Tag: Anthony Pettis

Thursday Morning Good Ol’ Fashion Blog Soup

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There’s a lot going on in the world of #sports and #entertainment that we can discuss here for #content but that I can’t really draw out into a full blog. So let’s fuck around and touch a lot of bases, shall we?

-A few really interesting fights have been announced lately that I never blogged (woooops).

Nate Diaz returns to fight Anthony Pettis at UFC 241 in August. Hooo baby. That is going to be something. They’ll duel at 170lbs, where Pettis recently arrived and found success, knocking out Stephen Thompson. I’d prefer to see Diaz stick to 155 as his run wayyyy back in the day at 170 didn’t go so well and  he simply lacks the strength and power to deal with the bigger and stronger fighters of the welterweight division. On top of that, I still think both are contenders at 155 when they have their heads on straight. And when Nate, you know, fights. As for the match up, if Diaz can set an early pace moving forward, Pettis will likely wilt moving backward as he always has. Likewise if “Showtime” can find a rhythm with his kicks and movement early, it could be a long night for Nate. An x-factor could be if Diaz calls on what happened in his first fight with Conor McGregor and gets the fight to the ground. Pettis is no slouch in the submission department but he’s not a 209 black belt.

Secondly, it would appear Khabib and Dustin Poirier are going to unify the 155lb strap at UFC 242 in Dubai. The card would kick off at 2:00pm EST so it is a PRIME day drinking event. Khabib, in my opinion, is going to maul anyone he faces but at this point in his career you can never count Poirier out, so looking forward to this one.

-Let’s leave MMA town now. I posted something to Facespace about this last night but I’ll leave it here as well. “Game Of Thrones” is the best TV of our lifetime. A true spectacle and something that if I was a douchie Hollywood-type I’d refer to as an achievement. So just because this season hasn’t gone according to YOUR plan and just because there are plot holes that YOU don’t like because they need to wrap the show up, it doesn’t change the fact that there won’t be anything like this ever again and it is still fantastic. It also doesn’t make you cool to publicly scream that opinion off a rooftop.

(O and if you’re trying to turn Khaleesi’s rampage into some sort of anti-feminist slight, please seek some fucking help. Where were you when Cersei did the same fuckin thing?)

-Red and I, once accompanied by Papa G, have kicked off the 2019 golf season, thus far with mixed results. Papa G actually hit the longest tee ball these eyes have ever seen. Not in any sort of productive direction but man I’ll tell ya, it was a bomb. I actually could see all of us making a little leap in ability this year if we keep playing consistently. Either way nice to be out there considering it’s usually been 45 and rainy for the past three months.

–Mattes wrote a great blog on the Jamie Collins signing so go there for a full breakdown. My only divergence from what he wrote is that I’m seeing a few #footballguys note that data points to Van Noy being more productive in our defense than Collins was. Collins just had more flashy plays and pure, visual athleticism. Still, I still love the signing and whenever you can sign a Jamie Collins it is going to make your defense better. As a matter of fact I think the Pats’ LB corps is now sneaky-stacked with Collins, Van Noy, Hightower, forgotten stud Ja’Whaun Bentley, and Roberts.

-I posed this to Red yesterday and I don’t think he’s feeling it but it wouldn’t be the end of the world if the B’s didn’t sweep tonight because they’ve been the only reason I’ve been leaving my house on Saturdays. Having to regress to going out and then socialize would be miserable at this point. So as much as I’m rooting for a B’s victory, it wouldn’t crush me if they didn’t get it.

-The Celtics find themselves in the lottery despite getting to the second round this year. Shouts to Danny Ainge for being able to get us picks but not banners. Pretty cool bud. Anyway there will be a few guys floating around at 14 we could snag and I’m sure someone here will get into it in depth. Looking at the board KZ Okpala from Stanford has an ever improving shot at 6’8 and, if he falls into our lap, Rui Hachimura (Zags) would bring a great skill-set into our locker room and through the season before we bow out before the ECF again.

-I guess some survey came out and the Boston accent won sexiest in America. I’ve lived here 99.9% of my life (2 short stints in Jersey) and I can honestly tell you that if someone comes at me with a hard Boston accent I assume they can’t read. To be honest I think it’s because a lot of people my age fake it to sound hard and if you fake an accent to sound cool or hard you probably are indeed illiterate. Bad beat.

-Lastly, John Wick 3 comes out soon/came out (I don’t fuckin know bro) and LET’SSSS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I’m a noted avoider of most pure action, boom boom bang pow movies but I love John Wick. It’s Keanu as Bourne pretty much. What’s not to like?

 

I’ll be introducing a new weekly/bi-weekly feature tomorrow that I’ve had brewing for awhile so we’ll see how that goes. We only have a couple more until the weekend, folks.

-Joey B

The 300s Official UFC 229 Preview

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Here we are folks. The eve of the single most monumental, true, blue, “who is the best in the world who weighs this much” fight in MMA history. Members of the media, etc. have stated as much and I do indeed agree. Sure, there has been a puzzling absence of press and promotion for this fight, but like in days of yore, all that matters is that they will definitely deliver in the cage.

The main event of UFC 229, Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor, seems to have been written in the starts dating back years, when the rising, still slightly anonymous man from the Northern Caucasus seemed destined to steamroll his way to an eventual title shot. That shot, even back as far as 2015, would most like likely be against the brash Irishman who everyone wanted to be booked against – either for the pay day, the legacy, or both.

Both of our headliners, of course, face their first test today around noon when they meet “The Scale”. Although Nurmagomedov is the one with the history of weight issues, neither man enjoys the cut to 155lbs, which adds an additional layer of drama.

UFC 229 also serves up a helping of additional quality fights in all shapes and sizes – some divisionally-meaningful, some MMA nerd friendly, some of the “just bleed” variety. Therefore, after addressing the main event, I will very briefly touch on the rest of the main card plus one more to give this entire event it’s due and proper.

Shall we?

The Main Event – Khabib Nurmagomedov (c) vs. Conor McGregor

Lightweight (155lbs) Title Fight

Image result for khabib conor face offIn one hand of our main event we have Conor McGregor, the bombastic, charismatic, electric former two-division champion. Aside from his accolades inside the cage and in the PPV buys record books, he has single-handedly brought MMA further into mainstream consciousness than any of his predecessors combined.

On the other hand is Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is every bit what you’d think his former-USSR origins would beget – stoic, calculated, direct, and harboring a simmering inner fury that is simply terrifying.

Stylistically, thank the MMA Gods again, we have been blessed with a fight between polar opposites. McGregor is a dynamic, one of a kind striker. He is capable of throwing a powerful side kick, lightning fast spinning kicks, and speedy combos from a rhythmic, bouncing crouch. Alternatively, he can slither forward in his wide, southpaw stance, slipping everything on earth in anticipation of firing off his patented bolt stunner of a left hand. His grappling, although much maligned thanks to a submission to Nate Diaz to go with the pair he suffered pre-UFC, has steadily improved since the first Diaz fight and the wrestling clinic Chad Mendes put him through before that. It’s worth noting, of course, that the late-notice replacement Mendes tired down the stretch and got knocked out.

The Upside Down to McGregor’s Hawkins, Khabib Nurmagomedov is what has become known as a typical Dagestani wreslting machine, albeit the best of the bear wrestling best with a few additional tricks up his sleeve. On the feet, he is willing and able to change his approach based on his opponent, from the jab seminar he put Al Iaquinta through to the 1-2s he used against Michael Johnson. His knock of course is his straight back and forth footwork coupled with occasionally limited head movement. This is to say he gets hit, sometimes kind of a bit too much. All of this standing and trading of course is only done to set up the inevitable take down, which usually comes via a beautifully brutal double leg. It should be noted here that anywhere from the middle of the octagon to against the cage Nurmagomedov has an unlimited arsenal of throws and take downs, he just prefers the double. From there, “The Eagle” becomes arguably the best, and definitely the most physically dominant, top position fighter in MMA. He uses slick passes, heavy pressure, and shockingly repressive strength to get into position to begin reining merciless elbows, punches, and hammerfists down on his opponents. Also of note, if he gets a back or side position, he is an expert user of the wrist ride to confound and torque his opponents into a position where he can again begin pounding away or hit a submission such as the kimura he tapped Johnson with. It’s brutal folks. It made DII all-American Abel Trujillo, held prostrate on the ground, throw his hands up in frustration to the ref as if to say “is this even legal?”

So, striker or grappler? As with many of these I have to pick head vs. heart. My heart lies with Dagestan’s favorite son. I have to say, I fucking love Khabib. With that said, he indeed gets hit. And Conor knocks. People. The fuck. Out. So as much as I hope the opposite. I have go with the man from Erin.

The Pick: Conor McGregor wins via KO (Rd1). Becomes new UFC Lightweight Champion

 

Co-Main Event: Tony Ferguson vs. Anthony Pettis

Lightweight (155lb) Fight

This one, for me at least, is just a little sad to pick. Former division champ Pettis had an “I’m back” moment when he submitted Michael Chiesa in July, but as good as he looked in that fight his Achilles heel has always been that he shits the bed when he is being backed up. Although I kind of hate Tony Ferguson and his played out antics, he DRIVES forward. Ferguson is also a very good wrestler, something which Pettis also struggles with. There could be a silver lining here for Pettis, for as good of a grappler Ferguson is, “Showtime” has a knack for tapping out higher ranked/thought of mat men such as the aforementioned Chiesa as well as Benson Henderson. That said, that’s a little too much to wish for.

The Pick: Tony Ferguson wins via Submission (Brabo Choke) – (Rd2)

Dominick Reyes vs. Ovince St. Preux

Light-Heavyweight (205lb) Fight

This one will get mighty interesting if it gets to the ground, what with OSP loving to Von Flue Choke people for some bizarre reason and everything. With that said, OSP is a sneaky-slow starter on the feet. Although he throws early and often, I find it to be without a lot of commitment. I think Reyes mauls him after some feeling out.

The Pick: Dominick Reyes wins via KO (RD2)

Alexander Volkov vs. Derrick Lewis

Heavyweight (265lb) Fight

Someone is most likely losing consciousness in this one. Volkov is 5-0 since joining the UFC including 2 KOs in his last 2 fights. Lewis is two for his last two but has looked sluggish and sort of uninterested. Turns out his back has been completely fucked and he hasn’t up to this point ever…really…trained? Throw that all in a pot and stir it up and I think the towering Volkov get’s a bit cocky here.

The Pick – Derrick Lewis wins via KO (RD1)

 

Michelle Waterson vs. Felice Herrig

Strawweight (115lb) Fight

Here we have a pivotal match-up in the Women’s Strawweight Division. Both fighters are top-115lbers but a few wins away from a title shot. Herrig is coming off a loss after four wins, Waterson a win after two losses. Although Herrig probably has the edge on the ground due to both skill and size over the natural atomweight Waterson, both prefer to stand and trade.  This is honestly a complete toss up so I’m going to just stop typing and pick.

The Pick: Michelle Waters wins via split decision.

As I mentioned, one more for the hell of it?

Jussier “Formiga” da Silva vs. Sergio Pettis

Flyweight (125lb) Fight

This could honestly be a Flyweight #1 Contender’s fight if Henry Cejudo didn’t have plans to fight T.J Dillashaw, possibly even for that very 125lb belt, next. Anyway, here we have the perennial (although finally arrived) young gun, if there is such a thing, vs. the World’s premier back taker. You know what? I’ll stop there.

The Pick: “Formiga” wins via submission (Rd2)

So that’s it folks. My fingers are bleeding and I’m emotionally exhausted and the Goddamn fights are a whole day away. Therefore, I don’t have much of a sign-off in me. My recommendation: take a minute for yourself over the next 36 hours. Take some deep breaths. Really come to understand what we are about to witness. It’s a historical event. Here. We. Go.

-Joey B