The MMA thread

[whatsamattau]

Isn't this the 3rd UFC event in europe that bisbing has headlined and that aired for free on Spike?

Pushing for overseas appeal much? If the Matt Hamill fight had been scored legit, would we even be having this event in europe? Just makes the whole thing feel so crooked.

[Fris_Leafshadow]

I love free shows on Spike, but on a good card I rather it be PVP so I can see it in HD. Someone plz call Time Warner and ask for Spike in HD plz

[Guts]

Get a Digital Box with a HD Package. Sportsnet in Canada shows it in HD.

[Grimmlokk]

Originally Posted by whatsamattau

If the Matt Hamill fight had been scored legit, would we even be having this event in europe?

The judges did score it right, the system is what fucked Hamill.

And yeah, they've done a few Euro ones for free. It's not a shot at Affliction. Bisping is the biggest MMA star in/from England. It would be silly not to have him headline. Folks need to stop viewing Zuffa's decisions from their own opinions and start viewing them the way that the Zuffa brass does. BUSINESS decisions. It's not about who is the best fighter, or even what will be the best fight, it's about what will make them the most cash.

[jayrebb]

lol Jardine can't get a break. If Zuffa had their way, he would have flunked out of the UFC already. Fortunately for Keith he got that win over Chuck.

Prediction for Vera/Jardine = very very boring decision.

Vera's hands/wrists are riddled with injuries. And Jardine is going to apply his Chuck Liddel strategy where he plays it safe. I expect Vera to do a lot of hugging on the cage with Jardine in his arms.


The Leben Bisping fight is the most interesting. Bisping's huge ego with mediocre striking skills versus Leben's KO power and chin.

[Grimmlokk]

Originally Posted by jayrebb

Vera's hands/wrists are riddled with injuries. And Jardine is going to apply his Chuck Liddel strategy where he plays it safe. I expect Vera to do a lot of hugging on the cage with Jardine in his arms.

Not sure how well kicking is gonna work against someone with Vera's reach and extensive kickboxing training. Liddell is a kickboxer, but he doesn't use the feet really. Vera likes to toss body/head kicks a lot though. And trained with Rob Kaman.

Probably fooling myself, but God damn it I'm still pulling for Vera to put it all together. He could be the next great LHW if he gets back on track.

[Darph]

I like having an FoH MMA thread. Much easier to read than Sherdog.

When I first heard it was AA vs Fedor I was kind of disappointed. I thought that AA and Barnett would fight for top contender. However, I've since realized that I'll get to see 3-4 Fedor fights within the next year:

Affliction: Fedor vs AA.
Dream: Fedor vs Probably Overeem or Crocop.
Affliction: Fedor vs Couture

After that, Fedor can easily retire as the #1 P4P fighter of all time.

He will win all of these fights, easily. Why? Because NO ONE trains like Fedor. He trains every single day and trains HARD, Not like Brock Lesner "trains hard" where he goes into a gym and lifts weights for hypertrophy, Fedor goes onto the mat and fights. He gets hit, he gets slammed, and he gives some slamming and hitting back. He also takes the time to perfect his technique, and mind you, he has amazing "Russian style" throws that my Sambo teachers admire very much and beat me for not replicating (they're both from Poland.)

YouTube - Fedor: The Fighting System of the King of MMA

[Araxen]

Fedor is only 30, he won't be retiring for awhile I believe.

[BigMovieBuff]

We kinda glossed over the EliteXC from last weekend and I was curious what the impressions were for their second major show.

First, Gina Carrano is smokin' hot

Second, I thought they did a much better job this time around. Both in production and in match-ups. Frank Shamrock did a decent job "educating" the viewers too.

[homsar]

Didnt catch Elitexc last week. I heard rating were down over 30% if I remember correctly.


Also wtf is this crap with james irvin??

James Irvin positive for Methadone and Oxymorphone

WTF does oxymorphone actually do that would help his performance?

[Araxen]

EliteXC was ok. The Silva match should have been on CBS not Showtime. I don't wtf they were thinking by not putting the Heavyweight match on network TV.

Yeah, Gina is mad hot too. I hope she subs Cyborg.

They only got like 2.2 million viewers this time around which is about what I expected for a Kimbo-less show. They should really schedule it so Gina is on one show and Kimbo is on the next show. They would get better ratings that way. Gina is a headliner now for the company and they should use her that way now. Putting Cyborg/Gina on the undercard is a waste when Kimbo is fighting.

[whatsamattau]

Originally Posted by Grimmlokk

The judges did score it right, the system is what fucked Hamill.

And yeah, they've done a few Euro ones for free. It's not a shot at Affliction. Bisping is the biggest MMA star in/from England. It would be silly not to have him headline. Folks need to stop viewing Zuffa's decisions from their own opinions and start viewing them the way that the Zuffa brass does. BUSINESS decisions. It's not about who is the best fighter, or even what will be the best fight, it's about what will make them the most cash.

I'm not sure where your rant is coming from. I never mentioned affliction, and I never implied that Zuffa makes decisions through any other lense than that of a successful businessman. I was simply saying that coddling a fighter, giving him hometown fights where he gets hometown decisions (yeah, I know the British Judge gave all 3 rounds to Hamill, it doesn't matter), and building your overseas appeal on that fighter smells more like Don King's boxing than a sport that has consistently impressed me with how much it isn't like Don King's boxing (to say nothing of the physical appeal of the sport).

[Guts]

I loved the commentating EliteXC had. Sounded so much more professional than the UFCs.

[Araxen]

Yeah, I like it too. Mauro is the best in the biz and Frank does a good job too and the other guy(his name escapes me atm) knows his shit when interviewing the fighters during the post fight interviews.


Mauro and Bas are the best tandem in the business though.

Bas sound effects > *, btw

[jayrebb]

Originally Posted by Guts

I loved the commentating EliteXC had. Sounded so much more professional than the UFCs.

Yeah Ill take Frank Shamrock color commentating any time.

Hype machine Rogan has really played himself out. I don't even think his demographic listens to him any more. He just gets tuned out as "noise". The people around here all make fun of his hype and repeat certain goofy over the top statements he makes. EliteXC had commentary where the UFC has "shouting and yelling". Even Mike Goldberg can't talk at a normal pace. Next time you watch UFC, look how red Rogan and Goldberg's faces get. They are seriously going to have a heart attack live some day.

As for James Irvin, it looks like his pre-fight talk was all bullshit. If you take painkillers for a fight that means you were straight up scared of getting hurt and quitting. Against Silva I don't blame him. The performance enhancement from painkillers is all mental.

Everyone should have guessed Irvin was gassed on something when he was making all those statements about how he was going to beat Silva in the clinch, how he moved to the wrong weight divison etc. Telling Silva he should have moved to 170 was probably the most funny of the trash talking.