The MMA 5&1 3.20.13: Johnson vs. Arlovski, &1 With Erin Toughill
Posted by Jack McGee on 03.20.2013
Erin Toughill is your "& 1" Model of the Week, thoughts on Ronda Rousey coaching The Ultimate Fighter, Vince McMahon challenging Dana White to a fight and more!
The Part at the Beginning
Welcome back to the latest edition of the MMA 5&1! I hope everyone had a good week, because today, today we're here to discuss the sport of MMA make fun of my fight picking ability and look at images of hot MMA chicks. Erin Toughill is the &1 model of the week, we'll do picks for World Series of Fighting 2 show, look back at UFC 158, discuss the Ronda Rousey/Ultimate fighter deal and MUCH MORE PEOPLE! Once again, I thank you for checking out my humble offering to the 411 MMA Zone, enjoy and suggestions are always welcome!
They make you get this damn thing at 411. Social media and all. I know, you won't follow me, it's cool, it's cool.
Tracking My MMA Picks
DISCLAIMER: I do not claim to be an MMA expert, simply a guy that loves to follow the sport. But part of the gig is to make fight picks, so I will track the picks for as long as I am doing the column. Here we are thus far…
UFC on FX 7 Predictions: 2-2
UFC on FOX 6 Predictions : 3-1
UFC 156 Predictions : 3-2
Bellator 88 Predictions : 2-2
UFC on FUEL TV 7 Predictions : 4-2
UFC 157: 4-1
UFC on FUEL TV 8: 2-4
Bellator 92: 1-3
UFC 158: 4-1
Overall For 2013 I Am: 25-18
A split decision stopped me from going a perfect 5-0. Sooooooooooooo close! The good news is that I finally rebounded though after two bad events.
WHO YOU GOT? – ARLOVSKI vs. JOHNSON
FIVE – DANA WHITE vs. VINCE McMAHON?
Last week, while promoting UFC 158, Dana White stated in an interview that Vince McMahon had wanted to do a match between the two at a WrestleMania. This came around October of 2010, when McMahon was looking for his main event for WrestleMania 27. McMahon was hoping to book a match between Lesnar, at that time the UFC heavyweight Champion, facing the Undertaker. White nixed the idea because he didn't want to mix the shoot world with the predetermined pro wrestling world, which I completely agree with. McMahon thought himself against White could also be a headline event on the show and tried to use that bout as a way to talk White into letting Lesnar fight. The idea was for a pro wrestling match, but McMahon said that they could do the fight for real. In one way I do not want to see this at all because it would have likely been a train wreck, but then there is that other side of me that thinks that this would have been one of the best things I have seen all time all my life as the Iron Sheik would say. Between wrestling and MMA, it is truly amazing the shit that almost happens behind he scenes, and this is one of those amazing stories that we get from these wacky forms of entertainment. And at the heart of things, I think that is why I love both so much.
FOUR – RONDA ROUSEY TAKES OVER THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER
Quite honestly, the biggest news that has broke was when Dana White revealed on the UFC 158 prelims special on FX that the next coaches for the Ultimate Fighter would be UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey and the winner of the upcoming Miesha Tate vs. Cat Zingano fight. This will be the fall season of the show, which means that Ronda Rousey's next title defense will not be until December. In a way, it is good and bad news. The bad is that Rousey's momentum is slightly hurt, because she will not be fighting until the end of the year, when we had a chance to see her fight three times. But, the good news is that a stint on TUF, being out there on a weekly basis, may up her profile, and also help PPV buys in the future. I see both sides of the issue, and I appreciate that.
I personally do think that there is a bit more to it. Remember how I told you a few weeks back about Rousey singing with a Hollywood agency, and that there were rumors that Rousey may be taking a role in the next Hunger Games movie? And remember how I told you that the UFC would be shitting their pants, because women's MMA could not stand another loss and that they would do something big to keep her? I think a stint on the Ultimate Fighter and all of that "undisclosed cash" that goes along with it was that big thing. I'm not sayin I told ya so, but, I told ya so.
Also of note, for the first time ever, both men and women will be in the house as 135-pound men and 135-pound women will be featured on the show. This is partly because the UFC wants the inner-house drams, and partly because the UFC is still non-committal about a women's MMA. Remember, they are in the Ronda Rousey business, not the business of women's MMA. I find it disappointing that they didn't go full bore with a women's show, but I also expected no less from the UFC at this point.
THREE – UFC 158 (QUICK THOUGHTS)
Mike Ricci defeated Colin Fletcher via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27): This was one long goddamn hot miserable shit-ass fuckin' fight every inch of the way. This did not belong on PPV, not on FX, not on FUEL, not on Facebook, not on Myspace and not even on Friendster; this shit was ICQ quality. Also, Colin Fletcher, worst tattoos in MMA. Go away dude, go away.
Chris Camozzi defeated Nick Ring via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28): And this is the one prediction I got wrong this week, but it was a very close fight. I had the fight 29-28 for Ring, with him winning the first two rounds, and Camozzi winning the third. But the first two were really close, so I do not see this as a robbery or anything. It came off like a great fight compared to the horrible first fight, thankfully it was a step up, but at the end of this it felt like a LONG show already.
Jake Ellenberger defeated Nate Marquardt via KO (strikes) - Round 1, 3:00: Jake Ellenberger defeated Nate Marquardt via KO, basically making him his bitch. I was shocked when Marquardt got a shot in the UFC after his piss poor final performance in Strikeforce, but he did and he proved that "he's on the way down," and since they have too many fucking fighters, they should cut him. You're welcome Dana. Anyway, Ellenberger is now 8-2 in his UFC run (dating back to 2009) only losing to Condit and Kampman. This guy is fun to watch and is legit close to a title shot. I think trying to avenge the loss to Condit would be a great way to get even closer to that goal.
Johny Hendricks defeated Carlos Condit via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) : Johny Hendricks defeated Carlos Condit in one of the better fights of the year. Hendricks fought through an injured left hand to defeat Condit, who looked good, but his lack of takedown defense again cost him and he admitted that. Those disappointed in no finish shouldn't be, it was a great fight and Condit is so tough to finish, so I was fine with it. Hendricks is a beast and has earned his title shot. Five of those eight wins are by KO or TKO.
Georges St-Pierre defeated Nick Diaz via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) - retains UFC welterweight title: Quite frankly, this was your typical GSP performance, and the fight went just about as I expected. GSP took the man down, went into Diaz's wheelhouse, and controlled him most of the fight. Diaz had plenty of excuses, illegal hand wraps, spies shooting images of him training; the facts are that Diaz is a head case and simply did what Diaz does. When things do not go his way he retires, he blames everyone else but him, and then had the balls to demand a rematch. As for GSP not finishing the fight, I am fine with it, because Diaz isn't easy to finish. I will say that GSP did get tired, and he admitted that. That also led him to fighting sloppier than usual. I am still not sure what to make of that. I am not sure if he just worked harder because of how Diaz works, or if he is having issues with cardio for some reason. At the end of the day I am simply glad that the Nick Diaz contender shit is finished, and I am excited for Hendricks vs. GSP.
TWO – The Great Fallon Fox Debate
As of late, the Fallon Fox thing has been all the rage to discuss for MMA Journalists. Please note that I am not considering myself an MMA Journalist, I am simply a fan of the sport that is filling a space on this website. Apparently every MMA Journalist is an expert on transgender people now, and they think that they can decide what happens and to who and when. But the thing is that while MMA Journalists maybe higher up the food chain than I am, I will not sit here and bullshit you, I will tell you the truth. While I have an opinion on the subject, "AN OPINION" I repeat, the so-called MMA Journalists are only giving an opinion as well, and unfortunately they are trying to pass it off as fact. Again, while I have an opinion, I will not pass it off as fact to you. No one in the MMA media, unless they have a medical background, has a valid take on this situation. The average "MMA Journalist" doesn't know enough to discuss the situation, let alone pass off their opinion as fact. Some are against this, some are for it; but pretending you know what you are talking about is an attempt to trick your readers. I get the arguments from both sides, I get that Fox is technically a man because he was born that way, yet technically a female because of the hormone therapy and surgeries. While having an opinion and doing research is all well and good, please MMA Media, stop pretending you have medical degrees and law degrees and then offer your opinion as a fact like you do in your writing. I am not afraid to say that I do not know enough on this subject to give you a definitive answer as to what should be done. My hope as an MMA fan is that the athletic commissions will bring in the proper people to help the make the right decisions where this is involved. And that's all I have to say about that…
ONE – WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING 2 MAIN CARD PREDICTIONS
Gesias Cavalcante vs. Justin Gaethje: Gesias Cavalcante
Dave Branch vs. Paulo Filho: Dave Branch
Josh Burkman vs. Aaron Simpson: Aaron Simpson
Marlon Moraes vs. Tyson Nam: Tyson Nam
Andrei Arlovski vs. Anthony Johnson: Anthony Johnson
* PLEASE feel free to make your main card predictions in the comments section!!
This week's & 1 model of the week is Erin Toughill…
"We were going through the woods without suspecting anything when suddenly something big and cruel came out of a bush. I thought it was you Peg but it didn't want my wallet!"
