Looking over the card in anticipation for tomorrow's Titan Fighting Championship 22 I came to realize that this promotion, even on the amateur card, is for real.
Sure, they've got a contract with HDNet. Sure, they've had a share of big names, old and new. Sure they have a huge local following, but all things aside, in almost a decade in MMA in the Midwest, I've seen a lot of promotions come and go.
Looking at the amateur under card, you've got some major players in the KC MMA game. Jason Perrotta, who I've had the privilege of training with many, many times should be watched, and watched closely. His amateur career got of to an average start, but I'm here to tell you, there's nothing average about this fighter.
He has the heart of ten men, and the skills and strength to match. He was primarily a stand up fighter when I trained with him, and I've seen him come a long way since. He's one of the most talented and versatile fighters I've ever seen. If he keeps training like he is, he's going to be around for a long time, and he's going to be nothing short of a superstar. I can't wait to see him in yet another action packed fight!
Also another impressive amateur to watch is another KC native, Phil Morgan. He's kept his head, and chin down and done nothing short of work his ass off. He's been around the amateur circuit for a while, much like Perrotta, but has really come in to his own as of late, blowing through his competition, and swooping up a few belts along the way.
Looking at the first fight on the pro card, this has the making of fight of the night. I have high expectations for Mirsad Bektic vs. Willie Mack. Both show versatility, each having KO/TKO and submission victories. Both are explosive fighters and are relentless in their pursuit of a victory. With Bektic's record a perfect 3-0, and Mack batting .500 at 2-2, I'm sure Willie would love nothing less than to give Mirsad his first professional loss.
Rudy Bears and Nick Nolte is going to be another great match up. Both KC natives and incredibly tough Mixed Martial Artists, this is going to be another fight not to miss.Bears is coming off of a slump, losing 3 of his last 4. Nolte, however is on a hot streak, winning his last two after dropping a heart breaking decision to the New York Bad Ass, Phil Baroni. I expect both fighters to come out strong, and Nolte to push the pace. I know Bears wants to get back on the winning track, but he's definitely going to have his hands full.
Mello and Mamalis is interesting. Mello's most notable victory is over TUF alum's Vinicius Magalhaes. He's been bested by the likes of Takanori Gomi and Jose Aldo. At 10-6, and having over a decade as a pro, we'll see what the future holds for Mello. Coming off of a 6 fight win streak ain't too shabby though.
Mamalis currently sits at 13-8. With his last fight against Nicholas Denis a loss, I'm sure he wants to stack a few more in the "W" column.
Mello definitely has the experience on his side, but being 11 years the elder of Mamalis, he may be giving up more than he bargains for.
Vega and Whitney makes for another great KC match up. Vega is coming off two back to back losses via Bellator in Ed West and Chase Beebe, while Whitney sits at 7-1, comong off his fourth consecutive win. This has the makings of a slug fest. This will definitely be a great one to watch!
I cannot wait to see LC Davis back in action against Bill Kamery. 3 of Lc's 5 losses come from his last 3 fights. I've seen Davis put in work, and this guy is no slouch. Coming out of the Miletich camp, you know he's been through hell and back.
Kamery has won 2 of his last 3, and has only 2 losses overall.
Having no fights in 2011, I expect Davis to have a little ring rust, but we'll see how long it takes to shake loose those cobwebs. I expect Him to come out hard and push the pace for the duration. I'm sure he wants nothing more than to get back in the winner's circle. This will be a great contest, and I expect this to be nothing short of a great co main event.
Last but not least, former UFC standout Anthony "Rumble" Johnson takes on another UFC vet in Dave Branch.
Between his weight issues and coming off a submission loss to Vitor Belfort, Johnson has his hands full in Dave Branch.
Branch, on the other hand looks to be rock solid at 9-2 coming off a decision win over Dominique Steele. I expect him to give Rumble nothing short of his best on Fight night, as long as Rumble makes weight, that is.
At any rate, TFC 22 is a stacked card, playing to the KC crowd with some stellar local fights, and some excellent main card attractions, not to mention a visit by UFC vet Thiago Silva.
Can't say it enough that I very much look forward to seeing this show live tomorrow night. If you live in KC, shame on you for not getting tickets. If you don't live around the Midwest, you damn well better be watching this card on HDNet!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
UFC 146 Not So Quick Picks
UFC 146 is just days away. Here's my picks:
Brown v Pineda - I like Brown's striking in this match. He's extremely strong on the ground, but has viscous KO power. I think Pineda is going to underestimate Brown's striking. I'm going KO for Brown on this one.
Teixeira v Kingsbury - Glover comes out of the Pit, and he's tough as nails. Kingsbu looked a little soft in his last couple performances. Not the Kingsbu of old. TKO for Glover here.
Volkmann v Sass - The Brit is definitely tough, and has some serious ground skills, but I don't think he has what it takes to out last Volkmann's grinding pace. Something tells me this one's going the distance. Unanimous decision for Volkmann.
Ludwig v Hardy - Both these guys have very heavy hands. Despite what Hardy says going in to this fight, he hasn't looked the same in quite some time. He's been struggling to keep his head about water in his last few performances, and Ludwig isn't one of those guys that will give him room to operate. I see another big KO from Bang!
Miller v Dollaway - This could be what makes or breaks Mayhem here. He's looked weak and has had trouble with his cardio. If he doesn't win this one it could be curtains. I think he's going to come out with a vengeance to secure his seat in the UFC and submit Dollaway.
Varner v Barboza - The last few years, Varner has all but vanished from the scene. Going 3-1 in his last 4, the UFC didn't do him any favors matching him up with Barboza. He's going to need to keep it on the feet and utilize his boxing skills to take home the "W". If he can do that, he may take Barboza the distance. Varner by unanimous decision.
Brandao v Elkins - With the majority of Elkins' strong points being on the ground, Brandao will have to strike early, and often. With his KO power, if he can come out of the gate an surprise Elkins, it'll be his fight to lose. Brandao by KO.
Johnson v Struve - Both tough and extremely talented heavyweights, this one is going to be a fun one to watch! I like Johnson's heart, and I think that's going to give him the edge he needs to overcome Struve's lankiness. Johnson by TKO.
Miocic v Del Rosario - On paper, this screams Del Rosario all day. However, you can never count out a guy in red and white checked shorts. I think Miocic is going to take the underdog role to heart and come out hard to take Del Rosario the distance and earn a decision win.
Nelson v Herman - Nelson has been trimming down, and looks to be taking this whole MMA thing more seriously. He's deadly anywhere, and I don't think Herman will be prepared to handle Nelson's full arsenal. I think Big Country gets the submission win here.
Silva v Velasquez - This will be another great fight to watch! I don't think Silva has fought someone with Cain's speed, but Silva is very methodical in his approach. I think if he can weather the early storm, he's got a great shot and taking a decision win over Velasquez.
Mir v Dos Santos - Frank Mir has been around for a long time, and rose back to the top when no one thought he could. He's proven us all wrong, and this fight is no exception. JDS is very skilled, but I think Mir's strength prowess on the ground will nullify him. Mir definitely has the edge on the feet, and I don't see this as a good match up for Dos Santos. Mir will be taking home a KO win and a belt. Period.
Now it's your turn.
Brown v Pineda - I like Brown's striking in this match. He's extremely strong on the ground, but has viscous KO power. I think Pineda is going to underestimate Brown's striking. I'm going KO for Brown on this one.
Teixeira v Kingsbury - Glover comes out of the Pit, and he's tough as nails. Kingsbu looked a little soft in his last couple performances. Not the Kingsbu of old. TKO for Glover here.
Volkmann v Sass - The Brit is definitely tough, and has some serious ground skills, but I don't think he has what it takes to out last Volkmann's grinding pace. Something tells me this one's going the distance. Unanimous decision for Volkmann.
Ludwig v Hardy - Both these guys have very heavy hands. Despite what Hardy says going in to this fight, he hasn't looked the same in quite some time. He's been struggling to keep his head about water in his last few performances, and Ludwig isn't one of those guys that will give him room to operate. I see another big KO from Bang!
Miller v Dollaway - This could be what makes or breaks Mayhem here. He's looked weak and has had trouble with his cardio. If he doesn't win this one it could be curtains. I think he's going to come out with a vengeance to secure his seat in the UFC and submit Dollaway.
Varner v Barboza - The last few years, Varner has all but vanished from the scene. Going 3-1 in his last 4, the UFC didn't do him any favors matching him up with Barboza. He's going to need to keep it on the feet and utilize his boxing skills to take home the "W". If he can do that, he may take Barboza the distance. Varner by unanimous decision.
Brandao v Elkins - With the majority of Elkins' strong points being on the ground, Brandao will have to strike early, and often. With his KO power, if he can come out of the gate an surprise Elkins, it'll be his fight to lose. Brandao by KO.
Johnson v Struve - Both tough and extremely talented heavyweights, this one is going to be a fun one to watch! I like Johnson's heart, and I think that's going to give him the edge he needs to overcome Struve's lankiness. Johnson by TKO.
Miocic v Del Rosario - On paper, this screams Del Rosario all day. However, you can never count out a guy in red and white checked shorts. I think Miocic is going to take the underdog role to heart and come out hard to take Del Rosario the distance and earn a decision win.
Nelson v Herman - Nelson has been trimming down, and looks to be taking this whole MMA thing more seriously. He's deadly anywhere, and I don't think Herman will be prepared to handle Nelson's full arsenal. I think Big Country gets the submission win here.
Silva v Velasquez - This will be another great fight to watch! I don't think Silva has fought someone with Cain's speed, but Silva is very methodical in his approach. I think if he can weather the early storm, he's got a great shot and taking a decision win over Velasquez.
Mir v Dos Santos - Frank Mir has been around for a long time, and rose back to the top when no one thought he could. He's proven us all wrong, and this fight is no exception. JDS is very skilled, but I think Mir's strength prowess on the ground will nullify him. Mir definitely has the edge on the feet, and I don't see this as a good match up for Dos Santos. Mir will be taking home a KO win and a belt. Period.
Now it's your turn.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Will Bones bounce back the right way?
Okay, I've thought on this long enough. Checked my initial gut reactions and overall dislike for Jon Jones. You heard right, I am not a Jon Jones fan. However, he is human, and well, we all make mistakes, except most of ours aren't under public scrutiny.
Jon Jones certainly has a lot of growing up to do, there's no doubt. He's got the world at his fingertips and a lot of pressure to go along with it. He's at the top of his game while still being one of the younger fighters in the UFC. He's got a very bright future, and, if he plays his cards right, he'll continue down the path of super stardom for years to come.
First things first, I don't know about you, but I know I've had my share of nights where I insisted I was okay to drive after a few drinks, but we all knew the wiser. I just turned 30, and came to realize that I've been pretty damn lucky to this point not getting caught, or having an accident. Lesson: Don't tempt fate. If you've had a couple drinks, relinquish the keys... especially if those keys go to a Bentley.
Well, the mistake is done and over. That's that. Now, it's time to face the consequences of his actions. Thank God that no one was injured.
It all comes down to this: Can Jon Jones take the steps he needs to publicly and privately to overcome this prior err in judgement?
Let's be real, there's been far less that has wrecked careers, and far worse that have made people considerably better.
Jon, I suggest you get whatever help you need, whether it be more friends to watch your ass when you go out, or take a cab, or save your drinking for private. Whatever it is, I hope you figure it out.
I don't wish bad things on anyone, and this is certainly no exception.
Jon Jones, fan or not, I wish you continued success, and may you grow positively from this whole mess of a life lesson.
Jon Jones certainly has a lot of growing up to do, there's no doubt. He's got the world at his fingertips and a lot of pressure to go along with it. He's at the top of his game while still being one of the younger fighters in the UFC. He's got a very bright future, and, if he plays his cards right, he'll continue down the path of super stardom for years to come.
First things first, I don't know about you, but I know I've had my share of nights where I insisted I was okay to drive after a few drinks, but we all knew the wiser. I just turned 30, and came to realize that I've been pretty damn lucky to this point not getting caught, or having an accident. Lesson: Don't tempt fate. If you've had a couple drinks, relinquish the keys... especially if those keys go to a Bentley.
Well, the mistake is done and over. That's that. Now, it's time to face the consequences of his actions. Thank God that no one was injured.
It all comes down to this: Can Jon Jones take the steps he needs to publicly and privately to overcome this prior err in judgement?
Let's be real, there's been far less that has wrecked careers, and far worse that have made people considerably better.
Jon, I suggest you get whatever help you need, whether it be more friends to watch your ass when you go out, or take a cab, or save your drinking for private. Whatever it is, I hope you figure it out.
I don't wish bad things on anyone, and this is certainly no exception.
Jon Jones, fan or not, I wish you continued success, and may you grow positively from this whole mess of a life lesson.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
UFC on FOX Diaz v. Miller Quick Picks
Massenzio over Vemola
Denis over Delorme
Garza over Bermudez
Castillo over Cholish
Gaudinot over Lineker
Hathaway over Krauss
Elliott over Dodson (Gotta go local)
Johnson over Ferguson
Barry over Johnson
Belcher over Palhares
Koscheck over Hendricks
Diaz over Miller
That's it. Let's hear what you've got.
Denis over Delorme
Garza over Bermudez
Castillo over Cholish
Gaudinot over Lineker
Hathaway over Krauss
Elliott over Dodson (Gotta go local)
Johnson over Ferguson
Barry over Johnson
Belcher over Palhares
Koscheck over Hendricks
Diaz over Miller
That's it. Let's hear what you've got.
A Coaching Mindset
When I came up with the idea for this post, I was originally going to write about my thoughts on Jackson's MMA. I came to the realization that if I did, many people may miss the point of this, and take it as me taking my frustration out on Greg Jackson. Not the case, so here goes:
While there are two entirely different meanings behind training and coaching, I have come to realize one thing; While you can have an incredible training program, you can significantly lack in the way you coach, aka coaching your fighters to not lose, rather than to fight for the win.
As strange as it may sound, it's true. I've been watching Greg Jackson over the years take may explosive and talented fighters, and turn them in to boring, decision winning fighters. Great for you win column, but you're strategically taking the fight out of the fight. But, a win is a win, I guess.
My beef with this whole coaching mindset is that if focuses on complacency. Be conservative, don't take risks, and do what you have to do not to lose. I strongly believe that deep down in every humans heart is that deep seated desire to win, and to win by any means necessary. Coaches who teach this mindset are literally taking the fight out of the fighter.
Sure, they get in the cage, sure they "fight", but are they truly fighting? My answer is no.
If our armed forces fought no to lose we have a much longer list of defeats, and a devastatingly longer list of casualties in war. Not going to hold back on this one, but the last decade in the middle east, we fought with much that same mindset, not to lose. look what happened... we'll save that rant for another time and place.
I mean, really, is that the American way now, slide by and hope that we looked okay in the process? I should hope not.
In the words of Dana White, "Never leave your fight in the hands of the judges." Sure, if you controlled the guy for the fight, you'll most likely win. But do you really want to take that chance, especially as a professional athlete and your paycheck depends a lot on those win/loss columns? Not me. If I'm fighting, I'm fighting to win. Every time. There will be no doubt that win or lose, I gave it all I had. Period.
While there are two entirely different meanings behind training and coaching, I have come to realize one thing; While you can have an incredible training program, you can significantly lack in the way you coach, aka coaching your fighters to not lose, rather than to fight for the win.
As strange as it may sound, it's true. I've been watching Greg Jackson over the years take may explosive and talented fighters, and turn them in to boring, decision winning fighters. Great for you win column, but you're strategically taking the fight out of the fight. But, a win is a win, I guess.
My beef with this whole coaching mindset is that if focuses on complacency. Be conservative, don't take risks, and do what you have to do not to lose. I strongly believe that deep down in every humans heart is that deep seated desire to win, and to win by any means necessary. Coaches who teach this mindset are literally taking the fight out of the fighter.
Sure, they get in the cage, sure they "fight", but are they truly fighting? My answer is no.
If our armed forces fought no to lose we have a much longer list of defeats, and a devastatingly longer list of casualties in war. Not going to hold back on this one, but the last decade in the middle east, we fought with much that same mindset, not to lose. look what happened... we'll save that rant for another time and place.
I mean, really, is that the American way now, slide by and hope that we looked okay in the process? I should hope not.
In the words of Dana White, "Never leave your fight in the hands of the judges." Sure, if you controlled the guy for the fight, you'll most likely win. But do you really want to take that chance, especially as a professional athlete and your paycheck depends a lot on those win/loss columns? Not me. If I'm fighting, I'm fighting to win. Every time. There will be no doubt that win or lose, I gave it all I had. Period.
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