UFC 162: In-Depth Preview & Predictions

By Zack Poff

Once Saturday night gets here it will end a three week dry spell of UFC events and what better way to start the second half of 2013 than with Anderson "The Spider" Silva (33-4, 16-0). When he enters the octagon for the 17th time at the MGM Grand, he is arguably facing his toughest opponent to date. Chris Weidman (9-0, 5-0) has dominated all five of his opponents in the UFC and landed one of the best knockouts of 2012 in his last appearance. (Weidman KO). This is a classic young breed vs. old breed type of fight, but Anderson Silva is a different type of animal. He's not your average 38 year old athlete. The big question is Weidman ready for Silva? Everyone seems to think he is, especially MMA experts and fighters. Silva comes in as a (2:1) favorite, the lowest he's been favored since he fought Dan Henderson five years ago. Anderson Silva has more middleweight title defenses (10) than Weidman has fights (9). "The All-American" has the perfect style to dethrone the king of the 185 lb. division but it's an entire different ball game when you are fighting a legend for his belt in the Main Event.

UFC matchmaker Joe Silva was on point once again and picked some very entertaining matchups that are set to deliver the best fireworks of the weekend. Frankie Edgar (15-4-1, 9-4-1) returns for the first time since his loss to the featherweight champ, Jose Aldo, and looks to get his first win in 21 months against Charles Oliveira (16-3, 4-3). Tim Kennedy (15-4, 0-0) and Roger Gracie (6-1, 0-0) make their octagon debuts after both having good runs in Strikeforce. Mark Munoz (12-3, 7-3) and Tim Boetsch (16-5, 7-4) look to rebound after they both had four-fight win streaks snapped in their last octagon appearances. Cub Swanson (19-5, 4-1) has reeled off four in a row and three by knockout and if he puts on another good performance against Dennis Siver (21-8, 10-5) he'll be one inch closer to a rematch with Jose Aldo.

The preliminary fights have some intriguing matchups as Chris Leben (22-9, 12-8), loser of two in a row, and three of four, needs an impressive performance against Andrew Craig (8-1, 2-1) if he wants to avoid a pink slip. Dave Herman (21-5, 1-3) faces Gabriel Gonzaga (14-7, 9-6) and both need a win badly to stay relevant in the heavyweight division. Also, Edson Barboza (11-1, 5-1) wants to prove his loss to Jamie Varner 14 months ago was a fluke when he tries to get his second straight win against Rafaello Oliveira (16-5, 2-4) to start off the FX's prelims.

UFC 162: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
Saturday July 6, 2013

Facebook Prelims: 7 p.m. ET

FX Prelims: 8 p.m. ET

Main Card (Pay-Per-View): 10 p.m. ET


         MAIN EVENT: Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman
   Anderson Silva is the best mixed martial artist to ever live. He has dominated the UFC middleweight division for seven years and once Saturday gets here it will be 3,109 days since his last loss. Okay, 2,724 days if you count his DQ loss against Yushin Okami at "Rumble on the Rock 8" in 2006. Anderson Silva has more knockdowns and knockouts than anyone that's ever stepped inside the octagon. "The Spider" has the highest striking accuracy, most finishes, and most fight bonuses in UFC history. Silva has finished 26 of 38 opponents during his MMA career and has 20 knockouts on his resume. He has finished all five of his last fights and four by knockout. He has finished 14 of 16 fights in the UFC and 11 by knockout. The Ultimate Fighting Championship is by far the most competitive MMA organization and he is a perfect 16-0. The most remarkable thing about Silva is how dominant he has been. There has only been one time when he was in danger of losing and thanks to Chael Sonnen's horrible submission defense, Silva locked in a triangle in the fifth round to keep his record perfect in the UFC. A lot of people tend to forget Silva was nursing a serious rib injury and we saw how the rematch went. Silva has beaten the likes of Sonnen (2X), Vitor Belfort, Dan Henderson, Rich Franklin (2X), Stephan Bonnar, Yushin Okami, Demian Maia, Forrest Griffin, Thales Leites, Patrick Cote, James Irvin, Travis Lutter, Nate Marquardt, and Chris Leben during his UFC career. The best attribute Silva has is his patience. Any Silva fight you watch he is always in control and never gets out of his comfort zone. He is the most technical fighter in MMA history and he truly is the Muhammed Ali of mixed martial arts.

Chris Weidman presents some serious problems for Silva. He is a former two-time All-American wrestler and finished third in the NCAA tournament during his senior year at Hofstra. The best way to beat Silva is to neutralize his stand up and put him on his back. Sonnen did it constantly in their first fight. He put the middleweight champ on his back for nearly 20 minutes, double the amount of time Silva has spent on his back during his entire UFC career. Sonnen showed the blueprint how to beat the "King" of the middleweight division. Sonnen had the experience and had been in big-time fights before stepping into the cage with Silva, the same can't be said for Weidman. However, Weidman is by far a better athlete than Sonnen and has an outstanding submission game. Everyone remembers when Matt Serra shocked the world at UFC 69 when he pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history (Matt Serra does the impossible against GSP.) Weidman has been with Matt Serra's camp (Serra-Longa Fight Team) for five years and they are one of the most respected camps in the world. Chris Weidman will be ready to roll this Saturday night even though Serra won't be in his corner because of health reasons. Weidman will enter the cage with a ton of confidence against Anderson Silva, which is usually not the case. This is huge because a lot of fighters step into the cage against Silva already defeated. While Silva has 28 more MMA fights than Weidman, "The All-American" has plenty of experience. Weidman competed in grappling tournaments and the ADCC Submission Wrestling Championships before turning pro in 2009. He won the East Coast Grappler's Quest ending all 13 matches by submission. He is a very well-rounded fighter and has finished six of his nine fights, three by submission and three by knockout. Everyone was in awe of Urijah Hall during last season's Ultimate Fighter, Chris Weidman wasn't. He ran through Hall back in 2010 at "Ring of Combat 31" finishing him in the first round. You knew Weidman was the real deal because he has never been given an easy fight during his UFC career. Alessio Sakara, Jesse Bongfeldt, Tom Lawler, Demian Maia, and Mark Munoz all had one thing in common when facing Weidman: dominated.

I am so excited for this fight because it's rare when Silva actually has a chance to lose. Everyone knows what Weidman wants to do in this fight, put Silva on his back. Silva showed way better takedown defense against Sonnen in the rematch. He is going to need to display that again on Saturday night. Weidman needs to land on the feet so he can shoot in for takedowns. This fight could very well come down to who does a better job in these two areas: Silva's takedown defense and Weidman's standup. The most impressive statistic about Chris Weidman is he has only been controlled for three seconds during his five fights in the UFC (28 minutes and 38 seconds inside the octagon). That is remarkable. His 4.5 takedowns per 15 minutes rank him first among active fighters in the middleweight division and second all-time. His takedown accuracy is off the charts too (72.2%). It cracks me up when I hear people say Anderson Silva's weakness is his takedown defense all because they saw the first Sonnen fight. That is far from the truth. Silva ranks in the top five in the middleweight division stuffing 70% of attempted takedowns. This fight is going to come down to who controls where the fight goes. If it stays on the feet, Silva will walk out of the octagon victorious for the 17th straight time. If Weidman puts Silva on his back consistently, he has a good chance to bring the middleweight belt back to New York. I just don't think Weidman is ready for a guy like Silva yet. Every fight "The All-American" has been in he has controlled the pace and he has never had to deal with adversity. This will be a great lesson for Weidman but I think Silva's takedown defense will frustrate the challenger and he will get picked apart as each minute goes by. Expect a Superfight if Silva leaves the MGM Grand with his belt for the 12th consecutive time or an immediate rematch if Weidman pulls off the upset.










PREDICTION: Anderson Silva by TKO - Rd. 2



       CO-MAIN EVENT: Frankie Edgar vs. Charles Oliveira

Wait. Frankie Edgar is fighting and it's not a title fight!!! The last time Edgar fought in a non-title fight was December 5, 2009. Once Saturday is here it will be 1,309 days since "The Anwser" fought in a three round fight. I love watching Edgar fight because he is the type of guy you'd see at a bar and think you could take him, which would not end well. You could crack him over the head with a bottle and he'd keep coming. If you look up the definition of heart, determination, or endurance you would find the same answer: Frankie Edgar. If you don't believe me just watch the first round of his last two fights against Gray Maynard. Edgar comes in on a three fight skid but those losses came to the featherweight (Jose Aldo) and lightweight champ (Ben Henderson). All three fights were extremely close. I think we are going to see a different Edgar this time around. He has come out slow recently, but a lot of that has to do with five round title fights. He will be rejuvenated and come out of the gates quick knowing this is a three round fight.

Charles Oliveira had a lot of hype behind him after starting his MMA career 14-0 and a lot of experts were considering him the next best thing in the lightweight division. He started his UFC career 2-0 submitting Darren Elkins and Efrain Escudero but then went winless during his next three (0-2 and 1 NC). He dropped down to 145 lbs. after his three fight skid and has gone 2-1 in the featherweight division. He needs a good performance on Saturday night in the Co-Main Event against his toughest opponent to date. Cub Swanson knocked him out in his last octagon appearance and he's looking for his biggest win in his young UFC career. Oliveira has a very good ground game and is one of the best submission artists in the featherweight division. Nine of his 16 wins have come by submission and three of his four wins in the UFC have ended via submission. He pulled off one of the best submissions in UFC history when he locked in a calf slicer (only fighter in UFC history to pull this submission off) against Eric Wisely at UFC on Fox 2 in his featherweight debut. (Watch with caution: This will hurt your calf.)

Oliveira has a ton of potential but it will have to wait. Edgar has been one of the best fighters in the UFC for the last four years and wants a rematch with Jose Aldo. He knows an impressive performance against Oliveira will get him closer to what he's best at: rematches. Edgar has never been finished in his MMA career and I don't see that coming to an end this Saturday. He is one of the hardest guys to hit, during his UFC career he has avoided nearly 72% of all strikes thrown at him. His submission defense is off the charts and he should be able to control the pace of the fight. I see Edgar controlling this fight from the opening bell until the final second runs off the clock. If Edgar dominates against Oliveira he has a good chance to have another date with Jose Aldo.

PREDICTION: Frankie Edgar via Unanimous Decision

           MAIN CARD: Roger Gracie vs. Tim Kennedy

I can't wait for this matchup. The fighters who have come over from Strikeforce have done a remarkable job so far. They have done better than a lot of MMA experts thought. Enter two more legitimate contenders in the middleweight division: Tim Kennedy and Roger Gracie.

Kennedy was one of the best middleweights in Strikeforce. He went 4-2 and his two losses came against Ronald "Jacare" Souza and Luke Rockhold for the middleweight belt. Both fights were close but Kennedy got Frankie Edgar'd. Tim Kennedy is Chael Sonnen's long lost brother. He just goes out and competes, he doesn't care who he fights. You know he is a badass because he doesn't need a nickname. Kennedy is a very well-rounded fighter with good wrestling and has an excellent submission game. 13 of his 15 career wins have been by stoppage and eight by submission. Kennedy trains with Greg Jackson's camp, arguably the best camp in the world. The U.S. Army sergeant is ready to roll this Saturday and an impressive UFC debut could land him a big-time opponent next time around.

It's always nice to see a Gracie compete in the UFC. The UFC wouldn't be where it is at today if it wasn't for the Gracie family. Royce Gracie helped globalize the UFC and put the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and more importantly, Brazilian jiu-jitsu on the map. Roger Gracie has not dissapointed the family name. From 2003-10 he competed in the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships and won 10 gold medals and five silvers. It is by far the most gold medals won by anyone competing in the Mundials. After winning gold in the Super Heavyweight division and the Absolute division at the 2010 Mundials, he decided to focus solely on mixed martial arts. Gracie has transitioned well in MMA and has gone 6-1. His only loss was to the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal. Five of his six career wins have come by, yes you guessed it, submission. He enters the cage on Saturday night riding a two-fight win streak.

This is a tough matchup to pick. Both fighters aren't the best on the feet. Kennedy has the edge standing up, by default. Gracie is trying to do one thing, get his opponent on the ground, even if he has to pull guard. His submission game is arguably the best in the world. Kennedy has a very good ground game but he will try and keep this fight on the feet. Expect a lot of leg kicks and jabs to keep Gracie off balanced. The former U.S. Army sergeant has a very good wrestling pedigree and it will be important to stuff any takedowns to keep this fight on the feet. Gracie is a wizard from any position on the ground, if it gets to the canvas it could be a quick night for Kennedy. I think Kennedy's wrestling will be huge in this fight, not to get takedowns, but to keep this fight on the feet.

PREDICTION: Tim Kennedy via Unanimous Decision

            MAIN CARD: Mark Munoz vs. Tim Boetsch

Mark Munoz was on his way to a shot at Anderson Silva until he ran into the Weidman train. He reeled off four wins in a row against Chris Leben, Demian Maia, C.B. Dollaway, Aaron Simpson and had won seven of his last eight before Weidman knocked him out cold. This is a huge fight for Munoz because a second consecutive loss would send him far back in the pecking order in the middleweight division. "The Filipino Wrecking Machine" has had an impressive run inside the octagon going 7-3 with three knockout wins and one submission victory. (It really should be four knockouts, Ryan Jensen submitted to strikes.) The Vallejo native is one of the best wrestlers in the middleweight division and has lethal ground and pound. At Vallejo High he was a two-time California state champion. At Oklahoma State University he won two Big 12 titles and earned back-to-back All-American honors. He became the first Filipino American to win a National Championship in division one. Munoz has transitioned into a well-rounded mixed martial artist and needs an impressive performance to get close to the top of the middleweight division.

Tim Boetsch is the definition of a blue collar fighter. He isn't the most talented but he will outwork you any day of the week. Dropping down a weight class was the smartest move "The Barbarian" made. He was a perfect 4-0 inside the octagon at middleweight before Costas Phillipou ruined his impressive run. He had one of the best comebacks in UFC history when he knocked out Yushin Okami at UFC 144 in the third and final round. He welcomed Hector Lombard to the UFC and ended his 20-fight win streak. Boetsch trains with Matt Hume's camp, AMC Pankration, one of the most underrated camps in the world. This is going to be a very interesting matchup because both have wrestling backgrounds and have a better than average striking arsenal.

This fight is 50-50 in my eyes. Mark Munoz is coming off a devastating loss and surgery to repair bone spurs in his elbow. He is eager to get back in the octagon, but sometimes that is not always good. It will be important for him to patient and not try and force anything. Last time he tried that was during his UFC debut when Matt Hamill landed a brutal head-kick KO. I don't see that happening this time around. Expect a very impressive Munoz on Saturday night. Boetsch is going to try and make this fight ugly and drag it out. He wants Munoz to get frustrated but I don't see "The Filipino Wrecking Machine" abandoning his gameplan. The former Oklahoma State alum will find a way to squeak out a very close decision thanks to his very strong wrestling game.

PREDICTION: Mark Munoz via Split-Decision

             MAIN CARD: Cub Swanson vs. Dennis Siver

A lot of people thought Cub Swanson was past his prime after Jose Aldo ended his night with a flying knee eight seconds into their matchup at WEC 41 just over four years ago. He went 2-2 after that knockout and a lot of MMA experts didn't think he'd last long in the UFC. Funny how things change. He has won four in a row since then and three have come by knockout. Expect Swanson to look for another knockout win because he feels disrespected that he's not fighting in the Co-Main Event. Charles Oliveira is getting a crack at Edgar, and he is one of the knockout victims during Swanson's four-fight win streak. (Swanson KO of Oliveira). Since his loss to Chad Mendes at WEC 50, back in August 2010, he made the best decision of his life. He moved from Palm Springs to Albuquerque and started training full time with Greg Jackson's camp. He's gone 5-1 and has quickly become the best Cub Swanson we have seen. He is on the cusp of a title shot at 145 lbs., and more importantly, another shot at Jose Aldo.

Dennis Siver continues to go under the radar. Since dropping down to featherweight he has gone 2-0. He has won six of his last seven and 10 of 12. The 34-year old German is one of the best kickboxers in the UFC and has a very underrated submission game. Of his 20 career MMA wins he has finished two-thirds of his opponents (five by knockout and nine via submission). He is still looking for his first finish in the 145 lb. division after winning his first two by decision against Diego Nunes and Nam Phan. Siver thinks he deserves to be in the title picture too and an impressive performance against Swanson will skyrocket him among the top contenders in the featherweight division.

As Bart Scott says, "I can't wait" for this one. This is the perfect fight to start off the night on Pay-Per-View. It's the Fourth of July weekend and expect a lot of fireworks in this one. Both of these guys are very good on the feet. If this fight goes the distance, or at least makes it to the second round, it has a great chance to steal "Fight of the Night" honors. They have combined for 28 finishes in their MMA careers but it'll be hard for either fighter to walk away with a knockout. Siver has only been knocked out once in his 29 career MMA fights, against Melvin Guillard, one of the best knockout artists in the UFC. The only time Swanson was finished by strikes was against Jose Aldo, enough said. I see this fight staying on the feet and both chins will be tested. Swanson is second all-time in the featherweight division (WEC/UFC) landing 48% of his strikes. Swanson will be too quick for Siver on Saturday night and has a good chance to land first against the German.

PREDICTION: Cub Swanson by TKO - Rd. 1

FX PRELIM PREDICTIONS

Chris Leben over Andrew Craig - TKO (Rd. 2)

Norman Parke over Kazuki Tokudome - Split Decision

Gabriel Gonzaga over Dave Herman - Submission (Rd. 1)

Edson Barboza over Rafaello Oliveira - TKO (Rd. 1)


FACEBOOK PRELIM PREDICTIONS

Seth Baczynski over Brian Melancon - Submission (Rd. 2)

Mike Pierce over David Mitchell - Unanimous Decision

NBA: Let The Freenzy Begin

By: Zack Poff

This years NBA Finals was one of the best ever and definitely the most entertaining in a very long time. It was only the fifth NBA Finals series to reach a Game 7 since 1988. LeBron James shut his haters up for the second consecutive season and did so emphatically averaging 34.5 PPG, 11 RPG, and 7.5 APG with his team facing elimination in the final two games of the series. 

As the guys from Comedy Central's Workaholics say "Get Weird" because that is exactly what happened after the 2012-13 season officially ended.

Coaches were getting canned more than freshman on the first Friday of the school year. Five coaches made the playoffs and received pink slips or weren't re-signed, including the "Coach of the Year" George Karl. Doc Rivers was traded to the Clippers, okay I'm sorry David Stern, he was "let go" by the Celtics for a 2015 first round draft pick. The Celtics weren't done there. They shipped Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry to Brooklyn for 99 problems. That's right, Jay-Z got out of Brooklyn so he could take over the agency game, and Hova is. Philadelphia shipped out their lone All-Star from last year in Jrue Holiday for the rights to Nerlens Noel. I feel sorry for Holiday, now he has to wear a jersey that says Pelicans across his chest. Poor dude. The 2013 NBA Draft was really one of the most bizarre of all-time. Nobody had Anthony Bennett going first overall and everyone thought Noel and Ben McLemore would go first and second overall but instead went sixth and seventh respectively. 

I can almost guarantee things will continue to get even crazier as the clock ticks down and we are getting closer to finding out who will have a one-hour show making the best decision of their life. 

Okay, nobody better do that again. 

Don't get any ideas Mr. Howard. 

The NBA free agency period is hours from starting and there are some marquee names on the market. The two biggest names are Dwight Howard and Chris Paul but we won't even mention CP3 because he's staying put in Hollywood. The same can't be said for Howard but we will get to that later. 

Some other big time names include: Josh Smith, Andre Iguodala, Andrew Bynum, David West, Brandon Jennings (R), Paul Millsap, J.R. Smith, Jeff Teague (R), Tyreke Evans (R), Al Jefferson, Manu Ginobili, Monta Ellis, Nikola Pekovic (R) and Tony Allen.

(R) = Restricted Free Agent 

If your team is searching for that certain role player there are a ton of cheaper assets on the market that include: Tiago Splitter, Andre Kirilenko, Kevin Martin, Kyle Korver, Devin Harris, Nate Robinson, Gerald Henderson (R), Marco Belinelli, Marreese Speights, Darren Collison (R), O.J. Mayo, Corey Brewer, Jose Calderon, Jarrett Jack, Carl Landry, Francisco Garcia, Matt Barnes, Earl Clark, J.J. Redick, Mike Dunleavy, Al-Farouq Aminu, Nick Young, J.J. Hickson, Randy Foye and Mo Williams.

Once 12:01 ET gets here on July 1st teams can officially contact players and let the flirting begin. Better take a few shots and ease up because it is time to dish out the dollar dollar bills ya'll and sway players to come ball out for your squad. Lets have some fun and predict where these superstars and role players are heading this summer.

DWIGHT HOWARD

I think there are two teams that have a realistic chance to sign Dwight Howard: Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers. Howard is set to meet with these five teams: Rockets, Warriors, Mavericks, Hawks and the Lakers. It will be near impossible for the Warriors to sign Howard because of cap space. The Rockets, Mavericks and Hawks all have enough cap space and won't have to work out a sign and trade. 

I would throw out Atlanta because for some odd reason Howard is not intrigued to play in front of his hometown. The Mavericks are the dark horse in this race but I don't see Seabiscuit coming out of the gates so don't bet on the horse from Dallas. Golden State has a very good young team and will continue to get better. They played the Western Conference Champions better than anyone in the Western Conference and if they didn't blow a 16-point lead with four minutes left in Game 1 who knows how that series would have played out. The problem is the Warriors will have to trade at least one of their young pieces in a sign and trade with the Lakers because of salary cap issues. Golden State is wishing they didn't waste their amnesty on Charlie Bell last season and saved it for Andris Biedrins $9 million he is due next season. The Warriors could throw in David Lee or Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes or Klay Thompson to L.A. but I don't see a trade happening between L.A. and Golden State. 

This leaves us with two teams: Houston and Los Angeles. The Lakers asked Howard to save the best for last and they get the final meeting. However, I don't think it matters. Him and the Lakers 115th coach over the last two years, Mike D'Antoni don't see eye to eye. (Isn't it time they take the D out of his last name because he is allergic to it.) You could sense last season Howard did not enjoy playing with Kobe Bryant. No offense to Howard but he is a very sensitive guy and sensitivity and Kobe Bryant go together like Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian. The one thing the Lakers have that no other team has is an extra year and $30 million extra dollars in Howard's bank account and being able to live in Hollywood. Just please stay away from Kazaam II if you stay in Los Angeles.  

The Houston Rockets only have four players who are due to make over $3 million next season. They are sitting $19 million under the projected $58.5 million dollar salary cap for the 2013-14 season so signing Howard would not be a problem at all for Houston. They are up first to set the bar high. The Rockets have their version of the A-Team waiting in Hollywood to wine and dine Howard. They are hoping he is ready to commit to a long relationship and put out (get your mind out of the gutter) on the court. Kevin McHale, Hakeem Olajuwon, James Harden, Chandler Parsons, Daryl Morey (GM), and Les Alexander (owner) are hoping they can convince Howard to join them in Houston. The Rockets have a really good chance to sign Howard to a maximum 4-year deal worth $88 million because they have a boatload of young talent and he would get to be Superman again. Kind of hard to be Superman when you are playing with the Black Mamba. James Harden won't have a problem being Robin, the eye mask will fit perfectly with his beard. 

PREDICTION: Houston we have a problem, but signing Dwight Howard won't be one. Howard spurns the Lakers and signs a four-year maximum contract with the Rockets. 

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

This leads us right into what will the Lakers do if Howard bounces. The Lakers are already over the salary cap even without Dwight Howard. Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant are on the books for next season right under $50 million. The Lakers are one of 15 teams who haven't used their amnesty clause and they could chose to use it on Metta World Peace or Gasol and free up some cap space. Gasol is due to make $19.3 million and MWP is owed nearly $8 million. I would amnesty Gasol but I don't see the Lakers doing that because Kobe Bryant is a huge Gasol fan. 

The Lakers look at the salary cap like women do when it comes to shopping: There is no spending limit. Sorry ladies, but facts are facts. 

I am buying into the hype and Dwight Howard is gone so here is plan B for the Lakeshow: Monta Ellis and three role players. Ellis really wants to come back to California and Hollywood would be a perfect match for him. Both parties have shown mutual interest but the same thing could happen to the Lakers that happened to the Cavaliers in the summer of 2010. Sit and wait then miss out on the other big name free agents.

The Lakers need another big man if Howard bounces and perimeter shooters. Tiago Splitter or J.J. Hickson would be a nice pickup for Los Angeles to go along with Nick Young and Kyle Korver. Young is a poor man's Jamal Crawford and could be the scoring the Lakers need off the bench. He played really well in his hometown for the Clippers two years ago in the postseason and going back to Hollywood would be a perfect home for Young. Korver would be perfect for D'Antoni's system to stretch the floor. The Lakers might not sign a center and try and go after Carl Landry to help on the defensive side of the floor. 

PREDICTION: Monta Ellis, Kyle Korver, Nick Young and J.J. Hickson call Los Angeles home. 

JOSH SMITH

While everyone is focusing in on Howard and Paul, Josh Smith is arguably the most underrated superstar in the NBA. He is one of the most athletic players in the game and is a very underrated defender. Over the last four seasons Smith is averaging 17.1 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.8 BPG and 1.4 SPG. The guy does it all and his game continues to get overlooked. Outside of LeBron James he is one of the few players who can really guard any position in the league. There are plenty of suitors who are ready to dish out some big-time doe to bring in J-Smoove.

The Boston Celtics want to make a deal for Smith. They will have to work out a sign and trade with Atlanta and after shipping Pierce and Garnett this has a chance of happening. Smith has shown a lot of interest to play in Boston and ball with his former Oak Hill Academy HS teammate, Rajon Rondo. Rondo and Smith hope they get the chance to do this in Boston Green. Josh Smith could help Boston get over one of the worst sports weeks in Boston history, don't worry Buckner you are still holding down the top spot. The Boston Bruins gave up two goals in 17 seconds in Game 6 on their home ice, blowing a 2-1 lead, and losing the Cup in six. Doc Rivers was sent packing to the West Coast. Aaron Hernandez had one too many pieces of bubble gum and the "Big Three Era" is officially over in Boston. So grab some tea and hope it's time to party with Josh Smith in Boston.

The Detroit Pistons are another strong suitor for Smith. They can give him a four-year max contract to build around Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond and Brandon Knight. The question is does Smith want to win now or does he care more about getting a max contract at the age of 27. He is in his prime and this could very well be the last time he gets a chance to get a max deal. 

The Bucks, Mavericks, Rockets and Spurs have all shown interest in Smith.

PREDICTION: The Celtics and Hawks work out a sign and trade deal. Smith and Rondo reunite and help Boston fans get over the "Big Three Era." 

*Dallas has a really good chance to land Smith too, it's just a matter if they want to give him a max contract or wait until the 2014 free agency period.

Rapid Fire: The Best of the Top Tier Free Agents

ANDREW BYNUM: Re-signs with Philadelphia 

DAVID WEST: Re-signs with Indiana

J.R. SMITH: Signs with Chicago

BRANDON JENNINGS: Re-signs with Milwaukee

PAUL MILLSAP: Signs with Dallas

AL JEFFERSON: Signs with San Antonio

ANDRE IGUODALA: Signs with Dallas

TYREKE EVANS: Signs with New Orleans

TONY ALLEN: Signs with Detroit

JEFF TEAGUE: Re-signs with Atlanta

MANU GINOBILI: Signs with Atlanta

NIKOLA PEKOVIC: Re-signs with Minnesota

The Best of the Rest

KEVIN MARTIN: Signs with Milwaukee

DEVIN HARRIS: Signs with Cleveland

ANDRE KIRILENKO: Signs with Dallas

DARREN COLLISON: Signs with Minnesota

O.J. MAYO: Signs with Philadelphia

MATT BARNES: Re-signs with L.A. Clippers

TIAGO SPLITTER: Signs with Portland

NATE ROBINSON: Signs with Detroit

GERALD HENDERSON: Re-signs with Charlotte

J.J. REDICK: Signs with New York

MO WILLIAMS: Signs with Indiana

RANDY FOYE: Signs with L.A. Lakers



EARL CLARK: Re-signs with L.A. Lakers


JARRETT JACK: Signs with Dallas

CARL LANDRY: Signs with Portland

JOSE CALDERON: Signs with L.A. Clippers


As my boy Nicholas Xay always says, "Grab your popcorn" because this is going to be a very interesting free agency period. The Miami Heat are looking to be the first team to three-peat since the 2000-02 Los Angeles Lakers. We will have to wait and see if your team adds that last piece to the puzzle to make sure James and company don't become the sixth team in NBA history to three-peat. This is the deepest pool of free agents since James, Wade, and Bosh announced they were taking their talents to South Beach so just sit back and enjoy reading the bottom line on ESPN for the next couple of weeks. Teams can't officially sign players until July 10th but once 12:01 gets here in a matter of hours teams can officially start fishing for the biggest prizes in the game.

Yasiel Puig Has Taken Baseball By Storm

By: Zack Poff 

After one week everyone said it wouldn't last.

Two weeks went by and people started to wonder if they were believing what they were seeing.

25 days have passed and he still hasn't taken his foot off the gas pedal.

If anything, Yasiel Puig has gone way past the speed limit recklessly, for the second time this year, except this time he's doing it in a good way: on the diamond.

The 22-year old Cuban sensation was everything the Dodgers organization needed. Los Angeles was dishing out money left and right trying to build a winning franchise, surpassing the New York Yankees with the highest payroll in baseball. The Dodgers 215+ million dollar payroll is the highest in Major League Baseball history and it is the first time since 1998 the Yankees weren't the top spenders in the game. 

However, having the No. 1 payroll doesn't guarantee anything. Baseball is a very unique sport and it takes a lot more than dollar bills to have success. It's not about having the best player in the world like basketball or having the best quarterback to lead your team to destiny. Baseball is truly the hardest sport to predict and hockey is the only other sport among the major four that you could make an argument. Baseball and hockey haven't had a repeat champion in this millennium. 

Before Puig was called up on June 3rd, the Dodgers were sitting in last place in the NL West, eight and a half games out of first place. The Miami Marlins and the Milwaukee Brewers were the only teams in the National League with a worse record than Los Angeles. Matt Kemp and Carl Crawford were on the disabled list and the Dodgers were desperate for a spark. 

They reached in their "Puiggy" bank and hit the jackpot. Puig has reached base safely in all but two of the 25 games he has played in and has 13 multi-hit games. Puig has been just as entertaining to watch in the outfield as he has been in the batters box. The guy has a cannon and goes after every ball like it is the 27th out. He plays with a relentless passion for the game, something the Dodgers were lacking during the first 54 games of the season. He is built like Patrick Willis, runs like Chris Johnson and has a Brett Favre cannon for an arm. 

He did something no other baseball player has done in the live-ball era (since 1920): 32 hits and seven HR's through his first 20 career games. 

Through his first 25 games he is batting .424 with seven long-balls and 16 RBI's. He has a 1.115 OPS and most importantly the Dodgers are 13-11 in the 24 games he has started this year. 

However, the most important aspect Puig has attributed to the Dodgers doesn't show up on the stat sheet: excitement. Los Angeles has been a totally different ball club since they called him up from the minors. They weren't playing like a team, there was no excitement in the clubhouse or the stands, and they were simply not playing good baseball.

A lot has changed since the month of June begun. The Dodgers went 10-17 in May, the worst they have done in May since they moved to Los Angeles in 1958.

Enter Yasiel Puig. He made playing baseball fun again for a team that was desperate for momentum. The Dodgers were pressing way too much and forgot how to play the game like it's supposed to be played: go out and have fun. Don Mattingly was on the outside looking in with a ton of pressure managing the highest payroll the game has ever seen. I really don't think his job was on the line but Puig took a lot of pressure off the shoulders of the third year skipper. 

Since Puig joined the Dodgers no one has more hits or a higher batting average than the 22-year old outfielder. He has taken baseball by storm and has been the talk of the game this month. I am still on the fence on if he should be an All-Star because he has only started 24 games and appeared in 25. I think the National League would love to have Puig on their roster. It's a win-win situation. The main purpose of the game is to please the fans and there hasn't been a more trending player in the game than Mr. Puig. Forget about "Tebowmania" it's now "Puigomania" time. 

Bruce Bochy, manager of the San Francisco Giants, said it would be extremely difficult to select Puig to the All-Star team because he hasn't played in enough games. Puig answered going 6-12 with a HR and 2 RBI in a three-game sweep against the Giants earlier this week to try and change Bochy's opinion.

Furthermore, there is a lot on the line winning the All-Star game with the winner awarded home-field advantage in the World Series. Yasiel Puig would definitely help out the National League roster tremendously. It is hard to argue there are 34 other players who are more deserving than Puig. He has been one of the best players in June and you could make the argument he has had the best individual month among anyone this season. 

The phrase "five-tool player" gets overused way too much in the game of baseball. That is not the case with Yasiel Puig. Vin Scully said it best, "I have never seen anyone do what he has done in a such a short period of time." He continued to say, "I've never seen a a player who is a five-tool player show all five tools in his first three career games." Scully has only been around the game of baseball since 1950. 

Whether or not the Dodgers rookie phenom continues his rapid pace it is amazing to just sit back and watch what he has done to start his young career. 

Exactly a year ago today the Dodgers inked Puig to a seven-year deal worth $42 million. 365 days later he has a good chance to win "National League Player of the Month." You can believe in the Puig hype or continue to say it won't last but you have to tip your cap to the remarkable start the Cuban phenom has had. 

Immaturity was a big question mark with Puig but that has been far from the truth. No one said he could continue his hot start but his 39 hits are most in the Majors in the month of June. We live in a society where it's about the now and Yasiel Puig has taken over the game of baseball and is trending more than North West. Even the 85-year old Vin Scully took over twitter for the Dodgers and was tweeting about Yasiel Puig. If Scully gets on twitter because of Puig this young Cuban phenom has truly become a major hit not just in baseball, but nationwide. 

Yasiel Puig highlights

NBA Trade Deadline Right Around the Corner

The clock it ticking by the second.

And, luckily we don't have to call Jeremy Renner to save us from any bombs but some NBA executives have to make some very tough decisions during the next 40 hours. The trade deadline is this Thursday (2/21/13) at 3 PM/ET and there are some players on the market that can help your team get to the next level. 

There has been a lot of buzz with the Los Angeles Clippers dealing away Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan to add one more star-type of player to increase their title chances.

Los Angeles Lakers' GM Mitch Kupchak insists that Dwight Howard is not on the market, but if someone offers the Lakers the right pieces, he could change his mind by Thursday afternoon. There is no guarantee Howard is staying in La-La land after this season, but he would have 30 million reasons to stay put. 

A lot of teams are interested in two ageing Boston Celtic HOF'ers. It'll be impossible to get Kevin Garnett to waive his no-trade clause, unless of course, Paul Pierce is dealt first. Garnett and Pierce are two seasoned veterans who could be the final piece to finish the puzzle for a contending team.

Josh Smith, Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, J.J. Redick, Brandon Jennings, Carlos Boozer and former No. 1-pick Andrea Bargnani are just some of the names that have been trending on twitter when you search #NBATradeDeadline. 

I see Smith, Jefferson or Millsap, and Redick as the only big-names getting moved. Nobody wants to take on Boozer's contract and the Bucks won't deal Jennings or Monta Ellis before the deadline. 

Josh Smith is the biggest name on the market. He is one of the most underrated players in the league. He has a good all-around game and is one of the most athletic players in the NBA. Smith has finished among the top-10 in blocks in six of the last seven years. J-Smoove is a very underrated defensive player. During his nine-year career he has put up sexy numbers that'll get the ladies excited:

15.2 PPG, 8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.3 SPG & 2.2 BPG.

His current contract expires after this season. Luckily, for GM's that should make it easier to put together a package to acquire Smith. The Atlanta Hawks want some young guy's in return and draft picks to build for the future. They also want to clear some cap space for this summer when Chris Paul and Dwight Howard hit the open market. 

If I had to make a guess on where Smith will land I would go with Milwaukee. The Bucks are holding onto the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference but only four games back of the fourth spot, and five games behind Indiana in the Central division. 

Two dark-horses: Dallas Mavericks & Brooklyn Nets

The Utah Jazz will make at least one move involving Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap. They both are on expiring contracts and Utah can't keep them both after this season. The Jazz have two young studs inside in Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors to build on for the future. They are sitting in the seventh spot in the Western Conference playoff race and they need some backcourt help, badly. 

Expect Utah to ship one of their bigs, or both, and add some backcourt help. The number one guy on their list is Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe showed how dynamic he can be in this league when he started at point guard during Chris Paul's absence. 

In 12 starts he averaged: 14.2 PPG, 5.3 APG, 4.8 RPG, 2.5 SPG and 1.3 BPG. 

The rumors are swirling with a deal involving Millsap and Bledsoe but the Clippers are still hesitant to deal the 23-year old without Chris Paul being signed long-term yet. 

I see the Jazz holding onto Al Jefferson but watch out for the San Antonio Spurs to make a last minute push at "Big Al." Jefferson would be a perfect fit in San Antonio for a two-month rental. The big question is though, would the Spurs be willing to deal Tiago Splitter and some draft picks for a rental? 

I can guarantee that either Millsap of Jefferson won't be wearing a Utah jersey after Thursday. I think Jefferson is staying put and Millsap is going to ball for Jay-Z in Brooklyn. The Clippers won't pull the trigger on Bledsoe and stay quiet during the deadline.

Two dark-horses: Boston Celtics & Denver Nuggets

J.J Redick is rumored to be on the open market. The Orlando Magic don't want to give him a big-time contract after his contract expires this summer. Redick would be the perfect addition to a team that needs another wing scorer. The New York Knicks can never have too many 3-point shooters, they only average 29 attempts from behind the arc a game. (Mike D'Antoni wishes he was back in New York.)

The Knicks need to find a way to land Redick. The best way to beat the Miami Heat is to spread them out and Redick would add more depth on the perimeter. They are a 2-0 vs. Miami this year and they made a combined 25 3's in both contests. They beat the reigning champs by 20 points in both games. 

The Magic want Iman Shumpert in return, and the Knicks don't want to deal the 22-year old. However, they could quickly change their stance and become the clear front-runner in the East to dethrone Miami in the playoffs. They have had success against Miami this year and adding Redick would only increase their chances to shocking the reigning champs in the playoffs. 

I think the Knicks will jump on the opportunity to land one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA. 

Two dark horses: Milwaukee Bucks & Chicago Bulls

Those are the major moves I see being made by the deadline but don't be shocked if the Celtics decide to rebuild and trade Pierce and KG. The Clippers are close to trading two of their youngsters but they would be wise to stay quiet during the deadline. The Lakers will stand pat and hold onto Howard and focus on making a push for one of the bottom spots in the Western Conference playoff race. 

There is so much uncertainty when it comes to the NBA trade deadline. Nobody really knows what deals we could potentially see. This time of year can help a team win an NBA Championship. The 2004-05 and 2005-06 Detroit Pistons and the 2009-10 and 2010-11 Los Angeles Lakers are prime examples. Rasheed Wallace helped the Pistons win the 2005 NBA Championship and helped the Pistons reach the NBA Finals in back-to-back years. The Lakers acquired Pau Gasol during the 2008-09 deadline and helped the Lakers reach three-straight finals and was a major contributor when the Lakers won back-to-back Championships three years ago. Get your popcorn ready because during the next 44-hours anything can happen. 

UFC 157: History in the Making

The UFC is one week away from breaking more than one barrier inside the Octagon. It will be the first time in the organization's 20-year history that women will be throwing down inside the cage. Former Strikeforce Bantamweight Champion, Ronda Rousey, puts her belt on the line against Liz Carmouche in the main event. 

Women fighting inside the Octagon is not the only hurdle the UFC is jumping over next Saturday night. Carmouche is the first openly gay fighter to ever compete in the UFC. It is a huge step for the UFC, and more importantly, for the rest of the sports world.

"Rowdy" Ronda Rousey is an absolute beast, if you don't believe me just check out her highlights http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf-eNVAeC0U. She became the first American woman to take home a medal in Judo when she won a bronze in the 2008 Summer Olympics. She's a perfect 6-0 in her MMA career and none of her opponent's made it past Round 1. She isn't just the best submission artist among women, but arguably the best submission artist in the world, including men. Only one fighter made it longer than a minute against Rousey. 

In 2011, UFC President Dana White said, "Women would never fight in the UFC." 

Rousey quickly changed the bosses mind. Not only are women making their debut next Saturday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA, but Rousey vs. Carmouche is the evening's main event. 

The challenger, Carmouche, is 8-2 in her MMA career and has won two-fights in a row. She takes on her toughest opponent next Saturday night in Ronda Rousey. 

This is a huge night for the organization. The UFC has made huge strides over the last few years and this is just another step in the right direction for The Ultimate Fighting Championship. The organization inked a 7-year $700 million deal with FOX in 2011 and women fighting in the UFC will continue to get more fans interested in the fastest growing sport in the world. 

If you would like to learn more about the two women fighting next Saturday night just check out the UFC's "Primetime Special" on Rousey/Carmouche. 

And, don't forget to follow me on twitter @zpoff13 for more information on the UFC and mixed-martial-arts. 

UFC Primetime: Episode 1:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSRjHK4S9qs

UFC Primetime: Episode 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAb5HgtYeM0 

This is how the rest of the fight card lines up next Saturday night:

                                 UFC 157 - Honda Center (Anaheim, CA)

                               MAIN CARD ON PAY-PER-VIEW (7 PM/PT)

Ronda Rousey (6-0, 0-0 UFC)               vs.     Liz Carmouche (8-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC)

Dan Henderson (29-8 MMA, 6-2 UFC)    vs.     Lyoto Machida (18-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC)

Urijah Faber (28-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC)          vs.     Ivan Menjivar (25-9 MMA, 4-2 UFC)

Josh Koscheck (17-6 MMA, 15-6 UFC)   vs.     Robbie Lawler (19-9 MMA, 4-3 UFC)

Court McGee (14-3, 3-2 UFC)                 vs.     Josh Neer (33-12-1 MMA, 6-8 UFC)

                                PRELIMINARY CARD ON FX (5 PM/PT)

Brendan Schaub (8-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC)     vs.     Lavar Johnson (17-6 MMA, 2-1 UFC)

Michael Chiesa (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC)       vs.     Anton Kuivanen (17-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC)

Sam Stout (18-8-1 MMA, 8-7 UFC)         vs.     Caros Fodor (7-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC)

Dennis Bermudez (9-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC)   vs.     Matt Grice (15-4 MMA, 2-4 UFC)

                  PRELIMINARY CARD ON FACEBOOK (3:30 PM/PT)

Kenny Robertson (11-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC)  vs.     Brock Jardine (9-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC)

Neil Magny (7-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)               vs.     Jon Manley (7-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)

Nah-Shon Burrell (8-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC)     vs.     Yuri Villefort (6-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)