UFC 89 This Saturday

It seems like it has been quite a while since UFC fans have been treated to an event and the only thing that has been available to tide us over has been the start of a new season of The Ultimate Fighter and an Elite XC card that got more coverage in the media after it had ended than leading up to it. The Ultimate Fighter is the same show that we have all come to expect. Some call it played out and some maintain that it is still enough to keep them interested. 

As for myself?

I watch it every week, but even I am having a hard time getting really excited about the weekly show, as well as the fighters and the coaches on this season. Back-to-back UFC cards really couldn’t have come soon enough for me, as I am really looking forward to UFC 90 next Saturday evening. Look for a preview of that card later next week.

Elite XC also had their third try at prime-time since my last post (sorry for the delay) and we are left with many more questions than we had before. This is quite puzzling as many were predicting that this event would be enough to show us how far Elite XC had come, and where they would definitively be heading in the future.

Not so fast.

One thing we do know is this: Gina Carano is the real deal. Her standup is great and comes from many years of practice in Muay-Thai and she is so technically precise that it is a pleasure to watch her. Gina takes a great deal of criticism for struggling to make weight (how many people made a point to see the weigh-in pictures from this last event after they heard she had to strip down to nothing?), to being just another pretty face, to being THE face of women’s mixed martial arts when she is not the best in the world. 

How much of this, however, is really her fault?

All I have seen out of this girl is someone who loves to fight and loves to compete in this sport. I, for one, could not ask for a better representative for female mixed martial arts. And yes, we all have to start paying attention to these women who compete just as hard, and in much more difficult situations, than the men in this sport, even if the UFC won’t. I am often not critical of Dana White and am really a huge supporter of the man, but he has to open his eyes and give these athletes their rightful place on the biggest stage in mixed martial arts. If you claim to have the best fighters in the world, how can you leave out an entire gender?

Get it done.

As for the card this Saturday, here is how it stacks up:

Main event:

185 lbs.: Michael Bisping (16-1) vs. Chris Leben (18-4)

Main card (Televised):

205 lbs.: Brandon Vera (9-2) vs. Keith Jardine (13-4-1)
205 lbs.: Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2) vs. Luis Cane (8-1)
170 lbs.: Chris Lytle (25-16-5) vs. Paul Taylor (9-3-1)
170 lbs.: Marcus Davis (14-4) vs. Paul Kelly (7-0)

Under card (May not be broadcast):

170 lbs.: Akihiro Gono (28-12-7) vs. Dan Hardy (19-6)
265 lbs.: Shane Carwin (9-0) vs. Neil Wain (4-0)
155 lbs.: Jess Liaudin (12-10) vs. David Bielkheden (12-6)
155 lbs.: Sam Stout (13-4-1) vs. Terry Etim (10-2)
155 lbs.: Jim Miller (11-1) vs. David Baron (16-2)
155 lbs.: Samy Schiavo (10-5) vs. Per Eklund (12-3-1)

(Thanks to MMA Mania)

I am really looking forward to seeing if Paul Kelly will be able to hang with Marcus Davis in the first bout of the televised portion of the card. Paul has only one fight in the UFC, but has some great training partners out of Wolfslair Academy, including Michael Bisping. You also may have heard that Quinton Jackson and Cheick Kongo have recently made Wolfslair their home. Watch for this gym to continue to grow and for the fighters already there to make great strides in their careers. 

After a disappointing debut at 205, Brandon Vera looks to bounce back and turn in an exciting performance this Saturday as well. Though he defeated Reese Andy in his last fight, Vera did not look good and needs to get back to the Brandon Vera we used to know. I am a huge Vera fan and hope that we see some of his vicious knockout power that we used to see. This guy has some of the most devastating kicks in the whole sport and he just has to start taking the chances we used to see him take. 

It won’t be easy against Keith Jardine, however. Jardine holds wins over Forrest Griffin and Chuck Liddell and is coming off a loss (read: destruction) at the hands of Wanderlei Silva. Jardine is looking to bounce back as well and this should be a very exciting fight. Look for one career to get back on track and for one fighter to be left looking for answers and making some important decisions about their future come Sunday morning. 

In the main event, Chris Leben will play the underdog as he takes on Britain’s own Michael ‘The Count’ Bisping. Bisping has looked great since he dropped to 185 and has really improved his game. Leben believes he has the power to knock Bisping out and should do his best to stand with him and brawl until something can land. Bisping has a great chin, however, and has been known to be able to withstand punishment and push through it. 

Expect fireworks in this one. 

UFC 89 airs at 9 p.m. ET on Spike TV (for free!) from The NIA on Saturday, October 18. Make sure to check it out as it will be a great night of action. 

…

And in case you were wondering the answer is yes…Rachelle Leah, host of UFC’s All Access, does grace the cover of this months issue of Playboy magazine. Even if you weren’t anticipating this issue there is good news for you as well as you won’t have to wait to pick it up. It hits store shelves today.

Run.

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