I admit it, it’s a classic…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Has everyone caught their breath yet after that unreal fight between Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto? More on that in a minute. First, some more EliteXC thoughts.
Better paced show than in May. Of course, with all those knockouts, it sort of had to be doing better time-wise.
Enough introduction of the fighters without it being overkill. Gus Johnson and Frank Shamrock did an outstanding job of letting the action speak for itself.
There’s money to be made with Cyborg and Gina Carano. I can’t believe I’m actually saying that. It’ll be interesting to see how long they wait to make this.
Mauro Ranallo either needs to change up his style or leave. Here’s a taste of his goodies: “That fight was as long as Brett Favre’s retirement.” “Next to Batman and Joker, this is the showdown of the summer.” It just rings as petty to me. It’s obvious Ranallo loves the fight game. But when you say things like that, ugh, it just doesn’t sit well. I’m all about trying to make it entertaining, but that’s going overboard.
Like I said last night, a solid show to have on broadcast TV. All fights did what they set out to accomplish. Next EliteXC on CBS is Oct. 4.
Now onto boxing’s Fight of the Year. Yes, the Boneman believes this beats out the third installment of Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez from March.
Two things about Cotto that I’m still trying to figure out: 1) Why didn’t Cotto attack Margarito’s body? We all know Antonio has a granite chin, so why not try the body? Cotto has been known as one of the best body punchers in boxing. So why on the biggest night of his career did he abandon that plan?
2) This is me really assuming something here, so you may not agree. But why, in the latter stages of the fight, didn’t Cotto just say “screw it, I’m going to toe-to-toe with him. If I get KO’d, so be it. But I’m not just going to try to box and move to a decision.” I just felt by round eight or so that everyone knew Cotto wasn’t going to be able to last all 12 doing that style. Margarito was going to catch him.
I never felt Cotto sat down on any of his punches. Maybe he did, and that’s just how great of a chin Antonio has. But from what I saw, it was nothing but punches meant to get Margarito off of him instead of actually looking to press the action.
Am I wrong about this? Margarito’s pressure was nothing new. It’s what he always does. And I didn’t even mind that Cotto strategy was to just box circles around him and make Antonio chase him all night. Hey, it worked for six rounds.
Can’t wait for the HBO re-broadcast, so can dissect this just a tad more. Strictly going off memory here.
Brief look into my scorecard. Cotto dominated round one because, well, Margarito let him. Antonio came back in an electrifying round two. I gave Miguel the next three rounds as he earned a working margin.
But the fight changed in round six and even Margarito acknowledged it. And round seven, Cotto was holding on for dear life. I had it 4-4-1 through nine rounds. Cotto was on his way to winning the 10th when a huge late rally by Margarito gave him the round.
Round 11 – clock struck midnight for Cotto. He takes a knee. Gets up, tries to see if he can still fight. Once he realizes he can’t, starts to backpedal. Takes another knee (from no punch) and Evangelista Cotto (his uncle) throws in the towel.
You won’t see too many like this one, so I hope you found a way to see it. If not, I know it’ll be on HBO Saturday night before the Zab Judah-Joshua Clottey fight (got Clottey in that one). When I know the exact time, I’ll post it. Another outstanding weekend for the fight circuit and hey, I actually got a prediction right.
Here we go…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
It’s time. No more countdown, no more previewing. It’s time for EliteXC: Unfinished Business. Our first three bouts are on Showtime with coverage switching over to CBS at 8 p.m.
Fight #1: Wilson Reis vs. Bryan Caraway. Excellent fight to start the broadcast. It was a close one-sided decision, if that makes any sense. Caraway’s strength was the standup, and he landed a solid knee to the side Reis’ head, busting Reis open.
Reis controlled the ground game. What Reis did such a great job at was getting inside without incurring too much damage. This was supposed to be a coming out party for Reis, but Caraway refused to just be an opponent. Good start. Tough, hard-fought win for Reis.
Reis is only 5-0 and definitely showed some flaws, which makes him more marketable, in my opinion. You see someone like him and you starting thinking ‘I can beat this guy.’ If Caraway really fought with a dislocated kneecap, wow. Seriously, I don’t know if there are degrees of disolocations, but not having two good wheels may have been why Reis was always able to get Caraway back on the ground.
Decision: Reis 30-27 on all three cards. 30-27 on Boneman’s card.
Fight #2. Rafael Feijao vs. Travis Galbraith. Feijao took control with the knees. He landed four crisp shots and Galbraith had no chance. Galbraith only took this fight on two weeks notice, so he wasn’t nearly as sharp as he needed to be. Take nothing away from Feijao who did what he was supposed to do. Feijao did a great job of not getting flustered in the first couple of minutes. Things weren’t really going his way early, but he stuck with it and finished it in fine form.
Feijao by KO at 3:01 of the first round.
Fight #3: Antonio Big Foot Silva vs. Justin Eiliers. Big Foot? More like Big Head. Guy has a massive cranium. Anyway, Silva did what was expected. Even with the point deduction in the first round for hitting the back of the head, you knew it wasn’t going to matter. Silva closes the show impressively in round 2 to win the EliteXC heavyweight title.
Silva by KO in the second round.
Fight #4: Cristiane Cyborg vs. Shayna Baszler.
What an appropriate name for a fighter, Cyborg. Baszler did a pretty good job in round one. Had some near submissions, but if it wasn’t going to happen early, then it just wasn’t going to happen. Cyborg pummeled Baszler into the ground in round two and thought the fight was over cuz her opponent fell. Eh, rookie (just kidding, Cyborg). I was actually more impressed by the stoppage after that because that was a lot of energy she released when she initially thought she won. This could set up a HUGE women’s money fight with Cyborg and Gina Carano (who was in attendance).
Cyborg KO 2.
Fight #5: Nick Thompson vs. Jake Shields. Shields took control early and got into full mount faster than I ever thought would happen. It didn’t take long for Shields to put in that guillotine choke. Game, set match, Shields is your new champion.
Shields KO 1.
Fight #6 Thomas Denny vs. Nick Diaz. And Stockton is giving Diaz an unreal home crowd advantage. Denny took the fight to Diaz early, but that appeared to be all he had in the arsenal. Diaz did enough to win round one and battered Denny throughout round two before it was mercifully stopped. I don’t know how big Diaz can be in terms of a star, but he’ll always be the man in Stockton; that much is obvious.
Diaz KO 2.
Fight #7 Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith. Ooh boy, here we go with the rematch. Don’t quote me, but I think they went the entire first round without going to the ground. I gave Lawler the slight advantage. Round two, umm, no question. Lawler attacks furiously out of the gate. Lands some devastating knees and some more and that’ll do it. Lawler is your new middleweight champion.
Lawler KO 2.
Overall thoughts: Excellent show for CBS. There was skill, heart, no controversies. This is how you build an audience. Phenomenal job. More thoughts Sunday.
Bonus: The Boneman also weaseled his way to seeing the Antonio Margarito vs. Miguel Cotto boxing fight on PPV. I’ve said it before but great boxing beats great MMA all the time. I don’t want to hyperbolize anything, but this was sensational. Margarito eventually took out Cotto in the 11th to give Miguel his first loss. It was pressure, pressure and more pressure. Finally, Cotto wilted. He had no more to give. For the record, I had Margarito up 96-95 entering the 11th round. Also, more on this classic Sunday.
Q&A: Doug DeLuca: “It’s one big beautiful dance…”
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
The countdown is still on as we get closer and closer to another EliteXC event on CBS. So just how in the world did a little upstart company like EliteXC become a major player in MMA? Well, a lot of credit must go to Doug DeLuca, the CEO of EliteXC. Like UFC president Dana White, DeLuca has a vision. Now why can’t boxing people think like this? Anyway, The Boneman was able to snag a nice conference call with DeLuca as he imparted some of his wisdom.
Two months removed from the first show, what’s your thoughts on how it all went down?
DD: We thought it was a real succesful outing. I think the key thing is we gained a lot of new fans. Now it’s all about keeping the momentum.
With having the network deal, it gives you a leg up on everybody. What’s one hidden advantage that people don’t really think about?
DD: We see it like this. The NFL taught people how to watch football. What to look for, what’s important, etc. We feel that with Gus Johnson and Frank Shamrock and our production values, we can do the same thing.
It’s not just barbaric. It’s calculated and disciplined. It’s like watching one big beautiful dance.
What are some things you are looking to improve on heading into this broadcast?
DD: We received a lot of feedback. Most of it was fairly positive. One thing people did say was there was too much time between fights. You have to leave some time for advertisers, but we want to make this a much tighter show.
Are you worried about the show running long?
DD: That’s always a concern, and it’s something, like I said, we’re addressing. That brings up a funny story with Adam Carolla. People were saying with the first show that if you planned your TiVo based on that, you missed the last fight. Carolla said you have to know as a sports fan that everything is going to run long. You need to record at least the next show, maybe even the second show. The goal is for a tighter show.
Is there a danger about making EliteXC a regional brand? A lot of the shows seem to cater around California.
DD: We want to grow the brand, no question. But there’s also a sense of loyalty. I mean you want to reward those fans for helping make the product great. Stockton (Calif.) is a great crowd. But definitely, we’re looking to grow.
What’s the latest with Kimbo Slice?
DD: He’s training really hard. He takes a lot of unjustified criticism. He’s very focused and dedicated. Just because he made his name on the streets doesn’t mean he’s not a legitimate fighter. We’re hoping to set something up in the fall.
What’s holding MMA back?
DD: There are a lot of little things, but one thing for sure is the lack of a unified system. That gets confusing for fans to try to follow. There are different rules for every brand, and that’s not easy to understand. We’re getting closer to that happening, but it’s not an easy process.
What’s the next big thing that needs to be accomplished?
DD: I don’t think you have to think like that. Not everything needs to be a major step. It’s all about progress and keep on building on things. If it’s baby steps, that’s fine. We’re a relatively young sport. There are a lot of things we can to build and grow. We’re getting established, we’re getting respect. We’re on our way.
The Boneman would like to thank Mr. DeLuca for taking the time to address everyone’s questions. Reminder, EliteXC on Showtime at 7 p.m. and switching over to CBS at 8 p.m. Live blogging right here on the Bout Blog as well.
Next: Predictions for EliteXC and yes, finally, a little Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito coverage.
Comanche Boy delivers the goods…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
The Boneman loves MMA, but nothing gets me going like some boxing. The Tuesday night fights at Remington Park once again proved that.
Fight #1: Jose Gonzales KO 1 Michael Young. Not too much to say about this one. Young hasn’t won a fight in his career and took a beating this time around. Gonzales landed several clean, crisp shots. Young stayed in the ring well after the fight was over but left under his own power, which is great news.
Fight #2: Manuel Esparza majority decision Jose Castaneda, 38-38, 39-37, 40-36. I scored the bout 39-37, so I guess I was right in line. Esparza was never going to seriously hurt Castaneda considering Castaneda was 220 pounds as a cruiserweight!?! Anyway, Esparza showed some real solid boxing ability and carried the day.
Fight #3: Jonathan Nelson unanimous decision Kyle Sherman, 40-36, 39-37, 40-37. Ay, what can I say? I had pegged this as an easy win for Sherman. Nelson weighed five more pounds than Sherman, which is huge at only welterweight (150 compared to 145 for Kyle). But Nelson packs a punch with 15 of his 16 previous wins by knockout. Sherman got tagged often and took some hard shots to the ribcage. It became evident early it would be Nelson’s night. Standing next to Kyle’s parents sure didn’t make this fight any easier. My official tally was 39-38 for Nelson, but Nelson clearly won rounds 2 and 3. Round 1 I gave to Sherman while round 4 was too close to call.
Fight #4 Carson Jones KO 2 John Huskey. Jones is a player. Now how big, well, don’t know that yet. But Jones has some serious skills. I don’t want to say he toyed with Huskey in the first, but it verged on that. Took care of business in the second round. Jones is such a young pup at 21 that hopefully he still has time to put it all together.
Fight #5 Noah Zuhdi KO 1 Chance Brown. Zuhdi’s inexperience showed in this fight, which is fine. He’ll be the first to tell you so. Noah comes out like a raging bull, but his last two opponents have not been the type where that style will work. Chance looked like he didn’t want to be there and a hard uppercut midway through the first reinforced that notion.
Fight #6 George Tahdooahnippah KO 2 Terrance Wilson. I think the story speaks for itself.
Who was more dominant, Anderson Silva or Fedor Emelianenko in their MMA wins? Silva destroyed James Irvin with one perfect right hand shot as Irvin was going for a leg kick. That was a thrill to watch live on Spike. Fedor made mincemeat of Tim Sylvia in just 36 seconds. Fun stuff.
Blatant plug alert that I will be blogging live Saturday for EliteXC on CBS. Because of such matters, I will not get to see possibly boxing’s fight of the year between Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto. I’m going with Margarito on a hunch.
Next: Q&A with EliteXC CEO Doug DeLuca
He’s stomping on his foot…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
In preparation of Saturday’s EliteXC broadcast on CBS, the Boneman is taking a trip down memory lane. Where did it all begin?
Ironically enough, it started with the exact opposite of what MMA stands for. It started with the then-WWF and a wrestler known as Ken Shamrock.
Yep, that same Shamrock. Ken and his brother, Frank, are icons in the MMA world. But it’s when Ken crossed over to the WWF that I actually learned about MMA.
Shamrock entered the WWF in 1997. By then, UFC was yoinked from my TCI Cable in Manhattan, Kansas. So my first memories of UFC are all from VHS (hey, remember that?).
I did all I could to try to get footage of Shamrock at his best and on the way, found a lot of other fighters I happened to like.
But the first event that actually had me hooked from beginning to end was UFC 7: The Brawl in Buffalo. It took place in September 1995 in, you guessed it, Buffalo.
The Superfight was Ken Shamrock vs. Oleg Taktarov. The Superfight was the equivalent of a title fight but not really, if that makes any sense. The first competitions were eight-man tournaments with one Superfight.
I’m a big fan of both Shamrock and Taktarov and Oleg has parlayed his success into a halfway decent movie career. The bout was declared a draw after 33 minutes.
But it was the eight-man tourney that was the real deal. You had good (Marco Ruas) vs. evil (Paul Varelans). Without rounds in the early events, fights could get downright boring at times. Ruas and Varelans went more than 13 minutes and had my interest the whole time.
Maybe that’s the best compliment I can give a fight. Ruas had this not-seen strategy of attacking the legs and an unheard of method of attacking the feet.
It proved to be great strategy as Ruas kept pounding and pounding Varelans’ legs. Finally at around the 13-minute mark, Varelans collapsed because he couldn’t stand. He had these nasty welts on his thighs and was pummeled into submission.
Ah, the glory days.
I lost touch with MMA for quite a few years, especially during my four years at OU (2002-2006). Ultimate Fighter on Spike and EliteXC on Showtime have brought me back.
What were your first memories of MMA?
Next: Remington Park has a boxing card Tuesday night. I’ll have some thoughts from the pugilistic science. Also, take note as I will be blogging live Saturday night for EliteXC on both Showtime and CBS. After each bout, I will post my thoughts.
The best in the biz…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Announcers can make good events into legendary moments. Al Michaels’ “Do you believe in miracles?” comes to mind for the 1980 US hockey team defeating the Soviet Union. Or some of my faves, Harry Caray’s classic “Cubs win, Cubs win” and Jim Ross’ “As God as my witness, he is broken in half.”
The Boneman could go on and on about classic calls, but this is all about the men making the calls.
So I pose this, how in the world did MMA get so lucky and nab such great announcers? This didn’t just start now, MMA has always had world-class men on the mic.
Bruce Beck and Jeff Blatnick: The first combo of UFC. I loved them. Blatnick was a top amateur wrestler before turning to announcing and won a gold at the 1984 Olympics. I had never heard of Beck before the UFC, but he had some good credentials as well.
I always thought Beck couldn’t be topped. I was a fan of his voice inflection and thought he did a great job of helping novice people like me with what was going on.
Eventually, both parted ways though I still get to hear Blatnick when it’s time for the NCAA wrestling championships.
Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan: Goldie is golden on the mic, pardon the horrible pun. Here you have two guys with great passion and knowledge of the sport.
Goldberg had a chance to bolt the UFC for the WWE a few years ago, but that wasn’t where his passion was.
Nowadays, I can’t imagine a UFC call without Goldberg or Rogan. For years, I had no idea Rogan was a comedian. To me, he’ll always just be “that guy from UFC.” I love that Joe has stuck with UFC and vice versa. As the UFC has exploded, I thought the day might come when it would be looking for the next big thing and get rid of Goldberg and Rogan. Kudos for not making any changes.
Gus Johnson and Frank Shamrock: The new kids on the block. The voices of EliteXC. Gus is my favorite announcer who doesn’t his just props. Also on that short list is Brad Nessler and an all-time great, Dick Enberg.
Anyway, Gus brings such enthusiasm to anything he does and is perfect for MMA. He was a wrestler, has announced boxing and is now practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Of course, no explanation needed for Frankie. My older brother Dave’s idol is one of the biggest names ever in MMA. He’s like a college professor when he starts talking the intricacies of MMA. Look for more on both Gus and Frank in later editions of this week’s Oklahoman.
Bruce Buffer: True, I’ll always like his brother, Michael, more. But Bruce is no slouch. He’s been there since practically the beginning. A solid ring announcer who gives the aura of the event being huge.
Who are some of your favorite announcers in the fight game? And what are some of their signature calls you’ll never forget?
Mea culpa: In picking the best Okies in MMA in Monday’s paper, I neglected one of the pioneers: Don Frye. He was a tough as nails son of a gun in his prime. He was a two-time UFC champion when it wasn’t cluttered with all the weight divisions. Frye spent time at both Arizona State and Oklahoma State. I regret the exclusion because Frye will always have a special place in the Przybylo family because he had one great Tom Selleck moustache. And he was one gritty competitor. His 8 second KO at UFC 8 is still tied for quickest win ever.
Next: How did Boneman become an MMA fan? Would you believe it all stemmed from a WWF encounter? Well, it did.
Are You Ready??
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Coming off the heels of a Saturday night with not one but two MMA events and days away from a second network TV appearance for EliteXC on CBS, it’s safe to say MMA is not just a passing fancy.
When I was proposed an MMA main event for Monday’s paper, it was a no-brainer. But I knew there was no way I could include everything that needed to be included.
Because when you’re talking about the roots and explosion of the sport, well, there are so many layers.
But one person who has always stood out for me is Big John McCarthy. The diehard fans know full well who I’m talking about. But for those that don’t, Big John was the premier referee in the UFC for years.
At the first UFC events, referees could not stop the fight. Can you believe that? You had to wait for a cornerman to throw in the towel or for a fighter to tap out three times.
Then came Big John. His knowledge and passion for the sport is tough to duplicate. His signature call “Are you ready? Are you ready? Let’s get it on.” I loved, no wait, love it.
McCarthy was a Los Angeles police officer before starting with the UFC. He ended up refereeing 535 bouts with his final bout being the Ultimate Fighter 6 final between Roger Huerta and Clay Guida.
If McCarthy stepped in to stop a fight, there was nothing you could do. He was a presence in the octagon, the unofficial “ninth side.”
His role was huge in spurring MMA. He rarely made a questionable stoppage and had the innate ability to stop a fight at just the right time.
It’s interesting to The Boneman that Big John got out just when MMA is getting bigger than ever.
He opened his first MMA school in California in 2006.
There are more referees than ever before, but nobody will ever reach Big John material. He’s just one of the great reasons why MMA is becoming what it is.
Asked in a recent interview why MMA is so popular, Big John put it in the simplest terms possible.
“The thing is, as time goes by and they (state commissions) start feeling comfortable with it, I think you’re gonna see MMA growing. The one thing about [MMA] is everybody understands a fight. It doesn’t take a language or a certain area for people to understand. When two people come together for an MMA match, everybody at least understands what’s going on. And so it’s a global sport.”
Sometimes, you don’t need some complicated explanation.
Next up: The voices of MMA.
Pray for Oscar Diaz…
UPDATE (Sunday): He’s not out of the woods, but it looks a little better for Diaz. He’s been in a coma for a couple of days, and doctors believe it won’t be until late this week when he gets out of it.
The swelling on the brain has gone down and the brain is back in the normal size and position. He’s gone through the most difficult stage, but you never know with something like this.
The fact that he’s had no medical problems in the past and was an extremely healthy kid is working in his favor. Still, keep your thoughts with him and his family.
UPDATE: “They had to remove the left side of his cranium in order to help the swelling go down, which apparently was very bad,” said Ron Katz, the matchmaker of Star Promotions. “He had a subdural hematoma [bleeding on the brain], which was taken care of. During surgery, he apparently showed movement in his arms and his brain pressure was very good, according to the doctor.”
Katz received all his info from the Duva family who is still at the hospital with Diaz.
Diaz is heavily sedated but good news is that he was not placed into a medically-induced coma. He’s not out of the woods yet, so keep praying.
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
It’s with sad news that the Boneman returns to the blog game. Please keep Oscar Diaz and his family and friends in your prayers today and all through this weekend.
Last night on ESPN2’s Wednesday Night Fights, the San Antonio welterweight collapsed between rounds 10 and 11 vs. Delvin Rodriguez. A sad sight anywhere, but even more tennse and scary because the fight was in San Antonio with all his family and friends wearing Diaz T-shirts.
Diaz underwent emergency surgery to relieve bleeding in the brain when you and I were both probably sleeping. It ended at just past 4 a.m. He’s in critical condition, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his and his family and friends.
Diaz, only 25, first made his mark on me three years ago. When I was a senior at OU, Diaz headlined a Friday Night Fights card on ESPN2 in Aug. 2005 at the Thunderbird Casino in Norman. It was my first chance to watch real, competitive boxing and Diaz never said anything about a nervous college reporter who was stumbling all over himself trying to conduct an interview. Diaz won a unanimous decision in the main event.
Diaz has been brought up by a who’s who in boxing with legendary trainers Lou Duva and Tommy Brooks. They’ve always seen something special in the kid. His pro career hasn’t panned out the way they had hoped, but he’s been a solid professional every step of the way.
Diaz was in a war with veteran Golden Johnson two years. Johnson knocked him out. Other than that, he’s lived the normal life of a boxer. But boxing is anything but normal. One moment can change your life forever and sadly, that moment was last night for Diaz.
Diaz and Rodriguez were involved in a spirited contest for most of last night until a bad and worsening cut with each round to Diaz’s right eye turned the tide toward Rodriguez.
In between rounds 10 and 11, the referee asked Diaz how many fingers he was holding up. You couldn’t make out the audio, but no audio was needed as Diaz turned to the ropes and his legs buckled with only the ref keeping him from falling. Doctors were quickly on the scene and have undoubtedly saved the kid’s life for now.
I’ll keep you updated when I know more. That’s just how quickly something can change in boxing.
The only logical step…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Wow, what a weekend. Back home in Ohio. I didn’t plan on writing too much. But wham, 1) Kendall Holt scored the
KOs of the year on Ricardo Torres in 61 seconds. The first with his head, the second with a picture perfect right hand. 2) The Fight Doctor’s pride takes a hit as Forrest Griffin earns a unanimous decision over Rampage Jackson.
So I was all set, knew what I would write about until…wait for it, Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal.
If you follow the Boneman’s writing, you know I was the tennis nut for the last high school season (and hopefully the upcoming one). What I love about all of the MMA, boxing and tennis events: it’s mano a mano. There’s just you and your opponent. No teammates to bail you out. No him against the field garbage in golf. It’s you on one side and your opponent on the other.
Now I admit I love James Blake and Andy Roddick to no end, but right now, the Americans are not getting the job done.
But what I saw Sunday was pure beauty, the perpetual poetry in motion. And I parked my rear end on my old couch back home and watched nearly every last single minute of it. I missed the first set because I was still tired from my flights and losing the extra hour for Eastern time.
However, from the second set on, I was just enjoying myself. I cheered and applauded both men too many times to mention. It was jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring stuff. If you missed it, shame on you.
I knew it would be tough to match last year’s five-set epic, but it did just that.
Nadal comes out strong and takes the first. Federer seemingly regains his footing but loses the last five games of the second set. Down 0-40 in the third set and seeing his chances for an unprecedented sixth
Wimbledon title going down the drain, Roger pulls it out.
And then the rain.
And we’re back and Fed wins in the tiebreak. And the fourth set is glittered with even more brilliance. At this point, I’m calling the few tennis friends I have to make sure they’re watching this not just instant classic, but all-time epic classic.
And then we get the fourth set tiebreak. Rafa has two championship points, Fed keeps coming back with clutch serves. It’s insane.
And then we get more rain.
And after nearly five hours of playing and seven and a half hours from when it was first supposed to start, wow, Rafa did it.
Minor gripe about how it was an unforced error by Fed to decide the championship. And the class by both men was incredible.
So what’s next? The only logical place for them to go. Let’s get them in a cage or a ring and let them duke it out. I know there’s no animosity at all b/w the two, but I believe it’s time we find out who’s got the machismo?
All joking aside, hope you caught the highlights. Hope you record it on ESPN Classic tonight. Do what you can to get your hands on this one. They’ll be talking about this one for a LONG time.
I never thought the greatest bout I’d see this weekend was on a grass tennis court in
England. But sure enough, it was. I don’t feel too bad about it.
They went five hours and you know what? I think they could have gone another five. The conditioning was unreal.
We’re having a special year, and it’s only going to get better with the Olympics (I hope). Back to boxing and MMA next entry. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity with another one of my favorite (and so-called dying) sports.
UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
The two jawed back and forth on The Ultimate Fighter, now they get to settle it the old-fashioned way: in the ring, err, cage.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson takes on Forrest Griffin in the main event Saturday night of UFC 86. In boxing, the adage is styles make fights.
Well, the same could be said to a certain extent in MMA. And boy oh boy, do these styles complement each other beautifully. I really can’t see a way in which this isn’t an all-out explosive war between two of the top light heavyweights in the world.
You see how I said “two” of the top? That’s part of the beauty of MMA. The top guys normally fight each other in a reasonable amount of time. Sure, there are always cases of things not coming, but it’s not like waiting years for some boxing matches to occur. End rant.
Griffin has been in a number of wars, normally bloody, always entertaining. And Rampage vows, “It ain’t going to the judges.” What more could you ask for?
Conventional (and Boneman) wisdom would say if it’s Jackson, it’s by KO. If it’s Griffin, it’s by submission. I just don’t think you can try to throw in a new wrinkle this late into the game. This is arguably the biggest fight for both men, don’t get cute now. Do what you do.
Experts were polled in the latest edition of TapouT magazine (a great read, by the way). The majority who would go on record picked Jackson. But most of them were in the too close to call, but it’s going to be great area.
Jackson is one of the few fighters to make that move from PRIDE to the UFC and be successful. I thought there would be a huge war b/w the two groups when they merged. But it’s not much of a war when the UFC is handling its business the way it has.
Griffin is 15-4 while Jackson is 28-6. Jackson has fought the who’s who in the MMA world while Griffin has been a quick learner since his days on TUF. Both men have great chins and can withstand enormous amounts of punishment.
Yeah, I know I’m prob not telling you anything you don’t know. But that’s kinda how I see this fight. You know what’s going to happen, it’s all on the table. No ace up a sleeve here.
I like Jackson. I’m leaning toward by decision, but I’d love a KO. That’s always more satisfying.
Official Boneman Prediction: Jackson def. Griffin.
Note: I’ll be on vacation back home in Ohio the next couple of weeks. Hey, if something cool happens, I’ll post. If not, may lay low for a while. Appreciate the support and get ready because when I come back, I’ve got some big MMA/Boxing stories on the way for both The Oklahoman and the blog.
