MMA Roundup: Quick UFC 92 Review and Notes

UFC 92 has come and gone and so has my gambling account. Let me tell you, there is nothing like telling your fiancee that there is no going out for sushi for a few weeks because Frank Mir learned how to punch.

Ultimate 2008 was an entertaining card. Personally, I though UFC 91 was a better broadcast but if you bought UFC 92 you definately got your money worth. If you look at “safe bets” UFC 92 took your account. I went 1-3 on my predictions, and the one I hit on was a Vegas underdog.

Rampage, Frank Mir, Rashad Evans, and Cheick Kongo all won by decisive knockouts. Of that group I only hit on Rampage. Too bad I took him in a parlay with Forrest Griffin.

While on the UFC 92 card, I have one question… Has Kongo ever been in a fight where he didn’t deliver one obviously deliberate cock punch? His fight against M. Al Turk saw Al Turk deliver one accidental knee to the groin. AT that point 5 of the people in my room made joks that all suggested we knew Kongo wouldnt allow someone to get by with his trademarked knee to the nuts. Sure enough during the next clench Kongo got himself into position, looked down to make sure where his knee was, then lifted Al Turn off his feet via a knee to the junk.

I think it’s time to start fining guys for repeated rules violations. I’m not talking about the occasional accidental kick to the groin, thumb to the eye, or accidental blow to the back of the head. I’m talking about patterns that arise and violate the rules whenever a certin fighter fights. Kongo has built a career using knees to the balls, every fight there is at least one. If I were a heavyweight I wouldn’t want to fight the guy, not because he’s good, but because I saw what happened to every other guy he has fought.

Moving on to new news it appears the door is open for Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski to return to the UFC. Dana White was quoted this week as saying that Arlovski is the one who got away. Andrei wanted to do some boxing and stuff outside UFC and Dana wanted Arlovski all to himself. I would look for Andrei to start talking with Dana seriously after he his upcoming Affliction bout against Fedor Emelianenko on January 24. As for that bout, I’ll take Arlovski, I dont care how great Fedor is or was, there is just something special about Andrei’s fanged mouthpiece and that smile which makes me pick him every time. Side note: as soon as I saw Rashad Evans was wearing a fanged mouth piece against Forrest Griffin I knew my money was on the wrong fighter. One of my rules is never bet against the fangs.

In other Dana White news, it is reported that he may be interested in bringing back Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic. It was reported on Cagepotato.com that Dana said (On Best Damn Sports Show) if Cro Cop wins his New Years eve freakshow fight against Hong Man Choi he will be welcomed back in the UFC. Adding more fuel to this fire, Cro COp still has his cage up in his training facility. Now, I dont want to run with speculation, but UFC needs heavyweights. Cro Cop is a marketable heavyweight, even if he went 1-2 in his UFC stint and had a horrible 2008 (Hey who didn’t?), he is still a former top 5 heavyweight who has crazy knock out power. I’m not saying this will happen, I’m just saying I would pay to watch Mirko fight anyone, especially if he is coming in with a point to prove.