Here's the highlights from last night's weigh in. I have no idea how Bisping/Sonnen and Davis/Evans is going to go:
Another glimpse into the life of the Bald Father. And we're calling UFC on Fox 2, but in reality this is the first go. I have no idea how the numbers will shake out, but if this event is as exciting as the first two UFC events of 2012 it will turn into a tremendous success:
Here is a trailer for Bobby Razak's upcoming documentary about the history of MMA. This looks absolutely great:
History of MMA (2012) - Official Trailer from Bobby Razak on Vimeo.
Here is Dana White's vlog just before FX 1. Times are changing across the MMA landscape:
I'm a Mark Munoz fan. He's a great fighter and even better person. It really sucks for him that he was injured and forced out of his biggest fight by far. However, Zuffa came through in a big way with making the move to Michael Bisping.
Bisping is a perfect (and deserving) opponent for Sonnen. When it gets down to it Sonnen has been severely held back with his last two opponents. The staunch republican with a fast tongue and ripping one liners couldn't exactly go after Brian Stann. And he wasn't inclined to to lay down any trash talk on Munoz.
Now in steps Michael Bisping. The hero from across the Atlantic. The brash Brit with a fiery attitude who says what he feels without regard for consequences.
It's really a beautiful match up. No matter how much Sonnen...or Bisping is hated, both are very deserving of a shot at the title with a win. Many would disagree with this, but there aren't many other viable contenders in the middleweight division. If Sonnen wins he deserves another shot at Silva. And if Bisping wins he has definitely earned his appointment for a try at the title.
UFC on Fox 2 is a huge event. It needs some noise to bolster interest. Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping can deliver that noise.
Today news broke that Strikeforce light heavyweight contender King Mo Lawal tested positive for steroids. And then news broke that new Strikeforce/UFC signees must undergo testing for PEDs in order to finalize the contract.
First off, it's too bad about King Mo. He is stating that the NSAC is wrong. "I may cheat at video games, but I never cheat at fighting," he said in an ESPN article. I hope that this turns out to be the case. Every time a fighter tests positive it is a black mark on the sport. MMA will probably never tumble down the same road baseball did over the past decade, but consistent positive tests for PEDs puts a serious damper on the sport.
It seems Zuffa is recognizing this and tackling the problem head on with their new policy. If they add random testing throughout the year for all fighters under contract one of two things would happen. It would in effect decrease PED use tremendously, or it would show just how prevalent PEDs are in MMA (just as they are in all sports). It's a slippery slope but one that must be navigated.
I've been busy with a project so I haven't had a chance to comment on UFC 142. Plus I think I needed time to let it all sink in. Beforehand, I mentioned that the event might bring in the lowest PPV numbers in a long time. I haven't seen any numbers and that very well may be the case. If so, I feel sorry for all those who decided to pass it up.
Here's my highlights:
The perfect balance and precision of Edson Barboza's spinning wheel kick
The entire crowd helping out Bruce Buffer
The ferociousness of Erick Silva. And yes the DQ is very controversial, but it added to the drama of the card
The crowd going crazy when Vitor Belfort sunk in the rear naked choke
Stitch trying to put Vaseline on Jose Aldo
Aldo's shocking finish and then his dash into the crowd
Overall, it was such an entertaining and lively event. I was definitely glad I watched it, of course I never even considered not watching it!
We are on the cusp of UFC 142 and I don't know what to think about this event. I'm really excited for a couple of the fights. Terry Etim and Edson Barboza is a really intriguing match up. I like Chad Mendes, and he presents some unique problems for Jose Aldo, but when it comes down to it I think Aldo will be too much for him and he'll look more impressive than he has of late.
I was also looking forward to Vitor Belfort and Anthony Johnson, who was making his middleweight debut (up from welterweight), then there is the crazy weight debacle and Johnson came in 11 pounds over. I thought that middleweight would be a great fit for Johnson and that he would be able to push Vitor. Now with a second weigh in for Johnson and a catchweight fight I've lost some interest.
This is the first event in a long time to not show the prelims on Facebook (except for one fight). The prelims will be on FX. The main event is for the featherweight title, but there isn't a lot of hype surrounding it. The card is the promotion's second time in Brazil in the last year, the first was seriously hyped. This one not so much. It will go head to head against Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos against the New England Patriots, and it has a very real chance at becoming the worst-selling PPV in a long time. It really might fall into the same range as UFC 140's 150,000 buys. That was a major victory at the time, not now.
It's also at the beginning of a stretch of five events over the next month (three on Fox/FX). Maybe it's a sign of the transition away from PPV and toward network TV. Or maybe it's just kind of a forgotten event that will feature some solid fights, but go down as a blip in the UFC's history.
Many fans of other sports and more traditional fighting sports such as boxing have resisted it for years, but UFC is here to stay, and with it the same level of athlete stardom and intrigue as in any other sport. The events seem to be getting more and more exciting, as more fighters become known by name, and reputations are established in the young sport. So, if you haven’t gotten on board yet, it may be time to head to tvbydirect.com in order to make sure that you have television access to all of the best fights, because if not you really are missing the development of a major sport. This means you’re missing things like the exciting emergence of Alistair Overeem, who until recently has yet catch a break in the U.S. market despite the fact that his stats and history suggest he has the makings of a star.
Overeem has been in the news lately Рand indeed, has become known to many casual fans for the first time in recent weeks Рdue to his big fight at UFC 141 against household name and veteran fighter Brock Lesnar. Many knew that Lesnar was nearing the end of his career thanks to his health issues, and indeed despite a number of impressive career highlights, it was generally accepted that he was past his prime. Therefore, it was expected to be a close match, despite the fact that some knocked Overeem for his comparatively unimpressive resum̩ when it came to his ground game. In the end, however, Alistair Overeem had an easy time with Lesnar, surprising many viewers, and changing the tone of the discussion about his own future. So, here are two numbers that strongly suggest Overeem may yet make a large impact on the sport:
1: One. This is the round in which Alistair Overeem managed to knock out Brock Lesnar, in a fight that many thought he would lose. Maybe Lesnar was on his last leg, but a first round knockout also has to be attributed at least in part to the victor’s strength and preparation, and it shouldn’t be forgotten that Lesnar still has brutal strength and determination. Overeem, quite simply, made him look bad.
11: Eleven is the number of fights that Alistair Overeem has won out of his last 12 fights. This of course is impressive, but not necessarily remarkable. Still, it does certainly imply that Overeem is on the right path, and that he may be finding himself as a fighter. A win like the one over Lesnar may be just what Overeem needs to propel him toward the next level of popularity amongst the U.S. audience. Oh, and it’s also worth noting that of those 11 wins, 9 of the fights were over in the first round. Overeem smashes people.
Only the future will tell what exactly Alistair Overeem has in store for the rest of UFC, and at a certain point there’s no predicting his career. However, if you were to look for fighters making names for themselves, and examine their histories for signs of potential greatness, it would be tough to find a fighter more convincing than Overeem. He has fought many high-quality fighters in Japan, and the man is a physical beast who has shown an impressive ability to dominate his opponents. We may be hearing his name for a long time yet.
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