December 14th, 2012, will always be a day our country will never forget.
It was the day a young-delusional individual took the life away from 20 innocent children, six adults, and his own mother. He killed his mother before going to Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, CT., and murdering 26 other innocent people.
These young children will never get the opportunity to chase their dreams, have families of their own, or even get to spend one more Christmas with the one's they love the most.
It's bull shit.
It's time our country does something about this!
It was the second-deadliest school shooting in the history of the United States and one of the deadliest mass-shootings around the world.
Enough is enough.
Our country needs to take a stand together and work towards fixing this epidemic.
We can't depend on the government to solve gun control.
That is never going to happen.
We can't wait for the government to fix this.
It is up to us to take a stand and do something.
First it is time the media fixes their enormous fault in covering mass-shootings.
Why do you think individuals like Adam Lanza commit these crimes?
They want to be heard, even when it is for something as sick and disturbing as what we witnessed this past weekend.
In 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Kiebold murdered 13 innocent people and wounded another 21 at Columbine High School.
In 2005, Jeffrey Weise killed his own grandfather and 10 more people at Red Lake High School.
In 2007, Seung-Hui Choi committed the deadliest school shooting in our history. He gunned down 56 people on the campus of Virginia Tech University, taking 32 innocent life's.
In 2008, Steven Kazmierczak opened fire in a lecture hall on the campus of Northern Illinois University. He murdered six innocent people and wounded another 21. It was the fifth-deadliest university shooting in U.S. history.
Early this year James Holmes killed 12 people and wounded 58 when he went into a midnight premiere of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Auroa, CO.
These are just a few of the horrific tragedies that our country has suffered through since Columbine.
According to an ABC News report, there have been 31 school shootings since the Columbine shooting in 1999.
Since 1982 there have been at least 61 mass shootings in our country, and this continues to skyrocket each year.
In 2012 there have been nine mass shootings alone.
The rate of people killed by guns in the United States is 19.5 times higher than similar high-income countries in the world.
This is not acceptable.
I understand there is no way possible to eliminate gun violence, but our country is failing miserably at taking the right steps on taming one of the biggest problems in our nation.
I believe the single biggest mistake our country continues to make is the level of media attention that mass-shootings get.
Kids like Adam Lanza have gone through their entire life being a loner, not having any friends, being socially awkward and they just want to be remembered, even if it is for something as sick as what we witnessed on December 14th, 2012.
I wouldn't be surprised if Lanza got an idea from seeing all the media coverage James Holmes received from his mass shooting during the premiere of "The Dark Knight Rises."
It is a way for them to finally make a name, even if it is for all the wrong reasons.
The media needs to realize they are not helping the situation by all of this media attention, they are making it much worse. I wonder if Holme's wouldn't have received all the media coverage for weeks on in after "The Dark Knight Rises" shooting spree, if this tragedy might not have occurred this past weekend.
It is an answer we will never know but all of the media coverage is not helping one bit.
By allowing this story to take over all the media outlets, Internet discussions, and all over social media sites it is playing right into what Adam Lanza wanted: to be heard.
Nobody knew who Adam Lanza was. He didn't have any close friends. No one outside of his family knew who he was.
He knew if he just took his own life, he would be one of 30,000 Americans who take their own life each year that no one ever hears about.
Lanza lived his life as not being recognized. He was always ignored. He was a loser.
The same could be said for Holme's. They didn't know how to act socially. They wanted to finally be heard, and by taking their own life, it would not solve their sick need in being recognized.
They had to take 38 innocent life's just to be heard.
It is time our media grows the fuck up! Who cares about having the best ratings. Life is much more than making the most money and being the most popular news station. I hate our country sometimes because it is OBVIOUS that money trumps life in the United States of America. It might be the land of opportunity, but it is also the land of being selfish and not doing what is best for the majority of people.
I just sit here and wonder why the media does not get any flack for all of the media coverage. It plays right into what the sick, delusional, lost individuals like Adam Lanza want.
Nobody knew who Adam Lanza was on December 13, 2012.
Now, a day later, everyone in the world knew who Adam Lanza was.
It is time we urge news stations, media outlets, any type of media to eliminate their coverage of any mass-shootings. It will eliminate these sick individuals of being made famous, they don't care that it is for the wrong reason, they just want to be recognized for once.
By eliminating all of the media coverage it will eliminate these individuals from being recognized in the public.
I understand that their should be media coverage, but they should eliminate the attention of the person in-charge of these disturbing acts of violence.
I can almost guarantee more people heard about Adam Lanza from the media than the 27 innocent victims who lost their life. The same goes for all of the other mass-shootings that have occurred over the past 30 years.
Also, it is important our young generation takes a stand at school. We all remember young kids being bullied and picked on in middle school and high-school.
Instead of walking by ignoring a kid getting picked on, TAKE A STAND. Say something and don't be like everyone else.
Be the kid that takes a stand to befriend the kid getting bullied. Sometimes that is all they need, they just want to be like everyone else and have friends.
I wonder if things might have been different if someone would have been there for Lanza when he was getting picked on every day of his life.
Teenage bullying is one of the biggest epidemics in our nation that continues to get pushed aside.
"Close to 30% of kids between the ages of 12-18 are bullied during their teenage years. 14% of them have a severe or bad reaction to the abuse." - bullyingstatistics.org
This plays a big part into the next big problem in our country.
There is not enough money that goes into the non-Medicaid state mental health budget.
"One in 17 people in America lives with a serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, major depression, or bipolar disorder." - National Institute of Mental Health
"About one in 10 children live with a serious mental disorder." - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
From 2009 to 2011, $1.6 billion was cut from the non-Medicaid state mental health system. In 2011 and 2012 those cuts were even more significant.
While our country continues to fund wars going on all over the world, we continually see budget cuts that are worsening our nation.
Education, health, and many other budgets continue to get cut and we can see how this is deeply affecting our country.
It is time our country stops worrying about solving other countries problems, and fix the epidemics that continue to occur on our soil.
Our government, media outlets, and us, the people of the United States of America, need to take the proper steps to stop these epidemics that are occurring at an alarming rate.
It is equally on all of us to take a stand.
Adam Lanza is clearly to blame, but the fault is on us as a country too. We need to work on making this the best country in the world and it starts with keeping our future generation in good hands. We have a long way to go, but the proper steps can be made to help keep our young generation in safe hands.
My thoughts are prayers go out to every single person affected in this horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary school, the other 61 mass-shootings that affected families since 1982, and all of the other tragedies that have occurred in our history.
We need to take a stand as a nation and do everything possible to make sure these type of mass-shootings do not occur on our soil.
-To help donate to those who suffered in the Sandy Elementary school shooting you can donate money to the "My Sandy Hook Family Fund" to help the individuals that are grieving through this horrific tragedy.
The National Football League has become a laughing stock over the first two weeks of the season. (And, no I am not talking about the Oakland Raiders.)
Brian Stropolo was scheduled to be part of the crew as a side judge for the New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers game, but there was one problem: HE IS A SAINTS FAN!
Thank god for facebook or he would have called the game. The NFL became aware Stropolo was a Saints' fan hours before kickoff. They saw a picture of Stropolo posing with Saints' gear on when they checked his facebook page. This all started because Stropolo revealed his game assignment on facebook, which is an NFL violation. The NFL heard about this, and checked his facebook page and noticed him in Saints gear.
The replacement refs showed how inexperienced they really are this past Monday. (Just turn on ESPN, the game is still going on.) Okay, not really, but it sure felt like the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons played for hours upon hours.
Towards the end of the first quarter, Broncos' running back, Knowshon Moreno, fumbled and then things spiraled out of control. A Bronco came up with the ball out of the pile, yet the Falcons were awarded the football. It took the refs nearly ten minutes to sort out everything. Players from both teams got into a melee and players from the sidelines were on the field shoving each other.
Atlanta Falcons' defensive end, Ray Edwards, accidentally shoved a ref when he was getting into it with a Bronco and was not thrown out of the game. He was called for a 15-yard personal foul penalty, which was quite entertaining when the ref made the call.
He called a 15-yard penalty on 93-red. Red?? Are you kidding me, are you calling plays or are you calling penalties?
So far this year, including the pre-season, the Atlanta Falcons have been called red and Arizona. (Go to :08 of this video)
On top of this, the referee's misplaced the football on two separate occasions after penalties on Monday night.
In two weeks we have seen teams get four-timeouts in a half. Penalties get marked off incorrectly. Refs being intimidated by opposing players and coaches and losing total control of the game.
Okay, enough throwing the replacement refs under the bus.
This is not on them.
These are guys who were either retired, refereeing division-two, division-three, or community college football.
This is on the National Football League.
It's a joke.
Roger Goodell talks about player safety.
Yet, he allows refs who are clearly inexperience to be in charge of what goes on from goal-line to goal-line. We have already seen players get injured because they were not clear of what was going on.
In week one, Tennessee Titans quarterback, Jake Locker, hurt his shoulder making a tackle after an interception. The play was called for illegal procedure, but was not whistled dead. As Monday Night Football's Countdown crew says, "COME ON MAAAAAAN!"
The NFL is not going to budge on a new agreement with the regularly used officials because ratings are still as good as they were last year.
It's sad because Goodell always talks about player safety and the integrity of the game, which are both going out the window with the replacement refs.
Hall of Fame quarterback and current NFL analyst Steve Young said it right after Monday's game. The NFL doesn't care about any of that, all they care about is the ratings and the popularity of the game.
That is not going to take a hit with or without the original referees.
The National Football League has the money to pay the original refs. All they are asking for is an additional $50,000 to the average $150,000 salaries.
That is chump change for the NFL.
According to Forbes Magazine, the bump in pay for the refs would account for right around 1% of the league's revenue.
The National Football League doesn't care. They love having the power because there is no question the NFL is the most popular sport in America. It continues to boast the best ratings on national television every Thursday night, Sunday, and Monday night.
There are only two things that will fix this problem. NFL fans' must not watch football, which is NOT going to happen. The other is the refs need to budge and accept what the NFL is offering.
As fans, we better get use to seeing the replacement refs for at least the next few weeks. The replacement refs are scheduled throughout week five, and I would not be surprised to see them make it past week five this year.
NFL players and coaches will continue to intimidate the replacement refs every week.
You can't blame them.
The players and coaches are already at a disadvantage with inexperienced officials. Calls are being missed left and right.
The Baltimore Ravens are still wondering where the offensive interference was when Jacoby Jones caught a touchdown to put Baltimore up by two scores with under six minutes left in the game (they lost 24-23 to Philadelphia).
The San Francisco 49ers are wondering why an obvious block in the back penalty was picked up in the fourth quarter. Randall Cobb took a punt to the house in week one to cut the deficit to a one-score game. Even Cobb thought it was obvious he didn't waste his time doing a Lambeau Leap.
(Maybe the officials just don't like the Harbaugh family, hmmmm.)
We will continue to see easy calls missed. Refs saying a five-year penalty on the offense (Go to :14 of video.) They will continue to not even look the right way when making a call (Referee looking wrong way when announcing penalty.)
I feel sorry for the replacement refs because they are the laughing stock on social media sites and on radio talk shows. They are trying their hardest, but it is not close to good enough.
It's not on them, it's on Roger Goodell and the National Football League.
So when you hear Goodell talk about player safety and integrity of the game, it is a flat out lie.
If Goodell really meant what he preaches, the original refs would have been on the field during the first week on the regular season.
Penn State has taken over the headlines after they received a four-year bowl ban, lost scholarships, and fined $60 million dollars after the NCAA announced their decision. All of their wins from 1998-2011 were vacated. Joe Paterno went from having the most wins all-time in division-one football to eighth most. The Jerry Sandusky scandal is the most sickening and horrific story to ever break in the history of college athletics.
We are nearly a month away from college football being back, so let's take a break from Penn State, and get geared up for the 2012 season.
Alabama will try and do something no team has ever done since the BCS was formed in 1998. No school has ever won back-to-back BCS National Championships. The Crimson Tide dominated LSU in the 2012 Championship and only allowed 92 total yards. It was one of best defensive games any team has ever displayed.
However, it will be tough for Bama' to repeat because they lost a ton of talent. Four defensive players, along with star running back, Trent Richardson, all heard their names called within the first 35 picks of the 2012 NFL Draft.
This leaves the door wide open for the rest of the country.
USC is finally bowl eligible after a two-year ban, and they bring in one of the most explosive offensives in the country. LSU brings back a ton of talent on the defensive side of the ball and they hope junior quarterback, Zach Mettenberger, can help lead the way. Despite Alabama losing a ton of talent to the NFL, they had the best recruiting class in 2012, and still have some very good players returning. Oregon will depend on Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas to lead the way after LaMichael James left for the NFL. Georgia has nine defensive starters returning, to go along with one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Michigan has one of the most exciting and explosive players in the country in Denard Robinson, to go along with 13 starters returning. Senior quarterback, Landry Jones, will look to prove to Sooner nation that he can lead Oklahoma to a Big 12 Championship and contend for a National Championship.
Since there is nearly seven weeks to go until the 2012 season officially kicks-off, I felt it was necessary to give a breakdown of seven teams to keep a close eye on.
USC knew they would be one of the favorites after Matt Barkley announced he was returning for his senior year. Barkley threw for 3,528 yards, 39 TD's, and completed 69% of his passes last season. No other USC quarterback has ever had that high of a completion %. His 39 TD's in a season is a Pac-12 record. Those are remarkable numbers, the Pac-10 (now the Pac-12) have had some of the best quarterbacks to ever play.
Junior, Robert Woods, is one of the best receivers in the nation. Last year, Woods had 111 receptions (USC record) for 1,292 yards and 15 TD's. Keep in mind he played a chunk of the season on a bum ankle. Sophomore, Marqise Lee, is coming off a stellar freshman campaign and was named the Pac-12 Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year. Lee had 73 receptions for 1,143 yards and 11 TD's. Lane Kiffin believes that Lee could be the most talented receiver to ever play for the Trojans. That is saying a lot because USC has had a ton of talented receivers to rock the cardinal red and gold. The receiving corp is hoping sophomore, George Farmer, can help his former Junipero Serra teammates. Woods, Lee, and Farmer all played for Serra HS when they won the state title during the 2009-10 season. Lee and Farmer also helped Serra HS become the first school in California, to win both a basketball and football state title, during the same academic year. Head Coach Lane Kiffin is hoping this dangerous trio will help lead USC to their 12th career National Championship.
The Trojans were hoping Matt Kalil would stick around for his senior year, but he bolted for the NFL Draft and was selected fourth overall by the Minnesota Vikings. Luckily, for USC, the other four starters on the offensive line are returning. USC was tied with Boise State and Middle Tennessee in the nation for fewest sacks allowed (8), so the loss of Kalil won't hurt too bad.
Senior running back, Curtis McNeal, will lead the way for the Trojans' rushing attack. There is not much depth for USC in the backfield, so McNeal needs to do exactly what he did last season. He rushed for 1,005 yards on only 145 carries. He averaged nearly seven yards a carry and scored 6 TD's. He will be the featured back from day one this season, so durability could be an issue for the senior. Also, USC is extremely interested in Penn State junior running back, Silas Redd. Redd is one of the better running backs in the nation and had over 1,200 yards rushing in his sophomore season. Right now it is 50-50 if Redd transfers.
USC lost some talent on defense. Nick Perry is gone. Two other starters on the defensive line graduated. Luckily, USC brings back very capable guys on the defensive side of the ball. USC has one of the fastest defenses in the nation. Seniors Wes Horton and Devon Kennard should help fill the void of Nick Perry. Sophomore linebacker Dion Bailey is one of the best linebackers in the nation and was named the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. The Trojans have one of the best secondaries in the nation. They are led by junior cornerback, Nickell Robey, and senior free safety, T.J. McDonald. McDonald is Tim McDonald's son, a former Consensus All-American safety at USC and a six-time All-Pro safety in the NFL.
LSU is ready to erase the memory of the 2012 BCS National Championship beat down. LSU returns 13 starters from last years 13-1 squad. Les Miles only knows one way to play: smash mouth football. The Tigers have a new quarterback under center this season. Junior, Zach Mettenberger, is the best passing quarterback LSU has had in quite some time. He has a very strong arm and has very good accuracy. The one knock on Mettenberger is he is not that mobile and has slow feet in the pocket. Expect LSU to depend heavily on their boatload of talented running backs to make Mettenberger's job easier.
Spencer Ware and Michael Ford both had good freshman campaigns last season. Ware rushed for 707 yards and 8 TD's. Ford rushed for 756 yards and 7 TD's. LSU might be the deepest team at the running back position. Junior tailback, Alfred Blue, rushed for 539 yards and 7 TD's last year. Sophomore running back, Kenny Hilliard rushed for over 300 yards and 8 TD's.
Zach Mettenberger is one happy man because he has four talented running backs he can give the rock to that will take a lot of pressure off of his shoulders.
LSU brings back three returning starters on the offensive line, and should be as dominant as they were last season. Alex Hurst and Chris Faulk are two of the best offensive linemen in the country.
The Tiger's bread and butter is their defense. Tyrann Mathieu is one of the best football players in the country. Mathieu, A.K.A. "The Honey Badger" finished 5th in the Heisman voting last year and took home the Chuck Bednarik award as a true sophomore. He is an absolute ball hawk and is one of the best punt returners in the country. Mathieu had two interceptions, 11 pass break-ups, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, two defensive TD's, and two punt return TD's averaging over 17 yards/return last season. He will be expected to lead the way for one of the best defenses in the nation.
Sam Montgomery is a monster on the defensive line and is one of the best in the nation. Last year, he led the Tigers with nine sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. Expect him to contend to for the Ted Hendricks award, which is given to the top defensive lineman in the nation.
LSU lost some talent on defense, Morris Claiborne and Michael Brockers were both selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Brandon Taylor and Ron Brooks both heard their names called later in the draft. LSU has been one of the best teams in the nation in replacing talent with even better talent, and are coming off a very good recruiting class.
Alabama has their leader returning: Nick Saban. It is hard to argue against him not being the best coach in the country. He has three BCS National Championship rings, two with Alabama and one with LSU. Nick Saban is already one of the best coaches in the history of the game and he still has a long way to go. Alabama lost a ton of talent to the next level, but they had the top recruiting class in 2012, to go along with some very good players returning.
Junior quarterback, A.J. McCarron, was one of the best game managers last season. He threw for 2,634 yards and 16 TD's. The most important stat was he only had five interceptions. This year more weight will be put on his shoulders. They lost a ton of talent on defense along with one of the best running backs in the country. McCarron proved a lot in last seasons National Championship game. He was 23-34 for 234 yards against one of the best defenses in the nation. The most important stat: 0 turnovers.
Despite Trent Richardson leaving for the next level, Alabama will still have plenty of depth at running back. The Crimson Tide will depend heavily on Eddie Lacy. As a sophomore last season he ran for 674 yards on only 95 carries. He averaged over seven yards per carry and scored 7 TD's. Just as Trent Richardson took over for Mark Ingram, expect Lacy to do the same.
T.J. Yeldon is a name to remember. The five-star recruit out of Daphne HS will see a lot of action this year as a true freshman. He is drawing a lot of comparisons to another former great SEC running back: Darren McFadden. The 6'2" 215-pound running back is just as good as a receiver as he is running back. He showed his talents in Alabama's A-Day game earlier in the spring. He won the MVP as he rushed for 88 yards on 16 carries and had five receptions for 91 yards and a TD. Youtube this kid to check out how nasty his game is.
Alabama comes into the 2012 season with arguably the best offensive line in the country. They lost one starter from last years' National Championship team. Alabama led the SEC in rushing last year averaging 214.5 yards/game. They were tops in the SEC with fewest sacks allowed last season only allowing 17. Barrett Jones leads the way on the O-line and won the Outland Trophy last season. Cyrus Kouandjio is a name to remember too. He was having a stellar freshman campaign last season before he suffered a season ending injury against Tennessee. Bama's O-line will be the vocal point for the Tide's success this season, and will make McCarron's job that much easier running the offense.
Alabama arguably had the best defense in modern college football history last season. They led the nation in scoring defense, rushing defense, pass defense, total defense, and pass defense efficiency. Alabama has to replace seven defensive starters, six of the seven heard their name called in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Nick Saban is one of the best defensive minded coaches in the nation and will look forward to the challenge. Also, Kirby Smart is one of the best defensive coordinators in the nation. Smart and Saban form a scary combo when it comes to teaching defense.
It all starts with senior linebacker, Niko Johnson. He was the fourth leading tackler on Alabama last season. Just as Dont'a Hightower preceded Rolando McClain, expect Johnson to be the main catalyst for Bama's defense in 2012. Junior, C.J. Mosley, is another outstanding linebacker who will make a name for himself this season.
Junior defensive back, Robert Lester, will be the leader in the secondary. Bama' lost three of their four starters in the secondary. Lester is an absolute ball hawk, and was second in the nation with eight interceptions as a sophomore. He is an outstanding tackler too and he has all the tools to be one of the best defensive backs in the nation. Dee Milliner will be a starter this season, and played well in nickel and dime packages last year. He has 81 tackles, four interceptions, and has broken up 16 passes in his two-year career at Alabama.
Senior, Damion Square, will be the leader on the defensive line. He is a great run stopper and has the power and athleticism to bring down the quarterback. Seniors Quinton Dial and Jesse Williams will be crucial pieces on the defensive line. Williams started all 13 games last season for Alabama and is one of the best run stoppers in the nation.
Oregon comes into the 2012 season as one of the most athletic teams in the nation. Chip Kelly has been an offensive guru since becoming the Head Coach before the 2009 season. Oregon has gone 34-6 overall, 26-2 conference record, in Kelly's first three seasons. They have won the Pac-10 (now Pac-12 after last season) all three years. Oregon won the Rose Bowl last season, and Kelly helped Oregon get to the BCS National Championship in 2010.
Kelly will depend heavily on sophomore running back De'Anthony Thomas this year. As a true freshman, Thomas rushed for 595 yards on only 55 carries. He averaged a ridiculous 10.8 yards/carry and had seven TD's. He had 605 yards receiving and nine TD's. He also had two more TD's as a kick returner and is one of the most explosive special team players in the country. Thomas' shared Offensive Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors with Marqise Lee. In the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin, Thomas showed how explosive he can be. He had two carries for 155 yards and two TD's.
He is expected to be part of a dangerous two-headed monster in the backfield with senior, Kenjon Barner. Barner rushed for 939 yards on 152 carries last season. He had 11 rushing TD's and three receiving TD's. They will provide Oregon with one of the best rushing attacks in 2012.
Darron Thomas left Oregon hoping he would get drafted. He didn't. Luckily, for Oregon and Chip Kelly's offense, he has guys he can plug in to his system. The Ducks' still have not decided who will be their starting quarterback. Sophomore, Bryan Bennett, is the leading candidate over red-shirt freshman, Marcus Mariota. Both of these guys are tailor made to run the Ducks dangerous spread offense. Bennett appeared in seven games last season and threw for 369 yards and six TD's. He rushed for 200 yards on 23 carries averaging nearly nine yards/carry. Bennett will probably be the starting quarterback for their opening game against Arkansas State, but expect Mariota to see some action too. Oregon could use a two-quarterback system this season, at least until one of these two show why they are the best man for the job.
The Oregon Ducks should be a very stout group on defense. Senior, John Boyett, leads the way defensively. The former Napa HS star has become one of the best safeties in the nation since he started as a true freshman. Boyett led Oregon with 108 tackles last season. He ranked third in the Pac-12 in total tackles last season, and his 69 solo tackles were tops in the Pac-12. He is the quarterback on the defense (He knows the quarterback position well too, he led Napa to a HS sectional title as their starting QB). Boyett is one of the smartest players in the country, and expect him to contend for the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2012.
Senior, Dion Jordan, is one of the best pass rushers in the country. He is an Aldon Smith type of player. He can line up on the defensive line and he can line up on the outside as a linebacker. His 7.5 sacks last year were fourth best in the Pac-12 and tops for the Ducks. He also had 13 tackles for loss which were tied for second in the Pac-12 and led Oregon. He was named to the All Pac-12 First Team last season. He started his career at Oregon at tight-end, but the Ducks made a great move and put him on the other side of the ball before the 2010 season. Expect junior, Taylor Hart, to be a big time play-maker this season. He was an honorable mention as an All-Pac 12 player as a sophomore. He had 44 tackles and 2.5 sacks last year.
Five-star freshman Arik Armstead will be a force for the Ducks defense. He was rated as a top-20 player in the nation coming out of Pleasant Grove HS. He is 6'8" 280-pounds, and is drawing comparisons to another former Duck: Haloti Ngata. Jordan and Hart will be the main cogs on the defensive front for the Ducks' defense. Defensive Coordinator Nick Aliotti will look to use a 3-4 scheme a lot this year and keep opposing offensive's off balance. With Jordan's athleticism, it will allow Aliotti a lot of room to work with this season. Armstead is expected to be a huge force among Oregon's front seven. Watch out for this guy to be one of the best defensive players in the Pac-12 this season.
The linebacking corp lost some talent. Josh Kaddu was one of the best linebackers last season. He was drafted in the fifth round by the Miami Dolphins. Senior, Michael Clay, will be the main piece for the Ducks' linebackers. He was second on the team with 102 tackles last season. He had three sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and one defensive TD. Senior, Kiko Alonso, will be a big contributor for the Ducks' defense this year. Alonso made his presence's felt in the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin. He had five tackles, 1.5 sacks, and an interception that was one of the most significant plays in the game. Alonso and Clay will be the two inside linebackers for the Ducks in their new 3-4 defensive scheme this season. If Oregon's defense plays up to par this season, they will battle USC for the Pac-12 Championship this season.
Georgia brings back a ton of talent this season. Head Coach Mark Richt was close to getting fired, but a 10-4 season last year saved his job. Georgia started 0-2 last year, but rode a 10-game winning streak to finish the regular season 10-2 and win the SEC East. Richt had to make a tough decision during the spring. He dismissed former five-star recruit, Isaiah Crowell, after being charged with felony gun possession charges. Crowell was in and out of trouble during his freshman season. Georgia could no longer deal with his off-field issues and decided to dismiss him in June.
The Bulldogs will depend heavily on their defense this season. Georgia brings back nine starters from last years team and they ranked third in total defense. Redshirt junior, Jarvis Jones, is one of the best defensive players in the country. Jones had 70 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks (tied for second most in the country), two forced fumbles, two blocked punts, and had 49 quarterback pressures last season. Plain and simple, the guy has more meetings with the quarterback than the offensive coordinator. USC is probably wishing Jones didn't transfer after his freshman season.
Junior, Aaron Murray, will be the vocal point of the offense. He is coming off a very good sophomore season. He threw for 3,149 yards and 35 TD's. He broke the school record by 10 TD's for most in a single season, surpassing Matthew Stafford. Murray needs 14 more passing TD's to break David Greene's school record of 72 TD's.
Aaron Murray has a ton of talented receivers to get the rock too next season. Senior, Tavarres King, leads the receiving corp. He had 47 receptions for 705 yards and 8 TD's last season. Senior, Marlon Brown, proved to be a deep threat last season as a junior averaging over 15 yards a catch. Malcolm Mitchell should be Georgia's version of Deion Sanders, as he will see action on both sides of the ball. During his freshman season, Mitchell had 45 catches for 665 yards and 4 TD's. The Bulldogs will use him at defensive back to help replace the void of Brandon Boykin, who was selected in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Running back could be an issue for the Bulldogs heading into 2012. Luckily, Georgia has a good enough defense to allow their two freshmen recruits to get comfortable. Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley were two of the hottest running back prospects this season. Georgia landed them both, and this was when they figured Isaiah Crowell would be the main cog in the backfield. Marshall was the number one running back recruit this season. Expect him to be a big piece of the offense next season, and help make the departure of Crowell that much easier. Gurley was the 11th rated running back coming out of high-school. Expect these two freshmen to make an impact for the Bulldogs.
The main reason why the Bulldogs will have a good chance to compete for an SEC Championship and a National Championship is because they have an easier schedule than any other team in the SEC. They avoid Arkansas, LSU, and Alabama this year, at least during the regular season, they could meet one of these teams in the SEC Championship game. Georgia will bring in one of the best defenses in the nation next season, and if they can handle their off the field issues they will be a team to pay attention to in 2012.
Michigan will bank on their senior quarterback to lead the way. Denard Robinson threw for 2,173 yards and rushed for 1,176 yards last season. He had 20 TD's throw the air and another 16 rushing. He is one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the country. He led the way for Michigan last season in route to an 11-2 record and a BCS bowl victory. If Michigan wants to win the Big Ten outright this season, it all starts with Mr. Robinson. He is hoping he can have the type of season Robert Griffin III had last season, and take home the Heisman Trophy. His game is very reminiscent to RG III.
Michigan hired the right man for the job last season. Brady Hoke led the Wolverines to their first BCS bowl game in five years. He made a big splash turning Michigan into one of the better teams in the country last season. Hoke is quietly one of the best coaches in the nation. He turned around Ball State's football program and got San Diego State back on the map too when he was calling shots as the Head Coach for both those programs. He is doing the same thing with Michigan, as they are becoming the power house they use to be. Hoke was an assistant coach at Michigan from 1995-2002. Hoke played a vital point in recruiting some guy named Tom Brady. He has a great knack for finding talent and not many people were believers in Brady, but Hoke saw something special in Brady. Hoke hasn't lost a beat recruiting as the freshmen class coming in ranks in the top ten in the nation.
Michigan was quietly one of the top defensive teams in the nation last season. They ranked 18th overall in total defense. They return eight starters from last years defensive squad.
Defensive coordinator, Greg Mattison, made his presence felt in his first season in charge of the Wolverines defense. Mattison was the Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator from 2008-2010, and he knows what he is doing. If you coached the Ravens defense, you only know one way to play - knock some people out.
Senior middle linebacker, Kenny Demens, leads the way for Michigan's linebacking corp. His 94 tackles last season were tops for the Wolverines. Sophomore, Desmond Morgan, showed he was a tremendous talent as a freshman. He recorded 63 tackles last season, and should be way better this year. He was thrown into the wolves last year, and now will have a better feeling for the game as he enters his second year under Mattison's defense. Sophomore, Jake Ryan, should have a stellar campaign to go with two top recruits, Joe Bolden and Royce Jenkins-Stone. Michigan has a ton of talented linebackers to rotate in and out.
Jordan Kovacs is the leader on the defensive side of the ball. The former walk-on has become one of the best safeties in the country. He had 74 tackles and four sacks last season. He is one of the smartest defensive players in the nation and is the quarterback for the Wolverines defense. Sophomore, Blake Countless, is one of the most talented cornerbacks in the country. People are comparing him to be the next Charles Woodson. Michigan has a lot of depth in their secondary entering the 2012 season.
The Wolverines will need some help from their receiving corp and running backs if they want to get back to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 2007. Things haven't started off too well for Michigan, after their featured tailback, Fitzgerald Toussaint, was suspended indefinitely after a DUI charge. His status for their season opener against the reigning National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide is up in the air. He rushed for over 1,000 yards and had 9 TD's last season. Senior, Vincent Smith, will need to step up if Toussaint can't go against Bama'. He averaged nearly six yards/carry last year, but only touched the rock 50 times last season. Sophomore, Thomas Rawls, is also another name to pay close attention to in the Wolverines backfield.
Senior, Roy Roundtree, leads the way for Michigan's receiving corp. Michigan has a ton of talent at receiver, but the inexperienced group has a ton of pressure to live up to the hype. The Wolverines are one of the favorites to win the Big Ten this season. Juniors Jeremy Gallon, Jeremy Jackson, and Drew Dileo will see more balls their way after they lost their top wideout, Junior Hemingway, who was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs. Freshmen Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson could make a name for themselves this season if the other junior wideouts don't strive on their opportunities.
A lot will be known if Michigan is a serious contender after their opening game. The biggest game in the first week will see two of the top college football programs lock horns. Michigan and Alabama will both have a lot to prove, and the winner of this game will gain a ton of confidence proving they are one of the best teams in the nation. Michigan has a very tough schedule this season, as they open up against Bama'. They also have to travel to Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Ohio State, which will all be tough games. Denard Robinson has a ton of pressure on his shoulders, so we will find out if he will be a Heisman candidate or just a solid quarterback this season.
Oklahoma is the final team on this list. They have a ton of talent, but it all starts with their senior quarterback, Landry Jones. Jones threw for 4,463 yards and 29 TD's last season. He was the third in the nation in passing last season.
However, Oklahoma was a heavy favorite heading into last season, and Jones struggled down the stretch for the Sooners. After starting 6-0, Oklahoma finished 3-3 in their final six regular season games. Landry Jones is one of the favorites to contend for the Heisman Trophy entering his senior season.
Junior tailback, Dominique Whaley, was one of the best stories in college football last season. The walk-on led Oklahoma in rushing and only played in six games. He suffered a broken ankle against Kansas State and was shut down for the rest of the season. Whaley rushed for 627 yards and 11 TD's averaging 5.5 yards/carry. Head Coach Bob Stoops gave Whaley a scholarship leading into this season. He can finally quit his job making sandwiches at Subway and focus on his education and playing football. He will be the main cog in the rushing attack for Oklahoma heading into 2012. They brought in two talented freshmen recruits in Alex Ross and David Smith to add depth to the backfield. Oklahoma also added a very talented back in Damien Williams, who is a junior college transfer from Arizona Western. Also, junior tailback, Roy Finch, proved himself last season. Oklahoma was hit with a ton of injuries at the tailback position and Finch stepped up. He rushed for 605 yards on only 111 carries and scored 3 TD's.
Oklahoma's bread and butter is on the offensive line. They only allowed 11 sacks last season and will make Landry Jones job easier. A great offensive line is always one of the most underrated aspects of the game. Oklahoma is bringing back four of their five starters.
The Sooners struggled mildly last season when their star wideout Ryan Broyles went down with a torn ACL. It will be crucial for Oklahoma's receiving corp to step up now that Broyles Oklahoma career is over. He will be a tough guy to replace after becoming the all-time receptions leader in FBS history. Junior, Kenny Stills, will be the main cog in the passing attack. He finished with 849 yards and 8 TD's averaging 13.9 yards/reception as a sophomore. Juniors Jaz Reynolds and Trey Franks were expected to be main pieces for Oklahoma's passing attack, but have been suspended indefinitely for violating team rules. Reynolds is coming off a good sophomore season. He had 715 yards receiving and 5 TD's averaging nearly 20 yards a reception. It will be crucial for Reynolds to get his act together if Oklahoma wants to compete for the Big 12 Championship and contend for the National Championship.
Bob Stoops brought back a familiar face to help the defense this season. Mike Stoops is the new defensive coordinator at Oklahoma and should help out his older brother get back to being one of the best defensive teams in the country. Mike Stoops was a co-defensive coordinator for Oklahoma in 2000, when they won the BCS National Championship against Florida State. That defense did not allow one point from an explosive Seminole's offensive unit in that game. Oklahoma won 13-2.
In four of the five seasons while Mike Stoops was on Oklahoma's staff, the Sooner's finished in the top ten in total defense. The guy knows how to coach defense. Oklahoma has struggled mildly in the past, finishing outside of the top 50 in total defense during three of the last four seasons. Expect Mike Stoops to make a significant impact on the defensive side of the ball. He can focus on just defense and allow his older brother to run the offense.
Junior linebacker, Tom Wort, is the quarterback on the defense for Oklahoma heading into 2012. He had 71 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season, and will have an even bigger role this year. The guy is one of the most talented linebackers in the country. Expect Corey Nelson to step up in his junior campaign. He had a good sophomore season racking up 59 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He is one of the most gifted defensive players in the country and will see time at linebacker and safety this season. He is good at stuffing the run and is excellent in pass coverage.
Oklahoma returns three starters from their secondary. The secondary was an issue for Oklahoma last year, but with Mike Stoops coming back as the defensive coordinator it could make a huge impact in the secondary. Senior defensive back, Demontre Hurst, a second team All-Big 12 selection, is the main cog in the secondary. Hurst had 55 tackles last season to go with one interception and 11 pass break-ups. Junior, Aaron Colvin, is one of the most talented defensive backs in the country. He led Oklahoma with 84 tackles last season and is one of the top tackling corners in the nation. Tony Jefferson is a guy to pay close attention to this season. He spent his first year and most of his sophomore campaign playing linebacker for Oklahoma, but moved to safety during the tail end of last season. He is expected to start in the secondary this year. He was the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2010 and is coming off a good sophomore season. He finished with 74 tackles, four interceptions, 4.5 sacks, and 7.5 tackles for loss last year.
Expect these seven teams to be teams to wrecking with this year. They all bring a ton of talented players to the table and now it will matter where the dice role to predict who will be the favorites to win it all this season.
August 7th, 2010, was a day that mixed martial art fans will never forget. Chael Sonnen was two minutes away from beating the best fighter to ever step inside the Octagon. Then, the unexpected happened. Anderson Silva locked in a triangle choke that forced Chael Sonnen to tap. This was the closest, and really the only fighter, who ever gave Anderson Silva a competitive fight inside the Octagon. Finally, almost two years later, we get to see one of the most anticipated rematches in UFC history. Anderson Silva is looking to defend his UFC middleweight belt for the 10th straight time.
Furthermore, this is not the only fight on the card to pay close attention to. UFC 148 features two former UFC champions in Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz. They are fighting for the third time and this one is for all the bragging rights. Former middleweight title-challenger, Patrick Cote, is facing off against one of the most dynamic strikers in Cung Le. Dong Hyun Kim, one of the best judo fighters in the world, faces off against Demian Maia, one of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners in MMA. Chad Mendes welcomes Cody McKenzie to the featherweight division. Mike Easton and Ivan Menjivar round up the main card, squaring off in a bantamweight fight that will put the winner that much closer to a title shot.
Also, there are some intriguing matchups on the preliminary card that features the likes of Melvin Guillard, Gleison Tibau, Shane Roller, and Constantinos Philippou that we will take a quick glance at.
THE MAIN EVENT
ANDERSON SILVA (31-4, 14-0 UFC) vs. CHAEL SONNEN (27-11-1, 6-4 UFC)
Everybody has been waiting eagerly for this rematch. The first fight was one of the most bizarre fights we have ever witnessed. Anderson Silva has never looked in danger in any of his 14-career UFC fights, except for one time.
Chael Sonnen dominated Silva for four-and-a-half rounds. Sonnen landed 320 strikes in the fight compared to Silva's 64. In Silva's previous 11 fights before UFC 117, his 11 opponents landed a total of 166 strikes. Sonnen landed nearly double the amount of strikes than all of Silva's previous opponents. Chael Sonnen's 31 significant strikes in the first round were more than any other fighter has landed in an entire fight against Silva. Sonnen put Silva on his back for nearly 20 minutes of the fight, which is double the amount of time Silva has spent on his back in his UFC career.
Too bad none of that mattered on August 7th, 2010. With 1:50 left in the fifth and final round, Chael Sonnen tapped when Anderson Silva locked in a triangle choke. It was the latest stoppage in UFC history, and Silva showed why he is still the baddest man on the planet.
Since losing to Anderson Silva, Chael Sonnen has beaten two top-ten opponents to get his second crack at Silva. He submitted Brian Stann at UFC 136 with an arm-triangle choke and took out Michael Bisping at UFC on FOX 2 via unanimous decision.
Anderson Silva has dominated his last two opponents since almost losing his belt to Sonnen. He front kicked Vitor Belfort in the face and knocked him out at UFC 126 in the first round. At UFC 134, Silva squared off against Yushin Okami, one of Sonnen's training partners, and had no problem with Okami. He knocked him out in the second round and defended his middleweight belt for the ninth consecutive time.
Anderson Silva is a perfect 14-0 inside the Octagon and has finished 12 of his 14 fights. Nine have been via (T)KO and three have been submission finishes.
Chael Sonnen is 6-4 in the UFC, but is 5-2 during his second stint inside the Octagon. He improved dramatically since his first time around in the UFC. He became a complete fighter when he spent time in the WEC between his two stints in the UFC.
This is one of the biggest rematches in UFC history and it ranks right up there with Liddell vs. Ortiz II and Liddell vs. Couture II.
Anderson Silva was battling a rib injury during the first encounter, so we will find out if that played a part in his slow performance. That was the only time Anderson Silva has ever looked sluggish in the UFC. Chael Sonnen showed he is a very underrated boxer and knocked down Silva on two different occasions at UFC 117. I don't think a lot of people realized that Sonnen is a former golden gloves boxer. He displayed this against the best striker the UFC has ever seen. Anderson Silva is the most accurate striker in UFC history and has the most career knockdowns inside the Octagon. Chael Sonnen is the least hit middleweight fighter in UFC history and his 34 takedowns are the most by any middleweight inside the Octagon.
These guys are clearly the top-two middleweight fighters in the world. On Saturday, July 7, 2012, we will find out who is the best. Sonnen had the perfect gameplan last time around. He smothered Silva and didn't allow him to find his range. That is Silva's bread and butter. If he can find his range and use his three-inch reach advantage, Sonnen will be in serious trouble. Sonnen did a good job of staying close to Silva and not allowing him to find his comfort zone in the first fight. Sonnen controlled the majority of the fight and won two rounds, 10-8, on the judges scorecard. Sonnen controlled the Octagon and will need to do the same if he wants to beat the best fighter in the history of the UFC.
I really believe Anderson Silva overlooked Sonnen the first time they met up. Silva probably figured it would be another easy fight and Sonnen caught him by surprise. This will not happen this time around. I see a different Anderson Silva showing up for this fight, and he is not dealing with a nagging rib injury. Chael Sonnen is a game opponent, and is a top-ten fighter in the world, but Anderson Silva is the best pound-for-pound fighter for a reason. It will be tough for Silva to knock out Sonnen, because the only two times Sonnen has lost via TKO in his MMA career (39 fights) was because of cuts. However, Sonnen's weakness is his submission defense, all four of his career UFC losses have been via submission.
There has been a ton of trash talk before this fight, mainly from Sonnen. Sonnen has been calling out Silva's family, country, and character for over two-years now. Silva finally heard enough. Anderson Silva said he is going to knock out Sonnen's teeth, break his arm, and basically every bone in his body on Saturday. He stated Sonnen will not be able to walk out of the Octagon on his own. We will have to wait and see if this is good or bad for Silva by letting his emotions get the best of him for once. We will either see an even more dangerous Silva, or one that is not focused to follow his gameplan. Also, let's not forget Silva has not fought in nearly a year, so this might be something to pay close attention to.
CO-MAIN EVENT
FORREST GRIFFIN (18-7, 9-5 UFC) vs. TITO ORTIZ (16-10-1, 15-10-1 UFC)
Tito Ortiz is looking to go out with a bang before he hangs them up after this fight. Ortiz has stated he is retiring from MMA after this encounter and he has been one of the best fighters in UFC history. Tito Ortiz is one of the main reasons why the UFC is where it is today and changed MMA for the best. If it wasn't for Ortiz, who knows where the UFC would be today.
Forrest Griffin is also a centerpiece for the success of the UFC. His encounter with Stephan Bonnar was the biggest fight in the history of the sport. The Ultimate Fighter season one winner put the UFC on the map. On April 9, 2005, the UFC was hoping for a great show, and they got more. Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar were fighting for a six-figure contract to join the UFC, and the fight was so good they both received six-figure contracts. People were calling all of their friends telling them to turn on Spike TV to watch these two men go mano-y-mano for three full rounds. It was an epic fight, and the UFC has not looked back since. The popularity of the UFC soared after this fight. If it wasn't for Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar the UFC would have never reached a seven-year deal worth over $700 million with FOX.
Now two of the most important fighters in UFC history will meet up in the middle of the Octagon for the rubber match. Tito Ortiz won the first via split decision. It was one of the most exciting fights of 2006. On November 21, 2009, they met for a second time and Forrest Griffin pulled out a unanimous decision victory. Both of these fights were extremely close and very competitive.
This one is for all the bragging rights. Tito Ortiz wants to retire on a winning note. Forrest Griffin needs a much needed victory to get back into the top-ten in the light heavyweight division.
Griffin has lost three of his previous five fights since beating Quinton "Rampage" Jackson to win the light heavyweight belt at UFC 86.
Ortiz has dropped five of his last six fights inside the Octagon.
This should be a very intriguing fight as both fighters need a win badly. Griffin wants to stay relevant in the 205-pound division. Ortiz wants to go out with a win before he enters the next chapter of his life. I see this being a very competitive fight like the first two. Ortiz will look to establish his wrestling and put Griffin on his back. Griffin will try to keep the fight on the feet so he can land his jab and leg kicks. Griffin has some of the best leg kicks in the UFC and he will look to land some leg kicks to slow Ortiz down. Ortiz was one of the best ground and pound strikers back in his prime, and he will try to finish one more opponent with his vicious ground and pound.
This fight will more than likely go the distance (like their first two fights) and whoever executes their gameplan will leave the Octagon victorious.
MAIN CARD
CUNG LE (7-2, O-1 UFC) vs. PATRICK COTE (17-7, 4-7 UFC)
Patrick Cote makes his Octagon return after winning four-fights in a row in lower MMA organizations. He is replacing Rich Franklin, who took the place of Vitor Belfort, in the UFC 147 main event against Wanderlei Silva. Patrick Cote was once regarded as one of the best middleweight fighters in the world. He challenged Anderson Silva at UFC 90 and was the first fighter to ever make it to the third round against the middleweight champ. Cote busted his knee in the third round and tore his ACL. He was never the same fighter for the next two years following this injury. Things have changed for Cote over his past four fights and he looks to continue his recent success against one of the most dangerous strikers in MMA.
Cung Le was one of the best fighters to fight in Strikeforce. Le dismantled Frank Shamrock to win the Strikeforce middleweight belt in 2008. Le had other things on his mind though, and starred in multiple movies to build his acting career. However, he still had that itch inside to get back to MMA. He made his UFC debut on November 19, 2011, and went toe-to-toe with Wanderlei Silva. Silva won via TKO in round two, but Le showed he can hang with one of the best strikers in the world. Le gassed in that fight, and Silva took advantage of it. If Le comes in shape and doesn't gas out after round one, Patrick Cote will have his hands full.
This is a huge fight for both of these men. Cote needs a win so he can stay in the UFC. Le needs a victory so he can keep getting big fights inside the Octagon to make the big paydays. Cung Le is one of the most dynamic strikers in MMA. You never know what he is going to throw. Patrick Cote brings heavy hands to the table and if he connects you are in deep trouble. This should be a very exciting fight with both guys keeping the fight on the feet. Cung Le is the favorite entering the fight, but Patrick Cote has a ton to prove and he wants to make a statement that he is here to stay in the UFC. I could see this one stealing fight of the night honors along with the knockout of the night bonus.
MAIN CARD
DONG HYUN KIM (15-1-1, 6-1 UFC) vs. DEMIAN MAIA (15-4, 9-4 UFC)
Both of these fighters are two guys that continue to go under the radar. Kim is one of the best judo fighters in the world. Maia is one of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters in MMA history. Whoever can control the pace of the fight will walk away victorious.
Kim's only loss in his career was to the current interim welterweight champ, Carlos Condit. Kim has beaten the likes of Nate Diaz, Sean Pierson, Amir Sadollah, T.J. Grant, and Matt Brown during his UFC career. He is the reason why Nate Diaz moved down a weight division. Kim dominated Diaz for three rounds, and we know that is rare.
Maia is capable of being one of the best fighters in the welterweight division. This will be his first fight at 170-pounds after dropping down from 185. He is hoping a change in weight class will help him get to a title shot quicker. However, he has gotten away from what he is best at. His boxing has improved since his UFC debut in 2007, but he depends on it too much. His submission game is off the charts. Eight of his career fifteen wins have been via submission. Maia has fought the best of the best, and earned a title shot against Anderson Silva at UFC 112. He lost via decision, but showed he can take some shots.
This will be an interesting fight. Both of these guys are the best at what they do and it will come down to who can implement their gameplan. If Maia can find a way to get it to the ground he will have a good chance to lock up a submission. Kim wants to keep the fight standing so he can put his judo-attack in full effect. This fight will be like a chess match and whoever is patient with their attack will have a good chance at getting checkmate.
MAIN CARD
CHAD MENDES (11-1, 2-1 UFC) vs. CODY McKENZIE (13-2, 2-2 UFC)
Cody McKenzie has his hands full as he makes his featherweight debut against Chad Mendes. The only time Mendes has tasted defeat was against current featherweight champ, Jose Aldo. Mendes trains with Team Alpha Male, one of the better camps in the world. Cody McKenzie is a very game opponent, and was a fan favorite when he was a member of Team GSP during season 12 of the The Ultimate Fighter.
Everyone knows what Cody McKenzie is going to try. 11 of his 12 wins have been via guillotine choke. He is not the most well-rounded fighter, but he has an excellent chin and can take some big shots. He won't mind when the former "Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year" takes him down. Expect McKenzie to try and sneak in a choke when Mendes tries to put him on his back. McKenzie can lock in a guillotine from any position and won't be scared if he gets put on his back.
Chad Mendes is arguably the second best featherweight in the world. His wrestling pedigree speaks for itself. He wrestled for Cal-Poly State University and finished second in the 2008 NCAA National Championship. He compiled a 30-1 record during his senior year at Poly. He continued his wrestling dominance in his WEC career as he went through the likes of Cub Swanson, Javier Vasquez, Erik Koch, and Anthony Morrison. Mendes is one of the best fighters in the UFC at controlling were the fight goes.
Cody McKenzie trained with Mendes' camp for a few months, Team Alpha Male, after his stint on The Ultimate Fighter 12, and I think this will help Mendes avoid the guillotine choke. That is McKenzie's only real way of pulling out this fight, and Mendes will stay out of harms way. Mendes should be able to control the pace of this fight and dominate McKenzie for all three rounds. Chad Mendes needs to have a good showing if he wants to be in consideration for getting a second crack at Jose Aldo's 145-pound belt in the near future. He is two great performances away from getting another shot at the featherweight belt.
MAIN CARD
MIKE EASTON (12-1, 2-0 UFC) vs. IVAN MENJIVAR (24-8, 3-1 UFC)
This is going to be a very entertaining fight. Not many people have heard of these two men because the bantamweight division is a fairly new division in the UFC. Ivan Menjivar and Mike Easton will look to jump into the top-ten in the 135-pound division.
Ivan Menjivar was close to getting an interim title shot with Urijah Faber after Dominick Cruz tore his ACL. That shot went to Renan Barao instead. Menjivar wants to showcase he should be considered for a title shot in the near future, and he will get his chance on Saturday night against a very good opponent. In Menjivar's 24 wins, he has finished 18 of them. Nine by (T)KO and nine by submission. He has a very well-rounded game and is always looking to finish the fight. Menjivar trains with one of the best camps in the world. Tristar Gym is home for George St. Pierre, Rory MacDonald, and many other top fighters in the world. Expect Menjivar to come in with an excellent gameplan to make sure he inches closer to the next title shot in the bantamweight division.
Mike Easton has been on a tear of late and has won his last seven MMA fights. He has a well-rounded attack and is comfortable wherever the fight ends up. He is the underdog heading into this fight with Menjivar, but I would not be shocked to see him pull off the upset. Both of these guys need this fight bad to catapult into the top-ten in the bantamweight division. Easton trains with Alliance MMA, which is one of the top camps in the United States. Dominick Cruz, Phil Davis, Brandon Vera, and Eddie Yagan are just some of the names helping Easton prepare for Saturday nights fight.
This is going to be a very competitive fight and I really would not be shocked to see either one of these guys pull it out. Ivan Menjivar is a more well-rounded fighter, but Easton is not too far behind. Both of these guys should put on a great fight. Dana White always tries to put on an exciting fight to open the pay-per-view card, and he was right on the money electing these two to start it off.
QUICK GLANCE AT THE PRELIMS
KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV (17-0, 1-0 UFC) vs. GLEISON TIBAU (25-7, 10-5 UFC)
This is a huge fight for both of these guys. Gleison Tibau has won his last three fights inside the Octagon and five of his last six. He is working his way up into the top-ten in the lightweight division. If he puts on a good fight and dominates Nurmagomedov, expect Tibau to get a top-ten lightweight in his next fight. This is a huge step up in competition for the Russian native, Khabib Nurmagomedov, who will look to make a name for himself in his second career UFC fight. If he can pull off the upset he could be a name to pay attention to down the road.
MELVIN GUILLARD (29-10-2, 10-6 UFC) vs. FABRICIO CAMOES (14-6-1, 1-1-1 UFC)
This fight is tailor made for whoever executes their gameplan. Melvin Guillard is known for his knock out power and Fabricio Camoes is a dangerous submission artist. Guillard has shown horrible submission defense in his past. If Guillard can keep the fight on the feet, it is trouble for whoever his opponent is. 19 of his 29 MMA victories have been via knockout. In nine of his 10 losses he has lost via submission. Camoes does not want to stand toe-to-toe with Guillard. If he can find a way to get this fight to the ground his chances skyrocket. Guillard has been training with the Blackzilians, and spent time in Greg Jackson's Camp, so he should know he has the experience and should be able to execute his gameplan. Guillard has faced off against some of the best fighters in the 155-pound division and this should play a factor in this fight.
CONSTANTINOS PHILIPPOU (10-2, 3-1 UFC) vs. RIKI FUKUDA (18-5, 1-1 UFC)
Constantinos Philippou has quietly been on the rise in the middleweight division. He has won his last three fights against three very solid opponents. He beat Jorge Rivera, Jared Hamman, and Court McGee (winner of season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter.) If he wins his fourth straight fight inside the Octagon convincingly, his next opponent will be a top-ten fighter in the middleweight division. Riki Fukuda is looking to make a splash inside the Octagon. This is a big fight for Fukuda. He knows a victory over Philippou will skyrocket him in the middleweight division. Expect an exciting fight as both fighters are trying to stay relevant in the 185-pound division.
SHANE ROLLER (10-6, 1-3 UFC) vs. JOHN ALESSIO (34-15, 0-4 UFC)
This fight is a big fight in the sense that the winner gets to keep fighting in the UFC, and the loser will more than likely get cut. Shane Roller was one of the top names coming into the UFC when they merged the WEC into the organization. He won four of his last five fights in the WEC, with the only loss coming to Anthony Pettis. Since joining the UFC, he has compiled a 1-3 record, and a loser of three straight. Roller was close to being in the top-ten before his three-fight skid. Now he is just hoping to stay in the UFC. He needs a good performance and a win against Alessio on Saturday. John Alessio has fought all around the world during his 14-year MMA career. The guy knows how to put on a fight. He will be looking for his first win inside the Octagon, and it might be the last chance he gets. The winner stays under contract in the UFC, while the loser will receive their pink slip.
YOISLANDY IZQUIERDO (6-1, 0-1 UFC) vs. RAFAELLO OLIVEIRA (14-5, 1-4 UFC)
This is the only fight on the card that will be on the facebook prelims. So if you are a die hard MMA fan you will be logging into your facebook account and tuning in. All of the other 10 fights will be airing on pay-per-view and FX. Both of these guys are looking to make a name in the lightweight division. This is a big fight for Izquierdo because he has more of an upside than Oliveira and he will get his chance to display this on the facebook prelims. If Oliveira drops this contest, it might be the end of the road for Oliveira. This is his second-stint for the organization and this could be his last shot to stay in the UFC.
