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Getbig Misc Discussion Boards => Mixed Martial Arts (MMA/UFC) => Topic started by: SinCitysmallGUY on May 30, 2009, 06:26:52 AM
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I got my tattoo because I wanted people to know I was Mexican and that I was doing good things with my life. I'm really proud of what I went through to get where I am. Growing up, there wasn't anyone in the media [who was of Mexican decent] who I could look up to. There wasn't anyone who looked like me [in the media], so I never thought I would do something good. I figured I would just go out and join the regular work force. I never thought I'd make a career out of wrestling or fighting. I just wanted everyone to say I was just like them and that I was good at what I did.
Cain Velasquez talks to UFC.com.
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...this is the first one I plan on skipping this year. Seems like a shitty card.
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decent card, just not huge names. Rich and Wand will be good. Kongo fight will be good and a few others that I wanna see.
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i will tvu it like usual.
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i will tvu it like usual.
x2
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I can't believe people still buy theses fights anyway.I haven't bought one in years and yet haven't missed one in years.
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i only order the kick ass cards, id rather buy my 3 year old son a few toys then buy a half ass ufc card for that price
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I hate to sound like a fanboy but I get them all. Usually there's at least a fight or two that gives me enough intrigue, plus I get them for half off as I work for my cable provider. Friends always pool together and pay for it anyway. I would never order a PPV alone, nor pay full price.
The Wandy/Franklin fight should be cool. And Cain looks pretty ruthless. I wonder how he'll fare in the 2nd and 3rd round though, we haven't seen him dragged to the deep end. Maybe Kongo will just knee his balls up into his throat like he did Cro Cop though... hmmmm
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in the last 2-3 years the most I've paid to watch an MMA PPV is 5$.And I haven't missed a single UFC PPV for as far back as I can think.
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in the last 2-3 years the most I've paid to watch an MMA PPV is 5$.And I haven't missed a single UFC PPV for as far back as I can think.
sounds cool to me, i got to learn your system big L, ;), i usually get on youtube and try to watch the fights an hour or 2 after the ufc is over. before i got married and had my son i used to order all of them also, and id go live when the ufc came to jersey or connecticut cause it was just a few hour drive and you could get really good seats for 75$. this was back in 99 and 2000 though
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I will probably get it, everyone will probably come over and throw down a few bucks so why not.
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UFC Heavyweight fighter Cain Velasquez's road to the relevance has been somewhat of a rare feat in today's MMA landscape. In only his third professional MMA bout, Velasquez was thrust into the UFC spotlight against a formidable opponent in Brad Morris at UFC 83. It took Velasquez only 2:10 to prove that the tremendous hype surrounding him wasn't unwarranted. Two more wins later, Velasquez will now be looking to break into the upper-echelon of the UFC's Heavyweight division at UFC 99.
It won't be an easy task however. Originally matched up against the former PRIDE veteran Heath Herring, Cain will now have a tougher task in trying to squeeze punches through the massive reach of French Muay Thai striker Cheick Kongo. Kongo is currently riding a three-fight win streak with wins over Dan Evensen, Mostapha Al Turk, and Antoni Hardonk.
There are many questions that will be answered when these two meet in Cologne, Germany on Saturday. Most importantly, is Cain Velasquez ready for the upper-echelon of the division? Has Kongo's takedown defense and ground tactics improved? Will the UFC grant Kongo a title shot if he manages to beat Cain? It's definitely a much more interesting matchup with the prospect that Kongo's name has come up in title talk, but a Velasquez win would crush those hopes and send Kongo back down the ladder.
One thing is for certain, this matchup is crucial to the makeup of the division toward the top. Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar at UFC 100 and Randy Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 102 will help decide the future matchups at the top. Shane Carwin is currently nursing his injuries while Junior Dos Santos is rumored to potentially be fighting Justin McCully at UFC 102. If Mirko "CroCop" Filipovic puts together any type of run in his next few fights in the UFC, he'll likely get a shot before a lot of the lower-ranking guys, but he'll have to go through Kongo, Gonzaga, Carwin, or Santos, all very tough matchups for an older, less dangerous Mirko.
I imagine that the UFC will push Kongo toward the top quickly if he defeats Velasquez while a Velasquez win would only set him up for an even tougher fight in order to continue exposing the kid to the UFC's fanbase. Kongo has more than enough fights in the Octagon and on PPV cards to be recognized by fans, and he's managed to string together some impressive finishes to boot. If Mir loses to Lesnar, we won't be seeing Mir vs. Kongo and likely won't see a quick turnaround by Nogueira or Couture to fight Lesnar. That leaves Kongo available for a late fall showdown with Lesnar.
In any case, it's apparent that this showdown at UFC 99 will make or break both of these guys. Kongo has a chance to gain title contention while Velasquez has the potential to begin taking on the competition that will get him into that title contention role. A loss for either fighter will hurt their chances tremendously as they are currently on the outside looking in. I'm doubtful that simply being on the "outside" is hardly where the UFC will want either of these guys in a somewhat shallow division. Pick your horse, fans!
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Mike Swick (13-2) vs. Ben Saunders (7-0-2) could easily be considered one of the best matchups at UFC 99. The welterweight tilt will pit two Ultimate Fighter alums in what could be deemed a situation in which Swick has much to lose while Saunders could gain considerable momentum in the divisional picture. Saunders will see a substantial step up in competition against Swick after defeating Dan Barrera, Ryan Thomas, and Brandon Wolff while Swick rides a three-fight win streak with wins Josh Burkman, Marcus Davis, and Jonathan Goulet.
One of the most talked about aspects to the outcome of this matchup is Swick's potential to become a contender within the division. Swick stated to MMAMania.com's Derek Bolender that an impressive win in this matchup should put him on the fast track to a "big fight" or title shot:
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com ): Do you think an impressive performance over Saunders gets you a title shot? Do you feel like you would deserve one at that point?
Mike Swick: I really do hope if I have an impressive performance I get a big fight. I definitely hope that. I’ve worked really hard. Like I said I’ve had a couple bad fights. I feel like I’ve made up for it and shown people there’s a reason for that. You can look at my record and see, both amateur and pro, have all been exciting.
A win over Saunders would put me at 9 - 1 in the UFC, which I think is a good record. I think I would definitely be entitled to a big fight. If they give me a title fight I would love it. Obviously that would be the best outcome, but if not, just a big fight would be great. Something where I have a lot to gain out of the fight versus a lot to lose.
Many fans ripped on Swick after he made some comments regarding contention after his win over Jonathan Goulet. While those comments were rather "confident" in his performance, Swick seems to have taken a turn to a more realistic point of view. I think most fans would agree that Swick deserves a substantial step up in competition with an impressive victory over Ben Saunders on Saturday night, but is title contention a good idea?
It's interesting that contention talk continues to revolve around Swick's name. His record in the welterweight division doesn't hold any huge wins over top 5 competition within the division. His win over Marcus Davis is probably his most recognizable victory within the division, but it's unlikely that the UFC was impressed by the UFC 85 performance. Swick has stated, however, that the UFC could match him up against teammates Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch at any moment, and they do realize that those fights will need to happen down the road with three camp members battling it out for the top spot.
The big problem, however, is that Fitch has already lost to Georges St. Pierre as has Josh Koscheck. If Thiago Alves loses to GSP at UFC 100, an impressive performance could vault Swick toward the top simply to mix up the competition that GSP is defending his title against.
For now, Swick will need to focus on a very game opponent in Ben Saunders. The American Top Team member has a significant height and reach advantage coupled with brutalizing Muay Thai and solid ground skills. He's also become increasingly bigger in size from how he looked on the reality series, proving that ATT knows how to bring these athletes to the next level.
Saunders has stated that he doesn't believe Swick's speed will be a factor due to his reach advantage, but Swick has been quick to point out that past opponents have said the exact same thing in interviews. Reach will definitely be Saunders' friend in this one, but Swick's speed could be the deciding factor. If Saunders can manage to use his reach to pepper Swick without being countered, he may be able to take advantage of potentially hurting Swick or trying to bulldoze him into a clinch along the fence. If that happens, Swick could be in for a rough night. It's one of those intriguing matchups due to Saunders' potential vs. Swick's speed and abilities at the lower weight class. I hope you're looking forward to it as much as I am.
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I thnk is Kongo wins this, he should get a title shot or at least a huge name, like randy or nog, THEN a title shot if successful. He's had a few nice fights.. and i think is deserving.
Mindspin?
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Oh I disagree. I think this is a pretty decent card of fights. I prefer the cards with four or five interesting matchups as opposed to one big fight and bunch of crap beneath it.
I think Franklin/Wandy will be a good fight and fun to watch, I am looking forward to cro cop coming back, I think Marcus Davis VS Dan Hardy could be a good brawl, Kongo VS Velasquez will be real interesting to see if Cain is ready for primetime or not and I always like watching Spencer Fischer fight, he is a brawler who lays it out there.
I actually think its gonna be a pretty good card.
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I see Ben Saunders winning this fight. I think it'll be alot like the Swicks fight with Okami.
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i normally go to a bar near me and spend maybe $25. Some beer, some wings and the fight for less than the PPV purchase price.
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This fight is Mike's for the taking, if he uses his handspeed and superior footwork he will avoid Ben's clinch which is basically the only area he poses a threat to Swick. Then again it's hard to guage because Ben hasn't really fought anybody of note yet (including that last guy he mauled), although we got to see his lack of wrestling skills on TUF when Tommy Speer continually took him down at will and held him down for a decisive win. I'm saying Swick by footwork.
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I'm gonna order it. I don't know, it seems like a pretty good card to me. Every fight on the main card should be pretty good:
Wanderlei v Franklin- Should be a good scrap. Always look forward to Wand fighting.
Kongo v Velasquez - Two up and coming heavyweights both looking to get into the title mix
Davis v Hardy - Should be a stand up war. Loads of shit talking over the past few months; we'll see who can back it up.
Swick v Saunders - Should be another good stand up fight between two rangy kickboxers. Saunders is underrated imo.
Fisher v Uno - Has potential to be a great MMA match showcasing all aspects of the game.
Cro Cop v Al Turk - Worth watching just to see if Mirko has anything left.
Just my two cents...
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I agree I'm lookin forward to this card.
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i think cains gonna use his better wrestling to control the fight and lay down some mean gnp, if kongo cain stuff cains takedowns it should be a slug fest and shouldnt make it out of the first rd. someones going to sleep in that fight
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im going with quick swick on this one
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im getting pumped for the ufc in philly in august, i cant wait to be there live cause its unreal
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Back in March, hardcore fans were treated to an announcement that brought back some nostalgic memories of a crafty fighter who was one of the first Japanese lightweights to have an impact in the history of the UFC. Caol Uno(27-11-4) will make his return to the Octagon at UFC 99 against what may be considered one of Joe Silva's best matchups on the card as he takes on Spencer Fisher in a lightweight tilt.
Uno has been battling it out in K-1 Hero's, Shooto, and DREAM since his departure from the UFC back in 2003, but he remains one of the better Lightweights in the world. A very tough fighter to finish, Uno has not only improved his standup skills with quick footwork and speedy hands, but his technical ground acumen continues to be a dangerous weapon. Many fans felt Uno was on a downturn heading into DREAM 3 back in May of 2008, but Uno proved that he wasn't finished making an impact in the lightweight picture. Uno submitted Mitsuhiro Ishida in the second round of their match-up in surprising fashion, putting the world on notice that he still had the skills to win at a high level.
Many fans believe Uno's presence in the UFC is simply a way for the UFC to gain some interest overseas, but he still manages to present some interesting problems to many of the mid to upper-echelon talent in the division. His ground acumen will give most of the UFC's lightweights something to think about, and his technical striking isn't something to scoff at. Anticipating his match-up with striker Spencer Fisher, Uno has also managed to get some help from world-renowned boxing trainer Freddie Roach in preparation for this match-up. It'll be interesting to see if it truly helps Uno gain a little speed in his hands.
While Uno's ground tactics will be the main focus on his side of the Octagon, Fisher will be coming into this bout with aggressive boxing and solid wrestling techniques. The Miletich fighter will be looking to keep this fight standing and try to impose his striking techniques on Uno while staying away from any chance of Uno taking him to the floor. What makes this a more interesting match-up than a simple grappler vs. striker showdown? Uno has been susceptible to being defeated by strikers with solid take down defense, better boxing, and a pressing pace while Fisher has never been submitted. It makes for an exceptional match-up considering many believed Uno would be given an easier bout for his first time back in the Octagon.
Historically, Uno has had problems with high pace action coupled with tremendous take down defense and striking ability. Spencer fits that mold, and he's mentioned in interviews recently that he intends to push the pace on Uno. Will Fisher's strategy work against a much wiser Caol Uno? It's definitely a solid strategy if Uno hasn't learned from his past fights. Fisher hasn't, however, faced a fighter with Uno's ground acumen before, so it really comes down to whether or not Uno can take Fisher to the ground.
Fisher remains one of those exciting fighters in the lightweight division that cannot break into the middle of the pack. He keeps grabbing a paycheck due to his exciting fights and ability to take and deal damage. With a win over Uno, he'll likely get a tougher match-up, but I don't see Fisher making a huge impact anywhere down the road. Uno's fate is a bit different.
If Uno manages to defeat Fisher, I could see the UFC pushing him into an easier battle to showcase him to overseas & American audiences. It isn't unlike the UFC to do so as they have with guys like Junior Dos Santos.
In any case, this match-up is a solid addition to the UFC 99 card. It has the classic grappler vs. striker showdown with some historical aspects regarding each fighter's abilities. Uno may have a tough time with Spencer's style while Fisher could be surprised by Uno's technical ground game. Will Uno come out with surprising technical boxing from his training at Roach's gym? Will Fisher's aggression frustrate Uno? We'll find out Saturday night.
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Following UFC 95, Dan Hardy seemed to have one thing on his mind. Instead of talking about his knockout victory over Rory Markham in detail during the post-fight press conference, Hardy decided to take the opportunity to help Joe Silva create a matchup that has now reached new heights in bad blood. Hardy called out Marcus Davis due to the fact that Davis has managed to win four of his last five bouts on British soil while defeating 3 British fighters in Jason Tan, Paul Taylor, and Paul Kelly.
The shots didn't end with Hardy simply calling out Davis. Hardy went on to state that Davis was a "fake Irishman", a "plastic Paddy", and had fans photoshop photos of Davis to suggest he was a homosexual. Davis began to become overly angry by the childish tactics that Hardy had used:
"He got me to jump in and start camp early. … I jumped in and I was brutally beating everybody I was sparring with into a pulp," Davis said. "I was watching videos of Dan Hardy, I was looking at his picture, literally, in my office, and then running out to my cage [to train]."
Said trainer Mark DellaGrotte of Davis: "He was out of control.
"I was telling him, 'Hey, listen man, don't let this little kid's tricks work.' He said, 'What do you mean?' I said, 'You're coming in, you're all worked up. Don't make mistakes, don't fight emotionally. You have a lot of experience, you know better than that.' And kind of reminded him [to think], 'Hey, this kid is pissing me off, but I can't fight reckless, I can't fight stupid.'"
Interestingly enough, Hardy felt that this was a sign that his tactics were working. Davis has been known as a fighter who wears his emotions on his sleeve, and the general consensus among fans is that Davis won't be able to come into this matchup and fight angrily. Hardy's technical prowess in the striking department could very well capitalize on Davis' anger. Davis insists that he will fight intelligently when it comes fight time:
"I'm going to fight this fight intelligently. I'm not going to fight it with, like, blind rage. And any time I've ever fought before and I've fought someone that I didn't like, I've dealt with them quickly. So that's the same plan. I'm going to get rid of him quickly, but I'm going to do it efficiently. But I'm going to try to beat him in every facet of the game."
Davis will come into this fight with a solid boxing skillset, good speed, and the ability to move in and out of danger rapidly to avoid Hardy's shots. I'd be surprised if we didn't see a gameplan similar to that of which he implemented against Chris Lytle at UFC 93.
Hardy definitely has the edge in tools to win. He has technically sound striking in terms of using timing and big shots to knockout opponents, solid ground skills, and some submission abilities. He is also pretty versatile on the floor in escaping bad positions. In this matchup, it's going to be a question of whether Hardy can use speed and timing to catch Davis as he moves in to damage Hardy.
This should be a great fight with all the hype surrounding both fighters. The bad blood boiling between the two fighters has definitely affected Davis, so it'll be interesting to see if his emotions take over. If he becomes way more aggressive than usual, Hardy could take advantage of tactical mistakes in his striking skills and end the bout quickly. Another great fight on a card full of solid matchups.
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As if Wanderlei didn't have enough troubles going into his bout against Rich Franklin this Saturday at UFC 99, former teammate Anderson Silva is training Franklin. Despite speculation that Wanderlei might be forced to retire if he loses to Franklin, it almost seems to me that he's looking past Franklin to Anderson Silva.
From CagePotato:
And what do you think of him training with Anderson Silva before his fight with you?
It’s good.
Good?
Yeah, because if he trains with Anderson, he won’t pass the second round with me. You’ll see.
I heard you offered to put $50,000 down on this fight in a bet with Anderson. That's pretty bold. Have you heard any word from him about whether he’ll take that bet?
No, no. You know, I believe in myself. I believe in the job I can do. And because of this I will put money down. But who will put down against me? He will not say yes, so you tell me who believes more.
Wanderlei talks more about his motivation to go after Anderson to MMA Weekly:
"Of course everyone want to fight the champion. I want to fight with him," said Wanderlei of the other Silva. The two have been part of an escalating war of words in recent weeks, Wanderlei especially critical of his former training partner's performance in recent bouts.
"Maybe now, after I pass Rich, it's possible I fight for the champion. I want to fight Anderson.
"Of course, I would have a lot of emotion (fighting him) cause I train with him a lot of times and I know his faults and he know my faults. I trained a lot after he leave. He train a lot. But I see him fight many, many times; maybe I know what I need to know to beat him."
For his part, Rich Franklin is pretty cooly logical about why he's training with Anderson Silva to prepare for this fight, from MMA Mania:
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What was the experience of training with Anderson Silva like for you? Who approached who as far as setting that up? What was the motivation behind setting up that connection?
Rich Franklin: The big story here seems to be me training with Anderson for this fight. We have spoken several times about training together in the past, but schedules have been conflicting.
Anderson’s manager, Ed Soares, gave me a call inviting me to train in LA for this fight. They figured it would be helpful since Anderson and Wanderlei used to be teammates. I checked with my coaches Neal Rowe, Rob Radford and Matt Hume, and they all agreed it was a good idea.
I'm really going to be pulling for Wanderlei here, but I have to say the UFC isn't doing Franklin any favors with this matchup either. After his razor-thin loss to Dan Henderson, Franklin is further from contention than ever. Perhaps the UFC sees him as a kind of super Marcus Davis, a popular fighter who won't contend for a title but can be used to put on big fights in their European shows.
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I would hesitate to call fisher a "solid wrestler", if anything, that would be his weakness. Frankie Edgar had his way with Spence due to his lack of Wrestling prowess. Although on the feet Spence is a technician.
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his dad worked hard to provide for cain, cain wants to show his people( mexican-american) that with hard work and positive attitude you can go far, to many young mexican-american kids are joining gangs and bad things like that. cain is a great role model for those troubled youths, i like cain and im a fan of his cause of his positive attitude and the adversity he and his family overcame, he aint to shabby of a fighter either ;). im rooting for him all the way, i have huge respect and admiration for the fighters that overcame adversity in thier youths and made something with thier lives
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Wanderlei Silva will destroy Rich "Ace" (oh brother ::)) Franklin.
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We all know Dana is rooting for Wandy to win ;D
Wandy vs Anderson might be coming soon
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Cain = racist, I hope the black dude fucks him up!!
KO Rnd 1 Kongo
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I got my tattoo because I wanted people to know I was Mexican and that I was doing good things with my life. Growing up, there wasn't anyone in the media [who was of Mexican decent] who I could look up to.
Cain Velasquez talks to UFC.com.
Bullshit. There are tons of mexican and Mexican decent fighters from boxing that he could and should look up to. Let's face it, most combat sports people first see is boxing. He's just another dude, with a gay tat. I am Latin and this shit is stupid to me.
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Bullshit. There are tons of mexican and Mexican decent fighters from boxing that he could and should look up to. Let's face it, most combat sports people first see is boxing. He's just another dude, with a gay tat. I am Latin and this shit is stupid to me.
x2 im half mexi and half german and hate when people get brown pride tats my dad aint brown and neither am i we just have nice tans for free ha
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x2 im half mexi and half german and hate when people get brown pride tats my dad aint brown and neither am i we just have nice tans for free ha
lol.
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With Setanta staying on air until at least Sunday and everyone making weight, it looks like UFC 99 is all set to go in Cologne, Germany. That’s not to say the weigh-in went completely smooth:
Preliminary-card heavyweight Denis Stojnic started the first melee when he almost instantly shoved opponent Stefan Struve during the customary staredown photo opportunity. On-stage officials immediately intervened and forced the competitors off the stage.
The second brouhaha came seconds later when Paul Kelly hopped off the scale and immediately went chin to chin with opponent Roli Delgado, apparently bumping him in the process. Delgado took offense and gave the fellow lightweight a solid shove before they, too, were ushered backstage.
According to MMA Fanhouse, Dana put his foot down after the second tussle and told the fighters to keep their hands off each other, leading to a tame and civil weigh-in for beefing welterweights Marcus Davis and Dan Hardy. Amongst other headaches, the company has had issues with the German media shitting on the sport (what ever happened to Randy Couture and that German wok racing douchebag paving the way?) and I can’t imagine several ‘fights’ breaking out at the weigh-in will help that situation much.
No pictures of the weigh-in floating around yet, but you can watch a clunky video of the thing here.
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The UFC’s countdown shows are getting better and better. They’re still nowhere near as slick as HBO’s 24/7 series but then again if they tried to weave a 24/7 tale for every event it would get old fast. Instead, they’ve hit a nice balance where they stuff the show full of hype for the entire card and explore some interesting angles. Last night they spent 10 of the 20 minutes devoted to Wanderlei Silva vs Rich Franklin on the feud brewing between Wanderlei and Anderson.
Rome thinks the UFC is falling over itself trying to set up a battle of the Silvas, and I can’t disagree. Dana White did everything short of guaranteeing the fight if Wand manages to get past Rich Franklin. It even kinda looks like a win wasn’t the essential ingredient in the equation since the Countdown show also declared several times that “Wanderlei’s style is kill or be killed - it doesn’t matter if he wins or loses.” Eeeeeh, after going 1-4, it kinda does to me.
Dana White has rarely let the title ladder get in the way of setting up big business fights, so you might as well get ready for this fight to happen sooner or later, one way or another. The simplest (but in my opinion least likely) way for this to go down is for Wanderlei to take Rich Franklin out this Saturday. But even if he just manages to last long enough to not embarrass himself (Jesus, I sound like a total Wand-hater here but I can’t help it, I expect him to eat it hard), I’m betting a fight with another former ‘contender’ like Patrick Cote will ‘throw him back into title contention.’
Everything is going to be pretty uncertain until we see what happens at UFC 99. But one thing is for sure even now: Yushin Okami ain’t getting his title shot. Ever!
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Michael David Smith reports:
"They're all in the mix," White said. "Should Wanderlei win tomorrow, I actually think that Bisping would be next in line, should he beat Dan Henderson. Then maybe you have Wanderlei fight Marquardt. Who knows? But we have all those different scenarios that could happen. It's exciting. It's good for the 185-pound division."ts interesting to note that Dan Henderson and Demian Maia don't figure into White's scenario for the 185lb belt. Which is interesting since I think both men have excellent chances of winning their next fight. Presumably Henderson isn't attractive since he's already lo
The UFC definitely hopes to promote a middleweight title fight between Wanderlei Silva and Anderson Silva. But UFC President Dana White said in Germany on Friday that even if Wanderlei beats Rich Franklin at UFC 99, he wouldn't move ahead of Michael Bisping in the middleweight pecking order.
Asked about several of the top middleweights, White said that he thinks Michael Bisping would earn the next title shot if he beats Dan Henderson at UFC 100. White added that Wanderlei would then likely fight Nate Marquardt -- if Marquardt beats Demian Maia at UFC 102.
Its interesting to note that Dan Henderson and Demian Maia aren't mentioned in any of Dana's title shot scenarios. Presumably this is because Henderson has already lost to Anderson Silva and Demian Maia has an unfortunate stylistic resemblance to Thales Leites who stunk up the joint in his title shot.
But Dana might be whistling past the graveyard here as there is an excellent chance that Henderson beats Bisping and Maia submits Marquardt. What then? MDS speculates in the article linked above that Wanderlei would then get the title shot. I'd have to hope that Henderson and Maia would get each other, or Okami for a title elimination match.
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rich won decision
Cain beat Congo decision
cro cop won with an eye gouge
swick won 2nd rd KO
Boring fights really I thought.
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rich won decision
Cain beat Congo decision
cro cop won with an eye gouge
swick won 2nd rd KO
Boring fights really I thought.
Sounds boring..... :-\
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Dan Hardy vs. Marcus Davis - This should get the card off on the right foot! I'm stoked for this fight! Round 1 - Body kick misses for Davis as they feel each other out early. Davis charges in for the takedown and has Hardy against the fence. Hardy has an underhook to prevent the takedown. Finally Davis is able to get the takedown and Davis has the mount. Hardy gets half guard and then full guard. Very high guard by Hardy but Davis gets up. Hardy gives up his back trying to stand up. Hardy is trying to reverse but isn't having any luck. Hardy is able to stand and Davis is gassing a little. Big shots from Hardy and Davis is hurt. Davis is cut and the round ends. Very close with Hardy hurting him toward the end and Davis is all swollen and looks really tired. 10-9 Davis. Round 2 - Davis with a flying knee attempt and Hardy counters with a left. Again a counter left hook from Hardy. Davis with a counter right now. They're trading and Hardy witht the better shots. Knee from Hardy and Davis goes down! Hardy follows him down and land some shots but Davis is recovering. Davis with and armbar attempt and it was deep but Hardy got his arm out. Davis using some elbows off his back. They're stood up by the ref. Left hand by Hardy and Davis pushes him against the cage. Knee to the body by Hardy and they split. Left hand by Davis lands flush. Davis with a takedown and a few punches. 10-9 round for Hardy on the strength of the knockdown. Round 3 - Left hand by Davis and Hardy slips so Davis follows him down. A little bit of damage by Davis from the top. Davis goes for a toe hold, then a heel hook but can't finish and Hardy is able to stand up. Hardy with a takedown. Big elbow now by Hardy. BIG cut on Davis' nose. The fight is stopped to check the cut and he is unable to stand up well. They continue the fight. That cut and obvious wobbly legs from Davis make me want to give the round to Hardy as he was obviously more effective from on top. They're stood back up. Left hook from Hardy. Leg kick from Hardy. Left again from Hardy. Left hook AGAIN from Hardy. The round ends and I score it 10-9 Hardy. They shake hands. And Hardy walks over to say good fight to Davis' corner. My final scorecard is 29-28 Hardy. Official Scorecards: 29-28 Hardy, 29-28 Davis, 29-28 Hardy. Dan Hardy wins by split decision. Davis is upset but it's hard to complain. Hardy tries to shake his hand and Davis refuses. He was willing to shake hands when he thought he won, so obviously respect only counts when you win, if you lose you can be a baby.
Spencer Fisher vs. Caol Uno - Round 1 - Low kick from Fisher. Shot from Uno is stuffed by a nice sprawl by Fisher. Uno now presses Fisher against the cage. Fisher with some knees while he has double underhooks. Boos are starting as almost the whole fight to this point has been clinching against the cage. They're restarted in the center of the cage. Left hand just misses for Fisher. Solid outside leg kick by Fisher and now a good uppercut. Uno with another takedown attempt and Fisher defends. Some knees to the body now by Fisher. Back to being pushed against the cage and the crowd isn't loving it. Fisher landed a lot of knees to the body. 10-9 Fisher. Not an entertaining round. Round 2 - Takedown by Uno and they stand. Another takedown attempt and Fisher defends. Two solid leg kicks by Uno and another shot is stuffed. Fisher lands a knee to the body and then ends up on bottom. Nice sweep to get back to the feet by Spencer. Again they clinch against the cage. I like Uno but this fight isn't going to keep him on main cards in the future. Takedown attempt by Fisher and uno ends up on top. They end up standing though. 10-9 Uno I guess. This fight is ugly and not very entertaining. Round 3 - Nice left hand by Fisher and Uno immediately tries for a takedown. Not much action at all this round. Fisher unloads with a few punches and a knee to the body and Uno gets a takedwoan and gets the mount. Uno landing some nice shots from on top and Fisher briefly got half buard back but Uno back to mount and he lands some more shots. 10-9 round for Uno and I guess he wins 29-28. Official Scorecards: 29-28 across the board for Spencer Fisher. Spencer Fisher wins by unanimous decision.
Mike Swick vs. Ben Saunders - Round 1 - Saunders pulls guard right away. Swick is landing some punches to the body but Saunders has control over Swick's body. Swick asks if Saunders is going to hold him all night. Saunders says "lets stand back up bitch." They speak better with their mouthpieces in than I do. They're stood back up. They each land some shots and clinch up again against the cage. Knee to the head by Saunders. The round ends and I guess it was 10-9 Swick. Round 2 - Head kick blocked by Swick. Swick grabs a clinch and gets a takedown and ends up in full mount. Saunders gets guard back. Saunders now locks up a body triangle but had to let go. They're stood back up. Swick with a knee and Saunders with one in return. Swick lands a big flurry and Saunders goes down! The fight is over! Mike Swick wins by TKO (punches), round 1.
Mirko Cro-Cop Filipovic vs. Mustapha Al-Turk - Round 1 - Right hand by Al-Turk lands flush. Takedown attempt is shrugged off. Al-Turk is pressing and throwing a lot but hasn't really landed since the first punch. Cro Cop's hands look really slow.Punches lnad for Mirko now and Al-Turk is running away. Al-Turk is down! Mirko has him stand up. Mirko lands a shot and Al-Turk turns away. Many punches and the fight is stopped. Mirko Filipovic wins by TKO (punches), round 1. Very clear that the final flurry was started by a very bad eye poke by Mirko.
Cain Velasquez vs. Cheick Kongo - Round 1 - Kongo jabbing early. Two big right hands rock Cain and he still manages to get a takedown. He was hurt badly. Kongo stands up and they're scrambling. Cain learned awful quickly that he isn't good enough standing to play that game with Kongo. Cain with side control and Kongo lands a few elbows, now full mount. Kongo gives up his back and Cain with a choke attempt. Kongo avoida and again gives up his back. Cain is just mugging him on the ground. Kongo gives up his back again and eats a lot of shots. Kongo is constantly trying to get up but Velasquez is controling him and landing a lot of dammage. They stand and again big takedown by Cain, and into full mount. Gives up his back again and now is mounted again. The round is going to end and thank god he rocked Cain early because otherwise it'd have been 10-8. 10-9 Cain. Round 2 - Kongo hurts him again but for some reason clinches with him. Takedown now by Cain because Kongo decided to spend a bunch of time clinching with him. Cain on top landing shots again. Not a lot else to say but that Cain is landing a lot of punches. They stand for a second and Cain with a takedown. More dominant position and damage from Cain. Knees to the body by Cain. The round ends and 10-9 again. Round 3 - A big right by Kongo again but he's grappling with Cain again. Kongo gets the takedown but ends up on bottom shortly anyway. They stand up and Kongo defends the takedown. Kongo hurts him again! But charges in so recklessly that he gets taken down again. Cain in the mount landing punches and now Kongo trying to punch up at him. The round ends and 10-9 again (but feel free to score any of them 10-8) 30-27 on my card. Official Scorecards: no scorecards given, Cain Velasquez wins by unanimous decision.
Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva - Round 1 - Feeling out for over a minute. Straight left by Franklin misses. Each guy lands a left. Both guys land punches again. Body kick by Rich lands. High kick by Wanderlei just misses. Wanderlei catches a body kick and takes Rich down. Some GNP by Silva and now they stand. Silva tries to lock in a guillotine and instead ends up on bottom. Rich opens up a cut over Wanderlei's eye and gets mount but they go back to standing. 10-9 Franklin. Round 2 - Rich says he broke Wanderlei's nose. They come out and again it is at a distance where Silva is not going to be able to easilly win and Rich can get in and out safely. Rich with a few nice shots. It's more of the same with Rich standing outside and getting in and out while Wanderlei telegraphs his shots and can't land. It's an active fight but very repetitive so there isn't a lot to type here. Left/right combo buckles Rich a little bit. Wanderlie is pushing forward and landing shots but Rich comes back and lands one of his own. The round ends with both guys looking a bit shaken. Very close round but I guess 10-9 Franklin for controling more of the round. Round 3 - Franklin is picking him apart again now. Body kicks and occasional straight punches. Body kick lands to Wanderlei's cup but they keep going. Big shot by Franklin. Silva gets the clinch and hits a knee. They are trading big shots now and Wanderlei is winning the exchange. Takedown by Rich but Silva is able to tand back up. The fight ends with Wanderlei throwing a bunch of back elbows and Right throwing punches. 10-9 Silva. Another pretty hard round to score. 29-28 Franklin in my book. Official Scorecardsgive it to Franklin across the board. Rich Franklin wins by unanimous decision.
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Cain got his chin checked (or should I say Cheick'ed), he got rocked three times and got dropped to a knee twice. Kongo had Cain hurt once in every round by but like Blo Jogan said, " Kongo should be keeping his distance and continue throwing strikes instead of trying to take Cain down when he was hurt". Spencer Fisher got outgrappled yet managed to get the nod, (I thought he lost). Ben Saunders was actually gun shy against Swick and could'nt really mount any type of offense other than a few kicks and ultimately Swicks foot work and handspeed were the factors that led to six consecutive right hands that put the "Killa B" away (pretty much the way I thought it would go). Cro-cop still didn't look right and it seemed like his fingers did more damage than his punches or kicks. Wandy/Rich also played out the way I thought it would. Wandy kinda wild and telegraphed vs. a more composed, technical Franklin. It was a close one, but Wandy's predictable aggression worked against him.
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Very pleased Davis took a beating.
Kongo's moving in for the clinch and attempting takedowns when he was successful with his striking was so dumb. He's got a lot of athletic ability but zero to offer on the ground.
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2009
UFC 99 RESULTS
Franklin Edges Out Silva, Velasquez Dominates Kongo at UFC 99
By Dustin Lee DePue
Cologne, Germany—Thousands of German MMA fans packed into the Lanxess Arena to witness the UFC’s first foray into Germany. Despite not having a title fight, the German fans were given a card that was extremely strong on paper and solid in execution. It was a decision-heavy card but still had a nice mix of technical action, balls-out slugging and title-contender relevance. Certainly, the main event lived up to all expectations, no surprise given the two fighters involved.
At a catch weight of 195 pounds, former champions Rich Franklin and Wanderlei Silva gave the German audience a night’s worth of action in three exciting rounds. Franklin, coming down from 205 used his physical advantages to good effect, edging out the former Pride champion by decision. Early on, Franklin used his superior speed, reach and footwork to keep out of Silva’s range and score with crisp, straight punches. He scored with a kick to the midsection before Silva caught a kick and took Franklin to the mat. Franklin worked to his feet, avoiding damage and slipped out of Wanderlei’s guillotine attempt late in the round and landed punches from on top.
The fighters started the second round getting busier with the hands. Though clearly more tired, Silva seemed content to fight a faster paced round. Franklin scored first, knocking Silva down with a jab as he moved in on Franklin. Silva loaded up his punches but was missing wildly as Franklin’s speed and footwork continued to make him difficult to hit. That all changed though midway through the round when Silva was able to close the distance and land a big left-right combo that hurt Franklin. Silva pressed his attack, however, Franklin was able to keep moving and avoided any fight-ending punches. Moments later, Franklin fired back with punches of his own before tagging Silva with a head kick that staggered him and put ice on Silva’s fire, and perhaps on the judge’s decision on the round.
In the third round, Silva was able to land more of his punches, getting the better of some of the early exchanges and motioning to the crowd to pump them up, which in turn seemed to fuel him to further pursue Franklin. Franklin landed punches of his own, but Silva seemed to be getting the better of it. Perhaps sensing danger, Franklin took Silva to the mat. The fight ended with Franklin on Silva’s back with Silva throwing back elbows madly and Franklin throwing punches. It was a close fight, one that I expected to be a split decision; however, the judges were in agreement, awarding Franklin the unanimous decision. It would have been nice to see the scores but they were not announced.
Cain Velasquez proved that he is a top contender in the heavyweight division, taking out French striking machine Cheick Kongo in an outstanding display of ground control. Kongo put Velasquez in danger early, blasting him with a stiff right cross and following it with a second that rocked Velasquez. A third punch might have ended it, but Velasquez showed his durability as he quickly took Kongo down and recovered, spending the rest of the round dominating Kongo on the ground with brilliant movement and a constant barrage of punches.
The second round proved how dangerous Kongo’s standup game is as he again rocked Velasquez in the opening seconds. Here, Kongo made the mistake of going for knees to the body from the clinch, giving Velasquez the opportunity for a takedown, which he took full advantage of. From here, Velasquez was on Kongo like a decal on a NASCAR driver. The third round saw Kongo land with his right hand again and score a takedown but Velasquez outmaneuvered him and continued his ground assault en route to a unanimous decision victory (Scores were not announced). Credit goes to Kongo for not giving up despite the punishment he absorbed. Hopefully, he’ll take this experience and come back a more well-rounded fighter. Velasquez scores his biggest win to date and surely puts himself on the short list of title contenders.
Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic made his return to the UFC, hoping to restore his name as a top heavyweight competitor. He took a step in the right direction, stopping Mustapha Al Turk by TKO. Al Turk came out firing looping right hands and low kicks. Cro Cop patiently avoided the strikes, keeping his left hand cocked and ready to counter. He fired off a few left hands as he continued to size up his opponent before unleashing a one-two punch that hurt Al Turk and then followed with a left hook that put Al Turk on the mat. Cro Cop followed him to the mat but decided to stand-up instead. After an exchange on the feet, Al Turk bent over, holding his face in pain. Cro Cop took full advantage, ripping Al Turk with several big right hands that put him down. A quick follow-up led to the TKO stoppage. On instant replay, it was revealed through a better camera angle that Cro Cop had accidently eye-poked Al Turk and that was why he was doubled over in pain. Despite the poke, it appeared likely that Cro Cop was going to finish Al Turk anyway but we’ll never know for sure.
Mike Swick continues his climb up the ranks of the welterweight division, adding Ben Saunders to his highlight reel with a thrilling TKO stoppage. After a forgettable first round, Swick found his range, tagging Saunders with a right-left combination as Saunders kicked. Seeing that his opponent was hurt, Swick exploded with a flurry of right hands, sending Saunders reeling along the cage. Swick pursued, placing a right hook on Saunders temple and sending him crashing to the mat. Swick followed up with left hands from on top for the referee stoppage at 3:47 of the second round. After the fight, Swick expressed a desire to fight the elite fighters of the division, naming Matt Hughes and Georges St. Pierre specifically.
Spencer Fisher bested Caol Uno in a technical match-up that saw the fighters neutralizing each other’s strengths for much of the fight. Fisher used his superior strength and striking to keep the fight on his feet, sprawling out on most of Uno’s single leg attempts and landing knees to the body and an uppercut in the first round. Undaunted, Uno continued to pursue the single leg, eventually getting the fight to the mat, however, Fisher popped back up to his feet before Uno could get anything going. Uno landed a few hard low kicks in the second but didn’t follow up with much else on the feet.
Although it lacked the more obvious fireworks of a furious punch-out, there was some exciting movement on the mat, particularly in the third round when Uno was finally able to get and hold a dominant position, mounting Fisher with a minute left. From here, Uno was able to land his best strikes of the fight, landing several hard elbows while looking to set up an arm or neck for a submission. If he could have added another minute to the fight, he might have found it but when the bell rang, the judges hadn’t felt he’d done enough, awarding Fisher a unanimous decision (scores were not announced).
The bad blood between Dan Hardy and Marcus Davis came to a boil as they battled back and forth in a close fight that ended with a split decision. Davis wanted the fight on the ground, clinching with Hardy and eventually getting him down with a trip takedown and quickly getting to mount. Hardy fought his way back to guard, working for a triangle as Davis attacked with punches. Near the end of the round, Hardy made his way back to his feet, landing a pair of solid knees to the midsection.
In the second round, the fighters opened up more on the feet, Davis landing a nice left straight, Hardy landing low kicks and looking to counter with his right hand. With Davis pressing forward, Hardy grabbed the plum and dropped him with a knee to the chin. Hardy pounced into Davis’s guard but Davis was able to tie him up enough to recover without taking any significant damage. Near the end of the round, Davis took Hardy to the mat and stayed active with punches from on top.
In the final round, Davis countered a kick by Hardy with a left hook that but Hardy on his back. Davis dropped into Hardy’s guard and landed an elbow before dropping back for a toe hold. Hardy defended and set off a series of submission transitions as Davis went from the toe hold to a knee bar to a heel hook in a matter of seconds with Hardy defending them all. Hardy worked back to his feet and quickly took Davis down, landing a stiff elbow that opened a cut near Davis’s left eye. With blood spilling from the cut and Hardy pressing on the feet, Davis saw the round, and the fight, possibly slipping through his fingers. Indeed, two of the three judges saw the same thing, scoring the fight 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 in favor of Dan Hardy, who remains undefeated in the UFC.
Full results
Rich Franklin def Wanderlei Silva by Unanimous Decision
Cain Velasquez def Cheick Kongo by Unanimous Decision
Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic def Mostapha Al Turk by TKO (Strikes) 3:06 Rd 1
Mike Swick def Ben Saunders by TKO (Strikes) 3:47 rd 2
Spencer Fisher def Caol Uno by Unanimous Decision
Dan Hardy def Marcus Davis by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Terry Etim def Justin Buchholz by D’Arce Choke rd 2
Dennis Siver def Dale Hart by Rear Naked Choke rd 1
Paul Taylor def Peter Sobatta by Unanimous Decision
Paul Kelly def Rolando Delgado by Unanimous Decision
Stefan Struve def Denis Stojnic by Rear Naked Choke 2:37 Rd 2
John Hathaway def Rick Story by Unanimous Decision
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Poor Cheick Kongo. The monkey on his back since he arrived in the UFC has been his ground game (or lack thereof). And after the wrestling-based drubbing Cain Velasquez gave him today in Germany, he’s going to be hearing a lot more about how his ground game sucks. And yeah, Kongo’s ground game isn’t great. But it’s not as terrible as everyone is making it out to be.
Our first glimpse of Kongo’s shitty matwork came back in 2006 against Carmelo Marrero, who utilized some really basic lay n pray skills to take Kongo down and keep him there for the majority of the fight. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain that Kongo needed help on the ground - or at least help staying off the ground.
Then early last year Kongo faced off with Heath Herring and surprised everyone by turning the fight into wrestlemania. Herring, being the gigantic idiot that he is, kept trying to turn the fight into a striking battle but the giant Frenchman would have none of it. He had a new toy he wanted to try out, and that was that. Kongo ended up losing the fight via split decision, but you had to be impressed at the step up he took with his ground game. Or shocked that he would ditch his striking in favor of his grappling. I was both.
Again: Cheick Congo’s ground game is not great. It will always be his weak spot. But it’s not so terrible that you can group him in with other one dimensional fighters like Houston Alexander or Drew McFedries. There are some guys out there who are just going to make you look foolish. Cain Velasquez is one of these guys - he’s just really, really, really fucking good at wrestling. He wasn’t wearing a singlet in all his Countdown photos because they looked good on him, after all. So before you shit on Cheick’s ground game, keep in mind who he was facing. Although you’re more than welcome to poo all over him for trying to shoot on Velasquez in the second and third round after it was obvious his striking was the only path to victory. That was just … wow.
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Although you’re more than welcome to poo all over him for trying to shoot on Velasquez in the second and third round after it was obvious his striking was the only path to victory. That was just … wow.
That was my biggest problem with his performance. I'm a fan, but he either had no game plan or some pretty crappy people in his corner. I am still a fan of the guy though.
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Silva is perhaps the ugliest creature ever to have escaped the Primordial Soup.
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Cain Velasquez's dominating performance over Cheick Kongo on Saturday night at UFC 99 has opened up the discussion as to what is on the mind of UFC's matchmaker Joe Silva and UFC President Dana White. Kongo was conceivably in line for a title shot if he had pushed past up-and-comer Cain Velasquez, but now there are questions regarding where Cain should be positioned near the top. While it's evident that Cain still has some improvements to make in his standup game, he still has controlling wrestling ability, power, and performances to warrant at least a shot at one of the potential contenders at the top.
The middle of the division will be the main focus at UFC 102 with one top flight fight that could potentially set up a title match with the winner of Mir vs. Lesnar. Randy Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is an interesting match for a few reasons. Most notably, will the UFC give Couture a rematch with Lesnar right away if both win their next fight? I wouldn't believe an instant title shot would be warranted, but Couture's career may be heading toward a close. Also, would the UFC push a Noguiera vs. Mir rematch if both win? There are a lot of options, and the UFC hasn't truly stated if Couture vs. Nogueira is a contender match either. Both Couture and Nogueira may have lengthy turnarounds to get into fighting shape again as well due to their age.
UFC 102 also features Justin McCully vs. Junior Dos Santos and Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Chris Tuchscherer. My belief is that since Dana was willing to matchup Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic with Cain Velasquez, Dana is still trying to build up Cain and not rush him into contention. The winner of one of these matches will likely be Cain's next test since the concept of the UFC pushing Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic into contention is out of the question now. Santos would be a solid test, and it would also give Santos a stiff test in proving he has a ground game. Of course McCully could beat Santos by exposing him on the ground first. Gonzaga would also be a solid test as he has solid standup with a good ground game. Are either of those two guys beneath Cain at this point?
The other twist in this puzzle is Shane Carwin. According to his Twitter, he was cleared to spar on May 27th. It'll be interesting to see who the UFC decides to pit him against in the coming months. I'd go with a potential match with Santos if he defeats McCully, but there is always the possibility that the UFC pushes him into the limelight due to his impressive knockout win over Gonzaga. Could the UFC match him up with the loser of Couture/Nogueira? Or would they actually pit him against the loser of Lesnar/Mir?
It's truly a twist that put me into a deep conversation regarding the division with a friend last night after Cain Velasquez vs. Cheick Kongo fight took place. My thoughts are that if Mir wins and Couture wins, they could potentially push a title match. Of course, the concept of Couture being the champ and then retiring doesn't help that possibility. With a Lesnar and Nogueira win, Lesnar vs. Nogueira may make sense. I think the most intriguing questions involve the guys just outside of those two top fights.
The final factor to weigh in the potential for Fedor Emelianenko to put his name into the hat. Dana White will not do a one-fight deal, so it's up to Fedor if he wants to challenge himself. Conceivably, the UFC would push Fedor instantly into a title shot with Lesnar/Mir, and then set up matches from the contenders. The only guy who really loses from a Fedor acquisition is Nogueira, who has been defeated twice and was on his way to a third before an accidental headbutt ended their bout at PRIDE Final Conflict 2004. The UFC would want to set him up with Lesnar, Mir, Couture, and whoever comes out of the heap in the middle of the pack. This is all pure speculation right now, and I'm under the belief we won't see Fedor until next year... if at all.
Dana White also talked about the possibility of bringing Josh Barnett back if he defeats Fedor Emelianenko. I don't think Barnett is going to defeat Emelianenko, but he's an dangerous guy to throw in the mix at the top of the UFC's heavyweight division. He could give almost all the top guys problems on the floor, but many fans would say the bout with Gilbert Yvel was a true sign that Barnett might not be able to hang with the absolute best anymore.
In any case, how will the division stack up after UFC 102? It's a tough puzzle to solve, and it's going to be an interesting few months for the UFC brass and Joe Silva to sift through all the possibilities. Maybe they'll decide Ray Mercer needs a shot in the UFC.
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sometimes in a fight you go in with a gameplan and when it doesnt go as planned you start trying anything, i think thats what happened with congo. i guess he thought he would stuff cains takedown attempts but it didnt workout that way
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sometimes in a fight you go in with a gameplan and when it doesnt go as planned you start trying anything, i think thats what happened with congo. i guess he thought he would stuff cains takedown attempts but it didnt workout that way
I agree. It's just that he seemed as though from the very beginning he never had a game plan. The guy should have realized pretty early on that once it went to the ground he was helpless, yet in the second and third rounds he often initiated the clinch and went for takedowns.
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Carwin vs cain winner gets Mir/brock.....I got carwin beating any of the three.allthough I think Mir would give him problems on the ground.
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If Mir gets past Brock and manages to stay focused, I see him dominating for a while...