This Sunday, Aug. 1, Jon "Bones" Jones returns to the UFC Octagon for the first time since his March victory against Brandon Vera. He faces aging Vladmir "The Janitor" Matyushenko (24-4) on the UFC on VERSUS 2 card in San Diego.
I had the pleasure of attending that fight in Broomfield, Colo., the first ever UFC fight-card broadcast on the VERSUS Network.
Jones, a New Yorker, dominated Vera, breaking three different bones in Vera's face with a single, yet devastating elbow.
The win improved Jones' record to 10-1, although his only loss came via a controversial disqualification when he was penalized for illegal downward elbows on downed opponent Matt Hamill. Hamill was unable to continue in the fight, not because of the illegal elbows, but because of a dislocated shoulder. Still, Jones was disqualified. I am sure Hamill won't be begging for a rematch anytime soon.
Jones, who trains out of Greg Jackson's famed gym in Albuquerque, is a rising star and it is clear the UFC is trying to protect its young product from a loss at this early stage of his fighting career. Jones is just 23-years-old but many have already dreamed of the possibility of a match up against 185-pound Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva in Jones' 205-pound light-heavyweight division.
A match up against one of the top-five light-heavyweights was highly desired after Jones dismantled Vera, but it didn't happen.
Instead Jones faces "The Janitor." Matyushenko was also on the UFC on VERSUS 1 card and took a decision victory against The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 cast member Eliot "The Fire" Marshall.
Matyushenko, a legend of the sport, is well past his prime at 39-years-old and after a lackluster split decision win against Marshall likely doesn't deserve a bout against a quickly rising bruiser like Jones.
It is Mixed Martial Arts and anything can happen, but with the explosive judo throws Jones has in his arsenal and natural sense of violence and killer instinct, Matyushenko could end up on the wrong end of a devastating knockout.
The rest of the fight card is extremely uninspiring. Perhaps another reason it is free on VERSUS. However, UFC on VERSUS 1 was perhaps the best fight card of the year so far and who knows where the surprises could come from.
UFC 117 is just six days after this Sunday's VERSUS card and one can't complain about a week with Jon Jones and Anderson Silva both stepping into the Octagon.
Feel free to sound off on who you think Jones should or should not be fighting. Who should he get next after this fight, win or lose? Will The Janitor rise again? Or could this be a farewell fight for the long time MMA brawler; one last opportunity in the Main Event spotlight?
I will take Jones via first round KO.
- Livi
I had the pleasure of attending that fight in Broomfield, Colo., the first ever UFC fight-card broadcast on the VERSUS Network.
Jones, a New Yorker, dominated Vera, breaking three different bones in Vera's face with a single, yet devastating elbow.
The win improved Jones' record to 10-1, although his only loss came via a controversial disqualification when he was penalized for illegal downward elbows on downed opponent Matt Hamill. Hamill was unable to continue in the fight, not because of the illegal elbows, but because of a dislocated shoulder. Still, Jones was disqualified. I am sure Hamill won't be begging for a rematch anytime soon.
Jones, who trains out of Greg Jackson's famed gym in Albuquerque, is a rising star and it is clear the UFC is trying to protect its young product from a loss at this early stage of his fighting career. Jones is just 23-years-old but many have already dreamed of the possibility of a match up against 185-pound Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva in Jones' 205-pound light-heavyweight division.
A match up against one of the top-five light-heavyweights was highly desired after Jones dismantled Vera, but it didn't happen.
Instead Jones faces "The Janitor." Matyushenko was also on the UFC on VERSUS 1 card and took a decision victory against The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 cast member Eliot "The Fire" Marshall.
Matyushenko, a legend of the sport, is well past his prime at 39-years-old and after a lackluster split decision win against Marshall likely doesn't deserve a bout against a quickly rising bruiser like Jones.
It is Mixed Martial Arts and anything can happen, but with the explosive judo throws Jones has in his arsenal and natural sense of violence and killer instinct, Matyushenko could end up on the wrong end of a devastating knockout.
The rest of the fight card is extremely uninspiring. Perhaps another reason it is free on VERSUS. However, UFC on VERSUS 1 was perhaps the best fight card of the year so far and who knows where the surprises could come from.
UFC 117 is just six days after this Sunday's VERSUS card and one can't complain about a week with Jon Jones and Anderson Silva both stepping into the Octagon.
Feel free to sound off on who you think Jones should or should not be fighting. Who should he get next after this fight, win or lose? Will The Janitor rise again? Or could this be a farewell fight for the long time MMA brawler; one last opportunity in the Main Event spotlight?
I will take Jones via first round KO.
- Livi
Tonight is the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, something as a kid I was able to relaxingly enjoy as I watched the best players in the world come together for a fun exhibition game.
The "Mid-summer Classic," always served as a nice friendly exhibition where players and their families could get together with their friends and honor the national past-time and take in what is for some a once in a life time experience.
But after the fateful second Tuesday of July in 2002, commissioner Bud Selig changed the meaning of the game forever. As many of us can remember vividly, the 2002 All-Star Game in Milwaukee, Wis. was declared a tie in the 11th inning after both the National League and American League bullpens had been emptied. Not wanting to see regular position players, let alone the best in the world, take the mound and risk injury, Selig declared the game a tie.
Fans in Milwaukee booed the decision and the baseball media was quick to criticize the decision as well. This led to a devastating decision for the National League when Selig announced in 2003 that the winner of the All-Star Game would get home-field advantage in the World Series. The slogan "This time it counts," only seemed to further mock the events of the previous year and turned the course of the World Series.
The National League has not won an All-Star Game since 1996 and subsequently has yet to take advantage of winning home-field.
This simply is not a fair way to decide home-field advantage for the biggest series in the sport.
Let's face it, the American League has a way of attracting the very best players, and a large part of that is due to the two teams in the AL East that seem to dominate every season. The payroll of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees trumps that of any National League team and their ability to sign the best players in the world for top-dollar guarantees a stacked American League squad when they are able to team up for the common goal of taking home field advantage.
It should be easy for Selig and the MLB brass to look at the National League's 13 year losing streak and recognize the disadvantage this gives to the NL. However, he extended the home-field advantage rule again in 2005 and made it a permanent rule in 2006. Now, what was a friendly exhibition, has way too much on the line.
There are alternatives to help make the All-Star Game meaningful without having a sizeable disadvantages to half of the MLB teams. Before this rule, home-field advantage simply alternated every season. This isn't the fix either.
Why not do what the NBA does and say the team with the best record gets home-field advantage? Make each game in the regular season that much more important, even after a team has clinched its respective division, as many teams do by late August and early September.
Any solution would be better than the one currently in place. Fortunately for the NL in tonight's game, they perhaps have the best lineup on paper to finally end the epic losing streak. Maybe this year the NL can take home-field...I know Ubaldo Jimenez will be giving it all in his start tonight to help bring advantage to the NL, and perhaps the Rockies can take advantage of that later on in October.
Let me know what you think MLB should do to fix this in the comments section below. I know there are a lot of opinions on how to fix this and I want to hear yours.
-Livi
The "Mid-summer Classic," always served as a nice friendly exhibition where players and their families could get together with their friends and honor the national past-time and take in what is for some a once in a life time experience.
But after the fateful second Tuesday of July in 2002, commissioner Bud Selig changed the meaning of the game forever. As many of us can remember vividly, the 2002 All-Star Game in Milwaukee, Wis. was declared a tie in the 11th inning after both the National League and American League bullpens had been emptied. Not wanting to see regular position players, let alone the best in the world, take the mound and risk injury, Selig declared the game a tie.
Fans in Milwaukee booed the decision and the baseball media was quick to criticize the decision as well. This led to a devastating decision for the National League when Selig announced in 2003 that the winner of the All-Star Game would get home-field advantage in the World Series. The slogan "This time it counts," only seemed to further mock the events of the previous year and turned the course of the World Series.
The National League has not won an All-Star Game since 1996 and subsequently has yet to take advantage of winning home-field.
This simply is not a fair way to decide home-field advantage for the biggest series in the sport.
Let's face it, the American League has a way of attracting the very best players, and a large part of that is due to the two teams in the AL East that seem to dominate every season. The payroll of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees trumps that of any National League team and their ability to sign the best players in the world for top-dollar guarantees a stacked American League squad when they are able to team up for the common goal of taking home field advantage.
It should be easy for Selig and the MLB brass to look at the National League's 13 year losing streak and recognize the disadvantage this gives to the NL. However, he extended the home-field advantage rule again in 2005 and made it a permanent rule in 2006. Now, what was a friendly exhibition, has way too much on the line.
There are alternatives to help make the All-Star Game meaningful without having a sizeable disadvantages to half of the MLB teams. Before this rule, home-field advantage simply alternated every season. This isn't the fix either.
Why not do what the NBA does and say the team with the best record gets home-field advantage? Make each game in the regular season that much more important, even after a team has clinched its respective division, as many teams do by late August and early September.
Any solution would be better than the one currently in place. Fortunately for the NL in tonight's game, they perhaps have the best lineup on paper to finally end the epic losing streak. Maybe this year the NL can take home-field...I know Ubaldo Jimenez will be giving it all in his start tonight to help bring advantage to the NL, and perhaps the Rockies can take advantage of that later on in October.
Let me know what you think MLB should do to fix this in the comments section below. I know there are a lot of opinions on how to fix this and I want to hear yours.
-Livi
The 2010 FABC Connie Mack nine team city tournament is set to start on Wednesday night, and this reporter could not be any more excited.
As I have mentioned several times in my regular season articles in the sports section of the Daily Times, four teams stand tall as top competitors for the tournament. Between Naa'taanii, the Strike Zone Cardinals, Four Corners Thunder and Farmington Nutz the competition could not be any more heated and I expect every game played between any of these four teams to be decided by just a few runs. The days of blowouts will quickly be gone after the very first day of the tournament.
Having been around baseball my entire life I must say it truly is a privilege to cover these Connie Mack teams and I have found the players and coaches in the region to be some of the most professional young athletes and coaches I have ever been around. Often I see comments on Connie Mack stories in which people criticize these players and coaches for being classless; from my experience nothing could be further from the truth.
There has not been a single coach or player that I have talked with that has been disrespectful or the slightest bit rude. I am always greeted with a smile from the coaches (win or lose) and the players always make sure to shake my hand and address me as sir.
Watching these kids play has been an honor in itself and some of the kids are so big and athletic I feel like I should be calling them sir. Wood bats make the game pure and at times I forget I am watching teenagers and not minor league ball. The range these players cover in the outfield is unbelievable and there have been plenty of jaw-dropping web gems already and with everything on the line this week I expect the intensity to go up another notch.
Growing up it was rare to find a pitcher who had any secondary pitches to work in with their fastball and yet every night I make a game at Ricketts (whether I am covering the game for the newspaper or just taking in a night of baseball) I see starting pitchers out there hurling devastating curveballs and forcing even the best hitters in the area to lunge after their changeups.
After the Max Dimond tournament, in which the underdog Nutz defeated the Thunder for the championship, I believe any of the top four teams I have mentioned are capable of hosting the World Series. Naa'taanii's pitching can compete with anybody and I expect to see Ryan Nichols and Josh Walker carry that team deep into the tournament. The Thunder have the hitting and the pitching to repeat as city tournament winners and you can bet that Jake and Morgan McCasland along with J.T. Bean, Nick Clayton, Luke Parish-Ward, Taylor Peterson and Aaron Coats will play their hearts out to live up to the expectations many had for the Thunder heading into this season.
The Nutz get it done with a complete team effort and with the leadership and spirit that coaches Rick Quevedo and Gary Groomer bring to the dugout their team will not quit until the final out of any game.
The Cardinals are battle tested and after going 7-1 in regular season play and you can bet on Griffin Phelps' squadcompeting to the very end.
The biggest question for these teams will be when to throw their best starting pitchers and when to let them rest. The Thunder and Nutz won't have to wait long to settle their score as the two would face eachother on Thursday in Day 2 of the tournament if the Thunder can get past Durango and the Nutz can defeat the Shiprock Rhinos on Wednesday.
That will be a game for the ages at Ricketts Park if both teams advance as winners after Day 1 and from there on out every game should be a dog fight. I know I am ready, are you Four Corners Sports Fans?
Who is your favorite to host the World Series and who will you be rooting for? What matchup do you most want to see in the championship game?
As always, be sure to follow our complete Connie Mack coverage in the print edition of the Daily Times and at daily-times.com
Keep it real at the games this week fans and treat these players and coaches with the same respect they treat the game with on a daily basis. This will be a special tournament and one that lives on in locals' memories for a long time. Let's make sure that is for the right reasons, the play on the field and not the arguing in the bleachers.
That is all,
Livi
As I have mentioned several times in my regular season articles in the sports section of the Daily Times, four teams stand tall as top competitors for the tournament. Between Naa'taanii, the Strike Zone Cardinals, Four Corners Thunder and Farmington Nutz the competition could not be any more heated and I expect every game played between any of these four teams to be decided by just a few runs. The days of blowouts will quickly be gone after the very first day of the tournament.
Having been around baseball my entire life I must say it truly is a privilege to cover these Connie Mack teams and I have found the players and coaches in the region to be some of the most professional young athletes and coaches I have ever been around. Often I see comments on Connie Mack stories in which people criticize these players and coaches for being classless; from my experience nothing could be further from the truth.
There has not been a single coach or player that I have talked with that has been disrespectful or the slightest bit rude. I am always greeted with a smile from the coaches (win or lose) and the players always make sure to shake my hand and address me as sir.
Watching these kids play has been an honor in itself and some of the kids are so big and athletic I feel like I should be calling them sir. Wood bats make the game pure and at times I forget I am watching teenagers and not minor league ball. The range these players cover in the outfield is unbelievable and there have been plenty of jaw-dropping web gems already and with everything on the line this week I expect the intensity to go up another notch.
Growing up it was rare to find a pitcher who had any secondary pitches to work in with their fastball and yet every night I make a game at Ricketts (whether I am covering the game for the newspaper or just taking in a night of baseball) I see starting pitchers out there hurling devastating curveballs and forcing even the best hitters in the area to lunge after their changeups.
After the Max Dimond tournament, in which the underdog Nutz defeated the Thunder for the championship, I believe any of the top four teams I have mentioned are capable of hosting the World Series. Naa'taanii's pitching can compete with anybody and I expect to see Ryan Nichols and Josh Walker carry that team deep into the tournament. The Thunder have the hitting and the pitching to repeat as city tournament winners and you can bet that Jake and Morgan McCasland along with J.T. Bean, Nick Clayton, Luke Parish-Ward, Taylor Peterson and Aaron Coats will play their hearts out to live up to the expectations many had for the Thunder heading into this season.
The Nutz get it done with a complete team effort and with the leadership and spirit that coaches Rick Quevedo and Gary Groomer bring to the dugout their team will not quit until the final out of any game.
The Cardinals are battle tested and after going 7-1 in regular season play and you can bet on Griffin Phelps' squadcompeting to the very end.
The biggest question for these teams will be when to throw their best starting pitchers and when to let them rest. The Thunder and Nutz won't have to wait long to settle their score as the two would face eachother on Thursday in Day 2 of the tournament if the Thunder can get past Durango and the Nutz can defeat the Shiprock Rhinos on Wednesday.
That will be a game for the ages at Ricketts Park if both teams advance as winners after Day 1 and from there on out every game should be a dog fight. I know I am ready, are you Four Corners Sports Fans?
Who is your favorite to host the World Series and who will you be rooting for? What matchup do you most want to see in the championship game?
As always, be sure to follow our complete Connie Mack coverage in the print edition of the Daily Times and at daily-times.com
Keep it real at the games this week fans and treat these players and coaches with the same respect they treat the game with on a daily basis. This will be a special tournament and one that lives on in locals' memories for a long time. Let's make sure that is for the right reasons, the play on the field and not the arguing in the bleachers.
That is all,
Livi
If you haven't already seen some of my articles in the Daily Times' news and sports section then allow me to introduce myself. My name is John Livingston and I am a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder. I majored in journalism and minored in political science and after graduation in May 2010 I eagerly accepted a reporting position with the Farmington Daily Times.
I have an immense background in sports reporting and sports have dominated my life since I was old enough to hold my first tee-ball bat or pick up my first Nerf football.
While I am working hard to bring the Daily Times' readers the best possible news coverage I am also excited to pick up any sports stories I can and I encourage any and all of you to send suggestions to jlivingston@daily-times.com for events you feel deserve my attention. If I can't find room for it in the paper, you bet I can find room for it here on the blog.
As I am sure you will all notice as you follow my blog, I am a mixed martial arts enthusiast. In my short career as a professional journalist I have had the pleasure of covering UFC fighters like Shane Carwin, Brendan Schaub and Chris Camozzi. Now that I am in New Mexico I will be trying to report on more local fighters as well as many of the top fighters in the sport that train at Albuquerque's own Greg Jackson gyms. I had the chance to do a Lifestyle's story on Floyd Sword and Angela Magana and the work they put into the 4 Corners MMA gym here on Main in Farmington and I look forward to keeping you posted on what they are doing -- especially as Magana gets ready for her August Bellator fight and Septemeber's NBC reality show "Ultimate Women Challenge."
MMA has taken over as my "niche" you might say but you could also say my religion is sports. I will be covering all of it on this blog from the local prep sports scene to the NFL, MLB, NBA and everything else that is sports.
I realize the sports scene here in the Four Corners is intense and there are many hot opinions. I will recognize as much of your feedback as possible and I will do my best to keep this blog up to date, timely and conversational.
I had hoped to set this up so I could blog during the World Cup but I was unable to get it going before most of the action had already happened. So with that being said (get ready for a lot of Curb Your Enthusiasm references), who does everyone have in the World Cup Final between España and the Netherlands? It has been a great tournament so far and David Villa (striker-Spain) has really proved his merit throughout. I think he is the x-factor in the final but te Netherlands can certainly win the game but they will have to stop Spain's attack. If Spain even scores one goal it might be their's. They have won 40+ straight international games when scoring a goal after all.
What do you think, soccer fans?
I have an immense background in sports reporting and sports have dominated my life since I was old enough to hold my first tee-ball bat or pick up my first Nerf football.
While I am working hard to bring the Daily Times' readers the best possible news coverage I am also excited to pick up any sports stories I can and I encourage any and all of you to send suggestions to jlivingston@daily-times.com for events you feel deserve my attention. If I can't find room for it in the paper, you bet I can find room for it here on the blog.
As I am sure you will all notice as you follow my blog, I am a mixed martial arts enthusiast. In my short career as a professional journalist I have had the pleasure of covering UFC fighters like Shane Carwin, Brendan Schaub and Chris Camozzi. Now that I am in New Mexico I will be trying to report on more local fighters as well as many of the top fighters in the sport that train at Albuquerque's own Greg Jackson gyms. I had the chance to do a Lifestyle's story on Floyd Sword and Angela Magana and the work they put into the 4 Corners MMA gym here on Main in Farmington and I look forward to keeping you posted on what they are doing -- especially as Magana gets ready for her August Bellator fight and Septemeber's NBC reality show "Ultimate Women Challenge."
MMA has taken over as my "niche" you might say but you could also say my religion is sports. I will be covering all of it on this blog from the local prep sports scene to the NFL, MLB, NBA and everything else that is sports.
I realize the sports scene here in the Four Corners is intense and there are many hot opinions. I will recognize as much of your feedback as possible and I will do my best to keep this blog up to date, timely and conversational.
I had hoped to set this up so I could blog during the World Cup but I was unable to get it going before most of the action had already happened. So with that being said (get ready for a lot of Curb Your Enthusiasm references), who does everyone have in the World Cup Final between España and the Netherlands? It has been a great tournament so far and David Villa (striker-Spain) has really proved his merit throughout. I think he is the x-factor in the final but te Netherlands can certainly win the game but they will have to stop Spain's attack. If Spain even scores one goal it might be their's. They have won 40+ straight international games when scoring a goal after all.
What do you think, soccer fans?