Nogueira shocked Sylvia in a wild one and Mir came back to beat Lesnar in a wild night of submissions.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira def. Tim Sylvia via submission (guillotine choke) — Round 3, 1:28
Frank Mir def. Brock Lesnar via submission (knee bar) — Round 1, 1:30
Nate Marquardt def. Jeremy Horn via submission (guillotine choke) — Round 2, 1:37
Ricardo Almeida def. Rob Yundt via submission (guillotine choke) — Round 1, 1:08
Tyson Griffin def. Gleison Tibau via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Chris Lytle def. Kyle Bradley via KO (strikes) — Round 1, 0:33
Tim Boetsch def. David Heath via TKO (strikes) — Round 1, 4:52
Marvin Eastman def. Terry Martin via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Rob Emerson def. Keita Nakamura via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)
Sunday, February 3, 2008
UFC 81 Results
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
UFC 79 Analysis
The UFC 79 card was definitely exciting, but what exactly does it mean for the UFC and its fighters? Ben Zeidler examines the subject.
Liddell is back!
Chuck Liddell is back in full force, utterly dominating Wanderlei Silva for three straight rounds. Sure, he didn't knock The Axe Murderer out cold, but the performance was solid enough to declare The Iceman officially on the rebound from his Rampage loss earlier this year.
St. Pierre takes the crown
Georges St. Pierre beat Hughes with the very move he was beaten by more than two years ago. In doing this, he established himself as the clear top Welterweight and looks to be steamrolling towards avenging the Serra loss.
Sokoudjou NOT the real deal, Machida is though...
The aura surrounding Sokoudjou's two quick knockouts earlier this year was dispelled as Machida showed the extent of his ability in a dominant submission victory. Sokoudjou goes back to the drawing board, Machida goes to the top 4 of the division.
Sylvia-Nogueira for interim belt
It's been long rumored, but it's now confirmed that Tim Sylvia will get a shot as his old belt, but he'll have to go through top 3 HW Nogueira first. This will be the second of three interim titles which will be awarded between December and March.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
PRIDE Fighters At A Disadvantage
With the past losses of Mirko Filipovic, the near loss of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and the current loss of Mauricio Rua, it is easy to see the pattern developing. For one reason or another (Quinton Jackson being the exception), these PRIDE guys are having trouble translating their skills to the Octagon. Are the PRIDE fighters overrated, are the UFC fighters better than we all thought, or is it something else entirely?
It’s possible that the PRIDE fighters are overrated, but it’s hard to justify when you consider that they’re all world-class athletes who have been fighting their entire lives. Cro Cop doesn’t just knock out Wanderlei Silva, switch boats to the UFC, and then just forget how to fight. Similarly, Nogueira shouldn’t go from hanging with Fedor to barely beating journeyman Heath Herring. It just doesn’t make logical sense. And while Shogun looked absolutely brilliant at times against Griffin (with his rolls, submission attempts and strikes), he looked downright tentative at others. Where is the man who went so hard at Rampage Jackson, he looked as if he wanted to knock the current champs head clear off his body? The skills are there, and so that leads me to believe that it must be another factor.
Could it be that the UFC fighters have improved? I think this seems more likely. UFC fighters are long past the days of specializing in just one mixed martial arts field, and are constantly improving and expanding their collective repertoire, and therefore, becoming downright lethal weapons in the Octagon. Another factor that I believe is aiding the improvement of UFC fighters is The Ultimate Fighter.
A venerable playground for newbies and veterans alike (ask Matt Serra), TUF allows fighters to train with guys better than them, fight more than three times in a year, and have access to some of the best facilities in the world. By participating in TUF (as recent winner Forrest Griffin and current champ Matt Serra both did), fighters avoid what is known as The Chuck Liddell Syndrome. For those of you unfamiliar, Chuck is the best guy in his camp. He doesn’t bring in Judo experts to test him with Judo or Boxers to test him with Boxing. TUF combats this by having fighters train with coaches who are leaps and bounds better than they are. They have no choice but to get better. Fighting often also helps the participants to have a greater level of comfort in the Octagon. Instead of having had three fights in a year, a guy coming out of the show may have up to eight under his belt. When you fight that often, there’s no rust or surprises. The final point goes without saying – having access to the training facilities of the UFC put the fighters at an advantage over anyone working with a specific camp, no matter how talented the trainers are.
Even more likely than the idea that improved fighters is contributing to the downfall of PRIDE guys is the possibility that the new environment has thrown all these guys off. Now, they’ve fought in front of crowds before, some even larger in size than those in the UFC. There’s only one major difference. Japanese crowds are dead silent. They are quiet and respectful, usually waiting for the biggest of knockdowns or the end of a fight to cheer their favorite star. Enter: American crowds. Just picture going from the serene, poetic landscape of a stadium in Tokyo to the drunken chaos that is an American sporting event. Fans yell, boo, and throw inanimate objects at will – sometimes, even following a victory.
In an exclusive interview with MMA Madness, Kenny Florian spoke of this difference: “PRIDE fighters have had to adjust to the rule changes, to the environment changes, and everything else. It comes down to the same factors in every event: first, MMA is unpredictable and second, styles make fights.” Florian touches upon something more telling than just the rowdy fans. Perhaps it’s the Octagon that’s throwing these guys for a loop. They’re used to leaning against ropes (which have more give than a cage), and can utilize corners to trap an opponent (see: Wanderlei-Rampage). Perhaps the new environment has them so distracted that they fail to follow their game plan or stay focused.
Rule changes probably have the fighters in a tizzy as well. Different round and time structure, no kicking a downed opponent, elbows are now allowed, and most importantly, the Shogun Stomp has been outlawed. This can’t sit well for a number of fighters (including some of the best) who previously relied on these very moves. Additionally, drug testing is much stricter in the UFC than in PRIDE. Now I’m not saying any of PRIDE’s guys were juicing, but if they were, they’re having a very difficult time of it now.
No matter the reason, it’s clear that some of the most successful PRIDE fighters are having trouble in the UFC. And interestingly enough, it’s the one fighter who had trouble defeating PRIDE’s best who is now champion. Perhaps Florian is right: styles do make fights, and most of the transfers’ styles just aren’t right for the UFC’s Octagon and their newly-improved warriors.
(Originally written for MMAMadness.com)
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Nogueira-Kongo Bumped To Early 08
The winner of the Nogueira-Kongo fight is no longer in line for a title shot, as it's been bumped to early next year, but whoever leaves victorious should be guaranteed a shot down the line. Here's why:
With Sylvia-Vera now the only real HW bout in the upcoming months, it's more than expected that the winner will take on Randy Couture early next year at UFC 81 or those whereabouts. For Vera, it would be a long time coming and could represent the passing of the torch from one marketable HW to another. If Sylvia gets the shot, it would represent the rematch clause in his contract. Either way, this seems like the only viable option.
But who gets the winner of the Couture-Vera/Sylvia fight? For rest periods to coincide, the new #1 contender bout (after Sylvia-Vera) would have to take place early next year. Enter: Nogueira-Kongo. Initially scheduled to go down at UFC 79 in December, the fight has been bumped. It's not clear why, but it does provide perfect timing for both these competitors. The booking of Nogueira-Kongo at the same time of Couture's next fight means two big things, other than the fact that the winner will most likely get a shot at the gold.
For Nogueira, it means that the UFC has finally committed to pushing him. He's widely recognized as the #2 HW in the world, but due to his inability to speak English and lackluster win over Heath Herring a few months ago, fan support (and thus, Dana White support) has dwindled. This match up with Kongo, especially with its scheduled date, is a vote of confidence unlike any Nogueira has seen before.
For Kongo, it means that the dream has been realized. Following a massacre of Cro Cop, Kongo now finds himself one win away from a title shot with one of the greatest champions of all time. The UFC will be more than willing to throw it's support behind a young, jacked, charismatic Kongo. Ideally, Kongo-Vera will be the HW battle that UFC execs are looking to see blossom over the next four years.
So, we wait. But with our patience comes the reality that the UFC HW division is shaping up to be stacked after all. It's in a much different manner than was expected (no superfights between CC and Couture), but it should prove to be just as entertaining with a large group of fighters who all deserve to be there.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Around The Horn
Match booking was the name of the game this weekend, as some blockbusters (and equally spectacular surprises) were made official.
FOXSports has the Nogueira-Kongo bout, first scheduled to take place at UFC 79, now happening in "early 2008," according to Dave Meltzer. This fantastic match (and potential #1 contender fight) should be one of the bigger wars we've seen in years. It features one of the true veterans of the sport against the HWs newest star. I know it seems as though the division has a new star every week (Gabriel who?), but Kongo is LEGIT.
Matt Hammil is "in shock" (read: furious) with the Evans-Bisping booking at UFC 78. I can't really understand it either, considering that Rashad Evans-Tito Ortiz and Michael Bisping-Matt Hammil were probably the two most unresolved bouts of the year, but Joe Silva knows what he's doing.
In my most disappointing moment of the weekend, the Kimbo-Tank fight, to be held at Cage Fury 6, has been canceled. I don't know quite what to make of this, considering Tank hasn't fought a meaningful bout in ten years and Kimbo is only a few years removed (okay, a few days) from fighting on the streets of Florida, but it is disappointing nonetheless.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
The Transition From PRIDE To UFC
As more and more PRIDE fighters continue to pour into the UFC organization, it has become apparent that the transition from PRIDE to the UFC is a much more difficult one then first suspected. When the deal was initially struck between the two organizations not much was made about how the fighters would respond to not only a different rule set, but a whole different environment. Much like any other top level athlete, fighters are creatures of habit. Any little change in environment can make a huge impact when it comes to a fighters performance. So why has the transition between the two organizations been such a tough one so far?
From a fans perspective the differences between the two different organizations seems minimal. So what if theres an octagon instead of a ring? So what if the UFC has 3 x 5 minute rounds instead of PRIDES 20 minute fight which features a 10 minute first round with 2 subsequent 5 minute rounds? While these differences may seem insignificant for the fans the fact of the matter is that when your a fighter, even the smallest differences are amplified. Anything that can take you out of your normal routine could affect your performance.
One fighter who was particularly vocal about adjusting to the ways of the UFC was Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Rampage admitted that he was more nervous then he usually is before a fight when he made his UFC debut against Marvin Eastman. After his win over Eastman, Rampage reportedly asked for a few more fights to adjust to the UFC. Instead, the UFC offered him a title fight against Chuck Liddell. Rampage accepted the fight and the rest is history.
On the other hand, some fighters have had a much tougher time adjusting. When Mirko "Cro Cop" first announced his intention to fight in the UFC, fans were quick to label him as the uncrowned king of the UFC heavy weight division. Many people thought he would simply walk through the division before becoming champion. Well, it didn't quite work out like that. In his first fight against Eddie Sanchez, he was just simply too much for his opponent. His next fight was against the Brazilian, Gabriel Gonzaga. In what was one of the most shocking KO's in all of MMA, Gabriel Gonzaga knocked out Cro Cop with a high kick that would make even the Croation Sensation proud.
To some, the transition was an easy one. Guys like Anderson Silva and Quinton Jackson have made it look easy as both now hold the titles in their respective divisions. Others like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria, Fabricio Werdum, and Heath Herring haven't had the smoothest transition to the UFC, although Herring rebounded from his rocky start by almost delivering a KO in Bog Nog's debut. However, these fighters shouldn't be overlooked. All three are world-class athletes and after some time, should be able to really feel comfortable in an octagon.
In the coming months, MMA fans will be treated to great match ups featuring the best that both organizations have to offer. At UFC 75, Dan Henderson will fight Quinton Jackson. Henderson should find himself right at home when he steps into the octagon. After all, he did fight in the UFC early in his career. Henderson's ability to speak English and thus, fully understand the rule changes, should assist his transition. Another dynamite signing for the UFC was that of the young Chute Boxe star, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Rua is the number one ranked 205 pound fighter based on www.mmaweekly.com rankings. Alot of people are anticipating Rua to have very hard time adjusting to the UFC, mainly because he wont be able to deliver those vicious soccer kicks that the Chute Boxe academy is famous for. However, Rua is a very versatile fighter, young, and willing to learn.
The bottom line on the matter is that yes, it is a difficult transition. From the cage to the rules and everything in between. Some fighters handle it well, and others not so well. Where would you rather fight, PRIDE or UFC? If you ask that question to all of the fighters that have and are planning to transfer over to the UFC, I'm sure that you will pretty much get the same response out of all them: "I dont care, I just want to fight." And thats what the fans want to hear.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
UFC Main Card Updates
Look no further for all the latest in UFC Main Card updates. Shogun's debut, Ortiz-Evans II, Franklin-Silva II, and Sherk-Penn have all been announced. But where will they fall?
UFC 74: Respect
Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (Heavyweight title)
Georges St. Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck
Joe Stevenson vs. Kurt Pellegrino
Diego Sanchez vs. Hayato Sakurai
Patrick Cote vs. Kendall Grove
David Heath vs. Renato Sobral
Quinton Jackson vs. Dan Henderson (Lightheavyweight title)
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Cheick Kongo
Michael Bisping vs. Matt Hamill
Houston Alexander vs. Alessio Sakara
UFC 76 (Anaheim, CA: Honda Center)
Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Lyoto Machida
Jon Fitch vs. Diego Sanchez
Evan Tanner vs. TBA
UFC 77 (Cincinnati, Ohio: U.S. Bank Arena)
Rich Franklin vs. Anderson Silva (Middleweight title)
Tito Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans
UFC 78 (Newark, New Jersey: Prudential Arena)
Sean Sherk vs. B.J. Penn (Lightweight title)
UFC 79 (East Rutherford, NJ: Continental Airlines Arena)
Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra (Welterweight title)
Early 2008
Mirko Filipovic vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira II
Matt Hughes vs. Georges St. Pierre III
The Debut Of Fedor
UFC 73 Post-Conference: White confirms Fedor for '08, BJ Penn to Fight Sherk for Title
CBS SportsLine.com caught some interesting notes at UFC 73's post conference, which was held last weekend. Dana White confirmed the arrival of The Russian Emperor Fedor Emelianenko and B.J. "The Prodigy" Penn's future plans.
I don't know how credible these "notes" but CBS seems like a solid source, so I'll stick by what they say until further proof arises.
The press conference leaked out some pretty heavy news.
To sum up the biggest points in the post-conference
This is all HUGE news and I'm itching to see Shogun's UFC debut and a fight between "The Prodigy" B.J. Penn and Sean "The Muscle Shark" Sherk.
However, I'm most excited for the news regarding Fedor's long awaited debut in the UFC. So, does this really mean that Fedor has finally signed with the UFC? White touched upon the subject claiming that Emelianenko's debut (to the UFC) is imminent and went on to say, "We are planning to have Fedor fighting in the UFC at the end of 2007 or early 2008."
God, I say this every time I hear a rumor about Fedor's UFC debut but, I really hope this is true. Dana White better not be pulling MMA fans' legs anymore, we demand Fedor!
Well, it looks like the Dana White will indeed be able to create his "MMA superbowl" that he promised us all. With fighters at this high of caliber there's no dodging explosive fights to come, well, not exactly, UFC 73 certainly chucked that theory out the window. But, I'll still be able to pretend in the meantime.
The Lianger
Sunday, July 8, 2007
UFC 73: Silva, Sherk Retain Titles
UFC 73 Stacked certainly had its ups and downs. Labeled "best card in the history of combat sports," it failed to deliver what most fans anticipated so greatly and failed to fulfill the hype that was built around it.
The event took place Saturday, July 7, 2007 at the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California and had been regarded as UFC's most "stacked" card to date, no pun intended. The cards featured two title fights, one with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and the other with lightweight champion Sean Sherk, both crowned at UFC 64. Last night, they defended their titles against former King of Pancrase Nathan Marquardt and former WEC champion Hermes Franca, respectively. Former PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, also seen by many to be the #2 HW in the world, made his UFC debut against Heath Herring, whom he had already defeated twice before in PRIDE. UFC 73 also featured a light heavyweight showdown between former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz and The Ultimate Fighter 2 heavyweight winner Rashad Evans.
The card was free of upsets, for the most part and had a good balance of TKO/KO's submission victories, decisions and was even complimented with a draw. Here are my quick thoughts on the bigger fights:
Kenny Florian def. Alvin Robinson via Submission (strikes) at 4:30 of Round 1
Alvin Robinson was the more physically gifted fighter in this one, but it did him no good against the ever so tough Kenny Florian. A lean Florian showed crisp striking in the beginning of the round, after landing some sharp punches and knees. About a minute in the fight, it almost began to look like a judo tournament with the two fighters flipping each other like pancakes. Florian's experience in the Octagon and top notch jiu-jitsu skills was apparent as he effectively controlled Robinson on the ground. After some good exchanges, Florian obtained full mount with relative ease. Upon mount position, it was the beginning of the end for the UFC newcomer Robinson, as Florian pounded away with vicious elbow strikes and punches giving Robinson no option but to tap.
Florian has really impressed me lately and his improvement every time he time he steps into the Octagon is awe inspiring. With his impressive win over Mishima at UFC Fight Night 9 and his incredible five round war with the current UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk, I only expect to see more great things in the future with Kenny Florian.
All in all, I give this fight 8 out of 10.
Anderson Silva (c) def. Nate Marquardt via TKO (strikes) at 4:50 of Round 1 to retain the MW title
This fight was one of the highlights of the night, next to the Sherk-Franca fight. Anderson Silva made his first official title defense against challenger and Pancrase veteran Nate Marquardt. Early in the match Silva threw what looked to be a kick straight out of a martial arts movie causing him to be taken down by the challenger. The decision wasn’t horrible as Silva was still delivered piercing elbows and punches, punishing the midsection of Marquardt. Marquardt did nothing on the ground and the fighters were brought back to their feet. Silva took advantage of every opening and landed a big straight left hand forcing Marquardt back to the ground. Silva showed a picture perfect sweep gaining him the dominant position where he reigned down crushing blow after blow. Big John McCarthy had seen enough and quickly stopped the fight, saving Marquardt's very life and skull.
This fight just continued to show the Brazilian's dominance in the UFC. Silva's striking of course was, like always, dead on and was able to display his ever-growing jiu-jitsu abilities through his sprawls and sweeps. With the win, Silva is expected to head over to Cincinnati, Ohio and where he will face Rich Franklin, who he took the belt from last October. I don't see Franklin posing a threat to Anderson Silva at all. Silva's ground game is more polished than Franklin and certainly has the edge standing. Silva is a force to be reckoned with and is going to be the middleweight champion for a long, long time.
I give this fight a 9/10!
-Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans fought to a Draw after 5 Rounds (28-28, 28-28, 28-28)
There's not much to say about this fight, it was the biggest crock of cow dung to date. This match was maxed out by the hype that was poured into it, with the so called "bad blood" between the two and the little pushing incident they had a few events back. To what was hyped up to be a great fight turned out to be quite the contrary. Ortiz quickly began the bout scoring a double-leg takedown on The Ultimate Fighter 2 winner Rashad Evans. Tito did little to Evans as both lay on the canvas. Somewhere in the second round Ortiz held on to the cage preventing a takedown by Evans, costing him a point and in the end costing him the fight. After a tiresome three rounds, the fighter’s fates were left in the hands of the judges, whom unanimously deemed this fight a draw, all scoring it 28-28.
I'm not a big Tito fan, but I really wanted Tito to win this one. For one, Evans' little seizures standing up didn't help his cause. I am of course referring to the annoying hand waving, I guess distraction, Evans kept doing while they were standing. God that pissed me off. As a whole, the fight was frustrating to watch, neither did much to finish the fight and if Tito hadn't gotten that point deducted he would have had this one in his pocket. Oh well, can't win 'em all I suppose, literally. Tito in the post fight talk with Rogan said, "You know, they always say if you ain't cheating, you're not trying." That’s classic.
This fight makes it painfully obvious that Ortiz would have zero chance against current UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson, who Ortiz is rumored to later face off with. Either way, Tito never fails to make me laugh with his pre and post fight antics and the corny little shirts he wears to the fights.
I give this fight a 4/10!
-Sean Sherk (c) def. Hermes Franca via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)
Sherk and Franca certainly took the UFC 73 spotlight hands down. It was like watching a bully rob a helpless poor child for his lunch money.
Sean Sherk took no part in Franca's "unorthodox" striking in which he promptly overshadowed and neutralized with his lightning quick hands and unstoppable takedowns. Like many fights, cardio was the golden ticket in this fight.
The round began with an eager Sherk going for the takedown and nearly getting caught in a guillotine choke. Sherk muscled his way out of the choke and the punishment began as the now visibly angered Sherk had his way with the Brazilian challenger. Sherk dictated round after round as he took down and mounted Franca at will. The only silver lining Franca had were the four flush knees Sherk kept eating over and over, one of which nearly knocked out the champ. However, after the first two knees Sherk seemed almost immune to the knee strikes and continued his domination over Franca. The fight became like a broken record, as every round mimicked the previous one. The general breakdown of all five rounds were: Sherk eats a knee from Franca, Franca attempts a guillotine choke, Sherk muscles out, takes him down and proceeds to ground and pound a powerless Franca. It was unfortunate that Sherk wasn't able to finish Franca but, it was undoubtedly a lopsided fight in favor of Sherk and it came as no surprise as Bruce Buffer announced the judges' unanimous decision for UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk.
Sean Sherk's UFC All Access gave fans a glimpse of Sherk's dedication and hard work. Throughout the fight I was just in complete awe at the power and explosiveness of Sherk. I’m convinced that there is no possible way of putting another pound of muscle on a 155-pounder. Sherk’s overwhelming power was evident as he threw Franca around like a rag doll, at one point leg pressing Franca about three feet into the air, and able to impose any position he pleased. The golden ticket in this fight was not only the power difference but as I mentioned earlier, the cardio factor. Franca, though looked in top condition, couldn’t handle Sherk’s constant pressure and gassed quickly through the first two rounds while Sherk looked like he just stepped in the ring at the start of every round.
Sean Sherk seems to be one of the most dominant lightweights to ever hit the scene and aside from B.J. Penn I don't see a single lightweight in the UFC that poses any threat to him. It would definitely be interesting to see “The Prodigy” duke it out with the “Muscle Shark,” but that's for another time and another article! I give the Sherk-Franca fight an 8.5/10!
-Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira def. Heath Herring via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
One word summary, WOW. Nogueira, made his UFC debut facing Heath Herring, whom he already holds 2 wins over in PRIDE. A polished striker and top submission artist, Nogueira was dominant through the opening of the fight as he jabbed through Herring's defense and scored multiple takedowns. All was well until Herring decided to pull a Gonzaga and threw a head kick that sent Nogueira to the mat. At this point, I went into cardiac arrest, I thought it was over. As a matter of fact, if it was any other fight it would have been over but, referee Yves Lavine did us all a favor and allowed the fight to continue. Herring however did not take advantage of the situation and backed off allowing Nogueira to fully recover. After Nogueira finally realized he was at a UFC fight and not a Brazilian rave (as Bravo so elegantly put it), he persisted with his jabs at a visibly exhausted Herring. Outside of the heart rattling kick, the fight was one sided for Nogueira as he fought his way to a unanimous decision victory.
My God, I'm pretty sure my heart skipped two beats when Nogueira was knocked down. In Herring's defense, it was a bit unfair that the referee did not call the fight after the kick. If it were any other fight, I'm almost certain it would have been ruled a knockout. Yet, Herring is the only one to blame for not taking advantage of the situation and making the best of it. Herring lacks the killer instinct, the smell of blood that Wanderlei Silva and Fedor Emelianenko display in their fights. Nogueira must have had his bowl of Lucky Charms that morning and truly once again showed his undying heart. I'm eager to see more of Nogueira in the Octagon soon.
I give this fight a 7/10, deducting points because of the heart attack and emotional distress it brought me.
So, UFC 73 can't be called the best UFC card ever, but it was surely above average. As far as my predictions go, they weren't too off with the exception of the Sherk-Franca fight, God was I wrong about that one. Sorry?
That's all folks...L-Train OUT.
The Lianger
Sunday, July 1, 2007
UFC 73: Nogueira-Herring Preview
At July 7, 2007, UFC 73: Stacked will feature a heavyweight bout between PRIDE veteran, and UFC newcomer Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira and Heath “The Texas Crazyhorse” Herring.
Minotauro Nogueira is the heavily favored fighter in this one considering that he has already beat Heath Herring twice in PRIDE, and it doesn’t hurt that Nogueira is ranked as the number two MMA heavyweight in the world.
Nogueira is coming in at 30 years of age, 6 feet 3 inches, and an overall record of 29-4-1. Known for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and his exciting submission victories, Nogueira holds some notable wins of Mirko Cro Cop, Josh Barnett, Dan Henderson and Jeremy Horn.
Nogueira was ranked number one on my top five submission artists of MMA today.
Though, it may be dead obvious who the winner is in this one, Heath “The Texas Crazyhorse” Herring can’t be counted out, after all, this is mixed martial arts and anything can happen. Herring can best be known for his wacky and colorful hairdos, black trench coat and sweet cowboy hat and tremendous power in his knees and kicks.
Herring will forever be part of one MMA’s most memorable moments on December 31, 2005 at K-1’s Dynamite 2005 show. During the usual pre-fight stare down, his opponent, Yoshihiro Nakao decided to kiss Herring on the lips for some reason. Herring didn’t take this too well and blasted Nakao with a heart rattling right hook that sent Nakao flying across the ring and eventually on a stretcher. Herring’s infamous “kiss” video is now quite the popular spectacle on the Internet.
Herring is 29 years of age, 6 foot 4 inches and fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada and holds a UFC record of 1-1 and an overall MMA record of 26-12-1. Herring has faced some tough competition in the past such as: Fedor Emelianenko, Mirko Cro Cop, Mark Kerr, Igor Vovchanchyn, Evan Tanner and Vitor Belfort. Herring most recently defeated Brad Imes by a unanimous decision at UFC 69: Shootout.
Herring’s performances in the UFC thus far have been mediocre and I hope to see the Herring I’m used to seeing in the PRIDE ring.
This fight is really just a coming out show for Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira. The UFC’s heavyweight division is getting deeper and deeper with the recent additions of Nogueira, Cro Cop, Gonzaga and the possibility of #1 world heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko.
With Nogueira’s incredible jiu-jitsu skills and well polished striking abilities, I strongly believe that he will hold the UFC HW title belt in no time. I can’t see this man losing, unless of course, he has to face Fedor Emelianenko again.
I'm looking forward to see "Minotauro" Nogueira face Gabriel Gonzaga, that has fight of the century written all over it. Let's hope Joe Silva whips that match together down the road. Any who, that's for another time and another article :)
PREDICTION: Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira by submission (armbar) in the 1st round.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Top Ten PRIDE Fights Of All Time
After I compiled every win and loss for the UFC, I did the same for PRIDE. And now, following my top ten UFC fights post, I feel it necessary to grant PRIDE with the same right. I realized that I've generally neglected PRIDE in the past, and while it is basically a defunct organization, it has still had it moments (incredible ones, no less). And so, I've teamed Masson up (believe me, it's better that I stay out of this one) with three Sherdog.com experts. Let's see what they have to say...
We adapted criteria from Extremeprosports.com in order to form our own criteria (below) for our Top Ten lists.
1. The fight itself had to have significant drama. In other words, each fighter, at one point or another, must have been in a position to win the fight.
2. The bigger stage, the better. Non-championship bouts didn't get as much love as those giving out belts.
3. Only PRIDE FC bouts were considered.
Masson Liang's Top Ten
10. Joachim Hansen vs. Yves Edwards (Bushido 9)
9. Mirko Filipovic vs Wanderlei Silva II (PRIDE Final Conflict Absolute)
8. Mauricio Rua vs. Quinton Jackson (PRIDE Total Elimination 2005)
7. Takanori Gomi vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri (Bushido 9)
6. Takanori Gomi vs. Hayato Sakurai (PRIDE Shockwave 2005)
5. Don Frye vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (PRIDE 21: Demolition)
4. Takanori Gomi vs. Nick Diaz (PRIDE 33: Second Coming)
3. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira II (PRIDE Shockwave 2004)
2. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Mirko Filipovic (PRIDE Final Conflict 2005)
1. Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva II (PRIDE 28: High Octane)
Viktor VonDoom
10. Mirko Filipovic vs. Kevin Randleman (PRIDE Shockwave 2004)
9. Wanderlei Silva vs. Dan Henderson II (PRIDE 33: The Second Coming)
8. Anderson Silva vs. Ryo Chonan (PRIDE Shockwave 2004)
7. Mauricio Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (PRIDE Critical Countdown 2005)
6. Don Frye vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (PRIDE 21: Demolition)
5. Quinton Jackson vs. Ricardo Arona (PRIDE Critical Countdown 2004)
4. Dan Henderson vs. Ricardo Arona (PRIDE 20: Armed and Ready)
3. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira II (PRIDE Shockwave 2004)
2. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Mirko Filipovic (PRIDE Final Conflict 2005)
1. Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva II (PRIDE 28: High Octane)
Anthony S.
10. Mirko Filipovic vs Wanderlei Silva II (PRIDE Final Conflict Absolute)
9. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira II (PRIDE Shockwave 2004)
8. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Mirko Filipovic (PRIDE Final Conflict 2005)
7. Mauricio Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (PRIDE Critical Countdown 2005)
6. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs Bob Sapp (PRIDE Shockwave 2002)
5. Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Renzo Gracie (PRIDE 10: Return of the Warriors)
4. Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva II (PRIDE 28: High Octane)
3. Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Carlos Newton (PRIDE 3)
2. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Mirko Filipovic (PRIDE Final Conflict 2003)
1. Kazushi Sakuraba vs Royce Gracie (PRIDE Grand Prix 2000)
CroCopIsBack (only ballot with all six consensus fights below)
10. Quinton Jackson vs. Ricardo Arona (PRIDE Critical Countdown 2004)
9. Sergey Kharitonov vs. Semmy Schilt (PRIDE Critical Countdown 2004)
8. Don Frye vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (PRIDE 21: Demolition)
7. Mirko Filipovic vs. Igor Vovchanchyn (PRIDE Total Elimination 2003)
6. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira II (PRIDE Shockwave 2004)
5. Quinton Jackson vs. Mauricio Rua (PRIDE Total Elimination 2005)
4. Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva II (PRIDE 28: High Octane)
3. Mirko Filipovic vs Wanderlei Silva II (PRIDE Final Conflict Absolute)
2. Mauricio Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (PRIDE Critical Countdown 2005)
1. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Mirko Filipovic (PRIDE Final Conflict 2005)
Appeared on 4 out of 4 ballots
Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva II (PRIDE 28: High Octane)
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Mirko Filipovic (PRIDE Final Conflict 2005)
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira II (PRIDE Shockwave 2004)
Appeared on 3 out 4 ballots
Mauricio Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (PRIDE Critical Countdown 2005)
Mirko Filipovic vs Wanderlei Silva II (PRIDE Final Conflict Absolute)
Don Frye vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (PRIDE 21: Demolition)
Reappearing Fighters
Out of the 40 total contests listed here, Mirko Filipovic appeared in the most fights (10), followed closely by Wanderlei Silva (8), Quinton Jackson (8), Fedor Emelianenko (8), and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (6).
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Top Submission Artists of MMA Today
Honorable Mention: Josh Barnett, Vitor Rebeiro, Paulo Filho
5. Jeff “The Snowman” Monson
Jeff “The Snowman” Monson doesn’t really look like your everyday jiu-jitsu specialist. Monson is an American born out of Olympia, Washington and a full-blown Anarchist. Monson can almost pass as a power lifter and looks the type to chuck his opponents across the cage and pummel them into a bloody pulp. Well, that’s not the case, usually.
Monson actually trains with American Top Team in Coconut Creek, FL and is a world class submission wrestler and an ADCC Submission Wrestling World Champion. Monson received the nickname “Snowman” at the 1999 ADCC World Championship. The Brazilian participants gave him the nickname after he came in as an unknown and swept through four Brazilians in a row to win his 88-98 kg weight class. Through the tournament Monson was described as a snowman because he seemed to only get better and better as he ran through his opponents, resembling a rolling snowball increasing in size. Strange metaphor but sure why not, I’m sure as hell not going to say anything to Monson about it.
Monson also holds three boxing bouts, consisting of two wins and one draw. Surprisingly enough, Monson has a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in psychology.
Of Monson’s 23 wins, a whopping 14 are due to submissions. Monson’s most exciting win was his most recent one against Kazuyuki Fujita at PRIDE 34:Kamikaze. Monson was dominant throughout the fight and concluded it with a beautifully sunk rear naked choke.
4. Shinya Aoki
Shinya Aoki is not well-known amongst the casual MMA fan or TUF newbies out there, however, this doesn’t count him out as a top notch submission artist and MMA fighter. Aoki holds a black belt in both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. Aoki’s unique blend of superior jiu-jitsu and judo surely makes him stand out in the crowd of submission wrestlers. Aoki also stands out with his rainbow colored and/or neon tights in his fights, which is pretty damn awesome if you ask me.
Shinya Aoki has made most of his MMA career in the Shooto organization along with PRIDE FC and is the current Shooto middleweight champion.
In a way, Aoki reminds me of a Japanese version of BJ Penn. Aoki is best known for his remarkable flexibility and fluidity in his movements, usually gaining him the edge over his opponents on the ground. Nicknamed “Tobikan Judan,” meaning “Tenth degree black belt in jumping locks,” Aoki often surprises his opponents with his flexibility and exceptional submissions.
From what I hear, Aoki is a strong fighter, despite his lanky appearance. Aoki’s craziest wins would have to be against Clay French at Bushido 13 and against Joachim “Hellboy” Hansen at PRIDE Shockwave 2006. I was in absolute awe when watching Aoki’s win over French, he won via FLYING triangle choke, YES, FLYING! What looked like an everyday match was turned into a mind-blowing win as Aoki slapped a flying triangle choke on Clay French and turned French into what looked like a human pretzel. I kid you not. Aoki’s win over Joachim Hansen was equally impressive as he took the victory via gogoplata, an extremely rare submission in MMA.
Aoki truly proves that a submission victory can be equally if not more entertaining than a knockout victory. With his gravity defying submissions, Aoki is surely one of the top submission artists out in MMA today.
Here is a highlight video of Aoki I posted a while ago.
3. BJ “The Prodigy” Penn
Fighters don’t earn the nickname “The Prodigy” for nothing. If there is one fighter out there to be deemed the prodigy, Penn is certainly the one. He's best known for his spectacular dexterity, flexibility, remarkable balance, as well as his “heavy hands.”
Penn began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the age of seventeen and was awarded a black belt in 2000. Penn was the first non-Brazilian to win a gold medal in the black belt division of the Mundial World Championships held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Penn also destroyed a well accomplished black belt in Judo as a white belt.
Penn established his mixed martial arts career with three consecutive knockout wins in the UFC over Joey Gilbert, Din Thomas and Caol Uno before running into a majority decision loss against Jens Pulver at UFC 35.
Penn’s foremost achievement would have to be when he moved up from his normal lightweight division to the welterweight division, and defeated the heavily favored champion Matt Hughes. In Penn-Hughes I, Penn dominated the entire beginning first round on his feet and continued his onslaught on the ground. Penn sealed the deal with a beautiful rear naked choke forcing Hughes to tap. Penn also holds a win over current Japanese superstar and PRIDE FC lightweight champion Takanori Gomi.
Penn was also a coach for The Ultimate Fighter 5, which aired on April 5, 2007. Penn lead a team of eight lightweight fighters, and fought a rematch against Jens Pulver at the finale of the TV series on June 23, 2007. Penn took it to Pulver the entire match and won with a rear naked choke in the second round. Penn was able to trap the left arm of Pulver with his leg to sink in the choke. Penn’s future plans once again lie in the welterweight division where he hopes for a possible rematch against Georges St. Pierre and to fight Matt Hughes for the third time.
2. Fedor "The Last Emperor" Emelianenko
It must hurt to not see Fedor at the number one spot on any list. However, because the list is based on submissions alone, I hope you guys can forgive me. Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko is of course the current PRIDE FC World Heavyweight Champion and has been since March 16, 2003. Emeliananeko has been considered the best heavyweight fighter in the world for the last four years by many major MMA publications.
Emelianenko’s worldwide assault in MMA began in the art of Judo and Sambo. In 1997, Emelianenko earned the official certification of a “Master of Sports” in Sambo and Judo and soon became part of the Russian national team. In 2000, Fedor decided to compete in combat sambo and mixed martial arts because he was “poor.” Thank god for poverty!
Fedor’s best fights are well, all of them. I mean there isn’t one fight that Fedor has out there that doesn’t have me on the edge of my seat. Emelianenko is an absolute animal in the ring, from his lightning fast strikes to his smooth transitions and submissions on the ground. Fedor seems to be able to tangle his opponents from any position and slap on whatever submission at will. He just makes it look all too easy!
What catches my eye the most about Fedor though has to be his composure inside the ring. There has been many times where he has been caught in what seems to be a threatening situation, but shows no sign of panic whatsoever. For instance, in his fight with Mark Hunt, Fedor seemed to be caught in a tightly locked kimura and instead of panicking he patiently worked out of it.
Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianeko will go down as one of the greatest MMA fighters in history. No doubt about it!
We are down to the crème of the crop ladies and gentlemen. My number one rated submission artist in MMA today. And no, it is not Rickson Gracie, sorry. It is Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira. From a jaw dropping 29 wins, 18 by way of submission, Minotauro is known for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ).Nogueira is ranked #2 in most MMA heavyweight rankings around in the Internet. The majority of his career has been completed in PRIDE but, he was recently signed into the UFC, where I think he will do BIG things.
Nogueira made his way to the top of the heavyweight ranks around the world and has competed against some of the biggest names in MMA. From Fedor Emelianenko, Mirko Cro Cop, Heath Herring, Ricco Rodriguez, Dan Henderson, Fabricio Werdum, Sergei Kharitonov and even Bob Sapp, who outweighs Nogueira by a good 100 lbs.
If you’re not impressed with Nog’s more than stellar record, or his striking abilities or even his ground game, you must be blown away by this man’s fighting spirit and heart. Nogueira will NEVER give up in a fight, no matter what the situation or who the opponent. He is as tough as nails and is always respectable to all his opponents. Cro Cop, who Nogueira defeated via armbar, mentioned an interesting fact about Nogueira in a post interview. Cro Cop stated that he’d never experienced a grip as strong as Nogueira’s and it was as if his wrists were going to break every time he’d grab a hold of them.
Nogueira’s fight against Bob Sapp and Semmy Schilt are worth watching only because of the ludicrous size disadvantage he had coming in. In his bout against Sapp, he seemed to be getting dominated by Sapp’s overwhelming power and weight but managed to flip things around and win via armbar. With Schilt, Nogueira was forced to face a 6’11 giant with top notch striking credentials. Nogueira, being the “submission magician” he is, was able take the win with a triangle choke.
I am ecstatic with Nogueira’s signing to the UFC and hope to see him take the HW belt in the future!
Here are my picks for Top 5 Strikers of MMA Today just in case you missed that one.
The Lianger Read More...
Friday, May 4, 2007
Ranking the crossover & holdout Pride FC stars
