The Juggernaut MMA News Report 12.02.09: Roy Nelson is TUF

Posted by Jonathan Solomon on 12.02.2009

The Juggernaut previews the TUF 10 finale and who will be the next big UFC heavyweight contender. Plus news on UFC 109 including a Hall of Fame fight, Belfort/Marquardt and a rematch for Josh Koscheck. And is Nick Diaz the Rosa Parks of MMA?



ULTIMATE FIGHTER 10 FINALE

This season flew by as here we are, days away from the live finale on Spike. The actual TUF finalists are not known yet as the final two episodes will air this evening. Besides the fight to decide the six-figure contract winner, three other fights are confirmed. In the main event, Matt Hamill fights Jon Jones, Frank Edgar will take on Matt Veach and in his UFC debut, Kimbo Slice will fight Houston Alexander. Oh yeah~!

Before we get to the known fights on the card, I will say I would be SHOCKED if Roy Nelson does not win the ultimate contract. Certainly Dana White does not think highly of Nelson but that only makes it interesting. In the past, the talk was the reason Nelson wasn't in the UFC was because of his look. Well, he's on the verge of becoming a mainstay in the company and his look has nothing to do with it, one way or the other. This may be the first time since Matt Serra won his season of TUF that a winner can go on and immediately become a factor in the UFC. Even success stories like Diego Sanchez, Forrest Griffin and Michael Bisping took some time before they really became factors in their respective weight classes (two of the three have dropped a weight class, too).

The "ringer" of the season will be victorious.


Now let's talk about the fights we do know are happening.

In the main event, an intriguing light heavyweight fight pits a pair of wrestlers against each other. You know what that means, this will be all standing. Matt Hamill steps into the cage for the first time isnce his knockout win over Mark Munoz in March. Since Hamill lot to Rich Franklin last year, he is 2-0. Jonathan Jones will take his perfect 9-0 record into the octagon for the first time since his submitted Jake O'Brien at UFC 100.

Needless to say, both men are skilled on the ground. Jones was a national JUCO wrestling champion and Hamill (who is 11 years' Jones' elder) was a three-time NCAA Div-3 national wrestling champion.

Ironically, Hamill has relied recently on his striking skills. It seemed as if ever since his infamous fight with Michael Bisping (over two-years ago), Hamill has thrown out his powerful wrestling and instead relied upon his hands and feet. You hate to argue against success because he fought Munoz who was a successful Div-1 collegiate wrestler and knocked him out with a head kick. Why change what works?

Jon Jones is not your average fighter. While a successful amateur wrestler, he was able to teach himself striking maneuvers by watching YouTube. In fact, I recall reading how he continues to scour the video site to look for new moves he can use in an MMA fight. Now that's cool. We will have to see whether he employs any flashy new moves in the cage. What may not be so flashy but more just speed will be Jones' striking. It's very likely that Jones will be the fastest striker Hamill will fight (including Franklin and Bisping).

The wrestling will likely cancel itself out, leaving both men to win using their boxing. I don't think Hamill's stand-up has improved enough to stop Jones.






In the lone lightweight fight on the card, Frank Edgar will take on Matt Veach. This is certainly not a fight you expected Edgar to have after his big win over Sean Sherk, but a fight is a fight. Edgar lost to Gray Maynard via decision (surprise) in April 2008 and since then has reeled off a pair of big wins. He defeated Hermes Franca and Sherk by decisions. Veach made his UFC debut in Februrary, defeating Matt Grice via TKO due to strikes.

Both men are native wrestlers. Veach is a member of Matt Hughes' H.I.T. squad while Edgar trains with a variety of trainers. Edgar is a purple belt in BJJ and has wins over Jim Miller, Tyson Griffin, Mark Bocek and Spencer fisher in addition to the names mentioned above. Veach is a strong fighter for a lightweight and takes his 11-0 record in behind him. He was involved in a war with Grice and persevered through an injury to knock him out.

Edgar should be able to cancel out any potential wrestling advantage and turn this fight into a boxing match. Edgar has improved tremendously in that area, as we saw in his win over Sean Sherk. The question will be whether Veach's chin is as good as it looked in his UFC debut. If it is, he may be able to pose big problems for Edgar who has not finished an opponent since the summer of 2007.

This is more of an even match-up than it looks if you just check out the names involved. With that said, Edgar's boxing should give him the edge as long as Veach's wrestling is negated.




He's BAAAACK!

Kimbo Slice makes his official UFC debut on Saturday night when he fights Houston Alexander in a catchweight fight (at 215 pounds). Believe it or not, this is Slice's first professional fight since he lost to Seth Petruzelli last year. I hope he's been training since the end of TUF10 because if not, that will be some kind of rust. Alexander is back in the UFC after fighting for his job when he knocked out Sherman Pendergarst at Adrenaline 4 in September. Prior to that, he was 0-3 since November 2007 in the UFC. Alexander has not fought past the first round since 2005. Give the guy credit for being exciting, either in defeat or victory.

If Slice loses this fight in explosive fashion, his days as a big drawing card on TV may be dead and buried. Most expect (as do I) Alexander to win this fight. Houston Alexander has been fighting professionally since 2001 and has a Muay Thai background. Slice is still simply a brawler who goes forward looking to land that one big punch. Both men may tire if the fight goes long, but it should not. They will come out swinging and the big man that lands the big punch will win the fight.


Did You Know?: Kimbo Slice and Houston Alexander each have six children.

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Dana Loves Clowns

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JUGGERNAUT NEWS BRIEFS

- The state of Massachusetts has legalized MMA as of this past Monday. Governor Deval Patrick officially signed into law a bill that gives the Massachusetts State Boxing Commission a new name (now the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission) and the power to regulate MMA. Dana White was ecstatic with the news and proclaimed on his twitter account that New York state is next up on the line of states to legalize the sport. The UFC has spoken about running a big show in Boston at either the TD Bank Garden Arena or even Fenway Park. White is originally from the Boston area.


- One of the top middleweight prospects at the beginning of the year has been cut by the UFC. Jake Rosholt lost via submission in the first round of their fight at UFC 106 and was notified this week that he was being released. Rosholt is a three-time NCAA Division-1 national wrestling champion out of the state of Oklahoma. He is 6-2 overall in MMA and 1-2 in the UFC. I would expect him to get more experience elsewhere before the UFC considers bringing back. Whether Strikeforce has interest (they would be crazy not to) or not, they have not commented publicly.


- Anderson Silva will not be able to fight at UFC 108 on February 6th due to pain he continues to experience from a slow healing elbow joint. He had bone chips removed in October from his right elbow. There are still people who do not believe Silva's sincere about his health issues, instead believing he is not motivated to fight in less than marquee match-ups. Whatever the case may be, Silva may not be able to fight until April.


- The first UFC fight ever to feature a pair of active UFC Hall of Famers will take place at UFC 109 on February 6th in Las Vegas. Randy Couture will fight Mark Coleman in a light heavyweight fight. Couture (46) and Coleman (44) are at interesting points in their MMA careers. With a win, either man would have to be considered for a potential title fight with Lyoto Machida later in 2010. After all, the list of potential challengers is not that long.

Rashad Evans/Thiago Sillva (Rashad is still a ways away from a rematch, even if he beats Silva and the same goes for Thiago), Rampage is retired, Shogun gets his May 2010 title rematch, Rogerio Nogueira will not fight Machida (neither will Anderson Silva), Luiz Cane just suffered his first loss. Forrest Griffin may be the closest but he is also 1-2 in his last three fights.


- UFC 109 is getting a makeover. In addition to the Couture/Coleman fight, fightersonlymagazine.co.uk is reporting the following line-up for the show: Nate Marquardt vs. Vitor Belfort (for #1 contendership to Silva's title), Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg, Josh Koscheck vs. Paulo Thiago and Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller. That card may not have a title fight but it's looking like a solid show right now.



- Joe Stevenson is preliminarily scheduled to fight George Sotiropoulos at UFC 110 in Australia, George's home country. Stevenson is 2-0 since his early 2009 loss to Diego Sanchez, with wins over Nate Diaz and Spencer Fisher. Sotiropoulos is 5-0 in his last five fights and is 2-0 since moving to lightweight with wins over George Roop and Jason Dent. He fought Shinya Aoki in 2006 in Japan and was disqualified for a groin strike.


- Lyoto Machida spoke to FightersOnlyMagazine.co.uk and said the following: On his controversial fight with Shogun Rua, "I think I was superior from round one to four, actually trying to finish the fight, and I slightly lost the fifth round. I think most of the people thought I won. Only the MMA forums insist on all of this controversy." Would he ever fight Anderson Silva, ""We won't fight because we're friends. We hang out, go to dinner and do many things together. I want to defend the belt some times and after that, make a personal challenge to test my potential. But it's a thought for the future. Who knows - will I be the heavyweight champion one day?" He also mentioned he would not fight Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.



- Robbie Lawler's opponent for the December 19th Strikeforce show is still unofficial. Strikeforce CEO/founder Scott Coker said that his opponent would be made official this week. Stay tuned to 411mania.com for news on that front.


- Erin Toughill posted a scathing take on Kim Couture after her destruction at the hands of Kerry Vera:
Kim was NEVER training MMA before she met Randy. Even if I married Randy (being at the "level" I am now) it would NEVER make me a world class Greco Roman wrestler lmfao thru marriage.

Kim has gone on record numerous times saying she "built" the Couture name/brand & it was nothing b4 her. Kim was interviewed post "sparring" with Wand Silva saying, "Silva had to turn it UP, when I turned it up" lol believing that she was actually making Wand spar HARD. She has said "it's really hard for Randy to pass my rubber guard" lol believing that her "guard" can keep the ICON away. Kim had lunch w some ladies from the XC gym b4 her fight. She had some lip augmentation done. Girls askd howd it affect her fight? Kim said, "It would not. I dont get hit in sparring OR when I fight. I have a 'black style' when it comes to boxing". That is word for word and it blew me away lol Kim has "improved everywhere" and has taken 3 weeks off from training in a year...yet lookd like she has been training for 3 weeks, total.

There are SO many women fighters that feel the same way...I just dont have an issue saying it. She has no business fighting nor taking spotlight from women who deserve to fight & cant seem to get a contract, like Roxy, Young, Tate...2 name a few.


- Matt Brown wants to fight Renzo Gracie. According to MMA Weekly, Brown said he called UFC matchmaker Joe Silva and requested the fight. He respects the hell out of Renzo and wants to test himself against the Gracie in what he coined as a "warm-up fight" if Renzo does return to the UFC.


- Frank Mir is still obsessed with Brock Lesnar. Mir said, "The long-term goal for me and my own satisfaction is to take off Brock Lesnar's arm. At the end of the day, that's what my goal is when I go to the gym and train."


- Junie Browning is still at it. He made his MMA return by beating Scott Cornwell at MMA Big Show last week. Browning dominated the fight and win at the 3:13 point of the first round with a triangle submission. According to a ProMMA.info report, Browning's post-fight promo left the crowd pissed off. Browning is quoted as saying, "I try to come out here and put on a show. If you don't like it, then fuck ya'll! LADIES, AFTER THIS I WANT TWO LINES, ONE FOR SUCKING, AND ONE FOR FUCKING."

He needs to fight in Japan.


- MMA Weekly covered an interesting story revolving around the California State Athletic Commission and the medical marijuana issue in that state. The CSAC has officially stated that any fighter who tests positive for marijuana, whether they have a medical prescription or not, will be penalized. Their stance is the drug is illegal and they have the right to discipline any fighter who tests positive.

As for Nick Diaz, according to Cesar Gracie, the infamous fighter does not intend to stop his recreational use of the substance. Gracie said,"What can you do, man? Rosa Parks wasn't supposed to ride in the front of the bus. She was supposed to be in the back of that bus. Nick is the Rosa Parks of MMA."


- War Machine is one crazy MFer, in case you didn't already know. Over the weekend, he attended a party held by/for a popular porn actress. According to some reports, War Machine assaulted his girlfriend (who is in the business) and assaulted a number of males who tried to intervene. He struck his (now, former) agent and caused a few injuries to several men. Police were looking for him at the scene but he fled, and even tweeted about the fracas on his twitter account later in the night. Most believe his stint in the porn industry has come to an abrupt end after his actions and if/when the police bring him in, I find it hard to believe he will be fighting for any serious MMA promotions.


Update: Las Vegas area police have in fact issued an arrest warrant for Jonathan Koppenhaver (aka War Machine) for allegedly "beating and choking his girlfriend." Police describe Koppenhaver as armed and dangerous because of his martial arts training and previous arrest record.


- Matt Hughes announced on his official website that he will fight on April 10th. An official location and opponent has yet to be confirmed.


- The UFC Fight Night 20 show on January 11th at George Mason University will get one more TV fight according to the Charlotte Examiner. The paper reports while no contracts have been signed yet, both Amir Sadollah and Brad Blackburn have agreed to fight on that date. Sadollah is 2-1 as a professional, coming off his decision win over Phil Broni at UFC 106. Blackburn is 17-9-1 and has won four fights in a row including recent fights against Ryo Chonan and Edgar Garcia. The full FN 20 card features Gray Maynard vs. Nate Diaz in the main event, Efrain Escudero vs. Evan Dunham and Tom Lawlor vs. Aaron Simpson.


- Junior Dos Santos told Brazilian website Tatame.com that he intends to fight at UFC 108, despite the fact that Gabe Gonzaga had to withdraw due to a staph infection. Dos Santos is willing to fight anyone who is available because he does not want to waste all the recent work he's done in the gym.

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The Ultimate Fighter Review and Preview

A Spike TV preview for the final two episodes set to air this evening.

Sneak Peek: The Best for Last


Scott Junk has to undergo eye surgery that may put his fight career in jeopardy. That fact pisses off Marcus Jones who ends up taking out his frustrations on Matt Mitrione (who defeated Junk in their preliminary fight). What actually happens beyond Jones shouting at Mitrone is unknown right now. We'll have to wait until tonight to find out.


We will see four fights tonight to decide the two finalists who will fight later this month for a six-figure UFC contract. Roy Nelson and Brendan Schaub are already in the semi-finals and awaiting to find out who they will fight. Two quarterfinal fights remain, including James McSweeney against Matt Mitrone (pending Mitrone's health status) and Marcus Jones against Darrill Schoonover.

Needless to say, the controversy heading into the last episode revolved around whether Kimbo Slice will be healthy enough to fight should Mitrone step out of the competition due to a head injury. After seeing a doctor, Slice found out he has no cartilage in one of his knees, a painful fact to say the least. Being that we know Slice will fight Houston Alexander on the live finale, I think it's safe to say Slice will not be fighting a second time on the show.

So, either Mitrone will go through and fight or someone else will step up to fight McSweeney. Of the potential candidates to replace him, I would favor Matt Mitrione or Demico Rogers. I will assume whomever fights McSweeney will lose.

McSweeney is a kick boxer who did not impress at all in his first fight. He gassed and was able to win a decision because his opponent was gassed even more. He trains with Greg Jackson's camp off the show so you have to figure he has plenty of skills in his back pocket.


As for Schoonover and Marcus Jones, this fight will be interesting. Schoonover has trained in kick boxing, judo and jiu-jitsu but Marcus Jones is too big and powerful and skilled on the ground to lose this match-up. I do think Schoonover is the more mentally stable of the two should that come into play at all. Heading into the episodes tonight, I will pick Jones to win and finish the fight.


That leaves us with: Marcus Jones, James McSweeney, Roy Nelson and Brendan Schaub.

McSweeney and Schaub were training partners and friends heading into the show so it would be pretty interesting to see them fight. However, I doubt Dana White and the coaches would put Marcus Jones against Roy Nelson. I will predict we see Nelson fight Schaub and McSweeney fight Jones.

Who wins those fights? Roy Nelson has been the favorite all along and I still see him winning the contract and an ultimate fight with Marcus Jones for the finale would be the most interesting. That would also pose the toughest challenge for Nelson in my book.



Next week will be the last review of the show and I will take a look at the season as a whole. Expectations were grand heading into the 10th season, but did they hold up?

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JUGGERNAUT VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Why not? Here is a Jon Bones Jones highlight video.






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