Turning the Page

As the calendars change from June to July, the sports world begins to heat up. Baseball is reaching the mid-way point of the season and NFL talk is heating up as training camps open at the end of the month.
The Heat walk away back-to-back NBA Champions after a really fun NBA Finals with the Spurs, and CM Punk's team, the Chicago Blackhawks win Lord Stanley's Cup.

UFC

This weekend is UFC 162 from Las Vegas. The July 4th weekend card is now a staple of the UFC year, and it is no different this year. Pound-for-pound the best fighter in the world Anderson Silva defends his Middleweight strap against Chris Weidman. Silva is putting his incredible 17-fight win streak and 10 consecutive successful title defenses up for grabs as well. Love him or hate him, just like when Floyd Mayweather or GSP fight, you have to watch even if it is just for the small chance of seeing his historic reign come to an end.

Either the UFC is really selling "wolf tickets" (thanks Nick Diaz), or the 9-0 Chris Weidman really has the secret formula to squash The Spider. The Long Island born fighter is looking to pull off the shocking upset, much like his trainer Matt Serra did to GSP many years ago. With a strong wrestling base, Weidman does have a chance if he can keep the lanky Brazilian on his back, much like Chael Sonnen did in their first fight. Win or lose though, Weidman is very confident in his abilities and this should be a very entertaining fight.

In the co-main event is my boy, Toms River's own, Frankie Edgar. The Answer is on a three-fight losing streak, with two losses to Ben Henderson, and another to Jose Aldo, which is nothing to be ashamed of. Frankie should get back in the win column this time around, against Charles Oliveira. "Da Bronx" has a good ground game, winning nine fights by submission, but I don't think he will be able to stand and trade with Frankie.

It is clear that Frankie Edgar needs a win here. A loss won't put him on the chopping block, but will put him further away from every fighter's goal, 15 pounds of gold around your waist. Even with a  win against Oliveira, Edgar is still probably two more wins away from a potential rematch with Jose Aldo for the Featherweight title.

Barring injuries, UFC should finish off 2013 strong, with Jon Jones vs Alexander Gustaffson scheduled for 165 in September, the trilogy with Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos concluding at 166 in October, and GSP and Jonny Hendricks slated for 167 in November.