The MMA thread (mk1)

[Edward Yee]

A shame that his UFC chances are dead in the water right now on account of being with TNA. I don't blame him for being pissed and making the post-fight remark though, considering that Brock wasn't given nearly the same amount of mockery over his time in pro wrestling. (Mind you, the comparisons such as "Black Lesnar" popped up as soon as Lashley went up to the main rosters in WWE, but still...)

TNA aside: Thank gosh Daffney (formerly "The Governor") has WOWZA breasts.

[weemadando]

This Friday (Aus time) is a huge fight.

Priscus Fogagnolo v Antonio Mendes

I've gotta back my homeboy Priscus. This is by far his biggest fight.

[weemadando]

Kingdom of Mayhem - Jason Miller's video blog, well worth a watch.

[weemadando]

Cro-Cop's coming back to the UFC!

BJ Penn is still a whining fucker.

[aerius]

BJ Penn is still a whining fucker.

I'm starting to hate BJ Penn about as much as I hate Chris Leben.
"I lost to Matt Hughes cause I dislocated a rib!"
No BJ, you lost because he put you in the crucifix position and beat you face in.

[Edward Yee]

Minors barred from UFC 99... after citizens tried to ban the show, lest its venue make it appear that MMA is socially acceptable

A front-page article on Sunday in Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, one of the country’s biggest newspapers, has led to a slew of negative publicity in the country. This resulted in the arena agreeing to ban anyone under the age of 18 from attending the show at the Laxness Arena after the head of a local child protection commission pushed for it.

In Monday’s edition of BILD, the country’s biggest newspaper, Marek Lieberberg, UFC’s local promoter, said child protective services of Cologne asked for a ban on minors’ attendance at the card, and he accepted it. However, the article itself had incorrect information, stating that everything is legal in UFC fights with the exception of biting and eye poking.

Here's the real kicker:

The story noted that in March, Cologne’s city council tried to ban the event, claiming it was too violent. Cologne mayor Manfred Wolf said there was no law in place that would allow them to ban the show. Several citizens started a petition to try and ban the event, claiming that by virtue of it being held in a major arena, that would give the message that MMA is socially acceptable.

“We have to ban this insanity,” said Werner Schneyder,” a well-known German boxing announcer. “We have to accept crippled fighters and deaths. They are trying to sell brutality as something impressive.”

Generally speaking, UFC doesn’t draw many spectators at live events under the age of 18, with the majority of fans between the ages of 25-40.

[Edward Yee]

UFC 98 results:
Frank Edgar def. Sean Sherk by UD (30-27)
Chael Sonnen def. Dan Miller by UD (30-27)
Drew McFedries def. Xavier Foupa-Pokam by TKO (R1, :37)
Krzysztof Soszynski def. Andre Gusmao by KO (R1, 3:17)
Matt Hughes def. Matt Serra by UD (29-28)
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship: Lyoto Machida def. Rashad Evans by KTFO (R2, 3:57)

What the FUCK do you know... he did it. I am going to LOVE TUF10.

[aerius]

A few notes. Sherk, you've never knocked anyone out, and you've never hurt anyone bad with punches, and all you have is a basic 2-3 punch combo. Your strength is in wrestling where you can take down damn near any lightweight and pound on them. So what the hell are you doing boxing with a better striker for 3 rounds without even trying a single takedown? Talk about a bad gameplan.

Hughes needs to retire, his standup was average at best even in his prime, but ever since he switched to the southpaw stance his striking has totally gone to shit. No one respects his standup anymore, and it shows, Serra tooled him on his feet and almost took him out several times in the 1st round. I think the fight was closer than the judges scored it, I could argue for a split decision going either way since they had one round each going into the 3rd round, and that round was almost too close to call.

Also, did Machida & Anderson Silva do a mind swap or something, cause now we have Silva just happy to sit back & counter while Machida's throwing killer combos and knocking people out. Machida's getting better with every fight and now he's found a really nice balance of countering & aggression, Rashad was just outclassed and schooled for the whole fight. If he keeps fighting like this Machida's going to be damn hard to beat, and I'd say only Shogun in top form or Anderson Silva if he steps up to LHW would have a decent shot of beating him.

[Edward Yee]

Internet theory had Sherk attempting to go for Fight of the Night bonus, win or lose.[quote=aerius]If he keeps fighting like this Machida's going to be damn hard to beat, and I'd say only Shogun in top form or Anderson Silva if he steps up to LHW would have a decent shot of beating him.[/quote]Why don't you give Rampage a chance?

Personally, I'd thought that Lyoto had secretly traded places with EVIL RYOTO, the fight ending by Shungokusatsu or Messatsu Shoryuken.

[Zadius]

I called it back on page 7! (but don't look 'cause I also predicted Chuck to KO Rashad in the same post. )

Machida's reaction time is unbelievable. If you watch at 1:54 left in the first round, Rashad tries to throw a leg kick, and Machida reacts instantly with a straight left aimed at Rashad's head. I've watched it frame by frame a dozen times, and Machida was launching the punch before Rashad's leg even left the ground. He must have read the movement of Rashad's right arm and the slight twist of the hip that Rashad did just before he kicked. He does this kind of thing every fight. He knows exactly when his opponent wants to strike, and he beats him to the punch. The straight left landed on Rashad's chin at exactly the same moment Rashad's kick landed, maybe even before. Then, to top that off, Machida tried to trip Rashad's leg out from under him in the same motion.

[Umbras]

If he keeps fighting like this Machida's going to be damn hard to beat, and I'd say only Shogun in top form or Anderson Silva if he steps up to LHW would have a decent shot of beating him.

Anderson will not fight Machida they are training partners and very close friends, he also has said many times in the past that he would not go for that LHW title as it belonged to Machida and it would only be a matter of time before Machida would win it. So pretty much it is up to Shogun(as long as he can get back to his Pride fighting prime), I dont see anyone else in the LHW division that could find a good way of countering Machida's style.

[weemadando]

You know, I actually teared up a little when the crowd started chanting "MA-CHI-DA! MA-CHI-DA!" it's about time that they came around.

And my fucking god is he scarier than ever. TUF10 will be awesome. Lyoto as a coach? FUCK YES.

In other brief thoughts:
Serra v Hughes should have been a draw.
Pat Barry getting subbed by the can - that was freakin' crazy.
Frankie Edgar putting away the 'roid case was a great moment.
And the utter awkwardness of Dan Miller v Chael Sonnen. I don't like Sonnen, but he fucking schooled Miller and I have to respect that.


Dream 9 tomorrow. Quick-picks are:
Jacare by whatever the fuck he wants, WHENEVER the fuck he wants. I'm a Mayhem Monkey most of the time, but Jacare is a fucking monster.

Kid Yamamoto will KO Warren, but will actually have to work for it for once.
Imanari by decision
Maeda by submission in the 2nd frame.
Cullum by KO.

JZ will get a stoppage over Kawajiri

And now the fun stuff:
Mousasi def Mark Hunt via gassing, jaw hanging open and getting kicked off.
Sokoudjou via can-opener
Choi def Canseco when Canseco skips the country to avoid the fight, alternately by horrific, near decapitating headkick at 0:05 into the first frame.
Bob Sapp via King-Konging.

[aerius]

Why don't you give Rampage a chance?

He's got a puncher's chance with his big knockout power, but the problem is he's not going to have a chance to hit Machida. Plus he'll likely get his leg kicked out again like it was against Forrest since he doesn't avoid or check leg kicks. Rampage is going to get picked apart all night, he doesn't have the movement & technique to close with Machida and hit him with the big KO punch. Rampage's strength is close range brawling where he can hit people with big punches, not long range technical striking which he'll be forced to do against Machida.

[Edward Yee]

DREAM 9 is in the books... looks like Sapp-Minowa was the only bout that had any legitimate uncertainty; the other three went as expected, minus the exact nature of Choi-Canseco (which could have ended in so many different ways) and the Sokoudjou beatdown.

I didn't have much invested in the Featherweight GP (or in how big Yamamoto-Warren is supposed to be), although supposedly Tokoro's fight was hot. However, I thought that the stoppage in Takaya-Maeda was too early (as ref I would have definitely given a chance for an armbar to be attempted, it looked to be in progress! That's intelligently defending oneself in my book!)... and I sympathize with Mayhem and Jacare if they both wanted the fight to continue. Was Mayhem crying?

This has been Day 4 ME (Machida Era).

[weemadando]

Disappointing overall that Dream Card

Canseco v Choi... Was... Terrible. It was like the unholy combination of the Kalib Starnes v Nate Quarry and the Fred Ettish fight.

Sokodjou should get a years ban at the least for that bullshit he pulled. I would have fully supported Ray Sefu had he been able to land a few shots on Sokodjou in the ring. For anyone who hasn't seen it - the ref stopped the fight after Sokodjou got in some decent GnP. Sokodjou then kept going, the ref puts himself BETWEEN Sokodjou and Nortje and so Sokodjou starts punching AROUND the ref. Fucking disgraceful and I'd be happy never to see him again.

And it wouldn't surprise me if Miller was crying - this was a huge fight for him and he's fucked it up. I'm sad that it didn't get to happen.

[Edward Yee]

Nortje accepted Sokoudjou's apology for whatever reason. Also, it's Evans and not Machida vs. Rampage on TUF.

[weemadando]

The TUF thing is disappointing, but hey, that's going to rate it's pants off for Spike and the UFC.

On the Sokoudjou thing - yes Nortje took the apology - probably to prevent Ray Sefu from going after Sokoudjou again. But it's still unac-fucking-ceptable. I'm living in a place where MMA is flat-out banned, because of shit like what Sokoudjou just did being the public perception of it. And that's why I get so up in arms about people not acting like fucking professionals.

[aerius]

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/tem ... &zoneid=13

It appears Shogun will be fighting Machida afterall. Personally I'd like to see Shogun get another fight first with one of the other title contenders so we can see if he's really back to being the unstoppable 2005 Shogun. He looked good against Chuck and beat him silly for most of the fight, but it wasn't long enough to see if his conditioning is back to 100%. 2005 Shogun with the right strategy vs. Machida has fight of the year written all over it.

[weemadando]

Yeah. I'm actually pumped for Shogun v Machida, but man the old Shogun had better show up and be better than ever - especially as half of his old tricks are banned in the US.

[aerius]

No kidding, but I have faith in Shogun as long as he doesn't injure himself again or get overconfident and slack off in his training after his win over Chuck. No one gave him a chance against Chuck after his pitiful fight vs. Coleman, but he surprised everyone and showed up in form after only 3 months of training following the Coleman fight. If he keeps working his ass off in training there's no reason he can't show up in 2005 GP form, and with a better strategy & gameplan for the fight. I'd say leg kicks, Shogun has vicious leg kicks and if he can take out Machida's leg then the fight should be all his.

Only problem is Machida also gets better with every fight so who knows how good he'll be by fight time.

[Edward Yee]

Satoshi Ishii (2008 Olympic gold medalist judoka) signs with Sengoku, and Kimbo to TUF10, who wants to herald the world's end?

[weemadando]

OK, for a card that held a lot of promise, that Strikeforce event was a snore-fest for the most part.

Only having 5 fights means that you have to run a SHITLOAD of boring filler when they get stopped early. Someone, learn the lessons of the UFC and have a fucking undercard to slot in there - even if it is just one or two fights in the can.

Randleman v Whitehead - if I ever have to see 2 "decision wizard" or "lay and pray specialists" go into a "fight" ever again I might lose my love for MMA. This was tedium incarnate as two gassed wrestlers did very little for 3 rounds. This in fact was so bad that I had to watch the announcement of the victor because I wasn't 100% convinced that one had done ENOUGH to win it over the other.

Baroni v Riggs - at least there was some action here, but Baroni gassed, Riggs had broken hands and thus neither did much outside of the first frame.

Diaz v Smith - Exciting for the most part, but someone needs to tell Diaz to drop the "I'm a street tough" act. I say it every time, but it just makes me hate him. Not hate him as in "I want to buy a PPV to watch this guy get beat", but hate him as in "you fucking bore me with your bullshit."

Arlovski v Rogers - Over in 20 seconds. The glass beard gets yet another highlight reel KO to it's name.

And then came about 20 minutes+ of faff because this fight had ended quickly and they didn't know what to do... Eventually we get to:

Shields v Lawler - interesting match up, and Shields chokes him beautifully very early in the piece.

Finally, I can stop watching this card. I didn't even wait to see the post-fight of the Shields v Lawler event.

For a card that looked that fantastic on paper, on the air it was a steaming pile.

[aerius]

Personally I thought it was a pretty solid card, definitely on par or better than the last couple UFC cards. My problem with the UFC is that even with the undercard fights to fill in some time, they go apeshit with promotions of upcoming cards and fighter bios and all kinds of shit that pisses me off, I paid to watch fucking fights, not fucking UFC promo commercials.

Randleman vs. Whitehead was definitely a snoozer, I don't remember the match since I wasn't really really watching it.

Baroni Riggs was a "wtf is going on?" thing for me. It started well and had some good exchanges later on, but what was going on in the fight just didn't make sense to me. Finding out about Riggs' broken hands shed some light into the weirdness I was seeing.

Diaz vs. Smith was fucking awesome, this was a classic Nick Diaz fight complete with taunting, smacktalk, and all the other good Nick Diaz shit. And seriously, how can not like the liver shots that Diaz used to drop Smith on his ass?

Arlovski just got mugged in his fight. Rogers bumrushed him good, then again that's what happens when you move straight back into the fence instead of side stepping and running around to buy some time or clinching and pulling guard.

Shields & Lawler went about as I expected, but ended faster.

[weemadando]

UFC this weekend is... interesting...

My picks are going to be horrific for this card - I know that I'm going to bat .250 or worse.

That said, any card that includes Caol Uno gets my approval.

And Cain Velasquez v Cheick Kongo is awesome. I predict a KO.

[aerius]

And Cain Velasquez v Cheick Kongo is awesome. I predict a KO.

How many groin shots do you think there will be in this fight?
Kongo's become a low blow artist ever since his fight with Cro Cop.