Unorthodox

This week, it is all about EliteXC’s national television debut. This would be the shining moment for mixed martial arts as it would finally expose the sport to much-needed mainstream attention. Will it be successful or will it make the people say “human cockfighting” once again. If boxing could be accepted, then so can MMA.

Also, the aftermath of UFC 84 and the incoming WEC 34.

EliteXC
With all of the speculations and hearsay being put to the test this Sunday (UTC +8), can EliteXC make the most out of their brand spanking new television deal with CBS? Can Kimbo become the new mainstream star in MMA? Will Gina Carano have a future Playboy photoshoot?

Wait, let me get my head back together.

The fight I’m really looking forward to is Robbie Lawler versus Scott Smith. I have so many things to say about this bout, but I’ll leave it up for fate to decide. It might actually be a slugfest or just end up as a clinching game.

As for all the other bouts, we will see some fighters coming into the light from the abyss of obscurity. If the whole event is available to you, then watch it. It’s on CBS, so if your cable company provides that, then tune in at 9AM (UTC +8).

UFC 84 Aftermath
With this victory, BJ Penn secures the top spot in the top 10 best lightweights in the world. He has successfully defended is right for the UFC title against Sean Sherk, who looked a bit off. Why boxing? I know that Sean Sherk can box, but he has more tools than that. He has short arms, so why continue when he was already being peppered with jabs?

Also, the most entertainment I’ve had all week was watching Tito Ortiz interact with Dana White in the after-fight press conference. As Tito finalized his permanent vacation from the UFC, Dana could only throw verbal jabs and elbows at Tito’s fall from fame and his inadequacy to take his game to the next level.

Future bouts will definitely have UFC 84 as a deciding factor for matchups. There were so many fights that made fighters into contenders in this event that I am sure that there will be stuff like Machida versus Thiago Silva or Wanderlei Silva and stuff like that. Let’s just keep our fingers together.

Then, the week after this, there will be UFC 85, so watch out. This definitely is a good time to be a fight fan.

WEC 34: Faber vs. Pulver
Another matchup I’m looking forward to. The day after EliteXC, here comes WEC 34 with Urijah Faber versus Jens Pulver. Is Pulver still good enough in his age to battle it out with this young talent who likes to make things as aggressive as possible? The featherweight division does need more exposure, so this fight will make people watch it more closely.

Weekly Reality Show Review
TUF7 is one of the better seasons I’ve seen. They brought in some good fighters this time, and now without the pussy shit and the needless drama. All they do is knuckle up and fight.

Dante Rivera needs takedown defense. He got schooled by Jesse Taylor’s superior wrestling and there was nothing he could do. All of his submission setups were being shouted out to Jesse by his teammates, so he could actually do nothing at all. Meanwhile, Matt Brown knows how to mount offense, but he doesn’t know how to maintain it. After that vicious knee to his liver by Amir, he crumpled and looked weak from there. Soon enough, things went to the ground in the second round and Amir Sadollah got the triangle choke victory. Nonetheless, it was a good fight.

No episode of Iron Ring this week. I wonder why.

Conclusion
I’m keeping this issue short due to time constraints and too many questions that had to be answered. Soon enough, people will start talking about the recent events that have the potential to change the game forever.

Tags: MMA by avoiderdragon
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May 18-24, 2008

As I progress into the oblivion that is my obsession with martial arts and physical combat, I have decided to write a weekly article summarizing the different things concerning martial arts that I encounter in each and every excruciating week. While living on this mortal plane has become increasingly unbearable, I will be comforted by the fact that I get to write something about my greatest passion every once in a while.

 

UFC 84 Previews and Predictions

Moving on from the utter despair that is my existence, let us move on to the issues at hand. This Sunday, UTC +8, is UFC 84. Now, I don’t know about the title “Ill Will”, but I’m sure that it would be an absolute joy to watch a wrestler against a jiu-jitsu fighter. BJ Penn’s perceived weakness, which is his stamina, is supposedly Sean Sherk’s greatest strength. While doubt looms over the former champion’s credibility due to the steroid controversy, his physical prowess is still unquestionable. However, his combative competency is to be questioned as his inability to finish his opponents in recent years has tarnished his reputation as a fighter. Finishing opponents is something BJ Penn is definitely known for, even if his four professional losses are due to his inability to do so in what seemed to be a limited time frame due to his lack of physical endurance. Most people would say that if it goes beyond round three, Sherk will take it. If not, then it’s Penn’s fight.

Aside from the main event, there is the fight between the conqueror and the conquered. Keith Jardine, Chuck Liddell’s lord and master, will fight against Wanderlei Silva, Chuck Liddell’s bitch. Most would attribute this matchup as a classic standup war – one between a technical striker and a brawler. While Wanderlei’s reputation as a complete psycho when it comes to dismantling opponents with his fists and knees, with most of his credentials sprawled all over the canvas in a bloody mess (i.e. Quinton Jackson), is well known, he has been in a three-fight losing streak. While his future in the light heavyweight division may be bleak, his advantages over Keith Jardine could carry him to victory, but only if he can actually land a shot at Jardine’s questionable chin, which has proven to be weak against solid shots. Houston Alexander has already proven Jardine to be susceptible to abrupt instances of unconsciousness, Wanderlei should be able to press forward and land blows. However, as the Axe Murderer hasn’t been in his normal vicious persona for years due to the ravages of age, he might fall short and eventually be picked apart by Jardine’s punch-kick combos.

And of course, before I shut it, since I don’t want this article to be TOO long, let’s head on over to Machida versus Ortiz. Before the weaboos start clamoring about Lyoto destroying the hell out of Tito, I do think that Ortiz has a legitimate chance here. At first, I really was convinced that Machida will kick his ass without question, but as I thought more about it, Tito is definitely no slouch. Sure, Jenna Jameson sure has been riding his dick for quite a while now, but Ortiz is a strong wrestler with passable striking and a good drive. His cardio will definitely be up to par in this fight against Decision Machida, whose cardio is also not in doubt. However, Ortiz has been up with top competition already, something Machida hasn’t gone through yet in the UFC. Not to say that his past opponents, including Rich Franklin and a bloated BJ Penn, are not top opponents, but the setting is the UFC this time. That organization definitely has a reputation for pressuring fighters to their limit, which makes a lot of known names flunk out in their UFC debuts. Hopefully, this fight won’t be a borefest with either Machida backing off too much or Ortiz laying-n-praying. Ortiz has a shattered chin thanks to Chuck Liddell, so Machida may want to capitalize on that.

 

 

UFC 85 Matchmaking Dilemma

With all the hype in UFC 84, it’s easy to forget about the next one, which is 85. The fight that was supposed to be Chuck Liddell versus Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Shogun re-injured his knee in training and was replaced by Rashad Evans. Well, it’s still compelling - Chuck versus Rashad. Then, Chuckie had to pull out due to a vicious torn hamstring. He was replaced by James Irvin, the man who made Houston Alexander’s future in the UFC absolutely questionable with a superman punch. Then again, he had to pull out due to a broken foot. Now, Rashad Evans has been pulled out and the whole fight goes to the undercard with Luis Arthur Cane versus Jason Lambert. Craptastic…

 

 

Affliction Fight Card

With the UFC aside, let’s head on over to Affliction. As you may know, a lot of the fighters in the card are former UFC and PRIDE veterans who are known names in the sport. Well, Fedor definitely needs more exposure, but Americans will definitely begin to see the greatness that is the Last Emperor, but that is if he is still in top shape. I’m not doubting here, but I’m not a Fedor nuthugger either. Tim Sylvia has a legitimate chance with his kickboxing and his reach. Hong Man Choi wasn’t a fair test for Fedor in terms of the reach game since he’s less experienced in MMA. With Timmuh gunning for the top spot in the heavyweight rankings, he may actually have a chance. MMA Math is definitely more of a rock-paper-scissors kind of game and not a A > B > C type of thing. But then again, this is Fedor we’re talking about. He can crush Timmy. We’ll just wait and see.

I know that it is too early to talk about Affliction right now, but this was the week when most of the card was announced, so I just can’t help but talk about it. Also on the card is Josh Barnett, fresh from his win against Jeff Monson, going up against his first pro loss, Pedro Rizzo. Also, rumors about Andrei Arlovski versus Ben Rothwell sure will make for a good match. Matt Lindland against someone I haven’t had the pleasure of knowing yet right after his congressional nomination in his district. He is going to become a politician, but not after wrestling the shit out of a few guys before he totally crosses over. There are a lot more fights out there, but not before waiting. Things in the fight card can get cookie since the event is still far away in July 19.

 

 

Deep 35: Mishima Over Imanari… Again

I watched the fight and was pretty entertained by the back-and-forth battle. Mishima is definitely someone who is thought to be washed up and ready for retirement, which is actually was, but he got the upper hand in the end. With that kneebar at the end of the third round, reminiscent of his younger days when he still had black hair, I thought it was going to be over for Imanari, but the kneebar wasn’t exactly that tight. The foot was at chest level, which means that the knee would be below Mishima’s hip, which means that there wouldn’t actually be much hyperextension to begin with. Mishima attributes it to Imanari’s flexibility, so maybe he actually had that knee bar. Leglocks are definitely not something for people with weak abs, hips, and back muscles. Imanari caught him with a few attempts, but Mishima stayed focused and tenacious, pounding Imanari and maintaining aggression. That gave him the decision. It was definitely a good fight and Dokojonosuke Mishima is now the Deep Featherweight Champion and has defeated leglock master Masakazu Imanari for the second time.

 

 

Weekly Reality Show Review

C.B. Dollaway is sick. He is a solid fighter and can do some damage if he ever continues his winning way. I’m sure that they have already finished taping all the episodes of TUF, except for the finale, but damn, he’s tough. Nick Klein’s guard was pretty good, but once I saw him escape that kneebar, my eyes were bugging out. He also escaped some armbar attempts, which kept the ball rolling. By the second round, he already had Klein’s number, and he was able to catch his opponent with a good guillotine choke to seal the deal. He was 6-0 while Klein was 7-0 coming into the fight, but C.B. certainly had more aggressiveness.

As for Iron Ring, all I can say is that they took over 11 episodes to recruit all their fighters for one big tournament. Eleven episodes. BetTV is trying to drag this series for as long as they can, I think. Despite that, I’m rooting for Ludacris’ team, even though this show isn’t something to go nuts about.

 

 

Conclusion

This week was good for anticipation. It is all about UFC 84 right now, and I’ll be sure to catch it live right here in my PC. I’ll have the review shortly after the event for all to see. This was a pretty good first installment of my new series, and I hope that I can keep doing this.

Tags: Entertainment, MMA, Martial Arts by avoiderdragon
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I was not able to review DREAM.2 because I was mostly busy that week. I did get to watch those fights though, and I would rate that event with 1 out of 5. If I had reviewed that event, I would have went on a tirade. I didn’t like the card aside from JZ vs. Aoki. Their middleweight tournament is full of bullshit.

This one, however, offered a good card. With Kawajiri, Ishida, Uno, Mayhem, Manhoef, and many more in the card, and I was sure that it would really kill it for me. I expected a good show, and I was DEFINITELY not disappointed.

Here are my play-by-play commentaries and reviews of each fight in the card.

—

Featherweight
Takeshi Yamazaki vs. Shoji Maruyama

One of the good things about DREAM is the featherweight division. Not only can Kid Yamamoto fight in his natural weight here, but there are quite a number of remarkable fighters in the roster.

Right off the bat, Shoji went for a flying knee that misses. Yamazaki trid for a single-leg takedown, which eventually takes fruit. From the top, Yamazaki executed his gameplan by controlling from the top with his wrestling. He eventually goes for full mount and stubbornly attempts to open up a submission. Shoji slowly got it back to half-guard, then full guard, but not without being frustrated by Yamazaki’s GnP. They do stand up, but Yamazaki went for the takedown again. It did seem like Yamazaki is really packing in his wrestling, keeping Shoji on his back. He was able to get the side mount when they were near the red corner. Shoji defended, pulling guard and trying to hang on for dear life. Yamazaki’s ground-and-pound and superior wrestling is really getting under Shoji’s skin. They stood back up and Shoji countered by putting Yamazaki on the ground for a while. Too bad that his submission was unstable as Yamazaki reversed it. He got full mount again, but Shoji showed heart and reversed it. An on and off fight for both fighters right here, with Yamazaki leading so far. This 10-minute round had been taking its toll on both fighters, but they stayed relentless. In the clinch, Yamazaki keeps gaining control and taking it to the ground. Yamazaki goes for the armbar, but Shoji amazingly escaped. By then, the end of the round came in, temporarily stopping the action.

Yamazaki went for the same gameplan in the second round, but Shoji was already starting to get his number as he kept himself from being taken control of entirely. He did botch a lot of opportunities as he gains superior positions. Obviously, he doesn’t have takedown defense, but his submission defense and escapes are remarkable. It was a tiresome affair as both fighters get up and down over and over again. Positions go back and forth throughout the second round, and there was absolutely no obvious evidence as to which fighter was the more aggressive one. They were quite equal in their skill level and physical prowess.

But Yamazaki’s wrestling and constant submission attempts takes the cake as he got the unanimous decision.

Winner: Takeshi Yamazaki by Decision (Unanimous)

—

Middleweight
Jason Miller vs. Katsuyori Shibata

Here was one of the fights that I had been waiting for. Not only did I look forward to the fight itself, but also the entrance. Here is Jason “Mayhem” Miller versus Katsuyori Shibata.

Shibata ran towards the ring Minowa style, while Mayhem came out with breakdancers, bouncing to a hip-hop track.

Round one came in with Mayhem staring Shibata down, then slugging it out. He did get clocked with a knee to the jaw, but he regrouped and lifted Shibata up and put him down onto the ground, but not without Shibata jumping guard. Miller was able to gain full mount and went for the ground-and-pound reminiscent of Sakuraba while playing to the camera. He maintained control and went for an armbar attempt, which Shibata tried to defend against. Miller went back to the mount after the botched armbar, but Shibata regained guard. Miller really seemed unshakable as he full mounted again and threw shots to Shibata’s face. Tried a kimura, but failed, then went to side mount. Mayhem was grinning from ear to ear as he kept stuffing Shibata’s face with punches. He was obviously winning by being constantly busy and maintaining control over Shibata. From the full mount, Mayhem finally got the win via TKO.

Shibata came into this fight an 11-1 underdog, and he came out of it with several welts and bruises on his face. Mayhem was absolutely having fun in this fight, and he won with it.

Winner: Jason Miller by TKO at Round 1

—

Middleweight
Melvin Manhoef vs. Dae Won Kim

Former Cage Rage Light Heavyweight Champion and K-1 veteran Melvin Manhoef now came up against Korean prospect, Dae Won Kim. This was expected to finish with a Manhoef crusher KO.

Round one started with Manhoef pacing himself in the stand-up, as his kickboxing background serves as his basic instinct. Kim moved in for the clinch, but got taken down. Manhoef certainly had the takedown defense as he prevented being taken down. The fight progressed with Kim landing a 2-punch combination that rocked Manhoef, but Manhoef tried to regroup. That was absolutely a bit of an upset as he was hit by Kim’s combinations. Kim gained the top position in the guard and worked for a better position. Manhoef recovered from his guard and reversed the position, hitting Kim with a knee to the body then pounding him on the ground mercilessly for the victory.

Manhoef certainly delivered, but not before Kim proving that he can stand up against him. Despite getting hurt, Manhoef was able to regroup and get the win.

Winner: Melvin Manhoef by TKO (Strikes) at Round 1

—

Lightweight
Daisuke Nakamura vs. Bu Kyung Jung

Bu Kyung Jung lost all his two fights because he went up against monsters that were way beyond his current level, but he fought both fights valiantly. He showcased a lot of skill, but he really dow need to fight people that are equal with his current level. In this fight, he went up against PRIDE Bushido veteran, Daisuke Nakamura.

The fight went on with a good stand-up, then Jung took it to the ground with an armbar attempt. They continued to scramble on the ground for position, with Nakamura on top, who quickly went for a leglock. He botched it and they both stood back up. Jung then pressed the action with a barrage, hitting Nakamura, who countered with a good shot. Jung backed off and the fight went to the ground. Nakamura then looked for a kimura, then an armbar, but Jung’s defense was too good for it. Another leglock attempt from Nakamura before standing up. Jung paced himself and later got things back down, but he still ended up on the bottom. Submission attempt after submission attempt got both fighters struggling for dominance. Nakamura tried for a heelhook, but Jung fought out of it. With another leglock attempt from Nakamura, the seconds ticked down and the first round went away.

The second round wasn’t any easier for Jung as Nakamura stuffed his takedown and went for an armbar attempt that didn’t completely materialize. At the stand-up, Nakamura landed a good right to the jaw that dropped Jung and knocked him out.

Poor Jung. He really needs to fight rookies like him and not veterans. Nakamura definitely was no slouch as he already had a lot of fighting experience.

Winner: Daisuke Nakamura by Knockout (Punch)

—

Welterweight
Nick Diaz vs. Katsuya Inoue

Under the tutelage of Cesar Gracie, Nick Diaz had been one of the most promising, as well as controversial, fighters to come in recent years. After having trouble recently in getting fights, he finally got one here in DREAM against Katsuya Inoue.

Diaz came out aggressively and showcased his improved stand-up skills. It went to the clinch and Diaz thrust in some good knees. They went on to exchange punches and Diaz scored some good shots onto Inoue’s face. After a high kick that missed, Diaz continued the pressure. Working with knees and uppercuts during clinches and hitting with good punches, Diaz eventually got it to the ground with him on top. Inoue’s nose looked quite bloody at this point, and they stood up again. The fight was stopped momentarily to have Inoue checked by the doctor. The action resumed with Diaz swinging away at his fellow southpaw, then went for a legtrip. Fight was stopped again for a reset, then Diaz threw more flurries. Soon enough, Inoue was already groggy and Diaz continued the punishment. Despite not falling down, Inoue lost with a thrown towel from his corner.

Nick Diaz looked great in this fight and got everything together, calm and composed. He is now set to fight against Hayato “Mach” Sakurai.

Winner: Nick Diaz by TKO (Towel, Punches) at Round 1

—

Lightweight Grand Prix Tournament Quarterfinals
Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Luis Firmino

With weight on his shoulders, crowd favorite Tatsuya “The Crusher” Kawajiri was set to tear it up with Chute Boxe member Luis “Buscape” Firmino. Coming as the underdog, Buscape shares a similarity as Kawajiri as they are victims of a Takanori Gomi finisher.

Kawajiri starts the action with a flurry of straight punches that graze the head of Firmino. Working for a takedown, Firmino failed as Kawajiri sprawled reactively. He then slipped while throwing a head kick. Kawajiri briefly engages on the ground, then fights to get back to his feet. Firmino then looked for an inverted heelhook that didn’t fully materialize. From his opponent’s guard, Kawajiri landed stiffs punches with both hands while his opponent tried to control the wrists. The referee restarted the bout in the center of the ring. Kawajiri rocks Firmino with a one-two, making him fall backwards to the canvas while Kawajiri took advantage with right shots to the head. Firmino struggled to put Kawajiri on the ground in the red corner. The pace slowed down in the final minute as they clinched in the corner. Then, 10 gueling minutes came to an end.

Kawajiri found himself on top to start the second round, where he controlled the opponent’s butterfly guard and connected with hammer fists to the head. Firmino stood up and then surprised Kawajiri with an inside-leg trip. Kawajiri struggled to his feet, then Firmino shots a double-leg and takes Kawajiri’s back. Kawajiri rolled out of the bad position and landed a punch from Firmino’s guard just as the bell sounded.

As it was expected, all three judges named Tatsuya Kawajiri the winner of this contest.

Winner: Tatsuya Kawajiri by Decision (Unanimous)

—

Lightweight Grnd Prix Tournament Quarterfinals
Eddie Alvarez vs. Joachim Hansen

With what was expected to be a great match, American cagefighter Eddie Alvarez went up against former Shooto champion Joachim Hansen in the second lightweight quarterfinal match of the night.

Alvarez broke a short feeling-out period with a hard low kick and a right hand that sent Hansen to the canvas. Hansen was hurt but he recovered quickly. Hansen then went to the rubber guard, the same thing that Aoki used successfully against him back in PRIDE, in search of a gogoplata or an omaplata, but Alvarez escaped to his feet. Hansen retreated from punches with bad intentions. After failing on a takedown attempt, Hansen got comfortable on his feet and pieced together a few punches before pulling guard. Back on their feet, Hansen was again dropped with a right hand. From the clinch, the fighters trade body shots. Alvarez, bleeding from his nose, took Hansen down but stands up himself. He then lands some stiff right hands. Both fighters trade punches in the center of the ring with no advantage going for either. Another takedown for Alvarez, landing a right hand and then eating an upkick. With two minutes remaining in the round, Hansen stood and connected with a left straight to the jaw. Despite having the early advantage, Alvarez looked gassed. Punches were traded in the corner before the round expired.

Starting off the second round, Hansen tripped Alvarez to the floor on the heels of a knee to the midsection. Alverez works to his feet and is caught in a guillotine. He escaped but Hansen turned up the heat on the ground with an armbar attempt and an armlock from guard. Alvarez looked to be in danger as his left arm bended at the elbow but he was able to free himself. Hansen switched to a Kimura from half-guard that he tried to transition to an armbar. One minute remained in a great back-and-forth battle. Alvarez stood and pushed Hansen against the ropes in search of a double-leg. Alvarez landed a huge right hand just as the bell sounded. It was a close fight with Alvarez dominating the first round, and Hansen pulling away in the second. Alvarez took the victory, most likely on the strength of two clean first-round knockdowns. It was a shame that there was no third round.

At the very end of the fight, Alvarez and Hansen kneeled and bowed to each other in respect of each other’s abilities and fighting spirit. With a microphone in his hand, Hansen proclaimed Alvarez as the toughest fighter he has ever faced in his career.

This fight had me at the very edge of my seat. Watching it live from my PC was insane, so I can’t imagine how it was for the audience in Saitama Super Arena that night. Definitely a candidate for Fight of the Year.

Winner: Eddie Alvarez by Decision (Unanimous)

—

Lightweight Grnd Prix Tournament Quarterfinals
Mitsuhiro Ishida vs. Caol Uno

“The Endless Fighter” Mitsuhiro Ishida, the man whose decision wins are excused because he gets to win against guys with great records, is matched up against grappling duke and UFC veteran Caol Uno for the main event. Opinions were mixed and chaos ensued in the betting tables as neither looked to have the upper hand at face value. Ishida, bewildered by Uno’s free pass to the quarterfinals without an elimination bout, used it as motivation.

Ishida and Uno circled throughout the opening minute with neither looking to engage. Uno went to work on the right leg wth low kicks as Ishida tried to time two left handed haymakers. An unintentional kick to Uno’s groin halted the bout and Uno was given time to recover. Action resumed with a hard right hand from Uno. Ishida was dropped to a knee and his takedown attempt got stuffed. Blood was pouring from Ishida’s nose like a leaky faucet. The referee stopped the bout to have Ishida checked. The fight was restarted and Uno opened up with his hands. Ishida had little to offer except a failed single-leg takedown. From the clinch, Uno kneed and kicked the inside of Ishida’s right leg. Uno’s footwork looked as good as it had always been, but he was certainly getting sloppy with his hands. Ishida landed a right and a flurry with both hands against the ropes. Uno gave up a double-leg and began to work from his back for the first time. Uno’s footwork looks as good as it has in seven years, but he is getting sloppy with his hands. Ishida passed to side-control and transitioned to Uno’s back as he went for the mount. Uno spun and took the top to close the round.

The final round started slow as Ishida shot in. A scramble for position ended the fight with Uno taking Ishida’s back, a move reminiscent of Genki Sudo’s first UFC fight, and quickly sunk in a rear-naked choke. The hold was applied so fast that Uno didn’t even need to sink in hooks to force a tapout.

Beating the odds of age and coming back strong, Caol Uno took it with the only submission of the night and moves on to the semifinals.

Winner: Caol Uno by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at Round 2

—

This has got to be one of the better events I’ve seen yet in recent times. This was absolutely without any obvious faults and it deserves a full mark of 5 out of 5. It had drama, comedy, and tons of bone-breaking action. While the earlier bouts felt like fillers, they were entertaining nonetheless with underdogs actually putting up a better fight than expected. As with the lightweight tournament matches, they were nothing less than instant classics, especially Alvarez-Hansen. I recommend you to watch it in its entirety.

The Lightweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals are not done yet, however, as Aoki-Nagata has yet to commence in DREAM.4 due to Aoki’s facial injury sustained from his last match with Calvancante. DREAM.4 is scheduled on June 15.

Tags: MMA by avoiderdragon
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