kathyvanmeter7's posterous http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com Most recent posts at kathyvanmeter7's posterous posterous.com Fri, 17 Aug 2012 11:09:12 -0700 The Open ? Nate Smith http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/the-open-nate-smith http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/the-open-nate-smith [...]

Source: http://www.clubofthewaves.com/blog/the-open-nate-smith/

Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen 

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Fri, 17 Aug 2012 09:09:13 -0700 ?Korean Zombie? tops ?The Lytle List? of writer?s most exciting UFC fighters http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/korean-zombie-tops-the-lytle-list-of-writers http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/korean-zombie-tops-the-lytle-list-of-writers

Every fan has his or her own favorite fighter. But there are a group of fighters who stand out from the rest by consistently putting on the most exciting fights each time out.

The most exciting fights to me are those in which there are sustained periods of combat, in which the athletes use all of the tools at their disposal. Yes, a great standup war is exciting, but a truly great mixed martial arts bout includes kicks, punches, elbows, knees, wrestling, scrambles, throws and jiu-jitsu.

That said, these are my picks as the 20 most exciting UFC fighters to watch. I'm picking active fighters only, so that leaves out the great Chris Lytle. In honor of the former UFC welterweight star, who consistently earned post-fight performance bonuses from the UFC for his exciting fights, I've dubbed my inaugural list of the UFC's most exciting fighters as "The Lytle List."

1. Chan Sung Jung -- If I was going to take a person to a fight and turn them into a mixed martial arts fan, I'd bring them to see the man known as "The Korean Zombie." If you want to see a fast knockout, check out the Zombie. His KO of Mark Hominick is, at seven seconds, tied for fastest in UFC history. If you love submissions, you'll love Jung. He became the first fighter in competition to pull off the Twister when he submitted Leonard Garcia in Seattle last year at Ultimate Fight Night 24. And if you like flat out brawls, who can forget his epic battle with Garcia at WEC 48? For my money, Jung is the most exciting fighter in the UFC, and that's saying a lot.

2. Joe Lauzon -- Lauzon has won 11 fight night bonuses from the UFC in his career, which puts him second between middleweight champion Anderson Silva's 12 bonuses. Lauzon has won six Submission of the Night awards, four Fight of the Night awards and one Knockout of the Night. But sometimes, bonus totals can be misleading. A guy may be the only one on a particular card to get a knockout or a submission and, thus, he wins the award by default. That doesn't mean the fight was exciting. That's not the case, though, with Lauzon, whose fights are regularly the most action-packed on the cards he's on.

3. Diego Sanchez -- Whether he's going by 'The Nightmare,' or 'The Dream,' Sanchez is money when it comes to putting on exciting fights. His 2006 bout with Karo Parisyan remains one of the best bouts in UFC history. His 2009 match with Clay Guida was picked by many as the Fight of the Year. The only downside to being a Sanchez fan is that he is hurt so much because of his fierce style, he doesn't compete as often as we'd like.

4. Donald Cerrone -- He's a veteran of the fight night bonus awards. He landed Fight of the Night five times while in the WEC and twice in the UFC. He's also had a Knockout of the Night and a Submission of the Night. He uses all aspects of the game and fights at a frenzied pace.

5. Leonard Garcia -- Cerrone's best friend, Garcia was a largely unknown when he debuted in the UFC at UFC 69 on April 7, 2007, against Roger Huerta. That was a breathtakingly brutal fight and it set the tone for the kind of fight he'd put on. His first fight with Jung might be the greatest in WEC history.

6. Nate Diaz -- Diaz has won five Fight of the Night and five Submission of the Night honors. His bouts are consistently high-paced and technical, and getting more exciting all the time. Diaz is willing to take risks in order to finish and that increases the enjoyment level of his bouts.

7. Anderson Silva -- He is the greatest fighter of all-time and leads the UFC with 12 post-fight bonuses, including seven Knockout of the Night Awards. Silva has had some stinkers, such as his wins over Patrick Cote, Thales Leites and Demian Maia, which is why he's not higher on this elite list. But Silva has had his share of electrifying bouts and because of that, is a must-see fighter.

8. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua -- The former UFC light heavyweight champion gave fans a glimpse of what was to come in 2005 when he engaged in an epic match with 'Little Nog,' Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, in PRIDE. His fight with Henderson is regarded as the best in UFC history and his knockouts of Lyoto Machida and Chuck Liddell were jaw-dropping.

9. Dan Henderson -- Henderson has the wrestling ability to take an opponent down, smother him and grind out a win. Fortunately, he doesn't use it that way. Henderson would rather use the power in his fists to win his matches. His one-punch knockout of Michael Bisping at UFC 100 might be the most famous KO in UFC history. Many regard his win over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139 last year as the greatest fight in UFC history.

10. Jon Jones -- Jones would be higher on this list if he had any competition. The best fights are the ones in which there is drama and in which the tide ebbs and flows from one side to the other. Jones has been so much better than the rest of the field, there has been no ebb and flow. Still, Jones is an aggressive, offensive-oriented fighter who tries crazy moves and usually pulls them off.

11. Nick Diaz -- He comes to fight and he delivers amazing action time after time.

12. Clay Guida -- Guida would be much higher if not for that stink bomb of a fight he put on in Atlantic City, N.J., his last time out against Gray Maynard. He's engaged in some incredible duels over the years against the likes of Roger Huerta, Diego Sanchez and Benson Henderson.

13. Gray Maynard -- In his early days, when his technique wasn't as good as it is now, he used his physical power to make his fights exciting. As he developed, he became a heavy-fisted fighter who was hungry for knockouts.

14. Anthony Pettis -- Who can forget the 'Showtime Kick," the move that won him the WEC title and made him a cult hero? Pettis has a variety of moves in his arsenal and is a consistently fun guy to watch.

15. Melvin Guillard -- As UFC president Dana White might say, Guillard just brings it. His aggressiveness may cost him fights, but he's a joy to watch because he is never in a dull match.

16. Benson Henderson -- The UFC lightweight champion has incredible submission defense and is able to fight off submissions that seem destined to put him to sleep. But he is an excellent offensive fighter whose power and physical strength are factors in his success.

17. Frankie Edgar -- His fights with Gray Maynard are classic. His match with Benson Henderson was a classic. His bout with Tyson Griffin was a ... Do you see a trend here?

18.  Junior dos Santos -- The UFC heavyweight champion is as easy-going as it gets outside the cage. But when the bell rings, he's a demon whose power and boxing technique make him one of the sport's elite KO artists.

19. Jim Miller -- The submission ace has great cardio and he uses it to fight at a high pace in which he's constantly looking to finish.

20. Demetrious Johnson -- I value power and Johnson isn't particularly powerful, so I dropped him a bit on my list. But he's exceedingly fast and his fights are featured by crazy scrambles and frenetic activity.

There are a lot of entertaining fighters who didn't make out. I hated to leave off Stephan Bonnar, whose bout with Forrest Griffin at the finale of Season 1 of "The Ultimate Fighter" essentially saved the sport.

There were many others who are deserving, but these are my picks for the UFC's most exciting fighters.

Leave your choices in the comments.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/korean-zombie-tops-lytle-list-writer-most-exciting-185130995--mma.html

Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen 

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Fri, 17 Aug 2012 07:09:12 -0700 Autumn - Swell #1 http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/autumn-swell-1-1071 http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/autumn-swell-1-1071

Source: http://nedsurfshots.blogspot.com/2012/03/autumn-swell-1.html

Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah  Terrance Aflague

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Fri, 17 Aug 2012 05:09:13 -0700 Frankie Edgar and His Mark http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/frankie-edgar-and-his-mark-7757 http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/frankie-edgar-and-his-mark-7757

At UFC 150 on Saturday, former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar gets another crack at Benson Henderson, only this time around Henderson is wearing the belt that Edgar wore when they first met.  Can Edgar reclaim what was once his?  Or has his day passed and the era of "Smooth" is truly upon us?  Though predictions may vary on whether the "Answer" can defeat Henderson, one thing is certain: for the wars he's waged in the cage, sometimes dangling precariously over the edge of the abyss of defeat before finding the impossible win, he has thrilled us more than most fighters ever will.  Win, lose or draw on Saturday, Edgar has made his mark on the sport. 

Consider this about man from Toms River, N.J.:

  • When he first appeared in the UFC, it was for a fight that many others had turned down.  Tyson Griffin was the opponent, and at the time (UFC 67), the word on the street was that Griffin was some sort of undefeated, unbeatable monster.  Edgar smoked him, and earned a Fight of the Night bonus in the process.

 

  • When Edgar challenged B.J. Penn for the 155-pound belt, Penn was considered to be at the height of his dominance in the weight class.  The former welterweight champ hadn't simply beaten all comers at 155 (since his loss to Jen Pulver years before), he'd destroyed them.  In his rematch with "Lil' Evil", Penn treated him like a petulant jiu-jitsu white belt.  In his fight against Joe Stevenson, he made the TUF winner into a bloody mess.  He left Sean Sherk dazed on the canvas, had Kenny Florian tapping for mercy, and turned Diego Sanchez into an extra from "Dawn of the Dead".  And then came Edgar, who out-hustled Penn for five rounds to take the decision.  Was it a fluke?  Obviously not, because in the immediate rematch, Edgar did it all over again, only this time he was totally and completely dominant.

 

  • There have only been a handful of champs in the lightweight division, with Penn's reign lasting the longest at 812 days.  But having held the belt for 687 days, Edgar comes in at second, surpassing former title holders Sherk and Pulver (and current champ Henderson). 

 

Flat facts and numbers and aside, there's something else to what Edgar has done in terms of leaving his mark.  Where some fighters have made themselves memorable by dominant performances and finishes by knockout and submission, Edgar has been the one to come perilously close to getting TKO'd (by Maynard) or having a limb broken (by Griffin), only to rally back and win.  The Answer has thrilled us ? not just once, but many times.  And in ten, maybe twenty years, when we tell our kids about how the UFC was "back in the day", the clips we'll show them will undoubtedly contain a few instances of Edgar on the verge of going to sleep, yet finding some way to survive and thrive.

Duane Finley over at Bleacher Report put it nicely with this bit here:

Over the past two years Edgar has built his reputation on resilience and resolve.  The former champion displayed tremendous heart and perseverance in both of last year's fights with Maynard and then again after being rocked by Henderson in the third round of their first matchup in February.

It has been on the strength of these types of performances where Edgar has laid the foundation to his legacy and nothing has meant more to him than being a champion.

 

Who will come away with the belt when the main event at UFC 150 is over?  I don't know for sure, but what I do know is that, when it comes to the history books, Frankie Edgar has already made his mark.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/frankie-edgar-mark-033010068--mma.html

Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi 

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Fri, 17 Aug 2012 03:09:22 -0700 11 9 2011 http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/11-9-2011-78797 http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/11-9-2011-78797

Source: http://nedsurfshots.blogspot.com/2011/09/11-9-2011.html

Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade 

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Fri, 17 Aug 2012 01:09:10 -0700 Ilja Maran http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/ilja-maran http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/ilja-maran
Iljan Maran goes from LA to NZ in this new clip from Kiwi skate shop, Arcade.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/gCa4bJntyWI/ilja-maran.html

Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade 

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Thu, 16 Aug 2012 23:09:12 -0700 UFC on Fox 5 Gets Henderson-Diaz, Shogun-Gustafsson, and Penn-MacDonald http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/ufc-on-fox-5-gets-henderson-diaz-shogun-gusta-235 http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/ufc-on-fox-5-gets-henderson-diaz-shogun-gusta-235

It seems the initial speculation was correct, UFC on Fox will be home to Benson Henderson's next UFC lightweight title defense as he meets Nate Diaz on December 8. As if that weren't enough to appease the masses, the UFC has decided to overcompensate for their recent Fox woes by also adding a light heavyweight title eliminator between former champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Alexander Gustafsson, as well as former welterweight champion B.J. Penn's returns to the Octagon to face off with rising star Rory MacDonald.

MMAFrenzy.com

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/29910/ufc-on-fox-5-gets-henderson-diaz-shogun-gustafsson-and-penn-macdonald/

Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah  Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama 

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Thu, 16 Aug 2012 21:09:10 -0700 Sean Bone http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/sean-bone http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/sean-bone
New Zealand's Sean Bone is ripping spots all over the small island nation. Via: Manual.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/KPSFEKAqgUs/sean-bone.html

Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz

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Thu, 16 Aug 2012 19:09:13 -0700 Lyoto Machida, Chad Mendes, Matt Hamill: The Morning News Roundup ? 8.4.12 http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/lyoto-machida-chad-mendes-matt-hamill-the-mor http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/lyoto-machida-chad-mendes-matt-hamill-the-mor

It's fight day!  Which means while you and I are gathering provisions for tonight's UFC on FOX 4 ? you know, things like avocados for fresh guacamole, cases of TAB soda and Kleenex for the tears that are sure to come ? there are twenty fighters in a hotel in Los Angeles milling about with butterflies in their stomachs, anxious to punch each other in the face.  Hooray!  But despite the violence that's impending on Fuel TV (the preliminary bouts start at 5:00 p.m. EST) and FOX (main card at 8:00 p.m. EST), the news cycle trudges on.  Here, then, are some headlines.

  • Although he's fighting in the 205-pound weight class tonight in the co-main event, the simple fact that former UFC light-heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida stepped on the scale at 201 pounds has got people speculating he could move down to the 185-pound division.  My personal policy is to never fix something that isn't broke, but hey, what do I know.

 

  • When last we saw UFC featherweight contender Chad Mendes, he was squashing Cody McKenzie like a bug at UFC 148.  When the police last saw Mendes, he was fleeing a 40-person bar fight.  Yikes.  A 40-person bar fight?  See, this is why I only hang out at Chuck E. Cheese.  When little kids brawl, it's harmless.

 

  • Fellow scribe Kevin Iole reported yesterday that UFC light-heavyweight Matt Hamill has decided to fight again.  Awesome.  And let's not forget, Hamill is the only person to ever defeat UFC champ Jon Jones, so be excited for that future match-up.

 

That's all for now.  I'll be tweeting my observations of the fights tonight as they happen.  Follow along if you want.  A word of caution, though: as a devout Native American, I'll be undertaking a cleansing ritual at the same time (they're wheeling a TV into the sweat lodge) ? but I'll try to keep the hallucinatory stuff under control.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/lyoto-machida-chad-mendes-matt-hamill-morning-news-133924954--mma.html

Yoshihiro Akiyama  Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander

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Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:09:16 -0700 First day of April http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/first-day-of-april-56521 http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/first-day-of-april-56521

Source: http://nedsurfshots.blogspot.com/2012/04/first-day-of-april.html

Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi 

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Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:09:15 -0700 Joe Lauzon Video Blog Definitely Worth Checking Out (VIDEO) http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/joe-lauzon-video-blog-definitely-worth-checki http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/joe-lauzon-video-blog-definitely-worth-checki


UFC lightweight stud Joe Lauzon has been cranking out some awesome vlogs, which he posts on his YouTube page.  This one, however, is worth some extra special attention.  There's tons of behind-the-scenes stuff, including Lauzon's interactions with UFC on FOX 4 opponent Jamie Varner at the weigh-ins, and there are enough pre- and post-fight gems to make even the most jaded MMA fan grin.  Check it out.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/joe-lauzon-video-blog-definitely-worth-checking-video-144610284--mma.html

Bernard Ackah  Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama  Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo 

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Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:09:14 -0700 All Access: Ronda Rousey (Part 2) Reminder http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/all-access-ronda-rousey-part-2-reminder http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/all-access-ronda-rousey-part-2-reminder

All Access returns to Showtime tonight for the second part of their two-part series following Strikeforce Women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey's preparation for Saturday's bout with Sarah Kaufman. Be sure to tune in tonight to see Rousey make the final preparations for this weekend's fight and for a behind-the-scenes look at her life away from the cage.The show will air at 9 PM ET/PT on Showtime.

MMAFrenzy.com

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/29929/all-access-ronda-rousey-part-2-reminder/

Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen 

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Thu, 16 Aug 2012 09:09:15 -0700 Tales from the Training Room: The 24-Hour Lock-In http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/tales-from-the-training-room-the-24-hour-lock http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/tales-from-the-training-room-the-24-hour-lock

Two weekends ago, New Jersey-based pro fighter Anthony Montanaro was stuck in hell.  He and over twenty other people were confined to the matted-space within the four walls of a massive gym, and every hour for twenty-four hours straight, all were subjected to workouts of varying length and composition.  There were seven-minute wrestling matches.  Rope climbs.  Box jumps and pull-ups.  The works.  No sleep was allowed, and men broke, both physically and mentally.  Yet, despite being driven to the brink of madness, Montanaro pushed through, and when the last workout was done and they were all permitted to leave, he was stronger because if it.  Such was the magic of the 24-hour lock-in.

 

"A 24-hour lock-in is your worst nightmare amplified by ten," says the 25-year-old Montanaro, who, with a shaved head and the tattoo of an armored pitbull on a chest, looks every bit the MMA fighter archetype.  "It's twenty-four hours straight of nonstop training, where every hour on the hour you have a different workout that could be five minutes to a half-hour long.  The whole purpose is to break you, to make you hit the wall as soon as possible.  It's all mental toughness.  It's a nightmare."

The Rhino Wrestling Club in Morganville, N.J., was where this nightmare unfolded; the day began Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. and went until 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning.  It was rigorous, with the intense physical activity and sleep-deprivation aspects making it more akin to what a soldier would do for Special Forces training than anything else.  "I don't know if they stole the idea from Navy SEAL-type stuff, but it was ridiculous," says Montanaro.  "It was kind of like the whole Marine or Army crucible-type stuff, know what I mean?"

To prepare for fights, fighters go to great lengths to make themselves like steel.  There's roadwork, padwork, grappling, and as we've seen on "The Ultimate Fighter", conditioning drills that can involve things like flipping giant tires and swinging sledgehammers.  With a fight coming up in the next few months, Montanaro is no different.  But what benefits are derived from the lock-in?  Clearly, the limits of the conditioning of the participants are pushed, but is there something more? 

"Honestly, just complete mental toughness," says Montanaro.  "You get to a point where you don't think you can go anymore and then you have to go.  It's insane.  It's probably the worst training I've ever done.  I was more nervous for that than any fight I've ever had to do."

What of the necessities of human existence?  "They have a bathroom, of course," says Montanaro.  "Food's included? all the food you can eat.  After your workouts, even if you weren't hungry, they stressed that you drink and eat nonstop ? just carb you up and keep you going.  Sleep, that's not encouraged at all.  They keep you awake, keep you zombified, keep you going."

Obviously, the whole endeavor was tortuous.  Was there any particular thing that Montanaro found to be the toughest?  "The toughest thing about the lock-in?  Where do I even start?  The whole damn thing.  Once you hit that first wall, that's when it's brutal.  Everything hits you all at once ? you want to sleep, you try to lay down and it's time for the next workout.  I would say around two or three in the morning, that's when it's the worst.  You know you could just leave at any point you want, but it's just that whole mental aspect." 

If one could literally leave at any time, it sounds as if the name ? a "lock-in" ? is a bit of a misnomer.  "It was going to be a complete lock-in, but it was so damn hot, there was no way they could do something like that.  We would've kicked the doors down.  There was no way."

With door unlocked and retreat requiring only an exit through the door, did anyone quit?  "No, surprisingly enough, no one quit.  And the craziest thing was there was an 11-year old kid there.  Some parent signed their kid up to do it!  It was the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen.  So anytime someone wanted to quit, we'd look at this little kid.  He was our mascot."

What was the atmosphere like?  Was it all business, or was there at least some of element of fun to it?  "For the first probably like eight to ten hours, everyone was kind of feeling each other out ? you know, like, is everyone in full serious-mode or are we going to have some kind of fun here?  Probably at night is when everyone started to get a little loopy.  Everyone started to get punchy.  The later it got into the night, everyone was just out there."

Would Montanaro go through it all again?  "Absolutely," he says without hesitation.  "In a heartbeat.  After it was done, I honestly just wanted to stay and keep going.  It's just nonstop training, no drama, no [expletive], everyone was just there to train.  If we could do it, I would love to do it every month."

A wise man once posed the question, "Do you want to be a [expletive] fighter?"  It's doubtful he'd dare ask that of Montanaro and participants of the 24-hour lock-in.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/tales-training-room-24-hour-lock-200930968--mma.html

Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi 

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Thu, 16 Aug 2012 07:09:21 -0700 Bellator 74 Main Card Set With Season 7 Welterweight Tournament, Good-Wallhead Headlining http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/bellator-74-main-card-set-with-season-7-welte http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/bellator-74-main-card-set-with-season-7-welte

Bellator will take to Caesar's Atlantic City in New Jersey on September 28. The card will be the Season 7 premier. Bellator 74 will prominently feature the promotion's 170 lb. division as the welterweight tournament kicks off on the live MTV 2 telecast at 8pm (EST).

MMAFrenzy.com

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/29898/bellator-74-main-card-set-with-season-7-welterweight-tournament-good-wallhead-headlining/

Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade 

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Thu, 16 Aug 2012 05:09:11 -0700 CBD Mucking http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/cbd-mucking-36251 http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/cbd-mucking-36251
CBD Mucking is a montage of Australian and New Zealand rippers including Bjorn Johnston. Via: Manual.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/KsZtPghjCAE/cbd-mucking.html

Yoshihiro Akiyama  Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander

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Thu, 16 Aug 2012 03:09:12 -0700 Lyoto Machida Earns KO and Shot at the Belt: UFC on FOX 4 Main Card Rundown http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/lyoto-machida-earns-ko-and-shot-at-the-belt-u http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/lyoto-machida-earns-ko-and-shot-at-the-belt-u

It's rare when every bout on a UFC main card is spectacular, but the stars aligned perfectly for UFC on FOX 4.  Mike Swick returned to knock someone's lights out, Joe Lauzon nailed another submission, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Brandon Vera had an absolute slobberknocker, and Lyoto Machida put Ryan Bader to sleep.  And at the end of it all, UFC president Dana White announced who of the four main card light-heavyweights had earned their shot at the belt.

 

  • In his first bout back after a lengthy hiatus, TUF 1 veteran Swick absorbed a world of hurt at the hands of DaMarques Johnson, and then delivered it right back ten-fold.  In the opening seconds, "Quick" plastered Johnson with a right hand ? his best weapon ? and though Johnson took it, the TUF 9 veteran wisely sought his fortunes on the ground.  There, Johnson was large and in charge, pounding on Swick from above and forcing him on the defensive.  Then came Round Two, which saw Swick catch a Johnson kick, throw him down, and land another crushing right square on Johnson's jaw.  Johnson was out cold.  The official time of the knockout was 1:20 of the second round.

 

  • Not to be outdone by Swick and Johnson's thriller of an opener, lightweights Lauzon and Jamie Varner went at it in a nonstop back-and-forth melee.  Utilizing his always-crisp boxing, former WEC champ Varner peppered the ace grappler with punches to the face and body, prompting Lauzon to constantly cover up.  But Varner lost steam with each passing minute, so the latter portions of the rounds had Lauzon finding back-control or mount and threatening with subs.  Varner changed things up in the third round by going for takedowns ? a ploy that provided Lauzon with the perfect opportunity to sweep him, out-scramble him, and eventually trap him in a triangle choke.  Varner tapped out at 2:44 of Round Three.

 

  • The biggest mistake you can make when fighting former light-heavyweight champ Machida is to take the bait on any one of the traps he lays.  Unfortunately, that's exactly what TUF winner Bader did.  Throughout the first round of their co-main event bout, Bader struggled to find an opening on the elusive karate man, while Machida established his range with kicks and waited patiently like a spider in a web.  In Round Two, Bader leaped forward looking to punch and he was stuck ? or, more accurately, struck.  It was a short right that did it, and Bader was unconscious.  The official time of the knockout was 1:32 of the second round.

 

  • Anyone who thought Vera was going to be a pushover for Shogun has to be eating a lot of crow right now, as the "Truth" took it to the Brazilian at every turn, and lasted deep into the fourth round against the legendary fighter.  Vera began the bout by planting a kick to Shogun's midsection, and from then on, it was clear that Vera was unafraid to stand and trade.  But the former PRIDE FC and UFC champ sought the takedown frequently, and when he was successful, he did his best to batter Vera from top position.  Did Shogun win rounds?  He did, but it was by no means a blow out, and whenever the action returned to the feet, Vera nailed him with elbows, punches, knees and kicks.  The end came at 4:09 in Round Four, in a sequence that had Shogun penetrating Vera's defenses with his fists and dropping the Truth against the cage, thereby giving him the victory via TKO.

 

Who was more impressive ? Machida or Shogun?  For his knockout of Bader, Dana White chose Machida, and now the "Dragon" gets the next crack at the UFC light-heavyweight belt.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/lyoto-machida-earns-ko-shot-belt-ufc-fox-025139501--mma.html

Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott

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Thu, 16 Aug 2012 01:09:19 -0700 Ferris Birthday Surprise http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/ferris-birthday-surprise-98383 http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/ferris-birthday-surprise-98383

Source: http://nedsurfshots.blogspot.com/2012/03/ferris-birthday-surprise.html

José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez

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Wed, 15 Aug 2012 23:09:12 -0700 Pascal Reif for Trap http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/pascal-reif-for-trap-91918 http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/pascal-reif-for-trap-91918
Trap Skateboards has a rad video part from Pascal Reif. Kinda reminds me of Willow but that might just be the spots.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/bZyrNptF9yA/pascal-reif-for-trap.html

Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi 

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Wed, 15 Aug 2012 21:09:18 -0700 Nate Diaz, Chris Weidman, Renato Sobral: The Morning News Roundup ? 8.11.12 http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/nate-diaz-chris-weidman-renato-sobral-the-mor http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/nate-diaz-chris-weidman-renato-sobral-the-mor

On April 10, 2010, the UFC's lightweight division ground to a halt.  Of course, we didn't know it at the time.  At the time, we thought we'd seen a legendary champ defeated by a heavy underdog, and things would've definitely sorted themselves out in the immediate rematch.  They did, sort of.  The legendary champ was beaten worse than before, so there was no question as to who rightfully deserved to wear the crown.  But then came a rematch, then another, then a new challenger, and now another rematch.  Not that it's his fault, but since taking on the incumbent B.J. Penn on that night in April, 2010, Edgar has faced two other people.  And folks, there are way more than two people in the UFC's 155-pound weight class.  Time for the Baldfather to put his foot down!

  • UFC president Dana White said yesterday that regardless of who wins in tonight's title scrap between Benson Henderson and Edgar ? and regardless of it is via controversial, rematch-demanding circumstances ? top contender Nate Diaz is going to be a part of the next lightweight championship fight.  What if Henderson/Edgar II ends via close, close split decision?  Diaz gets next.  What if Henderson slips on a banana peel while Edgar simultaneously bonks his head on a fallen steel girder, and both men are KO'd?  Diaz gets next.  What if the Earth splits open and the main event fighters are swallowed by a deep, lava-filled chasm?  Diaz gets next.

Josh Gross at ESPN sums up the morass the weight class has been mired in for the past few years here:

Rather than new challengers earning opportunities, the division delivered a cycle of close calls followed by rematches, which, while justifiable, essentially immobilized an intriguing group of young fighters, who could sit in the pits or partake in dangerous contests and risk their status.

White says no more.  Diaz gets next.  And I'm fine with that.

  • UFC middleweight contender Chris Weidman had the microphone for yesterday's Q & A session in Denver, C.O., and of course the rising star talked about how he should be next in line to fight champ Anderson Silva.  I don't disagree, as Weidman has proved himself to be a worthy opponent, but I can't help but think that since Silva is getting up there in years and has accomplished so much (and made a ton of money), we won't see the Brazilian fight again unless it's a superfight against welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre or some other big-buck match-up.  What do you think?  Should Weidman face Silva next?  Or will Silva be rocking the pay-per-view percentage points and fighting only ultra-compelling opponents outside of his division?

 

  • Brazilian poofy-haired warrior Renato "Babalu" Sobral has signed with Bellator Fighting Championships and will be partaking in one of their light-heavyweight tournaments.  Sobral is a veteran of just about every fighting organization there ever was, including the UFC, Strikeforce, One FC, Affliction, and RINGS, and has worn championship belts often.  This is a good signing ? especially because Travis Wiuff is about to become Bellator's 205-pound champ, and Sobral beat Wiuff when they met in the UFC.  So, you know, cool rematch and all.

 

That's all for now.  Come back tonight for Cagewriter's coverage of UFC 150, and take advantage of our "no shenanigans" guarantee.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/nate-diaz-chris-weidman-renato-sobral-morning-news-140432637--mma.html

Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah 

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Wed, 15 Aug 2012 19:09:16 -0700 CBD Mucking http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/cbd-mucking http://kathyvanmeter7.posterous.com/cbd-mucking
CBD Mucking is a montage of Australian and New Zealand rippers including Bjorn Johnston. Via: Manual.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/KsZtPghjCAE/cbd-mucking.html

Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida 

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