Anything MMA, except thumb wrestling

[StillUnknown]

I still don't get why people have that love affair with Belfort. As Tito said, he's a mental midget.

Why is Aleksander vs Buentello on the UNDERCARD?!

Affliction is owning the HW division right now, and downright makes the UFC look stupid. Way to go Dana! The most important division in MMA, and you've got one fighter? Oh wait, that's right, you signed Brock.

don't forget about Mir, who was destroyed by Vera, but beat Hardonk & Lesnar, so he's worthy of a title shot now :doh:

[#98QBKiller]

don't forget about Mir, who was destroyed by Vera, but beat Hardonk & Lesnar, so he's worthy of a title shot now :doh:

Funny how their HW division went from Hero to Zero in almost exaclty one year.

[lovetoaster]

I still don't get why people have that love affair with Belfort. As Tito said, he's a mental midget.

I am not a huge fan of Belfort, but I do like to watch him fight. I have not seen him in a while.

Way to go Dana! The most important division in MMA, and you've got one fighter?

I think it is debatable about whether it is the most important division in MMA. I would probably go with LHW right now. I know every fight can not be great, but a lot of heavyweight fights I have gotten excited for over the last few years have been stinkers.

Granted, this Affliction card is the best group of heavyweight fights that may have ever been assembled, and I am fired up about it. But if you put together a similar card of light heavyweight superfights like this, it would be mind-boggling.

I just think that LHW has better, more exciting competition right now, and the UFC, for the most part, has that market cornered.

Just my opinion...

[lovetoaster]

Funny how their HW division went from Hero to Zero in almost exaclty one year.

They put a lot of their eggs in the basket of the fighters that came over from Pride and some disappointed.

The combination of that and Dana running a few off has taken a toll on the division.

[StillUnknown]

They put a lot of their eggs in the basket of the fighters that came over from Pride and some disappointed.

The combination of that and Dana running a few off has taken a toll on the division.

i agree with this. Cro Cop was a complete flop in the UFC (i watched alot of his old fights recently and could only shake my head how different he looked in the UFC)

Herring also came over and was less than expected.

on the other hand, Big Nog has been exactly what they expected when they signed him.

the HW division kinda had a snowball effect starting with the UFC not signing Fedor, which lead to Randy retiring and the snowball hasn't stopped rolling yet.

[lovetoaster]

Cro Cop was a complete flop in the UFC (i watched alot of his old fights recently and could only shake my head how different he looked in the UFC)

Herring also came over and was less than expected.

Yep, these two guys are really the ones that disappointed me. Herring and Cro Cop were probably my two favorites from Pride, and they were so disappointing. I will never forget Herring's first fight against Jake O'Brien and me just staring at the TV in shock.

And Cro Cop...:doh:

But maybe Herring is getting back on the right track....we'll see.

[Special K]

Yep, these two guys are really the ones that disappointed me. Herring and Cro Cop were probably my two favorites from Pride, and they were so disappointing.

Yeah, it was hard switching over to no steroid fighting :laugh:

About Belfort, he may not be the most mentally tough fighter out there, but I'll still watch him. I mean, he's HOT! Actually, I enjoyed watching him fight in the early years of 2000 in the UFC and I wouldn't mind seeing him fight again with Affliction...

[#98QBKiller]

Yeah, it was hard switching over to no steroid fighting :laugh:

:laugh: I was thinking that too, but after what Wanderlei did to Jardine, maybe it wasn't the juice? :whoknows:

[herrmag]

I think it is debatable about whether it is the most important division in MMA.

I don't think MMA differs from boxing in the fact that the majority of fans (casual fans, which generally outweigh knowledgeable fans, at least for now) want to see the biggest and baddest dudes go at it. I think that is why the feather/bantum weights have yet to make an appearance in the UFC.

[herrmag]

:laugh: I was thinking that too, but after what Wanderlei did to Jardine, maybe it wasn't the juice? :whoknows:

HGH! HGH!

I kid, I kid.

[Special K]

:laugh: I was thinking that too, but after what Wanderlei did to Jardine, maybe it wasn't the juice? :whoknows:

Meh, I still think it was the juice. :laugh: He looked tiny in his first fight in the UFC.

Honestly, I think he was originally thrown off, but I think he's now gotten used to training and fighting without the juice.

There's also the whole mental element which was a big factor, I just don't think he was mentally ready for the first fight, too much upheaval.

Anyway, I think it was a combination of factors, but I do think lack steroids had a slight role in his early UFC performance....:2cents:

[lovetoaster]

I don't think MMA differs from boxing in the fact that the majority of fans (casual fans, which generally outweigh knowledgeable fans, at least for now) want to see the biggest and baddest dudes go at it. I think that is why the feather/bantum weights have yet to make an appearance in the UFC.

Yeah, I was going to touch on that earlier, but I was going to be very long winded about it and probably contradict myself about six or seven times, so I decided against it. But here goes nothing...

I do agree with you that the casual fans want to see the biggest guys, but they also want to see the strikers; the guys that are capable of delivering a KO. That is why heavyweight boxing is struggling, because aside from Klitschko and maybe Samuel Peter, you are not really going to see a lot of excitement. And that is why a lot of fans have, and rightfully so, shifted their attention to the lower weight classes where the fights are more exciting.

I think MMA is similar, like you said. And like boxing, I think the divisions below HW have the most exciting fighters, smaller obviously, but that are still capable of ending a fight at any moment. That is why lower weight classes in boxing struggle, because featherweights can go out there and punch for days, but they do not carry any power. So most of the time it goes to the scorecards.

But in MMA, there is a lot more than one way to end a fight. You see a guy like Faber that is so fundamentally sound in so many diciplines and has so many ways to end a fight. I guess what I am saying is that the excitement, the drama is there in MMA regardless of weight class, and the smaller guys are going to have a lot better chance at recognition than they will in boxing.

[Sebowski]

I don't think MMA differs from boxing in the fact that the majority of fans (casual fans, which generally outweigh knowledgeable fans, at least for now) want to see the biggest and baddest dudes go at it. I think that is why the feather/bantum weights have yet to make an appearance in the UFC.

Yeah, but 205 is heavyweight in boxing, so they still get that with the 205ers.

The heavyweights tend to be slower and gas more.

I also think MMA has something else going for it in boxing. Everyone first fell in love with it when they saw an average looking Royce Gracie beat the bigger badder looking fighters. In MMA I think people like to see a realness factor. They like to relate to the fighters. I don't think MMA suffers as much if there is a lack of heavyweight excitement.

[StillUnknown]

Yeah, but 205 is heavyweight in boxing, so they still get that with the 205ers.

The heavyweights tend to be slower and gas more.

I also think MMA has something else going for it in boxing. Everyone first fell in love with it when they saw an average looking Royce Gracie beat the bigger badder looking fighters. In MMA I think people like to see a realness factor. They like to relate to the fighters. I don't think MMA suffers as much if there is a lack of heavyweight excitement.

any boxer at 205 is more likely to fight at Cruiserweight (the limit is 200lbs). you are dead on about heavyweights being slower. nowadays in boxing most heavyweights are around the 235-250lb range

[#98QBKiller]

Meh, I still think it was the juice. :laugh: He looked tiny in his first fight in the UFC.

Honestly, I think he was originally thrown off, but I think he's now gotten used to training and fighting without the juice.

There's also the whole mental element which was a big factor, I just don't think he was mentally ready for the first fight, too much upheaval.

Anyway, I think it was a combination of factors, but I do think lack steroids had a slight role in his early UFC performance....:2cents:

I've noticed that a lot of fighters get a little gun shy after returning from a bout where they were KO'd pretty big. And Wanderlei got KTFO by Hendo AND Cro Cop (I thought his head was going to fly off after the Cro Cop kick), then his first fight back in the UFC was against Chuck who's definitely capable of KOing him, I think he finally just came out, put his fear to the side and went for the kill like he used to.

Cro Cop was the same way after the Gonzaga KTFO he looked flat and hesitant against Cheik Kongo.

Chuck was the same way after getting KO'd by Rampage, he didn't look like himself against Jardine, and Jardine didn't look like himself either actually and he was coming off the Alexander KTFO.

Then again maybe Wanderlei's success came because he shaved his head again? :whoknows:

[Chachie]

I've noticed that a lot of fighters get a little gun shy after returning from a bout where they were KO'd pretty big. And Wanderlei got KTFO by Hendo AND Cro Cop (I thought his head was going to fly off after the Cro Cop kick), then his first fight back in the UFC was against Chuck who's definitely capable of KOing him, I think he finally just came out, put his fear to the side and went for the kill like he used to.

Cro Cop was the same way after the Gonzaga KTFO he looked flat and hesitant against Cheik Kongo.

Chuck was the same way after getting KO'd by Rampage, he didn't look like himself against Jardine, and Jardine didn't look like himself either actually and he was coming off the Alexander KTFO.

Then again maybe Wanderlei's success came because he shaved his head again? :whoknows:

Don't forget Arlovski after the Sylvia loss and Forrest Griffin after Jardine beat him down. You are so right, 99. The last thing a fighter wants to do after getting knocked out is take a chance that might get him knocked out twice in a row.

[Special K]

Then again maybe Wanderlei's success came because he shaved his head again? :whoknows:

I'm definitely going with that theory :laugh:

[Chachie]

BTW- I just watched the press conference highlights from UFC 85: Bedtime. It was a total nap inducer. Hughes and Alves were totally respectful and mellow. Davis and Swick practically made out. Ugh.

[#98QBKiller]

BTW- I just watched the press conference highlights from UFC 85: Bedtime. It was a total nap inducer. Hughes and Alves were totally respectful and mellow. Davis and Swick practically made out. Ugh.

Damn, I'm glad I missed it. I was actually looking forward to the Davis/Swick fight until I heard that :laugh:

[Chachie]

Damn, I'm glad I missed it. I was actually looking forward to the Davis/Swick fight until I heard that :laugh:

I may have been too harsh. Both fighters said it will be a test of chins and davis even said he doesn't plan on taking it to the floor at all. Swick says he's ready for anything but we know he likes to stand as well.

Hit UFC.com and check it all out. (If you can stay awake.)

[StillUnknown]

Don't forget Arlovski after the Sylvia loss and Forrest Griffin after Jardine beat him down. You are so right, 99. The last thing a fighter wants to do after getting knocked out is take a chance that might get him knocked out twice in a row.

you can add Rampage to the list, he was pretty timid in a couple of his fights after Silva knee'd him into christianity :laugh:

[Sebowski]

any boxer at 205 is more likely to fight at Cruiserweight (the limit is 200lbs). you are dead on about heavyweights being slower. nowadays in boxing most heavyweights are around the 235-250lb range

You have to consider that MMA fighters that fight at 205 walk around between 215-225.

[Chachie]

you can add Rampage to the list, he was pretty timid in a couple of his fights after Silva knee'd him into christianity :laugh:

And Rich Franklin when he fought Okami after Silva I. The list goes on. Get KTFOed, fight scared next time out.

[mvisit1]

Why was Babalu kicked out of the UFC?

[Sebowski]

Why was Babalu kicked out of the UFC?

The extra choke on David Heath after he tapped.

He has said will be welcomed back later. He wants to fight more than they were going to let him anyway. I think he said this on Inside MMA (great show btw. I don't have HDNET, so I watch it online)