UFC 73 Appropriately Named "Stacked"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!!!

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