Tag: Erick Silva

Gambling Addiction Enabler: ‘UFC 153? Edition


(Well, at least the poster is as half-assed as the main event.) 

By Dan “Get Off Me” George

I’ll be honest, when I first heard of the new main event for UFC 153, I thought we were all the victims of some intricate ruse on the UFC’s part. Surely the head honchos at Zuffa didn’t consider a “fun” squash match on the level of Joe Lauzon vs Jens Pulver to be the best possible option for a country that was recently denied the biggest fight of all time, right? But I guess when an injury curse on the level of 2012’s hits, you do what you can to simply stay afloat, and in that sense the UFC has succeeded.

Luckily for us, the UFC has also succeeded in putting together a card that provides plenty of opportunities to prosper from a wagering perspective as well. This time around, I will attempt to follow the lead of Jared “Money Bags” Jones, who provided both the gift and the curse for UFC on FX 5: Browne vs. Silva with his parlay picks, so follow me as I highlight a few names on the preliminary cards for Facebook and FX and breakdowns of all fights on the PPV portion of UFC 153. All betting odds come courtesy of BestFightOdds.

Facebook + FX prelims

Reza Madadi stands out in the two FB fights; Sweden has been hot in the octagon lately and I think “Mad Dog” (not Anthony Macias) at around -200 has the right combination of size and all around ground advantage to deal with Marcello’s submissions game and win his second straight UFC fight.

Gleison Tibau hovering around -160 should be able to stifle fellow Brazilian Francisco Drinaldo and find a way back into the UFC win column after dropping a hard fought loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 148. Tibau has fought solid competition throughout his lengthy UFC career and I do not think Francisco has the right tools to win this fight. An underdog that may be worth a look is Renee Forte at around +200 against Sergio Moraes, who dropped a unanimous decision last time out due in part to his in-ring demeanor, which did not seem to go over well with the judges.


(Well, at least the poster is as half-assed as the main event.) 

By Dan “Get Off Me” George

I’ll be honest, when I first heard of the new main event for UFC 153, I thought we were all the victims of some intricate ruse on the UFC’s part. Surely the head honchos at Zuffa didn’t consider a “fun” squash match on the level of Joe Lauzon vs Jens Pulver to be the best possible option for a country that was recently denied the biggest fight of all time, right? But I guess when an injury curse on the level of 2012′s hits, you do what you can to simply stay afloat, and in that sense the UFC has succeeded.

Luckily for us, the UFC has also succeeded in putting together a card that provides plenty of opportunities to prosper from a wagering perspective as well. This time around, I will attempt to follow the lead of Jared “Money Bags” Jones, who provided both the gift and the curse for UFC on FX 5: Browne vs. Silva with his parlay picks, so follow me as I highlight a few names on the preliminary cards for Facebook and FX and breakdowns of all fights on the PPV portion of UFC 153. All betting odds come courtesy of BestFightOdds.

Facebook + FX prelims

Reza Madadi stands out in the two FB fights; Sweden has been hot in the octagon lately and I think “Mad Dog” (not Anthony Macias) at around -200 has the right combination of size and all around ground advantage to deal with Marcello’s submissions game and win his second straight UFC fight.

Gleison Tibau hovering around -160 should be able to stifle fellow Brazilian Francisco Drinaldo and find a way back into the UFC win column after dropping a hard fought loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 148. Tibau has fought solid competition throughout his lengthy UFC career and I do not think Francisco has the right tools to win this fight. An underdog that may be worth a look is Renee Forte at around +200 against Sergio Moraes, who dropped a unanimous decision last time out due in part to his in-ring demeanor, which did not seem to go over well with the judges.

Main Card

Demian Maia (-150) vs Rick Story (+130)

The line on Maia has steadily climbed towards the -160 area, and despite many picking him to lose against Kim in his WW debut, the BJJ whiz out grappled one of the best WW in the world. Story fights best when he can impose his will, but against Maia, clinching against the fence or taking the fight to the ground may not be the best strategy to win. Maia makes the parlay and remains undefeated at 170lbs.

Phil Davis (-380) vs Wagner Prado (+315)

The only thing that sticks out here (like a finger to the eye! *rimshot*) is that Wagner caught Davis once in their first fight. I am not rushing to the window to lay -350 and up on Phil Davis in Brazil as I need to see more from the American wrestling standout to pay that kind of price fighting in Wagner’s back yard.

Jon Fitch (+115) vs Erick Silva (-135)

This is one of those Old School vs. New School fights, a more or less one-dimensional fighter against a more well rounded fighter. Silva has a fantastic sprawl and represents the new breed of fighter who use defensive wrestling to compliment a strong stand up game. Jon Fitch will no doubt fight hard, but I think his old school style may fail him for a second time in a row for the first time in his career. I am going with Silva sitting at -140 for the parlay as I do not think Fitch will be able to win the stand up game or keep Silva on the ground long enough to take the fight on the cards.

Glover Teixeira (-400) vs Fabio Maldonado (+325)

I’m on the Glover bandwagon even with the steep price coming in around -400. Trained by everyone from Marco Ruas to John Hackleman and having such sparring partners as Chuck Liddell at his disposal, Glover may just know a thing or two about how to handle himself in the stand up exchange with Fabio. It will be interesting to see if Teixeira attempts to show off his grappling skills in this fight or times a perfect counter to a Maldonado body shot, but it seems like in either case, Glover is ending this fight and stamping his name towards the top of the 205 division. I like the prop that this fight does not go the distance and perhaps ends before the half way mark of the contest.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (-320) vs Dave Herman (+260)

I want to lay it down on Big Nog and I think the fight plays well into his skill set, but coming off a serious injury against a fairly experienced younger, bigger fighter is a tough spot for the legend here. I do not see this fight going the distance and I would rather sit back and enjoy Antonio’s return as the betting favorite and see if the fight ends before the 15 minute mark.

Anderson Silva (-1100) vs Stephan Bonnar (+700)

Silva. Just lay the 3 grand you have lying around the house to make 200 bucks and thank me later.

Parlay 1
Madadi – Tibau – Maia

Parlay 2
Tibau – E.Silva – Maia – Teixeira

Props
-Teixeira/Maldonado does not go the distance
-Bezerra/Sicilia does not go the distance
-Big Nog/Dave Herman does not go the distance

Enjoy the fights CP nation and may the winners be yours!

Trash-Talking Roundup: Pettis Responds to Cerrone, Fitch Meets Kettle


“Did I stutter?! I said you’re a lay-and-pray artist who will NEVER beat Georges St. Pierre!”

It appears we weren’t the only ones surprised by Donald Cerrone’s recent comments for UFC lightweight Anthony Pettis. Anthony Pettis, who claims that he’s always been cordial with Cerrone in the past, recently attempted to make sense of the whole ordeal on “The MMA Hour.” Spoiler alert: He ain’t too keen on being told to “grab his purse and dance,” brother.

As transcribed by MMAMania.com:

“It’s comedy. This is the first news to me that I have heard of Cerrone calling me out or that he has been calling me out or he wanted to fight me. I talked to my manager about it and I think it’s just him trying to get his name out there and trying to get to my spot, trying to get to that title shot, to try and get closer to a title shot. But, for him to do it the way it did, just pissed me of, so. If he gets passed with his fight with Melvin, and it makes sense for me to fight him and then fight for a title shot, then I will do it. If he is in my way, I will take him out. (I’m)100 -percent (pissed off). I am super pissed. I am not the guy to talk or the type of guy to be out there and talk shit about anyone, but for him to call me out and put it the way he put it, pretty much saying that I am afraid to fight somebody, that is never the case. I am never afraid to fight anybody. I want to be the best lightweight in the world and if he is in my way, then I will take him out too. He wanted to fight in August, I wasn’t going to be ready until October or November and I openly said it on Twitter and I openly said it everywhere, so it’s not a matter of me ducking him, if he wants to fight in November, let’s do it, I will gladly take that fight and I will be so motivated to whoop his ass.”


“Did I stutter?! I said you’re a lay-and-pray artist who will NEVER beat Georges St. Pierre!”

It appears we weren’t the only ones surprised by Donald Cerrone’s recent comments for UFC lightweight Anthony Pettis. Anthony Pettis, who claims that he’s always been cordial with Cerrone in the past, recently attempted to make sense of the whole ordeal on “The MMA Hour.” Spoiler alert: He ain’t too keen on being told to “grab his purse and dance,” brother.

As transcribed by MMAMania.com:

“It’s comedy. This is the first news to me that I have heard of Cerrone calling me out or that he has been calling me out or he wanted to fight me. I talked to my manager about it and I think it’s just him trying to get his name out there and trying to get to my spot, trying to get to that title shot, to try and get closer to a title shot. But, for him to do it the way it did, just pissed me of, so. If he gets passed with his fight with Melvin, and it makes sense for me to fight him and then fight for a title shot, then I will do it. If he is in my way, I will take him out. (I’m)100 -percent (pissed off). I am super pissed. I am not the guy to talk or the type of guy to be out there and talk shit about anyone, but for him to call me out and put it the way he put it, pretty much saying that I am afraid to fight somebody, that is never the case. I am never afraid to fight anybody. I want to be the best lightweight in the world and if he is in my way, then I will take him out too. He wanted to fight in August, I wasn’t going to be ready until October or November and I openly said it on Twitter and I openly said it everywhere, so it’s not a matter of me ducking him, if he wants to fight in November, let’s do it, I will gladly take that fight and I will be so motivated to whoop his ass.”

I never understood the “What’d I do?” or “It’s not what was done but how it was done” responses to trash talk, which are essentially what we’re seeing here. What’d you do? You’re a professional fighter who is further up the totem pole than the other professional fighter below you. Cerrone wants a future title shot, and consecutive victories over Melvin Guillard and yourself can possibly give him one. He’s already booked to face Guillard, and is now trying to do whatever he needs to do to get a fight against you. If it offends you that much, maybe something can be arranged where you two can fight over it, possibly for some money, fame and a title shot against the …wait, never mind. Well played, Cerrone.

As for the latter issue, I’m with Rasheed Wallace: As long as parents, wives and kids are left out of the equation (and life-threatening illnesses, Kevin), then who cares? I just hope that Melvin Guillard hasn’t been spending time with Chick with Huge Cans, because Cerrone vs. Pettis appears to have Fight of the Year written all over it.

In “How did the irony not explode your head?” news, Jon Fitch is still tied to the tracks of the Erick Silva hype-train, pleading desperately to anyone who will listen to leave the “Dastardly” Achievement locked. And I mean anyone. Yesterday, Fitch used a Nuvo TV conference call attempting to push AKA’s new reality series to be far more urgent in calling out BJ Penn. Via MMAFighting:

“Here at AKA, we’ve got fighters who come out to fight, fighters who will face anyone and don’t hide from any opponents. You’ve also got cowards out there like B.J. Penn who say they want to fight people, but then they run and hide.”

I guess that statement wasn’t direct enough for two, maybe three people on the planet, because Fitch was asked to clarify if he thought Penn was a coward. His response?

“Yes. He’s a coward. He wouldn’t be welcomed here.”

I bet Erick Silva finds your “running and hiding” comment hilarious, considering that’s exactly what you’re attempting to do with him. And not to create an MMA conspiracy theory on the spot, but if Fitch gets injured and has to pull out of his fight against Silva, I’m sure a lot of fans will think that the injury is “suspiciously convenient.” But who knows?

Does Fitch have a point about Penn waiting for Rory MacDonald instead of looking for another fight? Does anyone have any interest in watching Fitch and Penn do the man dance again? And how excited will you be about Cerrone vs. Pettis? Let us know, and keep it civil.

@SethFalvo

With Rory MacDonald Out, Jon Fitch and Siyar Bahadurzada Rally for BJ Penn Fight


I don’t always go to weddings. But when I do, I am almost interesting.

When it was announced that Rory MacDonald had suffered an injury and pulled out of his upcoming bout with BJ Penn at UFC 152, Penn seemed content to sit out and wait for MacDonald to heal. Because the fight against MacDonald was Penn’s motivation to come out of retirement, BJ Penn appears to be, dare I say, determined to fight the heir apparent to Georges St. Pierre. Yet despite Penn’s plans to wait for MacDonald, both Jon Fitch and Siyar Bahadurzada have volunteered to step in on short notice to fight BJ Penn.

It’s not hard to figure out why either man wants this fight, yet it’s doubtful that we’ll be still seeing BJ Penn across the cage from one of them any time soon.

Perhaps the more transparent – and also less likely to come to fruition – callout of the two is Jon Fitch’s casual suggestion that he should be fighting BJ Penn at UFC 153. I say this because Jon Fitch already has an opponent for UFC 153, and it is none other than Brazilian wrecking ball Erick Silva. As we’ve pointed out when the fight was booked, Silva is anything but a rebound fight for the thirty four year old AKA product. Considering that Fitch hasn’t won a fight since he beat Thiago Alves two years ago, a loss to Silva – which is certainly not outside the realm of possibility – can easily end his hopes of ever earning another title shot in the UFC.


I don’t always go to weddings. But when I do, I am almost interesting.

When it was announced that Rory MacDonald had suffered an injury and pulled out of his upcoming bout with BJ Penn at UFC 152, Penn seemed content to sit out and wait for MacDonald to heal. Because the fight against MacDonald was Penn’s motivation to come out of retirement, BJ Penn appears to be, dare I say, determined to fight the heir apparent to Georges St. Pierre. Yet despite Penn’s plans to wait for MacDonald, both Jon Fitch and Siyar Bahadurzada have volunteered to step in on short notice to fight BJ Penn.

It’s not hard to figure out why either man wants this fight, yet it’s doubtful that we’ll be still seeing BJ Penn across the cage from one of them any time soon.

Perhaps the more transparent – and also less likely to come to fruition – callout of the two is Jon Fitch’s casual suggestion that he should be fighting BJ Penn at UFC 153. I say this because Jon Fitch already has an opponent for UFC 153, and it is none other than Brazilian wrecking ball Erick Silva. As we’ve pointed out when the fight was booked, Silva is anything but a rebound fight for the thirty four year old AKA product. Considering that Fitch hasn’t won a fight since he beat Thiago Alves two years ago, a loss to Silva – which is certainly not outside the realm of possibility – can easily end his hopes of ever earning another title shot in the UFC.

And honestly, I’m sure I speak for most of us when I say I’d be okay with that. Even though BJ Penn and Jon Fitch are still tough fights for anyone to draw, they represent the past, not the future, of our sport. Watching Fitch attempt to avenge a recent draw on his record to BJ Penn, who would later call him a “glass jawed poser,” is nothing more than a regression. Like Ben asked about the “Bringing back your old self” ban, does the old Jon Fitch/BJ Penn really excite you more than the new Erick Silva? Didn’t think so, so let’s not bump the Brazilian prospect off of a card in his home country to relive a fight that, frankly, wasn’t worth remembering in the first place.

As for Siyar Bahadurzada, he recently began campaigning for the BJ Penn fight via his Twitter account, going so far as to offer to donate his entire purse to charity to prove that he isn’t fighting BJ for the money.

Siyar certainly is an intriguing enough fight for BJ Penn to consider. “The Great” impressed fans with a quick, brutal knockout over Paulo Thiago in his UFC debut at UFC on FUEL TV 2. Fans have been patiently waiting for more of him, and even though Penn recently retired, he’s still a big enough name to make this a marketable fight.

There’s just one problem: While Rory MacDonald is widely regarded as the future of the welterweight division, Bahadurzada is still only known for his lone UFC appearance. If Penn is coming out of retirement to see if he can compete against the next generation, a victory over Siyar The Great will not prove this. This isn’t to say that Siyar Bahadurzada won’t be an exceptional talent – or even that he isn’t already – but rather he isn’t nearly as established of a name as Rory MacDonald currently is.

That all being said, what do you think? Are you okay with BJ Penn waiting for Rory MacDonald? Would you like to watch Jon Fitch redeem himself against Penn? Would you like to see Bahadurzada prove his greatness? Let us know.

@SethFalvo

‘UFC on FX 3? Aftermath: Following Controversial First Fight, Mighty Mouse Saves the Day

(Highlights from the Silva-Brenneman bout, courtesy of Fox Sports)

Six hours of free televised fights seems like a gift from Zod, unless of course the first three hours suck. A few plodding decisions, amateur officiating, a never-ending commercial loop, and the requisite botched score cards marred the prelim bouts on Fuel. It was enough to stifle what little hope some had for the rest of the evening.

But for those who flipped the channel to FX still harboring the post-prelim blues, undercard openers Scott Jorgensen and Eddie Wineland took little time to erase any ill will and set the stage for an exciting night of action. After settling into the bout, Wineland began finding a home for his hands, sitting “Young Guns” down with a sharp jab. He’d plant Jorgesen on his back briefly with a trip before landing several more blows to close out the first frame. Having had his fill of leather in round one, Jorgensen turned it on in the second frame, hustling for takedowns and opening up a hatchet wound over Wineland’s eye with a glancing knee. But the extra effort and billowing blood only brought out the fire in Wineland, who stuffed several shots while looking for the knockout. He’d find it at the end of a big right hand uncorked in the last minute of the second round. Jorgensen was stunned as he hit the floor, unable to defend himself from the final blows Wineland rained down as the ref stepped in to wave him off. Wineland’s win reversed a two fight skid against two top opponents; now Jorgensen has his own pair of losses to shake off. The extra cash from the “Fight of the Night” bonus should make that task a little easier.

(Highlights from the Silva-Brenneman bout, courtesy of Fox Sports)

Six hours of free televised fights seems like a gift from Zod, unless of course the first three hours suck. A few plodding decisions, amateur officiating, a never-ending commercial loop, and the requisite botched score cards marred the prelim bouts on Fuel. It was enough to stifle what little hope some had for the rest of the evening.

But for those who flipped the channel to FX still harboring the post-prelim blues, undercard openers Scott Jorgensen and Eddie Wineland took little time to erase any ill will and set the stage for an exciting night of action. After settling into the bout, Wineland began finding a home for his hands, sitting “Young Guns” down with a sharp jab. He’d plant Jorgesen on his back briefly with a trip before landing several more blows to close out the first frame. Having had his fill of leather in round one, Jorgensen turned it on in the second frame, hustling for takedowns and opening up a hatchet wound over Wineland’s eye with a glancing knee. But the extra effort and billowing blood only brought out the fire in Wineland, who stuffed several shots while looking for the knockout. He’d find it at the end of a big right hand uncorked in the last minute of the second round. Jorgensen was stunned as he hit the floor, unable to defend himself from the final blows Wineland rained down as the ref stepped in to wave him off. Wineland’s win reversed a two fight skid against two top opponents; now Jorgensen has his own pair of losses to shake off. The extra cash from the “Fight of the Night” bonus should make that task a little easier.

Mike Pyle opened his bout with Josh Neer with a double leg takedown; he closed it with a crisp right to the jaw. Pyle took “The Dentist” down in the opening moments of the fight and spent the next few minutes peppering him with shots from above as the pair jockeyed for position on the ground. Neer worked his way back up to his feet, and although his attempt to take Pyle down was thwarted, the exchange left “Quicksand” on wobbly legs. Just like that the tides turned as Neer mounted an assault built on body shots that had Pyle in trouble against the cage. As Neer poured it on and created enough space to head hunt, Pyle countered with a short right hand that faceplanted “The Dentist” with seconds left on the clock. The killshot netted Pyle “Knock Out of the Night” honors (and the $40 g’s that come with it).

After three bouts on the sport’s biggest stage, Erick Silva has yet to see the second round, and nothing’s proven able to stop him since late 2007—nothing but the rulebook, that is. Charlie Brenneman refused to join fans in admiring “Indio’s” dynamic standup, choosing the much wiser approach of working to get the dangerous striker onto his back. Whether the ref had late dinner reservations or a prescient awareness of “The Spaniard’s” fate, he did his best to curtail Brenneman’s relentless wrestling, but Charlie would not be denied. Brenneman’s successful takedowns would only give the Brazilian confidence in his ability to get back to his feet, while an unsuccessful one would give Silva the win. After stuffing a shot from his mop-topped foe, Silva gained back control, sunk in his hooks, and flattened Brenneman out with a rear naked choke, proving that his killer instinct isn’t limited to his scary standup. The tap-out victory earned Silva another step up in competition and the evening’s $40k “Submission of the Night” bonus.

Had we been able to carry over one dismal portion of the prelim action to the main event, it would have been the inept judging. After all, it was a mistallied scorecard that gifted us with a second bout between Ian McCall and Demetrius Johnson, and the prospect of another scoring error and yet another bout between these two would be a scandal that I would almost welcome. You could watch Johnson and McCall throw down on every UFC card and be entertained, and it’s a shame this wasn’t a five-round affair, but in the end it was a decisive win for “Mighty Mouse”. Johnson used his speed and improved grappling to outwork McCall in the first and third rounds. More importantly, he seems to have mastered the weight-cut problems that he blamed for his sluggish finish in the pair’s first meeting. There’s no need to wonder where Johnson goes from here—with the win he’ll face Joe Benavidez in the tournament final to crown the UFC’s first Flyweight Champion.

 

– @chriscolemon

 

FULL RESULTS: (via MMAWeekly.com)

Main Card Bouts (on FX):
-Demetrious Johnson def. Ian McCall by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
-Erick Silva def. Charlie Brenneman by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:33, R1
-Mike Pyle def. Josh Neer by KO at 4:53, R1
-Eddie Wineland def. Scott Jorgensen by KO at 4:10, R2

Preliminary Bouts (on Fuel TV):
-Mike Pierce def. Carlos Eduardo Rocha by split decision (30-27, 30-27, 27-30)
-Seth Baczynski def. Lance Benoist by split decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)
-Matt Grice def. Leonard Garcia by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
-Dustin Pague def. Jared Papazian by submission (rear naked choke) at3:21 , R1
-Tim Means def. Justin Salas by TKO at 1:06, R1
-Buddy Roberts def. Caio Magalhaes by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Preliminary Bouts (on Facebook):
-Henry Martinez def. Bernardo Magalhaes by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
-Jake Hecht . Sean Pierson def. Jake Hecht by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

UFC on FX 3 Post-FIght Analysis

Demetrious Johnson put an end to the controversy on Saturday night by clearly winning two of the three rounds in his rematch with Ian McCall to determine who will face Joseph Benavidez to become the.

Demetrious Johnson put an end to the controversy on Saturday night by clearly winning two of the three rounds in his rematch with Ian McCall to determine who will face Joseph Benavidez to become the first UFC flyweight champion. Johnson established the pace in the first round much in the same way he did in the first fight. Just like in the first fight, the most significant moment of the first round was a right hand. But this time, the punch dropped McCall instead of just wobbling him. Johnson also controlled the wrestling in the first round scoring an early takedown and stuffing all of McCall’s attempts to bring the fight to the mat. McCall came back strong in the second round managing to complete several takedowns. And although he was unable to keep Johnson down, just the threat of the takedown was enough to change the tone of the fight in the striking game and McCall was able to land more significant strikes. One of the judges awarded that round to Johnson for some reason but both of the other judges scored it for McCall, which was the proper scoring. Going into the third round, the fight was even but Johnson left no room for dispute as he clearly controlled the striking and scored the only takedown of the round. He landed several combinations and McCall became visibly frustrated as the round continued. By the end of the round, the outcome was obvious and Johnson clearly established himself as the fighter who deserves to compete against Benavidez for the title. The two battles between Johnson and McCall have set a high level of expectation for the title fight and if the five rounds between Benavidez and Johnson are anything like the six rounds between McCall and Johnson, the MMA community is certainly in for a treat. For McCall, this loss is a setback but he is still obviously one of the the best 125 pound fighters in the world and more than likely, he will get his chance to fight for the belt at some point.

Earlier in the night, Erick Silva made it clear that he has to be considered a factor in the welterweight division as he proved to be too big and too explosive for Charlie Brenneman. Silva landed a knee early as Brenneman shot in for a takedown. Brenneman realized immediately the type of power he was facing and from that point on, he was desperate to get the fight to the mat. He succeeded several times but was unable to keep Silva down and his efforts always seemed to be delaying the inevitable. Silva stayed patient and waited for the right opportunity to explode on Brenneman. After the referee restarted the fight out of a stalemate against the fence, Silva landed a spinning back kick to the gut and followed it with another body kick. The kicks hurt Brenneman and he attempted a sloppy shot that resulted in him being turtled with Silva on his back. Silva slipped in his hooks and locked his arm under Brenneman’s neck with little resistance and earned the submission victory via rear naked choke. Silva never landed cleanly to Brenneman’s head but just the glancing blows and kicks to the body were enough to break Brenneman’s will. Silva will definitely face a stiff step up in competition in his next appearance and he has earned it with three first round finishes in his UFC career thus far. The only part of his game that hasn’t been tested is his cardio and it would be interesting to see what would happen if a stronger fighter employed Brenneman’s strategy and was able to draw Silva deeper into the fight. For right now, Silva is a fighter with a high ceiling and with the depth in the UFC welterweight division, we’ll soon find out how high that ceiling is.

In the second fight on the main card, Mike Pyle earned the most surprising result of the night. The win itself wasn’t a surprise but you could have won some serious money betting that he would finish the exceptionally durable Josh Neer with a first round one punch knockout. Pyle opened the fight exactly the way one would expect by taking Neer to the mat and trying to control him on the ground. And Neer responded by doing exactly what he always does in that position staying active with his guard and cutting Pyle with an elbow from his back. Neer managed to stand up and got after Pyle with his classic attack style of body punches, dirty boxing and standing elbows. Pyle seemed to be significantly hurt to the body as Neer pushed him back against the cage and looked for an opportunity to finish. In the middle of that assault, Pyle landed a clinical overhand right directly the jaw of Neer and knocked him out. Neer fell face down on the mat and Pyle walked away with one of the more impressive victories of his career. Pyle, now age thirty six, has won five out of six fights and while he’ll never be a championship contender, the UFC should be able to find him several more interesting fights. Neer will need to win in his next fight or he may once again find himself on the way out of the UFC, which is unfortunate because his fights are always entertaining.

Eddie Wineland opened the card by announcing that he is back as a serious contender in the bantamweight division. The defensive wrestling he worked so hard to perfect for his fights against Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez is now fully incorporated into his arsenal and with that accomplished, he was able to let his strikes flow freely just as he did earlier in his career. He came out aggressive from the opening bell against Scott Jorgensen and didn’t slow down until he finished the fight. He dropped Jorgensen in the first round with a counter jab establishing that he still has some of the best power in the division. He repeatedly stuffed his opponent’s takedown attempts as well and kept the fight in a standing position. Jorgensen was more competitive in the second round landing several good strikes and cutting Wineland in two places including a huge gash over the left eye. Wineland seemed initially distracted by the blood flowing into his eye but quickly adjusted and began to once again take the advantage in the striking game. He even managed to take down the former PAC-10 wrestling champion. The fight seemed to be turning into a classic three round brawl where both fighters would trade combinations but Wineland’s power proved to be too much for Jorgensen as he dropped him with a right hand and pounced to finish with ground and pound. The 135 pound title is currently tied up in an interim fight between Faber and Renan Barao and the winner of that fight will likely immediately face champion Dominic Cruz to unify the title. Possible opponents for Wineland after this victory could include Brian Bowles, Michael McDonald or Barao if he loses to Faber. For Jorgensen, this outcome definitely represents another step back. One interesting matchup for him going forward would be with Miguel Torres as both would be trying to rebound from recent losses. Whatever happens, this was a huge statement by Eddie Wineland.

‘UFC on FX 3? Main Card – Live Results and Commentary


For some reason, “IT’S CHARLIE TIME!” just didn’t have the same ring to it. Care to guess who deserves credit for this image?

The main card of the UFC’s third card on FX is almost upon us, and we’re sure that you’re almost just as interested as we are. But don’t let the lack of big men and big names get you down- we still have some interesting fights on our hands. Eddie Wineland battles Scott Jorgensen for bantamweight relevance, Josh Neer looks to maintain his momentum in the welterweight division against Mike Pyle, Erick Silva looks to establish himself as The Next Next Big Thing against Charlie Brenneman and Ian McCall meets Demetrious Johnson in The Most Anticipated Rematch of the Night to determine who advances in the UFC’s Flyweight tournament.

Okay, so on paper it’s nothing to write home about. But it’s free fights on a Friday night, okay? Look, we know you don’t have plans or anything, so stop pretending to be Mr. Popular and join us after the jump for round-by-round results and commentary. Handling tonight’s action will be Seth Falvo, who promises that there will be no more obscure professional wrestling references this evening. Please stand by.


For some reason, “IT’S CHARLIE TIME!” just didn’t have the same ring to it. Care to guess who deserves credit for this image?

The main card of the UFC’s third card on FX is almost upon us, and we’re sure that you’re almost just as interested as we are. But don’t let the lack of big men and big names get you down- we still have some interesting fights on our hands. Eddie Wineland battles Scott Jorgensen for bantamweight relevance, Josh Neer looks to maintain his momentum in the welterweight division against Mike Pyle, Erick Silva looks to establish himself as The Next Next Big Thing against Charlie Brenneman and Ian McCall meets Demetrious Johnson in The Most Anticipated Rematch of the Night to determine who advances in the UFC’s Flyweight tournament.

Okay, so on paper it’s nothing to write home about. But it’s free fights on a Friday night, okay? Look, we know you don’t have plans or anything, so stop pretending to be Mr. Popular and join us after the jump for round-by-round results and commentary. Handling tonight’s action will be Seth Falvo, who promises that there will be no more obscure professional wrestling references this evening. Please stand by.

Remember when I used to have witty things to say? Me neither. Let’s get crackin’.

Eddie Wineland vs. Scott Jorgensen

Round One: No glove touch here, as Wineland looks to control the center of the cage early. Nice right hand by Wineland, but Jorgensen lands a stiff jab that stops Wineland from following up with anything. Jorgensen attempts to clinch, but Wineland gets away. Another nice right hand from Wineland. Leg kick Jorgensen. Wineland drops Jorgensen with a stiff jab, but Jorgensen clinches up and looks for a takedown. Nice trip though by Wineland, who ends up in Jorgensen’s guard. They’re back up, and Wineland is using his jab well to keep Jorgensen outside. They exchange punches, with both guys landing as this round comes to an end.

Round Two: Nice takedown by Jorgensen, although Wineland immediately gets back up. Jorgensen lands a knee as Wineland gets up. Leg kick Jorgensen. Wineland lands a nice straight right, and another. Both guys are bleeding, or maybe Jorgensen’s hair dye is just running (Wineland is definitely cut though from that knee). Jorgensen lands a takedown, but once again Wineland immediately gets back up. Nice jab by Jorgensen. Wineland is having a lot of success landing that right hand, even though Jorgensen isn’t getting rocked by any of them. Nice exchange here, but it’s interrupted as Wineland’s mouth guard almost falls out. We’re back on, and Wineland finally manages to drop Jorgensen with one of those right hands. Some follow-up ground and pound and that’s all she wrote. Yep, that definitely isn’t hair dye running down Jorgensen’s face now.

Eddie Wineland def. Scott Jorgensen by KO, 4:10 of Round Two

So these are some lovely commercials, huh guys? Oh man, another Adam Sandler movie? I can’t wait to watch that, said nobody ever.

Mike Pyle vs. Josh Neer

Round One: They come out swinging, although neither guy lands anything of significance. Nice takedown by Pyle, who ends up in Neer’s guard. Pyle tries to pass to side mount, but Neer uses his butterfly guard and attempts a knee bar. Pyle is now back in Neer’s guard, throwing some punches. Neer attempts a triangle, but Pyle is out and back in Neer’s guard. Both guys are back up now, and Neer is landing some nice knees in the clinch. Neer looks to have Pyle hurt, as he throws some punches to Pyle’s body and has Pyle backing up. Neer goes in for the kill, but out of nowhere Pyle lands a vicious, if not desperate right hand that knocks Neer out cold!

Ladies and gentlemen, I do believe the word I’m looking for is “dicknailed”. As in, that poor young man they call “The Dentist” just got dicknailed.

Mike Pyle def. Josh Neer via KO, 4:56 of Round One

Erick Silva vs. Charlie Brenneman

Round One: They touch gloves, as Brenneman looks for a takedown and gets kneed in the face for his effort. Silva looks for a spinning back kick, but Brenneman earns a takedown. Silva is back up, but Brenneman stays on him. Brenneman gets another takedown, but Silva is looking for some foot locks. Brenneman escapes, and pushes Silva against the cage looking for a takedown. He fails, and they’re free. Brenneman lands a nice cross, and earns another takedown. Once again, Silva is almost immediately up, although he is rewarded for his efforts by being pushed into the cage by Brenneman. Brenneman works his wall and stall, as the crowd boos loudly. They’re separated, and Silva throws another spinning back kick. Silva is showing little respect for Brenneman’s hands, as he’s holding his quite low and throwing a lot of spinning kicks. Silva gets Brenneman down, takes his back, sinks in the rear naked choke and earns the tap.

Textbook finish there by Silva. May we now dub him the Next Next Big Thing? We’ll discuss that more tomorrow.

Erick Silva def. Charlie Brenneman via submission (rear naked choke), 4:33 of Round One

If the rest of this card was any indication, we’re in for one hell of a main event. Great fights all around. And now, for the rematch we’ve been waiting for.

Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall

Round One: They touch gloves, and we’re underway. Leg kick McCall. Head kick attempt from Johnson. They clinch, and Johnson ties up McCall against the cage, earning a double leg takedown. McCall is back up, and we’re back in the center of the cage. Leg kick Johnson, followed up by a 1-2. Head kick attempt by McCall. Johnson lands a huge right hand that drops McCall, and Johnson is in McCall’s guard. Johnson grabs McCall’s back as McCall gets back up, but “Uncle Creepy” avoids the takedown, lands a knee and we’re back in the center of the cage. McCall now has Johnson against the cage and looks for a takedown, but Johnson immediately escapes. Nice hook from McCall, as Johnson attempts a takedown. Great job by McCall reversing the takedown, as both guys get back to their feet. McCall lands a nice hook, and Johnson looks for a takedown as this round comes to an end. Good start to this fight.

Round Two: McCall blitzes Johnson at the start, and earns a takedown. Johnson is down momentarily, but McCall can’t keep him there. McCall wobbles Johnson with an uppercut, but he can’t capitalize. Johnson now has McCall against the cage and lands a few knees before McCall switches position. We’re back to the center of the cage, with Johnson attempting to blitz McCall, although nothing lands. We have a leg kick catch Johnson low, so now we have a break in the action. The break is short lived, and we have a glove touch as soon as we’re back on. McCall earns a takedown off the break, but once again, he can’t keep Johnson down. McCall attempts to take Johnson’s back, eventually getting it and scoring a suplex. Johnson gets up and catches McCall with a nice straight right, pinning McCall against the cage and throwing knees. Nice spinning elbow from McCall, and we’re back in the center of the cage. With forty five seconds left in this round, Johnson lands a nice uppercut and looks to clinch, but McCall escapes. Head kick attempt by McCall, who earns a nice throw as this round comes to an end.

Round Three: They trade punches, as McCall clinches up and lands a few knees. Head kick attempt by McCall, followed by a takedown attempt. Johnson lands a knee on McCall, but Uncle Creepy gets Johnson against the cage and looks for a takedown. Johnson is out, and now earns a takedown against the cage. He grabs McCall’s back, and almost lands a huge straight right as McCall escapes. Great knee there by McCall. Johnson catches a leg kick and lands a few punches. McCall now manages to get Johnson against the cage, and tries for another foot sweep. Jump knee by McCall. McCall has Johnson back against the cage, as the two exchange knees. Johnson escapes, and lands a straight right and a nice teep. McCall once again has Johnson against the cage, and lands a knee. With thirty seconds left, Johnson gets McCall against the cage and works for a takedown. McCall attempts another foot sweep as this round comes to an end.

It appears that there won’t be another round. Tough fight to score. This one could go either way.

Official Result: Demetrious Johnson def. Ian McCall via Unanimous Decision

Johnson calls McCall the toughest guy in the UFC, even tougher than the entire bantamweight division. We’re reminded to play Xbox 360, and Johnson is out. McCall says he’s sorry for the loss, we’re reminded that this won’t be the end of Uncle Creepy in the UFC (Wait, does that mean someone out there thought he’d get cut if he lost?!) and we’re all done here.

Enjoy your evenings, everyone. We’ll have plenty to discuss tomorrow.