Bruno Malfacine received by his Alliance teammates after his victory over Caio Terra for the 2010 rooster weight gold medal. All images courtesy Cohost Dan.

by Philippe Balmant

I traveled from New York City with the (mG)inaction team to Long Beach California for the 4 day Mundials event for my first time ever. I found myself in a feeling of Jiu-Jitsu Nirvana. When first arriving at the Walter Pyramid I was blown away. This looks like something out of the movie Stargate. I said to myself, “What a perfect venue to host the Mundials.” Once inside the electricity is running through my body. I felt a great festive atmosphere inside the Pyramid. This event marks my first time linking up with the entire Alliance team. Meeting Mestre Jacare and the General Fabio Gurgel to me was worth the trip alone. Watching the white/blue belts competing in 8 rings at the same time kept me looking everywhere.

The acai stand was my source of a much needed refreshing energy boost when one was needed. I limited myself to two acai bowls per day. One thing was obvious from jump street, that this energy I felt was only going to go up, till the black belt finals on Sunday exploded in full effect! From Friday through Saturday the matches were coming and going non stop. One thing I found hard was when there were 3 or 4 world champions fighting in different rings all at the same time, now that was crazy. When Sunday June 6th arrived, where there were 8 rings are now only two.

There is a connection at the Mundials, like to the BJJ life source we all share, within your own team, between academies from fighters to supporters. It’s a high dose of Jiu-Jitsu on its biggest platform with a sprinkle of a carnival type atmosphere. I fell in love with it. My best experience was meeting Rickson. My favorite moment was when my professor Marcelo Garcia won his 4th black belt Mundial title, even though the last 8 seconds had me on Skype with God. Yes!!!!

Great matches, great victories, gracious defeats, quick submissions, a back and forth war, by 1 point, by 1 advantage, or by judges decision, with BJJ history being made. Mega props to Roger Gracie. The 2010 Mundials had it all. By the end I had pretty much lost my voice, was running around on pure adrenaline and hollering at Caleb and Dan from The Fightworks Podcast. Podium, medals, pictures. That’s all folks. Except for the voice of Tony Torres still in my head saying, “You have now been DQ’d………” Nobody says it better than that guy.

A few hours later with a celebratory dinner for team Alliance, the General gives us our first toast in which he brings to light that today June 6th 2010 marks 28 years since the legendary Mestre Rolls Gracie passed away. With Alliance winning its 5th World title, and Mestre Jacare receiving his red & black belt, our entire Alliance team ended this amazing night with joy, laughter and happiness.

- Caleb

The author and his Alliance teammates.

Fights, not fighters, are what make MMA events entertaining. You can stack a card with high quality fighters but there is no guarantee that this will make for enjoyable fights.

UFC 115 came in for heavy criticism from people who were unhappy at the lack of top class talent on display. What the main card of UFC 115 might have lacked in top ranked fighters though it more than made up for with a series of spectacular fights.

Local lad Rory Macdonald got the action off to the best possible start by picking Carlos Condit apart for two rounds to open up an insurmountable lead on the scorecards. The Canadian crowd were delighted and nothing short of a third stoppage would have suffice for Condit.

An uncharacteristically animated Greg Jackson sent Condit out for the third and final round telling him that, quite simply, he needed to go to war. Condit took Jackson’s words to heart and set about dominating Macdonald with a brutal display of ground and pound.

With a healthy two round lead presumably under his belt Macdonald only needed to survive this onslaught until the final bell to claim a decision victory. With less than seven seconds remaining and Condit raining down a barrage of unanswered blows the referee stepped in for a dramatic yet highly unpopular stoppage.

It was no more than Condit deserved for an inspiring comeback and tellingly there were absolutely no complaints from his vanquished opponent. This was one of those rare fights were both fighters were able to enhance their reputations and deservedly claimed fight of the night honors.

Next up were the heavyweights and Ben Rothwell and Gilbert Yvel were involved in a back and forth war which surpassed expectations despite an anti climactic third round. Rothwell went at Yvel from the opening bell and set a surprisingly fast pace for a heavyweight. Yvel fought back and was battering Rothwell by the time the bell rang.

Both fighters were already fatigued when round two began but Rothwell was able to take Yvel down and keep him there, although without doing any real damage. When Yvel was able to reverse the position he was far more effective and although Rothwell spent the majority of the round in a dominant position Yvel did far more damage.

Bereft of all energy both fighters came to a virtual stand still in the third round. Rothwell was once again able to secure a dominant position and this time Yvel was unable to escape, spending almost the entire round pinned to the floor. Rothwell was understandably awarded the decision although either of the first two rounds could conceivably have gone to Yvel.

Martin Kampmann showed that he is a serious welterweight contender by defeating Paulo Thiago with an extremely technical display. Thiago was consistently beaten to the punch by some crisp striking and Kampmann appeared on the verge of submitting the BJJ black belt on a couple of occasions. Kampmann is slowly working his way up the welterweight ladder and is probably only one more win away from a title shot.

Crocop vs Barry had all the makings of a classic and it did not disappoint. Barry enjoyed the better of the early exchanges and dropped Crocop with two hard right hands. Crocop seemed surprisingly reluctant to throw his legendary left kick preferring instead to use some unorthodox side kicks and spinning heel kicks. A stand up exchange towards the end of the round was enjoyed by both fighters so much that they shared a premature embrace but this was Barry’s round and Crocop’s face was badly swollen at the end of it.

UFC fans have been waiting to see the Crocop who laid waste to Pride’s heavyweight division inside the octagon and in round two they finally got to see him. Barry was unable to pull the trigger and Crocop showed good versatility to take Barry down and emphatically win the round.

By round three the real Mirko Crocop was ready to stand up. He chased Barry across the Octagon while picking him off with a selection of punches in a performance reminiscent of his Pride days. Once again Crocop was able to take Barry down and this time he secured a rear naked choke for a dramatic submission win.

After such an entertaining build up expectations were high going into the main event and it did not disappoint. Much was made of Liddell’s superior preparation and he showed that even aged 40 he is still able to evolve as a fighter with some vicious kicks, one of which probably broke Franklin’s arm.

At one point Liddell even successfully executed an unlikely take down but he seemed in a hurry to finish the fight and his impatience was to cost him. As the round drew to an end he chased Franklin down and pinned him against the cage, landing a sharp elbow. Liddell lunged forward looking to finish the fight and ran straight into a right hand from Franklin which knocked him out cold.

It was a huge win for Franklin and demonstrates that he is still a force in the light heavyweight division. For Liddell this surely marks the end of a glorious career but the iceman can feel proud that at least he went out on his shield.

For nine-time UFC veteran Din Thomas the frustration of May's
canceled Shine Fights event is well behind him.

The delayed paycheck has finally cleared, and Thomas has been able to
set his sights on the next potential contest.

However, even as he looks beyond that ill-fated contest with Ricardo
Mayorga, Thomas said he hasn't exactly lost the desire to punch the
former boxing champion in the mouth. In fact, now that MMA seems out of
the question for Mayorga, Thomas is willing to take out his energy in
the boxing ring.

NEW YORK (June 2, 2010) – Can Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith, aka “The Comeback Kid,’’ do it again?

On Saturday, June 26, at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on SHOWTIME®, Smith will attempt to make it two consecutive victories over Cung Le in a middleweight (185 pounds) rematch of one of the most incredible Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) comeback victories of all-time.

The eagerly anticipated return bout between Smith (17-6), of Elk Grove, Calif., and Le (6-1), of San Jose, will take place on an already-stacked STRIKEFORCE and M-1 Global fight card that features the world’s No. 1 heavyweight and pound-for-pound MMA fighter, Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko (31-1),against two-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion and top-ranked superstar Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum (13-4) in the main event.

The universally recognized No. 1 female fighter in MMA, Cris Cyborg will defend her STRIKEFORCE 145-pound belt against Jan Finney, marking the first time in history that both the No. 1 male and female fighters will compete on the same card.

In another featured fight, former STRIKEFORCE lightweight (155 pounds) champion Josh Thomson (16-3), of San Jose, will try and regain his winning ways against Pat “Bam Bam’’ Healy (23-15) of Portland, Ore. Thomson lost a five-round decision in his last start to Gilbert Melendez in one of the most wildly exciting, give-and-take slugfests of the year on Dec. 19, 2009, at HP Pavilion. Healy is coming off a well-deserved, unanimous three-round decision over Bryan Travers during a STRIKEFORCE Challengers event on May 21.

Tickets are on sale at the HP Pavilion box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com). For more information, please also visit www.M-1GLOBAL.com.

The SHOWTIME telecast will begin at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
The hard-hitting, never-say-die Smith is no stranger to dramatic, stirring, come-from-behind victories. He rallied to knock out Benji Radach on April 1, 2009, at HP Pavilion and registered a highlight-reel second-round KO over the UFC’s Pete Sell on Nov. 11, 2006.

Smith, however, may have outdone himself with his courageous performance against Le, coming back from the brink of absolute defeat to triumph by third-round knockout last Dec. 19 at HP Pavilion.

Smith had taken a frightful beating for two-and-a-half-rounds as southpaw Le, making his first start in 21 months, totally dominated. The one-sided proceedings seemed over at least a couple of times as everything was going Le’s way. His trademark spinning back kicks were connecting with startling frequency and were knocking Smith around the cage.

At one point, while Smith was on the ground after getting dropped, Le seemed to throw more than 50 consecutive punches. He slammed Smith once.

But Smith, a proven finisher who has never turned down a challenge, summoned the energy and heart – again – to twice drop Le. After he connected twice on a downed Le, the referee stepped in and halted the exciting battle at 3:25.

“This was one helluva fight,’’ said Smith afterward. “He had me the first two-and-a-half rounds, but I’ve got a hard head. On the knockdowns, I faked the right and threw the left. Everyone always looks for my right, but the left hook is my best punch.

“It took me until the third round to close the gap on him, but once I did and he began to drop his hands, I could sense things were starting to go my way. That’s when I feinted with the right and landed the left. It never matters who I fight. I just want these types of tough fights.’’

Le, a former STRIKEFORCE middleweight champion who relinquished the belt to concentrate on an acting career, offered no excuses but has been clamoring for a rematch since.

“He got the best of me last time with a good punch,’’ Le said. “We both fought our hearts out that night, but I’ve wanted a chance to turn the tables on him since that fight ended and now my opportunity is here. I am very excited to fight a warrior like Scott again.

“The fans in San Jose and those watching on SHOWTIME are in for a great fight again between Smith and me and a great night of fights.’’

Thomson, who shut out Melendez across five rounds to capture the STRIKEFORCE world 155-pound belt on June 27, 2008, lost a rematch by the scores of 49-46 twice and 49-47.

Like Le, the popular Thomson was coming off a lengthy layoff. It was his first start before a paying audience in 15 months due to injuries (he broke his left leg twice during training).

But Thomson showed against Melendez that he’s healthy again and he is excited about a possible rubber match. First, however, he must get past Healy.

“I’m up for a third fight with Gilbert if that’s what STRIKEFORCE wants,’’ said Thomson, who had an eight-fight winning streak end last time out. “I know this is a fight the fans want to see again. But my sole focus now is on winning my next fight. I can’t concern myself with future fights.

“For me, the future is June 26 and beating Healy.’’

Healy has defeated quality opponents since turning pro in August 2001. He was impressive outpointing Travers (13-1 going in) by the scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice. It was a rare points’ victory for the durable, well-conditioned wrestling specialist who has won more than half his fights via submission.

A winner of three in a row and five out of six outings, Healy is getting an opportunity against one of the fighters he most wanted to fight.

“’I’ll fight anyone but there are two guys in the 155-pound as far as I’m concerned and that’s Josh and Melendez,’’ Healy said. “A win over Thomson, then Melendez could be next for me.’’

A rematch between former Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le (6-1) and comeback King Scott Smith (17-6) was made official by the promotion on Wednesday. The two will meet on the June 26 co-promoted “Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Werdum” event.

Their first meeting happened back in December of last year as part of the Showtime-televised “Strikeforce: Evolution” event. Le dominated the opening two rounds with his heavy kicks before succumbing to a left hand from Smith ending the fight via TKO stoppage.

Another bout announced for the June 26 card was between former Strikeforce lightweight champ Josh Thomson (16-3) vs. mma veteran Pat “Bam Bam” Healy (23-15).

The June 26 Strikeforce event is headlined by WAMMA heavyweight champ Fedor Emelianenko and former UFC fighter Fabricio Werdum. Tickets can still be found for the event, which will take place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

The official press release from Strikeforce is below.

NEW YORK (June 2, 2010) – Can Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith, aka “The Comeback Kid,’’ do it again?

On Saturday, June 26, at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on SHOWTIME®, Smith will attempt to make it two consecutive victories over Cung Le in a middleweight (185 pounds) rematch of one of the most incredible Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) comeback victories of all-time.

The eagerly anticipated return bout between Smith (17-6), of Elk Grove, Calif., and Le (6-1), of San Jose, will take place on an already-stacked STRIKEFORCE and M-1 Global fight card that features the world’s No. 1 heavyweight and pound-for-pound MMA fighter, Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko (31-1),against two-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion and top-ranked superstar Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum (13-4) in the main event.

The universally recognized No. 1 female fighter in MMA, Cris Cyborg will defend her STRIKEFORCE 145-pound belt against Jan Finney, marking the first time in history that both the No. 1 male and female fighters will compete on the same card.

In another featured fight, former STRIKEFORCE lightweight (155 pounds) champion Josh Thomson (16-3), of San Jose, will try and regain his winning ways against Pat “Bam Bam’’ Healy (23-15) of Portland, Ore. Thomson lost a five-round decision in his last start to Gilbert Melendez in one of the most wildly exciting, give-and-take slugfests of the year on Dec. 19, 2009, at HP Pavilion. Healy is coming off a well-deserved, unanimous three-round decision over Bryan Travers during a STRIKEFORCE Challengers event on May 21.

Tickets are on sale at the HP Pavilion box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online and STRIKEFORCE’s official website. For more information, please also visit www.M-1GLOBAL.com.

The SHOWTIME telecast will begin at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

The hard-hitting, never-say-die Smith is no stranger to dramatic, stirring, come-from-behind victories. He rallied to knock out Benji Radach on April 1, 2009, at HP Pavilion and registered a highlight-reel second-round KO over the UFC’s Pete Sell on Nov. 11, 2006.

Smith, however, may have outdone himself with his courageous performance against Le, coming back from the brink of absolute defeat to triumph by third-round knockout last Dec. 19 at HP Pavilion.

Smith had taken a frightful beating for two-and-a-half-rounds as southpaw Le, making his first start in 21 months, totally dominated. The one-sided proceedings seemed over at least a couple of

times as everything was going Le’s way. His trademark spinning back kicks were connecting with startling frequency and were knocking Smith around the cage.

At one point, while Smith was on the ground after getting dropped, Le seemed to throw more than 50 consecutive punches. He slammed Smith once.

But Smith, a proven finisher who has never turned down a challenge, summoned the energy and heart – again – to twice drop Le. After he connected twice on a downed Le, the referee stepped in and halted the exciting battle at 3:25.

“This was one helluva fight,’’ said Smith afterward. “He had me the first two-and-a-half rounds, but I’ve got a hard head. On the knockdowns, I faked the right and threw the left. Everyone always looks for my right, but the left hook is my best punch.

“It took me until the third round to close the gap on him, but once I did and he began to drop his hands, I could sense things were starting to go my way. That’s when I feinted with the right and landed the left. It never matters who I fight. I just want these types of tough fights.’’

Le, a former STRIKEFORCE middleweight champion who relinquished the belt to concentrate on an acting career, offered no excuses but has been clamoring for a rematch since.

“He got the best of me last time with a good punch,’’ Le said. “We both fought our hearts out that night, but I’ve wanted a chance to turn the tables on him since that fight ended and now my opportunity is here. I am very excited to fight a warrior like Scott again.

“The fans in San Jose and those watching on SHOWTIME are in for a great fight again between Smith and me and a great night of fights.’’

Thomson, who shut out Melendez across five rounds to capture the STRIKEFORCE world 155-pound belt on June 27, 2008, dropped a rematch by the scores of 49-46 twice and 49-47.

Like Le, the popular Thomson was coming off a lengthy layoff. It was his first start before a paying audience in 15 months due to injuries (he broke his left leg twice during training).

But Thomson showed against Melendez that he’s healthy again and he is excited about a possible rubber match. First, however, he must get past Healy.

“I’m up for a third fight with Gilbert if that’s what STRIKEFORCE wants,’’ said Thomson, who had an eight-fight winning streak end last time out. “I know this is a fight the fans want to see again. But my sole focus now is on winning my next fight. I can’t concern myself with future fights.

“For me, the future is June 26 and beating Healy.’’

Healy has defeated quality opponents since turning pro in August 2001. He was impressive outpointing Travers (13-1 going in) by the scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice. It was a rare points’ victory for the durable, well-conditioned wrestling specialist who has won more than half his fights via submission.

A winner of three in a row and five out of six outings, Healy is getting an opportunity against one of the fighters he most wanted to fight.

“I’ll fight anyone but there are two guys in the 155-pound as far as I’m concerned and that’s Josh and Melendez,’’ Healy said. “A win over Thomson, then Melendez could be next for me’’

World Extreme Cagefighting and Amp Energy drink are partnering together
to allow mixed martial arts fans a unique opportunity: help the fight
promotion book an as-yet-unannounced December date.

Amp Energy and the WEC have put together a list of 30 cities from across
the country, and fans are invited to vote on which locale will host the
future WEC card, which would likely serve as WEC 54.

Voting in the "Hometown Takedown Contest" is open now and ends on July
31.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - "I don't know what it is that draws people to him. Maybe it's just his whole energy and his whole persona. Everybody wants to be a tough guy. He kicks people's asses, he don't take no mess, and he's got those cool sayings."
The above quote comes from the mouth of one Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, who is talking about the appeal of the character he is playing in the upcoming film "The A-Team", Bosco Albert "BA" Baracus.

In the gritty, burnt out, hardscrabble town of Scranton, PA life was simple, but tough. A former coal mining town, about 2 hours due west of the Big Apple, Scranton, named for industrialist brothers George and Selden Scranton, was the anthracite coal capital in the 1930s and the third largest city in Pennsylvania with 140,000 hard working people. But as alternative sources of energy such as oil and natural gas were tapped in the 1950s, the coal industry suffered and the city, along with its sister city Wilkes-Barre, lost about half of its population through natural attrition. In 1992, the State of Pennsylvania declared Scranton a distressed city, a designation it still holds. Still life went on without too much complaint for a mostly immigrant and definitely blue collar population. There was also a small, but growing Black community who interacted reasonably well with their immigrant counterparts despite being at the end of the old Jim Crow era of racial segregation . It was in this environment that one of Powerlifting’s true legends was born and raised- the great Jim Williams- the Scranton Superman. This is his story, one of triumph and pain, of scintillating World Records and many years of humbling incarceration, of unreal training methodologies and finally of redemption and inner peace.

In the gritty, burnt out, hardscrabble town of Scranton, PA life was simple, but tough. A former coal mining town, about 2 hours due west of the Big Apple, Scranton, named for industrialist brothers George and Selden Scranton, was the anthracite coal capital in the 1930s and the third largest city in Pennsylvania with 140,000 hard working people. But as alternative sources of energy such as oil and natural gas were tapped in the 1950s, the coal industry suffered and the city, along with its sister city Wilkes-Barre, lost about half of its population through natural attrition. In 1992, the State of Pennsylvania declared Scranton a distressed city, a designation it still holds. Still life went on without too much complaint for a mostly immigrant and definitely blue collar population. There was also a small, but growing Black community who interacted reasonably well with their immigrant counterparts despite being at the end of the old Jim Crow era of racial segregation . It was in this environment that one of Powerlifting’s true legends was born and raised- the great Jim Williams- the Scranton Superman. This is his story, one of triumph and pain, of scintillating World Records and many years of humbling incarceration, of unreal training methodologies and finally of redemption and inner peace.

After a week off from espousing my knowledge (or lack thereof) when it comes to correctly picking MMA results I’m back once again offering up a little insight and opinion on how I see this weekend’s “UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun 2” event unfolding. The card includes a number of interesting pairings highlighted by a headlining rematch featuring not only the intrigue of a controversial decision dished out in the combatants’ initial encounter but also that derived from the simple fact Mauricio Rua and Lyoto Machida are among the truly elite 205-pounders in Mixed Martial Arts. Beyond the light heavyweight championship clash, a bout with less-direct title implications is also set to take place in the form of welterweights Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley facing off, as well as the scheduled sophomore appearance of Kimbo Slice in the Octagon, the involvement number of local products guaranteed to amp up the Montreal crowd, and what I feel are some truly excellent stylistic match-ups involving both veterans and prospects.

Before I get into the “pick em” part of this article let me preclude the breakdown of bouts by saying one of the things about Mixed Martial Arts I’ve always loved is its unpredictable nature. I’ll do my best to steer you in the right direction with a little insight/opinion included in the deal, but readers would be wise to avoid laying down money on my attempts to glimpse into the future. Beyond that, please don’t hesitate to share your own thoughts on any or all of the scheduled fights in the “Comments” section below, and let’s get this show on the road…

PRELIMINARY CARD

Jason MacDonald vs. John Salter

Smart move by the UFC brass to have a popular Canadian fighter open the card up against an adversary he should have no problem beating. MacDonald’s primary focus will be on dragging things down to the mat and working his jiujitsu. If successful Salter will find himself swimming in treacherous waters as “The Athlete” has submitted eighteen of the twenty-four of the opponents he’s beaten. I think he’s slick enough on his feet to defend anything Salter will have to offer and as previously stated his grappling is superior. Outside of the old “puncher’s chance” I think it’s safe to say it’s pretty much a given MacDonald will win this match-up.

Winner – Jason MacDonald via Submission Round 2

Johny Hendricks vs. T.J. Grant

This is an evenly matched fight where each man essentially negates the other’s skills based on their respective styles. Grant specializes in jiujitsu while Hendricks is a top notch wrestler, meaning Grant will likely struggle to take Hendricks down and seek out submissions while Hendricks will have to be wary of shooting in because of the threat Grant poses from the bottom. I think it could result in a stalemate of sorts that isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing thing for fans to watch. I’m giving Hendricks the edge to win because I think his grappling will allow him to control in-ring positioning, as well as assist in avoiding mistakes that might result in a submission from the bottom. After all, more than half of Grant’s wins have come by way of armbar, so it’s definitely a technique the former All-American needs to be consciously looking out for.

Winner – Johny Hendricks via Decision

Joey Beltran vs. Tim Hague

Beltran vs. Hague is a guaranteed slugfest that very well may produce the show’s “Knockout of the Night”. Neither is afraid to stand and bang while both possess knockout power. I would be shocked if this bout sees the third round. I’m picking Beltran because he’s been hot as of late, winning seven of his last eight fights by TKO, while Hague is coming off consecutive losses and has the added pressure of knowing a third could equate to a pink-slip from the organization.

Winner – Joey Beltran via TKO Round 1

Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Michael Guymon

Yoshida hasn’t lived up to the hype he entered the UFC with, but then again two of his four fights have come against extremely dangerous opponents (Anthony Johnson and Josh Koscheck) so it’s hard to fault him for stumbling a bit along along the way. I like that Guymon has the same number of wins by TKO as he does by submissions, and I won’t be surprised if the diversity of his skills lead way to an upset victory. However, I’m picking Yoshida because I simply think he’s the better overall fighter, and I have more confidence in his ability to finish things with strikes or successfully land takedowns while working his way into position for a choke.

Winner – Yoshiyuki Yoshida via Decision

Marcus Davis vs. Jonathan Goulet

I have high hopes for this match-up as far as entertainment value goes. Like I said in this week’s Grappling with Issues, “Though neither is within a stone’s throw of title contendership or is likely to dramatically improve their standing in the immediate future, both are veteran fighters who prefer to strike and may be in a ‘loser leaves town’ situation.”

Also, the fact Goulet will be fighting in front of his fellow Quebeccers should introduce additional elements of excitement and energy into the bout. Ultimately, I think Davis will win based on his superior boxing and the fact he’s been consistently active in the ring as opposed to Goulet’s recent absence from it. The New Englander may not be “Top 10” material in the welterweight division but he’s definitely skilled enough to beat most opponents, especially journeymen like “The Road Warrior”. He should be able to win the stand-up battle while stuffing the bulk of Goulet’s takedowns and scoring a few of his own if need be.

Winner – Marcus Davis via Decision

Tom Lawlor vs. Joe Doerksen

The Bell Center’s custodial staff may deserve a bonus after the dust settles and these two exit the Octagon given that their nicknames are “The Filthly Mauler” and “El Dirte”. It seems all the bout needs is Peanuts’ “Pig-Pen” acting as referee.

On a serious note, I think it’s actually a very interesting pairing, and I can see the end result going to either since each individual has a few things working for and against him. Doerksen’s experience eclipses Lawlor in as severe a fashion as you’re likely to ever see in the Zuffa era. The 50-fight difference between them is a remarkable stat, and I’d wager it’s the largest gap in the promotion’s history minus a bout or two involving Jeremy Horn (a veteran of more than 105 professional matches). Doerksen has won his last five fights, and his grappling ability makes him a threat on the ground to submit most foes or occasionally work his way into a TKO-friendly position.

However, as good as Doersken can look at times, he’s also inconsistent. He splits decisions against lesser competition and has shown himself to constantly be at risk of losing by submission or knockout instead via one specific method of attack. I think Lawlor’s energy, power, and steadily improving skills will prove to be too much for the eleven-year MMA veteran and earn him the win though it won’t necessarily be pretty. Unlike Doerksen, Lawlor has the ability to severely hurt opponents while standing or when postured up over their downed form. I also feel he’s strong enough, and smart enough, to handle Doerksen’s ground game…and gosh darnit people like him!

Related to that final note, it will be interesting to see if the UFC makes an effort to show this fight specifically because of Lawlor’s status as sort of a cult hero in the MMA community. The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 contestant endeared himself to many while on the show due to his antics and sense of humor while also being a regular member of popular MMA forum “The Underground” and delivering two of the most entertaining entrances in the UFC’s recent history. Since it’s expected another memorable walkdown will take place on Saturday night (rumors range from a theme involving classic World Wrestling Federation tag-teams “The Mounties” or “The Hart Foundation” to the use of an American-centric theme song) it would make sense for the UFC to capitalize on his popularity/behavior as long as the PPV’s running time and the actual quality-of-fight permit it.

Winner – Tom Lawlor via Entrance TKO Round 3

MAIN CARD

Alan Belcher vs. Patrick Cote

First off, major credit to Cote for taking on such a difficult opponent in his return to action after almost a year-and-a-half on the sidelines recovering from a severe knee injury. Belcher continues to improve on a per-bout basis and is polished enough to earn a “W” from any position. Only two of his fifteen career wins have come via decision, so he definitely knows how to seal the deal rather than eek out victories, and he’s equally tricky to finish as well based how infrequently he’s been taken out in less than fifteen minutes. Cote has a similar knack for avoiding the judges’ scorecards, but he’s primarily reliant on striking to merit his hand being raised at the end of the night instead of being comfortable in all areas of the fight. He may have physically recovered from knee surgery but I wonder if he’s mentally recovered from it. I’ve heard it takes awhile for athletes to fully trust their joints and ligaments after major reconstruction and I wouldn’t be surprised if “The Predator” is a bit hesitant to go 110% in the ring. The outcome of the contest may rely on what goes through his mind when he digs in to sprawl, takes a few vicious leg kicks to the once-damaged area, or tries to plant and put his full force into a punch. I don’t think the psychological aspect involved can be denied, and coupled with ring rust from the extended hiatus I think it means Belcher is going to break thousands of French-Canadian hearts en route to a win tomorrow night. Expect him to clinch whenever possible to negate Cote’s ability to throw power-punches, test his fitness, and even sneak in a takedown or two along the way.

Winner – Alan Belcher via Submission Round 2

Kimbo Slice vs. Matt Mitrione

Slice has definitely shown improvement since his days in EliteXC but there’s one thing I haven’t seen – devastating power. He couldn’t flatten Houston Alexander or James Thompson even though both are known to have jaws made of Ming Dynasty china rather than glass. If Kimbo isn’t able to leave his opponents seeing stars with every looping blow he launches then what else does he really have to use against them?

On the other hand, “Meathead” has decent stand-up and heavy hands. He’s a better grappler with a greater chance of taking Kimbo down to work a submission than having the same done to him in return. His striking is a bit more technical than the former street fighter’s, so I believe he’ll find a few opportunities to land jabs and work in a couple nice combinations. If Seth Petruzelli could finish Slice while walking backwards I’m confident Mitrione can at minimum do the same.

Winner – Matt Mitrione via TKO Round 2

Sam Stout vs. Jeremy Stephens

This particular bout has serious “Fight of the Night” potential. Stout and Stephens are both fearless strikers who could use the momentum a memorable win on a stage like UFC 113 would provide. I expect them to stand and bang until someone falls down. I’m giving the nod to Stout because I think he packs a little more power in his punches, plus he’ll have the entire support of the arena being yet another popular Canadian fighter on the card.

Winner – Sam Stout via TKO Round 3

Josh Koschek vs. Paul Daley

I don’t disagree with the general structure most people seem to be assigning to Daley vs. Koscheck. Tell me if this sounds familiar. “Kos” will likely see what his British adversary has to offer in the stand-up department while trying to avoid any of the knockout blows Daley is known for. As soon as he no longer feels comfortable risking the proposition of staring up at the arena lights he’ll shoot in for a takedown. At best he’ll work towards either a submission or ground-and-pound TKO and at worst he’ll grind out a decision win. “Semtex” will clearly have a few knees loaded up to unleash when the takedown attempt comes. If he lands one or even a solid punch he could end things immediately but other than that he’s in trouble. It’s a pretty simple scenario and one I subscribe to. While Koscheck has definitely been rocked before, I think his chin is durable enough to absorb a little damage if it means latching on and dragging Daley down to the canvas. He’s smart enough to recognize the opportunity a win at the event would provide and as such I don’t think he’ll waste a lot of time tempting fate on his feet.

Winner – Josh Koscheck via Submission Round 2

Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua

Based on their first fight I’d say the result of the rematch is an equivalent coin-flip. Both Machida and Rua are of such quality as Mixed Martial Artists neither has a significant advantage or overwhelming hole to exploit. Each has knockout ability, mainly due to precision and technique rather than pure power, while also possessing the necessary jiujitsu skills to latch onto limbs or procure choke holds on the mat. Conditioning was a gray area for “Shogun” after his slew of injuries in 2006-2008 but he looked to be in excellent shape against Chuck Liddell and in the initial bout with Machida so I don’t think cardio will be an issue. I’m only picking the champion to retain his belt because I feel Rua may be a little more aggressive this time out which could open him up to making uncharacteristic mistakes. If Machida can score a few clean punches, or possibly even land a trip or takedown, he should be able to mix in enough offense along with his standard defense throughout the bulk of the bout to come away with another win.

Winner – Lyoto Machida via (More Tolerable) Decision