The Official MMA Discussion

[Shcrews]

I'm cool with the stoppage - and this is coming from someone with a sadistic love for the knockout.

Fedor went totally flat on his face unconscious for a (very) brief moment, but it doesn't change that fact that it happened. When you see guys get knocked down in fights and then recover, they never went unconscious, but just got a good jolt through their system. This fight was kind of like the fight where Koscheck got knocked out by Paulo Thiago. Koscheck was completely out cold on his way to the floor and as soon as he hit the mat he regained consciousness and seemed to be okay. But the fact is is that he was dead just like Fedor was if only for a very short time. It's shocking and unbelievable how quickly Fedor was able to get his shit together, but especially after watching the replays at different angles I think it was a fair call.

I never was a huge fan of the guy but it was tough seeing the look in his eyes after that fight. Three in a row, he's got to be thinking it's pretty much over for himself. One of the greatest of all time, hands down, realizing the direction his career is now heading in after so much success and glory. Must be really tough..



One thing I'm not cool with though is Tyron Woodley and his awful style of fighting. I guess it's a great strategy because it wins fights and he will continue to do so as long as he sticks to it, but to a huge fan of the martial arts - it's almost unbearable to see guys like him polluting the landscape and knocking off interesting contenders along the way. Don't get me wrong - I love wrestling as much as anyone (I could watch Ben Askren and his seemless, smooth, and seemingly effortless transitions from any position to any position all day long) but guys like Woodley are lame plain and simple. He's the sort of guy I root to see at the receiving end of a nice knockout.

Lawler's performance was pretty disappointing too. Dancing around like Dominick Cruz, minues any offensive output at all in the first round and dancing around with his hands at his waist in the third, again no offensive output was a horrible way to go out. Kennedy's immediate "It's just blood" exclamation to the judges after the fight was pretty funny though.

1. Tryon Woodley fought a smart fight against a more experienced opponent, who happens to be one of the most dangerous strikers in the division. I saw T Wood fight on an undercard in San Jose and i think it ended in a KO so i can't exactly call him boring.

2. Lawler...i agree, WTF happened to RUTHLESS??? Tim Kennedy was annoying too with his post-fight spiel, but hey it's his victory so whatever.

3. Hendo is the fuckin man and can probably choose who he wants to fight at this point. Fedor is the greatest though still..

 

[NateDizz]

Naw, you're absolutely right about Woodley fighting an intelligent fight. He did exactly what he could do and should have done in order to win the fight and I can totally understand and respect guys doing it. It just bothers me to see guys use their wrestling strictly for what it is - wrestling - instead of using it to set up meaningful offense whether it be striking or grappling. Or on the other side of the coin, alot of these guys also don't use offensive techniques to set up the wrestling either. They just shoot, clinch, and try to muscle out a takedown for minutes at a time along the cage while doing nothing else.

The different facets of martial arts when it comes to mixed martial arts should be used in sequences or in unison to achieve the most efficient and potent offense as possible, of course while maintaining a defensive presence. Use the punches to set up the double leg, use the wrestling to get into position to work on an armbar or guillotine, etc, etc. Too many of these guys lately are coming in with just one top shelf tool - wrestling - and using it almost exclusively to win fights. Wrestling is great, but for the most part it's not much of an offensive tool so much as it's a tool that should be used to enhance the other faucets of your MMA game such as the striking and grappling. But too often guys are relying on it as their main offensive tool and that's weak because not many people are slamming guys through the floor and hurting them with it. Unless you're taking someone's life with a brutal slam ala Eddie Wineland or Rampage, you're not finishing anyone with wrestling techniques and the whole goal for every fighter after safety should be to finish the fight as quickly and as efficiently as possible. That's the whole point of a fight. What better defense is there then to spend as little time as possible in that cage?

And I'm fair - I do understand and agree that it's also up to the opponent to figure out a way to neutralize or stifle a great wrestler's takedowns. They deserve their fair share of blame as well and need to step their game up. But alot of these guys are trying to get up from the bottom so they can work their offensive games and just can't do it, while the guy on the top is not trying to do much of anything besides control position.

I'm going to keep on watching because I love the sport, including good wrestling, but I'll continue to whine about snoozers like Woodley-vs-Daley when I get the chance. Just because we love the sport, doesn't mean we have to love everything about it!





I'm in no position to be making suggestions, but I'd really like to see Lawler step away for a bit and try to evaluate his career and try to gain some inspiration because for the last little while he just doesn't seem too motivated or hungry to put in work and get the job done. All he had to do was consistently throw punches and he would have gave himself a chance to win the fight. He didn't have to worry about Kennedy's power, only his takedown, but he didn't even take any chances. In the first round he was moving so well and could have been catching Kennedy with all that movement but he didn't even try.





And Hendo is the man and Fedor is still one of the greatest ever. It's too bad so many people will discredit and never really understand how exceptional and extraordinary Fedor's career was. You always get all the talk about how Randy is such a legend, and he is, but he isn't fit to shine Fedor's shoes when it comes to comparing greatness. He should be much respected.

Having Hendo back in the UFC at lightheavyweight would be awesome too. I'd watch Hendo -vs- King Mo, but there are so many fights in the UFC I'd love to see so much more.



Have a good one Schrews!

 

[NateDizz]

Shit, I just read that Fedor has been released by Strikeforce which is huge because it's essentially the end of his relevant professional career. Without fighting the top UFC and Strikeforce heavyweights, there will be zero possibility of him breaking into anyone's top 10 ever again because there is just no one worthwhile out there for him to fight and prove himself against outside of the Zuffa umbrella. Short of him entering and winning a Bellator tournament against Cole Konrad, which is hugely unlikely, who else will he fight that people will even remotely care about? Literally the end of an era unless he somehow miraculously does enough for small potatoes in small shows to get an invitation back to Zuffa. I'd bet my life on that never happening though, not with the M-1 machine.

 

[Dr Dog]

wow Fedor was released? that is a bit of a shock, but probably has a lot to do with his handlers that Dana is always bitching about

I think it sets him up to be a coach at the next TUF, maybe set up a Fedor/ Couture match?

 

[dagnabit]

http://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-on-fox-announcement081811

UFC & FOX PACK PERFECT PUNCH

FOX SPORTS MEDIA GROUP REACHES MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-MEDIA RIGHTS AGREEMENT WITH ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP

FOX to Broadcast Four Fights Annually Beginning November 2011

The Ultimate Fighter, Featuring a New Format, Moves to FX
Today, Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC), the world’s leading mixed martial arts organization and No. 1 Pay-Per-View event provider in the world, finds its perfect media match in FOX, the No. 1 television network in the country. FOX Sports Media Group, the umbrella entity representing FOX Networks Group’s wide array of sports platforms, has reached a multi-year, multi-media rights agreement with Zuffa, LLC, owner of the UFC brand.

The landmark agreement, which puts UFC on par with many of the country’s professional sports organizations, delivers four live events in prime time or late night each year to the FOX broadcast network, home to the country’s biggest sports events, including the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500. The first live event airs Saturday, Nov. 12 at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT. Additional programming on multiple FOX networks launches January 2012 and includes live fights, pre and post shows, countdown shows, UFC Unleashed, UFC Primetime, the UFC Knockout series, Best of Pride, weigh-in specials, and much more original content from extensive Zuffa archives. The agreement also provides for developing robust mobile and authenticated online offerings to exploit a vast array of digital platform rights.

In spring 2012, THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER, UFC's signature weekly reality show moves to FX, FOX's general entertainment cable network now in more than 99 million homes. With the move to FX, the show will feature a newly-designed format. FX is also set to televise another four-to six-live UFC events annually, with a mixture of additional events and programs heading to FSMG cable networks including FUEL TV.

“We’re excited to be part of the FOX family,” says Dana White, UFC President. “The UFC is finally where it belongs on the number one network in the country and aligned with the most prestigious sports properties in the world. I’ve always said that the UFC will be the biggest sport in the world and with this relationship it will become a reality.”

“My brother Frank, Dana and I always believed that our passion for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts would help us to build the UFC into a successful global brand and ultimately make it one of the premier sports properties in the world,” said Lorenzo Fertitta, Chairman and CEO of the UFC. “The partnership with FOX is a major step in making this a reality and also builds on the great relationship that we already have established with FOX in Latin America, Australia and Europe.”

“Mixed martial arts is not only the fastest growing sport in the world, but also the world’s most exciting form of man-to-man competition, and the UFC is the world’s premier MMA organization,” said FSMG President & Co-COO Eric Shanks. “Since FOX Sports is America’s No. 1 sports network and FOX is America’s No. 1 network for young adults, the UFC on FOX is a perfect match.”

“UFC’s growth over the past decade is nothing short of phenomenal and it has become one of the marquee sports in this country,” said John Landgraf, President and General Manager, FX Networks. “There is a reason for its rising popularity. It features some of the greatest athletes in the world, and we believe it will be a terrific addition to our schedule and look forward to our relationship.”

Founded in 1993, UFC has been on a meteoric rise since 2001 when it was acquired by Zuffa, LLC, owned by Lorenzo Fertitta, Frank Fertitta III and Dana White. UFC’S first brush with FOX Sports goes back to June 2002, when Fox Sports Net carried UFC’s first non-pay-per-view event on basic cable television, and delivered what was then its largest audience to date. Through cooperation with state athletic commissions, consistent rules were established and refined for competition through officiating, judging, the addition of weight divisions, length of rounds and better equipment. Combined with an unyielding devotion to fighter safety, the UFC has vaulted to mainstream status in the minds of US sports fans attracting major sponsors such as Bud Light, Dodge and Harley Davidson.

UFC has displayed tremendous growth in digital and social media consumption. Unique visitors to UFC.com tripled between 2006 and 2010 (2.1 million to 6.3 million), and UFC established local web sites in 10 countries and Latin America. Using a unique blend of incentives, promotions and original content, including live bouts, UFC has seen its number of Facebook friends increase from 800,000 in 2009 to 6.1 million at present, outpacing the NFL, MLB and the NHL. UFC currently ranks second to the NBA in social media followers among the major sports organizations. Additionally, UFC President Dana White regularly interacts with over 1.5 million fans that follow him on Twitter.

Mixed martial arts skews much younger than more established US sports, which ranged from age 43 for Super Bowl XLIV to 61 for horse racing’s Triple Crown in 2010. Thus far, the median age for UFC on Spike in 2011 is 36 and 56% of UFC fans fall into the adult 18-34 demographic. Live UFC programming performs extremely well in the advertiser attractive, hard-to-reach male 18-34 demographic, with live event programing averaging a 1.53 rating, making it a top-20 cable show this year.

 

[Mr. Bongjangles]

 

[Shcrews]

wooooooooowwwwwwwww... this is really just the beginning

god i hate DanaWhite, but he knows how to run a biz

 

[Mr. Bongjangles]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dAu35KOkus#t=5m10s

Yeah, lipstick-wearing retarded commentator Gus Johnson will be on the Fox UFC stuff... None too happy about this, as I've gone from just laughing at this dude to really detesting his commentary and post-fight interviews.

 

[Green lung]

Him and Joe Buck can jump off a cliff.

 

[NateDizz]

I can't believe Marlon Sandro got knocked out like that..


Silva -vs- Okami is a big, big fight coming up this weekend! Next to St.Pierre -vs- Shields, this has got to be the second most signigicant fight of the year thus far. (Off the top of my head anyways - feel free to correct me!). Huge stakes in this fight. Okami is a pretty "lowkey" kind of guy in that alot of people don't talk about him much or show him a ton of respect, but next to Chael he's the clear #1 contender in my eyes. He has beat Marquardt and Munoz in his last two fights convincingly. (Despite the split verdict, Okami clearly took the first and third rounds in the Munoz fight.) And although that might not seem amazing, it certainly is more than anyone else can show in that division. With all that said, I still think Anderson wins this fight although I'm not convinced he'll finish it before the final bell..

Rua -vs- Griffin 2 is another nice rematch that could certainly play out differently than the first which ended in a massive upset win for Forrest. I know Rua has been through a pile of knee surgeries and didn't seem too sharp in the Jon Jones fight, but he did just beat Machida convincingly in his previous two fights including a particularly brutal first round stoppage. (I know he lost the first one - but my scorecard was a 49-46 in what should have been a blatant win for Rua.) Griffin is a very big guy who can probably bully Rua around a bit if he choses to - but his last win at this level was over three years ago against Rampage. I remember that fight was a contentious one where alot of people felt Rampage won, but to be fair and honest, I'd have to watch it again to confidently recall how I felt about that one. I think Rua is gonna hurt Forrest in this fight..

It'll be interesting to see how Nogueira returns after such serious surgeries. The kind of injuries and surgeries he's endured as of late are just unreal, and realistically it's hard to imagine someone recovering to anywhere near prime shape ever again after what he's been through. Schaub is a hungry dude who appears to be on the up-and-up and he's got the hands to hurt people in a serious way. Nogueira historically has been durable, but he certainly hasn't appeared to be as durable recently as he has in years' past. I think Schaub really puts it to Nogueira in another sort of passing-of-the-guard fight..



I'd love to hear what you guys think about 134. Despite there only being a few fights I really care to see on this card, the co and main headliner are just really nice fights and have me feeling like this is one of the best cards of the year so far.


Peace fellas

 

[Mr. Bongjangles]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/09/brock-lesnar-vs-alistair-overeem-ufc.html

UFC: Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem set for Dec. 30

Brock Lesnar will return to the UFC octagon in a five-round main event Dec. 30 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, facing newly signed former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem.

"Brock is a big name, a dangerous guy, and this is a dream matchup," Overeem told The Times on Tuesday, just after signing a standard UFC fight contract in the office of Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta. "Brock's a big guy, an exciting wrestler with his takedowns.

"I want to see this fight myself. Overall, I'm a different fighter. A striker, athletic, big. These are going to be two big trucks going at it on a collision course."

The 6-foot-5, 260-pound Overeem, 31, is a former K-1 kickboxing champion too, He most recently defended his Strikeforce belt in June with a unanimous decision over takedown specialist Fabrio Werdum, who had previously defeated Fedor Emelianenko.

Lesnar has been out of action since losing his UFC heavyweight belt to Cain Velasquez in October at Anaheim's Honda Center, suffering a return episode of the intestinal ailment diverticulitis.
The Dec. 30 winner will be first in line to fight the winner of a Nov. 12 fight between Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos.

"This is the fight the fans want," UFC President Dana White said. "Both of these guys are monsters. Can Lesnar take Overeem down?"

Fertitta said the Strikeforce belt won't be part of the promotion. The UFC has purchased Strikeforce.

"Our thinking when we bought Strikeforce was to give fans the fights they want," Fertitta said. "Obviously, Alistair's one of the best heavyweights in the world, but he also has that 'it' factor -- the tremendous look, he's huge. It's a star factor."

Overeem said he's exploring setting up training headquarters in Los Angeles.

 

[AGBeer]

I read about the Lesnar/Reem fight today... Exciting news man.

Oh yeah, and Gus J isnt my favorite commentator. I would say that Mauro holds that role - and hes a really cool dude in person.

Maybe one day you all will see me on the bigger shows. Ive been doing smaller shows for several years now, so any day now big time promoters

 

[Mr. Bongjangles]

And now Nick Diaz is out of the GSP fight, craziness... That sucks, was definitely looking forward to that one.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/9/7...ut-carlos-condit-in-against-georges-st-pierre

 

[silver hawaiian]

Yes!

I wasn't surprised today when I read that Diaz didn't show for the presser..

And then a few hours later, the next thing I'm reading is that Condit is in?! I literally had to re-read the headline, because I thought I was reading it wrong, ..

I was really looking forward to seeing GSP v Diaz, .. GSP v Condit? Notsomuch, .. I was actually more excited to see Condit v Penn..

I'm interested to see who Penn gets next. But that Oct 29 card just got way less exciting to me..

 

[Mr. Bongjangles]

"GSP wins by mental submission"

 

[Ramius]

This fucking blows, I was looking forward to Diaz vs GSP more than any fight this year

 

[Shcrews]

I am kind of upset about the GSP/Diaz thing. i was looking forward to that fight more than any other this year.


hopefully they will put diaz against BJ penn.

oh, and Alistair will destroy Brock

 

[dagnabit]

guess who was not looking forward to diaz/gsp?

diaz

he does not deserve a shot at penn...

can't show up for work?
go play in kotc where that shit flies.

if reem lets the gorilla take him down he is done.
im sure his entire camp is takedown defense and getting up quick right now.

 

[Grendelkhan]

Whats the deal with Diaz? He was bitching about not getting enough money and then gets a new bigger deal with UFC, a company that he's had issues with in the past and then gets the one of the biggest fights in history. Now he's not even showing up? I personally don't like Diaz but I do think he's a damm great fighter and has the best chance against GSP. Too bad like many of you I was reallly looking forward to that fight. Oh, Reem is going to kill Brock. Its much easier to train to defend against take downs than it is to become a striker. Plus Reem has several victory's from Subs and isn't completely without a groud game. Lets see what happens from this Diaz, GSP thing as it might be a big hype thing.

 

[greenwithenvy]

Whats the deal with Diaz? He was bitching about not getting enough money and then gets a new bigger deal with UFC, a company that he's had issues with in the past and then gets the one of the biggest fights in history. Now he's not even showing up? I personally don't like Diaz but I do think he's a damm great fighter and has the best chance against GSP. Too bad like many of you I was reallly looking forward to that fight. Oh, Reem is going to kill Brock. Its much easier to train to defend against take downs than it is to become a striker. Plus Reem has several victory's from Subs and isn't completely without a groud game. Lets see what happens from this Diaz, GSP thing as it might be a big hype thing.

I totally agree.