Tonight, I learned firsthand how tough it is to fight two different, high-level opponents. While I still don't agree with Greg Jackson saying that 8 days wasn't enough time for Jones to prepare for Sonnen, I now understand why he felt that way. When dealing with high-level opponents, strategy and preparation matter a lot more than size, strength, and speed. I found that out when sparring Jeremy and Sifu Amanda.
Jeremy is swift and strong He is very creative with his striking and combos, hitting from every angle imaginable. I compare his style to that of Anthony Pettis: you never know where the next attack is going to come from.
On the other hand, Sifu Amanda is technical and calculating. She patiently figures out your rhythm before hitting you with accurate, well-timed kicks. I compare her style to that of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua: wherever she aims, she hits. It's that simple.
Against Jeremy, I had the most success when I crowded him and cut off his space, turning the match into more of a brawl. Against Sifu Amanda, I found that it was better for me to keep my distance and counter-strike whenever she went in for the kill. In other words, against Jeremy, I fought like Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, whereas against Sifu Amanda I fought more like Lyoto Machida.
I still have make some adjustments to my fighting style. For example, even though I tired Jeremy out and made the fight more competitive, he still landed more strikes, so I need to improve my defense while in the clinch. When it comes to Sifu Amanda, on the other hand, I need to apply more pressure to break her focus and concentration. One thing is clear: I can't fight Jeremy the same way that I fight Sifu Amanda and vice versa.
Jeremy would run circles around me if I tried to evade and counter-strike, whereas Sifu Amanda would kick me into oblivion if I tried to brawl with her. I could only imagine how hard it would be to adjust for differences between two UFC-level opponents. So when it comes to Greg Jackson, I can definitely empathize with him. While I don't agree with his opinion on that particular event, I do agree with this: it is important to tailor your approach to each individual opponent.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Becoming My Best
As a 28-year-old man, I only have a few more years before my body starts to decline. Due to this, I have decided to become as fit as possible. I now run two miles a day and want to increase it to five by July. I will also focus more on technique, leverage, and my mental fortitude during martial arts practice, so that I can still protect myself and others even after my strength and speed deteriorate. I may not become as great as Anderson Silva or Jon Jones, but I will not rest until I become my absolute best!
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Real-Life Martial Arts: Strike First Or Die
My heart goes out to Ricardo Portillo's family. He was killed for doing his job. Long story short, he was refereeing a soccer game when he gave a player a yellow card. The 17-year-old goalie showed his disapproval by punching Portillo in the head. Portillo wound up in a coma and died yesterday.
This tragedy confirms a universal truth about martial arts: you never wait for your opponent to strike you first. As soon as you perceive a physical threat against yourself, a loved one, or an innocent bystander, you must spring into action. Otherwise, it will be too late.
Obviously, this doesn't mean that you lay the smackdown on everyone who gives you a dirty look. It just means that you prepare for the worst if someone rushes you. Escape should always be the first option. However, if you cannot outrun your assailant, you need to go on the offensive before they put you in the hospital. Or worse, the morgue.
To learn more about this tragic story, click here:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/soccer-referee-punched-player-utah-083224042--spt.html
This tragedy confirms a universal truth about martial arts: you never wait for your opponent to strike you first. As soon as you perceive a physical threat against yourself, a loved one, or an innocent bystander, you must spring into action. Otherwise, it will be too late.
Obviously, this doesn't mean that you lay the smackdown on everyone who gives you a dirty look. It just means that you prepare for the worst if someone rushes you. Escape should always be the first option. However, if you cannot outrun your assailant, you need to go on the offensive before they put you in the hospital. Or worse, the morgue.
To learn more about this tragic story, click here:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/soccer-referee-punched-player-utah-083224042--spt.html
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Burgers & Suds: Our New UFC Hangout
I used to watch UFC events at Duffy's or Applebee's. It worked out because I'd get a decent meal at a decent price, and, on top of that, would get to see a PPV for free. However, Steve told us during training a few weeks back about a place called Burgers & Suds in Fort Lauderdale. He said it was going to be completely dedicated to UFC and that the food was amazing. So everyone from Team Elite went there to watch UFC 159, where the lamb burger changed EVERYTHING!
Sheep are going to be an endangered species soon, because that burger was phenomenal. It was so fresh that Mary probably just noticed that her little lamb was missing. That, along with the strawberry basil lemonade, would have made me a regular. However, the staff and owner were also very friendly and gave us great service. They basically let us take over their outdoor area and even allowed us to put up our Elite Krav Maga Academy banner. I honestly felt more like I was at a barbecue at a friend's house than at a restaurant. Only, none of my friends are creative enough to make lamb burgers. Also, the raspberry smoothie I had was a real fruit smoothie. I wasn't bouncing off the walls from a concoction that was half-refined sugar. So if you love UFC and great food, this is the place for you. My friends and I will definitely be there every UFC event, keeping the sheep population under control.
Sheep are going to be an endangered species soon, because that burger was phenomenal. It was so fresh that Mary probably just noticed that her little lamb was missing. That, along with the strawberry basil lemonade, would have made me a regular. However, the staff and owner were also very friendly and gave us great service. They basically let us take over their outdoor area and even allowed us to put up our Elite Krav Maga Academy banner. I honestly felt more like I was at a barbecue at a friend's house than at a restaurant. Only, none of my friends are creative enough to make lamb burgers. Also, the raspberry smoothie I had was a real fruit smoothie. I wasn't bouncing off the walls from a concoction that was half-refined sugar. So if you love UFC and great food, this is the place for you. My friends and I will definitely be there every UFC event, keeping the sheep population under control.
UFC 159: Small Joint Injury And Eye Poke Madness!
UFC 159 was a crazy night of eye pokes, a dislocated thumb, and a sliced toe. Not to mention the bizarre stoppage of Villante vs. St. Preux in the prelims. I know that referees aren't perfect, but that call was ridiculous. At any rate, the fights were still pretty good overall, and here is my perspective on them:
McMann vs. Gaff: McMann continued her undefeated streak by taking Gaff down, getting a mounted crucifix, and pounding her face into the canvas. We're one match closer to an Olympian vs. Olympian superfight! Rousey has Zingano next, and I would love to see McMann tested against someone like Sarah Kaufman before the two medalists face each other.
Khabilov vs. Medeiros: Sambo is back! I predicted the winner of this match at Burgers & Suds, but the means of winning was disappointing. The referee stopped the fight after Medeiros dislocated his thumb trying to stop one of three takedowns. Now, I'm all for fighter preservation, but:
1) Cerrone was able to stand toe-to-toe with Nate Diaz with a broken jaw
2) Faber battled Mike Brown with two injured hands in WEC
3) Hendricks was able to beat Condit after breaking his left hand on "The Natural Born Killer's" jaw
In light of those circumstances, a guy should be allowed to finish a bout if all that he has is a broken thumb. Nonetheless, I look forward to seeing more of Khabilov. I don't think he'll become the next Fedor Emelianenko, but he is definitely a good prospect.
Miller vs. Healy: Don't mess with the Irish! This awesome back-and-forth grappling battle ended with Healy making Miller "go night-night" with a rear naked choke in the third round. I had it even between those two going into the final round and was certain that it was going to be a draw. At any rate, with monsters like these guys to contend with, Benson Henderson will have a hard time beating Anderson Silva's records.
Davis vs. Magalhaes: So much for the spectacular grappling war I had envisioned. Davis opted for a smarter option: picking Magalhaes apart with jabs and one-two combinations in a standup duel. He even mocked Magalhaes in Round 3 by spanking him with his foot when his opponent pulled guard. From a technical perspective, it was a great fight. So of course, all the loudmouths who wanted to see a Street Fighter-esque KO booed the entire time.
Nelson vs. Kongo: After one wild ridgehand and a right to the face on the ground, Kongo was out. It was so quick that I missed it and had to watch the replay. Nelson called out the winner of UFC 160 and I do hope that he gets a title shot one day. However, I don't think that Dana White will let him leapfrog the winner of Hunt vs. Dos Santos. Maybe if Nelson loses his next match and gets a drug suspension, he'll be allowed to cut in line.
Bisping vs. Belcher: Not to be too critical of Bisping, but he seriously needs a new strength training regimen. There's no reason that Belcher should have made it into Round 3 with "The Count" hitting him from every known angle in mathematics. Nonetheless, the five-time British national kickboxing champion had that match won long before the nastiest eye poke which I have ever seen. Belcher got it right in his surgically-repaired eye. Suffice it to say that it was bloody and gruesome. Bisping was apologetic and tried to be classy at the end of the match. As far as Belcher goes...I just hope he'll be alright!
Jones vs. Sonnen: Jones finally redeemed himself for UFC 151, and Sonnen went out on his shield in spite of being completely overmatched. As he stated during the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Jones wanted to "Chael Sonnen Chael Sonnen" and he succeeded. He used Sonnen's own strategy against him, taking him down and smothering him while pummeling his face with strikes. Sonnen tried his best to fight back with punches and knees in the clinch, but he was simply overpowered. At the end of the first round, Jones kneed him in the body and finished him with elbows and punches against the cage.
In a bizarre twist, Jones managed to break his toe at the end of the fight. You could literally see the bone! He toughed it out and gave the interview anyway, but he looked like he was going to go into shock and faint. Sonnen gave respect where it was due, saying that Jones was the man and that the champ was the better fighter that night. While Sonnen said he would think about what he would do next, he realized that this was probably going to be his last title shot. At any rate, after stepping up like this, and his outstanding skills at promoting/commentary, I'm pretty sure that Dana White is going to keep him around. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Sonnen went home to find a six-figure contract for a marketing position at the UFC in his inbox. Meanwhile, Jones has regained my respect, and I can now enjoy watching him dominate people in the light heavyweight division again.
McMann vs. Gaff: McMann continued her undefeated streak by taking Gaff down, getting a mounted crucifix, and pounding her face into the canvas. We're one match closer to an Olympian vs. Olympian superfight! Rousey has Zingano next, and I would love to see McMann tested against someone like Sarah Kaufman before the two medalists face each other.
Khabilov vs. Medeiros: Sambo is back! I predicted the winner of this match at Burgers & Suds, but the means of winning was disappointing. The referee stopped the fight after Medeiros dislocated his thumb trying to stop one of three takedowns. Now, I'm all for fighter preservation, but:
1) Cerrone was able to stand toe-to-toe with Nate Diaz with a broken jaw
2) Faber battled Mike Brown with two injured hands in WEC
3) Hendricks was able to beat Condit after breaking his left hand on "The Natural Born Killer's" jaw
In light of those circumstances, a guy should be allowed to finish a bout if all that he has is a broken thumb. Nonetheless, I look forward to seeing more of Khabilov. I don't think he'll become the next Fedor Emelianenko, but he is definitely a good prospect.
Miller vs. Healy: Don't mess with the Irish! This awesome back-and-forth grappling battle ended with Healy making Miller "go night-night" with a rear naked choke in the third round. I had it even between those two going into the final round and was certain that it was going to be a draw. At any rate, with monsters like these guys to contend with, Benson Henderson will have a hard time beating Anderson Silva's records.
Davis vs. Magalhaes: So much for the spectacular grappling war I had envisioned. Davis opted for a smarter option: picking Magalhaes apart with jabs and one-two combinations in a standup duel. He even mocked Magalhaes in Round 3 by spanking him with his foot when his opponent pulled guard. From a technical perspective, it was a great fight. So of course, all the loudmouths who wanted to see a Street Fighter-esque KO booed the entire time.
Nelson vs. Kongo: After one wild ridgehand and a right to the face on the ground, Kongo was out. It was so quick that I missed it and had to watch the replay. Nelson called out the winner of UFC 160 and I do hope that he gets a title shot one day. However, I don't think that Dana White will let him leapfrog the winner of Hunt vs. Dos Santos. Maybe if Nelson loses his next match and gets a drug suspension, he'll be allowed to cut in line.
Bisping vs. Belcher: Not to be too critical of Bisping, but he seriously needs a new strength training regimen. There's no reason that Belcher should have made it into Round 3 with "The Count" hitting him from every known angle in mathematics. Nonetheless, the five-time British national kickboxing champion had that match won long before the nastiest eye poke which I have ever seen. Belcher got it right in his surgically-repaired eye. Suffice it to say that it was bloody and gruesome. Bisping was apologetic and tried to be classy at the end of the match. As far as Belcher goes...I just hope he'll be alright!
Jones vs. Sonnen: Jones finally redeemed himself for UFC 151, and Sonnen went out on his shield in spite of being completely overmatched. As he stated during the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Jones wanted to "Chael Sonnen Chael Sonnen" and he succeeded. He used Sonnen's own strategy against him, taking him down and smothering him while pummeling his face with strikes. Sonnen tried his best to fight back with punches and knees in the clinch, but he was simply overpowered. At the end of the first round, Jones kneed him in the body and finished him with elbows and punches against the cage.
In a bizarre twist, Jones managed to break his toe at the end of the fight. You could literally see the bone! He toughed it out and gave the interview anyway, but he looked like he was going to go into shock and faint. Sonnen gave respect where it was due, saying that Jones was the man and that the champ was the better fighter that night. While Sonnen said he would think about what he would do next, he realized that this was probably going to be his last title shot. At any rate, after stepping up like this, and his outstanding skills at promoting/commentary, I'm pretty sure that Dana White is going to keep him around. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Sonnen went home to find a six-figure contract for a marketing position at the UFC in his inbox. Meanwhile, Jones has regained my respect, and I can now enjoy watching him dominate people in the light heavyweight division again.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
My UFC 159 Predictions
Finally, Jones' time for redemption has come! This card is strong overall, but I'm really looking forward to see Chael Sonnen go out on his shield and Jon Jones finally doing what he should have done at UFC 151. This event will bring closure to that whole fiasco and let everyone move on. Here are my predictions for tonight's fight.
Bonus prediction: McMann vs. Gaff
I generally don't predict prelim bouts, but I'll make an exception for McMann. Ronda Rousey is the Muhammad Ali of Women's MMA. She is extremely talented, good-looking, and entertaining. At the same time, like her black boxing counterpart, she really overdoes it on the trash-talk. For that reason, I can't wait until someone beats some respect into her and my gut tells me that that person is McMann. McMann is humble and soft-spoken and also comes from an Olympic background. I believe she will take out Gaff en route to being the Joe Frazier that finally knocks Rousey off her high horse.
Winner: McMann by KO in Round 2.
Miller vs. Healy: I saw Miller and Lauzon burn down the house at UFC 155. On a six-fight win streak, Healy is no pushover, but I see Miller hanging in there for another decision.
Winner: Miller via decision
Davis vs. Magalhaes: These guys are both such great grapplers that I don't see either man submitting the other. On paper, Davis is more impressive with his sole professional loss being to Rashad Evans. However, my gut tells me that Magalhaes is going to pull an upset.
Winner: Magalhaes by decision
Nelson vs. Kongo: This is a no-brainer. Kongo is a decent heavyweight, but Nelson is on a whole new level. I see a knockout by Round 2 at the latest.
Winner: Nelson by KO in Round 2.
Bisping vs. Belcher: Normally, I wouldn't pick against "The Count." Even after his KO loss to Belfort, Bisping is one of the middleweight division's elite gatekeepers. That being said, Belcher is a lot better than he has been given credit for. In addition, his skills have improved, in spite of that decision loss to Yushin Okami. One of these guys is going to bounce back in this fight and in my opinion, it's going to be Belcher.
Winner: Belcher by decision.
Jones vs. Sonnen: I'm going to be rooting for "The American Gangster" all the way. I personally feel that he will be the first man to put the light heavyweight king on his back. Nonetheless, Jones has an insane amount of talent and an unbelievable work ethic. One day, a man is going to rise up who will defeat Jones (for real - sorry Matt Hamill). However, I don't believe that man will be Chael Sonnen.
Winner: Jones by submission in Round 3.
Bonus prediction: McMann vs. Gaff
I generally don't predict prelim bouts, but I'll make an exception for McMann. Ronda Rousey is the Muhammad Ali of Women's MMA. She is extremely talented, good-looking, and entertaining. At the same time, like her black boxing counterpart, she really overdoes it on the trash-talk. For that reason, I can't wait until someone beats some respect into her and my gut tells me that that person is McMann. McMann is humble and soft-spoken and also comes from an Olympic background. I believe she will take out Gaff en route to being the Joe Frazier that finally knocks Rousey off her high horse.
Winner: McMann by KO in Round 2.
Miller vs. Healy: I saw Miller and Lauzon burn down the house at UFC 155. On a six-fight win streak, Healy is no pushover, but I see Miller hanging in there for another decision.
Winner: Miller via decision
Davis vs. Magalhaes: These guys are both such great grapplers that I don't see either man submitting the other. On paper, Davis is more impressive with his sole professional loss being to Rashad Evans. However, my gut tells me that Magalhaes is going to pull an upset.
Winner: Magalhaes by decision
Nelson vs. Kongo: This is a no-brainer. Kongo is a decent heavyweight, but Nelson is on a whole new level. I see a knockout by Round 2 at the latest.
Winner: Nelson by KO in Round 2.
Bisping vs. Belcher: Normally, I wouldn't pick against "The Count." Even after his KO loss to Belfort, Bisping is one of the middleweight division's elite gatekeepers. That being said, Belcher is a lot better than he has been given credit for. In addition, his skills have improved, in spite of that decision loss to Yushin Okami. One of these guys is going to bounce back in this fight and in my opinion, it's going to be Belcher.
Winner: Belcher by decision.
Jones vs. Sonnen: I'm going to be rooting for "The American Gangster" all the way. I personally feel that he will be the first man to put the light heavyweight king on his back. Nonetheless, Jones has an insane amount of talent and an unbelievable work ethic. One day, a man is going to rise up who will defeat Jones (for real - sorry Matt Hamill). However, I don't believe that man will be Chael Sonnen.
Winner: Jones by submission in Round 3.
Was The UFC 151 Debacle Completely Jones' Fault?
On the eve of UFC 159, I took some time to reflect on the most infamous event in UFC history: the cancellation of UFC 151. For those of you who don't know what happened, Jon Jones was scheduled to defend his title against Dan Henderson at UFC 151. Dan Henderson got injured and, after many light heavyweight contenders turned the fight down, Dana White called Chael Sonnen, who stepped up and agreed to take the fight. In an ironic twist, Jon Jones backed out, claiming that eight days wasn't enough to prepare for a new opponent. Long story short, the event was cancelled, we witnessed the craziest public meltdown by a corporate president in recent history, and the internet jumped on the "Chicken Bones Jones" hate train. You know you've screwed up big when Sonnen, the biggest heel in MMA, comes out looking like the good guy.
Now, I'll admit, I was on the hater wagon with everyone else. Like Joe Rogan, I couldn't understand why the most phenomenal young MMA fighter around would be afraid to fight a 35-year-old 185-pounder. However, now that I think about it, I don't think that fear was the motivation. After all, Jones did say he was willing to face Sonnen at UFC 152. Looking back, it seems like a decision motivated more by selfishness and immaturity than anything else. I don't buy the whole "but it's a completely different guy argument" because so many factors were in Jones favor (his youth, his dominance in a higher weight class, a two month lead in training, the psychological boost from overcoming his rival and former big brother figure Rashad Evans vs. Sonnen's psychological thrashing from blowing his final chance to dethrone Anderson Silva) that they would have negated the inconvenience of changing his strategy.
Nonetheless, although I still think that Jones made a poor decision, I do not believe that he is responsible for the event being cancelled. I don't believe that Greg Jackson is responsible for the event being cancelled, nor do I believe he deserved all the hate that he received for simply voicing his opinion when asked. I don't even believe that Dan Henderson is responsible for the event being cancelled, although I do believe that his decision to hide his injury was just as selfish and damaging as Jones' decision to turn down Sonnen. I believe that the event being cancelled has more to do with Dana White letting his emotions get the better of him than anything else.
In all honesty, if I was in his position, I would have probably flipped out, too. In my personal opinion, a champion backing out of a fight when he is in shape and ready to go is completely inexcusable. However, I would not have cancelled the event. I would have offered to make the bout a non-title match and, if Jones had still refused, I would have stripped him of the belt. That would have been better than throwing a temper tantrum and punishing the rest of the MMA community for one young man's lack of maturity.
Nonetheless, both White and Jones have tried to make amends with this season of "The Ultimate Fighter" and tomorrow's event. In doing so, they have taken steps to regain the respect of the MMA community. Will people still remember UFC 151? Yes. However, they will also remember how White and Jones, like Chael, stepped up for "The Ultimate Fighter" and UFC 159.
Now, I'll admit, I was on the hater wagon with everyone else. Like Joe Rogan, I couldn't understand why the most phenomenal young MMA fighter around would be afraid to fight a 35-year-old 185-pounder. However, now that I think about it, I don't think that fear was the motivation. After all, Jones did say he was willing to face Sonnen at UFC 152. Looking back, it seems like a decision motivated more by selfishness and immaturity than anything else. I don't buy the whole "but it's a completely different guy argument" because so many factors were in Jones favor (his youth, his dominance in a higher weight class, a two month lead in training, the psychological boost from overcoming his rival and former big brother figure Rashad Evans vs. Sonnen's psychological thrashing from blowing his final chance to dethrone Anderson Silva) that they would have negated the inconvenience of changing his strategy.
Nonetheless, although I still think that Jones made a poor decision, I do not believe that he is responsible for the event being cancelled. I don't believe that Greg Jackson is responsible for the event being cancelled, nor do I believe he deserved all the hate that he received for simply voicing his opinion when asked. I don't even believe that Dan Henderson is responsible for the event being cancelled, although I do believe that his decision to hide his injury was just as selfish and damaging as Jones' decision to turn down Sonnen. I believe that the event being cancelled has more to do with Dana White letting his emotions get the better of him than anything else.
In all honesty, if I was in his position, I would have probably flipped out, too. In my personal opinion, a champion backing out of a fight when he is in shape and ready to go is completely inexcusable. However, I would not have cancelled the event. I would have offered to make the bout a non-title match and, if Jones had still refused, I would have stripped him of the belt. That would have been better than throwing a temper tantrum and punishing the rest of the MMA community for one young man's lack of maturity.
Nonetheless, both White and Jones have tried to make amends with this season of "The Ultimate Fighter" and tomorrow's event. In doing so, they have taken steps to regain the respect of the MMA community. Will people still remember UFC 151? Yes. However, they will also remember how White and Jones, like Chael, stepped up for "The Ultimate Fighter" and UFC 159.
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