Patrick Cote did something that no other fighter had been able to do in the UFC. He took the pound for pound best fighter in the world into the 3rd round of their title fight at UFC 90. Funny how great that would sound to the person that missed out on the fight, or hasn’t watched it yet. The real story of the fight is much different than the above catch line that many authors will write. Anderson Silva looked far from impressive. He looked better hitting pads on TUF than he did in the cage against Cote. At times he seemed like he was auditioning for the next season of Dancing with the Stars or doing his best Ali impression. Unfortunately to ever Silva fan around the world there was plently of floating like a butterfly but not much stinging like a bee, and the victory was actually very awkward. Cote’s knee buckled in what appears to be a serious injury, possibly to the ACL, LCL, or both. The unusual movement outward definitely is the sign of trouble in the knee.

The knee of Cote may have stopped the fight but it may have also stopped some of the slaughter that Silva had coming his way. For the first time in his UFC tenure Silva was part of a boring fight. The boo birds were out in force and the fans let him know how they felt. There are several different theories around the Internet on why the fight was the way it was. The remaining EliteXC fans are calling it rigged, others are saying Silva fought for real, and some even think that the UFC wanted to promote Cote as a true contender (could he really beat Henderson, Franklin, or Bisping?)

Read the full story

This animated gif tells all. Watch Patrick Cote’s right knee in two different parts of his fight against Anderson Silva. Will he be back to fight? Only time will tell.

The gif is after the jump and it’s a pretty big file.

Read the full story

Why? You name the last person to make it into the third round with Anderson Silva. I’ll help you out - It was Ryo Chonan back in Silva’s Pride days. He also lost via a flying heel hook in that very round. Before that, Silva had only won via decision if the fight made it past round two. Now, I’ll be realistic here as well; things have changed and I’m not going to base my argument on MMA math.

For those who thought that the UFC told Silva to wait it out and not kill Cote in the first round:  Isn’t that asking Silva to fix the outcome of the fight? Isn’t that what got Seth Petruzelli and EliteXC into deep trouble just a couple weeks ago? I doubt anyone would ‘fess up and I doubt Anderson Silva would allow someone else to tell him how to fight. But, who knows in this crazy world of MMA these days.

Back to last night’s fight - I’m not saying that Cote was winning the fight or that Silva wasn’t feeling his opponent out. But there are a couple of questions to be answered. Why didn’t Silva end the fight earlier if he thought he could? Cote wasn’t going to make the same mistakes as James Irvin and suffer a KO in the first 30 seconds of the fight. Why didn’t the fight end on the ground when Anderson was in Cote’s guard? Everyone said that Cote had zero ground game. The fact of the matter here is that Anderson Silva didn’t find a way to “kill Patrick Cote via KO” in the first round like we all expected and because Cote was able to survive where many, including ex-Pride middleweight and light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson, failed.

I would like to see some answers without the rampant back and forth forum posts about who “would have” won last nights fight. I want to see someone win this fight. There’s a rematch that needs to happen in 2009 and this fight is it. Yushim Okami may just have to wait. And we’re waiting, at least give Cote a shirt that says “I made it past the second round with Anderson Silva!”

First are a couple of the interesting undercard fights.
Thales Leites vs. Drew McFedries
Matt Horowich vs. Dan Miller

And the main card fights!
Anderson Silva vs. Patrick Cote
Josh Koscheck vs. Thiago Alves
Fabricio Werdum vs. Junior Dos Santos
Rich Clementi vs. Gray Maynard
Sean Sherk vs. Tyson Griffin

In the wake of Big John leaving the reffing world, someone has to fill the void covering the ever important title fights. The big names, of course, are Mario Yamasaki and Steve Mazzagatti. It looks like Mazzagatti, though, will not be the referee at the title fight between Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar.

Lesnar’s representatives have attacked Mazzagatti’s impartiality to the case on the basis that Mazzagatti has given Brock Lesnar a point deduction for striking to the back of the head in the fight with Frank Mir.

I have to say that apart from the attack on Mazzagatti’s impartiality, which is both unwarranted and stupid, is based on what is absolutely not a controversial decision, what is most incredible to me is this notion that Mazzagatti would be impartial and that there would be a controversy because of a call he made.

Herb Dean is a different story, as Dean has been known to step in a little early, but this notion that a lone call by a referee, that had no significant impact on the fight (though people would argue that the standup was what gave Mir the opportunity to win, he would have caught that submission with any opening that he got), will create a stir.

Obviously they are trying to give Brock Lesnar the same defense that Ken Shamrock had going into the third fight with Tito; the “oh, that loss doesn’t count” defense. It doesn’t matter, though, as it’s not like Lesnar will be recognized as a legitimate contender after the tournament.

Josh Stein and Brandt DeLorenzo discuss the results of UFC 89, predictions of UFC 90, and some thoughts regarding EliteXC closing up shop. This is the seventh episode of the MMA Opinion “Opinionated” podcast.

To listen to the podcast, you may subscribe to the Opinionated podcast in iTunes, download it using the link below, or stream the audio by clicking the link. Please leave some comments about the topics and let us know what you want to hear. We hope to have more guests on our next shows along with some podcasts immediately following live events.

(To listen to file without downloading it, click the play button on the audio player)

 

 MMA Opinion "Opinionated" Podcast - Episode 7 [42:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (66)

Thiago Alves is one of the most devastating fighters in the welterweight division. There’s just one problem: Thiago Alves isn’t a welterweight.

The more you listen to commentators like Joe Rogan talk about his future in the division, you constantly hear them refer back to the Brazilian’s size. Perhaps, though, they shouldn’t be reminding everyone how big he is, because it’s presented a huge problem for Alves.

There is no doubt that Alves is a huge welterweight, and there have been times when he can make the weight, but there have also been moments where that hasn’t been the case.

We first saw that happen when he fought Tony D’Souza and tested positive for spironolactone.

However, as Rogan pointed out in the most recent commentary up on the UFC site, over the upcoming fight between Alves and Josh Koscheck, Alves seems to be getting bigger every time he fights.

Obviously, Thiago was bigger in his fight with Matt Hughes, because he failed to make weight. He may blame that on an ankle injury, but, honestly, he could have lost that weight on an elliptical or a bike that took the pressure off of his ankle. It comes down to the fact that (a) he didn’t adequately prepare for the weight cut or (b) he has gotten to the point where he’s having more trouble cutting weight.

Read the full story

Alright, the UFC 90 predictions are up.

MMA New Update for October 20, 2008-

- Cincinnati/Kentucky area fight org. MMA Big Show has started on TV as of midnight Saturday on the Cin CW. The network says viewership has been good and has pledged to begin actively promoting it. The next big show the network will air is MMABS’s “Relentless” November event.

- Word this week has come from the UFC they are targeting two International cities for 2009. Dublin in January for UFC 93 and the Philippines sometime else in the year as stated during the UFC 89 broadcast.  While, another UK show is being speculated as perhaps the venue of the finals of the TUF 9 UK vs. USA series or for the PPV event at the end of the show evidently featuring Michael Bisping. 

Stateside, two more locations where outed as additional spots for ‘09 events The Boston Herald has reported the UFC hopes legislation will be in place in time for a third quarter 2009 show. And regional website www.cleveland.com sport’s coverage leaked tentative plans for a 3rd annual return to Columbus and The Nationwide Arena on March 7th 2009. That show will once again coincide with the Arnold Classic event, where the UFC usually has a strong presence with fighter appearances, special events, and a massive promotion booth.  As of now the 3/7 show would be numbered UFC 95 and early speculation is that the UFC may headline it with Columbus native and UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman vs. Brock Lesnar, in a fight that was cancelled from August.

- The TUF 9 open casting call in London on Monday drew a record number of fighters. Over 200 people came to tryout, which completely eclipsed the mere 30 for the TUF 3 auditions.  

- In retirement news, fan favorite Jason “Mayhem” Miller has reportedly put his MMA career on ice for now. Although, he says he will still remain apart of the MMA world. And new Playboy covergirl Rachelle Leah will come out of retirement from her former job for one last spin around the octagon at this weekend’s UFC 90 in Chicago.

- Some big Strikeforce fights have just been revealed, the company will look to match-up Phil Baroni and Duane Ludwig in the beginning of ‘09. They’ll also feature the rematch of the highly praised UFC 49 fight of their current LW champion Josh Thomson and the only man to ever beat him Yves Edwards. Thomson/Edwards 2 will take place at Strikeforce “Destruction” November 21st in San Jose, CA.

- Brock Lesnar will be featured on ESPN’s version of 60 Minutes “E:60″ tomorrow to promote UFC 91. The broadcast will also repeat at additional various times throughout the week.

Hope you guys enjoy it.

I will be putting up my thoughts on UFC 90 at some point later this week, probably tomorrow, since the video is already done.

Josh Stein and Curtis Clontz discuss upcoming and back to back UFC events - UFC 89 and UFC 90. This is the sixth episode of the MMA Opinion “Opinionated” podcast.

To listen to the podcast, you may subscribe to the Opinionated podcast in iTunes, download it using the link below, or stream the audio by clicking the link. Please leave some comments about the topics and let us know what you want to hear. We hope to have more guests on our next shows along with some podcasts immediately following live events.

(To listen to file without downloading it, click the play button on the audio player)

 

 MMA Opinion "Opinionated" Podcast - Episode 6 [36:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (65)

It looks like my two favorite UFC heavyweights will be appearing on the UFC 90 card, in what seems to be the brass’ attempt to show us a decent heavyweight contender.

Those two fighters: Fabricio Werdum and Cain Velasquez.

But they are not fighting each other. Velasquez will be fighting my fifth favorite (behind Mir and Nogueira, and trust me, that division is not that hard to organize), Antoni Hardonk.

Werdum will be fighting the new recruit and giant talent Junior Dos Santos. However, I don’t think that Dos Santos is quite at the level of Werdum on the ground, and so I’m looking at Werdum to take this one and establish himself a solid top contender.

Anyway, it’s about damn time. The only real issue is that on the four cards between now and then we will only be seeing three other bouts: Brock Lesnar vs. Heath Herring, Kongo vs. Evenson and Shane Carwin vs. Neil Wain.