Dein erstes Forum » y.” Komarov bolted for the KHL after that 2013 campaign

LAS VEGAS -- Chris Weidman accepted his UFC middleweight title belt with a grimace and a furtive look over his shoulder. Anderson Silva writhed and screamed on the canvas behind him, his left leg grotesquely broken by a kick to Weidmans knee. The champ couldnt celebrate after the UFCs year-end show ended with a stark reminder of the brutality at the core of this flashy, fast-growing sport. Weidman defended his title when Silva broke his shin on a kick to Weidmans knee in the second round Saturday night, ending UFC 168 with a horrific injury. While Weidman (11-0) awkwardly acknowledged his victory, the MGM Grand Garden crowd watched with reverence and horror as medical personnel tended to Silva (33-6), whose shin bent to a 90-degree angle after Weidman blocked his kick 1:16 into the round. "Theres no real excitement in a fight finishing like that, because you never want to see anyone get hurt like that," Weidman said after his second straight win over the long-reigning champion. Weidman, who earned his belt with an upset victory in July, also dominated the first round of the rematch, pinning Silva to the mat and punishing him with blows. In the second, Weidman used his knee to stop Silvas kick with perfect mixed martial arts technique, never anticipating the result. "I did work on checking kicks," Weidman said. "I figured if I (caught) him on my knee, it could really hurt him. Crazy how this happened." Ronda Rousey also retained her bantamweight title on arguably the UFCs most anticipated show of the year, submitting Miesha Tate with a third-round arm bar. Rousey then walked away from her bitter rivals offer of a post-fight handshake, earning ferocious boos from the Vegas fight crowd. But Rouseys questionable sportsmanship was dwarfed by the unquestionably awful finish to the main event. Although the injury happened too quickly to be seen by most naked eyes in Las Vegas, the sound of Silvas cracking shin could be heard at cageside. Thousands of fans cringed and moaned when the replay was shown on the arenas big screens. "I knew coming into the fight that what he could hurt me most with was the leg kicks," Weidman said. "We trained checking the kick a lot. The idea is to pull your leg and for their shin to land at the knee. Thats exactly what I did, and I felt his leg go right away." Referee Herb Dean waved off the fight when Silva fell back, clutching his leg with both hands. Silva left the octagon strapped to a stretcher with a brace on his leg, screaming in pain. With his belt back around his waist, Weidman paid tribute to the injured ex-champion. "Hes still known as the greatest fighter of all time," Weidman said. Silvas nearly seven-year reign atop the middleweight division ended nearly six months ago when Weidman stopped the preening, posturing champion with a left hook at UFC 162. With two straight wins, the former Hofstra wrestler has firmly ended Silvas reign. The injury in the rematch conceivably could end the 38-year-old Brazilians MMA career. The show was heavy on violent finishes. Heavyweight Travis Browne knocked out veteran Josh Barnett in the first round with a series of elbows to the head, earning the third straight early stoppage on the pay-per-view portion of the card. Before the unsettling main event, Rousey (8-0) got the biggest test of her ascendant career. Rousey had never seen the second round of an MMA fight, but Tate tested the champion with striking and tenacity. Although Rousey repeatedly tossed Tate (13-5) to the canvas and pounded on her, Rousey couldnt finish until getting her weary opponent into her patented arm bar -- the submission move she has used to end each of her eight professional fights. "I respect Miesha very much as a competitor," said Rousey, who feels Tate insulted her family. "But I cant respect a fighter who did what she did, and I cannot shake her hand because of it." Tate landed plenty of strikes to Rouseys head, particularly during a thrilling first round in which she tested Rouseys chin. Rousey gradually wore down Tate and finally finished her, violently bending her elbow and forcing Tate to tap out. "Going more than one round was a good experience," Rousey said. "I needed that experience in the octagon, and as my mom said, better to get it in a win than in a loss." But when Tate attempted to shake her hand, Rousey slowly rose and walked away. The crowd booed vociferously when the replay of the snub was shown in slow motion, but Rousey didnt apologize. Nearly two years ago, Rousey defeated Tate by first-round arm bar to claim Tates Strikeforce title, cementing her meteoric rise from the U.S. Olympic judo team to the apex of MMA. Rousey and Tate have made no secret of their distaste since that bout, further stoked by their combative appearance as coaches on the most recent season of "The Ultimate Fighter," the UFCs competition reality show. "In judo, I didnt know what a cheer was," Rousey said. "Cheers are whats new." Dick Butkus Jersey . Speaking with TSN 1050 following Brendan Shanahans introductory press conference, the Leafs GM also addressed the clubs perceived leadership issues and the type of working relationship that can be expected within Torontos front office. Mike Singletary Jersey . "Ive still got it," Seattles ace said with a sly grin. Riding that fastball carrying a little more zip, Hernandez took a shutout bid into the ninth inning as the Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 on Wednesday night. On the verge of a brilliant shutout and first complete game since Aug. http://www.officialauthenticbearsproshop.com/Youth-Jim-Mcmahon-Bears-Jersey/ . - Mark Sanchez found out the New York Jets had acquired Tim Tebow on a conference call with team management. Devin Hester Jersey . Rockies manager Walt Weiss was unhappy, too. Weiss addressed the issue in a 15-minute meeting with his pitcher and catcher after the Rockies gave up 14 hits and lost 10-1. De La Rosa lasted only 4 1-3 innings and allowed five runs in his first opening-day start. Brian Urlacher Jersey . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.TORONTO – Two times in the past three seasons, the hockey team from Toronto has collapsed under city-rattling circumstances, including a rapid descent from near-certain playoff entry last season. In between was a valiant stab at the first Leaf post-season series win in years from a feisty, competitive group – albeit, one that probably benefited from the 48-game schedule. Looking to recapture some of that magic, Leafs management made character, attitude, leadership and qualities of mental fortitude high priorities in their bid at roster reconstruction on July 1st. Led by president Brendan Shanahan and incumbent general manager Dave Nonis, the club reacquired two players from that 2013 squad – Leo Komarov and Matt Frattin – also adding 37-year-old Stephane Robidas to a defence that recently replaced the steady Carl Gunnarsson with edgy-type Roman Polak. “Part of it is always about character,” said Nonis, shortly after 5pm et, when the Leafs first crack at free agency ended. “I dont think that we have a character issue with our team or our players, but I think adding people like Leo and Robidas to [the roster] only strengthens it. The compete level that we had two years ago, I think was at or near the top of the league. We got more out of our players – the coaches did – the players, themselves, did in terms of pushing each other, than we did last year. No question about it.” Randy Carlyle couldnt summon much in the way of explanation as to why things unraveled for the Leafs so epically months earlier, but did notice something amiss with the attitude of his group. “We lacked the compete,” he said, while at the draft in Philadelphia this past weekend. “I look at compete as part of the character flaw.” It was clear management sensed something similar, though character and leadership would hardly encompass the Leafs woeful defence and penalty-killing, targeting players in free agency or on the trade market who were known for their high compete level. In addition to Komarov and Robidas, the club also made pitches to keep gritty, but soon-to-be overpaid, Dave Bolland, 38-year-old former Team Canada defender Dan Boyle and long-time Montreal heart-and-soul type, Josh Gorges. Robidas, who was signed for three years at $9 million, offers the Leafs a much-needed veteran upgrade in their top-four, a long-time Dallas Star whos physical, blocks shots and has the ability to play in every situation. A right-handed defender, in short supply for the club a year ago, and veteran of 885 regular season games, Robidas brings a savvy that was lacking on a mismatched back-end last season. “It was a factor,” Nonis said of character when it came to Robidas, who suffered two separate, broken right-leg injuries last season, but will be ready for training camp. “The people that I know that know him, that Brendan knows, speak very highly of the way he handles himself, on and off the ice. I dont think were looking at a guy thats going to come in here and be terribly vocal or anything like that, but in terms of playing the game the right way, taking care of yourself and leading by example, that coupled with being a right-shot and his playing ability, he was the guy we targeted right away.” Komarov bolted for the KHL after that 2013 campaign, but was eager to return to the NHLL-lifestyle this fall.dddddddddddd He garnered considerably more than the club appeared willing to pay just one year earlier, four years at $2.95 million per season, and quite a bit for a player who was limited offensively as a Leaf. It was clear, however, that Nonis and company valued the Finnish wingers scrappy play and were also hopeful of more upside with more opportunity next season. “Hes a very competitive guy,” said Nonis of Komarov, who had nine points in 42 games with the Leafs. “Hes going to give you whatever he has … He has compete. He gets under peoples skin by the way he plays, not because hes a chirper or anything like that, but he finishes every single check and, sometimes, I think people dont really enjoy the way he does that. But for us, he brought that element; he brought some character to our group. He was very well-liked by his teammates. All the things that you look for in a player, he ticks a lot of boxes.” Polak, too, was added from St. Louis earlier with an eye toward the “edge” he would bring to the Toronto defence, a quality infinitely enduring to the head coach. But for the all the focus on injecting the Leafs dressing room with more bite, increased leadership and character, its Carlyle and the still-yet-to-be-named coaching staff that bear the most watching next season. For whatever the Leafs lacked in determination and persistence last year – and there was a noticeable difference – it was their inability to defend with any degree of success that instigated their downfall last season. No team, as widely known by this point, allowed more shots than Toronto and only three teams allowed more power-play goals. It was a house of cards that was bound to collapse and did when Jonathan Bernier went down with injury in mid-March. And for all his drum-beating about the troubles, and he was quick to point flaws as early as October, Carlyle and his since-deposed trio of assistants could not find the right answers, instill a defensive mindset onto a sometimes immature roster, employ top line-ups and align the talent in place with a suitable style of play. All that will have to change and its up to Carlyle to adjust accordingly. The coming season wont be about leadership concerns or questions of character, but whether a head coach can adapt to a younger and faster league. Robidas, Polak and Komarov should help to address some of the defensive deficiencies of last year – also fitting Carlyles harder brand of hockey – particularly a penalty kill that fell right back to the bottom of the league last season. Roster holes still to be filled include a centre capable of playing in a third or fourth-line capacity – Peter Holland is in line for regular opportunity, but a security blanket for Carlyle is likely preferred – perhaps another defenceman, with Cody Franson likely on the way out, some scoring depth and a backup goaltender, though, Nonis continues to insist that James Reimer could be back next year, despite clear indications of his desire to move elsewhere. Some of those changes could come internally with a round of Marlies keen to take the next step into the NHL. The Leafs additionally have about $15 million in cap space to work with a group of restricted free agents, Jake Gardiner most prominently among them, still to sign. 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