UFC 91: Pre-fight Thoughts

by mma_dude on Nov 8, 2008 8:35 PM EST Comment 23 comments

Pretty damn good card with championship ramifications, and several excellently conceived stylistic match-ups.

Hazelett vs. McCrory

This falls under the category of interesting stylistic match-up. McCrory is hella scrappy and fairly well rounded. Although McCrory has shown a vulnerability to submissions, he definetely has what it takes to survive a war with Hazelett. But it's his vulnerability to submissions that makes this fight interesting -- I would love to see another submission victory from McLovin'. If Dustin was fighting for DREAM he would be a huge star. The promoters would throw cans at him and he would submit them in overly fantastic fashion. The Aoki of the U.S.A.

Quarry vs. Maia

This is the classic match-up between striker & grappler -- my favorite kind! The question is: Can Nate Quarry keep this fight standing? I don't think so! Enough said.

Gonzaga vs. Hendricks

Are we finally gonna see Gonzaga's BJJ get tested? I hope so. I don't know a lot about Hendricks, but he is suppose to have excellent BJJ, and when you couple that with a wrestling back ground, Gonzaga might be in trouble. An all out HW BJJ clinic would be something exciting (something we are not likely to see in the Mir/Nog fight).

Sadollah vs. Catone

These TUF guys are pretty F'ing impressive. They come into it with little experience. They basically learn how to fight in front of the cameras, and then, less than a year later, they are taking on the best -- almost always looking much better then we could have possibly imagined. I expect more of the same in this fight. Catone is no joke, he is far from a can, and at the same time I can't believe that Zuffa would make this match unless they believed that Sadollah had the edge. I can't wait!

Florian vs. Stevenson

So much could be said about this match-up. I just wonder: After Florian dismantles Stevenson, are the 'so called' MMA fans still gonna give him next to no chance against BJ? Probably!

Couture vs. Lesnar

I'm not sure what I can say that has not already been said. I'm sure every MMA fan has given this fight at least as much thought as I have. I believe that this is the most important MMA bout in recent history for a variety of reasons. But I'll just give you a prediction: Lesnar by complete and total annihilation. This is nothing against Cptn. America (my favorite fighter). Lesnar as champion will ultimately lead to the development of another weight class.

This is one of the best cards of the year and is head and shoulders above the upcoming UFC 92. Although UFC 92 has two title bouts -- UFC 91 actually has more interest in terms of title ramifications: Lesnar/Couture, Florian, Maia, Hazelett/McCrory -- all could be fighting for a title in the near future.

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Bloody Elbow readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bloody Elbow editors or staff.

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I agree with the outcome, though perhaps not as dominating

But there will be no new weight class. There are several reasons why this will never occur. Brock is an anomaly; to be his weight and in his condition. But between there not being room in the UFC for another division (recalling my arguments about women’s MMA) and the fact that heavies are worn thin as it is (where the fuck are you going to find capable super heavies that are as fast and strong as Brock?), it’s just not going to happen under any circumstances. It’s interesting in concept, just not possible.. (And I’m also not on board with people discrediting Brock because of his size/speed/strength— it’s well within the boundaries of the division and that’s all that matters… and I’m not talking about you, MMA_dude)

by Blackout612 on Nov 8, 2008 9:30 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Where are you gonna find just plain heavies that are as fast and strong as Lesnar, let alone SUPER heavies. You probably are right though, Lesnar is gonna make a mockery of the heavy weight division for years to come. A 225 lb. weight class could introduce some very competative and interesting title bouts.

I wonder how much of an anomaly Brock really is. I’m not a scout but I’m sure there is a pool of college super hw wrestlers that are looking for work.

I told you I can't build your candy house! It will fall apart, the sun will melt the candy, it won't work!

by mma_dude on Nov 8, 2008 10:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think that it could change a lot if athletes, at a young age, decide to pursue MMA as opposed to something like football. We’re so far from that reality, that guys like Brock will continue to be an anomaly. But freak athletes in America are traditionally encouraged to play football or basketball. It’s something I’ve considered writing about, actually..

by Blackout612 on Nov 8, 2008 10:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Offensive linemen in the NFL will/should become

the prototype for MMA HW’s. Those guys ALL compete ~300lbs, which means they would all make weight at 265 just like Brock. And seriously, have you ever seen a guy like Steve Hutchinson move downfield lead-blocking for his RB? It’s insane to think that something that big can be that fluid, just like Lesnar.

But you’re right..we’ll have to see Lesnar induce the “Finish Him!” dance on a dozen opponents or so before those super-athletes start thinking of MMA as a realistic/competitive profession.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Nov 9, 2008 1:28 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Excellent player reference

I’m from Minnesota.

by Blackout612 on Nov 9, 2008 5:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, well I'm from Seattle

so go f*$k yourself.

Just kidding, man. Enjoy that beast..he’s a ridiculously large part of why AP is experiencing the level of success he is. That was horrible mis-management of the Nth degree.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Nov 9, 2008 10:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

^^ is referencing an inside squabble/joke

which occurred when Steven Hutchinson left the Seahawks to sign with the Vikings. The guy’s a HOF O-lineman and Seattle screwed up the negotiations pretty horribly, allowing Minnesota to swoop in and pick him up. More hilarity ensued, such as our reciprocal signing of a totally inferior player (Nate Burleson) from Minnesota’s roster, and giving him a nearly identical contract.

It’s really quite hilarious, but you probably needed to have been there.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Nov 9, 2008 10:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That was a total clusterfuck

And you guys waaaaaay overpaid Burleson to get us back. That whole situation was wild. But yeah, I went apeshit when I found out we actually got away with that. It was cheap, but I was still thrilled. Hah…

by Blackout612 on Nov 9, 2008 10:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The actual contract was only like 1/3 of

the 7/49 top-end escalators included to make it ‘match’ Hutch’s contract. But yeah, even so we overpayed Burly.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Nov 9, 2008 11:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Lesnar is pretty difficult match for any heavyweight. If he keeps progressing in his MMA training, he could be a force for a long time. With that said, I think he’s totally beatable. I just can’t see Couture doing it at this juncture in his career. Couture is great with gameplanning, but that can take you only so far if your opponent is as physically imposing and wrestles as well as Lesnar. You can’t forget the fact that Randy hasn’t fought in over a year. That’s a huge deal, especially when you’re well into your forties.

by Cannon Jacques on Nov 8, 2008 10:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn’t dare to call Brock unbeatable, but he presents such a unique set of challenges that I think he is going to be a hard nut to crack (guys need to know more about him than they do right now). My feeling is that he’s going to be a marketing wet dream for Zuffa in that he is coming in with a head of steam, popularity wise, and he’s this absolute athletic monstrosity. Can he be beat? Sure. But his natural physical gifts coupled with his increasing skill sets is a match made in hell for anyone opposite him in the octogan.

by Blackout612 on Nov 8, 2008 10:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

= octagon

by Blackout612 on Nov 8, 2008 10:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree. Assuming Lesnar does beat Couture, his next fight should tell a lot about where he’s at in terms of his BJJ. I would predict that it will most likely be Lesnar vs. Noguiera. Physically, none of the guys in the heavyweight tourney rival Lesnar, and Nog is probably on the downside of his career. However, he is a tough dude who can take a ton of punishment and then pull out a submission. It will be interesting to see how the two deal with one another if that fight does take place. Actually, how anyone chooses to deal with Lesnar at this point is interesting. Like you said, there’s not much background to go on when preparing for Lesnar.

I’d love to see Lesnar vs. Carwin down the road. It would be the battle of the huge mitts.

by Cannon Jacques on Nov 8, 2008 10:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I've said before that the path to victory for Couture likely involves

leg kicks and cage skills. It’s much easier to defend a straight-ahead takedown style up against the cage than it is on open ground, and Randy’s probably got the best skills up against the fence of any fighter in the UFC today.

Anything can happen, though. Randy’s got enough striking ability and power to put Brock on his ass early on if he catches him, and we can be fairly certain that Randy will win the striking position battle.

All this said, I still pick Lesnar to win. TKO stoppage in the 2nd.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Nov 9, 2008 1:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The scary thing about Lesnar

…or rather, one of the scary things; is that he doesn’t size up his opponents. You would imagine that chopping away at his legs would be a winning gameplan, but he doesn’t wait for anything to happen. It seems to me that he’d have to get caught to lose a fight, and so far he hasn’t had any trouble taking strikes. (Some people say he hasn’t been tested, but Herring put a few on him and he didn’t even flinch.)

by Blackout612 on Nov 9, 2008 5:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Can't wait for the contest

I’m taking Maia over Quarry, Florian over Stevenson, and Couture over Lesnar.

"It's like a flying knuckle sandwich." --Rogan
"And many men have eaten it." -- Goldy

by thetakeover on Nov 8, 2008 10:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Good analysis

I’m bigtime marking out for McLovin’, and this description is as good a summation as any:

This falls under the category of interesting stylistic match-up. McCrory is hella scrappy and fairly well rounded. Although McCrory has shown a vulnerability to submissions, he definetely has what it takes to survive a war with Hazelett. But it’s his vulnerability to submissions that makes this fight interesting — I would love to see another submission victory from McLovin’. If Dustin was fighting for DREAM he would be a huge star. The promoters would throw cans at him and he would submit them in overly fantastic fashion. The Aoki of the U.S.A.

"It's like a flying knuckle sandwich." --Rogan
"And many men have eaten it." -- Goldy

by thetakeover on Nov 8, 2008 10:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I cant wait for this PPV. I agree these matchups are more interesting than some of the other big name fights. Im pulling for Quarry and I think he can keep it standing. Im not quite on the maia bandwagon yet but if he does pull of the win I may have to reconsider. I got this weird feeling this Catone guy is going to be a dangerous fight for Amir. Gonzaga is definately beatable. I think Brock is going to put a hurting on Randy and alot of people are going to be shocked. People dont understand this guy is a freak who is only going to get better. He is just to big and agile for coture. His kryptonite is guys with good bjj skills I would say. I think this is a terrible matchup for Randy.

by mlzybaby on Nov 8, 2008 11:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think despite the lack of big semi-mains a lot of the fights on here are interesting.

It seems to me that Hendricks is a live dog. He has a great wrestling background, good enough BJJ to avoid being submitted, and he has been training with Randy Couture for the last 10 weeks.

by Michael Rome on Nov 9, 2008 4:33 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yep

Major sleeper potential, to be sure.

by Blackout612 on Nov 9, 2008 5:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Here’s a rumor I heard: In addition to the names we’ve heard thrown out there, the Couture camp brought in Rulon Gardner for wrestling training. I suppose this would count as a good enough heavyweight…

Styles make fights, but only when one guy isn’t so inexperienced and prone to mistakes and panic.

by Michael Rome on Nov 9, 2008 4:34 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

rulon gardner rumor?

where’d you hear the rulon gardnes rumor?if that is true it think it makes a huge difference in who i take in this fight.

one of the factors i think people dont look at is who the fighter trained with. not which camp they are at, but which individuals at the camp they train with

by Headkick on Nov 10, 2008 10:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Maia vs Quarry—I think this will be a quick finish by Maia.

GG vs Hendricks—Gonzaga is on of the best bjj guys in the world. Even if Hendricks has good bjj, he probably doesn’t want to be in a grappling match with GG, especially when it has been shown that the way to beat him is by hitting him.

Florian vs Stevenson—I think this could go either way, but I’m picking Kenny. And as a “mma fan”, I say there is no way he stands a chance against Baby Jay.

Couture vs Lesner—I wake up one day thinking it will be Lesner, then the next thinking Couture. Guess we’ll just have to wait a few more days.