Over Halfway Done!

I'm over halfway done with Version 6.0 of  "Black Swan Origins: Nineveh."  It's about twice as good as Version 5.0 and I can't wait to see how it turns out.  The Protector's best friend is growing in leaps and bounds, as well as another character who lacks integrity and courage.  I also added some more information about what the male gangs are doing during the story.  They can't interfere directly due to strict codes of conduct that the students of Nineveh have given themselves, but they still exert a lot of influence.
 
I'm very strong when it comes to English grammar and spelling.  However, even if I decide to self-publish in an e-book format, I'm still going to have several editors look at it.  Constructive feedback is invaluable because very often, when we spend so much time on our work, we miss some flaws due to the fact that we are so familiar with them that they don't stand out anymore.  A fresh pair of eyes is always beneficial, and if I decide to go the self-publishing route, I will ask the authors whom I've met on Twitter about which editors they recommend.  

Can Belfort Dethrone Jones?

Alright, so for all of you who haven't heard all the chaos going on in the UFC, Machida bowed out of fighting Jones at UFC 152 and now Vitor Belfort will be facing the light heavyweight champion in the main event.  I'm not sure why Sonnen got skipped over, but I've always liked Belfort more.  He has always come across as respectful and kind, and is a genuine Christian.  The only question is whether or not he has what it takes to defeat Jones.  I think that he does.  He's definitely the underdog, but if he works hard and fights smart, he'll be able to pull off the upset and take away the title that Jones no longer deserves to have.  I will be hoping and praying that David defeats Goliath at UFC 152. 

On a side note, I think that Dana White's decision to cancel UFC 151 completely was a bit of an overreaction.  I still look up to the UFC's president and am just as upset at Jones as he is.  That being said, I still think that the other fighters could have put on good matches without Jones.  I'm also curious to know why Jones was even given the option of turning down the match.  If I was the UFC's president, I would have told Jones that if he didn't want to fight, I would take away his belt.  However, I'm sure that Jones will still feel White's wrath one way or another. 

At any rate, I am glad to see that Belfort is getting another title shot.  He has already shown himself to be a better man than Jones and I hope that he puts on the exclamation point by proving that he's the better fighter.  

Jon Jones Needs To Man Up!

I was completely shocked to find out that UFC 151 was cancelled today.  Basically, Dan Henderson injured his knee, and Dana White called and asked other fighters for a sub.  The only one man enough to do it was Chael Sonnen.  However, for some inexplicable reason, Jones turned down the fight!  Seriously?!  What is going on here?  You are the second greatest MMA fighter alive and you duck a perpetual contender in his mid-thirties?  I'm no Chael Sonnen fan, but at least the guy is willing to put his money where his mouth is and take on all comers.  This has caused me to gain a lot of respect for him, especially since, due to the fact that his first light heavyweight fight in YEARS wasn't scheduled until December, he stepped up to challenge one of the most feared champions in the UFC while being at a severe disadvantage.  As far as Jones goes, the guy was starting to grow on me, but after this, not so much.  He needs to learn that to be a true champion, you need more than just talent.  You need maturity, respect, honor, and courage.  None of his actions displayed those traits in this scenario.  Can he regain the respect of the UFC and the fans after this?  Possibly.  But he's really going to have to prove himself after this fiasco.

Check out the first link for the full story.  The second link shows how other fighters reacted to what happened on Twitter.  In particular, take note of what Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping had to say.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mma--dan-henderson-out-of-ufc-151--jon-jones-turns-down-chael-sonnen-as-replacement.html

http://www.mmafighting.com/2012/8/23/3263256/pros-react-dan-henderson-injury-jon-jones-turn-down-chael-sonnen-ufc-151-cancelled/in/3027496

Alright, Ronda, I Tap! I Tap!

After reading about the results of Rousey vs. Kaufman, I discovered that I was dead wrong.  Rousey appears to have completely dominated the veteran Kaufman in 54 seconds.  It looks like she is going to be champion for a while and that Dana White is going to use her to promote the heck out of women's MMA!  Woohoo!  I will never doubt her again (I love my arm too much).  For the results, click the link below.  In the meantime, I'm going to try to make friends who have Showtime so that I can see her matches in the future.

http://www.ufc.com/news/strikeforce-rousey-vs-kaufman-main-card-results

Rousey vs. Kaufman: My Prediction

Unfortunately, I will not be able to see the most important fight in female MMA history because I don't have Showtime and neither Duffy's nor Applebees show Strikeforce fights.  However, I still want to make a prediction.  I love Ronda Rousey and hope that she retains her title, since she is doing a great job of convincing Dana White to give more exposure to women's MMA.  However, deep in my gut, I feel that Kaufman is going to end her undefeated streak.  Kaufman has more experience and has already been submitted via one armbar by Marloes Coenen, so she has probably worked her butt off to protect against that maneuver.  She also has phenomenal striking, and if Rousey gets knocked out before she can grab a hold of her, none of her judo training is going to be particularly helpful.  Rousey is a tough girl, so this will probably last until Round 3.  That being said, I see Kaufman getting the knockout late in that round.

On another note, a lot of Rousey haters think she has gotten an unfair push because she is beautiful.  Is this possible? I suppose.  However, none of her professional fights have lasted more than one round, including her submission of the previous champion Miesha Tate, so that would be a tough case to make.  If she kept getting title shots after consistently losing in championship fights, then you could say that she was getting preferential treatment.  But for now, she is undefeated, so the haters need to quit bellyaching and get a life.  In the meantime, I need to make friends with people who have Showtime while I wait for the glorious day that women can fight in the UFC.

Made It To Chapter 15!

I have made it to Chapter 15 in "Black Swan Origins: Nineveh."  I managed to find a way to put krakens into the story.  In the earlier drafts, I focused on plot and character.  However, in this draft, I am really having some fun by throwing in some monsters and magic.  My proofreaders will let me know if I go too over-the-top, but right now, I am pushing the limit.

Nineveh Academy is supposed to be the most hellish school on the planet, and I am not holding back.  Obviously, I'm not going to be gratuitous.  That being said, the reader is definitely going to wonder how any of these children can survive the spirits, beasts, and the most dangerous monsters within the walls: each other. 

Becoming A Bleeping Fighter At Nineveh Academy

I've spent the past couple of days figuring out how the fighting system at Nineveh Academy works.  The school has thousands of children, so I needed to create a practical way for the judges and teachers to select and train them for fighting tournaments.  Since these are the elite warriors of the school, the fights aren't free-for-alls like the trials.  There are rules (i.e. no biting, hair-pulling, etc.) to ensure that the cream of the Yangvaadan crop don't get maimed.  Also, the winners of these competitions get rewards which make survival much easier.  That's why there is a lot of corruption, politics, and outright cheating involved, which will be covered in more detail in the novel. 

I also wrote a little bit about Maxine Njalsdottir's notable opponents.  If Nineveh was the UFC, then Maxine would be a female Anderson Silva.  She is THE girl to beat and habitually humiliates all of her foes.  Cassandra would be a female Jon Jones: a young, athletic phenom who no one can figure out.  Will these two clash in their own superfight?  We'll find out soon enough.