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Last Word On Sports

Sports News Since 2011. Honestly.

Last Word On Sports Logo

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Year: 2012

Review of week 19 and week 20

Posted on by Frank Giuliano

REVIEW WEEK 19

One of the main matchups from last week was the encounter between Atalanta and Juventus FC at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia. Once again La Vecchia Signora imposed her strength and was victorious becoming the second team this year to defeat the Bergamaschi on home turf. In addition to that statistic, Atalanta became the 19th team that could not stop the Bianconeri whom remain undefeated. With that win, Juve became Winter Champions. AC Milan cruised by Novara 3-0 to keep pace with league leaders Juventus. The Derby of Emilia Romagna between Bologna FC and Parma FC ended in a scoreless draw, but both teams wasted numerous quality scoring chances. Udinese Calcio returned to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Catania Calcio. Italian International Antonio Di Natale scored a sensational volley.  The bianconeri of Udine, therefore, kept pace with Juve and Milan. Diego Milito and Giampaolo Pazzini helped Internazionale FC jump to fourth place with a win against SS Lazio, the team that currently holds Serie A’s best road record. Finally, at the Stadio Olimpico di Roma, history was made – Francesco Totti’s brace not only helped AS Roma obtain 3 valuable points against Cesena Calcio with a 5-1 thumping, he surpassed Gunner Nordahl’s goal record of 210. Congratulations to World Cup winner and Italian International Francesco Totti!

Preview of week20

Let’s get right to it! ACF Fiorentina welcomes Siena FC in the Tuscan derby. The return leg in Florence is promising to be better than week 1 which ended in a draw. The Viola have been inconsistent, but at playing home and in a derby, it is expected they will put forth their absolute best (my pick – Fiorentina).

Chievo Verona v SS Lazio.  Chievo is looking for a huge win which will propel the Flying Donkeys to 6 points behind the Biancocelesti for an Europa league spot. Lazio is looking for a rebound game coming from a loss to Inter last week and a Coppa Italia loss to AC Milan in mid-week. They will be hungry for the win. Rumour stemming from the Lazio camp is that the Laziai is willing to release Djibril Cisse to go on loan and then acquire the services of Pippo Inzaghi from AC Milan (my pick is Lazio).

US Lecce v Internazionale FC. Inter boss Claudio Ranieri is on the verge of matching former boss Jose Mourinho’s best run of form against Lecce. Diego Milito has found his form once again and Giampaolo Pazzini has also found his form scoring in last weekend’s match (my pick is Inter). Also some news out of the Inter camp Thiago Motta is on the verge of signing with PSG.

AC Milan v Cagliari. Massimiliano Allegri’s squad has been falling apart with injuries. Who will feature in the midfield for Milan this week- end? Merkel was sent on loan to Genoa in September, but the Rossoneri asked for him back due to all of the injuries. However, Merkel picked up an injury in the Coppa Italia win in mid-week and is therefore out of this fixture. Allegri is expected to start Stephan El Shaarawy against his old squad. El Shaarawy has shown a lot of patience for a 19 year old boy and is maturing quickly. Milan’s holding on to the Italian International has paid off. He will be the future of Milan and the future of Italy (my pick – Milan).

AS Roma v Bologna FC. The Lupi are looking for their fifth consecutive win in the Serie A. But will the defeat they suffered in the Coppa Italia mid-week affect their confidence? Bologna has struggled to

score goals all season, especially on the road, and playing in Roma will not be any easier for them (my pick – Roma).

Finally the game of the week! The 6-point match between Juventus FC v Udinese Calcio. Juventus remains undefeated. The Old Lady have played very well all season. Antonio Conte has brought back heart to the Bianconeri camp. They provide tough competition in the New Juventus Stadium. La Vecchia Signora will want to win this encounter which will distance these two sides by 6 points in the standings. Udinese has not made it easy for Juve at home in the past, and a battle is expected in this match-up. The bianconeri of Udine will be determined to show that they are not a fluke (my pick is a tie).

Thats the last word!

Week 19 22 Jan 2012
Atalanta 0 – 2 Juventus
Bologna 0 – 0 Parma
Cagliari 0 – 0 Fiorentina
Inter 2 – 1 Lazio
Lecce 2 – 2 Chievo
Novara 0 – 3 Milan
Palermo 5 – 3 Genoa
Roma 5 – 1 Cesena
Siena 1 – 1 Napoli
Udinese 2 – 1 Catania

 

Week 20 29 Jan 2012 (14.00 UK)
Catania 1 – 1 Parma(Sat 17.00)
Cesena Preview Atalanta
Chievo Preview Lazio
Fiorentina Preview Siena(11.30)
Genoa Preview Napoli
Juventus Preview Udinese(Sat 19.45)
Lecce Preview Inter
Milan Preview Cagliari(19.45)
Palermo Preview Novara
Roma Preview Bologna
FIXTURES
Week 21 01 Feb 2012
Atalanta – Genoa
Bologna – Fiorentina
Cagliari – Roma
Inter – Palermo
Lazio – Milan
Napoli – Cesena
Novara – Chievo
Parma – Juventus
Siena – Catania
Udinese – Lecce

NHL Skills Competition: Some Random Thoughts

Posted on by Lindsay Higgins

-Next time Montreal gets into a shootout, Randy Cunneyworth should have Price turn his back to the shooters. Or Tebow.

-How does the puck not fall off Tavares’ and Perry’s sticks when they wave them around? That shouldn’t work.

-Speaking of Corey Perry, it was nice of David Desharnais to lend him a stick for the Breakaway Challenge.

-Why could the hockey humor gods not have allowed us another year of Tim Thomas in Fastest Skater?

-Coming up: a feud between Pat Kane and Dwight Howard over who the REAL Superman is.

-Poor Shea Weber. In any other era, 106 mph would be phenomenal.

-I can’t help but wonder what my fledgling slapshot would hit on the radar gun. Maybe 30?

-I used to think players were incredibly brave for blocking Zdeno Chara’s shots. Now I just think they’re stupid.

2012 MMA Predictions

Posted on by Mark Modeski

With the first few MMA events of the year having been ushered in, now seems like as good of a time as any to make my 2012 MMA predictions.

Do I have a bit of an edge over other MMA-sages, because I am making predictions one month into the year? I would say “no”.  If there’s one thing that any fan of MMA knows, it’s that this sport is unpredictable as hell. So, with that said I am going to close my eyes, point and shoot…

Prediction 1: GSP will abandon the Welterweight title to move up to Middleweight.

I am going to call this my long-shot prediction, but it could happen. GSP is still out for at least 8-9 months, and on a restricted work-out routine; it gives him plenty of time to put on the weight needed to be a serious contender at 185lbs. The timing is perfect for him – he’s cleaned out the welterweight division, and he is at an age where he is starting to reach his peak.

Prediction 2: Anderson Silva will knockout Chael Sonnen.

I am pretty sure that Sonnen is going to beat Bisping this weekend, setting up the only match in the middleweight division that holds any interest to fans. I stand by the fact that Silva’s performance in the first fight was due to a back injury, and I think he will learn from the legitimate mistakes he made. Sub-prediction to this one: Silva will credit Steven Seagal with teaching him the KO technique.

Prediction 3: Gilbert Melendez will come to the UFC.

Probably the only top level lightweight not in the UFC. I have no doubt that Melendez will make his way from the floundering Strikeforce organization into the top heap in the UFC. Melendez will only be happy with his paltry paycheques and less-than-formidable competition for so long.

Prediction 4: Strikeforce will officially become the UFC “Farm League”.

I think this has already been slowly taking place since the UFC purchased Strikeforce, but I am pretty sure you’re really going to start to see the top level fighters immigrate to the UFC. The up-and-comers who aren’t performing in the UFC that Dana doesn’t want to let go will be downgraded to Strikeforce.

Prediction 5: Jon Jones and Anderson Silva will square off, and the winner will face GSP.

A guy can dream, can’t he?

Prediction 6:  UFC viewership pay-per-view numbers will decrease dramatically.

I think having so many events on FOX will have the opposite intended effect. Instead of pushing people to the PPVs, I am pretty sure viewers are going to feel as though they’re getting their MMA fixes filled on the free cards and pass on the $50 price tag for the PPV. I also think with so many events a lot of people who are “occasional PPV’ers” might get confused and miss when the premiere pay events are on.

Anything I am missing? Any other predictions? Feel free to chime in below.

… and that is the last word.

Transfer Window? Huh? A Brief North American's Guide to Trading Football Players

Posted on by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

Let’s get something straight – in most parts of the world, football is what we call “soccer”.  What you may not know is that “soccer” is NOT, I repeat NOT, a word invented by North Americans.  In fact, it was a slang word used in England around the time the game was invented.  I’m not going to get into how I know this, though perhaps I will another time.  I admit it can be very confusing.  For the purpose of this site, which is based in North America, I will mostly use “soccer” or “international football” unless otherwise stated.

Do you have someone in the office that seems to be shouting at his/her smartphone or laptop a lot lately?  Are they shouting obscenities like, “I hate Chelsea!”, or “There is no way Ronaldo is going back to the BPL”?  How about, “Why doesn’t Wenger want to spend”?  If this sounds familiar, you likely have a footy fan in your midst.

The Premier League, the highest calibre of football in the UK, and quite possibly the world, are in the middle of its January transfer window.  What is a transfer window, you ask?  Let’s take  a look:

The transfer window is the time during which football clubs can “transfer” players from other countries to and from their rosters.  The player then registers for the club through FIFA, football’s governing body.  “Transfer window” is an unofficial term used to describe this period where transfers are open, or allowed.  According to FIFA, each nation’s football association decides on the time of its ‘window’, as long as it does not exceed 12 weeks.  Usually this is in the off-season, commonly during the summer.  The second transfer window occurs during the season and is typically only four weeks.

The transfer window of a given football association governs only international transfers into that football association. International transfers out of an association are always possible to those associations that have an open window. The transfer window of the association that the player is leaving from does not have to be open, only the association the player is going to has to be open.

The transfer fee is the money paid from one club for the transfer of the desired player from his current club.  The fee is not the player’s salary, only the rights to have him on the squad.

Here are the transfer windows for some of the bigger leagues:

England — End of season – August 31, January 1- January 31

Spain, Italy, Germany, France — July 1 – August 31, January 1-February 2

If that  isn’t clear, please drop a line and I can elaborate.

…and that is the last word.

 

 


The NHL All-Star Game; Must See TV?

Posted on by Grant Alexander
© by alexis.zargo

I’m going to start off by saying, “I love the All-Star game”. I know it’s not real hockey, and I know it doesn’t mean anything, but I don’t care. I love watching the players try plays they wouldn’t normally try. I love watching them put rivalries and grudges aside. And I love watching them enjoy themselves with their friends and families. And that’s what the weekend is all about; family. Or more importantly, the kids.

They really have the opportunity to put a face to the names of their favorite players as they fly around the rink and show off their skills. They get to share a laugh as Ovechkin sports over-sized clown glasses during his penalty shot. And they get to watch with awe, as the Guardians try to save the NHL from the evil Gary Bettman, or Devan Dark, or whoever it is supposed to be. Wait, I’m lost, who are the Guardians? And what are they doing? Lets just act like the rest of the hockey world, pretend it never happened, and move on.

There are a few things I don’t like about the All-Star game though. First and foremost is, the fan voting. I know it’s only for the first 6 players selected, and fan interaction is normally a good thing, but it’s got to go!  At least make changes so that only 1 player per team can be voted in, or something similar. This year, of the 6 selected players, only 2 of them deserve it (Karlsson, and Thomas), which leaves 4 undeserving players. Not only that but it means that 4 players that have earned their right to be there, aren’t, and that’s not sportsmanlike. And what about their legacies? 7-time All-Star sounds better than 4 or 5, depending on how many times that players been snubbed. Could it affect a Hall of Fame induction? I’d like to think not, and maybe I’m going a little too far, but it irritates me to say the least.

The Second thing that upsets me is the new format. I get that it adds a new spin on things.  I understand the whole “schoolyard pick-em” thing, and obviously the NHL loves the extra night of festivities and primetime television, but I think the whole thing is a little hokey. I do however like the way they chose the team captains this year though, making one the captain of the host team, and the other the captain of the Stanley Cup winning team. I hope they continue to do it that way if they decide to keep this format. The “pick-em” is good in theory, but the picks just end up being obvious and over-diplomatic. On the schoolyard you wanted to win at all costs, so you would pick the best players. For this event nobody really cares about winning as it is just for fun, so the captains pick their family members or old roommates, teammates, friends, friends of friends, and then if there’s anybody left they might pick by skill. I bet if you took the time to analyze the relationships of each player to the captains, you could easily predict the two teams before they are picked. Then they play an entertaining, but meaningless game, to decide which captain “picked” better. There has to be a better way…

Well, there is, and it is a perfect segue into the third thing I hate about the All-Star game; it’s meaningless. Players could potentially get hurt playing a game that doesn’t mean anything. But, I think there is a simple solution; Follow Major League Baseball. Go back to the classic (and much better) East vs. West format, and have home ice advantage for the Stanley Cup finals up for grabs. It’s what the MLB has done for a number of years now and it works great. I know the NHL is still going to most likely split into 4 Conferences within the next few years, but I hope they take my advice and keep two of them East and two of them West if not just for my purposes here. I know some people will say that it’s not fair for the teams that earn their home ice advantage by winning the most during the regular season, but in my opinion the only thing they have earned by wining their conference is home ice advantage against their conference which they will still get. If they have the easier conference, and most likely have only won the Presidents Trophy by a few points, why should they get a clear advantage over a team that they never competed with that could have had a tougher schedule? So why not have the best players from each conference play-off to decide it? It would be completely fair, and make the All-Star game that much more exciting. Oh, and if the NHL still wanted to do the pick’em thing, the captains from each conference wouldn’t be so diplomatic knowing the fate of the Stanley Cup might be riding on their shoulders…

…and that is the last word.

"Team" Doesn't Have An "I", But Tim Does!

Posted on by Carl Mostacci
The White House

Yesterday the 2011 Stanley Cup winning Boston Bruins made the annual NHL championship team visit to the White House to meet and celebrate with U.S President Barack Obama.  One person was notably absent and that was the 2011 Conn Smythe Trophy winner and the only American player on the Bruins roster, Tim Thomas.  He decided to decline the invite due to political reasons.

Now I personally feel that is ridiculous.  People don’t get invited to the White House everyday.  Thomas shot down the opportunity to represent his country, which proudly preaches values of liberty and freedom, to his teammates with class.  Instead he did the exact opposite.  And for what?  Because he doesn’t support the political party that U.S President Barack Obama is a member of or his agenda?  How juvenille!  I was always taught in life you will at times have to be in the presence of people or do things you necessarily don’t want to do.  This was one of those times for Thomas.  He could have been professional, put his political differences aside and  just stood there in the background for the team picture with the President, perhaps shake his hand and make small talk if Obama started conversation, and that was it.  Instead by refusing to attend he made an even bigger deal of the situation.  Plus he made himself and his political opinion bigger than the team.

Prime Minsiter Stephen Harper is not my favourite Canadian Government leader, however I would jump at the opportunity to meet him.  Even former Bruin Tomas Kaberle, who has since played for two teams, attended the White House visit.  The Bruins players from Canada, Europe and other countries represented themselves and their places of birth with pride, class and respect.  Maybe the Bruins will repeat as Cup Champs this year and Obama won’t get re-elected in 2012.  Then Thomas will be able to say “I told you so.”  However if this doesn’t happen, this decision could be one he regrets for the rest of his life.  For the chance may never come again.

What do you think?

…and that is the last word.

NHL Midseason Awards

Posted on by Ben Kerr
Malkin

We have officially passed the midpoint of the NHL season.  And so its time for a look at who are the favourites for the various NHL awards so far.  Here are my picks, along with an explanation for each.

 

Calder Trophy: Ryan Nugent Hopkins, C, Edmonton
38 games played, 13 goals 22 assists for 35 pts.

The 18 year old, exploded out of the gates this year, and showed the talent that made him the first overall selection in last June’s Entry Draft.  Despite being injured about 3 weeks ago, RNH still leads all rookies in Point production.  He’s shown that he’s an outstanding playmaker, and is well on his way to being one of the best passers in the game.  He should be back from his shoulder injury shortly, and I fully expect him to pick up right where he left off.  A major reason why the future looks bright in Edmonton, even if the present sucks.  Honourable mentions: Matt Read, C/W, Philly and Adam Henrique, C, New Jersey.

 

Jack Adams Trophy: Ken Hitchcock, St. Louis Blues

The Blues struggled to start the season, and were the first club in the league to fire their coach, axing Davis Payne.  Ken Hitchcock took over and the team has gone on a tear never looked back.  He has the young blues team executing his defensive system to perfection.  Don’t believe me?  Just take a look at the stats that Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak have put up lately.  The Blues are now leading the entire NHL with only 96 goals against this season.  The Blues have 64 pts and are just one pt behind Detroit for 1st overall in not just the Western Conference, but the entire NHL. Honourable Mentions: Paul Maclean, Ottawa; Claude Julien, Boston.

 

Frank J. Selke Trophy: Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins

The Bruins have the best goal differential in the entire NHL at an absolutely incredible +70.  The next closest team is Detroit at +45.  This is in no small part due to the work put in by Bergeron this season.  Bergeron has become one of the best two way centres in the game, he’s able to play against other team’s best lines, and still produce at the offensive end.  He’s also an excellent Penalty Killer.  Bergeron is a +28 this season and it speaks to his excellent two way game.  Honourable Mentions: Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit; and Mikko Koivu, Minnesota.

 

James Norris Trophy: Erik Karlsson, D, Ottawa Senators

The Sens are the biggest surprise team in the NHL this year, and Erik Karlsson is the biggest reason why.  With 46 points he’s not only the highest scoring Dman in the NHL, but is 12 points higher than his next highest competitor.  He’s playing over 25:00 per game and is a +7 for the Sens.  Karlsson is the straw that stirs the drink in Ottawa, he’s been enormous for them, and is deserving of all the praise he’s getting this season, including the starting spot in the All-Star game.  Honourable Mentions: Zdeno Chara, Boston; and Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit.

 

Georges Vezina Trophy: Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers

The Rangers are in First place in the Eastern Conference and only 1 pt behind the Wings for first place in the league..  King Henrik’s amazing season is the major reason why.  With a 1.93 Goals Against Average, and a 936 save percentage, he’s the key player on the team.  Lundqvist has provided the Rangers with excellent goaltending since joining the team, and this year he’s surpassed even his previous standard and is having a career year.  Lundqvist is the best goalie in the NHL this season, and deserves to win his first Vezina.  Honourable mentions: Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings, Jimmy Howard, Detroit Redwings

 

Hart Memorial Trophy: Evgeni Malkin, Penguins

The Penguins have been absolutely decimated by injuries this year.  They have only had Sidney Crosby in the lineup for 8 games.   Top Defenceman Kris Letang also missed significant time with a concussion.  Jordan Staal is out of the lineup long term as well.  These are the Pens key players.  Yet the team keeps fighting and is currently holding down a playoff spot.  Why?  Its in large part because in the abscence of Crosby; Malkin has become the best player in the NHL.  He is leading the league in pts despite playing less games than any of the other top 20 NHL scorers.  He has become a dominant force and is a threat to score or set up a goal on nearly every shift.  Geno is nearly singlehandedly keeping this Pens team afloat, and thats why he’s the league MVP at the half way point.  Honourable Mentions: Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers; Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers.

 

…and thats the last word.

Undefeated Syracuse Falls to Notre Dame; Week in Review

Posted on by taketheleap

Eric Atkins (0) and Pat Connaughton (24) and their Notre Dame Fighting Irish handed former #1 Syracuse their first loss of the season.

I just had to say it, didn’t I? This past Wednesday, I wrote this: “With the matchups [Syracuse and Murray State] have this week, both are expected to carry that perfect record into next week.” Just had to say it. In a complete domination of a game, the Fighting Irish ended Syracuse’s bid for a perfect record with a 67-58 dismantling of the Orangemen. The final score makes it look closer than it really was. To the unhinged delight of the only Notre Dame fan I know, this game was over early.

Every team is entitled to an “off game”; this was Syracuse’s. How they play after this embarrassing loss will determine  if they are Final Four material, or if they are another case of lost potential. I am banking on the latter.

Syracuse can take comfort in the fact that they were not the only Top 10 team to lose in the past week. Here are the Points of Interest from this past week:

  • Kentucky (19-1) now moves into the top spot atop the Associated Press poll. Their only loss came on December 10th, to Indiana, 73-72
  • Baylor lost in embarrassing fashion to their conference rivals Kansas last Monday, 92-74. The loss drops the Bears from #3 to #6. Kansas moves up two spots to #5.
  • Duke lost on a buzzer-beating three by Florida State‘s Michael Snare, 76-73, Saturday afternoon. Snare finished the first half in the exact same fashion, silencing the crowd at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke falls to #8 in the AP Poll. Florida State enters the rankings after beating UNC and Duke in consecutive weeks. They now sit atop the ACC with Duke and NC State at 4-1.
  • Michigan State lost to their cross-state rivals Michigan on Tuesday, 60-69, dropping them to #10.
  • Connecticut lost twice this past week; first on Wednesday to Cincinnati (70-67), then on Saturday to Tennessee (60-57). The Huskies drop to #24 from #13 in the AP Poll.
  • Murray State remains undefeated and has now matched Syracuse’s 20 consecutive wins. The Racers are now the only undefeated team in Division I. They should remain that way until next week, with their only matchup this week coming against Eastern Illinois. But then again, I said that about the Orange last week too.

 

Upcoming Games of Interest:

  • Ohio State (#4) hosts Michigan (#20); tip-off is Sunday, 1PM EST.
  • North Carolina (#7) hosts unranked-but-leading-the-ACC NC State; Thursday, 7PM EST.
  • Remember when Pittsburgh used to be ranked? The 11-9 Pitt Panthers take their mediocre show home to host #9 Georgetown; tip is Saturday, 4PM EST.
  • Florida (#14) hosts Mississippi State (#18) on Saturday, in what could be a turning point for both teams. Tip is 1:30PM EST.
  • Speaking of turning points, #16 Indiana travels to Wisconsin (#25), in what the Badgers hope will be a solid mark in their Madness resumé. Tip is Thursday, 9PM EST.
  • Virginia (#19), in their bid to rise to the top of the ACC, drive down to NC State on Saturday, hoping to topple the upstart Wolfpack from the top of the conference. Tip is 8PM EST.
  • Connecticut (#24) travels to play suddenly-relevant Notre Dame. Tip is Sunday, 1PM EST.

 

One loss and your season can come crumbling down; one off-day; one buzzer-beating shot; one unlucky bounce… and it’s all over until next year. Every team that has ever lost in March Madness knows this pain all too well. Syracuse now knows that pain. It’s what I love about college basketball. To borrow a phrase: On any given day, anyone can win.

… and that’s the last word.

UFC on FX 1: Ushering in a New Era

Posted on by Mark Modeski

Let’s get one things straight: MMA is a war – in every way, shape and form.

The UFC and FOX have promised us a series of wars over the next seven years. In November of last year they treated us to a preview of the violence we can expect, with a clear and decisive victory by way of knock-out by Junior Dos Santos. If that first event in November on was a preview, then the first official event on FX this past weekend was the very definition of what a war is…A series of hostile and decisive battles.

By that definition, the brass at UFC and FOX could not have possibly asked for more out of the event on Friday. Many felt that the one hour teaser that they were treated to in late-2011 left much to the hearts desire – a lot of talking, almost no fighting. This event, was four hours of decisive fights, showcasing up-and-coming talent across all of the weight classes in the UFC.

While the fights were great, leaving us like a room of George W. Bush cabinet members, wanting more – there were some moments where the old school UFC fans were definitely feeling like they were under order of a new regime. The production of the event felt less like a ZUFFA event, and more like a FOX Sunday football game (right down to the theme music); the whole thing felt over-saturated with commercials, commentators and an almost false sense of enthusiasm at times.

My biggest criticism was that of the commentating; I can forgive the over-the-top production value and commercial density – that’s just FOX being FOX. The absence of Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg, definitely left a void in the colour commentator category. Jon Anik and Kenny Florian were putting me to sleep with their commentating during the fights; and if not for the pace of the action, I very well may have. Like any war, the media plays an important role – if you fail at effectively speaking to people, your propaganda machine, and thusly support will start to die. Jon Anik and Jay Glazer sounded almost like they didn’t know what they were talking about – which is unfortunate, as it’s not true. This all said, a head bow to Ariel Helawani, I did enjoy his post-fight interviews (even if they did seem redundant).

When all is said and done, I look at this as being the first war in a conflict ridden world. It was the first full event, and for that I think it was a success! Yes, there are kinks to work out – but, it was a good watch and it was free. I just hope Dana White doesn’t lose too much creative control to FOX; that will be the true testament to the “partnership” over time.

Main Card Results:

– In the main even Jim Miller choked out Melvin Guillard  with a rear naked choke in the first round. I think Miller is poised for a title shot (despite his recent loss), and I think he is ready for it.

– Josh Neer returned to the UFC in style, with a first round guillotine choke on Duane Ludwig.

– In a battle of less experienced fighters, Mike Easton won a majority decision over Jared Papazian.

– In what was anointed the Fight of the Night (should have been KO of the Night too), Pat Barry finished off Christian Morecraft with a clean shot to the chin.

… and that is the last word.