Month: September 2010 (Page 3 of 60)

      HeavyMMA.com sits down with Jamie Varner

      September 30, 2010 /

      Jamie Varner tells HeavyMMA.com that he’s ready to beat Donald Cerrone and put his rivalry with Cowboy behind him.

      On January 25, 2009, the careers of Jamie Varner and Donald Cerrone became forever connected.

      That night at WEC 38, Varner put his lightweight championship on the line against the upstart Cerrone, then unbeaten and fresh off a victory over former champion Rob McCullough. Through the first four rounds, the lightweights battled back-and-forth, Varner scoring early, while Cerrone grew stronger as the fight progressed.

      During the final round, Cerrone struck a downed Varner with a knee to the head, bringing the bout to an abrupt conclusion. Ahead on the scorecards, Varner retained the title, and each fighter earned a public perception that endures to this day.

      Despite the win, Varner was labeled a quitter and a complainer. Some questioned whether he used his injuries as a way out; with Cerrone coming on strong, many believe the challenger would have left as champion had the bout continued.

      Read the full story here.

      External Sports, Mixed Martial Arts, UFC

      Edgar to meet Maynard in rematch at UFC 125

      September 29, 2010 /

      Nate Lawson of HeavyMMA.com writes that Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard will square off at UFC 125. It’ll be a rematch between the two fighters.

      A rematch between lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and the lone man to defeat him, Gray Maynard, is set for UFC 125 this January.

      Edgar recently cemented his status as champion when he dominated BJ Penn in the main event of UFC 118 this past August. The victory was his first title defense, having earned the belt at UFC 112 against Penn with a narrow decision win. Now, Edgar has the opportunity to avenge his lone career loss, a unanimous decision defeat that came against Maynard at “UFC Fight Night: Lauzon vs. Florian”.

      Maynard, meanwhile, has also been on quite a streak through the upper-tier of the division. His most recent victory came against Kenny Florian at UFC 118, which pushed “The Bully’s” record to a perfect 10-0. His other victims of late include Roger Huerta and Nate Diaz.

      The lightweight bout should serve as either the main event or co-main event of UFC 125, depending on whether or not another title fight will be included. Other rumored match ups for the January 1 event, which is set for the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, include Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera and Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann.

      Get more MMA news here.

      External Sports, Mixed Martial Arts, UFC

      2010 NFL Week 4 Odds

      September 29, 2010 /
      Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb leaves the field after the Redskins defeated the Dallas Cowboys 13-7 at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland on September 12, 2010. UPI/Kevin Dietsch Photo via Newscom

      Along with the odds for Week 4 in the NFL, here’s a look at some of the marquee matchups this weekend.

      Ravens at. Steelers, 1:00PM ET
      The highlight of the Week 4 schedule takes place in Pittsburgh this Sunday as the Steelers host the Ravens at 1:00PM ET. Charlie Batch threw three touchdown passes in Pittsburgh’s win over the Bucs last weekend, but should find it much tougher to move the ball on a stingy Baltimore defense. That said, while the Ravens’ offense looked good for the first time this season in Week 3, the defense struggled against the punchless Browns. On the injury front, Ray Rice is dealing with a bruised knee and didn’t practice on Wednesday. His status for Sunday’s game against the Steelers is up in the air.
      ODDS: STEELERS –1

      Redskins at. Eagles, 4:15PM ET
      There will be plenty of intrigue in Philadelphia this Sunday when Donovan McNabb returns to his old stomping grounds as a member of the Redskins. The other storyline in this game is whether or not Michael Vick can continue his assault on NFL defenses. The former No. 1 overall pick has played at a Pro Bowl level so far this season, but this will be the toughest defense he has faced to date. The Skins’ win over the Cowboys in Week 1 seems like a distant memory, although a win over their division rivals will put them right back on track after losing two straight.
      ODDS: EAGLES -6

      Bears at. Giants, 8:20PM ET
      Two teams heading in different directions will square off at the new Meadowlands this Sunday night when the Giants host the Bears. After winning their opener, New York has dropped its last two games in embarrassing fashion. The G-Men were routed in Indianapolis in Week 2 and managed to lose last week despite outgaining the Titans in almost every offensive category. The Bears, on the other hand, are 3-0 and are versed in causing turnovers. New York desperately needs a win to get back on track.
      ODDS: GIANTS –4

      Patriots at. Dolphins, 8:30PM ET Monday
      The Dolphins will take on an AFC East Division rival for the second straight week after losing at home to the Jets last Sunday night. Miami’s defense didn’t play particularly well against New York, which must have Tom Brady and Co. licking their chops. Of course, if New England plays as poorly defensively this week as they did last Sunday against the Bills, then this game could wind up being a shootout. (The total is sitting at 46.5, so obviously oddsmakers are already prepared for that.)
      ODDS: DOLPHINS +1

      Below are the point spreads for all the games in Week 4.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Is Tamba Hali the next Elvis Dumervil?

      September 29, 2010 /
      KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 26: Tamba Hali of the Kansas City Chiefs sacks Alex Smith of the San Francisco 49ers at Arrowhead Stadium on September 26, 2010 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs won 31-10. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

      In 2006, Penn State’s Tamba Hali was the second rated defensive end behind NC State’s Mario Williams heading into the NFL Draft.

      While he was expected to go later than 20th overall, scouts were still enamored with Hali’s potential at the defensive end position. He made an impression on the Chiefs early in camp and went on to win the Mack Lee Hill award as the top Chiefs rookie in 2006. He would eventually move from left to right end in 2008 when Jared Allen was traded to the Vikings and was viewed as the team’s best pass rusher.

      But when the Chiefs hired Todd Haley in 2009, the defense switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4, meaning Hali was left without a position. He wasn’t a fit for end in the 3-4, so the team moved him to outside linebacker in hopes that he would be an effective edge rusher out of a two-point stance.

      Nice call, Chief.

      After recording three last week in the Chiefs’ win over the 49ers, Hali now has 8.5 sacks in his last eight games dating back to last season. There’s no doubt that he’s comfortable in his new position and he continues to be Kansas City’s best pass rusher week in and week out.

      If Hali’s story sounds familiar, it’s because Elvis Dumervil took a similar path to lead the NFL in sacks last season. Dumervil was also a defensive end in college (although he didn’t have as highly decorated career as Hali did) and was also forced into a new role when Mike Nolan was hired as Denver’s defensive coordinator last year. He too switched to outside linebacker in the Broncos’ new 3-4 scheme and racked up 17 sacks in the process.

      While Hali still has a long way to go to register as many QB takedowns as Dumervil did in ‘09, his effort over the past eight games has been noteworthy. A new pass-rushing star in the mold of Dumervil has started to sprout in KC.

      External Sports, NFL

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑