Check out this video of the Sydney local up and coming MMA fighter
James Te Huna taking on Takahiro Oba at X-plosion. The event was held at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on August 18th.

Way to make a comeback!

Here are some Te Huna highlights from the last couple of years.

Not only is their coming bout this Saturday night a title fight (UFC Light Heavyweight), but it is also a long-awaited rematch between the two, punctuating Sobral’s 10 fight winning streak, since he was last beaten by Liddell back in 2002. In that bout Sobral was knocked down by a left high hook in the first round. Liddell has also had a long run of wins, his last loss being back in 2003 to “Rampage” Jackson.

Sobral (27-5-0) seems to have the fitness edge over Liddell (18-3-0); he’s been working hard developing his stamina with sand and hill sprints, among other things. He’d be planning on using that edge to wait til Liddell tires and perhaps slips up, allowing himself to be taken down. At 30, the Brazilian is also 7 years Liddell’s junior. Sobral is masterful on the ground, while The Iceman prefers to end his fights standing and is known to stubbornly resist being taken down and do so very effectively. As time wears on in the fight it is likely to shift more and more in Sobral’s favour, if he can hold his defence together in the first two rounds, and I think that is what will happen. I am going with a Sobral victory in this one.

The Forrest Griffin (12-3-0) vs. Stephan “American Psycho” Bonnar (also 12-3-0) is another long awaited rematch. Both fighters are coming off a loss, Griffin a close one to Ortiz and Bonnar to Rashad Evans. Their last fight, in the finals of the first UItimate Fighter reality TV show, is considered one of the best in UFC history. That fight is haled with bringing UFC into the mainstream, after their three round toe-to-toe battle reportedly drew 10 million viewers at the peak of the show, up from an audience of 2 million at the start. My money is on Griffin, who has gotten much better since their first encounter, to win again.

The third fight is between the French kickboxer Cheick Kongo and the wrestler Christian Wellisch, known as “The Hungarian Nightmare”. Don’t know much about these guys, or the next pair Hermes Franca and Jamie Varner. In my ignorance I am going with Kongo and Varner respectively. The last fight on the televised card is Nick Diaz (who is replacing Thiago Alves, unable to fight due to illness) versus Josh “The Dentist” Neer. I am going with Neer for that one.

Here’s the full card:

Live PPV Fight Card:

Chuck Liddell (c) vs. Renato “Babalu” Sobral (BRA)
Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar
Cheick Kongo (FRA) vs. Christian Wellisch (HUN)
Hermes Franca (BRA) vs. Jamie Varner
Nick Diaz vs. Josh Neer

Pre-PPV Preliminary Card:

Wes Combs vs. Wilson Gouveia (BRA)
Cory Walmsley vs. David Heath
Rob MacDonald (CAN) vs. Eric Schafer
Yushin Okami (JAP) vs. Alan Belcher

And now for some bad news – the fight between the current PRIDE champ Vanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva and Liddell (current UFC champ) that was announced at UFC 61 for November has been called off. The reason given was “negotiation issues” between PRIDE and UFC management.

Here are a couple of videos to refresh your memory.

Stiffman1 has made a “Bonnar Griffin tribute”, in anticipation of their rematch. Check it out, it shows their previous three round stoic battle.

Part 1:

Part 2:

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