RECENTLY, the World MMA 2016 Awards came out and the results were hardly surprising.
Current women?s bantamweight champion Holly Holm won the Breakthrough Fighter of the Year as well as Knockout of the Year and Upset of the year honors for her scintillating performance at UFC 193, when she dethroned the formidable Ronda Rousey.
Rousey will not be going home empty handed as she won Submission of the Year honors for her 14-second dismantling of Cat Zingano.
Fight of the Year was Robbie Lawler vs Rory Macdonald at UFC 189.Fighter of the year was the loquacious Conor McGregor who gave out a very colorful thank you speech before turning his attention on reigning heavyweight king Fabricio Werdum and called the latter a pu**y.
Their beef actually started when Werdum said in an interview that he was offended by McGregor?s antics during the press conference for the fight against his friend Jose Aldo and would have slapped McGregor if he were in Aldo?s place.
This time, McGregor found the perfect opportunity to lash back at Werdum because the latter has backed out of his matchup against Stipe Miocic, citing a foot and back injury.
It was supposed to be the main event for tomorrow?s card which would have been called UFC 196.
Due to the cancellation, it was instead renamed as UFC Fight Night 82 with Johny Hendricks and Stephen Johnson headlining.
KHAN vs SAUL. Speaking of match-ups, it has recently been announced that Canelo Alvarez will be facing Amir Khan on May 7.
Khan will be moving up in weight for this fight and this early, this matchup has sparked much attention, most of it focused on Khan?s chances against the bigger Alvarez.
In his Twitter account, former world champion Shane Mosley has opined that Khan won?t last one round, citing Saul?s power and Khan?s brittle chin.
Promoter Oscar dela Hoya has defended the matchup, citing his own personal experience when Manny Pacquiao moved up two weight divisions and retired him.
Canelo is rightfully favored to win. I think Oscar?s reference to himself and Pacquiao does not hold true in this case.
For one, Oscar at 34 years was already past his prime when he fought Manny. Canelo at age 25 is at the peak of his powers and will in fact be the younger man in the ring because Khan is already 27.
Second, Oscar actually moved down in weight to face Pacquiao, on hindsight a tactical mistake when you are in your mid-30s.
At that age you begin to lose precious muscle mass and the last thing you should be doing when you are facing a young, merciless puncher is to be dieting and weakening yourself.
In this fight, it is Khan who will be moving up to middleweight while the power-punching Alvarez will be in his comfort zone, weight-wise.
Still, I don?t share Mosley?s summary dismissal of Khan?s chances.
I think he might be able to give us a few good rounds with give and take action before Alvarez eventually takes over and dominates en route to a late stoppage win or unanimous decision verdict.
VERBATIM. ?I apologize for not being there. There?s another man that must be slain, another champion that must be dethroned. .. I need to feed every single one of yous in the game, so I?ve got to keep working, because yous bums don?t work.??Conor McGregor (pre-recorded acceptance speech on video)
LAST ROUND.It?s on my dad, the late Atty Froilan V. Quijano who would have turned 80 today. Cheers Dad!
