Official Mixed Martial Arts Thread

[The Bag]

I wanted Lawler to win, but giving him four rounds is a joke. First, fifth, and arguably the fourth, second & third were Hendricks and probably should have been 10-8. Still, best ufc card for a while.

Edit, someone gave the second to Lawler: http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/12/7/7347247/ufc-181-photo-the-robbie-lawler-vs-johny-hendricks-controversial

[Stig]

I've never even heard of him. Says he's a 'wwe heavyweight champ' but that'll he'll be fighting at welterweight lol

The WWE heavyweight title was just a name for it to distinguish it from the main WWE World Title. It wasn't actually only for heavyweights.

It does seem like an odd signing though given his lack of experience and age. There's obviously no evidence that he can or can't take a punch though so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[McFly]

Firstly, great card, lovely choke in the opener fight by Raquel Pennington, crazy headkick in another prelim to.

Secondly, I was not expecting the CM Punk thing to happen at all, surprise of the year in MMA?

Thirdly, I'm psyched Lawler won, he typifies a fighters attitude and guts, i agree that 49-46 was possibley a bit much but not anywhere near the bizarre decisions we've seen. I dont know what Hendricks was doing, his striking looked good, more varied than before but he didnt look as aggressive as he usually does. his halfhearted takedown attempts on the cage were ridiculous stalling tactics, he didnt seem to be really trying to get Robbie down at times and was content to have his head between Robbies legs and stay there, not much ground and pound when he did get him down. So I hope all the people who slag GSP for being boring and safe, have some words for Hendricks who was even worse, at least George completes his take down and tries to land blows. Looking forward to Robbie and Rorys rematch, come on Rory do it for the BC folk!

Fourth, Pettis was great, took some big shots from Gilbert, lots of pressure aswell and endured it and got another nice sub, huge welt on Gilberts body from just the one kick that landed solidly.

Just saw the Faber eye poke, i love Uriah but that looked really bad and i wonder if it will be declared a No Contest? stranger things have happened.

[Tofu]

Here are some interesting quotes from them:

At the end of Round 4:

Laimon - We lost this round guys.

Other coach - yeah, we lost this round.

Another coach - we're fine, we're fine

Laimon - He's fucking tired.

So they thought they lost round 4 and it must not have been a surprise to them that some of the judges agreed.

Then immediately after fight:

Hendricks - I lost it

Black coach - No you didn't. It depends on how they scored that first round.

Somebody: Hey was that a 10-8 that last round?

So they knew it was close and could break for Lawler if the last round was a 10-8 or the first round 10-9 for Lawler. Rewatching the first round, I still gave it to Hendricks but it was def close. Robbie outstruck a little but Hendricks controlled a little with his wrestling.

I know Hendricks was feeling broken at the end of the fight so you give the guy a pass on the "I lost it" comment, but this exchange was interesting because in the post-fight interviews he repeatedly said he felt he did enough to win.

Finally, right before the announcement:

Hendricks: Man I'm just tired, that weight cut killed me.

Laimon: I know, I know, I'm not going to let that happen again

I guess that's no shocker. Everyone knows and Hendricks has been open about the fact that he got too heavy in the off season and the weight cut was terrible. Still interesting, and I wonder if there is any blame being put on Dolce behind closed doors.

Also, it looks like "Mike" was their code word for leg kick and "Delta" was their code word for takedown. Or maybe clinch, hard to say.

[Yobo Ahoy]

Great event, can't remember the last ppv with 2 title fights. Pettis was impressive, he looks better with each fight. Hopefully he ramps up the in ring activity a bit now, it's been way too long since his last fight.

I really can't stand Hendricks so while I hate to see bad judging calls I totally loved seeing him get the win. The standout memory of the first fight for me was Hendricks clinging to Lawler in the last 30 seconds and Robbie looking totally helpless, I was worried this would go the same way and for a while it looked that way. Soo yeah not a great decision but seeing Lawler with a ufc belt warms the heart!

[Tofu]

Also Josh Sammon KO was amazing

[angel]

Hendricks is just a weird guy (no touching my belt!), pleased for robbie.

[Gotters]

i recall them showing the punch stats around the 4th, shows how big that late rally for Lawler was in the 5th.

I agree that 48/47 either way wouldn't be controversial - its that loony 49-46 that calls the judging again into question.

Just spotted Dos Santos v Miocic on my sky planner next weekend, thought we were done for year with UFC cards

edit

looking ahead there are 6 cracking main events due before the start of Feb, sure the depth of card will be variable and subject to late change but looks promising (Machida in action 21st Dec)

somebody on Rogan the other day said that the injury problems in 2014 are a result of TRT and other performance enhancing drugs be banned and more tested for

[V3zna]

I can see Macdonald causing Lawler problems. As much as Robbie has improved, Rory has also stepped it up.

Failing that, GSP will obviously be back although who he fights is up for discussion.

[angel]

Why did Dana not do the post fight press conference? Who was that guy hosting?

I hate when they do this, they put someone nobody knows up there. Hes stopped doing scrums now too. This and the new uniforms, its all reaching new levels of corporate slickness but soulless. It was a boring presser.

[schmojo]

As much as I wanted Lawler to win, I didn't want him to win like that. He lost 3 rounds with one in dispute to my eye. Someone, anyone giving R2 to Lawler is evidence of not being fit for the job.

Great rally at the end though - some real pressure on Hendricks. Hendricks deserves a rematch, but I think it might have to wait until after a Macdonald fight, and I'm not sure we'd see the same lackadaisical Rory that we saw in the first one.

Melendez was in real control over Pettis for the entire fight, with Pettis looking flustered and under the cosh. He only needed one gap though, and showed the killer instinct that put Henderson away. Would I pick Pettis every time in a rematch? Maybe not, but his supposed vulnerability keeps the division exciting. I'm sure Gil will either come back stronger or retire.

Travis Browne's victory over Schaub was awful for so many reasons. Browne has zero ground game, except for his size, and had no idea what to do with a flattened out Schaub. He just kept throwing painfully slow, softball strikes, waiting for the ref to call it off out of boredom. Schaub doesn't belong in there particularly, but Browne being #3 in the rankings is the most damning condemnation of HW talent I can imagine.

Two bulldog chokes in one night was pretty exciting!

[ckny]

I really, really dislike Hendricks, but that's twice he's been shafted in title fights now. Have to say though, Lawler's final 20 seconds deserves to win any fight, unbelievable aggression, stalking him around the Octagon after the horn!

[Doomguy]

I think given that Lawler won that first fight but lost on points (wtf) this just rights that wrong; Hendricks got smashed in that first fight imo. In this one it was more back and fourth but robbie won? bizarre scoring really but over the two fights robbie has definitely edged it.

Was also cool seeing all the older fighters (Hughes, pat miletich) in the cage together with robbie - yes they're assholes but it brought back a bit of the vintage era of ufc for me.

I thought this card was a sign of things to come (i.e. stacked cards like they used to be) but then I checked the jones vs dc card.

The UFC is definitely on the slide...

[Yobo Ahoy]

Yeah it would be nice if they continued to stack the cards but I reckon they purposefully didn't headline with the Pettis fight in case of a last minute injury, you never know when guys are out for so long.

[schmojo]

I thought this card was a sign of things to come (i.e. stacked cards like they used to be) but then I checked the jones vs dc card.

The UFC is definitely on the slide...

Nah, I think it's more basic marketing. You've got to build new stars, and the only way to draw eyes to them is by putting them on cards with must-see fights.

It's in the UFC's interest to make their audience interested in the next generation of fighters and, indeed, the fringe fighters. It's also rare that you get the best fight from the two most famous/highly paid guys, so I'm never sure why people get so upset. Is watching a #3 fighter appealing, but watching a #16 fighter not fun at all?

If they put less popular fighters on smaller cards constantly, people could simply avoid those cards and their market would never expand or develop.

[Tofu]

Oh man, you have to listen to Rogan dismantling Schaub

[tec1122]

They are very close friends so Joe's just looking out for him. I feel so sad for Schuab but he's pretty much got to where he is by being a good athlete. Like Bryan Callen says on the podcast he's got a very bright future doing other things.

[V3zna]

I was listening to that podcast earlier. It's stellar listening. Even beyond Schaub, the whole brain injury thing is fascinating. Such a fine line between going out at the right time and getting knocked out once too often.

[ckny]

Finally, there's a UFC app on Apple TV.

[Tofu]

I never like Scaub, he writes cheques he can't cash and his fights are just boring to watch.

It was almost tragic when he thought he could wrestle with Cain, and Rogan shot him down saying he "fuck him up". Ouch.

He needed a reality check, its harsh but Rogan is correct.

[Doomguy]

Totally agree with tofu he needed a reality check. He apparently isn't open to learning anything in training (not a particularly humble man) yet continues to talk like he can destroy anyone; schaub has the biggest disparity in mma between confidence and skill level.

He constantly brings up his crocop fight which to me is pathetic and disrespectful. He didn't fight a prime crocop, anyone with any mma knowledge knows this. Prime crocop would have destroyed him anyway.

[Gotters]

great link to Rogan Schaub - that is a great piece of sports analysis that you just never hear normally - god I'd love football interviews and analysis to be done like that just once in a while with the players present

[tec1122]

Schaub played high level American Football so he surely took a few blows to the nogging. I played a decent level of rugby and had 3-4 pretty bad concussions so I was really conscious of sparring in the build up to my mma fight. I didn't once do full contact really, more technical sparring at a decent pace. Pointless taking big shots before the fights even started.

[Tofu]

TUF Finale tomorrow, just want Rose to win really. However, "them bitches are crazy", regressing being back to high school, forming cliques and pretend best friends. It was oddly weird.

[Tofu]

Nate Diaz really doesn't give a fuck. Missing by 5 POUNDS!!!

[Doomguy]

I don't think Nate will get a post fight interview if he wins. I can see him (rightly so) calling bullshit on the reebok deal or something.

Don't mess with the 209 yo.

[Tofu]

Nate always seems to be sensible one however, he's taking the piss.

Sure be made at the UFC, but don't disrespect your opponent by missing weight, and at that amount.

[Scribblor]

Both of the Diaz brothers are pricks. They always have been. I really hope he loses.

[Corrogate]

SPOILERS

Love Cigano. Such a bloody likable dude and a real warrior. His evasive movement is excellent and those body shots he put in tonight were wicked, loved seeing him change levels. Miovic (?) brought more than I expected against, mind.

Nate... I mean c'mon, definitely time to pack it in.

Who else was on the card? Can't even remember. Oh, the Reem. Good to see him get a win - his last few performances have been tragic. A lot of tension from Struve until he took that big bastard down.

[Gotters]

Cigano and evasive movement ? He leads with his face and ends up looking disfigured every fight now doesn't he ? Brave bloke & nice chap I agree though.

Enjoyed that card, Mittrione isn't belt holder material but is far more impressive than Schaub from the same ultimate fighter season.

Loved seeing Diaz taken apart too, can't stand either of them, he was still talking trash like the knight in monty python even when he could barely stand.