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Monday, February 28, 2011
Zhang Tie Quan Becomes First Chinese Fighter to Win in the UFC
by Michael David Smith
In a sign of the continuing worldwide growth of mixed martial arts, the UFC is in Australia this weekend, and China's Zhang Tie Quan earned a victory in a fight broadcast internationally on Facebook.
Zhang became the first Chinese fighter ever to fight in the UFC, and he became the first Chinese fighter ever to win in the UFC when he choked out Jason Reinhardt in the first round of their UFC 127 bout.
The fight was short and sweet, with Zhang quickly locking in a guillotine choke and putting Reinhardt to sleep. Reinhardt, a 41-year-old who hadn't fought in three years, was no challenge for Zhang at all.
In a sign of the continuing worldwide growth of mixed martial arts, the UFC is in Australia this weekend, and China's Zhang Tie Quan earned a victory in a fight broadcast internationally on Facebook.Zhang became the first Chinese fighter ever to fight in the UFC, and he became the first Chinese fighter ever to win in the UFC when he choked out Jason Reinhardt in the first round of their UFC 127 bout.
The fight was short and sweet, with Zhang quickly locking in a guillotine choke and putting Reinhardt to sleep. Reinhardt, a 41-year-old who hadn't fought in three years, was no challenge for Zhang at all.
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UFC 127 picks, Vegas-style: Can Penn avoid a Fitch decision win?
UFC 127 betting odds (Courtesy Lagasse Stadium):
B.J. Penn (+160) vs. Jon Fitch (-190) - Welterweight
Jorge Rivera (+240) vs. Michael Bisping (-320) - Middleweight
Denis Siver (+250) vs. George Sotiropoulos (-330) - Lightweight
Brian Ebersole (+240) vs. Chris Lytle (-320) - Welterweight
Chris Camozzi (+150) vs. Kyle Noke (-180) - Middleweight
Spencer Fisher (+120) vs. Ross Pearson (-150) - Lightweight
James Te Huna (+170) vs. Alexander Gustaffson (-200) - Light heavyweight
Riki Fukuda (-130) vs. Nick Ring (Even) - Middleweight
Jason Reinhardt (+170) vs. Tiequan Zhang (-200) - Lightweight
Anthony Perosh (+150) vs. Tom Blackledge (-180) - Light heavyweight
Mark Hunt (+210) vs. Chris Tuchscherer (-270) - Heavyweight
Curt Warburton (+120) vs. Maciej Jewtuszko (-150) - Featherweight
Watch UFC 127 right here on Yahoo! Sports.
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Mike Shanahan Addresses Albert Haynesworth, Donovan McNabb Drama
Filed under: Redskins, NFC East
Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, who spent much of 2010 in wars of wills with his richest players, quarterback Donovan McNabb and defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth, has still declined to reveal whether either is definitely finished in Washington although the former ended the season third-string and the latter on suspension.In his first media session since his Redskins debut season ended with a 6-10 thud, Shanahan on Friday said that he and six-time Pro Bowl quarterback McNabb, for whom he gave up second- and fourth-round draft picks to acquire last April, haven't spoken in the seven-plus weeks since the end of Washington's season.
The coach finally talked with McNabb's agent, Fletcher Smith, on Wednesday for 90 minutes but wouldn't elaborate on their discussion other than to say the quarterback's future with the Redskins won't be decided until after this April's draft.
"I was able to address questions he had and I thought the conversation went well," Shanahan said. "I think over the next few weeks we'll get the chance to talk again, and then we'll make a decision right after the draft of the direction we'll go."
With only McNabb and the unproven John Beck under contract at quarterback -- although journeyman Rex Grossman who finished 2010 as the starter could well be back -- Shanahan is believed to be strongly considering choosing quarterbacks Cam Newton of Auburn or Blaine Gabbert of Missouri with the 10th overall selection.
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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/26/mike-shanahan-addresses-albert-haynesworth-donovan-mcnabb-drama/
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Poll results: Best place to train MMA? Albuquerque, California or Las Vegas?
If you're an up-and-coming mixed-martial-arts prospect and hoping to take your training to the next level, where would you move? That's the question we asked in our latest MMAjunkie.com/"Inside MMA" poll.
Voters could chose from areas such as Las Vegas (for Xtreme Couture, the TapouT Training Center and other gyms); Albuquerque, N.M. (Greg Jackson MMA); Coconut Creek, Fla. (American Top Team) and others.
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Amare's block helps Knicks beat Heat, 91-86
Tribune News Services
MIAMI -- With the game on the line, LeBron James got past Carmelo Anthony.
Not Amare Stoudemire, however.
And just like that, the New York Knicks -- with defense, no less -- knocked off the Miami Heat.
Chauncey Billups made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:01 left, Stoudemire blocked James' layup try with 7 seconds remaining to protect a one-point lead, and the Knicks beat the Heat 91-86 on Sunday night.
Anthony scored 29 points and Stoudemire added 16 points and 10 rebounds. Billups had 16 points for the Knicks, who rallied from a 15-point, first-half deficit and improved to 2-1 since the megatrade with Denver that dramatically changed their roster.
James scored 27 for Miami, which had won seven straight at home. Chris Bosh added 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Dwyane Wade finished with only 12 points for the Heat.
James had a chance to tie it, but missed a 3-pointer with 2 seconds remaining, and the Knicks leaped in celebration.
Miami is now tied with Chicago in the loss column, each with 17 in the tight race in the East. The Heat do have three more wins, but fell a half-game behind Boston for the top spot in the conference.
And it was there for the Heat's taking, after holding an 82-76 lead with 4 minutes left.
Billups was charged with a technical after the Knicks argued Wade knocked the ball out of bounds, and Mike Miller hit the free throw. On the same possession, James had the ball knocked away by Anthony as the shot clock was expiring but still managed to muscle an attempt to the rim.
Bosh got the rebound, quickly tossed the ball to James for a layup and a six-point Miami lead.
New York, as it had all night, came back quickly.
A 9-2 run over the next 3 minutes, capped by Billups' 3-pointer over Wade's outstretched arm with 1:01 left, gave the Knicks an 85-84 edge -- and few people in the sellout crowd remained seated at that point.
Billups added a steal on the next Miami possession and set up Shawne Williams for two free throws and an 87-84 lead. James answered with two free throws, getting the Heat within one again.
Bill Walker turned the ball over with 12.7 seconds left when he was unable to handle an inbounds pass, and with that, Miami had its chance. James drove on Anthony down the left side of the lane, but Stoudemire swatted the two-time reigning MVP's try away.
Miller scored 10 for Miami. Walker had 10 for the Knicks, who won despite shooting 39 percent.
It was the fourth and final regular-season meeting for the Knicks and Heat, and Wade could only point to one reason why Sunday night seemed so different.
"Melo," he said before the game.
True, but the scene was anything but mellow.
Predictably, it was a double-feature of sorts -- part showdown, part show.
Knicks superfan Spike Lee was having a conversation with Landry Fields during pregame warmups. Actor Michael Clarke Duncan and soccer star Thierry Henry had prime seats, tennis star Venus Williams appeared and Miami's notoriously late-settling crowd was in place in plenty of time to lustily boo New York's starters as they were introduced.
Oh, there was a game, too.
And from the get-go, James was in big-game mode.
Williams blocked Erick Dampier down low 2 minutes into the game. No problem -- James simply knocked the ball away from Stoudemire, then threw a no-look, backward-over-his-head pass to Dampier for a dunk. A minute later, James dribbled behind his back to get clear of Billups, slapped the ball to Wade, then received an alley-oop pass back and slammed it with his left hand.
How good was that one? Someone posted the clip to YouTube within 8 minutes.
Miami's lead was all the way to 51-36 when Bosh scored with 4:25 remaining in the half, and with the building roaring, Wade attempted a 24-footer in transition on the next Heat possession.
It missed, and the game changed.
New York scored the final 16 points of the half, starting when Billups made a 3-pointer, the first of four by the Knicks before intermission, including another by Billups and a falling-down, beat-the-clock version by Walker at the buzzer to give New York a 52-51 lead at the break.
Another drought to close the third quarter proved costly to Miami.
Up 66-60 when Miller made a 3-pointer with 3:30 left, the Heat went cold for the rest of the period. Anthony elevated over James Jones for a layup with 1:13 left, added a 3-pointer 34 seconds later, and the Knicks were within 66-65 going into the fourth.
MIAMI -- With the game on the line, LeBron James got past Carmelo Anthony.
Not Amare Stoudemire, however.
And just like that, the New York Knicks -- with defense, no less -- knocked off the Miami Heat.
Chauncey Billups made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:01 left, Stoudemire blocked James' layup try with 7 seconds remaining to protect a one-point lead, and the Knicks beat the Heat 91-86 on Sunday night.
Anthony scored 29 points and Stoudemire added 16 points and 10 rebounds. Billups had 16 points for the Knicks, who rallied from a 15-point, first-half deficit and improved to 2-1 since the megatrade with Denver that dramatically changed their roster.
James scored 27 for Miami, which had won seven straight at home. Chris Bosh added 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Dwyane Wade finished with only 12 points for the Heat.
James had a chance to tie it, but missed a 3-pointer with 2 seconds remaining, and the Knicks leaped in celebration.
Miami is now tied with Chicago in the loss column, each with 17 in the tight race in the East. The Heat do have three more wins, but fell a half-game behind Boston for the top spot in the conference.
And it was there for the Heat's taking, after holding an 82-76 lead with 4 minutes left.
Billups was charged with a technical after the Knicks argued Wade knocked the ball out of bounds, and Mike Miller hit the free throw. On the same possession, James had the ball knocked away by Anthony as the shot clock was expiring but still managed to muscle an attempt to the rim.
Bosh got the rebound, quickly tossed the ball to James for a layup and a six-point Miami lead.
New York, as it had all night, came back quickly.
A 9-2 run over the next 3 minutes, capped by Billups' 3-pointer over Wade's outstretched arm with 1:01 left, gave the Knicks an 85-84 edge -- and few people in the sellout crowd remained seated at that point.
Billups added a steal on the next Miami possession and set up Shawne Williams for two free throws and an 87-84 lead. James answered with two free throws, getting the Heat within one again.
Bill Walker turned the ball over with 12.7 seconds left when he was unable to handle an inbounds pass, and with that, Miami had its chance. James drove on Anthony down the left side of the lane, but Stoudemire swatted the two-time reigning MVP's try away.
Miller scored 10 for Miami. Walker had 10 for the Knicks, who won despite shooting 39 percent.
It was the fourth and final regular-season meeting for the Knicks and Heat, and Wade could only point to one reason why Sunday night seemed so different.
"Melo," he said before the game.
True, but the scene was anything but mellow.
Predictably, it was a double-feature of sorts -- part showdown, part show.
Knicks superfan Spike Lee was having a conversation with Landry Fields during pregame warmups. Actor Michael Clarke Duncan and soccer star Thierry Henry had prime seats, tennis star Venus Williams appeared and Miami's notoriously late-settling crowd was in place in plenty of time to lustily boo New York's starters as they were introduced.
Oh, there was a game, too.
And from the get-go, James was in big-game mode.
Williams blocked Erick Dampier down low 2 minutes into the game. No problem -- James simply knocked the ball away from Stoudemire, then threw a no-look, backward-over-his-head pass to Dampier for a dunk. A minute later, James dribbled behind his back to get clear of Billups, slapped the ball to Wade, then received an alley-oop pass back and slammed it with his left hand.
How good was that one? Someone posted the clip to YouTube within 8 minutes.
Miami's lead was all the way to 51-36 when Bosh scored with 4:25 remaining in the half, and with the building roaring, Wade attempted a 24-footer in transition on the next Heat possession.
It missed, and the game changed.
New York scored the final 16 points of the half, starting when Billups made a 3-pointer, the first of four by the Knicks before intermission, including another by Billups and a falling-down, beat-the-clock version by Walker at the buzzer to give New York a 52-51 lead at the break.
Another drought to close the third quarter proved costly to Miami.
Up 66-60 when Miller made a 3-pointer with 3:30 left, the Heat went cold for the rest of the period. Anthony elevated over James Jones for a layup with 1:13 left, added a 3-pointer 34 seconds later, and the Knicks were within 66-65 going into the fourth.
Source: http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2011/02/amares-block-helps-knicks-beat-heat-91-86.html
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Report: Patriots, Kaczur headed for split
The New England Patriots appear on the verge of lopping offensive lineman Nick Kaczur from the roster. 
The source told Rapoport the Patriots will have to cut Kaczur if they don't want to pay him a base salary of $3.4 million.
Kaczur missed last season with a back injury that required surgery in training camp. He was pegged to start at left guard until Logan Mankins' contract dispute concluded.
The Patriots got along just fine without Kaczur. Mankins came back and earned first-team All-Pro honors and started in the Pro Bowl. Right tackle Sebastian Vollmer was voted second-team All-Pro. Dan Connolly emerged as a quality backup.
Kaczur has been a starter since the Patriots drafted him in the third round out of Toledo six years ago. Left tackle Matt Light was able to play only three games in 2005, giving Kaczur 11 starts at left tackle as a rookie. Kaczur flipped to right tackle the next season and stayed there.
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/26431/report-patriots-kaczur-headed-for-split
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Cam Newton Shouldn't Change for Us, the NFL or Anybody
Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Analysis
INDIANAPOLIS -- Cam Newton felt the need to apologize, or at least explain himself, but he needn't have. The biggest star at the NFL scouting combine began his news conference by reading a prepared statement intended to explain his eyebrow-raising "entertainer and icon" comments from earlier in the week. He was contrite. He was humble. Then he folded up the piece of paper and started taking questions, and he was Cam. And that's when it got good.Newton is confident. He is engaging. He has a superstar's smile and a well-earned belief in himself that should make teams feel better, not worse, about making him their quarterback. He wears the mistakes of his past with a grown-up's wisdom and perspective. He has all the makings of a potential icon, and an entertaining one. The only thing telling this kid not to strive to be awesome is the stodgy old NFL establishment that recoils against anything and anybody who's off-script. Newton should shrug it off and keep scrambling out of the pocket en route to greatness.
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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/26/cam-newton-shouldnt-change-for-us-the-nfl-or-anybody/
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Strikeforce champ Coenen not losing sleep over last-minute opponent switch
Strikeforce women's welterweight champ Marloes Coenen thinks Liz Carmouche is more capable of giving her the kind of fight she likes.Miesha Tate, on the other hand, is perhaps the type of personality she wants to face.
Coenen on Thursday told MMAjunkie.com that in addition to her desire to test herself against the grappling skills of the top 135-pound competitor, there exists an ideological gap between the two that's driving interest in a future meeting.
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'Rampage' now wants Hamill: 'I'm gonna knock him into tomorrow'
All it takes is a little trash talk or perceived disrespect to get the juices flowing for Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
Over the weekend on Twitter @rampage4real, the former UFC champ sounded disappointed that he was booked to fight Matt Hamill at UFC 130 in May.
Hamill is filling in for Thiago Silva. Initially there were rumors the fill-in would be Rashad Evans. That fight never came to fruition, so Hamill it is.
Jackson's manager Anthony McGann told Yahoo! Sports' that Hamill's been running his mouth and it's lit a fire under Rampage.
"We found out that Matt Hamill actually requested to fight Rampage. His camp pushed hard for it turning down other possible opponents. When Quinton found this out, his opinion rapidly changed on Matt Hamill," McGann said. "Matt's strategically aiming at Quinton with the words if he takes out the ex-champ then he's in the mix for a shot. Those are brave words considering Rampage just beat (Lyoto) Machida. So the fight is set for May 28, Rampage doesn't take lightly to being called out."
Jackson said bring it on.
"He wants me? Well, he can have me," Jackson told Yahoo! Sports. "I'm gonna knock him into tomorrow."
McGann also wanted to clear the air about what happened when Jackson was offered UFC light heavyweight champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua on short notice.
"We were signed to fight Thiago Silva on May 28 in Las Vegas. He had some problems and we were told straight away," McGann said. "Around the same time Rashad (Evans) got injured and we were offered Shogun on short notice."
Rumors had it that Jackson was walking around in the 250-pound neighborhood in .
"Quinton wanted the fight but he was too heavy and there wasn't enough time. Both Thiago and Shogun, are guys that will get into a fight with Quinton, something his last two opponents haven't. (UFC matchmaker) Joe Silva gave (Jon) 'Bones' Jones the opportunity (to fight Rua), as he was good with the short time and we waited for our opponent."
McGann explained that the Hamill offer caught Team Rampage off guard.
"We were given Hamill on the May show and initially Quinton was disappointed. Matt just wasn't one of the guys he has been focusing on. He really wants Rashad again or Stephen Bonnar because both guys are disrespectful to him," McGann said. "He respects Matt as a tough opponent and he believes that Matt is someone who will put on a show which is what he loves to do. He just had never paid him no mind until Joe Silva offered him."
Silva was forced off the card because some of his drug test samples, from his win at UFC 125 over Brandon Vera, were in question.Sunday, February 27, 2011
Phil Davis stepping in for Tito Ortiz at Ultimate Fight Night 24
Phil Davis is getting his shot to move into the upper echelon of the UFC's light heavyweight division. The undefeated fighter is stepping in for Tito Ortiz at Ultimate Fight Night 24 and will take on Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Ortiz, who was last seen in a Twitter spat with Forrest Griffin, reportedly suffered a cut in training that forced him to withdraw from the fight.
Ortiz's cut is Davis' opportunity. He had originally been booked for a fight with Jason Brilz, but now is headlining the UFC's stop in Seattle as well as taking on a respected veteran in "Little Nog."
Davis had a breakout year in 2010, fighting four times and winning four times. He topped off the year with a Submission of the Night with over Tim Boetsch at UFC 123. When he last spoke with Cagewriter, Davis laughed off the idea of a title shot. But Davis has a chance to make a big step towards the top of light heavyweight division with a win over Nogueira.
Exclusive pictures from Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva
Photographer extraordinaire Tracy Lee was cageside for Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva and shared with us her excellent pictures. Click through the slideshow to see Griggs' bloody ear, Del Rosario's armbar and a sad Fedor.
Don't forget to follow Cagewriter on Facebook and Twitter.
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Scouts Inc. looks at combine bench marks
Scouts Inc. analysts Todd McShay and Kevin Weidl have posted their observations from Friday's doings at the NFL scouting combine. Quarterbacks, running backs and receivers checked in for measurements. Offensive linemen and tight ends started hitting the bench press.
McShay and Weidl noted Auburn quarterback Cam Newton looked sensational.
Newton's hand span was just a bit smaller than [Missouri quarterback Blaine] Gabbert's, but there's no question who wins the eyeball test at the quarterback position. At 6-5 and 248 pounds, Newton is absolutely ripped and appears to have somewhere in the range of 5 percent body fat.
Want to know how detailed NFL scouts are when quantifying human bodies? Hand size and wingspan are recorded. McShay and Weidl list some of the more interesting measurements.
They noted the running back class is unusually small, and liked what they saw out of Georgia receiver A.J. Green, who weighed in at 211 pounds and probably can afford to add another 20.
Colorado tackle Nate Solder wowed reporters when he showed up for his media obligation Thursday. He looked imposing, coming in at a little more than 6-foot-8 and 314 pounds. Then he executed only 21 bench reps, tied for fourth-fewest among all offensive linemen.
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/26369/scouts-inc-looks-at-combine-bench-marks
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UFC 127 Post-Fight Press Conference Video
by Michael David Smith
After the action in the Octagon is over, the UFC 127 fighters have one more obligation: the UFC 127 post-fight press conference. We'll carry the video live right here at MMAFighting.com.
At the post-fight press conference, the UFC reveals the winners of the Fight of the Night, Knockout of the Night and Submission of the Night, and winning fighters talk about what happened inside the cage.
The post-fight press conference will start shortly after the main event ends (around 1 AM ET) and the video is below.
After the action in the Octagon is over, the UFC 127 fighters have one more obligation: the UFC 127 post-fight press conference. We'll carry the video live right here at MMAFighting.com.At the post-fight press conference, the UFC reveals the winners of the Fight of the Night, Knockout of the Night and Submission of the Night, and winning fighters talk about what happened inside the cage.
The post-fight press conference will start shortly after the main event ends (around 1 AM ET) and the video is below.
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Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/02/27/ufc-127-post-fight-press-conference-video/
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MMA Marketplace: Fitch's sweet shirt from the press conference
If you tuned into the short UFC 127 press conference, you saw Jon Fitch's shirt with a dog on the front made by Dethrone. It's quite a departure from the metallic-heavy shirts that Dethrone often makes.
You can get the Fitch shirt for $28 from the nice people from Dethrone.
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Marcell Dareus, Da'Quan Bowers Battling for Top Defensive Lineman Honors
Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Analysis
INDIANAPOLIS -- Alabama's Marcell Dareus (photo above) is battling with Clemson's Da'Quan Bowers (photo below right) and Auburn's Nick Fairley for the title of best defensive lineman in this draft class. He likes to compare his game to that of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Warren Sapp, who has gone on record as labeling Dareus the best three-technique lineman in the draft.
"Watching Warren Sapp made me want to play football," said Dareus, who at 6-foot-3 and 319 pounds has the ideal build for either tackle or end. "I really got good at it when (the Bucs) won the Super Bowl (after the 2002 season). I was in middle school and I really looked up to him as a person and a player and I like the fact that Warren Sapp thinks that highly of me and recognizes me as the best three-technique."
In a moment of levity, when Dareus was asked to describe himself as a player he smiled and said without hesitation, "I would describe myself as a nice guy." He was quick to point out that he always helps up every player he tackles and he likes to have fun on the field.
The fact that he grew up as the sixth of seven children in a single-family home after his father passed away when he was young is something Dareus attributes to his humility. He is the second youngest and learned early on about the importance of hard work. He also showed respect to Fairley and said he holds nothing against him but he did admit he feels he is the safest pick at the position because he can play in both a 3-4 and a 4-3.
Bowers joins Dareus and Fairley as the consensus top three defensive linemen in this draft class, while Oregon inside linebacker Casey Matthews is considered one of the top prospects at his position. Both players commanded a crowd in the afternoon during the anticipation leading up to the Cam Newton press conference and handled it well.
Bowers (6-3, 280) is excited to do everything at Lucas Oil Stadium to show how well rounded he is as a defensive linemen and in the individual interviews with the teams he intends to prove he has no character issues. With the need for quality pass rushers an important one for most of the teams around the league, Bowers feels he fits that mold.
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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/26/marcell-dareus-daquan-bowers-battling-for-top-defensive-linema/
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Who gets and stops explosive passing?
Coaches love talking about explosion plays. You want to get a lot of them and give up very few. We looked at offensive explosion plays -- plays of 20 or more yards -- on Tuesday and defenses that prevented explosion plays on Wednesday. Thursday we looked at explosion plays in terms of rushing offense and rushing defense. Today, we'll look at explosion plays in terms of passing numbers.
So here's how the Pac-12 stacked up in 2010 (again, thanks to ESPN Stats & Information). The number to the left is national rank. The number to the right is the total number of explosion plays in the passing game in 2010.
14. Stanford... 48
18. Arizona... 46
37. Oregon... 43
40. Arizona State... 42
40. Utah... 42
54. Oregon State... 38
61. Washington State... 37
65. USC... 36
80. Colorado... 32
91. Washington... 30
100. California... 28
120. UCLA... 11
No surprise Stanford is on top with quarterback Andrew Luck, but Arizona at No. 2 proves that Nick Foles isn't just a dink-and-dunk passer. Some might use this as further evidence that USC's Matt Barkley and Washington's Jake Locker were "overrated."
Oh my, UCLA. Very, very bad.
Some other thoughts.
- UCLA was dead last in the country, and only Army in 2008 -- six! -- produced fewer explosion plays in the passing game over the past three seasons.
- To put the awfulness of the Bruins' downfield passing game into perspective: Every conference team more than doubled the number of passing explosion plays the Bruins produced, and Colorado was one play short of having NINE teams at least triple the Bruins.
- And the blame shouldn't fall on Kevin Prince: In 2009, the Bruins produced 35 explosion plays in the passing game with him as the starter for much of the year.
- Keep in mind that Oregon got 43 passing plays of 20 or more yards with a first-year starter at quarterback. Even though the Ducks lose their top two receivers, don't be surprised if that number goes up in 2011 in Darron Thomas' junior season.
- Oh, and anyone remember Jeremiah Masoli? Last year, the Ducks ranked 67th with 36 explosion plays in the passing game.
- Downfield passing was a clear area of improvement for Foles in 2010. The year before, the Wildcats connected on just 31 passing plays of 20 or more yards.
- In 2009, California had 48 explosion plays in the passing game, which ranked 18th in the nation and No. 1 in the Pac-10. Discuss, Cal fans.
- In 2008, with Luck redshirting behind Tavita Pritchard, the Cardinal had only 18 explosion plays in the passing game, which ranked 113th in the nation. In Luck's first year as the starter, 2009, that number perked up to 47, which ranked 25th in the nation.
- Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett has his critics, but over the past two years the Razorbacks produced 123 explosion plays in the passing game. In 2008, they had 45.
- In 2008, Tulsa had 82 pass plays of 20 or more yards, most over the past three years. In its 14-game schedule, that means the Golden Hurricane averaged just under six such plays per game. Tulsa is also the only program to rank in the top 10 each of the past three years.
But does piling up explosion plays in the passing game correlate to winning? Short answer: Yes. Here's the top 10 in 2010 with the team's record in parentheses to the right.
1. Hawaii... 80 (10-4)
2. Boise State... 63 (12-1)
3. Arkansas... 62 (10-3)
4. San Diego State... 60 (9-4)
5. Oklahoma... 59 (12-2)
5. Oklahoma State... 59 (11-2)
7. Tulsa... 57 (10-3)
8. Tennessee... 54 (6-7)
9. UAB... 53 (4-8)
10. North Carolina State... 52 (9-4)
That's two losing teams -- though Tennessee was a bowl team -- and eight with at least nine wins and five with 10 or more. Nice mix of AQ and non-AQ teams, too.
Now on to defense, starting with the Pac-12.
The number to the left is national rank. The number to the right is the total number of passing explosion plays yielded in 2010.
6. California... 25
16. Stanford... 29
23. Washington... 31
27. Arizona... 32
27. Colorado... 32
27. Arizona State... 32
41. Oregon...33
41. Washington State... 33
58. UCLA... 36
91. Oregon State... 41
96. Utah... 42
102. USC... 44
Well, USC gave up 30 TD passes, most in the conference by five, so the Trojans in the cellar shouldn't be a surprise. Utah is completely rebuilding its secondary heading into 2011 -- so does that many Utes fans feel better or worse about their standing here? A little surprised Washington did well in this measure. And this is another reason for Cal fans to feel good about defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast.
Some other thoughts:
- First of all, the difference between No. 23 and No. 41 is two plays, so there should be a little bit of skepticism about writing too much into these numbers.
- Obviously, the Trojans' young secondary didn't do well digesting Monte Kiffin's Tampa-2 scheme in Year 1.
- USC gave up 30 explosion passing plays in 2009 and just 14 in 2008, which is the lowest total over the past three years by six.
- Stanford's pass defense was a big question heading into 2010. Why? In 2009, it gave up 44 passing plays of 20 or more yards. So the improvement this past season was dramatic, and probably one of the big reasons the Cardinal defense took a huge step forward.
- Tip of the cap to Washington State: In 2009, it gave up 47 explosion plays in the passing game, which ranked 110th in the nation. So the improvement in 2010 was dramatic. Of course, the Cougars did give up 29 explosion plays in the running game, which ranked 117th in the nation.
- Utah gave up 28 explosion passing plays in 2009, so there was fairly significant regression in 2010.
- No team ranked in the top 10 three consecutive years, though TCU, Florida and Ohio State consistently ranked highly.
- In 2008, Nevada gave up 70 explosion plays in the passing game. That's 11 more than the second worst total over the past three years. That means Wolf Pack fans had to endure 5.4 big passing plays per game thrown against their defense. Still, Nevada did finish 7-6.
But does limiting passing explosion plays on defense correlate to winning? Short answer: Pretty much. Here's the top 10 in 2010 with the team's record in parentheses to the right.
1. Pittsburgh... 20 (8-5)
2. LSU.. 21 (11-2)
3. TCU... 22 (13-0)
4. Kent State... 23 (5-7)
5. West Virginia... 24 (9-4)
5. Texas... 24 (5-7)
6. Florida... 25 (8-5)
6. California... 25 (5-7)
6. Nebraska... 25 (10-4)
6. Temple... 25 (8-4)
6. Syracuse... 25 (8-5)
6. Boise State... 25 (13-1)
Only three of these 12 teams posted losing records, and they each went 5-7. That said, four won just eight games, so success in this stat doesn't correlate to elite status. Auburn gave up 44 explosion plays in the pass game and it went 14-0 and won the national championship. Virginia Tech gave up 45 and won the ACC.
Still, here's a guess that most defensive coordinators would rather rank at the top of this list than at the bottom.
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/39827/who-gets-and-stops-explosive-passing
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Lesnar picks Fitch; White can already see his nightmare on the horizon
It's all coming together perfectly. Georges St. Pierre could be leaving the welterweight division soon and the man to beat will be Jon Fitch. Fitch is a great fighter, but seems to drive UFC management, led by the president Dana White, nuts because he usually wins by decision. When it was time for Junior dos Santos and Brock Lesnar, on the set of Season 13 of "The Ultimate Fighter," to pick UFC 127's main event they had trouble deviating from the usual Fitch script.
Both fighters picked Fitch to take out B.J. Penn via decision. That's not surprising since Fitch has won five straight decisions and his last eight have gone the distance. What was surprising was Lesnar actually throwing down some Fitch knowledge. when he made his selection, he seemed to be aware of Fitch's game.
Each time Lesnar has been asked in the past to pick a fight, it's clear he really doesn't own a computer or watch much television. He fights, but doesn't watch the stuff.
Penn is the smaller fighter at 170 pounds and may have trouble keeping Fitch off him. White's nightmare would be another three-round lay and pray with Fitch rolling to a win and into position to fight for an interim welterweight belt.
White's first vlog for UFC 127 (NSFW) also includes the immediate aftermath of Anderson Silva's amazing kick that finished Vitor Belfort at UFC 126. UFC matchmaker Joe Silva calls the champ some sort of mother[expletive] and White kept saying "I've never even seen that before."
Watch UFC 127 right here on Yahoo! Sports.
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Tom Coughlin Speaks on Plaxico Burress Possibilities, Antrel Rolle Comments
Maybe it was because his boss, John Mara, said Thursday that he's on the verge of what almost surely would be the final contract extension of his career. Maybe it was because his team was the NFL's best not to make the playoffs in 2010. Or maybe it was because at six months from being eligible for Social Security, he's too old to care what anyone else thinks of him anymore.
Whatever the reason, normally taciturn New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin was positively chatty during a 30-minute session with reporters on Friday at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. This was the Coughlin, who after New York's 10-6 season, said of his critics, "They can line up and kiss my (expletive)" as opposed to the coach of few words.
As Coughlin explained about Giants safety Antrel Rolle saying his coach needs to loosen up, "He should have seen me a few years ago."
The kinder, gentler Coughlin is worried about the impending lockout because it will affect his relationship with his players, some of whom are heading into their eighth year with the former Captain Queeg.
"That would be, or will be, something that none of us in this profession really want," Coughlin said. "Everything we do is always a hands-on approach. You have the constant flow of information back and forth. I talk to (the players) a lot, I really do. Even prior to the start of the offseason program (in mid-March), guys are around all the time. Most of them will go away and then they'll come back. And when they come back, they come in. That's the way it is, that's the way we want it."
Other than acknowledging that center is a concern because of injuries to longtime starters Shaun O'Hara and Rich Seubert, his replacement for most of 2010, Coughlin didn't discuss what position he hopes to gain talent from in April's draft.
However, the coach was upbeat about Seubert being able to overcome a serious knee injury suffered in the 2010 finale and defensive end Mathia Kiwanuka returning from the neck injury that ended his season after four sacks in just four games.
"The injury factor did take a toll," Coughlin said of New York's 2010 season, while still blaming the failure to make the playoffs on a league-leading 42 turnovers.
Coughlin, who demoted Brandon Jacobs last August and clashed with him in September, made it clear that he wants the running back to remain a Giant. That's even though Jacobs' 147 carries last year were barely half of starter Ahmad Bradshaw's 276 and even though as he exited the team's headquarters in early January, Jacobs snapped,"You're all taking pictures of Brandon Jacobs leaving, wondering if he's ever going to return."
On the other hand, Jacobs, who'll be 29 in July and has a base salary of $4.65 million in 2011, is under contract while Bradshaw is unsigned.
"He's got a lot of gas left in the tank," Coughlin said of the burly Jacobs, who surprisingly averaged 5.6 yards per carry to Bradshaw's fine 4.5. "As you look at everything at the end of the year, Brandon was fresher than he's ever been, healthier than he's ever been and probably needs to carry the ball a little bit more."
But Coughlin was much less positive about the possible return of Plaxico Burress, who has been out of football since accidentally shooting himself in 2008, an offense that prompted a two-year prison sentence that figures to end before the one-time standout receiver turns 34 in August.
Whatever the reason, normally taciturn New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin was positively chatty during a 30-minute session with reporters on Friday at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. This was the Coughlin, who after New York's 10-6 season, said of his critics, "They can line up and kiss my (expletive)" as opposed to the coach of few words.
As Coughlin explained about Giants safety Antrel Rolle saying his coach needs to loosen up, "He should have seen me a few years ago."
The kinder, gentler Coughlin is worried about the impending lockout because it will affect his relationship with his players, some of whom are heading into their eighth year with the former Captain Queeg.
"That would be, or will be, something that none of us in this profession really want," Coughlin said. "Everything we do is always a hands-on approach. You have the constant flow of information back and forth. I talk to (the players) a lot, I really do. Even prior to the start of the offseason program (in mid-March), guys are around all the time. Most of them will go away and then they'll come back. And when they come back, they come in. That's the way it is, that's the way we want it."
Other than acknowledging that center is a concern because of injuries to longtime starters Shaun O'Hara and Rich Seubert, his replacement for most of 2010, Coughlin didn't discuss what position he hopes to gain talent from in April's draft.
However, the coach was upbeat about Seubert being able to overcome a serious knee injury suffered in the 2010 finale and defensive end Mathia Kiwanuka returning from the neck injury that ended his season after four sacks in just four games.
"The injury factor did take a toll," Coughlin said of New York's 2010 season, while still blaming the failure to make the playoffs on a league-leading 42 turnovers.
Coughlin, who demoted Brandon Jacobs last August and clashed with him in September, made it clear that he wants the running back to remain a Giant. That's even though Jacobs' 147 carries last year were barely half of starter Ahmad Bradshaw's 276 and even though as he exited the team's headquarters in early January, Jacobs snapped,"You're all taking pictures of Brandon Jacobs leaving, wondering if he's ever going to return."
On the other hand, Jacobs, who'll be 29 in July and has a base salary of $4.65 million in 2011, is under contract while Bradshaw is unsigned.
"He's got a lot of gas left in the tank," Coughlin said of the burly Jacobs, who surprisingly averaged 5.6 yards per carry to Bradshaw's fine 4.5. "As you look at everything at the end of the year, Brandon was fresher than he's ever been, healthier than he's ever been and probably needs to carry the ball a little bit more."
But Coughlin was much less positive about the possible return of Plaxico Burress, who has been out of football since accidentally shooting himself in 2008, an offense that prompted a two-year prison sentence that figures to end before the one-time standout receiver turns 34 in August.
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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/25/tom-coughlin-speaks-on-plaxico-burress-possiblities-antrel-roll/
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Saturday, February 26, 2011
Notre Dame Game Day: Irish grind out 60-48 win
By Brian Hamilton
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Tim Abromaitis collected the loose ball at the end of the first half, another Notre Dame shot gone astray, and then heaved it toward the rim as time ticked away in the first half.
The shot fell, the Irish senior pumped his fist and the team sprinted to the locker room for intermission. It seemed like the moment that would inspire No. 9 Notre Dame to extricate itself from the mire, but a 60-48 victory over Seton Hall was a matter of being bogged down all night and somehow getting over it.
Notre Dame shot 39.6 percent -- its second-worst showing at Purcell Pavilion all season -- and committed 15 turnovers -- the most since a Jan. 16 implosion at St. John's. But a 10-2 spurt to end the first half and a 13-0 run early in the second half erased an 11-point deficit, and a 12-3 run late sealed it.
For all the Irish struggles, though, Seton Hall had it worse, shooting just 30.4 percent overall and scoring just two points over the last five minutes. Abromaitis led Notre Dame with 22 points and Ben Hansbrough added 21 as the Irish kept pace for one of the four double-byes in the Big East tournament.
PHOTO GALLERY: Notre Dame wins | Saturday's box score
The Irish shot 32 percent for the first half, missing 15 of their first 19 attempts. That 32 percent figure is the lowest for any half at home, all season, and the worst first-half percentage for Notre Dame since Game No. 7. In November. The Irish added seven turnovers to boot.
But Seton Hall wasn't much better, shooting just 10 of 30 and going six minutes at one point without a score. But the Pirates did manage to build an 11-point lead, with Hansbrough and Abromaitis hitting 3-pointers in the final minute to shave the deficit down.
Then after Jeff Robinson notched a 3-point play early in the second half, Notre Dame went on a 13-0 run to recapture the lead. But the Irish would manage just one field goal in a nearly seven-minute span after that, and Seton Hall was as close as 44-43 with seven minutes left.
But a Hansbrough jumper capped a 12-3 run and the Irish were in control from there, up 10 with two minutes to play.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Tim Abromaitis collected the loose ball at the end of the first half, another Notre Dame shot gone astray, and then heaved it toward the rim as time ticked away in the first half.
The shot fell, the Irish senior pumped his fist and the team sprinted to the locker room for intermission. It seemed like the moment that would inspire No. 9 Notre Dame to extricate itself from the mire, but a 60-48 victory over Seton Hall was a matter of being bogged down all night and somehow getting over it.
Notre Dame shot 39.6 percent -- its second-worst showing at Purcell Pavilion all season -- and committed 15 turnovers -- the most since a Jan. 16 implosion at St. John's. But a 10-2 spurt to end the first half and a 13-0 run early in the second half erased an 11-point deficit, and a 12-3 run late sealed it.
For all the Irish struggles, though, Seton Hall had it worse, shooting just 30.4 percent overall and scoring just two points over the last five minutes. Abromaitis led Notre Dame with 22 points and Ben Hansbrough added 21 as the Irish kept pace for one of the four double-byes in the Big East tournament.
PHOTO GALLERY: Notre Dame wins | Saturday's box score
The Irish shot 32 percent for the first half, missing 15 of their first 19 attempts. That 32 percent figure is the lowest for any half at home, all season, and the worst first-half percentage for Notre Dame since Game No. 7. In November. The Irish added seven turnovers to boot.
But Seton Hall wasn't much better, shooting just 10 of 30 and going six minutes at one point without a score. But the Pirates did manage to build an 11-point lead, with Hansbrough and Abromaitis hitting 3-pointers in the final minute to shave the deficit down.
Then after Jeff Robinson notched a 3-point play early in the second half, Notre Dame went on a 13-0 run to recapture the lead. But the Irish would manage just one field goal in a nearly seven-minute span after that, and Seton Hall was as close as 44-43 with seven minutes left.
But a Hansbrough jumper capped a 12-3 run and the Irish were in control from there, up 10 with two minutes to play.
Source: http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2011/02/notre-dame-game-day-irish-aim-to-build-to-bye.html
UFC 127 weigh-in results: Headliners Penn (167.2), Fitch (169.8) official
All 24 fighters from this weekend's "UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch" event hit the scales today to make their bouts official, and headliners B.J. Penn (167.2 lbs. - in blue jeans) and Jon Fitch (169.8 lbs.) each made weight without issue. Both fighters engaged in a brief staredown that brought a raucous crowd to a fever pitch, but it was hardly the most intense moment of the proceedings.
That belonged to co-main event fighters Michael Bisping and Jorge Rivera, who each continued their recent war of words after stepping off the scale.
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Nonito Donaire vs Fernando Montiel Shows Why MMA Is Safer Than Boxing
by Michael David SmithSaturday night's Nonito Donaire vs. Fernando Montiel fight was a big event for boxing, and a big victory for Donaire. But it was also something else: A demonstration of why mixed martial arts is a safer sport than boxing.
One of the key differences between MMA and boxing is that when an MMA fighter gets knocked down by a punch, he has to be alert enough to protect himself, or else the fight is over. In boxing, when a fighter gets knocked down, the referee starts counting, and the fighter has until a 10 count to get back to his feet. Which means a boxer whose brain is concussed badly -- as Montiel's brain was concussed when Donaire knocked him down in the second round -- can stagger back to his feet to take more punishment.
Donaire hit Montiel with a huge left hook and then a right uppercut as Montiel was tumbling to the canvas, and when Montiel hit the floor it was frightening: Montiel's arms went straight up over his head and his legs were twitching, and it looked like he was having some kind of seizure. In MMA, a competent referee would have immediately called off the fight, and the ringside doctor would have rushed in to treat the fallen fighter.
One of the key differences between MMA and boxing is that when an MMA fighter gets knocked down by a punch, he has to be alert enough to protect himself, or else the fight is over. In boxing, when a fighter gets knocked down, the referee starts counting, and the fighter has until a 10 count to get back to his feet. Which means a boxer whose brain is concussed badly -- as Montiel's brain was concussed when Donaire knocked him down in the second round -- can stagger back to his feet to take more punishment.
Donaire hit Montiel with a huge left hook and then a right uppercut as Montiel was tumbling to the canvas, and when Montiel hit the floor it was frightening: Montiel's arms went straight up over his head and his legs were twitching, and it looked like he was having some kind of seizure. In MMA, a competent referee would have immediately called off the fight, and the ringside doctor would have rushed in to treat the fallen fighter.
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Examining the other side of oversigning
As I pointed out Thursday in linking to Chip Towers’ piece on Lorenzo Mauldin -- the kid from Atlanta who had been committed to South Carolina since last summer, but didn’t sign with the Gamecocks because of their numbers crunch with scholarships -- there are several different sides to the hot-button issue of oversigning. Mauldin, who’s lived in foster homes and has had an extremely tough childhood, said in the piece that he felt “shoved away.” To his credit, he also points out that he’s yet to qualify academically. It should be noted that some of the players who did sign with the Gamecocks are also in that same boat.�
Mauldin said he received a faxed letter from South Carolina the day before signing day informing him that the Gamecocks would not have room for him in this class. Obviously, they were holding a spot open for Jadeveon Clowney. But, then, who wouldn’t?
Clowney, the No. 1 prospect in the country, ended up signing with the Gamecocks on Feb. 14, nearly two weeks after signing day.
Looking at this whole situation purely from Mauldin’s perspective, I think most everybody would agree that it stinks.
But to be fair, there is another side -- South Carolina’s side.
Yes, the Gamecocks offered Mauldin a scholarship last July. And, yes, Mauldin accepted. But he was also told that there was a chance he might have to wait until January 2012 before enrolling on scholarship, which is more commonly referred to as grayshirting.
South Carolina coaches told him that possibility would only strengthen if he had not met NCAA entrance requirements prior to signing day.
Two weeks prior to signing day, South Carolina coaches reminded Mauldin that there might not be a scholarship available in this signing class.
So, at least, it sounds like South Carolina was upfront with Mauldin that he might have to attend prep school and/or wait until January to go on scholarship.
One of the hardest parts for SEC schools in offering scholarships is projecting who’s going to qualify and who’s not, which is why you see most of the schools in this league�offering more scholarships than they have available.
In the case of Mauldin, my sense is that South Carolina will stand behind the kid and do the right thing, assuming that he does indeed qualify. I think that’s been the Gamecocks’ intention all along. He says his preference is to still play for South Carolina, although he does have other options.
It’s just another reminder that the whole issue of oversigning is not quite as black and white as some people make it out to be.
The key is communication and being upfront with prospects and their families throughout the process and not springing a surprise on them at the last minute.
If a kid really wants to go to South Carolina or Alabama or LSU and is willing to wait it out and grayshirt, and that’s presented as a possibility all along, then maybe it’s not such an ugly practice after all.
Either way, it’s going to be interesting to see what kind of legislation the SEC comes up with on this issue in June at the spring meetings.
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/39824/examining-the-other-side-of-oversigning
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Cam Newton in command at combine
INDIANAPOLIS -- Auburn quarterback Cam Newton handled himself like a star Saturday afternoon in his NFL scouting combine news conference. Newton began with a prepared statement to clarify a recent controversial comment, smoothly and directly answered several uncomfortable questions and didn't for a moment contradict the idea he can be a franchise quarterback -- maybe for the Buffalo Bills with the third selection in April's draft.
"Football is my No. 1 priority," Newton said. "I want to make that perfectly clear. I'm just going to go into whatever organization that I'm picked up and I'm going to be lucky. I'm going to be happy. This is a dream that I've always envisioned myself doing."
Too much shouldn't be made of a 13-minute question-and-answer session. Let's not stamp him the most charismatic quarterback since Tom Brady.
But Newton's performance certainly was more impressive than Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett's earlier in the afternoon behind the same Lucas Oil Stadium lectern.
I dare say Newton came off as the most compelling personality among this year's quarterbacks class.
Missouri's Blaine Gabbert and Washington's Jake Locker were polished and pleasant, but they also were schooled to speak without saying anything and didn't face the kinds of questions Newton did.
Newton was in command and made no excuses. His voice had an edge to it when responding to questions about his father, the NCAA investigation, allegations he stole a laptop computer while at the University of Florida and why he'll throw Sunday at the combine and again at his pro day March 8.
On his father possibly being an overbearing influence on him: "The question has been asked [by NFL teams]. My answer is 'My father is just like any other father that wants the best for his son.' He wants to see his son succeed in every way possible."
On what he learned from the investigation: "The whole process with the NCAA has been me facing adversity."
On the laptop accusations, which Newton has addressed previously: "Sir, I'm here right now. What I did in the past is in the past. My sole focus is to perform at this year's combine. I'm not going to entertain anything that happened in my past."
On throwing while other quarterbacks have chosen not to: "I'm a competitor. That's what I do. For anybody to know me, knows that I like to compete. I'll participate in all the activities."
Newton's prepared statement addressed the uproar that followed recent comment to Sports Illustrated writer Peter King. Newton said "I see myself not only as a football player, but an entertainer and icon.''
Every word and action gets dissected while front offices explore whether to invest a high first-round draft choice and tens of millions of dollars on the face of the franchise. Newton, probably under orders from agent Bus Cook, tried to put the "entertainer and icon" remark into perspective.
Newton explained he was speaking to King because of an endorsement deal with Under Armour and "was making a point that I wanted to be the best possible ambassador for them just I like I want to be the best possible ambassador for whatever team I'm lucky to play for."
After that 35 second statement, he went off-script the rest of the way.
"It was somewhat misunderstood," Newton said unscripted. "It was partly my mistake of not making myself clear, and that was my fault."
Newton later underscored he knows he's not bigger than the game.
"The NFL doesn't owe anybody nothing," Newton said. "With Cam Newton or without, the NFL will be. I'm just honored to have this opportunity."
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/26398/cam-newton-in-command-at-combine
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'The other Overeem' grounds and quickly submits Sefo
Little bro is getting all the attention, but don't sleep on Valentijn Overeem. The MMA veteran is dangerous and especially a guy like Ray Sefo, who has so liittle MMA experience. Overeem stood with the kickboxer Sefo for a while then got it to the ground easily and submitted Sefo in a matter of seconds via neck crank at 1:37 of the first at the Izod Center in New Jersey.
Overeem's younger brother, Alistair is one of the favorites in the main field of the tournament. He's also the Strikeforce heavyweight champ.Sefo, 39, is a very good kickboxer, but trying to play catch up with his knowledge of the ground game. Sefo (2-1 MMA, 56-21-1 kickboxing) was more than holding his own on the feet. The more athletic and younger Overeem (29-25) was getting hit with some jabs and overhand rights.
With 3:10 gone by in the fight, Overeem, 34, dropped for a sloppy double-leg takedown. Sefo sprawled, but Overeem was still able to crawl his way into a takedown. Sefo found himself underneath Overeem, who was in side control. The Dutch kickboxer got his right arm under Sefo's head and pulled up. The New Zealander quickly tapped. When he rose to his feet, he was grabbing his left shoulder.
Strikeforce undercard (Courtesy MMAjunkie):
Jason McLean def. Kevin Roddy via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Josh LaBerge def. Anthony Leone via TKO (cut) - Round 1, 5:00
Sam Oropeza def. Don Carlo-Clauss via submission (strikes) - Round 1, 4:10
Igor Gracie def. John Salgado via tech. submission (arm-triangle choke) - Round 2, 3:04.
John Cholish def. Marc Stevens via submission (kneebar) - Round 2, 3:57
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MMAjunkie.com's John Morgan on TapouT Radio Live at 10 p.m. ET
MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan is a guest on tonight's new edition of TapouT Radio Live.Morgan joins the show to discuss this weekend's "UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch" event and other MMA happenings. The episode also features Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix fighter Josh Barnett, Suckerpunch Entertainment's Brian Butler and MMA legend Jens Pulver.
You can catch a free stream of TapouT Radio Live at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) at www.tapoutlive.com. Morgan's segment begins at 10 p.m. ET.
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Phil Davis stepping in for Tito Ortiz at Ultimate Fight Night 24
Phil Davis is getting his shot to move into the upper echelon of the UFC's light heavyweight division. The undefeated fighter is stepping in for Tito Ortiz at Ultimate Fight Night 24 and will take on Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Ortiz, who was last seen in a Twitter spat with Forrest Griffin, reportedly suffered a cut in training that forced him to withdraw from the fight.
Ortiz's cut is Davis' opportunity. He had originally been booked for a fight with Jason Brilz, but now is headlining the UFC's stop in Seattle as well as taking on a respected veteran in "Little Nog."
Davis had a breakout year in 2010, fighting four times and winning four times. He topped off the year with a Submission of the Night with over Tim Boetsch at UFC 123. When he last spoke with Cagewriter, Davis laughed off the idea of a title shot. But Davis has a chance to make a big step towards the top of light heavyweight division with a win over Nogueira.
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Sarah Kaufman offers to welcome Gina Carano back to the cage
During Saturday night's Strikeforce broadcast, former women's contender Gina Carano announced that she was returning to MMA after taking a break to film a movie. She did not have a return date or an opponent, but Carano will be back.
Sarah Kaufman heard this announcement, and was kind enough to offer her hospitality to Carano. She tweeted, "I would give Gina a fight that would force her to "leave it all in the cage" :D."
Kaufman, the former welterweight champ hasn't been in the cage since she lost her title to Marloes Coenen in October. Kaufman's weight of 135 lbs. would be a stretch for Carano, who has struggled to hit 145 lbs.
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Nick Ring confident against relative unknown Riki Fukuda at UFC 127
If you're not too familiar with Riki Fukuda, that's OK. His opponent, Nick Ring, doesn't seem to be a huge Fukuda fan, either.And yet Ring - himself still a bit of a mystery - welcomes Fukuda to the octagon on the preliminary card of this weekend's UFC 127 event in Australia.
Ring admits his Japanese opponent is a bit of an unknown commodity, but as his first official bout in 16 months on the horizon, the Canadian middleweight is more worried about imposing his own game than reacting to Fukuda's.
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