SQUENIX?! ZOMG!!!11!1 WTF!!11!

So...a quick one.

Pet peeve of mine.  Why do people insist on calling the merging of Square/Enix as Squenix? (pronounced SKWEENIX)

Why not SquarEnix?  (pronounced SKWAIRNIX)

Their logo could even look like this...sorta.....

 

SQUARENIX

wouldn't that make more sense?

Posted by snahfu @ 4:46 pm EDT | Permalink | 2 Comments

UFC All or Nothing PPV Results in a half-assed way

So!  Big fight this weekend and although some might be disappointed by the results, I certainly wasn’t.  All in all, it’s a PPV that shows the potential for really big things in the future of the UFC.

 

So let’s get started with the breakdown.

 

Anderson “The Spider” Silva – Middleweight Champion

 

VS

 

Travis Lutter

 

I made that call that it was going to be Anderson Silva wins with a TKO by ref stoppage in the first round.  I was wrong.

Turns out that it was Anderson Silva with a win in the second round because Lutter tapped out.

Anyone who knows MMA might be thinking, “Travis Lutter tapped out to Anderson Silva???!?!? No f’n way!”  To which my response would be a resounding, “WAY!”

There was a lot going on behind the scenes to this fight which turned out to be a regular fight and not a title-fight; the reason for this being that Travis Lutter failed to make the 185lb goal.  See, if you’re a professional fighter, you rarely walk around at your fighting weight.  Most cats walk around fifteen to twenty pounds heavier than the weight category they fight in.  The smart cats start cutting weight a week or two weeks in advance so that they have time to get to the proper weight.

Travis Lutter obviously didn’t do that.  On the telecast it seems like he tried to cut twenty pounds in a very short period of time, and although it wasn’t mentioned…he was now sporting a completely shaved head.  I’m betting that he was in such a panic, and so desperate to make weight that he resorted to shaving his head in an attempt to lose a few more ounces and maybe bring him closer to the 185lb goal.

Travis would have been better off to have died in the octagon when he fought Silva that night because basically he committed suicide as far as his UFC career goes.  Anyone who watches the UFC often knows that the president; Dana White is not the most level-headed of individuals and Travis Lutter blowing his weight, blowing the championship fight and disappointing all the fans that tuned in to watch a championship fight; will not be received with a patient and understanding UFC president.

Yes, Joe Riggs did the same thing a year ago but Joe is/was going through some significantly turbulent personal issues and Joe was cut some slack.  I think Travis is going to get crucified by the UFC, let alone the fact that not only did Lutter lose, but he lost by submission which is HIS gameplan, and not Silva’s.

The fight was alright.  I like Silva, and I can take or leave Lutter.  I’ve never seen an interesting or exciting fight from Lutter and part of it is simply due to Lutter’s laidback style.  Yes he’s a bad mother when it comes to jiu jitsu but he’s really boring to watch.

With all that said, I feel bad for Lutter.  Getting booed by a stadium full of people has to suck.  Blowing a once in a lifetime chance to be the very best in a sport that you have dedicated your life to has got to suck.  Lutter had a solid chance to beat Silva, and he blew it by messing up his weight and cutting too much of it before the fight, thereby weakening himself and diminishing his opportunity to win.  You could see it when he entered the place.  He looked disappointed.  He looked broken.

With all that out of the way, I’m looking forward to seeing more title defenses from Silva in the future.  He takes being the champ seriously and he really gives everything he’s got during a fight.

 

John Halverson

 

VS

 

Roger Huerta

 

I didn’t know anything about these guys before the fight and I still don’t know much because the fight was so fast.  Halverson went down after one exchange with Huerta.

Huerta followed up with a knee.  Legal if it hit Halverson anywhere but the head.  Halverson went limp like he had been kneed in the head, but it clearly (to me) looked like a knee to the shoulder.  Huerta climbed onto Halverson’s back and began beating him like a junkyard dog and the ref stopped it after about ten brutal punches which should only have been about five but it appears the ref was asleep.  This was all in the first thirty seconds of the first round.

A little bit of controversy but all in all, another blazing fast lightweight fight that showcases just how dangerous the lightweights are.  Great division, and a great move on the UFC to bring back the lightweights.

 

Mirko “Cro Cop” Fillipovich

VS

Eddie Sanchez

So…no decapitation.

 

Which was what I called for the first round.  As it turns out, Sanchez pretty much ran away from Cro Cop for much of the first round until Mirko caught him with a vicious left kick that glanced the top of Sanchez’s head.  Sanchez tripped over the fence as he was running away…again.  Mirko got the full mount and the fight was stopped shortly thereafter by the ref as Sanchez was getting pummelled.  Not the most electrifying match but rumor has it that Cro Cop is fighting Andre Arlovski next which could prove to be an excellent fight.

 

So Cro Cop won in the first round with a “Yeah? So what?” finish, but big things could be coming.

 

Quentin “Rampage” Jackson

 

VS

 

Marvin “The Beastman” Eastman

 

First and foremost, the American crowd sucks.  They were really, REALLY quick to boo during this PPV when there was the slightest lull in the action.  The crowd has gotten crazy, fuckin’ vicious and unless the fighters are throwing Dragon Punch’s and Hurricane Kicks, then people start booing.  It’s absolutely insane how intolerant the crowd is now.  Rampage clearly had some ring-rust and a bad case of nerves in the first round.  Ontop of that, Marvin Eastman looks like a super hero that could pick up a car and throw it through a building.  The cat is 5’9” and 205lbs and no doubt he cuts weight to get DOWN to 205.  I sure as hell don’t wanna get punched or kneed in the face by Marvin Eastman because I’d cry like a girl.  I’m sure that Rampage has plenty of respect for the fists and flying knees of Marvin Eastman so the crowd is just gonna have to chill the fuck out if Rampage doesn’t go charging in, throwing fists and body slams.

 

Rampage ended up winning the fight in the second round when the ref stopped the fight after Rampage nailed Eastman with a number of successive upper cuts to the head.  A fight against Chuck Liddell is already being splashed around but Liddell would destroy Rampage right now.  Rampage looks solid but he’s nowhere near smooth enough to take on Chuck.  Rampage has a very deliberate gameplan and fighting with finesse and quick footwork isn’t really something Rampage is known for.  Hopefully they will give Rampage two or three more fights before they toss him in the ring with Chuck.

 

Patrick “The Predator” Cote

 

VS

 

Scott Smith

 

I called it for Scott Smith in a three round decision.  Turns out I was wrong.  It was Cote in a three round decision in a relatively lacklustre fight where Cote didn’t really fight to win.  He just fought “to not lose” if you get me.  The crowd was relentless with their booing once more and although the fight was a bit slow-paced, there still; wasn’t the need for the constant booing.

 

It’s too bad because both of these guys are solid guys and I think they were more concerned with other things than simply getting into the octagon and fighting their hearts out.

 

Speaking of fighting their hearts out, there was an undercard fight in the lightweight division between Tyson Griffin and Frankie Edgar.  This fight was excellent.  I’m not even gonna tell you who won this fight because it really truly is a treasure.  A fight that you’re not normally gonna get to see and it’s a fight that really makes you appreciate the sport of MMA and see it for the gritty, tough, beautiful sport it can be.  The PPV for this even is still available and they tacked this fight on right at the very end which is what they normally do with the undercard fights.  This fight alone is worth the purchase of the PPV.

 

Watch the Tyson Griffin, Frankie Edgar fight.  It’s something to behold.

Posted by snahfu @ 4:30 pm EDT | Permalink | 0 Comments

Achievement Icons Used as Gamer Pics?

I doubt this is an original idea but I think it would be keen if upon opening up an Achievement, you could then use that picture associated with the Achievement as your Gamer Pic.

 

So yeah.

 

I sent off the idea to Microsoft.  I'm hoping to be rewarded with an Xbox 1080.

Posted by snahfu @ 5:45 pm EDT | Permalink | 0 Comments

MMA Oh Me Oh My

Big UFC PPV this weekend.  I’ve been watching UFC from it’s first inception where they would have these insane tournaments where the winners of fights would get punished by fighting up to three times in a given night.

 

One of those things that looks good on paper, and sounds kick ass when you’re an audience member but as a fighter, sucks hard.

 

Having to go up against three cats who want punch your face off, twist your arm or knee or…or a combination of the aforementioned all in one night tends to wear a guy down.

 

It’s crazy how much the sport has evolved since then.

 

I introduced UFC to the guys that lived on my floor at residence when I was at university.  It got really popular on the floor to the point where we’d have “UFC Night” once a month.  We’d line the cinderblock hallways with the mattresses from our beds and well…then we’d box and wrestle and kick and scratch and cuss and drink…etc.

 

We managed to get two UFC nights in before residence administration closed us down.  Bastards.  Twenty guys fighting one another over the course of two months and only one concussion and one trip to the hospital.

 

C’mon…sounds like a success to me!

 

;)

 

As much as it was touted as an art form back then, it genuinely is an art now.  A brutal, calculating, beautiful art.

 

For some MMA fans, this weekends UFC PPV might not be that big a deal due to the matchups but I’m stoked and here’s why.

 

 

Anderson “The Spider” Silva – Middleweight Champion

 

VS

 

Travis Lutter

 

 

Silva is from PRIDE and came to the UFC, most likely because they drove a dumptruck full of money up infront of his house and said, “Hey…come fight for us.”

 

His first fight involved dismantling and embarrassing Chris Leben, a fighter known for having a rock solid chin and Silva wrecked Leben in a matter of seconds.

His second fight involved destroying Rich Franklin, the reigning middleweight champion at the time. Franklin is good.  Really, really good, and besides having the physical skills and the cardio to perform well, he’s an intelligent guy too.

 

Silva destroyed Franklin in a fight that broke my heart.  They wound up in a Muay Thai clinch that ended up destroying Franklin.  It was a slightly scary thing to watch someone who is as good as Franklin get wrecked so easily.

 

Now Silva is going up against Travis Lutter.  Lutter is a champ off The Ultimate Fighter t.v. show and earned a title shot against the middleweight champion that is currently Anderson Silva.  Lutter is a world class, exceptionally skill jiu jitsu guy.  He can take your arm and shove it up your ass in a matter of moments and do it in a way that will make you think being turned inside out, that’s how much it hurts.

 

It will be an interesting fight because Silva wants to stand up and throw punches, kicks and knees, and Lutter wants to get to the ground and bend Silva’s joints in directions they’re not supposed to bend.  On “Inside The UFC” last night, Lutter flat out admitted he’s willing to take five or six hits in order to get in close and take Silva down.  That’s some scary strategy.  Silva doesn’t look like he can throw bombs, but he does.  Big scary, hurty bombs. 

 

This fight really could go either way IF Lutter gets lucky.  I don’t know how strong his chin is because I’ve never seen it tested in other fights but after seeing what Silva did to Leben and Franklin…I think Lutter’s strategy of sacrificing himself, taking a few hits and then taking Silva to the mat…yeah…I don’t think so.

 

No one in the UFC yet has taken Silva to the second round and I don’t think Lutter’s got the parts to do it either.

Silva --- > by knockout due to referee stopping the fight in the first round

 

 

John Halverson

 

VS

 

Roger Huerta

 

 I don’t know anything about either of these guys.  They’re lightweights which means they’ll keep going until one of them rips out the other guy’s heart so it should be a solid fight.  Lightweights tend to put on a good show.

 

Since I don’t know anything about these guys, I won’t make a call on who will win and who won’t.

 

 

Mirko “Cro Cop” Fillipovich

VS

Eddie Sanchez

 

Mirko comes from PRIDE Fighting Championship in Japan; which is the Pepsi to the UFC’s Coke.  Mirko used to be a police officer in Croatia, then a K1 kickboxer where those guys are worshipped like gods over in Japan.

 

Where the UFC drove A dumptruck full of money up in front of Anderson Silva’s house, they drove up two or three dumptrucks to get Mirko over here.  The first PRIDE fight I ever saw involved Mirko and the only word I could use to describe the guy is “murderous”.  His thighs look like tree-trunks and he’s got a left kick that can and will put people in the hospital from a single kick.

 

The thing with Mirko is that everyone knows the left kick is coming, even his opponent knows it’s coming but only a few people seem to be able to find a solution for it.  More often than not, the left kick finds the target and his opponent drops like they’ve just been shot in the head by a sniper a mile away.

 

Mirko’s not that good on the ground though, and rumor has it he hasn’t that strong a jaw so this Achilles’ soft spot might be the chin.  We’ll see.  Eddie Sanchez is a relative nobody in MMA.  He’s the sacrificial lamb so Mirko can destroy him and get people hyped.  Sanchez has flat out said he’s willing to stand with Mirko and go toe to toe with him.

 

Admirably brave, but if this cat thinks he can go toe to toe with Mirko Fillipovich, he’s a wee bit over-confident.

My call…

 

Mirko by decapitation in the first round.  I hope I’m wrong and it’s a solid fight but I think Sanchez is gonna get destroyed.

 

 

Quentin “Rampage” Jackson

 

VS

 

Marvin “The Beastman” Eastman

 

Another showcase fight for a new UFC acquisition.  Rampage is the last cat to have ever beaten Chuck Liddell so they’re going to feed Rampage a few lower tier fighters to build up some hype before they throw him up against Liddell…of course that’s if Rampage wins.

 

Rampage and Eastman have a history.  A long, long time ago, Rampage was being “fed” to Eastman as a chance for Eastman to have a win and look good.  Rampage lost.  Eastman won and then slowly slipped into obscurity.

 

Rampage fought in PRIDE for a while and things went a bit sour for him there and eventually he wound up with the UFC again.  Straight up, if Rampage didn’t have an old victory over Liddell on his resume, they probably wouldn’t have picked him up. Rampage is a ground and pounder which tends to put his opponents on the ground by picking them up and then planting them with a stunning body slam that tends to get the crowd going.

 

I haven’t seen Eastman or Rampage fight in a while.  Eastman is no joke.  Neither is Rampage.  I’m hoping Rampage wins simply because he’s a really entertaining guy, during the fight and especially during interviews.  He’d be good for the UFC but he HAS to win the fight against Eastman for anything really good to come of him joining the UFC.

 

We’ll see…

 

I’m biased and this is what I hope will happen.

 

Rampage by TKO in the third.

 

 

 

Patrick “The Predator” Cote

 

VS

 

Scott Smith

 

Cote; a Canadian boy with lots of potential, has dangerous hands and pretty much useless on the mat.  He’s tough, smart and shows a great deal of potential that has allowed him to stay in the UFC despite having four losses.

 

He’s slowly turning into a “could’a should’a” been fighter however and this fight might be his last one in the UFC is he loses again.

 

He’s going up against Scott Smith who has some really, vicious hands.  Scott and Patrick are both very similar fighters but I think Scott has Patrick beat when it comes to technical boxing skills as well as simply being able to pack more bang in his punches.  I think Smith might still be riding high on his crazy, super, last second, one-punch finish in his last fight against Pete Sell.

He might still have the momentum with him.

 

Both of these guys are going to want to stand and bang with each other so…

 

I put Scott Smith in a decision.

 

I don’t think he’ll be able to put Cote down but I think he’s got enough skill to make Cote look bad.

 

 

We’ll see, come Sunday morning after the event.

 

Mama said knock you out…

 

S.

Posted by snahfu @ 1:56 pm EDT | Permalink | 0 Comments

360 Owner? Settlers of Catan player? Noice!

http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3156815

 

So I just read that this is coming to XBL sometime, mid-March.

 

This is big, big news for me.  I used to play boardgames alot, Settlers of Catan especially.  Once we had our baby, space in the house became a bit of a premium and boardgame playing took a dramatic spike downwards.  I have played in Catan tournaments and have won two of the tournaments I have been in.

 

<-- points to his reigning Settlers Champion belt

Needless to say, I can't wait for this to come out on XBL.  Settlers is perfect for an XBL experience.  Talking to and making trades with people over the headsets.  I've had so much fun playing Gears with people from 2old2play, I can't wait to play some Catan with the people here.

 

<-- is officially thrilled

Posted by snahfu @ 12:48 pm EDT | Permalink | 0 Comments