After almost 2 years of absence from the Octagon, Georges “Rush” St. Pierre returned this past Saturday to reclaim the Welterweight belt from Interim Champion Carlos Condit in an edge-of-your-seat 5 round bout.  As many predicted, the fight went to decision, naming GSP the winner by unanimous decision.

Condit took quite the assault in the first two rounds with GSP, who worked furiously from in the guard.  He delivered shot after shot to Condit’s face, and body, while working the “can-opener” manouver relentlessly in an attempt to pass the steady guard Carlos held for most of rounds 1 and 2.  This technique involves the placement of the hands behind the head of the fighter executing the guard and pulling up with the hands and body to create space for the other fighter to execute a half, or full mount.

There were several instances in which St. Pierre was successful in gaining half-mount, and he did some serious damage with his vigorous ground and pound assault of Condit, leaving him gushing like a waterfall from several facial lacerations at the end of round 2.  This is where things took a very interesting turn, and left me upright in my seat, digging my nails into the cushions of the couch yelling at the TV like I’m sure many of you were…minus digging your hot pink, manicured claws into somebody’s couch lol.

3o seconds into the third round, The Natural Born Killer lived up to his name, delivering a massive head kick that flattened GSP to the ground.  This is where he stayed for almost a full minute.  After pulling guard and taking several major elbows from Condit, St. Pierre managed to stagger to the ground, looking like he may very well be in trouble.

It was at this point I was nervous that our man, Canadian born UFC superstar Georges St. Pierre, might have his career on the line.  This bout was not one he could afford to lose, and it was apparent that Carlos Condit was not going down without a fight.  The final two rounds were fairly consistent with the first two rounds of the fight, beautiful take-downs by St. Pierre, and textbook guard by Condit, however, in the end, he just couldn’t stand up to GSP’s superior fighting skill.

Many fighters would look back on a fight like this, and wonder what they could have done differently to result in a different outcome in the face of such a loss.  The truth is, Carlos Condit put up the best possible fight he could have, and really did not make any major errors during the 5 rounds he went up against arguably the best pound for pound fighter this sport has ever seen.  This now leaves us wondering, what is next for our Champion?

St. Pierre has owned the Welterweight category for years now, since he took the title of Undisputed Welterweight Champion from Matt Serra in April of 2008, but what is next?  Will GSP continue to dominate this weight class after returning from such a long absence?  Or will he grant UFC President Dana White’s biggest wish, and give in to the pressure of a match-up with Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva?

Georges has expressed his lack of interest in going up a weight class…but rumours have been brewing that a “catch-weight” super-fight might be in the works for 2013.  I for one can hardly contain my excitement for such a fight to take place, but the biggest issue plaguing my mind is who the f*ck to cheer for

The much anticipated all heavyweight main card event held Saturday, May 26, 2012 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas was nothing short of epic.  For the first time in UFC history, the entire main card consisted of heavyweight fighters, this not being an easy feat following the removal of Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem in early April due to failed drug testing.  Shortly thereafter, UFC President Dana White announced that Overeem would be replaced by Frank Mir, who was originally slated to face Cain Velasquez.  Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva was then shuffled into Mir’s spot, landing Dave Herman opposite Roy “Big Country” Nelson.  Lastly, as if it weren’t confusing enough, Stipe Miocic then was matched  up with Shane del Rosario, leaving Stefan “The Skyscraper” Struve paired with Lavar Johnson, a third time UFC fighter.

After his loss May 28, 2011 to Travis Browne at UFC 130, Struve needed a big win, and Saturday night he simply strolled into the octagon and took it.  Less than a minute into the first round, the Skyscraper pulled guard on Lavar Johnson, and seconds later took the “W” by submission with a textbook armbar.  Struve definitely earned some respect not only for the level of skill he demonstrated, but also for the restraint he displayed by releasing Johnson’s arm the moment he felt the tap, rather than waiting for the referee to step in.  This not only made his 16th career win by submission, but also Johnson eat his words after he boasted “I have two UFC knockouts, and tonight will be my third,” when interviewed prior to the bout.  The exact opposite was the case for Stipe Miocic, who calmly stated that he will “…be faster, and more athletic, and tonight, whatever he does, I am going to have an answer,” when asked about opponent Shane del Rosario in the interviews prior to his bout following the very short, one round match between Struve and Johnson.

And have an answer for everything he did, there was virtually not a move that del Rosario brought to the table that Miocic wasn’t able to rebut.  It was looking fairly even in the first round, del Rosario consistently landed solid kicks, both to the body, and the legs of Miocic, who repeatedly answered with extremely fast strikes to the head and body of his also undefeated competitor.  In the end, del Rosario proved to be no match for the Croatian-American Strong Style fighter.  After suffering a big take down by Miocic about a minute in to the second round, del Rosario eventually succumbed after receiving a barrage of hammer fists and elbows 3 minutes into round 2, ending in a TKO (elbows) with a minute and a half left in the second round.  This loss put an end to Shane del Rosario’s undefeated status, and left Stipe Miocic virtually unscathed.

Following the trend of the evening, Roy “Big Country” Nelson wasted no time shoving Dave Herman’s words down his throat with a beautiful overhand KO a mere 51 seconds into the first round.  Earlier in the evening, Herman had this to say: “I know Nelson is a tough opponent, but I am going for a first round KO,” and much like the first fight on the main card, the reality turned out to be the exact opposite.  This was not the first time Big Country received a standing ovation for his performance in the octagon, but perhaps the first he did so while seated atop the octagon fence rubbing his hearty belly.  The receipt of the “Knockout of the Night” bonus, alongside preliminary card fighter Dan Hardy, made the 3rd of Nelson’s career.

The KO that flattened Herman was execution style in its cleanliness and simplicity, whereas the fight that followed can only be described as a literal blood bath.  Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, the former Strikeforce turned Blackzillian fighter, was originally slated to fight Nelson in his UFC debut; however, after some alterations to the final main card were made, he landed himself a dicey slot up against former Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez Ramirez. 2 and half minutes into the round, after a brutal elbow split open Bigfoot’s face, causing blood to pour into his eyes and his vision to become obstructed, the fight was halted to ensure that the damage was not detrimental enough to cause Silva to withdraw.  After an inspection by the doctor, the ref called “game-on,” and that was the end for Antonio Silva.  It was very clear that his vision was impaired by the blood flowing from the cut above his eye, and there has been debate that the fight should have been called sooner; either way the UFC newcomer showed a ton of heart by hanging in there and refusing to tap, which in my opinion deserves credit even in the face of a loss.  This has placed Velasquez in prime position for a re-match against Junior Dos Santos for the UFC Heavyweight Championship, and I would be surprised if he was not named as the next contender in the near future.

This brings us to the main event, which deviated from the extremely fast pace of its predecessors lasting almost two full 5 minute rounds.  Frank Mir barely hung in for the first round after being visibly shook by a nasty right hook to the temple which he tried to counter with a sloppy take down attempt that only showcased his exhaustion and weakness at that point, after which he was literally saved by the bell.  The rest between rounds enabled Mir to hold Dos Santos off for almost half of the second round, however, despite prior claims, he did not step his game up enough to take the belt…again.  At 3 minutes and 34 seconds into the second round, DS knocked Mir down with a right hook to the eye and finished him with an almost immediate massive hammer fist for a victory by TKO (punches).

All in all this entire evening was nothing short of explosive with action, and with any luck, another all heavyweight event is in the cards

It’s has been almost a full 2 months since we’ve seen a televised card due to the rescheduling of UFC 145, and as much as I am enjoying TUF Brasil, I have to admit it feels like bloody, bashed up Christmas is on it’s way, and my wish list is plastered with dreams of strikes, kicks and take-towns.  UFC on Fuel TV 2 is the first UFC event ever to take place in Sweden and will showcase a match up between Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black-belt Thiago Silva.  Although it is not a title fight, that doesn’t mean it is not an important one.  This bout marks the return of Thiago Silva from his one year suspension for falsifying a urine test following his victory over Brandon Vera on January 1, 2011.

In an interview on March 30, 2011, Silva stated “I used a urine adulterant when giving a sample following my fight with Brandon Vera. I did so in an attempt to alter the results of the test and knowingly broke the rules of the Nevada (State) Athletic Commission. This was a terrible decision on my part for which I will be punished. I am prepared to accept this punishment, learn from it and move on. I apologize to the commission, the UFC, Brandon Vera and the MMA fans.”  It would seem that he is repentant of his illegal action, and is respectful of the consequences he received as a result of it.  Silva has served his suspension, and it goes without saying that he really needs to come out with both guns blazing and prove himself at this event, not only to get his fighting career back on track, but to earn back the respect of his fans, UFC supporters, and one can safely assume himself as well.

With Gustafsson chasing a shot at the title, and Silva pumped to be back in the Octagon, this is a tough fight to call.  Gustafsson has suffered only one defeat over his UFC career at the hands of Phil Davis, and has had a perfect record since that loss at UFC112 on April 10, 2010 and looks to be in his prime as the currently ranked #9 MMA fighter in the world by MMAWeekly.  In contrast, Silva, who maintained a perfect personal record up until his loss to Lyoto Machida on January 31, 2009, has taken two losses out of his last 5 fights.  Does this suggest that Silva is slowing down, or could this be due to the ongoing back problems he had during that time period?

I am not sure what to expect from the American Top Team fighter, but my instincts tell me that he might just give the Swede a run for his money.  When asked about the upcoming bout, Silva said “My prediction is that I will fight hard like a true warrior.  Everybody knows my style.  When I step in the Octagon, I go to kill or die.  I will do the same on April 14th, and I will be ten times more aggressive because this fight is very important for me.”  With the kill or be killed attitude on the table, and Gustafsson ready to slowly pick him apart punch by punch, as his style, it will be interesting to see if Silva stands his ground, or ends up getting mauled.

“We actually finish fights if you look at the percentages.  Everyone loves the home-run in baseball and the slam dunk in basketball, that’s what heavyweights bring,” was the response Roy “Big Country” Nelson gave when fielding the question “What brings the excitement to the heavyweight class?” at the UFC 146 press conference held in the lobby at the MGM Grand this afternoon.  The presser featured Dana White flanked by 6 of the top fighters representing the biggest all-heavyweight fight card in MMA history, scheduled for May 26, 2012.

Big Country was the first of all 7 members of the panel seated on the dais to field the question, and some of the responses were pretty interesting.  Nelson hit the nail of the appeal of a heavyweight match up right on the head; however, there were others who were not able to articulate their sentiments with such precision.  In a borderline offensive comment to the entire featherweight class, Frank Mir gave the response that “Fans watching the fights at home who are 200lb are watching the 135-145lb fighters and they are thinking  - ya that guy can fight, but I can probably kick his ass – and if they are thinking that about us, they are just stupid.”  I am not sure he thought that out so well, open mouth, insert foot.  White’s response was also a bit more eloquent, stating that “The heavyweights bring that excitement that you’re probably gonna see a knockout but I think this fight, there could be knockouts or submissions. The fight with Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem, these guys have outstruck everyone lately.”

I couldn’t agree more!  With the knockout artist Dos Santos facing the only fighter in combat sports ever to hold simultaneous titles in both MMA and K-1 kickboxing, it is a very tough fight to call.  Dos Santos stated “I am really confident in my hands, I really believe I can knock anyone out,” and with that, I am sure we can expect to see him attempt to take this one home with a KO or TKO.  Overeem on the other hand, is a very versatile fighter as his career history clearly depicts, and with his striking abilities virtually mirroring those of his opponent, I am expecting nothing other than the unexpected.

It will all boil down to who can take more of a beating in the end.  With both the champion and the challenger bringing such raw power to the table, I think both fighters are going to get their chins tested, and  I am expecting nothing less than explosive energy in the octagon.

Photo: MMA Mania

As we saw almost a year ago on March 16, 2011, the Vancouver Canucks once again managed to come back from a 2-0 deficit late in the second period to scoop the Northwest Division title out of the desperate hands of the Colorado Avalanche.  The game started out looking pretty promising for the Avs with a power play goal scored by 19 year old Gabriel Landeskog a mere 1:13 into the first period; however, the young Swede was unable to carry his team through for the big W.

The goal was scored off a pass that came slicing through what appeared to be a sluggish defence by the Nucks, but if you factor in captain Henrik Sedin’s interview given the previous day stating that the team is “Just fine with tight games,” combined with back-up goalie Roberto Luongo’s admission that his speed and performance increase as more shots are taken on net, this defence style may very well have been by design.

Luongo stated in an interview that “For some reason when I get 40 shots, I feel like I’m at my best,” he said. “I keep telling the guys to give me some shots from the outside and we’ll be fine,” and fine he was!  As the game progressed, Luongo rose as a shining star with some very impressive saves against numerous shots and countless rebounds fired back at him, and with the shots on net almost double by the Avalanche, I’d say his theory proved to be a damn fine one.

In what seemed like a virtually effortless comeback for the Canucks, with less than 5 minutes left in the game, Mason Raymond and Chris Higgins sniped a pair of goals only 95 seconds apart to close out the second period and bring Van city back into the game.  From there you could see the fight in the Avalanche as they once again tried to muster enough gusto to take the division title over the Canucks as they held the tie through the third period, bringing the game into OT.

Both teams were crisp and driven in OT, but the Avs were unable to put up enough of a fight as a steal from Jannick Hansen resulted in a haphazard yet effective game winning goal by Higgins.  ”It probably wasn’t the prettiest one, but I got it on net and it went in,” Higgins said in an interview about his third game winning goal of the season.  With this victory cinching their 24th road win, and the team tightening their style of play, I think we can expect a pretty decent showing by the Canucks in the upcoming playoffs.

Notes: Vancouver Sun

UFC 145 was originally slotted for March 24, 2012 at the Bell Centre in Montreal; however, was later pulled due to what some sources claim was an inability on behalf of the UFC to sign a champion for the title fight, and what others refer to as a “scheduling conflict.”  Whatever the real reason the general public will never know, but it is my suspicion that this change was a direct result of GSP’s second knee injury sustained during training in December, 2011.  With GSP being the Canadian poster boy for UFC and a Quebec native, it would be unlikely the fans would be as responsive to a bout showcasing the interim title holder with the true champion sidelined.  That being said, it would be no shock to see GSP face Condit to defend his title at UFC 154 in Montreal, scheduled for November 17, 2012.

We’re all itching to see GSP return to the octagon, but let’s move on to the main fight on the card for the rescheduled event on April 21, 2012: Jones vs. Evans.  It’s no secret that Jones and Evans have a colourful history, but in a recent interview on CSS, Jones claimed that the fight will not be personal, to which Evans mocked him retorting, “Of course it’s going to be personal.”  With the young champion seeming very confident, and taking into account not only his extreme versatility as a fighter, but also the history of the light heavyweight title since Evans first took the belt from Griffin in December, 2008, I think it’s a safe assumption that Jones is going to stomp Evans flat.

Without ever even defending his title, Evans lost the belt to Lyoto Machida on May 23, 2009 after receiving a vicious barrage of strike after strike resulting in a knock out, and reducing Evans to a smudge on the surface of the octagon.  The Dragon then went on to face Mauricio Shogun Rua at UFC 104 in Los Angeles, and won by a questionable and controversial decision which led to the scheduling of an almost immediate re-match.  Shogun answered with amazing force and precision capturing the title with a first round KO, and handing Machida his first defeat as a MMA fighter.  Almost a full year later, Shogun lost the belt to a hungry, young Jon “Bones” Jones in a fight that showcased just how much of MMA powerhouse Jones is, putting him in a league of his own and making Shogun look like an amature.

Putting all this together in the simplest way possible, if Evans was so easily defeated by Machida, and Machida by Shogun and Jones wiped the floor with both The Dragon and the defending light heavyweight champ, what possible chance does Evans stand?  I like a good underdog tale as much as the next person, but unless Evans has been doing some serious training, and has developed skills we have yet to see him bring to the table, I think he stands to get spanked by Jones…and not in a fun way.