Author: Hunter Homistek

UFC on Fuel 3 Results: We’re Sick of the Same Commercials

Dear Harley Davidson and Bud Light,We get it. You sponsor the UFC.  While we respect all that you do for the sport in helping it grow and aiding it in becoming the great worldwide spectacle it deserves to be seen as, please slow your respective ro…

Dear Harley Davidson and Bud Light,

We get it. You sponsor the UFC.  

While we respect all that you do for the sport in helping it grow and aiding it in becoming the great worldwide spectacle it deserves to be seen as, please slow your respective roles on the advertising.  

It is apparently not enough that the Octagon is emblazoned with your logo(s), not enough that the UFC’s official website is plastered with your ads.  

Nah, you took this sufficient advertising and said, “Hey, why don’t we bombard the viewer’s TV experience with our commercials as well?!” 

Well, dear sponsors, we don’t enjoy that, not one bit.  

We understand that Harley Davidsons and the UFC go hand in hand, but you don’t need to remind us of this!

Remember, the key demographic that watches the UFC is well aware of your product; it isn’t like you’re trying to branch out!  We know you exist, now please keep the commercials to a minimum.  

Or at least switch them up!

This, my dearest sponsors, is where we have the biggest problem.  

Accustomed to pay-per-view cards with no commercials, this whole “network TV expansion” thing is new to us as it is.  

So, please be gentle on us.  

Why must you insist on showing the same commercials?  

It’s cute that you’re trying to break the mold, Harley Davidson, and it’s cute that you’re using a UFC fanbase to showcase this.  We get the parallels: Fighters aren’t necessarily barbaric and Harley riders aren’t necessarily biker-brawler tough guys. 

It’s a great commercial, but it was great the first time we saw it.  After that, we just wanted to get up from our seats during each commercial break.  

Again, we appreciate all that you do, but please switch up the commercials; these reruns are making us sick!

Sincerely, and with deepest appreciation,

Every UFC on Fuel 3 viewer in the world. 

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UFC on Fuel 3 Results: Donald Cerrone Win Further Proves How Good Nate Diaz Is

He danced. He taunted.  He landed with pinpoint accuracy at will.If it sounds like I’m describing Stockton bad boy Nate Diaz, think again.In his bout against Jeremy Stephens at UFC on Fuel 3, Donald Cerrone looked an awful lot like the man wh…

He danced. 

He taunted.  

He landed with pinpoint accuracy at will.

If it sounds like I’m describing Stockton bad boy Nate Diaz, think again.

In his bout against Jeremy Stephens at UFC on Fuel 3, Donald Cerrone looked an awful lot like the man who last defeated him, the aforementioned Mr. Nathan Diaz.  

Cerrone bobbed, weaved, skipped and taunted en route to a dominating unanimous decision victory, and all things considered, this fight looked awfully similar for Cerrone, albeit for opposite reasons.

At UFC 141 in December, Nate Diaz did exactly the same to him, and the Stockon native broke “The Cowboy’s” heart, face and fighter of the year campaign in the process. 

So what does this say?

It says, first and foremost, Cerrone bettered himself through the loss to Diaz, so kudos to him for that.

More importantly, though, Cerrone’s bout against Stephens proved just how good Diaz really is.

If we had any doubt about the legitimacy of Diaz’ upcoming title fight, that doubt is now gone.

Cerrone was dominant in all aspects of the game against Stephens, and for somebody who had never seen a fight before, “The Cowboy” looked like a world beater.  

But that isn’t the case, as Diaz so effectively proved in their December 2011 matchup.

Diaz dismantled Cerrone like nobody had before him, landing pinpoint punches and bloodying the face and spirit of his foe. 

An aggressive fighter by nature, Cerrone was unable to mount any sort of offense, as Diaz’ attack left him completely on his heels and overwhelmed.

Cerrone has great striking, great wrestling, great cardio and great jiu-jitsu.  There is not an area of the fight where you can always say, “Oh yeah, just get him there and he’ll struggle” because he’s that well rounded.

Diaz, however, made it look as though Cerrone was an amateur and had never fought before, a testament to just how good he really is.  

If you need further proof of Nate Diaz’ legitimacy in the UFC lightweight division (and you shouldn’t after the Miller win, but I digress), look at how dominant Cerrone was tonight and remember how Diaz made him look like a child.

That is simply all you need to see.  

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Jon Jones: Why Finding a Way to Beat the Young Phenom Is Like Finding Bigfoot

Bigfoot.The Loch Ness Monster.UFOs.A way to beat Jon Jones.Finding any of these things is a tall task and one that may ultimately never happen.  At this point in his career, Jon “Bones” Jones seems as inhuman as the mythical counterparts I’ve list…

Bigfoot.

The Loch Ness Monster.

UFOs.

A way to beat Jon Jones.

Finding any of these things is a tall task and one that may ultimately never happen.  

At this point in his career, Jon “Bones” Jones seems as inhuman as the mythical counterparts I’ve listed him beside, and finding a weakness in his game is as likely as spotting our furry and elusive friend Sasquatch.  

Let’s recap the notable fighters he has defeated: Rashad Evans, Rampage Jackson, Shogun Rua, Lyoto Machida, Ryan Bader, Stephan Bonnar, etc.

Beating these men is one thing.  Dismantling them without ever being in danger is an entirely different task, one that is truly astounding and baffling.  

Mixed martial arts provides an infinite variety of ways to win a fight, yet none of these world-class athletes has even come close to pulling one of them off against Jones.  

What can you do to him?  

His wrestling is phenomenal, his striking is as rangy and creative as anybody’s, and his cardio and Octagon savvy are getting better with each fight.  

Adding to this, his bottom game is constantly improving and he has shown an iron chin in recent matches with Machida and Evans.  

So again, I ask, what can you do to him?

Aside from the lucky knockout punch that is always a possibility in every fight, there is literally no feasible way to beat Jon Jones.  Outpointing him seems equally unlikely; his wrestling is so good that I don’t see another light heavyweight taking him down (let alone stealing an entire fight with top control), and he uses his length so effectively that nobody can stick and move, a la Frankie Edgar, to take the points on the feet. 

The bottom line is that Jones brings a skill set to the Octagon that we have never seen possessed by one fighter.  

Just when you think you know how to beat him (Shogun’s power, Rashad’s wrestling and quickness, Machida’s elusive style), he shows up on fight day and crushes his opponent and our ignorant notions that these styles can defeat him.  

So I’ll propose to you a challenge: You tell me a way to defeat Jon Jones (that is within UFC rules and regulations, of course), and I’ll start looking for Bigfoot.  

Whoever finishes the task first wins (I warn you, though, I’ve been practicing my calls).  

I’m already preparing a victory celebration.  

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TapouT, Affliction, MMA Elite: Why You Should Wear That Shirt with Pride

We’ve all seen them.They walk with their shoulders back and chest out, chicken legs and balloon arms displayed proudly in an attempt to look badass.  And then you have it: the shirt.TapouT. Affliction. Foundation Fight Co.Whatever the brand, the l…

We’ve all seen them.

They walk with their shoulders back and chest out, chicken legs and balloon arms displayed proudly in an attempt to look badass.  

And then you have it: the shirt.

TapouT. Affliction. Foundation Fight Co.

Whatever the brand, the label is the same: “MMA wannabe.” 

Let’s just hold up here.

For whatever reason, MMA fans are a particularly brutal bunch when it comes to criticizing appearances.  

If you don’t train like a fighter, you can’t dress like a fighter. 

Period.

I’m here to put this way of thinking to bed, to say that if you want to wear your TapouT shirt, you should do so with pride.

Let me put it this way: Do I think I play for the Pittsburgh Steelers when I wear my no. 58 Jack Lambert jersey?

My high school didn’t even have a football team, so I never even remotely considered myself a football player.

Yet, I would get less flak for wearing my jersey than I would for wearing a TapouT shirt.

Essentially, this MMA wear is the “jersey” of the UFC and other MMA promotions.  Whenever you see somebody wearing an Affliction shirt, you know, “Hey, that guy likes MMA!” 

So what’s the big deal whether he trains or not?

It would be completely ridiculous to think that everybody who likes a sport needs to be an expert at that sport.  Hell, that’s why I watch: because I know there is no way I’m getting in the Octagon and I respect the guys that do.  

But, I do “get it,” my friends.

It’s annoying when some meathead is rambling nonsense about MMA and thinks he’s the biggest badass to ever grace our great planet because he saw a UFC pay-per-view once and bought a sweet shirt.

Truly, I understand the annoyance here.

But that doesn’t mean he can’t change.  

When I first started watching MMA, I had no clue what something as basic as “half guard” was, but I learned, and now I love all the intricacies of the sport just as much as I love a good old-fashioned slugfest.

Listen, the shirt is just a way of showing support for a growing sport: nothing more, nothing less.

If I wear a TapouT shirt, it’s not because I think I can choke you out, it’s because I like MMA and that is how I choose to express it.

So next time you see somebody walking down the street strutting in their TapouT shirt, take it easy on them and realize that you are both just two dudes with an appreciation for one of the fastest growing and most entertaining sports in the world.

That’s something to be proud of.  

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TUF: Why Bringing Tim Sylvia Aboard Could Save the Show

Did you watch The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) this past Friday?Did you really?If so, bravo. If not, join the club.More and more people are dropping off the TUF bandwagon, and for good reason.The live format is cool, but let’s not kid ourselves, we want…

Did you watch The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) this past Friday?

Did you really?

If so, bravo. If not, join the club.

More and more people are dropping off the TUF bandwagon, and for good reason.

The live format is cool, but let’s not kid ourselves, we want some star power, some juicy story lines and some foreshadowing to sink our teeth into.  

Junie Browning, Chris Leben and my personal favorite, “Titties,” all gave us a reason to watch TUF, but now we have to watch simply for the love of the sport and the hope that we might see a future star in the making.  

Look, I’m all about supporting TUF and mixed martial arts in general, but the show needs a little kick, for viewer’s sake.

Enter Tim Sylvia. 

The “Maine-iac,” the former UFC heavyweight champion of the world, the man with the epic sideburns and perhaps the most underwhelming workout video ever.

Yes, that Tim Sylvia.

“The Maine-iac” has been on a roll via Twitter and YouTube hoping to garner support for a second chance in the UFC, but so far his pleas have fallen on deaf ears.  

So why not make him fight for it?  

First of all, he would generate ratings.  

Whether you want to see him fail or succeed, he would give you a reason to watch. 

He’s a man with a name and reputation, and that is better than anything else on the show at the moment.  

Secondly, Sylvia on TUF takes the burden of re-hiring him off the UFC’s shoulders.  

The heavyweight division is stacked right now, so the company doesn’t really need him, but it’d be an easy decision for them if he took on the show.

If he wins, he’s in, if he doesn’t, we’re right back where we started.

Of course, the show would see its ratings soar during his season, so we’re not really right back where we started, are we?

The bottom line is, Sylvia is good for TV, good for the UFC and good for the sport. 

He rarely finds himself in controversy, but he is a polarizing figure who at one time was the heavyweight division’s biggest draw.  

Even if he makes it back to the UFC for just a fight or two, it’s a fight or two I would like to see.

He’s written a pretty significant check with his mouth in recent months, and America would tune in to see him cash it.

So let this be my message to the UFC, FX and whoever else makes this decision:

Bring Tim Sylvia to TUF.

Thank you.

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UFC 145 Results: 5 Reasons Jon Jones Is the Best Fighter in MMA

I think I’ve said this 30 times today, but allow me to say it again: Jon Jones is the best fighter in the world right now.  He may even be the best fighter of all time, but it is too early in his career to tell.In his 11 UFC bouts, Jones has displ…

I think I’ve said this 30 times today, but allow me to say it again: Jon Jones is the best fighter in the world right now.  

He may even be the best fighter of all time, but it is too early in his career to tell.

In his 11 UFC bouts, Jones has displayed a dominance not seen from other legends before him.  

Even historic fighters such as Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre and Jose Aldo have shown weaknesses in the past, but Jones has absolutely manhandled his every opponent.   

I’m here to tell you that he is the best fighter in the world, and here’s why.  

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