Combat sports (MMA, boxing, etc) thread

[Himu]

Watched WEC tonight. Very impressed. I'm going to be sticking with this stuff.

Really interesting fights tonight: tapouts, leg locks, leg lock escapes, and lefts so powerful they knock opponents to the ground with one square hit to the jaw.

Amazing display of athleticism, this sport. Just like I thought: wrestling without the bullshit, but more interesting than standard boxing.

[chronovore]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=mmajunkie-Diaz_St-Pierre_UFC_137

"I'm not trying to make all these little excuses," Diaz today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "If I'd have known the fight was going to be off, I would have [expletive] gone to the press conference, or I would have told somebody, 'Hey, if I don't make it to this stupid [expletive], I'm not fighting.' I think that people would have gotten me there. I think people would have come and gave two [expletive] and gotten me to that press conference."

There were reasons that didn't happen, but Diaz wants to make it perfectly clear he's not trying to shift the blame. There was the lost passport that prevented him from making it Canada, and to be honest, Diaz admits he really didn't even realize why he was supposed to be getting on the plane. Had he known his shot at St-Pierre depended on his attendance, there certainly would have been a little more importance placed on compliance. However, Diaz thought it was little more than a video shoot that was more distraction than destination.

"I didn't even know there was a press conference," Diaz said. "I thought it was some PR thing. People were trying to tell me, 'You're going to do this skit' and that I was going to be a part of some PR skit where I had this part where I was walking through a hall, kind of like that scene Jake Shields did. I was like, 'What the [expletive]? Are you kidding?' So I'm thinking, 'Somebody better come over here and tell me what I'm doing and get me ready to go do it so I don't look like an [expletive].' That's how I feel when you're coming to get me ready for something I'm not ready for.

I dunno, I think, if I were a fighter who was going up for the belt in a fight worth several hundreds of thousands of dollars, I probably would have consulted my manager to make sure my DayPlanner was filled with all the stuff I have to do.

Because, you know:
- BELT.
- DOLLARS.

Edit: moar dollars than I thought...
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/851657-ufc-137-nick-diaz-loses-one-million-dollars-in-swith-to-bj-penn-fight

[Boogie]

Glad to see you're getting hooked, himu.

Remember, there's a live UFC event on Versus tomorrow night.  Though the card is kind of mediocre.

But next weekend has the Jones/Rampage championship PPV.


Also:  Nick Diaz is functionally distinguished mentally-challenged.

[chronovore]

If by that you mean "he can function as a fighter, but he's distinguished mentally-challenged," you may be on to something, Boogiez.

[Himu]

Ellenberger knocked the SHIT out of Shields 

[Positive Touch]

  MAYWEATHER FUCK YEAH

[Himu]

MAYWEATHER FUCK YEAH

my entire facebook front page is all on this 

[Positive Touch]

"oh boo hoo that was a waste of money!!  sob he's such a bitch"  NO PEOPLE THAT WAS AWESOME

oritz got stupid and mayweather fuckin crushed him.  WHOOPS

[Stoney Mason]

There are very few human beings I would say I'd be glad to have dead. Evil dictators, crazy murders, are the types who fit into that category for me along with Floyd Mayweather. Great fighter. Complete shitbag of a person.

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

[pilonv1]

How is he scared? Manny is the one who won't take the drug tests.

Not saying that knock out isn't classless but I hate the "Floyd is scurred" attack. If you were clean you'd take the tests.

[OptimoPeach]

Rampage is gonna get fucked UP tomorrow

Jon Jones can snitch on all the stoners he wants as long as he keeps demolishing everyone

[Boogie]

Rampage is gonna get fucked UP tomorrow

Jon Jones can snitch on all the stoners he wants as long as he keeps demolishing everyone

Pretty much.

The GAF douche brigade keeps saying the same things for Jones/Rampage that they were for Jones/Shogun.  They're soooo butthurt that Jones beat Shogun that it is clouding the fact that it is unlikely Rampage is going to win.

[Stoney Mason]

Rampage is gonna get fucked UP tomorrow

Jon Jones can snitch on all the stoners he wants as long as he keeps demolishing everyone

I love Rampage but he is going to get smashed by Jon Jones.

[Boogie]

Here's the style problem for Rampage as I see it:

Jones' freaky reach means a striking battle at range is not going to go well for the 'Page.

So, in theory, Rampage would want to get inside and work punches from in close.

But *oops*, you can't get into clinch range with Jones, because his Greco/Judo style throws are God-tier.  So if Rampage does that he just gets dumped on his back.

Now, Rampage has very underrated defence on the ground, but almost no one attacks on the ground like Jones does.

It's not that Rampage has no chance.  It's just that he's not the smart bet.

[Stoney Mason]

My problem with Rampage is that his UFC game has simply become the better striking version of Chuck Liddell and I think against really balanced fighters that style won't work or more accurately will be tough to implement against a top flight elite like Jones. He doesn't take anybody down anymore. He doesn't use leg kicks. He uses his superior striking to stay away and look for the big shots.

I just think Jones is bigger and stronger. And while Rampage tends to have pretty good take down defense in recent times and can take a punch he starts so slow I just don't see him having a chance against Jones. I think it will either be a crushing by jones or a fairly boring defense fight where neither guy takes a lot of damage but Jones does the superior striking and damage via his all around game.

I am pumped for the fight as I like both guys but Jones seems too young and too good for Rampage.

[Boogie]

My problem with Rampage is that his UFC game has simply become the better striking version of Chuck Liddell and I think against really balanced fighters that style won't work or more accurately will be tough to implement against a top flight elite like Jones. He doesn't take anybody down anymore. He doesn't use leg kicks. He uses his superior striking to stay away and look for the big shots.

You know, I'm quite surprised at how spot-on that comparison is, because I've never made the connection.

Rampage = Chuck Liddell with tighter boxing fundamentals.

Both had a sprawl and brawl style, with a gameplan of solid takedown defence and powerful punches on offence.

Neither use kicks practically at all.

When taken down, both defend submissions well, but their priority and skill is in getting back to their feet.

Both have proven very vulnerable to leg kicks.

Both rely heavily on their chins to make up for holes in their boxing defence (though obviously Liddell's chin failed him at the end of his career, and Liddell had greater holes in his defence)

I think you nailed it there, Stoney.

[Himu]

Tomorrow is my first UFC PPV 

[T234]

Watching the PPV over STANK BLUNTS tomorrow. I am excite.

Either way it goes, I think the main event is gonna be a beating on the level of Black-on-Black crime.

I hope Koschek gets beat like a drum.

[pilonv1]

Tomorrow is my first UFC PPV 

Make sure you catch the prelims on Facebook and Spike TV

[pilonv1]

Here's the style problem for Rampage as I see it:

Jones' freaky reach means a striking battle at range is not going to go well for the 'Page.

So, in theory, Rampage would want to get inside and work punches from in close.

But *oops*, you can't get into clinch range with Jones, because his Greco/Judo style throws are God-tier.  So if Rampage does that he just gets dumped on his back.

Now, Rampage has very underrated defence on the ground, but almost no one attacks on the ground like Jones does.

It's not that Rampage has no chance.  It's just that he's not the smart bet.

If Jones has been training leg kicks of any sort its going to be a demolition. I cannot wait

[Stoney Mason]

Preliminary Card (Facebook)
Light Heavyweight bout:  James Te Huna vs.  Ricardo Romero
Bantamweight bout:  Takeya Mizugaki vs.  Cole Escovedo
Featherweight bout:  Junior Assunção vs.  Eddie Yagin


Preliminary Card (televised)
Middleweight bout:  Nick Ring vs.  Tim Boetsch
Lightweight bout:  Tony Ferguson vs.  Aaron Riley


Main Card
Lightweight bout:  Nate Diaz vs.  Takanori Gomi
Heavyweight bout:  Travis Browne vs.  Rob Broughton
Heavyweight bout:  Ben Rothwell vs.  Mark Hunt
Welterweight bout:  Matt Hughes vs.  Josh Koscheck
Light Heavyweight Championship:  Jon Jones (c) vs.  Quinton Jackson

[pilonv1]

So excited for this show

Plus Hunt (NZ) and Te Huna (AUS), some locals to cheer for.

[OptimoPeach]

AHAHAHA

I love the Diaz brothers. Fuck the haters. Fuck Gomi

I wish I wasn't banned from GAF right now

Complete ownage. Now he just needs to learn how to talk

[OptimoPeach]

How utterly predictable

and yet still entertaining!

Kinda funny seeing Jones not able to just throw his opponent around, though. For all of his supposed versatility, he missed so many opportunities in the clinch to drive his knees through Rampage's fat head. But I guess he'll have plenty of time to hone his craft. At this point, I don't give anyone at 205 a chance against him except for Machida, and I can't believe I'm saying that.

Those heavyweight fights were uh...disappointing, but still a decent event

[CajoleJuice]

Yeah, Jones is too much for LHW.

[pilonv1]

MARK HUNT

[Boogie]

How utterly predictable

and yet still entertaining!

Pretty much the perfect summary of the night.

Kinda funny seeing Jones not able to just throw his opponent around, though. For all of his supposed versatility, he missed so many opportunities in the clinch to drive his knees through Rampage's fat head.

I know what you mean.  Watching Jones, you can see tons of what you *think* are vulnerabilities and weaknesses.  His somewhat plodding footwork.  His lack of setting up his high kicks with punches.  His seemingly lackadaisical pace (I thought he could have turned on the engine and finished it far before he did).

But in spite of all of that, how can you argue with the results?  It's like a man against a child in every fight, but the "man" is only 23 years old.  How can you fault him for not finishing the fight in the first round, when he comes out in the 4th like a bat out of hell and ends it almost at will?

You said that only Machida could give him a challenge, but I doubt even that.  Machida likes to wait out of range and leap in, or counter-punch, at times of his choosing.  I think Jones' reach would be kryptonite for Machida's style, because Jones can simply launch jabs and high-kicks at will at Machida outside of Machida's preferred range.

[Boogie]

Also, haven't checked the GAF thread yet, but I look forward to the bitter tears from yacobod et al who gave Jones no chance due to their collective delusion.

[pilonv1]

i cant even read their mma threads. worse than sherdog

[Stoney Mason]

Rampage jones went as expected. I like Rampage so it was hard for me to watch but yeah he has no chance against some one like jones. Rampage is post peak and he's not capable of beating a guy like Jones.

I almost felt he gave up there at the end and just walked into the choke to end it.

[Skidmark]

[chronovore]

[Skidmark]

[chronovore]

nice.

I saw this pic in the UFC mailer, and thought "both these guys are trying to be tough, but it just looks like they don't know what to do with their eyebrows..."

[OptimoPeach]

UFC 136 is about 24 hours from now

Main Event:
Lightweight Championship: Frankie Edgar (c) vs. Gray Maynard

Main Card:
Featherweight Championship: José Aldo (c) vs. Kenny Florian
Middleweight bout: Chael Sonnen vs. Brian Stann
Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Joe Lauzon
Featherweight bout: Leonard Garcia vs. Nam Phan

Preliminary Card (Spike TV):
Middleweight bout: Demian Maia vs. Jorge Santiago
Lightweight bout: Anthony Pettis vs. Jeremy Stephens

Preliminary Card (Facebook):
Heavyweight bout: Joey Beltran vs. Stipe Miocic
Featherweight bout: Zhang Tie Quan vs. Darren Elkins
Middleweight bout: Aaron Simpson vs. Eric Schafer
Middleweight bout: Steve Cantwell vs. Mike Massenzio

I didn't realize how many prelims are on Facebook now. That's cool I guess.

This will be the first and last time I ever root for Sonnen

[Stoney Mason]

Good main card. I didn't even realize they had given Florian a shot at Aldo.

[Stoney Mason]

Once a knucklehead, always a knucklehead. Melvin Guillard

 

[Stoney Mason]

Frankie is a little bad ass

 

[Boogie]

Frankie Edgar is my hero.

Jose Aldo deserves the win, but that's two wins in a row in which he has looked very average.

And Guillard?  Godammed, man, what the fuck?  So disappointing.

Finally, Sonnen looked very impressive.  Give him what he wants, a Silva rematch for the superbowl weekend.  It will be legendary.

[Stoney Mason]

The Silva Sonnen rematch will be HUGE.


And honestly as much as I love Silva, Sonnen might be his Kryptonite.

And you don't know how much it pains me to say that.  :'(

[chronovore]

Oh, c'mon. It'd be great to have a total heel as the middleweight champeen.

[Stoney Mason]

Sonnen was on Jim Rome today.

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

[Stoney Mason]

UFC 137 tomorrow. Not really a great card outside of the main event which is interesting.

Preliminary card (Facebook)
Middleweight bout:  Dustin Jacoby vs.  Clifford Starks
Middleweight bout:  Chris Camozzi vs.  Francis Carmont
Lightweight bout:  Ramsey Nijem vs.  Danny Downes
Light Heavyweight bout:  Brandon Vera vs.  Eliot Marshall


Preliminary card (Spike TV)
Featherweight bout:  Tyson Griffin vs.  Bart Palaszewski
Lightweight bout:  Dennis Siver vs.  Donald Cerrone

Main card
Featherweight bout:  Hatsu Hioki vs.  George Roop
Bantamweight bout:  Scott Jorgensen vs.  Jeff Curran
Heavyweight bout:  Mirko Filipović vs.  Roy Nelson
Heavyweight bout:  Cheick Kongo vs.  Matt Mitrione
Welterweight bout:  B.J. Penn vs.  Nick Diaz

[pilonv1]

Siver Cerrone could be hot shit.

Also go Mitrione

[Stoney Mason]

Siver Cerrone could be hot shit.

That's the only other match that really interests me. I wish it was on the main card.

[OptimoPeach]

BJ is gonna come in fat and lose on points

[chronovore]

BJ is gonna come in fat and lose on points

BJ is going to get KTFO'd before he can submit Diaz.

[Boogie]

BJ is gonna come in fat and lose on points

BJ is going to get KTFO'd before he can submit Diaz.

BJ has never been KO'd ever.  He's been stopped twice.  Hughes via alleged fluke rib injury, and GSP taking his will.

Don't see that happening here.  As I said on GAF:

Fun fact: Total number of top 10 WW opponents that Nick Diaz has defeated in his entire career: 1.

Fun fact: Total Number of fighters currently ranked in the top 25 of the BE/USA today consensus rankings in the WW division that Nick Diaz has faced: Zero

Diaz has very good cardio, great recovery, unorthodox striking, and solid jits.

Although Penn is a better matchup for Diaz than most of the rest of the UFC's WW division, BJ still has to be the favourite just based on having fought fighters who are worth a damn for the past five years.

[chronovore]

I don't like Diaz at all. I'm one of those dojo-dorks that thinks martial artists should behave themselves and present themselves respectfully. So I hope that BJ gets a definitive win over Diaz. I just have a feeling that Diaz' "puncher's chance" is going to be in his favor.

[Boogie]

I don't like Diaz at all. I'm one of those dojo-dorks that thinks martial artists should behave themselves and present themselves respectfully. So I hope that BJ gets a definitive win over Diaz.

Oh, I'm the same way, and I agree.  I hate the douchenozzles who cheer for the thugs (yes, that means you, yacobod).  I am an unabashed hater of Diaz.

Diaz has an impressive aura about him, and he *could* be as good as the hype train suggests.  And BJ might be the best matchup for Diaz in the UFC's WW division.

 But it's not rational to think so.  For five years, he has been the dictionary definition of the big fish in a small pond.

Since beating Gomi (at 160 lbs), he has not faced a single fighter who could wrestle worth a damn.

Think about that for a second.  In a division that, at the top ranks, has GSP, Matt Hughes, Koscheck, Jake Shields, Jon Fitch, Jake Ellenburger, Ben Askren, Anthony Johnson, etc, etc, etc.

The best wrestler that Nick Diaz has faced in five years is......shit, I just looked at his record, and I don't even fucking know.  Diaz has not faced a single quality wrestler since Sean Sherk in 2006.

And people are trying to tell me that he's the number 5 fighter at 170 lbs?  Get the fuck outta here.

Whip up any fighter with above-average wrestling and passable sub defence, and that fighter beats Diaz. 

[OptimoPeach]

I actually forgot this isn't going to be five rounds. I also forgot today is Friday and the weigh-ins were today

I'll still be hoping for a Diaz win simply due to the troll factor. The thought of someone so uncouth and socially awkward being anywhere near the title picture is just too good to not want to see actualized. Also, as much as I like BJ, his insufferable fanboys coughohimdumcough sometimes make it difficult for me to root for him

edit: Yeah, for the record, I don't TRULY think either Diaz bro will ever hold a strap, but I can dream!

[pilonv1]

About to head to a bar in waikiki to watch this. My first UFC bar show, I am excited.

[chronovore]

I am überjelly.

[OptimoPeach]

lol BJ took quite a beating. Out of shape and no apparent gameplan. Seems so familiar....

edit: DAMN I was thinking he looked like he didn't want to be there after that second round, but I didn't see that coming. RIP BJ

[chronovore]

Darn it, that's sad.

[OptimoPeach]

Diaz vs GSP back on. Apparently GSP is furious

[Stoney Mason]

I love Nick Diaz! 

Still doesn't stand a chance against GSP but I love to watch that dude fight. Always will. I think boogie is overly harsh on him. He probably wouldn't stand a chance against Fitch and probably even Koscheck but dude can hang with most of the others in that weight class imo.

[pilonv1]

Can't wait to see Diaz get destroyed

[OptimoPeach]

This was probably all just an elaborate troll job designed by Dana to coax a finish out of GSP

[pilonv1]

I'm happy if it is. It's made me interested in a gsp fight