You Call Yourself an MMA Fan?

Why a photo of Michael Clarke Duncan?

In addition to being a monster of a man who I can see posing the titular question in his grumpiest bass, MCD has been a regular presence cageside for the UFC for quite some time.

So when the idea struck me to discuss the complex layers of ridiculousness that is MMA fandom, I figured I'd lead with a guy no one would call a "UFC nuthugger" or mock his level of overall knowledge.

Hey look - a soapbox. Since no one is using it, I might as well climb up here...

Consider yourself warned.

Why in the name of all things holy do we have to be such a competitive, argumentative group riddled with superiority complexes and always in search of the next pissing contest?

(Note: Me very-much included...)

While it would be perfectly fine to be one happy collection of Mixed Martial Arts fans, there are segments of our overall population who just can't let that happen.

Why? Beats the hell out of me...

I consider myself a pretty hardcore fan when it comes to MMA; my spare time is spent playing Six Degrees of Separation using the Sherdog Fighter Finder, watching obscure fight videos on YouTube and becoming friends with just about anyone remotely related to the sport via Facebook and Twitter.

On top of that, my brain is wired so that I can remember useless information like fighter records, affiliations and hometowns with alarming speed and accuracy. While it comes in handy now, it certainly didn't help when I needed to recall formulas for Stats or how to conjugate the verb avoir in French class.

The reason I'm telling you all this is because I think I could go head-to-head with just about anyone on the topic of Mixed Martial Arts and come out okay... but what would be the point?

You see things one way and I see them another.

Last time I checked, there is nothing wrong with that.

No one is handing out awards for being the most knowledgeable fan or having the correct opinion.

Except that some MMA fans act like they are.

My belief that Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre are currently better Pound-for-Pound fighters is unacceptable to the legions of Fedor Emelianenko loyalists who will argue to the death making the same three points to "prove" that "The Last Emperor" is the be-all and end-all of MMA.

Of course, that response will elicit the usual round of "Fedor hasn't fought anyone / Pride was a joke" rhetoric that comes from the demographic who believe that the UFC is the only organization that matters.

Those who were planted in Pride's corner during their glory days will immediately take up the fight for their organization and this will go on and on and on and on until someone calls someone a "nuthugger" and tells them that their opinion is wrong.

The same type of scenario can play out between long-time fans and "newbies" as well, with some of those who rented UFC 1 on VHS not accepting "when Anderson Silva knocked out Forrest Griffin" as an adequate answer to the question "What's your favorite fight of all-time?"

And let's not forget the purists versus the pragmatists.

Most recently, that battle has focuses on whether or not Brock Lesnar simply forces the air from his opponents by using his astronomical - and wholly unfair and therefore necessitating a change - weigh advantage or if he wrestles them to the ground and then punches the daylights out of them while still making weight and holding no greater an advantage over a guy like Frank Mir than Tim Sylvia held over Randy Couture.

Debates are part of the foundation of sports, being a fan and actively enjoying your athletic endeavor of choice, but it seems like is a portion of the MMA fan population who just refuse to accept that people might think differently than they do and it makes absolutely no sense to me.

No matter how many times you tell me that Fedor hasn't lost in eight years and his loss isn't really a loss (all things I'm acutely aware of and can be spared in future Fedor Debates), I'm still going to hold to my belief that Silva and St-Pierre have faced stiffer competition as of late and are better right now.

Trying to convince me otherwise is like trying to convince a Catholic that Buddhism is the best religion...

Saying that Pride was a lesser organization than the UFC during the time both were operating is like saying the National League is a lesser caliber of baseball than the American League.

Following the analogy, that would make Albert Pujols the Fedor Emelianenko of Baseball, as he's clearly facing sub-standard pitching playing on the Senior Circuit...

New fans to the sport shouldn't be ostracized for not offering up one of the countless epic battles that have gone down in MMA history as their favorite all-time fight; they should get a High Five for enjoying Anderson Silva's beatdown of Forrest Griffin.

Now that you're friends, you, the long-term encyclopedia of MMA knowledge, can impart a list of other fights for the "newbie" to go check out and enjoy. Don't hate... educate.

And what the hell is with calling people a nuthugger?

While I certainly understand the connotation, when did being an ardent supporter of a fighter or organization become akin to wrapping your arms around a man's testicles?

I love the Detroit Red Wings, so whose nuts am I theoretically hugging there?

Part of my aim as a writer is to create pieces that stimulate conversations and start debates.

Unfortunately, for some in the MMA community, the definition of debate has become bastardized to mean things like slandering, insulting, beating a dead horse and/or ignoring facts.

We don't have to always agree and we don't have to be void of emotion and commitment to what we feel, but just because we're fans of a combat sport doesn't mean we have to be so combative with each other when we don't see eye-to-eye.

Yes these are broad strokes and many fall outside of this segment of the fan populous, but everyone needs to be reminded to play nice from time to time, right?

A fan is a fan is a fan... no one "type" is greater than the other.


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Quest for Legitimacy Part III: Are You Serious?

Back in the beginning of things as an MMA writer, back-to-back days were spent discussing ways to further legitimize the sport in the eyes of the general public and the mainstream.

Since then, much has been discussed and in roads have been made, with the sport growing daily and creeping closer to garnering more substantial coverage.

In addition to needing more positive stories covered the mainstream, the sport will additionally never be taken seriously if pieces like this courtesy of UK-based MMA Bay do not stopped being circulated:

Canadian Health System Blamed for Severity of Lesnar's Illness

Please note: my objection to this piece has nothing to do with my nationality or my attitude towards Brock Lesnar. I would take equal offense to this gossip-mongering nonsense if I were from another country and wished ill upon the UFC champion as I do now as a Canadian member of Team Lesnar.

Let's start with the fact that the source for the information is Lesnar's chiropractor, Larry Novotny, who certainly doesn't stand to gain anything from getting his name out there in one of the biggest sports stories going...

Here is what Larry had to say:

His symptoms became severe while in Canada, which because of their health care system made it difficult to manage. And at this point it's a possibility that it could jeopardize his career.

I don't know if you've ever looked into the Health Care System here in Canada, but it's pretty solid. The last time the World Health Organization compiled rankings, Canada came in at #30.

While that was admittedly back in 2000 (they've ceased producing such rankings due to the enormity of the task), Canada's ranking was seven places higher than our neighbors to the South, you know, the country Lesnar calls home. The one without universal health care.

Something tells me that a lot hasn't changed since then, making Novotny's statement that about our health care system making things more difficult to manage make absolutely no sense.

Simply put, we have a better health care system here in Canada, and while I can attest first-hand that staffing levels are below what nurses would like (source: my wife... the nurse), the situation is the same throughout North America.

Disagreement with a chiropractor's views on the Canadian Health Care System aside, the fact that MMA Bay runs with this "story" in the first place is what frustrates me even more.

In 13 seconds of Google'ing, I was able to find those WHO stats which, at the very least, create speculation about the validity of the statements made by Mr. Novotny. A third grader could put together that kind of search, so what stops MMA Bay from doing the same?

The answer is readers and hits to their website.

This pseudo-story is surely getting the attention they desired, as the story came across my desk via an MMA news wire service, meaning it's making it's way through the masses, valid or not.

Additionally, the few comments that are contained on the site itself are all calls of "bullshit" as they should be, but that doesn't stop them.

Personally, I see this as reckless reporting and a blatant push for hollow hits to their website and story, and think that this approach to news is another of the impediments to our sport taking up its place in the mainstream.

If those of us who love the sport can't care enough to accurately report the news and shy away from baseless speculation and empty stories simply to draw attention, how can we expect the mainstream to feel obliged to do the same?





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Brock Lesnar: A Lesson in Revisionist History

Brock Lesnar is the UFC Heavyweight Champion. That fact cannot be disputed.

Apparently, everything else in the Mixed Martial Arts history of the athletic freak of nature is up for reconsideration, depending on what side of the Lesnar Line you land on.

If you're Team Lesnar, than there is no need to reconstruct the events that have taken place thus far; after all, your guy has a shiny gold belt holding up his pants.

The quick UFC history of the organization's top heavyweight looks like this to you:

• Debuted against a former champion with great submission skills and got caught
• Pulverized a veteran gatekeeper
• Defeated one of the most respected fighters in the history of the sport to claim heavyweight title
• Avenged debut loss in dominant fashion to unify titles
• Got sick, pulled out of UFC 106
• Still sick, might not fight at UFC 108
  

Stripped down, that sounds about right.

However, things are quite different if you fall on the other side of the Brock Lesnar Line and quick histories are not enough.

While fans of the impossibly athletic big man like to ignore his professional wrestling past, everyone knows that anyone who came out of the WWE surely abused steroids, HGH, painkillers, booze and small barnyard animals. How people can overlook such things is ridiculous to you.

From there, he made a rookie mistake in his debut, succumbing to a move that a novice in jiu jitsu could escape. You escaped it on your third day of jiu jitsu classes, as well as every other submission attempt sent your way, prompting you to quit and declare yourself the greatest jiu jitsu practitioner in your house.

Then came the Heath Herring fight. Beating Heath Herring means nothing, as he's a "tomato can" if ever there was one. Sure he's closing in on 50 professional fights and has been in the ring with some of the best heavyweights the sport has ever seen, but who has he beaten?

Cheick Kongo? The only time a win over Cheick Kongo counts for anything is when your name is Cain Velasquez...

Next up, Dana White and his fellow Lesnar Lovers put the steroid and small animal abusing lack of talent in a title fight AFTER JUST TWO FIGHT! What makes it even worse is that they all but handed the muscle-bound meathead the title by matching him up against an old and decrepit Randy Couture.

Honestly, the guy is like 904-years-old and hasn't been a good fighter in years. Why not just hand Lesnar the belt?

Then came UFC 100 and a rematch with Mir, where Lesnar simply lay on his opponent in a position that surely merited a stand-up, not that the two should have been fighting each other in the first place, right?

After all, Lesnar has a massive weight advantage over every in the division and that has never happened before. Divisions should be 10-15 pounds apart and just because Lesnar can get within the vast limits of the division before bulking back up overnight - ON STEROIDS - it shouldn't mean he gets to outweight everyone by 30-40 pounds.

What happened next was the worst moment in Mixed Martial Arts history, perhaps the history of the world.

Lesnar shot his mouth off, gave the fans the finger, made a lewd comment about his wife, punched Joe Rogan in the throat and murdered 13 civilians on his way to the locker room. He is an absolute disgrace of a human being and what he did is worse than anything any athlete or common citizen has ever done and he should be barred from the organization and forced to live on a remote island by himself... forever.

Scared to death that Shane Carwin is going to beat him, Lesnar is "sick" and unable to defend his title at UFC 106, so Dana White gave his meal ticket a stay of execution until January. He sure didn't look sick when he showed up at the Minnesota Vikings game though.

Still petrified from knowing without a shadow of a doubt that Carwin is going to punch a hole in his overblown chest, Lesnar might not even be able to fight at UFC 108. While some people are saying it could be mono, the real reason he can't fight is two-fold:

1. He's scared. Carwin is a beast and has beaten everyone he's face with one punch, including a bear he encountered in the Colorado Rockies.
   
   
2. Lesnar needs extra time for his latest cycle of steroids, HGH and radioactive materials to clear his system so he can keep passing drug tests.

Now that he's not going to be able to fight, the UFC should strip him of the belt, give it to Carwin and make Lesnar admit to all his cheating, apologize for senselessly beating Joe Rogan after UFC 100 and create a brand new division where guys like Lesnar have to fight, so smaller heavyweights have a chance to win titles too.

* * * * * * * *

Randy Couture is not 904-years-old. He's old, but not that old.

Brock Lesnar has not abused any barnyard animals, killed any ringside civilians and never beat Joe Rogan senseless. He's never failed any drug tests either...

But that doesn't matter to the legion of Lesnar Haters out there.

He HAD to have done steroids and HGH and everything else under the sun.

He's a deplorable human being, unworthy of a place in the UFC and deserves to be slandered, defamed and criticized at every turn, right?

Just make sure that if he ever comes near your glass house, you run as fast as you possibly can...











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Love Me or Hate Me: The 5 Most Polarizing Figures in the UFC

One of the great things about sports is the inevitable debates that come up when certain athlete's names get mentioned.

Best friends can become heated rivals as they take up the argument for and against figures who have as many fans as they do detractors.

Just as every other major sports league has a cast of characters that are equally loved and hated, the UFC is no different.

Here are the Top 5 Polarizing Personalities in the UFC.

5. Kimbo Slice

As his exposure on The Ultimate Fighter continues, more and more people are becoming fans of the man born Kevin Ferguson.

The original disdain for the bearded brawler wasn't even his fault to begin with; blame for the initial opposition to Kimbo belongs squarely on the shoulders of the people at EliteXC, who used an Internet street fighter as a marketing tool in our much loved sport's first foray onto network television.

His lack of experience and fundamentals came shining through, and as quickly as he was built up, Kimbo came crashing down courtesy of a Seth Petruzelli punch. Now he's back on TV and showing himself to be a humble, hardworking man intent on improving his game and learning everything he can to evolve in the sport.

But there are still haters and there always will be. That's just the way it goes.

4. Matt Hughes

On one hand, he's one of the most dominant champions in UFC history; a welterweight Goliath who beat some of the best in the business over seven title defenses and two reigns as champ.

On the other hand, he comes off as one of the most arrogant men to ever set foot in the Octagon. He rarely gives his opponents any credit in victory, rationalizing away his losses because of the mistakes he made, as opposed to getting beaten by a better man.

Currently, he's openly questioning why welterweight up-and-comers are interested in fighting him, despite the fact that he seems more interested in getting his own hunting show than setting foot inside the cage.

Hughes might be the one guy on this list that you can love and hate at the same time without question. Love him for his dominance and stellar career, but hate him for his superior attitude and unwillingness to accept the fact that sometimes, even the best get beaten by a better man.

3. B.J. Penn

It wasn't long ago that Baby Jay would have topped this list. The lightweight champ held down the top spot for a long time, cementing his standing by combining dominant performances in the ring with accusations of cheating and steroid use against the universally-loved Georges St-Pierre.

Whether it was his outstanding performance in defending his title against Kenny Florian at UFC 101 or simply an increase in attention for the two figures to follow, Penn's position in the pantheon of polarizing figures is slipping.

That could also mean that another B.J. outburst is just around the corner, as "The Prodigy" doesn't like being overshadowed by anyone.

2. Dana White

This one is pretty self-explanatory.

Some people praise the UFC President for his business acumen, the impact he's had on the sport as a whole and take no issue with his foul-mouthed rants and occasional lack of tact.

Then there are his detractors, who see him as a tyrannical dictator who is out for one thing and one thing only: his own personal gain.

They despise his frequent use of "The F Word" and the way he ridicules fighters who make decisions he disagrees with, wanting nothing more for the former aerobics instructor and childhood friend of the Fertitta's to fall off the face of the MMA landscape, never to be heard from again.

Somewhere in the middle of the two would probably be best; still passionate and dedicated to the sport, but with a little less cursing and more of a filter from time-to-time would work perfectly.

1. Brock Lesnar

All he does is lay on people. He's not a real fighter. What talent does it take to be bigger than everyone else?

The guy is a freak athlete and the next evolution of the sport. There have been big guys before him and no one had issue with them. Why should Lesnar be any different?

His WWE past has pretty much dissipated from the debate, as Lesnar has been around MMA for more than a minute now and made his mark as a guy who is in this long-term and not just for a quick paycheck.

That being said, he is easily the most polarizing figure in the UFC and probably the sport as a whole. His detractors discredit his wins based on his size advantage and find flaws in his opponents so that his victories are less meaningful in their eyes.

Supporters trumpet him as the next wave of fighters in the heavyweight division, a combination of size and athleticism the likes of which the sport had not seen until the mammoth Minnesota Golden Gopher stepped on the scene.

Let the debates begin...



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Playing Matchmaker: 10 Fights for 2010

Fight fans talk about the dream match-ups they'd like to see whenever they're given the opportunity. We breakdown mythical battles, sizing up the skills of the two combatants and diagnosing the fight as if it were happening before our very eyes.

Often times, we pick pairings that could not conceivably happen; organizational allegiances, differences in weight classes and any number of circumstances and situations make some of these fights impossible.

While much wanted battles like Brock Lesnar versus Fedor Emelianenko and Anderson Silva versus Lyoto Machida are on the slim side of taking place in the coming calendar year, here are ten fights that could take place every fight fan should be interested in seeing.

10. Alistair Overeem vs. Anyone

Strikeforce's Heavyweight champion has yet to defend his belt, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been fighting. The Dutch fighter has spent 2009 competing in K-1 events, recently defeating kickboxing legend Peter Aerts to advance in the World Grand Prix 16.

But it's been nearly a year now since he took part in an MMA event and it's would be nice to see "The Demolition Man" defend his belt for once. Ideally, that defense would come against Fedor, but at this point, beggars can't be choosers and just getting Overeem inside the cage would be an accomplishment.

9. Ronald "Jacare" Souza vs. Jason "Mayhem" Miller 3

Technically, Jacare could argue there is no need for a trilogy fight; after all, Mayhem has yet to defeat the Brazilian Abu Dhabi Superfight winner, as their second fight ended in a No Contest after Miller soccer kicked a downed Souza.

However, these two talk more trash about each other than anyone outside of Rampage and Rashad, and you know that should Miller come away with the Strikeforce Middleweight title around his waist, Jacare will be at the front of the line for his first defense.

If that scenario actually transpires, bump this one up to the Top 5 of fights for 2010.

8. Miguel Torres vs. Brian Bowles 2

You know the WEC is eventually going to make this happen, provided Bowles gets passed Dominick Cruz in his first defense and Torres can earn a win in his return to the cage.

Much like there was a need for Mike Brown and Urijah Faber to lock horns for a second time, the same theory applies here. Bowles stopped the long-standing champion and deserves the accolades being bestowed upon him.

But Torres deserves a chance for redemption, just as Faber did.

7. Mike Brown vs. Urijah Faber 3

Normally, trilogy fights when one guy is already up 2-0 don't make sense, but this is one of those cases where an exception needs to be made. Despite twice defeating "The California Kid," many still give Mike Brown's title reign the "Yeah But Treatment":

Person A: Brown beat him clean the first time.
Person B: Yeah, but Faber was trying a spinning back elbow and just got caught.

Person A: Faber beat in all five rounds the second time.
Person B: Yeah, but Faber broke his hand early and wasn't 100%.

Beating Faber a third consecutive time silences what few critics remain, not that Mike Brown really needs to.

6. Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir 3

Speaking of silencing the critics...

The two have traded victories, so a rubber match makes sense on that point alone. Add in the fact that these two just plain don't like each other and Lesnar has more critics than the ocean has fish, and you have a PPV spectacular that would look great atop the marquee at the 2010 year end show in Las Vegas.

5. Eddie Alvarez vs. Joachim Hansen 2

While this one may be a complete unknown to some fight fans, the Bellator Lightweight champ and the Norwegian known as "Hellboy" need to square off again in a big way.

For starters, their first fight was near the top of everyone's Fight of the Year lists for 2008 and with good reason; they beat the hell out of each other for 15 minutes with Alvarez winning a Unanimous Decision and advancing in the DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix.

But then came the twist: Alvarez was injured in his semi-final win over Tatsuya Kawajiri, while Hansen earned the right to act as his replacement by defeating Kultar Gill. Guess who ended up winning the finals?

Hansen laid a beating on Shinya Aoki, claiming the tournament and the DREAM Lightweight title. While Aoki is getting the first crack at Hansen and his title, Alvarez certainly deserves an opportunity as well.

4. Jamie Varner vs. Donald Cerrone

Regardless of the results of Cerrone's upcoming bout at WEC 43 against Ben "Smooth" Henderson, this one has got to go down before 2010 comes to a close.

Varner has been sidelined with various injuries since these two first met in January. Cerrone caught Varner with an illegal knee, and when the champ couldn't continue, it went to the scorecards and Varner came away with a Split Decision.

Ever since, Donald Cerrone has looked like a man possessed and talked smack about Varner whenever he could. Once Varner is medically cleared to return to the cage, this grudge match will get signed.

3. Sam Stout vs. Spencer Fisher 3

This one is a combination of Lesnar/Mir and Alvarez/Hansen.

Like the UFC heavyweights, they've split the first two meetings, so breaking the tie certainly seems reasonable and like the DREAM lightweights, each of their encounters has found their way onto Fight of the Year lists.

Stout has said he is very much interested in completing the trilogy and a route to the third installment could shape up in the next couple months, as Fisher meets Joe Stevenson at UFC 106 and Stout has been reported to be facing Joe Lauzon at UFC 108.

2. Rashad Evans vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson

Despite what he's said, Rampage isn't retired.

He's angry at Dana White, and rightfully so, which means that for now, he's focused on filming The A-Team. But once the movie wraps and he and El Presidente sit down, swear at each other and end the talk with hugs and hand-pounds, Rampage will be back and his first order of business will be settling things with Rashad.

There is too much real heat between these two for this fight to not take place, not to mention all the money the UFC invested in building the feud even more by pairing the two opposite each other on Season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter.

1. Anderson Silva vs. Georges St-Pierre

This one might be a longshot, but it is unquestionably the biggest fight that stands a chance of taking place out there right now.

Both have cleaned out their divisions and a pairing of these two superstars would eclipse the largest number the UFC has put up in pay-per-view buys to date.

St-Pierre has said that he would like to add the additional 15 pounds of muscle needed to make the 185 pound limit properly, building muscle and then cutting to weight. With the welterweight division in total disarray, sorting out the standings while "Rush" packs on the pounds could be a possibility.




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Boxing Wins the Battle, But Will MMA Win the War?

Six days ago, this same photo combo led off a piece discussing the PPV Grudge Match that went down last Saturday between UFC 103 and Mayweather vs. Marquez.

Early reports indicate that "Pretty Boy Floyd" put a beating on the UFC last weekend, something that will certainly be trumpeted from the mountain tops by boxing fans and anti-MMA activists alike.

While this unanimous decision certainly helps cement Mayweather's place as one of the biggest PPV draws on the planet, I'm not ready to declare boxing the undisputed champion of pay-per-view just yet.

Without question, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is one of the two biggest boxing stars competing today, the other being Manny Pacquiao, of course. He is a massive draw, undefeated in 40 professional bouts and pretty much untouchable.

For MMA fans, he's the Lyoto Machida of boxing, emerging from his fights unscathed the same way the reigning light heavyweight champ does time after time.

But let's not go putting too much stock into last weekend's tug-o-war for people's pay-per-view dollars.

You had one of the greatest and most popular boxers on the planet, covered and promoted at great length by the mainstream media, competing in the biggest boxing event of the year going up against UFC 103, complete with zero title fights, one half of the main event returning to the company after a four-year hiatus and a handful of other competitive but far from captivating bouts.

Of course Mayweather - Marquez ruled the night; this was the varsity squad beating the tar out of the JV team and then bragging about it. Losing would have been a story, but the fact that they came out ahead shouldn't surprise anyone.

Perhaps a more far and just comparison would be between boxing's biggest draw (Mayweather) and the best the UFC has offered this year, their centennial show in Las Vegas this past July.

Golden Boy CEO Richard Shaefer has hinted that last weekend's event will eclipse the one million buy mark, a great number no matter what side of the debate you're on.

That being said, rising above the one million mark would still leave the biggest boxing event of the year more than half a million buys shy of the premier event on the UFC calendar this year.

Headlined by some of the biggest names in the sport, UFC 100 garnered a reported 1.6 million PPV buys and sits atop the charts as the single biggest pay-per-view event of the year. It was also the first time that the mainstream media gave the a UFC event the same amount of coverage they offer boxing.

If the two biggest draws in their respective sports (Mayweather in boxing, Brock Lesnar in MMA) were ever to go head-to-head, a definitive winner could not be decided right here, right now, at least not without a whole lot of bias being involved.

Clearly, boxing had the better night last weekend; The Floyd Mayweather Jr. Show was a massive success and laid waste to UFC 103.

But boxing should certainly be looking over it's shoulder.

Without much mainstream media attention, the UFC is producing numbers approaching that of the biggest boxing event of the year on a monthly basis and the numbers will only continue to grow.

If the sport is ever afforded the same coverage that boxing is given, we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

And let's not forget, while boxing has been around forever, past down from generation to generation as the combat sport of choice, Mixed Martial Arts is still in it's teenage years and already making inroads on boxing's fan base.

My suggestion?

Circle November 21, 2009 on your calendar.

That's the day UFC 106 goes down in Las Vegas, headlined by Brock Lesnar defending his title against Shane Carwin, with an undercard featuring the return of Tito Ortiz.

Boxing rolled out it's big guns last weekend and put a big number on the board.

We'll see where things really stand when the UFC does the same in two months time.


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September Pound-for-Pound Rankings: The Song Remains the Same

Some people weren't too happy with my decision to include the UFC Heavyweight Champ in last month's installment of the Pound-for-Pound rankings, clinging to the usual arguments made against Brock Lesnar.

This month, I counter with this: Lesnar had the same size advantage in his first fight against Frank Mir that he had the second time they met, yet the outcomes were different. Why? Brock Lesnar is evolving; he's learning to combine his massive size with his freakish athleticism and hands the size of lunch boxes.

As he continues to pick off top contenders, Brock Lesnar will continue to climb these rankings, no matter how much his detractors dislike the idea.

Keyboard Kimura Pound-for-Pound Rankings (as of September 24, 2009)

1. Anderson Silva - UFC Middleweight Champion (Last Month: 1)
He dominates two divisions and has put together a 10-fight unbeaten streak in the UFC. What more could you possible ask for?

Vitor Belfort appears to be the next man to try and take Silva's middleweight title, and while "The Phenom" has exhibited quick hands and a renewed dedication to the sport, a lot of fighters people thought would present a challenge to "The Spider" have been laid to waste in recent years.

Belfort will be no different.

2. Georges St-Pierre - UFC Welterweight Champion (Last Month: 2)
He's getting awful close to Anderson Silva territory, having cleaned out the welterweight division and done so in impressive fashion as of late.

Yes, there is the Matt Serra incident, but since that time, St-Pierre has been untouchable. Whether he's hesitant to get clipped again a la Serra or not, "Rush" has steamrolled (in order) Josh Koscheck, Matt Hughes, Serra, Jon Fitch, B.J. Penn and Thiago Alves in a little over two years.

The only question that remains is "Who's Next?"

3. Fedor Emelianenko - #1 HW Contender, Strikeforce (Last Month: 3)
Evan Shoman said it well when I interviewed him last month:

Come on... Fedor. No one is even close. People who know the sport, know this. Here’s why:

1. He’s never lost.
2. He’s never lost to someone he shouldn’t have.
3. Has been in wars and on the brink of defeat only to pull out the win.

Other P4P arguments are GSP or Silva. Numbers 1 and 2 don’t apply to GSP. Numbers 1, 2, and 3 don’t apply to Anderson.

That being said, he also hasn't challenged himself against the best in the world the same way St-Pierre and Silva have, so he remains at #3.

4. Lyoto Machida - UFC Light Heavyweight Champion (Last Month: 4)
The next time we see the UFC on pay-per-view, Machida will be making his first title defense against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.

They say you're not a true champion until you defend the belt, so the pressure is on "The Dragon" to continue his undefeated career and silence any last remaining critics.

If we see the "Shogun" Rua who once dominated Pride, this will be an outstanding fight. If we see anyone else, we'll see another brilliant display of Machida's tactical excellence and surgical striking ability.

Both sound good to me.

5. B.J. Penn - UFC Lightweight Champion (Last Month: 5)
What makes Diego Sanchez any different from Kenny Florian, Joe Stevenson or Sean Sherk?

All three came into their fight with "The Prodigy" in the best shape of their life, ready to dethrone the champ and show that he could be beaten at 155.

All three left defeated, forced to regroup and recover from being dominated by the best lightweight in the history of the sport.

Yeah, I said it...

6. Mike Brown - WEC Featherweight Champion (Last Month: 7)
The American Top Team product climbs a spot after a month of reflecting on his run of success in the WEC and a comment on last month's rankings:

"There are bigger, stronger, and more athletic featherweights than Mike Brown, but Brown is still the best." Sounds about right to me...

The blue-collar Brown has dominated everyone he's faced in the WEC. Next on the schedule, he faces the faster, more athletic Jose Aldo in November.

7. Miguel Torres - Former WEC Bantamweight Champion (Last Month: 6)
One loss doesn't bump you from the charts, especially when you're 17-1 over your last 18 fights.

What needs to happen, however, is Torres returning to the ring and dominating the next man he faces, setting up a rematch with Brian Bowles.

How you respond to adversity says a lot about who you are; time to see what kind of fighter Miguel Torres truly is.

8. Gegard Mousasi - Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion (Last Month: 8)
This man needs to get away from M-1 Global and their stupid grappling exhibitions! Nothing like injuring yourself in a meaningless demonstration with Fedor...

Injury or not, North America got their first taste of Mousasi when he starched "Babalu" Sobral in his Strikeforce debut.

The sky is the limit for this impressive 24-year-old. Within two years, you'll see him at the top of these charts.

9. Rashad Evans - Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion (Last Month: 9)
With all the Rampage rumors and retirement drama going on, it looks as if the TUF 10 coach will take on Thiago Silva at UFC 108.

Evans has expressed interest in the fight and can gain an ounce of revenge for his friend Keith Jardine. For that to happen, the Greg Jackson protegee needs to get back to blending his fast hands with the standout wrestling skills that helped him win TUF 2.

Otherwise, he'll be staring at the stars again and gone from these rankings.

10. Brock Lesnar - UFC Heavyweight Champion (Last Month: 10)
Some feel that if Brock Lesnar was a welterweight, he wouldn't be anywhere near the top of the heap. I disagree.

His athleticism is matched only by the current welterweight champion and no one in the UFC can match the wrestling ability the former Division I champion possesses, GSP included.

Even at a lighter weight, Lesnar would still be agile, athletic and incredibly strong; a definite handful for anyone who stood across from him.

Just because he's 280 on fight night, all those things go out the window? Not for me.

Also considered: Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Urijah Faber, Brian Bowles and Vitor Belfort.

This is my ten. What does your Pound-for-Pound list look like? Let me know in the comments section.

Or you can simply tell me who I missed, who should be higher or lower or anything else you need to get off your chest.

I'm hear to listen.


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Shane Carwin to Face Brock Lesnar at UFC 106?

Shane Carwin's name usually resides in the top section of any "Who can beat Brock Lesnar?" list concocted by those who believe the champ to be nothing more than a weight advantage too great for smaller fighters to overcome.

If the rumors are true, Carwin will be getting his chance to prove Lesnar's detractors right at UFC 106, November 21st in Las Vegas, Nevada.

An undisclosed injury sustained by Cain Velasquez made his poorly planned matchup with the undefeated Colorado native a no-go and may have pushed Carwin into the biggest fight of his life a little earlier than anticipated.

For the record, the Carwin-Velasquez fight was poorly planned because there is no real point in sacrificing one of your emerging contenders at the expense of another, especially when you have a shallow talent pool to begin with.

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

Since Lesnar's emergence and rapid rise to the top of the UFC heavyweight ranks, Carwin has been viewed as the fighter with the right mix of size and skill to challenge the ultra-athletic genetic freak.

Unlike Randy Couture and Frank Mir who entered the cage at a distinct disadvantage in the weight department, Carwin fights close to the ceiling of the 265 pound class and presents a 6-foot-4-inch frame for the champion to contend with.

But it isn't only size that propels Carwin to the head of the class when discussions turn to challengers for the championship gold.

Carwin's background as a collegiate wrestler and two-time All-American status as a football player are both brought into the discussion. While the accolades on the gridiron are certainly impressive, especially considering Carwin played at relatively unknown Western State College.

However, the small stature of his school also must be taken into account when assessing his wrestling accomplishments.

Carwin was the 1999 NCAA II Wrestling Heavyweight National Champion, an impressive feat that surely signals a strong wrestling base to accompany the dynamite-infused hands displayed by the one-time NFL hopeful.

That same year, Brock Lesnar was the runner-up for the Division I crown before claiming the top prize in 2000, amassing a record of 106-5 in the process. Just a little perspective, that's all.

Of all the items in the Shane Carwin tool box that lead people to believe he is the strongest threat to Brock Lesnar's championship reign, it is the aforementioned fists full of dynamite handing at the end of his arms.

Through 11 professional fights, Carwin hasn't been beyond the halfway point of the first round once. His last four wins all look remarkably similar on his record:

• Gabriel Gonzaga - Win, KO (Punch)
• Neil Wain - Win, TKO (Punches)
• Christian Wellisch - Win, TKO (Punches)
• Sherman Pendergarst - Win, TKO (Punches)

Saying he has dangerous hands is like saying Oprah has a little bit of money.

The Gonzaga victory was ultra-impressive and clearly announced Carwin as a true contender, as he rallied from an early shot that stung him and caught the former title challenger with straight right that left the Brazilian seeing stars.

Many feel Lesnar's chin has yet to be tested, something that will certainly happen should these two juggernauts go toe-to-toe as expected, giving the champion's detractors exactly what they've been seeking.

One piece of advice: be careful what you wish for.
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Divisional Dominance: Good or Bad for the UFC?

With a win Saturday night, Lightweight champ B.J. Penn pushed his undefeated streak at 155 pounds closer to eight years.

Since reclaiming the gold at 170, champion Georges St-Pierre has destroyed all challengers, including Penn.

Anderson Silva has cleaned out the Middleweight division and begins a second tour through the ranks against Dan Henderson next time out.

While Lyoto Machida has yet to defend his Light Heavyweight belt, he's also never lost a round. That's 17 straight rounds for Machida over the likes of Sokoudjou, Tito Ortiz, Thiago Silva and Rashad Evans.

And though Brock Lesnar lost his first UFC fight, the dominance he's shown in winning and unifying the Heavyweight title has caused many in the online community to call for a new division to be created so smaller heavyweights won't have to deal with the genetic freak of nature.

Five divisions, five dominant champions and one interesting question:

Is having seemingly unbeatable champions atop each division good for the UFC?

First things first: last night's WEC Bantamweight title fight proved that even the seemingly unbeatable can be beaten; all it takes is a short right hook and a follow-up flurry to crown a new champion.

In fact, Brian Bowles' upset of Miguel Torres was eerily reminiscent of another piece of WEC evidence supporting the old MMA axiom that "Anything Can Happen," Mike Brown's upset of Featherweight champion Urijah Faber.

And lest we forget, the aforementioned Welterweight kingpin took one on the chin from ultimate underdog Matt Serra not all that long ago.

But that was then and this is now, and in each of these five champions latest performances, they looked like fighters without suitable challengers.

Penn's most likely next opponent is Diego Sanchez and his two wins at 155. While "The Nightmare" was of the belief that he would handle Florian in similar fashion to their battle on TUF 1, I don't see it that way and think Penn will dispatch Sanchez even quicker than he disposed of Florian should they meet in the cage.

After that, there is talent, but are they really talents that you can see stopping B.J. Penn?

UFC 103 will determine who is next in line to face Georges St-Pierre, but after watching the way GSP has handled Jon Fitch, BJ Penn and Thiago Alves in succession, does anyone outside of the Swick and Kampmann families truly believe either stands a chance?

Anderson Silva is kicking ass and taking names at 205, which shows you the state he's left the Middleweight division in. Has Dan Henderson somehow improved enough over the last 18 months to be able to stop "The Spider" in their second encounter?

Light Heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida might be the most likely to lose his belt, simply because the talent pool at 205 is deeper than any other division. But can you honestly say you expect to see a guy who hasn't lost a round, yet alone a single fight through 15 career bouts suddenly drop his title? Me neither.

Which brings us to Brock Lesnar.

The reason many fans of the sport have been openly lobbying for the creation of an additional heavyweight division spanning 206-240 or so is because they can't see anyone in that range stopping Brock Lesnar, and neither can I.

Shane Carwin looks to me to be the closest thing to a legitimate challenger for Lesnar in terms of size, strength and abilities in the cage, but he was staggered by Gabriel Gonzaga when they met and I would bet dollars to donuts that Brock Lesnar hits harder than the man known as "Napao" does.

If you think otherwise, call Heath Herring. Ask him how his face feels.

So, with the potential challengers covered and the path to greatness for each champion has a rudimentary outline, the question remains: is this good for the UFC?

For me, the answer is a resounding yes on many different levels.

From a marketing standpoint, having a champion who remains at the top of their division is a godsend. It gives you a name and a face to promote and showcase over an extended period of time, rather than having to introduce a new #1 every few events.

The only way people get to know a fighter is by hearing their name and seeing their faces time and again, and the only way you can achieve that is by having a long-standing champion.

As a writer, having an "unbeatable figure" at the top of each division offers the always interesting, always enjoyable underdog angle each time the champion steps into the ring.

What made last night's Torres - Bowles tilt such a major story today was that the unexpected happened and the seemingly unbeatable champion was left looking up at the lights. Having a revolving door atop a division doesn't offer those kind of possibilities.

The same angle applies when looking at the situation from a fan standpoint as well.

While coin-flip fights are fun, we always remember the "shock the world" moments when David beats Goliath.

Epic wars between two evenly matched opponents fade from our memories, but Matt Serra dropping Georges St-Pierre has a nice cozy seat in our all-time database, right next to the first first girl you kissed and where you were on 9/11. Kelly LeClair and interviewing for a job in Barrie, for the record.

Seeing the invincible proven to be mortal is always better entertainment and a better story than determining which of the two solid fighters is better on that particular night.

The draw of Mike Tyson was his indestructible aura, which is why we all remember James "Buster" Douglas nearly 20 years later, even though Lennox Lewis, Danny Williams, and Kevin McBride all beat him too.

So did Holyfield, but you remember that for different reasons.

The same applies to Mixed Martial Arts.

Give me the dominant champions and their extend reigns of power, if only because the eventual fall from the top is far more memorable.

But that's just me ... what do you think?



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Why a Super Heavyweight Division is a Horrible Idea

I know I said I wasn't going to write another feature involving Brock Lesnar until his next title defense, but I can't help it.

Everywhere I turn, every article that discusses the reigning UFC Heavyweight champion, the "need" for the UFC to create a Super Heavyweight Division is thrown out there and it's driving me insane.

Pictured next to Lesnar is Hong Man Choi, "The Techno Goliath" whom I share a birthday with and you would surely see in a Super Heavyweight division if one ever came into existence. If he looks familiar to you, it's because he was the massive Korean kickboxer who chased down Jose Canseco and smashed on him a couple months back.

Before I get to my real reasons for disliking the notion of a new division, let's first take an intellectual approach to this, analyzing the idea and what said division might look like.

Let's say the weight class begins at 250 and has no ceiling, allowing for the possible return of Emmanuel Yarborough. Looking down the current UFC heavyweight roster, here are the guys who would be eligible:

• Brock Lesnar
• Shane Carwin
• Gabriel Gonzaga
• Antoni Hardonk
• Heath Herring
• Tim Hague

"Big Country" Roy Nelson is the only other guy currently under the UFC umbrella who would also be eligible, which brings the total to seven whole fighters.

That means the UFC would have to go out and find more guys over 250 pounds with the athleticism and skills to compete with these seven individuals. How many of those guys do you think are just walking around?

Instead, I would bet that the likes of Jan Nortje, Bob Sapp, and Mark Hunt would be given an opportunity. Personally, that's not something I'm interested in. They're even lesser Mixed Martial Artists than Lesnar.

Even if you bump the weight down ten pounds, you're not increasing the talent pool all that much.

In creating such a division, you'd end up with a situation where, and this is best case scenario here people, Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin trade the title back-and-forth a couple times a year. That's only if Carwin has the strength to drop Lesnar the way he dropped Gonzaga, which we still don't know for sure.

Tell me how that is entertaining? UFC 124: Lesnar vs. Carwin: First One to Seven Wins!

Sarcasm aside, here is the real reason a Super Heavyweight division is ridiculous to me:

You don't change the rules just because no one seems to be able to beat Brock Lesnar.

For starters, he has been beaten. Up until last Saturday, countless people were reminding Brock Lesnar supporters like myself of his UFC debut and the kneebar he tapped to. How has this suddenly become a forgotten fact?

Additionally, Anderson Silva is just as dominant at middleweight as Lesnar is at heavyweight and no one is calling for him to give up his belt and make a permanent change in address.

And before everyone starts telling me how Silva uses "skill and technique and martial arts training," the bottom line is that he decimates opponents with the same quickness and ferocity as Lesnar and how they do it doesn't matter.

The goal is winning and you don't get style points in MMA.

Besides, if you think he's a dick now, imagine if the UFC went out and did this.

"Well Brock, none of these heavyweights seem to be able to compete with you, so we're going to make a new division with bigger guys just because of you."

He'd run through the list of "Super Heavyweights" listed above just as quickly as he ran through Frank Mir at UFC 100, probably even faster in many cases.

Creating such a division would presumably be giving Brock Lesnar even less competition and a longer title reign, and that seems to be the last thing his detractors want.

The solution? Adaptation.

Like it or not, Brock Lesnar is the next evolution of Mixed Martial Artists in the heavyweight division. He is more than a handful and a very difficult puzzle to solve.

But so was Royce Gracie.

So is Anderson Silva, Fedor Emelianenko and Georges St-Pierre.

While some believe Brock Lesnar being champion makes the heavyweight division weaker, I say he will only serve to make it stronger.

He is a new wrinkle, a new challenge and a new twist on an already difficult task.

What we should all be looking forward to is seeing how others step up their game in an attempt to defeat the Minnesota mammoth, not looking to banish him to a less competitive landscape.



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The Difference is Acceptability

I'm going to keep today as short and simple as possible because I spent way too much time on this computer yesterday, debating points of contention, wondering how people can just accuse people of things without basis and adding countless comments to various articles across the Internet.

Above is Matt Hughes, arguably the most dominant welterweight the UFC has ever had (thought GSP is coming up quick) and my choice to help present the last post I will write involving Brock Lesnar until he next defends his title.

One of the biggest arguments about Brock's in-ring performance last night and thus far in his career is that he "just lays on his opponent," whether because it makes breathing difficult or because he's just too big.

The too big argument holds no weight with me. Everyone who steps in the ring at heavyweight has to make 265 pounds and those stepping in with Lesnar know in advance that he'll be somewhere in the neighborhood of 280 come fight night.

Stop moaning about a Super Heavyweight division.

And where you say he "lays on his opponents," I say he plays to his greatest strength, just like Matt Hughes used to do.

Before getting into the Hughes side of things, let me also make it clear that if Lesnar did simply lay on his opponents, the ref would stand the two fighters up. But they didn't because the whole time he's "laying on his opponent," he's also driving that cinder block attached to his right arm into Frank Mir's mush.

Now to the Matt Hughes linkage.

Hughes had the best wrestling in the UFC for a long, long time. You could be sure that when the cage door closed, Matt Hughes was going to shoot for a takedown at least 20 times a night and if he got that single or double leg, you were going to the ground.

From there, he used his superior wrestling ability to control his opponents, transitioning to submissions or executing strikes until one way or another, the fight ended. Occassionally, he picked the other guy up and powerbombed him into unconsciousness.

Stripped to the bare bones, Hughes strategy was bring guy to ground, finish him how I know best.

What is Brock Lesnar's strategy again? Oh right - bring guy to ground, finish him how I know best.

It's the same strategy used by every single fighter that participates in Mixed Martial Arts. You play to your strengths and use the best tools available in your toolbox to beat the other man. So why is it that Brock Lesnar doing the same things as Matt Hughes and damn near everyone else in the sport requires new divisions or is less of a victory?

It's all about acceptability.

People don't accept Brock Lesnar.

Whether it's because of his time in the WWE, his bullish demeanor and ridiculous antics or because they feel he lacks "artistry" or an understanding of "Bushido" that they wish still emminated throughout MMA. Maybe a combination of all three?

Whatever the case, it's okay to not like the guy, but here's the thing:

There was no artistry to the way Dan Severn tossed guys around back in the day and there isn't that much artistry in Chuck Liddell loading up that lethal right hand to flatten someone. Besides, no one is proclaiming Brock Lesnar as the greatest incarnation of what it means to be a Mixed Martial Artist. He's a fighter, and GSP fills that other role.

Do I hope Brock Lesnar takes some cues from the thousands of respectful fighters throughout MMA and never has another one of those post-fight displays? Absolutely.

Does he have to? Nope. Being a dick isn't against the rules.

You can choose not to like him. I choose not to like Frank Mir.

But I'll give the guy credit for being a two-time former champion and a pretty solid fighter, at no point trying to diminish his accomplishments.

Why can't you?




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10 Things I Learned Last Night

Sundays at my personal blog I Blog Because I Can have been dedicated to a little something I've called 10 Things I Learned This Week for almost two years.

With last night's historic UFC 100 and all the headlines and stories to come from that show, I thought today would be a good day to bring 10 Things to Keyboard Kimura because honestly, last night offered up a lot to digest.

1. Welcome to the Brock Lesnar Era
When Lyoto Machida knocked out Rashad Evans, everyone started speculating about how long Machida would reign atop the light heavyweight division. My prediction is that it won't be as long as Brock Lesnar dominates the heavyweight landscape.

There isn't another heavyweight on the scene with the speed / power combination of Lesnar and it was very apparent that Lesnar is continuing to pick up the nuances of Mixed Martial Arts at a rapid pace. As he keeps learning, his freakish athleticism and brute strength will only become more dangerous and that is bad news for everyone in the heavyweight division.

2. Georges St-Pierre is the Best in the World
Not just in the UFC and not just at 170 pounds. He is the best in the world, period. Now, I've been saying this for some time, as GSP has sat atop my Pound for Pound rankings for a while, but last night should have solidified that for everyone.

Once again, St-Pierre spent five rounds picking apart an incredibly talented opponent, making Thiago Alves look entirely overmatched. The question that immediately comes up is where does "Rush" do next? First and foremost, he rests the pulled groin he sustained, but then who knows. A superfight with Anderson Silva would have to be at least a year away, as stepping up to 185 would take St-Pierre adding more muscle to his frame and you don't do that overnight.

3. Hey Bisping - How's the Crow?
I'm all for pre-fight hype and smack talk, but there are some times when you just need to be careful what you say. Michael Bisping learned that lesson in a big, big way last night.

Looking up at the lights, birds circling his head, I wonder if he was reconsidering all the junk he talked about Dan Henderson and how he was going to prove himself as the #1 contender at 185. What he proved was that he doesn't adapt properly in the cage, circling into Hendo's big right hand and that he needs to shut his yap and keep training, not to mention beating someone above the talent level of Chris Leben before talking about a title shot.

4. Another Tough Decision
Judging can certainly go either way and things like this are going to keep happening in fights that are as back and forth as the Akiyama - Belcher tilt was, but I'm sorry, how did one judge give Akiyama a 30-27 score?

29-28 I would buy, but when one judge has it 29-28 Belcher, having another score it 30-27 for the other guy only highlights that we're still missing something in the judging department of Mixed Martial Arts.

5. You're Lucky You Were on The Ultimate Fighter
If Stephan Bonnar wasn't Stephan Bonnar, I'd be wishing him luck outside of the UFC right about now. That being said, he was the losing half of the Ultimate Fighter Season 1 Finale and Dana White is loyal to the guys who helped him get to where he is (save for Tito), so I doubt he's done.

But he should be. When I questioned what would happen if Bonnar lost to Mark Coleman, I never thought I would actually have to think about it again, but Coleman pulled out decision and now Bonnar is back to the drawing board.

6. Speaking of Ultimate Fighters
I think Mac Danzig might be the first Ultimate Fighter winner to get released from the UFC.

He's now lost three straight and is clearly nothing more than a middle of the pack lightweight. With the way the division is continuing to improve and despite solid performances in a losing effort in each of those bouts, the UFC has shown that three straight losses is usually the breaking point.

7. We're Movin' On Up... A Little
UFC 100 was the cover story on the websites of both ESPN and Sports Illustrated for the bulk of the day yesterday and through the early part of this morning, giving the sport the major media attention it rightfully deserves.

However, let's not go patting ourselves on the back just yet. It's not like there is a whole lot of options out there right now, so being the lead story in a quiet week is one thing. The trick is to be the lead story each and every time a major card comes around. Let's see how everyone handles UFC 101 before we start proclaiming victory over the mainstream.

8. Paulo Thiago is Better Than I Thought
I know he lost, but I thought the guy was going to get flattened. Instead, he fought a very solid fight against Jon Fitch and that deserves at hat tip in my books.

He's still raw, but the talent is there. As Ficth said on the MMA Live post-fight show, he's big and long and uses that to his advantage, like securing a guillotine attempt in the first round. Give him a little more seasoning and some time working on his wrestling and we might have ourselves another contender at 170.

9. I'm Back!
After struggling mightily in the prediction department as of late, last night yielded an 8-3 performance to give me some breathing room, taking me to seven wins to the happy side of .500.

August will be the real benchmark of my handicapping skills, with both UFC 101 and 102, Affliction's third show, WEC 42 and the Strikeforce card at MSG with Carano vs. Cyborg as the headliner on tap.

10. Let the Fedor Watch Begin
It's going to happen. The only question is when?

When asked who he sees as a future opponent, Lesnar immediately said Fedor. We all know that the fans want to see it and, despite the smack he's talked about him in the past, Dana White knows that Fedor to the UFC - especially to fight Lesnar - would be MASSIVE and massive equals piles and piles of money to roll around in.

Expect the full-court press to begin as soon as "The Last Emperor" disposes of Josh Barnett at Affliction: Trilogy.


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FWP: Lesnar vs. Mir II

I'm jacked up for a lot of fights on this card, but honestly, this is the mother of all fights for me.

Why?

Rematches are almost always awesome and if things go the way that I hope, Frank Mir will be laying in a smashed up heap on the floor when the final bell sounds.

Brock Lesnar (3-1) vs. Frank Mir (12-3)

Let's get this out of the way right up front: Mir beat Lesnar the first time around and I will give him all the credit in the world for making the genetic freak tap. Furthermore, he followed that up by being the first guy to put Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on his ass to earn half of the UFC Heavyweight title.

Now that that is over with, Lesnar is a human monster that possesses the strength to shatter orbital bones with one punch (see Herring, Heath) and the ability to take punches from one of the best ever (see Couture, Randy) without really flinching.

The battle here is clearly going to be Mir's ability to utilize his jiu jitsu against a bigger, stronger, faster opponent in Lesnar. Yes, he's done it before, but some would say Steve Mazzagatti and Lesnar's inexperience had something to do with it.

Standing and trading with Lesnar isn't really an option, in my opinion, just because he's massive, has shown he can take a punch and the whole shattered Heath Herring's orbital bone thing I mentioned before. Did I mention he's massive?

To me, Lesnar is the next evolution in Mixed Martial Arts, a heavyweight equivalent to Georges St-Pierre in terms of freakish athleticism. Remember when GSP was just the better athlete than everyone and got by on that and improving talents? That is Lesnar right now. Mark my words.

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The UFC 100: The Fabulous 50s

Now we're starting to get into some of the really well-known fighters and the beginning of debate territory, although some questioning has already occurred along the way.

Truthfully, that is part of the point. These are my rankings, based on the research I have done and how I grade wins, losses and the strength of competition each fighter has faced and by no means do I claim the results as gospel.

I think Shane Carwin stopping three straight opponents including Gabriel Gonzaga inside the first 90 seconds is deserving of the #69 spot, others do not. That is the beauty of lists like this.

Now on with the show!

60. Frank Trigg
UFC Record: 2-3
Victories Over: Dennis Hallman, Renato Verissimo

While I still don't understand why the UFC has decided to bring Trigg back, I am willing to concede that during his initial run in the company, he was one of the best welterweights in the world. Now, his wins may not be household names, but his losses certainly are and his two fights with Matt Hughes are absolute classics. The other guy he lost to was some kid named Georges something...

59. Demian Maia
UFC Record: 5-0
Victories Over: Jason MacDonald, Chael Sonnen, Nate Quarry

With all due respect to GSP, Demian Maia might actually be my favorite fighter. There is something awesome about a guy who uses nothing else but his nasty BJJ game to finish opponents and does so with the precision of Maia. Nate Marquardt is going to be a very strong challenge, but my money is still on Maia.

58. Kimo Leopoldo
UFC Record: 2-4
Victories Over: Paul Varelans, Tank Abbott

The man who used to carry a cross on his back was the first guy to show Royce Gracie was human before having a couple quick grudge matches with Ken Shamrock, including one for the UFC Superfight title. You've gotta know where you came from to know where you're going, and Kimo was part of the original cast that got guys like me hooked on the UFC.

57. Keith Jardine
UFC Record: 6-4
Victories Over: Brandon Vera, Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin

You would think a guy with wins of that caliber would be higher on the list, but Jardine can't seem to string together enough wins to be a serious contender in the stacked LHW division. He's the quintessential gatekeeper - a guy who can beat anyone and is a handful to fight - but until he breaks from his win one, lose one routine, that's all he'll be.

56. Vladimir Matyushenko
UFC Record: 3-2
Victories Over: Pedro Rizzo, Travis Wiuff, Yuki Kondo

"The Janitor" is one of those guys from the dark ages of the UFC, the time right before they returned to the spotlight and therefore is often forgotten. The wins are all solid; Rizzo will be heard from later and Wiuff and Kondo were no joke at the time. When you pair those wins with a LHW title loss to in his prime Tito Ortiz and another at the hands of Andrei Arlovski, you have a pretty solid fighter who very few fans remember.

55. Michael Bisping
UFC Record: 7-1
Victories Over: Chris Leben, Jason Day, Matt Hammil

We'll learn a lot more about Michael Bisping's talents inside the cage in six days when he goes toe-to-toe with Dan Henderson. For now, he's a former TUF winner with an impressive record and only middle of the road opponents as victems. While his one loss is at LHW to former champ Rashad Evans, the Hammil fight really could have gone either way and I'm not sold on him as an upper echelon middleweight.

54. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
UFC Record: 2-1
Victories Over: Mark Coleman, Chuck Liddell

We're going to find out for sure if Rua is back to being the "Shogun" of old when he takes on Lyoto Machida in the Fall for the LHW title. While you have to certainly give him credit for beating two Hall of Famers - and losing a great fight to Forrest Griffin - both Coleman and Liddell are on the down side of their careers, so anything higher would clearly be influenced by his dominance in Pride.

53. Marco Ruas
UFC Record: 4-2
Victories Over: Paul Varelans, Keith Hackney

Ruas is one of those guys from the early years no one ever remembers. You even remember Keith Hackney more than the UFC 7 tournament winner because Hackney beat Emmanuel Yarborough and was the guy who punched Joe Son in the stones repeatedly to secure a win. That being said, Ruas was the first guys to bring devastating leg kicks into the Octagon and his two losses are to men you'll see later, Oleg Taktarov and Maurice Smith.

52. Matt Serra
UFC Record: 6-6
Victories Over: Georges St-Pierre, Chris Lytle, Jeff Curran

When the UFC and MMA in general wants to use the "Anything can happen" quote, it should automatically be followed by the words, "I mean shit, Matt Serra knocked out Georges St-Pierre for fucks sake!" He's a great character, but he's nothing more than a decent fighter who had one really great night.

51. Brock Lesnar
UFC Record: 2-1
Victories Over: Heath Herring, Randy Couture

Like it or not, Brock Lesnar is the UFC Heavyweight Champion. All the arguments about whether he deserved a title shot, that a Super Heavyweight division should be created and that he used to be a - gasp - professional wrestler is bullshit. He's an athletic freak of nature who took advantage of the opportunity before him, something every one of us would do if given the chance. Brock Lesnar is the next evolution in Mixed Martial Arts. Heavyweights have been warned.

Halfway home and six days away from the big show in Vegas.

Tomorrow starts double duty, running down the rest of The UFC 100 and breaking down the Main Card, so be sure to stop by for some serious UFC coverage.

In case you missed anything:

The Swingin' 60s
That 70's Show
Stuck in the 80s
The Bottom 10

Happy 5th of July Hangover!


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