Looking forward to next week

There are just a couple of things I would like to say after watching episode 7 of the Ultimate Fighter, Team Nogueira vs Team Mir:

• Junie's poor attitude is getting real old, real quick.  Someone explain to me why Dana kept him on the show.  Anyway, he has a blog if you want to check it out (doubtful he is the one actually writing it though).
• Can Team Nogueira please win the next fight, then dominate for the rest of the season?I can't help but root for the underdog, plus I don't really like Frank Mir or his team.  
• Some of the guys on Team Mir's team were making smart-ace comments about Team Nogueira being tight and what knot.  Sounded like a bunch of those guys were just jealous.  They probably come from broken homes and don't really have any stable relationships.  I thought the show of affection between Team Nogueira for the coach's b-day was pretty sentimental.
• Wonder what nasty pranks will take place in the next episode. The pee fiasco was definitely over the line though... animal.

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True Life: I'm an MMA Fighter

Back in 2007 there was a lot of talk about Mixed Martial Arts being one of the fastest growing sports in America and that talk has not died down.

What may have been perceived as brutal and barbaric is now thought to be skilled and technical.  MMA is quickly moving mainstream with attendance of corporate big wigs, young 20 something females and even the elderly.  I had a conversation with the President of the Ultimate Combat Experience a couple months ago and he said that he gets people coming up to him all the time saying how much they love the show.  He said he was in the grocery store once and a lady (old enough to be his grandmother) came up to him and said she loved the show.  Who would have thought?!

Last night I was watching MTV and was intrigued by the True Life segment focused on the world of MMA.  The show featured three guys:

1. Frankie "The Answer" Edgar: One of the top lightweights fighting in the UFC
2. Kit Kope: Muay Thai champ looking to rebound into the UFC
3. Ian Stonehouse: A college student at Fort Collins breaking into the MMA scene MMA is defintely mainstream.  All of it... from cutting weight, to the grueling training schedule,hardcore mental stamina,  constant dedication and supreme focus.  Wow, love the world of MMA.

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Spike TV in HD

With the recent move and purchase of our TV, we have been researching television packages.  One channel and feature we are looking for: Spike TV in HD.  Looks like Dish Network doesn't offer this, but lucky for us Direct TV offers the Plus DVR package for $49.99 a month.  This sweet package includes:

• Spike TV in HD (duh)
• Over 200 networks
• All the best HD channels
• Free DVR HD upgrade
• And free installation and equipment

Sound too good to be true?  Nope, it's acutally not.  The problem, we can't have satelite tv here, which blows.  So now we are going to have to pay a lot more to get what we want through Comcast.  Lucky us.

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MMA terms and techniques

In case you aren't incredibly familair with the MMA scence, here are a couple terms and definitions used frequently in mixed martial arts:

1. The Triangle choke is by far one of my favorite positions.  Also known as the Sankaku-Jime in judo, this figure-four chokehold strangles the opponent by encircling the opponent's neck and one arm with the lets in the shape of triangle.  This restricts the blood flow from the carotid arties to the brain.
2. The Guard.  This is an essential position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and other grappling martial arts. In this grappling position the fighter wraps his or her legs around the opponent for control. The guard can be closed, with the ankles locked together behind the opponent.  It can also be open with the ankles loose. (Note: There are several other variations of the guard, with multiple uses.)
   
3. Upa. Also used in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, the upa aka "bridging," is the quick and forceful raising of the hips to escape from the mount.
   
4. Arm Bar.  A commononly used  joint lock used in judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, etc.  The arm bar is a super sweet move for getting your opponent to tap out.  The arm bar is executed by hyper-extending the elbow while holding the opponent's arm between your legs, and the wrist held close to the chest.
5. The Clinch indicates when two fighters are leaning in on each other either for defensive reasons, to domniate the other fighter or to catch their breath. While commonly used as a defensive position, certain offensive techniques are very effective from a clinch: knees, short punches, elbows and various locks.  Using the clinch is advantageous if you are taller than your opponent.
6. Tap Out.  Submitting or giving up in a match in order to avoid further pain or injury.  Can be done physically or verbally.
   

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Serra vs Hughes

We could not have asked for a better night last night watching UFC 85 on the new 52" LC television with the main event between Matt Hughes Vs. Thiago Alves.  I was a bit surprised how it turned out (Thiago Alves won by TKO @ 1:02 in the 2nd round).  I know Matt took that fight on short notice, but I think his priorities and focus are just shifting a bit and maybe fighting isn't as high on his list as it once was.  To me, it seems like he is moving on to another phase in his life. 

However, at the end of the fight he said that he has "one last fight" left and that he wants to fight Matt Serra.  Since Serra had to withdraw from fighting Hughes in UFC 79 (due to a herniated disc), this fight needs to happen and soon.  So this has me thinking, "who is going to win?"  Hughes is known for his superior strength and wresting skills.  Serra is known for his credentials in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  Both have amazing ground games.  And you know as much as I do how unpredictable this sport is.

As an FYI, Hughes has fought 48 matches, with 41 wins and 7 losses.  Serra has fought 14 matches, with 9 wins and five losses.

Rumor has it that the fight will happen in UFC 89 0r 90.  Who do you predict as the winner?

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