4.56 - WEC 41: Brown vs. Faber 2 .
4.35 - UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida
4.30 - WEC 38: Varner vs. Cerrone
4.25 - UFC 100: Lesnar vs. Mir 2
4.18 - Affliction: Day of Reckoning
4.18 - WEC 40: Torres vs. Mizugaki
4.16 - Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz
4.07 - Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields
3.93 - UFC 95: Sanchez vs. Stevenson
3.86 - Dream 9: Olympia
Event Rankings are user generated based on event ratings.
July 13, 2009
Event Rankings (top 10 from 2009):
Fight Rankings (top 10 from 2009):
4.64 - Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann (Fight Night 18) .
4.64 - Mike Brown vs. Urijah Faber (WEC 41)
4.61 - Miguel Torres vs. Takeya Mizugaki (WEC 40)
4.50 - Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans (UFC 98)
4.38 - Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva (UFC 94)
4.24 - Scott Smith vs. Benji Radach (Strikeforce: Shamrock)
4.18 - Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida (UFC: Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale)
4.17 - Georges St. Pierre vs. B.J. Penn (UFC 94)
4.17 - Jamie Varner vs. Donald Cerrone (WEC 38)
4.13 - Kazuo Misaki vs. Jorge Santiago (Sengoku: no Ran 2009)
Fight Rankings are user generated based on fight ratings.
UFC 100 afterthoughts
By Eric Kamander (EricKamander@mmaratings.net)
UFC 100 was definitely a solid event. Possibly the best UFC event so far this year, but not the best event this year over all in my mind. So far the best event this year was WEC 41: Brown vs. Faber 2 (http://bit.ly/olKAn). According to the rankings, the best UFC so far this year was UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida, but that can change based on how new ratings come in.
The only downside to this card (and decisions in general) is that we didn't get to see that many fights.
Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir
Unlike a lot of people, I was more excited for this fight than I was for GSP/Alves, because I knew what the outcome of that fight would be.
I picked Mir, maybe partly because I really wanted him to win. But I can't say that I was surprised with the outcome....
I was surprised that Herb Dean didn't stop the fight when Lesnar hit was hitting Mir in the back of the head. From everything I've heard Dean supports the idea that anything behind the ears is considered "back of the head."
I'm real interested in seeing Mir fight some other top contenders: Couture, Velasquez, Carwin, Kongo. I guess we'll see Lesnar face those same contenders.
I wonder if Lesnar's bashing of UFC sponsor, BudLite, in his post fight interview, or any of his other antics will hurt him down the road (http://bit.ly/C0XCX).
I'm optimistic that the UFC will sign Fedor and that Fedor will beat him.
Georges St. Pierre vs. Thiago Alves
When I picked GSP via decision, I was concerned about the odds of Alves lasting all 5 rounds, but GSP's finishing rate against top competition is pretty low. He looked good here, but I don't think he'd do very well at middleweight.
If GSP is fighting the winner of Kampmann/Swick, then GSP is fighting Kampmann!
I would really like to see Alves (MMA Ratings' 2008 Fighter of the Year: http://bit.ly/KIt5X) rematch Fitch.
Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping
I picked Hendo by decision, but much more surprising than the KO finish was the amount of people that picked Bisping in this fight.
It will be interesting to see Henderson get picked apart by Anderson Silva again, though I'm more interested in seeing Henderson against Marquardt or Maia.
Any thoughts on Henderson's final shot after he admittedly knew that Bisping was out?
Jon Fitch vs. Paulo Thiago
We all new Fitch would grind out another win. The most interesting thing about this fight was that Paulo Thiago defeated Josh Koscheck. I would really like to see Jon Fitch fight Jake Shields. Jake seems to have some great chokes, and Fitch seems impossible to choke.
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher
If you think Belcher got robbed: http://bit.ly/rrN2s
I was very excited to see how Akiyama would do in the UFC. Belcher seemed like a good challenge.
I definitely gave Akiyama the first two rounds, and despite Akiyama appearing so injured in the third, he landed comparable strikes, not to mention scoring the takedown.
Interesting that no one mentioned Akiyama's punch after the 1st round bell.
I think Akiyama is going to have a hard time competing against the UFC middleweights. I hope he can cut down to welterweight.
Mark Coleman vs. Stephan Bonnar
How appropriate that the UFC Hall of Famer, Mark Coleman should be victorious at UFC 100.
When I first heard that Coleman had defeated Bonnar I thought "wow, maybe Coleman really came in shape?" But watching the fight, I thought he looked like the same Coleman, lumbering through mud.... Read More
I wonder what went through Bonnar's head when he realized he was getting beat up by Mark Coleman and was probably going to lose.
Is this Coleman's perfect swan song?
Jim Miller vs. Mac Danzig
I really like Danzig, but it seems pretty clear where his ceiling is. At least he put on a competitive show and went the distance with the tough Jim Miller.
Jon Jones vs. Jake O'Brien
I think we saw a tentative Jon Jones in this fight, which is pretty cool. Jake O'Brien, coming down from heavyweight, was a tough challenge.
Dong Hyun Kim vs. T.J. Grant
This fight really hurt me. I was certain that TJ would manage a win.
The Difference is Acceptability
By E. Spencer Kyte (espencerkyte@mmaratings.net)
I'm going to keep today as short and simple as possible because I spent way too much time on this computer yesterday, debating points of contention, wondering how people can just accuse people of things without basis and adding countless comments to various articles across the Internet.
Pictured is Matt Hughes, arguably the most dominant welterweight the UFC has ever had (though GSP is coming up quick) and my choice to help present the last post I will write involving Brock Lesnar until he next defends his title.
One of the biggest arguments about Brock's in-ring performance last night and thus far in his career is that he "just lays on his opponent," whether because it makes breathing difficult or because he's just too big.
The too big argument holds no weight with me. Everyone who steps in the ring at heavyweight has to make 265 pounds and those stepping in with Lesnar know in advance that he'll be somewhere in the neighborhood of 280 come fight night.
Stop moaning about a Super Heavyweight division.
And where you say he "lays on his opponents," I say he plays to his greatest strength, just like Matt Hughes used to do.
Before getting into the Hughes side of things, let me also make it clear that if Lesnar did simply lay on his opponents, the ref would stand the two fighters up. But they didn't because the whole time he's "laying on his opponent," he's also driving that cinder block attached to his right arm into Frank Mir's mush.
Now to the Matt Hughes linkage.
Hughes had the best wrestling in the UFC for a long, long time. You could be sure that when the cage door closed, Matt Hughes was going to shoot for a takedown and if he got that single or double leg, you were going to the ground.
From there, he used his superior wrestling ability to control his opponents, transitioning to submissions or executing strikes until one way or another, the fight ended. Occassionally, he picked the other guy up and powerbombed him into unconsciousness.
Stripped to the bare bones, Hughes strategy was bring guy to ground, finish him how I know best.
What is Brock Lesnar's strategy again? Oh right - bring guy to ground, finish him how I know best.
It's the same strategy used by every single fighter that participates in Mixed Martial Arts. You play to your strengths and use the best available tools in your toolbox to beat the other man. So why is it that Brock Lesnar doing the same things as Matt Hughes and damn near everyone else in the sport requires new divisions or is less of a victory?
It's all about acceptability.
People don't accept Brock Lesnar.
Whether it's because of his time in the WWE, his bullish demeanor and ridiculous antics or because they feel he lacks "artistry" or an understanding of "Bushido" that they wish still emminated throughout MMA. Maybe a combination of all three?
Whatever the case, it's okay to not like the guy, but here's the thing:
There was no artistry to the way Dan Severn tossed guys around back in the day and there isn't that much artistry in Chuck Liddell loading up that lethal right hand to flatten someone. Besides, no one is proclaiming Brock Lesnar as the greatest incarnation of what it means to be a Mixed Martial Artist. He's a fighter, and GSP fills that other role.
Do I hope Brock Lesnar takes some cues from the thousands of respectful fighters throughout MMA and never has another one of those post-fight displays? Absolutely.
Does he have to? Nope. Being a dick isn't against the rules.
You can choose not to like him. I choose not to like Frank Mir.
But I'll give the guy credit for being a two-time former champion and a pretty solid fighter, at no point trying to diminish his accomplishments.
Why can't you?
Originally posted at Keyboard Kimura.
July 12, 2009
To Brock: Apology Not Accepted.
By Katrina Belcher (KatrinaBelcher@mmaratings.net)
Yeah Brock - you sound really sincere. Well apology not accepted. Brock Lesnar is a bully and a low-life. You said in your pre-fight interview that you never respected your opponents. Why? You don't have to be best friends with your opponent, but to not respect the man, the fighter, or his skills? That's just not right. Hint to Dana White: in any other sport, such behavior would have been followed through with a fine by the promoter (nudge, nudge, wink, wink.)
And just before the fight you didn't touch gloves with Frank Mir. Again - why? Truly, we've seen that happen before, but usually at the end of their match the two warriors would show respect for each other (Frank Shamrock and Nick Diaz). But not you, Brock. You spit your mouthpiece out at the camera and DROOLED, you flipped off the crowd, you verbally attacked Mir and then you gloated over your, uh, win. Are you that much a legend in your own mind or did your parents just not teach you any manners?
Pretty much your strategy was to lay on Mir so he couldn't breath and then hit him. No skills there. And then at the end of this "fight" you talked about how you were going to lay on on your wife? How disgusting - I hope you slept on the couch last night. Brock, you're clearly no champion.
This "fighter" makes excuses for his losses. Instead of taking responsibility for his previous loss to Mir, he first blames Steve Mazagatti, and then he says dumb crap like "I GAVE him that fight and he knows it." Well DUH! That's what this is all about Brock. You made the mistake of giving him your legs and Mir took advantage of it...that's called S-K-I-L-L. And that's just one of the differences between you and Frank Mir. Real skills, good sportsman-like behavior, a gentleman...
Brock is not an MMA professional, and he has no sense of Bushido. He may have power, but beyond laying on top of people and hitting them, he has no skills. Lesnar go home - you aren't welcome in MMA. And I hope your wife was artificially inseminated, 'cause the thought of that fat pig laying on top of any woman like he did to Frank Mir is sickening. Truly - I'm now happy Dana's bringing Kimbo back. At least he has a sense of decency and respect.
If you want to watch unsportsmanlike, unprofessional, and white trash behavior by a bunch of apes with no intelligence, go back to watching WWE - I hear they're looking for viewers. But until Lesnar gets his ass kicked to the curb we'll be boycotting UFC fights, as long as he's on the card. He's not worth a dime. Oh, and I'm not a real big beer drinker, let alone am I a fan of Budweiser. But as soon as the stores open for biz, I'm getting me a nice tall one...cheers!
10 Things I Learned Last Night (after UFC 100)
By E. Spencer Kyte (espencerkyte@mmaratings.net)
Sundays at my personal blog I Blog Because I Can have been dedicated to a little something I've called 10 Things I Learned This Week for almost two years.
With last night's historic UFC 100 and all the headlines and stories to come from that show, I thought today would be a good day to break out an MMA 10 Things because honestly, last night offered up a lot to digest.
1. Welcome to the Brock Lesnar Era
When Lyoto Machida knocked out Rashad Evans, everyone started speculating about how long Machida would reign atop the light heavyweight division. My prediction is that it won't be as long as Brock Lesnar dominates the heavyweight landscape.
There isn't another heavyweight on the scene with the speed / power combination of Lesnar and it was very apparent that Lesnar is continuing to pick up the nuances of Mixed Martial Arts at a rapid pace. As he keeps learning, his freakish athleticism and brute strength will only become more dangerous and that is bad news for everyone in the heavyweight division. Except for maybe... I think I'll make you wait.
2. Georges St-Pierre is the Best in the World
Not just in the UFC and not just at 170 pounds. He is the best in the world, period. Now, I've been saying this for some time, as GSP has sat atop my Pound for Pound rankings for a while, but last night should have solidified that for everyone.
Once again, St-Pierre spent five rounds picking apart an incredibly talented opponent, making Thiago Alves look entirely overmatched. The question that immediately comes up is where does "Rush" do next? First and foremost, he rests the pulled groin he sustained, but then who knows. A superfight with Anderson Silva would have to be at least a year away, as stepping up to 185 would take St-Pierre adding more muscle to his frame and you don't do that overnight.
3. Hey Bisping - How's the Crow?
I'm all for pre-fight hype and smack talk, but there are some times when you just need to be careful what you say. Michael Bisping learned that lesson in a big, big way last night.
Looking up at the lights, birds circling his head, I wonder if he was reconsidering all the junk he talked about Dan Henderson and how he was going to prove himself as the #1 contender at 185. What he proved was that he doesn't adapt properly in the cage, circling into Hendo's big right hand and that he needs to shut his yap and keep training, not to mention beating someone above the talent level of Chris Leben before talking about a title shot.
4. Another Tough Decision
Judging can certainly go either way and things like this are going to keep happening in fights that are as back and forth as the Akiyama - Belcher tilt was, but I'm sorry, how did one judge give Akiyama a 30-27 score?
29-28 I would buy, but when one judge has it 29-28 Belcher, having another score it 30-27 for the other guy only highlights that we're still missing something in the judging department of Mixed Martial Arts.
5. You're Lucky You Were on The Ultimate Fighter
If Stephan Bonnar wasn't Stephan Bonnar, I'd be wishing him luck outside of the UFC right about now. That being said, he was the losing half of the Ultimate Fighter Season 1 Finale and Dana White is loyal to the guys who helped him get to where he is (save for Tito), so I doubt he's done.
But he should be. When I questioned what would happen if Bonnar lost to Mark Coleman, I never thought I would actually have to think about it again, but Coleman pulled out the decision and now Bonnar is back to the drawing board.
6. Speaking of Ultimate Fighters
I think Mac Danzig might be the first Ultimate Fighter winner to get released from the UFC.
He's now lost three straight and is clearly nothing more than a middle of the pack lightweight. With the way the division is continuing to improve and despite solid performances in a losing effort in each of those bouts, the UFC has shown that three straight losses is usually the breaking point.
7. We're Movin' On Up... A Little
UFC 100 was the cover story on the websites of both ESPN and Sports Illustrated for the bulk of the day yesterday and through the early part of this morning, giving the sport the major media attention it rightfully deserves.
However, let's not go patting ourselves on the back just yet. It's not like there is a whole lot of options out there right now, so being the lead story in a quiet week is one thing. The trick is to be the lead story each and every time a major card comes around. Let's see how everyone handles UFC 101 before we start proclaiming victory over the mainstream.
8. Paulo Thiago is Better Than I Thought
I know he lost, but I thought the guy was going to get flattened. Instead, he fought a very solid fight against Jon Fitch and that deserves at hat tip in my books.
He's still raw, but the talent is there. As Ficth said on the MMA Live post-fight show, he's big and long and uses that to his advantage, like securing a guillotine attempt in the first round. Give him a little more seasoning and some time working on his wrestling and we might have ourselves another contender at 170.
9. I'm Back!
After struggling mightily in the prediction department as of late, last night yielded an 8-3 performance to give me some breathing room, taking me to seven wins to the happy side of .500.
August will be the real benchmark of my handicapping skills, with both UFC 101 and 102, Affliction's third show, WEC 42 and the Strikeforce card at MSG with Carano vs. Cyborg as the headliner on tap.
10. Let the Fedor Watch Begin
It's going to happen. The only question is when?
When asked who he sees as a future opponent, Lesnar immediately said Fedor. We all know that the fans want to see it and, despite the smack he's talked about him in the past, Dana White knows that Fedor to the UFC - especially to fight Lesnar - would be MASSIVE and massive equals piles and piles of money to roll around in.
Expect the full-court press to begin as soon as "The Last Emperor" disposes of Josh Barnett at Affliction: Trilogy.
Originally posted at Keyboard Kimura.
July 11, 2009
UFC 100: Lesnar vs. Mir 2
Click the stars to rate how good you think this was.
UFC 100 was held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on July 11, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event included two championship bouts (Heavyweight and Welterweight) and a fight between the two coaches of Ultimate Fighter season 9. The event had been announced as sold-out, before the tickets were even made available to the general public.
Picks and Predictions for UFC 100: Revenge of Lesnar
| Match | Winner | Loser | Method | Round | Time |
| 1 | Shannon Gugerty | Matt Grice | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | 1 | 2:36 |
| 2 | Tom Lawlor | CB Dollaway | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | 1 | 0:55 |
| 3 | Dong Hyun Kim | T.J. Grant | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 5:00 |
| 4 | Jon Jones | Jake O'Brien | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | 2 | 2:43 |
| 5 | Jim Miller | Mac Danzig | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 5:00 |
| 6 | Mark Coleman | Stephan Bonnar | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 5:00 |
| 7 | Yoshihiro Akiyama | Alan Belcher | Decision (Split) | 3 | 5:00 |
| 8 | Dan Henderson | Michael Bisping | KO (Punch) | 2 | 3:20 |
| 9 | Georges St. Pierre | Thiago Alves | Decision (Unanimous) | 5 | 5:00 |
| 10 | Brock Lesnar | Frank Mir | TKO (Punches) | 2 | 1:48 |
| 11 | Jon Fitch | Paulo Thiago | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 5:00 |
UFC 100: Lesnar vs. Mir 2 - 11. Jon Fitch vs. Paulo Thiago
Welterweight bout: Jon Fitch defeated Paulo Thiago via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).
Read More......UFC 100: Lesnar vs. Mir 2 - 10. Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir
Heavyweight Championship unification bout: Brock Lesnar defeated Frank Mir via TKO (punches) at 1:48 of round 2 to retain UFC Heavyweight championship.
Read More......UFC 100: Lesnar vs. Mir 2 - 9. Georges St. Pierre vs. Thiago Alves
Welterweight Championship bout: Georges St-Pierre defeated Thiago Alves via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-44, 50-45) to retain the UFC Welterweight championship. 
TPR Report
UFC 100: Lesnar vs. Mir 2 - 8. Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping
Middleweight bout: Dan Henderson defeated Michael Bisping via KO (punch) at 3:20 of round 2.
Dan Henderson was awarded $100,000 bonus for Knockout of the Night.
UFC 100: Lesnar vs. Mir 2 - 7. Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher
Middleweight bout: Yoshihiro Akiyama defeated Alan Belcher via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28).
Yoshihiro Akiyama and Alan Belcher were each awarded $100,000 bonuses for Fight of the Night. TPR Report
UFC 100: Lesnar vs. Mir 2 - 6. Mark Coleman vs. Stephan Bonnar
Light Heavyweight bout: Mark Coleman defeated Stephan Bonnar via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Read More......UFC 100: Lesnar vs. Mir 2 - 5. Jim Miller vs. Mac Danzig
Lightweight bout: Jim Miller defeated Mac Danzig via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Read More......
