Covering Kentucky Mixed Martial Arts and Combat Sporting events. Trying to push Kentucky into the spotlight and showcase talented fighters and exciting promotions. Exclusive interviews and coverage of all things MMA and profiles of those who attempt to further the growth of the sport.
Mar 18, 2011
Preview...Local Fights to bring excitement to the Bluegrass
Watch fighters that have the passion, the desire and the skills to showcase in a town near you. Check out the events tab here at blugrassmma.com for upcoming shows. As an MMA fan this gets me so pumped. I once thought after buying a Tapout shirt and hat I was ready for a fight but watch the intensity in the videos above and tell me a local live show isn't worth the price of admission!! Enjoy
Dump
Dump's UFC 128 Predictions
Its Friday morning and after 1 day I am almost sick of watching basketball. I am however looking forward to tomorrow night's big PPV from Newark, NJ. This is shaping up to be a good card but nothing over the top and exciting. Here is a quick rundown of my predictions for the fights available on Facebook, Spike and the main card on PPV.
Kurt Pelligrino vs Gibson Tibau - Should be a good fight. Both fighters are takedown artists and are not known for their standup. Calling this one in favor of Pelligrino. Don't know how people will be able to play Cityville and such with this happening on Facebook
Ricardo Almeida vs Mike Pyle - Anyone remember what Matt Hughes did to this guy? Pyle is no Hughes but I give him the nod.
Edson Barboza vs Anthony Njokuani - Barboza looked good in his UFC debut. Both fighters have a strong background in kickboxing. Should be some excitement. Giving this one to Barboza. Even gonna call this via submission.
Luiz Cane vs Eliot Marshall - Nothing special here guys. Both stand up bangers. If they decide to swing away it shouldn't last too long. The 205lb fellas will have to work hard to be the light heavyweight fight of the night. Cane comes out on top in this one.
Mirko Cro Cop vs Brendan Schaub- This fight could go either way. They key will be Cro Cop. He is emotionless and has been in his fair share of wars. Schaub is an up and comer and has an advantage of about 20 pounds on Cro Cop. I want Cro Cop to have a good fight and win but I think Schaub shines. Schaub by TKO
Nate Marquardt vs Dan Miller - Having watched Nate "The Great" squander his chance at a title shot and seeing as how Miller has won a couple of his last fights I think Miller comes away with the win.
Jim Miller vs Kamal Shalorus - Why not make it a Mille sweet of the night. This one goes to the 155lb Miller.
Urijah Faber vs Eddie Wineland - The California Kid is far away from his comfort zone and has to feel the pressure of making his prime time UFC debut. Wineland is a former WEC champ and has big hands. This is a toss up in my book. Why not...I'm calling this Faber vis submission and maybe he gets submission of the night!
MAIN EVENT - Light Heavyweight Championship
Jon " Bones" Jones challenges Mauricio "Shogun" Rua for the title. I watched Bones dismantle Bader. I have seen Bones do big things and be bigger than he is in nearly all of his fights. I am not in the least bit impressed with Shogun's career in the UFC and how he got a title fight I'll never know. Even with just a short training camp Jones will dominate this fight and walk away with the belt and a fight of the night performance. Write it down (oh wait I just did)
I wouldn't take these predictions to your bookie and expect a huge payday. This should be a good card and by late Saturday night or early Sunday morning I expect we will have a new champ!
Kurt Pelligrino vs Gibson Tibau - Should be a good fight. Both fighters are takedown artists and are not known for their standup. Calling this one in favor of Pelligrino. Don't know how people will be able to play Cityville and such with this happening on Facebook
Ricardo Almeida vs Mike Pyle - Anyone remember what Matt Hughes did to this guy? Pyle is no Hughes but I give him the nod.
Edson Barboza vs Anthony Njokuani - Barboza looked good in his UFC debut. Both fighters have a strong background in kickboxing. Should be some excitement. Giving this one to Barboza. Even gonna call this via submission.
Luiz Cane vs Eliot Marshall - Nothing special here guys. Both stand up bangers. If they decide to swing away it shouldn't last too long. The 205lb fellas will have to work hard to be the light heavyweight fight of the night. Cane comes out on top in this one.
Mirko Cro Cop vs Brendan Schaub- This fight could go either way. They key will be Cro Cop. He is emotionless and has been in his fair share of wars. Schaub is an up and comer and has an advantage of about 20 pounds on Cro Cop. I want Cro Cop to have a good fight and win but I think Schaub shines. Schaub by TKO
Nate Marquardt vs Dan Miller - Having watched Nate "The Great" squander his chance at a title shot and seeing as how Miller has won a couple of his last fights I think Miller comes away with the win.
Jim Miller vs Kamal Shalorus - Why not make it a Mille sweet of the night. This one goes to the 155lb Miller.
Urijah Faber vs Eddie Wineland - The California Kid is far away from his comfort zone and has to feel the pressure of making his prime time UFC debut. Wineland is a former WEC champ and has big hands. This is a toss up in my book. Why not...I'm calling this Faber vis submission and maybe he gets submission of the night!
MAIN EVENT - Light Heavyweight Championship
Jon " Bones" Jones challenges Mauricio "Shogun" Rua for the title. I watched Bones dismantle Bader. I have seen Bones do big things and be bigger than he is in nearly all of his fights. I am not in the least bit impressed with Shogun's career in the UFC and how he got a title fight I'll never know. Even with just a short training camp Jones will dominate this fight and walk away with the belt and a fight of the night performance. Write it down (oh wait I just did)
I wouldn't take these predictions to your bookie and expect a huge payday. This should be a good card and by late Saturday night or early Sunday morning I expect we will have a new champ!
The California Kid Has Arrived
Dave In The Blog:
Well we are finally going to get to see Urijah Faber make his debut in the UFC. This is something I have been waiting for along time now. I remember the first time I saw a WEC match, it was by accident I was flipping threw the channels and happened to turn the channel to VS. looking for a hunting or fishing show and instead got to see a new MMA show, WEC. I recognized one fighter from his UFC days Jens Pulver, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, Jens was getting pulverized by some crazy looking dude with long hair. This Guy was throwing kicks, punches, and elbows faster than I could blink and not to mention he was also a good wrestler. From that night on I was hooked this dude they were calling the California Kid had my attention, Urijah Faber ever since that first night I saw him dismantle Pulver has been one of my favorite MMA fighters even if he loses a match it’s usually still a good action packed fight. Just like the time when he broke his hand against Mike Brown and continued the fight using elbows and landing them and still almost won that fight. I am just glad to see him in the UFC now I always wished he would make the move up in weight and come to the UFC so we could see him fight the likes of a B.J. Penn or a Kenny Florian but he never did and I was starting to think we might never get to see him in the UFC but now he has arrived and I cant wait. Faber should bring a good entertaining fight Saturday night as he takes on fellow former WEC champion Eddie Wineland which who by the way has never been knocked out. Should be a very good fight, I think this fight has the potential of possibly being the fight of the night.
Well we are finally going to get to see Urijah Faber make his debut in the UFC. This is something I have been waiting for along time now. I remember the first time I saw a WEC match, it was by accident I was flipping threw the channels and happened to turn the channel to VS. looking for a hunting or fishing show and instead got to see a new MMA show, WEC. I recognized one fighter from his UFC days Jens Pulver, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, Jens was getting pulverized by some crazy looking dude with long hair. This Guy was throwing kicks, punches, and elbows faster than I could blink and not to mention he was also a good wrestler. From that night on I was hooked this dude they were calling the California Kid had my attention, Urijah Faber ever since that first night I saw him dismantle Pulver has been one of my favorite MMA fighters even if he loses a match it’s usually still a good action packed fight. Just like the time when he broke his hand against Mike Brown and continued the fight using elbows and landing them and still almost won that fight. I am just glad to see him in the UFC now I always wished he would make the move up in weight and come to the UFC so we could see him fight the likes of a B.J. Penn or a Kenny Florian but he never did and I was starting to think we might never get to see him in the UFC but now he has arrived and I cant wait. Faber should bring a good entertaining fight Saturday night as he takes on fellow former WEC champion Eddie Wineland which who by the way has never been knocked out. Should be a very good fight, I think this fight has the potential of possibly being the fight of the night.
Mar 17, 2011
Trouble brewing at the Jackson Camp?
Jon Jones is looking to wrap the light heavyweight title around his waist Saturday night. From most media accounts and fan perspective this is a done deal. We all know anything can happen in the octagon but my money is on Jones. Looking past the Shogun fight, which may be a disaster, looms a fighter who was already in line for the title shot. Rashad Evans the former light heavyweight champ deserves a shot at the title. At first though this battle was doomed. Both fighters train with Greg Jackson in New Mexico. Jackson has a rule when you enroll in camp and undertake the training. You do NOT fight your teammates.
If you recall after the Bader/Jones fight people were talking about how this fight would never take place. I wasn't convinced. Whispers of disrespect and rumors of Rashad jumping camp and going elsewhere are now floating around. Don't be shocked when this fight gets booked if Jones takes care of Shogun. I am not a Rashad fan. I am however a Bones fan and feel he has handled himself with class. He did make the comment that he didn't want to talk about Rashad, that Rashad wasn't on his mind. Take it for what it's worth. He's not looking past Shogun. He's zoned in on his current training and gameplan. Rashad should let things settle and talk to Jon man to man before he abandons whats been working for him.
If you recall after the Bader/Jones fight people were talking about how this fight would never take place. I wasn't convinced. Whispers of disrespect and rumors of Rashad jumping camp and going elsewhere are now floating around. Don't be shocked when this fight gets booked if Jones takes care of Shogun. I am not a Rashad fan. I am however a Bones fan and feel he has handled himself with class. He did make the comment that he didn't want to talk about Rashad, that Rashad wasn't on his mind. Take it for what it's worth. He's not looking past Shogun. He's zoned in on his current training and gameplan. Rashad should let things settle and talk to Jon man to man before he abandons whats been working for him.
Youth vs Knowledge
Dave in the Blog:
Well fight fans 2 days away from seeing just what Jon “BONES” Jones is all about. I have really did a lot of pondering on this fight I can not see or predict a outcome for this match up I know what Shogun Rua is all about I have been watching him fight since PRIDE, I know Rua has fought wars in the ring went the distance with a lot of good fighters and usually more than not, coming out the victor. But this Jones kid is a firecracker he comes out swinging, shooting just trying to decapitate the man in front of him I definitely think he has the tools to beat any 205 pounder in the UFC but has he got the ring know how. Shogun knows what it is like to grind out a 25 minute fight does Jones? Jones is a lot like Rua when he first started out fighting in the since he was young and good on the mat. I just seem to think that Jones really doesn’t deserve this fight yet but he could definitely go in there and walk away the champion with that in your face swing for the fence, spinning back elbow style he has. But I also could see Rua kicking Jones in the head or putting him in one of those crazy submissions I cant even pronounce or even let alone spell. Either way I could see this being fight of the year and definitely fight of the night, but I am not going to pick a winner for this fight to hard but I am going to say that all of us fight fans that will get to see the fight will be the winners because this should be a great fight with plenty of hair raising action.
I would love to get your thoughts on who will win this match please feel free to leave some comments.
Well fight fans 2 days away from seeing just what Jon “BONES” Jones is all about. I have really did a lot of pondering on this fight I can not see or predict a outcome for this match up I know what Shogun Rua is all about I have been watching him fight since PRIDE, I know Rua has fought wars in the ring went the distance with a lot of good fighters and usually more than not, coming out the victor. But this Jones kid is a firecracker he comes out swinging, shooting just trying to decapitate the man in front of him I definitely think he has the tools to beat any 205 pounder in the UFC but has he got the ring know how. Shogun knows what it is like to grind out a 25 minute fight does Jones? Jones is a lot like Rua when he first started out fighting in the since he was young and good on the mat. I just seem to think that Jones really doesn’t deserve this fight yet but he could definitely go in there and walk away the champion with that in your face swing for the fence, spinning back elbow style he has. But I also could see Rua kicking Jones in the head or putting him in one of those crazy submissions I cant even pronounce or even let alone spell. Either way I could see this being fight of the year and definitely fight of the night, but I am not going to pick a winner for this fight to hard but I am going to say that all of us fight fans that will get to see the fight will be the winners because this should be a great fight with plenty of hair raising action.
I would love to get your thoughts on who will win this match please feel free to leave some comments.
Mar 16, 2011
Who are you?
Easy question right? What we want to know is who reads what we write here? We love all things MMA. The fight gear, the fights, the history and anything that you can think of. Dave sports his "Big Country" TapOut shirt with pride all the time. So being fans of the sport we get excited about seeing anything. UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce and now we are really wanting to push our local guys here in Kentucky.
So what do you want to see us write about. Anyone can lay down their predictions for UFC fights and talk shop afterwards. We will continue to do things like that because its what we talk about so it's a safe bet its what you talk about. As we start to really focus more on our content we want your input. What can we do that others don't. Feel free to let us know. You can always get us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bluegrassmma, email at bluegrassmma@gmail.com or leave us a comment. We got big ideas to match our big frames so don't hold back!!
So what do you want to see us write about. Anyone can lay down their predictions for UFC fights and talk shop afterwards. We will continue to do things like that because its what we talk about so it's a safe bet its what you talk about. As we start to really focus more on our content we want your input. What can we do that others don't. Feel free to let us know. You can always get us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bluegrassmma, email at bluegrassmma@gmail.com or leave us a comment. We got big ideas to match our big frames so don't hold back!!
Mar 15, 2011
Merger of a Lifetime
Big Dump Daddy here.
Well who didn't see this coming? Seriously. Dana White and the men at Zuffa are not about competition at all. Pride, WEC and now Strikeforce. The kings of MMA are soaking up companies that dare to compete with the all powerful UFC brand. Please don't take it that I am dissing on UFC, I am not. I think the company is the end all be all and pioneer of the sport we have all loved from the start or have learned to love over the last few years.
Scott Coker is no Dana White. However I felt he was doing an excellent job promoting Strikeforce and its brand of exciting fighters. You could bet that anytime a Strikeforce event was on there was excitement. Rarely did a fight go the distance and fighters laid it all on the line to win. Maybe the matchmaking was set up so that this would happen. Maybe the talent was lopsided and it was hard for them to get a card that would take it to the final bell. Whatever the case I can say that I was never..repeat never..disappointed with a Strikeforce card. Sometime I had to do a little digging to get a background of fighters but it was well worth the few seconds. Can we expect the same type energy and sense of urgency of the fighters now?
Dana White says he will not schedule UFC cards on nights of Strikeforce events. Also the deal with Showtime has been extended until 2014. Will there be changes? Yes. Will they be for the better? That is debateable. Unifying the rules will be a plus. I think there needs to be a blanket set of regulations across the board. However Zuffa and the UFC has an impressive roster and it is gonna be a struggle for an up an comer to get a chance for a shot at one of the "big" promotions. In my opinion this is going to really limit exposure and options for young guys to break into the industry.
This is a definate game changer no matter how you look at it. Scott Coker's days are numbered and it will be a matter of time before our pals at Bellator are announcing something similar to this. There are hundreds of local promotions though all over the country that are more than willing to give a guy a change. I want to just give a quick shout out to one of Kentucky's finest. Absolute Action MMA is a Northern Kentucky based promotion coming up on a year of doing business in the bluegrass. We at bluegrassmma.com missed out on the last show but followed the play by play on Twitter. Some matches were quick, others went longer but overall from the reactions and feedback it was a top notch show for the local fans. You can check out them out at http://www.aamma.net/ and on Twitter at @aamma.
Stay tuned for predictions and more commentary on the Strikeforce/UFC merger right here.
Well who didn't see this coming? Seriously. Dana White and the men at Zuffa are not about competition at all. Pride, WEC and now Strikeforce. The kings of MMA are soaking up companies that dare to compete with the all powerful UFC brand. Please don't take it that I am dissing on UFC, I am not. I think the company is the end all be all and pioneer of the sport we have all loved from the start or have learned to love over the last few years.
Scott Coker is no Dana White. However I felt he was doing an excellent job promoting Strikeforce and its brand of exciting fighters. You could bet that anytime a Strikeforce event was on there was excitement. Rarely did a fight go the distance and fighters laid it all on the line to win. Maybe the matchmaking was set up so that this would happen. Maybe the talent was lopsided and it was hard for them to get a card that would take it to the final bell. Whatever the case I can say that I was never..repeat never..disappointed with a Strikeforce card. Sometime I had to do a little digging to get a background of fighters but it was well worth the few seconds. Can we expect the same type energy and sense of urgency of the fighters now?
Dana White says he will not schedule UFC cards on nights of Strikeforce events. Also the deal with Showtime has been extended until 2014. Will there be changes? Yes. Will they be for the better? That is debateable. Unifying the rules will be a plus. I think there needs to be a blanket set of regulations across the board. However Zuffa and the UFC has an impressive roster and it is gonna be a struggle for an up an comer to get a chance for a shot at one of the "big" promotions. In my opinion this is going to really limit exposure and options for young guys to break into the industry.
This is a definate game changer no matter how you look at it. Scott Coker's days are numbered and it will be a matter of time before our pals at Bellator are announcing something similar to this. There are hundreds of local promotions though all over the country that are more than willing to give a guy a change. I want to just give a quick shout out to one of Kentucky's finest. Absolute Action MMA is a Northern Kentucky based promotion coming up on a year of doing business in the bluegrass. We at bluegrassmma.com missed out on the last show but followed the play by play on Twitter. Some matches were quick, others went longer but overall from the reactions and feedback it was a top notch show for the local fans. You can check out them out at http://www.aamma.net/ and on Twitter at @aamma.
Stay tuned for predictions and more commentary on the Strikeforce/UFC merger right here.
Mar 14, 2011
4 New Bouts Added For The Summer
Dave in the blog:
Just a few new bouts added for the UFC summer cards and TUF 13.
Just a few new bouts added for the UFC summer cards and TUF 13.
Up-to-the minute news about UFC 130, UFC 131, UFC 132 and the TUF13 finale...
The TUF 13 fight card got a new welterweight addition on Monday: UFC president Dana White announced that Matt Brown and Rich Attonito had verbally agreed to meet. Brown starred on the seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter; Attonito on the 11th.
Three thrilling lightweight bouts have been added to the summer lineup featuring TUF stars pitted against WEC favorites who've had success so far in the UFC.
“Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone and TUF 6 winner Mac Danzig have verbally agreed to meet in what should by a non-stop action fight at UFC 131 in Vancouver,” said White. He also confirmed a bout between two UFC veterans on that same card: "Yves Edwards VS Sam Stout, a matchup of top lightweight strikers has been verbally agreed to."
Two wrestlers with knockout power collide in Las Vegas as Shane Roller and Melvin Guillard have verbally agreed to fight at UFC 132. "Both of these guys are coming off of Knockout of the Night winning performances," added White.
updated March 12th: The bantamweights will be out in force in Las Vegas this spring, as three intriguing 135-pound matchups have been verbally agreed to for the UFC 130 card on May 28th and the Ultimate Fighter 13 finale event on June 4th.
At UFC 130, which takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, two of the division’s top rising stars will meet when speedster Demetrious Johnson takes on Brazilian phenom Renan Barao. Johnson is coming off a career-best win over Kid Yamamoto at UFC 126, and Barao’s stellar win streak, which includes back-to-back WEC victories, speaks for itself.
“One of the fastest men in the sport, Demetrious Johnson, and Renan Barao, with an incredible 27 fight unbeaten streak, have both verbally agreed to fight at UFC 130 on May 28th in Las Vegas,” said UFC President Dana White.
Also on the UFC 130 card, Japanese star Yamamoto returns in search of his first UFC win when he faces off against Chris Cariaso.
A week later, at The Pearl at The Palms, the bantamweight fest continues with exciting strikers Reuben Duran and Francisco Rivera squaring off against each other in an all-California turf war on the TUF13 finale card.
Also, four bouts on the UFC 131 fight card have been verbally agreed to, including a matchup of rising middleweights:
* Mark Munoz vs. Demian Maia
“Heavy handed Mark Munoz will take on Demian Maia, one of the top Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts in MMA," says UFC president Dana White.
* Anthony Perosh vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
* Jesse Bongfeldt vs. Court McGee
* Darren Elkins vs. Michihiro Omigawa (at featherweight)
Check out more on this at http://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-131-fight-card-updates
Three thrilling lightweight bouts have been added to the summer lineup featuring TUF stars pitted against WEC favorites who've had success so far in the UFC.
“Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone and TUF 6 winner Mac Danzig have verbally agreed to meet in what should by a non-stop action fight at UFC 131 in Vancouver,” said White. He also confirmed a bout between two UFC veterans on that same card: "Yves Edwards VS Sam Stout, a matchup of top lightweight strikers has been verbally agreed to."
Two wrestlers with knockout power collide in Las Vegas as Shane Roller and Melvin Guillard have verbally agreed to fight at UFC 132. "Both of these guys are coming off of Knockout of the Night winning performances," added White.
updated March 12th: The bantamweights will be out in force in Las Vegas this spring, as three intriguing 135-pound matchups have been verbally agreed to for the UFC 130 card on May 28th and the Ultimate Fighter 13 finale event on June 4th.
At UFC 130, which takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, two of the division’s top rising stars will meet when speedster Demetrious Johnson takes on Brazilian phenom Renan Barao. Johnson is coming off a career-best win over Kid Yamamoto at UFC 126, and Barao’s stellar win streak, which includes back-to-back WEC victories, speaks for itself.
“One of the fastest men in the sport, Demetrious Johnson, and Renan Barao, with an incredible 27 fight unbeaten streak, have both verbally agreed to fight at UFC 130 on May 28th in Las Vegas,” said UFC President Dana White.
Also on the UFC 130 card, Japanese star Yamamoto returns in search of his first UFC win when he faces off against Chris Cariaso.
A week later, at The Pearl at The Palms, the bantamweight fest continues with exciting strikers Reuben Duran and Francisco Rivera squaring off against each other in an all-California turf war on the TUF13 finale card.
Also, four bouts on the UFC 131 fight card have been verbally agreed to, including a matchup of rising middleweights:
* Mark Munoz vs. Demian Maia
“Heavy handed Mark Munoz will take on Demian Maia, one of the top Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts in MMA," says UFC president Dana White.
* Anthony Perosh vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
* Jesse Bongfeldt vs. Court McGee
* Darren Elkins vs. Michihiro Omigawa (at featherweight)
Check out more on this at http://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-131-fight-card-updates
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Combat Inc.
