MMA, UFC, Boxing etc

I know Beardy and I bore you guys in the chatbox with it, well now I'm spreading it out. Spoilers galore will probably end up here, so no reading unless you don't care, or you're upto date

Edgar vs Henderson: Should be awesome. No idea who I'd have winning, Bendos knees I think will be very important in this fight, either Bendo by knockout or Edgar by decision I reckon.

On the same card is Pettis vs Lauzon, and after Lauzon just took out Melvin Guillard, this may well be the next fight for title contention (though Cerrone probably has a more legit claim atm). I would love to see Pettis vs Bendon 2 . I think Pettis should take this, better striking, and his BJJ should keep him out of Lauzons vicious subs, plus he survived a really tight rear naked choke by Bendo in their title clash, so he's got some resistance.

Jones vs Machida: Another fight I'm really looking forward to, Jones has just beasted everyone he's fought, although the older names may be bigger, they're also just that, older. I think Machida will be his biggest challenge yet, could be a very very boring fight, or a really good one.

Thoughts? Fighters worth watching? Fights worth watching? Anyone you really want to see get a title shot or impressing you atm?

Hendo vs Shogun = Fight of the Year.

That event started slow and picked up pace to an amazing finish.

Going to have to watch it again to see what I think about the scoring, I can see it being scored 3 ways.

10-9s to Hendo for the first 3, 10-9s for Shogun in the last 2.
10-9s to Hendo for the first 3, 10-9 then 10-8 for Shogun in the last 2.
10-9s to Hendo for the first 2, then 10-8 for the 3rd, then 10-9 then 10-8 for Shogun in the last 2.

First gives us 48-47, second 48-48, third 48-47. if you're giving the 3rd round a 10-8 there's no way you wouldn't give the 5th, hence no 48-46.

Some people actually think Shogun won that fight, but I think their heads must be up their asses arses.

Amazing battle, Shogun is one tough mofo. But I think it just puts even more into perspective what Jon Jones did to him. This wasn't a half Shogun, this wasn't a Shogun that can claim the first knee meant he was wobbled for the rest of the fight, this was a beatdown on the toughest fighter I've seen, and he just couldn't survive it, he should take heart that most fighters wouldn't have got out the 1st.

Boxing > UFC

You mean to say Boxing > MMA, UFC is but one (albeit the highest regarded) organisation.

And I disagree. Boxing, fighters can avoid each other as much as they wish, UFC picks the fights, fighters fight them, meaning if the fans want to see a fight, it's very likely to happen.

I like boxing, but really like MMA, it's a whole new level of skill, and these are guys who're reaching the point of being capable of holding their own in most of the individual disciplines they train in. Wrestling olympians, BJJ world champions, Pro Boxers (though none of the real stars have made the cross over).

The money isn't quite as big in MMA yet, but the best fighters are now getting upto $4-5 million for a fight, so it's closing in .

And the sportsmanship is unparalleled in the sports world.

It will never top boxing!!

With boxing im only really hanging out for when Mayweather jumps in the ring and wipes the floor of Manny Pacquiao. MMA has so many exciting matchups and you only ever have to wait a few weeks at the most for a fight between two great fighters. Also the fighters different styles really makes for anticipation and great talking points!!

Khan is exciting too, there's a few British prospects being interesting. Tyson Fury needs to get down the gym and out of McDonalds, maybe get Manny Stewart to train him, but heavyweight is not interesting, it was made briefly interesting with David Haye, but his excuses got too tiring in the end.

As Skand said, UFC is exciting week in, week out. Events happen at most on a monthly scale, now becoming more like 3 weeks average, with other special fight nights etc. Most main events have either title fights, or legendary matchups (like the one last Saturday) as headlines. Some events even have multiple title fights.

I think the issue MMA has against boxing is the ground game. Everyone can imagine what a spinning elbow, a spinning back kick to the kidneys, a flying knee to the chin can feel like, and appreciate it, just the same as all the punches are easily understandable. Liver shots are perhaps the most confusing of strikes, but it only takes a few before you understand they can be just as devastating as a knockout. The ground game however is generally something that unless you've practiced it in some way, or taken the time to learn it, it's confusing, it's hard to understand what's going on, you don't appreciate the intricacies, which is why some crowds start booing.

I really think UFC should bring back the section they had on showing people various aspects of the ground game, especially now they're broadcasting on Fox.

Amir Khan
Kell Brook
Nathan Cleverely
Freddie Burns
Kevin Mitchell

All good english boxers!

Devastating finishes in the last event. A hows how as to how to finish a guy. Single punch knockout in 7 seconds. Gruelling ground and pound, likely breaking a rib or two until the ref stops it. A dislocated and broken arm (ouch). And a standing chokehold until someone goes to sleep.

Boxing has excitement, but only recently there was a big controversy with the heavyweights. The scoring seems to be extremely biased (not saying it doesn't happen in the UFC too, but not so blatantly).

As to excitement, can't beat Frankie Edgar (see avatar) vs Gray Maynard parts 2 and 3.

And who isn't in awe of Anderson Silva... the guy takes a round to judge you. Then finds you wanting with an amazingly fast counter jab to the face that leaves you sat on the floor wondering what the hell just happened.

Just watched the latest UFC, wow that broken arm was brutal, and the standing submission

I think the breaks mainly occur in the big boys, their muscles are stronger than their bones, Slyvia's break being the best example, the joint stays bent, the middle of his forearm gives up...

Yeah Frank Mir said that in his interview afterwards about breaks normally happening in the heavier fights. Being able to see it break so obviously though was grimmm.

John Jones has the strangest style I've seen, and I was backing Machida, I like his knees and kicks, always used to play with him on the game. You got it?

Jones adapts, each of his fights look a little different as to what he's trying. His technique is still pretty raw, but it looked a lot tighter against Machida. And his kicks are getting fast, they'll be dangerous enough against almost any opponent not as swift as Lyoto.

Lyoto in my mind was the guy with the best chance to beat Jones with skill, I still thought Jones would take it though. The rest of his fights will be more of a punchers chance type thing, though depending on the opponent will vary the chance.

I have one of the older games, played it a bit but could never get the hang of ground fighting, so as I played to the top of the heavyweights, Mir kept subbing me .

Best style in MMA?

I particularly like BJJ, but that's because I'm smaller in height than most at my weight.

Also, does anyone here do Crossfit training?

Personally I prefer the standup game, and a good boxing style is my favourite, though the jab is now slowly beginning to make a solid appearance (ask Kosheck ), there still aren't enough body shots for my liking, I love it when a fighter punishes the body (Rua vs Jones for instance).

I think wrestling is the most useful, because it does help allow you to determine where the fight takes place, BJJ can help put people off taking you down, but it's still their choice. I think British fighters struggle because of the fact that wrestling isn't trained here at school, though a very good Judo background can offset most of that, since it lends itself to developing a good ground game and a decent TDD and takedowns.

Anderson Silva is one of the best strikers in the sport, not sure if it's been said before!

Gonna do some MMA conditioning at the gym on wednesday. I have absolutely no Idea what to expect except pain...

Silva was a pro boxer before he came to MMA, but I think he's more effective in MMA than boxing, the smaller gloves allow for greater impact from his strikes. His speed, accuracy and technique are sickening. Even from his first fight, when he knocked out Leben, you could see his striking was something special. A man with very good reactions, very good instincts and amazing technique for generating power.

I don't think Jones will ever have the one punch power Silva has (at least in Silvas style, overhand rights can be devastating from anyone, Silva can throw a straight left/right and leave his opponent sat on the mat wondering what the hell happened), but he's working on getting inside his opponents heads. I loved it when he looked at the ref for an instant, just to get Rampage to relax, before sending a beauty of a straight left at his head, that's the stuff that Silva does so well.

is it all not just a little bit homoerotic?

Boris wrote:is it all not just a little bit homoerotic?

I guess if your mind naturally wonders that way, it could be construed that way (in a rather S&M manner), but I'm sure no one here will judge you on that .

Does anyone think that Pacquiao and Mayweather will actually get around to fighting?

I'm sure they will , as soon as they both get to an age they wouldn't mind retiring at after one or two more fights. A problem in boxing is that a loss (especially breaking a 0) is something that's avoided like the plague as it effects your marketability. Thus they end up fighting anyone but the best, some great fighters mixed in with not so greats.

Why use up your winning streak on anything but a HUGE payday and potential retirement fight anyway. They'll fight, but they know it'll be the biggest fight in boxing outside a Lewis vs Klitscho rematch, so will get very rich.

I thought it was basically confirmed now and just needed to agree a date. Or have I missed something?

With boxing (and any sport really) until they're both in the ring, I don't fully believe it will happen .

Raggs!!! 9 days LEFT MAHAHA!!!

Naturally Bigger and stronger

Just as good cardio.

His Jiu-Jistu

Great TDD

Just as big a heart!!!