Fightin' Words

By Joe Fernandez
Newsday.com

He is calm. He is jovial. He sounds like he is prepared to fight Joe Lauzon at UFC Fight Night April 2 on SpikeTV. But as soon I decided to mention that my idle New York Yankees are one game ahead in the loss column of his Boston Red Sox, it sounded as if Kenny Florian had four cups of Dunkin' Donuts drip.

"Already???," the Westwood, Massachusetts native said laughingly about my mention of the BoSox/Yanks rivalry. "Last year was definitely a good year. We'll see what happens this year. You guys got us back with the friggin' Giants. It'll never stop. One way or another we're always going to try to get one up on each other. It's a fun rivalry, man."

But this match isn't a New York/Boston thing. With Brockton-born and East Bridgewater-raised Joe Lauzon standing across the Octagon next Wednesday, it's a fight not only for ascension up the UFC lightweight ladder but for New England bragging rights as well.

By Joe Fernandez
Newsday.com

Ok. So I'm watching the WEC fights on Versus right now.

Here's what I'm noticing so far:

Steve Cantwell did a great job of pouncing. He knew right away that he had Tim McKenzie dazed and he took him right out of the fight.

Did Marcus Hicks' friends bet him that he couldn't beat Ed Ratcliff with a guillotine? Ratcliff never fully recovered from that first hard punch Hicks landed. Then Hicks chased Ratcliff around the cage looking for that submission until it was over. I'm very impressed with Hicks. I've seen him fight a couple of times now and there's one part of his game that reminds me of Brazilian jiu-jitsu World Champion Marcelo Garcia.

Huh? Here me out.

By Joe Fernandez
Newsday.com

This one is pay per view worthy.

MMA veteran and recent 145-pounder Jens Pulver fights WEC Featherweight champ Urijah Faber on June 1 for free on Versus.

With fighters that include Faber, Pulver, Carlos Condit, Jamie Varner, Leonard Garcia amongst others, the WEC is starting to put together some very respectable events.

The fight card, which is set to take place at The Arco Arena in Sacramento, California, also features Miguel Angel Torres defending his bantamweight title against Manny Tapia.

But a Pulver/Faber fight should feature a phenomenal display of wrestling and an even better conditioning showcase. A rejuvenated Pulver vs. the 20-1 Faber has instant classic on all five rounds of it.

Faber is a star -- and will be for the next couple of years, but mixed martial arts has been all about the comeback lately (Randy Couture, Matt Serra). I think Pulver, who is finally fighting at his true weight, gives Faber his first loss at 145 pounds and earns a split decision victory for the belt.

By Joe Fernandez
Newsday.com

I wrote a story about the WEC's Brian Stann. He fights on March 26 for the light heavyweight title. Good interview. He's a very nice person.

(Courtesy of WEC)

Here's the story: Stann stands for more than himself

By Joe Fernandez

"Respect," as Ali G. would say to the International Fight League for posting its fights on YouTube for free. There's a link on IFL's website that you can follow to see some cool throwdowns.

Check it: youtube.com/ifl

By Joe Fernandez
Newsday.com

Fellow Newsday blogger Neil Best saw a screening of the new MMA-themed movie "Never Back Down." I saw the trailer. Looks a bit like Karate Kid with four-ounce gloves. Who plays Johnny Lawrence? Was Zabka available? I wonder if "Daniel Larusso's gonna fight?"

Here's Neil's take: Watchdog blog

Here are some showtimes.

And here's the trailer: Fifty points if you can spot a Cobra Kai jacket.

Here's the trailer for David Mamet's "Red Belt" scheduled to be released May 2. Randy Couture is in the movie, along with "Tim 'The Tool man' Taylor" and "Kurt" from "Boogie Nights." Sweet.
"It's a real film, Jack. You made it fly." -- Kurt, from Boogie Nights

P.S. Wow. I even saw "Joey Zasa" in there as well. -- Fernandez

By Joe Fernandez
Newsday.com

I used to really like boxing. Actually, I still do.

Growing up, I’d watch Mike Tyson tear through opponents and I was in awe of his invincibility. I’d sit with my father and watch replays of Ali vs. Frazier and Ali vs. Foreman. Again I was in awe, but this time it was from how quick Ali’s feet and fists were in the ring and how quick his mind and mouth were out of it.

By Joe Fernandez
Newsday.com

I don't know what to tell ya.

I'm thinking maybe Yushin Okami. Maybe Chris Leben a second time around. But I don't know what to tell ya.

By Hank Winnicki

Nothing like a good pound-for-pound debate. Anderson Silva's victory Saturday night has most MMA fans talking about who the best p-f-p fighter is. Here are my rankings (feel free to disagree):

1. Anderson Silva: He answered a lot of questions when he beat Henderson, who many felt would present matchup problems. He handled the world-class wrestler and it could be a while before he loses. Yushin Okami makes sense for his next fight. He lost to Okami because of an illegal kick to the head in January of '06. I just don't see Okami presenting a lot of problems for Silva.

2. Fedor Emelianenko: Some will argue he's the best, but we just haven't seen him up against the top competition. He's definitely No. 2, though.

3. Georges St. Pierre: He took apart Matt Hughes not once, but twice. Maybe that was just an off night against Matt Serra. We'll find out for sure when he fights Serra again in April. He has such a solid all-around game, but maybe his weakness is the chin.

4. B.J. Penn: Great ground game and heavy hands always makes him a solid pound-for-pound choice. In UFC 58, he knuckled up GSP in the first round, but then inexplicably went easy on him for the rest of the fight and lost a decision. Also lost to Hughes, which keeps him at No. 4.

5. Rampage Jackson: He had a tougher time with Dan Henderson than Silva did. Still, he has been very good for a long time.

Anderson Silva vs. Dan Henderson
Result: Silva wins via rear-naked choke in the second round
Hard to say who will match up well against Silva now. Henderson won the first round by holding down Silva, but that only seemed to get Silva annoyed. Silva came out in the second round and did what he does, beat people up. He dazed Henderson with a knee, took his back and finished him off.

Cheick Kongo vs. Heath Herring
Result: Herring wins by split decision
A gutsy win by Herring, beating the bigger, stronger man. Kongo seemed to win the first round, but couldn't control Herring, who slogged out a victory.

Yushin Okami vs. Evan Tanner
Result: Okami by TKO in the second round
Tanner's duck, lunge and swat stand-up game didn't give Okami much trouble. Okami landed a big knee in the second round to deck Tanner.

Josh Koshcheck vs. Dustin Hazelett
Result: Koscheck by TKO in the second round
One of the better scraps of the night. Hazelett has a solid stand-up game and the two exchanged a few good flurries. In the end, it was a big kick to the head that floored Hazelett. Koshcheck pounced and finished his foe.

Jon Fitch vs. Chris Wilson
Result: Fitch wins a unanimous decision
Wilson impressed throughout the fight but did not have enough offense to stop Fitch, who was able to grind out the win. We'll see more of Wilson.

Chris Leben vs. Alessio Sakara
Result: Leben by TKO in the second round
One thing's for sure, Leben can take a punch. He walks right in throwing, and when he lands good things happen for him. Sakara hit Leben with some heavy blows, but Leben was able to drop Sakara with a left hook.

Bout that were not televised:
Diego Sanchez vs. David Bielkheden
Result: Sanchez wins by tapout in the first round.

Andrei Arlovski vs. Jake O'Brien
Result: Arlovski wins by TKO in the second round

Luke Cummo vs. Luigi Fioravanti
Result: Fioravanti wins a unanimous decision

Jorge Gurgel vs. John Halverson
Result: Gurgel wins a unanimous decision