T.J Dillashaw made sure Joe Soto wouldn’t shock the world.

Fighting in front of his hometown crowd, UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw put on a masterful performance in the main event of UFC 177 at the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California.

It was not the one sided bout that everybody expected, but Dillashaw was dominant in his first title defense. Joe Soto looked a little overwhelmed to start the fight, but got more comfortable in the Octagon after round one.

After failing to take down Dillashaw in the initial stanza, Soto settled for the stand up game began to hit his stride by peppering the champion’s face with jabs and right hands.He stuck out his tongue at one point in the second round to taunt Dillashaw and was able to open multiple cuts on Dillashaw’s face.

But the bigger Dillashaw proved too much for the gritty Soto, and began to dominate in round 3 as he bloodied the challenger’s nose badly. Pace and conditioning was starting to become a problem for Soto late in the fight as he failed to keep up with the busier and elusive Dillashaw.

Then in the final round, Dillashaw caught a backing up Soto with a right high kick that landed on the temple. That wobbled Soto to the ground where Dillashaw finished him with a barrage of punches that forced referee Big John McCarthy to halt the bout at the 2:20 mark of the final round.

Fight Metric stats showed that the champion outlanded his challenger 156-63 and scored two take downs on Soto.

Dillashaw won by 5th round TKO for the consecutive bout. The champion improved his record to 12-2 with 4 KOs and 3 submissions. Soto fell to 15-3 with 5 KOs and 8 submissions.

Doing it for Sacramento

“It was a tough call, but I wanted to do it for Sacramento” said Dillashaw, who prepared for months to fight former champion Renan Barao in a rematch of their UFC 173 title bout last May. But Barao pulled out from the bout on the day of the weigh-in after he reportedly hit his head in his bathtub after fainting due to weight reduction issues. The UFC scrambled to find an opponent to save the event, and was forced to promote the unheralded Soto from the preliminaries to the main event.

Unranked, But Quality Foe

Although unranked by the UFC, Soto was a quality foe. He was a former collegiate wrestler who won the 145 pound belt at Bellator in 2009 and the Tachi Palace Fights bantamweight title last February. He was on a six fight winning streak, with four wins by submission and one by knockout.

Soto was originally scheduled to fight Anthony Birchak in the preliminary bouts, but he agreed to take on Dillashaw on a 24 hour notice in his UFC debut. He trained for a three round bout, but fighting Dillashaw for the UFC title was an opportunity he never imagined and one he could not refuse.

“It was a dream come true, an honor the UFC asked me to fight for the title.” said Soto after the bout. ” I’ve always wanted to be here since I was a kid. I didn’t want to die knowing I didn’t fight in the UFC.”

Soto may have lost, but he proved that he belongs to the UFC.

Brazilian guard Leandro Barbosa will suit up for the Golden State Warriors next season.

Beefing Up the Back court

In a report by Marc Stein of espn.com, Barbosa reportedly reached an agreement to sign with the Warriors for a one year deal worth the veteran’s minimum. Barbosa was also being actively courted by the Miami Heat prior to his decision to play for the Dubs. The Heat later settled for another veteran guard, Shannon Brown, too beef up their backcourt.

Reliable Veteran Guard

Barbosa played for the Phoenix Suns, this past season he suited up for 20 games and averaged 7.5 points 1.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game before suffering a season ending hand fracture in March.

Barbosa was the San Antonio Spurs’ 1st round pick in 2003 (#28) but started his career playing seven seasons as a reliable back court contributor with the Phoenix Suns. Barbosa also played for the Raptors, Pacers and Celtics before coming back to Phoenix last season.

The 12 year NBA veteran has career averages of 11.9 points 2.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Though Barbosa was hardly a three point presence in the last two seasons, he has a career average of 1.3 three pointers made per game.

Phoenix Connection

After trading Steve Blake to Portland, Golden State was looking for a steady back-up to their superstar back court of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. And after signing veteran point guard Shaun Livingston from the Brooklyn Nets earlier in the off season, the Warriors have strengthened their back court with the addition of Barbosa, a fearless offensive weapon who is known in NBA circles as the “Blur” for his quickness and speed. Babrosa is also an excellent ball handler who can help the Dubs in play making.

Barbosa looks to play a key role off the bench for the Warriors as he has a personal connection to newly hired Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr. Kerr was the General Manager of the Phoenix Suns from 2007-2010 when Barbosa was still playing there. He knows firsthand what the Brazilian Blur can do for this team, as they look to strengthen their position in the tough Western Conference of the NBA.

The 31 year old Barbosa is currently with the Brazilian national basketball team in Spain to compete for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup which starts on August 30th. Barbosa joins fellow NBA veterans Tiago Splitter, Nene Hilario and Anderson Varejao to form the core of the very experienced Brazilian team who is one of the dark horses in the tournament.

It looks like the Los Angeles Clippers are trying to pull one more major move before heading into training camp.

Clearing Cap Space

Three days after trading Jared Dudley for Carlos Delfino and Miroslav Raduljica, the team announced that it will be waiving both players in order to create roster and salary space. Last Tuesday, the Clippers sent Dudley and a protected 2017 first round pick to the Bucks in exchange for Delfino and Raduljica.

But in an expected move, the Clippers will use the “stretch provision” to payout the remaining contracts of Delfino and Raduljica over five years. After the move, the Clippers now have some $3.5M in cap space, which is enough for the team to sign players under the veteran’s minimum.

The trading of Dudley also left the Clippers roster with just 11 players, paving way to add one more crucial piece to their championship puzzle.

Eyeing Allen?

According to reports, the Clippers are seriously considering signing Miami Heat free agent guard Ray Allen. The 39 year old sharpshooter has yet to decide where he is going to play next season. Allen was being pursued by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He was expected to follow former Heat teammates Mike Miller and James Jones, who earlier this summer signed in to join King James’ Cavs. But Allen has been non-committal, saying that he wants to think harder and decide “sometime in September”.

He had previously stated that he wanted to be part of another championship team, and many were thinking that he would be joining the Spurs, Heat or the Cavaliers. But with the latest move of the Clippers, it seems that there is a new possible destination for Ray Allen’s final basketball years.

Playing for a Title Contender

The Clippers would also fit Allen’s wishes of playing for a title contender. And the Clippers are coached by Doc Rivers, the man who brought him to the Celtics. Rivers was the head coach when Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were assembled to lead the Boston Celtics to the 2008 NBA title. Adding Allen would be crucial as the Clippers traded Dudley who was a valuable three point weapon.

Dudley averaged 1.1 three pointers per game on .360 shooting from three point distance. But even at an advanced age, Ray Allen would be definitely a three point weapon upgrade for the Clippers. Allen averaged 1.6 three pointers per game and shots a decent .375 from the field in 2014.

Adding Intangibles

More than the stats, Allen is known as one of the best clutch shooters in the game. He is best remembered for saving the Heat’s 2013 season by hitting that clutch three point shot that sent the game to overtime, where the Heat outlasted the Spurs to force a game 7. Allen is the NBA’s all-time three point leader and is still considered as one of the best three point shooters in the game today.

Adding Allen would also give a strong veteran presence in the locker room and the winning pedigree that the Clippers have long wanted. Aside from the 2008 title with the Celtics, Allen was a part of the Heat’s 2013 title squad. The Clippers are looking for a breakout year under new owner Steve Ballmer. Adding a true champion like Ray Allen would most certainly help that cause.

Michael Bisping (25-6 with 15 knockouts and 4 submissions) fought the perfect fight and battered Cung Le ( 9-3 with 8 knockouts) all night long before stopping the 42 year old undefeated Kickboxer in the main event of UFC Fight Night 48 at the Cotai Arena in Macau, China.

Bisping used his vintage volume striking to slowly chip away at Le who was looking to get back into the Top 10 rankings. But the UFC’s 8th ranked middleweight’s incredible cardio and work rate proved too much for the Vietnamese kicking machine as Bisping turned the fight into a personal striking clinic.

Striking Duel

The bout started out with two combatants displaying their striking prowess. Le mixed his hooks with an assortment of kicks while Bisping used masterful footwork and impressive multiple punch combinations. The early stages of the bout was pretty much even until the second round when Bisping landed a jab that immediately closed Le’s right eye.

The eye injury turned out to be the turning point of the match as it impeded Le’s vision and caused him to squint in pain the rest of the way. Bisping quickly worked on the eye and then later targeted Le’s left eye which was also nearly shut closed in the middle rounds. Fighting on instincts, Le tried his best to prolong the bout in the hopes of landing a knockout kick. But Bisping was simply too slick on a night where he needed a win to get back into title discussion.

Looking for First Title Shot

Since winning the Ultimate Fighter Season 3, Bisping has been one of the UFC’s most promising yet polarizing characters. He was a 14-1 light heavyweight who moved down to middleweight and fought two title eliminator bouts. But he lost both fights to Dan Henderson and Chael Sonnen, and was seemingly on the verge of retirement after going 2-3 in his last five bouts. But this win has changed it all for Michael Bisping.

After the bout, he called out Luke Rockhold,  saying that “Rockhold’s an idiot who can’t stop talking about me”. The #5 ranked UFC middleweight called Bisping a “douche” in an interview last month and that did not sound nice to Bisping’s ears. The Count said that he wants to beat Rockhold next and go for the middleweight title.

When asked for comment, UFC President Dana White refused to say that Rockhold-Bisping is the direction they’re moving to but said that it’s a fight that “makes sense.”

In a knockout filled event, Rafael Dos Anjos made sure the main event didn’t disappoint.

Rafael Dos Anjos had never fought in a main event bout in his six years at the UFC. On Saturday, Dos Anjos finally got that opportunity, and made the most of it by knocking out former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson in the first round of their five round non-title fight at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The stunning upset capped a night filled with knockouts as the last four fights in the main card of UFC Fight Night 49 ended in knockouts. But none was more shocking than the loss of Henderson, who was ranked #1 in the UFC’s lightweight division. He was on a two fight winning streak since losing the title to Anthony Pettis at UFC 164 last August 2013.

All About Dos Anjos

The night was all about the 29 year old Dos Anjos who displayed his much improved striking game. Training with the famed striking coach Rafael Cordeiro, the UFC’s 5th ranked lightweight showed very fast combinations that were punctuated by crisp shots. The Brazilian Jiu Jistsu black belt secured his second consecutive KO victory, and his fourth overall.

Dos Anjos has won seven of his last eight bouts, and his only loss during that run has been a unanimous decision loss to undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov last April.

Minor Controversy

Dos Anjos rocked Henderson with a left hook near the two minute mark of round one, and as Bendo backed up, Dos Anjos followed it up with a flying knee that slammed Henderson’s chin.  The former champion dropped and attempted a takedown to slow down Dos Anjos but it mas muffed by the Brazilian.

When Henderson tried to get back to his feet, Dos Anjos caught him with a left hook that knocked him down along the fence. Sensing a finish, Dos Anjos followed it up with another left hook to the chin of Henderson whose hands were down. This prompted referee Big John McCarthy to waive off the bout at 2:31 of round 1.

Although Dos Anjos said that Henderson went out, the former champ was still conscious when Big John stepped in. He immediately jumped up to his feet and pleaded with McCarthy but the fight had already been stopped.

After the bout, Henderson said that he was “clear-headed” but accepted the defeat by saying “it is what it is.” Henderson dropped to 9-2 in the UFC and has been 2-2 in his last four fights. Henderson won the UFC lightweight belt in 2012 and defended it three times before losing to Pettis last year.

The last piece of the Celtics’ 2008 championship team may be gone pretty soon.

Doesn’t Seem to Fit

After failing to land any of the top free agents in this offseason, the Celtics are looking at another tough season. They have added two solid pieces by grabbing Marcus Smart and Jamey Young from the 2014 draft to add to their young core that is led by Avery Bardely, Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk and Tyler Zeller.

The Celtics also bagged Marcus Thornton from the Nets but the team doesn’t look like it will be championship caliber in the next five years, and for Rajon Rondo, that would be a downgrade from the days of Pierce, Garnett and Allen where they dominated the Eastern Conference with ease.

Rondo becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season, and while the Celtics have continually denied rumors that their captain is on the trading block, it is “unlikely” that he will want to go for a “rebuilding ride” with the young Celtics.

Going West

Reports from Sports Talk’s Tyler Spence last week pointed to Rondo going west to the Sacramento Kings. In that reported deal, the Celtics would be receiving a trade package that includes Ben McLemore and Derrick Williams.

The Kings were one of the teams who made a strong effort to get Rondo before last season’s trade deadline, but the Celtics eventually decided to keep their star point guard.

he Kings’ interest in Rondo was renewed, especially after they let starting point guard Isaiah Thomas walk away in a sign and trade deal last month. Thomas was a vital cog in the Kings’ 2014 season as he averaged career highs in scoring (20.3 PPG) and assists (6.3 APG).

But according to the twitter account of the Basketball Insiders, both the Celtics and Kings are “adamantly denying that a Rajon Rondo deal is being discussed.”

Unique Superstar

Rondo’s stat line can be deceiving. His career averages of 11.1 points, 8.4 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game may look ordinary. But the 8 year veteran is a unique superstar who isn’t afraid to do anything to make his team better. Rondo has proven that he can score the points, but he’s very willing to play tough defense and do the dirty work just to win.

Of course, what makes Rondo truly special is his passing and playmaking abilities. Add the fact that he has that all important NBA championship in his resume which makes him very valuable.

The Celtics may not be making the move right now, as they may be looking for the equitable return for Rondo. But they can’t expect him too to hang around for their rebuilding process while he is in his prime. Rondo is 29 and isn’t getting any younger. Expect the Celtics to deal their superstar point guard before he walks away and leaves the team with nothing in return.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has ordered the organization’s junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia to fight mandatory challenger Vitkor Postol.

Purse Bid Scheduled

According to Sulaiman, a purse bid has been scheduled for September 12 in case the camps of Garcia and Postol do not reach a deal. During the same announcement, Sulaiman also ordered a purse bid for the heavyweight title match between Bermane Stiverne and Deontay Wilder.

Postol (26-0 with 11 knockouts) became the WBC’s mandatory challenger following his 11th round TKO victory over Selcuk Aydin last May. He also owns impressive victories over Henry Lundy and DeMarcus Corley. The champion is being promoted by Golden Boy promotions while the challenger is co-promoted by the Ukrainian Elite Boxing and Top Rank Promotions. Both camps are currently in a “free negotiation” period where they can avoid the purse bid by making the fight themselves.

Could be Moving Up

But the unbeaten Garcia (29-0 with 17 knockouts), who also holds the Ring and WBA junior welterweight titles, has hinted that he might be moving up in weight to get the bigger fights at the star studded welterweight division. He also has talked about a unification bout with IBF title holder Lamont Peterson instead of fighting Postol.

According to Postol’s manager Vadim Kornilov, his fighter is “ready to face Garcia.” But should the champion move up in weight and vacate the title, they are also prepared to face the hard hitting Argentinian Lucas Matthysse who is next in line for the title. Garcia previously defeated Matthysse via unanimous decision last September 2013 in his third title defense.

Legit Threat

The 30 year old Ukrainian fighter poses as a legitimate threat to the unbeaten record and title reign of Garcia. His 5-11 height and heavy work rate could cause a lot of problems for Garcia who is having a tough year in 2014. His first fight of the year against Mauricio Herrera last March was controversial because most fight observers believed that Herrera outboxed Garcia.

Then earlier this month, Garcia knocked out an overmatched Rod Salka in a non-title bout that also raked in a lot of criticisms. Clearly, Postol is too tough to risk Garcia’s unblemished slate because he is much better than most of Garcia’s previous opponents. If Garcia had problems during his fight with Herrera, then a taller boxer like Postol could be potentially dangerous. Postol is not someone whom Garcia can control with his jab because of his reach. If Postol imposes his length, Garcia will have to push the action and eat some punches to get to his opponent.

Garcia has three options against Postol: 1. knock him out, 2. outwork him every round or 3. vacate the title. It’s more likely that his father Angel would let his son take the third option and hope they land a big fight at welterweight.

Add another valuable championship piece to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Committed to Cavs

ESPN.com reports that Dallas Mavericks’ free agent Shawn Marion has committed to signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Sources said that Marion has informed the Cavaliers’ management that he intends to sign with the team this month despite the fact that the Cleveland could only offer him a “minimum deal.”

Marion had spent the last five seasons playing for the Dallas Mavericks. He was the starting small forward of the Mavs’ 2011 Championship team, playing a crucial role as the primary defender of opposing star players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant.

Before the 2014 season ended, Marion had hoped to relocate to a championship contender should he hit free agency. Marion was still hoping to stay in Dallas but his departure from became imminent after the Mavs signed Rockets’ free agent Chandler Parsons and Al-Farouq Aminu, who are both small forwards like Marion.

In Hot Pursuit

The Indiana Pacers’ were in hot pursuit of Marion last week, after they were granted the $5.3M Disabled Player exception following the season ending injury suffered by Paul George last August 1st.

But after personally meeting with Pacers’ President Larry Bird last week, Marion made it clear that he wanted an opportunity to win another NBA title. Playing with LeBron James and the upgraded Cleveland Cavaliers definitely fits that bill and maximizes the Matrix’s chance of securing a second championship ring.

Valuable Veteran

Marion averaged 10.4 points 6.5 rebounds 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game in 76 regular season games with the Mavericks last season. Although those numbers were slightly lower than his career averages, Marion was still a valuable contributor for the Mavs last season. He ranked second in the team in rebounds and steals while his .358 shooting from three point distance was his highest since 2002-03.

Defensively, Marion was tied with Samuel Dalembert and Monta Ellis with the second highest defensive win shares last season at 2.1. Marion was also 6^th among NBA small forwards in steals per fouls at 0.72 and 9^th in steals per turnover at 0.95.

But more than these statistical contributions, Marion’s championship experience is an invaluable asset for the young Cleveland Cavaliers which would make him seamlessly fit in their locker room. Aside from the 2011 championship, Marion’s teams have been in the playoffs in 10 of his 15 years, making deep playoff runs in several occasions.

With these intangibles added to his statistical value, a healthy Shawn Marion should be one of the key factors to Cleveland’s 2015 NBA title run.

Music artist and mogul Jay Z’s 16-month old sports agency Roc Nation rocked the sports nation when it outbid Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Promotions during the purse bid for the mandatory fight between WBO middleweight champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin and Matt Korobov. The bidding was held at the WBO headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Roc Nation’s $1,904,840.00 purse bid easily beat Golden Boy ($1.2M) and Top Rank ($0.515M) to secure the promotional rights to the WBO’s next middleweight title bout. The purse bid was ordered after the promoters of Quillin (Golden Boy) and Korobox (Top Rank) could not make a deal with each other.

Immediate Impact

David Iskowitch, Roc Nation’s Chief Operating Officer for its boxing division, told espn.com that their company wanted to make “an immediate and dramatic impact on the sport.” And by making a bid way bigger than boxing’s two Top promoters, it certainly did that and made a huge statement of its arrival in boxing.

Iskowitch was formerly Golden Boy’s COO for six years before resigning recently to take some time off. He then returned to join Jay Z’s new sports firm which also represents top athletes like the NBA’s Kevin Durant, Dominican baseball star Robinson Cano, Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia and NY Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz.

Positive Reactions

Roc Nation’s victory earned positive reactions all over the boxing industry.

The WBO, through its president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel, said that they “wish Roc Nation nothing but success in their endeavors” and that they “look forward to working with them again in the future.” However, Valcarcel said on a personal note that he was initially surprised that Roc Nation made a huge bid in a fight which it didn’t have a direct interest in.

Although Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar de La Hoya said he was also “surprised” with Jay Z’s bid, he was glad that “someone like Jay Z and his team realize the values and opportunities in the sport of boxing.”

Top Rank’s Carl Moretti also “welcomed Jay Z and his group to the sport of boxing” and congratulated them on their winning bid. Moretti promised that Korobov and his team will fully cooperate with the terms and requirements that Roc Nation may impose on the fight.

Starting From Scratch

Roc Nation doesn’t have any fighters yet signed under its name nor does it have a boxing stable. It has yet to negotiate a television deal and has only a promotional license in two places. As a result, Roc Nation has initially planned to stage the Quillin-Korobov fight on November 8th in either New York or Washingon, the only places where they currently have a boxing license to promote fights.

The undefeated Quillin (31-0 with 22 knockouts) has already made three successful title defenses of the WBO title while Korobov (24-0 with 14 knockouts) will fight for a world title for the first time in his pro career. Both men will be getting their biggest payday ever as a result of Roc Nation’s huge bid. The New York native Quillin is slated to take the mandatory 75% of the purse ($1,428,630.00) while Korobov, the 31 year old former Olympian from Russia, will receive the remaining 25% ($476,210.00)

The scene looked more like an NBA regular season game rather than a USA basketball event.

The Return of Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose made his first appearance in nine months at the Chicago Bulls’ United Center home floor on Saturday. The 2011 NBA MVP had played just a total of 10 NBA games in the last two seasons after suffering two serious knee injuries that have derailed his career and the championship hopes of the Bulls.

Rose managed to score just seven points in 24 minutes of playing time, but it was a game where he did not have to score as much as he’s needed to in a Bulls’ uniform. Team USA beat Brazil 95-78 in an exhibition game that was part of its preparations for the coming FIBA 2014 World Cup in Spain which begins on August 30th.

Getting the Crowd Excited

Rose was the last player introduced during the pre-game ceremonies, and that got the NBA-atmosphere crowd excited as they chanted “MVP” to welcome back their favorite son. When Rose took to the microphone at the start of game to address the crowd, it took him some thirty seconds before he could talk, as the crowd gave him an inspiring standing ovation.

Rose showed some rust as he missed a coupe of open shots and even a dunk attempt. That was acceptable and understandable. But what was impressive was that he looked like he’s never lost a step at all. He showed that patented explosiveness when he blew by a defender and hit a spectacular left handed lay-up over the Cavaliers’ Anderson Vajerao in the third quarter. Rose’s lay-up near the end of the first half also showed that he’s now able to control his incredible speed and quickness.

Chicago’s Own

In the end, none of his stats really mattered because fellow Chicago native Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans had his breakout game as a National team player. The 6-11 forward scored 20 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked five shots. It was Davis who set the tone on both offense and defense, and his dive for a loose ball into the stands during the fourth quarter had the crowd chanting “USA”.

Team USA was playing without DeMarcus Cousins who had a minor knee injury and Coach Mike Krzyzewski had to give valuable minutes to Mason Plumlee to help Davis and power forward Kenneth Faried battle Brazil’s NBA frontline of Nene, Tiago Splitter and Anderson Varejao.

Brazil kept the game close 68-63 early in the fourth quarter with Splitter’s team high 16 points and Rafael Hettsheimeir’s 13 second half points. But Klay Thompson’s three pointer led a decisive 12-2 run that put the game away.James Harden scored 18 points for the Americans and Klay Thompson added 10 for Team USA.

Brazil played tough early on, and managed to stay within 68-63 early in the fourth quarter before Klay Thompson drilled a three pointer. Tiago Splitter led Brazil with 16 points while Rafael Hettsheimeir added 13 points.

Team USA has been reeling from the loss of Paul George to injury and the sudden withdrawal of Kevin Durant. These were also preceded by the withdrawals of Blake Griffin and Kevin Love for various reasons. But with Derrick Rose back in elite form, USA basketball is in good hands right now with the FIBA World Cup less than two weeks away.