So my predictions weren't 100% at the weekend AGAIN! You'd think that if someone calls you an 'expert' you should be right all the time. Turns out that this isn't the case.
Who did I get wrong?
I picked Gamburyan to maul Emerson but Emerson had different plans. As long as they start every fight standing there's always going to be a chance of an early KO. Do I mind getting this one wrong? No, it was exciting so I can't complain. The fact that Gamburyan hadn't been KO'd before combined with his ferocious grappling style made me think he'd take it.
Did I give Lesnar the credit he deserved going into the Herring fight? Probably not. I believe that MMA is an incredibly tough sport to get into and making such a fast transition was going to be tough for him. Herring on the other hand has no quit in him (as we saw Saturday night) and I thought he had the experience and the skill to take it. Props to Lesnar for turning up in shape and with a game plan that maximised his strengths. I'm reading a lot of criticism on forums about 'why didnt he go for a choke or work a sub?' The answer is why risk getting into a grappling match and getting submitted when you could secure a dominant position and pound the heck out of your opponent. GSP didn't try and grapple with Serra in their second match. Even with Serra turtledGSP never tried to take his back preferring to strike with his knees. Do I mind getting this one wrong? Well considering we've just found out that Brock's legit and could be a force to be reckoned with at Heavyweight I cant complain. Still, we've get to see him take a solid shot to the face which could be his undoing.
One of the joys and curses of writing predictions for MMA is that you do get it wrong. Fighters can perform outside of what the 'experts' predict and I for one love it. When a guy (or gal) surprises you with a victory you never knew they had in them you can't be unhappy. MMA isn't pro wrestling (or even boxing) and one of it's strengths is that you still can't always pick a winner. Let's hope it stays that way and keeps 'experts' like me on our toes.
The Lamplight Arts Centre in Stanley, County Durham was the venue for Tuesday night's showing of action comedy Sucker Punch starring Ian Freeman, Danny John Jules and Gordon Alexander. The three main stars together with the Producer and Director all turned out to support the film's release on DVD.
More importantly however, the event which was hosted by Ian Freeman was to raise money for 11 year old Lewis Scott, who is fighting cancer. Freeman dedicated his light-heavyweight title win at last month's Cage Rage to Lewis.
Lewis, of Chester-le-Street, County Durham, has the crippling condition Rhabdomyosarcoma, in which cancerous cells can start growing in muscle tissue anywhere in the body. Lewis has endured huge doses of chemotherapy since being diagnosed in March and is currently in remission, but he still faces several more months of chemo and radiotherapy sessions.
Angela Smith, Fighters Only Office Manager who attended the event said, "It was a fantastic evening and despite all the big so-called 'hard men' in the audience I don't think there was a dry eye in the house when Lewis himself came on stage to thank everyone for coming."
"He's an ordinary little boy taking on the biggest fight of his life, literally for his life and it's just fantastic to see someone like Ian Freeman in his corner so to speak. Everyone at Fighters Only wishes him lots of love and luck."
Sales of the Sucker Punch DVD together with a charity auction, raffle and door sales on the night raised a grand total of £3822.00
If you were unable to attend and would like to make a donation, please make cheques or postal orders (made payable to LEWIS SCOTT) can be sent to:
Lewis Scott
C/o IAN FREEMAN
PO BOX 94
STANLEY
COUNTY DURHAM
DH9 9YW.
Please ensure payments are made payable to LEWIS SCOTT.
Whatever your preconceptions of life in the publishing industry, putting together Fighters Only isn't rocket science. It's more like juggling about 20 different odd shaped objects all at once, while standing on a skateboard that someone is trying to kick from under you.
And all at the same time, there are people stood behind your back talking shit about you and waiting for you to fall so they can step in and claim they could do a better job. Not to mention the few members of the audience who boo incessantly, really wishing you'll fail.
Well guess what? We got juggling skillz, for real.
Next issue is gonna kick ass - you'll see it in a week's time.
Last month's issues was one of my favourites for a while, and Ryan Harksness's article on GSP's, Kang's and Louiseau's strength and conditioning was outstanding. GSP is very much my role model as an athlete, the fighter I aspire to be both technically and physically, so I relish any insight into his training. Given that, you can imagine my delight when when I found a video of the very same training session on Youtube. I hasten to add that the the mancrush I have on GSP is entirely heterosexual, strictly professional admiration, and has nothing to do with his tight, cute buns.
