Time to TUF it out again

Another season of The Ultimate Fighter is set to debut tomorrow night. I really hope it has grown out of the MTV Real World stage by now. 

It has been three months since Efrain Escudero and Ryan Bader won The Ultimate Fighter. I guess that means it's time to sit through another season of the UFC tournament/ reality show. 

I absolutely love the format of single-elimination tournaments in mixed martial arts. Tournaments are exciting and they really show the fans at home all the aspects a fighter brings to the table since they have the opportunity to fight multiple times. 

However, I hate reality TV. I hate having to watch contestants such as Chris Leben, Jesse Taylor, Junie Browning, CB Dolloway and a slew of others act like irresponsible children just so they can stay in the limelight and find a way into the UFC in the event they don't win the tournament. 

In fact I hate it so much that after season 3 I would just TiVo the episodes and fast forward to the last 15 minutes so I could see the fights. But the truth is the show loses quite a bit of value by just watching the fights. It's nice to get to know the fighters and see the sacrifices and training they have to go through, but it could be done in a much more effective way. 

I didn't even watch the last season of TUF because I couldn't stomach the MTV Real World junk it was stuffing down the viewers' throats. It is time for Dana White and Spike TV to realize that the UFC is a legitimate sport and needs to portray itself in a professional manner. 

This season shouldn't cater to 15-year-old boys wanting to start a fight club, it should cater to a mature audience that expects to see elite athletes treat their profession and each other with respect. I have high hopes for this season since Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping are coaching teams from the United States and England, respectively. 

I think that format of country vs country will give the fighters a greater purpose and they wont be so quick to make fools of themselves since they have a country to fight for and represent. 

The best way to present a show like this would be to follow the example set by season 1 of The Contender. The boxing show that was produced by Sylvester Stallone and Sugar Ray Leonard was a unique look into how important winning is to a fighter and how much they are willing to sacrifice. 

I liked the touch of seeing the fighters spar and train, but also being able to live with their families so they have a constant reminder of what they were there for. They weren't there to get drunk, destroy a house and pick fights. They were there to do a job and win the tournament to give their family a better life.

The UFC doesn't need to go to that extreme to keep The Ultimate Fighter fresh, but it does need to go that direction. Growing up is a part of life and it is time for the UFC to grow out of its teenage angst stage and into a more professional one. 

I am excited for tomorrow night's debut episode; I just hope it doesn't let me down. 

Huerta Has It Right

At 25 years old, Roger Huerta is ready to hang up his gloves after going 6-1 in the UFC. The top-ranked fighter will give Hollywood a shot and I think thats a great decision. 

All good things must come to an end. It's a phrase that has been proven true time and time again. It's also a concept many sports fans fear. 

It was a sad day when Michael Jordan retired from the Chicago Bulls. It was a sad day when Cal Ripken Jr. called it a career. And it will be a sad day when Tiger Woods sinks his last putt. 

And while it is sad to see fighters retire, fans should not criticize a fighter for leaving the game early, instead we should all be thankful for the contributions and happy for the person. Floyd Mayweather Jr. drew a lot of criticism for leaving boxing as an undefeated fighter after defeating Ricky Hatton on Dec. 8, 2007.

Mayweather was only 30 years old at the time and was still in his prime. Many boxing enthusiasts and experts criticized "Pretty Boy Floyd" for retiring while tough challenges against Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto were still out there. 

But at 39-0 and with millions of dollars in the bank, I could not criticize the young fighter. He paid his dues and more importantly, he made his money. Boxing has always been a way to improve a tough situation and Mayweather did just that. He knew he was financially set and he still had his health. It was a great move to retire. 

Now the mixed martial arts media has disapproved of Roger Huerta's decision to leave UFC after his next fight to pursue opportunities in acting and modeling. The Mexican-American fighter is 6-1 in the UFC and was on the brink of being a top-10 lightweight. 

But going 6-1 in the UFC is usually good enough for some decent money and fighting opponents such as Clay Guida and Kenny Florian secures even a bigger purse. So with money in his pocket and his fame established, he decided to leave fighting for a while to pursue entertainment. And at 25 years old, this is his best shot to succeed in Hollywood. 

Once again, while I would love to see Huerta continue to fight, I have to agree with the decision. No person should ever endanger their well-being for longer than they need to. MMA and boxing are both dangerous sports. When a fighter feels they have accomplished what they need to, then there is no shame in calling it a career. 

Does the UFC lightweight division take a hit with the absence of Huerta? Yes. But that gives another fighter the chance to realize their dreams and make the type of money that can support their families. Manny Pacquiao became boxing's biggest star after Mayweather left. Everyone wins except for the fans, but sometimes that is OK. 

But for every Huerta and Mayweather, there is a Jesse Taylor. The former Ultimate Fighter cast member has been fighting in the small show circuit on a monthly basis and racking up wins. With another kid on the way, he said this is his way to make a steady living. Since he is winning and has an expanding family, the drive is there to fight as often as possible. 

I will never criticize a fighter for leaving the game at an early age. If a person can use boxing or MMA as a way to achieve a better life and walk away with health intact, than more power to that person. 

Mayweather is about to come out of retirement and fight in as early as July. He has the itch again, but he knows he doesn't need to take a beating four times a year anymore and I think that is a good thing. 

Huerta will be back. But for now, he should give his body a rest and enjoy any success he can get from his five years of professional fighting. And when he wants to come back, I will welcome him gladly. 

Tough love for California boxing

This young boy could be world champion one day. But he lives in California where amateur boxing is now banned because some crooked individuals exploited kids like him. 

The economy is in the dumps and the main reason is greed.

 The same kind of greed that possesses a person to send two 8-year-old kids into the ring to box each other so he can make a quick buck by inviting his rich friends over to gamble on the atrocity he created. 

And because of those exploitations happening in San Francisco-area gyms, amateur boxing has been banned in California. The implications of this decision made by USA Boxing are huge. 

USA Boxing made the correct decision to send a loud-and-clear message to the rest of the country that sending young boys to box for gambling purposes is a serious infraction and will in no way be tolerated. But for the kids and rising prospects in California's boxing circuit, this news is crippling. 

They must suffer because of the stupidity and illegal activities of a few terrible people. California turns out hot prospects faster than almost any other state and the amount of world-champion level fighters is astounding. Boxing could see a recession in top-level talent if the ban remains in place for the next few years.

There are more than 650 boxers from California listed in boxrec.com. The next Oscar De La Hoya (a California boxing circuit product) may never be discovered because of this ban.

While missing out on potential world champions is a blow to boxing, the real worry should be about the kids. Even if there were no boxers from California to go on to win a world championship, at least it would have served as an outlet to stay off the streets. 

There is a reason 8-year-olds learn to box at a young age and most of the time it is because their parents want to keep them out of gangs and give them an outlet to learn discipline. I'm sure the kids can still take boxing lessons, but with no amateur circuit, there is not much chance the kid could mature and use boxing as a way to fight out of a bad situation. 

Now parents will be scared to even send their kids to a boxing gym because a few people decided to betray their trust and endanger the lives of their children. It was a shocking and sad day for boxing on Monday when USA Boxing made the announcement, but it needs to be a wake up call. 

There is a nasty, nasty underbelly in boxing and its about time someone starts cleaning it up and its better that USA Boxing is taking that initiative. It's one thing if you want to play politics and keep a professional fighter from competing for a well-deserved title shot or lowball a boxer on a purse, but when you endanger kids then you have crossed the line. 

Boxing is supposed to save kids from ending up in a bad situation; its not meant to trap them in a worse one.  

I love this sport, so it hurts when bad people leech of the kids and ambush an institution that has served a noble purpose in society for so many years. And anyone who doesn't think boxing can save lives is just wrong. 

I hope Boxing USA can restore order in California so the kids can stay off the streets and the fans can witness the rise of another great champion. 

Just Like Peanut Butter and Chicken Noodle Soup

This jar of peanut butter should not be mixed with chicken noodle soup. They are great individually, but not combined ... just like boxing and mixed martial arts.

Some things in life are just not meant to be matched together and Roy Jones Jr. gave another perfect example of this lesson on Saturday. 

Jones tried his hand at the promoting side of the fight game and combined boxing matches and mixed martial arts contests on the same card. It has been done before, but never in front of a crowd as large as the one in Pensacola, Fla., and never on a successful pay-per-view. 

It was a courageous effort, but it also failed miserably. 

For some reason, Jones fell into the mindset that most of the general public holds. Most people think that if someone is a fan of boxing, they would naturally enjoy mixed martial arts. I am passionate about both sports, but they are two very different sports. 

Just because someone likes baseball, doesn't mean they want to sit through a softball game. Both sports are similar, but there are still major differences that separate the two enough to make it so both sports wouldn't be played in front of the same audience at the same time. 

I couldn't see a professional softball team walking out on Wrigley Field right after the Cubs finished playing. Most people would get up and leave. The same thing goes for boxing and mixed martial arts, mainly because the two sports bring out each others shortcomings when displayed side by side. 

When I watch a boxing match, it's very hard to switch right over to a mixed martial arts bout because I realize the fighters competing in MMA are no where near the boxers that the professionals are and it makes it difficult to watch. 

If I am watching some MMA, I have a hard time switching to boxing because I know that the chance for an upset or flash knockout is much less likely and it is impossible for fighters to switch the realm of the fight from the feet to the ground. 

So while boxing represents the technique and precision I love in fighting, MMA represents the surprises and variety I love in fighting. I see the two sports as completely different and love them both for completely different reasons. 

Aside from the fact that the two sports bring out the flaws in one another, it is also very hard to present and produce a show with both sports being showcased. 

The announcers did their best to explain and inform the audience about everything that was happening in the MMA fights, but it came across forced and like a lecture. It becomes a little stale when the announcer has to talk through a broadcast explaining why fighters throw knees and what an armbar is. 

I know I would shut off a baseball broadcast if they explained what a curveball does every single inning. 

It was nice to see Jones dominate Omar Sheika with fundamentally sound boxing. But the boxing made Din Thomas look like a sparring partner. It was nice to see Thomas finish in exciting and quick fashion. But Thomas' finish made Jones look boring. 

The styles will always be too contradicting to ever put them together on the same event. 

I like peanut butter and I enjoy chicken noodle soup. If I put them together, I would hate them both. 

I like boxing and MMA. If I put them together ... well ... I guess my order of peanut butter chicken noodle soup is ready. 

Klitschkos: Kings of the Mediocre

David Haye might be the last chance for the heavyweight division to produce a true challenge to the seemingly unbeatable Klitschko brothers. 

I have a good amount of schooling and one of the lessons that has been passed down from generation to generation is Newton's Law: Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

So after watching Vitali Klitschko massacre yet another opponent, I was left wondering how boxing's heavyweight division has managed to defy this law since Lennox Lewis walked away from the sport. I think heavyweight boxing has made a scientific breakthrough. We can call it Klitschkos' Law.

Klitschkos' Law: For every action taken by a heavyweight boxer named Klitschko there will be a reaction, but definitely not an equal one as the person on the receiving end of the action by Klitschko must box as if they were completely incapable before falling on their face.

That's a great law if your name is Klitschko, but for boxing fans, it's definitely not as good as Newton's Law. When I see Klitschko pounding an opponent (the action), I want to see his opponent fight back with all he has (the hopeful opposite and equal reaction.)

Now I can't blame this on the Klitschkos, it's not their fault they are superb boxers. But without stiff competition, even if it is only one rival, they can never be considered great champions and that is a shame because they are very good. 

Magic Johnson had Larry Bird, Wayne Gretzky had Mario Lemieux, Michael Jordan had Reggie Miller and Muhammad Ali had Joe Frazier. But the Klitschkos ... well they have Samuel Peter? Sultan Ibragimov? Shannon Briggs?

While they are decent boxers, they definitely don't strike fear into their opponents. Vitali Klitschko's domination of Samuel Peter and Juan Carlos Gomez should serve as another reminder that heavyweights are going to need to rely on a lot more than just power. Often times young prospects in the division can beat much lesser fighters just with power, so they are not prepared for boxers at the skill of the Klitschkos. 

And there have been some prospects in the past such as Chris Byrd and Joe Mesi, but neither man panned out to be good enough to take down the mighty Klitschkos. The heavyweight division needs a charismatic and athletic fighter to start wreaking havoc. With all the strength and conditioning programs available to athletes, there should be no reason for heavyweight boxers to look like Butterbean anymore. 

The possible Chosen Ones

Great Britian's David Haye was a dominant cruiserweight for years as he won every major title and compiled 22 victories with 21 of those ending in knockouts. He is young, confident and athletic. So confident in fact, that he already announced he would retire by the age 0f 31, giving him three years to dominate the heavyweight division. 

He hasn't wasted anytime as he knocked out Monte Barrett in his first fight at heavyweight. With only one win in the division under his belt, Haye is about to get his dream fight against Wladimir Klitschko. The fight should be officially announced in a few days and many expect it will be held on June 30 in Germany. 

Haye could capture the world's imagination with a knockout victory over Klitschko and the heavyweight division could finally have some true competition at the top. 

Chris Arreola 

He already has all the charisma needed to be a star. He is an American born fighter with a Mexican heritage, which you don't often see in the heavyweight division. He just recently started fighting tougher competition around 2006, but he is a knockout artist and would be a breath of fresh air as champion. 

In June 2008, he had his biggest win to date against fellow undefeated prospect Chazz Witherspoon. The fight was an unofficial eliminator to see how America's next heavyweight star would be. If Arreola is focused and hungry, he could bring real competition to the Klitschkos.

Aleksander Povetkin

When talking about a guy with "the look," Povetkin won't top the list. But I am just searching for a guy who can really challenge either of the Klitschko brothers and this guy has the boxing skill, but his physical dimensions could end up hurting him. 

He is a very smart fighter and knows how to exchange on the inside, but at 6'2" he would struggle against the Klitschkos who have the reach of a terradactyl. But still, he is a fresh face in the division and has great skills. He wouldn't have as good of a chance as Haye or Arreola, but he is capable of an upset.

Andrei Arlovski

Yes, the same Arlovski who was heavyweight champion in the UFC. He trains in boxing with Freddie Roach so there is no doubt he is ready to compete at the professional level. He is chiseled from stone and is faster than any heavyweight in boxing. 

His combination of speed and power would be overwhelming for either Klitschko who have grown accustomed to simply going through the motions as they dispose of their opposition. As long as Arlovski keeps the fundamentals in mind, I think he could have a chance and he would definitely draw the American audience back into boxing.  

March Madness: Fear The Stretchy Pants

Shinya Aoki makes people bend in mysterious ways. It's no wonder fighters fear him and his stretchy pants and it's no wonder I consider him the best lightweight in the world.

When 16 fighters with this much talent square off against each other, anything can happen. But there is one man who I think is the standard for consistency when it comes to dominating opponents and that is Shinya Aoki. 

Gumby wins this tournament after some tough battles and once again, fighters must learn to respect the stretchy pants. 

Pool A: #1. BJ Penn vs #4. Joe Stevenson

We saw this fight happen last year and it wasn't a pretty sight. Penn made Stevenson spout blood like Old Faithful Gyser. I think Penn uses that violent streak of his and tears up Stevenson on the feet. Penn's boxing is top notch and would overwhelm Stevenson again as Penn gets a knockout. 

Pool A: #2. Sean Sherk vs #3. Josh Thomson

These are two physical, strong wrestlers going head to head. Thomson relies more on his speed when wrestling whereas Sherk is all about the power. I think its a very close contest, but I would expect Sherk to win a decision as he should be able to hold the dominant position for most of the fight. 

Pool Championship: BJ Penn vs Sean Sherk

We have also seen this matchup once before, and once again, it was all Penn. I think Sherk would waste a lot of energy trying to take Penn to the mat, but Penn's superior balance and striking would keep Sherk off balance and Penn would win with another knockout.

Pool B: #1. Shinya Aoki vs #4. Jamie Varner

Varner knows how to strike and box very well, but he is pretty helpless on the ground. Aoki on the other hand is not very good on his feet and has a suspect chin, but he never has a problem getting his opponent to the mat even though they try their best to avoid it. Aoki catches Varner in an armbar for a submission victory.

Pool B: #2. Diego Sanchez vs #3. Gilbert Melendez

This is a dream matchup. Both men have cardio through the roof and love to fight at a fast pace. Both men would definitely have their moments of greatness in the fight, but in the end, it has been Sanchez who has folded under the pressure of highly regarded opponents more often. I think Melendez pulls out a razor thin decision. 

Pool Championship: Shinya Aoki vs Gilbert Melendez

This would be a fun match in theory, but the problem is Melendez would have to take the fight to the mat so he could use his ground-and-pound. Once the fight hit the mat, Aoki would have little problem working off his back and securing a triangle choke for the victory. 

Pool C: #1. Eddie Alvarez vs #4. Tyson Griffin

The best American fighter no one has heard of could make his name in the U.S. with a win over one of UFC's hottest prospects, Tyson Griffin. Both are strong in wrestling, but Alvarez has beaten some of the best in the world and he would use that experience to outclass the tough Griffin and show the UFC what they have been missing. 

Pool C: #2. Joachim Hansen vs #3. Takanori Gomi

Both men just want to hit people hard so this fight would be a barn burner. The Fireball Kid was the best in the world at one point, but Hansen seems to be more in his prime while Gomi is beginning to fade. I think Gomi tires late in the fight and Hansen wins by knockout. 

Pool Championship: Eddie Alvarez vs Joachim Hansen

Hansen is a tremendous striker and a tough guy, but he has a ceiling and there isn't much he can do about it. If Alvarez has a ceiling, he hasn't shown it yet. I think this is another grueling fight, but Alvarez manages to win by decision just like the first time these two met. 

Pool D: #1. Kenny Florian vs #4. Mitsuhiro Ishida

Ishida is about as tough as a 4-seed can get, so this is tough for KenFlo. Ishida's best quality is his relentlessness, but that won't be enough to overcome Florian's efficiency. KenFlo has proven to be a student of the game as he is one of the best at finishing fights, whether its on the feet or on the mat. Florian gets a submission victory. 

Pool D: #2. Gesias "JZ" Calvancanti vs Tatsuya Kawajiri

BJ Penn may be nicknamed "The Prodigy," but it is Calvancanti who has the most potential. Kawajiri has the power to floor anyone, but Calvancanti is so well-rounded he always has an escape and a way to win. I think JZ gets the win by submission. 

Pool Championship: Kenny Florian vs Gesias "JZ" Calvancanti

These are two of the most well-rounded fighters in the game, but I think Calvancanti's athleticism is too much. Florian is a very smart fighter, but he can be limited athletically and that is a big hurdle when facing JZ. I think the pace is too fast and JZ wins by decision. 

Semifinal: #1. BJ Penn vs #1. Shinya Aoki

This is the fight everyone wants to see. This might be the best matchup in all of MMA regardless of weight class right now. Two world champion caliber jujitsu fighters squaring off. Penn has a huge advantage on his feet, but no one finishes submissions like Aoki. Penn hits Aoki with a big shot that sends him to the mat, but Aoki scrambles and submits the man who is impossible to submit. Aoki wins by the skin of his teeth. 

Semifinal: Eddie Alvarez vs Gesias "JZ" Calvancanti

The two best prospects in the lightweight division go head-to-head. At this point, the only two things separating these two is submissions. I think Calvancanti is a little more skilled when it comes to putting opponents away on the mat. Alvarez has power and great ground-and-pound, but he is still open to getting submitted and I think JZ does just that and gets the win. 

Final: Shinya Aoki vs Gesias "JZ" Calvancanti

JZ would get another crack at Aoki, but I think the result remains the same. The first time they met, the fight was ruled a no contest after JZ was disqualified for illegal elbows. The second time they fought, Aoki won by decision. This time, I think Aoki wins by submission. JZ struggled to contain Aoki on the ground and this time he gets caught.

Champion: Shinya Aoki  

March Madness: The Lightweights

BJ Penn lets everyone know he is the No. 1 overall seed in the "First Round March Madness" lightweight tournament. His armpit probably doesn't smell good though. 

Well, I got swept up in the NCAA March Madness tournament on Friday and Saturday, which stopped me from finishing my fictional "March Madness" tournaments. But I have saved the best for last as the lightweights square off. 

The lightweight division has the most talent by far on a global scale. While the UFC likes to tout its light heavyweight division, if it signed the international fighters in my tournament the lightweight division would easily be its crown jewel. 

Unlike the middleweights and welterweights, a clear No. 1 does not exist. BJ Penn is obviously a dominant fighter, but Shinya Aoki is the best jujitsu practitioner in mixed martial arts. There are masters and there are Brazilian national champions, but Aoki is in a league of his own when it comes to submissions. 

Aoki doesn't technically have a championship, so Penn is awarded the No. 1 overall seed. The lightweight division is so stacked though that Jamie Varner, who is the WEC champion, is a No. 4 seed. When world champions are ranked that low, you know its the toughest division in mixed martial arts. 

Pool A: 

#1. BJ Penn

#2. Sean Sherk

#3. Josh Thomson

#4. Joe Stevenson

Pool B: 

#1. Shinya Aoki 

#2. Diego Sanchez

#3. Gilbert Melendez

#4. Jamie Varner

Pool C: 

#1. Eddie Alvarez

#2. Joachim Hansen

#3. Takanori Gomi

#4. Tyson Griffin

Pool D: 

#1. Kenny Florian

#2. Gesias "JZ" Calvancanti

#3. Tatsuya Kawajiri

#4. Mitsuhiro Ishida

As always, here is the breakdown of each pool.

Pool A: Penn is clearly one of the best fighters in the world, even though he was demolished by Georges St. Pierre. When it comes to fighting at 155 pounds though, there are not many who can hang with him. Sean Sherk is the strongest man at lightweight hands down and that makes him difficult for anyone to handle. Josh Thomson is aggressive and one of the hardest guys to beat because he won't ever give up. Joe Stevenson is a great wrestler and jujitsu player, but he has struggled since moving up in competition. 

Pool B: Aoki is the best jujitsu practitioner in mixed martial arts in any weight class. He has earned the nickname "Gumby" because of his mind boggling flexibility. Diego Sanchez is a huge 155 pounder. He started his career at middleweight, so he packs some power and pushes the pace. Gilbert Melendez has been tagged as the fighter to lead the lightweight division into the future, but Thomson and Ishida slowed him down. Jamie Varner is the WEC champion and a tremendous striker, but needs to keep fighting tough competition like Donald Cerrone. 

Pool C: It is a crime — a total, complete crime — that Alvarez is not in the UFC. He is a top American fighter making his name overseas and would be easy to market, unlike some of the top Japanese fighters. Joachim Hansen fights only the best and is a super dangerous kickboxer. Takanori Gomi was considered the best lightweight in the world, but recent losses have made him fall from grace. Tyson Griffin is a cardio machine and a great wrestler. 

Pool D: Kenny Florian is the No. 1 contender to the UFC title and a great Muay Thai fighter that knows how to finish when it hits the mat. Gesias "JZ" Calvancanti is one of the smoothest fighters I have ever seen as he transitions from striking to grappling with ease. Tatsuya Kawajiri is a strong, strong man and lives up to his nickname of "Crusher." Mitsuhiro Ishida is tough to put away with most of his fights ending in a decision. 

In such a talented weight class, there are many fighters that could have made an argument to be included so I will just list them off instead of giving reasons. 

The snubbed: Roger Huerta, Nick Diaz, Clay Guida, Spencer Fisher, Gray Maynard, Hermes Franca, KJ Noons and Chris Horodecki among many others.

Results will be posted later.

March Madness: Can't Shield Off The Upset

She may not be as tough as Georges St. Pierre, but Jake Shields shocks the world and wins the welterweight tournament. 

Well it's a little late, but here are the results of the welterweight tournament. A quick warning: it's a big surprise, but there is always one shocker in March Madness and this is the weight class where it happens. 

Pool A: #1. Georges St. Pierre vs. #4. Karo Parisyan

Out of all the tournaments so far, I honestly think this is the biggest mismatch in a first round. These two have met in the past and GSP was clearly the better fighter back then. His tremendous improvement with Parisyan's lackluster showings is a combination for disaster for "The Heat." St. Pierre wins by any way he chooses. 

Pool A: #2. Josh Koscheck vs #3. Mike Swick

Now this is a matchup. Classic wrestler vs striker matchup here, but the problem is Koscheck wants to be a striker so badly that he often forgets to wrestle. I think Koscheck's ego gets the better of him as he tries to exchange leather with the super quick Swick who walks away with a knockout victory. 

Pool Championship: Georges St. Pierre vs Mike Swick

Down the road, I would love to see this matchup, but I don't think Swick is ready yet. Swick has looked a tad star struck when he fights big name opponents. I think his striking is good enough to compete with GSP, but St. Pierre's ability to get takedowns at will would be too much and St. Pierre wins via submission. 

Pool B: #1. Jake Shields vs #4. Marcus Davis

Shields draws one of the most dangerous strikers in the game with Davis, but Shields is smart enough and definitely good enough to overcome it. I think Davis comes out aggressive as always, but Shields would waste no time taking the fight to the mat and submitting Davis. 

Pool B: #2. Nick Thompson vs #3. Jay Hieron

This is a tough one to call. Hieron is a great athlete and an explosive fighter, but Thompson is veteran savvy and has fought stiffer competition. I think it's that experience that gives Thompson the slight edge as he is able stop Hieron's hot streak and walk away with a decision.

 

Pool Championship: Jake Shields vs Nick Thompson 

This is a rematch of the Elite XC Welterweight Championship match. I think Thompson makes it a closer fight than last time but Shields is still too good on the ground and no matter how much Thompson struggles to survive, Shields will catch him in a submission again.

Pool C: #1. Carlos Condit vs #4. Matt Serra

WEC champion meets former UFC champion in this intriguing matchup. Serra is a highly regarded jujitsu practitioner and has a deadly right hand, while Condit is just flat out mean. Condit's aggression is hard to handle and I think he overwhelms Serra in a flurry of Muay Thai offense. 

Pool C: #2. Hayato "Mach" Sakurai vs #3. Matt Hughes

The two biggest legends in the welterweight division square off. The two fought all the way back in 2002 where Hughes won a grueling contest in four rounds. This time though, it has been Hughes who has slowly digressed and I think Sakurai is still dangerous. I think Mach wins the rematch, which would lead to a hopeful third meeting one day.

Pool Championship: Carlos Condit vs Hayato "Mach" Sakurai

If this fight happened two years ago I would say Sakurai gets the victory. But Condit's youth and his will to be the best would be enough to take down the Japanese legend. Sakurai would give Condit fits early with physical striking, but Condit would get the fight on the ground and use his long limbs to lock in a submission. 

Pool D: #1. Thiago Alves vs #4. Anthony "Rumble" Johnson

Johnson is a really special athlete, but Alves is a really special fighter. Johnson may be champion one day, but I don't think anyone has figured out how to handle Alves' pure power yet. He even made Hughes fall into a fetal position as overwhelmed him with powerful kicks. So I got Alves by knockout. 

Pool D: #2. Jon Fitch vs #3. Brock Larson

Larson gets underrated quite a bit, but Fitch is a monster. He is one of the best wrestlers in the division and seems to win every fight by ground-and-pound. While Larson is always dangerous on the ground, I think Fitch overpowers him and pounds out a win. 

Pool Championship: Thiago Alves vs Jon Fitch

Fitch beat the young Alves three years ago, but a lot has changed since then. Alves has started to realize his full potential and I think he gets his payback. Alves would use the same strategy GSP used when he fought Fitch and methodically pick apart the former Purdue wrestler with his excellent striking. 

Semifinal: #1. Georges St. Pierre vs #1. Jake Shields

So there are four No. 1 seeds in the finals, but I said it would be shocking and here is where it happens. I can't argue Shields is better than GSP, but there is always a shock and I think Shields has the tools necessary to pull off an upset. GSP would pick apart Shields on the feet, get comfortable and then take him down and work from the guard. GSP would make one false move and Shields secures the armbar. 

Semifinal: #1. Carlos Condit vs #1. Thiago Alves

These fighters are virtually the same, the only difference being Alves' strength. With that being said, Alves should overpower Condit over three rounds of brutal action and walk away with a unanimous decision. 

Finals: #1. Jake Shields vs #1. Thiago Alves

Shields beat GSP so you can be sure he is going to finish the job and get the championship. Alves is a dangerous striker but there is almost no one who can hang with Shields when it comes to fighting on the ground. Shields gets the takedown, works from the guard and gets his submission.

Champion: Jake Shields

March Madness: The Welterweights

Will Georges St. Pierre be able to celebrate a "First Round March Madness" tournament championship?

Three champions crowned and two more to go. It's always easy to get off track with the actual March Madness happening, but I will do my best to give this welterweight tournament the attention it deserves.

The clear No. 1 in this field is Georges "Rush" St. Pierre. Just as the case in the heavyweight and middleweight divisions, St. Pierre is one of those freak athletes with an uncanny ability to exceed in every area of mixed martial arts. 

The Canadian has shown signs of mental weakness before though, as was the case in his loss to Matt Serra. He will face some stiff competition in this tournament and these men are capable of dethroning him. 

Six fighters from outside the UFC will be involved in this tournament with two of them gaining No. 1 seeds, showing once again there is top talent the UFC could still sign. 

Pool A

#1. Georges St. Pierre

#2. Josh Koscheck

#3. Mike Swick

#4. Karo Parisyan 

Pool B

#1. Jake Shields

#2. Nick Thompson

#3. Jay Hieron

#4. Marcus Davis

Pool C

#1. Carlos Condit

#2. Hayato "Mach" Sakurai

#3. Matt Hughes

#4. Matt Serra

Pool D

#1. Thiago Alves

#2. Jon Fitch

#3. Brock Larson

#4. Anthony Johnson

Here is the breakdown of each pool.

Pool A: Clearly St. Pierre is the best welterweight in the world right now and if he keeps improving at the rate he is going, he might be the best of all time. Koscheck is a little controversial at the two spot, especially with his recent loss. His tremendous athleticism and wrestling always makes him a threat. Swick is a special talent with blinding hand speed. Parisyan is a top judoka, but his last few performances have been uninspired and he is lucky to make it.

Pool B: I can't say enough about Jake Shields. His wrestling and jujitsu are top notch and his striking keeps improving. There is a reason he always has a championship on his waist. Nick Thompson is 14-1 in his last 15 fights with his lone loss coming to Shields. Jay Hieron is making noise and dominated the IFL. His athleticism is starting to shine through. Marcus Davis is one of the most exciting fighters on the planet and knocks almost everyone out. 

Pool C: The nickname "Natural Born Killer" is no joke when talking about Carlos Condit. It's hard to describe how violent Condit can be. It has to be seen to be appreciated. "Mach" Sakurai is a true legend of the sport and is still competitive despite getting up in age. At 34-8, he has to be respected. Speaking of legends, Matt Hughes is the greatest of all-time. He's not the fighter he once was, but 42-7 gets you a 3-seed in my book. Serra has always been underrated and as former champion, he deserves a spot in the tourney. 

Pool D: Thiago Alves is the No. 1 contender and I don't know if you have seen his leg kicks, but he could knock a tree down with those kicks. He is a dangerous threat to St. Pierre's title. Jon Fitch is one of the best wrestlers in MMA and is one of the toughest and most conditioned athletes. Brock Larson could seem like a surprise, but he is 24-2 and has only lost to Fitch and Condit. That's impressive. Anthony Johnson is in the tournament based completely on potential and athleticism. I'm not sure I have ever seen a bigger welterweight. 

The snubbed: As previously stated, Johnson is in the tournament on potential and Parisyan on reputation. Two men who could make an argument to get in the tournament are Paulo Thiago and Dong Hyun Kim. Thiago surprised everyone with his win over Koscheck and is 11-0 now. He could be a future star. In my opinion, Kim won the fight against Parisyan, but at least it was overturned to a no contest instead of a loss. I think Kim has all the tools to challenge for the title one day. 

Results of the tournament will be up later tonight. 

March Madness: Caught in a Spider's web

Anderson Silva once again on the top of the world as he blazes through "The First Round March Madness" middleweight tournament

Don't act like you're surprised. Here is the breakdown of how Anderson "The Spider" Silva once again proved his dominance.

Pool A: #1. Anderson Silva vs #4. Denis Kang

Kang has all the potential in the world and is very dangerous on the ground. The problem is so is Silva. But the real problem is Kang loses focus as he did against Alan Belcher when he got caught with a submission. There is no way that should have happened, but it means Silva could easily catch him. Silva wins by knockout though. 

Pool A: #2. Michael Bisping vs #3. Thales Leites

This is the fight that should happen before Leites gets his title shot. I think Leites is very skilled, but Bisping is a big middleweight and fights at a blistering pace. His cardio and pace would be too much for Leites and I think Bisping would overwhelm him and win with some ground-and-pound. 

Pool Championship: Anderson Silva vs Michael Bisping

This is the fight Bisping has talked about ever since moving down in weight. The problem is he likes to utilize his Muay Thai and you don't want to do that against Silva. I think the fight would end up in a clinch and Silva is absolutely unbeatable in that position. Some wicked knees and punches would get Silva the win. 

Pool B: #1. Gegard Mousasi vs #4. Jason "Mayhem" Miller

This one would be a war, because it always is with Miller. Mousasi is skilled in every area and reminds me a lot of a Georges St. Pierre type fighter. Miller is very smart and crafty though and I think both men would each have moments of having the upper hand. In the end though, Mousasi is too good and would win on the scorecards. 

Pool B: #2. Paulo Filho vs #3. Vitor Belfort

Fihlo is a big middleweight and Belfort used to fight heavyweights, so this one would be physical. Filho is super dangerous on the ground, but I think Belfort has found his speed again and would be unable to unleash a lightening fast combination on the often uninspired Filho. The older fighter gets the upset and Belfort moves on after a knockout. 

Pool Championship: Gegard Mousasi vs Vitor Belfort

Belfort's weakness has been against great wrestlers and counter punchers. Mousasi does both of those well. I think Belfort would get over anxious and show off his hand speed, but get caught with a counter that would drop him. After that I think Mousasi takes his time and works him over on the ground for a ground-and-pound win. 

Pool C: #1. Robbie Lawler vs #4. Benji Radach

Radach is a physical fighter that likes to bring everything including the kitchen sink. Lawler can do his share of brawling but he is much more technical and would use that to his advantage. I think Lawler sprawl-and-brawls his way to a victory after stuffing the takedown attempts of Radach. 

Pool C: #2. Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs #3. Matt Lindland

Souza has looked impressive compiling a 10-2 record but the hardest thing for inexperienced fighters to handle is a strong wrestler. I think Lindland wouldn't waste time playing games on his feet and would take Souza down with authority and try to smother him with elbows and punches. I think Lindland has to work hard but walks away with a decision. 

Pool Championship: #1. Robbie Lawler vs #3. Matt Lindland

This would be a great fight. Lindland has gassed bad in his recent fights at times, but if he paces himself just right, he has all the tools necessary to beat Lawler. Lawler could get frustrated if he is not able to knockout Lindland after landing a few hard shots. After that, I think Lindland takes over as punishes Lawler on the ground to win a decision. 

Pool D: #1. Demian Maia vs #4. Nate Marquardt

This fight could actually happen down the line. The more Marquardt trains with St. Pierre, the more he starts to fight like him, which is a scary thought since Marquardt was already a beast. With that being said, Maia has made his opponents pay anytime the fight hits the floor and I think he gets the biggest win of his career over Marquardt via submission.

Pool D: #2. Cung Le vs #3. Yushin Okami

Okami is going to do whatever it takes to win, even if that means wrestling his opponent to the ground and holding him there. But Le is explosive and one of the best strikers in the world when he puts it all together. To give an example, he knocked out an opponent with a kick to the body and broke Frank Shamrock's arm with his striking and physicality. I think Le overpowers Okami and knocks him out. 

Pool Championship: Demian Maia vs Cung Le

It's hard to tell what either of these man can fully do. Maia is 10-0 and Le is 6-0. Something has to give and I would say it would be Maia. At the end of the day, Le is strong enough to get to his feet if the fight hits the mat and Maia has to get better at his striking while Le could end the fight in one kick or punch at anytime. Le by knockout. 

Semifinal: #1. Anderson Silva vs #1. Gegard Mousasi

Mousasi is a very smart fighter and he knows how to survive. He likes to retreat at times though and while that seems smart against Silva, all you have to do is ask Rich Franklin to find out thats a mistake. I think Silva could get a Thai clinch and deliver his deadly knees to floor Mousasi. 

Semifinal: #2. Cung Le vs #3. Matt Lindland

These two are physical and punishing fighters. Lindland does it on the ground and Le on the feet. As I stated earlier, in Lindlands most recent loss to Belfort, he seemed to gas after getting caught with a punch. Le is just as powerful if not more so than Belfort and I think he could catch Lindland with a kick as he comes in for a takedown. 

Final: #1. Anderson Silva vs #2. Cung Le

The young Le gets an early test against the master of fighting. Le is eerily similar to Silva with his devastating striking, but Silva has a jujitsu black belt and is very good on the ground. I think Le would surprise people and go toe-to-toe with Silva and be competitive with neither man getting the advantage. The fight would hit the floor and Silva would lock in the submission and prove he is the best fighter in the world once again. 

Champion: Anderson "The Spider" Silva

March Madness: The Middleweights

The middleweight tournament begins to see if anyone can stop Anderson Silva (who knocked out James Irvin with his eyes closed and his back to him apparently.)

Fedor Emelianenko and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua have danced their way through "The First Round March Madness Tournament" and have won the championship in their respective weight division. 

Today's featured division is the middleweights, where one man clearly stands above the rest. Anderson "The Spider" Silva is considered the undisputed best fighter at 185 pounds and the best fighter in the world regardless of weight. 

He has torn through the UFC middleweight division, which as you will see in a second is pretty weak for the most part. Of the 16 fighters in this tournament, only 7 are from the UFC. That's not a terrible number, but I would love to see Silva take on some of the guys that are going to be in this tournament. 

A quick disclaimer before I unveil the pools. Dan Henderson and Rich Franklin ARE NOT in the tournament because their last fight was in the light heavyweight division. I am trying my best just to include current middleweight fighters. So even though Henderson is moving down, he is excluded. 

Pool A

#1. Anderson Silva

#2. Michael Bisping

#3. Thales Leites 

#4. Denis Kang

Pool B

#1. Gegard Mousasi

#2. Paulo Filho

#3. Vitor Belfort

#4. Jason Miller

Pool C

#1. Robbie Lawler

#2. Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza

#3. Matt Lindland

#4. Benji Radach

Pool D

#1. Demian Maia

#2. Cung Le

#3. Yushin Okami

#4. Nate Marquardt

Heres a little breakdown of each pool.

Pool A: As stated earlier, Anderson Silva is the clear cut No. 1 fighter in this division and probably the world. Michael Bisping was always a good fighter at light heavyweight, but since coming down in weight he has looked even more explosive and deadly. Thales Leites is the No. 1 contender for Silva's strap and while I think it is a little early, he is 14-1. Denis Kang is loaded with potential and is dominant at times, but he slipped to a 4-seed after losing his UFC debut. 

Pool B: Gegard Mousasi is just a winner plain and simple. 24-2 and the DREAM middleweight grand prix champion. He is the real deal. Paulo Filho was tagged as the man to beat Silva, but a loss to Chael Sonnen put those talks to an end. Filho is still extremely good and has only one loss. Vitor Belfort has incredible hand speed and has defeated top fighters from heavyweights to middleweights. Jason Miller is a tough guy that never gives up. He fights the best around and is always competitive. 

Pool C: Robbie Lawler holds a title, which he means he gets a 1-seed. He is one of the best on his feet and his takedown defense is top-notch after training with Matt Hughes. Ronaldo Souza is a jujitsu ace and made it to the finals of DREAM's grand prix before losing to Mousasi. He is 10-2 and has a bright future. Matt Lindland was the best in the world at one time and an Olympic silver medalist in wrestling. Benji Radach won all but one fight in the IFL and has a win over Murilo Rua. Another tough out at 19-4.

Pool D: Some may say its too early to give Demian Maia a 1-seed, but a 10-0 record with eight submissions is impressive. His ground game could be the best in the world when it comes to MMA. Cung Le is undefeated and for all I know he might never lose, but his inactivity gave him a 2-seed. Yushin Okami is a punisher, and while not always exciting he wins a lot. He is 7-1 in the UFC and its time he gets a shot. Nate Marquardt is very experienced and his domination in Pancrase has to be seen. Wins by a flying knee and broken arm are always impressive. 

The snubbed: Murilo "Ninja" Rua, the brother of Mauricio Rua, has a lot of talent but always seems to lose when he fights the elite competitors. Chael Sonnen has a win over Paulo Filho, but 10 losses, including three to Jeremy Horn, keep him out. Joey Villasenor is a fighter I really enjoy and I think he is one big win away from making a tournament like this. 

As always, I will post a full breakdown of the tournament a little later in the day. 

March Madness: Shot by "Shogun"

It's that innovative offense that landed Mauricio "Shogun" Rua the surprising championship in my light heavyweight tournament

It's time to crown the second champion in "The First Round March Madness Tournament." This time it is the light heavyweights competing in a 16-man tournament.

Pool A: #1 Rashad Evans vs #4 Ricardo Arona

Evans is the champion and is a great athlete with striking that is improving every time out. Arona looked to be on the decline lately, but his submission skills are top notch. I don't think Evans would do the smart thing and use his wrestling. Instead, he will try to strike, Arona will get the takedown work for a submission and pull off a huge upset to start the tournament. 

Pool A: #2 Renato "Babalu" Sobral vs #3. Vladimir Matyushenko

Babalu was considered the best jujitsu player in all of mixed martial arts for a while and remains dangerous on the ground. Matyushenko is a world-class wrestler and is no slouch when it comes to sambo. I think Babalu hits him with some of his heavy hands, but will eventually get taken down. Once down though, I think Babalu works for a submission from his back and gets the win. 

Pool Championship: Renato "Babalu" Sobral vs Ricardo Arona

This fight would have its moments of downtime because I think its a wash on the ground. Neither man would get an advantage on the mat. Babalu would rough Arona up a little bit on the feet and since Babalu has fought in America for some time now, his wrestling and ground-and-pound has improved and will ultimately lead him to victory. 

Pool B: #1. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs #4. Brandon Vera

Rampage is a super athlete and is one of the strongest fighters around. He hits like a truck and slams even harder. Vera is a more well-versed athlete in that he is explosive and flexible. While I believe Vera's flexibility and height make him a dangerous submission and Muay Thai artist, I still think Rampage overpowers "The Truth" and take a victory. 

Pool B: #2. Rich Franklin vs #3. Forrest Griffin

This is the best fight of the first round. These guys have the two biggest hearts in the game and never quit. This fight would be on the feet the whole time and both guys would take a lot of punishment. Franklin's confidence, composure and accuracy would be too much for Griffin's power and pace in the end. I think this would be a classic matchup and would love to see it. 

Pool Championship: Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs Rich Franklin

Another matchup I would love to see. Both guys are great strikers but there is a clear advantage in power and in wrestling for Rampage. For as much as I love Franklin's never-say-die attitude, I think this is another situation like Anderson Silva where he would just be overwhelmed. Close fight for a while, but Rampage gets the knockout. 

Pool C: #1. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs #4. Thiago Silva

This is a perfect example of experience vs youth. Silva is loaded with talent and has all the tools to be champion, but he is young and makes stupid mistakes, especially in his striking. Nogueira is always composed and ready to capitalize on any mistake. Silva would come out swinging for the fences, Nogueira would counter and drop him before getting a stoppage or a submission. 

Pool C: #2. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs #3. Wanderlei Silva

I don't think anyone would want to face a striker as dangerous as Silva in the first round, but Shogun has the most tools out of all the fighters. He is a jujitsu ace and an accurate and powerful striker. I think Silva rocks Shogun early and puts him in trouble, but Silva will get sloppy going for the knockout and eat a counter that turns the tide of the fight and gets the win for Shogun. 

Pool Championship: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs Mauricio "Shogun" Rua

This fight will be a much slower pace than their first round fights. Both men will take the time to feel each other out. I think Rua's athletic ability will give him the upper hand in being able to make changes quickly and efficiently. It will be a very close fight, but Rua stays one step ahead and wins on the scorecards.

Pool D: #1. Lyoto Machida vs #4. Chuck Liddell

We can call this the passing of the torch. Liddell dominated his division for a long time, but Machida shows he is the real deal when he outclasses the "Iceman" for three straight rounds and wins impressively on the scorecards. Machida gets a lot of heat for not finishing fights, but the bottom line is he wins and he fights very efficiently by taking minimal damage. 

Pool D: #2. Dan Henderson vs #3. Keith Jardine

These two fighters embody the definition of toughness. They fight anywhere, anytime and against anyone. Jardine could use his excellent leg kicks to keep Henderson from landing his devastating right hand. Henderson is one of the best at making mid-fight adjustments and I think he would find a way to take Jardine down and use his wrestling to ground-and-pound a win. 

Pool Championship: Lyoto Machida vs Dan Henderson

Machida has mastered the art of jumping in, hitting his opponent and retreating. It's a great strategy, but against a wrestler as good as Henderson, it can be timed. Henderson would time it, look for a takedown and use his superior strength to test the chin of Machida and hand him his first loss of his career. 

Semifinal: #1. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs #2. Renato "Babalu" Sobral

Babalu has always had one weakness and it has been explosive and powerful strikers. In his match with Liddell, Babalu looked completely scared for the beginning of the fight. I think Rampage comes out and solidifies himself as the fighter that will dictate the pace and keep Babalu uncomfortable. Rampage scores a knockout for the win. 

Semifinal: #2. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs #2. Dan Henderson

Henderson is going to come out aggressive and push the pace on Shogun who likes to take time to feel out opponents. But when Rua get hits, his killer instinct comes out and one punch is all it takes for him to get in a rhythm that can be very dangerous for opponents. Shogun looked slow and gassed against Mark Coleman, but when he is ready, he is near impossible to beat. I think Rua finds his confidence and gets a knockout. 

Championship: #1. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs #2. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua

By now Shogun is confident, so just get out of the way. The only man that looks similar to Rua when he is on his game is Anderson Silva. If Rampage's plan doesn't work right away he will start to second guess his strategy just like in the Forrest Griffin fight. Rua I think would go for broke and bring the heat on Rampage. Rua overwhelms him and uses his power and accuracy to pull off the upset. 

Champion: Mauricio "Shogun" Rua 

March Madness: The Light Heavyweights

Rashad Evans is the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and No. 1 overall seed in my March Madness tournament.

Fedor Emelianenko took home the gold in the heavyweight division for "The First Round March Madness Tournament" yesterday, so today it is the light heavyweights turn. 

This should be an interesting tournament for a few reasons. The parity in the division makes it difficult to consider any fighter a true No. 1 overall seed, unlike the clear dominance of Emelianenko in the heavyweight division. 

There also isn't as much international flavor in this division since the UFC pretty much has all the top light heavyweights. In fact, only four fighters from outside the UFC will be in this tournament, though one of those men will be a No. 1 seed. 

So here is the breakdown of the tournament.

Pool A

#1. Rashad Evans

#2. Renato "Babalu" Sobral

#3. Vladimir Matyushenko

#4. Ricardo Arona

Pool B

#1. Quinton Jackson 

#2. Rich Franklin

#3. Forrest Griffin

#4. Brandon Vera

Pool C

#1. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

#2. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua

#3. Wanderlei Silva

#4. Thiago Silva

Pool D

#1. Lyoto Machida

#2. Dan Henderson

#3. Keith Jardine

#4. Chuck Liddell

Let me offer a quick breakdown of how I came to these selections.

Pool A: Rashad Evans is the only fighter holding a meaningful world title in this weight class right now so he earned the No. 1 overall seed. I mentioned four fighters from outside the UFC would be in the tournament and three of them are in this pool. "Babalu" used to be a force in the UFC before jumping to Affliction where he is still a force. Matyushenko is a former IFL champion and Ricardo Arona was considered the best light heavyweight in the world at one point and was one of Pride's top fighters. This will be tough for Evans. 

Pool B: "Rampage" was the No. 1 contender for Evans' title before getting sidelined with an injury. Despite a loss to Forrest Griffin, he has been red hot. Rich Franklin jumps up and down between this weight and middleweight, but he is one of the best no matter what weight. Griffin is a former UFC champion and a tough out. Vera is the most physically gifted fighter in the division if he can put it all together. 

Pool C: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira is the little brother of former UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Nogueira. He is just as dominant as his older brother and is the best light heavyweight not in the UFC. "Shogun" Rua was going to be the best fighter in the world until a knee injury sidelined him and hampered him in a fight against Griffin. Wanderlei Silva is one of the best strikers in the world. Thiago Silva is a hot prospect with only one loss to Lyoto Machida. 

Pool D: Speaking of Lyoto Machida, he gets the last No. 1 seed with his undefeated record and title shot looming. Dan Henderson is an extremely dangerous fighter and is like Franklin in that he can fight at multiple weights. Keith Jardine is a tough fighter and is always willing to fight the best competition. Just like Randy Couture took the "legend" spot in the heavyweights, Chuck Liddell steps in the legend spot for this weight class. It wouldn't be right if he wasn't in it. 

The snubbed: I wish I could add more fighters, but I cannot. Luis Cane barely missed it as he only has one loss and it was by disqualification. But his body of work isn't as impressive as Brandon Vera's so he is on the outside. Matt Hamill and Jon Jones are two promising fighters, but again not experienced enough. Rameau Sokoudjou has wins over Arona and Nogueira, which is very impressive, but a record of 5-4 isn't good enough. Tito Ortiz gave Liddell a run for the "legend" spot, but his losses to Liddell and inactivity hurt his chances. 

Later today I will have the complete breakdown of this tournament. 

March Madness: The Last Emperor is the last one standing

Fedor wins my title too

This is a continuation of my previous post where I will go into detail about how this March Madness tournament would transpire. 

Pool A: #1. Fedor Emelianenko vs #4. Ben Rothwell

Fedor is considered the best heavyweight in the world and in quite a few circles, the best fighter in the world. His first round opponent is a tough dude with a 30-6 record and former IFL Champion. But Fedor would be too much and one of his dynamite combinations would floor Rothwell early and Fedor would put him away in the first round. 

Pool A: #2. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic vs #3. Sergei Kharitonov

Cro Cop is a legend in the sport, but his recent performances show he is on his last legs. Meanwhile, Kharitonov is one of the most feared strikers, in fact many say he is a young Cro Cop. In this matchup, I think the pupil becomes the teacher and Kharitonov takes the next step in his career with a knockout victory in the second round. 

Pool Championship: Fedor Emelianenko vs Sergei Kharitonov

A win over Cro Cop is impressive, but Fedor is a whole different animal. Kharitonov would come out smart and maybe score some points, but as the fight went on, Fedor would find the weakness, capitalize on the mistake and win like he always does. 

Pool B: #1. Josh Barnett vs #4. Gabriel Gonzaga

Pretty tough matchup for Barnett to start things off. Gonzaga can submit you from anywhere and is a big guy. He does, however, have a glass chin and Barnett hits hard. I think Barnett gets a takedown and ground-and-pounds his way to victory.

Pool B: #2. Antonio Nogueira vs #3. Alistair Overeem

Classic kickboxer versus grappler matchup. Nogueira has a chin of steel though and would be able to survive the initial barrage of striking Overeem would bring to the table. Overeem would get a little sloppy and desperate, Nogueira would take advantage and secure the submission for the win. 

 

Pool Championship: Josh Barnett vs Antonio Nogueira

These two have met in the past and each man holds a win in the series. This rubber match would be an epic battle, but I would give the nod to Nogueira who has been more active lately and fought better competition. His experience in the UFC should be enough to get a grueling decision over Barnett. 

Pool C: #1. Frank Mir vs #4. Cheick Kongo

I think Kongo is a promising fighter. He is chiseled from stone and hits hard, but Mir is the master of pacing a fight and dictating where it goes. I think the jujitsu ace would be quick to take it to the ground where Kongo has very poor defense. Mir would lock in any submission he wants and win the fight. 

Pool C: #2. Tim Sylvia vs #3. Shane Carwin

I would love to see this fight. Sylvia gets a bad rap, but the man knows how to win, even if it is boring. Carwin is a physical fighter and is one of the hottest prospects in the sport. I think this would be two big guys throwing bombs and having a very physical fight. In the end, Sylvia's experience is too much right now and I think he takes a decision. 

Pool Championship: Frank Mir vs Tim Sylvia

Both are intelligent fighters and both men will try to dictate the pace of the fight and where it goes. Sylvia will try to jab and keep Mir on the fence and I think he would be successful for a while. Eventually, Mir would get an opening and put the big man on the mat. From there Mir could work for a submission much like he did when they first met. 

Pool D: #1. Brock Lesnar vs #4. Randy Couture

This match would go similar to the way it did when these two first met a few months ago. At this stage in his career, Couture is just too old to hang with the athleticism and power Lesnar possesses. Lesnar would win this fight with some ground-and-pound in the second round. 

Pool D: #2. Andrei Arlovski vs #3. Cain Velasquez

This is the best fight of the first round. Arlovski is a devestating striker and Velasquez is the Chosen One as far as the heavyweight division is concerned. Velasquez's cardio and work ethic would give Arlovski fits, but in the end, the super crisp striking of the Pitbull would put the young gun down and Velasquez will have to wait another March before capturing the title. 

Pool Championship: Brock Lesnar vs Andrei Arlovski

Lesnar is seen as the best athlete in the heavyweight division. If that is the case, Arlovski is a close second. Lesnar likes to throw hard punches, but Arlovski would throw accurate punches and at the end of the day quality is better than quantity. Lesnar would taste more leather than he ever has in this match and get KO'd midway through the fight. 

Semifinal: #1. Fedor Emelianenko vs #2. Antonio Nogueira

These two know each other very well and have fought three times. Twice Emelianenko won by decision and the other was ruled a no contest after an accidental cut. I think Fedor would try to knock out Nogueira, but it would end up hitting the mat because Nogueira just doesn't quit. Once on the mat, it would be a battle of wills, but Fedor's uncanny strength and technique in the full guard would get him yet another decision victory. 

Semifinal: #1 Frank Mir vs #2. Andrei Arlovski

Frank Mir has been red hot lately and his striking has improved drastically. Arlovski is training with the best boxing trainer in the world. It would be a very tough fight to call and could go either way. I think Arlovski would win for most of the fight, but I think Mir is the best at capitalizing on mistakes and when that window opens, I think Mir would lock in a quick submission and pull out a comeback victory. 

Final: #1. Fedor Emelianenko vs #1. Frank Mir

I would pay a whole lot of money for this one. I think Mir is in his prime and Fedor showed weakness for the first time in a long time in his last fight. Just as Mir did the impossible and knocked out Nogueira, I think he would have the confidence to do it to Emelianenko. Mir would win most of the fight and have Fedor searching for answers, but just like he did to Arlovski, Fedor would hit Mir with a punch from nowhere and prevent Mir from pulling off an upset and ending the legend of the unbeatable Fedor.

Champion: Fedor Emelianenko

March Madness: The Heavyweights

He doesn't look very dangerous, but Fedor would be the No. 1 overall seed in an MMA Heavyweight March Madness tournament.

It's that time of year again where the sports world stops for a few weeks and basks in all of college basketball's glory. The NCAA Tournament is one of the most exciting, well-run tournaments in all of sports and it should be the envy of every other sport.

I know it is the envy of this mixed martial arts fan, who would like to see a 16-man tournament in each division. So since that isn't happening anytime soon, I will present my dream MMA March Madness tourneys each day this week. The schedule will be as follows.

Monday: Heavyweights — Tuesday: Light Heavyweights — Wednesday: Middleweights — Thursday: — Welterweights — Friday: Lightweights

I will split the tournaments up into four pools of four fighters each. The champions of each pool would be the Final Four and a champion would be crowned. I present to you the heavyweight bracket.

Pool A
#1. Fedor Emelianenko
#2. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic
#3. Sergei Kharitonov
#4. Ben Rothwell

Pool B
#1. Josh Barnett
#2. Antonio Nogueira
#3. Alistair Overeem
#4. Gabriel Gonzaga

Pool C
#1. Frank Mir
#2. Tim Sylvia
#3. Shane Carwin
#4. Cheick Kongo

Pool D
#1. Brock Lesnar
#2. Andrei Arlovski
#3. Cain Velasquez
#4. Randy Couture

If a fighter holds a title, there is a good chance they were going to get the No. 1 seed, which is why Lesnar landed a top spot. The best No. 1 seed went into Pool A, the best No. 2 seed went into Pool B, the best No. 3 seed back to Pool A and then the best No. 4 back to Pool B.

The first round pits the No. 1 seeds against the No. 4 seeds and the 2's against the 3's. The winners of those matchups fight for the Pool Championship. Pool A Champion would face Pool B champion and C would fight D.

The winners fight for the overall championship.

I did my best to include who I thought was the most deserving of the fighters, but just like in the real March Madness, fighters were snubbed. Barely missing the cut in the heavyweight division were Heath Herring, Fabricio Werdum and Junior Dos Santos.

Pool A is heavy on the European talent and full of good kickboxers. But anytime Fedor is in the mix, it's hard to think anyone has a chance.

Pool B is a showcase of men who have reached the pinnacles of their sport before entering MMA. Barnett is a world-class wrestler, Overeem is a tremendous kickboxer and Gonzaga and Nogueira are jujitsu aces.

Pool C is a mixed bag and a pretty wide open division in my estimation. All those men have had moments of glory and moments of mental lapses. Competitive pool for sure.

When I look at Pool D I think athleticism. Those four guys are some of the best athletes the heavyweight division has ever seen, and all of them are capable of five-round wars.

Take the time to make your own picks, and in a few short hours I will have my full tournament breakdown of how I think it would go.

Since I've Been Gone

Juan Manuel Marquez added to his rich legacy on Saturday after he won another instant classic against "Baby Bull" Juan Diaz.

A lot happened over the weekend and earlier this week, and I completely did not cover any of it. This will be a shorter entry just to get all you fight fans caught up on some important happenings that you may have missed. 

Juan Diaz vs Juan Manuel Marquez: One for the ages

If you have not had the chance to see this fight yet, just stop reading this blog and find it. I can honestly say it not only tops the great performances from Shane Mosley and Vic Darchinyan earlier this year, but it also goes down as one of the best boxing matches of all-time. 

"Baby Bull" Juan Diaz came out like you would expect him to: hands flying. His quantity-over-quality approach throws fighters off balance very well, but the savvy Marquez never panicked, which is a good thing since he was getting mowed down in the early rounds. 

He tried his best to throw counter punches, but since his back was on the ropes for most of the early rounds of the fight, Marquez was not having much success. Then he cut Diaz in the eighth round and the fight turned. 

Baby Bull couldn't see very well because of the blood dripping into his eye and Marquez turned up the heat and boxed the same way he did when he became famous for his bouts with Manny Pacquiao. The dramatic back-and-forth action and the just the all-out war that happened between these two will go down in boxing history books. 

Seriously, watch this fight. 

On the same night, one of my favorite featherweights, Chris John, fought to a draw with Rocky Juarez. John is still undefeated and looked great, but I was impressed with Juarez. It was a solid bout, but I was disappointed John couldn't get the victory. 

Johnathon Banks vs Tomasz Adamek: Where's the killer instinct?

The fight that took place in New Jersey Friday night looked more like a sparring session for most of the fight compared to the blistering barn-burner Diaz and Marquez put on in Houston the following night. 

I had very high expectations for the fight, but was a little let down with the performance from Banks. Banks is the hottest prospect in the cruiserweight division and Adamek is one of the best boxers around, so I figured it should be great. It was good, not great. 

Banks looked sharp in the early rounds, using a jab that seemed to be too quick for Adamek who never stopped stalking. Banks did a good job of keeping his lead left foot out far enough to keep Adamek at a distance. Throughout those early rounds, Adamek seemed content to just chase Banks. 

While Banks is a solid prospect, he will need to develop a killer instinct to get to the next level. He had the champ in trouble a few times, but he laid off the gas and got a little too comfortable and confident and didn't fight with enough urgency. He paid the price as Adamek hit him with powerful shots in the last few rounds. 

In what could be the shortest right hook ever thrown, Adamek floored Banks in the seventh. Banks got up on legs as sturdy as string cheese and was smothered before the referee stepped in and called for an end to the fight. 

Adamek proved he is going to be a tough champion to defeat and he has developed the confidence and poise required to successfully defend the strap. If Banks can find a killer instinct, he will become a world champion. I still think he has a bright future though I was disappointed a little with the fight. 

WEC 39: Mike Brown is for real

You can count me in among those who thought Mike Brown would have a short lived run with the featherweight championship after he surprisingly defeated Urijah Faber. In fact, I thought he would lose pretty soundly to Leonard Garcia on Sunday. 

I was wrong. 

Brown not only won, he dominated a very good fighter in one round. Brown used that same powerful striking he displayed against Faber to pretty much dispose of Garcia with ease. It was an awesome and frightening statement for featherweights, including Faber, who thought Brown was a one-and-done champion. 

I can't wait for the Brown/Faber rematch. I am convinced Brown holds a strength advantage, even though there is no doubt Faber is all-around better. 

In other action, Damacio Page looked scary good against Marcus Galvao. The quick first round knockout was very frightening, but more on that in tomorrow's post. The fact is Page is crazy and has no fear as he comes out swinging for the fences every time. 

Two other quick notes from the show. Highly regarded Bart Palaszewski suffered a huge upset loss to Ricardo Lamas. Not much was known about Lamas, but if he can hang with Palaszewski, then he could have a future. 

Also, a much anticipated bout between Marcus Hicks and Rob McCullough was a complete bomb. Despite some good action in the second round, the fight was boring and embarrassing. I love technical fights, but both men couldn't even land a jab and neither looked to engage with anything more than light kicks and the occasional dirty boxing. 

I expect MUCH more from these two, hopefully they bounce back. Oh yeah, McCullough won I guess.