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This is an interesting signing. Everytime Denis Kang seems to rise up the ranks, he has a setback loss that brings him back down to ground zero. I only hope his win over Marvin Eastman will be enough to propel him towards stringing together a couple more victories and then a shot at Anderson Silva.

Kang has been a highly sought after free agent twice in the last 2 years. Once after Pride was bought out by Zuffa and the Canadian fighter opted to land with new Japanese promotion, Dream, while still fighting in his native land of Korea for the Spirit MC organization.

Just 2 weeks ago, Kang announced via MMAWeekly Radio that his contract with Dream was up and he was hoping to sign with a new promotion fairly quickly.

“If it’s going to be an exclusive contract then pay me something that’s going to make it worth my while to be exclusive and not fight anywhere else and not work anywhere else,” Kang said about whatever new promotion he signed with.

Unless something drastic changed, Kang will be with the UFC exclusively as the promotion is not usually in the business of signing open ended contracts.

- Source

There’s no arguing the fact that this has been the year of the upset, but is there a reason why this is happening? Lets breakdown the bigger upsets of the year, and see what we can find.

These are not excuses for the fighter’s that lost, this is taking all the facts into account.

Nick Diaz def. Takanori Gomi

Bad match up for Gomi. Not only has Gomi been a bit overrated, his jiu-jitsu game isn’t great. Nick Diaz is virtually impossible to knockout, so there goes Gomi’s one way to finish him. Nick Diaz also has the cardio to go into the hundredth round, at whatever pace he wants to set (ie. Nick Diaz in Triathlons). Nick Diaz is also a bit underrated, his record would tell you that he’s worse than he is. But the majority of his losses against high-end competition and were all close judges decisions.

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If you’ve ever seen the show Tapout on Versus, then you’ll appreciate Mayhem’s rendition of the show.

If you aren’t familiar with Jason “Mayhem” Miller, then get familiarized:

Wikipedia

If you watched UFC 76, and were wondering who that crazy guy behind Wanderlei Silva was, then you got your answer.

When watching The Ultimate Fighter, play this drinking game if you are looking for an easy way to get alcohol poisoning.

Take a shot when Matt Hughes refers to himself as a good person or claims to have outsmarted Matt Serra.
Take a drink every time Matt Serra says Bro. (This will get you through a six-pack in five minutes.)
Take a shot when Matt Serra says Hughes is an egomaniac, dick, or asshole.
Take a drink when anyone says dude.
Take a drink when Dana drops an F bomb.
Try not to throw your drink at the TV when Spike features time to Joe whining about being in the house, or about his girlfriend.
Take a shot when Matt Hughes says it’s bad for HIM that one of his fighters lost.
Take a shot when Matt Hughes refers to the bible.
Finish what ever you are drinking when a Fighter talks a ton of shit, then gets dominated.

About half way through the show, if you’ve played this game correctly, you’ll believe you are watching the teletubbies, and not be overly concerned about it.

This is great news.. For Nogueira. Because Kongo isn’t going to be able to handle Nog, and he’ll most likely get subbed.

Sure Kongo proved he can play with the big boys, but that doesn’t mean he proved that he had a ground game to speak of. Anyone’s ground game looks impressive against Mirko’s. Kongo is going to have his hands full against the threat of being subbed from any position if the fight goes to the ground.

Nogueira is coming off a scrappy win against Herring, and he’ll need his legendary chin against hard-hitter Kongo. His skill and experience in the big time spotlight will serve him well against Kongo.

The winner will go on to meet Couture. Either fighter will give him a run for his money, but if Nog wins this fight like he should, he’s going to give Randy a lot of trouble.

Source: Fight Network

I don’t understand why all of a sudden Chuck vs. Wandy isn’t still a viable matchup.

Both are coming off TWO losses.

Chuck lost to Jardine and Rampage. Chuck showed that he’s still the same fighter against Jardine, which maybe is an awakening because if he comes out this way against Wandy, he very well could get killed out there. Chuck has to know now, that being the one-dimensional fighter is not the way to go, and coming into fights without a game plan will only hurt him

Rampage does have his number, but that doesn’t mean the UFC still can’t get their money’s worth out of Chuck.

The thing no one is talking about is the fact that Wanderlei is coming off of two losses as well. He lost to Mirko Crocop, when Crocop was Crocop and he lost to Dan Henderson, a natural 185er. Sure Wandy gets plenty of props for getting in the ring with Crocop, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a loss. He’s lost two, and Chuck has lost two.

It’s still a perfect time for these two to fight, Shogun is on the shelf, so make this fight happen.

This truly has been the year of the upset, here’s a list of upsets so far.

Bold = Biggest Upsets
Strikethrough = So Called Upsets

1/25/2007 – UFC – Fight Night 8

Jake O’Brien def. Heath Herring

2/3/2007 – UFC 67 – All or Nothing

Frank Edgar def. Tyson Griffin

2/24/2007 – PRIDE 33 – Second Coming

Nick Diaz def. Takanori Gomi
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou def. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Dan Henderson def. Wanderlei Silva

3/3/2007 – UFC 68 – Uprising

Jason Lambert def. Babalu Sobral
Randy Couture def. Tim Sylvia

4/7/2007 – UFC 69 – Shootout

Josh Koscheck def. Diego Sanchez
Matt Serra def. Georges St. Pierre

4/8/2007 – PRIDE 34 – Kamikaze

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou def. Ricardo Arona

4/21/2007 – UFC 70 – Nations Collide

Gabriel Gonzaga def. Mirko Cro Cop

5/26/2007 – UFC 71 – Liddell vs. Jackson

Houston Alexander def. Keith Jardine
Rampage Jackson def. Chuck Liddell

8/25/2007 – UFC 74 – Respect

Patrick Cote def. Kendall Grove
Randy Couture def. Gabriel Gonzaga

9/8/2007 – UFC 75 – Champion vs. Champion

Cheik Kongo def. Mirko Cro Cop

9/22/2007 – UFC 76 – Knockout

Forrest Griffin def. Mauricio Shogun Rua
Keith Jardine def. Chuck Liddell