The Two Towers of New York Shutdown the Big 3 of Miami

“The Knicks gave up too much.”  “How are Melo and Stat going to play together, they both need the ball.” “Miami's going to score 140 in this game” “The Knicks can't play defense.” Bringing out the old Chris Jericho fan in me, critics will you please Shut The Hell Up!

Not one basketball “expert” gave New York any chance of winning Sunday nights game against the Miami Heat but the new look Knicks came out and won a game, ESPN is already claiming to be an “instant classic.” 

The game was not picture perfect as the Knicks came out slow and it was obvious from the start that they are still not used to playing together. Many times there was extra unneeded passes and missed opportunities. Turnovers almost cost New York the game and when they did get shots, they most often threw up bricks and failed to get the offensive rebound. The result of this had the Knicks playing from behind almost the entire game and every time I checked the score, Miami seemed to be up by eleven.

However, New York finished strong which is an important attribute to have in any sport. At the end of the first quarter, the Knicks were down 34-25 but ended up taking a 52-51 lead into halftime after a 16-0 run the last 4:25 of the half. The lead came after Carmelo Anthony brought the double team leaving Bill Walker open for a buzzer beating three which he was able to kiss off the window. 

The end to the half was impressive, and gave New York much needed momentum. Still, at halftime the critics did not speak a squeak about the Knicks and focused only on what Miami was not doing, other than what New York was doing. Michael Wilbon even seemed to be going out of his way to avoid complimenting the Knicks. 

When the second half started, Miami came out of the gate on fire and took the lead back up to eleven. The third quarter was sloppy for New York and they did not play well. However, that changed when the buzzer sounded and the forth quarter began.

The forth quarter was a thing of beauty for New York fans all thanks to one man, the player overlooked in the trade and was thought to be a throw in, Mr. Big Shot himself Chauncey Billups. Billups had an incredible forth quarter with seven points and two big steals in the final three minutes. Mr. Big Shot even scored a long distance three which was able to give the Knicks their first lead of the half. 

In the final fifteen seconds of the game, with New York up by one, Miami was able to get the ball to LeBron James and he was guarded by Carmelo Anthony. LeBron drove the lane but stellar defense by 'Melo payed off as the man who started the New York Renaissance Amar'e Stoudemire came from the other side of the lane to get the big block and seal the win for the New York Knicks.

Once again, New York finished strong and was able to end the game on a 15-4 run, which gave them the W with a 91-86 victory. 

This was a statement game for the Knicks and it had the intensity of a playoff game. At the end of the game when asked on his decision to ask to guard LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony stated, “ I came here for challenges, this was a play hard game and we all stepped up.” That could not be more accurate because even though the big two names got the highlight defensive play, it was a team effort. As stated earlier Billups had two huge steals late in the game, and during the middle part of the game, great defense was played by the supporting class, especially Bill Walker, Shawne Williams and Anthony Carter.

The effect Anthony has had on New York that will probably be overlooked is his ability to lead. It takes a lot of guts to ask to guard a player of LeBron James' caliber and Anthony showed he is here to be a complete basketball player. Besides his 29 points and 9 rebounds, it was his defense that led to the Knicks winning the game. Anthony wanted to be in New York and he is stepping up his game and playing like we have never seen him before on the defensive end. 

Another question and criticism which I find to be absolutely retarded is questioning how Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony are going to co-exist. These are two of the best basketball players in the game today, and any person who fails to see how they are going to play together needs to get their heads checked. Playing together is going to make themselves and the others around them better and it is going to make the game easier. Carmelo Anthony is one of the most versatile scorers in the NBA, while Amar'e is one of the most dominant big men. The game against Miami showed how great they will co-exist. It was established early on that if the Knicks are able to get the ball to Stoudemire in the post, and they are able to get themselves open, Stoudemire will happily give up the ball and if not he has an easy isolation play in which he excels. New York ran this play between 'Melo and Stat many times with positive results almost every time. New York's new Twin Towers are going to be a beautiful and sick combination and difficult for anyone in the NBA to guard.   

Another thing I do not understand is how in God's name people considered it a loss that the Knicks gave up Raymond Felton for Chauncey Billups . It is beyond on me how people seemed to forget that Billups was the MVP of the 2004 NBA Finals and the fact that in the forth quarter, there is not a point guard better in the NBA at handling the ball and making the right decisions at the right time. Well I don't need to tell you, Billups did so himself by playing excellent basketball which charged New York's comeback. 

I'm sure these “experts” will say that Miami lost this game instead of saying the Knicks won but the fact that the Heat can not win close games is a result of New York playing better basketball. Possibly, it could be a curse placed on Miami due to LeBron, since his former team the Cav's only defeats the best teams and the Heat fail to show up and deliver at the biggest games. Whatever the case may be, New York made a statement Sunday night and are only going to get better as the season progresses into the playoffs. 

Sorry critics, it is no longer the “cool” thing to hate on the Knicks. I know it was a great ice breaker to make a joke on New York's behalf before, but that time is over. The Knicks are a real team and are going to make noise during the playoffs. New York delivers on the biggest stage as evident as their defeats over Miami and Chicago this year, aka the darling teams of the NBA. New York has the ability to make a deep run in the playoffs and I am expecting big things. New York basketball is back and it is finally time for the Knicks faithful to rejoice! 

Dropkick Murpheys - Going Out In Style Review

Four long goddamn motherfucking years I have been without new Dropkick Murpheys and finally that damn bloody Irish curse is over! The boys from Mass. are finally back with a new album titled Going Out In Style and boy oh boy will I be buying a case of Guinness and drinking to this ASAP. 

In the four years they have been gone, Dropkick has not missed a step and are better than ever with their latest release which is filled with Celtic Punk goodness. Going Out In Style is supposedly a concept album based on the life of Cornelius Larken, but is more of just awesome Celtic folk songs more then anything. 

Hang Em High, the opening song is one of my favorites on the whole album as it is filled with a huge bagpipe sound and has a fist rising anthem chorus. After listening to it, I knew I was in for something special and then I wanted to go yell at someone in a drunken stupor. (in a good way of corse)

The next song, Going Out In Style matches the intensity of the first song and the fact that they were back to back forced me to run out to my local pub and start a huge barroom brawl. “You can stack me on a pyre and soak me down with whiskey  Roast me to a blackened crisp and throw me in a pile  I could really give a shit - I'm going out in style!” If that does not make you want to go out and have a great old fashioned drunken night with your friends than I recommend checking your pulse and rushing to the hospital cause you might be dead and stealing the precious air from a drunkard. 

The album is not all just crazy anthems and also features more traditional Irish folk sounds such as on 1953, Broken Hymns and my personal favorite Cruel. The uplifting slow inspiring lyrics match the sound of the songs and I can picture myself walking into a pub after a long days work and singing a couple of tunes while swaying with a pitcher of beer in one hand and a a bottle of whiskey in the other. 

As with every Dropkick Murphey's album, the band has a need to stand up and fight for the working class and the union's causes. Going Out In Style, continues that tradition with Take 'Em Down. While Take 'Em Down is the shortest song on the album, it is by far the most powerful. Calling for the working class to unite and stand up to the man with chants of “Let them know We gotta take the bastards down!” It is definitely a standout track and is even dedicated to the thousands of Wisconsin workers who are currently protesting the budget plan of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. When will they learn, when you wage a war on the working class, don't complain when the working class fights back. Short and powerful just the way I like it.

Going Out In Style does not contain any filler on the thirteen track record and every song is worth listening too. The intro to Deeds Not Words is fantastic as is the ode to friendship track Sunday Night Matinee. There is even a Bruce Springsteen guess feature on the second to last track Peg O My Heart, which is phenomenal and a surprisingly great collaboration. 

The last song on the record is a cover of one of the greatest Irish traditional songs of all time The Irish Rover. Dropkick performs one of the craziest versions of the song I have ever heard and I cannot wait to hear it live. If you see an insane drunken dude wearing a green leprechaun suit bashing beer bottles over his own head and others screaming obscenities in the air, do not be alarmed I am just really really drunk. 

In closing, the wait has been worth it as Dropkick Murphey's have a delivered a great fun record. If you are a fan of the band or a fan of alcohol, I would definitely listen to Going Out In Style and anticipate going to your local pub and getting shitty immediately afterwords. 

Ranked On the Beavis and Butt-Head Scoring System: 3.5 Beavis' out of 5 Butt-Heads 

Recommended Songs: Hang 'Em High, Going Out In Style, Take 'Em Down, Peg O My Heart   

Wiz Khalifa Cabin Fever Mixtape Review

After releasing the 2010 critically acclaimed Kush & OJ mixtape, Pittsburgh's own Wiz Khalifa found a winning formula that launched him into superstardom. His lazy charismatic stoner flow was not to complicated and pushed Kush & OJ to be the number one trending topic on Twitter and Google upon its release. It was voted the 2010 mixtape of the year by various publications and featured the standout track In Tha Cut. 

His newfound success only grew after he released the number one single Black N Yellow, getting him airplay all throughout the world due to his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers reaching the Superbowl. With his major debut album aptly titled Rolling Papers due out March 29th, Wiz gave his fans a little surprise to hold them until the album drops with the Pre-Rolling Papers mixtape Cabin Fever. 

Cabin Fever is a short nine track mixtape but showcases everything Wiz Khalifa does best. His selection of beats is always top notch and he compliments them with a tight flow and a catchy chorus. This is no more evident than on the opening track of the mixtape Phone Numbers. The song has  a pounding bass and is good riding music and will be bumped a lot especially if you live on a college campus, where Wiz Khalifa's popularity is at an all time high. 

Another standout track on the mixtape is what seems like the millionth time titled Taylor Gang. Although it shares the name with hundreds of other Wiz Khalifa songs, Taylor Gang separates itself by being produced by one of the most hyped about producers in the game right now, Lex Luger. The song is full of Wiz's usual confidence as he boasts “Got a bank full of scrilla, a brain full of papers, got a phone full of hoes, and a gang full of Taylors.” Even though it has been out for a while now, Taylor Gang is a strong track and one of the best songs on the mixtape. 

While I understand, Cabin Fever is just to hold fans over and nothing to get to worked up about, I still cant help finding some criticisms. The mixtape is very repetitive and it seems Wiz has dumbed down his lyrics big time since he first arrived on the scene with Pittsburgh Sound. Songs such a Errday and WTF are skippable and not all that impressive in my opinion. Wiz also never seems to venture too far out of his comfort zone and constantly raps about the same topics: weed, chillin', girls and Taylor Gang. I would like to see him change it up a bit, and I hope and expect Rolling Papers to feature the creativity this mixtape lacks. 

If you have nothing better to listen to and are a Wiz Khalia fan, I recommend downloading Cabin Fever and giving it a couple of spins. Do not expect to listen to something memorable and classic like Kush & OJ but enjoy the free songs Wiz has given to us. This is a pretty enjoyable mixtape, especially if you just sit back and chyll with some green leaf and just listen. I was more than happy after smoking a joint and getting lifted by the music. I'm eagerly anticipating Rolling Papers and I think it has the potential to be one of the top hip-hop records of 2011as well as a pre 4/20, cause I know as soon as I get it I'm not missing the plane and I'm rolling me up a fat Zig-Zag.  TGOD Bitch. 

Ranked on the Beavis and Butt-Head System – 2.5 Beavis' out of 5 Butt-Heads

Recommend Songs: Phones Numbers, Taylor Gang, Middle of You, Homicide

Rolling Papers Cover Art

http://stayfreshonline.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/rolling-papers-cover1.jpg?w=432&h=432 

WWE Newest Signing and Masked Wrestler: Sin Cara

WWE has just signed a new Mexican luchador and believe he is going to become a global icon. Sin Cara which translates to Faceless, will be debuting with the promotion in the near future, bypassing the developmental league. It is still unknown to what brand he will debut on but the best guess would seem to be Friday Night Smackdown! since it is WWE's highest watched show in the Latino market and already features dominant Mexican superstars such as Rey Mysterio and Alberto Del Rio. 

This is a big signing for the WWE, as Rey Mysterio's contract is about to expire in the coming year, and all signs point to him retiring at his age. Losing a superstar as huge as Mysterio could have been very detrimental to the WWE, but they have worked hard to find his successor and Sin Cara is the perfect replacement for the masked superstar. 

Known for his high flying, innovative style, Sin Cara known to Mexican fans as Mistico was the biggest draw in Mexico prior to the signing. Now with a new mask and a better platform to showcase his skills, Sin Cara cold become a fan favorite and world renowned right off the bat. 

The WWE obviously has high hopes for Sin Cara has they recently held a press conference in Mexico City to announce his signing. Many Mexican media outlets where there to cover the story and the announcement has shaken up the Lucha Libre community. I cannot think of a time, when WWE has held a conference to announce a superstars arrival in the company and for it to be covered by as much press as it has. 

Hopefully, the WWE universe will be able to get introduced to their new masked superstar before Wrestlemania, even though the event is less than a month away. I would personally love to see Sin Cara in a match at Wrestlemania against Daniel Bryan for the US Championship, which could steal the show and be an instant classic. Other possibilities would be the Money in the Bank Ladder match, where Sin Cara's high flying ability would be on full display. However, Lucha Libre wrestlers do not have gimmick matches in their style, so the ladder would be foreign to Sin Cara. Still, his innovativeness is what separates Sin Cara and makes him such a special talent and I believe he would perform brilliantly. 

Down the road, feuds with the other Mexican stars in the company namely Alberto Del Rio and Rey Mysterio would be a must. Especially the latter as the WWE has many possibilities such as the Lucha de Apuestas match, which would wager mascara contra mascara. (mask vs. mask) This would be a great way not only for Rey Mysterio to pass the torch to his successor but would also be something the WWE universe had never seen before. 

The mask has special significance in Lucha Libre history. The mask defines the wrestler and is his identity. In Mexican wrestling history, the wrestlers are never seen in public without their mask and it is sworn that they hide and keep their real identity away from the crowd as much as possible. 

A Lucha de Apuestas match would be a great farewell to Mysterio and would gather the interest from the WWE universe. The WWE has never held a match of this magnitude and it would be the perfect final match for Mysterio to end his feud with the young Sin Cara and say goodbye. Many great Lucha Libre competitors have gone out this way and I believe it is fitting for Mysterio, arguably the most popular Lucha Libre performer of all time to go out like this as well. 

Both the WWE and myself have high hopes for Sin Cara. A new age is upon WWE has the youth movement is in full effect with the old timers fading out to the new generation. Many superstars we have all grown up with and loved such as The Rock, Kurt Angle, Stone Cold, Chris Jericho, HHH, Rey Mysterio and the Undertaker are all on the last stages of their careers and are retired or close to retirement. The WWE needs new exciting performances to continue their great legacy and Sin Cara is the perfect man to do just that.

Check out Sin Cara's amazing finisher.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Yk_6FVo_Vw&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_953717

UFC 127 Review

In front of a red out energetic Australian crowd, the UFC once again delivered the goods to the Land Down Under. UFC 127 came through with many exciting fights which included bloody wars, devastating knockouts, impressive submissions and upsets galore as well as Brittney Palmer. With all but one fight showed to the world, the UFC has to be proud of the heart showed by all performers, as they put on one hell of a show. 

The main event of the night was an interesting clash of styles as the former welterweight and lightweight champion BJ Penn went up against the best fighter in the UFC to never hold a championship belt, the always hard working and relentless Jon Fitch. I for one thought it was going to be a completely one sided affair, where Jon Fitch outwrestled and grinded out a unanimous decision victory over the legendary Hawaiian. I was mistaken as Penn brought the fight to Fitch and fought his way to the always dreaded and anti-climatic majority draw. 

It was obvious from the get-go that this was not going to be the type of fight everybody expected, as BJ rushed forward and shot for a takedown seconds into the fight. From here on out, it was a chess match between two of the best fighters in all the UFC, as the fight was hotly contested up on the cage.

The first two rounds followed the same formula as Penn and Fitch fought for the dominant position and when one found it, the other worked to get back to square one. This was best demonstrated when Penn took Fitch's back and locked in a deep cross body with his flexible legs as he tried to secure a rear naked choke. Fitch being the brilliant and great fighter that he is, stayed calm and was able to work himself out of the position which ended many fighters nights and get into a dominant top position where he rained down punches. 

Heading into the third and final round of this contest, no one was able to know who was in the lead. This made the third round very important and whoever won the round was most likely to win the fight. Fitch came out from the get go and proved to the world why he is called the blue collar worker. He instantly took Penn down and was relentless for the rest of the round, never giving Penn a chance to breathe and was totally dominant. Fitch was able to cut Penn up throwing punch after punch, and elbow after elbow in a working man's type finishing performance. 

When the bell sounded, signifying the end of the round and fight, Fitch jumped up triumphantly after his great third round thinking he won the fight. I agreed with him and thought h had done enough that round to win the fight in convincing fashion, however, NEVER LEAVE IT IN THE HANDS OF THE JUDGES! When the scorecards was announced, only one judge scored the bout 29-28 Fitch, while the other two scored it 28-28, resulting in a majority draw. 

It was an unfortunate ending, as it was the second draw in three UFC contests this year. When the fight was over, Fitch said he thought he did enough to win the fight in the third round but admitted he did not train any defensive wrestling during camp and that was his downfall. Penn, on the other hand  during his post fight interview looked down and when asked for his thoughts about the fight, admitted defeat and said “he kicked my butt in the third.” Yes he did BJ, yes he did. Nevertheless , BJ said he was up for challenge of doing it again. 

The result of this matchup, leaves the UFC in a difficult position as the winner of this fight was supposed to be the number one contender for the winner of the St. Pierre Shields fight. If it was up to me, I would still give Fitch the nod as the man continues to keep knocking off the contenders one by one. His style of breaking his opponents will and putting them through a meat-grinder, may not be appealing to the causal fan but that is unfortunate as you must admire his dedication to push the fight. Keeping the pace he sets throughout an entire fight, is comparable to sprinting the Boston Marathon, and the man never slows down. To me, this is beyond impressive and he deserves none of the criticisms he receives. He is by far and away the best welterweight fighter not named Georges St. Pierre and he deserves another crack at the title. But with a draw, this may not be the case which leaves the UFC with no clear cut contender and if St. Pierre is victorious than a dream fight against Anderson Silva is closer than we think. 

The co-main event, was as personal a grudge bout the UFC has seen since Rashad vs Rampage last May. Michael Bisping and Jorge Rivera hated each other with a passion and their emotions leading up to the fight became very heated between the two. Bisping did not appreciate being called out by Rivera and Rivera only stirred the pot by saying things such as “I want to fuck him up!” 

Rivera was very confident heading into this fight as he felt his strengths were Bispings main weaknesses. Rivera's main weapon, is his straight right hand which is as powerful as they come in the middleweight devision and has put many good fighters to sleep. Bisping, on the other hand has a penchant for falling into the straight right punches and Rivera believed this is the reason he matched up so perfectly with Bisping.

Bisping, also had a strength that was Rivera's main weakness, that was not brought up at all during the lead up to the fight. This strength was Bisping's unending gas tank. Bisping, is a tireless worker who sets a great pace from the get-go and keeps it up for the entire fight. This added to the fact, he felt underestimated and disrespected and the UFC's British poster boy was pissed.   

I believed Bisping was many notches above Rivera and I was right in that assessment. Bisping was able to take Rivera down at will and eventually tired him out and secured a second round TKO, when Rivera totally gassed out and fell victim to a swarm of Bisping's punches. Bisping ran through Rivera with relative ease and this was all due to his superior conditioning. 

However, the fight did not come without controversy as early in the first round, Bisping hit Rivera with an obvious illegal knee. Rivera had both knees on the floor and Bisping hit him hard on the forehead, which kept Rivera down and unresponsive for a couple minutes. This was clearly the turning point of the fight, as Rivera looked altogether out of it and it looked like the fight would end in disqualification. Still, Rivera knew this was the biggest fight and opportunity of his life and he showed his warriors spirit when he fought the doctors to continue. 

A lot of credit is deserved for Rivera, as he did not look in any condition to continue and still went forth and went out like a true fighter. While he may have lost the fight, Rivera earned my respect and made a fan out of me and millions of others watching. Despite being clearly outmatched by a better opponent, Rivera gave it his all and will be back to fight another day. 

On the other side of spectrum, Michael Bisping made a statement with this fight and is possibly one fight away from a title opportunity. Bisping had been criticized as of late for not being able to finish his opponents and he put an end to that argument by finishing a dangerous fighter in devastating fashion. I do not know who his next opponent will be, but it will be hard pressed for the UFC to not put the Brit in a title eliminator bout. 

The third featured fight on the card showcased up and coming Australian lightweight sensation George Sotiropolos taking on German kick boxer Dennis Siver. This was an exciting fight between the two and had fight of the night potential and it lived up to the hype. However, the winner of the fight was not the favored fighter as Dennis Siver was able to beat the hometown Sotiropolos by unanimous decision. 

The story coming out of the fight, was not what Siver did but what Sotiropolos was unable to do. While Sotiropolos had an obvious advantage on the ground, he was not able to get the fight to the mat once during the fight. Siver showed excellent takedown defense, but it looked easy as Sotiropolos shot from far away and reached for every takedown. His wrestling disability was clearly exposed, when you take a look at how elite wrestlers such as Grey Maynard, Josh Koscheck or Chael Sonnen shoot for their takedowns. Those fighters fully commit to the takedown and drive through their opponents lifting them off their feet and pounding them into the mat. If Sotiropolos is to be touted as a future contender for the title, he must improve his wrestling because if he cannot use his jiu-jitsu during a fight, he is an average competitor at best. 

Let's not take anything away from Siver though as the man did what he had to do to win. He came into a hostile territory and worked his game plan to perfection. He kept the fight on the feet which was his comfort zone and hurt Sotiropolos many times especially in the first round when he knocked the Aussie down thrice. However, the fight was far from perfect and holes were showed in the German's overall game. The main hole was his conditioning as Siver casually faded and slowed down considerably as the fight wore on. He is a big lightweight who has to cut a considerable amount of weight and this is a drastic flaw, especially if it hinders him from keeping up with the Frankie Edgar's of the division. Siver is good prospect who won a hell of a fight, but in my opinion, he is still miles away from being an elite contender and challenger for the title. 

Taking the fight on two weeks notice, one had to appreciate Brian Ebersole's fighting spirit.  Especially when he was making his UFC debut and filling in for an opponent who was set to face the hard hitting and uber dangerous Chris Lytle. However, upon my first impression that appreciation was instantly faded as Brian Ebersole had to be one of the strangest competitors to ever set foot inside of  the octagon. 

This was evident from the very beginning as Ebersole came out to the fight wearing sparring headgear and sported an upward arrow shaven into his chest hair. Needless to say, this was highly unusual but not the strangest thing Ebersole did during this fight. Even Ebersole's opening move of a cartwheel kick, yes you read that right a cartwheel kick was not the strangest occurrence of the night for Mr. Ebersole. The absolute strangest and unconventional thing Brian Ebersole did during his fight against Chris Lytle, was win.

Lytle had been on a wrecking spree as of late in the welterweight division and this was supposed to be his coming out party into the top of the division against Carlos Condit. But when Condit got hurt and pulled out of the fight, it seemed Lytle's spirit was pulled as well. Lytle did not look interested in being inside the cage with Ebersole, even though they had similar backgrounds and he payed for his overconfidence with a loss. He fought a sloppy fight and did not look like the Lytle we have seen as of late. This was unfortunate as I had high hopes for Lytle because he is an exciting fighter who always brings it, but tonight he suffered an embarrassing defeat. 

Mr. Ebersole on the other hand must have decided if he can never be the sports pound for pound best fighter than he was going to be the pound for pound weirdest. Ebersole without a doubt showcased the most unorthodox striking I had ever seen including the now infamous cartwheel kick, abnormal attacks such as his patented shoulder strikes and amazing submission defense. While the first two are humorous, the submission defense was not a laughing matter as it was truly impressive. Lytle dropped down for many guillotine chokes, including three in the first round and Ebersole was able to defend and get out of all of them. Ebersole was also able to deeply hurt Lytle, hitting him with vicious knee in the second round which opened up a deep cut on Lytle's forehead. The cut looked like Lylte was hit with an axe and it appeared  we were able to see into his childhood memories. Needless to say, it was an upset I did not see coming and while I may not have liked Ebersole at the beginning and middle of the fight, now that it is all said and done, I appreciate him now for not only taking the fight but making it memorable and something I will never forget. Well done Mr. Ebersole, good job. 

The opening fight of the pay per view was a quick contest as hometown boy Kyle Noke was able to defeat Chris Camozzi 1:35 seconds into the first round via rear naked choke. The fight was quick and painless for Noke, who barley broke a sweat inside of the octagon and was able to secure the submission of the night bonus for his work inside the cage. 

Usually, the main card of the pay per views are the only fights the fans are able to see, but the UFC has worked hard to change that the last couple of months and most of this preliminary card was viewable to the world. The main fight which was shown for free on ION TV pitted TUF 9 winner Ross Pearson taking on the always exciting Spencer Fisher. This fight had fireworks written all over it since it was announced and it delivered. The fight was back and forth the entire time with Fisher getting the better of the first half of the fight but Pearson was able to steal the decision with a spectacular second half. The fight was in Pearson's bag when he surprised not only Fisher with takedowns but also the world, proving that the boys in the U.K. are working hard on their wrestling and are not one trick pony's anymore. It was an impressive performance for Pearson and if he is able to keep up his progress he will only get tougher and tougher competition moving forward. 

Another fight shown to the world that ended quickly via rear naked choke was the light heavyweight fight between Alexander Gustafsson and James Te Huna. Te Huna came out aggressive and took Gustafsson down early putting the Sweedish mixed martial artist in dangerous position but Gustafsson was able to overcome and eventually reversed the position, forcing Te Huna to tap out 4:27 seconds into the first round. It was the most silence I ever heard during a finish for a fight as not a person clapped and you could hear the mice scatter throughout the arena. Despite the lack of approval, it was a good win for Gustafsson and he lives to fight another day. 

As in typical UFC fashion, one fight has to be a controversial judging decision leaving all those who watched saying “What the fuck where they watching?!” That fight came in the middleweight contest between the debuting Riki Fukuda and Nick Ring. Ring who was a contestant on the the last ultimate fighter season, was notable for defeating that seasons champion Court McGee on the show before he was forced to drop out due to a knee injury. This was his first fight since that injury and he showed the brilliance we saw on the show for all of one minute. The rest of the fight was all Fukuda as he used his picture perfect takedowns to control Ring for the remaining fourteen minutes. However, Ring's one minute must have left a considerable and drastic impression in the mind of the judges as they all scored the fight in favor of Ring and he left with a bogus unanimous decision victory. 

Facebook, as become a crucial promotional tool for the UFC as Dana White and company have used the popular social network site to broadcast free fights over the internet. The first fight they showed for UFC 127 was a featherweight contest between the poster boy for MMA in China, Zhang “The Wolf” Tie Quan defeating Jason Reinhardt with an impressive guillotine choke :48 into the first round. This was probably the most important fight of the night, as Zhang is the only fighter to come out of China and his success is vital for the sports overall growth in the Chinese culture. He did not disappoint as he came out swinging and when Reinhardt exposed his neck, Zhang instantly snatched hold of it and finished his opponent with a picture perfect, beautiful tight guillotine choke, earning himself the W.

The next fight shown on Facebook, was Sydney Australia's pioneer MMA fighter Anthony Perosh taking on England's Tom Blackledge. The Sydney crowd was hot for this contest as was I when Perosh came out to Kickstart My Heart by the greatest band of all time, Motley Crue. Obviously I wanted Perosh to win due to his song choice and he got his first UFC win with a rear naked choke in the first round, with help from the world most notorious rock band. Perosh, was one of the first ever Jiu-Jitsu black belts to come out of Australia and by making his move down to light heavyweight, he was finally able to showcase his skills. As soon as the fight hit the mat, Blackledge was outclassed and forced to tap which brought a loud ovation from the ecstatic Australian crowd. I could probably spend the next two hours speaking about how Motley Crue won the fight for Perosh, but instead I will just smile a big told you so. Motley Crue is amazing!

The last fight shown to the world featured a lot of jiggle as former PRIDE star Mark Hunt took on Chris Tuchscherer in a heavyweight contest. Besides thinking the cage was going to collapse due the extensive weight inside the octagon, the fight was pretty exciting. Tuchscherer was the perfect opponent for Hunt, as he liked to stand and trade and that is the extent of Hunt's MMA fighting ability. Hunt bloodied Tuchscherer up causing a massive cut on his eye which had Tuchscherer's eyelid falling into his own eye.  Midway through the second round, Hunt finished the fight with a powerful uppercut which had Tuchscherer seeing Tweety Bird's. The uppercut was so powerful, that after Hunt connected with it, he moved away with his hand in the air before the referee stepped into call it. The fight was over and Hunt knew it and he will be back inside the UFC despite Dana White's wishes. 

All in all, UFC 127 was an exciting event which showed a lot of good fights and I am thankful for that. The Australian fans were crazy and very educated which made the show much better as they cheered takedowns and knew what the fighters were doing. It is one of the most annoying things to a fan of MMA to hear the crowd boo during moments of a fight after a takedown or clinch work up against the cage. The Australian crowd was great, and I am sure the UFC will return to the land down under for a third time very soon. Also, the UFC showed a lot of Brittney Palmer which is always a fantastic thing has the girl is gorgeous and should be my wife. A perfect ring girl that is a whole lot of woman. Until the next fights on March 3rd, the UFC is out for now. Brittney I will see you then. ;)

Crowbar - Sever the Wicked Hand Review

                “You gave me wings and took the sky away.” A heavy statement from one of Sludge metal’s founding fathers, Kirk Windstein. Kirk who has been battling demons throughout his career via alcoholism has finally found peace with his latest offering, Sever the Wicked Hand.

For the first time in six years, Crowbar is back with a new album and is the first record Kirk has performed a hundred percent sober. The results could not be better, as Sever the Wicked Hand is one of the best albums to be released in 2011.

After listening to another one of Windstein’s bands DOWN, I became absorbed into the world of Sludge metal. The heavy but slow tempo distorted guitar riffs are captivating and catchy but remain aggressive and infectious to the ear.

Sever The Wicked Hand is Crowbar at top form and was incredible the first time I gave it a listen. The record does not contain any filler and is easy to listen to the whole way through. The best way to describe Crowbar’s style is exemplified by one of the standout tracks on the record The Cemetery Angels.

The song is fast with a killer pre-chorus and a hooky chorus and then a stupidly heavy and sludgy slow ending. This defines everything Crowbar represents and its fun to listen too. You can just hear the sincerity and honesty in Kirk’s voice and can tell he has fallen in love with music again.

Kirk is full of confidence on the song As I Become One as he sings “I’m reinventing the man you all thought was gone” and for fans of Kirk Windstien we cannot be happier as the man is a great guitar player.

Windstien even addresses his alcohol problems and speaks on his recovery and his second chance at salvation on the song Liquid Sky and Cold Black Earth. Kirk admitted he had done wrong and is now ready to set out and conquer the world via his music as he claims “Through you I’ve been reborn, my world no longer torn!”

Sever the Wicked Hand is everything I look for in a record, in that it contains fantastic music and lyrics full of positivity and hope. Even the cover art on this record is superb and cool as fuck as it contains a beautiful strong majestic golden winged angel with a sword grabbing and ready to sever the hand of an ugly scared demon and there is absolutely nothing more metal than that!

They say never judge a book by its cover but Crowbar rifts that statement with Sever the Wicked Hand. The music is all metal and completely uplifting and speaks on defeating the monsters and demons holding you back. Midway through the CD is even a breathtaking and stunning instrumental which is able to empower you by the daunting guitar and victorious chants. The song reeks of triumph and is aptly titled A Farewell to Misery.

I cannot praise Crowbar enough for this album and consider it to be one of the best released albums of the year. It is an instant favorite of mine and will be in constant rotation on my list for a very long time.

Ranked on the Beavis and Butt-Head scale: 4 Beavis’ out of 5 Buttheads

Best Songs:  The Cemetery Angels, Isolation (Desperation), Liquid Sky and Cold Black Earth

Deicide- To Hell With God Review

   After spending much of my twenty young years on this earth despising anything death metal related, I have finally found an ear for it. The process began a couple days ago when I was introduced to one of the prominent members of the genre, Floridian death metal band Deicide. The main reason for my venture into the world of death metal was the subject material this band expressed, which greatly interested me. Deicide is a band that despises anything Christian related, and most of, if not all of their songs have anti-Christian themes. Their latest and tenth album To Hell With God obviously expresses these same beliefs. While I am by no means an Atheist or Satanist, I found their lyrics different from the cookie cutter garbage we hear now a days and I wanted to give them a listen. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. The first track off the album, the single To Hell With God is the best track and sets the tone for what follows next on the record. Whenever I listen to an album, the music always comes first and the lyrics second, and on To Hell With God, the music is simply phenomenal. I love the heaviness this album boasts, with the drums literally kicking the shit out of your ears, and amazing riffs throughout. As with all death metal bands, the vocals are in the form of cookie monster growls, but lead singer and bassist Glen Benton is able to perform them clear enough where you are able to decipher what he is saying. However, this may not be a good thing for some people, since the lyrics are not happy and joyful but angry and full of hatred. Take the song Empowered by Blasphemy for example where Benton states “Pleading of prays, cling to the dead, bring back the Christ to be slaughtered again.”Or on the song Conviction which states, “The work of Jesus was the devil in fact, his miracles were nothing more than a trap, lies pinned upon the cross, crucify his false religion.” This is the message presented throughout the entire album, and in fact throughout Deicide’s entire category. I understand Deicide is not for everyone and most people will put it off before they get thirty seconds into a song, but for people who are searching for a heavy album where they could just release some anger and kick ass, To Hell With God is the perfect album. As far as death metal bands and albums go, I do not have a lot of experience, so I cannot compare it to anything in the genre. If you are able to ignore the temptations to crucify priests and sacrifice small children, To Hell With God is a great album with a ton of replay value and I highly suggest it to anyone into the death metal scene.

Ranked on the Beavis and Butthead Scale: 3 Beavis’ out of 5 Buttheads

Best Songs: To Hell With God, Conviction, How Can You Call Yourself a God

UFC 127 Preview

        Saturday night, the UFC continues its global domination when it returns to the land down under, Sydney Australia. Australia is quickly becoming a hotbed for mixed martial arts, and this event became the fastest-selling show in UFC history, selling out moments after tickets went on sale. As with all UFC events, the card is stacked with some big time players in the game including BJ Penn, Jon Fitch, and Michael Bisping as well as some hungry up and comers.

   

        The main event of this event titled UFC 127 pits former lightweight and welterweight champion BJ Penn against the tough perennial contender Jon Fitch in a welterweight contest. This is an exciting matchup between two of the sports pound for pound best fighters, but I fear it is going to be a completely one sided affair.

         While it is widely known that BJ Penn is one of the most talented individuals in mixed martial arts, his toughness and will has always been a question mark. When Penn is placed in rough waters, he tends to lose hope and give up under the pressure. Unfortunately for the Hawaiian native, his one weakness is also his opponent’s greatest strength.

        Jon Fitch is 13-1 in the UFC, with his only loss at the hands of current UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre in an exciting title fight in August of 2008. While Fitch is a top welterweight, he has a bad reputation of not being able to finish fights, in fact the last time Fitch has been in a fight that did not go to the judge’s scorecard was all the way back in 2007. Because of this, Fitch has been labeled a boring fighter since he tends to play it safe by relying on his wrestling to grind his opponents out.

        In preparation for this fight, both competitors have grown to become better overall mixed martial artists. BJ brought in the man he just defeated, Matt Hughes to Hawaii to train with him and get a feel for the wrestling strength that Jon Fitch possesses. This could have a substantial impact on the fight since BJ’s one technical weakness is his wrestling. He had a hard time defending Frankie Edgar’s takedowns at lightweight and Fitch is a much stronger wrestler than the 155lbs. champ.

        Fitch on the other hand, desperately wants another chance at the title and he believes this could be the fight that earns him that opportunity. President Dana White has guaranteed the winner of this fight will earn a title opportunity against the winner of the St. Pierre Shields fight in April. However, Fitch has heard these “guarantees” before and has failed in his quest for a second chance at the championship. He knows he has to have a strong performance inside the octagon and finishing an opponent the caliber of Penn will boost the confidence of the UFC to give him the fortune to try and become world champion again.

        This has the potential to be a very dangerous fight for both fighters. Before his 21 second victory over Hughes in November, many people were questioning if Penn had lost a step or two after being completely dominated by Frankie Edgar for two consecutive fights. While that victory silenced the critics for a short while, they will return if a remake of the second St. Pierre vs. Penn fight takes place, which very likely could be the case in this fight.

         Jon Fitch on the other hand, may be out not only be fighting Penn but also the fans, his place within the company and for respect. Not being completely focused on someone has dangerous as Penn could place Fitch out of his element and could potentially cause him to make a drastic mistake, which costs him the fight.

        However, I have a feeling, that Saturday night, Fitch and Penn will be up to their same old tricks. While Penn may have been training wrestling with Hughes I believe Fitch is too good a fighter and will eventually drag Penn down to the mat and grind out yet another decision victory.

       

        The co-main event highlights current British UFC poster boy Michael Bisping against hard hitting journeyman Jorge Rivera, in a middleweight contest. This fight has been getting a lot of hype due to the numerous onslaught of trash talk videos that Rivera has been posting, poking fun at the man from the U.K.

        Normally, pompous and opinionated Michael Bisping has been relatively quiet, letting Rivera handle the promotional aspect leading up to the fight. Bisping says he has been focusing on his training but this is the first fight where it seems he has an opponent he genuinely dislikes and wants to beat. Bisping believes that Rivera is not at his level and not worthy of fighting him but the videos have gotten under his skin enough that he wants to make a statement with this fight.

        Bisping has to be careful not to let his emotions take a toll on him, since even though Rivera is not a “name” opponent he is still extremely dangerous. Rivera poses one punch knockout power and Bisping has shown that he does not have the strongest chin in the sport. Bisping has to stick to his game plan of punching and moving in order to avoid and frustrate the powerful Puerto Rican with hopes of tiring him out, until he can go in for the kill. If Bisping is able to execute his game plan, I see this being a relatively easy fight for the Brit and should advance him further up the ladder and a fight or two away from challenging the king Anderson Silva.

        While I believe, Bisping will win pretty easily this is still mixed martial arts and anything can happen. Rivera has the one tool which every fighter wishes they possessed and that is one punch knockout power. If Rivera is able to land one of his punches, it could be goodnight for The Count and would instantly give the 38 year old Rivera credibility and a victory over a named opponent. While Rivera is currently riding a nice three fight winning streak, this is his toughest opponent to date within the UFC. Rivera is going to have to dig deep to pull out the victory and continue his late career resurgence.

        This fight has the potential to be very exciting with these two styles clashing inside the octagon. Bisping wants to fight for a title and prove he is worthy of higher caliber opponents, while Rivera wants to continue the late push his career is receiving. A victory for both is vital but in my heart I believe Rivera’s time is done and Bisping will have his hand raised at the end of the night by either submission or decision.

        Due to the extensive and expanding roster the UFC currently possesses, they are able to market key fighters from all over the world. In Australia, that flag is currently waved by lightweight sensation George Sotiropoulos. Currently riding an eight fight winning streak, Sotiropoulos is being prepped for an eventual title shot in the upcoming future. He is skilled in all areas but his jiu-jitsu is what sets him apart from most competitors in the lightweight division. However, he will have his hands full when he takes on the strong German kick boxer Dennis Siver.

        Siver is currently being marketed as the best kick boxer in the division but his record proves otherwise. While he may indeed have a strong standup game, a majority of his wins have come via submission. The submission game is not something I would advise Siver to play against Sotiropoulos because the end result will not be good for the German fighter. Siver does exhibit powerful strikes and I would recommend he keeps the fight standing at all cost because if the fight does hit the mat, Gute Nacht! Siver.

        The other main bout on the card features the tough as nails Chris “Lights Out” Lytle taking on the 62 fight veteran making his UFC debut Brian Ebersole. Originally, the fight was supposed to feature Carlos Condit against Lytle in a fight that had Fight of the Night written all over it, but two weeks ago Condit had to pull out due to a knee injury suffered in training.

        This highly unfortunate event forced the UFC to find a last minute replacement and they found one in Ebersole. While I know next to nothing about Ebersole, I do commend him for taking the fight on such short notice against an opponent as serious as Lytle. Not many people would take a fight against Lytle with a full training camp, let alone two weeks.

        I also have to tip my hat to Chris Lytle for accepting the fight against the newcomer. Lytle is coming off four straight victories over tough competition and was in line for another “name” opponent. A matchup against Condit not only would have delivered fireworks but also would have given either fighter a chance to compete next for a title shot. Lytle did not have to accept the fight against Ebersole, and could have simply waited for an opponent to become available in the future. But as always, Lytle showed his warriors spirit and took a fight against an unknown fighter in a pivotal stage in his career.  

        UFC 127 is sure to deliver the goods come Saturday night and I am looking forward to watching the fights and how each fighter performs. Australians are known for being crazy and hotheaded and if the ticket sales have any indication, they are sure to be wild and loud for the UFC’s second trip to the land down under.

Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament

The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix began Saturday night and was a tournament featuring a who's who of MMA heavyweights, including MMA legend, former Pride Heavyweight and Grand Prix champion Fedor Emelianenko, current Strikeforce Heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, former UFC Heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski and former Pride Open Weight and UFC Heavyweight champion Josh Barnett. The tournament also featured some less known but hungry up and comers such as the first man to ever truly beat Fedor Emelianenko, Fabricio Werdum, former Elite XC champion Antonio “Big Foot” Silva, Brett Rogers and Sergi Kharitonov. 

The Grand Prix kicked off with a bang, as the early favorite to win the tournament Fedor Emelianenko lost to the up and coming giant Antonio “Big Foot” Silva via doctor stoppage at the end of the second round. Coming into the fight, Big Foot was a five to one underdog, even though he had a considerable size and weight advantage, a black belt in BJJ and was a champion in his own right. Silva's size was the main difference inside the cage, as Silva outweighed Fedor by forty plus pounds and had a 7.5 inch reach advantage over the MMA legend. Silva's massive size led to Fedor being controlled for the entire second round on the ground, as Big Foot landed devastating strikes from the top, closing the Russian's right eye completely shut forcing the doctor to call it quits.   

In the other tournament bout on the card, the dark horse Sergi Kharitonov proved his believers right with a devastating knockout of Andrei Arlovski. Kharitonov was unknown to many fans in the United States, even though he holds victories over both Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum. Many people thought it was an going to be an easy comeback fight for the popular Arlovski to end his three fight losing skid and advance to the next round, however, Kharitonov had other plans. Kharitonov was able to catch Arlovski on the cage and he delivered three powerful strikes that put the former UFC champion on the mat, where he was finished by three more unanswered blows from the powerful Russian. Not only did Kharitonov look impressive in his Strikeforce debut, but he also proved he is a force to be reckoned with as this tournament progresses. 

For many people, the loss and removal of two big name stars is enough to call the tournament a failure. However, I believe it is now much more interesting and greatly beneficial to Strikeforce and MMA in the long run. MMA is a revolving door when it comes to fighters dominance and with the loss of a legend and a former UFC champion, Strikeforce now has a chance to create their own new star, in the likes of “Big Foot” Silva or Kharitonov. A new age of MMA is upon us, as up and comers are trying to make a name for themselves by defeating the legends of the sport. I believe, Strikeforce hit a grand slam with this tournament and the results thus far. Sure, it would have been great to see Fedor win another tournament and add to his already impeccable legend, but I would much rather see a young fighter's legend begin right before my eyes. For me, the Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament just got a whole load more interesting and I can not wait to see how it unfolds and who will reign supreme when it comes to a close. 

The next round of fights happen April 9th, and features the current Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem against the man who already holds a victory over him four years ago in Fabricio Werdum. Also, Josh Barnett returns to take on Brett Rodgers, who is looking for his first big win over a named opponent and to prove he belongs in this tournament . Will more upsets happen, only time will tell and I will greatly anticipate every fight as they come along, in America's first major fighting tournament in years. 

UFC 126 Review

They said Vitor Belfort was the biggest threat. He was claimed to be the “most deadly assassin” the champion has ever faced. He came to “bring the fight, not to lose but to win.” He was built up as the perfect fighter to beat the champion, but with one swift straight front kick, Anderson Silva rebuffed all those statements and is still the UFC Middleweight champion. Belfort came out focused and calm but was never able to unleash his lethal left hand upon the middleweight champion. Instead, Anderson Silva added onto his already amazing legacy with a highlight real knockout. The kick, snapped Belfort's head back and crumbled him to the ground and just like that the biggest Middleweight fight in history was over 4:25 into the first round. 

With the victory, Anderson Silva continued to add onto his UFC records and legacy as the best fighter to ever compete within the organization. He now has a record thirteen consecutive victories in thirteen bouts in the UFC and has defended his Middleweight championship a record eight times. He won the championship from Rich Franklin in October of 2006 and has defended it in spectacular fashion ever since. Once again, Anderson Silva proved he is not only the pound for pound best fighter in the world but a true martial arts master. There is not one fighter or human being on this planet like Silva. In the cage, he is without a doubt the most creative and intelligent fighter of all time and he is getting better with every fight. Silva has cleaned house in the middleweight division of the UFC as there are currently no true top contenders for him to face, and a mega fight against Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre is on the horizon if GSP can get past challenger Jake Shields in April.  At UFC 126, it was proven Anderson Silva is the best fighter of all time. 

In undercard action, two former champions met in the nights co-main event when former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Forrest Griffen battled the last man to hold the UFC Middleweight championship before Silva, Rich Franklin. This fight was Griffen's return to the UFC, after a year long absence to heal nagging injuries, and he picked up right where he left off with a unanimous decision victory. It was obvious from the weigh-in, that Griffen was going to be the much larger fighter in the fight and his size was the key to this victory. Franklin had a slight speed advantage but it was not enough to to cause Griffen any problems. Griffen used his size to his advantage and in the opening round, he took Franklin down and beat him up the entire time. The second and third round was largely contested on the feet but still Griffen got the best of the exchanges and in the end it was clear he was the winner. Griffen was just too big and Franklin could not find a way to neutralize the size difference. From here, the two go on separate roads as Griffen is looking at bigger marquee match-ups on his quest to regain the Light Heavyweight championship and Franklin has to go back to the drawing board. Franklin is without a doubt a great fighter but he is currently stuck in limbo and might even be considered the gate keeper of the division. His skill set is good enough to compete and put on exciting fights but he is just too small to compete with the ever growing elite of the Light Heavyweight division.

The other marquee matchup at UFC 126 was the contest between two rising up and comers in the Light Heavyweight division, as the top prospect in the sport Jon Jones took on the undefeated Ultimate Fighter winner Ryan Bader. From the opening seconds of the fight, Jones showed why he has  gained so much hype as he immediately took down the acclaimed wrestler and put him on his back. From there Jones controlled Bader for most of the round trying various submission attempts until Bader was finally able to make it back to his feet. On the feet, Jones looked like he was a weight class above Bader and used his 84.5 inch reach to his advantage as he quickly found his range and picked apart the Ultimate Fighter winner. The second round was much of the same until Jones was able to secure a guillotine choke, forcing Bader to tap out for the first time in his career. The victory was impressive enough to not only gain Jones the Submission of the Night reward but for him to also be offered in his post fight interview the chance to fight UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in March, since original number one contender Rashad Evans blew out his knee during training and would  not be able to compete. At just 23 years old, Jones still has a long way to go before he reaches his absolute potential and he is already in position to win a title in one of the UFC's toughest divisions. The scary thing is, Jones is still improving every time he fights and if he is able to beat Rua, Jones would rule the division as he continues to learn and evolve into a complete mixed martial artist. 

Another match up on the card featured the best welterweight you never heard of as Jake Ellenberger fought Carlos Eduardo Rocha. Ellenberger was originally set to fight top welterweight contender Jon Fitch at the event before Fitch was moved to the main event of UFC 127 against BJ Penn. Leading up to the fight, Ellenberger talked more about Fitch than he did Rocha and it almost costed him greatly. The first round was action packed as Rocha almost finished Ellenberger with a beautiful Americana but time expired before he was able to lock it in. The rest of the fight saw Ellenberger avoid the ground game and he stood with Rocha until the last minute of both rounds where he secured the victory with late takedowns. This game plan was enough to award Ellenberger with a split-decision victory over the up and coming Rocha. It remains to be seen if Ellenberger will be granted his wish to fight Fitch, since it was not the greatest performance he ever had inside the octagon, but never the less it was still his third straight victory and he deserves a step up in competition.  

The opening fight of the main card, had fireworks written all over it as former WEC Bantamweight champion Miguel Torres made his UFC debut against Antonio Banuelos. However, the fight did not live up to the hype as Torres was content on using his jab to keep Banuelos at a distance. Banuelos was never able to get into his range and was dominated for fourteen and half minutes before finally attacking with half a minute remaining in the fight. At that point, it was much to late and Torres went home with a unanimous decision victory in his octagon debut. Before the fight, Torres promised to show a new discipline and get away from the brawl and glory style that made him so beloved in his WEC days. He delivered on his promise, but he did not make any new fans with his performance. Still Torres was victorious and he gets closer to regaining the Bantamweight championship he desperately seeks. 

Overall, UFC 126 delivered a great night of fights. Watching the event, you could tell something incredible was going to happen and it occurred with a straight front kick to the face of Vitor Belfort courtesy of Anderson Silva's knockout of the night. Silva added to his legacy as the best fighter in the world as the ball of his foot perfectly connected to the chin of Belfort's face, reminding everyone how fantastic he truly is as the pound for pound best fighter in the world.