Lei Tong

Man, they really like Canadians coming off of losses. Also, Marquardt is a capable wrestler, but not a great one. He is well rounded, though.

I was about to call you pessimistic, but then I looked over the card again. So yeah, Team Canada's getting skullfucked.

While I agree with in spirit, according to most submission wrestling rules (and seemingly the judges of many MMA events), Monson's takedowns and control make him one of the best submission wrestlers in the world via 3-0 tactics.

I'm normally indifferen to boring fighters (as they're easy to ignore), but Monson also brings roid rage antics (whereas PDP bitches and moans to get his way, Monson tackles refs and gets naked) to the table. Also, I had the pleasure of watching the first ever ADCC World Championships (the most prestigious no-gi submission wrestling tournmanet in the world) on American soil last year, and watching Monson bring down the entertainment level of the weekend (along with his Amazonian teammate Juliana Borges) earned both even more scorn from me.

Actually, Monson finishes a lot (or has as of late) because, by and large, all but a few heavyweight MMA fighters can't grapple worth a shit. Kerry Schall, for example, looked like a complete and utter buffoon on the ground against Fedor back in RINGS, yet was able to gain a reputation as a "good submission fighter" due to the suckage of HW MMA grappling. However, agaisnt someone who knows what they're doing (and in pure grappling), Monson is pretty content to simply lay there and do nothing but ride an opponent. Also, I'm completely and utterly biased against that bastard Monson. BOMB ATT!

For reference: Gonzaga > Werdum on the ground

Monson would hump Werdum into oblivion.

SoCal is the Mecca of MMA in America, so a huge response was expected (though I don't know if they expected one THIS huge). Tito being a recognizable Cali guy helps, but I think a few other guys could've garnered this response, as well.

- It's not really suprising the Hinkle fight wasn't boring to watch, as BLH is a ballsy fighter who could bring it to Monson and give him a problem here or there, but was unskilled enough that Monson could actually attempt to push the action and finish with the semi-rare "I'm a Strong Motherfucker in North/South Choke." However, put him against someone who knows what they're doing on the ground (like Gonzaga or PDP), and prepare for the dry humping of a lifetime. - Comparing Monson's wrestling to Randleman's or even Matyushenko's is inaccurate. He has good takedowns, but let's not forget that Hinkle stuffed his first attempt like he it was nothing. Monson also got slammed around like a ragdoll against an un-obese(?) Ricco. He has nothing on the UFC 32-era Ricco that beat a young Andrei, and compared to Matyushenko, he has better submissions and positioning skills, but worse takedowns and striking power. - As far as weaknesses go... well, in spite of rumours to the contrary, Monson is the same he's always been standing (strong, but not with much else), he's not as a great a finisher as his record against novice grapplers would suggest, and his frame severely limits his agility (like trying to take BLH's back) and makes him completely without offense on his back. He likely beats BJJ stylists like Gonzaga, PDP and Mir, and get's obliterated by the likes of Arlovski, Vera, and possibly Sylvia.

I probably should've brought it up while we were recording (though I figure you sounded okay to Adam, which was more important as he was the one recording). I could make out most of what you said, though sometimes I had to press the headphones pretty tightly to my ears to make it out.

BJ ran backstage to remove the steel plate from his glove.

I'm sure most fighters would much rather thank their family and friends first, but doing so isn't likely to double the (little) amount of money they're making that night.

Salaverry, though both are trounced by Takaharu Murahama's Bushwacker dance into failed backflip.

TRUTH

Early Pancrase featured some pretty awesome colonial-style 'doos, with the likes of Funaki, Mezger & Lazenby all sporting them. Nowadays, long hair seems to be confined mainly to the "greasy wetback" look sported by the likes of Art Santore & Diego Sanchez.

Meh. Most of my jokes sounded way too forced (mainly because I was so nervous), and the repetition and droning grated on my own nerves. In retrospect I should've had a cheat sheet with previous written notes on each fighter and match-up, so as to keep my need to momentarily pause myself ("Um...") down to a minimum.

Well if thats the case, if I hadn't removed about 50 ums, you'd be dead by now. Yeah, feel free to rub it in. Bah, who am I kidding? That was shit.

I wanted to kick my own ass after the fourth "um..."

Tito definitely did get thumbed, and there were post fight pics of his grotesquely swollen eye. The problem is, it's pretty hard to argue that Chuck is such a master strategist that he knew that by throwing a high kick at that moment, Tito would block it awkwardly and send his own thumb deep into his eye.

For the slightly uninitiated, some familiar names who've trained under him: Mario Sperry Ricardo Liborio Wallid Ismael Rodrigo Medieros Allan Goes Murilo Bustamante Vitor Belfort Amaury Bitetti Andre Pederneiras

Carlson Gracie passed away today at the age of 72.

"As expected" referred to my own forgetfulness.

As expected. 2/17/06 I'll try and finish up the preview by the end of the week.

I'm not sure Gatti deserves a title shot so soon simply for being a "name." The thing is though, people are willing to pay for him to get the title shot because they know what kind of a fight Gatti will make it. That is what is lacking these days. Prize Fighters who lay it all on the line. ...what? There were two others shown on the very same broadcast.

I suppose not, and I wouldn't mind seeing Baldomir possibly put the final nail in Gatti's career.