UFC 133: Evans vs. Ortiz Predictions

UFC 133 is an exciting fight card that airs live this Saturday at 9:00 pm, from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The first fight of night is a matchup in the welterweight division between, Rory MacDonald and Mike Pyle. MacDonald is coming of an impressive win against Nate Diaz at UFC 129, while Pyle is ridding a three fight win streak by defeating Ricardo Almeida, John Hathaway, and Jesse Lennox. I predict MacDonald will utilize his wrestling to takedown and control Pyle. If MacDonald can avoid Pyle’s submission attempts, I believe MacDonald will be able to defeat Pyle by judge’s decision. The second fight is a matchup in the middleweight division between Jorge “El Conquistador” Rivera and Constantinos “Costa” Philippou. Rivera is trying to bounce back after losing to Michael Bisping, while Philippou is attempting to earn his first win inside the octagon. Philipou, in his octagon debut, lost to Nick Catone via decision. I predict the octagon experience of Rivera will overwhelm Philippou, and his striking will earn him a third round TKO over Constantinos. The third fight on the card is close matchup between Dennis “Superman” Hallman and Brian “Bad Boy” Ebersole. Both these fighters have plenty of fight experience, with both fighters possessing over 40 wins. Also, the betting lines have this matchup split right down the middle, giving both fighters a -115 betting line. Hallman is ridding a two fight win streak by defeating Karo Parisyan and Ben Saunders, while Ebersole is a former division I wrestler that is undefeated inside the octagon. I expect Ebersole will utilize his wrestling to control Hallman, and will grind out a decision victory. The co-main event of the night is a thrilling middleweight matchup between Vitor Belfort and Yoshihiro Akiyama. Belfort is trying to bounce back after losing to Anderson Silva, while Akiyama has lost two fights in a row. Judo standout Akiyama has yet to taste victory inside the octagon since defeating Alan Belcher, in his octagon debut. I predict Belfort will utilize his superior boxing to out strike Akiyama, and will earn a second round knockout. The main event takes place in the light heavyweight division between Rashad Evens and Tito “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz. These two fighters have met before, with the first fight ending in a draw. Evans is currently ridding a two fight win streak defeating Quinton Jackson and Thiago Silva. Ortiz recently just pulled off an upset win against Ryan Bader defeating him via submission. I expect this fight to be a close fight that takes place on the feet as well as on the ground. Ultimately, I think this fight lands in the hands of the judges, and they will score it a 29-28 unanimous decision to Rashad Evans.

Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson Recap
The first fight of the night pitted welterweight Tarec Saffiedine against exciting striker Scott “hands of steel” Smith. Both fighters started light on the feet in the opening round, while exchanging jabs. As the round continued Saffiedine started to utilize the leg kick to keep distance between him and Smith. Halfway through the first Saffiedine caught Smith with a head kick, and tried to follow up with a standing guillotine. This attempt was prevented by Smtih, and the two fighters locked in a clinch. For the remainder of the round Saffiedine continued to work a punch-kick combo on Smith, judges gave Saffiedine the first round, scoring it 10-9. In the second round Saffiedine continued to press on with low kicks that were unanswered by Smith. As the round continued Saffiedine landed a high head kick, and followed by clinching with Smith and landing some tight punches. Halfway through the second round Saffiedine managed to land a kick to the forearm of Smith, and followed up with punches. Smith, while disoriented, shot for a single leg takedown in order to recover. While on one knee, Smith continued to eat punches thrown by Saffiedine, and eventually Saffiedine took his back continuing to throw punches. As the round came to a close Smith was able to get the fight back to a standing position, but continued to be picked apart by Saffiedine’s punching. Judges awarded the second round to Saffiedine, with one judge awarding Saffiedine a 10-8 round. In the final round Saffiedine continued to press on, as he was clearly the fresher fighter. He continued to work the leg kick for the first half of the round, while circling Smith. In the last two minutes of the round Smith started to look for the knockout by throwing looping punches, this effort was negated by Saffiedine landing strait technical punches. Judges award Tarec Saffiedine the third round by a score of 10-9. Judges score the fight 30-26, 30-27, 30-27 awarding Tarec Saffiedine a unanimous decision over Scott Smith.

The second bout of the night also took place in the welterweight division between two exciting fighters Paul Daley and Tyron Woodley. The first round started off with Woodley looking for the leg kick, as both presented a crouching stance. As time continued, Woodley was able to land a leg kick and attempted to score the first takedown of the night, however Daley was able to fend it off as the two fighters ended up in a clinch with Daley’s back against the cage. As time continued Woodley got caught with a low knee to the groin and the fighter separated. The fight was soon continued, with Woodley being able to get the same position before, with Dailey’s back to the cage. Woodley continued to try and earn a takedown, but Dailey showed impressive takedown defence while remaining pinned to the cage. The fighters would continue to trade punches and also remained inside of each other’s clinch. Judges give a narrow round to Woodley scoring it 10-9. In the second round Daley clinched onto Woodley and landed a good knee to the body, but again the fighter ended up clinching onto each other. As the fight continued, Woodley was finally able to secure a single leg takedown. The rest of the round was a wrestling match with Woodley landing some significant strikes inside Daley’s guard. Judges scored this round the same as the first, 10-9 in favour of Woodley. In the final round Daley came out aggressive, but it ultimately cost him as Woodley scored another takedown. The next few minutes were a struggle for Dailey to get back to his feet, and Woodley continued to throw minor strikes from Dailey’s half-guard. As the round continued, Dailey was able to get the fight back to a standing position, and finishing the round with some impressive striking. Judges gave the last round to Dailey, scoring it 10-9, but Woodley was able to secure a win in a 29-28 point fight.

The third fight of the night was an exciting matchup between middleweights Tim Kennedy and Robbie Lawler. That fight starts off with either fighter hesitant to immediately throw a strike, and after a break due to Lawler taking a groin strike the fight continued. Kennedy, in his second attempt, was able to secure his first takedown. After some ground grappling and Kennedy almost securing Lawler’s back, the fight goes to the feet again. At the end of the round Kennedy was able to score another takedown and eventually was able to mount Lawler. The judges score the first round in favour of Kennedy, by a score of 10-9. The second round opened with both fighters throwing minor strikes, and Lawler stopping a takedown attempt by Kennedy. Kennedy was soon able to secure a takedown on his second attempt, but got cut in the process. For the remainder of the second round Kennedy exhibited solid ground and pound, and judges scored the second round 10-9 in favour of Kennedy. The final round was a striking battle between the two, with either fighter being able to land significant strikes. Lawler was able to stop all of Kennedy’s takedowns in the final round, but it was too little too late, as judges gave the final round to Kennedy and the middleweight secured a 30-27 victory.

The co-main event was a Women’s Bantamweight Title fight between champion Marloes Coenen and challenge Miesha Tate. The fight starts off with both fighters landing minor strikes and them reversing each other’s positioning against the cage. As the round continued Tate was able to follow up a combination and secure a takedown. While on the way to the ground Coenen was able to secure a tight guillotine choke, but after much struggle was forced to let it go. The round ended with Tate landing a few ground strikes to Coenen’s mid-section, as Tate is awarded the first round, 10-9. In the second round started off with Tate looking for a takedown, but as the fight continued Coenen was able to apply a body triangle around Tate. The rest of the round saw a struggle for Coenen to be able to secure the choke, while landing strikes to Tate and controlling her back. Judges give Coenen the second round 10-9. The third round saw the two fighter exchanging punches and kicks, before Tate scored another takedown. Tate was unable to capitalize, as Coenen demonstrated a great butterfly and closed guard to avoid damage. The fight briefly got back to a standing position, before Tate secured another takedown. As the round ended, Coenen worked a great butterfly guard and again avoided taking punishment; however Judges score the round in Tate’s favour 10-9. As the fight enters the championship rounds Tate was able secure another takedown, with Coenen attempting another guillotine. Tate managed to get out of the hold and take side control against the cage. As the round continued Coenen tried to reverse the position, but left herself vulnerable. Tate capitalized by securing an arm triangle and was able to make Coenen tap. Miesha Tate becomes the new Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion, defeating Marloes Coenen via arm triangle submission.

The main event was an exciting clash between Russian heavyweight Fedor Emeliaenko and Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson. The opening round started off with Henderson opening up with a powerful combination that forced Fedor to backpedal. Henderson managed to get Fedor up against the cage and follow up with knees. The two fighters separated and took position at the center of the cage. Fedor was able to land an overhand right that stunned Henderson, and Fedor followed up with a barrage of strikes. The final strike caught Henderson and dropped him to the canvas. Fedor, sensing the end, went in trying to finish the fight. Henderson was able to recover and get behind Fedor by sneaking through Fedor’s armpit. Henderson was able to land an uppercut from his knees that caught Fedor right on the chin. Henderson followed up with more strikes and the referee was forced to step in. Dan Henderson wins via TKO in one of the most exciting first rounds in Strikeforce history.

Jiu Jitsu Journaling!

In school, we take notes. At work, we take notes. At jiu jitsu, practice, we take notes!

One of my mentors, Jim Rohn, once said, “It is challenging to be a student of your own life, your own future, your own destiny. Don’t trust your memory. When you listen to something valuable, write it down. When you come across something important, write it down. Take the time to keep notes and to keep a journal.”

Writing in a journal is a great indication that you’re a serious student. If you want to be a champion in this sport, then you must be a serious student!!

I personally keep 3 journals. One for jiu jitsu techniques and strategy, one for business ideas, and one for my personal stories.

A journal offers an effective way to figure it all out and I’m sure your little scrapper will have a few questions about their journal, so let’s explore the incredible value of recording their jiu jitsu experiences.

What kind of journal is best?
A journal should reflect its owner. It is their book. So you should select the size and style. Also, the book should be capable of going wherever they go.

You may like lined paper, others blank. Some will prefer wide ruled, and others college. Pick the journal that calls out to you.

Buying a journal is the easy part; the hard part is filling it up. So what should go in your jiu jitsu journal?

What am I supposed to write?
Writing about techniques, events and circumstances that occur on the mat will help you to clarify exactly what is happening.
I recommend writing the following in their journal:
- Techniques
o When writing techniques, they should be written in step by step order. We need structure when learning, so bullet points are a great way to organize your thoughts.
o Each technique should have a name. I am a big believer in naming ALL of your techniques. Not only will this allow to better memory, but it will also allow for better coaching at a tournament.
o Write each entry in your own words. We want to remember and understand what we are writing about.
o Write questions that you might have about the technique or problems you might be having while trying to perform the move in live sparring. Every single day, at the end of class I ALWAYS ask my students if they have questions. The ones who do have questions, seem to be the ones who progress the best.
- Theory / Strategy
o Jiu Jitsu isn’t all about the techniques. Just as important in my opinion is the strategy behind the techniques. You should be writing about strategies that your coach is teaching you.
o IE – “Do not force the technique, force the mistake and take advantage of it”
o IE – “Distract your opponent into thinking you are doing one technique, and then go for another”
- High Point Techniques
o Many students who compete should keep a section of their journal for competition techniques. These techniques should be part of their competition game in order to earn more points and advantages then their opponent.
o IE – Focus on sweeps that land you in mount, as opposed to sweeps that land you in ½ guard. (6 points versus 2)
- Stories about Live Rolling
o You should document your rolls with other students in your class. This will allow you to study your partner’s game and hopefully show you their holes.
o If you had a particular great roll, or a roll that you took a few lessons and learned from, document it.
- Stories about Competition
o I tell my kids all the time that when you compete, the worst thing that can happen is that you lose, and learn a lesson.
o Document your tournament experience. This will allow you to look back on your past tournaments and see the improvements in your game. It will also allow you to document specific competitors’ games that you competed against for future competitions.
- Questions
o All questions about techniques, theory, strategy, points, ect should be documented in the journal. Do not leave your memory in charge, because chances are it will not remember.
o Asking questions will allow you to analyze your game and progress it accordingly.
- Record observations of others grappling
o One of the greatest thing about observing others roll is that you have an outside perspective and can learn from their mistakes and their victories.
- Draw pictures
o If you enjoy drawing, draw in your journal about their jiu jitsu experiences.
- Insert photos
o Any photos from competitions, training, ect can be pasted into the journal
If something worked well for you, then it is worth remembering. And if something didn’t work well for you, then it is even more important to record so you don’t make the same mistake again

How often should I be writing?
In my opinion, you should be writing in your journal as much as you train. I suggest bringing your journal to each class so you can ask questions you might have written down and can immediately write down the techniques you did in class. Many people forget the moves on the car ride home. If you write your thoughts down while they are still at the gym, you can have any questions answered immediately.

How should my journal be organized?
I recommend using an index. An index is a system used to make finding information easier. At the back of your journal, list the above topics (Techniques, Theory, Story, Competition). You should also number the pages of your journal. After an entry has been written, go to the back of the journal and add the page number to the topic that it corresponds too. This will allow for easy searching for later examination.

To recapitulate does writing in a journal take time? Yes. Does it take effort? Yes. Does it take discipline? Absolutely. And Time, Effort, and Discipline builds Champions on the mat.

What is your ninja doing tomorrow?!

How does jiu jitsu training, dodgeball,
capture the socks, octopus tag, pitbull,
wrestling drills, relay races, obstacle courses,
water ballon fights, kickboxing training,
arts and crafts, self defense, kickball,
basketball, volleyball, gladiator, conditoning
and battle shields sound?!?

Only $25.00 for 9 hours of PURE FUN!!

Get your child off the coach and in the gym!!

We hope to see you at 8am tomorrow morning!

Best Regards,
COACH CRIS!

Mixed Martial Arts Summer Day Camps for Kids!! Come be a part of our AWARD WINNING Youth Team!!
E-mail us at Rob@gracietampa.com for more info!!

With the huge demand for Conditioning Classes, we have decided to add a “Level 1″ and “Level 2″ MMA Conditioning Course.

The Level 1 Class are for those individuals who are just getting started on their journey to a healthier and fitter body. The class is no walk in the park; members can be assured that they will be given workouts that will help them to meet their goals and needs while building on their technique.

The Level 2 Class are for those individuals who are looking to step their conditioning up a notch. Members of the Level 2 Course are required to bring their Running Shoes, Jump Rope, and a Towel. Be Prepared for some HARD WORK, because at Gracie Tampa, we know that is PAYS OFF!!

Level 1 Classes will remain at the same days and times:
M/W/F from 5:00pm – 6:00pm and T/TH from 8:30am – 9:30am

Level 2 Classes will take place on:
T/Th from 5:00pm – 6:00pm

Please see Coach Cris for more information on how to become part of our AWESOME, butt-kicking workouts!

ATTENTION ALL – NEW SCHEDULE – EFFECTIVE July 5th

We have added 5 New classes to the schedule and have changed the time of one of our Friday morning CAP Wrestling Classes. Effective July 5th, we will be having MMA CONDITIONING CLASSES on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30am – 9:30am. We have had a lot of requests for a morning conditioning class, and your requests have been heard! Please make sure to bring your running shoes and a towel!!

We have also added a 2 BRAND NEW CLASSES to the schedule which will take place on M/W/F from 1:00pm – 2:00pm

SUPER-WOMEN FITNESS BOOTCAMP!!
Made For Women, By Women – Classes will be comprised of: Kickboxing and Boxing, Weighted Circuit Training, Plyometrics, Yoga, Running, Self Defense

SUPER-TODDLER MMA, FITNESS, & FUN!!
Super Toddlers Today…Super Leaders Tomorrow!! – Ages 2 ½ – 4 ½. The Super Toddler curriculum focuses on improving pre-school age children’s basic motor and listening skills. These skills will help them enter society with a more confident and enthusiastic outlook.

Please see Midget for more information on how to sign up for all of our new classes!!

Gracie Tampa had a great showing this weekend!! CONGRATS TO ALL OF OUR FIGHTERS AND COACHES!!!

In Grand Forks, ND, Coach Stephanie Eggink won her PRO DEBUT in 2:28 seconds of the very first round via Jump The Shoulder Arm Bar.

In Tampa, Coach Gabe Cintron won a very impressive decision at the Tampa Bay Gold’s Club improving his Amateur MMA Record to 1-0.

Jay Hanewinkle also won, dominating the entire match with his solid wrestling skills and ground game.

Telly Wells of GT West won via Guillotine.

And great effort was shown by Johnnie Ayala, who had some awesome throws, however lost the decision to a very game Popovitch fighter.

Back to the mat Ladies and Gentlemen! HARD WORK = PAYS OFF!!