SO FAR SO GOOD

It has been a great year so far for MMA, The legalization of MMA in New York seems closer by the minute, the UFC has managed to monopolize the sport by buying its chief competitor, Strikeforce, the end of legends Fedor and Shogun, and the rise of future legends Jon Jones and Nick Diaz-

The reason I believe it is good for the sport that the UFC has bought Strikeforce is that they can control the sport's growth from within. Lets face it, the sport is not really going to be watched or better yet purchased on pay per view by your mom and dad unless they have some martial arts experience or if their little sonny boy is going to fight on the card. The sport's chance of success lays in its fan base usually the disenfranchised, disgruntled group of men that love watching people get their ass handed to them. I am not talking about the minority in the group, the college graduates who love the sport because of the competition and the passion the fighters have for the game. The fighters don't really make any money unless you are a huge star and can make money with endorsement deals. Can you imagine Nick Diaz smiling for the camera and saying something like- "Like a good neighbor state farm is there-" Like I was saying the few fans the sport has, tend to love Nick Diaz because he is all they want to be successful yet acting like he can't stand the success. I love the fact the Nick has given almost everyone the finger but he reminds me a lot of Eddie Vedder form Pearl Jam, this reluctant hero stance is awesome and everyone loves it but the bottom line is that you have to be successful, if Nick Diaz got his ass kicked most the time everyone would be like what a sore loser, case in point Josh Koschek. The UFC is here to exploit all of this. They have their reluctant hero Nick Diaz, surely on his way to being a legend in the sport. Funny how Diego Sanchez began tweeting almost immediately after the fight that he and Diaz should coach the next Ultimate Fighter, it would be good for the sport but mostly it would be good for Sanchez' career which is close to dissipating and everyday moves further away from legendary status. A rematch between the two would be a good fight, the first fight was an amazing display of rolling, Nick commented, I believe that they look like two lizards out there. Personally I don't think Diego has a realistic chance of beating Nick. Nick is on his way to joining other great fighters in the Hall of Fame.

Another fighter certainly to cement his name in the Hall of Fame is Jon Jones, I don't want to write too much about him since I dedicated a blog to him after he destroyed Shogun Rua, one of my favorite fighters of all time, actually my second favorite of all time. Jones may actually be the one that holds the elusive Light Heavyweight belt for a long time. Being that he has literally walked through everyone the UFC has thrown at him most were unimpressive fighters but Bader and Shogun were not intended to be a walk in the park for him and like the others he walked right through them, literally unchallenged.

I will not say much about Fedor either as I dedicated a blog to him as well. But I got a feeling the Dan Henderson is going to give Fedor the worst beating he has ever had. Fedor has done nothing but beat up a bunch of losers since he left Pride that as soon as he received real competition he got his ass handed to him. The fact the Brett Rogers lasted into the second round told me that there was something seriously wrong with his training.

Unlike Fedor, Shogun Rua has fought and beaten the best continuously there have not been sporadic years where he fought nobodies and then decides to take a step up in competition. That could be the major reason why his body is in the shape that it is. Knee surgery after knee surgery is going to take its toll. Hopefully he can still give us a few more great fights but I just don't see him beating Jones.

Peace-

Hey Fedor, Thanks but no Thanks

Fedor Emilanenko is regarded as the greatest fighter of all time. Really? I definitely put him up there as one of the best but is recent memory there has been more hoopla about his company getting involved in the promotion of a fight than him actually fighting. Everyday I loose a little more respect for the fighters of Pride, not because they are not good fighters but that was just a steroid freak show to me. Look at any picture of Vanderlai Silva then and look at him now. He literally looked like a body builder. Of course we all know that steroids are not just for making you big. What with Soccer players supposedly being the #1 users of steroids worldwide I don't know of any of them that look like body builders. With that said I think Pride was all about steroids. So looking at Fedor as the best of those fighters does not say much in MY BOOK, about Pride fighters. Clearly those fights were arguably the best fights MMA fans have been privy to. But after the end of Pride and everyone scattered, mostly to the UFC, there was a lot of ground to make up financially, physically and emotionally. Why did Fedor not fight for the UFC? He really didn't have anything to prove having won the 2004 Pride Grand Prix, he's the 4 time winner of the World Combat Sambo Championship and won a medal in Russia's National Judo Championships the guy is simply no joke.

Why did Fedor go to fight in BODOG? The competition or the money?

Why did Fedor go to fight in Affliction? The competition or the money?

Why did Fedor go to fight in Strikeforce? The competition or the money?

From 2007 when he fought Matt Linland until 2009 when he fought Brett Rogers Fedor fought for approximately 15 minutes. Along the way he defeated Matt Linland, Hong Man Choi, Tim Sylvia, Andrei Arlovski and Brett Rogers. How can you stay in even remotely close to good shape mentally fighting these guys? I don't think this is entirely his fault I can easily blame his management for this, primarily Vadim Finkelstein. It has to be obvious that the UFC was offering millions and he did not take it, maybe like most people knowledgeable with the sport he hates the UFC too for their business tactics and the way they play monopoly BUT at that point there were many more exciting fights available to him there than BODOG.

I have to be honest. I have been losing my admiration for him with every ridiculous decision he has made to stay out of the UFC. But when I became someone that will now root against him in a fight is when after getting his ass handed to him by Silva in the Strikforce Heavyweight Grand Prix he immediately retired. I don't know about you but if I get my ass handed to me I want to fight again. And it’s the first time he's lost like that and he just says that's it I quit. Well he is 34 years old but then again he has not been hurt badly, don't think he's had any major injuries and he may end up as one of those old timers that always gets fights in the UFC even after they continually lose.

Hey Fedor, thanks but no thanks-

SS

Been A While

It has been a while since I've been excited about a fighter. My all time favorites are Sakuraba and Shogun. I have been amazed not only by their ability but by their thinking process, the way they think out a fight is amazing. Watching Sak cartwheel in the ring was spine tingling the first time I saw him do it. Shogun's wars with Overeem were legendary. Who has been this exciting in recent years? Not really anyone. Then last Saturday night I watched Jon Bones Jones become the youngest Champ in UFC history. I remember saying after the fight on Saturday night- "it looks like the belt might stay in his hands for a while." Clearly the biggest obstacle for him is his next fight against Rashad Evans only for the simple fact that they have trained together AND I think that is the only reason Rashad has a chance. Rashad knows his thinking process. What he may resort to if hurt and that has to be Rashad's most important attribute coming into a fight with Jones.

I was very impressed with Jon's response to Boxer James Toney's threat to punch Jones in the face if he saw him, Jones simply responded something to the likes, "Wouldn't that be assault and battery?" How can Toney respond to that? He tried to lure Jones into some kind of verbal battle so as to possible get another fight. Toney lost to Randy Couture quickly and convincingly, there is no way Toney had a shot with Jones. But then again there are not too many people left that do have a chance against him.

Did Shogun really ever have a chance against Jones? Yes, maybe 5 years ago. I love Shogun but I knew he did not have a chance. I told my wife the night of the fight what was gong to happen and it happened almost exactly like I told her but what was most shocking of the fight was the "disrespect" Jones showed Shogun by slamming front kicks to Shoguns decimated knees. I put it like this: If this was a car race Jones is a Ferrari and Shogun is that same Ferrari only it is 6 years older and has 300,000 miles on it.

I know I am jumping the gun here and there are a bunch of fights before this happens but the only person that has a chance to beat Jones is Anderson Silva. But I feel that Jones is the more intelligent of the two fighters. And, ultimately, I think that is what counts. If you look at the greatest athletes of any sport of all time, they don't really fit the profile to be the best at that sport. Michael Jordon is not the tallest, fastest or strongest basketball player. Muhammad Ali dido, Diego Maradona dido. Looking at the physical attributes is only part of it. You have to look at the thinking process and I think (no pun intended) Jones is the most intelligent fighter around. His ability to not only win fights but to display an unorthodox style makes him the most promising fighter around AND he's the champ.

What other lightheavyweight has a chance to beat him? Well realistically they all do. Anyone can knock someone out. But to beat him say 3 out of 5 fights, NO ONE-

Machida is at the forefront but he can run backwards all day long and try to lure Jones close but he is going to get punched from way across the ring in a way he is not use to. Jones can keep his distance and still reach Machida. Machida's real chance is to get close and punch punch punch. And that will leave him open to blood gushing cuts from Jones' knees.

Rampage, he'll just say something funny like "we gonna have some Black on Black crime" but stylistically what does Rampage bring to the table, nada.

I have a feeling the person that takes the belt from Jones is someone not even on the radar, some guy who's hungry and looking for a chance to step into the UFC. Someone with natural gifts like reach, height, strength...intelligence!

It feels great to have a fellow New Yorker as the Champ, I have a feeling with his charisma and sense of humor he will do well as an ambassador to the sport, specifically towards legalizing the sport to New York State.

Good Luck Champ!!!