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.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
UFC 79 Analysis
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
UFC 79, M-1 Videos
Thanks to our Senior Writer, Jordan Arnold, we've got some excellent videos here. Look for UFC 79 videos as well as Fedor's win, after the jump.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Hong Man Choi
Nate Mohr vs. Manny Gamburyan
Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Hughes
Lyoto Machida vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Masakatu Funaki
Liddell-Silva Video
Major thanks to Todd over at redsweat.com for providing us with the correct speed of this video. Thanks!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
UFC 79 Results
Check back here tonight for live results of UFC 79. Look after the jump for results.
Matt Hughes vs. Georges St. Pierre III (Welterweight title)
-Georges St. Pierre wins by Submission (Arm Bar) in Round 2 (4:54)
Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva
-Chuck Liddell wins by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Soi Palalei vs. Eddie Sanchez
-Eddie Sanchez wins by TKO (Strikes) in Round 3 (3:24)
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Lyoto Machida
-Lyoto Machida wins by Submission (Arm Triangle) in Round 2 (4:20)
Rich Clementi vs. Melvin Guillard
-Clementi wins via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in Round 2 (4:40)
Dean Lister vs. Jordan Radev
-Dean Lister wins via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
James Irvin vs. Luis Cane
-James Irvin wins via DQ (Illegal Knee)
Roan Carneiro vs. Tony DeSouza
-Roan Carneiro wins by TKO (Strikes) in Round 2 (3:30)
Manny Gamburyan vs. Nate Mohr
-Manny Gamburyan wins by Submission (Heel Hook) in Round 1 (1:31)
Doug Evans vs. Mark Bocek
-Mark Bocek wins via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Friday, December 28, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Upcoming UFC Event Odds
It is well known that Las Vegas will put odds on just about anything, and so, it's no surprise that that within minutes of an any announcement, money lines are up. And while we won't explain how to read these lines (see FIGHT Magazine's Performify Foster for that), but we will tell you where we think the true values lie.
UFC 79:
Odds have changed away from their initial favoritism for Liddell, now favoring Silva at -130 or around 56%. Both have lost their last two fights and either could knock the other one out in the first round. Pick your favorite here and let the dice roll. I'll be staying away from this action, though...just a little too unpredictable for my blood. If you do want to bet on this one, however, you might want to go with Liddell. He'll win you more on what is being called an even match up and he's being picked to win by just about every professional fighter I talk to (Sean Sherk and Melvin Guillard included).
St. Pierre holds a sizable edge over Hughes (-240 to +190), but this seems accurate, considering the ease in which the former disposed of the latter in their previous battle. Take St. Pierre here. He's back from the Serra fight, his head is in order, and he's ALWAYS in shape. His -240 line is a representation of a 70% chance of winning this fight. I'd put him around 75-80%, making this a great value bet.
Now, for my money bet of the night. Machida holds the edge (-130) over Sokoudjou (even), but Sokoudjou is the more tested fighter. Yes, Machida has fought twice since Sokoudjou's last win in April, but that win was the second of two huge victories. Sokoudjou is simply the better fighter here and he's being given an underdogs line. Jump on this.
UFC 80:
Penn has St. Pierre-like odds in this one, holding a -260 advantage over Joe Stevenson (+200). Stevenson is good, but he's never seen anything like BJ Penn. Expect Penn to arrive early and hard for this title fight, showing why many consider him the best pound for pound fighter in the world.
UFC 81:
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira holds a large, undeserved lead over Tim Sylvia in the early betting (-250 to +200). Considering that Sylvia is rebounding from a big win over Brandon Vera, he's the top HW in the UFC (at least in my book). Couture is out, Cro Cop sucks, and Nogueira is untested. If I were forced to bet, I'd take Sylvia who I think will be surprisingly ready and in shape. He won't go down to the mat or anywhere near Nogueira's playground. He should, however, out strike the Brazilian to a decision win. The odds makers have only given him a 33% chance of winning, which I feel is too low for the veteran.
UFC 82:
Anderson Silva (-140) holds a small lead over Dan Henderson (+110). It's tough to call this one, as Silva is dominant and unpredictable, while Henderson hasn't been seen at this weight in quite some time. It's easy to quickly call this one for Silva, but we must not forget the ease in which Henderson tore through Wanderlei earlier this year. He's still one of the best Light Heavyweights, Middleweights, and P4Ps in the world. I'll probably put some money down on Anderson, but I'll be nervous until The Spider's hand is raised. He's been given a 58% chance of winning the fight, which is a little low for the man who has single-handedly dismantled the rest of the division.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Liddell-Silva Still A Blockbuster
On December 29, 2007, live from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV, former UFC and Pride champions Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell (20-5) and "The Axe Murderer" Wanderlei Silva (31-7-1) will match up against each other at UFC 79: NEMESIS. Fight fans have been speculating about this fight for years now, and despite recent losses, the match up is still highly anticipated. An article by Don Davenport.
Chuck Liddell lost his Light Heavyweight Championship to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC: 71 by TKO in the first round by a devastating right hand. Liddell then lost his 2nd fight in a row at UFC: 76 to Keith "The Dean of Mean" Jardine by split decision. Wanderlei Silva was knocked out by Mirko "Cro Cop" with a left high kick in the in the Open-Weight Grand Prix semi-finals at PRIDE: Fnial Conflict Absolute. Silva too lost his 2nd fight in a row and Middleweight Championship to Dan "Hollywood" Henderson by knockout at Pride 33: Second Coming.
Liddell and Silva were on the top of their respective fight games one year ago wioth both possessing the Championship in their weight class. The argument then was: Who is better, Silva or Liddell? The argument now : Who is more disappointing, Silva or Liddell? This fight was initially anticipated at PRIDE: Final Conflict 2003 tournament, but Liddell was eliminated by Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Since then, no negotiations could be made for the two fighters to meet, until UFC President Dana White announced on Spike TV's 2007 Scream Awards that the dream match would finally take place.
My Prediction for the winner of this long awaited battle is none other than Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell. Liddell will beat Silva because of two reasons. The first is inactivity: Silva has not competed since PRIDE 33 where he was defeated by knockout by Dan Henderson. This is main component why Silva's training parter Mauricio "Shogun" Rua lost to Forrest Griffin at UFC: 76. The second is that Silva has never done well in "The Octagon". He's 1-2. Silva suffered his biggest loss to Vitor Belfort in just 44 seconds at UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil.
I would have suggested that Silva should take a tune up fight, but if he lost, I know that this match would lose appeal; so I am glad he is going for it If Silva is aggressive, he can catch Liddell early and end the fight. When he is at his best, Silva throws a lot of punches and knees, often knocking out his opponents. Remember, he defeated the current UFC Light Heavywieght Champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (twice) by knockout in PRIDE. For Liddell to win the fight, he needs to counter Silva's punches with a jab, keep his hands up, and be the more aggressive fighter.
If Liddell doesn't get motivated for this, the biggest fight of his career, he might want to join Randy Couture on the sidelines.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Manny Gamburyan Interview
Ben Zeidler recently caught up with TUF finalist Manny Gamburyan, who is looking to rebound from his disappointing injury and loss against Nate Diaz. Gamburyan, who has an upcoming fight at UFC 79 against Nate Mohr, discusses everything from his preparation for the fight, a potential rematch with Nate, and the possibility of taking on Sean Sherk.
MMA Madness: How’s your training going?
Manny Gamburyan: Training is going really well. I feel good.
MMA Madness: Your next fight is at UFC 79 against Nate Mohr. How do you think that you guys will match up?
Manny Gamburyan: I think it’s a great match up. Nate is a good guy and a good fighter. He’s got the experience in the UFC. He lost his first UFC fight with a leg lock but he won the last one so he’s got that. I’m preparing for what he can do so I should be good.
MMA Madness: How do you see the fight going? Do you look to finish or can that lead to sloppy mistakes?
Manny Gamburyan: I always try to finish. Always. You don’t want the fight to go to the judges. You never know what can happen with them. So yes, I will try to finish him as soon as I can.
MMA Madness: Are we going to see the same powerful and explosive Manny that we saw on TUF?
Manny Gamburyan: It’s going be a crazy pace. I’m going to be all over him, stand up, ground and pound, submission, I’ll be looking for it all. Anywhere the fight goes, I’ll be working fast.
MMA Madness: You've got a decision loss to Sean Sherk. Is that something you'd like to avenge?
Manny Gamburyan: Sure, why not? I’d love to fight him again. Hopefully, I’ll win on the 29th and then get a couple more fights under my belt, get a little more technical, and maybe I’ll get a shot. It would be a dream come true to take on Sean Sherk.
MMA Madness: Most people had you winning your fight against Diaz, and you dominated the fight until your shoulder injury. Do you want a rematch with Nate?
Manny Gamburyan: 100%. I want a rematch 100%. I guarantee you guys that I’ll continue right where I left off against Nate the first time. I was too confident in myself before the fight and I pushed the injury too hard during training. I had the injury during training but it wasn’t hurting too much and I never thought it would pop out like that. I had hurt it for the first time in 2001 and I’ve hurt it a few times since then. The Nate Diaz fight was the fourth time I hurt the shoulder. I promise you guys when I get that rematch, I’m going to show everyone that I was the real Ultimate Fighter.
MMA Madness: Your cousin, Karo Parisyan, has an upcoming fight at UFC 78. Have you trained with him for this fight? Do you think that he is ready?
Manny Gamburyan: We train every other day, we grapple, do a lot of technique. He’ll definitely be ready.
MMA Madness: He’s been letting too many fights go to a decision. You think he’ll finish this guy?
Manny Gamburyan: This guy (Chonan) is a wily kid so Karo has to stay active and that’s what I’ve been telling him. Go to the ground and try to submit him. I think Karo will submit him in the 2nd round.
MMA Madness: If he can win a strong finish, he might get a title shot after GSP gets his.
Manny Gamburyan: Yep, he’s definitely looking for the title.
MMA Madness: What was the best part of being on TUF?
Manny Gamburyan: Being with Pulver and Penn was definitely the best part. I respect both guys a lot. They’ve got different training but both are great guys. The house sucks. Don’t even go there. Being a part of it was a great experience and it’s great to get that much fight time in. You don’t talk to friends and parents you don’t know what anyone outside of the house is doing so you end up training all the time. You really have to be mentally strong to be on the show. You can never do it if you’re not.
MMA Madness: Cole told us he liked the house.
Manny Gamburyan: Really? I don’t think he was having a good time.
MMA Madness: Looking back, are you glad you were on Team Pulver?
Manny Gamburyan: Y’know, either way, I ended up in the gym. I’m happy I was with Pulver, we trained like animals. We had one day off a week and Pulver’s got tons of experience and heart. I’ve got lots of respect for the guy.
MMA Madness: Steroids have become a huge issue in MMA lately. Why are fighters taking them if they know that they'll probably get caught?
Manny Gamburyan: If I were Dana White, I would say I don’t care if you’re the freaking champion, don’t give them one chance, you’re off the UFC for the rest of your life. I should be like that all the time. If Sherk did it, he should be out, no more UFC for him. I don’t care if you’re Matt Hughes, Andrei Arlovski, or Tim Sylvia, if you do it, get out. Not even 1% chance you should be let back in. That’s the biggest cheating ever. You aren’t real if you cheat. I don’t respect you at all if you cheat.
MMA Madness: Who do you think will win the following fights and how will they do it?
MMA Madness: BJ Penn vs. Jens Pulver 3?
Manny Gamburyan: BJ Penn. Jens is too small for 155. He’s got great technical ability but BJ can stand up and has great Jiu Jitsu.
MMA Madness: Karo Parisyan vs. Ryo Chonan?
Manny Gamburyan: Parisyan in the second by submission or stoppage
MMA Madness: Manny Gamburyan vs. Nate Diaz 2?
Manny Gamburyan: I’ll submit him in the first round
MMA Madness: Sokoudjou vs. Machida?
Manny Gamburyan: Sokoudjou with a KO
MMA Madness: Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva?
Manny Gamburyan: This is the hardest fight to call and I’m not good at predictions, but I’ll say Liddell KO with a counter punch, first round.
MMA Madness: Any sponsors you’d like to thank?
Manny Gamburyan: Sprawl.
MMA Madness: Do you have anything to say to your fans?
Manny Gamburyan: Yes. I want to say don’t miss UFC 79. I’m back, it’s going to be great. I love my fans. Don’t forget about me.
(originally conducted for MMA Madness)
Sunday, November 25, 2007
UFC 79 To Feature Hughes-GSP III For Interim
Exactly one day BEFORE the announcement of the Hughes-St. Pierre Interim Title fight, IWF reported the following: "If I were White, I would consider holding Hughes-St. Pierre III now, with the winner receiving a title shot. Hughes and St. Pierre will fight each other again soon enough, so it could make sense to get it out of the way now." Dana White must read IWF, because hours later, the blockbuster was booked.
In the UFC, when one door closes, another opens, and on December 29th, that adage will ring true once against when Matt Hughes battles Georges St. Pierre for the interim UFC Welterweight Championship in the main event of UFC 79: Nemesis, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
St-Pierre replaces UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Serra, who was forced to withdraw from his bout with Hughes last week due to a herniated disc in his back.
“Obviously, the loss of Matt Serra was brutal, but the great thing about the UFC is that we can put together great fights like Hughes-St-Pierre at a moment’s notice and bounce right back,” said UFC President Dana White. “I have the utmost respect for both Hughes and St-Pierre for stepping up for this fight, and not only are the fans going to see two of the greatest welterweights of all-time settle their score in a rubber match, but they're going to do it in a five round interim title fight, and the winner is going to face off next year against Matt Serra for the undisputed title.”
Hughes and St-Pierre are no strangers to one another, having fought twice with vastly different results. In their first bout at UFC 50 in October of 2004, Hughes won the vacant welterweight crown with a first round submission victory. In their November 2006 rematch, St-Pierre evened the score with a second round TKO of Hughes to win the 170-pound title. On December 29th, the two will settle matters once and for all.
“I’m so excited to get this fight,” said St-Pierre. “I’m fighting Matt Hughes for the interim title right now, and then after that I’m going to go after Serra. I’ve wanted that rematch against Serra, and this is the best scenario that can happen.”
Waiting in the wings will be the champion, Serra, who will have an odd rooting interest that night.
“I can’t believe the position this puts me in,” said the New Yorker, who won the title from St-Pierre and was looking forward to settling the score with the man he has been coaching against and trading barbs with on the sixth season of The Ultimate Fighter, Hughes. “I’m actually rooting for Matt Hughes so I can beat his ass.”
Friday, November 23, 2007
Serra Pulls Out Of UFC 79
Due to herniated discs from a training injury, Matt Serra has been forced to pull out of his upcoming bout with former champ Matt Hughes.
Serra was involved in a routine training regiment when he fell to the floor in pain. Later MRIs revealed the herniated discs in his lower back.
“This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” said Serra. “I’ve never had a back injury before; I could hardly get off of the MRI table. There is no way I can train through this, and I’m devastated, especially because this was such an important fight. I was looking forward to fighting Matt Hughes. All my training was going phenomenally until Monday – All I can do now is to get better and to fight again as soon as possible.”
Hopefully, White will book a Welterweight contender against Hughes as to keep Hughes busy and not diminish the excellent star quality of this December card. If I were White, I would consider holding Hughes-St. Pierre III now, with the winner receiving a title shot. Hughes and St. Pierre will fight each other again soon enough, so it could make sense to get it out of the way now.
St. Pierre would be more likely to support this plan than Hughes due to the fact that if Hughes is victorious, Georges is still owed a shot at Serra, and therefore, wouldn't be permanently cut out of the title picture. If St. Pierre is victorious in the third bout with Hughes, it would likely spell the end of Matt Hughes' title contendership.
More than likely, however, White and Joe Silva will opt to either have Hughes fight in a tune up bout, or simply not fight at all.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
UFC Signs Sokoudjou
Gerbasi's article:2007 has seen the UFC's Light Heavyweight division become the most talent-rich weight class in the world. At UFC 79, which will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on December 29th, fight fans will get a glimpse of the newest addition to the 205-pound ranks as “The African Assassin”, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, makes his UFC debut against unbeaten sharpshooter Lyoto Machida.
“Sokoudjou is an explosive athlete with heavy hands and great judo who is coming off huge back-to-back knockout wins over two top ten guys in Ricardo Arona and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira,” said UFC President Dana White. “Bringing him in just makes the stacked 205-pound division even stronger, and there are endless great matchups for him here in the UFC.”
A highly regarded judoka who won the 2001 US Open, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (4-1) moved to the United States from his native Cameroon in 2001, and by 2004, he had turned his attention to mixed martial arts. He made his MMA debut in 2006, and by 2007 he was brought in to fight in the PRIDE organization. It was there that Sokoudjou truly made his mark as he knocked out world-class light heavyweights Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona in consecutive bouts, with neither fight making it out of the second minute. A member of the renowned Team Quest in California, the 23-year old Sokoudjou comes to the Octagon with great potential and even greater expectations.
Unbeaten in 11 pro fights, Brazil’s Lyoto Machida is one of the most accurate and technical strikers in the game today. Owner of wins over BJ Penn, Rich Franklin, and Stephan Bonnar, Machida entered the UFC Octagon for the first time in February of 2007 and he has since scored wins over Sam Hoger and David Heath. In September, Machida fought the most impressive fight of his UFC career when he soundly outpointed PRIDE vet Kazuhiro Nakamura. On December 29th, he will be pushed to the limit by the hard-hitting Sokoudjou.
“I’m looking very forward to this fight,” said Machida. “I know Sokoudjou doesn’t have a lot of fights, but the fights he’s had are big, and he has beaten some very big names in this sport. I think this is going to be a great fight, and I am looking forward to winning this fight, and to moving on and fighting for the UFC title.”
“Machida needs to fight a guy who will come right after him, keep the pressure on him, and set the pace, instead of Machida setting the pace,” said White. “Sokoudjou’s that type of guy.”
Monday, November 12, 2007
Slow Period For MMA News
It's been a slow month or so for mixed martial arts news, as obscure HDNet and HERO'S results flood the pages of most MMA-dedicated blogs. But it wasn't always like this. As recently as this past summer, it always seemed like a blockbuster match was being announced or a superstar fighter was being signed. Recently, however, the excitement seems to be missing from MMA. And here's why:
Rivalries Resolved
The major rivalries that were responsible for UFC's popularity surge over the last year have been dying out. Interest has waned, one fighter won the majority of the contests, or one fighter so emphatically beat his opponent that there is no clear need for a rematch. Any way you break it down, Liddell/Ortiz, Penn/Pulver, and many others just aren't as fun as they used to be. These rivalries ending wouldn't be a problem (after all, good things do need to come to an end) if they were replaced with equally entertaining rivalries. You can't tell me that I'm supposed to watch Liddell take on Ortiz and Rampage and then enjoy a Keith Jardine fight. It's not happening. From top to bottom in the UFC, eras have come to an end, with the obvious exception of Hughes/GSP which has only taken a detour to the grave due a freak win by Matt Serra. Everything else, however (Couture/Sylvia, Silva/Franklin, etc.) has gone by the wayside in the last few months. It's made for odd match ups, like Ortiz/Evans, that would never have been booked last year.
PRIDE Is Dead
The competition bred by PRIDE was not solely successful in creating a "What If?" atmosphere. It also served to force the UFC to constantly examine what they were doing and how they could make it better. As recently as February of this year, PRIDE held an event headlined by Henderson and Wanderlei in Las Vegas. For the UFC, that was enough warning. They chose to buy out PRIDE before it threatened their stateside hegemony. But when the Ferttitas bought out PRIDE, they also opted out of being forced into making improvements to their own organization. Had PRIDE made the successful jump to the States (and it looked as if they would, with a 2 million dollar gate), White and Co. would have to work overtime to come up with new ways to sell fights, new rivalries, new fighter personas, and everything else it takes to remain afloat in a competitive business environment. Now, they need none of this, instead choosing to move at their own pace and headlining each card with just one super fight instead of many. If PRIDE were still an independent entity, we never would have seen a card like UFC 77, with one main event and countless other battles with little significance. And we would certainly never see a UFC 78, consisting of a main event that deserves to be either a swing bout at a PPV or a main event at a Fight Night. Surely it shouldn't be the main attraction at New Jersey's first event since UFC 53! It is, unfortunately, and this has come about simply because White has the option to make it this way. No one is forcing his hand as PRIDE had started to do earlier this year.
Fighters Signed
Back when the Rampage Jackson/Mirko Filipovic signings were announced, it was as if a bomb had been dropped on the MMA world. Acquiring such free agent talent automatically meant a myriad of new matches in two different divisions. It was exciting and it was new. Then came Nogueira, Henderson, Shogun, and Wanderlei. The novelty was destroyed as essentially every big name was brought under one roof. And while there's something to be said for accumulating the biggest names in order to create the best match ups, there's also an interesting element in having great fighters that exist outside of the world's best organization. With the exception of Fedor, there are very few "What If?" scenarios that are still worth contemplating. The Light Heavyweights have all but been swept up (with the exception of Soukoudjou, who doesn't look like he's going anywhere soon), and the rest of the divisions don't warrant signing (see Kang's recent KO loss and Filho's near-loss). With no free agents left, every fight is a possibility and no fights are impossible. For a sport built on unpredictability, that's a scary thought.
Bad Booking
As a paying customer, I believe that every fight on a PPV card should have title implications or at least be exciting. At the most recent event, UFC 77, other than the title fight and the Sylvia-Vera bout (which I'll agree had title ramifications, but sure as hell wasn't exciting), nothing that was televised was worth an ounce of the fan's time. Stephan Bonnar provided fans with an exciting, unimportant bout, while the two remaining fights on the main card contained neither excitement nor title consideration. Even more frustrating to the fans, the more exciting fighters (Jason MacDonald and Demian Maia) were kept on the under card in Machida-like fashion. The UFC 78 card is so weak that on the website, it specifies "This fight has massive implications!" as though the UFC needs to convince people that the statement is true. The UFC would like you to focus on the fact that both men are TUF winners and are technically undefeated. What you should be focusing on is that most analysts believe Bisping lost his last fight, and Evans stalled his way to a draw with Tito Ortiz. The secondary fight on the card appears to be the Parisyan-Chonan bout, which appears to have absolutely no implications, unless there's some obscure connection I'm missing. If anyone can hype a fight and make it seem worthwhile, it's certainly the UFC P.R. machine. Apparently, when you market events this well, you don't even need to book interesting fights.
However, there is light at the end of the tunnel and it comes in the form of UFC 79. Whether this incredible event is just plain luck, a UFC reaction to bad buys for UFC 77 and UFC 78 (anyone else see the three-pack they've been pushing on PPV subscribers?), or it marks the dawn of the post-PRIDE era, no one can be sure. What the UFC needs in order to make a successful transition in completely unchartered waters is a set of great fights at this event. It was just last December that Liddell v. Ortiz II took place, providing the UFC with enough momentum to remain viable throughout the year. If they can get another blockbuster out of Hughes, Liddell, and Wanderlei, they might just be able to repeat.
Originally written for MMAMadness.com
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
LIDDELL-SILVA IS ON
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – For years, UFC® fight fans have speculated about the outcome of a historic dream matchup between two legendary figures in the sport of mixed martial arts, Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva. Tonight, on Spike TV’s 2007 Scream Awards, UFC President Dana White announced that this dream will finally become a reality when UFC and PRIDE former champions Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell and “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva face each other at UFC 79: NEMESIS live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday, December 29, 2007.
“Chuck and Wanderlei – two legends in the sport – will face off in the most important match of their careers at UFC 79,” said Dana White, UFC President. “Chuck and Wanderlei have both wanted this fight for as long as they can remember, and this is definitely the fight that fans have waited for years to see. Finally, PRIDE’s most dangerous striker will face the UFC’s most dangerous striker, and the world will know after years of speculation who will win and who will lose this fight.”
Tickets for UFC 79: NEMESIS are on sale now and are priced at $1,000, $750, $500, $300, $200 and $100. Tickets are available through any Mandalay Bay box office and all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers, Macy’s West at the Fashion Show Mall and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call the Mandalay Bay box office at (702) 632-7580 or Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.ufc.com, www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
A special Internet ticket pre-sale is available now to UFC newsletter subscribers. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through www.ufc.com.
There also will be a special auction for Octagon-side floor seats available only through www.ticketmaster.com starting Wednesday, October 24 and ending Monday, November 5.
UFC 79: NEMESIS is available live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, Bell ExpressVu, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $39.95 ($39.99 CAD) and $49.95 for HD where available.
Liddell (20-5), considered by many to be the greatest light heavyweight fighter of all time, reigned as the 205-pound UFC champion for over three years. He knocked out seven opponents in seven consecutive fights, including Randy Couture (twice), Vernon White, Jeremy Horn, Renato “Babalu” Sobral and Tito Ortiz (twice), before he was defeated by Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 71 in May. Chuck now returns to the Octagon to face the fighter he has wanted to fight for years – Wanderlei Silva.
“I’m excited this fight with Wanderlei is finally happening,” said Liddell. “I’ve been saying for a long time that, given the chance, I would knock Wanderlei Silva out. I think this will be a great fight for the fans, and one that lives up to their expectations, because I’m going to hit him until he falls down and stays down.”
The 31-year old Silva (31-7-1), known by fight fans as “The Axe Murderer” for his ultra-aggressive style and finishing ability, began his career almost 11 years ago in his native Brazil, fighting in Vale Tudo bouts that pushed him to the limit as he honed the skills that would soon make him one of the most feared fighters on the planet. He met great success by winning the PRIDE organization’s middleweight championship and defeating the likes of current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson (twice), Dan Henderson, Kazushi Sakuraba (three times), Ricardo Arona, Hidehiko Yoshida, and Kazuyuki Fujita, while engaging in some of the most memorable fights in MMA history. Well-rested after his February PRIDE fight against Dan Henderson, Silva is ready to take on Liddell and secure the most important victory of his mixed martial arts career.
“I’ve wanted to fight Chuck for a long time,” said Silva. “I think about this fight a lot, our styles are very similar – we are both great strikers. I’m training very hard, because I want to give my next victory to my fans. After I beat Chuck, then I want to fight the champion.”
In addition to Liddell vs. Silva, UFC 79 features the main event welterweight championship matchup between UFC champion Matt Serra (16-4) and former UFC champion Matt Hughes (43-5).
Current UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra, fresh off his knockout victory over Georges St-Pierre in April, looks to defend his title for the first time against the legendary Hughes and secure his own legacy in the UFC 170-pound division. Hughes, a two-time UFC champion with seven combined title defenses to his name, has a deadly ground game that has earned him wins over St-Pierre, BJ Penn, Chris Lytle, Royce Gracie, and Frank Trigg (twice).
For more information about UFC 78, The Ultimate Fighter 6 Finale, UFC 79 or any upcoming UFC event, visit www.ufc.com or uk.ufc.com. All bouts are live and subject to change.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Liddell And Wanderlei Probable
With Wandy's camp saying "maybe" and John Hackleman (Liddell's trainer) saying "definitely," it appears that the once-Superfight is finally on the right track to go down at UFC 79.
Since Liddell's expected opponent, Shogun Rua, is down and out until at least early 2008, The Iceman needs someone new to fight. With no outstanding losses that he can avenge (no Rampage for you, come back ONE YEAR!), Liddell looks to take on the man he should have faced years ago. While it's not quite as exclamatory a brawl as it would've been in years past, it's a big fight nonetheless, and between two of the most loved stars in the sport.
I think that this is without a doubt the right fight for The Iceman. He tried to have a tune up after the most recent Rampage loss and look where it got him. At this point in his career, he's better off going all out for as long as he can while trying to make some sort of legitimate claim that he is the superstar he once was. If he loses, to Wanderlei or anyone really, his career is all but over.
It's the correct fight for Wanderlei too. If Cro Cop and Shogun have taught us anything, it's that warm up fights usually are anything but easy. Silva's best bet is to make a splash by destroying Liddell and laying claim to a title shot against Rampage (a man whom he has beaten twice). With Shogun out and Henderson recovering from his last title shot, Silva would be the easy choice for the champ...if he can get through Liddell.
Being the man who picked GSP at UFC 69, Cro Cop at 70, Liddell at 71, and Liddell/Jardine at 76, you can't get me to predict this with a ten-foot pole. That being said, it should be an excellent fight whenever it takes place, and indicators tell us that we may be treated to it before 2007 is up.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Upcoming UFC Event Odds
It is well known that Las Vegas will put odds on just about anything, and so, it's no surprise that that within minutes of the Liddell-Jardine announcement, money odds were up. Equally disturbing are the money odds for December's event. I wouldn't be surprised if they had odds on a Rashad Evans-Michael Bisping title fight for 5 years from now. But...since they're up, The Irish Whip will cover it.
UFC 74:
Surprisingly, odds makers have Gabriel Gonzaga (-135) as a slight favorite over Champion Randy Couture. I discussed this with Masson and he suggested that "this is what happened when you KO Cro Cop." I think he's right. Money on The Natural ranges anywhere from -105 to +120. I'd bet Couture if the money went over +120.
Georges St. Pierre is the overwhelming favorite -225, and as he should be. I expect him to destroy Koscheck (+200), but with the recent rash of upsets and St. Pierre's questionable mental readiness, I won't be betting on this fight.
UFC 75:
Rampage is a small favorite over Henderson, and this is to be expected as Liddell was on the top of the heap whereas Wandy was already coming off of a loss when he got KO'ed by Hollywood. Rampage is a -135 and Henderson's a +130, making this an essential pick 'em. It's too close to call in my book and I simply haven't seen enough of either of these guys to justify plunking down a Benjamin.
Cro Cop is a huge favorite (-325) over Cheick Kongo (+300) and this wouldn't be a bad one to take. I expect Cro Cop to rebound famously from his Gonzaga fight and dominate at UFC 75, resulting in a knockout victory. If you've got the money, put it on Cro Cop.
Michael Bisping is a nicely sized favorite (-215) over Matt Hammil (+185).
UFC 76:
Liddell is a big favorite (-280) over Jardine here, as if anyone cares. I know I don't. It's a relatively solid bet though, considering Liddell's need to rebound (see: Cro Cop). I love The Iceman, so I might bite on this money, but it's a little pricey considering the flash in which he went down last time.
Shogun is an equally big favorite (-240) over Machida (+180), but this scares me a little bit. Many publications have Shogun as their #1 Light heavyweight, but Machida isn't far behind. I fear that Shogun's odds are being inflated due to the fact that none of Machida's UFC bouts have been televised. This fight will be closer than the odds suggest...stay away!
Jon Fitch is a favorite (-155) over Diego Sanchez (+120). After his poor performance against Kos, faith in Diego is down, but I see him taking this fight.
UFC 77:
Anderson Silva is a -205 favorite against Franklin (+170), which seems about right. I don't see anything going differently although I do like Franklin and hope he wins so they need to have a rubber match. That's what I'd like...but I don't think it'll happen. Confidence in Silva is so high right now that this is an appetizing bet and one which I may have to take.
Evans and Ortiz are relatively even money again. Pick 'em. I'll be picking Ortiz because I think he'll be better prepared this time...and he wont hold the fence.
UFC 78:
Penn is a small favorite (-150) over Sherk (+125). Jump on this bet! Penn has ALL the tools to beat Sherk and he'll break them out at 78, no doubt about it. I'm guaranteeing this win for Penn right here.
UFC 79:
Hughes is an expected favorite over Serra, but at -345, it's more than any of us thought. He's a bigger favorite than St. Pierre over Koscheck or Cro Cop over Kongo. I love Hughes, and I think he'll win, but it's too much of a risk for me. Serra (+290) smells blood like none other and I'm afraid if he landed one, he'd be able to finish.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Upcoming UFC Events Analysis
With a reasonable degree of certainty, we are now able to discuss main events through the end of 2007. Some suggest that Dana White and his at-times overzealous promoting machine are a drain on the sport, but knowing main events in advance allows us to speculate way too early and have a great deal of fun doing so.
UFC 74: Unfortunately, the 74th installment of UFC events (this is a lie, see UFC 37.5) seems be falling just as the 73rd and 72nd did. That is, they feature a number of events which are "good match ups" and could potentially feature upsets, but will most likely leave us saying "I knew that was going to happen." Despite Gabriel Gonzaga's early betting lead over Randy Couture, it is doubtful that the Brazilian will be able to capture the American's title. I watched UFC 56 today, and was put to sleep by Gonzaga's lack of stamina and aggression. To be fair, he did land a knockout blow 13 minutes into the fight (which was 12 minutes too late for the crowd, which had begun to chant "Go Home!" minutes earlier). Additionally, St. Pierre should destroy Josh Koscheck. Of course, I said this about Rush's UFC 69 fight against Matt Serra, but I just don't see how St. Pierre loses two fights in a row. This is certainly one to bet on. Couture and GSP provide the event with marketable and exciting figures, but they aren't fighting worthy competitors. I predict another dud.
UFC 75: After what will have been three months of total crap, UFC will finally come through with an awesome event (even if it does feature PRIDE fighters rather than home-grown UFC talent). Jackson and Henderson should provide an absolute war which will be scheduled to end at any time, as both possess incredible knockout power. On another level, the idea of having Champion vs. Champion is something that's never been done before and brings us closer to Dana White's dream of an MMA Superbowl. On the under card are a few solid fights including the return of Cro Cop and Bisping-Hamill. This is definitely one to buy and will probably be the most hyped card since UFC 71 as well as the most enjoyable card since UFC 68.
UFC 76: I don't even want to talk about this piece of shit card. I plan on spending this fight night watching UFC 52 instead. Liddell vs. Jardine is a waste of time for both fighters and their fans. If Jardine wins, it just sets Liddell further back from a title shot. Meanwhile, it's not as if Jardine is getting a shot at Rampage or Hendo anytime soon. The best scenario is that Liddell destroys him and legitimizes his claim for a title shot. Even so, we would still have to wait another 5 months for this to happen. The fight of the night should be Shogun vs. Machida. We all know what Shogun can do (just one loss in PRIDE with wins over Rampage, Little Nog, and Arona) and despite Machida's fights getting bumped off his last two cards, he still holds wins over B.J. Penn AND Rich Franklin. I wouldn't be surprised if the winner of this fight meets the winner of Evans-Ortiz II, as Liddell inevitably gets lost in the Light heavyweight shuffle.
UFC 77: This should be a fun one, and it's encouraging that they've sandwiched this and 75 on either side of the evolving disaster that will be UFC 76. Rich Franklin will get his rematch against Anderson Silva and the WORST thing that happens is that Franklin gets his face knocked in from a Muay Thai clinch for two rounds. The best case scenario (in my book, at least) is that the Miletich-trained fighter takes this fight, setting the stage for Franklin-Silva III. That would be awesome. Meanwhile, Tito and Rashad will meet again, and both should be looking to make an impact. Neither fighter was pleased with the outcome at 73, and both want to prove that they are the better competitor. Look for an all-out war.
UFC 78: While this card won't be quite as strong as 77, it will still top the UFC 76 card. It looks to feature Sherk-Penn for the Lightweight title, or as I like to call it, the fight of second-tier Welterweights. Both hold losses to St. Pierre and Matt Hughes and have since decided to cut weight and try their hand at a different class. This should be a spectacular fight, with both men being expert technicians and wizards on the ground. Both can strike, Sherk has the best take downs in the game, but Penn might have the best defense. Anything can happen in this fight, and that's what makes it so exciting. Maybe they'll add a little Arlovski-Sylvia IV to this card and really make it a show stopper. Big Nog would be ready to fight at this point as well, and Cro Cop has been guaranteed a date with Rodrigo -- if he can get past Kongo at 76. Just a thought...
UFC 79: I doubt that the Hughes-Serra fight will the greatest bout in the history of MMA, but it could be good. For all intents and purposes, Hughes is expected to win his title back (he's a current -400 favorite) without having to go through GSP. The most exciting part of this bout is that it should set up Hughes-St. Pierre III, which will reach Liddell-Couture trilogy status. It's way too early to guess what else will be on this card, but as we all know too well, the other main card fights (not the main event) often make or break the entire event. It could be as good as 75 or as terrible as 76; it all just depends on how they schedule it.
Don't forget to comment below with your own thoughts, predictions, and reactions to the upcoming six months of UFC action!
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
Sunday, June 24, 2007
UFC Main Card Updates
Anderson Silva vs. Nate Marquardt (Middleweight title)
Sean Sherk vs. Hermes Franca (Lightweight title)
Tito Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Heath Herring
Kenny Florian vs. Alvin Robinson
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
Tim Sylvia vs. TBA
Quinton Jackson vs. Dan Henderson (Lightheavyweight title)
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Cheick Kongo
Michael Bisping vs. Matt HamillUFC 76 (Anaheim, CA: Honda Center)
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. TBAUFC 77 (Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Bell Centre) Wanderlei Silva vs. Chuck LiddellUFC 78 (Cincinnati, Ohio: U.S. Bank Arena)
Rich Franklin vs. Anderson Silva/Nate Marquardt (Middleweight title) UFC 79 (East Rutherford, NJ: Continental Airlines Arena)
Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra (Welterweight title)
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
ECW Notes/UFC Notes/Updated Cards
I thought about using a whole post to go through tonight's "ECW," but I quickly realized that it was what it always is. The stars were involved in a non-extreme match plagued with interference (CM Punk vs. Elijah Burke), Originals were used to put over less-extreme new wrestlers (Balls Mahoney vs. Kevin Thorn), and more Superstars that people actually like were humiliated (RVD, Tommy Dreamer). The only good thing I have to say about ECW is that the producers have become quite talented at fitting in four commercials, three matches, two promos, one bizarre dance segment, and a partridge in a pear tree into their single hour time slot.
Onto the the UFC. Despite what I reported about Liddell getting the winner of the Rampage-Henderson fight, it appears that he will have to wait. I watched an ESPNews clip in which Dana White (one of Liddell's biggest fans) said that Liddell would have to prove himself in a COUPLE of fights before getting a shot at Rampage. He included the fact that Chuck has now lost twice to Rampage and so it would be hard to justify a third fight. Despite that I don't really count Rampage's first win as valid in this context, I take a bigger issue with the statement that Liddell has to prove himself. If an ESPN cover and PPV numbers bigger than the WWE and Professional Boxing don't coun't for something, then I'm not sure what White is looking for.
Below are the updated UFC cards that you've become so used to seeing from us. Worth noting is the heavily rumored but still unconfirmed Rampage-Henderson fight at UFC 76. It's the first card that isn't already full and/or on cable television. It would also provide Rampage with enough time to recover from the Liddell fight (as if he needs to) and train for Hollywood Henderson. Also worth taking a look at is the Hughes-Serra fight which has been pushed to the end of The Ultimate Fighter 6 (for which both are coaches). This seven-month layoff means that the only real Welterweight action during the remainder of the year will be the St. Pierre-Koscheck fight at UFC 74. Although the winner has been promised a title shot, the long layoff between UFC 74 and the Spring of 2008 (when the winner of Hughes/Serra would be ready to fight) means that the UFC 74 winner will probably fight again prior to the title shot, meaning that it isn't necessarily guaranteed (if the winner were to lose his intermediary fight). This is the first bit of poor planning I've seen from the UFC in a long time. Finally, when looking at the two September cards (UFC 75, UFC 76), it is obvious that the former card will be shown on SpikeTV. Whenever you have an event being held in Europe with Michael Bisping and Cro Cop headlining, you can bet it'll be on cable. Anyway, here are the updated cards (new fights in bold):
Rich Franklin vs. Yushin Okami
Forrest Griffin vs. Hector Ramirez
Jason McDonald vs. Rory Singer
Tyson Griffin vs. Clay Guida
Mauricia "Shogun" Rua may fight
Anderson Silva vs. Nate Marquardt (Middleweight title)
Sean Sherk vs. Hermes Franca (Lightweight title)
Tito Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Heath Herring
Kenny Florian vs. Alvin Robinson
UFC 74-August 25, 2007
Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (Heavyweight title)
Georges St. Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck
Frank Mir vs. Tim Sylvia
Joe Stevenson vs. Kurt Pellegrino
Roger Huerta vs. TBA
UFC 75-September 8, 2007 (SpikeTV)
Michael Bisping vs. TBA
Jess Liaudin vs. TBA
Cro Cop vs. TBA
UFC 76-September 22, 2007
Rampage Jackson vs. Dan Henderson
UFC 77-October 2007
Anderson Silva vs Rich Franklin
UFC 78-November 2007
Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra
UFC 79-December 2007
Spring 2008
Hughes/Serra winner vs. St. Pierre/Koscheck winner
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