MMA Roundup: 2 Events this weekend, and the return of Kimbo

This weekend is stacked. No two ways around it, this is the biggest weekend for MMA until UFC 100. I know my heavyweight hero Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic is coming back next weekend at UFC 99, and that a very interesting fight between Wanderlei SIlva and Rich Franklin will be headlining, but those matches are no match for the quality of fighter we will see in action this weekend.

Sunday June 6, 9pm ET on Versus WEC presents Brown Vs Faber 2

This is my pick for fight of the weekend. No matter how it ends, as long as it happens no other fight holds the interest this does. Urijah Faber is 22-2 and was considered an unstoppable featherweight until last November when Mike Brown man handled him for just over 2 minutes then scored a TKO victory. Both fighters have fought once since then. Both scored first round submission victories, and both plan on doing the same in this fight.

While both fighters are determined and skilled, I just cant see Faber loosing this. In his last fight (a rematch Vs. Jens Pulver) Faber came to the ring with an air of victory. He could have been fighting Brock Lesner that day and won. His will was so strong that it came through the TV and let you know, as soon as you saw him, that he was going to win decisively. That being said, Browns domination of Faber in the first fight was surprising. Faber never stood a chance on that day and Brown seemed to have his number. I really hope this fight goes past the first round.

Saturday June 5, ,10pm ET on Showtime Strikeforce presents Lawler Vs Shelds

For me, the headlining match isn’t the biggest match on this card. While I fully expect Robbie Lawler and Jack Shelds to tear the house down and have a great fight (who could forget the two EliteXC contest between Lawler and Smith?) I am much more interested in the match between Andrei Arlovski and Brett Rogers. This could very well be showcasing 2 of the three best Heavyweights outside of the UFC (Fedor being the other), maybe I am a little overzealous to name Rogers as a top heavyweight, but that dude has potential to be a star. I believe him to be much better the Josh Barnett (whom Fedor is fighting in August) and I can see him having a very bright future in MMA. I hope Arlovski can hold Rogers off, but I’m not sure I can see it happening. No matter the outcome of this fight, the UFC needs to do all it can to sign whoever wins.

This Strikeforce event will also showcase someone who is becoming a begrudging favorite of mine, Nick Diaz. He will be fighting Scott Smith in what will probably turn into a stand up war. Smith has a habit of being in the most intense battles in MMA. His chin seems to be made of adamantium and his fist are of steel. Nick Diaz however is a BJJ black belt who fancies himself as a boxer. In my opinion, the smart move would be for Diaz to take Smith down and try to submit him, but I don’t think he will. This fight wont go all 3 rounds, but however long it does last, it will be a war. Diaz will trash talk, and maybe even flip the bird. Diazs’ brother (UFC fighter Nate Diaz) will stand on the outside talking smack and almost definitely flipping the bird. Smith will take a ton of punishment, seem to be knocked out, then comeback again and again. In the end I don’t know who will win. I am starting to really enjoy the side show that is the Diaz family, but I also really pull for Smith who seems to be a good guy with a family to feed. After this fight is over I just hope both fighters aren’t too hurt and can move on to their next fights soon.

While UFC 99 doesn’t happen for another week, it hasn’t exactly been quiet over at the Zuffa offices. For those of you who don’t know, The Ultimate Fighter 10 started filming this last week and the big news coming out of the taping doesn’t concern either Rashad Evans or Quintin “Ramapge” Jackson who are the coaches, nor does it concern the reported 4 former NFL players who are on the show this season. It seems that Kimbo Slice has won the “Brass Balls” award for the week by joining the cast of TUF 10. This is a guy who was criticized by UFC President Dana White almost none stop just over a year ago as being a freak show. White always stated that Kimbo could come on TUF if he ever wanted to get a UFC contract, well it appears Kimbo decided to take him up on it.

I am pulling for Slice. If that guy can get his head together and get and sort of condition he could be really good for MMA. He was in the 1st and 3rd most watched events in the history of MMA and has ridiculous charisma . With the UFC in need of some, what I call, placeholder stars no one could be better for them then Kimbo.

MMA Round Up: UFC 93 Preview, Affliction, Then UFC Again.

Believe it or not there is a UFC PPV this weekend. I know you all are watching the build for UFC 94 with the St. Pierre Penn rematch and the UFC Prime-time but that event doesn’t happen for 2 more weeks. You need to drop $54 dollars this weekend to watch a sub-par card in the mid afternoon on a Saturday to prove you’re a true hardcore UFC fan.

Now I call it a subpar card because chances are you only know 4 fighters; 5 if you are a fan, as I am, of Chris Lytel. I pick his fight against Marcue Davis to be fight of the night. I also pick him to win because he’s a hometown guy. Those 4 fighters are all facing each other, so it’s a $54 event on PPV, featuring 2 fights that are solid undercard matches on most events, or great free matches for a fight night on Spike.

Then in two more weeks there is a rematch between two of the greatest fighters in the UFC in Penn and St. Pierre. I don’t know about all of you, but I am planning on finding a bar with a low cover charge for this weekend.

Now, a preview of those two main events for this weekend’s UFC 93, which are: Rich Franklin Vs. Dan Henderson and Mark Coleman Vs. Mauricio Rua.

Franklin V. Henderson Preview

This is interesting because whoever wins will probably end up the coach on the next Ultimate Fighter. Franklin has been fairly adamant about not wanting to be a coach and “Hendo” has keep to him self about it. I would like to see Henderson get a rematch with Anderson Silva. He seemed to be a bit out of it in their last match and Silva dominated him. I think a rematch and a more focused Henderson would be a great fight. As for my Pick, I have to go with Dan Henderson even if he is 1-2 since returning to the UFC.

Mark Coleman V. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua Preview

This fight is actually a rematch. Coleman won the first fight back in Pride F/C when Shoguns’ arm broke. It was a freak accident and not any type of decisive win, but a win for Coleman none the less. When picking this fight you have to think about a few things:

First of all, Coleman is 44 and just came out of retirement. He’s old for a fighter, and while Randy Couture has shown no signs of aging (the Brock Lesner fight is an abnormality until I see him lose to someone who isn’t a freak of nature), can the same be said about Coleman? How many people can beat father time like Randy? Also, Coleman has never fought in the modern age of the UFC. A lot has changed since he last choked out Dan Severn.

As for Rua, well his first, and last fight in the UFC saw him completely gas out against Forrest Griffin. There was a time when Rua was considered the best at 205, but those were the old Pride days. As we have seen time and again (forget Anderson SIlva and Rampage), the old Pride vets haven’t been able to make a great transition to the UFC. Also, if his brother, “Ninja” Rua is any indication of how these guys train now that they are no longer part of Chute Box Academy, then Shogun will probably gas out if the fight goes past the first. I am picking Coleman in the second.

As mentioned before, Affliction is presenting it’s second PPV offering next weekend. Their attempt to make you part with your cash is offering the best heavyweight match up of the year (I know it’s early).

Andrei “How taste my pee-pee?” Arlozski Vs. God (known around MMA circles as Fedor Emelianenko).

Let’s face it, no one is giving Andrei a chance in this fight. Hell, Vegas has him at +275. Now, even if he is fighting Fedor, Arlovski has a few things going for him. Mainly, he has Freddie Roach in his corner. Sure Freddie is a boxing guy, but he is the guy that trained Oscar De La Hoya while he was good, then showed Manny Pacquiao how to dismantle everything about Oscar after De La Hoya burned him.

If Andrei can keep this fight standing he stands a real chance at beating Fedor based simply on his corner. The otherthing Adnrei has going for him, the fangs. I cant stress this enough. The fanged mouthpieces make the fighter who wears them. If Arlovski wears the fangs to the ring he will win this fight. My pick, and my money are going to Andrei… no mattter how much I regret it.

Quick note, it is being widely reported this could be the final Affliction PPV. While having the highest payroll in all of MMA has allowed them to creat the best Heavyweight division, the lack of promotion and ticket sales have greatly hurt the company. I wouldn’t expect another PPV from them, so this may be your last chance to see Fedor fight a true top 10 heavyweight. These guys make their money off of high priced T-shirts, loosing money on a television expansion just doesnt make much sense to me.