SAMPLE SUNDAYS 3

1. Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band "Cherchez La Femme"



2. The Emotions "If You Think It"



3. Antoine Duhamel "Belphegor Theme"

HARD WORK

Instant classic.

UFC 139 ended last night with one of the most outstanding battles in modern combat sports history, a 25-minute war of attrition between veteran fighters Dan Henderson and Shogun Rua. Hendo took the decision, in what was less a show of athleticism, and every bit a show of grit, determination, and hard work.

These characteristics defined the card, which was appropriately opened by Sacramento's own, Team Alpa Male fighter Danny Castillo. Castillo took the fight on short notice, matching up against The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 member Shamar Bailey, the reality show's much-ballyhooed number one pick. To fully understand the gravity of the situation, a little background is needed...

This was Danny Castillo's 11th fight for Zuffa, his first eight coming in the highly competitive WEC promotion. Things could be very different for Danny, as he was rejected at the last minute (more literally, the day before launch) for a spot in the lightweight division on The Ultimate Fighter Season 8. Producers for the show decided to "go in a different direction," opting to showcase eight other lightweights to a global audience on Spike TV. Danny had to go a more traditional route, building his record and developing his skills in the storied WEC lightweight division. While the eight fighters from Season 8 are no longer in the promotion, Castillo improved dramatically with every fight, eventually earning a spot in the UFC.

Going into his first UFC bout, I worked with Danny on a fight camp documentary and was afforded to see, firsthand, how much time and dedication goes into every 15-minute fight. Three-a-day workouts that push a fighter to the brink - a real exercise in physical and mental toughness. Castillo defeated UFC mainstay Joe Stevenson in that fight, but subsequent talks revealed that one victory in the UFC wasn't enough for Danny. The chip on his shoulder did not budge an inch.

SAMPLE SUNDAYS 2

1. The Main Ingredient "With You"



2. Billy Stewart "Cross My Heart"



3. The Whatnauts "We Will Always Be Together"

ON THE MOVE

I'm finally completing the move-in phase. Full-time Portland, the land of sneakers and hipsters. Please pardon the lack of updates, as I will be sans in-home internet until next week. My cable company adheres to the slow service movement.