Never has a Madden game produced as much controversy as last Madden 13. The backlash was immediate when the game arrived without the coveted franchise mode. EA did the best they could to fix it after the game was released but the big question now is what the franchise mode will look like in Madden 25.

I can tell you that I was one of those angry old-school Madden players that looked on with confusion as I tried to find the franchise mode last year. Yes I saw Connected Careers but that couldn’t be the franchise mode right? Nope it was and it missed some of my favorite elements about the game. It would appear after looking at some early reports regarding this year’s game is that the mode is back with some returning elements.

One of the biggest points of contention for me was the inability to import NCAA draft classes into my franchise mode. The reason the franchise mode appealed to me was that I could play with realistic players well past the end of that current season. Last year’s game took away that option and I quickly found myself bored with the mode after the second season. That won’t happen in Madden 25.

EA will bring back the NCAA draft class import to Madden 25. This is great news and a real bright spot early on as the hype begins for Maddenoliday 25. It also creates a little incentive to go out and get the NCAA game first. I passed on NCAA last year after import classes were abandoned.

Franchise careers as it is called has also brought back one of my other favorite features to the game. Players will now have the ability to control all 32 teams during a season. That was a big omission last year and another reason I grew tired quickly of the connected careers mode. I always enjoyed jumping into a big whether my true franchise team was involved or not. Removing that option made no sense to me and I am glad it’s back.

EA is off to a great start but there are still plenty of questions that need to be answered about the updated franchise careers mode. Is the fantasy draft back? Last year EA added the draft but only to online careers mode play. Quite frankly I didn’t care whether it was on or offline but plenty of players did, I was just happy it was back. I haven’t seen anything confirmed one way or the other on this mode.

Another big problem I had with last year’s game was the use of legends. The only way to play one of the legends like Barry Sanders, Jerry Rice, Lawrence Taylor, or Michael Irvin was to play them in superstar mode. Superstar mode is probably one of the most ridiculous features I have ever seen in a Madden game. Why can’t I have access to these legends in the franchise mode? I understand that the addition of legends would really blow up the mode, so why not offer it as an option when setting up your league?

The owners mode appears to have a ton of activity and options for players that desire to have a hands on approach to running their entire franchise. Again this is a mode that I never had time for. I really don’t care how much I charge for hot dogs or parking. I am playing Madden to win games! However, you are in luck if you are into that kind of activity.

Quite honestly I am still on the fence about whether I am going to buy Madden. I grew tired of last year’s game faster than any other Madden game and I have been playing since year one. The playbooks rarely change year to year and the game play has grown stale to me. The returning elements to the franchise mode certainly has me interested, but they still have some work to do before I place my annual pre-order.

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UFC on FX 8 is in the history books and last night’s event provided some very entertaining scraps, some controversial decisions and some excellent finishes in the final fights. Before getting into my post-fight analysis of this card, including what’s next for the winners of each bout, I’m going to make a slight complaint to the UFC.

I rarely complain about matchmaking or what fights make the televised portion of cards, especially cards that are on free television, but what the hell was the opening bout between Rafael Natal and late-replacement Joao Zeferino doing on the main card? In Natal you have a grinding, plodding fighter who isn’t really known for doing much of anything exciting, unless he’s on the receiving end of a knockout, versus a late-replacement fighter who is making his UFC debut and is likely to gas horribly after taking the bout on only a week’s no tice. The end result was a slow, plodding affair and the UFC missed the chance to show off a couple of exciting Flyweight fights, both of which were buried on the Facebook portion of the prelims. Or even the Featherweight bout between Nik Lentz and Hacran Dias, which had some importance to the divisional rankings in that division.

With that gripe out of the way, let’s go ahead and dive right into the night’s fights and take a look at what happened and what’s next.

Middleweight Bout: Rafael Natal defeated Joao Zeferino via Unanimous Decision after Three Rounds

I’ve already made my complaints about this fight being on the main card known, and it was for good reason. The opening round of the contest was exciting as the two men engaged in mostly a stand up battle over the course of the first, before exchanging knee bar and heel hook attempts. After that, Zeferino was exhausted and his pace slowed noticeably. Natal took control in the final two rounds and used a dominant wrestling and top control game to dominate the action on the mat and pound away at an extremely exhausted Joao Zeferino. In the end he took home the Unanimous Decision nod.

What’s next for Natal? He’s winning fights, but he doesn’t have a whole lot of big name victories on his resume. He probably deserves a step up in competition but if he takes too big a step, he could be in trouble. The winner of an upcoming bout between Tim Boetsch and Mark Munoz could be a decent candidate. As could a bout against CB Dollaway.

What’s next for Zeferino? He was a late replacement and stepped up on short notice when the UFC needed him, he’s more than likely going to get another shot in the UFC. They’ll probably bring him back for another fight in his home country of Brazil. I suspect he could also be cannon fodder for someone like Uriah Hall who will be looking for a bounce back opponent after his disappointing loss at the TUF finale.

Lightweight Bout: Rafael dos Anjos defeated Evan Dunham via Unanimous Decision after Three Rounds

As expected these two Lightweights engaged in an exciting back and forth brawl that was pretty close. Close inspection of the Fight Metrics statistics for this fight showed an extremely close bout. Myself, I scored all three rounds for Evan Dunham, as I thought he was the fighter often landing the bigger punches and who earned more takedowns and had better takedown defense throughout the entire three rounds of the fight. This fight again shows us though how dangerous it can be to leave a fight in the hands of the judges. Despite most fans and observers believing Evan Dunham had won the fight, all three judges disagreed and handed dos Anjos the hometown decision.

What’s next for dos Anjos? He got the victory and although it’s a bit controversial, it was still a very close fight. Still dos Anjos looked entirely too hittable throughout the fight and struggled to keep Dunham under control any time they scrambled on the mat. He’s cracked the top 10 of the Lightweight rankings and will get a suitable opponent, but it might be a dangerous match up. Donald Cerrone and KJ Noons have an upcoming bout at UFC 160, the winner of that fight would be a good match for dos Anjos to test his striking skills.

What’s next for Dunham? Despite taking a loss here, it’s not likely that the UFC will punish him too much for it. Afterwards on Twitter Dana White claimed that ‘Evan Dunham was ROBBED!’ so the boss at least thought he won. I doubt he takes a big step back at all, and may even take a step forward. I expect he gets a top fifteen fighter coming off of a loss. Mark Bocek was the last man to lose to dos Anjos, that fight would make sense. It might also make sense for him to take on Thiago Tavares when he returns from suspension.

Middleweight Bout: Ronaldo Souza defeated Chris Camozzi via Technical Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) at 3:37 of Round One

Domination. Many people figured that despite his impressive winning streak heading into this fight, Camozzi was simply overmatched and was going to get wrecked. They were right. Souza showed off his continually improving Muay Thai skills, pressuring Camozzi on the feet before landing a trip takedown and absolutely schooling Camozzi on the mat. He switched beautifully from an Omoplata to an Arm Triangle Choke and coaxed Camozzi to sleep quickly.

What’s next for Souza? This bout was originally scheduled to be against Costa Philippou. After the bout many people said Jacare should face Belfort in a number one contenders match, but that’s a bit soon and even Souza admitted that himself at the press conference. Top contender Yushin Okami makes some sense, but I think the best bet is to go back to the original match up against Philippou.

What’s next for Camozzi? He stepped up with very short notice to take on a tough opponent. The UFC isn’t going to punish him too much for putting a solid winning streak on the line against Souza in Brazil. Despite the UFC’s preference to face fighters coming off wins against each other, I think Camozzi deserves a chance to face his original opponent for this card Rafael Natal.

Middleweight Bout: Vitor Belfort defeated Luke Rockhold via KO (Spinning Heel Kick) at 2:32 of Round One

Go on YouTube and find this knockout. I’m not even going to talk about it, it’s just a thing of beauty. What I will talk about, is that this win possibly is still clouded by all of the TRT questions about Vitor, but he remains a dangerous fighter and is proving that he’s only getting better with age. In his last 11 fights, he’s lost only 2, to the UFC’s Light Heavyweight Champion and Middleweight Champion. Impressive stuff.

What’s next for Belfort? Despite doubting Belfort before the fight, I was proven thoroughly wrong. He was defeated soundly by Anderson Silva in his last Middleweight title shot, but he continues to creep closer and closer to a potential rematch. Unless Chris Weidman upsets Anderson during their Middleweight title fight this summer, Belfort will likely need one or two more wins. Yushin Okami is probably the best available match up for Belfort rankings wise and stylistically. Okami is the kind of fighter who will test Belfort’s ability to keep himself upright against a smothering wrestler.

What’s next for Rockhold? There are a number of decent Middleweights who are coming off of losses to match up with Rockhold here. Alan Belcher is primarily a striker and recently lost to Michael Bisping, matching those two up would make sense. A match up against former Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard could also make sense, as both are champions from other organizations trying to get on track in the UFC.

GSP – The Way of the Fight Book

Anderson Silva – MMA Instruction Manual: The Muay Thai Clinch, Takedowns, Takedown Defense, and Ground Fighting

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Well, the world of thoroughbred racing had its heart broken on Preakness Day when Orb finished fourth in the Preakness this past Saturday, May 18, 2013, so it will be another year before racing can dream of a Triple Crown winner. It will now be 36 years since the Triple Crown has gone unclaimed when the Triple Crown races roll around next year. This is the longest Triple Crown drought in racing’s history, as there was a 25 year drought between Citation (1948) and Secretariat (1973).

That, my readers, is horse racing.

I have to admit, that as a blogger, my job is to be objective, and accurate. As they say, “just the facts, ma’am.” Of course, like all writers, and everyone on the planet, I have a bias. The key is that I have to try my best to keep my bias in check.

That being said, I think after Orb won the Preakness, I confess that I got caught up in all the hoopla over his trainer, Shug MacGaughey finally winning, and the horse’s breeding, that I was not being the analyst I was supposed be. I apologize to my readers for that.

Let’s examine the coverage and the race itself with my favorite device: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

The GOOD:

Jockey Gary Stevens: Stevens, 50, came out of retirement some months ago, and became the oldest jockey to win a Triple Crown race, when Oxbow won the Preakness. I really was happy for Gary, even though I wanted to see a Triple Crown attempt.

D.Wayne Lukas: The legendary trainer wins his sixth Preakness. Many in the sport thought he was through, but never count this maverick out. One of the very best there is.

Calumet Farm: Calumet at its height, was one of racing’s powerhouses. One could argue that the farm, with its legendary Devil’s Red and Blue colors, was the equivalent of the New York Yankees. The farm fell on hard times in the 1990′s, but new owner, Brad Kelley is trying to revive the farm. It is a great sight to see Oxbow, who is owned by Calumet (the original silks were sold) in the winner’s circle.

The BAD:

Kentucky Derby Winner Orb: Orb finished fourth. From watching the race, it just seemed like Orb did not get the race scenario he was looking for. Many people, including the experts, and I thought the #1 post position was not going to bother him. We were all wrong.

Orb was bottled up on the inside. Joel Rosario, his jockey, tried his best to get the horse into the race, but it was not the horse’s day. I also don’t think Orb got that face pace like he got in the Derby.

The UGLY:

I saw the large majority of NBC’s coverage. I did hear the race on the radio, but I did see the race on YouTube, and watched it several times. The coverage was not as bad as the Derby, and they kept that useless Michelle Beadle in check.

However, was just awful was Beadle’s interview with jockey Rosie Napravnik. Beadle asked her some of the same stupid questions that were asked to women jockeys 20 years ago. Beadle asked Rosie some dumb question about being a woman jockey and winning a Triple Crown race, or something like that. Do reporters do their homework? Earth to Ms. Beadle, Julie Krone won the 1993 Belmont Stakes on Colonial Affair.

Well, that is my analysis of Preakness 138. To my horse racing readers, don’t fret, I remain optimistic that the Crown will be claimed. Some horse. Some day.

I leave you with the 1978 Belmont Stakes, where Affirmed became the 11th, and as of now, the last Triple Crown Winner. (I still wished my beloved Alydar had changed his leads.)

http://youtu.be/apBIGFWMFr0

Terri Bey currently blogs for CamelClutchBlog.com about Wrestling, NFL, and other sports/pop culture related subjects. Her work has appeared in BleacherReport and for F4WOnline.com. Terri can be found here at Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/TerriBey and at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/giopontifan

Kentucky Derby 139th 10oz Frosted Cup (25/pkg)

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Vitor Belfort is without a doubt a multi-dimensional UFC personality. Only Vitor can thank God for his strength and ask a rabid Brazilian fan base to beat up a reporter that dares ask him about TRT in one press conference.

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort may be in the middle of one of the greatest comebacks in UFC history but we all know about the pink elephant in the room, TRT. Belfort is not only blind to the elephant but is willing to assault anyone that has the gall to ask him about it. Threatening physical harm on a reporter for asking the question probably isn’t the smartest way to quell criticism over his TRT exemption.

I have to admit that I have mixed feelings when it comes to Belfort’s TRT. I agree with many that the whole thing just seems kind of dirty. A guy who has a better physique and appears to be in the prime of his fighter career at 36 on TRT seems oh I don’t know…kind of odd to me. On the other hand I want to give the guy credit for putting together one of the most impressive win streaks in recent years inside of the UFC.

I also do find the scrutiny here a bit interesting. A week after a report comes out exposing UFC contracts you have all of these media members with a TRT agenda, yet I don’t recall any of these people pressing the UFC this hard on contracts. I also don’t recall these same media members pressing Chael Sonnen or Dan Henderson this hard on TRT in recent fights.

Reacting to questions about your TRT exemption with threats and blowing off questions makes me wonder even more why Vitor is so scared to talk about it. What’s he hiding? Is he afraid of not answering a question properly? I don’t get it.

Beyond all of that the height of arrogance of any UFC fighter came at the UFC on FX8 presser when Vitor asked to have a reporter beaten up for asking the question. Whether he was joking or not (and watching the presser, he doesn’t appear to be smiling), it is an incredibly irresponsible thing to do, especially in a country with such a fanatical fan following. The UFC needs to act immediately and take action.

Quite frankly if I were the UFC I’d be embarrassed today. Belfort’s high profile win has brought the TRT debate to a level I haven’t seen in awhile. Fans and media in other sports are laughing at the UFC today coming out of this controversy. To cap it all off with their star fighter threatening a reporter for asking is something that makes the UFC look every bit as amateur and barbaric as their critics think they are.

I haven’t seen any kind of response yet from the UFC. If I were them I would have immediately gotten in front of this and not only forced Vitor to apologize, but force Vitor to sit with that reporter and answer any questions asked about TRT. That hasn’t happened as of yet and until it does, this whole thing becomes a bigger circus by the day.

Check it out for yourself at the 18:30 mark of the presser. Am I overreacting? Maybe, but Dana White loves to compare his sport to the four majors. I couldn’t imagine anything remotely close to this happening in the NFL, MLB, NBA, or NHL.

GSP – The Way of the Fight Book

Anderson Silva – MMA Instruction Manual: The Muay Thai Clinch, Takedowns, Takedown Defense, and Ground Fighting

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The first jewel of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby, is in the books. Here we are, my horse racing lovers and dear readers, two weeks later, and we are at “Old Hilltop,” also known as Pimlico Race Course for the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes.

The Preakness Stakes is the middle jewel of the Triple Crown for 3YOs. The race got it’s name from a horse named Preakness who won the Dixie Stakes in 1870 on opening day for Pimlico Race Course. Milton Holbrook Sanford’s Preakness Stables was the owner, and he was from Preakness, in Wayne Township, New Jersey.

Plenty of great names have won this race. Many of which won the Kentucky Derby, and some that either did not win the Derby, or did not even enter the Derby (the “new shooters” as they are called). Horse racing greats such as Rachel Alexandra (the first filly in 85 years to win it when RA won in 2009), Seattle Slew (1977), Point Given (2001), Man O’War (1920), and Alysheba (1987) have won this race.

Now, here we are in 2013, and Kentucky Derby winner Orb, who has been training very well, is going to try to add the Preakness to his win column. Can the Malibu Moon colt be another Kentucky Derby-Preakness Stakes winner, and then head to Elmont, NY to try to be the 12th Triple Crown winner?

Well, below is the nine horse field for this Saturday’s Preakness, and I will tell you what I think.

Preakness Stakes (G1), Saturday, May 18, 2013

Purse: $1,000,000; 1 3/16 miles for 3yos

Post: 1
Horse: Orb
Trainer: Claude “Shug” MacGaughey III.
Jockey: Joel Rosario
M/L Odds: 1-1

My comments: I don’t think the #1 hole is going to bother Kentucky Derby winner Orb one bit. I don’t think the so called “tight turns” at Pimlico are going to bother him either. Orb is the heavy favorite, and rightly so.

Post: 2
Horse: Goldencents
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Jockey: Kevin Krigger
M/L Odds: 8-1

My Comments: Well, the horse burnt himself out at the Derby, so we will see if Pimlico is to his liking. I am sure he will be going to the front, and helping to set up a fast pace. I don’t think he will be wearing the Black Eyed Susans though.

Post 3:
Horse: Titletown Five
Trainer: D.Wayne Lukas
Jockey: Julien Leparoux
M/L Odds: 30-1

My Comments: He has not impressed me, but if you pull for the Green Bay Packers, this may be the horse for you.

Post: 4
Horse: Departing
Trainer: A. Stall Jr.
Jockey: B. Hernandez Jr.
M/L Odds: 6-1

My Comments: This is the horse who won the Illinois Derby, but somehow his race was not counted toward the Derby. This is the “new shooter,” people are talking about. He could be a big threat.

Post: 5
Horse: MyLute
Trainer: T. Moss
Jockey: Rosie Napravnik
M/L Odds: 5-1

My Comments: Much like “Charge,” MyLute had some bad luck in the Derby, or he would have possibly hit the board, instead of finishing fifth. Rosie Napravnik may keep him closer to the pace. I’d use him in the exotics.

Post: 6
Horse: Oxbow
Trainer: D.W. Lukas
Jockey: Gary Stevens
M/L Odds: 15-1

My Comments: Did terribly in the Derby. He may be in the mix for the lead. Don’t have a lot of confidence in him.

Post: 7
Horse: Will Take Charge
Trainer: D.W. Lukas
Jockey: Mike Smith
M/L Odds: 12-1

My Comments: If not for a troubled trip in the Kentucky Derby, I think Will Take Charge finishes much better than 8th. Use in exotics.

Post: 8
Horse: Governor Charlie
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: M. Garcia
M/L Odds: 12-1

My Comments: “Charlie” is a “new shooter,” to the Triple Crown races. The Baffert trainee won the Sunland Derby last time out. In his three races, he has finished with 2 wins and a second. The three races were two maiden races (races for horses who have never won a race), and the Sunland Derby, so he is a bit unproven.

I’d use him for the exotics.

Post: 9
Horse: ItsMyLuckyDay
Trainer: E. Plesa Jr.
Jockey: John Velasquez
M/L Odds: 10-1

My Comments: After showing promise earlier in the year, “Lucky” wound up 15th in the Derby. I wasn’t all that sold on him then, and still not sold on him now.

Your winner of the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes is: Orb

For those who like to bet long shots: TitleTown Five

Well, that is it for the Preakness. Will Orb win the Preakness, and have 2/3 of the Triple Crown? Watch NBC at 5:00pm to find out. Post time is 6:20pm.

Terri Bey currently blogs for CamelClutchBlog.com about Wrestling, NFL, and other sports/pop culture related subjects. Her work has appeared in BleacherReport and for F4WOnline.com. Terri can be found here at Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/TerriBey and at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/giopontifan

Kentucky Derby 139th 10oz Frosted Cup (25/pkg)

ESPN Films 30 For 30: Charismatic DVD

The UFC has taken a few weeks off to catch our breath after UFC 159. That all ends this weekend as the UFC returns to the land of free television airwaves and to the land of Brazil for UFC on FX 8. In the main event of the evening the final Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold looks to move immediately into contention for the UFC Middleweight title as he battles Vitor Belfort in a Middleweight bout. The co-main event features former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Ronaldo Souza making his UFC debut against Chris Camozzi; himself a late replacement for injured Costa Philippou. Other main card action features a potential Fight of the Year candidate between always exciting Lightweight bangers Evan Dunham and Rafael dos Anjos.

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Lightweight Bout: Lucas Martins vs. Jeremy Larsen

Lucas “Mineiro” Martins is a 24-year-old fighter from Minas Gerais, Brazil. Martins is getting a second chance in the UFC after an unsuccessful UFC debut as a late replacement against Edson Barboza. Martins is a member of the Chute Boxe Academy in Brazil. He holds a career record of 12-1, with the lone loss coming in his UFC debut. Jeremy Larsen is a 27-year-old fighter from Phoenix, Arizona. He was a cast member on the fifteenth season of The Ultimate Fighter and lost at the live finale to Joe Proctor. Larsen is a member of the Arizona Combat Sports Gym in Phoenix. He holds a career record of 8-3.

Quick Pick: Lucas Martins via Submission in Round Two

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Flyweight Bout: Jussier Formiga vs. Chris Cariaso

Jussier Formiga is a 28-year-old fighter from Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. He is a member of the famed Nova Uniao Gym in Brazil and is a former Shooto South American 123-pound champion. Formiga is one of the top Flyweight grapplers and holds a career record of 14-2. Chris “Kamikaze” Cariaso is a 31-year-old fighter from San Jose, California. Cariaso trains at the Fight and Fitness Gym in northern California. Cariaso is a talented striker who holds a professional record of 14-4.

Quick Pick: Chris Cariaso via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (Facebook): Flyweight Bout: John Lineker vs. Azamat Gashimov

John “Mao-de-Pedra” Lineker is a 23-year-old fighter from Parana, Brazil. A fairly large Flyweight, Lineker is a former Jungle Fight Bantamweight Champion, winning that title in 2011. Lineker is a tough and well-rounded scrapper who is dangerous anywhere the fight takes place. He is a member of The Emporium Gym in Brazil and he holds a professional record of 20-6. Azamat “Tough Guy” Gashimov is a 23-year-old fighter from Dagestan, Russia. He trains with Greg Jackson’s camp in New Mexico, one of many Russian fighters to recently flock there. He holds a professional record of 7-2, but will be making his Flyweight debut in this contest.

Quick Pick: John Lineker via TKO in Round Two

Preliminary Card (Fuel TV): Light Heavyweight Bout: Fabio Maldonado vs. Roger Hollett

Fabio Maldonado is a 33-year-old fighter from Sao Paulo, Brazil. A former professional boxer with a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, he is a tough match up for almost anyone. He trains with Team Nogueira in Florianapolis, Brazil. He holds a professional MMA record of 18-6. Roger “The Hulk” Hollett is a 34-year-old fighter from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Hollett is a former MFC Light Heavyweight Champion and spends most of his training camp at Titans Gym in Nova Scotia. He holds a professional MMA record of 13-4.

Quick Pick: Fabio Maldonado via TKO in Round Two

Preliminary Card (Fuel TV): Bantamweight Bout: Yuri Alcantara vs. Iliarde Santos

Yuri “Marajo” Alcantara is a 32-year-old fighter from Marajo, Brazil. After coming to the UFC from the WEC as a Featherweight, he has since dropped to Bantamweight, but his lone bout at 135-pounds is a No Contest. Alcantara is a talented grappler with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is a member of the Marajo Brothers Fight Team, holding a record of 27-4 with 1 No Contest. Iliarde Santos is a 32-year-old fighter from Belem, Para, Brazil. He is a member of the Ulisses Pereira Team in Brazil. He is a late replacement for Marcos Vinicius who was forced to pull out of this bout due to injury. He holds a professional record of 27-6-1 with 1 No Contest.

Quick Pick: Yuri Alcantara via Submission in Round Two

Preliminary Card (Fuel TV): Welterweight Bout: Paulo Thiago vs. Michel Prazeres

Paulo Thiago is a 32-year-old fighter from Brasilia, Brazil. He is a member of the Constrictor Fight Team and is notable as one of the UFC’s most dangerous and successful part time fighters. He is a member of the BOPE (Brazil’s Special Forces Unit.) He holds black belts in BJJ and Judo and holds a career record of 14-5. Michel “Trator” Prazeres is a 31-year-old fighter from Belem Para, Brazil. Prazeres is a teammate of Yuri Alcantara who is taking this bout as a late replacement for Lance Benoist. He holds a perfect professional record of 16-0.

Quick Pick: Paulo Thiago via TKO in Round One

Preliminary Card (Fuel TV): Lightweight Bout: Gleison Tibau vs. John Cholish

Gleison Tibau is a 29-year-old fighter from Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Tibau is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu who currently trains in the United States with the American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. Tibau has been fighting in the UFC since 2006 and this will be his 19^th time fighting in the Octagon. He holds a career record of 26-9. John Cholish is a 29-year-old fighter from Hackettstown, New York. Cholish is notable as a part time fighter, holding down a full time job on Wall Street as a broker and being a Cornell University grad. Cholish trains with the Renzo Gracie Academy in New York, New York. He holds a professional record of 8-2.

Quick Pick: Gleison Tibau via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (Fuel TV): Lightweight Bout: Francisco Trinaldo vs. Mike Rio

Francisco “Massaranduba” Trinaldo is a 34-year-old fighter from Amarante, Brazil. He was a competitor on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil, where he competed as a Middleweight. He is a member of the Brazilian Top Team and the Constrictor Team in Brazil. He holds a professional MMA record of 12-2. Mike “The Wolverine” Rio is a 31-year-old fighter from Miami, Florida. Rio is also a TUF-alum, competing on the fifteenth season of the American version of the show. Rio trains with the Young Tigers Gym in Miami, Florida. He holds a professional record of 9-1.

Quick Pick: Francisco Trinaldo via Unanimous Decision

Preliminary Card (Fuel TV): Featherweight Bout: Hacran Dias vs. Nik Lentz

Hacran “Barnabe” Dias is a 28-year-old fighter from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dias is a member of the Nova Uniao camp in Rio de Janeiro. Dias is a talented wrestler who is absolutely smothering from top position. This will be Dias’ first fight since June 2012, almost a year ago due to injuries. He holds a professional record of 21-1-1. Nik “The Carny” Lentz is a 28-year-old fighter from El Paso, Texas. Lentz is a former NCAA Division 1 Wrestler from the University of Minnesota. Lentz trains with the American Top Team as well as the Minnesota Martial Arts Gym in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Lentz holds a professional MMA record of 23-5-2-1, but is 2-0 in the UFC since dropping to Featherweight.

Quick Pick: Nik Lentz via Unanimous Decision

Main Card (FX): Middleweight Bout: Rafael Natal vs. Joao Zeferino

Rafael “Sapo” Natal is a 30-year-old fighter from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Natal now trains stateside in the New York City, New York at the Gracie Fusion Gym. He is a talented grappler who holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Natal was originally scheduled to face Chris Camozzi at this event, but an injury to co-main event fighter Costa Philippou caused the card to be shuffled. Natal is a fairly one-dimensional fighter whose stand up is somewhat lacking, but his ground control is top-notch. Natal holds a career record of 15-4-1.

Joao “The Brazilian Samurai” Zeferino is a 27-year-old fighter from Santa Catarina, Brazil. Zeferino is a member of the Nitrix Fight Team in his hometown of Florianopolis, Brazil. Zeferino will be making his UFC debut in this bout and is entering the UFC on a seven-fight winning streak. Zeferino is tough and well rounded and has a number of victories via Submission. Despite a strong 13-4 record, he lacks a signature win on his resume and the most notable fighter on his docket is probably Sean Salmon.

Analysis and Prediction: Natal has many faults, he’s overly cocky and thinks very highly of himself, which often leads to blunders inside the cage. That same arrogance cost him in his bout against Andrew Craig. Still he should have the skills necessary to dispatch of Zeferino. Natal controls the action on the mat throughout all three rounds as he takes Zeferino down in all three rounds. Rafael Natal via Unanimous Decision

Main Card (FX): Lightweight Bout: Rafael dos Anjos vs. Evan Dunham

Rafael dos Anjos is a 28-year-old fighter from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is a member of the Evolve MMA Gym, training in his hometown. Dos Anjos is a talented grappler who holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Despite his grappling prowess, in his most recent fights he has been having a great deal of success using his rapidly developing Muay Thai skills. Dos Anjos is currently riding a three fight-winning streak and it includes two dominant decision victories over Anthony Njokuani and Mark Bocek. Dos Anjos holds a career record of 18-6.

Evan Dunham is a 31-year-old fighter from Eugene, Oregon. Dunham trains at the Throwdown Training Center in Las Vegas, Nevada and he occasionally spends time at his former gym Xtreme Couture. Dunham is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu who is prone to getting into brawls at times. Dunham is known as a somewhat slow starter, who takes a while to get going in some of his fights, but once he does, he is one of the most exciting fighters in the Lightweight division to watch, holding three Fight of the Night Bonuses. He holds a career record of 14-3.

Analysis and Prediction: This has to be considered a front-runner for the Fight of the Night bonus. Dos Anjos is coming along nicely with his skill development and seems happy to brawl it out on the feet recently. Dunham is a notoriously slow starter, which means he often has to fight from behind on the scorecards. That could be a problem, because dos Anjos doesn’t give up rounds easily. Dunham is a talented wrestler, but dos Anjos’ grappling is top-notch which means he could be tough to corral on the ground. In the end I think Dunham’s slow start will be his downfall. Rafael dos Anjos via Unanimous Decision

Main Card (FX): Middleweight Bout: Ronaldo Souza vs. Chris Camozzi

Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza is a 33-year-old fighter from Vila Velha, Brazil. Souza is a member of the Black House Training Center in Manaus, Brazil. He is one of the most talented grapplers in the world, holding black belts in both Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Judo. Souza is a 5-time World Jiu Jitsu Champion, including a number of open weight titles in submission grappling tournaments. Despite Souza’s excellent grappling credentials, his overall MMA game has come a long way as his striking has improved by leaps and bounds since his initial entry into MMA in 2003. Souza is a former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion who holds an MMA record of 17-3 with 1 No Contest.

Chris Camozzi is a 26-year-old fighter from Alameda, California. Camozzi was a cast member on the eleventh season of The Ultimate Fighter but was ultimately removed from the competition due to injury. Camozzi is a member of the Factory X Muay Thai Gym in Lakewood, Colorado. He is currently riding a four-fight winning streak and is getting a shot in the co-main event after some card shuffling resulting from an injury to Costa Philippou. Camozzi is a grinder who doesn’t really excel at any one thing, but is capable of fighting anywhere the fight goes. He holds a career record of 19-5.

Analysis and Prediction: Camozzi is currently riding an impressive winning streak, but it’s hardly been against top-notch talent. Jacare on the other hand is going to be a whole different animal to deal with. Camozzi is a grinder, but Souza is going to put him through a meat grinder. Souza’s Muay Thai has improved to the space where he can hang with Camozzi on the feet and if he gets Camozzi on the ground, he’s submitting him. By the end of round two, I think he does just that. Ronaldo Souza via Submission in Round Two

Main Card (FX): Middleweight Bout: Vitor Belfort vs. Luke Rockhold

Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort is a 35-year-old fighter from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Belfort is a veteran of the sport, who has been competing professionally since 1996. Belfort is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and also won a UFC Heavyweight Tournament at UFC 12. Belfort has fought for a number of major MMA promotions, including Cage Rage, Affliction, Strikeforce and PRIDE. He holds black belts in both Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, although he is most well known for his striking skills. Brazil lives and resides in the United States. Belfort is a member of the Blackzillians, training in Boca Raton, Florida at the Jaco Hybrid Training Center. He holds a professional MMA record of 22-10.

Luke Rockhold is a 28-year-old fighter from Santa Cruz, California. Rockhold is a talented kick boxer but is well rounded and can fight effectively both on the mat and at range on the feet. Rockhold is a former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion and was the final man to hold the title when the promotion folded. This fight will mark Rockhold’s UFC debut and will be his first fight since July 2012 after nagging injuries have kept him out of action for 10 months. Rockhold holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and has won a number of Gold medals in the IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championships. Rockhold is a member of the American Kickboxing Academy training in San Jose, California. He holds a professional record of 10-1.

Analysis and Prediction: Many fans and media pundits have questioned the UFC continually putting Belfort on Brazilian cards, where there is no athletic commission and it’s widely believed that he’s using TRT constantly. I have to agree with them, but like Kenny Florian recently stated on UFC Tonight, this fight isn’t going to be about Testosterone, it’s going to come down to skill.

Belfort is an absolute demon in the first round, but as we’ve seen throughout his career he has struggled in fights where he gets dragged into deeper waters. Rockhold on the other hand is a top-notch competitor with excellent cardio. One thing that could affect this fight is the dreaded case of Octagon jitters. Fighting in hostile territory, in his first UFC fight after nearly a year layoff, could certainly mess with Rockhold’s head come fight time.

I think that Rockhold as the striking skills to exchange with Belfort on the outside without getting lit up. Rockhold is hard to hit and his footwork and timing are excellent. On the ground, Belfort probably has the higher credentials, but Rockhold has shown more impressive ground skills throughout his career and is probably the smarter fighter, which means he might be looking for takedowns. In the end this fight is really close, but I think the longer the fight lsts the more it favors Rockhold who is accustomed to fighting for five full rounds already from his reign as Strikeforce Champion. Luke Rockhold via TKO in Round Four

GSP – The Way of the Fight Book

Anderson Silva – MMA Instruction Manual: The Muay Thai Clinch, Takedowns, Takedown Defense, and Ground Fighting

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I know Wanderlei Silva has been hit in the head a lot over the last 20 years but this may be one of the strangest fighter-to-fighter threats I have ever heard. The Axe Murderer has a taste for Chael Sonnen’s blood and he wants to savor it.

As a pro wrestling fan I love a great war of words in the UFC. It doesn’t happen enough for my tastes. That is why I have come to enjoy Chael Sonnen’s verbal assaults over the last few years. Chael is a wrestling fan and he gets it. Sometimes what is even better is when Chael’s opponent plays along and it appears that he and Wanderlei are ready to do some serious business.

Just days after being obliterated at the end of the first round and ironically seconds away from winning the UFC light heavyweight title (Jones’ toe would have stopped the fight between rounds), Chael was back at it again and starting to lay the ground work for his next fight. Sonnen not only put the 205 pound division on notice but he singled out one longtime foe, Wanderlei Silva. Sonnen laid out the challenge to Silva who until now remained quiet. The Axe Murderer has finally broken his silence.

Silva officially responded to Sonnen’s challenge on Fuel TV’s UFC Tonight via an interview with Ariel Helwani. Silva not only wants the fight, but he also wants to take a little piece of Chael home with him.

“Wanderlei said that no one’s offered him a fight. But he did want to say that ‘Jon Jones and Anderson Silva have been too nice to Chael. I want to suck his blood. I want to smell it. Not just fight – I want to hurt him. Chael is a joke, man. He’s going to be second forever. He’s never going to be first.’”

Wow! Even better is Sonnen’s response to Wanderlei’s desire to suck Chael’s blood.

“I think the real breaking news there is that Wanderlei Silva put together a coherent sentence that somebody understood. But I can assure you, Wanderlei, I will not be signing a contract for you to suck on any part of me. I suggest you go to a bath and find yourself.”

This is going to be a fun buildup! The heat between these two guys seems pretty real as they have been talking trash on each other now since UFC 117. As a matter of a fact there was a real interesting video that made its way on YouTube a couple of years ago that had Wanderlei and Chael traveling together in the same car to an event. Wanderlei started chastising Chael for the things he said about Brazil in the buildup to his first Anderson Silva fight. Chael looked a little taken back but it was an interesting video as Chael just sat in the backseat and listened to Wanderlei preach to Chael about Brazil and the negative things that were said by Sonnen.

I am ready for this fight! No contract has been signed but this has potential to be one of the biggest fights of the year. I can’t imagine the UFC headlining a pay per view event on this fight. My hunch is that this winds up headlining a television event, maybe the first UFC on FS1 show? I have to think that the UFC won’t waste much time capitalizing on this and signing the fight. I expect some kind of announcement in the next week.

The Voice of Reason: A V.I.P. Pass to Enlightenment

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