something red

UFC 79 has got to be one of the biggest fighting events of the past few years. Hughes & St-Pierre go at it again and Liddell is taking on Wanderlei Silva.

I don't know how to approach the Hughes - St-Pierre fight. I like St-Pierre in the matchup, but the fight he had with Sera makes me not so sure about him. I hope it goes beyond the first round, as I enjoy watching these guys fight.

The Liddell-Silva matchup is going to be bloody. I think Liddell lost a step when he lost to Jackson. He seemed to hold back quite a bit in his loss to Jardine. He needs to get that confidence back if he's to last more than 30 seconds with Silva.

Anyhow, here's to hoping for another matchup between Wanderlei Silva & Quentin Jackson!

Not Right Now

Im picking St. Pierre and Silva.

St. Pierre is the kind of fighter that gets better and betrtter and always learns from his mistakes. Apparently in his uber training camp, even Rashad Evans has been unable to take him down. That says a lot considering Rashad walks around at 220.

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I only came to dance.

Bear Cub

Rashad Evans also isn't the wrestler that Hughes is. I think after the Hughes loss to St Pierre, he's got a chip on his shoulder, and still wants to prove that he's on top.

silent_jay

I'm Canadian so obviously my loyalties are with GSP.

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Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Not Right Now

I also think that Evans is a better wrestler than Hughes, Hughes is basically a decent wrestler with retard strength. GSP has already beat 2 of the three best fighters at the 170 lb weight class.

Hughes, while being one of the best wresters at this class, is overrated. He beat Trigg twice, Sherk (by decision while GSP destroyed him), Sakurai (!155 at best), a sour Royce Gracie, and a nervous GSP.


BJ Penn pwned him until that broken rib, and GSP was too scared to even look at him the first time. Those are his only two quality wins.

GSP @ 100% mental and physical is basically indestructible. Win or lose. GSP will rock the shit in this one. WAR.

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I only came to dance.

something red

I agree with you 100% on St-Pierre.

radioguy

freakin canadians!!!! i'll take hughes!

something red

I just re-watched the Pride fight between Quentin Jackson & Wanderlei Silva and, man, was that an exciting fight. I feel those guys are just about perfectly matched. And that has got to be one of the most brutal knockouts I've ever seen. I really hope those two get to fight each other again in the UFC.

Not Right Now

Quinton was made for the cage... but I still don't know how the much of a difference the ring/cage factor will make on Wandy.

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thefatbaby

This is Silva's first fight in the cage, Chuck is coming back knowing that after 5 years of fighting over who was the better fighter he HAS to win this one. I'm gonna say that Chuck is gonna come out ready and beat Silva.

How can you say GSP is going to dominate Matt Hughes? Come on, WAR HUGHES!!

Also, I'll take Machida so is that underdogs all around for me?

Toaster126

MMAweekly has an interesting article linked showing mathmatically (sort of) how GSP is a better wrestler. I found it interesting.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/...5350&zoneid=13

For the record I'm a huge GSP fan, and I think he will beat Matt yet again.

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"The question isn't who is going to let me, it's who is going to stop me." (Ayn Rand)
"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers." (M. Scott Peck)

owlbill

I have been thinking Hughes over GSP, but silly Sera will take the belt back from Hughes just to stir things up a bit LOL. Also, anyone watching TUF will remember Hughes saying "I don't have much time left in this sport" or something to that effect.

As for Silva-Lidell, it looks like Chuck is slipping a bit in his last few fights, so I pick Silva.

Of course, I have been wrong before.

telekinetic

Wandy is a bad bad man. He is going to fuck chuck up. I've been waiting for this fight for years...wish it had happened back when it would have been relevant to the title.

Hughes is one of the best fighters the sport has seen, but I can't picture a scenario outside of lucky knockout punch where the new improved made-of-razor-wire-and-broken-glass GSP I saw systematicaly dissect Josh Koscheck in the last fight gets beaten.

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twisted no more

Strange Famous

In my opinion Pierre lacks gameness and will fold under pressure and be beaten by Hughes, a plucky but limited scrapper.

Silva will beat Liddell. I gave seen Liddell in youtube, and he is ponderous, overweight and ham-fisted. Silva is raw is unrefined, but at least had a bit of energy in the fight I saw.

__________________
"Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate,
for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing
hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain
without being uncovered."

The Gospel of Thomas

something red

Liddell could easily knock anyone out, including Silva. I think the key for Silva is to give Chuck a bit of respect and not just rush in on him; that is when Chuck is most dangerous. Clocking people on their way in with those long-ass arms of his.

For the record, I'm for Silva all the way. I think he is far more well-rounded than Chuck and would be a super-exciting champion in UFC. Plus I want to see another Siva/Jackson matchup!

Strange, we'll make a fan out of you yet. Thank you for separating your views in the other thread from your post here. It is genuinely appreciated.

silent_jay

Just getting ready to watch UFC 79 on TVU Player, fuck PPV....

GSP, GSP,
Champ again,

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Absence makes the heart grow fonder

blade02

Well UFC 79 proved that Silva has got one tough chin and that Matt Hughes is getting old and thinking about retiring.

Not Right Now

Silva vs Liddell was a very close war. If Silva hadn't eaten that big elbow in the tirds and Liddell hadn't ddecided that he was going to wrestle for the first time since his loss to Jeremy Horn it probably wouldve been a draw. That was some game on his part though. They showed how tough they are last night. I enjoyed that fight, you can tell that they both have a ton of respect eachother in that fight.

GSP... well I pretty much said that was going to happen the way it did. The only person who can beat a 100% ready GSP is BJ Penn, supposedly he'll be back at 170 after fighting Sherk. He still wants the WW and LW title at once.

The rest of the card was a bit disappointing.... save for Manny Gamburyan coming back with a vengeance.

Guillard v Clementi pissed me off because they were both too cocky and talked way to much shit afterward.

Sanchez vs Soa... err Sanchez vs punching dummie was just bad.

Machida did a great job with his awkward style as always. But I am really disappointed by Soko's performance. His judo was supposed to be amazing, he had good takedowns, but didn't know what to do off of his back.

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I only came to dance.

Prophecy

All in all the Liddell vs Silvia fight was the highlight of the night for me. I'm still a little amazed Hughes got put on his back so quickly. Like blade02 said, Hughes looked a step or two behind GSP the whole fight.


To Not Right Now:
Correct me if I'm wrong but I was sure GSP's next fight was/is against Matt Sera for the Unified Title then Sean Sherk or whoever. GSP is only the interim UFC Welterweight titleholder after all.

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La Fede È Il Mio Schermo,
Non salti Ciecamente In Incertezza,
E Potete Raccogliere Le Ricompense.

Not Right Now

I was referring to Bj Penn. If he beats Joe Stevenson he gets to fight Sherk, and hsi plan has always been to hold the title at 155 and 170

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m0rpheus

Wow I was hoping that GSP would take Hughes, but who knew he would just completely own him? I'm curious to see if Hughes is done or not. I mean if he had lost a close one to GSP he might continue on but he was just destroyed. Maybe if Sera beats GSP they'll do Hughes vs Sera.

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silent_jay

No talk of that sawed off midget Sera beating the Canadian boy GSP...haha just playing, anyone can beat anyone on a given day, got to love a punchers chance.

I'd like to see Matt and Sera go at it, it would be a good fight, I think it's just what Hughes needs to get his career back on track, and he'd get to shut Sera up. That's my main beef with Sera, the guy shows no respect, calling Hughes a cock, and a no talent bum, if it wasn't for TUF the only thing Sera would be remembered for in the UFC was getting knocked out by Shonnie Carter and the spinning backfist of doom.

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Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Strange Famous

Isnt Shrek a drug cheat?

Also (from reading wiki - was a bit confused how a guy who is listed at 155 lbs can fight for the lightweight title (lightweight being 135 lbs)) - but it seems they use the same weight classes with different weights, which just pisses me off.

I mean, if MMA want to set their own weight classes, thats fine and they should do - but why use the same names as boxing does and change the weights? Just in such self-conscious public excercise of being "different"?

But *IF* I was an MMA fan, I'd be excited about the idea (although he wont do it) of PBF taking on the best MMA guy who can get down to 140.

I dont see the fight happening simply because I dont think MMA can pay more than a Cotto fight or a Hatton rematch (which is mute from a sporting point of view because PBF proved he was a different class, but would pay him $10M easily to do it in Manchester)... but PBF had nothing else to prove as a boxer... yes there are fights out there, but he is already the best of his generation... if MMA can give him a big pay out - he might do it.

It would be huge with the MMA fans wanting to see a great boxer get beat, and if he does lose it wont hurt his legacy as a boxer anyway... because boxing fans will see it as a joke. I wouldnt bet against him though. For all that I say about MMA being less skilled, and having elements that are unmanly, it is a huge difference to how he has always fought - but PBF is a master and he might not be favourite in a wrestling match against a seasoned wrestler/MMA champ, but he is so quick, so skillful...

What they should do is a double match, boxing and MMA... PBF would beat anyone in a boxing ring, and he'd have a shot at the MMA match and striking a massive blow for boxing against MMA, and the MMA fighter would have a chance at "equality" with the sweet science... I think if it was sold that way it could bring boxing fans in to, and for once PBF would have some popular support behind him; God knows if he could act with half the class he fights with he would be the best loved boxer out there.

__________________
"Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate,
for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing
hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain
without being uncovered."

The Gospel of Thomas

blade02

Hughes himself said that he trained and gave it his all against GSP. I think it comes down to Hughes doesn't want to fight anymore. I mean how many post fight interviews talk about books that you've written or that you plan on writing? I mean no disrespect to GSP, but Hughes was more like a man that was simply trying not to lose, instead of someone trying to win a fight. I think he'll do a few more fights just to leave the UFC on good terms, but I don't see much of a come back or a very long career.

Strange Famous

Sometimes a man who is no longer afraid of losing can be the most dangerous.

I think you have to factor in that in a very short (sometimes as short as 3 rounds?) and high impact fight - it really can go both ways sometimes.

I dont know a lot about Hughes as a fighter, so I am speaking generally, but when I watched a couple of youtube video's before I made my prediction, I really do think that Pierre lacks gameness. He is a skillfull and flashy fighter, but I dont think is ready for too many wars. Maybe 3 round fights suit that style.

__________________
"Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate,
for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing
hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain
without being uncovered."

The Gospel of Thomas

silent_jay

3 round fights at 5:00 a round equals some good cardio on those guys, same as a boxer going 12 rounds.

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Absence makes the heart grow fonder

highthief

To be fair, it's simply different. In athletics you have sprinters, milers, 10 K runners, and marathoners - they are all in excellent shape, but all geared towards being successful in slightly different ways. It's silly to say that a boxer who goes 10 rounds at 3 minutes per round is in "better" shape than a UFC fighter going for 3 x 5 minutes. A lot more strength and power tends to be involved in UFC fighting, due to the wrestling components, than is required in boxing - if the fights were pushed to 6 x 5 minute rounds, things would get stupidly slow.

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silent_jay

That is true highthief, 6 rounds would start to slow things down, I forgot the energy exerted while grappling.

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Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Not Right Now

There is some speculation over it... but yes, I feel that he is. He has changed his story from " I didn't do it." I didn't do it knowingly." to "It was in my supplements and energy drinks." I believe he is guilty. but the CSAC ruined any chance they had
of truly nailing him but waiting too long

The ufc utilizes 5 weight classes:
Heavyweight: 206-265
Light-Heavyweight: 205
Middleweight: 185
Welterweight: 170
Lightweight: 155

The other weight classes of the Unified Rules of Combat not utilized by the UFC:
Super-Heaveyweight: 265+
Featherweight: 145
Banthamweight: 135
Flyweight: 125

It's simply that way because its easier for people to understand. as for the weight being higher, I would imagine it would have something to do with all of the muscle mass grapplers develop.

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I only came to dance.

owlbill

Dammit, looks like I guessed both wrong. Maybe I will do better with UFC 80.