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Raf's Recollection | UFC 168 is upon folks. I'm currently in Vegas helping the good folks over at MMANYTT with their coverage and things. are. going. fast.
Because of Christmas, all the normal fight week proceedings seem to be happening at a rapid pace. We've only been in Vegas for a little over 28 hours and we've already done the press conference and weigh ins. And by this time tomorrow we'll know the answer to who won two of the most heavily anticipated rematches in UFC history.
Ronda vs. Miesha 2. Anderson and Chris 2.
But the real rivalry we want to know the answer to is: who will win the latest installment of Over/Under Kevin?
With so many crazy betting lines for UFC 168 to choose from, we thought it might be best to consult the idiot savant (emphasis on idiot) Kev Phillips on his picks for this extra special "let's charge you an additional $5" UFC card. Now, unlike other shows that tout the expertise of their betting advisers, we pride ourselves on being the only podcast to feature an analyst whose opinion carries absolutely no weight on the proceedings.
In fact, just to make things interesting, we thought we'd bring in someone to challenge Kevin at his own game who is equally as unqualified to make fight predictions. His name is Sebastian Vendel-Martinez. He writes for MMANytt. On the right, you can see a photo of him. He told me he thinks this picture best shows off his "false professional facade" (I'm inclined to agree).
He's equally offensive and twice as funny as Kevin (which isn't saying much, I know). Please welcome him to the podcast.
The good news: what these two lack in sound judgment, they more than make up with their delightfully stupid UFC 168 banter.
On a serious note, if you're looking for a guy who does legit UFC betting line breakdowns, show some love to our pal, Daniel Patinkin over at Grappler Media.
And don't forget to keep it locked down here at VerbalTapCast.com and on our Twitter at @VerbalTapCast all day long on Saturday, December 28th for all the best UFC 168 coverage.
But Wait There's More
Turns out, Kevin knows good people.
This week, Kev convinced Underground Gym owner and BJJ badass, Travis Conley to make a stop on our podcast.
Not only is Travis is one of the few people I know who have made the transition from pro wrestling to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (we nerd out about it, and I assure you his story about tag teaming with former WCW great, Marcus "Buff" Bagwell, is worth the price of admission, folks), but he's also building a quite an impressive resume as a conditioning MMA trainer.
What I like about Travis' story is the fact that he fulfilled a lifelong dream of being a pro wrestler only to find a new love in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Over the years, he's made a mark in the world of BJJ that's allowed him to travel the globe teaching the gentle art and conducting seminars--and, along the way, discovered a more fulfilling line of work as a trainer.
Which is exactly I got Travis to play a game that combines two of his passions (BJJ and Pro Wrestling) on our podcast. It's a fun one.
If you happen to live in or travel to the Lees Summit, Missouri area, be sure to drop by his gym, as we are truly fans of folks like him who are doing great work for the BJJ and MMA community.
BJJ Shout Outs
We close out the show with a special set of BJJ-themed shout outs. Because we were filled with the X-mas spirit, we were happy to shout out some of our BJJ friends' favorite BJJ causes, gyms, and individuals. Listen in, we might have just shouted you out!
And We Want to Hear From You!
Let us know who you think is gonna win at UFC 168. Hit us up on Twitter @VerbalTapCast and person with the most accurate picks will get an extended shout out on our next podcast!!!