The UFC Thread

[shaz619]

Did you guys check out tony's interview where he started a fight with fabricio werdum. Seems like tony's success is getting to him. Was acting like a total douche

What's the latest with regards to the build to UFC 217 ? and who do you think should main-event, it has to be Joanna Champion v Rose Namajunas for me

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Sad to see Lyoto Machida getting KO'd again. He's 39, and like Anderson Silva can't take the punishment any more. These guys were legends in their day and it's painful watching them try to compete without their natural speed and agility which has been shredded by age.

[shaz619]

Sad to see Lyoto Machida getting KO'd again. He's 39, and like Anderson Silva can't take the punishment any more. These guys were legends in their day and it's painful watching them try to compete without their natural speed and agility which has been shredded by age.

Silva ought to be well off financially but I don't know about Machida.

Fighters tend to continue either for the money or love for the sport/spotlight, it can also be difficult to adjust to normal life once you don't get that buzz from combat and pumelling someone was all they knew

[TQ89]

What's the latest with regards to the build to UFC 217 ? and who do you think should main-event, it has to be Joanna Champion v Rose Namajunas for me

Yeah but GSP's return will be the main event. MMA too is so full of casual fans who really think that a guy who is on the wrong side of 30's and inactive for a long long time is gonna somehow give bisping any trouble. Other than that the rest of the card is very superb. They have got stephen thomson , tj dillashaw vs cody on the card too. So it is gonna be a good event

[TQ89]

Sad to see Lyoto Machida getting KO'd again. He's 39, and like Anderson Silva can't take the punishment any more. These guys were legends in their day and it's painful watching them try to compete without their natural speed and agility which has been shredded by age.

Lot of mma guys are guilty of this. Look at what happened to mark coleman, chuck lidell and ken shamrock. These three dudes used to be the baddest fighters and owned their division especially Chuck and Shamrock but then their decline came and they would lose to mediocre guys in brutal fashion

[shaz619]

One of the best heel promos ever in the UFC:

[Cpt. Rishwat]

One of the best heel promos ever in the UFC:

He did well beating Demian Maia, but got to say I wasn't impressed with his lack of respect for one of the true gents of the sport. Maia isn't really a striker, but he gave Colby a really tough time before he tired in the second round. I look forward to seeing Colby getting busted up when he fights someone who is still in their prime. Maia is still a good fighter but he's probably a couple of years past his best.

[shaz619]

He did well beating Demian Maia, but got to say I wasn't impressed with his lack of respect for one of the true gents of the sport. Maia isn't really a striker, but he gave Colby a really tough time before he tired in the second round. I look forward to seeing Colby getting busted up when he fights someone who is still in their prime. Maia is still a good fighter but he's probably a couple of years past his best.

That's what matters from the POV of these fighters and Colby is friends with Cornette wh's the master at this sort of thing, in the end talking rubbish creates interest and $$$$. Enjoyed the fight and I agree it wasn't nice for Maia, but these guys were trying to destroy each other just before that interview and it's good to have some characters about otherwise things will just be dull

[TQ89]

It was very disrespectful for him to say that. Trash talking the fans can be done with class but his words were absolute filth. I look forward to him bumping into some big brazilians in American top team so he can get his *** whooped.

[Cpt. Rishwat]

That's what matters from the POV of these fighters and Colby is friends with Cornette wh's the master at this sort of thing, in the end talking rubbish creates interest and $$$$. Enjoyed the fight and I agree it wasn't nice for Maia, but these guys were trying to destroy each other just before that interview and it's good to have some characters about otherwise things will just be dull

I get that, two of my favourite fighters were the Diaz brothers, but they earned the right to shoot their mouths. They took on the best in their prime, I just don't think much of anyone who trashes a guy like Maia when he's no longer at his peak. I found the whole thing left a nasty taste, I can't wait to see Colby go up against the division's big guns. He got pretty cut up against old man Maia, and he's hardly a big puncher.

[TQ89]

That's what matters from the POV of these fighters and Colby is friends with Cornette wh's the master at this sort of thing, in the end talking rubbish creates interest and $$$$. Enjoyed the fight and I agree it wasn't nice for Maia, but these guys were trying to destroy each other just before that interview and it's good to have some characters about otherwise things will just be dull

Cornette as in that wrestling promoter Jim cornette?

[shaz619]

Cornette as in that wrestling promoter Jim cornette?

Yep, the two are friends lol what a weird alliance aha

[shaz619]

Joanna Champion makes weight with 5 minutes to go, not sure if she had a bad weight cut or if straweight is becoming taxing for her, this could also be a talking point during the fight itself.

GSP made weight and he looks great at 185, remains to be seen what the old fox has left although many expect him to get mauled.

[shaz619]

Wow, OMG that was the most dramatic UFC PPV of the year.

The greatest female MMA fighter of all time in Joanna Champion is defeated courtesy of a Hail Mary Left Hook from Rose Namajunas who was possessed by the spirit of Joe Frazier.

I wouldn't call it an upset because styles make fights and Rose was a serious threat for Joanna although we still expected the champion to find a way to win like she does always. I was so hyped, it was a super-fight for me because I believed Rose would be the biggest test of her career and easily a top 3 P4P fighter amongst the women, yes she lost to Karolina but that could have been scored in her favour, it was a close fight. Don't think any of us would have predicted she would win in such a fashion being a submission specialist, her striking took me off guard, she was finding the target quiet easily and the power was there to, prior to that knock out she was tagging her with a couple of rights which rocked Joanna who by the way has a fantastic chin.

I was tearing up watching Joanna make her entrance, she was meant to make history and cement her status as the greatest womens fighter of all time; as of late we've seen so many fall short, Ronda was defeated by Holly and then Nunes, Holly lost to Tate after beating Ronda and now the legend of Joanna is beaten on the brink of cementing her undisputed status as the greatest female MMA fighter who ever lived. People made fun of CM Punk in his defeat, but he displayed immense toughness because you can still tap out when you're being hit with strikes but he didn't ; Joanna tapped out while she was being with strikes, am not sure if it was a premature on her end but it's not something which you see quiet often, anyhow she was knocked out cold and ref would have soon intervened anyway.

Joanna to me just didn't look herself, not sure if her head was in the fight; I get a feeling she was too nervous because for the first time in a long time, she was almost looking in the mirror because Rose is equally ferocious. But man Rose won in the most emphatic way possible, she beat Joanna on her feet and full credit must be given to her hard work in recent times, always fell under the radar but hard to argue against that when Joanna has been running through the division. Maybe it's also a case of being outgunned by the younger fighter with not as much wear/tear.

The rematch is inevitable and it will do amazing numbers for the UFC although am not sure if Joanna will stay at straw-weight because she could potentially move up given that there are whispers that the weight cut has been a struggle.

If anyone was to pull off a big title win after a 4 year hiatus it had to be GSP right , one of the most technically sound fighters in the history of MMA. I've never seen anything quiet like it in any combat sport, who leaves the sport at the top of their game, returns 4 years past their prime and goes straight into a world title fight and wins ? Bisping is no mug either, he's probably one of the most criminally underrated fighters in the history of the UFC. And man, had that fight gone into round 4/5 maybe we'd have thought of placing our money on Bisping because GSP was gassed! his strategy was perfect, he knew that he was not going to win the fight over the course of 5 rounds because when you're out the game so long it doesn't matter who you are but the endurance is just not going to be there, it comes from activity in the octogan. He knew his best shot was knock or choke Bisping out so he put on more muscle as well for that reason, excellent move to hire the services of Freddie Roach who also worked his corner! GSP kept feinting GSP to his left through out the fight and then slipped a straight cross to set up that big left hook counter, he mentioned he was working on that with Freddie during camp and it paid off big time. Not sure if he's back for good or if this is a short term run.

The interviews were great lol some memorable quotes:

Rose after winning the title "winning a world title is no big deal it doesn't mean anything, lets just be nice people guys that's what matters"

GSP after winning "It's not about who has the biggest balls! it's about who has the best technique!"

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Rose was a massive shock, but a pleasant one because she's one of those female fighters who still has the physique of a normal woman, quite a slender one at that. All technique and fluidity going up against brute ferocity or muscle.

Glad GSP won, it will put an end to Bispeng's attempts to pass himself off as an all time great. Bispeng has been more of an interim champ for me, he had one great win against Rockhold, the rest were too often against fighters past their prime.

The fighter I most felt sorry for was Cody Galbrandt. He all but KO'd Dillashaw at the end of the first round, only to be foiled by the bell, then got caught by a flash counter himself in the second. I think TJ got out of jail there.

[shaz619]

Rose was a massive shock, but a pleasant one because she's one of those female fighters who still has the physique of a normal woman, quite a slender one at that. All technique and fluidity going up against brute ferocity or muscle.

Glad GSP won, it will put an end to Bispeng's attempts to pass himself off as an all time great. Bispeng has been more of an interim champ for me, he had one great win against Rockhold, the rest were too often against fighters past their prime.

The fighter I most felt sorry for was Cody Galbrandt. He all but KO'd Dillashaw at the end of the first round, only to be foiled by the bell, then got caught by a flash counter himself in the second. I think TJ got out of jail there.

She has been waiting to burst for a while, has been getting better and better with each fight a very gifted all round fighter and her striking especially has been a revelation for me. Still only 25 and has had 10 fights so she will get better from here. Would love to see the rematch and I just read an article where Joanna states emphatically that wants a shot at the title again and that she has been a great champ for the UFC but will speak to Dana and see what happens, reading between the lines it sounds like she's concerned about getting another go again

Bisping has never been the most gifted fella around but he's a throwback who takes on all comers even on short notice to fight for the chance to be world champion more recently for example , he has just kept at it and in between there have been fantastic wins; he has also done his bit to give the UFC exposure here in the UK and overseas more then most and will most likely end up in the UFC hall of fame one day and he deserves it, I don't think he believes he truly is the greatest but that's the kind of trash talk which sells fights. I would best describe him as an underrated work horse which has done his bit to help elevate MMA's profile.

Who would you like to see GSP take on if this is a long term run ?

[shaz619]

Bisping is one crazy dude, he wouldn't tap out and I was getting worried. Luckily the ref called the stoppage in time

[Cpt. Rishwat]

She has been waiting to burst for a while, has been getting better and better with each fight a very gifted all round fighter and her striking especially has been a revelation for me. Still only 25 and has had 10 fights so she will get better from here. Would love to see the rematch and I just read an article where Joanna states emphatically that wants a shot at the title again and that she has been a great champ for the UFC but will speak to Dana and see what happens, reading between the lines it sounds like she's concerned about getting another go again

Bisping has never been the most gifted fella around but he's a throwback who takes on all comers even on short notice to fight for the chance to be world champion more recently for example , he has just kept at it and in between there have been fantastic wins; he has also done his bit to give the UFC exposure here in the UK and overseas more then most and will most likely end up in the UFC hall of fame one day and he deserves it, I don't think he believes he truly is the greatest but that's the kind of trash talk which sells fights. I would best describe him as an underrated work horse which has done his bit to help elevate MMA's profile.

Who would you like to see GSP take on if this is a long term run ?

I don't see GSP's return as a long term run. He's cutting up far too easily, and while he'll be a game opponent, I think like any other fighter whose past his sell by date, he's not going to win against many of today's top fighters. Definitely not at middleweight, that's for sure.

[shaz619]

I don't see GSP's return as a long term run. He's cutting up far too easily, and while he'll be a game opponent, I think like any other fighter whose past his sell by date, he's not going to win against many of today's top fighters. Definitely not at middleweight, that's for sure.

I don't think he will fight at middleweight as well and he indicated that in the post fight interview to, he will be back at welterweight. There has also been talk of matching him with Conor, it would draw big bucks but am not sure he'd step up in weight again although he could be encouraged by the fact that GSP is past his peak

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I don't think he will fight at middleweight as well and he indicated that in the post fight interview to, he will be back at welterweight. There has also been talk of matching him with Conor, it would draw big bucks but am not sure he'd step up in weight again although he could be encouraged by the fact that GSP is past his peak

Yes I suppose a GSP/McGregor fight would be good for both, plenty of big money, and they can avoid the fighters like Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee who would probably be too much for both of them to be quite honest.

[shaz619]

Yes I suppose a GSP/McGregor fight would be good for both, plenty of big money, and they can avoid the fighters like Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee who would probably be too much for both of them to be quite honest.

The UFC has become a business now as well, in the past the best were guaranteed to fight the best and while that is still the case it's not hard to see how Dana protects his cash cows at times but then again he threw Ronda at the deep end in her comeback and Bisping is still a dangerous fight for a guy who has been out for 4 years. At the same time when you draw big, you also get more control over who you want to face; Conor is like an AJ for the UFC where it doesn't matter who he fights now because he is the attraction and the PPV will do decent numbers regardless so long it's someone ranked inside the top 10 without posing too much of a threat. But I could be wrong, if guys like Tony keep making noise then surely he will force his promoters hand and even more so if the fans keep demanding it

[shaz619]

"I just want to be a good person." Namajunas says nothing will change now that she's the champ #UFC217 pic.twitter.com/No3q59rRIX

— UFC (@ufc) 5 November 2017

[TQ89]

Damn am so heartbroken over Joanna's loss. Hope she takes positive lessons from this defeat and makes a comeback.

Speaking of Comebacks, GSP sure gave me a heart attack. Man my heart was racing throughout that bout. Sure loved the shock on Bisping's face, he was thinking he was gonne get an easy fight with a washed up fighter like his previous title challengers. But GSP showed why he is the GOAT. Loved his post-fight interview

[shaz619]

Bisping will be fighting in Shanghai @TQ89

“I feel like I can go again right now”.. Gracious in defeat and exctly 7 days later @bisping takes the next @ufc main event fight against Gastelum. Love his f*cking attitude. Blood, sweat, respect. https://t.co/NvREXeTvCK

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) 12 November 2017

Anyone can do anything in victory. Only in defeat does a man truly reveal himself.

THIS is @bisping https://t.co/VFqcUYdeKP

— Fight Disciples (@FightDisciples) November 5, 2017

Not everyone realises his gimmick to sell tickets so not as popular compared to others but even the haters have to admire his work ethic, toughness and never say die attitude; he's also been such a class act for the UFC and bailed them out of so many tricky situations. He has his flaws as a fighter but a throwback warrior who is sure to be inducted in the hall of fame one day.

[TQ89]

Bisping will be fighting in Shanghai @TQ89

“I feel like I can go again right now”.. Gracious in defeat and exctly 7 days later @bisping takes the next @ufc main event fight against Gastelum. Love his f*cking attitude. Blood, sweat, respect. https://t.co/NvREXeTvCK

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) 12 November 2017

Anyone can do anything in victory. Only in defeat does a man truly reveal himself.

THIS is @bisping https://t.co/VFqcUYdeKP

— Fight Disciples (@FightDisciples) November 5, 2017

Not everyone realises his gimmick to sell tickets so not as popular compared to others but even the haters have to admire his work ethic, toughness and never say die attitude; he's also been such a class act for the UFC and bailed them out of so many tricky situations. He has his flaws as a fighter but a throwback warrior who is sure to be inducted in the hall of fame one day.

Bisping is the type of guy who has always been available for ufc which is why dana likes him so much. Never doubted his toughness and he has been very good draw in ufc fight night events in europe

[TQ89]

Devastated on aldo's second loss today. It is always sad to see fighters in their decline taking on young & talented opponents. I don't want him to go the anderson silva & machida route and give other guys tko victories over him.

Loved the Justin gaetjhe and eddie alvarez fight. That was real high drama war in which justin just went to the left leg of eddie and eddie just attacked justin's body throughout the three rounds. In the end, eddie's persistence won him the fight. All in all, it was a good event

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Devastated on aldo's second loss today. It is always sad to see fighters in their decline taking on young & talented opponents. I don't want him to go the anderson silva & machida route and give other guys tko victories over him.

Loved the Justin gaetjhe and eddie alvarez fight. That was real high drama war in which justin just went to the left leg of eddie and eddie just attacked justin's body throughout the three rounds. In the end, eddie's persistence won him the fight. All in all, it was a good event

Fantastic show, share your sentiments about Aldo, but at this stage in his career he seems to have real problems with fighters who have better reach. Holloway is brilliant at fighting from range, and he also has a great chin which made it doubly hard.

Also going back to the week before, I had this discussion with shaz that I thought Bisping was never hall of fame material, and he proved it again by getting knocked clean out by Gastellum. Even at his prime he's always looked vulnerable to getting KO'd and I just don't think he's been dominant at his weight class at any time.

[TQ89]

Fantastic show, share your sentiments about Aldo, but at this stage in his career he seems to have real problems with fighters who have better reach. Holloway is brilliant at fighting from range, and he also has a great chin which made it doubly hard.

Also going back to the week before, I had this discussion with shaz that I thought Bisping was never hall of fame material, and he proved it again by getting knocked clean out by Gastellum. Even at his prime he's always looked vulnerable to getting KO'd and I just don't think he's been dominant at his weight class at any time.

Aldo in his prime was a beast. I used to watch WEC shows just for him, urijah faber and benson henderson. He was superb from 2008 to 2014. His leg & body kicks were brutal and i consider him the best leg kicker ever in mma.

However since 2013, his leg kicks have dropped considerably which has affected his game and given his opponents chance to outstrike him. Even in the chad mendes fight he didn't throw leg kicks as he used to which in my opinion has led to his decline as they were a big part of his game and allowed to out-maneuver guys with better reach and stamina than him. This alongwith the usual loss of speed & multiple injuries have hastened his decline.

Bisping is not an ATG but he has had a prolific career in ufc, gave a lot of entertaining fights when he was young and has been mainstay in ufc fight nights for as long as i can remember. I respect him for that even though I don't rate his title reign heavily because he ducked romero & whitaker and instead took on old guys.

[shaz619]

Bisping may not necessarily be an ATG for certain in MMA terms but he will still end up in the UFC Hall of Fame, you can still be great in other forms; e.g giving the sport exposure on an international scale and putting on entertaining performances which give the fans their money's worth. He lost more recently but no surprise, he took the fight what was it on 2 or 3 weeks notice? and is not exactly a spring chicken.

As for Aldo, look styles make fights; am not a fan of discrediting someone's win by saying there are past it, it's not like he is in his late 30's, and Holloway defeated him originally for the undisputed featherweight champion. In 2015 people were doing a super duper bhangra over how he was invincible and the one to finally beat Conor, then he lost in 10 seconds, recaptured the world championship and was then beaten twice by Holloway and he's all of a sudden past it, sure he's not going to be the same fighter he was at 25 then at 31, other times you have fighters who get better with more experience. Aldo is hardly past his sell by date for him, he's a world class talent that was beaten by the better fighter in Holloway we shouldn't take anything away from his back to back victories.

[shaz619]

@TQ89 @Cpt. Rishwat

Super fight to end the year, who's your pick between Cyborg and Holly Holms ? so excited for this

[kingusama92]

@TQ89 @Cpt. Rishwat

Super fight to end the year, who's your pick between Cyborg and Holly Holms ? so excited for this

Cyborg will win it easily.

But I said the same thing about Rousey.

[big_gamer007]

@TQ89 @Cpt. Rishwat

Super fight to end the year, who's your pick between Cyborg and Holly Holms ? so excited for this

Cyborg will probably beat half the people in Men’s featherweight division as well.. Holms got no chance..

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Cyborg will probably beat half the people in Men’s featherweight division as well.. Holms got no chance..

I don't know about that. Holms was a professional boxer, and Cyborg go beat by Rose on strikes, so if Holm has a reach advantage, then she could maybe beat Cyborg in the same sort of manner. I don't really follow the women's game that closely, so would have to see how they match up in height and reach to give a more considered view.

[TQ89]

@TQ89 @Cpt. Rishwat

Super fight to end the year, who's your pick between Cyborg and Holly Holms ? so excited for this

Mixed feelings about this. My hearts says holms but my mind is favoring cyborg.

[TQ89]

I used to be a big fan of cyborg in her strikeforce days when she beat another favorite fighter of mine gina carano. But ever since her usada busts, i view her every victory with a question mark.

I would always favor holms in this fights but holms current form has been weak except the beth correia fight. Then again she is in her right weight class so she has a solid chance. Fight could go both ways

[TQ89]

But aldo's performance in his recent fights have raised some question marks. I am surprised nobody is asking them.

First he has stopped throwing the leg & body kicks during the last three years. Aldo not leg kicking is like ronda not going to the ground after judo throw or randy couture not clinching and boxing dirty. He faced opponents with better reach before and has neitraulized their reach advantage with mixing up kicks with punch making him unpredictable rather than the one dimensional striking he displays now which aids his opponent in checking his strikes and getting out of the way.

Also I am beginning to feel that he doesn't move his feet the way he used to move before. His footwork made him even more dangerous fighter and hard to hit especially in pockets. It was lot fluid like holloway's foot movement in his fights but now he is considerably slower. God knows what are aldo's reasons for changing his style but I hope he makes comeback and makes the necessary adjustments to be on winning track again.

Lot of brazilian ATG's( Nogeuira, silva, shogun) keep fighting after their decline and just keep adding the L's to their otherwise stellar records. I don't wanna see aldo going down their road.

[big_gamer007]

I don't know about that. Holms was a professional boxer, and Cyborg go beat by Rose on strikes, so if Holm has a reach advantage, then she could maybe beat Cyborg in the same sort of manner. I don't really follow the women's game that closely, so would have to see how they match up in height and reach to give a more considered view.

Well in UFC you never know since one punch can be the end for Cyborg so Holms can still win.. However I think Holms is past her prime and cyborg I feel will win..

[shaz619]

But aldo's performance in his recent fights have raised some question marks. I am surprised nobody is asking them.

First he has stopped throwing the leg & body kicks during the last three years. Aldo not leg kicking is like ronda not going to the ground after judo throw or randy couture not clinching and boxing dirty. He faced opponents with better reach before and has neitraulized their reach advantage with mixing up kicks with punch making him unpredictable rather than the one dimensional striking he displays now which aids his opponent in checking his strikes and getting out of the way.

Also I am beginning to feel that he doesn't move his feet the way he used to move before. His footwork made him even more dangerous fighter and hard to hit especially in pockets. It was lot fluid like holloway's foot movement in his fights but now he is considerably slower. God knows what are aldo's reasons for changing his style but I hope he makes comeback and makes the necessary adjustments to be on winning track again.

Lot of brazilian ATG's( Nogeuira, silva, shogun) keep fighting after their decline and just keep adding the L's to their otherwise stellar records. I don't wanna see aldo going down their road.

When up against an opponent who is moving and feinting really well you can become gun shy with that fear of being possibly countered plus it's not easy to let your strikes go, previous defeats also play on your mind so it also be a mental issue. In MMA losses tend to be more frequent, you're always up against world class fighters from the word go; sudden defeats shouldn't be used as a gauge to determine a fighters sell by date. The guy is just 31 as well, I don't think he should retire personally; the likes of Silva truly continued longer then he needed to well into his late 30's and the big man is still going lol

[shaz619]

Mixed feelings about this. My hearts says holms but my mind is favoring cyborg.

I used to be a big fan of cyborg in her strikeforce days when she beat another favorite fighter of mine gina carano. But ever since her usada busts, i view her every victory with a question mark.

I would always favor holms in this fights but holms current form has been weak except the beth correia fight. Then again she is in her right weight class so she has a solid chance. Fight could go both ways

To be fair back then she was killing herself to make weight and there was little competition, not justifying her use at all but now I don't see it as a problem plus testing in the UFC is truly exceptional and even someone like a Jon Jones had to pay the price despite how big a name he was so as it stands I no longer judge her victories in the UFC with the same question mark in the past. Going back to Holly Holms, am not a fan of her switching between bantaweight and featherweight it can negatively affect your performance anyhow it is usually easier to move up then back down but her win over Correia was at 135lb. Speaking of her form, it's been fine as of late to be honest; after the defeats to Tate and Valentina we both agree that she deserved the decision over the coward Germaine and then put in a decent performance to overcome Bethe Coreia. She is old now though and has seen so many wars it's unreal, there's so much wear and tear am not sure she has the engine to overcome Cyborg who is the fresher opponent of the two. I'd like to think Holly would fancy being at 145lb as well and to be honest both Holly and Cyborg would be competing at 155lb if there was a division.

If this fight happened 2-3 years ago it would be a no brainer to go with Holly due to her superior stand up game and Boxing IQ, moves exceptionally well, use Cyborg's pressure against her to set up traps and surprise her with head kicks after feinting to her body. Now that Holly is old, she's not going to be as light on her feet, she will find it harder to hold the centre and the lateral movement may not be there past the first 2 rounds. Cyborg will look to cut her off, keep up the work rate and then stop her when she slows down, if I was Cyborg I'd try to work the body early on as well when Holly starts fast.

But you know what? if there was one female born from their mother to pull of this miracle, I would pick Holly Holms; the greatest female combat sportsman who ever lived. Holly already had so much success on the back of her boxing career but Jackson Wink Academy deserve immense credit to for honing her craft in the Octogan, it's not surprise that they've spearheaded two of the greatest male (Jon Jones) and female (Holly) fighters in MMA history. Safe to say it would be the biggest victory in her career and even bigger then the win over Ronda Rousey for me.

[shaz619]

Apparently Conor hooked up with Rita Ora

[Cpt. Rishwat]

When up against an opponent who is moving and feinting really well you can become gun shy with that fear of being possibly countered plus it's not easy to let your strikes go, previous defeats also play on your mind so it also be a mental issue. In MMA losses tend to be more frequent, you're always up against world class fighters from the word go; sudden defeats shouldn't be used as a gauge to determine a fighters sell by date. The guy is just 31 as well, I don't think he should retire personally; the likes of Silva truly continued longer then he needed to well into his late 30's and the big man is still going lol

Aldo might only be 31 but he was dominating that division for 10 years, and that's a lot of time in the octagon. Personally I think he has lost some speed, and against the taller fighters that can be the only weapon which keeps you in the game. That said, he got through to Holloway in both fights anyway, some of those shots would have put a lot of fighters away. You have to give Holloway some credit for having a granite jaw as well. like you said earlier, sometimes it's about styles, and Holloway had the perfect tool set to neutralise Aldo's weapons.

[shaz619]

In 2017 the UFC have been doing the following numbers:

UFC 208: 200K buys
UFC 209: 250-300k buys
UFC 210: 300k
UFC 211: 300k buys
UFC 212: 200k buys (estimated)
UFC 213: 125-150k buys (estimated)
UFC 214: 860k buys

On the other hand in 2016 they crossed 1 million PPV buys 5 times and averaged 644k buys per PPV; it was a record breaking year and 2017 has not been strong with not even 1 PPV crossing a million which is why Dana wants to close 2017 with a high profile event. There have also been some whispers of various financial struggles which plague the promotion and concern with regards to having peaked with a decline looming but I think they have the resources to rebound in 2018. The publicity from the Floyd/Conor event would also have helped a fair amount, Dana needs to go all out securing the services of Conor in the long run and also doing his bit to build new draws; Jones is a huge loss

And yeah, I get that the publicity benefits paige and the UFC but she needs to focus 100% on her fighting career first and foremost, she has immense potential but needs to be more dedicated

UFC 217 finally crossed the 1 million barrier, the stacked card bought in 1.6 million buys. Great end to the year and GSP played a role in that which is a concern given that he's an old timer, Dana will be hoping Conor sticks around for a while but am not sure the same hunger is going to be there due to his new found wealth; the women will have to lead the way in Jon Jones absence and maybe the heavyweights will? Francis Ngannou could potentially be a force although the division does lack depth, Francis/Stipe is a great fight though; but when I look at the UFC stable, not sure anyone sticks out as a potential big draw on an individual level?? but if the UFC stack their cards then those good fights will draw collectively.

[shaz619]

Also, GSP vacated the MW title due to an illness but we knew he was going to do that anyway. Robert has been promoted to undisputed status

[TQ89]

Also, GSP vacated the MW title due to an illness but we knew he was going to do that anyway. Robert has been promoted to undisputed status

That is good for the middleweight division. That division has good talent like romero & luke rockhold. His next title defenses are going to be interesting to watch.

[shaz619]

So Holly Holms goes the distance against Cyborg, I gave her about 2 rounds in the fight and the main-event was generally competitive although Cyborg's size and power was just too much for Holms who was moving up a division, would like to have seen her throw more feints and use her straight left and while she busted up Cyborg I really don't think the power was there at 145. But credit to Cyborg on the biggest win of her career against the greatest of all time, was very composed, mixed up her offence and she's very good at slipping punches.

@TQ89 If anything Holly proved to me she still has a good couple of years left, despite being 36 she competed, her endurance was supreme and she had her moments. Would like her to take some time out and return to Bantaweight, take a tune up and then take it from there. She can still compete at the elite level although it will take a special effort to become champion again.

[TQ89]

So Holly Holms goes the distance against Cyborg, I gave her about 2 rounds in the fight and the main-event was generally competitive although Cyborg's size and power was just too much for Holms who was moving up a division, would like to have seen her throw more feints and use her straight left and while she busted up Cyborg I really don't think the power was there at 145. But credit to Cyborg on the biggest win of her career against the greatest of all time, was very composed, mixed up her offence and she's very good at slipping punches.

@TQ89 If anything Holly proved to me she still has a good couple of years left, despite being 36 she competed, her endurance was supreme and she had her moments. Would like her to take some time out and return to Bantaweight, take a tune up and then take it from there. She can still compete at the elite level although it will take a special effort to become champion again.

Same feelings here bro. Holly holms is like randy couture for me. I will always cheer them no matter how old they get. Credit to cyborg for imposing herself on holly.

[shaz619]

Same feelings here bro. Holly holms is like randy couture for me. I will always cheer them no matter how old they get. Credit to cyborg for imposing herself on holly.

I was just having a look at Cyborg's resume, this is the first time a fighter has done 5 rounds with her; just goes to show she hasn't been tested but also not her fault to an extent. Are there any natural featherweights out there who you think could beat her? or will it take someone from 135 to step up, then again Cyborg would always hold her physical attributes over them and the power will be magnified.

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Khabib Nurmagomedov is like the Terminator. Barboza was hitting him with leg breakers on the inside knee and roundhouses to the head, and he just kept coming. Ferguson and Conor have the reach and punching power but I can imagine they wouldn't want to get in the ring with him in a hurry.

[Bilal7]

Khabib Nurmagomedov is like the Terminator. Barboza was hitting him with leg breakers on the inside knee and roundhouses to the head, and he just kept coming. Ferguson and Conor have the reach and punching power but I can imagine they wouldn't want to get in the ring with him in a hurry.

McGregor will have to undergo a huge personality change to ever be brave enough to fight 'The Eagle'. Ferguson does not have a choice in the matter, I think. Khabib will probably maul Tony sometime in April/March, leading to McGregor vacating the belt in a hurry. Khabib becomes champ, fights a few more times and then retires 30-0.

[shaz619]

McGregor will have to undergo a huge personality change to ever be brave enough to fight 'The Eagle'. Ferguson does not have a choice in the matter, I think. Khabib will probably maul Tony sometime in April/March, leading to McGregor vacating the belt in a hurry. Khabib becomes champ, fights a few more times and then retires 30-0.

Conor has constantly fought the best so that's a bit harsh as far as his courage and bravery are concerned ( even more when you look at the fact that he stepped in a boxing ring the supreme form of combat), it took immense fortitude and some monumental wins to get in a position where he is the A side and call the shots, now he's at a point where khabib needs him more then vice versa. He has made his money so the desire is not there anymore, am not sure if he will ever be the same fighter again; the guy who had to scratch and claw from the confines of a council flat barely surviving on welfare. However, I do think this fight will happen eventually you have to realise fights of this magnitude need to be built up to get max revenue, khabib needs more hype and momentum behind him.

[shaz619]

Got to say, Holly Holms fought like the greatest of all time tonight. She could have thrown in the towel like Rigo, despite moving up she displayed incredible fortitude to withstand Cyborg for 5 rounds and even managed to win a couple of rounds, probably the first fighter to have done that against Cris who will find it tough to get opposition on a level playing field. There's that super fight with Cecilia Braekhus looming though on the other side of combat pond, I'd love to see it.

[shaz619]

@TQ89

UFC announcer Bruce Buffer: “Holly Holm is a true warrior, words cannot describe my respect and fandom for her” https://t.co/4cU3CKnAxe pic.twitter.com/mihNDO2r2l

— Women's MMA Rankings (@WMMARankings) December 31, 2017

I've read articles across MMA and Boxing, experts, fans, veterans, hall of famer's and fighters are all praising Holly. She's the embodiment of the warrior spirit. Undisputed GOAT.

[TQ89]

@TQ89

UFC announcer Bruce Buffer: “Holly Holm is a true warrior, words cannot describe my respect and fandom for her” https://t.co/4cU3CKnAxe pic.twitter.com/mihNDO2r2l

— Women's MMA Rankings (@WMMARankings) December 31, 2017

I've read articles across MMA and Boxing, experts, fans, veterans, hall of famer's and fighters are all praising Holly. She's the embodiment of the warrior spirit. Undisputed GOAT.

She is extraordinarily tough. I remember when miesha beat her at ufc 200, she was so close to tapping out but instead chose to get choked out rather than tap. There is no giving up in this woman

[shaz619]

Was hyped for Stipe v Ngannu, after the 1st round felt like the fight was going to live up to the billing. But it turns out Ngannu is a 1 round fighter, the remaining rounds were more like sparring; he had completely gassed and am surprised he wasn't stopped or submitted. Anyhow a great learning experience for him, if he can sort his endurance and ground work out maybe he will be a force. Full credit to Stipe though, had the perfect game plan; moved well laterally, took Stipe's best shots when he did get hit and returned fire with some nice counters, worked hard on the ground and took all Ngannu had left. Stipe is now the most successful HW of all time.

[shaz619]

Man even Brock Lesnar's fitness wasn't that bad when he returned to the UFC after a long layoff, Ngannu's fitness is just dreadful despite being an active fighter, yes he rarely goes the distance but he still has the benefit of all those training camps behind him. He needs to make some serious changes to his diet , do more endurance work and sort the ground work out. I wouldn't mind losing another 20lb if I were him, the power will always be there but more speed could make him even more explosive but the endurance could be improved as well when he sheds some muscle mass.

[shaz619]

Also, Paige Van Zant should just retire already poor kid has a death wish

[shaz619]

Apparently Ferguson is injured @Cpt. Rishwat @TQ89 @Bilal7 and Holloway will be stepping in on 10 days short notice to face Khabib for the official 155 lb world title, this is no April Fools joke

[Da_Future_Knick]

Apparently Ferguson is injured @Cpt. Rishwat @TQ89 @Bilal7 and Holloway will be stepping in on 10 days short notice to face Khabib for the official 155 lb world title, this is no April Fools joke

Please tell me this is a joke. I wanted to see Khabib beat his face in

[TQ89]

Apparently Ferguson is injured @Cpt. Rishwat @TQ89 @Bilal7 and Holloway will be stepping in on 10 days short notice to face Khabib for the official 155 lb world title, this is no April Fools joke

Well it is a good match up none the less. Lets see how it goes.

[Bilal7]

Apparently Ferguson is injured @Cpt. Rishwat @TQ89 @Bilal7 and Holloway will be stepping in on 10 days short notice to face Khabib for the official 155 lb world title, this is no April Fools joke

Lol, nope. Holloway is out as well.

What a mess. Poor Khabib must be really confused with his gameplan right now.

[shaz619]

Lol, nope. Holloway is out as well.

What a mess. Poor Khabib must be really confused with his gameplan right now.

They have managed to get al iaquinta to face Khabib as a late replacement and given the circumstances is not a bad replacement, its a new opponent but Khabib would still hold the huge advantage of having a training camp behind him

Rose / Joanna sells the PPV itself for me, if they manage to get around 600-700 buys it will be a big success and Khabib / Max can head line the next big event and boost the revenue.

[Da_Future_Knick]

UFC 223 has been insane. Conor is out of control. Khabib is fighting Al Laquinta tomorrow night.

Khabib wins he gets the belt and if Al Laquinta wins and he doesn’t get the 155 belt because he weighed in at 155.2 LOL

Btw the NYSAC is a joke

[shaz619]

They have managed to get al iaquinta to face Khabib as a late replacement and given the circumstances is not a bad replacement, its a new opponent but Khabib would still hold the huge advantage of having a training camp behind him

Rose / Joanna sells the PPV itself for me, if they manage to get around 600-700 buys it will be a big success and Khabib / Max can head line the next big event and boost the revenue.

UFC 223 has been insane. Conor is out of control. Khabib is fighting Al Laquinta tomorrow night.

Khabib wins he gets the belt and if Al Laquinta wins and he doesn’t get the 155 belt because he weighed in at 155.2 LOL

Btw the NYSAC is a joke

I hadn't seen that Laquinta was already booked for the event so he does have a training camp behind him.

They were in a real dilemma with regards to the title situation, the scrambling that went on after original headliner Max Holloway was pulled during the 2 hour weigh-in window meant Al Laquinta already had made weight for his fight with Felder and hence had no reason to be given extra time to cut the small extra amount of weight since he wasn’t booked for a title fight till now.

[shaz619]

Not an ideal situation but the UFC have been in a very tough spot and the regulatory bodies are just doing their jobs, Khabib has the chance to finally become world champion and while the victory will have a ? over it he has put together a great streak of wins and the positive from UFC's POV will be that they'd finally have a champion which represents the lightweight division

[shaz619]

No wonder so many in the mainstream look down on the sport of MMA as nothing but savagery with barbarianism at every level, Raquel Pennington's corner told her to keep fighting after she said she was "done" and soon after was brutally stopped in the following round. What happened to humanity ? show some god damn mercy @TQ89

[TQ89]

No wonder so many in the mainstream look down on the sport of MMA as nothing but savagery with barbarianism at every level, Raquel Pennington's corner told her to keep fighting after she said she was "done" and soon after was brutally stopped in the following round. What happened to humanity ? show some god damn mercy @TQ89

Just like in cricket there are some stupid chivalrous codes folks from the 60's & 70's hold on to like getting hit by bouncer to be manly and that sort of stuff.

There are equally stupid unspoken codes in boxing & MMA that you have to take punishment even when you offer no resistance to your opponents & this is enforced by the coaches & corners a lot. This is not the first time i am seeing MMA fighters being pushed out after it is obvious the fighter has no will to go on & it makes me super guilty when i see such stuff.

[Cpt. Rishwat]

On the UFC 224 card also, Vito Belfort hanging up his gloves was an emotional moment. That guy has been fighting from the early days of UFC, and quite amazing that he had almost three careers as a champion. When he came on the scene he was like a tornado ripping through the sport which was at the time dominated by grapplers. Then I think he might have gone to Pride (?), but he came back to UFC in his 30's and won the title again. Changed the game with his all action striking style for me, absolutely loved watching him in the early days.

[shaz619]

Just like in cricket there are some stupid chivalrous codes folks from the 60's & 70's hold on to like getting hit by bouncer to be manly and that sort of stuff.

There are equally stupid unspoken codes in boxing & MMA that you have to take punishment even when you offer no resistance to your opponents & this is enforced by the coaches & corners a lot. This is not the first time i am seeing MMA fighters being pushed out after it is obvious the fighter has no will to go on & it makes me super guilty when i see such stuff.

In boxing there has always been constant reform throughout the sports history and the ref / docs do a terrific job to protect the fighter's, trainers also look after their fighters and many a time make a decision for the ref when required. I have never seen an instance where a fighter says no mass to his trainer and is forced to continue despite that. In this situation she had been absolutely destroyed and clearly her soul had left her body, the trainer literally overlooked all of that and forced her to continue; fighters need protecting from themselves, in this instance she needed protecting from her own trainer! that is just inexplicable on so many levels mate and terrible P.R for the UFC and MMA

[shaz619]

Enjoy this simulation fellas


@Cpt. Rishwat @TQ89

[TQ89]

Enjoy this simulation fellas


@Cpt. Rishwat @TQ89

I got mad love for bruce lee ever since i saw his movie big boss. He pioneered mma before there was concept of MMA. Always chose to play as law in tekken because of him.

[Da_Future_Knick]

What a fight between Whittaker & Romero! Fight of the year so far.

[shaz619]

@Cpt. Rishwat @TQ89 Am not bothered by what Jones does from here, he is a big idiot and while I understand why Dana is unwilling to let him go it doesn't reflect well on the promotion.

Nunes evicerated Cyborg who didn't respect her power at all and then was trading with her in the pocket! never seen her do that before. Nunes is a P4P fighter without a doubt but I do want to see the rematch, other options for her include a potential defence vs Holly Holms although she remains at Bantamweight and it would be a good move for her, if Nunes remains at feather then the Bantamweight title becomes vacant, with Holly and Randamie in the top 2 they could fight for the vacant title in a rematch, I don't think Randamie deserves it though, she fouled in the 1st fight repeatedly and was then given a gift, I rather give Viera or Pennington an opportunity.

Also, did you guys know GSP is a Amir Khan fan ? @KingKhanWC

This is from his book:

[Cpt. Rishwat]

@shaz19, that fight between Nunes and Cyborg had the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. While female fighting doesn't usually do it for me, there are a few fighters that I have a soft spot for, and the Lioness is one of them. Followed her career from the start, and I always back her to win, even against Cyborg I thought she might do it.

But the way both went hell for leather had the crowd going crazy, it was like the Hagler/Hearns fight of yesteryear. I think it will go down as one of the fights of the year.

[shaz619]

@shaz19, that fight between Nunes and Cyborg had the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. While female fighting doesn't usually do it for me, there are a few fighters that I have a soft spot for, and the Lioness is one of them. Followed her career from the start, and I always back her to win, even against Cyborg I thought she might do it.

But the way both went hell for leather had the crowd going crazy, it was like the Hagler/Hearns fight of yesteryear. I think it will go down as one of the fights of the year.

It was a super fight mate, it deserves to headline it's own PPV I always said that from the moment both were champions. It's a damn shame it was overshadowed due to other idiots on the card. Hopefully they get to headline their own PPV in a rematch. It was a spectacular fight, Cyborg is one of the greatest women strikers in MMA history and is regularly sparring with some of the best in Boxing amateur and pro, but Nunes came out the gates guns blazing and took her out emphatically. To be honest, womens MMA is of a high quality in general especially amongst the top 3-4 in each division, barring a few can't say the same in Boxing but things are looking promising now.

Holly Holms
Rose
Joana
Nunes
Cyborg
Valentina
Karolina
Claudia

These are all world level and always put on a great show.

Also check out Warrington / Frampton from last month, here are the highlights; it was a british version of a hagler / hearns, don't know how frampton was standing. Biggest upset in years, no one will ever write of the man from leeds again:

[barah_admi]

@Cpt. Rishwat @TQ89 Am not bothered by what Jones does from here, he is a big idiot and while I understand why Dana is unwilling to let him go it doesn't reflect well on the promotion.

Nunes evicerated Cyborg who didn't respect her power at all and then was trading with her in the pocket! never seen her do that before. Nunes is a P4P fighter without a doubt but I do want to see the rematch, other options for her include a potential defence vs Holly Holms although she remains at Bantamweight and it would be a good move for her, if Nunes remains at feather then the Bantamweight title becomes vacant, with Holly and Randamie in the top 2 they could fight for the vacant title in a rematch, I don't think Randamie deserves it though, she fouled in the 1st fight repeatedly and was then given a gift, I rather give Viera or Pennington an opportunity.

Also, did you guys know GSP is a Amir Khan fan ? @KingKhanWC

This is from his book:

GSP worked with Freddy back in the day and it would have been the time when a prime Khan was also at the wild card...that version of the fighter was supreme, the best light welter of his generation.

[shaz619]

GSP worked with Freddy back in the day and it would have been the time when a prime Khan was also at the wild card...that version of the fighter was supreme, the best light welter of his generation.

Good point, I forgot about that. GSP and Freddie worked together very frequently; he must have watched Amir and Manny spar during those days and perhaps been to some of his fights as well. At 140 lb Amir was a monster, even after losing to Garcia he couldn't get the likes of Bradley to face him so moved up earlier then he should in my view, but the fights with Manny and Floyd were only going to be possible at 147

[KingKhanWC]

@Cpt. Rishwat @TQ89]

Dude knows his boxing. It's a great point he makes as many even commies dont give Amir the credit he deserves. In terms of actual boxing skills such as speed, foot movement, creating angles, Amir is one of the very best of all time.

Btw isn't St Pierre the next in line for the Eagle?

Btw I watched the Nunes fight, what a fighter she is!

[shaz619]

Dude knows his boxing. It's a great point he makes as many even commies dont give Amir the credit he deserves. In terms of actual boxing skills such as speed, foot movement, creating angles, Amir is one of the very best of all time.

Btw isn't St Pierre the next in line for the Eagle?

Btw I watched the Nunes fight, what a fighter she is!

Very true, at his peak in full flow off the front or back foot he really is sublime and invincible, while I hate the unrealistic expectations at the start of his career I also understand them to the same time.

GSP has been rumoured to be facing a number of guys including Conor and Eagle, not sure what he will do next but he always challenges himself, at this stage though he wont have the engine so I rather not see a legend lose, but maybe he can slap Kukar (aka Conor) up a bit

She is a beast, but I want Holly Holms to beat her lmao

[shaz619]

@KingKhanWC

[Da_Future_Knick]

Jones vs Smith card is PACKED.

Still hoping we can get Khabib vs Tony this year.