The Grinchiest MMA Christmas wish list ever

The Grinchiest MMA Christmas wish list ever

This is the time of year we think about gifting and re-gifting for those closest to us. That includes our favorites characters in the world of mixed martial arts.

We choose to re-gift. Bleacher Report's Brian Hiergesell did a dynamite job of coming up with great gift ideas, but with an absolutely snarky tone.

Our favorites were:

12. Michael McDonald - A Time Machine
At this point in his career, Michael McDonald has enough talent and an awesome gift of raw power to win the UFC bantamweight title. The only problem?  He's 20 years old.

Unbelievable, right?

McDonald is one of the only guys at 135 lbs. that can knock out his opponents at such a small weight.  If he had his chance at using a time machine, he'd be able to bypass the useless fights over the next year and wormhole his way to a title shot against Dominick Cruz.

11. Roy Nelson - A KFC Bucket

Roy Nelson probably eats so much food on Christmas Day, it's ridiculous.

I'm talking roast beef, steak, potatoes, yams, corn, the whole nine.  But can you blame him?

It clearly doesn't affect his Octagon skills.  Nelson would be just as good, and he is, if he weighed 180 lbs. compared to his usual 265. No matter what the critics say, the belly is here to stay.

The Grinchiest MMA Christmas wish list ever

5. Jon Jones - A Weakness

I don't think so.  A victory over Overeem would launch Lesnar back into title contention in the heavyweight division and dispel any concerns people have about his recovery from diverticulitis. I realize their fight comes on the eve of New Year's Eve, but how great would it be to see Lesnar step into the Octagon, land a couple of rights, and put Overeem to sleep?

I'm thinking somebody needs to get Jon Jones a weakness for Christmas.  The guy is too good.

3. Brock Lesnar - An Alistair Overeem nap

Is there a more perfect gift for Brock Lesnar this Christmas than an Alistair Overeem snooze?

Apparently Brian isn't a big fan of Overeem, but that's the joy of prepping for UFC 141. Lesnar is the most polarizing guy in the sport and there are plenty of Overeem critics. So pick your poison. It's a win-win for the fans and a helluva late Christmas gift from the UFC.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/The-Grinchiest-MMA-Christmas-wish-list-ever?urn=mma-wp11008

Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz

Brock Lesnar retires from MMA after loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141

Brock Lesnar retires from MMA after loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141

LAS VEGAS - Brock Lesnar never really adjusted to getting hit for real. Tonight, facing a 263-pound monster in Alistair Overeem, Lesnar bowed out early and then walked away from the sport.

The same old bugaboo - his inability to absorb punches - reared its ugly head at UFC 141. Overeem targeted Lesnar's body with knees and kicks, got the big man to drop and cover up. It was all over in less than two and a half minutes in the main event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

So is Lesnar's run in MMA. The former star of pro wrestling announced that he was finished fighting in the Octagon.

"I want to thank everyone, the Fertittas and Dana White," Lesnar told UFC analyst Joe Rogan. "I promised my wife and kids that if I won this fight, the fight against Junior [dos Santos] would be my last. If I lost tonight, this would be my last."

Overeem, a veteran of 47 MMA fights coming in, broke Lesnar's spirit early by thwarting a takedown attempt and battering his body repeatedly. The win gets him the next heavyweight title shot against dos Santos sometime in 2012.

"My hats off to Alistair Overeem. I want to take my hat off to all my training partners, my entire family," said Lesnar. "I've really had a difficult time with my disease. I'm officially retired tonight. This was the last time you'll see me in the Octagon."

Lesnar (5-3, 4-3 UFC) missed the last 15 months fighting a battle against diverticulitis. The intestinal ailment and subsequent surgery had him losing 40 pounds at one point.

Lesnar was first diagnosed in Oct. of 2009. He went without surgery and returned a year later. He lost his UFC heavyweight title belt to Cain Velasquez at UFC 121. More alarming than the one-sided loss was the way Lesnar turned and ran away from punches after he was nailed a few times by Velasquez.

Brock Lesnar retires from MMA after loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141

Velasquez is a big puncher, but Overeem is in a different class. An experience kickboxer, the 263-pound Overeem hits like a Mack truck. A few knees early tonight really rocked Lesnar and put him on his heels. From there, he was tentative in going for the takedown.

Lesnar, a wrestler by trade, only attempted one single-leg takedown 50 seconds into the fight. After that, he chose to stand and box with Overeem. It was a path to disaster.

With 2:42 left in the first, Overeem (36-11-1, 1-0 UFC) drilled Lesnar on his right side with a nasty body kick. Lesnar had a delayed reaction, grabbed at his ribs and went down to a knee. Overeem charged forward and threw 11 unanswered punches as Lesnar covered up. The final right crushed Lesnar to the body. That's when the ref stepped in.

Brock Lesnar retires from MMA after loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141

This was the UFC debut for Overeem, who's fought all over the world. The giant Dutchman spent most of his career fighting in Japan as a 205-pounder. In 2007, he decided to add bulk to his 6-foot-5 frame. The change has been shocking. He's stormed to eight straight wins in the big boy division, with seven of them coming via first round finishes.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Brock-Lesnar-retires-from-MMA-after-loss-to-Alis?urn=mma-wp11363

Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen 

Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone bury the hatchet and express mutual respect

LAS VEGAS - The prefight lead up for Donald Cerrone and Nate Diaz was as nasty as any this year in the UFC. When they finished crushing each in the cage tonight for 15 minutes, a strange thing happened, the bitter enemies hugged, said sorry and patted each other on the back.

Diaz won the fight pretty convincingly, but his face still showed wear from the battle. Cerrone's face was extremely swollen, but he seemed almost thrilled about what he'd just experienced.

"It's awesome. That's what I like to do. That's what makes fights," said Cerrone, who saw a six-fight win streak snapped "That to me was a good time. That was fun. I mean standing there and throwing, that's what everyone likes to see."

Cerrone had genuine dislike for Diaz before the fight. After 15 minutes in the Octagon, he couldn't help but admire him.

"He stood there and went toe-to-toe. There's some respect in that," Cerrone said. [After the fight] I looked him in the eyes and said 'god [expletive], you're a tough SOB.'"

Diaz and his brother Nick often complain that fight game is filled with wrestlers, who try to win fights on points. On this night, Cerrone was getting battered but never tried to take the fight to the ground.

"I knew he was tough and he was going stand there and keep fighting," Diaz said during the postfight press conference. "[...] I don't like getting hit, but that's just what happens. I'm there to fight and if you're not taking me out, keep trying."

It wasn't all nice in there. During the prefight staredown in the middle of the cage, Cerrone gave Diaz the middle finger and Diaz returned the favor with a double-bird before the third started. They took it out on each by landing a combined 335 shots. According to FightMetric, Diaz doled out most of the punishment by landing 238 at a 66-percent clip.

Their boss, Dana White rewarded them with the Fight of the Night bonus.

"They're nasty man. These guys are fighters. You talk about the word fighter and what it means to be a fighter ... these two guys sitting up here are it," White said during the postfight press conference. "They went out there and proved that tonight."

Diaz started the prefight bad blood in October before UFC 137. Cerrone tried to shake his hand during a workout session. Diaz reacted by slapping his hand away and cursing at him.

Cerrone told the story often in the lead up to this fight which juiced up Diaz even more. On Thursday during the prefight press conference, Diaz further fanned the flames by knocking Cerrone's hat from his head. It all led to Cerrone fighting with too much bravado and not enough strategy.

"I just wanted to stand. I just wanted to play. I got outboxed and I talked a lot of [expletive]," said Cerrone explaining why he never tried to change the style of the fight. "He got in my [expletive] head. He was good. He brought the fight to me. All the [expletive] I talked and he made me eat my words, didn't he?"

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Nate-Diaz-and-Donald-Cerrone-bury-the-hatchet-an?urn=mma-wp11391

Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah  Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama  Gilbert Aldana 

A handy, dandy reminder that UFC 141 is tonight

Change is never easy, and MMA fans are creatures of habit. We're used to pay-per-view fights happening on Saturday nights, so UFC 141 is throwing us for a bit of a loop. The card is taking place on Friday, which is tonight.

Dana White tweeted this video to remind fans that the fights are on Friday, not "Next Friday" or "Friday After Next." It does contain some foul language, so use caution in pressing play.

And if that doesn't work, listen to this song just once. You won't be able to forget.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/A-handy-dandy-reminder-that-UFC-141-is-tonight?urn=mma-wp11260

Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade 

?King Mo? interview: Former international grappling star breaks says Lesnar might have trouble getting Overeem down

?King Mo? interview: Former international grappling star breaks says Lesnar might have trouble getting Overeem downThere's little mystery about what happens Friday night when Brock Lesnar faces Alistair Overeem at UFC 141.

If the fight hits the mat for an extended period of time, Lesnar wins it. If Overeem stays on his feet and it's a battle of strikes, Lesnar's in for a long night.

Lesnar says no one has been able to avoid his takedowns, but that's not entirely true because both Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez did so in spots and battered Lesnar. They're also both former high level college wrestlers. Overeem is not, but he is powerful and very experienced.

Muhammed Lawal, a light heavyweight with Strikeforce, knows his wrestling and says that Lesnar can't just run across the cage and tackle Overeem.

"He has to Chael Sonnen or Jon Fitch him, and close the distance right away with a jab or a fake. Just keep him guessing," Lawal told "The MMA Insiders" on ESPN1100/98.9 FM in Las Vegas (0:40 mark). "He has a tough task with Overeem. All he has to do is be Overeem, He can keep the fight close and use his knees or keep his distance with leg kicks and a good 1-2."

?King Mo? interview: Former international grappling star breaks says Lesnar might have trouble getting Overeem down

Lawal, a former star on the international wrestling scene after a decorated career at Oklahoma State, further explained the fakes.

"If I were Brock, I would establish a good jab, fake ... jab, fake ... fake, jab. Look to shoot off the fakes. You know in wrestling. if the person doesn't respond to your fakes then you shoot next time. If the person responds to your fakes then you throw punches," said Lawal.

If Overeem can read those fakes, Lesnar is going to be left with few options.

"It's going to be very important for Brock to set up his takedowns because without the setups, he's getting knocked out or hurt," Lawal said. "Overeem is the wrong person to shoot on out of the blue."

Watch UFC 141 right here on Yahoo! Sports

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/-King-Mo-interview-Former-international-grappl?urn=mma-wp11098

José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez

Rockhold vs. Jardine Predictions

Filed under:

Can a move down to middleweight revitalize the career of Keith Jardine? Or will Luke Rockhold simply be too much for the Dean of Mean? Will King Mo Lawal make a case that he's the top light heavyweight on the Strikeforce roster, or is Lorenz Larkin set for the biggest win of his career? Can Tyron Woodley, Jordan Mein, Tarec Saffiedine of Tyler Stinson put on the kind of performance that gets people interested in the Strikeforce welterweight division again?

We'll attempt to answer those questions and more as we predict the winners of Saturday night's Strikeforce event below.

What: Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine

When: Saturday, the undercard will be televised by Showtime Extreme starting at 8 p.m. ET and the Showtime televised main card begins at 10.

Where: Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas

Predictions on the five Showtime televised fights below.

Luke Rockhold vs. Keith Jardine
Giving Jardine a Strikeforce middleweight title shot is an odd move: Jardine left the UFC on a four-fight losing streak, fought to a draw with Gegard Mousasi in his only Strikeforce fight, and has never fought at middleweight before. So, yes, the matchmaking here is a little strange. But Rockhold is the promotion's middleweight champion, and Strikeforce needs to find him high-profile opponents, and given the current middleweight depth in Strikeforce, Jardine was about as good as it was going to get.

So how does this fight go? I have a feeling Jardine is going to be weakened by the weight cut, and that Rockhold will have better cardio and have his way with Jardine on the ground. Eventually I like Rockhold to finish Jardine on the ground.
Pick: Rockhold

Robbie Lawler vs. Adlan Amagov
The matchmaking here is a little strange, too, but the fight itself should be a lot of fun: Lawler and Amagov are both heavy hitters with exciting styles. Lawler has lost four of his six fights since signing with Strikeforce in 2009 and may be fighting for his job, and I think he'll come out focused and ready to finish Amagov quickly.
Pick: Lawler

Muhammed Lawal vs. Lorenz Larkin
Larkin is one of the most fun fighters to watch on the entire Strikeforce roster, as evidenced by a cult following he developed while winning three straight Challengers Series fights. But while Larkin has a 12-0 record with eight wins by knockout or TKO, he's never faced anyone even remotely as good as King Mo. Lawal is so much better a wrestler than Larkin that he can easily grind out a decision on the ground if he chooses to, and the biggest question may be whether Lawal decides to keep it safe and win a decision or take some chances and try to put on a show. I expect Mo to take the latter approach, which means there's a chance Larkin catches him with one of his patented unorthodox strikes, but the much more likely result is that Mo proves he's simply too skilled a mixed martial artist for someone as raw as Larkin.
Pick: Lawal

Tyron Woodley vs. Jordan Mein
Woodley is a great wrestler who's getting better standing up and is now 9-0 in his professional MMA career. Mein has looked good recently and is on a six-fight winning streak, and he might test Woodley's chin. But Woodley shouldn't have much trouble clinching with Mein, taking him down and winning a decision.
Pick: Woodley

Tarec Saffiedine vs. Tyler Stinson
Saffiedine lost to Woodley a year ago and then bounced back with a good win over Scott Smith. Stinson won his Strikeforce debut with a 15-second knockout of Eduardo Pamplona in July, but he's going to struggle trading strikes with Saffiedine.
Pick: Saffiedine

 

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Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2012/01/04/strikeforce-rockhold-vs-jardine-predictions/

Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril AbidiÂ