Anything MMA, except thumb wrestling

[lovetoaster]

UFC FOTY so far? From the walkout to the knockout, classic stuff.

Yeah, that one is staying on my DVR for a while. I don't know if I could have handled my two favorite fighters (Wandy and Hendo) losing within eight days of each other. It was not the smartest gameplan by Stann, but he did have Wandy rocked at least twice. What a fight and I like that it was between two very respectful fighters. It was tough to listen to Stann after the fight, but it was cool to hear him talk about being a part of Wandy's legacy.

What a perfect stage, that fight in that country with that outcome. If Wandy would have lost, it probably would have been his last fight, and a lot of people are saying that this is the perfect way for him to walk off into the sunset. I can't argue with that, but selfishly, I want to see him at least another time or two. I don't know where he goes from here, but everytime I hear Sandstorm, I get fired up. I hope to get that a few more times.

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

Yeah, that one is staying on my DVR for a while. I don't know if I could have handled my two favorite fighters (Wandy and Hendo) losing within eight days of each other. It was not the smartest gameplan by Stann, but he did have Wandy rocked at least twice. What a fight and I like that it was between two very respectful fighters. It was tough to listen to Stann after the fight, but it was cool to hear him talk about being a part of Wandy's legacy.

What a perfect stage, that fight in that country with that outcome. If Wandy would have lost, it probably would have been his last fight, and a lot of people are saying that this is the perfect way for him to walk off into the sunset. I can't argue with that, but selfishly, I want to see him at least another time or two. I don't know where he goes from here, but everytime I hear Sandstorm, I get fired up. I hope to get that a few more times.

Hendo and Chuck are my favorites of all time. Wand, Nick Diaz and Fedor are in the mix as well. I literally felt feverish during Hendo vs. Fedor. Shivering, cold sweat, that was not pleasant until the fight started with a damn two-sided blitzkrieg. When you talk about great rounds in MMA history, that was one of 'em, whatever you think of the stoppage.

Chuck because he was the first real face of MMA in the US. As he was knocking people out, the popularity was skyrocketing, he was actually a celebrity, it was awesome. TUF being successful helped for sure, but nonetheless, I was rooting for him BIG TIME, all the way to the end. The string of clean KO losses was excruciating.

It helped that Tito was pretty well known and it was easy to digest that he was Chuck's bad-guy rival. It mimicked the professional wrestling everyone our age grew up with. The Iceman vs. the Bad Boy! Tito with his ****y attitude, Chuck with his reputation for knocking people out with his hands. Again, easy to digest, most sports fans in the US have grown up watching at least a little boxing. He was the perfect fighter to spearhead the golden age of MMA.

Wandy is, in my opinion, the most violent fighter in MMA history. He kicked and stomped more than anybody, easily. The bare knuckle Vale Tudo fights, he'd soccer kick and pancake people until they were in another dimension. It's incredible that they took that dynamic away and he still wins in especially brutal fashion. One of the most hilarious moments I can remember is when Wand stopped himself from booting Bisping's face when he dropped him.

Edited March 4, 2013 by d0ublestr0ker0ll

[lovetoaster]

One of the most hilarious moments I can remember is when Wand stopped himself from booting Bisping's face when he dropped him.

Haha...that is burned into my memory. He was just in a zone and I thought for sure that he was going to kick him.

Like you mention with Hendo-Fedor, I literally said "No!" to the TV when one of the guys on the Fuel postfight show mentioned Hendo-Wandy III. After thinking about it, I realize that it makes sense, but I don't want to see my two favorites go up against each other again. I won't know what to do while watching it. I probably would not say a word, and just drink more than usual. Hell, I paused the Fuel broadcast on Saturday just so to enjoy a beverage before the Silva-Stann fight, and focus on what I thought at the time might be the last time I would see Wandy walk to the octagon. I wanted to be able to drink that atmosphere in after I calmed myself with a tall, cool beverage. I felt a little more comfortable with the situation though after seeing that Stann looked pretty tense and Wandy was pretty loose, even more than normal.

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

Yes, Wand was very loose walking to the cage, smiling the whole time. He used to walk down the aisle with his head hunched over, glaring at his opponent, literally looking like a murderer. He used to have a lot of rage, perhaps having kids changed all that. The man is such a gentleman in interviews, always laughing and thankful. People who are nice as heck but savages when fighting makes it easy to be a fan.

[artmonkforHOF]

Anderson vs. Wiedman- 162. 4th of July weekend. I dont really like Vegas, or travelling at peak holiday times, but I might have to go see this fight live just to so I can say I did see Anderson fight live at least once in my life (NOTE: I don't know if the fight will be in Vegas for sure, just guessing since that is where they have held July 4th weekend cards in the past). Linked article goes on to note that Lorenzo told Wiedman in Albany that he will get the fight scheduled for July 6th.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/3/6/4071510/report-anderson-silva-vs-chris-weidman-ufc-162-mma-news

After Lombard lost to Okami, there really wasn't any other viable choices for who gets the next title shot. Can't wait to see Anderson tear this kid apart.

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

By that time, Jones will have dispatched of Chael over a couple months in advance, and will most likely have another fight scheduled. Same goes for GSP, he'll definitely have to have another fight before he faces Anderson.

Anderson's schedule staggers with both Jones and GSP at the moment. No superfight in the forseeable future. Wish they'd take the opportunity now to wait and see what happens with GSP vs. Diaz before deciding. Someone is going to have to take an extended break for a superfight to line up.

Edited March 6, 2013 by d0ublestr0ker0ll

[Dr. Do Itch Big]

Overeem injured, fight with JDS is off. Good news for Overeem.

[artmonkforHOF]

Overeem injured, fight with JDS is off. Good news for Overeem.

No kidding, I was expecting The Reem to get beaten so badly the UFC would consider cutting him, or at least not offer a new deal.

It's a shame he ballooned up the way he did- legit or not, most likely not- I would have liked to see him at 205 in the UFC, kickboxing the crap out of people.

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

When Reem can cover that face up with boxing gloves, he can protect his chin. He just loses the ability to fight when he's popped. The only time I've seen him wobbled and not lose his **** in the process was against Spong, and he was just slightly rung. The guy is a great kickboxer, but he cares a lot about getting hit in the face.

I think if he stayed at LHW, he was bound to catch a punch from Machida, Shogun, any of those cats. At least at HW, with all the juice in his system, he could just hammer people in to the ground. At LHW, he had to dissect people with an array of techniques. No way he'd get away with that without having to deal with adversity.

On a completely different note:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJKmx-5lSfM

Edited March 7, 2013 by d0ublestr0ker0ll

[#98QBKiller]

Mark Hunt is saying he's up to fight JDS in place of Overeem. I kind of hope they throw him in there.

---------- Post added March-7th-2013 at 10:45 AM ----------

Also, not sure if you guys have seen this but there's some betting going on between Alan Belcher, Michael Bisping and some Bengals backup DE named Wallace Gilberry, where Gilberry is putting a car on the line if Bisping can KO Belcher. Bisping and his (douchey) friend put out a response video too lol:

[styx491]

UFC 158 Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz: The Achilles Heel of Stockton's Pride

I would hope that it is pretty much common knowledge by now that if a fighter chooses to brawl with Nick or Nate Diaz, he is going to have an awful time from bell to bell or until he drops from the combined effects of exhaustion and 300 punches over every inch of his upper body. Yet time after time, we see fighters fall into the same traps—doing well in a punching match early and then simply be ground down by the volume punching and durability of the Diaz brothers.

The Diaz siblings get hit a lot and they get dropped or stunned with strikes in the early goings of a great many of their fights. Someone will eventually knock one of them out if they stick around long enough, but being the first to do so is not a suitable strategy for a fighter to hang his hat on.

I am hard pressed to think of fighters whose weaknesses and strengths are so clear to anyone who has studied their bouts and yet continue to dominate world class opposition. In case you haven't followed their careers throughout I shall briefly explain, calling on previous analyses I have written including one from before Nick fought Carlos Condit, the great strengths and flaws in the striking game of the Diaz brothers.

The topics which we shall cover today are the Diaz brother's (and more specifically Nick's):

Volume punching strategy

Head placement, parrying and hand control

Stance and it's importance to reach

Mediocre footwork and ringcraft

Very interesting Jack Slack article.

---------- Post added March-7th-2013 at 05:58 PM ----------

GSP and Diaz GO AT IT in the conference call. Very very worth listening to haha. The main **** starts after 25 min or so. Actually it's more just Nick going off and GSP responding too but it's entertaining as hell.

Edited March 7, 2013 by styx491

[NoCalMike]

The thing about the Diaz bros, Nick especially is often times he is his own weakness. His BJJ game is very solid and he could probably could have won more fights and quicker if he was more dedicated to it during his actual fights, however he seems determined to make every fight a boxing match as long as possible in order to entertain the fans, even willing to risk his own chance at winning.

When he fought someone like Cyborg, there was no reason to risk taking a lucky haymaker and lose to an inferior opponent, but he did anyway and kept the fight on his feet for the majority of time. Then when the fight went to the ground, Diaz basically rolled him over and submitted him with what seemed like barely an effort.

[artmonkforHOF]

UFC 158 Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz: The Achilles Heel of Stockton's Pride

Very interesting Jack Slack article.

l.

I like Jack Slack, hate that he is on BleacherReport now. I feel dirty giving that site traffic. His articles really don't belong on a site filled with inane lists and horribly written articles filled with uneducated or biased opininons from community college journalism students trying to earn a course credit. It seems like they let any idiot post their musing on that site, especially for list type articles, it's almost like the editors don't read the things, and decide what to post based on the number of points (and in turn page hit) the "article" has.

Even though I'm not on twitter, I check Jack Slack's to see when he posts a new article and pray he also posts it in his blog just so I don't have to go to BR anymore than I truly have to.

[Dr. Do Itch Big]

That conference call is hilarious. I plan on going to UFC 162 as well, Vegas is not far and I don't have many chances left to see the GOAT fight live. I already missed out on Fedor. I don't wanna miss out on Silva.

[Dr. Do Itch Big]

Has anyone read about the Lloyd Irving scandal. It just keeps getting worse and worse. Dude sounds like a pos. http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/3/5/4066506/team-lloyd-irvin-sex-abuse-cult-power-medal-chasers-exodus

[#98QBKiller]

These have been floating around online re: the Lloyd Irvin scandal(s):

[#98QBKiller]

Nick Diaz working the speed bag:

[Destino]

[/color]

GSP and Diaz GO AT IT in the conference call. Very very worth listening to haha. The main **** starts after 25 min or so. Actually it's more just Nick going off and GSP responding too but it's entertaining as hell.

Nick Diaz is either stupid or an awesome troll.

[#98QBKiller]

It's title fight week

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

[lovetoaster]

I am always worried when a press conference does not start on time, especially when it involves Nick Diaz. Luckily, he showed up. I was getting a little concerned, especially since he no showed the open workouts.

[Dr. Do Itch Big]

Anyone got a link to a replay of conference? I read on sherdog nick made it legendary.

[lovetoaster]

Anyone got a link to a replay of conference? I read on sherdog nick made it legendary.

I don't know of a replay, but I watched it. I don't know about legendary, but it was definitely uncomfortable a few times. Typical Diaz stuff, that he is not the bad guy that everyone makes him out to be, decided to sleep instead of going to the open workout, GSP is on steroids, talked about how he is viewed as a bully and asked GSP how many times he has had a gun to his head and how many times his best friends have gotten shot in the chest, that he was sure GSP's upbringing was not difficult, etc. He complained about the picture they used on the poster for some reason. It was tense for a minute as the two went at each other, and you could tell that GSP is just ready to go. But that is what Nick is trying to do, get in GSP's head.

[#98QBKiller]

Just found it:

Questions start around 9:05:

---------- Post added March-14th-2013 at 04:00 PM ----------

BTW, I like how Dana called out Ariel Helwani during the first question. Helwani comes across as a d-bag.

[Chachie]

I don't know of a replay, but I watched it. I don't know about legendary, but it was definitely uncomfortable a few times. Typical Diaz stuff, that he is not the bad guy that everyone makes him out to be, decided to sleep instead of going to the open workout, GSP is on steroids, talked about how he is viewed as a bully and asked GSP how many times he has had a gun to his head and how many times his best friends have gotten shot in the chest, that he was sure GSP's upbringing was not difficult, etc. He complained about the picture they used on the poster for some reason. It was tense for a minute as the two went at each other, and you could tell that GSP is just ready to go. But that is what Nick is trying to do, get in GSP's head.

Nick made no sense whatsoever, came to that realization repeatedly, yet kept talking in circles. He was even offering to speak when not addressed and had no idea what was coming out of his mouth next. I always back the Diaz Bros, but they can't hold a thought long enough to communicate. I'm actually shocked at how Nick can justify smoking marijuana. It's clearly fogged him over. In a big way.

---------- Post added March-14th-2013 at 09:27 PM ----------

BTW, I like how Dana called out Ariel Helwani during the first question. Helwani comes across as a d-bag.

Always a total d-bag.