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UFC on Versus 4: Barry vs. Kongo Preview and 10 Random Pat Barry Moments

This Sunday night, June 26, 2011 two heavyweight kickboxers, Cheick Kongo and Pat Barry, will meet in what has the potential to be stand-up war of the year as well as knockout of the year. Cheick Kongo has been fighting with the UFC for many years now….

This Sunday night, June 26, 2011 two heavyweight kickboxers, Cheick Kongo and Pat Barry, will meet in what has the potential to be stand-up war of the year as well as knockout of the year.

Cheick Kongo has been fighting with the UFC for many years now. He won seven of his first nine fights in the organization, then he was given a title eliminator bout against current UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez.

Velasquez handily won the fight, but in the fight, Kongo caught Velasquez and rocked him a couple of times. Kongo has the skill to hang with the top guys, but when his mind is not in it, then you never know what you will see. After the Velasquez fight, he fought Frank Mir and lost by the way of submission. In that fight, Mir landed a solid shot and rocked Kongo, which eventually led to Mir locking in a guillotine choke and Kongo becoming unconscious.

Since that fight, Kongo has posted a 1-0-1 record. He defeated Paul Buentello and next took on Travis Browne. In the Browne fight, both fighters were dead even on the score cards going into the third round, but while Kongo controlled and won the round, he was docked a point for continually grabbing the shorts of Browne which led to the round being scored 9-9 and it ending in a draw. So in all truth, this bout with Barry could either be the next step in what may be his final run at a chance to get his shot at the world title, or it could be one step closer to the end of a career.

Pat Barry is a kickboxer turned mixed martial artist. His MMA record is 6-2. Still young in his career, his biggest weakness is wrestling and submissions. He is working with the DeathClutch Camp, which is filled with wrestlers in the heavyweight division so that he can improve.

In Pat’s last fight, he faced the ultra-tough Joey Beltran. Beltran took everything Pat gave him and kept coming, proving a lot to the fans.

The one thing about Pat is that he is very defensive with his strikes—by that, I mean it appears that he fears being taken to the ground. Once he gets his ground game solid enough, he may end up being one of the best in the world.

When you hear about a matchup like this, you automatically think about a slugfest. That would be very fun to see; odds are Barry would get the best of Kongo in that department, but it would still be very entertaining.

In reality, this is what should be expected. From the start, it will be a feeling-out process. Once each find their range, expect Kongo to immediately press Pat into the cage and attempt takedowns. Kongo knows how risky it is to stand and trade with someone that has the striking ability that Barry has. If successful on these takedowns and the referee doesn’t stand them up, then Kongo should be able to grind out a decision, in a smart game-planned fight.

If Pat has really improved on his wrestling, then it could be a very interesting fight.

Overall, this fight has many possibilities for both men. Overall, Kongo is much more well-rounded, and should be able to dictate the pace of this fight. That being said, I have no choice but to take Cheick Kongo by the way of unanimous decision.

Now, please check out 10 random Pat Barry moments.

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UFC: Nate Marquardt. Will He Ever Become a UFC Champion?

Nate Marquardt has had a very successful MMA career. He is a three-time Pancrase Middleweight Champion, which included a total of four title defenses. After only four fights in the UFC, he challenged Anderson Silva for the UFC Middleweight Championship, losing via TKO in the first round. Since that fight, he has worked his way into two No. 1 contender fights, losing both by decision.

He has now dropped down to the welterweight division and was slated to face Anthony Johnson, but due to injury Johnson withdrew and in stepped Rick Story.

This will be a battle of the wrestlers. Story is coming off of a huge win against title challenger Thiago Alves. Story is on the rise, but it is now Nate’s job to derail Story off of his route towards a shot for the welterweight championship.

Throughout Nate’s career, big fights have been his kryptonite. He held titles in Pancrase, and yes that is a great accomplishment but when put in the big show is where he couldn’t succeed. He has now opened up a new door by dropping to welterweight. This is his last chance at a title run in a realistic aspect, and odds are his drop is a sign that GSP will be moving up in weight or be retiring by the time he gets to a title shot (not a guarantee, just an assumption).

What must Nate hope for in order to obtain a title shot?

Odds are Nate will need to win between two and three fights to be granted a shot at the champion. Beating Story automatically places him top seven, but after that who would they put him against? Jake Shields, Jon Fitch, or BJ Penn come to mind.

Nate needs an easy path, and sadly for him the division is stacked with wrestlers which have always been his achilles heel in MMA.

Can Nate become champion at welterweight? It’s MMA anything is possible, but fighting guys like Fitch, Koscheck, Penn, Shields, etc. is not an easy task. He is going to have to get his mind right in order to be able to obtain his goal.

The odds in him being able to retire and have the claim as a UFC champion are literally slim to none. He has tons of talent, but wrestlers and elite guys are his weakness. He could prove people wrong and run the table, but if he doesn’t get his mind right then count him out.

Rick Story is the first test. Story has the momentum on his side and he will have to throw everything except the kitchen sink at him to win this fight. Expect a war and an overall great card Sunday night live on Versus.

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Rogers vs. Barnett Breakdown: The 10 Biggest Wastes of Talent in MMA History

This Saturday night, June 18, 2011, Josh Barnett will indeed be fighting on the card. His license was approved in the state of Texas, and he is ready to go. He will be facing Brett Rogers in a quarterfinals matchup in the Strikeforce Heavyweight G…

Barnett is a veteran and has fought all over the world. He hasn’t fought top competition in a few years, but if he fights anything like he has fought in his past then he should have no troubles in making a deep run in the tourney.

He is a very complete fighter; he is a boxer and submission wrestler. He is a former Pancrase Openweight Champion, as well as a former UFC Heavyweight Champion.

Barnett won gold medals at the 2009 World Jiu Jitsu Championships and also at the 2010 Gracie US Nationals.

Brett Rogers came up in the MMA world and caught everyone’s attention by knocking out Andrei Arlovski. After that win, he was thrown into the lions den and had to face the “Greatest of All Time” Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem.

Those fights didn’t turn out so well for him, and he went outside of Strikeforce for his next bout and defeated Rueben Villareal via Decision.

In the stand up game, Barnett has the much better form and uses his strikes to set up his take downs. The ground game is very unknown for Rogers, the last that people can remember is him being rag dolled by Overeem.

It has been a while since Rogers has fought, and with the postponing of the event, he has an advantage to work on his wrestling even more.

Everyone knows what Barnett is capable of, but is he going to be able to perform up to his abilities?

Rogers has the power advantage in his hands, odds are Barnett will have him down and mounted before he can land a solid strike. This is just an overall bad matchup for Brett Rogers.

My prediction:

It will start out partially slow, odds are Barnett will push the pace. Barnett will get Rogers to the ground, then it is all Barnett from there. Barnett will finish him with some ground and pound in the first round.

Josh Barnett has so much talent. He has had problems in the past that have truly prevented him from achieving greatness in the sport. Next, will be a slideshow of video’s showing the 10 guys that could’ve been so much more than what they accomplished in their careers.

*These video’s are in no particular order, just showcasing the 10 guys who could’ve been more than they were*

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Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum, and the 10 Biggest Wins of Overeem’s MMA Career

Saturday night, June 18, 2011, Strikeforce will be concluding the first round matchups of the Heavyweight Grand Prix. Brett Rogers will take on Josh Barnett in what appears to be a lopsided bout, but it’s MMA and anything can happen.Alistair Overeem vs…

Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum is a fight that Overeem has wanted for a while. The first meeting, it was an overall close fight. Both were pretty much even through the fight, with Overeem edging the first.

The second it went to the ground and what does Werdum do best? Submit people and 3:43 in the second he caught Overeem with a Kimura and Overeem tapped.

Many people will state that this fight was years ago, so it doesn’t matter. Well, the fight happened so it is very relevant. Since that fight, what have both men accomplished?

Alistair Overeem: 11-4 1 NC (1-3 against top 10)

Fabricio Werdum: 6-3 (5-3 against top 10)

The level of competition favors Werdum, yes Overeem has fought more guys, but he isn’t fighting guys who help him in a way to move his stock up. Nine of the 15 opponents Overeem has faced in that span were coming off of a loss, of the six others four of those had lost in their last two-three fights.

Many people hype up Overeem and claim he is the best, and that is wonderful, except the fact that there is not a single argument “MMA” related that states he is a top five or even top seven Heavyweight. To be the man, you have to beat the man.

Fabricio Werdum, has had nine fights since the bout, most notably defeating the greatest fighter of all time, Fedor Emelianenko. In the span he defeated both Emelianenko’s (both were top 10 at the time of the fights). He defeated Antonio Silva; the only man who was not a top 10 fighter going into their fight with Werdum was Mike Kyle.

Werdum is a hard person to rank. Yes, he has beat top contenders, but 6-3 over the past three years as well as being inactive since the Fedor fight doesn’t help him. Lucky for him, the heavyweight division isn’t very deep at the moment, so his top 5 status is secure.

Who has the advantage in this fight? Who will win?

Alistair Overeem has the clear advantage in this fight. In the past year he has been active while Werdum was nursing injuries. That being said, that isn’t a reason to count Werdum out or anything, but the layoff may have some effect.

Werdum has been working extensively on his stand up, and as we all know his BJJ is some of the best in the game. Overeem clearly has the striking advantage, but Werdum has the cardio and speed advantage.

If Werdum can keep Overeem moving and not get trapped in his clinch, he can cause Overeem to gas out. If Overeem gets in tight, then odds are it is lights out for Werdum.

Werdum has been working hard on his wrestling, and when was the last time you saw Overeem fight anyone with wrestling? Exactly, you have never seen it.

If Werdum can set up takedowns, then he can really mess with Overeem’s mind. Can he hold him down? Not at first, but after a while he could truly tire Overeem and capitalize.

In this fight, it is truly a fight for Overeem to prove his standing in the heavyweight division. In a lot of eyes, if Werdum wins, it is a huge upset when in all truths it should be the opposite.

If a smart pace is pushed and he can pick his shots correctly, then Overeem will win. If he can use his speed and set up solid takedowns and tire out Overeem, then Werdum will win.

My call: Fabricio Werdum via third-round submission.

Now we will look at the 10 biggest wins in Alistair Overeem’s career.

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UFC 131: JDS vs Carwin; Which Fighter Has the Better Chance To Defeat Velasquez?

Saturday night, June 11th, 2011 at The Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, top heavyweight contenders Junior Dos Santos and Shane Carwin will meet head to head to see who will be granted a shot to face current champion Cain Velasquez at a late…

This is a huge opportunity for Shane Carwin, who is fighting for the first time in 11 months due to back surgery. Carwin was originally slated to face Jon-Olav Einemo, but with Brock Lesnar having another bout of diverticulitus, he was then granted the chance to face Dos Santos for the No. 1 contendership.

Carwin has focused more on his strength and conditioning as well as his diet compared to past fights. He weighed in at 254 lbs and appeared to feel much better compared to his last fight against Lesnar. With this new diet plan and loss of weight, will this increase his stamina and boost his level of speed? That is the main question that will be answered tomorrow night.

Junior Dos Santos was originally supposed to face Velasquez for the championship, but since Cain is injured and will not be cleared to return until October, he decided to stay active and take a fight. This fight landed him a shot to be a coach on the Ultimate Fighter TV series and has really boosted his popularity amongst the American fanbase.

Dos Santos weighed in at 239 lbs, and he always appears to be in top notch shape. He is very good a pacing his punches so that he does not gas out in his fights. His fight with Carwin is a “who has a better chin kinda fight.”

Both men appear to be ready for the spotlight, but the big question is: Who has the best chance of defeating Velasquez?

Right now is the perfect time to be in the position that Dos Santos and Carwin are in. Not only do both men have an opportunity for a chance to face Velasquez for the title, but also Cain is coming off of a serious shoulder injury and he may not be 100 percent going into the title fight.

If Carwin defeats Dos Santos, this will be huge for him. He has a wrestling background, but prefers to stand and trade because well he has some very heavy hands. He cuts his opponents off and lands that big shot and usually when he does the fight is over in the next five seconds.

Does Carwin have a chance like that against Velasquez? In all truths, Carwin would have to be reserved in this fight. He would need to use his strength to his advantage, as well as his wrestling base. Would he try to wrestle with Cain? Odds are no, but it depends on how he wants to reserve his cardio and sometimes a take down is a must.

Carwin’s one-punch knockout power is what makes him stick out. It is not that he is technical, but it is the fact that he always finds a way to hit you. How good of a chin does Cain have? That is a big question, he was rocked in the third round by Kongo, and Carwin hits a lot harder than Kongo.

So, in honest truth, Carwin’s best chance against Cain is getting inside and landing one of those power shots. If that happens, then there is no question that Shane Carwin can defeat Cain Velasquez.

Junior Dos Santos is a very talented striker. His technicality plus power makes him really stick out when you watch him fight. His takedown defense appears to be very solid, but it has never been tested against a top notch wrestler. He is a BJJ Brown Belt under the Nogueira Brothers, so odds are on the ground he is no slouch.

On the feet, Dos Santos has the advantage, but Velasquez is also skilled on the feet. Dos Santos would win the exchanges, but odds are Velasquez would go for takedowns, and this is where we find out how good Junior’s TDD really is.

Velasquez has the advantage in the wrestling department, but in the jiu-jitsu realm, it is virtually even, with both having a brown belt.

So, what would it take for Dos Santos to defeat Velasquez? He would need to utilize the stand up and avoid Cain’s takedowns. This fight has all of the makings for a chess match, and in all truths, if Dos Santos can pick his shots, he could finish Cain.

So, now that being said: Who has the better advantage against Velasquez?

This is a tough one to call. In a short fight, Carwin has the clear advantage, but in the later rounds is where Dos Santos would shine.

The wrestling is what really sticks out when you think about this fight. That being said, Dos Santos is the better striker and has all of the tools to be the best heavyweight in the world. He can also end a fight at any moment, and it is hard to match up with his striking.

So Junior Dos Santos is the man to beat Cain Velasquez.

Prediction for UFC 131: Junior Dos Santos via second-round knockout.

Make your picks below.

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UFC 137: The 209 Is Already Taking Shots at GSP Via Diazbrothers.com

Just one day after the big announcement that Georges St. Pierre will defend his title against Nick Diaz, the Diaz Brothers website already has something to say about it.Just reading the post lets you know that the hype surrounding this fight is going t…

Just one day after the big announcement that Georges St. Pierre will defend his title against Nick Diaz, the Diaz Brothers website already has something to say about it.

Just reading the post lets you know that the hype surrounding this fight is going to be amazing. St. Pierre better better be ready, because Diaz is going to give him a fight. Don’t be scared homie!

From diazbrothers.com:

Top 10 Reasons Nick Diaz Winning the UFC Belt is a Good Thing
10) Nick would take the Anderson Silva fight…anytime
9) Nick fights to finish, not win on points
8) Nick Ain’t Scared Homie
7) Nick doesn’t do gymnastics
6) Nick won’t tap to strikes
5) Nick doesn’t fight in bike shorts
4) Nick doesn’t “play the game”
3) Nick will box you up and choke you with a gogo
2) Nick doesn’t speak French
1) And the #1 reason Nick Diaz should be the new UFC Champ….he Ain’t No Bitch!

So what’s your call? Who will win?

A lot more hype is certain leading up to this highly anticipated fight. How well will Diaz be able to get into the mind of GSP?

GSP is a respectful guy, but will he retaliate to this post from diazbrothers.com? Only time will tell. Get ready for a fun five months leading up to this fight.

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