The Mixed Martial Arts Thread

[The Face]

Between the boxing this morning (average) and UFC132 (excellent) I clocked up around 8 hours of fights today!

Wanderlei - Goodnight Sweet Prince.
Tito - Didn't believe in you but good on ya!
Condit - Sheeeeit
Cruz - told ya so

[biljus max]

Ortiz making a run at the LHW!!! haha ok maybe not but a good win for him.

I've only watched Cruz/Faber, that was a good fight, Cruz just winning by volume and a couple of takedowns. Sure, like Faber said, he didn't feel like he was in trouble at any stage but standing in the pocket doesn't get you any points, no matter how big and dimpled your chin is. Cruz just looked way more dynamic and his switch stance really opened up kicking opportunities.

Will watch the other fights tonight, looking forward to Bader getting shit on hehehe

[biljus max]

wow Tito really went all out on the celebration, I guess that's what happens when you're on a losing streak like he was. Bader should be pissed at how that went down.

Wand's situation made me think alot more about those behind the ear punches. I've seen quite a lot of them recently, fighters being clipped just behind the ear and then subsquently not protecting themselves from a bigger shot. From my own experience this tends to affect balance a lot and not so much clarity, which is why i think wand went for a clinch, ate an uppercut, tried to carry on but then ate half a dozen of them and didn't go straight to defence because he thought he was steadier than he actually was. Sad to see him so out of it and confused after the fight tho, poor guy.

[Adam The Muss]

Are you new to MMA? That's been Tito's celebration for a long time.. he just hasn't had the opportunity to do it for a long time.

I don't think Wanderlei had a chance to block those uppercuts, they were so quick. He was trying to murder Leben from the clinch like he did to Rampagebut was out before he knew it.

[ghetto ninja]

And lets be honest, Wanderlei was at his best when he was in pride and thats a loooong time ago now. Fuck it was awesome when he put an end to Kazushi Sakurabas domination of Pride back in the early 00's.

[The Face]

I've got no issue with Tito's gravedigger at all - I think it's awesome. Maybe a dash disrespectful of the opponent, but he went and checked on him afterwards.

Yeah it's tough these days, a lot of my Pride Heroes (Wanderlei, Shogun, Cro-Cop etc) I tend to pick with my heart instead of my head, knowing full well they aren't what they used to be.

[biljus max]

Nah i've seen him do it several times but never completely flipping his wig like he'd won the title. I thought he was going to start having tears or joy at one stage.

[biljus max]

but yeah pretty new i've only been watching the last couple of years? since maybe ufc 91 i think was the first MMA event i watched.

[Any Day Now]

Wellington peeps keen for some live Muay Thai & MMA should hit this on July 23rd



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvCCW97pT0M[/youtube]

(spot the song )

More info in these places:

http://www.facebook.com/search.php?q=de ... 3260496499
http://www.facebook.com/search.php?q=de ... motions.nz
http://www.muaythai.co.nz/

[deh]

The worst thing about Wanderlei being KO'd was that it was Leben who done it. Pretty sad, dude needs to hang up the gloves. I cant stand seeing my Pride crew get so demolished by such piss poor oppenants that they would of murdered when they were in their prime.

Anyone here checked out the greatest MMA interivew of all time?
Backstage with Chael Sonnen

[Any Day Now]

Some NZ MMA:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_cN33ALdCc[/youtube]

Jiraya Fernades is the MMA trainer at me and Faces gym, what a legend, first fight too. Extremely keen to jump in on some of his classes!

[Adam The Muss]

First thing I thought is damn that ring is small!

Pretty impressive, dude is quick on the ground with some smooth transitions. Takedowns were mean and that arm bar looked like is was on too.

[biljus max]

Machida has stepped in for Davis after he suffered a knee injury. This is a good contender fight for both of them but I would have liked to see those two go at it.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/7/12/22 ... d-evans-at

[The Face]

Interesting - You'd have to imagine it's going to be revenge of the Stanky leg! Rashad tried trading with Machida and this was the result:



He'd have to use a wrestling based gameplan, surely.

[biljus max]

looks like i jumped the gun there, Machida has decided not to accept it. Man Rashad just can't catch a break here. I can't think of any top tier LHW's out there for him to fight atm... however how awesome would it be for Belfort to stack up and take him on. Completely unrealistic for several reasons however. on that note tho, belfort is going to completely wreck akiyama.

[Adam The Muss]

So now Tito has been confirmed for the fight..

[The Face]

I really hope that Tito wins that fight, ballsy call to take it. If you tOld me 2 years ago I'd be backin Tito I would have laughed but yeah, he's really upped his stock in 2011

[deh]

Im totally down with Tito now aswell haha, i guess its the whole underdog situation he's in with such a huge UFC legacy behind him. UFC must of offered a fuck load to get him to sign that deal, would be quite interested to see what made him sign because theres surely a lot more on the table than just cash and the promise to not cut him if he loses this fight.

Bit bummed tho, having Machida vs Evans II would of been sick. So glad Phil Davis got injured tho, really not a fan of him/believe the hype following him.

[your fucking funeral]

wonder how much Titto got for that fight? id say more than the standard 60 k mark

[Adam The Muss]

I think he earned 400k for his last fight so something like that, maybe more considering he took the fight on short notice.

The card for 136 is looking sick..

Main Card
Lightweight Championship bout: United States Frankie Edgar (c) vs. United States Gray Maynard
Featherweight Championship bout: Brazil José Aldo (c) vs. United States Kenny Florian
Middleweight bout: United States Chael Sonnen vs. United States Brian Stann
Lightweight bout: United States Joe Lauzon vs. United States Melvin Guillard
Middleweight bout: Brazil Demian Maia vs. Brazil Jorge Santiago

Preliminary Card
Lightweight bout : United States Anthony Pettis vs. United States Jeremy Stephens
Heavyweight bout: United States Dave Herman vs. United States Mike Russow
Featherweight bout: United States Josh Grispi vs. United States Matt Grice

The fact that Pettis is on the undercard shows once again that the WEC guys are being under utilized. It seems that unless they're fighting for the belt (or have the surname Faber) they're on the undercard, which sucks cause the WEC guys are some of the most exciting guys on the roster.

[your fucking funeral]

yeah looking sick. Hopefully Frankie gets to hold the belt, he is one hell of a prizefighter

[deh]

I think he earned 400k for his last fight so something like that, maybe more considering he took the fight on short notice.

Thats just the beginning of how much he earnt for that fight.

Looks like Overeem has been cut from the Strikeforce Heavyweight GP. Pretty shit.

+ Fully agree with Adam on the WEC situation, im actually quite pissed with how they are marketing those guys, to me they are the most exciting to watch (incl 155lb of course) and the fact that instead of trying to 'market' these new faces they would rather put a random division fight (not a top contender fight) over former champs/top contender fights does my head in.

[The Face]

[Adam The Muss]

I think he earned 400k for his last fight so something like that, maybe more considering he took the fight on short notice.

Thats just the beginning of how much he earnt for that fight.

Oh yeah for sure.. obviously not including sponsorship $$$, his percentage of the PPV take, whatever Dana paid him under the table + anything he bet on himself.

That gif is awesome!

Another thing that has been annoying me lately is the MMA media using twitter as a source and quoting from it. Writing an article based on a sentence on twitter. Perfect example being Bloodyelbow's Dan Hardy/Tapout news this morning http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/7/19/2283280/ufc-fighter-dan-hardy-tapout-aint-tapout-anymore

[Adam The Muss]

http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6567465/mma-all-nut-shot-edition

[deh]

MMA journalists are pretty horrible in general, i hate the comments section on the majority of the news sites. So shit! The only journalist with full access to the UFC is pretty much Ariel Helwani, which is bit of a bummer.

Do any of you listen to The Jordan Breen show on sherdog? He's easily the most intelligent guy in the MMA media scene, pretty interesting listening to his takes on things and he's usually on the money with most subjects.

[ragequit]

Dana cracking up in the background of that gif

[The Face]

Gutted that Sky isn't showing Fedor / Henderson this weekend.

I feel pretty conflicted by this fight - am kinda leaning towards Hendo.

[MuscleMan]

Hendor Federson

[biljus max]

have to swing with fedor by first round armbar after stunning him like a cow in a slaughterhouse.