As harsh as the title of this entry may be, I can only say that the truth hurts. Mirko Filipovic is really no longer Cro Cop. The man that dominated the 2006 Pride Open Weight Grand Prix no longer exists. It appears that Mirko peaked 2 years ago and has now lost interest. His physical ability does not seem to be deteriorating more that his mind and his heart no longer wish to continue fighting. His refusal to sign the bout agreement to face Alistair Overeem is just another sign in a long line of acts that prove to me he does not wish to face top competition, or any competition for that matter.
I realize many fans will defend Mirko and say things like, "You don't know what it's like to be a fighter!" or "How dare you criticize him for putting his ass on the line?!" To any and all of those comments, I can only say that I just call it like I see it. And what I see is a man who is a shell of his former self in regards to MMA. In his lat 3-4 fights, Mirko has shown no killer instinct, no desire to finish his opponents. Overeem, who has found new life in the heavyweight division, was handling Mirko right up until they officials called the fight. As good as Overeem is, that kind of dominance over an opponent shows one of 2 things. Either Overeem was fighting a newbie fighter, or the fighter he was fighting is washed up. My opinion is the latter.
I will not go as far as to say that Mirko cannot still become Cro Cop, but maybe it is time for Mirko to "retire" for awhile and let his batteries recharge before further injuring his reputation and his career.
-R
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Fitch v Dana = Time For a Fighter's Union
As I'm sure most of you die hards have heard, Jon Fitch was recently released from his contract and then subsequently re-signed with the UFC. This all came on the heels of Fitch being unwilling to sign away his likeness for video games for the rest of his life. Can't really say I blame the guy. Basically, the UFC is trying to take away any and all ability of the fighters to make a living for themselves outside of the UFC. Not to mention the deal for the fighter's likeness pays the fighter nothing.The irony is Fitch was willing to sign the contract before the fiasco went down except for the fact that Dana tried to get him to sign using mob tactics and strong arming Fitch into playing ball, so to speak.
While this kind of behavior by Dana White is completely unacceptable, the sad truth is that White will face no repercussions or fallout from his actions because business is the bottom line. What's good for business is what is good for Dana White and Zuffa's top brass. 10 times out of 10, Dana would have handled that situation the same way. And in the end, Fitch signed the contract, and Dana got his way anyway.
If this mess is not an indicator of the necessity for a fighter's union, then I don't know what is. The fighters need to be protected by something that actually holds power. What holds more power than all the fighters combined? There are negatives to a unionized fighters group, but the benefits far out weigh the negatives when you consider the rights a fighter should have and the ones they actually have.
-R
While this kind of behavior by Dana White is completely unacceptable, the sad truth is that White will face no repercussions or fallout from his actions because business is the bottom line. What's good for business is what is good for Dana White and Zuffa's top brass. 10 times out of 10, Dana would have handled that situation the same way. And in the end, Fitch signed the contract, and Dana got his way anyway.
If this mess is not an indicator of the necessity for a fighter's union, then I don't know what is. The fighters need to be protected by something that actually holds power. What holds more power than all the fighters combined? There are negatives to a unionized fighters group, but the benefits far out weigh the negatives when you consider the rights a fighter should have and the ones they actually have.
-R
Monday, October 6, 2008
Kimbo: Why are we surprised?
Heading into his bout with Ken Shamrock, Kimbo was on track to score another win over a paper opponent with an even more paper like chin. Beating Ken Shamrock was supposed to help pad Kimbo's record and help his reputation as a KO artist.
If you watched the event put on by Elite XC, you now that did not happen. 6 seconds into the fight, Seth Petruzelli put Kimbo on the mat with a stiff right jab, (yes, jab) and then pounded him out for another 8 seconds before the referee stepped in to save the "Internet Sensation."
There are many casual fans out there who are now scratching their collective heads, wondering how the incomparable Kimbo could lose. To those individuals I say, "How can you possibly be surprised?" For one, it was inevitable. Everyone loses! Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, and BJ Penn all lost. With that being said, Kimbo Slice is no Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, or BJ Penn. Second point, when Shamrock fell off the card and was replaced by Petruzelli, Kimbo actually got a legit opponent. With that being said, the possibility of Kimbo losing increased significantly. And in what was to be expected, Kimbo was exposed for what he is, a novice MMA fighter with 3 wins against weak competition (Sorry Pride fans, James Thompson is not a legit fighter).
I will not go as far as some "journalists" who say that Kimbo is not a legit MMA fighter. The guy goes out there and fights and is trained by Bas Rutten. Being trained by Bas gives legitimacy to just about anybody. Kimbo also seems to be fairly down to earth and has no delusions about where he is at in the sport in terms of ability. All in all, Kimbo seems to be a decent guy that works hard to be better. Unfortunately, the business of Kimbo Slice is a lucrative one, and we fans in the know must have him shoved down our throats as the new phenom on the block. It's a sad day when a 3-1 novice can out draw a man who arguably has never lost legitimately against top competition in Fedor Emelianenko.
-R
If you watched the event put on by Elite XC, you now that did not happen. 6 seconds into the fight, Seth Petruzelli put Kimbo on the mat with a stiff right jab, (yes, jab) and then pounded him out for another 8 seconds before the referee stepped in to save the "Internet Sensation."
There are many casual fans out there who are now scratching their collective heads, wondering how the incomparable Kimbo could lose. To those individuals I say, "How can you possibly be surprised?" For one, it was inevitable. Everyone loses! Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, and BJ Penn all lost. With that being said, Kimbo Slice is no Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, or BJ Penn. Second point, when Shamrock fell off the card and was replaced by Petruzelli, Kimbo actually got a legit opponent. With that being said, the possibility of Kimbo losing increased significantly. And in what was to be expected, Kimbo was exposed for what he is, a novice MMA fighter with 3 wins against weak competition (Sorry Pride fans, James Thompson is not a legit fighter).
I will not go as far as some "journalists" who say that Kimbo is not a legit MMA fighter. The guy goes out there and fights and is trained by Bas Rutten. Being trained by Bas gives legitimacy to just about anybody. Kimbo also seems to be fairly down to earth and has no delusions about where he is at in the sport in terms of ability. All in all, Kimbo seems to be a decent guy that works hard to be better. Unfortunately, the business of Kimbo Slice is a lucrative one, and we fans in the know must have him shoved down our throats as the new phenom on the block. It's a sad day when a 3-1 novice can out draw a man who arguably has never lost legitimately against top competition in Fedor Emelianenko.
-R
Monday, September 15, 2008
Goodbye, Evan.
The world lost a unique and inspiring individual last week when it was reported that Evan Tanner had died of heat exhaustion on a camping trip in the desert recently. Evan Tanner inspired me so much as a martial artist. A true self made athlete that found success based on his own hard work more than anything else. There is not much more I can say that has not already been said about Evan, so I'll just end by saying that Evan seemed to be a stand up guy who through raw determination succeeded where he should have failed. I will always be inspired by Evan's accomplishments and will respect him and his memory for as long as I am around. Rest well Evan.
-R
-R
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Quinton Jackson Needs to Get His Act Together
Any serious MMA fan knows that Quinton Jackson has had some serious problems over the last month or so. Between dropping his light heavyweight title to Forrest Griffin and then going on a hit and run spree that saw abundant damage to private and public property, Jackson is not in the best spot professionally or personally.
With all that being said, "Rampage" has seemingly decided that his behavior was not only acceptable, but also that he was not at fault for it. As of 8/26/08, Jackson was formally charged for 4 felonies and 2 misdemeanors. Since then he has plead not guilty on all counts, citing starvation, sleep deprivation, and energy drinks as the cause of his reckless behavior.
That is outright ridiculous. Even if he did commit all the charges due to those reasons, they were all things he had control over. If you're hungry, you eat. If you're tired, you sleep. DON'T DRINK ENERGY DRINKS!! I was dogged in my support for Jackson after the incident initially happened. After seeing his behavior and the behavior of Dana White, which Jackson clearly condones, not so much anymore. Jackson has gone as far as going on the record saying that he was abused by the arresting officers who apprehended him and lost feeling in his wrists for 3 weeks due to the police officers putting his cuffs on too tight. While I do not condone poor behavior on the part of law enforcement, Jackson appears to be peddling a sob story so as to appear faultless for his actions.
Instead of behaving like a 10 year old getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Jackson needs to make a public apology for his actions and own up to the fact that he made a mistake. The public is very forgiving should one seek forgiveness. Look at Martha Stewart. The woman is a criminal who spent time in jail and now is more popular than ever. I am not saying that Quinton Jackson should be jailed, but some kind of apologetic attitude would go far in repairing his reputation. At this point, he comes off as an athlete who is trying to get his way, and just may because he is famous. In this blogger's opinion, Rampage should be putting shiners on his opponents, not on the sport of MMA.
-R
With all that being said, "Rampage" has seemingly decided that his behavior was not only acceptable, but also that he was not at fault for it. As of 8/26/08, Jackson was formally charged for 4 felonies and 2 misdemeanors. Since then he has plead not guilty on all counts, citing starvation, sleep deprivation, and energy drinks as the cause of his reckless behavior.
That is outright ridiculous. Even if he did commit all the charges due to those reasons, they were all things he had control over. If you're hungry, you eat. If you're tired, you sleep. DON'T DRINK ENERGY DRINKS!! I was dogged in my support for Jackson after the incident initially happened. After seeing his behavior and the behavior of Dana White, which Jackson clearly condones, not so much anymore. Jackson has gone as far as going on the record saying that he was abused by the arresting officers who apprehended him and lost feeling in his wrists for 3 weeks due to the police officers putting his cuffs on too tight. While I do not condone poor behavior on the part of law enforcement, Jackson appears to be peddling a sob story so as to appear faultless for his actions.
Instead of behaving like a 10 year old getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Jackson needs to make a public apology for his actions and own up to the fact that he made a mistake. The public is very forgiving should one seek forgiveness. Look at Martha Stewart. The woman is a criminal who spent time in jail and now is more popular than ever. I am not saying that Quinton Jackson should be jailed, but some kind of apologetic attitude would go far in repairing his reputation. At this point, he comes off as an athlete who is trying to get his way, and just may because he is famous. In this blogger's opinion, Rampage should be putting shiners on his opponents, not on the sport of MMA.
-R
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Fight of the year to this point. July 2008
2008 has already been a great year for mixed martial arts and the matches we have seen thus far have been pretty damn good as well. There are several fights that come to mind when I think of fight of the year to this point. Such as:
Torres v Maeda at 135 lbs
Forrest v Rampage @ 205
Hansen v Alvarez @ 155
Kawajiri v Alvarez @ 155
Arlovski v Rothwell @ HW was an excellent fight for HW
For my money though, fight of the year to this point would have to be Cung le vs Frank Shamrock for the Strikeforce Middleweight Title. It was just one of those fights that had the drama behind it that makes certain fights really compelling. Appealing factors for the fight were more than apparent. Factors such as Le and Shamrock having trained together in the past, both are very popular in San Jose, Le, the underdog, won the fight, and a rematch is more than likely. The fight itself was no less fun to watch. Drama was a plenty as each fighter gained and lost the advantage in the match. The only drawback to the fight was that it ended indecisively, as Shamrock could not continue due to a broken arm he suffered at the feet of Cung Le. It is certainly disputable what fight is the best so far, but from my perspective, Le vs Shamrock still holds up.
-R
Torres v Maeda at 135 lbs
Forrest v Rampage @ 205
Hansen v Alvarez @ 155
Kawajiri v Alvarez @ 155
Arlovski v Rothwell @ HW was an excellent fight for HW
For my money though, fight of the year to this point would have to be Cung le vs Frank Shamrock for the Strikeforce Middleweight Title. It was just one of those fights that had the drama behind it that makes certain fights really compelling. Appealing factors for the fight were more than apparent. Factors such as Le and Shamrock having trained together in the past, both are very popular in San Jose, Le, the underdog, won the fight, and a rematch is more than likely. The fight itself was no less fun to watch. Drama was a plenty as each fighter gained and lost the advantage in the match. The only drawback to the fight was that it ended indecisively, as Shamrock could not continue due to a broken arm he suffered at the feet of Cung Le. It is certainly disputable what fight is the best so far, but from my perspective, Le vs Shamrock still holds up.
-R
Rampage.....
If you have not yet heard about it, Quentin Jackson recently had a run in with the law, and I don't mean Matt Lindland. Jackson recently went and committed a hit and run in his truck. He hit a car and then went on to hit 2 more cars after blowing out his tire and driving on a wheel. He was again arrested after some friends reported he was acting very strange and should be taken in so he was not a danger to himself or others.
I am not really sure what has happened to Quentin, but I wish him the best and a speedy recovery with whatever he is going through. He is currently still being mentally evaluated and no one is sure when he'll be out and healthy again. I don't really know what lead up to this strange circumstance for Rampage, but reports have come in from different sources saying that he was on a weird fasting routine where he was not eating for 4 days and was only drinking water and energy drinks and other people were saying that he was complaining about being too fat. No one knows if this stems from his loss to Forrest Griffin recently. Although I doubt that to be the case.
In any case, I don't feel any ill will towards Rampage for his actions as I don't think he has been in his right mind for the duration of these issues. I am glad he is seeking help and hope that he come through this and gets back to doing what he's good at, fighting in the UFC.
-R
I am not really sure what has happened to Quentin, but I wish him the best and a speedy recovery with whatever he is going through. He is currently still being mentally evaluated and no one is sure when he'll be out and healthy again. I don't really know what lead up to this strange circumstance for Rampage, but reports have come in from different sources saying that he was on a weird fasting routine where he was not eating for 4 days and was only drinking water and energy drinks and other people were saying that he was complaining about being too fat. No one knows if this stems from his loss to Forrest Griffin recently. Although I doubt that to be the case.
In any case, I don't feel any ill will towards Rampage for his actions as I don't think he has been in his right mind for the duration of these issues. I am glad he is seeking help and hope that he come through this and gets back to doing what he's good at, fighting in the UFC.
-R
Monday, July 21, 2008
My MMA Top 10 Rankings Explained
The rankings I post on here are based on wins, losses, win streaks, losing streaks, who a fighter defeats, and current & recent wins. Recent activity counts more than overall record because rankings are where a fighter stands now as opposed to an overall look at their career. For example, I am not going to rank Dennis Hallman ahead of Matt Hughes just because Matt got armbarred twice by Hallman 5 years ago. Please let me know what you think. I get that these rankings can be argued, but they are how I see it.
-R
-R
My MMA Top 10 Rankings (Updated 7/21/08)
P4P
1 Anderson Silva
2 George St Pierre
3 Fedor Emelianenko
4 BJ Penn
5 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
6 Urijah Faber
7 Miguel Torres
8 Forrest Griffin
9 Quentin Jackson
10 Lyoto Machida
HW
1 Fedor
2 Randy
3 Nog
4 Andre Arlovski
5 Josh Barnett
6 Tim Sylvia
7 Fabricio Werdum
8 Gabriel Gonzaga
9 Mirko Cro Cop
10 Alistair Overeem
LHW
1 Forrest Griffin
2 Quentin Jackson
3 Lyoto Machida
4 Chuck Liddell
5 Mauricio Rua
6 Dan Henderson
7 Wanderlei Silva
8 Rashad Evans
9 Rameau Thierry Sokodjou
10 Keith Jardine
MW
1 Anderson Silva
2 Rich Franklin
3 Paulo Filho
4 Yushin Okami
5 Robbie Lawler
6 Thales Leites
7 Nate Marquardt
8 Frank Trigg
9 Yoshihiro Akiyama
10 Patrick Cote
WW
1 GSP
2 Jon Fitch
3 Josh Koscheck
4 Diego Sanchez
5 Thiago Alves
6 Matt Serra
7 Matt Hughes
8 Karo Parysian
9 Jake Shields
10 Carlos Condit
LW
1 BJ Penn
2 Takanori Gomi
3 Eddie Alvarez
4 Joachim Hansen
5 Shinya Aoki
6 JZ Calvancante
7 Josh Thomson
8 Gilbert Melendez
9 Sean Sherk
10 Tatsuya Kawajiri
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Anderson Silva vs Fedor Emelianenko: P4P Revisited
Wow.
That is all I can say after Saturday's fights. We saw some impressive heavyweight tilts, and 2 of the greatest fighters on the planet showed why they are considered the best MMA has to offer. It took a combined total of one minute and thirty seven seconds for both Anderson Silva and Fedor Emelianenko to utterly destroy their opponents.
Fedor was more than impressive in his 36 second destruction of a game and legit heavyweight in Tim Sylvia. Many thought Timmy had the stuff to land a big shot on Fedor and possibly put him out. Any who doubted Fedor's ability and position in the sport were silenced faster than they could say, "Fedor ain't that good," or "This ain't Japan." Fedor, with just absolute pinpoint accuracy, clobbered Sylvia with punches on the feet and floored him. After the fight hit the ground it was just a matter of time and Fedor locked up a choke and had Tim tapping quicker than his last fight. Fedor has re-cemented himself among the top of the heavyweight division without question.
James Irvin never saw it coming. All he new was that he threw a kick and woke up a few minutes later on the ground. Anderson Silva's wake of destruction is now spilling over into another weight division. I admit that I had some reservations about Anderson moving into the 205 pound division. I was unsure as to how well his power would translate to the marquee weight division in the UFC. I also questioned his chin at the new category. Well, he answered my first concern with an emphatic kaboom. Off of a defensive move where we saw Anderson catch a James Irvin leg kick, Anderson proceeded to return fire and throw a right hand that was the equivalent of a brick of C4 that landed square in Irvin's grill. With the punch, Irvin was all but unconscious and ate a few more "bites" from "the Spider" before referee Mario Yamasaki stepped in to put an end to "the Sandman's" misery. As impressive as Fedor was, I don't think Anderson is going anywhere on the p4p list with the combo of his resume against top 10 fighters and a more than successful move up a weight class.
Fedor vs Anderson Silva.
I think it is safe to assume that Anderson could move anywhere between 185 and 220 pounds and get to the right weight in shape. So let's play a little "What if Dana was gone and the UFC could make the fights fans want to see." How would Anderson perform against Fedor at heavyweight? I know a lot of fans think he would not have a chance, but I would not put it past Silva to be able to hold his own in that fight. Fedor would not be able to do to Silva what he did to Sylvia. Anderson is too fast and his counter striking is a danger to Fedor. On the ground, I'd imagine Fedor has a slight advantage there as he has shown more of a proven ground game than Anderson has in his previous fights. However, Silva has shown that his BJJ is ever improving and his status as a black belt is becoming more legit with every foray onto the ground. In a straight up fist fight, I believe Anderson has the advantage. Although most thought that was the case when Fedor fought Cro Cop, but Silva is a different beast. His footwork is better than Cro Cop's and his hand speed is as fast if not faster than Fedor's. And I have to believe that if Fujita could rock Fedor, Anderson has enough power to possibly cork "The Last Emperor." If the fight hits the ground, I see Fedor being able to find a submission. Anderson has shown some weakness on the ground in getting caught, however, he has come a long way from being the recipient of a cartoon-like heel hook from Ryo Chonan. Maybe it is over simplistic of me to go with Anderson on the feet and Fedor on the ground, but based on watching their styles, I see this fight being that easy to call. Call me naive, but I call it how I see it.
I may rustle some tail feathers with this perspective and many may scoff at the thought, but I would pick Anderson in this fight. While Fedor would be the perennial favorite, as he should be, Silva has looked better every time he fights. His Improvement from just last year has been significant. With that being said, I can see Silva working his striking game and possibly catching Fedor (If Fujita can rock Fedor, Anderson sure as hell can). He would need to risk engaging Fedor though and trying to press the action. In the past, Fedor has been the aggressor and made his opponents react to his offense. Anderson would have to negate that and open up and fully engage Fedor and use his footwork to stay away from Fedor's wild swings. Make him back up and try to land solid shots on Fedor. Although should Fedor outstrike Silva and win by ko/tko, I would not be surprised at all. Outside of Randy Couture, Fedor game plans better than anyone in the game. Not a fight I would put money on, but seeing how good Silva has been, I would not put it past him to win against anyone, even Fedor.
That is all I can say after Saturday's fights. We saw some impressive heavyweight tilts, and 2 of the greatest fighters on the planet showed why they are considered the best MMA has to offer. It took a combined total of one minute and thirty seven seconds for both Anderson Silva and Fedor Emelianenko to utterly destroy their opponents.
Fedor was more than impressive in his 36 second destruction of a game and legit heavyweight in Tim Sylvia. Many thought Timmy had the stuff to land a big shot on Fedor and possibly put him out. Any who doubted Fedor's ability and position in the sport were silenced faster than they could say, "Fedor ain't that good," or "This ain't Japan." Fedor, with just absolute pinpoint accuracy, clobbered Sylvia with punches on the feet and floored him. After the fight hit the ground it was just a matter of time and Fedor locked up a choke and had Tim tapping quicker than his last fight. Fedor has re-cemented himself among the top of the heavyweight division without question.
James Irvin never saw it coming. All he new was that he threw a kick and woke up a few minutes later on the ground. Anderson Silva's wake of destruction is now spilling over into another weight division. I admit that I had some reservations about Anderson moving into the 205 pound division. I was unsure as to how well his power would translate to the marquee weight division in the UFC. I also questioned his chin at the new category. Well, he answered my first concern with an emphatic kaboom. Off of a defensive move where we saw Anderson catch a James Irvin leg kick, Anderson proceeded to return fire and throw a right hand that was the equivalent of a brick of C4 that landed square in Irvin's grill. With the punch, Irvin was all but unconscious and ate a few more "bites" from "the Spider" before referee Mario Yamasaki stepped in to put an end to "the Sandman's" misery. As impressive as Fedor was, I don't think Anderson is going anywhere on the p4p list with the combo of his resume against top 10 fighters and a more than successful move up a weight class.
Fedor vs Anderson Silva.
I think it is safe to assume that Anderson could move anywhere between 185 and 220 pounds and get to the right weight in shape. So let's play a little "What if Dana was gone and the UFC could make the fights fans want to see." How would Anderson perform against Fedor at heavyweight? I know a lot of fans think he would not have a chance, but I would not put it past Silva to be able to hold his own in that fight. Fedor would not be able to do to Silva what he did to Sylvia. Anderson is too fast and his counter striking is a danger to Fedor. On the ground, I'd imagine Fedor has a slight advantage there as he has shown more of a proven ground game than Anderson has in his previous fights. However, Silva has shown that his BJJ is ever improving and his status as a black belt is becoming more legit with every foray onto the ground. In a straight up fist fight, I believe Anderson has the advantage. Although most thought that was the case when Fedor fought Cro Cop, but Silva is a different beast. His footwork is better than Cro Cop's and his hand speed is as fast if not faster than Fedor's. And I have to believe that if Fujita could rock Fedor, Anderson has enough power to possibly cork "The Last Emperor." If the fight hits the ground, I see Fedor being able to find a submission. Anderson has shown some weakness on the ground in getting caught, however, he has come a long way from being the recipient of a cartoon-like heel hook from Ryo Chonan. Maybe it is over simplistic of me to go with Anderson on the feet and Fedor on the ground, but based on watching their styles, I see this fight being that easy to call. Call me naive, but I call it how I see it.
I may rustle some tail feathers with this perspective and many may scoff at the thought, but I would pick Anderson in this fight. While Fedor would be the perennial favorite, as he should be, Silva has looked better every time he fights. His Improvement from just last year has been significant. With that being said, I can see Silva working his striking game and possibly catching Fedor (If Fujita can rock Fedor, Anderson sure as hell can). He would need to risk engaging Fedor though and trying to press the action. In the past, Fedor has been the aggressor and made his opponents react to his offense. Anderson would have to negate that and open up and fully engage Fedor and use his footwork to stay away from Fedor's wild swings. Make him back up and try to land solid shots on Fedor. Although should Fedor outstrike Silva and win by ko/tko, I would not be surprised at all. Outside of Randy Couture, Fedor game plans better than anyone in the game. Not a fight I would put money on, but seeing how good Silva has been, I would not put it past him to win against anyone, even Fedor.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Pound for Pound: MMA's Elite (Part 2)
Who are the best fighters in the world that have truly earned the status? In my mind, few can argue that Anderson Silva, Fedor Emelianenko, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira are the best fighters in the world based on their accomplishments. All three are well rounded fighters, though each have their strong suits that outshine their other skills. Nogueira with his jiu jitsu, Fedor with his ground and pound and sambo, and Anderson Silva of course, has the striking. Each of these 3 fighters have proven without a doubt that they are the cream of the crop based on their performances and the wins they have accumulated.
Anderson Silva seemed to come out of nowhere when he defeated Chris Leben at a UFC fight night in 2006. Leben had just come off of the Ultimate Fighter show and was riding high on a 6 fight win streak. Then he got bit by the "Spider." In 49 seconds, Leben went from next in line for the title to a journeyman/gatekeeper status. Anderson Silva utterly destroyed Chris Leben and in doing so, set himself up for a shot at Rich Franklin's middleweight title. It was another smash. This time quite literally, as Silva threw knees at Franklin's face until Rich's nose gave out and broke like a 2x4 over Mark Hunt's head. From there, Anderson Silva would go and reel off 4 more wins against the best the UFC had to offer and cemented himself as the Kingpin of not only the middleweight division, but also most pundit's pound for pound lists.
Fedor, Fedor, Fedor. The guy is a mystery. Certainly one I cannot figure out. Watching him fight, I cannot see how he has not been knocked out or submitted. His striking style for instance, I do not understand how he can throw punches the way he does and no one has ever been able to throw a straight one down the pipe and crack him in the face. He throws punches from outer space and seems to land them every time. His ground game is very high level, yet he was put into a very precarious position by Mark Hunt who does not know a kimura from a heel hook. It just seems to me that based on his fighting style, he should lose fights. Yet, not only does he win, he demolishes his opponents. My opinion on his ability to win is that he really has no sense of self preservation when he fights. Apparently no fear of loss equals no losses, because outside of cutting him open, Fedor does not lose. The only criticism the "Last Emperor" incites is his lack of top competition over the last 3 years. Arguably, Fedor has not fought legitimate top competition since Mirko Cro Cop in 2005. It is hard to argue the point that many make as well. How can you claim to be the best if you are not fighting the best. We will find out if Fedor is still the man to beat at heavyweight come Saturday July 19th when he faces the ginormic Tim Sylvia, his first top ten competition in 3 years.
Nogueira is hands down the toughest MMA fighter, if not human being, in the world. The man has been run over by a car and lived to tell the tale. He has been pile driven on his melon by Bob freakin Sapp, and subsequently beat to death by Fedor, Cro Cop and Tim Sylvia. Yet, besides Fedor, he defeated the aforementioned fighters that put an ass kicking on him of epic proportions. Screw Chuck Norris, Nogueira is the toughest man alive. Besides his absurd ability to absorb punishment, Nogueira is the best jiu jitsu practitioner for MMA in the heavyweight division. He pulls submissions out of nowhere and can catch opponents from virtually every position. One needs only to watch his second fight with Dan Henderson to see that his submission game is beyond ludicrous. Nogueira has never lost to anyone accept to elite competiion. And if not for Fedor, he would be considered the greatest heavyweight mixed martial artist of all time. If that is not enough to put Nogueira near the top of a pound for pound list, I don't know what is.
Ultimately, as the sport progresses, we will see many fighters be well rounded and MMA will become much more competitive. But for the time, these fighters are the best the sport has to offer.
Anderson Silva seemed to come out of nowhere when he defeated Chris Leben at a UFC fight night in 2006. Leben had just come off of the Ultimate Fighter show and was riding high on a 6 fight win streak. Then he got bit by the "Spider." In 49 seconds, Leben went from next in line for the title to a journeyman/gatekeeper status. Anderson Silva utterly destroyed Chris Leben and in doing so, set himself up for a shot at Rich Franklin's middleweight title. It was another smash. This time quite literally, as Silva threw knees at Franklin's face until Rich's nose gave out and broke like a 2x4 over Mark Hunt's head. From there, Anderson Silva would go and reel off 4 more wins against the best the UFC had to offer and cemented himself as the Kingpin of not only the middleweight division, but also most pundit's pound for pound lists.
Fedor, Fedor, Fedor. The guy is a mystery. Certainly one I cannot figure out. Watching him fight, I cannot see how he has not been knocked out or submitted. His striking style for instance, I do not understand how he can throw punches the way he does and no one has ever been able to throw a straight one down the pipe and crack him in the face. He throws punches from outer space and seems to land them every time. His ground game is very high level, yet he was put into a very precarious position by Mark Hunt who does not know a kimura from a heel hook. It just seems to me that based on his fighting style, he should lose fights. Yet, not only does he win, he demolishes his opponents. My opinion on his ability to win is that he really has no sense of self preservation when he fights. Apparently no fear of loss equals no losses, because outside of cutting him open, Fedor does not lose. The only criticism the "Last Emperor" incites is his lack of top competition over the last 3 years. Arguably, Fedor has not fought legitimate top competition since Mirko Cro Cop in 2005. It is hard to argue the point that many make as well. How can you claim to be the best if you are not fighting the best. We will find out if Fedor is still the man to beat at heavyweight come Saturday July 19th when he faces the ginormic Tim Sylvia, his first top ten competition in 3 years.
Nogueira is hands down the toughest MMA fighter, if not human being, in the world. The man has been run over by a car and lived to tell the tale. He has been pile driven on his melon by Bob freakin Sapp, and subsequently beat to death by Fedor, Cro Cop and Tim Sylvia. Yet, besides Fedor, he defeated the aforementioned fighters that put an ass kicking on him of epic proportions. Screw Chuck Norris, Nogueira is the toughest man alive. Besides his absurd ability to absorb punishment, Nogueira is the best jiu jitsu practitioner for MMA in the heavyweight division. He pulls submissions out of nowhere and can catch opponents from virtually every position. One needs only to watch his second fight with Dan Henderson to see that his submission game is beyond ludicrous. Nogueira has never lost to anyone accept to elite competiion. And if not for Fedor, he would be considered the greatest heavyweight mixed martial artist of all time. If that is not enough to put Nogueira near the top of a pound for pound list, I don't know what is.
Ultimately, as the sport progresses, we will see many fighters be well rounded and MMA will become much more competitive. But for the time, these fighters are the best the sport has to offer.
Pound for Pound: MMA's Elite (Part 1)
Who is the greatest MMA fighter on the planet in terms of accomplishment and talent. Yes, there is a difference. I'm talking best fighters in the world who just get the job done and have won fights regardless of who they face. And then fighters who can beat anyone because they are that damn good but maybe have not beaten everyone they should have. As far as fighters with the talent, potential, and ability to beat anyone including your mom, 3 fighters come to mind. BJ Penn, Norifumi "Kid" Yammamoto, and Georges St Pierre. These three guys have the ability that all MMA fighters should strive to have. Their striking, wrestling, and jiu jitsu are all top notch. Well rounded in every aspect and could beat any and all comers if they were focused every time out.
Of the 3, GSP is the closest to actually being the best fighter on the planet. He has beaten the best welterweight fighters in the world already and only has 2 or 3 viable challengers left in his division that could really test him. And he has the opportunity to off one of those contenders coming next month. St. Pierre was beating up top guys 3 or 4 years ago and has only gotten better since then. Unless it's BJ Penn, I don't see GSP losing to anyone at 170 pounds for quite some time.
Speaking of Penn, in my opinion, this guy is the best fighter in the world in regards to natural ability. I know it has become a cliche, but if he's in shape, I don't see anyone at lightweight or welterweight for that matter, beating BJ penn. Probably the most well rounded fighter in MMA right now, Penn puts all aspects of the game together like James Bond puts together a 3 piece suit. A virtuoso of a fighter, he hits like Chuck Liddell, wrestles at the level of Matt Hughes, and grapples like, well, himself actually. Nobody grapples like BJ. Pure jiu jitsu, there are grapplers who are as good as him. For MMA, I would take his jiu jitsu over anyone's. To put it in perspective, I would have a hard time picking anyone in a fight against him at any weight class because he is good enough that there is a possibility he could win. I mean, he could find a way to choke out Korean giant, Hong Man Choi. He might have to bounce off the ropes in a ring and leap onto his back, but the fact remains, he could do it.
Kid, to this point, has done the least to cement himself as the best fighter in the world. He truly has the ability to become a giant in the MMA world, but has been unfocused and has aspirations outside of MMA that have hampered his rise. Between a failed bid for Olympic glory and indecision on what weight he wanted to fight at, "Kid" had stalled out. Unfortunately, things are not looking up for Kid as he has now injured himself a few days before his fight against Joseph Benavidez at Dream 5. Kid has all the talent in the world, but unless he can put it together with quality wins, he may not ever get to the lofty status as the pound for pound best in the world.
-R
Of the 3, GSP is the closest to actually being the best fighter on the planet. He has beaten the best welterweight fighters in the world already and only has 2 or 3 viable challengers left in his division that could really test him. And he has the opportunity to off one of those contenders coming next month. St. Pierre was beating up top guys 3 or 4 years ago and has only gotten better since then. Unless it's BJ Penn, I don't see GSP losing to anyone at 170 pounds for quite some time.
Speaking of Penn, in my opinion, this guy is the best fighter in the world in regards to natural ability. I know it has become a cliche, but if he's in shape, I don't see anyone at lightweight or welterweight for that matter, beating BJ penn. Probably the most well rounded fighter in MMA right now, Penn puts all aspects of the game together like James Bond puts together a 3 piece suit. A virtuoso of a fighter, he hits like Chuck Liddell, wrestles at the level of Matt Hughes, and grapples like, well, himself actually. Nobody grapples like BJ. Pure jiu jitsu, there are grapplers who are as good as him. For MMA, I would take his jiu jitsu over anyone's. To put it in perspective, I would have a hard time picking anyone in a fight against him at any weight class because he is good enough that there is a possibility he could win. I mean, he could find a way to choke out Korean giant, Hong Man Choi. He might have to bounce off the ropes in a ring and leap onto his back, but the fact remains, he could do it.
Kid, to this point, has done the least to cement himself as the best fighter in the world. He truly has the ability to become a giant in the MMA world, but has been unfocused and has aspirations outside of MMA that have hampered his rise. Between a failed bid for Olympic glory and indecision on what weight he wanted to fight at, "Kid" had stalled out. Unfortunately, things are not looking up for Kid as he has now injured himself a few days before his fight against Joseph Benavidez at Dream 5. Kid has all the talent in the world, but unless he can put it together with quality wins, he may not ever get to the lofty status as the pound for pound best in the world.
-R
Dreaming of Pride
Dream, Pride. Pride, Dream. Essentially, it is the same MMA organization. When Zuffa purchased Pride last year, many fans and MMA insiders thought that Pride was dead. Well, apparently no one told the Pride administrators that. So now, a little over a year later, we have Dream FC. An organization who is run by former Pride employees, has the same production style as Pride had, and offers up the same rules and judging criteria as Pride. Guess we have Pride back then, right?
Not so much.
At it's peak, Pride was the # 1 mixed martial arts organization in the world. And the reason for that was not because of who ran the company, what the production looked like or what the rules were. It was about the fighters. The guys that left their hearts, souls and blood (Boy was there blood) in the ring. As entertaining as some of the fights have been, and the nostalgia that the grand prix has brought, I just don't see the same gusto in Dream that was readily apparent in Pride. Again, I think it is because of the fighters.
Don't get me wrong, guys like Shinya Aoki, JZ Calvancante, Eddie Alvarez and Caol Uno are great fighters and fun to watch, but I don't get the sense of excitement watching a Dream card as I did a Pride fight show. Where is Cro Cop kicking people's heads into the audience? Where is Wanderlei Silva kneeing his opponent's faces off? Where is Takanori Gomi, Shogun Rua, Ninja Rua, Fedor Emelianenko, and Dan Henderson? The answer? WVR, UFC, Elite XC, Affliction, and UFC again, respectively. Outside of an irrelevant, wannabe grappler, in Cro Cop, the fighters who built the company have moved on to greener ($) pastures.
While this rant may sound like a child lamenting that his teddy bear was replaced by a cheaper Mexican made version, I do see that there are great fights coming out of Dream. If this next card lives up to expectations, it could very well be one of the better cards of the year. But Pride it ain't.
-R
Not so much.
At it's peak, Pride was the # 1 mixed martial arts organization in the world. And the reason for that was not because of who ran the company, what the production looked like or what the rules were. It was about the fighters. The guys that left their hearts, souls and blood (Boy was there blood) in the ring. As entertaining as some of the fights have been, and the nostalgia that the grand prix has brought, I just don't see the same gusto in Dream that was readily apparent in Pride. Again, I think it is because of the fighters.
Don't get me wrong, guys like Shinya Aoki, JZ Calvancante, Eddie Alvarez and Caol Uno are great fighters and fun to watch, but I don't get the sense of excitement watching a Dream card as I did a Pride fight show. Where is Cro Cop kicking people's heads into the audience? Where is Wanderlei Silva kneeing his opponent's faces off? Where is Takanori Gomi, Shogun Rua, Ninja Rua, Fedor Emelianenko, and Dan Henderson? The answer? WVR, UFC, Elite XC, Affliction, and UFC again, respectively. Outside of an irrelevant, wannabe grappler, in Cro Cop, the fighters who built the company have moved on to greener ($) pastures.
While this rant may sound like a child lamenting that his teddy bear was replaced by a cheaper Mexican made version, I do see that there are great fights coming out of Dream. If this next card lives up to expectations, it could very well be one of the better cards of the year. But Pride it ain't.
-R
Chuck's next move should be.....to Heavyweight.
Chuck Liddell, perhaps the greatest light heavyweight fighter of all time, should go up to the heavyweight division. At least in my opinion. As of late, Chuck has had his issues at light heavyweight. Dropping his light heavyweight title to Quentin Jackson, and then losing to Keith Jardine, Chuck has shown he has some chinks in his armor. He did rebound against Wanderlei Silva, which is a definite boon for him in terms of his legacy, but is he still relevant in the mix of elite MMA light heavyweights?
I suppose it would be foolish to say that Chuck has no relevancy in the light heavyweight division, however, it is my opinion that as he gets older, his ability to keep up with the smaller, faster guys will begin to deteriorate. Not to say he cannot still be competitive, but like Randy Couture, I see Chuck being more competitive at heavyweight. Especially with the thinner competition there.
I know there are many arguments against him moving up, people questioning his punching power at heavyweight, or how big he can get to fight in that divison, or will he be out of shape not having to cut down. All valid questions, but in this blogger's mind, Chuck can probably beat most of the competition in the UFC heavyweight division based on styles. And a move up would offer some intriguing fights. Liddell vs Nogueira, or a fight with Brandon Vera would be compelling as well. No matter where he goes, I and most other fans will be watching the "Iceman" fight, it is just my point of view that a move to the heavyweight class would freshen things up not only for Chuck, but the weak heavyweight class as well.
-R
I suppose it would be foolish to say that Chuck has no relevancy in the light heavyweight division, however, it is my opinion that as he gets older, his ability to keep up with the smaller, faster guys will begin to deteriorate. Not to say he cannot still be competitive, but like Randy Couture, I see Chuck being more competitive at heavyweight. Especially with the thinner competition there.
I know there are many arguments against him moving up, people questioning his punching power at heavyweight, or how big he can get to fight in that divison, or will he be out of shape not having to cut down. All valid questions, but in this blogger's mind, Chuck can probably beat most of the competition in the UFC heavyweight division based on styles. And a move up would offer some intriguing fights. Liddell vs Nogueira, or a fight with Brandon Vera would be compelling as well. No matter where he goes, I and most other fans will be watching the "Iceman" fight, it is just my point of view that a move to the heavyweight class would freshen things up not only for Chuck, but the weak heavyweight class as well.
-R
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