Author: Craig Zablo

Stay Out of the Doghouse!

There’s less than two weeks until Christmas.  I know most of the guys reading this haven’t yet bought their wife, girlfriend or significant other their Christmas present.  Admit it fellas, some of us haven’t even started thinking about what to get them… and there’s probably one or two of you reading this now going, “Wow!  I didn’t realize Christmas was this month!”

So I’m going to help you.  Watch this funny video. Pay close attention.  Stay out of the doghouse!

Thanks to John Beatty for passing me the link!

Mir Back in the Hunt

Frank Mir’s crushing defeat of Cheick Congo this Saturday has thrust him back into the hunt for the heavyweight title.  Consider that Congo was considered the striker and Mir nearly KO’d Congo with his first shot.  Then Mir choked Congo out taking just 12 seconds over a minute to end the fight.

There are currently two top contenders, [Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez] that most fans would like to see fight Brock Lesnar for the title.  Shane Carwin was set to be Lesnar’s next opponent since he’s the number one contender.  That fight has been put on hold while Lesnar deals with a private medical condition that could put him out of the fight game for good.

Dana White has said that a decision will be made in the next six to eight weeks if there will be an interim title until Lesnar can return to the cage.  If so, it makes sense that Carwin would fight Velasquez for the interim championship.  But, the fact that when Velasquez fought Cheick Congo the fight went to a decision, might make a great argument to make the interim title fight Carwin vs Mir!

Truth be told, I don’t care who gets the interim title.  I’d just love to see Mir enter the octagon against a healthy Brock Lesnar for a third time!

UFC 107 Results

UFC 107 was Saturday and from all accounts it was a great card.  Here are my predictions and results:

  • Kenny Florian vs Clay “The Carpenter” Guida. My prediction: Florian [unless “The Carpenter” brings a hammer into the cage.]  The result: Florian won by tapout due to a rear naked choke in the second.
  • Jon Fitch vs Mike Pierce. Mike who?  My prediction: Fitch. The result: Fitch by unanimous decision.
  • Frank Mir vs Cheick Kongo. I’m a big Mir fan.  Kongo has never impressed me.  My prediction: Mir. [Surprised?]  The result: Mir by crushing first round KO!
  • BJ “The Prodigy” Penn vs Diego “The Nightmare” Sanchez. My prediction:  Out on a limb and going with the underdog Sanchez. The result: Penn by dominating 5th round stoppage.

Not a bad night for my predictions: 3-1 and had I gone with who I really thought would win instead of a fighter I like better, I’d have been 4-0.  Woulda, shoulda, coulda.

UFC 107 Predictions

UFC 107 is Saturday and it features a worthy card:

  • Kenny Florian vs Clay “The Carpenter” Guida. My rule of thumb is that a fighter with a nickname will usually beat one without.  That goes by the wayside in this fight.  While Guida is a  tough, active fighter, I think that Florians skills will be too much for him to overcome.  My prediction: Florian [unless “The Carpenter” brings a hammer into the cage.]
  • Jon Fitch vs Mike Pierce. Mike who?  My prediction: Fitch.
  • Frank Mir vs Cheick Kongo. I’m a big Mir fan.  Kongo has never impressed me.  My prediction: Mir. [Surprised?]
  • BJ “The Prodigy” Penn vs Diego “The Nightmare” Sanchez. Wow.  This should be a great fight.  BJ isn’t one of my favorite fighters, but he is one of the best.  I am a HUGE fan of Diego Sanchez.  Everyone says that BJ should win… and he probably should.  My prediction: Out on a limb and going with the underdog Sanchez.

For another perspective on the fights, check out Ryan Cody’s predictions!

Super Saturday Batmite Head Sketches

This coming Saturday I’ll be joining my buddy, John Beatty, at studio as he draws for what he is calling “Super Saturday Batmite Head Sketches” John will be drawing live on UStream as fans interact with us.  Yep, I’ll be co-hosting the event and we’ll have things set up so that I can take phone calls live on the air!  The sketches that John is scheduled to draw include The Penguin, Harley Quinn, Ra’s Al Ghoul, Two Face, The Mad Hatter and either King Tut or Louie the Lilac!   The fun is set to kick off at 10am EST.

Hope to “see you” there.

Tron Legacy Poster Works

Although I never saw the original “Tron” this poster does what a good poster should – it makes me think that maybe I’d want to see the movie it is advertising – “Tron Legacy”.  If you’d like to see a Disney World-sized version, click here to see what hereIMPAwards.com has to offer!

All Time Best TV

Time magazine in partnership with CNN posted their selections for the 100 Best TV Shows of All Time.  So, using just the shows on their list I came up with my top twenty which are posted below in alphabetical order:

  • 24
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents
  • American Idol
  • Hill Street Blues
  • I Love Lucy
  • Leave It to Beaver
  • Lost
  • Sanford and Son
  • Seinfeld
  • Star Trek
  • Survivor
  • The Cosby Show
  • The Dick Van Dyke Show
  • The Honeymooners
  • The Mary Tyler Moore Show
  • The Shield
  • The Sopranos
  • The Twilight Zone
  • The West Wing
  • Wiseguy

Not a bad list, but how could “The Wild, Wild West” not have been on their Top 100?  It would have easily  made my Top 20.

Dick Giordano’s Demolition Man #5

Dick Giordano, the comics legend is back! During his fifty plus years in the biz he’s done everything from ink all the greats (including himself) to serve as Editor-in-Chief of DC Comics, to co-founding his own comic company.

I recently had the good fortune to pick up six model sheet headsketches of Sly that Mr. Giodano did before starting work on DC Comics adaptation of “Demolition Man”. This is the fifth.

Ultimate Fighter Results

UCF presented The Ultimate Fighter finale last night on SPIKE. Let’s look at the results and my predictions…

Darrill “The Boss” Schoonover vs James “The Hammer” McSweeney. My prediction: Schoonover. The Result: McSweeny via 3rd round stoppage making me 0-1 for the night.

Marcus “Big Baby” Jones vs Matt Mitrione. My prediction: Mitrione.  The result: Mitirone by brutal 2nd round KO taking me to 1-1.

Frank “The Answer” Edgar vs Matt Veach. My prediction: Edgar. The result: Edgar via 2nd round choke submission moving me to 2-1 for the night.

Kimbo Slice vs Huston “The Assassin” Alexander. My prediction: Alexander. The result: Kimbo wins by decision in a very surprising fight taking me to 2-2. // Huston had a game plan to turn what everyone thought would be a slugfest in to a strategic battle.  Huston circled and kicked at Kimbo, who kept his composure and picked his shots.  Kimbo brutally slammed Huston to the mat on more than one occasion [after a boring first round].  Kimbo also worked for submisions!  Kimbo deserved the win and proved that he is taking MMA seriously.

Matt “The Hammer” Hamill vs Jon “Bones” Jones. My prediction: Hamill. The result: Hamill won via DQ after Jones hit him with illegal blows [straight elbows to the face while Hamill was on the mat] which moved me to 3-2 for the night. // Jon “The Bones” Jones is no joke. This kid dominated Hamill from the opening bell.  Hamill was hurt repeatedly and the fight could have been stopped earlier.  I’ll take the win and so will Hamill, but the truth is Jones should have won and pretty easily.

Roy “Big Country” Nelson vs Brendan “The Hybrid” Schaub. My prediction: Schaub  The result: Nelson via first round KO making me 3-3 for the night.

Overall a break even night of predictions for a fun night of fights.

UFC Fight Predictions

UCF presents The Ultimate Fighter finale tonight on SPIKE.  Let’s look at the fights and my predictions…

Darrill “The Boss” Schoonover vs James “The Hammer” McSweeney. I hope Schoonover wins.  He was calm and modest while on the show. McSweeney was the opposite.  McSweeney is a tough guy and had he not been showboating and got caught, he might have made the finals.  My prediction: Schoonover.

Marcus “Big Baby” Jones vs Matt Mitrione. This is a tough one to call.  Jones takes his opponents to the ground and muscles them.  Mitrione packs a hammer punch [and can take a shot to the head as well].  Will Mitrione be able to land one on “Big Baby” and make it lights out, or will “Big Baby” take Mitrione to the mat and have him ready to tap before lands?  Both are kind of flakey when it comes to fighting.  Hmmmm…. I know, go with the guy with a nickname… or not…  My prediction: Mitrione.

Frank “The Answer” Edgar vs Matt Veach. Both have great records, so this time we go with the guy that has the nick.  My prediction: Edgar.

Kimbo Slice vs Huston “The Assassin” Alexander. People will tune in to watch Kimbo.  Ya gotta love Kimbo.  I’d hate to see Kimbo lose another fight.  Kimbo is actually good for the sport [and I didn’t believe that a year ago].  My prediction: Alexander [and not just because he has a nickname and Kimbo doesn’t].

Matt “The Hammer” Hamill vs Jon “Bones” Jones. Although “Bones” is undefeated, I think that is about to change.  My prediction: Hamill.

Roy “Big Country” Nelson vs Brendan “The Hybrid” Schaub. After seeing Schaub get out from Big Baby’s full mount, I believe he will be able to do the same from Big Country’s big belly.  As my nephew, Bartledoo Joey said after watching Big Country lose in a pay-per-view: “Big Country was yelling, ‘Beer me” before the ref stopped the bout!”  My prediction: Schaub will have Big Country calling for beers.

Let’s hope my predictions will be better tonight than in the last UFC event.