Glad the fight is happening, but I am so tired of all these interim titles and I think with WME there will be one in almost every class to add extra gravitas for the casual fan. Regardless though, this is a clear #1 contender match with the best guys in the division. Really glad they got the deal done. That one is shaping up to be a decent card.
The MMA Thread
- Thread starter thunderball
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I agree completely. For all the fights they put on strictly for entertainment, boasting the importance of the fight, this one is not only a dream come true for casual fans, it actually is a fight that would see the winner as probably the best 155'er in the UFC(no disrespect to the champ).
Interim belts...that's tough. I lean towards not having any. I feel like if the champion is going to be out so long that they need to make an interim belt then they should just have the current champ vacate, then give them the option of fighting for it again when they come back. The only time I'd really go against that is if the champ was on one of those crazy, record shattering runs like Anderson or GSP. If the wait is not too long, that is. If it's a Cruz "I'll see you in two years" deal then yeah, even those guys should have to vacate.
Interim belts...that's tough. I lean towards not having any. I feel like if the champion is going to be out so long that they need to make an interim belt then they should just have the current champ vacate, then give them the option of fighting for it again when they come back. The only time I'd really go against that is if the champ was on one of those crazy, record shattering runs like Anderson or GSP. If the wait is not too long, that is. If it's a Cruz "I'll see you in two years" deal then yeah, even those guys should have to vacate.
Put belt defense on a set schedule. Any given belt is defended or fought over every four months (or however long is reasonable.) Once every six months? I dunno, but whatever it is, you set it in stone. "Welterweight title is defended the third Saturday in January, May, and September." Something like that. A champ who can't fight that fight is stripped of the title, and the two top contenders fight for the (actual, not "interim") title.
I think that an athlete should be able to defend his title (after a reasonable amount of recovery time.) By which I mean, in order to be considered "champion", one needs to have the ability to step into the ring and fight of the top challenger, and not hide behind "oh, I'm hurt" or "I have other commitments ... I'm making a movie in Hollywood" or whatever.
Injuries are within reason. But you have a point when it comes to movies.
Yet another reason to love Joe Lauzon. He wins the split decision. I'm a fan of his , was rooting for him but I thought he lost. And he specifically said in interview that Marcin Held won. I love to see that integrity and honesty in the sport. What a class act and hats off to Marcin Held for a great performance.
BJ Penn, please retire. You're rich. A legend. A Hall of Famer. Please stop.
Double heartbroken tonight. My favorite team lost to the damn packers, after a hell of a season and an emotional rollercoaster of a game.
Then. BJ. Penn loses. Nothing against Yair, i just thought his career could take a loss more so than Penn.
Yair is such an exciting fighter, and i like watching him fight. But just incredibly sad to see legends go out, retire. And then comeback only to get beat bad.
Then. BJ. Penn loses. Nothing against Yair, i just thought his career could take a loss more so than Penn.
Yair is such an exciting fighter, and i like watching him fight. But just incredibly sad to see legends go out, retire. And then comeback only to get beat bad.
+1 brother...+1
Especially in one-on-one sports, it is incredibly sad and painful to watch legend "comebacks" that go south. There's nowhere to hide...ALL eyes are on them. I had to "go get a drink" after watching BJ take what seemed to be the 100th significant kick.
and my Cowboys lost....
That was pretty tough to watch. I love Penn, but I don't think that he can compete with the very best anymore.
Joe is always a class act. Held won, and getting the nod killed Joe. Held's ground game is serious.
Joe is always a class act. Held won, and getting the nod killed Joe. Held's ground game is serious.
Also forgot to mention: a no gi, gloved Ezekiel choke while being mounted, in an MMA match? Impossible. Never happen.
Couldn't believe that!! Amazing to watch.
Tim Kennedy retires. And he wrote a very nice retirement note. Can't find it since im on mobile. Cutting and pasting on a cell phone is a pain.
Tito and chael this weekend i believe. On bellator
The Ezekiel choke was amazing!
Here is what Tim said.
Here is what Tim said.
Thank you sir.
Love Tim Kennedy, he'll be missed.
So Big Rig is moving up to 185, and will be fighting Hector Lombard. Hector is a weird fight for anybody. He will probably win, and if you win it still does nothing for you career-wise. Lot of risk for almost no reward.
Kinda feel that Hendricks is a bit undersized for middleweight. But if he can make the weight and perform, then cool.
(Agree with you on lombard) Never liked Lombard, hope johny scores one of his awesome KO's
(Agree with you on lombard) Never liked Lombard, hope johny scores one of his awesome KO's
I'll miss Tim, I'm also glad he is leaving before it becomes painfully obvious that it's past time to retire.
What happened to Big Rig? Too many wars? Did he loose his desire to fight? Age? I've read some speculation that USADA had something to do with it along with before and after pictures but I don't know if I believe that.
What happened to Big Rig? Too many wars? Did he loose his desire to fight? Age? I've read some speculation that USADA had something to do with it along with before and after pictures but I don't know if I believe that.
I'll miss Tim as well. Superb fighter, and while he sometimes annoyed me, a galvanizing guy who actually moves on what he believes.
With Big Rig I think it's one of two things. He's lost the desire, or he was on something. Either is totally plausible to me. He's never been Joe Sixpack, totally shredded to the gills and screaming "Anabolic!", but neither did Tim Sylvia. At the same time, he has competed since USADA took over and not tested positive for PED's that I can recall. It look to me like motivation. He is not fighting the same. There is also the outside possibility that his body just can't perform at the level it needs to in a meat grinder division like 170 due to a natural decrease in testosterone. He's been a wrestler forever, and red lined his body since he was a kid, and that happens.
With Big Rig I think it's one of two things. He's lost the desire, or he was on something. Either is totally plausible to me. He's never been Joe Sixpack, totally shredded to the gills and screaming "Anabolic!", but neither did Tim Sylvia. At the same time, he has competed since USADA took over and not tested positive for PED's that I can recall. It look to me like motivation. He is not fighting the same. There is also the outside possibility that his body just can't perform at the level it needs to in a meat grinder division like 170 due to a natural decrease in testosterone. He's been a wrestler forever, and red lined his body since he was a kid, and that happens.
Bellator card was solid yesterday.
Paul Daley with a fantastic flying knee KO, no follow up punches needed. He was asleep.
And Tito making chael tap in the first. Nice, it wasn't sunk in all the way, but chael was turning purple and his head looked like he was about to explode.
Tito retired last night, his oldest son laid his gloves in the middle of the cage. One of the best, and one of the few that defended the title more than 4 times.
Paul Daley with a fantastic flying knee KO, no follow up punches needed. He was asleep.
And Tito making chael tap in the first. Nice, it wasn't sunk in all the way, but chael was turning purple and his head looked like he was about to explode.
Tito retired last night, his oldest son laid his gloves in the middle of the cage. One of the best, and one of the few that defended the title more than 4 times.
A really nice way to cap off a career. Chael never won a title, but he was always dangerous and a win over him is still, to me, a pretty big feather in your cap. I always hated Tito's persona. I always found him both hard to listen to(mostly due to him not being able to get a meaningful sentence out), but when I saw the way he really is, and how he acted as a coach on TUF(in my opinion one of, if not the best and most admirable of the whole lot) it really softened me up to him.
Those on the jaw RNC's can be brutal. The best example I can think of was Ricardo Arona vs. Sergey Ignatov. Ricardo was so damn strong.
Those on the jaw RNC's can be brutal. The best example I can think of was Ricardo Arona vs. Sergey Ignatov. Ricardo was so damn strong.
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