Re: MMA Thread

[Funkentelechy]

UFC on Fox 5 and UFC 155 are stacked too. December will be a great month for UFC fans.

And I pretty much agree with you guys on the predictions for UFC 156, even though I'm not so sure about Fitch v Maia since Maia has the best BJJ in the company and on a given day he could submit anyone.

As a side note, great pic

[Eman]

And I pretty much agree with you guys on the predictions for UFC 156, even though I'm not so sure about Fitch v Maia since Maia has the best BJJ in the company and on a given day he could submit anyone.

True, but Fitch is probably the hardest guy to submit in the UFC as well. His unofficial nickname amongst his training partners is 'The Man Who Never Taps' or '...Can't be Submitted' or something like that. I actually expect them to stand for most of the fight unless Maia goes for a shot though because I wouldn't expect Fitch to want to play with fire.

[Eman]

Benson Henderson was outstanding tonight. His attack was so varied and innovative, which is becoming more and more common these days amongst the true top-contenders in MMA, which I guess is in the true spirit of martial arts. This title defence was nowhere near as close as his fights with Edgar. Really interested to see how he'll do with a guy closer to his size who can match his strength though like Maynard.

Shogun is my favourite LHW still but the man's conditioning was not there tonight and he was clearly worse off after the 1st round ended. That guy who gave Gustafsson a 10-8 round can go feck himself though. In a way it's the positive result for the good of the division though because frankly Shogun rematching Jon Jones would have been a waste of time - at least Gustafsson's size might make his bout with the champion interesting, while Shogun is probably on his way to being the gatekeeper of the division's top talent.

As for Penn, well, the man never comes in shape and he didn't tonight either no matter how 'motivated' he was supposed to be. An in-shape Penn is something we will never see again I don't think. That all being said, he shouldn't be coming back at WW - he was just overpowered in every way against Rory. If BJ doesn't drop to LW, he is only doing his reputation harm with a comeback attempt. I'm interested to see as well what will happen when Rory and GSP eventually fight, since it will happen sooner or later - will Canadians side with GSP as they always have or will they go for the guy who isn't a 'Frenchy?'

Spoiler:

[Funkentelechy]

I couldn't watch UFC on Fox 5 unfortunately

But I won't miss tonight's PPV for sure. What do you guys expect from UFC 155?

JDS is the favourite to win the fight, but Cain's no underdog either. Chances are 60-40 in Junior's favour, IMO. Maybe tonight we will finally get to see how good JDS' groundgame is.

[Funkentelechy]

As UFC 156 is drawing near, I felt the need to ressurect this thread.

UFC 159 is also looking stacked with the newly announced matches:

Jon Jones v Chael Sonnen
Michael Bisping vs Alan Belcher
Jim Miller vs Pat Healy
Cheick Kongo vs Roy Nelson
Phil Davis vs Vinny Magalhaes

[Eman]

As UFC 156 is drawing near, I felt the need to ressurect this thread.

UFC 159 is also looking stacked with the newly announced matches:

Jon Jones v Chael Sonnen
Michael Bisping vs Alan Belcher
Jim Miller vs Pat Healy
Cheick Kongo vs Roy Nelson
Phil Davis vs Vinny Magalhaes

People just don't keep this thread alive, which is a shame. Solid card this past weekend. My predictions for 159: Jones, Bisping, Miller, Nelson, Davis. I would be surprised if any of them lost tbh, but should be entertaining nonetheless. Seems like Sonnen and Jones actually get along quite nicely, although I do not plan on watching TUF so I don't know how that will go between them

On a not-directly-linked to MMA fights note, one of my friends is a black-belt in Taekwondo and recently went on a big drunken tangent about how MMA was bullshit because it didn't have enough Taekwondo fighters considering how it is the 'best' martial art out there. It's an interesting martial art that will obviously work on people with a lower level of training, and I even trained in it myself for a bit over a year when I was younger, but implying that it was the best martial art out there sent my facepalm levels to an all-time high. Stephen Bonnar, Joe Rogan, and Bas Rutten talk all the fecking time about how useless the martial art is in an MMA setting, and all of them have advanced training in Taekwondo.

Spoiler:

[Guest]

I am watching the Ultimate Fighter and I can tell you with certainty that Jones and Sonnen do not get along. Chael is actually growing on me (did I really just say that?) I think it is because he is a solid coach and very passionate about the sport. I was a Jones fan from the beginning and began to realize (once I jumped around some MMA forums) that he is not as liked as I assumed he would be. I always pegged him for being a stand up guy, someone who worked hard at his craft to get where he is today. Watching this guy on the Ultimate Fighter really has me questioning where I stand on Jones - one thing is for sure, I think he is a terrible coach

I agree it is a pity that this thread does not remain active - I know we have enough knowledgable posters, but we never seem to be on the same "MMA schedule" (not sure how that is possible). I just know it is tough to keep a section going with limited members participating.

[Funkentelechy]

Yeah, it's a real shame people don't post more often in this thread.

As to UFC 156, it really messed up HW's title scene with Bigfoot beating The Reem. There isn't a clear number one contender for the heavyweight title now. Bigfoot vs Cain wouldn't be interesting since Cain steamrolled Bigfoot not so long ago and Bigfoot is far from being an impressive fighter anyway. Cain vs JDS III looks unlikely too, Dana even said Junior wouldn't get a rematch right away - so we'll probably be seeing JDS vs Overeem, a match I'm really looking forward to. Cormier would be a good option, but Cain is his teammate and they don't want to fight each other. Werdum has won his last two fights, thus becoming a deserving contender, but he's involved in TUF Brazil. Everything can happen in that division now, I could even see the winner of Struve/Hunt getting the title shot.

As strange as it may sound, my favourite fight of the night was Maia vs Fitch. It was such an impressive showing from Maia, he seems to have found his ideal weightclass at WW. It was also nice to Fitch getting beaten at his own game lol.

And lol at your friend. Martial arts such as Taekwondo, Capoeira, Kung Fu, etc can have some flashy, eye catching moves but they by themselves aren't that effective in MMA, much less in street fights. I don't think there is something such as 'the best' martial art for MMA, however, it seems to me that grappling has the edge over striking, that's why I think Ronda will dominate her division for years just like Royce did in his prime.

[Guest]

Did anyone notice Maia was trying to get that Xbox/PS3 achievement? He purposely did not throw a punch that whole fight (I am fairly certain of this). I know he has claimed to not enjoy hurting people in the past, but I thought it was funny how he seemed to go out of his way (at times) not to throw anything.

[Eman]

Did anyone notice Maia was trying to get that Xbox/PS3 achievement? He purposely did not throw a punch that whole fight (I am fairly certain of this). I know he has claimed to not enjoy hurting people in the past, but I thought it was funny how he seemed to go out of his way (at times) not to throw anything.

Achievement unlocked

And I only saw some interviews before TUF where Sonnen and Jones got along, but I guess it isn't a surprise that they have grown apart when competing on TUF. Speaking of TUF, it's unfortunate that Werdum is tied up with TUF Brazil. There are too many TUFs these days. I watched them all up until a few seasons ago, but the talent levels just aren't as high now so the incentive to watch has been taken away a bit for me.

As for the HW contenders, I agree that Bigfoot did throw a wrench in things, especially since Overeem was winning that fight until the comeback. It's funny how Cain lost all of his luster after 1 loss and now after a few fights his aura is back better than ever. Cormier and Cain should just put aside their friendship and have a true fight for the #1 spot or we may see the division go back to the dark days of undeserved HW title fights until another guy rises to the occasion. Then again, every champion right now is looking like the true top dog of their respective weight class, so it wouldn't be anything too new.

[Guest]

As for the HW contenders, I agree that Bigfoot did throw a wrench in things, especially since Overeem was winning that fight until the comeback. It's funny how Cain lost all of his luster after 1 loss and now after a few fights his aura is back better than ever. Cormier and Cain should just put aside their friendship and have a true fight for the #1 spot or we may see the division go back to the dark days of undeserved HW title fights until another guy rises to the occasion. Then again, every champion right now is looking like the true top dog of their respective weight class, so it wouldn't be anything too new.

I tend to root for most Brazilians and I just have yet to be impressed by Big Foot - keep in mind I was ecstatic when he won. I do not even know why, I am not sure if I dislike Overeem or what. I did think that Big Foot looked sloppy and I am not sure what he brings to the table outside of having an enormous head (I was legit staring at it for the first couple minutes of the fight and I have seen this dude before.) Anyway, I am not really sure what to make of the division - I would not let Big Foot fight Cain again and I think Dana is correct in not letting Dos Santos get a instant rematch. I cannot say that I disagree with fighters not wanting to fight friends, but I think it should happen if it would give that division the best match up.

[Eman]

Bigfoot has always been a tough guy and he's definitely more talented than he sometimes gets credit for. He even beat Fedor once, which is about as impressive as it gets on an MMA fighter's resume, although tbf this was when Fedor was clearly past his prime - Dan Henderson TKOed him in the next fight

What you mentioned with Brazilians is interesting. People always cheer for their countrymen in just about any sport, but I find it difficult to do so sometimes for Canadian fighters. GSP is amazing, but he can be quite boring and the dickheads who cheer for him at the bars annoy the shit out of me; Rory MacDonald is turning into a huge asshat; and almost all of the others are just grinders with no flash or are mediocre strikers otherwise. It's one of the sports I truly don't give a feck about where a person is from in - none of my top 10 favourite fighters are Canadian.

[Funkentelechy]

Bigfoot surely has solid skills overall, he just doesn't really stand out in any departament and that's probably why people don't pay much attention to him. But, on a given day, he is certainly capable of beating a most top guys. That's what makes the heavyweight division so cool in my eyes: the talentpool may not be the best, but its unpredictability and competitiveness make up for it.

Even though most of my favourite fighters are also my countrymen, I won't cheer for a national fighter just for the sake of it.

By the way, what do you guys think about the women's division?

[Eman]

I think it's coming along, but it likely won't be nearly as popular or respected as the male divisions for a long time due to what society expects from its sports. Ronda Rousey and Cristiane Santos are monsters though - nobody really has anything on them atm. I remember hearing quite a bit about how Ronda has taught the Diaz brothers a thing or two about judo, so it's nice to see that many male fighters have welcomed them as well.

Btw, holy shit :

[Guest]

That kick was real intense and I honestly could not really enjoy it, did not seem like Uriah enjoyed it after what I thought to be a pretty boss celebration. Much respect for Mr. Hall as he apologized to Adam as he was laying on the floor, he did not have the intention of hurting him like that (or at least that is not the feeling I get). I just watched that clip you posted and while I was ok during the knockout, I still get uncomfortable while Adam is laying down on the floor.

This past episode continued to do Jones no favors as I just find him to be a poor coach. Sonnen on the other hand is a truly terrific coach in my opinion - I like how he interacts with his fighters and he comes across as a highly intelligent person.

[Zealous]

Sonnen being a great coach does not surprise me at all. Go check out the speeches he gives to wrestling students on youtube, some great stuff. Uriah Hall is so fcking lucky that he has him as a coach. Jones is an OK coach but it's pretty clear who is the better coach in this season.

And can I just say that the Big Foot v Overeem finish was one of the most satisfying knockouts I've seen in a while. Overeem is such an undisciplined striker he's actually super lucky he wasn't knocked out earlier. Big Foot isn't Floyd Mayweather but he can throw bombs and Overeem for some reason thought he could get way with fighting like an amateur.

[Guest]

I have actually seen a couple of those videos before, but you have to remember how much of a clown Sonnen can be when promoting fights (or whatever it is he is doing). Anyway, giving speeches at a seminar is one thing (not saying it is a easy task), but the way he spoke to Uriah Hall... He seems to focus on every aspect of fighting equally and I really loved what he said about failure. All that being said, I will take up your advice and look for more videos on Sonnen

[Zealous]

Sonnen is not a "clown" when promoting fights. If anything Anderson Silva should feel forever indebted to Sonnen for making him look like the nicest guy ever during their whole saga. I don't get why people didn't like what he was saying and it's not like he couldn't back it up either. When Sonnen is a part of a fight then it is just that, a fight just ask Silva, in the first fight especially it was one of the best fights Anderson was ever in and that is in part thanks to Chael for not "respecting" him like all the other guys Anderson clowns around with in the ring.

Even then it's just a persona he has to put butts in seats, there is no arguing that Chael is a huge draw for the UFC. He's a fantastic personality and a quote machine too.





Man I hope he beats Jones. His chances are so slim but a guy like this deserves to be champ for at least one night.

[Eman]

And can I just say that the Big Foot v Overeem finish was one of the most satisfying knockouts I've seen in a while. Overeem is such an undisciplined striker he's actually super lucky he wasn't knocked out earlier. Big Foot isn't Floyd Mayweather but he can throw bombs and Overeem for some reason thought he could get way with fighting like an amateur.

Overeem has actually been knocked out so many times, just not recently due to a change in his style. After losing a bunch of fights at LHW, he bulked up so he could face slower fighters, and changed from a combo-heavy style to throwing single punches with one hand always protecting his 'glass' jaw. It worked for a while, but once he got on a roll and started even beating the best kick-boxers in the world in K1, he began getting reckless thinking he was the best HW fighter in the world and it came back to haunt him I guess. He also changed training camps recently, which may have played a factor

[Zealous]

And can I just say that the Big Foot v Overeem finish was one of the most satisfying knockouts I've seen in a while. Overeem is such an undisciplined striker he's actually super lucky he wasn't knocked out earlier. Big Foot isn't Floyd Mayweather but he can throw bombs and Overeem for some reason thought he could get way with fighting like an amateur.

Overeem has actually been knocked out so many times, just not recently due to a change in his style. After losing a bunch of fights at LHW, he bulked up so he could face slower fighters, and changed from a combo-heavy style to throwing single punches with one hand always protecting his 'glass' jaw. It worked for a while, but once he got on a roll and started even beating the best kick-boxers in the world in K1, he began getting reckless thinking he was the best HW fighter in the world and it came back to haunt him I guess. He also changed training camps recently, which may have played a factor

He kept throwing and overhead without actually protecting his jaw while doing it. Big Foot came close to countering him out various times. When Big Foot finally remembered that he could use and uppercut things went south for Overeem. Also the Blackzillians suck, even Rashad looked like an amateur against fcking Lil' Nog of all people. Credit to Lil' Nog though, he fought hard.

[Eman]

Blackzilians has got to be one of the stupidest names for a camp in modern existence

[Funkentelechy]

Blackzilians has got to be one of the stupidest names for a camp in modern existence

Indeed

By the way, Anderson Silva is on ESPN's Greatest Athlete of All Time poll. Not that he has a chance of winning - and he doesn't even deserve to -, but it's cool to see a sport so young getting this kind of recognition.

[Funkentelechy]

TUF 17 Finale fights annouced today:

Demetrious Johnson v John Moraga
Miesha Tate v Cat Zingano
Gabriel Gonzaga v Travis Browne
Cole Miller v Bart Palaszewski
Justin Lawrence v Daniel Pineda

[Eman]

Decent finale I guess. Ever notice when they do put big-ish fights on fight nights, it is almost never at LHW or HW? They must realize that people care more about certain weight classes and reserve them for PPVs

[Funkentelechy]

True that. And I don't think it will change despite the great ratings UFC on Fox 6 (Johnson vs Dodson) did.

So, Bigfoot got the title shot after all. I guess Bigfoot will perform better than he did last time, considering he'll have more time to prepare, but I don't think he stands a chance of winning. Still, I'll be rooting for him. Just imagine the lulz if the wins it.

What about UFC London? Are you guys watching it? What are your predictions?

[Great Leader Sprucenuce]

Anyone going to be watching UFC 159?

If so who you got Jones or Sonnen?

[Sponsored content]