If you missed the SpikeTV prelims, I wrote them up earlier.

The big question is if Jake Shields can break Georges St. Pierre’s armor. No one has for 30 rounds in a row. GSP is going for Joe DiMaggio. Shields is a severe underdog, and probably deserves more respect than he’s getting, but when you have a fighter who is so much better than his competition, it’s easy to just say that he’s going to win again because it’s just what he does. Shields can prove a lot tonight, even without a victory. But he’ll have to fight the perfect fight if he doesn’t want to be just another GSP victim.

The crowd looks tremendous, and though you can’t really hear it, Joe Rogan seemingly can’t hear himself talk. It must be super loud in there too.

1. Ben Henderson vs. Mark Bocek

They were wrestling up against the cage and were separated. Interesting that they were separated so early in the fight. Henderson’s striking game has more variety than Bocek’s. Henderson is throwing more kicks, but Bocek gets the early takedown. He grabbed one leg and then tripped the other while Henderson was hopping around. Could be enough to give Bocek the round. Henderson was slightly winning the stand-up game, but only landed one real loud shot.

Very good round. Started out as a wrestling match and Bocek had a guillotine locked in. He tried to roll with it and lost it and then Henderson started opening up on him and cut him open. That’s an interesting round to score.

Bocek got another takedown, but once he got on top, Henderson started throwing nasty shots from the top again. Henderson’s huge shots look more impressive than Bocek’s wrestling and jiu-jitsu, but I’m not sure they are more impressive. Bocek got another takedown and I think he may pull this one out. Henderson ended it with a flurry.

Winner: Ben Henderson by way of unanimous decision

Henderson won 30-27 on all cards. Surprising to see that Bocek didn’t get one round.

2. Jason Brilz vs. Vladimir Matyushenko

If you blinked, you missed it. Matyushenko hit him with a left hand, followed him to the ground and it was over. Poor Brilz.

Winner: Vladimir Matyushenko by way of 1st round TKO

3. Pablo Garza vs. Yves Jabouin
Continue Reading »

From what I hear, the Facebook fights were tremendous. Hopefully that carries over to the Spike fights. There are two really fun match-ups on Spike, before the PPV show starts.

1. Jake Ellenberger vs. Sean Pierson

Jake Ellenberger looked tremendous. The left hand was there all fight long. He connected with it early with not much on it and then knocked him out with it soon thereafter. Pierson might’ve taken a full Flair flop if Ellenberger didn’t hit him again.

Winner: Jake Ellenberger by way of 1st round TKO

2. Charlie Valencia vs. Ivan Menjivar

Damn. Menjivar is strong. He started out the fight with a spinning back fist that didn’t land. He grabbed Valencia in the clinch, pushed his head away slightly, only to blast him in the nose with an elbow. Valencia crumbled and was finished on the ground.

Winner: Ivan Menjivar by way of 1st round TKO

3. Rory MacDonald vs. Nate Diaz
Continue Reading »

Phil Nurse flies in from New York to watch GSP’s muay thai. He says when it comes down to technique, stand-up, will, and even jiu-jitsu, GSP has the advantage.

In the last week until the fight, Shields brings Phil Davis back to train with him. Davis says usually, when he gets someone down on the ground, he’s on top, but with Jake, when he gets him down, it’s like losing because Jake is immediately on top. Shields doesn’t seem all that confident. He says he’s had a pretty good training camp and he’s in pretty good shape. That doesn’t sound like a ton of confidence.

They show Shields’ daughter, which is the other side of fighters that I enjoy seeing on shows like this. They’re not machines. They have families. Their families are part of the sacrifice. He says he’s ready to take the belt home.

GSP thinks that the media isn’t giving Shields enough respect and that he can see it as a trap for him.

Shields and Gilbert Melendez reminisce about their start and fighting for little money and in front of small crowds.

The episode itself was way too light and they really need to reconsider their reasoning behind putting these things together. When you don’t have a ton of interesting footage, you get this episode. However, I like the goal of this episode which was to make these guys human while also showing how bad ass they are in the octagon. It’s a tough line because you don’t want to show too much training (like the first two episodes), while showing too much of their human side doesn’t make them look like superstars. They found that line for this last episode, but they didn’t have enough good footage to pull it off.

Here are the weights for the fighters for tomorrow’s UFC 129 from MMA Fighting:

Main Card
Georges St. Pierre (169.5) vs. Jake Shields (169)
Jose Aldo (145) vs. Mark Hominick (145)
Randy Couture (203.5) vs. Lyoto Machida (204.5)
Jason Brilz (204.5) vs. Vladimir Matyushenko (205.5)
Mark Bocek (155) vs. Ben Henderson (156.5)*

Preliminary Card
Nate Diaz (171) vs. Rory MacDonald (170.5)
Jake Ellenberger (170) vs. Sean Pierson (170)
Claude Patrick (169.5) vs. Daniel Roberts (170.5)
Ivan Menjivar (136) vs. Charlie Valencia (135.5)
Jason MacDonald (185) vs. Ryan Jensen (185)
John Makdessi (155.5) vs. Kyle Watson (155)
Pablo Garza (145) vs. Yves Jabouin (146)

*Henderson has officially made weight (156 pounds) for Saturday’s fight.

Jake Shields says that he’s been wanting to face Georges St. Pierre for a long time. Georges St. Pierre says this is his toughest fight. Both guys are trying to sell the hell out of this fight. I think they’re doing a pretty good job, but the fact is, I don’t think many people expect a classic fight, and what is actually holding this fight back is that no one really believes Jake Shields can win.

Well, not no one, but from casual fans to hardcore fans, most think GSP wins. And it’s nothing against Jake. It’s just more that GSP hasn’t even lost a round in 30 rounds. He’s been that dominant.

The FGB crew, along with Stevie J from Angry Marks, and friend of the site JP, have predictions ready for not only the main event, but also Jose Aldo vs. Mark Homineck and Randy Couture’s last stand against Lyoto Machida.

Randy Couture vs. Lyoto Machida

Duan: Machida by 2nd round TKO
Alan: Machida by 2nd round TKO
Stevie J: Machida by decision
JP: Machida by decision
Cactus Jim: Machida by 2nd round TKO
GG: Machida by 2nd round TKO

Duan says:

If Machida fights smart, there is no way he loses this. The difference in foot work will be staggering. Couture will not be able to close him down. Randy’s reflexes aren’t what they were, his chin is gone, and he’s going to be really vulnerable against a guy as slick as Machida. Look for Lyoto to close out the show within 2.

Alan says:

The last few times Machida has fought, I’ve touted his brilliance and picked him to win. Each time however he failed to show that brilliance. I’m nervous about doing so again, but I almost can’t help it. I mean SURELY he’s going to be able to pick apart Randy, right??? That said if Lyoto’s not in the game anymore, Old Man Couture is just the guy to throw the spanner in my works. If he finds a way to neutralise Lyoto and win a boring fight, I’m not going to fall off my chair.

Continue Reading »