Bloody Elbow

The USA TODAY/Bloody Elbow Top 50 MMA Fights in History VIII: 2006-2007

2009-07-11T14:00:13Z

Here's the eighth installment of our USA TODAY/Bloody Elbow Top 50 MMA fights in modern history.

Sergio Non has written up the next block at USAT's Fighting Stances blog. To start, here's our criteria:

Some of the 50 fights we'll list aren't necessarily the best MMA bouts, but all of them are milestones for one reason or another, for better or for worse. The idea is to show how the sport has evolved. These are the fights that made the sport what it is today.

Here's the next 5 fights:

Fedor Emelianenko def. Mark Coleman, Oct. 21, 2006 - PRIDE 32
This fight, unlike the initial Coleman vs Emelianenko match in 2004, is really of little significance in and of itself. What makes it matter is that it was the headlining fight on PRIDE's first ever live card in the USA. It was a bit of a desperation move as the promotion was beginning to struggle under the glare of intense media scrutiny of alleged organized crime ties in Japan (see here, here, here, and here). Much as the original UFC tried putting on shows in Brazil and Japan when the hounds of regulation were on their heels in the states, PRIDE was looking for fresh territories to conquer and although the PPV was an unmitigated flop (75,000 orders), the live gate broke $2 million, outperforming contemporary UFCs. The live success of this card directly set the stage for Affliction's efforts to promote Fedor Emelianenko in the states.
Gina Carano def. Julie Kedzie, Feb. 10, 2007 - EliteXC
The first woman's MMA fight to air on a major cable network, in this case Showtime. The jury is still out on the ultimate success or failure of women's MMA as a commercial proposition in the U.S., but so far, so good. Carano beat Kedzie in a pretty one-sided bout and her future EliteXC bouts proved her to be a consistent draw on both pay and network TV. Carano has yet to really be tested by an opponent inside the cage, but both her fighting abilities and her power as a draw as the headliner on a major card will be tested on August 15 when she faces Christian "Cyborg" Santos.
Dan Henderson def Wanderlei Silva, Feb. 24, 2007 - PRIDE 33
In PRIDE's penultimate event, Dan Henderson did the unthinkable. He went toe to toe with the mighty Axe Murderer Wanderlei Silva and won by KO, ending Silva's five year title run. Not only that, Henderson, as the reigning PRIDE 183lb champ, took Silva's 205lb belt and became the only man ever to hold titles in two major MMA divisions at the same time. He wasn't able to repeat that feat in the UFC, despite getting immediate shots at both Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Anderson Silva for their respective belts. For PRIDE fans this was a bittersweet evening as it was the promotion's second and final event in the States and only PRIDE 34 would follow before the final gasp.
Randy Couture def. Tim Sylvia, March 3, 2007 - UFC 68
Never doubt the power of an individual to change things. Before this match, the UFC heavyweight division was in the dumps. Once a striker known for his many KO finishes, Tim Sylvia's title reign had degenerated into a series of tedious decision wins. Enter Captain America. Randy Couture had retired after losing his third fight with Chuck Liddell, but after seeing Sylvia's lackluster win over Jeff Monson, Couture felt he could beat the giant. And did he ever. In one of the most electrifying fights to watch live I've ever seen, Couture dropped Sylvia with his first punch and proceeded to dominate the champ for five full rounds as every fan in the arena stood and cheered. Ever since, the UFC heavyweight division has bubbled over with intrigue and excitement.
Quinton Jackson def. Chuck Liddell, May 26, 2007 - UFC 71
The UFC had reached a plateau with Chuck Liddell's previous title defense against Tito Ortiz at UFC 66, drawing 1.5 million PPV buys and proving that their 2005 boom was no fluke or passing fad. Expectations were huge going into UFC 71 as Liddell defended his belt against the only opponent holding an unavenged win over the Iceman, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. The fight got the biggest U.S. media coverage of any MMA fight, not just up to that time, but until the emergence of Kimbo Slice in EliteXC on CBS. Liddell's quick loss to Jackson left many fans deflated. The charismatic Rampage has largely won over the fans since, but at the time he was very much resisted by the Liddell fan base.

Read Parts One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and the Prequel.

UFC 100 Live Results and Commentary

2009-07-10T15:46:22Z

As with every major show, Bloodyelbow.com will be here to bring you live results and commentary for UFC 100. The card will feature Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir, Georges St. Pierre vs. Thiago Alves and Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping . The live blog will start with the beginning of the PPV broadcast (10pm ET) so make sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event.

As always we have our one rule: NO SPOILERS! In the interest of not ruining anything from the undercard that may make the broadcast we ask that you do not discuss the results of the undercard in the comments until either the broadcast ends or the fight makes the air. With this card any violation of this rule will result in a ban.

So again, join us for the show and share your thoughts as the event unfolds.

See the rest of our UFC 100 coverage while we're waiting for fight time.

UFC 100 Fan Expo Interviews: Royce Gracie and Tito Ortiz

2009-07-11T13:31:41Z

Tito Ortiz is in Las Vegas but not allowed to promote himself or Punishment Athletics at the Expo according to Cagewriter.com

Lots more after the jump.

UFC Fan Expo

The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 Cast Reveal

UFC 100 Fight Club Q&A

Dana White Answers Fan's Questions at UFC Fan Expo

Nick Diaz
Cub Swanson

Uriah Faber

Ricardo Liborio

Seth Petruzelli

TapouT

Cheick Kongo vs. Quinton Rampage

TUF 10 - Zac Jensen

TUF 10 - Demico Rogers

TUF 10 - Roy Nelson

TUF 10 - Wes Sims

Dan Hardy

UFC's Stalinist View of MMA History Erases Frank Shamrock

2009-07-11T13:19:28Z

Sherdog documents the atrocities:

The UFC’s first middleweight champ and arguably its biggest star in the late 90s, Shamrock never lost a fight in the Octagon. However, the UFC excluded all of his bouts from fan voting -- even his epic scrap against Tito Ortiz in September 1999 at UFC 24.

In short, Shamrock-Ortiz was one of the UFC’s earliest title bouts that felt like a top championship boxing match, given the buildup and drama that made Shamrock’s fourth-round TKO his finest -- and final -- performance in the Octagon. Giving up more than 20 pounds after the weigh-in, Shamrock calmly and tactically dissected Ortiz in what stands as a masterpiece of strategy, along with a heady dose of down-and-dirty know-how.

Sadly, the bout won’t be featured on the UFC’s countdown that has been airing on Spike TV.

"I thought it was a pivotal fight (in MMA)," Shamrock told Sherdog.com. "Physically and mentally, it was a pivotal fight in the history of the sport itself. It’s obviously pretty ridiculous and childish they left it out. That’s obvious. I was the first-ever champion, and Tito was the first guy in a weight class to work his way up. In my opinion, it was the first real legitimate build-up to a championship fight. It was a real story."

I've blogged about this before and my Frank Shamrock obsession is well documented -- in fact the third post ever on BloodyElbow was me bagging on Frank for tarnishing his legacy.. And we certainly included Frank Shamrock vs Tito Ortiz in our USA TODAY/Bloody Elbow top 50 mma fights in history series. We also included his win over Olympic gold medalist Kevin Jackson on our list -- pictured above.

The decision to attempt to erase the second great champion of the UFC (after Royce Gracie) from the official history of the promotion is the kind of thing I'd expect from $kala Shaw, not from people who fancy themselves the caretakers of the sport.

Poll

Should the UFC acknowledge the accomplishments of Frank Shamrock?

Thiago Alves's UFC 100 Vlog: Episode 1

2009-07-11T13:05:30Z

Rumor: Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal vs. Don Frye at M-1 Global event, Aug. 28th.

2009-07-11T12:33:56Z

Yeah, you didn't read that wrong. You're favorite American firefighter/advice columnist has been confirmed by MMAMadness as to taking a fight that is a very bad idea. Frye (20-7-1-1) is 43 years old, and he hasn't fought anyone with close to the caliber of wrestling that Lawal possesses since maybe Mark Coleman back in 2003:

MMAMadness can confirm that Muhahmmed "King Mo" Lawal will be fighting Don "The Predator" Frye at an M-1 Global event taking place August 28, according to a source close to the event.

Lawal—a Division I All-American wrestler out of Oklahoma State is currently undefeated riding a four fight winning streak. Nicknamed "King Mo"—Lawal made his MMA debut in September 2008 and has assembled three straight TKO victories over Travis Wiuff, Fabio Silva and Yukio Yaito. His latest victory was a unanimous decision win over Ryo Kawamura at Sengoku 7.

Now, this could potentially be a rumor, but MMAMadness has been pretty good about scooping some stories in the past. It's interesting as to why M-1 Global is throwing down the cash for this matchup, and it's even more interesting to see them work with Sengoku on the loaning of some fighters. In any case, Sengoku probably figured Frye wasn't a threat, and he really isn't. It should be a nice one-sided fight, but I love Don Frye so much for telling young men everywhere to never get married.

UFC 100 Predictions: Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir

2009-07-11T00:08:38Z

UFC 100: JULY 11, 2009
venue: Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada

Main Card Bouts:

Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar

Luke Thomas: I've never picked Lesnar to win insofar as his UFC experience is concerned, so clearly I've have hang ups about him. My issue with this fight is that folks assume Mir is a static character. Clearly Lesnar has improved, but they freeze Mir in time. I think the same dynamic plays out here, just over a longer haul. Lesnar's got fight ending power and I worry about it, but Mir has his number. Mir by submission.

Kid Nate: After two weeks of watching old fights to prepare for this, I'm giving Frank Mir more of a chance than I originally thought I would. But a small chance isn't that much better than no chance. Lesnar by assault and battery.

Brent Brookhouse: I'm totally confident in this pick. Lesnar is massively improved since the first fight, and he was crushing Mir prior to the questionable stand-up and point deduction. Mir has improved his striking somewhat but I don't think it's nearly as good as some after the Nogueira battering. Brock has this in the bag. Lesnar by TKO, round 2.

Michael Rome: This is such a hard fight to call. Both guys have the ability to end it almost instantly, but the odds have to be in favor of Brock landing it first. The right strategy for Lesnar is to bull Mir against the fence, drive knees into his midsection, and move into the thai clinch to punish him with knees. There's no reason to engage in an outside range kickboxing match. If he fights smart, he will win. I think he will, but I'm not all that confident about this pick. Lesnar via TKO, round 1.

Mike Fagan: Frank Mir can talk as much smack as he wants. The truth is that the only place he will have an advantage is on the floor - and unless he can get on top, that advantage isn't as wide as he'd like to think. The fight boils down to this: if Mir can't get this to the ground (which he will have almost no control over), eventually Lesnar's going to crack him. Hard. And Mustachio won't be around this time. Brock Lesnar by TKO, round 1.

Chris Nelson: Mir's win over a busted-up, staph-infected Nog isn't as impressive to me as it seems to be to some others. Lesnar is going to finish what he started the first time. Lesnar via TKO, round 1.

Eugene Schelfaut: I'm hoping Lesnar does not go off of instinct and take this fight to the ground at any point and give Mir the opportunity to chain submissions. Brock ends this standing, despite Mir's more diverse arsenal. Brock Lesnar by KO, Round 3.

Leland Roling: Lesnar's behemoth size and strength will likely be the deciding factor in this fight. Mir won't want to stand with such a lengthy reach in Lesnar, but I fear he'll try to remain quick-footed on the outside and pepper Lesnar. That's a bad idea because I think Mir is highly underestimating how quick Lesnar actually is for a heavyweight. Look for Lesnar to punish Mir early. Brock Lesnar via TKO, Round 1.

Nick Thomas: Lesnar has a huge reach advantage and will drop Mir once again. Lesnar by TKO.

Georges St. Pierre vs. Thiago Alves

Luke Thomas: Alves doesn't have nearly the takedown defense nor guard recapturing or pass prevention skills folks seem to suggest he does. GSP by being too much in too many places too often. GSP by TKO, round 3.

Kid Nate: I just don't see Alves having the ring savvy to stop GSP's attacks. I also don't see Alves overpowering GSP the way he did Koscheck, Parisyan and Hughes. Maybe Thiago Alves is another Matt Serra, but I just don't see it. Georges St Pierre by TKO.

Brent Brookhouse: Alves has some overrated striking (not a shot at him...just a fact) but he has a legit shot to win. That being said GSP is better at gameplanning and fights smart and with a more diverse attack and many more ways to win this fight. Watch GSP pick Alves apart with body shots and finish him on the ground early in the 3rd. Georges St. Pierre by TKO, round 3.

Michael Rome: This is one of those examples where one fighter is clearly better than the other, but the worse fighter has a decent chance of winning for stylistic reasons alone. If you had to design a fighter to fight St. Pierre at 170, it would be Alves. Even then, it's not enough. I think St. Pierre will stay at range with his jab and left high kick, frustrating Alves and forcing him to rush forward, at which point St. Pierre will take him down and crush him. Georges St. Pierre via TKO, round 2.

Mike Fagan: I think Alves can get away throwing his leg kicks, and I think he's going to need to in order to have success. If he damage GSP's legs, I think he can control the fight in rounds 3-5. Still, I think GSP builds off what he did in the Serra, Fitch, and Penn fights. Control the fights, wear out Alves, and take the fight by attrition. Georges St. Pierre by TKO, round 3.

Chris Nelson: Upset special. As much as I've enjoyed watching GSP's post-Serra romp of the past few years, I'm not convinced of his invincibility. Alves' striking may be his only chance here, but I think he'll be able to put it on the champ after a round or two of warming up and shock the world. Alves via TKO, round 3.

Eugene Schelfaut: Perhaps the fact that Jon Fitch is on the card is making me feel like this fight will turn out in the same fashion. If Alves is able to stuff a takedown early, that confidence is something he can build off of. St. Pierre will maul from top position, but my official pick for the ages is Alves to make it interesting. Thiago Alves by KO, Round 3.

Leland Roling: This is a fight that I'm looking forward to immensely. I've ridden the Thiago Alves bandwagon for quite some time, but this matchup brings up some huge questions in Alves' ground game. He obviously has the explosive standup skills to punish GSP, but I fear that GSP's controlling wrestling on the floor could spell disaster after just one takedown for Alves. Georges St. Pierre via TKO, Round 3.

Nick Thomas: Alves + leg kicks = GSP takedowns. GSP just needs to survive the first round and from there take Alves into the later rounds where Alves hasn't been tested. St. Pierre by TKO.

Jon Fitch vs. Paulo Thiago

Luke Thomas: Short of Fitch forgetting how to fight, he simply has too many tools to win this. Fitch by decision.

Kid Nate: I saw nothing from Thiago that impressed me in the Koscheck fight until the very last seconds. Fitch doesn't make the kind of impetuous sloppy mistakes his teammate does. Fitch will put a beating on Thiago. Fitch by TKO.

Brent Brookhouse: A guy with a proven track record against UFC level competition? Or a guy who landed what can at best be called a "lucky punch" after getting busted up on the feet by Koscheck? I'm not totally discounting Paulo, but I don't see him being able to pull off a miracle over Fitch here. Fitch by lopsided decision.

Michael Rome: I think Fitch will do the usual Fitch thing. He will dominate with wrestling and take the decision. The real question for me is to see if Fitch can show any reason to believe he can eventually compete with St. Pierre. If he can't finish Thiago, it will say a lot. Fitch via decision.

Mike Fagan: I don't want to see Fitch delegated to the prelims, but...I really don't care to see this fight. Koscheck owned Thiago right up until the uppercut, and I don't see how the bigger, stronger, better Fitch doesn't steamroll him. Jon Fitch by TKO, round 1.

Chris Nelson: Terrible matchup for Thiago, who almost certainly just topped out with his win over Koscheck. Not to say the Brazilian has no future with the Company, but Fitch is not a desirable opponent at this point in time. Revenge will be AKA's, and Fitch goes back to guarding the top of the ladder. Fitch via TKO, round 1.

Eugene Schelfaut: Fitch will, unlike Josh Koscheck, play to his strengths and be able to control the fight on the mat, where Paulo usually wins. This could go all the way, but I have faith enough in Fitch that I see him ending it early. Jon Fitch by TKO, Round 2.

Leland Roling: Fitch won't stupidly headhunt for a spectacular KO against Paulo Thiago, so I imagine we'll see vintage Jon Fitch using his wrestling or peppering Thiago with shots from the outside. In any case, Fitch should win this one. Fitch via TKO, Round 2.

Nick Thomas: Fitch with the reach advantage will win this standing and sprinkle in a little ground and pound. Fitch by decision.

Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping

Luke Thomas: As much as it pains me to say this, Bisping might actually be a terrible match-up. He can stuff takedowns more than he's given credit and the jab pumping, angle and corner turning style is kryptonite for a Henderson who bites on the mouth piece and throws the overhand. I love Henderson, but I get a really bad feeling about this one. Bisping by split decision.

Kid Nate: I think Decision Dan has some bad karma coming his way from the king of the point fighting pitty-pat artists. Bisping will dance and stick and move and dance some more and Dan will be too busy head hunting with the big right hand to get the takedowns he needs to win. We'll see how fast Bisping's bicycle is against Anderson Silva. Bisping by decision.

Brent Brookhouse: Since the fight was announced I've been saying this is a fight Bisping will win. I don't buy into Nate's "point fighting" definition for Bisping in any way. The trick to the fight is Henderson's weaker performances at 185 and the fact that he can be picked apart by smart boxing. Yes, Bisping will "point fight" but it's because Henderson is tough to finish and it's smarter than going into full engagement mode with a guy who is looking to headhunt. Bisping by decision.

Michael Rome: I think it's always worth noting that Dan is always sluggish at 185 compared to how he looks at 205. I expect a very close decision that will be decided in the final minutes. At that point, I just have to think Dan's wrestling is the kind of thing that steals points. I'm going with Dan Henderson via decision, but I think this is a 51/49 fight and the odds on Bisping make for a nice play for the gamblers among you.

Mike Fagan: I think Dan's in for a tougher test than people think. I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see him grind out a fifteen minute wrestling decision. However, Bisping is very good at getting back to his feet, like a mini-Chuck Liddell without the power. I don't agree with his proclamation that Dan won't get him down, but I do think he'll have enough time on the feet to outpoint Henderson. Michael Bisping by decision.

Chris Nelson: So long as Hendo doesn't fall too much in love with his right hand and keeps this fight where it should be (with him on top), I don't see many ways for Bisping to keep loss number two off of his record here. I'd like to make a more thrilling pick, but... Henderson via decision.

Eugene Schelfaut: Bisping wins a point battle with his comparative quickness and ability to control the striking exchanges. The times the fight is on the ground, Henderson will not take advantage of his top position and Bisping will stall or scramble. Michael Bisping by unanimous decision.

Leland Roling: I can't pick Bisping. Henderson is one-dimensional in that he basically uses wrestling as a way to keep his right hand in the fight, but I have a feeling he's going to use his iron chin to move in on Bisping and make it a punishing evening against the cage or on the floor. Henderson isn't a guy you can run from for a majority of the fight because he will eventually change the way he's doing things to win. Oh, and I want to root against Bisping. Dan Henderson via decision.

Nick Thomas: Bisping's first true test. Henderson is going to bring it to Bisping and dominate in the clinch. Henderson by decision.

Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher

Luke Thomas: I just don't yet know what to make of Belcher. His wrestling is very mediocre which is enough of an opening for Akiyama to reposition the fight. Can Akiyama do much from there? I'm not so sure. I also can't get the Jason Day fight out of my head. Akiyama by decision.

Kid Nate: Akiyama is too small for the UFC middleweight division. He doesn't have the reach to connect with power shots on Belcher. I hope I'm wrong. Belcher by TKO.

Brent Brookhouse: Akiyama is fun and all, but he's not as good as the "sexy" hype has made it seem. Belcher is one of the most live dogs around. Belcher by TKO, round 2.

Michael Rome: Size is a huge factor here. Akiyama has to get this to the ground or I think he gets knocked out. I'm not convinced Akiyama ever recovered, I'm going with Belcher via KO.

Mike Fagan: I think Belcher's getting slept on a bit here (hint: look at the size of Akiyama vs. Belcher and other 185ers), but how can I pick against the Sexy One? Yoshihiro Akiyama by fifteen minutes of sexy.

Chris Nelson: Belcher certainly isn't an absurd upset pick, but even with a size advantage, Akiyama's power and judo acumen will just be too much for "The Talent" to overcome. Akiyama via TKO, round 1.

Eugene Schelfaut: Akiyama will use his Judo to bring the fight where he wants it. I'll make my sexy jokes later. Yoshihiro Akiyama by Submission, Round 3.

Leland Roling: I will ride the Japanese import bandwagon to my grave. Akiyama's strength is highly underrated, and his judo could easily get him into some positions in this fight in which Belcher could be in some huge danger. Yoshihiro "Sexyama" Akiyama via submission.

Nick Thomas: Such a great fight here; I'm a little scared because Japanese fighters coming over to the UFC don't always do so well in their debut fight. But I'm still going with Sexyama. I think his Judo will be the winning factor. Akiyama by submission.

UFC 100 coverage

Preliminary Bouts:

Mark Coleman vs. Stephan Bonnar

Luke Thomas: I'd be shocked is anything other than a complete beating is handed down by Bonnar. Bonnar by TKO, round 2.

Kid Nate: Coleman has the perfect skill set to get a decision over Bonnar. I just don't think he can do it at his age. I expect Coleman to gas again after one round of ground and pound and Bonnar will score enough on the feet in the next two rounds to win. Bonnar by decision.

Brent Brookhouse: Bonnar's ground game is severely underrated, I don't think even if he could get takedowns that it would mean a win for Coleman. Bonnar by TKO, round 2.

Michael Rome: We're hearing yet again that this time Coleman really trained and is in great shape. May be true, but I won't believe it until I see it. I feel like an upset is possible, but there's no way I can pick against Bonnar in this fight. Stephan Bonnar via submission.

Mike Fagan: There's something nagging me about this fight, but it's hard to pick against a guy on the wrong side of 40 who hasn't won a significant bout in years. I think Bonnar just takes this by being younger and in better shape. Stephan Bonnar by submission, round 2.

Chris Nelson: Weird fight. I understand why it was made, and yet... why? Bonnar via sad decision.

Eugene Schelfaut: Out of the two, Bonnar seems like he actually still wants to fight. Stephan Bonnar by TKO, Round 3.

Leland Roling: After watching some of Coleman's training video, I fear he's going to once again gas out and be sluggish. Bonnar has more of a chance of producing a second wind as evident in his Jon Jones fight in the later rounds, and I think Bonnar might be able to squeak out a decision here. Stephan Bonnar via decision.

Nick Thomas: Coleman fought at UFC 10; this is Bonnar's fight to lose. Bonnar by decision.

Mac Danzig vs. Jim Miller

Luke Thomas: Danizg picked up wrestling in MMA. More than any other fight, I look to the loss Danzig has against Clay French. Guida is too tough and trying to fight the takedown against him is futile, but Danzig still lost to French. Miller can use much of the same head and hip control French used en route to a decision. Miller by decision.

Kid Nate: Danzig might have more polish standing, but Miller has more power. In the jiu jitsu phase of the game, Danzig probably has better technique, but Miller seems to play a more balls out submission game. That leaves wrestling where Miller will have a definitive advantage. Miller by submission following a beatdown.

Brent Brookhouse: I was pimping Miller before he was brought to the UFC but I actually like Danzig here. Miller can be drawn into striking exchanges and I think that allows Danzig to cut him up en route to a decision win. Mac Danzig by TKO, round 1.

Michael Rome: Really tough fight for Danzig. I feel like Miller will take him down and grind this out, which is a tough break for Mac, since he badly needs a win. Jim Miller via decision.

Mike Fagan: There aren't any easy fights at 155 and Danzig's dangerously close to being a former TUF winner without a job. I think we see a fight similar to the Neer and Guida fights. Jim Miller by decision.

Chris Nelson: Miller is still amongst the cream of the UFC lightweight crop, and there's no shame in losing a decision to a future champ (and bad style matchup) like Gray Maynard. Look for him to get back on track here with power takedowns and a slick submission. Miller via submission, round 1.

Eugene Schelfaut: A scramble-filled fight I believe Miller will get the best of, at least for 2 rounds. I don't see a finish and any damage Danzig may be able to do on his feet will be outweighed by Miller's control off of it. Jim Miller by unanimous decision.

Leland Roling: Danzig needs to drop to the 145 pound division in the WEC. Miller is such a scrappy fighter, and his boxing, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling are all formidable pieces in his skill set. Miller could potentially push the pace for 15 minutes here. Jim Miller via decision.

Nick Thomas: Danzig is going to lose the same way he lost to Clay Guida in this fight. Miller by decision.

Jon Jones vs. Jake O'Brien

Luke Thomas: O'Brien is easy to gameplan around, which for a guy with versatile athleticism like Jones is just a terrible match-up. Jones by TKO, round 1.

Kid Nate: As much as I love Jon Jones' style, he's shown some real holes in his game. O'Brien is a free-style wrestler with an amateur pedigree that out classes Jones'. Jones is also a Greco-Roman wrestler and while some believe that style is better suited for MMA, it's also a much shallower talent pool. I think O'Brien's size and conditioning will allow him to lay and pray on Jones. I hope I'm wrong. O'Brien by decision.

Brent Brookhouse: You know what? I'm with Nate here. I like Jones, he is a blast to watch and all that, but I honestly think he is going to get beat here. Mostly because I think O'Brien can just force some takedowns in each round and get a blah decision. Jones probably has the more functional wrestling honestly, but I'm going with O'Brien on a gut pick. Jake O'Brien by decision.

Michael Rome: I think Jake is cutting too much weight to make 205, his wrestling isn't impressing me all that much thus far and I don't think he'll get Jones down once in this fight. O'Brien is a nice play as a bet, but Jones is a near-lock for me. O'Brien has been picked so many times to lay and pray his way to victory since he beat Heath Herring, I think it will fail him again. Jones knows exactly what Jake will do, Jake has no idea whatsoever what Jones will do. Jones via decision.

Mike Fagan: Another fight where I think the 'dog is getting slept on a bit. Jones has some serious questions with his cardio and standup that may come to haunt him if he doesn't shore them up. That said, Jones has enough positives that he's the legitimate favorite here. Jon Jones by decision.

Chris Nelson: I could actually see O'Brien's comments about being the worst possible matchup for Jones proving true, but they're predicated on him wading through Jones' absurd and ever-evolving striking arsenal and laying on him. The former heavyweight will test "Bones," though, and that's a good thing for the young gun right now. Jones via decision.

Eugene Schelfaut: Jones' cardio will be a factor in the later in the fight if he finds himself underneath O'Brien, but I don't seem him there. Jon Jones by KO, Round 2.

Leland Roling: While I think Jake O'Brien could potentially lay 'n' pray his way to a win, Jon Jones might actually surprise O'Brien with some explosiveness. I'll bank on that explosiveness to put Jones on top. Jon Jones via TKO, Round 2.

Nick Thomas: Jones is pure awesome. He needs to be on a main card ASAP. Jones by TKO.

Dong-Hyun Kim vs. T.J. Grant

Luke Thomas: Kim is actually a KO artist, not much of a transition grappler. Grant is a stiflling, controlling wrestler. I think this favors the Canadian. Grant by decision.

Kid Nate: Grant really impressed me in his win over a very tough Ryo Chonan. He's got good wrestling and submission skills. Kim has good judo and submission skills. Interesting clash of styles. Kim's conditioning has been questionable in the past as has his power. I'm taking the upset. Grant by decision.

Brent Brookhouse: T.J. Grant is REALLY damn good. Kim is fun to watch but he can get beat up a little bit. If Grant can push on him and wear him down in the first round he could take the second and third round. I'm going to go with the upset based on Grant being a grinding wrestler in the fight and wearing Kim out. T.J. Grant by decision.

Michael Rome: Kim is going to be too much for Grant, who is an exciting fighter but doesn't have the polish at this point. He's like a welterweight Jeremy Stephens. Kim via TKO.

Mike Fagan: Grant narrowly escaped with a win over Ryo Chonan, and Kim's gonna have a fairly significant size advantage over him. Dong-Hyun Kim by decision.

Chris Nelson: My pick for Fight of the Night on a card filled with candidates for that award. Grant impressed many with his hard-fought win over Ryo Chonan, while the "Stun Gun" hasn't been all that stunning in his UFC run to date. But from all reports, Kim's stamina problems are in the past, and I'm hoping to see flashes of his old striking power before he finishes this off on the mat. Kim via submission, round 2.

Eugene Schelfaut: I'm a big fan of the Stun Gun. I have no feelings toward T.J. Grant. Kim will control from top position until he is pulled off. Dong-Hyun Kim by TKO, Round 2.

Leland Roling: The Donger is one of the tougher Japanese imports in the UFC. Hopefully, his conditioning can hold up against Grant, but this is a pure pick'em in my mind. Grant isn't someone to sleep on. Dong-Hyun Kim via decision.

Nick Thomas: Upset of the Night #1 - Grant is going to surprise everybody once more and will be too aggressive. Plus he's a fellow canuck so I can't pick against him. TJ Grant by submission.

C.B. Dollaway vs. Tom Lawlor

Luke Thomas: There's basically nothing Lawlor does that Dollaway doesn't already do better. Dollaway by submission.

Kid Nate: Dollaway is the better wrestler and is more well rounded than Lawlor. Dollaway by TKO.

Brent Brookhouse: Dollaway had a bad run of luck against one guy, he is still a real prospect for the future. C.B. Dollaway by TKO, round 1.

Michael Rome: Dollaway via TKO.

Mike Fagan: Unless Lawlor learns a killer armbar, this is Dollaway's fight to lose. C.B. Dollaway by TKO, round 2.

Chris Nelson: Dollaway's skillset still looks pretty one-dimensional to me, but I don't know that fellow TUF alum Lawlor has the chops to expose him (further). I see C.B. putting "The Dirty Mauler" on his back for a taste of his own nickname medicine. Dollaway via TKO, round 1.

Eugene Schelfaut: Dollaway is better on the ground. That is where this fight will take place. C.B. Dollaway by Submission, Round 2.

Leland Roling: Lawlor will have some size advantage here dropping down, but Dollaway is the better fighter. C.B. Dollaway by TKO.

Nick Thomas: Dollaway has more experience and I believe he is still underestimated by most. Dollaway by TKO.

Matt Grice vs. Shannon Gugerty

Luke Thomas: Tough call. Grice is the better athlete and for sure will win any takedown battle, but the rangy lanky Gugerty spells trouble. Against both Black and Etim, Grice had no answer for triangle choke attempts. Gugerty should be able to hang on to get the win through an early Grice storm. Gugerty by submission, round 2.

Kid Nate: Matt Grice is a sleeper. He's been involved in some real wars that few have seen -- his epic bout with Jason Black comes to mind. He's also lost a couple that in my mind he should have won -- Terry Etim and Matt Veach. For all his talent, power and wrestling skill, he's shown that he's prone to making mistakes both standing and on the ground. Gugerty's submission skills give him a big edge over Grice on the ground, but I'm hoping that Grice can pull it out and stay in the UFC. Grice by decision.

Brent Brookhouse: Matt Grice deserves a win. Soooo... Matt Grice by karma.

Michael Rome: I really like watching Grice, I have no idea how this will turn out, but I'm going with Grice via decision.

Mike Fagan: I hate picking these coinflip 155 fights. I'll go with Gugerty who has a slightly cooler name. Shannon Gugerty by decision.

Chris Nelson: This one ends with a first round TKO, or it's going the distance. Either way, Grice outwrestles Gugerty and comes out with the win he might have had against Matt Veach back in February. Grice via decision.

Eugene Schelfaut: I could go either way. I will go with Grice. Matt Grice by unanimous decision.

Leland Roling: I think Gugerty has an overall better skill set in terms of jiu-jitsu and boxing. I think his reach will be a factor, and he can outgrapple Grice on the floor. Shannon Gugerty via decision.

Nick Thomas: Upset of the Night #2 - I'm going to go with the taller Gugerty. I think he's matured a lot in his loss to Spencer Fisher. At some point this fight will end up on the ground and that's where Gugerty wins this. Gugerty by submission.

UFC 100 Preview: Brock Lesnar Much Happier in the UFC Than He Was as a Wrestler

2009-07-11T00:59:51Z

UFC 100 Weigh-in Results

2009-07-10T13:51:32Z

All fighters make weight for UFC 100: (pictures & video)

Brock Lesnar (265) vs. Frank Mir (245)
Georges St. Pierre (170) vs. Thiago Alves (170)
Jon Fitch (170) vs. Paulo Thiago (170)
Dan Henderson (185) vs. Michael Bisping (186)
Yoshihiro Akiyama (185) vs. Alan Belcher (186)
Mark Coleman (205) vs. Stephan Bonnar (205)
Mac Danzig (154) vs. Jim Miller (155)
Jon Jones (206) vs. Jake O'Brien (206)
Dong Hyun Kim (171) vs. T.J. Grant (170)
CB Dollaway (186) vs. Tom Lawlor (184)
Matt Grice (155) vs. Shannon Gugerty (156)

Make sure you join us here at BloodyElbow.com tomorrow night for live play-by-play, commentary and discussion of UFC 100 beginning at 10PM EST.

UFC 100 coverage

photos via ufc.com.

Fighters weigh-in on who they think will win the UFC 100 main event [2:10 min mark] Georges...

2009-07-10T21:35:11Z

Fighters weigh-in on who they think will win the UFC 100 main event [2:10 min mark]

Georges St. Pierre shows off a couple of maneuvers he can use against Thiago Alves at UFC 100. [0.50 second mark]

HT: MMAConnected

UFC 100: Can Brock Lesnar Handle the Media Heat?

2009-07-10T19:57:26Z

Steve Cofield breaks it down:

Brock Lesnar is one of kind in the mixed martial arts world. While 99-percent of the fighters are easily accessible and an open book, Lesnar is a little closer to what we're used to when covering major sports like the NFL, NBA and MLB. He's really only available during the lead-up to his fights and he's one of the only fighters who brings along his own PR/security staff to media sessions.

Yahoo! Sports Dan Wetzel pounded away at Lesnar with a "who does this guy think he is" approach:

Afterward White shook his head in disbelief at the scene, "the guy’s trying to leave the UFC 100 press conference?" Two other times during the hour-long session, White had to talk to Lesnar about not leaving Mandalay Bay early. Lesnar had decided he was too good to continue promoting an event that will earn him an estimated $3 million.

Wetzel was rubbed the wrong way by the Lesnar entourage the day before:

On Wednesday, he was surrounded by lawyers and agents that take themselves way too seriously. He got shuffled about in a self-important manner that runs counter to the down-to-earth style of every other star in mixed martial arts. Everything around him seemed stressed.

Let's say it straight out, Lesnar doesn't like doing the media stuff. He's a no nonsense guy who gets annoyed by many of the canned answer questions we're often obligated to throw his way. But I'll defend him, He adds a different element. It's real. Which means the possibility of a great quote is a lot higher than the guy that Wetzel props up in his column, Georges St. Pierre. GSP is a great guy but he's become incredibly programmed and withdrawn. ... I prefer the Lesnar-types who may explode on an opponent or a media member, any day of the week.

I have to take a split the difference approach here. While I sympathize with Wetzel's desire to have a polite, professional relationship with the fighters as he does his job, I also sympathize with Lesnar who is obviously nervous and frightened by the press.

However, Lesnar reminds me of no one so much as Axl Rose of Guns N Roses. Those of you old enough to remember Axl's hey dey will recall that the mercurial star constantly had blowups with reporters, fans, other musicians and his bandmates.

That sort of intensity helped make Rose one of the most compelling figures in pop culture for about five years, but it also dramatically shortened his career by sending him into a decade long self-imposed seclusion.

I hope Lesnar can learn to take some deep breaths because if he wins this fight, the media glare is only going to become more relentless.

Photo by Las Vegas Sun

UFC 100 coverage

Gambling Spotlight: UFC 100

2009-07-10T17:35:53Z

So you've got all your friends coming over tomorrow night. The pizza's on the way and the fridge is stocked with your favorite Zuffa-friendly beverages (and you have the forthcoming drinking game printed out for everyone). You've read all the coverage on Bloody Elbow, but something's missing. Oh yeah, you want to put some money on the fights and curse all your favorite Greek gods when Randy Couture hits Brock Lesnar with a steel chair while the referee lays unconscious from a very unsatisfyingly weak bump screwing you out of tens of dollars.

Well, I'm here to help facilitate those degenerate tendencies. So, here we go.

Brock Lesnar UFC HW Champ #5 Heavyweight	vs.	Frank Mir UFC Interim HW Champ #3 Heavyweight
-235 (5DIMES)	Best Line	+215 (5DIMES)
31	Age	30
6'3"	Height	6'3"
3 - 1 - 0	Record	12 - 3 - 0
1 / 1	TKO / SUB	2 / 7
Minnesota Martial Arts Academy	Camp	Striking Unlimited
W - Couture (TKO) W - Herring (UD) L - Mir (SUB)	Last Three	W - Nogueira (TKO) W - Lesnar (SUB) W - Hardonk (SUB)

Thanks go out to Frank Mir (for pulling out) and the bookies (for pulling the line). I really appreciate not having Brock Lesnar at -150 right now.

It was just over a year ago that a 1-0 pro wrestler turned NFL wannabe turned MMA fighter entered his debut UFC fight as a 60/40 favorite against a former UFC champion. Ninety seconds later, Lesnar watched Mir's hand raised, the result of a dubious referee decision and his own rookie mistake.

Flash forward to today: Lesnar dominated a durable Heath Herring for fifteen minutes and took the linear title from the returning Randy Couture. Mir used the Lesnar victory to springboard into an interim title when he beat MMA legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92.

Mir and his camp have been making lots of dubious claims leading up to the fight. Mir and striking coach Ken Hahn suggested that Lesnar's best path to victory involves rushing Mir Bald Bull style and attempting to overwhelm him early. They've talked about Mir being too technical in all aspects of the game, how he's a better athlete, and how Lesnar might not show up if they give away too much of the gameplan.

Frankly, it all sounds like projection to me. Lesnar knows why he had success against Couture and Herring and why he lost to Mir. Lesnar knows he's not only a better athlete than Mir, but probably the most athletic heavyweight in MMA. And the idea that Lesnar's scared of Mir is laughable.

I'd like to say that Brock keeps this standing (because unless he knocks him down, Mir won't have much control of where the fight takes place), but I'm not sure if he really feels threatened by Frank Mir off his back. Still, Brock will have a pretty nice advantage standing up. He's the more powerful puncher. He's quicker on his feet. He has a disgusting reach for his size.

While others may point to Mir's "improved" striking in the Nogueira fight, I wasn't particularly impressed (with his performance). Nogueira, even without knowing about his staph infection and various injuries, clearly looked out of shape and over his ideal fighting weight of 235. Beating up a guy who already wasn't the most fleetest of feet isn't something to cream your pants over.

Watching the Nogueira fight live and in subsequent viewings, something seemed off with Mir's striking. Upon further examination, Mir throws a lot of arm punches and gets stiff in the legs when he throws. Mir might have enough natural strength in his arms to knockdown the Nogueira shell, but I have a hard time seeing him knockdown a bigger, healthier, and quicker Lesnar. Straightening his legs will only give Lesnar a much easier shot, though Mir doesn't exactly have the greatest takedown defense to begin with.

Mir, and I don't think this is a huge secret, wants to take this fight to the floor, though, I don't think he can afford to sit and work from guard. He needs to work for sweeps and scrambles and try to end up on top. For as often as the "skill defeats strength" axiom gets used in MMA, there's a breaking point where brute strength (and a modicum of instruction) trumps ability. Watch how GSP passes guard in the Penn and Serra II fights. He doesn't used any fancy techniques. He shoves the knee to the floor and steps over into half guard ad nauseum.

The same concept will apply in this fight. Mir can talk all he wants about nullifying Lesnar's strength, about how he can afford to focus on speed and cardio because of it. The fact of the matter is that he has no choice. Unless Mir says his prayers and takes his vitamins, he will never match the strength of a chiseled 285 pound D-I wrestler.

With that in mind, it won't surprise me if Mir grabs an arm or locks on a triangle and subs Lesnar. That's Frank's game, and he does have one of the better guards at this level in MMA. But it also won't surprise me to see Lesnar simply power out of those submissions either. The key for Mir will be the set up. He's going to have to trick Lesnar the same way he did in the first fight with the kneebar. I'm just not sure you can outsmart a guy who's biggest focus in training is avoiding those submissions.

At the time of writing Lesnar's sitting at -220 and I like a bet on it. I think he has value 'til -250 at least, if not higher. I might add on the day of the fight as I have a hunch that we might see a lot of money pour in against the "heel" late.

Georges St. Pierre UFC WW Champ #1 Welterweight	vs.	Thiago Alves #2 Welterweight
-290 (BODOG)	Best Line	+265 (5DIMES)
28	Age	25
5'10"	Height	5'9"
18 - 2 - 0	Record	16 - 3 - 0
8 / 5	TKO / SUB	10 / 1
Jackson's Submission Fighting	Camp	American Top Team
W - Penn (TKO) W - Fitch (UD) W - Serra (TKO)	Last Three	W - Koscheck (UD) W - Hughes (TKO) W - Parisyan (TKO)

I think this fight boils down to one thing: how often does Thiago Alves land a knockdown or staggering blow and capitalize on it?

I think it's fair to say that at this point in St. Pierre's career, he will take you down to the floor if he wants to. That's not to say that you can't stuff a take down here or there, but at some point (and that probably should be plural) during the fight, you will have to fight off your back. Thiago Alves, while definitely improving his takedown defense since his loss to Jon "Terminator" Fitch in 2006, can be taken down and controlled as evidenced in his fight with Matt Hughes.

That skill makes this fight so difficult for Alves. Even when St. Pierre may be content to stand and strike, Alves still has to worry about the takedown threat in the back of his mind. To further handicap Alves, he's going to have to deal with a six inch reach disadvantage. So to land the powerful knockdown blows, he's going to have to get right in range of a takedown.

For the first couple rounds, all Alves should be thinking about is chopping down St. Pierre's legs with kicks. I'll go as far as saying that he should just accept the fact that he'll get taken down and just go to town on the legs. If necessary, I think Georges will just close the distance and clinch, so Alves needs to concentrate on disengaging, keeping distance, and throwing kicks.

IF he can remove St. Pierre's wrestling engine, this fight becomes a lot more interesting as Thiago has the Muay Thai and power to give Georges a lot of problems standing.

Still, I think St. Pierre controls this fight in the clinch and on the floor without too much trouble. I don't like the line on either side right now (-320/+260), though I'd start thinking about Thiago at +275 and better.

Dan Henderson Former Pride WW Champ UFC 17 Winner #4 Middleweight #11 Light Heavyweight	vs.	Michael Bipsing TUF 3 Winner #13 Middleweight
-220 (BODOG)	Best Line	+205 (5DIMES)
38	Age	30
5'11"	Height	6'1"
24 - 7 - 0	Record	17 - 1 - 0
10 / 1	TKO / SUB	11 / 4
Team Quest	Camp	Woflslair MMA
W - Franklin (SD) W - Palhares (UD) L - Silva (SUB)	Last Three	W - Leben (UD) W - Day (TKO) W - McCarthy (TKO)

Henderson and Bisping's fight presents a very interesting style matchup between a guy with Olympic level Greco-Roman wrestling and a guy with a Chuck Liddell-like ability to get off his back. Henderson opened up as a huge favorite (-500 on Bodog) but the gap gradually shrank to its current consensus of -215/+175. That is a spot that I think is pretty efficient.

Even if Dan takes this two out of three times, I don't him running away with the fight bell-to-bell. I expect this to be a very back-and-forth affair with plenty of scrambles throughout.

The biggest problem on Bisping's side is his lack of power combined with the steadiness of Henderson's chin. Without a reliable way of finishing the fight, he's at a major disadvantage with a guy who will be able to grind the fight out in the clinch and on the floor.

That being said, one only has to look at Henderson's fight with Kazuo Misaki as an example of Dan dropping a fight against an opponent he should be able to beat. If Bisping can use his speed and footwork to maintain distance, he'll certainly outpoint the slugging Henderson on the feet.

As I said in the intro, I don't like a play at the current odds. If Bisping pokes back above +200, he's worth a small play. I don't see the Henderson line falling any further, but I'd start considering it at -175 or better.

Yoshihiro Akiyama #12 Middleweight	vs.	Alan Belcher #22 Middleweight
-230 (5DIMES)	Best Line	+205 (BODOG)
33	Age	25
5'10"	Height	6'2"
12 - 1 - 0, 2 NC	Record	14 - 5 - 0
5 / 7	TKO / SUB	7 / 5
Team Cloud	Camp	Remix MMA
W - Tonooka (SUB) W - Shibata (SUB) NC - Misaki	Last Three	W - Kang (SUB) W - Herman (SD) L - Day (TKO)

Sexy aside, I think there's value at Belcher above +200. I don't like the guy one iota, but consider this: Akiyama's 5'10" tall. Most every contender at 185 in the UFC is 6'1" plus (Belcher's 6'2"). Belcher is 5-3 in the Octagon with some quality wins (and some questionable losses as well). Akiyama has beaten legitimate middleweights in Denis Kang and Melvin Manhoef, but it still wouldn't surprise me to see Belcher control the fight with his size. Akiyama's judo and ground game are why he's the favorite, but it really shouldn't be this wide of a spread.

Jon Fitch #3 Welterweight	vs.	Paulo Thiago #10 Welterweight
-430 (5DIMES)	Best Line	+400 (BODOG)
31	Age	28
6'1"	Height	5'11"
18 - 3 - 0, 1 NC	Record	11 - 0 - 0
4 / 5	TKO / SUB	2 / 6
American Kickboxing Academy	Camp	Constrictor Team
W - Gono (UD) L - St. Pierre (UD) W - Wilson (UD)	Last Three	W - Koscheck (TKO) W - Dutra Jr. (TKO) W - Kheder (UD)

I'm gonna keep this one short, but if you can find Fitch under -500, jump on it. This fight inexplicably opened around -350, but I think the true number is much higher than that. For all intents and purposes, Fitch is bigger, stronger, and better than Koscheck who was dominating the fight up until he got KO'd. Even if Thiago catches Fitch with something (he won't), I have a hard time seeing him repeat the Koscheck finish.

Carlos Condit (22-5) vs. Chris Lytle (27-17-5) set for UFC Fight Night 19 according to...

2009-07-10T19:47:41Z

Carlos Condit (22-5) vs. Chris Lytle (27-17-5) set for UFC Fight Night 19 according to MMA.Fanhouse.com.

UFC Fight Night 19 rumored card:
- Nate Diaz vs. Melvin Guillard
- Roger Huerta vs. Gray Maynard
- Tim Credeur vs. Nate Quarry
- Carlos Condit vs. Chris Lytle
- Dan Miller vs. Aaron Simpson
- Sam Stout vs. Kyle Bradley
- Ronnys Torres vs. Jeremy Stephens
- Mike Pyle vs. Chris Wilson
- Ryan Jensen vs. Steve Stienbreiss

The new Ultimate Fighter cast in full: Zak Jenson (11-2) Standout wrestler at Augsburg...

2009-07-10T19:15:27Z

The new Ultimate Fighter cast in full:

Zak Jenson (11-2) Standout wrestler at Augsburg College

Marcus Jones (4-1) Former 1st round NFL draft pick who had a six-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Scott Junk (6-2) Division II All-American football player at Southwest Oklahoma State and fought in UFC 76.

James McSweeney (12-4) Former international kickboxing and Muay Thai champion

John Madsen (3-0) Defeated Brock Lesnar in a high school wrestling match

Matt Mitrione (0-0) Played for New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings

Roy Nelson (14-4) Former IFL Heavyweight Champion

Demico Rogers (4-0) High school football and wrestling star

Brendan Schaub (4-0) Played for Buffalo Bills and Arena Football's Utah Blaze

Darrill Schoonover (10-0) Decorated Army veteran

Wes Shivers (3-1) Former member of the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons

Wes Sims (22-12-1) Fought two heated battles with former UFC champ Frank Mir at UFC 43 and UFC 46

Kimbo Slice (3-1) Former EliteXC heavyweight contender and YouTube sensation

Abe Wagner (6-2) Played linebacker at Michigan Tech and has a degree in mechanical
engineering

Mike Wessel (6-1) UFC veteran and former strength and conditioning coach at University of Arkansas

Justin Wren (10-1) High school All-American wrestler

Fighter breakdown at Sherdog.com

UFC 100 Snapshot of the Day: Georges St Pierre Nursing Injured Elbow Going Into Title Defense Against Thiago Alves?

2009-07-10T17:34:18Z

Photo by Tracy Lee.

CagePotato has more:

Not to alarm any of you Georges St. Pierre fans, but Rush has been looking rather lumpy lately. Though he's made no mention of it in the run up to his UFC 100 fight against Thiago Alves, GSP has been walking around with a cartoonishly swollen elbow — possibly due to bursitis, an inflammation caused by repetitive movement and trauma that may have previously played a role in Marcus Davis's loss to Mike Swick. Will the injury slow down the welterweight champ, or will GSP use that nasty thing as a club to bash Alves's teeth down his throat?

This post from the UG is worth noting as well:

It's bursitis, it's hilarious that with so many f**king elite so called active training members on this forum that you can't recognize a very common injury.

It's not even serious in the context of a title fight. Everyone fights injured, that's minor shit in the grand scheme. The truth is it's not an injury that effects your performance really, not once the adrenaline hits.

All of these guys go through rigorous training camps, that's a simple lump, it really is and it's not in a horrible spot. Once he is warmed up and ready to go it will be a non factor, quit making excuses in advance. GSP will most likely win regardless, but if he loses it's because Alves is a better fighter.

HT MMAMania.com and BE member pr0cs.

UFC 100 coverage

UFC 100 Preview: Brock Lesnar Proves That Size Does Matter

2009-07-10T15:29:39Z

UFC 100's climactic finish on Saturday night will feature a rematch between former WWE superstar professional wrestler and current UFC Heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and former UFC Heavyweight champion and current interim UFC Heavyweight champion Frank Mir. It promises to be a true clash of technique vs. strength. In their first match at UFC 81 in February of 2008, Lesnar had only one professional MMA bout under his belt, a win over Min-Soo Kim at K-1 Dynamite! USA in June of 2007. Lesnar's lack of experience was the main focus of Mir's gameplan in their first bout, and he subsequently submitted Lesnar via kneebar in the first round of the fight.

Today, things have completely changed. Mir went on to coach on The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 against PRIDE veteran Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. The coaches' bout after the show gave Mir a shot at Nogueira's UFC Interim Heavyweight title (created due to Randy Couture's holdout from the UFC). Mir TKO'd Nogueira in the second round of the bout at UFC 92, winning the belt and convincing many that he was the true champion of the division.

Unfortunately for Mir, fortune smiled on Lesnar. After a dominating performance against Heath Herring at UFC 87, Lesnar was given the opportunity to fight a returning Randy Couture for the UFC Heavyweight title. On November 15th, 2008, Lesnar vs. Couture took place at UFC 91 with Lesnar defeating Couture via TKO in the second round after Lesnar landed a right that downed Couture. Couture worked a solid gameplan of using his Greco-Roman wrestling and clinch work to wear down Lesnar, but Couture later stated that Lesnar's reach was such a huge factor in the fight because it makes his punches almost impossible to avoid. The win set up the unification bout between Mir and Lesnar.

We're now back to the same question that was seemingly answered in the first bout between Mir and Lesnar. Does Brock Lesnar have the submission defense and experience to avoid Mir's strengths? Interestingly enough, UFC 87 saw some changes in Brock Lesnar's training regiment as he brought in seven-time BJJ world champion and ADCC veteran Rodrigo "Comprido" Medeiros to help him with his submission defense. Medeiros will also help add some submission skills to Lesnar's game, which could become a huge asset considering his overall strength.

With a couple of fights under his belt following his defeat at the hands of Frank Mir and the added trainers to help him improve his MMA skill set, can Brock Lesnar truly defeat a fighter who has been training BJJ for years and has suddenly gained a gas tank?

UFC 100 coverage

Mir has stated that his gameplan could revolve around Lesnar's immense size and conditioning. Lesnar's huge physique should suck in a lot more oxygen than your average heavyweight fighter, but he can also end a fight quickly with such huge power. It was evident in the Couture fight that Lesnar was beginning to tire toward the middle of the second round, but he quickly snuffed any hopes that the match could be won by Couture in the later rounds. Couture stated recently that Mir's plan is probably not the best idea considering Lesnar's reach, but Mir could also be driving home a skillful plan of misdirection using the media.

In the end, the bout comes down to whether Lesnar can avoid the submission. If Mir truly thinks he can strike with Lesnar, he's probably going to lose. Standing in a cage for five rounds with a man who has such immense power in his punches isn't good even if Lesnar's stand-up boxing isn't that great. He's eventually going to land a shot that is going to hurt enough to visibly show Lesnar that it's time to crush you.

Mir's best chance is to work the submission game, and to be perfectly honest, the heel hook, ankle lock, or kneebar is the perfect weapon once again. Lesnar's size doesn't exactly work to his advantage when it comes to leg attack submissions. Mir has stated over and over again in the media that bigger heavyweights are slower than him, so why not take full advantage of that by showing Lesnar some submission skills that he isn't expecting. I think it's the only chance he has of winning this fight.

photo via ufc.com

Poll

Who will win?

Dana White's UFC 100 Vlog: Episode 4

2009-07-10T17:04:11Z

UFC 100 Preview: Can Thiago Alves Beat Georges St Pierre and Shock the World?

2009-07-10T14:20:59Z

The exact same question was answered by Matt Serra at UFC 69 in Houston, Texas after winning The Ultimate Fighter season 4 gave him a chance to fight the UFC's welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre. Serra was a heavy underdog in the bout, but his heavy hands managed to catch St. Pierre early in the fight and end it after a quick scramble. Now, Georges St. Pierre is back in the driver seat at the top of the division after avenging his loss to Matt Serra and defeating the best of the best in Josh Koscheck, Jon Fitch, Matt Hughes, and B.J. Penn.

Now, another unique challenger stares in the face of the champion, who looked invincible after dismantling the talent B.J. Penn at UFC 94. Thiago Alves (16-3) came onto the scene back in 2005 with a loss to Spencer Fisher at UFN 2, but he has easily been one of the most improved fighters in the UFC since then. After losing to Jon Fitch at UFN 5 back in June of 2006, Alves went on a tear through the division defeating John Alessio, Tony DeSouza, Kuniyoshi Hironaka, Chris Lytle, Karo Parisyan, Matt Hughes, and Josh Koscheck. Seven straight wins -- including three over some of the most elite fighters in the division -- have certainly more than earned Alves a title shot.

What does Alves offer that past challengers didn't? The one weak spot in Georges St. Pierre's game has always been his chin. After the enormous upset win by Matt Serra over St. Pierre, it sometimes seems that St. Pierre is reluctant to engage in standing exchanges. His game plan has often revolved around putting the best wrestlers in the division on their backs. Against Jon Fitch, an opponent with excellent wrestling, St. Pierre resorted to using quick footwork and peppering shots to punish him before going for the shoot. The thing about his recent string of opponents is that none are really known as threats to get the KO standing.

Some would say B.J. Penn had the best overall chance of putting St. Pierre down with a quick overhand, but St. Pierre perfectly executed a clever game plan by wearing him down with take down attempts before exchanging with a tired Penn. Then GSP put Penn on his back and pounded on him till he broke. Alves is an entirely different beast. Alves truly has a chance to bring the knockout at any given moment in this fight, and his explosiveness coupled with his Muay Thai skills can be a dangerous combination for St. Pierre.

St. Pierre will need to look out for the flying knee if he intends to shoot on Alves, and he'll also need to avoid the heavy, heavy leg kicks by Alves. One of the things that impresses me about Alves' fighting style has been his use of his power in every aspect of his game. He lands huge leg kicks that probably do more damage in less quantity than most fighters can output over the course of a fight. One look at his physique will tell you a story of how easily he can knock someone out with a well-placed punch, but I think his dynamic stand-up skills coupled with that strength are the bigger story.

This match has all the premonitions of a potential upset. Alves is a guy that has the tools to pull it off, but the most interesting question becomes whether Alves can withstand the onslaught that St. Pierre will deliver if St. Pierre manages to put him on his back. St. Pierre has become the absolute best wrestler in MMA by pure determination and work ethic. He has solid technique, the ability to continually put you on your back and keep you there, and punishing ground and pound that even made B.J. Penn quit.

Could one take down by St. Pierre spell disaster for Alves? It's possible, and there in lies the biggest question... who will strike first? Can Alves land the big shot before St. Pierre brings him into his own world? I'm going with St. Pierre in this fight because I believe it's going to be a punishing performance by St. Pierre if Alves gets taken down even once. St. Pierre's control on the floor is astounding, and Alves will be in for a world of hurt if he is put on his back.

In retrospect, I think this might be the best bout on the card for the simple fact that Alves actually has a chance against a champion who looks immortal after crushing B.J. Penn. Alves will want to strike while St. Pierre will probably want to avoid the knockout blow and go to the ground. A classic clash in styles coupled with the lingering questions about St. Pierre's chin and Alves' ground game make this an even more intriguing battle. We should all be looking forward to this one.

photo via ufc.com

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