Weekend reset: Mark Hominick has a big lump on his face

Go vote† today and really show those terrorists who's boss.

The picture over at Deadspin pretty much captures it all. Mark Hominick, the Thamesford, Ontario native, fought against Jose Aldo for the UFC featherweight championship at Rogers Centre on Saturday, and came out a little worse for wear.

That said, Hominick certainly won some people over. He was decimated in the first four rounds, but had Aldo, regarded among the top three pound-for-pound fighters in the world, on his back and taking abuse in the fifth round. Unfortunately, Hominick wasn't able to close the deal and lost via unanimous decision 48-45, 48-46, 48-47. For a fighter in a division that hasn't gotten much exposure in the past, he certainly turned some heads. Hominick spent the weeks leading up to the fight throwing out the first pitch for the Blue Jays and signing an endorsement deal with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He really integrated himself into the Southern Ontario sports community as if to become a fixture for years to come, and, at 28 years old, there's still plenty of room to move up. The fight with Aldo also earned him "Fight of the Night" honours which comes with a $129,000 paycheque.

In the night's main event, Georges St.-Pierre, the Montreal native, held onto his UFC welterweight belt with an effective victory over challenger Jake Shields, who won two rounds over GSP, the first time St.-Pierre has dropped a round since August of 2007. St.-Pierre won 50-45, 48-47, 48-47 which is a score that doesn't really reflect the fight. It was close, but St.-Pierre controlled the pace despite not going for early or mid-round takedowns, opting instead to stand with Shields rather than grapple on the mat with the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt. St.-Pierre also took a jap to his left eye in the second round which restricted his vision, and he was overheard on the microphones between rounds saying he couldn't see out of it. He pressed through, as, this is a man who fought through a groin tear in a fight against Thiago Alves two summers ago.

What's next for GSP is a bit of a mystery, as there has been speculation for years that he'd move up to middleweight to face Anderson Silva in a superfight between the two most high-profile UFC champions, but UFC President Dana White suggested that the fight could be against Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz. The Diaz fight is more likely, as the UFC would not want to lose the lustre of one of its biggest stars by guaranteeing a loss for either St.-Pierre or Silva, although the fight would indubitably be the biggest in the history of MMA and would be this generation's Ali/Foreman.

On that comparison note, Stephen Brunt published a lengthy, well-written essay in The Globe on Saturday on the decline of boxing. It's far more than a look by an old-guard journalist at how 'the game ain't played like it used to be' but this paragraph in particular caught my attention:

Someone like Georges St. Pierre is indeed iconic, but in a single dimension, contained entirely within the sport and its marketing machinery. No one in this sport – or in any other sport for that matter – will ever carry the political and social heft of an Muhammad Ali, or a Joe Louis, or a Jack Johnson. We consume sports, and sports heroes, in an environment of cynical brand awareness. Celebrity athletes tiptoe around any issue that is remotely politically or socially controversial, committed only to their own commercial enhancement. And none of them, however successful in their own games, can be what was the Heavyweight Champion of the World, because no title equals that – not even what is now the heavyweight champion of the world.

That's if you live in a fantasy land where athletes who are socially conscious are supposed to be an exception, and not the rule. Most boxers in those days, as hockey players and baseball players, were drinkers and smokers and fornicators, just as they are today.

Missing from the week, just because he wasn't on the Olympic team, doesn't mean Vincent Lecavalier doesn't like beating Russians, the Toronto Blue Jays are trying to steal too many bases, and, though it falls outside the realm of hoserism, we at the Eh! Factor urge you to tune in to the start of the Philadelphia/Boston game tonight, where you may hear the greatest rendition of God Bless America ever.

† But don't tweet any results. That could net you five years in prison

Weekend Reset: Jon Jones, MLS, and defensemen score beauties

This will be as regular of a feature as I can possibly make it, since Sunday night is a great time to cool down with a glass of scotch and recap everything we got to see over the course of the weekend.

Jon Jones, GSP, and the pound-for-pound debate

In the last few years in the world of mixed martial arts, there have usually been three fighters who are viewed as the top 'pound-for-pound' fighters in the world. Russia's Fedor Emelianenko, Brazil's Anderson Silva, and, of course, Montreal's own Georges St.-Pierre.

Who Ya Got? Georges St.-Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck preview

Since Georges St.-Pierre fought Josh Koscheck to a unanimous 29-28, 29-28, 30-27 decision at UFC 74 on August 25th of 2007, the Montreal native has won six straight fights, all of them with a belt on the line, to become arguably the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

What's impressive about the scoreline from the first GSP/Koscheck fight is that it is the last time St.-Pierre has lost a round. That's two rounds against Matt Hughes, two rounds against Matt Serra, five against Jon Fitch, four against BJ Penn, and five against Thiago Alves and Dan Hardy.

He's on an impressive winning streak but has drawn criticism for his inability to finish fights. Dan Hardy was very weak competition, and it's been GSP's only fight in 2010, way back in March at UFC 111.

The ultimate in douchebag apparel - an Ultimate Figher replica jersey

MMA fans tend to have it rough. Many bars here in Kamloops don't allow entry to patrons sporting Tapout, Silverstar or Affliction t-shirts because of their apparent connections to gangs. While evidence is possibly around to support this, this isn't really the issue I'm taking at hand here. A hockey fan can wear a hockey jersey. A basketball fan a basketball jersey, ditto with all sports all the way down to rhythmic gymnastics. But how can a fighting fan support their favourite fighter?



Hopefully, not like this. I came across this at the local Jersey City, yours for just $69.99 (minus a 10% mall employee discount!) This, to the unfamiliar, is a replica "jersey" of what Ultimate Fighting Championship hopefuls wear while training on the set of 'The Ultimate Figher' competing for a six-figure UFC deal. Montreal's Georges St.-Pierre, UFC welterweight champion and generally regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters on the planet, is coaching half the fighters. Hence, 'Team GSP'.

I pose to whatever commentariat we have one place where wearing this shirt would be appropriate. Even if you're steadily training in MMA, putting on a $70 'Team GSP' jersey is just out of mind ridiculous. If you see a 'Team GSP' jersey being worn in public, please send me the picture.

Related: Courtesy of Puck Daddy, this abortion of a Leafs jersey.

Chael Sonnen does not like your accent, GSP sir

Let's take a hypothetical situation. Let's say that Shane Doan, for instance, for some reason sounds off against some French Canadien player in the National Hockey League, say, Martin St. Louis.

Let's pretend that Doan says something like "God dangit that guy sounds like a French Canadien Minnie Mouse," or something as equally ridiculous.

We'd think 'wow, that is horribly, horribly wrong,' and a national crisis would likely ensue.

Skip to reality. For some reason, Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight contender Chael Sonnen's words about French Canadien and welterweight champion and Montreal native Georges St.-Pierre went completely unnoticed by the Canadian media.

It's curious, because the anti-mixed-martial-arts crowd in Canada never skip a chance to portray its fighters and its fans as violent or bloodthirsty or what have you.

"If GSP said he wanted to fight me, the first thing I would say is the same thing I say every time I hear GSP talk, 'God dangit that guy sounds like a French-Canadian Minnie Mouse.' That's the first thing I'd say," Sonnen quipped.

"Then I'd say 'hey GSP, let me ask you a serious question. Do you have a designated driver? Do you have someone to get you home safely? Cause clearly you're intoxicated.’ I would say, ‘GSP, do you have a hankering for pain? GSP, did you lose a bet with God? GSP, bring your $3,000 suit, bring your $3 date, and get that 3 cent tan beat off your socialist back.’ That's what I would tell GSP."

Thank you, Chael, for reinforcing the stereotype. St.-Pierre, known as GSP, is ranked by Yahoo! as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world and number two by Sherdog. Sonnen is best known as a middleweight underdog who came close to one of the biggest upsets in fighting history before being caught in a triangle choke with three minutes to go in his fight for the middleweight belt against Anderson Silva at UFC 117 in August. Sonnen has more to worry about than GSP, or light-heavyweight title holder Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua, with his own rematch against Silva coming up early next year.

GSP's next distraction is a title defense against the equally-repugnant Josh Koscheck, the Pittsburgh-native who slammed Montreal Canadiens fans after his win at the Bell Centre during the Eastern Conference semi-finals last year. Tonight, GSP's coaching debut on 'The Ultimate Fighter' debuts opposite Koscheck, in what will surely become one of the most-watched seasons of TUF. GSP is the sports' hero, not just in Canada, and the frosted-tipped Koscheck is its perfect villain and outlaw, and at least he keeps his trash-talking with other fighters within his own weight class with guys who he will actually face.

MMA Weekly also found this nugget online, which is a nod to GSP not being impressed by Matt Hughes's win against B.J. Penn at UFC 63, and saying so in post-fight interviews.



After Silva, Sonnen wants GSP or Shogun [MMA Weekly]

Georges St.-Pierre's next title defense to be held in Montreal

Mark December 11th on your calendars--Georges St.-Pierre, currently Canada's best athlete, will again be fighting as the hometown hero at the Bell Centre.

[MMAWeekly.com]

St. Pierre, the current welterweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, is ranked as the number one "pound-for-pound" fighter in the world by Yahoo! Sports. After coaching opposite top contender Josh Koscheck on The Ultimate Fighter Season 12, the two will fight a week after the season finale on the 4th.

Koscheck has been building up his resumé. One of the UFC's villains, you may recall how he called out the city of Montreal after beating Paul Daley there in his previous fight back in May. That was the same night that the Pittsburgh Penguins had beaten the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series.

"Don't worry, Pittsburgh Penguins are going to kick your ass next week, baby!" Koscheck yelled to the Montreal crowd. "And then I'm going to beat St-Pierre, so you guys are going to lose twice, how bout that? Yeah, that's right Montreal."

*Of course, Montreal came back to win Games 6 and 7 to take the best-of-seven series*

Back in April of 2007, Georges St. Pierre beat Matt Serra at the Bell Centre in the main event at Canada's first ever UFC event, after dominating Serra with takedowns and eventually finishing him off with knees as the seconds ticked away in the second round to win the undisputed welterweight belt, in what remains Canada's finest moment in this sports' young history.

GSP's first win in Montreal did more than win him a title. After beating Matt Serra, and Matt Hughes in his previous fight, it meant that the scrappy French-Canadien had beaten both mixed-martial arts opponents he has lost to. In fact, GSP has not lost a single round since August 25th 2007.

6 fights, 23 rounds.

His opponent that night? Josh Koscheck.

Josh Koscheck vs. Georges St. Pierre

Round 1

Koscheck starts out throwing heavy leather. St. Pierre looked rattled. GSP shoots in and muscles Koscheck to the floor. St. Pierre works from half-guard. Two elbows land for GSP. Koscheck defends well as the Canadian controls him from the top. Koscheck works to his feet and explodes into a takedown. Though GSP gripped fence, he still finds himself on his back. Koscheck lands an elbow of his own. Close round. 10-9 for Koscheck.

So, GSP lost the first round, but would take the next two and the unanimous decision.

While matching the hated Koscheck, known for his trademark frosted tipped hair, against GSP, one of the international heroes of mixed-martial arts, would sell a fight regardless, that angle makes the fight that much more interesting.

Both men are wrestlers who prefer to wear down opponents on the ground rather than knocking them out. In fact, in both fighters' 41 combined professional fights, only four have ended with either Koscheck or GSP knocking out their opponents--Koscheck claiming all four.

Koscheck's last two fights have been extremely controversial, as well. His fight against Anthony "Rumble" Johnson at UFC 106 began with Johnson "delivering" an illegal knee to a downed Koscheck, though fight replays showed that the knee failed to make contact with Koscheck. The fight was stopped to allow Koscheck to recover and Johnson was docked a point. In the second round, Koscheck attempted a punch at Johnson and released his fist as he was to make contact, which resulted in Johnson being gouged in the eye and a second stoppage, of which Johnson never recovered and eventually submitted to a rear-naked choke.

Against Paul Daley, again, in the first round, an illegal knee failed to hit Koscheck, and the judges eventually did not take a point away from Daley, but the fight was mired at the end, when Daley took a swing at Koscheck after the final horn blew. An adrenalin-soaked Koscheck called out the crowd at the Bell Centre to boos as Kos cancelled his victory party to leave town quickly.

So, with all that in mind, is this fight going to be great or what?