UFC 84: Wrap-up

Man, what a fight night.

As as I had hoped, BJ Penn kicked butt. Although the fight barely went to the ground, where BJ's skills are sublime, Penn relentlessly pounded Sherk with jab after jab, resulting in a TKO at the end of the third round. By the time BJ was done with Sherk, the Muscle Shark looked like Wanderlie Silva.

And speaking of Silva, he dominated. If there was any doubt of Dana White's wisdom in sticking by the former Pride champion, it was erased in this fight. Silva dispatched Jardine in a matter of seconds, demonstrating how he still has the ability to be one of the most entertaining fighters in MMA.

That's a distinction that few few would bestow on Lyoto Machida. While Machida took down Tito Ortiz in the the Huntington Beach Bad Boy's UFC Swan Song, his fighting style -- smart, precise and technical -- struck many as cautious, defensive and downright boring.

Looking forward, Penn said in his post-fight interview that he is eager for a rematch with Georges St. Pierre. Penn would need to go up to 170-lb division for that fight, which could be one of the hottest bouts of the year.

Ill Will

UFC 84: Ill Will, which airs on Pay-Per-View at 7 pm PST, boasts a helluva card, with a dramatic title fight, and a main card full of exciting bouts with major implications.

The headline fight, for the lightweight belt, is between BJ "The Prodigy" Penn and Sean "The Muscle Shark Sherk." Penn captured the title in January by defeating Joe "Daddy" Stevenson. Sherk used to hold the title, but it was stripped from him when he tested positive for steroids. For Sherk, this is a shot at redemption and an attempt to reclaim the title he feels was stolen for him. For Penn, this an opportunity to claim he holds the title legitimately and to put to rest, perhaps for good, the recurring storyline that he is a lazy fighter. There has been lots of bad blood between these two fighters.

Sherk is a relentless wrestler. Penn is a jiu-jitsu marvel. This will be a fun fight. I'll hoping for a Penn victory.

The second hottest fight of the night is Tito "Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Ortiz versus Brazilian Lyoto Machida.

This will be Ortiz's last fight in the UFC, whose feud with UFC president (and his former manager) Dana White has all the drama and pettiness of a two soap opera divas. The latest installment in the long-running feud: at yesterday's weigh-in, Ortiz wore a t-shirt that said "Dana is my Bitch!" This came a few days after Dana trashed him on a conference call as the "dumbest human being" he has ever met.

Ortiz has gone all Hollywood, dating a former porn star and appearing on Donald Trump's "The Apprentice. " He has been a great fighter, but he is now more showman and ego than fighter. The contrast could not be sharper with Machida, a disciplined, smart, talenter fighter of both Japanese and Brazilian heritage. I'm rooting for Machida.

The third major fight is Keith Jardine versus Wanderlei Silva. They are both impressive fighters - although Jardine has an odd stance that makes him look a cartoon character. Silva, the former champion in the Pride league, has been on a losing streak lately. Jardine's last fight was a stunning split decison victory last fall against Chuck Liddel.

Little Evil vs. The California Kid

MMA Junkie previews what will be one helluva fight: Jens "Little Evil" Pulver versus Urijah "The California Kid" Faber -- a June 1 bout that will be the most significant fight ever under the WEC banner.

Pulver, 33, the first guy to hold a lightweight belt in the UFC, dropped down to 145 lbs, and joined the WEC after losing round two of his grudge match with B.J. Penn in the finale of season 5 of the Ultimate Fighter. He will face Faber, 29, at the Arco Arena in Sacramento in fight to be aired free on Versus cable.

These are two tremendous warriors. Faber, not as well known since he fights in a lower-profile organization, may be one of the most talented mixed martial artists in the world. He is currently the WEV's featherweight champion. He has excellent takedown and submission skills, is freakishly fast, and is a joy to watch (as is, generally, the whole featherweight division.)

Pulver has a great and heavy left hand, is a skilled grappler, and is an intelligent, dogged, csrappy well-conditioned fighter. But while he is an MMA legend, he never seems to get as much respect as his opponents, whether it is Faber or Penn. He is the underdog in this fight.

But I'm rooting for Pulver. The guy has more heart than almost any other fighter I have seen. He has overcome a harrowing biography that included unspeakable abuse at the hands of his father. (His life story is detailed in Little Evil: One Ultimate Fighter's Rise to the Top).

He is a good soul, and when you root for Pulver, you root for the underdog, for humanity, for the guy who gets knocked down in life, but always insists on getting back up. Jens Pulver is why I love mixed martial arts. He is the the best of the sport.

You can catch some video clips of interviews with both fighters here.

Say It Ain't So

MMA Junkie is reporting that Leonard Garcia, a talented fighter with remarkable heart, has been arrested in Texas on charges of drug trafficking.

This is a damn shame, and I certainly hope the charges are false and that he is exonerated.

I first saw Leonard fight last April, in a tremendous bout against Roger "El Matador" Huerta at UFC 69. Huerta won in a unanimous decision, but Garcia went the distance with both skill and an obvious joy. I remember my friends and I all commenting that the more Huerta pounded Garcia, the more the little scrapper smiled. He was getting beaten, and he was clearly having the time of his life.

There was an impressive moment at the end of the fight. After the ref called the match, Huerta grabbed Garcia, and the two warriors knelt, bowed their heads together, and prayed. It was quite a sight -- a show of humility, devotion, and mutual respect.

I wish Garcia well.

Bloodsports

After a day of non-stop coverage of Clinton=McCarthy and Richardson=Judas, I am officially sick and tired of the Democratic primary.

As bloodsports go, I'll take the UFC over the political slugfests. Professional mixed martial artists are classier, smarter, and have much better moves than any of the presidential candidates.

And they talk less shit.