UFC 99 Preview

UFC 99: The Comeback takes place this Saturday, June 13th, in Cologne, Germany. Let's be honest here, we can pretty much call this PPV a "filler" event after last month's LHW championship bout between then title holder Rashad Evans and new champ, Lyota Machida, and next month's monumental card featuring Brock Lesnar, Frank Mir, Georges St. Pierre, Michael Bisping, and Dan Henderson. That being said, this PPV, despite having what some fans are calling a "weak main event" and no titles on the line, does have some intriguing match-ups.

UNDERCARD

Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (6'2" 220 lbs, 24-6-2, 1 NC) vs Mostapha Al Turk (6'2" 242 lbs, 6-4)

This fight will mark the return of Cro Cop after a nearly two year absence from the Octagon. Cro Cop was once one of the most acclaimed heavyweights in the world but suffered devastating back to back losses to Gabriel Gonzaga and Cheick Kongo following his debut win in the UFC. After his two losses many speculated if Filipovic would continue fighting. He seemed disinterested in the sport and unmotivated but he has been given a rare opportunity; a one-fight contract from UFC president Dana White. Cro Cop has claimed that he's focused, motivated, and has been training hard, even adding a few pounds to his frame for his bout with Al Turk. I'm hoping that the Croatian Parliament member returns to form with an impressive win and reclaims his status as one of the top heavyweights in MMA.

MAIN CARD

Spencer Fisher (5'7" 155 lbs, 23-4) vs Caol Uno (5'7" 155 lbs, 25-11-4)

After leaving the UFC in 2003. Uno has been fighting for K-1 and DREAM. He's 3-3 in his last six fights dating back to 2006 and will be looking to start a new winning streak. Uno, a grappler, will be taking on a pure fighter when he faces Spencer Fisher. I don't know enough about Uno to break down this fight but I'm blindly predicting a win for Fisher.

Marcus Davis (5'10" 170 lbs, 21-5) vs Dan Hardy (6'0" 170 lbs, 21-6)

Davis is 8-1 in his last night fights with the only loss coming to fellow UFC 99 competitor Mike Swick. Both fighters are quick and have wins via KO so this could be an exciting bout. I'm looking for Davis to finish Hardy and take the win.

Mike "Quick" Swick (6'1" 170 lbs, 13-2) vs Ben Saunders (6'3" 170 lbs, 7-0-2)

Mike Swick is one of the most entertaining, explosive fighters in the welterweight division. He's 8-1 in the UFC and has a knack for finishing fights very quickly. Another win or two and he should be fighting for the welterweight title. I'm a fan of Swick and hope to see him continue his rise towards the top of this division.

Cheick Kongo (6'4" 240 lbs, 24-4-1) vs Cain Velasquez (6'1" 240 lbs, 5-0)

Velasquez has looked like one to watch in the UFC heavyweight division. He's been impressive in his last few wins and looks like he may have what it takes to establish himself as one of the better heavyweights in the UFC. He's still fairly young (26 years old) and will face a veteran Cheick Kongo who's battled some big named veterans such as Mirko Cro Cop (win via unanimous decision) and Heath Herring (loss via split decision). Kongo can end a fight with one strike, whether it be his hands or feet, but Velasquez is well rounded and has the skills to outlast Kongo. I don't know if Kongo can ever reach and maintain the level of Mir, Nogeira, or Couture, but I think Velasquez can and will. I'm pick Velasquez to win this fight and continue his undefeated streak.

MAIN EVENT

Rich "Ace" Franklin (6'1" 195 lbs, 26-4, 1 NC) vs Wanderlei Silva (5'11" 195 lbs, 32-9-1, 1 NC)

Both of these fighters are at a bit of a crossroads in their respective careers. After 2 greuling attempts to knock off middleweight champ, Anderson Silva, Franklin has decided to make the move to light heavyweight (205 pounds). Silva is 1-3 in his last 4 fights in the UFC and is thought to be on the decline of what has been a very impressive career in MMA, dating back to his wars in PRIDE. This match takes place at a catch weight of 195 lbs as Franklin is on his way up to light heavyweight and Silva may very well be on his way down to middleweight (185 pounds). Silva, as always, will look to finish this fight viciously, while Franklin will likely play the safer game and get ahead on the judges scorecards while avoiding as much of Silva's strikes as possible. I expect Franklin to win this fight but will not be dissapointed at all if Silva shows us a glimpse of his former self.

Kimbo gets Ultimate Chance

Kimbo Slice will finally get a crack at the UFC. It was reported yesterday that Slice (real name: Kevin Ferguson) is slated to compete as a contestant on season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter (SpikeTV). The show will feature 16 heavyweights competing for a six figure deal in the UFC. There will be a slight difference this time around from the last few seasons of TUF; the fighters will not be requried to fight their way into the house. The 16 fighters that will appear this season have already been chosen for the series.



UFC president Dana White has repeatedly bashed Slice in the past claiming that he was not a real fighter and would get absolutely murdered if he competed against the UFC's competition. Well, Dana has found yet another win-win situation for himself and the UFC. If Slice fails on the reality show and is beaten by fighters with sub-par skills compared to those at the top of UFC's heavyweight division, White is completely justified in his past remarks. If Slice has improved over the time since his embarassing loss to Seth Petruzelli and fights his way into the finale, White has an excuse to sign what is sure to be a huge draw to his MMA franchise. I despised Slice, not because of what he was trying to become, but because unknowledgable, casual MMA fans saw him as the face of MMA. I still do not believe that he belongs anywhere near the discussion of legit heavyweight fighters and the sham that was his Elite XC career did not help him, but that being said, I'm not rooting against him. Will a little part of me smile inside if he gets embarrased by someone noone's ever heard of? Maybe, it wouldn't be the first time it happened. I can't really say, but right now, I'm hoping that he has improved and can legitimately compete in the UFC. His appeal has worn off since his first bout with Elite XC but there's still the possibility that he brings more attention to one of the fastest growing sports in the nation. That's good for the UFC and it's good for its fans.



Season 10 of TUF: The Return of Rampage and Rashad


Season 10 of the UFC's very reality show is already causing quite the stir. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson has opted to forgo a title match with new light heavyweight champion, Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida, and instead declared that he'd like to be a coach, for the second time, on The Ultimate Fighter. Jackson will be coaching against "Sugar" Rashad Evans, the man he was supposed to fight for the LHW championship before a lingering jaw injury (suffered at the hands of Wanderlei Silva) kept him from action. Evans won season 2 of The Ultimate Fighter as a heavyweight and is returning to the show for the first time, following the loss of his first title defense against Machida. Both men are still very much in the mix for the UFC light heavyweight championship and the winner of their December bout, following the finale of season 10 of TUF, will most definitely get their shot at the title. The fans are already gearing up for what could be the most watched season of TUF since its inception. Between the mystery of Kimbo's inevitable rise or fall and the fireworks between these two coaches, I know that I'll be tuning in.

GSP vs BJ Penn 2 = Complete Dissapointment

It should have been one of the greatest fights in the annals of MMA. It had the potential of a history-making fight, where one man could leave the octagon holding the titles of two different weight classes, simultaneously. Instead, the long awaited rematch between Georges St. Pierre and BJ Penn became an embarrassment for both of the fighters involved.

After the first time these two men fought, Georges St. Pierre spent the night in a hospital; bloody, bruised, and battered. His face looked like it was on the receiving end of a Barry Bonds home run swing. BJ Penn on the other hand, headed to his after party at some Las Vegas nightclub, not looking to have ever broken a sweat. It was St. Pierre however, that eeked out a much disputed split decision at UFC 58 in March of 2006.

A rematch was inevitable and UFC president, Dana White, turned to old faithful, Spike TV, to get the hype machine rolling. Following in the footsteps of HBO and their documentary "24/7" chronicling the moments leading up the De La Hoya/Mayweather fight, Zuffa and the UFC produced a three part series titled "UFC: Primetime." The show followed the two fighters as they trained for the upcoming title bout and often featured interview segments. Judging the from the copious amount of trash talk spewing from Penn's mouth, the fans would be in for an absolute battle.

There certainly was a battle, just not the one(s) the fans expected. BJ battled for air as his feet battled to maintain guard on an extremely slippery GSP. Penn antagonists are quick to bring up BJ's lack of cardio and the seemingly non-dedicated attitude he portrays. BJ made a point to dismiss these critiques on UFC: Primetime, running underwater while carrying large rocks and even making not-so-subtle remarks, offering to slap Dana White for questioning his training regimen. His performance on January 31st, proved that talk is indeed, cheap. Penn looked fatigued and mentally beaten after the first two rounds of the fight. After spending the better part of three rounds underneath a stronger, more determined GSP, Penn's corner threw in the towel. Quite a hypocrisy considering Penn previously called St. Pierre a "bitch" and a "quitter."

As disappointed as I was with Penn's performance in the fight, I'm even more disappointed with GSP and his camp. After round one, it was brought to the attention of the Nevada State Athletic Committee that cornerman Phil Nurse applied vaseline to St. Pierre's shoulders and back while allegedly performing a breathing ritual in which he places his hand on GSP's chest and simultaneously rubs his back. The NSAC removed the vaseline and attempted to wipe down St. Pierre's back after round two but the damage had already been done. Head trainer, Greg Jackson, claims that his fighter and his camp did not cheat. If there was any vaseline placed on the fighter's back it was done unintentionally and without cause. Penn's camp had issued a request for investigation but no formal complaint has been filed to date.

It's not clear at the moment whether or not Georges St. Pierre will be stripped of his belt. Proving that he, himself, knew that he was being rubbed with vaseline will be harder to prove than whether or not the act itself was premeditated and done intentionally. Since this fiasco has come to light, former GSP opponents Matt Hughes and Matt Serra have claimed that they found St. Pierre to be rather slippery in their bouts as well. Of course that's easy to say now. As a fan of St. Pierre, I hope that this was a one-time misunderstanding that doesn't tarnish his championship. As a fan of MMA, I hope the NSAC looks into this and makes sure it never happens again. As a fan of BJ Penn, I hope he answers Greg Jackson and Georges St. Pierre's challenge and shows us that he really is one of the best fighters in the world.