UFC 85 predictions, preview and analysis

By: Jesse Holland

UFC 85: “Bedlam” is set for tomorrow, Saturday June 7, from the O2 Arena in London, England. The main card action is set to begin at 3 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV).

Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE updates and blow-by-blow, round-by-round commentary of the main card action throughout the telecast. As usual, it promises to be a great discussion during an exciting night of fights.

To get us pumped for the afternoon festivities, Mania himself will attempt to clear his bad name after a disastrous contribution the last time he appeared in this column, going toe-to-toe with senior writer and turgid egomaniac Jesse Holland with predictions for the upcoming event.

The mission: Forecast which fighters will leave the Octagon with their hands raised during the featured fights of the show.

It’s important to note for the predictions that while someone may be lauding a certain fighter, he isn’t necessarily the guy who he thinks is going to win.

Basically, we never want this to come out sounding repetitive. At the end of each analysis, therefore, you will see the individual picks at the conclusion of the write ups.

Let’s get to it:

Matt Hughes (42-6) vs. Thiago Alves (14-3)

Jesse Holland: What I find surprising about Matt Hughes is how many people are throwing in the towel when it comes to his career. And for what? Losing to Georges St. Pierre? Hughes is 21-3 since 2001 and aside from the two to GSP his only other loss was the upset to current UFC lightweight champion BJ Penn at UFC 46 — a loss he avenged in 2006. Hughes’ biggest asset coming into this fight is his experience. Not only has he held the welterweight strap, he’s defeated some of the best 170-pound fighters in the world. He knows how to fight on the big stage and since when is being 34 washed up? Hughes doesn’t carry around a lot of excess muscle and his body has remained relatively healthy over the years. As far as I’m concerned, this entire fight is going to depend on how well Alves can defend the shot. Hughes’ dominance on the ground is the stuff of legend and Alves has not shown me enough in his wins or his losses to convince me he’s able to defend someone as strong and as relentless as Hughes. It would not surprise me to see a vintage slam and if Hughes can set the pace early against Alves — who often needs more time to warm up than my sister’s ‘72 Bonneville. This one isn’t going to make it out of the first round.

MMAmania: “The Pitbull” has been on a role since his eight-month suspension for ingesting a banned substance (diuretic), finishing his last three opponents in impressive fashion. His upset stoppage of top contender and super tough Karo Parisyan at UFC Fight Night 13 catapulted him into the upper echelon of the very loaded 170-pound division. And a win over a high-profile former champion such as Matt Hughes will only raise his stock that much more. Alves has a fantastic and devastating striking arsenal, whether it’s crushing knees, strafing kicks or powerful punch combinations. He’ll need to keep this fight upright if he has any hopes of toppling Hughes, which could be troublesome because Hughes will more than likely do everything in his power to take him down. Alves trains at arguably the top gym in the world at American Top Team and has some of the most talented training partners around him. There’s no question that he has drilled takedown defense to prepare for Hughes’ attack as much as Jesse Holland abuses his plastic Asian blow-up princess. Alves needs to keep his distance with a mix of jabs and kicks as make Hughes pay with knees anytime he gets close. Alves — who is just 24-years-old and has never been on such a big stage — needs to stay composed early and put the label as a slow starter behind him … otherwise it’s going to be a disappointing night for the proud Brazilian. Much worse than the weigh-in debacle.

Final predictions:

Jesse Holland: Hughes via technical knockout
MMAmania: Hughes via submission

Michael Bisping (15-1) vs. Jason Day (17-5)

Jesse Holland: Jason Day has won five straight and is 15-2 since 2005. He’s also coming off an impressive UFC debut where he defeated Alan Belcher with strikes in the first round at UFC 83. He’s a talented striker who ends almost half of his fights via (T)KO and has been known to pull off an armbar or two. Day has his hands full against Bisping, but if he follows the example set by Matt Hamill and Rashad Evans he can pull this one off. “The Count” doesn’t like to get hit, and gets a little flustered when he’s beaten to the punch. Day needs to work the jab and keep the pressure on without lingering in the pocket for an undue amount of time. The goal is to frustrate Bisping and keep him off balance and out of sorts. Stick and move! Even with the move to 185, I’m still not convinced that Bisping has a full tank of gas and Day can use that to his advantage. The crowd will be more of a factor for Bisping than it will for Day with Bisping having the pressure of performing in front of his hometown. If he can cut off the ring and be the aggressor, it’s likely he can steal this one.

MMAmania: The popular British mixed martial artist, Michael Bisping, is no stranger to being in the spotlight before a roaring hometown crowd. Saturday night will be no different. Bisping will look to erase the memories of his last performance in London — the controversial win over Matt Hamill at UFC 75: “Champion vs. Champion” — with an impressive showing against Jason Day. “The Count” looks fit, agile and powerful at 185 pounds and will be determined to finish the Canadian and avoid leaving the decision up to the judges. As usual, there will be a tremendous amount of pressure on Bisping to win, but as we’ve seen in the past he’s passed the test before. Day is a gritty opponent who has said on numerous occasions that he intends to stand and bang to put on a show for all those watching from around the world. That’s not the best strategy if it is indeed accurate — Bisping has some nice stand up skills. But as we witnessed against Alan Belcher, Day is capable of finishing his opponents while upright. This is a tough fight to predict because there is no quit in either of these two fighters — in 38 combined professional fights between the two only three bouts have gone to decision. Expect more of the same this time around.

Final predictions:

Jesse Holland: Bisping via technical knockout
MMAmania: Day via technical knockout

Nate Marquardt (26-7) vs. Thales Leites (12-1)

Jesse Holland: Thales Leites is a 12-1 jiu-jitsu machine that is making his fifth UFC appearance since he debuted against Martin Kampmann at UFC Ultimate Finale 4 back in 2006. He is also coming off two straight first-round submission wins against Ryan Jensen and Floyd Sword and looks to keep that streak going. He will have his hands full, however, against Marquardt who has excellent submission defense. The key for Leites will be inside fighting. If he can’t get any type of submission offense going then he has to use any closed distance opportunities to land bombs. Whether it be on the floor or against the cage he has to stay busy and keep the pace high. Marquardt has been known to play it safe and that gives Leites his best chance for victory. I don’t think he’s good enough to defeat Marquardt, but I do think he can take home the decision if he outworks him.

MMAmania: Nate Marquardt — the soft-spoken, one-time 185-pound title challenger — is out to prove that he is still among the best middleweights in the world. His loss to Anderson Silva hurt real bad and set him back quite a bit. But then he nearly ripped Jeremy Horn’s neck off his spine in a very impressive win at UFC 81: “Breaking Point.” He’s got tremendous power and fantastic defense — Dean Lister, a very craft Brazilian jiu-jitsu player, could do absolutely nothing in their bout at UFC Fight Night 8. Thales Leites relies heavily on his jiu-jitsu prowess and has some of the best submissions in the sport right now. His stand up, however, is a glaring weakness that was exposed in his Octagon debut against Martin Kampmann at TUF 4 Finale. He is the perfect opponent for an experienced veteran such as Marquardt. He can’t hurt him on the feet and more than likely will be unable to sink in a submission unless there is a catastrophic lapse on the part of Marquardt. Let’s just hope that the “new” Nate continues to enter the eight-sided cage with bad intentions and does not revert back to his old, boring and careful approach.

Final predictions:

Jesse Holland: Marquardt via unanimous decision
MMAmania: Marquardt via unanimous decision

Mike Swick (11-2) vs. Marcus Davis (14-3)

Jesse Holland: Mike Swick is back from a lackluster performance and has something to prove. He dropped down to 170 after a tough loss to Yushin Okami and looked a little flat in a winning effort against Josh Burkman but I think he was adjusting to the new weight class. Against Davis I expect to see the Swick of old. He shares the nickname “Quick” with MMAmania (who was awarded that moniker by his ex-girlfriends) and I favor him in this match-up against Davis. “The Irish Hand Grenade” certainly has the advantage in power, but I consider Swick to have cleaner, more refined stand-up. True that Davis is a former boxer but Swick is a better MMA striker and his combinations are rock solid. Swick is tall and lean and he should have no trouble staying out of the range of Davis — who also has improved submission skills. But are they good enough to submit a wily Swick? Doubtful. But even more doubtful is the likelihood of this becoming a ground war. Davis is going to try and bully Swick and it wouldn’t surprise me to see a lot of time spent pressed against the cage. If Swick can avoid the knockout punch, he can and should batter Davis to a unanimous decision.

MMAmania: Is there a hotter fighter right now than the “Irish Hand Grenade?” He has 11 consecutive wins coming into this bout and has vastly improved since his stint on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). Davis punches like he has a roll of quarters packed in each fist, which he’ll look to put on display this weekend. In addition, he has “Big Nog”-esque recuperative powers (see Paul Taylor) — Davis has never been stopped via strikes. His opponent, on the other hand, has been dropped earlier in his career. And he has not necessarily demonstrated an ability to finish fights from his feet. However, Swick is extremely dangerous with his complete all-around tool box (skills, not Jesse Holland.) He can certainly finish Davis, but it’s just not likely going to happen if the two opt to stand toe-to-toe. And that’s possibly how this might pan out. Swick is coming off a poor winning performance and might feel the need to go out and go balls to the wall. It’s a strategy that could literally blow up in his face courtesy of a Davis five-knuckle hand grenade.

Final predictions:

Jesse Holland: Swick via unanimous decision
MMAmania: Davis via knockout

Brandon Vera (8-1) vs. Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1)

Jesse Holland: As it stands, Brandon Vera is probably the only heavyweight in the division who has a chance of defeating current champion Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogeuira. The unfortunate thing for Vera is that he was on a torrid pace in the UFC until contract negotiations and some other monkey business kept him out of action. In fact, he’s only had one fight since November of 2006 — a decision loss to Tim Sylvia at UFC 77. Nevertheless, he is a dangerous fighter. He has blinding speed in his strikes and throws kicks like a guy half his weight. He also has a solid ground game and decent submission skills. Werdum is a talented, agile fighter, but he goes into defensive mode when he gets into trouble. Vera needs to keep it standing where he has the distinct advantage and force Werdum to make a mistake. Leg kicks will be the order of the day and as long as he doesn’t get wrapped up in the showmanship aspect of this fight, he can end it convincingly.

MMAmania: Sans a bad unanimous decision loss to Andrei Arlovski, Fabricio Werdum has shown that he is among the top heavyweights on the planet. He has two wins over Gabriel Gonzaga, a submission victory over Aleksander Emelianenko, as well as Alistair Overeem, and put up a great fight against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in a losing effort while competing under the Pride FC banner. He can cause anyone some major problems if he can impose his will and has time to work his top shelf submission game. Werdum is not known for his striking, which could be a concern if Brandon Vera is able to keep this contest upright. “The Truth” has serious Muay Thai skills that are capable of putting Werdum on his ass at any moment from any angle. He’s quick and agile for the division, posing some interesting challenges for the Brazilian. If he is able to takedown Vera, chances are that Vera’s submission defense is good enough to thwart just about anything and his superb wrestling will help him escape from any dangerous situations on the mat. This is a bad match up for Werdum.

Final predictions:

Jesse Holland: Vera via technical knockout
MMAmania: Vera via technical knockout

That’s a wrap, folks.

Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and our coverage of UFC 85: “Bedlam.” For the complete fight card click here.

What do you think? Now it’s your turn … let us have it in the comments section and share your thoughts and picks for UFC 85.

More news on that big weekend

Dana White: Mind-blowing UFC announcement coming soon

Dana White: Mind-blowing UFC announcement coming soon

By: MMAmania

Props: ESPN The Magazine

Quoteworthy:

“There’s something no one else has heard. You have no idea some of the stuff that we have planned. I’m going to make an announcement next week that is going to blow people’s minds. That deal is done, but my employees don’t even know yet. I’m renting out a place next Thursday and I’m going to tell them. Then we’ll make the announcement later that day. It’s an indicator of where this business is going over the next five years.”

Any guesses?

UFC85!

I've got a place to watch UFC 85 and depressing stats...

So, I'll be in Redlands for the fights at the Hunt pad. No one else got back to me about the card and since I'll be in Riverside at a previous engagement I made that night until about 8:30, I'm going to jump in my car and hustle to catch the main event. Fortunately my man Chris is cool enough to let me stick around and watch whatever part of the card I'll miss after the show's over.

UFC 85 is a solid card IMHO and the more I look at the match ups, the more excited I am to see it. It's been a veritable MMA blowout the last week or so with UFC 84, the WEC, TUF, the CBS crap, and now 85. Since I don't have a lot of time to watch TV it seems like the only thing I ever watch when I do watch TV is MMA, but that's fine by me. With school, work, family, etc. I am limited to the ocassional fling with BioShock and my late night MMA.

Anyway, catch up on some news below, especially that relating to Vera and Marquardt, both of whom are staged to make a come back and, perhaps, set themselves up for an eventual title shot. We also have other possible challengers in Marcus Davis and Alves.

Oh and a side note, isn't this the most depressing stat:

MMA's Biggest Stars

by Brett Jones on Jun 4, 2008 1:34 PM EDT

Adam Swift of MMA Payout has posted a list of the five most watched fights in MMA history:

1. Kimbo Slice v. James Thompson - 6.51 million
   
2. Quinton Jackson v. Dan Henderson - 5.93 million
   
3. Tito Ortiz v. Ken Shamrock III - 5.89 million
   
4. Robbie Lawler v. Scott Smith - 5.53 million
5. Gina Carano v. Kaitlin Young - 4.68 million

These results aren't particularly surprising. We all recognize at this point that regardless of how we feel about the event, EliteXC on CBS was a success in the ratings.

To nobody's surprise, Kimbo carried the night, proving that, at least on a short enough time line that a compelling story is more important to the casual viewer than outstanding talent. Many observers, including the Miami Herald's Dan Le Batard have suggested that Kimbo's appeal may diminish in light of his match with James Thompson. While that's certainly a possibility, I can say that anecdotally I have spoken to several casual MMA fans who were not only fine with the stoppage in Kimbo's fight, but they came away wowed by Kimbo. His drawing power will be put to the test in an upcoming EliteXC event on CBS, even if his abilities as a fighter are not.

Perhaps the most intriguing of the fighters included in the list is Gina Carano. On the one hand, her fight was viewed by nearly one million fewer viewers than the following match on the card, Robbie Lawler v. Scott Smith. On the other hand, the inclusion of Carano began the ratings spike leading up to Kimbo's match. Judging by the ratings breakdown for each half-hour of the show, Carano appears to be a bona fide star, sure due in no small part to her involvement in American Gladiators. The half hour in which Carano fought Kaitlin Young saw the largest gain in viewers from the preceding half-hour (1.02 million viewers) on the entire show. The next closest half-hour spike was for the Middleweight title match (0.85 million viewers), which immediately followed Carano v. Young.

Sherdog's Article on Brandon "The Truth" Vera...the Future of the UFC's HW Division?

The Moment of ‘Truth'

June 4, 2008 by Jason Probst (jprobst@sherdog.com) He seemed too good to be true. With his first four UFC bouts totaling just more than eight and a half minutes combined, Brandon Vera (Pictures)'s emergence as a top heavyweight in 2005-06 made fans take notice. He could punch and kick with wicked effect, and he was a top-notch technician in all phases of the grappling game. A technical gem of sorts, with an engaging smile and easygoing charisma to boot. He had pedigrees galore -- extensive training with world-class wrestlers, sublime submissions and explosive athleticism that left fans double-taking when he stopped foes. Like the savage head kick that dispatched Justin Eilers (Pictures) or the wicked-quick guillotine he used to tap out Assuerio Silva (Pictures). But facing former heavyweight champ Tim Sylvia (Pictures) last October, "The Truth" had a dose of hard luck that mushroomed, both in and out of the cage, sending him away with his first loss and managerial problems that sidelined him for several months. Sylvia was supposed to be the acid test to see if Vera was ready for a title shot. Instead, Vera broke his thumb with the first punch of the bout, then struggled en route to a three-round decision loss. "I broke my left thumb with the first punch I threw, got three screws in two places," Vera said. "I thought it was dislocated at first, and I was trying to put it back in, but that didn't work." The two spent much of the fight clinched on the cage, with Vera giving up 6 inches and 40 pounds to the 6-foot-8, 265-pound Sylvia. With his injured hand, he was unable implement his game plan, and like many of Sylvia's opponents, found himself smothered by the gargantuan ex-champ. "I only had one arm to push him forward with, instead of two, which you need," Vera said. "He was the biggest guy in the division. I'm definitely not nervous about fighting anybody ever again." It wasn't a blowout by any means, but the fireworks he'd shown in previous efforts were absent. "I've seen the tape a few times. Maybe I could strike more. We did get off the jab and combos, but it hurt to jab," he said. "I don't know what I could've done more. I look at it and say, ‘Kick more, you retard!'" Suddenly, Vera looked human -- injured thumb and all. Then he had a fallout with his manager at the time, with both parties settling in arbitration. He didn't get fights due to his legal entanglements, and, with the lackluster showing against Sylvia, was one step away from appearing on the back of a milk carton, as far as fans were concerned. The exile ends Saturday. Facing Fabricio Werdum (Pictures) at UFC 85 in London, Vera has the chance to get back on track and revitalize a career that was stuck in limbo. Werdum, a world-champion submission grappler, is one of the few MMA heavyweights who might be able to best Vera on the ground. "It's a little different," Vera said. "Trying to do jiu-jitsu, that would be a stupid choice. I will do MMA jiu-jitsu and punch him. No pretty, technical setups. I won't go heads up with Werdum. I don't know if my jiu-jitsu is superior or worse, but obviously, it's his strong point."

Interesting little tidbits of MMA news

Did I just use the word "tidbits"?

Anyway:

• Donald Trump is getting into MMA and will be working with the Affliction brand/promotion. I'll say this, Affliction is looking like it could be successful. In addition to their insanely popular brand of clothing, they're putting together a really good card which included Fedor vs. Tim Sylvia along with a host of some of the best fighters in the world. Check out the site/video trailer here.

• Gabriel Gonzaga vs Justin McCully UFC 86 fight set for Las Vegas

Who is Nate Marquardt? UFC 85 vs. Thales Leites

I believe in Nate. He strung together a great record oversees and in the UFC and then ran into a little problem: Anderson Silva. He's fighting a TOUGH guy in Thales Leites at UFC 85. While I respect both fighters, I'm rootin' for Nate the Great. Here's some info on him (he's confident):

(Photo by April Pishna – PishnaPhoto.com)

Hopefully Thales Leites is avoiding black cats and walking under ladders this week. He is scheduled to face Nathan Marquardt Saturday night in London at UFC 85, a bout that has been in the works for more than a year and a half. But due to issues regarding attaining a visa and injuries, both previously scheduled dates for this fight have fallen apart.

Mere days away, it looks as if this time Marquardt vs. Leites will finally happen, pitting two of the top middleweights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship against each other.

Leites has a strong background in competitive jiu-jitsu and enters the Octagon at the O2 Arena with a 12-1 professional record in mixed martial arts. His only loss in the UFC was in his promotional debut, dropping a decision to Martin Kampmann. He has since won three straight.

The only seven-time King of Pancrase in Japan and with more than 30 professional bouts to his credit, Marquardt has gone 5-1 in the UFC, his only misstep being a TKO loss to current middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

With this fight having been planned for such a long time and with Leites’ pedigree, Marquardt has taken this fight very seriously. He trained with his usual world-class caliber of training partners under the guidance of premier trainer Greg Jackson, but also added a new name to the mix in Roger Huerta.

“I got Rashad Evans, Keith Jardine, Joey Villasenor; then we also got Georges St. Pierre that came up here, Dave Loiseau and Roger Huerta,” said Marquardt in a recent interview with MMAWeekly.com.

Many of his training partners also had fights around the same time period as him. Rashad Evans was initially scheduled to fight on the same UFC 85 event as Marquardt before his bout fell through. Keith Jardine recently lost at the hands of Wanderlei Silva at UFC 84 in Las Vegas, Shane Carwin scored a quick knockout of Christian Wellisch on that same event, and Joey Villasenor scored a win over Phil Baron at CBS-EliteXC Saturday Night Fights.

The timing of his teammates bouts is great to help peak his training cycle, and Marquardt also indicated that the wins and the losses help to keep him focused.

“Going out there and watching Shane knock his guy out is going to give me confidence,” said the Lander, Wyoming native, “and, at the same time, seeing what happened to Keith is going to remind me to keep my focus and remind me what’s at stake, what the other guy’s going to be trying to do to me.”

Focus, or his mental preparation and toughness, is something that Marquardt places great importance on. He feels it is one of the key factors in why he lost his chance to capture the title belt from around Anderson Silva’s waist.

“I should have won that fight. I made some mistakes and mentally I wasn’t there like I should have been. I know I can beat that guy and I know that I’ll be the champ eventually. That’s my goal is to get a rematch with Anderson,” he stated.

“I guess that’s been my strength, why I am a champion, because I’m never going to accept defeat. I’m never going to accept people saying that someone is better than me. I feel I’m the best and I have to go out there and prove it. And if I get beaten, that doesn’t mean that the guy is better than me, it just means that I made mistakes that I need to fix.”

That mental toughness is something that Marquardt plans on bringing into the fight with Leites, who he knows is going to be a difficult test for him. Leites’ renown in competitive grappling leads to the inevitable questions about Marquardt’s ground game, which is solid considering that he himself is black belt in jiu-jitsu.

The difference, to Marquardt, is the application of jiu-jitsu skills to MMA, which is something that comes from experience.

“Some people have this saying. I think it’s from Carlson Gracie. ‘You hit him once and he’s a brown belt. You hit him twice and he’s a purple belt. You hit him again he’s a blue belt.’ That’s something you’ve got to get used to. You have to work that into your game,” he explained. “Thales has been doing MMA long enough that he’s started that. He’s not just a pure jiu-jitsu guy, but I have a lot more experience in that area.”

That’s not to say that he is overlooking Leites. He has a lot of respect for the Brazilian fighter and puts a lot of importance on winning this fight, believing a victory puts him right back at the top of the Anderson Silva sweepstakes.

“I feel that I’ll be the No. 1 contender,” said Marquardt about winning the fight. “Does that mean that I’ll get a title shot right away? Not necessarily, but… that should put me right at the No. 1 contender.”

Although he is expecting victory, he’s still not tipping his hand as to his game plan.

“Look for an exciting fight,” said Marquardt. “I’m going to go out and hit him with everything I have. I’m going to try and knock him out. He’s a tough guy, but I think I can do it.”

-UFC 85 VIDEO: NATHAN MARQUARDT INTERVIEW

Record:

Win	Jeremy Horn	Submission (Guillotine Choke)	UFC 81 - Breaking Point	2/2/2008	2	1:37
Loss	Anderson Silva	TKO (Strikes)	UFC 73 - Stacked	7/7/2007	1	4:50
Win	Dean Lister	Decision (Unanimous)	UFC - Fight Night 8	1/25/2007	3	5:00
Win	Crafton Wallace	Submission (Rear Naked Choke)	UFC - The Final Chapter	10/10/2006	2	1:14
Win	Joe Doerksen	Decision (Unaminous)	UFC 58 - USA vs Canada	3/4/2006	3	5:00
Win	Ivan Salaverry	Decision (Unaminous)	UFC - Ultimate Fight Night	8/6/2005	3	5:00
Win	Izuru Takeuchi	Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke)	Pancrase - Spiral 4	5/1/2005	3	2:19
Win	Kazuo Misaki	Decision (Unanimous)	Pancrase - Brave 10	11/7/2004	3	5:00
Draw	Eiji Ishikawa	Draw	Pancrase - Brave 6	6/22/2004	3	5:00
Loss	Ricardo Almeida	Submission (Guillotine Choke)	Pancrase - Hybrid 10	11/30/2003	1	4:53
Win	Yuji Hisamatsu	Decision (Unanimous)	Pancrase - Hybrid 8	10/4/2003	2	5:00
Win	Steve Gomm	Submission (Punches)	IFC - Global Domination	9/6/2003	1	3:28
Loss	Keiichiro Yamamiya	Decision (Unanimous)	Pancrase - 2003 Neo-Blood Tournament, Round 2	7/27/2003	3	5:00
Win	Izuru Takeuchi	KO (Punches)	Pancrase - Hybrid 3	3/8/2003	1	1:29
Win	Kiuma Kunioku	KO (Flying Knee)	Pancrase - Spirit 9	12/21/2002	3	4:36
Loss	Izuru Takeuchi	Decision (Unanimous)	Pancrase - Spirit 7	10/29/2002	3	5:00
Win	Seiki Ryo	Technical Submission (Armbar)	Pancrase - 2002 Neo-Blood Tournament, Round 2	7/28/2002 6:00:00 PM	1	1:37
Win	Kazuo Misaki	TKO (Broken Arm)	Pancrase - Spirit 3	3/25/2002	1	0:29
Loss	Kiuma Kunioku	Decision (Majority)	Pancrase - Proof 7	12/1/2001	3	5:00
Win	Yuji Hoshino	Submission (Triangle Choke)	Pancrase - Proof 6	10/30/2001	3	2:13
Loss	Gil Castillo	Decision (Unanimous)	IFC WC 14 - Warriors Challenge 14	7/18/2001	5	5:00
Win	Masaya Kojima	Submission (Armbar)	Pancrase - Proof 3	5/13/2001	1	1:45
Win	Hikaru Sato	Submission (Rear Naked Choke)	Pancrase - Proof 2	3/31/2001	1	1:53
Draw	Kiuma Kunioku	Draw	Pancrase - Trans 7	12/4/2000	1	20:00
Win	Shonie Carter	Decision (Unanimous)	Pancrase - 2000 Anniversary Show	9/24/2000	2	3:00
Win	Kiuma Kunioku	Decision (Unanimous)	Pancrase - 2000 Anniversary Show	9/24/2000	1	10:00
Win	Daiju Takase	KO (Knee)	Pancrase - Trans 4	6/26/2000	2	1:30
Win	Anthony Washington	Submission (Strikes)	ROF 1 - Ring of Fire 1	3/18/2000	N/A
Loss	Genki Sudo	Submission (Armbar)	Pancrase - Breakthrough 11	12/18/1999	1	13:31
Win	David Harris	Submission (Rear Naked Choke)	BRI 4 - Bas Rutten Invitational 4	8/14/1999	1	15:01
Win	Josh Groves	Submission (Triangle Choke)	BRI 4 - Bas Rutten Invitational 4	8/14/1999	1	1:49
Win	Yves Edwards	Submission (Heel Hook)	BRI 4 - Bas Rutten Invitational 4	8/14/1999	1	3:04
Win	Jose Garcia	Submission	RITR - Rumble in the Rockies	6/7/1999	1	3:32
Win	Josh Medina	Submission (Choke)	RITR - Rumble in the Rockies	6/7/1999	1	0:27
Win	Mike Lee	Submission	WVF - Durango	4/17/1999	2	2:13

Sherdog's Pound for Pound MMA Rankings

Who's the best regardless of weight class? That's what P4P rankings are for. I tend to like Sherdog's rankings but, as everyone knows, this is obviously a subjective endeavor. This list does not take into account the most recent bouts that occurred last week which included BJ Penn, Uriah Faber and Miguel Torres. Some will be putting BJ near the top, but I don't think he deserves to move past the #5 spot YET, but with a big win over a GSP or a Gomi and I'll let anyone put him in the top 5 (even 3?). Anyway, check it out:

GSP Moves Up P4P List, But Not to Top



April 25, 2008

It was a slow month for the 10 fighters on the Sherdog pound-for-pound ranking. Only one, Georges St. Pierre (Pictures), competed. His dismantling of Matt Serra (Pictures) avenged a shocking defeat from one year ago, and continued the momentum he's seized since losing the UFC welterweight title. In regaining the belt, GSP moved passed Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures) on the list. Outside of that, it remains unchanged.

1. Anderson Silva (21-4)
Silva, the UFC middleweight champion, owns this perch until further notice. During his dismantling of Dan Henderson (Pictures) on March 1, the 31-year-old Brazilian showed all aspects of his game en route to the first tapout to a choke of Henderson's career. Japan's Yushin Okami (Pictures) appears to be Silva's next UFC challenger, yet the 185-pound "Spider" has voiced more of an interest in boxing Roy Jones Jr.

2. Quinton Jackson (Pictures) (28-6)
"Rampage" sits firmly in the second spot, a couple notches behind Silva. While a case could be made that the 29-year-old UFC light heavyweight champion belongs at the top following victories over Chuck Liddell (Pictures) and Dan Henderson, "Spider" Silva's destruction of Hendo makes Jackson's five-round decision win against the Greco-Roman Olympian appear less impressive. Jackson, however, has dominated since coming to the UFC, and he will get his highest profile fight as champion when he defends against Forrest Griffin (Pictures) this summer.

3. Georges St. Pierre (Pictures) (16-2)
The 26-year-old French Canadian moves up one spot with his dismantling of Matt Serra in his home city of Montreal. St. Pierre could be considered the most dominant fighter in MMA if he handles Jon Fitch (Pictures) later this year and continues to impose himself on the welterweight division. Talk would then turn to a potential superfight between GSP and "The Spider."

4. Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures) (27-1, 1 NC)
Negative press based on his inactivity having been weathered, the previous leader of this list gets back to business July 19 against former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia (Pictures). A dominant performance would immediately put the 31-year-old Emelianenko back in contention for the top spot, and quiet critics who suggested he was never as good as advertised. Should he lose, however, the Russian's stock would take a severe blow.

5. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Pictures) (31-4-1, 1 NC)
If not for Fedor, "Minotauro" would be regarded as the top heavyweight in MMA history. As it stands, the 31-year-old Brazilian holds onto No. 5 as he waits for his next challenge. The victory over Tim Sylvia for the "interim" UFC heavyweight crown offered fans who had not followed Nogueira's career during or after his championship reign in Pride a chance to see just how tough and technical he is. Heavyweight defections from the UFC could limit how far Nogueira can rise on this list, however.

6. Urijah Faber (Pictures) (20-1)
Currently standing as World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight champion, Faber's near perfect record and ability to connect with fans immediately made him the best known mixed martial artist under 145 pounds. The aggressive wrestler, who turns 29 in May, has worked diligently on rounding out his game with an improved focus on standup and submission. Faber's next challenge comes June 1 in his hometown of Sacramento, Calif., against former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver (Pictures).

7. Takanori Gomi (Pictures) (28-3, 1 NC)
Japan's perennial lightweight king earned his first victory since Dec. 31, 2006, with a stoppage of Duane Ludwig (Pictures) on March 5. Gomi's overall record is impressive, yet his recent inactivity has angered many fans that feel he's failed to fight the best in the division. The fact of the matter, however, remains that Gomi, 29, owns wins over the bulk of top-division talent. A rematch versus B.J. Penn (Pictures) or bouts with other viable 155-pound fighters would go a long way in answering questions over Gomi's spirit to fight. His next chance to prove his place comes in June.

8. Norifumi Yamamoto (Pictures) (17-1, 1 NC)
After establishing himself as a top featherweight, "Kid" jumped to K-1 three years ago and moved up to lightweight for payday purposes. Along the way he happened to become a superstar in Japan, where he picked up some solid wins. Yamamoto, now 31, stopped Rani Yahya (Pictures) on New Year's Eve, showing once again how explosive he can be. Fighting at a more natural weight (near 135 pounds), Yamamoto could be a quick riser on this list if he is matched with quality opposition. His next bout comes this summer against an undetermined opponent.

9. B.J. Penn (Pictures) (12-4-1)
While "The Prodigy" has always had P4P talent, inconsistent performances and confusing excursions into far-too-heavy weight divisions kept him off this list. Having settled in nicely at 155 pounds, Penn has brought the sort of technical dominance that has many fans and fighters alike calling the Hawaiian the best fighter in the sport. Fighting Sean Sherk (Pictures) on May 24, Penn, 29, has the opportunity to bust into the top three, including the very real possibility that he would challenge Anderson Silva for the top spot if he dominates the steroid-tainted former UFC lightweight champion.

10. Miguel Torres (Pictures) (32-1)
Torres is the reason lists like this exist. Recognizing talent across all weight divisions, Torres is the first 135-pounder to make his presence felt. Toiling in obscurity before the bantamweight class was featured in the United States by World Extreme Cagefighting, Torres captured an organizational championship title with a masterful effort versus Chase Beebe (Pictures). The 27-year-old fighter from East Chicago, Ind., offered a varied and high-paced submission attack before catching Beebe in one of the best submissions this year. Torres defends his title for the first time June 1 versus Yoshiro Maeda (Pictures).

UFC 85 Official Homepage now LIVE

THere may not be a title fight, but who cares? This card is rock solid. So, where are we watching it? Walter?

85.UFC.com

UFC 84 STIRS UP LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT RANKINGS

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

These are Sherdog's world wide MMA rankings for LHW and notice that EVERY fighter is currently in the UFC. It may not be a one pony show, but there's obviously one MAIN pony in MMA and its name is UFC.

Do you agree with Machida at #2? How 'bout the rest of the rankings?

1. Quinton Jackson (Pictures) (29-6-0)
Currently starring in the seventh season of "The Ultimate Fighter," "Rampage" has provided high-quality television thus far. Here's hoping for a high-quality bout in the season's culmination on July 5, when Jackson defends his UFC title against opposing coach Forrest Griffin (Pictures).

2. Lyoto Machida (Pictures) (13-0-0)
Many questioned how MMA's proudest karateka would fare against a strong, experienced wrestler. Machida passed that test with flying colors, dominating Tito Ortiz (Pictures) over three rounds and emerging as the presumptive challenger to face the winner of July's Rampage-Griffin clash. With his dominant display, and the falls of Henderson and Jardine, Machida rises from seventh to second.

3. Forrest Griffin (Pictures) (15-4-0)
Griffin has gone from TUF competitor to coach, as he leads his team against Quinton Jackson (Pictures)'s on the seventh season of the show. However, what's more important is the buildup to July's light heavyweight title clash, which should pull big numbers for Zuffa and the UFC. Griffin rises from fourth to third with the slips of Jardine and Henderson.

4. Chuck Liddell (Pictures) (21-5)
A badly torn hamstring has put Liddell on the shelf and cancelled his main event bout with Rashad Evans (Pictures) for June's UFC 85 card in London. Already entering the twilight of his career, the injury certainly isn't a good sign for one of MMA's most battle-tested veterans. Nonetheless, Liddell rises one spot to fourth.

5. Mauricio Rua (Pictures) (16-3-0)
After injuring his knee and stumbling in his UFC debut, it seemed "Shogun" had hit rock bottom. Then, with a big fight against Chuck Liddell (Pictures) looming, disaster struck again when Rua injured the same knee that had been surgically repaired just months before. There is a small silver lining: with the stumbles of Jardine and Henderson, Rua rises from sixth to fifth.

6. Dan Henderson (Pictures) (22-6-0)
He was torn up in his 185-pound title bout against Anderson Silva and his next move is uncertain. However, if Dan Henderson (Pictures) returns to the 205-pound division, there will be no shortage of interesting matchups -- although there may be a shortage of easy ones. In the mean time, inactivity sees Henderson drop from second to sixth in the red-hot light heavyweight division.

7. Wanderlei Silva (Pictures) (32-8-1, 1 NC)
If an impressive victory was needed to quell talks of whether "The Axe Murderer" was over the hill, that was exactly what was delivered in his 36-second blitzkrieg of Keith Jardine (Pictures). With the vintage Silva victory, the Brazilian rises from eighth to seventh.

8. Keith Jardine (Pictures) (13-4-1)
After knocking off Chuck Liddell (Pictures), Jardine had the opportunity to defeat the two greatest light heavyweights in the sport's history when he entered the Octagon for his May 24 bout with Wanderlei Silva (Pictures). Instead, Jardine was ripped apart and brutally dispatched in 36 seconds. With the demoralizing defeat, Jardine falls from third to eighth.

9. Rashad Evans (Pictures) (11-0-1)
After "Shogun" injured his knee a second time, Evans was moved into the main event role against Chuck Liddell (Pictures) only to see Liddell suffer a hamstring injury that forced him to pull out. Evans will now get a softer touch, when he takes on James Irvin (Pictures) on the card.

10. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (Pictures) (5-2-0)
Sokoudjou restored some measure of his hype, handling a quality opponent in Kazuhiro Nakamura (Pictures) and stopping him at the end of the first frame. Although Africa's top mixed martial artist may still continue to fight talk of his 2007 wins being flukes, the UFC's 205-pound division should prove to be the acid test for the Cameroonian.

WEC Fights Were Great

The WEC fights on versus tonight were great (the WEC is owned by Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC and is one of the best non-UFC MMA orgs out there along with DREAM, IMHO).

I didn't see the whole card, BUT I did see the title fight between Pulver and Faber and it lived up to the hype for the most part. I won't give away what happened since you can catch it on rerun, but here are the results if you want 'em.

Dana trashes Elite XC on CBS (and I agree with him)

More on the CBS Elite XC debacle...

James Iannotti over at MMAMania wrote a great article that spells out why the debut of Elite XC's mixed martial arts debut on CBS was so terrible. The sad thing is that although I don't care much for EliteXC, I do care about MMA and I wanted to see mature, athletic competitions and this whole thing was a nightmare. I do know someone who's happy about it: Dana White.

Anyway, follow the link below to the article on why CBS' "Saturday Night Fights" were a travesty:

Opinion: Elite XC recap for ‘Primetime’ CBS ‘Saturday Night Fights’

By: James Iannotti

Controversy — a prolonged public dispute, debate, or contention; disputation concerning a matter of opinion. Is there a better word to describe Elite XC’s “Saturday Night Fights”?

EliteXC on CBS.....an ABOMINATION!

What a terrible night for MMA in my opinion. I feel like I have to do damage control now with my friends and acquaintances who know I'm into MMA. I don't have much time or energy to write at this time, but suffice to say for now that despite some flashes of decency, MMA's debut on national TV was just bad: dancing girls, rappers, fighters not making weight, the one good fight being stopped early, Kimbo barely finishing a terrible fighter and pretty much everything and anything you don't want directly associated with MMA was showcased like an overweight clown lady with zitty skin in skimpy clothes being paraded across a stage. And Phil Baroni's entrance....I don't even want to talk about it.

At least I had a good time tonight with a small group of friends and family watching some great MMA off my old Dish DVR which I'm sending back soon since we've now got fiber optic through ATT&T. I hooked up the Dish to the TV and played all of the DREAM and UFC stuff I have recorded off the HDD.

Signin' off!