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B.J. Penn vs. Rory MacDonald: Why You Can’t Count Penn Out

Rory MacDonald has a bright future in this sport. He’s young, refined, big and powerful. And the scary thing is, he’s only going to get bigger, stronger and more polished as a fighter.He’s ahead of the curve, simply put, and he’…

Rory MacDonald has a bright future in this sport. He’s young, refined, big and powerful. And the scary thing is, he’s only going to get bigger, stronger and more polished as a fighter.

He’s ahead of the curve, simply put, and he’s gutsy enough to challenge elite competition in order to better himself. MacDonald is a nightmare on two legs who looks like he’ll be in title contention in the not-so-distant future.

B.J. Penn, on the other hand, is ten years older than MacDonald at 33 and has been through more wars than MacDonald can conceive of.

His best days look to be behind him.

Penn’s still a wicked grappler with a brick of concrete for a head and dynamite in his fists, but he’s lost a few steps over the years. Being an overachiever can do that to a fighter. Let’s face it: Penn’s been a part of a series of fights he had no business being involved in. Amazingly, he won a handful of them.

These two will collide Saturday night, and every line of logic leads directly to a victory for Rory. At this point in time, the Canadian’s weapons look far more threatening than those possessed by Penn. As a nearly 20-year follower of the sport, I’ve seen B.J. blossom from a highly touted jiu jitsu prospect to a well-rounded machine who’s held more than a single title. Knowing his days are limited is admittedly a bit heartbreaking.

But life is life. Analysts are leaning in Rory’s direction for this fight, and in all likelihood that’s not unreasonable. If I were a betting man, I’d drop a few dimes on the kid myself. But B.J. Penn isn’t out of this fight, by any means.

“The Prodigy” has been scrutinized in the past. Accusations of laziness in the gym, poor dieting and too much play time have plagued the man for years. As his career winds down, Penn is realizing the significance of leaving behind a truly lasting legacy.

You’ve probably read the rumors of Penn’s newfound motivation and peak physical condition in preparation for this encounter.

Believe those rumors.

For B.J. Penn, a place in the history books is at stake here. People will always remember B.J., but he’s hungry to ensure that fans and peers remember him as a warrior of the greatest stature, willing and able to defy the odds time and again, and not as a lazy fighter who never lived up to his potential.

Saturday night we’ll see a driven Hawaiian inside the Octagon. Physically he’ll be outgunned. But deep down inside, B.J. Penn is still a tougher, grittier guy than Rory MacDonald. (For now. MacDonald will likely develop into a monster of Penn’s nature with time.)

That means he’s got a serious chance at completely derailing the hype train of MacDonald.

At UFC on FOX 5, Rory could very well transition from the next best thing to a prospect that needs a lot of work and a lot more ladder climbing.

Penn’s chin will keep him in this fight while things stay vertical. If he can pump the jab and close the distance, he can break Rory down as the rounds progress. If the fight hits the mat, Penn’s rubber guard could severely hinder MacDonald’s savage ground-and-pound. If we see a frantic scramble, Rory could be in all kinds of trouble: if Penn gets your back, he tends to finish.

Penn has the tools to upset the surging contender tomorrow, and that alone makes this an extremely intriguing fight.

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The Top 5 Nate Diaz Fights

When Nate Diaz sets foot in the octagon, you know one thing is certain: An offensive war is about to ensue. The younger of the Diaz brothers, Nate is every bit as aggressive as his brother Nick, and he’s one of the few fighters today that can say in complete truth that they fight each fight with the intention of ending the fight before the final bell sounds.

Nate Diaz is a crowd-pleaser to the core.

Even when coming up short in competition, Diaz dumps his entire being on the mat and refuses to roll over and “give” anyone a win. In Nate’s mind, it’s not over until it’s over. And that’s exactly what makes the man a heavy fan favorite.

Sure, Diaz can be a bit aggressive and demeaning… and demoralizing and intimidating–you see where I’m going with this. From the outside looking in, Nate Diaz may not seem like the nicest guy (he’s actually pretty damn cool away from the cage, I might add) leading up to a fight, but he does what he feels is necessary, and typically it works in bringing him success in fights and loyalty from fans.

The kid knows exactly how to maintain legitimate intensity while selling a fight.

And many a fight this Stockton representative has had. At 27 years old, Nate’s already logged 23 fights, and let me tell you, damn near every one of them has been an aesthetic gift from the MMA gods.

Here are just a few of his most relevant and memorable bouts…

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7 Upsets to Watch for During the UFC’s Busy December

The UFC has an absolutely stacked December planned, and fortunately for the average man who isn’t defecating greenbacks, three of four events are free. Just about every card headed our way inside the next month boasts some highly intriguing marqu…

This Saturday brings the first of four events, as Ben Henderson will aim to defend his lightweight crown against the always dangerous Nick Diaz in a promising main event.

Six days later we’ll see George Sotiropoulos and Ross Pearson headline the UFC on FX 6 card, and the following night it’s more action: The finale of The Ultimate Fighter Season 16 unfolds with Roy Nelson tapped to meet Matt Mitrione as the card’s top-liner.

But the action doesn’t stop there. The UFC will usher 2012 out of the door on December 29^th with UFC 155, a pretty stacked card featuring a handful of enticing matches and, of course, the much anticipated rematch between heavyweight champion, Junior dos Santos, and the former champ, Cain Velasquez.

So, who’s most likely to be upset in December?

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Johny Hendricks or Dan Henderson, Who Possesses the Real H-Bomb?

Johny Hendricks has spent the last two years making his presence known in the welterweight division. Initially presumed to be little more than a one-dimensional wrestler, Hendricks has evolved at an alarming rate, proving doubters wrong. Dead wrong. Of…

Of his most impressive new tools is that savage left hand that’s put down many an opponent, including quality foes in Martin Kampmann, Jon Fitch and Charlie Brenneman. There’s a power in that particular punch that most have trouble dealing with, and as a result, “Bigg Rigg” is a promotional moniker now synonymous with frighteningly violent finishes.

There aren’t going to be many men at 170 pounds eagerly lining up to test their fortitude against this man any time soon.

That massive left of his has now begun to emerge in conversations regarding Dan Henderson’s “H-Bomb.” And the comparison is indeed valid. Dan lands that right hand, it’s lights out; Johny lands that left hand, it’s lights out.

But there are glaring differences between these two fighters, despite the near carbon-copy background the two share. Henderson has been an active, top-ranked competitor for more than a decade. Johny has got less than half of the time invested and 22 fewer fights. He hasn’t yet accumulated the experience, time and fights to find complete comfort in exclusively striking.

If Hendricks gets hit with something he doesn’t particularly like, or is having little success with his fists, he’ll transition directly into a takedown. Whereas Dan Henderson isn’t befuddled by failure. If his punches aren’t finding their mark, he simply disengages, resets and once again initiates his pugilistic assault.

While it sounds as though Hendricks may be the more desperate fighter, in all likelihood he’s probably the more well-rounded of the two. Henderson has found himself somewhat stuck in a head hunting haze. He wants to knock men unconscious, whatever the cost, and he’s willing to eat plenty to deliver the only one that matters: the H-Bomb.

Hendricks has more ways to win a fight these days. He’s still versatile enough to keep opponents guessing, and his offensive wrestling is rather impressive. If those fists fail, he has other tools that he likes to fall back on.

Who’s the more dangerous man? Who’s more likely to see the fight end with his opponent sprawled, lifeless on the canvas? It’s impossible to say definitively.

What can be said is this: Johny Hendricks looks like the owner of the “Mini H-Bomb,” the not-quite-yet fully developed weapon that ends all things combat and will be near unstoppable in years to come. Dan Henderson has seen enough years and endured enough wars to know how to fully rely on that weapon, and Hendricks hasn’t.

They’re two different fighters, who by all accounts should mirror one another when competing, both with the ability to finish a fight with a single punch that resonates through the body, canvas and television at any moment. Those are punches we all feel.

Give Johny Hendricks a few more years and a few more elite opponents and he’ll likely prove that his own rendition of the H-Bomb is every bit as relevant as Dan Henderson’s original masterpiece. Until then, enjoy the further success of both.

There will be more H-Bomb knockouts in the future from both men, mark my words.

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Brian Stann and the 20 Most Humble MMA Fighters

Brian Stann may very well be the most humble guy competing in mixed martial arts today. This is a man who’s been there, done that and saved a few lives along the way. As a fighter, he’s already accomplished some impressive feats like winnin…

The man even owns a Silver Star for heaven’s sake. For those that don’t know, that’s the nation’s third-highest award for valor in combat.

This is a guy who has, by all accounts, earned the right to behave anyway he feels. If he wanted to walk around with his nose in the air and his mind far from the insignificant civilians, he could, and no one would say a thing about it.

But Brian Stann doesn’t walk around with his nose in the air, and he doesn’t think he’s any better than the next man. He’s a compassionate fighter who competes to be the best, not to intentionally inflict an absurd amount of punishment on his opponents, not to showboat and not to throw his accomplishments in anyone’s face.

The “All American” redefines the humble fighter.

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5 UFC Middleweights Luke Rockhold Can Smash Right Now

It’s always easy to puff up the chest and speak big when a man is down and out. Just ask Lorenz Larkin, who suddenly took to accusing Strikeforce middleweight ace Luke Rockhold of exaggerating an injury in order to avoid facing him next month at …

Anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of watching Rockhold compete knows quite well that the chances of Luke “ducking” Lorenz aren’t exactly sizable. In fact, I’d all but guarantee Luke’s got legit health issues. The man has already run roughshod over the likes of Keith Jardine, Ronaldo Souza and Tim Kennedy. He’s got no reason whatsoever to fear the still developing Larkin.

Whether or not the two will eventually meet inside the UFC’s octagon remains to be seen, but I wouldn’t be stunned to see Joe Silva pair these two up somewhere down the line. Just to give Luke a chance to silence a man hurling about unfounded accusations and implications.

But, it’s important to try and be realistic about this whole thing. Lorenz Larkin in all likelihood has no business sharing cage time with a man of Rockhold’s caliber. Luke is a legitimate contender in the middleweight division, and he’s already prepared to tangle with the upper echelon of the UFC’s middleweight ranks.

In fact, let’s take a look at those who are more than likely to fall to the soon to be former Strikeforce champion and newly minted UFC prospect.

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