My Review of Matt Hughes' Book

Made in America: The Most Dominant Champion in UFC History by Matt Hughes

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
Before I had opened the book, I had damned it peripherally for a subtitle that is terribly dishonest. As a long time MMA fan and an analyst of the sport, I found it unfair that Matt Hughes should feel any right to claim his post as the most dominant champion in history, as his title reign was interrupted by BJ Penn in 2004, which would insinuate that Frank Shamrock and Tito Ortiz, the fighters with similar numbers of victories and no interruptions would have the right to claim that title.



That said, this is a chance for Hughes to feed his ego, and if you are a hardcore fan of the former UFC welterweight champion, as my brother is, then you will enjoy the book. If you see the world as it really is, and are honest with yourself about the sport, then you will have a much harder time choking down his immodest bullshit.


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Silva vs. Irvin

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Preview for Affliction: BANNED

I've been looking over the UFC's July 19th card alongside the Affliction card and the thought that keeps crossing my mind is "Why are there no pictures for any of these guys?"

Obviously, that's indicative of the larger problem. The larger problem is that the UFC is making Anderson Silva's 205 pound debut on a night that should belong to the company that put together the better card, and that is, without a doubt, Affliction.

With all of the low-profile debuts on the UFC card, it's nice to look at the Affliction card and a card that has fight-for-fight quality.

So, here are my thoughts (bottom-to-top):

Edwin Dewees vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

I'm shocked that Babyface is such a huge underdog, because I think that Little Nog is aging and that his career is nearing the close. Still, I'm not surprised that people are picking Nog.

It's easy to look at this fight and see the guy with better jiu-jitsu and boxing (Nogueira) technically picking apart Dewees. I'm going to say, for the sake of picks: Nogueira by Round One Submission.

Still, if you are seeing the sometimes 5/1 odds that I am, throw down some money on Dewees. Those are way better odds than the fight actually is. The chance of another Nogueira collapse in the wake of the Sokoudjou fight and at his age, against a young, seasoned Dewees is a possibility.

Mike Pyle vs. J.J. Ambrose

This another fight where the odds are swinging hard in favor of Pyle. I think that's appropriate and think that Pyle will take this fight pretty easily. I'm going with a Round One TKO in favor of Pyle.

Vitor Belfort vs. Terry Martin

This is another fight with absurd odds. Belfort is a heavy favorite and that makes sense, since Martin's 205 pound career isn't phenomenal, but Belfort has been less than dominant lately, and it's not a stretch to call him a shadow of his former self.

That said, for the sake of picks, I'll go with the probable Vitor Belfort by Round 2 TKO, but I'm going to keep the possibility of a Belfort collapse in my periphery and remember that Martin dominated now highly touted UFC 205 pounder James Irvin for a full five minutes before taking a knee to the forehead.

If you see good odds for Martin, toss a little down. It's always a possibility, especially when a guy has Martin's power.

Andrei Arlovski vs. Ben Rothwell

Arlovski is a top ten heavyweight, make no mistake. I think that Rothwell will lose this fight, the real question is how he loses it. Rothwell can make an argument for himself as a low top ten guy if he takes Andrei the distance, and if he mixes it up more than Werdum did.

Rothwell loses this fight everywhere to a more athletic, more skilled Arlovski, and while I think, for the sake of picks, that Arlovski will take it by Round 2 TKO. Still, Rothwell will work hard to take it the distance.

Justin Levens vs. Ray Lazama

This is an easy call in favor of Levens. He's more experienced and he's got alot more power. Ray Lazama is one of the few guys on this card who isn't well known, so we'll see what he's got. Still, the smart money is on Levens by TKO, Round One.

Mark Hominick vs. Savant Young

Young vs. Hominick is one of the closest fights on the cards, in terms of odds, and it's also the most exciting, at least in my mind. Hominick is a small circuit legend and a 145 pound warrior (yes, I'm aware he doesn't fight exclusively at that weight class, but that's where he should fight). He's fought alot of great guys, he's had alot of great fights, and he's up for another appearance on what will be the best card of the year.

He's fighting Savant Young, and Young is an IFL superstar, if that's not too severe of an oxymoron. Personally, I like Savant. I think he's exciting and he throws bombs and he can take a shot.

Still, I'm going with Hominick in this fight. I think that the first two rounds will be exciting, and that Hominick will finish with a TKO towards the end of Round Two.

Matt Lindland vs. Fabio Negao

I'm juiced for the return of Matt Lindland. This is a guy who was, for a long time, the 185 pound king, and that only ever changed because he stopped fighting at 185, and the advent of Anderson Silva. It will be interesting to see if he has that power that he used to have, after all, he took down Fedor easily and he's done that to every opponent he's faced in recent memory.

The smart money is on Lindland, and, in fact, so is all of the money. Lindland is a heavy favorite, and there's a reason for this. I don't expect him to let Negao out of the first. I'm thinking Lindland by Round One TKO.

Renato Sobral vs. Mike Whitehead

Whitehead vs. Sobral is going to be a good fight, and I think that Babalu is waiting for this fight to hit the ground. Both of these guys are solid grapplers, and it's not clear whether Whitehead will try and put Babalu on his back, still, that seems like the probably gameplan.

If Whitehead doesn't try to get on top, he's really screwed, because Babalu could end up on top and finish way easier there.

I think Babalu will, top or bottom, catch the Submission in the First.

Aleksander Emelianenko vs. Paul Buentello

Alot of people will call Buentello a washout, and that's a little bit true, but he still knows how to throw the leather. I think that these guys will make it exciting, but I expect an early knockout for Emelianenko, as Buentello's chin is not what it once was.

They may trade a few punches, there may even be some nice movement in the pocket on the part of Buentello, but Emelianenko, being the giant thug that he is, will turn this fight into a brawl. So, we'll call it Emelianenko via knock out in the first.

Josh Barnett vs. Pedro Rizzo

This is a hard fight to call. Obviously, both have been inactive of late, and Rizzo hadn't fought a top tier opponent in a long time until he showed up and fought Jeff Monson. Still, Rizzo did something that few are capable of, and he knocked Monson out.

In terms of the matchup, this is a striker/grappler war. Expect Rizzo to look for some power shots, expect him to do some damage, but Barnett will look for that Greco clinch he knows so well, and he'll look to put Rizzo on his back.

The question is whether Barnett will be able to close the distance. If he can't, and Rizzo keeps him at bay for a full round or round and a half, he may do damage enough to put Barnett to sleep with a hard shot. Still, I think Barnett will get in there and Barnett will take it by Submission late in the first.

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia

Obviously, this is the fight people care about, and what's sad is that I don't have alot to say that I haven't already said, and that hasn't been repeated by every critic and analyst and fan around the internet.

I think that Fedor and Sylvia will not stay standing long. I think that Fedor's clinch is going to be hard for Sylvia to stay out of, and I think that Big Tim will end up on his back. If that happens, I think Fedor will get a TKO by groundnpound or a submission from side control.

Even if this fight stays standing, and Tim fights off of his back foot, hiding behind that jab, I think that Fedor will do damage and come off looking like the aggressor. The only way that Tim can win this fight is to hurt Fedor a few times to win rounds, because the chances of a finish are not very good.

Still, I'm going with Fedor by way of a groundnpound TKO in Round One, proving that he is still the king of the big men.

Well, I was wrong...

... about Almeida vs. Cote.

Sorry guys. Shit happens.

Why Almeida vs. Cote is going to be a Massacre

I could simplify this statement to read: Cote's submission game sucks, but let me elaborate a little bit.

Cote has fought one serious jiu-jitsu fighter in the UFC, and that was Travis Lutter. Lutter decimated him, but it's not just that Lutter beat him, it's also that Almeida is a world better than Lutter.

Almeida has one of the best submission game's in this division, and while I'm not a Gracie Barra guy, I have to acknowledge that this guy is a warrior with some of the best skills on the ground that this division has ever seen.

Really, I don't see any way that Cote is coming out of this fight without tapping.