What can I say? I was highly entertained by the UFC 148 conference call. I've been mulling over this thing all day and here's what I've got:
First things first: Let's hope for Sliva's sake that he didn't just expend all his energy on this conference call. He's always been pretty reserved, and today, completely unleashed on Chael. I'm just not buying his temper tantrum. I think it's all part of playing Chael's game. I don't think this is any different that how he acts for any other fight. He always plays games, this one, however, is just verbal.
I'll be honest, I've never been an Anderson Silva fan. Never drank that kool aid. Just the same as I've never been a fan of Greg Jackson's coaching style. If you call running away and making your opponent chase you down fighting, then I've got it all wrong. Call it a defensive style, call it whatever you want, I still don't buy it. Running away from the action then taunting your opponents after they run a marathon to try to bring the fight to you is, well, disengaging, not fighting.
Has Anderson Silva come forward to fight: yes. Is Anderson Silva the current UFC Middleweight champ: yes. While I don't dispute those facts, I still think his fighting style is not so much a fighting style at all. Riding the Steven Segall wagon, and those types of charades are cute, and they attract attention. Just the same, I think Silva and GSP have one thing in common; they're the nicest a-holes in the game. They always sound so nice in interviews, but if you read between the lines, their interviews are laced with insults and badmouthing of other fighters. That, to me, is more disrespectful than outright smack talking. If you're gonna talk trash, have the balls to do it. Don't mask it.
The fact that he came out and had this rant during the press conference plays wonderfully to the media. Everyone will eat it up... and they have. He knows how to get attention, he's one of the best at it. I see through it. I don't believe a word of the hype.
With UFC 148 just a couple weeks away, I look forward to this fight. I look forward to Chael sticking it to Anderson just like he did the last time, only Sonnen's hand will be raised at the finish.
Not to be over-shadowed, but I'm definitely looking forward to Ortiz/Griffin II. I expect the same outcome, a Griffin victory. God only knows how bad Forrest needs a boost. He's not been himself since the Silva embarrassment.
Onward and upward.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Wand and Franklin: The Aftermath
I know it hasn't happened yet, and far be it for me to predict the future... but wait, speculation is half the fun, right?
If you're like me, you'd love to see Wand, Franklin, Liddell, Ortiz, Couture and a laundry list of other legends continue their fighting careers forever and never age. Unfortunately, I didn't find the genie, so I'm not getting any wishes granted... yet.
While it pains me to say I'm glad the Iceman retired, I think we all died a little bit the night Chuck decided to hang it up, much as many old school MMA junkies did when Evan Tanner passed away. All I can say is this; no matter what happens this weekend, two things are certain; the careers of both Silva and Franklin will be impacted greatly.
Make no mistake about it, this is as much a super fight now as it was five years ago, despite both fighters aging, and having to compete with the new hybrid style mixed martial artists. There's just something about a good old fashioned slug fest, to which there is no doubt in my mind that's what we'll all be watching Saturday night.
What happens after the fight is over, is an entirely different story.
Win or Lose, I think that Rich is close to retirement. He seems to have rededicated himself to training in the last couple years, but I think it may be too late. I think the only relevance Franklin can continue to have in either the middleweight or light heavy divisions is that of the gate keeper. He's tough and durable, but his age is starting to show. Sure he's got the heart and endurance to eke out some wins, but he's certainly past his prime as a top contender. I would much prefer any fighter retire still looking decent instead of getting repeatedly thumped on, a la Chuck Liddell (even though he looked to be in his best shape ever for his fight with Franklin). I think that time for Franklin is coming soon; maybe not Saturday night, but within his next few fights. Win or lose Saturday, I think it will be one of Franklin's last appearances in the cage.
Although Wand says that he's still got a lot of fights left in him, that doesn't mean he should stay in the cage. He's made a name for himself with his school and apparel line, and he'll forever be a legend and pioneer of mixed martial arts. He has a long future ahead of him outside of the cage as a coach, and I hope he makes the most of that opportunity.
With that being said, Wand may have four or five good fights left, before he starts getting out worked by the stronger and faster next gen fighters. Being the king of the stand and bang game has had it's advantages for Silva, cementing his place as one of the most ruthless fighters in MMA with a plethora of highlight reel finishes. But for Wand, much like Liddell, it comes with a major downside.
One thing about the human body is that when it takes punishment repeatedly over a period of time, it toughens itself to become more tolerable. That works for the whole body... except for the head. It's quite the contrary for the old thinker; the more you get clocked, the less punishment you can take over time. Years of trading haymakers and bombs with the big dogs comes with a hefty price, that jaw of steel begins to crumble. I have no doubt that Franklin will test the jaw of Silva, and we'll see how it holds up.
Win or lose for Wand, I think we'll see him a handful more times in the octagon, although I think a loss here could cut that number down a couple.
I wish the best for both men, truly legends of the sport and future HOFers, and either way I'll be excited and sad to see who wins, and who loses. I just hope for the sake of their families, friends and fans they make the right choices post UFC 147.
If you're like me, you'd love to see Wand, Franklin, Liddell, Ortiz, Couture and a laundry list of other legends continue their fighting careers forever and never age. Unfortunately, I didn't find the genie, so I'm not getting any wishes granted... yet.
While it pains me to say I'm glad the Iceman retired, I think we all died a little bit the night Chuck decided to hang it up, much as many old school MMA junkies did when Evan Tanner passed away. All I can say is this; no matter what happens this weekend, two things are certain; the careers of both Silva and Franklin will be impacted greatly.
Make no mistake about it, this is as much a super fight now as it was five years ago, despite both fighters aging, and having to compete with the new hybrid style mixed martial artists. There's just something about a good old fashioned slug fest, to which there is no doubt in my mind that's what we'll all be watching Saturday night.
What happens after the fight is over, is an entirely different story.
Win or Lose, I think that Rich is close to retirement. He seems to have rededicated himself to training in the last couple years, but I think it may be too late. I think the only relevance Franklin can continue to have in either the middleweight or light heavy divisions is that of the gate keeper. He's tough and durable, but his age is starting to show. Sure he's got the heart and endurance to eke out some wins, but he's certainly past his prime as a top contender. I would much prefer any fighter retire still looking decent instead of getting repeatedly thumped on, a la Chuck Liddell (even though he looked to be in his best shape ever for his fight with Franklin). I think that time for Franklin is coming soon; maybe not Saturday night, but within his next few fights. Win or lose Saturday, I think it will be one of Franklin's last appearances in the cage.
Although Wand says that he's still got a lot of fights left in him, that doesn't mean he should stay in the cage. He's made a name for himself with his school and apparel line, and he'll forever be a legend and pioneer of mixed martial arts. He has a long future ahead of him outside of the cage as a coach, and I hope he makes the most of that opportunity.
With that being said, Wand may have four or five good fights left, before he starts getting out worked by the stronger and faster next gen fighters. Being the king of the stand and bang game has had it's advantages for Silva, cementing his place as one of the most ruthless fighters in MMA with a plethora of highlight reel finishes. But for Wand, much like Liddell, it comes with a major downside.
One thing about the human body is that when it takes punishment repeatedly over a period of time, it toughens itself to become more tolerable. That works for the whole body... except for the head. It's quite the contrary for the old thinker; the more you get clocked, the less punishment you can take over time. Years of trading haymakers and bombs with the big dogs comes with a hefty price, that jaw of steel begins to crumble. I have no doubt that Franklin will test the jaw of Silva, and we'll see how it holds up.
Win or lose for Wand, I think we'll see him a handful more times in the octagon, although I think a loss here could cut that number down a couple.
I wish the best for both men, truly legends of the sport and future HOFers, and either way I'll be excited and sad to see who wins, and who loses. I just hope for the sake of their families, friends and fans they make the right choices post UFC 147.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
2 days, 2 shows for Zuffa... Overkill? Plus UFC on FX Picks
I don't even know where really to start with this whole thing...
First off, why on Earth would you put a relatively stacked free card on FX, then follow it up with Franklin vs Wand 2 on PPV??? Really, Zuffa? Really?
I want to see those two bang like any other long time MMA fan, but do they bring enough PPV power to what is currently a 4 fight card? My answer is a resounding "no."
Both fighters, while they are respectively legends in the UFC and MMA, are past their prime. I wouldn't consider either a top contender at this point, and although I know Franklin has worked hard to re-establish himself in the 205Lb division, I think it's too little, too late for these guys. I hope for the sake of the card that Zuffa has some heavy hitters hiding up their sleeves. Otherwise, this card so far looks like an "I'll pass" on the PPV list.
With that being said, let's take a look at the UFC on FX card:
Stone v. Rivera - Stone looks to be the more well rounded fighter with slightly more experience. Rivera's nickname is "Cisco"... Stone by unanimous decision.
Miller v. Funch - Two ridiculously tough guys, both with equally impressive wrestling. This could easily be a contender for fight of the night. I'm going to go with Funch via UD.
Brown v. Ramos - Two more very tough, durable guys. Brown hasn't looked like himself on his last few outings, and Ramos may look to test his chin, and his resolve. I want to go with Brown, but my gut is telling me Ramos by TKO.
Catone v. Camozzi - Catone is riding a 2 fight win streak and has the momentum certainly on his side. With Camozzi losing 2 of his last 3, can he grind his way back to the winner's circle? It's going to be a hard, fast fight, and I think Catone is going to overwhelm Camozzi. Catone by TKO.
Siler v. Gambino - With both of Siler's UFC appearances wins, he's going to give Gambino a very warm welcome to the octagon. Sure, Gambino is 9-0, but this is the big leagues, baby. Siler by Submission.
Nijem v. Keith - At a perfect 8-0, Keith will have to throw everything he's got at Nijem. I see this one turning out to be a great grappling match with Nijem stealing the show. Nijem by UD
Hioki v. Lamas - Look for Hioki to use his superior takedown ability to control Lamas throughout the fight. It's going to be a grinder. Hioki by UD.
Pearson v. Swanson - Another great contender for fight of the night honors. Look for this one to stay standing until Pearson gets a few good licks in. I expect Swanson to try to take this to the ground fairly early and utilize his superior wrestling. Either way, it'll be a win/win fir the crowd. Pearson by TKO.
Ebersole v. Waldberger - A wrestler and a submission specialist... This one may very well stay on it's feet for the duration. Something deep in my gut says this one ends very quickly. Ebersole by KO.
Stout v. Fisher - I could watch these two go at it every weekend for the rest of my life, and never walk away bored. These two have the best shot at fight of the night in my opinion, and it's going to be nothing short of 15 minutes of fireworks. I expect Fisher to come out with the win by UD, but both will have equally swollen faces.
Maynard v. Guida - This is going to be an epic battle of well condition, stupid fast paced wrestlers. It's going to come down to hands, and I think Guida has the better striking. Whoever wins this match up will get a well deserved win, and in all honesty, it's tough to call this one. I'm going to go for the long shot and say Guida by SD.
First off, why on Earth would you put a relatively stacked free card on FX, then follow it up with Franklin vs Wand 2 on PPV??? Really, Zuffa? Really?
I want to see those two bang like any other long time MMA fan, but do they bring enough PPV power to what is currently a 4 fight card? My answer is a resounding "no."
Both fighters, while they are respectively legends in the UFC and MMA, are past their prime. I wouldn't consider either a top contender at this point, and although I know Franklin has worked hard to re-establish himself in the 205Lb division, I think it's too little, too late for these guys. I hope for the sake of the card that Zuffa has some heavy hitters hiding up their sleeves. Otherwise, this card so far looks like an "I'll pass" on the PPV list.
With that being said, let's take a look at the UFC on FX card:
Stone v. Rivera - Stone looks to be the more well rounded fighter with slightly more experience. Rivera's nickname is "Cisco"... Stone by unanimous decision.
Miller v. Funch - Two ridiculously tough guys, both with equally impressive wrestling. This could easily be a contender for fight of the night. I'm going to go with Funch via UD.
Brown v. Ramos - Two more very tough, durable guys. Brown hasn't looked like himself on his last few outings, and Ramos may look to test his chin, and his resolve. I want to go with Brown, but my gut is telling me Ramos by TKO.
Catone v. Camozzi - Catone is riding a 2 fight win streak and has the momentum certainly on his side. With Camozzi losing 2 of his last 3, can he grind his way back to the winner's circle? It's going to be a hard, fast fight, and I think Catone is going to overwhelm Camozzi. Catone by TKO.
Siler v. Gambino - With both of Siler's UFC appearances wins, he's going to give Gambino a very warm welcome to the octagon. Sure, Gambino is 9-0, but this is the big leagues, baby. Siler by Submission.
Nijem v. Keith - At a perfect 8-0, Keith will have to throw everything he's got at Nijem. I see this one turning out to be a great grappling match with Nijem stealing the show. Nijem by UD
Hioki v. Lamas - Look for Hioki to use his superior takedown ability to control Lamas throughout the fight. It's going to be a grinder. Hioki by UD.
Pearson v. Swanson - Another great contender for fight of the night honors. Look for this one to stay standing until Pearson gets a few good licks in. I expect Swanson to try to take this to the ground fairly early and utilize his superior wrestling. Either way, it'll be a win/win fir the crowd. Pearson by TKO.
Ebersole v. Waldberger - A wrestler and a submission specialist... This one may very well stay on it's feet for the duration. Something deep in my gut says this one ends very quickly. Ebersole by KO.
Stout v. Fisher - I could watch these two go at it every weekend for the rest of my life, and never walk away bored. These two have the best shot at fight of the night in my opinion, and it's going to be nothing short of 15 minutes of fireworks. I expect Fisher to come out with the win by UD, but both will have equally swollen faces.
Maynard v. Guida - This is going to be an epic battle of well condition, stupid fast paced wrestlers. It's going to come down to hands, and I think Guida has the better striking. Whoever wins this match up will get a well deserved win, and in all honesty, it's tough to call this one. I'm going to go for the long shot and say Guida by SD.
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