I honestly believe there is enough talent in the UFC thease days to make every PPV very watchable.Originally Posted by Dave M
I honestly believe there is enough talent in the UFC thease days to make every PPV very watchable.
I think they should have another UFC 42'ish style PPV where they have the one big main event, a few stars, but a boat load of new fighters.
noob mma fighters = low ratings.
Not if the top of the card is good enough. Most people order the PPV's based on one or two fights, they could easily use the other slots to promote newer figthters. I beleive that was IK's point and I agree with him.
When you have St.Pierre/Hughes or Chuck/Tito, the rest of the card doesn't really matter to the majority of the people ordering the PPV.
I agree, that probably would have worked before UFC's boom, but now you probably expect a marquee fight for each PPV. UFC 66 was the exception though, top to bottom, that lineup was pretty sweet.
Some notes:
Chuck Liddell has a torn MCL, not ACL.
Randy Couture will announce he's coming out of retirement. Meltzer says he might move up to the heavyweight division and fight Tim Sylvia.
Fedor signed a new contract with Pride.
For those interested. Starting tonight, a four-part MSNBC miniseries chronicling the rise of mma in America.
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036750/
Looks like it's to air Tuesday nights and repeat on Fridays.
UFC is teasing a big announcement by Couture on this week's Inside The UFC. While I think it cheapens the whole "This is the last time you'll see these gloves in the octagon" speech, it is a quick ideal fix for the Vera situation.
It makes Sylvia's title defense a must see event. I think this will get alot of play in this thread the closer UFC 68 gets.
Don't fucking do that to me.
Randy?
Coming back?
To fight Sylvia?
OK....um....wow.....Randy is my all-time favorite UFC fighter, and Sylvia is my all time least favorite (Mark Coleman is a close second).....
I will calm down and wait for it, but if this is true, holy shit would I be stoked.
Though extremely crushed if Sylvia beat him.
In the past, Randy said he would never fight Sylvia and the same was said by Sylvia....they are good friends
IMO, Randy's coming back b/c of how well UFC is doing business-wise. I'm sure Randy has the itch to fight again, but a $250,000 payday for a fight, on top of sponsorship money as well as PPV money and it'd bring back any fighter out of retirement. Personally, I dont care who it is, but someone needs to beat Tim Sylvia.
It was suppose to be Vera *sigh*
Yeah well...apparently Vera wants some sort of huge signing bonus. I think he messed up when he appeared at the EXC (?) press conference. It was a bad business move on his part.
My biggest gripe with Sylvia is that he fights not to lose. I hate that, it just means he doesn't shit to win the fight but does enough so that he doesn't get knocked out. His fights with Arlovski and Monson were boring. And I hate the fact that he carries the belt everywhere he goes.
I think its funny that he carries the belt every where, I know I would.
Thing with Randy coming back, if he wins, does he really want a full come back, title defenses and all?
I personally wouldn't mind if Randy came back and then retired again....set up a 4-man eliminator for the HW title:
- CroCop
- winner of Herring/O'Brien
- Sylvia
- Gonzaga
Of course, CroCop/Sylvia would be the first match
I personally wouldn't mind if Randy came back and then retired again....set up a 4-man eliminator for the HW title:
- CroCop
- winner of Herring/O'Brien
- Sylvia
- Gonzaga
Of course, CroCop/Sylvia would be the first match
Agreed. I do not want to see Couture in the ring against Mirko. It would be like watching Larry Holmes destroy Ali all over again. What a sad fight.
Paul Buentello has been dropping hints about his desire to get back in the UFC. He even called out Cro Cop a bit. I would put him in against Gonzaga for that fourth spot once Paul's contract is up.
Whenever I hear Paul Buentello's name, the first thing that pops into mind is Arlovski's one-punch KO...
really? I think of Justin Eiler's "Ric Flair-face first-flop"
With Rampage and Cro Cop now in the UFC I really wonder how long the guys at HW and LHW expect to hold on to their belts for.
Granted Chuck has a much better chance than Sylvia, I still would pick Rampage as the favorite.
4 fight, 2 year contract for Couture.
Let's talk here...say Couture beats Sylvia. You know you are getting a re-match. Say Sylvia beats him, thats probably gonna set up the third fight. OK, Couture beats Sylvia again. Then what? Who do you put Couture against for his 4th fight?
Say Couture beats Sylvia the first time, and then the re-match. Do you go for the money match with Cro Cop?
If Couture wins, I don't expect an immediate rematch. I'd expect Sylvia to go back on "the road to the title" type of direction. Then that'll set up Couture vs. "put HW here"
Is it ok if I mark out for Couture's return?
Only if you didn't mark out for Royce's return.
I didn't. Always respected Royce, but never been a fan.
*marks out for Randy*
the term "mark" does not exist in MMA
:P
*claps excitedly for Randy Couture*
I just hope he isnt so rusty he gets owned by the first guy he fights....Randy is a hero, no-one likes to see their heros get crushed.
Didn't you see his last fight?
As far as im concerned Chuck and Randy are even, Couture dominated in the first fight, got his eye poked in the second and soundly lost the third...yes Chuck handed him a beating but everyone looses once in a while (unless your name happens to be Fedor)Didn't you see his last fight?
To be perfectly fair, Randy's loss in the third fight was more due to him slipping and Chuck taking advantage of it.
Mark Coleman wont be happy about that.
Gomi to "invade" UFC?
Daily Sports reports in their Tuesday newspaper that Takanori Gomi has been given the “go-sign” by DSE to fight in UFC. In the pro-DSE report by DS, the paper claims that PRIDE will have Gomi fight on their 2/24 Las Vegas event and then send him into UFC as a PRIDE fighter to “make a raid on UFC” and overthrow UFC 155-pound champion Sean Sherk and fight BJ Penn. Unlike Mirko Cro Cop (who is fighting as a true UFC fighter), the paper claims that DSE will be Gomi’s booking agent for any fights in UFC.
http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/01/...eading-to-ufc/
Hmmm.
Gomi vs Fischer
Gomi vs Florian
Gomi vs Penn......
I wonder if Vince McMahon helped Pride with the whole invasion storyline.
Quick noob MMA question:
Why is the grabbing of shorts not allowed in the UFC? is it considered a unfair use to again an advantage whilst grappling?
My take on that rule is its unsportsmanlike, same with fish hooking. Not sure if grabbing shorts could be an effectice way of controlling an opponant...maybe.
Some of the MMA old timers on this thread might be able to help. I.K?
Last edited by JLBisGOD; January 18th, 2007 at 3:53 PM.
Matt Lindland is going to take the place of Jeff Monson in bodogfights. Yes, against Fedor. Though it's still a verbal agreement, one can hope.
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news.asp?n_id=6563
Bracing for an IK ewww Sherdog comment, jk.
Last edited by P Dandy; January 19th, 2007 at 2:36 PM.
I feel for anyone going up against the beast that is Fedor but poor Lindland...he doesnt stand a chance
Mark Coleman seems oblivious to reality anyways. Any idiot that brings his daughter ringside to meet the monster that just kicked her daddy's ass is obviously lacking in the brains department
it's been a while since I've been in here, but word on the street is that Kendall Grove vs. Alan Belcher is on for UFN 9 on April 9th
Gomi vs. Penn? Again? Seriously? Penn would pick him apart once again. Gomi's a huge LW and he'd definately be trouble for Florian, and I don't think Florian would be able to get him down. Maximus is alot stronger and more skilled than Florian, remember that. Spencer Fisher, it'd be a slug fest, but I'll stay bias and pick Fisher over him.
The LW fight I'd want to see is Gomi vs. Franca
Basically. You're allowed to wear different kinds of shorts, it would make more sense to wear the tightest shorts possible if using loose clothes, or hair to grab onto was legal.
Holding onto the shorts makes it much easier to control your opponent especially when trying to pass the guard, it's not legal in most Non-Gi jujitsu/grappling competitions so I guess the UFC figured they'd do the same when they got rid of the Gi in their organization.
Quick notes:
-WEC debuting on Versus is official, they will begin airing shows this Summer.
-Nick Diaz signed with Pride and Elite XC.
-Based off the tentative card for UFC 70 (which will take place in the UK), Ortiz, Bisping, and Griffin will be on the card.
-There is an Ultimate Fight Night this Thursday on Spike TV headlined by Rashad Evans and Heath Herring.
Fucking hell, Nick Diaz is gone from UFC?
Nick Diaz is signed to fight Gomi in a non-title fight as well. But with good reason, what has Diaz done to earn a title shot?
Don't forget to watch UFN tonight....debut of Herring which I'm excited about. He's a strong wrestler who thinks he's a kickboxer, which makes his style look very sluggish and unorthodox. Even though he won't be able to use knee's on the ground, I'd expect him to work over O'Brien's legs with low kicks until he works in his own takedowns and finishes it off via TKO/ref stoppage
Spencer Fisher/Hermes Franca is the one fight I'm truly excited for. This is it, the one who prevails gets a shot at Sherk some time this summer once Sherk is back from his injury. Franca definately has superiority on the ground, but Spencer is no slouch on his back. I expect this fight to be like the other previous Fisher fights where he's on his back, but ends up getting up, then punishes Franca until he's either KO'ed or the fight is stopped
Does anyone have any more information about this?
Ie where in the UK
Manchester MEN.
Either 20th or 28th of April.
April 21, yep.
I'm looking forward to seeing Rashad Evans maul Sean Salman tonight. Apparently, Rashad wasn't playing very nice at weigh-ins yesterday. A bit of a shoving match ensued as a result of Rashad coming a bit too close to Salman.
Exactly! However, I look forward to his work in Pride. Outside of BJ Penn and Matt Hughes, he's pretty much fought all the prominent welterweights in the UFC.Fucking hell, Nick Diaz is gone from UFC?
Diego Sanchez vs. Josh Koscheck announced for UFC 69.
Step down for Diego, he'll maul Koscheck again.
He'll probably need 1 more win before he fights GSP or Hughes. Against either of those two guys, thats a huge money match that should happen this year.Diego Sanchez vs. Josh Koscheck announced for UFC 69.
Step down for Diego, he'll maul Koscheck again.
IK:
Last edited by Rafael122; January 25th, 2007 at 10:03 PM.
Absolutely devestating head-kick by Rashad on Salmon
Poor Herring
I watched UFN and here are some of my thoughts:
Spencer Fisher didn’t look comfortable from the opening bell. It seemed liked Franca was dictating the pace and style of the match up and he seemed in total control to me, even if he wasn’t really dominant in the first round. In the second round it seemed like more of the same to me, with Hermes once again dictating the fight, however, I honestly felt that Fisher had time to turn it around and he didn’t seem in trouble… then BAM…. it’s over.
Rogan kept going on about Franca having bricks for hands but he goes on about all kinds of stuff. This time it appears he was right. Fisher is a tough dude, I remember seeing him take some decent punishment in the past and continue fighting but Franca clearly KO’d him with one punch. I give Fisher credit, he stayed standing and kept fighting but the temple shot clearly put him on another planet. I guess we’ll be getting Sherk/Franca at some point this year.
The second fight was a huge disappointment and terribly boring. They brought Herring in to try and liven up the heavyweight division and his first match consists of him getting schooled on the ground and his opponent lying on top of him doing nothing. I will give credit where credit is due, Jake O’Brien completely dominated the facet of the fight he knew he could but holy shit was it ever boring. If O’Brien ends up in a match with Sylvia, we may find the first ever sure-fire cure for insomnia…
I know that Herring complained that they should have been stood up quicker and more often but I’m not sure they were stood up any less than most UFC matches I’ve seen. Is it boring to watch a good wrestler take someone to the ground time and time again, only to have no idea what to do afterward, yes. Is it breaking any rules in the UFC, not to my knowledge. Now, I’m not an expert on this stuff but it seems to me he should be complaining about the rules overall and not the refereeing, as this wasn’t the first time I’ve seen a similar match to this in the UFC and I doubt it will be the last. In the end I felt he used the stand-up complaint as a crutch after knowingly putting on a sub-par performance. He didn’t even start the gesturing until he was obviously well behind in the scoring. From what I’ve heard (here and other places) Herring is a good fighter, so hopefully he can recover and excel in the UFC.
Ed Herman finally got his first UFC win and looked a lot more like the Ed Herman that made it too the final in TUF. Granted, his opponent wasn’t a top tier talent (at least as far as I know) but at least he has that first win under his belt and maybe that will help boost his confidence. That armbar came out of nowhere and looked really well done, at least to an amateur like myself.
The Main Event was good. Rashad continues to improve into the total package and is starting to look more and more like a legitimate contender in the lightheavyweight division. Salmon had a good showing in the first round, dominating the takedowns (which honestly surprised me) and at that point I wondered whether we would see a repeat of the Franca/Fisher fight with Rashad being dominated by Salmon controlling the pace… I was wrong. The high kick was incredible, one of the best knockouts I’ve seen on a UFN and absolutely devastating (Salmon was out on contact). I guess the perception that Rashad is a wrestler that can’t finish is completely dead at this point. I think it might be time to start moving him toward tougher competition in the LHW division.
Overall, not a bad night of free TV, especially when you factor in Couture whooping the crap out of the Joes on Pros vs. Joes.
I feel bad for Herring even though I've never been much of a fan.
Rashad is a badass. Not saying that Salmon is anywhere near top level competition but I feel Rashad needed to get over the hurdle of not being able to finish inferior competition. Now Dana needs to step it up and maybe put Forrest in front of him. I think Rampage or Babalu would be too much of a step up. As much as I like Forrest, I would sacrifice him to Rashad.
I get the feeling Rashad would either completely dominate Forrest or get completed dominated. For some reason, I just don’t see an in between. I would lean towards him dominating Forrest, as he just seems like a far more explosive fighter but I could be wrong.
here's some news for you guys
Spencer Fisher: torn ACL for the fight. he opted to fight with the injury
Heath Herring: torn MCL. Reason why he had the weird stance (defending the leg) and why he didn't sprawl.
As for Jake O'Brien, I was not impressed at all. No wonder why he was boo'ed out of the Arco Arena during his last fight, he was boo'ed again this night. He has solid wrestling, but with great position and no strikes, there's nothing to be truly impressed about. If you liked Jake O'Brien this night, then you must've been impressed with Marrero when he layed on top of Kongo. O'Brien threw minimum to no strikes at all during the final round and he had many opportunities to finish the fight when he had mount and side control. Once he was dropped in the first with a left jab, he just fought to not lose....pretty much what Sylvia has been doing in his title defenses as of late....do just enough to win. Notice how this fight was: takedown (or Herring just laying down and O'Brien getting on top), mount, Herring rolls to his stomach, half-assed RNC attempt, Herring escapes, repeat.
For O'Brien being a contender, I truly believe he should be put on pre-lims until he can up his game and be more active. He's young, yes, but he's been in the cage 3 times now and should know by now that when he's in a dominant position, it's ok to punish his opponent. I expect him to be Gonzaga's next opponent, only to be submitted, and he'll be relegated to pre-lim duties on UFN's
I can't wait to see Guida/Thomas and Marquardt/Lister....heard Marquardt completely dominated the fight and scored 2 "30/25" on the score card
Last edited by Irish Kamikaze; January 27th, 2007 at 10:20 AM.
I wouldn't agree with this perception just yet. Rashad was fighting a one-dimensional wrestler. If he was in there against a fighter who's potent in both stand-up and on the ground, then yes, we could say he has completely turned into a complete fighter. If Salmon had any stand-up and decent cardio, we wouldn't be talking about Rashad's victory after the event. Salmon had Rashad in trouble alot and it was painfully obvious that Salmon's wrestling background was superior to Rashad's....athlete or not.
Lambert was a good test for Rashad, but Lambert as well isn't a complete fighter. Bonnar was a good test as well, maybe his toughest, but Rashad controlled the fight, but didn't show any signs of finishing. The next fight will be Rashad's true test, whether it is Jardine or not, which is something Dana may end up throwing at Rashad due to the post event interviews.
Rashad is one step away, one true test away, from being an elite fighter in the LHW division....and I can't wait for that to happen
Rashad Evans is good no doubt, he has no losses on his record. The thing is the 205 section in the UFC is so hot right now.....Jardine and Bisping are moving up the ranks and god knows what sort of impact Rampage is gonna have. Im not saying he wont do well for himself but hes got some tough opposition. Oh, almost forgot a certain Mr Liddell too.
Rashad may be a contender, but I am with Irish on this one. His opponents have been carefully chosen; Rashad said himself that he wasn't in a hurry for a title shot.
He has been improving, but his competition hasn't. I would pick Lambert over Salmon and Bonnar over Lambert. I am all for the slow build, but it is time to throw someone who can beat him at Rashad.
Would like to see his next opponent be: Babalu, Jardine, Griffin, or Ortiz. Would settle for Sakara though.
I think Rashad has said he would change weight divisions before he would fight Jardine, so if he's that committed to not fighting him, I don't think he'll do it. Then again, money talks.
money? No. It's all up to Joe Silva the match maker and most likely Dana White. If Dana wants Jardine/Rashad to happen, even if they are teammates, it'll happen
If Rashad does indeed face Jardine, you have to give a title shot to the winner of the match almost certainly. I mean, if Jardine wins, that is a win over Forrest Griffin and an undefeated (I believe) Rashad Evans. On the flip side, if Evans wins, he just beat a top contender in the LHW division and would be undefeated. Giving him a title shot shouldn't be out of the question in my opinion. If not, then at least have something like Rashad vs. Rampage.
If the guys don't want to fight each other, I'm not sure they'd risk putting them out there. I'm not sure how their contracts are structured but even they were done in a manner that would ensure both guys went out there, it would still be a risky move. I forget the guys names but I remember on a Pride show two Japanese guys who were friends had to fight and it was pretty abysmal, they avoided hitting each other in the head and one of them moved from being in a guy's guard to the North South position and didn't take use any knees when he could have. And I think there were rumors of a pre-fight pact made between the two not to seriously damage one another, so...it's risky.
Anyway, I stumbled across this:
ESPN to cover mma
According to Colin Cowherd of ESPN radio, the upper moustaches at ESPN are goingespnlogo.JPG to have a meeting to discuss how they will cover mma. The higher-ups at ESPN feel that they missed the bus on covering mma and are working out details on how to cover it. Dana White was also asked last night after the Ultimate Fight Night event if he knew if ESPN would eventually cover mma and his response was that he was having a meeting with them on thursday to go over details of the coverage,
http://mmalowdown.com/2007/01/26/espn-to-cover-mma
Sweet! I mean, this is like boxing coming up and getting coverage that it deserved, now the UFC is getting it. I hope they don't miss the ball on this one, because this could be huge for all of MMA...
I'm going with Babalu or Forrest. I think Babalu will always be at a stage where he can beat anyone in the LHW division but Liddell. It's going to be hard to sell another Babalu-Chuck match after he lost two times in devestating fashion. Babalu might be too much for Rashad right now but I doubt Dana cares if Babalu loses. However my pick is still Forrest and then Babalu.
ESPN is about 2 years too late. Now all of a sudden they want to get in the game? Why? Because their beloved boxing is nowhere to be found?
after the last UFN, the fight between Jardine/Rashad was brought up by somebody in the post fight press conference. Dana said that it'd be a good idea, Rashad said he wouldn't fight Jardine because they train with one another. Dana then told him that if Dana put the fight together, they WILL fight one another....Dana's the boss, plain and simple
If i remember rightly, Chuck and Tito didnt want to fight eachother....
negative, Tito didn't want to fight Chuck....realistically, Chuck always got the best of Tito in training, so Tito avoided that title fight at all costs. He truly believed Chuck was his bodyguard for the LHW title. Instead, while Chuck was taking out Tito's competition (Randleman, Babalu, Belfort and 2 MW's: Suloev/Bustamante) , he was being groomed to be the next contender/champ
I would love to see Jardine get a LHW title shot. Jardine and Liddell would be a brutal match featuring two heavy handed strikers. Jardine has incredible kicks and Liddells punching power is astounding. I'd pay to see it.
If the UFC really wants a contender, like I always mention, they should have title eliminator fights. Liddell is out with his knee which opens the door for a contender to step up. Here's what I have:
- Rashad Evans vs. Babalu
- Keith Jardine vs. winner of Rampage/Eastman
- Winner of fight 1 vs. Winner of fight 2 is declared #1 contender
The only reason why I have Babalu in there is, well, maybe he's the one guy Rashad can beat in the top of the rankings to finally open up peoples eyes. Or maybe flip flop Jardine to fight Babalu and Rashad to fight the winner of Eastman/Rampage.
I'm just one for getting a solidified #1 contender and the LHW division, too many top fighters are falling off the top of the rankings, which is leaving the door open for too many TUF fighters, who people will always say, no matter what, are not ready for their title shot
You can't justify giving Jardine a title shot over Rashad who has beaten him...
TUF = amateur fights = nothing in the rankings/records
Jardine: Schall, Whitehead, Gouveia, Forrest....robbed against Bonnar
Rashad: Imes (split JD), Hoger (split JD), Bonnar, Lambert, Salmon
who has the stronger wins?
Regardless, Rashad beat him on TV, which means much more to the common fan than "strong" wins. And regardless of the fact that Jardine was robbed against Bonnar, he still lost, while Rashad dominated Bonnar.
you do know that TUF is also 2 rounds
Also, no true fan would care whether he was defeated on TUF. It's what they do after the show and Jardine took out one of the biggest stars in the UFC while Rashad beat a new comer brought in for slaughter
April 5th is the start of TUF 5, which is 2 months away. All I know is that Matt Wiman, Nathan Diaz, and Cole Miller are casted. There were talks of Dan Lauzon being on the show, but the rule is that the fighter must be over 21 years of age, which Lauzon is not
Last edited by Irish Kamikaze; January 28th, 2007 at 7:13 PM.
You do know that Evans/Jardine was 3 rounds right?
Whether it counts on his record or not, Rashad beat Jardine in a 3 round fight, and pretty handily. And after the show, Rashad took out a guy that beat Jardine. Rashad is not being given enough credit.
Rashad is getting alot of credit, but he's not fighting the right fighters. Jardine is the man who I'm sure Jackson's camp would want to put in there for a title shot....believe me. Jardine is more complete and has the tools to beat Liddell....leg kicks. Rashad would not be able to get Liddell down and would have his melon split open with a looping overhand.
I'm sorry, Jardine's success in the UFC > Rashad's success
oh, as for Rashad taking out the guy who beat Jardine....he controlled Bonnar, while Jardine kicked the crap out of him
Last edited by Irish Kamikaze; January 28th, 2007 at 7:26 PM.
Beat him just bad enough to lose...
And if you'll remember, Jardine's face was a bloody mess after Rashad beat him.
You mean the superficial damage? You wanna see blood? Watch Haynes vs. Singer or Yves vs. Stevenson
You tell me one person that Rashad beat on a UFC main card that is a bigger win than Jardine's win over Forrest
That's not a valid argument. You can only beat who they put in front of you and Rashad has done that, while Jardine has not. They are protecting Rashad because they know he can be a big star for them, while they have no such reservations about tossing Jardine into a losable fight. I'm sure they felt Forrest would win that match, just as I'm sure that Rashad would dominate Forrest.
Actually, if you would've payed attention, the betting lines dropped tremendously for the Forrest/Jardine fight. Jardine was an underdog, but not by much. Also, it was considered a very dangerous fight for Forrest and that's exactly how it played out.
And no, Rashad would not dominate Forrest nor would he win. Also, you can call it protection, I call it fear that the UFC won't put Rashad in against a legit fighter for 1 reason....the LHW division is very thin and they want to keep as many of their fighters looking strong as possible for times like this. Rashad would not be able to handle any of the elite fighters in the division (Liddell, Ortiz, Babalu, Forrest, Rampage, etc), so he'll continue to fight on UFN until the field is thin and there are no other matches on paper that could be made.
I'm impressed with Rashad, but your argument is not good. Like you said, he's being protected while fighters like Forrest, Diego, and Stevenson (from TUF 2 may I add) have been thrown in the pressure cooker and have been successful. This is why they are top notch and why they have to continue to make everybody believe Rashad is a top notch talent....though he doesn't have any true wins to prove it....again, holding down Bonnar isn't really impressive, like O'Brien holding down Herring didn't impress me as well. I'm still waiting for Rashad's big fight, which will be forever and a day before it comes
oh, forgot....GSP has signed a new deal with the UFC which is a 6-fight deal
just watched Marquardt/Lister and man was it complete domination from Marquardt. He dropped Lister too many times to count and one knee that actually KO'ed Lister, but Marquardt actually woke him up with a front headlock/punches combo. 2 judges scored it 30-25 (legit scores) and the other scored it 30-27(????!!!!!) I don't know how each, or if any, of those rounds were 10-9
Going to be watching Thomas/Guida next....heard it was a barn-burner that could've gone either way
Last edited by Irish Kamikaze; January 28th, 2007 at 9:58 PM.
Yeah, and after Dana said that, Evans shot back that he wouldn't:
Since then he has said he would change weight classes before he'd fight Jardine. He seems pretty adimant about it.Perhaps the most interesting exchange took place after the show at the press conference. When a reporter asked about a prospective match with Evans vs. Keith Jardine, who made a name for himself by knocking out Forrest Griffin on Dec. 30 in Las Vegas, UFC President Dana White said that sounded like a great idea. Evans shot back that he trains regularly with Jardine in Albuquerque, and he would never fight him. White said that if he made the match, he'd fight him. Evans shot back that he would not, and the awkward exchange ended at that point.
It's not as simple as Dana is the boss. How their contracts are structured is a factor that has to be taken into consideration, as does whether or not both guys are going to go out there and deliver. It wouldn't be wise to put money and promotion into a match in which you're not sure if the guys are going to deliver.
I'm disappointed with how the UFC has handled Evans so far. I was shocked when I found out that his next fight was against this Salmon dickhead/nobody. After his last fight, I would have thought we would have seen him move up to more elite opponents.
Who gives a fuck about win/loss - he needs to get his head busted open by some bigger talent. Griffin's loss to Jardine is going to make him a better fighter (in the long run). How the hell is Evans going to improve by beating up on lesser opponents all the time?
Undefeated records are a tad bit overrated when your opponents are lackluster. I'm impressed with Diego though, that guys gone through some wars with some of the elite WW's in the UFC and has shined through. Rashad needs a step up in competition and it's only a matter of time, but I have this weird feeling he'll end up fighting Mike Nickels or Wes Combs next
Yep. Especially in a sport where one lucky punch hit square on the chin can equal a loss for a top-ranked fighter.
Oh, I agree. At the same time, Rashad has been striking more than at any point in his UFC or TUF career, so the perception of him only being a wrestler has to have faded.
Now the perception that he hasnt faced many tough fighters is a completely different issue and one that I agree with you on. He needs to step up and fight someone that can really fight back.
I agree with you. How a title shot is decided is far too murky right now, it makes the whole thing seem a little bush league to me. Number one contenders should be clearly defined and obvious to the fans. At this point it seems like Dana just puts whomever he wants in there, or whoever can make him the most money. Fans should be allowed to know exactly where their favourite fighter stands and what he needs to do in order to get to the top of the mountain.
Thats without even going into how it must feel for the fighters. Its obvious by the amount of post-fight posturing that has been going on lately that they feel winning fights alone wont get them anywhere. I know controversy can be good for business but when guys are getting down on their hands and knees begging Dana to give them a shot, it seems a little pathetic.
Man...all this talk about Rashad, why? one freakin head kick and people are chatting about him getting a bloody title shot! HES NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!
There should be a clear pecking order and if there was Rashad Evans would be like...half way down the list. Being undefeated doesnt mean anything, Bisping is undefeated ffs and he wont get a title shot untill the end of the year and thats only if he defeats DECENT COMPETITION in the mean time....somthing Rashad has yet to do.
Hes good, dont get me wrong...i wouldnt say he has a complete package yet but his skills are improving.
Jardine > Forrest
Forrest > Rashad
Bisping > Rashad
Im only ranting because ive heard a few people on a number of different sites saying Rashad is title material...mainly youtube.
I don't think Bisping will get a title shot by the end of the year.
Don't get me wrong - I like what I see so far, and his attitude is awesome... but he's only just had his first fight in the UFC.
Bisping is one of those fighters that most people cant help but like, hes a crowd favorite....we all know that can help when it comes to getting a title shot.
Cro Cop interview
I saw this on another site and thought it was interesting:
I translated this from the latest GONG Kakutougi magazine. The interview took place this month. Gong Kakutogi, March 2007 No.178 by Matsuyama Go. I saw there was some controversy over a translated version of this interview on the net. It wasn't translated well, and was misinterpreted and just torn apart by the kids on Sherdog. I do not like Sherdog, so I won't post it there.
It was a long three months for Japanese Pride fans between the September 10th GP final and UFC's New Years broadcast.
Mirko: "I have no excuses to make for going to the UFC. I have been to Japan 42 times. My feelings for Pride will never change."
After winning the GP belt and anticipation for a rematch with Fedor, why did you decide to leave Pride?
Mirko: "There was really a lot of things going on. I think I will have to talk about it all some day. On the day of the GP final I turned 32 and thought I had to make some decisions. What was important that day were the people who have cheered and supported me.
What I wanted was for those people who have supported to me to think: "Pride's Mirko, who we have supported showed his strength and won". ....I do not think that this is a permanent farewell to Pride."
What do you mean? Is not your contract with the UFC for two years and 6 fights?
Mirko: " That is a little inaccurate. It is for six fights, but I have no plans for it taking two years."
Maybe you are right, at your pace it might take just a little over a year.
Mirko:" Three fights. I will be the UFC champion in three matches."
That's great but would the UFC's president Dana White let you have a title match within three fights?
Mirko:" Actually he (Dana White) was going to match me up with Tim Sylvia. I guess Tim ran away(laughing). Right now I am very hungry. I want to fight every 2 and a half to three months. I want to have the belt by the summer and have a fight in the fall, then fight in Japan on New Years."
In Japan?
Mirko:" Yes. Pride and the UFC are rival organizations, but I think I can bring them together. You will have Pride's Champion Fedor and UFC champion and Pride Open weight Champion me. This is my real hope."
That would be a big event. How do you feel about Fedor?
Mirko:"I will never forget our fight. I have no excuses, that fight was a total defeat for me. There might be other fights that I have excuses for losing. That day in August 2005 in Saitama I have no excuses for. To me "that summer" has still not ended."
That means you cannot lose in the UFC
Mirko:" That is true. One reason for not staying in the UFC was inspired by Fedor."
What do you mean?
Mirko:" When Pride had their show in Las Vegas last October, Fedor fought Mark Coleman. It was an away fight for Fedor right? Despite that the American fans embraced this Russian, Fedor. This really surprised me.
Until that point I had thought that America was a country only concerned with what goes on within their borders. How can you say?...They look inward. Their own countrymen. At that fight
I thought that America's mma had opened up. That mma was no longer a minor sport. Before the show I went to Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Remember I said I wanted to go there when I first started MMA(this is addressed to the interviewer)? There was a party held by American Croations. About 500 people.
There were a lot of families. A lot of children Iwan's (Mirko's 3 year old son, sorry I do not know if it is spelled correctly) age. They had heard that I was a "star" in Croatia. They asked what kind of martial arts? America does not know what Pride is. They all asked about the UFC. "
How come you do not fight in the UFC?", I was at a loss. Soon the parents of these children were saying to me " Please show America what Croatia is." In Japan I was able to help Japanese understand more of Croatia.
Most Americans do not know where Croatia is. At that moment I thought I can be the one to help Americans understand our country. The UFC has high PPV numbers. That moment in Los Angeles served as a big inspiration to me. Right now in America there is a a lot of money going around in the MMA business. Not just Bodog. The UFC says they spend 100 million towards MMA."
1. 2billion yen?!
Mirko:" But it isn't just about the money. No matter how much money you have I do not think you can beat the UFC. They have the fans, good promotion, connected to the mass media. Only one problem. I think my country men will have some problems."
Why?
Mirko:" My fights in Japan that were broadcast in Croatia were usually on Sunday and in the middle of the day. Now they will be broadcast at four in the morning on Sunday(grinning). I get people saying to me " can't you do something about that?".
On February 3rd you will make your Octagon début. Do you think you will have any adjustments to make regarding the Nevada State Athletic Commission?
Mirko:"Yes. First of all the way I wrapped and taped my hands in Japan is not allowed. That is a problem."
Do you mean how much tape you can use? How long your wraps can be? How much you wrap your hands?
Mirko:"Yeah. In Japan it depends on the fighter. Grapplers do not wrap their fists tightly so they can better grasp their opponent. Strikers wrap their fists tightly with a lot of tape to prevent hurting themselves. The NSAC has a rule to how much wrapping you can use."
In Japan you are given a roll of tape and wraps. You can bring your own. It is up to the fighter.
Mirko:"The NSAC rule is 6 feet of hand wraps."
They are pretty strict?
Mirko:" Strikers want to wrap their fists with a lot of tape because the open finger gloves do not have much protection. I heard that Fedor's only problem with fighting in Las Vegas was related to wrapping and taping his fists. You know Fedor is a hard puncher."
Have you tried on the UFC gloves?
Mirko:"Yes. Compared to the Pride gloves they are slightly thinner. More the reason that I want to wrap my hands like I did in Japan."
What do you think of the change in round format? You will now have to fight 5, 5 minute rounds in a title match and 3, 5 minute rounds for non-title matches.
Mirko:" I have to say that it will be easier for me stamina wise because I fought ten minute rounds."
You get to use elbows also.
Mirko:" Yes I think that will be fun. I am thinking of a lot of ways to use them(elbows). In the pound for example. I will have to go back to my kickboxing and remember what I did. We have a new boxing coach on my team. Branimir Rebbac(Sorry I have no idea how to write his name in English). We are discussing strategy. I can no longer use soccer ball kicks and four point knees because they are illegal."
The UFC has many strikers. Defence will be important.
Mirko:" I will have to be careful not to get caught by a big shot."
Your first opponent, Eddie Sanchez is a striker, with a good overhand right. He also is has a good triangle choke. He trained with Team Quest for about half a year.
Mirko:"Team Quest...that is where Dan Henderson trains. Hey, I like triangle chokes, and also guillotines. "
Speaking about Team Quest, Randy Couture has come out of retirement at 43 years of age. He is also going to fight as a heavyweight. Your first encounter with The UFC was seeing Couture right?
Mirko:"Yes. Couture in his career has always been a good strategist. He is a strong wrestler and has strong stand-up skills. I really want to see how he will do at HW. Last year he had a grappling match with Jacare that ended in a draw."
He has a four fight contract. The possibility exists for you fighting Couture?
Mirko:" First Randy will have to face Tim Sylvia on March 3rd right? Tim Sylvia has much greater reach than Liddell. I want to see how it plays out. "
Rampage who used to fight in Pride is also in the UFC.
Mirko:"Jackson is here. Liddell is very popular here isn't he?(laughing) I am close to the LHW limit. The day might come where I will have to fight Liddell. First he has to deal with surgery. I will try not to let him get away from me(laughing)."
It is less than one month until you enter the Octagon. What are your thoughts?
Mirko:"Hmm...you know the other day while at a friend's house I heard the Pride music they use from a video they were watching. At that moment I felt very sad. I was surprised at myself. When I made the decision to go to the UFC, I thought that there would be no regrets.
That beat (dandandadan), I thought, I won't be able to hear it for some time. They play that music backstage at Pride. For me it acted as a switch. Usually when they call on me to get ready I can see and hear the crowd, they call my name and wave. I wave back. My worries disappear. The nervousness I feel until that point disappears. I can focus. That music acted as a switch for me. From now on I will have to find news ways of doing things.
You know I still have not been in an Octagon(laughing). I do not know how the cage feels to the touch.
On January 31st I have work to do at Parliament. I get to Vegas on the 1st. I take my physical for the NSAC. Then it it is show time.
One thing, the time difference is not as great between Croatia and America as it is between Japan and Croatia(laughing). When I enter the Octagon, I wonder what I will feel. Thinking back I was booed first fighting in Pride, fighting for K-1. When I enter the Octagon I will have to decide the path of my life with just my hands.
Thanks for posting that interview Jobber
Potential Liddell-Mirko dream match. Very nice!
If it happens i hope Mirko beats the crap out of Liddell....but then im a Tito fan.
Vera had the vision to be the first 2-belt holder simultaneously, now it may be clear that CroCop will be the first. Vera may have gotten out of dodge just in time
Gina Carano was on Between the Ropes tonight. She sounds amazingly hot, and she is. The woman is one hot piece, and the fact that she's in MMA makes it even better. She'll be in the Elite XC Show on Showtime.
she's very hot, we've had some decent looking women in MMA, but Gina is by far a goddess compared to the rest
How about her opponent for the EXC show .....
Julie Kezie
..... fucking hell.
these hot chicks are coming out of the woodwork now....are they created in labs for our viewing pleasure?
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