Bleacher Report - Articles by Bkilla

Meet Me To the Punch: Where Are the Challengers For the UFC Champions?

Bkilla — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:54:44 -0400

The UFC has come a long way since it's humble beginnings, and MMA fighters have continued to evolve along with the UFC and other MMA promotion's. The UFC was very raw when it began; bare-knuckles, no rules, no rounds, tournament style. Similarly, the original fighters were very raw as well. Some of them were kick-boxers, wrestlers, grapplers, and some of these guys looked like they lacked any legitimate fighting background at all. But as Bob Dylan put it, times are a changin'. The UFC just held there 100th PPV event (not technically the 100th event, but who's counting?). The fighter's knuckles now sport 5 ounce gloves, and there are many rules in place to keep their fighter's safe. The UFC is also said to be worth more than one billion dollars at this point. Fighter's have evolved drastically as well, as the old school one dimensional fighters are almost completely extinct in the sport. Well rounded is the name of the game, but even being well rounded at this point isn't enough to wear gold. The fighter's who wear gold around their waist are the elite, the cream of the crop, the alpha male of their particular weight class. For the first time fighter's who are considered to be number one contenders end up looking like b-level competition when they step into the ring with the title holders. Let's take a look at each weight class; the champion, the challengers, and let's ask ourselves... Where are the challengers?

Begin Slideshow

Anderson Silva: Future Opposition

Bkilla — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:44:51 -0400

Anderson Silva will face Forrest Griffin at UFC 101, a fight that has gotten many fans talking immediately. This co-main event already looks to be overshadowing the lightweight title fight between Penn and Florian. Win or lose, what happens next for the Spider? If Griffin breaks his UFC win streak, he will most likely go back to defending his middle weight title. However, if he wins will he stick around the light-heavyweight picture a little longer? Will he keep jumping back and forth between the two weight classes, or will he vacate his middleweight title in pursuit of light-heavyweight gold? Regardless of which route Anderson Silva takes, there are many opponents waiting for their shot at the pound for pound king. First let's talk about potential middleweight title contenders, then we'll move onto the light-heavyweights.

Begin Slideshow

Shane Carwin: Courage Under Fire

Bkilla — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:23:54 -0400

UFC 96 was a great card (which wasn't expected to be so great). Over half the fights ended with KOs, which I'll take over a card full of decisions any day. We saw many fighters win in impressive fashion, but none were more impressive than Shane Carwin's victory.

There were many elements surrounding this fight that should've been weighing heavily on Carwin's chest. This was considered his first "real" test, his first fight against a top level heavyweight.

It was during this fight that Carwin showed the quality of a champion.

Carwin was rocked hard very early in the fight. Gonzaga landed two hard shots, and as Carwin backed into the cage it was painfully obvious that he was hurt. Gonzaga worked for a take down, and quickly had Carwin on his back.

Gonzaga is a black belt in BJJ, so this seemed to be the beginning of the end. However, Carwin showed both heart and composure, as he effortlessly got back to his feet (which was very impressive to say the least).

Most fighters would've been timid after taking those shots from Gonzaga, but Carwin did not panic; he did not waver. He showed courage under fire, as he landed a jab and then a straight right to Gonzaga's jaw.

Gonzaga's body fell lifelessly to the mat, and Carwin wasted no time landing more blows, forcing the referee to stop the fight at 1:09 of the first round.

Before this fight, we knew Carwin was physically strong. Last night we were shown that he is also mentally strong. He didn't panic when he was rocked on his feet and he didn't panic when the BJJ specialist had him on the ground.

Carwin is now 11-0 with six knockouts. Also worth noting is that Carwin's hands are not his only means of securing a victory. His other five wins have come by submission, four of those being by choke, and one by strikes (OK, OK he used his hands again).

What's even scarier about this guy is that not one fight has made it to the two-minute mark of round one. Every single fight has been ended before that point, four of them during the first minute, his quickest being 22 seconds.

This guy has knockout power, a wrestling background, a good chin, and he knows how to finish a fight.

We were watching a future UFC heavyweight champion last night. If Carwin defeats another top level heavyweight, and does it in an impressive fashion, the UFC will more than likely give him a title shot.

Carwin is the real deal, and he will soon have his day. This guy also has custom 5XL gloves, bigger than Lesnar's custom 4XL gloves. Lesnar's no longer the biggest kid in the heavyweight yard.

*fight stats

MMA Vs. Boxing: The Fighters and the Writers

Bkilla — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 09:50:22 -0500

So last night I was bored at work (I work retail, so apparently Christmas equals us staying open til 11 PM instead of 9 PM. Any one of you buy Car Electronics at 10:30 at night??), so I did what any of you would've done with Internet access; I jumped on Bleacher Report and read a few new articles on the front page.

I posted a few comments, then logged out to go get paid to stand around some more. On the front page, I saw an article on the possibility of Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao fighting. I'm not a huge boxing fan, but this sparked my curiosity, so I put work on hold to read another article.

I read the article, it wasn't anything special, but an ok read. Then I got down to the comments section...Now, I know sometimes when we are skimming through comments you'll see a comment that is very distasteful. Not so much constructive criticism, as it is insulting and unnecessarily hostile.

So the very first comment is exactly that, insulting. The writer commented back defending himself, and then two more people added comments with more insults to the writer. Another member asked these Bleacher Report members to refrain from using insulting words. This only prompted one of them to copy and paste his offensive comment two more times.

As I read on almost every single comment was extremely rude, and very unintelligent ("your opinion sucks," not exactly constructive criticism). As I began feeling sorry for the writer, a light bulb went off in my head.

One thing I've always loved about MMA, when you compare it to Boxing, is the fighters. I am not talking about skill or even the sport, I am talking about their personalities. Their ability to be decent human beings.

After an MMA fight, it is very common to see the fighters embrace. Whether it be a hug, the loser holding up the winners hand, or kneeling down to ones opponent in the center of the ring to show respect.

Boxing, on the other hand, shows us a different kind of person. We get fighters like Floyd "Money" Mayweather or Zab Judah. They reek of arrogance, rather than confidence.

When the two boxers mentioned above fought, Zab Judah threw an intentional low blow towards the end of the fight. He wasn't in trouble when he did it, he just did it because he was getting beat. Sound like a fighter who deserves respect?

Floyd Mayweather wore a sombrero and sported the colors of the Mexican flag on his shorts when he fought Oscar De La Hoya on Cinco De Mayo. Have you ever heard the guy talk about himself?? I can't figure out what he's more in love with; himself or money.

Fighters like GSP and Anderson Silva show their opponents nothing but respect. Silva sounded more like a fan of Rich Franklin, rather than an opponent after his interviews with Joe Rogan following both fights.

GSP told his Montreal fans to stop booing Serra and cheer for him after their second bout; he told Serra not to let his loss that night bring down his spirits. Franklin did the same thing at his home town of Cincinnati, OH, when his fans were booing Anderson Silva. Keep in mind this was right after Anderson Silva delivered another brutal TKO to Franklin.

So why I am writing this article? I couldn't help but see how the Bleacher Report members in this boxing article reflected the fighters they write about. On the other hand, we MMA writers seem to reflect the fighters we choose to write about.

Their are of course exceptions. Watch Arturo Gatti and Micky Wards fights. Not only are they great fights (these battles mirror Griffin vs. Bonnar 1, and they fought 12 rounds three times), but they show nothing but respect for one another.

There are MMA fighters who also cast a dark shadow on their fellow combatants: Rich Clementi flipped Melvin Guillard off after choking him out, which almost caused a brawl after the fight was over.

Mark Coleman celebrated like a mad man after winning a Pride FC tournament after Mauricio "Shogun" Rua broke his arm falling awkwardly from a Coleman take down. He could've shown some concern for Shogun; good thing they have a rematch coming up.

Similarly, we fall from grace from time to time (I can't wait to read your comments Anthony :)) but for the most part, we all respect eachother's opinions. We may disagree, but we offer reasons why, rather then just stating "You're Wrong Idiot!"

So give yourself a pat on the back if you're a member of the MMA Bleacher Report community. We keep it civil, and that's what keeps me coming back.

If you'd like to read the boxing article with all the colorful commentary, click the here.

Randy Couture vs. Lyoto Machida: A Risk Worth Taking for Both

Bkilla — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:08:03 -0500

Many have been left scratching their heads following Randy Couture's loss to Brock Lesnar. We've been left to ask ourselves, "what's next for Randy Couture?" Let's discuss a path that may be one of his toughest options: If he drops down to the Light Heavyweight division, that path is Lyoto Machida.

Randy Couture put on a good performance at UFC 91. Despite some early success against the bigger man, he eventually fell victim to a straight right during the second round. About a gazillion hammer fists later, Lesnar became our new UFC heavyweight champion.

There were no excuses after the fight; a gracious Couture embraced defeat, and simply said "that's a big son-of-a-bitch."

Couture can stay in the HW picture, and take on the likes of Gonzaga, the loser of Mir/Nog, or younger prospects. However, with two fights left on his UFC contract, does he really want to stay the underdog? The bigger man finally proved supreme, and Couture's best shot at going out on a high note would be to drop back down to 205.

There are many high profile fights that can be made at 205 for Couture, but one of his toughest potential opponents would be Lyoto Machida. Lyoto Machida is facing Thiago Silva at UFC 94; if he wins, then he and Randy Couture should fight.

The reasoning for that fight is simple: Either fighter would benefit greatly from a victory.

Let's take a look at Lyoto Machida. He is 13-0-0 in his MMA career, holds victories over Rich Franklin, B.J. Penn, Tito Ortiz, and has won five in a row in the UFC. Many believe he deserves a title shot, but has been passed up due to his "displeasing" style of fighting.

With a win over Thiago Silva, Lyoto will be even more deserving of a title shot, but Thiago Silva isn't a widely recognized name as of right now. Most casual fans could not tell you who he is or who he's fought (his most notable UFC wins are TKO victories over James Irvin and Houston Alexander).

For that reason, the UFC will most likely not give him his number one contender status.

If Lyoto Machida were to beat Randy Couture however, the UFC would have to give him a title shot. Though Couture lost Saturday, he was not destroyed by Lesnar. Machida needs a win over a huge name (look at Rashad Evans) and he will be granted his shot. Randy would be a means to an end for Lyoto Machida.

Couture would also gain the benefit of a title shot with a win in this fight, should it happen. Timing is what would make this fight work. The winners of Griffin/Evans and Jackson/Silva will fight for the title, feasibly in February or March of next year.

Lyoto/Silva will take place January 31st. If Lyoto wins, then Randy and he could fight sometime in March and April. With only two fights left on Randy's contract, he would have one fight left over to challenge the champion and fulfill his contract.

Both Couture and Lyoto study their opponents and construct a game-plan to pick them apart, so this would make for a very interesting fight. With Couture's dirty boxing and clinch control, he may finally be able to solve Lyoto's defensive puzzle.

Lyoto can slip away from opponents with his sly defense. But, if Randy can clinch and put him up against the cage, Machida would lose that ability.

Lyoto could end this fight if he chose to try and KO Randy or make him submit, or would he dodge and frustrate Randy and go for a decision win?

If Lyoto really wants his title shot, he'd be wise to try and end the fight early. If you've seen his fight with Franklin, you know he poses the striking abilities to do so (see YouTube). I believe Lyoto would take this fight in a heartbeat, but could Randy do the same?

With two fights left, it would be a risky move; Couture could take two easy victories and call it a day. However, in an interview before his Lesnar fight, Randy explained that he doesn't care about belts, and he doesn't buy into the hype surrounding himself. He said he loves the competition and the challenge, and that's why he's still fighting.

If he's looking for a challenge, he should look no further then Lyoto Machida.

Houston Alexander: Are His 15 Minutes Up?

Bkilla — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:20:24 -0400

At UFC 71, we were all dramatically introduced to Houston Alexander. It never hurts your exposure having your first UFC fight on the PPV card with Liddell vs. Jackson, and Alexander did not waste his chance to get our attention. He fought Keith Jardine that night, who was very upset to be facing a nobody after knocking out Forrest Griffin.

As the fight began Jardine hurt Alexander with strikes, but Alexander quickly regained his composure and pounced on Jardine. He delivered brutal uppercuts, putting Jardine to a knee. Every time Jardine tried to stand, Alexander laid in with more punishment, and "the Dean of Mean" succumbed to his relentless attack at 48 seconds of round one.

It was the kind of knock out that gives you chills, the kind that has everyone at home talking and everyone in the arena on their feet. Jardine looked just as shocked as the rest of us, though a bit more concussed.

Instantly, the former nobody became a fan favorite. Not too many fighters become popular overnight, and fewer can say they've entered the octagon in the same dramatic fashion. With the win, Houston moved to 7-1-1.

With the buzz from his first fight, the UFC put him in another big card, with the main event being Jackson vs. Henderson. Anyone who watched his first fight had high hopes of seeing another exciting outing, and Houston did not disappoint. He dispatched his next opponent in a very similar fashion, knocking out Alessio Sakara at the 1:01 mark of round one.

This threw Alexander further into the spotlight, and had people taking him more seriously as a new threat to the 205-pound weight class. He's also a pretty hard guy to dislike, considering the fact that he's a single father with six children, fighting to provide for his family.

Everyone seemed to take a liking to the new UFC fighter, and had hopes of seeing more carnage in his next fights.

With a few victories over top level guys, Alexander would easily have been on the fast track to a title fight with his newfound popularity. That train was derailed quite abruptly, however, when he faced his next opponent, Thiago Silva.

We all saw a different part of Houston that night—his ground game. Once Silva took him down, he quickly mounted Alexander, and rained down blows from the top position. The fight was halted at 3:25 of the first round.

It was a big loss for Alexander, but people weren't writing him off just yet. The one loss did not erase his prior exciting victories, and some people still had high hopes for him. His next fight was scheduled against James Irvin at a UFC Fight Night.

The fight was very exciting to most, considering it was a guaranteed slug-fest. James Irvin has a long list of KO victims, so we knew we'd be seeing fireworks during this one.

The crowd was buzzing with anticipation and as the bell rang the two fighters both moved in to trade blows. Irvin opened the fight with a huge superman punch and...well, that was basically it. BAM! Two more strikes to the downed Alexander was all it took for Steve Mazagati to stop the fight at eight seconds of round one. With the loss, Houston's record moved to 8-3-1.

All of Alexander's momentum now came to a standstill with two first round ko victories followed by two first round ko losses. James Irvin delivered one hell of a superman punch, and exposed the fact that Houston Alexander, along with a poor ground game, may not have the greatest chin in the business. A lot of his praise now turned to criticism, questioning just how good the fighter really is.

His next fight is Wednesday night against Eric Shafer. Shafer is a black-belt in BJJ, so this poses obvious problems for Houston. If Houston keeps the fight standing we may see more fireworks, but if Shafer gets it to the ground we may be looking at a submission victory in his favor.

So where does Houston sit after this fight? He is a very exciting fighter, but if he continues to lose that won't be enough to keep fans interested in the Nebraska native. If he can't secure another victory then his two UFC wins will look like lucky knock outs from an overzealous fighter, rather than tactical victories from a skillful striker. Even if he gets past Schafer, he still has much more to prove.

I personally became a huge fan of Alexander after his victory over Keith Jardine, and I hope he knocks Schafer out and restarts his climb up the 205-pound ladder.

There are so many exciting fights if you pit him against top level competition. Who wouldn't like to see him square up with the likes of Wandy, Rampage, Forrest, Shogun, Liddell (if he's still fighting), etc.?

Before we see that though he'll have to take on some more mid-level guys at 205, possibly guys like Vera or Franklin who recently made the move to Light Heavy.

Only time will tell if we will ever see those bouts, and of course he still needs to get through his opponent on Wednesday before any of those fights will even be considered.

The question is, do you think Alexander has the skill to progress to that level, and even someday fight for the title? Or are his 15 minutes of fame up, leaving us to only watch him fullfill his UFC contract with losses and slip back to being another nobody?

(He'll still be known as the guy that knocked Jardine the **** out, of course).

I for one believe he could be great and, as I said, I hope we see him pull in some wins from here on out.

What are your thoughts?

Jon Fitch Prepared to Defeat Georges St. Pierre at UFC 87?

Bkilla — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:07:39 -0400

At UFC 87 Jon Fitch is going to challenge St. Pierre for the UFC Welterweight Championship. Fitch has an awesome record of 21 wins and only two losses. He's also coming off of an eight-fight winning streak in the UFC, winning every single fight thus far.

His most notable win was over Diego Sanchez in which he showed great heart, did not tap when Sanchez looked to have him in a deep guillotine choke, and managed to out-wrestle Sanchez and take the win on a split decision. He is a great fighter and his main strength is his wrestling, but I also think that it's going to be a problem for him in this fight.

St. Pierre's last three fights were against Matt Serra, Matt Hughes, and Josh Koscheck, two of whom are celebrated wrestlers. Not only did St. Pierre defeat all three opponents, he dominated them.

He beat Josh Koscheck by unanimous decision, and excluding some brief moments when Koscheck was on top (he never landed anything significant) the only thing he showed was good submission defense. St. Pierre completely controlled him on the ground, which is huge considering Koscheck's wrestling background.

His next fight was his rubber match with Hughes, and once again he completely dominated all aspects of the fight. He controlled Hughes on the ground in round one. Then in round two after some more of the same he transitioned from a kimura attempt to an arm bar, forcing Hughes to verbally tap.

When interviewed after the fight Hughes humbly remarked that Georges is a better fighter.

And then there was the Matt Serra rematch, where we all watched St. Pierre punish Serra on the ground for two grueling rounds.

The referee finally called a stop to the fight at four minutes and 45 seconds of round two, as St. Pierre viciously kneed Serra over and over again to the body. I expected St. Pierre to win, but like the two main events last Saturday it was not much of a fight at all.

So what I'm basically saying here is that Jon Fitch is a great fighter, but if St. Pierre dominated the past two wrestlers he faced at their own game, what chance does Fitch really have? I don't see him winning this fight on the feet. St. Pierre has only been submitted once (by Hughes). That's probably Fitch's best shot, but I still think it's unlikely.

And lastly, I doubt Fitch can win a decision. He defeated Sanchez by decision, but he mainly just held him on the ground. I doubt Fitch can simply wrestle St. Pierre to the ground and hold him there for five rounds in a row, or three for that matter.

We all remember Serra knocking out St. Pierre, so anything is possible. However, if St. Pierre shows up in the shape he's been in during his last three outings, I really don't see Fitch having much of a chance. Agree or disagree? Let me know!