Basketball Lull

With the lull in basketball (don't ask why I picked that word... Every key on this keyboard works except the sticky 'L' key and I need to type 5 L's in 6 letters with this heading... Ridiculous), I've decided today to blog about another favorite thing of mine: Mixed Martial Arts. MMA is rapidly growing, due in a large part to the 18-35 males who like seeing people get the crap beat out of them demographic. Not saying this is the only demographic, as the promoters, EliteXC, are obviously trying to broadening this by putting it on regular television.

First of all, let's talk about the important stuff: Chick fights. Gina Carano, the only girl anyone really knows from MMA, due to her being Crush on the new American Gladiators, and, oh, also, being really freaking hot, is the photo at the top of this blog. Carano will fight Kelly Kobald, a manly red head who is notably less attractive.




The first time I watched EliteXC, the Carano fight was great. The Robbie Lawler fight was great. The Kimbo Slice wasn't stopped when it should have been, and then was stopped too early. Speaking of Slice...



Tonight will be the biggest MMA event on broadcast television, and it could very well be the last. Kimbo Slice, a street thug that looked good on a couple of backyard brawls against untrained boxers(Youtube it), is set to face Ken Shamrock, one of the first and best-known fighter from the original UFC still fighting. Slice, as anybody that's watched MMA will attest to, is not in the top 95% skill wise, and has been fed a steady diet of terrible fighters and guys well past their prime to make him look great. This hasn't worked, as Slice got gassed and was taken the ground in his last fight against James Thompson, who was 2-6 in the fights leading up to EliteXC's first primetime event, aired on CBS, in late May. Most, including up-and-coming EliteXC heavyweight Brett Rogers, believe that the match should have been stopped at the end of the 2nd round, with Slice in the fetal position and doing nothing to stop the elbows being thrown by Thompson. Rogers called Slice out after the match, and it was believed Rogers would be Slice's next, and most worthy opponent, until EliteXC went with 44 year-old Ken Shamrock, the former "World's Most Dangerous Man".

Shamrock, who deserves any credit given to him due to him being a pioneer of the sport that advanced it to the point of it being acceptable to put it on regular broadcast television, is about 5 years past his prime right now and is basically being fed to Slice as a way to get more viewers. Shamrock has a big name and the pro-wrestling audience background that the UFC is currently capitalizing on with Brock Lesnar, but with him fighting Slice, just two negative scenarios come out of it.

One option would be Slice winning by knockout and beating up the 44 year old Shamrock, which is very viable due to his strength being his power before he gets gassed. Shamrock has also demonstrated a rather weak chin as of late, losing his last 5 fights due to punches and strikes. The other option would be Shamrock taking it to the ground, where Slice has no skills and Shamrock has been masterful. He has submitted guys in 22 fights, winning only 4 fights without finishing them by submission.

Either option, however, is not going to be great for EliteXC. Either their big name, besides Carrano, beats up an old guy much past his prime, or a guy much past his prime beats up their only money maker, showing his weakness to do anything besides punch.

My picks: Shamrock, 2nd round, submission.
Carano, Decision.