Rich Franklin vs. Dan Henderson

Now that the UFC has such a rich talent pool, we (the fans) are able to witness some really competitive match-ups. Joe Silva – the matchmaker for the UFC – now has a lot to work with and this Rich Franklin vs. Dan Henderson showdown is a perfect example of what we should be seeing more of. Rich Franklin and Dan Henderson have a lot in common with each other. Both are former champion fighters who at one point, were seemingly unbeatable. Since then, both fighters have experienced some hard losses and both “one-time supermen” seem to share the same kryptonite in Anderson Silva.

However, this fight is taking place in the light heavyweight (205lbs) weight class. New fans of mixed martial arts may not be familiar with Dan Henderson’s accomplishments overseas in the now-bankrupt PRIDE organization but Dan Henderson knocked out Wanderlei Silva to become PRIDE’S light heavyweight champion. As a matter of fact, Dan Henderson held both the middleweight and light heavyweight titles at the same time. Of course, since coming over to the UFC, he lost his light heavyweight title to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in a hard fought five-rounder and in his very next fight, Dan Henderson dropped his middleweight title as a result of getting choked out by Anderson Silva in the second round.

Rich Franklin has been a very successful fighter in his own right. The former UFC middleweight champion has been demolishing every opponent put in his path. That is of course, with the exception of Anderson Silva who has knocked out Rich Franklin not once, but twice with devastating knees from the clinch. Rich Franklin’s losses to Silva are most likely his reason for moving up a weight class. Rich Franklin’s choice to change divisions has been a good one so far as he’s already earned an impressive stoppage victory over the highly touted Matt Hamill in a fight where Rich Franklin displayed his much improved striking – particularly Thai-style kicks to the body.

So How Do Rich Franklin and Dan Henderson Match Up?

Both Rich Franklin and Dan Henderson are so well rounded that it is going to be tough for one to exploit the weakness of another. Dan Henderson – who trains out of team quest – is a former Olympian wrestler turned MMA fighter so his Greco-roman fighting style should give him an advantage in the tie-ups. It’s tough to tell who has the better striking in this one. Rich Franklin displayed excellent striking ability in his last fight (as he usually does) while Dan Henderson is known for his aggressive style and powerful overhand right. Anyone who is able to knock out Wanderlei Silva with a spinning back-fist the way Dan Henderson did should never be underestimated.

If you look to the ground game, well ..there’s no decisive winner here either. Dan Henderson is the better wrestler so he should be able to dictate where the fight takes place. If he wants to take Rich Franklin down, it’s likely that he’ll be able to do so. However, with Rich Franklin’s Brazilian Jiu Jitsu background and submission defence, it’s unlikely that he’ll be submitted and its here where he may even catch Dan Henderson with something (although it’s still quite unlikely). I imagine if Dan Henderson is able to secure a takedown, he’ll be looking to just pound Rich Franklin out.

Skill-sets aside, the most important characteristic a fighter can have is “heart” and in this case, both fighters certainly have it. I don’t see either fighter giving up in this one and I especially don’t see either fighter fatiguing as both Rich Franklin and Dan Henderson have gone the distance before in five round, championship fights. This fight will only be 3 rounds. This is a really tough one to call, which is a good thing as it goes to show just how evenly matched Rich Franklin and Dan Henderson are. If I was to predict anything, I have to say that this will likely go to the judges scorecards. As for the winner, it can really go either way so I would just throw my money on the underdog (if their even is one).

Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans

Who would have thought the ultimate fighter reality series would produce so much talent. As a matter of fact, up until only recently, being a contestant on the show was almost looked down upon by the non-reality series UFC roster.

Well, thanks to guys like Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans, fighters coming off the show and into the UFC are now getting a lot more respect. Having both recently taken out former top ranked fighters – Forrest over “Shogun” and Rashad over Liddell – this showdown will certainly be interesting.

I’m calling this this as the fight of the night right now – and that’s saying a lot considering just how stacked UFC 92 is. As we all already know, Forrest Griffin is a workaholic warrior who just keeps pressing forward. It’s that never-say-die mentality that has got him where he is today.

Forrest Griffin isn’t the greatest wrestler, he isn’t the greatest striker, nor is he the best submission artist – yet he’s the champion in arguably the most competitive division in the UFC. How does that happen? Well, it happens as a result of work ethic and “heart”.

Rashad Evans – who up until this point has yet to be defeated in his 13 fight MMA career – embodies similar characteristics. Having gone to decision in nearly half of his fights, he’s no stranger to going into “deep waters” with a game opponent – which will likely happen against a guy like Forrest Griffin.

So How Do Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans Match Up?

Neither of these guys is a “master” in a specific fighting style. They’re both just well rounded, really tough guys with a lot of heart. If there’s any standout advantage, it would be Rashad with his wrestling ability. Rashad is a much better wrestler than Forrest – and most of the light heavyweight division for that matter.

As for whether or not it will make a big difference in the fight, I’m not so sure. While Rashad Evans is the better wrestler, Forrest Griffin will likely be the bigger of the two as he walks around and cuts weight from around 240lbs while Rashad looked pretty small compared to Chuck Liddell in his last fight.

Of course, you could throw a wrench in that theory by pointing out that Rashad used to fight (and toss guys around) at heavyweight. Just look how Rashad was able repeatedly slam Stephan Bonnar when they fought back in 2006.

Both Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans are fighting out of great camps so you can rest assured that they’ll both be entering the octagon with very detailed game plans. And speaking of strategy, one thing worth pointing out is the fact that the last man to defeat Forrest Griffin was Keith Jardine – who just so happens to be one of Rashad’s team-mates.

This is one of those fights where it’s extremely hard to predict a winner. The only sure thing in this fight is that both fighters will give it their all and of course, Rashad’s wife will be sitting somewhere within the first few rows screaming at the top of her lungs.

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva

While many of the newer MMA fans may not be aware, this will actually be the third meeting between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and the “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva. The first two meetings – under the now bankrupt PRIDE organization – left Quinton “Rampage” Jackson a bloody mess. Granted, fighters are constantly evolving and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is not the same fighter today as he was back when he took those beatings at the hands – well, technically the knees – of Wanderlei Silva.

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has been very successful thus far in his UFC career while Wanderlei Silva was recently on a downward spiral as he dropped three straight – one of which was in his UFC debut against Chuck Liddell. However, it looks as though Wanderlei Silva has returned to his old ways in his last fight as he racked up a brutal knockout victory against light heavyweight standout, Keith Jardine. Not only did Wanderlei Silva secure a knockout, but he did so in a fashion so devastating that the MMA community forums exploded with talks of the “rape choke”. If you missed it, Wanderlei Silva basically held Jardine down with a hand across the throat while he repeatedly landed shots to the face with his free fist.

On the other hand, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is fresh off a disheartening loss at the hands of now-champion, Forrest Griffin. Following the fight, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson lived up to his nickname as he literally went on a hit and run “rampage” in LA and as a result, he became a household name as the story was covered in some of the worlds most popular tabloid sites, programs and publications.

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva – How they match up.

Having met on two other occasions with the same result, there’s a good chance that Wanderlei Silva is to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson what Anderson Silva is to Rich Franklin – unbeatable. While Quinton “Rampage” Jackson isn’t the same fighter today as he was on Halloween four years ago when he last squared off with Wanderlei Silva, fighting is just as much mental as it is physical and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s current mental state is certainly in question. Even had “Rampage” not “lost his marbles” so to speak and mistaken a public road in Orange County for the Indy 500, fighting someone who has brutally knocked you out – on multiple occasions – is a big mental hurdle to overcome on its own.

In terms of their skills sets and fighting style, both fighters are extremely aggressive so it should make for an exciting fight. While both are capable of fighting on the ground – especially Wanderlei Silva as he’s a black belt in BJJ – both Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Wanderlei Silva prefer to keep it standing and slug it out. Wanderlei Silva has the better Muay Thai as he’s already effectively utilized a Thai clinch on Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in their previous encounters. However, being a product of Juanito Ibarra – a renowned boxing trainer – Quinton “Rampage” Jackson may be a more technical boxer.

If the unexpected happens and the fight does hit the ground, it will certainly be an advantage for Wanderlei Silva. However, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s only submission loss has come at the hands of Kazushi Sakuraba – who has been labelled by some as the “greatest grappler in all of mixed martial arts” – and that loss occurred more than 7 years ago. Since then, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has faced many other great grapplers – none of which have been successful with their submission attempts. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s ability to evade submissions is due to his seemingly in-human strength. Rampage – aka. “King of the Slam” – literally power bombed BJJ black belt, Ricardo Arona at a PRIDE event back on 2004 to escape a triangle attempt. All that being said, it’s a virtual certainty that this fight will be an all-out slugfest with the victor likely being awarded a generous bonus for “KO of the night”.

The biggest factor in this fight will be the mental state of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Having recently displayed instability with his antics as of late – and the fact that he’s facing a man who has knocked him out on two separate occasions – Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will certainly have to come into this fight in the right frame of mind if he hopes to have any shot at beating the light heavyweight legend, Wanderlei Silva.

So before you pick a winner and place a bet, take everything into consideration – including the odds. In a sport where anything can happen, all you can do is trust your instinct. Everyone responds differently to defeat – as already mentioned – so it should be interesting to see whether or not Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is able to bounce back.

A Potentially Fatal Attraction

While this is a Muay Thai Blog, I figure things will get pretty boring if all I write about in my entries is skipping and hitting the heavy bag. My vision with this is to not only to document the training, but also, the entire experience of coming to foreign countries to train. As a single 25 year old guy, part of that experience is of course – the ladies that you meet throughout the journey.

Which brings me to a girl named “Fon”. I met Fon about 10 days ago through a mutual friend and of the 10 days that I’ve known her, she’s probably stayed over at my apartment for 8 of those nights. At first, things were great. The thing about most Thai girls I’ve met is that they really take care of you.

She would bring me food, clean my room, fold my clothes, give me massages (she’s a masseuse) and even cut my nails. I’ve met a few girls in Canada that were similar, but I’d say that Fon tops the list in terms of how she takes care of a man.

She’s actually very beautiful too. Sort of like a Thai Barbie doll. She has blonde highlights, implants, tongue ring, belly ring and she’s incredibly fit (most girls here are). Here’s a photo of her and her friend at the salon (Fon is to the left in the black dress). Honestly, this photo really doesn’t do her justice. I find that most Thai girls aren’t very photogenic.

Anyway, about 5 days ago I was playing pool in a common area for the residents of the apartment and I was talking to one of the girls that works here (below is a nightclub). I told her that I was dealing with a girl and she almost immediately replied with “don’t say you love her”. That struck me as being somewhat of an odd comment and when I inquired as to why I shouldn’t say that (not that I’d say that anyway), she made the action of her throat being slit.

Literally about 15 minutes after the disturbing conversation, Fon sent me a text message and for the first time, after only knowing me for 5 days, she dropped the “L-bomb” (I love you). After what the girl at my apartment had just told me, I obviously didn’t return the affectionate words.

A couple days later, her best friend added me to msn and started asking me if “i love she” (poor English obviously) and when I tried to explain that I didn’t know Fon well enough to “love her” and that “love takes time to build” blah blah .. she really didn’t understand. After that conversion, she then tells Fon that I said I didn’t like her. Needless to say, that causes all sorts of drama.

Which Brings Us To Last Night

Since there’s no training on Sundays and I have nothing to do all day but sit around my room and well, type up these entries, I allow myself to go out on Saturday nights and have some fun. Due to how quick Fon was moving with things (her friend was even asking me about marrying her), I knew I had to slow things down a bit so when she asked me to go see her, I said that I just wanted some time alone.

Well, she didn’t take that very well. She literally started screaming “you come see me now!” on the phone. I declined. She then responded with “ok, I kill you now”. Obviously, the death threat didn’t sit well with me so I told her off, hung up, went to the bar and started talking to some new girls just to spite her. She called non-stop for about 2 hours straight so after about the fourth call, I turned the volume off, set it to vibrate and put my phone in my front pocket (I’m not going to lie, it felt kind of nice .. haha).

Curiosity eventually got the best of me and I ended up answering to see what she had to say. When I did, she just started rambling on about the most random things. “You want me die?” she asked. “Why you want me die?” she repeated. At this point, it became pretty clear that there’s something psychologically wrong with this girl. I never said, nor implied any such thing. She’s the psycho that threatened to kill me, not the other way around.

Based on the things she was saying, I was a little concerned that perhaps this girl could be suicidal. I also knew she had been drinking so I just tried to be as nice as I could and I reassured her that while tonight wouldn’t be a good time to meet up, I’d could see her tomorrow (today) to talk about things. I also told her that I had booked a room at the Mariott so she wouldn’t show up at my room later on (she had done so before).

While I was walking back to my room, we were sending texts back and fourth and she kept asking me where I was, and when I was going home. I made it to my apartment and all looked well. I was expecting her to be standing outside my building to make sure I didn’t have another girl with me or something but no, the coast was clear.

I walked up the stairs, unlocked the main door and entered the building. The second security measure is a password protected door so I went ahead and input my password. From there, I walked up another small flight of stairs and approached my apartment. While I was in the process of sticking in my key, the door was pulled open from the inside.

My heart rate shot up, my stomach dropped and I immediately jumped back a bit and got into a fighting stance with my right fist cocked back. She then peered her head around the corner. I immediately charged into the room and checked to make sure she didn’t have any sort of weapon in her hands. She didn’t.

I then did a quick search of the room and made sure the safe was still locked and that my laptop was still where it was stored. Nothing was gone. Actually, not only did she not rob me but.. she cleaned my room. But as nice of a gesture as that is, it doesn’t quite overshadow the death threat and the B & E (break & enter).

I told her straight up that I thought she was “ting tong” which translated from Thai to English, means she’s crazy. Her reaction to that was nothing more than a creepy laugh. I knew I really had to get this girl out of my room but at the same time, I wanted to stay on her good side because after all, if she was able to get into my room so easily, I’m sure she could do it again while I’m sleeping.

I told her I was hungry and that I wanted to go across the street to get some food. Prior to leaving my room, I grabbed her purse did a quick scan of my room to make sure she didn’t leave any of her belongings behind. She strongly objected to the fact that I was bringing all her stuff with me (she knew she wasn’t welcome back at this point) but too bad, I basically nudged her out the door, followed, and closed it a.s.a.p.

I really needed to know how she got into my room so while we were eating, I kept drilling her with questions. If this girl was able to pick locks, I’d basically have to change rooms, move to Bangkok, fly to Phuket – basically just get the hell out of here. She finally admitted that she didn’t pick the lock but rather, my neighbour let her into her room since she recognized her.

From my neighbours room, she basically went out onto the balcony (keep in mind she was pretty drunk) and climbed from her balcony onto mine. She then got into my room via my balcony door. I guess it was unlocked but in my defense, I really didn’t think anyone would be crazy enough to be balcony jumping from a few stories up.

Here’s a couple photos. The first is of my balcony in relation to my neighbors and the second is of the distance from my balcony to the ground level concrete. If she had fell, she would have sustained some pretty serious injuries.

Right now it’s about 2am and I haven’t heard from her yet. I’m sure I’ll get a text message or a call within an hour or two though. I’ll give you guys an update on the situation in my next entry.

As for the Muay Thai, I’m still at it. I’ve been training at Scorpion gym lately and it’s been going really well. The owner (Rosalie) is cool. It’s on the baht bus route so it’s cheap to get there and the trainer I’m working with is pretty good about correcting my form. I’ll be here in Pattaya for another 10 days or so then I’ll be heading to Bangkok to check out Fairtex Bangplee, Kaewsamrit Gym and a few others.

Stay Tuned..

..and of course, if you have any tips on how to deal with crazy girls, feel free to leave a comment..

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