This event almost immediately followed UFC 104 and was a refreshing change of pace, comparatively. There were very few big names on the card, but all the competitions were very spirited.There was also excitement brought on by the anticipation of the "White Cage", along with a round system more familiar to US fans. As with the previous Dream event, I've limited my thoughts to the last "main" card.
1. Kazushi Sakuraba defeats Zelg Galesic via Submission
I'm beginning to see a current trend for how Sakuraba's matches play out. First, there are takedown attempts until he gets his takedown. Then he absorbs a ridiculous amount of punishment (while the ref barely flinches) and gets the submission win, against his 0-1, ex-pro Soccer player opponent. I kid about "The Gracie Hunter", but I still give him all the respect for trying to entertain the crowd as best he can, with what little he has left. His transitions to each submission were quite smooth and he really was going for broke, as exemplified by the look on Galesic's face when he tapped.
Zelg really couldn't have fought much better once he had Sakuraba turtled up, short of moving into a position less prone for submissions. But then that would have meant given up the positional advantage, offensively.
2. Marius Zaromskis defeats Myeon Ho Bae via KO
"The Whitemare" started off the bout channeling Caol Uno and quickly transitioned pre-UFC, CroCop.
Ho Bae even had his arm up when Marius threw his high kick so you can image the impact if he took it full on. I think Zaromskis is ready for a stiffer test like Nick Diaz or "Mayhem" Miller. Heck, put that silly Dream WW belt on the line too!
3. Eddie Alvarez defeats Katsunori Kikuno via Submission
By far, this was the best match on the card, pairing and action wise.
Alvarez is universally ranked in the top 10 of LW's and Kikuno is a tough Kyokushin product, with a good record and currently holds the DEEP LW belt. I liked the pairing stylistically, in terms of the fighters standup skills. Both guys like to trade but with very different styles. Kikuno prefers traditional Karate stances and strikes while Alvarez stands and trades more like a MMA boxer. In the end, it was Alvarez's ground skills that made the difference. Standing, I felt Alvarez only had a small advantage throughout the match and he hit a major setback when he got caught in that standing neck crank/crucifix. He rebounded in Round 2 when Kikuno's ground weaknesses were exploited.
Even though he could use a ton of improvement on the ground, I'd still like to see Kikuno go up against so strong contenders. His unique stance and patented Crescent kick make for an exciting and interesting match with any opponent willing to trade hands with him.
4. Alistair Overeem defeats James Thompson via Submission
Easy payday for both fighters - I just have a question of whether Overeem's guillotine is that good or is James Thompson that bad?
For an MMA event that reminds me of a Cirque de Solei event, I was quite impressed by the energy and excitement I felt by watching it. Dream is getting a little bit closer to being credible as a sport, at least for US fans with the use of the cage and similar match structures.
I just hope they never get rid of the fantastic introductions and the Screaming Lady.
Next up, winding back the clock for MFC 22.
~S
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
UFC 104 - Disappointment
I'm being harsh with my critique of this event but it's the first word that came to my mind when trying to summarize it for the title. Lots of one sided affairs and just not as all round entertaining as usual.
1. Anthony Johnson defeats Yoshiyuki Yoshida via TKO
This was exactly the outcome that most people expected. I thought "Rumble" might be slightly more affected by the massive weight cut, but it didn't stop him from blasting "Zenko" into another dimension.
Yoshida had some extremely poor excuses for clinch attempts either for takedowns, throws or Thai plums. And of course, one of the worst standup sins you can do - circling into your opponents power side. Especially when that person is 6 foot something, has 0% bodyfat and ALL ATHLETIC.
I think Johnson's ready for a stiffer test - someone with a stronger ground game.
2. Joe Stevenson defeats Spencer Fisher via Submission
Joe took this one in a respectable, but not one sided affair. He mixed up standup with takedown attempts and eventually used some nice bjj skills to establish great position and unleash some brutal, rapid fire elbows on the helpless Fisher. Jeff said it best, "Now that's how Roy Nelson should have finished Kimbo".
Fisher looked pretty good at the start of round 2, showing a little more variance in his standup with more kicks in his combos but he wasn't active enough on bottom when he was taken down, and pushed up against the fence. He put up a valiant effort, trying to prevent Joe from getting side control, and I think his best chance of escaping was when Joe went for the leglock; He should have attempted to push off and force a stand up.
I know he's booked against Nate Diaz, but I think I'd rather see Joe vs. Gray Maynard at this point.
3. Chael Sonnen defeats Yushin Okami via Decision
I'm very surprised here that Sonnen completely dominated Okami. I knew his wrestling was good, but Sonnen took the match where ever he wanted and Okami had no anser. Chael pushed the pace with everything he threw and all Okami could do was move backwards. Sonnen's leg kicks accumulated him so good points, but his wrestling put the nails in the coffin. You could have called this Sonnen vs. Filho, part 3 - Sonnen is clear underdog but his opponent just gives up before the match even starts.
While "Thunder" had good jabs to keep Sonnen at a distance, he did not show any of his usually MW gorilla strength and attempted ZERO takedowns. He looked completely off his game. It's always a bad sign for you when Chael Sonnen decides to throw a spinning back kick.
I think Sonnen needs to try his hand at another BJJ guy, like Rousimar Palhares. Should give him some more credibility and a nice bump up in the division.
4. Gleison Tibau defeats Josh Neer via Decision
My first bad pick on my part, as Tibau straight OWNED Neer.
Tibau is the Brazilian Sherk and played the role to a "T" in this match.
Neer was getting overwhelmed with takedowns throughout and really looked like he didn't care it was happening. He got up quickly, multiple times after getting taken down but he had to have known it was slowly losing him the match. "The Dentist" had that killer instinct in his eyes but just couldn't pull anything off. His best offensive technique were his low and mid range leg kicks that seemed to connect every time. I would have liked to see him try to cut off Tibau at angles and corners, rather than continually plod forward.
Although Tibau had some fantastic takedowns reminiscent of Zangief's throw arsenal, I really despised his style and strategy here. He mounted no relevant standup or ground attacks. Was he afraid of Neer's two submission attempts or punches that barely connected with his face?
Neither man's strikes really seemed to connect or was there even an effort to throw with bad intentions. I'd relegate both men back to the prelims after these performances.
5. Cain Velasquez defeats Ben Rothwell via TKO
Another disappointing pick and loss.
It's not that I don't like Cain, but he's just got too much hype for a guy who was only 6-0 before this match. But he really impressed the hell out of me with his performance, with his tremendous takedowns and constant pressure. He definitely knows where his bread and butter lies. I think guys are underestimating his vicious GNP and how easily he can take you down, given his size in relation to most other UFC HW's. It seems like Dana is really trying to push Cain quickly so I'd expect another top 15 fighter in his upcoming match.
"Big Ben" was anything but the prospect I thought'd he be debuting here. He didn't display anything that made him the top dog in the IFL or anything remotely resembling an offense or defense in this match. He looked completely clueless and frankly, the stoppage probably just saved him a couple brain cells.
For once Mazzagati, I don't boo.
6. Lyoto Machida defeats Mauricio Rua via Decision
Who would have ever thought you'd see "Shogun" Rua implement a game plan that relied heavily on patience, with crisp and accurate striking?
Not only was this strategy perfect against Machida, I believe he won the match and should appeal to CSAC. He beat Lyoto to the proverbial punch in nearly every exchange they had. His high guard blocking was perfect against Lyoto's straight counter punches. He also kept catching Lyoto every time he back peddled, circling into Rua's power side, to meet kicks to the inner thigh. This was THE elite "Shogun" that everyone used to talk about. While not the flashiest or most exciting performance, you cannot argue the absolute brilliance and execution of Rua's strategy in this match.
Conversely, this was Lyoto poorest performance to date. He appeared very lackadaisical in this match, in every round. He didn't appear to adapt to Shogun's considerably better offense and I'd be very surprised if he thought he'd won more than 2 rounds. Every punch or kick was countered or intercepted, and every feint ignored by Shogun. I'm not even sure if "The Dragon" cleanly landed more than 10% of his strikes. Why was there no ground game implemented after he was getting bruised and battered?
It's a real shame that he took the undeserving decision victory. Let's hope he's more prepared in the rematch.
I was pretty bummed given how the card ended but luckily, Dream picked me up.
Hopefully, the next entry will sound a little less like ranting.
Peace,
~S
1. Anthony Johnson defeats Yoshiyuki Yoshida via TKO
This was exactly the outcome that most people expected. I thought "Rumble" might be slightly more affected by the massive weight cut, but it didn't stop him from blasting "Zenko" into another dimension.
Yoshida had some extremely poor excuses for clinch attempts either for takedowns, throws or Thai plums. And of course, one of the worst standup sins you can do - circling into your opponents power side. Especially when that person is 6 foot something, has 0% bodyfat and ALL ATHLETIC.
I think Johnson's ready for a stiffer test - someone with a stronger ground game.
2. Joe Stevenson defeats Spencer Fisher via Submission
Joe took this one in a respectable, but not one sided affair. He mixed up standup with takedown attempts and eventually used some nice bjj skills to establish great position and unleash some brutal, rapid fire elbows on the helpless Fisher. Jeff said it best, "Now that's how Roy Nelson should have finished Kimbo".
Fisher looked pretty good at the start of round 2, showing a little more variance in his standup with more kicks in his combos but he wasn't active enough on bottom when he was taken down, and pushed up against the fence. He put up a valiant effort, trying to prevent Joe from getting side control, and I think his best chance of escaping was when Joe went for the leglock; He should have attempted to push off and force a stand up.
I know he's booked against Nate Diaz, but I think I'd rather see Joe vs. Gray Maynard at this point.
3. Chael Sonnen defeats Yushin Okami via Decision
I'm very surprised here that Sonnen completely dominated Okami. I knew his wrestling was good, but Sonnen took the match where ever he wanted and Okami had no anser. Chael pushed the pace with everything he threw and all Okami could do was move backwards. Sonnen's leg kicks accumulated him so good points, but his wrestling put the nails in the coffin. You could have called this Sonnen vs. Filho, part 3 - Sonnen is clear underdog but his opponent just gives up before the match even starts.
While "Thunder" had good jabs to keep Sonnen at a distance, he did not show any of his usually MW gorilla strength and attempted ZERO takedowns. He looked completely off his game. It's always a bad sign for you when Chael Sonnen decides to throw a spinning back kick.
I think Sonnen needs to try his hand at another BJJ guy, like Rousimar Palhares. Should give him some more credibility and a nice bump up in the division.
4. Gleison Tibau defeats Josh Neer via Decision
My first bad pick on my part, as Tibau straight OWNED Neer.
Tibau is the Brazilian Sherk and played the role to a "T" in this match.
Neer was getting overwhelmed with takedowns throughout and really looked like he didn't care it was happening. He got up quickly, multiple times after getting taken down but he had to have known it was slowly losing him the match. "The Dentist" had that killer instinct in his eyes but just couldn't pull anything off. His best offensive technique were his low and mid range leg kicks that seemed to connect every time. I would have liked to see him try to cut off Tibau at angles and corners, rather than continually plod forward.
Although Tibau had some fantastic takedowns reminiscent of Zangief's throw arsenal, I really despised his style and strategy here. He mounted no relevant standup or ground attacks. Was he afraid of Neer's two submission attempts or punches that barely connected with his face?
Neither man's strikes really seemed to connect or was there even an effort to throw with bad intentions. I'd relegate both men back to the prelims after these performances.
5. Cain Velasquez defeats Ben Rothwell via TKO
Another disappointing pick and loss.
It's not that I don't like Cain, but he's just got too much hype for a guy who was only 6-0 before this match. But he really impressed the hell out of me with his performance, with his tremendous takedowns and constant pressure. He definitely knows where his bread and butter lies. I think guys are underestimating his vicious GNP and how easily he can take you down, given his size in relation to most other UFC HW's. It seems like Dana is really trying to push Cain quickly so I'd expect another top 15 fighter in his upcoming match.
"Big Ben" was anything but the prospect I thought'd he be debuting here. He didn't display anything that made him the top dog in the IFL or anything remotely resembling an offense or defense in this match. He looked completely clueless and frankly, the stoppage probably just saved him a couple brain cells.
For once Mazzagati, I don't boo.
6. Lyoto Machida defeats Mauricio Rua via Decision
Who would have ever thought you'd see "Shogun" Rua implement a game plan that relied heavily on patience, with crisp and accurate striking?
Not only was this strategy perfect against Machida, I believe he won the match and should appeal to CSAC. He beat Lyoto to the proverbial punch in nearly every exchange they had. His high guard blocking was perfect against Lyoto's straight counter punches. He also kept catching Lyoto every time he back peddled, circling into Rua's power side, to meet kicks to the inner thigh. This was THE elite "Shogun" that everyone used to talk about. While not the flashiest or most exciting performance, you cannot argue the absolute brilliance and execution of Rua's strategy in this match.
Conversely, this was Lyoto poorest performance to date. He appeared very lackadaisical in this match, in every round. He didn't appear to adapt to Shogun's considerably better offense and I'd be very surprised if he thought he'd won more than 2 rounds. Every punch or kick was countered or intercepted, and every feint ignored by Shogun. I'm not even sure if "The Dragon" cleanly landed more than 10% of his strikes. Why was there no ground game implemented after he was getting bruised and battered?
It's a real shame that he took the undeserving decision victory. Let's hope he's more prepared in the rematch.
I was pretty bummed given how the card ended but luckily, Dream picked me up.
Hopefully, the next entry will sound a little less like ranting.
Peace,
~S
Saturday, October 24, 2009
The MMA Diagnosis - ACL Injuries in MMA
Author Jeff Tsai
This is the first entry in an ongoing series for ‘MMA Strategy’ that will focus on sports medicine. The objective of this series is to combine medical research with combat sports to provide insight into MMA strategy. This series will look at hot topics in the MMA world like training techniques, injuries, and nutrition, and analyze how they give fighters an added edge or put them at a disadvantage.
UFC 104 – Machida vs. Shogun October 24, 2009
In his last two bouts leading up to this championship match, Shogun has looked alternately sloppy and then sharp. Is he still feeling the effects of his knee injuries or is he back to being the dominant powerhouse of his Pride days?
We’re going to investigate the nature of a torn ACL, the time course for healing, and the implications the injury has for each fighter in their upcoming fight.
On to the diagnosis!
The Patient: Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
Injury: Torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in left knee
Patient History:
2005 - Shogun was at the top of his game, winning Pride’s middleweight Grand Prix and arguably the top ranked 205-pound fighter in the world.
2006 - Even a freak injury in a bout against Mark Coleman couldn’t derail his train of destruction. Shogun went on to win four straight matches after that anomalous loss. His subsequent signing into the UFC brought expectations that his crowning as light-heavyweight champion would be a mere formality.
September 2007 - At UFC 76, Forrest Griffin shocked many by submitting a sluggish Shogun. His poor performance was discovered to be the result of a knee-ligament injury sustained during training that was re-injured during the fight.
October 2007 – Shogun successfully underwent surgery to repair the torn ACL in his left knee
March 2008 – While training for a June bout against Chuck Liddell, Shogun ruptured the ACL in his left knee again. He successfully underwent knee reconstruction surgery to repair the ACL.
January 2009 – Shogun returned to the Octagon and defeated 44-year old Mark Coleman in a mediocre performance.
April 2009 – Shogun KO’d Chuck Liddell with a lunging left hook.
October 2009 – Shogun vs. Lyoto Machida for the LHW belt.
Medical Background: The ACL is one of four ligaments whose primary function is to stabilize the knee joint. Ligaments connect bones to other bones and are composed of fibrous tissue, which doesn’t have its own blood supply, thus limiting its ability to heal and self-repair. Untreated, the two ends of the torn ligaments never reconnect. Torn ACLs cause damage to knee cartilage, which are soft pads that act as shock absorbers to prevent bone-to-bone contact. Degradation of knee cartilage can result in pain and arthritis, especially when weight is applied to the injured leg.
Current ACL reconstruction surgery techniques can preserve the cartilage and restore the attachment sites of the ligaments, retaining much of the original biomechanical function and neuromotor control. With physical therapy and rehabilitation, a patient can return to previous levels of activity in 6-9 months. Despite these medical advances, some athletes in high intensity sports don’t regain their previous form and approximately 20% of those that underwent reconstructive surgery report knee instability. The ACL is at greatest risk of re-injury during hyperextension of the knee, as well as quick, cutting motions that involve acceleration and deceleration.
MMA Diagnosis: Shogun’s lackluster performance against Coleman came 10 months after knee surgery, which is just over the standard duration of healing for an ACL injury. This certainly affected his training camp and his diminished cardio. This was reflected in his clear imitation of Fat Albert after running up a flight of stairs.
Shogun’s showdown with Machida will come 19 months after his 2nd operation, which is plenty of time for rehabilitation and conditioning. His cardio, or previous lack thereof, won’t likely be as big a factor until the later championship rounds. The stability of his knee is the big question mark. Shogun should avoid performing any kicks with his left leg, because extension at the knee joint puts a high amount of strain on the ACL. He’ll have to be cautious with the level of his right roundhouse kicks because extension and locking of his left planted leg increases with the height of his kick. From the standpoint of reducing his injury probability and controlling the speed and tempo of the fight, Shogun’s best strategy would be to close the distance with Machida and unleash a barrage of Muay Thai strikes in the clinch.
Machida can best exploit Shogun’s injury by utilizing kicks to Shogun’s lead leg to test the stability of his left knee. Throwing feints in both directions is another good strategy because lateral movements that force Shogun to quickly start and stop will put undue stress on the joint. Circling to his left (Shogun’s right) will help Machida avoid the left hook that iced Liddell while additionally increasing Shogun’s inward knee torque, another high stress action.
It’s certainly possible that Shogun has completely healed from his knee injury and no longer suffers any lingering effects. However, it’s also feasible that he’ll never fully regain the form and function of his glorious soccer-kicks-to-the-head days. In a sport where one misstep is the difference between becoming a champion and being removed on a stretcher, a little knowledge may just be the prescription for victory.
About the Author:
Jeff is not a doctor or King of Pancrase, but his educational background and physical training have made him uniquely positioned to intelligently discuss the subject matter. Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry from UC San Diego and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Science in Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology. Jeff has also earned a black belt in Shorin-Ryu Karate and dabbled in BJJ and boxing training. One of his real passions is discussing and analyzing the real fighters.
References:
Frank CB, Jackson DW. Current Concepts Review - The Science of Reconstruction of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. 1997, 79:1556-76
Jung HJ, Fisher MB, Woo SL. Role of biomechanics in the understanding of normal, injured, and healing ligaments and tendons. Sports Med Arthrosc Rehabil Ther Technol. 2009, May 20;1(1):9.
Killian ML, Isaac DI, Haut RC, Déjardin LM, Leetun D, Haut Donahue TL. Traumatic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear and its Implications on Meniscal Degradation: A Preliminary Novel Lapine Osteoarthritis Model. J Surg Res. 2009, Apr 5. [Epub ahead of print]
Murray MM. Current status and potential of primary ACL repair. Clin Sports Med. 2009, Jan;28(1):51-61.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
http://mmafrenzy.com/1273/
http://mmafrenzy.com/1315/
http://mmafrenzy.com/2070/rua-
http://mmafrenzy.com/2205/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/
http://www.sherdog.com/
http://www.sherdog.com/videos/
Thursday, October 22, 2009
UFC 104 Strategy and Predictions
I finally get to do PRE-event thoughts!
My excitement is limited to the main card only though.
WW: Anthony Johnson vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
The heir apparent to GSP somewhere around 2013 will face his stiffest test since Rich Clementi. I like his chances in this match mainly because of his striking talents. Its still very raw but extremely fast and powerful. This would be the main skill that reminds people of "Rush". He's also going to have the reach and size advantage, due to his frame and weight cutting, which should help in the clinch.
Yoshida is a very experienced judoka with average standup and an above average jujitsu game. He'll definitely be the smaller of the two so I'd also expect him to be faster and lighter on his feet.Everyone remembers his horrendous KO at the hands of Koscheck but it was clearly a strategy issue and not based around his skills or talents. I don't think he'll be making that mistake twice.
"Rumble" should try to keep it standing and unload his vicious punches and kicks to try and outdo Koscheck's brutal KO of "Zenko". He should avoid any sort of clinch or close quarters striking that would give Yoshida the opportunity to pull off any judo throws or takedowns.
Yoshida should avoid any standup confrontations at all cost and work takedowns into his combos. Once on the ground, a submission should be academic.
The variables will be Johnson's strength, "athleticism" and Yoshida's overall strategy.
Anthony Johnson via KO in Round 2
LW: Joe Stevenson vs. Spencer Fisher
I feel this is the battle for gatekeeper status. Both men have fairly long MMA careers with wins and losses to some decent fighters but most were not top tier (excluding BJ and Florian). I also don't think either could make a run at whomever the champ may be when they get there - especially not against "The Prodigy".
Joe "Daddy" has a good guillotine but nothing else to really support a strong bjj game that would prove a threat to Fisher. His takedowns will be the key point for him to focus on in this match.
"The King" is a brawler wearing gloves and he's going to make the Octagon his alleyway. With an improved takedown defense, he should have no problem keeping it standing and get the decision victory. If it goes to the ground, he'll have no problem looking for subs on bottom or GNP from the top.
Joe Stevenson via Decision
LW: Gleison Tibau vs. Josh Neer
I wonder if Sherk pulled out of this match on purpose? Not really sure what purpose it serves in beating Tibau. I do know that Neer is a trooper and would probably take a fight with a stingray if they paid him enough. He's tough and has a never-say-die attitude. It should serve him well against Tibau, who hasn't really shown much as of late. This match will be decided on Neer's willingness to push the pace and prevent the constant, bad takedown attempts that Gleison will attempt.
Josh Neer via Decision
HW: Cain Velasquez vs. Ben Rothwell
I see this as a win-win for both guys. The upcomer against the veteran, with both having a lot to gain from a victory here. Cain gains status, builds more momentum in the HW landscape and establishes himself as being very formidable if he can beat the seasoned, uncrowned, IFL vet. A win for "Big Ben" against a highly touted UFC fighter in his first outing should establish himself as a main carder for at least the duration of his first UFC contract.
Everyone will expect Cain to take it to the ground given his collegiate wrestling background, but I would recommend he mix it up more and keep Rothwell confused. He's probably not going to worry about Ben's hands, after receiving that beating by Kongo's but still pulling through and getting the "W". Ben just might be too concerned with getting taken down, and get caught right on the chin.
Being in the game for a while now, Ben should not come in with any Ocatagon "jitters", but hit the ground running and push the pace against Cain. He's well rounded in all aspects of the game and is on the heavier level in the division, in terms of weight. His cardio may not be as great as Cain's, but I don't think Ben will have too much trouble keeping up. There's no doubt in my mind that Rothwell will get taken down, so he should be very active on the ground, looking for openings to bring it back to the feet so Cain has to expend more energy getting up and defending himself in the process. I don't think submissions are the way to go, given Cain's wrestling background and excellent cardio, which helps in maneuvering and ground defense.
Ben Rothwell via Decision
LHW Championship: Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio Rua
I'd like to take a vote and see how many people will buy this card specifically for this match only. Looking over the entire card, there's not much even a die hard fan would really be interested in here. The key question is, are people more interested in seeing Lyoto retain the belt or Rua fulfilling his 2005 prophecy as the best LHW?
I'm hoping for the former.
I don't think we've seen enough out of "Shogun" in his UFC career to warrant that this is his second coming. I'm not sold on him returning to his old form, especially after having two major surgeries in two years. He clearly showed in his last fight that he's got a little more patience now and is willing to gameplan more than just rush his opponents and attack Ong Bak style. He has retained his bodylock takedowns and bjj rolling defense. Otherwise, I need to see more matches with him utilizing his dynamic striking, crazy athletic strikes and constant pace pushing on the ground and standing.
Lyoto's UFC career has been quite the opposite. After beating 4 jobbers, they finally realized he could make a major impact in the LHW division. Way back after Rampage became champ, I predicted there would be no LHW champ that could successfully reign, with the exception of Lyoto, if he could take the title. He's never lost a round in the UFC and probably won't for at least a couple more matches until someone finally solves the riddle of "The Dragon" and Machida Karate. I'm sure Machida, his dad and brothers have all pinpointed weaknesses in Shogun's standup game but frankly, I don't think it even matters.
Conversely, Rua's team has their work cut out for them in terms of putting together a reasonable strategy to implement. With his comfortability in going for those bodylock takedowns, he should try to use those and stay on the ground. He's shown to have a legitimate bjj offense, that may prove formidable enough to snatch away the belt. As of late, Shogun's standup hasn't proven formidable enough that he should try it on the Champ.
Lyoto Machida via TKO in Round 2
It should be an exciting night and I'm sure there will be surprises. If any of you are crazy enough to think I know what I'm talking about, please do NOT use my analysis to bet on any of the matches.
Well, unless you plan on splitting the profits with me.
As an aside, no Dream 12 pre-fight thoughts just because I don't have enough time.
Let's see those comments roll in!
~S
My excitement is limited to the main card only though.
WW: Anthony Johnson vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
The heir apparent to GSP somewhere around 2013 will face his stiffest test since Rich Clementi. I like his chances in this match mainly because of his striking talents. Its still very raw but extremely fast and powerful. This would be the main skill that reminds people of "Rush". He's also going to have the reach and size advantage, due to his frame and weight cutting, which should help in the clinch.
Yoshida is a very experienced judoka with average standup and an above average jujitsu game. He'll definitely be the smaller of the two so I'd also expect him to be faster and lighter on his feet.Everyone remembers his horrendous KO at the hands of Koscheck but it was clearly a strategy issue and not based around his skills or talents. I don't think he'll be making that mistake twice.
"Rumble" should try to keep it standing and unload his vicious punches and kicks to try and outdo Koscheck's brutal KO of "Zenko". He should avoid any sort of clinch or close quarters striking that would give Yoshida the opportunity to pull off any judo throws or takedowns.
Yoshida should avoid any standup confrontations at all cost and work takedowns into his combos. Once on the ground, a submission should be academic.
The variables will be Johnson's strength, "athleticism" and Yoshida's overall strategy.
Anthony Johnson via KO in Round 2
LW: Joe Stevenson vs. Spencer Fisher
I feel this is the battle for gatekeeper status. Both men have fairly long MMA careers with wins and losses to some decent fighters but most were not top tier (excluding BJ and Florian). I also don't think either could make a run at whomever the champ may be when they get there - especially not against "The Prodigy".
Joe "Daddy" has a good guillotine but nothing else to really support a strong bjj game that would prove a threat to Fisher. His takedowns will be the key point for him to focus on in this match.
"The King" is a brawler wearing gloves and he's going to make the Octagon his alleyway. With an improved takedown defense, he should have no problem keeping it standing and get the decision victory. If it goes to the ground, he'll have no problem looking for subs on bottom or GNP from the top.
Joe Stevenson via Decision
LW: Gleison Tibau vs. Josh Neer
I wonder if Sherk pulled out of this match on purpose? Not really sure what purpose it serves in beating Tibau. I do know that Neer is a trooper and would probably take a fight with a stingray if they paid him enough. He's tough and has a never-say-die attitude. It should serve him well against Tibau, who hasn't really shown much as of late. This match will be decided on Neer's willingness to push the pace and prevent the constant, bad takedown attempts that Gleison will attempt.
Josh Neer via Decision
HW: Cain Velasquez vs. Ben Rothwell
I see this as a win-win for both guys. The upcomer against the veteran, with both having a lot to gain from a victory here. Cain gains status, builds more momentum in the HW landscape and establishes himself as being very formidable if he can beat the seasoned, uncrowned, IFL vet. A win for "Big Ben" against a highly touted UFC fighter in his first outing should establish himself as a main carder for at least the duration of his first UFC contract.
Everyone will expect Cain to take it to the ground given his collegiate wrestling background, but I would recommend he mix it up more and keep Rothwell confused. He's probably not going to worry about Ben's hands, after receiving that beating by Kongo's but still pulling through and getting the "W". Ben just might be too concerned with getting taken down, and get caught right on the chin.
Being in the game for a while now, Ben should not come in with any Ocatagon "jitters", but hit the ground running and push the pace against Cain. He's well rounded in all aspects of the game and is on the heavier level in the division, in terms of weight. His cardio may not be as great as Cain's, but I don't think Ben will have too much trouble keeping up. There's no doubt in my mind that Rothwell will get taken down, so he should be very active on the ground, looking for openings to bring it back to the feet so Cain has to expend more energy getting up and defending himself in the process. I don't think submissions are the way to go, given Cain's wrestling background and excellent cardio, which helps in maneuvering and ground defense.
Ben Rothwell via Decision
LHW Championship: Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio Rua
I'd like to take a vote and see how many people will buy this card specifically for this match only. Looking over the entire card, there's not much even a die hard fan would really be interested in here. The key question is, are people more interested in seeing Lyoto retain the belt or Rua fulfilling his 2005 prophecy as the best LHW?
I'm hoping for the former.
I don't think we've seen enough out of "Shogun" in his UFC career to warrant that this is his second coming. I'm not sold on him returning to his old form, especially after having two major surgeries in two years. He clearly showed in his last fight that he's got a little more patience now and is willing to gameplan more than just rush his opponents and attack Ong Bak style. He has retained his bodylock takedowns and bjj rolling defense. Otherwise, I need to see more matches with him utilizing his dynamic striking, crazy athletic strikes and constant pace pushing on the ground and standing.
Lyoto's UFC career has been quite the opposite. After beating 4 jobbers, they finally realized he could make a major impact in the LHW division. Way back after Rampage became champ, I predicted there would be no LHW champ that could successfully reign, with the exception of Lyoto, if he could take the title. He's never lost a round in the UFC and probably won't for at least a couple more matches until someone finally solves the riddle of "The Dragon" and Machida Karate. I'm sure Machida, his dad and brothers have all pinpointed weaknesses in Shogun's standup game but frankly, I don't think it even matters.
Conversely, Rua's team has their work cut out for them in terms of putting together a reasonable strategy to implement. With his comfortability in going for those bodylock takedowns, he should try to use those and stay on the ground. He's shown to have a legitimate bjj offense, that may prove formidable enough to snatch away the belt. As of late, Shogun's standup hasn't proven formidable enough that he should try it on the Champ.
Lyoto Machida via TKO in Round 2
It should be an exciting night and I'm sure there will be surprises. If any of you are crazy enough to think I know what I'm talking about, please do NOT use my analysis to bet on any of the matches.
Well, unless you plan on splitting the profits with me.
As an aside, no Dream 12 pre-fight thoughts just because I don't have enough time.
Let's see those comments roll in!
~S
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Dream 11 - Tourneys,Tune-Ups and Triumphs
Note: This event took place 10/6/09.
For the sake of my sanity and your eyesight, I'm going to go through just the last 4 matches of the card. I will however, give the results of the two tournament brackets matches that had occurred first.
Featherweight
Kazuyuki Miyata defeats Daika Hata via Decision (Reserve bout)
Bibiano Fernanddes defeats Joe Warren via Submission
Hiroyuki Takaya defeats Hideo Tokoro via TKO
Super Hulk
Ikuhisa Minowa defeats Hong Man Choi via Submission
Rameau Sokoudjou defeats Bob Sapp via TKO
Ok, down to the final four.
1. Tatsuya Kawajiri defeats Melchor Manibusan
Clearly, this was a gimme match for Kawajiri. He will most likely get the winner of Aoki/Hansen match going on later on this card.
Melchor posed no threat to "Crusher" whatsoever and frankly, this match made no sense for either fighter. The man's record was 2-3 before this match.
I love the Japanese and their "warm up" matches.
2. Kazushi Sakuraba defeats Rubin Williams via Submission
Speaking of matches that make no sense, the most beloved Japanese MMA fighter of all time beats an ex-boxer in his debut MMA match. I got the sense that both guys thought this was more a sparring match. We didn't really see any techniques besides the Kimura that ended everything. Both the strikes and takedowns were sloppy and I don't think Williams even threw any strikes.
Although, there's not many more veterans or experienced fighters that Sakuraba can face and beat, I'd rather not see him in these ridiculous lopsided matches with non-MMA fighters that are trying to transition over or just looking for a paycheck.
"The Gracie Hunter" deserves better, even in the twilight of his career.
3. Shinya Aoki defeats Joachim Hansen via Submission
Wow.
What a complete 180 from the last two matches.
This could have been a fantastical match in ADCC because of the little, inconsequential striking that took place. It had shades of Maia/McDonald and Sakuraba/Newton in terms of the levels of grappling we saw from both guys.
Although we could have went without Aoki hollywooding it for about 20 minutes when he took that nut shot, he definitely redeemed himself with the last second armbar to finish the match. He very much stuck to his game plan the whole time and didn't miss a beat. Sloppy takedowns or not, he went for them and got them. He shrewdly went for dominant positions first, before attempting any submissions and took his time doing it.
Hansen was trying to match Aoki on the ground and he was holding his own. He's as much an offensive grappler as Aoki. While a little less talented in that area, he makes up for this with having superior striking, which he did not get to utilize due to Aoki's effective game plan or Hansen's ineffectiveness in getting taken down.
Finally, that one mistake of going for the knee strike cost "Hellboy" the championship belt, but I commend him on his efforts regardless. Who's up for a 4th match between them?
4. Bibiano Fernandes defeats Hiroyuki Takaya via Decision
This was a close one and I saw it going either way.
I couldn't place my finger on it until about midway through the match, but Bibiano's fighting style is very similar to Hermes Franca's. It's a combination of the crazy, monkey-haymaker style punches and sloppy takedown and submission attempts. Another thing that reminded me of Hermes was his size. I know he doesn't train down at ATT but he must be getting pointers from someone down there because his weight cutting skills are either spectacular or he never plans on fighting in the US.
Takaya fought a good fight and connected to Fernandes' face with some rather good, hard shots. Too bad they proved ineffective and his lack of ground skills cost him the decision victory.
I'm now waiting for a rematch of champions, "KID" vs. "The Flash".
I'll try not to skip bouts that are televised next time. I'm just worried that if I try to come up with relevant and comical analogies about what strategies that Minowaman and Judo Thierry implemented in the Super Hulk tournament, it would just drain me of brain power that I plan on using for my bicep workout later today.
Later
~S
For the sake of my sanity and your eyesight, I'm going to go through just the last 4 matches of the card. I will however, give the results of the two tournament brackets matches that had occurred first.
Featherweight
Kazuyuki Miyata defeats Daika Hata via Decision (Reserve bout)
Bibiano Fernanddes defeats Joe Warren via Submission
Hiroyuki Takaya defeats Hideo Tokoro via TKO
Super Hulk
Ikuhisa Minowa defeats Hong Man Choi via Submission
Rameau Sokoudjou defeats Bob Sapp via TKO
Ok, down to the final four.
1. Tatsuya Kawajiri defeats Melchor Manibusan
Clearly, this was a gimme match for Kawajiri. He will most likely get the winner of Aoki/Hansen match going on later on this card.
Melchor posed no threat to "Crusher" whatsoever and frankly, this match made no sense for either fighter. The man's record was 2-3 before this match.
I love the Japanese and their "warm up" matches.
2. Kazushi Sakuraba defeats Rubin Williams via Submission
Speaking of matches that make no sense, the most beloved Japanese MMA fighter of all time beats an ex-boxer in his debut MMA match. I got the sense that both guys thought this was more a sparring match. We didn't really see any techniques besides the Kimura that ended everything. Both the strikes and takedowns were sloppy and I don't think Williams even threw any strikes.
Although, there's not many more veterans or experienced fighters that Sakuraba can face and beat, I'd rather not see him in these ridiculous lopsided matches with non-MMA fighters that are trying to transition over or just looking for a paycheck.
"The Gracie Hunter" deserves better, even in the twilight of his career.
3. Shinya Aoki defeats Joachim Hansen via Submission
Wow.
What a complete 180 from the last two matches.
This could have been a fantastical match in ADCC because of the little, inconsequential striking that took place. It had shades of Maia/McDonald and Sakuraba/Newton in terms of the levels of grappling we saw from both guys.
Although we could have went without Aoki hollywooding it for about 20 minutes when he took that nut shot, he definitely redeemed himself with the last second armbar to finish the match. He very much stuck to his game plan the whole time and didn't miss a beat. Sloppy takedowns or not, he went for them and got them. He shrewdly went for dominant positions first, before attempting any submissions and took his time doing it.
Hansen was trying to match Aoki on the ground and he was holding his own. He's as much an offensive grappler as Aoki. While a little less talented in that area, he makes up for this with having superior striking, which he did not get to utilize due to Aoki's effective game plan or Hansen's ineffectiveness in getting taken down.
Finally, that one mistake of going for the knee strike cost "Hellboy" the championship belt, but I commend him on his efforts regardless. Who's up for a 4th match between them?
4. Bibiano Fernandes defeats Hiroyuki Takaya via Decision
This was a close one and I saw it going either way.
I couldn't place my finger on it until about midway through the match, but Bibiano's fighting style is very similar to Hermes Franca's. It's a combination of the crazy, monkey-haymaker style punches and sloppy takedown and submission attempts. Another thing that reminded me of Hermes was his size. I know he doesn't train down at ATT but he must be getting pointers from someone down there because his weight cutting skills are either spectacular or he never plans on fighting in the US.
Takaya fought a good fight and connected to Fernandes' face with some rather good, hard shots. Too bad they proved ineffective and his lack of ground skills cost him the decision victory.
I'm now waiting for a rematch of champions, "KID" vs. "The Flash".
I'll try not to skip bouts that are televised next time. I'm just worried that if I try to come up with relevant and comical analogies about what strategies that Minowaman and Judo Thierry implemented in the Super Hulk tournament, it would just drain me of brain power that I plan on using for my bicep workout later today.
Later
~S
Monday, October 19, 2009
WEC 43 Cerrone vs. Henderson
I feel bad for people that don't get the Versus channel.
They're forced to search the internet for cards like this after people like me tell them they NEED to watch this card. Or they miss a fantastic card with fighters under 155 lbs., that would get anyone hooked on the little guys.
Note that the matches reviewed are from the replay of the event.
1. Damacio Page defeats Will Campuzano via Submission
If the Tasmanian Devil were a fighter, he would fight like Damacio.
Except I think Damacio drinks more Red Bulls before his matches. He also has less fur and better back control.
Speaking of back control, I'd like to hear what the heck Campuzano was thinking giving his back up like a tree to a koala?
2. Raphael Assuncao defeats Yves Jabouin via Decision
GSP-lite vs. the "good" Assuncao brother.
And being the best of the brothers was just enough to beat Yves.
They had some good, short bursts of exchanges in the pocket. Yves looked to be the better one on the feet with his fancy spin moves and crisp strikes, but I think both of them landed a pretty even number of clean strikes. Yves was also moving around with good angles but he also moved forward a lot when he threw any strikes. What's the point of moving at awkward angles but not using them to your advantage? Raphael threw some pretty awful, wild haymakers but it was more than enough to stifle Yves on the feet. Throw in a dash of bjj and you've got an easy decision victory for Assuncao.
3. Dave Jansen defeats Rich Crunkilton via Decision
Kudos to WEC newcomer Dave Jansen for beating a veteran in Crunkilton. "Cleat" had no answer for Dave's takedowns and constant pressure and movement.
Both could do with a trip to Thailand to work on their striking to complement their wrestling base.
4. Benson Henderson defeats Donald Cerrone
This was a classic striker vs. wrestler matchup with a twist. Both guys were equally skilled in another area that complimented their base area very well. Cerrone has excellent Muy Thai and an outstanding bottom submission game - 90% of his wins were via submission.
"Smooth" has the mirror opposite, complimentary skillset to Donald's. While only a purple belt in bjj, he's got ridiculous submission defense. So much so that in his next fight when they list his 3 main traits, one of them should be "unsubmittable". I was dumbfounded when Mir mentioned that Ben had submitted black belts in competition matches. This would explain his Mr. Miracle-like escapes and counters to Cerrone's submission attempts.
The other thing that Ben was great at was his standing offense while Cerrone was on his back. "Cowboy" did NOTHING to defend against the punches to his head and abdomen. I wasn't sure why Cerrone wasn't more active with his feet with upkicks or heel kicks and the like.
Too bad this match wasn't in a Dream event because "Cowboy" would have definitely been awarded the match. The Dream judges award the fighter the win based on the match as a whole and less on individual rounds, like boxing.
And lastly...FIND THIS CARD AND WATCH IT.
Later,
~S
They're forced to search the internet for cards like this after people like me tell them they NEED to watch this card. Or they miss a fantastic card with fighters under 155 lbs., that would get anyone hooked on the little guys.
Note that the matches reviewed are from the replay of the event.
1. Damacio Page defeats Will Campuzano via Submission
If the Tasmanian Devil were a fighter, he would fight like Damacio.
Except I think Damacio drinks more Red Bulls before his matches. He also has less fur and better back control.
Speaking of back control, I'd like to hear what the heck Campuzano was thinking giving his back up like a tree to a koala?
2. Raphael Assuncao defeats Yves Jabouin via Decision
GSP-lite vs. the "good" Assuncao brother.
And being the best of the brothers was just enough to beat Yves.
They had some good, short bursts of exchanges in the pocket. Yves looked to be the better one on the feet with his fancy spin moves and crisp strikes, but I think both of them landed a pretty even number of clean strikes. Yves was also moving around with good angles but he also moved forward a lot when he threw any strikes. What's the point of moving at awkward angles but not using them to your advantage? Raphael threw some pretty awful, wild haymakers but it was more than enough to stifle Yves on the feet. Throw in a dash of bjj and you've got an easy decision victory for Assuncao.
3. Dave Jansen defeats Rich Crunkilton via Decision
Kudos to WEC newcomer Dave Jansen for beating a veteran in Crunkilton. "Cleat" had no answer for Dave's takedowns and constant pressure and movement.
Both could do with a trip to Thailand to work on their striking to complement their wrestling base.
4. Benson Henderson defeats Donald Cerrone
This was a classic striker vs. wrestler matchup with a twist. Both guys were equally skilled in another area that complimented their base area very well. Cerrone has excellent Muy Thai and an outstanding bottom submission game - 90% of his wins were via submission.
"Smooth" has the mirror opposite, complimentary skillset to Donald's. While only a purple belt in bjj, he's got ridiculous submission defense. So much so that in his next fight when they list his 3 main traits, one of them should be "unsubmittable". I was dumbfounded when Mir mentioned that Ben had submitted black belts in competition matches. This would explain his Mr. Miracle-like escapes and counters to Cerrone's submission attempts.
The other thing that Ben was great at was his standing offense while Cerrone was on his back. "Cowboy" did NOTHING to defend against the punches to his head and abdomen. I wasn't sure why Cerrone wasn't more active with his feet with upkicks or heel kicks and the like.
Too bad this match wasn't in a Dream event because "Cowboy" would have definitely been awarded the match. The Dream judges award the fighter the win based on the match as a whole and less on individual rounds, like boxing.
And lastly...FIND THIS CARD AND WATCH IT.
Later,
~S
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Sengoku 10 - Sengoku Fight Night #39
Again with the card lacking in star power but excellent finishes.
1. Maximo Blanco defeats Tetsuya Yamada via Submission (verbal)
When was the last time you saw someone submit verbally in a match?
It was bound to happen again and who better than "Maxi" Blanco to have the first verbal sub in Sengoku. It's also not surprising given the world class, wrestler is a BEAST on the feet. This wasn't his best performance but he still got the job done in Silverback stomping fashion.
Yamada had some reasonable submission attempts but nothing Cerrone-esque (see next post). I do however, want to see more spinning leglock attempts.
2. Joe Doerkson defeats Takenori Sato via TKO
Not sure how these fellas got matched up, but this was just easy money for "El Dirte".
Sato did what he could to take this fight to the ground but he still got dropped a few times by Joe and finally made the mistake of trying to stay in the pocket and get blasted.
3. Dan Hornbuckle defeats Nick Thompson via TKO
I really want to see "The Handler" in the UFC. He really knows how to use his long limbs standing and good bjj defense to stop world class ground guys. He also had Thompson's number with his southpaw stance. "The Goat" made the mistake of circling into Dan's power side once too many times and ate some hard shots to end the match early.
4. Fabio Silva defeats Ryo Kawamura via KO
I liken Fabio to an overweight version of Wanderlei, and stuck Japan as if Pride never went down.
Kawamura just looked like canon fodder for Silva as he took a barrage of punches and knees, including a DIVING punch to the face right about when the ref had to stop the mugging. That should be on mix video somewhere.
5. Kazunori Yokota defeats Ryan Schultz via KO
Schultz is becoming the new Sean Salmon in my book with three, disturbingly bad losses since leaving IFL for Sengoku. Previously,"The Lion" was doing very well in the IFL, accruing a 6 fight win streak and defeating young, standup, wunderkind Chris Horodecki to become the first and only IFL LW champ. Currently, Lady Misfortune seems to be peeing all over Schultz's MMA career.
Yokota got the opposite treatment, with a great Hendo-like overhand right to the unlucky Schultz. I figured he'd have taken a TKO or decision give both fighter's histories.
6. Makoto Takimoto defeats Jae Sun Lee via Decision
A very uneventful match between to barely above .500 fighters. Lots of weak sauce ground striking and smothering. The high points were a nice jumping knee and hip toss by Takimoto.
7. Antonio Silva defeats Jim York via Submission
The arm triangle was a great move to pull off by "Bigfoot". It showed more variety to his game than his usual standup strategy. Plus, "Big" Jimmy had the power to shut off Silva's lights at any moment - man has shoulders like bowling balls.
Let's see if Silva's got more tricks in his bag in his next match with Fabricio Werdum.
8. Antz Nansen defeats Hiroshi Izumi via TKO
The "Notorious" one spoils Izumi's inaugural bout with various punches and kicks that left him with no answer standing.
Tried to keep this one short given the amount of matches shown but still ended up being more than I expected.
Stay tuned for a late analysis of WEC 43 tomorrow.
~S
1. Maximo Blanco defeats Tetsuya Yamada via Submission (verbal)
When was the last time you saw someone submit verbally in a match?
It was bound to happen again and who better than "Maxi" Blanco to have the first verbal sub in Sengoku. It's also not surprising given the world class, wrestler is a BEAST on the feet. This wasn't his best performance but he still got the job done in Silverback stomping fashion.
Yamada had some reasonable submission attempts but nothing Cerrone-esque (see next post). I do however, want to see more spinning leglock attempts.
2. Joe Doerkson defeats Takenori Sato via TKO
Not sure how these fellas got matched up, but this was just easy money for "El Dirte".
Sato did what he could to take this fight to the ground but he still got dropped a few times by Joe and finally made the mistake of trying to stay in the pocket and get blasted.
3. Dan Hornbuckle defeats Nick Thompson via TKO
I really want to see "The Handler" in the UFC. He really knows how to use his long limbs standing and good bjj defense to stop world class ground guys. He also had Thompson's number with his southpaw stance. "The Goat" made the mistake of circling into Dan's power side once too many times and ate some hard shots to end the match early.
4. Fabio Silva defeats Ryo Kawamura via KO
I liken Fabio to an overweight version of Wanderlei, and stuck Japan as if Pride never went down.
Kawamura just looked like canon fodder for Silva as he took a barrage of punches and knees, including a DIVING punch to the face right about when the ref had to stop the mugging. That should be on mix video somewhere.
5. Kazunori Yokota defeats Ryan Schultz via KO
Schultz is becoming the new Sean Salmon in my book with three, disturbingly bad losses since leaving IFL for Sengoku. Previously,"The Lion" was doing very well in the IFL, accruing a 6 fight win streak and defeating young, standup, wunderkind Chris Horodecki to become the first and only IFL LW champ. Currently, Lady Misfortune seems to be peeing all over Schultz's MMA career.
Yokota got the opposite treatment, with a great Hendo-like overhand right to the unlucky Schultz. I figured he'd have taken a TKO or decision give both fighter's histories.
6. Makoto Takimoto defeats Jae Sun Lee via Decision
A very uneventful match between to barely above .500 fighters. Lots of weak sauce ground striking and smothering. The high points were a nice jumping knee and hip toss by Takimoto.
7. Antonio Silva defeats Jim York via Submission
The arm triangle was a great move to pull off by "Bigfoot". It showed more variety to his game than his usual standup strategy. Plus, "Big" Jimmy had the power to shut off Silva's lights at any moment - man has shoulders like bowling balls.
Let's see if Silva's got more tricks in his bag in his next match with Fabricio Werdum.
8. Antz Nansen defeats Hiroshi Izumi via TKO
The "Notorious" one spoils Izumi's inaugural bout with various punches and kicks that left him with no answer standing.
Tried to keep this one short given the amount of matches shown but still ended up being more than I expected.
Stay tuned for a late analysis of WEC 43 tomorrow.
~S
List Time - Tito Ortiz should NOT Rematch against Forrest Griffin...
Here's my list of opponents, top to bottom, of who'd I think would be most logical for Tito, in his return to the UFC:
1. Keith Jardine
2. Stephan Bonnar
3. Rich Franklin
4. Dan Henderson
5. James Irvin
6. Vladimir Matyushenko
Criteria for selecting opponents (loosely in order, most to least important):
1. Opponents are currently not scheduled to fight
2. Advancement of either fighter's career
3. Combined drawing power of matchup
4. Potential competitiveness of the match
5. Prior history, connection or continuity of the matchup
Finally, my breakdown and reasoning:
1. "The Dean of Mean"
After yet another quick starching by a powerful striker, the "Mean 1" needs an opponent who isn't going to obliterate him in the 1st round, but also will give him a spirited challenge in the Octagon. I really like this matchup because it has the potential for some entertaining action and great techniques from each fighter, based on their respective skill sets. And, it won't end in the first 3 minutes, potentially creating a disappointing main event.
Jardine is the perennial underdog in his high profile matches. Usually, it's been his opponent recruiting the high attendance numbers, but I'd still consider him a decent draw. He always tries to take it to his opponents and has that chance of pulling off the upset, specifically his wins against Liddell and Forrest. A win against Tito would also catapult him back into the top 5 as a LHW, mainly because Tito is a VERY big draw to UFC fans. He also has the means and resources to make this a good fight, with his fighting style and training partner, who nearly defeated Tito, Rashad Evans.
2. Stephan Bonnar
Another popular TUF contestant on the downswing in his UFC career that could use the boost from beating the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy". He's definitely got some drawing power and proposes a good standup game against Ortiz.
A good match up for Tito because Bonnar's standup is good, but doesn't rival Thiago Silva or Houston Alexander, in terms of power, which I see as a mental and physical roadblock for him. In this match, Tito would have the opportunity to showcase his standup and wrestling skills to remind fans of why he was once the UFC LHW Champ.
The "American Pyscho" had his wrestling defense thoroughly exploited by Mark Coleman in his last match and would need to definitely rethink his current strategy when going into matches.
3. Rich Franklin
This would be the biggest draw of all my picks. Two ultra popular, ex-UFC champs squaring off for the first time, having fought common opponents, and both being coaches on TUF, on different seasons.
Almost a "What If?" style match up, since they were both in the LHW division and could have potentially fought had Franklin not dropped down to MW and capture the title.
Franklin poses some interesting challenges for Tito and vice versa. We haven't really seen how Franklin would fair against a wrestler willing to constantly use his takedown and GNP skills to the fullest or Tito go up against a great game-planing, strong, southpaw striker.
4. Dan Henderson
Hendo would be the stiffest challenge because he's a great Greco wrestler who's also willing to sacrifice his body to take your head off with his berserker rage style standup. Tito has exhibited his reluctance to stand and trade if you have previously shown one punch, Ralph-like power. Another reason this matchup isn't exactly favorable to Tito is because his bullying style and wrestling skills usually only work against non-wrestlers and not dudes that have wrestled in the OLYMPICS.
But, in the slim chance that Tito manages to defeat "Hollywood", I don't see how Dana or Joe Silva not take him to the #1 or 2 contender spot in the LWH division.
5. James Irvin
This is the quick and easy route to "put over" Tito. Irvin has the aforementioned power that Tito is afraid of, but Tito is certainly not dumb enough to bang with a one-hitter, quitter, who clearly has doesn't have the ground game to fend him off. This should be a simple snatch and grab, ground and pound win for Tito.
Game over, round 1.
Sorry, James, but at least you get to fight another big name.
6. Vladimir Matyushenko
Lastly, who the hell is this guy?!
I'm throwing in the "Janitor" because nobody ever gives him any love and he's someone that can spoil the current LHW party in the UFC. Here's a bit of history regarding, Vlady:
- One and only IFL LHW Champ
- Beaten some tough opponents: Pedro Rizzo, 'lil Nog, Yuki Kondo
- Very few losses and to tough opponents: 'lil Nog and Andrei Arlovski
- Previously fought Tito in 2001 and took him to a decision
I'm not a big fan of rematches (one of the reasons for this entry) but I think this one makes the most sense out of any for Tito because, a) it's been 8 years since they fought, b) Vlady could easily put Tito over if he lost and c) this would be a very good test for someone who's straddled the line of top 20 LHW's for a while, but never given a strong opportunity to make a name for himself. Every dog has it's day and if you've given one to a gigantic headed Mexi-American, why not to a dude with a nickname based on someone that cleans up garbage for a living?
I'm sure I missed some guys that no doubt should be on this list but keep in mind, I was also looking for favorable matches for Tito, just as much as someone that would stomp him. I am not a fan of Tito, the next UFC LWH champ, but I AM a fan of Tito, the bring more mainstream attention to the UFC, with his cockiness and shameless promoting antics.
Don't forget, WEC tonight!
~S
1. Keith Jardine
2. Stephan Bonnar
3. Rich Franklin
4. Dan Henderson
5. James Irvin
6. Vladimir Matyushenko
Criteria for selecting opponents (loosely in order, most to least important):
1. Opponents are currently not scheduled to fight
2. Advancement of either fighter's career
3. Combined drawing power of matchup
4. Potential competitiveness of the match
5. Prior history, connection or continuity of the matchup
Finally, my breakdown and reasoning:
1. "The Dean of Mean"
After yet another quick starching by a powerful striker, the "Mean 1" needs an opponent who isn't going to obliterate him in the 1st round, but also will give him a spirited challenge in the Octagon. I really like this matchup because it has the potential for some entertaining action and great techniques from each fighter, based on their respective skill sets. And, it won't end in the first 3 minutes, potentially creating a disappointing main event.
Jardine is the perennial underdog in his high profile matches. Usually, it's been his opponent recruiting the high attendance numbers, but I'd still consider him a decent draw. He always tries to take it to his opponents and has that chance of pulling off the upset, specifically his wins against Liddell and Forrest. A win against Tito would also catapult him back into the top 5 as a LHW, mainly because Tito is a VERY big draw to UFC fans. He also has the means and resources to make this a good fight, with his fighting style and training partner, who nearly defeated Tito, Rashad Evans.
2. Stephan Bonnar
Another popular TUF contestant on the downswing in his UFC career that could use the boost from beating the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy". He's definitely got some drawing power and proposes a good standup game against Ortiz.
A good match up for Tito because Bonnar's standup is good, but doesn't rival Thiago Silva or Houston Alexander, in terms of power, which I see as a mental and physical roadblock for him. In this match, Tito would have the opportunity to showcase his standup and wrestling skills to remind fans of why he was once the UFC LHW Champ.
The "American Pyscho" had his wrestling defense thoroughly exploited by Mark Coleman in his last match and would need to definitely rethink his current strategy when going into matches.
3. Rich Franklin
This would be the biggest draw of all my picks. Two ultra popular, ex-UFC champs squaring off for the first time, having fought common opponents, and both being coaches on TUF, on different seasons.
Almost a "What If?" style match up, since they were both in the LHW division and could have potentially fought had Franklin not dropped down to MW and capture the title.
Franklin poses some interesting challenges for Tito and vice versa. We haven't really seen how Franklin would fair against a wrestler willing to constantly use his takedown and GNP skills to the fullest or Tito go up against a great game-planing, strong, southpaw striker.
4. Dan Henderson
Hendo would be the stiffest challenge because he's a great Greco wrestler who's also willing to sacrifice his body to take your head off with his berserker rage style standup. Tito has exhibited his reluctance to stand and trade if you have previously shown one punch, Ralph-like power. Another reason this matchup isn't exactly favorable to Tito is because his bullying style and wrestling skills usually only work against non-wrestlers and not dudes that have wrestled in the OLYMPICS.
But, in the slim chance that Tito manages to defeat "Hollywood", I don't see how Dana or Joe Silva not take him to the #1 or 2 contender spot in the LWH division.
5. James Irvin
This is the quick and easy route to "put over" Tito. Irvin has the aforementioned power that Tito is afraid of, but Tito is certainly not dumb enough to bang with a one-hitter, quitter, who clearly has doesn't have the ground game to fend him off. This should be a simple snatch and grab, ground and pound win for Tito.
Game over, round 1.
Sorry, James, but at least you get to fight another big name.
6. Vladimir Matyushenko
Lastly, who the hell is this guy?!
I'm throwing in the "Janitor" because nobody ever gives him any love and he's someone that can spoil the current LHW party in the UFC. Here's a bit of history regarding, Vlady:
- One and only IFL LHW Champ
- Beaten some tough opponents: Pedro Rizzo, 'lil Nog, Yuki Kondo
- Very few losses and to tough opponents: 'lil Nog and Andrei Arlovski
- Previously fought Tito in 2001 and took him to a decision
I'm not a big fan of rematches (one of the reasons for this entry) but I think this one makes the most sense out of any for Tito because, a) it's been 8 years since they fought, b) Vlady could easily put Tito over if he lost and c) this would be a very good test for someone who's straddled the line of top 20 LHW's for a while, but never given a strong opportunity to make a name for himself. Every dog has it's day and if you've given one to a gigantic headed Mexi-American, why not to a dude with a nickname based on someone that cleans up garbage for a living?
I'm sure I missed some guys that no doubt should be on this list but keep in mind, I was also looking for favorable matches for Tito, just as much as someone that would stomp him. I am not a fan of Tito, the next UFC LWH champ, but I AM a fan of Tito, the bring more mainstream attention to the UFC, with his cockiness and shameless promoting antics.
Don't forget, WEC tonight!
~S
Thursday, October 8, 2009
San Francisco Fights 1 - Mayhem on Muni
This will be my first entry on female MMA.
Probably not what you would expect, but with no recent Jewel, Hook 'N Shoot or Shooto female matches, this seemed like a good place to start. Let's name the competitors first - Purple and Glasses.
Match starts off with a lot of feeling out, unusually in the pocket. After about a minute or so, they start exchanging blows but Purple is definitely more accurate, landing some clean back-of-the-head shots. She also pulls off a spectacular jumping front kick, keeping her balance with the upright vertical rails. This was a smart maneuver to pull off as it keeps your opponent at a distance and correctly uses your surroundings to your advantage.
Finally the ref steps in and calls it, forcing the loser, Glasses, to vacate the arena.
Next time, Glasses should pick her opponents more wisely. Chinese women have great reaction time and advanced-level tactics and strategy when in a confrontational situations.
(If you couldn't tell, I'm American born Chinese)
Female aggression at its best!
~S
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
UFC 103 - Franklin vs. Belfort
This card feels like a continuation of UFN 19.
I'm not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing. On the one hand, Fight Night was really exciting and competitive. On the other, there weren't any big draws to entice fans into actually purchasing the event.
If you didn't watch it, you missed out on some surprises.
1. Tyson Griffin defeats Hermes Franca via TKO
Why did Hermes even show up? He hasn't looked great in previous showings, but I'm trying to figure out if he even tried to make weight this time around. I'm not surprised the UFC cut him recently. Besides throwing Mortal Kombat-esque uppercuts and hooks that did nothing to really slow down Tyson, he might as well have stayed back in Florida.
Griffin looked sharp as usual with a plethora of crisp, offensive strikes, quick counter strikes and good smothering, top pressure to end the match in the 2nd. I wouldn't be surprised if his next fight was the winner of Guida vs. Florian and then a title shot if he can keep a decent win streak alive.
2. Josh Koscheck defeats Frank Trigg via TKO
Boy, could this have been a really technical fight. You've got two guys with excellent wrestling pedigrees and what do they do? They stand like it's the K-1 WGP. And of course, the first guy to slip up gets the short end of the stick. Frankly, I'm glad the rumors of "Twinkle Toes" getting cut after this match weren't true because he could really make an impact in the WW division. He's got the skills and experience to beat most prelim guys but he'll struggle with the mid to top 15'ers, mainly because of a decline in athleticism and lack of speed.
Koscheck could just as easily fall in this same trap for different reasons. He clearly outmatched Trigg in both those areas above, but he clearly prefers to stand and strike rather than GNP. This got him in trouble in his last outting against Paulo Thaigo and coincidentally, a similar situation arose with this fight. Trigg was caught by a wrist/forearm shot to the back of head and was taken to the cleaners. While I understood that Trigg's plan was to stay in the pocket and trade, knowing that Koscheck's standup is quite suspect for a top 5 WW, he looked a little too anxious when he thought Koscheck was in danger. But that's also the mark of a good fighter: to be able to smell blood and go in for the kill. Luckily for Trigg, he'll get one more shot before he gets the boot and then its back to Trigonomics.
3. Paul Daley defeats Martin Kampmann via TKO
What could have been an opportunity of a lifetime for "The Hitman" became a coming out party for "Semtex".
Man that's a cool nickname - he literally blew up any chance of Kampmann getting a title shot for at least the next year or so.
We also found out Daley has a mean left hook or that Kampmann never learned to properly set up a good takedown attempt. Kampmann did land some nice knees in a thai clinch but it was too little, too late.
4. Rafael Dos Anjos defeats Rob Emerson via Decision
This match was all about adapting to the circumstances and improving upon his gameplan before the other guy. Clearly Dos Anjos is a faster thinker on his feet because he wasn't limping as he left the Octagon with a ridiculous bruise on his inner thigh.
Emerson started off well, correctly avoiding takedowns and staying in the pocket to trade with the bjj specialist. What he probably didn't factor in was that Dos Anjos had more power and speed in his left leg kicks because he was a southpaw. This gave him the obvious advantage in keeping Emerson at bay when he tried to throw any type of straight punches. After he noticed he couldn't take Rob down, he just went straight for the same spot on his inner thigh every time. The craziest part was that Emerson did NOTHING to prevent his leg from being blasted. It was almost as if he forgot that he had been hit in that same spot 10 seconds ago and proceeded to throw weak punches because he could no longer use his lead leg.
Let's keep them both on the prelims and see if either of them makes any more progress winning or losing via leg kicks.
5. Junior Dos Santos defeats Mirko CroCop via Submission
This match was the most irrelevant, relevant fight on the card. Longtime CroCop fans were hoping he'd be back in form against a young, hungry up-and-comer. Instead, it was a battered and tired CroCop against a sloppy Cigano. Mirko actually landed some nice, clean left straights but he was taking way too long to set them up and attack. Conversely, Junior was constantly moving forward and not setting up anything cleanly. This could have been his entire strategy all along, but had he taken more time to pull off some nicer and cleaner combinations, he'd have looked much more impressive to the fans and UFC management. He'll still probably get a top 15 guy in his next outting.
It was very clear Mirko didn't want to be there and his loss was inevitable. There was too much clinching and hesitation on his part for him to really put up any strong offense. And when you boil him down, that's what he's all about. Yes, his counter punches have accuracy, but he's the scariest when his head or body kicks are launched out of nowhere. He's always been most comfortable fighting in Japan and I think that's where he should end his career - maybe a rematch with "The Beast" on the next Dynamite card?
You'll always have your anti-terrorism task force day job, Mr. CroCop.
6. Vitor Belfort defeats Rich Franklin via TKO
We have a new champ of the imaginary UFC 195 lb. title.
"Ace" recently defeating "The Axe Murderer" and "The Phenom" obliterating "The Law" (dang, those just sound like they came out of a cartoon or comic book).
This fight was the least entertaining of the 3 mentioned above. There was a good deal of feeling out for nearly half the round, until they both started inching closer into the "Pocket o' TKO's". Franklin just got a little too close and got Trigg'd and it was all over.
Yes, I just made up Trigg'd right now. And yes, I purposely left out an "e".
This was just the type of win Belfort needed to skyrocket him to a title fight. It's too bad the odds aren't in his favor and he'll probably lose via highlight reel KO.
I'm not sure what tools he's going to use against the most dominant MW champ ever, given he hasn't shown many in his last 3 fights.
7. Nik Lentz defeats Rafaello Oliveira via Decision
Now this was a battle.
The first round was very competitive and a good mixture of standing and ground attacks. Both weren't afraid to stand and trade or take it to the ground. Both applied takedowns and good aggression to make it a pretty close 1st round.
2nd and 3rd rounds were all Lentz, as he stayed REAL busy the whole time. His guard was very active and he pressed the action in almost every position. Notice the body shots he was unloading on Rafaello as he was standing over him. Those can suck the gas out of you if you don't defend against them. I also like his guillotines because he wasn't just using them to finish the match. You'll notice he'd apply some good technique but let go after he was able to get his bearings and advance his position. He knew that in most of those spots he wasn't going to sub him but he could at least get out of a bad position while Oliveira was distracted by the guillotine.
For his fantastic performance, I wouldn't be surprised if they gave Nik a big step up in competition, preferably, a Jim Miller or Melvin Guillard.
8 . Rick Story defeats Brian Foster via Submission
Speaking of good performances, I wouldn't be surprised if Story jumped up to the main card against a decent opponent in his next match. He got caught with a couple good uppercuts but rallied back in the 2nd to pull off a Submission of the year contender arm triangle from top position, in GUARD. That was just straight brute strength that caused Foster to tap. Foster had the correct defense going but Story was like a pitbull that had its jaw set. I hope both of them come back against some really game opponents, that are on an upswing.
Definitely a good card all the way around, minus high profile fighters. I recommend newcomers just starting to gain interest in the sport to check it out. It's perfect since you won't neccessarily care who anyone is or what they are known for. Just really great matches with back-and-forth, awesome finishes and solid techniques.
~S
I'm not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing. On the one hand, Fight Night was really exciting and competitive. On the other, there weren't any big draws to entice fans into actually purchasing the event.
If you didn't watch it, you missed out on some surprises.
1. Tyson Griffin defeats Hermes Franca via TKO
Why did Hermes even show up? He hasn't looked great in previous showings, but I'm trying to figure out if he even tried to make weight this time around. I'm not surprised the UFC cut him recently. Besides throwing Mortal Kombat-esque uppercuts and hooks that did nothing to really slow down Tyson, he might as well have stayed back in Florida.
Griffin looked sharp as usual with a plethora of crisp, offensive strikes, quick counter strikes and good smothering, top pressure to end the match in the 2nd. I wouldn't be surprised if his next fight was the winner of Guida vs. Florian and then a title shot if he can keep a decent win streak alive.
2. Josh Koscheck defeats Frank Trigg via TKO
Boy, could this have been a really technical fight. You've got two guys with excellent wrestling pedigrees and what do they do? They stand like it's the K-1 WGP. And of course, the first guy to slip up gets the short end of the stick. Frankly, I'm glad the rumors of "Twinkle Toes" getting cut after this match weren't true because he could really make an impact in the WW division. He's got the skills and experience to beat most prelim guys but he'll struggle with the mid to top 15'ers, mainly because of a decline in athleticism and lack of speed.
Koscheck could just as easily fall in this same trap for different reasons. He clearly outmatched Trigg in both those areas above, but he clearly prefers to stand and strike rather than GNP. This got him in trouble in his last outting against Paulo Thaigo and coincidentally, a similar situation arose with this fight. Trigg was caught by a wrist/forearm shot to the back of head and was taken to the cleaners. While I understood that Trigg's plan was to stay in the pocket and trade, knowing that Koscheck's standup is quite suspect for a top 5 WW, he looked a little too anxious when he thought Koscheck was in danger. But that's also the mark of a good fighter: to be able to smell blood and go in for the kill. Luckily for Trigg, he'll get one more shot before he gets the boot and then its back to Trigonomics.
3. Paul Daley defeats Martin Kampmann via TKO
What could have been an opportunity of a lifetime for "The Hitman" became a coming out party for "Semtex".
Man that's a cool nickname - he literally blew up any chance of Kampmann getting a title shot for at least the next year or so.
We also found out Daley has a mean left hook or that Kampmann never learned to properly set up a good takedown attempt. Kampmann did land some nice knees in a thai clinch but it was too little, too late.
4. Rafael Dos Anjos defeats Rob Emerson via Decision
This match was all about adapting to the circumstances and improving upon his gameplan before the other guy. Clearly Dos Anjos is a faster thinker on his feet because he wasn't limping as he left the Octagon with a ridiculous bruise on his inner thigh.
Emerson started off well, correctly avoiding takedowns and staying in the pocket to trade with the bjj specialist. What he probably didn't factor in was that Dos Anjos had more power and speed in his left leg kicks because he was a southpaw. This gave him the obvious advantage in keeping Emerson at bay when he tried to throw any type of straight punches. After he noticed he couldn't take Rob down, he just went straight for the same spot on his inner thigh every time. The craziest part was that Emerson did NOTHING to prevent his leg from being blasted. It was almost as if he forgot that he had been hit in that same spot 10 seconds ago and proceeded to throw weak punches because he could no longer use his lead leg.
Let's keep them both on the prelims and see if either of them makes any more progress winning or losing via leg kicks.
5. Junior Dos Santos defeats Mirko CroCop via Submission
This match was the most irrelevant, relevant fight on the card. Longtime CroCop fans were hoping he'd be back in form against a young, hungry up-and-comer. Instead, it was a battered and tired CroCop against a sloppy Cigano. Mirko actually landed some nice, clean left straights but he was taking way too long to set them up and attack. Conversely, Junior was constantly moving forward and not setting up anything cleanly. This could have been his entire strategy all along, but had he taken more time to pull off some nicer and cleaner combinations, he'd have looked much more impressive to the fans and UFC management. He'll still probably get a top 15 guy in his next outting.
It was very clear Mirko didn't want to be there and his loss was inevitable. There was too much clinching and hesitation on his part for him to really put up any strong offense. And when you boil him down, that's what he's all about. Yes, his counter punches have accuracy, but he's the scariest when his head or body kicks are launched out of nowhere. He's always been most comfortable fighting in Japan and I think that's where he should end his career - maybe a rematch with "The Beast" on the next Dynamite card?
You'll always have your anti-terrorism task force day job, Mr. CroCop.
6. Vitor Belfort defeats Rich Franklin via TKO
We have a new champ of the imaginary UFC 195 lb. title.
"Ace" recently defeating "The Axe Murderer" and "The Phenom" obliterating "The Law" (dang, those just sound like they came out of a cartoon or comic book).
This fight was the least entertaining of the 3 mentioned above. There was a good deal of feeling out for nearly half the round, until they both started inching closer into the "Pocket o' TKO's". Franklin just got a little too close and got Trigg'd and it was all over.
Yes, I just made up Trigg'd right now. And yes, I purposely left out an "e".
This was just the type of win Belfort needed to skyrocket him to a title fight. It's too bad the odds aren't in his favor and he'll probably lose via highlight reel KO.
I'm not sure what tools he's going to use against the most dominant MW champ ever, given he hasn't shown many in his last 3 fights.
7. Nik Lentz defeats Rafaello Oliveira via Decision
Now this was a battle.
The first round was very competitive and a good mixture of standing and ground attacks. Both weren't afraid to stand and trade or take it to the ground. Both applied takedowns and good aggression to make it a pretty close 1st round.
2nd and 3rd rounds were all Lentz, as he stayed REAL busy the whole time. His guard was very active and he pressed the action in almost every position. Notice the body shots he was unloading on Rafaello as he was standing over him. Those can suck the gas out of you if you don't defend against them. I also like his guillotines because he wasn't just using them to finish the match. You'll notice he'd apply some good technique but let go after he was able to get his bearings and advance his position. He knew that in most of those spots he wasn't going to sub him but he could at least get out of a bad position while Oliveira was distracted by the guillotine.
For his fantastic performance, I wouldn't be surprised if they gave Nik a big step up in competition, preferably, a Jim Miller or Melvin Guillard.
8 . Rick Story defeats Brian Foster via Submission
Speaking of good performances, I wouldn't be surprised if Story jumped up to the main card against a decent opponent in his next match. He got caught with a couple good uppercuts but rallied back in the 2nd to pull off a Submission of the year contender arm triangle from top position, in GUARD. That was just straight brute strength that caused Foster to tap. Foster had the correct defense going but Story was like a pitbull that had its jaw set. I hope both of them come back against some really game opponents, that are on an upswing.
Definitely a good card all the way around, minus high profile fighters. I recommend newcomers just starting to gain interest in the sport to check it out. It's perfect since you won't neccessarily care who anyone is or what they are known for. Just really great matches with back-and-forth, awesome finishes and solid techniques.
~S
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Kimbo vs. Big Country - My Top Questions and Answers
I know I said this entry would be about UFC 103 but since I'm behind on events anyway, I thought I'd do a quick analysis on the fight of the last TUF episode, Q & A style.
Q. How did Nelson not win in the 1st round? He landed over 20 unanswered, punches to Kimbo's head.
Simply put, he didn't finish Kimbo.
His strikes were weak and the only thing that Kimbo was in danger of was getting mat burn on his forehead. Dana was spot on with his post-fight comments. Roy should have showed a tad bit more "enthusiasm" after he had the crucifix in place.
Q. OK fine, then why did Herb Dean stop it in the 2nd when it was the same scenario?
It was a similar scenario, but not the exact same. The round wasn't even half over when Kimbo was again helpless and could not defend himself.
Q. Why didn't Roy try "harder" to finish the fight?
Big Country is not the typical TUF noob entrant. He may have the most well-rounded accolades in the history of TUF. He's the ex-IFL champ, fought top 10 contenders and has all the skills to back up his big mouth and belly. He's the front runner to win this season - and I'm sure he's thinking the same thing. The only thing that can legitimately beat him is an injury. By not turning up the speed, flair or intensity in his matches, he leaves less chance of misfortune rearing its ugly head.
Q. Did Kimbo ever stand a chance against the ex-IFL champ?
I 100% believe Kimbo could have won.
No doubt in my mind.
Q. Explain how he would have overcome Roy's bjj skillz.
The opposite of the ground game is standup. Forget bjj defense or even the clinch game.
KEEP IT STANDING
Do NOT attempt knees, kicks, spinning backfists, jumping windmill kicks, spinning hook kicks, or the legendary “Triple Lindy".
Just do what you do best:
Pretend you're in a boatyard, light him up like a Christmas tree and introduce Roy to your Certification of the Streets.
Done and done.
Q. How did Nelson not win in the 1st round? He landed over 20 unanswered, punches to Kimbo's head.
Simply put, he didn't finish Kimbo.
His strikes were weak and the only thing that Kimbo was in danger of was getting mat burn on his forehead. Dana was spot on with his post-fight comments. Roy should have showed a tad bit more "enthusiasm" after he had the crucifix in place.
Q. OK fine, then why did Herb Dean stop it in the 2nd when it was the same scenario?
It was a similar scenario, but not the exact same. The round wasn't even half over when Kimbo was again helpless and could not defend himself.
Q. Why didn't Roy try "harder" to finish the fight?
Big Country is not the typical TUF noob entrant. He may have the most well-rounded accolades in the history of TUF. He's the ex-IFL champ, fought top 10 contenders and has all the skills to back up his big mouth and belly. He's the front runner to win this season - and I'm sure he's thinking the same thing. The only thing that can legitimately beat him is an injury. By not turning up the speed, flair or intensity in his matches, he leaves less chance of misfortune rearing its ugly head.
Q. Did Kimbo ever stand a chance against the ex-IFL champ?
I 100% believe Kimbo could have won.
No doubt in my mind.
Q. Explain how he would have overcome Roy's bjj skillz.
The opposite of the ground game is standup. Forget bjj defense or even the clinch game.
KEEP IT STANDING
Do NOT attempt knees, kicks, spinning backfists, jumping windmill kicks, spinning hook kicks, or the legendary “Triple Lindy".
Just do what you do best:
Pretend you're in a boatyard, light him up like a Christmas tree and introduce Roy to your Certification of the Streets.
Done and done.
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