New UFC 75/76 Site Highlights Stacked LHWs

In another brilliant business move by someone at the top of Zuffa, the sites for UFC 75 & 76 have been combined into a slick flash design intended to highlight the strength of the Light Heavyweight division. Both events feature LHWs as their main event as well as a myriad of LHWs on the undercard.

The power at the top of the division is obvious, with PRIDE's transfers making the old UFC 205 pounders look weak at best. Of the top 5 fighters in the division, only one (Liddell) is a UFC original. Of course, Liddell's lost twice to the weakest of the PRIDE guys (Rampage). Add in Wanderlei, Henderson, and Shogun, and this division is easily the strongest in MMA history.

Like most fans, I'm able to note the strength of the division, but usually only focus on the top. I overlook all the rest of the guys, who, if they were in any other division, would be one of the best. The Lightweight division has two or three excellent fighters. The Welterweight division has about five and the Middleweights have two (maybe three...). By my count, and with assistance of the new site, the Light Heavyweights have a whopping nine solid guys. I left out these seven, which made UFC's list of sixteen total: Alessio Sakara, Renato Sobral, Kazuhiro Nakamura, Keith Jardine, Matt Hamill, Forrest Griffin, and Houston Alexander.

Even with my omissions, the Light Heavyweight division is light years ahead of all others, even the Heavyweight division which has five solid guys. This incredible strength of talent will make UFC 75 and UFC 76 two very exciting shows, which are cleverly highlighted by the UFC marketing machine.

UFC Balance Of Power Regains Normalcy

With the wins of Randy Couture and Georges St. Pierre on Saturday night, the pair finalized UFC's return to general predictability (a good thing) following a span of upsets which stretched from 68 to 71, effectively throwing three of the five title pictures in disarray. With Sherk's win (let's forget about the steroids for a moment), Couture's first successful defense of the HW title, and St. Pierre displaying his ability to shake the Serra blues, it appears that we can start narrowing the talent into some Superfights.

No need to give Gonzaga another title shot now. And after St. Pierre's dismantling of Koscheck, it's obvious that St. Pierre and Hughes are the only guys who deserve to be on the top of that division. Not Sanchez, not Kos, not Parisyan, and certainly none of the other guys who were said to be in line for a title shot. Just the best of the best. Had Koscheck won the fight on Saturday, it would've taken even more legitimacy from the division and possibly...just possibly set up for Koscheck-Serra. Instead of being forced to witness that eyesore, it looks as if we're on track for GSP-Hughes III, which is the best fight for the fighters, the fans, and of course, the sport.

Couture's huge win marks the reality of his second coming in the UFC as he has now dispatched of two contenders (Sylvia and Gonzaga) who have at times been heralded as greats, but have now been reduced to pawns. This is significant because now Couture can start wading through the real contenders, the PRIDE guys. Similar to the Koscheck-Serra scenario, I think I speak for everyone when I say we really dodged a bullet with the potential Gonzaga-Nogueira matchup. Instead, we should be treated to Couture-CC, Couture-Nog, or even Couture-Fedor. With CC's recent loss and Nog's less than stellar opening show, there really is no contender in the UFC who should be considered a favorite against "The Natural." It may be up to White to sign someone who can fill these shoes.

The narrowing of competition continues at UFC 75 with the Henderson-Rampage match, a virtual win-win for the UFC. With a Liddell and Shogun wins at 76, the UFC should be set up perfectly for a winter to remember. Silva and Franklin will kick things off with what should be a war. We will most likely see Shogun against the winner of Rampage-Henderson. Couture will almost definitely fight Cro Cop or Nogueira. And barring something amazing happening, Hughes will get another crack at GSP. It may have not been the most exciting event in the world, but UFC 74 has now set the stage for the success that is to come.

UFC 74 Updates & Results

Throughout the evening of August 25, 2007, Martial Base will be providing up-to-the-minute updates for every televised fight at UFC 74. With St. Pierre rebounding from the Serra loss and Couture taking on Cro Cop killer Gabriel Gonzaga, this won't be a card to miss. Updates start at 10 PM EST.

Randy Couture defeats Gabriel Gonzaga via TKO in the third round

Georges St. Pierre defeats Josh Koscheck via unanimous decision

Roger Huerta defeats Alberto Crane via technical knockout (strikes) in round three

Joe Stevenson defeats Kurt Pellegrino via unanimous decision

Patrick Cote defeats Kendall Grove via technical knockout (strikes) in round one

Renato “Babalu” Sobral defeats David Heath via submission (anaconda choke) in round two

Frank Mir defeats Antoni Hardonk via submission (kimura) in round one

Thales Leites defeats Ryan Jensen via submission (armbar) in round one

Clay Guida defeats Marcus Aurelio via split decision

White: Fedor Won't Relate To UFC Fans

Dana White, while talking about the most talented free agent (and martial artist) in the universe, said that he just wouldn't relate to UFC fans. Now whether this is simply an excuse for the lack of contract or White actually believes this, no one knows. But what is known is that the man simply recognized by his first name, Fedor, needs a place to fight. Never has one man been so dominant. Even Matt Hughes suffered a legendary defeat at the hands of BJ Penn at UFC 46. Fedor has no such blemish.

White compared Fedor's potential entrance to that of Cro Cop, citing over and over again that for whatever reason, Fedor is simply not ready:

The hard core fans who know who Fedor is are a minority. Believe me when I tell you that. My (UFC) fans don't know who he is. I'd have to build him up. You can't just say 'Fedor's here,' and open the doors and expect people to come in. It doesn't work that way.

I even had to build up Cro Cop. It's taking a while for us to do that. After we introduce him to our fans, then you can do that kind of a thing.

Okay, so there's probably something to be said for the bloodthirsty fans who come to the events just to see a knockout. But for every one of those, I'd bet that there are two fans who have taken the time to understand the intricacies of the ground game and other minutia of the sport. It is growing rapidly and newer fans will take the time to learn MMA the right way. Whether or not White thinks Fedor can relate to these fans (it obvious he doesn't), he has a duty to the fans to bring Fedor in. When Zuffa purchased PRIDE, White made it clear that his intention was to huddle the world's best under one tent. Until Fedor is under that tent, White hasn't done anything.

Eastman To Enter UFC Middleweight Ranks

Former Light Heavyweight contender and current corrections officer, Marvin "The Beastman" Eastman has announced his plans to drop to Middleweight and fight grappling expect Demian Maia, despite The Beastman's current 0-3 record in the UFC.

Eastman made this announcement on his blog with the following declaration:

The smashing [continues] at 185 until I get a title fight against the belt holder in the middleweight division in the UFC. I will get there and win that belt.

Although Eastman hasn't done much as of late, I wouldn't count him out just yet. The man who holds an early win over Quinton "Rampage" Jackson would be an excellent complement to the UFC's weakest division. Following the UFC 77 bout between Silva and Franklin, there won't be an anyone who will be able to make an obvious and definite claim to a title shot. Eastman has a much better chance here than with the Light Heavyweights, which now contains just about every big name in the business. Add in the fact that Kang and Filho, two of the world's Top 5 Middleweights aren't in the UFC, and it becomes obvious that Marvin has just made the best business decision of his career.

His bout against Maia should be fascinating as well, comparing a buff and savage brawler against a slick former ADCC champ. The bout should be a throwback to older UFC's, which were a true test of skill vs. skill. The winner will not only make his respective martial art proud, but he may also be able to lay claim to the least challenged belt in the UFC.

Wanderlei Addition Makes UFC 79 Card Top Notch

It's been expected for months, but Wanderlei (pictured, credit: PRIDE FC) finally confirmed that he'll be making his UFC debut at UFC 79 on December 29th. Although it's unknown who will face "The Axe Murderer," whoever it is will have his hands full: Wanderlei has been training with Randy Couture. Many are hoping that Liddell will be Wanderlei's first match up, which doesn't bode well for The Iceman. After all, who knows Liddell's style better than the man who has faced him the most amount of times? Additionally, Wanderlei holds two wins over Rampage Jackson who holds two wins over Liddell. The math isn't good.

However, Wanderlei will probably be given a warm up bout a la Shogun-Griffin, Rampage-Eastman. We'll have to wait for the Wanderlei-Liddell fight, which will probably happen after Wanderlei faces the winner of Rampage-Henderson. Dana White has said Liddell needs two wins before a title shot, so he'll beat up on Jardine, fight someone else around the the time of the Wanderlei-Rampage/Hendo bout, and then get the winner of that.

Whether or not we get to see Liddell at UFC 79 is still up in the air, but Wandy will definitely be there. His introduction, along with the Hughes-Serra title fight will make this winter card one of the best of the year. Hughes and Serra seem to have a real grudge against one another (not just this Tito Ortiz hyped drama) and should put on a war for the fans. Personally, I'm hoping to see the title belt returned to a real Champion, but I'll be happy enough if Hughes and Serra produce more than three rounds of action. A truly great card features a mixture of striking and ground work across a variety of weight classes. UFC 79, with the help of Wanderlei Silva, is shaping up to be just that.

The Ultimate Fighter Season 7

Dana White recently announced the contenders for TUF 7, and two things of note stood out immediately. One, the season will focus on Light Heavyweights, not the Middleweight division which is in such dire straits. However, this is another discussion for another article. The more important aspect of the new season to discuss is the fact that the roster features generally new fighters. Most of them have only been in 4 or 5 sanctioned MMA bouts compared to the well-traveled contestants of season's past.

This is a huge mistake on White's part as he will be taking away two elements that make the series what it is. First, since past contestants such as Michael Bisping (pictured) have held title belts in other organizations (like Cage Rage), they know their way around the Octagon, are able to put on professional and entertaining matches, and have some credentials to back up all the talking. Even so, you occasionally get a fighter like Danny Abbadi who, at least during the season, looked like he had never fought in an MMA bout in his life. Now, imagine if the entire season was composed of fighter's with similar skill levels. It would be a disaster, reminiscent of a Kimbo Slice YouTube video. The fact of the matter is that fighters who know what they are doing is really what the show was created for. It was meant to give quality fighters who may have otherwise been overlooked another shot at rising to the top. See: Bisping, Evans, Sanchez. It was not meant for a bunch of brand-new fighters (some of which hold 1-0 records...no joke) to figure out if they are any good.

The second reason fighters should be a little more experienced is that it allows for more story lines to be created. I defy any other expert in the field to find me a story line for fantastically tangled than Joe Lauzon, fighting on Penn's team (who lost to Pulver), AGAINST Pulver (who Lauzon knocked out as an 11-1 underdog a year earlier). The fighter was able to do something that his coach wasn't WHILE holding a KO over the opposing coach. I'm a creative guy, but I couldn't write that if I tried. If you take away the element of history, you delete the story line that kept me watching all season long.

The UFC should receive suffered ratings as a result of this move and rebound with a season for experienced Middleweights. As long as we don't have to see Chris Leben, it'll be better than this.

Entering The World Of Mixed Martial Arts: Which Style Is Best?

Many argue that the world of combat sports has evolved far beyond the boxing and its glory days. People crave more than two men only utilizing their two hands, battering each other for twelve dreary rounds. These days, people yearn for more action and with more action, there comes more technique.

The answer to this craving is the future of combat sports. It is mixed martial arts.

Mixed martial arts is a combat sport is composed of a wide assortment of fighting technique, techniques which range from striking to grappling.

In this little educational piece, I will run through the primary styles of mixed martial arts used today (note the word primary; it may not include every single art out there).

Striking

I. Muay-Thai Kickboxing

Muay Thai, also known as Thai Boxing or The Art of the Eight Limbs, is Thailand’s national sport. Techniques of Muay Thai usually include the feet, shinbones, fists, elbows, the clinch and knees.

Muay Thai’s worldwide popularity blossomed around the 1990s, being extremely effective in mixed martial arts fights. Muay Thai remains as one of the most popular styles of striking amongst MMA fighters today.

Muay Thai has showed great effectiveness in mixed martial arts today. Fighters who have found much success with Muay Thai include current UFC middleweight champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva, former PRIDE middleweight champion Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and the majority of the Brazilian-based Chute Boxe Academy. Although these fighters’ styles revolve greatly around the art of Muay Thai, they have incorporated elements of grappling, wrestling, and submission wrestling in order to compete in MMA.

II. Kickboxing

The art of kickboxing differs from that of Muay Thai kickboxing. Kickboxing focuses mainly on utilizing just punches and kicks opposed to standing elbow strikes and the clinch as in Muay Thai.

The term “kickboxing” alone is usually independent of “Muay Thai” and often refers to American and Japanese derivatives of the sport.

Kickboxing of course has proven to be quite effective as well. Most notable fighters whose primary arsenal relies on kickboxing are Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Mark Hunt, both of whom fought in the K-1 organization before transitioning into MMA.

III. Boxing

Boxing in my opinion is one of the greatest styles a fighter can learn to develop their standup skills in MMA. Boxing is essentially the style of the hands, so I believe there is not a style out there that can top it as far as punching goes.

The main components of boxing include one of the most under used strikes in MMA today, the jab to set up combos, the cross, the hook, and the uppercuts. Defense includes slipping, bobbing, and footwork.

Boxing is used in MMA today by high profile fighters such as PRIDE’s lightweight champion Takanori “The Fireball Kid” Gomi, Nick Diaz, and UFC’s former lightweight champion Jens “Little Evil” Pulver.

Grappling

I. Jiu-Jitsu

There is no question that more than 50% of the ground skills involved in MMA is contributed to by Jiu-Jitsu. Jiu-Jitsu focuses on grappling and in particular ground fighting using joint-locks and chokeholds to force an opponent into submission and ultimately tap out!

Jiu-Jitsu was said to include many “dirty” techniques and was then adopted by the Gracie family and turned into a “cleaner” combat system.

The Jiu-Jitsu used in MMA is mainly Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), which came about when the Gracies went to the United States to spread their art. The Gracie family continued to develop their system throughout the 20th century and has refined its techniques, which are seen in much of the MMA matches today.

There is no doubt that BJJ is extremely effective in today’s MMA matches. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (or BJJ) became most popular when UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie won UFC 1, UFC 2 and UFC 4 with his superior ground game. Royce’s opponents were usually much larger and practiced other styles, including boxing, shoot-fighting, karate, judo, and wrestling.

However, today some of the greatest BJJ MMA practitioners include: former PRIDE heavyweight champion Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira, BJ “The Prodigy” Penn, Shinya Aoki, and a wealth of other fighters.

II. Wrestling

Wrestling is an essential skill in mixed martial arts today. A fighter can have a good background in Jiu-Jitsu, but have poor wrestling skills.

Wrestling, the oldest form of martial arts, includes a variety of techniques which include: clinching, holding, locking, leverage and one of the most important techniques in MMA, the sprawl.

Wrestling consists of numerous styles, such as: Greco-Roman wrestling, freestyle wrestling, catch wrestling, and others.

Many successful MMA champions and fighters have extensive wrestling credentials before entering a career in MMA. The most notable of fighters whom come off a wrestling background are: former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes, former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, and current UFC heavyweight champion Randy “The Natural” Couture.

However, many wrestlers in MMA have been criticized and said to “Lay-and-pray.” Lay-and-pray is a term used to describe when wrestlers take an opponent down and lay on top of them without attempts to finish the fight with “ground-and-pound” or submissions. Lay-and-prayers only seek to maintain control of positioning and smother any offense by the opponent, imposing little or no offense themselves, hoping for a decision victory.

III. Sambo/Judo

Sambo and Judo are not the most popular styles utilized in mixed martial arts but have certainly proven to be highly successful when utilized. Sambo is combat sport and self-defense system developed in the former Soviet Union, and recognized as an official sport by the USSR All-Union Sports Committee in 1938, presented by Anatoly Kharlampiev. While Judo is a combat, originating in Japan, that involves hip throws, tosses, joint locks, as well as punches and kicks. Sambo heavily resembles Judo.

Many of today’s top fighters utilize either Sambo or Judo. Fedor Emelianenko, PRIDE Fighting Championships's current heavyweight champion and consistently ranked the world's best heavyweight mixed martial arts fighter has a background in judo and is an avid practitioner of Sambo. Other fighters with backgrounds in Judo in MMA include: Hidehiko Yoshida, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Pawel Nastula and UFC’s Karo “The Heat” Parisyan.

Judo and Sambo not only has proven to be successful amongst MMA matches but is certainly exciting to watch.

So there you have it, the primary martial arts inside of mixed martial arts. I hope you learned a thing or two from this article and if you have any questions simply post a comment below!

Henderson Sheds Light On Sokoudjou's Destination

In an article on July 27th, Irish Whip Fighting announced that Toast Of The Town Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou pulled out of his deal with EliteXC. This created mounds of speculation as to where the man who knocked out Ricardo Arona and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira would land. Although he trains with mostly UFC-composed Team Quest in Portland, Oregon, rumors were swirling that Sokoudjou would head to K-1 and use his well-rounded skills in the world of kickboxing. That is, until today.

In a new interview with PRIDE FC Champion Dan Henderson, Hendo revealed not only that he manages Sokoudjou, but that Sokoudjou has indeed made up his mind as to where he is going to go. In the interview, Henderson mentioned that although his relationship with the UFC was new, it was going well and he expects to end his career in the UFC.

Now, let's piece this together. The man who is managing Sokoudjou is in the UFC, is happy with the UFC, and may be a champion of the UFC come August 24th. Of course, nothing is set in stone and I doubt Henderson would want to have the possibility of facing the younger and more athletic Sokoudjou...but I'd keep my ears open for an announcement during UFC 74.

Does Bisping Deserve Better?

TUF 3 winner Michael Bisping, who is now set to take on Matt Hamill at UFC 75, has routinely expressed his displeasure with this opponent, citing that he should be facing only the best in his climb to the top. The undefeated Brit had this to say on the topic:

“And if he’s hoping that I’m gonna cut corners in training he’ll be very upset when he reads this – because I’m going to Big Bear to train for a month with Rampage Jackson. That’s how keen I am to put on the performance of my life and smash this arrogant egomaniac to bits. I’ve done a complete 180 – I’ve never been so excited and motivated for a fight in my career because I am fighting a guy I can’t stand personally. No way am I losing to this egomaniac – and I am really excited to go to California to train with a fighter of the level of Rampage.”

Bisping also mentioned that he considers it a step backwards since he won The Ultimate Fighter and Hamill did not. Some have called this brash, but I've got to agree...for a number of reasons. First, Bisping is essentially the only real link the UFC has to England. They poured more money into their UFC 70 event than any other in history (as far as advertising goes) in a bid to win over all of Europe. Who was their poster boy? Bisping. Who are they planning the UFC 75 pre-fight activities around? You guessed it. Using Bisping for 2 of 6 fights and then handing him Matt Hamill is plain highway robbery.

Another undefeated TUF fighter, Rashad Evans, got to fight Tito Ortiz and immediately make a name for himself. Bisping has been stuck beating up on old UFC Legends and new guys who no one knows. Had he been offered an opponent of Ortiz's caliber, and been able to pull off a win, he would without a doubt be in higher regard among UFC matchmakers and Sherdoggers alike. Even if Bisping was given his original opponent of Ken Shamrock, he would have been able to make a statement by beating one of the true Legends (not Elvis Sinosic) and start to receive some real attention.

Since none of these decisions have gone Bisping's way, it'll be up to him to prove everyone wrong and make Matt Hamill into his own personal example.

Wanderlei Silva To Fight In December

Dana White has confirmed that he's landed the biggest 205 pound free agent out there, as he announced on a Las Vegas television program, "We've got Wanderlei Silva." Despite suffering back-to-back knockouts (albeit to world-class fighters Filipovic and Henderson), Silva was still one of the most coveted names out there. He was rumored to fight Chuck Liddell at UFC 76, but talks fell through, leading White to name Keith Jardine as Silva's replacement. It seems as if all hope for the Liddell-Silva superfight was lost; that is, until now. It appears that following Liddell's massacre (I pray) of Jardine at UFC 76, he'll face Silva in December. It could happen on the same card as Hughes-Serra, which would certainly be worth the $50.

This won't be Silva's first trip to the Octagon, however. He's 1-2 in UFC bouts, with a decision loss to Tito Ortiz and a BRUTAL first round KO by the fast hands of Vitor Belfort (the "old Vitor," as sherdoggers like to say). Since then, he's torn through most of PRIDE's Middleweight division (remember, they don't have LHWs), owning two huge wins over Rampage Jackson as well as a decision over Dan Henderson. While Silva may exhibit some slight UFC jitters (see this article for others who did), he'll probably be able to settle in by the second round or so. It will be up to Liddell to not let him see that second round. While it's too early to predict anything, it is easy to see how the UFC LHW division is shaping up to be the best in MMA history.

With Silva and Liddell along with Rampage and Henderson (UFC 75 opponents), Zuffa has commandeered the four major players in MMA today. Add in Tito Ortiz, who is still a force to be reckoned with, in addition to young guns Bisping, Evans, and Shogun, and you've got years and years of solid fights. Even more convincing, the UFC has shown an international edge as of late, giving more press to guys like Lyoto Machida. I'd expect that the winner of Liddell-Silva will get the winner of Rampage-Hendo. Shogun will most likely fight whoever comes out of that war zone. No matter how it plays out, we should be looking at some awesome fights for the next year and even more exposure for the glorious sport of mixed martial arts.

Hybrid MMA vs. Traditional Styles: Which Is The Better Pick?

When beginning training in Mixed Martial Arts, one must make a crucial decision. Is it more beneficial to get a well-rounded MMA experience or instead, focus in on one discipline and learn to master it? This is the essential question behind the idea of MMA and why the UFC was founded in the first place: to determine which fighting style was superior. In looking for that answer, the creators of UFC got more than they bargained for. While intially, it appeared that certain styles were dominant, over time, a hybridization took place. Do fighters benefit from mastering different techniques from various schools of thought or are they just better off knowing one very, very well?

Matt Hughes (pictured) would agree with the first choice: that a hybridization was necessary and benficial to his career. He displayed this most prominently at UFC 60 when he defeated Royce Gracie using a combination of Gracie's very own Jiu-Jitsu coupled with his extensive wrestling background. Gracie, limited in the scope of what he could handle, caved under the different looks Hughes was throwing at him and got grounded and pounded to a loss. Such is the benefit of learning multiple styles of martial arts. They can be switched on and off like a light switch, combined and separated to create the ultimate in distraction and strategy. If a fight can master a striking and a grappling technique (compared to someone in a single discipline, who is only good standing up or only good on the ground), he will have created a strategy capable of taking out any styled opponent. Nick Diaz is a great example of this as he is well-versed in both boxing and jiu-jitsu. In his fight against Robbie Lawler, Diaz elected to stand, picking his spots and eventually knocking out the Ruthless one. More recently, against Takanori Gomi, Diaz took the fight to the floor, executing one of the most difficult submissions in all of MMA, the gogoplata. Chances are, if Diaz was a master of just one of those disciplines, he would not have been able to take both fights. By learning a hybrid style, the embodiment of what Mixed Martial Arts means, a fighter can be dynamic, dangerous, and successful against opponents of any kind.

On the other hand, there is something to be said for perfecting one discipline. Royce Gracie, although defeated by Hughes, ran through every other singular discipline with his take on classic BJJ. Karo Parisyan (pictured) has brought a classic Judo background with him, and has made it work with flying colors, owning wins over Diaz and current Welterweight champ Matt Serra. Many wrestlers, such as Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, have been very successful while remaining true to their disciplines. While they may throw elements of other styles in from time to time, they will rely on and look to their wrestling backgrounds when it is time to win a fight. If a fighter can use his background in one style as a defensive mechanism in order to open up offense (see: Karo Parisyan), then he may be as successful as a fighter who is constantly switching up techniques in the middle of the fight. Switching to southpaw will often get a fighter knocked out, but switching entire disciplines can get your career ended.

This decision is an important one that every fighter must make at some point in their training. Whether one decides to take a more rounded approach to martial arts or hone in on one style, two facts remain. Fighters have won with each and fighters have lost with each. It is up to the individual practitioner of the sport to decide how hard he will train, how much he will invest, and how much he will get out of it.

Blood Feuds Make For Classic Showdowns

While UFC 51: Bitter Rivals was cast as a classic match up of enemies, it turned out to be a lackluster night of fights between Ken Shamrock, Tito Ortiz, Andrei Arlovski, and Tim Sylvia. Had VP of Talent and Matchmaker Joe Silva been afforded the luxury of "fighting families" in the UFC at that time, surely he would have booked them against one another in a true display of bitter rivals. Now, with Nate and Nick Diaz together in MMA (although Nick is currently in EliteXC, not UFC) along with Manny Gamburyan and Karo Parisyan (they're cousins), both in the UFC, he's got just that. And if it wasn't enough that there are two families with fighters whose weights match up perfectly, they hate each other.

The bad blood started back at UFC 49 when Karo Parisyan beat Nick Diaz by split decision (pictured, credit: fightnews.com). Most said that this was one of the top ten UFC bouts of all time, and even more suggested that the decision could have gone either way. Ask Parisyan about the fight, and he'll say decisively "I won it." Despite this level of hubris from a man who only won a split decision, Nick and Karo maintain that they are on good terms.

This story, however, took another turn during the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter. Karo came into the locker room to see his cousin Manny Gamburyan, but when he saw Nate Diaz (the brother of Nick), he playfully grabbed Diaz's shoulder and started to mess around with him. Many people, including myself and other fighters, felt that Karo was talking down to Nate and bullying him. Of course, Nate jumped up and got in Karo's face, but the altercation was ended before it could escalate.

Yet another twist was added when the two relatives of Karo Parisyan and Nick Diaz ended up facing each other in the finals of the series. Nate Diaz won the bout in unspectacular fashion after Gamburyan dislocated his shoulder and had to stop the fight due to injury. Another fight between the families and another controversial finish. Protecting the honor of family, split decisions, and injuries add up to make this one of the most intriguing and genuine rivalries in all of MMA.

The next time Joe Silva is looking for a card on which to place guys who just don't like each other, he should move past Tito and Ken or Hughes and Serra. His best bet would be to schedule two families in two rematches and as a result, give the fans two wars. The MMA community has seen families before (Rua, Nogueira, Shamrock), but never before has such a feud been started between them. It'll be up to Nick, Nate, Manny, and Karo to end it.

Couture An Underdog, Great Pick For UFC 74

As the events surrounding UFC bouts draw near, odds on the event typically settle down from their previously erratic manner. However, the odds on the Randy Couture-Gabriel Gonzaga fight have been relatively steady all along... and not in favor of "The Natural." I was surprised when I initially saw that Couture was a +105 underdog and Gonzaga was a -130 favorite (source: 5dimes.com), but I assumed that this would even out as we neared the event and we got further away from the shock of Gonzaga's win over Cro Cop. Weeks later, and I stand corrected. It seems that a Cro Cop knockout carries my cache than I thought. As such, it appears that these will be the final lines heading into the event. And if they are, my suggestion is bet, bet, bet!

Gonzaga is the younger fighter and he is getting better, but I just don't think he's anywhere nearly as skilled as Couture. Whether he fought in K-1, Shooto Brazil, or the UFC, Gonzaga has never gone past the third round. The much more experienced Couture, on the other hand, routinely grounds and pounds for 25 minutes straight. If the fight goes past the third round, expect Gonzaga to gas and Couture to come into his own. Randy Couture spent the last round of his fight against "Cardio Master" Tito Ortiz at UFC 44 smashing him into the ground and at one point, spanking him.

This would lead one to believe that if the fight is going to end, it'll have to be done in a shocking and quick manner, similar to the Cro Cop fight. Despite my belief that Couture will prevail, it should be noted that Gonzaga has NEVER let a fight reach a decision, lending more credence to the belief that Gonzaga's only shot is an early victory. However, I don't think Couture will let the fight end early and will instead confuse and frustrate the Brazilian. I expect Gonzaga to be tentative early, similar to his UFC 56 fight against Kevin Jordan, which will open himself up for an early Couture takedown (see: Couture-Sylvia). Couture must be careful here, as Gonzaga is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu wizard, but he should be able to offer effective strikes while being mindful of Gonzaga's masterful guard.

To recap, I don't see anyway that Gonzaga wins this. If "Napao" tries to finish Couture early, he'll get taken down and pounded. If Gonzaga chooses to feel Couture out a little longer, he'll get gas towards the end, make a mistake, and pay for it. As a result, this underdog money is an excellent bet. I know I'll be taking the money on Couture. I've seen him dominate and fight perfectly too many times to think that Gonzaga has a shot in hell. Of course, I said the same thing about Georges St. Pierre and Matt Serra...