By Joe Ferraro

One of the most memorable bouts during UFC 129, was Mark Hominick‘s resilient performance against featherweight champion Jose Aldo Jr. After dropping the first four rounds, “The Machine” displayed a tremendous amount of heart and courage to rebound in the final frame, with many scoring the last round 10-8 in favour of the challenger.

But it was a round he nearly never had the chance to participate in, if it was not for Dr. Jason Su, the cage side physician, a staple with the Ontario Athletics Commission for over a decade, who was called upon by referee Big John McCarthy, after a hematoma began forming over the challenger’s right eye.

Dr. Su was thrusted into the unenviable position, in front of over 55,000 fans, as well as millions watching around the world, to ascertain, whether Hominick, the hometown hero, was allowed to continue fighting. Having done his homework, the MD calmly stepped into the octagon, and into the MMA spotlight.

“You have to access with regards, to the athlete at hand”, stated Dr. Su. “I know of Mark with regards to his record, his fight tactics and his demeanor. You have to assess with regards, first, does he have an aberration from his usual fight style. As you know, his nickname is “The Machine”, and he literally is a machine, so the first thing you want to do is assess with regards, how he has been performing thus far. So having said that, you look at the specific injuries that he has sustained thus far.”

Up until that point, the Canadian was holding his own, but then his Brazilian opponent landed a telling blow to Hominick’s forehead. The area quickly began to swell over his right eye, with many fans and media wondering if it was the beginning of the end, for Hominick’s ten year journey, and lifelong dream, of achieving championship glory.

“For the most part, the media has had a big fixation with regards to the so called hematoma, of which I cannot confirm nor deny that’s what the diagnosis is, for medical and legal standards” stated Dr. Su. “I was more concerned with how this gentlemen was adequately able to defend himself and whether he was still in the fight. In my medical opinion, and after two separate medical assessments, and even consulting with Big John McCarthy, with regards to the status of the fighter, and we both felt that, Yes, he was still in the fight and he indeed was ready to go.”

Hominick was allowed to continue, and survived the fourth round, but when the bell rang, his cut man sprung into action.

With his corner only allowed sixty seconds to work with, the ice cold steel pressing down to constrict the blood flow in the wounds veins, the team worked feverishly to bring down the swelling. But once they were done, the inevitable occurred. Dr. Su stepped in again, with many firmly believing, he would call an end to the fight.

But unbeknownst to the vast majority who were holding their breath, it wasn’t the swelling on “The Machine’s” right side that was the concern;  the doctor was worried about something else.

“As with any sports event, or combat sports event especially, you have to access with regards to whether this fighter can defend himself from angular attacks. In this case, Mr. Hominick passed, with regards to his peripheral vision sight. Personally, I was more concerned with his opposite side, than what the media has been focusing on. Quite frankly, that was more concerning to me, as that (left) eye was closing up, and I had to really concentrate, in regards to, what Mr. Hominick was able to see coming at him. Again, you have to take this into general context, that’s one of the tests we look at to determine whether a fighter is capable of defending himself or not. From viewing his past performance, in his career, that Mr. Hominick is quite, literally, a machine, as your fans note, and that he was still quite ‘in the game’, at the time.”

With UFC 129 being the biggest combat sports spectacle to ever take place in the province of Ontario, and likely the most pressure packed situation that the resident physician had ever worked, did he feel any added pressure from the millions watching to not stop the fight, or perhaps the opposite – to actually halt the bout, in order to avoid the backlash from many of the hungry anti-MMA media who were in attendance, salivating for the “I told you MMA is brutal” story?

“To be perfectly honest with you, and I know people are fixated with that decision, with people sending me links in regards to Dana White complimenting me on the decision that I made. I am very flattered by that, but quite frankly, that was not the hard call of the night. It was very straight forward to me, in looking at these things, it’s my job to determine, as to whether he was ready to go or not.”

Many may find it surprising, that the two times Dr. Su stepped into the octagon to assess Mark Hominick, paled in comparison to what occurred earlier in the evening, during a lightweight fight where the physician’s years of ringside experience and decision making were truly tested, in what he believes was the most stressful part of his evening.

“Your media colleagues, actually, have not covered much with regards to some of the preliminaries, obviously, because it’s not as marketable as some of the main events, but for me, it was the event with Mr. Kyle Watson (who fought John Makdessi), who sustained a dramatic comatose situation, and the call whether I should be moving him or whether stabilizing him and letting him recover. Thankfully he did recover on his own and I did not have to proceed onto any further, evasive medical procedures.”

To hear the rest of the interview and the full broadcast of “The Showdown”, you can here it here:
[audio:http://pmd.fan590.com/audio_on_demand/May-05-2011-Edition-of-The-Showdown.mp3]

Note: all episodes of “The Showdown,” on Sportsnet Radio THE FAN 590, are available for download (and subscription) on iTunes.

By Joe Ferraro

It was a long time coming, but the Ultimate Fighting Championship finally held an event in the very city I have lived in, for my entire life.

UFC 129: St-Pierre vs Shields in Toronto exceeded all of my expectations. Throughout the lead up during fight week, to the recap episode of UFC Connected, I feel as if I have reached the apex of my career in MMA. Then again, I’m sure there will be plenty more highs that I will feel over the next few years.

The bouts themselves, were classic. The athletes, incredible. Many moments inside the octagon at UFC 129, stand out like the flash of a camera, too many of which had me feeling headaches on Friday and Saturday night. More on this later…

The main event between welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and challenger Jake Shields took a turn for the worse for two reasons. One, was the injury suffered by GSP, which forced him to fight the second half of the fight with vision in only his right eye. The second was Shields’ game plan. I thought the American would have executed a more robust greco-roman wrestling style as the fight continued. Perhaps time an entry where he would exchange taking a punch for an under hook (or two), then force the ground fight. Maybe jump to guard, and work his stellar sweeps and reversals. Either way, I’m sure he’s regretting not trying more, but still deserves credit for going five rounds.

And where are all the naysayers who said he does not have cardio? Oh that’s right, the fight vs Martin Kampmann was an anomaly. I said it then, and I’l say it again…cue the broken record.

As for the criticism that the champ could not finish the challenger: I wonder how these critics would do vs a stud like Jake Shields, after they have been poked / punched in the eye. I wonder how they would have performed with their depth perception out of whack. Think about it people. You are in a mixed martial arts contest wearing an eye patch trying to defend takedowns, while your opponent, a grappling and submission wizard, is trying to punch you, after spending over eight weeks improving his striking skills. But I digress…

So what’s next for GSP? A superfight with Anderson Silva or a scrap with Nick Diaz? Either works for me.

If it’s Silva, make it at a catchweight of 178 lbs, in between welterweight and middleweight. Heck, “The Spider” even stated he would do it at 170 lbs.

If it’s Diaz, fine. Although he has not defeated anyone in the top ten (other than Takanori Gomi in 2007 at 160 lbs), I can understand why this match up would take place. The Stockton native’s stock has risen to an all time high. It makes sense for the promotion. It’s a marquee and money making fight.

Diaz brings a different style that can play fits with GSP. His punches by numbers style is mean. His body shots are incredible. His submissions game is top notch. It is the ultimate good guy vs bad guy match up. Dare I say “UFC Primetime” again?

Then there was the co-main event, where many in the media were mocking Mark Hominick before his UFC Featherweight title shot vs Jose Aldo, saying he did not belong in the same cage as the Brazilian. Their theories proven in the first three rounds, as I sat there patiently waiting for “The Machine” to figure out the champ.

They, along with the fans around us, made fun of the Themsford warrior as the hemotoba grew on his head. But there were only a handful of us that waited for referee Big John McCarthy to halt the bout, bring in the doctor, who did a stellar job making sure Mark’s vision was not blocked, especially peripherally.

While we ignored the negative energy around us, three of us looked at one another and said the momentum will now switch, as Aldo, who was reportedly ill before the fight and had a difficult time making weight, was fading. On the flipside, Hominick never fades as his stamina is the stuff of legend. He worked valiantly, in the final round, easily the longest five minutes of his life, but came up short, putting on one of the most inspirational, comeback performances I have ever witnessed in person.

The criticizing fans and media, ironically enough, approved that he was worthy of sharing the same cage as the champion. Disgusting, yet comedic, at the same time.

Like Shield’s, Aldo’s performance is an anomaly as well. I sincerely believe that, but take nothing away from the Canadian, whose stock value has risen to an all time high. The rest of the 145 lbs division has taken notice, as have the UFC and many, many sponsors.

As for Randy Couture’s final fight inside the octagon: it happens. As “Captain America” has always said, if a loss is the worse thing that can happen to him, so be it.

Father time has been knocking on the door of Randy’s career since he made is debut in 1997. That’s 14 years of dodging, but at age 47, he simply could not catch up to his younger foe. Lyoto Machida’s speed was too much for the living legend to handle. He bowed out gracefully, crane kick or not. As I said on UFC Connected, Randy, thank you for the memories inside the octagon, and the many personal ones, outside of the cage. May Tinsel Town feed your competitive spirit, and satisfy you with every role you chose to audition for.

With the win, Machida does not deserve a title shot. He’s back in the win column, so it’s time to avenge one of three losses before he gets a crack at the gold. I believe he should defeat either Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson or “Suga” Rashad Evans before he gets a chance to fight for the belt.

Oh, and the Steven Seagal story…I’m not buying it.

As for the rest of the card, allow me to skim right through this. I’ll go more in depth on Thursday night’s radio show on Sportsnet Radio, The Fan 590:

Don’t sleep on Vladimir Matyushenko. Rematch with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira should happen, or give him Stephan Bonnar. To the main stream eyes, Ben Henderson proved he is UFC worthy. Many of us already knew this. Perhaps Jim Miller should be next? And how about Mark Bocek vs George Sotiropolous now? I said it over two years ago with Jon Bones Jones, and I’m telling you now. Rory MacDonald will wear UFC gold one day. And Nate Diaz proved he can only be finished if his opponents are allowed to bring a kitchen sink into the cage. It was tough to see Sean Pierson lose, but it just goes to show you how tough Jake Ellenberger is. There is dynamite in those fists. For all those fans that boo when fighters are in the clinch, please watch the Ivan Menjivar vs Charlie Valencia fight. Wrong hand positioning can equal a broken nose. Jason MacDonald’s triangle choke set-up vs Ryan Jensen will be featured on a “Fight School” segment on UFC Connected soon. Stay tuned. If you are a UFC lightweight and you do not know who John Makdessi is – you should change your name to Forrest Gump cause “stupid is, as…” Pablo Garza’s victory over Yves Jabouin is what MMA is all about. If Plan A doesn’t work, go to Plan B. Claude Patrick told me after his victory over Daniel Roberts, he will not act like that inside the octagon. He considered it, a lesson learned.

In closing, I want to thank all the fans who came out and visited our booth at the UFC Fan Expo, the people who stopped me while I attempted to walk the floor, those who attended the QnA with Tom Wright and I, as well as the hundreds who took time to visit our set on Saturday night: the kind words and support made all of the camera flashes worth it. The fumes from the sharpie markers paled in comparison to your support. You make this job the best on the planet and allow me to live out my dream.

The UFC Connected team all pulled in 18-20 hour days, with Saturday being the longest. In the end, running on fumes or not, it was well worth it for each and every one of us

And this was Toronto – I can just imagine what it’s going to be like when we visit Las Vegas for UFC 130 and Vancouver in June for UFC 131. Coffee anyone?

By Joe Ferraro

On a personal level, it’s been a long time coming, but finally, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is officially in my own backyard, and the festivities have begun.

The fun started last Friday, as I, along with UFC welterweight Sean Pierson, as well as top featherweight contender, Mark “The Machine” Hominick, were invited to the Rogers Centre by Zuffa Canada, and the Toronto Blue Jays.

Sean and Mark had the honor of throwing out the first pitch, while I was asked to hand out a pair of tickets to one lucky winner. I created a video blog to capture the experience, and if you missed it, you can view it here.

Today, courtesy of Gatorade Canada, we visited The Toronto Kickboxing Muay Thai Academy, where once again, I had the honor of hitting the mats with famed MMA coach Firas Zahabi.

Firas has worked with many world class mixed martial artists, and has a handful of guys competing on Saturday’s card. Other than his number one pupil, Georges St-Pierre, the coach will likely oversee the likes of Pierson, Rory MacDonald, Ivan Menjivar, John Makdessi and Yves Jabouin.

Today’s focus was recording a few segments for “Fight School”, as well as some items that will air on Rogers Sportsnet this week.

We analyzed what GSP will need to do, should opponent Jake Shields achieve a dominant position on the ground, and worked a specific escape, sweep and finish.

We also did the same with what Pierson should do, should his opponent, Jake Ellenberger attempt a double leg takedown, and how to stuff it, while working to finish him off.

While I was the victim of a few punches and submissions, Zahabi’s technical breakdown of each technique had everyone in attendance in awe.

His attention to detail was exceptional. He stressed the importance of hand positioning, balance, leverage and so much more. It’s safe to say I am very excited to see what and how the Producers at Sportsnet will create as a final piece that will air nationally. Stay tuned…

Tonight, and all week long, I’ll be going live from the Rogers Centre around 6:30pm EST, to bring you up to speed on all the latest from UFC 129: St-Pierre vs Shields. Mind you, we never knew if locations will change, so where ever we are, we will go live.

To stay updated, you can follow me on Twitter @showdownjoe.

Here’s a look at the full fight card for UFC 129:

Main Card

Welterweight Championship bout:  Georges St-Pierre (c) vs.  Jake Shields

Featherweight Championship bout:  José Aldo (c) vs.  Mark Hominick

Light Heavyweight bout:  Vladimir Matyushenko vs.  Jason Brilz

Light Heavyweight bout:  Randy Couture vs.  Lyoto Machida

Lightweight bout:  Mark Bocek vs.  Ben Henderson

Preliminary Card (Rogers Sportsnet)

Welterweight bout:  Nate Diaz vs.  Rory MacDonald

Welterweight bout:  Sean Pierson vs.  Jake Ellenberger

Preliminary Card (Facebook)

Welterweight bout:  Claude Patrick vs.  Daniel Roberts

Bantamweight bout:  Ivan Menjivar vs.  Charlie Valencia

Middleweight bout:  Jason MacDonald vs.  Ryan Jensen

Lightweight bout:  John Makdessi vs.  Kyle Watson

Featherweight bout:  Yves Jabouin vs.  Pablo Garza

By Joe Ferraro

It’s another “Ultimate Wednesday” here at Rogers Sportsnet, so what better way to celebrate than to scan the MMA news landscape for stories that are raising eyebrows. While we cannot cover and comment each and every headline, here is a small sample of some that have caught my eye.

It appears south of the Canadian border, many American MMA fans are surprised at the “breaking news” that UFC President Dana White is hinting that Hall of Famer Royce Gracie will likely not be on the organization’s card in Rio. I noticed a variety of Canadian fans trying to discuss this on various message boards as “old news”, citing MMA Connected’s show, and numerous reports after UFC 128 in Newark.

During our episode on March 28th, I asked White if Gracie would be on the Rio card and he stated “I don’t think so”. We posted this video online, referenced it again in subsequent episodes of MMA Connected, and again, it made it’s way into this week’s show. But, outside of the Great White North, it made “headlines” yesterday.

It’s not the first time, it won’t be the last time, nor will this scenario change anytime soon: Canadians, known as “polite”, can only smile and shrug our shoulders. While the show only airs in Canada, it is, and has always been available online.

Mind you, there have been some stories from American (and international) based websites that are “breaking”, and important to look at.

One that caught my eye, was an interview with Jake Ellenberger, who will be facing Sean Pierson at UFC 129, during our broadcast of the prelims on Rogers Sportsnet.

The interview took place just after Forza acquired Strikeforce and before Jake replaced Brian Foster for the bout vs Pierson. Ellenberger has never been one to mince words, and when he was asked for his thoughts about the UFC 129 main event between Georges St-Pierre and Jake Shields, his body language and facial reaction was that of displeasure. He is obviously favouring GSP in this title fight and believes the champ can defeat the challenger with a “a jab and a yawn”.

During yesterday’s UFC 129 pre-fight conference call, Randy “The Natural” Couture was affirmitive that his bout vs Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida would be his final inside the octagon, and this time he would hang up his gloves for good.

But what if Couture, a master strategist who is developing a game plan to defeat the ever elusive, master counter fighter that is Machida, emerges victorious? That would mean the legend defeated a recent, former champion, making for an interesting story line at the post-fight press conference. If Machida is still considered top five on your rankings, where does the win place Couture?

“The Natural” would be in the mix with the likes of Rashad Evans ( who is next in line for a title shot in the Fall ), Quinton Jackson ( who must first defeat Matt Hamill next month) and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (who faces off against Forrest Griffin in August). Are you seeing what I’m seeing? If not, think like the UFC, and study this symbol here: “$”.

There has also been talk about Strikeforce Welterweight champion Nick Diaz leaving MMA in favour of the “sweet science”, and the sugary pay days that come with competing in the sport. For my money, I do not like Diaz’ chances in the squared circle, as his brawling style will likely see him get in some serious trouble vs a seasoned boxer. In MMA, Diaz ( along with Eddie Alvarez ) has proven the importance of punching to the body, and has reaped the benefits immensely.

His striking by numbers strategy has evolved to include power, and against most MMA fighters (whose striking skills are rudimentary compared to the professionals in boxing), has served him well, but, I cannot help but feel as if the MMA (could be super) star will get exposed by the finesse, skill, strategy, speed and power of some of the opponents being bandied about. Whether Jeff Lacy, Sergio Martinez or Riccardo Mayorga, these are athletes who only know boxing. Have lived and breathed it from a young age. Have perfected it.

If Diaz does get the chance to fight one of them, my MMA heart will be hoping he pulls it off, but my combat sports analytical brain believes he may not last more than a few rounds vs the fighters mentioned above.

Like I mentioned above, there are many more headlines that can be discussed, but it’s now time I hit the studio to finalize our content for “Ultimate Wednesday”. If you want more, you can always follow me on Twitter where I discuss many headlines in real-time with fans and media alike.

It’s another packed night on the network, with three hours of UFC content.

First off is our second edition of “UFC 129 Road to the Rogers Centre : A day in the life of UFC Middleweight Jason Macdonald”.

The team and I head to Red Deer, Alberta, to spend a full day with Macdonald, as he juggles four kids, running both, an MMA and Fitness gym, as well as prepares for what he considers a “must win fight” at UFC 129. Then, it’s episode two of UFC Primetime Georges St-Pierre vs Jake Shields. Up to the minute coverage from the UFC, as they visit both camps, to hear and see what the champion and challengers are doing during the final weeks, leading up to their main event tilt on Saturday April 30th.

Following Primetime, it’s episode four of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs Team Dos Santos as another welterweight will get eliminated from the show.

Then, it’s a great episode of UFC Wired, a one hour telecast of nothing but fights, with this week’s showcasing Brock Lesnar vs Randy Couture at UFC 91.

By Joe Ferraro

It’s another Ultimate Wednesday tonight on Rogers Sportsnet, so as we all get prepped for a great evening of MMA content on the network, I thought I would take some time to answer a portion of the many questions many of you have thrown my way. I will also endevor to comment on some of the major headlines from the world of MMA.

Most of you have found various ways of reaching me, but the vast majority use my Twitter account. If you have a question, comment or concern, feel free to message me there at anytime. I can be reached at twitter.com/showdownjoe.

First and foremost, make sure you are in front of a Tv tonight, as our content tonight is stellar. We will be airing a one hour episode of “UFC Wired”, the third episode of “The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs Team Dos Santos”, a special thirty minutes presentation of “MMA Connected”, featuring “A Day in the Life of Mark Hominick”, as he walks us through his preparations for the biggest fight of his career, as well as the debut episode of “UFC Primetime” featuring Georges St-Pierre and Jake Shields.

Start times vary on all four stations, so check your local listings to make sure you catch each episode.

In the meantime, the world of MMA continues to churn out a variety of headlines, many of which have caught my eye, as well as yours, so let’s tackle a few of them.

Our thoughts are with Brian Foster

On Tuesday night, I had a conversation with UFC Welterweight Sean Pierson whose thoughts are with Brian Foster, his previous opponent for UFC 129 who was forced to withdraw from their scheduled tilt after a pre-fight medical found a hemorrhage on his brain. Having personally lost a family member, who died at the age of thirty from this issue, I echo Pierson’s sentiments and wish Foster a speedy recovery. If you would like to do the same, you can contact him via his twitter at twitter.com/BrianFoster170.

As of this writing, there has been no replacement for Foster that has been named, so Pierson simply stated he is anxious to find out who it will be while continuing to train as he awaits the call from the UFC.

The Coaches for TUF 14?

Much has been made about who may be selected as coaches for season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter. The prime candidates are Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen, but the ladder has a plethora of issues to deal with first. While he did recently receive two years probation, a fine and had his real estate license revoked (stemming from a money laundering charge), he still must appear before the Nevada State Athletic Commission to address comments he made during his testimony in front of the California State Athletic Commission, to address a post fight test that showed he had elevated levels of testosterone.

As much as I enjoy Sonnen’s public persona, one has to wonder if he is simply too much of a headache for the UFC right now. And if so, how much is that pain worth it, financially. Like it or not, Sonnen’s stock is one interview away from sky rocketing. No matter how low you may perceive it to be, a verbal outburst by the middleweight contender will have all ears tuned in. He has the ability to command attention and the the UFC, that means money. And when you are in the business to make money, there will always be ways to use a bad apple like Chael Sonnen.

Gracie says Yes, White says No

In another story that has us wondering who we should believe, UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie continues to tell various media publications that he will be fighting at UFC Rio in August. This situation has gone from rumour, to maybe, to contract negotiations to a pending announcement. As we recently saw on an episode of “MMA Connected”, I asked UFC President Dana White if Gracie would be added to the card in August, to which he answered “No”. Who should we believe? Will Royce fight in his motherland or will the UFC pass on the legend’s retirement fight inside the octagon?

The case of weight between Fedor vs Henderson

This is one story that keeps changing daily. First we hear that Fedor has finally realized that in this day and age, he is best suited to compete at 205 lbs, in the light heavyweight division, and that the rumours were true, that “The Last Emperor” would be taking on Strikeforce Champion Dan Henderson. Next thing we know, the bout is at a catchweight of 220 lbs, and it will obviously not be for the title. All this posturing and negotiations can make one’s blood boil. Fedor should fight at 205 lbs. He can make the weight. He can be dominant at the weight. He can regain the status of the mythical legend with a run at 205 lbs. It was proven twice, he can no longer hang with the big boys in the heavyweight division, so his answer is to stay at 220 lbs, but fight a former 185 lbs fighter in Hendo, just like he did in April of 2007 vs Matt Lindland.

Compounding this issue is that Hendo may not counter back with the fight to take place at 205 lbs, as he has always wanted to fight Fedor at any weight. With the bout technically being Henderson’s last on his current contract, he may want to go out with a bang, to up the ante in renegotiations with a win, or perhaps walk away from the sport with a loss to the Russian.

In a perfect world, Fedor drops down, fights Hendo for the title, and may the best man win.

Misc News and Notes

* All the hate mail regarding my rankings is not going to change my positioning on Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez. While both guys are some of my favourite fighters to watch, Diaz has not competed against a top ten fighter since 2007 and must face guys in the top ten to move up my rankings. As for Melendez, he is at minimum top five, at best top three, and I agree with “El Nino” – the time has come to unify the titles.

* Team MMA Connected’s experience at the MFC in Windsor was top notch. The organization and casino ran a stellar show and proved why they have been successful for so long.

* Many promoters in Ontario and across Canada are requesting we cover, or at least show up at their events. The reality is that we cannot be everywhere at the same time, but we will endeavour to do our best to be at as many events, as we possibly can. Lest we forget, the Tv show is only half an hour long, and it’s a national show, not a regional one. If an event in Ontario will not have appeal in Vancouver, and vice versa, it will be difficult to profile, feature and cover. As time goes on, my goal is to increase this coverage, and all we ask for is your patience.

* With all of the devastation in Japan, you can now help support relief efforts in “the land of the rising sun” by purchasing Tokyo Five’s “Japan Endure Tee” by clicking here.

By Joe Ferraro

For London, Ontario’s Mark “The Machine” Hominick, Saturday, April 30th cannot come soon enough. The number one featherweight contender is set to take on UFC 145 lbs champion, Jose “Junior” Aldo, as part of the co-main event for UFC 129: St-Pierre vs Shields.

With just over a month until he steps into the octagon, “The Machine” is right on target for the biggest fight of his career. “Five weeks out you know I couldn’t be healthier couldn’t be happier right now.”

Hominick’s joy is shared by many from the province, as it was a painful struggle for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts to be regulated in Ontario. Now that MMA has been sanctioned, the local hero has seen an overwhelming level of support.

“One thing I really appreciate, is basically, everyone from Ontario is treating this like this is Ontario’s title shot”, many of which will make up a large portion of the 55,000 seats sold at the UFC 129 venue, The Rogers Centre in Toronto.

While Ontario MMA fans have rallied behind the Thamesford native, some of the province’s best athletes have also offered their services, in hopes to have Hominick realize his ultimate dream.

“I got some of the top wrestlers, top boxers and top kick boxers – everyone is coming in to help me out”. The list also includes some of the top coaches that reside on Ontario soil, and even one, who has made his long awaited return: Shawn Tompkins.

“The Coach” has relocated from his current home base of Las Vegas, Nevada, and returned back to his original stomping ground, London, Ontario, where he has set up shop for the final stages of his star pupil’s training camp.

Tompkins, who was also the best man at Hominick’s wedding, is a master motivator. It is his words that Hominick will hear, and the ones that will oversee every aspect of “The Machine’s” game plan.

At this level, there are many coaches that Mark must work with, and he cannot be happier with the team synergy thus far.

“It motivates me everyday, and every day I’m getting stronger and more motivated, for this fight.”

No one needs to tell the featherweight phenom what’s at stake at UFC 129. Nor does anyone have to explain to him the importance of seizing the day. The over 10 year veteran full understands that a victory over Aldo will be life altering, so the time has come to put in the work, and be ready for what he believes will be one of the greatest days of his life.

“I’m just trying to really enjoy the ride right now, because I know this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

A voyage that has many MMA fans from Ontario, hoping that Hominick will become the second UFC title holder from Ontario, joining Carlos Newton in the history books. There is nothing more that they yearn for – all that is missing for them, is to label “The Machine”, as “The People’s Champ.”

By Joe Ferraro

At the tender age of twenty three, Jon “Bones” Jones defeated the number one light heavyweight in the world, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, becoming the new UFC light heavyweight champion. In less than three rounds, Bones dominated the former champion, forcing referee Herb Dean to step in and halt the bout at 2:37 of the third round, while the Brazilian warrior was on all fours, tapping the mat. The official result will show as a TKO, but Shogun had clearly had enough, proving once and for all, that Jones is officially the best 205 lbs fighter in Mixed Martial Arts today. Immediately after the decision was announced, the man “Bones” replaced, “Suga” Rashad Evans entered the octagon to formally accept what he and his now former teammate have been dreading for weeks: a championship fight between two friends, that will now divide one of the most cohesive squads and forces in the sport today.

What was once a family underneath esteemed coach Greg Jackson, the business of MMA has split into a fragmented bunch, leaving all of it’s members in the dubious position of having to now pick sides. A source has informed me that the Jones-Evans championship fight is tentatively slated to take place in November, and that it was more “pencil written” than “etched in stone”. A secondary topic of conversation amongst the MMA media and fan base can also be summed up by a tweet sent off by UFC C.E.O. Lorenzo Fertitta, who stated “Bones vs. Silva? Who wants it?”.

The theme centered around bypassing the long anticipated super fight between Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre, in favour of pitting “The Spider” against the newly crowned light heavyweight champ; I for one am beginning to lean towards the new matchup. During the post fight press conference, I asked Jones to recount his experience earlier in the day, where he, Jackson, and striking coach Mike Winklejohn subdued a thief. “Bones” went on an approximate 6:30 diatribe, describing the scenario which ended with a rousing applause from the hundreds of media and VIP’s in attendance.

What the UFC now has on their hands, is a bonafide, top of the pay per view food chain asset. Brock Lesnar may be King, and GSP may be second, but Jones is now going to be another top draw that will likely push the buy rate to new levels. In other action, Urijah Faber earned a unanimous judges decision over former WEC Bantamweight Champion, Eddie Wineland, setting up a potential title fight between “The California Kid” and current title holder, Dominick Cruz. This bout makes sense, and I am fairly confident that Zuffa will make both of these two 135 lbers coaches on season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter, setting the stage for a 13 week preview of a bitter rival, whose score can only be settled in the cage. It was a bitter sweet night for the Miller family, as middleweight Dan lost a unanimous judges decision to Nate Marquardt, while lightweight Jim earned a third round TKO over Kamal Shalorus. It’s been a tough road for Dan these past few months, while Jim has endured his own issues just trying to get a crack at UFC gold. While this pales in comparison to what his brother has and is enduring, what else does Jim have to do to earn a title shot? Now, if he must have at least one more fight before the title mix is ironed out, I would like to see him face off against the winner of UFC 129′s Mark Bocek and Ben Henderson.

As predicted on MMA Connected, Dana White stated we have seen the last of MMA legend Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, who was knocked senseless by rising heavyweight Brendan “The Hybrid” Schaub. For his own health and safety, Cro Cop should walk away from the sport. He should hang up his gloves and keep his head held high, for he was one of the greatest heavyweights to have ever competed and one whose fights in the days of Pride always had me holding my breath, on the edge of my seat, waiting for that left high kick to be thrown, while wondering what the end result of his opponent would be.

During two fights that were shown on Rogers Sportsnet, light heavyweight Luiz Cane returned to his winning ways, knocking out Elliot Marshall, while one of new favourite fighters, prospects, and all round devastating warriors, lightweight Edson Barboza defeated Anthony Njokuani via unanimous judges decision. While I’ve said it on many occasions, I feel compelled to say it again: watch this Brazilian phenom – he has future champion written all over him. Rest of Results, Bonuses and Event Figures

. Mike Pyle defeated Ricardo Almeida via unanimous judges decision

. Gleison Tibau defeated Kurt Pellegrino via unanimous judges decision

. Joseph Benavidez defeated Ian Loveland via unanimous judges decision

. Nick Catone defeated Constantinos Philippou via unanimous judges decision

. Erik Koch defeated Raphael Assuncao via KO at 2:32 of round one

Seventy thousand dollars in bonuses were handed out to Barboza and Njokuani for “Fight of the Night”, while Schaub and Koch each earned “Knockout of the Night”, as there was no “Submission of the Night”.

Attendance: 12,619

Total Gate: $2,140,000

By Joe Ferraro

In what may be one of the biggest stories to ever surface in the short history of Mixed Martial Arts, Zuffa LLC, parent owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, have repeated history, by purchasing their closest competition: Strikeforce MMA.

Reports have surfaced that negotiations commenced as far back as November, when the UFC received word, that a former competitor, Pro Elite Inc, was in the midst of closing a deal to purchase a percentage of, and / or all of Strikeforce. The UFC, obviously, would have none of that, so they stepped up, likely sweeted the monetary portion of the deal, and a subsequent hand shake solidified the deal.

It is expected the official announcement will come on Monday, March 14th, but Dana White offered much of the details in a recent online interview with MMAFighting.com.

The gist of the conversation consisted of White making it clear, that when it comes to Strikeforce, under the direction of CEO Scott Coker, will remain “business as usual” over the next two years.

On the surface, this means that those clamouring to see super fights like Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz face off against his UFC “equivalent”, Georges St-Pierre, will not be happening anytime soon. If you want Fedor Emelianenko or Alistair Overeem to square off against Cain Velasquez or Brock Lesnar, it’s not going to happen…yet.

White stated that he will honour all existing fighter contracts, with Strikeforce and the UFC both be in a position to negotiate for any fighters services once a term has expired. Sounds to me as if the UFC is the axe, and Strikeforce will be the tree. Or perhaps it’s not Strikeforce who the UFC has aligned in their scope; it may just be some of their partners.

By slowly chipping away at Strikeforce’s roster, they remove some of the key components required to make a brand successful – it’s stars, talent and personalities.

Come 2013, one of two things may occur: similar to what occurred with the WFA, Pride FC, (indirectly) Affliction MMA and the WEC, the UFC will dissolve Strikeforce, further strengthening the UFC brand, loading it with the majority of top tier talent the sport has to offer.

The second potential case here is something I have discussed with White on countless occasions, which is a farm system for the organization.

I thought it would happen with the WEC, but it did not, so it remains to be seen if the UFC plans on using their newest purchase as an avenue, where up and coming fighters can be matched up versus recent athletes that have been cut from the organization.

The farm system may never materialize under a seperate name other than UFC, but it is an option, even though current television partners that Strikeforce works with will likely shut it down. Maybe the only farm system the UFC ever creates, is their own, under their own name, or perhaps they simply leave that up to the grass roots event promoters.

Lest we forget, that the UFC’s goal is weekly television content. This means a new, live show, every week, similar to what the WWE has been doing for decades. It will not be easy to do, but it can be done. To do so, they need fighters, and in purchasing Strikeforce, they inherit a healthy roster with high calibre talent.

But initial projections are that not all the talent will migrate to the mothership.

Whether it’s fighters like Paul Daley, Josh Barnett, Dan Henderson or broadcast crew like Frank Shamrock and Pat Militech, many currently employed by Strikeforce and it’s television partners do not envision ever working with (or for) the UFC. And history has shown that the feeling is mutual.

As for Fedor and M1-Global? Look for this story to continue to make headlines, but it sounds to me as if we may have seen the last of Fedor inside of cage for a very long time.

This deal also paints a new picture for the MMA promotional landscape.

If history has taught us anything, when it comes to the UFC and whomever they perceive to be competition, one of two scenarios unfold: Zuffa will work fervlously to bury them, or strike a deal to purchase them.

Time will tell what this means for Bellator FC, the Maximum Fighting Championships and others. Will they be next in line to be purchased, buried, or will they be ignored altogether?

Indirectly, the UFC / Strikeforce deal strengthens the likes of Bellator, MFC, and other promotions, as the aforementioned athletes who are on the UFC’s “banned list” will need somewhere to compete and to earn a living, once their contracts expire. Should any of them sign with another organization, it slightly increases the value of the promotion’s brand, as the MMA media and fan base will want to pay attention to who the fighter will be competing against, when will the fight happen, where will it occur, will they win, learn more about the promotion, etc.

Competition will come, and competition will go. There are deep pockets out there, that do not like Zuffa, and can be easily convinced with a good sales pitch that there is money to be made, and the UFC can be defeated at their own game. It’s been going on for years and it will continue, regardless of this news.

As it stands today, perusing a variety of online top ten lists while examining the seven divisions from Bantamweight to Heavyweight, the UFC’s roster now makes up over ninety percent of the rankings. That is truly astounding and let’s face it: truly dominant.

The only fighters outside of the UFC that are currently ranked in various top ten lists, include Eddie Alvarez, Ben Askren, Hatsu Hioki, Joe Warren, Marlon Sandro, Bibiano Fernandez and Takeshi Inoue. But really, how long before they migrate over to the UFC?

Like it or now, it continues to happen more and more each day. With every move they make, Zuffa convinces the vast majority of the public of one thing.

Similar to how the NFL is to football, and the NHL is to hockey, when fans think of MMA, one name and one brand will likely supersede the sport: the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

One man will climb the welterweight rankings, while the other will stumble when UFC Live 3: Sanchez vs Kampmann airs live on Thursday night, on Rogers Sportsnet.

The main event pits two 170 lbers against one another, while the co-main event sees two middleweights with an interesting score to settle.

Headlining the card, will be “The Dream”, Diego Sanchez vs “The Hitman”, Martin Kampmann. But unlike his new nickname, Sanchez will be hoping his previous moniker will hold true when he faces of against the Dane. Quite frankly, it will be “The Nightmare” who shows up tomorrow night.

Sanchez will be hoping his aggressive nature will be too much for Kampmann to handle. His “bury my chin, and attack” style has always been a handful for his opponent’s to deal with, and if Martin isn’t on point, this one could end quickly.

Kampmann’s kickboxing experience and underrated ground game should be able to negate a lot of what Sanchez brings to the table, but his key to victory is not only his size and superior punching power in the stand up realm, but the ability to stay off his back should this fight in the ground. Sanchez’s top game, be it in someone’s guard, or if he garners side control or mount is devastating. Kampmann should want no part of it – if he loses the takedown and scrambling battles, it may be a short fight, or a long night that will end in a bruised up face.

The co-main event pits C.B. Dollaway vs Mark Munoz, a bout where “The Doberman” will be looking to avenge the loss of teammate Aaron Simpson, suffered to the hands of “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” at UFC 123 in November.

And while Munoz may have the wrestling edge on paper, Dollaway can hold his own. This one has all the makings of a ground fight where Mark will work his devastating ground and pound while C.B. attempts to survive, defend and catch the monster with one of his ever growing submission finishes. The longer this fight goes, the more I favour Dollaway. If Munoz cannot finish him within the first round and a half, I would not be surprised if we see a miracle comeback from “The Doberman”.

The rest of the main card sees Italian middleweight Alessio Sakara welcome Chris Weidman to the UFC, while former WEC Bantamweight Champion Brian Bowles also makes his UFC debut, alongside “The Angel of Death”, Damacio Page.

Weidman is undefeated but has only had four pro fights. He trains BJJ under former welterweight champion Matt Serra, while his boxing is coached by Ray Longo – all this to compliment is NCAA Division 1 caliber wrestling. The ladder is the intangible that will save him from Sakara’s striking. If he can put Alessio on his back, the former ADCC grappling competitor may have the edge, to pull off a TKO victory, or at the very least, an upset decision. If he cannot, I do not like his chances dealing not only with Sakara’s combinations, but the pressure that comes with fighting for the big show, for the very first time.

When Bowles meets Page in the opening bout of the broadcast, all signs point to the former champion emerging victorious, but there are a few items to look out for in this match up.

In his last fight, which was almost a year ago to the day, he lost the title to Dominick Cruz, a bout in which he suffered a broken hand. Second, the ring rust was compounded by the fact he was forced to withdraw from his return fight with Waggney Fabiano after breaking his foot in preparation for their scrap. Do the apparent damaged goods and layoff play right into Page’s lap, a veteran of twenty fights who is as explosive as they come?

If he can overwhelm Bowles early and force him into a brawl, I like his chances. If he is tentative, he may fall prey to Brian’s speed, which has knocked out three opponents, and set up five submissions as well. That’s eight finishes in all eight of his victories. My suggestion is not to blink in this fight.

The rest of the card sees a seven fights, in four different divisions, two of which you can catch for free on Facebook.

The two fights are Joe Stevenson vs Danny Castillo in a lightweight tilt, while my early pick for fight of the night sees light heavyweights Steve Cantwell and Cyril Diabate tangle in what may be an incredible slugfest. I’m leaning towards Stevenson in the first fight, while Diabate wins the stand up battle vs Cantwell, unless Steve takes Cyril down to the mat. If he does, he should be able to catch the Frenchman in a submission.

In the under card, I’m picking lightweight Shane Roller over Thiago Tavares, Bantamweight Takeya Mizugaki over Rueben Duran, middleweight Rob Kimmons over Dong Yi Yang, Rousimar Palhares to take out fellow 185 lber David Branch, while Igor Pokrajec should outwork and decision Todd Brown.

And don’t forget that UFC Live 3, can be seen on Rogers Sportsnet one, Thursday night, starting at 9pm EST, 6pm PST, or on tape delay on in all four Sportsnet regions, the only place in Canada to watch the fights, in high definition.

Check your local listings for broadcast times in your area.

By Joe Ferraro

The dust has just about settled, from the UFC’s recent trip down under, and while an abundance of story lines are emanating from their second event at the Acer Arena, the overall synopsis from UFC 127 is akin to a 1966 Clint Eastwood classic: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

While the movie was released years before I was born, the title resonates a certain theme that many of us can relate to. Let’s move along and start with the positives:

The Good

Brian Eberosole – I am the first to admit that his opponent, Chris Lytle, was about as close to a lock in winning that fight as I had ever seen. Brian proved otherwise, and with is unorthodox style, arrow shaped chest hair and acute understanding of the dynamics that make up an MMA fight, my hope is that he will have a great run in the UFC’s welterweight division. He is, as they say, “good people”.

BJ Penn – he has proven once again that he can hang with the elite of two divisions. He went the distance with the #2 welterweight in the world, and some will argue that he beat him ( I am not one of them ). While I scored the fight 29-27 for his opponent, Jon Fitch (9-10, 10-9, 10-8), Penn confirmed that he is still one of the pound for pound best in MMA. The fact he can compete in two weight classes, vs elite level competition, is living proof that he should be placed high on everyone’s rankings. Fact vs Fiction my friends.

Jorge Rivera – leading up to his bout with Michael Bisping, Rivera turned himself into a promoter, and began hyping up his fight with “The Count” through a myriad of online videos that generated far more interest in the bout, than anything Michael did, and heck, perhaps even the UFC. All fighters should learn from this model.

Denis Siver – when I first heard that he would be facing George Sotiropoulos, I shook my head in mild disgust over the match up. Little did I realize that the German would school the Aussie, exposing weaknesses in his game that were not so glaring before.

Alexander Gustafson – “The Mauler” is 14-1, 3-1 in the UFC, with all three of his wins coming by way of stoppage. He knocked out Jared Hamman, and submitted Cyril Diabate and James Te Huna. Finishing in the octagon is no easy task, and the fact he has three, is enduring to the UFC brass. His only loss has been to Phil Davis, who is on a similar career trajectory as Jon Jones. Not bad for the Swedish prospect. Keep on eye on him.

Zhang Tie Quan – while it will not erase the decision loss to Danny Downes, the Chinese Mixed Martial Artist rebounded well with his guillotine submission of Jason Reinhardt. Quan is exactly what the UFC needs if they want to succeed in the Orient. More Chinese fighters, with experience, solid MMA skills and a name.

Michael Bisping – based on his actions, the Brit now has a massive bulls eye on his back, with the likes of Chael Sonnen, Vitor Belfort and Demian Maia all placing “The Count” on their radar. Like it or not, the business of Bisping just picked up for the UFC. While I’d like to see a rematch vs Rivera (I believe the illegal knee played a huge factor in Rivera’s ability to compete at 100%), an online poll I conducted has the vast majority of fans picking Sonnen as the next man the UFC should place across the octagon from Michael.

The Bad

Poor Judging – the broken record continues to play. Until the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC), the various athletic commissions around the globe and yes, event the UFC take this matter seriously, change will occur at a snail’s pace. Every judge that is licensed must undergo a certification process to prove they understand what is going in an MMA bout. If I can do it (and it’s not even my job), and pass an ABC recognized course, there is ZERO excuse for those who are tasked with overseeing what is happening inside of a combat platform. These people are indirectly (perhaps directly) responsible for a fighter’s livelihood. Their decisions are often the difference between some fighters doubling their paycheque. Think about that for a second…how would you like it if incompetence was the reason why you received half a pay cheque this week? And that your next pay cheque will not be as substantial as it should be?

Bisping breaking the rules twice - he did so not once, but twice. What was glaring to me was the first infraction which should have resulted in a point being taken away. As Rivera was attempting to sweep Michael, the ladder grabbed onto the fence to avoid being swept. That is blatant, and flagrant, and much different than if he had his back against the cage and reacted by grabbing the fence as he was being taken down. That is a mandatory, one point deduction.

The knee he subsequently threw to Rivera’s head, was inexcusable. I do concur with Michael that sometimes, in the heat of battle, you make mistakes, but that is a pretty obvious one that you do not train, and in fact, avoid in training, because it is against the rules.

The Hatred for Jon Fitch - it’s borderline pathetic. He consistently receives harsh criticism for dominating the division’s best. If I had one wish, I would place all of those that call his fight style “boring”, underneath him, while he is grinding and pounding away a unanimous judges decision. I’d like to see them survive when BJ Penn’s got their back, or last more than thirty seconds in Penn’s guard. I’d like to see them do to BJ, what Fitch did to him in round three. I would so enjoy seeing how they would survive against the monster that is Thiago Alves. Or deal with the well rounded Paulo Thiago or Diego Sanchez. Better yet, take a five round beating from Georges St-Pierre and still get up the way Jon did at UFC 87. He IS one of the world’s best – get over it, or go watch K-1.

Sotiropoulos’ Wrestling – I overestimated his takedown abilities. I assumed that history would have dictating he would have had a far easier time taking Siver down to the mat. I was wrong, as was the Aussie, who now finds himself staring up the long ladder that is the UFC’s lightweight title mix.

Chris Lytle pondering retirement – please “say it ain’t so”. Lytle underwent knee surgery just weeks before the fight and was obviously not at 100% when he entered the octagon. Word has now come that the veteran is thinking about retirement. My hope is that he does not consider doing so, as he has more than plenty left in his gas tank.

The Post Fight Press Conference – to my fellow peers, what was that? Dana White missing or not, there could have been far more questions asked, and answered.

The Ugly

Spit-gate - Bisping marching over to Rivera’s corner, while subsequently spitting on them is unacceptable. UFC President Dana White has already stated that he will punish his British poster child, but I wonder how he plans on doing so. Over the past 12 years, I’ve drafted and reviewed my fair share of MMA contracts, and I do not recall ever seeing a provision for “fines”. On the vast majority, I have seen one that speaks to “professional conduct” and the “right” to “release” an athlete should it be proven that he has breached this portion of the agreement, but never a clause that speaks to financial penalization. Whatever the case may be, the UFC and the Commission should reprimand Bisping accordingly.