The UFC Results

No he isn’t going to fight them at the same time but he is going to be doing some moving between weight classes. After contract negotiations with Dana White they apparently talked over some additional things such as a mega-fight between BJ Penn and Georges St. Pierre, or maybe, with Jon Fitch if he stops St. Pierre. Check out this quote from Penn:

“I want to be the best. I want to do all these things. I want to fight the welterweight, I want to fight at lightweight and you gotta be in shape, you gotta be the best to do that. I’ll be with the UFC a couple more years and we’re probably looking at a fight [on] December 27. I’m looking at the Florian-Huerta fight and I’m also looking at the Fitch-St. Pierre fight. Jon Fitch is a great opponent, a tough opponent, but St. Pierre brings the whole backing of Canada with him to a fight. It would be great to put on a big fight with me and St. Pierre, but then again, it’s about me fighting the best fighter and if Fitch goes down and proves he’s the best fighter, then he’s the man. [But] I’m moving up to fight in the welterweight division and then I’m moving back down to defend my lightweight title.”

So it sounds like we could see BJ Penn in the octagon as a Welterweight by December, and then defending his title not too long after, probably against the winner of Florian/Huerta. After the UFC 84 results when BJ Penn dismantled Sean Sherk I have a hard time seeing either Huerta or Florian really posing a large threat to the Penn dynasty that is beginning. But then again who would have thought that Matt Serra would have beaten Georges St. Pierre.?

What do you think about BJ Penn moving between weight classes?

Thanks MMAWeekly

B.J. Penn vs. Sean Sherk
Winner: B.J. Penn via TKO Round 3

Tito Ortiz vs. Lyoto Machida
Winner: Lyoto Machida via Unanimous Decision

Thiago Silva vs. Antonio Mendes
Winner: Thiago Silva via Submission (Strikes) Round 1

Wanderlei Silva vs. Keith Jardine
Winner: Wanderlei Silva via TKO (Strikes) Round 1

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura
Winner: Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou via technical knockout (strikes) in round one

Rousimar Palhares vs. Ivan Salaverry
Winner: Rousimar Palhares via submission (armbar) in round one

Goran Reljic vs. Wilson Gouveia
Winner: Goran Reljic via TKO (Strikes) Round 2

Jon Koppenhaver vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
Winner: Yoshiyuki Yoshida via submission (anaconda choke) in round one

Dong Hyun Kim vs. Jason Tan
Winner: Dong Hyun Kim via technical knockout (strikes) in round three

Terry Etim vs. Rich Clementi
Winner: Rich Clementi via unanimous decision

Shane Carwin vs. Christian Wellisch
Winner: Shane Carwin via knockout in round one

UFC 80 is almost here and it is time for prefight picks!

BJ Penn vs. Joe Stevenson (Light Weight Title Fight)

Who we want win: BJ Penn
Who we think will win: BJ Penn

BJ Penn’s time has come in the light weight division. It has been five years since his last title shot at this weight and he has been busy. In his last four fights in the UFC he has been crowned Welter weight champion beating Matt Hughes, went the distance with Georges St. Pierre in a controversial decision loss, had a dominant showing in his rematch against Matt Hughes until he separated a rib and lost in the 3rd round and in his last fight redeemed a nagging loss against Jens Pulver. Where as Joe Stevenson has been dominant in his last fights but all against forgettable names. Joe Stevenson’s strengths are listed as “good takedowns and submissions”. If Matt Hughes struggled taking a healthy BJ Penn to the ground Joe Stevenson won’t be able to do it, and Stevenson’s “good submissions” are irrelevant seeing how BJ Penn is the first American-born winner of the World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament. With that said, BJ Penn is the next Light Weight Champion.

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Fabricio Werdum

Who we want win: Gabriel Gonzaga
Who we think will win: Gabriel Gonzaga

This fight can be determined by looking at their performances at UFC 70. Gabriel Gonzaga dismantled one of the most dominant, agressive fighters in MMA (Mirko Cro Cop). If you missed it UFC 70 results. Where as Fabricio Werdum lost a decision to Andrei Arlovski in one of his most lackluster performances. If Werdum can’t beat a passive Arlovski how the hell is he going to beat the beast in Gonzaga? Simple answer to that rhetorical question, he’s not.

Jess Liaudin vs. Marcus Davis

Who we want win: Marcus Davis
Who we think will win: Marcus Davis

Marcus Davis has been on tear. He has won the fight/submission/knock out of the night in almost all of his last fights. He has a decent history building in the UFC and he is facing a relative new comer. I see Marcus Davis coming out on top and will finish the fight.

Jorge Rivera vs. Kendall Grove

Who we want win: Can’t Decide
Who we think will win: Kendall Grove

If Jorge Rivera loses this fight his career in the UFC is in jeopardy. His horribly disappointing 14 sec knock out to Terry Martin had to be a major morale killer, but Kendall Grove is coming off of a very tough knock out loss as well. Both of these fighters are going to come back very focused but I really see Kendall Grove winning. Jorge Rivera is a good fighter but he can’t seem to turn the corner in the UFC where as Kendall Grove is a very unique, difficult fighter and I don’t think that Rivera is going to handle him. Unless Jorge Rivera takes advantage of his puncher’s chance, I see Kendall Grove submitting him.

Is it really a surprise? I ask this questions honestly. Seeing Sean Sherk I would never have said straight out that he was a steroid user. He is ripped and he has incredible cardio but you would think that a guy that talks so much about supporting his family would never risk such a thing. I also wonder why he has never come up positive in the past. Sean Sherk performed exactly the same as he did against Kenny “Let Go” Florian, and has been an incredibly strong fighter his whole career, so, why now?

I think injury may have played a factor this time. Sean Sherk had gotten surgery on his shoulder not too long ago. Who knows how that affected him and his training. His shoulder was hurt before his fight against Florian, but I have seen personally with friends who have played collegiate level sports that their play can be seriously affected by surgery. Maybe since Sherk was such a training freak that he started to get worried when he wasn’t seeing the same results as in the past. We may never know, but it is clear that Sherk had twice the allowed limit of Nandrolone in his system. He simply broke the rules and should be punished.

Steve Sievert over at Brawl Sports wrote an interesting list of reactions the UFC should have in response to this scandal:

1. Strip Sherk of the title immediately. Both his “A” and “B” samples tested positive. There’s no ambiguity here … no cloak-and-dagger mystery that has mired the Floyd Landis debacle in cycling. I don’t see any need to wait for Sherk to appeal to pull the belt. This is too dark of a black eye.

3. Schedule BJ Penn versus Spencer Fisher for UFC 76. The bout would be for the vacant lightweight title and could potentially be one hell of a fight. Both fighters are deserving of the shot. Let’s just hope they can pass a drug test.

I really enjoy reading Sievert’s columns because is usually right on with his commentary. There is no doubt that Sherk should be stripped of his title. He enhanced his performance with an illegal substance and in any sport whatever is won while using that substance is stripped. The fine is a bit subjective to me but it would definitely bring home the point that the UFC is not messing around. His third point is the best. As of right now the only fight that has been discussed as a main even for UFC 76 is Chuck Liddell and Keith Jardin, which would be a total joke of a main event. If a light weight title fight between BJ Penn and Spencer Fisher happened then things would get a whole lot more interesting.

In fact, BJ Penn has already commented on the whole steroid debacle and his yearning to be the light weight champion:

Watch the BJ Penn interview

Hopefully fighters will get the point now, DON’T USE STEROIDS! It’s wrong and illegal and hurts the image of the sport that we all enjoy.

Winner: BJ Penn – Rear Naked Choke – Second Round

Bj Penn comes out swinging. He lands two quick heavy punches then goes for a take down and slams Pulver to the ground. BJ Penn is in Jens Pulver’s half guard. Pulver defends well and slides up the cage. Penn lifts Pulver again and slams him to the mat. BJ Penn starts to work for position and then mounts. Pulver spins and tries to land an arm bar on Pulver. Pulver manages to get out and Penn almost catches Pulver in a triangle choke. Pulver manages to posture and escape. BJ Penn holds Pulver in his full guard and Pulver pushes Penn to the cage. Pulver throws a huge elbow but misses. Penn pushes against the cage and gets up to his feet. They come to the center of the octagon and exchange. Pulver and Jens strangely share a thai clinch and exchange punches. The round fizzles out with each fighter exchanging punches.

They throw a few punches and BJ Penn closes the distance and trips Pulver and drops him to the ground. Penn works into a near mount but Pulver gets Penn back into his half guard, but BJ Penn quickly gets mount again. BJ drops some bombs. Pulver rolls and Penn throws punches and Pulver returns to his back. Pulver rolls and Penn takes his back. BJ has both hooks in and starts to work an arm. BJ Penn traps Pulver’s arm and then sinks in the rear naked choke. Jens Pulver taps shortly after.

Winner: Cole Miller – TKO – First Round

Miller comes out punching using his reach advantage. Miller throws an aggressive punch combo taking Wang to the fence. Wang pushes back and they end back up in the center of the octagon. They continue to strike and Cole Miller lands a head kick that drops Wang to the ground and Miller lands heavy punches and Wang can hardly defend himself. Cole Miller lands another big shot and the ref stops the fight. Cole Miller wins the fight by TKO.