Hey, guess what? There a UFC this weekend on pay-per-view! And thanks to some uninspired matchmaking – like, “six days in an opium den” uninspired – no one cares. I mean, Matt Hughes is facing BJ Penn again? Why? Did someone lose a bet? Do Hughes and Penn anticipate big credit card bills this Christmas and want some extra cheddar to ease the bank account pain? And you just know that Quinton Jackson really does not care about this whole fighting thing anymore, so you count on Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida being an exercise in man-huggery. But alas, it’s a UFC, and with Strikeforce giving us a Challengers event on Friday with about one compelling bout (Justin Wilcox vs. Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro), and no local MMA to check out, this bland helping of Octagon fare is all we’ve got. So, predictions.
- George Sotiropoulos likes to wear spandex pants covered in a sticky resin, and some say it gives him an edge in grappling (“Help! I’m stuck to this guy’s legs! Ah, he’s choking me!”). Joe Lauzon looks like he should be helping a mad scientist create a monster from the parts dug up from a cemetery. I predict these two to try the hardest. And that counts for something.
- Aaron Simpson and Mark Munoz are well-credentialed wrestlers. When they meet in the cage, expect a lot of hopscotch.
- Phil Davis is another big-time wrestler, and Tim Boetsch once tossed an opponent headfirst into the floor of the Octagon like the dude owed him money. Sadly, we will never see a move that cool again.
- Gerald Harris is facing Brazilian newcomer Maiquel Falcao. “Falcao” means “just some guy” in Portuguese.
- Hughes vs. Penn vs. everyone wondering why this match-up was made vs. everyone that cares.
- I still have not seen “The A-Team” movie. Is it any good?