Super Fights...COME ON DANA...MAKE'EM HAPPEN!

For all the negative things I have to say about Dana White he's still got to be one of the coolest guys on the planet, not to mention one lucky SOB. Of course, he's worked very hard to get where he is but man, what a lucky SOB! One positive I can say about Dana is that he takes care of his business. He also puts on great fights, fights fight fans want to see. Yeah I know, matchmaker...Joe Silva, but we all know who runs the show that is the Ultimate Fighting Championship. If Dana were to bring me into the "TUF" (The Ultimate Fighter reality show) warroom and ask me what fights I want to see...this is what I would tell him:

1. Fedor "The Last Emperor" Emelianenko vs. Brock "The Next Big Thing" Lesnar

• Why? Fedor is arguably the greatest combat fighter of all time. His record stands at a gaudy 28-1 with that "1" being the result of a cut over his right eye and consequential ref stoppage. Fedor has beaten the top fighters in all of MMA including current interim UFC heavyweight champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira...twice. Lesnar just KO'd 45 year old Randy Couture and stands to face the winner of UFC 92's interim heavyweight title match between Nogueira and Frank Mir. If Lesnar makes it past his next fight unscathed, which is not a given by any means, a matchup with Fedor becomes even more desirable as Lesnar would be the undisputed heavyweight champ of the greatest mixed martial arts organization in the world.
  
• Why not? Dana White and Fedor Emelianenko are not exactly best buds, if you get my drift. Dana has made attempts to bring Fedor into the UFC fold to no avail. Unfortunately, the reason the two sides cannot come to an agreement that would allow Fedor to fight for the UFC remains a he said, he said or he said, they said ordeal. For now, Fedor and the UFC coming together is a pipe dream for fight fans. Also, in the rather unlikely event that Fedor were to lose his January 24th match with former UFC heavyweight champion Andre Arlovski, it would make this matchup a little less enticing. On the other hand, Lesnar is no lock to win his next match. He's already dropped a contest to Frank Mir via kneebar and Nogueira is an all time great in the fight game. Both Mir and Nogueira are brazillian jiu jitsu specialists and Brock Lesnar's submission defense is his perceived greatest weakness.


• The Last Emperor and The Next Big Thing seem to be on a collision course that may never climax in the cage. Here's hoping the god of fighting, who may very well be Dana White himself, will do whatever he can to make sure it does.

2. Urijah "The California Kid" Faber vs. Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto

• Why? These two top featherweights have been feuding as of late, both issuing challenges to each other. With Faber's record standing at 21-2 and Yamamoto's record at 17-1 both fighters have plenty to brag about. The growing popularity of World Extreme Cagefighting, thanks to the VS channel and an influx of smaller weight class talent, may make it an alluring destination for Norifumi...not to mention the fact that Urijah Faber makes the WEC his home.


• Why not? Urijah lost his WEC featherweight title to Mike Brown in his last fight. Popular belief seems to be that Faber will win his belt back in the near future but in the case that he does not it could be a damper for Yamamoto's motivation to make the fight happen. Also, Yamamoto fights for K-1/Dream in Japan. One fighter would have to agree to go to the other's organization which is typically not an easy hurdle to jump. (See Fedor above)


• The California Kid vs. Kid Yamamoto...a match made in Heaven for fans of featherweights. This would surely decide who is the best of the smallest.

3. Forrest Griffin vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson II

• Why? It would be a mixed martial arts tragedy if these two didn't duke it out in the cage for a second time. In the first match, Forrest won by a controversial at best unanimous decision. Quinton arguably did the most damage and almost certainly won multiple rounds. Griffin went to work on Jackson with devestating kicks to the legs and visibly hobbled him in the second round. All in all this was a great fight and to leave it at a controversial decision does not serve justice. This was a title fight and a more concise outcome should be reached.
• Why not? Quinton Jackson had a Brittney Spears, Michael Jackson, Mike Tyson moment earlier this year when he went on quite the literal rampage through Orange County, California. Despite his out of the cage issues, Jackson will be fighting Wanderlei Silva in UFC 92. The winner of this fight will presumably be very high on the food chain in the light heavyweight division and probably not more than one fight away from a title shot. The problem is, Jackson has lost twice to Wanderlei in the past, albeit in the Pride organization. Griffin is also scheduled to fight in UFC 92 against Rashad Evans who is coming off of a devestating KO victory over former light heavyweight champ Chuck Liddell.
• Who knows, if Rashad Evans can pull off the upset and Wanderlei once again pounds Jackson into submission with repeated knees to the face, it may nicely set up a rematch between Forrest and Quinton. Also, if both fighters were to win their matches on December 27th it may set up a role reversal title bout between the two. Here's hoping it's the latter...

4. Georges "Rush" St. Pierre vs. Anderson "The Spider" Silva

• Why? Georges and Anderson have just about exhausted their weight classes' ability to provide good competition by dominating any and all comers. St. Pierre has a fight of the year candidate scheduled for January '09 against BJ Penn. Assuming he wins that match, Thiago Alves would be the only real challenge for Georges left in the welterweight division. Anderson has already handled any real contendor left in the middleweight division, including former champ Rich Franklin twice and Pride former champ Dan Henderson. Both Georges and Anderson are listed atop most pound for pound ranking lists. This would be a dream matchup for many fight fans and a huge pay-per-view draw for the UFC.
• Why not? Many fans contend that St. Pierre's frame is not built to handle the extra fifteen pounds and Anderson is presumably not interested in moving down to welterweight. This fight could happen at a catch weight...say 177.5? Georges also has the fight with Penn looming and most likely a responsibility to defend his title against Thiago Alves after that. Georges is not a lock to win either of those matches when considering the quality of opponent, however, he should be the favorite going into both fights. Anderson, on the other hand, has talked about retirement as of late. Hopefully he is just talking and not seriously considering leaving the fight game.
• Rush and The Spider fight for the same organization, holding belts in their respective weight divisions. With a measly fifteen pounds separating the two...would it be too much to ask to see a super fight?

5. Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell vs. Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva II

• Why? This would be the second super fight between these two cage warriors. The first was so inspiring, so awesome, it would be nothing short of an honor to see them go toe-to-toe once more. Liddell won the first bout by unanimous decision. Both fighters did a lot of damage during the fight, it's a shame it wasn't for the title and for five rounds. In the end, Chuck did the most damage and also uncharacteristically scored points with multiple takedowns. The prevailing feeling throughout the fight is that either fighter could end it with one well placed knuckle sandwich. Silva deserves a rematch before Chuck retires.
• Why not? Liddell is 1-3 in his last four fights with three ugly losses to Quinton Jackson, Keith Jardine and Rashad Evans. With each loss it seems he is closer to retirement than contendor status. Still, Chuck says he still has something left to give and will not retire. Wanderlei is looking for a title shot more than a second shot at Liddell. If Silva loses to Quinton Jackson at UFC 92 this fight could become a real possibility.
• The UFC and Dana White like to make money and there is no doubt that a rematch between Silva and Liddell would draw pay-per-view numbers. Two legends in the sport deserve to settle it at least once more in the cage.

Mixed martial arts provides the most raw, real venue for competition in the world. Two men climb in a cage and see who can get the best of the other. These are epic matchups, dream matchups even that fight fans deserve to see. Dana White, as the god of fights, please...make them happen.

Honorable mention: Gina "Conviction" Carano vs. Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, Anderson "The Spider" Silva vs. Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell, Anderson "The Spider" Silva vs. Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva, Urijah "The California Kid" Faber vs. Miguel Torres

Santa Claus is coming...isn't he???

I'll go ahead and say it, Christmas is my favorite time of year. Sure, Thanksgiving is nice, Easter is a celebration; but Christmas is my favorite. Of course, it doesn't hurt that you get an unprecedented two-for-one deal with Christmas and New Years. Things that come in two's are always better! A double tall late from Starbucks, a double screwdriver at 9AM on a cruise to Jamaica, a double cheeseburger from insert favorite fast food restaurant here, a BOGO sale at insert favorite store here...

I think, though, that many people have lost the real meaning of Christmas altogether. Yes, it's about family, Christmas trees, Christmas lights, giving and receiving presents, eating, even going to church. I remember, when I was a kid, almost every house on our street would have lights and a Christmas tree. Now, having lights is the exception instead of the rule. These days of little money, little time, little patience and the like make it easy to lose focus on what's important. It's about serving others, loving others, putting others before yourself...but why???

The real meaning of Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ. Most people know this, they go to church on or around Christmas and may even hear the REAL Christmas story here or there. It's important to make sure you don't keep the real meaning of Christmas a secret. Somewhere along the way someone kept it a secret. Many people don't even celebrate Christmas any more. Jesus is the greatest gift that could ever be given. If I could come up with one passage in the Bible that summed up Jesus' life and what He, and Christmas, is all about it would be this:

Mark 10:43-45
43"whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."


As was tradition in my house growing up, we will read Luke chapter 2 (The real Christmas story) as a family on Christmas eve and let the kids open one present before Christmas morning. I remember years when my dad would sit us down to read Luke 2, I would be so anxious to open that present that I would feel put out by having to sit and listen to the story. Looking back, I'm grateful that he built values such as this into me so I can do the same with my children. It is my hope that because my wife and I will read this story with them every year that they will never forget the real meaning of Christmas...or keep it a secret.