The Phenom Will Rise Again

Vitor Belfort is the second most dangerous man fighting at middleweight in MMA.  Anderson, of course, is the first.  Although various other fighters might currently be ranked above "The Phenom" -- Okami, Jacare, Munoz, Chael, Bisping, Stann -- NONE of them can finish a fight as quickly and viciously as Vitor.  At 19 and 9, his record isn't pristine.  However, he has stopped a bevy of all-stars: Tank Abbott, Wanderlei Silva, Randy Couture, Matt Lindland, and Rich Franklin.  And, of course, he may have the fastest hands in the history of the UFC.

Anderson Silva finished Belfort in the first round of UFC 126.  But until the remarkable front-kick that ended the fight, Belfort was the aggressor.  And -- although close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades -- he threw more strikes, landed more strikes, and was on top of Anderson at one point.

 

Akiyama is a dynamic fighter, who brings some flash into the cage.  However, at UFC 133, Belfort will obliterate him with a firestorm of fisticuffs.  It will end in the first round.  And, when that happens, Vitor will be right back in the title picture.

From there, Vitor should face the winner of Chael Sonnen v. Brian Stann, which is expected to take place on October 8 at UFC 136.  Not only would that be a deserved match-up, it would be a huge draw for the UFC.  It may also be the precursor to another title shot.

UFC 132: The Grave Digger Cometh

UFC 132 was one of the most thrilling UFC main cards in recent memory.  For MMA fans, it is quite satisfying to witness these kinds of fireworks (no 4th of July pun intended) on the same day that Vladimir Klitschko and David Haye put on a snooze-fest for the boxing heavyweight championship.  HBO and boxing promoters marketed that fight as a return to glory for heavyweight boxing.  However, all it demonstrated was that, with huge guaranteed paydays regardless of performance (a reported 10 million pounds per fighter in this case), championship boxing is often a complete sham.

The UFC 132 main card, on the other hand, was thrilling from start to finish, with virtually every fighter showing tremendous skill, tenacity and, most importantly, heart.  Here is a recap, with some thoughts:

• Carlos Condit KO'd "Stun Gun" Kim three minutes into the first round.  Condit launched a magnificent flying knee that literally made Kim go cross-eyed on his way to the canvas.   As a result, "The Natural Born Killer" has made the case that he is the most dangerous fighter in the welterweight division.  He can take the fight anywhere and end it at a moment's notice.  Though Condit does not want to wait around for a title shot, he deserves the winner of GSP-Diaz.  And my money would be on him.

• Tito Ortiz submitted Ryan Bader with a beautiful guillotine in the first round.  This came after Ortiz slammed a right hook into Bader's cheek, making the younger fighter's legs go limp.  Some thought that this would be Ortiz's funeral... but Ortiz, indeed, was the grave digger at the end of the fight.  And, believe it or not, this puts Tito in the top-ten among UFC light heavyweights, and should earn him a shot against someone in the top five.  With numerous fighters already booked -- Bones v. Rampage, Shogun v. Forrest, Rashad v. Mr. Wonderful, and Lyoto v. the winner of Bones/Rampage -- there is no clear opponent for Tito's next fight.  He wants the winner of Griffin/Rua.  I'm not interested in another Griffin-Ortiz match-up.  But Shogun v. The Huntington Beach Badboy?  I'd buy a ringside seat to that.

• Dennis Siver defeated Matt Wiman via unanimous decision in what would have been fight of the night at most other UFC events.  All three judges had it 29-28 for Siver.  And, indeed, it is a fair argument to say that he took the first and third rounds.  However, Wiman bludgeoned the German for 3 minutes of the second round, and had him bleeding all over the canvas.  I would say a 10-8 round for Wiman was not completely out of the question.  Wiman, and the fans, were upset at the decision.  However, it was not a case of negligent judging.  In the end, both of these guys remain in the title picture in the lightweight division.

• Chris Leben put Wanderlei Silva to sleep in 27 seconds.  Despite the brutal KO, this was a very disappointing fight.  The Axe Murderer employed zero strategy in this fight and went toe-to-toe with Leben, throwing sloppy wide hooks.  This, certainly, is the dumbest thing a world-class martial artist like Silva could have done.  Sure, the fans like a slugfest.  However, when you go in chin-first against the Crippler, you have a good chance of ending up face down or, in this case, waving goodbye to your UFC contract.

• Finally, Dominick Cruz outlasted Urijah Faber in one of the best five-rounders we've seen in a while.  For 25 minutes, this back-and-forth battle went everywhere.  Both men put on a striking, wrestling, and grappling clinic that should be very humbling to other bantamweights viewing the contest.  Rightfully, Cruz retained the belt in a unanimous decision.  However, he never had Faber in trouble.  On the other hand, Faber had Cruz eating canvas on three separate occasions.  Faber's hands were heavier, but Cruz was more active, controlled the octagon better, and even out-wrestled the California Kid.  Although one imbecile judge scored it 50-45 for Cruz, these guys are clearly one and two in the division.  Cruz-Faber III should be scheduled immediately.  Don't waste their time with interim opponents.

Anti-Hug

Sportsmanship has gone too far in MMA.

I came to that conclusion when I saw Mark Munoz hug -- actually hug -- Demian Maia at the start of the third round of their UFC 131 bout.  Enough already.  That alone made me want Maia to knock Munoz into next week.  That kind of warm-fuzzy attitude may be a big part of the reason that Munoz underperformed in the fight after nearly being KO'd by the mediocre first round striking of Maia.

Why do fighters insist on shaking hands at the start of rounds?  I know that it is a polite show of respect.  However, it is completely unnecessary and detracts from the competitiveness and ferocity that makes the sport appealing to so many people.  Did Muhammed Ali feel the need to shake Joe Frazier's hand every time they bell sounded?  Hell no.  And it was the sense of conflict between the two -- the impending explosiveness of their fights -- that made their saga so interesting.

When the referee starts the round, MMA fighters should be bloodthirsty and ready to go, not concerned about whether they have properly greeted their enemy.  This is not a sparring match; it is a war.  Friendliness diminishes the fans' experience of the fight and, quite possibly, distracts the fighter from his mission.  For as much as I dislike GSP, I admire the fact that he does not tap gloves at the beginning of the round.  He is there to do a job -- one that requires and brutal focus.

Frankly, I am no longer a booster of Mark Munoz after his weak showing and absurd hug in the Maia fight.  I've seen more animosity in a badminton quarterfinal.  Moving forward, this kind of thing has to be discouraged by the brass.

The Wrecking Machine

Yushin Okami is, in no way, a threat to Anderson Silva.  First and foremost, he is not a finisher.  Of his 26 wins, eight have come by TKO or KO and four have come by submission.  Compare that to Anderson, who has finished 21 of 28 fights, including an astounding 11 of 14 finishes in his UFC fights.  Indeed, the Spider has made it absolutely clear that he can put anyone in the division to sleep.

Secondly, Okami is not more powerful than Anderson.  He will certainly struggle to get inside or take Anderson to the ground.  And, if the fight goes there, it is most likely that Okami will find himself tapping.

The only fighters that have a prayer against Anderson are the ones who might overpower him.  A juiced Chael Sonnen did just that and almost took home the belt.  Vitor Belfort was nearly decapitated by a Silva front-kick, but earlier in that round he landed a heavy left, steamrolled Anderson to the ground, and just missed with a massive haymaker while Anderson was on his back that could very well have ended the fight.  Don't believe me?  Go to 2:05 of that first round and tell me what you think would have happened if that fist landed on Anderson's chin.  Rarely do fighters get a swing like that at Anderson's head.

Well, Sonnen's career is all but doneski, and Vitor is going to have to prove himself a couple of times before getting another shot (if ever).  So there is really only one, untested middleweight, who might deserve to get into the cage with the Spider.  And that entirely depends on what happens this weekend.  

I am talking about, of course, Mark Munoz.

Munoz is one of the best wrestlers in the division -- a 2001 NCAA champion in fact -- and, as he says, has "dynamite" in his hands.  He has crushed several of his opponents, and is a serious threat on his feet as well as in the ground-and-pound.  If he can take Anderson to the mat, which several other men (Sonnen, Okami, Travis Lutter) have already done, there could be a very interesting outcome.

But the "Filipino Wrecking Machine" has to get through Demian Maia first.  And not just get through him -- stop him.  Yes, Okami split-decisioned Munoz.  But that doesn't mean Munoz should have to make a pit stop with Okami to get to the belt.  If Munoz and Silva both prevail in their upcoming bouts, then we have the next great match-up in the 185-pound division.  Late 2011 or early 2012.  Munoz vs. Silva.

Mir is Back in Orbit

I had all but counted out Frank Mir.  His two fights prior to UFC 130 were absolute atrocities.  In UFC 111, Shane Carwin pushed Mir up against the cage and unloaded some telegraphed uppercuts against a non-defending Mir.  When one considers that Mir may be the most well-rounded heavyweight in the UFC -- a submission genius and solid striker --, it was perplexing to see him get destroyed by a guy who is really nothing more than a puncher.  Yes, Carwin is a beast, but one should rightfully expect more from Mir than he showed in that fight.

And, of course, one should rightfully expect MUCH more than Mir showed against Cro Cop in their UFC 119 headliner.  Though Mir put the Croatian to sleep with a heavy knee in the 3rd round, it was easily the most lackluster headliner that I, and most other UFC fans, have ever witnessed.  To that point, Dana refused to award Mir a "KO-of-the-Night" bonus, even though Mir's was the only KO in the event.

So, after 119, I felt that Mir was heartless and washed up -- a waste of tremendous talent.  After his win over Cro Cop, he dropped out of my top ten in the weight class and off the radar.

However, UFC 130 changed my mind.  For 15 minutes, Mir utterly dominated Big Country Nelson everywhere that the fight took them.  Mir won the striking game (against a notorious striker), the wrestling game, and the grappling game.  He made Roy look like a second-tier heavyweight, who belongs back in the International Fight League.  Most importantly, Mir did this with a broken jaw and a broken rib.  There's a heart in that man after all.  And, although the fight went the distance, Mir unloaded some brutal knees in the clinch that would have crumpled many other fighters.

Frank is back.  He is a big, dangerous man, and the rest of the division should take note.

Who is next for Mir?  Well, with half of the division ailing, Mir is now in line.  And, what would make the most sense is to give him the loser of the JDS-Carwin fight.  Showing this kind of a resurgence in the ring, Mir could make a rematch with Shane a very interesting draw.  And, of course, a rumble with Junior would be a compelling spectacle.

But there is one other match-up that would be even more interesting.  Overeem.  Both men are massive heavyweights with multi-dimensional skills.  It would be a true test of the Demolition Man and would show where each man belongs in the big boy world.  If there is a need for UFC-Strikeforce interbreeding, it is in the heavyweight division.  But, for several reasons, that will be some time coming.  All we can do is wait.

UFC Snore

UFC 130 is irrelevant.

None of the fights on the main card next week have any lasting impact on their respective divisions.

In the heavyweight division, there are two match-ups featuring guys who hardly have a puncher's chance of challenging for the belt.  Mir has looked blasé in his last two outings, first getting demolished by Carwin and then defeating Cro Cop in one of the most uninteresting fights in UFC heavyweight history.  Hopefully that non-contender Big Country will knock him out -- not that it matters much either way.

The other heavyweight fight only exists because it is a somewhat freakish spectacle: the 6'11" Struve faces the 6'7" Browne.  Other than the fact that they are stilt-walkers, who really cares about this fight?  Be ashamed if you are raising your hand.

Regardless of the outcomes of their fights, none of these four big boys deserve a place in the top 8 heavyweights in MMA.  Who are the top eight?  Cain, Werdum, Overeem, Carwin, JDS, Lesnar, Bigfoot, and Fedor -- perhaps not in that order.

More importantly, the headliner -- Rampage vs. Hamill -- is nothing more than stuffing in the light heavyweight turkey.  Rampage will probably beat Hamill.  What does that prove?  It proves what we already knew.  If Hamill upsets Rampage, what does that prove?  It proves that the unexpected sometimes happens in the octagon.  Jon Jones would make either of those guys look like huckleberries.  In fact, he already mercilessly battered Hamill.

In the light heavyweight division, Bones reigns supreme.  He's like a Kenyan marathoner who has broken away from the pack.  If they ever fight, he will spank Rashad as badly as he bludgeoned Shogun.  He might have trouble with Machida and has to stay away from a Rampage haymaker.  Other than that JBJ looks like a lock for the time being.

The remaining fights on the 130 card are even less interesting.  Stann will probably drop Santiago, which means the All American may one day get the opportunity to be embarrassed by Spider.  Alves will outmatch Story, which means diddly.  And Torres vs. Johnson zzzzzzzzzzzzzz... pardon my drool.

Did I mention that I'll be glued to the television nonetheless?  Yes, I am shameless.

Pound-for-Pound Mortals

First Chael Sonnen bludgeoned UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva for four and a half rounds.

Now pound-for-pound greats Jose Aldo and George St. Pierre both have been shown to be less than gods.  And, if there is one thing that the two five-round title fights at UFC 129 demonstrated, it is that every fighter has his vulnerabilities.

In fact, in the featherweight championship, challenger Mark Hominick nearly finished Aldo in the final round with a ferocious ground-and-pound.  Aldo looked almost too exhausted to lift his arms to defend himself.  All three judges, it seems, scored that final round 10 to 8 in favor of Hominick.  (Note: Bruce Buffer announced one of the judges scores as 50 to 43 in favor of Aldo.  Reportedly, this was a clerical error.  That judge actually score it 48 to 45.)  Yes, Aldo was clearly the winner.  And, yes, Aldo repeatedly knocked Hominick down with an assortment of vicious strikes.  But the champion looked gassed as early as the second round and, at least this night, conditioning was his kryptonite.

GSP, too, looked far less than stellar in his title defense.  In an entirely stand-up fight, he lost a round (some would say two rounds) to a very mediocre striker in Jake Shields.  Other than a head kick that briefly jolted Shields, the champion's striking was so-so at best.  He offered mostly ineffective jabs, wild overhand rights, and a few harmless spinning back kicks.  Moreover, GSP was so intimidated by Shields' grappling that he only took the challenger to the ground twice, somewhat reluctantly, inflicting no damage.  After 25 minutes, it was GSP who was bloodied and half-blind.  This should have highly-ranked welterweights like Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves, and Carlos Condit licking their lips.

Anderson, Aldo and St. Pierre can be beaten.  That much is clear.  So now, it seems that just one man stands, unchallenged, atop the pound-for-pound pedestal: Jon "Bones" Jones.  As Dana White said, Jones looks like "he's a mile ahead of everybody else."  But the 205-pound division is not full of slouches and one of them, Lyoto Machida, sent a frightening message to Jones on Saturday night by knocking Randy Couture (and his front tooth) into retirement with a brutal flying front kick.