for the reason of networking, and I cannot say I would train to fight MMA.

Maybe, if you read all this, you will be interested in this commentary blog I have created. Maybe not! However I will not disappoint for those who are MMA purists and not just simply brawler happy. I credit my knowledge and success to my firend who taught me all I know, and I hope to see some of you out there...maybe in a ring?

Nate

Me at 193 lbs in Iraq