Brief Bellator Briefing

Okay so I have a bunch of cool MMA stories to share with you guys, but I'm kind of short on time. So I'm just going to throw it all in one post. Here goes:

• Michael Chandler defends his Bellator lightweight title in spectacular fashion with a lightning fast knock out against a very talented David Rickels. Is it bad that I want Bellator to go bankrupt in order to get this guy in the UFC?

Bellator MMA

• Bellator throws the entire MMA world for a loop when they tease the rumored matchup between Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson and Roy Jones Junior, but instead announce that Rampage will make his Bellator debut against fellow former UFC light heavyweight champion, Tito Ortiz. Wait what? I knew Tito was considering a comeback but I just assumed he meant a comeback to the UFC. I don't know if this is a direct screw you to Dana White or just an honest attempt to put together a good fight but I'm totally drinking the Kool-Aid. I guess I'm attending at least one of Bellator's Pay-Per-View events. Well done. Video below.

 

 

• So GSP vaguely hinted at an upcoming super fight. Yeah yeah yeah, we're all kind of sick of this super fight talk, are we not? However with Silva out of the picture (at least for now), it seems like the opponent he was alluding to was Benson Henderson, right? Hmmm interesting. Props to Ariel Helwani for ALMOST getting it out of him.

 



One Step Closer To A Career Grand Slam

I'd have to go back and check to be sure, however I'm pretty sure I've never talked about golf on this blog. Well, after a truly inspiring British Open performance by Phil Mickelson this past weekend, I can no longer resist. Phil may very well be the most likable golfer in the world; the anti-Tiger, if you will. While I don't follow the sport religiously, I have always kept tabs on the various happenings, and I always root for family-man Phil to take home the title. Those of you who know me, know that my favorite golfer is J. Fury (nickname pending) and I'm obviously always cheering for him, but with the billions he must be making from his 5-hour energy sponsorship, it's hard not to pull for some of the poorer folk every now and then.

Anyway, back to Phil. His one Achilles' heel has always been his 'inability' to win an Open Championship, i.e. the U.S. Open and the British Open. After one of the most impressive Sundays in recent memory, Phil has finally silenced the critics, or at least half of them, as he moves one step closer to the heralded career grand slam. Just the ever-elusive U.S. Open stands looming in the distance now. If you missed the final shot yesterday, check it out below. It's pretty riveting.

Everything from the caddy getting emotional, to the burst of applause, to the understated yet perfectly appropriate hands-in-the-air celebration, this was a great moment. This is the stuff legends are made off. Pure class. Jump to the 1:50 mark to skip right to the replay of the shot.

UFC 162 Breakdown

Words cannot describe how excited I am for UFC 162. Anytime you have a card with Anderson Silva on it, you are pretty much garenteed to get a fascinating show. Whether you see an explosive finish like the front kick against Vitor Belfort or a lackadaisical show like his highly criticized bout against Thales Leites, in which he did more dancing around the ring than actual fighting, there is sure to be plenty to talk about after the fight. But enough about Silva. The most talked about person leading up to UFC 162 is actually his opponent, a relatively unknown fighter from Long Island, NY, named Chris Weidmen.

Let me be clear. When I say relatively unknown, I'm talking about the opinion of the general public, not that of his fellow fighters. Because if you ask his fellow fighters, they know exactly who Chris Weidmen is and they know exactly what he is capable of. Undefeated in the octagon, Weidmen has risen the top of the division and finally earned his shot at the man who many consider to be the greatest fighter of all time. So what's different about this fight? No UFC fighter has figured out a winning formula against The Spider as of yet, so why should this be any different? What gives Weidmen an edge over the scariest man in the world?

Many think it's his wrestling. Chael Sonnen is the one man who has really given Silva a run for his money in the octagon. Chael is one of the best wrestlers/ground and pound fighters in UFC history, and whether it was over-confidence, pure ignorance, or a highly developed skillset in the right area, Chael proved that Silva is a mere mortal after all. After destroying Silva for four and a half rounds, and no I'm not exaggerating when I say 'destroying', Silva caught Sonnen with a late submission to retain the middleweight belt and set the tone for one of the most highly anticipated rematches of all time; one which Silva won with relative ease. Obviously Chael failed to accomplish what he set out to do against Silva, but perhaps his efforts weren't without purpose. Chael found something that nobody else could in countless attempts to do so. He found a way to defeat Anderson Silva.

As far as wrestling goes, Chris Weidmen is as good, if not better, than Chael Sonnen. He has a decorated wrestling background and can use that skillset to do what Chael did to Silva. This is not simply Chael Sonnen 2.0, however. Weidmen has plenty of tools that give him an edge over every opponent who dared challenge Silva for the belt. For one, he has outstanding jui jitsu, which pairs very nicely with his wrestling. Despite some verbal jabs from Silva, Weidmen's standup is pretty good as well. He should easily be able to stand with Silva long enough to bring the fight to the ground, which is sure to prove an invaluable asset to his chances at a victory.

There is no excuse not to watch the event tonight. Head over to Buffalo Wild Wings and check it out if you don't feel like forking over the money for a pay per view at home. It's fun and easy. And now, it's prediction time. This is a tough one. In general, you should never bet against Anderson Silva. People call him the greatest fighter of all time and I stand by the title wholeheartedly. On the other hand, if you created a fighter to beat Silva, you would probably come up with something similar to Chris Weidmen. So if I had to pick a winner, I would go with...

Anderson Silva

The only reason I say that is due to experience. If Weidmen had about 5 more fights under his belt, then I would go with Weidmen. But he doesn't, and thus, I choose Silva. That being said, I'll be rooting for Chris Weidmen the whole way. The only incentive to Silva winning is the potential for a super fight, but that is never guaranteed. For one, it seems like Silva doesn't want to fight Jones and GSP doesn't want to fight Silva. Also, while double checking the spelling of Thales Leites, I found that the GSP superfight was being talked about back in UFC 97. So if I were you, I wouldn't hold your breath.

There's still four hours to go until the Facebook fights begin which, of course, is way too long. Kill a half hour with the Countdown to UFC 162 video below, and prepare for one of the greatest fights you'll ever see tonight at UFC 162.

Original Six - Game Seven

We've nearly arrived at Conference Finals of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In the East, the Bruins will take on the Penguins starting this Saturday. In the West, the defending Stanley Cup champion LA Kings outlasted the San Jose Sharks in a seven game thriller which ended in a 2-1 win by the Kings. There is only one question that remains. Who will they play?

The Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks have given us one of the best series of the playoffs thus far. Aside from the obvious fact that it's going to take seven games to wrap this one up, this series has been full of unexpected road wins, come from behind victories, and plenty of action. I believe that both Chicago and Detroit have the ability to win it all this year. They just so happened to meet in the Conference Semifinals, and that means that only one can advance beyond tonight. Both teams are part of the NHL's 'original six' franchises and have plenty of history to go along with their talent. So who's going to win it all tonight? Let's break it down.

With their backs against the wall, in hostel territory, the Blackhawks scored three goals in the 3rd period, coming from behind to force a game seven. Despite surviving two elimination games against a very good Detroit team, and despite being the favorites heading into the series, I don't think they have what it takes to close it out tonight. Detroit is too good, and they've come too far to throw it away now. This will be the second consecutive game seven for the Red Wings, and despite the game being held in Chi-town, I think the Wings will win this one. Now, bold predictions usually mean one of two things. Either, I'll be seen as a genius, or a complete idiot. Well, that's a chance I'm willing to take. Tune in at 8pm ET for what is sure to be an unforgettable game. Playoff hockey baby!

Connecticut Day at Fenway Park

My girlfriend is from Newtown, CT. Her father is part of the task force assigned to figuring out the future of Sandy Hook Elementary and what to do with the land/building. The Boston Red Sox, who are no stranger to tragedy, extended a invitation to the friends and families of the victims of Newtown, and I was lucky enough to be a part of the wonderful experience.

In addition to giving us a game winning comeback in the bottom of the 8th, followed by a successful save by Andrew Bailey, the Red Sox bused us all out to the park, gave us free tickets, hats, and food vouchers, and allowed us access to the championship club where we could keep our stuff safe and take a break from the relentless rain. But most importantly, they made dreams come true and raised some dampened spirits by inviting all of their guests onto the field after the game. Then, as if this wasn't enough, the majority of the roster, including Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, and more, joined everybody on the field and shook hands, signed autographs, and took pictures for nearly an hour.

Some of the more emotional moments involved a set of parents taking pictures with players, while holding a portrait of their fallen daughter, the pinning of a green ribbon to Big Papi's jacket, which insipired a round of applause from onlookers, and the handing out of Newtown Police Department badges to all of the players. The event was extremely well run and was a great experience, overall. I know I speak for everyone who involved when I say thank you, Boston. You never fail to renew my love for your city. #BostonStrong

MMA - A War of Attrition

I've been on a huge MMA kick lately. Okay, so when am I not? The truth is, I can't talk about it enough. There is still a certain stigma attached to MMA in the mainstream. It's viewed as a barbaric, blood sport rather than what it really is; an art form  As with most things, the more you watch MMA, the more you start to pick up on the finer points of the sport. For that reason, I can't tell you what to look for. That being said, I can tell you what I look for and hopefully give you a head start on your journey to enlightenment.

For me, the most exciting part about MMA is the passion. The audience only gets a short glimpse into the lives of the fighters. What you don't see is the endless hours of hard work in and out of the gym. Between eating right, constantly training, and the final, often brutal, weight cuts before a fight, the life of a fighter is not an easy one. At the end of it all, you get locked in a cage, punched in the face, and often times lose. So what's the point?

Obviously fighters have their individual reasons for doing what they do. There are, however, some universal explanations that seem to bridge the gap between fighters. It's about the technique, the artistry, and the heart. As your understanding of the sport becomes more and more complex, you begin to see these three factors in every fighter. Some guys are disrespectful of their opponents, disrespectful of the fans, and disrespectful of the sport. But it's rare that you see a guy who isn't in love with what they do. To suffer so much for one goal, you simply have to be.

As I said earlier, the only way to truly appreciate the finer points of MMA is to watch for yourself. I recently discovered that netflix has a number of MMA documentaries and am currently working on compiling a list of the best films. There are also a number of free fights on YouTube that I encourage you to check out. A good starting point would be the famed Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar fight that capped off the first season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show. Check that out below and keep it locked to Real Radio and Real Sports for more great MMA coverage.

Bruins Pull Off Amazing Comeback Victory

If you missed game 7 of the Boston vs. Toronto series, then you missed one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I, like many others, figured the series would end in five. The Bruins jumped out to an early 3-1 series lead and were heading back to Boston for what many considered to be a series finale. The Maple Leafs had other plans.

Toronto threw together a couple 2-1 wins over the Bruins, tying the series up 3-3 and forcing a game seven. The Bruins had the talent, but the Maple Leafs had the momentum, and many fans were torn between who to pick for the victory. I was cautiously optimistic that the Bs would pull it off, but once they fell to a three goal deficit, I thought they had blown it for sure.

Luckily, the Bruins were a lot more resilient than I. At the end of the first, the game was tied 1-1. Toronto took a 2-1 lead after the second period. During the second intermission, Naoko Funayama asked Johnny Boychuk if the Bruins had what it takes to overcome the deficit and walk away with a victory. Boychuk said yes, but I doubt he saw it going down the way it did.

Two minutes into the third period, former Bruin, Phil Kessel scored, increasing the lead to 3-1. A little over three minutes later, Nazem Kadri scored on a two on one fast break leading to a put back on a juicy rebound from Rask. Bruins fans stared in disbelief as their team was looking at a 4-1 deficit with only 14 minutes left in their season. All hope was lost for the Bruins.

Then Nathan Horton scored. 

I'll admit, my first thought was "why couldn't this have come earlier," as I felt the game was all but over. In my defense, I wasn't alone in this feeling. With two minutes to go, the bruins were still down by two and had no choice but to pull their goalie.

Then Milan Lucic scored.

At this point, as a pessimistic Boston fan (you can thank the Red Sox for that), I still didn't think we were going to pull it off. Call it a defense mechanism. I was actually a little upset that the Bruins would force me to be invested again just to be heartbroken once again. We were down by 1 goal with 0:51 left in the game.

Then Patrice Bergeron scored.

I sat in silence for some time, completely stunned by what had just transpired. I can't recall a comeback this exciting, under these circumstances, in the history of the NHL; truly unparalleled. But the game wasn't over yet. We still needed to best the resilient Maple Leafs in overtime.

The OT period did not start the way that regulation ended. Bruins seemed to be playing a little timid again, rather than the desperation and scrappiness that took them to OT in the first place. Toronto had some fast breaks. Tuukka had some great saves; a sight Bruins fans are all too familiar with.

Then Patrice Bergeron scored. Again.

The comeback was complete! The Bruins, despite a near monumental collapse, finally got their act together, won the first series of the playoffs, and completely stunned Maple Leafs nation. If you didn't watch this game, I'm requiring that you at least watch the highlights, which are posted below.

There's nothing like playoff hockey.