Welcome to Marlinspike Hall, ancestral home of the Haddock Clan, the creation of Belgian cartoonist Hergé.
Some Manor-keeping notes:
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It's belated... a huge congratulations to Cain Velasquez for his dominating win over Junior dos Santos, a TKO in the fifth round. That was the definitive rubber match, as evidenced by JDS' face afterward.
I am less of an MMA fan than in years past but my interest has been renewed by this year's TUF, in which the women are putting on a great show and taking many of the guys to school, in terms of aggressiveness, technique, endurance -- perhaps not so much in maturity, but you can't have everything.
Just to let Dana know a few things, as I have the man's ear, dontchaknow?
Please don't put Roy Nelson on the television again. Until ____________________. You fill in the blank. Clue: It is not "Until Roy can quiver for the entire 15 minutes."
Is Steve Mazzagatti still on the UFC payroll?
Could you add a "talking" penalty to anything having to do with Frank Mir?
As for Bellator's November match-up of Tito and Rampage? Puh-leeze. It makes me sad. It makes me cry. It does not inspire that warm pay-per-view feeling (but then, nothing does...).
To cheer myself up (and Bianca "The Octagon Nightingale" Castafiore), here's a visual of the heavyweight champ. Ahhhh.
If you don't know Kimbo Slice, allow me to introduce you. He is the large, built guy with the arms that are 90 feet long.
In the video below, he is fighting Houston "PimpleHead" Alexander, usually known for his speed and aggression. For some reason, PimpleHead changed his tactics and presented himself as an excessively cautious, tentative fighter who, to all appearances, appeared brain dead. La Bonne et Belle Bianca Castafiore was heard to opine that the massive zit inside his cranium must finally be releasing its PussPoison.
The guy who posted the video edited out the first round, for which he deserves your deepest thanks, as it consisted of "circle, circle, circle." I believe it was Alexander's i-will-bore-you-to-death technique, with the only saving grace being his occasional kicks.
Of course, Kimbo Slice did not acquit himself well, either, but is more easily forgiven, being new to the octagon venue and all. Harumph.
Indeed, had AcneTête pursued the kicking game with just a *little* more alacrity, he'd have won the match. Kimbo was nearly hobbled by the end due to the accumulated damage to his left leg.
The fans made known their displeasure and while I never condone booing, I understood.
This was Kimbo's first official UFC win (I *think*). New to MMA, he has had a long career outside the UFC, of course, with an international reputation as one of the world's fiercest street fighters -- most of his fights are available on the web.
In the numerous, heavy-handed clips of The Slice on TUF, he presented as some sort of Zen master. He also came off as timid, which is not a word I'd ever have associated with anyone owning that physique. The Fredster tells me the mot juste, the mot propre, would be "judicious," as Kimbo's legs and knees are showing the effects of years of abuse. Still, as someone who needs to impress impresario Dana White with much derring-do, refusing a fight, as he did at the end of TUF, was not the most judicious of choices.
Anyway... the coffee was weak and generally disappointing this morning. That's *my* excuse for blogging about a fight that wasn't at all spectacular. The impetus, honestly? BJ clobbering Diego last night, but most especially? My man Frank Mir, putting a quick and -- according to what I hear -- merciful end to things for Cheick Kongo. And the extreme frustration of not having Pay Per View...
