Observations from My Couch: UFC 117 "Ultimate Heartbreak"

• Roy Nelson is an entertaining dude, but he had nothing for Junior dos Santos.  Senior dos Santos would’ve killed him.
• People always talk about Ricardo Almeida’s jiu-jitsu black belt and accomplishments in the world of submission grappling.  Often overlooked, though, is Matt Hughes’ black belt in wrestling.
• Clay Guida’s hair: so unstoppable, just rubbing it on an opponent’s face elicits a tap out.
• Stefan Struve got a much-needed win on Saturday night.  Against who, I have no idea.  But he got the win.
• Oh boy, I can’t wait for Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves to have another rematch.  There are still so many unanswered questions!
• But for that ultra-last-minute triangle, Chael Sonnen was boldly striding down Champions’ Lane and not stopping for anything.  No one kicks Anderson Silva’s ass like that, and no one can talk so much crap and back it up the way he does.  I would now watch anything – anything – he’s on, including UFC pay-per-views, stints as a coach on TUF, guest commentating gigs for the WEC, paid endorsements for Xyience on late night SpikeTV, and even appearances on daytime soap operas. 
• Silva may still be the champ, but the blueprint is now out there.  His days are numbered.

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Photo by veteran fight photog Keith Mills.
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M-1 Global "Selections" Postscript

After a slow summer, M-1 Global really hit this one out of the ballpark.  The venue, some ballroom in Bally's, was packed, and the crowd went nuts over Andrei Kapylou and every other bout that delivered excitement.  Aaron Meisner looked as deadly as ever, and Tom Gallicchio showed that he's been working on his striking - although once he took a few hard shots to the head all that new stuff went out the window and he just went into his usual slug-the-hell-out-of-you mode.  His rear naked choke finish was MONSTER.  Mike Geurin looked great, too, and can take a beating with the best of them, and Plinio Cruz would've won his fight if not for that point deduction for the groin strike.  Can't wait for the next M-1 installment.