Rocky's Advice Corner

                                  You might not expect that a 1976 movie about an underdog, Philadelphia boxer can offer so many relevant life lessons today, but there’s good reason the film won Oscars for: Best Film Editing, Best Director and Best Picture, beside nominations in an additional seven categories, as well as other awards and nominations (Golden Globes, BAFTA, etc.). Let’s see what lesson we can learn from Balboa’s interaction with Little Marie, played by Jodi Letizia (a twelve year old smart-mouthed girl). Rocky escorts the preteen home after catching her hanging on the corner with older kids.                          https://youtu.be/_3wLG5DwFN0

Why do you think you don’t have a boyfriend, because ya hanging

out with those coconuts on the corner, ya understand? Ya hang around

with coconuts ya get nowhere. Their lemons…Lemons.

Ya hang out with nice people ya get nice friends, you understand.

You hang out with smart people you get smart friends. You hang out with yoyo

People you get yoyo friends. You see it’s simple mathematics.

                Rocky’s simplistic view on who you surround yourself with, is brilliant. Choose your crew wisely, don’t settle for people that are most proximal and convenient, instead find people that make you feel best and display qualities that you admire. As humans we tend to act similar to the people we spend the most time with, so if your posse isn’t elevating you, rethink your loyalties.

               

Staying true to yourself doesn’t mean you have to continue unfruitful relationships with lifelong acquaintances, unless of course you’re not interested in improving your station in life. Your friendship and loyalty are a gift and the kid down the street, you grew up with, isn’t entitled to it just because you went to grade school together. That isn’t to say you should cut ties with your pals, but are they all pulling their weight?

                Are you pulling your weight as a friend? Do you elevate the people around you? If not why do you expect anyone to return that favor? So be a good friend. Friendship is forgiving an individual’s every transgression. Don’t allow differences in opinions, points of view or ethics to cause unnecessary rifts in relationships. Support and understanding are two things few have in quantity, so offer it to those you hold dearest as often as possible and maybe you’ll see that gift reciprocated.

              If this unsolicited advice finds you unreceptive, Little Marie sums it up best, "Screw you Creepo".

Exploring the Main Event, UFC 204

               

                  It’s been over seven years since Hendo Knocked Out The Count at UFC 100 and much has changed. Michael Bisping now Thirty-seven, has gone 12-5 (5KO/TKO) against the UFC’s Middleweight Division’s top talent, since. Following UFC 100, Dan Henderson signed with Strikeforce where he went on to defeat Rafael Cavalcante by a third round (:50) TKO to become the Strikeforce Light-Heavyweight Champion at Strikeforce 32 (3/5/11).

Being at the right place

               

Michael Bisping may not have been a logical opponent for former MW Champ, Luke Rockhold at UFC 199. Rockhold had submitted (2^nd Round :57 Guillotine) Bisping at UFC Fight Night 55 (11/7/14). Bisping was confident he could do better, he bragged of a sparring session with Rockhold, when Luke was the Strikeforce MW champ, Bisping claims to have bludgeoned  Rockhold. When injury forced Chris Weidman to pull out of his UFC 199 rematch with Rockhold not many contenders were available. Bisping was riding a four fight win streak when he seized the opportunity, on just seventeen days’ notice.

               

The Forty-six year old, Henderson has gone 7-7 since his second round (3:20) KO of Bisping in 2009. Dan still holds dynamite in his hands, six of those seven, post UFC 100, wins have come by KO/TKO. Including Hendo’s impressive second round (1:27) KO of Hector Lombard last time. This fight proceeded the Bisping Rockhold fight at UFC 199, so the timing for a rematch was there. The number thirteen ranked MW, Henderson has stated that he plans to retire following the fight win, lose or draw.

Legend Status

While Bisping and Henderson may not see eye to eye, the two are on similar footing when it comes to MMA legend status. Bisping is The Ultimate Fighter Season 3 LHW winner. He was the first British fighter to both: headline a UFC card (UFC 78) and win a title (UFC 199). He is currently tied with George St Pierre for most wins in UFC history at nineteen. Former Cage Rage LHW champ.

Henderson is currently the oldest fighter on the UFC roster and his history goes all the way back to UFC 17 when he defeated both Allan Goes and Carlos Newton to win the 199lb max tournament. In 2005 at Pride Bushido 9 Hendo KO’d both Ryo Chonan and Akihiro Gono in the opening rounds of an eight man tournament that concluded at Pride Shockwave 2005, when he earned a Split Decision win over Murilo Bustamante to become the Pride Welterweight champ (183lbs). At Pride 33 in Las Vegas (2/24/07) in a rematch with Wanderlei Silva, Henderson scored a third round KO to become the MW champ (205lbs). This gave Henderson the distinction of being the first fighter to hold two belts, in different weight classes simultaneously in a major promotion.

Prior to winning the belt, Michael Bisping defeated, who many call the greatest MW of all time, Anderson Silva by decision in February (2/27/16). The Count is 30-7 in his career with twenty-one stoppages (18 KO/TKO). He made his UFC MW debut with a first round TKO win over Charles McCarthy at UFC 83 (4/19/08) and has gone 15-6 in the division since. His opening round KO of Rockhold is considered the biggest upset in UFC title history. The UK’s biggest MMA star now lives and trains in California.

The #13 ranked MW, Dan Henderson is 32-14 with 16 wins by KO/TKO. Hendo is no stranger to hostile crowds, 3/23/14 in Brazil at UFC Fight Night 38 he scored a third round TKO of tough Brazilian fighter, Mauricio Shogun Rua. Henderson hopes to add the MW UFC gold to his athletic achievements, a list that includes representing the US in the 92 and 96 Summer Olympics in Wrestling, in addition to being the last Strikeforce MW champ and the last Pride WW and MW Champion.   

Breakdown Legacy FC 60

               

                Legacy Fighting Championship is headed to Hinckley, MN for LFC 60. Heavyweights will slug it out in the Main Event, October 7^th, when 6’5” Tyler East faces finisher of twenty-five fights, Brian Heden.

               

Tyler The Beast East is 15-5 and has finished thirteen of those wins (11 by KO/TKO). East is the second ranked Pro HW in the SouthWest (according to tapology.com) and has a long 78” reach. After going 1-2 in 2014 East took some time off from the sport, before returning 6/11/16 at FFC 25 in Springfield, Ma to win by a first round (2:30) Kimura, in his last fight.

               

Veteran of over forty fights, Brian Heden went 2-0 in 2015. He won a Unanimous Decision over Mike Whitehead (12/5/15) and submitted Adam Kope in the first round (3:25) in May by rear-naked-choke. Thirty-one year old, Heden has KO/TKOs in eighteen of his twenty-nine wins. In his last fight (5/21/16) Heden avenged a 2014 first round (4:17), TKO loss to 73-20 Travis Wiuff, by stopping Wiuff in the opening 0:33 by TKO. Heden is the fifth ranked Pro HW in the US MidWest (tapology.com).

               

In the Welterweight Division, 16-9 Jos Eichelberger takes on 25-10 Dakota Cochrane in the Co-Main event. Fargo North Dakota’s Eichelberger is on a five fight win streak with four stoppages (3TKO, 1 Sub). The 5’11” Eichelberger is a finisher, with early stoppage wins in fourteen of his sixteen victories (9 by KO/TKO).

Thirty year old Cochrane of Omaha, NE is an active fighter, he’s gone 7-1 in the past fourteen months (3Subs, 2TKO). He has stopped seventeen of his twenty-five wins (10 Subs). This is Cochrane’s first time competing for LFC, but the thirty-five fight veteran has competed for: Titan FC, VictoryFC, RFA, Bellator and others.

In the Featherweight Division Nate takes on Nick. No the Diaz Brothers aren’t fighting each other at 145lbs, 4-1 Nate Togbah Richardson faces 12-5 Nick Compton. Nate The Natural Richardson has sprinkled his five pro fights over the last four years (4-1) and has three finishes (2 subs) to date. This is his third fight with LFC, he won a Split Decision at LFC 51 (2/5/15) over Kuchiong Kuchiong in his last and beat Courtney Buck with a third round (3:43) KO at LFC 43.

Thirty-four year old, Nick Compton has finished ten of his twelve wins (8 Subs). Fighting out of Maple Grove MN, Compton is just 2-4 in fights that go to the judge’s scorecards. Compton fights at both Lightweight and Featherweight and is the number one ranked Pro LW in Minnesota (tapology.com). A September ninth UD loss to Jason Fischer halted a three fight win streak with two first round subs. In April (4/29/16) Compton stopped Yusheng Wang by Arm Bar.  

In a fight between a pair of aging journeymen, 26-6 Indalecio Tat Romero takes on forty-one year old, Isaiah Pitts. Mean Bean Romero has stopped all but one of his twenty-six wins early, fourteen by KO/TKO. If you’re wondering why you haven’t heard of Romero until now, it may be because some of those wins are against opponents with sub-five hundred records, but a win is a win and Romero has plenty. The thirty-six year old is currently riding a two fight win streak, both TKO’s.

Wausau, Wisconsin’s Isaiah Pitts is 6-1, yet he already has fought a rematch. He is coming off his second career first round TKO win over RT Hicks. This one coming in the fight’s first minute (0:49) 12/15/15. Pitts, like his opponent, holds numerous wins over fighters with losing records, but brings tenacity to each meeting.

LFC 60 Main Card airs live on AXS TV

Breakdown WSOF 33

               

                 

                     Two Titles are on the line, when World Series of Fighting comes to Kansas City, MO. Oct. 7^th for WSOF 33. Champion, Justin Gaethje looks to defend his Lightweight belt versus challenger, Ozzy Dugulubgov and two division Champ, David Branch faces decorated grappler, Vinny Magalhaes for the Light-Heavyweight Division’s gold.

               

Undefeated, Justin Gaethje has annihilated the LW division in WSOF, since becoming the inaugural champ at WSOF 8 (1/18/14) with a first round (1:09) TKO of Richard Patishnock. Since, he’s defended the belt four times and finished each opponent by TKO. (Melvin Guillard missed weight {11/15/14} 3 round nontitle fight, UD for Gaethje). The Highlight has finished fourteen of his sixteen wins (13 KO/TKO). The Twenty-seven year old from Safford, Arizona was a two time Arizona State Champion wrestler in High School and went on to the University of Northern Colorado where he was an All American. This is Gaethje’s tenth fight with WSOF and he’s faced experienced talent since his first fight with the organization: A 7-0 Gaethje faced, two-time K-1 Grand Prix champ, Gesais Cavalcante in his promotional debut (3/23/13). The Highlight sliced a gash over Cavalcante’s eye, forcing a first round doctor stoppage 2:27 into the fight. Gaethje displayed powerful leg-kicks versus Brian Foster in his last fight. Foster was unable to continue just 1:43 into the opening round, due to the devastating kicks.

               

Ridgewood, New Jersey’s Ozzy Dugulubgov faces the champ in his seventh fight with WSOF. Dugulubgov has gone 5-1 with three finishes (2KO/TKO). The Jackson Wink MMA fighter is on a three fight win streak and is 8-2 in his career. He hasn’t fought since winning a UD over Nic Herron-Webb last December at WSOF 26. Twenty-seven year old, Dugulubgov has 4 KO/TKO and 2 Submission wins to date.

               

David Branch holds both WSOF’s Middleweight and Light Heavyweight belts. Branch won a four-man MW Tournament to become Champ and after fights falling apart in a similar LHW tournament, Branch found himself in a fortunate position, locked on Teddy Bear Holder’s back sinking in a rear-naked-choke (1^st round 2:21) to win the LHW belt (9/18/15). The Brooklyn New Yorker is on an eight fight win streak since signing with WSOF. Thirty-five year old, Branch also has other big promotion experience, he’s gone 2-0 in Bellator and 2-2 in the UFC. He is 18-3-1 overall with 11 stoppage wins (6 subs). Branch is a BJJ Black Belt and trains with Renzo Gracie. Fresh off a five rounder, Branch defended his MW belt for the second time in April, earning a UD over Clifford Starks at WSOF 30.

               

Challenger, Vinny Magalhaes is a decorated Martial Artist: Runner up on TUF Season 8, former LHW Champion for both Titan FC and M-1 Global and a multi-time world champion in Jiu Jitsu. Although being TKO’d by Ryan Bader on the TUF 8 Finale, he impressed during the season, finishing Jules Bruchez and Krzysztof Soszynski by first round arm bars and Lance Evans (Rashad’s brother) never saw the second round, in their contest due to an injured rib. After leaving the TUF House Magalhaes went 1-4 in the UFC before being released by the organization. The Thirty-two year old submitted Matt Hamill in his WSOF debut (10/17/15) with a first round (1:08) knee bar. This fight was originally scheduled to take place in April of 2015 in the LHW Tournament, but a contract dispute with Titan FC delayed it. Pezao is 14-7-1 with eleven of his thirteen stoppage wins by Submission. He is 1-4 in fights that go to the judge’s scorecards. Magalhaes is on a four fight win streak with three by sub and his single decision win coming last fight (4/2/16), a UD over Jake Heun.    

Breakdown UFC Fight Night 96

A pair of former Flyweight stars, with a combined twenty-two KO/TKO wins, take their powerful striking up to the Bantamweight Division to meet at UFC Fight Night 96, Oct. 1^st. John Lineker and John Dodson will face off in the Main Event in Portland.

               

John Hands of Stone Lineker is on a five fight winning streak with three finishes (2KO/TKO, 1 Sub). Lineker’s power is unquestionable, the Twenty-six year old Brazilian, has finished seventeen of his twenty-eight wins, thirteen by KO/TKO. He displayed that power last fight with a first round KO (2:43) of Michael McDonald at UFC FN 9 (7/13/16). Staying active in 2016, Lineker outpointed Rob Font two months earlier (5/14/16) at UFC 198 to earn the Unanimous Decision victory.

               

John The Magician Dodson is also coming off a first round stoppage win, Dodson’s just forty-seven seconds into his fight with Manny Gamburyan at UFC on Fox 19 (4/16/16). Dodson is 7-2 in the UFC, those two losses to reigning Flyweight Champion, Demetrious Johnson. Not likely to get another shot at DJ anytime soon Dodson moves up to BW.  The Magician has finished nine of his eighteen wins by TKO/KO and it’s likely his power will translate in the higher weight class. He owns a first round TKO win over former BW Champ TJ Dillashaw to win the TUF Season 14 Finale.

               

In the Lightweight Division 14-4 Alex Oliveira takes on the #11 ranked LW, Will Brooks. Oliviera has stayed busy since his debut (3/21/15), he has gone 4-2 with three finishes (2 Subs). This is the Rio de Janeiro native’s third fight of 2016, after losing his nickname to Donald Cerrone at UFC FN 83 (Feb. 21) he returned (July 23) to earn a UD win over James Moontasri at UFC on Fox 20. Eleven of his fourteen wins have been stoppages (9TKO/KO).

               

Ill Will Brooks is on a nine fight winning streak. This is his second fight in the UFC, after earning a UD win over Ross Pearson at TUF 23 Finale earlier this year. The former Bellator fighter left the organization as their LW Champion. The 18-1 Brooks’ single loss was a first round KO (0:43) by Saad Awad at Bellator 91 (2/28/13), a loss he avenged that same year at Bellator 105 (10/25/13) by UD.

               

In the Welterweight Division 13-3-1 Zak Ottow gets a call up (to replace Bobby Green) making his debut vs Veteran Josh Burkman. Ottow comes in riding a four fight win streak (with 3 Subs). Ten of his twelve stoppages have been by Sub (just one win by decision). Ottow is fighting in his fourth contest of 2016, last time he won a UD over Craig Eckelberg (6/11/16).

               

The 28-13 Burkman is 1-3-1 since returning to the UFC. He spent nearly six years fighting his way back to the promotion. 1-1 in 2016 with a February UD win over KJ Noons and a UD loss to Paul Felder in his last effort at UFC FN 88. The People’s Warrior has finished 17 of his 28 wins (10 Subs).

               

Contenders meet in the Flyweight Division when #9 ranked Louis Smolka takes on Tijuana’s own Brandon Moreno. Twenty-five year old Smolka fights out of Waipahu, Hawaii. Da Last Samurai is on four fight win streak with three finishes (2KO/TKO). Nine of Smolka’s eleven wins have been early stoppages (5 Subs). He TKO’d Ben Nguyen at UFC FN 91 in the second round (4:41) last fight.

               

Twenty-two year old Brandon Moreno is making his UFC debut, he competed on TUF Season 24 (season currently airing on FS-1). 11-3 The Assassin has won his last eight, with six finishes (5 Subs). Moreno has stopped three of his last four opponents with a first round submission. Most recently (4/16/16) he caught Isaac Camarillo in a rear-naked-choke at 1:53 of the first.

               

Headlining the UFC Fight Pass Prelims will be a pair of recognizable Middleweights when 34-16 Nate Marquardt faces six foot four, Tamdan McCrory. Thirty-seven year old Nate The Great has gone 2-5 since returning to the UFC. Always dangerous, Marquardt has finished 26 of his 34 wins (16 Subs) in his last win (12/19/15) he KO’d CB Dollaway (0:28 in 2^nd). He lost by first round KO earlier this year (5/14/16) to Thiago Santos.

               

Tamdan The Barn Cat McCrory has finished thirteen of his fourteen wins (7 KO/TKO). A 2009 loss to John Howard was his last fight for five years. He returned with a decisive twenty-one second (1^st round) KO of Brendan Ward at Bellator 123 (9/15/14). Twenty-nine year old, McCrory caught Josh Samman in a Third round Triangle-choke in his return to the UFC (12/19/15). Also stopped by first round KO (0:59) earlier this year (6/18/16), by Krzysztof Jotko.

Breakdown RFA 44

               

Resurrection Fighting Alliance is back in Missouri for RFA 44 at the St. Charles Convention Center in St. Charles, September 30^th. Hometown fighter, Zach Freeman gets a shot at Thiago Moises’s Lightweight Belt in the five round Main Event.

               

Zach The Alter Boy Freeman is 8-1 with five wins by Submission. One of those submissions was in his last bout, back in March of 2015, a first round (2:18) rear-naked-choke of Zac Kelley. Prior to that Freeman hadn’t competed since, his first career loss, a first round (2:31) KO at Titan FC 25 (6/7/13) to 11-4 Jake Lindsey.

               

The defending champ, Thiago Moises has finished his last three opponents, a pair of second round submissions and a fifth round TKO. He won the belt at RFA 35 (2/19/16) by Submitting David Castillo and defended it June 3^rd by a TKO (2:52) of Jamall Emmers. The twenty-one year old LW Champ, Moises is from Sao Paulo, Brazil and has been fighting Pro since 2012.

               

In the Flyweight Division, 8-2 Nick Urso takes on 9-2 Ken Porter. Thirty-one year old, Nick Urso’s last fight ended due to an illegal strike (ruled a No Contest), prior to that he won a Unanimous Decision at Jackson’s MMA 14 (2/7/15) over Joshua Montoya. This is Urso’s first time competing in RFA, he has competed for Legacy FC at LFC 30 a submission loss to Ray Borg (Borg has gone 3-2 in the UFC since the win).

               

Hazlewood, Missouri’s Ken Porter is on a five fight win streak, including three, first round Subs. In fact five of his six stoppages have come in the first round. The Sensation won a Split Decision over Matt Manzanares at RFA 28 (8/7/15) last fight.

               

Another Missouri Flyweight, Josh Sampo of Lindenwood takes on Omaha, Nebraska’s, Kevin Gray. The Thirty-two year old, Sampo is in his first fight since losing three straight in the UFC, most recent was a UD loss to Justin Scoggins at UFC 187 (5/23/15). Prior to the three losses Sampo won five straight, including a rear-naked-choke of Ryan Benoit at TUF 18 Finale (11/30/13). Sampo is 11-5 as a Pro, dating back to 2009 and has six wins by submission.

               

Kevin Pocket Herc Gray stopped four of his seven wins by submission. He won three consecutive fights from 6/6/13-1/9/15 by submission in the first round. He’s coming of a submission loss to John Devall (6/10/16) in the third round (1:07) at DTS 26.  

RFA 44 will be televised live on AXS TV at 10:00PM ET.  

Sometimes the Least Likely Outcome Plays Out

Lina The Elbow Princess Lansberg comes into her fight with Critiane Cyborg Justino as a +850 Underdog at UFC Fight Night 95 and for good reason. Lansberg is in just her eigth MMA fight, facing a woman that has KO/TKO’d her previous eleven straight opponents. This fight also is taking place in Justino’s home country, Brazil and if that weren’t enough it’s a catch weight (up five lbs for LL) in the Main Event and oh yeah Lansberg’s UFC debut. Sometimes the least likely outcome plays out.

On February 11^th, 1990 in Tokyo, Japan, in a fight billed Tyson is Back, Buster Douglas pulled off one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Iron Mike Tyson was undefeated at the time at 37-0 and had unified the WBC, WBA and IBF titles. Tyson was becoming a household name. This fight was considered a “tune up” fight for Tyson before a future match up with Evander Holyfield (who was seated ringside, in Japan) would be promoted. Buster Douglas shocked the world with the upset.

Lansberg is an accomplished stand-up fighter, and Cyborg’s weight cuts are always an issue. Can Lansberg pull off a similar upset? How often is it that the least likely scenario actually plays out?

For my Breakdown of the Main Card click: http://fightpage.blogspot.com/2016/09/breakdown-ufc-fight-night-95.html