UFC 150: Henderson vs. Edgar II Preview & Predictions

Photo from MMAWeeky.com

The card is getting very little attention but those particular events tend to produce the best bell-to-bell action. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am for this fight. The lightweight title rematch between Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar could be fight of the year. UFC President Dana White was originally against giving Edgar a rematch and called for him to move down to 145 lbs. The former champion publicly sited his willingness to give back to back rematches. Dana agreed and here we are today.

 

Benson Henderson (16-2) vs. Frankie Edgar (14-2-1): The story of this fight is size, talent, skill and will. Frankie Edgar convincingly defeated the more talented BJ Penn and knocked out the bigger and stronger Gray Maynard in a pair of championship rematches. The New Jersey native used his matchless skill and will to conquer two different opponents who each brought a different problem to the cage. Continue reading “UFC 150: Henderson vs. Edgar II Preview & Predictions”

Oops!…Kevin Nash Did It Again

Kevin_Nash

(Column I wrote for gerweck.net)

Kevin Nash recently made some comments in an interview with grantland.com that has drawn the ire of wrestlers and fans alike.

“When Benoit and Guerrero hugged [at the end of Wrestle Mania XX], that was the end of the business,” “Has business been the same since that Wrestle Mania? Has it come close to the Austin era? Has it come close to the nWo or the Hogan era? You put two fucking guys that were great workers that were the same height as the f***ing referees, and I’m sorry, man. Are you going to watch a porno movie with a guy with a three-inch dick? Even if you’re not gay, you will not watch a porno movie with a guy with a three-inch dick. That’s not the standard in porno films. So you put a 5-foot-7 guy as your world champion.”

 

“They’re not bigger than life (CM Punk and Daniel Bryan). I bet they could both walk through airports and not be noticed unless they have a gimmick shirt on and the belt.”

 
Continue reading “Oops!…Kevin Nash Did It Again”

Hawkeye #1 Review: A Perfect Bullseye!

Hawkeye #1 | Writer: Matt Fraction | Art: David Aja | Colors: Matt Hollingsworth |
Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $2.99

If you are looking for the Hawkeye that wowed fans in the Avengers movie, you won’t find him here.

What you will find, however, is Matt Fraction’s realistic and gritty interpretation of a man named Clinton Barton. The purple archer doesn’t have the luxury of fighting crime with superpowers, and a bow and arrow is not the answer to every situation. While it is a scary sight for anyone on the receiving end, it’s not going to convince a slum lord gangster to stop unfairly raising rent on poor families.

These injustices are too small for someone like the Hulk to deal with but just right for Mr. Barton.

Fraction does a fantastic job of painting him as the everyman’s hero of Queens, New York. David Aja’s art felt like something I would see drawn on a subway wall, and Matt Hollingsworth’s coloring gave the story a Bohemian motif to match the grittiness of the story.

As the kids say these days, this issue has tons of street credit.

A side note: Does anyone know why one of the variants has Spider-Man surrounded by the many incarnations of Doctor Octopus? It’s a cool cover, and I purchased it, but I can’t seem to discover the reason for its creation. Please let me know in the comment section below. Thanks!

Grade: A-

The Truth Will Set Brandon Vera Free

Brandon ‘The Truth” Vera has been talking a big game for his entire MMA career. How big do you say? He proclaimed he would be the first person to hold the UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight titles simultaneously after winning his UFC debut against Fabiano Scherner. Vera knocked out Justin Eilers and choked out Assuerio Silva en route to his one-minute decimation over former heavyweight champion Frank Mir.
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The Miz: The Next Great IC Champ?

(Column I wrote for Gerweck.net)

I could be completely wrong about this, but The Miz could be the next great Intercontinental champion. The former Real World star became the 70th person to hold the title when he defeated Christian on the 1000th episode of Raw. He also became the 25th triple crown champion.

 

Some might say this is a demotion for the former WWE champion. However, some of the greatest wrestlers of all time held the IC title after a stint with the big boy belt. HHH, Chris Jericho, Pedro Morales are three who come to mind. Countless others made their reputation during their IC title reigns such as Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Continue reading “The Miz: The Next Great IC Champ?”

Five Move’s That No Other Wrestler Should Do

hoganlegdrop

 

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery in professional wrestling. But let’s be honest, there are certain moves that wrestlers just shouldn’t do. Over the years, a particular wrestler has perfected a move with such crisp efficiency that no one will ever come close to mirroring its execution. There are five moves on my list that wrestlers should stay away from because it will never be done as well as their predecessor who brought it into the limelight.

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Captain Marvel #1 Review

Captain Marvel #1 Writer: Kelly Sue DeConnick | Art: Dexter Soy | Colors: Dexter Soy | Letters: Joe Caramagna Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $2.99

Carol Danvers returns and takes on the mantle of Captain Marvel. I knew I was buying this issue the second it was announced back in March because I’m a big fan of the character and its Marvel’s only female lead. I want to support this book because it is my hope that more female lead titles will come.

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The Dark Knight Rises Review

Another comic book film is in the books as Christopher Nolan’s trilogy spectacularly comes full circle. Whoever decides to work on this franchise next definitely has their work cut out for them. The story picks up eight years after the events of The Dark Knight. Gotham City relishes its peace, and Bruce Wayne lives as a recluse in Wayne Manor. He is older, with gray streaks in his hair, and gets around with a walking cane’s support.

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The Walking Dead #100 Review

The Walking Dead #100 | Writer: Robert Kirkman | Art: Charlie Adlard | Colors: Cliff Rathburn | Publisher: Image Comics | Price: $3.99

Most people, including myself, were expecting some sort of second zombie apocalypse. While this didn’t happen, fans paid one dollar more for 30 uninterrupted well-paced pages that changed everything for Rick and company.

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Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy Preview & Predictions

There has been little to zero attention on tomorrow night’s Strikeforce event from the Rose Garden in Portland, OR. Sure, it’s not the sexiest lineup of fights, but it should provide some exciting action and answer some intriguing questions both in and outside of the cage. Showtime is really to blame for the lack of promotion, and it’s a shame because these fights are just wasting their time putting their bodies through a grueling training camp for little pay and even smaller recognition.

Robbie Lawler (19-8) vs. Lorenz Larkin (12-0): Lawler has difficulty with technical fighters. Larkin often deviates from his technical prowess, and Lawler, the veteran, will find his opening to catch Larkin on the jaw.

Prediction: Robbie Lawler via 3rd Round TKO

  Continue reading “Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy Preview & Predictions”