- Other than wearing him like a blanket, Dan Hornbuckle had absolutely nothing for Ben Askren.
- Askren is going to get killed by Lyman Good. I hope.
- Note to fighters interested in getting in on a Bellator tournament: do not announce your intentions to participate in a tournament and then fight in a single-bout match as a tune-up. You’re going to get killed.
- Rich Attonito is clearly good. Also, Jamie Yager is clearly sucky.
- Dennis Siver looks like a poorly-constructed action figure.
- Congrats to Aaron Simpson for earning the “Best Faceplant in an MMA Bout” award. Seriously, he looked like he was a reject from the tryouts for “So You Think You Can Dance?”
- Whoever let Matt Hamill compete with the gnarly staph sore on his back should be shot. Hamill himself should be shot twice.
- Good showing for Court McGee. Did Kris McCray not know he had to prepare for a fight?
- Will Campuzano needed that loss, as only a fighter with an unhealthy sense of self-worth would sport a haircut like that.
- Oh my God, it took Chris Horodecki almost two and a half rounds to defeat someone with Down’s Syndrome. Sad. So sad.
- How can you lose with a name like “Bendy”? Via grappling, apparently.
- Will “Bad Mofo” Kerr.
- Josh Grispi is pure beast. The sport’s 145-pound division is now the most exciting division in all of MMA.
- Mark Hominick versus Yves Jabouin was a slobberknocker for sure. I guess as long as Hominick doesn’t fight grapplers it’s all good in the ‘hood.
- World Extreme Groinfighting. Apologies to Jamie Varner’s nuts.
- A majority draw? How the hell did Kamal Shalorus not lose a point for that last kick to the junk? Was referee Josh Rosenthal in on the fix?
- Kenny Florian did a great job commentating for both the TUF Finale and the WEC. That’s all I have to say on the matter.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Observations from My Couch: "DVR 100% Full"
MMA Mayhem Postscript
It was the first outdoor event I've been to since a 2001 King of the Cage at Soboba Casino, and despite a thin card it was pretty entertaining. The home team went 5-1, with Chris Liguori, Jose Rodriguez and Adam Fearon racking up strong wins. The decision in the Dante Rivera/Dan Cramer bout could've gone either way, but no way did Rivera take all three rounds. Also, it was cool having people screaming on a rollercoaster in the background, although if a promoter plans a future show on the runway of an active airport or in the center of a racetrack, I will have to boycott the event.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Liveblog: MMA Mayhem Part 4
MMA Institute (not an accredited university) fields another one in the form of Rob Conner, who will have to deal with the fury of top dog Chris Liguori in the cage. Liguori is the yardstick by which lightweights are measured against - if you beat him, you're ready for the UFC, and if you lose to him, well, you just your ass kicked by a UFC vet, so yeah, what's up. Round 1 is the very definition of seesaw battle, as both men take turns on top working their respective ground assaults. The second round is more of the same, but as it wears on one thing becomes apparent: Connor is running out of gas and Liguori's still got 3/4 of a tank. Round 3 is all Liguori, as he gets on top and delivers some punishment, and when he gets reversed he just locks on the triangle and bloodies Conner with elbows. Ref Big Dan steps in at 3:16 of the round when it becomes apparent Conner isn't going nowhere. Last bout and it's Dante Rivera of RABJJ against Dan Cramer of American Top Team. Both are veterans of TUF 7, so this is a reunion of sorts, and afterwards they're going to sign each other's yearbooks. The huggy game is in full effect in the opening round, with both men jockeying for an advantage against the cage and peppering each other with knees and short punches. Maybe Cramer steals the round with a throw late - maybe - but it's an otherwise insanely close round. Ditto for Round 2. Miraculously, the tempo increases in the final round, with every minute filled with them flurrying each other at point-blank range. Time runs out and the judges award the split decision to Rivera. Good, hard-fought win that could've gone either way. And I'm out.
Liveblog: MMA Mayhem Part 3
Kimbo Slice is in the house, literal munching on a loaf of bread, and Matt Serra was last seen at the tray of lasagna in the back. How confident is Zuffa that MMA is about to be legalized in New York? So confident that they're sending Serra up to Albany on Monday to either shake hands or bust heads. Welterweight old schooler Jose Rodriguez enters the cage to take on Rob Morrow of 11th Dimension. Morrow is pretty tall for his weight, but the last time Rodriguez faced someone with that kind of height advantage Rodriguez simply tapped him with a flying heelhook (seriously). The two come out and blast each other, and Rodriguez ends up off balance and falling to the canvas. However, he takes Morrow with him and has on the double-armbar practically instantaneously. Morrow manages to get one arm out, but he's tapping by the time the clock hits 1:03. Rodriguez is victorious, and his kids are cageside, thrilled that they're dad is okay and still a complete badass. A break in the action has Kimbo stepping into the cage showing the fans some love. He in turn gives the mic to some guy who calls his girlfriend into the cage and proposes to her. How touching. I give them six months. Just kidding. Adam Fearon of AMA FC enters to take on Justin Herbst of DOA Combat Squad in a welterweight match-up. Fearon looks to be in fantastic shape, and he comes out aggressive, but failed throw has him on the bottom and Herbst punishing him from mount and back-mount. Fearon toughs is out, though, and after dodging a rear naked choke he gets back to his feet and puts Herbst down with a double-leg. They scramble, and when Herbst leaves his neck exposed, a now-bleeding Fearon falls into a guillotine. The official time of the tap is 3:06 of the first round, and it's a strong showing for the local stud.
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