One last Run for a UFC Pioneer

Every sport I've began watching and having a vested interest in has always begun with a singular athelete. In hockey, it was the great Wayne Gretzky, Basketball was Michael Jordan, Football was Troy Aikman and in the UFC it was Tito Ortiz.

It was a night nearly 6-8 years ago when I was flipping through the channels and came across a bleached blonde MMA fighter on one side of the octagon facing off a recognizable face for myself Ken Shamrock a former WWE competitor. Immediately, I was enthralled with the sportsmanship, and the majesty of a big fight feel. I didn't know who Tito Ortiz was but I did know Ken Shamrock. After about the first few minutes I began to see this MMA fighter known as TITO ORTIZ. He was demolishing and outclassing Ken Shamrock at every facet of this sport I knew very little about. All I knew at the time was someone could win via KO, or submission but other than that I had very little knowledge.

Over the next few years of inactivity and contractual discussions Tito had gone on a long 5 years and a 0-4-1 record during this span. At the age of 36 some thought "The Huntington Beach BadBoy" maybe too old and too slow for the UFC fighters of today. However, my undying loyalty to the man that got me hooked onto this sport was never questioned.

When July 2, 2011 came around it was a day I had anticipated it was either going to be a re-birth of a career for Tito or it was going to be his final hour. Regardless, he was fighting and fighting a tough fight like Ryan Bader who's only defeat came at the hands of the NOW UFC Light Heavy Weight Champ Jon "Bones" Jones. Sitting at my local bar that I always watch UFC at my friends were jabbing me and egging me on and I even doubted if Tito would win. But what I didn't doubt was no matter what I will be cheering him. Then for a single minute it was a dream sequence. Right Uppercut, ground and pound, and then guilliotine choke. 5 years of being made fun of and 5 years of not winning came to an end. It just didn't seem to matter. I felt what Tito felt. Justification, relief and enormous joy.

Which not takes us to Aug.6.2011 a rematch against Rashad Evans with 3 weeks of preparation time. I don't know how Tito will win but this is definitely a feel good story. I hope Tito wins in such a dramatic fashion that Dana White has no choice but to give him a shot at the UFC title. Just one more time. People like a feel good story and I definitely do. Tito if you read this just know I will be at the bar supporting Team Ortiz.

UFC: 129 ST.PIERRE VS SHIELDS

Tonight is going to be a good good night.... - Black Eyed Peas

This is a historic event of epic proportions. How fast and how far the UFC has come in terms of mainstream attention and solid business is well pretty damn impressive. Now you will always have the naysayers and haters that this is a brutal sport. Which is true at times it can be but what it does financially it dominates. Who could have ever imagined the UFC being able to sell out the Rogers Centre of over 55,000 ticket customers for one of their events. That's truly amazing. Events that have done that at the Rogers Centre (being sporting events that is.. ) have been the Blue Jays during their World Series years, and let's be honest Wrestlemania 6 (Hulk Hogan vs Ultimate Warrior) and Wrestlemania X8 (Hogan vs The Rock).

So who could have sold out the Rogers Centre? Canada's own Georges St.Pierre who is arguably the best Welterweight of all time. He faces perhaps the best Welterweight in Jake Shields he hasn't lost since the Bush administration lol. - My take is GSP should win from what I can judge but Jake Shields is well Jake Shields..

I am most excited for Randy Couture vs Lyoto Machida as this is a stylistic match up where I think a 47yr old Couture will upset based on what he does best. Some dirty boxing. It's going to be a long night if Lyoto can't get his game up and running asap.

Aldo vs Hominick well watch Aldo vs Swanson or even Aldo vs Faber. This guy is a beast and he will show why in the co-main event.

Now you have lots of blogs being more technical but for me it's just time to enjoy the show!

Thanks you are now

Colinized!

UFC 116 - Brock Lesnar .. WOW

For the first time in a long time I didn't host a UFC party. Unfortunately, I was too busy working. However, I have to admit after watching the replay online it was quite the jam packed show. It was a summer sizzler and worthy to be UFC's second annual summer extravaganza. Headlining this pay per view was the former WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and facing him was undefeated Shane Carwin.

At first thought I had Brock winning hands down even without being in the ring for almost one year. People thought I was nuts. Even thought I was delusional. Now I love guys that can hype and sell a ppv. I am a big fan of Tito Ortiz the Huntington Beach Bad Boy and guys like him. But I am also a fan of GSP the humble champion. But come on BROCK this guy can sell ppvs. He's a former WWE champion and great on the stick. His best quote leading to the ppv " There's a reason why Shane Carwin is a NCAA Div 2 wrestler... not everyone can be division one" and it's true not everyone can be.

I had been quoted in saying Brock Lesnar was the number 1 heavyweight prior to Fedor losing to Werdum and my argument had always been. He's defeated Herring, Couture and Mir in the last two years and Fedor has defeated Sylvia, Arlovski and Buck Rogers.. er Brett Rogers.. Who has the more impressive wins?.. Now throw in Shane Carwin and u have the undisputed number 1 heavyweight in the world.

What Brock showed in on saturday was he had guts and he dug deep and he's the toughest SOB around. He took over 47 shots from Carwin and in the next round hits the arm triangle and it was lights out. I have to admit it was like a WWE script. U know where hulk hogan gets pounded on for 8 minutes then all of a sudden he hulks up .. lands a big boot and then leg drop. Same idea.

Brock you are the man.. and it's time to say your catch phrase.. HERE COMES THE PAIN!

HBK has left the building

"It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday" - Boyz2Men




Wrestling lost one of it's all time greats sunday night. A farewell that I didn't even see coming much like his finishing move the Superkick aka Sweet Chin Music. As a kid growing up in Alberta Canada you were a Bret Hart fan, Hulk Hogan fan, Ultimate Warrior, Razor Ramon or Kevin Nash (Diesel) . For me, back in 1993 I was a Shawn Michaels fan. Growing up as a youngster I was a brash, arrogant person. I would be charismatic in one instance and a complete ass in another it was the HBK way.



When he first started out in a tag team with Marty Jannety they had the best tandem offense I have seen from double drop kicks to their double fists from the top rope in sequence. As you watched you thought this team was rather intense with everything they would do. Then you began to realize that HBK was meant for more. Firstly, he wasn't known as HBK but Shawn Michaels. When he superkicked Jannety then threw him into the barbershop window that was the best heel turn I have seen in all my years. Granted, Hulk Hogan as the 3rd member of the NWO was good but he didn't put a guy's face through glass. As HBK came about so did his charisma and charm. Partnering up with Sensational Sherri having his own sung entrance music and you thought holy cow. In my mind, HBK was destined for greatness the year he faced Bret Hart at Survivor Series the first time. When he held the Intercontinental Championship. He lost via sharpshooter but you could tell the beginnings for greatness were there.



Then he dazzled you in a ladder match, he inspired you defeating larger competition and most of all he was brash enough to be the best. As the years went on a subsequent back injury forced him to leave the business he loved after Wrestlemania 14 vs Stone Cold Steve Austin. But then something happened he returns SummerSlam 2002. This was the year The Rock fought Brock and lost the title. For me, HBK was back for a no holds barred match. But something strange happened for me. That was HBK's first match a comeback match which was "one-time" only but what happened was a match that was truly amazing. Five years off this guy took and he didn't miss a beat. HHH perhaps had the best match of his career that night. Subsequently, HBK did another match an elimination chamber match and had a second run with the title. HBK has put on some amazing performances and entertained us in the last 7 years he came back. He's a better in ring performer than 90% of the locker room. To me he was a showstopper. I read the articles leading up to WM weekend and the more you read the more you got the feeling he was either going to retire or break the streak. But he has always said even if he loses he will lose in a blaze of glory. HBK was defiant to the end.. even when UT didn't want to finish it..



It was fitting in his farewell speech that he said.. " The HeartBreakKid Shawn Michaels has left the building.." fitting he may have left the building but he will never be forgotten. He was the best performer of our generation.. daresay the best ever. HBK HBK HBK

Canada vs USA - A game that will mark my generation

I woke up this morning earlier than usual having just gone to bed at 3am. But today is different. Today, a nation awaits for a game time start at 1pm MST. Team Canada vs Team USA for the Olympic Gold Medal. Who would have thought we would be uttering those words just one week ago. USA, and the media, Canadian fans were all discussing the demise of Team Canada.

The demise of Team Canada has been greatly exaggerated. Yes, we had difficulties and lost to a great US team lead by Ryan Miller. Am I concerned with Miller who is the hottest goalie in the Olympics? Of course, I wouldn't say I wouldn't but remember we still got 3 goals past him. We just couldn't stop anything. But, I LOVE American Propoganda. Americans don't care about hockey. OH wait they do when their country is in it and are doing well. They love it when they upset Canada and are the best at something. *CLAP CLAP*

Seriously, Team USA I hope Canada comes at you like a blitzkrieg.. wave after wave after wave of offense and hitting. Wearing you down. Pompus Ron Wilson who hasn't won anything to save his career and Brian Burke who thinks he's the messiah. Btw, good job in Toronto.

Canada there's nothing wrong to be proud, to be owning the podium.. is it proper in sports? HELL YA!! You think Gretzky didn't know he was the greatest player in his era? He knew it and made sure you knew it. Is it the Canadian way? No. But screw that.. this USA team cares less about Canada they are just happy to collect the cheques we pay them. Btw, Kesler I hope you get ROCKED by Shea Weber.

Remember Canada you don't have just a nation supporting you but u got each other. Play your game. Cycle down low and create offsense from the chances you generate. Shoot SHOOOT SHOOOOOT and have traffic in front of Miller. Get in his kitchen and just wear them down. 60 minutes of hockey boys.

Sid, you got to step up. We are looking at you to dominate and control this game. We need you to do so. Canada needs you. People will remember these games as a success if Canada wins Gold. Myself, I agree. Today I am proud to be Canadian and will be more Proud if we can put one more win and one more GOLD.

Let's go out there and win. This is for Gold, this is for Canada.

Step 2) Canada Vs Russia - Who says the Cold War is dead?

 Last night Canada did what it had to do. It finally got some momentum and the team is starting to look better. Now is this going to be enough. Is getting better going to be enough to play the Russians. Team Canada needs to up the physicality and create havoc with a cycle game down low. Generate offense by getting into the tough dirty areas. That's how Canada has always played and should continue to play that style. Press the action and have the defencemen join up on the rush to generate more offense. But here's the one big thing they have to ensure they don't get caught by the stretch pass. Russian teams have been notorious in using that as a big big weapon.

Canada needs to realize we are here to win, but Russia they are here to conquer. No Russian team has won since they were the Soviet Union and hopefully it will stay that way.

Keys to the game tonight:

1) Sidney Needs to outplay Alex. That's quite simply how it has to be. Your best player has to step up and welcome the olympic world to YOU!

2) Team defense you will need Niedermayer and Pronger to continue playing well and have guys like Doughty lay the hits on the Russians. Create the tempo and physical pace and don't get lulled into slow spots.
3) Roberto Luongo - You need to step up. Serious. This is the biggest game of your career. You can't come in and have a stinker like you did against Chicago last year in game 7.

4) Have fun Canada. SHOOT the puck and get dirty. Score them garbage goals and crash the net. Get inside Nabakov's kitchen!

Boys, the Russians don't like us and the cold war is dead but for one night they are in OUR HOUSE. THIS HOUSE. SO PROTECT IT and WIN! Go Canada GO!

The Germans are coming! - Step 1. It begins tonight Canada.

Step 1) Our journey to gold begins. Germany vs Canada to qualify for a quarterfinal match up with the Russians. Wow did we ever get ourselves into a jam. Who are the Americans facing? the Swiss? in the Semi's? Seriously, I don't know and don't care. Today we must take care of business.

Mike Babcock told the world last night.. " We are in the wins business " well that's a great statement and he made a substituition moving Martin Brodeur off the starting goalie spot in favour of Roberto Luongo. Now don't get me wrong. Loooooooo as he is fondly called in Vancouver is a top 5 goalie in the NHL. But he hasn't won a big game. He hasn't come through under big pressure. But maybe there is a first time?.. He has to play sensational for a 4 game stretch. I just don't want to see a relapse of Game 7 vs the Chicago Blackhawks. Ya dig!?!?!

Step 2) Iginla reunites with Crosby and adding in Eric Staal to the left side. Nash moves down a spot with Getzlaf and Perry. I hope they make defensive changes and has Pronger with Neidermayer then Move Doughty and Boyle as the third pairing. What Team Canada really needs tonight is to set the tone. Come out physical and lay some hits. The fourth line of Richards, Toews and Morrow need to create a spark and give some energy for this team. They need them to produce and chip in a goal or two.

Step 3) Winning breeds confidence. Don't worry about Russia tomorrow. Win today.. when you win today things seem to be a bit easier. Play tight defence and more man on man. Be willing to fight for every inch of ice and win the small puck battles along the boards. The crowd will get you energized but remember you score first the crowd stays in your side.

Remember, everyone wants Canada to lose except the players and it's fans. People don't like us and they want to see us fail. Tonight is the start, a simple reminder of why Hockey is Canada's game.

Let's get it on!