MMA Review

Ok, I know some of you just scan my MMA Review so I want to get this in before you move on to another site:

-I’m looking forward to the Fighting for the Troops event that the UFC is having this Wednesday, especially the main event featuring Josh Koscheck against Yoshida.

As much crap as the UFC and especially Dana White gets from some fans and critics, this is a pretty cool event to help out the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, an organization that helps injured soldiers. You can even make a donation and learn more about this great group even if you’re not an MMA fan. Check out this link and learn more about it: http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=eventDetail.fightCard&eid=1808

Ok, back to our regularly scheduled program:

What’s going on people? Its time for our weekly Friday installment of MMA Review, where the Rashad Evans vs. Forrest Griffin and Nog vs. Mir are my superfights of the month and not De la Hoya vs. Pacquiao:

-Actually, let me dispel a belief that some have about me. I like boxing and mixed martial arts. I don’t understand why there is this tension, albeit stoked greatly by the media to separate the two combat sports.

I can tell you that I started out watching boxing matches with my uncle. Before I knew about Shamrock, Gracie, Couture, Bas, Tank Abbott, etc., I was all about Chavez, Whitaker, Bowe, James Toney and maybe my favorite boxer ever, Haggler.

I still like a good boxing match, still enjoy the sport. I prefer MMA but I’m not going to pay $55 for one potentially decent fight tomorrow night.

FYI, if I had to choose a winner, I guess I would take Pacman by decision. If De la Hoya can’t beat a lighter man moving up three weight classes and you only have to drop one really and your power can’t take him out, problems for Oscar.

-Finally, two local Nashville MMA notes.

1) Check out an awesome MMA site that I’ve recently been introduced to, Pro MMA. Here’s the link: http://promma.info/

Cool part about them, the site is based in Tennessee, have to like that. Great videos, international news, etc.

2) Live MMA is coming to Nashville! No joke. Gameness Championship Fighting is taking place this Thursday, December 11 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds.

I’m trying my darn best to go to it, but I got darn class that night, but between you, me and the internet, I’m going to try to get out of that because how often do I have the chance to see some fights up close.

For more info on the event, go to http://nashvillemma.com/

-Caught some of the latest WEC event from this Wednesday and was impressed with some fighters. Of course, the man of the hour is Miguel Torres who has risen from fighting small shows to being the co-face of a major organization with Urijah Faber. His dismantaling of game Manny Tapia was textbook. He’s a top-five pound-for-pound fighter, right up there with Anderson Silva, GSP, B.J. Penn, Fedor (maybe) and others of that ilk.

We all know about Torres’ ground game but what was impressive was his stand up, especially his jab. Tapia is a solid fighter and if you go to Sherdog.com, you can find video of him saying that the fight was stopped early, but I don’t think that was the case.

The main question for Torres and the WEC as an organization is who’s next to contend for the bantamweight title.

First, I don’t want to hear some calling for a mega-fight against Faber because I know that Urijah could probably drop the ten pounds but I don’t really like that fight happening right now.

Some are calling for Brian Bowles, which I can understand. His defeats of Marcos Galvao and Will Riberio were solid. Other than that, I don’t really see anyone else. Maybe Jeff Curran. Kid Yamamoto anyone? Let me know in the comments section.

-Speaking of the WEC as a whole, I don’t understand why they are having Faber fight Pulver again for a second time. Zuffa seems to love rematches, witness Wandy vs. Rampage III later this month. However, I don’t like this one.

The obvious fight for Faber would be an immediate rematch against Brown to get his title back, but I see how the WEC is thinking. Pulver is a name fighter and this is a business after all, so I get it.

-I better not see Couture vs. Liddell IV. Thankfully, I don’t think either fighter is interested in that.

-I wish I could give you analysis of the Ultimate Fighter for the UFC, but I’ve honestly I only saw the first episode and have fallen behind. I’ve heard that the fighting has been solid, but the antics of the fighters has been deplorable. I like the fighting but the frat house mentality is annoying.

People always have the perception that fighters are immature and unfortunately sometimes the Ultimate Fighter confirms that. As I said, I haven’t seen the whole season, so who am I to judge.

-Looks like our favorite former MMA hero Kimbo Slice is probably going to fight in Japan with K-1. I’ve been saying that the most logical move for him is to go to Japan and this may be the start of that.

-OK, that’s all. I leave you with ESPN’s MMA Live for your viewing pleasure: