It’s my favorite PPV of the year and it generally delivers. We’ve done tremendous coverage on the show on the site so far with our preview articles and all that’s left is the wrestling.

1. Daniel Bryan vs. Mark Henry vs. The Big Show

The story of this match is that Daniel Bryan is a pinball and he’s bouncing around for Big Show and Mark Henry. Mark Henry couldn’t really do anything. He was not the world’s strongest man tonight. He could barely get his foot off the ground.

Bryan went to the top of the cage to try and leave, but the every so swift Big Show kept catching him. Big Show trapped Daniel Bryan’s arm and then also had him by his head so it looked like Bryan was hanging from the top of the cage, which was pretty cool. Show had a grip on him and Bryan was hanging from Show’s wrists, and finally let go and won the match.

Winner: Daniel Bryan

Bryan did the “Yes” screams after the match. (Photo sent in by my friend Jenn who is there live.)

2. The Bellas, Natalya, and Beth Phoenix vs. Alicia Fox, Eve, Kelly Kelly, and Tamina

Beth Phoenix tagged herself in by slapping one of the bellas pretty hard, immediately gave Kelly Kelly the Glam Slam for the win. Beth projects her character better than most of the dude wrestlers.

Winner: The Bellas, Natalya, and Beth Phoenix

3. John Cena vs. Kane
Continue Reading »

This UFC on Fox show is a big picture show. In pro wrestling, if you were to book the winners, you’d have Rashad Evans beat Phil Davis to set up his big fight with Jon Bones Jones. You’d also have Chael Sonnen slaughter Michael Bisping to set up his big fight with Anderson Silva. But it doesn’t always happen the way you want it to. The UFC has taken a risk in making both of these fights. If Davis and Bisping have an upset state of mind, those big fights become smaller fights and hurt the UFC’s bottom line. But that’s why this sport is so great. Anything can happen.

Curt Menafee says this is the first of four UFC shows on Fox this year. Well, at least if the shows bring in solid ratings or no one is violently hurt.

Menafee, Randy Couture, and Jon Jones are on the panel for the pre-game stuff. Menafee says that if Evans wins, he gets Jones at UFC 145 in Atlanta.

1. Chris Weidman vs. Demian Maia

You have a good wrestler and a great jiu-jitsu guy. Of course the first round is nearly all on the feet. Earlier, Maia seemed to be getting the best of it, but later in the round, Weidman was much more comfortable. Maia is telegraphing his right hand and Weidman was able to avoid it mostly. But Maia did land some nice knees. Weidman was varied with his kicks and punches. Weidman also got a takedown late.

Weidman had an early takedown and he fell immediately into side control. Weidman was tired for most of it and Maia was able to outstrike him, but not in any significant way. Pretty boring round until Weidman was able to secure another takedown and was working for Maia’s back. I think that last takedown and attempt toward submission may have secured him the round.

Maia is also tired and the third round suffered because of sloppiness. Maia was so tired that he went for a takedown, Weidman sprawled and Maia face planted. This isn’t necessarily the kind of fight that’s going to keep an audience. With Weidman having to cut so much weight, it was ripe for the taking for Maia and he just looks absurdly tired. I’d give the fight to Weidman simply because he closed rounds better and fought a smarter tactical fight than Maia did.

Winner: Chris Weidman by way of split decision

The scores were 29-28 once for Maia and the same twice for Weidman.

Bisping called Sonnen the UFC’s court jester. Sonnen cut a Saturday Night’s Main Event-like promo and said that fighting Chael Sonnen is hazardous to your health.

2. Michael Bisping vs. Chael Sonnen

Very active first round. Sonnen was all over Bisping early on and Bisping was on his heels. He took him down seconds into the fight, but wasn’t able to keep him down. Bisping looked flustered, but figured him out. Bisping’s striking was crisp while Sonnen’s was wild. Sonnen’s stand-up was so wild that it looked like he was going to conk Bisping in the head when he missed his left hand.
Continue Reading »

Sometimes, cards that don’t look great on paper turn out to be fun. As a fan, your expectations are lowered and you can just enjoy the action. Let’s hope that UFC 142 is that way because on paper, it looks like a bit of an afterthought.

The big news yesterday was that Anthony Johnson’s body shut down when he was trying to cut weight and he weighed in at 197 for a 185 pound fight. Vitor accepted the fight as long as Johnson didn’t weigh more than 205 this morning and Johnson has to give him 20% of his purse. The fight will go on.

1. Terry Etim vs. Edson Barboza

The first round featured a ton of leg kicks and some nice boxing. Neither guy really got the advantage and while a lot of strikes scored, no one was in trouble. Leg kicks may hurt Etim in the next couple rounds.

Etim started to gain some momentum late in the round, but Barboza’s striking is more varied and he’s landing the harder shots. Etim needs to close out strong to win this one.

Holy cow! Barboza threw a wheel kick and caught Etim right in the face with his heel. Etim went stiff and out.

Winner: Edson Barboza by way of 1st round TKO

2. Carlo Prater vs. Erick Silva

Well, that was fast. Silva landed a right hand, then a knee when Prater buckled and them hammer fists on the ground and it was over. Uh oh. The referee is going to take away Silva’s victory because of shots to the back of the head. There have been many worse occurrences of hitting in the back of the head. Silva got a raw deal.

Winner: Carlo Prater by way of disqualification

3. Mike Massenzio vs. Rousimar Palhares
Continue Reading »

As I said in the preview, I’m kind of surprised that this fight is happening. With all the injuries this year, the two biggest guys in the UFC made it through unscathed. It’s really a monster movie kind of fight. And, it’s also a your classic striker vs. wrestler match-up.

The undercard was all decisions. That tells me we’ll see all finishes on the main card.

1. Jimy Hettes vs. Nam Phan

Hettes owned the entire first half of the round. He took Phan down a couple times, locked in a guillotine, and was laying into him with the ground and pound. I thought it was going to be stopped. Phan was able to get back up, which tells me that Hettes might not be a hard hitter. Phan looked like he was going to start doing well in the standup, but Hettes hip tossed him. Hettes went for an arm bar, but Phan fought it, taking a beating in the process. Has to be a 10-8 round.

It was Hettes’ round yet again. Not quite 10-8 this round. He was using all kinds of throws to get Phan on his back and was going for submissions, but Phan was fighting them. If Hettes could punch a bit, this fight would be over.

Both guys are pretty tired. If Phan had a chance, it was when they were standing up and Hettes looked to be more tired. But soon thereafter, Hettes took him down again and was slamming him with punches and elbows from the top. He gave him another beating to easily win the fight.

Winner: Jimy Hettes by way of unanimous decision

The scores were 30-25, 30-25, 30-26.

2. Alexander Gustafsson vs. Vladimir Matyushenko
Continue Reading »

WWE’s year end PPV wasn’t put together very well. John Cena, the top draw isn’t even on the show. Yet, Triple H and Kevin Nash are having a ladder match, in their first match of the feud. This PPV feels like the writers just threw s*it (and I’m not talking about Rosey) against the wall and went with what stuck. That being said, I’m looking forward to Dolph Ziggler against Zack Ryder and Cody Rhodes vs. Booker T. Those matches have been booked fairly well. I don’t really care too much about any of the main events, but the triple threat TLC match should be good nonetheless.

1. Dolph Ziggler vs. Zack Ryder

Ziggler was fantastic in this match, just such a great animated heel. The match picked up near the end with some really great near falls. Vickie was throw out of the match for putting Dolph’s foot on the rope to save him. Ziggler hit the Fame Asser for a near fall. Ryder hit a Frankensteiner from the top rope for a near fall. Ziggler ran into the corner for a splash and was hit with knees to the face and then the leg lariat for the pin. Fun match. Zack is the new US champ.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler

Cody attacked Booker in the back and Booker’s eyes went wide and he was puffing out his cheeks. He’s been taking his vitamins as he looks good.

2. Air Boom vs. Primo and Epico

Evan Bourne’s not getting the slap on the wrist quite yet. Fun tag team match, and very much by the books, except with all of Bourne’s high flying. Kofi hit Primo with the Trouble In Paradise for the pinfall.

Winner: Air Boom

3. Wade Barrett vs. Randy Orton
Continue Reading »

It’s finally here. Over two years since the beginning of the tournament, we’re down to the final two, and these are the right final two. There were three group stages. Andre Ward is undefeated in the tournament, besting Mikkel Kessler (the early tourney favorite) and Allan Green. Carl Froch beat Andre Dirrell (remember him?) by split decision and lost a close decision to Mikkel Kessler, before easily defeating Arthur Abraham. Ward didn’t have a stage 3 fight because Dirrell withdrew because of injury. Ward took a tune-up belt, beating Sakio Bika in a pretty rough fight.

In the semi-finals, Ward defeated Abraham while Froch beat Glen Johnson, who was a replacement. The finals was supposed to happen in October, but was postponed until tonight because of a cut to Ward’s eye.

If Ward does pull out a decision in a close fight, I’d love to see them fight in Froch’s home town in an immediate rematch. Give Kessler to Lucian Bute.

Carl Froch vs. Andre Ward

R1
They are going to be able to fight on the inside. Ward landed a nice left hook out of the break. Froch looks a little slow early on. Both were able to land their jabs a couple of times. Ward is slightly more elusive so far and is landing after Froch misses with short lefts and jabs.

R2
Ward is gaining confidence with his left hand. He landed a nice left hook and them immediately a jab, jab, left hook combination. Ward’s not even really using his right hand. Froch is throwing shots inside and to the body, which don’t look fantastic, but will probably do more damage later on in the fight. Ward hit him with a big left hook that looked like it may have been the back of the head. I have Ward up 2-0 on my card.

R3
This was the best round so far and really close. Ward probably edges him again, but Froch is landing to the body and he’s hooking back. Ward’s left hook is still his best shot, but Froch is throwing back off the hook. Business is about to pick up.

R4
Lots of inside fighting in the round and Froch is looking tired. The ref is letting them rough house a bit, though it’s not bad. Ward had his elbows up a few times. Ward ended the round strong. Froch needs a second wind or he may go down.

R5
Ward had his hand on Froch’s chin and then pushed it and hit Froch with a hook. The problem here is that Froch can’t land from the outside and when he goes inside, he pays for it. Froch needs to figure out how to fight from the outside in order to have a chance. Ward is pushing him around. Ward with a short left hook to end the round that looked like it caught Froch’s attention. I have Ward up 5-0.

R6
Froch is a tough man. He took some brutal left hands and is being outclassed, but he’s still on his feet. Ward is just too quick for him and is landing that left hook at will.

R7
Both guys pretty much took a break for the round. Froch should’ve won this round, but he looks tired. Though they weren’t hard punches, Ward outlanded him nearly 3-1. I don’t have Froch winning a round yet.

R8
Ward is allowing the pace to slow down, rather than going for the kill. Froch looks arm weary. Ward landed a huge right hand. Froch missed a right hand and looked so exhausted that he threw a backhanded slap too. He also threw a right hand after the bell.

R9
I know the stats may say differently, but I think Froch won this round. For whatever reason, Ward is fighting left-handed, and Froch was able to hit him more often. Ward looked confused fighting left-handed. He needs to switch back.

R10
Another pretty lackadaisical round in which Ward won it closely. Froch started out well, but faded in the end. Ward continues to dominate.

R11
I think I may give Froch that round as well. Right now, I have it 9-2. Ward was sloppy and did a lot of running.

R12
I’m not sure if Froch hit him in the round. Froch was throwing huge right hands, but didn’t land any of them. Ward landed the best punch in the round, which was a big left hook. I have it 10-2 for Ward.

Winner: Andre Ward

115-113, 115-113, and 118-10