The Rolling MMA Thread!!!!!

[ozzie]

Main card
Heavyweight bout:  Brendan Schaub vs.  Gabriel Gonzaga
Light Heavyweight bout:  Tito Ortiz vs.  Matt Hamill
Welterweight bout:  Diego Sanchez vs.  Paulo Thiago
Welterweight bout:  Jake Shields vs.  Martin Kampmann
Heavyweight Championship bout:  Brock Lesnar (c) vs  Cain Velasquez

The Tito Ortiz vs Matt Hamill fight is interesting because Tito was Matt's coach on the Ultimate Fighter reality show. Tito is a good wrestler but is nearing the end of his career while Hamill is also a good wrestler with ever improving standup. He really seemed to look up to Tito while on the show, so will mental games play a factor?? (side note: Matt Hamill is legally deaf...but hasn't slowed him down one bit)

Jake Shields vs martin Kampmann...both really well rounded fighters, slight edge going to Sheilds, but this is his first UFC fight (former champ in Strikeforce, another promotion) so the "1st time UFC jitters" could play a role.

Brock Lesnar vs Cain Velasquez,  2 talented heavyweights, Cain being the better striker and also a great wrestler. Brock comes from the WWE so his smack talk is great, but he has proven to back it up. Could be anyones game but I give a slight edge to Brock because of his size.

Nice breakdown, Rob. Right on the money to the most part. The only thing I'd add, since I had the privilege of attending the press conference for UFC 121, is that Jake Shields looked as confident, calm and collected as I've ever seen him, even with the added pressure of being subjected to the bright lights and barrage of questions typical of a high-pressure TV circus event of this nature.

I really think he will stick to his game plan and probably grind out a victory. Personally I prefer Kampmann's fighting style, but Shield's wrestling, while not being very entertaining, certainly gets the job done.

Just for the heck of it, here is a photo of myself and Jake Shields taken prior to a Strikeforce event last year. (I occasionally grew out a buzz-mohawk from time to time a while back. )

[IRONHORSE]

Well, Cain made some believers!! Brock will be back, though. I think this makes the heavyweight division more interesting, anyhow. It sets the stage for some interesting fights between Cain, Brock, Shane Carwin, and Junior Dos Santos.

Well done to Matt Hamill for shutting up Tito Ortiz. I can't believe that Tito was ignorant enough to say that deaf people have "Soft heads."

[Rob-Raz]

Cain vs Dos Santos could be very interesting. Don't recall ever seeing Dos Santos on his back much, so he better be prepared for that.

It is time for Tito to hang it up (unless Dana would give Chuck one more shot at him!  )

Shields was very disappointing. Hopefully he will prepare for his weight cut better next fight and have some better cardio. I really believe Kampman should have stayed on his feet that last round, he may have been able to take him out with strikes.

[Magoo]

Well I was wrong ,Cain was much better than I thought he was.Should be some good match ups down the line.

[Rob-Raz]

A little late...but some really nice fights last weekend!!  Wow....BJ Penn...you just never know which fighter is gonna show up to fight. Nice KO of Matt "what happened?" Hughes




Here is to hoping GSP represents for us Bald Guys and finishes Koshcek early!!

[IRONHORSE]

Well, interesting times in MMA - It appears that the UFC is following WWE's business model and just buying up any major competition, with it's purchase of Strikeforce. Personally, I'm not especially happy about that, 'cause I think the competition in the marketplace only benefits the consumer.

We have a new Light heavyweight Champion, Jon "Bones" Jones - who captured that title in convincing fashion over a foe who was far from a pushover.

The Heavyweight division should be getting interesting soon with all the injured/having surgery/on hiatus fighters returning, including the champ, Shane Carwin,  Roy Nelson, and perhaps Brock will make up his mind what he wants to do, some day.

[IRONHORSE]

Wow...this thread is kind of floundering in "no response" land. We've had some decent fights lately, and nothing being said about them....

I was bummed that Jake Shields was unable to overcome GSP. I'm ready for someone to dethrone GSP, I just don't know who it would be.

Anderson Silva won again - big whoop. I really don't like that guy. I wish Chael Sonnen would get his crap together, come back, and finish what he started in their first fight.

"Rampage" Jackson didn't rampage through his latest fight...he kind of whimpered. Here's hoping he recaptures that "Rampage" mentality again. He used to be a really fun fighter to watch - even in interviews!

Frank Mir manhandled Roy Nelson in their fight. I was kind of hoping this one would go the other way. The winner of this fight is in the title hunt - and I wanted to see Nelson against more of the "top 5" fighters. Now I read that his wife said he fought that fight with pneumonia, and had been hospitalized earlier in the week - I can understand that "the show must go on" mentality, but fighting when you're that sick is a recipe for losing... or a convenient excuse.

Finally, an upcoming fight that I am really excited about, and yet torn over, because  I am a huge fan of both men - Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson . Dan's riding high, having just captured the Strikeforce  Light Heavyweight belt (and after his 40th B-day, like his buddy, and one of my MMA heroes, Randy Couture.) Fedor is reeling after losing 2 straight , after an incredibly long undefeated streak. This should be a great fight either way. I really can't predict a winner - both men have freakish punching power - but I don't think this one will go the distance.

[Rob-Raz]

Well...if any good came from UFC buying Strikeforce....they just announced GSP vs Nick Diaz in October!!!!!!!!  This should be a really good matchup.

You said it though....Rampage vs Hamill was kind of a snoozer.

As far as Nelson goes.....Pneumonia or not...unless he gets a little more serious with the cardio and his belly, he is never going to last with top caliber fighters in the later rounds.

Fedor vs Henderson is also looking good. Interested in the rest of the Heavyweight Tourney too if they ever continue it!!  Gotta love Josh Barnett.......even if he is a 2 time juicer.

Cmon guys.....lets bring this thread back from the dead!!!!!

[IRONHORSE]

Fedor vs. Hendo tonight!! Man, I am so stoked...and so torn... I am such a big fan of both men!!

Either way it goes tonight, someone I really like wins, and someone I really like loses. My only prediction here -

This one won't go to decision.

[IRONHORSE]

Well, my prediction came true! Hendo via TKO towards the end of the first.

There was a TON of leather thrown in this fight, and both men were rocked. It was a real barn-burner, while it lasted!

I think it was stopped a bit prematurely, given the caliber of the fighters, but big kudos to Hendo for knocking out the legend! If you get a chance, watch it - it's worth it!

[IRONHORSE]

Just a quick note - I'm still waiting for him to get a few more fights under his belt - his fight with Rashad Evans will be a real measuring stick,  for me, but this Jon "Bones" Jones kid is really impressing me, so far.

[buddha]

The UFC show last night was pretty good. Bisping vs Miller was a bit of a letdown, though, IMHO. I was surprised at the stand-up style of Miller.....not very precise. He had Bisping in trouble in the first round when he had his legs tied up but was unable to do any damage. I'm not a Bisping fan so I was hoping that "Mayhem" would take him out. But Bisping kinda redeemed himself with his comments after the fight, I thought. He gave some accolades to Miller for being a really tough guy and the 2 of them seemed to kind of bury the hatchet that they were sharpening during the TUF season.
Other good fights on the card. I was really impressed with Dodson even though he was a turncoat during the season.
Good show. Glad it was on Spike and not on FOX.

[Magoo]

After the first round Miller was out of it, he showed no conditioning at all. Bisping was much better at stand up and Miller had nothing left to take him down. Dodson   is a "wack job" and his antics are juvenile but he has a knock out punch and tremendous speed.

[Tyler]

One of our local heros, Cung Le, got whooped on a couple of fights ago.  That was tough to see.