News and notes from MMA, boxing, and pro wrestling …
- Jeff Hardy wasn’t allowed to board a flight back to his hometown after Tuesday’s Smackdown tapings because he was intoxicated. I guess it’s a lesser of possible evils from him, but it’s just mind boggling how he keeps screwing up right after WWE forgives him from his previous mistake. For those that don’t remember, he was going to win the ladder match at this year’s Wrestlemania which would’ve given him another title chance, and possible title run sometime this summer. But he failed another drug test and was suspended. He’s scheduled to be in the Smackdown main event at the upcoming No Mercy PPV. He’s even on the poster. Let’s hope this dude gets his act together because in the ring, he’s a great entertainer.
- Kazuo Masaki defeated Joe Riggs last night in the main event of Strikeforce at the Mansion II, their second Playboy Mansion show in two years. Lightweight Mitsuhiro Ishida, the first man to beat Gilbert Melendez, won in the first two minutes, beating Justin Wilcox with an arm bar. Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson defeated Ashe Bowman, which could set up a rematch with Melendez somewhere down the line.
No in depth review sadly, but I just have an urge to throw down some quick thoughts on Fight Night. I LOVED this show and I loved it from start to finish.
The main event was such a great grappling battle, one of the best I’ve seen in ages. I was totally sucked into the fight and it wasn’t one that I had alot of interest in going into it. Nate Diaz has scary potential. It just seems so difficult to do ANYTHING to the guy. Josh Neer battled hard and gave a very good accounting of himself. I hope to see him back.
Clay Guida was Clay Guida, and that will NEVER get old. The man is my favourite fighter to watch. His energy just bursts through the screen every time he fights. He just overwhelmed Danzig here. Very entertaining fight made even greater by the awesome corner segments between rounds. Screw commercials, I wanna see that shit on every fight! And Shawn Tompkins needs to be in everyone’s corner screaming at them to PULL IT TOGETHER!!!
I had money on Alan Belcher so that fight may have been more exciting to me than the every person. He may have won me money, but man I wanted to kill that dude by the end. He was soooo frustrating, just totally ignoring his corner. It almost cost him the fight.
I felt sorry for Houston Alexander, he just didn’t have anything once Schafer had him down. I’d be surprised if UFC kept him on.
I haven’t been able to really miss this show, and here it is again. Let’s hope it’s better than last season.
What we do know is that Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira aren’t going to irritate each other like the coaches on some of the better TUF shows, so I don’t really have high hopes. And I bet they can’t play ping pong like B.J. Penn and Jens Pulver.
Dana White lines up 32 fighters and they will have to fight their way into the house. Someone immediately faints. Jose Aguilar is going to be a hot head and one who drops tons of one liners. He thought Phillipe Nover fainted because of either carbon monoxide or anthrax. Nover said it was the heat.
The fighters are from the lightweight and light heavyweight division. Jason Guida looks like a big version of his brother Clay, without the crazy hair. White introduced Mir and Big Nog and Mir said it was a nervous situation. The fighters have 24 hours before weigh ins and 48 hours before they fight.
Guida was at 217 and had to cut down to 205. He said it would be easy because he’s done it many times before. He’s struggling with cramping and dry heaving. He weighed in at 207 and missed weight. The doctor didn’t let him cut anymore weight for health reasons and Keith Kizer from the Nevada athletic commission told him it was over. An alternate was ready to step in and made weight.
We’re on a three hour tape delay out here on the West Coast, but I’ll write the play by play as if it’s live. I haven’t looked at the results.
1. Houston Alexander vs. Eric Schafer
Alexander caught Shafer with two knees as Shafer was down on one knee. Shafer shot in and was met with a leg kick from Alexander. Alexander stuffed it twice. About half way through the round, Shafer finally took him down and immediately got side control. Alexander rolled out and was immediately met with a guillotine. Alexander popped out, but right into Shafer’s mount. Shafer is blasting Alexander with the punches and elbows. Shafer locked in an arm triangle and Alexander tapped with less than 10 seconds in the first round.
Winner: Eric Shafer by 1st round submission
2. Ed Herman vs. Alan Belcher
Belcher got the better of the stand-up. Herman stood there without any head movement and was getting beat to the punch. Herman finally got him down with about a minute and a half left in the first round. Herman worked on a D’Arce choke for the last minute or so.
(By the way, they need to get rid of those muay thai trunks. I was a little scared that I was going to see more of Belcher than I wanted to.)
Belcher rocked Herman with a right hand about a minute and a half into the second round. Herman’s head snapped back. Belcher threw a kick and Herman caught it, finally getting him back down. The rest of the round was a sloppy boxing match. Belcher is quicker to the punch, but Herman seems to have more behind his.
Belcher and his corner are fighting this third round as if they are ahead 2-0. Belcher is still beating him to the punch. He grazed Herman with a spinning back fist, but Herman shot in and pushed him against the cage and then took him down. Belcher got out and up and kicked Herman right in the face. Herman got him down again and mounted him with 35 seconds left in the fight. Definitely Herman’s round with two takedowns and finishing the fight in the mount and throwing punches from the top.
Save for SummerSlam, which I always buy, I wouldn’t have bought the past few WWE PPVs if not for the Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho feud. It’s been one of the best things I’ve seen in wrestling in years, and because of it, I’ve wanted to see everything. It’s very similar to the Randy Orton vs. Mick Foley feud from several years ago in that it hasn’t been the main event feud, but it’s been the must see feud. I couldn’t care less about Batista vs. JBL vs. Kane vs. CM Punk, or any mix of the “top” guys. And even though I hated the way Jericho won the World Belt earlier this month, at least with him on top now, their feud can be at the forefront like it deserves. And with their recently announced ladder match at No Mercy, it look like I’m buying another WWE PPV.
Triple H is also defending against Jeff Hardy. While it’s going to be a good match, I have to wonder how Triple H will treat him. If Edge made Smackdown over the summer, Triple H is literally killing it this fall. The show has become his play toy with his insider remarks, his burial of his challengers, and just his general malaise. He’s tired and bored. You’d think that it’d be in him to make someone right now and that guy could be Jeff Hardy. I think Hardy needs to win the belt to freshen up that brand, but I’d bet against it. I’m not sure they’re comfortable giving Hardy the championship considering that he’s failed them before with drug test failures, but also, I’m not sure Triple H thinks Hardy is at his level. If it were Orton, Michaels, Undertaker, or Batista, I don’t think he’d have a problem dropping the title. I’m just not sure he will to Jeff Hardy.
As it is, WWE has me with at least one more PPV this year (I’ll probably get Survivor Series) and I’m excited to see Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho have a match of the year candidate.
Here’s the YouTube version of a Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels ladder match from many years ago.
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