Official Mixed Martial Arts Thread

[Orion]

2 hours ago, angel said:

Hendrix won that GSP fight in many peoples eyes and look how he's been smoked by everyone since.

 

Since the GSP fight Hendricks beat Robbie Lawler by decision, then lost to Lawler by decision in another close fight, then beat Matt Brown rather easily before the Thompson ko loss. How is that getting smoked by everyone ? Two razor close fights with the champ, a win over Matt Brown and one loss to Wonderboy who is a future champ in my eyes.

 

I'd have GSP slight favourite to beat Robbie tbh. On paper GSP has better wrestling and a more diverse stand up game, far better defense too, Lawler has a habit of leading with his face at times. I think Robbie would turn the fight into a total war though. I think the fight goes the distance with GSP controlling early then Robbie becoming a nightmare for him late on. Could be a very close decision either way.

 

George would have to be at his best to do it and really needs a tune up fight first. He is arguably the GOAT but a three year break is huge. If he is serious and coming back properly for a run of fights I'd have him fight a ranked tough test like Stun Gun or Maia to see where he is at then fight Lawler.

 

If he is just back for one or two fights then done. Give him some marqee but non title fights like Anderson Silva or a Diaz brother. Bisping talk is daft, if he wins does GSP want to go on a run of title defenses against Rockhold, Weidman, Jacare, Romero ? George is 5'9, those guys are fucking giants in comparison. I'd be impressed if he tried to do it but can't see it.

 

 

[Doomguy]

Hmm... sounds like a GSP tune up fight might be in order then GSP vs Lawler for the title. I'm happy to be wrong as GSP was a great champion for years. 

 

I'd also LOVE to see Robbie rematch Nick Diaz. The first fight was insane and there paths have never probably crossed since - despite both winning belts. 

[tec1122]

Not sure how arsed people are about this season but it was tough seeing my friend lanchana lose on tuff an how devastated she was  she hasn't been able to say but judging by the fact she's been over to novo unao to train with Claudia she might have a fight on the finale

[angel]

I looked at her facebook page and found it to be depressingly similar to the other TUF minnows, theyre all plucky humble up and comers on the show, but back here they're running gyms, classes, god knows what, real charlie big potatoes. I knew a few people who train with that Colin Freakshow bloke, who was terrible on the show but once they lose and get back over here they're all 'do you know who I am' types. Even Andre Winner who I thought would break through, nope..cant wrestle..back over to shitty UK cage warriors etc.  Part of the reason I rate Bisping so high is compared to his British compatriots...well if theyre warming the bench for QPR on a wet tuesday,he's Cristiano fucking Ronaldo.

 

 

[Orion]

I have never heard a single bad word about Colin "Freakshow" Fletcher . He is well known as one of the nicest people in UK MMA. 

 

 

 

"looked at her facebook page" and got mad. Angel werent you the guy being really weird on Joanne Calderwood's facebook page at one point ? Maybe you should stop stalking these UK female MMA fighters for abit....

[tec1122]

Colin is a lovely guy, one of my main training partners trains with him at Spartans up in Sunderland regularly an say he's sound. The guy who owns an runs our gym former cage rage champ Abdul Mohammed said Bisping was an absolute twat back in the day. Lanchana is probably one of the most humble people I've ever met but yes she is very busy running her gym with her boyfriend. 

[Yobo Ahoy]

10 hours ago, angel said:

I looked at her facebook page and found it to be depressingly similar to the other TUF minnows, theyre all plucky humble up and comers on the show, but back here they're running gyms, classes, god knows what, real charlie big potatoes. I knew a few people who train with that Colin Freakshow bloke, who was terrible on the show but once they lose and get back over here they're all 'do you know who I am' types. 

 

 

 

You mean 'day jobs'?  is that really something to beat people with?

[angel]

Ha no. I just mean its part of the schtick to be all small and humble on TUF, its part of the edit too, the americans love it. Then even the briefest contestants get to stick 'as seen in the UFC' up all over their gym.

 

Bisping is an arse but he was on the show, thats the kind of arse I like, up front. If you pardon that sentence.

[Gotters]

On 29 June 2016 at 10:09 AM, Corrogate said:

 

and jim norton on that podcast? dude is such a cretin.

 

all I recall hearing about for years on Rogan and his universe of podcast cronies is how great Jim Norton was on Opie & Anthony - if this UFC podcast is anything to go by he's an utter imbecile, who unless he's shouting about sticking his dick in whores doesn't seem to have anything much to say about anything.

 

its a shame as I quite like Matt Serra but he's getting dragged down by being in awe of Norton and they're going to waste the access that the UFC official status gives them here.

 

potentially good podcast but Norton needs to go, which he won't I suspect as Dana White seems to love him too.

[glb]

19 hours ago, tec1122 said:

Not sure how arsed people are about this season but it was tough seeing my friend lanchana lose on tuff an how devastated she was  she hasn't been able to say but judging by the fact she's been over to novo unao to train with Claudia she might have a fight on the finale

 

Was gutted she lost, but good to hear she might still get a fight on the finale. Definitely has something about her, and certain potential if she rounds out her ground skills.

 

Cooper's weight cut was pretty eye-opening, over a stone in under 24 hours. I might being naive, or editing made it more dramatic, but surely that's an awful advert for the UFC, or perhaps the best one possible for a permanent Flyweight division? Impressed she won after that but just seems like a hugely unnecessary risk.

[schmojo]

Spoiler

Ignore the accidental spoiler tag...

 

IT BEGINS

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2016/7/1/12081066/ufc-michael-bisping-interview-georges-st-pierre-fight-champion-little-bitch-peds-mma-news

 

I would be pumped for Bisping/GSP 

 

It's big, big money, winnable for Bisping, and sets up freakshow fights if Georges wins.

[Doomguy]

Bisping vs Hendo Verbally agreed for October!

 

Can't wait.

[schmojo]

I can't get excited about that fight.

 

Surely it follows the latter-day Hendo template of him getting entirely outclassed and outworked before landing an H-Bomb in the 2nd or 3rd?

 

[Doomguy]

I'm unsure which is why the fight has me hyped.

 

Has Bisping improved enough to dodge another highlight reel H bomb? 

 

Can Hendo win and become the only guy to have won gold in Pride, strikeforce, and the UFC?

 

Certainly one to watch. 

[angel]

Bisping will kill him, IMO, hes much improved and confidence through the roof. the perfect storm of a fight for him to get a defence, and Im delighted that cockhold can get stuffed after the way he went on, hes been lobbying for this third fight and I hope he never recieves it

 

the week has begun, embedded 1 is up. exciting!

 

 

[schmojo]

Bisping can dodge a dozen H-bombs. Expecting him to dodge the right hand for an entire fight is another thing entirely. Especially considering that Bisping's game is keeping the fight on the feet for 5 rounds.

 

Hendo's not been to the judges in his last 7 fights. So we'd have to hope that there's a perfect storm of Hendo's chin weakening, and Bisping having more confidence in his power. If not, Dan gets to hold gold.

 

Although I quite like the idea of annoying Weidman and Rockhold by making the MW belt look a little silly. Like a hot potato.

 

"But I'm the new breed! I ended Silva's reign and took the belt!"

 

"Yeah mate...um.... we've all had the belt now. Sorry."

 

[angel]

I really do think he;'ll dodge him for the whole fight, I mean that H bomb anyway..sure its super powered but bispings chin is really showing to be pretty strong these days. Of course a hendo full right hand is another matter, but the power he puts in them slows them down just enough. I think he got a bit lucky with lombard too, he wont catch mike with a back elbow.

 

And yeah, I love weidman and rockhold now being essentially castrated of their ability to talk shit, they're not some 'new breed' as relatively young fighters light to say, theyre all fighters, all on the same trajectory..everyone loses at some point.

[ckny]

I've only just checked out the whole 200 card. Ho. Lee. Shit. That is the most loaded card you could imagine. Diego Sanchez/Joe Lauzon is on the Fight Pass prelims. Star power of TJ Dillashaw, Hendricks, Gastelum and Zingano on the main prelims.

 

Then the main card. Oh man.

 

Velasquez/Browne

Aldo/Edgar

Tate/Nunes

BROCK LESNAR/Hunt

Cormier/Jones

 

Had no idea about any of these fights beside Lesnar and DC.

 

PUMPED

[angel]

never mind frankie / aldo  joanna / gaudelha etc before that

[Doomguy]

22 hours ago, schmojo said:

Although I quite like the idea of annoying Weidman and Rockhold by making the MW belt look a little silly. Like a hot potato.

 

"But I'm the new breed! I ended Silva's reign and took the belt!"

 

"Yeah mate...um.... we've all had the belt now. Sorry."

 

 

It's brilliant.

 

I've always thought a prime Silva would have demolished Weidman, Rockhold etc.

 

Weidman fought a 39 year old Silva and a 35 year old Machida. A 37 year old  unjuiced Vitor nearly caught him too. 

 

Rockhold lost to a 37 year old Bisping. I don't buy into the new era of middleweights beating the old prime versions. 

 

[angel]

I feel the opposite, Silvas record is padded as fuck, under serious question regarding PEDs, and his personal behavior isnt great either.  Sonnen smashed him for 24 and a half minutes, he was a disgrace against Leites and Maia, did nothing against Cote, Lee Murray took him to a decision. I think modern fighters are infinitely superior to the so called legends of the sport.  Prime Matt Hughes wouldnt get near a title now, ditto Forrest Griffin, the UFC is filled with absurd champions who made it to the top during the early and mid days. A prime Silva, unjuiced, I think loses to a prime Rockhold for sure. Bispings doing insanely well to still be relevant, massive props to him to have evolved.

[Tofu]

16 minutes ago, angel said:

I feel the opposite, Silvas record is padded as fuck, under serious question regarding PEDs, and his personal behavior isnt great either.  Sonnen smashed him for 24 and a half minutes

Everyone has been giving Sonnen so much credit since his "dominate" performance in that first fight. Now I'm a fan of Sonnen, but I think he's getting way to much credit for how he performed that night. We've all heard of Silva's alleged rib injury and it influencing his "off" night. Nobody seems to question the complete and uncharacteristic lack of TDD that Silva displayed that night, or the fact that he pulled guard multiple times.

 

Silva went into UFC 117 determined to win by sub. That wasn’t just his strategy, Sonnen made the fight personal with his attacks on the Noguirea brothers and BJJ and Silva decided that he would win the fight using his BJJ or he would lose his belt trying. I believe (just like the Maia fight) that Silva took those disrespectful remarks very seriously and chose to defend the honor of his discipline.

 

Am I crazy? Is honor that important to Silva? Am I giving into the mystique of Silva too much? He is the most impressive fighter in the history of the UFC. He holds an unprecedented 14 fight win streak (with a record 9 straight title defenses), is a certainty for the Hall of Fame, and boasts arguably the most impressive highlight reel in MMA. Then we look at Sonnen, who really by any definition is an average fighter (currently 6-3 in the UFC) who got a title shot due more to smack talking than merit.

Is it so hard to believe that Silva approached the Sonnen fight the same as the Maia fight? Instead of cat and mousing him on his feet, he did it off his back? I’m not trying to say that Silva could have won the fight at any time but slow rolled until the fifth. He legitimately couldn’t get the sub until the 5th and was relieved when he did so, my argument is that Silva had much easier paths to victory than the one he took, but he was more concerned with defending the honor of BJJ and the Noguirea brothers than maintaining his belt. 

[schmojo]

Suggesting that Silva's otherworldly striking isn't as 'evolved' as Bisping's circle-jab-circle-jab-circle-eat one-jab-kick twice a fight-sprawl, is a bit bananas. If anything, Silva got slack by virtue of nobody being able to crack him for so long.

 

Weidman and Rockhold are straight-up wrecking balls though, and no mistake. Does anyone really think that Rockhold was even giving 70% to Bisping in their fight?

 

EDIT: Disagree with Tofu - that whole 'honour' suggestion is a bit too speculative/excusey for me. Silva only takes a round of punishment, max, when he's toying with someone. It was just a near-perfect night for Sonnen, PEDs, purported injury and all. I don't question Silva's legacy because he had nights where he wasn't on top of his game though. Same for GSP.

 

[angel]

Silvas striking is mesmeric, don't get me wrong. I just dont see him as the GOAT thats all, to me thats either DJ or JJ.   Modern MMA beats old MMA, all day long, for me anyway.

[angel]

13 minutes ago, schmojo said:

 

Weidman and Rockhold are straight-up wrecking balls though, and no mistake. Does anyone really think that Rockhold was even giving 70% to Bisping in their fight?

 

 

Thats what makes the fight game so beautiful though, Rockhold didnt respect him and paid the price.

[Couch Corpse]

For GOAT you really have to look at everything, not just in ring. GSP wins.

[angel]

I look for greatest fighter, the rest is a footnote.  And on those I go Jon Jones..the toughest son of a bitch in the company with a murderers row of defeated foes, or DJ the untouchable.  No one else comes close.

[Tofu]

GOAT is like P4P best in that those terms are subjective and people interpret them differently. Does GOAT just mean P4P greatest? Most influential to the sport (inventing/popularizing techniques and the like)? Biggest draw? etc.

 

Fedor dominated a division worldwide for a decade, beat UFC champion heavyweights like Tim Sylvia easily, and everyone that fought or sparred against the guy speaks extremely highly about his ridiculous skill and power. A GOAT.

 

Anderson Silva defended his UFC title a record number of times and did it in action movie fashion. People found him so terrifying they all looked beat before even touching gloves against him. The guy looked like the Matrix. A GOAT.

 

Jon Jones has the most defenses in the light heavyweight division in history, and did it beating a series of former champions in Machida, Evans, Shogun, Rampage, and of course, the undefeated middleweight champion Chael Sonnen. He did beat a few natural middleweights in Machida, Chael, and Vitor, but Bones fights everyone and targets their biggest strengths just to test himself, only being challenged by a boxer in Gustaffson with the same freakish reach. A GOAT.

 

GSP defended his belt in dominant fashion against a who's who of fighters, making world-class fighters look useless. He wasn't challenged until Johny Hendricks came along with freakish strength, balance, and wrestling accumen. A GOAT.

 

Royce brought BJJ to the masses, GOAT.

 

Sakuraba was a huge force in making Japanese MMA what it was in its Golden Age and spent his career fighting way above his weight class, GOAT.

 

If contributing to the UFC counts, add BJ Penn and Matt Hughes for bringing life to the smaller divisions, Tito/Couture/Liddell for their work in light heavyweight/heavyweight.

[angel]

GOAT for me is the best fighter with a record of devastating victories against top draw opponents.  Silvas record is full of cans, losses, and debatable PED testing. GSP was getting beaten up before he quit, and should have lost his belt. Fedor fought cans and avoided elite competition in pursuit of money.

 

Of the history of MMA, up to right now, the best 2 fighters IMO are JJ and DJ, as in the most rounded, devastating, put them against anyone else in their prime and they win, type of fighters.  JJ versus the chuck or randy of 2005? JJ destroys them.  Lawler of now destroys the GSP of 2010 or so.  Just how I see it.

[kris_doe]

Jon Jones out of UFC 200