Wednesday, May 29, 2013

England vs Ireland

England

Hart
Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Cole Walcott, Carrick, Lampard, Milner Rooney, Sturridge
Republic of Ireland

FordeColeman, O'Shea, St Ledger, Kelly
Walters, McCarthy, Whelan, McGeady
Keane, Long

England boss Roy Hodgson is without Kyle Walker (fibula), Tom Cleverly (calf), Steven Gerrard (shoulder), Andy Carroll (heel) and Jack Wilshere (ankle), who all pulled out of the squad through injury.

Gary Cahill has been playing alongside Phil Jagielka in training and that pair are expected to start in defence for the first England match since Rio Ferdinand joined John Terry in announcing his international retirement.

Daniel Sturridge is expected to start alongside Wayne Rooney in attack after finishing the season in fine form for Liverpool, while Ashley Cole will skipper the side.

Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has opted not to risk Marc Wilson (calf), as the Stoke defender is struggling through injury, meaning Reading full-back Stephen Kelly comes into the side.

Sean St Ledger will partner John O'Shea in the centre of defense, with Aston Villa's Ciaran Clark left out of the squad through injury and Richard Dunne lacking match fitness.

Robbie Keane gained special dispensation from his club LA Galaxy to play in this friendly and he will be partnered up front by Shane Long, with Kevin Doyle (Achilles tendon) absent through injury.

  • This is Republic of Ireland's first visit to England since 1991, with the game organised as part of the FA's ongoing 150th anniversary celebrations.
  • The match had to be abandoned the last time these two nations met in 1995, as a minority of England fans provoked a riot at Dublin's Lansdowne Road that led to 20 arrests and 40 injuries.
  • Ashley Cole (pictured, right) will captain the Three Lions after earning his 100th international cap against Brazil in February, though declined to perform other captain's duties such as speaking to the press.
  • England have not beaten Ireland in any of their last five encounters, with the Boys in Green collecting five points from their last three qualifiers in London.
  • The Three Lions are unbeaten in their last five games at Wembley, including victories over Belgium, Italy and Brazil.
  • There are seven English-born players in Giovanni Trapattoni's squad.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Borussia Dortmund vs Bayern Munich





Borussia Dortmund's Champions League hopes were dealt a blow by the confirmation that Mario Gotze will miss the final due to a thigh injury.

Kevin Grosskreutz is expected to take the 20-year-old's place in the XI, with Marco Reus shifting into the centre of the attacking trio behind Robert Lewandowski.


At the back, Lukasz Piszczek is fit to play, but will undergo thigh surgery in the summer, while Mats Hummels is expected to shake off a minor ankle injury to feature against the club that bred him.

Meanwhile, the only major question mark in the Bayern Munich ranks is as to whom will partner Dante at centre-back.

With Holger Badstuber missing since December, Daniel Van Buyten and Jerome Boateng have been rotated at the heart of defence, but the Belgian is the more likely to start the final.

Toni Kroos remains sidelined after picking up a muscle injury in the quarter-final first leg against Juventus, so Arjen Robben will continue on the right, with Thomas Muller lining up behind lone striker Mario Mandzukic, who should keep his place ahead of Mario Gomez.


  • Borussia Dortmund have won the Champions League on one previous occasion, beating Juventus 3-1 to claim the trophy in 1997.
  • Jurgen Klopp's side triumphed 5-2 against Bayern Munich last season in the DFB-Pokal final, with Robert Lewandowski (pictured, right) scoring a hat-trick.
  • Defender Mats Hummels joined BVB from Bayern back in 2009 after a successful loan spell at Signal Iduna Park.
  • Injured playmaker Mario Gotze has already agreed a deal which will see him move to Bayern at the season's end.
  • Bayern Munich are seeking to win their fifth European Cup and join Liverpool as the joint-third most successful team in the competition's history, behind AC Milan and Real Madrid.
  • The Bavarians are unbeaten against BVB in all four of the teams' meeting this season, drawing 1-1 twice in the Bundesliga, and beating their rivals 2-1 and 1-0 in the Supercup and Pokal respectively.
  • The only previous all-German final in the history of European club competition was in the 1980 Uefa Cup final, when Eintracht Frankfurt beat Borussia Monchengladbach on away goals after recording a 3-3 draw over two legs.
 

Sunday, May 19, 2013

WWE Extreme Rules 2013



 * The Miz vs. Cody Rhodes (Pre-Show)
    * Randy Orton vs. Big Show (Extreme Rules Match)
    * Sheamus vs. Mark Henry (Strap Match)
    * Chris Jericho vs. Fandango
    * Dean Ambrose vs. Kofi Kingston (U.S. Title Match)
    * Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns vs. Team Hell No (Tag Title Match)
    * Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger (I Quit Match for No. 1 Contender to World Title)
    * Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H (Steel Cage Match)
    * John Cena vs. Ryback (Last Man Standing WWE Title Match)




Extreme Rules is the pay-per-view where the rules are overlooked for three hours each year in the WWE. Even Vince McMahon recently tweeted, "Because of the risk of injury, I will be crossing my fingers until Extreme Rules is over on Sunday." This year, Extreme Rules will air on Sunday, May 19.

Take a closer look at my predictions for WWE Extreme Rules 2013.

Chris Jericho vs. Fandango

After WWE Raw on April 8, Fandango was on top of the world. He had just upset Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania 29 and the epic Raw crowd had just started a new dance craze 'Fandangoing.' Since then, the WWE creative team has seemingly not known how to push Fandango. His indecisive future will continue after a loss at Extreme Rules.

Prediction: Chris Jericho defeats Fandango

Randy Orton vs. Big Show (Extreme Rules Match)

With John Cena and CM Punk as the two biggest stars in the WWE, Randy Orton has been floating in limbo for the last couple of years. At times, Orton almost appears to be bored during his matches and promos. His Extreme Rules match against Big Show could be the catalyst that Orton needs to return to his 'apex predator' ways in the WWE.

Prediction: Randy Orton defeats Big Show

Sheamus vs. Mark Henry (Strap Match)

The WWE has gone to great lengths to push Mark Henry as the favorite of his Extreme Rules match against Sheamus. First, Mark Henry whipped Sheamus' untanned body with a leather strap. Then Henry impressively pulled two large trucks. It could be a classic 'bait and switch' but I have to predict a Mark Henry win at Extreme Rules.

Prediction: Mark Henry defeats Sheamus

WWE Tag Team Championship: Daniel Bryan and Kane vs. Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins (Tag Team Tornado Match)

From anger management classes to the "Yes! Yes! Yes! No! No! No!" chants, Daniel Bryan and Kane have had lots of fun over the last year in the WWE. But all the fun and games will come to an abrupt end at Extreme Rules. I predict Reigns and Rollins will finally bring WWE championship gold to The Shield at Sunday's pay-per-view.

Prediction: Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins defeat Daniel Bryan and Kane

U.S. Championship: Kofi Kingston vs. Dean Ambrose

After bursting onto the scene in the WWE, the Shield's gimmick is starting to get stale. Every week, they come out and interfere in a match and when they do wrestle, they almost always win. Extreme Rules will witness the next step in The Shield's evolution, as all three members of this elite faction will walk away with championship gold.

Prediction: Dean Ambrose defeats Kofi Kingston

Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger ('I Quit' Match)

Since Swagger's kick to Dolph Ziggler's head gave him a concussion and put him out of action for Extreme Rules, it's hard to imagine the WWE rewarding Swagger with a win on Sunday. However, a Swagger win at Extreme Rules would set up a rivalry for Ziggler with the man who injured him. This one is tough to call, but I'm giving ADR the edge.

Prediction: Alberto Del Rio defeats Jack Swagger

Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar (Steel Cage Match)

I'm not sure what the future holds for Brock Lesnar in the WWE. There are rumors of blockbuster matches for Lesnar at the next SummerSlam and Wrestlemania events. None of these upcoming angles would be helped in any way by another Lesnar loss to a semi-retired WWE executive. I predict Lesnar will crush Triple H at Extreme Rules.

Prediction: Brock Lesnar defeats Triple H

WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Ryback (Last Man Standing Match)

Ryback is becoming the new 'Mr. Monday Night' of the WWE. What I mean by this is that he looks like a monster on Raw, but he always loses on pay-per-views. If Ryback is ever going to take the next step up the WWE ladder, he needs a huge win on a Sunday night as well. Unfortunately, he won't get it at Extreme Rules.

West Bromwich vs Manchester United


WEST BROM

Foster
Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell Mulumbu, Yacob,
Lukaku, Morrison, Brunt
Long
MANCHESTER UNITED

LindegaardSmalling, Jones, Evans, Buttner
Carrick, Cleverley,
Valencia, Van Persie, Kagawa

Hernandez


West Brom were dealt an injury blow last time out during the 4-0 defeat to Norwich as Steven Reid (knee) picked up a knock and though the right-back may be available, it is expected that Billy Jones will be preferred.

Marc Antoine Fortune returns from a ban while Chris Brunt may replace Markus Rosenberg to make a first start since the 1-1 draw with Newcastle following a knee injury.

Sir Alex Ferguson is expected to tinker with the United line-up for his final game in charge and has already revealed that Phil Jones and Jonny Evans will be the central defensive partnership, while Anders Lindegaard will replace David De Gea in goal.

Rafael serves the second of a three-match ban while it is unlikely the unsettled Wayne Rooney will be involved given the question marks surrounding his future.

Long-term injury victim Chris Smalling and Alexander Buttner may also be given runouts on what is set to be a memorable afternoon for everyone associated with the club, though Ashley Young (ankle) and Darren Fletcher (chronic bowel condition) remain sidelined.


  • West Brom have never beaten Manchester United in the Premier League. Out of their 13 meetings, United have won 11 and the Baggies have two draws.
  • The Baggies have lost their last three matches - and haven't scored in the last two.
  • They have only won one of their last eight Premier League games (W1, D2, L5).
  • Yet West Brom have still managed their best-ever Premier League points total - they have 48 (having achieved 47 in the last two seasons).
  • They have also amassed their most ever wins in a Premier League season - 14. Last season's total was 13.
  • A ninth-placed finish or above would represent their highest position at the end of a Premier League campaign.
  • This is Sir Alex Ferguson's 1,500th and final match as Manchester United manager (W895, D337, L267).
  • Rio Ferdinand (pictured right) scored his first United goal for 1,947 days against Swansea last weekend. His last strike came in a 6-0 thrashing of Newcastle in January 2008. 
  • United have scored 15 times from corners this season; more than any other side in the top flight.
  • Only Arsenal (18) and Tottenham Hotspur (17) have scored more goals in the final 15 minutes of matches this season than Manchester United (16).

Newcastle United vs Arsenal

NEWCASTLE

Harper
Debuchy, Coloccini,Williamson, Yanga-Mbiwa
Tiote
, Cabaye,Gutierrez, Ben Arfa, Gouffran
 Cisse
ARSENAL

SzczesnySagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs
Wilshere, Ramsey
Walcott, Cazorla, Podolski
Giroud


Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has a host of injury and suspension troubles ahead of his side's season finale with Champions League-chasing Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

Midfielder Cheikh Tiote (hamstring) was forced off early in the win over QPR last time out, but is expected to be fit to start. However, fellow enforcer Moussa Sissoko, striker Shola Ameobi and defender Ryan Taylor (all knee) are out.

Davide Santon (hamstring) is back in training and could come back into contention, whilst Steven Taylor (illness) and Massadio Haidara (hamstring) could also return to the first-team squad.

Goalkeeper Steve Harper, who has been with the club since 1993, will play his last game at St. James' Park as Tim Krul (shoulder) is unavailable and Rob Elliot serves a one-match ban after seeing red at QPR last time out.

Arsene Wenger could be without the influential Mikel Arteta (calf) for the do-or-die clash with the Mapgpies after the Spanish midfielder picked up a knock late on in Tuesday’s win over Wigan.

The Gunners boss has few other injury problems to contend with, however, with long-term absentee Abou Diaby (knee) the only other player definatley out.

Jack Wilshere, who will have surgery on an ankle problem at the end of the season, could return to the heart of midfield, whilst France striker Olivier Giroud is available for selection after completing a three match ban.

  • Newcastle secured their Premier League safety for another season with a win at QPR last time out. A win against Arsenal could ensure they complete a second consecutive top-ten finish after earning fifth place last campaign.
  • The Magpies can claim a maximum tally of 44 points with victory on Sunday. That would be their lowest points tally in the Premier League since they were relegated with 34 in 2008-09.
  • Alan Pardew's side have shared the points just once at St James' Park this season. Only Manchester United (0) have drawn more home games.
  • Newcastle have failed to score in their last two home games (0-3 vs Sunderland and 0-6 vs Liverpool). August 2007 was the last time they failed to score in three consecutive games at St. James' Park.
  • Arsenal can earn Champions League qualification for the 16th consecutive season with a win. A loss or draw will also be enough if north London rivals Tottenham fail to beat Newcastle's fierce foes Sunderland.
  • The Gunners currently lie fourth with 70 points. They earned that same amount when finishing third in the Premier League last season.
  • Arsene Wenger's side can still claim third place in this season's competition depending on how Chelsea get on against Everton
  • Arsenal are the best side in the Premier League in the second half of games. The Gunners would top the league with 71 points if results based solely on the second period were considered.
  • Theo Walcott (right) scored a hat-trick in the reverse fixture earlier this season when the Gunners crushed Newcastle 7-3 at the Emirates Stadium.

Manchester City vs Norwich City

MANCHESTER CITY

Hart
Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Clichy Silva, Barry, Yaya Toure, Nasri Aguero, Dzeko
NORWICH CITY

RuddyMartin, Bennett, Bassong, Garrido
Snodgrass, Howson, Johnson, Pilkington
Hoolahan
 Holt

Manchester City have few injuries, with only Kolo Toure (knee) and Scott Sinclair (shoulder) looking likely absentees.

Indeed, the main pre-match questions are regarding caretaker manager Brian Kidd's selection plans, with the likes of Maicon, James Milner, Javi Garcia, Jack Rodwell and Edin Dzeko all vying for a starting berth.

Norwich have a similarly near-fully fit squad and thus could elect to select the same starting XI that dismantled West Brom last week. Michael Turner (groin) and Andrew Surman (knee) are expected to miss out again.

Manchester City have won eight and draw one of their nine league matches played at the Etihad Stadium since their 3-2 defeat to Manchester United on December 9.
David Silva only has four goals and nine assists in the league so far this season, compared to six and 17 last year.
  • The Blues have scored 15 goals against Norwich in their three matches since the Canaries returned to the top flight last term.
  • Norwich have only won one of their 18 matches on the road so far this season, coming against Swansea in December.
  • But recorded their biggest winning margin in the division since 1993 with a 4-0 win over West Brom.
  • The previous fixture between these two sides, which saw City triumph 4-3 on Carrow Road on December 29, saw Canaries' defender Russell Martin score two of his three goals of the season to date.

Liverpool vs QPR

LIVERPOOL

Reina
Johnson, Carragher, Coates, Enrique
Henderson, Lucas, Shelvey
 Borini, Sturridge, Coutinho
QPR

GreenFabio, Samba, Hill, Traore
Townsend, Jenas, Mbia, Hoilett
Zamora, Mackie

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers could make a couple of changes from the side that beat Fulham 3-1 at Craven Cottage on Sunday, with Jose Enrique replacing Andre Wisdom and Fabio Borini could be handed a start after impressing with two substitute appearances lately.

Jamie Carragher starts his last game as a professional footballer and is expected to be partnered by Sebastian Coates at the heart of the Liverpool defence with Martin Skrtel (illness) unlikely to feature.

As for Harry Redknapp's QPR side, Jose Boswinga could have played his last game for the club after being hauled off at half-time of their 2-1 defeat at home to Newcastle last time out, Fabio is expected to replace the Portuguese right-back.

Star striker Loic Remy returned to training on Friday following allegations of rape, and is available for selection, while Christopher Samba could return from a knee injury that has forced him to the Rs last three games as Julio Cesar (back) is expected to remain out.

Jamie Carragher (pictured right) ends his Liverpool career having played, to date, 737 games for the club, scoring five goals.
  • The Reds icon has the unfortunate record of scoring more own goals than goals however, having sent eight in his own net.
  • Liverpool have kept a clean sheet in 10 of their last 15 Premier League home matches.
  • Brendan Rodgers' side have won more top-flight games without Luis Suarez (58%) than with him (39%).
  • QPR have only managed to score 17 goals on the road this term, however that is more than the 13 notched at Loftus Road.
  • The Rs last won at Anfield back in March 1991 when a Les Ferdinand goal helped them to a 3-1 win.
  • Since winning two games back-to-back in early March, Harry Redknapp's side have failed to win in eight, drawing two and losing six.
  • QPR have garnered just one point from their previous five trips to Anfield.
 

Chelsea vs Everton

CHELSEA

Cech
Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Cole
Mikel, David Luiz
Ramires, Mata, Oscar
Ba

EVERTON


Howard
Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines
Mirallas, Gibson, Osman, Pienaar
Fellaini
Anichebe



Europa League winners Chelsea are still without Eden Hazard (hamstring) and John Terry (ankle), who both sat out Wednesday’s triumph in Amsterdam after limping off against Aston Villa last Saturday.

Rafa Benitez has confirmed that Ryan Bertrand (knee) will also miss the match, though Demba Ba is in contention to start start up front after being ineligible to face Benfica in midweek.

David Moyes, also in his last game in charge, has few injury concerns to contend with, though Phil Neville (knee), who has been sidelined since March, and Leon Osman (also knee) will both miss the match.

The Toffees are set to keep the same XI from last week’s win over West Ham, with Victor Anichebe leading the line in front of Marouane Fellaini.

  • Frank Lampard’s strike against Aston Villa last weekend was his 203rd for Chelsea, making him all-time top goalscorer at Stamford Bridge.
  • If this game finishes as a 0-0 draw and Arsenal win 2-1 at Newcastle, the two sides will face a play-off to see who finishes third in the Premier League.
  • Wednesday’s win over Benfica means Blues Player of the Year Juan Mata (pictured right) and Fernando Torres are current winners of the World Cup, European Championships, Champions League and Europa League.
  • Everton are guaranteed a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League and will finish above rivals Liverpool for the second successive season; the first time they’ve done so in over 50 years.
  •  
    • The Toffees are this season’s draw specialists, with 15 in the Premier League.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

UFC on FX 8


 

MAIN CARD

    * Vitor Belfort (186) vs. Luke Rockhold (186)
    * Chris Camozzi (186) vs. Ronaldo Souza(186)
    * Rafael dos Anjos (156) vs. Evan Dunham(156)
    * Rafael Natal (186) vs. Joao Zeferino (185)

~~~

    * Hacran Dias (146) vs. Nik Lentz (146)
    * Mike Rio (156) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (154)
    * John Cholish (156.2)* vs. Gleison Tibau (156)
    * Michel Prazeres (171) vs. Paulo Thiago (170)
    * Yuri Alcantara (136) vs. Iliarde Santos (134)
    * Roger Hollett (204) vs. Fabio Maldonado (205)
    * Azamat Gashimov (126) vs. John Lineker (126)
    * Chris Cariaso (126) vs. Jussier Formiga (126)
    * Jeremy Larsen (155) vs. Lucas Martins (153)

After a two-week stretch with no major mixed martial arts (MMA) action from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the gang is all here for another trip down south to get busy on this Saturday night's (May 18, 2013) UFC on FX 8: "Belfort vs. Rockhold" fight card, which features a compelling middleweight main event between Vitor Belfort and the last man to hold the Strikeforce 185-pound strap, Luke Rockhold.

The man he took it from, Ronaldo Souza, is also in action at Arena Jaragua in Santa Catarina, Brazil, where he takes on late replacement Chris Camozzi, who was promoted to the "Jacare" fight when Constantinos Philippou came up lame in practice.

Surging lightweight submission specialist Rafael dos Anjos tries to inch his way closer to a 155-pound title shot at the expense of the rough-and-tumble Evan Dunham while Joao Zeferino gets to fill the empty slot on the main card opposite hot-and-cold Rafael Natal.

185 lbs.: Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort (22-10) vs. Luke Rockhold (10-1)

Nostradumbass predicts: It's hard to criticize a guy who not only wins, but also finishes fights, because he's essentially doing everything right. At the same time, you want to make sure that you don't let wins and losses make your decision for you when it comes to predictions.

Vitor Belfort is a perfect example.

The self-described "dinosaur" has three wins at middleweight since making his catchweight debut against Rich Franklin back at UFC 103. Two of those have come over fighters who are no longer in UFC (Anthony Johnson and Yoshihiro Akiyama).

He looked great against Michael Bisping earlier this year in Brazil. Lean and quick (thanks to a little help from the needle), he thrashed "The Count" with relative ease. But Bisping made the same mistake against "The Phenom" as he did against Dan Henderson.

He fought in fear of the knockout.

Luke Rockhold, who sounds a lot like Chris Weidman in the way he projects his confidence against one of Brazil's finest, won't make that same mistake. That's because this isn't pre-fight trash talk or some lame attempt to convince fans he's legit.

He really believes he is far superior to Belfort and expects nothing less than a finish.

I'm also convinced he's too intelligent to make this a straight-up boxing match, where he would get smoked. I think his wrestling, honed at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), will be used in earnest, not only to dump the Brazilian on his back, but also to tire him out and take away the power shot.

Five rounds is a long time.

It's hard for me to imagine a scenario in which Rockhold leaves his hands low or allows himself to be battered across the better part of 25 minutes. I don't think a submission win is out of the question, but I would be comfortable predicting a clear cut unanimous decision win by way of athletic gameplan.

The boo birds have just moved to DEFCON 1.

Final prediction: Rockhold def. Belfort via unanimous decision

185 lbs.: Chris Camozzi (19-5) vs. Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza (17-3)

Nostradumbass predicts: I'm just going to go ahead and say it: It's very hard for me to give Chris Camozzi a chance in this fight because three of his five losses have come by way of submission. Under normal circumstances, that would hardly make losing a foregone conclusion, but then again, there is nothing normal about the ground game of Ronaldo Souza.

"Jacare" is one of the best in the world.

The only saving grace for Camozzi is the fact that the Brazilian has fallen in love with the stand up and prefers to bang it out on the feet instead of relying on his bread and butter. It didn't stop Derek Brunson from getting KTFO and Souza did tap Ed Herman and Robbie Lawler, but he will throw hands if "Kamikaze" lets him.

Ronaldo hits hard, no question, but his technical flaws can be taken advantage of.

I'm not sure Camozzi is the right guy to do it. That's what made the Constantinos Philippou bout so intriguing, but alas, "Costas" went and hurt himself and this is plan B. It's not totally unwarranted, as the Coloradan has won four fights in a row, but he's going to need to be flawless in this bout to get past the alligator.

Decision wins over Nick Ring and Luiz Cane aren't making compelling arguments.

I have to imagine that within 15 minutes, at home and in front of his fans, Souza finds the opening he's looking for. I wouldn't be surprised to see Camozzi rocked on his feet before being taken down and tapped out. Not the boldest prediction, but certainly the most plausible.

Final prediction: Souza def. Camozzi via submission

155 lbs.: Rafael dos Anjos (18-6) vs. Evan Dunham (14-3)

Nostradumbass predicts: Man ... remember when Evan Dunham was the cat's meow? He was supposed to be the next big thing at 155 pounds and a lot of people were up in arms over his split decision loss to Sean Sherk back in late 2010.

Didn't hurt his momentum.

Then he got dismantled by Melvin Guillard and dropped off the radar. But hey, that's life in the fast lane and MMA fans are a fickle bunch. A loss to T.J. Grant derailed his rebuilding phase and at 31 years old, he needs to do something special to get himself "in the mix."

Crazy thing to say about a guy who is 14-3.

The same can be said about his opponent, Rafael dos Anjos. The Brazilian, on the surface, has all the tools to be a contender, including knockout power (ask G-Sots) and slick submissions (Terry Etim's arm still aches on a rainy day).

What he doesn't have, is a decent win streak.

Yes, he's now got three straight victories, but going to the scorecards against Anthony Njokuani and Mark Bocek isn't going to put anyone on notice and you can blame Ben Henderson for making fans of the lightweight division hate decisions ("Smooth" has eight in a row).

This could actually be a pretty entertaining scrap, as both guys are well rounded fighters with experience against tough competition. However, when push comes to shove, I have to favor Dos Anjos, because he's demonstrated more consistency over the last two years and I think he steals this one in the final frame.

Final prediction: Dos Anjos def. Dunham via split decision

185 lbs.: Rafael "Sapo" Natal (15-4-1) vs. Joao "The Brazilian Samurai" Zeferino (13-4)

Nostradumbass predicts: I don't know dick about Joao Zeferino nor will I pretend to, because quite frankly, I have a hard enough time keeping up with the 300+ fighters currently on the ZUFFA roster. There's just not enough RAM in the ol' Nostracranium to follow every fighter currently doing work across the globe.

I do, however, know a thing or two about Rafael Natal.

"Sapo" joined the promotion on the strength of a knockout win over former UFC middleweight number one contender Travis Lutter, but his "run" inside the Octagon has been mediocre, at best. The former Ring of Combat (ROC) star is 3-2-1 with just one finish.

He was also put out to pasture by Andrew Craig last summer.

You can argue that Zeferino is at a disadvantage because he's never fought a "name," but if you look at Natal's wins and losses, there isn't really anything that elevates him above the promotion newcomer. That means the only real obstacle, in my eyes, is Octagon jitters.

This is a pick 'em as far as I'm concerned.

That said, I like the "The Brazilian Samurai" by way of opportunistic offense. Natal has already shown a penchant for tomfoolery inside the cage and I believe he's taking this fight lightly, based on the fact that Zeferino is wet behind the ears and stepping in on short notice.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Manchester United vs Swansea

MANCHESTER UNITED

De Gea
Jones, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra
Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Kagawa

Van Persie, Chicharito
SWANSEA CITY

TremmelRangel, Williams, Monk, Davies
Britton, De Guzman
Routledge, Pablo, Dyer
Shechter



Sir Alex Ferguson has few injury and suspension problems to deal with as he prepares to name his final Manchester United starting XI for a game at Old Trafford.

Wayne Rooney, however, may well not feature as speculation continues to mount about his future at Old Trafford - the 27-year-old reportedly asked to leave the club a fortnight ago.

The Premier League champions will be without right-back Rafael (suspended) after he saw red for a kick at Brazil team-mate David Luiz in their home game with Chelsea last time out.

Danny Welbeck (knee) missed Sunday’s clash with the Blues, but could be set to return to the first team squad, however, Ashley Young (ankle) and Darren Fletcher (illness) are out for the rest of the season.

Michael Laudrup, a leading candidate to replace Ferguson's successor David Moyes at Everton, looks likely to be without leading goalscorer Michu (hamstring) for the Swans’ trip to the north west.

Goalkeeper Michel Vorm (head) is a severe doubt after suffering a nasty clash of heads during Tuesday’s win over Wigan, whilst midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng (dead leg) may return after missing the past two games.

Chico Flores (calf) and Roland Lamah (hamstring) could both return to the first-team squad.

  • After 1,498 games in charge of Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson (right) will take charge of a game at Old Trafford for the final time on Sunday afternoon. He's won 894 of those, with 337 draws and 267 defeats.
  • The Scot has already wrapped up a 13th Premier League crown - the 20th overall for United - and they will lift the trophy in front of their fans at Old Trafford after the clash with the Swans.
  • Two wins in their last two games would see United finish with 91 points and equal their second-highest points total in the Premier League era which they earned in the 1999/00 season. Their all-time high is the 94 points they claimed when winning the title for a second consecutive season in 1993/94.
  • Swansea striker Itay Shechter's goal in Tuesday's 3-2 win over Wigan on Tuesday was his first club goal since scoring for Bundesliga side Kaiserlautern in October 2011 - more than 18 months ago.
  • The south Wales club can guarentee a top-half finish with a win. After 36 games they have one point fewer than the 47 points they managed last season, when they finished 11th.
  • Michael Laudrup's men, along with eighth-placed West Brom, are the only sides in the top flight to have a goal difference of nil. No side since Tottenham in 2008-09 has finished the season with a level goals for and against tally

Fulham vs Liverpool

FULHAM

Schwarzer
Riether, Senderos, Hangeland, Riise Kacaniklic, Karagounis, Enoh, Emanuelson Ruiz Berbatov
LIVERPOOL

ReinaJohnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Enrique
Lucas, Henderson, Shelvey
Downing, Sturridge, Coutinho

Mladen Petric and Simon Davies remain doubtful for this fixture after both players missed the 4-2 loss to Reading with hip and hamstring problems respectively.

Alexander Kacaniklic is likely to start over Damien Duff on the right after a good performance off the bench against Reading. Steve Sidwell will miss the rest of the season though suspension.

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard misses out after undergoing surgery on a persistent shoulder problem.

Daniel Agger and Joe Allen are also out for the season so Martin Skrtel will come in to the backline while Philippe Coutinho will continue as playmaker.

With no Gerrard or Allen, Jonjo Shelvey could get the nod in midfield – especially after the stunner he scored for the U21s this week.

Luis Suarez is unavailable as he serves his 10-match ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic.

Fulham have lost their last four in the Premier League and have won just three of their last 12.
  • After a run of six goals in six games at the start of the year, Fulham top scorer Dimitar Berbatov (pictured right) hasn’t hit the back of the net since 1st April – six games ago.
  • The Cottagers’ biggest defeat of the season was a 4-0 reverse against Liverpool.
  • Liverpool are unbeaten in six in the Premier League, with just one defeat in 11 in all competitions.
  • The Reds’ 6-0 win over Newcastle two weeks ago was the fourth time this year they’ve won by a margin of four or more goals, including the 4-0 romp over Fulham in December.
  • Fulham did the double over Liverpool last season, the first time they beat the Reds twice in the same season.

Stoke City vs Tottenham Hotspur




Stoke manager Tony Pulis has a series of decisions to make ahead of the visit of Tottenham on Sunday.
Midfielder Glenn Whelan (groin), Andy Wilkinson (back) and Marc Wilson (hamstring) are all close to contention, but may not be risked from the start as they look for full fitness.

Whelan and Wilkinson were ruled out of the visit to Sunderland on Monday but are likely to be available, while Wilson was replaced at half-time as a precaution.
Meanwhile, midfielder Mousa Démbéle is fit for Tottenham after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Aaron Lennon came off against Chelsea in midweek with a slight hamstring strain but is fit to play, according to manager Andre Villas-Boas.

Midfielder Sandro and defensive duo Younes Kaboul and William Gallas are still unavailable.
Match Notes

Andre Villas-Boas is clinging on to his Champions League hopes by his fingernails and nothing but a victory will suffice at the Britannia Stadium.
The spirited point at Stamford Bridge leaves Spurs still in with a shout of sneaking a place in next season's elite competition, an outcome which could be vital in their ambitions of keeping Gareth Bale.
Stoke have virtually secured safety and the big question now is whether this will be Tony Pulis's last home game in charge.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Aston Villa vs Chelsea

ASTON VILLA

Guzan
Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Bennett
Westwood, Delph, Sylla
Agbonlahor, Benteke, Weimann
CHELSEA

CechAzpilicueta, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole
Lampard, Ramires
Moses, Mata, Oscar
Ba


Paul Lambert looks likely to name the same eleven that triumphed in Aston Villa's all-important 2-1 victory over Norwich as they go in search of a win against the Blues that would guarantee them safety.

Matt Lowton, however, is a doubt after he picked up a thigh injury in last Saturday's win, as he will have to undergo a late fitness test in order to make what would be his 37th consecutive Premier League start.

Marc Albrighton (ankle), Richard Dunne (groin), Gary Gardner (ACL) and Chris Herd (ankle) also remain sidelined with their respective injuries.

Rafa Benitez, meanwhile, will make the changes that the Chelsea support have grown accustomed to, with John Terry, Frank Lampard, Victor Moses and Demba Ba all likely to replace Gary Cahill, David Luiz, Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres from the side that earned a 2-2 draw against Tottenham on Wednesday.

Chelsea have injury concerns over Ryan Bertrand (knee), Jon Obi Mikel (hand) and Hazard (calf), although Oriol Romeu could recover from a knee injury picked up in December in time to make the squad.

  • Chelsea have won on two of their last four Premier League trips to Villa Park, dropping points with a draw and a defeat in the other two.
  • However, Aston Villa's home record recently has been disappointing; they have won a meagre three times over their last 11 home matches in the league, losing six and drawing two.
  • More cause for concern for Paul Lambert's men comes in the fact that Chelsea inflicted Aston Villa’s biggest ever Premier League defeat when the two teams met just before Christmas, cantering to an 8-0 win (incidentally, this was also the last time Fernando Torres scored in the Premier League).
  • Christian Benteke (pictured right), in stark contrast to Torres, has had no problem finding the net in the league, scoring 13 Premier League goals since the turn of the year - more than anyone else in 2013.
  • Chelsea have scored more headed goals than anyone else in the league this season; Oscar's header against Tottenham was their sixteenth of the campaign.
  • The Blues have also scored the opening goal in more league games than any other side in the league, having broken the deadlock a total of 24 times over the course of the season.

Manchester City vs Wigan

MANCHESTER CITY

Pantilimon
Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Clichy
Yaya Toure, Barry
Silva, Tevez, Nasri
Dzeko

WIGAN ATHLETIC

JoelBoyce, Caldwell, Scharner, Espinoza
McCarthy, Watson, McArthur
McManaman, Kone, Maloney



Yaya Toure has declared himself fit to start at the heart of Manchester City's midfield in Saturday's FA Cup final against Wigan.

The Ivorian missed City's midweek victory over West Brom but has been training throughout the week after being brought off at half-time against Swansea last weekend.

Scott Sinclair is unavailable after undergoing surgery on a blood clot in his shoulder but otherwise Roberto Mancini has a fully fit squad to choose from.

Wigan, on the other hand, are currently decimated by injury problems. Ivan Ramis will miss the rest of the season with a serious knee injury while fellow centre-back Antolin Alcaraz faces a race to be fit having suffered a hamstring tear last month.

Jean Beausejour (hamstring) is also a doubt and Maynor Figueroa's season has been ended by a groin problem, so Roberto Martinez is likely to continue with a flat back four.

To add to their woes, Ronnie Stam suffered a suspected broken leg less than a minute after coming off the bench in the 3-2 defeat to Swansea on Tuesday. Albert Crusat (knee) is a longer-term absentee.

  • Manchester City will be looking to lift the FA Cup for the sixth time on Saturday, which would draw them level with Newcastle and Blackburn on the all-time winners' list and put them within touching distance of seven-time winners Liverpool, Chelsea and Aston Villa.
  • Under Roberto Mancini, City ended a trophy drought stretching back to 1976 when they won the FA Cup in 2011. They followed it up with the Premier League title a year later.
    • In reverse order, City have seen off Chelsea, Barnsley, Leeds, Stoke and Watford to reach the final. They did not concede a goal until their semi-final meeting with Rafa Benitez's team.
    • Wigan have never won a top-flight competition in their 81-year history. Their last trophy was the Second Division (now League One) title in 2002-03.
    • The Latics have seen off Millwall, Everton, Huddersfield, Macclesfield and Bournemouth en route to the final. They needed a replay to see off the Cherries in the third round, but have conceded only two goals in six matches.
    • Jordi Gomez and Callum McManaman top the FA Cup goalscoring charts for Martinez's team, having bagged three goals each so far.
    • If Wigan were to win at Wembley and finish the Premier League season in their current position of 18th, they would be the lowest-ranked side to win the FA Cup since West Ham in 1980. The Hammers were in the second tier when they beat Arsenal.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Chelsea vs Tottenham

CHELSEA

Cech
Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Cole
Luiz, Ramires
Oscar, Mata, Hazard
Ba

TOTTENHAM

LlorisWalker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto
Huddlestone, Holtby
Lennon, Dempsey, Bale
Defoe

Chelsea should have Eden Hazard back after the Belgium international missed the weekend's trip to Manchester United with a calf injury.

He should replace Victor Moses in Rafa Benitez's side with John Terry likely to once again start on the bench. The Blues also have doubts over John Obi Mikel (shin).

Moussa Dembele may not start for Tottenham after he limped off during Spurs' win over Southampton, but he is in the squad. Lewis Holtby replaced the midfielder on Saturday and will probably do so again from the start at Stamford Bridge.

Aaron Lennon played an hour on his return from injury on Saturday and came through the game unscathed meaning he should be in line for another start on Wednesday.

Jake Livermore has recovered, but William Gallas (calf), Younes Kaboul (groin) and Sandro (knee) are all out.

  • Chelsea have won each of their last six home games in the Premier League.
  • Juan Mata (pictured right) has scored three times in his last two appearances against Tottenham in all competitions.
  • Tottenham have never won a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge in 20 visits.
  • No player has scored more goals away from home this season in the Premier League than Gareth Bale.
  • Jermain Defoe netted in each of his first two Premier League appearances at Stamford Bridge, but has failed to score in the seven since.
  • On only one occasion this season have Tottenham failed to score away from home in the league.
  • Tottenham managed only four shots last weekend, fewer than any other team playing on Saturday or Sunday.
 

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Manchester United vs Chelsea

MANCHESTER UNITED

De Gea
Rafael, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra
Jones, Carrick
Valencia, Rooney, Kagawa
Van Persie
CHELSEA

Cech
Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole
Luiz, Mikel
Mata, Oscar, Hazard
Ba


Sir Alex Ferguson looks set to make a solitary change from the team that faced Arsenal as Shinji Kagawa seems primed to replace Nani, operating off the left wing.

Ashley Young (ankle) is definitely ruled out while Nemanja Vidic (knee) and Danny Welbeck (calf) are also doubtful as the strains that ruled them both out of the Arsenal game persist.

Rafa Benitez, meanwhile, appears ready to make his now-customary changes to the starting line-up as various players look set to make way from the team that beat Basel 3-1 on Thursday.

John Terry, Ashley Cole, John Obi Mikel, Juan Mata, Oscar and Demba Ba are all expected to replace
Gary Cahill, Ryan Bertrand, Frank Lampard, Ramires, Victor Moses and Fernando Torres from the previous starting XI.

There are no serious injury problems for the Blues, though Marko Marin, unlikely to feature anyway, may only be fit enough for the bench as he continues to recover from a thigh problem.

  • Over the course of the Premier League era, Manchester United have lost more games (13) and conceded more goals (55) against Chelsea than they have against any other team in the league.
  • However, Chelsea have managed just one clean sheet in their last 17 league trips to Old Trafford - a 3-0 win in December 2001, with a goal from Mario Melchiot followed by a double from Eidur Gudjohnsen.
    • United have hit the woodwork more often than any other team in the Premier League this season - 22 times, while Chelsea have hit it the fewest amount of times - five.
    • Though it is doubtful whether he will feature in this match, of all the players to have played over 150 Premier League games, the Red Devils' captain, Nemanja Vidic, has the best win percentage of any player, having played 184 and won 136.
    • Chelsea skipper John Terry (pictured right), however, boasts a similarly impressive record as the Blues have won 67 per cent of Premier League games with him playing this season and just 48% without him.
    • The Blues have scored 15 headed goals this league season - the most in the Premier League.


Saturday, May 4, 2013

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Robert Guerrero




Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Robert Guerrero, 12 rounds, welterweight
Daniel Ponce De Leon vs. Abner Mares, 12 rounds, featherweight
Leo Santa Cruz vs. Alexander Munoz, 10 rounds, junior featherweight
J'Leon Love vs. Gabriel Rosado, 10 rounds, middleweight
Ronald Gavril vs. Roberto Yong, 4 rounds, super middleweight
Badou Jack vs. Michael Gbenga, 8 rounds, light heavyweight
Luis Arias vs. Donyil Livingston, 6 rounds, super middleweight
Lanell Bellows vs. Matthew Garretson, 4 rounds, super middleweight

Floyd Mayweather Jr. (43-0) and Robert Guerrero (31-1-1) have made plenty of headlines leading up to their fight on Saturday, May 4.

The pound-for-pound champ always creates a stir when he puts his undefeated record on the line. Guerrero, meanwhile, enters the fight as a worthy adversary after soundly defeating Andre Berto, and he has the tools to make things interesting.

With the fight drawing so much attention, there's no shortage of predictions for who will come out on top.

Do oddsmakers think Guerrero has what it takes to unseat the champ? How about boxing experts around the web?

Read on for the latest odds and predictions surrounding boxing's big main event.


Oddsmakers seem to be in agreement on this one. The man they call "Money" will be a big favorite.

A 364-day layoff and some jail time may have influenced this line a bit, but that's not enough to move the line any closer than it is.

The really interesting bet to watch will be the over/under. Essentially, this boils down to whether or not the fight will go to a decision. The over is a slight favorite, and that's probably the best bet. Three of Mayweather's last four fights have gone to decision.
Rafael brings up an excellent point. Guerrero's southpaw stance could present issues for Mayweather, especially in the early rounds when he's figuring out his timing. However, no one makes adjustments as well as Mayweather.
ESPN's Kieran Mulvaney believes that Guerrero's aggression and power will make this a tough challenge for Mayweather. But he also believes that Money will turn Guererro's aggression against him as the fight progresses to score the knockout in the 10th frame.
Mulvaney's assertion that Mayweather will turn Guerrero's aggression against him is certainly valid. Adjusting to his opponents has been his calling card throughout his career. However, Guerrero is a tough fighter who has never been knocked out in his career.

If Mayweather really does put away Guerrero, it will be one of the better displays of his power we've seen recently.

Swansea vs Manchester City

SWANSEA CITY

Vorm
Rangel, Chico, Williams, Taylor
Ki, Britton
Routledge, De Guzman, Hernandez
Michu
MANCHESTER CITY

Hart
Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Clichy
Yaya Toure, Barry
Silva, Tevez, Milner
Aguero

Swansea boss Michael Laudrup is unlikely to make too many changes from the side who lost 2-0 in their previous match away to Chelsea. Neil Taylor came off the bench in that game to make his comeback from a long spell on the sidelines and he could start in place of Ben Davies.

Michu is again set to start up front with support expected to come from fellow Spaniard Pablo Hernandez. The Swans should have a fully fit squad from which to choose against last season's Premier League title winners.

As for the visitors, Roberto Mancini could make a couple of changes from the starting XI which beat West Ham 2-1. Matija Nastasic may come in in place of Joleon Lescott.

Further forward, James Milner and Javi Garcia are both pushing for starts. Sergio Aguero is set to keep his place in attack, with Mancini likely to rest him for their midweek game ahead of the FA Cup final against Wigan.

  • Swansea City have failed to win any of their last six league matches, losing four and drawing two.
  • The Swans have scored 43 goals in the Premier League this season - the lowest amount of any of the sides inside the top nine.
  • The game between the two sides earlier in the season finished in a 1-0 win to City, with Carlos Tevez (pictured right) scoring in the second half.
Tevez is his side's highest scorer this season, with 17 goals, as well as having provided the joint-highest number of assists with seven, the same as Samir Nasri and David Silva.
  • Manchester City are the fifth-highest scorers in the league away from home this season with 23 goals. Manchester United (36) have scored the most.
  • Mancini's side have only lost five games in the league this season, just one more than United.


Tottenham vs Southampton

TOTTENHAM

Lloris
Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto Dembele, Parker
Lennon, Holtby, Bale
 
Defoe
SOUTHAMPTON

BorucClyne, Yoshida, Hooiveld, Shaw
Davis, Schneiderlin, Cork
Lallana, Lambert, Rodriguez


Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has a few first-team members missing for the visit of Southampton on Saturday but has no new injury concerns.

Brazilian midfielder Sandro (knee) is not expected to play again this season, while Younes Kaboul (also knee) and William Gallas (calf) are still doubtful.

Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino does not have many fitness issues with which to contend but two red cards last time out against West Brom have ensued selection problems.

Left-back Danny Fox and Gaston Ramirez were both sent off in the defeat to Steve Clarke's team, meaning that neither will be available at White Hart Lane.

The Saints' only injury worry is Richard Chaplow (back) but he could make an appearance on the bench.

  • Out of the last 11 previous clashes between these two sides at White Hart Lane, Tottenham have won nine and lost just twice.
Spurs have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last nine league matches.
  • No other Premier League player has scored more goals from outside of the penalty area than Gareth Bale (pictured right). He has seven.
  • Meanwhile, no other team has more goals scored from outside of the area than Spurs (12).
  • Southampton have not conceded a goal away from home in league for 281 minutes.
  • However, they have only won two of their last 11 matches on the road.
  • West Brom are the only side to beat Mauricio Pochettino's team in their last seven fixtures.