UFC 81 Lesnar vs Mir (1 Viewer)

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Jimbo said:
How is the UFC HW division thin? I don't keep up w/ UFC as much as I used to but what about guys like Crocop(SP?), Arlevski, all the big Russian guys? Have they gone to another organization? Norgera is the man, I've always admired his heart and courage. I saw him submit Bob Sapp once like it was nothing.
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Arlovski and Cro Cop are still there...however there are issues with both right now. From a talent standpoint, it's not so thin, but when you break down the things playing out right now then it is.

1) Arlovski fights at UFC 82, but it is the last fight on his contract. No one knows yet what will happen. In fact the UFC is seemingly so "scared" that this might be his last fight in the UFC that he isn't even on the main card, he's on the undercard. I guess they don't want to give him free press is the rumor. Now, if he wins in convincing fashion and does indeed sign with the UFC (which is where I think he wants to be), then that is a big saving grace for the UFC and he would be one of the next 2 in line for the title.

2) As for Cro Cop, he's lost 2 straight and looked very bad in both. While every real fan knows he is talented, it's hard to justify him being anywhere above the middle of the pack at the moment.

3) Sylvia just lost two of three fights. Yes, they were to great fighters, but now what? Hard to justify giving him anywhere near an immediate shot, just because the fans hate him. Herring lost to Nog, so they can't just set him up for the title right away.

4) Gonzaga, who everyone thought was the next big thing, has been stopped in his last 2 fights. When you consider the defining win of his career was against Cro Cop, who Kongo just destroyed, then things don't look that good for GG.

5) That leaves who? Nog, Werdum, and Kongo? Those are the current fighters who are winning (except Arlovski), and even Werdum only has 1 win in a row. 1. That's not even a streak.

IMHO the heavyweight division is certainly talented and no one would argue against the fact that they have some definite top 10 and top 5 talent. But the problem is they are eating each other alive and each time someone looks impressive a new person who has looked unimpressive comes in and beats them. It's just a vicious cycle right now. If they can get Couture back (unlikely it appears) and resign Arlovski if he wins, then there are some great matchups down the road. Until then, the matchups might be lacking.
 
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I'm curious to see what Lesnar does against someone with weaker JJ than Mir.
 
Waymer said:
Arlovski and Cro Cop are still there...however three are issues with both right now. From a talent standpoint, it's not so thin, but when you break down the things playing out right now then it is.

1) Arlovski fights at UFC 82, but it is the last fight on his contract. No one knows yet what will happen. In fact the UFC is seemingly so "scared" that this might be his last fight in the UFC that he isn't even on the main card, he's on the undercard. I guess they don't want to give him free press is the rumor. Now, if he wins in convincing fashion and does indeed sign with the UFC (which is where I think he wants to be), then that is a big saving grace for the UFC and he would be one of the next 2 in line fot the title.

2) As for Cro Cop, he's lost 2 straight and looked very bad in both. While every real fan knows he is talented, it's hard to justify him being anywhere above the middle of the pack at the moment.

3) Sylvia just lost two of three fights. Yes, they were to great fighters, but now what? Hard to justify giving him anywhere near an immediate shot, just because the fans hate him. Herring lost to Nog, so they can't just set him up for the title right away.

4) Gonzaga, who everyone thought was the next big thing, has been stopped in his last 2 fights. When you consider the defining win of his career was against Cro Cop, who Kongo just destroyed, then things don't look that good for GG.

5) That leaves who? Nog, Werdum, and Kongo? Those are the current fighters who are winning (except Arlovski), and even Werdum only has 1 win in a row. 1. That's not even a streak.

IMHO the heavyweight division is certainly talented and no one would argue that they have some definite top 10 and top 5 talent. But the problem is they are eating each other alive and each time someone looks impressive a new person who has looked unimpressive comes in and beats them. It's just a vicious cycle right now. If they can get Couture back (unlikely it appears) and resign Arlovski if he wins, then there are some great matchups down the road. Until then, the matchups might be lacking.
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Good breakdown..

If I'm the UFC, I'm on the phone with Couture trying to woo him back to face Nogueira.. He's still under contract, but I'm sure they would try to re-work it.. One of his main complaints when he left was that he was underpaid..
 
Mirko Cro Cop and the UFC parted ways today (mutually is the word apparently). Cro Cop joined the upstart "Dream" promotion, which is being operated jointly by the former Pride Staff and K-1 staff.

It will be interesting to see what this promotion can do. Like other organizations outside of the UFC, they are open to sharing talent with other organizations (Fedor and M-1?)...and already their March 15th opening night looks pretty solid:

Shinya Aoki vs. JZ Calvancante, plus Kawajiri, J. Hansen, G. Melendez, Caol Uno, K. Miyata, Ishida and then Cro Cop is tentatively scheduled for that night as as well. A lot of really solid talent that many people don't know outside of the U.S. Aoki vs. JZ should be a terrific, and much-anticipated fight (it was delayed from New Years Eve).

Sakuraba is part of this new group as well (though I hope not to see him fight out of his league like he has for ages, especially as he nears 40 and has had medical issues...Rickson Gracie perhaps as an opponent?) and I believe Akiyama is as well. Kid Yamaoto as well. Fedor and Royce Gracie also made video appearances at the opening press conference wishing them well and stating they plan to compete in future events.

http://www.sherdog.com/news/pictures.asp?n_id=11302
 
It sucks that Cro Cop didn't live up to expectations in the UFC....... IMHO Heath Herring hasn't either.
 
Anyone watch the WEC last night? Had some good fights.
 
peglegpeet13 said:
Anyone watch the WEC last night? Had some good fights.
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Yeah, Condit is a freak...but he's a freak for only about 7 minutes. He comes across as a normal 23 year old kid (who doesn't even look like a fighter)...but once his entrance music turns on his eyes roll back in his head and he really does look like a "Natural Born Killer." Fun stuff to watch when he hypes himself up and tries to intimidate his opponent. Because once the fight is over, heck once the fight starts, he is this cool, calm, thoughtful person.

Varner had that fight locked up once he stopped trying to take Razor Rob down. He gassed himself out doing that, but once he regained and went back to boxing he had that fight won. He was a college boxing champ after all.

Good fights though, no doubt. That was a solid card and WEC has put on some good shows since the takeover by Zuffa.
 
Well, so much for all that hype you got from Joe Rogan, Razor Rob.. Looks like ya don't 'run' WEC any more.. :hihi:

Tank Abbott vs. Kimbo Slice for EliteXC this Saturday on Showtime.. I wish I got Showtime.. Might have to see if it's on SopCast on the MMA TV channel..

Who y'all got? I'm gonna go with Slice..
 
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From the Sherdog forums.. Not sure how accurate this is, but it's the rumored UFC 84 lineup:


B.J. Penn vs. Sean Sherk

Lyoto Machida vs. Tito Ortiz

Keith Jardine vs. Wanderlei Silva

Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva

Wilson Gouveia vs. Goran Reljic

Rousimar Palhares vs. Ivan Salaverry

Dong-hyun Kim vs. Jason Tan
 
Wow that would be a sick card.

I was wondering what happened to Salaverry the other day. Where has he been? He had some fairly impressive wins when I first started getting into watching UFC fights and he seemed to have disappeared.

Same with Evan Tanner, but he's on the 82 card so we'll see how he does.
 

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