UFC 98 Ka-Da-Tay

Karate is officially back in style as Lyoto Machida systematically picked apart Rashad Evans at this weekends UFC 98 to take the Light Heavyweight Crown. Machida is not the first karate practicioner to win the 205 belt, as future UFC Hall of Famer and Kenpo Karate expert Chuck Liddell dominated the 205 pound division before the belt began to change hands.

Lyoto Machida def Rashad Evans via KO (Punches) R2, 3:57- Lyoto Machida dominated this fights as he has in his 15 career victories. Lyoto was able to keep Rashad Evans at a distance, then capitalize when he saw an opening.

In the first, Lyoto was able to score a knockdown off a body kick, back up, then punch the face. Lyoto picked up his pace in the second round, landing kicks and punches before setting up his final push. Lyoto at a couple punches but unloaded a fury with a head kick and several punches before landing an uppercut that sent Rashad into the cage fence seeing stars.

Lyoto will likely face Rampage Jackson in his next bout. Hopefully they are not put in TUF 10 as coaches as it will put both fighter on the shelf for 7 months or more. MMA Blaster's readers were correct in predicting Lyoto Machida would win 66-49.

(Lyoto Machida pictured)

Results:

Frankie Edgar def Sean Sherk via Dec (Unanimous)
Chael Sonnen def Dan Miller via Dec (Unanimous)
Drew McFedries def Xavier Foupa-Pokam via TKO (Punches) R1, 0:37
Matt Hughes def Matt Serra via Dec(Unanimous)
Brock Larson def Mike Pyle via sub (arm-triangle) R1, 3:06
Tim Hague def Pat Barry via sub (guillotine) R1, 1:43
Kyle Bradley def Phillipe Nover via TKO (strikes) R1, 1:03
Krzysztof Soszynski def Andre Gusmao via TKO (strikes) R1, 3:17
Yoshiyuki Yoshida def Brandon Wolff via sub (guillotine) R1, 2:24
George Roop def David Kaplan via split dec

UFC 97 - Liddell Gone

UFC 97 was kind of a sad affair for die hard MMA fans. The card likely ended the Chuck Liddell era in MMA. Liddell was knocked out yet again, his 3rd KO loss, 4th overall in his past 5 fights. Dana White has been adament that if the Iceman didn't win and have a good performance that he would no longer be a fighter in the UFC. Liddell has had a masterful career, building the UFC while winning the LHW belt and defending 4 times. He is a sure fire UFC Hall of Famer.

Also, for the second straight time, Anderson Silva put on a lackluster performance. Thales Leites didn't want to engage the entire fight, and began flopping in the third round. However, Silva still seemed to have some advantages that he just didn't take advantage of.

Anderson Silva def Thales Leites via unanimous dec- Silva looked tenative the entire fight. He brutalized Leites lead leg the entire fight with inside and outside leg kicks, front kicks to the knee, and near the end punches to the knee. Silva also landed a couple body kicks and came close on a high kick. Problem was, there was so much feeling out time that the crowd got angry.

Leites best offense came with a takedown. But, while there he was blasted with Silva elbows and the fight eventually was stood back up. The fight was the first to go to decision for Silva since 2004 and the first to go past 15 minutes. Silva could face Yushin Okami, Nate Marquardt or Demian Maia next.

Sam Stout def Matt Wiman via unanimous dec- Stout and Wiman had a solid fight lasting the full frame. Wiman scored more on takedowns, while Stout got the better of the action standing. Wiman came close in the third by taking Stout's back and nearly getting the rear naked choke. However, Stout did too much in the first two rounds to win the fight 29-28.

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua def Chuck Liddell via TKO (strikes) R1, 4:28- Both fighters briefly exchanged punches before Rua got a takedown. Like an expert, Liddell quickly got back to his feet. Unfortunately for Liddell, while throwing a punch, Rua countered with a left that sent him to the canvas. A couple more Rua hammerfists and the bout was called. With the win, Rua inches closer to a potential title shot. Liddell is likely retired.

Krzysztof Soszynski def Brian Stann via submission (kimura) R1, 3:53- For the second straight fight, Sosynski has utilized a kimura to win his bout. After trading leg kicks, both fighters clinched against the fence with some dirty boxing. After being seperated, Sosynski was successful in a takedown, landing in half guard. From there he worked the kimura to perfection.

Cheick Kongo def Antoni Hardonk via TKO (strikes) R2, 2:29- Kongo looked very impressive in his third straight win in the UFC. The first round saw Kongo get the better of Hardonk in the stand-up game, landing body and leg kicks. Kongo also managed a takedowns and good hammer-fists and ground and pound. The second was more of the same as Kongo overwhelmed Hardonk, landing a kick and punch that send Hardonk to the canvas, and ground and pound eventually ends the fight.

Luiz Cane def Steve Cantwell via unanimous dec- Cane landed the more consistent strikes to win the decision. Cantwell had a couple good looking head kicks, but they were blocked for the most part.

PRELIMINARY CARD RESULTS

Denis Kang def Xavier Foupa-Pokam via unanimous dec
Nate Quarry def Jason MacDonald via TKO (strikes) R1, 2:27
Ed Herman def David Loiseau via unanimous dec
Mark Bocek def David Bielkheden via sub (rear-naked choke) R1, 4:57
T.J. Grant def Ryo Chonan via split dec
Eliot Marshall def Vinicius Magalhaes via unanimous dec


(Cheick Kongo Pictured)

TUF Episode 8 - Oddball Edition

This episode featured a fight between 155 pound fighters Dave Kaplan and Phillipe Nover. What ensued before the fight was one of the more bizarre and crazy displays ever seen on an episode of The Ultimate Fighter.

After seeing a recap of the Vinny Magalhaes victory over Jules Bruchez things go off base. At the house, bored Team Nogueira fighters decide to steal Tom Lawlor's fruit tray. While on the show, fighters can put anything on a wish list for the producers to get. Lawlor keeps asking for his fruit tray, and it is eaten prior to him getting home from practice.

With Lawlor getting more peeved he decides to retaliate. He does so by urinating in his own fruit tray that he recently got. Then Shane Nelson, Vinny and Junie decide to add a little of their own flavor to the tray. On cue, Ryan Bader of Team Nogueira grabs the tray after practice and the team eats it. Lawlor has a good time telling them that there was pee in the tray. While Kyle and Bader don't seem to care, Phillipe is freaking out.

The retailiation, Phillipe has noticed that his sushi he orders keeps getting eaten. Knowing that it is probably Dave Kaplan from Team Mir, he tries to brainstorm a way to get back at him. Kyle Kingsbury figures a good way would be to bust one out on the sushi. Lets just say, Kaplan ate it and threatened to poop in everyone's stuff.

The next Fear Factor like moment came when Phillipe ordered a Filipino and Asian delicacy called Balut for his teammates. It is a fertilized duck egg, just about ready to hatch. Phillipe goes first, eating his Balut and egging on his teammates to try. Of course, Kyle Kingsbury is the first to join in with Bader and others giving it a try. They say it tastes like egg with the dark meat of a chicken.

In between, Junie complains that his team isn't training and tries to give Phillipe some advice going into the bout. If anything, it just gives Phillipe more confidence. Junie is annoyed with Kaplan's self confidence and Kaplan thinking he is smart. Kaplan rattles off capitols of various countries, including Zaire, now known as the Republic of Congo.

Finally, the fight occurs and Phillipe is very impressive. He blasts Kaplan with three unanswered punches, gets the takedown and rear naked choke. Everyone was impressed with his performance, including Dana White, who commented that Phillipe looked like a young version of GSP.

A defeated Dave Kaplan with his eye busted up still thinks he should have won the fight and is a better fighter than Phillipe. To close the show, Mir says, New Zealand, and Kaplan rattles back, Wellington. Now that is deadpan comedy.


Teams are tied with 3 wins each, (Team Mir italics)
Second round LHW- Ryan Bader, Vinny Magalhaes, Eliot Marshall
Second round LW- Phillipe Nover, Efrain Escudero, Junie Browning

Two fights remain in the first round - LHW- Kyle Kingsbury v. Krystof Soszynski and LW- John Polakowski v. George Roop.

TUF 8 Premier Episode

By MMA Blaster

The first episode of TUF 8 did not disappoint. From the get go you know it will be a crazy season. Phillipe Nover fainted in the opening frame of Dana White's speech. The look on the guy standing in front of him is hilarious as Nover initially starts to lean and then goes out.

The coaches Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Big Nog, come out and the fighters don't seem too excited. Reason being, they have to make weight the next day and fight to get into the house.

It will be interesting to see how much talk time each coach gets. Big Nog, a native Brazilian, seems to have the subtitles flowing after every sentence. Mir is a well spoken guy as a WEC color commentator.

We don't see how they are matched up to fight, so I hope that Joe Silva seeded them somehow and Dana White didn't just randomly match them up.

*Pic of Frank Mir as champ

While weight cutting, Jason Guida has by far the worst time. He is 217 off the start, and needs to get down to 206. During his cut, Mir commented on how it looked like Guida was having the worst of everyone else. The next scene brings those comments to life, as Guida, with a towel slightly covering his groin experiences some bad leg cramps. His legs go stiff, like a grounded Frankenstein, and he has a couple guys try to loosen him up.

When they manage to get him on the scale, he comes in at 207, one pound over. The doctor monitering the situation and Ken Kizer of NSAC end up not letting Guida continue. To Guida's credit he wanted to lose the pound, but he just wasn't allowed to as the doctor knew how dehydrated he Guida had become.

Mike Stewart jumps in to replace Guida in his fight against former IFL fighter Krystof Soszynski. Soszynski is a big guy who had a spat in pro wresting before MMA. In his mma career, Soszynski has fought in the IFL on the big stage, then at heavyweight. Stewart looks to maybe have an amateur fight or two on his resume.

The fight is quick as Soszynski drops Stewart with punches and keeps going as Stewart goes to his knees. The ref stops the fight shortly thereafter.

The next fight is Fernando "The Machete" Bernstein and Dave Kaplan. While Bernstein threw some snapping kicks and looked decent on his feet, he proved to lack a ground game. Kaplan took him down from the clinch, got his back, and the fight was done in a couple minutes.

Phillipe Nover and Joe Duarte faced off next. I was a little disappointed because I thought each of these fighters would have decent showings in the house. They battled back and forth on their feet in the first. Both throwing some mean punches and kicks. Duarte almost had Nover finished in the first before the bell sounded.

In the second, Nover pressed the action getting a takedown, elbows, then sinking in a rear naked choke. While losing, Duarte still looked good and I wouldn't be surprised seeing him back in the house if a fighter was injured.

Eric Magee and Jules Bruchez faced off next in what I would call a lackluster fight. Neither 205 pounded looked in great shape or to have too much skill. Bruchez was able to get a rear naked choke victory and talk some junk after the fight. He is a farmer and gets his power country style.

Vinny Magalhaes and Lance Evans- The first round was more of a highlight montage, and we see Evans get kicked in the ribs. Evans, brother of Rashad Evans, clutches his ribs as he goes to his corner at the end of the round. He is not able to continue and sent packing. Magalhaes looks in good shape and moved well on his feet.

Antwain Britt and Ryan Jimmo also get the highlight montage treatment. Britt wins a split decision.

Brian McLaughlin and Garner fought next, as McLaughlin looked to be winning the bout in the first. In the second Garner threw a knee while McLaughlin had both knees on the ground. McLaughlin when to the canvas and told the doctor he was dizzy. The ref called the bout a no contest and the knee unintentional, but Dana White decided McLaughlin would move on.

Junie Browning fought Jose Aguilar in the final bout of the night. Aguilar talks some interesting trash talk as he proclaims himself to be on the level of historic greats, like Napoleon and Alexander the Great. If Aguilar was in the BC times, he'd be conquering people. He proclaims himself as a, "straight up criminal."

Browning says there is no way Aguilar will beat him and that he has a, "better chance of getting me pregnant than beating me." Well Browning's trash seemed to be a little more accurate. Aguilar was taken down and punched and elbowed until the bell was rung. Aguilar promptly tells the ref that he has had enough.

If Ghengis Khan was in mma, he'd answer the bell, knock you out, then conquer your village.

Moving into the house are:
LHW - 205
Krzysztof Soszynski
Jules Bruchez
Vinny Magalhaes
Antwain Britt

LW - 155
Dave Kaplan
Phillipe Nover
Brian McLaughlin
Junie Browning