Velasquez vs Dos Santos III

We’re just a few short hours from the start of UFC 166, which will see UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez defend his belt against former champ Junior Dos Santos in the pair’s much anticipated rubber match.  The first time these two met, Dos Santos knocked Cain out in just over minute, the only loss on Cain’s record to this day.  In the rematch, Cain beat Dos Santos stupid for 25 minutes, coming away with the victory and the belt.  Like a wobblin’ Weeble, Dos Santos just would not got down, and that toughness is what makes me hesitant to call this one for Velasquez in advance.  Junior has had time to make adjustments, he’s already shown he has the power to knock out Cain Velasquez, and he’s coming into this fight with something serious to prove.  All that said, Velasquez should still be able to come away with the win.


No bet is a smart bet on this one.  Cain isn’t safe enough for 2-1, and Dos Santos does not pay enough to be a good value.  Maybe take the over 3.5 rounds, if you must.  As for me, I'm planning on making my money on the card table and on Kountermove tonight.

While I’m looking forward to a truly high-level heavyweight bout tonight, I’m a little dismayed at the state of the division.  After Velasquez and Dos Santos, the division drops off in a serious way.  No matter who wins tonight, I really don’t see who else could realistically challenge for the title next.  And once you get to the bottom of the “top ten,” it’s hardly really deserving of the term.

So why can’t the UFC add some depth at heavyweight?  Is everyone over 205 playing football or something?  I don’t know, but I do know that if we have to see Soa Palelei wheeze his way through another 3 rounds, people are never going to take the division seriously.



Tonight, however, should showcase some of the best that the division has to offer, with 3 of the 5 main card fights taking place at heavyweight.  Gabe Gonzaga, Shawn Jordan, Roy Nelson, and Daniel Cormier are all in action tonight, (although Danny plans to jump ship after tonight and drop down to light heavyweight).

Whether you’ve bought the main card, are watching the preliminaries on FS1, or can only catch the facebook/youtube prelims, it should be a great night of fights.  So keep those hands up, protect yourself at all times, and check back later for the Rabbit Punch recap after the event!

Bellator 106, Fight Master Falls Flat, and Girls Get the Boot

Bad news after bad news out of Bellator MMA this past summer.  After the desperate mid-season rescheduling of the floundering Fight Master reality show, the promotion has announced that they are cutting their entire corp of female fighters.  While this move is a testament to the success of Invicta FC and the UFC’s new commitment to female fighters, I am still dismayed for a couple of reasons.  First off, while many of these fighters will find their way to other promotions, this is one less venue for female fighters to compete at a professional level.  And secondly, I don’t like to see the Bellator brand contract.

Although Bellator appears to be on the rise, appearing regularly on Spike TV and airing their first PPV in November, the release of their entire female division, along with the Fight Master shenanigans, paints the picture of a promotion in trouble.  The brand put a lot of capital into their expansion, hoping that there would be the audience to support them once they got there.  The problem is, the UFC had a hard enough time becoming established back when there was no real competition, and Bellator may not be able to eke out enough of the saturated market to support their expansions.  If no one’s watching TUF anymore, why would they suddenly start watching Fight Master?



I’ve always liked the Bellator promotion.  I like the idea of title shots being earned through tournaments, and Bellator can be a refreshing change of pace from the UFC’s promotion of showmanship over substance.  Fighters seem to like them better, too, from what I’ve heard people say in interviews.  At least the boss doesn’t shit-talk you to anyone who will listen after a fight. 

I just hope that Bellator’s recent expansions don’t prove a bridge too far.  While the market for MMA is smaller than it really should be, the sport is still normalizing in society, and the process will be a long one.  Will the slowly expending market lead to more fans for smaller promotions down the road, or will the UFC successfully impose hegemony, like the NFL, NBA, and other professional sports leagues?

 
Going back a bit, if Bellator can’t maintain a female division, why not just allow women to enter their tournaments?  Wrestling has coed divisions at lower levels, and the weight class system ignores other body differences, such as reach, and body type/composition, so why not sex?  It could be their USP.

Either way, I will continue to watch Fight Master if it comes back, and I’ll keep watching Bellator on Spike, and I’ll continue to count myself blessed that there’s so much MMA out there these days.

I’m also getting more excited for Rampage v Tito with each passing day.  Hearing those guys do media calls and interviews together is a hoot, and I’m coming around to the idea of seeing these two old-skool vets to their thang.  Even if one of them is Tito.  At the very least, we’re guaranteed a fun fight.



But wait, there’s more!  Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney in not relying solely on the sideshow/name recognition factor, but has stacked the card with solid bouts between skilled, exciting fighters, such as Michael Chandler, Joe Riggs, and Pat Curran.

Mike Chandler will be fighting for his belt against Ed Alvarez, who comes off an extended absence due to legal battles with Bellator.  While that level of ring rust lowers Alarez’s stock, I’d be picking Chandler even if Alvarez was coming off a hot streak.  Don’t get me wrong, this will be a competitive fight, but I just don’t see Alvarez handing Chandler his first loss.

Also defending his belt is Pat Curran, who has been a savage headhunter since coming to Bellator MMA.  After his 5-round split-decision win over Patricio Freire, Curran will be looking for an authoritative victory on November 2nd.  He’ll face tough competition in featherweight tournament winner Daniel Straus, a kid with a wrestling background who has adapted well to the striking game.


Also worth mention is the Fight Master coaches fight, pitting Joe Riggs, riding high on a 5 fight win streak, against Mike Bronzoulis, who had finished 12 of his 15 career victories by either knockout or tapout. 



A main event, two title fights, and the Fight Master coaches fight, all on one card?  Way to bring it, Bjorn!  Bellator should most def be offering their PPVs online, like the UFC does.  Like I said, I’d hate to see this promotion fold.

That’s all for now, folks.  So until next time, hands up and protect yourself at all times, this has been the Rabbit Punch!