Frank Mir's Out...

I am slowly coming to peace with the fact that there are several things in life that I will never be able to do because I am in fact dirt poor and barring some insane lottery win or a Vegas trip that actually pays off I will probably remain that way and will someday have to be housed by my yet unborn children because by the age of 65 I will have foolishly squandered every cent I’ve ever made hoping to win the lottery or trying to make a Vegas trip pay off. I recently added to the list, which mostly contains activities such as yachting, infinity pools, and penthouse suites at the Wynn, is Frank Mir v. Daniel Cormier. Mir pulled out of the fight yesterday citing a knee injury, and dammit, I’m disappointed. It’s unclear how long Frank is out or who will be Dan’s final Strikeforce opponent. 

TUF Recap

TUF kicked off last night with 32 welterweight fighters hoping for a shot in the UFC. As the WWs arrived at Mandalay they were greeted with a profanity laced rant from Dana White which, thanks to the censors at FX, made little to no sense. Shane Carwin looked especially uncomfortable next to Roy Nelson who had a seemingly never ending bag of cheeseburgers and a bucket of coke. Then my doorbell rang, the pizza was here. Josh works for Domino’s and has delivered three pizzas to me a week for the last two years, we’ve become tight. He told me he was having a crappy night and asked for a beer before going back. We ended up playing a game of Madden before his boss called his cell wondering where he was. Anyway that’s how I assume the night would have gone if I wasn’t at work. I didn’t watch TUF.

Play the Dana White Drinking Game

Next time you’re bored do what I do: play the Dana White drinking game. It’s really simple, start with a bottle of Sailor Jerry (or whatever happens to be in your particular liquor cabinet), turn on a random interview/press conference with Dana, and take a swig anytime he drops an F bomb. If it happens to be from the infamous UFC151 incident you are guaranteed to wake up the next morning like a frat boy on Spring Break. Dana recently went off on Jon Jones and Greg Jackson, again, and he sounded like a sailor on shore leave, voicing his displeasure with everyone and saying how he can’t wait to get alone with Jon Jones in a small room in Toronto and figure this out man to man. Anyway, you should check out the full story HERE, it’s well worth it, so long as you do the bottle thing. 

Do We Really Need GSP/Silva?

They’re back again, whispers of a Super Fight between GSP and Anderson Silva, and this time Dana is on board talking Cowboy’s Stadium in 2013. If Anderson wants to keep competing there is work to be done at Middleweight: Weidman, Stann, Bisping. In GSP’s case now is not the time, the Welterweights have been holding since he fought Shields in April 2011 and new threats have emerged: Hendricks, Ellenberger, Kampmann, and Interim Champ Condit; GSP has work to do before talking Silva. I know most will disagree, but I am more interested in seeing Champions fight in their own divisions, not Super Fights for the sake of finding out who is the best. I just see this as an instance of if Anderson wins he did what he was supposed to do, if he loses than they say he was always overrated; it’s the same for GSP.

Weidman/Boetsch added to UFC155

In a middleweight bout that I don’t think anyone ever asked for yet oddly makes sense, if you think of it only as busy work, Chris Weidman and Tim Boetsch have been tapped to face each other at UFC155. Weidman is 5-0 since joining the UFC and Boetsch is 4-0 since dropping to middleweight, including the lackluster derailment of Hector Lombard’s hype train. With Anderson Silva sitting out until sometime in 2013 and in talks for a superfight with GSP it’s hard to imagine the winner of this fight not facing the winner of Bisping/Stann for the number one contender slot as Silva weighs his options. This means if the superfight actually happens, the MW Championship could sit undefended until sometime next summer. Somewhere in England Michael Bisping just choked a little on his earl grey.

Holy Crap! Hector Lombard is Fighting Rousimar Palhares

I just got released from the hospital after a month of near death experiences so don’t expect much from me, but at least give me an “A” for effort for trying to blow the dust off MMA150 and get it going again after weeks of having red stuff drained out of my liver through five separate tubes (No, it was not alcohol related either). Hector Lombard needs to blow the dust off whatever the hell that was at UFC149 and try and get back on track, the problem is he’s going to be facing off against Rousimar Palhares whose name literally translates to, “The Remover of Limbs” this December at UFC on FX 6. Lombard claims he was injured last time out which led to his poor performance, but this fight should finally answer all the questions about where he truly ranks as a middleweight.   

Nick Diaz is Joking, Right?

Finding out Nick Diaz wants a “comeback” fight with Anderson Silva was one hell of a way to wake up this morning. First of all, a “comeback” fight? Dude is suspended, let’s not glorify that; the only reason he is pseudo-retired is because he “quit” MMA when he didn’t get his way against Condit which is the equivalent of a toddler storming off the playground when he can’t have the monkey bars. He also only wants “fights that matter” now; remember when he was supposed to fight GSP for the championship, did that not matter? BJ Penn? The Interim Title? What about the Strikeforce title and Frank Shamrock? Nearly every fight he’s had for the last four years “has mattered”. But seriously, Anderson Silva, really, this is the road he wants to go down? It’s ridiculous to think Silva wouldn’t pick him apart in under a round. 

Frank Mir Moving to Strikeforce

I take one day off from MMA only to come back and be more surprised than Cloud calling Aeris a “slum drunk” only to have Barret show up knocking on his door late one night at the Gold Saucer asking him to go on a “man walk” with him, because it’s not a date. Things get stranger when they cram inside a romantic carriage for two where Barret starts talking about the women they’re traveling with while Cloud remains silent. Barret takes this silence to mean that Cloud is interested in his five year old daughter and starts firing off live ammunition. The “man walk” abruptly ends. Still, Frank Mir crossing over to Strikeforce to face Daniel Cormier surprised me a little more. It’s a welcome surprise that will show if Cormier really has it and if Frank still has it. Afterward both men will land safely in the UFC.

Palhares Injured; Out of Okami Fight

I found myself wondering if apes gained hyper intelligence and took over the planet if they would create combat sports and their own form of ape Jiu-Jitsu; if they did, that would be crazy, could you imagine getting into a grappling contest with an Ape, they have like four hands and I would be terrified of the ones that have tails. An Ape Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt with a tail is about the most frightening thing I can think of next to Christopher Walken. Let’s hope our world never gets to that point. Rousimar Palhares could probably hang with an AJJ Black Belt longer than most, but unfortunately he has suffered an undisclosed injury and has withdrawn from his fight with Yushin Okami, drag. Okami now faces Buddy Rogers. And yes, I just watched Planet of the Apes.

Dan Hardy Doesn't Want Matt Riddle

If you missed the UFC149 Post Fight Press Conference you need to stop what you are doing and go youtube it because Matt Riddle stole the show when he recounted a story of a “butter-toothed Brit spitting on his mouth,” which has started this fire inside him that can only be extinguished by beating in Dan Hardy’s face. I was drinking during the press conference but I think that’s the gist of it. Anyway, Dan Hardy took to twitter the following morning tweeting: “Why would I fight Riddle, what’s in it for me?” or something to that effect. What’s in a Matt Riddle fight for Dan Hardy? About the same thing that’s in an Amir Sadollah fight for Dan Hardy. I like Hardy, but he is 1-4 his last 5 times out so he should be happy he is still relevant (sorta) and being offered fights in the UFC.

Frank Mir Edits His Own Wikipedia Page

This is according to Wikipedia, so I assume it is 100% accurate, never mind that anyone can alter the information. I once got into an argument with my girlfriend and altered Wikipedia without her knowledge in order to prove my point. One has to wonder why I am cruising Mir’s Wikipedia page to begin with, and to that I really have no answer other then I was trying to find some shred of information about the mass quantities of hair gel this man applies on a daily basis. Anyway, here’s what it says:

“Mir says that he lost to Carwin because he momentarily forgot that he is a slick fighter that uses skills rather than raw power. Although many in the MMA community are confused by this explanation, Mir continues to edit his own Wikipedia page.”

Click HERE to check it out for yourself, unless Frank has changed it by now.

Fighter Futures: Renan Barao

It remains to be seen if Renan Barao will defend the Interim Championship while he waits for a returning Dominick Cruz. He could defend it, sure, but the only fight that really makes sense would be a rematch with Faber and no one is clamoring for that fight right now. What this fight proved for Renan is what we already knew: that he is an elite level bantamweight, only now he has a recognizable and impressive name on his resume. The creation of a Flyweight Division (in my opinion) has stripped the Bantamweight’s talent pool leaving Barao, Faber, and Cruz miles ahead of the competition. While I would like to see an Interim Champ who remains active, I doubt Renan will, purely due to lack of a true challenger.  

Fighter Futures: Tim Boetsch

He is now 4-0 since dropping to Middleweight and Tim Boetsch is one of a few possible challenges for Anderson Silva, but realistically speaking, Boetsch is at least two fights out from challenging for a title, and he is yet to prove he can hang with the upper echelon of the division. If the UFC feels Boetsch is ready for a step up I think he will be paired with the loser of Bisping/Stann which would put him on hold until December. Another possibility is Alan Belcher; Belcher has been in and out of headlines since TKOing Palhares, but no opponent has been inked. The winner of a Boetsch/Belcher match up could be paired with the winner of Stann/Bisping in a title eliminator, allowing all men to stay active with only minimal downtime while giving Anderson Silva his typical six to seven months between title defenses. 

Fighter Futures: Hector Lombard

Well, the hype train has been derailed, a 25 fight win streak has been snapped, and Dana White wants Hector Lombard to drop to 170. Things are not looking good for the former Bellator Champion. First of all, I seriously doubt a move to 170 is in the cards, Lombard is 34 years old and I doubt he can restructure his body and continue to make the cut; besides 170 is jumbled enough without adding another name to the list. I think Lombard will remain at middleweight and become another Jake Shields, overhyped outside the UFC, struggles to transition, and will probably hang around the middle of the pack. He will probably get one more semi-big name fight before he becomes just another face in the crowd, possibly the winner of Okami/Palhares or a returning Mark Munoz.

Fighter Futures: Urijah Faber

Here’s the thing with Urijah, even though he came up short in another title fight, he is not quite in the same position as Chael Sonnen. Sonnen was defeated by Anderson twice for the Undisputed Middleweight Belt; Faber is 1-1 against Dominick Cruz and 0-1 against Barao so he is poised for either a rubber match or rematch, also it helps that he is one of the Bantamweight Division’s biggest draws. My point is even though Urijah lost the Interim Title fight he is still the number 3 guy and rematches with both champions are bound to happen before the end of his career. His future is a little murky with no schedule for Cruz’s return, but I expect he will stay active with a tune up fight which will inevitably also serve a title eliminator to face the eventual winner of Cruz/Barao.

Aldo/Koch Going Down at UFC153

Drag, I was really hoping to see Jose Aldo defend his belt against The Korean Zombie before the end of the year, but with Zombie going under the knife for shoulder surgery it looks like we’ll be waiting a little while longer. Aldo will instead be paired up with his original opponent, Erik Koch, at UFC 153 in Rio this October. This fight feels the MMA equivalent of the “busy work” teachers would give you in high school. I’m sure Koch is excited for it, but he’s probably the only one. Although I will say this, with all the injuries plaguing the UFC and the stagnation of the Welterweight division and the imminent log jam coming to the Bantamweight division, it is nice to see the Featherweights still going strong, even if there is a lack of exciting title challengers at 145.

GSP Set to Return in November (Hopefully)

The UFC’s Welterweight Division has been in a holding pattern for a while now. GSP last defended his strap in April of 2011 against Jake Shields, before suffering a knee injury that has kept him inactive since. Carlos Condit won a hard fought decision against Nick Diaz for the Interim Championship then chose to stagnate the division and wait for a title unification bout. The number one contender has changed between Jonhy Hendricks, Jake Ellenberger, and Martin Kampmann, and even now a Kampmann/Hendricks fight is on the horizon to settle the matter once and for all. But the welterweight woes are coming to an end: November 17^th, UFC154. GSP is poised to make his return and unify the belts against Condit, while Kampmann/Hendricks will slug it out for first crack at the Undisputed Champion, that is of course barring any potential injuries. Fingers crossed. 

Hector Lombard Wants Mark Munoz Fight (What)??

I’m not sure what type of strange psychological warfare Hector Lombard is trying to implement prior to UFC149, but it’s working because I am thoroughly mystified. Lombard recently said if offered a title fight with Anderson Silva (assuming he beats Boetsch) he would turn it down in favor of a scrap with Mark Munoz. Apparently Munoz had some choice words that didn’t sit well with Lombard, though Michael Bisping has been far more vocal about the former Bellator Champ, in my opinion, and he is yet to acknowledge the Brit’s existence. Luckily Dana White swooped in like a bald Superman and saved the day, pointing out Lombard probably doesn’t have Fuel TV (because really, who does?) so he didn’t realize Munoz just had the contents of his skull emptied by Chris Weidman. For someone striving to prove he’s the best, calling out Munoz was a step in the wrong direction.

Koscheck/Ellenberger Goes Down at UFC151

Man it’s a hot one, like seven inches from the midday sun. I hear you whisper and the words melt everyone, but you stay so cool. My munequita, my Spanish Mona Lisa. You’re my reason for reason, the step in my groove. And if you say this life ain’t good enough, I would give my world to life you up, I could change my life to better suit your mood, because you’re so smooth. And it’s just like the ocean under the moon, it’s the same emotion that I get from you, you got the kind of lovin that be so smooth so gimme your heart make it real, or else forget about it…. I’ve had that song stuck in my head for days now. Anyway, Josh Koscheck and Jake Ellenberger have been paired up for the co-main event at UFC 151, should be interesting. Man, it’s a hot one…

Chael, Chael, Chael

Chael Sonnen is the Obi-Won Kenobi of MMA; since Anderson struck him down, he has become more powerful than any of us imagined. Remember how Heather Chandler became even more popular after her death, well Chael has done the same thing. While his MMA career is currently on hold, Chael definitely has a future as a commentator and an analyst for the sport. Rampage Jackson recently fired off at Chael saying he should keep his word and leave the UFC because as he put it, “Chael suck.” Chael took the high road by first saying, “Rampage has one fight left and it’s not against me,” but then surrounded by a whirlwind of smugness and Force Powers Chael unleashed a verbal tirade reducing Rampage to shreds. One can only assume Page is hiding under a rock somewhere. Let Chael explain it to you, check out the video below….