Strikeforce: Melendez Vs. Thomson Pictures

Strikeforce: Melendez Vs. Thomson Recap and Notes

I was in San Jose last Friday night for a great night of fights held by the MMA organization, Strikeforce. There were 12 fights in total, and the main event was between Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez and Josh "The Punk" Thomson in a battle of lightweights.

Thomson won the fight to become the Strikeforce World Lightweight champion. Here are my news and notes from San Jose.

* Alexander Trivino looked impressive in a prelim fight winning by armbar in 37 seconds. Trivino trains out of Frank Shamrock's school in San Jose.
* The announced crowd in the HP Pavilion was 7,488.
* Strike Force middleweight champion Cung Le was there cornering his students. All three of his fighters lost.
* It was a better night for the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) camp as Thomson, Billy Evangelista, and Bobby Southworth all won.
* Southworth defended his light heavyweight title against Anthony Ruiz. Southworth won the fight by decision but the fight was one of the worst fights I ever witnessed. This fight was almost as bad as Southworth's fight against Vernon White a few years ago.
* Miesha Tate defeated Elaina "Beef" Maxwell by decision in the only women's fight of the evening.
* Nam Phan lost by decision to Evangelista but Phan clearly dominated the last two rounds. He got robbed.
* Melendez lost to Thomson as all three judges scored the fight 50-45 in favor of Thomson. Melendez said he would like a rematch.
* Southworth said that he wants to fight bigger name fighters since that means bigger paydays.
* Southworth said he had a tough training camp as he had three bruised ribs and strep throat.
* I had hoped that Miesha Tate would be in the press conference but she was not there.
* Thomson said he hurt his foot from kicking Melendez's elbow time after time.
* "The Punk" also said he trained his ass off and that he quit drinking in January, and dedicated himself to training.
* He has three fights left on his Strikeforce contract and would like to fight anyone in the Top ten.
* Wants to fight Takanori Gomi
* Did not feel any pressure since he was such a heavy underdog.
* Was having lots of fun and was smiling and laughing with the crowd between each rounds.
* Had a staph infection and was sick and on antibiotics for the last three weeks.
* Credited Javier Mendez (AKA trainer) and Josh Koscheck (training partner) for the win.

GIants News and Notes for July 2.2008

* The Giants are only five games back of first place Arizona. GM Brian Sabean should make some moves now to bolster their offense.
* It would be tough for any team to beat the Giants in a playoff series. Who wants to face Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, and Jonathan Sanchez in a short series?
* It was nice to see reliever Billy Sadler move back down to Fresno. Sadler does not have enough command to pitch in the majors. He cost the team many games in his short stint up in San Francisco.
* You would think that Barry Zito has enough money to get a much needed haircut. The messy grunge look is not in style.
* Brett Myers of the Phillies and Dontrelle Willis of the Tigers were both sent down to the minors to work on their game. Why won't the Giants do the same with Zito? Giants front office is basically clueless at times. Myers and Willis were considered some of the best pitchers in the NL just a few years ago. If they can swallow their pride and try to improve their game in the minors, why can't Zito?
* If Zito was not pitching every fifth day, the Giants would be in first place.
* Giants should sign Barry Bonds but due to collusion by the owners and MLB's front office, he is not being pursued by any team.
* Tim Lincecum and Brian Wilson should make the All Star team but I don't think Bengie Molina will get in.
* The reason Zito pitched so well against the Indians last week was because the Indians don't hit lefties well, and have the worst offense in the league. Zito helped himself by not walking many batters that night too.
* Giants have called up two relievers from their Double A team in the last week. This tells you what they think of their Triple A pitchers.

Glad To see Baron Davis Leave the Warriors

As a Bay Area native and a fan of the Golden State Warriors, I will not be sad to see Baron Davis leave for the Clippers. Radio stations around the Bay Area announced that Davis plans to sign a five-year contract worth $65 million with the Clip Joint.

Boom Dizzle, as Davis likes to be called, was a great player for the Warriors and helped turned the franchise into one of the most exciting and entertaining teams in the NBA. No Warriors fan will forget the great playoff series victory against Dallas last year, or his highlight-reel dunk on Andrei Kirilenko when they played Utah in the second round.

He leaves the Bay Area with a lot of great memories and moments. Davis was the player the Warriors turned to when they needed a clutch shot, and he made a lot of game-winning shots over the last few years.

Just off the top of my head, I recall the game in Oakland against the Celtics last season as well as a game at Seattle when Davis made a jumper to win the game.

As much as Baron meant to the team and the community, I found a lot of fault in his play.

He was never a defensive stopper and has trouble defending the quicker and smaller point guards in the Western Conference such as Tony Parker and Chris Paul. Deron Williams can match him in size and led his team over the Warriors in the playoffs two seasons ago.

Davis has the size and ability to be better on defense than he is, but he often conserves his energy for offense instead.

Davis' shooting was never great to begin with also. There were many nights when he would not find his shot and still shoot the ball over 20 times instead of distributing the ball to teammates.

Another weakness of Davis is that he is injury-prone. Although he went through last season injury-free for the most part, his career has seen a share of injuries which has cost him many games during a season.

Instead of being sad about Davis leaving the Warriors, I am truly excited about life without Mr. Dizzle. I can't wait to see what GM Chris Mullin does to improve the roster.

I hope Mullin goes after Gilbert Arenas. How great would it be to have this former Warrior back as Davis' replacement? Arenas is more talented than Davis and a better shooter. He is also younger although Arenas also has been injury-prone of late.

If Arenas had never left the Warriors, they would never have needed to trade for Davis in the first place. Who knows if Arenas could have taken the Warriors to the playoffs during those years?

The Warriors still will most likely have restricted free agent Monta Ellis and Stephen Jackson on the roster. Jackson is one of the most underrated players in the league and a huge key to the team's success. What makes Jackson so valuable is that he plays both ends of the court. Jackson can shoot, pass, and guard the opponent's best player.

Goodbye Boom Dizzle. We will miss you out here in the Bay. You are gone but not forgotten. The only question now is will you get cheered or booed in your return to Oakland next season?

The Bay Area is not too fond of Los Angeles teams or athletes usually so my guess would be a standing ovation amid some boos.

New Hottie of the Week Coming Soon

New Hottie of the Week will be up next week. Here is a video of the next HOW!

The Ultimate Fighter Season 7 Finale Review

Season 7 of  The Ultimate Fighter ended last night  at The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas. There were 12 fights scheduled on the card and Spike TV aired six of the fights. 

Most of the fights shown were boring and dull. There were many things better to do on a Saturday night than watch these unspectacular fights. 

Only MMA fans who enjoy watching fights go to a decision would have enjoyed the televised fights. 

The first fight shown was Matt Riddle against Dante Rivera. This match was supposed to be a grudge match as these two did not get along on the show. I don't think too many fans cared about this rivalry, and I don't think many people would have been  mad if this fight was a prelim instead of being on the main card. 

Riddle, as expected,  won by decision over his older opponent.

The next fight was between Jeremy Stephens and Spencer Fisher in a battle of lightweights. This fight was more entertaining than the first fight but it ended in a decision too. The veteran Fisher dominated most of the action and it was another one-sided affair.

The best fight on the show was next as Diego Sanchez fought lightly-regarded Luigi Fioravanti.  It was a closer battle than many anticipated as Fioravanti was able to avoid most of Sanchez's takedown attempts. Fioravanti never inflicted much damage to Sanchez, and Sanchez  was able to win via TKO in the third round.

Amir Sadollah once again defeated C.B. Dolloway by arm-bar  to win The Ultimate Fighter championship for Season 7. 

In the night's main event, Kendall Grove easily defeated veteran Evan Tanner by decision. Grove, who surprisingly was a underdog for this fight, used his reach advantage to control Tanner for much of the bout. 

Tanner was bloodied early but never gave up and showed a lot of heart and tenacity in not allowing Grove to finish him off with a knockout. Tanner knew he was not going to win if the fight came down to a decision, so he started to go for broke in the last round and tried to land haymakers. 

Most of the fights on the card were one-sided and not too entertaining. 

One fight between Cale Yarbrough and Tim Credeur got cancelled due to Credeur testing positive for an illegal substance. I don't think fans felt slighted at all with that fight having to be called off as both of these fighters are far from superstars.

Since a lot of the fights went three rounds,  Spike TV only showed one prelim match featuring Drew McFedries against Marvin Eastman. 

McFedries looked really good and  won by TKO due to strikes in the first round. 

The fights that were televised left a lot to be desired. Some of the prelim fights that were not shown were probably more entertaining as they ended by knockout or submission. 

The UFC's next big show is July 5 when Rampage Jackson takes on challenger Forrest Griffin for the UFC  Light Heavyweight title. 

Hopefully that pay-per-view show will be much better than the last few UFC shows which were lacking in excitment.

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Roundhouse Kick KOs Young Kid - VIDEO

See more funny videos at CollegeHumor

The Ultimate Fighter Season 7: Worst Season Ever

Season 7 of The Ultimate Fighter thankfully ended last night. Of all the seasons, this was the worst season yet. 

Many fans of the show were disappointed with the lack of quality fighters and personalities on the show. There was not  a lot of entertaining drama at all. 

I was really looking forward to this season because of the coaches, UFC champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Forrest Griffin.  Jackson and Griffin are both funny guys in different ways with engaging personalities. Unfortunately, this did not come across at all on the show. 

The season was a total drag and the fights were boring and lackluster. The most exciting fighter was probably Amir Sadollah. Sadollah will be fighting C.B. Dolloway this Saturday night to see who will be this season's "Ultimate Fighter." The winner also secures a contract with the UFC.

More than half of the fighters on the show probably won't even step into a UFC cage ever again.  Most of them did not show any star quality or enough talent to garner a second chance in the UFC. The UFC has been able to make stars out of the show, but they will be hard-pressed to find a star or main eventer from this season's cast members.

One fighter who I think has potential is Matthew Riddle.  The youthful fighter  was eliminated on the show but showed a  lot of heart and ability in his loss to Tim Credeur. 

The rest of the fighters were none too impressive. Some of them talked a good game but showed nothing inside the Octagon. 

Just like recent seasons, there were a lot of sophomoric stunts orchestrated by the fighters,. They also  drank a lot of alcohol and destroyed the house. 

Every single episode was boring and dull. I often turned to MTV to watch The Real World instead of Spike TV on Wednesday nights.  The drama on that show  seemed more real and interesting than the drama on The Ultimate Fighter. 

The producers of the show and Dana White need to figure out a way to make this show better. I don't know how ratings were for this season, but I can't help to think that they were not very high. 

Next season of The Ultimate Fighter will be coached by heavyweights Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. It should be airing in the fall of this year. 

I certainly hope that next season will be much better than Season 7. Maybe a new cast of characters is what the show needs or prehaps more drama? 

Whatever it is, Dana White and Spike TV must find the formula to make The Ultimate Fighter must-see TV again, or viewers won't be tuning in. 

Giants PItcher Matt Cain and Lou Seal at Macy's - VIDEOS

D Wizzle's World was at Macy's to capture video footage of Lou Seal and Giants pitcher Matt Cain yesterday afternoon.  There were about 250 fans there. Security was tight and fans could not bring their backpacks or bags up to see Matt. If Barry Zito was there instead of Matt, they would probably have metal detectors just in case angry fans try to hurt Mr.Zito! Here are the pictures and videos.

Matt Cain signing autographs VIDEO

 

Part 2 of Video

Lou Seal Trying On Clothes VIDEO

Lou Seal Gets Mad at Matt Cain VIDEO

Zito at Macy's  VIDEO

Matt Cain at Macy's - Video Footage Coming Soon

Macy's had a Giants Player Appearance this afternoon as pitcher Matt Cain showed up and signed autographs for 40 minutes. D Wizzle's World has all the video footage from this event and it will be uploaded soon.

UPDATE: LINK TO THE VIDEO AND PICS HERE -

http://dwizzlesworld.blogspot.com/2008/06/giants-pitcher-matt-cain-and-lou-seal.html

Hottie of the Week: Texas Rangers Ball Girl Kristen Rash

D Wizzle is back with another Hottie of the Week(HOW). Due to popular demand, the HOW feature is back for good. This week, I have an exclusive interview with Texas Rangers ball girl, Kristen Rash. This 22-year-old cutie  is from a small town in Texas called Emhouse, which only has a population of 159. Kristen attended Oklahoma State and recently graduated with a degree in international business. To see the video of how Kristen became so popular, check out this link -

http://dwizzlesworld.blogspot.com/2008/06/fat-man-almost-crushes-cute-texas.html

Hey Kristen, how are you doing today? 

I'm doing well. Thanks!  I am just surprised about how much attention this video has received. 

What was your initial reaction when the fan first fell down onto the field? I heard a loud squealing noise!

You know, sometimes you just have those fans who get really excited and just want a ball. I honestly don't think his intention was to get all of the media attention that he did, but sometimes that's how it works out. However, I can honestly say he scared  me half to death. You never expect a fan to come flying out of the stands like that ... especially when they're close to 300 pounds! Goodness! 

How does it feel to have that incident with the fan shown on ESPN Sportscenter and all over the Internet?  

Honestly, I'm incredibly surprised that it has received so much attention. It's flattering of course, but not something I ever expected!

Did you expect that incident to become so popular on Youtube and on the Internet? It is one of the most popular videos on my blog! 

I did not expect it to become this popular. I thought it might make America's Funniest Videos!

One of the main reasons the video is so popular is because it is very funny but another reason is because you are very pretty and cute. The fans would be mad if I didn't ask if you are single or not.

 I am single! Some people find that shocking but I haven't dated anyone who has wowed me! (laughs)

What are your duties as a Texas Rangers ball girl? 

My ball girl duties include throwing with outfielders and shagging foul balls. The players and fans generally don't expect us to be able to field and throw a baseball so watching their reactions when they see I can do both is a trip! It's probably the funnest job I have ever had.

Is  it fun throwing balls with the outfielders?

Playing catch with the outfielders is probably the best part about the job. You have some players who like to see what you're made of, and you have others who like to play with the situation and pretend like they are pitching a softball. Like I said, it's a great job and the experience is phenomenal!

Who is your favorite Ranger and why? 

Josh Hamilton holds a special place in heart because he was the first major league  player that I ever got to throw with. Every player has their own style, but Josh is very unique. When we play catch together, he makes it fun and mixes it up. Aside from that, Josh has an amazing comeback story that is featured in this month's issue of Sports Illustrated and I would encourage everyone to read the article to see how many obstacles he's had to overcome. Anyone who has ever experienced difficulty in their life could view Josh as a role model. He is a firm believer in Christ and incorporates that into his playing style.

Did you play softball in high school or college?

 I did. I've been playing ball since the age of 10 and I've loved every minute of it. It's a great feeling to still be involved with the game!

 What position did you play?

In high school, I was a utility player. I played every position. In college, I played outfield because i'm fast and can cover a lot of territory.

The San Francisco Giants have senior citizens patrolling the foul area to grab foul balls. They always miss the ball usually. Most of them look like they are over 70 years old, Do you think   you could be a ball girl  when you get old or would want to? 

 (Laughs)That's an unusual marketing scheme. I think when i'm 70, I'll want to be retired but who knows? I may have an arm on me at 70!

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to stay active and workout or be outdoors. I love sports, fishing, and traveling.

 

Thanks a lot for taking the time to talk to me Kristen. Any final words for the fans?

No problem! Thank you for watching the Rangers and catching the video! It's been a blast, and the fans are the ones who make the games enjoyable for me, so come see me at the Ballpark in Arlington and say hi! 

New Hottie of the Week (HOW) Coming Soon

D Wizzle's World will have a new HOW in a few days. This is one of the most popular features on the blog and the new HOW is none other than  the Texas Rangers ball girl, Kristen Rash. Look out for this exclusive  in a few days! In the meantime, check out her video with the big fan  here - http://dwizzlesworld.blogspot.com/2008/06/fat-man-almost-crushes-cute-texas.html

Giants Are Contenders in the Weak NL West

I have been the  biggest critic of the 2008 Giants. Most of my articles have been negative towards the team and rightfully so.

They got rid of my favorite player, Barry Bonds, and the management pretends he never existed or played for the team. They didn't sign Japanese stars OF Kosuke Fukudome or pitcher Hiroki Kuroda. I even hate the "gamer" commercials.

I called for this team to lose over 100 games this year. Expectations for this team was very low coming into the season.

This team is now 29-35 and won't lose 100 games. In fact, they are contenders in their division.

After sweeping the lowly Nationals last night, they are now only five games back of first-place Arizona. No team in the NL West seem to be able to ever take control of the division. The division race is always tight every year and comes down to the final week and days of the season.

The Padres, who were left for dead a few weeks ago, are now only 6.5 games back of first place.

The Padres and Dodgers start a series today while the struggling Diamondbacks have to face the Mets in New York.

The Giants face the Rockies in Colorado and have a very good chance to gain more ground in the division.

Although the Giants are not the most talented team, they play very hard and never quit. Their youth has contributed to their never-give-up attitude. Players such as John Bowker, Fred Lewis, and Travis Denker  all have had key hits in the last two weeks.

Their bullpen has been a strength and Keiichi Yabu has been a revelation. Yabu's ERA is now 2.00. The one weakness in the bullpen is Tyler Walker. Bruce Bochy insists on having Walker has the set-up man in the eight inning. Walker does not instill any confidence among Giants fans as he is prone to giving up key hits and runs at the wrong time.

Jonathan Sanchez has matured of late and is a good middle-of-the rotation starter for this team. Tim Lincecum is going to the All-Star Game and  Matt Cain is better than his 3-4 record. Even Barry Zito has pitched better in his last three outings.

The offense comes and goes which can be expected of a team without a power hitter or star. The youngsters are still learning and the veterans sometimes just don't have it on certain days.

I would love to see this team contend throughout the summer. It would definitely make things interesting out here in the Bay Area.

The Giants have proven they are not as bad as most people thought they would be. They are not going to lose 100 games as teams who lose that many games do not go on extended winning streaks. They are still under .500 but no team is going to run away with the division in the NL West.

GM Brian Sabean needs to make some bold moves and make this team better before the trade deadline.

I heard Bonds was still a free agent. If the Giants resign him, this team would be tough to pitch against. Unfortunately for Giants fans, the chances of him wearing orange and black again are not very good. 

Barry Bonds In New Rap Video - VIDEO

Q&A With MMA Fighter Elaina "Beef" Maxwell

Here is an Q&A with female MMA fighter Elaina "Beef" Maxwell. Maxwell is a fighter with Strikeforce and fights out of Cung Le's gym. She has a MMA record of 2-2 and one of her losses was  to Gina Carano  by decision in 2006. Maxwell will be fighting Meisha Tate on June 27 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. 

Hey Beef, How are you?

I'm doing great. I am  training hard for my upcoming fight on June 27th in San Jose. For tickets, you can  go to http://strikeforce. strongvon. com, and select MAXWELL. To catch it on television, check out HDNet and NBC!

Did you get a chance to watch the Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young fight? 

No, I was at XFA(Xtreme Fighting Association) in Las Vegas.

You fought Gina once in a kickboxing matcht and once in the cage. Would you like a rematch with Gina in the future?

Yes.

What do you think of Gina not making weight for her fight against Kaitlin Young and being four and a half pounds over the weight limit?

There should be more weight divisions for women.

What do you know about your opponent on June 27, Meisha Tate?

She is a high school wrestler and trains with Dennis Hallman.

What kind of fight should we expect between you and Meisha?

Like all of my other MMA fights, it’ll be fight of the night. It’ll be a classic match-up of striker vs grappler.

Are there any fighters out there that you would like to face after your fight with Tate? 

I take one fight at a time, so I’m not there just yet. Maybe I’ll think about that on June 28th!

How do you like fighting for Strikeforce, and do you feel added pressure to win and put on a good performance due to all the local support you get in San Jose?

I love fighting for a local organization, such as Strikeforce, especially since I have been fighting for them for such a long time since I was an amateur kickboxer. Although I do love traveling and competing abroad, there won’t be any additional pressure because I am used to fighting in San Jose.

What part of your game do you think you need to work on the most?

I would like to work more on my transitions from stand-up to ground, and on my ground game of course, especially since I’m only a blue belt.

What is it like to train with a superstar like Cung Le? 

It’s been great to watch him evolve from San Shou to MMA. It has definitely helped me transition into becoming a well-rounded MMA fighter.

How did you get your nickname "Beef"? A lot of fans are wondering about that.

I worked at Outback Steakhouse for five  years when I first started training martial arts, and my teammates thought my strength and power came from all of the beef I consumed. When I call people, my caller ID is not Elaina but “Beef” or “Beefy!"(laughs)

What do you have to say to critics who think that women should not be fighting in MMA?

If I thought about that, then I wouldn’t be where I am today. I can’t change people's point of view with my words.  I can only change them with my actions.

Do you have any final words for all the MMA fans out there?

I’d like to thank my sisters, Ila & Christina, and my sponsors: Toyota, Sprawl, Takedown, Score Clinic, Conquer, BR Flooring, ADP Graphics & GTS.

Interview with MMA Fighter Elaina "Beef" Maxwell Coming Soon

Look out for an interview with MMA fighter Elaina "Beef" Maxwell. It will be up in a few days.

Fat Man Almost Crushes Cute Texas Rangers Ball GIrl - VIDEO

Here is a funny and scary video of a fat man almost crushing into the cute Texas Rangers ball girl!

UPDATE JUNE 12: NEW INTERVIEW AND PICTURES  WITH THE BALL GIRL WILL BE UP SOON ON D WIZZLE's WORLD!!  Check out the main page for it.

Umpire Hit By Pitch When Catcher Ducks!- VIDEO

This happened in a high school game in Georgia. There are rumors circulating that the catcher did this on purpose.

UFC 85:Bedlam Review

The UFC had their monthly pay-per-view event today in England at the O2 Arena. The main event featured former welterweight champion Matt Hughes going against youngster Thiago Alves. The main event was supposed to be Chuck Liddell vs Rashad Evans but Liddell had to pull out of the fight due to a hamstring injury.

The first fight on the pay-per-view was Brandon Vera vs Fabricio Werdum. Werdum got full mount and started to rain down punches on Vera. The referee, the now infamous Dan Miragliotta, called off the fight with about 20 seconds left in the first round. Vera got up immediately and protested to Miragliotta, but to no avail. The issue I had with this stoppage was that Vera was blocking some of Werdum's punches and was still trying to be active. When Vera got up, his face looked the same as when he entered the cage. Werdum will probably a title shot next year. Good luck Dana White in trying to sell Werdum in a main event.

The second fight shown was a middleweight fight between Nate Marquardt and Thales Leites. This was a three-round war and one of the better fights on the card. Leites had Marquardt in trouble in the first round and knocked down Marquardt with a punch. Leites got on top of Marquardt but was unable to finish him off as Marquardt recovered and got up to escape Leites' ground and pound. Marquardt landed some good shots of his own and had Leites in trouble later on in the fight, but the referee had to stop the fight for a few minutes because the aggressive Marquardt landed an illegal knee when Leites still had one knee on the mat. Marquardt had a point deducted for that and also for an illegal elbow to the back of the head in round three. Although Marquardt dominated the last two rounds of the fight, Leites was awarded the fight in a decision due to the point deductions. Marquardt said he wanted a rematch after the fight and that rematch should definitely happen so we could get a clear and decisive winner next time.

The next fight shown was a prelim fight between Luiz Cane and Jason Lambert. This was one of my favorite fights of the day. Cane destroyed Lambert standing up as Lambert was swinging wildly and missing while Cane seemed to connect on most of his punches. Cane knocked down Lambert three times until referee Herb Dean stopped it. While Cane was celebrating, Lambert was still out of it and grabbed Dean's legs thinking it was Cane's after the fight had already ended. This was a one-sided fight but one of the most entertaining.

Marcus Davis and Mike Swick were up next on the show. Swick and his American Kickboxing Academy team had a great game plan against Davis. Instead of exchanging punches with the former pro boxer, Swick landed some kicks and took Davis to the ground. Swick also got the better of Davis everytime they clinched.. Swick had the height advantage which affected Davis throughout the whole fight. Swick won by decision in a very boring fight. UFC broadcaster Joe Rogan said that the fans were doing the wave during the fight. Rogan's partner, Mike Goldberg, said it was a "great fight." I looked forward to this fight but it was a letdown and one of the least entertaining battles.

Davis had won 11 fights in a row before this but most of his victories were against mid-level competition.

Michael Bisping defeated Canadian Jason Day in the second to last fight. Bisping was on top of his game and was able to ground and pound Day to a victory. Bisping totally outclassed Day and made it a quick and one-sided affair. The fans were really into this fight as their favorite British fighter won.

The main event was next as Alves entered the cage first with rapper T.I.'s "Big Things Poppin" blaring over the arena speakers. Hughes came out to a slow country music song which I think could make fans fall asleep. This fight was at a catch weight of 174 because Alves weighed in four pounds over the weight limit of 170 at the weigh-ins.

The first round did not have much action as both fighters were trying to feel each out in the beginning. Hughes went for some takedowns but Alves stuffed them. Alves was quicker than Hughes and was able to land some knees. In the second round, Alves landed a flying knee on Hughes and finished him off with a punch before the referee stopped the fight.

Alves made Hughes look slow and old. The 24-year-old Brazilian is now in line for a title fight against the winner of the Georges St. Pierre and Jon FItch fight which will happen in August at UFC 87 in Minnesota.

Alves said the reason he came in four pounds over the weight limit was because he had a sprained ankle and could not run for a few days. He apologized to UFC management but also begged Dana White for a title shot.

Hughes got on the mic next and said he was not disappointed for himself but for his kids who were watching. He said he wants to fight Matt Serra next and that even his wife wants to see him fight Serra.

Since there was a lot of time left on the pay-per-view show, UFC showed two more prelim fights. They showed Martin Kampman beating Jorge Rivera by submission and Matt Wiman knocking out Thiago Tavares in the second round with a right hand. Wiman was a big underdog going into the fight and it was one of the best fights on the show.

Overall, this was a good show although there were some lackluster battles. Werdum and Alves established themselves as contenders for the heavyweight and welterweight titles respectively.

UFC's next big show is on June 21 when Spike will show The Ultimate FIghter finale. The main event that evening will be Kendall Grove vs Evan Tanner.

Rampage Jackson on Jimmy Kimmel - VIDEO

Mets in San Francisco Videos - For all the Mets fans

D Wizzle was at the Giants vs Mets game last night in windy and cold San Francisco. Here are some videos for all the Mets fans!

METS DOING STRETCHING EXERCISES VIDEO

JOSE REYES TAKING INFIELD GROUNDERS VIDEO

NY METS IN SF SLIDESHOW WITH MUSIC AND FAN FOOTAGE

WILLIE RANDOLPH CHATTING AND JOSE REYES TAKING BP VIDEO

VIDEO SHOWING  BARRY ZITO TRYING TO THROW A STRIKE!<LOU SEAL GIANTS MASCOT VIDEO

Observations from Attending My First Giants Game in 2008

I attended my first game of the 2008 season in San Francisco last night when the Giants played the Mets. The Mets won 9-6 and scored about 8 runs in the fifth inning. I left my seat at the end of the fourth inning so I missed out on almost all the fun. Here are my observations and notes from the game.

• Barry Zito sucks. The fans got behind him in the beginning but turned on him once he got in trouble and started giving up walks and hits.  Here is a video of Zito I took attempting to throw a strike - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEc9pw1Aw7M
• The Giants try to pretend that Barry Bonds never existed. They don't sell his jersey anymore or have anything in the park to remember him by. I did see one guy with a Barry Bonds jersey.
• The Giants have set up tables outside each entrance gate where fans have to open up their backpacks and purses for inspection by security before they are allowed to enter the park. The security guard told me they started doing this a few weeks ago. He inspected my backpack and asked me if I had any weapons such as knives, boxcutters, or guns with me. Of course, I said no. I wonder if he asked the white old lady behind me if she had knives or guns too!
• Last night was really really cold and windy. It reminded me of the Candlestick Park days!
• I saw former Rolling Stone editor and music journalist Ben Fong-Torres at the park. He was on the same train with me and was telling his friend how terrible Zito is. 
  
• Zito is always a topic of discussion with fans. They always discuss his salary and how he is the worst acquisition ever for the Giants.
• What happened to all the pretty girls? I guess chicks do dig the long ball and since Bonds is gone, so are the hotties. Maybe they will show up in the summer when the weather heats up?
• There were lots of Mets fans in attendance wearing their Mets jerseys, hats, and jackets. I saw some Beltran, Wright, and Santana jerseys. 
• The park was filled up for a Tuesday night and there were not a lot of empty seats in the lower levels or in the bleachers. 
• The ushers are overly aggressive and rude. Nothing has changed from past seasons I guess. I saw two confrontations between fans and ushers. The confrontations ended up with the fans storming away angry and the ushers with a smug smile on their face. Is this how you want to treat your season-ticket holders and fans?  
• One usher came up to me and asked me where my seat was. I told him I had no idea and walked away.
• I missed out on the big fifth inning by the Mets because I was playing Gran Turismo on the new Playstation 3s they had in the club level.  I saw many Giants fans leaving and I thought the game was over. I walked to a TV and saw that the score was 9-3. 
• I was in the elevator leaving and the Giants employee operating the elevator  yelled "Going down" and one fan responded by saying "Just like the Giants" which made everyone laugh. The employee asked what the score was and some fan said it was 30-3. 
• Lou Seal is the most entertaining Giant. I would rather see him pitch than Zito. I am sure Lou can hit better than Brian Bocock or any other player pretending to be a major leaguer. Here is a video of  Lou Seal being funny 

Kaitlin Young Post-Fight Interview

D Wizzle had the opportunity to speak to MMA fighter  Kaitlin Young a few days after her battle with Gina Carano.  Although she lost to Carano, Young gained many fans after the fight as it was one of the best fights on CBS last Saturday night. Young showed a lot of toughness, skill, and heart. This is why MMA fans can't wait to see her back in the cage again. 

For a previous interview I had with Kaitlin, check out

http://dwizzlesworld.blogspot.com/2008/05/interview-with-mma-fighter-kaitlin.html

Hey Kaitlin, how are you doing and how is the  cut under your left eye? I know a lot of fans were concerned about that.

The would-be cut didn't actually open up so the cut is non-existent, but the bruise is healing fine. Lots of pretty colors!

Did you have any jitters going into the fight since it was on prime time television?

Not too bad actually. I was expecting it to be worse.

Do you have any regrets about anything that happened inside the cage on Saturday night?

I wish I would have executed my game plan better and kept my left hand a little higher.

Was there anything Gina did during the fight that surprised you?

Yes,  I wasn't expecting her to go for a go-go plata!

Gina seemed to do a good job of creating distance with her front kicks. Did that affect you a lot in terms of what you wanted to do?

Yes, I think so. Foot jabs are frustrating and I think she used them well to set up her shots.

Your concerns pre-fight about Gina not making weight came to fruition when she weighted four and a half pounds over the weight limit. How big of an issue did you think that had on the result of the fight?

I don't think it had that much of an effect. I think she likely weighed a bit more than I hoped she would in the fight, but it wasn't super significant. Perhaps it put more weight on her punches, but I don't think it was a determining factor.

When will you get back into the gym and start training again?

Probably within the next couple of weeks. Right now,  I am enjoying cookies and McDonald's.

Do you have  any final words for all the MMA fans out there?

Losing is always a very unpleasant experience, but I have received so much support and nice emails from fellow fighters and fans that it has helped ease the disappointment. I can't thank people enough for that. Also, my sponsors Premier Fighter, MTX Audio and MMA Warehouse have been great to me. Anyone would be lucky to work with these companies.

Why The Mainstream Media Hates EliteXC

Saturday night's EliteXC show on CBS was fun and entertaining. It was also a success as ratings were high and CBS will broadcast a second show later this year.

The mainstream media and all the sports talk radio shows were talking about the show today. Most of them were bashing EliteXC and Kimbo Slice, the Youtube fighting legend.

Most of the writers and talk-show hosts knew nothing about MMA but still decided to bash what they saw on Saturday night.

A few of these "professionals" are biased and clearly have an agenda. Yahoo Sports columnists Kevin Iole and Dan Wenzel wrote very negative articles on EliteXC. What they didn't disclose to its readers was that Yahoo has a partnership with EliteXC's rival, UFC. Iole has even been on UFC preview shows. Wenzel was on a sports talk show this morning and said that EliteXC was a "joke" and the "minor leagues" of MMA.

From what I have seen so far, EliteXC is a very professional organization ran by a very successful boxing promoter, Gary Shaw. Shaw has given fans what they wanted to see. Fights such as Frank Shamrock vs Cung Le might not have happened if it wasn't for Shaw.  Kimbo Slice would probably not grace the latest cover of ESPN's magazine either.

The only reason media members such as Wenzel and Rome are talking about MMA and jumping on the bandwagon is because MMA is getting popular and it is "cool" to talk about it. Wenzel admitted that his MMA articles are more popular than his articles on other sports.  Some journalists are writing stories on MMA and referring to the sport as "ultimate fighting." That is how ignorant most of the media are about MMA.

I was very entertained by the show on Saturday. None of the fights ended in decision and we got to watch some knockouts. What more can fans ask for? Would fans rather watch Kimbo Slice fight or the dull but undefeated  UFC light heavywight fighter Lyoto Machida?

Kimbo Slice's fight against James Thompson was exciting, compelling, and filled with lots of drama. Would this Internet superstar lose for the first time in the cage or would he be able to come back from near defeat in the second round?

The media can continue to bash EliteXC and Kimbo Slice but they cannot deny how successful the ratings were for the show. Slice is one of the most marketable fighters in MMA today and one of the most popular..

If Slice is headlining the next CBS show, it will be do well again. Slice's fans will want to see him knock his opponent out while his detractors will watch to see if he will get exposed and lose for the first time.

Saturday night's fights  were filled with lots of action and knockouts and I can't wait for the next EliteXC show on prime time television.

If you don't want to watch MMA on a Saturday night, you can go out and watch "Sex in the City" instead but I'll be home tuning into EliteXC's Saturday NIght Fights on CBS.

MLB News and Notes: 6/2

    * The Mets embarked on a West Coast road trip last night after their Sunday night game at home against the Dodgers. Oliver Perez takes on Jonathan Sanchez of the Giants tonight. You can expect to see a lot of walks tonight as Perez leads the NL in walks while Sanchez ranks seventh.

    * David Ortiz is reportedly out for tonight's game against the Orioles with a wrist injury. This should make things easier for Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie. Guthrie pitched very well against the Yankees last week.

    * Kenny Rogers is 23-1 lifetime  pitching in Oakland. He will be opposed by Rich Harden tonight when the Tigers face the A's.

    *  Oliver Perez is holding lefties to a .100 average so  Bruce Bochy might  sit John Bowker and Fred Lewis tonight.

    * Jay Bruce of the Reds is batting .591 with two homers and six RBIs. He will be hitting in one of the best hitters' ballparks in the NL tonight when the Reds take on the Phillies at Citizens Park.

    * Atlanta returns home tonight to face the Marlins. The Braves are 22-7 at home.

    * Delmon Young is 7-11 lifetime against Yankees pitcher Andy Pettite. He will try to continue his success tonight against Pettite.

    * Livan Hernandez, the Twins pitcher tonight, has given up too many hits all year. He will be in big trouble if the Yankees' batters start to tee off on him.

    *  How well will the Mets and Dodgers play tonight? Both these teams played a late game last night and had to travel all the way to the West Coast.

    * The Rockies are 20-37 and really struggling. If they played in New York, the media would be calling for Clint Hurdle to be fired.

Three Giants Deserve To Make The All Star Game

The San Francisco Giants are having a dismal season so far but they have three legitimate candidates for the All-Star Game.

Catcher Bengie Molina is batting .333 with six homers and 36 RBIs. He is batting cleanup for a team with no superstars. Molina has absolutely no protection in the lineup. He has come up with clutch hits time after time.

His competition for an All-Star spot include Geovany Soto, Russell Martin, and Brian McCann.

Soto is hitting .299 with nine homers and 37 RBIs for the Cubs. Martin has three homers and 20 RBIs for the Dodgers while batting .311. McCann is batting .320 and has nine homers and 32 RBIs for the Braves.

McCann and Soto have great numbers so far but they are not the heart and soul of the lineup for their club like Molina. The Braves rely on Chipper Jones and Mark Texiera for hits and Soto has no pressure batting behind sluggers like Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome, and Aramis Ramirez.

Besides having a good bat, Molina also is one of the best defensive catchers in the league and calls a great game. He made the transition from the American League to the National League appear seamless last season.

Molina has stated that he spends most of his time studying hitters and  concentrating on helping his pitchers. This would make his offensive statistics seem more remarkable and impressive.

The other two candidates from the Giants who should make the All-Star Team are pitchers Tim Lincecum and Brian Wilson.

Lincecum is 7-1 with a 2.33 ERA. He has not given up more than three earned runs in any start this year. He also leads the National League in strikeouts with 76.

Closer Brian Wilson has made fans try to forget the Armando Benetiz era.

Wilson leads the National League in saves with 16. Although he has a high ERA(4.54), Wilson has been able to escape trouble many times in the ninth inning and preserved many victories for the Giants. He has given the Giants stability at the closer position and he is going to be their closer for many years.

Will three Giants make the NL All-Star team? The answer to that is probably no, since this team is in third place in a weak division. 

The best bet to make the team would be Lincecum. If he keeps on pitching as well as he has and Arizona's Brandon Webb continues to struggle, Lincecum might even be able to get the nod to be the starter in the All-Star Game.

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