Brazil vs Spain

Brazil have no injury worries and are expected to field the same team that beat Uruguay for Sunday’s final against Spain. 

Selecao boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has named the same starting XI in three of his side’s four matches and is unlikely to make changes, although out-of-form striker Hulk’s place may come under threat.

Spain have no injuries to report and are at full strength for the Maracana clash.

Cesc Fabregas and Roberto Soldado have shaken off muscle injuries and could return to the side after sitting out the penalty shoot-out victory over Italy.

• Brazil are unbeaten in 10 matches, winning their last five. They have not lost a competitive game at home since 1975.

• The five-time world champions have won four of eight previous meetings with Spain (W4, D2, L2), but the two countries have not faced each other since 1999.

• Brazil handed the Spanish their heaviest-ever World Cup defeat in 1950. They won 6-1 at the Maracana before going on to lose to Uruguay in the final.

• Four of Brazil’s Confederations Cup squad play their club football in Spain.

• Spain are on a record 29-match unbeaten run in competitive matches, stretching back to the 2010 World Cup (W24, D5).

• La Roja’s only competitive win over Brazil came in the first round of the 1934 World Cup.

• Spain have won their last six encounters against South American opponents in all competitions, including friendlies. The last Latin American side to beat Spain was Argentina in a friendly in September 2010.

• Fernando Torres  has scored five goals in his last three appearances for Spain.

La Roja reached the Final with a win over Italy in a penalty shoot-out, while the Selecao needed a late winner from Paulinho to hand them the win over Uruguay.
Italy would have been worthy opponents for the hosts, but while the Azzurri have already played Brazil twice this year, Spain and Brazil have met just once in 23 years.
As Cesc Fabregas points out, “We know that the only thing left for us to do is beat Brazil. If we achieve that we will give ourselves a new challenge to see if we can win the World Cup again.”
The two teams have played each other eight times, with Brazil winning four and Spain two – a friendly in 1990 and in the first round of the 1934 World Cup.
Brazil’s biggest win over Spain is 6-1 in the final round of the 1950 World Cup.
However, Arbeloa remains confident ahead of the match at the Maracana.
"We don’t feel under pressure to win this trophy,” the 30-year-old saus. “It’s the one which we still have yet to win and winning it by beating Brazil in Brazil would just be the icing on the cake.
“South American team tends to give us more problems. They are more hardened, they demand more from us and we struggle more against them. We are more used to facing European teams.
“But we are making history and, for all of us, our biggest motivation is pride.”

Spain vs Italy

Spain will be hoping for a repeat of its Euro 2012 final victory over a weakened Italy team when they meet at the Castelao in the semifinals of the Confederations Cup.

Vicente del Bosque is expected to select Iker Casillas to start in goal despite using all three goalkeepers already in the tournament. However, Roberto Soldado and Cesc Fabregas are doubts for the meeting after sitting out training on Monday. Fernando Torres is favorite to start ahead of the Valencia striker. Juan Mata and David Silva will be in contention to replace the Barcelona star.

Italy boss Cesare Prandelli is expected to use a three-man defense following injuries to Mario Balotelli and Ignazio Abate, neither of whom will feature again in the competition.

Alberto Gilardino will therefore start in attack. Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Pirlo will return from suspension and injury, respectively, to form the heart of midfield. Christian Maggio and Emanuele Giaccherini will begin the game as wing backs, wide of an all-Juventus back line.

• Spain secured back-to-back European Championship titles when it trounced Italy 4-0 in the final of Euro 2012.

• Fernando Torres (pictured, right) is currently the highest scoring player in the competition with five goals in three games.

• La Roja are the tournament's most prolific team with 15 goals in three fixtures, though 10 of those came against minnow Tahiti.

• Italy holds the upper hand in previous meetings between the two nations with 10 wins to Spain's nine in the 31 previous meetings.

• The Azzurri have already improved upon their performance in the 2009 edition of the Confederations Cup where they were eliminated in the group stage.

• Italy has only defeated Spain once in its previous eight encounters. That triumph came August 2011 when goals from Riccardo Montolivo and Alberto Aquilani secured a 2-1 win.

• Gianluigi Buffon will move to within four appearances of joining Fabio Cannavaro as the nation's highest-capped player with 136 outings.

Paulie Malignaggi vs. Adrien Broner

Paulie Malignaggi vs. Adrien Broner, 12 rounds, welterweight

Johnathon Banks vs. Seth Mitchell, rematch, 12 rounds, heavyweight
Sakio Bika vs. Marco Antonio Periban, 12 rounds, super middleweight
Julian Williams vs. Joachim Alcine, 8 rounds, junior middleweight
Rau'Shee Warren vs. Jovany Fuentes, 4 or 6 rounds, bantamweight
Marcus Browne vs. Ricardo Campillo, 6 rounds, light heavyweight
Juan Dominguez vs. Bradley Patraw, 8 rounds, junior featherweight
Frank Galarza vs. Romon Barber, 6 rounds, junior middleweight
Robert Easter vs. Antoine Knight, 6 rounds, lightweight
Jamel Herring vs. Calvin Smith, 4 rounds, lightweight


It's fight night, fans, and we hope you'll join us for our live coverage from inside the Barclays Center, where WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi will defend his title against Adrien Broner (Showtime, 9 p.m. ET).

Malignaggi (32-4, 7 KO) and Broner (26-0, 22 KO) have engaged in a particularly nasty and, at times, vulgar promotional campaign for the fight. Each man is promising to not just beat, but beat up his opponent. Broner is the heavy favorite, but Malignaggi has home-field advantage and never backs down from anyone.
This should be an exciting fight.

Before the main event, the big boys will be in action in a highly anticipated heavyweight rematch between Johnathon Banks and Seth Mitchell. Banks (29-1-1, 19 KO) shocked the world when he stopped Mitchell (25-1-1, 19 KO) in the second round of their bout last November and derailed his rise to the top. Can he prove it wasn't a fluke, or will Mitchell avenge his only defeat?

Italy vs Brazil

One of the most anticipated matches of the Confederations Cup will take place Saturday in Salvador when Group A co-leaders Italy and Brazil clash in Salvador.

Italy will be without Daniele de Rossi through suspension, and Andrea Pirlo is also likely to miss out after picking up a muscle injury.

On the other side of the ball, Brazil will have to make do without Paulinho, who has an ankle problem, while David Luiz (broken nose) is also unlikely to feature.

Having picked up yellow cards against both Mexico and Japan, Daniele De Rossi is suspended for the Azzurri whilst Andrea Pirlo is ruled out with a calf injury.

Claudio Marchisio and Alberto Aquilani are likely to deputise in the duo's absence whilst Prandelli must also decide who to play behind Mario Balotelli.

The 55-year-old coach could opt to rest Emanuele Giaccherini with Stephan El Shaarawy, Alessandro Diamanti and Sebastian Giovinco, who scored the winning goal against Japan, all vying for starting berths.

As for Brazil, David Luiz has been declared fit to start despite breaking his nose in the 2-0 win over Mexico and there is further good news for the Selecao as the in-form Neymar has shaken off a slight thigh injury.

However, Paulinho is unlikely to be risked by Scolari after the Corinthians midfielder suffered a minor ankle sprain and his place could be taken by Lazio's Hernanes.

Elsewhere, Hulk has failed to impress in the opening two matches and his spot on the right wing could be taken by PSG youngster Lucas Moura as Scolari looks to give some of his younger players international experience.


Italy have not tasted victory against the Selecao for over 30 years. A Paolo Rossi hat-trick guided the Azzurri to a 3-2 win in the 1982 World Cup.

A double from Luis Fabiano (pictured, right) and an own goal from Andrea Dossena gave Brazil a 3-0 victory over Italy in the 2009 Confederations Cup - a tournament they later went on to win.

A 2-1 victory against Mexico before Wednesday's 4-3 thriller against Japan ensured that Italy advanced to the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup for the first time in their history.

Current holders Brazil are the most successful side in the history of the tournament, with Luiz Felipe Scolari's team bidding for their fourth title.

The Selecao famously defeated the Azzurri on penalties to win the World Cup in 1994.

Brazil have only suffered one competitive defeat on home soil in the last 50 years - a 3-1 defeat to Peru in Belo Horizante at the 1975 Copa America.

Australia vs Iraq

Australia will look to book its berth to Brazil next summer when it takes on Iraq in the World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday.
The Socceroos have already clinched third place in Group B but have a chance to secure second place with a victory. The top two teams in the group earn an automatic spot in the World Cup finals while the third place team must take on the Group A third place side for a chance to do battle with CONMEBOL's fifth place team for a berth in the World Cup next summer.

We just need to remember no game is an easy game. We have to keep our feet on the ground and remain relaxed and do the things we've done the last two weeks, the things that put us into this position," said Australia captain Lucas Neil. "We have to keep things as calm and composed and, then, let's hope we have a rich, strong, positive start like we've had the intention of doing in the last two games [against Japan and Jordan].''
"No-one is talking about Brazil, no-one is talking about winning, everybody is just talking about preparing and getting that feeling in training that we're 100 per cent prepared and ready and going into the game," he added. "There's a good feeling in Sydney - and Australia - but it's more important the senior players and myself as captain to ensure no-one gets caught up in that wave of excitement. It does go in peaks and troughs. This is coming towards our peak. We just have to concentrate on one win, one game and we'll ride the crest of a wave for another year, maybe two, because of the Asian Cup. We're in the moment but we have to make sure we maximize the moment."

Iraq has already been eliminated from contention and will be playing with pride. The two sides met on October 16, 2012 in Doha; Australia pulled off a 2-1 victory.
"Iraq is a very passionate nationality and they have experienced very adverse moments in their lives and they always seem to be playing for, I don't know if you say a better life or a better experience in life," said Neil. "Their players are very loyal, very passionate. We know whoever travels and plays for Iraq will be very committed to their team, their flag and trying to win the game."

WWE Payback 2013

Fight Card: 

• John Cena (c) vs. Ryback – WWE Championship Three Stages of Hell match
• CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho – Singles match
• Dolph Ziggler (c) vs. Alberto Del Rio – World Heavyweight Championship match
• Wade Barrett (c) vs. The Miz vs. Curtis Axel – Intercontinental Championship match
• Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Kane – United States Championship match
• Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns (c) vs. Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton – Tag Team Championship match
• Kaitlyn (c) vs. AJ Lee – Divas Championship match

On Sunday, June 16, the WWE will unveil a new pay-per-view, Payback. Taking place in his hometown of Chicago, Payback will also witness the return of CM Punk. In addition, every WWE title will be on the line at Payback, a rarity for any WWE pay-per-view.
Take a closer look at my predictions for WWE Payback 2013.
Sheamus vs. Damien Sandow
This match is the Payback pre-show, available for free on a variety of outlets. I am a big fan of Damien Sandow's mic work, but it doesn't seem like the WWE pushes him as much as it should. Sheamus, on the other hand, is always being pushed. I predict both trends will continue at Payback.
Prediction: Sheamus wins
WWE Divas Championship: Kaitlyn vs. AJ Lee
Kaitlyn has actually been involved in a decent storyline of late. She had a secret admirer, but it was all a ruse for AJ Lee to embarrass her on WWE Raw. AJ is apparently the only Diva who can get over with the WWE fans lately, so I predict she will become the Divas Champion at Payback.
Prediction: AJ Lee wins
U.S. Championship: Dean Ambrose vs. Kane
The Shield should send Kane and Daniel Bryan Christmas cards this year for helping them get over as WWE rookies. Their matches have been classics of late, but I'm curious to see how Dean Ambrose performs at Payback without Bryan being involved. Regardless, he will retain his belt.
Prediction: Dean Ambrose wins
Intercontinental Championship: Wade Barrett vs. The Miz vs. Curtis Axel
If you look up the definition of "push," I bet there's a picture of Curtis Axel nearby. I can't recall any young WWE wrestler getting pushed like this. He's already earned a title shot at Payback and since he's already defeated Triple H and John Cena, I predict he'll also defeat Wade Barrett and The Miz.
Prediction: Curtis Axel wins
WWE Tag Team Championship: Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins vs. Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton
I predict we are seeing the beginning of a major singles push for Daniel Bryan. He and Kane have lost the WWE Tag Team titles and there is certain to be friction between he and Randy Orton at Payback. The net result of all this is that Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins will retain their belts.
Prediction: Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins win
Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk
CM Punk has certainly heard all the chatter lately about Daniel Bryan's wrestling classics on WWE Raw. Healed up from his nagging injuries, I predict Punk will go into Payback on a mission to steal the show. Chris Jericho is also capable of a great match and he will help launch Punk's next program.
Prediction: CM Punk wins
World Heavyweight Championship: Dolph Ziggler vs. Alberto Del Rio
I cannot even imagine a scenario in which Dolph Ziggler would lose the World Heavyweight Championship at Payback. After being out of action with a concussion, the WWE would be sending the wrong message if it had Ziggler drop the title right after returning. This Payback prediction is a safe bet.
Prediction: Dolph Ziggler wins
WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Ryback
The creative team is going to great lengths to convince us that Ryback is WWE Championship material. I'm not buying it. He is clearly not ready to represent the WWE as its champion. I predict Ryback will give John Cena a thorough beating at Payback, but in the end, Cena will prevail.
Prediction: John Cena defeats Ryback

True Blood Season 6

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Episode 10   'Radioactive'

 August 18 2013
THIS WEEK EPISODE 10 CLICKHERETOWATCH 


Episode 10 preview

 Sookie may have promised herself to Warlow, but that’s not who she is kissing at some point in episode 10. A sneak peek reveals that the blonde telepath will be locking lips with … Violet!

In the video Violet meets Sookie and doesn’t believe that she is really Jason’s sister. Once Sookie confirms that she is indeed Jason’s sister, Violet tells her that she’s “her sister too then”  -- and then grabs her face and starts kissing her.

Just because Sookie is kissing Violet doesn’t mean that Warlow is out of the picture. Executive producer Brian Buckner told Entertainment Weekly that the first half of the season finale will focus on Sookie and Warlow … who is a little “less patient.”...Radioactive” won’t start off with a time jump, but the second half of episode 10 will have a “significant” one, allowing the storylines to move along and merge into one. (No more separate vampire, faerie, werewolf, etc. drama -- it all becomes one!)....Where Eric flew off to may not be revealed in the “True Blood” season six finale. That being said, viewers will still feast their eyes on him (and a “certain body part”) in at least one scene in episode 10. Remember how Eric fed Jason his blood? Buckner teased EW that the scene is “sexy and provocative.”A lot may have gone on this season, but don’t forget that Jessica accidentally murdered three out of four of Andy Bellefleur’s faerie kids. Now that she’s out of the vampire camp she will definitely come face to face with the town Sheriff, and as actress Deborah Ann Woll told EW’s Sirius radio show, “I was almost certain that one of us was gonna be gone by the end of the year.”
 

Episode 9 Preview

The latest teaser promo for season 6 of True Blood has left many fans excited to see what will happen next. There are only two episodes left and fans are anxiously anticipating the penultimate episode of season six: "Life Matters."
For those who thought Walrow was dead, his appearance on the next episode will be a surprise. According to the promo video, Walrow is still alive after being found presumably dead by Bill and Sookie. And Bill still wants to use him to save Jessica and others in the camp.The video also shows a series of 'crazy' loops leave viewers expecting another explosive episode. We see Eric on the rampage, Terry's funeral and Jason in a dramatic scene with Sarah Newlin, leaving many to wonder if she will live to the season finale.The Synopsis for "Life Matters" says, "A desperate Bill (Stephen Moyer) tries to ferry Warlow (Rob Kazinsky) away from the faerie plain, but Sookie (Anna Paquin) is having none of it.""Meanwhile, Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) arrives at vamp camp, looking to inflict serious human damage. In Bon Temps, friends and family take emotional turns remembering a fallen neighbor. Bill feels the pull of Lilith's (Jessica Clark) sirens."

Episode 8 Preview

True Blood’s Season 6, Episode 8 is full of decisions, the first one being Sookie’s controversial choice between Warlow and Bill. Will Sookie give up the man who claims he loves her in hopes of keeping her hands clean of hundreds of vampire deaths? While in the camps, Sarah is taking vampire extinction by the reins and making vampires chose between a rock and a hard place. Vampires have the choice of meeting their true death by the sun or through a slow and painful death by ingesting Hep V. “If anyone else doesn’t want to drink, they can join this little party,” Sarah said in the Season 6, Episode 8 promo of “Dead Meat.” Hep V is the disease that killed Eric’s sister, Nora.

Episode 7 Preview

This week episode featuring Jackson trying to talk Alcide out of pack life, Jessica’s surprise at vamp camp, and Sam’s decision to return to Bon Temps. Alcide drives Jackson back home after their trip. Despite their tumultuous relationship, Jackson tries to give his son advice. He believes that Alcide is like him and is better off living outside of a pack. Although Alcide seems troubled by his new role, he shuts down his father’s request. Back at the vampire camp Jessica is confronted by some guards. Worried, she follows them into a meeting room. There, she is surprised to find Jason dressed up in his guard gear.

Sam calls Lafayette from the road to check on the bar. Lafayette admits that all is not well and Terry has died. Sam is devastated and asks Nicole to have her parents come pick her up. Nicole is worried about Sam going back to Bon Temps. With the death of his friend, however, Sam doesn’t have much of a choice.

Episode 6 Preview
At the end of last week’s “True Blood” season 6 episode, we had a situation that clearly did not look good for Alexander Skarsgard’s character of Eric Northman: He and Pam, the very vampire that he created, were trapped in the middle of a nasty duel, one where it was all but guaranteed that one of the two vampires would end up losing their lives for good.

So does it look like either character is going to face the true death immediately? Based on the trailer that the HBO series unveiled yesterday at Comic-Con in San Diego, it looks like they are each going to survive … for now. The thing about this vampire prison that they find themselves in is that things can change in the blink of an eye, and this includes the fate for most of these characters. There is hardly any guarantee at all that they are going to be able to be living through any other torture devices that are put before them, though the publicity materials for next week’s episode confirm already that Eric will be a part of it.

The characters that are clearly in the most danger right now include Jessica, Tara, and Nora (who are also trapped in this prison), Jason Stackhouse (who is seemingly trying to save them from the outside as a member of the anti-vampire task force gone rogue), and even Bill Compton. Bill does not seem to be altogether keen on following Lilith’s every move, and when you are dealing with a vampire god, there are some pretty freakin’ awful things that can happen to you as a result.

Episode 5 Preview

True Blood Season 6 has been a whirlwind of vampires and faeries (both old and new), and this Sunday, Episode 5: “F*** the Pain Away” brings characters  together in shocking new ways.

Read on for 5 things to know about the dramatic ep, then hit the comments with your thoughts and theories about the teases.
Read spoilers 1. After Benlow proclaims his love for Sookie, someone from her past walks in and physically takes control of the situation — and you won’t see it coming.
2. A shocking almost-hook-up changes a relationship forever, and later, one half of the duo in question walks in on the aftermath of her former love’s tryst. Awkward alert!
3. More than one huge reveal about a character made us gasp out loud, and said intel may cost someone his or her life.
4. Forget everything you know about at least one person’s death — everything changes with one flashback. This new information also leaves someone’s life hanging in the balance.
5. Prepare for a Gladiator-meets-Hunger Games style battle between two people that no one wants to see die.

Episode 4 Preview
Jason has an interesting dream about Ben involving shaving cream and blood. The results of the dream leave him startled and scared!

Although Willa is let free, she sticks around to talk with Eric. Intrigued, he listens as she tells him how she despises her father’s actions. Willa claims to be on the vampires side. She also wants to know why Eric won’t let her taste his blood, saying that she believes she deserves to try it.

Andy puts his four faerie daughters to bed for the night. The trouble is they can’t sleep because they can’t stop growing! With newfound bodies, they decide to sneak out and take the town. Bill and Jessica are surprised to find four young faerie women leaving Andy’s house when they expected children.


Sookie confronts her attraction to Ben by inviting him to dinner; Eric counters Burrell’s brutal anti-vampire initiatives by hitting him where it hurts the most; Andy’s faerie daughters keep dangerous company; Bill gives Takahashi the task of synthesizing a new kind of blood.

Episode 3 Preview
In the episode, titled "You're No Good," irate over Burrell's blatant aggression towards vampires, Eric takes matters into his own hands. After dangerously testing the limits of his powers, Bill enlists a TruBlood innovator to synthesize a new type of blood - but has difficulty finding the right donor.

 Sookie begins to learn why Warlow is after her. Sam receives unexpected help from Nicole and her Vampire Unity Society (V.U.S.) associates. Steve Newlin (Michael McMillian) finds his past ideals turning into a current nightmare.

Episode 2 Preview
In True Blood Season 6, episode 2: "The Sun," Bill Compton (aka Billith) is on a quest to understand himself, his new powers, and the mysterious presence that is Lilith. She wants him to be her successor and whatever that is, we're thinking it's probably not going to be a good thing.

"It is beginning," Lilith tells Bill while they both stand in a halo of sunshine. "I don't understand," Bill replies, squinting in the sun. "You must complete my work," Lilith says ominously.

The other True Blood vampires, who aren't possessed of new godlike powers to protect them, are at the mercy of Governor Truman Burrell and his war against all things vampires. Tara has been felled by some strange new weapon that has her screaming in pain as Pam holds her hand. "Oh my god, Jesus, it's burning!" Tara yells out while she writhes in pain and Pam looks like she's seriously freaking out.

Eric Northman, dressed in the worse clothing with the worst hair we've ever seen, is surrounded by guys in military-style SWAT gear with nasty anti-vampire weapons. We just want to know what the hell Eric is doing that he needs to wear a bad tie. "The humans are fighting back," a voiceover proclaims in what we think is Eric's sister Nora's voice. Eric, bloody and back in his trademark black, says  if "the humans want war, then we'll give them war..." We're liking this fierce bad ass Eric way better than dorky, nerd, tie-wearing Eric!
Meanwhile, over at Bill and Jessica's house, poor Jess is having screaming nightmares about her blood 'daddy'. Probably not helped by his actual screaming, or at least that's what it sounds like. As the camera hovers over Bill/Billith's slack face covered in blood tears, Jessica cries out, "Bill, I need you to come back to me, Bill!"

Episode 1

Over the past several weeks, there have been all sorts of teasers, photos, and videos released all about the sixth season of “True Blood.” However, we’re actually at the point now where it is pretty much time to just shove all of that away, and focus on the fact that the series is almost back on HBO with the season premiere!
We’re not going to dive any deeper than tomorrow’s episode here, mostly because there’s plenty of time to sink your fangs into everything else down the road. Instead, let’s start things off by just detailing a few small things about “Who Are You, Really,” which is the episode that should push forward everything else that happens in the coming months.

1. Death comes knocking – No, this is not the death that will shake up the very fabric of the show. But this is still a major death nonetheless, and it happens within the first ten minutes of the episode.
2. New carries arrive across the board – You’ve already seen a sneak peek of Sookie Stackhouse meeting a new (but very important) new character. But what comes next? How about Jason Stackhouse doing something similar? The only difference is that he is not meeting a possible love interest.
3. Bill has an identity crisis – Sure, Bill is now a super-powerful vampire god with the blood of Lilith within him. But was does that really mean, and how will he use it? Don’t assume that Bill is going to spend the premiere running around killing everyone.

UFC 161

MAIN CARD 

• Rashad Evans vs. Dan Henderson
• Stipe Miocic vs. Roy Nelson
• Ryan Jimmo vs. Igor Pokrajac
• Alexis Davis vs. Rosi Sexton
• Pat Barry vs. Shawn Jordan

PRELIMINARY CARD 

• Jake Shields vs. Tyron Woodley
• James Krause vs. Sam Stout
• Sean Pierson vs. Kenny Robertson
• Roland Delorme vs. Edwin Figueroa
• Mitch Clarke vs. John Maguire
• Yves Jabouin vs. Dustin Pague

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has trampled the carcasses of Renan Barao and Eddie Wineland during its stampede across the Canadian border because hey, the show must go on. That means the UFC 161 co-main event between Rashad Evans vs. Dan Henderson will now take center stage.

Bringing up the rear (no pun intended) is husky heavyweight hurter Roy Nelson, who needs a big performance on Saturday night (June 15, 2013) at MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Not because he has a grudge against opponent Stipe Miocic, but rather to insure the highest possible asking price from UFC (or anyone else) as he hits the open market.

Pat Barry will try to add Shawn Jordan to his highlight reel in the opening fight of the night while Ryan Jimmo tries to convince Igor Pokrajac he's a "Big Deal" at 205 pounds. Alexis Davis, meanwhile, hopes to keep pace with the rest of the female bantamweights at the expense of Rosi Sexton.


205 lbs.: "Suga" Rashad Evans (17-3-1) vs. Dan "Hendo" Henderson (29-9)

Nostradumass predicts: I know the MMA fanboy fantasy has Dan Henderson knocking out Rashad Evans and graduating to an eventual title fight against Jon Jones, but I think it's time to recognize that the "Hendo" who enters the Octagon tomorrow night in Canada is a far cry from the killer who was lighting dudes up in PRIDE FC.

Even with TRT.

Despite an array of highlight-reel knockouts over middle-of-the-pack competition, detonating an "H-Bomb" is hardly a foregone conclusion. Henderson is a geezer in a young man's game, aided by the medically-approved fountain of youth that has spawned copycat conditions in Chael Sonnen, Forrest Griffin and Frank Mir, among others.

But even the magic needle has its limitations.

Let's not forget that for every thunderous right hand that fells hapless victims like Michael Bisping and Rafael Cavalcante, there are equally putrid performances against Jake Shields and Mauricio Rua. True, the record books reflect a win against "Shogun," but there was nothing in that fight -- particularly in the latter two rounds -- to be proud of.

Fans who thought that sloppy brawl was "Fight of the Year" must have missed the barnburner between Eddie Alvarez and Michael Chandler.

Against a striker, "Hendo" probably has three solid rounds in him, which is why he wasn't in much danger against Lyoto Machida. It's hard to get tired when you don't have to to anything but circle left for 15 minutes. But against a wrestler like Evans, who recently promised to score 50 takedowns in their main event melee, I give Henderson one round to seal the deal.

It won't be enough.

Evans has only been finished once in 20 professional fights and he's the first man to take "Bones" to the judges' scorecards since Stephan Bonnar did it way back at UFC 94, a span of 10 fights. And his slap-fight against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira?

I have to believe that was a serious wake-up call.

There's no question that Henderson has the deadlier punch, but Evans is nearly nine years younger than the former Olympian. He's faster, more agile and you know what they say about speed killing. Do I think the former division kingpin secures a finish?

Not likely.

But Henderson's duck-under-then-over-the-top-right is not hard to prepare for and Evans isn't dumb enough to try to bang it out on the feet. He's going back to the style that got him into the game in the first place and even if it doesn't win him the opening frame, the wrestling exchanges will tire Henderson out and leave him gasping for air.

From there, it's mug and slug.

Final prediction: Evans def. Henderson via unanimous decision

265 lbs.: Stipe Miocic (9-1) vs. Roy "Big Country" Nelson (19-7)

Nostradumass predicts: Stipe Miocic was the belle of the ball back in 2012, you know, back when he was an undefeated heavyweight prospect and knocking fools out. Then he suffered his first defeat to Stefan Struve earlier this and suddenly he's a worthless piece of shit who no one cares about.

Welcome to MMA, y'all.

Fight fans are a fickle bunch and it's not so much what you've done, it's what have you done for me lately. That's why so many people have staked their claim to any available real estate on Roy Nelson's nuts (squatter's rights, I suppose).

It's easy to be seduced by the "Country" KO.

When you can take a beating like Nelson can, gameplanning is easy. You simply lumber forward and absorb punishment, then fire off a big right hand while your opponent tries to figure out why they can't hurt you. Worked great against Cheick Kongo and Matt Mitrione.

Against Fabricio Werdum? Not so much.

Nelson does a great job of convincing people he's a title contender, but his biggest win inside the Octagon is over Stefan Struve. He also clowned Dave Herman and Mirko Filipovic, but faltered against Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir.

You don't need MMA math to figure out that formula.

He's great when the competition isn't. But bump him up into the top five, or pair him off against former champions, and he can't get the job done. What does that have to do with Miocic? Take a look at their staredown to see why I'm taking the younger, more athletic fighter.

They'll call it an upset since Nelson is hovering around the -250 mark.

Unless Miocic doesn't own a DVR, or just has the dumbest gameplan in the history of combat sports, I can't envision him getting backed into the cage like a sitting duck. Like Henderson before him, the big right hand is not a surprise.

All he does is walk forward and try to kill you with it.

I think Stipe is smart enough to keep circling out of danger while never letting himself get too flat-footed, Exchanges with be done on the inside and his size advantage will keep him from getting dumped to the floor or turned around and pushed into the fence.

The crowd won't like it, but this fight is won by IQ, not KO.

Final prediction: Miocic def. Nelson via unanimous decision

205 lbs.: Ryan "Big Deal" Jimmo (17-2) vs. Igor "The Duke" Pokrajac (25-9)

Nostradumass predicts: It's time for Igor Pokrajac to shit or get off the pot. At 34 years old, there isn't a whole lot of time to rebuild and poor showings against Vinny Magalhaes and Joey Beltran didn't leave me wondering where he ranks in the top 10.

Still, "The Duke" is tough enough to beat guys like Stephan Bonnar, Krzysztof Soszynski and Fabio Maldonado. Not that any of them are giving Jon Jones night sweats, but he can hang in the mid-to-upper class when he wants to. The question now is, where does Jimmo belong?

Too soon to tell.

Demolishing a bloated middleweight like Anthony Perosh isn't a "Big Deal" in my book and he was unable to get the job done against James Te Huna. Still, it's difficult to overlook the carnage he's responsible for on the regional circuit, laying waste to most of the MFC roster.

All other things being equal, I'm taking the better striker.

I don't think Pokrajac has the chops to get it done. He's got decent wrestling and serviceable jiu-jitsu, but too many of his fights turn into wild brawls. I think that happens here, as well, and you'll never be able to accuse me of picking the guy with inferior hands when it comes to a slugfest.

Final prediction: Jimmo def. Pokrajac via technical knockout

135 lbs.: Alexis "Ally-Gator" Davis (13-5) vs. Rosi "The Surgeon" Sexton (13-2)

Nostradumass predicts: It's got to be tough for Alexis Davis to know she is a long way from the title picture. Reigning 135-pound champion, Ronda Rousey, is tied up with Miesha Tate on the set of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 18 until the end of the year, then the winner must face Cat Zingano.

The winner of that is likely to get Sara McMann, if the former Olympian can overcome Sarah Kaufman in Indianapolis.

That means there is nothing left for the "Ally-Gator" to do but win fights, starting with Rosi Sexton in Winnipeg. It's no secret that her hands are a work in progress and that's something I expect "The Surgeon" to try to exploit on fight night.

Ain't happening.

Sexton is a natural flyweight and while that makes her lighter on the feet, it's a death sentence on the ground, which is where Davis is most dangerous. That's something Hitomi Akano found out under the Invicta FC banner, as did Shayna Baszler.

This could be a first rounder.

Sexton will come out aggressive and try to overwhelm her foe, but Davis is not going to falter in front of her hometown fans. It's just a matter of time before the larger fighter gets this one to the ground and when she does, it's a wrap.

Final prediction: Davis def. Sexton via submission

265 lbs.: Pat "HD" Barry (8-5) vs. Shawn "The Savage" Jordan (14-4)

Nostradumass predicts: Somebody is getting KTFO in this fight. Now, I know what you're thinking, "Wow, bold prediction Mr. Out-on-a-ledge." But this is a Pat Barry fight, so it's not like you can build a legitimate case for a three-round chess match, or taut grappling exchanges.

This is all about heavy leather.

Fortunately for "HD," he's got an opponent willing to oblige. Shawn Jordan was in a big hurry to erase the memories of his stinker against Cheick Kongo and he did that by sending Mike Russow back to Chicago, Marvin Nash style (only Russow got to keep his ears).

"The Savage" isn't going to beat Barry in the stand-up, but he doesn't have to. For all the talk about Patty's improved ground game, he's still terribly inept at positioning. If Jordan is interested in winning, he'll wait for one of those thunderous leg kicks and fire off a takedown.

From there, it's academic.

But that sort of conclusion assumes Jordan can get in range without being pasted upon entry. He doesn't have the same size advantage as most of the other heavyweights Barry has faced and therefore will have no jab or spatial superiority.

Too bad.

I want to jump on the Barry bandwagon because he's one of the most exciting finishers in the game. But I can't imagine Greg Jackson, of all people, will allow his pupil to turn this thing into a bar fight. Brains, not brawn, wins this 265-pound melee.

USA vs. Panama

The United States won a close game that went down to the death against Jamaica last week, but now they face a different animal in Panama. Prior to Friday, they were ahead of the States in the CONCACAF Hex standings, but after a home draw with Mexico, they're now holding down the fourth-place playoff spot. The U.S. is in second place with a game in hand on third-placed Mexico.

The win was important, but it was still unsettling to see the Yanks give up such a soft goal in the final minutes, a goal that nearly cost them two points. It was another missed defensive assignment, this time on a free kick, and while the goal may have been offside, that doesn't excuse someone leaving Jermaine Beckford totally unmarked in the box.

The Nats will be without the services of Jermaine Jones (concussion) and Graham Zusi (suspension) for this match. Geoff Cameron seems to be the odds-on favorite to replace Jones in the lineup, as he has extensive experience in defensive midfield. Replacing Zusi will be harder, but Herculez Gomez and Eddie Johnson are both familiar options.

The United States will look to seize first place in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers when it takes on Panama on Tuesday.

The top three teams in the standings automatically book passage to the final; the fourth place team is forced to face New Zealand in a two legged playoff for the final spot. The United States currently sits in a three-way tie for first place with Mexico and Costa Rica as the three sides all have seven points; Panama is in fourth place with six points.

The Americans will get a chance to play at home where they are undefeated thus far in the qualifiers.

"We can loosen up a little bit when we're playing at home," US forward Jozy Altidore said during an interview with FIFA.com. "We'll play with a little more freedom and look to get forward."

Every game is difficult in CONCACAF. Panama will be a very difficult game in Seattle. We'll need big support from the fans and total commitment from the players in every one of these games. I think our team is good enough and has enough quality to qualify for the World Cup but we have to be ready for the battle, ready for different circumstances and places." USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann stated about Tuesday's game.

The Panamanians are coming off a 0-0 draw against Mexico. The team has drawn in three of their five hexagonal matches; Panama is also the only team in the group without a loss thus far.  Luis Henriquez leads the team with two goals in the third round of qualifying.

Prediction: Panama will turn a lot of heads this year. Look for them to shock the Americans with a 1-0 win.

Australia vs Jordan

Australia will look to jump back into second place in Group B of the AFC World Cup qualifiers when it takes on Jordan on Tuesday.
The Socceroos currently have seven points in six matches but sit in third place in the group. The top two teams in the group book automatic spots in Brazil's World Cup finals next summer. The third place team takes on the Group A third place squad for a chance to compete with the CONMEBOL's fifth place squad in a two-legged matchup. The winner of that contest heads to Brazil.
I think the situation is clear. We have to concentrate on this game most importantly," said Tim Cahill. "Jordan are a very good team, we had a very difficult game against them away, but I feel the game we had in Japan really sets us up well.
He added, "It's the performance that a lot of people are looking towards, the strength at the back and the compactness in the middle, and obviously tactically sticking to our game plan. At times it's difficult to attack, but when you're playing away in front of 62,000 people you can't be free and open and vulnerable to goals. But overall if we put our all into this Jordan game I'm quietly confident we can do the job because it's in our hands and hopefully we can do it.
Australia only has one loss thus far; however the team has lost points thanks to its four draws. The lone defeat was a 2-1 loss against Jordan back on September 11, 2012.
"We've been unlucky at times, we've played poorly at times, we've played well at times and not got results," noted midfielder Matt McKay. "To say we've only lost one game in this group, and that was a difficult trip away to Jordan, where we really would have liked to get something. So a culmination of factors (mean) we're still there."
Jordan sits in fourth place with seven points. The team has won twice but has also lost three games.

Marcos Maidana vs. Josesito Lopez

Tonight Showtime Boxing Maidana vs. Lopez. We'll have live results and fight coverage all night as Marcos Maidana faces Josesito Lopez live on Showtime. Showtime Boxing Maidana vs. Lopez airs tonight, Saturday June 8 live on Showtime with a fight time of 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT.

Fans who know the style that both Maidana and Lopez bring to the ring know that this is the fight to watch tonight, as these two tough fighters are ready to do war. To see what kind of fight we're in for, look no further than each man's most recent wins - Lopez's gutsy jaw-breaking performance against Victor Ortiz, Maidana's KOs over Jesus Soto Karass and Angel Martinez. These are two fighters who can deliver fireworks, and many expect them to do just that tonight.

But what will this fight do for each man's career? Both men have already been in the spotlight against the likes of Canelo Alvarez and Amir Khan. And yet neither man has the kind of huge name that would make this a signature win for the victor. After all, both hold victories over Ortiz that trump this, with Maidana also holding a solid win over Erik Morales. This fight as a whole is a bit lost in the shuffle of a packed 2013 in boxing.

This is all true. And yet, at the same time, this feels like it could be something big for the winner. Particularly if that winner is Josesito Lopez.


As I said, a Lopez win here would not be as big a moment for Lopez as his 2012 win over Ortiz. The Rocky story behind that fight made it a huge moment for Lopez. However, the highs of that win were almost immediately brought back down to Earth when Lopez lost to Canelo just three months later. Here then, Lopez needs to regain the momentum he took from Ortiz.

Marcos Maidana is the perfect opponent for the task.

In Maidana, Lopez has the ideal opponent. He is a tough fighter who will make this an action fight. He's powerful, but beatable - the kind of opponent that Lopez will look very good winning against. Of course, that's assuming Lopez wins, and that's a huge if. Maidana is no pushover, and absolutely has the ability to end Lopez's night with his power. If Lopez gets too wild and sloppy, allowing Maidana to brawl with him, it could become Maidana's fight to win.

But if Lopez stays focused and mixes that fire with just a bit more control, then he can take this. In the process, he can remind fans of his win over Ortiz, turn in another thrilling performance, and demand the respect of the fighters in the very exciting Welterweight division.

In short, he can make himself the star of the night, and one of the fighters to watch in 2013. To get there, he has to put down Marcos Maidana, and he has to do so in thrilling fashion. It's no easy task, but that's what makes watching Josesito Lopez so much fun.