Monday, October 31, 2011
My Favorite Things
Source: http://skydivechick.com/2011/10/my-favorite-things/
Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven
UFC 137 video: Diaz says Penn is the much tougher fight over GSP
Nick Diaz knows he has a big challenge in front of him on Saturday night at UFC 137. In fact, he believes it's a tougher fight than the one he's was originally scheduled for against Georges St-Pierre.
"I wouldn't have picked this fight for sure," Penn told HDNet's Inside MMA. "I think he'll probably try to slip the jab and throw the overhand right (then) make a body lock or (go for a) single leg takedown. Maybe push me against the fence."
Diaz knows he could ward off the Penn attack with a safety-first mentality, but that's not in his DNA.
"I'm going to have to deal with a lot of that stuff. It's B.J. Penn so it's a real difficult fight especially for somebody like me who's going to go and try to fight, and not try to hold him and win rounds," said Diaz.
Diaz truly believes Penn is a tougher fight than the UFC welterweight champ would've presented, but you can hear he's still wants thate on an eventual GSP tilt.
"If I lose to B.J. Penn, he's either going to take me out with a right hand or he's going to go on top in some way and end in some position. He'll probably want to put a mount, take the back and put a choke. You know, finish the fight," Diaz said.
"Georges would look to just do enough to win the fight. Every fight that he does (is like that). I doubt that would've worked out with me the same way it does with a lot of the other fighters. I have the tool and what it takes to make something other than that happen in there."
Even though it's a three-rounder on Saturday, Diaz believes his big advantage may be in the cardio department. Penn has had stamina issues int he past at 170 pounds.
St-Pierre suffered his knee injury in training Tuesday afternoon
Georges St-Pierre was days, if not hours away, from scaling back in his preparation for UFC 137 next weekend. Training for a fight is always a risky proposition and GSP failed to escape these final moments of training without injuring a knee.
At 1:51 p.m. ET Tuesday, GSP tweeted this photo of him working his kicks. A little over four hours later, he spoke of visiting the doctor.
His trainer Firas Zahabi gave his account of the afternoon incident to Sherdog:
"He was sparring today and he hurt his knee. I had a feeling it was bad, but then, once he cooled down, he started limping. There's no way he would be able to fight. It was a weird thing. I can't really explain it. Of course, everybody is disappointed," Zahabi said. "[...] We made a lot of sacrifices. We had a lot of people come in to help us train. We put a lot of man hours into getting ready for this fight. But it's not going to waste, it's just being put on hold."
We could get a clearer picture of GSP's recovery timetable Wednesday. There's a UFC 137 media teleconference scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.
Being something vs. being someone
Source: http://skydivechick.com/2011/10/being-something-vs-being-someone/
Paul Goldsmith José Froilán González Oscar González Aldo Gordini
Access Fund Action Alert: Climbing Management at the Black Canyon, Colorado
Paul Wicht in Boom Boom Knox
Limited Magazine has Paul Wicht's part from Boom Boom Knox. Check their vimeo channel for the rest of the part.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/Cm3EFZ7hV3U/paul-wicht-in-boom-boom-knox.html
Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines
Joey LaRock Throwaway
Canadian filmer Dave Pelletier has a throwaway part from Joey LaRock.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/WoUtdkeqlPg/joey-larock-throwaway.html
With an ill father and a newborn, Grispi puts MMA on the backburner
What's wrong with Josh Grispi? That was the question on plenty of lips around the MMA community.
It turns out that life got in the way ... for now.
The fast-rising prospect saw his career derailed a bit by some trouble in the Octagon, but now all it has gone on hold as the 23-year-old is dealing with a situation that folks 20 and 30 years older would have trouble juggling.
In mid-August, Grispi's wife got through a difficult child birth when the UFC featherweight found out that his father had a brain tumor. On Aug. 14, just two days after Josh Jr. was born, Grispi's father, Richard, found out that the earache he was suffering from was a lot more serious.
"He's one to not go to the hospital. He'll just tough it out," Grispi told the Boston Herald at the beginning of October. "But I called and made an appointment for him and when he went in they rushed him right from the CT scan in Plymouth to Tufts in Boston. He didn't know what the heck what was going on."
It was a real wake-up call for the younger Grispi.
"I was a mess as soon as I knew he needed brain surgery," Grispi said. "I was just thinking it was his first grandson and he was just born and now with all this stuff, I want my dad to be there with his grandson. There was just a lot of stuff going through my head."
With training camp for UFC 136 about to take off, the -native had no choice but to drop out of his fight against Matt Grice.
"All I can think about is I don't want my dad to see my last two fights be losses," Grispi said. "I want to get back in there. But I don't think I should have even fought those two fights (2010 losses against Dustin Poirier and ). I should have just taken care of myself when I needed to, but I needed money. I was having a kid so I needed to save up more money. I was fighting for the wrong reasons."
Grispi has a bright future in front of him. Now it's time to take of the real important things in his life. MMA can wait, hopefully he comes back with the kind of focus that got him very close to landing a 2010 title shot against Jose Aldo Jr.
"Now I want to get back into it and love it again and not look at it like a job anymore," Grispi said. "My other (pre-UFC) fights, it wasn't like a job. I was just having fun, going in there and doing my thing. Then I put all this pressure on myself and (the losses) happened. I'm looking to get back in there as quickly as possible, but not to the point where I can't go in there and have a blast like I usually do."
Lesson NOT learned: Diaz shows up 45 minutes late for presser ? ?not my fault?
Next week in Las Vegas should be a hoot. With the injury to Georges St-Pierre, Nick Diaz has been boosted back to main event. It's an amazing second lease on life for the oddball welterweight star.
Surely, Diaz learned a lesson and will fulfill his most basic duties required by the promotion. Wrong.
Diaz was due on a UFC 137 media call today at 2 p.m. ET. For 45 minutes, it was deja vu all over again. Diaz was nowhere to be found and his "people," including manager Cesar Gracie frantically attempted to corral the fighter. At 2:45, they finally found their man and what unfolded from there was pure hilarity.
"Nobody called me in the last week or couple days or anything and said there was a call," Diaz said. He then explained that he was sleeping when he, "woke up, my phone was dead, and my brother's telling me I'm supposed to be on a call. I don't know anything about it. It's as simple as that."
Those same people who eventually saved him today, are often letting him down.
"I've got all these people, business people and big money people around me trying to make deals," Diaz said (46:50 mark). "I don't know anything about that. All I know is somebody's getting paid like over a hundred grand just to tell me what I'm supposed to do and what I'm not supposed to do."
Diaz then seemed to suggest these same hired hands screwed him out of the title fight opportunity he lost against GSP.
"I'm like, for that much money I think I could have had somebody standing around and telling me, 'Hey, you can't miss this press conference. That voids the whole contract and then you're out. You're not making [expletive]. You're not fighting [expletive]. You ain't making no money. So you have to be at this thing.' It's simple."
Expect more of the same next week. You have wonder though if the promotion's patience is wearing so thin that Diaz must produce a win over Penn to stick around.
Countdown to UFC 131 - UFC
Full episode! Vancouver is on notice - heavy hands mean a big-time main event unlikely to go the distance in Junior dos Santos vs. Shane Carwin. Plus Kenny Florian vs. Diego Nunes and Demian Maia vs. Mark Mu�oz - see what's in store!Source: http://mmalice.com/ufc/countdown-to-ufc-131-video_460590e56.html
Oscar Alfredo Gálvez Fred Gamble Howden Ganley Frank Gardner
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Stressed Out Yoga Chick (video)
Source: http://www.prana.com/blog/2011/10/28/stressed-out-yoga-chick-video-inappropriate-yoga-guy/
UFC 137: Yahoo! Sports and Heavy present Fight Day Live
The UFC's only official pre-fight show returns when Fight Day comes to you live from the sold-out Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, the home of "UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz."
Hosts Dave Farra and Megan Olivi will break down all of the latest news from the UFC, including the stunning cancelation of the main event after an injury to Georges St-Pierre forced him to withdraw from the event.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson will join the show to discuss his career and what's next for him, and we'll have a panel of journalists ready to break down the entire card.
Tune in to Fight Day at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.
Heavy is also giving away UFC 137 tickets. Your chance at being a part of all the UFC fighting action is only a couple of clicks away. Log on to HeavyMMA's Facebook page.
From there, you must "like" the page and leave a comment about how much you'd love to go to the show. From there, the folks at Heavy conduct a random drawing and the lucky winner will receive two tickets to the big fight card on 10/29/2011. It's that easy! So head over to HeavyMMA's Facebook page now and good luck.
Paco Godia Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith
You Are Designed To Move
Source: http://www.hikingcamping.com/blog/2011/06/you-are-design-to-move/
Eddie Irvine Chris Irwin Jean Pierre Jabouille Jimmy Jackson
?Cro Cop? loses final fight at UFC 137, Nelson uses belly and power to finish him off
LAS VEGAS - Over the last 10 years, Mirko Filipovic put on dozens of tremendous shows for fans of mixed martials, so the ending at UFC 137 was fitting.
The 37-year-old brought it and tried to slug it out with Roy Nelson, but the younger fighter's well-rounded game took over in the second and he scored a TKO win at the 1:30 mark of third at UFC 137.
"Cro Cop" was one of the most feared fighters in the world during his time with PRIDE fighting in Japan. His run with the UFC was less than stellar, but the fans never lost their love for the Crotian kickboxer. Even tonight, the Las Vegas crowd went nuts anytime Cro Cop landed a punch or kick.
"This is going to be my final fight. I didn't make a goodbye victory," a sad Cro Cop told UFC analyst Joe Rogan. "Roy was just better tonight. I want to thank all you guys, especially the UFC fans."
[Related: UFC 137: Penn, 'Cro Cop' set to retire after losses]
Cro Cop (27-10, 4-6 UFC) was very much in the fight into the middle of the second round. Two minutes in, he rocked Nelson with a left and then got off 20-25 unanswered shots. Nelson covered up and survived, enabling him to score a very important takedown with 2:35 left.
Nelson quickly moved to side control where he worked for the dominant crucifix position. Once he got it with less than 45 seconds left, he pounded away on the helpless Cro Cop. Nelson, who came into this fight about 15-17 pounds less than previous fights, still has a good-sized belly. He used that to his advantage as he smothered the 37-year-0ld. Cro Cop survived the round, but when he rose to his feet his face was all marked up.
In the third, the Croatian's legs weren't there and he got drilled by a straight right. Cro Cop went into retreat mode. A little over minute into the round, he got dropped by a left. Nelson jumped on top, got his hooks in and flattened him out. He threw four or five bigbombs to the side of Cro Cop's head and it was stopped.
"It was awesome to fight with a legend. It's good just to be back in the 'W' column.�Cro Cop can still tear it up," Nelson said. "My game plan was to strike and mix it up so you see a little bit of everything."
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UFC 137 video: B.J. Penn takes his own road to the Nick Diaz fight
B.J. Penn's camp is about tech savvy as it gets, so to no one's surprise the Penn folks have turned out some great videos to rival what's on Countdown to UFC 137.
Make sure to check out Yahoo! Sports' exclusive blog with the former UFC lightweight and welterweight champ.
Watch UFC 137 right here on Yahoo! Sports
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UFC 137 weigh-in: Diaz loses it, was there a method to his madness?
Nick Diaz was on his best behavior all week and then came yesterday's weigh-in for UFC 137. Diaz got in B.J. Penn's face and before Dana White could separate the fighters, the Strikeforce import threw a punch/elbow the Hawaiian's way.
If that shots hits Penn, Diaz would've been in a world of hurt and faced a big fine. Worse than that, what if Diaz hits Penn and B.J. couldn't fight tonight? Thankfully, that didn't happen.
Why did it happen? What makes Diaz tick? Yahoo! Sports' lead MMA writer Kevin Iole and former UFC fighter Frank Trigg sat down with myself on ESPN1100/98.9 FM's "The MMA Insiders" show in Las Vegas to explain the mental games played by both Diaz and Penn heading into tonight's tilt at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Roy Nelson and Tyson Griffin made the other news at the weigh-in. Nelson hits the scales in fat suit. He weighed-in at 252 pounds. Sources in his camp said he's closer to 245. That's good news. A focused Nelson, in better condition could be a real player in the heavyweight division.
Griffin went the wrong way missing the featherweight limit of 145 by four pounds. Griffin attempted to lose some weight, but couldn't get down to the allowable 146 pounds. The fight will be waged at 148 and Griffin will be fined 25 percent of his "show" purse.
UFC 137 weigh-in (Courtesy MMAjunkie):
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)
Nick Diaz (170) vs. B.J. Penn (169)
Cheick Kongo (234) vs. Matt Mitrione (255)
Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (235) vs. Roy Nelson (252)
Jeff Curran (134) vs. Scott Jorgensen (135)
Hatsu Hioki (145) vs. George Roop (145)
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)
Donald Cerrone (156) vs. Dennis Siver (155)
Tyson Griffin (149) vs. Bart Palaszewski (146)
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)
Eliot Marshall (204) vs. Brandon Vera (205)
Danny Downes (155) vs. Ramsey Nijem (155)
Chris Camozzi (185) vs. Francis Carmont (185)
Dustin Jacoby (185) vs. Clifford Starks (186)
Watch UFC 137 right here on Yahoo! Sports
DC want to extend De Rosario's contract
WASHINGTON ? While one game remains in D.C. United's 2011 campaign, big decisions lay ahead for the franchise's looming offseason.
The future of midfielder Dwayne De Rosario and forward Charlie Davies are two of the biggest decisions confronting D.C.'s front office. De Rosario has one year left ? a club-held option ? on his current contract, although United plan on trying to offer him a longer deal.
Source: http://feeds.dcunited.com/~r/DCUnited/all/~3/b_wMduGnp0E/dc-want-to-extend-de-rosarios-contract
Our Big Backyard in Canmore
Source: http://www.hikingcamping.com/blog/2011/08/our-big-backyard-in-canmore/
Book ?em, Chuck-o: Liddell on ?Hawaii Five-O? tonight
UFC Hall-of-Famer Chuck Liddell continues his retirement that does not involve starting a vineyard tonight on CBS. He'll play the difficult role of "mixed martial artist" on the episode that airs at 10 p.m. ET. Pro Elite provided both the cage for the episode and this behind-the-scenes shot.
As you can see, this role will truly stretch his acting chops. Tonight's episode will be a about "a wealthy restaurant owner is murdered and the investigation leads McGarrett to take part in a charity mixed martial arts fight."
According to IMDB, Liddell has several acting credits to his name, including spots on "Criminal Minds," "Blade: The Series," and "How High," where he played a tough guy. Apparently, he also served as a transportation coordinator for "Hollywood's Magical Island: Catalina" in 2003.
Stressed Out Yoga Chick (video)
Source: http://www.prana.com/blog/2011/10/28/stressed-out-yoga-chick-video-inappropriate-yoga-guy/
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Bellator 54 recap: Vianna destroys Baker, Makovsky cruises past Roberts
Alexander Shlemenko battled through an absolute slugfest to advance to the Bellator middleweight tournament finals, but he'll have a beast awaiting him. Right before Shlemenko finished off Brian Rogers, Vitor Vianna sent a resounding message by running over Bryan Baker with a first round TKO finish at Bellator 54 in Atlantic City.
Vianna (13-1-1), who trains at Wanderlei Silva's Wand Fight Team in Las Vegas, decided to stand and bang with Baker. The jiu-jitsu ace showed he has thunder in his hands.
Vianna floored Baker with a well-placed right hook to the temple. Once Baker went down, Vianna sat on Baker, who was trapped along the cage, and punched away before the referee stopped things. The Brazilian actually caught a break. When Baker was on his hands and knees, Vianna nearly connected with an illegal soccer kick to the face.
Bellator 135-pound champion Zack Makovsky rolled in a non-title fight against UFC veteran Ryan Roberts. Frankly, Roberts looked a bit amateurish in being taken down twice by Makovsky using a low-single leg takedown. Once on the ground, Makovsky easily passed guard to side control. The second time, Makovsky quickly transitioned to slap on a north-south choke. The champ will now wait to see what happens in Bellator's bantamweight tournament.
Next week at Bellator 55 in Yuma, Az., 40-year-old Alexis Vila will try to continue his amazing run. The former Cuban Olympian will face Marcos Galvao. Ed West, a finalist in last year's 135-pound tourney faces Eduardo Duntas in the other semifinal. The winner of the tournament gets a title shot against Makovsky.
Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith José Froilán González
Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum Preview - Strikeforce
Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum Preview Video by StrikeforceSource: http://mmalice.com/strikeforce/strikeforce-overeem-vs-werdum-preview-video_68946046e.html
Albert Gesswein Part
Albert Gesswein has a unique style and a two minute part to get to know him by.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/tXC9tBVIGic/albert-gesswein-part.html
In Good Company
Alex Campbell starts things off with fast lines and In Good Company from The 4 Skateboard Company doesn't let up for another eight minutes. Shit is awesome.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/l1aG2wVw6RE/in-good-company.html
No Guaranteed Title Shot for Clay Guida-Ben Henderson Winner ... Yet
Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, News, UFC on FOX
LAS VEGAS -- Up until now, it's been assumed that the winner of UFC on Fox 1's co-main event will be the next man up to face current lightweight champion Frankie Edgar.But that's no guarantee.
UFC president Dana White told MMA Fighting that on the heels of Edgar's stirring comeback knockout win over Gray Maynard, he's yet to determine the champion's next challenge.
Asked whether it was a sure thing that the Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson winner would earn a chance to fight for the belt, White initially said no.
But that's not necessarily his final answer. Moments later, he clarified his thoughts, saying that his unrelenting schedule hasn't afforded him the opportunity to sit down, examine the situation and make a decision.
"I don't know. I have no idea," he said. "We're going to have to see what happens. I haven't even thought about it. You have to understand, the only thing I'm thinking about now is FOX. I've just got to get past this event. Everything else is taking a back seat. All the other s--- will work itself out."
After a decision win over Anthony Pettis, Guida (29-11) is currently riding a four-fight win streak while Henderson (14-2) has won seven of his eight fights under the Zuffa banner, most recently dominating Jim Miller en route to a decision at UFC Live: Lytle vs. Hardy.
Despite the possible importance of the bout, the Guida-Henderson bout will not be televised, airing on Facebook.com and FOX.com.
Still, the Guida-Henderson winner seems like the most likely option for Edgar. Other possibilities include the Donald Cerrone-Dennis Siver winner from Saturday night, or Gilbert Melendez if he is brought over from Strikeforce. Both Jim Miller and Melvin Guillard recently had win streaks snapped that likely removed them from the conversation.
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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/10/28/no-guaranteed-title-shot-for-clay-guida-ben-henderson-winner/
James Toney and Ken Shamrock Nearly Fight at a Press Conference - James Toney
James Toney and Ken Shamrock are supposed to fight sometime in the fall of 2011. The two had a short press conference in Van Nuys, California to announce the fight, but started to get physical a little early.
Nine Ways of Looking at UFC 137
Filed under: UFC
Questions, concerns, comments, and even a little statistical analysis, sort of: UFC 137 gives us a chance to sort through it all, in no particular order. I don't know about you, but to me it sounds like a perfect way to while away the hours on a Friday.I. Has Nick Diaz ever been happy or content with any situation, ever? I don't want to call the guy a complainer, but...no, he's a complainer. It's always something with Diaz. Either he's not making enough money or he's being forced into a fight he doesn't want or he wishes he'd taken that boxing contract instead. It makes you wonder, has he ever felt like he got what he wanted in this business -- in this life! -- even once? Most fighters I know go to great lengths to avoid negative thinking, but Diaz seems to thrive on it. It's almost as if the thing motivating him to work so hard in the gym is his belief that the deck is stacked against him. As if he has to be better than everyone else, because the world wants to see him fail. In reality, it's the other way around. Plenty of people want to see Diaz succeed. That's why they keep giving him one opportunity after another, even when he torches olive branches as quickly as they are extended. But hey, whatever works. If, in order to succeed, Diaz needs to feel like he is constantly mired in misery thanks to a universe looking to cheat and crush him at every turn, then so be it. You'd just like to see the guy enjoying the ride a little more while he's on it, because it won't last forever.
II. Age difference, in months, between Mirko Filipovic and Roy Nelson: 27. Believe it or not, "Cro Cop" is just a shade over two years older than Nelson, though you'd swear he had a decade on him. In fighter years, maybe he does. In addition to his kickboxing career, Filipovic is a veteran of nearly 40 pro MMA bouts, while Nelson has about half that many. Nelson also benefitted from fighting the Bo Cantrells and Vince Luceros of the world early in his career, while Cro Cop came up in the Pride heavyweight division back when it was stocked with household names. Still, when you think about this fight it seems like a contest between the old school and the (at least somewhat) new. It doesn't seem like a fight between two dudes who could have, theoretically at least, played on the same high school basketball team.
III. How much did his knockout of Pat Barry really help Cheick Kongo's confidence? Without a doubt, it was one of the greatest comebacks in MMA history, but did you see his face afterward? He looked like a man who had just woken up from a terrible nightmare, and while relieved to find out it wasn't real, was still not totally convinced that there were no monsters under the bed. That's as close as you can come to getting knocked out and still win. It makes for an exciting finish, but it's the kind of excitement most fighters would like to avoid. When you get close enough to the edge to feel your wheels slipping, the temptation to slow down and play it safe after that can sometimes be overwhelming.
IV. Maybe, whether he knows it or not, Nick Diaz is exactly what B.J. Penn needs right now. The last time we saw a truly terrifying Penn was when he got into the cage against Matt Hughes for the third time, muttering to himself like a crazy man at the bus stop. Jon Fitch failed to elicit such a reaction in him (or in UFC fans generally), but how about Diaz, who usually has some choice words for his opponent's mother once the fight gets started? At this point in his career, maybe Penn needs an opponent who will throw his hands in the air like he just doesn't care and taunt his family like they're from separate clans of feuding hill people. If that doesn't help Penn find the old fire, nothing will.
V. Dennis Siver vs. Donald Cerrone could be the best Spike TV prelim fight in ages, and just when the UFC needs it the most. The Pettis-Stephens and Maia-Santiago bouts on the UFC 136 prelims probably didn't sell many pay-per-views. In fact, they might have even convinced some fans to turn off the TV and go see a movie instead. But the Siver-Cerrone fight looks like a can't-miss scrap, at least on paper, and this card could sure use the boost. Siver's won four straight, while Cerrone's notched five in a row. They both like to stand and mix it up, and Siver's Russo-German stoicism is perhaps the best counterweight to Cerrone's swaggering redneck routine. If this fight turns out to be even half as good as I'm expecting, it won't even matter that the night's other televised prelim -- Tyson Griffin vs. Bart Palaszewski -- seems like the perfect opportunity to get up and prepare some snacks.
VI. Combined record of UFC 137's curtain-jerking newcomers: 13-0. Neither Dustin Jacoby nor Clifford Starks has lost a professional MMA bout as of yet. Just be advised that, when it comes to guys coming up off local shows, not all undefeated records are created equally.
VII. Now that Jeff Curran is finally here, where can he go? It took a long time for the "Big Frog" to finally make his UFC debut. But look around at the UFC's bantamweight division right now and you'll see a list of guys who already hold wins over him. Joe Benavidez, Takeya Mizugaki, Urijah Faber, "Kid" Yamamoto -- it's almost as if beating Curran is a condition of getting your UFC bantamweight merit badge. I don't mean to be hard on Curran, who's a great guy and a legend of the sport, but it does make me think that maybe this chance has come too late in his career. Going up against a grinder like Scott Jorgensen, that doesn't help matters much.
VIII. It's not hard to see what the UFC brass is thinking with the Brandon Vera-Eliot Marshall match-up. They cut Vera and more or less had to bring back when it was revealed that the last man to beat him was, in Vera's words, a "juice monkey." Marshall got cut and then brought back when they needed a warm body to throw in against Luiz Cane on short notice, and his willingness to be that body earned him the tiniest bit of slack, resulting in this fight. The UFC doesn't seem interested in keeping both of them around for long, so why not make them fight each other for the last spot on the lifeboat? The winner gets to stick around and survive on rain water and fish guts, hoping for an unlikely rescue. The loser gets thrown overboard, but at least he knows where he stands...or doesn't. You have to admit, there's a certain cruel, yet satisfying economy to it all.
IX. Can Hatsu Hioki avoid the fate of other Japanese transplants to the UFC? One after another, they've come on a wave of hype only to dissipate quickly on rocky shores. From Takanori Gomi to "Kid" Yamamoto, several Japanese fighters have arrived only to appear as if they were much better when we were viewing them from across the Pacific. The big difference is that Hioki seems much closer to his prime, and sure, a UFC debut against George Roop isn't exactly the same as one against Kenny Florian. It's a slightly gentler introduction to life in the UFC than the one some of his countrymen have received. If Hioki can't make the most of it, things aren't likely to get much easier from here on out.
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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/10/28/nine-ways-of-looking-at-ufc-137/
Fake and real Lesnar look right at home in WWE 12 video game
The UFC allowed its biggest pay-per-view star Brock Lesnar to appear in the latest WWE video game. The Lesnar open in the game is pretty cool and probably has wrestling fans wishing this were true:
"Now after an extended absence ... he's back! And this time, the gloves are off. He's bigger, badder and better than ever before."
The real Lesnar then emerges. We don't get much of a look, but Lesnar does look noticably thinner in the face and a little smaller across the shoulders. After multiples battles with diverticulitis and adjusting to a new diet, it's hard to imagine Lesnar carrying 285-300 pounds like he used to.
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Youth movement
Perhaps most encouraging, as D.C. United supporters begin to think ahead to 2012, is the continued development of a young and promising roster. Throughout much of the past campaign, United fielded the youngest side on average of any in the 18-team league.
Source: http://feeds.dcunited.com/~r/DCUnited/all/~3/W7j_nqWnC6E/youth-movement
Bellator CEO Rebney talks his fighters, Spike and the Olympics
As Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney looks at what has happened in the fifth season, he can't help but still be amazed at how well his fighters perform week in and week out. He talked to Cagewriter about some of his favorite moments of the season and Bellator's future.
"The thing that's made me happy is the level of fights. From event no. 3 on, they've just been great. Dantas' flying knee, Alexis [Vila], the way that he knocked out Joe Warren was crazy, Brian Rogers, and saying to me in the incredibly articulate way he speaks as a teacher, 'I'm going to bring it.' And then he did. Shlemenko pulling of a submission victory, there's all these things that have been jumping out at me. There's just been moment after moment," Rebney said.
One of the fights that he is most looking forward to is the Nov. 19 title fight between champ Eddie Alvarez and tournament champ Michael Chandler. He says that no one should count out Chandler.
"Nobody is talking about Chandler in the upper echelon of the division. I'll be honest with you. I don't know if I can count on one hand the guys who can beat him."
That fight will air on MTV2, but with the UFC ending their relationship with Spike TV, there's a chance that Bellator could switch to the station that is aimed towards young men. Bellator's preliminary fights air on Spike's website, and Bellator's deal is with MTV's parent company.
"We're a great position in that our deal is with MTV networks, so it's that larger corporate umbrella. They control Spike, MTV, MTV2. You never know what the future will bring. The foreseeable future will be what it is, which is MTV2 and Spike.com for the prelims, but Spike is better than anyone in this space. They get it better than anyone."
Rebney is also excited about some of the challenges coming up for his fighters, both in and out of Bellator. He said that they are working on a match-up between DREAM fighter Shinya Aoki and Alvarez, but that it will likely happen in February, after Aoki fights in DREAM's New Year's Eve show.
Warren is working on returning to his wrestling roots and will try to make the 2012 Greco-Roman wrestling Olympic team. Rebney supports the world champion wrestler in trying to go for the gold.
"It's a great platform for Warren. If he can be our champion at 145, and then go and make the U.S. Olympic team, what a great thing for Bellator and for MMA."
Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot
Unintentional time off
Source: http://skydivechick.com/2011/09/unintentional-time-off/
David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch
Friday, October 28, 2011
Trauma's La Deca-Danse
Trauma Skateboards full video, La Deca-Danse is fucking gnarly and online in full.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/nyFzdhp-sVw/traumas-la-deca-danse.html
D.C. United Youth Academy continues 2011-2012 season preparations
D.C. United?s Youth Academy continued its preparation for the 2011-2012 season this weekend as the U-16 and U-18 sides faced Albertson on Sunday, October 23 at the RFK training grounds.
The U-18?s played their third pre-season match on Sunday afternoon, consisting of three 30-minute periods. Albertson scored two goals in a physical and fast-paced first period, securing a final score of 2-0. Despite improved play throughout the match, United was unable to tally a goal. The U-18?s previously fell 3-1 against Toronto FC on October 17.
As Fight Nears, Boxing Big Topic of Diaz-Penn UFC 137 Matchup
LAS VEGAS -- The many elements of the sport are what make it so unpredictable. When a fighter can chain together combinations like a punch into a takedown into side control, that's what separates the elite from the masses. But it's hard to digest a fight that way. Like looking at the stars in the sky, it's too infinite. Too many possibilities. Instead, we tend to focus on a few key elements. And in Saturday's UFC 137 main event, all the fight talk seems to center around the participants' boxing. For years, BJ Penn has been considered to have some of the best hands in MMA. And his opponent Nick Diaz recently made waves after nearly turning his back on the sport to try his hands in the squared circle. Given their pedigrees, contrasting styles and differing body types, the standup figures to produce compelling, unpredictable action.
Even to the learned eye of Penn's boxing coach Jason Parillo, who was undefeated in an eight-fight pro boxing career, it's a hard one to analyze. As Parillo noted in an interview with MMA Fighting, the many options a fighter has at his disposal make it hard to determine how a fight will develop.
"You've got a guy who loves to box and wants to fight Roy Jones, Jr, and you've got another guy who's been recognized as one of the best boxers in the MMA game," he said. "You've got two high-voltage submission guys. Realistically, I think Nick's going to try to keep BJ in a boxing match. I believe he feels he's got something to prove with his boxing ability. He loves boxing and I think he wants to prove something using BJ to show he's the best boxer in the MMA game. This fight can go anywhere. It really can. It's tough to predict MMA fights in general, but this one can go in so many ways."
On their feet, their styles are very different. Penn relies on speed, accuracy and power with crisp combinations. But the rangy Diaz uses his length and non-stop volume to keep opponents at distance and to set up his occasional power strikes.
Given the way their styles and bodies match up (Diaz has a four-inch reach advantage), Penn said getting inside might prove to be the biggest challenge for him.
"That's huge, that's huge," he told MMA Fighting. "You've got to get in on Nick Diaz. He's got that reach, and not only does he have that reach, he knows how to put you in the perfect spot. He's not really a big footwork guy but if you come forward he'll take one step back and just keep you on the end the whole time. We're going to have to -- without giving anything away -- use a lot of smarts and technique to get in there, get after him and attack him."
Penn made some headlines recently when he called Diaz the best boxer in MMA. Diaz was flattered to hear the comments but believes he might have put in more time training with high-level boxers than anyone in the UFC.
And regardless of the compliment, Diaz isn't letting it go to his head.
"This is MMA too, so regardless of how you win a fight, whether standup, winning on punches, I don't think it has anything to do with boxing," he said. "Just throwing more martial arts in than boxing, when it's MMA, everything changes. Stance is different, you have to defend the takedown, you have to defend the leg kick. You can't really say or judge."
That's true, of course. If a fighter gets too reliant on his hands and having success with it, his opponent can always change levels and go for the takedown. Penn has that in his arsenal, though it's a weapon he only occasionally decides to use. In his last five fights, he has four takedowns in just six tries. But for Diaz, it's not his strongest weapon. In his last five fights, he has completed just two takedowns in 10 tries.
Given their usual reluctance to use wrestling, it's not a stretch to think that collectively, the two might shun it altogether and decide things on their feet. So will Diaz's constant activity and volume overwhelm Penn, or will the former two-division champion find a way to get inside of his opponent?
"Nick's got a lot of confidence to use that style," Parillo said. "He's not the most devastating, heavy puncher, but he knows how to set up the big shot, for sure. And he understands boxing. BJ's got speed, and he's cleaner and sharper. I feel the fire more from him than I have in the last couple fights. He wants to show he can beat guys at the top tier. If he makes a decision to be there and has the hunger to win, he's going to do it."
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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/10/27/as-fight-nears-boxing-big-topic-of-diaz-penn-ufc-137-matchup/
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Bellator 54: Makovsky fighting for respect
Zack Makovsky is very good. How good? It's difficult to truly gauge if he's amongst the top 10 bantamweights in the world.
He stormed to Bellator's 135-pound tourney title last year, but even he recognizes that he needs to be more active and face a higher level of competition.
"I don't know. I try not to get caught up in any of that. It kind of is what it is. The UFC is by far the biggest name in the game. I would think to most casual fans, they don't know the sport is called Mixed Martial Arts. To them, the sport is Ultimate Fighting," Makovsky told Bloody Elbow's Matt Roth. "It's frustrating from that kind of stand point. But at the same time you appreciate what the UFC is doing and they're obviously doing good things for their business."
Makovsky (13-2) is one of the headliners against Ryan Roberts at Bellator 54 tomorrow night in Atlantic City.
Bellator's tournament format is great because you control your own destiny, but the television exposure from the WEC might have been more beneficial over the last few years.
"I mean, of course if I fought in the WEC earlier I would have had that exposure so people would know me better but I kind of really started building my name in Bellator. I kind of was under the radar until I got in the tournament and ended up winning it. There's not much else I could have done otherwise. I don't think the WEC would have had me in there before I created a name in Bellator which is a good thing about Bellator," said Makovsky.
Makovsky's story is similar to many of the elite fighters around mixed martial arts. He was a standout wrestler at Drexel in Philadelphia, but unlike most high level college wrestlers he wasn't a big high school star. He walked on at Drexel and when he was pushed to new limits, Makovsky took it as a challenge and made himself into an elite grappler.
The 28-year-old has a bright future and at 5-foot-4, he looks like a candidate to be a hot shot down at 125 pounds when that division blows up. But he's got to get his work done at Bellator 54.
Roberts is big for the weight. He's got UFC experience and been in there at lightweight with guys like Marcus Aurelio, Donald Cerrone and Duane Ludwig.
Advice from 30,000 miles on the Trail
Source: http://www.hikingcamping.com/blog/2011/07/advice-from-30000-miles-on-the-trail-3/
Overeem calls for first round KO of Lesnar, Mir says ?not so fast my friend?
There was a time Frank Mir disliked Brock Lesnar so much that he admitted his life was completely consumed by the goal of defeating the behemoth, but that doesn't mean the Las Vegas native is beyond being objective when it comes to analyzing a fight.
Alistair Overeem is confident he'll crush Lesnar in their year-end fight. Mir says it won't happen at UFC 141.
"Honestly, I think Brock will win pretty easily ? I think we're going to see the closest thing to a grappler versus striker match you'll see nowadays," Mir told ESPN.com. "Brock is going to cover up; maybe throw one jab. He'll rush Overeem to the cage, reach down for a leg and rip him down? I don't think he's going to get off his back. I'd be very shocked ? I'd applaud Overeem if he got off his back."
Mir has a pretty solid wrestling background and possesses world class jiu-jitsu skills, but he was overwhelmed by Lesnar's size (6-foot-4, 285 pounds) and knowledge/execution of positioning himself on top of a downed opponent at UFC 100.
The 6-5, 253-pound Overeem is a good striker and has added to his grappling game over the years, but is he going to be able to keep Lesnar away?
Overeem also believes it'll be grappler vs. striker, but says the guy who likes standings and banging has the advantage.
"I'm very confident. It's going to be a knockout victory in the first round. He's not going to get out of the first round. It will not come to the second round. He's a strong guy, a very dangerous guy. But, I think I've got what it takes to stop him. And I got what it takes to stop him in the first round," said Overeem (2:05 mark).
Tip via MMA Convert
James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III
Channeling your passion
Source: http://skydivechick.com/2011/09/channeling-your-passion/
Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica
What to Look for In a Molokini Snorkel Tour
Source: http://www.prideofmaui.com/blog/molokini-crater/what-to-look-for-in-a-molokini-snorkel-tour.html
You Are Designed To Move
Source: http://www.hikingcamping.com/blog/2011/06/you-are-design-to-move/
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Divetech Grand Cayman Rates as PADI TecRec Center
Source: http://www.dailyscubadiving.com/divetech-grand-cayman-rates-as-padi-tecrec-center/
Party on Halloween with Sonnen, Silva expected to dress as a ?duck or chicken?
Chael Sonnen is doing everything he can to get that rematch against Anderson Silva, so he'll be front and center in Las Vegas this weekend around UFC 137. That includes hosting a Halloween party at XS, one of Sin City's hottest clubs.
This comes on the heels of Sonnen hijacking ESPN's MMA Live to further promote his cause. The middleweight contender asked hosts Jon Anik and Kenny Florian what they thought Silva would dress as for Halloween.
"A or B: Will Anderson Silva go as a duck for Halloween or will he dress as a chicken? I'm gonna go B, I think he goes as chicken, he already has the costume," said Sonnen.
He also made an interesting point about Silva's manager Ed Soares.
"Apparently the Ed Soares excuse factory is open for business. A champion doesn't call somebody out. If you're the champion, you get called out. I think it's a little odd and unprecedented that Anderson Silva is now trying to pick a fight," Sonnen said. "He's doing the same thing I am, he's calling out Michael Bisping because it's an easy fight. Well, I want an easy fight too, which is why I'm calling him out, so I get it."
Watch UFC 137 right here on Yahoo! Sports
JZ Cavalcante Post Fight vs Wilcox Wants to Return to Action Soon - JZ Cavalcante
JZ Cavalcante Post Fight vs Wilcox Wants to Return to Action Soon Video by JZ CavalcanteJimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki
Condit let down, but still focused on St. Pierre and the belt
Carlos Condit has been through a roller coaster while preparing UFC 137. He started out by preparing for a bout with B.J. Penn. After Nick Diaz's no-show for multiple press obligations, Condit was given the title shot. Today, he found out Georges St. Pierre was injured, and that Condit's title shot would have to wait until December or January.
Still, Condit told Cagewriter that he's not angry about the turn of events.
"It's a letdown, but it's the nature of the sport. I'm going to stay positive, keep training, and be even better when the fight comes."
He said taking another fight in the meantime just doesn't make sense.
"Nothing's been offered, and me and my manager discussed it, and taking another fight doesn't make sense on a lot of levels. As far as my career goes, it doesn't make sense, from a money standpoint, it doesn't make sense."
GSP's injury will not keep him out of training for too long, so Condit will wait for GSP and the title shot.
"In this situation, Georges isn't out six or eight months or anything like that. He's sprained his knee. It's going to be a short recovery, and hopefully we'll be able to get this thing done, and get in the cage by the end of the year, or early next year at the latest."
Both Jake Ellenberger and Josh Koscheck hinted that they would be ready to take the fight, but Condit is focused on the belt.
"I have the opportunity to fight for the title, and I have my heart set on Georges. When and if I beat Georges, I'll take on Ellenberger. I'll give him a rematch. I'll fight anyone, but right now, I have my heart set on Georges."
In the meantime, Condit will not change his training routine.
"My job is to get up every day and go to the gym and train, and improve my skills, and improve myself as a fighter. That's what I'm going to do tomorrow. I'll be able to eat a little bit more, and enjoy not so strict of a diet, but that's about the only difference. "
What will that cheat food be?
"Pizza or enchiladas," Condit said with a laugh.
Our Big Backyard in Canmore
Source: http://www.hikingcamping.com/blog/2011/08/our-big-backyard-in-canmore/
Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven
UFC 137 Preview: Matt Mitrione vs. Cheick Kongo
Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com each day this week as we take a look at new fight from UFC 137, leading up to the main event showdown between welterweight contenders BJ Penn and Nick Diaz.
Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/26452/ufc-137-preview-matt-mitrione-vs-cheick-kongo/
Westbeach WAV BC Tee Black
Source: http://snowboardaction.net/westbeach-wav-bc-tee-black-2/
Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr Carl Michael Edwards III William Clyde Elliott
Strikeforce: Josh Barnett Describes Win Over Brett Rogers as 'Perfect' - Josh Barnett
Strikeforce: Josh Barnett Describes Win Over Brett Rogers as 'Perfect' Video by Josh BarnettRalph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr Carl Michael Edwards III William Clyde Elliott