Who's Worthy of Busting Some Heads at the January 25th EliteXC Show in Atlantic City?

EliteXC is coming to the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on January 25th. So, who among the ranks of competitors in the Garden State MMA scene is worthy of busting some heads in one of the biggest promotions outside of the UFC? Who could dethrone 160-pound champ KJ Noons, put a hurting on Murilo Rua, or send Paul Daley back to England with his teeth in a glass of milk? (See MMA Journalist's November 13th post "Who Should Jake Shields Fight?" on who would kick Shield's ass.) Without question, grappling studs Jim Miller and Deividas Taurosevicius would have little trouble tearing off Noons' arm and beating him over the head with it. The same can be said for recent ROC tournament champion Brian McLaughlin - and I'm going to go out on a limb and add Jim Bova and Tim Troxell to that list (although Troxell might be a little light). As for "Ninja" Rua, well, ROC tournament winner Ricardo Romero, slugger Josh Rhodes and wrestler-turned-brawler Tim Boetsch could all pound the crap out of the Brazilian wherever the fight goes. And Daley? That one's a no-brainer: Lyman Good would out-strike and out-grapple the Brit. Mr. Daley would literally have no teeth left after three rounds. Yes, the EliteXC matchmakers should have no trouble finding suitable opponents for their roster of fighters.

Observations from My Couch: TUF 6 Finale

-Despite a far from memorable season, these "Ultimate Fighter" finales can really deliver when it comes to action and excitement. Is there a way we can just skip the boring TUF episodes and go straight to the finales? -Mac Danzig defeated Tommy Speer to become this season's Ultimate Fighter. God, I miss the days when those TUF bouts were even remotely competitive. -Clay Guida is the most talented and skilled Neanderthal to ever set foot in the Octagon. When he learns to use complex tools (such as the speed bag and the double-ended bag), he will be a major threat to the more-evolved UFC fighters. -Roger Huerta is the real deal. I don't really have anything witty or sarcastic to add to that statement. -Sean Sherk is officially stripped of his belt and officiating icon Big John McCarthy announces his retirement. And what was the grand announcement Dana White made at the end of the show? Apparently, White saved a ton of money on his car insurance by switching to Geico.

Tom Gallicchio to Stomp a Hole in Rory Markham's Chest, Jersey-Style

New Jersey wrestler-turned-mixed martial artist Tom Gallicchio will be facing Rory Markham at the December 29th IFL Grand Prix Finals at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut. Gallicchio, who will be replacing Dan Miller for this preliminary bout, is an accomplished fighter from the Garden State circuit, and sports a shiny Battle Cage Xtreme championship belt thanks to his grappling and ground-and-skills. Expect the Rhino Fight Team scrapper to put the Miletich-trained fighter on his back early and beat on him mercilessly.

Josh Gross Gets it Right

It's hard sometimes to capture what the true story is, especially when the facts are big and ugly and slap you in the face. Sam Vasquez's death had big, ugly facts slapping you in the face - he died as a result of a sanctioned MMA bout, making him the first MMA death on US soil. But veteran journalist Josh Gross over at Sherdog.com got it right. In his article "Ronin's Angel", Gross goes to great lengths to paint a picture of how Vasquez lived, not how he died. And it's a tribute worthy of the first fallen warrior in this still relatively-new sport. Check it out.

No Shame in Second Place at ROC 17

On Friday, Brian McLauglin, Charlie Brenneman, Mike Massenzio and Ricardo Romero kicked ass and took home championship belts in each of their respective weight classes at the ROC 17: "Beasts of the Northeast" tournament. But something needs to be said about the men they beat to earn those top honors, something like, "Damn, Dave Sachs sure was tough." Or, "Jesus, Mark Berraciol took a lickin' yet kept coming back for more." For while there's usually no recognition for taking second place in an MMA bout, there's certainly no shame in it - especially when that competitor who came away defeated put up one hell of a fight. Sure, Lance Everson and John Doyle fell short, but they crushed everyone en route to that final bout. And Everson and Doyle, as well as Sachs and Berraciol, will most certainly be crushing people again when they return to the ring.

Sam Vasquez: 1972-2007

Sam Vasquez - the Texas-based fighter who lapsed into a coma after his October 20th Renegades Extreme Fighting bout - died on Friday, becoming the first MMA competitor to die as a result of a regulated MMA event. MMA Journalist expresses its deepest condolences to the Vasquez family.

Team-Based MMA Can Work. Really.

Despite whatever impression the IFL has given you, take my word for it: team-based MMA events can work. Really. Of course no one's going to care about a fabricated team like the Arizona Chipmunks or the St. Louis Marmosets. Why should they? But if you make it simple, maybe make the line of demarcation national - well, then you have something. Take for instance the Mixed Fighting Championship shows that were big in Atlantic City a couple years back. "USA vs. Russia" and "USA vs. Japan" rocked, and though the events may have lost money (blame excesses in fighter payroll and production, and poor marketing for that), an American kicking ass or getting his ass kicked got the crowd fired up. A good promotion requires a lot of moving parts and a lot of puzzle pieces fitting together perfectly, as well as a strong concept or brand. And team-based MMA - when done right - is a strong concept.

How Do You Spell "Matt Hughes"? R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Say what you want about former UFC welterweight champ Matt Hughes - he's a bully, he's a primadonna, he's a godawful coach - but the man deserves respect. When Matt Serra pulled out of their much-anticipated and well-hyped UFC 79 match-up with a back injury, Hughes could've sat this one out, or let himself get paired up with some scrub and collect a paycheck. But no, Hughes grabbed the bull by the horns and requested a fight against the last person to royally kick his ass: George St. Pierre. Wowsers. This is a fight Hughes could very well lose, which could mean no more title shot against Serra, but damn, the man has got balls. And that's the trait of a champion.

Some Positive Vibes

MMA Journalist would like to take this moment to send out some positive vibes to three members of the MMA community who need them. Sam Vasquez, a fighter who was hurt at a "Renegades Extreme Fighting" event on October 20th in Texas, needs prayers. He's in critical condition, and has been unconscious due to a head injury sustained in his bout that night. Also in need of prayers is New Jersey scrapper Lionel Cortez, who was in a motorcycle accident this weekend and sustained head injuries. Cortez has been battling in the ring since 2000, and has always proven to be a tough dude. Finally, New York fighter Kaream Ellington needs some positive vibes sent his way. His wife was murdered on November 7th, leaving him to raise his son alone. Life has never really been easy for Ellington, but regardless of whether he's been on top raining down punches or on the bottom covering up, he's always been a warrior.

Who Was That Mysterious Tan Fellow in the Octagon? Dan Miragliotta, That's Who

With some solid calls and a ton of cage presence, Dan Miragliotta made his first appearance in the Octagon this weekend, flexing his muscle as one of the most experienced referees in the business. Who is Dan Miragliotta? Standing close to seven feet tall and weighing over 350 pounds, New Jersey-native Miragliotta used to promote the old BAMA FightNight shows, and he gained notoriety as a ref when he officiated a match between a charging rhinocerous and a rampaging elephant at the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange (the elephant won a split decision). Since that infamous bout, he's gone on to oversee hundreds and hundreds of matches - and it shows. On Saturday night there were no bad restarts, no quick stoppages, and no deaths. Miragliotta knows his job. And he knows it well.