On a serious note, Rest in Peace to Rick Rypien, a center for the Vancouver Canucks that (allegedly) hanged himself a few days ago.  That's two NHLers we've lost in the offseason, both in their mid-20s.  Much hullaballo will be made about this in the press about fighting and whathaveyou, but Rypien was always a troubled individual, and all the best to his family, friends, and fans.  Even you, Burke.

Now on to sweaty men holding each other.

Friday August 19

2:00am        Floyd Patterson's Greatest Hits Volume 1 (ESPN Classic)
3:00am        Joe Louis's Greatest Hits Volume 3 (ESPN Classic)
4:00am        Delvin Rodriguez vs. Mike Arnaoutis (ESPN Classic)
5:00am        Mike Tyson vs. Larry Holmes Highlights (ESPN Classic)
5:30am        Roberto Duran vs. Hiroshi Kobayashi Highlights (ESPN Classic)
11:00am        Derrick Findley vs. Fernando Guerrero (ESPN 3D)
12:45pm        Mark Jason Melligen vs. Sebastian Lujan (ESPN 3D)
4:00pm        Best of It's Showtime (HDNet)
8:00pm        Gabriel Martinez vs. Mike Alvarado (FSN)
9:00pm        UFC Unleashed (Spike TV)
9:00pm        Inside MMA w/Alan Belcher, Gilbert Melendez, Jake Ellenberger, Andrei Arlovski (HDNet)
9:00pm        FNF: Demetrius Andrade vs. Grady Brewer/David Diaz vs. Hank Lundy (ESPN2)
9:00pm        Best of Legend Fighting Championships 3+4 (Fuel TV)
10:00pm        The Voice Versus Sugar Ray Leonard (HDNet)
10:00pm        UFC Unleashed (Spike TV)
10:00pm        Best of Legend Fighting Championships 3+4 (Fuel TV)
10:30pm        Pandemonium V ($9.99 Gofightlive.tv)
11:00pm        Affliction: Day Of Reckoning (HDNet)
11:00pm        UFC Unleashed (Spike TV)
11:00pm        MMA Live (ESPN2)
11:30pm        ISKA World Championships (ESPN2)

Saturday August 20

12:00am        Best of Legend Fighting Championships 3+4 (Fuel TV)
12:30am        Inside MMA w/Alan Belcher, Gilbert Melendez, Jake Ellenberger, Andrei Arlovski (HDNet)
1:00am        Best of Legend Fighting Championships 3+4 (Fuel TV)
1:30am        The Voice Versus Sugar Ray Leonard (HDNet)
1:30am        MMAthletics w/AKA and Tony Ferguson (FSN)
2:30am        Affliction: Day Of Reckoning (HDNet)
4:00am        Inside MMA w/Alan Belcher, Gilbert Melendez, Jake Ellenberger, Andrei Arlovski (HDNet)
5:00am        The Voice Versus Sugar Ray Leonard (HDNet)
4:00pm        The Voice Versus Sugar Ray Leonard (HDNet)
5:00pm        HDNet Fights Vault: Legends of MMA (HDNet)
5:30pm        Inside MMA w/Alan Belcher, Gilbert Melendez, Jake Ellenberger, Andrei Arlovski (HDNet)
6:00pm        Gleason's Gym: Long Island Championships Day 3 (FREE Gofightlive.tv)
6:30pm        Fight Tour: Euro TAT2 (FREE Gofightlive.tv)
7:30pm        Absolute Action MMA XVII ($9.99 Gofightlive.tv)
8:00pm        Lion Fight Muay Thai: Battle in the Desert ($14.99 Gofightlive.tv)
8:30pm        Best of Legend Fighting Championships 3+4 (Fuel TV)
9:00pm        Bellator 48 (MTV2)
10:00pm        Best of Legend Fighting Championships 3+4 (Fuel TV)
11:00pm        Alfredo Angula vs. Joseph Gomez (ESPN3)

Sunday August 21

2:00am        Best of Legend Fighting Championships 3+4 (Fuel TV)
1:30pm        Gabriel Martinez vs. Mike Alvarado (FSN)
2:00pm        Gleason's Gym Long Island Championships Day 4 (FREE Gofightlive.tv)
5:30pm        MMAthletics w/AKA and Tony Ferguson (FSN)
6:00pm        Gabriel Martinez vs. Mike Alvarado (FSN)

Under the Radar: Names that aren't on American broadcasted shows this week.

Shane Nelson    vs. Aaron Wetherspoon (August 19, Shark Fights 18, JA Nugget Resort and Casino, Reno, Nevada)

Emanuel Newton    vs. Ricky Shivers (August 19, Shark Fights 18, JA Nugget Resort and Casino, Reno, Nevada)

Ruben Villareal    vs. Dave Huckaba (August 19, Shark Fights 18, JA Nugget Resort and Casino, Reno, Nevada)

John Alessio    vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf (August 20, Superior Cage Combat 2, Orleans Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada)

Josh Neer        vs. Blas Avena (August 20, Superior Cage Combat 2, Orleans Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada)

Justin Buchholz    vs. Thiago Meller (August 20, Superior Cage Combat 2, Orleans Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada)

John Gunderson    vs. James Birdsley (August 20, Superior Cage Combat 2, Orleans Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada)

Tim Sylvia        vs. Patrick Barrentine (August 20, Fight Tour: Euro TAT2, Rockford, Illinois)

Sean Salmon    vs. LaVerne Clark (August 20, Fight Tour: Euro TAT2, Rockford, Illinois)

Tyler Toner    vs. JR Sims (August 20, Ring Of Fire 41, 1stBank Center, Broomfield, Colorado)

Donald Sanchez    vs. Jeremy Spoon (August 20, KOTC: Overdrive, Riverwind Casino, Norman, Oklahoma)

Charles Bennett    vs. Dejuan Jackson (August 20, KOTC: Overdrive, Riverwind Casino, Norman, Oklahoma)

Matthew Hatton    vs. Andrei Abramenka (August 19, Blackpool, England)

Best Viewing Options: A man who once had a turtle run away from home attempts to suggest priorities for you.

1. Bellator 48: BELLATOR NEVER DIE!  I miss Bellator when they're not on every week.  Bellator is the solid, steady girlfriend of the MMA world.  They may never knock your socks off like a UFC or big Strikeforce card does, but dammit if she isn't always there when you get home with a drink and a steak waiting for you, a fun night, and you go to bed with a smile on your face.  You take her for granted when she's there every week, but once she's not, there's definitely a void.  I'm not bitter.  CURRAN VS. SANDRO!  RICCO!  KONRAD!

2. The Voice Versus Sugar Ray Leonard: I don't even have to tune in to know this is going to be outstanding.  Leonard was on Opie & Anthony a couple months ago and was OUTSTANDING.  Very open, honest, humble, interesting, and shared a lot.  I imagine someone like Schiavello can bring out even more and has much more time to work with.

3.  Inside MMA: Look at that cast.  What a whole bunch of likeable dudes.  Bas has been grieving pretty hard, I hope doing the show can somewhat help him move forward a little.

4. Fight Tour Euro TAT2: (Butthead voice) "Ehhhh.....uhhhh....." Yeah, I don't know what's going on with this.  It was supposed to be free on GFL, now it's not on the site.  Apparently it's to be a half-concert, half-fight event, with Saliva and The Pimps performing....so it's like WFA for white folk.  I would have even given PBP for the event if it was still free.

5. Lion Fight Muay Thai: Lion Fight Promotions seems to have a good head on their shoulders.  They seem to run a pretty tight ship, so I'm interested.  Show me something, Lion Fight.

6. Friday Night Fights: Not a particularly eventful FNF name-wise, but sometimes those turn out to be the best.

7. Affliction: Day of Reckoning: AFFLICTION NEV....what's that?  It has?  Ok, nevermind.  See when Fedor's stock was never higher. 

8. ISKA Championships: Karate!  Chael Sonnen is watching you watch this.

9. Gleason's Gym Long Island Championships: Keep on, keeping on, Gleason's Gym.

10. Absolute Action MMA XVII: Not name-heavy, but hey, it's a bare week for combat sports.

BV Loses You Money:  Not THIS week, you fuckers!

Last Weekend's Hangover:
If you put down $100 on each of my predictions last week, you'd have today:
$309
BV Lost You: $184!
On the Year: -$170

This Weekend:

Not applicable!  I know you guys were looking forward to blowing your money like Leif Garrett in a back alley, but there are nary any lines to be found.  You'll have to make do with other worthwhile expenses, like Buffalo Blue Combos.  Mmmmm.

Your YouTube Finale: Someone who kind of misses Thiago Silva, if we're being completely frank, attemtps to end this column on a high note.

opie's eye - UFC's Rashad Evans CHOKES Jim Norton (via opieradio)