|
LAS VEGAS -- Canadian Alexis Davis modestly describes her fighting skills as "a little of this, a little bit of that." "Doesnt matter where the fight ends up, Im pretty comfortable in all positions," she said. The 29-year-old from Port Colborne, Ont., who fights out of San Jose, looks to use all those tools Saturday against womens bantamweight (Rowdy) Ronda Rousey in the co-main event of UFC 175. Rousey (9-0) is the gold standard of womens MMA. An Olympic bronze medallist in judo, she has gone on to dominate the womens side of mixed martial arts in defending her 135-pound UFC title three times. As such, the bookmakers see Rousey as anywhere from a 9-1 to 17-1 favourite against Davis despite the fact both women are 3-0 in the UFC. Rousey tells a different story. "Shes the most well-rounded fighter Ive ever come up against," she said at a public workout Wednesday. "Ive always had someone whos predominantly a grappler or striker, who always had that weak area to bring them to. Alexis really doesnt have a weak area, so I just have to be better than her everywhere." Davis (16-5) has black belts in Brazilian and Japanese jiu-jitsu. And the scars around her eyes show she is not afraid to mix it up. While quiet by nature, Davis is savouring the buildup to the championship bout. "I feel like Im on a rush right now, kind of soaking everything, just enjoying myself," she said. She will have plenty of support from north of the border, with some 20 family and friends expected to fly down to Vegas. "Its incredible," she said. "Im just happy to have them watching on TV. For them to come out, its awesome that they support me." Her husband Flavio Ralf Meier doubles as her Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach, so hes already here. The two rolled together at a public workout Wednesday, bowing to each other as the workout ended. "It has its highs and its lows," a giggling Davis said of having her husband as a coach. "But were really good at being able to kind of separate what were doing -- inside the gym and home life. Because you kind of have that balance. Home is like your little sanctuary where you dont have to focus on the fight, youre more worried about whats going on with the kids (three boys from her husbands previous relationship). Its just all about relaxing. "But when were inside the gym, if you havent seen it, Im choking him just as hard as Im choking everybody else." As for the lopsided fight odds against Rousey, Davis is unconcerned. "I can see why Im the underdog," she said. "Obviously not only is she the champion and shes been so successful but every single fight shes had has been a finish. "I dont mind being the underdog ... Less pressure, let her have it all." . First reported by FOX Sports Ken Rosenthal, its unknown if the impetus for the deferral proposal came from players or management, but it never left the preliminary stages. . "If we could score a six in every game, obviously I would be pretty excited," Jones said. "Its a long week but a short week. Its a pretty short round robin from what were used to so you dont want to get behind the eight ball early. . Darren Collison and Blake Griffin scored 23 points apiece and the Clippers beat the Suns 112-108 Wednesday night, their fourth win in a row and 17th in the last 19 games. . Boston is making its first appearance in the ALCS since 2008. For Detroit, its a third straight trip to the ALCS and its fourth in eight years. .ca NBA Power Rankings. Winners of 15 straight, with a healthy roster, the Spurs have overtaken the Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder for the number one ranking.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- For Bills safety Jairus Byrd, there was nothing like the sight of watching Jets backup quarterback Matt Simms trot out on the field early in the fourth quarter Sunday. To Byrd, that was a signal that he and Buffalos defence had done its job in thoroughly rattling rookie starter Geno Smith. "It sits great with us," Byrd said. "Any time you can do that, it means were being relentless out there." That was the case from start to finish as the Bills defence and blustery winds gusting up to 30 mph proved too much for Smith and the Jets to handle in Buffalos dominating 37-14 victory. Byrd had two interceptions. Defensive tackle Kyle Williams had two sacks and forced a fumble. And, safety DaNorris Searcy returned another Smith interception 32 yards for a touchdown as Buffalo turned four turnovers by the quarterback into 17 points. The Bills got after Smith from the Jets opening possession. Thats when defensive tackle Marcell Dareus briefly knocked the quarterback out of the game by hitting him in the mid-section. "First play of the game, I knew that we had him," Dareus said. "We got a big lick on him, and he kind of rolled around. We knew right then we were in his head. From then on, he looked crazy, looked scattered." The Bills also didnt take too kindly upon hearing the Jets spent part of Saturday at Dave & Busters, a chain restaurant and entertainment venue in suburban Buffalo. "Me personally, I feel theyre disrespectful in the first place, so it didnt shock me," Bills defensive end Mario Williams said. Jets coach Rex Ryan defended the decision, saying it wasnt meant to be disrespectful. "I dont know why thats added motivation. We do different things when were on the road," Ryan said. "We went out as a team, so thats what we did." The Bills (4-7) snapped a three-game skid and enter their bye week by winning for only the second time in seven games. The Jets (5-5), coming off their bye, continued their string of inconsistent outings by becoming the NFLs first team to alternate wins and losses through the first 10 games of the season. Smith, a second-round pick out of West Virginia, went 8 of 23 for 103 yards passing, and was blunt in assessing his outing. "The way I can sum up this game is awful," Smith said. "I couldnt hit anything today. I jusst wasnt hitting the mark.dddddddddddd" Bills rookie quarterback EJ Manuel, selected 16th overall out of Florida State, was far better. He finished 20 of 28 for 245 yards passing and two scores. And he did so with Buffalo playing minus both starting receivers: Stevie Johnson (groin) and Robert Woods (sprained left ankle). Smith has now gone a combined 36 of 72 for 377 yards passing, with no touchdowns and five interceptions in his past three games. And hes particularly struggled on the road, where he dropped to 1-4 and thrown four touchdown passes and 10 interceptions. Overall, he has eight touchdowns, 16 interceptions and has lost four fumbles. Ryan attempted to deflect criticism directed at his quarterback by noting Smith had little protection. "With that protection, you couldve had Joe Namath back there and I dont think it wouldve mattered today," Ryan said. "Obviously, when you turn the ball over four times, thats a poor performance." It was so bad that the Jets managed just 267 yards offence and a season-low 12 first downs. Under Smith, the Jets produced 4 yards offence, no first downs and committed two turnovers on 13 plays over the final five possessions of the first half. Jets running back Chris Ivory scored on a 1-yard plunge on fourth down. Simms marched the Jets on a six-play, 62-yard drive, capped by a 13-yard pass to Jeff Cumberland with 9:36 left. The Bills took control in the final minutes of the first half. Starting with Manuels 34-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Graham with 4:05 left, Buffalo scored 17 points over a span of 2:50 to build a 20-0 lead with 65 seconds left in the first half. Kyle Williams sack and forced fumble led to fullback Frank Summers scoring on a 3-yard run. Then Byrds first interception set up Dan Carpenters 42-yard field goal. NOTES: The conditions were so tough that a tear-away portion of the football-field sized American flag came undone during the national anthem. ... Jets PK Nick Folk missed his first field-goal attempt of the season after a 48-yarder sailed wide right. Folks streak ended at 23 straight, one short of matching the franchise record set by Jay Feely from 2008-09. ... Among those in attendance was New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who played a big role last year in negotiating the Bills 10-year lease agreement to stay at Ralph Wilson Stadium. ' ' '
|
