The MMA thread (mk1)

[Edward Yee]

I think the rationale given by Lesnar beforehand was that he was overly aggressive versus Mir and thus gave up his leg for the infamous kneebar, so he would change things up versus Herring. Nevertheless, it helps that this wasn't under PRIDE rules.

[aerius]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMZfdCkYPig

Capoeira meets superman punch. It's great.

[Big Phil]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMZfdCkYPig

Capoeira meets superman punch. It's great.

Why are you posting clips from a shitty movie?

[weemadando]

There was nothing shitty about that movie. Shut your filthy mouth.

My favourite stupid clip, some bullshido master gets his arse handed to him by someone who actually fights.

[weemadando]

What the fuck? Does Florida not having a boxing commission or something? Who the hell is letting Shamrock still fight?

Shamrock Gets Next Shot at ‘Slice’
Monday, August 25, 2008
by Loretta Hunt (lhunt@sherdog.com)

14185
Ken Shamrock (Pictures) will be the fourth man to face Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson (Pictures) when the two icons clash at EliteXC’s third installment of “Saturday Night Fights” Oct. 4 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla. The headlining bout will anchor a live broadcast on CBS.

Sherdog.com confirmed the bout’s signing with multiple parties aware of the fight, while a press release is expected to circulate later today with the news.

The 44-year-old Shamrock (26-13-2) beat out fellow candidates Sean Gannon and Brett Rogers (Pictures), who called out Slice in May, for the coveted slot.

Shamrock, a 15-year veteran of the game who made his storied Octagon debut at UFC 1 in November 1993, has dropped his last five bouts in a row since 2005, including a lackluster showing against brawler Robert Berry (Pictures) at Cage Rage 25 last March.

However, “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” exudes substantial selling power for a match now only five and a half weeks away. A strong personality in and out of the cage, Shamrock’s 15 appearances in the UFC earned him international recognition alongside his original nemesis Royce Gracie (Pictures).

Slice (3-0) earned a third-round victory against Brit James Thompson (Pictures) in his last foray for EliteXC in May. The bout was much criticized for its questionable officiating, placing Ferguson’s skill set in doubt after Thompson held the advantage for sizable stretches of the 11-minute contest. Ferguson holds previous wins over David "Tank" Abbott (Pictures) and Bo Cantrell (Pictures).

[aerius]

You've got to be shitting me, Ken Shamrock?? I guess EliteXC is really hard up for publicity or something cause there's no way in hell Shamrock should be fighting unless there's a senior's league. It'll probably be a nice freakshow comedy fight though.

[Big Phil]

There was nothing shitty about that movie. Shut your filthy mouth.

My favourite stupid clip, some bullshido master gets his arse handed to him by someone who actually fights.

What, are you a big fan of Two Girls, One Cup as well?

Is the clip you posted for real? What's the point of having an MMA fighter beat the crap out of an old phony?

You've got to be shitting me, Ken Shamrock?? I guess EliteXC is really hard up for publicity or something cause there's no way in hell Shamrock should be fighting unless there's a senior's league. It'll probably be a nice freakshow comedy fight though.

They're probably thinking Kimbo should beat Shamrock, and if he does, he'll gain (some) credibility because of Shamrock's reputation. If Shamrock beats Kimbo, he doesn't lose quite as much credibility, again because of Shamrock's reputation.

[Edward Yee]

Kimbo's trainer Bas Rutten did say that "to put him against a top 10 [heavyweight] right now is just not a smart thing to do.”

Shamrock was also the last man to beat Rutten (1995, Pancrase, kneebar). Could be why Rutten still believes in him to some extent, but telegraphs Shamrock real easy:

“We’re really looking for a knockout, of course, and we know Ken is going to go for the ground,” Rutten said. “Why would Ken stand up? His ground game’s really good. He should be smart. So Kimbo’s stand-up is too strong. So Ken for the ground -- obviously, he’s going to go for leg locks. It’s not a big surprise what’s going to happen.”

Source

[weemadando]

There was nothing shitty about that movie. Shut your filthy mouth.

My favourite stupid clip, some bullshido master gets his arse handed to him by someone who actually fights.

What, are you a big fan of Two Girls, One Cup as well?

Is the clip you posted for real? What's the point of having an MMA fighter beat the crap out of an old phony?

Mainly it's the look of shock when the guy actually hits him, as if he has genuinely believed his own shit the whole time.

[The Dark]

What the fuck? Does Florida not having a boxing commission or something? Who the hell is letting Shamrock still fight?

The Boxing Commission is covered under Florida Statute 548. Medical approval requires a Hep-B test, Hep-C test, dilated eye exam, and approval from a 5-member board, which has a 10% rejection rate. I agree that it's a bad fight, but there's not really a legitimate reason the commission could use to prohibit the fight.

[weemadando]

Well, Shamrock (shockingly) seems to think that he'll win the fight. If Kimbo can actually be competent on the ground, then assuming that Shamrock can get him there (a relatively safe assumption) without getting KO'd first (not such a safe assumption), then it's probably going to be two gassed out guys lying around until they're stood up. I'm really not keen for this at all.

[aerius]

Thinking on it some more, I believe they're hoping for a quick KO by Kimbo Slice. If Slice can KO Shamrock within the first round, they can and will hype the crap out of it and promote him as a baddest man in MMA. I have no idea what they'll do of Shamrock wins though, that would make EliteXC look like a total joke.

[Zadius]

Thinking on it some more, I believe they're hoping for a quick KO by Kimbo Slice. If Slice can KO Shamrock within the first round, they can and will hype the crap out of it and promote him as a baddest man in MMA. I have no idea what they'll do of Shamrock wins though, that would make EliteXC look like a total joke.

How about this: EliteXC is a joke and Shamrock has no chance. They will string the fans along for as many Kimbo fights as they can. If I were them, I'd put him in there to get smashed by Antonio Silva, then I'd hype Silva up.

[J]

I have but one comment: I think I have a crush on GSP, it must be that sexy French accent...

[Zadius]

Holy mother, Chuck got knocked out by... Rashad Evans? So does this mean it might be Rashad vs. Griffin for the title? *pinches self* Actually, I'll bet the UFC doesn't give Rashad a title shot just yet. They'll probably make it Wanderlei vs. Griffin, but we'll see.

Rich Franklin looked awesome against Hamill, I was really impressed by the way he mixed things up. Very good 205 debut.

[aerius]

Yeah, the whole bar went dead silent when Chuck went down, everyone was like "holy crap, I gotta be seeing things". People were looking around at each other going "did that just happen?", it was almost as unbelievable as when Serra beat GSP, very similar reaction.

Chuck didn't look good at all last night, he looked like the confused Chuck who lost a decision to Jardine and not the pumped up Chuck who banged it out with Wanderlei for 3 rounds. Maybe Greg Jackson's camp really does have Chuck all figured out, cause whatever they're doing is making him look bad and handing him losses.

Definitely impressed by Rich Franklin, people were writing him off after his losses to Silva, Silva makes everyone look bad but Rich is still a lot better than most people think. As the fight went on, Franklin put together more & better combinations, and then he dropped Hamill with a beautiful liver shot.

Bit disappointed with Hendo even though he got the win, he was way too passive and just kept looking to land the big right hand. I know he needs the safe win, but still, that was a rather sad fight.

[TheFeniX]

Holy mother, Chuck got knocked out by... Rashad Evans? So does this mean it might be Rashad vs. Griffin for the title? *pinches self* Actually, I'll bet the UFC doesn't give Rashad a title shot just yet. They'll probably make it Wanderlei vs. Griffin, but we'll see.

It's confirmed that Rashad is up for a title shot, although I'll bet Dana is pissed that he won't sell as many tickets as with Liddell vs Griffin.

Rich Franklin looked awesome against Hamill, I was really impressed by the way he mixed things up. Very good 205 debut.

Not to nit pick, but Franklin has fought at 205 before. I'm pretty sure his loss to Machida was at 205, although I'm not certain. But I do like seeing Franklin put on his back by a strong wrestler, while fighting back at 205. Maybe the fact that Franklin was able to sweep Hamil at all should shut a lot of people up about his lack of a ground-game, completely ignoring his record.

Yes, there are people online and offline who think Rich Franklin has no ground game. It's crazy.

Definitely impressed by Rich Franklin, people were writing him off after his losses to Silva, Silva makes everyone look bad but Rich is still a lot better than most people think. As the fight went on, Franklin put together more & better combinations, and then he dropped Hamill with a beautiful liver shot.

I could understand the average knock-out fan writing off Franklin after his back-to-back losses against Silva, because lets face it: you're average fan is uninformed, bordering on stupidity. They neglect that Silva is tailor made to wreck guys like Franklin, and only focus on that Rich had no answer for Silva's clinch work. So, since Silva beat Franklin so bad, but had problems with Lutter, Lutter should smash Franklin.

But even bloggers who consider themselves informed were writing off Franklin, not for being irrelevant in some way (because with Silva running around both of his weight-classes, he won't be holding a title unless Silva dies or something), but were writing off his fighting skills. Pure Idiocy.

Rich Franklin is a fucking badass. Unfortunately, Silva is some kind of cyborg who's only susceptible to flying heel-hooks.

[Zadius]

Not to nit pick, but Franklin has fought at 205 before. I'm pretty sure his loss to Machida was at 205, although I'm not certain.

True, I shouldn't have said debut. His fight with Machida was indeed at 205 and he didn't move to 185 until a few fights into his UFC career.

Yes, there are people online and offline who think Rich Franklin has no ground game. It's crazy.

Yeah, he's one of the most well rounded fighters in the sport. Hamill took him down once only to nearly get himself armbarred immediately.

[aerius]

UFC Link

Sep-8-2008
Evan Tanner 1971-2008
By Thomas Gerbasi

“I believe there are people out there that just have a warrior spirit, whether it’s fighting or something, they’ve got to do it. It’s hard to identify with me; it’s just something I do.”
---Evan Tanner, 2005

On what will unquestionably be remembered as one of mixed martial arts’ saddest days, former UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner - beloved by fans for his fighting ability and by friends for his free spirit – has passed away at the age of 37.

Tanner, on a camping trip in the Palo Verde mountain area, was found by an Imperial County Sheriff’s Department Deputy on Monday. The cause of death is not known at this time. He had not answered friends’ text messages since last Wednesday, and was officially reported missing on Friday.

On his personal Spike TV web blog, Tanner discussed the trip and how a failure of equipment could be fatal, but in a subsequent blog, he downplayed such fears, writing, “It seems some MMA websites have reported on the story, posting up that I might die out in the desert, or that it might be my greatest opponent yet, etc. Come on guys. It's really common down in southern California to go out to the off road recreation areas in the desert about an hour away from LA and San Diego. So my plan is to go out to the desert, do some camping, ride the motorcycle, and shoot some guns. Sounds like a lot of fun to me. A lot of people do it. This isn't a version of "Into the Wild". I'm not going out into the desert with a pair of shorts and a bowie knife, to try to live off the land. I'm going fully geared up, and I'm planning on having some fun.”

His agent, John Hayner, says that Tanner was excited about the trip and in a good place physically and mentally before his untimely death.

“He was in a good state of mind the last time we spoke,” said Hayner. “Everyone that was around him, and even at the gym he was training at, also said he was in a great state of mind. Living in Oceanside (California), he really liked being on the beach. His house was across from the water, he was in beautiful surroundings.”

If one thing was ever clear about Tanner, it was that he loved life, the outdoors, and adventure.

“He was always planning on going on some sort of adventure,” said Hayner. “And he never needed the finer things or made a fuss about them. He just needed enough for gas, shelter, and training.”

A native of Amarillo, Texas, Tanner worked various jobs as a bouncer, a cable TV contractor, a framer building beach houses, a dishwasher, a baker, a ditch digger, and a slaughterhouse worker before stumbling on to mixed martial arts in 1997.

Over the next 11 years, fighting would be a major part of his life, to the tune of 42 professional bouts, but as he said earlier this year before what would be his final bout against Kendall Grove, he never considered himself a fighter.

“I always thought of myself as the poet, the writer, or the philosopher – I never thought of myself as a fighter,” he chuckled. “But here I am. I always had an idea of the flow of my life, but not exactly what I would be doing day to day. And fighting definitely wasn’t something I thought I’d be doing.”

But he was good at it – very good in fact. Over the course of his career, Tanner (34-8) scored wins over Paul Buentello, Heath Herring, Ikuhisa Minowa, Justin McCully, Elvis Sinosic, Phil Baroni (twice), and Robbie Lawler. His biggest win, however, came at UFC 51 on February 5, 2005, when he stopped David Terrell in the first round to win the UFC middleweight championship.

Tanner would lose the belt to Rich Franklin in his first defense four months later, but the fans never abandoned him, and he returned that admiration, both in person and through his internet blogs.

“I wanted to give something back to the fans and let them know that I’m just a regular guy,” said Tanner in early 2008. “Some of the guys forget that and get caught up in the lights, and I never want to forget that and that I’m one of the lucky ones that got a chance to get out there and do this. There are a lot of great athletes out there, a lot of great fighters that never got the chance. I’m one of the lucky ones that did, so writing the blog and telling life as it is helps me stay grounded and it gives me a way to connect with the fans and give them something back.”

His blogs were more than just fight talk and product advertisements though. Tanner spoke frankly about life and his struggles in and out of the Octagon. And when
Click here to find out more!
he made his return to the UFC in 2008 after almost two years away, it was a triumph of the human spirit and an inspiration, regardless of whose hand was raised at the end of the fight.

“My thought was that I’m in a position where I’ve done some things and some people look up to me a little bit and maybe something in my story can help inspire them or motivate them to get through some things or do something better,” said Tanner before his return against Yushin Okami at UFC 82 in March. “If that’s the case and it helps anybody else out, then it’s worth me facing the embarrassment.”

He fell short in his final two bouts against Okami and Grove, but there was no keeping him down, and his off-time after the Grove bout was filled with more of his adventures, as well as participation in Harley-Davidson’s 105th anniversary celebration.

Sadly, there will be no more adventures, only memories of Evan Tanner.

“Evan was such a unique individual, and he was okay being an individual,” said Hayner. “He was okay with taking the path less traveled, and he often chose that harder path.”

It was simply who he was. Just read the words he spoke to me before I wished him luck for his fight against Grove in June.

“Everything’s been about the journey,” he said. “I never really set out with goals for fighting; it’s been about the adventure along the way. When you’re on your death bed, it’s those stories, those little adventures that are going to be the things that you remember. It’s not so much getting there, but how you got there.”

And he did it his way.

Leave it to me as I find a way to be
Consider me a satellite, forever orbiting
I knew all the rules, but the rules did not know me
Guaranteed
---Eddie Vedder, “Guaranteed”. The song playing on Evan Tanner’s myspace page.

Rest in Peace, Evan.

[weemadando]

Finally catching up with MMA from when I was interstate. UFC88 was a better card than expected. Chuck going down was quite something to see.

Oh. And the next TUF series is over already. Lets look at Big Nog's assistant coaches.

Lyoto Machida.
Anderson Silva.

Who the fuck is Frank Mir bringing to the party? The only issue I can see is that they'll probably need to all learn Portugese, but goddamn any one of those guys would be an amazing coach. All 3 is just overkill of the best kind.

[Sriad]

Finally catching up with MMA from when I was interstate. UFC88 was a better card than expected. Chuck going down was quite something to see.

Oh. And the next TUF series is over already. Lets look at Big Nog's assistant coaches.

Lyoto Machida.
Anderson Silva.

Who the fuck is Frank Mir bringing to the party? The only issue I can see is that they'll probably need to all learn Portugese, but goddamn any one of those guys would be an amazing coach. All 3 is just overkill of the best kind.

I'm cheering for Eliot Marshall, an instructor at a BJJ school here in Boulder, CO. He's an atheist with a Bachelor's degree in math!

If he and Jeff Monson fused, we'd have a perfect subversion of MMA fighters.

[weemadando]

Is Marshall on Mir's side of the table?

[Sriad]

Is Marshall on Mir's side of the table?

Hehe, don't even know if he got past the 32->16 initial fights until later this week.

[weemadando]

Well, I hope that he's on Big Nog's team, because with the support that he'd have there I'd be amazed if he didn't come out of it a far, FAR better man.

[aerius]

Ken Shamrock was a last minute scratch for the fight, so some dude from TUF2 was bumped up from the prelims to face Kimbo Slice. Kimbo got his ass beat so fast that I almost missed it. He got hit with a funny punch to the head and fell flat on his face, then got rolled over and pounded senseless to the point where he pulled a Babalu and tried to take down the ref after the fight was over. It was great.