Fighter Feature: Carlos Condit

I have never seen fans turn on a fighter so quickly. Condit/Diaz was hard to score; I had a draw starting the fifth, which went either way depending on who you had. The right call would have been a draw and rematch, the fight was that close. The bout did not unfold like many expected; Condit favored a conservative game plan; He had no intentions of scrapping with one of the best boxers in MMA. Instead he constantly brought the fight back to the center not allowing Diaz to pin him against the cage. Condit adjusted to fight Diaz, Diaz did not adjust to fight Condit and somehow that’s Carlos’s fault. Since, he has been faulted for remaining inactive even though he was lacking a number one contender. He just can’t win. But these days are almost behind him; he is set to return this November in a unification bout with GSP. 

GSP Returns: 17 November 2012

I can only assume that GSP grows stronger by feeding on the pain and disappointment of others. As injuries continue to plague the UFC he is recovering and regenerating. Every time someone withdraws from a fight GSP gains 200 HP. All signs are pointing towards a title unification bout this fall at UFC154 in Montreal between the returning Champion and Interim Strap Wearing Carlos Condit. The card is also expected to host a co-main event bout between Martin Kampmann and Johny Hendricks to finally decide the number one contender. Hypothetically speaking, by this time next year the true champion will have faced the true number one contender and the welterweight log jam will finally be over. 

Dana White talks UFC152

Dana White announced what we can look forward to in the future. I mean the future of the UFC, not the future like robots and lasers and single colored skin tight body suits, though it would be cool to hear Dana’s thoughts on that. Maybe he will explain his vision of the future at the post fight press conference of UFC 152, which as it stands will be headlined by Velasquez/JDS 2 for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Sharing in the night will be co-main eventers BJ Penn vs. Rory MacDonald. Other fights are still to be announced but UFC152 is set for September 22^nd in Toronto.  

Shogun Preferred Being Cut Over Fighting Glover Teixeira

If Shogun is ducking Teixeira I can’t say I blame him, dude is scary; of his 18 wins 16 have come from stoppages and he hasn’t lost since 2005. Shogun turned this fight down because he wanted a top ten opponent but jumped at the offer to face Brandon Vera, who last I read was ranked somewhere between 21-26 depending on what you read. According to Dana White, Rua preferred being cut to fighting Teixeira and no one in the division wants to fight him, consider the source, but that’s what he said. I think Shogun turning down this fight and taking Vera is unacceptable. Teixeira is not a friend, not a training partner, he’s nothing to Rua except for a relatively unknown fighter with a high chance victory. If you care, Shogun/Vera goes down August 4^th, and Teixeira is still awaiting his next fight. 

Jose Aldo Injured; Off UFC149 Card

I wish I could use injuries as an excuse to not do my job. Don’t misunderstand, I am not saying that I think the current injury epidemic is a result of fighters not wanting to fight, I think every man is legitimately injured, I just wish I could get away with that. Mostly I just want a day off because I worked 16 hours yesterday and I have to do it again today and I really just want to lay around on my couch watching TV. But I have to deal with the fact that I can’t, just you have to deal with Jose Aldo’s injury. Details were scarce when the 145lb champ’s camp announced he was out of his title bout with Erik Koch. Barao/Faber now headlines UFC149 for the Interim Bantamweight Championship. It is unclear if Koch will be given a replacement opponent. 

Brock Lesnar and Dana White had a Meeting...

…and it didn’t go well. I can’t imagine why. Brock has a history of doing this. Back in 2002 WWE spent boat loads of cash priming him to be the face of the organization, and he was for two years. At the end of those two years he just walked away. Sounds familiar right? Fast forward a few years and now he is the face of the UFC until he realized that they won’t let him just pound on Mir over and over again and he actually needs to fight tough opposition (no offense Frank, we love you). He did, he lost, and like a three year throwing a tantrum (Nick Diaz), he quit. Dana won’t reveal the exact nature of their conversation, he only said it was one of the worst meetings he has ever had with Brock. Frankly I wish he never said anything at all. 

Anderson Silva is not Injured, says Dana

UFC fighters seem to be dropping like flies. I’m not sure what saying means; I’ve never seen a fly drop. I’ve seen them explode when swatted with rolled up newspaper, I’ve seen them digested by Venus Fly Traps, and I’ve seen my cat pluck one from mid-air, but I have never seen one drop. If flies do indeed drop, and if the fighters are not unlike flies, then Anderson Silva is not a fly. Recent rumors of a knee injury have circulated putting his rematch with Chael in jeopardy; however at the UFC on FX 3 post fight press conference Dana White put these rumors to rest. White denied any injury to the middleweight champ and confirmed his fight with Chael is still on next month. So thank which ever deity you pray to that the rematch is still on.  

Ronda Rousey Defends Her Belt August 18th

Ronda Rousey is not a mystery, in fact her game plan is very simple: Grab arm, break off. Everyone knows it, but no one can defend it; she is that good. Ronda Rousey/Sarah Kaufman is going down August 18^th for the Strikeforce Woman’s Bantamweight title and I see no reason why this fight won’t end the same as her previous five: Rousey by arm bar in round one. Kaufman is a striker and her only chance is keep Ronda away and jab her for the duration of the bout, unlikely. Rousey, on the other hand, is the female equivalent of Chael Sonnen complete with trash talk and an amped up ground game; she drives forward, takes you down and submits you, usually in under a minute. There’s a reason this girl is new face of women’s MMA and on August 18^th she’ll show why once again. 

Pettis/Diaz: Awesome, But Unlikely

When I was younger my dream was be a Space Pirate like Corsair from the X-men, don’t act like you don’t know him, he’s the leader of the Starjammers. There is an element of that in my life everyday but I am coming to terms with reality: there are no space pirates and the Starjammers only exist in comic books. Anthony Pettis needs to realize he will eventually fight Nate Diaz, because it makes sense, but it will be after Nate fights for the title. When Nick was in a similar situation, Cesar Gracie said if victorious he would wait as long as it took for GSP to return. This is no different; Nate has a guaranteed shot, unlikely he gambles it on someone as dangerous as Pettis. The only way this fight happens soon is if Bendo/Edgar draw and continue the log jam. More likely, Diaz/Pettis next summer. 

Fighter Feature: Brock Lesnar

It’s no secret that I am not a fan of Brock Lesnar. I have openly criticized him as a fighter and have been against his possible induction into the Hall of Fame. That’s not to say I don’t respect him for his athletic talents or what he has done for the sport. WWE celebrity or not, Brock still brought the UFC into mainstream and holds notable wins Couture, Mir, and Carwin and held the most prestigious title in combat sports. While I hope that Brock’s MMA career is really over, I still appreciate what he did for the sport: he was the right personality that came along at the right time and propelled the young organization forward by leaps and bounds, and for that we thank him. He may not have been the best technically skilled fighter but he shared a title held by few: UFC Champion.