Growing Sport

The article below is a very interesting read. I agree with the author's sentiments....particularly this quote:

"People vested in MMA often say that is the fastest-growing sport in the world, but that statement is inaccurate and trite. The sport is still growing -- if it were not, there would be no Fox deal for the UFC -- but it is not exploding past the NFL, MLB or NBA, either. More people accept the sport than did 10 years ago, but others remain firmly entrenched in the Davis camp, even if they do not share his exact sentiments.

I know this because I worked in a newsroom for six years. In print media, MMA is only grudgingly accepted, and many in that environment still believe “ultimate fighting” is something kids do at bars on weekends. When someone is killed or injured and a UFC event just happened to be on in the background, you can bet a copy editor is going to make sure “MMA” makes it into the headline, relevant or not. Every sport has its detractors. They say that football causes brain trauma; NBA players are disinterested; baseball takes too long; and the list goes on.

MMA still has its naysayers, as well. We just have to appreciate the passionate, still-growing group that makes it a point to correct them whenever ignorance rears its ugly head."


This is all part of the sport growing I think. Anything new and different will be met with some measure of caution at best and opposition at worst. I was listening to Colin Cowherd a few weeks ago, and he railed on MMA in a similar, albeit more politically correct way. My thoughts were very similar to the article's author when I was listening to Cowherd's opinion that MMA may be too violent. This video made me feel better about it though: Lesnar punks Cowherd

The article is a good read, especially for MMA enthusiasts.

Ignorance is not bliss...

UFC: Macao

I thought I'd give my thoughts on the fights as I watch the main fights. I recoreded the card because I wasn't home to watch it on Saturday night.

Takanori Gomi v. Mac Danzig
Overall: Gomi did enough to win the fight, but it was a close fight. I didn't see a split decision, but I though Gomi was the winner. Danzig looked good though. I wouldn't mind seeing a rematch.


Dong Hyun Kim v. Paulo Thiago
Kim completely dominated and smothered Thiago the entire fight. Thiago was fighting to surive the entire fight and mounted no offense. Kim looked very impressive. I'd like to see him get a top guy in welterweight and get a title shot if he wins that fight. He is a smothering judoka. I like his fight style.


Thiago Silva v. Stanislav Nedkov

Rd 1: Nedkov is a good bit smaller, but he is bringing it to Silva. Not intimidated at all. Very nice exchanges. Nedkov controlled the round. Rd 1 to Nedkov

Rd 2: Cup shot...oww. Nedkov recovered. Nice exchange. Silva using his range. Nedkov pushed Silva against the cage again and controlling the round again and looking for a takedown. Ref broke them up. These guys are brawling, then Nedkov shoots for a takedown and puts pressure on Silva again...and again...Silva's knees to the thigh and leg kicks are nasty...Nedkov drops Silva! Rocked him and nice ground and pound. Rd 2: was close throughout, but Nedkov stole it at the end I think

Rd 3: Came out brawling...throwing the overhand right again, trying to catch Silva again. Back and forth battle on the feet. Silva getting the  better of the battle. Silva with take down and mount. Nedkov looks exhausted. Silva is smothering him on the bottom. Silva with devasting elbows. Locks in Head and Arm choke! Nedkov taps...no longer undefeated.

Great fight. Back and forth battle. Nice submission.


Now to the Main Event!

Cung Lee v. Rich Franklin

This should be an exciting fight. Rich has a large reach advantage, but Lee's kicks are nuts.

Rd 1: Rich feinting a lot. Nice exchanges so far. Lee is an exciting striker. You don't see many strikers now that can use those karate-style kicks effectively in MMA. Franklin landing a bit early. The reach is a huge.....OMG Franklin KTFO! He is just now regaining his senses. What a knock out. Franklin was out before he hit the mat. That was a devasting shot. One of the best KOs I've seen this year.



Overall, I enjoyed the card. The fights were mostly entertaining, especially the last 4...they were great fights. Good job UFC on its history-making China Card.

MMA Promotion News

There is a new competitor in town, and I'm sure Dana has already declared war on them. Their first card looked like it would have been a good one. I didn't get to watch it, but I will probably watch the fights on-line when I get time. The new promotion is called the World Series of Fighting. Interesting title, but the fight card was actually filled with some solid fighters, including Miguel Torres, Andre Arlovski and Anthony "Rumble" Johnson.

Here are a few links about the event:

Arlovski was on a terrible skid in his career, but Greg Jackson took him under his wing and has seemingly resurrected the Pitbull's career. I also happened to pick Jackson's gym as a feature in my SMWW MMA course discussion this week...nice pick me :)
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Andrei-Arlovski-on-Greg-Jackson-Hes-Like-A-Big-Brother-for-Me-47071

Here is a synopsis of the fights: http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Andrei-Arlovski-Rumble-Johnson-Shine-in-World-Series-of-Fighting-Debut-47063

The WSOF president's interview about the event: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videointerview/World-Series-of-Fighting-President-Proud-of-WSOF-Debut-4317

WSOF payroll for the first event: http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/World-Series-of-Fighting-Salaries-Andrei-Arlovski-3660K-Anthony-Johnson-3655K-Top-Payroll-47083


Bellator tapping the Russian Market for fighters while the UFC only has 4 Russian fighters on its roster....interesting: http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/From-Russia-With-Gloves-47017

-BJW-

Anderson Silva still the P4P King

As I said in my 8/2009 post, Anderson Silva is the best figher in the world, bar none. I think that he has only added to his legend since that 2009 post. I've never seen anything like the Silva/Bonnar fight. He let Bonnar hit him...let him. This guys probably weighed 20 to 30 pounds more than Silva during the actual fight. Silva didn't even weigh 205 at the weigh in. I've never seen a guy toy with a proven/tough fighter, let his opponent hit him, then end the fight whenever he so choose...that is exactly what Silva did. A lot of people are saying that Bonnar wasn't that good...blah blah...but Bonnar is a warrior. He'd never been stopped (aside from a cut) in around 16 bouts in the UFC. That is ridiculous regardless the weight division or opponents with the talent level what it is now in the UFC...and Silva destroyed him....

Silva basically said that he wants a superfight next and is calling for GSP at a catch weight. Like I said in my 8/2009 post, that would be a dream fight, but a Silva/J. Jones fight would be even better...even so, I am stoked that this fight might happen! On a side note...I can't stand Bisping, so I hope to God that the UFC will feed him to the Spider...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mma/2012/10/23/anderson-silva-georges-st-pierre-ufc-superfight/1653497/

These two articles give a great perspective from the viewpoint of Silva's opponents:

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Jorge-Rivera-Anderson-Silva-Stronger-Than-He-Looks-Winked-When-Hit-46583

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Patrick-Cote-Fighting-Anderson-Silva-a-Complicated-Weird-Experience-46559

This was just a great promo for the Silva/Bonnar fight...I've watched it like 50 times. Hilarious...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN2u2cV76PI

BJW

A few more gifs from some of the most exciting fight endings recently...just for fun

Jardine gets KTFO


Kimbo............Hahahahahahaha...


Machida is a master...would love to see him and Silva square off, but will never happen...


Big Shane Carwin is one of my favorite new faces in the UFC...and may be the only one who can give Brock a run for his money:



Another Carwin KO...I actually called this exact result pre-fight ;) I should have taken the bet lol...



Brett who?? Guess I'll ask AA...wait, he probably won't remember...


another angle:



This was from last night...man, Torres was 36 and 1 with a 17 fight win streak going on...guess it shows that it can happen to anybody at any time:



Silva channels Bruce Lee?!? That explains a lot... :)



Fedor punking an ex-UFC HW Champ...Arlovski on here twice is a bad omen for his career...




Oh how far Chucky has fallen...

UFC 101: A. Silva P4P #1

The card wasn't my favorite, but the Silva/Griffin fight was nuts!!! I understand that Forrest was a perfect match-up for a highlight-reel performance by Silva (like Leben), but that still doesn't make the utter destruction of a top-5 LHW by a MW any less amazing. Forrest may have touched Silva once during the whole fight...I've only ever seen that kind of head movement in Ali fights. Silva is the undeniable pound-for-pound top fighter in the world.

I know, I know...what about Fedor... Fedor?!? The same guy who ducks the top fighters in his weight class? Fedor signed with Strikeforce for goodness sake...there is no one there to fight him? I'll agree that there aren't too many people in the world that could give Fedor a fight, but that is the same for Silva. One big difference is that Silva is rumored to want to give up his MW title...yeah, you read correctly - GIVE UP the title b/c there is simply no one left for him to beat. He wants to fight the best, so will more than likely move up to LHW so that he can get some competition for once, even though he is undersized. He wants a challenge! That is the difference between Silva and Fedor. Fedor is riding his status with easy fights, which Silva could do as well, to an easy payday. That is what sets Silva apart from Fedor.

GSP could be mentioned in this discussion as well, but we may see a GSP/Silva match-up...please God. My dream fight! Also, until GSP fights above his weight class and destroys the top level guys at MW - Hendo, Fitch, etc - he is, at least to me, under Silva for the pound-for-pound crown. Also, it took GSP (who is my second fav fighter behind Silva) 4 rounds to dispense with the champ in the division BELOW his, while Silva wrecked a top-5 LHW only 9 months removed from the UFC LHW title...

Amazing!

Funny faces as fans boo (which pisses me off btw)...soon enough they'd be cheering:



Silva knocks Forrest down:

And again:

And yet again...that head movement is just sick...

And night night to Forrest...

First Class!

My first class.

I have been watching the UFC and other MMA events since the Forrest Griffin/Stephan Bonner fight. I had a college professor who went to high school with Stephan, so when he told us about the TUF final, I tuned in…and was hooked. I have only missed a few cards since. This is how my interest was peaked in bjj. I had never heard of it before listening to Joe Rogan talk about it during the bouts. I remember Royce Gracie from the original UFC events, but was too young to understand much about it. I have wanted to train in bjj for a year or two now, and finally got my chance recently. Because law school demands so much of my time, I have not been able to exercise much…which means weight gain. So, I come to bjj as intrigued about where it comes from and what it is, but I also want to get it better shape and drop a few pounds. I despise cardio and have never been that strong in weight training. I am an okay athlete. I love to read and learn, and love football and mma. Thus, bjj seemed the best fit for me. Though I am not a little guy – 6’1” and 245 pounds or so, I have no previous fighting experience…heck, I’ve never even been in a real fight. Though not the smallest, I am not really strong, but I enjoy learning and understand steep learning curves (law school), so bjj always seemed the right fit for me.

The class: After deciding to quit talking about training in bjj and actually find a school and train, I typed in bjj Montgomery, Alabama and up pops ‘Cheung’s Taekwondo’. I found some of their bjj videos on youtube as well and looked up information on the instructor and was satisfied, so I went yesterday and joined up. I immediately noticed that I was one of the biggest framed guys there (10 to 15 of us total). I also was the only one who looked overweight and out of shape. Everyone I talked to seemed really nice and helpful. The instructor, Chris, is a Christian missionary, and there are other ministers in the class, so the atmosphere is positive and one of support. There are a lot of MMA fighters who train out of this school as well, which is exciting to me because I am quite the MMA fanatic. So, I pay, sign the agreement and waiver, and we’re off…

We cleaned the mats, stretched some, and began….running?? Crap! This is so not my thing…but I participate. As we finish the first lap, Chris yelled stop. Nearly crashing into the person in front of me…I managed to stop. He then yelled something that sounded like English, everyone else understood it, but I had no clue what he was talking about. Everyone dropped and began doing a bizarre version of what looked like push-ups…so I joined in…sort of. I had no clue what or why I was trying to do this movement, but by the time I get comfortable with it (meaning maybe I didn’t look so stupid then), we were back up and running. This progresses for about 25 minutes or so. A classmate saw me struggling and tried to help, but for about half of the drills I just told her that I understood what to do, but my body just doesn't move that way! So we continued...running, dropping, doing some bizarre movements that I attempt but never really get close to doing correctly, then up and running again. I wanted cardio…I got it, and we’re not even rolling yet! As we finished our first portion of the class, these thoughts, among many, came to me: Pouring sweat…out of shape…I look stupid…can’t breathe…that was the warm-up??...need water…ugh, think I’m going to be sick… So, I exit the training area with the others, get some water, go into the bathroom, splash water on my face and stare at myself…half dead already. “Dear God…that was the warm-up. I am about to die! Ugh…I already paid for the month…back I go.”

By the time I returned, Chris was already showing the class what we’d being doing next: a method to pass half-guard and get into side control. After watching the demonstration 3 times or so, I knew I didn’t really have it yet. While trying to keep each of the many steps of the demonstration in my mind, it felt like the water pumps on the Titanic…it just wasn’t happening. So, partners. I get paired with a new blue belt. Ryan. Nice guy. Seems very knowledgeable. He walks me through the demonstration and explains what to do and why we are doing it. Chris comes over a few times to help out as well. All is well up to this point, but one particular part of the maneuver entails my hugging my partners waist as I squeeze his legs together…dangerously close to the man zone… I didn’t have a lot of big snafus there, so we go on to the next drill: taking the new side-control position and getting a submission from it – either a kimora or an armbar…

So, this drill entails steping over the head of the opponent...yes...that means butt and man eggs in the face...fun times. I learned how to properly lock my hands and the leverage to apply for a kimora. No real snafus again...rolling time!

I initially get paired with Ryan again...we have a similar frame, so it makes sense. I bought and have been reading the book "Jiu Jitsu University" and it has a very simple but great tenent for all begginers: the main goal is to.....wait for it....SURVIVE!! Well...for my first time...I have no clue what I am doing...I know the names of the positions and what many of the submissions look like, but can't really physically do them and don't know how to defend against them really. I.E. I am a living and breathing punching bag...but, I only get subed like 2 or 3 times...a win to me...I tried to create space, did the best I could...the alarm goes off...the first 5 minute round is over. Back come the thoughts...tired...puke?...I have all my appendages intact at least...I sit out the second round and rest because I am about to freaking die...and there was an uneven number of us, so it's all good.

Third and final round: I walked into the gym late...used bathroom, so the pairings were almost over. I get paired with a guy who is at least 100 pounds lighter than me...maybe more and at least 6 inches shorter than me...maybe more. But I was tired and have no clue what level this guy is at...we shake hands and I tell him my name and that it was my first day...so if I should tap and don't know it...tell me...I need both arms and legs!! Off we go...we are standing up this time (last time, we started on our knees...). I shoot for a quick takedown...I learned last time that when I'm on the bottom, bad things happen...not that I am any better on the top. Genius here leaves his head unprotected...guillotine choke...tap in like 5 seconds tops. I would have been embarrased, but I saw this happen to Jens Pulver in his last fight in like the first 30 seconds, and he is a veteran in mma.

Back to our feet again. This time my opponent shoots and gets a single leg takedown...but he falls right into a perfect set up for a triangle choke...my favorite from watching mma. I actually sort of know how this is supposed to look and some theory on it, but have never actually tried it. I throw my leg over his back and and trapped arm, cross my leg over my leg thrown over his back and pull down on the head. OMG...I am thinking...I might actually pull this off...on my FIRST night. His eyes get big as he realizes he is pretty deep in this choke and he says "oh...".

But...I quickly learn that I am not even close to flexible enough to get the choke in fully...it was tight, but not tight enough. I should have grabbed his arm instead of his head, pull it and pivot my hips to the side...darn it...but I pull down on his head...he finally slips out, but at least 1 minute and 30 seconds was spent in this position...so I had someone else in trouble for a while...woot...but now the scramble is on...when he pops out of the triangle attempt, he tries to pass my guard, so I scramble around too and put him on his back somehow...all happened so fast...adrenaline....I have him in side control and put my weight on him...I try to do the leg over head, catch the kimora movement, but since we all just worked it, and that is literally ALL I know, I am not able to do it. I ask him, after stuffing a few of his escape attempts...I say "I have no clue what to do now!" He says, for your first class, just try to hold the position and you are doing well...so I put my weight down and do so...the round ends...I actually did well...although it was against someone I had like half a foot on and like 100 to 150 pounds on...YAY!!! I only got submitted once and almost pulled one off myself!!!

Geez...tired....again...I go get my shoes and keys, get a drink of water and start to leave, and notice that half the class has started sparring in kick-boxing after our bjj class ended... How the heck do they have any energy left...dear lord...

4 days later...that is the best workout I have ever had...my entire body ached for 4 days. Friday (today) was the first day that I could actually walk and sit down without my legs screaming in pain from soreness... Not only is this the most sore I have ever been, but it I am sore in places and ways that I haven't been sore in before...

I am finally ready for class # 2....

BJW