Anything MMA, except thumb wrestling

[Slacky McSlackAss]

I thought the Koz fight was stopped too early. Seriously, let him at least take some punches on the ground. He's already ugly, you arent preventing him from getting uglier.

I thought the same thing, Kos looks out of it for a split second and then puts up a guard position. He wouldve been fine to finish the round. Then come out in the second and land that overhand hook and TKO Thiago with it. But sadly the ref saw differently.

Also...**** Europe events. I'm sick of logging on to a stream and having some ******* ruin the card for me :mad:

****ing tape delay.

[#98QBKiller]

I thought the Koz fight was stopped too early. Seriously, let him at least take some punches on the ground. He's already ugly, you arent preventing him from getting uglier.

I think the ref got lucky with that one. Kos was out and would've got pounded but there's no way the ref could tell that from where he was at. I didn't notice it until they showed the replay and I saw his eyes.

And on top of that, the other fights that ended in TKO weren't stopped as early. They should at least keep it consistent.

idk why, he just never grew on me. Some fighters I like, some I just end up disliking. Rampage for whatever reason fell into the second category.

Did you ever watch him in Pride? He was like a professional wrestler with his commentary and smack talk in the locker room. Plus all of his showmanship with the chain and the Apollo Creed boxers.

I read somewhere that he's a HUGE pro-wrestling fan and the chain was a tribute to the Junkyard Dog.

I don't know, I liked his act back then. I think the UFC keeps him from doing some of that now though.

[#98QBKiller]

I thought the same thing, Kos looks out of it for a split second and then puts up a guard position. He wouldve been fine to finish the round. Then come out in the second and land that overhand hook and TKO Thiago with it. But sadly the ref saw differently.

Maybe you're right. His eyes looked glazed over but he did recover quickly...do you remember the time left in the round?

[Slacky McSlackAss]

I think the ref got lucky with that one. Kos was out and would've got pounded but there's no way the ref could tell that from where he was at. I didn't notice it until they showed the replay and I saw his eyes.

And on top of that, the other fights that ended in TKO weren't stopped as early. They should at least keep it consistent.

You see his eyes go out, but then he puts up a guard position and was fine after that. I still think that fight couldve continued, but thats in the past. Kos is still my favorite fighter, he just got a bit overconfident in that fight and was concentrated on that hook too much.

[TheGoodBits]

Did you ever watch him in Pride? He was like a professional wrestler with his commentary and smack talk in the locker room. Plus all of his showmanship with the chain and the Apollo Creed boxers.

I read somewhere that he's a HUGE pro-wrestling fan and the chain was a tribute to the Junkyard Dog.

I don't know, I liked his act back then. I think the UFC keeps him from doing some of that now though.

I think that's it actually. I'm not a big fan of showmanship. I can deal with it to an extent, but when I see someone appear that big-headed, I just want to see them beaten.

[Slacky McSlackAss]

Maybe you're right. His eyes looked glazed over but he did recover quickly...do you remember the time left in the round?

Ref called it at 3:29, so he had a minute and a half to go. I think he couldve lasted it out.

[Slacky McSlackAss]

I think that's it actually. I'm not a big fan of showmanship. I can deal with it to an extent, but when I see someone appear that big-headed, I just want to see them beaten.

So im assuming you hate Rashad Evans the most then.

[TheGoodBits]

So im assuming you hate Rashad Evans the most then.

Haha absolutely. I hated him even back on TUF

[PleaseBlitz]

I think the ref got lucky with that one. Kos was out and would've got pounded but there's no way the ref could tell that from where he was at. I didn't notice it until they showed the replay and I saw his eyes.

And on top of that, the other fights that ended in TKO weren't stopped as early. They should at least keep it consistent.

Maybe he would have gotten pounded out, maybe not. It's questionable because he DID put up his legs in a guard position, so he WAS intelligently trying to defend himself. Im just saying that the ref shouldnt stop it until there is NO question. So what if Koz takes and extra shot to the face? He's a professional fighter, it happens.

[#98QBKiller]

You see his eyes go out, but then he puts up a guard position and was fine after that. I still think that fight couldve continued, but thats in the past. Kos is still my favorite fighter, he just got a bit overconfident in that fight and was concentrated on that hook too much.

Ref called it at 3:29, so he had a minute and a half to go. I think he couldve lasted it out.

Yeah if he snapped back into it quickly and held Thiago in his guard he could've probably survived.

That was similar to the Herring/Nog knockdown IMO. Nog recovered from it and held on, there's no way to say for sure but it's possible that Kos could've too.

I was so surprised though because not only did you not see it coming but Kos was whipping Thiago's ass for that entire round. I was waiting on Thiago to get KO'd hard and that punch came out of nowhere.

[lovetoaster]

Did you ever watch him in Pride? He was like a professional wrestler with his commentary and smack talk in the locker room. Plus all of his showmanship with the chain and the Apollo Creed boxers.

I read somewhere that he's a HUGE pro-wrestling fan and the chain was a tribute to the Junkyard Dog.

I don't know, I liked his act back then. I think the UFC keeps him from doing some of that now though.

I still like Rampage a lot, but those two incidents he had after the loss to Forrest bothered me a little. He did some pretty dangerous stuff. I thought the fight against Wanderlei was way too soon for him to be getting back in the ring, and was a very dangerous fight for him. Sure, he ended up KTFOing Wandy, but I still think it was too soon.

[#98QBKiller]

Maybe he would have gotten pounded out, maybe not. It's questionable because he DID put up his legs in a guard position, so he WAS intelligently trying to defend himself. Im just saying that the ref shouldnt stop it until there is NO question. So what if Koz takes and extra shot to the face? He's a professional fighter, it happens.

I agree.

[Slacky McSlackAss]

Yeah if he snapped back into it quickly and held Thiago in his guard he could've probably survived.

That was similar to the Herring/Nog knockdown IMO. Nog recovered from it and held on, there's no way to say for sure but it's possible that Kos could've too.

I was so surprised though because not only did you not see it coming but Kos was whipping Thiago's ass for that entire round. I was waiting on Thiago to get KO'd hard and that punch came out of nowhere.

I was stunned dude, it really did come out of nowhere.

[#98QBKiller]

I still like Rampage a lot, but those two incidents he had after the loss to Forrest bothered me a little. He did some pretty dangerous stuff. I thought the fight against Wanderlei was way too soon for him to be getting back in the ring, and was a very dangerous fight for him. Sure, he ended up KTFOing Wandy, but I still think it was too soon.

Yeah that incident worried me too.

I didn't want the Wandy fight to happen in the first place because he's already lost to Wandy twice. I'm not a fan of the 3rd 'last chance' fight like that. They're both great fighters so if they fight enough times the other guy will win eventually.

[lovetoaster]

With all of this talk about upcoming UFC's, we can't forget that we have a pretty good WEC card coming up on Sunday night...

http://www.wec.tv/index.cfm?fa=eventDetail.fightCard&eid=1899

[lovetoaster]

Yeah that incident worried me too.

I didn't want the Wandy fight to happen in the first place because he's already lost to Wandy twice. I'm not a fan of the 3rd 'last chance' fight like that. They're both great fighters so if they fight enough times the other guy will win eventually.

I was just worried about what would happen if he lost again. Especially since he had already lost to Wandy twice. He put a lot of people's lives in danger, including his own.

[Slacky McSlackAss]

With all of this talk about upcoming UFC's, we can't forget that we have a pretty good WEC card coming up on Sunday night...

http://www.wec.tv/index.cfm?fa=eventDetail.fightCard&eid=1899

I love having no weeks off between MMA cards.

[Chachie]

I didn't want the Wandy fight to happen in the first place because he's already lost to Wandy twice. I'm not a fan of the 3rd 'last chance' fight like that. They're both great fighters so if they fight enough times the other guy will win eventually.

Wandy Silva was a fool to take that fight for the reason you listed, 99. If they were both still in Pride, it would never have happened.

This is why BJ Penn should never get another shot at GSP. You lose twice (in the same league,) it's time to move on.org.

[#98QBKiller]

Wandy Silva was a fool to take that fight for the reason you listed, 99. If they were both still in Pride, it would never have happened.

This is why BJ Penn should never get another shot at GSP. You lose twice (in the same league,) it's time to move on.org.

That made me lol. But I totally agree man.

[StillUnknown]

[Chachie]

^^^

More, SU! MORE!

[Sebowski]

I'm pulling for Jardie over Rampage even though I like Rampage more. The UFC always uses Jardine as a stepping stone to a title shot and then ignores him when he wins. I want to see it happen again and have Machida fight Evans. I love to hate hearing "someones "O" has got to go!" That is so original that a strip club DJ must have come up with it.

[#98QBKiller]

I'm pulling for Jardie over Rampage even though I like Rampage more. The UFC always uses Jardine as a stepping stone to a title shot and then ignores him when he wins. I want to see it happen again and have Machida fight Evans. I love to hate hearing "someones "O" has got to go!" That is so original that a strip club DJ must have come up with it.

I'd like to see Machida/Evans and I'd also like to see Rampage/Evans....but my desire to see Rampage not lose to Jardine is greater than my desire to see Machida fight Evans.

[Chachie]

http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/future-shock-the-champions-in-2010-16308

Future Shock: The Champions in 2010

Monday, February 23, 2009

Jake Rossen

Future Shock: The Champions in 2010 The great Royce Gracie once said, “A belt only covers two inches of your ass. You have to cover the rest.”

What Royce meant, of course, is that you need to wear underwear. He was also probably referring to the fact that a belt -- either a cloth awarded by an instructor or a gold-plated eyesore from a promotion -- can’t do your fighting for you. Great champions have shown up only to turn in substandard performances; guys who got their brown belt from Sears have delivered some epic, ass-thrashing bouts.

That said, a championship belt is indisputable proof that you’ve achieved rare air in the combat sports -- especially if you had to dodge the murderer’s row in a promotion like the UFC, which is gleefully masochistic in its matchmaking.

Performances from contenders like Demian Maia and Diego Sanchez on Saturday’s UFC 95 freebie were indicative that 2009 is going to be a turbulent one for defending champions. Which titles will stay strapped in place and which will expose the rear cleavage of its former owners?

If I knew, I’d bet big and blog from Acapulco. Until then, be happy with irresponsible speculation. The guaranteed-not-to-be-accurate champions on Jan. 1, 2010:

UFC Lightweight Champion: Sean Sherk

The 155-pound belt is B.J. Penn’s for as long as he wants to hold on to it. Given his famously erratic motivations, that might only be for another couple of weeks.

Penn has shown little more than fleeting interest in being a lightweight shark. He fled from the UFC in 2004 to take open-weight fights in Hawaii and overseas. When he came back, he was obstinate in competing at 170 pounds. Only after losses to Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes did the promotion convince him to start skipping the bacon.

Literally the second after unifying the lightweight title against Sherk, Penn called out Georges St. Pierre.

Penn’s divisional ADD gives me little confidence that he’ll be able to focus on defending his lighter-weight belt. His attitude hints he considers the class to be beneath him -- that he’s so much better than everyone else, there’s no fear to get him out of bed in the morning.

Which is why a lackadaisical Penn will drop a decision to a busier, hungrier Kenny Florian in the summer -- who will, in turn, have no answers for the wet blanket that is Sean Sherk in the fall.

Sherk regains his strap; Florian continues dropping other contenders; Penn begs to fight Lyoto Machida.

UFC Welterweight Champion: Georges St. Pierre

Jon Fitch is a brick wall. If St. Pierre can toss him around like an empty beer can, he’s going to grind Thiago Alves down. Unless he doesn’t. But he probably will.

UFC Middleweight Champion: Anderson Silva

Demian Maia might be the Fred Astaire of jiu-jitsu. It’s too bad Silva is the Gene Kelly of kicking everyone’s ass.

Maia’s technique -- which involves sucking opponents into his Phantom Zone of a guard and digesting limbs -- might give Silva some night sweats, but we’ve yet to see how effective it is against someone with a black belt in jiu-jitsu from the Nogueira brothers. My guess is, not as effective as Silva’s stand-up against someone who’s spent most of his training life off his feet.

Who’s left? Nate Marquardt? He looked dangerously sharp in his stand-up Saturday, but that confidence is bound to leak out of his nose the moment Silva connects with a barrage of knees. (Marquardt’s destiny probably lies with Rich Franklin in a battle of who would be champion of an alternate universe in which “The Spider” was never hatched.)

Unless Silva has a repeat of his abysmal Patrick Cote non-fight -- essentially sabotaging himself -- he has little to fear. The man who can take his title hasn’t shown himself yet.

UFC Heavyweight Champion: Randy Couture

Let’s all be spared the Metamucil-with-extra-protein jokes. There’s better logic at work here.

Frank Mir will continue to be Brock Lesnar’s Achilles heel: Both are quick starters, but Lesnar’s tendency to throw opponents to the mat is the worst possible strategy against Mir, who is most dangerous where Lesnar instinctually wants the fight. He’ll lose by submission. Again.

That leaves Couture to busy himself with either Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira or Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic. While the latter bout fills me with utter dread -- I can see even a fading Croatian punting Couture’s head like a FILA demo -- it’s entirely likely that a battle of aging warriors will be won by the craftiest of the lot.

That leaves Mir and Couture for a Christmas engagement. Considering Couture probably wants no part of Mir on the mat in the first two or three rounds, it’ll be a kickboxing match, and that’s a game Couture has been playing longer. Having worn Mir down for 10 or 15 minutes, “The Natural” might start in with the ground throttling.

A record sixth UFC title would be an appropriate capper for both the year in MMA and Couture’s tenure as the elder statesman of the sport.

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion: Quinton Jackson

Any concerns that Jackson’s emotional breakdown and subsequent highway rampage after a title loss to Forrest Griffin in the summer would influence his fighting were put to rest -- right along with Wanderlei Silva -- in December.

If we accept that Jackson will not need to be straight-jacketed between rounds, and we also accept that he will handle the difficult-but-not-insurmountable Keith Jardine in March, then we’re left with a summer or fall pairing between Jackson and current champion Rashad Evans.

Evans has arguably made the bigger strides in his conditioning: Having faded somewhat against Michael Bisping, he looked fresh late against Forrest Griffin.

Jackson, though, usually shows up with a tuned engine and possesses both power and combinations in his mitts Evans has yet to deal with. (Versus Chuck Liddell, the former champion loaded his right hand like he was posing for a still.)

Five-round war. Traded takedowns. Jackson lands the bigger shots and the decision. Meets Lyoto Machida Super Bowl weekend in ’10.

And if his cornermen are smart, they’ll hide his car keys.

For comments, e-mail jrossen@sherdog.com

Wow. Not sure I agree with many of these but whatever. Guys?

[lovetoaster]

Yeah, I read that earlier today. I can see Sherk being a possibility, but I don't see Couture being the heavyweight champ again. I like the guy, and it would be a great story, but I just can't see it.

Mir, Lesnar, maybe somebody like Gonzaga...but not Couture.