All the Leg Locks! Garry Tonon vs Rousimar Palhares

It's official for Polaris 3 assuming Palhares doesn't flake out. 

Fingers crossed. 

Bellator Signings & Upcoming UFC Fights

Benson Henderson and Chris Leben officially head to Bellator. It's the island of lost toys theory whereby you can scavenge value from remnants and creative viewer-friendly match-ups and Bellator has done this well. I tuned in to watch Tito vs

Bonnar.

I'll definitely tune in to watch Royce vs Ken. As long as Bellator stays on Cable TV I see no reason not to watch as my side piece/bottom &$@?! to often overpriced UFC PPV's/events that cease

to be PPV worthy when one fight blanks *ahem* UFC 196/Cain vs Fabricio. Dana long derided Boxing for its one fight cards but if the loss of one fight nixes your PPV....c'mon....

Cerrone returns against a Brazilian nicknamed Cowboy and Roan Carneiro faces Derek Brunson on the same card on Feb. 21st. I think this event top to bottom has far more fights of note than tonight's UFC 106 No More event. 

Also on the card, Lineker, Kawajiri, Thatch, Krause, and Bermudez all fight. It's a good night of guys fighting hard to edge out the pack as they're all midway through their divisions but not too tiered guys who've already gotten title shots. 

At the end of the months on the 27th, Bisping who complains about fighting cheaters fights Anderson Silva coming off a suspension (a rose by any other name...), Brad Pickett returns, and Thales Leites fights Gegard Mousasi. Again, guys midway through the pack with solid experience who will put on professional level bouts.

UFC Fight Night 82/UFC 196 No More - Gambling Picks & the Like - Wonderboy Vs Old Rig

Hendricks sounds like a broken record ever since losing his strap. He loses then admits his heart wasn't in it and that this time he really wants his belt back and blah blah blase. Not buying it. I'm not sold on Thompson as winning the belt but Hendricks has only unimpressed me since his fights with Lawler, not to mention the failing to make weight against Woodley debacle. He hasn't had the KO power since the surgery on his arm and that's what makes me think Thompson can survive some potential danger zones to do what he did to Ellenberger against the now semi-faded Hendricks. I think as lame as it sounds Thompsons movement and accuracy will trump Hendricks.
Speaking of fading, can't possibly pick Roy Nelson based on his last 5 losses I think it is.
Cavalcante of whom I am a fan hasn't impressed since porting over to the UFC and looks small in his division. Makovsky is a guy I think may down the line challenge for the belt and I think will improve each fight in the UFC. Borg is a guy who has also impressed me in small doses and I think also is a cut above other blood in his division. 

Podcast - Episode 1- Kimbo Slice: The Kim Kardashian of MMA

Listen. Respond. Share with others.
Enjoy.

New episodes will be posted Tuesdays by Midnight.
Next week's episode will delve into some real Nerd material as I dissect research by Ericcson as to the science behind expert level skill acquisition (hint: natural ability accounts for little over the span of time necessary to achieve expertise in virtually any field).

Podcast available HERE on soundcloud.

Foot Sweeps, Takedowns, & Throws

Here's a compilation of my foot sweeps, takedowns, and throws from blue belt until now, and some B-Sides of me making Judo work in MMA mixed in as well.
Enjoy.

Rousey's Mom Doesn't Mince Words

"If you do the same things with the same people you can expect the same results." 

- 

The beauty of competition and fighting is that at the end of the day what you could have done, what you wanted to happen, what other people didn't see simply does not matter. It's a litmus test for reality. 

UFC on Fox 18 - Monday Morning Hangover

I saw an interview with Barnett a couple days before the fight and Barnett was scoffing at Rothwell as the guy who got submitted by Mark Hunt. I had a fleeting thought he'd better be careful because I noted some slickness in that front headlock choke Rothwell had used to counter a lazy shot by Mitrione. In fact, the fight with Mitrione was similar in some ways to how the fight with Barnett played out: Rothwell was patient, didn't overextend, stalked, and when the opportunity arose, finished his opponent. I think stylistically Cain is a nightmare for him, as is Werdum. Finishing lower tier HW's is a faaaaaaar cry from beating those two beasts. Miocic's movement and athleticism and speed will also likely give a lumbering target like Rothwell fits, but he's a tough stone to step over on your way to the belt in the HW division. 

Bader: didn't see him coming out and shooting immediately against a bonkers strong wrestler in Johnson in the first round. Whatever I expected from Badet's gameplan, it wasn't that. The gameplan to beat Johnson has been laid but Badet decided to reinvent the wheel and paid for it . I caught the co-main events the hour between driving back from Charlotte after reffing the Newbreed tournament and then working 10pm until 4am that night. I caught the undercard when it played on UFC Deportes or some Spanish language broadcast channel while I was working security. Not a bad card for free TV and to pass time between checking ID's. Next up we have the non-PPV UFC 196 card sans Werdum-Cain Part Deux. 

I'll post my picks for UFC 196/On Fox whatever by the end of the week. Hint: I think Wonderboy chips away at the fading foundation of the formerly KO machine that was Hendricks.