Episode 1 recap of the Ultimate Fighter

36 guys showed up and were told they had to make weight that day and that they’d be fighting for a spot in the house.  Some guys were shown busting their ass to make weight while others were working on technique.  Shows that some people still go into something like this unprepared.

There were some good fights, the 8 winners from last night all looked good.  It should be a good season just based on what we’ve seen so far.  In next week’s episode their is supposed to be a good knockout that requires ambulance assistance.  I hate to see stuff like that happen, but it’s how I’m entertained non-the-less.

Rampage and Forrest looked like they’d be best friends if they didn’t have to fight in a couple months.  Too bad this season didn’t feature a BJ Penn vs Sean Sherk or something like that.  Those two guys love to talk trash and act tough.  Quinton and Forrest are all laid back and funny.  Should be a good change of pace.

UFC Fight Night Predictions; Kenny Florian vs Joe Lauzon

Tonights UFC Fight Night on SpikeTV could have been a moderately successful Pay Per View show that we’re all getting for free. The night is headlined by Kenny Florian, who is a dominate fighter who improves with every fight, against a rising enigma Joe Lauzon. Joe Lauzon is famous for taking out Jens Pulver in his fizzled return to the cage and for beating up my boy Brandon Melendez on the Ultimate Fighter reality show finale. I see Kenflo Kenny Florian winning this by majority decision. I would love to see Joe Lauzon win by a fashionable knockout, but I just don’t see it happening this time.

Thiago Alves will face his toughest career challenge when he meets a pissed off Karo Parisyan. Parisyan is one of the toughest men on the ground and is riding a three fight win streak since losing to Diego Sanchez in a battle back in 2006. I see Karo winning by a split decision. This isn’t going to be pretty fight and will make us sweat watching these dudes work the ground game till they fall apart.

Matt Hamill Vs. Tim Boetsch is a fight that will be exciting but has potential to turn into an ugly brawl. I don’t see this fight going past one round and will say that Hamill will find a way to end it early. Look for a surprising submission not the knockout you’d expect from him.

There are twelve fights advertised for tonight. 3 maybe 4 will actually be televised. Fights of interest will see Houston Alexander continue his rise as he will likely dismantle James Irvin early on. Gray Maynard will get a chance to mix-it-up tonight and will come away with a early submission win or nasty Ground-n-pound TKO in the second round.

Manny Gamburian and Nate Diaz return to the cage, too bad it isn’t against each other. Both will come away with victories tonight.

Ultimate Fighter Coaches, Rampage vs. Forrest. Seriously.

Tito and Shamrock.  Matt Hughes and Matt Scerra, Matt Hughes and Georges St. Pierre.  BJ Penn and Jens Pulver.  All rivals who hate each other.   All talk mad trash and hate each other as fighters and people.

Now we have Quinton “I’m funnier than I am good at fighting (and he’s damn good at fighting)” Jackson and Forrest “Class clown” Griffin.

Quinton Jackson will talk trash like there is no tomorrow.  He’ll have so many funny lines that he’ll  be quoted for a long time by fans of the show.  Forrest is no slouch and will fire back when attacked, but by the end of the taping for the Ultimate Fighter these two are more likely to be best friends sitting around telling jokes and ‘rippin’ on each other than they are to hate each other and want to fight.

I think it will be nice to see or hear someone other than Matt Scerra coach these guys.  Quinton and Forrest should make for some good comedy and should have there boys prepared for battle.  I’m excited for the season to start.

Dan Henderson challenges Anderson Silva for 185lb UFC title this Saturday!

Trying to predict this fight is extremely hard to do. The only fight harder to predict than this one is the upcoming BJ Penn George St. Pierre rematch that would give BJ Penn the chance at a 170lb title to add to his 155lb title.

Dan Henderson….. what can be said about him?  His training has been incredible for this fight.  He is training in So Cal and working his tail off.  This man is as big a name in the mma world as it gets.  When the good fellas at the UFC bought out PrideFC and shut its doors, they aquired several world class fighters and their contracts.  At the time of purchase Dan Henderson was the PrideFC 185lb and 205lb Champion.  One of the very few people in the mma world to hold belts in different weight classes at the same time.  BJ Penn may soon join rank….. (emphasis on may)

The largest obstacle Dan Henderson will encounter this saturday will be the thought of facing the pound for pound best fighter in the world (disputable).  Anderson Silva has attained Self Actualization (if this were a psycology lesson and Maslow was teaching).  Silva’s striking ability is uncomparible to any fighter.  He strikes with smooth, fluid, and powerful shots that will dismantle the strongest of chins.  His Muay Thai is so dominate that a weak fighter may tap from a clinch.  His BJJ is so complex and his flexibility is matched by so few.

It doesn’t matter what you think your game plan is going into a fight with Silva is, he will fight you anywhere and fight better than you.

Dan Henderson will have to bully Silva to win.  This will be a knock-him-out or be-knocked-out fight for Henderson.

Our take: Henderson will win by KO in the second round.  Setting up one of the most anticipated rematches in UFC history in the fall or winter of 2008.

On the fight card we will be so fortunate to see Cheik Congo destroy Heath Herring.  Herring was dismantled by Jake O’brien last year and will most likely show up with more fire in his hair than in his jab.

Matt Serra and Georges St. Pierre round 2

Matt Serra is preparing for a second fight with Georges St. Pierre. George St. Pierre once again has to make his first title defense against the stocky ‘mouth’ from New York. Serra knocked out GSP in the first round of a surprising fight last year. Serra was supposed to defend his title against a motivated Matt Hughes but herniated a disc in his back while training. He’s recovering nicely.

Georges St. Pierre came back from his second loss with a fury of brimstone and fire. He out hustled Josh Koscheck and then submitted Matt Hughes for the open title. He is not going to take Serra as lightly as he did last time. I’m looking forward to a knockout win again, this time from the champ GSP.

I hope GSP doesn’t look past Serra, but I’m going to. BJ Penn will defend his new lightweight title against the convicted steriod user Sean Sherk. After Penn dismantles the Muscle Shark Sherk we’re all hoping for a BJ Penn GSP round 2 with the welterweight title on the line. I’m getting butterflies just thinking of the possibilities.