National Oilwell Varco’s (NOV.N) profit topped forecasts asits backlog of work made up for weaker new orders. But a steepdrop in pricing for land-based rigs was likely to trim marginsthrough the end of the year, and its shares fell 11 percent. “It’s a cyclical business that can bite and right now it’sbiting hard, but it never bites forever,” Clay Williams, thecompany’s chief financial officer, told a conference call “2009 will continue to be very challenging. We’re just gladthat it’s almost one-third over already,” he added. Driller Ensco International (ESV.N) said average rates forits jack-up rigs rose in the first quarter from a year earlier,and it was preparing to start operations on the first of sevennew deepwater rigs.
Ensco posted a 19 percent drop in quarterly profit, beatingexpectations, though its shares slipped 1.5 percent. Larger rival Noble Corp (NE.N) saw its shares rise 3percent after it reported late on Wednesday an unexpectedlygood rise in profits for the first quarter. [ID:nN22422568] “This market doesn’t scare me,” Noble Chief Executive DavidWilliams said on a conference call on Thursday. “It’s fallenoff a lot from $147 a barrel, but it doesn’t have to get backto $100 a barrel to excite the market.” (Reporting by Matt Daily, Anna Driver in Houston and BradenReddall in San Francisco; editing by Patrick Fitzgibbons, DaveZimmerman and Bernard Orr) Stocks Global Markets France. Thiago Silva is 13-0 in his professional Mixed Martial Arts career.With four bouts in the UFC, Silva, a San Paulo, Brazilian native, and a former member of one of the greatest camps of all time, Chute Boxe, is quickly climbing the ladder of the stacked Light Heavyweight division.Funny, I know, that a former Chute Boxe member named Silva is climbing the ranks of the MMA world.Without any of those fights going to a third round, Silva has looked impressive in his last four fights. He Silva has actually only been pushed into a third round once, which resulted in the only decision of his pro career.Silva is the stereotypical Chute Boxe product a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who has above average Muay Thai His striking is crisp, technical and extremely dangerous.
His BJJ is just as good, making Silva one of the most dangerous men to fight.Silva has stopped Houston Alexander, James Irvin, Thomasz Drwal, and his latest victim, Antonio Mendes.Silva was the guy the UFC organization tapped to see if Houston Alexander was the real deal. The fight was short lived, ending at the 3:25 mark of the first round. Silva controlled most of the fight and once it hit the ground, it was over. Silva eventually got the mount and pounded out Alexander.It’s time Silva gets a chance to prove he’s ready for a bigger and better future It’s time Joe Silva gives him a top tier guy at 205. I’m not saying Thiago Silva is ready for a title shot, but I do think it’s time he steps up in the competition.So, who would fit the bill? There a several guys that would be a good match-up and an interesting test for Silva.Jardine verses Silva? This would be a chance for Keith Jardine to beat an upcoming guy and prove that Wand would have destroyed anybody that stepped in the cage that night. If Silva beats Jardine then he moves up again and gets a shot at a guy like Machida, Wand or Liddell Rashard Evans would also be a good match-up for Silva It definetly would be Evans biggest test to date.