UFC FIGHT NIGHT: SEATTLE (Main Card Breakdown/Predictions)

UFC Fight Night 24 takes place in Seattle this Saturday. The main event features former Pride FC stand-out Antonio Rogerio Nogueira taking on undefeated light heavyweight prospect Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis. Davis stepped in as a replacement for former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz. The co-main event features former Welterweight contender Dan Hardy against slugger Anthony ''Rumble'' Johnson. Here`s a breakdown of the main card:

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Phil Davis
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Antonio Rogerio Nogueira will look to rebound off his loss to fellow Light Heavyweight Ryan Bader when he takes on “Mr. Wonderful” Phil Davis. The Team Nogueira/Black House fighter is 19-4 although he hasn’t exactly made his mark in the UFC. He only lost once in his past eight fights and did score a Knockout of the Night against Luiz Cane however he hasn’t had a performance where he has looked like a legitimate title contender. His split decision win against Jason Brilz at UFC 114 could have easily gone the other way (some suggest Brilz was robbed) and his loss to Ryan Bader shot him down the Light Heavyweight ranks. Nogueira will definitely want to put on a vintage performance against Davis and better yet, “Little Nog” does not want to lose to two in a row to the brightest prospects of the division. Phil Davis is an NCAA Division I wrestler and don’t be surprised if he wants to showcase his talent against Nogueira on the ground. Although it will be very tough to submit Nogueira, previous fights have shown that one could take down Nogueira using superior wrestling skills. The 8-0 Pennsylvania-born fighter has shown a lot of promise in the Octagon thus far and a win over Nogueira could easily bring on a Top Five opponent. For Nogueira, a win should lead him in the same direction. Many have suggested the winner of this fight faces the winner of Rampage-Hamill which makes sense. It also makes sense for Little Nog to face former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio Shogun Rua in a rematch of their epic Pride Critical Countdown 2005 fight. Davis might not want to strike with Nogueira because Little Nog is definitely the superior boxer. However Nogueira has also been outclassed on his feet and even knocked out. This fight might not all be glitz and glamour however the stylistic match-up makes this potentially gritty affair very interesting.
Winner: Davis

Dan Hardy vs. Anthony Johnson
In the co-main event, UK’s own Dan Hardy takes on Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in which both fighters promised to “stand and bang”. Often at times pre-fight quotes generate a lot of interest but do not always live up to a stand-up war like promised…but are both fighters interested to take this fight anywhere else? In his last outing Dan Hardy was viciously knocked out by Carlos Condit in his homeland of the UK at UFC 120. He isn’t necessarily on the chopping block but he does need a win or else a 0-2 record in his last two fights will bring him on shaky grounds. Anthony Johnson on the other hand has an interesting aura around him and perhaps not all for the right reasons. He hasn’t fought since UFC 106 where he was submitted by Josh Koscheck and rumour has it he started his camp for this fight at a whopping 230 pounds (60 pounds over the weight limit of 170). He has been notorious for missing weight before and it could be in his best interest to move up in weight. Although nobody can judge Johnson but himself and he still remains one of the most powerful strikers in the Welterweight division. Johnson can also fall to 0-2 and depending on what happens at the weigh-in, it could prompt the UFC to let him go if he loses. This fight should be a slugfest for all the right reasons considering both fighters don’t really hide their game plans or alter them for different fights. Keep in mind Johnson is an amateur wrestling champion so he could pull a few tricks and keep Hardy off his game with a few take-downs. Hardy hasn’t shown vast improvements on the ground which could be a significant advantage for “Rumble” entering this fight.
Winner: Johnson

Amir Sadollah vs. Damarques Johnson
The Ultimate Fighter veteran and Muay Thai practitioner Amir Sadollah faces double-replacement Demetrious Johnson in another Welterweight affair. Sadollah has been impressive in the UFC but fairly inconsistent as well. The 4-2 Richmond-based fighter is coming off a win over Peter Sobotta last November and is looking to keep his record in the win-column against Johnson. Damarques Johnson, another Ultimate Fighter alumni, has a professional record of 12-8 and is in the same boat as Sadollah. He finished Mike Guymon 2 months ago at UFC Fight for the Troops 2 and wants to keep his record rolling as well. Johnson specializes in boxing and jiu-jitsu while Sadollah has razor-sharp Muay Thai skills. The opponent changes might have thrown Sadollah slightly off guard. Johnson might want to exploit Sadollah`s ground skills which was done by Don Hyun Kim at UFC 114. Having 6 submission wins, Johnson proves a tough fight for Sadollah who is more than happy to keep a fight standing using his striking skills. Sadollah seems to be the superior striker; meanwhile Johnson could win the floor battle. This is a very interesting bout in terms of direction, to say the least.
Winner: Sadollah

Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung II
Their fight of the year, fight of the decade and potentially fight of the century at WEC 48 was exhausting to watch simply from a viewers perspective. They did not stop trading blows and “The Korean Zombie” name lived up to expectations. Tough as nails Leonard Garcia edged out the controversial decision, but it wasn’t as bad as the Nam Phan (who was forced out of this fight/rematch with Garcia due to injury) decision at The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale. With all due respect to Garcia, he needs a win over Jung in a decisive fashion. He has been on the fortunate end of some mind-boggling decisions however he is no push-over either. He’s faced some of the toughest Lightweights and Featherweights in the world and is willing to prove his win over Jung was no fluke. The Korean Zombie has apparently ditched his “zombie-style” fighting after the highlight reel KO he suffered from George Roop at WEC 51. He will definitely return to the cage a smarter fighter but there’s a feeling Garcia may want to lure him into a slugfest once more. Both fighters have good chins and Jung seems to have crisper striking than Garcia who throws bomb after bomb. With the changes surrounding this fight, it may not be a carbon copy of their first. Will it still deliver a stellar fight? It definitely should.
Winner: Jung

Here's the rest of the card:

Waylon Lowe vs. Nik Lentz
Mario Miranda vs. Aaron Simpson
Johny Hendricks vs. TJ Waldburger
Michael McDonald vs. Edwin Figueroa
Jon Madsen vs. Mike Russow
John Hathaway vs. Kris McCray
Sean McCorkle vs. Christian Morecraft
Alex Caceres vs. Mackens Semerzier

Free on Spike TV / Prelims on Facebook

March 24th, 2011 has been a date circled on the calendar for many habs faithful. It marks the night of a rematch with our beloved Boston Bruins. The horrific accident suffered by Max Pacioretty is surely on the minds of many players, but I believe they should be concentrating on the task at hand. Yes... everyone would love retribution. Many will be calling for revenge wanting to see Chara pay for his malicious act, but the truth of the matter is these two points are way more valuable then trying to fight a 7 foot monster. The habs currently sit 3 pts back and have played 2 more games then Boston, so tonight’s game can ultimately decide the winner of the North East division. It is no shock to know that Montreal are one of the better home teams. With a crowd of 21273 die hards chanting for their team would give anyone the drive to want to win. This passion is the driving force of the city and the flame that ignites our players. However tonight they will be entering hostile grounds and are facing a team that has no mercy. The audio clip of Mark Recchi resonates loud among habs faithful, insinuating that the Canadiens Organization embellished the hit of Max Pacioretty. These accusations are absurd only another reason to go out tonight and win the hockey game. This can’t be seen as a battle or revenge, this game will have the atmosphere and importance of a game 7. The Canadiens must be prepared and focused because everyone knows that the Bruins will come out hard and try and hit everything in sight. Jacques martin has implemented a system since his hiring and I believe last playoff and this year it has paid dividend. Our roster has been decimated with injuries yet the idea of winning the division is still a possibility. The Canadiens will have to rely on speed and quick puck movement and getting the first goal is crucial. The young kids must show their passion and play for logo on the sweater not for retribution. The biggest revenge in my opiniuon would be to be crowned division champs. Lets hope tonight's game is full of emotion and good hockey. hopefully they're is no incidents because the last thing the habs need is to lose another player. On this note, I hope the habs come out ready to play because it will be one hard battle.

yours truly,

Canolz

The Kills - Satellite

(props:YouTube.com/DominoRecords)

UFC 128: Jon Jones Defeats Rua To Become Youngest UFC Champion

(props: mmavids.net)

Jon Jones’ performance last Saturday at UFC 128 was nothing short of amazing. He finished Mauricio Shogun Rua in the 3^rd round via TKO. Referee Herb Dean stepped in after a liver shot and a knee to the head of a visibly hurt Shogun. It was perhaps one of the best performances in the Octagon by anyone and the fact that Jon Jones and his team took down a thief hours before the fight makes it that more spectacular. Rua never looked like he was threatening Jones in the fight and diehard Shogun fans will say it could have been a result of a long layoff and the knee surgeries. However it simply isn’t an excuse to cast a shadow over Jones or his performance. He beat Rua in every aspect of the game, whether it was in the stand-up department or on the ground (where Jones delivered those signature Bones Elbows). The most impressive thing about Jones isn’t that he’s 23 and still earning; it’s the fact that his win against Rua just made Anderson Silva vs. Georges St-Pierre totally irrelevant. Jones now meets Rashad Evans (who stepped into the cage afterwards in a very awkward moment) in his first title defense. This has caused a rift in the Team Jackson camp and let`s just say this fight definitely deserves UFC Prime Time treatment.

Here`s what else went down (from Wikipedia…I know, I know):

Featherweight bout: Raphael Assunção vs. Erik Koch

Koch defeated Assunção via KO (punch) at 2:32 of round 1.

Catchweight (195 lb) bout: Nick Catone vs. Constantinos Philippou

Catone defeated Philippou via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).

Bantamweight bout: Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian Loveland

Benavidez defeated Loveland via unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 30–27).

Lightweight bout: Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau

Tibau defeated Pellegrino via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28).

Welterweight bout: Ricardo Almeida vs. Mike Pyle

Pyle defeated Almeida via unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 30–27).

Lightweight bout: Edson Barboza vs. Anthony Njokuani

Barboza defeated Njokuani via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28).

Light Heavyweight bout: Eliot Marshall vs. Luiz Cane

Cane defeated Marshall via TKO (punches) at 2:15 of round 1.

Heavyweight bout: Brendan Schaub vs. Mirko Filipović

Schaub defeated Filipović via TKO (punch) at 3:44 of round 3.

Middleweight bout: Nate Marquardt vs. Dan Miller

Marquardt defeated Miller via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).

Lightweight bout: Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus

Miller defeated Shalorus via TKO (punches) at 2:15 of round 3.

Bantamweight bout: Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland

Faber defeated Wineland by unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28).

Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Maurício Rua (c) vs. Jon Jones

Jones defeated Rua by TKO (strikes) at 2:37 of round 3 to become the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

I went 12-2 and after 2 events, I am now 21-4. I don’t think I’m going to brag about my record anymore or even keep count (It`s not like I’m challenging anyone so it gets a little boring/cynical). I’ll just give my predictions from now on.

FIGHT CALL #2 - UFC 128: SHOGUN VS. JONES

There's been a lack of activity these days...I'm currently dealing with a little more than I can chew. Unfortunately I cannot write a full report with precitions but I'll give my predictions for this weekend anyway.

Record: 9-2

UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Mauricio Shogun Rua vs. Jon Jones
Winner: Rua

Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland
Winner: Faber

Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus
Winner: Miller

Nate Marquardt vs. Dan Miller
Winner: Marquardt

Brendon Schaub vs. Mirko CroCop
Winner: Schaub

Ricardo Almeida vs. Mike Pyle
Winner: Pyle

Edson Barboza vs. Anthony Njokuani
Winner: Barboza

Luiz Cane vs. Eliot Marshall
Winner: Cane

Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau
Winner: Pellegrino

Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian Loveland
Winner: Benavidez

Erik Koch vs. Raphael Assuncao
Winner: Assuncao

Nick Catone vs. Constantinos Philippou
Winner: Catone

March 8th, 2011 will be a day I will never forget. The atmosphere was electrifying as the fans cheered on a dominant Canadiens team, serenading OLE OLE OLE, until 15.6 seconds left in the second period when a malicious hit was delivered to Max Pacioretty. Many analyst have talked about this play and most to my surprise have condoned the play. However, in my opinion this is crazy. Pacioretty is skating down ice towards his defensive zone and Chara leaned into him and guided Pacioretty's head right in the partition. The mood in the building halted as everyone took a deep breath not knowing the severity of the injury. There was a somber mood around the arena, everyone on their phones calling their friends to see what they were saying on television. It was a little disappointing that no one went to Max's defence, even though there were not any big bodies out there, the fact that your teammate and friend is lying there motionless should ignite some type of hidden strength that could knock down that 7 foot goon. A audio clip surfaced of color commentator Jack Edwards expressing his thoughts on the future of Max Pacioretty, calling him a cocky kid and that someday someone will take his head off. Ironic? coincidence? Of course not, why would the big bad bruins such a finess team, class acts, resort to violence and vendetta's? You know what Chara we apologize for thinking you would intentionally do that, especially since your team responded with concern and sorrow in the third period right? Give me a break, he knew exactly what he was doing. Well my friends, the reality here is you'll get whats coming to you and more importantly I believe you ignited a Monster and have punched your ticket to an early golf season if you face Montreal. I guarantee!! Montreal will win a best of seven against you, you have just provided them with all the ammunition they need. Having said all this, lets applaud the Montreal faithful, the people who bleed bleu blanc rouge... At the end of the game as they were presenting the 3 stars, the fans spoke and awarded Max a star in order for the crowd to show their love, support and prayers to Max and his family. The crowd continued to applaud for over a minute and I truly believe that this experience will make this team closer and drive them to want to do this for Max. However, and I dont mean to do this, but I must comment on something that made me feel a little uneasy. At the end of the game PK Subban and Price did their signature handshake to celebrate a win. I dont think it was appropriate considering the unfavourable circumstances. But then again maybe at the time they had information that Pacioretty was responsive. regardless of the situation I would just have rather not see that, but they played a hell of a game so they deserve to be happy. The focus and system implemented was unbelievable, the bruins never stood a chance, lets just see whats going unfold March 24th when les habitants go to their barn. The last thing I was to say because he deserves recognition is Lars Eller, fantastic game and now we need these guys to step up and get ready for a long playoff run lets do this for MAX!!!!! and FUCK YOU CHARA and the BRUINS, and for those bruins fans, hopefully you are disgusted with the fact that your boys, your team had the audasity to try and fight with under 5 min to go in the third after you nearly decapitated a young talent. Also, sorry to keep going even I thought I was done. The nhl talks about intent and bla bla bla how about accountability, it doesnt matter whether or not they believe he intended it, the fact is he did it. Someone who hits a person with their car doesnt tell the police sorry I didnt mean to it wasnt my intentions, No they face the consequences so why is that BIG GOON any different. These decisions are embarassing to our sport and our league.

UFC On Versus 3 Recap: Sanchez wins by Unanimous Decision

What a great night of fights at ‘‘UFC on Versus 3: Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann’’. The card was filled with knock outs, submissions and a controversial decision in the main event. Here’s a recap of what went down at The KFC Yum! Center in Kentucky:

-Diego Sanchez edged out Martin Kampmann in a unanimous decision. Truly, from the bottom of my heart (and not because I am pro-Diego) I did believe Diego Sanchez won that fight. There was instant negative feedback from social and media outlets claiming Kampmann was robbed big-time. The first round definitely went to Kampmann, as he dropped Diego in the center of the Octagon and stuffed every takedown from ‘‘The Dream’’ with ease. The second round could have gone either way but Diego did have the slight edge with a flurry of bombs hitting Kampmann and making the Dutch fighter`s knees buckle. In the third round the action kept going with bright moments for both fighters but the difference could have been a takedown from Sanchez. Nobody should have a problem giving the fight to Kampmann and the fight certainly raised eyebrows by the verdict being a unanimous decision. Even if Diego was predictable and at times not as technical as Kampmann he did push the pace in the second and third rounds and had a slighter advantage towards the end of the fight. This could have been why the judges ruled in Diego’s favour. However it certainly was not a Nam Phan-Leonard Garcia type of robbery.

-Mark Munoz and CB Dolloway both promised an entertaining fight and delivered immensely. What many expected would be a ‘‘sloppy wrestling match’’, Munoz could CB in the first round with a combo that almost found CB flipping backwards à la Heath Herring. The fight started off promising for Dollaway but Munoz’s striking power was enough to knock out CB and snapped the Doberman`s three-fight win streak.

-Chris Weidman turned out to be a promising middleweight prospect by beating Alessio Sakara in a bloody three-round affair. For a guy who took the fight on a couple of weeks notice, it was a very impressive performance. Weidman took Sakara down multiple times and traded fists with the Italian without any worry. He opened a gash on the Italian`s forehead on the ground which turned Sakara`s face into a crimson mask. All around Weidman beat Sakara in every aspect of the fight and is looking to become a promising dude in the middleweight division.

-Brian Bowles avoided an early flurry of leg-kicks and flying strikes to submit Damacio Page in a guillotine for the second time (at the exact same minute as their first fight). Bowles kept at bay from Damacio`s early attempted onslaught and Bowles clipped Page with a punch and then found an opening to sink in the guillotine. Bowles has now finished every opponent except current UFC Bantamweight Champion, Dominick Cruz.

Here are the results:

 Diego Sanchez def. Martin Kampmann via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Mark Munoz def. C.B. Dollaway via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 0:54

Chris Weidman def. Alessio Sakara via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Brian Bowles def. Damacio Page via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 1, 3:30

Cyrille Diabate def. Steve Cantwell via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25, 30-26)

Danny Castillo def. Joe Stevenson via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Shane Roller def. Thiago Tavares via KO (punches) - Round 2, 1:28

Takeya Mizugaki def. Reuben Duran via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)

Dongi Yang def. Rob Kimmons via TKO (strikes) - Round 2, 4:47

Rousimar Palhares def. Dave Branch via submission (kneebar) - Round 2, 1:44

Igor Pokrajac def. Todd Brown via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 5:00

(9-2…Vegas, here we go.)

The Sunshine State

Bring on the sunshine, and what hell why not another win for our habs faithful. The team begins a little two game stint in the sunshine state. The canadiens hope to continue their winning ways as they take on a revamped florida panthers team. However, lets clarify that this revamp is more of a try out for young kids trying to make their nhl dreams a full-time reality. On the other side of the puck we have a team gaining momentum and hopefully establish themselves early in the game. It seems that when the Canadiens face weaker opposition their effort level along with talent seems to decrease, thus making it a more competitive match then it should be. For the average hockey fan this may bring more excitement, but lets not kid ourselves this should not be a close game. The Canadiens will have to rely on their speed and quick movement through the neutral zone and attack a young defensive team who are missing key components due to a dismantling process by Dave Tallon. I think tonights opposition will favour the Canadiens because unlike past Dvorak teams, the panthers will not shut it down and wait to capitalize on mistakes. On the contrary, I think these young kids will be given the opportunity to showcase their talents seeing that this is a mini 20 game season that could ultimately decide their fate for the following season. Therefore, I think that this quick and open ice hockey game will favour the Canadiens who have talented forwards that can finish the plays. Unlike many road struggles, where teams consider the crowd as a factor and try to keep them out of it, I think the habs are going to look like the home team this evening. All the snowbirds, will be smiling with beers in their hands and supporting their team with the bleu blanc rouge colors as they enjoy their vacations. No matter where the habs travel the fans will follow, it only makes sense that Florida would petition to the league to host the habs during the winter months and more specifically during march break, a team struggling with attendance will benefit from ticket sales and concession purchases, expect a sell out this evening and a 4-1 habs win.

yours truly,

canolz

Can he be Legen..... wait for it Dary?!?!

In June of 2005, Carey Price was chosen 5th overall by the Montreal Canadiens. Unfortunately, many critics in the city have criticized Mr. Gainey's choice and would have preferred to select a dominant forward, which was available at the time. However, in my opinion the choice couldn't have been any smarter. The great saying is defence wins championships and I believe this holds true with hockey. Ask the Philadelphia Flyers who for many years were a force to be reckoned with , but never had the goalie to make a run. Having said that, let me refresh some memories and take you back to the 2006 Stanley cup playoffs when an improbable rookie in Cam Ward backstopped the hurricanes to a championship, the only other goalie to do so other than Patrick Roy.

I decided to write this because it is infuriating to see how Carey Price is still being criticized as not being the future of the habs and his potential is being overshadowed because some individuals believe his statistics are not good enough to be in discussion with the elite goalies of the National Hockey League. Therefore after listening to a caller on a local radio show, expressing his views on how there is no comparison between Tim Thomas and our beloved Carey Price, I decided to do a little research. I started to collect data of various modern and past NHL goalies to see how they faired in their early careers, more specifically before the age of 24. Patrick Roy accumulated 68 wins, 3.06 gaa and 404 goals against. Martin Brodeur has 82 wins, 2.64 gaa, 367 goals against, faced 4100 shots and had an accumulative save percentage of .903 and played 168 games . Ed Belfour had a 3.87 gaa, 74 goals against, 605 shots against, and a save percentage of .877 and played 23 games. Lets take a look at a few more modern day goalies that could be used more for comparison. Cam Ward has a 3.12 gaa, 438 goals against, 4268 shots against and had played in 157 games has 81 wins and accumulative save percentage of .894 before the age of 24. Roberto Luongo, 2.79 gaa, 481 goals against, 5727 shots against and played in 194 games, has 55 wins and accumulative save percentage of .914 before the age of 24. Marc Andre Fleury had a 3.24 gaa, 406 goals against, 4114 shots against, played in 138 games, has 57 wins and accumulative save percentage of .900 before the age of 24. Jaroslav Halak, 2.62 gaa, 146 goals against, 1697 shots against and 56 games played he has 30 wins and accumulative save percentage of .918 before the age of 24. Jonathan Quick, 2.95 gaa, 292 goals against, 3189 shots against, 119 games played, accumulative save percentage of .892 and has 61 wins before the age of 24. many people will look at this and say that there are notables missing such as Tim Thomas, Lundquist, Kiprusoff and Miller so I will clarify these individuals did not qualify because of when they appeared in the NHL. In this data I collected, I will mention the number of wins these individuals along with some other household amassed before the age of 24. Now I will give you Price's stats, 2.64 gaa, 487 goals against, 5703 shots against, 190 games played and accumulative save percentage of .915 and has 89 wins and counting before the age of 24. Price ranks among the best in various categories when looking at other NHL goalies, furthermore it is impressive that he has 89 wins and counting before the age of 24 only trailing Tom Barasso who had 96 wins, but who knows what can happen with a hand full of games remaining. I understand that this data only reveals certain goalies and also a certain era, but in order to properly address these critics, I believed it was important to use modern statistics that would provide fair analysis. Now the moment I have been waiting for Tim Thomas, which in my opinion is a phenomenal goalie, but unfortunately a late bloomer. Tim Thomas came into the league at age 28, and after 5 nhl seasons broke the century mark with 109 wins, a stat, Carey Price will certainly surpass. I am not trying to discredit the work of Thomas, I just believe it is crazy to compare the two netminders. In addition, in my opinion if Price were to play in a team that is defensively sound like the bruins or on a talented team like the Flyers they would be in serious discussion to win the Stanley Cup, unfortunately the undersized Montreal Canadiens and a depleted defensive core expose the young goalie. However, I truly believe that this kid has the potential to be a champion one day and hopefully his success is shared with the Montreal faithful

yours truly,

canolz

FIGHT CALL #1: UFC ON VERSUS 3 - KAMPMANN VS. SANCHEZ (+ Main Card Shakedown)

I'd like to test myself to see if I should move to Las Vegas and get a dream job of gambling for a living. So far, I'm 0-0 and my first game starts tomorrow night. Here we go:

Martin Kampmann vs. Diego Sanchez

I'm not so sure which fighter has a tougher test. I would say Kampmann is the favorite but a focused Diego is a relentless beast. Kampmann certainly does not want to drop two straight after a frustrating loss to Jake Shields. Kampmann will most likely prefer to stand with Diego and it would be a good idea to include some kicks in the stand-up department if he wants to pick Diego apart. His ground game isn't too shabby either and he could surprise Diego with a few slick submission attempts. For Diego, he needs to be totally unpredictable and animalistic. The Team Jackson fighter will definitely have a game plan to follow and it will be interesting to watch how that goes about. It's not certain what he's going to do but I have this weird feeling Diego might not respect the Dutch kick-boxer's stand-up. Eventually Diego will bring it to the ground but as mentioned before it will not necessarily be his world down there. All around this is an even fight with many members of the MMA community picking Kampmann. I will go for the upset on this one and say if Diego Sanchez is focused and in beast mode, he could edge out a victory that will improve his position in the Welterweight title picture.
Winner: Sanchez

CB Dollaway vs. Mark Munoz

TUF veteran CB Dollaway seems to be on somewhat of a resurgence as of late. Having won his past 3 fights (which includes an impressive submission win over Joe Doerksen at UFC 119), The Doberman isn't exactly ready for a title shot any time soon but he can stir up some noise if he beats Munoz tomorrow night. It's always easier said than done since Munoz is a very tough middleweight who is also looking to make waves in the division. With only one loss in his past five fights, the former NCAA Division I Champion has a deep MMA pedigree with powerful striking, strong grappling and a decent ground game. Both fighters will definitely test each other with superior strength and wrestling but I wouldn't be surprised if these two middleweights want to trade strikes for a lengthy period of time. Apparently these guys are friends who don't mind fighting each other (which was the same case for Munoz-Simpson back at UFC 123). This fight could be a very gritty affair with two fighters that are matched up perfectly with one another. This one is a toss-up, but I will go with Munoz to beat Dollaway in what should be a very close contest.
Winner: Munoz

Alessio Sakara vs. Chris Weidman

Chris Weidman makes his UFC debut and steps in for the injured Maiquel Falcao to face Italian powerhouse Alessio Sakara. Weidman, a fighter from The Longo-Serra Fight Team is no stranger to stylistic match-ups. The NCAA two-time Division I All-American knocked out Uriah Hall (a striker) in his second pro MMA fight which was billed as a striker vs. wrestler fight. Alessio Sakara is riding a three-fight win streak and faces a slightly easier test in Weidman than in Falcao (the UFC should still put that fight together when Falcao is ready to go). Although as Brian Ebersole proved at UFC 127, never count out an underdog no matter how unfamiliar you are with him. Weidman will look for a takedown early on in the fight and it will be interesting to see how Sakara can neutralize the fight on the mat. There's no question that Sakara will be looking for an early knock out but he cannot underestimate the undefeated Weidman in both stand-up and on the mat. The fact of the matter is all the pressure is on Sakara. Weidman just needs to control the Octagon jitters and stay focused.
Winner: Sakara

Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page

These two WEC vets make their UFC debut and have already fought each other at WEC 35. Bowles only needed one round to submit Page by a guillotine choke. A very well-rounded fighter and former WEC Bantamweight Champion, Bowles will certainly be looking to finish Page the same way to earn back a shot at UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz (Bowles lost his belt to Cruz after one round because of a broken hand). Coming off of a loss at WEC 52 at the hands of Demetrious Johnson, it's evident that Page needs to work on his submission defense (five out of six losses via submission). He will be looking to avenge his loss to Bowles and more importantly, he needs a win to guarantee a spot on the newly-stacked UFC roster. For Bowles, he needs to prove his title loss was only a fluke because of his broken hand. Before that loss, he was undefeated at 8-0 and finished every single opponent in their respective bouts. Both fighters are pretty even when it comes to striking, having both knocked out opponents before. Meanwhile, both fighters are on very different paths with the UFC merger. Although a win for either of them can lead to the same road. Not entirely sure but this one could be a FOTN candidate .
Winner: Bowles

Picks
Diego Sanchez over Martin Kampmann
Mark Munoz over CB Dollaway
Alessio Sakara over Chris Weidman
Brian Bowles over Damacio Page
Joe Stevenson over Danny Castillo
Cyrille Diabate over Steve Cantwell
Shane Roller over Thiago Tavares
Takeya Mizugaki over Reuben Duran
Dong Yi Yang over Rob Kimmons
Rousimar Palhares over Dave Branch
Igor Prokajac over Todd Brown

0-0 so far...with my undefeated record in the balance.

JESUS CHRIST THE UFC OCTAGON GIRLS HIT THE BEACH

UFC 127 took place last Saturday in Sydney, Australia. The UFC Octagon Girls were part of a photo shoot on the beach.

Things we learned in the Champions League so far...

10) Is Drogba dead?
9) Barcelona can be beat and even eliminated in the competition`s first round…even if it`s by a bunch of 15 year olds.
8) Carlo Ancelotti was one of the most fashionable coaches in Europe. He is starting to dress like he comes from Quebec.
7) Raul still has it to perform in elite competition. (71 Champions League goals)
6) Roma is no longer an elite squad in any competition. (Sorry, Montreal East friends but I’d hate to see a Jon Arne Riise Champions League highlight package)
5) Joe Jordan might be a racist / discriminator.
4) Rino Gattuso might be a psychopath / serial killer.
3) Playing Thiago Silva in midfield and Abate on defense is as good as a decision as giving the reigns of Manchester City to some oil tycoons who have no clue what sport they just became a part of, hoping they could ‘’buy’’ the Premier League title by ‘’buying’’ a team of strikers. (Seriously, if they win… Oasis might actually get back together)
2) There is always a dark horse in the Champions League that is not to be counted out. (Dominant performance from Shakhtar Donetsk, who forced viewers to type their name into Google to find out they’re a club from Ukraine)
1) There are two things Italians are ashamed of: 1. Inter 2. Righteous Kill (the movie with Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino)

The Reflection Period

(by KKNNIGHTWATCH's Joe Cannella)

Today is a day of reflection for most habs fans, thinking what could of been. The excitement and pump for deadline for some was immediately declined when John Lu from TSn reported that Mr Gauthier was flying with the team to ATLANTA. Now I'm not sure how this made some of you feel, but I was livid. However, less then an hour later it was confirmed that he actually arrived the night prior, soooo let the fun begin right?!?!? Unfortunately, for us half glass full kind of people our dreams were shattered and the only deal involving the Canadiens was a minor league deal, I was more excited when TSN picked up Chris Cuthberg from CBC during the lockout. There were 16 trades in all yesterday, but the one that caught my eye was the underachiever in Dustin Penner.. Many people wanted Mr Gauthier to get his services, but in my opinion the asking price was way too high. To give up a top prospect in Colten Teubert who many have said has the potential to be a hard hitting defenceman like Dion Phaneuf, a first round draft pick and a conditional third rounder that has the possibility to be a second, is a huge Price tag for someone who may perform1 out of 3 games. Now if I was a GM in the league I would be terrified of the future Oilers. They go into this draft with high probability in selecting first overall, which in my opinion would allow them to select the Adam Larrson, a great puck moving defenceman to go along with their already star stellar forward cast and now Pajaarvi will have a fellow sewed has a teammate and friend. The scary thing is if all these young guns decide that they will manipulate the salary cap in order to allow Kevin Lowe to bring in veterans by taking similar contracts then this team is set for many years to come. Its undeniable that the core group of kids have the ability to win multiple cups. So am I the only one that sees Edmonton as a potential powerhouse??!?! but I'm not a GM so I guess my opinion is irrelevant but I'll speak my mind anyway.. Odds are they may part ways with one of their picks and acquire a legitimate top 6 forward come draft day, but only time will tell. Moving back to the habs, so like many I was disappointed in non-existence of Pierre Gauthier, but having said that I realized that he probably made the right decision. The Canadiens made numerous moves this year that have helped keep this team in contention. His ability to bring over The WiZZZZ for a draft pick was great, also he was able to bring in two Vets In Mara and Sopel who unlike many I think can help this team down the stretch. These guys know what it takes to win and come playoff time will elevate their games because they will feel the excitement and passion of the city. So I tip my hat to Gauthier, because he was able to acquire all these guys for basically Maxime Lapierre and Ben Maxwell. I know many people liked Maxwell but lets be honest here, he was not going to be a top 6 forward in Montreal, with the emergence of desharnais and the unfortunate contract of Scott Gomez this kid was just rotting in the AHL. Now I move on to lapierre, It bothers me that he has the opportunity to win a stanley cup. I don't think he deserves a shot, but that lucky guy was moved to a team in my opinion that if Luongo comes to play should have no problem winning Lord Stanley. Hopefully, he is a healthy scratch and was just acquired in case of an injury because personally I don't see where he would fit in. Well boys and Girls, as we stand here today the habs are in 6th place with 73 pts , 19 games to play so the future looks good. I'll leave you with this food for thought, If I were to have asked you if the Canadiens would have been in this position having lost Markov for the year, Gorges for the year arguably our two best d-men and on top of that lose cammaleri for a couple of months and this is the best one Carey Price as our full-time starter where do you think we would be right now in the standings?!?!

yours truly,

Canolz