UFC 118 Notes, MMA Thoughts

Cross-posted at MMA-Report. Image by Esther Lin, at Allelbows.com. Best in the business.

So UFC 118 has come and gone. James Toney demonstrated that he's an old fat guy who barely trained for MMA. He also demonstrated that heavyweight boxers aren't good heavyweight MMA fighters because they're too small. Can you picture him getting in the cage against Shane Carwin, Cain Velazquez, or Brock Lesnar? Please. It was a paycheck for a washed-up boxer who can't get the big fights he wants. Plan achieved, paycheck received, please, let's not see him in the UFC again.
Randy did, admirably, what he needed to, a company man through and through. He took the guy talking shit out back and roughed him up. For all this trash Toney was just hyping a fight like boxers do. Hopefully MMA fans got a good look at what "hype" looks like and are sick of it.
On the other hand, maybe Toney's horrible performance, in which "survived a short while" is the most charitable description, will prompt other boxers of higher caliber to come to the cage and give it a serious shot. Dana White has a high knowledge of boxing, he should be able to help ID worthy fighters. Just a possibility.
Frankie Edgar is a seriously bad matchup for BJ Penn. I didn't think BJ looked hurt or unhealthy, he's just not as good as Frankie. I don't see Edgar beating Maynard, and that is a terrible, terrible thought. But he could. If he stands and boxes Maynard and pops off the occasional leg kick, stays on his bike and moves, and punctuates things with a surprise takedown, he can beat Maynard. It'll be tough though.
Kenny Florian...sigh. Dana White says Kenny choked. Maybe. Maybe it's psychological, or he was tired. I can't see him staying with Cru Dellagrotta after this. He's gotta get the fuck out of Boston and shake things up.
Where does BJ Penn go from here? This loss has to be absolutely crushing. Does he still have the passion? I can picture him retiring. But then again he's a warrior, and I can see him making another run. Time will tell.
Nate Diaz proved he has a lot of ways to win fights, and he has a big chin. There's a lot of fights for him in the UFC. I'm glad I turned off the sound though. Hearing a Diaz talk is like getting a live centipede shoved up your pee-hole.
A decent card, overall. "Serviceable" comes to mind. A bunch of Boston/Northeast fighters on a Boston card.

So I did it.

Cross-posted at MMA-Report. Go check out the reviews of MMA equipment!

I managed to stay away from UFC 117 in a possibly (entirely) misguided attempt at a protest. I did follow the updates from ringside at various sites. Sounds like some good fights. I question the need for Sonnen-Silva 2, however, without Sonnen winning a fight. Same thing with Vitor Belfort, though, I don't get why he has an immediate title shot when he's never once won a fight at 185lbs in the UFC. The guy who deserves a shot, in my eyes, is Yushin Okami, but it's hard to say go on that fight since he got beat so thoroughly by Scumbag Sonnen already.

I went 8-3 in my picks for 117, missing on Hallman, Hughs, and Story. Great win for Rick Story, by the way. Where the hell does McLovin Hazelett go from here? He's on a bit of a stumble.

Junior Dos Santos took a great step forward in handling a very, very tough heavyweight. I don't like his chances against Brock Lesnar or Cain Velazquez, to be honest, but he can find anyone's chin. Nelson is great at protecting his chin and absorbing shots. I don't think either of the fighters scrapping for the belt next are as good at keeping their chins protected, so it should be a short and violent contest with JDS.

Can we finally, once and for all, for the last time, stop calling Thiago Alves a welterweight contender? While he's got ferocious strikes, if you can't make your goddamn weight, which he's failed as often as not to acheive, you're not a fighter at that weight class. He's not a 170lb fighter. End of story. I think he'll get dominated even worse at the upper echelons of 185, too. I can see him catching some KO's, and being "durable", but he's got to make some serious changes and find a way to make 170. I think he gets killed at 185 against anyone at say Alan Belcher's level.

And to everyone who doubted Captain Caveman Clay Guida? Nyahhh!

Random thoughts UFC on Versus 2 edition

I posted some thoughts over at MMA-Report.
Unrelated: I read a lot of stuff in my news feed, and I end up seeing CP and MiddleEasy and Fightlinker report on War "John "War Machine" Koppenhaver" Machine a lot. I don't want to. That guy is irrelevant to the sport, and boring. I know some people get a laugh out of it but I don't.
Dan Severn won his 94th victory. Dude is 52. GO DAN.
It's old news that Roxy got KOd, and I'm still bummed out about it, but I'm looking forward to her triumphant return. Roxy, you're the best! Defeat will only drive you higher!
Good fucking lord I cannot wait to see Randy Couture grab a clinch on Toney, throw him on the ground, and elbow his face until it looks like burned lasagna. There is no one more annoying than him in the sport right now. And this is a sport that features Chael Sonnen, so that's quite a feat. Also, can everyone, please, stop talking up Toney like he's one of the best ever in boxing? He was an overrated boxer with excellent KO power who got dinged TWICE for juicing. He put on 30lbs of cheeseburger weight to get to heavyweight and schooled some dudes, sure. But he's no goddamn all-time great. It disrespects the real all-time greats like Robinson, Ali, Chavez, Leonard and Hagler to call him that. NOT SO. Don't fuck around on the feet, Randy. Drag him down, pound him out, send him the fuck home. Dude should have taken Kimbo.