Huge MMA news: UFC buys Pride.

Although it is not clear whether (a) all the Pride fighter contracts are assignable to the UFC or (b) whether such marquee Pride fighters as Wanderlei Silva and Fedor Emelianenko are currently under Pride contract, presumably such legal technicalities will be worked out and UFC/Pride will be able to promote "dream matchups" between each org's best known fighters.

Match-ups I'd like to see, in no particular order:

Liddell v. Shogun (actually, this is the match I want to see the most)
Liddell v. Wanderlei
Liddell v. Arona
Couture v. Emelianenko
Couture v. Big Nog
Sylvia v. Barnett
Arlovski v. Barnett
Arlovski v. Emelianenko
Henderson v. A. Silva
Henderson v. Franklin
Kang v. A. Silva
Kang v. Franklin
GSP v. "Mach" Sakurai
Diego Sanchez v. Gomi
Tito v. Arona
Tito v. Shogun
Babalu v. Shogun II
Cro-cop v. Emelianenko II
Tito v. Wanderlei II

Some of these fights have clear winners, in my mind (i.e. GSP will overpower Sakurai), but I still would love to see them.

FF

US beat Ecuador 3-1, which is excellent. I'm not too excited, though. The Gold Cup this summer will be a much better barometer of where Bradley's got his men. But beating the teams you're supposed to beat is always good.

England was horrible in tying Israel 0-0. Is there any doubt that McClaren is rubbish? Why can't England hire a good coach? Also, one more time: what, exactly, does Lampard have to do to be benched?

Champions League quarters next week...

FF