Anything MMA, except thumb wrestling

[#98QBKiller]

That's something Ryan "the Master" Bader ( , sorry had to) can easily improve on. How is his BjJ?

From what I've seen of Bader (which is very little) his defensive BJJ looks pretty good. IMO, wrestling is the most useful base you can have in MMA because you can dictate where the fight goes so he has a lot of potential.

LOL I guess that's why he's got such heavy hands.

**Jar-done/Rashad/Rogan pic**

:ols:

[Patrick86L]

on another note, apparently Rashad & Jardine are such good friends, they even get knocked out in identical positions: *pic*

:rotflmao:

Edited February 22, 2010 by Patrick86L

[lovetoaster]

"Annoyed" Michael Bisping believes he won fight at UFC 110, eyes future rematch

by John Morgan on Feb 21, 2010 at 7:30 am ET

To borrow a line from Georges St-Pierre, Michael Bisping (18-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) was not impressed by his opponent's performance at UFC 110.

Sure, the end result of the 15-minute contest saw Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1 MMA, 3-5 UFC) earn his first victory at 185 pounds, but at the evening's post-event press conference, Bisping said he believes he made a strong case for a victory in the judges' eyes.

"I don't know," Bisping said. "It was a close fight. Personally, I think I won rounds one and two."

With Silva securing a knockdown at the end of the third round, there's little room for debate in the final frame. But the second round was close throughout, and Bisping believes the unsuccessful guillotine choke secured by Silva in the closing seconds shouldn't have been enough for him to earn the frame.

"I mean, Wanderlei did a great job," Bisping said. "Congratulations to him. Full credit to him on winning the fight.

"Personally, apart from the guillotine – and I got dropped in the third round – but apart from the guillotine attempt off the takedown in the second round, as far as round two, I really didn't have any offense come my way. I felt I clearly won those two rounds."

http://mmajunkie.com/news/18029/annoyed-michael-bisping-believes-he-won-fight-at-ufc-110-eyes-quick-return.mma

I have no idea how he thinks he won that fight. Bisping is the only person that I have heard that thinks he won. I thought it was a pretty clear 29-28 for Wandy. And I could not be happier.

[#98QBKiller]

It was a pretty close fight but I haven't heard anyone say that they thought Bisping got robbed. I think the fact that he was saved by the bell in two consecutive rounds says a lot. 10-15 more seconds in the 2nd or 3rd and he would've lost via submission or (T)KO.

[Sebowski]

i'm still not sold on Bader just yet. his standup is going to get him hurt pretty soon. he obviously has great power, but his technique needs alot of work

I think he is very comparable to Carwin in the HW division only he will have more time to develop, but won;t ever have the size advantage Carwin normally will. I probably should wait to actually see the fight though instead of reading the pbp and seeing the gif.

Who;s next for him? I could see him getting someone as good as Thiago Silva, but hope he gets one more mid-range guy first. Vera or Hammil would be perfect.

While I;m playing matchmaker....

Let;s give Sotiropoulos Mac Danzig, Spencer Fisher, or Cole Miller. Stevenson is arguably better than those guys, but he is also far and away the best guy on George;s record right now.

[StillUnknown]

Who;s next for him? I could see him getting someone as good as Thiago Silva, but hope he gets one more mid-range guy first. Vera or Hammil would be perfect.

the Carwin comparison is pretty accurate. i think they will put Bader in with a top 10 guy next, maybe Thiago Silva. Jardine was his test to see if he was ready to face the next level

if they keep winning, i wouldn't mind seeing Bader vs. Bones Jones down the road

Edited February 22, 2010 by StillUnknown

[StillUnknown]

[#98QBKiller]

Haha! I remember laughing about that while watching the fight live.

[StillUnknown]

http://mmajunkie.com/news/18046/jamie-varner-vs-kamal-shalorus-likely-for-wec-48-ppv-main-card.mma

A lightweight bout between Jamie Varner (16-3 MMA, 4-1 WEC) and Kamal Shalorus (6-0-1 MMA, 2-0 WEC) could be part of World Extreme Cagefighting's first-ever pay-per-view broadcast on April 24.

WEC officials declined to comment to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) about the possibility of the fight, but a source close to the event said the bout has been targeted for the night's televised main card.

Citing Varner, MMAWeekly.com today first reported the possibility of the fight.

WEC 48, which retails for $49.99, takes place at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif., and features two title fights: featherweight champion Jose Aldo vs. ex-champ Urijah Faber and newly crowned lightweight title-holder Benson Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone.

Varner, who held the WEC's 155-pound title from February 2008 to January 2010, lost the belt to then-interim champ Benson Henderson at WEC 46. The loss snapped Varner's five-fight win streak, which began after a submission loss to Hermes Franca at UFC 62.

Varner returned from a year-long layoff due to hand and foot injuries when he fought Henderson. A victory over Shalorus could earn him a rematch, though Varner now faces one of the WEC's top prospects.

Shalorus, an Iranian who wrestled for England in the 2004 Summer Olympics, made his WEC debut in late 2009 and replaced Alex Karalexis on short notice at WEC 42. There, he scored a quick, 86-second knockout of Will Kerr. He then followed up the successful debut with a unanimous-decision victory over then-unbeaten Dave Jensen (14-0 at the time) at WEC 46.

WEC is throwing the kitchen sink behind their first PPV card

i just worry that if any of their names get injured as a result of this card, the cards that follow will be weakened severely

:rotflmao:

nice sig, Remy's got some brutal KO's. my favorite is this one though:

Edited February 23, 2010 by StillUnknown

[Patrick86L]

nice sig, Remy's got some brutal KO's. my favorite is this one though:

Thanks I love that KO too. I had just found out last night that MMA-Core made a kickboxing site just like it. I like the one in my sig because it looks like it's not bad at all but you can see the pain on his face after he breaks the rib.

[SkinzFoLife]

WEC's Kitchen Sink is still undercard fodder. MFC puts on better shows than WEC. Sorry, I can't keep watching the same 145-155lbs guys fight over and over.

[#98QBKiller]

WEC's Kitchen Sink is still undercard fodder. MFC puts on better shows than WEC. Sorry, I can't keep watching the same 145-155lbs guys fight over and over.

I love watching WEC cards but I'm not paying UFC-type PPV money to see them.

Edited February 23, 2010 by #98QBKiller

[Sebowski]

I love watching WEC cards but I'm not paying UFC-type PPV money to see them.

This.

They should have done it at 29.95 at the most.

[lovetoaster]

WEC's Kitchen Sink is still undercard fodder. MFC puts on better shows than WEC. Sorry, I can't keep watching the same 145-155lbs guys fight over and over.

I respectfully disagree. In my opinion, the WEC is the best in the world for what they offer. There are still some other fighters overseas that are very good, but it seems like the balance of power has shifted to the WEC. You are right that they are not that deep, but that has gotten a lot better over the years.

Now, the comparison to MFC? That is not even remotely close, IMO. MFC has some good fights every once in a while, but their cards as a whole are not that great. Their events are light years away from the excitement of most WEC cards.

Now that does not mean that I am going to be buying the PPV. That price is pretty excessive, but I am honestly leaning toward it.

They should have done it at 29.95 at the most.

Yeah, I was thinking it was going to be $29.95. I was shocked when I heard the cost.

Edited February 23, 2010 by lovetoaster

[lovetoaster]

Speaking of the MFC, I have not seen any of their shows in a few months since my cable company got rid of HDNet. I was unaware that fighters will be released if they pull guard. Ummm...I think that is a little extreme.

Mark Pavelich recently warned his roster of fighters that pulling guard was a one-way ticket to unemployment. Pulling guard, as we know, is a way to play it safe, to find a comfort zone when faced with great risk during battle.

[StillUnknown]

Speaking of the MFC, I have not seen any of their shows in a few months since my cable company got rid of HDNet. I was unaware that fighters will be released if they pull guard. Ummm...I think that is a little extreme.

thats not just extreme, its skirting a dangerous line. i mean its as close as you can get to fixing a fight without actually doing it.

pulling guard to get out of a dangerous spot is a strategic decision, and it might be the only way for a bjj player to get the fight to the ground, particularly if he's facing a strong wrestler

the notion that a company head would suggest in any way that pulling guard would lead to their firing is offensive

[lovetoaster]

thats not just extreme, its skirting a dangerous line. i mean its as close as you can get to fixing a fight without actually doing it.

pulling guard to get out of a dangerous spot is a strategic decision, and it might be the only way for a bjj player to get the fight to the ground, particularly if he's facing a strong wrestler

the notion that a company head would suggest in any way that pulling guard would lead to their firing is offensive

Well, it seems like it is taking a major component out of MMA. How can you tell a BJJ guy that he can't pull guard? There is a difference between laying on your back in the middle of the ring and pulling guard. It may as well be kickboxing. Which is fine, but identify yourself as such.

[SkinzFoLife]

These comments came after the Dean Lister fight where the guy didn't try to do anything. BJJ is just not about pulling guard, but they're sweeps, trips, single and double leg take downs, theres judo throws, Roman Greco trips,etc.

EliteXC was rumored to offer a standup bonus. And we saw what happened to them.

Back to the WEC. What they put out is fine, but far from PPV material.

If I pay 45$ I want to see more than two weight classes. Outside of Sactown with Faber, they would be hard pressed to sell out a show.

[SkinzFoLife]

Well, it seems like it is taking a major component out of MMA. How can you tell a BJJ guy that he can't pull guard? There is a difference between laying on your back in the middle of the ring and pulling guard. It may as well be kickboxing. Which is fine, but identify yourself as such.

Lets see...Sweeps,trips, singe leg, double leg, judo throw, roman greco throws and trips.

To be quite honest, I don't see pulling guard from a standup position to be that successful at all once you fight experienced MMA fighters. I may work on newbies to the sport, but rarely do you see it work with pro's with experience. well, besides AOKI.

[lovetoaster]

These comments came after the Dean Lister fight where the guy didn't try to do anything.

Well then get rid of Dean Lister, not anyone that tries to pull guard. If I am not mistaken, that was after the Lister-Thales Leites fight, and people had to know coming in that this matchup was not going to be a slugfest. Some of the responsibility falls on people that book the fights.

And I do not think it was just a comment in December after that fight, I think that is how they are doing things now. That quote I cited was from an article just a week ago on the MFC website.

http://www.maximumfighting.com/articles/2010/feb/15.htm

Lets see...Sweeps,trips, singe leg, double leg, judo throw, roman greco throws and trips.

True. Poor choice of words on my part. But I just do not see how you can eliminate an element of BJJ. I doubt you are going to have top BJJ guys wanting to fight for MFC.

Edited February 23, 2010 by lovetoaster

[#98QBKiller]

This kid is a beast on the ground and is already very popular with the Jiu Jitsu crowd. He's only 21 so I'd definitely keep an ear out for his name in MMA.

http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/Sherdog-Prospect-Watch-Gunnar-Nelson-22852

Sherdog Prospect Watch: Gunnar Nelson

It is what one would expect of a 21-year-old’s hotel room.

The bed is unmade. On the floor, a medium-sized suitcase rests unzipped with clothes spilling out onto surrounding chairs and fixtures. The window is open, the television muted. A hospital-based sitcom plays silently. In the corner of the room, a portable heater hums incessantly. Next to the suitcase, an open laptop emits the dull light of a standby setting. Gunnar Nelson sits cross-legged, his hair ruffled as if only recently awake, more relaxed than disinterested.

Nelson will not be 22 until July, yet the prodigious Icelandic talent already possesses a litany of accolades admirable in grapplers of any age.

He holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Renzo Gracie and placed fourth in the absolute division at the 2009 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships. Nelson also took gold in the 2009 Pan American Championships -- both Gi and non-Gi -- and silver in the brown belt middleweight division at the 2009 Mundials. An impressive, brisk dispatching of the previously unbeaten Sam Elsdon at a British Association of Mixed Martial Arts event on Feb. 13 in London moved his MMA record to 6-0-1. All at an age when most have trouble renting a car.

Nelson’s start in combat came at 13, when he enrolled in a local karate class.

“My dad didn’t let me start until then,” he says.

His progression was swift.

“I did karate for about four years, and, after two, I moved onto Kumite (points sparring),” Nelson says. “I represented the international team for about one and a half years before a friend introduced me to grappling.”

It would prove a pivotal moment for the teen-aged Nelson, who quickly found his passion for karate displaced by a desire to learn the intricacies of the gentle art.

“I fell in love with jiu-jitsu very early,” he says. “I just started focusing on that, and my mind couldn’t concentrate on anything else. I think that’s why I progressed pretty fast. I would train with my friend like once a week, rolling around trying to get each other in headlocks. We didn’t know much, and, gradually, we started doing more of that and less of karate.”

Indeed, it was not long before Nelson stopped karate altogether, turning down a national scholarship in the sport to focus on jiu-jitsu -- a decision merited in full after a chance meeting with Gracie, a grappling and MMA legend.

“He came to Iceland about a year and a half ago for a seminar, and I trained with him there,” Nelson says. “He invited me to come and train with him in New York. I’ve been there like three or four times since, three months at a time. I’ll be going to New York at the beginning of March to help Renzo and the team prepare for their fights.”

Nelson speaks with a laconic American lilt, indicative of his calm personality and prolonged periods of training with both Gracie in New York and UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn in Hilo, Hawaii -- an experience that made quite the impression on the young Icelander.

“I stayed over for three months and had a great time,” Nelson says. “Hawaii is amazing. They’ve got a great team over there. B.J., of course, is amazing, and his brothers … they’re all very, very good jiu-jitsu players. It’s very tough; they really know how to fight in Hawaii.”

With a formative experience in competitive karate and prodigious aptitude for grappling, the transition to MMA seemed a natural fit for Nelson, who took his first fight in May 2007 against Danish fighter John Olesen. That bout ended in a draw, but Nelson enjoyed the experience enough to know he had found a potential career path.

“It’s never easy when you start something, but after my first fight, I knew that I would want to do it again and again and again,” Nelson says. “I love striking. I love everything about MMA. I love to punch, I love to get the guy to the ground and I love to control him.”

After registering victories in his next five fights, Nelson decided to take a year off from MMA and return his focus to grappling. Placements and titles the world over followed, culminating in a fourth-place finish in the ADCC absolute division and the match that defines Nelson’s short career in combat to date.

As grainy amateur footage and photography leaked from the final day of the tournament in Barcelona, Spain, an enduring image emerged of one-time UFC heavyweight title contender and former ADCC divisional winner Jeff Monson hunched over, his knees on the mat, his tattooed arms rigid to the floor, his back controlled by a small, blonde fighter in a soaked-through rash guard. Nelson went on to win on points after a double period of overtime. The lightest man in the division had defeated the heaviest. It was a marquee moment for Nelson, and yet, if not for a serendipitous strand of affirmative action, it may never have happened.

“I wasn’t supposed to fight at the absolute because I lost my first match in my weight category, but I think they wanted as many different nationalities competing in it as possible,” he says. “The next day, when they announced who was fighting, I heard my name and I was overwhelmed. I was so happy. Maybe an hour later, I fought Jeff Monson. This hour was just me getting ready, getting a game plan against the bigger, stronger guy. It was difficult because you don’t have guys like that in every gym you go to, with that body type.

“I felt good though,” Nelson adds. “I knew that I could get him, that I could get control. I got his back in the end. I was doing pretty good in the first period of the fight. Then there were overtimes, before I won on points. He seemed tired in the beginning, but he just seemed to stay the same pace through the whole fight. It was a good match. I enjoyed that match.”

With his thirst for submission fighting seemingly sated for the time being, Nelson appears ready to devote his efforts to MMA.

“I think it will be all MMA from now on,” he says. “I’m pretty sure of that.”

The Nordic prospect looks to one of the greatest fighters of all-time for inspiration.

“I really like Fedor Emelianenko,” Nelson says. “It’s not possible not to like him. I’ve always watched him since I started watching MMA. I’ve always liked his style, and I like the way that he’s a normal guy. He likes to keep it quiet; he doesn’t get caught up in all the publicity. I don’t mind guys that do that if that’s what they want to do, but I’m more of an easy-going guy. I like the countryside, something easy. That’s why I like the way he does things.”

Nelson certainly appears to share the pervading tranquillity of his idol, and with a strong support network around him, including his father and manager, Haraldur, at his side, Nelson seems keen to perfect his craft and bide his time.

“I’m not in a hurry; I don’t want to get tied up,” Nelson says. “I want to be free and travel and do smaller competitions. If I want to do freestyle wrestling competitions, I’d like to do that. I like to be free for a little bit. I don’t have any schedule, but I definitely see myself in the UFC or Strikeforce or other big shows in the future.”

[Chachie]

Frank Mir is stupid. That is all.

http://espn.go.com/extra/mma/blog/_/name/mma

[StillUnknown]

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

Yeah, there have been threads on Sherdog talking about how Mir isn't the first one to say that he's going to kill someone in the octagon. They say the media is just picking on him because it's Brock he wants dead. The fact of the matter is it's the way he said it.

When some fighters go in to the octagon their mentalities are to kill or be killed. Simply put, it's probably helpful for some fighters to think that way in order to amp themselves up and gain maximum focus. But when you say it in a descriptive fashion the way Mir did, it kind of makes you say, "Jesus Christ, WTF?" As opposed to BJ Penn saying "to the death", where you think, "This is gonna be a good fight."

And way to go Mir, you want a death in the octagon, that will really help the sport grow. Selfish ****.

Edited February 25, 2010 by d0ublestr0ker0ll

[#98QBKiller]

I was rewatching UFC 110 last night and realized that they had some pretty big sponsors for that event. USA Today and SI.com both took out mat space, that's got to be a good sign.